and their numbers soon amounted to one hundred and fifty. The president, Allen, was advised to apply to the bishop of Rome for a further supply. His undertaking had already been applauded by the holy see; and Pius V., by a kind letter to Dr. Allen, encouraged him to proceed. All that follows belongs to the successors of that pope, who, although less sanguine and sanguinary than our Pius, could not, unless they turned their back upon all the principles of their church, forbear to give every practicable assistance to a society which was so zealously devoted to the maintenance and advancement of their own superstition. It would have been a historical acquisition to have been able to examine Pius's letter. It would probably have had some national interest. The hopes of re-establishment in this country were fast decaying, and excommunications and rebellions were beginning to be the only remaining dependence. The desperate and almost ferocious self-devotion of the members of this society, as recorded by a partisan, would be entitled to indulgent interpretation, if not a qualified admiration, were it not instantly recollected, that the object for which the contemplated sacrifice was pledged, was to rivet afresh on the

emancipated population of Britain, the chains of pontifical domination, of a loathsome and destructive idolatry, and of an abject surrender and repudiation of the word of God in an intelligible tongue. This consideration, which determines the entire merits of the case, gives to the zeal of these despisers of their own lives, and therefore masters of the lives of others, the same character which belongs to that of the insane devotee of Hindostan, who, with more innocence, because with no injury to others, hastens to place his body under the wheels of the car of Juggernaut *.

During the pontificate under review, there were three national synods celebrated-the

*Alanus in primis auctor fuit ut in unum collatis doctorum hominum studiis, ii qui in eo genere erant provecti, editis de Religione quæstionibus Schisma convellerent, tum ætate atque scientia minores alios in eandem palæstram colligerent, informarent, animarent, non ad fidem eminus tantum jactis sanioris doctrinæ telis propugnandam, sed ut cominus etiam in arenam descenderent in Patriam reduces, vitâ sanguine, si res ita ferret, ad avitos mores conservandos ritu Apostolico decertaturi.— Hæreticis simul metum injicerent, et acuerent furorem ; videbant enim hi, frustra jam carceribus, exilio, facultatum deprædatione, calumniis denique atque minis agi, ut Sacerdotum veterani eliminarentur, quando aliis atque aliis succrescentibus, nova seges emergeret, novæque copiæ, quibus quicquid ardui atque difficilis ostentari posset in optatis erat, &c. -Mori Hist. Miss. Ang. Soc. Jesu, &c., Audomari, (St. Omer,) 1660, p. 38. Had these missionaries prevailed, one of the first, and most certain, benefits would have been, the establishment of a complete Spanish tribunal of the Inquisition. Its virtues had been tried; and no truly papalized heart would have shrunk from its barbarity. Popery knows mercy only to immolate it at the shrine of her superstition.

first, at Naples, under cardinal Alfonso Caraffa; the second, more nearly connected with Rome, at Milan, where St. Carlo Borromeo presided, and which passed various decrees, 1. Respecting doctrine, the administration of the sacraments and the pastoral duties: 2. Respecting the mass, and divine offices: 3. Respecting the property and rights of churches and holy places: 4. Respecting nuns; the last at Malines, or Mechlin, concerning faith, the sacraments, and divers points of doctrine. Of these an account may be seen in the Collection of Councils, by Labbè.

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CHAPTER VI.

League against the Turk-Victory over the Turkish fleet in the Ionian sea-Pius's addresses to the different Powers-France-Marriage with the king of Navarre-Camillo Capilupi's Stratagema-Alessandrino's legation-Satisfied of the French king's intention-Pius's letter to Charles concerning the marriage-Four royal letters indicative of the intention of the court-Progress of the system of treachery -Direction to the event of the St. Bartholomew massacre-Its accomplishment-Monumens Inédits-Histoire des Massacres, and Diverses Lettres-The intelligence how received at Rome-Medal of Gregory XIII.-French medals.

WE are now arrived at an important era of the reign of Pius, and an event mainly of a martial description, in which his biographers expatiate with considerable detail, and as manifest triumph,-the accomplishment of a general league against the aggressions of the Turkish power, and its victorious results.

In the spring of the year 1570, Selim II., sultan, regardless of the solemn treaty of peace made by his father with the Venetians, demanded, by Cubat, his chiaus, or legate, the possession of the island of Cyprus, and prepared to seize it. In this difficulty the senate applied to the pope. The pope, who felt the cause to be a general one, and eminently personal to himself and his dominion, entered warmly into it, and proposed a league

of the Christian powers. He proceeded immediately to the work, and prevailed upon the king of Spain to furnish a considerable naval force, under the command of John Andrea Doria, who was to be subject to his own commander, or general of the church, Marcantonio Colonna, duke of Paliano. This arrangement produced, as might be expected, disagreements, which, for the future, were obviated by appointing Don John of Austria generalissimo of the league. The duke of Savoy was made general by land; and Colonna assumed the subordinate rank of lieutenant-general of the league. The pontiff is represented as placing great confidence in the efficacy of his own prayers; and a long and animated speech, made by him, and which is recorded, to the assembled deputies and ambassadors at Rome, is said to have produced a strong impression. The league itself was published on the 20th of May, 1571; and the conditions of it, amounting to twenty-four articles, are given at length. His holiness was not backward in contributions of his own, or at least those of the church. He laid an impost on the clergy; he granted a Cruzada to Spain; he sold the Camerlengato for 70,000 crowns; he laid the monas