History of the Great Reformation Part 59

The Romish cantons did not act thus. It was Zug that issued the first summons; and the men of Uri, of Schwytz, and of Unterwalden had immediately begun the march. On the 8th June, the great banner floated before the townhouse of Lucerne, and on the next day the army set out to the sound of the antique horns that Lucerne pretended to have received from the Emperor Charlemagne.

On the 10th June, the Zurichers, who were posted at Cappel, sent a herald at daybreak to Zug, who was commissioned, according to custom, to denounce to the Five Cantons the rupture of the alliance.

Immediately Zug was filled with cries and alarm. This canton, the smallest in Switzerland, not having yet received all the confederate contingents, was not in a condition to defend itself. The people ran to and fro, sent off messengers, and hastily prepared for battle; the warriors fitted on their armour, the women shed tears, and the children shrieked.

[Sidenote: THE LANDAMMAN AEBLI.]

Already the first division of the Zurich army, amounting to two thousand men, under the command of William Thoming, and stationed near the frontier below Cappel, was preparing to march, when they observed, in the direction of Baar, a horseman, pressing the flanks of his steed, and galloping up as fast as the mountain which he had to ascend would permit. It was Aebli, landamman of Glaris. "The Five Cantons are prepared," said he, as he arrived, "but I have prevailed upon them to halt, if you will do the same. For this reason I entreat my lords and the people of Zurich, for the love of G.o.d and the safety of the Confederation, to suspend their march at the present moment."

As he said these words, the brave Helvetian shed tears.[1066] "In a few hours," continued he, "I shall be back again. I hope, with G.o.d's grace, to obtain an honourable peace, and to prevent our cottages from being filled with widows and orphans."

[1066] Das redt er mitt weynenden Ougen. (Bull. ii. p. 169.)

Aebli was known to be an honourable man, friendly to the Gospel, and opposed to foreign service: his words, therefore, moved the Zurich captains, who resolved to halt. Zwingle alone, motionless and uneasy, beheld in his friend's intervention the machinations of the adversary.

Austria, occupied in repelling the Turks, and unable to succour the Five Cantons, had exhorted them to peace. This, in Zwingle's opinion, was the cause of the propositions brought to them by the landamman of Glaris. So at the moment Aebli turned round to return to Zug,[1067]

Zwingle approaching him said with earnestness, "Gossip landamman, you will render to G.o.d an account of all this. Our adversaries are caught in a sack: this is why they give you sweet words. By and by they will fall upon us unawares, and there will be none to deliver us."

Prophetic words, whose fulfilment went beyond all foresight! "Dear gossip!" replied the landamman, "I have confidence in G.o.d that all will go well. Let each one do his best." And he departed.

[1067] Alls nun der Amman wiederumm zu den 5 orten ryten wollt. (Bull.

Chron. ii. p. 170.) Zwingle was G.o.dfather to one of Aebli's children.

[Sidenote: BERNESE INTERPOSITION.]

Then, instead of advancing upon Zug, the army began to erect tents along the edge of the forest and the brink of the torrent a few paces from the sentinels of the Five Cantons; while Zwingle, seated in his tent, silent, and in deep thought, antic.i.p.ated some distressing news from hour to hour.

He had not long to wait. It was the deputies of the Zurich Council who came to give reality to his fears. Berne, maintaining the character that it had so often filled as representative of the federal policy, declared that if Zurich or the cantons would not make peace, they should know how to compel them; this state at the same time convoked a diet at Arau, and sent five thousand men into the field, under the command of Sebastian Diesbach. Zwingle was struck with consternation.

Aebli's message, supported by that of Berne, was sent back by the council to the army; for, according to the principles of the time, "wherever the banner waves, there is Zurich." "Let us not be staggered," cried the reformer, ever decided and firm; "our destiny depends upon our courage; to-day they beg and entreat, and in a month, when we have laid down our arms, they will crush us. Let us stand firm in G.o.d. Before all things, let us be just: peace will come after that." But Zwingle, transformed to a statesman, began to lose the influence which he had gained as a servant of G.o.d. Many could not understand him, and asked if what they had heard was really the language of a minister of the Lord. "Ah!" said one of his friends, who perhaps knew him best, Oswald Myconius, "Zwingle certainly was an intrepid man in the midst of danger; but he always had a horror of blood, even of his most deadly enemies. The freedom of his country, the virtues of our forefathers, and, above all, the glory of Christ, were the sole end of his designs.[1068]--I speak the truth, as if in the presence of G.o.d," adds he.

