Page 20 - 06 Huss and Jerome

the desire of the emperor Sigismund, by one

of the three rival popes, John XXIII. The

demand for a council had been far from

welcome to Pope John, whose character and

policy could ill bear investigation, even by

prelates as lax in morals as were the

churchmen of those times. He dared not,

however, oppose the will of Sigismund. (See

Appendix.)

The chief objects to be accomplished by the

council were to heal the schism in the church

and to root out heresy. Hence the two

antipopes were summoned to appear before

it, as well as the leading propagator of the

new opinions, John Huss. The former, having

regard to their own safety, did not attend in

person, but were represented by their

delegates. Pope John, while ostensibly the

convoker of the council, came to it with many