MarginaliaThe last cōfession of Iohn Hus.of sinnes, accordyng to the veritie of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and the exposition of the holy Doctours: wherefore with a chearefull mynde and courage I am here ready to suffer death. When he had spoken these wordes, they left him, and shakyng handes together they departed.

MarginaliaThe martyrdome of blessed Iohn Hus.Then was the fire kyndled, and Iohn Hus begā 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 thyrd tyme, 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 notwithstandyng he moued a while after, by the space that a man might almost say three tymes the Lordes prayer. When all the wood was burned and consumed the vpper part of the body was left hangyng in the chayne, the which they threw downe stake and all, and makyng a new fire burned it, the head beiyng 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 fire.The hart, whiche was founde amongest the bowels, beyng well beaten with staues and cloubbes, was at last pricked vpon a sharpe sticke, and rosted at a fire apart vntil it was consumed. MarginaliaThe ashes of I. Hus caste into the riuer of Rheine.Then with great diligence gatheryng the ashes together, they cast them into the Riuer of Rhene, that the least remnaunt of the ashes of that man should not be left vpon the earth, whose memory notwithstandyng cannot be abolished out of the myndes of the godly, neither by fire, neither by water, neither by any kynde of torment.

MarginaliaThe author and witnes of this story.¶ I know very well that these thynges are very sclenderly writtē of me as touchyng the labours of this most holy Martyr Iohn Hus, with whom the labours of Hercules are not to be compared. For that aūcient Hercules slew a few monsters: but this our Hercules with a most stoute and valiaunt courage hath subdued euen the world it selfe, the mother of all Monsters and cruell beastes. Thys story were worthy some other kynde of more copious handlyng, but forsomuch as I cannot otherwise perfourme it my selfe, I haue endeuored accordyng to the very truth as the thing was in deede, to commende 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 doyng of all these thynges, and as I was able I haue put them in writyng, that by this my labour, and indeuour howsoeuer it were, I might preserue the memory of this most holy mā 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 2. booke cōtra Hussitas, supposeth his name to be Ioannes Przibram, a Bohemian. Who afterward succeedyng in the place of I. Hus at Prage, at last is thought to relent to the Papistes.

This godly seruaunt and Martyr of Christ was condemned by the cruell Coūcell, 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 (Christ willyng) shall appeare, by their letters which they sent vnto the Coūcell, and by the letters of Sigismunde the kyng of Romaines, written vnto them. Wherein he laboureth, all that he can, to purge and excuse himselfe, of Husses death. Albeit he was not altogether free from that cruell fact, and innocent from that bloud: yet notwithstandyng he pretendeth in wordes so to wype awaye that blot from him, that the greatest part of that crime seemeth to rest vpon the bloudy Prelates of that Councell, as the wordes of the king do purport 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 were about the costes of Rhene, Iohn Hus went to Constance and there was arrested, as is not to you vnknowē. Who if he had first resorted vnto vs, and had gone with vs vp to the Coūcel, perhaps it had bene otherwise with him. MarginaliaThe Emperour excuseth himselfe of the death of I. Hus.And God knoweth, what grief and sorow it was to our hart, to see it so to fall out, as with no wordes cā be wel expressed. Wherof all the Bohemians, which were there present, can beare vs witnes, seyng and beholdyng how carefull and sollicitous we were in labouryng for him: In somuch that we 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 taking his part, vnto such tyme as the rulers of the Councell sendyng vnto vs, sayd: That if we would not permit them to prosecute that, which right required in the Councell, what should they then do in the place? Whereupon thus we thought with our selues, that here was nothyng els for vs more to, nor yet to speake in this case, for asmuch as the whole Councell otherwise had bene dissolued. Where is to be noted moreouer, that in Constance the same tyme there was not one clerke, or twobut there were Ambassadours for all kynges and princes in Christendome, especially since the tyme 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 which was done, would gladly haue cleared hymselfe thereof, and haue washed his handes wyth Pilate: yet he could not so cleare hymselfe, but that a great portion of that murder remayned in hym to be noted, and well worthy of reprehension: as may both appeare by hys last wordes spoken in the Councell to I. Hus, whereof Iohn Hus in hys Epistles complayneth, writing to certayne of his frendes in Bohemia in his. 33. Epistle, as by his wordes may appeare here following.MarginaliaEx epist. I. Hus. 33.

I Desire you yet againe for the loue of God, that the Lordes of Boheme ioyning together, will desire the kiyng for finall audience to be geuen 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 sure geue 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 commaundementes, of the Lordes prayer, of mortall sinne, of matrimony, of the knowledge and loue of God, of three ennemyes of mankinde, the world, the fleshe, and the deuill: of penaunce, of the Sacrament of the bodye and bloud of the Lord: of the sufficiencie of the lawe of God to rule the Church. &c. He wrote also diuers Epistles and letters to the Lordes and to his frendes of Boheme: And in hys writinges did forshew many thinges before to come, touching the reformation of the Church: and semeth in the prison to haue had diuers Prophetical Reuelatiōs shewed to hym of God. Certayne of which hys letters, and predictions, I thought here vnderneath to insert, in such sort, as neither in reciting all I wil ouercharge þ^e volume to much: nor yet in reciting of none, I will be so briefe, but that the reader may haue some tast, and take some profite of þ^e Christian writinges and doynges of this blessed man: First begynning, with the letter of the Lord Clum, concerning 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, how maister Iohn Hus Bacheler of diuinitie, vnder the safe conduict, and protection of the renowmed prince & Lord Sigismund of Romaines semper Augustus, and kyng of Hungary. &c. my gracious Lord, and vnder the protection, defence and safegarde of the holy Empire of Rome, hauing the letters patent of the sayd my Lord kyng of Romaynes. &c. came vnto Constaunce to render a full counte of his fayth in publicke audience to all that would require the same. This the sayde maister Iohn Hus, in this Imperiall Citie of Constance, vnder the safe conduict of the sayd my Lord king of Romaynes, hath bene and yet is deteyned. And although the Pope with the Cardinals haue bene seriously required, by solemne Ambassadours of the sayd my Lord King of Romaines &c. in the kynges name and behalfe, that the sayde