for death," according to his expres- | Elizabeth, as traitors, and in not tak-
sion; that this imperial jurisdiction ing the oath of supremacy at once,
extended to the reversing sentences and renouncing catholicity. I will
of deposition and excommunication, add, with respect to the catholics at
pronounced against schismatical bi- large, that they will be greatly want-
shops by general councils: “ final- ing to all that is most dear to them
ly," to quote the baronet's words, for this world and the next, if, under
"there are no traces of any distinc- the existing circumstances, they do not
tion having existed between the eu-keep themselves on the watch, and
preme head of the church and the
supreme head of the state; as the
emperor convened those meetings of
ecclesiastics, by whose deliberation
he wished the disputes among the
clergy of his empire to be deter-
mined, &c. From the decisions of
these assemblies, he received and
heard appeals in causes ecclesiastical.
In contradiction, also, to their deci
sion, he delegated to certain prelates,
whom he himself selected, the power
of deposing two rival bishops, one of
them previously declared to be ortho-
dox, the other schismatical."* In
short, one of his two corrolaries is,
"That the bishop of Rome possessed
no authority over his fellow-bishops,
except that which might arise from
the patriarchal dignity, in common
with others, or from voluntary re-
spect."

Well now, Mr. Editor, what will our brethren of Lincoln's-Inn, and particularly the author of the blue books and the late negatived bill, who term the baronet "our iuvaluable friend," say to this system? Are they prepared to rua these lengths? Or will they again put their religion in commission with protestant members, of whom he is now become the chairman and the oracle? If they do, then I will say, that they act most inconsistently in not condemning chancellor More, bishop Fisher, and a hundred more catholic martyrs, under Henry and

* Our amateur canonist makes here a very unfortunate contra distinction between ORTHODOX and SCHISMATICAL; as if a christian could not be both at the same time!

ORTHOD. JOUR. VOL. V.

prepare themselves to cry out unani-
mously and loudly, should they find
themselves in danger, as they were
four years ago, of being swindled
out of their religion by the politics
of protestant, and the treachery of
catholic, commissioners. It must not
be forgotten that the author of the
present system of canon law is so
bent on carrying it into execution,
as "to study it by day, and to dream
of it by night," according to his own
expression; still, if we are true to
ourselves, throughout England as
well as Ireland, in exposing our feel-
ings and fears to the representatives
in parliament, we may confidently
hope that they will not add to the
general mass of discontent and suf-
fering, the horrors of a wide-wasting
religious persecution. J. M.

W. H. Jan. 7, 1817.

in whatever circumstance they may be, that in examining and judging books, they diligently observe and strictly adhere to the following rules :

"Let them be mindful, that this duty and office is not laid upon them, for the purpose of procuring and urg

tholic author shall not be proscribed on the testimony or censure of one reviser, conformably to the said decree of the year 1750, it is our will, that this practice be absolutely observed; so that, should the first censor consider the book fit to be prohi bited, nevertheless, the work, together with the censure, is to be deli-ing the prohibition of the work by all vered to another reviser, purposely chosen; suppressing the name of the first reviser, that the latter may be more free to express his opinion.

the means in their power, but that examining it with diligent attention and a cool mind, they may offer faithful remarks and solid reasons, on which either its prohibition, correction, or exculpation, may be determined.

;

66 As often, however, as there is question of any work of a catholic author of good character and reputation, let the long-received practice be "Of the various opinions and senkept in view, of prohibiting the work timents which may exist in any book, under this clause, until it be cor- let them know, that they are to judge rected; unless some great and essen- with a mind free from all prejudice. tial obstacle should prevent it in that Therefore, let them banish any foudparticular case. And even should ness for family, school, or institute the work be thus conditionally pro- let them lay aside all partiality, and hibited, let the publication of the solely let them keep in sight the dogdecree be suspended until the author, mas of the holy church, and the or some other person acting for him, common doctrine of catholics, conbe communicated with on the subject, tained in the decrees of general counand then let him be previously shewn cils, in the bulls of the roman ponwhat is to be changed, erased, and tiffs, and in the consent of the orcorrected. After which, let it be un-thodox fathers and doctors of the derstood, that whilst the original (uncorrected) copies are prohibited, the corrected copies are permitted.

church: above all, recollecting, that there are many opinions which appear more than certain to one particular school, institute, or nation; and, notwithstanding, without any detriment to faith or religion, the same are rejected and opposed by other catholics, and the contrary defended, with the knowledge and permission of the holy see, which leaves each opinion within its own degree of probability.

In examining and prohibiting books, it is exceeding proper to attend to what has been formed into rules for the Index by the fathers of the council of Trent. Pope Clement VIII. of happy memory, also says, in his instruction on the Correction of Books, bishops and inquisitors are to be careful, that, in the examina- "We also recommend this to be. tion of books to be published, they diligently observed, that no correct employ men of known piety and learn-judgment of the true sense of an auing, for whose faith and integrity they can answer; who are influenced neither by partiality nor prejudice, but, setting aside every human affection, only seek the glory of God and the good of his faithful people.

