Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 5 · Part 4
The History of IOHN HVS.
IOhn Hus being a preacher at Prage, in the temple of Bethelem, those rather to teach the Gospell of Christ, then the humane traditions of Bishops; their sprung vp certaine which accused him as an heretick to the Bishop of Rome: the Pope committed the matter to the Cardinall of Columna, who appointed a day hee should appeare at Rome: The King and Nobilitie of Boheme, sent to the Pope to acquit him from his appearance, and if they suspected the Kingdome to be infected with any heresie, they should send an Ambassadour to correct the heresie, and the King would beare the charge, and likewise assist the Legate with all his authoritie, to punish such as shall bee sound with erronoous Doctrine: and Iohn Hus sent his meete procurators vntounto the Court of Rome, and with firme and strong reasons did prooue his Innocencie, but when the Cardinall would admit no defence, his procurators appealed to the Pope; notwithstanding the Cardinall excommunicated him as an obstinate heretick, because he came not at his day, and the matter was referred to two other Cardinals, who after they had delayed the matter a yeere and a halfe, confirmed the Iudgement of the first Cardinall, and some of his procurators were committed, and grecuously punished for being so earnest for him.
But the generall Councell being assembled as aforesaid: The Emperour sent certaine of his Gentlemen to bring Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie vntounto the Councell, to purge himselfe of the blame which was laid against him, and granted him a safe conduct, that hee might come freely to Constance, and returne home without fraud or interruption: he seeing so many faire promises, and his safe conduct, sent vntounto the Emperour that he would come vntounto the Councell: but before he went hee caused certaine writings to bee set vponupon the gates of the Cathedrall Churches, Parish Churches, Cloister and Abbies, signifying hee would go… to the Councell, and that if any that hauehave suspition of his Doctrine, that hee should declare it before the Lord Conrade, or the Bishop of Prage: or if hee had rather at the generall Councell, for there he would render an account of his Faith before them all: the Bishop of Nazareth, the inquisitor for heresie, made his certificate vnderunder his hand and Seale, with a testimoniall vntounto Maister Iohn Hus, that hee had oftentimes beene before him, and had conferred with him, and yet could neuer finde any heresie in him: and so did the Bishop of Prage, set vp Letters in eueryevery Citie as he passed to Constance, that hee was going to the Councell to descud his fa…th, and if any could lay any thing to him as touching his Faith let him come thither: many resorted vntounto him all the way as hee went, and hee was gently …reate…, especially of the Citizans, and Burgesses, and sometimes of the Curates: and if there were noise of his comming, the streets were euer full to see him: In Norrenberge many Curats came to him, desiring talk with him secretly, hee said he had rather shew his opinion openly before all men: so after dinner vntill night he spake before the Priests and Senators, and Citizens, that all had him in great reuerence, saue one Doctor which was a Charter-house Monke, who impraued all that h… had said: then after he was come to Constance, Master Clum, and M. Latzembodge, which came with him went to the Pope, and certified him Iohn Hus was come to Constance, & that he had the Emperors safe conduct, desiring him to grant him libertie likewise to remaine there without trouble, which the Pope promised hee would: in the meane time Maister Pallets, Iohn Hus his great Aduersarie was come to Constance, but his Companion Zuoyma, Husses other Aduersarie died of an impostume by the way: then this Pallets associated himselfe with one Causis a Boh…mian, which afore-time had vndertooke to finde a Mine of gold for the King: and hauing receiued much money of the King towards the businesse, seeing his hope of making Gold to faile, runne away to Rome with the Kings money: these two drew certaine Articles out of the writings of Hus, against him, and tooke great paines to shew these Articles to the Cardinals, Bishops and Monkes: and shewing that hee had done many other things against the holy constitutions of the Pope and Church: whereby they made Iohn Hus to bee apprehended the six and twentith day he came to Constance: and the Cardinals sent the Bishops of Augusta, and Trent with the Burgesse of Constance, and a Knight to Iohn Hus his lodging, to report they were sent by the Pope and the Cardinals, to certifie him hee should render some knowledge of his Doctrine before them, as hee had often desired, and they were ready to heare him: hee answered, hee desired openly to defend his Doctrine, but not priuately: notwithstanding, I will goe to them, and if they handle mee cruelly, I trust in the Lord Iesus that he will comfort mee, that I shall desire rather to die for his glory, the… deny his verity, which I hauehave learned in his holy Scriptures: and Iohn Hus tooke his horse and went to the Popes Court, when he had saluted the Cardinals, they said to him, wee hauehave heard many reports of you, which if they be true are not to bee suffered, that you hauehave