Page:The life & times of Master John Hus by Count Lützow.djvu/279

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THE TRIAL AND DEATH OF HUS

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different from that which he had intended, even louder cries arose. Some screamed: “Abandon all sophistry, say Yes or No;” others began to deride him. The tumult became yet greater when Hus attempted to quote the holy fathers of the church. All cried: “This is of no importance! this is not to the question!” When Hus, seeing that the assembly had determined to prevent his being heard, ceased speaking, all cried out to him: “Behold, thou art silent, thou hast admitted thy errors!”^[1] Writing to Lord John of Chlum in the evening of June 5, Hus says: “All cried out at me, as did the Jews against Jesus.” Still hoping that he might be treated more fairly at another meeting, he writes not quite hopelessly at the end of the same letter: “I doubt whether they will allow me to quote the views of St. Augustine on the praedestinati and praesciti, or on evil prelates.” The proceedings on the first day of Hus’s trial were so scandalous^[2] that it was determined to suspend the sitting and continue the trial on June 7.

On June 7, the second day of the trial, a total eclipse of the sun took place. It was particularly noticed by the pious citizens of Prague, who believed that it foreshadowed the doom of their beloved master.^[3] Darkness also covered the city of Constance, and lights had to be lit in the refectory when the trial was resumed. A large body of Hungarian mercenaries had been placed in the refectory by Sigismund’s

↑ This account is abridged from the narrative of Mladenovic, who was present at the trial of Hus.
↑ The proceedings of the Council of Constance were often very turbulent—not only on the occasion of the trial of Hus. They sometimes resembled the sittings of certain modern parliaments. Thus Pope John XXIII., when complaining to the King of France of the conduct of the emperor, accused Sigismund of having sent to the meetings of the council men of low rank, who interrupted the cardinals and prelates. Then “sibilabatur et fiebat eis (the prelates) tanta injuria quod oportebat ipsos obmutescere et abire confuse” (Tosti, History of the Council of Constance).
↑ Lawrence of Brezova writes: “Item VII. die mensis Junii, qui erat feria VI. post Bonifacii hora XI. ecclipsatus est totus sol ita quod non poterant missae sine luminibus celebrari in signum quod sol Justiciae Christus in cordibus praelatorum multorum ad mortem Magistri Johannis Hus de proximo per concilium mortificandi anhelantium fuit obscuratus.” (Fontes rerum Bohemicarum, v. 338.)

[1] This account is abridged from the narrative of Mladenovic, who was present at the trial of Hus.

[2] The proceedings of the Council of Constance were often very turbulent—not only on the occasion of the trial of Hus. They sometimes resembled the sittings of certain modern parliaments. Thus Pope John XXIII., when complaining to the King of France of the conduct of the emperor, accused Sigismund of having sent to the meetings of the council men of low rank, who interrupted the cardinals and prelates. Then “sibilabatur et fiebat eis (the prelates) tanta injuria quod oportebat ipsos obmutescere et abire confuse” (Tosti, History of the Council of Constance).

[3] Lawrence of Brezova writes: “Item VII. die mensis Junii, qui erat feria VI. post Bonifacii hora XI. ecclipsatus est totus sol ita quod non poterant missae sine luminibus celebrari in signum quod sol Justiciae Christus in cordibus praelatorum multorum ad mortem Magistri Johannis Hus de proximo per concilium mortificandi anhelantium fuit obscuratus.” (Fontes rerum Bohemicarum, v. 338.)

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