[1068] Libertas patriae, virtutes avitae, et imprimis gloria Christi.

(Osw. Myc. De vita Zw.)

[Sidenote: SWISS CORDIALITY.]

While Zurich was sending deputies to Arau, the two armies received reinforcements. The men of Thurgovia and St. Gall joined their banners to that of Zurich; the Valaisans and the men of St. Gothard united with the Romanist cantons. The advanced posts were in sight of each other at Thunn, Leematt, and Goldesbrunnen, on the delightful slopes of the Albis.

Never, perhaps, did Swiss cordiality shine forth brighter with its ancient l.u.s.tre. The soldiers called to one another in a friendly manner, shook hands, styled themselves confederates and brothers. "We shall not fight," said they. "A storm is pa.s.sing over our heads, but we will pray to G.o.d, and he will preserve us from every harm."

Scarcity afflicted the army of the Five Cantons, while abundance reigned in the camp of Zurich.[1069] Some young famishing Waldstettes one day pa.s.sed the outposts: the Zurichers made them prisoners, led them to the camp, and then sent them back laden with provisions, with still greater good-nature than was shown by Henry IV. at the siege of Paris. At another time, some warriors of the Five Cantons, having placed a bucket filled with milk on the frontier line, cried out to the Zurichers that they had no bread. The latter came down immediately, and cut their bread into the enemies' milk: then the soldiers of the two parties began with jokes to eat out of the same dish--some on this side, some on that. The Zurichers were delighted that, notwithstanding the prohibition of their priests, the Waldstettes ate with heretics. When one of the troop took a morsel that was on the side of his adversaries, these sportively struck him with their spoons, and said to him: "Do not cross the frontier!" Thus did these good Helvetians make war upon one another; and hence it was that the Burgomaster Sturm of Strasburg, one of the mediators, exclaimed: "You Confederates are a singular people! When you are disunited, you live still in harmony with one another, and your ancient friendship never slumbers."[1070]

[1069] A measure of corn was sold for a florin, and one of wine for a half-batz, about three halfpence. (Bull. Chron. ii. p. 182.)

[1070] Wenn ihr schon uneins sind, so sind ir eins. (Bull. Chron. ii.

p. 183.)

[Sidenote: A CONFERENCE.]

The most perfect order reigned in the camp of Zurich. Every day Zwingle, the commander Schmidt, Zink abbot of Cappel, or some other minister, preached among the soldiers. No oath or dispute was heard; every disorderly woman was turned out of the camp; prayers were offered up before and after every meal; and each man obeyed his chiefs. There were no dice, no cards, no games calculated to excite quarrels; but psalms, hymns, national songs, bodily exercise, wrestling, or pitching the stone, were the military recreations of the Zurichers.[1071] The spirit that animated the reformer had pa.s.sed into the army.

[1071] Sondern sang, sprang, wurf, und Stiess die Steine. (Fussli Beyt. iv. p. 108.)

The a.s.sembly at Arau, transported to Steinhausen in the neighbourhood of the two camps, decreed that each army should hear the complaints of the opposite party. The reception of the deputies of the Five Cantons by the Zurichers was tolerably calm; it was not so in the other camp.

On the 15th June, fifty Zurichers, surrounded by a crowd of peasants, proceeded on horseback to the Waldstettes. The sound of the trumpet, the roll of the drum, and repeated salvos of artillery announced their arrival. Nearly twelve thousand men of the smaller cantons, in good order, with uplifted heads and arrogant looks, were under arms. Escher of Zurich spoke first, and many persons from the rural districts enumerated their grievances after him, which the Waldstettes thought exaggerated. "When have we ever refused you the federal right?" asked they. "Yes, yes!" replied Funk, Zwingle's friend; "we know how you exercise it. That pastor (Keyser) appealed to it, and you referred him--to the executioner!" "Funk, you would have done better to have held your tongue," said one of his friends. But the words had slipped out; a dreadful tumult suddenly arose; all the army of the Waldstettes was in agitation; the most prudent begged the Zurichers to retire promptly, and protected their departure.

