Page:The life & times of Master John Hus by Count Lützow.djvu/312

 them all at the same time?” When somewhat later, during the reading of the articles, Hus again attempted to explain his meaning, the Cardinal of Florence, Zabarella, said, rising from his seat: “Be silent, we have already heard thee sufficiently;” then addressing the beadles who surrounded Hus, he said to them: “Force him to be silent.” Hus then knelt down and said with a loud voice: “I beg you, in the name of God, to grant me a hearing, that those who are present may not think that I hold heretical opinions. After that deal with me as you see fit.” The prohibition, however, was maintained. Hus then for a time ceased to address the council, wishing to avoid that physical violence be used against him by the beadles and mercenary soldiers within the precincts of the cathedral. He continued to kneel, and prayed with eyes lifted heavenward, commending, as Mladenovic writes, his cause to God, the justest of judges.

After the articles followed the depositions of the, mostly Bohemian, witnesses against Hus. One of the accusers, a doctor of divinity, stated that Hus had declared “that he was and would be a fourth person in the divinity.” It is not known who this doctor was, but suspicion certainly points to Stephen Palec, next to Michael de causis the most impudent and the most unscrupulous of the enemies of Hus. This accusation of blasphemy of the deepest dye roused Hus to make one more attempt to record a protest. “Let that doctor,” he said, “be named who has deposed this against me.” The bishop who was reading out the articles answered: “It is unnecessary that he should be named.” It is, however, probable that Hus was allowed to answer at some length. The mercenaries who surrounded him, contrary to the orders which they had received, used no violence against him. The