This do I speake and say vnto thee to counsayle & admonish thee, and not as in maner of a iudge.

This Oration of the Cardinals, many other prosecuting, euery man for hymselfe, did exhort and perswade Ihon Hus to the lyke: vnto whom with a lowly countenaunce he aunswered: MarginaliaI. Hus aunswereth.Most reuerend fathers, I haue often said that I came hither of my owne free will, not to the entent obstinatly to defende any thyng, but if that in any thyng I should seeme to haue conceiued a peruerse or euill opinion, that I would mekely and paciently be content to be reformed and taught. Wherupon I desire that I may haue yet further liberty to declare my mynd. Wherof except I shall alledge most firme and strong reasons, I wil willingly submit my selfe (as you require) vnto your information.

Then there start vp one, which with a loud voice said: Behold how craftely this man speaketh. He termeth it information and not correction or determination. Verely sayd Ihon Hus, euen as you will terme it, information, correctiō or determination: for I take God to my witnesse, that I speake nothyng but with my hart and mynd.

MarginaliaThe Cardinall of Cambray appointeth I. Hus certaine conditions, wherby he may be deliuered.Then sayd the Cardinall of Cambray, forsomuch then as thou doest submit thy selfe vnto the information & grace of this Councell, this is decreed almost by 60. doctors, wherof some of them are now departed hence, in whose Rome & place the Parisians, are succeded: and also it is approued by the whole Councell, not one man speaking the cōtrary therunto.

First of all that thou shalt humbly and mekely confesse thy selfe to haue erred in these Articles, which are alledged and brought against thee.

Moueouer, that thou shalt promisse by an othe, that frō hencefoorth thou shalt not teache, holde, or maintayne any of these Articles. And last of all that thou shalt openly recāt all these Articles.

MarginaliaThe aunswere of I. Hus.Vpon the which sentence, when as many others had spoken their myndes, at the length Ihon Hus sayd: I once agayne do say, that I am redy to submit my selfe to the information of the Councell: but this I must humbly require and desire you all, euen for his sake which is the God of vs all, that I be not compelled or forced to do the thing, which my conscience doth repugne or striue agaynst, or the which I cannot do without daunger of eternall damnation: that is, that I should make reuocation by othe to all the articles which are alledged against me. For I remember þ^t I haue red in the booke of vniuersalities, that to abiure, is to renounce an error which a man hath before holden. And for so much as many of these Articles are sayde to be myne, which were neuer in my mynd or thought to hold or teach, how should I thē renoūce thē by an oth? But as touchyng those articles which are myne in deede, if there be any man which can teach me contrarywise vnto them, I will willingly performe that which you desire.

MarginaliaThe Emperour exhorteth I. Hus to recant.Then sayd the Emperour, why mayest not thou without daunger also renounce all those articles, which thou sayest are falsly alleged agaynst thee by the witnesses? For I verily would nothing at all doubt to abiure all errours, neither doth it follow that therfore by and by I haue professed any errour. To whom Iohn Hus aunswered: Most noble Emperour, this worde to abiure, doth signifie much otherwyse then your maiesty doth here vse it. Then sayd the Cardinall of Florence: Iohn Hus, you shall haue a forme of abiuration, which shall be gentle and tollerable inough, written and deliuered vnto you, and then you will easily and sone determine wyth your self, whether you wyl do it or no.

MarginaliaThe Emperour rehearseth the Cardinall of Cambrayes wordes.Then the Emperour repeating agayne the wordes of the Cardinal of Cambray, said: thou hast heard that there are two wayes layd before thee. First, that thou shouldest openly renounce those thy errors, which are now condēned, and subscribe, vnto the iudgement of the Councell, wherby thou shouldest try and finde, their grace and fauour. But if thou procede to defend thy opinions, the Councell shall haue sufficient, wherby according to their lawes and ordinaunces, they maye decree and determine vpon thee. To whom Iohn Hus aunswered: I refuse nothyng (most noble Emperor) whatsoeuer the Councell shall decree or determine vpō me. This onely one thyng I except, that I do not offend God and my conscience, or say that I haue professed those errors which was neuer in my mynd or thought, for to professe. But I desire you all, if it may be possible, that you will graūt me further liberty to declare my mynd and opinion, that I may aunswer as much as shall suffice, as touchyng those things which are obiected against me, and specially concernyng ecclesiasticall offices, and the state of the ministery.

MarginaliaThe force of false witnes.But when as other men began to speake, the Emperor himselfe began to sing the same song which he had song before. Thou art of lawful age sayd the Emperor, thou migh-test haue easily vnderstand what I sayd vnto thee yesterday and this day: MarginaliaThe Emperour to Iohn Hus.for we are forced to geue credite vnto these witnesses which are worthy of credit: for so much as the scripture sayth, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, all truth is tried: How much more then by so many witnesses of such worthy men.

