Page:Letters of John Huss Written During His Exile and Imprisonment.djvu/109

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TO THE FAITHFUL BELIEVERS OF PRAGUE.
75

LETTER IV.

JOHN, CURÉ OF JANOWITZ, TO THE FAITHFUL BELIEVERS OF PRAGUE.

[Fragments of a letter attributed to John, Curé of Janowitz, and inserted in the latin collection of John Huss's letters.[1]]

Very dear Friends, I desire you to be informed that an auditor of the Sacred Apostolical Palace came to our lodging with the Bishop and the Ecclesiastical Judge of Constance. They conversed with the master;[2] and there has been a long debate between the Pope and the Cardinals on the subject of his interdiction. They have decided a messenger should go from them to the master, and inform him that the Pope, of his full power, suspends the interdiction and sentence excommunicating him, and prays him, in order to prevent scandal and public rumour, not to present himself in places where the Pope and the Cardinals solemnly officiate; granting him otherwise full liberty to visit the town, the churches, and all other places he pleases. We have understood that they all fear the next sermon which Master John intends delivering to the clergy; and, in fact, some one yesterday—we know not whether a friend or an enemy—spread the report that

  1. This letter is important, as it shews in what manner Huss was treated during the early part of his stay at Constance.
  2. With John Huss.