Catholike Churche. And all such as by their doctrine and teachyng, shall impugne this fayth, I iudge them worthy together with their doctrines of eternall curse. And if I my selfe at any tyme (which God forbyd I should) do presume to preach or teach, contrary thereunto, I will submit my selfe vnto the seueritie of the Canons, and be bound vnto eternall payne and punishment. Wherupon I do deliuer vp this my confession and tenour of my profession, willingly before this sacred generall Councell, and haue subscribed and written all these thynges with myne owne hand.

MarginaliaHierome after his abiuration returned into prisonAfter all this, they caused hym to be caried agayne vnto the same prison, but not so straightly chayned and bounde as he was before: notwithstandyng kept euery day with souldiours and armed men. And when as afterward, his enemyes which were appointed agaynst hym, as Michaell de Causis, & wicked Palletz, with other their companions in these affaires, vnderstood & knew by the wordes & talke of M. Hierome and by other certaine tokens, that he made the same abiuration and recātation, not of a sincere and pure mynde, but onely to the intent therby to scape their handes: MarginaliaHierome acused a new by Causis, Palletz, and the Carmelites.they together with certaine Friers of Prage, of the order of Carmelites, then commyng in, put vp newe accusations agaynst the sayd M. Hierome, and drew the same into Articles, beyng very instant and earnest that he should aunswere therunto. MarginaliaThe cardinal of Cambray with certayne other Cardinalles labour for the deliuery of Hierome.And for somuch as his iudges and certaine Cardinals, as the Cardinall of Cambray, the Cardinall de Vinnis, the Cardinall of Aquilegia, and of Florence, consideryng the malice of the enemyes of M. Hierome, dyd see the great iniurie that was done vnto him, they laboured before the whole Councell for his deliuery.

It happened vpon a certaine day, as they were labouryng in the Councell for the deliuery of the sayd M. Hierome: that the Germaines and Bohemians his enemyes, with all force and power resisted agaynst it, crying out, that he should in no case be dismissed. Then starte vp one called Doctour Naso, which sayd vnto the Cardinals, we maruaile much of you most reuerent fathers, that your reuerences will make intercession for such a wicked heretike, MarginaliaSi dimittis hunc non es amicus Cæsaris.for whose sake we in Boheme with the whole clergy, haue suffered much trouble and mischief, and peraduenture your fatherhodes shall suffer: and I greatly feare least that you haue receiued some rewardes, either of the king of Boheme, or of these heretikes. When as the Cardinals were thus rebuked, they discharged themselues of Maister Hieromes cause and matter.

MarginaliaThe Patriarke of Constantinope gaue sentēce of death both agaynst M. Hus & M. Hierome of Prage.Then his enemyes aforesayd, obtayned to haue other iudges appointed, as the Patriarcke of Constātinople, and a Germaine Doctour, for somuch as they dyd know that the Patriarke was a greuous enemy vnto M. Hierome, because he beyng before appointed iudge by the Coūcell, had condemned Iohn Hus vnto death.

But M. Hierome would not aunswere them in prison, requiryng to haue open audience, because he would there finally declare vnto them his mynde, neither would he by any meanes consent vnto those priuate iudges. Whereupon the Presidentes of the Coūcell thinking that the sayd M. Hierome would renue his recantation before the sayd audience and confirme the same, dyd graunt him open audience.

MarginaliaAn. 1416.
Hierome brought againe before the councell.In the yeare of our Lord. 1416. the. xxv. day of May, which was the Saterday before the Ascēsion of our Lord, the sayd M. Hierome was brought vnto open audience before the whole Councell, to the great Cathedrall Church of Constance, where as by the Commissioners of the Councell, in the behalfe of his foresayd enemyes, there was layd agaynst him of new. C. and vii. Articles, to the intent that he should not scape the snare of death, whiche they prouided and layde for him: in somuch as the iudges had before declared that by the saying of the witnesses it was already concluded in the same audience. The day aforesayd, from mornyng vntill noone, he aunswered vnto more then. xl. Articles, most subtiltie obiected agaynst him: denying that he held or maintayned any such Articles as were either hurtfull or false, MarginaliaFalse witnesse agaynst Hierome.and affirmyng that those witnesses had deposed them agaynst him falsly and slaunderously as his most cruell and mortall enemyes. In the same Session they had not yet proceded vnto death, because that the noone tyme drew so fast on, that he coulde not aunswere vnto the Articles. Wherfore for lacke of tyme sufficient to aunswere vnto the residue of the Articles, there was an other tyme appointed, which was the third day after the foresayd Saterday, before the Ascension of our Lord, at which tyme agayne early in the mornyng, he was brought vnto the sayd Cathedrall Church to aunswere vnto all the residue of the Articles.

