and the Burgrave of Nuremberg. They talked much of John Hus, and the king finally said that there never was a more pernicious heretic. But when the prelates heard the words which Hus had spoken they all exclaimed, “Call the king”; but the king, who was talking about Hus near the window, did not hear them. Then those who presided called to the men who were nearer the king saying, “Bring him (the king) here that he may hear what concerns him. Then when the emperor[1] had been called, John was ordered to repeat what he had said about unworthy kings. When he had done so the emperor said, “John Hus, no one lives without sinning.” Then the Cardinal of Cambray, greatly irritated, said: “Is it then not enough that, despising the ecclesiastical state, thou endeavourest to degrade it by thy writings and thy tenets? Now thou attemptest also to eject the kings from their state!” Palec then began to quote some laws by means of which he wished to prove that Saul was a king even after he had heard these words of Samuel, and that David had therefore forbidden that he should be slain, not because of holiness of life, which he possessed not, but because of the sanctity of his anointment. Then when Hus quoted the words of St. Cyprian, who said: “Vainly does he claim to belong to Christianity who nowise imitates Christ in his conduct,” Palec answered: “See what foolishness! in what way is it to the purpose to allege that because a man is not a true Christian he is therefore not a true pope, or bishop, or king? For the learned know that (the words) pope, bishop, king, signify an office, but Christian a merit. Thus it is clear that a man may be a true pope, bishop, or king though he is not a true Christian.” The seventh article accused Hus of having stated that the condemnation of articles derived from Wycliffe’s writings had been irrational and unjust. Cardinal D’Ailly said: “John Hus, you said that you would not defend any error of Wycliffe.
- ↑ The contemporary writers on the Council of Constance call Sigismund indiscriminately emperor, king, King of the Romans, King of Hungary.
