had trouble, to come to an understanding among themselves. True indeed,
it was determined to turn a common front against Zurich for her
remarkable innovations; but as to what should be said, the instructions
are very dissimilar. "Let us act in a friendly way," wrote the
burgomaster of Schaffhausen and such was the order from Bern, Glarus,
Basel, Solothurn and Appenzell; but Luzern, Zug, Freiburg and the three
Forest Cantons were in favor of "remaining true to the old faith and
telling Zurich very plainly what ought to be told to her." At last they
agreed to complain against several particular articles, to lay which
before the Great Council deputies appeared in Zurich on the 21st of
March, 1524. The deputy of Schaffhausen, not being authorized to make
special complaint, withdrew from the others, who then made a report, of
which the following is the substance: With pain, we see the increase of
the new, unchristian Lutheran religion in the Confederacy; with pain,
that Zurich abets the mischief. It is clear as day, that disorders only
spring from it. Hence, the _landvogt_ of Baden has been hindered from
throwing several criminals into prison, at Weiningen, where the supreme
court of the duchy sits; at a fire there the peasants laid hold of
sword and spear instead of water-buckets; at Stammheim they insulted
the crucifix and images; at Elggau, a pious clergyman, who remonstrated
with the pastor, was obliged to flee the church and the parish; at
Kuessnacht the tithe has been refused to the Cloister of Engelberg, and
at Wædenschweil the steward of the Knights of St. John has been abused.
The _landvogt_ of Zurich circulates Lutheran books in the free
bailiwicks; a parson has said at Rifferschweil that it is all one to
baptize a man or a block of wood; the priests take wives, and the monks
and nuns abandon the convents. No longer can this be borne, and we pray
Zurich to maintain the old treaties and customs, and then we will
cheerfully aid in rooting out real abuses, the shameful trade in
benefices, the selling of indulgences and the scandalous lives of the
clergy.
Things important and unimportant, true and false, were mingled in this
report. A written answer was required. In this it was easy to show,
that to give information in regard to the scenes at Weiningen belonged
altogether to the lower courts at that place; that the affair at
Stammheim was disapproved of, would be looked into and corrected; that
the priest, who had interrupted the pastor at Elggau in an insulting
manner, whilst preaching would be indebted to their protection for a
safe return to his home; that Kuessnacht had not refused the tithe to
Engelberg, and that the pastor at Rafferschweil had not said that of
which he had been accused. But, in order to justify herself on other
points, it was necessary to enter more deeply into the views of faith
prevalent at Zurich, which was not to be done by a diplomatic
communication through the Secretary of State, but by Zwingli himself,
publicly. This disposed the deputies of the confederates, who on other
accounts were displeased with the Reformer, to an unfavorable reception
of the answer. "That Zurich," so it was said in the Recess at Luzern on
the 1st of April, 1524, "sent in a discourse and sermon from God's
Word, is not necessary to mention here."
The last word of Zurich to the Bishop of Constance met with as little
favor. From all sides reports of an unfriendly character came to the
ears of the government; yea, it began to be rumored, that some of the
states seriously thought of giving back their written treaties to the
Zurichers.
From whom had the government now to seek its most powerful protection?
Only from God and its own people.
To learn whether they could be relied on, information was sought
through their _vogts_ and civil officers. "Faithful and beloved
friends"--so runs the paper, which was sent out to be read
publicly--"you know how we have held conferences in our canton for the
settlement of the dispute. The truth has been revealed, and we would
have had a perfect right to do away all abuses immediately. Still we
did not wish to hurry, and afforded opportunities on all sides to show
us what was better. Our gracious Lord, the Bishop of Constance, has
tried to prove, in a book written by his own hand, that we are guilty,
that we ought to adhere to images and esteem the mass a sacrifice, as
hitherto. We have examined it, compared it with Holy Scripture, and
have only been able to find that we ought to obey God rather than man.
Our brethren of the Confederacy have sent their deputies to lay such
complaints before us. Accept the answer which we sent them.[16] After
this, we heard that they in Luzern gave out, that they would put down
this 'piece of work,' as they call it. We have asked them, _where_ they
intend doing this. They have answered, just where it suits them. Again
it reached our ears, that we were grossly slandered, as to city and
canton, in Luzern. We sent two of our councilors hither with the
request, that they would allow them to vindicate us before the people.
