vnum Deum, vnto the ende. MarginaliaThe wordes of Hierome to the people.That beyng ended, he sayd vnto the people in the Germayne tongue in effect as followeth. Dearely beloued children, euen as I haue now soonge, so do I beleue and none otherwyse. And this Creede is my whole fayth: notwithstandyng now I dye for thys cause, because I would not consent, and agree to the councell, MarginaliaMaister Hierome geueth testimony of Iohn Hus.and with thē affirme and hold that maister Iohn Husse was by them holily and iustly condemned: For I dyd know well enough that he was a true preacher of the Gospell of Iesu Christ.

After that he was compassed in with the wood vp to the crowne of the head, they cast all hys garments vpon þ^e wood also, and with a firebrand they set it on fire. The which beyng once fired, he began to sing with a loud voyce: In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum. When that was ended, and that he began vehemently to burne, he sayde in the vulgar Bohemian tongue: MarginaliaThe laste wordes of M. Hierome.O Lord God father almighty, haue mercy vpon me, and be mercyfull vnto myne offences, for thou knowest how that sincerely I haue loued thy truth. Then his voyce by the vehemency of the fire, was choked & stopped, that it was no longer heard, but he moued continually his mouth and lips, as though he had still prayed or spoken within hymself.

MarginaliaThe crueltie of his death.When as in a maner his whole body with his beard was burned round about, and that there appeared thorough the great burning vpon his body certaine great bladders, as big as an egge, yet he continually very strongly and stoutly moued and shaked hys head and mouth, by the space almost, of one quarter of an houre. So burning in the fire, he liued with great payne and martyrdome, whiles one might easily haue gone from S. Clementes ouer the bridge, vnto our Lady Church: he was of such a stoute and strong nature. After that he was thus deade in the fire, by and by they brought his bedding, his straw bed, his bootes, his hood, and all other thinges that he had in the prison, and burned them al to ashes in the same fire. MarginaliaThe ashes of M. Hierome cast into the riuer of Rhene.The which ashes, after that the fire was out, they did diligently gather together, and cary them in a cart, and cast them into the riuer of Rheine, which ran hard by the Citie.

That man which was the true reporter hereof, and which testified vnto vs the actes and doynges about the condemnation of Maister Hierome, and sent the same vnto vs to Prage in writyng, doth thus conclude: MarginaliaThe witnes of the writer.All these thynges (sayth he) I dyd behold, see, and heare to be done in this forme and maner. And if any man do tell you the contrary, doe not credite hym, for all those thyngs which happened vnto hym, when he came toward Constance, and also at hys first commyng vnto Constaunce of hys owne free will, and afterward when he was brought bound vnto Cōstaunce, as is aforesayde, I my selfe dyd see and perfectlye behold: and for a perpetuall memory thereof to be had for euer, I haue directed the same vnto you, MarginaliaThe truth of this story.not lying or falsifyng any pointe thereof, as he which is the searcher of all mennes hartes can beare me witnesse: willyng rather to sustayne the note of ignoraunce and rudenesse of stile, to beare witnesse vnto the truth, then I would by any meanes bee compelled by ticklyng or flattryng the eares of the hearers, with fayned and cloked speache to swarue or goe aside from the truth.

Thus ende the tragicall histories of M. Iohn Hus, and M. Hierome of Prage, faythfully gathered and collected by a certayne Bohemian, beyng a present witnesse and beholder of the same, written and compiled first in latine, and so sent by the sayd Bohemian into hys country of Boheme: and agayne translated out of the latine with lyke fidelitie, into our English tong.

In the meane tyme while Maister Hierome was in this trouble, and before the Councell, the nobles and Lordes of Boheme and of Morauia (but not a little agreeued thereat) directed theyr letters vnto this barbarous Councell of popishe murderers, in tenour and forme of wordes as followeth.

¶ To the right reuerend Fathers and Lordes in Christ, the Lordes Cardinals, Patriarkes, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, Ambassadours, Doctors, & Maisters, and to the whole Councell of Constaunce, We the Nobles, Lordes, Knights and Esquiers, of the famous Marquesdome of Morauia, wishe the desire of all goodnes, and the obseruation of the commaundements of our Lord Iesu Christ.

