Emperor the following spring with a stronger force, they placed the game entirely in his hands. He conquered, and laid under contribution, the various confederate cities in Southern Germany; and on the Rhine, humbled the aged Duke Ulrich, of Wuertemberg, and deprived the aged Archbishop of Cologne of his princely dignity. He had thus covered his rear in Swabia and on the Rhine, and was now able, without much difficulty, to shift the war into the dominions of the two leaders of the Confederation. While the Emperor was proceeding thus in Southern Germany, and on the Rhine, the Elector, John Frederick, entered Thuringia with 2000 men, and soon swept away the armies of Duke Maurice. He even entered his dominions, and conquered the whole land, with the exception of Leipzig. At Altenberg, he was opposed by Maurice and his ally, the Margrave Albert, of Brandenburg, but in vain. For the Margrave was taken prisoner, and Maurice evacuated the country. Thus John Frederick stood as a victor upon the banks of the Elbe, but without taking advantage of his victory. We may easily suppose that the University and schools could not prosper much in these warlike times. When the troops of Duke Maurice were advancing, it was thought advisable in Wittenberg to dissolve the University. The Margrave Joachim offered a retreat to Melanchthon. Many fled to Magdeburg, but Melanchthon selected Zerbst, when the troops of Maurice threatened Wittenberg. We may conceive the feelings of Melanchthon's heart, when aged sires, women, and children, were thus compelled to flee, in mid-winter, in a snow-storm. He was received in a hospitable manner at Zerbst, and at the same time also received invitations from Brunswick and Nuremberg. But, while everything looked so gloomy, the sky assumed a bright appearance at the return of the Elector, who had so expeditiously cleared his dominions of hostile troops. Melanchthon, too, returned to Wittenberg, now freed from the siege, but only for a few days, as matters were still in a state of insecurity and uncertainty. He returned to Zerbst, and was destined soon to experience greater calamities than ever before. But, although he was greatly afflicted, he comforted himself with the word of God. He at this time wrote to Camerarius: "Let us be assured that God will preserve the seed of his Church and of the truth, as he has so repeatedly promised in his divine word, and let us not doubt that God has our welfare at heart, even if the world should be destroyed." In the beginning of February, 1547, he again returned to Wittenberg for a few days, and thence wrote to the Elector to make peace, but without effecting anything.