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Emiliane, Fabriele
THE
IF R A U DS
0 F
Romiß MONKS
AND
PRIESTS
Ser forth in
Eight LETTER S.
The FIFTH
EDITION.
Lately WRITTEN
By a Gentleman, in his Journey into IT ALT.
And publish'd for the Benefit of the Publick.
LONDON,
Printed for R. WILKIN, D. MIDWINTER)
A. BETTESWORTH, B. MOTTE, and J. LACY.
MDCCXXV
BX
2139
.A2
E53
1725
TO THE
R E A D E R
T muſt be granted, That the Publick have been
juſt in the kind Reception they have given to
the LETTERS of Dr. Burnet,late the Right Re-
verend Biſhop of Salisbury, concerning his Voyage
to Italy. The Truth of his Relations hath been
own’d by all thoſe who have had the Curioſity to
Viſit thoſe Countries, and given occaſion to the
Learned to make curious Reflections upon them.
But above all, I have obſerved, the Palo
ſages he hath inſerted by the bye about ſome
of their Religious Practices, have particu-
larly pleaſed the Engliſh Nation, who (above
al!) abominate Popery. 'Tis this Conſideration at
firſt, that begat a Deſire in me to publiſh many
other Particulars on this Subject, eſpecally upon
the Lives and Practices of Romiſh Prieſts and Monks;
which were known to me, as having been a Secular
Prieſt of the ſame Church, and could not come. fo.
eaſily to the Knowledge of others.
The Reaſon why I was ſo Inquiſitive, is ſet down
at the beginning of my Firſt LETTER: I ſhall only
add. That thoſe who are acquainted with the Spirit
of Rome, will find no difficulty to believe the Mat.
ters of Fact here related much leſs to venture their
Credit in denying them, ſince they are ſtill expos'd
to publick View ; and as many as go thither, may
bę lo many Witneiles of them.
If


To the Reader.
If at any time I make uſe of ſome Expreſſions
which may ſeem to have too much Lightneſs in them,
I défire my Reader to attribute this to the Subiect;
and to conſider, That as ſerious things ought not to
be expreſt in a Focular Style; ſo neither is it poſſible
to utter ridiculous Matters with a becoming Gra.
vity:
Nor do I believe, That the Papiſts will have any
reaſon to complain of me, as they commonly do of
thoſe that leave them, ſaying That they make it their
chief Buſineſs, to expoſe them without Bounds or Mead
ſure. For the Truth is, I have ſtill Matter enough
in ſtore to fill another Volume as big as this, which
might ſerve for a Second Part : But I chuſe to ſtop
here, and give them an occaſion rather of Com
mending my Moderation, than of Complaining of
my doing too much.
Laſtly, Foraſmuch as thoſe obſervations made in
my Travels, have much conduced to the Change of
my Religion ; fo (I truſt in God) the Publication
of them will have a good effect upon others, by O.
pening the Eyes of the People of the Roman Church;
by Diſcouraging thoſe that Seduce them; and by
putting Proteſtants upon Rendring hearty Thanks
to God, for having delivered them from lo miſera-
ble a Slavery.
This (Candid Reader) is the principal Aim I had
in Publidhing this Book. Farewel.
G, d'E, E,A,P.
THE
The DEDICA THON.
tronage and reſolving (by the Bleſſing of
God) always to make good the Chara.
Eter of
MY LORD,
Your Lordſhip's moſt Humble and
Moſt Obedient Servant,
G. dE. E.A.P.

ofgastsetestet og
stovkoutoutilitaristelseledkeestis

TO

事
​
13-39774!
To the Right Honourable
Τ Η Ε
EARL of Nottingham,
His Majeſty's" Principal Secretary
of State, c.

MY LORD,
TO
rt wou'd be a great Preſumption in
me (who am a Stranger in this
Country) to appear in this Public manner
without the Protection of ſome Great
Name. That of Your Lordſhip is dea
ſervedly ſuch, ſeeing to the Greatneſs
of Tour Birth, You have added the highw
eſt Qualities of Wiſdom and Vertue,
and diſcharged the Public Trufts of Touskettim
eminent
A 2

The DEDICATION.
eminent Station, ſo much to the ſatiſ-
faction of all good Men.
I find (wherefoever I go ) great
Numbers of thoſe who highly Honour the
Memory of Your Lordſhip’s Father,and
Speak of Him as of a Friend and an Or.
nament of the Church, a Pillar of the
State, an Oracle of the Law, a Judge
and Pairon of Learning and Learned
Men, an Encourager of Perſons of found
Principles and good Lives; a bountiful
Support of thoſe of our Country, who
bave fled hither for meer Conſcience
fake; and a Worthy Example of So-
briety, Juſtice, and Charity,
Your Lordſhip following ſo Excellent
a Father with equal steps, I preſum
to make this my Humble Application to
You in this Book, which with an honeſt
Deſign I have Written and Publiſb’d, re
fting ſecure under Your Lordſhip’s Pa
tronage

The CONTENTS.
56
Dreadful Examples to this purpoſe.
The Do&trin of the Reformed Churches little known in
Italy.
66
Proteſtants repreſented to the people under the Name
of infidels, and No Chriſtians.
69
The Engliſh Church more proper to convince the Papiſts
of their Error, than any other Reformed Church. 71
The great Caution the Pope takes to prevent the Impor.
tation of proteſtant Books into Italy.
14
The Government of Prieſts, inſupportaable
.
75
77
The Third LETTER,
Of the Hoſpitals and Pilgrims of Italy.
78
The Monks and Prieſts have converted the Re-
venues belonging to them, to their own uſe. 80
Superſtition of the Italians at Luca, Piſa and Flo-
fence; and more particularly of the Famous Devotion
of the Annunciation of the Bleſſed Virgin. 97
The deſcription of ſome Famous Monaſteries, viz. The
Great Camaldule, Valombroſa, and Averne, ſeated
on the higheſt Mountains of the Apennine.
The Spirit of theſe Three forts of Monks
The Great Jubilee of our Lady of Portcuncule. 120
A Story concerning the Bodies of S. Dominick and s.
Francis, at Alliſe.
The Old Franciſcan Convent, compared with thoſe
of this time.
124
DOO
ΙΙΟ
I 22
The Fourth LETTER
125
F Fournying to Loretto
126
The manner how Gentlemen and Ladies go in Pil,
grimage to this place.
I3I
Ridiculous Fables about the Chappel of Loretto.
The
136
och det
THE
CONTENTS
OF THE
Principal Relations contain’d in the
Enſuing LETTERS.
The Firſt LETTER,
P: 1
O polisen genoeg

2
3
F Relicks, and the ill uſe that is made of the
in the Church of Rome, to deceive the peo-
ple
..
Some curious Relations on this Subject.
A Deſcription of the Famous Abbey of Citeaux, and af
the great Chartreuſe of Grenoble.
The Diſorderly and Voluptuous Life of thoſe Monks,
and the Artifices they make uſe of to advance their
Temporal Profit, by abuſing the Credulity of Secu-
lars.
21
33
The Second LETTER.
38
OF
F the Corrupt, Ambitious, and Revengeful Spirit
of the Roman Clergy.
39
The Inquiſition is a ready means to ſatisfie their Cruelty
and Revenge.
5.1
Dread.
The CONTENTS,
The Cheats that are in vogue there ; and the vaſt Gain
the Popes and Jefuits dram thënce.
137
What properly an Italian Miracle is.
Many curious Relations to this purpoſe.
150
The Myſtical Life, and Humour of thoſe perſons who
profeſs it in Italy.
171

144
The Fifth LETTER
178
179
OF
Fthe Italian Feſtivals and Confraternities.
And the ſcandalous uſe the Prieſts and Monks
make of them.
As likewiſe of the Do&trin of Purgatory and Maſſes.
181
212
The Sixth LETTER.
232
THE
He deplorable Abuſe of Preaching in Italy. 233
The Prieſts and Monks have entirely converted
the Miniſtry to their Temporal Advantage. 24.0
Preachers of the publick Places.
250
Children-Preachers,
256
Preachers with the Red Cap, or Miſionaries. 261
Horrid", Profaneneſs of Eaſter-Day Sermons. 267
The Bleſſing of Eaſter Eggs.
270
Grate preachers, or Preachers to Nuns.
271

The Seventh LETTER,
275
281
Of the Proceſſions of Italy.
276
Ridiculous Follies practis'd at them.
Images Veild for ſeveral Tears together and to what
end.
282
Croſs-Bearers and Diſciplinarians.
Jeſuits
291

The CONTENTS,
Jeſuits going in proceſſion at Venice, chuſe rather to
aſſociate themſelves with Coblers, than with the
Ciergy.
297
Mangers made a Shew of at Chriſtmas.
315
Of Exorciſts, and poſſesſed Perſons.
318
The Eighth LETTER.
322
THE
He Corruptions of Italian Prieſts and Monks, in
their Do&trin and Morals,
ibid.
The uſe they make of their valt Revenues, and the Scan-
dalous Lives they lead,
334
Pleaſant Hiſtories of their Amours, and how they aban.
don themſelves to Fornication, Adultery,Inceſt, and
Sodomy; inſtead of the Sacred Tye of Marriage,
mbich they condemn and abbor.
345
or at
THE

The FRAUDS of
Romiſh Monks and Prieſts,
In Eight LETTERS.
LETTER I. Of RELICKS, &c.
Y
OU have not forgot, Sir, that in the laſt
Converſation we had together in France
upon the account of Religion , I made
you acknowledge, That the Proteſtant Rea
ligion was more ſuitable to Reaſon, than the Romih,
which you profeſs. It is true, that by an Evalion
more ſubtle than ſolid, you was pleaſed to call that
Reafon, Human Reason, ſupported by Senſe, which
jou ſaid, was the Rock on which the purity of
Faith commonly ſplits and ſuffers Shipwreck; and
that you deſired Faith to be the Foundation of your
Religion, with excluſion of everything elſe
and as you (with your Divines ) freely owned an
hundred ſeveral Miracles in Tranſubſtantiation,
you were pleaſed to tell me , That that was a My-
ſtery of Faith, which ought rather to be humbly a-
dored., than rafhly pry'd into. Whereupon, when I
took
5
E

2
The Firſt L E T T E R
ز
took the liberty to tell you, That in the mean time,
foraſmuch as my Reaſon was given me by God, to
make uſe of it in the ſearching out the Truth, I
could not but think it hard,to reject the Light it of.
fers, ſeeing that without it I was like-one, who be.
ing fallen into a deep Water and finding no bottom
to foot upon , is drown'd and loft. You reply'd,
That if I inclin'd to follow Reaſon, you would loon
furniſh me with Guides able to ſatisfie an ho.
neſt Mind ; and that I needed only to caſt my Eye
on ſo many Learned Men, Loth Monks and Prieſts,
who are the Light of the World, the main Props
and Pillars of the Church, who by the Integrity of
their Life, and the Purity of their Doctrin, uphold
the Temple of God here upon Earth ; That it was
morally impoſſible, that ſo inany Learned Men
ſhould all of them be involv'd in Error; and that the
agreeing Conſent of ſo many excellent Spirits appea.
red to you a ſufficiently firm Foundation to eſtabliſh
and fix a reaſonable Mind. You proceed to ſpeak
to me with earneſtneſs of the Modeſty that becomes
thoſe who have only a mean Capacity ; which,
you know, I was ſo far from being offended at, thar
on the contrary, as being berter than any one elſe
acquainted with my own Mediocrity,I thank'd you
for your Advice; adding, That how uſeful other
wiſe it might be, yet ought it nor to ſtop ine in my
ſearch after Truth. And foraſmuch as ſome tiine
after, partly out of Devotion, and partly out of Cui
riolity, I happen'd to undertake a Voyage into Italy,
and upon that occaſion calling to mind low in my
Scruples about Religion you referred mne to you
Prięſis and Monks, I made it my buſineſs, more than
otherwiſe I would have done, to examin their
Life and Conduct, to try whether I could find them
a ſufficient and rational Foundation,as you pre:end,
12
Of Reliets, &c.
3
to aſſure and confirm a Perſon, who already begun
to doubt of the Truth of your Principles. And
it ſeems, indeed, That God took a particular
care, to diſpoſe all things towards my full and
fatisfactory Inforination herein, during the whole
courſe of my Travels.
At my ferring forth from Paris, I affociared my
ſelf with a Benedictin Monk of a Reformed Con.
gregation, a Man of ſufficient Learning, and
whoſe Wit and other good Qualities, had ſo far
recommended him to the Religious of his Order
as to ſend him a ſecond time in quality of their
Procurator, and Solicitor-General to the Court of
Rome. His Perſon and Port were very advanta .
geous and he had a ſubtle Wit, very proper to
humour the Cardinals, and to infinuate himſelf
with the Pope ; and on this Journey , we took
our Way through the Country of Brie, and ſo
through Burgundy; and upon the Road we cale
led at ſeveral Monaſteries of his Order, where
we were received and treated very civilly; and
where I had an opportunity of making ſome'
Obſervations, which I thought not unworthy of
your Knowledge ; and therefore have made them
the Subject of this LETTER; after which,
intend with the firſt occaſion, in caſe I find,
Sir, that theſe prove welcome to you, to impart
fome other Matters I have obſerved fince my
entring into Italy.
We arrived the Thirteenth of July, ar a little
Town on the Confines of the Country of Aux.
erre, called Flavigny. It is a place of little con
fideration at prelent, tho' very famous by read
ſon of a Pilgrimage which has been continued
there a long time ſince, in honour of a certain
Sainteſs called Reine, and very infamous for the
B 2
Con.


I
1
0

4 The Firft L ETT ER
the very
Conteſts and Impoſtures which were in their
vigor when we paſſed that way. The Hiſtory, in
ſhort, is this : An holy Woman, named Reine,
ſuffered Martyrdom about Aliſe, a little Village
ka League diſtant from Flavigny ; and the
Ground of that Country generally abounding
with Mineral Waters, foine conſiderable time
after the Monks of Flavigny made a ſearch for the
Body of this Saint, and Informed the people,
That when ſhe was Beheaded, ar
Place where her Head lighred on the Ground,
a Spring (known by Experience to be much
conducing to the Healing of the Sick) bubbled
up at that very inſtant, for a perpetual Miracle,
in witneſs of God's approbation of the Confeſſi:
on of Faith made by his Handmaid. This
Error being afterwards carried on for many Ages
in the Minds of the People, and become the
inore incurable for its long ſtanding, it happen'd
ſome years ſince, that the Fathers, Cordeliers
,
who are Religious of the Order of S. Francis, a
ſort of People fubtle and very crafty, obtained
leave of the Biſhop of the Place, to build a lit-
rle Chappel about the ſaid Spring, whereof
they took poſſeſſion to the great regret of the
Monks of the Order of S. Bennet, who had been all
along the ancient and peaceable Poffeſſors of all
the Relicks of S. Reine ; who foon found low
dangerous it was, to have ſuch fy Fellows for
their Neighbours; and the falſe Step they had
made, in neglecting to make themſelves Maſters
of a Spring of Warer, fo fruitful in Bielling
and which was not above a I eague diſtant from
their Monaſtery. Indeed, the Cordeliers knew
much better to improve this Advantage, than
the Benedictins had done ; inſomuch that the De
votioi
Of Reli&is, &c.
votion very ſenſibly increaſed, in a ſhort tiines
to the conſiderable profit of theſe good Fellows,
who not contenting themſelves with being the
Maſters of the miraculous Spring, but reſolving
ta draw to themſelves the intire Devotion of
thar Pilgrimage, they pretended to have a con-
fiderable part of the Rody of that Saint; and
accordingly they expoſed to publick View, as
they pretended, a whole Arm of her by which
means, within leſs than a League's ſpace, the
monſtrous fight was to be ſeen of a Saint with
Three Arms, to the great aſtoniſhment and
ſcandal of the People thereabouts, and of an
infinite number of Travellers and Pilgrims, who
relort thither from all Parts. Would to God
that this Impofture, as well as many others, e-
very wbit as ſtrange, had the power to open
the Eyes of thoſe poor People, to diſcover once
for all, how theſe wretched Monks do abuſe
them; how eafily then would they perceive, chao
not only the Bones they adore are very uncer-
tain, as reiung Onty on the faith of Perfors
who indeed have none at all; but beſides ,thac
that Spring never was miraculous, but only an
excellent Mineral Water, as may be gather'd
from the nature of the Soil, and by the con.
ſent of many Famous Naturaliſts and Phyſicians,
who have learnedly created on this Subject. I
could, Sir, have heartily with’d you preſenc
when the Father (Guardian of that Convent)
who took the Pains himſelf to Thew
us the
fair Buildings and Gardens, which were the
Product of the Monies brought in by that Devo-
tion, enter'd upon the Diſcourſe of his prerended
Relick, which he had the impudence to ſhow
us ; for I aſſure my ſelf, you would have ſoon
B 3
recover'a




6 The Firſt LETTER,
recover'd of the too favourable Opinion yori
have conceiv'd for this kind of Men. He pro.
teſted, not without an horrid Blaſphemy, That
for his part, he did not more firmly believe the
Myſtery of the Holy Trinity, than he was con.
vinced of the Truth of this Relick; notwithſtand.
ing that the Biſhop of the Place had abſolutely
forbid them to expoſe it any more to publick
View. It would be too ridiculous to give you
a relation of the way and manner by which he
aſſur'd us this Arin had been found by them ſo
far as to mingle with it the Revelations of his
Brethren, the Cordeleers, and the miniſtry of An.
gels, which is the ordinary way made uſe of
by the Church of Rome, for introducing and
authorizing their Superſtitious Worthip. The
only Reflection I deſire you to inake on this oc-
cafion, is, That certainly it is a pitiful and lamen,
table thing, to ſee that the Roman Catholicks, who
do not want Men of Wit and Parts amongſt them
are yet ſo obftinate, that they will not be diſa.
bus:d, potwithſtanding they ſee every day inany
things ſufficient to withdraw them from their
Error : So that we have reaſon to believe, That
by a juſt Judgment of God, becauſe they render
to Saints and Sainteſſes a Worſhip that is only
due to God, they are ſuffer'd to give the ſame
to thoſe things, which they are well aſſur’d,
do not deſerve it. The moſt part of their Divines
maintain, That when a Devotion is once ſer on
foot, notwithſtanding that the Subject in which
ir terminates ſhould be afterwards found to be
falſe and ſuperſtitious, and ſo unworthy of ſuch
Worſhip; yet that in Conſcience the courſe of it
ought not to be ſtopc: Becauſe (ſay they) the
Scandal which by this means muſt needs be oc.
cafond,
of Reli&ts, &c.
7
never
cafion'd, would be a much greater Evil, than
that which we deſign to take away; and becauſe
the Simplicity of a deluded People, whoſe in-
tention is always right and pure, is much more
pleaſing to God, than a too great cautelouſneſs
and fear of being deceived, which might in the
end engage them to call in queſtion all manner
of Relicks and Miracles, which they look upon
as a very great Evil. But the naked Truth is,
This would give a great ſtroke towards the
diminiſhing of their Temporal Profits, there being
a Pilgrimage which does not afford
thern very confiderable ones by the infinite nuin-
ber of Prayers and Maſſes, which are there pro.
cured, and are all rated at a very high Price.
I can give yout on this Subject a reſult of a Conë
ference at which I was preſent my ſelf, ſome
time ago, at Blois in France upon occaſion of fe-
veral Relicks kept in the Pariſh of S. Viftar
two Leagues diftant from thiar Ciry. Theſe Re-
licks were much out of order, in old Wooden Caſes,
all Worm eaten and rotten with Age, which hin.
der'd them from being carried in Proceiiion, and
expoſed to publick View. The concern therefore
was to have them more modifhly accommodated.
To this end the Biſhop of Chartres was Petition'd
to perforin the Tranſation, who preſently ſent
his Order to the Archdeacon of Blois for that
purpoſe; who aſſembled ſeveral of the Clergy,
to conſult with the Curate and Prieſts of S.
Vi&tor, about the Precautions to be obſerved in
that Tranſlation: The Reſolution was, Thar to a-
void the Scandal that might happen, if nothing
Thould chance to be found in the Old Cafes, and
to prevent the declining of the good Opinion
and Devotion of the people, in caſe only ſome
few

E A

The Firf LEITER,
few Bones ſhould be found in them, the tranf-
portation of them into the new ones ſhould not
be done in publick, but as private as poſſibly
might be in the preſence only of ſome prudent
Perſons, who might be ready to remedy al
forts of Accidents upon occaſion: I was deſired by
ſome Friends of the Archdeacon, to be preſent
with them; and I can affure you Sir, that the
Reſolution was taken, if it ſhould chance that
nothing were found in the Cares, to maintain
peremptorily, That the Bodies of the Saints were
there mbote and entire. And to allay ſomewhat the
Scruples that might ftart by occaſion of this pro-
ceeding, a Canon of S. Saviour's Church of Bluis,
a Man reſolute and of a ſmall Conſcience, main.
tain'd in the Face of the Aſſembly, that no dif-
kculty ought to be made of afferring ſuch a
thing, tho' altogether falſe ; That in a caſe where
the Jozęreft of the Church was concerned, all man-
ner of Reſpects and Sentiments whatſoever wêre
to be ſacrificed and given up ; That the Myſteries
of the Catholicks were not to be expofed to
che Raillery of the Hereticks (ſo they call the
Proteſtants) who would not fail to mock at them
as ſoon as they ſhould underſtand, that nothing
had been found in the Caſes of S. Victor, which
for ſo long a time had been the Object of the
peoples Adoration ; beſides, That the Devotion
of Laicks, in aſlifting the Clergy, was already
ſo far cooled, that ſcarce any thing now was to
be gor from thein, but by ſome pious Fraud, or
holy Artifice. The Archdeacon heard all his Dif-
courſe without contradicting him in the leaſt ;
and the Curate of the Pariſh, as being the per-
ſon moſt concern'd in the Caſe, very officioudy
return'd him his moſt hearty thanks. This done,
they
*
Of Reliels, &c.
they proceeded to the opening of the Caſes; and
the truth is, Bones either of Saints, or no Saints,
were found in them. In the mean time, a
Monk of the Abby of $. Lomer in Bloss who
was preſent, cried out at the very inſtant, That
he ſmelt a very ſweer Odour which proceeded
from them, wherewith he was ſo ſtrongly ſeized
that it was like to overcome him. A young Re-
ligious (his companion) ſeconded him immediate.
ly, and ſome Country People of the Pariſh
proteſted the very ſame thing The Archdeacon,
and the reſt of the company freely declared,
that they ſmelt nothing: Yer foraſinuch as it
might be, that thoſe perſons having ſome more
particular Merit before God, heinight think
them worthy of receiving the like Favours ; it
was order'd, that their Atteſtation ſhould be re.
ceived, and ſet in the Margent of the Verbal
Proceſs, which was then making of that Tranſ.
lation, the Original whereof was to be ſhut up
with the Relicks in the new Caſes. I had the
curioſity fomne weeks afrer, in the time of Vin-
tage, to examin ſome of theſe perſons about
the Odour they pretended to have ſmelt, of what
kind it was ; whereupon ſome of them ſaid it
was the ſcent of a Roſe, others of Jeſſamin, and
others of a Violet: But finding thar they faultred
in their Expreſſions, and ſmiled withal, I took oc-
calion to preſs them more ſeriouſly, ſo that at
the upſhot they confeſſed, that the good Opinion
they had of the two Monks, which firſt ſtarted
the matter,
had drawn them in, and in a manner
forced their Imagination to make them believe
that they ſmelt that, which they never had ſmelt
indeed. This ingenuous Confeſſion of theirs,
made me to ſeek an opportunity to diſcourſe
there

B5

IO
The First LETTER,
theſe two Monks : I went to ſee the youngeſt of
them, and after I had given him two or three
Vifits of Civility, to increaſe familiarity, I ob-
tained leave of his Superior for him, to accom .
pany me to a Country-Houſe, where after friend-
ly Entertainment given him, I put him upon the
marter of the Relicks of S Vietor. The young
Monk overcome by my Kindneſs, aſſured me he
would open his heart to me as to his own Bro-
Icher
j
that the Truth was, he had not ſmelt any
Yuch miraculous Odour, which he then arreſted;
bur that partly, thar he might not contradict
his Companion, and partly by a ſudden ſhame thar
furprized him, left he ſhould not ſeem to be as much
graced with Heavenly favours as his Brother, had
made him to depoſe againſt his Conſcience, for
which afterwards he was ſomewhat troubled. Buc
Farther (ſaid I) how can you be at peace, without un-
Yaying again whatyou ſo openly averr'd and depos'd,
and this in honour to Truth? The Devil is the Father
of Lies, and you cannot pretend to the quality of a
Child of God withour deſtroying the work of the Dee
vil,whereof your ſelf have been the Inftrument : He
anſwer'd, That he had conſulted with his Supe.
riors about the matter, and that the general Rule
they had given him, to paſs over Scruples of that
nature was, to conſider whether the thing under.
taken or exerted into act, were oppoſite to the
Glory of God, or the good and advantage of his
Order : That it was not againſt the Glory of God,
to advance the Honour of one of his Saints ; e-
specially when ſome Circumſtances, that were both
glorious and profitable to that Order, engaged in
che doing of it; and that all the evil that could be
ſuppoſed in the caſe came but to this, to ſay, That
God had done what he night have done, and
which

of Relills, &c.
II
which he hath done on many other occaſions,
which at the higheſt could be no more than a
ſmall Venial Sin; as (they ſay) all Lies are, that
do not infringe Juſtice ; that is to ſay, that do no
Body any harm. Having thus got this Truth out
of himn ; I had no more to do now, but to convince
the old Monk, which it was not poſſible for me to
do, for he continually perſiſted in aſſerting the
truth of what he had depoſed, ay and much more;
for he added, that the Odour had followed himn
every where, as long as the leaſt duſt of thoſe
Sacred Relicks was left upon his Cloaths. In
the mean time this did not hinder me from
conſidering, that all the Credibility of this Mi-
racle was now reduc'd to the Conſcience of one
ſingle perſon ; upon whom the affirmations of all
the Deponents reſted, and that whenever theſe
Caſes ſhould chance again to be open’d, in which
the Verbal Proceſs was ſhut up (as Superſtition
is uſed to get ſtrength by length of time) this
Miracle would come to be deliver'd with as
much aſſurance, as a great many other moſt falſe
and ridiculous ones are in the Church of Rome.
I was the more willing, Sir, to repreſent this to
your Confideration, as being a thing which hap-
ned in your Neighbourhood, and whereof you
may fully inform your ſelf, whenſvever you
pleaſe; that fo finding the Faithfulneſs of my Re.
Jation in this particular, you may be the more dil-
poſed to give credit to what I llall write to you
concerning Forein Countries. I returi now to my
Voyage. From Falvigny we went to Dijon the Me-
tropolis of the Durchy of Burgundy, where I was
Eye witneſs of a horrid Cheat, practiſed by the
Men of the Church: I do not relate that Paffage

The First LETTER,
to you ſo much for its own ſake, but to the end
you may make the Reflection upon it, of great
importance to our preſent Subjeđ. We took a
walk to the Chappel, where he ſhiewed us many
Relicks, that were indeed very ridiculous ; and a-
mongſt the reſt, that which they call the holy
Hoft of Wafer, from whence they tell us, Blood
iſſued in great abundance, after that a Proteſtant
had in ſeveral places ſtabbed it with a Knife ;
that upon his ſo doing the Wafer was chang’d
into an Infant, and from an Infant to a Wafer
again, as it was before. Whereupon entring into
diſcourſe, we at laſt were inſenſibly led to this
Queſtion, Hope it came to paſs, that at preſent
abere were not ſo many Miracles to be ſeen, as in for.
mer times ? In anſwer to which, the Canon who
ſhew'd us the Relicks, told us, That in the Abby
of S. Benignus, in the ſaine City there were al.
moſt every day Miracles wrought at an Altar of
the Bleſſed Virgin, where Still-born Children
were reſtored to life for ſome moments, till they
could be made parrakers of the Sacrament of
Baptiſm ; which was look'd upon as a very grear
happineſs for them, foraſmuch as according to the
Opinion of the Church of Rome, Infants dying in
that inanner, cannot be ſav'd by the Faith of their
Parents, but go down to a dark place they call
Limbus, which is made expreſs for them, and
where they are to continue for ever, without ſuf.
fering the puniſhment of Senſe, becauſe they
have never finned by the inducement of the Sen-
ſes; but where notwithſtanding they muſt under-
go Penam Damni, or Puniſament of Loſs,
which conſiſts in the privation of the Bearifick
Vilion, that being a puniſhment due to Original
Sin. We cannot imagin, that any Fathers or Mo-
thers

Of Reliets, &c.
thers fhould be ſo pitileſs and unnatural, as rather
to deſire to ſpare their money, then to reſcue
their Children from ſo deplorable a condition,
by having Prayers and Maſſes ſaid for them ar
the ſaid Altar: So that this was the Trade dris
ven by the Religious of that Abby. We went
therefore about 10 of the Clock in the Morning
to that Church, where we ſaw the miraculous Im-
age of the Virgin, commonly called the Little,
our Lady of S. Benignus, and two Still-born
Children who had already lain two days being
black and livid, and very noiſom. The Parents
who were of the beſt Families of Dijon had
(during theſe two days) procured above 200 Maſ.
ſes to be ſaid in that Church, ar a. Crown a-
piece, in order to obtain from God, by interceſ-
ſion of the ſaid Image, and by the Prayers of
the Religious of thar Abby, ſo much life for
theſe poor Infants as might be ſufficient for
them, only to receive the Sacrament of Baptiſm.
The Monks would very gladly have deferr'd
their Reſurrection for a day longer ; but the bodies
were already ſo far corrupted, that it was almoſt
impoſſible to abide in the Church, by reaſon of
che offenſiveneſs of the ſtrench that came from
them : So that as it hapned we- came in the very
nick of tiine, to ſee the performance of it. To.
wards Noon, which was the time of the laſt Maſs
2. young Fryer, who ſerved, at the Altar, going
to carry the Maſs Book to that fide where the
Goſpel is read, hit with his Arm, either wittingly
or by chance, the Table of the Altar, upon
which the Still-born Infants were laid, which
made them move. The Prieſt who was ſaying
Maks, andwho probably was acquainted with
the hour and moinent of this interlude, immedia
atel,

14 The Firſt LETTER,
ately breaking off his ſacred Myſtery (as the Papiſts
pleaſe to expreſs it) pronounc'd with a loud voice
the Sacramental Words over the Infants, Baptizo,
&c. caſting in the mean time on their Bodies the
Water, wherewith he had waſht his hands. At the
ſame time a great noiſe was raiſed in the Church,
the People crying out, a Miracle, a Miracle ! My
eyes could not deceive in a caſe I had fo plainly
diſcern'd, and I could with all my heart have un-
dertaken to undeceive the People : but that I
knew how dangerousit is, to oppoſe the blind Rab-
ble, kept and entertain'd in Error by Prieſts and
Monks, who knowing no other God, but their
own Intereſt, would ſoon have ſtirr'd them up,
under the pretence of Herefie or Incredulity, to
have torn me to pieces. However, I could not
refrain from hinting a word of it in particular
to ſome perſons, who were preſent at that
Action, and who own'd they had obſerved the
ſame thing. Burgundy was always a Country fruit-
fal in Superſtition, and we may ſee the ſigns of
it every where; and conſequently alſo, there be
very
few Countries where the Prieſts and Monks
thrive better, or inore abound in Riches. I beg
of you now, Sir, only to make this Obſervation,
That the Fathers of the Abby, are the Reformed Re-
ligious of the Order of . Bennet, and conſequently
of a Congregation, which you in France have the
greateſt Veneration for, as well upon the account of
their Learning, as Duty; both which, as you have
told me, render them equally recommendable. If
then, ſay I, thefe Men, woho are ſo holy and ſo vertuous
in yotr Opinion, are fo able and cunning to deceive,
And ſuch profligate lovers of outward Gain ; what may
Be not expect from ſo many Non-reformed Religious,
who live Jo licentiously and loofly to the very Eye, as
Of Reliets, &c.
15
to make open profeſſion of Trapanning Laymen by a
Thouſand kind of Artifices,' to have wherewith to
maintain their flagitious and ſcandalous Debauche.
ries?
We ſtaid ſome days ar Dijon; where I was
Eye-witneſs to an abundance of ridiculous Devo.
tions, that are in Vogue there, and which would be
too tedious to relate to you; as that of our Lady
of. l'Eſtan, that of S. Bernard, and of the Image
of the Virgin kept at Talent, and pretended to
have been painted by S. Luke, and to be very
Miraculous. But foraſmuch as the Devocion paid
to theſe ſorts of Images, is uſed to increaſe or de.
creaſe, according as the Prieſts or Monks do
more or leſs dexterouſly manage them ; this laft-
mention'd has ſuffer'd very much, being well nigh
fallen into contempt, inſomuch as the Curate of
that Pariſh, deſpairs almoſt of ever bringing it
into requeſt again. To bring this about, he told
us, he knew but one way, which was to publiſh
a Miracle which lately hapned about that Image,
which was a more remarkable one than all the
Cures it daily performn'd. The caſe is this, ſaid
he, having perceiv'd about ten year ago, that the
Devotion to the Image daily decreas'd; I began
to enquire into the cauſe of it, and finding the
Picture to be in a very rueful condition, by rea-
ſon of the moiſtneſs of the place, which had well.
nigh rotted the Cloth, and the Rats alſo having
made bold with ſome part of it, and extreamly
disfigur'd the Face eſpecially; I conceiv'd that
this might be the reaſon of the abatement of the
peoples Devotion. Wherefore to remedy this, I
made the old Cloth to be pafted upon a new one,
and ſent for one of the beſt Painters of Dijon to
draw over the defective places of it, which was
accord


16 The Firſt LETT ER,
accordingly done with a great deal of care and
exactneſs; and on a firft Sunday of the Month,
the Image thus drawn over and imbelliſh'd, was
ſet up in its former place with a great deal of
Solemnity, and a great concourſe of people. Since
which time, proceeded he, I have been continually
troubld with the Gour; and 'moreover, the Bleſſed
Virgin, to fhew her ſelf diſpleas’d, that any Painter
ſhould be ſo bold as to put his hand to a Piece of
Work which her Servant S. Luke had left to Po-
ſterity, in order to the reſtoring of it to its firſt
luſtre; ſhe has ſome days fince made the Colours
that had been ſuperadded to it, to ſcale away and
fall down, and thereby reduc'd the image to the
pitiful eftare it was in before; which however
The is much more pleaſed with, than to ſee her
Pourtraiture profan’d with ſtrange colours. He
added, that he had already cauſed the Relation
of the Miracle to be printed, and that he did in•
tend to ſend Copies of it to all Neighbouring, yea
even into Foreign Countries; and that he look
upon this as a probable way, to recall the De.
votion of people to his Church. I had occaſion,
Sit, to remind my ſelf of this paffage, during
my Italian Voyage ; for being at Bononia, they
Dhewed me an excellent piece of Caratche in
Freſce, upon the Walls of the Cloyſter of the Abby
of S. Micbael in Bofco; which being extreamly
injur’d by All-devouring Time, had moved the
compaffian of Guido Rhin, another famous Italian
Painter, who fo dexterouſly mended the defects
thereof, as in a manner to reſtore it to its former
Beauty ; But yet we find that the new Paint,
laid upon the firſt Colours, falls down in ſcales,
and that without a Miracle too; there being
nothing more natural and obvious, than that new
Colours

of Reliels, &c.
Colours, cannot ſo well incorporate with old Paint,
as freſh Colours do with one another. But nor-
withſtanding the Obviouſneſs hereof, when Su-
perftition has once gain'd the Aſcendant of a
Man's Spirit, ſhe doth ſo ſtrangely prepoſſeſs the
ſame, that there is nothing ſo common and ordi-
nary, but appears to them miraculous. I have
feen ſeveral other Images of the Bleſſed Virgin
in Italy, which, they ſay, were all painted by the
ſame St. Luke, and are conſequently reputed ini-
faculous, particularly that of St. Mary the Great-
er in Rome; but in truth, they are ſo very diffe.
rent from one another, that it is iinpoſſible they
ſhould have been painted by the ſame Hand, or
that all of them ſhould be the Pictures of the
Bleſſed Virgin, the Lineaments, Figure and Pro.
portions of the Face and Body, vaſtly varying
from one another. I ſhall give you a more parri-
cular>Account of them, in my Obſervations of I-
ialy. For the preſent, because we have not yea
quitted Dijon, I will only relate to you what I
was Eye Wirneſs of my ſelf, in the ſame Abby of
St. Benignus, belonging to the Reformed Benedi.
ain Monks, where is kept the iniraculous Image
of the Bleſſed Virgin, that brings Still-born Chil-
dren to Life again, as we have already mentio-
ned. I went to viſit one of my Brothers, who is
a Religious of that Abby ; and as I was walking
with him in the Garden after Dinner, another
Religious came running towards us in great haſte,
and told my Brother in his Ear, that he ſhould
iminediately repair to the Church, to ſee ſome.
thing worth his Curioſity : And foraſmuch as I
was then in my Brother's Company, and well e-
nough known to the Fathers, I followed them to
the Church. The Buſineſs was this; The Prior,
accomN-

18 The Firſt LETTER,
accompanied with ſeven or eight of his Monks,
was about to uncover an old Crucifix, which was
kept in a very fair Chapel, which thence was
called The Chapel of the Miraculous Crucifix, and
had for forty Years been cover'd with a Veil of
black Velver. The Story tells us, that a Religious
of that Abby, ſaying his prayer one Evening before
that Crucifix, the Image of Jeſus Chriſt, which was
faſtned to it, ſpake to him, and ſaid, My dear Bro.
ther, cover me, that I may no more ſee the Iniquities of
my People, and let no Man from henceforward be fo
bold to uncover me, to behold my Face. This Monk
preſently perform'd the Charge laid upon him, by
adviſing his Abbat and Brethren thereof, who were
not wanting immediately to
to carry the News
throughout the whole City, which occaſion'd that
great Devotion which continues ſtill to this Day.
There is a vaſt Concourſe of People to this Cru:
cifix, eſpecially on Fridays, but more particularly
on Cnnd frida-lam: -10ole Citv goes into
ceſſion to the Image to worſhip it; and pay to it the
fame Honour as they would do to Jeſus Chriſt him-
ſelf. Now the Prior of this Monaſtery,who was an
old Stander, and well vers’d in Monaftic Intrigues,
was reſolv’d, coſt what it would, to ſatisfie his Cu.
rioſity about it; as he alſo did ; and in this Refo-
lution he was fain to put his hand to the Work
himſelf,ſome of hisMonks having abſolutely refus'd
to do it, expreſſing themſelves extreamly affrighted
at his Undertaking, ſaying, that ſhould they offer to
touch it, they could expect no leſs than to be con:
ſum'd with Fire from Heaven. But the Prior, nor
eoncern'd at their Apprehenſions, with a wonder-
ful Courage uncovers the myſterious and dreadful
Machine. I could not but laugh to my ſelf, to ſee
the Posture of the Monks that were preſent : Some
WTICI HO WT10:
of
Of Reliets, &c.
I
1
of them betook themſelves to their Heels, decla-
ring, they would not by their Preſence make them-
felves Partakers of ſo horrid an Attempe and Sacri-
lege; others ſhut their Eyes, that they might not
be dazled and ſtruck blind with the Majeſty of the
Crucifix, Ne opprimerentur à gloria, Scrutatores Maje-
Statis; and others proftrated themſelves with their
Faces on the Ground, that they might be ſeen by
their Divine Maſter, as they ſaid themſelves, in
that moſt profound. Act of Adoration and Self-
abaſement. There were ſcarce any that kept ſtan-
ding, beſides my Brother and I: We were very
near to the Prior of the Monaſtery, who was very
buſie with uncovering the Crucifix, and who beginr-
ning himſelf to be frighted, or at leaſt pretending
to be ſo, began to repeat the 5 iſt Pſal, Miſerere me,
Dew. But, as it hapned, neither the one nor the
other had any great Cauſe to fear : For when the
Velver-Covering was taken off, they found nothing
but a Linen-Bag, with ſome Bits of rotten Wood
the Remains of
maWS UI that dréadad and
adored Cruciſix. Ainong theſe moulder'd Frag.
ments, we had much ado to diſtinguiſh the Head,
where was the miraculous Mouth that had ſpoke to
the Monk. In a word, 'twas in a pitiful ſtate, be-
ing all rotten and Worm-eaten, without either
Form or Figure, full of dead Flies and Spiders :-
Inſomuch that the good Monks that were preſent,
being ſomewhat recover'd from their Fright, and
perceiving no ſuch Glory as they had prefigur'd to
themſelves, begun to diſcourſe among themſelves,
how to reconcile their Story with the preſent Dir.
covery; that is, the Condition wherein they found
the Crucifix, with their Tradition concerning the
Revelation and Diſcourſe of the Crucifix, with
the Religious : For if it were true, that it had


