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K. Henry.5. Letters of Iohn Hus.

bryng vp their scholers vertuously, and to teach them faithfully: first to learne to feare God: then for the glory of god, and the publicke vtilitie of the common wealth, and theyr owne health, and not for auarice or for worldly honour, to employ their myndes to honest artes. I beseech the students of the vniuersitie and all other scholes, in all honest things to obey their maisters, and to follow them, and that with all diligence, they wil study to bee profitable both to the setting forth of the glory of God, and to the soules health, as well of themselues, as of other men. Together I besech and pray you all, that you will yeld most harty thankes to the right honorable Lords, MarginaliaA note for all noble mē.the Lord Wencelaus de Duba, Lord Iohn de Clum, Lord Henry Lumlouio, Lord Vilem Zagecio, lord Nicolas, and other Lordes of Boheme, of Morauia and Polony: that their diligence towardes me, may be gratefull to all good men: because that they lyke valiaunt champions of Gods truth, haue oftentymes set themselues agaynst the whole Councell for my deliueraunce, contendyng and standyng agaynst the same to the vttermost of their power: but especially Lord Wencelaus de Duba, and L. Iohn de Clum. What so euer they shall report vnto you, geue credite vnto them: for they were in the Councel when I there aunswered many. They knowe who they were of Bohemia, and how many false and slaunderous thinges they brought in agaynst me, and how that Councell cryed out agaynst me, and how I also aunswered to all thynges whereof I was demaunded. I beseeche you also that ye will pray for the kyng of Romaynes, and for your kyng, and for hys wife your Queene, that God of his mercy would abyde with them and wyth you, both now and henceforth in euerlasting life. Amen.

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This Epistle I haue written to you out of prison and in bandes, lokyng the next day after the writing hereof, for the sentence of the Councell vpon my death, hauyng a full trust that he wil not leaue me, neither suffer me to deny his truth, and to reuoke the errours, which false witnesses maliciously haue deuised agaynst me. How mercifully the lord GOD hath delt with me, and was with me in meruelous temptations, ye shall knowe, when as hereafter by the helpe of Christ, we shall all meete together in the ioy of the worlde to come. As concernyng M. Hierome my dearely beloued brother and fellow, I heare no other but that he is remaynyng in straight bands, loking for death as I do: and that for the fayth which he valiantly maintained amongest the Bohemians. Our cruell enemies of Boheme, haue geuen vs into the power and handes of other ennemies, and into bands. I besech you pray to God for them.

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Moreouer, I besech you, namely you of Prage, that you will loue the temple of Bethelem, and prouide, so long as God shall permit, that the word of God may be preached in the same. For, because of that place, the deuil is angry, and agaynst the same place, he hath stirred vp priestes, and Canons, perceyuing that in that place his kyngdome should be disturbed and diminished. I trust in God that he wyll kepe that holy Church so long, as it shall please him, and in the same shall geue greater encrease of his word by other, then he hath done by me a weake vessell. I beseech you also, that ye will loue together, and withholding no man frō the hearing of gods worde, ye wil prouide and take care that good men be not oppressed by any force and violence. Written at Constance, the yeare of our Lord. 1415.

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¶ An other right godly letter of Iohn Hus, to a certayne priest admonishing hym of his office, & exhorting hym to be faythfull: worthy to be red of all Ministers.
MarginaliaA worthy lesson for all ministers & prelates. THe peace of our Lord Iesus Christ. &c. My deare brother, be diligent in preachyng the Gospell, and do the worke of a good Euangelist: neglect not your vocation: labour like a blessed souldiour of Christ. First liue godly and holily. Secondly teach faithfully and truely. Thirdly be an example to other in well doyng, that you be not reprehended in your sayinges: correct vice and set foorth vertue, To euill liuers threaten eternall punishement: but to those that be faithfull and godly, set forth the conforts of eternall ioy. Preach cōtinually, but be short and fruitfull, prudently vnderstanding and discretly dispensing the holy Scriptures. Neuer affirme or maintayne those thinges that be vncertayne and doubtfull, lest that your aduersaries take hold vpon you, which reioyce in deprauing their brethren, wherby they may bryng the ministers of God into contempt. Exhort men to the cōfession of their faith, and to the communion of both kindes, both of the body and bloud of Christ, wherby such as do repent earnestly of their sinnes, may the more often come to the holy communion. And I warne you that you enter into no tauernes with gesse, and bee not a common company keper: For the more a preacher kepeth hym from the company of men, the more he is regarded. Albeit, deny not yet your helpe and diligence, where so euer you may profite other. Against fleshly lust preach continually all that euer you cā: For that is the raging beast whiche deuoureth men, for whō the flesh of Christ did suffer, Wherfore my hartily beloued, I besech you to flie fornication: for where as a man would most profite and do good, there this vice vseth most to lurk. In any case flie the company of yonge womē, and beleue not their deuotion: MarginaliaS. Augustine meaneth not here of all, but of the common sorte of light person.For Saint Austen saith, the more deuout she is, the more procliue to wantonnes, and vnder the pretence of religion the snare and venome of fornication lurketh: And this know my welbeloued, that the conuersation with theem, subuerteth many, whom the cōuersation of this world could neuer blemish nor begile. Admitte no women into your house, for what cause so euer it be, and haue not much talke wyth them otherwyse, for auoyding of offence. Finally howesoeuer you do, feare God and keepe hys preceptes: so shall you walke wisely, and shall not perishe: so shall you subdue the flesh, contemne the world, and ouercome the deuill: so shall you put on God, finde life, & confirme other, and shal crowne you selfe with the crowne of glory, the which the iust iudge shall geue you, Amen.

