The history of popery, or, Pacquet of advice from Rome the fourth volume containing the lives of eighteen popes and the most remarkable occurrences in the church, for near one hundred and fifty years, viz. from the beginning of Wickliff's preaching, to the first appearance of Martin Luther, intermixt with several large polemical discourses, as whether the present Church of Rome be to be accounted a Church of Christ, whether any Protestant may be present at Mass and other important subjects : together with continued courants, or innocent reflections weekly on the distempers of the times.

The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome: OR, The History of POPERY. (Book 9)

The Fourth Volume. FRIDAY, Feb. 17. 1681-2. (Book 9)

Fragenti fidem, Fides frangatur ••idem.

A brief Account of John Hus, and Jerome of Prague: The Burning of those two Martyrs: The Council of Constance de∣clares, That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks.

VVE have told you how the Synod of Constance order'd their Triplicity of Popes; but it was not only that, they sat four years about: For they likewise Condemn'd and Burnt those two Noble Servants of the Lord John Hus and Jerome of Prague, of whose excellent Lives and Honourable Deaths, it will be necessary to inform (briefly) the vulgar Reader.

In our last Volume, we acquainted you with the Preaching of John Wickliff here in England, (Almighty Providence hon∣ouring this Nation so far as not only to have the first Christian King in the World, viz. Lucius, and to give Birth to the first Christian Emperor in the World, viz. Constantine: But also to lead the van in the Reformation, and 'twas from our Torch many other Regions that sat in darkness borrow'd their Light) these

two Boh••mians had embrac'd several of those Truths which Wickliff had reviv'd in the World. For King Richard the Se∣cond's first Wife, being Ann the Daughter of the Emperour Charles the 4th. and Sister to the Emperour Wenceslaus, a Bo∣hemian by Birth, diverse of her Country-men follow'd her into England, whom some becoming Students at Oxford, where Wickliff then flourisht, they were not only hearers of his Preach∣ing but carried when they went away, several of his Books home with them into their own Country, as these de Realibus Ʋniversalibus, de Civili Jure & Divino, de Ecclesiâ, de questionibus variis contra clerum, &c. It chanc'd about the same time, a Noble Man of the City of Prague in Bohemia, had founded a great Church Dedicated to Matthias and Matthew, but com∣monly call'd Bethlem, Endowing it with large Revenues, for two Preachers every day (Holy day or Working day) throughout the year. Of these two Preachers John Hus was one, a Person of great Learning in those times, and of excellent Wit; but especially reverenc'd by the People for his blameless life and holy Conversation. He happening on some of these Books of Wickliffs, was presently convinc'd of the Truth of them, and began to defend the same, not only in the Schools, but likewise in his Sermons. At this the Pope and Clergy were mightily nettled, and wrot Letters to the King of Bohemia to punish him, where∣upon he was for some time Banisht the City of Prague, but the People murmuring that he was unjustly dealt withall, and the King himself not finding in him any Crime, he was restor'd; and this general Council coming on, to purge his Teritories from the scandalous suspition of being infected with Haeresy; the Emperour who then was Sigismund, Son of Charles the 4th. would needs have Mr. Hus appear there, and in order thereunto granted him his safe Conduct, both in the Latin and Dutch Language, in these words:

Sigismund by the Grace of God, King of the Romans, of Hun∣gary and Denmark, Croatia, &c. To all Princes as well Eccle∣siastical as Secular, Dukes, Marquesses and Earls, Barons, Captains, Burgoermasters, Judges and Governours, Officers of Towns Boroughs and Villages, and in General to all the Subjects of our Empire, to whom these Presents shall come, Grace and Goodness. We Charge and Command you all, That you have respect unto John Hus, who is

departed out of Behomia, to come unto the General Council, which is shortly to be held at the Town of Constance, which said John Hus we have received under our Protection and into the safe Guard of the whole Empire; desireing that you would cheerfully receive him, when he shall come towards you, and that you treat him friendly, and shew him in all things favour and good will, for the expedition, ease, and safety of his Journey as well by Land, as by Water. Further ordain∣ing, That he and all his Company with their carriage and necessaries shall pass through all Ports, Bridges, Lands, Liberties, Towns, &c. Without paying any Custome, Toll, Tribute, &c. We will also that you suffer him to Pass, Rest, Tarry, and Sojourn at Liberty, without doing him any manner of hindrance, trouble or molestation; and that if need require, you provide a faithful Company to Conduct him, for the honor and reverence which you owe unto our Imperial Majesty. Given at Spire the 18th. of Octob. in the year of our Lord, 1414.