Wherefore if thou be wise, receiue penaunce at the handes of the Councell, with a contrite hart, and renounce thy manifest errors, and promise by an othe, that frō henceforth thou wilt neuer more teach or preach against thē. The which if þ^u refusest to do, there are lawes and ordinaunces, wherby thou shalt be iudged of the Councell.

MarginaliaAn olde byshop of Pole.Here a certayne very old bishop of Pole put to his verdict. He sayd the lawes are euident as touchyng heretickes, with what punishment they ought to be punished. But Iohn Hus constantly answered as before: insomuch that they sayd he was obstinate and stubburne.

MarginaliaObiection of a priest better fed then taught.Then a certayne well fed priest and gaily apparelled, cried out vnto the Presidents of the Councell, saying, he ought by no meanes to be admitted to recantation: for he hath writtē vnto his frends, that although he do sweare with his tong, yet he wyll keepe hys mynde vnsworne without othe: wherfore he is not to be trusted. Vnto this slaunder Iohn Hus aunswered as is sayd in the last Article, affirmyng that he was not guilty of any errour.

MarginaliaPalletz agaynst Iohn Hus.Then sayd Palletz, to what end is this protestation, for so much as thou sayest that thou wilt defend no error, neyther yet Wickleffe, and yet doest defend hym? When he had spoken these wordes, he brought forth for witnes ix. Articles of Iohn Wickleffes, and red them openly, & afterward he sayd: When as I and M. Stanislaus in the presence of Ernestus of Austrich duke of Prage, preached against thē, he obstinately defended the same, not onely by his sermons, but also by his bookes which he set forth. The which, except you doo here exhibite, we will cause them to be exhibited. So sayd the Emperor also. Vnto whom Iohn Hus answered: I am very well contented that not onely those, but also all other my bookes be brought forth and shewed.

MarginaliaA new heape of slaunders.In the meane time there was exhibited vnto the coūcell a certaine Article, wherein Iohn Hus was accused, that he had slaunderously interpreted a certaine sentence of the Popes: the which he denyed that he dyd, saying, that he neuer saw it, but in prison, when as the Article was shewed hym by the Commissioners. And when he was demaunded who was the authour thereof, he aunswered that he knew not, but that he heard say that maister Iessenitz was the author therof.

What (said they) then do you thincke or iudge of the interpretation thereof? Then aunswered Iohn Hus, what should I say therunto, when as I sayd I neuer sawe it, but as I haue heard it of you. MarginaliaI. Hus waxeth faynt and weary.Thus they all were so greuous and troublesome vnto him, that he waxed faynt and weary, for he had passed all the night before without sleepe, through the payne of his teeth.

MarginaliaAn other quarell agaynst I. Hus, touching these three men beheaded at Prage.Then was there an other Article read, in the whiche was contayned that three men were beheaded at Prage, because that through Wickleffes doctrine and teachyng, they were contumelious and slaunderous agaynst the Popes letters: and that they were by the same Hus, with the whole pompe of the Scholers, and with a publike c?uocation or congregation caryed out to be buryed, & by a publicke Sermon placed amongest the nomber of Saintes. MarginaliaVid. supra pag. 569.And the same Doctour Naso, of whom you haue heard certaine testimonies already recited, affirmed the same to be true, and þ^t he himselfe was present, when as the kyng of Boheme commaūded those blasphemers so to be punished.

MarginaliaIohn Hus belyed.Then sayd Iohn Hus: both these partes are false, that the kyng did commaunde any such punishment to be done, and that the coarses were by me conueyed with any such pompe vnto their sepulture or buryall: wherefore you do both iniury vnto me and the kyng. Then Palletz confirmed the affirmation of Doctour Naso, his fellow, with this argument (for they both laboured to one end and purpose): MarginaliaEx puris affirmatiuis non c?sistit argum. in. 2. figura.That it was prouided by the kynges commaundement, that no man should once speake agaynst the Popes Bulles: And these three spake agaynst the Popes Bulles: Ergo, by vertue of the kynges commaundement they were beheaded. And what Iohn Husse his opinion and mynde was as touchyng these men, it is euident inough by hys booke intituled Of the Churche, wherin he writeth thus: I beleue they haue read Daniell the Prophet, where as is sayd: And they shall perish with sword and fire, and with captiuitie, and many shall fraudulently and craftely associate them selues vnto thē. And afterward he sayth: how is this fulfilled in these two lay men, who not consenting, but speaking against the fayned lyes of Antichrist, haue offered their