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¶ This letter of Iohn Hus conteineth a confession of the infirmitie, of mans flesh. How weake it is, and repugnant agaynst the spirite. Wherein he also exhorteth to perseuere constantly in the truth.
MarginaliaThis Palletz was the chiefest enemie of I. Hus, and procutour of his death. HEalth be to you from Iesus Christ. &c. My deare frend, know that Palletz came to me to persuade me that I should not feare the shame of abiuration, but to consider the good which therof wil come. To whom I sayd, that the shame of condemnation and burning is greater then to abiure: and why should I feare then that shame? But I pray you tell me playnly your minde. Presuppose that such articles were layd to you which you knew your self not to be true: what would you do in that case? woulde you abiure? Who aunswered. The case is sore, and began to weepe. Many other thinges we spake which I did reprehend. MarginaliaMichaell de Causis an other bitter enemy of I. Hus.Michaell de Causis, was some tymes before the prison with the deputies. And when I was with the deputies, thus I hearde hym speake vnto the keepers: We by the grace of God will burne this hereticke shortly: for whose cause I haue spent many Florenes. MarginaliaIohn Hus prayeth for his enemies.But yet vnderstand that I write not this to the intent to reuenge me of him, for that I haue committed to God, and pray to God for him with all my hart.

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Yet I exhort you agayn, to be circūspect about our letters: for Michael hath takē such order that none shalbe suffered to come into the prison: no nor yet the keepers wiues are permitted to come to me. O holy God, how largely doth Antichrist extend his power and crueltie?MarginaliaA prophecy of Iohn Hus.But I trust that his power shalbe shortned, & his iniquitie shalbe detected more and more amongest the faithfull people.

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Almighty God shall cōfirme the hartes of his faithfull, whom he hath chosen before the cōstitution of the world, that they may receaue the eternall crowne of glory. And let Antichrist rage as much as he will, yet he shall not preuayle agaynst Christ, which shal destroy him with the spirit of his mouth, as the Apostle saith: And then shall the creature be deliuered out of seruitude of corruption, into the libertie of the glory of the sonnes of God, as saith the Apostle in the wordes following: we also within our selues doe grone, wayting for the adoption of the sonnes of God, the redemption of our body.

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I am greatly comforted in those woordes of our Sauiour: happy bee you when men shall hate you and shall separate you, and shall rebuke you, and shall cast out your name as execrable, for the sonne of mā. Reioyce & be glad, for behold, great is your reward in heauē, Luke. 6. O worthy, yea O most worthy consolation, which not to vnderstand, but to practise in time of tribulation, is a hard lesson.

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This rule S. Iames with the other Apostles, did well vnderstand, which sayth: count it exceeding ioy my brethren, when ye shall fall into diuers tentations, knowyng that the probation of your fayth worketh patience: let patience haue her perfecte worke. For certeinely it is a great matter for a man to reioyce in trouble, and to take it for ioye to be in diuers tentations. A lyght matter it is to speake it and to expounde it: but a great matter to fulfill it: MarginaliaThe example of Christ.For why, our most patient and most valiaunt champion hym selfe knowyng that he shoulde ryse agayne the thyrde day, ouercommyng hys enemyes by hys death,

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and
GG.iij.