tiferous mass of doctrinal error and absurdity introduced by those misguided and deceitful men, who, in succeeding ages, gradually declining from the pure faith, at length corrupted it, to the extent which the world contemplates with wonder and dismay in the modern church of Rome.

Against the dogmatic part of the Roman corruption sufficient means of defence may be found in weapons of the same character. But the brute force, the sanguinary intolerance and encroachment, which is an equally essential part of the system, is only to be effectually opposed by having, and keeping, its power under strict and irresistible restraint. It may seem ungracious to reiterate an admonition, which is avowedly founded upon so odious an imputation. But, however ungracious, it is necessary. It cannot be otherwise, when attempts are still made, and from quarters to which they do the least honour, to equalize the imputation, by asserting that all sects have persecuted. And it must be admitted, that where respective numbers, respective kinds, respective principles, with or against, of persecution, make no difference, the equalization may be established without much difficulty. But if, and when, these circumstances are allowed any approach to their due weight in the estimate, he who does not see an essential and immeasurable difference between

the Anti-christian Roman persecutions and all others, except indeed the heathen ones, which are likewise Roman, and should almost go to the same account, must have bidden a decisive farewell both to common sense and common honesty.

I

may likewise be permitted the additional observation, with relation to what comes nearer home, our own country, that he, who, for one instant, can place the executions of Elizabeth and the martyrdoms of Mary, one against the other in the same scales, must, for that instant, have abandoned all perception of equity or proportion in his estimate of moral actions*. The proposal, therefore,

The calumnies in this respect against Elizabeth, so willingly entertained and so grudgingly surrendered by many professed protestants, need not a more effectual refutation than that afforded by a small and scarce but highly valuable work by a Roman Catholic Secular Priest. It is entitled Important Considerations which ought to move all true and sound Catholicks, who are not wholly Jesuited, to acknowledge without all Equivocations, Ambiguities, or Shiftings, that the Proceedings of her Majesty and of the State with them, since the beginning of her Highness' Reign, have been both mild and mercifull. To this is prefixed an Epistle General instead of Preface, among other things, 'to shew what it is, which the Secular Priests intend by this ensuing Discourse.' Signed W. W. The date of the original edition is 1601. Dodd, in his Ecclesiastical History, makes it 8vo. ; nor does he scruple, as he need not, to give it to William Watson. In the Epistle the writer mentions certain Quodlibets about to be published by him; and they were published in 1603 with the name, William Watson, at the close, acknowledging the latter work as his own. Now, in that work he frequently refers to the Considerations, and freely makes himself responsible for, not only the Epistle, but likewise the whole work, affirming it, for matter, to be a joint production, but in accidental form and outward phrase directly his own, p. 352. The Considerations were reprinted, by

of mutual silence, however equitable in sound, is one which cannot be listened to.

