urbance
of his neighbors in Valtlin and Graubuenden. He even ventured to
interrupt the commerce of Graubuenden with Milan, and surprised and
murdered two envoys, sent with complaints to the Duke, on their return
home. Yet more dangerous plans of his, in union with the Austrian
authorities, against the Reformed Confederates, were talked of, and the
report received some color of truth from the increasing preparations
for war, as well as an attack at Morbagnio, upon the Graubuendners, who
had marched out to secure their possessions, and whom, after a stout
defence, he compelled to retreat. An appeal was now made to the
Confederates for armed assistance. They all promised, and dispatched
5,000 men; the Five Cantons only persevered in refusing to furnish
their quota.

"Here you see," said Zurich to the mediators, "their fidelity to the
federal compact; here you perceive with whom they have secret
intercourse--here, whether we were wrong in powerfully opposing the
hypocrites." But it soon transpired, that Austria was not at all
concerned in this affair, and rather disapproved the action of Medicis;
and the Five Cantons sought to justify their inactivity by the
necessity of defending their own borders in such critical times.

The states of the Confederacy, favorable to peace, now supplied the
place of Schaffhausen, who had taken a decided stand with the cities of
the _Buergerrecht_, by calling in the French embassy. The latter
immediately turned to Zwingli himself. "Dear highly esteemed man," they
wrote to him, "we have once before expressed our urgent wishes to thee,
and thou hast not answered us. Very lately the King sent one of his
nobles to us with another earnest command to do all in our power in
aiding to restore and strengthen peace and concord between the
Confederates. In this spirit we addressed ourselves to the deputies (of
the cities of the _Buergerrecht_) present at Aarau. Since we learn that
they will soon assemble again in Zurich, we write to thee also. We beg,
we implore thee, if, as we doubt not, the peace and welfare of Helvetia
are near to thy heart, to do all in thy power to prevent any hostile
act against their Confederates from these men, whom we honor and
esteem, and aid in bringing about a reconciliation. Indeed this is very
urgent, for reasons which make it necessary, but which we have not now
time to communicate, they are so many; and if thou knowest them
thyself, thou wouldst esteem thyself happy in