Magdalena and Balthasar

In the book, Magdalena and Balthasar, Steven Ozment reveals and interprets letters written by a husband and wife in the late sixteenth century. The letters entailed daily life occurrences between Magdalena and Balthasar through a sixteen year period. They explained the joy, hardships, and intimate love relationship that Magdalena and Balthasar experienced in a portion of their lives. Their close and personal relationship in which they had between one another clearly explained that remaining in good health, being business partners, and having faith in God were priorities that Magdalena and Balthasar had in their lives. Magdalena and Balthasar were always aware of all of the ailments and diseases that they were susceptible to. They were unfortunately witnesses to many casualties of friends and relatives. Due to the lifestyle in which they lived, they were not by each others side all the time and therefore were in constant worry of one another, praying that the other was in good health condition. Magdalena writes to Balthasar on the 7 of July 1584, in Altdorf, saying, I have hoped that Almighty God will grant my heartfelt prayer and restore your health there by Christian means, since it has not been his will to do so here. May God preserve you at all times and bring you safely back to me in joy so that we may again cheer and comfort each other after our long separation. Magdalena has dedicated part of her day for praying for her husband to remain in good health and return home safely. The couple attempted numerous treatments in order to maintain their good health standard. One trea! tment they would do about four times a year was bleeding. Magdalena claimed that letting herself bleed had cured the arthritis in her shoulder. Balthasar believed that one remedy to keep his health was drinking water. In his letter to Magdalena on the 5 of June 1591, in Carlsbad near Schlackenwalde, he says, I bega...