On the 3d. of Nov. 1414. Hus came into Constance, of which two Noble Men of his Countrey gave notice to Pope John, desireing his Protection, who promised the same very freely, adding that if Hus had kill'd his Brother; yet no outrage nor hurt should be done him in that place.

Yet for all this he had not been there a Month before they seized upon him, and put him in a base and loathsom Prison, and this too, before his cause was heard in the Council.

The substance of the Articles at last exhibited against him, was as follows:

1. That he had taught Error and Herisy about the Sacraments of the Church, and especially about the Sacrament of the Body of Christ, saying that it ought to be Ministred in both kinds, and that after the words of Consecration pronounc'd there still remaineth material Bread in the Sacrament.

2. He doth Err as touching the Church, for that he doth not allow and admit that the Church signifieth the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops and Clergy, but saith this signification was drawn from the Schoolmen.

3. That he hath said, That Tempral Princes and Lords may take away the Temporal possessions of the Church and Clergy, without any offence.

4. He teacheth that all Priests are of like power, and therefore affirms, That the reservations of the Popes Casualties, the

ordering of Bishops and the Consecration of the Priests were invented only for Covetousness.

5. That he erreth concerning the Church, forasmuch as through Contempt, he doth not fear Excommunication.

6. He erreth by holding, That a Man being once Ordain'd a Priest or a Deacon, cannot be forbidden from the Office of Preaching, &c.

Upon these and other the like Articles, the Council proceeded against him in his sickness, and tho he often offer'd to defend his Cause, yet they would neither allow him any Advocats, nor permit him publickly to be heard. And in their Ninth Session they declared—Quod non obstantibus salvis Conductis Imperatoris, Regum, &c. Possit per Judicem competentem de Haeretieâ pravitate inquiri. That notwithstanding any safe Conduct granted by the Em∣peror or any Kings, Inquisition many be made against any Man for Haeresy by a Competent Judge, and process to be made according to Law.

To relate the whole proceedings would be too tedious, how malicious and unjust his accusers were, how stout and faithful to him were several Bohemian Noble Men representing his Inno∣cence to the cruel Fathers, but all in vain, nothing but his Blood would satisfy; and so they proceed to pass the following sentence upon him.

The most sacred General Council of Constance, Congregated together and representing the Catholick Church, for perpetual me∣mory of the thing. As truth doth witness, that an evil Tree bring∣eth forth evil Fruit, so it cometh to pass, that the Man of most damnable memory John Wickliff, through his pestiferous Doctrine, not through Jesus Christ by the Gospel, as the holy Fathers in times past, have begotten faithful Children, but contrary to the wholesome Faith, as a venemous root hath begotten many wicked and pestilent Children, whom he hath left behind him successors and followers of his perverse and accursed Doctrine, against whom this Sacred Synod of Constance is forced to rise up, as against Bastards, and diligently with a Sharp-knife of Ecclesiastical Authority to cut up Errors out of the Lords field, as most hurtful Brambles and Briars lest they should grow up to the destruction of others. Forasmuch then as in the holy General Council lately celebrated at Rome; it was decreed that the Doctrine of John Wickliff of most damnable me∣mory

should be Condemned, and his Books burnt as Haeretical, yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 John Hus here personally present in this Sacred Council, not the Diciple of Christ but of Wicliff, an Arch Haeretick hath taught and affirmed the Articles of Wickliff, which were Condenm'd by the Church of God.

Wherefore after diligent Deliberation and full Information, this most Sacred Council declareth and determineth; the Articles abovesaid (which are sound in his Books wrot with his own hand, and which he hath own'd) not to be Catholick, nor worthy to be taught but that many of them are erroneous, some wicked, other some to be offensive unto godly Ears, many of them to be temerarious and seditious, and the greater part of them to be Notoriously Haeretical; and doth condemn all and every the Books which the said Hus hath wrot, in what form or phrase soever they be, or whether they be Translated by others, and doth decree, That they shall be publickly burnt in the presence of the Clergy and People, &c.

And the said Synod doth pronounce the said John Hus an Haeretick, and a Seducer and obstinate Person, and such an one as doth not desire to return again to the Lapp of our holy Mother the Church, neither to abjure the Errors and Heresies which he hath openly Preached and defended, wherefore this most Sacred Council decreeth and declares, That the said John Hus shall be deposed and degraded from his Priestly Orders and Dignity.

