styled by Du Pin, "one of the most learned and eloquent men of the age." He was sent, with another prelate, to represent the clergy of Hungary in the council; where, the same author says, his boldness and eloquence made him so much feared by the legates, that they successfully urged on the pope the necessity of procuring his recall. His letter will shew that a man who had himself witnessed the proceedings of the council, and taken part in its deliberations, could pass a severer censure on that assembly than we have found either F. Paul or any other writer doing. Thus he records the facts he had witnessed, and the sentiments which they had led him to form. What good could be done in a council, in which the votes were not weighed but numbered. We daily saw hungry and needy bishops come to Trent, for the most part youths which did not begin to have beards, abandoned to luxury and riot, hired only to give their votes as the pope pleased. They were without learning or understanding, yet fit for the purpose, through their boldness and impudence.... There was a grave and learned man who was not able to endure so great an indignity. He was presently traduced as being no good catholic, and was terrified, threatened, and persecuted, that he might approve things against his will. In fine, matters were brought to that pass, by the iniquity of those who came thither formed and trained for their work, that the council seemed to consist not of bishops, but of disguised maskers; 1 1 See account of him, Du Pin, vii. 204-5. He is not to be confounded with Drascowitz, one of the emperors's ambassadors, who, under the name of "the bishop of FiveChurches," takes a prominent part in the council. A. D. 1563. CHAP. not of men, but of images, such as Daedalus made, that moved by nerves which were none of their own. They were hireling bishops, who, as country bagpipes, could not speak but as breath was put into them. The Holy Ghost had nothing to do in this assembly. All the counsels given there proceeded from human policy, and tended only to maintain the pope's immoderate and shameful domination."-He then adds the sarcasm, before alluded to, that the spirit, which was to direct their determinations, was regularly sent them from Rome.1 1 Appended to Brent's Father Paul, 784, 823: between which pages is inserted, both in Latin and English, a spirited letter of bishop Jewel's, justifying the English church in not sending deputies to the council.-Dudithius, it appears, was, subsequently at least, a correspondent of Beza's, and on familiar and friendly terms with him. In a volume of Epistles published by that reformer, at Geneva, 1573, the first is one of great length to Dudithius, aiming to obviate the objections he made, and the disquietude which he seems to have felt, in consequence of the variety of opinions which prevailed; vindicating the reformed, and assailing the church of Rome. It is dated, 1570. CHAPTER XIV. COMMENCEMENT OF THE SWISS REFORMATION -EARLY HISTORY OF ZWINGLE AND HIS ASSOCIATES. A. D. 1516. HITHERTO Our history has been, either professedly or virtually, confined to the German. branch of the reformation. Dr Milner indeed has interspersed in his part of the work some Subject. valuable remarks on Zwingle and Ecolampadius; and in my former volume I inserted, at 1 1 Zwingli appears to be his name among the Swiss. In turning it into Latin, the w is of course changed, and he is called Zuinglius. But the name with the English termination seems sufficiently naturalized among us to be adopted. I have not thought so of Ecolampade, and therefore retain Ecolampadius, which is only a modified Greek version (according to the fashion of the times,) of his real name, Hauschein, which appears to signify a house-lamp, or lamp for domestic purposes. Many of the continental names assume the form of the Latin genitive; Melchior Adami, Jacob Andreæ, &c. The Mac, and the Ap, and the O', prefixed to proper names; and, among ourselves, the word son affixed to them; the continental genitive form; the article (understanding vòs) followed by the genitive case among the Greeks; as well as the Greek and Latin patronymics; appear all to have one common design, namely, in designating the son, to distinguish him by pointing out the father from whom he sprang. Thus Adamson, Anderson, perhaps Adams, Andrews, &c. would be our version of the names above-mentioned. Whether Zwingli is to be considered as one of these patronymic genitives, I know not. We generally write Melchior Adam, but I have found him distinctly called Adami. CHAP. The Swiss people. The Confedera- the period it presented itself to me, an account of the deaths of those two great men, which could not fail to interest the Christian reader. But the Swiss reformation, which originated the other great branch of the church emancipated from the errors and domination of the papacy, demands a more full and distinct notice than it has yet received, either in this work, or in other ecclesiastical histories current among us.' The Swiss, it is well known, are a peculiar and highly interesting people, who derive much of their character from the country in which their lot is cast. The inhabitants of an abrupt and mountainous district are likely, from the very necessity of the case, to be a hardy and industrious race, long retaining the original simplicity of their manners. Among them, also, the natural love of liberty will be encouraged to exhibit itself, by the facilities which their country presents, for even a very small number of persons successfully maintaining their independence against the most numerous and powerful assailants. Switzerland comprises, or at least till of late comprised, thirteen cantons, with a number of other states dependent upon them or in alliance with them. The cantons are, by a common treaty, formed into one general body, of which each member, though sovereign within its own 1 It is surprising how little account of Zwingle and the Swiss reformation is to be found in Mosheim. A single paragraph by the author, concerning Zwingle's opposition to indulgences, with a few short notes of extravagant comparative eulogy appended by the translator, and then subsequently an account chiefly of the controversies between the Zwinglians and the Lutherans, is the substance of what is given on the early history of this important branch of the reformation. Mosheim, 16th Cent. I. ii. 12, and III. ii, 2. territory, is bound to support the rest against every foreign enemy. Certain members of the confederacy appear also to be more intimately bound to one another, by treaties of confraternity and co-burghership. The cantons were divided into eight ancient,-Zuric, Berne, Lucerne, Uri, Schweitz, Underwalden, Zug, and Glaris, which were associated during the former half of the fourteenth century; and five new cantonsBasle, Friburg, Soleure, Schaffhausen, and Appenzel, admitted into the league in the latter part of the fifteenth, and the beginning of the sixteenth century. Five of the cantons we shall find distinguished, both in modern times and in the times of which we have to treat, as the Roman-catholic cantons, namely, Lucerne, Uri, Schweitz, Underwalden, and Zug; and four as the reformed cantons, Zuric, Berne, Basle, and Schaffhausen. Friburg and Soleure also are Roman-catholic, but apparently with a less bigoted zeal than the five: Glaris and Appenzel are mixed in their religion. The five new cantons are also termed neutral; because, in case of a rupture between the eight ancient cantons, they are bound not to espouse either party. Of the dependencies of the cantons, several are called Common Bailliages: the sovereignty of them belonging to several cantons in common, which alternately send a bailiff to preside over them for a limited term. The greatest part of the country was anciently under the protection of the empire, till protection being extended to dominion, and dominion converted into oppression, several of the cantons united, and asserted their independence, in the early part of the fourteenth century. Their example was followed by their neighbours, and, after a series A. D. 1516. |