changed some of their names. Secondly, to signify, that as they changed their names, they should change also their nature. Lastly, that he who is chosen to so excellent an estate, should not be disgraced by a vile name.

Polydore Virgil, in his 4th book, De Inventione Rerum, cap. 10, thus writes: "The bishop of Rome hath one peculiar prerogative or privilege, which is, that when he is once created bishop of that see, he may alter and change his name at his pleasure. As, for example, if perchance he hath been heretofore an evil-doer, he may call his name Bonifacius, that is to say, well-doer. If he have been a coward, or timorous sheep's-head, he may call himself Leo, (that is, lion.) If he be a clown, he may call himself Urbanus, (a polite gentleman.) Instead of lewd, or wicked, he may call himself Pius, or Innocent. If he have been a scandalous fellow, he may assume the appellation of Benedictus, that is, well spoken of: to the end, that the sovereign bishop, at least in name, may be an ornament and honour to the dignity of the papacy." See this, and a great deal more to the same purpose, in The Weekly Packet of Advice from Rome, vol. ii. pp. 309, 310.

In this work we have the following summary of the personal character of a number of popes, which I adduce in opposition to Bishop Hay's assertion, that only a few of them were bad men in their own practice. "Some popes have been excessively covetous; as Boniface VIII, Calixtus III., John XXIII. and Boniface IX. Some puffed up with Luciferian pride; as Bennet XII., Adrian IV., Celestine III., Innocent IV., Alexander III., Gregory XIII, Clement V., VI., and VII, Boniface VIII., Paul II., John XXIII., and many others; indeed, who was not that ever wore the triple crown? Divers popes have been conjurers, as Silvester III., and all his successors, for nine or ten popes together; others sold themselves by league to the devil; as Silvester II., and Alexander VI. So many notorious whoremongers have filled the chair, that it would be too tedious to name them. Famous cheats have been popes;—Alexander III., Boniface VIII., Celestine V., and Benedict X. Murderers were Pius IV., Gregory VII., Stephen VIIL, Sixtus V., Gregory XIV., and Honorius II. Poisoners of one another;-Damasus II., Victor II. and III., Celestine IV., and Paul III, &c. &c." Vol. ii. pp. 251, 252. By sorcerers we may understand their being, at least, pretenders to the art of magic; and by having sold themselves to the devil, we may infer that such was the popular belief, and perhaps the belief of the author, founded upon the monstrous and diabolical wickedness of these holy fathers, who are called by the title of holiness itself. Perhaps the idea of men's selling themselves to the devil may have originated in the words of Elijah to Ahab, (1 Kings xxi. 20.) “ Thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.” But, in order to this, it is not necessary that there be a personal contract, or league, between the devil and them.

In the above summary, I find Sixtus V. classed among the popes who were murderers; but I do not recollect any incident in his history that entitles him to this, except what was common to him with all tyrants in power. He made very little account of human life, and ordered men to be destroyed at his pleasure. The following incident affords a view of his cruel decision of character, though it did not extend to actual murder: Pasquin (the statue so called, on which what were called pas

The

quinades, were stuck) was dressed, one morning, in a very dirty shirt; and being asked by Marforio, " Why he wore such dirty linen?" answered, "He could get no other, for the pope had made his washerwoman a princess." Meaning Donna Camilla, the pope's sister, who had formerly been a laundress. This stinging piece of raillery was carried to his holiness, who ordered strict search for the author, but to no purpose. He issued a proclamation, offering the author 1000 pistoles, and promising to spare his life, if he would discover himself; and threatening to hang him if he was found out by any body else. poor author was so tempted by the offer, as to go, and make full confession to the pope, who ordered the 1000 pistoles to be immediately paid. "We promised you your life, and 1000 pistoles," said his holiness, "you have received both, and say you are satisfied: but we reserved to ourselves the power of cutting off your hands, and boring your tongue through, to prevent your being so witty for the future." Which was directly executed: Sixtus declaring, "that he did not deserve the punishment so much for the pasquinade, as for being so audacious as to avow it." Life of Pope Sixtus V., p. 395.

