other Torgauers, and entreated them to engage in the good work of rescue. Bernhard was well known at the convent, to which, therefore, he had access without suspicion; and so well did he and his accomplices lay their plans, that on Easter-eve, 1523, the fugitives bade adieu to their gloomy prison.

They left with exceeding subtlety and circumspection," Koppe bringing them in a waggon, not seated on its benches, but hidden in empty herring barrels. Thus concealed they passed safely through Torgau, and arrived at Wittemburgh on the Easter Tuesday. The reader will not think the account exaggerated which states "they were in the thirstiest circumstances " when they left their barrels, after living in them three long days.

Luther made every exertion to procure a refuge for each of them; the citizens of Wittemburgh gladly opened their doors to them; Spalatin made a collection at court sufficient to support them for several weeks; and the Elector Frederick assisted them secretly.

Catherine became the guest of Philip Reichenbach, afterwards town clerk and burgomaster of Wittemburgh.

Although Luther openly protested against the cloister vow of celibacy, had advocated the marriage of monks, and had rejoiced in the happy settlement of his friends Melancthon and Carlstadt, both of whom had been three years married, he had shown a repugnance to matrimony in his own case-a lingering dread, it may be, unknown to himself, lest it should be unlawful.

The first rumour of his intention to take a wife raised many gainsayers and protesters against the evils that would follow. He was struck by this opposition, looked it steadily in the face, saw it to be a snare of the enemy to make him deny his preaching by his practice, and resolved at once to marry.

Eva of Schonfeld, one of the fugitive nuns, first attracted him, but probably her affections were already engaged to the learned physician whom she afterwards espoused. He looked suspiciously on Catherine, thought her proud and haughty, fitter to be a rich man's wife than the helpmeet of one who had little of this world's goods to offer to a partner. Instead, therefore, of wooing her for himself, he endeavoured to bring about her marriage with the wealthy Hieronymus of Baumgarten. In this he failed; and the overtures of Dr. Caspar Glatz, minister of Oclamme, were

rejected by her. The doctor was determined in his suit, and declared he would never give it up unless it should be in favour of Martin Luther, to whom he could not deny her. The bare mention of her marriage with Luther raised an outcry among her friends, who feared not only for her soul, but for the fate of the Reformation. "Had she not been a nun? Had not he been a monk? Had it not been constantly predicted by Rome that from a nun and a monk Antichrist would spring?"

This hubbub had the same effect on her mind that the remonstrances against Luther's marriage had on his. It is highly probable that it was the origin of their union-an union which at once set at defiance the unscriptural outcries of popery, broke through the timorous prejudices of the half convinced, and destroyed for ever the monastic yoke.

Once resolved, there was no hesitation with Luther. Probably to avoid all distasteful vain remonstrance, he kept his purpose from his nearest friends; and on the 13th of June, 1525, in the company only of John Bugenhagen, minister of the church, Luke Cranach, the painter, and the advocate, Apel, he went to the house of Reichenbach, to demand from him the hand of Catherine, his adopted daughter.

Catherine was not prepared for so sudden and summary a proceeding; but her clear, penetrating understanding showed her the necessity of it for the times, and she consented without hesitation.

The provost, Justus Jonas, and the wife of Cranach followed Luther and his friends, and made up the number of attesting witnesses; and the ceremony took place at five in the afternoon.

The marriage rings were executed by Luther's friend, the celebrated Albert Durer. They were most costly and curious. One of them may still be seen in the library at Wolfenbuttel.

Luther was forty-two, and Catherine twenty-seven. She was by no means remarkable for what is generally considered beauty. The pictures of Cranach represent her as of the middle height, an oval countenance, bright, sparkling eyes, a high, open forehead, a nose somewhat stumpy, full lips, and high cheek-bones. These, put together, might make an agreeable countenance, though wanting in the symmetry on which conventional beauty depends.

At her wedding she is represented with her hair parted after the Italian fashion, with a net over the back, much as it was worn in England some little time ago. Her dress has long narrow sleeves, and surmounts a laced vest, with a straight collar, under which is an embroidered boddice, with a stomacher and a high collar. On the right hand she wears a glove; she has rings on the ring-finger and first finger of the left hand.

The education of a convent was not likely to be liberal or useful. Instruction in legendary fables and the Latin formularies of service was not worth much; and as nuns seldom enjoyed more, her attainments were as slender as might be expected; but she was intelligent and teachable, and open to the wonderful advantages offered to her in the close intimacy of such a husband as Luther.

Her strongest characteristic-one which gave a great charm to her in the eyes of all her friends—was a most transparent simplicity. There was, indeed, a striking likeness between her and Luther in more than one point. Her understanding was clear and vigorous, and her resolution to go through with what she believed to be right was unflinching.

