tayne cities from hym. MarginaliaDuke Fredericke of Austrich proclaimed traytour.At the last the matter was appeased vnder thys condition, that Friderike shoulde requyre grace of the Emperour, and resigne all hys possessions vnto hym. Whereupon the Emperour receyued hym agayne in to fauour, and restored hym to his dukedome. This Pope being thus deposed, was committed vnto the county Pallatine, and by him caried to the castell of Manheime, where hee was kept prysoner by the space of three yeares. Afterward he was agayn by pope Martine, admitted to the nomber of Cardinals.

This Pope Iohn was deposed by the decree of the councel, more then. 40. most greuous & hainous crimes being obiected and proued agaynst hym: MarginaliaMarke the good qualities of pope Iohn.as that he had hired Marcilius Permensis a Phisicion, to poyson Alexander hys predecessour. Further, that he was an hereticke, a simoniake, a lyer, an hipocrite, a murderer, an inchaūter, a diceplayer, an adulterer, & a sodomite, & finally what crime is it, that he was not infected wythall?

And now to returne vnto the Councell, first we will declare the order of their sessions, with thynges therein concluded, in generall: then we will (Christ willing) adioyne the speciall tractation of such matters, as perteine to the story of the Bohemians, and Iohn Hus, and Hierome of Prage, who in the same vngodly Coūcell were condemned and burned.

This Councell therfore of Constance, whiche was summoned by þ^e Emperour Sigismund, & Pope Iohn xxiij. about the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus, an. 1414. began the same yeare to be assembled about the latter end of the yeare. Which first begynning as the maner is, w^t a Masse of the holy Ghost, as they were singyng accordyng to their custome, the Hymne, Veni sancte spiritus, MarginaliaA writyng set vp how the holy ghost had no laysure to come to the councell of Constance.there was at the same tyme a certaine Bill set vp in the churche by some well disposed man, as it semed, wherin was conteined these wordes folowyng: Alijs rebus occupati nunc adesse vobis nō possumus. That is to say. We are otherwise occupyed at this tyme, we can not intend to come to you. Here is also to bee remembred the worthy saying of the Emperour Sigismund, when talke was ministred as touchyng the reformation of the spiritualtie, and some sayd ф oporteat incipere a minoritis, that is, that reformation ought first to beginne at the Minorites. The Emperour aunswered agayne: MarginaliaThe worthy aunswere of the Emperour touching the order of reformationNon a minoritis, sed a maioritis, that is, not with the Minorites saith he, but with þ^e Maiorites. Meaning the reformation ought first to begyn with the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops & other superior states of the churche, and so to discend after to the inferiors. Thus much by the way, and now to the purpose and order of the Sessions as we promised. The which Councell continued as is aforesayd by the space of iiij. yeares, and had in it 45. Sessions, wherin many things were concluded, þ^e which altogether wer to long to be recited in this place: as the deposition of iij. seuerall Popes whiche were before spoken of, the hearyng of certaine legates. Yet I minde to make some briefe recapitulatiō of the most principall matters there done in the Sessions orderly ensuyng.

Marginalia1.
Note by thys example, the authoritie of councellls preferred before the pope.In the first Session chiefly was concluded, first that this Councell was lawfully congregate.

2. Item, that the going away of the Pope should be no let or stay, but that the Councell might procede.

Wherein note gentle reader that the authoritie of the generall Councell is aboue the Pope, contrary to their owne doctrine.

3. Item, this Councell should not bee dissolued before the Churche were reformed, as well in the superiours, as inferiours.Marginalia4.
1415.In the iiij. Session amongest other thyngs, this was first concluded: That a Sinode congregate in the holy Ghost, makyng a generall Councell, representyng the whole catholicke Churche here militant, hath power of Christ immediatly, to the whiche power euery person, of what state or dignitie so euer he be: yea beyng the Pope hym self, ought to be obedient in all such thynges as cōcerne the generall reformation of the churche, aswell in the heades, as in the subiectes.

