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.

houses, a common pretext for such atrocities was to assert that they had crucified a Christian child, or insulted a crucifix, or profaned a consecrated wafer, and that the murder or the sacrilege had been discovered by miracle. A confession of the imputed crime was forced from the parties by torture,* after which they were put to the cruellest death that exasperated bigotry could devise. The supposed victim was then made a popular Saint, and the miraculous image, or carnified and bleeding host, became a popular object of devotion at their respective altars. Such instances, as you know, Sir, are numerous: I believe they have occurred in every country where the Papal power has been acknowledged, to the reproach of all; and in every instance the imposture and the crime have been sanctioned and appropriated by the Roman Catholic Church. Regardless alike of probability and humanity, the local ecclesiastical authorities entertained these charges, inconsistent, absurd, monstrous, and impossible as

* ... examinatis et enormiter quæstionatis are the significant words in the account of that miraculous Wafer, which stands at this day as an object of adoration upon its altar in the Church of St. Gudule at Brussels. There it remains, after more than four centuries, a memorial of some of the most atrocious cruelties that ever were perpetrated in the name of God, and a proof that the Romish Church at this day feels neither shame for its old impostures, nor compunction for its crimes.

they were,..contented with such proof as could be wrung from flesh and blood by the extremity of torture and the Popes encouraged all this by approving what had been done. They confirmed the people by their authority,..an authority pretending to be infallible, and received as such,.. in a credulity and a superstition which hardened their hearts. New Saints upon the faith of such stories were added to the kalendar,.. new services, in which these palpable and atrocious falsehoods were recited, were inserted in the Breviary; and the tales concerning the Wafer were published ad confundendum eos, qui isto tempore Venerabili Eucharistia Sacramento impiè derogabant.* Volumes, Sir, have been filled with such tales, all from the same mint of imposture, all bearing the stamp of the same impiety. The motives for inventing them have been as palpable as the frauds themselves are gross, and, what is of no small importance, there is evidence to show that this was understood and exposed at the time.†

* Basilica Bruxellensis, P. ii. p. 133.

In sacramento apparet caro, interdum humaná procuratione, interdum operatione diabolicá, said Alexander of Ales. This indeed was an old trick, and St. Irenæus reports that it was done by Marcus, that great heresiarch, that by his prayer he caused the eucharistical wine to appear as if it was turned into blood.--Jeremy Taylor, vol. x. 491.

When Sixtus IV. canonized one of these imaginary Saints, the mischief of thus accrediting such a legend was so obvious that the Venetian government remonstrated against it, and declared its belief that the whole story was a fable,* trumped up at Trent (the seat of the supposed Martyr) for a purpose which the rulers of that city were ashamed to own.

* Basnage, v. 2019. M. Un. Hist. v. 593. There are two letters of Sixtus IV. upon this subject in the larger collection of Martene and Durand, t. ii. 1512. 1516. One is to the Bishop of Trent, telling him that, though he has no doubt all things have been done rightly and juridically in this business, non desunt tamen plerique principes, qui factum hoc quodam modo improbent et accusent, et in aliam partem rem accipiant quam accipi debeat, nec tantum de tuâ fraternitate, sed de apostolicá sede ob id quæri videantur. The other is addressed to all the authorities throughout Italy, ut Simonem puerum a Judæis interfectum pro sancto haberi prohibeant; it complains that books and pictures were sold, and sermons preached, instigating the people against the Jews, and says that an inquiry into the affair was then pending. The inquiry ended in canonizing St. Simon. The reader who consults Mr. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints will see it asserted there that the fact was fully proved upon the Jews, and that God confounded all their endeavours to prevent the discovery. But if he will examine the details in the Acta SS. (Mart. t. iii. pp. 494-502.) he will see that there was neither proof, nor shadow of proof, except a confession forced by tortures so extreme that one of the parties died in consequence; and that no person who ventures to use his understanding could for a moment entertain a story so utterly improbable in all its parts.

EE