viting paths, at the commencement of which I perceived all had set up a sign-post, severally directing all passengers to pursue its respective path, and announcing the name of its discoverer; one bearing the name of Arius, another Luther, another Calvin, another Wesley, &c. bnt I was particularly attracted by one universal warning, which was, (though all advised a different way) not topursue the ancient road which lay straight before me, describing it as extremely dangerous, and full of every evil which could obstruct the pilgrim in his path, which (though none of these dangers were visible) caused vast numbers immediately to turn aside into one or other of the side paths.

At the outset of the great road stood a venerable old man, pious, and dignified in his appearance. He held in his hand an open book, which I was informed, was the exclusive guide to the pilgrim's course; and which I perceived the generality of those around me read with various attention; and each immediately, from the conclusion he formed, directed his steps down some one of the bye paths. It was evident, this volume was regarded by all as the guide to heaven. As I stood observing the multitude gradually disappearing, and preparing myself for my turn to read and choose my course, I could not help remarking the disagreement in every ones steps, one to the other; and I was astonished to perceive none ever asked the opinion of the sage who held the book, and who I could not hesitate in supposing was placed there to be the explainer of its contents. It seemed ro me, from the multitude of paths, and from their diametrical disagreement, that the book was not a sufficient guide. I doubted not the old man could direct me in my choice; I determined therefore to ask his counsel, and immediately walking up to him, I addressed him in the following words.

Reverend Father, I am desirous, with the multitude who are journeying onwards, to discover the true way to heaven. Seeing all those before me pursuing different paths, all contrary in their course to one another; I am not so confident in my own opinion, as to run a risk of following the wrong road, which, instead of terminating in the wished for destination, may lead

Q

into the territory of the opposite country; therefore I beg, Reverend Father, to be led by your advice.

Right, right, my son, (answered the venerable sage,) to heaven there is certainly but one sure road; all others are uncertain, but, I know the one I shall point out, is sure to conduct you to the great Author who appointed it.-Here he shewed me from the book he held, that the old beaten road before me, was the one in which all the first christian travellers had walked, and that Jesus himself, the Son of God, had, with thousands of martyrs marked it out with his blood.

He now called my attention to observe large clouds of mist, which enveloped a great number of the bye ways, from their first setting out. Upon my asking the cause of such an appearance he told me they were the clouds of ignorance, doubt and unbelief, which those who come in them could not see, so long as they continued to press forward, but if ever they looked back, they then became visible to them; and many in consequence turned their backs on these paths, and retraced their steps as fast as they could.

I was desirous to know how it was, that the book which he held, should so mislead, instead of guide, the pilgrim in his path? No wonder, replied he, you ask that question: our king knew the book itself was not sufficient for his people, and therefore appointed an interpreter, a living guide; but such is the preversity of mankind, that many now prefer their own judgement to that of heaven. You see in me, continued he, the descendant of him who first pointed out to your fathers, from this book, their course to heaven. Him they obeyed; and when he pointed out this broad flowing path, their steps followed his direction; but, alas! their sons have now stopt their ears to the counsel of those who are placed here to guide them in the right conception of the book, which would direct them to the one true path; each reading, misconceives, and immediately wanders forth in an uncertain course. On the contrary, I point out to you the straight way, which conducted your fathers to the heavenly paradise; and I would also lead you to them. I have in my wallet the hand writing of my ancestors, to prove it has never been altered; therefore, my son, pursue

the road which God himself has deigned to mark out for the children of men.

I immediately bowed to the old man in token of thanks and acquiescence, and was proceeding forward; but he desired me first to follow him to the side of the road, where stood an ancient temple; first, says he, receive the grace of the holy king, by which you are entitled to walk in the path leading to this city; and which shall preserve you from all dangers as long as you are unremitting in your journey forwards. Coming up to a font, which stood in the centre of the edifice, he was proceeding to sprinkle me with the blessed water, but at that instant my dream dissolved,-my sleep was disturbed with the agitation of my mind-and I awoke.

FOX'S MARTYRS.

For the Catholic Miscellany.