FOrsomuch as euery man both by the law of nature, and also by Gods law, is commaunded to do that vnto an other man, which he would haue done vnto hymselfe, and is forbidden to do that thyng vnto an other, which he would not haue done vnto himselfe, as our sauiour saith: all things what so euer you wyll that men should do vnto you, the same do you vnto them, for this is the law & the Prophets, MarginaliaMath. 7.yea the law is fulfilled in this one poynte: thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe: MarginaliaRom. xiij.We therefore (God beyng our author) hauyng respect as much as in vs lyeth vnto the sayd lawe of GOD, and the loue of our neighbour, before dyd send our letters vnto Constaunce for our dearely beloued friend of good memory Maister Iohn Husse, Bacheler of Diuinitie, and preacher of the Gospell. Whome of late in the Councell of Constaunce (we know not wyth what spirite beyng ledde) you haue condemned as an obstinate heretick, neyther hauyng confessed any thyng, neither beyng lawfully conuict, as were expedient: hauyng no erroures or heresies declared or layd agaynst hym, but onely at the sinister, false, and importune accusations, suggestions, and instigatiōs of hys mortall enemies, and the traytours of our kyngdom & Marquesdom of Morauia. And beyng thus vnmercifully cōdemned, you haue slayne hym: with most shamefull & cruel death: to the perpetuall shame and infamy of our most christian kingdome of Boheme, and the famous Marquesdom of Morauia (as we haue written vnto Constance, vnto the most noble Prince and Lord, the Lord Sigismund, kyng of Romaines, and of Hungary, the heyre and successor of oure kyngdome) the which was also red and published in your congregations, which we will here also haue enrolled: and haue burned hym, as it is reported, in the reproche and contempt of vs. MarginaliaTlhe cause of I. Hus cleared by the testimony of the nobles of Bohemia.Wherfore we haue thought good, euen now to direct our letters patentes vnto your reuerences now present, in the behalfe of Maister Iohn Husse, openly professing and protestyng both with hart and mouth, that he the sayd Maister Iohn Husse, was a iust, good and Catholicke man, and a long season worthily commended and allowed in our kyngdom, for his lyfe and conuersation. He also preached and taughte vs and our subiectes the law of the Gospell, and of the holy Prophets, and the bookes of the old and new Testament, accordyng to the exposition of the holy Doctors approued by the Church, and left many Monumentes in writyng, most constantly detesting and abhorring all errours and heresie, continually admonishing both vs and all faythfull Christians to do the lyke, diligently exhorting all men as much as in hym lay by hys worde, writings, and trauayle, vnto quietnes and concorde: so that, vsing all the diligence that we might, we neuer heard or could vnderstande, that Maister Iohn Hus had preached, taught, or by any meanes affirmed any errour or heresie in hys sermons, or that by any maner of meanes he had offended vs or our subiects, either by word or deede, but that he alwayes led a quiete and a godly life in Christ, MarginaliaAll that will liue godly in Christ. 2. Tim. 3.exhortyng all men diligently, both by his wordes & workes, as much as he might, to obserue and kepe the lawe of the Gospell, and the institutions of the holy fathers, after the preaching of our holy mother church, and to the edifyng of mens soules. Neyther did these premisses, which you had so perpetrated to the reproch both of vs & our kingdome and Marquesdome, suffice and content you, but that also without all mercy and pitie, you haue apprehended, imprisoned, and condemned, and euen now peraduenture, lyke as you did Maister Iohn Hus, you haue most cruelly murdered the worshipfull man, maister Hierome of Prage, MarginaliaDefence of M. Hierome of Prage.a man abounding in eloquence, Maister of the seuen liberall artes, and a famous Philosopher, not beyng sene, heard, examined, neither conuict: but onely at the sinister and false accusation of his and our accusers and betrayers.

Furthermore, it is come to our knowledge and vnderstanding (which we do not without great griefe rehearse) as we may also euidently gather by your writinges, howe that certayne detractors, odible both to God and men, priuy enuiers and betrayers, haue wickedly and greuously, albeit falsly and traiterously, accused vs, our kyngdome, and Marquesdome aforesayd, before you in your councell, that in the sayd kyngdome of Boheme and Marquesdome of Morauia, diuers errours are sprong vp, which haue greuously and manifoldly infected both our harts, and also the hartes of many faythfull men: in so much, that without a speedy stop or stay of correctiō, the sayd kingdome & Marquesdome together with the faithfull Christians therein, should incur an irrecuperable losse & ruine of their soules.