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him (Wickliffe), and, finding his doctrines had made considerable jirogress in Bohemia, and that Huss was at the bead of that party which had espoused them, he attached himself to that leader" (Gilpin, Lives, p. 234 ; compare, however, Gillett, Life of Huss, i, 69) . Jlay 28, 1403, the University of Prague, at the instigation of the archiepiscopal officials and the cathedral chapter of Prague, publicly con<lemned the writings of John Wick- liffe as heretical, iu spite of a strong opposition, headed by John Huss, Jerome, and IMaster Nicholas of Leito- mysl (q. v.). For some time past there had been grow- ing a discontent between the native and foreign element represented at the university. When that institution of learning was founded, Prague was the residence of the German emperor, but that city was also the ca])ital of Bohemia, a country which " seemed fitted by loca- tion and general features to become one of the foremost states of Europe," and the people, aware of their great natural resources, were unwilling to submit to the policy of the rulers to make their country a province of Ger- many. A strong feeling of nationality, such as is again witnessed in our day, develo]ied itself in every Slavic heart, and gradually Bohemian literature, a nation's strength, which had before succumbed to the Gernian, began to revive, and with it there came a longing de- sire to force from the Germans the control of the uni- versity, in which the native Bohemians saw themselves outvoted by strangers. The Germans were Nominal- ists, Wickliffe a Eealist ; no wonder, then, that his writ- ings were condemned, even though the Bohemians were in favor of the Englishman (see Eeichel, See of Rome in the Middle Ages, p. 602 sq. ; Studien und Kritiken, 1871, ii, 297 sq.). Here, then, came an opportunity for Huss and his friends to strike not only in behalf of the religious interests of their countrymen, but to become champions of their nation's rights, "and on this side they might count on receiving the support of many who I did not agree with them in religious nnd doctrinal mat- ters." They could count on the most influential of the nobility ; even king AV'enzel himself was won for their cause. He was induced to change the relation of votes at the University at Prague in such a manner that the Bohemians coidd gain the ascendency, and, this once done, the election of Huss to the rectorate of the univer- sity followed. The Germans, of cours-;, were unwilling to submit readily to such changes, and left Prague iu large numbers, to found a university at Leipzig. They also circulated the most injurious reports respecting the Hussites (as we will hereafter call the adherents of Huss and Jerome for convenience sake). In the mean time also, "by the express admonition of the pope," the arch- bishop of Prague, Zybneck, had issued (in 1406) a de- cree "that henceforth no one, under severe penalty, should hold, teach, or, for purposes of academic debate, argue in favor of Wickliffe's doctrines." This same Zybneck was the legate of Gregory XII. To this last pope the king of Bohemia adhered at this time, but in J 409, when the Council of Pisa renounced the rival popes, Gregory XII and Benedict XIII, and declared Alexander V the legitimate incumbent of the papal chair, Huss inclined to favor the action of the Council of Pisa, and won also the king over to his side, through the influence of Jerome, who seems to have been a fa- vorite at court. This brought about an open rupture with Zybneck, Avho had hitherto hesitated openly to at- tack Huss and Jerome. Now there was no longer any need for delaj-ing the decisive conflict. " He issued an ordinance forbidding all teachers of the university who had joined the party of the cardinals (who controlled the Comicil of Pisa) against the schismatic popes, and had thus abandoned tlie cause of Gregorj', to discharge any priestly duties within his diocese." The Bohemi- ans refused to obey the mandate ; the archbishop then complained to the king, and foimd that he was power- less to enforce obedience to his decrees; neither was his master, Gregorj- XII, able to do it. Def ermmed to con- quer, the archbishop now suddenly espoused the cause
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