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John Huss and the Hussite Wars - James Aitken Wylie

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eplied Procopius, "that <strong>the</strong> Mendicants were<br />

instituted by ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> patriarchs or <strong>the</strong> prophets<br />

under <strong>the</strong> Old Testament, or Jesus Christ <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

apostles under <strong>the</strong> New? If not, I ask you, by whom<br />

were <strong>the</strong>y instituted?" We do not read that <strong>the</strong><br />

legate pressed <strong>the</strong> charge fur<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

After three months' fruitless debates, <strong>the</strong><br />

Bohemian delegates left Basle <strong>and</strong> returned to <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

own country. The Council would come to no terms<br />

unless <strong>the</strong> Bohemians would engage to surrender<br />

<strong>the</strong> faith of <strong>Huss</strong>, <strong>and</strong> submit unconditionally to<br />

Rome. Although <strong>the</strong> <strong>Huss</strong>ites, vanquished <strong>and</strong> in<br />

fetters, had been prostrate at <strong>the</strong> feet of <strong>the</strong><br />

Council, it could have proposed nothing more<br />

humiliating. The Council forgot that <strong>the</strong><br />

Bohemians were victorious, <strong>and</strong> that it was it that<br />

was suing for peace. In this light, it would seem,<br />

did <strong>the</strong> matter appear to <strong>the</strong> members when <strong>the</strong><br />

deputies were gone, for <strong>the</strong>y sent after <strong>the</strong>m a<br />

proposal to renew at Prague <strong>the</strong> negotiations which<br />

had been broken off at Basle.<br />

Shrinking from <strong>the</strong> dire necessity of again<br />

239

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