Letter to Martin Luther from Johannes Egranus in Zwickau(1521)

Your Thomas [Muntzer] came here and made everything topsy-turvy with his insane noise and his teachings. The stubbornness and shamelessness of the man are great. He directs himself in accordance with neither the advice of friends nor the authority of scripture, but supported only by his revelations he causes nothing but factionalism….In a disgraceful manner he has taken flight. As is his nature, he has (to the disgrace of this otherwise famous city) had fellow conspirators among the people, folk encumbered with debts, lawbreakers, persons given to revolt, whom in the main he attracted to himself through his confessional office and through private conventicles. His poison is the heritage he left behind, for the day laborers scream even yet against every sort of person of rank, every preacher and priest. I hear that the wild beast strews about all sorts of lies concerning me. I must bear that; my conscience and my innocence comfort me. I do not believe that any good and educated man can trust this most mendacious human being.

Letter to Elector Frederick III of Saxony from Philipp Melanchthon (1521)

I have conversed with them [the Zwickau prophets] myself, and they declare most wonderful things about themselves, namely that God with a loud voice sent them forth to teach, that they enjoy the most intimate conversations with God, behold future events, and that they are, in short, prophetic and apostolic men. I cannot describe how all this moves me. That spirit possess them seems to be established by many reasons, about which no-one can easily form an opinion but Martin [Luther]. If the Gospel and the honor and peace of the Church are in danger, it is absolutely necessary that these people should have an interview with Martin, especially as they appeal to him.

Letter to John Ruhel from Martin Luther (1525)

If there were thousands more of the peasants, they would still be altogether robbers and murderers, who would take the sword simply because of their own insolency and wickedness, and who want to expel sovereigns [and] lords, and to destroy everything, and to establish a new order in this world. But for this they have neither God’s commandment, authority, right or injunction, as the lords have it now. In addition, the peasants are faithless and are committing perjury towards their lords. Above all this, they borrow the authority of the divine word and gospel for covering up their great sins, and thus disgrace and slander God’s name…I still firmly hope that the peasants will not be victorious.