MarginaliaEx Ioan. Choelœo. De historia Hußiarū. lib.1.Iohn Wickleffe, whych then comming to the handes of Iohn Husse, and of other both men and women, especially of the lay sorte, and artificers: beganne there to doo much good. MarginaliaThe gospel beginneth to take rote in Bohemia.In so much, that diuers of them not onelye men, but women also, partly by readyng of those bokes trāslated into theyr tounge, partly by þ^e setting forward of Iohn Husse, a notable learned man, and a syngular preacher at þ^e tyme in the Vniuersitie of Prage: were in short tyme so rype in iudgement, and prompt in þ^e scriptures, that they beganne to moue questions, yea and to reason wyth the priestes, touching matters of the scriptures. By reason whereof, complaynt was brought to the sayde Pope Alexander the fift, who caused eftsoones the forenamed Iohn Husse to bee cited vppe to Rome. MarginaliaThe letter of pope Alexander v. to the archbis. Suinco of BohemiaBut when he came not at the Popes citation, thē the sayde Pope Alexander addressed hys letters to the Archbishop of Suinco. Wherein he straightlye charged hym to prohibite and forbyd, by the autoritie Apostolicall, all maner of preachynges or sermons to bee made to the people, but onely in Cathedrall churches or Collegies, or parishe churches, or in Monasteries, or els in theyr churchyardes. And that the articles of Wickleffe, should in no case of any person of what state, condition, or degree soeuer, be suffered to be hold, taught, or defended, either priuely or apertly. Commaunding moreouer and chargyng the sayd Archbishop, that hee wyth foure Bachelers of Diuinitie, and two Doctors of the Canon law ioyned vnto him: woulde proceede vpon the same, and so prouide, that no person in churches, scholes, or any other place, should teache, defende, or approue any of the foresayde Articles. So that who soeuer shoulde attempt the contrary, shoulde be accounted an hereticke. MarginaliaThe popes cruell bull agaynst I. Husse.And vnles he shall reuoke solemnlye and publikelye the sayd articles, and shall for euer abiure the bookes wherin the foresayd articles be contayned, so that they may be vtterlye abolished out from the eyes of the faythfull: the same to be apprehended and imprisoned, all appellation set apart, the helpe also of the secular arme beyng called thereunto, if neede shall require &c. These were the contentes of thys myghtye and fierce bull of Pope Alexander.

MarginaliaIohn Husse obiecteth agaynst the popes cruel bull.Agaynst the whych bull on the other side Iohn Husse iustly cōplaynyng, excepteth agayne and obiecteth many thynges, as appeareth in his booke intituled De Ecclesia, cap 18. MarginaliaThe popes bull cōtrary to Christ.Where hee declareth thys mandate of the Pope to stand directly agaynst the doyngs and sayings both of Christ, and of hys Apostles: Consideryng, howe Christ hym selfe preached to the people, both in the sea, in the desert, in fieldes, in houses, in Sinagogs, in vyllagies: and the Apostles also in all places dyd the same, the Lord mightely working with them. He declared more ouer, the sayd mandate or bull of the Pope, to redounde vnto the great detriment of the churche, in bynding the word of God, that it myght not haue hys free passage. Also, the same to be preiudiciall vnto Chappels newlye erected for the woorde of God to bee preached in them. Wherefore (sayth hee) from thys commaundement or mandate of Pope Alexander, I dyd appeale vnto the sayd Alexander, being better informed and aduised. MarginaliaThe notable iudgemēt of god in stryking the aduersaryes of the Gospell.And as I was persecuting my appeale, the Lord Pope (saith Iohn Husse) immediatly dyed.