Her qualifications for a housewife were valuable. She was expert with her needle, and took readily to all those domestic employments which the poverty, or at least slender means, of her husband rendered necessary. The art of embroidery she had very possibly acquired in her convent. A portrait of Luther, wrought in silk by her hands, and several other proofs of her industry and skill are shown yet at Wirtemburg.

The good-will of the town-people and the authorities was exhibited on the occasion of the marriage by gifts, some rich, as silver cups, some homely but more needful, as linen, fuel, and food.

The only friend of Luther who was to the last adverse to the espousals was Melancthon, who could not surmount the fears he felt for the welfare of the Reformation. But the Reformer said, "I did not take this step till I had committed it in prayer to my God. If I have made myself mean and contemptible by it to men, yet I hope and believe the angels smile, and the devils weep at it." The result showed that he was right, for never was a marriage more blessed by God. His "Kate" was his solace in sorrow, his nurse in sickness, his helpmeet in all things;

and his unfailing testimony concerning her was, “I have got a faithful and godly wife, in whom, as Solomon says, the heart of her husband may safely trust. She will not fail me."

If Luther had some obstacles to overcome in effecting his union, Catherine also had to enter the lists with those who would gladly have induced her, by persuasion or fear, to break her marriage vow and return to her convent. Two young doctors from Leipzig gave lectures in Latin and German on the subject, and sent them to her, hoping that the perusal would unsettle her mind. She returned them with contempt; and Luther afterwards replied to the futile attempt by exposing the fallacy of their arguments. It was a most happy marriage. Catherine amused Luther by her entire ignorance, at the time of her marriage, of what was going on in the world, and who were the chief among the busy actors of the day. In a letter to his friend Link he says, "When first my Kate sat by me as I studied, she didn't know what to talk about, so she began: 'Doctor, is the Grand Master of Prussia brother to the Margrave?' (They were the same.) This little incident brings before us a pleasant picture of the early days of marriage, when a respite from the continual labours and trials that ploughed up their after-life was granted to them. Indeed, whenever he could, Luther constantly had her at his side in his study, while she assisted him in copying, or plied her needle busily, waiting in silence for such things as he had time or any motive to communicate.

He took the greatest pains to instruct her, so that her mind became enriched with Scriptural knowledge, and also with the history of the Reformation and God's dealings with his struggling church. When he was, as so frequently happened, away from her, travelling hither and thither on the affairs of the gospel, he wrote to her regularly and fully, always giving her the precedence of all his correspondents.

Simple as her style was, knowing nothing but what she had learned from him, her replies were, as he often declared, very helpful to him, stimulating him to work, if such a stimulant he needed, and reminding him, with a woman's carefulness, of such slight things as she thought might have escaped him, such as the answering of all letters. Her heart was deeply interested in his work, and she sympathized with him in that practical way which made

the veriest trifle connected with it important in her eyes. Her knowledge of the Scriptures was Luther's most serious care. He says, in a letter to Justus Jonas, "Kate has begun to read the Bible through. I have promised her fifty florins if she will finish it by Easter. She is using great diligence and is already in the Fifth Book of Moses." He was especially anxious that she should be well versed in the Psalms. Catherine was not perfect; she did not always fall in with readiness to his wishes. "I read a great deal every day. I can say much by heart. What would you have?" she answered, somewhat petulantly, one day, to his remon

strances.

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Kate, I would have you, by God's grace, live according to it," he answered.

But it was only when the infirmity of the flesh prevailed against the spirit, that she wearied of her good doctor's lectures. There is a picture by Cranach in the castle chapel of Wirtemburg, in which she is distinctly seen among the rest of the women, sitting at his feet; and there are better proofs still of her teachableness and profiting by instruction in the story of her life.

When the troublous times allowed them to enjoy domestic quiet, their simple pleasures were doubly sweet to them. She exerted all her ingenuity to make their uncertain and often deficient means sufficient to furnish a comfortable home. Her little garden was cultivated with the greatest industry, both for its fruits and flowers (which she dearly loved), and a small fish-pond in their ground was brought into use very constantly, she being careful to vary the food by dressing her little fish in different ways. Her ingenuity in this particular diverted Luther, who said to her one day, "Kate, you have as much delight in your little pond as many great nobles have in their grand pre

serves.

Their means were more than sufficient, if their own wants only had been their consideration; but Luther had nothing of his own, and of this he doubtless warned his Kate before he married her. His was a very remarkable position, and the times he lived in were peculiar. The church, its work, its children-these were his care, and he felt that all he had and all he was belonged to them for Christ's sake. Therefore his house had no door against any who wanted and came for shelter; his purse no clasp to any who needed help. He believed that he, with all he had, was