The letters of John Hus/Letter 62, To a Friend

by Jan Hus

For other English-language translations of this work, see Letter of Jan Hus to a friend (9 June 1415).

LXII. To a Friend

 

(June 9, 1415)

 

[Forward this letter on parchment to Lord Henry Skopek, because it was in memory of him that I kept it by me in prison, and composed those verses in my leisure moments.]

Lord Henry,^[1] faithful friend in God, remember the good you have learnt from me and observe it, that you may presently attain to the heavenly joy. Remember that I said, “I hope God will send further trials to me.” I am writing the letters on the Sunday before the Feast of St. Vitus, in expecta tion of death.

 

The following letter is of great interest historically, as throwing light upon the way in which Hus himself regarded the matter of the safe-conduct. But his reflections after the event are not altogether fair to Sigismund’s intentions, and the statement concerning Lord Mikess Diwoky is hard to understand.

 

1. The rest of the letter is in Czech.