shameful for
us before men. And since we have been faithfully devoted to your honor
all our lives long at home and abroad, grant us deliverance from this
disgrace of unchastity, that we may lead honorable lives among you. For
it were indeed unkind, if they, whose honor we have increased, would
not at once place us in an honorable position, not only before friends
and associates, but strangers also. Not in _one_ hour of calamity
_only_, have we shared love and sorrow with you, and ever adhered to
you as good, honest people. We have not been prompted to bring this
before Your Worships by a spirit of wantonness, but by a desire after
pious, conjugal purity. For had it been by wanton desires, these might
have been better gratified by having no wives. We also know well that
troubles, cares and labors attend the married estate. We know well how
very easily we can, any day, abandon the women with whom we have taken
up. Therefore it has not been suggested by wanton desires, but by shame
and love for the souls, committed to our care, that they do not become
eternally polluted. The greater part of us have worn out our children's
shoes, and are nearer 40 than 30 years of age. You should not listen to
those who may cry out and cast up unjustly many things against us on
the other side. 'How dare they marry? Have they not taken an oath of
chastity?' Hear this, gracious Lords! No one has promised chastity in
other words than those I will now write. The Bishop, when about to
consecrate a priest, asks if he will remain pure; the candidate
answers: 'Yes, as far as human frailty can bear and suffer.' See,
gracious Lords! with this condition have we sworn and not otherwise.
This we can prove by the Lord Bishop himself, but there is no need of
it. No one, we hope, will deny it. Since now, neither oath nor promise
binds us, and St. Paul speaks as above quoted, suffer yourselves to be
moved by this public confession, which we make before you, for, were
not the desire of honor so great, we would not have uncovered our
shame."

Whatever may be our opinion of this affair, it must be admitted that
Zwingli did not wish to appear better than he really was. Nothing was
more foreign to him all his life long than hypocrisy. For this we ought
not to honor him, but the Lord and blaster, whose word he proclaimed.
Wholly unconcerned about the reproach it might occasion, the author
took the position we have represented. A noble spirit was never yet
injure