ace and quiet and
continue one also with the common confederates, and, in case it may be
reasonably effected, that our lords do not separate themselves from the
Confederacy, desiring which, they place at their disposal their lives
and property, and will be found as faithful and obedient subjects."

The opinion of the citizens was altogether the same as that of the
great majority of the country-people. Everywhere the heads of
corporations were commissioned to make this known to the Council, so
that it was resolved in the end, after deliberating a long time yet
with little opposition, to give a decided refusal to the alliance. But
the answer was sent to the twelve cantons and Francis I., couched in
moderate language, that Zurich would honestly hold to the Perpetual
Peace with France, faithfully maintain all the treaties sworn with the
Confederates, and not separate herself from them but place life and
property at their disposal, that she also begged for the continued good
will of France and allegiance to the Confederation on the part of the
Swiss; and yet at the same time was firmly resolved henceforth to
renounce the pensions of princes and foreign alliance, trusting in the
help of God.

From now on every public voice in favor of foreign mercenary service
was compelled to silence, and its avowed or secret promoters hid their
resentment or left the canton. In fact the most notorious among them
threw up their citizenship in Zurich. But the entire party of those,
who remained in their native country, conceived the fiercest hatred
toward Zwingli. "He was blamed," says Bullinger, "most of all for
having prevented the union by his preaching and divided a brave
confederacy. The distinguished pensioners and soldiers, as well as
others, who had heretofore run after him and praised his sermons, now
reviled Zwingli as a heretic. Many, to whom religion had never any
special charms before, now pretended a great interest on its behalf,
saying, they would defend the old, true faith against the heretic
Zwingli, yet the secret of their zeal was not in their faith, but in
the bags of the royal exchequer. Hence there arose among the other
confederates a strong hostility against Zurich and abuse and slander
against Zwingli." Still the cause of the people and the uprightness and
fidelity, which maintains an oath, triumphed in the end.

The ground-pillar of all national prosperity is confidence, faith on
the part of the people in their gov