Then the Archbishop of Suinco aforesayd, to whom thys present bull was directed, when he sawe the processe, buls, and mandates of the Bishop of Rome, to bee thus contemned of Iohn Husse, and hys felowes, neyther hauyng anye hope of redresse in Wenceslaus the kyng: which semed to neglect þ^e matter, went out of his coūtry into Hungary, to cōplain vnto Sigismond, king of Hungary, and brother to the sayd Wenceslaus. But thys quarelyng Archbishop, whether before (as the Boheminians say) or after (as Syluius sayth) that hee had spoken with Sigismond; immediately there (by the iustiudgement of God) dyed in Hungary, as the story sayth for sorrow. MarginaliaThe gospell selden tymes long quiet.Wherby, a litle more liberty and quiet was geuen by the Lord vnto hys Gospell, newly begynning to take roote among the Bohemians. Albeit, this tranquilitie there, did not long continue wythout trouble & persecution, neyther could it in those furious dayes and raygne of Antichrist. MarginaliaPope Iohn. 23.For after thys Alexander aforesayde, succeded Pope Iohn. xxiij. Who likewise playing hys part in thys tragedy, bent all hys might and mayne to disturbe the Bohemians, as more hereafter (Christ wyllyng) shall be declared in further proces of our historye, comming to the yeare of our Lord. 1413.

Thus the poore Christians (as ye see) lyke to the seely Israelites vnder the tyranny of Pharao, were infested and oppressed in euery place, but especially here in England: and that so muche the more here, because that the Kyng not lyke to Wenceslaus, went ful & whole within the Pope and hys prelates agaynst the Gospellers. By reason whereof, the kyngdome of the Pope and his mēbers here in thys realm began to be so strong, that none durst styrre or once mute agaynst them. MarginaliaThe pryde and glory of the clergy of England in those dayes.The bishops hauing þ^e K. so ful on theyr side, armed moreouer w^t lawes, statutes, punishmēts, imprisonmēts, sword, fire & fagot: reigned & ruled as they lysted, as kings & princes within them selues. So strong were they of power, that no humayne force was able to stand agaynst thē: so exalted in pryde, and puft vp in glory, that they thought all things to be subiect to their reuerent maiesties. What soeuer they set forth or decreed, it must of all men be receaued and obeyed. And such was theyr superstitious blindnes and curious vanitie, that whatsoeuer toy came once in their phantasie: it was strayghtwayes determined & stablished for a law of all men to be obserued, were it neuer so friuolous or superstitious. As well appeareth by T. Arundell, archbishop of Canterbury and other, who hauyng now a lytle laysure from slaying and kyllyng the innocent people, martyrs and confessors of the Lorde, & hauing now brought their enemies (as they thought) vnder feete: began to set vp them selues, and to inuent new customes, as the guise is of the Popes church, euer to intrude into the church of God, some ceremony or custome of their own making, wherbi the church of Christ hath bene hetherto exceedinglye pestered. So lykewyse thys Tho. Arundell, thynkyng the churche yet not sufficiently stuffed with ceremonies and vaine traditions of men: Marginaliaxl. dayes of pardon geuen by Tho Arundel Archbish.bryngeth in a new found gaud, commonlye called the tollyng of Aues, in honour of our Ladye, with certayn Aues to be sayd, and dayes of pardon to be geuen for the same. For the ratification wherof, vnder the pretence of the kynges request, he directed hys mandate to the bishop of London, well stuffed with wordes of idolatrie, as by the readyng thereof maye appeare, in forme of termes as foloweth.

MarginaliaRinging of Curphew.THomas. &c. To the right reuerende our brother, the Lord Robert, by the grace of God bishop of Londō, greeting. &c. Whyle we lyft vp our eyes rounde aboute vs, & behold attentiuely with circumspect consideratiō, how the most hygh woorde that was in the begynnyng wyth God, chose to hym an holye and immaculate vyrgyn, of the kyngly stocke: in whose wombe he tooke true flesh by inspirall inspiration, that the mercyful goodnes of the sonne of God that was vncreate, myght abolyshe the sentence of condemnation, which all the posteritye of mankinde that was created, had by sinne incurred: Amongst other labours in the vyne of the Lord of Sabaoth, we soonge to God our sauiour w^t great ioy in him: carefullye thynking, þ^t though all the people of the christian religion dyd extoll wyth voyces of prayses so wor-