with which his works are treated at present by the national (i.e. Bohemian) public."
John of Husinec, or John Hus as he is usually called, was, according to ancient tradition, born on 6th July 1369; neither day nor year of his birth are, however, absolutely certain. Many tales told of the early days of Hus are taken from the records of the Bohemian brethren, written many years after his death. From the year 1400 onward authentic accounts of the events of the life of the Bohemian reformer exist, and from the year 1409 to the time of his death we have a continuous and detailed record of his life.
At a very early age Hus proceeded to Prague to pursue at the university there the studies required for the purpose of entering the Church. With his usual candour and simplicity Hus himself tells us that he originally decided to adopt the ecclesiastical career rather for the purpose of gaining a living than through any special vocation. It is, however, certain that during his years of study he already led a pious and studious life. He has indeed confessed[1] that before he was ordained "he had been fond of playing chess, thus wasting time and causing irritation" (to his partners). Such a confession, written while he was preparing for his fatal journey to Constance, proves indeed how little he had to confess, and is a touching instance both of his extremely sensitive conscience and of the profound humility so characteristic of Hus.
In September 1393 Hus took the degree of bachelor of arts, in the following year that of bachelor in divinity,
- ↑ Letter to the "disciple Martin," dated October 10th, 1414, printed in Documenta Mag. Joannis Hus Vitam Doctrinam, Causam Illustrantia. I have based this summary account of the career of Hus mainly on this important collection of documents, published by Palacký in 1869.
