Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/478



thereof certain false and feigned articles against him to this end, that, all charity and love being set apart, they might the better overthrow him, and bring him unto death, contrary unto the safe-conduct upon good and just occasion openly assigned and given unto the said Master John Huss, by the most noble prince the lord Sigismund, king of the Romans and of Hungary, for his just defence against all the frivolous accusations and assaults of the enemies, not only of the said Master John Huss, but also of the famous kingdom of Bohemia, and for the quiet appeasing of all such tumults and rumours rising and springing up in the said kingdom of Bohemia, or elsewhere; the avoiding of which most perilous uproars, the said king of Romans doth greatly desire and wish, as the right heir and successor of the said kingdom.

Whereupon the barons and nobles aforesaid, most humbly desire and require, the premises being considered, and respect had unto the great infamy and slander which may happen by the premises unto the said kingdom and inhabitants thereof, that you will put to your hands and take some order and means, that Master John Huss may be distinctly heard by some famous men, divines already deputed, or otherwise to be appointed, upon all and singidar such articles as shall be laid unto him; to declare his own mind and intent, and also the mind of the doctors alleged for this purpose, with the manifold distinctions and equivocations, in which the drawers-out of the most part of his articles have also made equivocations, that so, according to the disposition of the witnesses, of which a great number of them are and have a long time been his mortal enemies, that at the frivolous instigation of his enemies, when he was miserably detained prisoner, he should not be condemned unheard. Forasmuch as by the said declarations your fatherly reverences might be the more better informed of the truth, he himself is ready always to submit himself under the determination of this most sacred council. For your reverences, by the crafty and feigned persuasions of his enemies, are thus informed, that Master John Huss hath been incurably obstinate for a long time, in most perilous articles, which your reverences may now plainly perceive to be untrue: and for the more evidence herein to be showed, there is presented unto your reverences an of the most reverend father in Christ the lord Nicholas, bishop of Nazareth, an inquisitor of heresies, especially appointed by the apostolic see in the diocese of Prague, which by your reverences is more diligently to be hearkened unto.

Wherefore it may please your fatherly reverences to command the said Master John Huss, neither convicted nor condemned, to be taken and brought out of his bonds and chains, in which he is now most grievously detained and kept, and to put him into the hands of some reverend lords, bishops or commissioners appointed, or to be appointed, by this present council; that the said Master John Huss may somewhat be relieved, and recover again his health, and be the more diligently and commodiously examined by the commissioners. And for the more assurance, the barons and nobles aforesaid of the kingdom of Bohemia, will provide most sure and good sureties, who will not break their fidelity and faith for any thing in the world; who also shall promise in this behalf, that he shall not flee nor depart out of their hands, until such time as the matter be fully determined by the said commissioners. In the execution of which promises, we have determined to provide and foresee, unto the fame and honour of the said kingdom of Bohemia, and also to the safe-conduct of the most worthy prince, the king of Romans; lest that the enemies and detractors of the honour and fame of the kingdom aforesaid, might not a little slander and reprove the said lords; pretending and showing forth hereafter, that they had made unreasonable or unlawful requests: for the withstanding of which mischief, we require your fatherly reverences, that you will decree, and most graciously consent, that this our petition and supplication may be drawn out again by your notary, and reduced into a public form and order.

After this supplication was read before the deputies of the four nations, the patriarch of Antioch answered in the name of them all, unto every article of the said supplication; but it was done in few words.