48 THE SWISS REFORMATION.
felt sure of ultimate victory. He replied in the Archeteles (*•' the Beginning and the End "), hoping that this first answer would be the last.^ He protested that he had done no wrong, but endeavored to lead men to God and to his Son Jesus Christ in plain language, sucli as the common people could understand. He warned the hierarchy of the approaching collapse of the Romish ceremonies, and advised them to follow the example of Julius Csesar, who folded his garments around him that he might fall with dignity. The significance of this book consists in the strong statement of the authority of the Scriptures against the authority of the Church. Erasmus was much displeased with it.
§ 15. Petition for the Abolition of Clerical Celibacy . ZwingWs Marriage.
In July of the same year (1522), Zwingli, with ten other l^riests, sent a Latin petition to the bishop, and a German petition to the Swiss Diet, to permit the free preaching of the gospel and the marriage of the clergy as the only remedy against the evils of enforced celibacy. He quotes the Scriptures for the divine institution and right of marriage, and begs the confederates to permit what God himself has sanctioned. He sent both petitions to Myconius in Lucerne for signatures. Some priests approved, but were afraid to sign ; others said the petition was useless, and could only be granted by the pope or a council.^
The petition was not granted. Several priests openly disobeyed. One married even a nun of the convent of Oetenbach (1523) ; Reubli of Wyticon married, April 28, 1523 ; Leo Judse, Sept. 19, 1523.
Zwingli himself entered into the marriage relation in 1522,-^
1 Opera, III. 26-76.
2 Werke, I. A. 30-51 ; III. 16-25.
^ See the letters of Myconius from 1522, where he sends salutations to Zwingli's wife, quoted in § 7, p. 28.
§ 15 PETITION FOK THE ABOLITION OF CELIBACY. 49
but from prudential reasons he did not make it public till April 5, 1524 (more than a year before Luther's marriage, which took place June 13, 1525). Such cases of secret marriage were not unfrequent ; but it would have been better for his fame if, as a minister and reformer, he had exercised self-restraint till public opinion was ripe for the change.
His wife, Anna Reinhart,^ was the widow of Hans Meyer von Knonau,^ the mother of three children, and lived near Zwingli. She was two years older than he. His enemies spread the report that hev married for beauty and Avealth ; but she possessed only four hundred guilders besides lier wardrobe and jewelry. She ceased to wear her jewelry after marrying the Reformer.
We have only one letter of Zwingli to his wife, written from Berne, Jan. 11, 1528, in which he addresses her as his dearest house-wife.^ From occasional expressions of respect and affection for his wife, and from salutations of friends to her, we must infer that his family life was happy ; but it lacked the poetic charm of Luther's home. She was a useful helpmate in his work.^ She contributed her share towards
^ His letter to her bears the inscription, "Der Frauen Anna Heinhartin in Zurich, seiner lieben Hausfrau." Opera, VIII. 134. Others spell the name Reinhard.
2 A soldier of wild habits, who belonged to one of the oldest and richest families of Zurich, and died 1517.
3 It is as follows (VIII. 134): "Gnad und Fried von Gott. Liebste Haitsfrau, ich sage Gott Dunk, dass er dir cine frohliche Geburt verlielien hat; der ifolle uns die nach seinem Widen zii erziehen verleihen. Schiche meiner Base ein oder zwei Tiichli [^TUchlein'], solcher Mass und Weise, als du sie trdgst. Sie kommt ziemlich \^s{ttsam'], dock nicht beginlich [_i.e., ivie eine Nonne, eine Beghine'], ist eine Frau von 40 Jahren in alle Weis und Mass, ivie sie Meister Jorgen Frau beschrieben hat. Thut mir und uns Allen iiber die 3Iass giltlich. Bis \_8ei'] hie.mit Gott befohlen. Griisse mir Gevatter Schaffnerin, Ulmann Trinkler, Schidthess Effingerin und wer dir lieb sei. Bitt Gott fur mich und uns Alle. Gegeben zu Bern 11. Tag Janners. Griisse mir alle deine Kinder. Besonders Margreth troste in meinem Namen. Huldreich Zwingli, dein Hauswirth."
* One of his friends calls her "eine Mitarbeiterin am Wort, welche dir, dem Apostel, beliiilflirh ist." Fiuslcr, f7. Zwingli, p. 52 sq.