Palet. See Beth-Palet.
Paletz, Stephen, a noted Bohemian divine, flour- ished during the ante-Reformation movement of the 15th century. He was at first a friend of Huss, but finally turned, and became his most violent accuser and persecutor. Of the early personal history of Paletz we have nothing at command. We first en- counter him as tlie friend and bosom companion of the great Bohemian Reformer. We are told that they shared bed and table together. Paletz sided not only with Huss, but most enthusiastically he commended, too, the writings and opinions of Wickliffe, and fre- quently spoke in their defence. Thus on a public debate before the university at Prague, when he had finished one of his speeches for the good cause bj' ex- hibiting and explaining the views of Wickliffe, he threw the book from which he had quoted into the midst of his audience, exclaiming, '• Let who will im- pugn a single word, I will defend it." About 1409 several of Huss's most faithful adherents, then called " Wickliffites,'' were imprisoned by king Wenzel. Among these persecuted ones was Paletz; and when at last released after an eighteen months' incarcera- tion, he came out much quieted and greatly in fear of the papists. Huss had remained all this time un- moved, and proved his fitness for leadership ; Paletz had been thoroughly frightened, and with equal force proved his incapacity. True, he still remained an ad- herent of the ante-Reformer; and when the papal bull came out for the crusade (Sept. 9, 1411), I'aletz admit- ted that there were " palpable errors" in it (Mon. Ilussi, i, 265) ; but early in 1412, when the university held a conference to consider in how far it was wise to sus- tain Huss against pope and king, Paletz withdrew from Huss and endorsed the papists again {ibid, i, 175), in so tame and cowardly a manner that Huss said of Paletz, " he v;alked and turned backwards like a crab." The truth is, Paletz was governed bj- world- ly prudence. He saw that the Reformer's cause was a desperate one. Few in numbers, Huss and his adher- ents had to encounter the royal and papal power, and there was not much likelihood of success. A timely retreat would cover all past offences and soon restore him to papal favor. He found, however, that he had coiuited without his host. The papists demanded that he should not only reject Huss, but oppose liim; and, rather than lose his game, Paletz went into the con- flict, and became a most violent accuser and persecutor. Huss had made his s|)ecial point the supreme and sole autliority of the Scriptures, Paletz replied by a defence of tlic pajial supremacy in the Church visible. But Huss was more than a match for his former friend, and lie dealt his blows freely and harshly. At last Huss went before tlie Council of Constance with his case. Thith- er, too, Paletz followed Huss, the bitter zeal of the papal
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defender having in the mean time been greatly aggra- vated by the unpleasant memories of frequent defeats under the heavy fire of the Keformer's sound logic. When the cardinals in council assembled for private session were hesitating how to dispose of Huss, Paletz secured admission, and urged and insisted that the heretic should not be set at liberty again, and they finally adopted Paletz's policy. AVhen word of this was taken to Huss, and he insisted upon a public hear- ing before the council, Paletz again made use of arti- fices and intrigues, and prevented a favorable reply to Huss's request. Paletz knew the power of Huss's elo- quence, and he, as well as the other papists who were allied with him in these intrigues, did not wish to have the experiment of it tried upon the council. He as well as his coadjutors failed, however, in securing his condemnation unheard. King Sigismund saw the in- justice of such an act, and prevented the plot; but even in the audiences granted, Paletz always care- fully watched his opportunities to worst his rival in argument. His course at this time was in many re- spects contemptible, yet it may be palliated on the ground that Paletz, probably, with all his animosity, merely sought the humiliation and not the life of Huss, and that it was a partisan spirit which at this time controlled Paletz. Certainly, when Huss had been condemned, and efforts were making to se- cure his abjuration of heresy, Paletz was among those who visited Huss in prison ; and the gentle manner in which he treated his former friend evinces that he was not altogether void of feeling, and that, great as he was himself by native talent and untiring industry, he was in the presence of one greater, because he allied with all these distinctions the virtue of honor and truthful- ness. Paletz had been selected by Huss as his con- fessor in his dying hour, but the papal servant felt too keenly the sad ending of this persecution to have com- plied with Huss's request. When Jerome was perse- cuted, Paletz again accused, but with less acrimony and persistency. Paletz died about the middle of the 15th century ; of his writings none are now accessible. See Gillett, Life ami Times of John Huss, vol. i and ii ; Mon. Iliissi, as referred to above; Jenkins, Life and Times of Cardinal Julian, p. 46; ?Jp. IIuss. i, in his 0pp. vol. i; Palacky, Bohmische Geschichte, iii, 161 sq. (J.H.W.)