The celebrated lay reformer was born at Prague, about the year 1370. Very little is extant relative to the early part of his life; but he was very eager in the pursuit of knowledge, and spent his youth in the universities of Prague, Paris, Heidelberg, Cologne, and Oxford. At the latter university, he became acquainted with the works of Wickliffe, translated them into his native language, professed himself, on his return to Prague, to be an open favorer of him, and attached himself to the Reformed in Bohemia, over whom Huss presided. Before the council of Constance, Jerome was cited on the 17th of April, 1415, when Huss was confined at that place. On his arrival, he found that he could not render any assistance to Huss, and therefore thought it prudent to retire; and, on behalf of Huss, he wrote to the emperor. At Kirsaw, Jerome was seized by an officer of the duke of Sulzbach, who immediately wrote to the council concerning him, and they directed him to send his prisoner to Constance. On his arrival at that place, he was immediately brought before the council, accused of his attachment to Protestant principles, and was remanded from the assembly into a dungeon. As he was there sitting, ruminating on his approaching fate, he heard a voice calling out in these words:—“Fear not, Jerome, to die in the cause of that truth which, during thy life, thou hast defended.” It was the voice of Madderwitz, who had contributed to the comfort of Huss; but, in consequence of it, Jerome was conveyed to a strong tower, and exposed to torture and want.

This suffering brought on him a dangerous illness, and attempts were then made to induce him to retract his principles; but he remained immovable. Unhappily, however, for his subsequent peace of mind, he was at length induced to [pg 353] retract, and acknowledged the errors of Wickliffe and Huss, assented to the condemnation of the latter, and declared himself a firm believer in the church of Rome. But the conscience of Jerome would not allow him to suffer that retraction to remain; and he accordingly recanted, and demanded a second trial.

Accordingly, in the month of May, 1416, Jerome was again called before the council, and charged with his adherence to the errors of Wickliffe, his having had a picture of him in his chamber, his denial of transubstantiation, with other matters of a similar description. On these articles he answered with equal spirit. Through the whole oration he manifested an amazing strength of memory. His voice was sweet, distinct, and full. Firm and intrepid, he stood before the council; collected in himself, and not only despising, but seeming even desirous of death.

His speech did not, however, excite pity; and he was delivered over to the civil power for martyrdom. When surrounded by blazing fagots, he cried out, “O Lord God, have mercy upon me!” and a little afterwards, “Thou knowest how I have loved thy truth.” With cheerful countenance he met his fate; and, observing the executioner about to set fire to the wood behind his back, he cried out, “Bring thy torch hither: perform thy office before my face. Had I feared death, I might have avoided it.” As the wood began to blaze, he sang a hymn, which the violence of the flames did not interrupt.

Jerome was, unquestionably, an excellent man. His Christianity must have been sincere, thus to have supported him; and the uniform tenor of his virtuous life corroborated the truth of that opinion. His temper was mild and affable, and the relations of life he supported with great piety and benevolence. He was a light set upon a hill; and though for a few moments it was obscured and darkened, yet it again burst forth, and continued to shine with splendor and advantage.