History of the Great Reformation Part 51

[Sidenote: SPREAD OF REFORM.]

At Wesen, where Schwytz exercised sovereignty conjointly with Glaris, the deputies of the former canton threatened the people. Upon this the young men took the images out of the churches, carried them to an open place near the banks of the picturesque lake of Wallenstadt, above which soar the mountains of the Ammon and of the Seven Electors, and cried: "Look! this road (that by the lake) leads to Coire and to Rome; that (to the south) to Glaris; this other (to the west) to Schwytz; and the fourth (by the Ammon) to St. Gall. Take which you please! But if you do not move off, you shall be burnt!" After waiting a few moments, these young people flung the motionless images into the fire, and the Schwytz deputies, eye-witnesses of this execution, withdrew in consternation, and filled the whole canton with projects of vengeance that were but too soon realized.

In the canton of Appenzell, where a conference had been opened, there suddenly appeared a band of Roman-catholics, armed with whips and clubs, and crying out: "Where are these preachers? we are resolved to put them out of the village!" These strange doctors wounded the ministers and dispersed the a.s.sembly with their whips. Out of the eight parishes of the canton, six embraced the Reform, and Appenzell became finally divided into little sections, the one Romanist and the other Reformed.

In the Grisons religious liberty was proclaimed; the parishes had the election of their pastors, several castles were rased to the ground to render all return to arbitrary government impossible, and the affrighted bishop went and hid in the Tyrol his anger and his desire for vengeance. "The Grisons," said Zwingle, "advance daily. It is a nation that by its courage reminds us of the ancient Tuscans, and by its candour of the ancient Swiss."[943]

[943] Gens animo veteres Tuscos referens, candore veteres Helvetios.

(Zw. Epp.)

[Sidenote: OBSTACLES IN BASLE.]

Schaffhausen, after having long "halted between two opinions," at the summons of Zurich and of Berne removed the images from its churches without tumult or disorder. At the same time the Reformation invaded Thurgovia, the valley of the Rhine, and other bailiwicks subordinate to these cantons. In vain did the Roman-catholic cantons, that were in the majority, protest against it. "When temporal affairs are concerned," replied Zurich and Berne, "we will not oppose a plurality of votes; but the Word of G.o.d cannot be subjected to the suffrages of men." All the districts that lie along the banks of the Thur, of the Lake of Constance, and of the Upper Rhine, embraced the Gospel. The inhabitants of Mammeren, near the place where the Rhine issues from the lake, flung their images into the water. But the statue of St.

Blaise, after remaining some time upright, and contemplating the ungrateful spot whence it was banished, swam across the lake to Catahorn, situated on the opposite sh.o.r.e, if we may believe the account of a monk named Lang.[944] Even while running away Popery worked its miracles.

[944] J. J. Hottinger, iii. p. 426.

Thus were the popular superst.i.tions overthrown in Switzerland, and sometimes not without violence. Every great development in human affairs brings with it an energetic opposition to that which has existed. It necessarily contains an aggressive element, which ought to act freely, and by that means open the new path. In the times of the Reformation the doctors attacked the Pope, and the people the images.

The movement almost always exceeded a just moderation. In order that human nature may take one step in advance, its pioneers must take many. Every superfluous step should be condemned, and yet we must acknowledge their necessity. Let us not forget this in the history of the Reformation, and especially in that of Switzerland.

Zurich was reformed; Berne had just become so: Basle still remained, before the great cities of the Confederation were gained over to the Evangelical faith. The reformation of this learned city was the most important consequence resulting from that of the warlike Berne.

[Sidenote: ZEAL OF THE CITIZENS.]

For six years the Gospel had been preached in Basle. The meek and pious colampadius was always waiting for happier times. "The darkness," said he, "is about to retire before the rays of truth."[945] But his expectation was vain. A triple aristocracy--the superior clergy, the n.o.bles, and the university--checked the free expansion of christian convictions. It was the middle cla.s.ses who were destined to effect the triumph of the Reformation in Basle.[946]

Unhappily the popular wave invades nothing without tossing up some foul sc.u.m.

[945] Sperabam enim tenebras veritatis radio cessuras tandem. (Zw.

Epp. ii. p. 136.)

[946] Major pars civitatis quae toto corde dolet tantis nos dissidiis laborare. (Ibid. p. 36.)