Item, the sayd pope should not translate the court of Rome, and the officers of the same from the citie of Cōstance. And þ^t all his cēsures, doings & workings after þ^e time of his departure, what soeuer he should enterprise to do to þ^e preiudice of this coūcell, should be of no effect.

Marginalia5.In the 5. Session the same Articles were repeated and concluded agayne.

Marginalia6.
Cōmissioners appoynted to heare Iohn Hus.In the vi. Session procuration and citation was sent out agaynst the Pope.

Item, commissioners were appointed out of the. iiij. natiōs for the hearing of Iohn Hus, whiche shalbe here after mentioned in his story folowyng.

Item, the memorie of Iohn Wickleffe was condemned, and the sentence geuen in the Councell holden at Rome vpon the condemnation and burnyng of Wickleffes bookes, was there confirmed.

MarginaliaCitation graūted agaynst Ierome of Prage.Item, in the same Session, Citation was sent out agaynst Ierome of Prage. The tenor whereof foloweth after in the story of the sayd Ierome.

Item, in this Session, was decreed agaynst libelles of infamy.

Marginalia7.In the vij. Session, nothyng was handled, but that the tenor of the citatiō agaynst Pope Iohn was recited.

Marginalia8.
Sentence geuē for the burning of Wicklieffes bones.In the viij. Session, the sentence and condemnation of Iohn Wickleffe, and his 45. Articles was recited, & sentence geuen against his memory and bones to be burned. The tenor wherof is rehearsed in þ^e history of Iohn Wickleffe before passed. fol. 551.

Marginalia9.In the 9. Session, The matter and cause of pope Iohn was agayn intreated, and commissioners appointed to enquire vpon his cause, and iudges for the same.

Marginalia10.In the 10. Session, Suspension was geuen out and read agaynst the sayd Pope.

Marginalia11. 12.In the 11. and 12. Sessions: Notaries were assigned and definitiue sentence geuen agaynst the sayd Pope, where also was decreed that none of them that contended before for the Papacy, should be chosen Pope.

Marginalia13.
The people of Christ excommunicated frō the communion of the holy cuppe.In the 13. Session was decreed, quod nullus presbiter sub pena excommunicationis comunicet populo sub vtraq; specie panis et vini. That is, that no priest vnder paine of excommunication shall communicate vnto the people vnder both kyndes of bread and wine.

Marginalia14.In the 14. Session, came in the resignation of Pope Gregory the xii. whiche was one of the iij. before mentioned, striuyng for the Papacye, with certaine other Articles concernyng the election of the Byshop of Rome, and the ratification of theyr resignyng, whiche gaue ouer the Papacy.

Marginalia15.Then ensueth the 15. Session, in the which silēce was commaunded on all partes vnder payne of excommunication, and the great curse that no person or persons hye or lowe of what estate or degree so euer he were, Emperour, King, Cardinall, or other should distourbe the said Session with any maner of noise, either by hand, foote, or voice.

MarginaliaThe solemne publishing of the sentence of condemnation agaynst Iohn Hus.This being done, the sentence & condemnation agaynst Iohn Hus was red & published, which after in þ^e story of Iohn Hus, foloweth to be sene more at large.

Marginalia16.In the 16. Session, Ambassadours were assigned by the Councell to go into Arragon to Benedictus the xiij. to entreate with him for the resignation of his Papacy, as the other two had done before.

Item, power was geuen to iudges, to cyte vnder payne of depriuation, all such as priuely departed away from the Councell, in the which Session also the sentēce agaynst Iohn Hus was confirmed and ratified.Marginalia17.
The Emperours iourney into Arragon.

In the 17. Session, the Emperour tooke vpon him a iourney to the king of Arragon, to intreat with Pope Benedictus. An excommunication denounced agaynst all such as should go about to empeche the Emperours iourney about that matter. &c.