In the mean time it happened that at the diet at Sitten, in St. Gall,
it was resolved to call me to the situation of chief teacher; and the
captain, "Simon in Alben," was commanded to write to me, and tell me to
come. It was Christmas-time that the resolution was passed, the
execution was delayed till Shrovetide. Now at that time there was one
Herbert, provost in the lower college: he had been first at Basle, and
then went to Friburg, where he gave out that he could not hold out any
longer among the heretics in Basle. After that he came again to Basle,
where they were unwilling to receive him, unless he assured them on
oath that he was devoted heartily to the Reformed Confession. This oath
he took at once, and said he could not endure the idolatrous doings at
Friburg. This man had boarders from St. Gall, from whom he learned that
they wished to have me there as teacher. As I had to superintend Dr.
Heerwag's printing-office while he was in Frankfort at the fair, and
could not therefore immediately obey the call I had received, Herbert
availed himself of the opportunity and hastened to Sitten to the
Bishop, whom he informed falsely that I would not come; for that I had
said that I should not like to plunge into the midst of idolatry; and
also that I was in the habit of eating meat on forbidden days, and the
like. The Bishop readily believed it; for I was already suspected by
him as to my religion: so Herbert was received. When he came again to
Basle I went to him into the college, and asked him, "What have you
been doing in St. Gall?" (for I already knew of the matter.) He
answered, that he had had private business. Then I said, "You have had
the business of a rogue, and a wicked fellow. You have no doubt
slandered me; but I will also go there, and if you have lied about me I
will convict you of your wickedness." I really took the journey to St.
Gall, for I had private business besides. When I arrived at Visp, the
Bishop happened to be there just then for the purpose of confirming. I
also met the Captain, Simon, who had a house in Visp, and visited him.
At first he expressed his dissatisfaction that I had not come at the
right time, and told me that on that account another had been already
appointed. He also told me what crooked artifices Herbert had employed
with the Bishop, and how only the day before, he had written and sent a
messenger to say that I was coming, and that they should not believe
me. The Captain finished with these words: "Well! the priests have
chosen for themselves a teacher, and him they shall have."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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