On the wickedness of the popes there is matter for many volumes, but it is time that I take up another subject. To those who wish to read in detail what I have given in the gross, I recommend the following works, some of which I have not seen, but they are recommended by a learned correspondent, who has been long engaged in the same warfare. Welch's Compendious History of Popes, London, 1759. The History of Popery, 2 vols. 4to., London, 1735. Another History of Popery, 2 vols., London, 1679; entitled also, Weekly Packet from Rome. This is a work of both arguments and facts, and it contains a great deal of curious matter. Bower's History of the Popes, 7 vols. 4to., London, 1750-66. Lord Clarendon's Papal Usurpations, or Religion and Policy, 2 vols. 8vo., Oxford, 1791. Foulis's History of Romish Treachery and Usurpations; and the Romish Horse-Leech; besides such histories as Mosheim, Milner, &c., which are known to all.

CHAPTER CIX.

CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD

NUMBER OF CATHOLICS IN ENGLAND, AND THEIR RANK.
FOLLOW THEIR ADMISSION INTO PARLIAMENT. PROBABLE INTRODUCTION OF CHRIS-
TIANITY INTO BRITAIN. WALES. MORALITY OF PAPISTS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

SATURDAY, August 12th, 1820.

Ar the conclusion of my 107th number, I requested the reader to consider what would be the consequence, if we had one or two hundred Papists in our houses of parliament. It has been said, that this is putting a case that could not be realized, even supposing "Catholic emancipation" were granted in all the extent that is demanded; because, it is said, there are not so many Papists qualified, or eligible to seats in parliament, though they were laid open to them. This, I am persuaded, is a mistake; and I have not a doubt, that if they were made eligible, upwards of a hundred would be found in the first parliament that should meet after the privilege was extended to them.

Ireland sends just a hundred members to the house of commons. Papists boast that their number there is to that of Protestants, as five to one; but I will take it as only four to one; and taking this as proper data by which to calculate the number of representatives, the Papists would return eighty of the hundred. And then there are the popish peers in both England and Ireland who would claim seats in the upper house; besides the English commoners whose return might be effected by the Papists in England. That Papists would elect none but men of their own faith cannot be doubted; and such is the influence of the priests over the people, that the ghostly fathers would be virtually the electors. This indeed I am informed on good authority, is, in some measure, the case already. Since the Papists in Ireland obtained the privilege of electing members of parliament, though they can elect none but Protestants, the priests have risen amazingly in importance; because the Protestant candidates must pay court to them, in order to secure the votes of the people; and we may easily imagine, that few will be found hardy enough to give a vote contrary to the mind of the priest, seeing he is believed to hold the fate of every soul in his hand. We cannot be surprised that many of the Irish members are advocates of what is called "Emancipation," seeing their election may have depended upon their declaring themselves on that side; but if they were not very short-sighted they might see, that the parliament that shall concede, what is demanded with so much clamour, will be the last parliament for them. In vain would they apply to the people, or to the priests to be returned again, unless they should become Papists; for no Papist would vote for a Protestant, if there remained a qualified Papist in the three kingdoms. If Ireland should not contain a sufficient number of persons so qualified, there are great plenty to be found among the sons of popish peers, and the inferior gentry of the same communion in England and Scotland, who would be as eligible to be returned for Ireland, as if they belonged to that kingdom.

For the information of the reader, I insert the following statement of the number and condition of the adherents of Rome, in England, in the year 1813. It is given, on the authority of the Dublin Evening Post, in the Orthodox Journal for January 1814. It is said to have been obtained through the channel of a Liverpool gentleman "of eminent character and intelligence;" but as it is evident that the writer belongs to the body about which he writes, and to which he may be supposed a little partial, we ought to receive his account of the respectability, and superior morality of his brethren, with some grains of allowance.

ENGLISH CATHOLICS.

FROM THE DUBLIN EVENING POST.

