MarginaliaThe false witnesses of Hierom refelled.rest onely in the witnesses, by many reasons he proued that no credite was to bee geuen vnto them, especially seyng they spake all thynges of no truth, but onely of hatred malice, and enuie. And so prosecutyng the matter, so liuely and expressely he opened vnto them the causes of their hatred, that he had almost persuaded them. So liuely and likely their hatred was detected, that almost no trust was geuen to their testimonies, saue onely for the cause and quarel wherin they stood touchyng þ^e popes doctrine. All mēs mynds here were moued & bendyng to mercy towardes him. For he told them how that he of his owne accorde came vp to the Councell, & to purge himselfe he did open vnto them all his lyfe and doynges, beyng full of vertue and godlynes. This was (sayth he) the old maner of auncient and learned men and most holy Elders, that in matters of fayth they did differ many tymes in argumentes, not to destroy the fayth, but to finde out the veritie. So did Augustine and Hierome dissent, not onely beyng diuers, but also cōtrary one from the other and yet without all suspition of heresie.

All this while the Popes holy Councell did wayte still, whē he would begyn to excuse himselfe, and to retract those thynges, which were obiected against him, and to craue pardon of the Councell. But he persistyng still in his constant oration, dyd acknowledge no errour, nor geue any signification of retractation.

MarginaliaHierome commendeth the life and bewayleth the death of Iohn Hus.At last entryng into the prayse and cōmendation of M. Iohn Hus, he affirmed that he was a good, iust, and holy man, and much vnworthy that death, which he dyd suffer. Whom he did know from his youth vpward, to be neither fornicator, drūckard, neither any euill or vicious person: but a chast and sober man, and a iust and true preacher of the holy Gospell: and whatsoeuer thynges maister Iohn Hus and Wickleffe had holden or written, specially agaynst the abuse and pompe of the Clergy, he would affirme euen vnto the death, that they were holy and blessed men, and that in all pointes of the Catholicke fayth, he doth beleue as the holy Catholicke Church doth hold or beleue. And finally he dyd conclude that all such Articles, as Ihon Wickleffe & Iohn Hus had written & put forth against the enormities, pompe, and disorder of the Prelates, he would firmely and stedfastly, without recātation, hold and defend euen vnto the death. And last of all, he added þ^t all the sinnes that euer he had cōmitted, dyd not somuch gnaw and trouble his conscience, as dyd that onely sinne, which he had committed in that most pestiferous fact, when as in his recantation, hee had vniustly spoken agaynst that good and holy man & his doctrine, & specially in cōsentyng vnto his wicked cōdemnatiō: cōcluding that he dyd vtterly reuoke & deny that wicked recantation, which he had made in that most cursed place, and that he did it thorow weakenes of hart and feare of death: MarginaliaHierome repenteth his speaking against Iohn Hus.And moreouer that whatsoeuer thyng he hath spoken agaynst that blessed manne, he hath altogether lyed vpon him, and that hee doth repent him with his whole hart, that euer he did it.

At the hearyng hereof, the hartes of the hearers were not a little sory. For they wished and desired greatly that such a singular man might be saued, if otherwise their blynd superstition would haue suffered it. But he continued still in his prefixed sentence, seemyng to desire rather death then life. MarginaliaHus neuer maintained any doctrine agaynst the church of Rome: but only spake agaynst their naughty life.And persistyng still in the prayse of Iohn Hus, he added moreouer, that he neuer maintayned any doctrine agaynst the state of the Church, but onely spake agaynst the abuses of the Clergy, agaynst the pride, pompe and excesse of the Prelates. For in somuch as the patrimonies of churches were first geuen for the poore, then for hospitalitie, and thirdly to the reparations of the Churches: it was a grief to that good man (said he) to see the same mispente and cast away vpon harlots, great feastyngs, and keepyng of horses and dogges, vpon gorgeous apparell and such other thinges vnseamyng Christian Religion And herein he shewed hym selfe meruelous eloquent: yea neuer more.

MarginaliaHierome did put them to silence.And when his Oration was interrupted many tymes by diuers of them, carpyng his sentences as he was in speakyng: yet was there none of all those that interrupted hym which scaped vnblanckt, but he brought them all to confusion, and put them to silence. When any noyse began, he ceased to speake, and after begā agayne, procedyng in his Oration and desiring them to geue him leaue a while to speake, whom they hereafter should heare no more: neither yet was his mynde euer dashed at all these noyses and tumultes.

MarginaliaHierome in prison, 340 dayes.And this was meruelous in him to behold, notwithstandyng he continued in strait prison, 340. dayes, hauyng neither booke, nor almost light to read by: MarginaliaThe excellent memory in M. Hierome.yet how admirably his memory serued hym: Declaryng how all those paynes of his straite handlyng, dyd not somuch greeue him, as he dyd wonder rather to see their vnkynde inhumanitie towardes hym.

