and chefly to this point, that in many places they doo report me an hereticke, not hauing respect vnto iustice or to law, neither yet to my merits or deserts. Therefore since that you which do neuer cease to sclaunder and backebite me with your words, doo vnderstand and knowe these things, come foorth openly before the face and presence of the Lord Archbyshop, and with an open mouth, declare and shew foorth what false doctrine or other things you haue heard me teach contrary to Catholicke fayth, and if that I shall be found faultie in neuer so small a matter, contrary or against the faith of Christ, or in any false doctrine, and that I do choose that or other things contrary to the faith of Christ, then I will hold my peace, and suffer punishment as an hereticke.MarginaliaThe offer of I. Hus to his enemies. And if there be no man that will resist against me, or accuse me in this point, once againe I say vnto you, that I am ready to appeare at Constance in the famous congregation, to the end that I may stand in the company of the Diuines, euen before the face of the Pope. Therefore whosoeuer knoweth any false doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ in me, let him come thether and shew it forth boldly, if he haue any thing to lay against me, and for my part I will not be slacke, if I may vnderstand or knowe it, to answere as well to small as great, as touching the truth which I haue receiued of God, and desire to be defended. All you good men therefore which loue the truth, say now whether by these my words I do thinke or go about any thing, either contrary to the law of God or man. If I be not admitted then to be heard, be it knowne and manfest vnto all men, that it hapneth not thorough my fault the same day.

MarginaliaA writing of I. Hus at the kinges gates.VNto the Kinges maiestie, the Queene, and to all such as are of his Councell, and to all other Rulers and Magistrates, which now are in the Kings Court, I Iohn Hus, doo signifie and publish, that I haue vnderstand, not by any vayne rumor or tale, that there be letters brought from the Pope to the Kings Maiestie, the contents whereof, is this: That the Kyngs Maiestie shoulde bring to passe, that the heretickes which were now lately sprong vp in hys kyngdome and dominions, should not take any firme or strong roote. For so much as without any desert, as I trust by Gods grace, the fame or noise is sproong and blowne abroade: it shall bee our part to foresee and take heed, that neyther the Kyngs Maiestie, neyther the noble Kyngdome of Boheme, should bee driuen to beare or suffer any reproche or slaunder for mee. Wherefore now of late I haue sent my letters too and fro, whych I haue with great labour and diligence, caused to be openly set vp, to thys intent, that I myght thereby cause the Archbyshop to be carefull and diligent about the matter, signifyeng openly, that if there were any man in all Boheme, which did knowe mee to be a follower of anye false or corrupt doctrine, that he should professe hys name in the Archbyshop hys Court, and there to shew foorth and declare what he thought. And for asmuch as there would none be found or come foorth, which would accuse me, the Archbyshop commaunded me and my procurers to depart in peace. Wherefore I require and desire the Kings Maiestie, which is the defender of the truth, also the Queene and theyr Counsellers, and all other Rulers and Magistrates, that they would geue me a faithfull testimoniall of this matter. For somuch as I haue oftentimes willed and attempted this, and no man hath eyther accused mee or troubled mee. I doo it moreouer to bee knowne vnto all Boheme, and to all nations, that I wil bee present euen at the first time before the Councell of Constance, in the most famous place, in the presence of the Pope, the Pope beeyng president. And finally, in the presence of all others which will come to that most famous place, and that whosoeuer hath any suspition of me, that I haue eyther taught or defended anye thyng contrarye vnto the fayth of Christ, let hym come thether also, let hym declare there before or in the presence of the Pope, and all the Doctors of Diuinitie, what erroneous or false doctrine I haue at any tyme followed or holden. More, if hee shall conuince me of any errour, or prooue that I haue taught anye thing contrarie vnto the Christian fayth, I will not refuse to suffer whatsoeuer punishment shall be due for an hereticke. But I hope and trust euen from the bottome of my hart, that God wyll not geue the victory to vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing men, the which do willingly kicke and spurne against the truth.

The same time Iohn Hus sente his procurers to the Lorde Byshop of Nazareth, ordeyned by the Apostolicke Sea Inquisitour of heresie of the Citie and Dioces of Prage, requiring hym, that if he had found any errour in him, he would declare it openly. But the sayd Bishop before the sayd procurour, and the publike Notary, wythmany other credible witnesses aunswered, that he had often talked with Iohn Hus, and that he neuer knew anye thing in him, but as becommeth a godly and faithful man, and this his testimonie of Iohn Hus, he approued by his letters, the copie whereof is heere vnder written.