211.3,, WI
never

The Firſt LETTER,
never been uncover'd, ſince the time of its ſpeak
ing, when it was fix'd to the Croſs, how could it
be, that at preſent they found it in a Thouſand
Pieces, and in a Bag? The Superiour concluded
very wiſely, that it was probable, that this Cruci.
fix had of old been had in great Veneration, and
thereby been of great advantage to the Monaſte
ry; and that this Monk, by Inadvertency or other-
wiſe, had let it fall, and broke it to pieces; and
fearing to be ſeverely puniſh'd by his Abbat,there.
fore had gather'd up the Pieces into a Bag, and
having faſtned them again to the Croſs, and cor.
er'd them with that Piece of black Velvet, had af.
terwards -forg'd and publiſh'd that his pretended
Revelation. However, foraſmuch as he knew
noching of certainty concerning the matter, he
choſe rather to ſuſpend his Judgment, than to paſs
a raſh one concerning it : And beſides that, ac-
cording to their general Principles, the Devotion
being already fix'd, he would by no means be a
hindrance to fo many good Works as were pere
form'd on that occaſion ; nor put a ſtop to the courſe
of ſo many Maſſes and Prayers as were daily pro-
cur’d to be ſaid in the Chapel of the Miraculous
Crucifix. So he pack'd up all again, and
the ſame order as he found it ; which may ſtill be
ſeen, in caſe they will permir the viewing of it,
in the ſaid Chapel, where the Devotion continues
as great as ever. If the Roman Catholick Biſhops
were a little better ſtock'd with true Zeal for the
Glory of God, or at leaſt for the Honour of their
own Party, they would without doubt moſt ſeriouſ
ly apply themſelves to the examining of the diffe.
rent Devotions that are in vogue in their Dioceſs.
I am well affur'd, they would find a great deal of
downright Impiery, cover'd under the Mask of
De
put it in

Of Reli&s, &c.
Devotion. But ſo far are they from this, that they
are the firſt to authorize and encourage them, by
the Indulgences they give from time to time, co
the Churches and Chapels where thefe Devotions
are .entertain'd: And accordingly we find, that
great abundance of them have been granted by the
Biſhops of Langres, to thoſe who ſhall ſay five pa.
ter Noſters, and as many Ave Maries, in this Chapel
of the Miraculous Crucifix in the Abby of S. Be-
nignus of Dijon. Before I have done with this Ci-
ry, Sir, I muſt not forget to entertain you.a while
with a famous Neſt of Monks four Leagues di
Itant from it ; I mean, the great and famous Abby
of Citeaux ; the Abbat of which, as you know, is
the Chief and General of the whole Order, which
is without doubt, one of the vaſteſt Bodies of Re-
ligious, the Church of Rome can boaſt of: France,
Italy, Spain, Poland and Portugal, being throng'd
with the Monaſteries of that Order; who all of
them own this Abby, the Citeaux, for their Mo-
ther. I had very particular acquaintance with the
Prior of the Monaſtery, who was a young Man of
the City of Orleans, who invited me to come and
ſee him. The Abbac ſent two of his Coaches with
fix Horſes, to fetch ſome of his Relations, whom
he invited to dine with him, and with whom I had
the honour to join my ſelf. All the diſcourſe we
had on the way from Dijon thither, was about the
Tragical End of Moufieur Baurié; a Gentleman,
born of one of the moſt Noble Fainilies of Dijon,
and a Religious of that Order ; who a little before
had been publickly executed at Dijon, for poiſon.
ing his Abbat, becauſe he went about to make an
enquiry into his Crimes ; the Fact being evident,
that he had del auchi'd ſome of the Nuns of a Mo.
naſtery, whichier the Abbar liad ſent him, in qua-
lity

2.2 The Firſt LETTER,
lity of their Director, or Confeſſor. As ſoon as
we were come near to the Citeaux, I could not but
admire the ſtately Avenues of that magnificent
Abby. This Place, which formerly was nothing
but a horrid Wilderneſs, when S. Robert, the firſt
Abbot of that Order, did inſtitute it ; is now, at
preſent, by the Voluptuouſneſs and Luxury of the
Monks, become an Earthly Paradice, abounding
with all manner of Delights. The Hiſtory tells
us, that that Abbat, being a lover of Silence and
Solitude, rerir'd himſelf, with ſome of his Difci
ples into theſe Parts; which ar that time was no
thing elſe, and lying out of the way of almoſt all
human Converſe. Here it was they began to
build themſelves Cells, with the Branches of
Trees; and ſome among them digg’d themſelves
Caves under-ground, without either Art or Form,
like to the Dens of Ravenous Beafts. The Herbs
and Roots that grew in the Wood, ſerv'd them
Indifferently, without diſtinguiſhing the good from
the bad, for Nouriſhment : And all the precaution
they uſed was this; that after they had boild them,
they firſt gave ſome of them a Dog, or other do-
meſtick Animal; which, if it did not immediate
Jy die, or appear’d diſtemper’d, they took it for
granted, that there were no poiſonous Herbs in
their Cookery, whoſe dangerous effects they had
reaſon to apprehend. But how prodigious a change
appear'd in that place not long after ! The People
round about, being inform'd of the aſtoniſhid Se.
verities, and ſtrange way of living of theſe An.
chorites, came flocking from all parts to admire
them ; and returning to their homes, publiſh'd
every where, that in the Wood de Citeaux, they
had in their days ſeen ſomewhat more and greater,
than either Elias, or S. John the Baptiſt.
And
Of Reliets, &c.
23
And as in that Age of the World people were
much more compaffionate and tender than they
are at preſent towards perſons who for the love
of God, as they expreſe it, had left all, they inade
it their buſineſs from all parts to carry them not
only Food, but otherConveniences of Life. Theſe
good Hermits contented themſelves for ſome time,
to accept of ſome of the courſeſ and meaneſt of
their Supplies; and afterwards by little and little
the moft exquiſite and delicate, receiving them
as by an expreſs Order from God, by attributing
to themſelves the promiſe of Jeſus Chriſt inade
to his Apoſtles, that having forſaken all for his
fake, they ſhould receive in this World an hunde
red fold, and in the World to come Eternal
Life. Thus within a ſhort time from a Life of
extraordinary rigour and abſtinence, and moſt
ſignal and remarkable Piety, they chopt about, to
a Life as ſcandalous and diſſolute; and whereof
S. Bernard in his time began already highly to
complain, but at preſent is advanc'd to a far more
tranſcendent degree of exceſs. Inſtead of a Deſert
and Solitude, as it was before in the higheſt de-
gree, they have now made it a kind of a City ;
which within its compaſs entertains all manner
of Handicrafts men, who live there with their
Wives and all their Families: inſtead of that mean
and ſpare Diet, to which they were oblig'd by
a Solemn Vow, made at the foot of their Altars,
and in particular of abſtaining from Fleſh all
the Days of their Life, they hive at preſent,
directly contrary to their Vows, introduc'd the uſe
of it to the higheſt degree of Delicacy, as being
always acccinpanied with the agreeable Variety
of Herbs and Fiſh. And, for my part, I can truly
aver, that for the two cays that I ſtaid there,

their

24
The First LETTER,
their Table (beſides their common Viands) were
cover'd with ſeveral Diſhes of Veniſon, follow'd
by a ſervice of Fiſh, the ſides of the Diſhes being
garniſh'd with the Tongues and Roes of Cards
and the Tails of Crabs. Yea, the Abbat had ſeni
to Diep, which is above a Hundred and twenty
Leagues diſtant at an excellive Charge, and by a
Poft fent Expreſs, who ran day and night for
Soles, which were freſh enough, and ſo coſtly a
Rarity, that the Intendants and Preſidents of the
Parliament of Dijon, durft not venture upon them
in their moſt ſumptuous Entertainments. The
Monks of this Abby, in the mean time glorying
in this exceſs, which ought rather to have confound.
ed them, vaunted with an unparalleld Impudence,
That in all that Province there was not a Man
beſides the Abbat of Citeaux, who could bear ſuch
an Expence, and continue it every day. After
Dinner, the Abbat (follow'd by many of his Offi
cers, and a great number of Lacqueys in Livery)
went himſelf to few us the New Building he
was then making in his Abby, and which conſiſted
in four great. Piles of Building, of a magnificent
Structure, all of hewn Stone of a Diamond-Cut
,
deſign’d for the ſeparate Lodging of the four prin
cipal Abbats of the Order, with all their Train,
at the time of their , general Chapters. A fifth
Building, which he intended for his own perſon,
was a lofty Palace, lifting up its proud Head
above the other four Buildings, as it were to over-
look and command them, to repreſent the Autho
rity he had over the other Albats, in quality of
their General. After we had taken a view of
theſe magnificent Structures, we were led into
the old Buildings. Here it was that a fair Oppor-
tunity was given me, to take notice of the Subtilty
and
Of Reliets, &c.
25

and Artifices of the Monks, ſtill to continue Laicks,
if poſſible, in the high eſteem of their Monaſtery
and Perſons. In order whereunto they fhew to
thole who viſit them, a great quantity of Relicks,
and places of Devotion, as they call them ; upom
their entring into which they uſe frequent bowings
of their bodies, and kneelings, rereating ſome
Prayers, beſides foie geits and curring of Faces,
wherein they oblige the Company to imitate them.
This done, they fill your Ears with the recital of
Old Stories and Miracles of the days of Yore,
wrought in favour of their Order Amongſt
which, they never forget to inculcate the Trage-
dy of ſome Uſurper of the Revenues of their Mo.
naſtery, or of ſome other that ſpoke ill of the ſame
who ar the upſhot of the Story doth never fail of
being ſtruck from God with fudden Death by a
Thunderbolt, or of having his Neck broke by ſomo
Devil or other. I have fince obferved the ſame
inveigling Tricks in almoft all the Monaſteries
and Convents of Italy, and in all other places
frequented upon the ſcore of Devotion. They
ſhew'd us a large Refectory of the firſt Religious
of their Order, which is a vaulted Room and very
long, more refernbling a hideous Cave, than a
Place to eat in. And yet
And yet ( faid one of the Re
ligious) this is that holy Grosto where our Ancient
Fathers, the bleffed Founders of our Order, mer
together every day after Sun-ſer, wearied with
their Handy-labour, after having ſung the Praiſes
of God, to partake together of a peice of black
courſe Bread, with ſome boild Pulte or Roots,
{ without either Salt or Butter, or any other Sawce
cor Dreſſings, and in ſo ſmall a quantity, as deſign
ing rather to keep themſelves from ſtarving than to
Y make them ſtrong and lively; and continually:
pras

2,6 The Firſt LETTER,
practiſing thoſe ſevere Mortifications, which we
can ſooner admire than imitare. There great and
heroick Saints are now in Heaven, and have
chang'd their aſtoniſhing ſeverities, with the Erer-
nal delight of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb;
apd 'uis from that high Station, they with a favour-
able E e look down upon thole who Live, or have
liv'd for ſome time in this Monaſtery, as likewiſe
upon thoſe who are or have been Benefactors to
it; and we are aſſur'd by Revelation, that none of
chein, nay, tho' they may have livd a moſt abomi.
nable life, Ihall ever die in mortal ſin. A Coun
ſellor of Dijon, who was there preſent with us, ſaid
ſmiling, That he wanted but very little of being
perſuaded to leave all he had to the Monaſtery,
and gently puſhing my Arm, ask'd me, Whether |
was not well pleas'd to hear a far and burly Monk,
after having ſo well din'd, diſcourſing of the Ab.
ſtinence and Penance of thoſe Ancient Fathers, and
of the Bleſſings God harh in ſtore for his Abby too
upon their account, with ſo much energy ? Bu
after all, the plain truth is, That it is nothing
but an Artifice they make uſe of, to ſtrike the Spirits
of Men with ſome kind of Veneration for their
Orders and Perſons. From this nlace they led us
to another, which they call the Old Chapter-Houſe,
which is a Building after the Gothic way, with
many Rows of Pillars like a Church, yer ſtately
enough. The Stones of the Pavement are cut into
Letters, which make up all the Pſalms of David;
and near the midſt of this place they thewed us a
large Stone, on which of old they were uſed to
lay the Religious of the Monaſtery ſome hours be.
fore their Departure, where they were expoſed all
naked upon Aſhes and an Hair Cloth, until they
breach'd their laſt. But this Cuſtoın (ſaid the
Fa:
Of Reliels, &c.
27
At the pre-
ther) has fince been aboliſhed, becauſe it was
found by Experience, that ſome of thoſe who were
ſo expoſed, having more ſtrength left than was im.
agined, continued ſometimes in that condition,
expoſed to the violence of Cold for Twenty four
hours, or more, before they died; ſo as thoſe who
thus expos’d them, queſtion'd whether in ſo doing
they had not been their Murtherers. At the
ſent (ſaid he ſmiling) the caſe is alter'd, and we
die ſoftly on the Feathers, after having effa; 'd
whatſoever the Art Medicine can afford for our
Recovery, and which is every whir as meritorious
to us, as that pitileſs rigour our Predeceſſors were
oblig'd to, foraſmuch as herein we ſubmit our Wills
to thoſe who command us, and whom we are oba
lig’d to obey ; Obedience even in pleaſing and
agreeable things, being more acceptable to God
than all Sacrifices. Thus gallantly the Father ex-
cuſed the Decay of their Obſervance,endeavouring
to make that ſeen a Vertue, which indeed is notho
ing elſe but an effect of their Softneſs and Effemi-
nacy. Or rather, we may ſay, That by a juſt
Judgment of God, theſe kind of Men having
rathly vowed, what was not in their power to
perform, are fallen by ſo much lower, by how
much they aſpir'd to flie higher. 'Tis upon this
account that we ſee ſo many Reformations of theſe
Religious Orders, and ſoon after other Reform-
ations of them again, who in a ſhort time will
ſtand in need ftill of another Reformation. But
that which is the ſtrangeſt thing of all is, Thar
they fall into prodigious Corruptions, and into thoſe
habits of finning, which ſtrike the moſt worldly
Men that are, with horror, as may be ſeen from
the hint I give of Monſieur Bourré, Monk of that
e Order, and many other Exam, les, chat fill the
World with their Report,
There

2
0
29

8 The Firſt LETTER,
There is but one only Reigious Order in the
Church of Rome, that can boaſt of its Antiquity,
and of having never been Reform’d, which is
that of the Chartreux. Having ſtay'd two days at
Citeaux, we took our way through Lionnois, and
Dauphiné, and finding our ſelves nor far from the
Monaſtery call!d the Great Chartreux, our Curio.
ficy invited us to take a view of it. This Mona-
ftery is the chief Head of all thoſe of the Order
of Chartreux, and in it their General Chapters are
held. S. Bruno, who was the Founder of this Or-
der, rerir'd hither with his Companions in the
Year of our Lord 1080. What is commonly re.
lated as the Reaſon of his Retirement, is rather
a Fable than a Hiſtory; which notwithſtanding is
maintain'd by a great deal of hear, as a great
Truth by the Fathers of this Order, who have
caus'd the Story to be painted at large, and hung
up in their Cloyſters; but on the other hand it is
deny'd by the Doctors of the famous Univerſity
of Paris. This Fable tells us, That Bruno, who
had a long time frequented that Univerſity, being
preſent at the Interment of a Doctor, who had been
a Member of the ſame, a perſon of an irreproach.
able Life, to quivrard view, and who died with
che odour of Sanctity; when the Office of the
Dead was reciting in the Church for him, and that
they were come to thoſe Words of the Leftons,
Refponde mihi, quantas babeo iniquitates, Anſwer me
How many Sins I have ; the Dead Body raiſed him.
ſelf on the Bier, and fitting upright, with a terrible
Voice pronounc'd theſe Words, Accuſatus ſum ; 1
am Accuſed : At which aſtoniſhing Accident, when
all that were preſent were extreamly amaz'd, it
was thought fit to put off the Obſequies till the
next
Of Reliets, &c.
29

next day ; at which time they began again the
Office for the Dead, and when they were come to
the ſame Words, Refponde mihi, &c. the Dead
anſwered with a Tone much more terrible than ar
firſt, theſe two Words more, Fudicatus fum ; I am
judged, which increaſing the horrour and amaze.
ment of all thoſe that were preſent, made thein
reſolve to delay the Burial one day longer ; at
which rime a vaſt Croud of People being aſſembled
the Office was begun again, and at the ſame Word's
raiſing himſelf the third and laſt time, ſaid witła
a pitiful and mournful Accent, Condemnatus fum;
that he was Condemned ro Hell without Recovery.
This ſo ſtrange and terrible a Spectacle (faith the
Fable ) had that effect on the Spirit of Bruno, that
from that inſtant he reſolved to quit the World,
and to retire into ſome Solitary place for to live
there wholly to God, folitary and ſeparate front
the view of the World, and by his perſuaſion en-
gag'd ſeven Studems of the Univerfity of Paris,
his Companions, with him in the fame Reſolution,
who being all of one mind, went and caſt thein-
ſelves at the Feet of the Biſhop of Grenoble, to beg
of him the Deſert call'd Chartreuſe ; which belong'd
to him ; and having obtain'd their Requeſt, they
retir'd there, and built themſelves Cells. The
Truth of the matter is, that this Saint did indeed
retire with his Companions into this place ; but
all the Story of the Doctor is evidently falſe, as has
been inconteſtably proved by the Doctors of the
Univerſity of Paris ; there being none of the
Contemporary Writers, or any that were two
hundred years after, that make the leaſt mention
of it ; and is indeed nothing elſe but an Inventi-
on of the Papiſts, very; fit to be joyn’d with the
reſt of their Stories, concerning the Apparitions

C 3.
of

30 The First LETTER,
of Souls in Purgatory. Probably, Sir, your curio-
firy will incline you to deſire, I fhould give you a
deſcription of this Place, and its Situation, which
without doubt is the moft Deſert place Nature
could form ; and yet notwithſtanding is at this day
become a very pleaſant Seat, by means of the im.
menſe Expences which theſe Fathers, who are
extreamly rich, have been at, to make it more
pleaſing to Senſe. Whetefore, Sir, I ſhall endeavour,
in order to your Satisfaction, to let down what
comes to my mind concerning it. This Deſert, callid
Chartreuſe, which has given the Name to the Or.
der that is thence denominated, is a place ſituate
in the Bofom of an exceeding high Mountain,
the Top of which parts it ſelf into four others,
leaving in the midſt of them a place of a Mile in
length, and above a Quarter of a Mile in breadth,
in which ſpace the Cells of ilieſe Fathers are built.
The Waters guſhing forth from theſe Mountains,
made a moft impetuous Torrent, which bears the
Name of $. Laurence. This was a place alto:
gether unfrequenied, and alınoſt inacceflible,
when S. Bruno firſt rerired thither, tho' at preſent,
by a vaſt profuſion of Money, the Religious of the
place have made the acceſs to it not only eafie,
but pleaſant, having cut out large Steps in the
Rock, and by that means made (as it were )
many Stairs to get up to it. However, ſuch is
the ſituation of the place, that neither Coaches
nor Carts, no nor Horſes neither, can come up to
it; but they make uſe of Mules, accuſtomed from
their Youth to go up and down thoſe Steps, to con-
vey their Proviſions to them. We got up to the
place by means of the fame Conveniences, and
found the Snow in ſeveral places lying ſtill on the
Eminences of the Rocks, notwithſtanding that ir
was
Of Reliets, &c.
31
was in the midſt of August ; and that at the Foot
of the Mountain, the Heat was almoſt inſup.
portable. The Building of the Monaſtery was not
yet quite finith'd when we arriv'd there, having
been reduc'd to Ales ſome ſhort time before.
There was a Suſpicion, that the Religious them
ſelves had been the Incendiaries, becauſe their
Cells diſpleas'd them, as being too mean and Old-
faſhion'd; and beſides, too much pinch'd of room,
ſo that they could nor enjoy themſelves in thein
with that eaſe and convenience they deſir'd. It
hapned at a
time when the Wind extreamly
favour'd their deſign, and the Fire began in a Qua.
ter where ſo much Combuſtible matter was lodgʻd,
and ſo far from the places where any Fires were
made, that it was eaſie to judge, That it was not
a thing hapned by accident, but contriv'd on pur-
pole. Befiles, the delays and indifferency ſhew'd
in quenching of it, gave a ſufficient Teſtiinony,
That the Friers deſir'd nothing more, than to ſee
it ( with all expedition ) burnt down to the ground.
Yea, fome have averr'd it for a certain Truth,
That the News of it was known many days before
in Forein Countries, which was related to us by
one of the Fathers of that Society for a Miracle z
faying, That without doubt the Tutelary Angel of
the place, foreſeeing what was to happen to
had communicated the knowledge of it to ſo far
diſtant Countries. But not to inſiſt on this any
longer, certain it is, that the whole Building was
reduc'd to AMhes, and in leſs than ſix months, in a
manner quire Rebuilt again ; a good part of the
Materials having been prepar'd beforehand, and
as it were by a divine Providence, as the ſaid Fa.
ther expreft himſelf, in places adjacent to the
Mountain. It is to be noted, Thar their General
Chap-

CA

32 The Firſt LETTER,
Chapter having ſome Veneration for thoſe Ancient
Buildings of the Firſt Fathers, and to prevent
Lay.men from Taxing them with Niceneſs and
Luxury, had refuſed them their permiſſion to
Build. Bur what is capable to reſtrain the Long.
Sng of Monks,when as by direct or indirect means,
by Hook or by Crook, they are in a condition to
effectuate it? In a word, Theſe New-Buildings
were brought to perfection, with a Magnificence
very unbeſeeming the Modeſty of Hermits, and
more becoming the Palace of a king, than the
Cells of ſuch who pretend to have forſaken the
World. There remain'd only one Building at the
Foot of the Mountain yer unfiniſh'd, being deſign'd
for the Officers of the Chartreuſe, and which was
already, far advanc'd. As for their manner of
Living, I muſt acknowledge they ſtill rerain ſome-
thing of their firſt Inftirution, as in particular
their abftinence from Fleſh ; but the diverſity and
abundance of Fiſh, Herbs, Eggs, and other ſuch
like things wherewith they are ſerv’d, is far more
pleaſing and agreeable to Senſe, than any fost of
Fleſh meat, and much more coſtly. The Father.
Purveyor of the Houſe affured, us, that the Ex.
pence of every Religious arnounted at the leaſt to
Five Hundred Crowns a year. They have a way
of extracting the Subſtance, and as it were the
Quinteſſence, from ſeveral great Fifhes, whereof
they make Jelly-Broths, that are extreamly nou-
riſhing. Their Bread is of an extraordinary
Whiteneſs, and the beſt Wine that can be got
for Love or Mony, is afforded them without mea.
ſure. Beſides this, every Religious has in his own
Apartment a Reſervatory, ftor'd with Fruit and
other Neceſſaries, ſo that they may eat and drink
whenever they pleaſe, and entertain their Friends
that:
Of Reliets, &c.
33
that come to Viſit them, to charm the irkſomneſs
of their Solitude. Some amongſt them, who are of
a melancholy Temperament, are ſo immers'd in
their Solitude, that they abhor all manner of Con.
verſation, and will not ſo much as ſpeak to their
Superiours : This is no Verrue, but rather a Sa-
vage-humour, that has got the Aſcendant over them,
and makes them almoſt inſupportable to themſelves,
and' like Timon the Athenian, they conceive an
hatred againſt all Mankind. The greateſt part
of
theſe, in proceſs of rime, become diſtracted, loſing
the uſe of their Underſtanding and Reaſon ; and
accordingly they have built for theſe a very fair
Apartment. Every Chartreux' has his feparate
Apartment, which conſiſts of five or fix fair Rooms,
very neatly furniſh'd and adorn'd, with a neat
Garden, which ſeparates one Apartment from ano-
ther; all whích Gardens have a door that opens
into the Cloyſter, which is of a prodigious length,
and of a moſt ſumptuous and magnificent Stru-
cture, inſomuch as it doth not ſeein ſo much con-
triv'd for the Convenience of the ſeveral Cells, as
for the imbelliſhment and ornament of the Place.
The great company of Strangers, who come
thither from all parts, either out of Curioſity or De-
votion, ſome about buſineſs, others to Viſit ſome
of their Freinds or Kindred, has chang'd this So.
litude into a place of great Concourſe, and con:
ſequently made it appear lefs hideous to Nature ;
and particularly in Summer-time many Perſons of
Quality retire thither, there to enjoy the deliciouſ-
nels of the place, and the cool Air of the Moun-
tain. Theſe Fathers, to engage the frequent Viſits
of others, and to draw thither their Kindred
and Friends, have eſtabliMed Hoſpitality in this
their Monaſtery, and enterrain every one that
comes,



C5

34
The Firſt LETTER,
comes, according to his Quality, both Perſon
and Attendants, without coſting them a Fathing;
and a Man may ſtay there many days, according
as they find his Company either pleaſing or pro-
fitable. A the firſt they had alſo ſome reſpect
for the Poor ; but at preſent, if thoſe who come
there be nor Men of Faſhion, and in good order,
they are neglected and contemnd. That part
where they entertain Strangers, is a moſt ſtately
and fumptuous Building, containing Apartments
for Perſons of Quality of all Ranks and Degrees.
The Chief Officer of the Kitchen knows what kind
of Entertainment is ſuitable to each Chamber,
which is very exactly obſerv'd. By this we may
gueſs at the immenſe Riches of theſe Fathers.
You would be aſtoniſh'd, Sir, to ſee theſe An-
ahorets, whoſe firſt Inſtituter, S. Bruno, ſhew'd
himſelf to be ſo great a lover of Poverty, Retire.
ment and Silence, are now by ſucceſſion of Times
,
mounted to ſo high a degree of Riches and Gran-
deur,and ſo ardently deſirous to change their Deſert,
of it ſelf ſo ſolitary and inacceſſible, into a well.
inhabited Country, and more frequented, than the
great Roads that lead to great and Capitals Cities.
They boaſt, that they have never been Reforma
fince their firſt Inſtitution ; but in good earneſt,
,
Sir, think you nor after all this, that they ſtand in
need of a Sound Reformation ? We may conclude
from hence, Thar all thoſe great Efforts which are
made to ſurmount Nature, which cannot ſubfilt
without a moſt particular Grace and Aſſiſtance
froin God, which he vouchſafes to whom it pleaſeth
him, when we will unadviſedly appropriate the
fame, and raſhly make profeſſion of them, and tye
ourſelves up to them by Vows, do commonly end
in Ihameful Weakneſſes ; which diſcovers, that
they
of Reliels, &c.
they were rather Artifices of the Devil, to life
up
the Heart of Man, in order to his greater Fall, than
the Morions of Grace, which are wont to humble
and abaſe the Soul, in order to give it the Victory
over the World, the Flefh, - and the Devil. After
this, as it were to Caft Duft in our Eyes, and to
divert us from making any Reflection upon ſuch
extravagant Diſorders, they led us to the Chapel of
S. Bruno, which is not above a Quarter of a Mile
diftart from the Monaſtery, upon the top of a
Rock, ſurrounded with many Fir-Trees. They
told us, that this formerly had been his Cell, and
that a Spring of moft Clear Water we ſaw there,
had been miraculouſly obtain'd by his Prayers,
which reftor'd many fick perſons to their health,
and though drunk to exceſs, was never known to
hurt any. The Benedictin Fryer, who was iny
Companion in the Voyage, drunk a great quantity
of it by way of Devotion, but was much incom-
moded thereby in coming down from the Moun:
sain ; which that he might derogate nothing from
the Miracle, he attributed to the Cold and pent-in
A r of the Rocks. This Father aſſur'd me often,
whi ft we were there, Thar he felt his Soul pierc'd
with an Excraordinary Devotion, and a great Senſe
of the Preſence of God; and demanded of me,
Whether I was not ſenſible of the ſame thing ? I
anſwer'd, That I was; but withal, that in all this
I dia not believe any thing to be more than what
was very common; it being very natural for
Grotto's, Dark Places, cloſe and ſhady Foreſts, vaſt
Caverns, and the Sources of Fountains and Rivers,
to produce the ſame effect in us; and not only ſo,
but that we ofren exưerience, when we are alone
by Night in great Buildings, Chapels or Churches,
that our Souls are mov'd with a kind of Horrour,



whic)

36
The Firſt LETT ER
which call God to our Remembrance, as I have
often found by Experience in my Travels. And
fome few days afrer, as I paſs'd the Alps, which are
very high Mountains, 'in Company of this Benedi.
etin, when we were come to a place which was very
Solitary, I oblig'd him to take notice, Whether it
were not indeed ſo as I had ſaid ? Whereupon he
ingenuouſly acknowledged, Thar he found him.
ſelf no leſs mov'd, than he had been at the great
Chartreuſe. Nevertheleſs, theſe Fathers make all
Strangers, that frequent this place to rake notice
of it as a ſpecial Bleſſing of God, vouchſafed to
this place by the Interceſſion and Merits of S. Bruv
NO. It is an aſtoniſhing thing to ſee, That thoſe
Effects, which God, as the Author of Nature, works
in us, are for the moſt Part by thoſe of the Com-
munion of Rome aſcrib'di to God, as the Author of
Grace and Worker of Mircales in their behalf. Se
true it is, That it is a very pleaſing thing, and ex.
treaml flattering the Pride of Man, to believe,
That God thinks us worthy to be exempted from
the Common way, that he may favour us in a
more peculiar manner, nor ſticking every moment
( for our fakes ) to countermand the Natural
Courſe of things here below, by Prodigious and
miraculous Operations. We came down from
this Monaſtery, by a very Narrow-way between
Rocks, for the ſpace of near two Leagues, having
on our left Hand the Torrent of S. Laurence, which
precipitates it ſelf with a horrid Noiſe from the
Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of it, where
is ſituate the Town of S. Laurence, from whence
it borrows its · Name. All the Neighbouring
Country many Leagues abour, belongs to the Re
ligious of this Monaſtery, and every where are
ſeea A
Of Reliets, &c.
37
feen ſtately Piles of Building, and Houſes of
Pleaſure, which they have cauſed to be built, with
Pools and Ponds full of all ſorts of rare Fiſh, to
pleaſe their Palates. We afterwards continu'd our
Way towards Savoy, and paſſed the Alps by the
Way of Montſenys; whence we came down into
Piedmont, to a little Town callid Sufa. Here, Sir,
I intend to ſtop, and ſhall conclude this Letter
with this laſt Reflection, which I would deſire you
to make ; which is, That the Church of Rome-is
ſo far from having any Cauſe, to pride her felf in
her Religious Orders, and of which ſhe boaſts ſo
much, as far excelling the Protestant Church, which
has wholly excluded them, ought rather upon that
account to be humbld ; yea, to bluſh for ſhame;
ſeeing it is evident, That this ſort of Men, under
the ſpecious pretexts of Devotion, Silence, and
Retirement, endeavour nothing elſe, but to acquire
themſelves a great Eſteem in the minds of people,
that by this means, they may turn them which way
they pleaſe; and Experience makes it appear, That
all 'this is done for their Temporal Advantage:
They begin with the Spirit in appearance, but al:
ways palpably end in the Fleſh. I have made ſome
other more curious Diſcoveries during my. Voyage
in Italy, which I ſhall be very willing to com-
municate to you, in caſe I find you are not offendo
ed with this my firſt LETTER ; but that you have
receiv'd it with the ſame Spirit of Charity and
Zeal, which I ſhall always preſerve for the Spiritual
Good of ſo dear, a Perſon ; as being, Sir,
Your, 3.C.


38
The Second LETTER.
Of the Spirit of Revenge in the Romifh
Clergy, &c.
you
SIR,
Fora
Oraſmuch as there is nothing, the Church of
Rome more ſtrictly forbids her Children,
next to the Reading of the Scriptures, than the
peruſing of thoſe Writings, which diſcover the
Lives and Doctrin of her Paſtors, whom ir is her
Will they ſhould follow Blind-fold, without exa:
mining either what they ſay or do ; I had ſome
fear for my firſt Letter, leſt it might have given
offence, becauſe it made ſome diſcoveries to you
of their Conduct. But ſeeing the kind Welcome
you afforded it, I hope that the Reflection you
have made upon it, and the good inclination
expreſs, in declaring your willingneſs to be further
inform'd by me on this Subject, may ar length
conduce to the opening of your Eyes, to ſee the
dangerous condition you are in. And ſeeing 1
deſire nothing more, than to ſerve as an inſtrument
to produce ſo good an effect; I fall gladly
continue, Sir, to communicate the Obſervations
I have made, during my Travels, about matters
of Religion.
Being arriv'd at Sufa, a ſmall Town of Piedmont
in Italy and ſubject to the Duke of Savoy, we were
told that the Body of S. Maurus, Abbát and firſt
Diſciple of S. Bennet, repos'd in one of the Churches
of this place. And foraſmuch as the Father, that
was iny Companion in my Travels, was a Reformd
Bes
of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
Benedictin, of the Congregation of S. Maurus in
France ; I ask'd him whether he would not go to
pay his duty to that Relick of his Bleſſed Found:
er? But he very freely told me, that he would
take heed of doing ſo ; adding, that the Italians
were great Cheats, who pretended to have all
the Saints of Paradiſe in their Country, whereas-
indeed there is nothing more falſe ; for as much
as the Body of S. Maurus was preſerv'd whole
and entire, in one of their Abbies in France,
And moreover aſſur'd me, that the Bodies of S.
Bennet, and S. Scholaſtica were there likewiſe,
the one in the ſmall Town of S. Bennet on the
River Loire near Orleans, and the other at Mans
notwithſtanding the Italians conteſted with them
about all theſe Relicks, and a vaſt number of o-
thers, of moſt authentick Authority; and that upon
no other ground, but that of the Popes Bulls,
which they have procur'd, ſaid he, by ſome
artifice or other, for this purpoſe, and which
declare them to be true and lawful poſſeſſors of
theſe Relicks, tho'clear contray to all Evidence
drawn from Hiſtory and Tradition. But Father,
ſaid I, do you remember the diſcourſe you held
two days ago, as we paſſed the Alpes, to prove
the Pope's Infallibility, which you extended with
ſo inuch heat and earneftneſs not only to matters
of Rights, but alſo to matters of Fact? The
queſtion then put was this, how the Popes could
grant ſuch thundring Bulls, fraught with Excom.
munications and Anathema's againſt
thoſe
who do not believe, that the Houſe of Loretto,
was Tranſported from the Holy Land by An-
gels, to that part of Italy, where it is ſuppoſed.
to ſtand at preſent ; as likewiſe againſt thoſe
who ſhould deny, that a great Mountain near


to

40 The Second L ETT ER,
to the City of Cajeta in the Kingdom of Naples
which is open at the Top, and as it were ſplit
in two, was one of thoſe Rocks, that were
Rent at the Paſſion of our Saviour Jeſus Chrift?
You then affirmed that the Pope on all ſuch
occaſions, was aſſiſted with an Infallible Dire.
ction from the Holy Ghoſt ; and and conſe:
quently, that it was imopalible for himn to be decei.
ved himſelf, or to deceive others, any more than in
matters of Faith it ſe!f; and more eſpecially yet,
in a caſe of giving Religious Worſhip to ſome Ob-
ject of Devotion, as that is, which is given to the
Houſe of Loretto and ro the Holy Mountain ; and
how then can you now ſay, Father, with reſpect
to your S. Maurus and S.Bennet, or any other what
ever, that thoſe Popes who declar'd againſt you in fa.
vour of the Italians, have been miſtaken Is nor
this a caſe of Worſhip, as well as that of Loretto!
The Party was but vifible,and the good Father mult
needs have entangl’d himſelf in a moſt trouble-
ſome contradiction: Wherefore to avoid the
Iname and confuſion that thence would have
follow'd, he chole rather to turn his anſwer into
a piece of Raillery, ſaying, he confeſs'd that he
was indeed a very bad Politician, becaufe when
he was on the Alps he ſpake like an Italian, but that
at preſent he ſpoke as a Frenchman. Becauſe it is
true, that the People of Italy, eſpecially thoſe of
the Popes Territories, do own the Popes Infallibi:
lity in matters of Fact, which the greateſt part of
the Roman Catholicks of France do deny.
This Diſtinction of ſpeaking as an Italian, or as
a Frenchman, was indeed very frivolous ; and in
truth, if it were permitted to utter one's opinion,
ſometimes according to the humour of one Coun.
try, and ſometimes of another, - if our Benediétin
had
Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
Had ſpoken like a German or an Hungarian, ħe
would have reduc'd the Papa! Authoritiro a very
low Ebb: For I have obſery'd in my Travels,thar
theſe People, tho' for the moſt part they profeſs the
Romiſo Religion, yet have this advantage, that
they believe little of it. Without doubt, Sir, it
would much better have become him, to have ſpo--
ken as a Chriſtian ought to do, viz: like a good
and honeſt Man, with a ſincere and unbyaſs'd Spi-
rit, ſtrengthen'd by Grace, ſupported by Reaſon,
and grounded upon the holy Scripture : For then
would he never have attributed the Title of Infal-
lible to a Mortal Man upon Earth, which belongs
to God alone. I was ready to give him my:
Thoughts to this purpoſe ; but I calld to mind,
that I was got into Italy, where one only Word
might drag me before the cruel and mercileſs Tria
bunal of the Inquiſition, and therefore thought it
more wiſdom to hold my peace. However, I
could not bur make this reflection on theſe Pro.
ceedings of the Religious, that in Caſes wherein
the Prieſts or Monks find their advantage, or in
things altogether indifferent to them, they are not
wanting with open Mouths to publiſh the Pope's
Infallibility : But when his Infallibility ſeems in
the leaſt to claſh with their Intereſts, he is no more
than an ignorant and miſtaken Man, who
may
be
bubbled as well as any other. From Sufa we came
to Turin, which is a very fine City, fitate upon
the Banks of the River Po, and the Court of the
Duke of Savey. Here it was that a dawning of the
Beauty of the Churches of Italy, preſented it ſelf
to our Eyes :: The greateſt part of the Paris
Churches, Monaſteries and Convents are very
Sumptuouſly built and moſt Richly adorned with-
in. Nothing is ſeen in them, but Marble, Por-
phyry.




