d submitted to the power of the
League, and its inhabitants now hoped their troubles were at an end.
But the original intentions of its chiefs only began now to be fully
developed, and it was evident that the mere reoccupation of Reutlingen
was not the sole object for which they had coalesced. They were still
to be indemnified for their expenses, and to be requited for their
services. Some were for dividing Wuertemberg equally among themselves,
others proposed to sell it to Austria, whilst a third party insisted
upon keeping it under the administration of Ulerich's children, subject
to their own guardianship. They quarrelled about the possession of the
country, to which none of them could found the slightest claims.
Disunion and party spirit spread their baneful effects among them, now
that they had satisfied their revenge in driving the legitimate lord
from his dominions. The expenses of the war were to be met, and there
was no one who could or would pay. The knights held this a favourable
opportunity to declare themselves independent. Citizens and peasants
were drained of their money by continual forced contributions, their
fields were desolated and trodden under foot, and they saw no prospect
of recovering their losses. Neither would the clergy contribute to the
expenses of the war; so that the result of it was only dispute and
violence. Many a heart felt how cruelly their legitimate prince had
been persecuted, and bitterly repented having driven him into
banishment, far from the land of his fathers. And when they compared
his system of government with that of their present rulers, they found
they had not bettered themselves by the change; on the contrary, they
were much worse off than before. But they were too much under
subjection to venture to publish their grievances.

The discontent of the people did not escape the government of the
League. Their ears were not shut to "much strange and wicked talk," as
we read in old official documents. They tried to gain adherents to
their cause by rigorous measures. They spread lies concerning the Duke;
one of which was, that he had cut a boy of noble blood in halves, of
the name of Wilhelm von Janowitz. It made a great noise at the time,
but when he was pointed out some time afterwards to a Swiss, as the man
of whom the enemies of Ulerich had spread the report, he gave for
answer, "He must indeed have been a good carpenter who put the boy so
well together again." The priests