Munster continued to sustain herself with a resolution worthy of a
better cause. At the imperial diet at Worms, which the Romish king
Ferdinand opened in April, 1536, great sums were granted to the
besieging bishop, to enable him to support the war; but as the payments
were made very irregularly, the scarcity of money kindled a revolt
among the mercenary soldiery in the bishop's camp, who would no longer
serve without pay. Nor was it without great trouble and peril to the
commander that the insurrection could be suppressed. With such
troublesome troops, offensive warfare was not deemed prudent.
Consequently, the besiegers confined themselves to the continuance of
the blockade, and to drawing their lines closer and closer, so as
completely to shut up the unfortunate city and deprive it of supplies
and assistance.
Constantly increasing suffering in the city, was the consequence of
this course. The poorer classes, obliged to subsist upon roots, herbs,
bark, and leaves, swarmed about the king with sunken eyes and haggard
faces, whenever he passed through the streets in lordly dignity, and
howled for bread. The royal courtiers themselves were compelled to
accept such small portions as could be spared from the table where sat
the king with his fourteen wives and principal officers.
In vain did the bishop call upon the citizens to surrender the city,
under promise of full pardon for all except the king and a few of his
principal accomplices. The fear of the terrible Johannes was stronger
than the ardent desire for deliverance which had now arisen in many
hearts. In vain did the landgrave of Hesse, by a special embassy to his
brother in the faith, endeavor to bring him to reason. The king, to
prove how much greater a man he was than the landgrave, refused to give
audience to his ambassadors, and thus compelled them to leave their
business unaccomplished.
Meanwhile the eight and twenty prophets had arrived at the cities of
their destination, and had preached their customary fanatical nonsense
with frantic zeal. The magistrates, warned by the example of Munster,
were vigilant and energetic. The brawlers were every where arrested and
questioned as to their doctrines; and, as they stubbornly maintained
their faith, were immediately beheaded. Only one of them, Heinrich
Hilversum, obtained deliverance. He was imprisoned by the bishop of
Munster, bought his liberty with the promise that he would act as a spy
in the rebel city, and returned back to the king. He related how an
angel had delivered him from imprisonment and commanded him to announce
to the king that Amsterdam, Wesel, and Deventer would come under his
sceptre if he would send more prophets there.
These were sweet sounds to the ears of the king. He immediately sent
out prophets, among whom were Johann von Seelen and Johann von Kempen,
to those beautiful and important cities, to convert and win them for
himself. The smooth-tongued Hilversum, however, he took into his own
palace, clothed him in his ash-grey and green court-livery, charged the
officers of the court to attend him, entrusted him with considerable
sums, and, in short, confided to him the duty of negotiating with those
from whom aid and assistance were expected from without.
With these presents Hilversum went over to the bishop on the first
convenient opportunity; leaving a letter in Munster exhorting the
citizens to desert the impostor and return to their old religion and
their rightful lord.
This event touched the king in the tenderest point; as it tended to
destroy the belief in the infallibility of his inspiration with those
who were yet able to see. To a portion of the inhabitants of the
distressed city it now appeared clear, that they had become the slaves
of a wicked impostor, who was leading them to destruction; but the fear
of the monster was stronger than this just conviction, and the king,
comprehending that fear was the only lever now remaining to him, made
the utmost use of it, and thenceforth, like Draco, he wrote his laws in
blood. No punishment milder than death awaited disobedience to the
least of his commands. Alf, notwithstanding, in his new situation,
strove to shield, defend, and rescue the sufferers; yet new victims
fell daily, and the slavish population daily trembled more and more
before their cowardly and tyrannical tailor-king.