Vniuersitie of Prage: were in short tyme so rype in iudgement, and prompt in the scriptures, that they began to moue questions, yea and to reason with the priests, touching matters of the Scriptures.

By reason whereof, complaynt was brought to the sayd Pope Alexander the fift, who caused eftsoones the forenamed Iohn Husse to be cited vp to Rome. MarginaliaThe letter of pope Alexander v. to the Archbis. Suinco of Bohemia.But whē he came not at the Popes citation, then the sayd Pope Alexander addressed his letters to the Archbishop of Suinco. Wherein he straightly charged hym to prohibite and forbid, by the autoritie Apostolicall, all maner of preachinges or sermons to be made to the people, but onely in Cathedrall Churches or Colleges, or parish churches, or in Monasteries, or els in their churchyardes. And that the articles of Wickliffe, should in no case of any person of what state, condition or degree so euer, be suffered to be hold, taught, or defended, either priuily or apertly. Commaunding moreouer and chargyng the sayde Archb. that he with foure Bachelers of Diuinitie, and two Doctors of the Canon law ioyned vnto hym: woulde procede vpon the same, and so prouide that no person in Churches, scholes, or any other place, should teach, defend, or approue any of the foresayd Articles. So þ^t who so euer should attempt the contrary, shoulde be accounted an hereticke. MarginaliaThe Popes cruel Bull agaynst I. Husse.And vnles he shall reuoke solemnly & publikely the sayd articles, and shall for euer abiure the bookes wherin the foresayd articles be contayned, so that they may be vtterlye abolished out from the eyes of the faythfull: the same to be apprehended & imprisoned, all appellation set apart, the helpe also of the secular arme beyng called thereunto, if nede shall require &c. These were the contentes of this mghty and fierce bull of Pope Alexander.

MarginaliaIohn Husse obiecteth agaynst the popes cruel bull.Agaynst the which bull on the other side Iohn Husse iustly complaynyng, excepteth agayne and obiecteth many thinges, as appeareth in hys boke intituled De Ecclesia, cap 18. MarginaliaThe popes Bull contrary to Christ.Where he declareth this mandate of the Pope to stand directly agaynst the doynges and sayingrs both of Christ, and of his Apostles: Considering, how Christ himselfe preached to the people, both in the sea, in the desert, in fieldes, in houses, in Sinagoges, in villagies: and the Apostles also in all places did the same, the Lord mightely workyng with thē. He declared moreouer, the sayd mandate or bull of the pope, to redound vnto the great detriment of the Church, in byndyng the word of God, that it might not haue hys free passage. Also, the same to be preiudiciall vnto Chappels newly erected for the worde of God to be preached in them. Wherefore (sayth he) from this commaundement or mandate of Pope Alexander, I did appeale vnto the sayd Alexander, beyng better informed and aduised. MarginaliaThe notable iudgemēt of God in striking the aduersaryes of the Gospell.And as I was persecutyng my appeale, the Lord Pope (sayth Iohn Husse) immediately died.

Then the Archbishop of Suinco aforesayd, to whome this present bull was directed, whē he sawe the processe, buls and mandates of the bishop of Rome, to be thus contemned of Iohn Husse, and hys fellowes, neyther hauyng any hope of redresse in Winceslaus the kyng: which semed to neglect the matter, went out of hys countrey into Hungary, to complayne vnto Sigismond king of Hungarie, and brother to the sayd Winceslaus. But this quarellyng Archbishop, whether before (as the Boheminians say) or after (as Syluius sayth) that hee had spoken with Sigismond: immediately there (by the iudgement of God) died in Hungary, as the story sayth for sorrow. MarginaliaThe Gospell seldome tymes long quiet.Wherby, a little more liberty and quiete was geuen by the Lord vnto hys Gospell, newly beginning to take roote among the Bohemians. Albeit, this tranquilitie there, did not long continue wythout trouble and persecution neither could it in those furious dais and raigne of Antichrist. MarginaliaPope Iohn. 23.For after thys Alexander aforesayd succeded Pope Iohn. 23. Who likewise playing hys part in this tragedy, bent all his might and mayne to disturbe the Bohemians, as more hereafter (Christ willyng) shalbe declared in further processe of our history, comming to the yere of our Lord. 1413.

Thus the poore Christians (as ye see) lyke to the seely Israelites vnder the tyranny of Pharao, were infested and oppressed in euery place, but especially here in England: and that so much the more here, because that the kyng not lyke to Winceslaus, went full and whole with the Pope and hys prelates agaynst the Gospellers.

