letter to them."

There was great rejoicing over this conclusion of the matter,
especially on the part of the General-vicar of the Bishop of Constance,
Faber, who had formerly been Zwingli's fellow-student in Vienna, and
had since then kept up a certain intimacy with him. Indeed at Zwingli's
first bold debut the general-vicar seemed to wish it still closer.
"Why"--wrote he to him--"do you make so careful and sparing a use of my
friendship? Why do you seem to mistrust me? Do not doubt! Begun under
favorable auspices, it will last forever." Still later he invited him
to his house, communicated his plans to him, asked his judgment
concerning books, and proclaimed aloud his praise, especially where he
knew that it would reach Zwingli's ears. But the Reformer looked
deeper. Modesty was a prominent trait in his character from youth
upwards. In the one appeared the love of the world, the struggle to
elevate himself by any means in his power, the vain fancy that he could
hood-wink others by the assumption of a mask; in the other, a strong
love for truth. Nevertheless, Zwingli wished to avoid a breach with his
former friend; and now, especially, when he and the bishop seemed not
unwilling to favor further reforms. In reference to this he thus
expresses himself in the letter to Valentine Compar already quoted
from: "I have sent humble and dutiful letters to the Bishop of
Constance, and pointed out to him publicly and privately and in every
way, how he ought to apply himself to spreading abroad the light of the
Gospel; and that it would redound to the honor of the whole race of
Landenberg, if he were the first bishop, who would cause the Gospel to
be freely preached; but I do not know how the weather has changed.
They, who were so prompt before, have given me no answer, either by
mouth, or pen, except, what they have done in general. But this was
unlike the former, because (in consequence of it) the vicar let me
understand orally and by writing, the Bishop would not endure too much
urging from the Pope."

Amid such signs of a storm gathering on all sides, the plague broke out
in Zurich towards the close of the summer of 1519. Spreading in almost
all the neighboring countries, it reached Switzerland from the east,
and penetrated into the secluded vallies of the mountains. Zwingli
received the news of its near approach in a bath at Pfeffers, and,
mindful of his duty as people's priest, immediately hurried back to
Zurich. Seeing t