It was not granted. Still they appeared before the Great Council, and
desired that such calumniators might be brought against them. We inform
you of all this, in the hope that you will be of like mind with us in
this Christian business. Remember, how many good, honest men, we, by
the use of God's Word in these times of war, have kept alive and spared
for their wives and children. Heretofore, you have acted faithfully in
this and other matters, like pious people. How much more should we, in
that which concerns the honor of God, the salvation of our souls and
our consciences, keep together, use the Divine Word, and be one in
protecting and defending ourselves. If this happen, then God is with
us, whom no one on earth or in hell can withstand. Therefore take
friendly counsel together, and let us know your resolutions."
Now again, all the answers agree in substance. There was not _one_, in
which the determination to uphold evangelical liberty was not expressed
in strong language. "We testify"--wrote Winterthur--"and have resolved,
as far as in us lies, to be eternally loyal to our gracious Lords of
Zurich, according to our oath, and place at their disposal our honor,
our bodies, our goods and our lives, and are willing to defend the same
by the Holy Word of God;" but it seemed also to be the general wish to
remain in alliance with the Confederates, and, if it were possible, in
peace. Thus the people of Wædenschweil and Richterschweil gave notice,
that they would be neighbors with them at H[oe]fen and Zugerberg, who
had always dealt with them in friendship and love, as they also did
with them as far as possible. Thalweil also prayed that war would not
be begun for the sake of one or two, be they clergy or laymen. For the
rest they were pleased with the just commands of the Lords and all,
which they heretofore had so excellently managed, for they had always
acted like wise men. Not in the ill-will of the Confederates, but in
their instigation from Zurich, the reasons of the discord were to be
sought--in their instigation by a minority still present in the
Council, who were opposed to the Gospel and addicted to taking
pensions, at least secretly, by perverse clergymen, by the people
of the convents, by unwearied letter-writers and forgers of lies.
"There is talk"--says a memorial from Wiedikon, Albisrieden and
Altstætten--"that all the opposition only comes from our own midst, and
therefore we desire that such base-intentioned persons be looked after,
be they in the Council or elsewhere, and be compelled to keep still and
quiet and cease their contrariety. So will we ever pledge to the noble
city of Zurich life, honor and fortune. We beg our Lords only to hold
bravely to their mandates and the Word of God, and we will faithfully
aid them in using and protecting the same." In like manner the
congregations of Neuamt write: "We have reason to know, that You, our
Lords and Superiors, are not one in the Small and Great Councils, but
are divided in this business, which is a great trouble to us. Therefore
we earnestly pray you to put away all such discord and be united, so
will we also pledge our persons and our property to God's Word and our
Lords."--"Nothing is kept secret"--wrote Buelach--"in Your Small and
Great Council, but everything is continually published through the
whole Confederacy, and this grieves us. We pray you therefore to make
diligent inquiry and expel the babblers, and drive off them who are
opposed to God's Word; then it should be cared for that the entire
country should not be disturbed by them." Eglisau asked for the same
thing with the addition: "If you, dear Lords, are not strong enough to
punish such people, we will help you with our persons and our
property." That from Ruemlang carries the same sense: "Further, it is
our wish and advice, that You, as our Lords and Superiors, will look
after the adversaries of God's Word, both those who sit in your Council
and those who are of the clergy, be they priests or monks, and expel
them from the city and canton, for it is certain that the greatest
displeasure of the Confederates has sprung from this source; and if
You, as our Lords and Superiors, are not strong enough for them, we
will stand by you with our persons and our property, for such things
can be endured no longer." With a hankering side-glance at the fat
possessions of the monasteries, they of the Four Wards wrote: "We have
received the friendly and gracious communication of our Lords with
great thanks, and wish to be among those who pledge person, soul, honor
and property to the Word of God and their Lords and Superiors,
especially to those who mean well, and not to the base, who strive
against God's Word. For the rest, it is our wish, that You, as our
Lords and Superiors, would punish and drive away those wicked ones, who
fight against God's Word, be they in the Council, in the city, or in
the canton, be they clergymen or laymen, for it is certain, that the
displeasure of our Confederates has, for the most part, arisen from
this quarter by their letter-writing and other rebellious acts; and if
you are not strong enough to punish or drive them away, we will aid you
with our persons and our property to drive them off. In the third
place, be it our will and opinion, that you will take care of and drive
away by the help of God's Word, all the soup-eaters, who crowd
together, as is well known, in the monasteries; for if this be not
done, we will see if we also cannot some day obtain such eating and
drinking." And still more fully Riespach and Hirslanden: "It is also