42
The Second LETT E R,
1
phyri, Jaſper Stones, and moſt exquiſite Gildi 1
ing and Painting. The Croſſes, the Cand eſticks,
Lamps, Statues and Caſes of the Reicks are all
of Gold and Silver, and almoſt infinite in number
and value. Some good French Prieſts, who had
joyn'd themſelves with us, to take a view of the
Churches, were in a ſtrange rapture at ſo dazling
a light ; and being inwardly mov'd to ſee ſo many
Temples of the Lord, fo gloriouſly adorn’d, wep
for joy : For as in their journey from France, they
had taken their way through Geneva, and the Swiſs
Cantons, where they had ſeen the Proteſtant Churches
devoid a moſt of all material Embelliſhinents,they
from thence concluded, (how truly I leave you to
judge) that there was no other true Religion, be:
fides that of the Church of Rome, whoſe zeal for
the Houſe of God, was an evident Witneſs of
the truth of her Faith. I told them that this their
Concluſion ſeem'd to me to be built upon very
weak Principles, and that where we had a mind
to prove the truth of any Religion, the Grandeur
and Riches of the World were too weak Premiſes
to ſupport a Concluſion, and that for my part, ifl
were to form a preſumptive Argument in favou
of any Religion, I ſhould ſooner take it from the
good life and inanner of thoſe that profeſs it,
than from the ſumptuous Ornaments of their Chur
ches. They ſhewd us the Church-Treaſury where
is preſerv'd the holy Shroud or Sheer, and ſoon af.
ter the Canons and Prieſts entred the Choir, co
Sing their Veſpers and Complins, wbich are the
Evening Prayers of the Church of Rome. They en
ter'd without any order, and very undecently,
talking and laughing together, and puſhing one
another's Elbows. The firſt come, without expect
:
żng till the reſt were ſeated in their places, began
CO
Lips and their Hearts yet
of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 43
to ſing the Office ; and that vhich might well
have laſted an hour and half, in cale it had been
faid with the requir'd paules devoutiy and modeſto
ly, as it is practiſed in the Common Prayer of the
Ch. of England, was diſpatch'd in leſs than a quarter
of an hour, with a ſtrange kind of precipitation, ſo
that it was ſcarcely pollible to diſtinguiſh between
one word and another, or becween the end and
the beginning of the Verſes. In truth, Sir, wereid
lawful to judge of the Conſciences of Men, from
any thing that is outward, I might have had good
reaſon to infer from their behaviour, that their
Hearts were much ſtranged from the words of
further from God they did nor much weary our
Patience with hearing them and the Service thus
TØundly diſpatch'd, they rather fled, than went out
of Churck; every one his own way. The Father that
was with me, perceiving that I was ſcandaliz'd at
ir, told me, as having had ſome former experience
of Italy, by a journey he had before made through
it ; that it was not yer time for me to be offended,
and that the nearer I ſhould appear to Rome, the
inore cauſe I ſhould find for it. I had been told
indeed, that the further I went, the more ſtarely
Churches 1 Mould find, and the more richly ador-
ned : So that joyning theſe two together, I con-
cluded, that all this outward Bravery and Orna-
ment, did not proceed from the Piery or Zeal of
the Clergy of Italy for the Houſe of God; becauſe
they neglected the chief Glory and Embelliſhment
of ii, viz. the inward, and that ſomething elſe
muſt be the morive to it, as I diſcover'd afterwards,
and of which I ſhall give you a more particular aco-
count upon another occaſion. After we had viſited
the Churches, towards Evening, we went to view
the-


The Second LETTER,
ar
the great Piazza of Turin, facing the Palace of h
Royal Highneſs. Here we ſaw many Theaterso
1
Stages of Rope-Dancers and Mountebanks, whiers
with the Market Places of the Cities in Italy,
always well provided, for the Satisfaction
the Publick. But that which ſurpriz'd me mall
was, that the greateſt part of thoſe that affifted :
Auditors and Spectators, about thoſe Theaters,wer
either Prieſts or Monks, who clapped their hands i
Applauſe of the moſt Ridiculous and Scandalou
ſtuffthey produc'd, and laugh'd with all their migh
We ſaw there of all ſorts of Orders, ſome Father
Jeſuits, that ſeemed the moſt concern’d for the
Fopperies, who ſaluted the Father Benedidin that wa
with us; and having underſtood that he was Pro
curator General of the Order, they offer'd him a
eminent place, near unto themſelves, which he av
cepred of. For my part, I was unwilling to engag
my ſelf in the concern, and retir'd with the tw
French Prieſts to our Ihn. We had opportunity th
ſame Evening of diſcourſing with Count Kamberi
an Officer of his Royal Highneſs, whom formerl
I had ſeen in France, and we could not keep out
ſelves from acquainting him, how ſtrangely w
had been ſurpriz'd, to ſee ſo many Religious
the public Shews, and ſo attentive to the lewd
Fooleries of Buffoons; becauſe we look'd upon
as very unworthy and ſcandalous, and that no ſuch
hing was to be ſeen in France. He told us, tha
this was not that which ought moſt to ſurprize us
for that in Italy, thoſe of the Clergy who did com
monly frequent the Piazza in the Evening, were
the moſt eſteemed of, as being ordinarily the bel
amongſt them ; becauſe the reſt at the ſame time
were for the moſt part either in Whore-Houſes, or
at Taverns, in company of their Wenches. Here

Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 45
I turn'd my ſelf to our French Priests, and ſaid,
Well, Gentleman, what ſay you now? Do you
think you concluded well from the Magnificence
of the Churces of this Country, that their Reli.
gion and Piecy muſt needs be the belt, becauſe their
Churches were the moſt ſtatel and lump uous ?
whereas you ſee that theſe who ought in a more
eſpecial manner, to be the living Temples of the
Holy Ghoſt, abandon the nſelves to ſuch execrable
Profaneneſs and Debauchery ? As to that which
we alled ged, that no ſuch lewd deportments were
to be found amongſt our Eccleſiaſticks in France the
Count very wiſely Reply'd, That for that we might
thank the Protefianis; for that it was only their Prep
ſence that maintained the Learning, Modeſty, and res
ſerved-Carriage of the Clergy of the Gallican Church,
and if they once jould be forced to quit the Countrey
(for the King's Deſign was already known here) we
fhould ſoon ſee all Sciences and Vertues exiled with
them. This, Sir, agrees incomparably well with
what ſome Perſons of Quality of the Roman Com-
munion have of late freely owned to me, That
they begin already in France to perecíve, that ſince
the Proteſtants have been baniſh'd thence, and that
they believ'd them far enough from them the
burning Zeal of the Ecclefiafticks is turn'd to
Lukewarınneſs, their Devotion grown cold, and
their Application to their Studies become very flat
and languiſhing. So that ar preſent they are ſel-
dom found at their Books, but for the moft part
Ragging from one Houſe to another, upon pretence
of encouraging and confirming their new Perverts,
and boaſting themſelves for great Doctors, with
what they have learn'd, at a time when they were
forced upon by the learned Writings, and cloſe
Arguings of the Proteſtant Miniſters. I return now
3

46 The Second LETIER,
to my Voyage : But before I leave Turin, becauſe
I have already made mention of the Church, where
in is kept the Holy Shrowd or Linen-Sheet, where
in they pretend our Saviour's dead Budy was
Wrapp'd; I ſuppoſe you will not take it amiſs, il
I tell you in ſhort what I ihink of it. Thoſe of
your Religion ſuppoſe it to be the ſame Shrowd or
Linen Sheet, in which Foſeph of Arimathea wrapp't
up, and buried the precious Body of our Lord J
ſus Chriſt after it was taken down from the Crols
and that the Figure of that adorable Body remain
im rinted upon it, for the comfort of Believers.
I intend not to enter the Lifts about the Truth o
chat Hiſtory, which I never ſearch'd into;
but
Tral only rell you, Sir, that there is another ol
them to be ieen in the Carhedral of Befanfan i
Burg ndy, which the maintain to be the same
which 3ofeph wrapt the Body of our Saviour: S
veral Po es, according to their diſtinct fancies and
humours have granred ſeveralBulls andIndulgences
fome to that of Turin, others that of Beſançon, unti
that thcle Conteſtations rai 'd ſuch extream Feud
between the Archbiſhops of thelerwo Cities, that a
laſt they fell to Libelling one another; whereupon
to ftifle the flame from ſpreading further, a way
was found our at Rome to reconcile chem, b. derer
mining (contrary to the ex reſsWords of the Vuigal
Tranſlation, Matt. 27. Et involvit illud Sindone mus
dâ, And wrapt it in a clean linen cloth; where the
Word Sindone is in the Singu ar i urber) that ther
were two, and conſequently that both the one and
t'other of them were true. It can't indeed be de
n'd, but that there was ſuch a Shrowd or Linen
Cloth, and it is pollible that with great care
might have been preſerv'd till now: But to ſee the
Church of Rome, for the reconciling of two Biſhops
il
wid

of the Spirit of Reverge, &c. 47
with ſo much eaſineſs, boidly to determine that
there were two, when the Scriprure ſeems but to
ſpeak of one . this is that which will not go down
with Men of Underſtanding : And moreover, to
ordain, that the ſame Worthip and Adoration be
given to them both on Eaſter Day, which is giren to
the Croſs on Good Fiday, which does not differ at
all from what is given to Jeſus Chriſt himſelf:
This is no leſs than downright Impiery and Idolatry.
After ſome days ſtay at Turin, finding myſelf
within two days Journey of Genoun, the curioſity
of ſeeing that I ofty City, made me reſolve to go
thither. However, I found ſome ſtrife in my ſelf
about it, becauſe of the Satisfaction I had enjoy'd
in the Compan of m; Benedictin whoſe Conver-
ſation was indeed very plealant and agreeable ; as
fi ding, that if I continued my Reſolution, it would
be neceſſary for us to part; for the Letter of Obedie
ence, which he had ſhewed me of his General, exd
preſſed, that he was without ſtop or ſta to go
directly to Rome. I communicated to him my Re-
ſolution of going to Gennua, whereupon he imme
diarely told me. That he was relolved to go along
with me, and that he would order the matter fo,
as his Superiours ſhould know nothing of it, and
accordingly in the Letter he wrote to them from
Turin, acquainting them, that being nor yer wholly
recovered from ſome Fits of an Ague he had, he
ſhould be obliged to remain there ſtill for loine
days, which was juſt the very time he took, to
go this Journey with me. I found by this, that the
moſt Reformed Monks make no great ſcruple of
violaring the Obedience they have Vowed to ob-
ſerve, and to tranſgreſs the Rules they profeſs,
upon the leaſt occalion that preſents it ſelf to them,
of any particular fatisfaction. The uſe of Meat
Was

48 The Second LETTER,
its
was alſo forbid him by his Rule, and yet he no
fooner found himſelf at a distance from the
Monaſteries of his Order, but he made boid with
and as ſoon as he met with another, he took
up his Obſervance again as before, deſiring me not
to divulge that ever he had tranſgreſſed it. And in
the mean time I can ſay with truth, that I never
ſaw a more Rigorous Cenſor of another Man's a.
ctions than he was, when he was in the company
of Monks, who where nor Reformed, or who took
more liberty than thoſe of their Congregation ; he
would undertake thein in a high manner, yea, with
Infoience it ſelf: He ſaid, He could not look upon
them any better than damn’d Souls, and worfe than De.
vils. Neither had he any more charitable Opi.
nion for the People, whom the Monks, by way
of diſtinction, term the People of the World and
Worldlings, with which Words they denote all
Laymen in general. It ſeem'd to him impoſſible
for a Man that liv?d at large in the world, to be
ſaved, except he took up and confin'd himſelf to
a Convent ; yea, and it muſt be in a Convent of
his Order too. If by chance he ſaw in the Streets
a Woman well dreſs'd, without examining whether
her Condition, or ſome other reaſon might oblige
her to it, he immediarely pronounced a Sentence
of Eternal Condemnation againſt her ; ſaying That
fre was a Victim deftin'd to the Flames of Hell; and
if he heard ſpeak of any perſons newly married, or
that had obtained ſome good Fortune, Alas ſaid
he, theſe perſons make their Paradice of this World, but
they fall burn for ever in the other for it. And thus
without excepting any whatever,and putting a wrong
conſtruction upon the moſt innocent Actions, he
judged with an inveteracy of heart what belongs
alane to God to judge of. What I now ſay, is not
only

Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 49
only to be underſtood of this Religious alone, but
generally almoſt of all ſorts of Reformed Religi.
ous, or thoſe who profeſs a more ſtrict Life than
others; and of Secular Prieſts alſo, who by their
little Superſtitious ways, pretend to be quite di-
ftinguiſh'd from the Common ſort of People : I
have obſerved, that they judge Men without
Mércy. Some have own'd to me, thar from their
youth up they have been accuſtomed to theſe Idea's,
the World having been always repreſented to them
as a tempeſtuous and raging Sea, whence it it very
rare for any one to eſcape, without being Ship-
wreck'd, and that their Monaſteries are the very
Ports of Salvation and the Havens of Grace, where
it is impoſſible to periſh. Whereas it were much
better, to educate them in a Spirit of Humility,
and to inſpire in them charitable Thoughts towards
their Neighbour, whether they be joyned with
them in the ſame profeſſion of Life, or engaged
in another way, to which we ought Chriſtan-like
to believe that God hath called them. This indeed
we muſt own, that it ſeems to be the unhappy Lot
of all Perſons whatſoever that engage themſelves
in a party, not to have any conſideration, but for
thoſe of their own Company, deſpiſing and con-
demning all the reſt. It was this confideration
without doubt, that made our Fathers, the firſt Rea
formers of Religion, to diſapprove, and afterwards
to reject all theſe kind of Inequalities, which by
dividing Men into ſeveral different Stares, do or-
dinarily divide their Hearts alſo, and by this means
ſeparate them from the Charity of Jeſus Chriſt. But
to return to our Benedi&tin, who as he was ex-
treamly rigorous to others, ſo he was as indulgent
to himſelf. He was naturally very Comical, and
inclin'd to Raillery, and did not effect that Monke
D
ifs

50 The Second LET I E R
iſh gravity, but upon certain Occaſions.de
We arrived at Genoua the iſt of September. Being
informed that there was a very fair Abby of his
Order in the City, called S. Catherine of Genoua,
he would needs go and lodge there, in hopes of
being as well Entertain'd, as he had been
hitherto in the ſeveral Monaſteries he had called
at. He went and preſented his Letter of Obe.
dience to the Abbar, who having read it, took a
view of him from Top to Toe: He ask'd, him,
of what Order he was? He anſwer'd, That his
Letter ſhewed that, and that he was a Reform'd
Benedi&tin : The other reply'd, That he believ'd
nothing of what he ſaid, becauſe he was not in
the Habit of S. Bennet, which was the chief Mark
which diſtinguiſh'd their Order. Now it is to be
noted, that theſe Monks in France wear Gowns of
our courſe-Cloth, with a Cowl cut very Atrait ;
whereas the Italians have extreamly amplified
theirs, and wear Stuffs very fine and luſtrous ; they
are very nearly ſhod, wear Silk-Stockins, fine grey
Hats, and are not a whit inferior to the Bravery of
Lay.men. Moreover, a ſmall difference in the
Habits in Italy, makes alſo a difference of Order.
There are about Ten ſorts of the Religious of the
Order of S. Frances, which are only diſtinguiſh'd
from one another, becauſe ſome of them have
their Sleeves, or their Cowls, two or three Fin
gers breadth larger than the others. And yet this
makes ſo great a diviſion between them, that they
cannot endure the fight of one another, and have
one another mortally. The Monk of whom I am
ſpeaking, was not ſprucely enough accommo
dared, according to their Mode, to pleaſe thi
nice and curious Abbat; and the concluſion was
That he very baſely deny'd him entrance into

of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
SE
his Monaſtery. The poor Benedi&tin was put
into ſuch a rage by the affront put upon him, that
he could not forbear downright Railing at the
Abbat in his own Monaſtery ; telling him,
That he was an Abbat accurs'd of God; that Dam-
nation would be his portion, and that all thoſe who
lived under his Conduct, might make ftate to go to
Hell with him ; that it was they that had changed the
Venerable Habit of the Order, and alter'd it to that
degree, that it ſeem'd at preſent rather contriv'd to
pleaſe and entice young Ladies, than to distinguiſha
them from the People of the World ; and that they
190ould ſee one day, but alas too late! what a Reception
their glorious Patriarch would afford in Heaven,
to that poor Habit which he had upon his Body, and
which they vilified ſo much here on Eaath. The
Abbat found himſelf ſo extreamly netled at this
Invective, that he threatned our Reformed Monk,
That in caſe he did not that very Evening depart
the City, he would take care to ſtop his Pipes
for him. The poor Monk frighted, and trembling
at his Threat, returns to the Inn where I was, and
gave me an account of his diſaſter. This was
the reaſon, that I ſtaid only three days at Genoua,
becauſe
my Companion, for fear of being ſacrifi-
ced to the Italick. Revenge, durft not ftir abroad,
but was fain to keep himſelf ſhut up in a Cham-
ber, all the while I ſtaid there to take a view of
the City.
Revenge is an abominable Vice, and which ar
preſent is not without great Reaſon particularly
appropriated to the Italians ; but certainly amongſt
them all, there are none who exerciſe and act it
with greater Rage and Fury than the Clergy, who,
as they have no Families to care for, their At-
sention is leſs divided, and conſequently more
D 2
united

The Second LETTER,
united and concentred, to reſent Injuries done un
to them, and have alſo more leiſure time to del.
cant upon them ; and beſides all this, in caſe of
any Accident, they have none but their own per.
ſons to ſave. Neither do they fear ſo much as
others the Confiſcation of their Goods, as being
aſſured, That whatſoever Country their Lot may
caſt them upon, ſo it be the Romißs Communion
,
they cannot miſs of getting a livelyhood by their
Maſſes, and of being furniſh'd with a full ſupply
of their Neceſſities. This is a Patrimony that
follows them whitherſoever they go, and cannot be
taken away from them, but with their Life. One
thing extreamly facilitates the taking of Revenge
in Italy, viz. the great number of petty Principalities
,
into which it is divided ; and whereof the Princes
are all of rhem independent one of another, and
extreamly jealous of preſerving their Rights, el.
pecially of Protection and Refuge, to thoſe who
having done ſome ill Turn, retire themſelves to
their Territories. The King of _France would
ſooner and with more eaſe obtain a Fugitive perſon
from the Emperor, than from the Duke of Mi
randula, whoſe Territories do not extend them.
ſelves to three Italian Miles; becauſe always the
inore inconſiderable any Power is, the more
ſtrives to appear great. The Commonwealth of
S. Marin, is but an inconſiderable Hamler of abou
fome Fifty Houſes of poor Peaſanrs, who are gli
vernd by themſelves : And tho' they be ſhut i
on every ſide by the Pope's Territories, which the
call the Domaine of S. Peter, yet they do give ſud
a reſolute Protection to Prieſts guilty of Murthe
or Manſlaughter, that it is not pollible for the
Pope to perſuade them, to deliver up any one o
them. Neither are the Sovereign Princes of IM
1
C
1
C
@
a
on
of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 53
only thus jealous of the Franchiſes of their Eſtates,
but alſo all perſons of Quality in general, who
will not permit a Malefactor to be leiz'd in their
Houſes. I ſhall here tell you by the by, Sir,
that it is this pretended Liberty which was the
Riſe of the Franchiſe or Liberty of the Ambaſ-
ſadors of Crowned Heads at Rome, and which
Caus'd the great Diſpute between Pope Innocent XI.
and the French King : For ſeeing the Ambaſſadors,
to diſtinguiſh themſelves, were willing to have
fome priviledge above the ordinary Nobility,
they did not only pretend to have an Immunity
for their Palaces, but over and above, an entire
Franchiſe throughout all the Quarters, where
their abode was. Now Pope Innocene the XI. con-
ceiv'd it an Enterprize becoming his Glory and
Courage, efficaciouſly to endeavour the final de.
ſtruction of theſe Retreats for Robbers and Mur.
therers in Rome, obliging the Ambaſſadors for ever
to renounce the Franchiſes of the Quarters, and
ro content themſelves, for the repect born to their
Maſters, with the Iinmunity of their Houſes. But,
to ſpeak truth, To what purpoſe was it for the
Pope to be ſo zealouſly bent to aboliſh theſe pla-
ces of Refuge ? Did not he know, that all the
Churches, Monaſteries, Convents, and Colleges
of Rome, are ſo many open places, which one meets
with at evey turn, where Injuſtice, Inceſt, Rob-
bery and Murther are protected and ſecured ? I
confeſs, it ſeems not unreaſonable, that the Church-
es of God ſhould be eſteem'd fo Holy and Sacred,
as to make it a kind of Profanation to enter them
Armed, in order to ſeize a Criminal ;. but what
reaſon is there to allow the ſame Priviledge to:
all Cloyſters and Houſes of thole wretched Monks,
that are the very worſt of Criminals? And the
compaſs

D 3

54. The Second LETI ER,
compaſs of whoſe Walls take up ſo much ground
that if they were all joyn'd together, they would
without doubt make more than a third part of
Rome : And what is the Sacredneſs and Holineſs o
theſe profane Perſons, for which they are to enjoy
this Exemption? For my part, I cannot imagine
any other reaſon for it, but that the Pope, with
the reſt of the Eccleſiaſtical Princes of that Com
munion, endeavouring no leſs to eſtabliſh theilt
Temporal Power, than their Uſurped Tyranny
over the Souls of Men, will be very backward d
diminiſhing the Priviledges belonging to the
Monaſteries that are amongſt them ; left Foreig
Princes following their Example, nould under
take the ſame in their Countries ; and ſeeing, tha
the Monks always ſide with the Pope, the taking
of this courſe would be a manifeſt weakning
their own Party. Moreover theſe Monks are of
Such mean and intereſſed Spirits, that if the Pope
or a Cardinal ſend to them, to deliver up any
that have taken Refuge with them, they imme
diately comply with the Demand, as being well
pleaſed to have this occaſion, to procure their
Favour at ſo cheap a rate : But if any other su
cular Lord comes to requeft any ſuch thing
them, then they ſtand ſtiffly in defence of the
Priviledges, and without a good piece of Moll
in hand, will never grant their Requeſt. Eſper
ally if the Criminal be a Monk, or a Clergy-map
and indeed (as was mention'd before) that whic
inakes them ſo bold in revenging themſelves,
the affurance they have of being always ſecond
red and aſſiſted by ſome of their Brotherhood
For upon any ſuch occaſions, they are very read
to take one another's part ; ſo that it is impoſib
so offend any one of them, without engag!
01
WWA

of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 55
with a whole Party. For either they are Monks'or
Fryers, and ſo are Fellow members with all thoſe
of the ſame Order, Convent, or Monaſtery ; oř
they are Secular Prieſts, and ſo make up one Bo.
dy with all the other Prieſts of their Diocels,
Cathedral, or Pariſh, there being never a Churchi
ſo inconſiderable, that has not at leaſt fifteen or
twenty Prieſts belonging to it: So that when an
one Member of the ſame Body is offended, all
the reſt are affected by ſympathy, and endeavour
to revenge it, as done to themſelves. 'Tis evident
that a Spirit of Charity does not engage them to
theſe courſes ; for Charity avengeth not it ſelf:
But 'tis a kind of Natural pleaſure they take to
make others feel the effects of their Rage and
Fury, that have either offended them, or thoſe
they have any Relation to ; and which makes
them fay with one of their Poets,
Dolciſſimo, Mortali, è la Vendetta :
Revenge is the ſweetest thing in the World.
My ſelf, when I was ar Kononia, counted no leſs
than Seventeen in one Week, that has been ſacri-
ficed to this Infernal Füry, and who ( for the moſt
part of them) had been murthered by either
Monks or Prieſts. The great Provoſt, who there
is called the Bargello, having by Order of the
Cardinal-Archbiſhop made ſearch for a Monk,
who very ſcandalouſly kept a publick Stews, was
one of the number of theſe unhappy Victims,
being miſerably Maſfácred on Eaſter day, as he was
coming out of a Church. One of the moſt dread.
ful means the Clergy have to glue their Vengeance ,-
is the Inquiſition, which they have introduc'd uro
der the pretext of Religion ; tho' indeed it be the
moſt Diabolical Invention that was ever forg'a
in Hell, and which they as dexteronly manage
D4
for

56 The Second LETTER,
for the ſerving of their particular ſelf-ends. They
have made it an Inquiſition matter for any to
ſtrike, affront, or vilife any perſon belonging to
the Clergy, whether Secular or Regular. I will
give you an Inſtance how they proceeded at Bow
nonia ; againſt an honeſt Man of my Accquain-
tance, who in heat of his Paſſion had callid a
Dominican Fryer, Old Fool of a Monk The Fryer
immediately went and made his Complaint to
the Inquiſitor, who forthwith caus'd the Young.
man to be ſeiz'd, and caſt into the Inquiſition
Priſon, where he continu'd ten Months before ever
any enquiry was made about the Cauſe of his
Commitment. At laſt he was brought before the
Sacred Tribunal; and foraſıuch as he could not
deny, but that he had called the Fryer, Old Fool of
a Monk, his Indictment was drawn up to this
purpoſe : He who doth not repect Church-men,
doth not believe the Eccleſiaſtick Estate porthy of
Honour, and conſequently is an Heretick: Now it is
apparent, that you have had no reſpe&t for Brother
Nicholas, who is an Ecclefiaftick; and conſequently,
neither do you think the Eccleſiaſtick State worthy
of Honour, and therefore are an Heretick. The De
fendant pleaded for himſelf, That it was true he
called the Plaintiff, Old Food, but only with re.
ſpect to his perſon, without intending the leaſt
reflection upon his Profeſſion. But the Plaintiff
inſiſted, That he called him Fool, with repect
to his Profeſſion, by joyning the word Monk with
that reproachful word, and without adding theſe
words Sading your Character. For true it is, That
if in Italy a Man chance to affront a Prieſt or a
Monk, by calling them, Knaves, Raſcals, or the
like, ſo he do but remember immediately to
Lubjoyn, Saving your Character, or Saving your
Habit,
of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 57
Habit, they cannot make an Inquiſition matter
of ic ; but if by miſchance this be forgot, he is
undone. Thus this poor Gentleman was found
guilty. As for Striking any one of the Clergy,
in what manner ſoever it be, whether ſorely or
ſlightly, it is always a matter the Inquiſition takes
cognizance of. And this is that which makes the
Men of the Church ſo peremptory and inſolent
thoughout all Italy,
I hapned at Rome to ſee a Prieſt,who fell our with
an Officer in the Piazza Navona: The Officer very
dexterouſly and freely ſtaind the Prieſt with his
Tongue, never forgetting at the end of each Injury,
to complement him with a Saving Character ; which
fo confounded the poor Prieſt, that quite foaming
with Rage, he began to ſay to the People that ſtood
about ; Gentlemen, I muſt put this Man into the Inqui.
fition, for if I be not miſtaken, he ſtruck me : Did not
you ſee him to give me a ſlight ſtroke ? Indeed he could
have had with'd he had with all his lieart, thar fo
he might have had an opportunity to have profecu.
red his Revenge ; but none of thoſe that were
preſent having ſeen any ſuch thing, they could not
witneſs againſt him. The Italians have a Proverb,
That be who would live peaceably' at Rome, muſt take
heed of offending any Female, or Prieſt; becauſe the Wo-
men procure their Lovers to work their Revenge, and the
Clergy make uſe of the Inquiſition, to avenge themſelves.
'Tis true indeed that Perſons of Rank amongſt them,
as Abbats, Biſhops, and Cardinals, do nor ordina-
rily make uſe of this means, it appearing to them
a little too troubleſome. They have ſervants and
Dependants, who for Mony, or to obrain ſome
Favour, do voluntarily offer themſelves to be the
Executioners of their Revenge ; and if at any time
they chance to be ſeized in the Act, they are but very
little

DS

58 The Second LETTER,
little concern'd at it, fully relying upon their Miaſt
.
ers Power and Authority, who are never wanting,
by all manner of means,
to procure their dil.
charge and liberty. As for the Popes, they are no
more exempt from this weakneſs than other Men';
neither do they forget, upon occaſion, to make uſe
of the Power they have in their hands; but like
other Monarchs, whenever they are offended, Thew
themſelves to have long Hands. There is no ſpeak.
ing to theſe Holy Fathers, of Humility, or Patience
in ſuffering Injuries, in imitation of our Lord Jeſus
Chriſt, whoſe perſon they will needs repreſent upon
Earth. They have in a manner rejected all his
Vertues, and their ſtudy at preſent, is, to repreſent
here below his Heavenly Glory, vizi his Power
and Judicature. The Title of Holineſ, which is
given them, is only a ſwelling term they make uſe
of to expreſs their Pride. We have a ſignal Exam•
ple of Revenge in the Life of Pope Sixtus the
Fifth. He was of a very mean Extraction, his Fa.
ther being a poor Vine-dreſſer, and his Mother a Ser-
ving.maid, and he himſelf in his Youth was re.
"cuc'd to be a Hog-herd; and yer by the ſubtilty
of his Spirit, in conjunction with an extraordi-
nary Fortune, he ſtept over all theſe Difficulties,
and mounted the Pontifical Throne. But ſo far
was this meanneſs of his Birth from inſpiring
him with an anſwerable degree of Humility, in
the midſt of that Greatneſs to which he was rais'd,
that he could not endure to hear the leaſt hint
of it ; but by a revengful Inclination, which was
natural to him, he let looſe his cruel and unre.
lenting Nature againſt all thoſe, who either im.
prudently, or of ſer-purpofe ler drop the leaſt word
of Contempt reflecting that way ; of which the
following Story may be a pregnant Inſtance : The
Statut
Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
ing him with Death, that he would bestow upon V
Statue of Paſquin in Rome appeared one Morning
with a very naſty Shirt pulld over it; and More
forius demanding the Reaſon, Why for name he
did not ſhift himſelf, and put on a clean one ? Becauſe
(anſwer'd Paſquin) my Waſher-woman is become a
Princeſs. This Anſwer ftung the Pope's Siſter Ca.
milla, who of a poor Waſher-woman, which ſhe
was before, was, by her Brother rais'd roa Prin.
cipality. The Pope being enrag‘d at this cutting
Satyr, made uſe of all the ways imaginable to
find out the Author; but miſſing the deſir’d ſuc-
ceſs in this his Reſearch, he berook himſelf to
craft and circumvention, but that too one ſo baſe
and unworthy, that the whole recital of it is ſuf.
ficient to ſtrike a man with horror. He cans'd ir
to be publiſhed every where, that he was so exo
treamly pleas’d with the delicate Poignancy of this
piece of Wit, that if the Author of it would come and
diſcover himſelf to him, he would be ſo far from puniſis.
him
Two thouſand Crowns for a Reward. The poor un-
happy Wretch, trepan'd by this advantageous
Promiſe, makes himſelf known. The Pope, upon
owning himſelf to be the Author of it, caus'd
the Two thouſand Crowns to be counted out to
him, aſſuring him withal, That he would be as
good as his word, and that he thould not be
háng’d. At which words the Wrerch overjoy'd
pour'd forth his moſt humble Acknowledgments
to his Holineſs, for ſo unparelleld a piece of Grace.
Ay, ny, (anſwer'd the Pope) I will be as good as my
word in all this ; but täke notice, Sirrah, that I never
prómi'd you not ro cauſe your Hands to be cut off, ando
your Toungue to be pluckt out of your Head. And im
mediately commanded the cruel Sentence to be
execured in his preſence, as a pleaſing Sacrifice


60
The Second LETTER,
to his implacable Revenge. I have ſometimes ſet
my ſelf to enquire, what might be the cauſe of
this Spirit of Vengance, which now-a-days is be.
come ſo natural to the Italians, whether it pro.
ceed from the Climate, or Nature of the Country,
or from ſome other neceſſary and inevitable
Cauſe. But having call'd to my remembrance the
Generoſity, Courage, and Greatneſs of Soul, that
ſhone forth ſo illuſtriouſly in the Lives of the
Ancient Romars, who inhabited the ſame Coun.
try, and who rendred themſelves every where as
amiable by their Clemency, as formidable for
their Valour, I ſoon found that I was rather to
ſeck for a Moral Cauſe of it, than a Natural ; and
as far as I can reach, it is this, That the greateſt
part of Italy, in proceſs of time, being fallen un.
der the Domination of the Biſhops of Rome, they
ſent Prieſts to be their Lieutenants in the ſeveral
Provinces of their Dominions ; a ſort of people
equally ignorant in maters of Commerce and
War, which are the two Sinews of State, and with
our which the Government is like a Body afili-
cted with the Palſy, without either action or ino.
tion. This Idleneſs, joynd to the great Heat of
the Country, and to the corrupt Examples of the
ſaid Governours, as being Men that only minded
cheir Pleaſures, at laſt introduc'd an entire diffo.
lution and effeminacy. In Rome of old, the Sword
fometime gave way to the Robe, and Arms to Letters.
Gedant Arma toge. But at preſent all veils to the
Love of Women. This Love being exceſſive and
unbounded, is the inſeparable Companion of Jea-
louſie; and the fruit of Jealouſie, inexorable Re-
venge ; which are the two great Vices which do
ftain the Reputation of the Italians. From this great
eaſineſs of Revenging themſelves, when affronted
in

Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
in their Amours, they are now arriv'd to that
point, as not to ſuffer the leaſt word, or the leaſt
injury to fall to the ground, without taking (ſo ir
be in their power) a moſt pitileſs Revenge. This
Vice, which had its birth in the Pope's Dominic
ons, has inſenſibly diſpers'd it ſelf into thoſe of the
Neighbouring Princes, and at preſent miſerably
infected all Italy. It has been obſerved, that Bononia
and Ferrara, who were the laſt that have ſubmit-
red their Necks to the Roman Yoak, have ſince that
time doubled their revengeful Spirit. But that
which is moſt of all to be condemn'd in their way
of Revenge is, that they do commonly execute it
in the bafeſt and moſt cowardly manner imagi-
nable ; that is, either by poiſon, or teacherouſly
ftabbing their Enemy in the back. They deride
our Duels, and ſay, It is the greateſt folly in the
World, to put the Sword in our Enemies hand,
and by this means ſtate him in as fair a condition
of being reveng'd of us, as we our felves are of
being aveng’d of him. When we have an Enemy
(ſay they ) we are not ſuch Fools to cry to him at
a diſtance, Stand upon your Guard ; but endeavour to
kill him with the firſt occaſion, without putring
our ſelves to the hazard of being killd by him.
However, Sir, thoʻthe Italians have their Faults,
yet on the other hand I muſt own, that they alſo
have their good qualities; they are very prudent
in the conduct of their Affairs, very diſcreet in
their Diſcourſe, civil and handſom in their Carri-
age amongſt themſelves, or towards Strangers ;
they are good Counſellors, and very ready to
render Service ; conftant in their Friendſhip, and
of a very obliging Humor, .provided it coſt them
nothing : They are very witty, and I dare ſay,
that if their Prieſts and Monks had not corrupted
them

62 I he Second LEI I ER,
them in their Morals, and had not ſo ſtrangely
ſpoild and chang’d their Religious Worſhip, ( as
well as the beſt Country in Europe) they would
be ſome of the beft Men in the World. Indeed,
Popery is grown to that prodigious exceſs of Ido.
latry, Superſtition, and Folly, that I am aſtoniſh'd
they are ſo backward in caſting off that Yoke. I
know there are a great many amongſt them, that
begin to open their Eyes, and ſee their Errours;
but they dare not declare their minds to any one
whatſoever, for fear of falling Victims to the bar.
barous and inexorable Cruelty of the Inquiſition:
That Tribunal was ſet up more particularly for
a Curb to the Italians, amongſt whom many be
gan to waver, than to debate the Doctrin of Rome.
And in order to make it the more fierce and tera
rible, the Popes thought they could not truft ir
in better hands than thoſe of the Dominicans, a
cruel and pitileſs fort of Fellows, and more than
any other Order, engag‘d to maintain the Pope's
Intereft. And to encourage them to a rigorous
diſcharge of that barbarous and butcherly Fun.
ction, they have found it convenient from time
to time, to confer Epiſcopal Dignity upon the
moft zealous Inquiſitors, and even to raiſe many
of them to the Eminence of Cardinals
Throughout all the Dominions of the Great Duke
of Florence, this Employ has always been attributed
to the Franciſcans, many of whom likewiſe have
been elevated to Biſpopricks and Cardinals Caps.
The end in dividing the Inquiſition thus between
two different Orders, was only in order to the
more vigorous maintaining of the ſame by Emula.
tion of both the Pretenders. The main deſign ar
first intended for the erecting of the Inquiſition, was
by ways of Blood and Violence, to put a ſtop to the
pro.
Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
progreſs of Hereſie, or to ſpeak in their own terms,
Contra Hæreticam pravitatem, Againſt Heretical Pra-
vity. But the Clergy having lince conſider'd the
great advantage the Inquiſition gave them above
the Laity, have learnt ſo dexterouſly to ſerve them-
ſelves by it, that ar preſent there is ſcarce any thing,
which they have not brought within the Verge
of that Court, in order to bring about their private
Self - ends. If you fail of paying your Tithes 3
without troubling them to examine, Whether you
be able or not, they Argue, That the reaſon why
you do not pay them, is becauſe you don't believe they
ought to to be pasd, and conſequently, that you are an
Heretick If the lealt word chance to drop from
you, reflecting upon the licentious Lives of the
Biſhops and Clergy, whether Regular or Secular,
they accuſe you as one whoſe deſign isto vilifie the
Epiſcopal Dignity, and conſequently the Church
it ſelf, in the Eyes of the people ; that in ſo do-
ing you have done the Herericks work for them,
and ſerve their Intereſt, and therefore muſt be
look'd upon as being one your ſelf. If a Man be
known to have an Eſtate, and in the mean time
thews himſelf cold and indifferent in contributing
to the Collections that are made for the ſaying
of Maſſes, and other Prayers, for the repoſe of
the Souls of the Dead ; tho' it be well known,
that there is never a Prieſt or Monk that will
ſo much as fay one without Mony, he is pre-
ſently accuſed, as one who doth not believe Pur.
gatory, and conſequently a downright Heretick.
Nay moreover, if any one be conſequently ob.
ſerv'd ro refuſe putting ſomething into thoſe Boxes
that continually run up and down the Streets
to help to celebrate the Feſtivals of ſuch an
He or Shę Saint, towards ſuch a Proceſſion in
ſuch




