ting, that by this my labour, and indeuour how so euer it were, I might preserue the memory of this most holy man and excellent doctour of the Euangelicall truth.

MarginaliaEx Cochleo lib. 2 de Hist. Hußit.What was the name of this authour which wrote this story, it is not here expressed. Cochleus in his second booke contra Hussitas, supposeth his name to be Ioānes Przibram, a Bohemian. Who afterward succeeding in the place of Iohn Hus at Prage, at last is thought to relent to the Papistes.

This godly seruant and Martyr of Christ was condemned by the cruell councel, and burned at Constance an. 1415. about the moneth of Iuly.

How greuously this death of Iohn Hus was taken among the nobles of Boheme and of Morauia, hereafter (Christe willyng) shall appeare, by their letters whiche they sent vnto the Councell, and by the letters of Sigismunde the kyng of Romaines, written vnto thē. Wherein he laboureth, all that he can, to purge and excuse him selfe, of Husses death. Albeit he was not altogether free from that cruell facte, and innocent from that bloud: yet notwithstandyng he pretendeth in wordes so to wype awaye that blot from hym, that the greatest parte of that crime semeth to rest vpon the bloudy Prelates of that Councell, as the words of the king do purporte in forme as followeth.MarginaliaEx Cochleo de hist. Huss. lib. 4.

INterea (inquit) nobis adhuc in partibus Rheni existentibus, peruenit ad Constantiam. &c. I. In the meane tyme as we wer about the costes of Rhene, Iohn Hus went to Cōstance & there was arrested, as is not to you vnknowen. Who if he had first resorted vnto vs, and had gone with vs vp to the Councel, perhaps it had ben otherwise with him. MarginaliaThe Emperour excuseth hym selfe of the death of Iohn Hus.And God knoweth, what grief and sorrowe it was to our hart, to see it so to fall out, as with no wordes can be well expressed. Wherof all the Bohemians, whiche were there present, can beare vs witnes, seing and beholding howe carefull and sollicitous we were in labouryng for hym: In somuch that wee many tymes with anger and fury departed out of the Councell: and not onely out of the Councell, but also went out of the citie of Constance takynge his parte, vnto suche tyme as the rulers of the Councell sendyng vnto vs, sayd: That if we would not permit them to prosecute that, whiche ryght required in the Councell, what shoulde they then doo in the place? Whereupon thus we thought with our selues, that here was nothyng els for vs more to do, nor yet to speake in this case, for asmuch as þ^e whole Coūcell otherwise had ben dissolued. Where is to be noted moreouer, þ^t in Constāce þ^e same time there was not one clerk, or ij. but there were Ambassadours for all kynges and princes in Christendome, especially since the time that (Petrus de Luna geuyng ouer) all those kynges and princes, which tooke hys parte, came to vs: so that what soeuer good was to bee done, it was nowe to bee passed in thys present Councell &c. Ex Epist. Imper. Sigismundi. ad Nobiles. &c.

By this it may appeare that the Emperour as partly ashamed and sory of that whiche was done, would gladly haue cleared him selfe thereof, and haue washed his handes with Pylate: yet he could not so cleare him selfe, but that a great portion of that murder remained in hym to be noted, and well worthy of reprehension: as may both appeare by his laste woordes spoken in the Councell to Iohn Hus, whereof Iohn Hus in hys Epistles complayneth, writyng to certaine of his frends in Bohemia in his. 33. Epistle, as by hys wordes may appeare here following.MarginaliaEx epist. I. Hus. 33.