Before I conclude, there are two passages of

themselves, in 1678 and 1688; the Epistle, separately likewise in Bp. Gibson's Collection, vol. iii. Tit. xiii., pp. 145, &c. Now, although the title alone speaks straightly enough to the point, the whole work abounds in statements so relevant and important, especially as containing the deliberate declaration of a body of ecclesiastics, that a few points shall be distinctly exhibited. I quote from the last edition, A Collection of several Treatises, including this, beginning at p. 31; and pp. 32, 3, contain the acknowledgment of the subscribers, that if the later laws with the occasions, the practice, and publications of the Jesuits for the subversion of the Queen and her kingdom, be considered, it may rather be wondered that they are alive, than that they have been thus proceeded with. P. 34 produces the confession of Parsons and Creswell addressing her Majesty, In the beginning of thy Kingdom thou didst deal something more gently with Catholicks: none were then urged by thee, or pressed either to thy sect, or to the denial of their Faith. All things (indeed) did seem to proceed in a far milder course, no great complaints were heard of :' &c. P. 38 states, that the execution of the law was not so tragical, as many since have written and reported of it,' and p. 50, 'not by many degrees so extreme, as the Jesuits and that crew have falsely written and reported of it. The work proceeds to state, that in 1580 entered into the kingdom Campion and Parsons; and Watson, R. C. Bp. of Lincoln, predicted the enactment of sharper laws: the subscribers acknowledge some of the body to have been tainted with Rebellion, and while they plead for the innocence of the seminary priests, they add, with simplicity and justice, Marry to say the truth, as we have confessed before, how could either her Majesty or the State know so much? They had great cause as Politick persons, to suspect the worst.' P. 43 confirms the answers given by the suspected to certain political questions, and states one as declaring that, as concerns faith, he should, in case of invasion, think himself bound to side with the pope. But I must cease: I wish the whole work were read; and it richly deserves reprinting in the present liberal, illiberal age. I must add, that in the work of SANDERS, de Origine ac Progressu Schis. Ang, which purports to give the history of the reigns from Hen. VIII. to Eliz., in that of Sanctissima Maria, excepting the death of Cranmer, whom comburi

some length from a work of considerable profundity, which I am anxious to lay before the reader. The title of the work, which has already been referred to, is, EUROPE SPECULUM, or a View or Survey of the State of Religion in the Western Parts of the World, wherein the Roman Religion and the pregnant Policies of the Church of Rome to support the same are notably displayed: with some other memorable discoveries and memorations, never before till now published according to the Author's Original Copy. Multum diuque desideratum. Hagæ-Comitis. 1629. 4to. The author, although not named, is known to be Sir EDWIN SANDYS. The first of these passages contains a professed consideration of that which is the identical subject of the present work. And the advantage proposed by the exhibition of it in this place is, to show in what light the measures pursued by the Latin church relative to books were regarded

Oxonii jussit, there is no reference to a single instance of capital punishment for religion! Editions differ: I refer to the first, Cologne 1585. After all this, what shall we say of Concertatio Ecclesia in Anglia; Eccles. Ang. Trophaa; and Theatrum Crudel. Hæret.? What shall we say of the English work derived, for the most part, and professedly, from the first of those very disputable, or rather mendacious sources, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, &c. without the name of any author, but ascribed by Berington to the R. C. Bp. CHALLONER? It is, indeed, acknowledged as the production of that Romanist, in his life by Barnard. For a just understanding of the History of England, and of the conduct of Queen Elizabeth and her ministers, I beg to recommend the able history of Turner, who has, with truth and discrimination, sought the history of England out of England,

by an intelligent politician at so early a period (that of 1599, the date given in the dedicatory address to Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury), and when but a small number of the Indexes can have appeared. It will likewise be seen, what degree of concurrence exists between the sentiments of a most acute observer and judge of such subjects, and those delivered in the preceding pages. And it may serve as an additional recommendation of the passage to be produced, that Francus, in his work on the Indexes, took the pains to translate it into Latin, that his readers might not want the gratification and information which it conveys *.

'But the Papacy at this day, taught by woful experience what damage this licence of writing among themselves hath done them; and that their speeches are not only weapons in the hands of

It is much to the credit of this writer, and this work in particular, that although condemned in an Italian translation by a Decree of 1627, which has secured him a place in the Roman Index ever since, his accuracy is admitted, and his authority appealed to, by the very learned, and, for a Romanist, liberal J. B. THIERS, Dr. en Théologie, &c., in his Traité des Superstitions, &c. Tome iv., pp. 189, 90, in proof of the existence of those enormous pardons, or indulgences, of thousands of years, which are found in various monuments of papal Rome, and which our author professes it difficult (he might as well have said impossible) to reconcile with the denial of the facts. They never would have been denied, had not the Protestants spoiled the trade, and made the speculation, in some cases, a losing, if not a ruinous one. For this and other offences, however, the well-meaning Frenchman has been conducted to the literary gibbet of his church.