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644 [620]

K. Henry. 5. Examination, and sharpe handling of I. Hus by the Emperour and others.

the author thereof.

What (sayd they) then do you thinke or iudge of the interpretation thereof? Then aunswered Iohn Hus, what should I say therunto, when as I said I neuer saw it, but as I haue heard it of you. Thus they were all so greuous and troublesome vnto him, that he waxed faint & wearie,MarginaliaI. Hus waxeth faint and weary. for he had passed all þe night before without sleepe, through the paine of his teeth.

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Then was there another Article read, in the which was conteined that three men were beheaded at Prage,Marginalia

An other quarel against I. Hus, touching these three men beheaded at Prage.

Vide supra. pag. 590.

because that through Wickleffes doctrine and teaching, they were contumelious and slanderous against the Popes letters: and that they were by the same Hus, with the whole pompe of the Scholers, and with a publike conuocation or congregation caryed out to be buryed, & by a publicke Sermon placed amongst the number of Saints. And the same Doctour Naso, of whome you haue heard certaine testimonies already recited, affirmed the same to be true, and that he himselfe was present, when as the king of Boheme commanded those blasphemers so to be punished.

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Then said Iohn Hus: MarginaliaI. Hus belied.both those partes are false, that the King did command any such punishment to be done, and that the coarses were by me conueyed with any such pompe vnto their sepulture or buriall: wherefore you do both iniury vnto me and the King. Then Palletz confirmed the affirmation of Doctour Naso, his fellow, with this argumēt (for they both laboured to one end and purpose:) MarginaliaEx puris affirmatiuis non consistit. argum. in 2 figura.That it was prouided by the Kings commaundement, that no man should once speake against the Popes Bulles: And these three spake against þe Popes Bulles: Ergo, by vertue of the kings commaundement they were beheaded. And what Iohn Husse his opinion and mind was as touching these men, it is euident inough by hys booke intituled Of the Church, wherein he writeth thus: I beleeue they haue read Daniell the Prophet, were as is said: And they shall perish with sword and fire, and with captiuitie, and many shall fraudulently & craftely associate themselues vnto thē. And afterward he saith: how is this fulfilled in these two lay men, who not cōsenting, but speaking against the fained lies of Antichrist, haue offred their liues therfore, and many other were ready to do the same, and many were fraudulently associate vnto them, which being feared by the threatnings of Antichrist, are fled, and haue turned their backes, &c.

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When these things were read, one looking vpon another, as though they had bene all in a maruellous strange study, they held their peace for a certaine space. For this Palletz, & the foresaide Doctour Naso had also added that Iohn Hus in an open Sermon had inflamed & stirred vp the people against þe Magistrates, in so much that a great number of the citizens did openly set themselues against þe magistrates: and by þt meanes was it, that he said those iij. were ready to suffer death for the truth. And this sedition was hardly appeased by any benefite, or help that the king could do. MarginaliaAn other quarel picked by Englishe men against Iohn Hus.Then the Englishmē exhibited the copy of a certaine Epistle, which they saide was falsely conueyed vnto Prage, vnder þe title of the Vniuersitie of Oxford, & that Iohn Hus did reade the same out of þe Pulpit vnto þe people, that he might cōmend and praise Iohn Wickleffe vnto the Citizens of Prage.MarginaliaThe testimonial of Oxford, for Wikliff brought to Prage. When they had read the same before the Councell, the Englishmen demaunded of Iohn Hus, whether he had read the same openly or no. Which whē he had confessed, because it was brought thether by two scholers vnder the seale of the Vniuersitie: they also inquired of him what scholers they were. He aunswered: this my frend (meaning Stephen Palletz) knoweth the one of them as well as I, the other I know not what he was.

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Then they first enquired of him, as touching the last man, where he was. Iohn Hus aunswered: I heard say (said he) that in his returne into England, he died by the way. As touching the first, Palletz said, that he was a Bohemian, and no Englishman, and that he brought out of England a certaine small peece of the stone of Wickleffes sepulchre,MarginaliaA peece of the stone of Wickliffes sepulchre brought for a relique to Prage. which they that are þe followers of his doctrine at this present, do reuerence and worship as a thing most holy. Hereby it appeareth for what intent all these things were done, and that Iohn Hus was the author of thē all.

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Then the Englishmen exhibited another Epistle, contrary to the first, vnder the seale of the Vniuersitie, the effect and argument whereof was this: The Senate of the vniuersitie, not without great sorrow and griefe hath experimented & found that the errours of Wickleffe are scattered & spread out of þe Vniuersitie throughout all England. And to the intent that through their helpe & labour, meanes may be found to remedy this mischiefe, they haue appointed for that purpose twelue Doctours, men of singuler learning, and other maisters, which should sit iniudgement vpon the bookes of Wickleffe.

