MarginaliaAt the prayer of Hus the paper with deuils fell downe.from his head vpon the ground. Thē one of the souldiours taking it vp agayne sayde: let vs put it agayne vp-on hys head, that he may be burned with his maysters the deuils whom he hath serued.

Commentary on the Woodcuts     Close

This is one of the five large woodcuts illustrating the period from Wyclif to Luther. The iconography of the famous Bohemian martyrs who died at the Council of Constance was well-established by the time the illustrators of Foxe's 'Book of Martyrs' went to work. Already in the fifteenth century features of the two heretics at the stake depicted in copies of Ulrich Richental's German chronicle included characteristics that carried over into later printed works, Foxe's included. Hus was delineated with short bunched hair sticking out of his humiliating martyr's hat, painted with devilish figures (or labelled 'heresiarcha'). These features carried over into the woodcut in Flacius Illyricus's work on the two martyrs which Foxe used extensively. The neat bundles of wood (asparagus-like in their appearance) that are already catching fire round the two chained men, might seem echoed in the bound bunches of fuel, still unlit, in the prepared fires in Foxe's work. More obvious suggestions of probable borrowing are the chain round Hus's neck and the square stake, the fetter on his left ankle (all distinctive details in Flacius), and the helmeted officials -- all specific to these illustrations. Continental influences seem clear. Hus and Jerome of Prague were singled out for pictorial attention from the first edition onwards, and their woodcuts seem significant reflections of these European sources. Both this, and the following large woodcut of Jerome of Prague, spread acrosss the whole page of the 1563 edition into the margins beyond the columns of text. CUL copy: This image is an example of unnecessary embellishment of details. The figures on Hus's 'crown of paper', the bridles of the horses, and the belts and hands of the men encouraging the flames are all detailed with black ink. The paint has not obscured these details so they look stark and somewhat distracting. Hus is dressed in white. His 'crown of paper' is white with black details. WREN copy: note that the black detailing added to this copy is poorly executed, particularly on the bridles on the horses on the left.

When as by the cōmaundement of the tormentors, he was risen vp from the place of his praier, with a loud voyce he sayd: Lord Iesu Christ assist and helpe me, that with a constant and pacient mynde, by thy most gracious helpe, I may beare and suffer this cruell and ignominious death, whereunto I am cōdemned for the preaching of thy most holy Gospell and woorde. Then as before, he declared the cause of hys death vnto the people. MarginaliaIohn Hus fastened to the stake.In the meane season the hangman strypped hym of hys garmentes, and turning his handes behinde his backe, tied him fast vnto the stake with ropes that were made wet. And where as by chaunce he was turned towards the East, certaine cried out that he shoulde not looke towards þ^e East, for he was an heretike: MarginaliaIohn Hus turned toward the west.so he was turned towards þ^e West. Then was his necke tyed with a chain vnto the stake, the which chayne when he beheld, smiling he sayd, that he would willingly receiue the same chain for Iesu Christes sake, whom he knew was bound with a far worse chayne. Vnder his feete they set two fagots, admixing strawe withall, and so lykewise from the feete vp to the chin, he was inclosed in round about with wood. MarginaliaPardon offered againe to Iohn Hus.But before the wood was set on fire, Ludouicus Duke of Bauaria, with an other gentlemen with hym, which was the sonne of Clement, came & exhorted Iohn Hus, that he would yet be myndful of his safegard, and renounce his errours. To whom he sayde, what errour should I renounce, when as I knowe my selfe giltye of none? For, as for those things which are falsly alledged against me, I know that I neuer did so muche as once thyncke them, much lesse preach them. For this was the principall end & purpose of my doctrine, MarginaliaThe last confession of Iohn Hus.þ^t I might teach all men penance and remission of sinnes, according to the veritie of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and the exposition of the holye doctours: wherefore with a cherefull mynde and courage I am here readye to suffer death. When he had spoken these woordes, they left hym, and shaking handes together they departed.

MarginaliaThe martyrdome of blessed Iohn Hus.Then was the fire kindled, and Iohn Hus began to sing with a loud voyce, Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuing God haue mercy vpon me. And when he began to say the same the thirde time, the wynde droue the flame so vpon his face, that it choked him. MarginaliaPrecious in the sight of God is the death of his saintes.Yet notwithstāding he moued a whyle after, by the space that a man myght almost say three times the Lordes prayer. When all the wood was burned & consumed þ^e vpper part of the body was left hanging in þ^e chayne, þ^e which they threw down stake and all, and making a new fire burned it, the head being first cut in small gobbets, that it might the sooner be consumed vnto ashes. MarginaliaThe harte of Iohn Hus beaten with staues, and consumed with fyre.The hart which was found amongest the bowels, being well beaten with staues and cloubbes, was at last pricked vpon a sharpe stycke, and rosted at a fire apart vntil it was consumed. MarginaliaThe ashes of Iohn Hus caste into the riuer of Rheine.Then with great diligence gathering the ashes together, they cast them into the riuer of Rhene, that the least remnant of the ashes of that man should not be left vpon the earth, whose memory notwithstāding cānot be abolished out of the mindes of the godlye, neyther by fire, neither by water, neither by any kinde of torment.

MarginaliaThe author and witnes of thys storye.¶ I know very well that these thinges are very sclenderly writtē of me as touching the labours of this most holy Martyr Iohn Hus, with whom the labours of Hercules are not to be compared. For þ^e auncient Hercules slew a few monsters: but this our Hercules with a most stout and valiaūt courage hath subdued euen the world it selfe, the mother of all Monsters and cruell beastes. Thys story were worthy some other kinde of more copious handling, but forsomuch as I cannot otherwise perfourme it my selfe, I haue endeuored according to the very truth as the thing was in dede, to cōmend the same vnto all godly mindes: MarginaliaM. Iohn Przibram is thought to be his name.neither haue I heard it reported by others, but I my selfe was present at the doing of all these thinges, and as I was able I haue put them in wri