dome of Boheme as heyre, king and Lord successor, willing and minding to foresee and prouide for his own honor, he sent these noble men maister Wenceslate de Duba and Iohn de Clum here present, that they would bringe and assure maister Iohn Hus vnder the kinge his name and safe conduite. MarginaliaThe safe conduct of of the Emperour chalenged.So that he woulde come to the sacred generall Councell of Constance, vnder the safe conducte of the sayd king, and the protection of the sacred Emperie, openly geuen and graunted vnto the sayd masiter Iohn Hus, that he might purge him selfe and the kyngdome of Boheme from the slaunder that was raised vpō them, and there to make an open declaration of his faith to euery man that would laye any thyng to his charge. The which the sayd nobles, with the forenamed maister Iohn Hus haue performed and done, accordyng to the kynges commaundement.

When as the sayd maister Iohn Hus, was frely of his owne accorde come vnto Constance, vnder the sayd safeconduct, and greuously imprisoned before he was herd, and at thys present is tormented both with fetters and also with hunger and thirst. Albeit that in tymes past, at the Councell holden at Pysan. 1410. yeare of our Lord, the heretickes whiche were condemned, were suffered to remaine there at liberty, and to depart home frely: Notwithstādyng this maister Iohn Hus, neither beyng cōuicted nor condemned: no not so much as once herd, is taken and imprisoned, when as neither any kyng or any Prince electour, either any Ambassadour of any vniuersitie was yet come or presēt. And albeit the Lord the king together with the nobles and Lordes here present most instantly required and desired, that as touchyng his safe conduct they would forsee and haue respect vnto his honour. And that the said maister Iohn Hus might be opēly hard, forsomuch as he would render and shewe a reason of his fayth, and if he were found or conuicted obstinatly to affirme or mayntaine any thyng agaynste the truth or holy Scripture, that then hee ought to correct and amēd the same, accordyng to the instruction and determination of the Councell: yet could he neuer obtayne this. MarginaliaThe extremities Ioh. Hus suffered in prison.But the sayd maister Iohn Hus, notwithstandyng al this is most greuously oppressed with fetters & yrōs, and so weakened with thin & slender diet, that it is to be feared least that hys power and strength beyng hereby consumed and wasted, hee should bee put in daunger of his wit or reason.

And although the Lords of Boheme here present are greatly slaundered, because they seyng the sayde maister Iohn Hus, so tormented and troubled contrary to the kynges safe conduct, haue not by their letters put the kyng in minde of his sayd safe conduict, that the sayd L. and kyng should not any more suffer any such matters, for so much as they tend to the contempt and disregarde of the kyngdome of Boheme, whiche from the first originall and begynnyng, since it receiued the catholique faith, it neuer departed or went away from the obediēce of the holy churche of Rome: Yet notwithstanding they haue suffred and borne all these things patiently hetherto, least by any meanes occasiō of trouble or vexation of this sacred Councell might aryse or spring therof.

Wherfore most reuerend fathers and Lordes: The nobles & Lords before named do wholy and most earnestly desire and require your reuerences here present, that both for the honour of the safe conduite of our sayd Lord the king, and also for the preseruation and encrease of the woorthy fame and renowme both of the foresayde kingdome of Boheme, and your own also, that you wil make a short end about the affayres of M. Iohn Hus: for somuch as by þ^e meanes of his straite hādling he is in great daunger by any longer delay, euen as they do most specially trust vpon the most vpright consciences and iudgementes of your fatherly reuerences. But for asmuche as most reuerend fathers, and Lords, it is now come to the knowledge and vnderstanding of the nobles and Lords of Boheme here present, how that certayne backbiters and slaunderers of the moste famous kingdome of Boheme aforesayd, haue declared and tolde vnto your reuerences howe that the sacramente of the moste precious bloude of our Lorde is caried vppe and downe thorowe Boheme in vessels not consecrated or halowed, and that Coblers do now hear cōfessiōs & minister the most blessed body of our Lord vnto others: MarginaliaThe confutation of certayne slaunders.The nobles therfore of Boheme here presēt require & desire you that you will geue no credite vnto false promoters and tale tellers, for that as most wicked & naughty slaunderers & backbiters of the kingdom aforesaid, they do report & tel vntruths:requiring also your reuerences, that suche slaunderous persons of the kingdom aforesayde, may be named and knowne. And the Lord the king together with your reuerences shall well perceiue and see that the Lordes of Boheme will go about in such manner to refell and put away the false and friuolous slaunders of those naughty persons, that they shalbe ashamed to appeare heareafter before the Lord the king and your reuerences.