64 The Second LETTER,
manners.
ſuch a Church, towards the Chapel of the Roſary,
towards the Scapulary of the Bleſed Virgin, or for
the Cord of S. Francis ; theſe Fellows have the
Impudence to tell you, That they ſee well enough,
you have no Devotion for Holy Things, and conſequently
believe little of them ; which is a kind of Adver-
tiſement, That in caſe you ſhould be guilty again
of the ſame neglect, occaſion would lie taken to re-
commend you to the Inquiſition, there to learn better
It is nor lawful for any to excuſe, or
to intercede (either in perſon, or by one's friends)
directly or indirectly, for thoſe who have had
the Miſhap to fall into the Priſons of the Inquia
fition, except you have a mind to involve your
ſelves in the guilt of the ſame Crimes, whereof
they are attainted. One cannot ſo much as come
to ſpeak with them without an expreſs perº
miſſion given in writing by the Inquiſitor him.
ſelf, which he never grants, but with a deal of
difficulty and very ſeldom. An Abbar of Cals
bria, one of my Acquaintance, was put into
the Inquiſition at Venice, for ſmiling at the Story
a certain Monk told, about the Apparition of a
Soul in Purgatory. After that he had been a whole
year in Priſon, I underſtood that Sentence of
Death was not yet pronounc'd againſt him, tho'
he had been ſeveral times "put upon the Rack;
and having occaſion to go to the Inquiſitor, to
obrain his Licence for printing of a Book ;
cook this opportunity to beg leave of him, that I
might go and ſee this poor Priſoner ; who have
ing heard the Requeſt I made him, look'd ſternly
upon me, and demanded, what buſineſs I had to
concern iny ſelf with him? I told him, That
nothing made me to deſire this Favour, Save only a
motive of Charity, to beſtow ſome words of Comfort
I
uo
Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 65

upon him. But the Monk anſwerd me in a moſt
rude and diſobliging way, or rather like himſelf,
That the Priſoner was in very good hands, and
did not at all ſtand in need of any of my com-
fort; ſo that it was nor poſſible for me to get
to ſpeak with him. However, I had the ſatisfa-
&tion of ſeeing him ſer ar Liberry about fix Months
after, thro the charitable Care, and powerful
Interceſſion of Cornelia Epiſcopia, a Noble Venetiap
young Lady, of extraordinary Learning and Merit,
to whom my Friend dedicated his Learned
Poems, which he had compoſed during the time
of his Confineinent. I have before mention'd, that
it was not lawful to intercede for any that are
committed by the Inquiſition; but you muſt know,
Sir, that the Inquiſition is much more favourable.
in Venice, than it is in other parts of Italy.
That wiſe Senate abhorring the Inhumanity of thoſe
Monks that manage it, have erected a particulas
Chamber, where ſome Venetian Nobles preſide,
and take cognizance of all Matters that are brought
before the Inquiſition; inſomuch that the Dominicans.
are not altogether the Maſters of it. This Friend
of mine having had the good Fortune to eſcape ſo
great a danger,was ſo ſengbly touched with the Cru-
elites they had made him ſuffer during his Impri.
ſonment, that he readily concluded from thence,
that the Church of Rome being poffeſt with ſuch a
Spirit of Cruelty and Barbarity, as is never to be
parallel'd even amongſt the worſt of Heathens,
could never be the true Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt.
She might indeed be allowed the prudence of Ser-
pents, for her own preſervarion, provided it were
always in Conjunction with the mild Nature of the
Dove, that ſo ſhe might not render her ſelf unwor-
thy of, and unlike to him, who wills us to learn of
him

66 The Second LETTER,
him to be meek and lowly of heart. My Friend
confeſt to me, thar indeed, before he was caſt into
Priſon, he had ſome doubts about Purgatory and
Tranſubftantiation; but that ſince that they had gone
about to make them believed perforce, he believed
nothing at all of them, and that he was reſolved to
rerire into Swiſferland or Geneva'; there to enjoy that
Liberty of Conſcience, which would not be allow'd
him in his own Countrey. He told me, That ne.
ver a Night paſt over his head, in which he was not
diſquieted in his ſeep, with the frightful Idea's and
repreſentations of the Torments he had in their
Dungeons, where they had rackt all his Meinbers
out of Joynt, one after another, bruiſed all his Fing.
ers, and applied Plates of red-hot Irons to the Soles
of his Feer. And after all this, to make him the
more ſenſible of his pains, they in this condition
Thut him up again for ſome days in his Dungeon al.
lowing him nothing but a poor morſel of brown
Bread, and a ſmall meaſure of Water, and then again
put him into the Hands of the Executioners of the
Inquiſition, to go through a new courſe of Torments,
They tied him by one Arin, and by means of a Pully,
hoiſted him up into the Air, and there left him
hanging for ſeveral hours, which time being over,
they let him down again, rather dead than alive;
and to bring him to himſelfagain, they inoſt cruelly
and inhumanly Scourg'd him with a kind of a
Whip made of ſlender Iron Chains full of Points,
as ſharp as Needles, and this till he was all of a
gore-blood. And all this (O ſtrange and unparallel'd
Barbarity!) to diſcover the Secrets of a poor Con.
ſcience, and to ſearch the bottom of a Heart, which
God as reſerved to hiinſelf as his own Divine Pre-
rogative. The Father Inquiſitor who was all the
while preſent to encourage the Executioners, and
tQ

Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
67
to obſerve whether they were not wanting in their
Dury, ſometimes would draw near to the Penitent
and with a ſevere Tone demand of him, Whe.
ther he did not believe Purgatory yet, wiſhing him
to think ſeriouſly of it, for that all that he ſufferid
there, was but a night a draught of the Torments
of that place, and that it was much more terrible
to fall into the hands of the Living God. This poor
Gentleman anſwer'd nothing to all this, ſave
only by Sighs and Tears. But he confeſſed to me,
that ſince he had made a very ſerious reflection
upon this matter, and that he was come to this
refült, That it was utterly inconſiſtent with the
infinite goodneſs of God, to treat thoſe Souls whom
he had deſtin'd to his heavenly Glory, and the
enjoyment of himnſelf for ever, to ſuch extremities
of Pains and Torments : That all the Works of God
being perfect, he ſewed Mercy to whom he fewed
Mercy, that is ro ſay, perfect and complear Mercy,
and that it was infinitely more glorious for him,
wholly to pardon both Guilt and Puniſhment, than
to reſerve himſelf a miſerable Vengeance from the
Fire and Flames of their feigned Purgatory, and
that for this very reaſon he did not believe any
thing of it all. The common puniſhment inflicted
at Venice on thoſe who are convict of Hereſie, is
either to ſtrangle them in Priſon, or to tie a great
ſtone to their Necks, and ſo caſt them into the
Sea. And herein alſo the Inquiſition of Venice is
much more favourable than it is in other parts of
Italy, where they either burn them alive with a
Now Fire, or elle cut off their Members one by
one, which are caſt into the Fire before their Eyes,
after having firſt of all pluckt out their Tongues,
and made them ſuffer unexpreſſible Torments.
Can you ever believe in good earneſt, Sir, that this
is

68 The Second L ETT E R,
is the Spirit of the Goſpel ? Is this the way ous
Saviour made uſe of ro convert Sinners ? Did he
ever threaten the Diſobedient or Unbelievers
with Priſons, Racks and Tortures ? Has he ever left
us ſo much as one Example or Command to Au-
thorize this Sacred Inquiſition Method ? 1 trow
no, and conſequently this cannot be the Spirit of
Chriſtianity. Thus theſe very means the Popes
take to maintain their Tyranny over the Conſci-
ences of men, might ſerve (and without doubt will
ſo in time) for juft Motives to pull it down, if the
people would once open their eyes, and vigorouf.
ly oppoſe themſelves to the effect, of a moſt unjuſt
and inhuman Violence. Tis Vertue alone that
ſtands in need of no ſupport ; but Sin and Iniquity
are always in the ſearch of props and contrivan.
ces; and what they cannot carry by the ſtrength
of the Lion, they endeavour to bring about by the
Foxes craft. Thus what the Popes and their Adhe.
rents cannot obrain by the Inquiſition, they ſtrive
to compaſs by Artifice and Lies. One of the chief
Ferches they have to keep the People in their
Obedience, is to ſecure them in the Chains of
profound Ignorance; firſt of the Truths of the
Holy Scriptures, as a Book very dangerous and
pernicious to their Souls. Their next care is to
prevent any Books of Controverſy, written by
Proteſtants, from coming into their hands. 'Tis
an Inquiſitional matter to have or read any of
them, or to be privy to any others having of them.
Moreover, they take ſpecial care to charge the
Preachers in their Sermons, that in ſpeaking of
the Proteſtants, who being very well grounded
in their Principles, muſt conſequently be look'd
upon, as the moſt formidable Enemies the Church
of Rome has, they be ſure to repreſent them to
their

Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.
69
-their Auditors, as Men that have abſolutely Re-
nounc'd the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt, and who do
no more believe in him, than Heathens and Infi-
dels. Wherefore alſo, they indifferently call them
Hereticks and Infidels ; or, to make uſe of the Ita-
lian word, queſti non Chriſtiani. So that indeed all
the Common People, yea, and the greateſt part
of thoſe that are learned too, are of the Opinion
That Proteſtants do not at all believe in Jeſus Chriſt,
No more than Turks do. A Canon once demand-
ed of me in Rome, by way of Curioſity, What the
Infidels did in France, and why they were ſufferid
there? I deſired him to tell me what he meant
by that word, which I did not underſtand ; and
finding that he ſpoke of Proteſtants, I told him
that they were no Infidels, but believed in Jeſus
Chriſt as well as the Roman Catholicks, only that
they rejected Tranſubſtantiation, the Maſs, Pur-
gatory, &c. and in particular the Power and In-
fallibility of the Pope. And having heard me
Diſcourſe at this rate a good while ; In truth, Sir,
(ſaid he) if the Caſe be as you ſay, I perceive that
thoſe People are not ſuch great Devils as they are re-
preſented to us here. I have often heard it declared
from the Pulpit, That they were as unbelieving as
the Fews themſelves ; and you are the very firſt I
ever heard ſay, That the Proteſtants believed in Feſus
Chriſt. But, Sir, ſaid I, it is impoſſible, but that you
who have ſtudied Divinity, muſt needs have
heard of the Opinions of Luther, Calvin, and Zuin-
glius, in the Treatiſe of the Sacraments in gene .
ral, and in particular of thoſe of the Eucharift,
Penance, the Sacrifice of the Maſs, &c. I know (ſaid
he) that thoſe Ring-leaders of Hereſie pretended
not to deſtroy, but to reform the Church ; and as
to ſome Poiars, they have very ſtrong Arguments

whick

90 The Second LETTER
which even to this day we are hard pur to, to
anſwer. But nevertheleſs, God, who hath parti.
cular care of his Church, that he might make
known to Believers, that theſe then were in a bad
way, has ſo ordered it, that their whole Party came
to nothing. For as one Error draws on another,
they have ſtill cowled from one Precipice to ano-
ther, till at laſt they are fallen into the Abyſs of
Infidelity. They at firſt ſeparated themſelves from
the Church of Rome, upon the pretence of Re
forming it; but fome time after their Followers
reduc'd all to the particular Spirit, which is to be.
lieve what they pleaſe, and that provided only they
do worſhip one God, whoſoever he be, and lead a
morally good life, that this is enough for them to
be ſaved. I perceived by this Diſcourſe, Sir, that this
Canon had been ill inform'd (as indeed moſt part
of the Italians are) of the preſent ſtate of Prote:
Itants and of their Doctrin, and that at Rome all
manner of Nights and tricks are made uſe of againſt
thoſe who refuſe to bow their Knees to Baal. To
tel a Lie with them is a Vertue, as long as it
is but employ'd, as they think, for a good end. 1
remember that a Jeſuit, who was lately come from
England, boldly preached in the Church of Lateran,
that all Religion there was recuced to the parti-
.cular Spirit. And having made an ample deſcrip.
tion of the Meetings of the Anabaptiſts and Quakers,
under the Name of the Church of England, when
he came to ſpeak of their fighing and groaning
and their Women preaching, he made all his Audi-
tory break forth into a loud Laughter ; and by this
means, without doubt, tho' with a great deal of
Injuſtice, he made many there preſent conceive
very contemptuouſly of that auguſt and venerable
„Body of Proteitants, the Church of England ſo zeal.
OUS

of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 71
ous for the Glory of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt his
only Son; ſo exact and decent in the Worſhip and
Obedience the renders to his Divine Majeſty, and
ſo reaſonable in her Orders and Ceremonies. As
long as thoſe vigilant Paſtors, the Biſhops of the
Church of England, and the learned Miniſters that
are under them, keep their watchful Eyes fixed on
the Flocks committed to their Charge, there is no
cauſe to fear, that ever the Romiſh Wolf will be
in a condition to ſnatch ſo inuch as any ſingle one
of them out of their hands; nor will any of her
Erniſſaries, as ſubtil Thieves as they be, ever be
able by night to ſteal into the Sheepfold to devour or
maſſacre them, as they have already ſo often endea-
vour'd to do. I have fiace made this Obſervation
on this Sermon of the Jeſuit, which I heard from
the beginning to the end, and I could wiſh all
Proteſtants might ſeriouſly take it to heart, viz.
That to pull down the Church of Rome, the great
Secrer is not abſolutely to reject, as ſome do, all
that ſhe practiſeth ; bur that the beſt way to compaſs
her downfall is, to retain all that is good in her,
only rejecting the evil. If we abſolutely reject all
Faſts, becauſe they of the Church of Rome obſerve
ſome of them, as they deſire nothing more than
to blacken the Proteſtants repreſenting their Actions
in the worſt Light they can, and always concealing
the good that is amongſt them, they preſently cry
with open Throat, That the Proteſtants are a ſort
of People that love nothing but their Bellies, ab.
horring and abominating whatever ſerves to mortis
fie the Fleſh. If we reject Epiſcopacy, they hate
(cry they) all manner of Subjection, and love no.
thing but Independency: If we refuſe the uſe of
Common Prayer, we are not joyn'd in the Band of
Charity, neither is there any Union amongſt us :
If

72
The Second LETTER,
If we nor from time to time conſult the Miniſters
in Caſes of Conſcience, we reduce all to the private
Spirit. In a word, if we celebrate Marriages and
Funerals, without any Prayers or Ceremonies, they
ſay that Proteſtants go together like Beaſts, and are
buried like Dogs. At this rate did this calumni
ating Jeſuit, with a renowned Malice, from the
beginning of his Sermon to the end, endeavour to
make them odious and execrable. Neither was
it a hard matter for him to obtain his end, in a
Country where they are ſo little known, and where
they are never mention'd but under the notion of
Devils, Hereticks, New Chriſtians, and Infidels. But
the caſe would be much alter'd, if retaining what
is good and lawful, or only indifferent amongſt
them as far as may be, the Proteſtants would
fingly apply themſelves to oppoſe thoſe Points of
Doctrin or Practice amongſt them, which firſt oc.
caſion'd the Reformation ; for ſo they would not
be able to condemn them in any thing, but by pro.
ducing the points of Doctrin and Practice in Con.
troverſy, with the oppoſitions made againſt them;
which is a thing they are very loath to do, for
fear of diſcovering their own Nakedneſs. An
evident proof of what I here alledgʻd, is the great
care they take to hinder any Books of Controverſy
from coming into Italy, not ſo much as thoſe which
have been pen’d by the moſt famous Men of their
own party.
I was extremely put to it, when I was
ar Rome to meet with the Works of Monſieur
Arnaud, which he had dedicated to the Pope, and
which I don't believe were ever yer tranſlated in•
to Italian ; their deſign herein being to prevent by
all means imaginable, the true ſtate of the Que.
ſtion from being known ; for their Objections are
ſo weak, and the Anſwers they make to thoſe
of
of the Spirit of Revenge, &c.

of the Proteſtants, ſo pitiful, that any unprejudiced
Mind may eaſily from their own Books perceive
on what fide the Truth lies. If ever there was an
Author that ſtrain'd his Wirs to calumniate and
blacken the Proteſtants,it was, without doubt, Father
Maimbourg the Jeſuit, in his Books of Lutheraniſme
and Calviniſm. When I was at Venice, I undertook
the Tranlation of all his Works; and had already
tranſlated ſeveral of his Volumes, when I took
in Hand thofe of Lutheraniſm and Calviniſm; but
I was not a little furpriz'd, when the Inquiſitor of
Venice would nor give me leave to continue the
Traduction ; and ſometime after I receiv'd an
Order from the Pope, forbidding me to print thoſe
two Books, with another of the fame Author's,
treating about the growth of the Power of the
Bihops of Rome. The ſingle Title of Biſhop,
which was given him in his Laſt Treatiſe, inſtead
of the magnificent Titles of Pope and Sovereign Prieſt,
together with ſome curious Enquiries concerning
the riſe and progreſs of that prodigious grandure
to which the Biſhops of Rome are mounted at pre-
ſent, were a powerful motive to the Pope to con-
demn it: Bur I could not penetrate what reaſon
he had to pronounce the ſame Sentence againſt
the other two, except it were, as I hinred before,
to prevent the occaſion of renewing in the minds
of the Italians, the ſtate of the queſtion between
the Catholicks and the Proteſtants
. For notwith-
ſtanding both theſe Books be fraught wirh Scoffs,
injurious Reproaches and Calumnies, coynid on
purpoſe to render a party Contemptible, whom
they had reſolved by all manner of means to run
down in the conceic of the People ; yet for all this
Innocent the XIth did not believe that this bearing
them down would prove of as great advantage to
the Church of Rome as the publication of ſome
E
Points

The Second L ETT ER,
Points of Doctrin that are there neceſſarily inſerted
might prove dangerous and miſchievous to it. You
can no way imagin, Sir, the extream precautions
the Popes make uſe to prevent any Proteſtant Book
from being brought into Italy. As there is no o.
ther way to enter that Country by Land, without
palling the Alps, they keep Men expeſs at all the
Paſſages thereof, to examin the Travellers that come
that way, and ſearch them whether they have any
forbidden Books about them; amongſt which num.
-ber are accounted all thoſe that treat of Controver:
fies. In a Journey I made from Venice to Lyon, I
took my way, in my return to Italy, thro' the Land
of Valois ; at the entry of this Country, which is
a kind of a ſtreight or narrow paſſage of a Moun,
gain, there is a famous Abby of the Canons Regu
lar of S. Auſtin, called $. Maurice. The River
Rhoſne, which is extreamly iinpetuous and violent
in this place, and which a little lower diſembogues
it ſelf into the Lake of Genoua, leaves only a very
narrow way, by which one muſt neceſſarily paſs
'to enter Italy.
The Abbạr of S. Maurice, had built a Gate at
zhis Paſs; and foraſmuch as he is the Maſter of it,
the Popes who know it to be one of the Keys
the Alps, which opens a way to Italy, have charged
him to have a careful Eye upon all Paſſengers com
ing that way, that they do not bring with them any
forbidden Books; becauſe Geneva, which they ſtand
in great fear of, is no further from it than the length
of its Lake. The promiſe the Pope had made to
the Abbat, of making him a Biſhop, in caſe he were
found faithful in the diſcharge of his Commiſſion,
had made him very exact when I paſt by that way,
He cauſed all Paſſengers to be ſtopt without Excep.
thoſe that were on Foot were ſearch'd at the
Gate by the Guards, and thoſe on Horſeback that
ON
tion;
bad

Of the Spirit of Revenge, &c. 75
had
any appearance, were conducted into the Abby.
where the Abbat entertain'd them very civilly, and
made them eat with him, while they were ſearching
their Portmanteaus. The Abbat, with whom I
diſcours d after Dinner for a good while, told me,
That the Pope allow'd him Mony towards the
Entertainment of Paſſengers, becauſe without that
the whole Revenue of his Abby would not have
been ſufficient for it : And that he had ſent him
moſt preſſing Letters, to recommend to him an
extraordinary care of that Poſt, whence he eaſily,
conceiv'd, how much they apprehended the Books
of Proteſtants ar Rome. And being himſelf well
acquainted with the temper of Italy, he told me,
That if the Italians and more particularly the Pope's
Subjects, might but have the leaſt Communication
with Geneva, it might be greatly feared, they would
utterly caſt off their Obedience to the Pope. Ind
deed there are none that have more Reaſon to
know the weakneſs of that God on Earth, of the
ſacred Colledge of Cardinals, and of other Eccle-
fiafticks, than they who are the Eye-witneſſes of it;
neither are there any more concern'd than they, to
caſt off a Yoke,which upon other accounts is ſo in-
fupportable to them. One can ſcarcely call to
mind the flouriſhing condition of thoſe fair Provin,
ces, that conſtitute the Patrimony of S. Peter, with-
qur ſhedding of Tears,to ſee them miſerably groan-
ing and languiſhing at preſent, under the oppreſſive
domineering of Prieſts, wholly waſte and deſolate,
and deprived of their former Beauty and Orna-
ment. Theſe famous and ancient Cities of Ravenna,
Benevento, Spoleto, Peruſa, Orvietta, and ſo many
more,which heretofore were the Glory of Italy, are
hardly any thing elſe at preſent, but heaps of Rub.
biſh, occaſion’d by the inſatiable avarice and rapa-
ciouſneſs of Popes. "True it is, that naturally this
E 2
Country

76 The Second LETTER,
Country is the moſt pleaſant and fruitful Territory
in the World ; but withal there is none more bare
of Mony. The immenſe Impoſitions the Pope lays
on it, have exhauſted a great part of it; and the
Legates he ſends there every three Years, ſtrive by
all manner of Extortions, during their Triennial
Governments, to ſqueez out the reſt, and then return
to Rome loaden with the Spoils of that miſerablePeo-
ple; where they are no ſooner arriv’d, but they con.
lume it with as much Prodigality, as they had hookt
it in by Avarice and Extortion.
I will not here entertain you with the Grandure
and Luxury of the Roman Court; I may have an
occaſion to give you ſome account of that more ac
large hereafter. I ſhall only deſire you to tell me,
Whether indeed you do not believe,that the Italians
-have great reaſon to.endeavour to deliver themſelves
from ſo oppreſſive an Uſurpation and Tyranny, by
withdrawing at the ſame time their Conſciences
from ſo intolerable a Slavery, and their Eſtates
from the hands of ſuch mercileſs Extortioners,
For my part, Sir, I cannot queſtion, but if the Learn.
ed Writings of the Proteſtants of the Church of En.
gland, could one day inake their way into this Coun
trey, and that they would only ſo far honour them,
as to give them the Reading; I ſay, I doubt no
but that Popery, whoſe Foundations they ſo evi
.
dently overturn, would find it ſelf at an end. Or
rather let us ſay, that it Mall be thus, when it
thall pleaſe our great God the Father of Lights, to
enlighten their minds towards an acknowledgment
of their blindneſs, and to warn their hearts by
his holy Grace, to embrace the Truth ; thar then,
I ſay, we ſhall ſee all Italy turn'd Proteſtants again
their own Errors, and compoſing one Sheepfold
with thoſe, who ſo many years ago couragiouſly
proteſted againſt them, under the One and only
Shep.
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &e. 77
herd of our Souls the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. I Thall not
trouble you, Sir, with the relation of other Parti-
culars and Curioſities, I obſerved at Genoua; for-
aſmuch as my deſign is not, as I have hinted to
you before, to give you an entire relation of my
Travels, but only to fingle out thoſe marrers thac
more particularly have ſome reference to Religion.
This is that I intend to do from time to time in
theſe my LETTERS, if I find you continuing to
give them the ſame reception wherewith you have
favour'd my firſt. It being my great will to evince
you with what Zeal I am, Sir, Four, &:.

The THIRD LETTER.
Of the Hoſpitals and Pilgrims of Italy, &c.
To continue the Account I have undertaken to
give you, of the Obſervations I made in my
Voyage of Italy, relating to Matters of Religion ;
Prall tell you, Sir, Thar from Genoua we took
our way along the Sea-coaſt, and in Three drug
arrived at Seſtre, an Epiſcopal See, ſituate on the
Sea of Liguria. The Biſhop of the place receiv'd
us with a great deal of Civility. We had waved
going by Sea to Leghorne, becauſe the Father, my
Companion, could not bear that kind of Paſſage,
and was beſides very fearful of falling into the
hands of Pirates. None can be imagin'd more
Stoical in their Diſcourſes of Death than the Monks
are, neither are any more cowardly and frightful
than they, when they are in any likelyhood of
facing it. This made us reſolve to paſs the Apennine
to Luca, and from thence continue our Journy
through Tuſcany, The Biſhop adviſed us to take
Guides along with us in paſſing the Mountain,
foraſmuch as otherwiſe he aſſur'd us, we ſhould

E 3
l'un

28 The Third LETTER,
run a great hazard of being robb’d; That we had
a Three days Journy to paſs thro’ very defert and
folitary Ways, where we ſhould meer with neither
Houſes nor Villages, except only two or three forry
Inns at twelve Leagues diſtance from each other.
There are always plenty of theſe Guides at Seſtre
,
in a readineſs to accompany Travellers, being pro.
vided with Carbines, Blunderbufles, Piſtols and
Bayonets. The Cuſtom is to take two or thre
of them, or as many as one pleaſed, to paſs the
Mountain, paying him two Crowns a piece. Two
Genoua Merchants intending the ſame way, join'
Company with us, at the charge of four Crowns
Our Benedizin, whom one would have thought a
former Journy he had made to Italy, ſhould have
made more circumſpect, had a mind to make uſe
of his Wits, and to ſpare the Crown he was to pay
for his ſhare to the Guides we had taken ; ſaying
,
That he would ſpare that Mony, to make much of
himſelf at the next Inn he ſhould come at; That
there was no danger at all in paſſing the Mountain
and that all thoſe Guides were a company of Knaves
who made it their buſineſs to fright Paſſengers
, to
get a piece of Mony out of them, but that he, for
his part, was reſolved they ſhould have none of his
Thus having taken directions of the Way in wri
sing, he went his way two hours before us. For my
part, I remembred the Counſel the Biſhop had given
us ; who was a venerable old Man; and conſider'd
that ifir were only for the reſpect that is due to old
Age, we ought never (where it may be done) rejed
the Advice of ſuch perſons. For this reaſon,
joyn'd my ſelf with the GenouefeMerchants, reſolving
to go with them, attended by our Guides. The
Benedi&in parted from us at Six a Clock, tho' wil
an intent nor to make ſo much hafte, but that we
might overtake him, ſo that he might have an
oppor
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 73
tunity of falling again (as it were by chance) into
our Company, without being oblig'd' to pay any
thing towards theGuides we had taken on our own
accounts. But ſo it hapned, that very unluckly for
him, we ſtaid three Hours longer than was intend-
ed; for we did not leave the City till Eleven of the
Clock. We were extreamly ſurprized, when ar
the end of ſeven Leagues, upon the Mountain, we
found this poor Monk fitting on a Stone, in his
Boots, lamenting, and all in Tears, for the Miſhap
that had befallen him. He had been ſet upon in
the ſame place by five Robbers, who having diſ-
mounted him, had taken away all his Mony, and
all they found in his Portmanteau,except his Breviary
which they had reftor'd to him ; which ſeem'd to
vex him more than all the reſt : For (ſaid he) had
they but taken this with the reſt, I bould at leaſt have
been excuſed from ſaying my Breviary till I came Rome.
We made a Mifr to get him on Horſeback again,
perſuading one of the Guides to lend him his; in
conſideration of which, the Monk promis’d to give
him his Boots, and we defray'd his Charges between
us till we came to Luca. He aſſured us, That the
Men that had Robb'd him, were arm’d and cloath'd in
the ſame manner as the Guides ; and that if he were
not extreamly miſtaken, he had ſeen the very ſame perſons
in the Market place of Seſtre. We were told ſince,
That theſe Robbers are the very Guides themſelves, who
accompanying Travellers out of Town,do afterwards by a
Morter way get before them, placing themſelves in Am-
buſs near the Road by which they are ſure they muſt paſs
and never fail of Robbing thoſe who have refus'd to
make uſe of them, or any of their Companions. By ill.
luck for our Father Benedictin, he had but lately
receiv'd a Bill of Exchange ar Turin, and was not
to receive another till he came to Rome. This
forced us to part Company, becauſe I was not in

E 4
a
The Third LETTER,

a condition to bear his Expence, and my own too
He reſolved therefore to take his Journy the beſt
way he could to Rome, through the Monaſteries of
all ſorts of Orders and Hoſpitals alſo, Neceflity
forcing him therero. I ſaw him afterwards at Rome,
where I found him not wholly recovered yer
from
the Miſeries he had ſuffered ſince our parting. He
gave me a particular and full account of the Hol.
pitals at which he call'd in his Journy, what they
were, and the Entertainment he had met with in
them. I have heard often Roman Catholicks re.
proachfuly object to Proteftants, That they have no
Hospitals amongst them to entertain Strangers ; and
confounding this kind of publick Hoſpitality with
Charity, boldly conclude, That they are not Chari
.
table, and conſequently no true Children of the Church
Tis a Mark of a weak Cauſe, to lay hold of every
thing iť meers with to ſupport it ſelf, which nor:
withſtanding commonly contributes meſt to its over
throw. To defeat this pretended Charity of Ca.
rholicks, it will be ſufficient to relate to you what
this. Father told me, and what I have learnt
of ſome other Travellers, which I intend in
part, to make the Subject of this my Third LET.
TER.
I ſhall tell you firſt of all in general, Sir, that all
ahe ancient Hoſpitals of Italy owe their Foundation
to the holy places of Rome and Loretto. The Pil.
grimages to theſe fome Ages ago, by reaſon of a
more univerſal Deluge of Superſtition, were much
more in vogue than they are at preſent; tho' it
were to be wish'd they were much leſs than they
A Man was ſcarcely reputed a good Chriſti.
an except he had been at Rome. And the Popes
perceiving how much this vaſt Concourſe did
auginent their Revenues, and rendred their
Capital City rich and wealthy, found a way
are.
to
of Hospitals and Pilgrims, &c. 81
to oblige Confeffors to enjoyn their Penitents for
the expiation of the greateſt Sin, fuch as Rape, In-
ceft and Murther, a Journey thither; ſo that there
was no remiffion for theſe kind of Sins without go.
ing to Rome. They afterwards made réſervd Caſes
of moſt of theſe kind of Sins, whereof we find till
at this day a great number in the Bull, entituled,
In Cæna Domini, reſerving to themſelves alone the
power of abſolving them ; ſo that in theſe caſes,
the parties concern'd muſt either go to Rome, or elſe
reſolve never to enter into Paradice. It is true,
that at preſent they have bethought themſelves of a
way to ſpare Men this trouble, which is, of fenda
ing thither a good fum of Mony. With this they
content themſelves now; for I am ſure, it is not
the perſon they deſire, but his purſe, which at any
time will abundantly ſupply his Abſence. And for.
aſmuch as amongſt the great number of Pilgrims
that flock'd thither out of Devotion, or of Neceſſity,
for the expiation of their Sins, there were many
poor People that had not wherewith to defray their
Charges in publick Inns; many rich perſons, moved
with compaſſion towards theſe poor Wretches,
founded Hoſpitals for their Entertainment, where
they received both Lodging and Diet ; or whatſo.
ever hour of the Day they call'd there, had an Alms
given them, which they call La Paſſade; according
as the Foundation was more or lels Endow'd, ſuch
was the Alms, in ſome places more, in others leſs,
We met with many Hoſpitals in Italy, that were
founded towards the end of the roth, or the begin.
ing of the rith Century; the cauſe of which was
a falſe Opinion that was uppermoſt then, viz. Thac
the Day of Judgment was near, grounded upon a
forged Tradition, which is preſerved ſtill to this
day in the Church of Rome ; That Chriſt being ask'd
by his Apoſtles, How long this outward World ſhould laſt?


82 The Third LETTER,
He anſwer'd them, A Thouſand years and upward. So
chat the moſt part of Chriſtian Princes, and great
Lords, about this time took a Journy to Rome, found.
ed Hoſpitals for the poor Pilgrims, and ſeveral Ab.
bies, into which many of them retired themſelves
,
in expectation of the dreadful Day of Judgment.
As for the Hoſpitals they Founded, the care and
adminiſtration of them was committed to Prieſts,
as being the Men who think themſelves concern'd
in all pious Legacies, who very readily take upon
them the care of thoſe places, where they find a
plentiful current of Devotion-Mony. It was too
much their Intereſt, not to encourage ſo favourable
Beginnings, and therefore were not wanting any
more than at this day, conſtantly to frequent the
Houſes of Widows and Rich perſons, to induce
them by their laſt Wills, to enlarge the Revenues of
their Hoſpitals, of which they were conſtituted the
Srewards and Overſeers ; inſomuch, that in a little
time theſe Hoſpitals became prodigiouſly Rich. It
remains now only, that we take a view of the ule
which is made of them at preſent, that thence we
may judge, whether from them a good Argument
can be drawn in favour of thoſe of the Roman
Communion ; to prove, that their Charity ſo far
exceeds that of the Proteſtants, as they would fain
make People believe ; or, whether indeed we have
not much more reaſon to infer the contrary ? Our
Benedi&tin, by ſad Experience, was in a condition
of giving me ſome Imformation concerning this
matter : He told me, That after he had parted
with me at Luca, which is a ſmall Republick, he
took his Journy on foot by Alto Pallo, which is a
very ancient and famous Hoſpital, founded by a
Queen of France, eight Miles diſtant from Lucas
He could not exactly tell me what were the
Revenues of that Hoſpital.; but that this was
the
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 83
the Law of it, That all Strangers, of what Rank or
Quality ſoever, Rich or Poor, were to be receiv'd and
entertain'd there three Days together, aecording to their
Quality. But that at preſent it admits of none beſides
the Prieſts and Monks thar paſs by that way, and
to other Travellers they give a Loaf of half a pound
weight, and a pint of Wine at the Gate; and be-
fore they can be admitted to this Favour, they
muſt produce ſeveral Paſsports and Letters, to
prove themſelves Pilgrims, for want of which our
Father was in a great danger of being ſhut out and
rejected ; but inſtead thereof he boldly produc'd
his Letters of Obedience. The good Prieſt who
examin'd them, ſeeing that the Lerter was writ
in Latin, in which probably he was not over skil-
ful, according to the Cuſtom of the Prieſts of
Italy, let it paſs, ſaying, That he perceived it was a
Travelling Letter of the Apoftolical Nuncio at Tu.
rin; ſo that by this ſhift he was at laſt admitted.
He told me, That his Entertainment there was
very tolerable, and that upon his Enquiry into the
manner of the Government of that Hoſpital, he
found there were 25 that were Intendants over
it, ſome of them with the Titles of Guardians,
Adminiſtrators and Receivers ; and others with the
Names of the Firſt, Second, and Third Officers
of the Pantry and Butlery, which were all rich
Clergy-men, who divided amongſt themſelves al-
moſt all the Revenues of that Hoſpital, there
being but a very inconſiderable part of it reſerved
for thoſe few Charitable Deeds that are exerciſed
there. From thence he came to Peſche, which is
a very fine City, a ſmall days Journy from thence,
where there is a vaſt number of Convents and
Monaſteries. He went and perſented himſelf for a
Lodging ; but every where they ſhut the door upon
him ; for the Italian Monks are very pitileſs,
and


84 The Third LEIT E R;
and never give any Alms to Strangers. They
have an Artifice amongſt them they make uſe of
to refuſe poor Paſſengers, which is this ; All the
Monks and Brothers have order to tell them, that
their Abbat Guardian, or Prior is not in the Mona
ftery; and if you happen by chance to meet
with” the Men themſelves, they tell you, that the
Steward, Butler, or ſome other Officer that has the
Pürſe, is gone abroad. By this means they make
the poor Travellers loſe all patience, forcing them
to depart without the leaſt' Relief. Our Monk
being thus refuſed Admitrance every where, was
fain to ſeek out an Hoſpital, which he found very
different from that of Alto Palfo, for the bad
Entertainment he there met with, tho' it was with
much more difficulty that he was admitted, be.
cauſe his Letter mention'd, that he was ſent to
Rome abour Buſineſs, and not upon the account of
Devotion. For tho', for the moſt part, they under:
ſtand but little Latin ; yet they are ſo wiſe as to
upon fhewing them theſe two words
in their Letters, Ex Devotione. Two Hermits of
thoſe Italian Vagabonds, who ſpent their Life in
running from one Hoſpital to another, having
perceived that our Monk had been ſomewhat rudely
uſed by reaſon of his Letter, came to him after
Supper, offering to remedy the matter, and to
fupply the defect of his Letter, ſo that he ſhould
never run the hazard of expoſing himſelf to the
like Afront for the time to come. The way was
this: They promis'd to draw up for him a Letter
of Pilgrimage, and to affix to it the Seal of the
Archbiſhop of Lions, which they had counterfeited.
So that the Queſtion now only was about a piece
Mony they deinanded of our Benedictin for this
feaſonable Service ; who having none to give,
offer'd them his Breviary. The one of them abſo-
lutely
put Travellers
Of Hofpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 85
of it.
lutely refuſed it, ſaying, That that was a bad Im-
plement to carry with one to Hoſpitals; that it
was long ſince they had been Happily robb’d of
theirs, and by this means were excus'd from a
tedious repeating of them, according to the De-
cree of the Sacred Congregation at Rome to that
purpoſe ; Amiffo vel ablato Breviario, non tenetur
Presbyter Officio ; A Priest is not bound to the duty
of ſaying his Breviary, in caſe he hath loft, or is robb’d
They added, That nor long ſince they had
ſeen a Prieſt expell’d an Hoſpital, becauſe having a
Briviary about hiin, he had forgot or neglected to
ſay the Office before Supper. But his Companion
accepted of the Bargain, ſaying, He would make it
his buſineſs to rid himſelf of it, the firſt Bookseller's
Shop be came at. Thus the Benedi&tin at the ſame
time procur'd two Advantages, the one of being
rid of the trouble of ſaying his Prayers; the other,
of having got a ſure Key to give him Entrance into
all Hoſpitals, and this by means of a Counterfeit
Letter of Prilgrimages which theſe two Hermits
were ready, for their Mony, to give to any that
did deſire it. The Father being thus provided,
boldly proſecuted his Journy through all the Cities
of Italy, till he came to Rome, having been every
where received into the Hoſpitals without any dif.
ficulty. But he proteſted to me, That if it were
in his power to inflict a ſevere Puniſhment upon -
all the Guardians and Adminiſtrators of them, he
thought that in ſo doing he ſhould render a moſt
acceptable Service to God, as well as to all poor
Pilgrims : Becauſe (ſaid he) it is a moft lamentable
thing to ſee how they treat them ; what they give
them to eat does not amount to Two-pence charges
for each perſon ; and this too in ſuch a nalty and
ſlovenly manner, that it turns ones ftomach ; whilft
in the mean time, thoſę wretched Prieſts engroſs
and


