Masse nor other must be sayd there, where he was present. The people began mightely to grudge and to crie out agaynst the prelates & other popishe priestes, whiche were the woorkers thereof, accusing them to be Simoniakes, couetouse, horsemaisters, adulterers, proud, sparyng not to lay open their vices to their great ignominie and shame. And much crauyng a reformation to be had of the clergie.

The kyng seyng the inclination of the people, being also not ignoraunt of the wickednes of the clergie, vnder pretense to reforme the church, beganne to require greate exactions vpon such priestes and men of the clergie, as were knowen and accused to be wicked liuers. Wherupō they on the other part, that fauoured Iohn Hus, taking that occasion present, complained of all, accused many, and spared none, whom so euer they knew to be of the Catholicke faction, or enemies to Iohn Hus MarginaliaThe priests of Boheme despayled and taxed for their ill lyfe.By reason wherof the priestes of the popish clergy were brought, such as were faultie, into great distresse, and such as wer not faultie, into great feare. Insomuch þ^t they were glad to fall in, at least not to fall out with the Protestantes, beyng afrayde to displease them. By this meanes maister Hus began to take some more libertie vnto hym, and to preache in his churche at Bethleem, and none to controlle him: by the same meanes the people also receaued some comfort, and the kyng much gayne and money by the reason.

And thus the Popishe clergy, while they went about to persecute Iohn Hus, were inwrapped them selues in great tribulation, and afflicted on euery side, as well of lay men, as of learned men of the clergy. In so much þ^t women also and childrē were agaynst them. And by the same reason, wherewith they thought to intangle hym, they were ouerthrowne them selues. For the doctours which before condemned this doctrine in Iohn Hus, for an intollerable heresie, and cried out so much agaynst hym, for teaching: that temporall Lordes might take away temporall lyuinges from the clergie sinnyng habitualiter, that is, lyeng and cōtinuyng still in the custome of iniquitie: MarginaliaThe priests of Boheme despayled and taxed for their ill lyfe.now when the kyng and the Lordes temporall began to mearse them and berieue them of their tēporalties for their transgressions, the sayd doctours did kepe silence, and durst speake neuer a woorde. Agayne where the foresayd doctours, before could not abyde in Iohn Hus, that Tythes were to be counted for pure almose, now comming to the Guildhall, were faine to entreat, for their temporall goods, not to be takē frō thē, pleading the same temporalties to be mere almose & deuotiō of goodmen, geuen vnto the church. Ex Cochleo.

And thus now did they thē selues graunt the thing, which before they dyd condemne. The more þ^t the popes clergy was pinched, the more grudge & hatred redounded to Iohn Hus, although he was in no cause therof, but onely their owne wicked deseruinges, MarginaliaSteuen Paletz, Andr. Broda write against Iohn Hus.for the which cause Steuen Paletz, and Andreas de Broda, being the chiefe champions of that faction, though they could not remedie the case, yet to ease there mindes, wrote sharpe and cruell letters to Maister Hus. And to helpe the matter forward, the pope also here muste helpe at a pinche, who likewise writeth his letters to Wenceslaus kyng of Bohemia, which was brother to Sigismund Emperour, for the suppressing of Iohn Hus & of his doctrine. Which was in the fift & last yere of his Popedome, an. 1414. The tenour of whose letters to the kyng Wenceslaus in this wise procedeth.

MarginaliaThe letter of pope Iohn to king Wenceslaus.IOhn bishop seruant of Gods seruants, to his welbeloued sonne in Christ Wenceslaus, king of Romanes and of Boheme, greeting and Apostolicall benediction. Among other desires and delites of our hart: who although vnworthy represent the roome of Christ here in earth: this doth chiefly redound to our singular cōforte,so oftē as we do heare of the brotherly entreaty of peace & of concord (by which concord kingdomes doo increase, as contrarye by discorde they are diminished) which is betwene your honour, and our welbeloued sonne in the Lord Sigismund your brother germane and coosyn, for the noble king of the Romanes. &c. And furthermore it followeth in these wordes: And as we haue cause to ioy at the premisses: so likewise againe the heauie rumours which are here, do trouble and dampe our myndes. For we heare that in diuers places vnder your dominion, there be certayne which do folow and leane to the errors of that archhereticke Wickliffe, whose bookes haue bene long since condemned in the generall Romaine councell to be eroneus, hereticall, and swaruing from the catholike fayth. And furthermore whych is woorst of all, the sayd persons cleauing to the opinions of the heretiques (least they should be corrected of their superior powers for their excesse, to couer their naughtynes and stubburnnes in despising the commaundementes of the Apostolicall seate) do openly teach disobedience and contempt of the keyes and ecclesiasticall censure, to the subuersion of the Apostolicall dignity, setting at nought the decrees of the holy fathers and cannons. Wherefore we do exhorte your worship for the mercye of our God, as hartelye as we may or can, that it woulde please you (as we desire & hope you wyll) so effectuously to shew forth your regall power, both for the glorye of God, and defence of the catholike fayth (which you go about to defend) and for the conseruation of your kingly name, state and honour, for the prosperous and safe gouernment of your kyngdome and dominions, as it becōmeth a catholike prince, when by this blot of heresy (which doth so lamentably and miserably spring and creepe in these partes, and doth so infect the mynds of mortall men, to the destruction of their soules, and doth sequester them from the congregation of the pure and catholike fayth and truth) may be rooted out. &c. Geuen at Bononia in the Ides of Iune, in the v. yeare of our popedome. &c.

In this Epistle of Pope Iohn aboue prefixed, for so much as mention is made of a certaine councell before holden at Rome (which was. iiij. yeares before) agaynst the articles and bookes of Iohn Wicliffe: it shall not be impertinent nor out of purpose to repeate a certain mery story, and worthy otherwise to be noted at, writtē by Nicolas Clermangis of a certeine spirite, whiche ruled the Popishe Councels, his wordes are these.

MarginaliaThe story of an Owle appearing at the councell of Pope Iohn.The same Pope called a Councell at Rome about iiij. yeares before, at the earnest sute of diuers men. And a Masse of the holy Ghost being sayd at the entraunce into the sayd Councel (accordyng to the accustomed maner) the Councell being set, and the sayd Iohn sitting highest in a chaire prepared for him for that purpose: MarginaliaEx Nich. Clemangis.Behold a hougly and dreadefull Owle, or as the cōmon prouerbe is, the euil signe of some mischaūce or of death to folow, commyng out of the backe halfe of him, flew to and fro, with her euill fauoured voyce, & standyng vpō þ^e middle beame of þ^e church, cast her staryng eyes vpon þ^e pope sittyng, þ^e whole company began to maruell, to see þ^t night Crow, which is wont to abide no light, how she should in þ^e midday come in the face of such a multitude, & iudged (not without cause) þ^t it was an ill fauoured token. For behold sayd they, (whisperyng one in anothers eare) the spirite appeareth in the shape of an Owle. And as they stode beholding one an other, & aduising þ^e Pope, skarsly could keepe their countenaunce frō laughter, Iohn him self, vpon whom þ^e Owle stedfastly looked, blushyng at þ^e matter, began to sweat and to freat and fume with him selfe, and not findyng by what other meanes he myght salue the matter, beyng so confused dissoluyng the Councell, rose vp and departed. After that there folowed an other session. In the which the Owle again, after þ^e maner aforesayd, although, as I beleue, not called, was present lookyng stedfastly vpon the Byshop, whom hee beholdyng to be come agayne, was more ashamed then he was before (and iustly) saying hee could no longer abyde the sight of her, & commaunded that she should be driuen away with battes and shottinges: but she beyng afraid