"Anno 1544 Hatt mein liebster Vatter gottsehliger yhnn gegenwarth seiner Tischgenger vnd vnsser aller die gantze historica (?) vhonn seiner reisenn gegenn Rom so ehr an. 1510 yhnn etlichen geschefiften thun müssen, erzelet, vnd vnter anderm mit grossen freudenn bekandt, das ehr doselbstenn durch den geist Jesu Christi sei zum erkentnus der warheitt des heyligenn Evangelii gekommen dergestalt vnd also: da ehr seine preces graduales in scala Lateranensi verrichten wollenn, ist ihme alsbald eingefallenn der spruch des propheten Abacuk, welchenn Paulus ihm erstenn capitel zunn Roemern eingefüret: nämlich: der gerechte wirdt seines glaubens lebenn. Hatt darauf sein gebett bleybenn lassenn. Und wie ehr gegen Wittenberger kommen, nichts anderst als dieselb epistel Pauli für sein hochst fundament gehaltenn." But this note evidently contains gross mistakes and is by no means very trustworthy. The Historians, therefore, were inclined to treat the whole occurrence as unhistorical. Buchwald, however, proved, 1911 (Zeitschr. f. Kirchengeschichte 32, p. 606-607), that Luther said in a sermon on November 15, 1545 (not yet published; extant in the Ratsschulbibliothek at Zwickau, Cod. No. XXVIII): "Sic Romae wollt meum avum ex purgatorio erloesen, gieng die treppen hinauf Pilati, orabam quolibet pater noster. Erat enim persuasio, qui sic oraret redimeret animam. Sed in fastigium veniens cogitabam: quis scit an sit verum? Non valet ista oratio etc." So Luther really ascended the staircase, but the inner experience on this occasion was doubt, as he had already experienced it as a monk in his prayers, and these doubts in no way brought about a turn in his inner life. This fits in with everything we know otherwise in connection with Luther's journey to Rome; therefore, even though it proved to be of the greatest importance to Luther later on, confirming him in the belief of the justness of his cause, it in no wise promoted any development in his inner life already at that time. — Compare Boehmer, p. 158-160 and M. Reu, Luthers Romfahrt (Kirchliche Zeitschrift), 1916.
41 That Luther had been in Koeln was formerly unknown, for a passage in Lauterbach's Table Talks of 1538 (ed. Seidemann p. 43) had been overlooked. Boehmer again called attention to this fact, proving it, however, also by a sermon of Luther that was published for the first time in W. E. vol. 34, 1 (p. 22). — Boehmer also completely refutes Grisar's misrepresentations of