The Third LÉTTER,
and ſweep all the Mony into their own Coffers, to
maintain their Coach and Horſes, with the magni
ficent Titles they take to themſelves of High Almoners
,
Grand Adminiſtrators, and Grand Priors of the Hoſe
pital. 'Tis an infamous thing to ſee how they
lodge poor Strangers : There are about twenty or
thirry Beds in a great Room, where they lye two
and two; or three and three in a Bed, according
as they are ſtockt with Coinpany. Before they are
ſuffer'd to enter into this Room, they are ſtript
ſtark naked in another, without ſuffering them ſo
much as to keep on their Shifts : This done, they
are all of them ſhut up together till next Morn.
ing. The Beds are all rotten and ſpoil'd, and
crăwling with Vermin, and moſt of them without
any Sheers. The Hoſpitals indeed are well En
dow'd ; but it is the malicious Contrivance of
thoſe who have the Care and Adminiſtration of
them, to give their Viſitants the worſt Entertainment
they can deviſe, to turn their ſtomachs from ever
coming there again ; and indeed a Man muſt be
reduc'd to extream Neceflity before he can reſolve
on a ſecond Viſir.
The Benedi&tin gave me a more particular ac
count of an Hoſpital, which is in the hands of the
Dominicans of Viterbo : Theſe Fathers employ'd
their utmoſt Endeavours with the Magiſtrates of
the City, to procure the Direction of it, promiſing
,
Thar they would make it their buſineſs to take a
particular Care for Pilgrims, by faithfully employ
.
ing the Revenues thereof for their uſe and relief
;
whereupon a laſt their Requeſt was granted them
But ſince this, foraſmuch as they never had the
leaſt thought of performing their Promiſe ; but to
make uſe of it for their own advantage, they have
taken up all the beſt part of the Building for them
ſelves, and Lodge the Pilgrims that Viſit them in
ON
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 87
one of the Cellars that belong to the Houſe. Our
Benedi&tin arriving here, met with a Company of
Seven or Eight Pilgrims beſides himſelf, who
were all together Lock'd up in that Cellar, with-
our giving them either Meat or Drink, or Beds
to lye upon; and left them thus fhut up till Ten
of the Clock the next Morning, at which time
the Door was open'd for them. The Fathers
Dominicans ſeeing them in great confuſion coming
forth from their miſerable Lodging, Scoffed at
them, asking them Whether they had lin'd their
Inſides well, and been Lodged at their eaſe ?
Defiring them at their Return from Rome, to call
that way, for that all things ſhould be in a readi-
neſs to give them a very good entertainment. All
the World knows, That there is nothing of more
dangerous Conſequence in Italy, than to offend a
Dominican ; becauſe, having the Inquiſition in
their hands, they commonly make excellent uſe of
it, to avenge the leaſt Affront is offer'd them :
Wherefore theſe poor Wrerches were fain to flink
away in ſilence,without as much as daring to reply
one word to this their Villainous Scoffing at them,
after having treated them ſo outragiouſly. The
famous and rich Hoſpital Loretto, to which vaſt
and immenſe Donations have been given in fa-
vour of Pilgrims, is for all that but little better
ſerv'd, than what we juſt now mention'd.
To this purpoſe I ſhall relate to you a Paſſage
,
whereof my ſelf was witneſs, when I was at Lo-
retto. I was walking in the Great place which is
between the Church and that Hoſpital, with two
French Prieſts, who had Lodged there the night
before. The Guardians, it ſeems, are obliged to
Ring a Bell, to gather Pilgrims together before
Supper, that none of them may be abfent : But
theſe Wretches, that have no more Religion in
them



88 The Third LETTER,
them than Dogs, and whoſe only deſire is to de.
fraud and pinch the poor Pilgrims, had on purpoſe
omitted Ringing of the Bell, as they often do.
The French Prieſts about Six of the Clock retir'd to
the Hoſpital; where they demanded of them, why
they did not come ſooner, and that Supper time
Was paſt? They excus'd themſelves by alledging
,
that they had not Rung the Bell for them : But
they fallly and impudently maintain'd, that the
Bell had been rung; ſo that it was not poſſible for
them to obtain ſo much as a piece of Bread for
themſelves that Night. The next Morning, the
poor Prieſts were ſo fearful of being ſerv'd the ſame
Trick,(for in that Hoſpital they are oblig'd to give
their Viſitants Supper and Lodging for three Nights
together), that they continued from Three of the
Clock in the Afternoon, until Evening, under the
Belfry. The Guardians ſeeing, that it was im-
poſſible to put them by their Suppers, called them
ſoftly (about Six of the Clock) to come into the
Hall to Supper; which they very honeſtly refuſed
to do till they had Rung the Bell, to give warning
to the reſt of the Pilgrims: The Guardians, tho
enrag'dat this, yet durft not but do it ; but avenged
themſelves another way, by giving them very bad
Wine. In other parts of Italy, they make uſe of
other Devices in their Hoſpitals, to affright Pilgrims
from coming at them. At Parma and Turin, they
oblige them (all Wearied as they are) to go into
Proceſſion thoughout the whole Ciry, in the light
of all Men,and ro hing long Liranies; which makes
perſons that have the leaſt fpark of Generoſity, of
theſe who are naturally more Mamefac'd than others,
rather expoſe themſelves to lie in the ſtreets, yea,
or periſh for Hunger, than to Viſir ſuch kind of
Hoſpitals, where they muſt ſubject themſelves to
fuch odious Laws. Others make it their buſineſs
10

Of Hospitals and Pilgrims, &c. 89
to ſpoil and deface all the Paſſports of Strangers
with great ugly black Marks they make upon them,
as a ſign they have been entertain'd in ſuch and
ſuch Hoſpitals. Now perſons that are any thing
careful of perſerving their Honour in their own
Country, and to keep their Paſſports neat and
clean, will take care how they preſent themſelves to
ſuch places as thoſe, whoſe Charity is ſo infamouſly
and ignominiouſly adminiſtred. In the mean time,
by theſe fcandalous Ferches, they make ſhift to re-
duce their Gueſts to a very ſinall Number; for the
fewer Viſitants they they have in a Year, the great-
er is their Dividend at the year end. Others have
the impudence, to niake them gain that by their
own Labour, which was deſtin'd for them out of
Charity : And indeed generally every where, if
they be not there preciſely at the ſer time, which
ordinarily is an hour before Night, they are irre.
coverably ilme out of the Hoſpital ; and it is im
poſſible, either by Prayers or Tears, to procure any
Entrance. Others again treat their Gueſts very
rudely in their Diſcourſe, and with the greateſt
diſdain and contempt imaginable. In a word,
Charity is every where adminiſtred in fo Unchari-
table and Misbecoming a manner, that if the Bene-
factors of thoſe Hoſpitals could once return to Life,
and have the poſſeſſion of their Goods they for-
merly bequeath'd to theſe places, I do perſuade
my ſelf, that ſeeing the horrid Abuſes that are there
practis'd, they would take heed of Undertaking the
like Foundations for time to come.
The Father told me, That he had been in no place
better Treated, than in a New Hoſpital that was
a Building at Motefiaſcone, Three days Journy from
Rome. It was about five or ſix years ago, that the
Prieſts of that place had been perſuading the No.
bility and Citizens of thar ſmall City, to contri--
bute:

୨୦
The Third, L E T T E R
bute to this Foundation. They had aleady procurd
ing in
a conſiderable Revenue, by the pious Legacies of
ſome Ladies of Quality, and ſome Annual Rents
the City had granted towards it. The Benediktin
ſeeing the good Entertainment they had given him,
ſaid Smilingly to the Prieſts, who had the Directi
.
Ơn of the Houſe, Thar he was very well ſatisfied
with the good Entertainment he had received, that
he prayed God to preſerve in them this Spirit of
Charity for the Poor ; and that he heartily wiſhed
for the good of their Souls, that they might not one
day become like others, by ſharing the Revenues
of the Hoſpital amongſt themſelves, and neglecting
and abuſing the Members of Jeſus Chriſt, as they
do. Many Pilgrims have aſſured me, that it is the
greateſt miſery in the World to take up ones Lodg.
any one of the old Hoſpitals, notwithſtanding
that they are the moſt richly Endowed ; and that
in the New Hoſpital, they were well enough En»
tertain'd becauſe the Prieſts had not yet divided the
Revenue amongſt themſelves. They do like the
Gardiners, who ſuffer the Fruit to hang upon the
Tree, till it become to its full growth and maturity
,
and then gather it, and make their profit of it; or
like Merchants that Traffick in Company, who do
not divide the Purſe till it be full. All theſe Exter
nal practices and ſhews of piery and devotion viſibly
terininating in ſelf-Intereſt, make it evident beyond
diſpute, that they proceeded from no other Princi
ples than Avarice and Hypocriſie. You may pro-
bably object to me here, Sir, that the Italians, whom
I have elſewhere repreſented to you as Men of Wit
and Underſtanding, muſt needs be very ſimple in
ſuffering themſelves to be perſuaded, to beſtow their
Goods upon ſuch Foundations as theſe, conſidering
the great abuſe of them. To this, Sir, I Thall an:
(wer; that the Prieſts in all Countries, have a very
powerful
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 91
powerful Aſcendant over the Spirits of the People,
and that this joyn’d with the Doctrin of the Church
of Rome, which is, that the Prayers of Pilgrims are
of a particular efficacy with God to deliver Souls
out of Purgatory ; and with the practice obſerved
in theſe Hoſpitals, of obliging the Pilgrims atinight
to make long Prayers for the Souls of their deceaſed
Benefactors, and cauſing Maſs to be ſaid for them in
the Chapels belonging to the ſaid Hoſpital, is a
powerful Motive, conſidering the falſe belief where.
in they are engaged, to perſuade them to it. More-
over theſe Prieſts are very dextrous in divulging
every where, that they are very faithful in the
Adminiſtration of their Alms, that they are very
careful in giving good Entertainment to their Pil.
grims, even ſo far as to contribute of their own
Mony, to defray the charges they are at for Pro-
viſions. But it is evident enough, that by a mental
reſtriction they muſt underſtand this of Proviſions
for themſelves, tho' before God they cannot by
this means excuſe themſelves from Lying. There
was formerly many more Hoſpitals in Italy than
there be at preſent ; every Monaſtery had itsHoſpital.
S. Odon Abbat of Clugny, ſeeing that theſe Hoſpitals
were all in vogue, and that it was a kind of Devo.
tion that made a great noiſe in the World, would
not in this point come behind any Seculars. He
divided the vaſt Revenues of his Abby into three
parts : The firſt was for the Abbat, and En-
tertainment of Strangers of note, that came to the
Monaſtery : The ſecond, for that maintenance of
the Monks, which was called the Conventual Por.
tion ; and the third part for the Relief of the Poor,
and the entertainment of Pilgrims, whoſe Feet the
Abbat himſelf, as an effect of his humility, was
pleaſed to waſh. / Almoſt all the Abbats of France,
Germany and Itdly follow'd this Example ; and


in

92 The Third LETTER,
in like manner made a Tripartition of the Reve.
nues of their Abbies. But this their abundant
Charity, was not of any long continuance ; for
ſoon after, that which had been given with one
hand, was taken away with the other. The ſhare of
the Poor was loſt, or rather confounded, with thoſe
of the Abbat and the Monks. At preſent there are
no more of theſe Hoſpitals to be found in Italy,
excepting one at Mont.Caffin, and another at the
Great Camaldule, where they entertain Pilgrims.
The Chartreux Monks have alſo another in the
Durch; of Milan, at the Monaſtery of Pavia. But
it is not to their Charity Strangers are beholden
for this Convenience, but to that of Galeacius Vil.
count, Duke of Milan, their Founder, who would
have this Monaſtery, which he had endowed with a
vaſt Revenue, to be a place of publick reception
and entertainment for all, whether Rich or Poor.
The Fathers of this Foundation have ſince done
their urinoft endeavour, to rid themſelves of this
Hoſpitality, under the ipệcious prétext, that it was
a great diſturbance of their Solitude. But the
Lords and great Men of that Dutchy, who by the
Charter of that Foundation, are to be ſplendidly
entertain’d there with all their Train and Equipage,
as often as they paſs that way, found themſelves too
much intereſſed in this their Petition, and therefore
have always oppoſed it with all the Vigor imagi.
nalle ; ſo that they are ſtill forced to continue the
fame, tho’ fore againſt their Wills. 'Tis a thing
but to well known in Italy, and avowed by all,
that their Clergy are extreamly wanting in this
great Duty and diſtinguiſhing Chriſtian Badge of
Charity. 'Tis an Obſervation I made my ſelf,
That the Poor, who are over and above perſuaded
of this Truth by their own Experience, do ſeldom
or never beg any Alms of them. As for the Regu-
las

of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 93
lar Clergy, the Benedictin told ine, That from the
Tine of our parting, he had preſented himſelf to
all the Monaſteries of his Order he met with, to
obtain a Lodging with them, but that ſcarce ever
had they been willing to receive him: The com-
inon Anſwer he had from them was, That there
was an Hoſpital in the City, to which he had beſt
addreſs himſelf for Entertainment, and that when
he came thither, they abfolurely refuſed him Eng
trance, telling him. There was a Monaſtery of his Or.
der in the City, and that it was more proper for him to
ſeek a Lodging there. Thus this poor Monk, ſeeing
himſelf ſometimes rejected on all ſides, lamented
his ſad condition, occafioned by the ſcandalous un-
charitableneſs of the Clergy, and his own Brethren
of the ſaine Order. He added, That if it were in
his power, he would aboliſh all theſe Hoſpitals, as
well as all Pilgrimaging. For faid he) as theſe Hor.
pitals are moſt ſcandalouſly Adminiſtred; ſo nei-
ther can any thing be imagined more abominable,
than the Perſons that take up their Lodging in
them ; amongſt a Score of them, 'ris hard to find
One, that is come from his own Country with a
deſign to Viſit the Holy places ; being for the inoft
part of them a company of Vagabonds, who make
at their buſineſs, every year to go the Round of
Italy. They commonly paſs the Summer in the
Alps, and then begin their Journý in Autumn,
ſpend their Winter at Rome, Naples, or in Calabria;
and in the Spring begin their Round anew, in ora
der to return to their Summer Quarters in the
Mountains. The way they take to Live is this:
They beg in the Day.time, go from one Farm to
another, leap Hedges, rob Orchards, and ſteal
Fowl they meet with on the High-way, or in the
back Courts of Country Houſes, or whatever elſe
they meet with. After this good days work, they
retire

94 Of Hospitals and Pilgrims, &c.
retire towards the Evening to ſome Neighbouring
Village, where they know there is an Hoſpital
.
Many of them Travel up and down thus with their
whole Families, trailing their Wives and Children
along with them. Theſe generally profeſs them.
ſelves to be New Converts; that formerly they
were either Jews or Proteſtants; but having abjured
their Errors, they have thereby reduc'd themſelves
into fo miſerable, a condition, for the Love of Jeſus
Chriſt. To this purpoſe they fhew you very
fair and plauſible Letters of Credence, with fair
great
Seals annexed to them.
I have ſometimes diverted my ſelf with que.
ſtioning this kind of People,about the Principles of
Judaiſm, or the Faith of Proteſtants ;
but they
were never able to anſwer any thing to the pur.
poſe. Perceiving this, I came nearer to them, and
demanded of them, how they came by theſe fair
Commendatory Letters ; whereupon ſome of them
freely owned to me, that they had bought them for
heir Mony of an Abbat living at Turin, who made
Trade and Livelyhood of it. That to this pur.
poſe he was furniſhed with all manner of Seals
,
and could Counterfeit all Writing-hands. And as
for themſelves, they ingenuouſly confeſſed they had
never been either Jews or Proteſtants, but that they
made uſe of this Artifice to induce people to a
greater degree of Charity towards them : Beſides
theſe we find many other ſorts of Hoſpital-Haunters,
that are never a jot better than thoſe I have now
mention d ; ſome of theſe drag great Chains after
them, and Iron Manacles, declaring themſelves to
have been Slaves in Turkey, from whence they were
miraculouſly delivered, by ſome Vows they made
o Rome, or to our Lady of Loretto: But if any one
cake them to task about theſe remote Countries they
can anſwer nothing that is pertinent; and beſides
it

The Third LET'T ER,
it is notorious, that they buy their Chains of the
Blackſmiths, which many Italians have allured me
to have been Eye-witneſſes of. Moreover they are,
a ſort of People fo diſſolute in their Manners, and
ſo debauched, that were it true indeed, that the
Bleſſed Virgin had wrought a Miracle to deliver
them from their Bondage, ſhe ought by another to
return them thither again. Another ſort of Pilgrims
well known in theſe Hoſpitals, are a kind of Her-
mits of the nature of thoſe two I mentioned before,
who ſpend their time in ſtrouling from one place
of Devotion to another, from Rome to Loretto, and
from Loretto to Rome, leading a moſt ſcandalous
Life. Theſe are the Men who without any per.
iniffion obtained from their Biſhops to lead an
Hermetick Life, have taken up the Habit of them-
ſelves. I remember that at Lions, the Vicar
General cauſed one of theſe Hermits to be ſeiz’d,
who in Priſon confeſt, that he himſelf had given
the Habit to Seventeen Vagabond Rogues like
himſelf, for three Crowns apiece, in conſideration
of which he had alſo furniſh'd them with the
Cloth cur out, and ſowed their Gowns and Cowls
himſelf, and given them counterfeit Letters tº
wander throughout Germany and Italy. Now it
is obſervable, thạt the Guardians of Hoſpitals do
commonly give a better reception to thoſe ſort of
Cattle, than to Paſſengers and Pilgrims, becauſe they
know their Company is very apt to turn other peo-
ples Stomachs from coming at them. Theſe are
the ſeveral ſorts and diviſions of Hoſpital-Mongers.
which Houſes being beſide ordered after the manner
I have inform’d you; judge, I pray you, Sir, Whe.
ther the Church of Rome has reaſon to be ſo huffy
and proud of her Pilgrims and Hoſpitals, or to
reproach the Proteſtants for wanting ſuch goodly
Ornaments, and Teſtimonies of their Charity ? For
my

96
The Third LETT ER,
my part, I am firm in the Opinion, that the Prote.
ftanes Method in this point is by far the better:
They have very wiſely retrenched theſe ſort of
Pilgrimages, being convinc'd that it is much ber-
ter for a Man to ſhut himſelf up in his Cloſer, there
to pray in ſecrer to his Heavenly Father, than to
fun up and down to pray to God and the Saints in
publick places, as the Romaniſts do. They know
that God has not ty d up Holineſs neither to time
or place; and that it is a great piece of folly to
found places of Entertainment for Vagabonds
,
which are for the moſt part either lazy Drones
,
or wicked Villains, which ought rather to be ſhut
up in Houſes of Correction, and made to work for
their Living, than to leave them at their liberty
,
which they make fuch ill uſe of. As for what con
cerns Strangers and Travellers, if they happen to
fall into ſome neceſſity, they are not wanting in
Proteſtant Countries, charitably to aſſiſt them in
their needs, eſpecially if they are known to be
honeſt People. And as for the poor and neceſ.
ſitous that dwell in Cities, the Pariſhes to which
they belong take notice of what their wants are,
and take care to ſupply them. This, Sir, as far asl
can judge, is a far better regulated Charity and
conſequently alſo more pleaſing ro God, and ſuch as
was practiſed in the Primitive times of the Church,
It may be you'll tell me, Sir, that the Pilgrims of the
Church of Rome, are not all of them ſuch pitiful
Wrerches as I have now deſcrib'd, but that there are
a vaſt number of Perſons of Quality, of different
Ranks and Conditions, who travel to Rome and
Loretto upon the account of Devotion, in imitation
of S. Paul, S. Pelagia and Euftochium, Noble La
dies, who undertook a Jeruſalem Voyage, to vili
the Holy places there, according to the Teſtimony
of S. Ferom; and that ſuch as theſe
the
are
perſons
whole

ba
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 97
whoſe Zeal your Church extreamly boaſts it ſelf of.
I will not deny, Sir, but that indeed I have ſeen
niany Perſons of Quality going into Pilgrimage
to Rome, and other places of Devotion that are
moſt in Vogue in Italy, neither would I altogether
jects to which they pay their Devotions, were in
any degree worthy of them, and that they did it
in a decent and edifying manner. But fincerely,
to tell you my Opinion, I could never ſee any thing
in all Italy, that deſerved a Man's putting himſelf
to ſo great charges, except only to ſee its fair Ci-
ties, and the Maſterpieces of Art and Nature ir
contains : But in this caſe it is Curiofity, and not
Devotion, that puts Men upon undertaking that
Tourny. Beſides, Sir, the manner of your rich Peo-
ple going a Pilgrimage is ſo extravagant, and ſo
fraught with ſtaring Libertiniſm and Licentiouſneſs,
that in truth they had much better keep at home,
and honour God in their Families,than to quit them,
as they do, to ſatisfie their Luſts under a Cloak
of Devotion, to the great ſcandal of all good and
ſober People. I queſtion not but you will be of
my mind, as ſoon as you ſhall have read the account
I intend to give you in my next LETTER, where-
in I ſhall treat of my Journy to Loretto. For the pre-
ſent, becauſe I have not quitted Luca, where I part-
ed with my Benedictin, who has given me an oc-
caſion to write what I have done of Hoſpitals ; I
fall only tell you, before I part with this City,
without giving you the Deſcription of it, that be-
ing no part of my deſign, that as I was one day
coming forth froin my Inn, I was extreamly fur-
priz'd to hear the People in the Street ſwearing
and blaſpheming the holy Name of Jeſus Chriſt
There was a great Throng of People gathered
together, who look'd upon thoſe that did ſo, with-
F
OUC

98
The Third, L ETT ER
Out wirnelling the leaſt horrour, for hearing ſuch
execrable Blaſphemies. I demanded of them with
ſome Indignation, why they ſuffered them to talk
at ſuch a rate ? They mildly anſwer'd me, Thari
was miſtaken, and that they did neither Swear nor
Blaſpheme, but that it was only a particular Quar-
sel, about a Piece of Mony of the value of a Shil.
ling, or thereabouts, which at Luca they call a Fefus
Chriſt. The Magiſtrates of this City caus’d this
Money to be coyn'd in honour of a Miraculous
Crucifix, which is kept in their Cathedral, which
(they ſay) did either Weep, or Speak, or Bleed,
theſe teing the ordinary Miracles of theſe Cruci
fixes. The Figure of Jeſus Chriſt hanging on the
Croſs, is ſtamp'd upon this Coin, which therefore
they call a Chriſt. By which means, when they are
at Play, or upon Quarrels ariſing about Payments
,
the adorable Name of our Bleſſed Lord and Savi.
our Jeſus Chriſt, is not only very frequently taken
in vain, but alſo outrag‘d and blaſphein'd, as
thoſe Wrerches, whom I have juſt now inentioned
,
did for one of theſe pieces, which the one of them
reſtor'd to the other with theſe Horrid words, Take
there your R of a Chriſt. I have ſeen another fort
of Mony at Bononia, called a Madonnin, that is to
ſay, an Our Lady, or a. Virgin Mary, which is of the
value of Sixpence at Bononia, upon occaſion of
which the ſame Inconveniencies do porportionably
happen in the like Diſpures. Thus we ſee, thar
an imprudent Devotion ordinarily terminates in a
great Impiery. The Queen of Sweden having ſeen
one of theſe pieces of Mony, ſaid Smilingly to the
Cardinal of Luca, That the Italians would have done
„much better to have ſtampt a Coin, and beſtowed the
Name of God upon it ; intmiating, that Gold and
Silver were the God of Italy, there being no Peo.
ple in the World that worſhip it with more Idola-

The Third LET'T ER, 99
try, and yer that are more lazy and careleſs in the
gaining of it. From Luca I came to Piſa, an an-
cient City of Tuſcany, fituare upon the River Arno.
Amongſt other remarkable things,here is to be ſeen
a fair Church-yard, call'd in Italian, Campo Santo;
it is exceeding large, and of a ſquare Figure.
The Walls and Tombs of it are all of Marble,
Jaſper and Porphyry, very artificially wrought.
They of Piſa had fill'd this place with the Earth,
which in a great nuinber of Veſſels they brought
from Jeruſalem, and in which the Dead-Bodies are
conſumed in 24 Hours. In a word, they tell us,
that this Holy Earth is nothing but a continual Mi-
racle : But for my part, I find no more of Miracle
in the caſe, than there is in the Church-yard of S.
Innocent's at Paris, where Bodies are conſumed
within the ſame compaſs of Time, without any
Miracle at all. In all their Churches they ſhew
us a prodigious number of Relicks of Saints and
Sainteſſes, as in all the reſt of Italy, the moſt of
which are extreamly ridiculous. I will not ſtop
at preſent to give you a Catalogue of them, buc
will paſs on to Florence, where I ſhall have occa-
fion to entertain you with the Great Devotion, that
is ſo much in Vogue and Credit at a Church called
the Anonciade, or Annunciation. The Original of
the Devotion take as follows: A Painter having
been employ'd to make a Picture of the Bleſſed.
Virgin, in the Poſture wherein the Roiniſh Tra
dition tells us ſhe was, when the Angel Gabriel
was ſent to her, to accquaint her with the Incarna-
rion of the Word ; that is, in her Chamber on her
Knees, reading the Prophecy of Iſaiah: The Pain-
ter had finiſh'd all other parts of the Picture, ex-
cept one, to wit, the Virgin's Face, which he had
reſerved for his laſt Task ; bur being at a loſs
'what Idea to follow, in repreſenting to the Life
F 2

The Third L ETT ER,
ſo excellent a Creature, and deſpairing ever to
find any thing in his Art of ſufficient perfection to
reach this height, he in this trouble and diſcom.
poſure of Thoughts fell aſleep in the Church, where
he was at work; and awaking three or four hours
after, ( ſtrange Prodigy, and well deſerving the
Wonder of all Men!) he found the thing that had
ſo much perplexed him, happily finiſhed, and much
better than ever he could hope to have done it
himſelf; whereupon he began to cry out amain,
A Miracle, a Miracle ! highly averring, that an An-
gel ſent from Heaven had done the work whilſt he
was aſleep. The Fryers of the Convent where he
Wrought, finding their Intereſt in the thing, rang'd
themſelves of his Side, ſo that in a moment the De
-votion took fire, and the Concourſe of People to their
Church was ſo great, and has ever fince continu'd
with ſuch extraordinary Succeſs, as hath made it at
this day one of the richeſt of all Italy; and the
Convent of Fryers, one of the beſt Endow'd. The
Reflections I have made on this picture, is, That
on many Accounts all this might be no more than
-a meer Cheat or Miſtake. For firſt of all, ſome
unknown perſon, or rather Fryer of Skill in that
Art, entering by chance into the Chapel where the
Painter was at work, and finding hiin aſleep, might
make uſe of that opportunity, and having finih'd
the Work, retire himſelf before the Painter awoker
Secondly, We may ſuppoſe that the Painter, to make
himſelf talk'd of, and to gain himſelf the credit and
reputation of a Good Man, might have invented this
Lye hiinſelf. Orlaſtly, We may conceive that the
Fryers of the Convent, upon conſideration of a good
piece of Mony, inight have induc'd him to have pub-
lith'd, this Lye, to make their advantageof it. What
I alledge here, that might have been, is not done
with this intent, as if I had a mind by all manner
of

Of Hospitals and Pilgrims, &c. tot
ſee the contrary, and that it does not at all exceed
of ways to diſgrace and diſcredit this pretended
Miracle, by ſuppoſing it a piece of Forgery. I know
it is the Character of a diſingenuous and malicious
Spirit, to put a bad Conſtruction upon a Marter that
admits a favourable one ; and verily, I would not
for all the World expoſe my ſelf to that Reproach.
But the reaſon of what I have ſaid concerning this
matter is, That I am otherwiſe ſatisfied on good
grounds, that the Point in queſtion is a manifeſt and
palpable Falfhood. For firſt of all, If it were an
Angel, as it is pretended, that had painted this Face
of the Virgin, as the work of an Angel is far more
perfect than that of a Man, it will follow, That this
Picture, at leaſt as to the mixture and laying on of
the Colours, muſt have far excell’d all the pieces of
Caratche, Guido, Rhin, or any other of the moſt fa-
mous Painters of Italy ; and in the mean time we
the reſt of the Pictures, finiſhed by the Painter him-
felf, which made a Traveller, who ey'd it very well,
to ſay, That the Angel-Limner muſt have been but a
Block head and Bungler at his Art, to draw ſuch rude
and incurious ſtroaks. But beſides this, we have ano.
ther Argument to convince the Romaniſts, that this is
a falſe Suppoſition ; which is, That this Portraicture
of the Bleſſed Virgin, bears no reſemblance at all
with thoſe other Pictures of the Virgin, which they
prerend to have been drawn by the Hand of S. Luke
himſelf. The Face here is round, fair and indd
with lively and brisk Eyes, and a low ſmooth Fore.
head; whereas thar painted by S. Luke is long and
ſwarthy, Egyptian-like, with an humble and modeſt
look, and an high and prominent Ferehead, and
which has nothing of that ſo charming a Beauty of
the Bleſſed Virgin, they ſo highly magnifie when
they ſpeak of her, being more proper to excite Serr.
ſual Luſt, than any Sentiment of Devotion. Where.
fore
F 3

may be a Liar as well as
I02 The Third LETTER,
fore we muſt conclude, That either this Angel was
miſtaken, or that S. Luke was a great Ignoramus in
the Art of Painting ; which notwithſtanding they tell
us he was skillful in, to perfection ; for, without
doubt, the one or the other muſt have been fouly
miſtaken. To attribute this miſtake to the Angel,
would be to derogate extreamly, and againſt all
Reaſon, from the tranſcendant Excellence of thoſe
Bleſſed Spirits ; and to accuſe S. Luke, would de
Atroy their own Tradition ; which they ought not
ſo far to vilifie and debaſe, as to make it give way
to the particular Teſtimony of a filly Painter, who
fo
inany
others; I ſpeak
of himn who drew this Picture of the Annunciation
Laſtly, It might alſo as well be alledg’d, That the
Devil, for the incouragement and increaſe of Su.
perftition, might have had a Finger in the Intrigue,
as ſo peremptorily to aſſert, That it was an Angel of
Light ; tho' to ſpeak the truth, this is not very ra.
tional neither, for the Devil is too cunning to have
done his work ſo much at random, and would
without doubt rather have borrow'd his idea from
the Picture of Sancla Maria Magiore at Rome. How.
ever the Popes have declared it to be a Truth, they
have approv'd the Matter, and have iſſued their
Bulls for the Authorizing of it, and thunder'd out
their Excummunications againſt thoſe who would
be ſo fool-hardy to doubt of it, being the ſame that
other Pores have done in favour of the Pictures of
S. Luke. This Devotion has procur'd vaſt Trea:
ſures to the Fathers of this Convent called Serviti,
The Great Duke of Tuſcany repair'd thither every
Evening to ſay his Prayers, whilſt I was at Florence
,
and it is the common Rendezvous of Strangers
,
that have a mind to ſee this Court. He every day
gave great Alms to the Poor at the Door of the
Church, who all of them (as I was told) were perſons
ver

Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 103
very well to live, tho' (ro induce people inore rom
compaſſion) they keep themſelves cover'd with no-
thing but Rags. They have taken ſuch firin poſi
ſeffion of this poſt, that they will not ſuffer any
ſtrange Beggar to mingle with them. By occaſion
of mentioning theſe Beggars, and that you may
ſomewhat the better apprehend the Powerful vir
tue of the Holy Image, and the Miracles the Vir.
gin continually works in favour of thoſe, who re-
pair thither to pay her their Adorations, I'll here
relate to you a Miracle which they Cry'd along the
Streets of Florence, as a thing that had lately ha-
pen’d, which Print my Curioſiy prompted me to buy.
the Story ſeem'd to me very Gallant; and tho' it be
fomething long, yet I hope the Recital will not ſeein

tedious to you.
A Gentleman of one of the beſt Families of Flo-
rence, was fallen from a flouriſhing Condition, by
means of ſome croſs Blaſts of Fortune, to extream
Poverty. That which greatly added to his affliction
was, That he had two grown Daughters that were"
slot yet provided for; his only recourſe in this miſe.
rable condition, was to the Mother of God. And ta
enter himſelf the better into her Favour, he made
a Vow to continue all his Life long very devout to
her Miraculous Image of the Annunciade : to this
purpoſe he roſe very early every Morning, and went
to ſay his Prayers in the Church-Porch, before the
Doors were open'd. After he had continu'd his De-
votion thus for a long time, the Bleſſed Virgin thought
good at laſt to hear his Prayers, and to ſend him
ſome Relief. Accordingly the inſpir'd two Blind-
meni,
of the number of thoſe who always kept a.
bout the Door of the Church, to riſe fooner than
ordinary, to take their Station in the Church Porch:
Being arriv'd there, one of them began to tell his
Companion, how much he
how much he was beholden to
the
F 4

104
The Third LETTRE,
the Miraculous Virgin, for that from extream Po
verty,
he had in a ſhort time attain'd to competent
Riches, by the Alms he had receiv'd there, and
that beſides the Mony in Silver he had left at his
Lodging, he had two hundred Piſtols in Gold quil
ted in the Crown of his Hat. His blind Comrade
having heard this his Diſcourſe, told him, That for
his part, he did not in the leaſt envy his good Luck, 4
being much more obliged to the Miraculous I'm age, and
that he had quilted in his Hat no leſs than Five hund
.
red Piſtols in Gold. The Gentleman, who was near
to them at his Prayers, without making the leat
noiſe, that might diſcover him to be there, having
heard them diſcourſing at this rate, and ſeeing ſo
fair an opportunity offer'd him of enriching himſelf
,
very ſoftly drew near to the two Blind-men, and
very dextrouſly took off both their Hats at once,
setiring fome Paces backwards. The Blind men
being extreamly ſurpriz'd hereat, and each of them
believing his Companion had done the Feat, de
manded their Hats of one another, and proceeded
to ſucli a Rage, that handling their Crutches, they
diſcharg'd ſeveral hearty ſtroaks upon one anothers
Heads; and without doubt had kill'd one another,
if People had not come in to part them. Whilt
they were thus hocly engag'd, the Gentleman went
off, and finding ſome ſcruple in himſelf for what
he had done, he goes the ſame day to the Cardi
.
nal-Archbinop of Florence, to whom he told all that
had paft : The Archbiſhop having heard the re.
lation, did fully approve of what he had done; and
told him, That he was not at all obliged to make
any Reſtitution, foraſmuch as it was apparent, that
the Virgin had viſibly afſifted him in the whole courſe
of that Affair in conſideration of the Devotion he
bore to her Miraculous Portraicture; and ordered,
that for the comfort of the Faithful, it ſhould
be
Of Hospitals and Pilgrims, &c. 105
be printed and publish'd throughout the City of
Florence. This fame Story has ſince been printed a.
new, in a Book which is very current in Italy, and
has for its Title, L' Utile col Dolci, or, Profit with
Pleafure. You ſee here, Sir, a very pleaſant Mi-
racle, wherein the Virgin, to pleaſure one of her
Servants, makes a Robber of him, and who, as
ſuch, ought to be puniſh'd according to the Laws.
For by what means foever theſe poor Blind-men
might have pick'd up this Mony, however theirs
it was, and had been given them for Alms. But
if we ſuppoſe this to be a Story invented at plea-
ſure, I am aſtoniſh'd that a Cardinal-Archbiſhop
ſhould ever cauſe it to be printed; and that the In.
quifitor, which in all other matters appears ſo exact
and ſcrupulous, Thould Licence the Impreſsion of
it in the Book before mention'd. People are ſo
cloy'd with Miracles in Italy; that except they con-
tain ſomething Romantick and Fabulous, they are
ſcarcely taken notice of. This is that which makes
the Italians, who not without great Reaſon are ac-
cuſed of Coyning new ones every day, to have a
great care to ſet them out with ſuch rare and ſur-
prizing, or ſuch merry and pleaſing Circumſtances,
that it is very divertizing to read them, or hear them
related. I may have an occaſion to give you a
more particular account hereof in one of my
LETTERS, and therefore ſhall at preſent paſs over
in filence the many Miracles of this Famous Church
of the Annunciade, to give you an account of fome
Places of Devotion, which are not far diſtant from
the City of Florence, and which I had the curioſity
to go and viſit.
"Tis amongſt the high Mountains of the Apennine,
that we meer with three famous Deſerts, at a days
Journy diſtance from each other, where as many
Heads of different Orders had their beginning.
The


FS

106 The Third LETTER,
The firſt of theſe is Camaldule, the ſecond Válom.
broſa, and the third Mont Alvernie. Of theſe, Cam-
aldule has by way of preheminence been called the
Holy Deſert, and is certainly one of the moſt De.
ſert places Nature can produce. S. Romualdus ob.
tain'd this place of an Earl, called Maldule, from
whence it took its Name Camaldule, as being a kind
of abbreviation of Campmaldule, or the Field of
Maldule. Hither it was then that he retir'd to lead
a Penitent Life; and having by his Example enga-
ged ſome Diſciples to joyn with him, he built there
a Monaſtery upon a very high Mountain, in an In.
terval lying between two Tops or Prominences
thereof; and afterwards being deſirous of a great.
er Solitude, he retired to one of thoſe Tops, which
is a place almoſt inacceſſible ; where he inſtituted
a kind of Double Order, one of Monks and the
other of Solitaries or Hermits; but under the ſame
Habit and Rule, excepting only fome particular
Conſtitutions to the one, with reference to the Her .
merick Life ; and to the others, for the Mona.
ſtick. The Monks dwelt in the Monaſtery he had
built below, and the Solitaries retir'd with him to
the Top, which ar preſent is called the Holy Deſert.
I arrived at this Monaſtery in the beginning of
O&tober. From Florence it is in a inanner a con-
tinual Up-hill thither, and from thence one may
diſcover that great and lofty City, with the Coun-
try all about it, which affords a moſt pleaſing pro-
fpect. Theſe Fathers have always preſerved Hoſa
pitality amongſt them, and to this day entertain
all Strangers that come thither, and Treat them
according to their Quality for three days together.
Foraſmuch as their is neither Inn, nor any Houſes
near it, I went and preſented my ſelf to the Abby,
where I was very civilly received. I found here
three Florentine Gentleman, to whoſe company
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 109
I joyn'd my ſelf, and at Night we were ſerved at
Table with Eggs and Fiſh, without any Superflui-
ty; but with a mediocrity well-becoming the Re.
ligious ſtate of theſe Fathers, with which I was
much more edified than I had been at the Citeaux
in France, where the Abbar treated us with ſo much
profuſion and exceſs. We acquainted 'em we deſign'd
next day to go to the ſacred Defart, and accordingly
they called us up at Five the next Morning, and
made us ſit down to eat at Six. I was extreamly
ſurpriz’d to ſee they had prepared Dinner ſo early,
when none of us had the leaſt Appetite to Meat :
But they told us, That we muſt force our ſelves to
eat as well as we could, becauſe the Air was ſo
piercing and cold in climbing up to the top of the
Mountain, that we ſhould never be able to bear
it, if we attempted it with empty Stomacks : More.
over, That we were to prepare our felves to clam-
ber on foor for fix Miles together on the Rocks,
and to march through the Snow, before we could
come to the Top of the Holy Deſert, and that there
they never gave any Meat to any perſon, to avoid
diſturbing of their Solitude ; ſo that we ſhould
be forced to come down froin thence by the ſame
way to the Monaſtery, there to take a ſecond Re-
freſhment. We ſuffer'd our ſelves therefore to be
perſuaded, and after we had eaten, we parted from
the Monaſtery about Seven of the Clock, and walk-
ed on towards the top, always compaſſing the
Mountain in a continued Foreſt of tall Fir-Trees.
All theſe Rocks are full of little Springs, from
whence iſſueth a very clear Water, whoſe Rivulets
diſperſe themſelves all over the way by which we
went ; ſo that one cannot climb very high without
marching in the Water which is very troubleſom.
Theſe Waters meeting together from a confide. forºng
rable Torrent which we paſs’d and repaſs’d upon
great

108 The Third LETTER,
great Fir-Trees laid over in the form of Bridges.
We arrived about Noon at the top, after having
marched two Miles through the Snow. This was in
the Month of October ; but the Top of the Mountain
is ſo cold, that when it Rains below, it almoſt
continually Snows here on high. We found the
Snow very high there, and had been ſo for eight
days; ſo that at a diſtance we could ſee nothing
but the upper part of the Church, and the Tiles or
Covering of the Cells; we counted about fixty of
them, which are about twenty Paces diſtant from
orn one another, and taken all together from a little
Town : Every Cell hath ſeveral Rooms, and a
Garden. They ſhew'd us that of S. Romuald,
which one of the Hermits dwelt in. We asked
them why they bore no greater reſpect to the Cell
of their happy Founder, but left it to one of their
Religious to live in? They told us, that this was
the only way they had to preſerve it againſt the
moiſture the place was obnoxious to ; and that
otherwiſe the Wood would rot, and the Cell be
in danger of falling down. They fhew'd us the
Cell of a Venerable Hermit, who (they aſſur'd us)
had nor ſtirr'd thence for Forty years together, and
who ſtill liv'd there in perpetual filence, not ſo
much as ſpeaking a word to any one. They pur
in his Meat to him through a little Window,
which he took with great ſobriety and modera-
tion. Theſe Solitaries eſteem’d him a Saint, for
they value Silence above all other Vertues :
Which gave me occaſion to demand of thoſe who
were ordered to accompany us, what kind of
thing this great Vertue of Silence was, and how they
defin'd it? They anſwer'd, That it was to be
filent with Men, in order to ſpeak to God. Where.
upon I reply'd, That it ſeem'd to me to be better
defin'd thus: To be ſilent or to Speak when one ought;
and


Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c.
109
and that I could not approve of the Uſe they had intro-
duc'd amongſt them of Speaking to one another by ſigns.
We our ſelves indeed had but newly experienc'd
the Inconveniences of ir, at our firſt Entrance into
the Holy Deſert ; for having found the Court Gate
open, we went in to rights ; but when we were
entred, not knowing which way to betake ourſelves,
we drew near to ſome of theſe Solitaries, who were
buſie in removing of the Snow to make a paſſage.
We deſired them to be ſo kind, as to tell us, to
whom we might addreſs our ſelves for to take a
View of the place, but not ſo much as one of
them opened their Mouths to give us a Word in
anſwer. Some of them made Signs to us with
their Hands and Feer, and others with their Brooms
and Shovels. We believed at firſt that they were
Fools, or that they had a mind to drive us out
again ; but at laſt we apprehended that they made
Signs to us to return to the Gate, and there ſpeak
with the Porters; with whom we happily mer.
I immediately told theſe Porters, That it appear'd
to me very ſtrange, that God having given to Men
a Tongue and a Mouth, wherewith to expreſs their
Thoughts, ſome perſons inſtead of acknowledging
this Advantage God hath given them above Brute
beaſts, by a good and diſcreet uſe thereof, ſhould
undertake to make uſe of their Hands and Feer
to expreſs themſelves, like thoſe that are Dumb-
born, or that have their Tongues cut out. That
at the beſt this ſeem'd to me very improper, and
very far from appearing to be a Vertue fit to make
Men Good and Holy. They Anſwer'd me, That
theſe were Myſteries hid and unknown to Seculars, and
only revealed by God to Solitaries and Perfect Souls,
who knew. the Excellence of it. The Sins (proceeded
he) of the Men of the World, are groſs Sins, ſuch as
Coverouſneſs, Envy, Luxury, Blaſphemy, &c. but.



