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 Account of the indexes, ^t^^^^^^^^ 
 
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AN ACCOUNT 
 
 Oy THE 
 
 INDEXES, 
 
 30TH 
 
 PROHIBITORY AND EXPURGATORY, 
 
 or T«E 
 
 CHURCH OF ROME 
 
 Nequeiii Ipso* modo ai^etoreR, Bedinlibros qaoq6e'edtdinscevifum,delf^ato tri. 
 umviris miiiiRterio, ut luonument^cl.anfisimoTiin^ingenioTum in coniitioac foro ure- 
 Tentnr. Scilicet illo igne vocem populi Roinani, etlibertatem Henalus,et conscientiain 
 geneiis humani aboleii arbitrabantur. 
 
 Tac. Agric. c, ii. 
 
 REV, JOSEPH MENDHAM, M.A. 
 
 LONDON: 
 HATCHARD AND SON, 
 
 riQCADILLV ; 
 
 BErrSy, KNOTT, AND BEILBY, BIRMINGHAM; 
 
 AND A. AND W. WATSON, CAPEL-SXAEET^ 
 
 DUBLIN". 
 
 1826. 
 
TRINXED BY T. .KNOTT, JVH, 
 PIBMIMPHASI. 
 
TO 
 
 SIR ROBERT HARRY INGLIS, BART. 
 
 WHOSE SHORT CAREEH- IN PARLIAMENT, 
 SIGNALIZED BY THE ORIGINAL AND SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT, 
 THROUGH THE PROHIBITORY INDEXES 
 OF ROME, 
 TO PROVE AND ILLUSTRATE THE EXISTING AND 
 INHERENT INTOLERANCE OP 
 HER RELIGION, 
 AS WELL AS THE DANGER TO EVERY PROTESTANT STATE 
 IN THE ADMISSION OF HER ADHERENTS 
 TO POLITICAL POWER, 
 HAS IMPOSED A DEET OP DEEP AND CORDIAL GRATITUDE 
 UPON EVERY FAITHFUL MEMBER OF THE 
 BRITISH CHURCH, 
 THE FOLLOWING WORK, 
 WHICH HUMBLY PROCEEDS IN THE TRAIN OF THE SAME 
 ARGUMENT, 
 IS, WITH EQUAL GRATITUDE AND RESPECT, 
 INSCRIBED, 
 
 By THE AUTHOR. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Should it be asked, with respect to the 
 present work, as is sometimes done without 
 the highest wisdom, cut bono ? the author might 
 possibly satisfy himself with the supposed 
 reply of the Apostle Jude, were it inquired of 
 him, why, when intending to write of the 
 common salvation, he occupied nearly his 
 whole address in exposing the character and 
 acts of its enemies. The truth is, a great de- 
 lusion has long been, and is now, hanging over 
 the minds of men, particularly in this country, 
 respecting the character of the church of 
 Rome and her adherents. It becomes impor- 
 tant to remind them, that this is not to be 
 sought in the declarations of individuals of 
 that communion, however respectable, which 
 
 A 2 
 
VI 
 
 are worth nothing — absolutely nothing. The 
 subjects of the Papacy have taketi the utmost 
 possible pains to disqualify themselves from 
 having any opinion, or being able to give any 
 exposition, on the subject of their religion, 
 which shall be independently and personally 
 their o^n. The Uomah, beyond afiy Other 
 professedly christian sect, is bound to its pe- 
 culiar faith and discipline by original engage- 
 ments, the most sacred, the most precise, 
 the most extended, the most rigorous. And 
 it is there that we are to look for its true and 
 distinguishing character. No greater mercy of 
 the kind was ever vouchsafed to the Christian 
 world by a compassionate Providence, than 
 the Council of Trent. However cautious the 
 managers of it, they were obliged by many 
 motives to speak out, and declare themselves, 
 in canons, in decrees, in anathemas, and, 
 above all, in a Creed,* which can, none of 
 
 • Chahles Butler, Esq. in accordance with a titular archbishop 
 and a titular bishop, in Ireland, in their examination before Parlia- 
 ment, acknowledges this Creed to be an " accurate and explicit sum. 
 
vu 
 
 them, be recalled or concealed. Here at 
 least we fix upon, and bind, the object of our 
 search and pursuit. The Indexes, which are 
 examined in the present work, emanated in a 
 great measure from this assembly ; and, with 
 it and many other documents, they stand fprth, 
 a specimen and illustration of what the religion 
 of Rome really is. This is precisely the infor- 
 matipn which the British public require. They 
 are to be directed to look where proof is to be 
 found. They must be taught to inquire for 
 more unexceptionable testimony than that of a 
 man, more especially a Romanist, to his own 
 self, and to his own cause. This is the only 
 way of avoiding error, which may be fatal, 
 and, in any degree, is injurious. 
 
 ipary qf the BoraRn Catholic Fftitb.*' The Rev. Geohob Townbemd, 
 ■in his triumphant Accvsationn of History against the Churdi of Rome, 
 &c. with an expression of surprise, forbears to inquire the reasons 
 which have induced that acute and learned controversialist to omit the 
 two last, and certainly very important, clauses of this Creed. Will it 
 be believed, not only that he was ignorant of them, but that he has 
 avowed his ignorance ! Yet, after this, and many other similar suc- 
 cesses of his literary campaigns, Mr. Butler will probably resume his 
 polemical career, with as much apparent comfort and sel&satisfaction 
 as if all his defeats were victories. 
 
via 
 
 It cannot, however, be necessary to re»t 
 the value of the subject at least of the present 
 work upon any argument merely temporary and 
 defensive. To those, who can estimate the 
 utility of historical monuments, which display 
 the peculiar features of the human mind in the 
 operations of large, conspicuous and powerful 
 societies, whether good or bad, and throw a 
 light upon the distinguishing acts of provi- 
 dence, whether appointing or permitting ; and 
 who perceive, that the productions, which are 
 here reviewed, may be regarded as a Grand 
 Index of the sentiment, spirit, and policy of an 
 empire claiming, with the most critical exact- 
 ness, the terrific appellation of the Mystery 
 OF iNiQUiTY—a work, in any moderate de- 
 gree, developing the history and contents of 
 the Indexes of modern Rome, will amply re- 
 commend itself by its positive and intrinsic 
 character. 
 
 It may be observed, that the author has 
 cautiously abstained from the use of the terms. 
 
IX 
 
 Papertf and Papist, because they are regarded 
 by the members of the Latin church as oppro- 
 brious. And yet, with what right, or even 
 policy, the appellations can be disclaimed, is 
 difficult to discover; since the form of the re- 
 ligion intended is mainly distinguished by its 
 connexion with, and dependence upon, the 
 bishop of Rome, denominated the Pope, as its 
 supreme head and ,sovere%n. This is certainly 
 the fact with respect to all the subjects of the 
 Roman See, even those of France and Ireland, 
 who, although certainly in different ways, take 
 the liberty of qualifying their obedience. And 
 why they should decline a denomination, which 
 most accurately designates the principal pecu- 
 liarity of their religious persuasion, can hardly 
 be accounted for on any other supposition than 
 one which they viN>uld repel as an insult, that 
 they are ashamed of their spiritual Lord. On 
 the other hand, an abstinence, equally rigid, will 
 be perceived, from the use of the term. Catho- 
 lic — an abstinence, which courtesy, and a desire 
 
to avoid offence, would have effectually and 
 permanently forbidden, had not the contrary 
 conduct, prompted by the honourable motives 
 just suggested, been perverted into an admis- 
 sion of exclusive right to the appellation. But 
 when, with a degree of ignorance and ungene- 
 rousness, which could only be expected from the 
 most degraded and illiterate, the collected 
 papal hierarchy of Ireland, in their Pastoral 
 Instructions, subjoined to the Encyclical Letter 
 of their present terrestrial Supreme, blush not 
 to assert, that their church " is one, which 
 alone can glory in the title of Catholic — a 
 title which she has borne from the apostolic 
 times, which her enemies themselves concede 
 to her, and which, if arrogated by any of them, 
 serves only to expose her shame"* — it is time 
 
 " Page 53. The late Bp. Milneh, Vicar Apostolic of the Mid- 
 land District in this country, has, in his End of Religious Controversy^ 
 Letter xxv. lowered his reputation by the use of the same argument ; 
 of the nullity and puerility of which his general good sense could not 
 allow him to be ignorant Nothing more, indeed, is needed, to put an 
 end to all controversy respecting the competency of the author to settle 
 any religious one, than the perusal of the letter referred to. The 
 reader iias only to think of the word Unitarian, and the whole fallacy 
 
to inform them, and all who think with them, 
 that no true church of Christ concedes that 
 title to the Church of Rome, exclusively, if at 
 all ; and that every such church, with every 
 member composing every such church, claim 
 the title for her and themselves, with a confi- 
 dence and a justice, which they know to be, at 
 least, superior to any belonging to that cor- 
 rupt and usurping community. 
 
 The only remaining duty of the author is, to 
 disclaim the presumption of imagining, that a 
 faultless work is presented. He is sensible of 
 much imperfection, and believes that some 
 may exist, of which he is not sensible. He 
 has, however, endeavoured to escape all, either 
 
 stands out. I cannot forbear adding, ivith respect to this plausible, be- 
 cause deceitful, wock, that the reflexion, which but a cursory exami- 
 nation of it most constantly and forcibly Impresses upon the mind is, 
 the facility, with which, particularly when aided by opportune suppres- 
 sion, invention and adjustment, Romanists may prove any thinf; ; since 
 the authors and authorities respected by them have maintained every 
 thing. The degree of correctness exhibited in the work, in some particu- 
 lar instances, where it could hardly be avoided without intention and 
 pains, is kbly and incontrovertibly ascertained in a Letter to the Right 
 Rev. John Milner, D. D. &c. By the Kev. John Gaebett, M. A. 
 1826. See likewise TwoLetteri to the same by the Kev. T. H. Lows, 
 M.A. 
 
xu 
 
 false, or deficient, representation ; and certainly 
 has never wilfully offended in this respect. He 
 should have considered himself unjustifiable in 
 obtruding upon the world a work of this de- 
 scription, which might not in some degree be 
 considered as complete : and he will thank- 
 fully avail himself of any additional information 
 or correction, should the opportunity be pre- 
 sented of using them. Criticism simply hos- 
 tile will be useless. 
 
 May a light from above shine into the dark- 
 ness, of which the damnatory Catalogues of 
 Rome are both an example and a cause ; and 
 may its blessed and emancipating influence 
 encounter less and less of effectual obstruction, 
 either from anti-christian bigotry or from anti- 
 protestant infatuation ! 
 
 Sutton Coldfield, November 22, 1826. 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page S, note, !• 1, for " Erotematad e,"read " Mrotemaia de." 
 
 23, note, 1. 6, for " Gretsee," read " Gretsek." 
 
 24, 1. 3, for " retincre," read " rellnere." 
 30, note, 1. 3, dele " it." 
 
 53, 1. 8, for " Cellotio," read " Collatio." 
 
 note, 1. 11, for " operartmque," read " operarumqiie." 
 
 note, 1. 12, for " o6," read " ad." 
 36, 1. 5, for " Inquisitor," read " Inquisidor." 
 
 72, note, 1. 19, for " reliqu»." read " reliqua." 
 
 73, note, 1. 10, for " varios" read " vario-." 
 
 85, 1. 10, for " prohibitions," read "• prohibitions." 
 9r>, 1. 24, for " Catholics," read " Catholicis." 
 134, 1. penult, for " year," read " years 1824 and." 
 
 138, 1. 16, for " sensi," read " sen." 
 
 139, 1. 19, insert before " beheld"—" the whole." 
 143, note, 1. 2, for " Inqui," read " Inquisi." 
 
AN ACCOUNT, &c. 
 
 xxMONG the various principles and customs, 
 more especially those of religion, which mo- 
 dern, and professedly Christian, Rome has 
 adopted and perpetuated from the antient and 
 idolatrous possessors of the great city and its 
 empire, there is none in which the resemblance, 
 or virtual identity, is more conspicuous, than 
 in that policy, by which she has acquired, and 
 by which she retains, her dominion over a g^eat 
 part of the civilized world. No instrument for 
 these purposes, whether of fraud, of flattei"yi 
 of terror, or of force, was ever refused or 
 overlooked by her. Her code of government- 
 embraced all objects, and comprehended the 
 most distant extremes, with all which occupied 
 the intermediate space. The most self-tor- 
 menting ascetic and the most voluptuous pro- 
 fligate were almost equal objects of her atten- 
 
tion ; and while to the tractable, submissive, 
 and attached she presented every indulgence 
 which was, or was believed to be, in her power, 
 she had tortures and deaths of all horrors 
 to gain, retain, or recover, those who might be 
 rebellious, or meditate rebellion. In short, to 
 no power but modern Rome is equally appli- 
 cable the encomium of the poet on the antient: 
 
 Tu regere iraperio populos, Romahe, memento ; 
 Hse tibi erunt artes ; pacisque imponere morem, 
 Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos. Aen. vi. 852. 
 
 Here is a gigantic, mysterious and long-esta- 
 blished power, yet in existence ; having indeed 
 suffered much, and therefore the more intent 
 upon retrieving its loss ; with no deficiency of 
 skill, and no neglect of instruments. And 
 among these the literary ones, about to be the 
 subject of examination, are not, at least as 
 concerns the retention of empire, the least 
 suitable, necessary, and effectual. 
 
 The books generally bearing the title of 
 Prohibitory and Expurgatory Indexes, 
 are catalogues of authors and works, either 
 condemned in toto, or censured and corrected, 
 chiefly by expunction ; issuing from the church 
 
3 
 
 of modern Rome, and published by authority 
 of her ruling members or societies, so em- 
 powered. 
 
 It is of some importance to distinguish the 
 titles above given, which signify things essen- 
 tially different, but which are frequently con- 
 founded both by papal and early writers, who 
 ought to understand the subject best, and by 
 modern ones very generally. 
 The Prohibitory Index specifies and prohibits 
 entire authors, or works, whether of known or 
 of unknown authors. This book has been fre- 
 quently published, with successive enlarge- 
 ments, up to the present time, under the 
 express sanction of the reigning Pontiff; it may 
 indeed be considered as a kind of periodical 
 publication of the papacy, and no attempt or 
 wish is discoverable to prevent its most exten- 
 sive publicity. 
 
 The other class of Indexes, the Expurga- 
 tory, whether united with the first or not, con- 
 tains a particular examination of the works 
 occurring in it, and specifies the passages 
 condemned to be expunged or altered. Such 
 a work, in proportion to the number of works 
 
 B 2 
 
embraced by it, must be, and in the instance 
 of the Spanish Indexes of this kind, is, volu- 
 minous. In these, publicity was so little 
 desired, that it was the chief thing guarded 
 against. The earlier editions, in particular, 
 were distributed with the utmost caution, as 
 will incontrovertibly appear in the sequel ; and 
 were only intended for the possession and in- 
 spection of .those, to whom they were necessary 
 for the execution of their provisions. The 
 reason is obvious. It certainly was little de- 
 sirable, that the dishonestdealings of the authors 
 of these censures should be known to those 
 who were injured by them, and to whom they 
 would afford the opportunity of justifying 
 themselves ; or to the world at large, whose 
 judgment they must know would, in many in- 
 stances, be at variance with their own. And 
 evidently it was not their interest to discover, 
 and even officiously (as it were) to point out 
 those very passages in the writings, not only of 
 reputed heretics, but of reputed catholics, 
 which expose the most vulnerable parts of their 
 own system. These apprehensions are suffi- 
 ciently proved, to have been well founded by 
 
the avidity with which the opportunity, when^ 
 ever it occurred, was seized, by prdtestants, of 
 re -publishing these curious, as well as ini- 
 quitous, documents. And we can scarcely 
 avoid feeling something like sympathy with the 
 anger and invectives of those who, though 
 frequently themselves sttiai-tirig under the same 
 lash, and yet the more for that very reason, 
 are indignant, that the censures of their own 
 brethren by these ecclesiastic critics should no 
 sooner be published at Rome, Paris, or in 
 Spain, than they are sent into the world afresh, 
 and every where dispersed, by heretical edi- 
 tors, for the direct and most provoking pur* 
 pose of proving, how little unity subsists 
 among self-nominated catholics.* Indepen- 
 dently, however, of their own importance, as 
 furnishing almost the only copies of these pro- 
 ductions accessible to protestants, these re-im- 
 pressions will not be the less valuable on the 
 account just adverted to. 
 
 • See Baynaudi EroUmatad e Malis ac honii Libris, 4to. Ludg. 1653, 
 p. 311. The title of the paragraph is — Suffixiones CaihoUcorum per 
 CathoHcoi, acandah hcereticis. The ConstUutio of Benedict XIV. laments 
 and confirms the same fact, as will appear in time — digladianiibui inter 
 $e CalhoKcis, ^c. 
 
6 
 
 Both the prefaces and other accompanying 
 matter of the protestant editors, as well as the 
 additional matter to be found in the genuine 
 and original Roman editions, contain much 
 historical information of great value and im- 
 portance. There have not, however, been 
 wanting, in addition to these, many elaborate 
 works professedly written upon the subject. 
 Among these, perhaps the highest rank is 
 claimed, as containing the fullest and most sa- 
 tisfactory account of these productions, by the 
 comparatively early work of Daniel Francus, 
 JDe Papistarum IndicibusLibb. Prohib. et Expurg. 
 Sgc. Lipsise, mdclxxxiv. 4to. ; of which it is 
 not the smallest praise, that it was compiled 
 under peculiar disadvantages ; for, with the 
 evident merit of the work in view, it will 
 scarcely be believed, that its indefatigable 
 author had neither possession nor inspection of 
 a single original edition of the earlier Indexes. 
 Neither is it a slight testimony to the efficiency 
 of this volume, that immediately upon its pub- 
 lication, as we are informed by the author him- 
 self, all the copies which were to be found at 
 Francford, were seized and conveyed away by 
 
tke Imperial Commissary* — a fact which has 
 produced the exceeding rarity of the work. 
 Were we to specify any other treatise on the 
 subject possessing peculiar merit, we should 
 probably select that on the " Mystery of the 
 Indices Expurgatorii" contained in a volume 
 entitled, " A Treatise of the Corruption of Scrip- 
 ture, Councils, and Fathers, by the Prelats, 
 Pastors, and Pillars of the Church of Rome, 
 ^gc. By Thomas James," First Librarian of 
 the Bodleian Library. The particular discus- 
 sion begins at p. 372 of the 8vo. edition of 
 1688. It is short and unassuming ; but the 
 writer, by a singular providence, the benefit of 
 which is still enjoyed by the University of 
 Oxford, possessed all the original materials 
 which the- other wanted ; and he has shewn 
 that he knew how to use them. 
 
 It is not my purpose to enumerate or de- 
 scribe other works of the same character, al- 
 though in the progress of this discussion I shall 
 find cause to advert to such of them as I may 
 possess or have access to. The chief source of 
 
 • In a letter of Francus to be found in Schelhortiii Anumitatei Litt. 
 Tom. ult. pp. 608, 9. There is a copy in the British Museum, but 
 not, I believe, in the Bodleian Library. 
 
8 
 
 information, however, will be the body of the 
 Indexes thepaselves, with the Regulse, Edicts, 
 Bulls, and other authorized documents accom- 
 panying them. 
 
 It is scarcely necessary to discuss with 
 much effort the line of argument selected by 
 the Romanists in vindication of their own bib- 
 lical censures. The learned, but intemperate 
 and rambling, Jesuit, Gretser, has underta- 
 taken this province in a work entitled, De Jure 
 et More prohibendi, expurgandi,et abolendi Libros 
 hcereticbs et noxios, adversus Franciscum Junium 
 Calvinistam, 8s Joannem Pappum aliosq ; pradi- 
 cantes Luther anos, Sgc. Ingoldstad, 1603, 4to. 
 In this work, in which might naturally have 
 been expected some important information re- 
 lative to the Roman Indexes, but in which the 
 most important is derived from the heretics, 
 whom, at the very time, he vilifies,* he endea- 
 vours to justify the conduct of his church in the 
 instance before us, both by its intrinsic lawful-' 
 ness, and by the exercise of that right, real or 
 supposed, by all political authorities, civil or 
 
 • I aUude particularly, to a passage which will be produced on the 
 earliest editions, from P. P. Vergerius, of which he says, ri „on men. 
 iitfir Vergerius hcereticus, p. 101. 
 
9 
 
 religious, from early' antiquity, and even amongf 
 heathen nations. The whole argument, how- 
 ever, is nullified or superseded 'by the observa- 
 tion, that, without denying or qualifying the 
 abstract right and even duty of the point con- 
 tended for, the whole or main question turns 
 upon the justice or injustice of the instances in 
 which it is exercised — in other words, how far 
 the condemned party, the prohibited or muti- 
 lated books, are really guilty or innocent, false 
 and pernicious or sound and beneficial ; whe- 
 ther, in fact, the greater part of them, to which 
 such offence is imputed, are chargeable with 
 any other heresy than that of rejecting and op- 
 pugning the fables and atrocities of the church 
 of Rome, which all eyes see but her own.* 
 
 The modern Roman church seems to have 
 
 acted on the presumption, that, not when she 
 
 condemijed and executed, whether the innocent 
 
 or the guilty, but only when she acquitted and 
 
 ' allowed to escape, she did wrong. And there- 
 
 • In the Encyclical Letter of iiEO XII. and the Pastoral Instruc- 
 tions vf the Roman Catholic Archiishops and Bisliops of Ireland, Dublin, 
 Coyne, 1824, the only display of learning which occurs is borrowed 
 ■ from this work of Gretser. See p. 57 ; from Gretser, pp. 19, 39, 48, 
 57. But who would divine that the references, L.Dam.c. deHer. Sj; 
 L. Matliem. c. de Epis. were from the Codex Theodosianus ? 
 
10 
 
 fore the power of condemning supposed hereti-, 
 cal books was permitted to any of the superior 
 ecclesiastic authorities. The more formal and 
 authorized condemnations, however, proceeded 
 from the three following sources — The Congre- 
 gation of the Inquisition, the Master of the 
 Sacred Palace, and the Congregation of the 
 Index. This is evident, not only from the state- 
 ment of all authors upon the subject, papal and 
 others, but from the very form of the Decrees, 
 some of which are appended to two of the Ro- 
 man editions of the Index. 
 
 The Congregation of the Inquisition, or, in 
 Spain, the Senate, claimed this authority, as 
 originally and naturally belonging to their office 
 as inquisitors of heretical pravity in general. 
 Van Espen distinguishes between those meet- 
 ings when the Pope was present and when he 
 was not — his name being mentioned only in the 
 former case.* But all the Roman editions come 
 forth with the papal sanction. 
 
 * I quote from a MS. Tract of his, DeSac. Congregg. Inguisiiionii, 
 in my possession, formerly belonging to Card. Gasfakoli, of Milan, 
 and which is not superseded by the Tract published on the same sub- 
 ject, embracing the Indexes, in the last edition of his works in 4 torn, 
 fol. Lovan. 1753. Tom. 1. pp. 198—218. Part. I. Tit. 22, capp. ^ & 
 seq. 
 
11 
 
 The Master of the Sacred Palace was a kind 
 of domestic chaplain, oy preacher, of the pope. 
 The famous, or infamous Dominic was the first 
 who bare this office ; and a part of his jurisdic- 
 tion referred to the printing of books, and the 
 power of prohibiting them. If Catalani, a 
 Roman writer on this specific subject,- is correct, 
 he was the first who enjoyed this right. Reti- 
 net quoque Magister Sacri Palatii facultatem,. 
 quam, ut ait Cardinalis de Luca loco superius 
 citato, forte solus exercebat ante erectionem Sacra 
 Congregationis Sanctce Inquisitionis, 8g alterius, 
 quae dicitur Indicis Librorum prohibitorum, de 
 quibus dicemus nos infra opportuniori loco, Libros 
 impressos, quos prohibendos judicaverit, proscri- 
 bendi; Sec* 
 
 The same writer has given a volume of the 
 same size with the former, and printed at the 
 same place, and in the same year, Rome, and 
 1751, De Secretario Sac. Congregationis Indicis, 
 in which he has stated the office of this congre- 
 gation relative to the examination and prohibi- 
 tion of books. Indeed the congregation, as its 
 
 • De Magittro Sac. Pal. L. 1. c. viii. Vide et capp. i. ii. vii. ix. 
 Romse, 1751. 4to. 
 
1^ 
 
 title imports, was established for the express 
 purpose of carrying into execution the decrees 
 of the Council of Trent respecting the catalogue 
 of prohibited books, which it had decreed.* 
 
 Van Espen, in the tract referred to, has 
 pretty satisfactorily evinced, that the censure 
 or condemnation of the books in the Index is 
 often to be referred to the examination and 
 judgment of a single Consultor, as he is called, 
 one of the operatives in this laudable work. 
 And it is certain that many of the true Roman- 
 ists, whose works were thus transfixed, made 
 no ceremony of exclaiming against the sup- 
 posed inj ustice of the proceeding. But after 
 all, these Indexes, when published, bear upon 
 their front, in brazen letters, the sanction of the 
 bishop and church of Rome, and so are vene- 
 rated by all the true sons of that community. 
 
 But besides these sources of the condemna^ 
 tions referred to, the pope, by his own autho- 
 rity, as head of the church, claimed the right ; 
 and it was likewise allowed to, and exercised 
 
 " In lib. i. c. vli. Catalani has discussed the origin of this Congre- 
 gation. It certainly virtually began in the Deputation of Pius IV., 
 but Pius V. formally established it, as appears from the Boman In- 
 dex 1664, p. 228. 
 
13 
 
 by, all public ecclesiastic bodies, as those of 
 the universities of the Sorbonne and of Lou- 
 vain, by individual superior ecclesiastics, and 
 even by the supreme civil magistrate.* 
 
 • It is not necessary to my plan to trace the origin of biblical con- 
 demnations to the highest source ; and therefore I am content to add 
 what may yet be useful in a note, containing an extract from a valu- 
 able Essay on the Indexes in a late work of the Hev. Dr. Townley. 
 
 " The firiH instances of books printed with Imprimaturs, or oflRcial 
 permissions, are two printed at Cologne, and sanctioned by the Uni- 
 versity in 1479 (one of them a Bible), 'and another at Heidelburg, in 
 1480, authorized by the Patriarch of Venice, &c. The oldest mandate 
 that is known for appointing a Book-Censor is one issued by Berthold, 
 Archbishop of Mentz, in the year 1486, forbidding persons to translate 
 any books out of the Latin, Greek, or other languages, into the vulgar 
 tongue, or, when translated, to sell or dispose of them, unless admitted 
 to be sold by certain doctors and masters of the Uiijversity of Erfurt. 
 In 1501, Pope Alexander VI. published a Bull prohibiting any 
 books to be printed without the approbation of the Archbishops of 
 Cologne, Mentz, Triers, and Magdeburg, or their Vicars-General, or 
 officials in spirituals, in those respective provinces.* The year follow- 
 ing, l^ESDiNAND and Isabella, Sover^gns of Spain, published a 
 royal ordinance charging the Presidents of the Chancellaries of Valla- 
 dolid and Ciudad-Ueal, and the Archbishops of Toledo, Seville, and 
 Grenada) and the Bishops of Burgos, Salamanca, and Z&mora, with 
 every thing relative to the examination, censure, impression, importa- 
 tion, and sale of books.f In the Council of Lateran, held'under Leo 
 X. in 1615, it was decreed that no book should- be printed at Rome, 
 nor in other cities and dioceses, unless, if at Kome, it had been exa- 
 mined by the Vicarof his Holiness and the Master of the Palace ; or, 
 if elsewhere, by the Bishop of the diocese, or a doctor appointed by 
 faira, and had received the signature, under pain of excommunication 
 and burning of the books;"$ Pp. 145 — 7 of Essays mi various Subjects 
 of Ecclesiastical History and Antiguity, by the Rev. J. Townley ; 8vo. 
 
 London, 1824. 
 
 • Beckmam's Bistory of Inventions, vol. iii. pp. 99— 115, 
 
 t Uorente. BUt. Crit. de rinquMtion d' Espagtie, torn. i. p. 282. 
 
 } Dislionnaire Portatif desCimcilcs,f.%W. Paris, 1764, 8vo. ; Becktmttn's History 
 
 of hteationt, vol, iii. p. us. 
 
14 
 
 The catalogue of prohibited books by Pope 
 Gelasius I. at the close of the fifth century, to 
 be found in the Decretals of Gratian, and ap- 
 pealed to by some writers on the subject before 
 us, does not deserve to be considered as an 
 instance of the prohibitory Index, in the proper 
 sense of the term ; as being applicable, not to 
 private and universal, but to public reading.* 
 Indeed the origin of the genuine Roman In- 
 dexes is to be assigned to the formidable attack 
 upon the Roman superstition by Martin 
 Luther and others, in Germany, at the be- 
 ginning of the sixteenth century. It may 
 appear a matter of surprise to any one who 
 reads the I'eflexions and even invectives against 
 the Roman church by her own members, in 
 Mornay's Mystery of Iniquity, or the Testes 
 Veritatishy Flacxus Illyricus, that the pub- 
 lication could ever have been endured, or the 
 authors continued not only in safety but in fa- 
 vour. The truth, however, is, that the church 
 of Rome cared nothing about the infamy, 
 while her dominion was safe. But when Lu- 
 ther and his adherents endangered that do- 
 minion, the case was altered. And perhaps 
 
 • As Catalaxi himself acknowledges. De Secret, &c. 1. i. c. iii. 
 
16 
 
 our own country may have the credit, such as 
 it is, of first endeavouring to repel the attack 
 in a literary way. In 1520, Cardinal Wol- 
 SEY, in consequence -.of the Brief of Leo X. 
 dated 13 Kal. Julii,* of that year, directed the 
 English bishops to require, that all the books 
 and writings of one Martin Luther (ciijusdam 
 M. L.) should be brought in and delivered up 
 to them, from all persons whatsoever possess- 
 ing them, under pain of the greater excommu- 
 nication. f This, however, refers simply to the 
 writings of Luther, and does not even enume- 
 rate any specific articles. In 1526, the Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, Warham, sent a Man- 
 date to YoYSEY, Bishop of Exeter, or his 
 Vicar-General in spirituals, to inquire after 
 English translations of the New Testament, 
 full of heretical pravity, whether with or with- 
 out notes, that they might be condemned to 
 the flames. The names of books condemned, 
 with the New Testament, to the number of 
 eighteen, being some of Tyndal, Huss, Zuingle, 
 
 ' The celebrated Bull against T^uther is dated xvii. Kal. Julii. 
 
 " It Is to be found in Smiype's Memorials of the Reformation, among 
 the Recordt, under Henry VIII. Numb. ix. e Uegist. Booth, Ep. 
 Heref. 
 
lb* 
 
 Luther, are subjoined.* In 1529, a convoca- 
 tion of the clergy of the province of Canter- 
 bury, and, as appears, in the following year, 
 a provincial council,' was held, by authority of 
 which was published a much more extensive 
 catalogue of prohibited books, to the number 
 of nearly seventy, consisting exclusively of 
 the English, German, and Helvetic Reformers.f 
 There was likewise a petition of the Synod of 
 Canterbury, in 1534, to the King, to restrain 
 or punish the publication of suspected books 
 and translations of the Scriptures. J 
 
 But it is time we should come to Rome, the 
 fountain of these arbitrary acts. And in the 
 Council of Lateran, assembled in 1511, in the 
 tenth session, 1515, Leo X. then filling the pon- 
 tifical chair, an ordinance of his was confirmed, 
 with only one dissentient voice in favour of 
 antient writers, that no book should be printed 
 until examined by the Master of the Sacred 
 
 • Ex Regist. Exon. Voysey, fol. 62. Wilkins, Condi. Mag. Brit. 
 Tom. iii. pp. 706, 7- Fox has the same prohibition from C. TON- 
 slnL, Bishop of London, to different Archdeacons of his. diocese. 
 Acts and Monumenia, &c. vol. ii. pp. 233, 4. £d. 1684. 
 
 t Idem. lb. ex. MS. Cott. Cleop. F. ii. fol. 54. Fox has the 
 same, pp. 234, 5. 
 
 + Id. ibid. p. 776. 
 
17 
 
 Palace or the Inquisitor of the place.* Nothing 
 like a formal Index of condemned books appear- 
 ed from this quarter until the year 1543> when, 
 as Peig.not, in his Dictionnaire des Livres con- 
 damnh aufeu, quotes from Reimann in his Ca- 
 talogus Bibliothecee Theologicee, there appeared 
 Indea; generalis Scriptorum interdictorum^ of that 
 date at Venice.')' 
 