It is true that the Gospel had many friends in the councils: but being men of a middle party, they tacked backwards and forwards like Erasmus, instead of sailing straight to the port. They ordered "the pure preaching of the Word of G.o.d;" but stipulated at the same time that it should be "without Lutheranism." The aged and pious bishop Utenheim, who was living in retirement at Bruntrut, tottered daily into the church, supported by two domestics, to celebrate Ma.s.s with a broken voice. Gundelsheim, an enemy of the Reformation, succeeded him erelong; and on the 23d September, followed by many exiles and with a train of forty horses, he made his triumphal entry into Basle, proposing to restore everything to its ancient footing. This made colampadius write in alarm to Zwingle: "Our cause hangs upon a thread."

But in the citizens the Reform found a compensation for the disdain of the great, and for the terrors inspired by the new bishop. They organized repasts for fifty and a hundred guests each; colampadius and his colleagues took their seats at these tables with the people, where energetic acclamations and reiterated cheers greeted the work of the Reformation. In a short time even the council appeared to incline to the side of the Gospel. Twenty feast-days were retrenched, and the priests were permitted to refuse celebrating the Ma.s.s. "It is all over with Rome," was now the cry. But colampadius, shaking his head, replied; "I am afraid that, by wis.h.i.+ng to sit on the two stools, Basle will at last fall to the ground."[947]

[947] Vereorque ne dum semper utraque sella sedere velit, utraque extrudatur aliquando. (Zw. Epp. ii. p. 157.)

[Sidenote: WITTICISM OF ERASMUS.]

This was at the period of his return from his discussion at Berne. He arrived in time to close the eyes of his pious mother; and then the reformer found himself alone, succ.u.mbing under the weight of public and domestic cares; for his house was like an inn for all fugitive Christians. "I shall marry a Monica,"[948] he had often said, "or else I shall remain a bachelor." He thought he had now discovered the "christian sister" he was in search of. This was Wilibrandis, daughter of one of the Emperor Maximilian's knights, and widow of a master of arts named Keller,--a woman already proved by many trials. He married her, saying: "I look to the ordinances of G.o.d, and not to the scowling faces of men." This did not prevent the sly Erasmus from exclaiming: "Luther's affair is called a tragedy, but I maintain it is a comedy, for each act of the drama ends in a wedding." This witticism has been often repeated. For a long time it was the fas.h.i.+on to account for the Reformation by the desire of the princes for the church-property, and of the priests for marriage. This vulgar method is now stigmatized by the best Roman controversialists as "a proof of a singularly narrow mind.--The Reformation originated," add they, "in a true and christian, although unenlightened zeal."[949]

[948] The name of St. Augustin's mother.

[949] See Mohler's _Symbolik_, both in the preface and in the body of the work. This is one of the most important writings produced by Rome since the time of Bossuet.

The return of colampadius had still more important consequences for Basle than it had for himself. The discussion at Berne caused a great sensation there. "Berne, the powerful Berne, is reforming!" was pa.s.sed from mouth to mouth. "How, then!" said the people one to another, "the fierce bear has come out of his den......he is groping about for the rays of the sun......and Basle, the city of learning--Basle, the adopted city of Erasmus and of colampadius, remaining in darkness!"

[Sidenote: HALF-MEASURES.]

On Good Friday (10th April, 1528), without the knowledge of the council and colampadius, five workmen of the Spinners' Company entered the church of St. Martin, which was that of the reformer, and where the Ma.s.s was already abolished, and carried away all the "idols." On Easter Monday, after the evening sermon, thirty-four citizens removed all the images from the church of the Augustines.

This was going too far. Were they desirous, then, of drawing Basle and its councils from that just medium in which they had till this moment so wisely halted? The council met hastily on Tuesday morning, and sent the five men to prison; but, on the intercession of the burghers, they were released, and the images suppressed in five other churches. These half-measures sufficed for a time.

On a sudden the flame burst out anew with greater violence. Sermons were preached at St. Martin's and St. Leonard's against the abominations of the cathedral; and at the cathedral the Reformers were called "heretics, knaves, and profligates."[950] The Papists celebrated ma.s.s upon ma.s.s. The burgomaster Meyer, a friend of the Reform, had with him the majority of the people; the burgomaster Meltinger, an intrepid leader of the partisans of Rome, prevailed in the councils: a collision became inevitable. "The fatal hour approaches," says colampadius, "terrible for the enemies of G.o.d."[951]

[950] Ketzer, schelmen, und buben. (Bulling, ii. p. 36.)

[951] Maturatur fatalis hora et tremenda hostibus Dei. (Zw. Epp. ii.

p. 213.)

[Sidenote: COMMOTION IN BASLE.]

