§ 45. HUSS AT CONSTANCE. 381
preached from Rom. 6 : 6, "that the body of sin may be destroyed." The extermination of heretics was represented as one of the works most pleasing to God, and the preacher used tlie time-worn illustrations from the rotten piece of flesh, the little spark which is in danger of turning into a great flame and the creeping cancer. The more virulent the poison the swifter buould be the application of tlie cauterizing iron. In the style of Bossuet in a later age, before Louis XIV., he pronounced upon Sigismund the eulogy that his name would be coupled with song and triumph for all time for his efforts to uproot schism and destroy heresy.
The commission, which included Patrick, bishop of Cork, appointed to pronounce the sentence, then ascended the jDulpit. All expressions of feeling with foot or hand, all vociferation or attempt to start disputation were solemnly forbidden on pain of excommunication. 30 articles were then read, which were pronounced as heretical^-fi^ditious and offensive to pious ears*. The sentence coupled in closest relation Wyclif and Huss^^ The first of the articles charged the prisoner with holding that tlie Church is the totality of the predestinate, and the last that no civil lord or prelate may exercise authority who is in mortal sin. Huss begged leave to speak, but was hushed up.
The sentence ran that " the holy council, having God only before its eye, condemns John Huss to have been and to be a true, real and open heretic, thg disciple not of Christ but of John Wyclif, one who in the University of Prag and before the clergy andpeople declared Wyclif to be a Catholic and an evangelical doctor — vir cathoUcus et doctor evangelicus.^'' It ordered him degraded from the sacerdotal order, and, not wishing to exceed the powers committed unto the Church, it relinquished him to the secular authority.
Not a d issenting voice was lifted against the sentence. Even John Gerson voted for it. One incident has left its impress upon history, although it is not vouched for by a contemporary. It is said that, when Huss began to speak, he looked at Sigismund, reminding him of the safe-conduct. The king, who sat in state and crowned, turned red, but did not speak.
1 The articles are given in Mausi, pp. 754 sq., 1209-1211, and Hardt, IV. 408-12.
382 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
The order of degradation was carried out by six bishops, who disrobed the condemned man of his vestments and destroyed his tonsure. They then put on his head a cap covered over with pictures of the devil and inscribed with the word, heresiarch, and committed his soul to the devil. With upturned eyes, Huss exclaimed, " and I commit myself to the most gracious Lord Jesus."
The old motto that the Church does not want blood — ecclesia non sitit sanguinem — was in appearance observed, but the authorities knew perfectly well what was to be the last scene when they turned Huss over to Sigisraund. " Go, take him and do to him as a heretic " were the words with which the king remanded the prisoner to the charge of Louis, the Count Palatine. A guard of a thousand armed men was at hand. The streets were thronged with people. As Huss passed on, he saw the flameson thepublicsquarewliichwercconsuminghis books. For fear of the bridge's breaking down, the greater part of the crowd was not allowed to cross over to the place of execution, called the Devil's Place. Huss' step had been firm, but now, with tears in his eyes, he knelt down and prayed. The paper cap falling from his head, the crowd shouted that it should be put on, wrong side front.
I It was midday. The prisoner's hands were fastened behind
jhis back, and his neck bound to the stake by a chain. On the
.'same spot sometime before, so the chronicler notes, a cardinal's
worn-out mule had been buried. The straw and wood were
heaped up around Huss' body to the chin, and rosin sprinkled
j upon them. The offer of life was renewed if he would recant.
j He refused and said, " I shall die with joy to-day in the faith of
1 the Gospel which I have preached. " When Richental, who was
Istanding by, suggested a confessor, he replied, "There is no
need of one. I have no mortal sin." At the call of bystanders,
they turned his face away from the East, and as the flames
arose, he sang twice, Christ, thou Son of the living God, have
mercy upon me. The wind blew the fire into the martyr's face,
and his voice was hushed. He died, praying and singing.
(To remove, if possible, all chance of preserving relics from
^e scene, Huss' clothes and shoes were thrown into the raer-