 For the title of the next article, I am like- 
 wise indebted to Peignot, in the same work. 
 // Catalogo de' Libri, It quali nuovamente neV 
 mese di maggio ndV anno presente MDXL VIII. 
 sono stati condannati et scommunicati per heretici, 
 da GiovAN DELLA Casa, legato di Venetia et 
 d'Alcunifrati. E aggiunto sopra il medesimo Ca^ 
 talogo un judicio et discorso del Vergerio, 1549, 
 in 4to.J It is a remarkable circumstance, but 
 no less certain, that this Index is the production 
 of the infamous Archbishop of Benevento, John 
 della Casa. It was written, as Vergerius as- 
 serts, by command of Pope Paul IV. And he 
 adds, that the same Pontiff, overcome by his 
 
 ■ Ed. 1521, Rome, fol. cli. 
 t Tome 1, p. 256. 
 t Tome 1, p. 256. 
 
 C 
 
18 
 
 (Vergerius's) importunities, consented to insert 
 his name among the condemned ones in the last 
 edition published with his approbation ; as ap- 
 pears to have been actually done^ Veru7n quid? 
 adds our author with becoming indignation^ 
 inseruit hunc exs^crandissimi illius poematis auto- 
 rem in eo ipso Catdlogo, in quo doctfinee Filii Dei 
 propugnatores recensentur. Sicut enim Antichris-' 
 tus, horribile illud atque dbominabile scelus eodem 
 loco et numero habendum esse, quo coelestis quam 
 prafitemur doctrina* 
 
 Occasional and slight violations of the order 
 of time are almost unavoidable in discussions 
 like the present ; we therefore "retrograde a 
 little to notice the origin of the condemning 
 books in one of the most zealous and fruitful 
 manufactories of them, Spain. Our best guide 
 on this subject, as relates to Spain, in default 
 of the works themselves, is the Histoire de V In- 
 quisition d/Espdgne, par Llorente. In the 1st 
 vol. and xiiith chap, of that work he has given 
 
 » Vide Woipii Lectt. M. Tom. ii. p. 292. To this information I 
 was directed by Marchand, Diet. Hist, under Casa, where the reader 
 may see more than will give him pleasure in the life of that worth- 
 less ecclesiastic. 
 
19 
 
 a detailed and able account of the prohibitions 
 of books, or the Indexes, in Spain. At p. 462, 
 and the following, he informs us, citing, as his 
 authority, Sandoval's History q/" Charles V. 
 that that Emperor charged the University of 
 Louvain to form a list of dangerous books, and 
 that he obtained, in 1539, a bull of the Pope ^ 
 approving the measure. It was published in 
 1546. In 1549* the Emperor wrote to the 
 University to publish another edition, which, 
 with additions and by authority of the supreme 
 Senate of the Inquisition, appeared in 1550. 
 Peignot gives the title, which is in the Fle- 
 mish language, and which in English is — The 
 Catalogites or Inventories of bad books prohibited, 
 and of other good ones to be taught young scholars, 
 according to the advice of the University of Louvain, 
 with an edict or mandate of his imperial majesty, 
 Louvain, by Servais van Sassen, in 1550, 4to. 
 This volumes which, as Peignot aflSrms, is infi- 
 nitely rare and unknown,:)' I possess in an appa- 
 rently cotemporary MS . copy appended to Arti" 
 culi Orthodoxee religionis perCcesaraam majestatem 
 
 " Certainly not 1546, as in the original, 
 f Ubi supra, pp- 286, 7. 
 
 c2 
 
20 
 
 confirmatii 1544. It consists of about eleveil 
 closely written 4to. pages, the names alphabe- 
 tically arranged, with a considerable number 
 of the lately edited Bibles, in Latin, Greekj 
 Dutch, French^ nearly as they are found in the 
 Spanish or Antwerp edition of 1570, which we 
 shall notice iri its place. Both these editions, 
 as Van Espen affirms, are extant in the first 
 book EdicU Fland. Ed. 1639. 
 
 The next place is due to — Le Catalogue des 
 livres examinez Sg censurez, par la Faculth de The- 
 ologie de runiversit^ de Paris, depuis fan 1544, 
 jusques a Van present 1551, suyvant T edict du 
 Roy, dorine a Chasteau Briant au dit an 1551 1 
 It is in 4to. although in 12mo. size. The wor- 
 thy authors exult in the condemnation by the 
 supreme senate of Paris, in imitation of their 
 sovereign, of several poor heretics, Jlammis uh 
 tricibus urendos. There are two alphabets of 
 Latin and French authors; and some Italian 
 pieces of Bernardino Occhino are added at 
 the end. The privilege of the King, Henry IL 
 with his arms and device, close the whole. 
 The volume is small, and the contents not very- 
 remarkable. Luther, Calvin, and Erasmus 
 
21 
 
 seem to be the great inspirers of the Parisian, 
 panic, as of that in Spain.* 
 
 In the year 1559 Peter Paul Verge rius 
 published an attack, in Italian, on the Inquisi- 
 tors, authors of the Catalogue of Heretical books 
 published that year in Rome.f The mention 
 of this writer brings us to the editions issuing 
 immediately from the papacy. And it is to 
 him that we are ultimately and entirely indebt- 
 ed for all our knowledge of any of the editions 
 enumerated by him, except the last just refer- 
 red to, which is accessible. In the first vo- 
 lume of his works against the Papacy, p. 236, 
 Jje writes, that when the Popes, ten years back, 
 observed, that the gospel and some books far 
 vourable to it, were making their way into 
 Italy, imitating the Sorbonists, and Louvai- 
 nians, they published a small Catalogue con- 
 demning about seventy books. It was printed 
 at Venice, in 1548, the first monster of the kijid 
 which had appeared in ltaly.;|: He wrote 
 
 " The success.of the attempt was not very flattering, if we may 
 trust PuTHERBEus, iti his wrqrk De tollendis, &c. malis libriif &c, 
 Parisiis, 1549, pp. 236—8. 
 
 f See Peignot, p. 257- 
 
 J This should appear incorrect if the edition in 1543, at VenicCj 
 
22 
 
 against its occasional impiety and ignora;nce in 
 Italian. In 1552 another appeared in Florence, 
 with some errors corrected and some added. 
 In consequence of his (V.'s) attack upon this, 
 a third was prepared at Milan, in 1554, with 
 the same success. In the same year a fourth 
 appeared at Venice, the folly and almost mad- 
 ness of which provoked our author to new ex- 
 posure, no longer in Italian, but in Latin. 
 Lastly, they fabricated a fifth, in this very year 
 (1559) at Rome.* 
 
 already noticed, be allowed genuine, or not orginating in a mis- 
 take of date. This, however, is the Italian edition, noticed above. 
 
 • For this passage, not having acccess to Vekgerius, I am in- 
 debted to the diligence of Schelhork, who has quoted it in Iiis 
 AmcEnitt. Litt. Tom. vii. pp. 296, 7- As the information possesses a 
 degree of importance, the original shall be transcribed. Cum ante 
 decennium Papse animadvertissent, in Italia quoque Evangelii facem, 
 licet exiguam, accensam esse, et libros nonnuUos ex eo genere circum- 
 ferri, quos ipsi (pro summa eorum cum Deo et Christo inimicitia) 
 summe oderunt, Sorbonistas atque Lovanienses imitati, Catalogum 
 conscripserunt, in quo paucos quosdani, vix IjXX. notarunt et con- 
 demnarunt. Contra hunc, qui omnium primus in Italia prodiit, no- 
 vum scilicet monstrum, anno scilicet 48. Venetiis impressum, scripsi 
 qu'eedam Italice et reprehend! illorum, non mode impietatem et 
 blasphemias, sed inscitiam quoque singularem. Quare baud multo 
 post, anno scilicet 1552, alterum Florentise proraulgarunt, in quo 
 emendarunt quidem (quod fuissent a me moniti) nonnullos errores, sed 
 novos, et quidem valde pudeados admiserunt. Cum vero contra 
 hunc quoque stylum acuere zelus glorise Dei me impulisset, ecce ter- 
 tium concinnarunt A. 1554. Mediolani, emendatis quidem aliquot 
 ex erroribus quos ego indicavcram, sed additis interim nonnullis 
 
23 
 
 Of this edition we will jiow give an account. 
 The title is — -Index j^ctoriim, et Librqruni, 
 qui ab Officio Sancta Monit et Universalis Inqui- 
 sitionis eaveri ab omnibM et singulis in uniperstf 
 Christiana Republicti matidafitur, sub censuris 
 contra legentes, vel tenentes libros prohibitos in 
 Bulla, quce IcQta est in Ccena Dni expressis, et 
 sub aliis poenis in D&cre,to gus.dem .^acri. officii 
 content is. Index venundatur apud Antonium 
 Bladum, Cameralem impressorem, de mandato 
 speciali Sacri Qffigii, Romse Anno Domini 155^. 
 Mense Jan. 4to. Then follows the prohibitory- 
 Decree of thes Inquisition, in which after de- 
 nouncing the punishments of- transgression de- 
 termined by, the Bulla Ccenae Domini ^nd the 
 Lateran Council, with others nostra arbitrio in-r 
 jfligendis, it proceeds to ordain, in very approT 
 priate style, ne quis in posterum audeat scriber? 
 
 nihilo (minus ?) de&rmioribus, quatn fuerant pribres. Quid multa ? 
 Quarlum quoque Venetiis eodera anno 1554, ediderunt, quern cum 
 vidissem novis quibusdaih ineptiis atqiie stultitiis et perie furoribus 
 refertum, hunc quoque excipiendum putafi' meo eCripto, non Italico 
 amplius, sed Latino. Fostremo hoo ipso scilicet anno 1559. Komae 
 fabricarunt quintum, &c. This is the passage from which Gbetse^ 
 derived his information, which he has given incoixectly, as he reports 
 only one edition in 1554 ; and Haynaud, Protem, p. 5, has copied hi^ 
 mistake. 
 
24 
 
 (Bdere, imprimere, vel imprimi facere, vendere, 
 emere, mutuo, dono, vel qmvis alio pratextu dare, 
 accipere, publice, vel occulte retincre, apud se, vel 
 quomoddibet aliter servard, vel servari facere li- 
 brum vel scriptum aliquod eorum, qua in hoc In- 
 dice Sacri Officii, notata sunt, sive quascunque 
 alias conscriptiones quas labe aliqua cujusvis hare- 
 sis respersas esse, vel ab hcereticis prodiisse com- 
 pertum erit, &c. Excommunicatio lata senten- 
 tia, with some others, are the expressed pu- 
 nishments.* The Index itself is divided into 
 three classes, 1, of entire authors; 2, of parti- 
 cular works; 3, of anonymous pieces. The 
 alphabetic order is observed. It consists of 
 36 leaves. It has a list of Biblia Prohibit a, oc- 
 cupying more than a page, and half an one of 
 New Testaments, with all similar editions or 
 translations, at the end, followed by 61 prohi- 
 bited printers ; and last of all, which does not 
 seem to be found in all the copies, not appear- 
 ing in Naogeorgus's rcrprint in the same year, 
 but evidently belonging to the book, the fol- 
 
 * GnETSER, in borrowing this Decree from Vergerius, is pleased 
 ' to say, «i idmen V. hona fide decretum hoc retulit et transcHpsit. The 
 Jesuit knew well enough, that it was perfectly superfluous to doubt 
 the accuracy of Vergerius. 
 
25 
 
 lowing licence. DeLibris orthodoxorum pa(rum, 
 aliorumve Jidelium, vel infidelium auctorum non- 
 dum rejectorum, quotquot interpretatione, typis, 
 vel opera hcereticorum in lucem prodiere, dtfinitum 
 est, eas nullatenus legi, vel detineri posse, nisiprius 
 licentia in scriptis habita ab Officio S. R: Inquisi- 
 tionis, sive ah ejusdem sacri officii Commissariis, 
 vel ab h(sretic(B pravitatis Inquisitoribus seu ab 
 eorum Vicariis. Hiijusmodi vera licentia nulli 
 hominum impertienda est nisi abrasis primum, vel 
 adeo obliteratis, ut legi, vel jjercipi non possint, 
 nominibus, cognominibus, annotationibus, scholiis, 
 censuris, argumentis, summariis, et quibuscunque 
 aliis vestigiis memori(B, vel Industrie omnium 
 eorum qui in prima classe, secundum cujusque ele- 
 menti seriem in Indice sacri officii fuerint annotati. 
 Quamprimum autem ejuscemodi codices ab heere- 
 ticis versi recogniti, vel editi, rursus per auctores 
 probatcejidei evulgentur,. adeo ut obtineri possint, 
 oinnis Jam concessa licentia revocata, et penitus 
 irrita censeatur. 
 
 This Index is of about the same dimensions 
 as that, better known, of Trent. In my edition, 
 which is bound up with an edition of the lat- 
 ter, at Bononia, 1564, a former possessor has 
 
26 
 
 marked with a pen all the alterations and addi- 
 tions, which are not many. .The most remark- 
 able peculiarity of this edition is, the article 
 already referred to, and which has disappeared 
 from all sulfsequent editions — Joannis Caste 
 Poemata. We ought not, however, to omit the 
 article, AenetB Sylvii commentaria de actis etgestis 
 Concilii Basileen ; softened and explained in the 
 following Trent Index to — In actis Aenece Silvii 
 prohibentur ea quee ipse . in Bulla retractationis 
 damnavit. This was a very necessary proceed- 
 ure when he became pope, under the title of 
 Pius II. ; and before that time he could not pre- 
 tend to infallibility. His own account of his 
 change of sentiment is ingenious, and no doubt 
 just, thsit when, he was.raised higher he saw things 
 more clearly^^i least, differently. 
 
 Naogeorgus, or Thomas Kirchmaer, a Re- 
 former of poetical and satirical celebrity, gave 
 a re-impression of this Index, in the same year, 
 and probably, although no place is named, at 
 Basil, in small 8vo. ; to which is annexed a 
 satire, Li Catalogum Heereticorum nuper Romce 
 editum, bearing date 1559, in which he does 
 not forget the archbishop of Benevento, and 
 
27 
 
 has traded the origin and success of the Refor- 
 mation to their actual causes, in powerful verse, 
 and with philosophic discrimination.* 
 
 I will close the account of this remarkable 
 edition with an extract from Gretser, where^; 
 
 • The reader will probably be gratified by the insertion of the pas- 
 sage. It begins at page 12, for the lines are not numbered. 
 Frincipio unus erat tantuniy solusque Lutherus, 
 Qui prsedse nu^sque tuis obstabat ineptis, 
 Qu& emungebas populos et regna viritim. 
 Flacari poterat verbis is forsan amicis, 
 Lenibus et facti^, ne contradiceret ultra 
 Ad prsedam emissis effrontibus usque molossis : 
 Sed dum latratu turbarent omnia ssevo, 
 Tuque tuo ex antro torqueres fiilmina dira, 
 Spiraresque minas, librosque et scripta cremares, 
 Plures ille libros emisit, teque tuosque 
 Depinxit lepide, in mediam et protraxit arenam. 
 Paulatimque alii consurrexere trecenti, 
 Exciti clamore tuo crudoque tumultu. 
 Dogmata qui ritusque tuos, vitamque fidemque- 
 Impugnant, regnoque tuo sunt usque molesti. 
 An nondum sentis, tua quid molimina lucri 
 Attulerint ? Hostes quid vis consurgere plures ? 
 Desine : dissimula : melius, mihi crede, silendo 
 Ulcera curantur tua. Quin et membra coerce, 
 Ne nos irritent scriptisdictisve probrosis. 
 Quippe liber librum parit, extorqiientque frequenter 
 Invitis etiam dirum convicia verbum, 
 Provocat atque atiox perssepe injuria beUum. 
 3Iulta equidem nunquam scripsissetn, (forsan et alter) 
 Me nisi membra tui traxissent turbida regni. 
 lllis acceptum ferto, si scripsimus in te, 
 Doctrinamque tuam, ritus, vitamque scelestam, 
 Quod tibi nunc doleat, magnamque banc excitet iram. 
 
28 
 
 in taking, leave of his good friend Vergerius, 
 from whom alone^ he learned all that he knew 
 of this and the preceding editions, he dig.^ 
 charges from his quill some of the milk of his 
 human kindness. Hunc Indicem, ut et tres 
 (quatuor) priores, virulentissimis scriptis Italich 
 et Latinh exagitavit perfidus transfuga Vergerius : 
 et quamvis nusquam non insaniat potius ilk Apos- 
 tata, quam scribal, in lihellis tamen contra cat'alo- 
 gos librorum vetitorum furori suo omnes habenas 
 laxat, et ita tonat, ut quicquid furiarum Orcus 
 complectitur , in pectus ejus immigrasse, totumque , 
 virus inspirasse videatur, cujus amentiam infra 
 interdum tangemus. Sac* 
 
 We now come to Spain ; and, according to 
 Llorente, Philip II,, whose name is not 
 blessed in this country, published a sanguinary 
 decree, like himself, denouncing death and 
 confiscation of goods to all who should buy, 
 sell, or keep the books prohibited by the Sa- 
 cred Office ; and, to preclude the pretence of 
 
 • De Jure, &c. p. 102. Take a specimen of his own soundness. 
 Porro, lectione librorum haereticorum tetrum fetorem animo adflari, 
 adeo verum est, ut sancti Viri lianc graveolentiam aliquando ipsis 
 etiam corporeis sensibus perceperint. lllustre hujus rei exemplum, 
 &c. p. 171. 
 
29 
 
 ignorance, ordered a Catalogue, prepared by 
 the Inquisitor General, to be published in 1558.* 
 A mo^e extended one was published next year, 
 1659, by Valdes, Inquisitor General, of which 
 Pejgnot has given the title — Index seu CatU' 
 logus Librorum, qui prohiffentur mandato Ferd. 
 DE Valdes, Hispal. archiep. inquisitoris genera- 
 Vis HispanicE. Pincise (Valladolid) 1559, in 4to. 
 Llorente has given a long account of this In- 
 dex ; and instances several unjust proscriptions 
 of orthodox books, concluding with a more 
 edifying legend than usual of Saint Theresa, 
 •' that when she complained of such prohibi- 
 tions, the Lord said to her. Disturb not thyself, 
 I will give thee the book of life,"t 
 
 • p. 470. 
 
 f Pp. 472 — 5. A work of authority was printed in 1562 with this 
 title — Censura Generalis contra Errores quitus recentes Hteretici Sacrum 
 Scriptwram atperaerimt, Edita a supremo Senatu Inquisitionis, constiiuto ad- 
 iiersus hcereticam praviiatem, et aposiatiam in HUpama, et aliit regnii, et 
 domitiiis Ccetarece Majestati tubjectit. Venetiis, ex officina Jordani Zileti. 
 MSLxii. 4to. It is preceded by a decree of Ferdinand de Vaides, 
 Inquisitor General, alledging the corruptions of Scripture by notes 
 and indexes of heretics ; directing the obliteration of objected portions 
 by public authorities specified ; and denouncing excommunication 
 against the disobedient. Dated Valladolid, Aug. 20, 1554. A Preface 
 follows, of the common plausible arguments, easily manufactured ; 
 then a list of condemned editions of scripture ; and then a collection 
 of presumed heretical doctrines in the indexes, notes, contents, &c. 
 with an intended confutation of each. It appears that the version of 
 
30 
 
 The aera, perhaps, of greatest importance in 
 this inquiry is now arrived, when a Council, 
 assuming to be general, and certainly very ex- 
 tended, considered it as an object of main im- 
 portance to determine upon a list of prohibited 
 books more correct than any which had pre- 
 ceded; and which being accomplished, although 
 not until after the termination of the Council, 
 went forth into the world with the express 
 sanction of the Roman Pontiff. The eighteenth 
 session of the Council of Trent decreed, that 
 certain Fathers should give their serious atten- 
 tion to the subject, and it earnestly invited as- 
 sistance in the work from all who possessed the 
 ability. In its last session it referred what had 
 been done to the judgment of the Pope, that it 
 might be completed and published with his au- 
 thority. The work was accordingly published, 
 in 1564, with the following title — Index Libro- 
 rum prohibitorum cum Regulis confectis per 
 Patres a Tridentina Synodo delectos auctoritate 
 
 Cattalio, printed in 1554, was not known in time to take its place in 
 the body of the work ; from which and the date of the decree at the 
 beginning, it it should seem, that the printing was a matter of some 
 deliberation. Bihlia is, in this work, used as a singular of the first de» 
 clension. 
 
31 
 
 Sanctiss. D. N,. Pii IIIL, Pont. Max. cmpro' 
 batus. Ronlse Apud Paulum Manutium, Aldi 
 F. MDLxiiii. In sedibuB Populi Romani ; in 
 4to., Prefixed is a bull of the Pope, simply 
 detailing the already mentioned circumstances, 
 and adding his approbation and authority as 
 desired, date at Rome, March 24, 1564^ Then 
 follows a Preface of Francis Forerius, Secre- 
 tary of the Deputation, by whom the Index 
 was drawn up, referring to the last Roman edi- 
 tion by the Inquisitors, from which little varia- 
 tion was intended, as being, however, insuffi- 
 cient, because not genetaUy received, and in- 
 serting some books which did not deserve to be 
 prohibited ; stating the determination of the 
 fathers to frame certain Rules on the subject, 
 which are subjoined, and explaining the triple 
 division of the work. Then follow the Rules, 
 Ten in number, whichi as they are important 
 in many respects, being the most deliberate 
 proceeding of the Roman church, and almost 
 universally received, as well as retained, by 
 most of the authorities in communion with her, 
 to the present time, I subjoin them, with some 
 slight variations) in English, (the Latin being 
 
'32 
 
 inserted in almost every edition, foreign, as 
 well as Roman) from the valuable Illustrations 
 of^ Biblical Literature, Saci by the Rev. James 
 
 ToWNLEY-* 
 
 RULE§. 
 
 I. All books condemned by the supreme 
 pontiffs, or general councils, before the year 
 1515, and not comprised in the present Index, 
 are, nevertheless, to be considered as con- 
 demned. 
 
 II. The books of heresiarchs, whether of 
 those who broached or dissetninated their he- 
 resies prior to the year above-mentioned, or of 
 those who have been, or are, the heads or 
 leaders of heretics, as Luther, Zuingle, Calvin, 
 Balthasar Paciraontanus, Swenchfeld, and 
 other similar ones, are altogether forbidden, 
 whatever may be their names, titles, or subjects. 
 And the books of other heretics, which treat 
 professedly upon religion, are totally con- 
 demned ; but those which do not treat upon 
 religion are allowed to be read, after having 
 been examined and approved by Catholic di- 
 vines, by order of the bishops and inquisitors. 
 
 • Vol. ii. pp. 479—485. 
 
33 
 
 Those Catholic books also are permitted to b6 
 ifead, which have been composed by authors, 
 who have afterwards fallen into heresy, or who, 
 after their fall, have returned into the bosom of 
 the church, provided they have been approved 
 by the thedlogicar faculty of some Catholic 
 university, or by the general inquisition. 
 
 m. Translations of ecclesiastical writers. 
 Which have been hitherto published by con- 
 demned authors, are permitted to be read, if 
 they contain nothing contrary to sound doc- 
 trine. Translations of the Old Testament may 
 also be allowed, but only to learned and pious 
 men, at the discretion of the bishop ; provided 
 they use them merely as elucidations of the 
 vulgate version, in order to understand the 
 Holy Scriptures, and not as the Sacred Text 
 itself. But translations of the New Testament 
 made by authors of the first class of this Index, 
 are allowed to no one, since little advantage, 
 but'much danger, generally arises from reading 
 them. If notes accompany the versions which 
 are allowed to be read, or are joined to the 
 vulgate edition, they may be permitted to be 
 read by the same persons as the versions, after 
 
 D 
 
34 
 
 the suspected places have been expunged by 
 the theological faculty of some Catholic univer- 
 sity, or by the general inquisitor. On the same 
 conditions also, pious and learned men may be 
 permitted to have what is called Vatablus's 
 !^ible, or any part of it. But the preface and 
 Prolegomena of the Bible published by Isidorus 
 Clarius are, however, excepted ; and the text 
 of his editions is not to be considered as the 
 text of the vulgate edition. 
 
 IV. Inasmuch as it is manifest from expe- 
 rience, that if the Holy Bible, translated into 
 the vulgar tongue, be indiscriminately allowed 
 to every one, the temerity of men will cause 
 more evil than good to arise from it, it is, on 
 this point, referred to the judgment of the 
 bishops, or inquisitors, who may, by the ad- 
 vice of the priest, or confessor, permit the 
 reading of the Bible translated into the vulgar 
 tongue by Catholic authors, to those persons 
 whose faith and piety, they apprehend, will be 
 augmented, and not injured by it ; and this 
 permission they must have in writing. But if 
 any one shall have the presumption to read or 
 possess it without such written peroiission, he 
 
35 
 
 shall not receive absolution until he have first 
 delivered up such Bible to the ordinary; 
 Booksellers, however, who shall sell, or other- 
 wise dispose of Bibles in the vulgar tongue, to 
 any person not having such permission, shall 
 forfeit the value of the books, to be applied by 
 the bishop to some pious use ; and be subjected 
 to such other petialties as the bishop shall judge 
 proper, according to the quality of the offence. 
 But regulars shall neither rea,d nor pui:chase 
 such Bibles without a special licence froih their 
 superiors. 
 
 V. Books of which heretics are the edi- 
 tors, but which contain little or nothing of 
 their own, being mere compilations from 
 others, as lexicons, concordances, apophthegms, 
 similies, indexes, and others of a similar kind, 
 may be allowed by the bishops and inquisitors, 
 after having made, with the advice of Catholic 
 divines, such corrections and emendations as 
 may be deemed requisite. 
 
 VI. Books of controversy betwixt the Catho- 
 lics and heretics of the present time, written in 
 the vulgar tongue, are not be indiscriminately 
 allowed, but are to be subject to the same regula- 
 tions as Bibles in the vulgar tongue. As to those 
 
 D 2 
 
36 
 
 wofks in the vulgar tongue, which treat of mo-« 
 rality, contemplation, confession, and similar 
 subjects, and which contain nothingcontrary to 
 sound doctrine, there is no reason why they 
 should be prohibited ; the same may be said 
 also of sermons in the vulgar tongue, designed 
 for the people. And if in any kingdom or pro- 
 vince, any books have been hitherto prohibited 
 as containing things not proper to be read 
 without selection by all sorts of persons, they 
 may be allowed by the bishop and inquisitor, 
 after having corrected them, if written by Ca- 
 tholic authors. 
 
 VII. Books professedly treating of lasci- 
 vious or obscene subjects, or narrating, or 
 teaching them, are utterly prohibited, since,- 
 not only faith but morals, which are readily 
 corrupted by the perusal of them, are to be at- 
 tended to ; and those who possess them shall 
 be .severely punished by the bishop. But the 
 works of antiquity, written by the heathens, 
 are permitted to be read, because of the ele- 
 gance and propriety of the language ; though 
 on no account shall they be suffered to be read 
 by young persons. 
 
 VIII. Books, the principal subject of 
 
37 
 
 which is good, but in which some things are 
 Qccasionally introduced fending to heresy and 
 impiety, divination, or superstition, may be 
 allowed, after they have been corrected by 
 Catholic divines, by the authority of the gene- 
 ral inquisition. The same judgment is also 
 formed of prefaces, summaries, or notes, taken 
 from condemned authors ; and inserted in the 
 works of authors not condemned ; but such 
 works must not be printed in future, until tkey 
 have been amended, 
 
 IX. AH books and writings pf geomancy, 
 hydromancy, aeromancy, pyromancy, ono- 
 raancy, chiromancy, and necromancy ; or which 
 treat of sorceries, poisons, ^auguries, auspices, 
 or magical incantations, are utterly rejected. 
 The bishops shall also diligently guard against 
 any persons reading or keeping any books, 
 treatises, or indexes, which treat of judicial 
 astrology, or contain presumptuous predictions 
 of the events, of future contingencies, and for- 
 tuitous occurrences, or of those actions which 
 depend upon the will of man. But such 
 opinions and observations of natural things as 
 are written in aid of navigation, agriculture, 
 jand medicine, are permitted. 
 
38 
 
 X. In the printing of books or other writT 
 ings, the rules shdll be observed, which were 
 prdained in the 10th session of the council of 
 J^ateran, under Leo X. Therefore, if any book 
 }s to be printed in the city of Rome, it shall 
 first be examined by the pope's vicar and the 
 master of the sacred palace, or other persons 
 phosen by pur most holy father for that pur- 
 pose. In other places, the examination of any 
 book or manuscript intended to be printed, 
 shall be referred to the bishop, or some skilful 
 person, whom he shall nominate, and the in- 
 quisitor of heretical pravity of the city or dio? 
 cese in which the impression is executed, who 
 shall gratuitously and without delay, affix their 
 approbation to the work, in their own hand- 
 writing, subject, nevertheless, to the pains and 
 censures contained in the said decree 5 this law 
 and condition being added, that an authentic 
 copy of the book to be printed, signed by the 
 author himself, shall remain in the hands of thp 
 examiner : and it is the judgment of the fathers 
 of the pres.ent deputation, that those persons 
 who publish works in manuscript, before they 
 have been examined and approved, should be 
 subject to the same penalties as those who print 
 
39 
 
 -« 
 
 them ; axi^ that those who read or possess them 
 should be considered as the authors, if the real 
 authors of such writings do not avow them- 
 selves. The approbation given in writing shall 
 be placed at the head of the books, whether 
 printed or in manuscript, that they may appear 
 to be duly authorized ; and this examination 
 and approbation, &c. shall be granted gratuit- 
 ously. * 
 
 Moreover, in every city and diocese, the 
 house or places, where the art of printing is 
 exercised, and also the shops of booksellers, 
 shall be frequently yisited by persons deputed 
 for that purpose by the bishop or his vicar, 
 conjointly with the inquisitor of heretical 
 pravity, so that nothing that is prohibited may 
 be printed, kept, or sold, Booksellers of every 
 description shall keep in their libraries a cata- 
 logue of the books which they have on sale, 
 signed by the said deputies; nor shall they 
 keep, or sell, nor in any way dispose of, any 
 other books, without permission from the de^ 
 puties, under pain of forfeiting the books, and 
 being liable to such other penalties as shall be 
 judged proper by the bishop or inquisitor, who 
 
40 
 
 shall also punish the buyers, readers, or printers, 
 of such works. If any person import foreign 
 books into any city, they shall be obliged to 
 announce them to the deputies ; or if this kind 
 of merchandize be exposed to sale in any public 
 place, the public officers of the place shall 
 signify to the said deputies, that such books 
 have been brought ; and no one shall presume 
 to give to read, or ^ud, or sell, any book 
 which he or any other person has brought into 
 the city, until he has shewn it to the deputies, 
 and obtained their permission, unless it be a 
 work well known to be universally allowed. 
 
 Heirs and testamentary executors shall 
 make no use of the books of the deceased, nor 
 in any way transfer them to others, until they 
 have presented a catalogue of them to the 
 deputies, and obtained their licence, under 
 pain of the confiscation of the books, or the in- 
 fliction of such other punishment as the bishop 
 or inquisitor shall deena proper, according to 
 the contumacy or quality pf the delinquent. 
 
 With regard to those books which the fathers 
 of the present deputation shall examine, or 
 correct, pr deliver to be corrected, or permit tp 
 
41 
 
 be reprinted on certain conditions, booksellers 
 and others shall be bound to observe whatever 
 is ordained respecting them. The bishops and 
 general inquisitors shall, nevertheless, be at 
 liberty, according to the power they possess, 
 to prohibit such books as may seem to be per- 
 mitted by these rules, if they deem it necessary 
 for the good of the kingdom, or province, or 
 diocese. And let the secretary of these fathers, 
 according to the command of our holy father, 
 transmit to the notary of the general inquisitor, 
 the names of the books that have been correct- 
 ed, as well as of the persons to whom the fa- 
 thers have granted the power of examination. 
 
 Finally, it is enjoined on all the faithful, 
 that no one presume to keep, or read any books 
 contrary to these rules, or prohibited by this 
 Index. But if any one read, or keep any books 
 composed by heretics, or the writings of any 
 author suspected of heresy, or false doctrine, 
 he shall instantly incur the sentence of excom- 
 munication, and those who read, or keep works 
 interdicted on another account, besides the 
 mortal sin committed, shall be severely punish- 
 ed at the will of the bishops. 
 
