The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe/Volume 3/A Letter of John Huss to his Friend Martin
For other English-language translations of this work, see Letter of Jan Hus to Master Martin, his Disciple (10 October 1414).
A Letter of John Huss to his Friend Martin.
Master Martin, my dear brother in Christ, I exhort you in the Lord that you fear God, keep his commandments, and flee the company of women, and beware of hearing their confession, lest, by the hypocrisy of women, Satan deceive you; trust not their devotion. You know how I have detested the avarice and the inordinate life of the clergy; wherefore, through the grace of God, I suffer now persecution, which shortly shall be consummate in me; neither do I fear to have my heart poured out for the name of Christ Jesus; I desire you heartily, be not greedy in seeking after benefices. And yet if you shall be called to any cure in the country, let the honour of God, the salvation of souls, and the travail thereof, move you thereunto, and not the having of the living or the commodities thereof. And if you shall be placed in any such benefice, beware you have no young woman for your cook or servant, lest you edify and increase more your house than your soul.[1] See that you be a builder of your spiritual house, being gentle to the poor and humble of mind, and waste not your goods in great fare. He repenteth his gay garments.I fear also if you do not amend your life, ceasing from your costly and superfluous apparel, lest you shall be grievously chastised, as I also, wretched man, shall be punished, who have used the like, being seduced by custom of evil men and worldly glory, whereby I have been wounded against God with the spirit of pride. And because you have notably known both my preaching and outward conversation even from my youth, I have no need to write many things unto you, but to desire you, for the mercy of Jesus Christ, that you do not follow me in any such levity and lightness, which you have seen in me. He repenteth his playing at the chess.You knew how, before my priesthood (which grieveth me now) I have delighted to play oftentimes at chess, and have neglected my time, and have unhappily provoked both myself and others to anger many times by that play. Wherefore, besides other my innumerable faults, for this also I desire you to invocate the mercy of the Lord, that he will pardon me, and so direct my life, that having overcome the wickedness of this present life, the flesh, the world, and the devil, I may find place in the heavenly country, at least in the day of judgment. Fare ye well in Christ Jesus, with all them who keep his law. My grey coat, if you will, keep to yourself for my remembrance, but I think you are ashamed to wear that grey colour; therefore you may give it to whom you shall think good. My white coat you shall give the minister N. my scholar. To George or else to Zuzikon sixty groats, or else my grey coat, for he hath faithfully served me.
The Superscription.
I pray you that you do not open this letter, before you be sure and certain of my death.
- ↑ Note that then priests were not married, and therefore he willeth them to avoid the company of women.