faught many errors, contrarie to the Doctrine of the true Church, and that you hauehave sowed your errors through all Bohemia by a long time: to whom hee answered, I rather tho…se to die then to bee found culpable of one errour: therefore I came to the Councell to receiue correction, if any can prooue any errours in me: The Cardinals said they were pleased with his answere, and departed, leauing Iohn Hus, with Maister Clum, vnderunder the guard of armed men, and they suborned a Franciscane Frier, a subtill malicious hypocrite, to question with him: Who said Reuerend Master, I a simple rude Idyot am come to you to learne, for I hauehave heard that you hauehave taught many things contrarie to the Catholicke Faith: I desire you for the louelove that you hauehave to the truth and to all good men, that you would teach mee some certainty: First it is said you maintaine that there remaineth but naturall bread in the Sacrament after consecration, which hee denied: Then the Frier asked him what manner of vnion is betwixt the man-hood and God-hood of Christ: Then Hus said, you say you are simple, but you are double and crafty, in that you hauehave propounded so difficult a Question: yet I will shew you my minde, which when he had done, the Frier thanked him, and departed: after the Popes Garison told him that this Frier was counted the subtillest Diuine in Lombardy: then Pallets and Causis his Aduersaries made earnest meanes to the Cardinals that hee should not bee set at liberty: and hauing fauour of the Iudges, mocked the said Hus; saying, now wee will hold you well-enough, you shall not depart vntill you hauehave paid the vttermost farthing: At night the Prouost of the Romane Court told Maister Clum he might depart, but they had otherwise prouided for Maister Hus: Maister Clum went to the Pope, declaring all that was done, beseeching him to remember the promise which hee had made: the Pope answered, it was done without his consent, and told Maister Clum apart, why doe you impute this to mee; you know that I my selfe am in the hands of these Cardinals and Bishops, so hee returned very pensiue, and complained openly and priuately of the Popes wrong, but it profited not. Then Hus was led to prison and kept there eight daies, from thence he was carried to an other prison belonging to the Abbey, where by reason of the sti…e of the place hee fell sicke, and was so weake that they despaired of his life.
In the middest of his sicknes they put vp these Articles to Pope Iohn, the 23. and to the principals of the Councell, desiring that Iohn Hus might bee condemned.
1 That hee taught that the Sacrament ought to bee ministred in both kindes, and so his Disciples did now vse it, and that materiall bread remaineth in the Sacrament after consecration.
2 A Minister in mortall sinne cannot minister the Sacrament, and that other men besides Priests may minister the Sacraments.
3 Hee both not admit that the Church signifieth the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, and the Clergy vnderneath them: but saith this signification was tooke from the Schoolemen; and that the Church ought to hauehave no temporall possessions: and that the temporall Lords may take them away without any offence: and saith also that Constantine, and other seculer Princes hauehave erred by endowing Churches and Monasteries.
4 That all Priests are of like power, and that the reseruations of the Popes casualties: the ordering of Bishops, and consecrating of Priestes, were inuented onelyonly for couetousnes.
5 When the Pope, Cardinals, and rest of the Priests are in sinne, as is possible enough, then the Church being in sinne hath no power of the Keyes:
6 Hee beeing excommunicated contemneth it, and saith Masse notwithstanding.
7 Hee maketh Ministers himselfe, and putteth them into Churches without the ordinarie of the Dioces, or other Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction, and teacheth it to be lawfully done.
8 That one being ordained a Priest or Deacon, cannot be kept back from the office or preaching: therefore he would neuer be let from preaching by the Apostolick Sea, nor the Arch-bishop.
Moreouer, when there was Questions moued in the Uniuersitie of Prage, vponupon the 45. Articles of Iohn Wickliffe, and the Diuines of Boheme concluded eueryevery one of them Articles, either to be hereticall, seditious, and erroneous: he held that none of them were hereticall, seditious, or erroneous, as after hee did dispute & teach in the common schooles of Prage: notwithstanding they were condemned in England, and by the whole Church.
Because I finde these Articles and many others answered by Iohn Hus in writing, which hereafter followe, and which were read in the Councell, I omit his answeres in the Councell, because what with the outragiousnes of the Councell against him, so many interrupting him at eueryevery word, and some mocking, and making mouthes at him, that it was impossible for him to make a perfect answere to any thing: I likewise omit for breuitie, the many supplications that the Nobles of Boheme made for his Baile and libertie, and what surety they offered: if thou bee disposed to see these circumstances, and with what great labour they obtained that he should answere openly, and how cruelly he was vsed in prison; I referre thee to the Booke at large.