eir
undertaking. But how can they do it, when we, on our part, yet desire
to remain your true and faithful Confederates; to adhere to our
treaties and oaths with you, and to prove to you our friendship, love
and duty without stint of life or property? And since many and various
slanders, about our two cities Zurich and Bern, have circulated among
you, as though they had made a special agreement to arm themselves
against you with artillery, guns, ships, marchings and other warlike
devices, placed the bell over you and used foul words to your
disparagement; O do not lend a ready ear to such fables! for indeed
such a thing has never entered our heart or mind, much less have we
ever attempted to do it."

The reception of the embassy was of a more friendly character in
Schwyz, and that before a full meeting of the general assembly. They
heard the message calmly. A written answer was promised and given not
without cordiality. This, however, may have been partly due to the
secretary.

The event in Zug was not quite so peaceful. Open discord reigned among
the counselors, a majority of whom were zealous advocates of the
alliance. Admission to the general assembly (_landsgemeine_) was not
granted to the deputies. We are told in their report: "They pretended
they had an excitable population, and were concerned lest our presence
would create great confusion; for they were much more passionate and
intolerant in the assemblies than the councils." In Altorf a difference
was made between Zurich and Bern; between the decided cantons and those
that were more accommodating.--The former were thanked; the latter, and
Zurich especially, were charged with interfering in matters of faith,
where they had no business so to do. Of the new faith, they said:
"Would to God it were buried!" Then an attempt was made, as had been
done before by Schwyz, to maintain it as a principle in the government
of the Common Territories, that even in ecclesiastical affairs the
majority of votes among the ruling cantons should decide. Of all the
points at issue this was the most difficult. Over it the strife
continually broke out anew.--Proudly and piously spoke the Luzerners:
They would follow their forefathers in everything, in adherence to the
Federal Compact, and in love, but only when it did not deviate from the
faith. Seditious persons now try to undermine this, as once the serpent
sneaked around our first parents in Paradise. From such poison they
would p