42 
 
 On the substance of this Index it is perhaps 
 unnecessary to say much, and not easy to say 
 little, if any thing. It supplies matter of many 
 and serious reflexions. But they will probably 
 find a more suitable place. At present we sa- 
 tisfy ourselves with observing, that the Roman 
 edition described contains 72 pages, and that it 
 is remarkable for omitting, as was noticed 
 before, the name of John delta Casa, and still 
 more so for omitting — a strange juxta-position — 
 the list of condemned Bibles and New Testa- 
 ments, which is found in the former Index, 
 and, we may add, that of printers. But the 
 power of restraint, or punishment, was secured 
 elsewhere, in the Decree of the fourth session 
 of the Council of Trent. 
 
 Not to trouble the reader with an account 
 of mere re-impressions of this widely diffused 
 Index, we proceed to one, which is indeed a 
 re-impression, but with circumstances and ad- 
 ditions, which render it an original. It belongs 
 to Spain. Its title is, Philippi Regis Catholici 
 Edictum de Librorum prohibitorum Catalogo ob- 
 servando. Antwerpise. Ex officina Christo- 
 phori Plantini mdlxx. Cum Privilegio, in 8vo. 
 
43 
 
 After that Edict, which we shall notice, follows 
 the Title of the Trent Index, exactly as in the 
 original, with the addition. Cum Appendice in 
 Belgio, ex mandato Regies Cathol. Majestatis 
 confecta. Same place and date. The edicts 
 which appears in three languages, French, 
 Flemish, and Latin, discovers that the Spanish 
 monEirch made it a point of honour, to have 
 every act of this nature emanate from his own 
 authority : it discovers, too, that this provision 
 was intended particularly for the part of his 
 dominions which were situated to the north of 
 Europe, the Netherlands ; and the command is 
 directed, first to the Duke of Alva, and then to 
 the governors of each province separately. 
 The object of the whole is, that within three 
 months after the publication of this statute, all 
 the condemned books should be burned, and 
 ^nd all possession or sale of them after that 
 time should be unlawful. All books partially 
 condemned, or appointed to be expurgated, 
 were to be brought to the magistrate of the 
 place, and be corrected according to the judg- 
 ment of the council, and fit persons, to whom a 
 ppnimission for that purpose was entrusted. 
 
44 
 
 The usual penalties are added. It is dated, 
 Bruxelles, Feb. 15, 1569— the 17th for Naples. 
 The. Preface, to the Appendix has nothing in it 
 worthy of remark. It does no more than detail 
 facts already known, and give, as the reason of 
 the present appendix, the necessary incom- 
 pleteness of the former Index ; but carefiiUy 
 referring all to the supreme authority of the 
 king. The deputation date from the same place 
 as the royal - decree, Sept. 1569. This list 
 comprehends books in Latin, in French, in 
 Dutch, and in Spanish. We have here, after 
 a hundred years, the first allusion to the infa- 
 mous Taxse of the church and court of Rome, 
 when nearly thirty editions had issued from the 
 bosom of the holy, see, and she had been ac- 
 tively employed, for the same period, in finding 
 out objects of literary reprobation, under the 
 terms, Praxis, et taxa officina pcBnitentianz Papt2. 
 The description was probably meant to be un- 
 iptelligible, as it is.* Another characteristic 
 
 • See Taxatio Papalis, leing an Acconnl of the Tax-BooJcs of the 
 United Church and Court of modern Rome, &c. By EmanjOIPATUS. 
 Pp. 46 — 48. This work contains large extracts from the unpublished 
 MS. volume of the Taxa in the British Museum, and from the rare 
 Parisian edition of 1S20. 
 
45 
 
 peculiarity is, that the condemned bibles and 
 testaments, which were dropped from the Trent 
 Index, are here restored. And the whole 
 closes with an extract from a decree of the 
 fourth session of the Council of Trent under 
 Paul IIII. (should be III.) taking due care, 
 that Printers shall not offend. 
 
 The next Index to be examined is a most 
 important one, and evidently originated in the 
 provisions which have been noticed in the royal 
 edict just given. The title is — Index Expur- 
 GATORius Librorum qui hoc seculo prodierunt, 
 vel doctrinee non sance erroribus inspersis, vel 
 inutilis et offensivcB maledicentice fellibus permLvtis, 
 juxta Sacri Concilii Tridentini Decretum, Phi* 
 Lippi 11. Regis Catholici jussu et auctoritate, 
 atque Albani Ducis consilio ac ministerio in 
 Belgia concinnatus. Anno mdlxxi. Ant- 
 werpiae, Ex ofScina Christophori Plantini Pro- 
 totypographi Regii. mdlxxi. 4to. The notice 
 on the verso of the title-page begins to discover 
 one of the peculiarities of this performance. 
 Ducis AlBwE jussu ac decreto cavetur, ne quis 
 pfeeter Prototypographum Regium hunc Indicem 
 impriniat, neve ilk aut quis alius publich vel pri- 
 
40 
 
 vath veiidat, aut citra ordinariorum facuHaUfhi 
 out permissionem habeat. The work, therefore, 
 could not even be possessed without episcopal 
 permission. A Diploma of the king then fol- 
 lows in the Flemish language,* which is ren- 
 dered intelligible to ordinary scholars by the 
 version of it into Latin by Junius, in hjs re* 
 print of this Index. It expresses deep concern 
 for the endangered orthodoxy of his subjects, 
 and some for their purses ; and therefore, in- 
 stead of condemning all the bad books to the 
 flames, the corrigible ones are subjected to a 
 necessary purgation, which is to be performed 
 by prelates and others so authorized ; and for 
 their assistance in this office, an Index Expur- 
 gatorius is drawn up and provided. Applica* 
 tion by the possessors of these books for the 
 purification enjoined was ensured in the usually 
 effectual way. The bishops might obtain the 
 assistance of booksellers in different places, to 
 whom, without the knowledge of any one be- 
 sides, this Index was to be entrusted, and who 
 
 • The Crevenna Catalogue, as quoted by Peignot, must be mistaken 
 in saying Frmch, since in the original and in the four reprints, all 
 before me, it is in Flemish. 
 
47 
 
 were to communicate it to none, but solely oc- 
 cupy themselves in discovering, expunging, 
 and restoring the places marked for those pur- 
 poses. After the signature and approbation of 
 the censor, the books were to be restored to 
 their owners. Dated, Bruxelles, July 31, 
 1571. After this we arrive at a second notice, 
 short but full of meaning, and suitably promi- 
 nent by having a page to itself, and displaying 
 its importance in authoritative capitals. Ca- 
 
 VETUB ETIAM NE QUIS HUNC INDICEM PARTE 
 ALIQUA AUGEAT, VEL MINUAT, NEVE EX 
 IMPRESSIS MANUSCRIPTUM EXPRIMAT, CI- 
 TRA GUBERNATORIS ET CONSILII AUCTO- 
 
 RiTATEM. The Second, Fifth, Seventh, and 
 Eighth of the Trent Regulse then appear, and 
 are succeeded by the Preface of B. A. Mon- 
 TANUS, editor and compiler of the Index. 
 Nothing but common matter occurs in it; 
 something is detailed of the manner in which 
 the business was conducted by the college of 
 censors, over which he was commissioned to 
 preside ; and this with the parade ordinary on 
 such occasions : and, in the close, he observes, 
 that the present is not to be regarded as a com- 
 
48 
 
 'plete Censure, bat simply as a specimen. Tli6 
 date is. Ant. Cal. Jun. 1571. We now descend 
 to the body of the work, which contains 104' 
 closely printed pages, with four more of index ; 
 and to the whole formidable array of deleatur, 
 mutetur, corrigatur, expurgetur. It is divided 
 into six classes, the Theological being the first 
 and most important. Erasmus, who certainly, 
 in the territory intended to be chiefly bene- 
 fited by this labour of its spiritual rulers, was 
 the principal object of terror, occupies the 23 
 last pages. It was the policy of these censors 
 to avoid the appearance, while they committed 
 the act, of correcting the scriptures or the 
 fathers, by transfixing such of their doctrines as 
 they disapproved in the Indexes annexed td 
 different editions of them„ not only by the re- 
 formers, but even by their own adherents. The 
 Work is full of very curious and important mat- 
 ter ; and perhaps no article better deserves that- 
 character, than the critique upon Bertram's 
 book de Corp. et Sang. Domini, professing to be 
 communicated by the university of Douay. 
 The good Romanists are almost equally troubled 
 to dismiss or retain him : but, upon the whole. 
 
49 
 
 pfefefring the latter, they exert all their inge- 
 nuity to transubstantiate his supposed hetero- 
 doxy into orthodoxy;- and, in the outset, 
 divulge a principle of criticism, of extreme use 
 to such persons, but of most dangerous publi- 
 cation for them, " that it was their custom^ in 
 judging the antient catholics, to bear with 
 many errors, to extenuate, excuse, and often by 
 an ingenious, comment to deny (what they af- 
 firm,) and to fabricate a convenient meaning to 
 them, when objected in controversy^ They 
 therefore think that Bertram is entitled to the 
 same equity and management ; lest, as they 
 very simply add, heretics should deride them, 
 as respecting antiquity only when it favours 
 themselves.*" 
 
 The method by which they extricate their 
 incautious brother is by the logical legerdemain 
 
 • The words are so extraordinary, and so difHcult to be rendered 
 exactly, that even for fairness they ought to be given in the original; 
 Cum — ^in calholicis veteribus aliis plurimos feramus errores, et exte- 
 nuemus, excusemus, excogitato comments perssepe negemus, et com* 
 modum iis"Sensum affingamus, dum opponuntur &c.«— non videmus cur 
 non eandem sequitatem mereatur Bertramus ; ne haeretici &c. 6iiet> 
 SEa has properly corrected the false grammar at the end, making the 
 infinitives participles in the ablative absolute. He could not do so 
 without an insinuation against the aocuracy of Junius ; as, though a 
 Jesuit, he could not see the original. The mistake however is there. 
 
50 
 
 of a distinction between the species and acci- 
 dents, and the substance ; and by the due ap- 
 plication of which it is impossible to be a 
 heretic as to the Eucharist in the Roman sense ; 
 but they acknowledge that Bertram does not 
 appear to have been acquainted with this sub- 
 tile and most true philosophy. The practical 
 argument of the Berengarians, who observed ^ 
 that persons, who were fed with the encharist 
 alone, lived and thrived, is triumphantly con- 
 futed by this distinction. The liext article 
 concerning Capnio, p. 7, is important as an 
 instance in which the critics oppose Rome and 
 her two last Indexes, by approving an author, 
 whom they had condemned^ under disgraceful 
 circumstances there detailed — a fact, which 
 provesj for the consolation of a much injured 
 world, that the rogues in it do riot alwayM 
 agree. P. 29, occurs the Missa Latino, first 
 published with a preface by FI. Illyricus, and 
 to be found in Card. Bona's work Rerum Li- 
 turg. at the end 5 condemned, as indeed it was 
 before, and first, in the Index of 1570, on ac- 
 count both of the preface and of offensive ad- 
 ditions. It is said, without proof, that the 
 
51 
 
 Jianic afterwards changed sidfes, arid the pro*' 
 testants wished to suppress it. Howeveri it 
 stands in the Roman Indexes to the last.* 
 
 It is a proof with what success the fabrica- 
 tors of this volume, who cannot be said to be 
 lovers of the lights had provided for escaping 
 iti that for fifteen years it was totally unknown 
 to those who were most injuriously affected by 
 it; It was discovered accidentally about that 
 time ; and although sufficiently hostile both in 
 intention and effect while working under 
 ground, the publication was so evidently an 
 advantage to the injured party^ that little time 
 was then lost in making the best of it ; and a 
 reprint was effected by the discoverer, Fran- 
 cis Junius, in a little volume, 8vo* Apud Jo- 
 annem Mareschallum Lugdunensem, 1586. f 
 The title is a transcript of the original, with 
 the addition^ Kunc primum in lucent editus, et 
 preefatione auctus ac regii diplomatis interpreta- 
 tione. All that requires notice in this volume 
 is what belongs to the editor, an Epistle Dedi' 
 
 * See Missa, &c. 
 
 f Francus, delndidius, &c. J). 9, mentions an edition at HeideU 
 berg, 1584: but he must be mistaken. 
 
 e2 
 
52 
 
 catory to John Casimir, Count Palatine of the 
 Rhine, and a preface to the reader. In the 
 first, all that is remarkable, is the assertion of 
 the fact of the recent discovery, and of the de- 
 position of the original in his highness's library, 
 to preclude both natural doubt and unprinci- 
 pled denial. The preface is full of good sense 
 and justly indignant feeling : proofs of the inter- 
 polation and corruption of authors are adduced ; 
 and one in particular with respect to an edi- 
 tion of Ambrose in preparation at Lyons, the 
 subsequent non-appearance of which is no con- 
 tradiction of the fact, which Junius would 
 never have risked his credit to affirm, had it 
 been a fiction.* Towards the close he states 
 
 * Vide TTrancum de Indie, pp. 99, 100. The reader shall have the 
 story in Junius's own words. Rem meis oculis visam ad exemplum 
 •adferam. Anteannos viginti septem cum Lugduni agerem (egi autem 
 anno MDLIX. et sequente) correctore quodam typographico usus sum 
 familiariter, cui Ludovico Savario fuit nomen. Habitabat ille non 
 procul a Mercuriali vico, in sedibus conjunctis , trium columbarum 
 eigno. Quum ad salutahdum hominem veni9sem, casu Tel potius sin- 
 gulariDei providentia accidit, ut versantem eum offenderem in recog- 
 noscendis D. Ambrosii Operibus, quse turn Frelonius excudebat. Va- 
 riis autem sermonibus ultro citroque habitis, quum me avocaniento 
 esse ah opere hoUe ostenderem, ille redorsus lectionem unius paginse, 
 videsne, inquit, hancformam Ambrosianw editionis nostra ? gtiam sit elegans, 
 ttccurata, et in. speciem mnnibus anteponenda aliis, gum adhiic in lucemprodi- 
 verunt ? Postea contuenti opus et probanti elegantiam ejus dixit, 
 
53 
 
 two reasons why the critics under review ab- 
 stained from the fathers — they trusted to the 
 past diligence of their own agents, and pre- 
 ferred leaving the remainder to the diligence of 
 future ones.* 
 
 This edition was again reprinted in 1599, in 
 12mo. with the title of the original, to which 
 is added, as contained in the work, Collotio 
 Cemuree &c. Impensis Lazari Zetzneri. It 
 appears to have been printed at Strasburg. In 
 addition to the prefatory matter of Junius, 
 John Pappus, the present editor, has given a 
 
 Ego vera si quod exemplum Anibrosiani operis mihi emendum esset, quodvii 
 exemplum aliud potius, quam hoc, quod vides, compararem. SciscitatuS 
 sura hujus dicti causam. Turn ille de forulis suis, sub mensa sua laten- 
 tibus aliquot paginas promens (erant autem paginse, ut loquuntur 
 Graeci Ksxii^/^VM, give cancellatse, aliiE ex parte, et alioe universe) 
 hasc est, inquit, prima forma paginarum, qnas Ms pattcis diclus veteris et 
 cerii exemplaris ad exemplum optima fide impressimue. Franciscani autem 
 duo pro auctoritate has omncs paginas dispunjvertmt ut vides, et illas snlstitui 
 in locum prlorum curaverunt, prater omnem librorum nottrorum fldem, qua 
 res sumptum et rnolestiam Frelonio creavii gravissimam ; nam pretium 
 chartee operarunque amisii universum, temporis Jactiiram pasius est, et typO- 
 graphicas illas priores plagulas comviutari novis ob libiditiem istorum oportuit, 
 magna malo nostro et admiratione mea, Gretser has done vhat every art- 
 ful opponent does, called for proof, which he knew could not be given ; 
 and then triumphs. The veracity of Junius is not to be thus shaken. 
 
 • Quod si quid reprehensione dignura putaverunt, id maluerunt 
 recentioribus acceptum ferre quam suo facto committere ut in saiic(;os 
 patres fuisse dicantur injurii. 
 
54 
 
 preface, chiefly concerning the other work 
 published with the Index ; but containing some 
 pertinent remarks relative to the latter, fronj 
 which we have, in all probability, partially 
 profited. 
 
 The next reprint was in 8vo. printed at 
 Strasburg, Irapensis Lazari Zetzneri Bibliopol. 
 MDCix. It has the same title as the original, 
 with the additional notice of a later Spanish 
 Index, of which Excerpta are published, tor 
 gether with another work. It has nothing ad- 
 ditional as respects the work which we are 
 now consideriiig, except the prefaces in the 
 preceding edition. 
 
 The fourth and last reprint is in 8vo. and, 
 referring to both the Belgic and Spanish In^ 
 dexes, is entitled. Indices Expurgatorii 
 puo. Testes Fraudum ac Falsationum Pontifi- 
 ciarum. Quorum prior jussu et auctoritate T?hi- 
 Lippi II. &c. Happviae Apud Gulielmuiji 
 Antonium, Anno 1611. It has the prefatory 
 patter of Junius, and John Pappus, 
 
 The fact will afford matter of earnest re- 
 flepon, that all these editions, not only thp 
 original but even the reprints, four in number, 
 
55 
 
 have long, perhaps always, been, and certainly 
 are now, of superlatively rare occurrence. 
 
 Our next station is a new one, Portugal, or 
 Lisbpn. Here we have the following Index. 
 Index Librorum prohibitorum, cum regulis con- 
 fectis per Patres a Tridentina Synodo delectos, 
 autoritate Sanctissimi Domini nostri Pii IIII. 
 Pont. Max. comprobatus Nunc recens de mandate 
 Illustriss. ac Reverendiss. D. Georgii Dal- 
 MEiDA Metropolyt. Archiepiscopi Olysipponensis 
 totiusque Luntaniae ditionis Inquisitoris Genera- 
 lis in lucem ediius, Addito etiam altero Indice 
 eorum Librorum qui in his Portugallice Regnis 
 prohibentur, cum permultis aliis ad eandem Li- 
 brorum prohibitionem spectantibus, ejusdtm quo- 
 que Illustriss. ac Reverendiss. Domini jussu. 
 'Olysippone excudebatAntoniusRiberius 1581. 
 The book is in 4to. ; and the first part, as it 
 purports to be, is nothing more than the Trent 
 index, which is thus sanctioned by the supreme 
 ecclesiastic authority of Portugal. The other 
 part embraces additional books in Latin and in 
 Portugueze, with certain directions for the more 
 effectual execution of the provisions against pre- 
 sumed heretical books. The title runs thus ; 
 
56 
 
 Catalogo dos Livros que se prohibem nestcs 
 Regnos Sg Senhorios de Portugal, por mandado 
 do Illustrissimo Reverendissimo Senhor Dam 
 Jorge Dalmeida Metropolytano Arcebispo de 
 Lishoa, Inquisitor Geral, Sgc. Com outrds 
 cousas necessarias a materia da prohibi^ao dos 
 J^ivros. Impresso em Lisboa per Antonio Ribeiro 
 jmpressor de sua lUustrissima and Reverendiss. 
 Senoria. 1581. from having but an imperfect 
 acquaintance with the Portugueze language, I 
 am unable to give so particular an account of 
 this part as might be desired, It contains short 
 edicts by the archbishop, with a translation of 
 the Trent Rules into Portugueze ; and appears 
 to resemble the Spanish publications of this 
 sort. This work is not common. My copy has 
 the MS. inscription on the title-page, Societatis 
 Jesu Lovanii, 1641. The arms are those of a 
 cardinal. 
 
 We return to Spain; and iri the year 1583 
 meet with the following Index — Index et Cata- 
 logus Librorum prohibitorum, mandato Illustriss. 
 ac Reverendiss. D. D. Gasparis a Quiroga, 
 Cardinalis Arckiepiscopi Toletam, ac in Regnis 
 Jlispaniarum Generali-s Inquisitor is, denud cditus^ 
 
57 
 
 Cum Consllio Supremi Senatus Sanct(s, Generalis 
 Inquisitionis. Madriti Apud Alphonsum Gome- 
 zium Regium Typographum, Anno> mdlxxxiii. 
 4to, The Mandate of the Inquisitor General 
 laments, that the preceding Catalogues have not 
 sufficed to put a stop to the increasing heresies, 
 and therefore he publishes a new one, accom- 
 panied with some general rules, which shall 
 comprehend books, not particularly noted al- 
 ready. He represents the work as the result of 
 much care and deliberation of the Universities 
 of the kingdom, and of many learned persons 
 besides ; and enjoins obedience by the penalty 
 of the greater excommunication latce sententitB, 
 (or already determined and not depending upon 
 any discretionary judgement). Dated, May 
 20, 1583. The Reglas Generates follow, four- 
 teen in number ; but although varying from 
 those of Trent, and from subsequent editions of 
 themselves, they have nothing in them of suffi- 
 cient importance to require particular notice. 
 The fourth is directed against the writings both 
 of the Jews and of the Moors : the eighth for- 
 bids confutations of the Koran in the vulgar 
 tongue ; and the last declares that books con- 
 
58 
 
 demned in any language are condemned in all. 
 The preface to the Reader advises him not to be 
 scandalized at meeting with the names of some 
 good Catholics, since nothing is censured but 
 some incautious passages which heretics might 
 pervert ; nor to wonder, that some others do 
 not appear, who held opinion^, peculiar in their 
 life-time, but by the determination of the 
 church, or otherwise, since made correct. The 
 Index itself is somewhat larger than the pre- 
 ceding Prohibitory one, and comprehends in 
 the second part, books in Spanish, Portugueze, 
 French, Italian, Flemish, and Dutch. Perhaps 
 one of the most remarkable circumstances in 
 this Index, or at least the only one which it 
 appears necessary to notice, is, that the work of 
 Bertram, de corpore et sanguine Christi is in- 
 serted, notwithstanding all the mysterious logic, 
 the extenuation, the excogitated comment, the 
 convenient sense, of the Censors of Douay. 
 This Index was never reprinted, and is there- 
 fore peculiarly rare. 
 
 The next of the same nation is more impor- 
 tant in itself as being of the expurgatory class, 
 although it has been twice reprinted, and is 
 
59 
 
 therefore less inaccessible. The title is — In- 
 dex LiBKORUM EXPURGATORUM, Illustrissimi 
 ac Reverendis D.D. GasparisQuiroga, Car- 
 dinalis et Archiep. Toletani Hispan. generalis In- 
 quisitoris jussu editus. De Consilio Supremi Se- 
 natus S. Generalis Inquisit. Madriti Apud Al- 
 jJhonsum Gomezium Regium Typographum. 
 Anno, MDLxxxiiii. 4to. The volume contains 
 194 leaves, besides 4 of Index. The preface 
 considers it not as a complete Catalogue, but 
 as a beginning and specimen, and implores the 
 assistance of the learned and pious. The ex- 
 purgations are to be attended with as little cost 
 to the owners of books requiring it as possible ; 
 and the assurance of perpetual fame is extend- 
 ed to those who contribute in so laudable an 
 undertaking by the holy office of the Inquisi- 
 tion. Erasmus occupies from fol, 81 to 114, 
 i.e. 33 foil. ; besides his editions of Augustine, 
 Hieronymus, Hilarius, Irenaeus. The Biblio- 
 theca SS. Patrum by M. de la Eigne, has its 
 share. A specimen of the sentences selected 
 by them for condemnation, particularly from 
 the Biblia R. Stepkani, fol. 8 &c.to 17, disco- 
 ver the iniquity and corrupt doctrine, by which 
 
60 
 
 the censures are regulated. The copy of this 
 uncommon book in my possession has the auto- 
 graph, as it appears, of Alonso de Valdes, a 
 very inquisitorial name. The cardinal's arms, 
 both in this, and the edition last noticed, are 
 probably those of Quiroga. 
 
 Of this Index there have been two complete 
 reprints, and one collection, a copious one, of 
 extracts. The first of these is that printed 
 Salmuri (Saumur) Apud Thomam Portau. mdci. 
 The title is the same as in the original ; and it 
 is added Juxta exemplar, &c. 4to. In the pre- 
 face the editor says, that the original was sent 
 a Jacobo James V. C. ad nobilissimum Plessiaci 
 Dominum (Morn ay du Plessis), who, it appears, 
 was the editor ; and to shew with what kind of 
 people protestants have to do, it is added, 
 penes quern, adfactijidem asserendam, prototypus, 
 cujus hoc exemplum prodit. He exposes, with 
 convincing evidence, the fact, and the disho- 
 nesty, of attacking the most distinguishing and 
 important doctrines of the Bible and antient 
 Christian writers, through the sides of the In- 
 dexes, which, do scarcely more than verbally 
 repeat them. 
 
61 
 
 The Extracts, or Excerpt a, are found in 
 the reprint of the Belgic Index of 1571, at 
 Strasburg in 1609 : and the Index is given en^ 
 tire, for the second time, in the Indices. Ex- 
 PURG. DUO, Testes Fraudum,8cc.U.anovi?e, 1611, 
 which likewise has, in the first part, a re-edi- 
 tion of the same Belgic Index — both of which 
 have been already noticed under that head. 
 The title-page, however, has the mistake, in 
 describing this edition, of making the date 
 MDLxxr., instead of mdlxxxiiii. It has the 
 preface of Mornay's reprint. 
 
 We now come to a very curious work, of 
 which the sight and perusal may be obtained 
 from two copies in the Bodleian Library, Ox* 
 ford, but of which the possession is almost 
 hopeless. It deserves attention, as containing 
 a kind of Index of condemned books issuing 
 from Naples — a new field for such operations. 
 The title is a long one— t-Enchiridion Ecclesi- 
 asticum sive Preeparatio pertinens ad Sacr amentum 
 Peenitentice et Sacri Ordinis, Editum a R. P. F, 
 Gregorio Capuccino NeapoUtano uno ex De- 
 pufatis Patribus Pro Revisione Librorum in Citi- 
 tate Neapolitana per Illuslriss. et Reverendiss. 
 
62 
 
 Atrhiepiscopum, Nunc denuo auctum, et amplifica- 
 turn ah eodem Auctore, et tandem typis chalcogrd- 
 phis traditum. Cura admodum excel, ac R. P. 
 D. Horatii Venetia V. I. D. Canonki Ecclesi^ 
 Neapolitante Eccleiiasticis Viris ac philosophice, et 
 legum studiosis valde ulikj et necessarium. Curh 
 Privilegio S. Fran. Jnsti. Regv. Fr. Min. Vene^ 
 tiisi MDLxxxviii. Sumptibus Jaco. Anelli de 
 Maria Bibliopolse Neapolitani. Hieronymo 
 Polo Typographo Veneto impriraente. Smatl 
 8vo. 
 
 At p. 146 commences the Catalogue, or Ifl' 
 dex, under the title of Ltbri Corrigendi. 
 And it is prefaced thuSj which discovers its 
 connexion with the general subject of the work* 
 Quomodo Confessor potest cognoscere, si pcenitens 
 tenetur ad aliquod peccatum, ob lectionem librorum, 
 qui sunt a CathoUcis editi, sedsunt infecti etprohi- 
 biti ob interpositionem hcereticorum, qui se interpo- 
 suerunt in dictis libris^ et aliorum qui sunt adnotati, 
 etprohibiti in Indice Romano vel Tridentino : Exem- 
 pli gratia, liber vacatur expositio Sancti Thomce in 
 epistolas Divi Pauli, qui est Catholicus : sed quia 
 ibi absconditus est Erasmus cum suo argumento } 
 vel corrigatur juxta Indicem Concil. Trident, et 
 
m 
 
 sic de similibns. Hoc potest cognosdi ex beqUehte 
 li'st'd : sed est qucedam adnotatio, sive memoria edita 
 AM. R. D. D. Jbhanne Francisco Lombarda, 
 SacrtB Theologiee Dbctore, et Canonici Majoris 
 Ecclesiee NeapolitaniB, post longum studium con- 
 tra libros keereticorurn. 
 
 Then begins the Alphabet. At p. l66 the 
 Spanish Censurd of the Bibles, 1562, noticed 
 above, is tnentibned with approbation. And at 
 p. 218 we have a most extraordinary passage, 
 discovering, in a signal manner, how readily 
 the adherents of Rome, wheia aiiy charge is 
 Made against thenl, in the fil'st place, and at a 
 Venturie, leap upon a denial ; trusting that di- 
 rect evidence may not be at the comtnand of the 
 accuser. Finaliter summopere cave a quodam li- 
 bro, cujus titulus est Index Librorum expurgan- 
 dorum impressus Madriti, per Alphonsum Go- 
 mezium sub anno 1584. cum pbtius credendum sit 
 fdlso adscriptum esse in eo in tali civitate et per 
 dictum Alphonsum impressum fuisse : ac etiam 
 fdlso ddscriptum esse tdnti supremi, et catholici 
 Senatus ordine impressum, ac db eo editum : et inter 
 Cceterdin eo content a erronea, sive htiereticdlid, est, 
 quod dicit, posse concedi nonnulla opera Caroli 
 
64 
 
 MolincBi htsreticiprimce classis absque correctionCg 
 et imprimis assignat Commentaria super consuetu- 
 dinem Sgc. The good father had the natural re- 
 ward of his officious good will to his brethren ; 
 and was himself, for this very passage, brought 
 to the stake in the next Auto da fe of books by 
 the holy fathers of Spain. 
 
 Rome is the theatre of the next of these 
 literary executions. From the information 
 given by Clemens VIII. in the second brief 
 prefixed to the edition next to be considered, 
 that of 1596j we learn, that Sixtus V. by 
 whom the Index is said to be auttus, did indeed 
 meditate a new edition with additions, but was 
 prevented accomplishing his purpose by death. 
 It appears, therefore, that the editions subse- 
 quent to that of Trent, enumerated by Peignot, 
 Struvius, in Jugler's edition of his Bibliotheca, 
 and others, and which do not fall within the 
 pontificate of Sixtus V. contain nothing addi- 
 tional, excepting perhaps, the detached de- 
 crees passed for the condemnation of particular 
 books. The Clementine Index, therefore, must 
 be considered as the next, and to that we now 
 proceed, entitled, Index Librorum ProhibitO'- 
 
65 
 
 rum cum regulis confectis Per Patres a Tridentina 
 Synodo dekctos Auctoritate Pii IV. primumeditus, 
 Postea vero a Syxto V. auctus, et nunc demwm^ 
 S. D. N, Clementis Papts VIII. Jussu recog' 
 nituS) et publicatus. Instructione adjecta de eoce^ 
 quenda prohibitionis, deque sincere emendandi et 
 imprimendi, ratione, Romae, Apud Impressores 
 0amerales. Cum Privilegio Sum. Pont, ad 
 Biennium. 1596. 8vo. The first of the Briefs 
 of Clemens (for there are two) is simply a 
 restraint of the right of printing to the printer. 
 The second, bearing date, Oct. 17, 1595, aftef 
 the inflated series of false assumptions usual in 
 such instruments, and claiming, very gratuit- 
 ously, Gelasius I. as the founder of the In- 
 dex, to whom it adds Gregory IX. passes, 
 without more ceremony, to Pius IV. It then 
 details rather minutely the intentions and inci- 
 pient execution of Sixtus V. ; and the rest is 
 taken up with their completion by Clemens, 
 who appointed a Congregation* of Cardinals, 
 
 * The expressiona seem to imply, that this was the iBrst institution 
 of the Congregation of the Index, but Catalan! has satisfactorilj proved, 
 that it existed, in substance, certainly under Ghegoky XIII. and pro- 
 bably as early as Piusi IV. De Secret. S. Cong. InH. 1. i. c. vii. 
 
6G 
 
 to be assisted by others, who should carry into 
 effect the prohibition, expurgation, and regu- 
 lated impression, of books ; concerning each 
 article of which new Rules were given, and are 
 published, in this edition. Then follow the 
 Brief and Preface of the first edition, with the 
 Ten Rules. The next document peculiar to this 
 edition is entitled Observatio — the first, upon the 
 Fourth Rule, which denies, that any power is 
 given by it to bishops, &c. to grant licences to 
 buy, read, or retain Bibles, or any parts or 
 summaries thereof, in the vulgar language. The 
 second is of little importance, on the Ninth 
 Rule. The third revokes the partial toleration 
 of Th.almudic and Cabalistic books, The 
 fourth forbids the Hebrew Ritual called Maga- 
 zor, in any other than the original language ; 
 and the fifth corrects a mistake relative to the 
 books of John Bodin. The Instructio which 
 follows is of considerable importance ; and 
 I. concerning the Prohibition fif books, enjoinSj 
 that the names of such as were condemned, 
 .under pain of heavy punishment, should be 
 delivered to the bishops and inquisitors ; and' 
 that licence to read them should be obtained. 
 
