hem any special attention, till the decree of the Diet, in regard
to the faith and other articles of like nature, are made known. Then,
there are deputies from Zug, but I cannot see, that they do much
business, except to curry favor with the men of Luzern and keep up
appearances, by begging money for the sham-abbot Kilian and offering
him a _placebo_ (_i.e._ delusive promises of help); thus at no cost to
themselves (but I forget--Kilian must undo his purse-strings and be his
own treasurer and steward) they can see the Emperor, King and members
of the Imperial Diet; therefore, if the Emperor, sometime ago, wished
to form an alliance with thorn, which caused them to be regarded as
very distinguished and useful; now, upon near acquaintance, he will
possibly load them with costly gifts and marks of honor. Mark Sittich
(Austrian governor of the frontier-province of Vorarlberg in the Tyrol)
is laboring hard for this. Although, gracious Lords, great plans and
schemes are devised for the persecution of the Common Confederacy, to
wit, the evangelical cities--Bern, Zurich and their allies and
Christian co-burghers, yet are they, in my judgment, only vain, proud
and bragging fools, who busy themselves here, in a restless and violent
manner, in these proceedings against us. On the fourth day of July,
Mark Sittich made loud complaint to the Emperor about the Zurichers,
how they withheld by force what belonged to him. The Zurichers should
be written to on the subject. These things need looking after, and I
now give Mark's scheme and plan of action with the names: Thus, the
Christian cities in the three cantons are to be surprised, assaulted
and taken; namely, by the Duke of Savoy, with the help of Wallis
(_Valais_) and Freiburg proceeding against Bern; item, the Emperor
against Basel and Constance, and Mark Sittich, with squadrons from the
abbacy and over the Rhine, and the hostile countries beyond, against
us. Then the city of Strassburg is to be besieged. In case the cities,
bound by their burgher-oath, send forth troops to aid their comrades,
these troops are to be suddenly attacked upon the road and no one left
to tell the tale.--All this would perhaps take place, if the Turk had
not marched against Vienna. I have good hope in God, our Redeemer, that
these fellows will fail in many, yea more than half their plans.
Therefore, you, my Lords, may be unterrified if such stories reach your
ears, for our Savior does not bless such base d