Page:John Huss, his life, teachings and death, after five hundred years.pdf/111

 with some scholarly reputation, should reach Prague and pass the condemned books under review. Huss had sent to the prince a copy of a translation of the Trialogus.

On June 22, which was the Sabbath. Huss preached to an immense throng. He referred to the decree calling for the burning of Wyclif's writings and charged that Alexander V had been misinformed with regard to the religious conditions in Bohemia. Alexander, he said, had also been imposed upon to believe that the Bohemians held doctrines of Wyclif which were contrary to the faith, but he thanked God that he himself had not found a single Bohemian who was a heretic. At this the congregation exclaimed: “They lie, they lie!” “Behold,” Huss went on, “I have appealed against the archbishop’s decree and do now appeal. Will you stand by me?” The people then called out in Czech: “We will and do stand by you.” Continuing. Huss declared it was his duty to preach and he would go on preaching or be expelled from the land or die in prison because popes could lie and had lied, but God cannot lie. He then called upon the congregation to be steadfast and not intimidated by the decree of excommunication.

A few days later. June 25, 1410, Huss, who called himself Rector and Preacher of the Chapel of the Innocents, supported by seven other teachers and students, made an elaborate and vigorous protest against the decree. The names of Stanislaus of Znaim and Stephen Palecz are missing among those who signed the protest. The action of Zbynek is condemned, who, as chancellor of the university, had demanded the giving up of the writings which had been purchased or copied at great cost of labor and money. Only one ignorant of the Bible and canon law would think of burning books on logic, philosophy and mathematics containing no theological errors but, on the contrary, wholesome truths. If they contained errors, it was important for the masters and bachelors