be burnt (A.D.
1410), and thereupon a grand bonfire was made in the courtyard of the
archbishop's palace, while all the church bells of the city were tolled
as at a funeral. But as some copies of the books escaped the flames, it
was easy to make new copies from these.

Huss was excommunicated, but he still went on teaching. In 1412, Pope
John XXIII. proclaimed a crusade against Ladislaus, king of Naples, with
whom he had quarrelled, and ordered that it should be preached, and that
money should be collected for it all through Latin Christendom. Huss and
his chief friend, whose name was Jerome, set themselves against this
with all their might. They declared it to be unchristian that a crusade
should be proclaimed against a Christian prince, and that the favours of
the Church should be held out as a reward for paying money or for
shedding of blood. One day, as a preacher was inviting people to buy his
indulgences (as they were called) for the forgiveness of sins, he was
interrupted by three young men, who told him that what he said was
untrue, and that Master Huss had taught them better. The three were
seized, and were condemned to die; and, although it would seem that a
promise was afterwards given that their lives should be spared, the
sentence of death was carried into effect. The people were greatly
provoked by this, and when the executioner, after having cut off the
heads of the three, proclaimed (as was usual), "Whosoever shall do the
like, let him look for the like!" a cry burst forth from the multitude
around, "We are ready to do and to suffer the like." Women dipped their
handkerchiefs in the blood of the victims, and treasured it up as a
precious relic. Some of the crowd even licked the blood. The bodies were
carried off by the people, and were buried in Bethlehem chapel; and Huss
and others spoke of the three as martyrs.

By this affair his enemies were greatly provoked. Fresh orders were sent
from Rome for the destruction of Wyclif's books, and for uttering all
the heaviest sentences of the Church against Huss himself. He therefore
left Prague for a time, and lived chiefly in the castles of Bohemian
noblemen who were friendly to him, writing busily as well as preaching
against what he supposed to be the errors of the Roman Church.

We shall hear more of Huss by-and-by.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE.

A.D. 1414-1418.

PART I.

The division of the Church between three popes cried alo