In all which articles, as well those which he had aunswered vnto the Saterday before, as in þ^e residue, he clearedMarginaliaThe dexteritie of Hierome in confutyng his aduersaries.himselfe very learnedly, refelling his aduersaries (who had no cause) but onely of malice & displeasure were set against hym, and did hym great wrong) in such sort that they were themselues astonyed at his oration, and refutation of their testimonies brought agaynst hym, and wyth shame enough were put to silence: As when one of them had demaunded of hym, what he thought by the Sacrament of the aultar: He aūswered, before consecration (sayd he) it is bread and wine: after consecration it is the true bodye and bloud of Christ, adding withall more wordes according to their catholique fayth. Then an other rising vp, Hierome, said he: there goeth a great rumour of thee, that thou shouldest hold, bread to remaine vpon the aultar. To whom he pleasauntly aunswered, saying: that he beleued bread to be at þ^e Bakers. At which wordes beyng spoken, one of the Dominike Friers fumishly tooke on and sayd, what? doest thou deny, that no man doubteth of? Whose peuishe sausines, Hierome w^t these wordes did well represse: hold thy peace (sayd he) thou Mōke, thou hypocrite. And thus the Mōke beyng nipped in the head, sate downe dumme. After whom started vppe an other, who with a loude voyce cryed out: I sweare (sayd he) by my conscience, that to be true, that thou doest deny. To whom sayd Hierome agayne, speaking in latine: Heus inquit, sic iurare per conscientiam tutissima fallendi via est. That is, thus to sweare by your conscience, is the next way to deceiue. An other there was, a spitefull & a bitter enemy of hys, whom he called by no other name thē dogge, or Asse. After he had thus refuted them one after another, that they could finde no crime against him, neither in this matter nor in any other, they were all driuen to kepe silence.

MarginaliaFalse witnessesThis done, then were the witnesses called for, who cōming in presence gaue testimony vnto the Articles before produced. By reason wherof the innocēt cause of Hierome was oppressed, and began in the Councell to be concluded. Then Hierome rising vp begā to speake: For somuch (saith he) as you haue heard myne aduersaries so diligētly hetherto, conuenient it is, that you should also now heare me to speake for me selfe. MarginaliaAudience hardly geuen to Hierome to speake for him selfe.Whereupō with much difficultie, at last audience was geuē in the Coūcell for him to say his minde. Which being graunted, he from morning to noone continuyng, entreated of diuers and sondry matters, with great learning and eloquence. MarginaliaThe oration of Hierom had before the councell.Who first beginning with his prayer to God, besought hym to giue him spirite, habilitie & vtteraunce, which might most tende to the profite and saluatiō of his owne soule. And so entring into hys oration: I know sayth he, reuerend Lordes, that there haue bene many excellent men, which haue suffered much otherwise then they haue deserued, beyng oppressed wyth false witnesses, and condemned with wrong Iudgements. MarginaliaSocrates.And so beginnyng with Socrates, he declared how he was vniustly condemned of his countreymen, neither would he escape when he myght: taking from vs the feare of two thynges, which seeme most bitter to men: to wit, of prisonment and death.MarginaliaPlato.
Anaxogoras.
Zeno.
Rupilius.
Boetius.Then he inferred the captiuitie of Plato, the banishmēt of Anaxagoras, and the tormentes of Zeno. Moreouer, he brought in the wrongfull condemnations of many gentiles: as the banishment of Rupilius: recityng also the vnworthy death of Boetius and of others, whom Boetius himselfe doth write of.

MarginaliaMoses.
Ioseph.From thence he came to the examples of the Hebrues, and first began with Moses the deliuerer of the people, and the lawe geuer, howe he was oftentymes slaundered of hys people, as being a seducer and contemner of the people. Ioseph also, saith he, for enuie, was sold of his brethren, and for false suspicion of whoredome, was cast into bands. MarginaliaEsayes.
Daniell.
The Prophetes.
Susanna.Besides these, he reciteth Esayas, Daniell, and almost all the Prophetes, who as contemners of God and seditious persons, were oppressed with wrongfull condemnation. From thence he proceded to the Iudgement of Susanna, and of diuers other besides, who beyng good and holy men, yet were they vniustly cast away with wrongfull sentence. MarginaliaIohn Baptist.
Christ.At the length he came to Iohn Baptist, and so in long processe he descended vnto our Sauiour, declaryng how it was euident to all men, by what false witnesses both he and Iohn Baptist, were condemned. MarginaliaThe Apostles.Moreouer how Steuen was slayne by the Colledge of the priestes, and how all the Apostles were condemned to death, not as good men, but as seditious, styrrers vp of the people, & contemners of þ^e Gods, and euill doers. It is vniust sayth he, vniustly to be condemned one Priest of an other, and yet he proued that that same hath so happened most vniustly in that Councell of priestes. These thinges did he discourse at large, wyth maruelous eloquence and wyth singular admiration of all that heard him.

And for as much as all the whole summe of the cause did