The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe/Volume 3/Supplication of the Barons to the Emperor Sigismund for John Huss
Unto the most high and mighty prince, the lord Sigismund, king of the Romans, always Augustus, king of Hungary, Croatia and Dalmatia, our most gracious lord, faithful and true service in all things, and at all times. Most noble prince, and gracious lord, we signify unto your worthiness, that we all together, with one mind, consent, and accord, have delivered up unto the reverend fathers and lords, the deputies of the four nations, and to the whole sacred council of Constance, this our supplication hereunder written, as reasonable, just, and worthy of consideration; the tenor whereof here followeth word by word, and is this.[1]
'Wherefore we most humbly require and desire your princely majesty, that both for the love of justice, and also of the fame and renown of that most famous kingdom of Bohemia, whereof we acknowledge you undoubtedly the true lord, heir, and successor; and also foreseeing unto the liberty of your safe-conduct, that you will, with your favourable countenance, beholding these most reasonable and just supplications which we have put up to the lords aforesaid, put to your helping hand toward the said most reverend fathers and lords, that they will effectually hear us in this our most just petition, which we have offered up to them, as is aforesaid; lest the enemies of the renown and honour of the famous kingdom of Bohemia (and such be our slanderers also) hereafter may detract and slander us, that we should make unreasonable and unlawful requests unto the said reverend fathers and lords; and therefore, we required and desired of them, that it would please them to decree, by setting to their public hand and seal, to authorise our said supplication. Likewise, we do most heartily require your highness, that you would vouchsafe in like manner to give us your testimony of the premises.'The king forced by the importunity of the cardinals to break promise.But what answer the emperor made hereunto, we could never understand or know; but by the process of the matter a man may easily judge, that this good emperor was brought and led even unto this point, through the obstinate mischief of the cardinals and bishops, to break and falsify his promise and faith which he had made and promised: and this was their reason whereby he was driven thereunto, that no defence could or might be given either by safe-conduct, or by any other means unto him, who was suspected or judged to be a heretic. But by the epistles and letters of John Huss, a man may easily judge what the king's mind was. Now we will proceed in the history.
- ↑ The copy of the supplication before written, which was presented unto the deputies of the council, was here inserted, whereunto that which followeth was annexed. See page 444.