our earnest opinion, whereas numerous and manifold speeches and lies
have hitherto been written and sent off by the clergy and laymen to the
confederates generally and particular cantons and cities, and have been
little inquired into as yet, by which great injury and loss of
reputation may fall upon the city of Zurich and its territory, since
when our people go from home, be it to Luzern, Zug, Baden or other
parts, then they all say: Such reports came from Zurich;--therefore we
wish this business to be better looked into; and if the Gospel is to be
protected, such persons ought to be punished according to their
deserts. We also pray our Lords, that, where there are ill-minded
priests, who will not obey their statutes and always speak and act
against the Gospel, God's Word, all such be thrust from their livings
and the churches supplied with good pastors; for it strikes us that
otherwise we can never hope for peace. Further, we pray our Lords to
sequester the property of the monasteries and the canons, so that it
may go to the aid of the poor, who everywhere sit before our churches;
so that the Confederates and other strangers may not say: 'If they are
such good Christians in Zurich, why do so many poor people sit before
all the churches?' Hence we think that the tithes, which we raise, more
justly belong to the poor than to nonsensical priests, who write here
and there behind the back of the government. Hence it is our urgent
prayer to our gracious Lords of Zurich, that they deliberate on the
above-cited points, and if then it seems better to their wisdom to do
so than to leave it alone, we all and each one in particular will
pledge his soul, honor, body and goods to the city of Zurich, and
esteem you, our dear Lords, as true fathers, as we hope you will find
us good, willing, dutiful and submissive children, even unto death."
The tenor of these answers was sufficient to show the government, that,
even if it wished, it could no longer delay the progress of the
reformation, and that only by action, just as decided as cautious,
would it be possible to prevent an outbreak of the flame, which already
appeared in scattered sparks.
Hence an ordinance of the Council was passed for the removal of the
images in the most quiet way, with forbearance and care. Whoever had
presented any to the churches, or had caused them to be made at his own
cost, could take them home without molestation. If the majority in a
congregation were opposed to their removal, then it was commanded to
wait till they were better informed. All processions were forbidden,
even the pilgrimage to Einsiedeln, in memory of the victory at
Tættweil. The latter, celebrated by a dangerous mingling of both sexes
in a march of several days and in the monastery, was discontinued
accordingly, and this was regarded as an act of hostility. But why
should public thanks to the Supreme Disposer of battles, why should
joyful remembrance of the bravery of their father's cease?
The reform of the clerical foundations and monastic life was very
thorough. Mention has already been made of that in the Chapter of
Canons at the Great Minster. Now, it also voluntarily surrendered its
secular jurisdiction to the government, but guarded itself on the other
hand against the delivery of its rich church-ornaments, which were
likewise demanded by the Council and at length taken. Their value went
to cover a part of the expenses of the Canton, which were greatly
increased by the commotions of the age. At the same time Catherine von
Zimmern, abbess of _Frauminster_, gave up to the burgomaster and
councils, under the assurance that she and the sisters would receive an
adequate support, the convent along with its rights and revenues. The
Chapter of Canons at Embrach, the Cistercians at Cappel and the
Augustinians at Heiligenberg, near Winterthur, asked of their own
accord for a suppression or, a re-organization for a more useful end.
The remaining cloisters were taken under the care of the government.
Toward the Dominicans of the city the greatest severity had to be
shown. They held the richest possessions; and yet, like the
Franciscans, were pledged to poverty by the rules of their order. "On
Saturday, Dec. 3d, 1524,"--Felix Weiss narrates--"the burgomaster and
the councils ordained, that the three men of the monasteries, namely,
the Dominicans, the Augustinians and the Franciscans, should be united,
and the younger portion of them taught trades. If any did not wish to
remain, to these a viaticum was to be given; and to all who desired to
remain in the monastery a comfortable support for life and permission
to die a peaceful death. Thus, on the Saturday aforesaid, in the
afternoon, without notice or warning, the three chief officers and
other members of the council, accompanied by the police of the city,
led the Dominicans all at once to the Franciscans; and directly after
that they went to the Augustinians and summoned them all. They were
obliged to lay down their keys of office in presence of my lords on a
table in the convent-parlor. After a long speech and friendly words,
they again led them over the upper bridge to the barefooted friars; and
thus the rulers of the city, of the Small and Great Councils, honestly
disposed of the people in all the monasteries. Soon after, their
portion was assigned them, so that those who were willing to stay in
the monastery of the Franciscans, would receive lodging and shelter
there and wood enough; besides, to each one 6 shocks of grain, 6
buckets of wine and 32 pounds _Haller_ were promised every year."