We most earnestly exhort moreover, all revisers and consulters

thor can be given, unless the whole work be read, and the several parts collected and compared with each other i nor, moreover, unless the design and object of the author be attentively considered; nor from any single proposition separated from its context, or considered and weighed

shall say them in heaven," replied another As they went to execution they were heard to bless those who conducted them, and to speak to them of the kingdom of God, and the divine justice, which is the only worthy object of fear, and expressed a regret at leaving them behind in a world full of error and corruption, and beset with dangers. Oh, how eloquent were those mouths which were on the point of being closed for ever

Among the victims condemned with them to death there were some who had to blot out the stain incurred by a denial of their faith. They came and threw themselves at the feet of these holy religious, these glorious confessors of their Lord; and requested from them one of those tickets of indulgence, which, in the time of St. Cyprian, was usual for the martyrs, as they were going to execution, to grant to public penitents. "We have," said they," already acknowledged our error, and we renounce it again; we ask a thousand pardons for the scandal which we have given to the weak, and we desire to die in the bosom of the catholic,apostolic and roman religion." To these public proofs of their re

by martyrdom, to join her sister in the kingdom of the blessed. Those whose condemnation was delayed followed in spirit and desire their happy companions, who had already consummated their sacrifice: instead of praying for them, they invoked their intercession, and begged of God through their prayers the grace to imitate their noble example. They frequently repeated the last words of our divine Redeemer on the cross, the litanies of the B. Virgin, the angelical salutation, and the prayers for a departing soul. As soon as they were condemned, they were thrown into a kind of court, called a circus, to await the execution of their sentence. In this place they acted the part of so many apostles, with regard to the other unfortunate victims destined for the scaffold.Among these was a parent, whose mind was fallen a prey to despair at the thought of leaving behind him his dear children in the hapless condition of so many orphans. One of the ladies, perceiving his dreadful state of mind, passed a whole hour in prayer for him, with her arms extended in the form of a cross, to preserve him from dying the death of the reprobate. Like another Moses, she prayed not in vain; the un-pentance succeeded a tranquil joy; happy parent resumed his courage, and met death with the greatest fortitude. The prison of these pious ladies might be called a church; their only occupation was praising God, preaching him, and making him known, loved, and blessed, by others. Nothing could draw them off from this employment, neither the expectation of their doom, nor their attention to their fellow-sufferers, nor the insults of the soldiers who guarded them.

One day, when several of these ladies were summoned together to take their trial at the hour of vespers, one of them cried out, "We have not yet said our vespers." "We

and these penitent apostates met
death with the same resignation as
those from whom they had requested
the grace of their reconciliation.--
Even the monsters who led them to
execution were forced to give testi-
mony to this truth, particularly with
regard to the religious.
"These
wretches," said they, "meet death
with smiles on their countenances,
and run to execution as if they were
going to a feast."

To the Editor of the Orthodox
Journal.

SIR,-In the huge and irrelevant collection of papers which constitute the REPORT OF THE SELECT

Five young men, who sailed from Ireland to Sicily, during the late war, not, however, in consequence of any search made for them by the jesuits, but by their own spontaneous act and deed, in order to acquire the educatiou which they approved of, found the trading vessel, in which they were sailing up the Mediterranean, suddenly attacked by a large and well-appointed French privateer. Their captain was a man of skill and courage, but his crew was barely strong enough to navigate the vessel. In this extremity he solicited assistance from his five passengers, who, warmed with native courage and loyalty, and being otherwise free to fight, as they were then neither priests nor religious, cheerfully took the stations which he assigned to them, three at the great guns, and two at small arms. To be brief, their courage and activity was such, that they beat off the Frenchman, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, and providentially escaped unhurt, though one of them had a a piece of his hat carried off by a bullet. The captain got a sword of

COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON CATHOLIC AFFAIRS, is one which I should not have expected from the liberality of the distinguished personage whose name it bears, nor from his apparent attachment to our venerable pontiff, from his first remarkable interview with him at the marquis of Manifoglios at Modena, till his negociation with him in Genoa. The paper I allude to contains this passage: "With regard to the young Englishmen or Irishmen who have come to Sicily to obtain holy orders, it appears, that since the restoration of the jesuits in Sicily, about six or seven years ago, these restless and active brethren have procured, in all, nineteen eleves from the British isles of these, five have returned in holy orders, two died in Palermo, and nine are now here. The object which the jesuits may have had in view, in thus extending their search for pupils, are, of course, as various as are the branches of their wily policy; but, as it has been boasted, that one of them, who has returned, (and who, by the way, was accounted half mad when here, and there-honour from the committee at Lloyd's fore may be a good fanatic) has laboured successfully in the work of conversion, one may be permitted to conclude, that, hopeless as such a pursuit must be, it has not been entirely left out of these speculations." Appen. p. 200.

Now, sir, without entering into any discussion with his lordship about what constitutes fanaticism and madness, points which will be con

for his conduct, while our five brave volunteers have met with no other recompense than the above-quoted sarcasms from the personage, who ought to have been the first to proclaim their useful activity and pubJ. M.

lic service.

Jan. 17, 1817.

For the Orthodox ournal.

clusively settled in a very great Extracts from an Ancient Book of

meeting at a future day, and to speak only of a subject, of which this noble personage, from his official situation in Sicily at the time referred to, may be supposed to be a better judge, I think he ought, in candour and justice, to have sent home the following instance of the activity of the brethren he speaks of:

Sermons.

DOMINICA IN SEPTUAGESIMA.

Good men & women this day is called in holy chirche the Sonday in Septuagesime: For cause that holy chirche is moder of all Crysten people. She taketh good hede to her