I Desyre you yet agayne for the loue of God, that the Lordes of Boheme ioynyng together, will desyre the king for finall audience to be geuē me. MarginaliaThe Emperour vncourtuous to I. Hus.For somuch as he alone sayd to me in the Councell, that they should geue me audience shortly, and that I should aunswere for my selfe briefly in writyng: it will be to his gret confusion, if he shall not performe that which he hath spokē. But I feare that worde of hys will be as firme and sure, as the other was concernyng my safeconduct graūted by hym. Certaine there were in Bohemia, which would me to to beware of his safeconduct. And other said: he will suregeue you to your ennemies. And the L. Mikest Dweky told me before mayster Iessenitz, saying: master, knowe it for certayne you shalbe condemned. And thys I suppose he spake, knowing before the intention of the king. I hoped well that he had bene well affected toward the law of God & truth, & had therin good intelligēce: now I cōceaue that he is not gretly skilfull nor so prudently circumspect in himselfe. He condemned me before myne ennemies did. MarginaliaPilate more moderate to Christ, then thys Emperour to Iohn Hus.Who, if it had plesed him, might haue kept the moderation of Pilate the Gentile, which said: I find no cause in this mā: or at least if he had said but thus: behold I haue geuen him his safeconduict safely to return. And if he will not abyde the decision of the councell, I wyll send him home to the kinge of Boheme, with your sentence & attestatiōs, that he with his clergy may iudge him. But nowe I heare by the relation of Henry Leffl, and of other, that he will ordeyne for me sufficient audience: And if I will not submit my self to the iudgemente of the councell, he will send me safe, the contrary way. &c.

This Iohn Hus beyng in prison, wrote diuers treatises, as of the cōmaundementes, of the Lordes prayer, of mortall sinne, of matrimonie, of the knowledge and loue of God, of 3. ennemyes of mankynd, the worlde the fleshe, and the deuill: of penaunce, of the Sacrament of the body and bloude of the Lorde: of the sufficiencie of the law of God to rule the churche. &c. He wrote also diuers Epistles and letters to the Lordes and to his frēds of Boheme: And in his writynges did forshewe many thynges before to come, touchyng the reformation of the church: and semeth in the prison to haue had diuers Propheticall Reuelations shewed to hym of God. Certayne of whiche hys letters, and predictions, I thought here vnderneath to inserte, in such sorte, as neither in recityng all I will ouercharge the volume to much: nor yet in recityng of none, I will bee so brief, but that the reader may haue some tast, and take some profite of the Christian writynges and doynges of this blessed man: First begynnyng, with the letter of the Lord Clum, cōcernyng the safe conduict of Iohn Hus.

TO all and singuler that shall see and heare these presentes, I Iohn de Chlum do it to vnderstand, howe mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler of diuinity, vnder the safe conduicte, & protection of the renowmed prince & Lord Sigismund of Romaynes semper Augustus, and kyng of Hungary. &c. my gracious Lorde, and vnder the protection, defence & safegard of the holy Empire of Rome, hauing the letters patent of the sayd my Lorde kinge of Romaynes. &c. came vnto Constaunce to render a full count of his fayth in publicke audience to all that would require the same. This the sayde mayster Iohn Hus, in this Imperiall citie of Constance, vnder the safe conduict of the said my Lord king of Romaynes, hath bene and yet is deteyned. And although the Pope with the Cardinals haue bene seriously required, by solemn Ambassadours of the sayd my Lorde King of Romaynes &c. in the kynges name and behalfe, that the sayd mayster Ioh. Hus should be set at liberty, & be restored vnto me. yet notwithstanding, they haue & yet do refuse hetherto to set him at libertie, to the greate contempt & derogatiō of the safeconduict of the kinge, and of the safegarde and protection of the Empire or Emperiall maiesty. Wherefore I Iohn aforesayd in the name of the king, do here publish and make it known, that the apprehending and deteyning of the sayd M. Iohn Hus, was done wholy agaynst the will of the forenamed kinge of Romaines my Lord, seing it is done in the contempt of the safeconduct of his subiects and of the protection of the Empire, because that the sayd my Lord was then absent far from Constance, and if he had bene there present, woulde neuer haue permitted the same. And when he shall come, it is to be doubted of no man, but that he for this great iniury, & contempte of this safe conducte done to him & to the Empire, will greuously be molested for the same.

Geuen at Constance in the day of the natiuitye of the Lord. M. cccc. xiiii.

¶ In this instrument aboue prefixed note (gentle rea