MR. EDITOR,-Fox places, as chief of his Calendar for the month of May, the noted John Huss, whose story, as falsely given by our adversaries, has served as a constant theme for reviling the Council of Constance. This great luminary and martyr of the Protestant Church, who neither believed or taught the doctrines held by any sect of Protestants at the present day, was a Bohemian Priest, residing in the University of Prague, which at that time was in high repute, and was filled with Bohemian and German students. Huss being disappointed of a preferment which he contended he was entitled to as a Bohemian, began to attack the Germans in his public discourses, and with the aid of his friend, Jerom of Prague, excited a commotion which occasioned twenty four thousand Germans to leave the University. As he had already embraced the opinions of Wickliffe, he had now a favourable opportunity of disseminating them. Charges however were soon brought against him, and he was cited to appear and answer them before the Court of Rome: he declined appearing; nevertheless his doctrines were condemned by a Synod of Bishops assembled at Rome. Still they spread over many parts of Bohemia; he

was then summoned to attend at the Council, which was sitting at that time at Constance. Really or affectedly fearful to travel through a country where the violence of his conduct had enflamed the minds of many against him, he procured from the Emperor of Germany, a passport for safe conduct, to enable him to reach the Council without molestation. On his arrival, he stoutly maintained many of the doctrines of Wickliffe, with some improvements of his own, viz. "It is lawful for private men to kill kings and princes, whenever they shall judge them tyrants"-"No man is a civil magistrate, prelate or bishop, so long as he is in mortal sin." For these and other erroneous opinions he was excommunicated by the Council, and agreeably to his own doctrine, declared in the same Council, "if a heretic will not renounce his errors, he ought to be corporally punished," he was condemed to death by the Magistrates of Constance in the year 1415. Like Wickliffe, Huss said mass until his dying day.-Next come three Florentine friars of the order of Saint Dominic, who, dabbling in politics, were apprehended in a popular tumult, were tried, convicted, and afterwards executed. The first was Jerom Savonarola, a learned and eloquent man, but of a turbulent disposition; he lived and died a catholic, and wrote several works, which were long esteemed in Italy for their othodoxy; the other two, Dominick and Sylvester, were friars in the same convent; and entering into his political views, became implicated with him in the charge, of endeavouring to bring about a change in the existing government: they, like him, both lived and died Catholics. These are doubtless good Protestant martyrs. On the sixth, we have Friar Roy, martyr: for his history, take the words of Fox him. self: "In this year, also, to wit, 1531, as we do understand by divers notes of old registers, and otherwise, Friar Roy was burned in Portugal; but what his examination or order of his death was, we can have no understanding." He might have been a Jew, a thief, or a murderer, for ought we know; still he would do for a Protestant martyr. Now come three martyrs of no ordinary description: three sacrilegious martyrs, Robert King, Robert Debnam, and Nicholas March, indicted with a fourth, who escaped in the twenty fourth year of the reign of

king Henry the eighth, with feloniously and sacrilegiously robbing the church of Dover Court, in Kent, and for stealing and carrying away the rood or crucifix, which was of considerable value, in consequence of the many rich presents that had been bestowed upon it. They were all three convicted and sentenced to be hanged in chains. A goodly set of martyrs! and worthy the annalist, who has blotted his pages with their panegyrics. On the tenth is John Cardmaker, alias Taylor, Martyr. This man was a Franciscan friar; who, running away from his convent, married and turned minister: he was apprehended for teaching the prevailing heterodox opinions of the day, and suffered at Smithfield, in the year 1555. John Warne, martyr, follows on the eleventh; an upholder in London, who had been implicated in the affair of Ann Ascue, and with her, had been sentenced to suffer death, but had obtained his pardon from king Henry the eighth. In queen Mary's days, he publickly held the same opinions, for which he had already been condemned; he was consequently doomed to suffer, and was executed at the same time with Cardmaker. The following six were all from Essex, and very poor and ignorant; yet they were not wanting in obstinacy and perverseness. They were tried before bishop Bonner, and all convicted; five suffered, and one died in prison. Their names were Margaret Ellis, confessor, Hugh Laverick, John Aprice, Catherine Hutt, Elizabeth Thackwell, and Joane Hornes, martyrs. The first of these, being questioned concerning the number of the sacraments, answered, "That she had heard that there was one sacrament, but what it was she could not tell; the other women gave answers not a wit more learned. Fox sets down for the eighteenth, a blind boy and two other martyrs. The last was a bricklayer; they were both able disputants, and were too much for their judge, if we believe the annalist. The next three martyrs were condemned, and suffered at the same time in Suffolk. Thomas Spicer, a poor young labourer, John Denny, and William alias Edmund Poole, "the companions of the former and artificers. They stood so firm in their opinions," says Fox, "that when the Chancellor persuaded them what he could to turn from the truth, and could by no means prevail,