MarginaliaThe testimony of the good bish. of Nazareth.WE Nicholas by the grace of God Byshop of Nazareth, and Inquisitor, specially deputed by the Apostolicke seate for heresies both of the Citie and Dioces of Prage, by these presents we do it to be knowne vnto all men, that wee in times past haue often communed and talked with that honorable man, mayster Iohn Hus, Bacheler of Diuinitie, of the famous vniuersitie of Prage, and haue had diuers and sondry conferences with hym, both of the Scriptures and diuers other matters, and in all hys sayings, doyngs, and behauiour, we haue prooued and found him to be a faithfull and a Catholicke man, finding no maner of euill, sinister, or by any meanes, erroneous doings in him vnto thys present. MarginaliaThe Bish. of Nazareth witnesseth with Iohn hus.We doo witnesse and protest moreouer, how the sayd Iohn Hus, of late, in the Cathedrall Church of Prage, and in other both Collegiate and Parish Churches, and in the Colledges of the Vniuersitie of Prage, and in the gates and porches of the most noble Price and Lord, the Lord Wenceslaus King of Romaines and of Boheme. Also in the gates of the reuerend father the Lord Conrade Archbyshop of Prage, Legate of the Apostolicke Sea, and Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Prage, and of other Princes and Barons, then being in the Citie of Prage, hath set vp his letters written both in Latine, and in the Bohemian tongue, containing sententially in effect, how the foresayd Mayster Iohn Hus, would appeare before the reuerend father the Lord Conrade, the foresayd Archbyshop of Prage, and all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kingdome of Boheme, that shall bee congregated and called together by the sayd Archbyshop, at the day appoynted in the sayd Citie of Prage, readie alwayes to satisfie euery man that shall desire and require him to shew a reason of his fayth and hope that he holdeth, and to see and heare all and euery one which could prooue any obstinacie of errour or heresie, lawfully against him, vnder the payne to receyue the like punishment: vnto whome altogether he would by Gods helpe, aunswere in the Councell of Constance, which was now at hand, before the sayd Lord Archbyshop and vs, with all other Prelates, and there in Christes name, according to the decrees and Canons of the holy Fathers, to declare and shew foorth his innocencie. After the which letters as is aforesayd by the sayd maister Iohn Hus openly set vp, there did no man appeare before vs, the which would accuse the sayd Maister Iohn Hus, of any errour, eyther of any heresie. For the euident witnesse of all whyche things, we haue commaunded these present letters to be made, and confirmed the same with the setting too of our seale. Dated in Prage xxx. of August, an. M. iiij. C. xiiij.

Vpon which matter also, a publicke instrument was drawne, testified with the hand and seale of the publicke Notary, named Michel Pruthatietz. The copie of whych instrument heere vnder followeth.

IN the name of God, Amen. In the yeare of hys natiuitie 1414. the thirtith of August, in the fift yeare of the Byshoprike of the most holy Father in Christ Iohn by the grace of GOD Pope, the three and twentith of that name, in the vppermost parlor of the house of the famous man the Lord Peter of Zwogsta, called Znirglits, maister of the mynte, of the most famous Prince and Lord, the Lord Wenceslaus, Kyng of Romaines and of Boheme, in the greater Citie of Prage, about the Abbey of Sainct Iames the Apostle, in the presence of me the publique Notary heere vnder written, and certayne witnesses heere within written, specially called for that purpose. There was personally present Mayster Iohn Iessenitz, mayster of Art, procuror in the name of the honourable man, Mayster Iohn Hus, Bacheler, formed in Diuinitie of the Vniuersitie of Prage. He most humblie and earnestly requyred the reuerende father in Christ and Lord, Nicholas Byshop of Nazareth, Inquisitour of Heresies for the Citie and diocese of Prage, specially appoynted by the Apostolike Sea, beeing there also present, sayeng: Reuerend father, doe you knowe any error or heresie in Mayster Iohn Husnetz, otherwise called Hus. The which sayd Lord Nicholas, not compelled or constrained but of his owne will and accord, freely and openly did there recognise, sayeng these or the like words in the Bohemian tongue.

I haue often and many times bene conuersant with Mayster Iohn Hus, and haue eaten and dronke with him: also I haue bene