67 
 
 from the same — II. The Correction of Books.' 
 This is to be committed to learned and pious 
 men; and when the work is expurgated and 
 amended to the satisfaction of the appointed 
 judges, it is permitted. The corrector and ex- 
 purgator is to look very diligently into every 
 thing, indexes, &c. ; and several objects are to 
 be attended to as his guide — every thing anti- 
 catholic, and against the church, and in praise 
 pf heretics, as well as what is immoral and in- 
 jurious to the reputation of others. Catholic 
 books after the yeal* 1515, if objectionable, are 
 to be corrected :* but the antients, only where 
 errors have been introduced by the fraud of 
 heretics, &c. — ^III. The Impression of books. 
 The work to be printed must first be shewn to 
 the bishop or Inquisitor, and approved by 
 either of them ; wheo printed it must be com- 
 pared with the MS. and found correct, before 
 it can be sold. Printers must be orthodox men, 
 bind themselves by oath to deal faithfully 
 and catholically, and the more learned and 
 eminent of them must profess the creed of 
 
 " Fra. Paolo, in his Diicorto delV origine delV Inquint. remon- 
 strates-at great length against this injunction. Ed. 1639, pp. 173, &c. 
 
 F 2 
 
68 
 
 Iritis IV; A condemned book, when expur- 
 gated, must express the fact in the title. 
 
 These Rules would give as much power to 
 the executors of them as they could wish. 
 
 We need only say of this Index^ that an 
 Appendix is subjoined, in portions, to every 
 division of the original. 
 
 We now adv?ince to perhaps the most ex- 
 traordinary and scarcest of all this class of 
 publications. It is the first and last, and in- 
 complete Expurgatory Index, which Rome 
 herself has ventured to present to the world ; 
 and which, soon after the deed was done, she 
 condemned and withdrew. But it is time to 
 give the title: Indicis Librorum Expurgan- 
 DORUM in studiosorum gratiam confecti. Tomus 
 Primus. In quo Quitiqiiaginta Auctorum Libri 
 free, cceteris desiderati emendaritur, Per Fr. Jo, 
 Mariam Brasichellen SacriPalatii Apostotici 
 Magistrum in unum corpus redactus, et publicm 
 Commodiiati ceditus. Romse, Ex Typographia 
 R. Cam. Apost. mdcvii. Superiorum Per- 
 missu. 8vo, After a selection of some of the 
 Rules in the last edition of the Prohibitory 
 Index, the Editor, in an address, informs the 
 
69 
 
 reader, that, uiiiderstancling the expurgation of 
 books ijot to be the least important part of his 
 office, and wishing to make books more acces- 
 sible to students than they were without exr 
 purgation, he had availed himself of the labours 
 of his predecessors, and, adding his own, 
 issued the present volume, intending that a 
 second, which was in great readiness, should 
 quickly follow-^-(but, alas ! it was not air 
 lowed so to do). Dated, Rome, from the 
 Apostolic Palace, 1607. The remonstrances 
 and opposition created by this work, made the 
 julers of Rome, who are not very willing to 
 lose subjects, sick. of the work of their servant, 
 ,and very careful not to put their authority tp 
 the hazard in future. 
 
 The contents of this book are in .nothing 
 more remarkable than in the insertion of the 
 name of B. Arias Montanus,* who was the 
 principal person concerned in the fabrication 
 of the Belgic Index. He occupies about si3^ 
 pages, and there suffers the same castigation 
 .and mutilation which he had formerly inflicted 
 
 • FraNCUs refers this insertion to the Index Sandoval, De Iffiie. 
 pp. 202, 3. But this is the first. 
 
70 
 
 upon others — nee lex est justior ulla, &c. Se- 
 veral of the authors besides thus treated are 
 the same as occur in the last Spanish Expurga- 
 tory Index, particularly M. de la Eigne, who 
 is suffering for more than a hundred pages. In 
 the same predicament, nearly, is Carolus 
 MoLiNEUs. The Bible of R. Stephens does 
 not escape ; and Francis Duarenus,* Poli- 
 DORUsViRGiLius, and others, come in for their 
 due share. The fate of Emanuel Sa is pecu^ 
 liar. He is subject to discipline for 28 pages : 
 but is acquitted in the next Spanish Index. A 
 particular examination of the passages selected 
 for obliteration or alteration, would, if the na- 
 ture and limits of the present work allowed, 
 afford matter, not only of curious, but of seri- 
 ous, reflexion ; and the mere perusal of the 
 passages condemned in Stephens's bible will 
 produce painful emotions in the Christian 
 reader. 
 
 Nothing more remains on the subject of this 
 Index, than to report what is contained in the 
 
 • The ojfence of this writer is his almost only important work, and 
 an important one it is, — Pro Libertate EccleaJce GallicancB &c. in which 
 -are detailed the enormous extortions of the Papal See. See particu* 
 larly sect. 77- 
 
71 
 
 inaccessible work of Zobelius, Natitia In- 
 dicis, &c. but repeated from him by Struvius, 
 or JuGLER, his editor, in the BibUothica Hist, 
 
 Lit.* that BRASICHELLEN,t or GuANZELLUSi 
 
 • Pp. 1650 — 3. As the. work ot Zobelius is extremely scarce, it 
 will probably please the reader to see the whole extract as given by 
 ifugler. Primus tantum hie est tomus oeleberrimi Indicis, quem Auc- 
 tor privato composuit studio, atque id quidem ut profitetur, earn ob 
 causam, quia Magister esset sacri Palatii, cujus requirat officium, libros 
 expurgare, ideoque ii, qui tales possiderent, non haberent necesse, abo- 
 -lere eosdeni, sed uti his potius, secundum censuram emendatis, possent. 
 Cuncta vulgo tribuuntur Guanxello, cUctn a patria BrasicheUauo, quae 
 in hoc Jndice expurgatorio sunt praestita, quanquam certum est ora- 
 nino, socium laborls fuisse Thomam Malvcndantf ex ordine Praedicato,- 
 rum hominem, qui recognovit Bibliofhecam Patrum, ex editiope Murga^ 
 rini dela Sigae, prpecipuam hujus Indicis partem efficientem. 
 
 Res ipsie, in Brasiohellano Ihdice ad expurgandum notatae, raulti,- 
 fariam testantur censorum lectioneni, judicium acutum,'rerum ecclesi^ 
 asticarum peritiam baud vulgarem, studium denique singulars pro 
 servanda auctoritate Romani Pontificis, et universi ipsius coetus. Re- 
 bus sic praestitis, auctores hujus Indicis omnem laudem et existimatio. 
 nem prpmeruisse, existimares : secus tamen res cessit, et ipse, quern 
 nominavimus, Index Brasichellanus primum a. 1607 suspensus, postea, 
 eodem Bergomi a. 1608, prelis iterum subjecto, denuo suppressus, tan- 
 dem vero, quum anno 1612. no vis typis in Belgio destinaretur, iterum 
 impedirijussus, et, editione tunc temporis jam absoluta, (Antwerpi seu 
 AnAorJa) venum dari prohibitus fuit. Accedit, quod inaudito hacte- 
 nus exemplo hie Index expurgatorius, cum imrainutione dignitatis Ma- 
 gistri sacri Palatii, qualis Brasichellanus fuit, quique in titulo libri auc- 
 torem solum se profitetur, pro libro, auctoritatem duntaxat hominis 
 privati tenente, habitus, et, quod maxime mirandum, ipse in librorum 
 expurgandorum et prohibendorum Indice coUocatus sit. Tomus caete- 
 roquin secundus, quem prime adjicere constituerat auctor, statim in 
 
 •(• See an entire chapter concerning this author in Catalajii dt 
 Magistro &c. 1. iL c. xlix. , 
 
72 
 
 was assisted in the work by Thomas Mal- 
 yj:NDA, a Dominican ; that another edition was 
 printed at Bergomi in 1608 ; that when a fresh 
 pne was in preparation at Antwerp in 16 12^ it 
 
 herba est suppressus. Verba hsec sunt Nicolai Em, Zolelii in Kotitia 
 IndicU libr. expurgand. editi per Fr. Jdh. Mar. Brasichellen, Altorf. 1745 
 in Sj qui aliquot saltim plagularum libellus jam rarius occurrit. In 
 eodem p. 51. § vii. docemur, Bergomenam editionem Komana multo niti- 
 diorem esse, et ad evolvendum commodiorem. Omnia tamen exemplaria, 
 saepius ac diversis in locis producta, quum raritatem incredibilem reti- 
 nerent, adeoque unum alterumve, alicubi repertum, magno satis pretio 
 venderetur, Ge. Serpilius, sacrorum olim in civitate Eatisbonensi An. 
 tistes, Indicem hunc ibidem, omissp autem loci indicio, anno 1723. in 8. 
 recudendum curavit sua baud dubie impensa ; quod quidem nulla ra- 
 tione vituperandum erat, nisi nunciatum in Novis literariis fuisset, 
 invenla esseEomse complura editionis primse exemplaria, studiosissitne 
 adhuc occultata, quae nunc Ratisbonam delata aequo comparari pretio 
 possint. LsetuHi fuit rei initium, nee exigua exemplarium pars avide 
 careque ab eruditis empta, qui librum nunc se possidere rarissitnum 
 existimabant. At paullo post adparuit, fucum esse omnibus factum. 
 Noyitas enipi chartse typorumque iis innqtuit, qui paullo adcuratius 
 acutiusque vide're solebant. Per plures deinde annos apud haeredes 
 Serpilii adservata sunt reliquae hujus editionis exemplaria, donee anno 
 1742. Job. Adam. HesseUus, typographus Altorfinus, consilium 
 sfiura de recudendo Indice Brasichellano singulari schedula evulgaret. 
 Tunc enim illi, ut retraherent ab institute typographum, eodem, quod 
 is proposuerat, pretio editionem Serpilianam eruditis oiferebant. Vid. 
 die Leipx. gel. Zeit, anno 1743. p. 613. Sed Hesselius, nulla iiidicii 
 hujus Katisbonensisratione habita, pxsequutus destinata est anno 1745. 
 quo ipso exhibuit Indicem Brasichellanum, ad formam exempli Bergo- 
 jneni expressum, neque tamen annum locumve, quo id factum, titulo 
 libri adjecit. Haeredes deinde Serpiliani exemplaria sua venum dedere 
 Job. Gastelio, bibliopolae Pedepontino, prope Ratisbonam, qui eodem 
 anno 1745 primam plagulam, solito piore, denuo typis describendam cii- 
 yayit, et, omisso prinii Tmni vocabulo, secundae editionis elogium sub- 
 
73 
 
 was suppressed; and that finally the author, 
 like Montanus, found his place in a future In- 
 dex.* The second volume, promised, never 
 appeared. The work, however, became ex- 
 ceedingly scarce, , which induced Serpilius, a 
 priest of Ratisbon, in 1723, to print an edition 
 so closely resembling the original, as to admit 
 of its being represented as the same. The im- 
 position, however, being detected, another 
 edition was prepared by Hesselius, a printer of 
 Altorf, in 1745; and then the remaining copies 
 of the former threw off their mask, and ap- 
 peared with a new title-page, as a second edition. 
 
 junxit. Atque hxc de celeberrimo illo Indice, de quo plura notatu 
 digna congessitdoctissimus Zohelius in laudata sujira Notitia. Jam diu 
 ante argumentum hoc pertractaverat Guii.. £rn. Tentzelius Select. 
 Ohservat. Halensium Tamo 3. p. 133. sq, Observat. vi. de Indice expurgato- 
 rio Romano rarisHmo, quem Joh. Mar. Srasichellamfs, SacH Palatii Apos- 
 tolici Magister, primus et hactenus solus edidit, item Tomo iv. Observat. 
 vii. ^. 71- ae Tomo v. Observat, X. p. 314 sq. quibus locis bina Indicis 
 
 ^'usdem Specimina proferuntur. et Clement, BiUioth. de 
 
 livres difficiles atrouver, Tomo v. p. 207 *?• Pp. 1650 — 3 of Biblioth. 
 Hist. Liit. seUcta, C7ijus primas lineas duxit S. G. Stntvius S[C. post varies 
 rum emendationes ^c. Joli. Fr. Jugler. 3 voL 8vo. Jense 1754 — 63. 
 
 • The anthority is not produced ; nor can I find it except in a ge- 
 neral article in a Decree of the Cong. Ind. of March 16, 1621, where 
 are condemned, Indices et Syllabi omnes particulares, extra urbem 
 absque authoritate et approbatione Sacrse Indicis Congregationis im- 
 pressi, post Indicem comraunem Sacri Concilii Tridentini, Pii Quarti 
 authoritate editum, postea vero a Sixto Quinto auctum, et tandem jus- 
 su dementis Octavi recognitum et publicatum. 
 
74 
 
 The original and counterfeit editions of this 
 peculiar work are sufficiently alike to deceive 
 any person who should not examine them in 
 literal juxta-position: but upon such examina- 
 tion the deception is easily apparent. The one, 
 however, may be fairly considered as a fac- 
 simile of the other. One can hardly read with- 
 out sympathetic pain the complaint and request 
 of Fbancus, Nullibi prtsterea Expurgatorius 
 Index Romanus Joannis Maries Brasichellani, 
 anxie licet requisitus, comparuit, quern si Ortho- 
 doxus quidam Eruditus possidet, vel investigare 
 potest, eum publice hie iterum iterumque per 
 Deum obtestor, ut novam istius editionem pro- 
 curet* This appeal has been answered by two 
 editions : and yet how scarce is the work, in 
 any, even now ! There is a copy of the origi- 
 nal edition in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; 
 as likewise of the Belgic, the Portugueze, the 
 Spanish, and the Neapolitan, Indexes, already 
 described. And this is the place to observe, 
 that the greater part, if not all these treasures, 
 were the result of the expedition against 
 
 • Prsef. and again p. 134. 
 
75 
 
 Cadiz, in 1596,* when the library of Jerom 
 OsoRius, successively bishop of Sylvas and of 
 Algarva, fell into the hands of the Earl of 
 Essex, who presented it to Sir Thomas Bod- 
 ley, founder of one of the noblest libraries in 
 the world, where it securely rests with all its 
 precious contents, these not the least among 
 them ; and may they never change their resi- 
 dence ! The first librarian of this invaluable 
 collection, James, justly triumphs in this de- 
 feat of the attempt and power of concealing 
 any longer from the eyes of the world these 
 engines of iniquity and darkness, which, under 
 favour of such concealment, had, for many 
 years, been prosecuting their dishonourable 
 work without impediment. It was the system 
 with the parents to deny their progeny. Some 
 instances occurred within the knowledge of the 
 author;. and he adds others. The divines of 
 Bourdeaux, he writes, attempted to discredit 
 the Belgic production ; the Inquisitor of Naples 
 that of Madrid. " And yet," he proceeds, " all 
 
 • Bj Feancus's reference, p. 10, it should appear, that the best 
 account of this expedition is to be found in Metereni Hist. Belg. F«r 
 this outline of the event and its consequences, I am indebted to the 
 Reperiorium Btbliographieum, pp. 66, 6. 
 
7t> 
 
 these books are to be seen, with sundry others, 
 brought together, by God's especial providence, 
 into the public Library of Oxford ; printed, all 
 of them, beyond the seas, by those that were 
 esteemed true papists. It is too late to deny 
 them," &c.* 
 
 The exterminating principle, as books are 
 concerned, found a fruitful soil in Spain ; as 
 her next Index abundantly proves, being a 
 bulky folio, with the following title — Index 
 
 LiBRORUM PROHIBITORUM ET ExPUliGATORUM 
 
 Bernardi de Sandoval et Roxas cardinalis-— 
 autoritate editus. Madriti, 1612, 1614. Peig- 
 not adds another editibn, Panormi, 1628, in fol. 
 Of this original there are copies both in the 
 Bodleian and the British Museum. A reprint 
 of it was giv^n by Turrettin, Professor of Divi- 
 nity at Geneva, completing, and adding to the 
 title above — et archiep. Tolet. Hispaniarum 
 
 * Corruption of Scripture, &c. pp. 379, 380. The fact is justly re- 
 ipresenteA as an especial providence. Pappus, in the preface to his edi- 
 tion of the reprint of the Belgic Index by Junius, refers the dispoverj 
 of that concealed document by the latter to the same divine direction 
 of events. Junius himself, as may be seen by the extract from his 
 preface, copied in this work, pp. 52, 3, mentions his detection of the 
 knavery at Lyons, in the case of an edition of Ambrose, then in hand, 
 as a singular providence of God. 
 
77 
 
 Primatis, Majoris Castellte Cancellarii, Gene- 
 ralis Inquisitor is, Regii status Consiliarii,auctori' 
 tate etjussu editus. De consilio Supremi Senatus 
 S. Generalis Inquisitionis Hispaniarum Juxta 
 Exemplar ewcusum Madriti. Apud Ludovi- 
 cum Sanchez Typographum Regium, Anno 
 cio.iocxii. cum appendice anni cio.iocxiv. 
 Auctas B. TuRRETT. Praefatione et Hispanic. 
 Decret. Latina Versione. 
 
 Indicis huic libro nomen prsefigitur apte : 
 Nam proprio Sorices indicio pereunt.* 
 
 Genevae. Sumptibus Jacobi Crispini. Anno 
 MDCxix. In large 8vo. Pp. 119 and 880, with 
 more than 50 unnumbered. The work com- 
 mences with a Dedication to Frederic V. 
 Prince Palatine of the Rhine, and a Preface to 
 the Reader, by the Editor : the latter distin- 
 guished by the sound and forcible argument 
 which might be expected from the writer. 
 Then follows, which belongs to the original, 
 and is of some moment, the 'Brief of Paul 
 V. which, lamenting the increase of the li- 
 
 " The allusion is to a line in Terence, Eunuch. Act. v. Seen. vii. 
 Egomet meo indicio, miser, quasi sarex, hodie perii. 
 
78 
 
 cences for reading heretical books,* and the 
 mischiefs likely to follow, very formally, and 
 motu propria, withdraws and annuls them all ; 
 forbidding the reading, possession, or sale of 
 the prohibited books, under the sfeverest pe- 
 nalties ; and, under the same, commanding dis- 
 covery, in all such cases of the offence as may 
 be known, and, if necessary, by an appeal to 
 the secular arm. There is something treraen* 
 
 ■ As the reader may be curious to see the form of such Licences, 
 I subjoin one from Bp. Burnet's Hist, of the Reformation, extracted 
 by him from Regist. Tonstc fol. 138, vol, i. Records vi. Cuthbertus 
 perrriisEione divina London. Episcopus Clarissimo et Egregio Viro 
 Domino Thomse More fratri @t amico Charissimo Salutem in Domino 
 et Benedict. Quia nuper, postquam Ecclesia Dei per Germaniam ab 
 hsereticis infestata est, juncti sunt nonnulli iniquitatis Filii, qoi vetereni 
 et damnatam hseresim Wyclifiianam et Lutherianam, etiam hseresis 
 Wyolifflanae alumni transferendis in nostratem vernaculam linguam 
 corruptissimis quibuscunq; eorum opusculis, atque illis ipsis magna 
 copia impressis, in banc nostram Kegionem inducere conantur ; quam 
 sane pestilentissimi^ dogmatibus Catholicse fldei veiitati repugnantibus 
 maculare atque inficere magnis conatibus moliuntur. Magnopere igi- 
 tur verendum est ne Catholica Veritas in totum periclitetur niai boni et 
 eruditi viri malignitati tampraedictorum*hominumstrenue occurrant; 
 id quod nulla ratione melius et aptius fieri poterit, quam si in lingua 
 Catholica Veritas in totum expugnans hsec insana dogmata simul etiam 
 ipsissiina prodeat in lucem. Quo fiet ut sacrarum literarum imperiti 
 homines in manus sumentes novos istos Hsereticos Libros, atque una 
 etiam Catholicos ipsos refellentes, vel ipsi per se verum discemere, vel 
 ab aliis quorum perspicacius est judicium recte admoneri et dooeri pos- 
 sint. Et quia tu, Frater Clarissime, in lingua nostra vernacula, sicut 
 etiam in Latina, Demosthenem quendam praestare potes, et Catholicse 
 
 • Perditoruin? 
 
79 
 
 dously resolute in the whole style of this docu- 
 ment in the original. The date is Jan. 26, 
 1612. It is followed by a Mandate of the In- 
 quisitor-General, in Spanish, and of a character 
 not unworthy of its predecessor. It states, as 
 the cause of the present Index, the great influx 
 of heretical books by modern authors, who, 
 therefore, have not been noticed in preceding 
 Indexes ; and enforces all the commands of the 
 
 veritatis assertor acerrimus in ommi congressu esse soles, melius sub- 
 cisivas horas, si quas tuis occupationibus suffurari potes, coUocare nun- 
 quam poteris, quam in nostrate lingua aliqua edas quse simplicibus et 
 ideotis hominibus subdolam haereticorum malignitatem aperiant, ac 
 contra tam impios ecclfesiae supplantatores reddant eos instructiores : 
 habes ad id exemplum quod imiteris praeclarissimum, illustrissimi Do- 
 mini nostri Regis Henrici octavi, qui sacramenta Ecclesiae contra Lu- 
 therum totis viribus ea subvertentem asserere aggressus, immortale 
 numen Defensoris Ecclesiae in omne sevum proraeruiU Et ne Andaba- 
 tarum more cum ejusmodi larvis lucteris, ignorans ipse quod oppugnes, 
 mitto ad te insanas in nostrate lingua istorum nsenias, atque una etiam 
 nonnullds Lutheri Libros ex quibus hsec opinionum monstra prodie- 
 Tunt. Quibus abs te dUigenter perlectis, facilius intelligas quibus lati- 
 bulis tortuosi serpentes sese condant, quibusque anfractibus elabi dfe- 
 preheiisi studeant. Magni eaim ad victoriam momenti est bostium 
 Consilia explorata habere, et quid sentiant quove tendant penitus 
 nosse : nam si convellere pares quae isti se non sensisse dicent, in totum 
 perdas operam. Macte igitur virtute, tam sanctum opus aggredere, 
 quo et Ecclesiae Dei prosis, et tibi immortale nomen atque aetemam in 
 coelis gloriam pares r quod ut facias atque Dei Ecclesiam tuo patrocinio 
 munias, magnopere in Domino obsecramus, atque ad ilium finem ejus- 
 modi libros et retinendi et legendi facultatem atque licentiam imperti- 
 mur et concedimus. Dat. 7 die Martii, Anno 1527 et nostrse Cons, 
 sexto. 
 
80 
 
 pope by the additional authority of the inquisi- 
 tor. Madrid, Dec. 16, 1612. The Latin iVb^ice 
 to the reader states, that three hundred authors 
 more than formerly appeared are now subjected 
 to expurgation, and that more, if necessity re- 
 quire, will follow. It adds a pressing invitation 
 to private individuals of piety and learning to 
 give their assistance to so laudable a work, and 
 assures them, that their labour in that respect 
 will lay the holy office under obligation to them, 
 and render them most acceptable to the abun- 
 dant Rewarder of all good. The Thirteen 
 Reglas Generales do not agree, except very 
 loosely, with the Fourteen of the Prohibitory 
 Index of 1583. Their quality may easily and 
 justly be anticipated from the known hetero- 
 doxy, ignorance, bigotry, and intolerance of 
 the source from which they flow ; and almost 
 any abridgment would be as tiresome as need- 
 less. The Mandates which follow have some 
 peculiarities worth notice. The first to Book' 
 sellers, in case of offence against the preceding 
 laws, denounces, for the first, suspension of 
 office and loss of the offender's trade for two 
 years, banishment twelve miles from the town 
 
81 
 
 where he exercised his trade, and a fine of 
 1200 ducats: for the second offence, double, 
 and other punishments at the will of the inqui- 
 sitor; and, with other things, to crown the 
 whole, ignorance is not to be admitted as an 
 excuse. In the next mandate, to Importers of 
 books, the same severity is extended, because 
 they ought to know better. The third, to Prin- 
 ters, enjoins their adding repurgafus and per- 
 missus to books thus purified and reprinted. 
 The Admonition of the Three Classes into which 
 the Index is divided is of little moment, those 
 divisions being the same in substance as are 
 found in the Trent Index, 
 
 The first, or Prohibitory, Index, presents 
 nothing to detain us : but the second, the Ex- 
 purgatory, is full of curiosities, had we time to 
 examine them. Not the least, and 'therefore it 
 shall be mentioned first, is the article Gregorii 
 Capuc. Enchirid. Eccles. This, it will be re- 
 membered, is the Neapolitan Index ; and, in a 
 passage adduced, it ventured to suggest, that 
 the Spanish Index Expurg. might be a forgery. 
 The author has his reward — Titul. Libri corri- 
 gendi, fol. 218, pag. 1, § Finaliter summopere- 
 
 G 
 
82 
 
 cavCi dele ab initio § usque ad § Raymundus Lul- 
 lus, exclus. — This is the third of the Phalaris's 
 or Adonibezeks, who have suffered what they 
 inflicted. Most of the articles in Bfasichellen's 
 Index are transferred to this ; and the reader 
 will be almost amused to observe the names of 
 H. Stephens and John Scapula. J. A. Thuanus, 
 or de Thou, naturally enough finds a place 
 here, and so does Isaac Casaubon. But Ema- 
 nuel Sa, freely censured in the Roman Indexj, 
 is here very lightly corrected and excused. 
 Alia autem omittuntur, quce neque ad Sancti Officii 
 judicium spectare, neque gravem offensionem ha- 
 bere videntur. The Spanish and Roman Indexes 
 indeed often clash ; and the former has- been 
 reprehended by Roman writers for its presump- 
 tion.* Under Thorn. Cajetan we have an in- 
 structive specimen of the alteration which these 
 censors allow themselves to make in authors, 
 by supposing, or rather asserting, a.fraus h(ere- 
 ticorum.-\ Here are two sentences, in a work 
 strictly Roman and printed at Antwerp, altered 
 
 • Catalani, de SecretaHo S. Cong. Indicia, 1. i. c. ix. § v. vii. 
 
 "I" It will be remembered, that, in \he Inatructio of Clemens VIII. 
 fraus harcticorum was most fraudulently allowed as a ground of altera- 
 tion or correction. 
 
83 
 
 to a directly opposite meaning, without any 
 other proof of fraud than their own affirmation. 
 What author is safe, if such liberties are al- 
 lowed ? Several of the articles in this Index 
 are instances of the artful system of attacking 
 Indexes instead of the authors themselves. 
 They wished to escape the accusation and 
 odium of impugning the Fathers of the Church, 
 and yet could not tolerate some of the doc- 
 trines which they manifestly declared. They 
 imagined they had found a receipt for that pur- 
 pose. There is an Appendix called Prima, al- 
 though there is none besides, which at the end 
 bears the date of 1614. It is preceded by a 
 mandate of the same inquisitorial editor, breath- 
 ing the same threatenings as usual, and which, 
 where there is power, are formidable. It is 
 dated Aug. 22, 1614. Explanations of two of 
 the Rules close the prefatory part of the Ap- 
 pendix. The gratitude due from the really 
 Christian world to those who, like the excel- 
 lent and learned Turrettin in the work which 
 we are now dismissing, drag these productions 
 of degraded Rome from their dens of darkness 
 and expose them to eyes which can see their 
 
 g2 
 
84 
 
 deformities, is in exact proportion to the morti- 
 fication, felt and expressed, on such occasions, 
 by their authors and patrons. 
 
 Peignot, in the work and place so often re- 
 ferred to, gives the following. Index librorum 
 prohibitorum : cum regulis, S^c. et cum adjecta 
 instructione, de emendandis imprimendisque libris 
 et de exequenda prohibitione. Nunc in hac edi- 
 tione congregationis cardinalium edictis aliquot, 
 et librorum nuper scandalose evulgatorum descrip' 
 tione auctus. Cracovise, 1617, in 12. He adds, 
 Cet opuscule est assez rare. It appeared under 
 the auspices of Martin Szyskowski, bishop 
 of Cracow. There had been two previous edi- 
 tions ; one by Bernh. Macieiowski, bishop 
 of Cracow, the other by Gr. Zamoyski, bishop 
 of Chelmin.* 
 
 We now come to a work, of the date of 
 1624 (although that date should rather have 
 been 1640, as will appear), which might have 
 been considered with Clemens VIII. 's edition of 
 the Index of 1596, as the pages are carried on 
 from the former, and they are perhaps invari- 
 ably bound together, as was the evident ifiten- 
 
 " Stbuvii Biblioik. Jugier, p. 1658. 
 
86 
 
 tion. It is, however, a separate and later 
 work ; but one of some interest, as the first of 
 its kind . Librorum post Indicem dementis VIII. 
 prohibitorum Decreta Omnia hactenus edita. 
 Romee, Ex Typographia Rev. Cam. Apost. 
 1624. in 8vo. Each Decree, emanating from 
 the different authorities, is here given sepa- 
 rately and at length, with all its formality; 
 and affords a practical evidence of the sources 
 whence the prohihitioas and criticisms in the 
 Indexes originate. We have Edicts of the 
 Congregation of the Index, Decrees of the Pope, 
 Edicts of the Master of the Sacred Palace, 
 Edicts of the Inquisition. Some, or all, of 
 these decrees may have been printed and dis- 
 persed singly, as is now the case ; but there is 
 no evidence, within the knowledge of the 
 writer, that any number of them were before 
 collected and published together They extend 
 from the year 1601 to 1637; the Index, of which 
 they are meant to be the sequel, and which will 
 come to be considered in its place, bearing the 
 date of 1640. 
 
 The Master of the Sacred Palace, in the 
 first decfees issued by that officer, is the cele- 
 
86 
 
 brated Brasichellen, whose more active efforts 
 in the cause sustained the rebuff which has 
 already been mentioned, and is contained in 
 one of these very decrees. The service of Ro- 
 manism is not alw3.ys an easy one. But 
 perhaps as remarkable an article, in its conse"- 
 quences, as any, is that contained in the De* 
 cree of April 26, 1628, Elucidarium Deipartje 
 Auctore Joanne Baptista Poza. The cho* 
 leric Spaniard replied in a caustic Apologyj in 
 which he particularly charges Brasichellen with 
 censuring the Fathers, and condemning un- 
 justly a fellow-countryman, Emanuel Sa. This 
 rebellious conduct was punished by a condem- 
 nation of all his works by another Decree^ 
 Sept. 9, 1632. The Spanish Index of 1640j 
 however, took his part against the Roman, 
 and quietly, in a Supplement^ reversed the un- 
 just decree. 
 
 The reader is now to pay a second visit to 
 Portugal ; and he will find that the interval has 
 not been unimproved. The press in Lisbon 
 will testify quite as much diligence in the InT 
 quisitor General of Portugal as in him of Spain. 
 In 1624 she gave birth to a portly folio of more 
 
87 
 
 tlian 1000 pages. The title-page, which is en- 
 graved, isornamented in amannerRomanistically 
 imposing. In the centre of the top is the Arms 
 of the Inquisition — a cross between an olive- 
 branch and a sword. On each side are two 
 ill-favoured cherubs, who seem to be destined 
 for inquisitors when they should grow to man's 
 estate. Towards the bottom, on one side is a 
 vine with a dead branch, to which an axe is 
 applied, with the motto, " that it may bring 
 forth more fruit;" on the other is some tree 
 half dead, with an axe at the root, and the 
 motto, " cast it into the fire :" between them is 
 the Cardinal's hat and arms. The title is par- 
 ticularly rancorous — not impotently so at the 
 time. Index AuctorumDamnat^ MEMORi^i 
 Turn etiam Librorum, qui vel simpliciter, vel ad 
 expurgationem usque prohibeiitur, vel denique jam 
 expurgati permittuntur. Edit us auctoritdte 
 IlJ/^^- Domini D. FehdinAndi Martins Mas- 
 CAREGNAS Algarbiorum Episcopi, Regii status 
 Consiliarii, ac Regnorum Lusitaniee Inquisitoris 
 Generalis. Et in partes tres distributus quee 
 proxime sequenti pagella explicate censentur. De 
 Consilio Supremi Senatus Sta Generalis Inquisi- 
 
88 
 
 tionis Lusitaniee, The Colophon is, Vlyssipone 
 Ex officina Petri Craesbeeck, Regii Typogr. 
 Anno DMCxxiiii. for mdcxxiiii. The Edict of 
 the Inquisitor, in Portugueze, commands all 
 persons, whether ecclesiastic or laic, who may- 
 possess the condemned books, within thirty 
 days after the publication of the Index, to de- 
 liver, or signify, them, to the Inqusitor of the 
 district — offenders render themselves subject to 
 the greater excommunication and to be pro- 
 ceeded against as of suspected faith — the same 
 penalty awaits booksellers, or others, selling or 
 importing the books ; and the vendors of other 
 books condemned for causes short of heresy, 
 besides the guilt of mortal sin, become liable 
 to severe chastisement at the discretion of the 
 General and other Inquisitors — and the licences 
 to have, or read, prohibited books, formerly 
 given, are revoked. 
 
