Solemn Orations in Praise of the Divine Elector Princes of Saxony, Maurice and Christian I

From which wise response it can be obscure to no one what the highest Emperor attributed to schools. Luther was accustomed to recite only three γνησίους genuine/legitimate disciples: Nicolaus Medler, Veit Dietrich of Nuremberg, and Johannes Spangenberg: because they took no less care of schools than of Churches, understanding, of course, that their preservation pleases God and that Churches cannot flourish without schools. Elector Maurice acted excellently and laudably, who not only loved scholastic men but also founded those three illustrious schools; who most kindly recalled Philipp Melanchthon a famous Reformer and educator and the other professors, who had departed Wittenberg for the towns of the March in fear of the siege, to their former teaching functions; who restored both the University of Leipzig and Wittenberg and especially endowed and amplified this, our nourishing Mother, with certain new buildings and this Pauline church; who increased the stipends of students; who considered it a sin to take away anything from the privileges and immunities of this Academy; and who, finally, by his gestures, speeches, and by the thing itself, evidently showed that he felt honorably about scholastic studies and labors, understood their fruit and utility, and wished for schools to be propagated to late posterity. Nor did the extraordinary hope and opinion conceived by Maurice about his illustrious schools fail him. For from these, within 50 years, have proceeded many chancellors and councilors of princes and other magnates; many bishops and ministers of the word of the Churches, many excellent professors, many governors of schools, many erudite and faithful teachers, many jurists, physicians, presidents of public affairs, consuls, praetors, senators, and finally almost innumerable good fathers of families; all of whom refer the foundations of their studies, their honors, and their ornaments to the Maurician munificence, and on the Final Day they will proclaim it with a heart no less joyful than grateful. For if, as the Savior himself attests, a drink of cold water given in Christ's name to the needy will eventually find its commendation, what eulogies, what proclamations will Maurice hear of his piety and his singular beneficence toward Schools? There will come forth some thousands of pious parents, whose sons were nurtured and educated in these schools, who will give extraordinary thanks to Maurice; their sons will come forth, the Maurician alumni, and countless others, who have used their piety, erudite doctrine, help, and counsel in the Church, schools, and Republic, and with one mouth they will proclaim Maurice. How much you will then exult with joy, O blessed Prince Maurice! How splendid, how blessed, how significant will you be, and truly illustrious with eternal gladness and honor, and giving humble thanks to the Immortal God, that He inspired you, the most brave hero, not only to succeed your father Henry in the most ample territories, but also to possess a pious and heroic spirit for healthfully accomplishing many things in the Church and the Republic. We, who still wander in this valley of miseries, admiring and celebrating your piety, virtue, and glory, again congratulate with joined souls the eternal happiness of your blessed soul on this day of parentation a day of memorial/tribute to the dead, and we grieve that we had to be deprived of you so soon; meanwhile, each of us in our own place will strive earnestly that, by visiting, inspecting, governing, teaching, learning, and performing other necessary works, your three schools, an excellent κειμήλιον treasure/heirloom of these lands, may be preserved for the future benefit of posterity, that the goods, revenues, conveniences, privileges, and all immunities of this Academy, our nourishing mother, may be constantly and faithfully defended, that the public buildings, and especially this Pauline one, which we more rightly call Maurician after you, the giver and conservator, may be kept in good repair; finally, that all things that pertain to studies and their sustenance, which you, most blessed Maurice, wished to be safe and unharmed, may be adorned and amplified. That this may be done by each in his own place, time, and order, we pray for success and happiness from the immortal and merciful God, the Father of our Savior Jesus Christ: to whom alone we uniquely commend, with pious vows and sighs, the whole renowned Saxon house and in it especially Lord Christian II, the new Elector, along with his Most Serene Mother and the illustrious Brothers, our most clement Lords, together with the afflicted Church and Academy, and the entire assembly of teachers and students.

A woodcut depicts symmetrical floral scrollwork and foliage motifs.