Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/453

 autem tristitiam habetis; iterum autem videbo vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum;" "You are now in sadness, I will see you again, and then your hearts will rejoice." Which collation being ended, another cardinal, named Anthony, was sent up by the pope and the council with this proclamation; first, to dismiss the synod, and to give every man leave to depart home. Also to declare the pope's indulgence unto them, who, by the authority of God Almighty, had granted to them all and every one present at that council, full absolution once in their life; so that every one, within two months after the hearing of this indulgence, should procure the same in form of writing. Also, another indulgence was granted in like manner of plenary remission at the hour of death, and that was understood as well of the household as of the masters themselves; but under this condition, that from the time of notification of the same, they should fast by the space of one whole year every Friday, for the absolution in their lifetime; and for the absolution at the hour of death, to fast the same Friday another year, except they had some lawful impediment to the contrary, so that after the second year, they should fast unto their lives' end, or else do some other good work; which being in this manner proclaimed, the synod brake up, and every man departed home.

The number of the foreigners resorting to this council, both spiritual and temporal, was sixty thousand five hundred: whereof the number of archbishops and bishops was three hundred and forty-six; abbots and doctors, five hundred and sixty-four; secular men, princes, dukes, earls, knights, esquires, sixteen thousand; besides common women belonging to the same council, four hundred and fifty; barbers, six hundred; minstrels, cooks, and jesters, three hundred and twenty. So that the whole multitude which were viewed to be in the town of Constance, between Easter and Whitsuntide, were numbered to be sixty thousand five hundred strangers and foreigners at that council.

Here is to be noted that in this council of Constance nothing was decreed or enacted worthy of memory, but this only, that the pope's authority is under the council, and that the council ought to judge the pope. And, as touching the communion in both kinds, although the council did not deny, but that it was used by Christ and his apostles, yet notwithstanding, by the same council, it was decreed the contrary.

Hitherto we have comprehended the order and discourse of this council, with the acts and sessions concerning the same; which council, although it was principally thought to be assembled for quieting of the schism between the three popes; yet, notwithstanding, a great part thereof was for the cause of the Bohemians, and especially for John Huss, as appeared by their preparation before the council. For before the council began, the emperor Sigismund aforesaid sent certain gentlemen, Bohemians, who were of his own household, giving them in charge to bring John Huss, bachelor of divinity, unto the said council, and that under his safe conduct. The meaning and intent thereof was, that John Huss should purge and clear him-