Jan Hus
(Also spelled John).
Born at Husinetz in Southern Bohemia, 1369; died at Constance 6
July, 1415. At an early age he went to Prague where he supported
himself by singing and serving in the churches. His conduct was
exemplary and his devotion to study remarkable. In 1393 he
received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the University of
Prague and in 1396 the master's degree. He was ordained a priest
in 1400 and became rector of the university 1402-03. About the
same time he was appointed preacher in the newly erected Bethlehem
chapel. Hus was a strong partisan on the side of the Czechs, and
hence of the Realists, and he was greatly influenced by the
writings of Wyclif. Though forty five propositions of the latter
were proscribed in 1403 by ecclesiastical authority, Hus
translated Wyclif's "Trialogus" into Czech and helped to circulate
it. From the pulpit he inveighed against the morals of clergy,
episcopate, and papacy, thus taking an active part in the movement
for reform. Archbishop Zbynek (Sbinco), however was not only
lenient with Hus, but favoured him with an appointment as preacher
to the biennial synod. On the other hand Innocent VII directed the
archbishop (24 June, 1405) to take measures against the heretical
teachings of Wyclif, especially the doctrine of impanation in the
Eucharist. The archbishop complied by issuing a synodal decree
against these errors -- at the same time he forbade any further
attacks on the clergy. In the following year (1406) a document
bearing the seal of the University of Oxford and eulogizing Wyclif
was brought by two Bohemian students to Prague; Hus read it in
triumph from the pulpit. In 1408 Sbinco received a letter from
Gregory XII stating that the Holy See had been informed of the
spread of the Wycliffite heresy and especially of King
Wenceslaus's sympathy with the sectaries. This stirred up the king
to measures of prosecution and aroused the university to clear
itself of the suspicion of heresy. At the June synod it was
ordered that all writings of Wyclif should be handed over to the
archdiocesan chancery for correction. Hus obeyed the order,
declaring that he condemned whatever errors these writings
contained.
About the same time a new conflict broke out on national lines.
The king agreed to the "neutrality" plan proposed by the
secessionist cardinals at the Council of Pisa (q. v.) and
endeavoured to have it recognized by the university. The Czechs
fell in with his wishes but the three other "nations" refused. The
king then decreed (18 January, 1409) that in the university
congregations the Czechs should have three votes, and the other
"nations" should have only one vote between them. In consequence
the German masters and students in great numbers (5,000 to 20,000)
left Prague and went to Leipzig, Erfurt, and other universities in
the North. The king now forbade communication with Gregory XII and
proceeded against those of the clergy who disregarded his
prohibition. In consequence the archbishop placed Prague and the
vicinity under interdict, a measure which cost many of the loyal
clergy their position and property. Hus, who had become once more
rector of the university, was called to account by the archbishop
for his Wycliffite tendencies and was reported to Rome with the
result that Alexander V, in a Bull of 20 December 1409, directed
the archbishop to forbid any preaching except in cathedral,
collegiate, parish, and cloister churches, and to see that
Wyclif's writings were withdrawn from circulation. In accordance
with the Bull the archbishop at the June synod of 1410, ordered
Wyclif's writings to be burned and restricted preaching to the
churches named above. Against these measures Hus declaimed from
the pulpit and, with his sympathizers in the university, sent a
protest to John XXIII. The archbishop, 16 July, 1410,
excommunicated Hus and his adherents. Secure of the royal
protection, Hus continued the agitation in favour of Wyclif, but
at the end of August he was summoned to appear in person before
the pope. He begged the pope to dispense with the personal visit
and sent in his stead representatives to plead his case. In
February 1411, sentence of excommunication was pronounced against
him and published on 15 March in all the churches of Prague. This
led to further difficulties between the king and the archbishop,
in consequence of which the latter left Prague to take refuge with
the Hungarian King Sigismund. But he died on the journey, 23
September.
Hus meanwhile openly defended Wyclif, and this position he
maintained especially against John Stokes, a licentiate of
Cambridge, who had come to Prague and declared that in England
Wyclif was regarded as a heretic. With no less vehemence Hus
attacked the Bulls (9 Sept. and 2 Dec. 1411) in which John XXIII
proclaimed indulgences to all who would supply funds for the
crusade against Ladislaus of Naples. Both Hus and Jerome of Prague
aroused the university and the populace against the papal
commission which had been sent to announce the indulgences,and its
members in consequence were treated with every sort of indignity.
The report of these doings led the Roman authorities to take more
vigorous action. Not only was the former excommunication against
Hus reiterated, but his residence was placed under interdict.
Finally the pope ordered Hus to be imprisoned and the Bethlehem
chapel destroyed. The order was not obeyed, but Hus towards the
end of 1412 left Prague and took refuge at Austi in the south.
Here he wrote his principal work, "De ecclesi�". As the king took
no steps to carry out the papal edict, Hus was back again at
Prague by the end of April, 1414, and posted on the walls of the
Bethlehem Chapel his treatise "De sex erroribus". Out of this and
the "De ecclesi�" Gerson extracted a number of propositions which
he submitted to Archbishop Konrad von Vechta (formerly Bishop of
Olmutz) with a warning against their heretical character. In
November following the Council of Constance assembled, and Hus,
urged by King Sigismund, decided to appear before that body and
give an account of his doctrine. At Constance he was tried,
condemned, and burnt at the stake, 6 July, 1415. The same fate
befell Jerome of Prague 30 May, 1416. (For details see CONSTANCE,
COUNCIL OF.)
J. WILHELM
Transcribed by Tomas Hancil
From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright � 1913 by the
Encyclopedia Press, Inc. Electronic version copyright � 1996 by
New Advent, Inc.
Taken from the New Advent Web Page (www.knight.org/advent).
This article is part of the Catholic Encyclopedia Project, an
effort aimed at placing the entire Catholic Encyclopedia 1913
edition on the World Wide Web. The coordinator is Kevin Knight,
editor of the New Advent Catholic Website. If you would like to
contribute to this worthwhile project, you can contact him by e-
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