[Sidenote: PEACE RESTORED.]

At length the treaty was concluded on the 26th June 1529. Zwingle did not obtain all he desired. Instead of the free preaching of the Word of G.o.d, the treaty stipulated only liberty of conscience; it declared that the common bailiwicks should p.r.o.nounce for or against the Reform by a majority of votes. Without decreeing the abolition of foreign pensions, it was recommended to the Romish cantons to renounce the alliance formed with Austria; the Five Cantons were to pay the expenses of the war, Murner to retract his insulting words, and an indemnity was secured to Keyser's family.[1072]

[1072] Supra, p. 753. The treaty is given entire in Bullinger, ii. p.

185, and Ruchat, ii.

An incontrovertible success had just crowned the warlike demonstration of Zurich. The Five Cantons felt it. Gloomy, irritated, silently champing the bit that had been placed in their mouths, their chiefs could not decide upon giving up the deed of their alliance with Austria. Zurich immediately recalled her troops, the mediators redoubled their solicitations, and the Bernese exclaimed: "If you do not deliver up this doc.u.ment, we will ourselves go in procession and tear it from your archives." At last it was brought to Cappel on the 26th June, two hours after midnight. All the army was drawn out at eleven in the forenoon, and they began to read the treaty. The Zurichers looked with astonishment at its breadth and excessive length, and the nine seals which had been affixed, one of which was in gold. But scarcely had a few words been read, when Aebli, s.n.a.t.c.hing the parchment, cried out: "Enough, enough!"--"Read it, read it!" said the Zurichers; "we desire to learn their treason!" But the Bailiff of Glaris replied boldly: "I would rather be cut in a thousand pieces than permit it." Then dashing his knife into the parchment, he cut it in pieces in the presence of Zwingle and the soldiers,[1073] and threw the fragments to the secretary to commit them to the flames. "This paper was not Swiss," says Bullinger with sublime simplicity.

[1073] Tabellae fderis a praetore Pagi Glaronensis gladio concisae et deletae, id quod ipse vidi. (Zw. Epp. ii. p. 310.)

[Sidenote: ZWINGLE'S HYMN.]

The banners were immediately struck. The men of Unterwalden retired in anger; those of Schwytz swore they would for ever preserve their ancient faith; while the troops of Zurich returned in triumph to their homes. But the most opposite thoughts agitated Zwingle's mind. "I hope," said he, doing violence to his feelings, "that we bring back an honourable peace to our dwellings. It was not to shed blood that we set out.[1074] G.o.d has once again shown the great ones of the earth that they can do nothing against us." But when he gave way to his natural disposition, a very different order of thoughts took possession of his mind. He was seen walking apart in deep dejection, and antic.i.p.ating the most gloomy future. In vain did the people surround him with joyful shouts. "This peace," said he, "which you consider a triumph, you will soon repent of, striking your b.r.e.a.s.t.s."

It was at this time that, venting his sorrow, he composed, as he was descending the Albis, a celebrated hymn often repeated to the sound of music in the fields of Switzerland, among the burghers of the Confederate cities, and even in the palaces of kings. The hymns of Luther and of Zwingle play the same part in the German and Swiss Reformation as the Psalms in that of France.

Do thou direct thy chariot, Lord, And guide it at thy will; Without thy aid our strength is vain, And useless all our skill.

Look down upon thy saints brought low, And prostrate laid beneath the foe.

Beloved Pastor, who hast saved Our souls from death and sin, Uplift thy voice, awake thy sheep That slumbering lie within Thy fold, and curb with thy right hand The rage of Satan's furious band.

Send down thy peace, and banish strife, Let bitterness depart; Revive the spirit of the past In every Switzer's heart; Then shall thy Church for ever sing The praises of her heavenly King.

[1074] c.u.m non caedem factum profecti sumus. (Ibid.)

[Sidenote: NUNS OF ST. CATHERINE.]

