nd the freedom of the Gospel, all political liberty and
even the subjugation of the Confederacy itself. "The Emperor," says he
in a communication to his intimate political associates, "arrays friend
against friend, or foe against foe, and then thrusts himself in between
as a mediator, though all the while a partisan, ever intent on
upholding the Papacy, and promoting, first of all, his own power and
interests; and if he make war in Germany, he will do all he can to
marshal the Castellan of Musso[5] against the Confederacy, the Bishops
of Constance against the city of Constance, the Bishop of Strassburg
against the burghers of Strassburg, the Five Cantons against Zurich,
the abbot of St. Gall against the city, Duke George of Saxony against
Duke John, to usurp his position as electoral prince, the Bishops on
the Rhine against the _Landgrave_ of Hesse, and similar enemies
everywhere against the Evangelical Cities--and then he will march into
Germany as a mediator, and with fair but hypocritical words befool the
cities and lords, till they submit to him." To provide and arm against
such plans he regarded as lawful, yea as an imperative necessity,
desired a European alliance for this purpose, and publicly censured
those who remained careless and inactive. "Ruined or lazy," he wrote to
Conrad Zinck of Constance, a member of the Council, "are they, who look
on idly and never trouble themselves about raising up a force
sufficient to make the Emperor feel, that he will labor in vain to
restore the dominion of Rome, occupy the Free Cities and conquer us
Helvetians. Rouse Linden; rouse your neighbors to action. He is a fool
who builds upon the friendship of a tyrant. Long ago Demosthenes
observed, that nothing is so hated by such a despot, as the freedom of
the cities." Ever since the Marburg Conference, his connection with the
_Landgrave_ Philip was very intimate. Their correspondence, relating
more to politics than to articles of faith, was carried on partly by
signs mutually agreed upon, the name Pharoah being used for that of the
Emperor. Indeed Zwingli went a step further than the German prince
himself. He seriously thought of the possibility of removing Charles,
and even wished it. "So great," he wrote to Jacob Sturm of Strassburg,
"is the wickedness and perversity of the Emperor, that I believe the
whole world should join together to rid itself of such a burden, in any
way possible," and to the _Landgrave_ Philip, in a style