Heresy

The Four Articles

Meanwhile, back in Prague, the situation was escalating. Sigismund had already agreed to the burning of a Hussite heretic at the Diet of Breslau in February 1420. On 3 April, Old and New Town Prague created a common military government and published a manifesto to explain the Czech position. On 20 April, Cenek of Vartemberk led a group of nobles into open rebellion. They issued their own statement, a formal letter of protest to Sigismund listing his offenses. And on 27 May, Prague issued a second manifesto that gave final form to the "Four Articles"—the core statement of Hussite belief.

  1. Utraquism: that the laity should be able to take communion in both kinds
  2. "proper and free preaching of the word of God"; that is, that Hussite preachers should not be disturbed by public authority
  3. all priests must "give up their pomp, avarice and improper lordship"; by which was meant that the clergy must live simply, should not have a ceremoniously privileged position in services, and (very importantly) should renounce claims to own property
  4. the Bohemian realm was to be cleansed of sin. This was a general statement that not only the clergy but the entire population should be reformed.

While both Taborites and Utraquists subscribed to the statement, the wording was vague enough that both could interpret in ways that fit their particular programme.