they did not obtain a fifth part of their value... After this he was on the point of expelling them from his dominions upon the declaration of some converted Jewesses that they were possessed, and that the Jews, in revenge for their conversion, had sent the Devils into them. A BeneIdictine obtained this confession from the Evil Spirits by the usual process, and reported it to the Pope, who was proceeding to these violent measures in consequence, when happily a Jesuit interfered, and took on this occasion the part of common sense and humanity. He ventured to doubt whether, under such circumstances, a detachment of Devils would be placed under the Jews' orders; and a few stripes, which were administered upon his suggestion, drew from the demoniacs a truer avowal than holy water and the formula of exorcism had drawn from the Devils within them. They confessed that they had been suborned to act this part by certain persons about the Papal Court, who expected to obtain grants from the property which would be confiscated in consequence. Upon this discovery the Pope blest God that the Jesuit had saved him from the commission of a great crime,* and said that thenceforth he

* Basnage, v. 2027.

would pray for the conversion of the Jews, but never molest them more.

That fierce bigot Pius V. sent out a roaring bull against them, accusing them of magic* among other things, and expelling them from all places in his dominions, except Rome and Ancona. For this exception he assigned two reasons, one of which was that of a Pope, and the other that of a Politician. The first was that he retained them in his capital, in order that the Christians, by seeing them, might be reminded of our Saviour's sufferings, and that they themselves might be in the way of conversion, and become less wicked by living in the vicinity of the Popes: the other was because they were useful in carrying on a trade with the Levant, and in contributing to the revenue. This Bull was repealed by his successor, but re-enacted by Clement VIII. who permitted them however to establish themselves once more at Avignon, and there to enjoy what the Romish Church considers a liberal toleration, when it is to grant toleration and not to receive it. They were allowed to profess their religion there, and live after their own law; but they

*M. Univ. Hist. v. 596.

+ Basnage, v. 2029.

+ lb. 2030. M. U. Hist. 596.

were compelled to wear yellow hats to distinguish them from other people, and every evening at seven o'clock they were locked up in their quarter. * Innocent XI. was alarmed at observing that the people of Rome began to frequent the Synagogues. It would be curious if the unreasonableness of the dominant religion, and the palpable disbelief of it which the higher clergy† took little pains to conceal, should, in the days of Popery, as is known to have been the case in the days of Paganism, have led reflecting and pious minds to seek in the Jewish faith for that peace,§ which nothing

* This was an improvement upon what their condition had been in the beginning of the century, when they served as a standard whereby to measure degradation and oppression... plus serfs et plus esclaves que les Chrestiens en Turquie, et les Juifs' en Avignon, is a comparison which occurs in the Satyre Menippée.

† Erasmus is sufficient authority for this. At ego Romæ his auribus audivi quosdam abominandis blasphemiis debacchantes in Christum, et in illius apostolos, idque multis mecum audientibus, et quidem impunè. Ibidem multos novi, qui commemorabant se dicta horrenda audisse à quibusdam sacerdotibus aula Pontificia ministris, idque in ipsâ Missâ, tam clarè, ut ea vox ad multorum aures pervenerit.-Epist. Lit. 26. Ep. xxxiv. 1456.

Michaelis, Comm. on the Laws of Moses, iii. 429.

§ It is remarkable that Erasmus more than once expresses a fear lest Judaism should be extending itself. This can only have been because he perceived how likely it was that a rea

but religious belief can impart. The ceremonies of the Synagogue (in England at least) are not remarkable for any imposing effect, nor even for decorum: Innocent, however, thought it necessary to forbid the Romans from attending there, to impose a fine of twenty crowns for the offence, and to threaten the offenders with excommunication. This Pope made some alteration* in the means which Gregory XIII. had prescribed for furthering the conversion of the Jews. Gregory had appointed a weekly sermon on Saturdays, at which a third part of all the Jews in Rome above twelve years old were compelled to attend, the subject being always the truth of Christianity, and the sinfulness of their unbelief. It may be supposed how willingly they attended, and how devoutly they listened they even testified their dislike by committing certain irreverences in the church. To prevent such profanation, Innocent gave order that the sermons should be preached in an unconsecrated building; that the auditors might not be unnecessarily offended, he enjoined the preacher in his prayer to pronounce the

sonable faith, resting upon sure records, might attract persons who were disgusted with the gross fables and grosser practices of the Romish Church.

* M. Un. Hist. v. 599.

names of Jesus and Mary in a low voice; and to keep them silent during the discourse, he stationed a beadle who was to walk between the benches with a long wand in his hand,* and. rap those over the knuckles whom he observed either talking† or smiling.

Were we now, Sir, to strike a balance, the stock of merits, on the score of humanity toward the Jews, to be carried to the Popes' account, would not suffice for such an indulgence as may be bought for sixpence with a print of N. Senhora de Nazareth, or any other privileged image of the polyonymous Virgin. But there remain two prominent parts of this subject which have not yet been touched on; and both are counts in that indictment for imposture and wickedness, which history prefers against the Roman Catholic Church. During those ages when the Jews were objects of popular hatred throughout Christendom, and when the slightest excitement sufficed for setting the rabble loose to butcher them and sack their

* Basnage, v. 2045.

+ N.B. "The Pope has revived, in all their former strictness, the laws against the Jews. They are obliged to dwell in a certain quarter of Rome only, and to wear a distinguishing badge; the men a yellow covering on their hats, and the women a yellow ribbon on the breast."-Morning Herald, Nov. 16, 1825.