seditious movement, or not
rather a noble effort to help on a good cause, when Zwingli thanked his
chief pastor for this, but at the same time begged him to act as well
as speak?

It is easy to imagine how such a zealous discharge of the duties of his
calling should more and more attract the attention of the public
authorities. Wintherthur was anxious to see him in the place of its
deceased pastor. He had to decline, because the citizens of Glarus were
not willing to release him from his former engagement. In Zurich even,
wither he had come on a visit, the number of his admirers continually
increased. The burgomaster Roist and his brethren-in-arms at Marignano
were acquainted with him since the Italian campaign. To the senator,
Jacob Grebel, he was introduced by his son Conrad, at that time one of
his warmest admirers. The canons Utinger, Erasmus, Schmied and
Engelhart knew and honored his scientific attainments, and even the
hostile disposition, which, then already, some of the most resolute
defenders of every kind of wickedness cherished toward him, might well
have proved a recommendation to all well-disposed people. Thus the way
was prepared for a translation to the scene of his future labors, but
before this, Einsiedeln was yet to see him coming out boldly against
one of the cardinal sins of the Papal Court.

Samson, the auctioneer of writs of indulgence, came to Switzerland, as
Tetzel to Saxony. The shameless trade, carried on by both, in the
pretended remission of sins, is well known. We will not revive these
scandalous scenes, confidently believing, that their repetition in our
age would be impossible. Even Zwingli paused a moment, before he
ventured to attack openly the corrupter of the people, who was backed,
as he asserted, by a commission from the Pope. It was the bishop of his
country, who strengthened him for the undertaking. "Hugo, Bishop of
Constance"--says he in the letter to Compar already quoted from--"has
informed me by his Vicar Johansen Faber, since the Franciscan monk
Samson would sell indulgences amongst us, and since he, the bishop had
learned that I preached against it, and confirmed me therein, he was
willing to stand by me in all fidelity. How could I act otherwise? Had
I not to obey a bishop of Constance, whose vicar wrote to me,--even if
I had not intended to do the same thing before--to make war on the
ensnaring system of indulgences?"

He uttered warnings from the pulpit in Einsiedeln a