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These men haue noted out aboue the number of CC. articles, the which the whole vniuersitie haue iudged worthy to be burnt: but for the reuerence of the said sacred Councell, the said Vniuersitie hath sent them vnto Constance, referring and remitting the whole authoritie of the iudgement vnto this Councell.

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Heere was great silence kept for a while. The Palletz rising vp, as though he had finished now his accusation, said: MarginaliaThe othe of Palletz.I take God to my witnes before the Emperours maiestie here present, & the most reuerend fathers, Cardinals and Bishops, that in this accusation of Iohn Hus, I haue not vsed any hatred or euill will: but that I might satisfie the othe which I tooke, when I was made Doctour, that I would be a most cruell and sharpe enemie of all maner of errours, for the profite and commoditie of the holy Catholike Church. MarginaliaThe othe of Michael de Causis.Michaell de Causis did also the like. And I, said Iohn Hus, MarginaliaIohn Hus witnesseth the Lord.do commit all these things vnto the heauenly Iudge, which shall iustly iudge þe cause or quarell of both parties. Then saide the Cardinall of Cambray, I cannot a little commend and praise the humanitie and gentlenes of Maister Palletz, which he hath vsed in drawing out the articles against maister Iohn Hus. For as we haue heard, there are many things conteined in his booke, much worse and detestable.

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When he had spoken these words, the Byshop of Rygen vnto whom Iohn Hus was committed, commanded that the said Iohn Hus, should be carried againe safely vnto prison. Then Iohn de ClumMarginaliaI. de Clum doth cōfort Iohn Hus. folowing him, did not a little incourage and comfort him. No toung can expresse what a courage and stomacke he receiued by the shorte talke which he had with him: when as in so great a broile and greuous hatred, he saw himselfe in a maner forsaken of all men. After that Iohn Hus was caried away, the Emperour began to exhort the presidents of the Councell in this maner, saieng:

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MarginaliaThe Emperours oratiō to the president of the councell.YOu haue heard the manifold and greuous crimes which are layd against Iohn Hus, which are not onely prooued by manifest and strong witnesses, but also confessed by him: of the which euery one of them by my iudgement and aduise haue deserued, and are worthy of death. Therefore, except he do recant them all, I iudge and thinke meete that he be punished with fire: and albeit he doo that which hee is willed and commanded to do: notwithstanding I do counsell you, that he be forbid the office of preaching and teaching, and also that he returne no more into the kingdome of Boheme. For if he bee admitted againe to teach and preach, and specially in the kingdome of Boheme, hee will not obserue and keepe that which he is commaunded, but hoping vpon the fauour and good will of such as be his adherents and fautours there, he will returne againe vnto his former purpose and intent, and then besides these errours, he will also sow new errours amongst the people, so the last errour shall be worse than the first.

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Moreouer, I iudge and thinke it good that his articles which are condemned, should be sent vnto my brother the king of Boheme, and afterward into Pole and other prouinces, whereas mens minds are replenished with his doctrine, with this commandement, that whosoeuer do proceed to hold or keepe the same, they should by the common ayde both of the Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill power, be punished. MarginaliaThat which god plāteth man shall neuer roote vpSo at the length shall remedy bee founde for this mischiefe, if the boughes together with the roote, be vtterly rooted and pulled vp: and if the Byshops and other Prelates, which heere in this place haue laboured and trauelled for the extirpating of this heresie, be commended by the whole voices of the Councell vnto the Kings and Princes, vnder whose dominion they are. Last of all, if there be any founde heere at Constance, which are familiars vnto Iohn Hus, they also ought to be punished with such seueretie and punishment as is due vnto them, and specially his scholer Hierome of Prage.MarginaliaHierome of Prage mentioned and promoted by the Emperour. Then saide the rest, when the maister is once punished, we hope wee shall finde the Scholer much more tractable and gentle.

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After they had spoken these wordes, they departed out of the Cloyster, where they were assembled and gathered together. The day before his condemnation, which was the sixt of Iuly, the Emperour Sigismond sent vnto him foure Bishops,Marginalia4. Bishops sent to Iohn Hus. accompanied with maister Wencelate de Duba, and Iohn de Clum, that they should learne and vnderstand of him what he did intend to do. When as hee was brought out of prison vnto them, Iohn de Clum began first to speake vnto him, saieng.

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MarginaliaThe pitifull and louing oration of I. de Clum vnto I. Hus.MAister Iohn Hus, I am a man vnlearned, neither am I able to counsell or aduertise you, being a man of learning and vnderstanding: notwithstanding I do require you, if you know your selfe giltie of any of those errours, which are obiected and laid a-

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