By this it may appear that the emperor, as partly ashamed and sorry of that which was done, would gladly have cleared himself thereof, and have washed his hands with Pilate: yet he could not so clear
himself, but that a great portion of that murder remained in him to be noted, and well worthy of reprehension; as may appear by his last words spoken in the council to John Huss, whereof John Huss in his epistles complaineth, writing to certain of his friends in Bohemia, in his thirty-third epistle, as by his words here following may appear.
From a Letter of John Huss to his Friends in Bohemia.
The emperor uncourteous to John Huss.I desire you yet again, for the love of God, that the lords of Bohemia, joining together, will desire the king for a final audience to be given to me. Forasmuch as he alone said to me in the council, that they should give me audience shortly, and that I should answer for myself briefly in writing, it will be to his great confusion, if he shall not perform that which he hath spoken. But I fear that word of his will be as firm and sure, as the other was concerning my safe conduct granted by him. Certain there were in Bohemia, who willed me to beware of his safe conduct. And others said: 'he will surely give you to your enemies.' And the lord Mikest Dweky told me before Master Jessenitz, saying, 'Master! know it for certain you shall be condemned.' And this I suppose he spake, knowing before the intention of the king. I hoped well that he had been well affected towards the law of God and the truth, and had therein good intelligence: now I conceive that he is not greatly skilful, nor so prudently circumspect in himself. Pilate more moderate to Christ, than this emperor to John Huss.He condemned me before mine enemies did; who, if it had pleased him, might have kept the moderation of Pilate the gentile, who said, 'I find no cause in this man;' or, at least, if he had said but thus, 'Behold, Christ, I have given him his safe conduct safely to return; and if he will not abide the decision of the council, I will send him home to the king of Bohemia with your sentence and attestations, that he with his clergy may judge him.' But now I hear, by the relation of Henry Leffy, and of others, that he will ordain for me sufficient audience; and if I will not submit myself to the judgment of the council, he will send me safe, the contrary way, &c.
This John Huss being in prison, wrote divers treatises; as 'Of the Commandments,' 'Of the Lord's Prayer,' ' Of Mortal Sin,' 'Of Matrimony,' 'Of the Knowledge and Love of God,' 'Of three Enemies of Mankind, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil,' 'Of Penance,' 'Of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of the Lord,' 'Of the sufficiency of the Law of God to rule the Church,' &c. He wrote, also, divers epistles and letters to the lords, and to his friends in Bohemia; and in his writings he did foreshow many things before to come, touching the reformation of the church: and seemeth in the prison to have had divers prophetical revelations showed to him of God. Certain of which his letters and predictions, I thought here underneath to insert, in such sort, as neither in reciting all, I will overcharge the volume too much; nor yet in reciting of none, will I be so brief, but that the reader may have some taste, and take some profit, of the christian writings and doings of this blessed man; first beginning with the letter of the lord de Clum, concerning the safe conduct of John Huss.
To all and singular that shall see and hear these presents, I John de Clum do it to understand, how Master John Huss, bachelor of divinity, under the safe conduct and protection of the renowned prince and lord Sigismund of Romans,