IIO
The Third LETTER,
as for us, our greatef Sins are, when ſometime by frail,
ty we do break our Obſervance of Silence ; to walk with
too much haſt and precipitation ; to caſt ſome curious
(tho' Innocent) Looks; to be Novenly in our Habits;
to have preferr'd ſometime Vocal, to Mental Prayer ;
to have been too much pleaſed with the taſte of Heavenly
Comfort or too heavy and caſt down under Sufferings,
I ſeem'd to perceive in theſe his Anſwers, fome.
thing of pride and haughtineſs, and that ſmelt
ſtrong of a Phariſaical Non fum ficut ceteri homi.
num, I am not like other men and which made me
fear, that Pride (having been the Sin of the Angels
in Heaven) might probably alſo be the Sin of theſe
Solitaries here on the Top of the Mountain. And
indeed, ſo far were all theſe dazling ſhews of Piety
from making me conceive any Inclination for
theſe material Solitudes, which ſeem'd ſo much to
facilitate the practice thereof, that on the con
trary, it made me conceive a greater love for an
ordinary and humble Life in the World, accom.
panied with all thoſe pious Practices which in ſuch
à Life we have continual Opportunities to exert.
It appear’d to me, that theſe Solitaries plac'd the
whole and main of Godlineſs in ſome trifling Ob.
fervances, which yer are powerful enough to make
them wander from the paths of that Charity they
ought to have for thoſe who are engaged in the
Commerce of the World, as looking upon them nó
otherwiſe than as Men that are in the high-way to
utter Perdition, and for whom there is almoſt no
hope of Salvation. Surely ſuch Thoughts as theſe
cannot be ſaid to comply with Charity; for without
doubr, ſome Seculars living in the World, are
as acceptable in the Eyes of God, as theſe Hermits
on the Mountains. The Pcrrers told us,
That
three times a Week they of the Monaſtery belom brought
up Viands, and other necesſary Proviſions, for the
Suſtenance
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. III
Suſtenance of thoſe who lived in the Sacred Deſart. At
laſt they conducted us to the Church, which is very
little and narrow, all lin'd and wainſcotted with:
Wood, againſt the moiſture and great coldneſs of
the place. They aſſured us, That ſome certain Wine
ters, the Cells, Church and all, were wholly buried in
the Snow, and that they were fain to hollow them.
ſelves out paſſages below through the Snow, making
Some holes to the top to let in the Light, for to paſs
from one Cell to another, which then appeared like to
many great white Vaults. They told us, That all
the while they live under the Snow, they are very lit-
tle Senſible of the cold; but to preſerve themſelves.
from the ill effects of the moiſture, they keep good Wood-
fires, that burn day and night, as having very near
them vaſt Foreſts of Pine, Cheſnut and Fir Trees,
which do furniſh them with Wood in great abundance.
After we had viſited the Church, we return'd by
the ſame way we came, and arrived to the Abby
about five of the Clock in the Evening, where we
were civilly Entertain'd as before. Tis only this
Monaſtery that is ſtill maintained in good Obſero-
vance ; all other Monks of the ſame Order, who
have any Monaſteries in Italy, lead a very ſcan.
dalous Life. We parted thence the next day, after
that we had return’d our Thanks to theſe Fathers,
and knowing that the Abby of Valombroſa, which
is chief of another Order of Monks, very famous
in Italy, was not above a days Journy from thence,
we all of us Travelled thither. We went down
Hill for ſome miles, and afterward, coaſted a.
bout the Appennin by a very pleaſant Way. We
travelld a great way through Woods of Olives
Trees, all loaded with Olives, and ever and anon
mer with ſmall Hills full of Orange and Citron.
Trees, full hung with Citrons and Oranges. Some
of thein are ſo high, that a Man on Horſeback
may




112. The Third LETTER,
may paſs under them, without touching the Branches
After they have been once planted, they grow,
without standing in need of any Art or Husban:
dry. All theſe ſides of the Monntains are exceed.
ing rich, as abounding with all ſorts of Fruit.
Trees, and at the bottom of every one of theſe
Trees, there is a Stock of a Vine that embraceth
it, and enterlacing its Branches with thoſe of
the Tree, does at the Seaſon make a very pleaſant
mixture of its Grapes with the Fruit. After half
a days Journy, we were obliged to
mount the
Apennin, for four miles together, through very
ftony and rugged was, until we came to Valom.
brofa, in Latin Vallis Umbroſa. This place is in.
deed a Vally with reſpect to the Tops of the
Mountains, that raiſe themſelves a great height a-
bove it ; but if we compare it with the level of
the Country that lies beneath, it is a very high
Mountain, and very cold ; for there are no Fruit-
Trees to be ſeen here, except only ſome Cheſnut-
Trees, and a few Apple Trees. The great Foreſts of
Pine and Fir-Trees that encompaſs it, in- former
times rendred the place very dark and Mady, which
was the occaſion of giving it the name of Valombroſa.
S. John Gualbert made choice of this place for his
retirement. He naturally was a lover of theſe kind
of Places, and in all his Travels whenſoever he
met with any dark Wood, or very Solitary place,
he caſt in his mind, ſome time or other to come
and fix his abode there, and to be the Founder of
a Monaſtery. I ain frequently oblig'd in my
LETTERS, in compliance with the exigency of
my Matter, to relate to you ſeveral vicious and
wicked Actions of the Italian Prieſts and Monks;
a thing very contrary to my Natural inclination,
which prompts me to conceal the ill, and to
lifh only the good. Wherefore a little to refreſh
pub-
my
Of Hospitals and Pilgrims, &c. 113
my wearied Pen, and to comply with the deſire
I have to honour the Memory of great Men, you'l
give me leave, Sir, I hope, to give my ſelf the
ſatisfaction of relating to you an Action truly ver-
tuous and Memorable of S. John Gualbert. This
young Lord had a Brother, whom he moſt tenderly
loved, who being engaged in a Duel, was un-
happily killed by his Rival. Gualbert ſuppoſed it
would be an Action worthy of his Honour and
great Courage, to endeavour to avenge the Death
of his Brother. To this purpoſe he engaged him-
ſelf in purſuit of this Homicide, who being fled,
he went in queſt of him throughout all the Proa
vinces of Italy. It hapned at length that he met
with him diſarmed in a way where he could noc
eſcape him. The unhappy Wretch ſeeing him come
towards him with his drawn Sword in his hand,
caſt hiinſelf proſtrate on the ground, crying for
Mercy; but perceiving by his thundring Voice, and
his inflamed looks, that there was no quarter to be
hoped for, laid his Arins acroſs his Breaſt, in ex.
pectation of the mortal Thruſt. Gualbert ſeeing
him in this poſture, called to mind our Lord Jeſus
Chriſt hanging on the Croſs, who was ſo far from
avenging himfelf, that he not only pray'd for his
Perſecuters, but died for them. This Thought
having quite ſpoild his former deſign, he alights
from his Horſe, and inſtead of running his Enemy
through, he freely forgave him, kiſſed him and
embraced him, and rendred him ever after as his
own Brother. If the Italians and other Papiſts, in.
ſtead of amuſing themſelves about the Superſtitious
Wormhip of their Saints, would once apply them:
ſelves to imitate theſe lovely Examples of their
Vertues, they would without doubt render them-
ſelves more acceptable to God, neither would they
Be found ſo barely and abominably Avenging them:
ſelvęs


114
The Third LE T I ER,
felves as they do. I return now to my Solitude of
Valombroſa: We arrived at this famous Abby, where
are ſome of the moſt magnificent and ſumptuous
Buildings that can be. One of the Florentine Gen.
tlemen that was with me had a Brother there, who
was the chief Perſon there, next to the Abbat, for
whoſe fake we were very civilly received. The
Monks here lead a very commodious and pleaſant
life , when they are weary of living in this Deſert,
they make an Enterchange with the Monks of Flow
rence, and thereby enjoy the pleaſing variety of
living one part of the year in the Country, and
the other in the City. They have cut down for
a quarter of a League round their Monaſtery all
the great Fir-Trees that ſhadow'd it, to give them.
felves more Air, and to make the place more healthy.
The next Morning we were led to the Hermitage
of S. Fohn Gualbert, which is about half a League
diſtance, from the point of a little rock which lifts
up it ſelf in the midſt of a Vally, being very craggy
on every fide. In getting up to it, we went round
the Rock, as by a winding Stairs, for the ſpace of
one quarter of an hour, at the end of which, we
found our ſelves at the top of the Rock, where the
Hermitage is; which conſiſts of a very neat Chapel,
curiouſly gilt and painted all over, and a very
handſom Ser of Lodgings, well wainſcoted and
painted all within, with a Garden of a moderate
fize, ſo that the whole is a meer Jewel. There
is no Monument left here of the ancient Cell of
this Saint, all the Buildings being new and modern:
there is always a Father Hermit that dwells here,
with a Converſe Brother to ſerve him. Whenever
the Hermit dies, the Abbats of the Congregation
Valombroſa, at their general Chapter, make choice
of a Monk of Exemplary Life, and a lover of
Solitude, to reſide there. The great Abby is

tou
Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 115
to furniſh him with all neceſſaries of Life : He has
a very fine Library full of choice Books when he
has a mind to Study; and indeed the Hermit that"
was then in poſſeſſion of the place, was a Man of
competent Learning, and appeared to me a very
honeſt Man. He made us a very fine Diſcourſe a-
bout the Contempt of the World, and the Advantages
of Retirement and Solitude : Tho' indeed there was
no great need of it, for we were already, without
all that, ſo charmed with the Beauty of this Her-
mitage, that in caſe there had been more of the
ſame cut, Nature, rather than Grace, would eaſi.
ly have perſuaded us to become Hermits, in order
to enjoy an eaſie and pleaſant Life, without either
care or trouble. The Monks of Valombroſa have
extreamly relaxed the ſtrictneſs of their firſt In-
ftitution. They are cloathed in Black, and profeſs
the Rule of S. Bennet, tho' indeed they obſerve
But little of it. The next day we ſet out very be
time in the Morning towards Mount Alverne.
This
is the place were the Seraphick Father S. Francis,
Founder of all the Religious Orders that live un.
der his Rule, retir'd himſelf to ſpend his life in
Contemplation, and where (as they tell us) he re-
ceived the Impreſſion of the Sacred Wound. This
days Journy was exceeding troubleſom to us : We
went up from Valombroſa, by the direction of a
Guide we took along with us, to the very top of
the Appennin, and continued our way upon the
ſame, till we canie to the foot of Alverne. This
Mountain is diſcovered at a great diſtance, and
ſome maintain it to be the higheſt of all the Apene
nin. It hath nothing that is pleaſing or delightful
about it, neither is any thing to be ſeen here be-
fides bare Rocks, without either Trees or verdure.
It is ſo high, that it ſeldom or never Rains there,
which was the reaſon we found no Snow here.
We


116 The Third LETT E R,
t
t
1
1
We got up to it with a great deal of trouble and to
difficulty, by a very narrow way berween extream
high Precipices, and we could nor gain the top
of it, till it was in a manner quite night. Here
1
we found a large Convent of Religious, of the
Order of S. Francis, called by the Italians, Soc:
1
colanri, becauſe of the Wooden Socks they wear
inſtead of Shoes. The firſt thing we did was, to
1
enquire where we might Lodge for that Night:
The Fathers told us, There was an Iun cloſe hy for!
the Entertainment of Strangers. Formerly theſe
Religious exerciſed Hoſpitality towards all ſorts of
Perſons, that our of Devotion came ro Alverne, as
the Farhers of Camaldulé do to this day, to thoſe
who come ro viſit the Holy Deſert, whereof I have
fpoken before ; but at preſent they are weary of
this piece of Service, and do employ the Fund de.
finared to that purpoſe to their own advantage.
By bad hap for us, there' was no Body in the Inn;
the Inn-keeper with all his Family being gone to :
Wedding, a days Journy from the place; ſo that
we were obliged to return to the Convent, and en
treat the Fathers to afford us fome ſhelter amongſ
them for that night, ſince there was no other place
for us to beſtow our ſelves. The Fathers ſeeing
no reinedy, granted our Requeſt, but with ſo much
averſneſs and ill will, that we could not but won
der to ſee that perſons, who for the moſt part live
upon the Alms that are abundantly contributed to
them by Seculars, ſhould refuſe to allift them upon
occaſion. They Thewed us a Chamber where we
might lye, but as for affording us any thing to eat,
they deſired our excuſe, telling us, That they had
none for theinſelves ; being thus reſolved lo leave
as without either Meat or Fire, tho' the Nights be
exceeding cold there, upon the prerence of the trou:
ble they had in getting their Wood as being oblig'd
to

Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 117
to ferch it from the foot of the Mountain. We
deſired them at leaſt to be ſo kind, to give us leave
to enter their Kitchin, for to warm our ſelves a lic
tle at their common Fire ; but they being very
loath that we ſhould ſee the good Proviſions they
had there prepared for themſelves, told us, That
they could not grant our requeſt, becauſe they had
ſome of their Fathers that are fick about the Fire";
ſaying of their Office. One of the Florentine Gen-
tlemen that was in our Company, knowing that
the Convent was never deſtitute of Proviſions, broke
out into a Paſſion againſt the Guardian, and re-
proaching him with his baſe Incivility, told him,
That he conſtantly three times a week Sent a good quan-
tity of Bread and Wine to their great Convent at Flo-
rence; bus that he was reſolv'd to ſtop hisHand for time
to come, and give them the bag, and that moreover he
himſelf would acquaint them with the Reaſon moving him
fo to do. This Advertiſement made the Guardian
preſently change his Nore, and having excuſed
himſelf for what was paſt, in confideration of the
Benefactor of his Order, he hiinfelf conducted us
into the Kitchirp, where inſtead of theſe fick Fa-
thers, and mumblers of their Offices, we found
there four or five fat and bonny Fryers playing at
Dice, a great Por boiling over the Fire, beſides
ſeveral Joynts of Meat a roaſting. One of theſe
Fryers ſeeing us come in, very nimbly ſnatch'd up
the Dice and Boxes into his Gown; but a while
after forgetting himſelf, roſe up, and let all tum-
ble down on the ground. The Father Guardian
perceiving the Miſchance had hapned, excuſed
them the beſt he could, telling us, That having
been that day a great way off a Preaching, to re-
freſh themſelves they had made bold with a little
Recreation. In fine, they made us ſup with them,
and we were very well treated. After Supper
they

118 The Third L ET T E R,
they conducted us to our Chamber, where we found
a very good Fire. The next day one of theſe Fast
thers accompanied us to ſhew us the Holy places of
Mount Alverne. We were extremely ſurprized to
ſee the ſurface of this Mountain, which we had nor
had the time the Night before to take notice of,
becauſe it was very late when we arrived. The
whole Mountain is nothing elſe but a company of
Rocks heaped one upon another, and all cleft a-
ſunder, forming as many hideous Precipices, which
cannot be view'd without horrour. Some believe
that thele Rocks were rent aſunder at the Death
of our Lord : S. Francis was of this mind, when he
pitched upon this place for his Retirement, to me
dirate upon the facred Myſteries of the Paſſion
They Mewed us the place where the Hiſtory of his
Life tells us, that Jeſus Chriſt appear'd to him in
the form of a Seraphim on the Croſs, and imprinted
in his Hands, his Feer, and his Side, the five
"Wounds were given him on the Croſs, to the end
it might be ſaid, that S. Francis had ſuffer'd as much
as he. But indeed, according to this account, he
would have ſuffered much more ; for the ſame Les
gend adds, that he ſuffered even till his Death,
the Pains of Jeſus Chirſtas lenſibly, as Jeſus Chrift
felt them, when he received them on the Croſs
and that from that time forward, the Life he lived
was continued by a perpetual Miracle, which pre-
ſerved his Life in the midſt of a continual Death,
For my part, I find this pretended Apparition of
Jeſus Chriſt like a Seraphim with Wings extream-
Jy improper, not to ſay ridiculous; why not rather
in his human form ? He that would not take upon
him the Nature of Angels, ſhall we believe that
he would ever take their Figure ? And would not
this highly favour the Opinion of thoſe ancient
Hereticks who maintain’d, That the Son of God had

only

Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 119
only taken upon him an Airy and PhantaſticalBody? And
to ſpeak my mind, I believe that this Imprellion of
the Wounds, was only perform'd in the ſtrong
Imagination of S. Francis, much like ſome others
have imagin'd, that they had Feer of Wax, and a
Head of Glaſs. The place where it is ſaid that this
miraculous Operation was celebrated, is under a
great Stone, whereof the one and only is wedg’d
into the Rocks, yet ſo as according to iny Under-
ftanding is ſufficient for its Support. Nevertheleſs
theſe Fathers every where proclaim this for a great
Miracle, and that it cannot be conceived but thap
paturally the Stone muſt needs fall. Near to this
they ſhew is a little Path-way, very narrow, upon
the brink of a vaſt Precipice, which was the way
by which S. Francis went to pray under that Rock.
The Devilenvying his grear Devotion,arrempred up-
on a time to caſt him down headlong; but he ſeeing
the Enemy of Mankind coming towards him, lean'd
himſelf againſt the Rock, which made way for his
Body, ſofrning like Wax to receive him. They ſtill
ſhew this impreſſion of his Body left in the Rock,
but which may as well have been done with a
Chizzel, as the way they tell us. As for the Devil,
ſine it is that the Roman Catholicks make many pret-
ty Stories of him, that are not always very Authen-
tick. I remember to have ſeen in France, in the
Church of S. Columb near Sens, a very pleaſant
Hiſtory, repreſented En relief upon an Holy Water
Baſon of Marble, near the Door of the Church,
concerning an holy Herinit called Beet. The Devil
being come on a certain time to diftract his
Thoughts, whilſt he was ſaying of his Office, the
Saint laying hold of him, lift him up by the Ears,
and put him into the Baſin, and having laid his
Breviary upon it, kept him a Priſoner there for ten
days together. Nothing can be imagin'd more
Comical

I 2.0 The Thiad L ETT ER,
Comical, than to ſee the repreſentation of this
Devil, who (as far as he is able) lifts up his great
Affes Ears above the Holy-Water, with the marks
of an extream Rage in his Countenance: For (ſay
they) he fears the Holy Water, many degrees beyond
the Fire of Hell. The Monks of this Abby thought
good to be at the charge of this work, ad perpetuam
rei memoriam. But I return now to Mount Alverne.
The Fathers afterwardsſhewed us many other places
in the Rocks where S. Francis preformed his Re.
ligious Exerciſes, and amongſt others, that where
he wrought the Conſtitutions of his order, whereof
I have ſeen the Original writ with his own Hand,
at our Lady of Portiuncule, which is a little Chapel
in Ombria, about five miles from Affiſc. Here it
was, as they tell us, that he had many Revelations
and Apparitions: Amongſt the reſt, they tell us of
an Apparition of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who in
confideration of the great Zeal of this Saint for the
Salvation of Sinners, granted to him as plenary an
Indulgence as he could give, that is to ſay, an en
tire Remniffion of Guilt and Punifhmnnt for all thoſe
,
who the firſt day of Auguft ſhould viſit this Little
Chapel : So that the Grand Univerſal Jubilee of
the Holy Year, is not more ſaving to Sinners than
this of S. Francis. Any perſon who on this day
goes to viſit that Chapel, with Intention to enjoy
the Advantage of this Jubilee, with ſaying five pa
ter Noſters, and as many Ave Maries, be he the moſt
abominable Sinner that lives on Earth, becomes as
pure and innocent, as he was when newly Bap.
rized.; and ſhould he die in that condition, there
is neither Hell nor Purgatory for him, but would
go directly to Paradiſe. And confornable to this
Belief of the Roman Catholicks, and more parti
.
calarly of the Italians, there is ſuch a prodigios
foncourſe of People on this day from all parts,
that

Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c.
27
it cauſes a Famine in all the Country thereabouts,
and many are kill'd in the Throng that is at the
Door of the Church, who then go to enjoy the prie
vilege of their Indulgence in the other World.
Now ſeeing all this, muſt not we avow, that either
the Roman Catholicks are very blind, or elſe very
negligent of their Şalvation, when in the moſt im.
portunate Affair imaginable and the greateſt con-
eern of their immortal Souls, the Remiſſions of their
Sins, rely upon the word of a mortal Man? Their
S. Francis has told them, That by going to ſuch a
place on ſuch a day, and there ſaying ſuch and ſuch
Prayers, their Sins, with all the Chaſtiſement due
to them for the ſame, ſhall be entirely forgiven them,
and that he has received the aſſurance of this from
the Mouth of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who (he ſaid
appeared in particular to him for this purpoſe ; and
without examining that matter any further, they
believe it, they rely upon his Word, and caſt be.
hind their backs (O ſtupendous occaecation !) the
ſacred Oracles of the Goſpel, which do ſeriouſly
warn them, that the only way to have their Sins
pardon'd, is true Repentance. The Fathers Soceo-
lanti of the Order of S. Francis, who are extreamly
enriched by means of this Devotion, have built
themſelves in this place a very fair Convent ; and
foraſınuch as the Chapel was too little for their uſe,
they have built a great and magnificent Church
round about it, ſo as the little Church ſtands now
encloſed in the greater. I never yer ſaw any place
of Devotion in Italy, which had not ſome fair Pa-
lace, and a good Kitchen for the uſe and accom-
modation of thoſe who make the beſt of it, which
is I confeſs,makes them ſtill the more ſuſpicious to me.
ti Five Miles diſtant from hence we met with Aliſe,
is which is a pretty Town, ſituate on a Hill: This is
at the place where S. Francis was born, and where they
fay
1
US
De
Co
d

1 22
The Third L ETT ER,
ſay his Body repoſed at the Great Convent of the
Franciſcans, in a Subterranean Chapel, under the
High Altar. 'Tis ſaid that his Body, and that of
S. Dominick continue there without the leaſt fymp.
tom of Corruption, and that they ſtand both upright
on their Feet, Hand in Hand, without any thing
to uphold them; and that it hath pleaſed God thus
•£o permir, that theſe two Saints, that had been fo
great Friends during their Lives, ſhould not be
ſeparated after Death. This is a Myſtery that is not
fuffered to be ſeen at preſent; the Pope himſelf
,
for all his pretended Power in Heaven and on
Earth, is not admitted to this priviledge, ſince one
of his Predeceffors miſcarried in the Attempt, who
being reſolv'd to take a view of this rare Wonder,
died ſuddenly : And ſoon after both theſe Saints
appeared to an honeſt Franciſcan Fryer, and told
him, That the like ſhould happen to all thoſe who
ſhould be ſo Fool-hardy to attempt the ſame thing.
But yet notwithſtanding all this Tradition, the Fa.
chers Soccolanti, who conſtitute a diſtinct Body from
that of the Franciſcans, aſſure us, That they have the
Body of S. Francis at. Portiuncule, which (as I have
already ſaid) is not above five miles diſtant from
thence; as well as the Dominicans maintain, that
they have the Body of their Patriarch in their great
Convent of Bononia. Indeed, the Reaſon why the
Popes don't viſit this place, is not becauſe they are
afraid of meeting Death there, but becauſe they
are afraid of diſobliging of one of theſe potent
Parties, I mean the Franciſcans, or the Dominicans ;
ſince it is evident, they could not make the Diſco.
very without ruining one or other of theſe Devo:
tions, which would be a vaſt prejudice to theſe Reo
ligious Orders ; wherefore they like better to leave
the People in Superſtition and Error, than to open
their Eyes at their own colt. The Pope is obligil
to
of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &c. 123
to cultivate and improve the Intereſt of the
Monks, foraſmuch as they ſupport his Inte.
reſt.
The Third thing wherewith I deſign'd to entera
tain
you, before my cloſing of this LETTER con-
cerning S. Francis, is, That amongſt orher things,
I ſaw a ſmall Convent which he built himſelf, with
the affiſtance of his Brethren, in a Deſcent from the
Appennin, leading to a Town of Italy, called, The
Borough of the Holy Sepulchre. He lived in this
Convent ſeveral years, and deſign d it for a Model
to thoſe Convents of his Order, thar fhould be built
for time to come. To ſpeak the truth, I never in
my life ſaw ſo wretched a Dwelling. The whole
Convent is nothing elſe but a company of Holes or
Caves, more proper to lodge Bears, than for Men
to retire in. Now I could wiſh, thar Men would a
little compare this poor Hovel, with thoſe mag-
nificent Convents which his Children, I mean thoſe
who profeſs to live under his Rule, have built
throughout all Italy ; to wit, thoſe grand Convents
of Rome, Naples, Venice, and in a word, of all the
other Cities. Have nor the moſt famous Architects
exhauſted their Art, and rack'd their Brains, to
perform the model of them. The moſt renowned
Painters employ'd their utmoſt Skill and choiceſt
Colours to make all their Walls a pleaſing and
lively Story ? The moſt curious Gilders their fineſt
Gold, to make thereof Ceilings bright and lumi-
nous ? And laſtly, have not the Bowels of the A.
pennin been ravag'd for the fineſt Marbles the
choiceſt Jaſpers, and rareſt Porphyries, to form
the Plllars that ſupport thein, to pave their Cloiſters,
their Refectories, and their Dorinitories; and to
compoſe all the Doors, Windows and Chimneys
of their Cells ? The Capuchin Fathers are the only
Men that have witneſſed ſome horrour for

G 2
fo

The Third LETT ER,
jo extravagant a Pomp, ſo diametrically oppoſite xo
the Laws of Humility and Poverty, which they
received from their Legiſlator S. Francis. They en
- gag‘d themſelves at the Beginning of their Refor
ination, to a certain Standard of Building the
Convents, which was both very modeſt and regu.
dlar ; only they have always had a great care to pro
- vide themſelves fair Gardens, with fine Parterres
pleaſant -Fountains, and great Walks of Trees
which are commonly frequented by the Gentlemea
of Cities that are near them, to take the Air ia
The Capuchins are at this day the beſt Gardiners in
Europe. In Italy, they furniſh all the Ladies with
Flowers, and Big-bellied Women with Fruit. But
we find, that of late they have loſt much of their
modeſty in Building too: The new Buildings they
inake at preſent are very lofty, more large, their
Cells greater, their Churches more adorned, and
their other Regular-places inore .comporting with
the modern way of Building. They have very
fair Convents at Venice, Florence, Piſa and Milain.
When I paſſed through the Dutchy of Burgundy in
France, I ſaw at Dijon the fine Pile of Building
theſe Fathers caus'd to be rais'd for their Sicky
which was not in the leaſt inferour to the fait
Palaces of the Prefidents and Counſellors of Paşı
liament of that City. And when I paſs'd through
„Germany, in iny Way for England, I ſaw upon the
Rhine, about half a days Journy above Coblentz,
Stately Building, which I took for one of the Pa
laces of the Elector of Treves, but was indeed a
Convent of Capuchins, which his Electoral Highneſs
cauſed to be built for thein. Before the Foun
dațions of it were laid, he demanded of them
Model of their Convents, to have it built by ; but
the Fathers anſwered him, That if S. Francis
were to give the Plan, it would be very plain and ſcant);
bu!

Of Hoſpitals and Pilgrims, &č 125,
but that foraſmueh as his Electoral Highneſs had the
Goodneſs to concern himſelf therewith, it could not well
be blam'd, if the Building did in ſome degree ſuit with
his Greatneſs.
The Concluſion of all is this, Sir, That what.
ever theſe Men may pretend to, as long as they
ſhall make the Chriftian Perfection to conſiſt in cer-
tain Phantaſtick, Stoical, and extraordinary ways
of Living, a ſhort times Experience will make is
appear, they have deceiv'd themſelves; all their
fine Deſigns will vanith in their own view. And
as the principles on which they build are falſe, they
will alway find themſelves reduc'd to the impoifibi.
lity of practiſing what they have vowed; and will
be forced at lait to acknowledge, That the great
Axioms of Chriſtian Morality, which are of an in-
fallible Truth, and to which only we ought to tye
our ſelves ; are to avoid Evil, and to do good ; to love
God with all our Heart, and our Neighbour as our ſelves.
I conclude with theſe excellent Words, and am with
my Heart.
Sir, Your, &c.
The FOURTH LETTER.
Of a Fourny to Loretco, &c.
SIR
H Aving promised in my laſt LETTER to give
an Account of my Journy to Loretto, I doubr
not but your Curioſity (to be informed about that
place of Devotion, which makes ſo great a Noiſe
in the World) will incline you to with for the per-
formance of iny Promiſe. To the end therefore
that I may acquirmy ſelfthereof, I ſhall begin where
my last LETTER left me. After the View I had
taken
G 3

126 The Fourth LET I ER,
taken of Mount Alverne, I parted with my Com
pany, who went no further, and all alone came down
the other ſide of the Apennin; and taking my way
through the Towns of Fosſombrône and Urbane, I
came to Fan, which is a pretty City, fituate on the
Adriatick Sea. Whilſt I was here, going abroad in
the Morning to look our for ſome Convenience to
go to Loretto, I ſaw a great Company of Perſons
very comically mounted and dreſs’d, coming into
Town. They were Pilgrims that came from Bo.
nonia, being about Threeſcore in number, and all
of them mounted on Alles, which is a very eaſie
and commodious way of Travelling, and more in
requeſt in the Marquiſate of Ancone, than the uſe of
Horſes. The firſt place where we met with this
convenience of Travelling, is at Imola, half a days
Journey from Bononia. Formerly Travellers were
wont to hire their Affes at Bononia ; but foraſımuch
as fome Wits took occafion from hence to uſe al
Allufion, which did not over-pleaſe the Scholars
and Doctors of the Univerſity of that Ciry; for it
was a common Saying, We will go to Loretto, and
take an Aſs at Bononia, the Magiſtrates for their
fakes abolinh'd that Cuſtom ; ſo that now theſe Beaſts
inuſt be hired at Imola, and for the value of abour a
Shilling a Man inay Travel ſix miles, which is the
Stage thoſe Affes are wont to perform. They are
furniſh'd with little Saddles and Stirrups, in the
manner as Horſes; but there is no need either of
a Whip or Spurs, for as ſoon as one is got upon
their Backs, they run continually with all their might
until they be come to their Journies end ; where
being arriv'd, it is impoſſible by all the Strokes that
can be given them, to make them advance one
Step
further; but one is forc'd to leave them there, and
take others. Thus theſe Aſſes are changed at every
fix Miles end, till one comes to the Mountains of
Ancona,
وک
127
fourny to Loretto, &c.
, ??
Of a Ancona, which is not very far from Loretto.
But to return to our Pilgrims, and to give you a
further deſcription of them, they were all of them
accourred in their Pilgrimage Habits, which con-
lifted of a large Linnen Veſt, of an Anh-grey colour,
reaching to the middle of the Leg, with very wide
Sleeves, coming down to the Wriſt; on the Backa
ſide of theſe Veſts, at the Collar, they have a kind
of a large Cowl, which they put over their Heads,
and being Pulld down reachech to the Pir of this
Sroinach, ſo that their Faces are wholly cover'd with
them. And to the end, that in this poſture they
might have their free fight and breathing, theſe
Cowls have openings in them, anſwering to the Eyes
Cowls over their Heads, but when they come to
places where they have no mind to be known; for
otherwiſe, they let them hang backwards upon their
Shoulders. They gird this Veit a bour them with a
Girdle, and ſomewhat above the Girdle upon their
Breſts, they have a Scutcheon, repreſenting the Arms
of their Society, Confriery, or Company, which they
call in Italian, Scuola. There be ſcarcely any Ita.
lians that'are not of one or other of theſe Societies..
Theſe Pilgrims inoreover have a large Row of
Pater nofter-Bead's hanging at their Girdles, and a
Pilgrim Staff in their Hands, which is the chief
mark of their Pilgrimaging. Theſe Staves are
about an half-Pikes length, with Knots or Protu.
berances at the Top and middle of them. They
Carry them to the Church, to get them bleſt by
their Curates, before their Setting-forth, which
Ceremony is perform’d with many Prayers, and
the aſſiſtance of Holy Water: As ſoon as they have
receiv'd them, it is not lawful for them to ſtay any
longer than Three days at the place of their Refi-
dence, and cannot be admitted to the Communion


128 The Fourth I ETT ER;
till they have perform’d their Pilgrimage, except
they be pleas'd to change the Vow they have made
into a Pecuniary Mulct ; for in that caſe they are
very readily diſcharg‘d by the Prieſt. The Pilgrims
which I ſaw, upon their arrival at Fane, were all
of them dreſt in Veſts of the ſame Colour, and had
already run one Stage on their Aſſes. Their Veſts
were all New, and of very fine Linnen; and form
aſmuch as in all appearance, they were not mov'd
to put on that Garb from a Penitent Spirit, they
had taken care to tuck them up high enough in
ſeveral places, to make their fine Cloaths of Gold
and Silk they had under them, to be ſeen; which
made me alſo believe, that probably they muſt
be Perſons of Quality. Their Girdles were of
Silk of the ſame colour, with their Veſts, and
extreamly well wrought. Upon_mny Enquiry,
Who they were ? it was told me, They were the
Company or Sociery of our Lady of Life of Bononia,
which is the Name of a very richly Endow'd Hof.
pital, for the Relief of poor Sick-people, and where
the Prieſts have Erected a Congregation-or Sociery
,
of Noble Perſons, who have their daily Maffes and
Prayers there. Upon their entring into this So
ciety, they oblige themſelves to aflilt the Poor of
that place, with their Eſtates and beſt Endeavours -
The greateſt part of the Gentlemen of Bononia are
of this Society; they go every year by way
of
Proceſſion to Loretto, towards the end of Antumn,
when Vintage is paft; which is likewiſe obſery'd
by moſt other Companies. As ſoon as they were
come near to the Great Church, the Prieſts came
out to meet them, with the Croſs and Banner, by
way of Reception, and bidding of them welcom,
made a fhort Speech to them
to which the
Prior of the Company, being a Bononian Earl, re.
turnd an Anſwer in few words. After this, they



3
entred
Of a Journy to Loretto, &c. 129
entred into the Church, where they made fome
ſhort Prayers and then diſpers'd themſelves through
out the beſt Inns of the Ciry, whither Orders had
been ſent over-Night, to provide a good Dinner.
It was about Ten of the Clock in the Morning when
theſe Pilgrims arriv'd, and near halfan Hour after,
they were follow'd by about ſome Twenty Caleches,
full of Ladies. Theſe were She-Pilgrims, who had
left Bononia upon the fame deſign ; and who were
all of them, either Kinſwomen or Miſtreſſes of the
foreſaid Pilgrim Gentlemen. They were all of thein
moſt ſumptuouſly Attir'd, and with an Air of Wan-
tonneſs and Gaiety, that very ill became Perſons
who went a Pilgrimaging out of Devotion. They
had little Pilgrim-Staves, faſtned to the Body of
their Gowns; ſome of them were of Gold, o.
thers of Ivory all beſer with coſtly Pearls and
Diamonds ; ſome had them made
up
of Orange-
flowers, or of ſome Artificial-flowers which are
in ſo great eſteein at Bononia, and which make
the greateſt part of Traffick of the Nuns; of that
City. Others again had thein all wrought of
Needle work, to that height of Curioſity, that
one of thein might probably have been the Work
of many Years; And laſtly, Others had them of
other precious and coſtly Matter. The Pilgrims
had no looner taken poſſeſſion of their Inns, and
given Order to have all things in readineſs, but
they went forth to meet their Ladies ; and having
bid them welcom, they conducted them with a
great deal of Honour and Ceremony into the
Apartment prepar'd for-them. My Curiofiry to
obſerve theſe Proceedings, prompted me to return
to my Inn; where I had already taken nocice of
the great Preparations chrt were inaking for thein ;
And finding that the Gentlemen wanted a Chamber
more to accomodate them, I offer'd them mine ;


G5
and
130 The Fourth LETTER
and in Recompence thereof they very civilly
entreated me to Dine with them. The Table was
cover'd with many Diſhes, and all Dinner time
their Diſcourſe was nothing but a continual Rail.
lery upon their Ladies Pilgrim-Staves : It was not
any hinting or pinching Raillery, but fuch as con-
fifted only of ſome par Alluſions, full of Wit, and
contain'd ambiguous Words, which theſe Italian
knew to be for the Tooth of their Ladies. As
foon as Dinner was done, every one of them put
themſelves in order to proſecute their Journy. The
Pilgrims mounted on their Ales, and the Ladies
into their Caleches. As for my part, I joyn'd my
ſelf with a very honeſt Man, born at Parma, who
did not go on Pilgrimage, but Travelld out of
Curioſity. We follow'd this Troop of Pilgrims at a
ſmall diſtance, being Mounted in the ſame manner
as they, tho' we could not joyn our ſelves in
company with them, becauſe we had no Pilgrims
Habits. I demanded of the Italian, Why thoſe
Gentlemen, who were all Perſons of Quality, and
who probably had their Coach and Horſes at Bow
nonia, did make uſe of theſe Affes in their Journy.
He told me, That ſome made uſe of them our of
a Frolick, and to make themſelves Mirth on the
Road; others, by way of Humility, and to obtain
more Merit : And moreover, that theſe Aſſes by
carrying ſo many Devout Perſons to Loretto, had
by that means obtain'd a very particular kind of
Bleſſing ; which was, That never any Miſchance
hapned to thoſe that rid on them ; for if by chance
any did fall from them, or were caſt by them into
any Slough, they alway eſcap'd very happily, with-
our receiving any hurt. By this Diſcourſe I began
to perceive, that this honeſt Gentleman believ'd
theſe Alles alſo to be Miraculous. He told me,
That ſome Algier-Pirates having lately made a de-
ſceno

Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. 131
ſcent in the Marquiſare of Ancona, could not with
all their Endeavours overtake a Company of Tra-
vellers, that were Mounted on theſe Holy Aſſes,
tho' they purſu'd them very cloſe, and that having
fir'd very thick at them, they neither kill'd nor
wounded any one of the Company. As we Rid
on thuis Diſcourſing together, we ever anon caft an
Eje towards our Pilgrims that were before us, and
found, they made it their only buſineſs on the Road,
to divert the Ladies that Rid in the Caleches: Some
of them Croſſing the Way before them, ſtrove to
put themſelves into Comical and Ridiculous Po.
ftures, to make them Laugh; others fell from their
Alles on purpoſe ; and in a word, as the Italians
have a very pleaſane and Ready Wir, their Beha.
viour all along the Road was nothing but Mirth and
Coinedies. The Ladies without doubt, were nor
wanting to beſtow a Thouſand Bleſſings on the Day
and Moment, wherein they were ſo happy to inake
a Vow to go to Loretto, foraſmuch as probably they
had never in all their Lives been berrer diverted.
Every Body knows the Humour of the Italians, Thar
no ſooner have they Married a Wife, but they make
her a Slave. However, their Jealouſie hath never
yet been able to hinder them from going to the
Church on Sundays and Holidays, or to the places
of Pilgrimage, when they have made a Vow to that
purpoſe. The Church of Rome have declar'd it a
Mortal Sin, not to go to Maſs on thoſe days, or
nor to accompliſh the Pilgrimage one has Vow'd ;
and hath depriv'd Husbands of the Power to hind.
er their Wives from performing their neceſſary
Duties. If any Husband ſhould go about to oppoſe
his Wife in theſe particulars, the Inquiſition would
take notice of it, and proceed againſt him, as
againſt å perſon who does not approve of going
to . Maſs or. Pilgrimages, and conſequently is


132 The Fourth L E T I ER,
;
an Heretick. The Ladies, you may aſſure your ſelf
,
are not wanting to make good uſe of this their
Priviledge ; or to have recourſe, whenever they
think fit, to this laſt Plank of their Ship.wreck
Liberty ; Ultima Naufragæ Libertatis Tabula. Scarce-
ly ever ſhall you ſee a Lady going to theſe kind of
Devotions, but ſhe has ſome very Devout Lover
following her and one might judge with half an
Eye; from the Air of theſe He and She Pilgrims, I
am now upon, what was the principal Motive that
ſway'd them to undertake the Journy. About four
of the Clock in the Afternoon they ſtopt at a Vil.
lage to refreſh themſelves ; which done, the Gen-
tlemen Rid on before to the next Town, to Com.
plement the next Church before the Ladies coming,
as they had done in the Morning at Fane. After
which they retir'd with their Ladies to the beſt
Inns of the Town, where they were not wanting
to make good Cheer, and divert themſelves; and
in the foreſaid manner continued the reſt of their
Journy, till they came to Loretto. I'll be judg’d
by you, Sir, whether this be not a very Devout way
of Pilgrimaging, ſufficient to confound and abalha
the Proteſtants, who reject them, and content them-
Yelves to call upon their Father that is in
Heaven, without putting themſelves to the
trouble of going to ſeek him either at Rome or
Loretto.
We met with, beſides theſe Pilgrims already
mention'd, whom we follow'd very cloſe, ſeveral
.
other Bands of them, conſiſting of Merchants and
Tradeſmen, ſome of them going to Loretto, and
others returning thence, all of them making them.
felves. Sport with their Pilgrim-Staves, and extra-
vagant Habits upon the Road; and in all the Inns
they came to, treating themſelves with the beſt
that could be had. I have ſince underſtood, that
all

Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. 133
all Tradeſmen in Italy do each of them keep a Sa-
ving.Box, into which they put what Mony they
can ſpare during the whole Year, in order to their
going in Pilgrimage, either to Loretto, or to S.
Anthony of Padua, or to ſome other place, at a
further or nearer diſtance, according as they gueſs
that the Mony they have gather'd will hold out,
to defray their Charges going and coming, and e-
very where making much of themſelves. And, to
ſpeak the Truth, there is nothing more agreeable
in Italy, than theſe kind of Journies in the begin.
ning of the Spring, or towards the end of Aus
tumn, after the great Heat is paſt; eſpecially when
one is in good Company, where there is never
wanting ſome or other, that hath the Gift of making
others Laugh. The Italian Females eſpecially:-
make uſe of a Thouſand Intrigues and Inventions,
to oblige their parents or their Husbands, to let
them go on Pilgrimaging: There is no Vow they
make more readily. Above all things, they make
great uſe of the Authority of their Confeffors, to
acquaint them, That it is the Will of God that
they ſhould go thither. according to their Vow. In
the mean time, the whole Journy is ſpent in Fool-
eries, as I have now hinted; and the merry Adven-
tures they meet with in them, furniſh them all the
Winter at the Fires fide, with pleaſant Stories to
divert the Company.
Thus I have given „you ſome account of the
Italian He and She Pilgrims, according to my Pro-
miſe, which, joyn'd with thoſe that frequent the
Hoſpitals, whoſe Deſcription you have ſeen in my
laft LETTER, comprehends the whole Ser of Pil.
grims, from the Richeſt to the Pooreſt. 'Tis to no
purpoſe here for the Papiſts to tell us, That theſe
are only particular Inſtances, which cannot be of
any force againſt the Foundation of their Doctrin;
for




134 The Fourth LETTER,
for this Holineſs of Pilgrims in general, is no
more to be iner with, than an Univerſal à parte rei.
A Man indeed may imagine to himſelf an Univer-
ſal human Nature, yet will he never be able to find
human Nature, but in Particulars, er Individuals
Beſides, if Pilgrimages were endu'd with efficacy,
to make Men Hoiy, without doubt we ſhould find
many Pilgrims ſo qualifi'd ; and the acknowledgd
Truth of the Old Proverb would be overthrown,
which faith , That never did a good Horſe, or Wick:
ed Man, become better by going to Rome. If Si
Ferom, S. Paula and many orhers went to Viſit the
Holy Places of Paleſtine, yet it was not this that
Sanctifi'd thein, or made them Saints; and with
our doubt, they might have done as well ro have
ſtaid at home. I ſpeak not this, as if I had a mind
to blame them for ſo doing, no more than I would
reprove an honeſt Man, who out of Curioſity,
(yet ſo as not to neglect his Buſineſs, and without
injuring any one) ſhould take a Journy to Constan-
tinople, or to Rome. It is even Natural for Mento
have ſome reſpect and veneration for Great Tras
vellers and I cannor bur own it, to be a worthy
Curioſiry to go to Jeruſalem, and ſee all the Holy
places where Jeſus Chriſt has wrought our Redem-
prion ; but with reference to our eternal Salvation,
Ilook upon it as a very profitable thing, and I ſhall
never believe that any one is the greater Saint
for having been there : Jeſus Chriſt has nor fix'd
our Salvation to any particular places of the World,
more than to others ; and will never ſuffer, that
thoſe Novel Additions Men have been ſo bold as
to joyn to the Goſpel, to accompliſh their Corrupt
Ends, ſhould ſerve as efficacious Means for their
Sanctification. I have convers'd with a vaſt num.
ber of perſons that have gone a Pilgrimaging ; but
never could diſcern any the leaſt Amendment
Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. 135
in their Lives ; but on the contrary, I have ſeen
many who have ſeem'd to me, to be much worſe
than they were before. They counſellid me in
Italy, to do as a certain Genoueſe did, who was wont
frequently to ask his Burcher, When he would go
to Loretto ? The Butcher wondring at this his oft
repeated Queſtion, demanded of him one Day,
What might be the Reaſon, why he fo often ask'd
him the ſame Queſtion ; Becauſe ſaid the Genoueſe)
I have of a long time obſerv’d, that upon your Return
from your Pilgrimage, you never give me my full Weight;
? and for this reaſon, I am reſolv'd at your next Return,
not to make uſe of you for five or fix Months. And
indeed, he had Reaſon to make uſe of this Cau-
tion ; for commonly in theſeJournies they ſpend ar
a moft Extravagant rate; and afterwards, to reim-
burſe themſelves, they make no ſcruple, to make uſe
of Thieviſh and Indirect Means. Moreover, as I
have already intimated in my Third LETTER,
there be very few that undertake theſe kind of
Journies from a true Spirit of Devotion; but either
out of Curioſity, or for their own Recreation ; or 0.
ther ſuch like Reaſons.
But, foraſmuch as I do not pretend to judge of
the inward Intention of any one by any thing that
is outward, I will at preſent be ſo favourable as to
ſuppoſe, That all theſe Pilgrims go to their ſeveral
places with higheſt Sentiments of Devotion ; but
yet for all this, I ſay, they are not excuſable before
God, notwithſtanding their good Intention, tho' we
may pity them for being ſo fouly miſtaken, as to
give the Worſhip which is due to God alone, to a
Crearure. O quam bona voluntate miſeri ſunt ! This
is all the Favour we can do thein : For we can by
no means juſtifie thoſe Adorations they render to
the Bleſſed Virgin and Saints; yea, to the Houſes
where they have Liv'd, and the Inſtruments of their
Martyrdomn.
Bur:


136 The Fourth L ETI E R,
But foraſmuch as this point relates to Divinity
,
and my deſign is not to write to you as a Divine,
but only as a Traveller, I ſhall leave it at preſenti
and continue my Diſcourſe about my Journey to
Loretto. I arriv'd there towards the end of Oxtober.
This Town is ficuate in the midſt of a very fertile
and pleaſant Plain,two or three Miles from the Adri.
atick Sea. In former Times there were no Build.
ings here, befides the Chapel ; but in proceſs of
Time they built many Houſes about it; and the
Popes, to whom all this Countrey belongs, have
order'd a Wall with Baftions to be built round it :
So that at preſent it is a conſiderable Fortreſs to ſe
cure the Eccleſiaſtical State on that fide, and more
particularly againſt the Landing of Turks and other
Corſairs, who formerly did uſe very frequently to
come and Ravage that part of the Countrey. This
Chapel is by the Italians call'd LA SANTA CASA;
that is to ſay The Holy Houſe. The Roman Catholicks
believe this to be the very ſameHouſe,wherein Jeſus
Chriſt dwelt at Nazareth with the Bleſſed Virgin his
Mother, and his reputed Father S. Joſeph, for the
ſpace of Thirty years, until the time that he began
to preach his Holy Doctrine, and to confirm it by
his Divine Vertue and Miracles. They pretend it
was tranſported by Angels from Nazareth, where it
ſtood at firſt, to the place where it is at preſent. The
Hiſtory they give us of it runs thus; The Saracens
having made themſelves Maſters of Paleſtina, and
the Holy places, the Bleſled Virgin unwilling to leave
ſo great a Treaſure, (as was the Houſe wherein ſhe
had dwelt with her Son Jeſus Chriſt upon the Earth.)
in the Hands of Infidels, Commanded the Angels to
Tranſport it into the Chriſtian Territories: The An:
gels in Obedience to her Command took it up, Foun.
dations and all, and carry'd it by Night into Dalmas
tia; but afterwards taking notice of their Miſtake,


and-
Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. 137
and perceiving that the people there, were nothing
nigh ſo good as the Italians, they took it up again,
and another Night carry'd it near to the City Recanati
in Italy, placing it in a Field, that belong'd to two
Brothers; where it continu'd many years, until the
Brothers began to quarrel about dividing the Alms
that were given there ; wherefore the Virgin to pu-
niſh them, Commands the Angels to take it up a
third time, and carry it to the Field of a poor Wi-
dow.Woman call'd Loretto, who was a very devout
Worſhipper of her. This good Woman riſing in the
Morning, and finding a little Houſe, where there
was not the leaſt ſign of any the Night before,
was as much ſurpriz'd as the Brothers were to ſee
it Aed from their Field. In this ſurprize, She writes
to the Pope what had hapned, who already was by
Revelation made acquainted with the whole Mato-
ter; and immediately beſtow'd vaft Indulgences
upon all thoſe who ſhould go to pay their bounden:
Duty to that Holy Houſe. The ſucceeding Popes.
have ſince confirmn'd all this, and have granted an
infinite number of other Pardons: This place in:
proceſs of time, by great good luck for them, is
become an inexhauſtible Fountain of Riches, and
ftill to this day brings them in Prodigious Sums *
of Mony every year. What think you, is not this
a very pleaſant Story, and is not the bare Relation
ſufficient to render it contemptible? The good
Angels that carry'd this Holy Houſe the firſt time
into Dalmatia, ſure were very ſtupid, and did not
mind what they did. Moreover if the Bleſſed Vir-
gin was pleas'd to take it away from the two
Brothers of Recanati, becauſe they were at variance
about it ; I wonder how ſhe has the Patience to
leave it at preſent, amongſt a company of Raſcals
and Robbers, that have Neſted themſelves there,
and who for the moſt part of them are all Sellers
of


138 The Fourth LETI ER,
of Pater noſter-Beads and Medals; for all that
ever were at Loret to know, and are warn'd be
fore they enter the Town, that in caſe they de
fire to perform their Devotions there without hav.
ing their Purſes pickt, they muſt hold their Beads
in one Hand, and their Purſe in the other. I
proceed now to the Deſcription of this Chapel
,
or the Santa Caſa. The whole Building is of
Brick, about Twenty five Foot long, the length
not being proportionable to the breadth of it:
The Wood with which it was Cieled, being
Conſum'd and Rotten by Age, it has fince been
Vaulted with Brick. It hath two Windows, and
two Doors on the two ſides of it, and another Win
dow beneath, by which they ſay the Angel Gabriel
entred, to Annunciate to the Bleſſed Virgin the
Myſtery of the Incarnation. They have erected
an Altar, in the very place where they ſay the
Virgin was upon her knees, when the Angel entred;
and upon the Altar is an Image of the Virgin, of
Wood, about four Foot and an half high, which
is the Miraculous Statue on which they beſtow their
Adorations. She has changes of Cloaths for all
Worky days, and for all Holy-days and Sundays
;
ſhe has them of all ſorts of Colours, and Mourn.
ing Cloaths for the Paffion week. They ſhift or.
change her Cloaths with abundance of Ceremonies
I was there one Saturday in the Evening, when the
Prieſts undreſſed her ; they took away from her
the Suit of Purple ſhe had on, in order to dreſs her
in a Green Gown, which they perform'd in the fol.
lowing manner; They firſt of all took off her Veil,
then her great Robe or Mantle Royal ; afterwards
her Gown and her Upper and Under Petticoats,
and laſt of all, with a great deal of Reverence
they pullid off her Smock, to put her on a clean one
I leave you, Sir, to gueſs what thoughts this
may
Of a fourny to Loretto, &c. 139
may probably impreſs on the Imagination, as well
of thoſe who perform the Ceremony, as of thoſe
who are the Alfitants and Spectators. True ir is
that the Statue is not made Naked; the Work-
man it ſeeins that wrought it, having been more
modeſt than ſo, and repreſented her as Cloth'd :
But this action of clothing and unclothing the Fi.
gure of a Woman, is a thing that offends the minds
of thoſe that are never ſo little Chaſt or Modeft.
I acknowledge indeed thatthey perform this Ceres
mony with a great deal of outward Reſpect, if it
may not more properly be call’d Idolatry ; for
they kiſs every part of the Apparel they take off
from her, bending their Knees to the Ground be-
fore the Statue, and Adoring it. The People that
are preſent upon their Knees, all the time the Cere-
mony is performing, beat their Breaſts, and no:
thing is heard throughout the Chapel, but Sighings
and Groans, with interrupted Words and Ejacula:
tions Holy Virgin of Lorerto help me! Mother of
God hear me! and other ſuch like. As foon as the
Image is quite Naked or Undreſt, theſe Sighs and
Groans are doubled, but decreaſe again by degees
as they dreſs it. I cannor imagine what ſhould be
the cauſe of this change of their Tone, except it
Mould be this, that when the Statue is quire un-
dreft, it more ſtrongly affects their Imagination,
and makes them believe they ſee the very Virgin
in Perſon; and that this therefore is the nick of
time, for them to pray with the greateft fervour of
Devorion. They dreſs'd her in a Green Suit of
Apparel, extreamly Rich, being a Flower-work
upon a ground of Gold. The Veil they put upon
her Head was yet more coſtly; for beſides that it
was of the ſame Cloch of Gold, it was all Powderd
with great fine Pearls : After this they put upon
her Head a Crown of Gold, thick beſet with pre-

CIOUS.

140 The Fourth L ETT ER,
cious Stones of an ineſtimable price : Next they
put on her Neck-Jewel, her Pendant and her
Bracelers of Diamonds, and many great Chains
of Gold about her Neck, to which were faſtned
abundance of Hearts and Medals of Gold, which
are the Preſents that Queens and Catholick
Princeſſes have beſtow'd on the Image out of De.
votion, in Teſtimony that they were reſolv'd to be
its Saves. The whole Adorning and Furniture
of the Altar was equally Sumptuous and Magni-
ficent, nothing being to be ſeen but great Pots or
Veſſels, Baſins, Lamps and Candleſticks, all of
Gold and Silver, and beſet with precious Stones;
all which by the light of a vaft quantity of
Wax Candles that burn there Day and Night,
afforded a luſtre whoſe Beauty Ravilh'd the
Soul through the Eyes. It is no wonder to
me that many do aver themſelves to le ſenſible
of an extraordinary Devotion in this place :
For beſides that one cannot enter there without
thinking of God, becauſe one's Imagination is
already foreſtalld with the thought, That it is the
Chamber where the Eternal Word became In-
carnate ; it is certain that it is the property of all
Bright and Luſtrous Creatures, to raiſe our Hearts
to the Creator, more than dark and common
ones uſe to do ; and eſpecially when their Splen:
dor is ſeconded with Novelty. When we lift
up our Eyes to the Firmament in a clear nighr
when the Sky is full of Stars, this fight powerfully
raiſes our Souls to God, and makes us ſay,
Quam Auguſta est. Domus Dei! Hopo glorious is the
Houſe of God! In like manner thoſe perſons, who
are not wont to ſee ſo many Lights, ſo much
Gold, Silver and precious Stones which mutually
exalt each others Glory, as ſoon as they enter
this Chapel of Loretto, where they meer with
all

Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. 141
all theſe things together, cannot but naturally be
mov'd with thoughts of Devotion. Naturalists ob-
ſerve that precious Stones are for the moſt
part
extreamly friendly and fympathiſing with the heart
of Man, and that they Recreate and make it light
and merry by a ſecrer ſympathy they have with
the Vital Spirits; now there being an almoſt infie
nite number of all ſorts of theſe precious Stones
in this Chapel, who can doubt but that they muſt
-make a correſponding great impreſſion on the
hearts of the raviſhe Spectators? This natural
effect being by ſome ſimple and ignorant people
ſuppos'd to be a particular Grace of God appro.
priared to that place, makes them take it for no leſs
than a continual Miracle : But the Extravagancies
continually committed here are a fufficient Argu-
ment againſt this weak and ungrounded Opinion.
They kiſs the Walls all round about the Chapel,
they lick the Bricks with their Tongues, they rub
their Beads againſt them, they take Thread, and
having compaſſed the Chapel with it, as if they
pretended to take the Meaſure or Compaſs of it,
they afterwards make a Girdle of it, which they
ſay is very efficacious againſt Witchcraft, and all
manner of ills. The Prieſts in the mean tiine
are not unmindful of their Gain; they have per-
ſons placed every where in the Chapel and great
Church, who preſs the people to give Alms, and
to have Maffes ſaid for them to our Lady. They
pay a Crown apiece for every Maſs, and the Prieſts
promiſe to ſay them all at our Ladies Altar, that
is in the Chapel. 'Tis certain that the Prieſts re-
ceive
mony for the ſaying of above 50000 Maf.
ſes every year ; and yet it is as ſure that it is
impoſſible for them to ſay above 10000 in a year
at that Altar; ſo that all the reſt who have given
their
mony for that purpoſe, muſt needs be fruſt.
rated

142 The Fourth LETT E R,
C
t
rated of their intentions and chouſed of their mony,
Thole that are rich and wealthy, beſtow great pre-
fents upon the wooden Statue of the Virgin that
is in the Chapel, which without any addition or
modification, they call The Holy Virgin of Loretto:
They preſent her with Necklaces, and Bracelers
of Candleſticks, Lamps Emboft, Pictures of Gold
and Silver of a prodigious weight, and bigneſs
Many preſent her with Rings, and moſt precious
Jewels, as a token of their eſpouſing of her. She
hath above fifry Gowns, all of them of an ineſtim
able price; inſomuch as ſhe is at this day the richeſt
Pupper that is in the Univerſe, and the piece of
Wood the moſt fumptuouſly dreft that is to be found
in the whole World. 'Tis to this Image that thoſe
famous Liranies, which are ſo much in vogue with
the Church of Rome, have been addreſſed, which
are commonly call’d The Litanies of the Virgin, or
,
The Litanies of our Lady of Lorerro, wherein the
is termed The Queen of Angels ; Mother of Divine
Grace ; the Gate of Heaven ; the help of Chriſtians ;
the Refuge of Sinners, &c. However, neither all
theſe coſtly Ornaments, or glorious Titles have
been powerful enough to divert the Worms from
exciting their Activity upon this ſo highly adorn'd
and ador'd Statue ; for I obſerv'd as they were
changing its Cloaths, that the Wood was rotten
and full of Worm-holes. Thus we ſee that this
piece of Wood, which is ſuppos’d to hear the
Prayers of ſo many Idolaters, carries its own Con.
demnation with it, in that it is not able to reſcue
ir ſelf from Corruption. The Popes, who draw
more Gold and Silver from this place,than from any
other in the World, have accordingly favour'd it
with the greateſt ſtock of Indulgences. They have
granted to this Chapel all the Priviledges apper:
staining to their S. Peter of Rome. The grand Peni
.
tentiaries

Of a fourny to Loretto, &c. 143
rentitaries and Confeffors, which are all Jeſuits,
do here abſolve all ſorts of Caſes, even of thoſe
the Popes have reſerv'd for themſelves. For fee.
ing it is a place in the Popes own Territories, 'tis
very indifferent to them, whether they be abloiv'd
there or at Rome, becauſe their profir is the ſame:
But I queſtion not, ſhould the Angels think fit once
more to take the pains to Tranſport this Chapel
into the eſtate of fome ſtrange Prince, they would
foon revoke and cancel all their Pardons, foralmuch
as then the caſe would be alterd. They are very
careful to preſerve this Chapel whole and entire,
to this end they have darted all the Thunderbolts of
the Vatican againſt thoſe who ſhall undercake to
looſen the leaſt Stone of it, or ſo much as to ſcrape
the Walls ; it is lawful to lick them, but not to bite
the leaſt particle off from them. The reaſon of
this is becauſe accordingly to the Principles of
Rome, a part is taken for the whole : Thus if
they have but a finger, or ſome other ſmall part
of a Saint's Body, 'tis the ſame thing as if they had
all entire : Whence it follows, that if any one
could get bur a little piece of Brick of the Santa
Caſa, he might go and Build a Chapel in a ſtrange
Country, and having encloſed the Bit of Brick,
make the place as conſiderable as this of Loreito,
and by this means ſpare ſo many people the labour
of going ſo far a Pilgrimage. By this you may
conceive how great a damage this would be to
the Popes, and how much it is their Intereſt to
affix, as they do in all places within and without
the Chapel, and the great Church which compaſ-
feth it about, the Anathema's and Excommunications
they have pronounced againſt thoſe, who fhould
be ſo unadviſed as to take away the leaſt particle
thereof. However, being miſtruſtful of the Efficacy
of their Thunderbolts in this caſe, and not believ-
ing

144 The Fourth L ET T E ,
R
ing them ſufficient to ſecure this their vaft Tree
ſure; they have had recourſe to ſubtilty and cun
ning, and have falſely publiſh'd that God hat
punilhi'd many perſons with ſudden Death, who
had been ſo bold to take away ſome of the
Bricks thereof ; that others have been deprive :
of Motion, until they had vow'd to reſtore whal
they had ſo ſacrilegioully ſtolen ; and laſtly, tha
Angels had come and ſnatch'd the Bricks out of
the Hands of thoſe that had ſtolen them, in order to
fix them where they were before. Amongſt the
reſt they ſhew us two Bricks, which are faſtned
to one of the Walls of the Chapel with two pieces
of Iron, to diſtinguiſh them from the reſt, the ont
of which a Poliſh Gentleman had carry'd away
with the deſign of having a like Chapel to that of
of Loretto built in his Country. They tell us
that by an infinite force he was ſtopt in his
Journy, and deprivd of all motion, and by this
means was forc'd to ſend back the Brick he robba,
to Loretto, which he had no ſooner done, bur
his immobility being taken away, he was in a
condition to continue his Journy. The other was
taken by a Spaniſh Lord, with the ſame intent
,
who being on his Journy homeward, the Angel
purſu'd him, and after having bang’d him handſom
ly, took away the Brick from him, and carry'd i
to Loretto.
Theſe Miracles (and many others of the ſame
ſtamp, that is to ſay, every whit as ridiculous) are
printed and affix'd in ſeveral places of the Church,
that Strangers may read them, and beware. For
my part, Sir, I can aſſure you, that all theſe
are no better than great ſtaring Lies, forg'd and
invented by the Popes, whereby they crafrily
endeavour to perſuade their Roman Catholick,
That they have the Santa Caſa whole and entire,
and

Of a fourny to Loretto, &c. "145
es
1201
at
ed
LIS
and that there is not the leaſt Scrap of it in
any o-
ther
part
of the habitable World. That which
makes me aſſert this with ſo much confidence, is,
hl That I my ſelf, who write to you, did looſen a con-
the
ſiderable piece of this Wall of Loretto, and
carry'd it away with me, without being bang'd
hal by the Angels, or made immoveable by ſome
ha inviſible Power : And if the Guardians of the
of Chapel have not taken care to ſtop up the hole
t again, I am ſure it inay be there ſeen till.co this
he day.
They begin to fay their Maffes every day at the
es Virgin's Altar by Two of the Clock in the Morning,
ne and I repair'd thither about Three, and finding
buc
very few perſons in the Chapel, I kept in the
o Entry, where I could not be taken norice of by any,
the people being all before me, and none on ei.
his ther ſide of me, or behind me; at which time,
is with an Iron Inſtrument I had, I broke off a piece
d of the Wall, and carry'd it away with me; linge
which I have Travellid throughout all Italy ; I have
been in France and Germany, neither hath any the
leaft ill Accident befallen me ; until at laft, being
t weary of carrying this Stone ſo long in iny Pocket,
e and looking upon it as an unprofitable Burthen,
I caſt it a way into the Fields by way of Contemps,
and out of a kind of Indignation, in that it had
receiv'd ſuch Adorations as are due to God alone.
I muſt own, that about Two days Journy from
e Loretto, near Tolenti, in my way to Rome, there
hapned to fall a very great Rain for two days to-
gether, whereby the Brooks (well’d to that degree,
that they drown'd a great part of the Country;
d and paſſing over an old Bridge, one of the Arches
fhaken with the tread of my Horſe, fell down with
an horrid Noiſe into the Warer at two {teps from
me,
a
cas
be
.
ce
3

.146 The Fourth LETTER,
me, upon which ſwiftly turning my Horſe
, I gor
over the other half of the Bridge behind me as faſt
as I could, and at the ſame moment the Brick I
had taken at Loretto came to my mind. I delibera
red with my ſelf, Whether I ought to go back
and return it to the place again; but taking
Reaſon rather than the preſent Accident to by
my Counſellor, I made theſe following Reflec
tions.
Firſt I conſider'd, That if indeed God were fo
Jealous of preſerving that Chapel whole and entire
in every part of it, he would never have ſuffer'd
the Ceiling thereof, which was a conſiderable part
- thereof, to rot and fall down; to repair which
Defect, (as I hinted before) they had Arch'd it over
.
In the ſecond place, I confider'd with iny felf,
That the Manger at Bethleisem, and the Holy Sepulo
chre,were not inferiour in dignity to this Little Houſe
of Nazareth, and that nevertheleſs God had been
pleas'd to leave them in the Hands of Infidels; and
that conſequently the Story told concerning the
Tranſportation of the Santa Caſa, and the motives of
it, could be no better than a Fable. And laſtly, as
I my ſelf had been Eye witneſs of ſo many Cheats
and Lies, which the Romiſh Priests invent to increaſe
their Gains, this ſerv'd for a convincing Argument
to me, Not to give the leaſt Credit to all theſe pre-
tended Miracles, which are only invented either to
preſerve the Chapel of Loretto in the Popes Territo
:
mies; or at leaſt to diſpoſe the minds of the people,
that in caſe upon occaſion of War, any ſtrange Prince
hould cauſe the fame to be carry'd to his own Coun.
try, they inight notwithſtanding believe that the
Angels had brought it back again to its former
place; and conſequently might boldly deny
that this ſuppoſed Prince had the true Santa
All
Of a fourny to Loretto, &c. 147
All this made me conclude there was nothing
extraordinary in the fall of this Bridge, as hapning
by reaſon of the age and weakneſs of the Bridge,
or becauſe the violent Torrent of the Waters had
undermin'd its Foundation. Being thus ſatisfy'd,
I went to ſeek another place for to paſs the Water,
and fo continu'd my Voyage, thanks be to God,
very happily. Had I gone back to reſtore the Stone,
the Priests to be ſure would not have been wanting
to cry out, A Miracle, a Miracle ! and to publiſh the
fame every where, a Picture would preſently have
been drawn of this Accident, which they would
have added to the great number of that kind, which
are faſtned to the Walls of the Church, and the
piece of Brick would have been diſtinguiſh'd with a
piece of Iron,to be taken notice of by Pilgrims and
Strangers, as an evidence of the ſaid Miracle ;
whereas Experience and Time have ſince fully cona
vinc'd me, That God never concern'd himſelf in the
caſe, and that the fall of the Bridge was meerly
caſual. Before I take my leave of Loretto, I will
tell you in general, that the Treaſure preſerv'd there
is altogether ineſtimable. A Pope being inform'd
that ſome had acquainted the Turk thereof, and that
they were projecting to make a Deſcent there,caus'd
the Town to be fortifi'd with ſtrong Walls and
Baſtions, where he planted abundance of great Guns.
He apprehended, it ſeems, that the Angels would
"not be ſo zealous to preſerve the Treaſure that is
there kept, as they had been to ſecure the Bricks
of the Santa Caſa. And to ſpeak the truth, the Caſe
very different ;
different ; for it is an eaſie matter to re,
ſtore the Bricks, where any are wanting, and then
declare that the Angels have return'd them to their
but thould the Turks come once to take
away the precious Stones of that ineſtimable Trea-
Cury, 'tis to be fear'd they would be to ſeek for

is
places ;
H 2

*148 The Fourth L.ET I ER,
a Miracle, 10, reſtore them. The Feſuits, who are
very vigilant of getting into poſſeſſion of the belt
and moft advantageous Poſts, have obrain'd all the
Confeffors places of this Church, and at certain
Hours of the day they, repair thither for to hear
Confeſſions in all ſorts of Languages. They have a
very peculiar and wonderful dexterouſneſs
, to
ſqueez mony from Strangers ; they beg ſome of
all thoſe that came to Confeſs to them, on pretence
of affifting poor. Pilgrims therewith, but indeed
keep all they ger for themſelves, except only ſome
few Pence they give them now and then, making
uſe to this purpoſe of their mental Reſtriction, as a
Jefuit (who had quitted their- Society ) told me :
for ſeeing they have made a Vow of Perſonal
Poverty, that is, of never Poffefſing any thing in
particular, but all in common; they pretend them.
ſelvęs to be the firſt and chiefeſt Poor, and Pilgrims
çoo, foraſmuch as every Man is a Pilgrim upon
Earth. Thus they below the Alins given them
upon themſelves, and believe thar,by this means
they abundantly anſwer the intention of thoſe whº
have truſted them with the Diſtribution of them.
A poor Prieſt of Saxoy, who was reduc'd to a very
pitiful Condition, coming to me to beg an Alms, I
ſent him to the Jeſuit, who I knew had that mor-
ning receiv'd Threeſcore Crowns of a rich Man
,
with whom I had ſpoke my ſelf. The Jeſuje
sold him, he was very ſorry he was not in a
condition to alliſt , him, for that of a long time
he had nog been entruſted with any Charities ;
and ſo ſent him away without giving him
thing. Which way ſoeyer a Man rurns
himſelf in
this Holy City of Loretto, he meets with perſons
that beg mony of him. The Prieſts ask it, tº
(ay Maſſes for you.; the Jeſuits, to give Alms
to the Poor, as I have told you : An infinite num.
bes
any

of a Fourny' to Loretto, &c. 145
ber of Box Carriers, that gather in mony for the
uſe of the Chanel, are continually Dunning you as
well in the Streers as the Church, to put ſomething
into them. The Shop keêbers of the Town, who
are all of them Sellers of Bead-Rows and Medals,
deafen yoår Ears on every fide, to corne and buy
their Trümperies. A vaſt number of Vagabonds,
in the Habit of Pilgrims, flock about you to beg the
Paffada, and cur your Purſe if they can. And laſt-
ly, the Vintners and Inn-keepers Sell their Provi.
tions at a moſt exorbitánt price; alledging for their
Excuſe, That the Pope lays fuch vaſt Impofts upora
"
every třing that enters Loretto, that it is impoſſible
any otherwiſe 'to ſave themſelves harınleſs ; inox
much as all being well weighed, the Pope proves
to be the greateſt Exactor of all. And is not this now,
think you,a place ſufficiently qualifi'd with Holineſs,
to make it the Darling City of the Bleſſed Virgin ..
And are nor theſe well choſen People, for whom
God ſhould work ſo many Miracles to keep tnem
in the ſecure poffeſfion of this Houſe, which the Pa-
piſts prerend to be the very ſame wherein the Eter.
nal Word becaine Incarnate ? All the Walls of the
Grear Church are full hung with a vaſt number'
of little Pictures, in which are repreſented the
Miracles the Holy Virgist“ hath wrought in fa-
vour of thoſe who have vow'd to go thither in Pilo
griinage.
all rake occaſion here to acquaint you in whar
manner Miracles are ſtill wrought every day in
INaly, and what they are: I have obſerv'd three
chief Cauſes of them ;-The firſt is; The Covetouf-
reſs of the Clergy; the ſecond is, The Cunningneſs of
Some Beggars; and the third is, Popular Error, joynid
with a Cuſtom the Prieſts have introduc'd offending
Pictures to the Churches, repreſenting the Dangers
that many have efcap'da
As
I

150 The Fourth LETI E E,
As for the firſt of theſe, which is the Avarice of
the Prieſts and Religious, which are the two Orders
that divide the whole Clergy, there can be no beț:
ter Invention to ſatisfie the lame (next to Purgatory)
than this of publiſhing from time to time ſome
Miracles, they pretend to have been wrought in
their Churches." I ſay, next to Purgatory, which
is indeed to them an overflowing Source of Riches,
becauſe the thing is more general. All Men muſt
die, and all the Elect (according to their Doctrin)
muſt at leaſt paſs through the Flames of Purgatory
for ſome Hours or ſome Days ? Neither was there
ever any (ſay they) except the Bleſſed Virgin, who
by a peculiar Priviledge has been exempted from
it. This is the Reaſon why there is not a Roman,
Catholick to be found who doth not give mony for
Maſſes, and Prayers to be faid for his deceaſed
Friends and Kindred ; or, who doth not make Le.
gacies or Foundations, for to have the ſame faid
For limfelf, after his Death But us for Miracles
theſe only happen in particular Caſes. Neverthe.
lefs, foraſmuch as the Life of Man is ſubject to
many fad Accidents or Diſaſters, Men would be
very glad to be ſure of a Miracle to relieve them
in time of need or danger. This is that which
makes thoſe of the Romiſo Communion, to whom
their Prieſts promiſe no leſs at every moment, up-
on Condition they will ſignalize their Devotion ar
the Chapel of ſuch a miraculous Saint, which they
prerend to have in their. Church, or joyning them
felves to ſome of their Confraternities, ſuffer them-
ſelves eaſily to be perſuaded to give them what
mony they ask of them. In the mean time, they
find it neceſſary from time to time to awaken and
excite the peoples attentions by the ſtarting of
fome New Miracle, which they know how to do
with a great deal of Addreſs and Cunning. The
moft.

of a fourny to Loretto, &c. 1519
moſt common way they make uſe of is this; When
they go to viſit the Sick, they carry along with them.
either Wine or Water, or ſome Rag of Linnen,
which they have bleſt in the Name of ſuch an he or
fhe Saint : If the fick perſon, who has made uſe of
any of theſe, chance to Recover, which very na.
furally may happen ſo, becauſe we have Inſtances
every day of Perſons that recover, after that they**
have been given over by Phyſicians, then the Prieſts
are ſuré to attribute the Recovery of their Health
to the Saint of their Church : They demand an
Atteſtation of it from him who was ſick ;' they
make a great Noiſe with it through the City ; and
the next Sunday they publickly proclaim the Mi-
racle from the Pulpit. In like manner, if any Per.
ſon be ready to undertake a Journy or Voyage,
they go to him, and perſuade" him to make a
Vow to ſome Saint of their Church; and if after-
wards it happens that this perſon, meet with ſome
bad Accident; as a dangerous ſtorin at Sea, a fall
from his Horſe, or the overturning of his Coach,
and that he eſcapes with his Life and Health, as
it often happens, to the worſt of Men ; in this
caſe he never fails aſcribing it to the he or the
Saint of ſuch a Church : Immediately upon his
Return he aequaints the Prieſts or Monks there.
with, who begin a-new to toſs it about, crying, A-
Miracle ! a Miracle ! And that nothing can be of
greater force againſt Storms and Tempeſts at Sea,
or Miſchances by Land, thian to apply ones felf
to the Saint of their Church, and to procure
Prayers and Maſſes to be ſaid for them there, as
the Perſon who is lately return'd from his Voy
age, and to-whom this Miracle has hapned, did
upon his Setting out. Others, who are endow'd
with a larger Conſcience, and who believe it is
lawful for them to lie, to enhance the Honour
of