 The Roman Index of Clemens YIII, with 
 additions since his edition, forms the first part 
 of this work. - 
 
 The second part is the Portugueze Prohibi- 
 tory Index. It contains a preface and fifteen 
 Megras, peculiar, as it appears, to itself >, and 
 
89 
 
 the body of the Index has nothing more remark- 
 able than the insertion of one or two English 
 books. 
 
 The third, Expurgatory, part, constitutes 
 thfi bulk of the volume. The Monita to the 
 reader apprize him, that the former censures of 
 Lisbon, Belgium, and Spain, are adopted ; and 
 that, the present censors having performed their 
 work rather superficially, the defect will be 
 supplied in a future edition. They profess, 
 that the plan of classification has been declined, 
 and all the matter thrown under one alpha- 
 bet, the condemned and catholics, Latin and 
 vulgar writers, being indiscriminately mingled 
 The body of this Index is .so identical in prin- 
 ciple, as well as -contents, with the Spanish, 
 and that principle so degraded, that even a se- 
 lection of particular instances is scarcely desire- 
 able; although almost any one would afford 
 matter of astonishment as well as of reproba- 
 tion. We content ourselves, therefore, with the 
 following. At pp. 180, 1, as well as at p. 
 1031, Tractatus Juris Can. in several editions 
 (which from its contents must be the Tractatus 
 Universi Juris, printed frequently at Venice), 
 
90 
 
 is largely expurgated ; and yel the Taxes, 
 though occupying a conspicuous place in the 
 15th volume of the edition of 1584, is entirely 
 overlooked. In this specimen we bid farewell 
 to Portugal ; and only hope that her next ef^ 
 forts of whatsoever kind, may less disgrace her, 
 A small volume will now detain us for a 
 moment ; but it has intrinsic merit, and Belongs 
 to an author, both of which command respect. 
 Its title speaks for itself. Index Generalis 
 Librorum prohibitorum a Pontificiis, una cum 
 Editionibus expurgatis vel expurgandis juxta se- 
 riem liter arum ^ triplicem classem. In usum 
 Bibliothecce Bodleianee, et Curatoribus ejusdort 
 specialiter designatus. Per Tho. James, aS*. 
 Theol. D. Coll. B. Mari<z Winton in Oxon^ 
 Vulgo Novi dicti quondam Socium. Oxoniee, 
 Excudebat Gulielmus Turner. An. D. 1627, in 
 12i The main object of the work, as himself 
 expresses it in the Dedicatory Epistle, is, to 
 prevail upon scholars in general, and the Cura- 
 tors of the Bodleian Library in particular, to 
 value, and by all means, if possible, to procure 
 those books, and especially those editions, 
 which are condemned in the Roman Indexes, 
 
91 
 
 as being, the first, generally valuablej and the 
 others far preferable to the modern editions. 
 Oxford has not neglected the admonition ; and 
 its library abounds in the treasures pointed out 
 by the reprobation of those who were unworthy 
 of them, and either knew them not or hated 
 them. 
 
 Th^ year 1632 gave birth to another Index 
 from Spain. Novus Index Librorum Pro- 
 HiBiTORUM ET ExpuRGATORUM ; editus ttutori- 
 tate et jussu Eminenf^^- ac Reverend'^^- D. D. 
 Antonii Zapata, S. R. E. Presbyt. Card. Tit. 
 S. BalbincB ; Protectoris Hispaniarum; Inquisi- 
 toris Generalis in omnibus Regnis, et ditionibus 
 Philippi IV. R. Ci et ab ejus Statu, Scd De 
 Consilio Supremi Senatus S. Generalis Inquisi- 
 tionis. Hispali* ex Typographaeo Francisci de 
 Lyra An. mdcxxxii. in foL The title-page is 
 engraved rather handsomely, with the cross^ 
 keys, sword femblems of the papacy and of 
 transubstantiationj, and a cardinal's arms. The 
 Inquisitor's Edict, which begins the volumCj 
 after the introduction in the usually pompous 
 
 • Seville. 
 
92 
 
 and hypocritical style, respecting heresy, al- 
 leges the apostolic Brief of Urban VIII. as the 
 reason of forming a new Index, which should 
 comprehend, not only modern writers but some 
 antient ones who had been overlooked, to the 
 number of 2500. He then proceeds to charge 
 all persons, neither to possess nor to read the 
 forbidden books, under pain of the greater 
 excommunication ; and those who, having 
 them, do not give notice of them within ninety 
 days, are to be proceeded against with all the 
 rigour of the law. Dated, Madrid, July 29, 
 1631. The Brief oi the Pope follows, very 
 much resembling that of Paul V. in the pre- 
 ceding Spanish Index. Terrified g,t the abuse 
 of existing licences, it revokes them all — rew- 
 camus, cassamuSf irritamus, 8g anullamus, ac viri- 
 bus penitus evacuamus, et pro revocatis, &c. &c.— - 
 then come the penalties spiritual, and temporal, 
 for the disobedient, and for the concealers of 
 their knowledge of the book^. Authority is 
 then given to the Cardinal presbyter to put 
 these decrees in execution, and, if necessary, 
 to call for the assistance of the secular arm. 
 Aug. 17, 1627. Thp Inquisitor then resumes. 
 
93 
 
 and in virtue of these powers, announces the 
 revocation of all the licences previously given, 
 Feb. 21, 1628. The document following is a 
 Licence to the licentiate, Sebastian de Huerta, to 
 chuse his own printer of the Index, which was 
 to be signed with his own hand (as is the case 
 with the copy before me), or with that of Juan 
 de Pineda, a Jesuit, who assisted in the compo- 
 sition of the work. The Notice to the Reader 
 announces a kind of liberality, in not altoge- 
 ther prohibiting, but allowing with expurgation, 
 some heretical writings. It states, as the re- 
 sult of various reading, that here was added 
 some account of the country, age, sect, and 
 profession of the writers. And, for the con- 
 struction of the Index, it observes, that the 
 Prohibitory and Expurgatory Parts were 
 now embodied, the triple division being re- 
 tained ; and that an Universal Index was pre- 
 fixed for the greater ease of reference. The 
 Reglas, Mandates, Sec. vary but little, although 
 they do vary, both in number and position, 
 from those in the former edition of 1612. The 
 pages amount to 990 numbered. More than 50 
 are unnumbered. There is one article in the 
 
9i 
 
 body of the work worthy of particular consi" 
 deration. MartinusLutherus. Islebii natus 
 inSaxonia, an. 1483. pradkat contra indulgentias 
 1517. ab Ordine Religioso et a Fide Catholica 
 Apostate, et Heixsiarcha. 1517. reperitur in lecto 
 misere exanimis 1546,* All that need be said 
 concerning this recdndite article is, that it nevei* 
 re-appeared in any future edition. Llorente 
 has observed, that this is the first Index issued 
 by the Inquisitor of Spain, in his own name and 
 by his own authority. But it was certainly 
 the fact in the edition of 1612. Had not a 
 writer quoted in Jugler's edition of Stru- 
 \iv&s Bibliotheca, thought it necessary to vin- 
 
 • In the work of the Sicilian Inquisitor, Paramo, de Origine, &C. 
 Inguis. 1598, which we shall find another opportunity of noticing, is 
 a very curious and mysterious passage to the same effect^ Tit. 3, cap. 6, 
 § 33. He is enumerating the miserable deaths of heretics ; and Lu- 
 ther, of course, finds his place. Verum his missis, ad autores haeresiim 
 nostri temporis descendamus. Ex quibus primus oecurrit Martinus 
 Lutherus, cujus infelicem obitum, data opera prsetermitto, quod de eo 
 in tit. 8. cap. 1. fusam fecimus mentionem. Now the reference is either 
 mistaken or false ; for none such exists. And in the Index, wliich has 
 copious references to Martin Luther, in that which indicates his infe- 
 lix exitus, the place adduced is the only one pointed out. Are we then 
 to suppose, that the fusa mentio was expunged in the MS., or what are 
 we to suppose ? The edition in my hands is the first, and therefore 
 the passage could not exist in a prior one. If, however, after all, it can 
 be produced, it will be welcomed as a curiosity. These authors cer- 
 tainly tell us what we should not otherwise know. 
 
95 
 
 dicate the genuineness of the Spanish Index of 
 1612, which, on inspection, he declares to ex- 
 hibit every possible evidence of its origin, be- 
 sides the autographs of many inquisitors, in the 
 copy at Oxford, 1 should scarcely have consi- 
 dered it requisite to make the same observa- 
 tions relative to the present edition, which is as 
 palpably Spanish as the reprints of Geneva are 
 Genevese. It certainly does indicate the lowest 
 confidence in a cause, when palpably ground- 
 less suspicions are seized to uphold it. 
 
 Now we approach a Roman production, 
 printed first at Milan, in 1635. Elenchus 
 Librorttm omnium turn in Tridentino, Clementino- 
 que Indice, turn in aliis omnibus sacrce Indicis 
 Congreg"''- particularibus Decretis usque ad an- 
 num 164:0 prohibitorum ; Ordine una Alphabetico, 
 Per Fr. Franciscum Magdalenum Capi- 
 FERREUM Ordinis Preedicatorum dictce Congreg'"'- 
 Secretariicm digestus. Editio Secunda aucta. 
 Romae, Ex Typographia Rev. Cam. Apost. 
 1640. Superiorum permissu, et cum Privilegio. 
 8vo. The work is dedicated Urbano VIII. 
 Pont. Opt. Max. (a blasphemous title, being 
 the same as the divine, but common in papal 
 
96 
 
 dedications and on papal medals), full of pro- 
 fane adulation. It can hardly be considered as 
 a work of authority, although doubtless al- 
 lowed by authority ; and chiefly intended, as 
 the preface imports, to facilitate reference,, by 
 uniting the divisions of the original Indexes 
 under one alphabet, and giving surnanies as 
 well as christian. In that respect it has its 
 value still. That it is considered, indeed* 
 simply as a private work will appear from the 
 preface of the Secretary to the Roman Index 
 of 1664. 
 
 The next Index is a Spanish one, published 
 first in 1640. Neither the British Museum nor 
 the Bodleian Library possess a copy, unless one 
 has been obtained very lately. But this is the 
 less to be regretted as there were more editions, 
 two at Madrid, in 1662, and 1666, if Peignot 
 be correct. But perhaps as valuable as any, 
 and in some respects more so, is the reprint at 
 Geneva, in 1667, with the following title — In- 
 dex LibrorumProiiibitorum etExpurgan- 
 DORUM NovissiMUs. Pvo CathoUs Hispania- 
 rum Regnis Philippi IV. Regis Cathol. III. ac 
 R. ID. D. Antonii a Sotomaior Supremi Pres- 
 
97 
 
 s'uUs, ^^ in Regnis Hispaniarum, Siciliee, et India- 
 rum Generalis Inquisitoris, S^c. jussu ac studiis, 
 luculenter et vigilantissimh recognitus : De Consi- 
 lio Supremi Senatus Inquisitionis Generalis. Jux- 
 ta Exemplar excusum. Madriti, ex Typogra- 
 phseo Didaci Diaz. Subsignatum LL<^°- Huerta. 
 MDCLxvix. in fol. Ttie royal arms of Spain, 
 with the golden fleece, are engraved on the 
 title-page. It would have been as well to have 
 preserved the date, 1640. The Editor has 
 given Latin translations of the Spanish docu- 
 ments. And he has deemed it necessary, as 
 his predecessor Turrettin had done, not only 
 to profess his own accurate integrity, but to 
 announce that the originals were preserved and 
 producible, to satisfy either doubt or curiosity. 
 The reader will readily infer, of what descrip- 
 tion those persons must be, towards whom such 
 caution is necessary. Tuurettin's Preface is 
 . reprinted ; as likewise two extracts, from Ju- 
 Nius's to the Index of 1571, and from Blon- 
 DEL de Joanna Papissa. Then comes the Edici 
 of the Inquisitor General, Archbishop of Da- 
 mascus, who, commencing as usual, inveighs 
 against the audacity of heretics, and particu- 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 larly their assumption of fictitious titles, which, 
 upon consultation with his council, made him 
 judge it necessary to command the publication 
 of a new Index, with an addition, both of mo- 
 •dern and antient authors ; adding the common 
 penalties for retaining or reading, or suppress- 
 ing knowledge, of heretical books* Dated 
 Madrid, June 30, 1640. The same Licentiate 
 has the controul of this edition as in that eight 
 years back. The Reglas, Mandatos^ &c. differ 
 but little from those formerly published. The 
 last, or 16th, Regla merely adopts a part of the 
 Instructio 6{ Clemens VIII. The body of the 
 work, independently of the General Index, 
 contains, in this reprint, 992 pages. The un- 
 obtrusive article, in the supplement, permitting, 
 with expurgation, what the Roman Congregd- 
 'tion, and ' Index, had absolutely condemned — 
 the' works of Poza — ^has already been noticed. 
 It would be difficult, and answer no particular 
 purpose of sufficient value, to discover and cri- 
 ticize the new articles. This reprint, by its 
 additiohs; will be useful to us again. 
 
 The papacy', which, in virtue of her exclu- 
 sive infallibility, residing, if any where persoh- 
 
99 
 
 ally, most eminently in her head^ possesses the 
 chief power of settling all matters of doubt or 
 dispute, has ever discovered a most provoking 
 aversion to confer this most needful benefit 
 upon erring mortals, by an explicit declaration 
 of her views on important points of christian 
 doctrine.. In conformity, therefore, with this 
 tantalizing reserve, she determined not to 
 hazard her infallibility and authority by any 
 new publication of an expurgatory deseriptioH. 
 She, however, presented her subjects with a 
 more extensive Prohibitory Index, in 1664, 
 under the title. Index Librorum Prohibitorum 
 Alexandri VII. Pontificis Maximijussu editus. 
 Romce, Ex Typographia , Reverendee Camerte 
 Apostolic^, 1664, Superiorum permissu, et 
 Privilegio. 4to. The Brief, of the pope con^- 
 veys no information of , importance : it simply 
 explains the motive of. the present publication-^^ 
 the want of order in the former, and the utility 
 of uniting the whole under one alphabet, neg- 
 lecting the triple division hitherto observed. 
 It ratiiies and repeats the apostolic threats in 
 the former Indexes ; and professes to give the 
 Trent Index separately. March 5, 1664. The 
 
 H 2 
 
100 
 
 Iie<^idce, kc. are the same as in the last Index of 
 Clem. VIII. The address of Fr. Hyacinthus 
 LiBELLus, Secretary of the Congregation of 
 the Index, to the reader, explains the contents 
 of the volume ; and affirms that all other In- 
 dexes are to be considered as private ones. 
 The first Index in this collection reaches to 
 page 1G5. The second Index contains exclu- 
 sively those books which have the names of the 
 authors placed after them. The third is con- 
 fined to those books, in the title of which the 
 matter follows the name of the author. Then 
 follows an Appendix from 1661 to the publica- 
 tion of the Index. The Indej' Tridentinus suc- 
 ceeds, to which is prefixed an Admonition to the 
 reader by the fore-named Secretary, giving the 
 origin and history of that Index, as ' we have 
 already detailed them ; and affirming, which he 
 was perfectly qualified to do, and is of some 
 consequence, that the Deputation of the Index 
 originally instituted by Pius IV., was matured 
 into a formal Congregation by Pius V; All 
 that follows in this part has appeared before. 
 But the concluding part. Index Decretorum, 
 although a part has been previously given up to 
 
101 
 
 the fear 1636, is entitled to particular atten- 
 tion. Professing, as it does, to be a complete 
 collection, embracing Omnia Decreta, qucB vel a 
 Magistro Sac. Palatii, cum ratione Officii sui, 
 tttmjussu Sac, Cangregationis, vel ab ipsis Sacris 
 Congregationibus Indicis, et S. Officii emanarunt, 
 it is of primary importance. The first part of 
 these decrees does not exactly coincide with 
 the collection in the Index of Clem. VIII. 
 The ?d is an addition. So are the 31st, 32d, 
 40th, and 41st. The 43d begins the additional 
 portion. In the 45th is the condemnation of 
 A, C. Jansenius. Banck's Taxa S. Cane. 
 Apost. is condemned June 10, 1654. The 66th 
 i^ directed against the Lettres Provinciales, 
 Letter by Letter, throughout the Eighteen. 
 This is the Pascal, who has been adduced in 
 a British Parliament as a specimen, arid recom- 
 mendation, of Roman Cat|iolicity. A decree 
 by his Holiness itself, Alexander VII, Jan. 
 12, 1661, states, that some sons of perdition 
 had arrived at such a state of madness as to 
 turn the Roman Missal into the French, vulgar 
 tongue, &c. &c. ! ! The decree, No. 77, again 
 transfixes Banck's Ta.va — the moles took C£|,r^ 
 
102 
 
 never to see their own. An omitted decree, 
 restoring a passage in the infamous Sanchez is 
 added. A second Appendix, with some au- 
 thors, and four Decrees, then appears ; the 
 first of which, to its immortal honour, proscribes 
 Walton's Polyglott! ! The last thing is a list 
 of the Cardinals and Consultors of the Congre- 
 gation of the Index from the beginning. 
 
 The Geneva edition of the last Spanish Index 
 in 1667, with its other additions, that of the 
 last Roman Index in particular, • carries on the 
 Decrees to that date, or from lxxxii. to xcii. 
 No. 87 and the next condemn 45 propositions 
 concerning Confession, Indulgences, &c. The 
 last is curious, as discovering the wily caution 
 of Romanism, It was a subject of controversy, 
 whether attrition from fear and without the love 
 of God were available or not. Silence was 
 imposed upon the disputants, until the holy 
 see should come to a deterrbination upon the 
 point. Has it so done yet ? 
 
 In a small work entitled, Constitutiones 
 et Decreta Apostolka, Sec. printed Coloniee 
 Agrippinse, 1686, Superiorum permissu, 12mo. 
 besides a selection of the Decrees in the pre- 
 
103 
 
 ceding works, there are several after that dat^ 
 up to me. The first, of April 9," 1668, is 
 against the Roman Ritual of Akt. That begin- 
 ning p. 150 has 6,5 condemned propositions, 
 The lesuit Mnimbourg is censured in two ; and 
 the French translation of the Roman Missal is 
 again condemned. There is attached a DpcreQ 
 against 68 heretical Propositions of M. de J/07 
 linos, of a subsequent date, that of Aug. 28, 
 1687, 
 
 We now come to what may be considered a 
 Series of Prohibitory Indexes, the only ones 
 which R,ome henceforth ventured to give to |the 
 world, in a small form, published from time to 
 time, at , short intervals, by the succeeding 
 popes, down to the present. It is hardly ncr 
 cessary to describe each particularly, since 
 they so nearly resemble each other. The first 
 which appeared in this form, according to Peig- 
 not, was that published by command of Cle- 
 mens X, 1670. The next was issued, by Inno- 
 cent XI. in 1682. Another followed in, 1683; 
 another in 1685.J another in 1696. The next, 
 in the eighteenth century, having it before me, 
 I will describe particularly. Index Librorum 
 
104 
 
 Prcfhibiiorum Innoc. XI. P. M. jussu editus.- 
 Usque ad Annum 1681. Eidem accedit in Jine 
 Appendix .tisque ad mensem Junii 1704. Romas, 
 Typis Rev. Cam. Apost. 1704. Cum Privile- 
 gio. 8vo. After a recitation of the Privilege to 
 the Printer of the sacred Chamber, the Secre- 
 tary of the Congregation of the Index, F. Jaco- 
 bus Riccius, a Dominican, repeats the old 
 information, that the increase of heresy has 
 rendered a larger edition of the Index neces- 
 sary, which, at the command of his holiness, 
 and with his sanction, he has accomplished and 
 publishes. Then follow the usual accompani- 
 ments, and after that the Index, which has as 
 many as five Appendixes, reaching to the year 
 1734. In the second Appendix is contained 
 the first insertion of the Noiiveau Testament by 
 Father Quesnel, against which was fulminated 
 the famous Bull, Unigenitus, by Clemens XL, 
 condemning 101 Propositions as heretical. It 
 is dated Sept. 10, 1713. The last Appendix, 
 although not so named, is curious, being a re- 
 edition of a small Italian Index, printed first at 
 Bologna, afterwards at Pavia, and entitled, 
 Raccolta d'alcune particolari operette spirituali, 
 
105 
 
 ^ profane prohibite, Orazioni, e Divozioni vane, ' e- 
 super stiziose, Indulgenze nulle, e apocrife, ed Im- 
 magini indecenti, ed illecite. There are 8 pages 
 of condemned Indulgenze. Two Decrees were, 
 passed at Rome in 1678, abolishing these by- 
 wholesale, as here represented.* 
 
 The year 1707 brings us to another folio of 
 Spain, of which the principal information I 
 have is derived from the account of it in Stru- 
 viiv§'s Bibliotheca, Jugier's edition, the third 
 volume. Index LiBRORUM Prohibitorum et 
 EXpuBG.pro Catholicis Hispdniarum regnisPm- 
 Lippi V. &c. Madriti. 1707. The above 
 writer adds, from the Acta Erud. Lat. a. 1709, 
 p. 143, that this Index was published at the 
 close of the year with great pomp, amidst pub- 
 lic and solemn processions, in which the gravest 
 assessors of the Inquisition, and persons of the 
 highest dignity, were present. Little alteration 
 was made in the prefatory matter, as appears 
 from the next edition in 1747, which begins 
 
 • See them in Coilet, Traite des Indulg. Tome i. pp. 413, &c. 
 C. Chais has made some excellent observations upon this self-con- 
 demning conduct in his valuable Lettret sur let JuUks, &c. Lett. 
 xxviii. pp. 774, and seq. He is of course in the Index, and his work 
 scarce. 
 
106 
 
 with the Edict of the Inquisitor General, Vidal 
 Marin, who completed and published the 
 present Index, in which he declares that he 
 had nothing to alter or amend. In proof of 
 which he immediately subjoins the edict of 
 
 SOTOMAIOR. 
 
 There is a work, in two duodecimo volumes, 
 published at Namur and Leige, iii 1714, by le 
 P. Jean Baptiste Hannot, Recollet, Lecteur 
 en Theologie, Sec, avec approbation, with this 
 title: Index 'tfiM Catalogue des principaua^ Livres 
 conddmnis, &c. It is simply a selection without 
 authority, directed principally against Jfl«*e«i*»?, 
 but containing some later decrees of importance. 
 The author is a zealous advocate of the Marian 
 idolatry, and assigns as the cause of his present 
 labour, a defective Index published at Rome, 
 under the name of the Master of the Sacred 
 Palace, a Dominican, which was corrected 
 afterwards by the pope, and in which were 
 contained condemnations of the Office of the 
 Immaculate Conception, and of some works of la 
 Mere Marie de Jesus, dite d'Agreda — works, 
 which, instead of being condemned, are highly 
 esteemed, at Rome ; and he extracts from a 
 
107 
 
 brief of Paul V. a passage, in which the pontiff 
 denies his condemnation of the office, and adds, 
 neque enim imminuere ullo pacta vokdmus Deiparce 
 cultum, sed potius, quoad ejus Jkripoterit, augere 
 et amplificare. 
 
 One of the small Roman Indexes was print- 
 ed at Rome, 1716, according to Struvius;* 
 1717, according to Peignot; and at Prague, 
 1726, according to both. 
 
 Another of Bohemia, and more original, 
 appeared in 1729, in 12mo. The title is — t 
 Clavis haeresin claudens et aperiens\ The rest, 
 translated into Latin, is, Clavis doctfinas haere- 
 ticas ad intelligendum reserans, et ad extirparidum 
 claudens : sive Index Ubrorum quorundam decipi- 
 entium, scandalosorum, stcspectorum et prohibi- 
 tvrum, pfcEmissd ratione, qua libri mali et noxii 
 inquiri et extirpari possint. Reginse Hradecii 
 (Koenigsgraetz). The principal books con- 
 tEiined in it wq German smd Bohemian : there 
 are but few Latin.-\ 
 
 Peignot mentions one of the 8vo. Roman 
 Indexes, in 1744, but with additions to 1752. 
 
 • FischerU edition, p. 827. 
 
 + Struvii Biblioth. ed Jit^kr, pp. 1668, 9. 
 
108 
 
 It was published by Benedict XIV., but, 
 before the publication of his very important 
 Constitutio, which appears, and will be consi- 
 dered, in the next Roman edition. 
 
 At present we are called to the last gigantic 
 Index of Spain. Llorente states, that the 
 charge of composing this new edition was im- 
 posed upon the Jesuits Casani and Carasco, 
 by D. Francis Perez del Prado, Inquisitor Ge- 
 neral : but that they were not authorized for 
 the work by the Council of the Supreme ; that 
 complaints were made to the council, which 
 could not overcome the influence of the royal 
 confessor, who, being a Jesuit himself, fa- 
 voured his order ; that the pope remonstrated 
 on account of the condemnation of Cardinal 
 Noris, and only prevailed when another confes- 
 sor succeeded ; that the prohibition of some 
 works of John de Palafox was revoked by the 
 Inquisitor General, whose character as a critic 
 may be ascertained by his lamentation over the 
 age, " that some had carried their audacity to 
 such an execrable extremity, as to desire to 
 read the holy scripture in the vulgar tongue, 
 without any fear of encountering the most mqr- 
 
109 
 
 tal poison."* This account, of the accuracy of 
 which no fair doubt can be entertained, is par^ 
 tially confirmed by the contents of the volumes 
 themselves. They are thus entitled : Index 
 
 LiBROKUM PROHIBITORUM; AC EXPURGANDO- 
 
 RUM NovissiMUs. Pvo univcrsis Hispaniarum 
 Regnis Setxnissimi Ferdinandi VI. Regis Ca- 
 tholici, hac ultima editione Illusf"*- ac Rev'"'- D. 
 D. Francisci Perez be Prado, ' Supremi 
 PrtBsidis, et iti Hispaniarum, ac Indiarum Rep-- 
 nis Inquisitoris Generulis jussu noviter auctus, et 
 luculenter, ac vigilantissime correctus. De con- 
 silio Supremi Senatus Inquisitionis Generalisjuxta 
 exemplar excussus, Adjectis nunc ad calcem 
 quamplurimis Bajanorum, Quietistarum, et Jan- 
 semstarum libris. Matfiti : Ex Caleographia 
 Emanuelis Fernandez. Anno Dni. MDCCxLvir. 
 2 Tom. fol. These tw^o volumes contain about 
 1200 pages. They open with the Edict of the 
 author of the last edition, followed by the one 
 preceding it. We have, then, that of the pre- 
 sent author ; who produces the old tale of the 
 increase of heretical books rendering necessary 
 
 • • Histoire de Vlnjuiiition, &c. Tome 1, pp. 480, 1. 
 
110 
 
 a new and enlarged Index, which should em- 
 body the separate edicts passed, as occasion 
 required, up to the present time. Both the last 
 Inquisitorial Editors seem content to abide by 
 the argument of their predecessor, in 1640, 
 which indeed is as good as any thing that the 
 cause admits. In the next document he 
 acknowledges his obligations to the two Jesuits, 
 who have been named, and whose signature he 
 requires, to ensure to the printer his exclusive 
 sale of the work. They are both dated in 
 Aug. 1746. The Reglas, &c. present no ap- 
 parent variation from the 'two last editions — at 
 least, from the last but one, and therefore, it 
 may fairly be presumed, from the last likewise. 
 The substance of the work is the same for form, 
 but enlarged in quantity. All these Indexes 
 answer the purpose of references to some of the 
 best parts, and, in various instances, to the 
 only, good or valuable parts, of the works in+ 
 tended to be corrected by their , expunction. 
 J. Bapt. Poza has here got into the body of 
 the work, as was probably the case in the pre? 
 ceding edition. The protestant t-eprint likewise 
 of the last edition but one, in 1667, has natu- 
 
Ill 
 
 rally found a place. There are alyv^ays Supple- 
 ments in these works, of matter accumulating 
 while they are in the press. 
 
 Another of the uniform volumes of Rome 
 now engages our attention. It is of the date of 
 1758, with the usual title, by authority of Be- 
 NEDiCTUs XIV. One peculiarity of this edi- 
 tion is, its omission of the last of Clemens 
 VIII. 's observations concerning Bodinus. But 
 that which most eminently, and importantly 
 distinguishes it is, the appearance, for the first 
 time, of S. D.N. Benedicti PapseXIV. Con- 
 stitutio qua Methodus prascribitur in examine, et 
 proscriptione Librorum s^ernanda. To which are 
 to be added certain important Decrees upon the 
 same subject. The intrQductory Brief of tl^e 
 pope, dated Dec. 23, 1757, presents; nothing 
 requiring notice ; and the same may be said of 
 the preface of Fr. T. A. Ricchinius, Secretary 
 of the Congregation of the Index. Then occur 
 the Rules, &c. as in the immediately preceding 
 -edition, with one addition of great importance, 
 in various bearings, by the present pope. It is 
 appended to Clemens VIII. 's observation on 
 
-the fourth Trent Rule concerning the Bible ; 
 and is as follows: " If versions of this Bible 
 (the Vulgate) into the vulgar tongue are ap- 
 proved by the Apostolic See, or are published 
 with annotations drawn from the holy fathers of 
 -the church, or from learned and catholic men, 
 they are allowed. Deer. Sacr. Congr. Ind. 
 13 Junii 1757." The Constitutio, which we 
 now approach, after giving some account of 
 the two Congregations, and vindicating the care 
 and integrity of that of the Inquisition, from 
 personal knovvledge, states, as the foundation 
 of the new and elaborate regulations now pub- 
 blished, the complaintsj — unjust ones indeed, — 
 which had been urged against the tribunals, as 
 performing their office rashly and perfunctorily : 
 his holiness therefore had thought it expedient, 
 by this instrument, to establish firm and cer- 
 tain rules for the future direction of the censors. 
 They are, as.it appears, minute, judicious, and 
 calculated to give satisfaction to writers of 
 the Roman communion ; but too long to 
 detail, being obvious, and contained in all the 
 subsequent editions. There had been com- 
 
118 
 
 plaints (and pretty loud ones from Poza and 
 Raynaud* in particular), of being condemned 
 unheard: this is redressed for the future. Five 
 Rules are then laid down for the direction of 
 the Relators and Consultors : but the main one 
 which they are to have before their eyes is— 
 " the dogmas of the holy church, and the com- 
 mon doctrine of Catholics, which is contained 
 in the Decrees of the General Councils, in the 
 Constitutions of the Roman Pontiffs, and in the 
 consent of the orthodox fathers and of the 
 learned •"■\ allowing liberty as to other points. 
 There is a passage relative to such points, which 
 is worth transcribing, being on good authority, 
 at least not Protestant* It refers to certain 
 
 • This author, in his Erotemata, has not only complained of the in« 
 justice of the Roman Censors, but likewise presumed to suggest BuUs 
 tor the future direction of their criticisms. In his Gemitus Columiee, 
 \rhich is appended to the work, and announces its own subject suffi- 
 oienllj,' there occurs an ingenious exemplification, or parody, of the 
 style of these critics, in a fictitious critique on the Apostles' Creed, in 
 every article of which is discovered some latent and insidious heresy. 
 The work created its author matter of fresh Groans ; being soon con- 
 demned by the assailed censors. Decret. Jun. 10, 1659. 
 
 -|- Ecclesiae sanctse dogmata, et communemCatholicorum doctriuam, 
 quee Conciliorum generalium decretis, Romatiorum Fnntificum Con- 
 stitutionibus, et Orthodoxorum Fatrum, atque Doctorum consensu 
 continetur, unice prse oculis habeant. 
 
