confine his request to the Privy Council. On the first day after his
departure, he began a letter to the Council, in which he apologises for
not communicating the request to them, and says in addition: "It was
not done with any intention to slight your Worships, but in order to
discharge my duties with greater fidelity to you, since I foresaw you
would not grant me permission, because of the interest you take in my
welfare; for the distance by the route we go is 60 miles,[7] and the
place strange to us on account of its religion, though secure enough,
being in the territory of the _landgrave_, and the learned there all
hostile to us, and our number is only three. So also friends, in whom
we could confide, are few, from Zurich until very far down the Rhine.
Yet it would not be right for me to remain away, since by this the
whole plan would be frustrated, and many excellent men of the
opposition brought thither on a fruitless journey. Then it would be
interpreted, as if we were afraid of a friendly conference. Therefore,
I pray your Worships, in the most humble manner, not to take my going
off amiss, for I was loth to hear others despise you; and remember too
that my staying away might result in injury to the truth and the
disparagement of your good name. Otherwise you may hope in God, that
we, by His aid, will give a faithful, undaunted support to the truth
and bring no scandal on our church." He then apologized likewise for
the departure of Collin, the professor of the Greek language, whom he
had taken with him asked, since Basel had granted a member of the
Council to [OE]colampadius, that the same might be done for his
assistance; and nominated the treasurer, Ulric Funk, on account of his
cleverness and knowledge of the Latin language, who, as soon as he had
received permission, hastened to join him. Immediately after his
departure from Zurich, his enemies crept out of their hiding-places.
Nonsensical reports were circulated. "He has run away with a party of
rogues," said some; the "Devil has carried him off," said others. In
Basel they met [OE]colampadius and the deputy of the Council, Rudolph
Frei. The plan was, that from thence he should proceed along with
[OE]colampadius by water to Strassburg. He asked for a moderate advance
of money; because riding "on a hired horse cost a great deal," he would
be obliged to buy one at Strassburg, which would leave him little for
the expenses of the journey, and then, being compel