Page:The life & times of Master John Hus by Count Lützow.djvu/309

 with Hus. Duba said: “Behold, Master John, we are laymen and cannot give advice. Consider then if thou feelest thyself guilty of any of the things of which thou art accused. If so, do not hesitate to accept instruction and to recant. But if thou dost not feel guilty of these things that are brought forward against thee, be guided by thy conscience, do nothing against thy conscience, nor lie before the face of God; rather hold unto death to the truth as thou hast understood it.” Hus answered humbly and in tears: “Be it known to you that if I knew that I had written or preached anything against the law and the holy mother the church, I would humbly recant it; may God be my witness to this; but I always desire that they should show me doctrines that are better and more credible than those which I have written and taught. If such be shown me, I will gladly recant.” Then one of the bishops who was standing near answered, saying: “Wilt thou then be wiser than the whole council?” But the master said to him: “I do not claim to be wiser than the whole council, but, I beg you, give me the meanest (minimus) man at the council that he may instruct me in better and more effective doctrine, and I am prepared immediately to recant.” In answer to these words the bishops said: “Behold, how obstinate he is in his heresy.” Then, after ordering him to be led back to his prison, they went away.

The following day—July 6—had been fixed on for the execution, or as the Bohemians deemed it, the martyrdom of Hus. The council, to give more solemnity to the proceedings, met at the cathedral on this occasion. Sigismund sat on a throne near the high altar in full state, surrounded by all his courtiers. The members of the council were present almost without exception, and the rest of the vast cathedral was filled with spectators, among them almost all the Bohemians who were then at Constance. It was probably in view of their expected presence that Sigismund had made extensive military