LETTER TO RICHARD WYCHE

131

and curse faithful priests, and it is useless to appeal to Rome ; there indeed is the summit of the wickedness of

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Antichrist, that pride, lewdness, avarice, and simony thus has simony and avarice poured from Rome into Bohemia." Of more general interest than any other work of Hus are the collections of his Latin and Bohemian letters, and they are perhaps his only writings that will appeal They also, more clearly strongly to modern readers. than any other work, bring out the real individuality of the great Bohemian reformer. His sincere and unostentatious piety, his sometimes almost childlike simplicity, his very touching humility, the warm friendship of which he assures his friends, the unconditional forgiveness which he extends to his enemies, all these appear very clearly in these letters, in which Hus never writes ex cathedra. nowhere more regret that limited space will oblige me to restrict my quotations. The letters of Hus that have been preserved extend from few days of his death. Those July 1408 to within written while in exile from Prague and those from prison at Constance have the greatest value. Of the Latin one, addressed to " Master Richearlier letters ard the Englishman," dating from the year 1410, deusually stated that the serves notice. Though family name of Hus's correspondent was " Fitz," appears very probable that the person addressed was Richard Wyche, chaplain who was about this time Lollard, and who was— according accused of being to Foxe — burnt for the same cause in 1439. Richard letter to Hus and the Bohemians, Wyche had sent In admonishing them to remain steadfast in the faith. his answer Hus writes " Preaching before nearly ten