Out of the ordinary revenues of the government, aided by the property
of the suppressed monasteries, schools were founded, an alms-house, a
lazaretto for the plague-stricken, and an orphan-asylum. The hospital
was enlarged, and suitable salaries awarded to its spiritual and lay
attendants. Scholastic education was greatly needed, and where
qualified teachers could not be obtained from the city, they were
called from abroad. Thus Myconius was brought back to Zurich. Rudolph
Collin followed him from Luzern. Wiesendanger came from the village of
Dynhart, after him Pellikan from Alsace; all in order to teach the
ancient languages.
Zwingli now resolved to marry, and on the 2d of April, 1524, led Anna
Reinhart,[17] in whom he found the guardian angel of his earthly
existence, before the altar, to take the pledge of fidelity in the
presence of God and the congregation. Henceforth the priests wished to
be, above all, Christians; but to all Christians without exception, the
call has been made according to the language of the Apostle, to become
priests by inward consecration, priests without love of power and
without the spirit of caste.
FOOTNOTES TO CHAPTER THIRD:
Footnote 1: A French province, according to the prevailing opinion in
former times, a strong hold of sectarianism, of heresy so-called.
Footnote 2: All three were then known for their decided adherence to
the old church-order.
Footnote 3: In Erfurt Luther had studied. At Wittemberg he taught.
Footnote 4: A writer of that ago says of him, using indeed colors
somewhat dark: "We ought rather to call Faber a cruel judge than a
doctor or bishop. Throughout all Germany and the neighboring countries
his severity is known. Scarcely a hangman in our fatherland has
executed so many as have been condemned by the unrighteous sentences of
Faber." And at the close, in a simple narrative of Hans Huglin of
Lindau, who was burnt as a heretic, we read: "While the poor miserable
man was compelled to groan thus (he had been on the rack), the Vicary
sat there and laughed. When the poor man saw this, he said: O, dear
Sir, why do you laugh at me; I am but an abandoned creature, who am not
worth laughing at. Laugh over yourself, and God forgive you; you know
not what you do. At which words the Vicary, who looked at him still
more wickedly, was ashamed to laugh and grew very red; since which all
the world has pitied the poor man."
Footnote 5: Printed entire under the title of "_Uslegen und Grand der
Schlussreden_," in the first volume of Zwingli's works, edited by
Schuler and Schultheiss.
Footnote 6: Explanation of the Final Discourses, viz, the 26, 27, 33,
64th, et cet.
Footnote 7: He, who is acquainted with history in its sources, knows
that this assertion of Zwingli is by no means maliciously snatched from
the air. It cannot indeed be charged against all convent-property; but,
to illustrate the mode, in which a part at least of such acquisitions
were obtained during the Middle Ages, I will insert here a document,
which was preserved in their archives by our forefathers of Zurich,
_expressly for the information of posterity_, and which, drawn up on
parchment and furnished with the seal of State, is still extant. The
monasteries had plainly fallen off from their original severe rules.
For the better understanding of it, the orthography and punctuation
only are brought nearer to modern style.
"To all, who see this letter or hear it read, we, the Council of
Zurich, whose name are written after, make known, that we saw the
letter of the burghers of Strassburg, entire, true, and sealed with
their public seal, as stands hereafter written. And that we and our
successors after us, if a similar case arise in our midst, may be able
to judge the more correctly, we have, with the leave of our burghers,
willingly, publicly and unanimously written this letter from the heart,
and publicly sealed it with our burghers' great seal, _for a perpetual
and eternal record_.
