Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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The chief provisions of the eight articles as regards religion were these: —
1. The Five Cantons and their associates are to be left undisturbed in their
“true, undoubted, Christian faith”; the Zürichers and their associates may
likewise retain their “faith,” but with the exception of Bremgarten,
Mellingen, Rapperschwil, Toggenburg, Gaster, and Wesen. Legal
toleration or parity was thus recognized, but in a manner which implies a
slight reproach of the Reformed creed as a departure from the truth.
Mutual recrimination was again prohibited, as in 1529. f297
2. Both parties retain their rights and liberties in the common bailiwicks:
those who had accepted the new faith might retain it; but those who
preferred the old faith should be free to return to it, and to restore the
mass, and the images. In mixed congregations the church property is to be
divided according to population.
Zürich was required to give up her league with foreign cities, as the Five
Cantons had been compelled in 1529 to break their alliance with Austria.
Thus all leagues with foreign powers, whether papal or Protestant, were
forbidden in Switzerland as unpatriotic. Zürich had to refund the damages
of two hundred and fifty crowns for war expenses, and one hundred
crowns for the family of Kaiser, which had been imposed upon the Forest
Cantons in 1529. Bern agreed in addition to pay three thousand crowns for
injury to property in the territory of Zug.
The two treaties of peace agree in the principle of toleration (as far as it
was understood in those days, and forced upon the two parties by
circumstances), but with the opposite application to the neutral territory of
the bailiwicks, where the Catholic minority was protected against further
aggression. The treaty of 1529 meant a toleration chiefly in the interest and
to the advantage of Protestantism; the treaty of 1531, a toleration in the
interest of Romanism.
§ 50. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC REACTION.
The Romanists reaped now the full benefit of their victory. They were no
longer disturbed by the aggressive movements of Protestant preachers, and
they regained much of the lost ground in the bailiwicks.
Romanism was restored in Rapperschwil and Gaster. The abbot of St. Gall
regained his convent and heavy damages from the city; Toggenburg had to
acknowledge his authority, but a portion of the people remained Reformed.