Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/479

Substance of the Answer of the Council to the Supplication.

 

First, as touching the protestation of John Huss, whether it be true or false, it shall be made evident in the process of his cause. John Huss in no case must be bailed.⁠Moreover, whereas they say that the adversaries of John Huss have perversely drawn certain things out of his books: that, also, the matter itself shall declare in the end; where, if it shall be found and decreed that John Huss is unjustly and untruly accused, it shall then come to pass that his adversaries shall incur perpetual ignominy and slander. No credit to be kept with a heretic.⁠But as touching sureties, albeit there might he a thousand put in or bound, yet can it not by any means be, that the deputies of the council with a safe conscience may receive or take them in this man's cause, unto whom there is no faith nor credit to be given. Howbeit thus much they will do, upon the fifth day of June next, John Huss shall be brought again unto Constance, and there have free liberty to speak his mind before the council, and that they would lovingly and gently hear him.

 

But the matter in the end fell out far contrary to this promise.—The same day the said barons and lords presented a supplication of this tenor unto the emperor:

 

Supplication of the Barons to the Emperor Sigismund for John Huss.

 

Unto the most high and mighty prince, the lord Sigismund, king of the Romans, always Augustus, king of Hungary, Croatia and Dalmatia, our most gracious lord, faithful and true service in all things, and at all times. Most noble prince, and gracious lord, we signify unto your worthiness, that we all together, with one mind, consent, and accord, have delivered up unto the reverend fathers and lords, the deputies of the four nations, and to the whole sacred council of Constance, this our supplication hereunder written, as reasonable, just, and worthy of consideration; the tenor whereof here followeth word by word, and is this.^[1]

'Wherefore we most humbly require and desire your princely majesty, that both for the love of justice, and also of the fame and renown of that most famous kingdom of Bohemia, whereof we acknowledge you undoubtedly the true lord, heir, and successor; and also foreseeing unto the liberty of your safe-conduct, that you will, with your favourable countenance, beholding these most reasonable and just supplications which we have put up to the lords aforesaid, put to your helping hand toward the said most reverend fathers and lords, that they will effectually hear us in this our most just petition, which we have offered up to them, as is aforesaid; lest the enemies of the renown and honour of the famous kingdom of Bohemia (and such be our slanderers also) hereafter may detract and slander us, that we should make unreasonable and unlawful requests unto the said reverend fathers and lords; and therefore, we required and desired of them, that it would please them to decree, by setting to their public hand and seal, to authorise our said supplication. Likewise, we do most heartily require your highness, that you would vouchsafe in like manner to give us your testimony of the premises.'

 

The king forced by the importunity of the cardinals to break promise.⁠But what answer the emperor made hereunto, we could never understand or know; but by the process of the matter a man may easily judge, that this good emperor was brought and led even unto this point, through the obstinate mischief of the cardinals and bishops, to break and falsify his promise and faith which he had made and promised: and this was their reason whereby he was driven thereunto, that no defence could or might be given either by safe-conduct, or by any other means unto him, who was suspected or judged to be a

 

1. The copy of the supplication before written, which was presented unto the deputies of the council, was here inserted, whereunto that which followeth was annexed. See page 444.