The extraordinary progress which the cause of the Catholics of Ireland has made within the last few years, through the talent and prudence of its leaders, has incidentally brought forth the Catholics of England to public notice. This body of men has not yet thoroughly recovered from the langour and depression inflicted by the penal laws; and their apparent inertio may be accounted for by the habits of despondency, which frequent insults and aggressions had wrought upon them.

Events, however, are now dissipating this gloom: and the approaching session is likely to render their movements a subject of general attention.

Our anxiety to procure useful and authentic information for our readers, upon every subject connected with the cause of religious freedom, has led us to a diligent inquiry into the present condition of the English Catholic body, and we have been fortunate enough to obtain, through the channel of a correspondent in Liverpool, of eminent character and intelligence, the following statement, upon which we can perfectly rely.

The subject is somewhat new and original-the ground hitherto unbroken—and the matter various and detailed.

The total number of Catholics in England and Wales is computed to exceed 300,000. The principal Catholic counties are Lancashire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Northumberland. These, with Durham, Cheshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, and Worcestershire, (the next in number,) contain about 200,000. London and its suburbs, with Surrey and Middlesex, are rated at 50,000. The remaining 50,000 are thinly scattered throughout the other counties and cities-but chiefly in Bristol, Bath, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Southampton, Exeter, Gloucester, and a few watering places.

Some compute the total number at 400,000, and this we cannot positively contradict; but we rely with more confidence upon the proportionate population of the respective districts, as above given, than upon our computation of the aggregate amount.

Their classes are three-clergy, nobility, and commoners-and each forms a venerable, though decayed, monument of ancient worth and respectability!

I. CLERGY.-They have ceased, during upwards of two centuries, to possess any regular hierarchy. There are no bishops or priests, as in Ireland, officiating in appropriate diocesses or parishes. They are governed, in spirituals, by four superiors, called vicars apostolic; these vicars are deputed by the pope, and exercise vicarial powers revocable at pleasure. They are, indeed, bishops in the Catholic church, but do not enjoy episcopal authority in Britain; their sees are little more than nominal, or "in partibus," as it is termed as Centurien Castaballa, c. Each vicar has a district, therefore, assigned to him, not a see. Thus, Dr. Gibson in the northern; Dr. Milner in the midland; Dr. Poynter in the London; and Dr. Collingridge in the western district.

In like manner each priest has a separate district; not, however, any particular parish, but a "mission," and he is termed a "missionary!" He acts by virtue of a faculty, granted by the apostolic vicar of the district, and is removeable at his pleasure.

In Ireland, on the contrary, where the regular succession has been preserved, no bishop is removeable at the mere will of the pope-nor is any parish priest removeable at the mere will of his bishop. To effect such removal, there must exist a canonical cause, an accuser, a regular trial, sentence, and ratification.

It will be recollected, that Lord Redesdale, (in his speech in the lords, in May, 1803,) took upon him to state roundly, that the Catholic clergy in Ireland were wholly dependant upon the pope; and in

England, quite independent; a proof, amongst many, of his lordship's incaution and want of knowledge.

In every county of England there are Catholic chapels and congregations. Altogether there are about 900 chapels, mostly erected within the last twenty-five years; and generally clean, commodious, and well built. Lancashire alone counts upwards of one hundred Catholic chapels. Moreover, most of the Catholic country gentlemen of fortune maintain chapels in their houses. Service is performed daily in the private chapel, and the traveller is freely admitted to assist at the office.

In the summer 1813, Dr. Smith, (the vicar-assistant to the venerable Dr. Gibson,) in the northern district, confirmed the following numbers of Catholic children, in three towns alone:

Hence some estimate may be formed of the Catholic population of England.

II. PEERS.-The Catholic peers are seven in number, namely:

The presumptive heir to the dukedom of Norfolk* is also a Catholic. In Scotland there are two Catholic earls-Traquair and Newburgh. The Catholic baronets of England are seventeen in number, namely:

The principal names which have dropped off lately, either by deaths or conformity, have been those of Howard, Duke of Norfolk; Browne, Lord Montague; Roper, Lord Teynham; Favasour, Curzon, Acton, Mannock, Gascoigne, Fleetwood, Swinburne-all peers or baronets.

* The present duke.