Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

Consider that they (the members of the council) branded their chief as a heretic. Answer now, ye preachers who preach that the pope is an earthly God, that he cannot sin, that he cannot commit simony, that, as the jurists1 affirm, the pope is the head of the entire holy church, which he rules very wisely, that he is the heart of the holy church, which he spiritually nourishes, the fountain from which all power and goodness flow, the sun of the holy church and the faultless refuge to which all Christians should fly. But now, behold, this head has been struck off. The earthly God is in bonds, and he is openly convicted of sin, the fountain has become dry, the sun has become dim, the heart has been plucked out, the refuge has fled from Constance and has been abandoned, so that none can flee to it. The council has condemned him (Pope John XXIII.) as a heretic because he sold indulgences and bishoprics, and other benefices, and among those who condemned him were many who had themselves bought such things from him, and others who had trafficked in them. Thus John, Bishop of Litomysl, was present, who twice bid for the archbishopric of Prague, but others outbid him. Oh, why did they not first remove the beam from their own eye? Truly their (canon) law says: If one has obtained some dignity by means of money, let him be deprived of it.' Therefore should the seller and buyer, and he who deposits money,2 or acts as agent, be publicly condemned. St. Peter condemned and accursed Simon because he wished to buy for money the power of the Holy Ghost. These (the members of the council) condemn indeed and curse the vendors, but they themselves continue buyers and givers of earnest-money. There is a bishop at Constance who bought (benefices) and another who sold, and the pope received money for giving his consent. It is thus also in Bohemia (and Moravia), as is known to you. Oh, had but the Lord Jesus said at the council: 'He among you that is without the

1i.e., those priests, very numerous in the time of Hus, who studied jurisprudence rather than theology.

'Earnest-money, that was paid down before the sale of a benefice was completed.

3 The brackets are in the original.

1

sin of simony, let him condemn Pope John!' It seems to me that they would have run away, one after the other. Why then did they kneel before him, kiss his feet, call him holiest father, knowing that he was a heretic, a murderer, one guilty of nameless sinof all of which offences he was convicted? Why did the cardinals choose him as pope, knowing that he was an evil murderer, one who had killed the holy father? Why did they allow him to commit simony when he had become pope-they who had been appointed his counsellors, that they should counsel him wisely? And are not those guilty who together with him committed simony? Why then, till he (Pope John XXIII.) fled from Constance, did none dare say anything to him but 'holiest father'? Then indeed they were still afraid of him. But when the secular power with the consent or by the will of God seized him, then they conspired against him, concerting among themselves to prevent his being freed. Assuredly the wickedness, sinfulness, and shame of Antichrist became manifest in this pope and in the other members of the council. Already may God's faithful servants understand the words of the Saviour when he said: 'When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (whoso readeth let him understand).' 2 The great abomination is pride, avarice, simony. By desolation are meant honours that are devoid of modesty and other virtues, as we see plainly when looking at those who hold offices and honours. Oh, could I but describe these sins that the faithful may shun them. Gladly would I do so, but I hope to God that he will grant after me men who are braver than those of the present day, who will show better the wickedness of Antichrist, and lay down their lives for the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will, I pray, grant you and me eternal happiness. Amen. Written on the day of St. John the 1 Hus refers to the widely-spread rumour that John XXIII. had poisoned Pope Alexander.

2 St. Matthew xxiv. 15.

This passage is one of those in which Hus speaks prophetically of those who were to continue his struggle for church-reform. These remarks are probably the foundation of the legend-to be noted later-according to which Hus had predicted the coming of Luther.

Baptist in prison, and in fetters, mindful that John also was in prison and in fetters and was decapitated for God's truth."

A letter of Hus written two days later, also addressed to "the faithful Bohemians," again refers to the decree ordering the burning of his Bohemian writings. The letter also contains an allusion to the terrible state of depravation prevailing in Constance in consequence of the presence of so many ecclesiastics. Such matters have often been overlooked by writers of all parties. Yet they deserve attention. It was the burning indignation kindled in the minds of clean-living and respectable men by such scandals that produced the movement in favour of church-reform far more than any differences of opinion on matters of dogma. In this letter (June 26), which need not be translated entirely, Hus writes: "It has occurred to me to inform you how the council, haughty, avaricious and full of all iniquity, has condemned my Bohemian books, which it had neither heard nor seen, nor, had it heard them, would have understood; for there were at the council Italians, Frenchmen, Englishmen, Spaniards and Germans, and men of other nations. The only ones who would have understood them were John, Bishop of Litomysl and the other Bohemian instigators, with the chapters of Prague and the Vysehrad,1 who originated the insults to God's truth and to our Bohemian home, which (country) I, trusting in God, hold to be the most pious land, zealous for the divine word and for morality. Oh, had you but seen this council, which calls itself the most holy council and claims infallibility! you would have beheld great abomination, of which I have heard the Suabians say, that in thirty years their city Constance or Kostnice 3 will not be purged of the sins which the council committed in their town; some say that the council has scandalised all; others spat out when they beheld the foul deeds."

