ple stick to
him? He makes us odious to the laity, calls the monks 'theologians of
the cowl,' and whatever he hears bad of them, he talks about it in the
pulpit." It is almost certain, that the Provost, when Zwingli had
conversed somewhat earnestly with him concerning these charges, was
ashamed of the memorial of his subordinates. At least he cherished no
hatred toward his person. On the contrary, some months later, he
exerted his utmost influence to induce the chapter of the canons,
without consulting a higher spiritual court, to simplify their worship
and alter the breviary of the cathedral, "because it is impossible in
this age to keep up any longer the multitude of holidays, ceremonies
and ecclesiastical customs, which have been accumulating for
centuries." In the same manner Zwingli was afterwards, upon his own
request, admitted into the number of the canons.[2]

Thus far in Zurich the external condition of the church remained the
same. The agitation was confined to the souls of men. In the mean time
this was little felt beyond the limits of the canton. Neither the
Confederates, nor the Bishop, nor the Pope, nor his legates found any
occasion to interfere; and now again it was from political events, that
the first general movement took its rise.

The Perpetual Peace was concluded by Francis I, in the hope of paving
the way for a closer alliance with the Confederates. He needed and
sought after their soldiers; he wished to take them away from his
enemies. He, therefore, sent to them some of his men of business, who
were best acquainted with our country and its inhabitants; lavished
gold in abundance, and held in his employ some of the most active Swiss
as recruiting officers. Among these, Albert von Stein, a Bernese, was
the boldest and most indefatigable. He was well known in the canton of
Zurich. He had relations and connexions there. His appearance always
gave rise to an excitement, and in some districts of the country at
least, the youth did not lend an unwilling ear to his voice. When by
the election of Charles V. to the throne of the German Empire in the
year 1519, the French King saw his hopes vanish, he redoubled his
efforts to secure the wished for defensive alliance, and a favorable
hearing first of all in Bern and Luzern. Most other places joined with
them. Only Zurich, Schwyz, Basel, and Schaffhausen stood out against
it. At length, in April 1521, the three latter were also won over. On
the 5th of May,