114 
 
 controversialists in the catholic churchy who 
 mutually abuse each otherj magno qiiidem bono- 
 rum scandalo, hcereticorum vero contemptu, qui 
 digladiantibus inter de Catholicis, seque mutuo la- 
 cerantibus plane triumphant. They have a right 
 to triumph, w^hen those who make their pre^ 
 tended unity a main pillar of their arrogance 
 and barbarity, cannot conceal their own inter- 
 nal dissensions. The test is of no great im- 
 portance. The date is, Septimo Idus (9th) 
 Julii, 1753, Then follow — Decreta de Libris 
 prohibitis, nee in Indice nominatim expressis. 
 These guilty people never feel themselves safe. 
 They had power enough by their general rules 
 before : but they cannot satisfy themselves 
 without something more explicit. They would 
 condemn, not authors only, but subjects (ma- 
 terias). We have therefore four sections. 
 Thejirst condemns all heretical books, all apo- 
 logies, bibles, calendars, martyrologies, cate- 
 chisms, dictionaries. The second, tracts for or 
 against the immaculate conception of the Virgin 
 Mary, the controversies between the seculars 
 and regulars in England, in which the bishop. 
 
tl5 
 
 of Chalcedon bore a part, Jansenism, the doc 
 trine of a bicepital origin of the Roman church,* 
 or uniting, without subordinating, St. Paul to 
 St. Peter, &c. The thirds Images of a differ- 
 ent form and dress from the catholic, &c. &c. 
 Indulgences of various sorts and ages by whole* 
 sale ; but those of Leo X. to St. Birgit are 
 spared. The fourth, unorthodox forms of ex* 
 orcism, all litanies but the most antient, all 
 alterations of the Missal after the edict of Pius 
 v., particular Rites, and modern Rosaries in 
 derogation of the authentic Rosary sacred to 
 God and the blessed Virgin Mary* without the 
 authority of the Roman see. 
 
 In the body of the work it will only be ex- 
 pedient to notice the first and cautious omission 
 of the article Indices et syllabi omnes &c. ; and 
 the continued presence of Poza, and his works, 
 in defiance of the authority of the Spanish 
 
 Index. 
 
 The next Roman Index was published 
 under the auspices of Pius VI. in 1786. I call 
 
 • Which, however, was the fact, if Irenaeus,Eusebius, and Epipha- 
 nius, are to be trusted. See their testimonies brought together, in 
 Pearsonii (te Serie 4f Succeiiimie ^c Utter Opera Poithuma, Diss. 1, cap. 
 TJ. § »., ii. 
 
 ' I 2 
 
116 
 
 it the next, because the Secretary of the Iiidex^j 
 Fr. Hyac. Maria Bonfilius, in his preface^ 
 refers to the former as the last. This is the 
 Only thing new, excepting, as he details, some 
 trifling improvement in the arfangement of the 
 names. It has an appendix reaching to 1796i 
 1 should have said that the fbrmer, as w^ell as 
 this. Index, is adorned with a frontispieeei re* 
 presenting the burning of the magical books of 
 the Ephesians — an obvious coincidence truly !* 
 Possibly, however, as much might be disco- 
 vered in another part of what is equally 
 
 esteemed scripture by the Romanisti 1 MacO. 
 
 t 
 
 * It may not be improper to mention, although not a Papal or llo- 
 manistic production, an account of the Prohibitions of books in Sweden, 
 
 as contained in what purports to be an Academical Exercise D. D. 
 
 HisTORiA LiBRoauM Pbohibitob.um in Suecia. Cujus specimen pri- 
 mum, consensu Ampl. Senat. Philds. Upsal. publicse disputation! sut- 
 miltunt Samuel J. Alnander, Fhilos. Magister et Docens, et Petriis 
 Kendahl, Stipend. Reg. Ostrogothi, in Auditorio Carolino D. viii. 
 junii. Atini mdcclxiiii. H. P. M. S. Ujisaliag. 4to. This tract re- 
 cognizes three sources of the power of prohibiting books— ^the Koyal 
 Senate, mentioixed in the title-page ; the Divines of Upsal ; and the 
 royal authority by Edict. A few works of the sixteenth century are 
 just noted, . as having been condemried : those which are particularly 
 described are of the following century, and are, in number, thirty. 
 Some are upon political subjects only. 
 
 . There is another more legitimate object of our research: but one 
 .which would hardly be clfiimed by any party, although it proceeded 
 from the capital of the theti German empire. CAtALOGUs I<ibroruifi,a 
 
117 
 
 i.- 5^—58. " And when' they had rent in 
 pieces the books of the la,w, which they found, 
 they burnt theni with fire. And wheresoever 
 -was found with any the book of the testament, 
 or if any consented to the law, the king's conir 
 niandment was, that they should put him to 
 death. Thus did they by their authority unto 
 the Israelites every month, to as many as were 
 found in the citie?/' 
 
 Pur chronplqgy brings us to the last effort of 
 ^pain, Indice Ultimo. It professes only to be 
 ;^n Abridgment, axid appeared in 1790, in quarto. 
 Llorente, concerning this Index writes, that 
 D. Agu^tiri Rubin de Cevallos charged D. J. 
 Castellot, a secular priest, to prepare a new Inr 
 dex, which was executed and published without 
 the consent, apd even in spite of the opposi- 
 tion of the supre.me council. Hjs predeces- 
 sor had assented fp the prpppsal that no books 
 
 Commissione Cses. Reg. Auiica Prohibitorum. Editio nova. Cum 
 Privilegio. S. C. R.Apost. Majestatis. Wien (Vienna) 1774- 12mo. It 
 must have had a predecessor, about which its is quite unimportant to in- 
 quire. From whatever particular author or authority it proceeded, it 
 stands upon its own naked merits ; for it has nothing .whateyer introduc- 
 tory. One peculiarity is, its frequent denunciation of English books, 
 Plays and Novels in particular. Of Melancthon only two works ar^ 
 condemned. 
 
118 
 
 should be included but those found in the In- 
 dex of Benedict XIV. which comprehended 
 only absolute, not suspected, heretics. He 
 died, and his successor followed his own coun- 
 sel, or rather submitted to that of a weak 
 chaplain. This Index, continues the historian, 
 is, now in force: but particular prohibitions 
 have been decreed since.* The work itself is 
 entitled : Indice Ultimo de los Libros prohi- 
 bidos y mandados expurgar : Para todos los Rey^ 
 nos y Senorios del Catolico Rey de las Espanas, el 
 Senor Dom Carlos IV. Contiene en restimen 
 todos los Libros puestos en el Indice Expurgatorio 
 del ano 1747, y en los Edictos poster lores, astajin 
 de Diciembre de 1789. Formado y arreglado con 
 toda claridady diligencia, por mandado del Ejccm. 
 Sr. D. Agustin Rubin de Cevallos, Inqm- 
 sidor General, y Senores del Supremo Conseio de 
 la Santa General Inquisicion : impreso de su 
 orden, con arreglo al Exemplar visto y aprobado 
 por dicho Supremo Conseio. En Madrid : En la 
 Imprenta de Don Antonio de Sancha. Ano de 
 MDCcxc. It has the prefatory matter of the 
 
 • Ubi supra, jip. 481, 2. 
 
119 
 
 three preceding editions. The only matter of 
 ;that kind which is peculiar is, the Edict of the 
 Editor, begi^ning at p, 12, After a due am- 
 plification concerning human malice and pesti- 
 lent novelties, and stating the fact, that coa- 
 demned works had been published in the coun- 
 try under plea of ignorance that they were so, 
 ■and that the last Index had become rare, the 
 Inquisitor professes his determination, with the 
 advice of the council, to publish an Abridg- 
 ment, or alphabetic Compendium, which 
 should comprehend, not only the contents of 
 the Index of 1747, but likewise all the works 
 which had been prohibited, or sentenced to ex- 
 purgation in fore-cited Edicts t.oDec, 13, 1789. 
 This would close the door to the excesses of 
 printers and booksellers, a? well as private 
 persons, and prevent the evils consequent upon 
 the introduction of such pernicious commodi- 
 jties into the kingdom. The rest is official. 
 Date, Madrid, Dec. 26, 1789. For the credit 
 . pf this Index, and the nation to which it be- 
 longs, Regla V. deserves to be particularly 
 noticed, as a relaxation of former intolerance 
 with respect to vernaculajr translations of the 
 
120 
 
 Scriptures. After much reflexion, the Inquisi- 
 tor and his assistants profess themselves so 
 sensible of the benefit to be derived to the faith- 
 ful from the perusal of the Sacred Text, that, 
 referring to the declaration to the same pur- 
 pose by Benedict XIV,, to be found at page 
 112 of the present work, they lilcev\^ise permit 
 Versions of the Bible in the vulgar tongue, 
 with the same qualifications as there specified.* 
 
 ' TJie reader shall have the whole of it in the original. Habien- 
 dose meditado y reflexionardo mucho el pontenidp de la Regla V. del 
 Indice Expurgatorio antiguo, por la'que con justisimas causas que oc- 
 currian al tiempo de su formacion, se prohibid la impresion y lectura de 
 las Versiones d Lerigua vulgar de los Libros Sagrados, con mas exten- 
 sion que la que comprende la Regla IV. del Indice del ConciUo (cuyas 
 causas han cesado ya por la yariedad de los tiempos), y considerando ppr 
 otra parte la utilidad que puede seguirse d los Fieles de la instruccion 
 que ofrecen muchas Obras y Versiones del Texto Sagrado, que asta 
 ahora se ban mirajlo como cpmprehendidas en dicha Regla V : se de- 
 clara deberse entender esta reducida d los terminos precises de la IV. 
 del Indice del Concilio, con la declaration que did a eUa la Sagrada 
 Congregacion en 13 de Junio de 1767, aprobada ppr la Santidad de Be- 
 nedicto XIV. de feliz recordacion, y practicamente autorizada por N. 
 S. P. Pio VI. en elelpgioy recomendacion que hace en Breve de 17 de 
 Marzo de 1778 de la Traduccion hepha en Lengua Toscana por el Sabio 
 Autor Antonio Martini. Y en esta confbrmidad, se permiten las Ver- 
 siones de la Biblia.en Lengua vulgar, con tal que sean aprobadas ppr 
 la SiUa Apostolica, 6 dadas d luz por Autores Caf olicos con Anotacionps 
 de los Santos Padres de la Iglesia, 6 Doctores Catolicos, que remuevan 
 todo pellgro de mala inteligencia : pero . sin que entienda levantada 
 dicha prohibicion respetto de aquellas Traducciones en que faltep las 
 sobredichas circunsfanciaB. 
 
321 
 
 There are two • Appendixes. This work is of 
 more use for reference than all the former, as 
 having rejected the division into three classes, 
 and observed the order of a single alphabet. 
 
 The Roman Index of 1806 has no variation 
 from the last, in 1786, except the addition in 
 the tit\err-et sub Pio Septimo ad annum usque 
 MDCccvi. continuatus. The very preface of the 
 Secretary is precisely the same. The Index 
 itself appears to be the same : few persons are 
 qualified to speak more positively ; nor indeed 
 is it necessary. As this is the last Index which 
 I have the opportunity of inspecting (how 
 many, if any, more than one, that of 1819, 
 have been published since, I know not), it may 
 not be improper, nor without some inferences 
 of importance, to notice some of the authors 
 and works, which still continue to be pro- 
 scribed by the bishop and church of Rome. 
 These, with the accompanying documents, 
 which are carefully repeated, will discover, not 
 merely the old and obsolete, but the present and 
 existing, principles, spirit and conduct of a 
 power, which some permit themselves to believe 
 is altered and improved. The same Rulesj 
 
122 
 
 with an addition of more intolerant rigour, are 
 in force now, as existed in the comparatively 
 barbarous age of the Council of Trent. The 
 articles which meet us in the most modern Ca- 
 talogues of Rome, to name but a few, are — 
 Bacon, Franciscus; Beveregius, Gw/ie/wjM*; 
 Bingham, Josephus ; Burnet, Gilbert; Cav£ ; 
 Clamengiis (de) ; Dupin ; EspENCiEUS ;* 
 Francus, Daniel ; Guicciardini ; Lim- 
 BORCH ^ Locke ; Maimbourg ; MiLxoisr ; 
 Provinciali (le) ; Robertson, Charles V. ; 
 Salignac Fenelon ; Scapula ; Storia della 
 decadenza, ^c. (Gibbon-\) ; Thuanus; Walton 
 Brianus. Bxblia Sacra Polyglotta. To these 
 we must add all the Reformers of this and 
 other countries ; and perhaps the greater part 
 of the good and wise of every age and country. 
 It is not therefore the extent of the truth, to 
 say, that a good library might be formed from 
 the books condemned by the papal Indexes — 
 
 • What brought him here is evident. HeTiad not acquired the in- 
 genuity of regarding the Taxce Cane. 4" Pceu. as " Fees of Office." See his 
 Commentary on the Epistle to Titus, i. T, Digressio 2 da, Par. 15C8, 
 pp. 67i 8. The passage is given in Taxatio Papalis, p. 50. 
 
 f 1 insert this name rather as a curiosity. Neither the impiety nor 
 the impure profligacy of the writer would offend the Roman censors, 
 were there nothing in the work, more nearly touching them. 
 
123 
 
 they would furnish an almost 'perfect one — per- 
 fect indeed for all the purposes of absolute and 
 abundant utility ; although such works would 
 be wanting as the Complutensian Polyglott; 
 some other Biblical works ; editions, particu- 
 larly the Benedictine, of the Fathers ; histories 
 and accounts of modern Roman aflfairs — collec- 
 'tions of Bulls, Councils, &c, &c. Still, how- 
 ever, a perfect library might be furnished from 
 the volumes which Rome has prohibited. — Some 
 of the reflexions which force themselves upon 
 the mind, and demand to be heard, must be 
 deferred for a moment. 
 
 Nothing now remains of a historical charac- 
 ter than just to notice a few of the original 
 Decrees, in the possession of the writer, as 
 they were separately published, on one side of 
 a single sheet generally, sometimes on more. 
 The first is of the date of Aug. 4, 1681, with a 
 Cardinal's seal, condemning the Mystica Ciudad 
 Sec. of Sor Maria de Agreda &c., which, 
 strangely enough, Hannot, in his Index, denies 
 to have been condemned. We need a Jesuit 
 here. The next is in Spanish and Dutch, on 
 two leaves printed on both sides, issued by the 
 
124 
 
 Inquisition of Toledo, Nov. 14, 1695, against 
 several volumes of the Acta Sanctorum, printed 
 at Antwerp. Two others are of the years 
 1815 and 1817: the first of the Congregation 
 of the Inquisition, the other of that of the 
 Index. The books condemned by them are 
 neither of notoriety nor importance. 
 
 At the close of this historical and critical 
 detail of the condemning Indexes of Rome, it 
 is no unnatural reference to advert to the close 
 of the Council, to which the greater part of 
 the Indexes owe their origin. In the poncludT 
 ing acclamations, and the last, a Cardinal 
 (the Cardinal of Lorraine), exclaims. 
 
 Anathema cunctis hsereticis. 
 
 Re«pomsio Patrum. 
 Anathema, Anathema. 
 
 The curses of Rome are better than her bles- 
 sings. 
 
 It may serve, as contrasts often very effec- 
 tually do, to illustrate the subject of the pre- 
 sent discussion, if we direct our view, for a 
 moment, to what Romanism approves and re- 
 commends, as well as what she condemns, in 
 the republic of letters. All the performances 
 
125 
 
 ef her strictly pbedient sons are, 6f course* 
 objects.of her favour. But, as something more 
 distinct and tangible, I would here point the 
 attention of th^ reader particularly to the Cflta- 
 logue of books published by the accredited 
 " Catholic Printers and Publishers," as they 
 aire called, Keating and Brown, Duke-street, 
 London, in the annual publication, the " Laity's 
 Directory," by authority of the Vicars Aposto- 
 lic in England. There, among several, both 
 harmless and useful in their way, and which are 
 therefore often used as decoys in the first in- 
 stance, he will meet with a large collection, of 
 diflFerent forms, distinguished by such anile 
 folly and superstition, such low malevolence, 
 .such self-destructive and atrocious falsehoods, 
 and such general perversion of religious truth, 
 that, however revolting the necessity, it is im- 
 possible to resist the conviction, that such 
 -things were not, and are not, believed or in 
 sincerity approved, either by those who wrote 
 them, or by those who now are thus obliged 
 to sanction them. In justification of these 
 charges, of the seriousness of which I am fully 
 aware, I select the following— Bp. Chal- 
 
126 
 
 loner's Gat'den of the Soul j Devotion and 
 office of the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, &;c. ;* Primer, or Office of the blessed 
 Virgin ; Luther s Conference with the Devil, and 
 another to the same purpose ; and Challoner's 
 Roman Catholics Reasons why he cannot conformf 
 &c. The spiritual slavery to which the learned, 
 and particularly the pious, part of the Latin 
 community are subject, and of which the pro- 
 duction and circulation of such works is a 
 most humiliating evidence, calls for the deep 
 commiseration of every Christian heart. But 
 they are harnessed to the car of their Idolatry ;t 
 
 • The Rev. Blanco White's extracts from this disgraceful work, in 
 his Practical and Internal Emdence against (Roman) CatholieUm, hare 
 rendered the character of the book notorious. 
 
 , + Hovir can Rome expect that Protestants and others should with* 
 draw the charge of Idolatry, when, to omit all other and more antient 
 evidences, divine worship (if direct prayer for spiritual blessings be such)) 
 is so expressly appointed to be paid to the Virgin Mary, in a book writ* 
 ten by a late Vicar Apostolic of Rome in this country, R. Cballoner, 
 D.B. and printed hy what are called the " Catholic booksellers," Keat' 
 ing and Brown, so late as 1816, and largely , dispersed by authorized 
 bodies at the present time ? See pp. 296 — 8, of that edition. 
 " A Hymn to the Blessed Virgik. 
 Ave Maris Stella, 
 Hail thou resplendent star, &c. 
 Negotiate our peace. 
 
 And cancel Eva's wrong. 
 Loosen the sinner's bands, 
 All evils drive away; 
 
127 
 
 and knowing or unknowing, willing or unwilling, 
 with or against conscience, while they continue 
 true and faithful to their service, they must 
 proceed and draw. Do the sons of Romanism 
 in this country consider what they owe to a 
 Protestant Government, which shelters them 
 
 Bring light unto the blind, 
 And for all graces pray. 
 
 Exert the mother's care, 
 •And. us thy children own, &«. 
 
 Our lusts and passions quell, 
 And make us mild and chaste. 
 
 Preserve our lives unstain'd. 
 And guard us in our way ; &c." 
 The celebrated Stabat Mater contains lines equ!|.lly idolatrous. But 1 
 stop at the 8th and 9th of the lines quoted above, to state what is the 
 original — Monstra te esse matrem — evidently, by the force of the words 
 and the context, meaning, exert thy maternal authority. And in 
 Queen Mary's Primer, of 1553, printed by J. Waylanie, now before 
 me, Signature B (6th) verso, it is honestly translated, " Shewe thyself 
 to be a mother"— it tbUows— i." So that he accepte our peticion." It 
 will not be thought that time has improved the honesty. But enough 
 remains; and I simply add the Prayer, which begins, in the " Garden" 
 &c. " The Litany op que Lady op Loretto. Anthem. We fly 
 to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions 
 in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and 
 blessed Virgin." 
 
 What are we now to say to the frequent and confident declaration 
 of the Romanists, in apology for their worship of the Virgin— w only 
 ^ray to her to pray for us ? It is only necessary further to observe, in 
 order to preclude objection, that the Hymn given above in part, occurs, 
 in the original, in the Koman Bbeviary (that, for instance, which I 
 am now consulting, Antwerp, 1C19, 4to.), as often as eight times, he- 
 ginning at the Proprium Saiictonim, in Feslo Conceptionis, Dec. 8. 
 
128 
 
 from the tyranny, and moderates the absurdi- 
 ties in much of the ceremonial, of their own 
 religion ? 
 
 A regular and chronological examination, 
 likewise, of the Roman — Breviaries, Mismls, 
 Manuals, HorcB, &c., particularly those of our 
 own country, or, which amounts to nearly the 
 same, of Salisbury, would be a present of essen- 
 tial value, both as, in that respect, abundantly 
 justifying our reformation, and as elucidating the 
 history and contents of our national liturgy ;* 
 which, however, is no more liable to exception 
 for retaining what is good, and either is, of 
 maybe presumed to be, an tient and original, 
 than our canonical Scriptures, for having in 
 like manner disengaged themselves from the 
 less censurable mass of human addition under 
 which they were in part smothered, to appear 
 in their pure and native divinity. 
 
 From the foregoing details many reflexions 
 of importance arise. Perhaps none is more 
 obtrusive than the difficulty, in which the au- 
 thors and defenders of the Indexes found them- 
 
 • Fox has in some degree done this, in his Acts, &c. : but not with 
 suflRcient precision. He has given large extracts from Queen Mary'» 
 Primer, at the beginning' of her reign. 
 
129 
 
 selves* to 'escape the imputation of censuring 
 and correcting the writings of those, who are 
 eminently and usually called, the Fathers. 
 The church of Rome, founding her own autho- 
 rity principally upon the supposed infallibility 
 and what must afford even a plausible founda- 
 tion for it, consent, of these writers, both 
 among themselves and with those who claim 
 them, as to points of faith at least ; and some 
 material disagreements being extant between 
 their views of such doctrines, and those of their 
 presumed successors, in some parts of their 
 works, — disagreements, either unknown or dis- 
 regarded, when no enemy, of will and power 
 enough to display them to the world, or be at- 
 tended to, appeared, — it became a matter of 
 great importance and delicacy, now that such 
 an enemy was in the field, to deprive him of the 
 formidable arms which such a circumstance 
 evidently put into his hands. And truly, it 
 must be allowed, they did not forget the ser- 
 pent; for, when direct denial of plain fact 
 would not pass as fonnerly, the objectionable' 
 passages, which their enemy had taken care to 
 make conspicuous in Indexes, in these Indexes, 
 
 K 
 
130 
 
 of another descriptiofi, they took equal cate to 
 select, as the especial and exclusive object of 
 their attack — not only as being the' identical 
 propositions most annoying to them, but, more 
 particularly, as giving them the opportunity, 
 which they most desired, of destroying thenit 
 without appearing to offer any violence to the 
 Father, in whose text they were found, and 
 from whose text they were transferred. Thus, 
 in some measure, they saved appearances, but 
 nothing more : the fallacy was palpable. They 
 had indeed done the same thing with the Scrip- 
 tures themselves.* Even one who should be 
 
 " I will extract a specimen of this kind of criticism from the only 
 Expurgatcry Index of Rome, Brasichellen's j (but it exactly copies 
 from that of Spain, in 1584) on the BiUia Rob. Stephani, in the Index. 
 And I give it entire. 
 
 Ex Indice horum Sibliorum, in libroi Veterit ^ Novi Teatamenti, delean- 
 tur subjectcEpropontiones, tcmquam suspecttB, 
 
 Civitas abducta a fiducia in Deum comburenda, & cives occidendi. 
 Credendo in Christum remittuntur peccata. 
 Credens Christo non morietur in seternum. 
 Bierum delectus nuUus apud fldeles. 
 Bives vix cognoscit Erangelium. 
 Fide accipitur Spiritus sanctus. 
 Fide purificantur corda. 
 Be Judaeis sunt fere omnia, quse in Eyangeliis, &, Epistolis, scripta 
 
 leguntur. 
 Imagines prohibet Deus fieri ut adorepius, & coram eis incurvemur. 
 Propter justitiam cordis nihil tribuit Beus. 
 Justitia in nobis nulla. 
 
131 
 
 considered as their own, J. B. Poza, a genuine 
 Jesuit, has, in his Apology, directly accused 
 them of the fact, and proved it too ; although 
 his charge only refers to the one Roman Expur- 
 gatpry Index.* It was indeed retaliation, but 
 that does not alter the truth, Francus, as 
 might be expected, has more fully substantiated 
 the charge.f But indeed, where the Correctors 
 were allowed by a rule of Pope Clemens VIII., 
 
 Justificamur fide in Christum. 
 Justitia nostra Christus. 
 Justitia ex operibus liulla. 
 Justus coram Deo nemo. 
 In requiem ingressuri credentes. 
 Non propter opera liberati sumus. 
 Resipiscere omnes desiderat Deus. 
 Resipiscentia donum Dei. 
 Besipisceutia Israelis. 
 Yerbum Dei solum faciendum. 
 Uxorem habeat unusquis'que. 
 
 It is surprising the first sentence was not allowed to pass. The 
 reasons for blotting, in the rest, are pretty, plain. The offence of rent, 
 fiscentia is its substitution for pcenitentia, with its modem and spurious 
 meaning. Mornay, in his edition of the Spanish Index, 1601, has pre- 
 fixed a short specimen of the same kind of deaUng with the Indexes of 
 the Fathers ; in which it wiU be observed, that the doctrines which are 
 the chief objects of antipathy are those which express the peculiarly 
 Protestant one of Justification by Faith alone — articuhit, said Luther, 
 ttantis vel cadentis ecckaice. 
 
 • Apol. foil. 31—33. 
 
 J^ De Indicibus &c. pp. 213 — 7. Add James's Corruption, &c. 
 throughout. 
 
 K 2 
 
132 
 
 as they plainly were, ta suppose a fraus hcere- 
 tlcorum, wherever they chose,- and that would 
 be wherever any thing offensive occurred, and 
 make an amendment accordingly; for which 
 plausible reasons might easily be fabricated (to 
 say nothing of all the other rules, which were 
 mainly directed to put the press entirely in the 
 power of the correctors) — how^ if we may cal- 
 culate upon human nature, and as it appears in 
 the sons of Romanism, can it be imagined, that 
 such facilities would not be improved ? But 
 the Jesuit, Gretser, is a little more honest on 
 this subject than most of his brethren ; and by 
 apologizing for the fact, in the celebrated case 
 of Bertram's boo.k, admits it. His argument is 
 worth something. " Although," says he, 
 " Bertram be prohibited, I deny that a Father 
 is prohibited. For he is called a Father of the 
 church who feeds and nourishes it with salu- 
 tary doctrine, who being placed over the family' 
 of the Lord, gives it its portion of corn in due 
 season. If therefore, instead of the food of 
 salutary doctrine, and the portion of corn, he., 
 offer and distribute cockle and tares, and the 
 burs and briars of perverse doctrines, so far he; 
 
133 
 
 is not a father, but a step-ifather, not a doctor, 
 but a seductor."* If such logic had always 
 been allowed and acted upon, Papal Rome 
 would not now be standing. But only ob- 
 serve ; the church is governed by the fathers ; 
 and whether they are fathers or not, and how 
 far so, is to be determined by the church^r- 
 nay, according to this argument, by the 
 private judgement pf individuals. But this 
 writer, 9, litj;le before, has represented CathoUic 
 authors so modest as to submit to the church, 
 or the pope ; and " who therefore," he asks 
 triumphantly, " is so stupid, as not to see, 
 that the church, or sovereign pontiff, while he 
 reviews the lucubrations of his sons, and, where 
 need is, corrects them, performs a service grate 
 ful to the authors, and a work useful to posr 
 terity?"! In one respect, therefore, these 
 good men are fathers, in another they are sons. 
 
 • I)um prohibitur Bertramus, nego prohiberi pateem : Nam ecck; 
 sise pater ilie dicitur qui ecclesiam salutari doctrina alit et pascit — Jam 
 ergo si pro sali^tiferse doctrinie pabulo — offecat et admetiatur lolium-^ 
 eatenus non pa^er sed vitricua ; noq doctor sed seductor : &c. DeJurf 
 &c. p. 328. 
 
 t Id. il?id. pp, 330, 1. 
 
134 
 
 at the will, and for the accommodation, of 
 those who pretend to be their descendants and 
 servants. Francus has a whole chapter, the 
 viith, on what he entitles — Two Specimens of 
 Papistic Cunning — Versutice Papisticce— the one 
 is, the ingenuity of correcting the fathers through 
 Indexes, the other, the prohibition of immoral 
 books, which, where done, was evidently meant 
 for a blind, lest the reader should be tempted 
 to imagine, that the Roman church looked to 
 nothing but her own interest. It certainly was 
 necessary that his mind should be diverted from 
 such a suspicion, since none could be more na- 
 tural. But, reverting to the pliability of the 
 fathers in the plastic hands of their professed 
 friends, I cannot omit the observation, that the 
 power, or privilege, of making any thing out of 
 any thing, as respects what ought to be more 
 inflexible, the meaning and authority of Coun- 
 cils, was never so outrageously exercised as in 
 the Evidence given by Irish Roman catholic 
 archbishops and bishops, and others, before the 
 houses of Parliament in the year 1825, and 
 which is so luminously exposed in the Digest 
 
135 
 
 OF THAT Evidence, by the Rew. W. Phelaii 
 and M. O'SuUivan.* It there appears, that 
 the rulers of the Roman church have in such a 
 sense the power of binding and loosing, that 
 just w^hat passages, and for w^hat time, the laws 
 of their religion shall do the one or the other, is 
 exactly and entirely dependant upon their su- 
 preme pleasure- 
 On the whole, and to approach more gene- 
 ral inferences — when it is considered, that 
 heresy, or any deviation whatever from the 
 
 * " A work which every man desirous of forming an impartial and 
 conscientious opinion upon the subject of Catholicism as connected with 
 England and Ireland, should make fapiiUar to bis mind." SUmao 
 White't Letter to C. Butler, JSsq. p. 20. Tliis author needs not my 
 praise. There is another work, published in 182S, with the title, 27m 
 Evidence taken before the Select Committees qfihe Homes of Lords and Comr 
 mons appointed in the Sessions of 1824 and 1825, to inquire into the State of 
 Ireland, than which a more dishonest one has not lately issued from the 
 press. Who would not, at the first reading of the title, conclude, that 
 the ■whole evidence were given ? If the moderate bulk of the volume 
 coiTected that misapprehension, he would at least assure himself, that 3 
 selection was made from both sides of the great question. What musj 
 be his surprise, and something more, when, on consulting the volume 
 itself, he finds, that it contaips only part of the evidence ; that there 
 is nothing like impartial selection ; but that ail us on one side. No 
 wonder that such a book should make conversions of a certain sort of 
 protestants. The later advertisements Jiave prudently altered the title 
 to Evidence &c. and, after the word Commons, added, by the Irish Catholic 
 B shops, Mr. O'Connel and other Witnesses. But the original imposition 
 remains in the volume itself. 
 
136 
 
 church of Rome, is the main object, against 
 which the Indexes are directed, and that such 
 heresy or deviation is regarded by that church 
 as no less than spiritual treason, we shall at 
 once perceive the intimate connexion of the 
 subject of our examination with the dominion 
 and tyranny of the papal power. When again, 
 we consider, that the particular subjects of the 
 prohibitions in the Indexes form the principal 
 materials of confession, and that one of them, 
 the Neapolitan, included in a work expressly 
 upon that subject, is given for the professed 
 purpose of assisting the confessor in his inqui- 
 ries, we shall become equally sensible, into 
 how close contact every son and daughter of 
 the papacy comes with his or her spiritual su- 
 periors, and how hopeless must be every pur- 
 pose of concealment.* And when we still 
 further consider, that these documents, disco- 
 vering so openly the spirit and principles of 
 Romanism, are not an old and dead letter, but 
 at this moment in full life and vigour, that they 
 
 • " I have seen," says Sir Edwin Sandys, •' in their printed instruc- 
 tions for Confession, the having or reading of books forbidden, set in 
 rank amongst the sins against the first commandnnent." Euroja Spe- 
 culum, or a View, &c. p. 131. Hagae Comitis, 16^9. 
 
