The History of Switzerland by Zschokke Heinrich

Author:Zschokke, Heinrich [Zschokke, Heinrich]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Waxkeep Publishing
Published: 2015-01-17T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XLV.THE TOGGENBURGER WAR. SECOND BATTLE NEAR VILLMERGEN. PEACE CONCLUDED AT AARAU.

[A. D. 1712 to 1718.]

The Zurichers and Bernese had marched with ten thousand men against the little city of Wyl to besiege the bishop’s troops therein. Thither came Nabholz also, with two thousand Toggenburgers and a body of men from Thurgau. The little city was cannonaded and bombarded, the country and villages were ravaged. But the abbot’s soldiers defended themselves very valiantly under major Felber, and made several bloody sallies. And when the men of Thurgau withdrew from the besiegers, by whom they were held in little esteem, Felber extended his forays as far as Braunau and Summeri. So cruel were his people, that they killed two defenceless men, and cut off a woman’s hands and feet. Then the cry for vengeance against such cruelty arose throughout all Thurgau; the raging landsturm marched once more on Weinfelden; among them were seen women, and children twelve years old. And they were as cruel to the catholics as these had been to the reformed.

Then said Nabholz to the generals of Berne and Zurich: “Let us invade the abbot’s ancient states, whence come many of the defenders of Wyl. When they see their huts and villages burning in the distance, they will quit the others, and the city will be weakened.” So with one thousand men he entered the abbot’s ancient country, near Oberglatt. And when those in the city saw their dwellings burning in the distance, they hastily left their ranks to fight for their huts. Thereupon the city was distracted with fear and surrendered to her enemies (22 May). The abbot’s soldiers dispersed and were so angry with their leader Felber, that his life was not safe, and he was obliged to seek protection of the besiegers, in order to escape to Bernardszell. But the furious people pursued him there, dragged him from the curate’s house, set him on a sorry horse, led him with shouts and insults to the bridge over the Sitter, and killed him with four gun-shots through the body. Then they hacked his corpse with their knives, and threw it into the waters of the Sitter (24 May).

In the mean while valiant Nabholz had penetrated still further into the ancient territory of the abbot of St. Gallen. There the inhabitants of Gossau surrendered to him, after having, in their anger, assassinated their own general. Two days before they had repulsed a thousand Toggenburgers, who had been sent against them with fire and sword, and who, in their flight, had strangled the defenceless catholic priest of Niederglatt in a stable. The banners of Zurich and Berne advanced victorious through the whole of Thurgau as far as the city of St. Gallen. Here they placed a garrison in the city and at Rorschach. The abbot, full of fear, had already fled to Augsburg with his valuables.

When the Toggenburgers saw that their cause was successful, they condemned to death several of the abbot’s people who had betrayed them. They

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