"To the honorable, the wise and the discreet, the Council and burghers
generally of Basel, of Colmar, of Schlettstadt, of Rheinau, of Naffach,
and after them, all those cities where this letter appears, Nicholas
the younger Zorn, mayor of the city, and the burghers of Strassburg
generally offer their free service with entire friendship. Many things
are done honorably and justly, which in foreign countries are
perverted, because their origin is not rightly understood. Hence we
humbly pray you to receive our address with favor and sympathize with
us, because they have troubled us, for whom we have done very much
indeed. Your Worships, the barefooted friars and the preachers
(Dominican monks) had fallen into the practice of taking legacies in
the world outside of the monasteries, and when a rich man, or a rich
lady, lay on a deathbed, then they ran thither and persuaded him to
give all his property to them, and thus all his heirs were disinherited
and ruined. Then the latter came before us crying and complaining that
they had been disinherited. Many such complaints came before us. The
monks sold also their own property, on condition that it should revert
to them again on the death of the buyer. _This made us think that our
city would in a short time become entirely theirs._ They received also
into their order the children of rich people, without the consent and
knowledge of their friends, in order to get their property. At this
also we have been greatly troubled and many complaints against them
have been brought before us. When this had continued for a long, long
time, and we could bear no longer the manifold complaints of the
burghers; then we went to the preachers and begged them to conduct
themselves so, that such complaints would no more reach us from our
citizens. Then they spake and promised us that what papers the
barefooted friars (Franciscans) would give us, not to do it any more,
they also would give us. We went to the barefooted friars and laid this
matter before them. They answered thus: What Your Worships require us
to promise you, that we are directed by the rules of our order not to
do; even if you had never issued a command, yet had we been forbidden
not to do it. Then spake we: Make us such a paper on it as seems good
to you, that it may stand as a pledge between us. They drew up the
paper as we send you the copy word for word. Then we came to the
preachers (Dominicans) with the paper and they bade us give them a
copy. After that their provincial came, and they did as he told them,
and abused us for this thing beyond measure, four years in succession.
But at last, a complaint was lodged against them for taking the estate
of a lady from the lawful heirs; therefore we begged them again to give
us a paper like that of the barefooted friars, as they had promised to
do. Then they said proudly, that rather than do it they would let their
heads be chopped off with axes. This made us unwilling to have them as
clergymen, since they would not keep their promises. And when we began
to build on the commons of our city before their gates, they ran to our
women and beat our servants with clubs and shovels till one was killed.
At which we became the more wroth and would have torn their gate from
its hinges. This have we written to you and pray, since we need your
counsel and favor in this matter, that you will act a friendly part,
because we lean on you and would do the same for you in an hour of like
need. We also pray you, if we get judges in this affair, who are allied
to you, that you will influence them toward us, so that they will
be favorable to our rights, just as we would do for you in the same
strait."
The names of he Council (at Zurich, as above) are Burkard von
Hottingen, Rudolph von Beggenhoven, Chuon von Tuebelnstein, Henry Vinko
and Jacob from the Mezie, knights, Ruodolf der Muelner, Ruodolf der
Kriek, Ulric der Truebor, Peter Wolfleibsche, Ulric im Gewelbe, Henry
Stoeri and John Pilgrin Burger. This paper was transcribed in the
twelve-hundred and eighty-seventh year, from God's birth on the Monday
after Saint Urban's day, when the indication was the XVth.
Footnote 8: Or in other words: Without religion the state succumbs to
materialism. But the prevalence of materialism is least consistent with
the welfare of a republic. The freest state _ought_ to be the most
religious: the most religious only _durst_ be the most free.
Footnote 9: The assailed could indeed appeal, at least for a partial
justification of their love of the chase, to an article of their
statutes, revised in the year 1346, according to which and others, a
horse, a hound, and a falcon or sparrow-hawk, for hunting, had to be
presented to the chaplain of the foundation, who ministered at the
annual festival in the church of Zollikon.
Footnote 10: Satisfactory explanations of them are given by _Wirz_ in
his Swiss Church History, continued by _Kirchhofer_, Vol. V. p. 139.
Footnote 11: In St. Gall, for instance, forty wagon-loads of the ruins
of wood en images were carried to the swamps and burnt there. "Every
body fell upon the idols. We tore them from the altar, the walls and
the pillars. The altars were beaten down, the idols split to pieces
with axes, or smashed by hammers. You would have thought it a field of
battle. What a noise! what a breaking! what an echoing in the lofty
ceiling!" _Kessler_.