Page:The letters of John Hus.djvu/224

 this sense.” Whereupon they remarked, “Do you wish to defend it?” My reply was, “No, I abide by the decision of the Council.”

God is my witness that I could not think at the time of a more suitable reply, seeing that I had before written with my own hand that I had no wish to make an obstinate defence of anything but was ready to receive instruction from any one. That question was put to me, because some one had told them that I had given a message to the King to the effect that I wanted to defend three or four of the articles. They inquired therefore if I had given any message to him. I said, “No”: for I never sent any message in these terms to the King, but as you know, etc.

Item, Michael was standing by holding up the paper and urging the Patriarch to make me reply to their questions. Meanwhile some bishops came in. Once more Michael brewed some fresh mischief. God permitted him and Palecz to rise up together against me on account of my sins: for Michael pries into my letters and other things, while Palecz brings out those old conversations we had together years ago.

The Patriarch is always insisting before them all that I have plenty of money. So an archbishop said to me in the course of the inquiry, “You have 70,000 florins.” Michael exclaimed before them all with a mocking laugh, “What has become of that doublet full of florins? How much money do the