Commentary on the Woodcuts    Close

Foxe, like the predecessors on whose work he built, accorded the honour of visual presence to Hus's co-martyr, Jerome of Prague (both of whom were represented in the handful of large woodcuts included in the period from Wyclif to Luther). The same considerations and range of possible influences apply to the woodcut of Jerome of Prague as to its twin, of Hus. His bearded, long-haired visage, contrasting with that of Hus, descends through the visual sources just described, but Foxe's woodcut, unlike that in Flacius, gives him no heretic's hat. His prepared pyre and official attendants share the seemingly continental features noticed in the image of Hus. As self-evidently paired depictions it seems reasonable to attribute similar influences on both. (See references for preceding entry). CUL copy: The detailing of Jerome's torso is impressive: it looks like flesh. He has brown hair and a substantial brown beard. There is also some impressive, detailed shading of the faggots on the pyre. The flames (in orange and red), however, and the colouring of the horse nearest the front of the picture (in a pale orange) are very unrealistic. Note that what little can be seen of the linen cloth placed on his person is coloured in white. WREN copy: this is another example of poorly executed colouring. There is hardly any shading provided to the faggots; they appear monotone on the pyre. Also, there is too much detailing of the features of those depicted; the end result here is that the people look as though they are wearing stage makeup.

ground, spoyled him of al his garmentes, and left him naked. And afterward girded him about the loynes with a linnen cloth, & bound him fast with cordes and chaines of yron to þ^e said Image, which was made faste vnto the earth, and so he standing vppon the ground, when as they began to laye the woode about him, he song, Salue festa dies, and when the himpne was ended, he songe agayne wyth a loud voyce, Credo in vnum deum vnto thend: that being ended, he saide vnto the people in the Germaine tounge in effect as followeth: Deare beloued children, euen as I haue nowe song, so do I beleue and none otherwise. And this Crede is my whole faithe, notwythstanding now I die for this cause, because I wold not consent and assist the councell, and wyth them affyrm and hold that master Ihon Hus was by them holilye and iustly condempned. For I did knowe wel inoughe that he was a true preacher of the Gospel of Iesu Christ. After that he was cōpassed in with the woode vp to the crowne of the head, they cast all hys garmentes vppon the wood also, and wyth a fire brand, they set it on fire, the which beyng once fired, he began to syng w^t a loude voyce: In manus tuas domine comendo spiritum meum. When that was ended, and that he begā vehementlye to burne, he said in the vulgare Bohemian tounge. O Lorde God father almighty haue mercy vpon me, and be mercifulvnto mine offences, for thou knowest howe that syncerly I haue loued thy truthe. Then his voyce by the vehemencye of the fire was choked and stopped, that it was no lōger hard but he moued continually his mouth & lyps, as though he had still prayed or spoken wyth in him self.

MarginaliaThe cruelty of hys death.When as in a māner the whole body with his beard was all burned round about, & that there appeared thorow the great burning vp on hys body certain great bladders, yet he cōtinually very stongly and stoutli moued and shaked his heade and mouthe, by the space almost of one quarter of an houre. So burning in the fire, he liued with great paine and martirdome, whiles one might easelye haue gone from S. Clements ouer the bridge vnto oure Lady church. He was of such a stout & strong nature. After that he was thus deade in the fire, by and by they brought his beddyng, hys straw bed, his bootes, his hoode, and all other thinges that he had in the pryson, and burned them all to ashes in the same fire, MarginaliaHis ashes cast into the ryuer of Rhine.the whyche ashes after that the fire was out, they did dyligently gather together, and cary them in a carte, and caste them into the riuer of Rhine, which ran hard by the City.

That man which is the true reporter hereof, and sent the same vnto Prage in wryting vnto vs, as touching those things which wer done about the condemnation and iudgement