The Questionable Legality of Utraquism in Bohemia and Moravia after 1436 27 I sage about the Bohemians and Moravians undertaking ecclesiastical unity and peace.15 Nevertheless, the treatise in I F 18 manuscript does not mention these words and speaks merely of the Utraquists not observing the treaty of 1436. Second, when claiming that the non-fulfillment of the Compactata led to Utraquism being illegal, the authors used a variety of strengthening words. For instance, Piccolomini and Ebendorfer directly claimed that the Bohemians and Moravians were not “worthy” (capaces/digni) of the liturgical concession in question, the latter accusing them of ingratitude. Similarly, Cusanus accused the Bohemian clergy of negligence, also mentioning an illicit usurpation of the chalice. The harshest criticism appears to be that of the anonymous author, for he labels the Utraquists as grave and long-standing sinners who wrongfully take pride in the Compactata. Interestingly, he does not deny that there may actually be Christians drinking from the chalice licitly, but he claims that none of the Bohemians belong to this category. Third, there are three remarkable uses of hypothetical situations: (1) Tempelfeld’s and (2) the anonymous writer’s conditional sentence in which they imagine what would have occurred differently if the Bohemians had fulfilled the Compactata, and more importantly, (3) Cusanus’s imaginative wording of the Compactata provision which aims to show that the 1436 treaty actually employs only the future tense in relation to Utraquism, thus not allowing this practice before the anticipated goal of ecclesiastical unity. Finally, it is important to raise the question whether the Catholics writers endeavored to put forward any substantial evidence supporting their claims. Simply accusing the Bohemian party of not accepting ecclesiastical unity or not observing the Hussite-council treaty may have appeared too facile, and therefore specific examples of the Utraquists’ inappropriate behavior would have certainly been welcome for potential recipients. Such a strategy can be attested in the case of Ebendorfer, Piccolomini, and the anonymous author. When Thomas Ebendorfer claims that the Bohemians, especially the Taborites, refused to accept the unity demanded by the Compactata, he presents numerous examples in support of his argument, such as the absence of holy water in churches, their prohibition of holy images, their disregard for ecclesiastical verdicts and penalties, the appointment of unsuitable priests to churches, singing liturgical songs in Czech, etc.16 15 Šmahel, Die Basler Kompaktaten, 172: “Suscipientibus ecclesiasticam unitatem et pacem realiter et cum effectu.” 16 Vienna, Austrian National Library, MS Cod. 4704, f. 292r: “Quod Boemi facere usque detractarunt, ut notum est de Thaboritis precipue, qui cerimonias circa divina usque in vasis sacris et vestibus in officio misse non receperunt. Et ut de ceteris sacramentis et ritu, ut confirmacionis, extreme unicionis, ac ministracione eorundem transeam quoad residuos, racionem invenire non valeo, qualiter ipsi aquam benedictam in eorum ecclesiis non servant, benediccionem salis, palmarum et candelarum, prout universalis observat ecclesia, ymagines non admittunt sanctorum, que scripture sunt laycorum, pro quibus habendis tam dire contra Leonem imperatorem decertavit ecclesia et triumphavit, et sacramentalem eciam qualiter confessionem modicum aut nichil vel saltem valde superficialiter frequentant, qualiter in execratis ecclesiis sangwine humano pollutis aut notorie excomunicatorum sepulturis divina misteria celebrant. Ecclesie censuras et summi pontificis, vicarii Cristi in terris, pro nullo ducunt, precipue quod quendam, qui se fecit per tumultum populi archiepiscopum Pragensem nominari et temere eundem archiepiscopatum in spiritualibus amministrantem sine legitima confirmacione paciuntur tumultuare, presbiteros ad animarum curam contra sanctorum patrum instituta mittere et instituere, synodos celebrare, sine missione peregrinas doctrinas predicare et suas opiniones, ymoverius errores, dogmatizare, scismata in ecclesia et sediciones excitare in populo et alia inconveniencia palam et notorie practicare et eundem quasi ydolum adorare. Circa eciam divina officia presbiteros detruncare consueverunt, dapnatos ab ecclesia hereticos canonisant, eciam martirium nomine celebrant et in vesti
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