2

On the following day-June 27-Hus sent a letter of farewell

1 The monks of Prague and the Vysehrad, who owned many of the largest estates in Bohemia, became bitter enemies of Hus, as soon as he began to preach against avarice and simony.

2i.e., by defaming Bohemia as a heretical country.

The Bohemian name of the town of Constance.

[ocr errors]

to the University of Prague with which he had been so closely connected during his studies and during his prolonged struggle against the enemies of church-reform. In this letter, written in Latin according to the custom of the learned of that time, Hus exhorts the masters, bachelors, and students of the university to love each other, to root out schisms, to strive above all for the glory of God, bearing in mind how he (Hus) had always striven to further the progress of the university for the honour of God, how he had sorrowed over discord and excesses among the students, how he had wished to join in union the members of the illustrious Bohemian nation. And behold," Hus continues, "some of those who were dearest to me,1 for whom I would have laid down my life, have assailed me with insult and calumny, have brought on me much bitterness and a bitter death. May the omnipotent God forgive them, for they know not what they do. I pray for these men with a sincere heart, that God may spare them. Meanwhile, beloved in Jesus Christ, stand by the acknowledged truth, which conquers all and grows ever stronger unto all eternity. Be it also known to you that I have recanted no article nor abjured one. The council also wished that I should declare false all the articles, and any one, which they might extract from my writings. I refused to do so unless their falseness could be proved from Scripture; should any one of the articles have been falsely interpreted I abhor such an interpretation and commend its correction to Jesus Christ, who knows my sincere innermost intentions, not interpreting them in an evil sense, such as was not in my intention. You also I exhort in the Lord to reject whatever evil sense may be given to any of the articles, but to retain the truth. Pray to God for me and greet one another in holy peace."

The last letter of Hus which has been preserved is dated June 29. Written in Bohemian, it contains a short farewell to Hus's friends in Bohemia, to whom it is addressed. Hus writes: "May God be with you and grant you eternal reward for the good which you

1 Hus alludes to those priests who had formerly been his friends, but afterwards became spies and informers against him.

have done to me and still do, though my body will soon be dead. Do not allow Lord John (of Chlum), that true and noble knight, my benefactor, to incur any danger, I beg you in the name of God, dear Sir Peter the mintmaster and Lady Anna.1 I beg you also to live well and obey God according to my teaching. To the queen,2 my most gracious mistress, express my thanks for all the benefits which she has bestowed on me. Greet your household and the other faithful friends, whom I cannot all name. I beg you also to pray for me to the Lord God, within whose holy grace we shall by His help meet. Amen. I write this letter expecting my death-sentence in prison and in fetters, which, as I hope, I endure for the sake of God's law. I beg you in the name of the Lord God not to allow the good priests 3 to be ill-treated."

A quaint postscript follows the letter; it runs thus:

"Peter, dearest friend, keep my fur coat in memory of me. "Lord Henry Lefl, live in good friendship with your wife. I thank you for your benefits; God will requite them to you.

6

"Faithful friends, Sir Lider and Lady Margaret, also Master Skuocek, Mikeska, and others, may God grant you eternal reward for the trouble you have taken for me and the benefits you have conferred on me.

[ocr errors]

thee.

Faithful and beloved Magister Christian,' may God be with

Magister Martin, my disciple, remember that which I have faithfully taught thee. Master Nicholas, Peter, priest of the queen,8

1 This passage is not very clear. Peter of Svojsin, Bohemian mintmaster, and his wife, Lady Anna of Frimburg, were friends of Hus and of churchreform. They also had influence at the court of Venceslas. Hus begged them to be helpful to his protector, Lord John of Chlum.

4

i.e., Queen Sophia.

3i.e., those priests who were opposed to simony.

Probably Peter Mladenovic, Petre amice carissime pellicium tibi serva

in mei memoriam." The words are in Latin in the Bohemian letter.

5

6

Nothing is known of the persons mentioned here.

Called also Marik Kacer, formerly vice-chancellor of the Bohemian kingdom.

* Master Christian (or Kristan) of Prachatice, one of the leading Bohemian church-reformers.

"Probably Hus's successor as confessor of the queen.

« PredošláPokračovať »