Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/449



In the fourteenth session, came in the resignation of pope Gregory XII., who was one of the three before mentioned striving for the papacy, with certain other articles concerning the election of the bishop of Rome, and the rafification of their resigning who gave over the papacy.

Then ensueth the fifteenth session, in which silence was commanded on all parts, under pain of excommunication and the great curse; that no person or persons, high or low, of what estate or degree soever he were, emperor, king, cardinal, or other, should disturb the said session with any manner oi noise, either by hand, foot, or voice. This being done, the sentence and condemnation against John Huss was read and published, which afterwards, in the story of John Huss, followeth to be seen more at large.

In the sixteenth session, ambassadors were assigned by the council to go to Arragon, to Benedict XIII., to treat with him for the resignation of his papacy, as the other two had done before. Item, power was given to judges to cite, under pain of deprivation, all such as privily departed away from the council; in which session also the sentence against John Huss was confirmed and ratified.

In the seventeenth session, the emperor took upon him a journey to the king of Arragon, to treat with pope Benedict. Item, an excommunication was denounced against all such as should go about to impeach the emperor's journey into about that matter, &c. Item, prayers and processions were determined to be made by the council every Sunday for the same cause, with a hundred days of pardon given to them that would be present thereat: and that all prelates should be present at every of these said masses and processions, in their pontificalibus. Granting besides to every priest that said one mass, for the same a hundred days of pardon: and to all others that once a day should say one 'Pater noster,' and one 'Ave,' for the safety of the emperor, forty days of pardon.

In the eighteenth session, certain judges were assigned for the hearing of matters which the council had no leisure to hear. Item, it was there decreed, that such letters and bulls as were written in the name of that council, should be received with no less credit and authority than the bulls proceeding from the see apostolical, and that the falsifiers of the same should incur no less penalty than the falsifiers of the other. Legates, also, and ambassadors, were sent into Italy.

In the nineteenth session, which was the same year,. [sic]in the month of September, Jerome of Prague, who was cited, as is before said, was accused of heresy, and cast into prison, by the said council, and constrained to abjure; the which abjuration of his hereafter followeth to be seen in his history. Item, it was decreed, that, notwithstanding the safe conduct given by the emperor and kings, &c., inquiry may be made against any man for heresy, by a sufficient judge, and process to be made according to the law. Item, the causes of heresies were committed to certain judges and deputies. Item, the chart called Carolina, and divers other charts and constitutions concerning the liberties of the church of Rome, being brought forth, were approved and confirmed.

In the twentieth session, letters and instruments were made and set upon church doors, to require and admonish duke Frederic to restore again unto George, bishop of Austria, such lands, rents, and revenues as he detained and withheld, under pain of interditement, suspending, and excommunication. During the time of this session, the ambassadors returned out of Arragon from pope Benedict, and were heard with great audience; where certain articles and conditions between the pope and the council were brought forth and agreed upon, to the number of twelve.

In the year of our Lord 1416, was the twenty-first session, beginning, after their manner, with a mass of the Holy Ghost, with procession and such other rites; in the time of which mass, James, bishop of Londe, made a sermon, taking for his theme these words: "Exprobravit Deus incredulitatem eorum et duritiam;" that is, "Lord rebuked their misbelief and hardness." This sermon being ended, Jerome of Prague, who had abjured, as is said, the year before, being present thereat, stood up upon a certain bench or form, replying against the aforesaid James and his sermon, alleging and preaching divers and