137 
 
 do not lie dormant in antiquated and neglected 
 voluines^fcbut, after being renewed from time to 
 time, have been more than once republished in 
 this very age, with no abatement of their bar- 
 barous intolerance ; we may with fairness 
 infer, that there is no radical and real improve- 
 ment in a system, which cannot change, and 
 therefore can never reform. All the enmity, 
 therefore, to evangelic truth, all the selfishness, 
 dishonesty and injustice, all the real illiberality 
 andbigotry, all the arrogance and spirit of do- 
 mination, of which these Indexes are standing 
 and imperishable monuments, are by her own 
 deliberate act fixed upon the present character 
 and pretensions of the Roman usurpation. It 
 does not indeed appear that death was de- 
 nounced as the penalty of the simple possession, 
 or reading, of the prohibited books ; but, inthe 
 ulterior proceedings of the court from which 
 most of the prohibitions emanated, this either 
 led to, or constituted, the proof which sub- 
 jected to death — the most cruel death. We 
 icannot wonder then, with all these circum- 
 stances in view, that the Indexes should for- 
 merly have been, and should still be, as in their 
 
138 
 
 nature they are, powerful instruments either of 
 obstructing or of destroying religious truth j 
 and, accordingly, a very competent witness, 
 the chaplain of that Philip, who was consort to 
 our queen Mary I., of sanguinary memory, has 
 declared his opinion, that to this, with other 
 causes, was to be ascribed the purification of 
 Spain from heretics.* It was not the prohibi- 
 tion, but the deaths produced by it, to which 
 this effect is to be assigned. The inquisition 
 carried on the work for which it had itself 
 made the preparations ; and perpetrated those 
 national and legalized murders, which in the 
 shortebt and accidentally selected portions of 
 their endless details, as conveyed even by the 
 perpetrators, inspire minds not eminently sensi- 
 sitive with a horror and indignation against the 
 infernal agents, wliich nothing but an intense 
 act of faith and resignation can allay. Let 
 
 • Alfonso a Castho, in his wort, De jutta haereticorum puniiione. 
 Hist published in 1547. the date of his Dedication to Charles Y. writes, 
 In Hispania multos haereticorum libros speciatim nominatos prohibue- 
 runt inquisitores haereticorum, qui diligentem circa hanc rem adhibent 
 inquisilionem, et mea opera aliquando usi sunt ad perscrutandas uni> 
 versitatis Salmanticeusis publicas bibliothecas. £t ob hanc causam 
 inter alias, tarn repu^ata persiatit ab haereticis Hispania. p. 228, verso. 
 Ed.Venetiis, 1549, 
 
139 
 
 any ofie, for instance, read — not the large and 
 particular accpunts of the martyrdoms in Eng- 
 land, lout — that which Dr. M. Geddes, in his 
 valuable collection of Miscellaneous Tracts, has 
 given of an Act of Faith in Lisbon, in the year 
 1682, of which he was himself a witness, when, 
 no doubt, as in Spain, the inquisition took care 
 *that nothing performed within its walls should 
 transpire, and the gag was employed to prevent 
 any address between them and the act of exe- 
 cution, and contemplate simply the visible 
 exhibition, when the dogs' beards are to be made, 
 by thrusting flaming furzes into their faces, 
 which is always accompanied by loud acclama- 
 tions of joy ; when, by contrivance, the vic- 
 tims are placed so high above the flames, that 
 they are really roasted, not burnt, to death; 
 and the intervening cry, Misericordia par amor 
 de Dios, beheld, as the author repeats in this 
 instance, with such transports of joy and satis- 
 faction* as are shewn on no other occasion, by 
 a people who are yet accustomed tenderly to 
 
 • With surprise and horror I have just met with a confirmation of 
 this fiendish practice^ as it may be called, in the History of the Cruiadet 
 againtt the AlUgenaes, &c. translated ii'om Sisuonoe se Sishondi's - 
 General Hittory of the French, where, p. 77, the Pilgrims collected tlieif 
 
140 
 
 lament other executions, and he will involunta- 
 rily strive to relieve his sickening soul with the 
 scriptural exclamation,- which the relator has 
 used as his motto, " How long, O Lord, holy 
 and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our 
 blood on them that dwell on the earth ?" The 
 Spanish Protestant Martyrology of the same 
 writer, which follows, and which the ecclesias- 
 tic historian Mosheim has thought of so much 
 value as to translate into his own classic Latin, 
 may be consulted as a specimen of the same 
 character and to the same effect,* And no one 
 
 prisoners, heretics, "and turned them alive with the utmost joy :" again, 
 p-78, " the pilgrims seizing nearly sixty heretics burned them with infinite 
 joy .•" and p. 106, " seven heretics" gays the Monk of Citeau?:, " wert 
 seized by our pilgrims and burned with unspeakable joy." All this written 
 with approbation and exultation by the agents themselves ! 
 
 • WhUe I am writing this I read from the Etoile an account of a 
 presumed heretic executed, by the sentence of laymen, at Valencia, 
 July 31, with several of the forms, of the infamous ^a<oda\Fe. CoU' 
 rier, Sept. 2, 1826. 
 
 " (From the Eteile, dated Thursday.) Paris, Aug. 29. — A deplo- 
 rable event took place at Valencia, on the 31st of July, without the 
 slightest knowledge on the part of the Spanish Government. A man, 
 who had been convicted of heresy, was executed in that city with se- 
 veral of the forms of the ancient Auto da Fe. It is, however, impor- 
 portant to observe, that the Ecclesiastical Judges in this affair made 
 ilo declaration of the heresy until aftei: numerous attempts, by confer- 
 ence, to bring -back to the Unity of the Faith, which is part of the 
 law of Spain, the unhappy man, accused of preaching novel doctrines. 
 It was a tribunal of Laymen, who, applying the laws against heresy, 
 
141 
 
 who considers the natural consequence of such 
 days; and of their not being shortened, will won' 
 der, that the fire of evangelic truth, according 
 
 pronounced sentence of death. It is a grievous matter that such spec- 
 tacles should be now exhibited in Spain, after so long a time has 
 elapsed without an instance cf similar severity. We think, as do all 
 men who are penetrated with the genuine spirit of Christianity, that a 
 religion of love, and of light, ought to reign by conviction, and not by 
 terror. We lately cited the authority of the oracles of religion in the 
 first ages of the Church, the following are the opinions of the age of 
 Louis XIV. — an age which is so often represented as one of intoler- 
 ance and persecution. ' Fear (says Fleuby, in his Institution au droit 
 Mcclesiastigue, in speaking of the Inquisition) is better adapted to form 
 hypocrites than genuine christians. Always to interpret all the penal 
 laws according to the letter, is to render religion odious, and may lead 
 us to the perpetration of great wiekediless under a pretence of justice. 
 We esteem, in France, as one of the principal points of our liberty, 
 our not having received those new laws, and those new tribunals, which 
 aie so little conformable with the ancient spirit of the church.' " 
 
 I transcribe likewise the following articles from the St. James^i 
 Chronicle, of Sept. 7 — 9, 1 826. " Popery proceeds in Spain, with a firm 
 Step, to recover all her antient terrible authority. At Valencia, where 
 a schoolmaster was lately hanged for heresy, a Jew has been since 
 burned -for Judaism, redeunt Saturnia regjia. The goldeti age of the 
 Inquisition is rapidly returning." — " Extract of a private letter, re- 
 ceived at Paris from Madrid : — ' The human sacrifices which Rome 
 abolished, in her Treaty with Carthagena, have been revived at Valen- 
 cia. The secret prisons of th& Apostoliques are filled with heretics, 
 consisting of witches and magicians, accused of being connected with 
 the deviL In short, the priestcraft have the satisfaction to light up 
 again the funeral pile. To the present time they were contented with 
 forcing the Jews to frequent their churches, and to assist in their ca- 
 tfaolic ceremonies, which was in itself an absurdity, they being stran- 
 gers to that religion ; and now in this enlightened age they have con- 
 demned some of them to be burnt to death. For a long time past 
 they have been informed at Madrid, that an Auto da Fe. would soon - 
 
142 
 
 to the metaphor of its enemies, was instantly 
 and perfectly quenched in Spain and other 
 countries.* The historian, in his preface, has 
 referred to two Spanish authorities for proof of 
 this fact. The first is the Historia Pontifical ; 
 and although he does not mention the author, 
 it is doubtless GoNif alo de Illescas, the first 
 edition of whose work is prohibited in the Spa- 
 nish Indexes of 1570 and 1583, but it was after- 
 wards purified and allowed. What edition the 
 Dr. used does not appear. But his testimony, 
 as adduced, is decisive, that the number and 
 
 take place. The brotherhood of " St. Hermandad" took the road to 
 "Valencia, followed by numbers of associates, to sacrifice the unfortu- 
 nate Hebrew. All the thieves and asssassins surrounded the pile, car- 
 rjing the banners of the Inquisition and St. Dominic, preceded by 
 monks, singing the psalms of David. Between them was placed their 
 unfortunate victim, who was clad in a round frock, upon which were 
 painted various devils, having on his head a pasteboard cap, decorated 
 with flames of fire. He was escorted by two Dominican friars, who 
 complimented him upon his being about to be burned for the salvation 
 of his soul ; and, previously to his ascending the faggots, they embraced 
 him. The wretched man having been gagged and tied down, the 
 torch was applied, and the torturers surrounded the pile, singing 
 hymns to drown his cries.' " The same account appears in the Gen. 
 tleman's Magazine for Sept. 1826, p. 263. 
 
 * On what subject might not unity be obtained by such means ? 
 Those who are not intimidated to compliance, are put out of the way, 
 and their dissent annihilated. Ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appel. 
 lant— (vel unitatem ?) Tac. Agrk. xxx. 
 
143 
 
 quality of the converts from Romanism were so 
 considerable, that had the remedy been delayed 
 but a few months, all Spain had been in a flame. 
 The other writer is Paramo, who, in his His- 
 tory of the Inquisition,* and in the place, which 
 should have been pointed out. Lib. ii. Tit. 3^ 
 cap. 5, writes, that, but for the efforts of the 
 holy Tribunal, a great conflagration had been 
 excited in Spain ; and, after relating several of 
 its executions, particularly that of Charles V.'s 
 chaplain, with occasional admissions of the ex- 
 tended and rapid progress of heresy and here- 
 tics, he concludes — and let this nation think 
 of it, when she comes to her name — His omni- 
 
 • The title ii—De Origine et Progreitu Officii Sanciw Inquitiiionit^ 
 tjuique dignitate et utUitate, De Jtomani Ponti/teis potestate et delegate Inqui- 
 torum ! Edicto Fidei, et ordine Judiciario Sancti Officii, quceitionet decern, 
 Libri Tres. Autore Ludovico a Paramo Baroxensi Archidiacono et Canonico 
 Legionensi, Regnique SicHias Inquititore. Matriti, ex Tjpographia Re- 
 gia, HDCxciix. Fol. One of the ornaments of the title-page is a fe. 
 rocidbs female brandishing a sword. The volume before me is curious 
 as having the certificate of its haying been amended conformably to 
 the Index of 1632, signed by a name full of involutions. Only one 
 place is altered, p. 888, in a Bull of Paul Till, sacramentis ai ecclesia 
 institutis, to sacramentis a Christo institutis. A future Index thought 
 it would be smaller, and more prudent, alteration, to change db for in. 
 1 suspect the error was the Infallible's, if indeed he thought it an error. 
 PeigDot says, that the work of Paramo was quietly, sans eclat, suppressed 
 by the holy oiBce. It had reason to be ashamed, and afraid too, of its 
 progeny. Livret condamnes &c. Tome ii. p. 25. 
 
144 
 
 bus Jit, utjides Catholka puva, inviolataque jam 
 pridem apud nos custodiatur : quod si pari diligen- 
 tia, autoritate, et potestate in ccsteris ChristianO' 
 rum regnisi provinciisque factum esset, longe alia 
 profecto nunc esset Christiance reipublicte fades, 
 qUam quts hodie in Germania, Gallia, Anglia, 
 Hibernia, Scotia^ et aliis nationibus fcedissima 
 cernitur ; &c. DiflFerent indeed would have« 
 been the face of poor England, if the diabolic 
 Philip had not been mercifully removed from 
 this country to do the work of his father in his 
 own. 
 
 It is scarcely possible for the mind, which 
 contemplates with interest either the general 
 prosperity of nations or the establishment , of 
 pure Christianityj not to propose to itself the 
 question, how far a religious system, with such 
 inclinations, with such resources, and so little- 
 restrained by any principles in the use of th^m, 
 as is that of the church of Rome, can with- 
 prudence or justice be entrusted with any 
 power whatever to injure, by any community 
 not professing the same creed and admitting its 
 authority, or adverse to both, as, by its very 
 name, every Protestant state must be.. Little 
 
145 
 
 sagacity is required to discover, that in exact 
 proportion as it confers or increases that power, 
 in the same it injures, if it does not destroy, ^ 
 but in all cases tends to destroy, its own con- 
 stitution. It certainly is not pretended, that 
 individual religion must be extinguished, even 
 by the absolute triumph of Romanism and its 
 wildest riot in blood : but this will never justify 
 a protestant government in exposing its sub- 
 jects and the general Christianity to such a 
 trial and hazard. The secure and peaceable 
 profession of the reformed faith is the object 
 which it should most anxiously endeavour to 
 maintain; and if any secular temptation pre- 
 vail with it to surrender this object, the uncor- 
 rupt portion of the nation, in accordance with 
 truth itself, and therefore with awful authority, 
 will pronounce it guilty. When will a protes- 
 tant legislature open its eyes to the serpent, 
 which it is continuing to cherish at Stonyhurst, 
 which in foreign countries scotched, not killed, 
 is discovering its unconquerable vitality in this, 
 and will soon discover its venom, in the apos- 
 tasy of those, whom its artifices have beguiled, 
 its wealth bribed, or its power overawed? 
 
146 
 
 Sfotbing but power reveals what the Papacy 
 really is : it can assume, it is its interest and 
 practice to assume, every disguise — the appear- 
 ance even of the character most opposite to 
 itself — while impotent. But let the season of 
 prosperity breathe upon it, and the dead lion 
 will become a living and furious one. A great 
 portion of its destructive strength lies, and has 
 always lain, in What prophecy has emphati* 
 qally denominated its deceivableness of 
 UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. The great Sorceress sita 
 upon her seven hills, dealing out her drugs and 
 potions to the infatuated nations and sovereigns 
 of the earth. Assisted by the wisdom of her 
 superior teacher, she mixes the ingredients of 
 her cup with exact accommodation to the incli- 
 nations and tastes of those whom she would se- 
 duce, intimidate, or ruin ; and the records of 
 history mournfully proclaim her extensive — her 
 almost universal — success, We mistake if we 
 imagine, that all this has past by : that very 
 opinion revives its ejsistence. There is reason 
 to question, whether the poison has not already 
 entered the veins of some who fancy themselves, 
 most free. 
 
147 
 
 In logic, and logic is necessary in the deter* 
 mination of the merits of every cause, nothing 
 is more deceptive than generalities. It is al- 
 most a proverb. Dolus latet in generalibus.* 
 General propositions constitute the materials 
 and tools of Metaphysics* Some adoption of 
 this mode of conceiving and expressing our ideas 
 is almost unavoidable : and if it be done with 
 judgement and honesty it is highly serviceable, 
 particularly in oeconomizing time. But these 
 are edged weapons, and most unsafe in the 
 hands of either the injudicious or the designing. 
 The reason is obvious. Every general propo- 
 sition contains in itself a number* greater or 
 less, but generally large> of particular proposi- 
 tions. If these latter deviate in quantity or 
 kind from what ought to be comprehended in 
 the former, a fallacy ensues ; and the argument 
 or inference founded upon any combination of 
 the general propositions, or indeed terms which 
 imply propositions, is vitious and false. But 
 this is not perceived without more labour or 
 discrimination than many can, or will, employ. 
 
 * Or, 99 it is sometimes given, Dolosus versatur in generalibus. 
 
 l2 
 
148 
 
 Hence the advantage to an artful disputailt in 
 the use of general expressions, and in propor^ 
 tion as the conclusion which he intends is op- 
 posed to truth or probability. And hence the 
 reason, why the advocates of Roman delusion 
 discover so much partiality for general term^ 
 and general reasoning. What is their employ- 
 ment of the general terms, Tradition, Sacrament, 
 Penance, Church, and numberless others, but 
 instances of this kind of sophistry.''* How 
 much of the execution effected by their dialec- 
 tics in the use of the last term, church, is to be 
 ascribed to the vague and overwhelming notion 
 of the constitution, the obligation, the advan- 
 tage, or the danger and ruin, included in, or 
 connected with, it ; and which vary essentially 
 from the particulars contained in the scriptural 
 use of the term ! A distinct distribution of the 
 term into the particulars which compose it, and 
 a deliberate contemplation of the latter, would 
 at once dissipate the delusion^ and shew, either 
 
 • A curious confirmation of this artifice is preserved by Fuller in 
 his catalogue of about 100 words which Gardiner was anxious, in the 
 New Translation of the Bible, should remain untranslated. Church 
 Hist, under the year 1540, where he writes, " Transcribed with my 
 own hand out of the Records of Canterbury." 
 
149 
 
 that the disputants, where the subject is dis- 
 puted, are thinking and talking about different 
 things, or that the sophister is building without 
 rule or line. By favour, however, of the indo- 
 lence or incapacity of the world in general, his 
 sophistry very frequently succeeds, and is re- 
 ceived as incontrovertible truth. A directly 
 contrary method is sometimes adopted, and 
 with the same delusive effect : it is, when some 
 striking feature of a subject is seized, enlarged, 
 shaped, and coloured, in such a way as to se- 
 cure a certain conclusion, although that con- 
 clusion ipay be, and often is, at direct variance 
 with the main merits of the question. I might 
 add, in conjunction with these, the power, 
 through the interminable extent of the fields of 
 controversy, of protracting it to any intended 
 length ; and, with this advantage, similar to 
 that of a suit in chancery, of concealing a de- 
 feat for any period which may be desjreable. 
 Nor must we allow ourselves to pass over 
 another potent engine of deception: — suppres- 
 sion. It is hardly conceivable, how much of 
 the effect of absolute falsehood is often pro- 
 duced by simply not telling the whole truth. 
 
150 
 
 By sfftifices such as these, but more espe- 
 cially by the one first described, as a leading 
 one, have the votaries of Rome at all times 
 contrived to cast a mantle of plausibility over 
 their character, their acts, and their claims; 
 ^nd in more instances than might have been 
 expected they have prevailed. So complete, 
 indeed, h^s been their success, that the advo- 
 cates, who may likewise be called, in a modi- 
 fied sense, converts to the Roman cause, have 
 adopted the very style of reasoning which diS'. 
 tinguishes their clients, and appear to be hardly 
 more than the organs through which are con- 
 veyed the voices of the latter, 
 
 They urge equality of rights, without aU 
 lowing themselves or others to understand, in 
 what a right consists, and that equal rights 
 must be suspended on e^ual conditions ; that 
 the condition of allegiance cannot be performed 
 when the paramount allegiance of the con- 
 science is forestalled and possessed by a foreign 
 power ; for nothing, or next to nothing, then 
 remains, in the absence of prudential con- 
 siderations ; notwithstanding the evanescent 
 distinction of spiritual and temporal. If indeed 
 
151 
 
 that power were not an ambitious one, or were 
 accustomed to exercise a gentle and liberal 
 sway, or were likely to look with a not un- 
 friendly eye upon those who through flames had 
 escaped its iron grasp, a divided allegiance 
 would part with its main objection. But we 
 know how the case stands. We know what are 
 the real bonds and obligations of the Roman- 
 ist ; the Creed and Oath of Pius IV., em- 
 bracing fglios, and the Episcopal oath (as truly 
 fettifal as canonical) of allegiance to the Pope, 
 with its -persecuting clause, which, if with- 
 drawn from peculiar circumstances, by a change 
 of circumstances may be restored.* They, 
 further, press upon us the ingenious argument, 
 that by perpetuating disabilities and exclusions, 
 
 * See Episcopal Oath of Allegiance, &c. By Catholicus. The 
 feudal character of this latter oath is at once evident, upon comparing 
 it Trith any which is strictly and exclusively so ; as well as from the 
 general and distinguishing character of the whole papal polity, as de- 
 scribed by a vei-y competent judge. " The mode of government which 
 Rome still maintains in this kingdom, and from which in no kingdom it 
 ever departed but when driven to it by hard necessity, draws very near 
 to that feudal system of polity, to which the nations of Europe were 
 once subject. It contained one sovereign or suzeraine monarch, in 
 whose hands was lodged the rupremum dominium, and this he appor- 
 tioned out to a descending series of vassals, who, all holding of him in 
 eapHe, returned him service for the benejice they received, in honours, 
 jurisdiction, or lands. And to this service they were bound by grati. 
 
152 
 
 with the public disgrace ensuing, we furnish 
 them with a bond of union, and strengthen the 
 point of honour, which alone in many instances, 
 they presume, attaches the adherents of Rome 
 to her communion ; and that, these removed, 
 converts would fall into the lap of Protestantism 
 like the ripe fruit of an overloaded tree when 
 shaken by the breeze. But it does not occur to 
 these reasoners, that, if the principle be univer- 
 sal, as in their use of it it certainly is, it is 
 equally cogent as applied to any class or de- 
 scription of men ; and it will then appear, that 
 in our system of internal government, as a na- 
 tion, like most other nations, we have taken 
 exactly the wrong course ; and that the best 
 thing we can now dp, is, to abolish our statute- 
 book and common law, our courts of justice, 
 our judges and magistrates, and above all, 
 pains and penalties, disabilities and exclusions, 
 of every description. There is more specious- 
 
 tude, which an oath ot fealty also strengthened — ^The application of the 
 system to the sovereign power of the pontiff, and to a chain of descend, 
 ing vassalage in arch bishops, bishops, and the inferior orders in the minis- 
 try, is direct and palpable." History of the Decline and Fall of the Ro. 
 man Catholic Religion in England, &c. By the Ker. Joseph BERiKa- 
 
 «0K. P. 275. 
 
153 
 
 ness than correctness in the common observa- 
 tion, that opposition increases strength by 
 calling forth obstinacy. It is often the case : 
 but not always. And indeed this ^oiuld be 
 found put by legislators, if it were the fact. 
 Certain it is, as we have already observed, that 
 the opposition to the progress of the reformation 
 in Spain and Italy did not promote it.* Killing 
 indeed is decisive work ; and had it proceeded 
 in this nation, what would have been the event 
 is among the secrets of Omniscience. But if 
 the plan recommended be indeed, although not 
 at first sight apparently, yet in fact, and to 
 
 " See, on this important and interesting subject, the valuable, but 
 posthumous and imperfect work of Dan. Gekdes, entitled Specimen 
 Italia Reformatce, &c. Lugd. Bat. 1765, 4to. On a subject of which no 
 regular history exists, and of which the best now to he collected must 
 consist of fragments derived fi-om incidental notices of all descriptions ; 
 it being the policj and practice of the enemies of true Christianity, 
 who i this instance were the victors, to suppress, as much as possible, 
 the meiiiory and very name, of those whom they overbore and immo<; 
 iated (for those who were condemned by the Inquisition were consider- 
 ed, according to our author's observation, as if they had not ieen iornjj 
 agreeably to the spirit of that article in the Jnitructio of Ci.'emems 
 VIII. prefixed to his Index, De Correct. § ii. Itemque epitheta hoAo- 
 rrSca, et omnia in laudem hsereticorum dicta deleantur, and amplified 
 with much intensity in the Spanish Index of 1640, Advertencias, &c. 
 w — ^it is matter of surprise, that a work so satisfactory could be com- 
 piled : and the reader, with the author, will welcome the appearance of 
 another work on the same subject (embracing the kindred eventsjii 
 Spain) by an author, so able to do it justice as Dr. Thomas M'C&iE. 
 
154 
 
 some second sights demonstrably, so great a 
 benefit to the Protestant cause, and so, slowly 
 and secretly indeed, but surely, ruinous to the 
 Roman, how is it, that among the numberless 
 adherents of the papacy, who are not usually 
 suspected of ignorance or indifference as 
 respects the interests, the stability and ad- 
 vancement of their religion, they should yet, 
 in this instance, discover such unaccountable 
 obtuseness of understanding, as to foresee none 
 of these calamities, but even hail them, and 
 with their utmost power promote their accom- 
 plishment ? That they should feel no objec- 
 tion to the prevalence of the opinion is no 
 matter of surprise. The surprise really is, that 
 such an opinion should prevail.* It may be 
 permitted just to observe, with respect to ex- 
 clusions, and more especially that which seems 
 to be most felt, exclusion from seats in Parlia- 
 ment: that when the clergy, who may be 
 equally able with any layman, and without 
 cure ; when all under age, who are often better 
 
 • I had written these remarks on this strange argument before I 
 had read the convincing, solemn and energetic conclusion of Mr. 
 Townsend'a Accusations of History against the Church of Rome, di- 
 reeled against the fame ar^ment. Pp. 502 to the€nd of edition r826. 
 
155 
 
 qualified than their elders in all necessary ac- 
 quirements ; when persons of insufficient for- 
 tune, which certainly is an inferior disqualifica- 
 tion ; and when women, whose capacities are 
 not less than those of some men, and who may 
 be sovereigns — are all excluded from the legis- 
 lature, it is out of all reason for those to com- 
 plain of the same exclusion, who are themselves 
 the authors of it, while they voluntarily submit 
 their better part to a foreign tyranny. Another 
 sophism obtruded upon us, is, that w^e do little 
 honour to our Protestantism by seeming to fear 
 a contest with Romanism on equal terms. 
 And if the subject were matter of simple argu- 
 ment, this would be true. For the argument 
 we fear nothing. But we strongly suspect, 
 that were one of our instructors to encounEer a 
 robber or assassin, he would feel little consola- 
 tion in having on his side the best of the argu- 
 ment on the morality of robbery or murder ; 
 and much less would he think it incumbent upon 
 him to present either the one or the other with 
 a pistol, if destitute of that important weapon. 
 Neither would he, it may be presumed, be in- 
 duced, even by his ovra logic, to abandon the 
 
156 
 
 explusive system, so odious and insulting as it 
 is represented by those whom it mainly affects, 
 of locking, bolting and barring his doors, or of 
 contributing for a watch to his street, at night. 
 In fact, those, who regard some means as un- 
 lawful, are only on equal terms with an enemy, 
 who regards all as lawful, by having the power, 
 and using it, of preventing those means from 
 coming within his reach. What is a syllogism 
 against a sword or a faggot, a crusade or an 
 Armada, a massacre or an Auto dafe? As little 
 of truth, integrity, or wisdom, likewise, is there 
 in selecting and proposing, as a specimen of 
 Romanism, individuals of that persuasion,' 
 whose character and conduct are excellent and 
 amiable, and whose very creed appears to be 
 nearly unexceptionable. This is the very fal- 
 lacy : either the religion is suppressed and dis- 
 guised, or it is more or less contradicted ; and 
 the individuals, instead of being real Romanists, 
 are so far real Protestants.* And the very cir- 
 
 • Who is not mortified and ashamed to find the illustrious, but (be 
 it remembered), condemneii, Fenelon, reduced to the necessity by his 
 church of issuing a Mandate to prepare his flock for the beneficial ac- 
 ceptance of the indulgences of a Jubilee, and furnishing the only in- 
 stance, known to a diligent inquirer, of the specific, and lowest quan- 
 
157 
 
 cumstahce, that the excellence which they 
 possess is the genuine growth of our faith, i& 
 most perversely and ungraciously converted 
 into an argument to its injury. Thus is charity 
 made to defeat herself by being exercised on 
 objects inversely as their merits. Thus does 
 truth suffer in the house, and at the hands, of. 
 her professed friends. 
 
 All this, and much more, of such unnatural 
 reasoning and conduct might be easily, and 
 indeed most easily, accounted for, on the sup- > 
 position of either perfect ignorance, or perfect" 
 
 turn of, alms necessary for that purpose ? The fact was denied by 
 two eminent Roman Theologians to the Minister of the Hague, C. 
 Chais. " Je la tient pourtant," he adds, " 3e tres bonne main, & 
 j'ose actuellement en parler avec confiance, apres ce que j'ai l& dans le 
 Becueil des Mandemens du grand Archer^que de Cambrai, I'iUustre' 
 Fenelon. Entre ces Mandemens est celui qu'il donna en 1707 h. I'occa. 
 sion du Jubile que Clement XI. avoit public pour obtenir du Ciel le 
 retour de la paix. Le plus sage and le plus pieux des Ev^ques s'y; 
 exprime ainsi. Au rate comme ilfaut selon la Salle /aire quelque aumme, 
 rtoua regions qtte chaque particulier qui ne sera pas dans uue impuissance veri- 
 table, donnera au moins trois sols jpour les paavres malades, exhortans tout 
 ceux qui sont dans etat de donner d'avantage de lefairc i proportion de leurt 
 facttltis." The reference is, " Recueil des Mandements de Messire Fran- 
 cois de Salignac de la Motte Fenelon, &c. Paris, 1713, pag. 75." Let- 
 tres sur les JuUles, &c. Far Chahles Chais, pp. 830, 1. The dis- 
 graceful submission of this eminent Romanist to the heresy of his 
 church, in justifying the withholding of the scriptures from the people, 
 is substantiated, and justly reprobated, by Mr. Blair, in his Letters on 
 the Revival of Popery, Letter xxiii. pp. 152, 3. 
 
15S 
 
 indifference for the Christiajnity, which, with 
 the necessary addition of protestant to the 
 name, this favoured nation professeSi Of the 
 principal agents, and first-movers, in the anti' 
 protestant party, this, or even worse, might 
 probably, with truth be affirmed. Tros Tyri- 
 usve is their motto. But of some this certainly 
 is not the fact : and their case is for that rea* 
 son more the matter of lamentation. In real 
 protestants we expect and may require, not 
 only the profession^ but an ardent love, of the 
 purified religion with which their country is 
 blessed ; and we cordially participate in the 
 indignant and honourable feeling, with which 
 Mr. Wilberforce stigmatizes Dr. Robertson's 
 " phlegmatic account of the reformation ; a 
 subject which," he justly adds, " we should 
 have thought likely to excite in any one, who 
 united the character of a Christian Divine with 
 that of an Historian, some warmth of pious gra- 
 titude for the good providence of God."* 
 Neither is our concurrence less sincere with the 
 late judicious and profound Dean Milner. " I 
 
 • Practical View, &d. ed. 1797, pp. 386, 7, Note* 
 
159 
 
 own it is with much pain^ and awful foreboding 
 of consequences, that I have observed some of 
 our wisest and most enlightened statesmen ap- 
 pear to entertain such sentiments of the present 
 state of the Roman Catholic religion as to rae 
 are wholly unaccountable, except on the hypo- 
 thesis, eitherofalmost a total ignorance of both 
 the religious and political parts of the Papal 
 system ; or, certainly, of an irreverent contempt 
 and carelessness respecting the one, and a 
 dangerous misconception of the other."* Were 
 I disposed to fortify these sentiments by other 
 authority, I should select a work professedly 
 written upon the subject some years ago, and 
 never refuted or even plausibly answered. I 
 mean, the Revival of Popery, in Letters address^ 
 ed to William Wilberforce^ Esq. M. P. by. the 
 late William Blair, Esq, ; and it would cer- 
 
 • Sermons, vol. i. pp. 30, 1. He had before written, " Several per- 
 Bons, and even some of our leading Senators, suppose that Popery has 
 long since been abundantly meliorated. But I wish they may not be 
 nearer the truth, who think that the spirit of Protestantism has sadly 
 degenerated." Church cf Christ, vol. iv. Preface to Second Part..— 
 From the late trial of sentiment on this important subject at Cam- 
 Iridge, it is pleasing to observe, that the most eminent of the friends 
 and followers of that excellent divine and philosopher have withstood 
 the very prevailing delusion, which has infected the camp of Israel, 
 and have selected the path of obvious duty and national interest. 
 
160 
 
 tainly be well for the nation, if those who find 
 time to legislate, would likewise find time t6 
 qualify themselves, by proper information, to 
 do so without injury to interests, of which they 
 are the hereditary and elected guardians. For 
 services which might thus be rendered it is but 
 the mockery of a compensation, to coalesce 
 with a party, insufficient when in power, ex- 
 cept for an insulated act which may be over- 
 rated, and frequently vexatious when out of 
 power. Neither ought gratitude for a great, 
 but certainly'limited, service, to be carried to 
 such a point of apparent obsequiousness, as to 
 induce those, who may consider themselves 
 under its obligation, to join in the illiberal cla- 
 mour raised against the clergy, for their exer- 
 tions in a cause, in which, whether they have, 
 or can have, greater interest than their fellow- 
 protestants or not, they have certainly as good 
 a judgement, and possibly one which need 
 not fear comparison with that of the wisest of 
 their opponents. To say the least, it is hardly 
 decorous even to appear to adopt the principle 
 of a sect, infamous, as well as notorious, for its 
 brutal intolerance ; and to deny to the autho- 
 
361 
 
 rized Christian instructors of the empire, that 
 right of being heard by the legislature, on a 
 subject peculiarly within their province, which 
 is secured to some in the class of the humblest 
 subjects of the British dominions on any. 
 
