Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/474



aforesaid, and especially the lord John de Clum here present, do answer, that he hath continually lodged with the said Master John Huss, here in Constance, and that whosoever they be, that have been so bold, or dare be so bold, to say and affirm that Master John Huss had preached, as is premised, or, which is less, that since the time of his coming unto this city, even unto the very day and time of his captivity and imprisonment, he went but one step out of the house of his lodging, that the said lord John de Clum will and is content to bind himself with any such as shall affirm the same, under what penalty soever it be, of money or otherwise, that that which they have falsely reported unto your reverences, they shall never be able justly and truly to affirm and prove.

Thirdly, Whereas your reverences do say, that you do not understand or know, what the lords do mean, by the heretics condemned at the council holden at Pisa, whether the mocking or deriding of the pope, whose ambassadors came thither for unity or concord, who were suffered, and gently treated, as their lords were most inclined unto unity and peace; or else that they did understand or mean the particular heretics, who were there condemned; adjoining thereunto, that the heretics also coming unto the council under the pretence of that unity, should be gently handled and entreated, &c. Reverend fathers and lords! whether they be counted the first, or that they be thought the second or last, the lords aforesaid require none other thing, but that the said Master John Huss may use such liberty as they used, forasmuch as he came willingly unto this most sacred council, not for any other purpose, but only publicly to recognise his faith. And that in what point soever he shall seem to vary from the word of God, and the union of the holy mother the church, in that point he will willingly be united and reconciled again thereunto; and not only himself, but also his favourers and adherents he would move and provoke thereunto, of whom the greater number are in the kingdom of Bohemia. Also he is come hither, that he might purge and clear the noble kingdom of Bohemia from the sinister and evil slander which was raised upon it.

Last of all, most reverend fathers and lords! forasmuch as your reverences have most favourably answered unto the principal request made by the lords aforesaid, that the process of Master John Huss, through God's help, should be determined and ended with all expedition and gentleness; the lords aforesaid do render most hearty thanks unto your reverences, and whensoever their desire, by God’s help, shall come to the end or effect long wished or looked for, they will not only here, but also before the whole kingdom of Bohemia, and in all other places wheresoever they come, render most immortal thanks unto your reverences for ever.

This declaration of the nobles of Bohemia above prefixed, may serve not only to the confutation of the bishop Luthonis, that Bohemian, but also against the cavillations of Alanus Copus Anglus, touching the safe-conduct of John Huss, whereof sufficiently before hath been said.


 * In the name of God, Amen. The year of our Lord 1411, the tenth day of September, in the second year of the bishopric of our most holy father in Christ and Lord, the lord John, by the providence of God, pope, the twenty-third of that name; in the greater city of Prague, in the college of Charles, where the weighty affairs of the university of Prague are accustomed to be treated and talked of. The honourable and devout man, Master John de Hussenetz, master of arts, and bachelor of divinity, and preacher of the word of God in the chapel called Bethlehem, did put up a certain writing in manner of an epistle, written with his own hand before the reverend man sir Simon de Thysnow, master of arts, and bachelor of divinity, rector of the imiversity and the whole college of doctors and masters, in the presence also of the public notaries, which he would send unto our most holy father, the tenor whereof followeth, word for word.

'According to my due reverence which I owe unto Jesu Christ, the high bishop, I am ready to satisfy every man, who shall require me to render my