When he had spoken these and many other thynges as touchyng the prayse of Iohn Wickleffe, & Iohn Hus, they which sat in the Councell, whispered together, saying: by these his wordes it appeareth that he is at a point with himselfe. Then was he agayne caried into prison, and greuously fettred by the handes, armes and feete with great chaynes and fetters of yron.

MarginaliaM. Hierom brought agayne before the councellThe Saterday next before the Ascension day, early in the mornyng he was brought with a great number of armed men vnto the Cathedrall Church before the open congregatiō, to haue his iudgement geuen him. There they exhorted him, that those thynges which he had before spoken in the open audience, as is aforesayd, as touchyng the prayse and commendation of M. Iohn Wickleffe, and M. Iohn Hus, confirmyng and establishyng their doctrine, he would yet recant the same: but he marueilous stoutly without all feare, spake agaynst them, & amōgest other thyngs sayd vnto them: I take God to my witnes, and I protest here before you all, that I do beleue and hold all the Articles ofMarginaliaM. Hierome holdeth all the articles of the catholike church.the fayth, as the holy Catholicke Church doth hold and beleue the same: but for this cause shall I now be condemned, for that I will not consent with you vnto the condemnation of those most holy and blessed men aforesayd, whom you haue most wickedly cōdemned for certaine articles, detestyng and abhorring your wicked and abhominable life. MarginaliaThe eloquence of M. Hierome.Then he confessed there before them all, his belief, & vttered many thinges very profoundly & eloquently, in somuch that all men there present, could not sufficiently commend and prayse his great eloquence & excellent learnyng: and by no meanes could they induce or perswade him to recant.

Then a certaine Byshop named the Byshop of Landy made a certaine Sermō exhortatiue agaynst M. Hierome, perswadyng to his condemnation.

After the Byshop had ended the sayd Sermō, M. Hierome sayd agayne vnto them: You will condemne me wickedly and vniustly. MarginaliaThe prophecie of M. Hierome.But I after my death will leaue a remorse in your conscience, and a nayle in your hartes, ET CITO VOS OMNES, VT RESPONDEATIS MIHI CORAM ALTISSIMO ET IVSTISSIMO IVDICE POST CENTVM ANNOS: that is, And here I cite you all to aūswere vnto me before the most high and iust Iudge, within a C. yeares.

No penne can sufficiently write or note those thynges which he most eloquently, profoundly, and philosophically had spoken in the said audience, neither can any toung sufficiently declare the same, wherfore I haue but onely touched here the superficiall matter of his talke, partly, and not wholy notyng the same. Finally, when as by no meanes he might be perswaded to recant the premisses, immediately euen in his presence, the sentence & iudgement of his condemnation was geuen agaynst him, and read before him.

MarginaliaThe sentence read against M. Hierome.JN the name of God Amen. Christ our God and our Sauiour beyng the true vyne, whose father is the husband man, taught his Disciples and all other faithfull men, saying: If any mā dwell not in me, let him be cast out as a bow or braūch, and let him wither and dry. &c. The doctrine and preceptes of which most excellent Doctour & Maister, this most sacred Synode of Constance, executyng and folowyng in the cause of inquisition agaynst heretikes, beyng moued by this sayd sacred Sinode, through report, publicke fame, and open infamation: procedeth agaynst maister Hierome of Prage, Maister of Arte, lay man. By the Actes and processes of whose cause it appeareth that the sayd maister Hierome hath holden, maintayned, and taught diuers Articles hereticall and erronious, lately reproued and condemned by the holy fathers, some beyng very blasphemous, other some offēdyng godly eares, and many termerarious and seditious, which haue bene affirmed, maintayned, preached & taught by the men of most damnable memory Iohn Wickliffe, and Iohn Hus, the whiche are also written in diuers of their workes & bookes. Which articles of doctrine and bookes of the sayd Iohn Hus and Wickleffe together with their memory, and the person of the sayd Iohn Hus, were by the sayd Sacred Sinode condemned of heresie. The which sentence of condemnation this Hierome afterward duryng the tyme of inquisition, acknowledged in the sayd sacred Synode, & approued the true Catholike & Apostolicke fayth, thereunto consentyng, accursing all heresie, specially that, wherof he was infamed & cōfessed himselfe to bee infamed, & that which in tymes past I. Hus & I. Wickleffe maintayned & taught in their works, Sermōs, & bookes: for þ^e which the sayd Wickliffe and Hus together with their doctrine & errours, were by the sayd sacred Synode as hereticall, condemned. The condemnation of all whiche the premisses, he did openly professe and allow, and dyd sweare that he would