An edict, published in the name of the Confederates, ordered the revival everywhere of the old friendship and brotherly concord; but decrees are powerless to work such miracles.

This treaty of peace was nevertheless favourable to the Reform. No doubt it met with a violent opposition in some places. The nuns of the vale of St. Catherine in Thurgovia, deserted by their priests and excited by some n.o.blemen beyond the Rhine, who styled them in their letters, "Chivalrous women of the house of G.o.d," sang Ma.s.s themselves, and appointed one of their number preacher to the convent. Certain deputies from the Protestant cantons having had an interview with them, the abbess and three of the nuns secretly crossed the river by night, carrying with them the papers of the monastery and the ornaments of the church. But such isolated resistance as this was unavailing. Already in 1529 Zwingle was able to hold a synod in Thurgovia, which organized the church there, and decreed that the property of the convents should be consecrated to the instruction of pious young men in sacred learning. Thus concord and peace seemed at last to be re-established in the Confederation.

[Sidenote: CONQUESTS OF REFORM.]

III. When, however, the conqueror abandons himself to his triumph, in that very confidence he often finds destruction. Zurich and Zwingle were to exemplify this mournful lesson of history. Taking advantage of the national peace, they redoubled their exertions for the triumph of the Gospel. This was a legitimate zeal, but it was not always wisely directed. To attain the unity of Switzerland by unity of faith was the object of the Zurichers; but they forgot that, by desiring to force a unity, it is broken to pieces, and that freedom is the only medium in which contrary elements can be dissolved, and a salutary union established. While Rome aims at unity by anathemas, imprisonment, and the stake, christian truth demands unity through liberty. And let us not fear that unity, expanding each individuality beyond measure, will produce by this means an infinite multiplicity. While we urge every mind to attach itself to the Word of G.o.d, we give it up to a power capable of restoring its diverging opinions to a wholesome unity.

Zwingle at first signalized his victory by legitimate conquests. He advanced with courage. "His eye and his arm were everywhere." "A few wretched mischief-makers," says Salat, a Romanist chronicler, "penetrating into the Five Cantons, troubled men's souls, distributed their frippery, scattered everywhere little poems, little tracts, little testaments, and ceased not from saying that the people ought not to believe the priests."[1075] This was not all; while the Reform was destined to be confined around the lake of the Waldstettes to a few fruitless efforts, it made brilliant conquests among the cantons,--the allies and subjects of Switzerland; and all the blows there inflicted on the Papacy re-echoed among the lofty valleys of the primitive cantons, and filled them with affright. Nowhere had Popery shown itself more determined than in the Swiss mountains. A mixture of Romish despotism and Helvetian roughness existed there. Rome was resolved to conquer, and yet she beheld her most important positions successively wrested from her.

[1075] Die sectischen haltend vil elends Hudel volk gefunden, &c.

(Salat, Chron.)

In fact, on the 29th September 1529, the citizens of Schaffhausen removed the "great G.o.d" (_le bon Dieu_) from the cathedral, to the deep regret of a small number of devotees, whom the Roman worship still counted in this city; then they abolished the Ma.s.s, and stretched out their hands to Zurich and to Berne.

[Sidenote: THE PRIEST OF ZURZACK.]

At Zurzack, near the confluence of the Rhine and the Aar, at the moment when the priest of the place, a man devoted to the ancient worship, was preaching with zeal, a person named Tufel (devil), raising his head, said to him: "Sir, you are heaping insults on good men, and you are loading the Pope and the saints of the Roman calendar with honour; pray, where do we find that in the Holy Scriptures?" This question, put in a serious tone of voice, raised a sly smile on many faces, and the people with their eyes fixed on the pulpit awaited the reply. The curate in astonishment and at his wit's end, answered with a trembling voice: "Devil is thy name; thou actest like the devil, and thou art the devil! For this reason I will have nothing to do with thee." Then hastily leaving the pulpit, he ran away as if Satan himself had been behind him. Immediately the images were torn down, and the Ma.s.s abolished. The Roman-catholics sought to console themselves by repeating everywhere: "At Zurzack it was the devil who introduced the Reformation."[1076]