Since this sentence mentions Degrading, it will not be amiss to consider the manner how that Ceremony is perform'd: Which is thus—The party to be degraded is attir'd in all his Priestly Vestments, and holdeth in the one hand a Chalice filled with Wine mixed with Water, and in the other a Guilt Paten with a Wafer. Then kneeling down, the Bishops Deputy taking from him these Trincats, Charges him to say no more Mass for the Quick or the Dead: Secondly, scraping with a piece of Glass his fingers ends, he Enjoyns him never to Hallow or Consecrate any thing, and Thirdly, rasing his shaven Crown and stripping 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his Priestly Vestments, he is Clothed in a Lay habit, and delivered into the Power of the Secular Magistrate.

Thus was poor Hus serv'd, and withal a Capp put on his head all painted over with Devils, and this word Haerisiarcha (or Ring leader of Hereticks) inscribed thereon, and so was burnt in the Month of July, 1415. He behav'd himself at his Mar∣tyrdom with a wonderful Cheerfulness, and seems to have had a Spirit of Prophecy; for whereas Hus in the Bohemian Tongue signifies a Goose, he told them—You now roast a Goose, but after a 100 years there shall a Swan rise up out of my Ashes, which was fulfill'd in Luther, who just 100 years after Hus's Death began to appear in opposition to the Pope.

Likewise during the time of this Council, one Jerome a Learned Godly Man, of the City of Prague, hearing of the manyfold injuries done unto Hus, voluntarily came to Constance with an intent to defend his Cause, but not being able to pro∣cure any safe Conduct there, was returning back again to his own Country, but taken on the Road and brought bound into Constance; and there by the Council Condemn'd and Burnt, and his Ashes thrown into the River Rhyne, as Hus's likewise had been, so Industrious were the Romish Clergy to destroy all Memorials of these faithful Servants of God, whose Names do yet survive all their impotent malice, and remain Registred in the Book of Life in Heaven, and pretious to all good Men on Earth.

What esteem the godly Nobles of that Age had of Mr. Hus, may partly appear by a Letter of 54 Noble Men of Morauia, under their Hands and Seals to the said Council.

THE COURANT.

Tory.

PRethee are Miracles ceas'd?

No, no, There's a New Saint lately come over, call'd Cess Process that does daily Wonders, Dam Ignoramus is an Ass to her.

Tory.

What kind of Feats does she Profess? can she sham Godfryes Murder, and Esquire Thin's; and make the World be∣lieve, That they both kill'd themselves, or that it was done Justly?

Truem.

Pish! Natt. Implement will undertake all that, and more: This unknown Lady will in a trice Blanch ye a Blacka∣more, turn Swine into Sheep, make a Hog-dog-rascally Villain as Innocent as a Sucking Devil; Nay, shee'l make Subornation of Perjury Lawful: or (which is as good) render it Ʋnpunisha∣ble: and all this according to Law. Don't you know Bob∣bloody coat? the Sow sucker?

Tory.

Yes, yes, but now you talk of Rogues and Miracles, didst ever heard the Legend of Longinus?

Truem.

No, prethee let's ha't.

Tory.

Longinus you must Note was a Roman Red coat, and somewhat Purblind; They tell you, that he was the very Man that with his Lance pierced our Blessed Saviour's side, and some of the Blood happening on his Eyes, presently cured his sight; and his Soul being Illuminated as well as his Body, he was Converted and Believed, and Lived Thirty eight Years a Mo∣nastick Life in Cappadocia, and then was carried before one Octavius the President, to whom Preaching Christ, Octavius commanded all his Teeth to be struck out; and after that, his Tongue to be cut off: but still Longinus Preached on,—

—And then without 〈…〉〈…〉 Spake to good purpose when his Tongue was out,

And at last, had his Head Chopt off, and after that did a Thousand Miracles.

Truem.

Well, and what of all this? This is word for word, in that ingenious Treatise, call'd Devotions of the Roman Church.

Tory.

'Tis so, and likewise the same Author from the Ro∣man Festival, adds the following story; That the hand of Tho∣mas the Apostle that was in Christ's-side, would never go into his Tomb, but always lay without unburied, which hand had such vertue in it, that if the Priest when he goes to Mass, put a Branch of a Vine into that hand, the Branch presently putteth sorth Grapes, and by that time the Gospel be said, the Grapes will be Ripe; and then the Priest takes them and wrings them into the Chalice, and with that Wine Honseleth the People.

Truem.

A pretty way to get Liquor; But are these all the Miracles you have to tell us?

Tory.

Why, what would you have me talke Sense, and have an Information brought against me?

Printed for Langley Curtis, 1681-2.