Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 3.djvu/163

 JOHN HUSS log sembled potentates, and proceeded to Prague to prepare for the council.* He there publicly challenged all his opponents to convict him of error if they could, and proved that he was valiant for the truth as long as he was free. Huss set out for Constance on October u, 1414, with two faithful knights to protect him by the way. Even in Germany he was cordially welcomed by many. He courted opportunities of making known his views, and at Nurem- berg, in particular, he enjoyed such an opportunity to the full. He reached Constance on November 3d, where his enemies were busily employed, and he was speedily posted as a vile heretic ; indeed, it was soon made plain that if he was a bold; intrepid man, he needed to be so. Officials from the Pope, who was then at Constance, desired him, as an interdicted priest, to abstain from the Church services ; but he declined to comply. Had he chosen even to equivocate, he might have escaped ; but Huss was not the man to trim. Such a course was formally proposed to him ; but though he was far from being buoyed up by false hopes, he resolutely and without hesitation declined all underhand suggestions : he would uphold the truth, but that was all that he would do. " I fear nothing," he said ; " for I hope that, after a great conflict, will ensue a great victory, and after the victory a still greater reward to me, and a still greater discomfiture to my enemies." Huss was not kept long in suspense. He sought various opportunities of proclaiming his views : but these were all denied him, and moreover, on November 28th, he was made a close prisoner. He was removed in chains to the castle of Gottleben. By night and day he was kept chained there, and all was done that was likely to bow down, or to break, the undaunted man. But though one form of disease after another assailed him, no wavering thought was harbored, no wavering word escaped ; all his sorrows only led him deeper and deeper into the truth which he prized so well, and, in the face of crowding dangers, his resolution actually became more and more fixed and heroic. The cruel mockery of justice at Constance was carried on by tribunal after tribunal ; but the victim was steadfast and unmovable. Now, gleams of hope broke forth for him and his friends, and then darkness gathered round them once more; but Huss found one thing unchanging, the word of his God and when the council met in the Franciscan convent, which had become the martyr's prison, formally to try his case, they cruelly attempted to prejudge the matter without hearing him at all. But the emperor interfered, and Huss appeared before them, ready to retract whatever was contrary to Scripture ; but whenever he attempted to plead, a savage outcry arose around, till the voice of truth was drowned in the din. On June ;th, he stood forth the second time before the council ; but it was a wrangle rather than a solemn trial, for Huss would not abate one jot of his convictions, except as the Scriptures condemned them. On June 8th, his third examination took place. Huss was told, at the close, that if he would suppliantly submit and retract opinions which he declared he and from it. The words of the document are : " Ut ei transire, stare, morari, redire libere permittatis."
 * It should be carefully observed here, that the emperor guaranteed to Huss a safe journey both to Constance