Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/557

 and of Hungary, the heir and successor of our kingdoms, which was also read and published in your congregations, which we will here also have enrolled), and have burned him, as it is reported, in reproach and contempt of us.

Wherefore we have thought good even now to direct our letters patent to your reverences now present in the behalf of Master John Huss; openly professing and protesting, both with heart and mouth, that he, the said Master John Huss, was a just, good, and catholic man, and, a long season, worthily commended and allowed in our kingdom for his life and conversation. He also preached and taught us and our subjects the law of the gospel, and of the holy prophets, and the books of the Old and New Testament, according to the exposition of the holy doctors approved by the church, and left many monuments in writing, most constantly detesting and abhorring all errors and heresies; continually admonishing both us and all faithful Christians to do the like; diligently exhorting all men as much as in him lay, by his words, writings, and travail, unto quietness and concord: so that using all the diligence that we might, we never heard or could understand, that Master John Huss had preached, taught, or by any means affirmed any error or heresy in his sermons, or that by any manner of means he had offended us, or our subjects, either by word or deed; but that he always led a quiet and a godly life in Christ, exhorting all men diligently, both by his word and works, as much as he might, to observe and keep the law of the gospel, and the institutions of the holy fathers, after the preaching of our holy mother the church, and to the edifying of men's souls. Neither did these premises which you had so perpetrated to the reproach both of us and our kingdom and marquisdom, suffice and content you, but that also, without all mercy and piety, you have apprehended, imprisoned, and condemned, and even now, peradventure, like as you did Master John Huss, you have most cruelly murdered the worshipful man. Master Jerome of Prague; a man abounding in eloquence, master of the seven liberal arts, and a famous philosopher; not being seen, heard, examined, neither convicted, but only at the sinister and false accusations of his and our accusers and betrayers.

Furthermore, it is come to our knowledge and understanding (which we do not without great grief rehearse), as we may also evidently gather by your writings, how that certain detractors, odious both to God and men, privy enviers and betrayers, have wickedly and grievously, albeit falsely and traitorously, accused us, our kingdom and marquisdom aforesaid, before you in your council; that in the said kingdom of Bohemia, and marquisdom of Moravia, divers errors are sprung up, which have grievously and manifoldly infected both our hearts, and also the hearts of many faithful men; insomuch that without a speedy stop or stay of correction, the said kingdom and marquisdom, together with the faithful Christians therein, should incur an irreparable loss and ruin of their souls.

These cruel and pernicious injuries which are laid unto us and to our said kingdom and marquisdom, albeit most falsely and slanderously, how may we suffer? forasmuch as through tho [sic] grace of God