that neither I, neither any of my assistāce in this matter haue brought this at any time into your eares, that coblers in the sayd kyngdome do heare confession, or minister the Sacrament of the body of Christe, as is alledged by the said Peter, in the behalfe of the sayd supplicantes. Notwithstandyng that we did feare if meanes were not founde to recounter or stop the offences before named, that this would immediatly folow vpon it. Wherefore most reuerēd fathers, least that the kyngdome might be defamed any more by suche pestiferous sectes, and that the Christiā faith might happen to be indaungered: with all reuerence and charitie I do desire you, euen by the bowels of mercye, of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that this most sacred Councell, would prouide some spedy remedy for this kyngdome, as touchyng the premisses.

Moreouer whether be they backebiters and slaunderers, or wicked and false enuiers of the kingdome of Boheme, the whiche do let the errours aforesayd, & many others more, which are sowen by þ^e Wiclefistes in the said kyngdome, and also ells where, whiche also both doe labour, and haue laboured for the extirpation and rootyng out of those errours out of the kyngdom aforesaid, and as Catholicke men, for the zeale of their fayth haue manfully put forth them selues against the maintainers of the sayd errours, or such as do maintaine and defende the teachers of those errours. This answer I haue here presented before your reuerences alwayes, wholy submittyng my self & my assistaunce vnto your iudgement, and to the diffinition of this mooste sacred Councell of Constance.

MarginaliaThe bishop of Luthonius answere cōfuted.THe day before Witsontide the nobles of Boheme did confute this their aunswere made two daies before in the Councell to theyr former writyng, as here foloweth: Most reuerende fathers and Lordes, for so much as vpon thursday it was answered on the behalfe of your reuerences to the requestes of the nobles and Lordes of Boheme, that the sayde Lordes were misinformed of diuers pointes contained in the declaration of their sayde byll: therefore the foresayde Lordes haue now determined and decreed to declare their former propounded requestes more at large vnto your reuerences, not minding hereby to argue or reproue your fatherlye wisdomes and circumspections, but that your reuerences, their desires being partlye on this behalfe fulfilled, might the more effecttuously and distinctly discerne and iudge as touching this matter.

And first of all, where as the Lords alledged and sayd how that maister Iohn Hus was come hither vnto Cōstance, freely of his owne good wyll, vnder the safe conduict of the Lorde the king, and the protection of the sacred Empyre: MarginaliaThe byshops do quarell about the safe conducte of Iohn Hus.It is answered on the behalfe of your reuerences, how that the sayd Lordes are misinformed, as touching the safe conduict, and that you haue vnderstād by such as are worthy credit, that the frendes and fauorers of the sayd maister Iohn Hus, did first procure and get his safeconduict. xv. daies after his imprisonment.

The Lordes of Boheme, and specially the lord Iohn de Clum here present, whom thys matter doth chieflye touch, doth answer, that not onely the. xv. day after, MarginaliaThe safe conduct of Iohn Hus obteyned and shewed before the imprisonment of Iohn Hus.but euen the very same day that Iohn Hus was apprehended and taken, when as our reuerend father the Pope, in the presence of all his Cardinals, demaunded of maister Iohn de Clum, whether maister Iohn Hus had any safeconduict from the king his sonne: he answered, most holy father and Cardinals, knowe ye that he hath a safe conduict, and when hee was asked the question agayne the second time, he answered in like maner.

Yet notwithstanding none of them required to haue the safeconduict shewed vnto them: and againe the third day following, the Lord Iohn de Clum complained vnto our Lord the Pope, how notwithstanding the safe cōduict of our soueraigne Lorde the king, he deteined and kept maister Iohn Hus as prisoner, shewing the sayde safeconduict vnto many. And for a further truth herein, he referreth himselfe vnto the testimonies and wytnes-ses of diuers Earles, bishops, knightes, gentlemen, and famous citizens of the City of Constance, the which altogether at this present did see the sayfe conduict, & heard it red, whereupon the sayd Iohn de Clum is ready to binde him selfe vnder what penalty shalbe required, euidently to proue and confirme that which he hath promised, who soeuer say to the contrary.

Moreouer, the Lordes of Boheme referre themselues vnto the knowledge of certaine princes electours and other princes, Bishops, and many other noble mē, which were present before the kynges maiesty, where & when as the sayd safe conduict was graunted and geuen out by the speciall cōmaundemēt of our said Lord the king.

Hereby your fatherly reuerences may vnderstand and perceyue that the sayd Lordes of Boheme are not euill informed as touchyng the sayd safe conduict: But rather they whiche by such reportes haue falsly and vntruely informed your reuerences. MarginaliaThe byshops of the coūcell falsly enformed touching the safe cōduct of Iohn Hus.And first of all they haue offended agaynst the Lord our kyng, and his chaūcellours. Secondarely, agaynst the Lordes and nobles of Boheme, as thoughe we had priuely and by stelth, purchased the sayd safe conduict. Wherfore the Lordes aforesayd most humbly require and desire your reuerēces that you will not so lyghtly beleue such as bee not woorthy of credite, but rather hearyng the contrary part, to labour and discusse that the truth may the more euidently appeare.

MarginaliaIohn Hus, imprisoned before he was eyther cōdemned or heard.Secondly, wheras the Lordes aforesayd, alledgyng how maister Iohn Hus, commyng vnto Constance, of his owne free will, beyng neither condemned nor heard, was imprisoned, your reuerences haue made aunswere therunto, that he the sayd maister Iohn Hus in the time of MarginaliaAlexander the v.Alexander thy v. was infamed & slaundered vpō certaine heresies, & thereupon cited personally to appeare in þ^e court of Rome, & there was heard by his procurers.

And for somuch as he refused obstinatly to appeare, he was excommunicated, in the whiche excommunicatiō he cōtinued (as you affirme) by the space of v. yeares, for the whiche he was iudged, and counted not onely a simple and plaine hereticke, but an heresiarke, that is to say an inuentor and sower of new and straūge heresies, and that he comming toward Constance, did preach by the way openly. MarginaliaThe aunswere touching the citation of Iohn Hus to the court of Rome.To this the Lordes aforesayd do aunswere, that as touchyng his slaunder and citation, they can affirme nothyng, but by reporte. But as touchyng that hee did not personally appeare, they say they haue heard both hym self, and diuers other credible persons say: yea euen the most famous prince Wenceslaus king of Boheme and almost all the hole nobility is witnes, that he would willingly haue appeared at Rome, or els where, if he might safely haue comen thether, and that deadly enmitie had not letted: MarginaliaIohn Hus his procurers euill entreated at Rome.and moreouer his procurers, whiche he sent vnto the court of Rome, alledgyng reasonable causes for his non apparaunce, some of thē were cast into prison, and others very euill intreated.

As for the excommunciation whiche he hath so long sustained, they haue herd him oftē say, that he hath not resisted agaynst the same by contumacy, or stubbernes, but vnder euident appellation, and there vpon referreth him selfe vnto the Actes of his causes, which were pleaded in the court of Rome, wherin all this is more largely conteyned, the whiche your reuerences may euidently perceyue and see in this our present publicque transumpt, whiche we haue offred vnto you vpon certayne pointes aforesayd.

MarginaliaIohn Hus falsely reported to preach openly at Constance.As concerning his preachinge, wherewithall his enemies do report and charge, that maister Iohn Hus did preach openly in the city of Constaunce: The Lordes afore sayd and specially the Lord Iohn de Clum here present do aunswere that he hath continually lodged wyth the sayd maister Iohn Hus here in Constance, and that whosoeuer they be, that haue bene so bolde, or dare be so