 The reflexions which have thus naturally 
 arisen from the preceding inquiry, whatever 
 their aspect, have so little of hostility in them, 
 that it is the most fervent wish and prayer of 
 him who has felt himself bound to make them, 
 that the subjects of a system, against which 
 singly his antipathy is directed, may discover 
 the fallacy and iniquity of that system ; and, 
 by a generous, but certainly difficult, effort, 
 effect for themselves, as it is in their power to 
 do, the real Emancipation which they need. 
 Let them examine the subject impartially and 
 resolutely. ; and the event, with the Divine 
 Blessing, will be, that their chains, their worst 
 chains, their spiritual chains, will fall at their 
 feet; and, besides the best of blessings, the 
 spiritual ones suited to such a deliverance, they 
 will no longer feel it a point of conscience to 
 be bad subjects ; but while they give to Caesar 
 the things which are Caesar's, they will give to 
 
 M 
 
God — ^not to the Pope — ^the things which ate' 
 God's. It will then be no longer necessary to 
 treat them as more than half foreigners : but 
 the capacity and performance of an undivided 
 obedience will open the door to every privilege 
 which a grateful nation Cdn grant to faithful 
 subjects ; and all their fellow'subjeets, whd 
 understand their duty/ will embrace them with 
 cordial affection as their brethren. There is 
 not a. future fact, of which I feel better autho- 
 rity to be satisfied, and in the view of which I 
 believe most intelligent persons will unite with 
 mej than this — that were the .whole of the re- 
 cords of history, ecclesiastic in particular, inter-" 
 vening between the establishment of Christianity 
 and the present time, annihilated, and nothing 
 remaining but the authorized records of that 
 religion, the Scriptures of the New Covenant, 
 not an individual of those^ who now adhere 
 with the most bigotted and pertinacious attach-" 
 ment to the dogmas and practices of the Latin 
 church, would deduce from such soui*ce any 
 system of religion in almost the slightest de-" 
 gree resembling that which he now embraces ; 
 and, were such a system, in that insulated way^ 
 
163 
 
 proposed to him, could or would do bthei'wise 
 than, both at the instant and after deliberationi 
 reject the absurd and pernicious compound, as 
 most opposite, and most disgraceful, . to the 
 pure religion, which the authentic documents 
 of Christianity exhibit. And what is there in 
 the intervening documents to make the differ- 
 ence ? Many of these, indeed^ we are far from 
 distrusting or undervaluing : but we would 
 gladly surrender them allj provided the rest 
 were abandoned, provided we could be fairly 
 rid of the pestiferous 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 op- 
 posed by having, and keeping, its power under 
 
 M 2 
 
164 
 
 strict and irresistible restraint. It may seem 
 ungracious to reiterate an admontion, which is 
 avowedly founded upon so odious , an imputa- 
 tion. 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 princi- 
 ples, with or against, of persecution, make no 
 difference, the equalization may be establishied 
 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 dif- 
 ference between the Anti-christian Roman per- 
 secutions 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 re- 
 lation to what comes nearer 'home, our own 
 country, that he, who, for one insta,nt, can 
 
105 
 
 jjjace the executions of Elizabeth and the mai-- 
 tyrdoms of Mary, one against the other in the 
 same scales, must, for that instant, have aban- 
 doned all perception of equity or proportion in 
 his estimate of moral actions. The proposal, 
 (therefore, of mutual silence, however equitable 
 in sound, is one which cannot be listened to. 
 
 Before I conclude, there are two passages 
 pf some length from a work of considerable 
 profundity, which I am anxious to lay before 
 jthe reader. The title pf the work, which has 
 g,lready been referred to, is, EuRoPiE Specu- 
 lum, or a View or Survey of the State of Reli- 
 gion in the Western Parts of the World, wherein 
 the Raman Religion and the pregnant Policies of 
 the Church of Rome to support the same are no- 
 tably displayed; pith some other memorable disco- 
 veries and memof{ztions, never before till now pub- 
 lished Recording to the authors Original Copy. 
 Multum diuque desideratum. Hagse-Comitis. 
 1629. 4to. The author, although not named, 
 is' known to be Sir Edwin Sandys. The first 
 of these passages contains a professed considera- 
 tion of that which is the identical subject of the 
 present work. And the advantage proposed by 
 
166 
 
 the exhibition of it in this place is, ' to shew, in 
 •what light the measures pursued by the Latin 
 church relative to books were regarded by an in- 
 telligent 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 senti- 
 ments of a most acute observer and judge of 
 such subjects, and those delivered in the pre- 
 ceding pages. And it may serve as an addi^ 
 tional 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 gra- 
 tification and information which it conveys.* 
 
 " But the Papacy at this day, taught by 
 Woeful experience, what damage this licence of 
 writing among themselves hath done them ; and 
 
 " It is much to the credit of this writer, and this work in particu- 
 lar, that, although coridemned in an Italian translation hy 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. Thiees, Dr. en Theologie, &c. 
 in his Traite des SiiperstUions, &c. Tome iv. pp. 189, 90, in proof of the 
 existence of those enormous pardons, or Indulgences, of thp.us<uids pf 
 
167 
 
 that their speeches are not only weapons in the 
 hands of their adversaries, but eye-sores and 
 stumbling-blocks also to their remaining friends : 
 under shew of purging the world from the 
 infection of all wicked and corrupt books and 
 passages, which are either against religion or 
 against honesty and good manners, for which 
 two purposes they have their several officers, 
 who indeed do blot out much impiousness and 
 filth, and therein well deserve both -to be com- 
 mended and imitated (whereto the Venetians 
 add also a third, to let nothing pass that may 
 be justly offensive to princes), have in truth 
 svithal pared and lopped off whatsoever in a 
 manner their watchful eyes could observe, 
 either free in disclosing their abuses and cor- 
 ruptions, or saucy in construing their drifts and 
 practices, or dishonourable .to the dergy, or 
 undutiful to the papacy. These editions only 
 authorized, all other are disallowed, called in, 
 
 years, which are found in various monuments of papal Borne, and which 
 our author professes it difflcult Qie miglil as well have said impos^ihle) to 
 reconcile with the denial of the facts. They never would have been de- 
 nied, had not the Protestants spoiled the trade, and made the specula, 
 tion, in some cases, a losing, if not a ruinous one. fox this, and other 
 offences, however, the well-meaning Frenchman has been conducted 
 ■jto the literary gibbet of his church. 
 
168 
 
 consumed ; with threats to whosoever shall 
 presume to keep them: that no speech, no 
 writing,, no evidence of times past, no discourse 
 of things present, in sum nothing whatsoever 
 may sound ought but holiness, honour, purity, 
 integrity to the unspotted spouse of Christ, and 
 to his unerring Vicar ; to the Mistress of 
 Churches, to the Father of Princes. But as it 
 falleth out now and then, that wisdom and good 
 fortune are to the ruin of them that too much 
 follow them, by drawing men sometimes upon 
 a presumption of their wit and cunning in con- 
 trivements, and of their good success withal in 
 one attempt, to adventure upon another still of 
 yet more subtile invention, and more dangerous 
 execution, which doth break in the end with 
 the very fineness itself, and overwhelm them 
 with the difficulties : so it is to be thought, 
 that their prosperous success in pruning and 
 pluming those later writers, effected with good 
 ease and no very great clamour, as having some 
 reason, and doing really some good, was it 
 that did breed in them a higher conceit, that it 
 was possible to work the like conclusion in 
 writers of elder times, yea in the Fathers them- 
 
169 
 
 selves, and in all other monuments of reverend 
 Antiquity. And the opinion of possibility 
 redoubling their desire brought forth in fine 
 those Indices Expurgatoi'ii, whereof I suppose 
 they are now not a little ashamed, they having 
 by misfortune light into their adversaries' hands> 
 from whom they desired by all means to con- 
 ceal them ; where they rernain as a monument 
 to the judgement of the world of their everlastr 
 ing reproach and ignominy. These purging 
 Indices are of divers sorts : some work not above 
 eight hundred years upwards : other venture 
 much higher, even to the prime of the church. 
 The effect is, that forasmuch as there were so 
 many passages in the Fathers and other antient 
 ecclesiasticail writers, which their adversaries 
 producing in averment of their opinions, they 
 were not able but bv tricks and shifts of wit to 
 reply to, to ease themselves henceforth in great 
 part of that wit-labour (a quality indeed perhaps 
 more commendable in some other trade than in 
 divinity, where verity should only sway, where 
 the love of the truth should subject or extin- 
 guish wholly all other passions, and the eye of 
 the mind fixed attentively upon that object 
 
170 
 
 should disturn from the regarding of other mo- 
 tives whatsoever), some assemblies of their di- 
 vines, with coiisent no doubt of their redoubted 
 superiors and sovereigns, have delivered ex- 
 press order, that in the impressions of those 
 authors which hereafter should be made, the 
 scandalous places there named should be clean 
 left out : which perhaps though in this present 
 age would have smally prevailed to the rgclaimr 
 ing of their adversaries, yet would have been 
 great assurance for the retaining of their own, 
 to whom no other books must have been 
 granted. Yea, and perhaps time and industry, 
 which eat even through marbles, extinguishing 
 or getting into their hands all former editions, 
 and for any new to be set out by their adversa.- 
 ries there is no great fear, whose books being 
 discurrent in all Catholic countries, their want 
 of means requisite to utter an impression would 
 dishearten them from the charge : the mouth of 
 antiquity should be thoroughly shut up from 
 uttering any syllable or sound against them. 
 Then lastly; by adding words where opportunity 
 and pretence might serve, and by drawing in 
 the marginal notes and glosses of their friars 
 
171 
 
 intp the text of the Fathers, as in some of them 
 they have already very handsomely began, the 
 mouth of antiquity should be also opened for 
 them. There remained then only the rectify- 
 ing of St. Paul (whose turn iaafall likelyhood 
 if ever should be the next), and other places of 
 Scripture, whose authority being set beneath 
 the church's already, it were no such great 
 matter to submit it also to her gentle and mo- 
 derate censures ; especially for so good an in- 
 tent as the weeding out of heresies, and the 
 preserving of the faith Catholic in her purity 
 and glory. But above all other, the second 
 XUommandment (as the Protestants, Greciansj 
 and Jews reckon it), were like to abide it ; 
 which already in their vulgar Catechisms is 
 discarded, as words superfluous, or at leasts 
 wise as unfit or unnecessary for these times* 
 And then, without an angel sent down from 
 heaven, no means to controul or gainsay them 
 in any thing. But these are but the dreams 
 perhaps of some over-passionate desires, at 
 least-wise not likely to take place in our times. 
 But what is it which the .opiijions of the non- 
 nossibility of erring, of the necessary assistance 
 
172 
 
 of God's Spirit in their consistories, of autliority 
 unlimited, of power both to dispense with God s 
 law in this world and to alter his arrests and 
 judgements in the 'other (for thereunto do theit 
 pardons to them in purgatory extend), what is 
 it, which these so high and so fertile opinions 
 are not able to engender, and do not powerfully 
 enforce to execute ? carrying men away head- 
 long with this raging conceit, that whatsoever 
 they do by the Pope's they do by God's own 
 commandment, whose Lieutenant he is on 
 earth by a commission of his own penning, that 
 is to say, with absolute and unrestrained juris- 
 diction ; that whatsoever they do for advancer 
 ment of his see and sceptre, they do it for the 
 upholding of the church of Christ, and for the 
 salvation of men's souls, which out of his obe*- 
 dience do undoubtedly perish. And verily it 
 seems no causeless doubt or fear, that thesg 
 humours and faces, so forward, so adventurous, 
 to alter and chastise with palpable partiality 
 the works of former times in an age which hath 
 so many jealous eyes on their fingers, so many 
 mouths open to publish their shame, such store 
 of copies to restore and repair whatsoever they 
 
173 
 
 should presume to maim or deprave: that in 
 former ages, when there were few copies, small 
 diflSculties, no enemies ; as it is found by cer- 
 tain and irrefraga:ble arguments, that many bas- 
 tard writings were forged in their favour, and 
 feithered on honest men who never begat them; 
 so also they .might, beside other their chop- 
 pings and changings, puttings in and puttings 
 out, suppress many good and antient evidences, 
 which they perceived were not greatly for their 
 purpose to be extant. But of all other in re- 
 forming and purifying of authors, the care and 
 diligence of this pope* doth far exceed ; who, 
 not content with that which hath been done in 
 that kind before him, nor thinking things yet so 
 bright as they should be, causeth much to be 
 perused and scoured over anew : yea, and it is 
 t-hought will cashier some worthy authors, who 
 as yet, though with cuts and gashes, hold rank 
 among them. And for a further terror not to 
 retain books prohibited, I have seen in their 
 printed instructions for Confession, the having 
 or reading of books forbidden set in rank 
 
 • Clemens. VIII. See his Index of 1396* 
 
174 
 
 amongst the sins against the first Command- 
 ment. And for farther provision, the Jews 
 (who have generally not any other trades than 
 frippery and usury, loan of money and old 
 stuff), are inhibited in many places the med- 
 dling any more with books, for fear lest through 
 error jor desire of lucre they might do them 
 prejudice. Neither is it lawful in Italy to 
 carry books about from one place to another, 
 without allowance of them from the Inquisi- 
 tors, or search by their authorities. Wherein 
 as, I confess, they have neglected nothing^ 
 which the wit of man in this kind could possi- 
 bly devise; so yet may it be doubted, that as 
 too much wiping doth in the end draw blood 
 with it, and soil more than before, so this too 
 rigorous cutting of all authors' tongues, leaving 
 nothing which may savour any freedom of spi- 
 rit, or give any satisfaction for understanding 
 times past, may raise such a longing for the 
 right authors in the minds of all men, as may- 
 encourage the Protestants to reprint them in 
 their first entireness, having hope given to vent 
 them although in secret. These have I ob- 
 served for the complots and practices of the 
 
175 
 
 Roman Church and Papacy, not doubting but 
 they may have many more and much finer than 
 I can dream of. And yet; in the surveying of 
 these altogether, methinks they are such and , 
 so essential in their proof, that it causeth me in 
 generality of good desire to wish, that either 
 the cause which they strive to maintain were 
 better, or their policies Whereby they maintain 
 it were not so goodi"* 
 
 The other passage from the same author is 
 of a more general character, but intimately 
 connected with the subject of the foregoing 
 pages, and slightly anticipated in some of the 
 particulars : but the whole is so just, so pro-» 
 found and so important, that, although it has 
 already and recently been brought before the 
 public in Dr. Hales's valuable work on The 
 Origin and Purity of the Primitive Church of 
 the British Isles, &c. I think it not unsuitable 
 to the present times in particular, to give it 
 such additional circulation as its insertion in 
 this work may obtain for it» 
 -*. " This being the main ground- work of their 
 policy, and the general means to build and 
 
 "Pp. 127—132. 
 
176 
 
 establish it in the minds of all men ; the parti- 
 cular WAYS they hold to ravish all affec- 
 tions AND TO FIT EACH HUMOUR (whlch their 
 jurisdiction and power, being but persuasive 
 and voluntary, they principally regard), are 
 well-nigh infinite ; there being not any thing 
 either sacred or profane, no virtue nor vice 
 almost, no things of how contrary condition 
 soever, which they make not in some sort to 
 serve that turn ; that each fancy may be satis- 
 fied, and each appetite find what to feed on. 
 Whatsoever either wealth can sway with the 
 lovers of voluntary poverty, with the despisers 
 of the world ; what honour with the ambitious ; 
 what obedience with the humble ; what great 
 employment with stirring and mettled spirits ; 
 what perpetual quiet with heavy and restive 
 bodies : what content the pleasant nature can 
 take in pastimes and jollity ; what contrariwise 
 the austere mind in discipline and rigour ; what 
 love either chastity can raise in the pure, or 
 voluptuousness in the dissolute ; what allure- 
 ments are in knowledge to draw the contempla- 
 tive, or in actions of state to possess the prac- 
 tic dispositions ; what with the hopeful prero- 
 
177 
 
 gative of reward cajti work ; what errors, doubts 
 apd dangers with the t fearful; what ehange of 
 Vows with the rash, of estate with the incon-' 
 ^tant; what pardons with the faulty, or sup- 
 plies with the defective; what miracles with 
 the credulous ; what visions with the fantasti- 
 Gal; what gorgeousness of shew with the vul-' 
 gar and simple; what multitude of ceremonies 
 with the superstitious and ignorant ; what 
 prayer with^the devout; what with the cha- 
 ritable works of piety ; what Bules of 'higher 
 perfection with elevated affections ; what dis- 
 pensing with breach of all rules with men of 
 lawless conditions ; — ^in sum, what thing soever 
 can prevail with any man, either for himself to 
 pursue or at leastwise to love, reverence, or 
 honour in another (for even thereiri also^ man's 
 nature receiveth great satisfaction).; the. same is 
 found with them, not as m other places of the 
 world, by casualty blended without order, and 
 of necessity, but sorted in great part into seve- 
 ral professions, countenanced with reputation* 
 honoured with prerogatives, facilitated with 
 provisions and yearly maintenance, and either 
 (as the better things) advanced wiUi expeeta- 
 
 N 
 
178 
 
 tion of reward^ or borne with how bad soever 
 with sweet and silent permission. What pomp, 
 what riot, to that of their Cardinals? what 
 severity- of life comparable to their Hermits 
 and Capuchins ? who wealthier, than their 
 Prelates? who poorer by vow and profession 
 than their Mendicants ? On the one side of the 
 street a Cloister of Virgins ; on the other a sty 
 of Courtezans, with public toleration : this day 
 all in Masks with all looseness and foolery; 
 to-morrow all in Processions, whipping them- 
 selves till the blood follow. On one door an 
 Excommunication throwing to Hell all trans- 
 gressors ; on another a Jubilee or full discharge 
 from all transgressions : who learneder in all 
 kind of Sciences than their Jesuits ? what 
 thing more ignorant than their ordinary Mass- 
 Priests ? What Prince so able to prefer his 
 servants and followers as the Pope, and in so 
 great multitude ? Who able to take deeper 
 or readier revenge on his enemies ? what pride 
 equal unto his, making Kings kiss his pantofle ? 
 what humility greater than his, shriving himself 
 daily on his knees to an ordinary Priest ? who 
 difficulter in dispatch of causes to the greatest ? 
 
179 
 
 who easier in giving audience to the meanest ? 
 where greater rigour in the world in exacting 
 the observation of the Church-Laws? where 
 less care or conscience of the Commandments 
 of God ? To taste flesh on a Friday, where 
 suspicion might fasten, were a matter for the 
 Inquisition ; whereas, on the other side, the 
 Sunday is one of their greatest market-days. — 
 To conclude ; never State, never Government 
 in the world, so strangely compacted of in- 
 finite contrarieties, all tending to entertain the 
 several humours of all men, and to work what 
 kind of effects soever they shall desire ; where 
 rigour and remissness, cruelty and lenity, are 
 so combined, that, with neglect of the Church, 
 to stir ought, is a sin unpardonable ; whereas, 
 with duty towards the Church, and by inter- 
 cession for her allowance, with respective at- 
 tendance of her pleasure, no law almost of God 
 or nature so sacred, which one way or other 
 they find not means to dispense with, or at 
 leastwise permit the breach of by connivance 
 and without disturbance."* 
 
 • Pp. 34 37. It has been thought best to modernize the spelling, 
 
 and rectify^ or at least improve, the punctuation. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 It will serve materially to illustrate and confirm the 
 preceding detail and discussion, if we add some notice of, 
 and extracts from, the most recent official declarations of the 
 Roman See, relative to the Holy Scriptures — the most im- 
 portant object of the damnatory works which have been 
 examiiiied, — and the general permission to read them in the 
 vernacular languages, into which they have be^i translated. 
 It will hence be conjectured with tolerable certainty, of what 
 value are the apparent concessions of Benedict XIV. in the 
 Roman Index, as noticed p. 112, and of the last Spanish 
 Index, given p. 120. The conditions certainly are suffici- 
 ently strict to keep the permission under all the controul 
 which could be desired. And in what way and degree that 
 controul has been actually exercised will clearly appear froid 
 the documents to be partially produced. 
 
 The first are two Papal Briefs, issued by the late pope, 
 Pius VII. ; the first to Ignatius, Archbishop of Gnezn-, 
 Primate of Poland, dated June 29, 1816; the other to Sta- 
 nislaus, Archbishop of Mohileff (or Mohilow), in Russia, 
 dated Sept. 3, 1816; both from Rome. They are to be 
 read in an English translation, \ifhich I use, in Mr. Blaib's 
 Letters on the Revival of Popery, Letter xx. It may'be 
 observed generally, that they are both expressly directed 
 against the Bible Societies extending themselves at the time 
 in those respective countries. 
 
182 
 
 The first contains the following sentences : — " We have 
 been. truly shocked at this most crafty device by which the 
 very foundations of religion are undermined" — as a remedy 
 to this " pestilence," *' this defilemejit of the faith, most 
 dangerous to souls," " we again and again exhort you, that 
 ■whatever you can atchieve by power, provide for by counsel, 
 or effect by authority, you will daily execute with the utmost 
 earnestness." It then repeats the Rules of the Trent Index, 
 No. IL, III., IV., and the Decree of the Congregation of the 
 Index published by Benedict XIV. and already referred to. 
 It is irksome to proceed with the senseless declamation of 
 this document, which, as ever, evades all precision and de- 
 finition, and flounders in vague and convenient generalities. 
 
 The other Brief, which is lopger, is so much to the saine 
 purpose and in the same style, that the reader, with hardly 
 any other assistance, may pretty correctly imagine its sub- 
 stance; and he will therefore hardly regret the want of any 
 further notice of it ; although it is certainly desirable that 
 such things should be preserved somewhere. 
 
 But the document to which we now proceed is of far 
 greater soleijunity and importance, being one and the first of 
 the present pope, Leo XII., his Encyclical Letter, as it 
 is called, published, according to established custom, on his 
 accession to the pontificate. The extracts which will be 
 given are taken from the edition under sanction of the papal 
 hierarchy in Ireland, accompanied by their Pastoral Ijr- 
 STRUPTipNS, and pripted and published in Dublin, by 
 Richard Coyne, 1824. It i^ addressed to the Roman Patri- 
 archs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops, and contains 
 thf following passages : — 
 
 " But how numerous and how severe are tlie contests, 
 which have arisen, and arise almost dajly, against the Ca- 
 tholic Religion in these our times ! Who thinking on them, 
 ajad revolying them in his mind, can refrain from tears 1" 
 
183 
 
 After some remarks about spark, flame, and leaven, the 
 elevated writer adds, " But wherefore these remarks? A 
 certain sect, not unknown certainly to you, usurping to itself 
 undeservedly the name of Philosophy, has raked from the 
 ashes disorderly crowds of almost every error. This sect, 
 exhibiting the nreek appearance of piety and liberality, pro- 
 fesses Latitudinarianism or Indifferentistn," &c. &c. And 
 now let the reader carefully notice the infamous change en- 
 deavoured to be passed upon him, by classing under this 
 head the subject following. " You are aware, Venerable 
 Brethren, that a certain Society, commonly, called the Bible 
 Society, strolls with effrontery throughout the worldi which 
 Society, contemning the traditions of the holy fathers, and 
 contrary to the Well-known decree of the Council of Trent,* 
 labours with all its might, and by every means to translate— 
 or rather to pervert — the Holy Bible, into the vulgar languages 
 of every nation ; from which proceeding it is greatly to be 
 feared, that what is ascertained to have happened as to some 
 passages, may occur with regard to others ; to wit : * that, 
 by a perverse interpretaticm, the Gospel of Christ be turned 
 into a human Gospel, or, what is still wof se, into the Gospel 
 of the Devil !'t To avert this plague, our predecessors pub- 
 lished many ordinances ; and in his latter days, Pius VII. of 
 blessed memory, sent two Briefs — one to Ignatius," &c. as 
 noticed above, and this may serve to expose the temerity or 
 dishonesty of those who have doubted their authenticity. 
 But the pope proceeds—" We also. Venerable Brethren, in 
 conformity with our apostolic duty, exhort you to turn away 
 your flock, by all means, from these poisonous pastures. 
 Reprove, beseech, be instant in season and out of season, in 
 all patience and doctrine, that the faithful intrusted to you 
 (adhenng strictly to the rules of our CongregatioB of the 
 
 • Sess. 4 de Ed. et usu Sac. Lib. 
 t S. Hi^. in C^. i. Ep- ad GaJ. 
 
184 
 
 Index), be persuadred, that if the Sacred Scriptures be every 
 yiheie indispriminately .published, more evil than advantage 
 will arise thence, on account of the rashness of men." 
 
 " Behold then, Venerable Brethren, the tendency of this 
 ,Sl)ciety, which moreover, to attain its ends, leaves nothing 
 untried ; for not only does it print its translations, but also, 
 wandering through the towns and cities, it delights in distri- 
 buting them amongst the crowd. Nay, to allure the minds 
 ■of the simple, at one time it. sells them, at another, with an 
 insidious Ijberality, it bestows them." " Again, therefore, 
 -we exhort you, that your courage fail not. The power of 
 temporal princes will, we trust in the Lord, come to your as- 
 sistance, whose interest, as reason and experience show, is 
 concerned when the authority of the Church is questioned ;" 
 &c. A very intelligible intimation, and, in favourable times, 
 fitted to produce a Crusade. 
 
 Dated Rome, May 3, 1824. 
 
 I subjoin the original of some of the foregoing passages. 
 Quanta vero, et quam saeva nostris hisce temporibus surrex- 
 ere, et ferme quotidie surgunt adversus Catholicam Religio- 
 nem certamina! Quis ea recolendo, ac m^ditando lacrymas 
 teneat ? 
 
 Secta qusedam, Vobis certe non ignota, Philosophise 
 nomen immerito sibi usurpans &c. Hsec siquidem blandam 
 pietatis et liberalitatig speciem prse se ferens Tollerantismum 
 (sic enim aiunt) seu Indifferentiam profitetur, &c. Non vos la- 
 tet, VV. FF. Societatem quandam dictam vulgo BiblicaM, per 
 totum orbem audacter vagari, &c . Ad quam pestem aver- 
 tendam &c. Nos quoque pro Apostolico Nostro munere 
 hortamur vos, W. FF., ut gregem vestrum a lethiferis hisce 
 pascuis amovere omnimode satagatis. &c. En, VV. FF., quo 
 heec spectat.Sopietas, quse insuper ut irapii voti fiat cottjpos 
 nil intentatum reiinquit. Non enim tantummodo versipnes 
 suas, &c. 
 
185 
 
 Iteram ergo hortamur Vo6, ut animo non concldatis. 
 Aderit vobis, certe in Domino confidimus, Ssecularium Prin- 
 cipum potestas, &c. 
 
 The "Pastoral Instructions by the R. C." (Roman Ca- 
 tholic) " Archbishops , and Bishops," are a worthy echo of 
 the Instructions of their Head. And that is saying quite 
 enough. For, in truth, it is hardly possible to conceive any 
 thing more awfiil and, revolting, than the union and antithesis 
 of the solemn and the ludicrous, of arrogance and humility, 
 of truth and falsehood, of extravagant professions and al- 
 most unavoidable consciousness of hypocrisy, , observable 
 in this, as well as in almost every other papal document, — all 
 tending to, and centering in, one point, the preservation and 
 aggrandizement of, what falsely assumes to be, the Holy and 
 Only Catholic Church ; which, indeed, has done her best 
 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her, by taking 
 them into her alliance ; and Satan, she may trust, will not 
 cast out Satan. Her destruction — ^for her reformation has 
 been so long and obstinately resisted that it has become hope- 
 less — ^will come from another quarter ; and the most charit- 
 able counsel we can give her members is, to come out from 
 the midst of her m time. 
 
 The following testimonies, exhibited by D.Gebdes, in 
 his Specimen ItalicB Reformat<B, pp. 97, 8, will throw light 
 upon the subject of tlje present work, and shew, that the 
 Decrees of Rome against books were no dead, letter, nor, 
 living, an inactive one. 
 
 Et sunt gravissima in hanc causam verba Natalis Comi- 
 Tis, Scriptoris Veneti,* Seculi XVI. '< Bxiit edictum, ut 
 libri omnes impressi, vel ei^planationibus ab h«ereticis scrip- 
 toribus contaminati, at non illustrati, sanctissimis magistra- 
 tibus qusesitionum ubique affer-rentur, propositis etiam fra- 
 vissimis supplicjiis, si quis illos occultasset, suppressisset, ^c 
 " Vid. Natsjl. Comes Histor. sui temporis-Lib. xi. p. 262. 
 
186 
 
 non obtulisset. Tanta concremata est omnis generis librdrum 
 ubique copia ac multitudo, at Trojanum prope incendium, si 
 in unum collati ftiissent, apparere posset. Nulla enim fuit 
 bibliotheca, vel privata vel publica, quae fuerit immunis ab ea 
 cl^de, ac non prope exinanita : Combusti sunt libri in multis 
 Italise civitatibus, sed non sine multis populorum lamenta- 
 tiouibus, ob amissos sumtus." 
 
 Consentit Latinus Latinius,* in ejus Ep. d. 19 Januar. 
 1559 ad Andr. Masium: " Sed heus tu! quid tibi tandem 
 venit in mentein, ut quo maxime tempore omnibus pene libris, 
 qui adhuc sunt editi, nobis interdicitur, etiam novos publi- 
 care cures ? Nemo apud nos, ut ego quidem sentio, lAultis 
 annis reperietur, qui scribere aliquid audeat, nisi si quid in- 
 ter absentes per epistolas agendum erit. Prodiit nuper Index 
 librorum, quos sub anathematis poena habere prohibemur, ii 
 vero tot sunt, ut paucissimi nobis relinquantur, praesertim 
 eorum, qui in Germania sunt excusi." 
 
 The Index here referred to is evidendy the Roman one of 
 1559 described in this work, pp. 23 et seq. 
 
 The present work was nearly finished and printed, before 
 I became acquainted with the discussion onlhe same subject 
 by Bp. Tatlor, in the Second Part of his Dissuasive from 
 Popery, Book I., Section VJ., entitled, " Of the Expurga- 
 tory Indices of the Roman Church ;" or, in the only complete 
 collection and edition of bis Works by the late lamented Bp. 
 of Calcutta, Vol. x. pp. 495 — 507. The acquaintance of 
 that acute and laborious writer with the Roman Indexes was 
 contracted, and, in a great measure, secondary ; and, inde- 
 pendently of the matter which was common and. has been 
 anticipated, his mode of treating the subject, which is that 
 of a particular and minute examination of certain portions, 
 or articles, of the contents of the Indexes, was considerably 
 
 • Vid. Lat. Latinii Lucubrat. Part II. p. 01. conf. Siii^r in 
 Vita Bullingeri. p. 33. 
 
187 
 
 removed from the couise of discussion pursued in the present 
 publication. His arguments, however, are conclusive, and 
 eminently important ; particularly those, by which he estab- 
 lishes the charge of altering, or expurgating, the Text itself 
 of the Fathers. I must indeed express my doubt relative to 
 the passage, which has been adduced by others, of Sixtus 
 Senensis, in the Dedication of his Bibli&theca Sancta to 
 Pius V. ; where the pontiff is complimented for expurgat- 
 ing and emaculating the writings of the fathers, contami- 
 nated and poisoned by the heretics ; and I had myself de- 
 clined using it in an appropriate place, because it occurred, 
 that the serpentine dexterity, which we have to encounter, 
 might explain the expression, of a purification from the addi- 
 tions of heretics, in Prefaces, Notes, Indexes, &c. The 
 other proofs of the Bishop are incapable of such evasion, and 
 will stand for reference, whenever the advocates of Rome 
 have the assurance to call the facts supported by them in 
 question. 
 
 THE END. 
 
BY THE SAME AUTHOS, 
 
 CLAVIS APOSTOLICA; 
 
 OR A KEY TO THE APOSTOLIC WRITINGS, 
 
 Being^an Attempt to explain the Scheme of the Gospel, 
 and the principal Words and Phrases used by the Apostles 
 in describing it. l2mo. Price 3s. 6d. 
 
 THE EPISCOPAL OATH OF ALLEGIANCE 
 TO THE POPE, 
 
 IN THE CHURCH OF ROME : 
 
 Containing the Oath both in its original and in its latest 
 form ; the latter translated into English ; with some remarks 
 in particular upon what is called the Persecuting Clause. By 
 Catholicus. 8vo. Price 2s. 
 
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 1