Letters of John Huss Written During His Exile and Imprisonment/Letter 10, To Peter Maldoniewitz

For other English-language translations of this work, see Letter of Jan Hus to Peter Mladenowic (after 19 January 1415).

 

LETTER X.^[1]

 

TO PETER MALDONIEWITZ.

 

[[[Author:Jan Hus|John Huss]] wrote the following letters in the prison where he was first detained, at the Monastery of the Minor Brothers, near the Lake of Constance, outside the city walls.]

 

I have written nothing at present on my captivity except the letter, if, indeed, thou hast sent it, in which I besought to be prayed for. Thou understandest, without doubt, that I allude to the letter I addressed to Master Jacobel, and in which I wrote: “My enemies have said that I shall not obtain an audience, unless I, first of all, pay two thousand ducats to the ministers of Antichrist for their expenses.”^[2] Michael^[3] has brought a copy of this letter, and the answer of Master Jacobel, which, I have reason to believe, is severe for me. He came with the patriarch, accompanied by scribes and witnesses, amongst whom was Master Nicholas. Stoggis stood up right in front of me. One of the commissioners handing me the copy to read over, asked me to declare on path if it was mine. I answered; Yes, and I do not believe, since the cruel salutations of Master Paletz, that any thing troubled me more than these letters. I shudder at the wickedness of Michael, and of his accomplices. As to Master Jacobel, who preaches that we should beware of hypocrites, he is deceived by them more than any one, and delivers himself up to them. I have not read his letter, but I believe it to be severe. There were two copies in the same paper, and I thought at first it was not an answer to mine, but a copy of the letter of the Curé of Janowitz.

 

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1. This is the 43d in the collection of John Huss’s Works.
2. The letter thus alluded to has not come down to us.
3. Michael Causis