HUSSITES, the followers of John Huss, who was burnt for heresy. See Huss.
It is evident in what the pretended heresy of John Huss and Jerome of Prague consisted, from the answer they made to the council, when they were admonished to conform to the sentiments of the church. "They were lovers (they said) of the holy gospel, and sincere disciples of Jesus Christ: that the church of Rome, and all other churches in the world, were widely departed from the apostolical tradition; that the clergy ran after riches and pleasures, lorded it over the people, affected the highest seats at entertainments, bred horses and dogs; and the revenues of the church, which belonged to the poor members of Christ, were consumed in vanity and wantonness: and that the priests were ignorant of the commands of God, or, if they did know them, paid but little regard to them."
Undismayed by the fate of their leader, the Hussites not only stuck to his doctrines, but, choosing John Zizek for their chief in Bohemia, they maintained a war for a long time against the emperor Sigismund with great success; and Procopius Holy, another of their leaders, conducted them with equal courage. The Hussites spread over all Bohemia and Hungary, and even Silesia and Poland; and there are some remains of them still subsisting in all these parts. The followers of Huss were also called Calixtins, Taberites, and Bohemian Brethren.