Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

oth recognised a common foe. Accusations were
carried to the court at Brussels against him, and
soon there came an imperial order to expel "the
fire-brand" from Friesland. "Dost thou hear the
gowl of the thunder?"[7] said Alasco, writing to his
friends; he expected that the bolt would follow.
Anna, the sovereign princess of the kingdom,
terrified at the threat of the emperor, began to cool
in her zeal toward the superintendent and his work;
but in proportion as the clouds grew black and
danger menaced, the courage and resolution of the
Reformer waxed strong. He addressed a letter to
the princess (1543), fit which he deemed it "better
to be unpolite than to be unfaithful," warning her
that should she "take her hand from the plough"
she would have to "give account to the eternal
Judge." "I am only a foreigner," he added,
"burdened with a family,[8] and having no home. I
wish, therefore, to be friends with all, but... as far
as to the altar. This barrier I cannot pass, even if I
had to reduce my family to beggary."[9]
This noble appeal brought the princess once
more to the side of Alasco, not again to withdraw
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