Page:The life & times of Master John Hus by Count Lützow.djvu/316

 place of torture he began, on bent knees, with his arms extended and his eyes lifted to heaven, to recite psalms with great fervour, particularly, ‘Have mercy on me, oh God,’ and ‘In thee, oh Lord, do I put my trust.’ He repeated the verse: ‘Into thy hand I commit my spirit,’ and it was noticed by his friends that he prayed joyfully and with a beautiful countenance. Now the place of torture was among gardens in a field on the road that leads from the city of Constance in the direction of the castle of Gottlieben, between the gate and the moat at the outworks of the city. Some laymen who stood near the spot said: ‘We know not what he has formerly said or done, but we now see and hear that he prays, and speaks holy words!’ Others said: ‘Assuredly it were well that he should have a confessor, who would hear him.’ But a priest who was riding past, clad in a green doublet that was lined with red silk, said: ‘He may not be heard, neither may a confessor be granted to him, for he is a heretic.’ Master John, however, while still in prison, had made confession to a doctor (of divinity), who was a monk, and had been heard by him, and had received absolution, as he mentions in one of the letters which he sent to his disciples from prison. While he (Hus) was praying, as mentioned before, the crown of blasphemy, as it was called, fell from his head. He noticed that three devils were painted on it and smiled. And some of the mercenaries who stood near said: ‘Let it be again placed on his head, that he be burnt together with his masters, the devils whom he served!’

“Rising from his prayers by order of the lictor (soldier, or town-official), Hus said with a loud and intelligible voice, so that he could be well heard by his disciples: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, I will bear patiently and humbly this horrible, shameful, and cruel death for the sake of Thy gospel and the preaching of Thy word.’ When he was led past the spectators, he addressed them, begging them not to believe that he had ever