On Wednesday the 23d December, two days before Christmas, three hundred citizens from all the companies, pious and worthy men, a.s.sembled in the hall of the Gardeners' Company, and there drew up a pet.i.tion to the senate. During this time the friends of Popery, who resided for the most part in Little Basle and the suburb of St. Paul, took up arms, brandis.h.i.+ng their swords and lances against the Reformed citizens at the very moment that these were bearing their pet.i.tion to the council, and endeavoured, although ineffectually, to bar their road. Meltinger haughtily refused to receive the pet.i.tion, and charged the burghers, on the faith of their civic oath, to return to their homes. The burgomaster Meyer, however, took the address, and the senate ordered it to be read.

"Honoured, wise, and gracious Lords," it ran, "we, your dutiful fellow-citizens of the companies, address you as well-beloved fathers, whom we are ready to obey at the cost of our goods and of our lives.

Take G.o.d's glory to heart; restore peace to the city; and oblige all the Pope's preachers to discuss freely with the ministers. If the Ma.s.s be true, we desire to have it in our churches; but if it is an abomination before G.o.d, why, through love for the priests, should we draw down His terrible anger upon ourselves and upon our children?"

Thus spoke the citizens of Basle. There was nothing revolutionary either in their language or in their proceedings. They desired what was right with decision, but also with calmness. All might still proceed with order and decorum. But here begins a new period: the vessel of Reform is about to enter the port, but not until it has pa.s.sed through violent storms.

V. It was the bishop's partisans who first departed from the legal course. Filled with terror on learning that mediators were expected from Zurich and Berne, they ran into the city, crying that an Austrian army was coming to their aid, and collected stones in their houses.

The Reformed did the same. The disturbance increased hourly, and in the night of the 25th December the Papists met under arms: priests with arquebuse in hand were numbered among their ranks.

Scarcely had the Reformed learnt this, when some of them running hastily from house to house, knocked at the doors and awoke their friends, who, starting out of bed, seized their muskets and repaired to the Gardeners' Hall, the rendezvous of their party. They soon amounted to three thousand.

[Sidenote: HALF-MEASURES REJECTED.]

Both parties pa.s.sed the night under arms. At every moment a civil war, and what is worse, "a war of hearths," might break out. It was at last agreed that each party should nominate delegates to treat with the senate on this matter. The Reformed chose thirty men of respectability, courage, faith, and experience, who took up their quarters at the Gardeners' Hall. The partisans of the ancient faith chose also a commission, but less numerous and less respectable: their station was at the Fishmongers' Hall. The council was constantly sitting. All the gates of the city, except two, were closed; strong guards were posted in every quarter. Deputies from Lucerne, Uri, Schaffhausen, Zug, Schwytz, Mulhausen, and Strasburg, arrived successively. The agitation and tumult increased from hour to hour.

It was necessary to put an end to so violent a crisis. The senate, faithful to its ideas of half-measures, decreed that the priest should continue to celebrate the Ma.s.s; but that all, priests and ministers, should preach the Word of G.o.d, and for this purpose should meet once a-week to confer upon the holy Scriptures. They then called the Lutherans together in the Franciscan church, and the Papists in that belonging to the Dominicans. The senate first repaired to the former church, where they found two thousand five hundred citizens a.s.sembled.

The secretary had hardly read the ordinance before a great agitation arose. "That shall not be," cried one of the people.[952] "We will not put up with the Ma.s.s, not even with a single one!" cried another; and all repeated, "No Ma.s.s,--no Ma.s.s,--we will die sooner!"[953]

[952] Quidam e plebe clamitabat: Hoc non fiet! (Zw. Epp. ii. p. 255.)

[953] Nos plane ea non feremus, aut moriemur omnes. (Ibid.)

The senate having next visited the Dominican church, all the Romanists, to the number of six hundred, among whom were many foreign servants, cried out: "We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the Ma.s.s. We swear it, we swear it!" repeated they with uplifted hands.

"If they reject the Ma.s.s--to arms! to arms!"[954]

[954] At altera pars minitabat praelia si missam rejicerent (Ibid.)

The senate withdrew more embarra.s.sed than ever.

[Sidenote: REFORMED PROPOSITIONS.]

The two parties were again a.s.sembled three days after. colampadius was in the pulpit. "Be meek and tractable," said he; and he preached with such unction that many were ready to burst into tears.[955] The a.s.sembly offered up prayers, and then decreed that it would accept a new ordinance, by virtue of which, fifteen days after Pentecost, there should be a public disputation, in which no arguments should be employed but such as were drawn from the Word of G.o.d: after this a general vote should take place upon the Ma.s.s, that the majority should decide the question, and that in the meanwhile the Ma.s.s should be celebrated in three churches only; it being however understood, that nothing should be taught there that was in opposition to the Holy Scriptures.