count; even a rustic often speaks very much to the point. And though we be but little children, we are yet Christ’s, and, far from scorning us, you may confidently trust that salvation will be yours if you receive us. As to ourselves, we shall never cease to sing your praises if you but show yourself a father to us, and shall render you willing and glad obedience. Grant a gift to your children, who are obedient that they come to you before all things, and trusting that in this matter, however difficult it is thought to be, they have ventured to appeal to you only. The Most High God long preserve your Excellency in prosperity and in the knowledge of God! We pray with all humility that you will take all we have said in a spirit of justice and kindness.
Einsiedeln, Switzerland, July 2d, 1522.
Your Most Reverend Fatherhood’s most obedient servants,
Balthasar Trachsel, Georg Stahelin (Calybeus), Werner Steiner, Leo Jub, Erasmus Fabricius, Simon Stumpf, Jopoc Kilchmeyer, HurpREICH Pistoris (Pfister)
CASPAR MEGANDER (Grossmann),
JoHN Faber (Hans Schmid). Huldreich Zwingli
[These were all prominent clergymen. It is incredible that they were the]
[only priests who were unchaste or had made clerical marriages. Trachsel of Arth was dean of the Chapter of the Four Cantons; Calybeus]
[(Stáhelin), of Galgenen, later pastor of Freienbach, canton Schwyz; Steiner,]
[priest of Zug; Jud, the well-known friend of Zwingli, then people’s priest at]
[Einsiedeln; Fabricius, priest of Stein on the Rhine, the one to whom Zwingli]
[sent his account of the visit of the delegation from the Bishop of Constance;]
[Stumpf, priest at Hóngg, canton Zurich; Kilchmeyer, a canon of Lucern; Pis-]
[toris (Pfister), pastor of Uster, canton Zurich; Megander (Grossmann), chap-]
[lain of the hospital attached to the Dominican monastery; Faber (Schmid),]
[a canon of the Great Minster, Zurich.]
XIII a Friendly Request and Exhortation of Some Priests of the Confederates That the Preaching of the
HoLy GOSPEL BE NOT HINDERED, AND ALSO THAT NO OFFENCE BE TAKEN IF TO AVOID SCANDAL THE PREACH-ERS WERE GIVEN PERMISSION TO MARRY
(July 13, 1522)
[Ein früntlich bitt und ermanung etlicher priesteren der Eidgnoschafft, das man das heylig euangelium predigen nit abschlahe, noch unwillen darab empfach, ob die predgenden ergernus zu vermiden sich eelich vermáchlind. Translated by Lawrence A. McLouth, Professor of German, New York University. In Schuler and Schulthess ed., i., 32-51; in Egli and Finsler ed., 1., 210—248.
Of all the documents which have come down to us from the Reformation this and its predecessor will strike a modern Protestant minister as two of the most extraordinary. It is a pity that Zwingli confounds in these two petitions two words which should be kept separate—chastity and celibacy. What priests and monks and nuns take is not a vow of chastity, but of celibacy. That is they engage not to marry.] O the pious, provident, honourable, wise, members of the cantons, lands, and neighbouring districts, our gracious favourable and dear lords, we, some of the priests and heralds of the Gospel of Jesus, offer our obedient, willing service and submission in the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.,
Pious, provident, etc., hearers, our first humble request 15, that your Wisdom will not at once take offence on account of the petition, which we bring before you as before our fathers, although it may appear at first strange or unfair.