MarginaliaThe byshop of Luthonis.Assone as this theyr supplication was red, the bishop of Luthonis rising vp said. Most reuerēd fathers, I wel perceiue and vnderstand that the laste part of this writing doth touch me, my familiars and frends, as though the kingdome of Boheme were slaundered by vs. Wherfore I desire to haue time and space of deliberation that I may purge my self from this crime that is laid against me. The principall of the counsell appoynted him the xvii. day of May, at the which day the Lords of Boheme should be present again, to heare both the aunswer of the councell, & also the excuse of the bishop of Luthonis, the which thing in deede was afterward performed: for the xvii. day of May, which was the iiii. day before the whitsontide they met there againe, where first of all a certaine bishop in the name of the whole counsell aunswered by word to the nobles of Boheme, the contentes of whose aunswere may easely be knowne by the second supplication, which the Bohemians put vp to the councell. But first I haue here in these few wordes folowinge, shewed how the bishop Luthonis defended himselfe against that which is before written.

MarginaliaThe aunswere and accusation of the bishop of Luthonis against Iohn Hus.MOste reuerend fathers and noble Lords as Peter de Mladoneywitz bacheler of Arte, in the name of certayne of the nobles of the kyngedome of Boheme in hys writinges, amongest other thynges did propound how that certayne slaunderers and backe biters of the sayd kingdome haue broughte to the eares of your reuerences that the most precious bloud of christ is caryed vp and downe in Boheme in bottels, and that coblers do heare confessions, and minister the bodye of Christ vnto others, wherupon most reuerēd fathers and Lords: Albeit that I together with the other Prelates, doctors, maisters & other innumerable catholikes of the said kingdome, the which do desire as much as in thē lieth to defend the faith of Christe, haue laboured for the extirpaciō & roting out of that most wicked & detestable sect of Wickliffes, which now (alas for sorow) beginneth to spring & rise in the sayd kingdom, as it is wel known. Notwithstandyng here in this my oration, not for any shame or reprofe, but for the honour of the kingdome aforesaid, I haue propounded and declared a certain new sect, which is now lately sprōg vp in the said kingdome, the folowers whereof do minister and communicate the Sacramentes in many cities, townes, and places of the said kingdom, vnder both kindes both of bread & wine, and do constantly teach the cōmon people both men and women, that it is so to be communicated, obstinatly affirming the same, and that the clergye whiche doe repugne or say nay vnto it, are to be counted churche robbers, as by the writynges of their assertions beyng directed and presented hether, shall openly appeare.

Moreouer by the report and fame whiche goeth here abroad, and by the writinges whiche were sent ouer vnto me, I haue propoūded that it came to my knowledge that the bloud of Christ is caried about in vessels not cōsecrated, approuyng the foresayd erroneous assertion of the Wicklefistes, that affirme it necessary for saluation, that the people should communicate vnder both kindes of bread and wine, and that it is necessary, as the body of Christ is caried in the pixe or boxe, so the bloud of Christ should be caried in bottels, or other necessary vessels frō place to place, & specially about þ^e ministratiō of the sick. Also I declared not of my selfe, but I herd it to be declared by others, both great and credible persons, that ther was a certaine woman, a folower of that sect, the which takyng by violence the bodye of Christ out of a Priestes handes, did cōmunicate vnto her selfe, and affirmed that all men ought to do so, if the priestes would denye them the communion. And the same woman amongest many other errors, of the which she was conuicted, did affirm that a good lay woman might better consecrate & geue absolution, then an euill prieste: affirmyng that an euill priest can niether consecrate nor absolue. But I know