such a work, and must
hereafter in the opposite case unavoidably condemn thyself; and that
thou canst produce either the one or the other, of that we are
convinced. If you push it to a war, not six months will go by before it
will take such a turn, that the Zurichers will be sorry enough for what
we now know and foresee. We pray thee think over the contents of this
letter; perceive therein a proof of our sincere regard; inform us what
can be done on your part to give the business a happy direction. For
ourselves, nothing will gain us greater thanks from the King. On the
contrary, if war breaks out among you, the victorious party must in the
end be just as much weakened as the other. And beforehand already, must
they, who should be afraid to cause it, be forsaken by their friends,
because the latter, engaged to other allies also, must condemn such
cruel, reckless and passionate conduct."

Zwingli did not suffer himself to be moved by this letter, and
Zurich likewise persevered in carrying out her fundamental principle,
to do everything for the freedom of the Gospel, even where she did not
rule alone, or had but a small share of the sovereign authority--to do
it also in the way of armed interference, if negotiation did not
suffice. In vain did the advocates of peace redouble their labors; in
vain did the warnings of Bern become more and more pressing. The
governor-general Frei still prolonged his official term at Wyl, stirred
up the people of the abbacy and conducted their affairs. A bill of
purchase for the monastery was made out by the city of St. Gall, and a
release of the Toggenburgers from all allegiance to the abbey for the
sum of 15,000 florins, which was ratified by Zurich, and through her
exertions by Glarus also, in spite of protests from Luzern and Schwyz.
In the Thurgau, Zwingli succeeded in applying the revenue, arising from
fines in the lower courts, to purposes of charity, against all
opposition of the magistrates, who had hitherto appropriated them to
their own use. All this increased continually the number of his enemies
and the complaints at the confederate assemblies, and among the
advocates of peace. The language of the Five Cantons became more
threatening; the subjects of Zurich, whom business led into the
interior, were obliged to hear words of bitter reviling, and were even
personally attacked; one of them had his horse killed in AEgeri. Much
was reported about the rude speeches and rough manners o