Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-08-05
aE.OVTDE NICE.
JOHN IIUSS.

remarks, extracted from "o'h en''ie'
The Lonarfs which has been published about
three years. and is one of the most resting book.
of the kind, found in this or any other language
II is founded on the history Of the Church Of
Rome, and IS confined principally to the delinea
tion oftransactions Of those dark days. when Eccle
sas,cal Law. crushed the civil, and when bigotry
and superstition were the concomitants OF Papal
authority. The account ofthe Martyrdom OF John
Huss is pretty near faithful transcript Of the af-
fair, though the author has undoubtedly added
much to tn, vivacity o: the picture, and added
something of fiction to the ibrrid drama. The va.
ratons however, from the real aspect of the trans
actions. are trihing, and we do not know That any
remarks of ours place the murder of the good
Huss in different light than that in which it is
given by the author Of The Lollaris; but the
tale may not be believed by all. we shall take the
liberty to make some explanatory observations, tor
the substance of which we indebted to an early
attention to the perusal of Ecclesiastical History;
and if our memory serves us we are correct.
Soon after Clement VII resigned the Pontifcate
in .avor of Martin V. there appeared the Prelate,
whose name is at the nead OF this article; who,
with boldness that was much more creditable to
his independence, than il to his prudence, open
ly exposed the vices and corruptions Of the Papal
Church, and, through the bodness of his masculine
and persuasive eloquence, succeeded in making
many dissenters ard in bringing the Pont'fcate OF
Rome into dsrepute. He was native of Prague
distinguished for his vast erudtion, the sanctty OF
his lie, and for his extraordinary powers of vehe-
ment defamation, and when he found that he met
with unparalleled success in his assaults upon cor
rupted Church, he became fred with ambition, and
made noble, yet unavailing efor:, to withdraw
the University Of Prague from the jurisdiction of
Gregory XII. whom The kingdom OF Bohemia had
acknowledged the true and lawful head Of the
the Church. In this attempt which was as noble
as it was daring, he called down upon himself the
vengeance of Gregory. He was arrested and
brought before the tribunal of John XXI. in the
year 40, and solemnly excommunicated from the
Church.
This sentence he treated with the most profound
contempt, and IN private and in public exposed the
disorders and vices which preyed upon the vitals of
the Church, and which threatened its prostration
anu the zeal and perseverance which distinguished
him, were almost universally applauded. He was
now looked upon as a man who threatened to break
down all papal restraints, and the Church deter
mined on his destruction. He was accordingly
summoned to APPEAR before the Council OF Con
stantne, AMI as the E nperor Sigismund, had pro
nised him protection and patronage, he fearessy
appeared before the holy Synod, to prove that
the charge of desertins the Church OF Rome
which had been preferred against him, was ground
less, and that what he had done, was done with
. full conviction of the justice Of his cause
and with fond hope Of divesting the Church
OF evils and vices, which, fsuered to exist, couli
not fail to consummate its ruin.
But neither the protection Of Sigismund, nor his
unequalled piety, could secure him against the
vindctiveness ofthe holy fathers. They had de.
termined on his destruction-they had passed SEN
tence upon him previous to his appearance before
them;-and he fell martyr to his independence
and boldness. Tie was decl,hed hereto, becaus-
he refused to plead guilty against The dictates c'
his own conscience, and was burnt alive, the 5th
july, 1415.
We have made these remarks, because we con-
slider them some what illustrative of the article be-
low, at the r'sk Of being accused Of pedantry, by
those who are disposed to make printing Office "a
school for scandal" But we proceed to the ex,
tract:
"The procession moved on. Huss, absorbed in
pious nieditatlnns was only awake to joyful hope
and the msmentary weakness which had come over
hm in the church, hal gwen place to the mos
calm aud settled ortitu lie. Arriving at the gate
Of the Episcopal Palace, he saw n pile OF wood,
and believed that he was already at the place OF
execution. He was soon uuieceived, for the wood
being hred, he saw his writings brought forward
and successivey thrown into the flames. smile
played on his features, which he tried bat IN vain
TO smother, while he witnessed this vain expert
ment; and turning TO the crowd with the ut
most eomposure, he declared that his writings were
consumed, not for the which they contained,
but to crafty the iguobe rage of his adversaries
The sun shone bright, but a shower Of ram had
fallen, and within the circle to which Huss was
admitted to view the destruction Of his books, he
saw large earth worm in MS path. He stepped a
little aside TO avoid treadlug on It. One Of the
guarIs who observed this placed his foot on the
reptile, with an air Of bravado.
81 would cali the worm my BROTHER" said the
martyr, "and truly we are brothers in misfortune,
for we perish by the same cruelty"