By reason whereof, the kyngdome of the Pope and hys members here in this realm began to be so strong, that none durst stirre or once mute against them. MarginaliaThe pryde & glory of the clergie of England in those dayes.The bishops hauing the kyng so full on their side, armed moreouer wyth lawes, statutes, punishments, imprisonmentes, sword, fire and fagot: raigned and ruled as they listed, as kingsand princes within themselues. So strong were they of power, that no humayne force was able to stand agaynst them: so exalted in pryde and puft vp in glory, that they thought all thinges to be subiect to their reuerent maiesties. What so euer they set forth or decreed, it must of all men be receyued and obeyed.

And such was their superstitious blindnes and curious vanitie, that whatsoeuer toy came once in their phantasie: it was strayghtwayes determined and stablished for a law of all men to be obserued, were it neuer so friuolous or superstitious. As well appeareth by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury and other, who hauyng now a little laisure from slaying and killing the innocent people, Martyrs and Confessors of the Lorde, and hauing now brought their enemies (as they thought) vnder feete: began to set vp themselues, and to inuent new customes, as the guise is of the Popes church, euer to intrude into the church of God, some ceremony or custome of their owne making, wherby the Church of Christ hath bene hitherto excedingly pestred. So lykewyse this Thomas Arundell, thinkyng the Churche yet not sufficiently stuffed with ceremonies and vayne traditions of men: Marginaliaxl. dayes of pardon geuē by Tho Arundel Archb.brIngeth in a new found gaude, commonly called the tollyng of Aues, in honour of our Lady, wyth certayne Aues to be sayd, and dayes of pardon to be geuen for the same. For the ratification wherof, vnder the pretence of the kinges request, he directed his mandate to the Byshop of London, well stuffed with woordes of Idolatry, as by the readyng thereof maye appeare, in forme of termes as followeth.

MarginaliaRinging of Curphew.THomas. &c. To the right reuerende our brother, the Lord Robert, by the grace of God bishop of London, greeting. &c. While we lift our eyes round about vs, and behold attentiuely with circumspect consideration, how the most hygh word that was in the beginnyng with God, chose to hym an holy and immaculate virgin of the kingly stock: in whose wombe he toke true flesh by inspirall inspiration, that the mercifull goodnes of the sonne of God that was vncreate, might abolish the sentence of cōdemnation, which all the posteritie of mankind that was created, had by sinne incurred. Amongst other labours in the vyne of the Lord of Sabaoth, we song to God our sauiour with great ioy in him: carefully thinking,that though all the people of the christian religion did extoll with voyces of prayses so worthy a virgin, by whom we receyued the beginninges of our redemptiō, by whom the holy day first shined to vs, which gaue vs hope of saluation. And althoughe all the same people were drawen to reuerence her, whiche beyng a happy virgin, conceiued the sonne of God, the kyng of heauen, the redemer and Sauiour of all nations, ministring lyghte to the people that were miserably drowned in the darkenes of death: We truely as the seruaunts of her owne * Marginalia* If this be not blasphemous & derogatory to Christ: let the reader iudge.inheritaunce, and such as are written of, to be of her peculiar dower, as we are by euery mans confession acknowledged to be: we I saye ought more watchfully then any others, to shew the endeuours of our deuotion in praysing her. Who being hetherto mercifull to vs, yea being euen cowardes, would that our power being, as it were, spred abroade euery where through all þ^e costes of the world, should with a victorious arme, feare all foreyne nations. That our power being on all sides so defēded with the buckler of her protection, did subdue vnto our victorious standardes, and made subiecte vnto vs, nations both nere at hand and farre of.

Likewise our happy estate (all the time that we haue passed since the beginning of our lyues) may be well attributed onely to the helpe of her medicine: to whom also we may worthely ascribe now of late in these our times vnder þ^e mightye gouernment of our most Christian king, our deliueraunce from the rauening wolues, and the mouthes of cruell beastes:MarginaliaFalse helpe suoght, and set vp of Idolaters.which had prepared against our bankets, a messe of meate mingled full of gall, and hated vs vniustly, secretly lying in wait for vs, in recompence of the good will that we shewed to them. Wherfore, that she being on high sitting before the throne of the heauenly maiestie, the defendresse and patronesse of vs all, being magnified with all mens prayses: maye more plentifully exhibite to vs the sonnes of adoption the teates of her *Marginalia* The papistes would sucke our Ladies pappes.grace, in all those thinges that we shall haue to doe. At the request of the speciall deuotion of our Lorde the kyng himselfe, we commaunde your brotherhoode, straightly enioyning you: that you commaunde the subiectes of your Citie and diocesse, and of all other suffraganes, to worship our Lady Mary the mother of