CHAP.
XVII.

Mulhausen.

before mentioned as provost of the cathedral,'
"a man as much esteemed for his character and
learning as for his rank," voluntarily resigned his
dignity and the other benefices which he held,
and married a lady of the first respectability. It
is especially noticed that this was done with the
consent of the lady's father and brothers; for, a
little time before, such a marriage would have
been thought impious, and therefore disgraceful.
Watteville had been in favour with the pope
and many prelates, and had the prospect
of being himself advanced to the episcopate;
but "
regard to liberty of conscience,
says
Stetler, and, Ruchat adds also, "the love
of God and of truth, and concern for his own
salvation, banished from his heart ambition, the
love of riches, and the hope of advancing him-
self in life." Zwingle congratulates him on his
marriage, and speaks of his wife's father (Claude
Mey) as a zealous friend of reformed principles.2

Mulhausen, a small independent town,3 a member of the Swiss confederation, though situate beyond the frontiers, in Alsace, had the honour of even preceding Zuric in the abolition of the mass. In the year 1523, Ulric Hutten,* a friend, though a somewhat intemperate friend, of the reformation resided there: and at the same time Augustine Kremer preached the gospel zealously. The magistrates, however, at that period resisted any further changes than the following: that baptism should be administered in the vulgar tongue; that the children of the school should learn to sing the

1 Above, p. 454. 2 Ru. i. 315-319. Gerd. ii. 291. 3 Still protestant, and a prosperous place: its territory comprised within a precinct of eight miles. Coxe, Let. 17. 4 Milner, v. 267, 854.

A. D. 1525.

Psalms in German; that the people should receive the eucharist in both kinds; and that in lieu of matins they should have sermons and prayers. Even this drew Even this drew upon the town an excommunication from the bishop of Basle; but the magistrates treated it with contempt.' The next year they required the priests either to separate from their concubines, or to marry them; and ordered a public discussion to be held, to 1524. which they invited assistance from Basle: and after the close of it they abolished the mass.2

At Basle, Ecolampadius prosecuted his la- Basle. bours with indefatigable zeal and great success. His acknowledged wisdom, the evangelical purity of his doctrine, and the sanctity of his life, conciliated for him the greatest veneration, and drew crowded audiences constantly to hear him; amongst whom the principles which he inculcated made a rapid progress. The number of his fellow-labourers also increased. Wolfgang Weissenburg, minister of the parish of the Hospital, Mark Bersi of S. Leonard's parish, Thomas Ghierfalk, preacher of the Augustinians, besides those previously mentioned,3 are enumerated: and they were all supported by Caspar Schaller, the secretary of the government. The opposition also made to them was powerful

1 From early times the Swiss appear to have known better than other states of Christendom how to deal with the thunders of Rome. In the year 1328, a papal excommunication issued against them being announced to the cantons, "the people asked the priests, whether they would continue to read the service, and sing the litany as usual, or else submit to immediate exile." The pope acknowledged that the priests, in making the former option, had acted wisely, though not canonically. Planta's Helvet. Confed. i. 185. 2 Ru. i. 188, 226. Gerd. ii. 255, 267.

CHAP.
XVII.

Feb. 16.

1524.

and acrimonious: but it proved unsuccessful.— In the early part of the year 1524, Stephen Stoer, pastor of Lichstall, having married, and finding himself exposed to much reproach on that account, offered to justify what he had done in a public disputation at Basle. In compliance with the solicitations of his parishioners, the council allowed him to do so; and Lichstall maintained theses asserting the right of the clergy to marry, and that the most fatal consequences had arisen from denying them this right. He challenged any persons on the part of the bishop, the chapter, or the university, to maintain the contrary side against him: but no one of any consequence appeared: and, in answer to questions proposed by him, most of the learned persons present-Pellican, Hartmund of Cronberg, Wirben of Bienne, Immelinus, Weissenburg, Wolfhardt, and others-expressed their agreement with him.

Many attempts being made, partly by friends of the reformation and partly by its enemies, to withdraw or otherwise remove Ecolampadius from Basle, it was in some measure for the purpose of more fully fixing him there, that he was at this time presented to the living of S. Martin's church, of which he had served the curacy, with little remuneration, for a year past. He accepted the appointment on condition that he should preach whatever he found in the scriptures, and that the popish ceremonies should be dispensed with. Accordingly baptism was in his church administered in the vulgar

3

very

1 Milner, v. 98, 571. (673. (10).)

One was from the well-known Cochlæus, who lamented that such a man should lend himself to be a ringleader in the Lutheran heresy. Mel. Ad. i. 24. 3 Above, p. 455.

tongue, and the eucharist given in both kinds;
and he preached in so forcible a manner against
the mass, purgatory, the use of holy water, the
processions, and other observances or doctrines
of the church of Rome, as brought them into
neglect with the chaplains dependent on his
church. On his
On his appointment to S. Martin's,
expectations of considerable emolument were
held out to him, with the prospect of further
preferment; but he declined them all, de-
claring that he desired nothing beyond a decent
subsistence.

66

The principal citizens now proceeded to demand of the Franciscans, that, in lieu of the numerous masses which were said, and of which the people understood nothing, they should cause a short sermon of half an hour" to be preached to them every morning, in their church: but the monks replied, "that week-day sermons savoured of Lutheranism." The citizens, in consequence of this refusal, withheld their alms from these mendicants.-The council soon after signified to the abbess and nuns of the convent of Klingenthal, that, as their mode of life had no sanction from scripture, they were at liberty to quit the house; and that those who chose to do so should be provided for, either in married life, or in any other honest state while those who chose to remain might do it, but must maintain a conduct free from reproach.

A. D. 1525.

to Basle.

Early in this year, William Farel, who will Farel's visit hereafter claim our attention as the upright and able, though sometimes too ardent, reformer of that part of Switzerland in which the French

XVII.

language is spoken, having been lately driven from France, came to Basle, and in the opinion Feb. 1524. of some exposed the cause of the reformation to a degree of risk, by a proceeding for which the public mind was scarcely prepared. He professed a wish to discuss with the learned men of the place several controverted points, that if his own views of them were wrong he might be set right, or that, if they were right, he might be confirmed in them. But the heads of the university, having pronounced his theses to be heretical, would not suffer them to be publicly maintained. The council however consented to their being submitted to discussion. These theses asserted the sufficiency of scripture, and of the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and were directed against popish errors generally. The publication of them excited a strong sensation. The vicar-general of the bishop, with the rector (Ludovicus Berus) and the leading members of the university, forbade the students, and other dependents on them, to take part in the discussion, under pain of expulsion and excommunication. The magistrates, regarding this prohibition as an insult offered to them, ordered the interdicted persons to attend and assist, on pain of banishment. Farel accordingly, on the fifteenth of February, maintained his theses before a numerous assembly. The Roman catholics were excessively irritated, and preached against the reformers and their proceedings with the most abusive virulence. The character of Ecolampadius, however, stood so high in the city, that they dared attempt but little against him and in the end the magistrates

1 Vol. iii. 73.