Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/477



all brotherly love and charity, are done unto him by his enemies even for very malice and hatred.

To the intent, therefore, that the rancour and malice may be confounded and overthrown, and the plain and evident truth appear, it may please your fatherly reverences to understand that it is notified and known unto the barons, nobles, and citizens, the clergy and laity of the Kingdom of Bohemia, that Master John Huss, in all his acts and doings, as well scholastical as ecclesiastical, and especially in all his public and open sermons, hath made, and hath accustomed to make, these manner of protestations; and which, without any thing to the contrary, be hath always endeavoured to have them strong and firm, as by this his protestation here following (which he made about the determination of a certain question), it may most evidently and plainly appear unto every man who would behold and look upon the same: the form and tenor whereof here followeth, and is this.

'Forasmuch as above all things I do desire the honour of God, the profit of the holy church, and that I myself may be a faithfid member of our Lord Jesu Christ, who is the head and husband of the holy church which he hath redeemed; therefore, as heretofore oftentimes I have done, even so now again, I make this protestation: That I never obstinately said, or hereafter will say, any thing that shall be contrary unto the truth and verity; and, moreover, that I have always holden, do hold, and firmly desire to hold, the very true and infallible truth and verity; so that before I would defend and maintain any error contrary thereunto, I would rather choose, by the hope and help of the Lord, to sufter extreme punishment, even unto death: yea, and through the help of God, I am ready even to offer this my miserable life unto death for the law of Christ, which I do believe, every part and parcel thereof, to be given and promidgated for the salvation of mankind, by the counsel and determination of the most holy Trinity and the saints of God.


 * 'Moreover, I do believe all and singular the articles of that law, according to the sense and understanding in which the most blessed Trinity hath commanded them to be believed. Wherefore, like as in my answers and acts scholastical, and also in my public sermons, I have, oftentimes, submitted myself, even so now, again, I do submit myself, and hereafter will most humbly submit myself under the obedience, reconciliation, and ordinance, of this most sacred and holy law; being ready to revoke and retract whatsoever I have heretofore spoken or said; being truly informed and taught, that it were contrary unto the truth.'*

By the which his protestation, and also other protestations by the said Master John Huss, being well observed and noted, it may be easily gathered and known, that his whole intent and purpose was and is, that he neither would nor will have spoken or written any thing in his books, treatises, doctrines, or public sermons; or else to have affirmed any articles, which willingly and wittingly he did understand or know to be erroneous, offensive, seditious, heretical, or offending the godly ear: albeit that these and such like things are falsely imputed unto him by his enemies. But it hath always been his chief intent and purpose, and so is, that every point, conclusion, or article, contained in his books or articles, to have put and affirmed them to this end, according to the truth of the gospel, the holy doctors, and writers upon the holy Scriptures; and to that end and purpose, as is before expressed in his protestations: and if in any point he should be found to vary or go astray, or that he were not well understood of others, by like information to be informed, understood, corrected, and amended; and that he will by no means sustain or defend any manner of article against the holy church of Rome, or the catholic faith.

Wherefore, most reverend fathers! the premises notwithstanding, his enemies, through the extreme hatred which they bear unto him, have picked and taken out by piecemeal, certain articles out of the books of Master John Huss, and, rejecting and not looking upon the allegations and reasons, neither having any relation unto the distinction of their equivocations, have compoimdcd and made