led to borrow, would
"become a laughing-stock." "To my wife," he concluded, "let Master
Stall tell as much of the matter as a woman ought to know, for when I
left her, I said no more than that I was going to Basel on business."
In Basel, where he tarried nearly two weeks, he preached to a great
concourse of people. The time was also employed by him in political
negotiation. This imperial city desired then admission into the
Christian _Buergerrecht_ on the same terms as Constance. The mayor,
Sturm, likewise invited to the Conference by the _landgrave_, along
with Bucer and Hedio, was an experienced statesman, and not without
influence at the Imperial Diet. He had connections in France. Reports
had been received concerning the reconciliation of the Emperor with the
Pope, against whom he had been carrying on war, and his arrival in
Italy and the general sweeping measures toward the Protestants, to be
apprehended from this combination of spiritual and temporal power. They
were communicated confidentially to the Zurichers. Some of them Zwingli
wrote down. The most important he sent to the Privy Council with the
postscript: "This comes from the real cabinet of art." "Were it not
wicked," he again wrote from Strassburg, "we might encourage the
Venetians to withstand them so boldly, that the Emperor would be
finished in Italy, and not able to escape over the mountains." On the
18th of September they left the city and, by a circuitous route, which
they had to choose for safety, reached Marburg on the 29th. The day
after, the Saxon scholars, Luther, Melanchton, Justus Jonas, from
Wittemberg, and several others, made their appearance. From Nuremberg,
came Andrew Osiander; from Swabian Halle, John Brenz; from Augsburg,
Stephen Agricola; all likewise invited by the _landgrave_. In an humble
letter, signed "Your Princely Grace's obedient servant and poor little
worm," Carlstadt also begged for admission, but received a polite
refusal. The entire company was lodged in the castle. A Latin poem
written by Professor Curicius conjured them to begin the Conference
with such calmness, and prosecute it with such dignity, that the world
may know the Spirit of God had presided over it.

Strangers from various countries had arrived in considerable numbers;
but no one received admittance, except those who were invited; the Duke
of Wuertemberg, the Count of Fuerstenberg, several courtiers, the
professors of the University and the Hessian preacher