cardinals, including the enlightened cardinal Zabarella of Florence, who was to have a large part in the investigation of Huss’s case at Constance. Again a change was made, and the case was put into the hands of Cardinal Brancas, who seems to have taken no further action for more than a year. Announcement was made of Colonna’s excommunication, March 15, 1411, in all the churches of Prague except two, St. Michael’s, whose rector was Christian of Prachaticz, and St. Benedict’s.
In Prague the archbishop and his clergy were suffering indignities with the king’s connivance if not at his express command. The city authorities took part in opposing the curia by withholding or diverting tithes and usufructs. Zbynek defended himself by the use of his judicial prerogative, launching the ban against the civil authorities of Prague and the Wyssehrad, and pronouncing the interdict over the city of Prague.[1] But the preaching went on and the insults to the clergy who remained faithful to the archbishop did not abate. In spite of the king’s order, the streets continued to resound with the derisive songs. Some of the turbulent priests were expelled by the king from the city, and, probably in view of the archbishop’s disposition of the relics of St. Wenceslaus a few years before, Wenzel appeared in person in the cathedral and ordered the canons to produce the treasures hid in its vaults and shrines and bade his civil servants remove them to Karlstein.
The position which the court and municipal authorities had assumed would have made useless an appeal on the part of the archbishop for the enforcement of his ecclesiastical censures. The king went so far as to forbid any one to carry a civil case before the ecclesiastical court on pain of losing the perquisites of his office or the very office itself. Here we may be inclined to discern Wyclif’s influence.
A serious effort was now made by the contending parties
- ↑ Doc., 429 sqq.
