ation was disregarded, and judgment pronounced.
Huss heard this sentence without the least emotion. At the close of it
he knelt down, with his eyes lifted towards heaven, and with all the
magnanimity of a primitive martyr, thus exclaimed: "May thy infinite
mercy, O my God! pardon this injustice of mine enemies. Thou knowest the
injustice of my accusations; how deformed with crimes I have been
represented; how I have been oppressed with worthless witnesses, and a
false condemnation; yet, O my God! let that mercy of thine, which no
tongue can express, prevail with thee not to avenge my wrongs."

These excellent sentences were esteemed as so many expressions of
treason, and tended to inflame his adversaries. Accordingly, the bishops
appointed by the council stripped him of his priestly garments, degraded
him, put a paper mitre on his head, on which was painted devils, with
this inscription, "A ringleader of heretics." Our heroic martyr received
this mock mitre with an air of unconcern, which seemed to give him
dignity rather than disgrace. A serenity, nay, even a joy appeared in
his looks, which indicated that his soul had cut off many stages of a
tedious journey in her way to the realms of everlasting peace.

After the ceremony of degradation was over, the bishops delivered Dr.
Huss to the emperor, who put him into the hands of the duke of Bavaria.
His books were burnt at the gates of the church; and on the 6th of July,
he was led to the suburbs of Constance, to be burnt alive. On his
arrival at the place of execution, he fell on his knees, sung several
portions of the Psalms, looked steadfastly towards heaven, and repeated
these words: "Into thy hands, O Lord! do I commit my spirit: thou hast
redeemed me, O most good and merciful God!"

When the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smiling
countenance, "My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than
this for my sake, and why then should I be ashamed of this rusty one?"

When the fagots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bavaria was
so officious as to desire him to abjure. "No, (said Huss;) I never
preached any doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my
lips I now seal with my blood." He then said to the executioner, "You
are now going to burn a goose, (Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian
language;) but in a century you will have a swan whom you can neither
roast nor boil." If he were prophetic, he must have meant Martin