he Pope of Rome,
as no one has ever done like him, as long as the Papacy has endured,
yet without receiving abuse from others. But of whom is such an act? of
God, or Luther? Ask Luther himself and, I well know, he will say, 'Of
God.' Why then do you ascribe the doctrine of other men to Luther, when
he himself ascribes it to God? Does Luther preach Christ? Then he does
just what I do; although, God be thanked, by him a countless world more
will be led to God, than by me and others, whose measure God makes
greater or smaller, as he will. Nevertheless I will bear no name but
that of my captain, Christ, whose soldier I am, who will give me office
and pay as much as seems to him good. Now, I hope, every body will
understand, why I do not wish to be nicknamed Lutheran; although I
esteem Luther as highly as any man living." He proved by his actions
that he spoke the truth, for when the Papal Bull of excommunication
against Luther was already sent out, though not yet made known, he
strove as far as it was in his power, first by representations to the
acting attorney of the Legate in Zurich, and afterwards, by an
anonymous publication, to hinder it as much as possible. So Zwingli
stood then, acknowledging the high merit of the Saxon Reformer,
supporting him, at his side; but now let us turn back to his national
career.

The destructive influence of foreign mercenary service and pensions on
the character of the people was no less visible in Zurich than in other
States of the Confederacy, and the number of families, who were able to
resist the charms of gold, displayed freely on all sides, was small,
especially in the city. Indeed, the councils and people had, in the
year 1513, executed a solemn oath against "Wages and Bribes," as it was
called, and two years later, at the rumor of a high-handed breach of
it, the people of the lakes rose up and by threats produced the flight
of some of the bribed, and the dismissal and punishment of others; but
the oath was taken on one day, uproar followed on the second, and then
new transgressions on the third. When Zwingli came to Zurich, a
suspicion, that had more or less foundation, rested on some of the
first men in the government. This was increased by the notorious
intrigues of the many foreign embassies, who were present, and
their followers also not seldom helped on the demoralization of the
city. In Bern the state of morals was better than in Zurich. "The
Bernese"--wrote Sebastian Wagn