H-A

The Fouth LETI E R
of their Saints, take the boldneſs to ſuppoſe and
invent Miracles, and to produce themſelves for
Examples ; declaring, That they have had Reve.
lations, or that the Saints themſelves have appear'd
to them, or have heal'd them of their Infirmities,
The People, who ſuffer themſelves to be gull’d
by the outward appearances of Godlinefs of ſuch
forts of Men, do nor trouble themſelves to ſearch
any further into the matter, bur rely upon their
word. There are ſome Men, who from natural
Iñtimations, know two or three days before what
kind of Weather it will be. Thus there are ſome
who by the pains they feel in their-Corns, will
tell you whether we Mall have fair' or foul
Weather. A certain Father of the Order of the
Servits at Vicenza, a Man of a wicked and debauch'd
Life, who entertain'd three lewd Women at Ve
nice, by whom he had had ſeveral Children, be.
ing feiz'd with a Diſeaſe not fitting to be nam do
never fail'd of feeling exceſſive pains two or three
days before Rain. Now there hapned an extraor:
dinary Drought for three Months together, which
caus'd extream Damage to all the Fruits of the
Earth: butat laſt, the Seaſon being about to change;
the Father was not wanting to have the fad Adver-
tiſements of it. He was the Sacriſtan, or (as we
corruptly ſpeak it) Sexton of a Church called Ma.
donna del Monte, or My Lady of the Hil, which is
about half a League diſtant froin the City of Vicen-
za, ſituate upon a pleaſant Hill, where is kept a
miraculous Image of the Virgin. . And foraſmuch
as he perceiv'd, That the Devotion of People was
already much abated, which he was very ſenſible
of by the ſlackneſs of his Purſe, he thought of
kindling it again. To this purpoſe, making uſe of
the preſent Conjuncture, he ſent to the Podeſtá,
or Governour of the City of Vicenza; acquainting
him
Of Fourny to-Loretto, &c. 153
him, That being at prayer in the Night time be-
fore the image of the Virgin, whoſe Sacriſtan hę
had the honour to be ; fhe had told him, with an
intelligible Voice, and a pleaſant ſmile, Tbat fae
had a great deal of Compaſſion on the Afliations of ber
People, by reaſon of the great Drought which spoild all
the Country ; and that in caſe the Inhabitants of Vi.
cenza would within three days make a general Proceſ10%
to bis Church, she would open the Flood.gates of Hea-
ven, fo that there should be rain in abundance. The
Governour hereupon immediately caus'd an Or.
der to be Publiſh'd for a Proceffion againſt the time
the good Fryer had ſignified; ar which time the
Weather did not fail to change and favour his
wiſhes : For ſcarcely was the Proceſſion advanc'd
half-way, but there fell fo furious a ſhower, that
all thoſe who aſſiſted at it, were almoſt overthrown,
and had much ado to get to the Church, where
they ſung Hymns of Thanks to the Virgin for that
high favour. This Miracle being rumour'd abroad
throughout the Country, for two Months together,
drew a great Number of People to this miraculous
Image. The devout Sacriſtan finding his Purſe
well lin'd, repair'd' the next Carnaval to Venice, to
divertize himſelf there, and to make his Miſtreſſes
pártakers of his good Fortune ; and frankly ac-
quainted them with the Succels he had, and
how cleverly he had gulld the 'unthinking Peo-
ple: Bur foinërime after, one of them falling
Oitt
" with him, like another Dalilah betray'd him,
and diſcover'd his Iinpoſture. Had it been
in
any: other Counrry, he would hardly have
eleap'd without bearing the Marks of it; but
in Italy - theſe things are eaſily excuſable ; with
ſaying, Thať nothing was intended in all this,
ſave only the -- Advancement of the Bleffed Virgin's
Honour.
Another



154 The Fourth L ET 1 ER,
Another ferch of the Priefts is ſomething of my
own Diſcovery, and which I do not know that
ever any one before me has taken notice of; and it
is this, They are us'd to entertain Children with
an infinite number of falſe Tales and Stories, in.
vented at random, concerning Apparitions and
Miracles that never were. To explain this fur.
ther to you, you may take notice, That in Italy
the Children are Catechized every Sunday and
Holy-day throughout the year in all their Churches
,
at One of the Clock in the Afternoon. To make
them the more ready and willing to come to be
Catechiz'd, the Prieſts after that they have ex.
plain'd ſome one Point of Doctrin, they tell them
for a Concluſion ſome pleaſant Story before they
ſend them home. The little Italians liften to it
with the greateſt Attention imaginable, and as
foon as they are come home, tell it to their Mo-
thers. I have obſerv'd, That theſe Prieſts - do-
commonly take for the Subject of their Story,
fome Miracle or other, which they pretend to
have been wrought in their Church. I entred
once into a Chapel, where one of theſe your
Carechizers was informing his young Scholars, the
Chapel was Dedicated to S. Martin. They or
dinarily Paint this Sainton: Horſeback, and
with his Sword cutting off the half of his Cloak
to give it for an Alms to a Poor Beggar. 'Twas
in this poſture this Statue, which was of a very
pure White Marble, repreſented him on the
Altar of that Chapel. When the Carechizing
was over, the Prieſt began to tell theſe Children
a very pleaſant Story concerning this Statue :-
He told them, That a Good Curate of that Parill,
had often ſeen him, very fairly-come down from the
Altar, and Running a full Gallop out of the Church ;-
that one day having taken the liberty to ask him, Whe
.
ther

of a Fourny to Lorotto, &c. 155.
ther he was going ? S. Martin rold him, That he was
haſting to the Aſſiſtance of a very honeſt Man, who had
procur'd many Maſſes to be ſaid at his Altár, and being
at preſent fallen into the hands of Robbers, in the midſt
of a Wood, was in great danger of his Life ; but that
he hop'd to come timely enough for his Relief; and
that at his Return, he would give him an Account of
the Succeſ of his Enterprize. The Catechizer fiou.
rilh'd his Diſcourſe with Circunſtances fo extra.
vagant and ridiculous, that it was impoßible to for.
bear Laughing. For he gave a very particular***
deſcription of S. Martin's whole Journy, upon his
Horſe of Marble, how he Rid a full Gollop over
Trees, Rivers, Cities, and all. The poor Chil.
dren all this while Liſtned to him with profound
filence and Atrention. Bur the conclufion of all,
and the Cream of the Jeft was, That every one that
bore a great Devotion to that Chapel,and procurd Maf-
ſes to be ſaid there, in honour of S. Martin, might al-
ſure themſelves never to perift on the High-ways, by
the hands of Robbers. The next day I had occafion
to ſpeak to my young Clergy-man, and put him in
mind of his Marble S. Martin, whom he made to
Ride Poſt for a Diverſion to his Scholars. He an-
ſwer'd me Smiling, What would you have one do, Sir!
'Tis the Cuſtom of this country, to entertain the Chilo
dren that come to be Catechized, with ſuch Stories as
theſe ; becauſe without this we should have none of their
Company. It is impoſſible to tell them always True ones;
and therefore we are ſometimes fain to be bsholding
to our Inventions for them. Things are only ſo far
Evil, as they produce il Efes'; but theſe fort's of
Stories cannot but in time bring forth good Fruits, ds
that of inſpiring them with great Confidence in the
Saints, and obliging them to Pray," and caufs Maffes
to be ſaid in Honour of them." What think you ? Is
not this an excellent Piece of found Morality? And
are in

156 The Fourth I EI'T E R,
are not theſe Children, think you, well Taught?
They are call'd to the School of Truth, and yet
they reach them nothing but Lies. In the mean
time, there is nothing capable of making a greater
impreſſion on our Spirits, or of fixing a thing more
lastingly in our Memory, than what we learn in
our first and tender Youth: All theſe Fooliſh Dil
courſes do not fail of producing very great effects,
and of paſſing at laſt for current Truth in the Minds
of the Papiſts, who, beſides this, are accuftom'd
very glibly to ſwallow a great number of Ab
fundities and Contradictions in the point of Trans
fubftantiation, which they ſo ftiffy' maintain ; and
this is it probably, that has ſo over-run Italy with
Fables, and impertinent and ridiculous Stories,
Yer theſe people are ſo infatuated therewith, that
in: caſe any Honeſt Man and Lover of Truth,
ſhould ſeem toor curiouſly to enquire after
theſe : matters, or in the leaſt to diſapproxe
shem, he would paſs for no better than an He
rerick Thus a certain Perſon was caſt into the
Inquiſition, for ſaying, That He did not believr
what was told of the Aſ of S. Anthony of Padua,
that kneeled down to worſhip the Haft, to confound the
Proteſtants:
From this firſt Cauſe of Miracles, which is
the-Covetoufneß of the Clergy, I proceed to the
Second, which is the Slight and Cunning of certain
Beggarso-
Poverty is a Well-ſpring of Great Bleſſings to
thoſe who bear it patiently, taking it as from the
Hand of God, and making good uſe of, it;
withal, it is no leſs a Gulph of all:Miſery and Un.
happineſs, to thoſe who receive it with a contrary
Spirit; and I don't believe there is any Wickedneſs
comparable to that of a Wicked Beggar. · A Wick
ed Beggar hath no.Conſcience ; he is diſposid
but
to.
Of a fourwy to Loretto, &c. 191
to undertake any thing in order to rid himſelf from
the wretched Circumſtances of a deſtitute condition:
There be many of this fort in Italy, who Live by
their Wits and Invention. There are ſome thac
have the Patience, to counterfeit themſelves Crip-
ples, Blind, or ſtruck with the Palfie for five or
ſix years together, to make the world ar leaft.be.
lieve that a Miracle has been wrought upon thein,
attributing their Recovery to ſome Image of the
Virgin, or to ſome Saint. The Profit which accrues
to them by this is, That the People being inform'd
of the Miracle that hath been wrought for them,
preſently believe them to be very Good Men, and
Great Friends of God, as having receiv'd ſuch
-fignal. Favours from him? : This makes them to
beſtow Liberal Alms upon them, to have a ſhare in
their Prayers: Yea, it oft happens, Thar ſome
Rich and Devout Perſons take care of, and make
fuch Proviſion for them, that they never want all
the Remainder of their Lives. The Prieſts and
Monks alſo afford them an Allowance, when at
any times
. by this means they bring any of their
Chapels in Vogue and Requeſt,? ſo as they receive
conſiderable Profit thereby. I have been ſhewn
many of theſe Beggars in Convents and Mona.
fteries; who Live there amongſt the. Dome.
ſticks in great Eaſe, and without doing any
thing.
The Third Spring from whence Miracles iſſue
in Italy, is a Popular Error; which is crept in a.
mongſt them, and at preſent has taken ſuch deep
root, that it is in a manner impoſſible to pluck it
up.' 'Tis this; Upon the leaft Accident, that hap-
pens to the Italians, and the least-Sickneſs or
Indiſpoſition that ſeized them, they make a Vow
to ſome Statue or Image of the Virgin, or of ſome :
Saint to be deliever'd from it. - Now it is evident,
chall


7

158 The Fourth LETTER,
that all Miſhaps do not prove Fatal to Life, nei
ther do all Diſeaſes terminate in Death, ſo that
many times they eſcape and are reſtor’d to Health
again ; which by a ſtrange Superſtition, inſtead
of attributing the Glory thereof to God alone,
who is the fole LORD of Life and Death, they
attribute the Recovery of their Health, or their
Deliverance from Danger, to the Statues or lo
mages to whom they have made their Vows : To
make their acknowledgment of the Favour they
have receiv'd the more Authentick, in compliance
with the ill Cuſtom introduc'd amongſt them, they
cauſe a Picture to be Drawn, wherein is ſet forth
what hapned to them, and themſelves, in the
Act of imploring the Aid of the Statue or l.
mage, which to that purpoſe is repreſented in one
of the Corners of the Picture, and towards
which they ſtretch forth their Arins or Folded
.
Hands with theſe Three Letters underneath
P. G. R. which fignfie in Italian Pro Gratia Rice,
puta ; For a Favour or Grace Received alle do
Theſe Vow'd Pictures we generally find in all
the Churches of Italy; neither is their any
them without ſome Miraculous Image, which re.
ceives the Honour of all theſe Deliverances and
Favours, and to whoſe Glory theſe Ship-wrecko
Table, are hung up. There is no need of any
Tapiſtry or Hangings in theſe forts of Chapels ;
for theſe ſmall Pictures are ſo thick hung, that
they cover all the Walls. There are of them of
all ſorts : Some of them repreſent Perſons perſud
by Murtherers; others, that have been Vown
ded; and others, Eeaten at Sea by Furious Tem-
peſts. Yea, there are not wanting ſome of them
that are very Scandalous ; for we find anong
them Coaches full of Gentlemen and Ladies Or
verthrown, and they tumbling over one another ;
Young
of
Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. 159

Young Women that are forc'd by their Lovers,
and Women in Child-Bed, repreſented in their
Beds in a very wanton, and indecent manner.
An Italian Lord' told me That he very willingly went
to hear Maſs at thoſe Altars, that were beſt hung with
ſuch Pictures as theſe, becauſe meeting in them with
Something for his Imaginations to feed upon, the Sere
vice of the Maſs did ſeent leſs tedious to him.
Theſe Pictures, which are no more than ſimple
Vows, have acquir'd ſo great Credit in the Minds
of People, that they paſs at preſent for Real Mi.
racles : And the Prieſts and Monks, who write the
Hiftories and the Places of Devotion, which be-
long to them, make no difficulty to alledge them
as ſuch. So that now in Italy, they count the
Miracles by theſe Pictures, and the more of theſe
any Statue or Image hat about it, the more Mira-
culous it is.
I will take this occaſion to tell you of a Picture
which ſome young Monks of the Abby of S. Vi.
&or in Milan caus'd to be made whilft I was there.
The Accident which hapned to them was this:
They were Gilding the Roof of one of the Lower.
Iles of the Church. Theſe Monks out of Curio.
fity, whilſt the work-men were gone to get their -
Dinner, did climb up the Scaffold to the number
of Seven er Eight of them, to View their Work;
where one of them leſs heedful than the reſt,
Treading upon a Board that was not well faſtned,
fell down upon the Floor of the Church. All the *
reſt being affrighted at this Accident, and ſup-
poſing that the whole Scaffold was coming down,',
betook themſelves to Ladders, and let themſelves
ſlide down by them without receiving any hurt,
except only the poor Monk, who fell down with a
the looſe-Board, who was much bruiſed. They
took him up in his pitiful condition and was oblig'di




166 The Fourth" L ETTER,
to keep his Bed, Two or Three Months before he
was fully Recover'd.
I was preſent when the Accident hapned, and
could ſee nothing in all this, but what was very
Natural. He who fell, hurt himſelf proportion.
ably to the height from whence he came down,
and the reſt receiv'd no hurt at all, becauſe they
Nid down by the Ladders :- In all this there app
pears nothing of a Miracle ; however, becauſe the
Scaffold was erected before the Chapel of S. Ber
.
nard of Sienna; the Monks concluded, That with.
our doubt this Saint had helped them. Accord.
ing!y they got a Picture drawn, repreſenting their
Fall, inone Corner whereof the Saint was Painteds
ſtretching forth his hands for their ſafery. They
Publiſh'd every where throughout the City, Tha
this Saint had upheld them in their Fall from receive
ing any harm. The Cardinal-Archbiſhop was im.
mediately acquainted therewith, and every one
did Congratulate them for being ſo much in Favour
with that Saint.
From this Example, and what before I have
told you upon this Head of Miracles, you may
eaſily conceive, how far we are to give credit to
thoſe fine Legends, of the Lives of the New Saints
of the Romiſh Church ; and of what weight that
Great Lilt of Miracles ought to be with us, which
are the chief ſtuffing and garniture of them. There
is not one of them
that has not reſtor'd Sight to the
Blind, Hearing to the Deaf, Speech to the Dumb,'
and a clever uſe of their Limbs to Cripples; and
ina word, They have preſerv'd from all ill acci-
dents, and Curd all maaner of Diſeaſes. Init
when one comes to an Enquiry into Particulars,
all this vaniſherh in Smoak, and the whole of the
Matrer is requc'd to fome Piaures, which come
Superftitious Onęs (who without Realon have ima.
sind
Of a Journy to Loretto, &c.
167
gind themſelves, to have receiv'd Favours from
them) have caus'd to be made. However, when
theſe Legends are ſent to ſtrange Countries, that
are of the Romiſh Communion, they make a great
Noiſe, and are all lookt upon as Miracles, ſuf.
fíciently confirm'd by Authentick Proof and Evi-
dence. 'Tis a common Reproach caſt upon Prote-
ftants, That no Miracies are done amongſt them ; and
they will needs have this to be an invincible Ar-
gument, to prove they are in an Error. A Fefuit
in a Latin Oration, pronounc'd in the Cathedral of
Strasbourgh, ſoon after thar the French' had ta-
ken Poſſeſſion of it, exclaim'd in theſe words,
Quid dubitamus de falſitate" Religionis eorum, apud
quos ceſſavit Propheta Sacerdos, 8 Miracula pe.
tiêre? What do we doubt any longer of the Falſeneſ
of their Religion, with whom both Prieſt and Prophet
are ceaſed, and Miracles are loft? The Proteſtants
might.very well have Anſwer'd him with Truth,
That there can be no reaſon of doubting, but that *
Religion ſo fraught with Superſtition and Counterfeit
Miracles, as the Papiſts Religion ss; muſt needs be Fa'fe..
The Profeſſion of a Good Chriſtian is, to live aco
cording to the Goſpel ; but not to confirm it by
Miracles; this is the work of God alone,' and
therefore we ought not co. reproach one another
upon that ſcore. We ſee every day, that Jug-
lers (tho' we know they deceive us, and thu we
Eye them with all the "Attention imaginable,
for to diſcover their Artifice,) are notwithſtanding
ſo dextrous at their Tricks, that they gull us be-
före our Face ; and Mall we blindly believe all
the Italian Prieſts and Monks tell us, who have
the Gift of Cheat and Invention ? Sic not us" U14f-
ſes ? For my part, conſidering the Times in which
we live, I will never believe any Miracle as long
as my Reaſon tells me, The thing was feaſible -
by Men..
'Tisko


362 The Fourth LETT ER,
'Tis commonly held, That the Body of S. Nichola
of Bar, in the Pouille, is Miraculous ; and that from
his Tomb there continually diftils an Oil very Salur
tiferous, and proper to reſtore the ſick to Health;
but it is enough for me to diſ-blieve this Miracle ;
becauſe I know, thar Men may eaſily convey the
Oil thither, and ingenioully make it to diſtill down,
I have ſometimes ſeen ſome poor Pilgrims, who
return'd from that Pilgrimage, and who had lide
Bortles full of this Oil, which had coſt them Mony
enough, who would afterwards fain have given it
for a piece of Bread; but could find no Cuſtomers
to take it off their Hands. Which makes it evident
,
That the Italians, for all their Bigotry, had no Belief
in it themſelves. In like manner at Naples, the
Prieſts make fhew of a Bottle, which they aver to
be full of the Blood of Januarius, Archbiſhop of
that City : When at firſt they bring forth his Blood
to be ſeen it appears all Congeald ;- but as they are
proach it to the Body of this Saint,
it diſſolves by
degrees. As to this alſo, it is ſufficient ground for
me not to believe it ; becauſe I know that this Li
quor may be congeald, in the manner as they make
Sorbets, and afterwards diſſolve by the Heat of the
place where they few it, or by the Heat of the Hands
of thoſe who handle it. At Padua, is to be ſeen the
Tomb of S. Anthony of Padúa, which ſends forth a
very ſweet Scent between that of Ambergris and
Musk. The Fryers of that Convent tell us, That
this Odour proceeds froin the Bones of that Saint,
which are Mut up there : But the Teſtimony of
theſe Fellows, who are ſo by aſs’d by their Intereft
,
does not give me any ſatisfaction, as long as I know
that they may eaſily anoint it with Odoriferous
Quinteſſences, as it is certain they do; becauſe tha!
this Odour is the very ſame with that of the per
foma

of a Journy to Loretto, &c. 163
fum d Pater nosters, that are ſold in the Shops at
Padua. In the ſame place they ſhew us, in a very
fair Chryſtal, ſupported by a ſtatelyPedeſtal of Gold,
extreamly well wrought, the Tongue of the ſaid Saint,
which they ſay was found in his Tomb, being en-
du'd with the Priviledge of Incorruption, all the reſt
of his Fleſh being conſum'd. They have the Im.
pudence to aver, That this Tongue, for having been
a Laſh to the Sacramentarians of his Time has been
preſerved thus ſound and whole, without the leaſt
Taint of Corruption, that as a perpetual Miracle, it
might bear witneſs to the Truth of the Doctrine of
Tranſubſtantiation. The greateſt part of the Romiſh
Legends tell us it is as freſh and lively as when the
Saint was alive ; but that is very falſe, for I have
ſeen it, and it is dry. Thoſe who have the Art of
of Embalming Bodies, may preſerve a Tongue in
this manner for many Years, yea, many Ages, with:
out any thing extraordinary, or ſo much as bordes-
ing upon a Miracie.
Thus I have given you a View, Sir, of the moſt
Famous and avow'd Miracles of Italy, which the
Roman Catholicks pretend to be ſo palpable and ſen-
fible, that they cannot be deny'd without giving the
Lie to Senſe and Reaſon: I will add to theſe
Three Bodies of Saints, which have been preſerv'd
without any Taint of Corruption, and which I have
feen all Three : The one is the Body of S. Role of
Viterbo ; the orher of S. Clara of Monfaucon; and
the third of S. Katherine of Bononia. Theſe Bodies
have been preſerv'd whole and uncorrupted; but
without any the leaſt Beauty, being altogethr dry'd
up, and as hard as Paſtoard, and very black ; they
are very frightful to behold, notwithſtanding they
have dreſt them in very rich Habits, and adorn'd
them with more Jewels, than Queens are embelliſh'd
with on their Coronation-days. Some bave a great.
Eſteem..

164 The Fourth LETTE'R,
Eſteem for theſe incorrupted Bodies, and ſo ſhoul
I too, in caſe they enjoy'd their former livel
Tincture and Natural Colour ; but to be ſo dry, lo
black, and ſo ghaſtly, it were more eligible in m
anind, to return to the Univerſal way of all Fleh
than to be made partakers of ſuch a kind of Incor
ruption ; neither can I ſee that God herein harh
conferred any greatFavour upon theſeBleſſed Saint,
by preſerving them in a Condition proper to terrifi
Nature, and affright Mankind. “The Works of
God are all perfect, he never beſtows a Favour by
halves ; and if he were' pleas'd to grant Incore
ruption to Bodies, he would alſo probably pre.
fërve them. Wherefore I don't believe, That the
defective Incorruptions of the Bodies of theſe
Saints can truly be aſcrib'd to any thing elſe
, bu
the dexterity of thole who have dry'd or embalı'd
them.
We ſaw at the Chartreuſe of Venice the Body of
a Noble Venetian, which being Embalm'd has been
preſerv'd whole and entire for above an Hundred
years. This Perſon was never accounted a Saint
and yet I found his Bocy much fairer to the Eye;
than were thoſe of the Three Saints now mention',
tho' ir be much more diſregarded and neglected
than they are ; for they have left the Body in an
old Wooden Coffiti, which does not fhut cloſe
, and
where all thoſe that go to the Chart teuſe do view
it and touch it; whereas the Bodies of theild
Saints are kept in very dry Chapels, where the
great Wax-Tapers, that burrr Day and Night,
purifie the Air, and clear it of all moiſtures and
impurity. I have alſo ſeen in France, and Van
dofmc, in the Collegiate Church of the Calle, the
Body of Fane d'Albert, who died a very zealouis
Proteſtant, above an Hundred years ſince'; her
BBdy hath been very well Embalm'd; and if a
preſent

Of a fourny s to Loretto, &c. 165
preſent one would take it up from the place where
it lies, and dreſs it, and keep it in a very dry place,
it would undoubtedly appear much fairer than
that of theſe Religious : And yet I am very well
affured, the Roman Catholicks will never ſay, ſhe was
a Saint
And foraſmuch as I am now upon the Chapter
of theſe Saints, I mall acquaint you, That I have
often read the Hiſtory of their Lives, and of many
others in the Legends of the Church of Rome, but
never in all my Life did I meet with any thing
more Ridiculous : And I have obſerv'd, that theſe
are thoſe Propheteſſes of which the Feluit ſpoke at
Strasbourgh, and which the Proteſtants are depriv'd
of, Apud quos ceffavit Propheta, who bave no Pro-
phets amongſt them. In a Manner, all their Reli-
gious, (after that they are arriv'd to the fate of
Perfection, as they call it) they take upon them to
Propheſie. For the better underſtanding of this,
you may take notice, Thar ar Rome they have diſ-
tinguiſhid or divided the Spiritual Life, into ſe-
veral Stales ; as an Houſe hath many Stories, the
Lowermoſt, the Middle, and the Higheſt or Up-
permoft. There is one State they call Active ; this
is the Loweſt, and conſiſts only in Action, and an
ordinary regulation of the Senſes, according to
the Law of God: The ſecond is the Contempla.
tive State, which conſiſts in the Meditation of thoſe
things which have no Communication with the
Senſes : The third is a State Extatical, abſtracted
and purely Palive; in which the Soul does no.
thing but by a fimple Application, Adhæſion and
Union with the Divine Eſſence, receive, (without
any Action, Affection, or Contemplation on her
Part) Impreſſions from God. There are but few
that arrive to this Uppermoſt Story; but when any
are once gor thither, whatever Word they utter,
OR

166
how
The Fourth L ETT ER,
or Action they do, 'tis no more they themſelves
who Act or Speak, but God that Speaks and Acts
in them ; for as for them they never depart from
this their intimate Union with God. Whatſoever
they ſay or ſpeak in this Ştate, is very carefully
heeded, as being all Divine : If they ſpeak of
things paſt, they are. Revelations ; if of Things to
come, they are all Prophecies. 'Tis by this Door
ſo many New Notions are entred into the Church
of Rome, which they believe as firmly as the Gol.
pel, tho' they have no other Foundation, but the
over-heated Brains of theſe Saints. Many of
cheſe have themſelves Penn'd their own Revela.
rions, as S. Briget, S. Melchilda, S. Katharine of
Sienna, S. Gertrude, and many others. By means
of theſe Sainteffes, the Church of Rome hath al-
tain'd the knowledge of all the Particularities of
.ceiv'd at his Whipping; how often he fell to the
Ground, under the heavy burthen of his Croſs;
how many Thorns pierced his Sacred Head;
and how many times they ſpat in his Holy Face
By the ſame way they have diſcover'd whatſoever
"hapned in the Manger at Bethlehem; how the
Bleſſed Virgin took the Veil from her Head, and
made Clouts of it for her Little Feſus; what lhe
ſaid and did, before ſhe was Deliver'd of him;
and a vaſt Number of other Particulars, which
are not to be met with in the Goſpel. By this
means they were inform'd of the great Myſtery
of the Aſsumption of the Bleſſed Virgin; when ſhe
aſcended up to Heaven in Soul and Body, the
Diſcourſe the had with the Apoſtles, how ſhe by
degrees mounted up into the Air, beſtowing her
Bleſſings all the way the went. In a word, al
moſt all the new Doctrin of Popery, is derivd
from this over-flowing Spring, which is not
yer

of a fourny to Loretto, &c. 167
yer dry'd up, nor ever will as long as there are
any of theſe Propheteſſes left in their Church.
To give more weight to theſe new Imaginations,
theſe Saints affur'd, that Jeſus Chriſt appear'd to
them very often, and was become very Fami-
liar with them, that he talk'd with them as a
Bridegroom does with his Bride, and that they
took occaſion in theſe Familiarities, to ask him
whatſoever they deſir'd to know. Jeſus Chriſt
himſelf taught S. Katherine of Sienna to read,
he came and did blow her Fire for her, he
ſwept her Chamber, as may be ſeen in the Hife
tory of her Life, by which means the had an
occaſion of Diſcourſing him often. Others of them
receiv'd Viſits from Jeſus Chriſt, who came and
Viſited thein, accompany'd with his Mother and
his Apoſtles; where they had great Conferences
together, and theſe Sainteſſes that heard them,
diſcover'd many Secrers and Myſteries in their
Diſcourſe, which they afterwards Communica-
ted to the Popes and the Church ; and this is
that which at this Day, in great Meaſure, makes
the difference that is between the Doctrin of the
Papiſts, and that of the Proteſtants, Apud quos
ceffavit Propheta, who have no Prophet, to boaſt
of. There is never a Convent of Nuns in Italy,
that has not ſome Propheteſſes, which is always
ſome old Mother, that hath been twice or thrice
Superiour of the Convent, and who not being in a
condition of doing any thing elſe, applies her ſelf
to the Unitive Life.
During the long ſtay I made at Vicenza, I often
went to viſit the Abbeſs of the Nuns of S. Thomas ::
I upon a time enquired of her concerning the State
of her Nuns, who told me that ſhe had Forty four
that were in the Active Life, three in the Contem-
plative, and only one in the Myſtical or Unitive. A
young

168 Ibe Fourth LETIER,
young Counteſs, who was in the ſame Convent; an
who was viſited by four or five Gallants, who cam
: to ſee her at the Grate, was got no farther yer the
the Active Life. I well engage my ſelf no farthe
at preſent in entertaining you about the Nuns
Italy, becauſe probably I may have an occaſion todo
it more at Leiſure.
L'rerurn now. to.my The-Saints, whoſe Bodies-ra
main Uncorrupt. They were all three of them ar
riv'd, at the Unitive State, and have all of them lek
Prophecies behind them: S. Roſe of viterbo, did for :
long time importune the Dominican Nuns of that
City to receive her among them, and to give her the
Habit of their Order; but the Nuns knowing (he
was extreamly poor, and ſhe could not.do, as theref
did, bring Mony to the Convent, refus'd her Coun
pany, and would not ſo muchas receive her into the
number of Convent Siſters. The Saint underſtand
ing this their rejecting of her, told them, That the
they would have none of her now ſhe was alive
yet they ſhould be very glad to have her when the
was dead. This Prophecy prov'd true ; for RM
being deceas'd with the Odour of Sanctity, an
many Miracles, after the Italian manner, bein
wrought at her Tomb, theſe fame Nuns. dear dhe
Body, which was granted them. The great num
ber of Maſſes which are procur'd to be ſaid to her
and the abundance of Alms that Travellers and Pi
grims do leave there, makes them conſider this Bod
at preſent as their greateſt Treaſure, This Po
phecy of S. Rofe was very eaſie to be made; ſhe knes
he was already advanc'd in the good:Opinion ofth
People, for to make them-eſteem her a Saint after
her Death. She knew moreover ; that theBodies a
ſuch are always very gainful, that the Nuns of the
Convent, as well as others in Italy, were very.core
tous; and that by Virtue of a Vow he had mader
$
Of a fourny to Loretto, &c. 169
S. Dominicus, they would not fail to demand her
Relicks, as of right belonging to them, and ſo was
in a Condition to propheſie on a ſure ground. The
Saint whoſe Body is to be ſeen at Monte Faucon, is
accompanied with ſomthing that is very remarkable;
they ſhew you all the Inſtruinents of the Paiſion of
our Saviour, which they ſay were found in her
Heart after her Deceaſe; they are all of dry'd Flen,
like as her Heart is; They are very confus’d, nei-
ther are all of them fufficiently distinguiſhable or
diſcernable. They ſhew you likewiſe three little
round Pellets of Fleſh, which they ſay were likewife
taken out of her Heart. One of thele Pellets being
laid in a pair of Scales, weighs as much as all the
three together, and all the three weigh no inore
than one alone. This makes them ſay, That God
was willing to imprint in the Heart of this Saint a
Refemblance of the moſt Holy Triniry : For in like
manner, as theſe three Pellets, tho' different in Num.
ber, yer make but one weight, and that the weight
of one alone, is no leſs than that of all the three to-
gether ; ſo likewiſe tho' there be three Perſons in
the Holy Trinity, yet there is bur one Eſſence; and
one of theſe Perſons is in no leſs Divine Perfections,
than the other two. I have ſeen theſe three Pel.
lers ; but ſo far are they from ſuffering one ro try
the Experiment, that they will not ſuffer you to
touch it with your finger, to feel whether it be Fleſh
or no. Every one knows that a ſtrong Imagination
is capable of producing ſtrange effects in the Bo-
dy. We ſee every day Children that come into
the World bearing the Marks of their Mothers
Longings, which are the effects of their imagi-
nation. It may be that this Saint did ſo ſtronga
ly imagin the Inſtruments of the Paſſion, as to
leave them engravid in her Heart ; but it ſeems
to me, that this is a violence done to Na-
ture,


20 Zbe Fourth L ETT ER
gure, which can no way be pleaſing to God, who
is the Author of it. As for S. Catherine of Bononia,
be more particularly render'd her ſelf famous
by her abſtracted Life. The Hiſtory of her Life
tells us, that ſhe was in a continual Union with God.
Doctor Molinus was no ftranger to this Unitive
Life, for this is that he calls his Prayer of Reſt:
I doubt nor ar all, but that one day he would have
been one of the Saints of Rome, had not Obedience
to Superiours, and particularly to the Pope, been
concern'd in the Caſe. The Pope will ſuffer you
to unite with God, as much as you pleaſe, pro-
vided always that this Union do nor hinder you
from obeying him, more than Ged himſelf
. I
doubt not indeed, but that there may be even to
this day perfect Souls amongſt them that are ra.
vilh'd even into the third Heaven; but theſe are
extraordinary Graces, which do not depend on
any natural endeavour we can exerr to obtain them.
But when I conſider that the Roman Catholicks have
a made fix'd ſtate of Union; that they preſcribe
Rulęs to attain it, and it is ſufficient, according to
them, to put themſelves into the hands of one of
theſe Myſtical or Unitive Doctors, and follow their
Directions, in order to arrive at this ſtate. When
I conſider this, I ſay, I cannot but condemn their
Error. 'Tis a piece of Impiery to make the Di-
vine Operations dependent on the Humours of
Men; to give Rules for the obtaining of that by
way.of Merit, which is the meer Gift of Grace,
and to make ones ſelf the Diſpenſer and Diſpoſer
of the Gifts of Heaven, as theſe forts of Doctors
pretend to do. Moreover, the ill Conſequences
chat follow from hence are very pernicious to
Şouls. Firſt of all, this Aſſurance only, receiv'd
from theſe Myſtical Maſters of once being advancd
to the Unitive Life, whilſt ſo many others are
left
Of a Fourny to Loretto, &c. *171
left behind in the Contemplative and Active Lives,
which are ſo far below it, is very proper to inſpire
the Parties concern'd with Pride and vain Glory,
Secondly, This may prove a very great Diſcou-
ragment to thoſe who are neceſſarily engag'd in
an Active Life, to conſider that there are fuch
perfect Srares beyond them, which it is impoffible
for them ever to attain to; becauſe theſe Doctors
do not think them fit to be admitted thereto.
Thirdly, This opens a Door to manifold Super-
ftitions and Errors; for they who are engag'd in
the Active Life, never take the pains to examin
what the Comtemplative fay; nor cheſe, what the
Unitive or Myſtical do alledge for Truth: So
that the two firſt do both of them rely upon there
laſt, who for the moſt part are Perſons of weak
Brains, and moſt exrravagant Thoughts, who be-
lieve, that whatſoever they ſpeak or act is froin
God. It is evident that the Opinion of Tranſub-
ftantiation is only an effect of their Whimſey, by
the Impropriety, Abuſe and Confuſion of the
Terms they make uſe of to explain themſelves.
For in like manner, as they call their Myſtical
Life ſometimes Union, Unity, Indentity, Confus
fion or mingling of the Soul with God; ſome
times the Loſs of the Soul in God; the pure
fight of God; Peaceable poffeffion of God; and
many more, which may be ſeen in the Books that
treat of the Myſtical Life, whereof ſome are very
falſe and impious, as thoſe of Unity, Indentity,
Confuſion and Loſing of ones ſelf in God; and
all the others do only belong to the Future Life:
Now in like manner, ſay I, as they make uſe of
theſe Terms to ſignifie a ſimple adherence, com-
pliance and acquieſcence of our Souls in the
good pleaſure of God, which cannot produce I.
dentification; fo of old Times they callid the
[ 2
Hol



172 The Fourth L E TI E R,
Holy Supper, The real Union of Jeſus Chrift
with our Souls; and the Bread we partake therein
,
the Truth, Reality, and Subſtance of the Body
of Jeſus Chriſt, which notwithſtanding is only
there in a Figure : And afterwards, when this
Errour had taken good rooting, it brought forth
this big word of Tranſubſtantiation, which ar this
day makes the chief difference between Papiſts who
maintain it Tooth and Nail, and the Proteſtants
who, oppoſe it. Neither is it any great matter of
wonder, that an Errour of ſuch Conſequence is
crept into the Church of Rome, without making
any great Noiſe ; for in the firſt' piace, there was
- nothing in it contradictory to the Popes Authority;
And again, it was not lawful for the People to ex.
amin what the myſtical Tribe aſſerted; inſomuch
that even to this day in Italy, if you chance in
diſcourſe with a Contemplative or Unitive Per-
fon to contradact them in any thing, they tell you
freely, That theſe are matters too high for your
Capacity, and that you are to believe them in the
things they affert, as being better acquainted than
you with the ways of God, and as having already
pent a conſiderable tiine in tracing the myſtica)
Paths of a Spiritual Life. I have ſcarce ever ſeen
any of theſe myſtical Perſons, but were very
proud: They look upon themſelves as Eagles
who cake their flights in the higheſt part of the
Air; and upon other Men, as Beaſts creeping
upori the Earth. A common and humble Life
,
full of Affability, Benignity and Sweerneſs to.
wards ones Neighbour, ſhall always be more deli-
rable to me than all theſe great Sublimations of
Spirit, which are apt to inſpire Men with ſo much
pride: And if ever it ſhall pleaſe God to raiſe
me to the high degree of Comtemplation or
Union, it ſhall be his Work, and rot the effect
of
Of a Journy tö Loretto; &c. 173
of any Rules or Directions which Men can afford
me. In Italy they inake a kind of Trade of it; and
if a Man doth not put himſelf into the hands of
ſome of theſe myftical Doctors, who pretend to
ba old Travellers and throughly well acquainted
with the way to Heaven, and who profefs the Art
of Guiding Souls thither, he can never hope of ar-
riving there. Theſe Profeſſors are ordinarily old-
Jeſuits, old Capuchins, or old Fathers Millionaries;
which being no more able to ſcout it up and dowita
in ſtrange Countries, in Holland and in England to
pervert Proteſtants, apply themſelves in their Cona
vents to play the Seraphick Fathers, to the end
they may be follow'd by a Company of he and
fhe Votaries, whom they diſcourſe to Morning and
Evening in their Churches. When they are mer:
together in their Aſſemblies, you hear nothing but
ſighs, groans, and ſome broken words, at another
gueſs rate than the Quakers in England ; and cer-
tainly in this reſpect they have nothing to cat
them in the teeth with! The Director is ſealed
in his Confeſſional Chair, in the midſt of all there
People, whom he calls his Sons, and Daughters;
and there, as froin a Tribunal or Throne, he de-
termines, without Appeal of their fighs, and of
their poſtures, whether they proceed from God, the
Devil, or Self-love: Young Women or married
He ſeldom found at theſe ſorts of Aſſemblies, bei
cauſe commonly they are kept in on working days,
on which days the Italians keep them ſhut up un-
der Lock and Key; but they are commonly Wi-
dows and old Maids, who have no Perſons to
command them. They call them in Italy Benti,
or Bleſſed Ones, Good Siſters, Devour Women,
and ſometimes by way of deriſion, Bigors. The
Father Directors are very zealous of their Advances .
mene-in-the myſtical Life, and never leave them,
I 2
till


174 The Fourth LETT E R
till they have ſo wholly diveſted them of all Love
for the good Things and Riches of this World,
that to be deliver'd from the Burthen of them,
they ſettle them on their Convent: Then it is they
are arriv'd at perfection. They call them Sil
.
ters, and tell them, that having made a Gift of
their Goods to their Monaſteries, "ris the ſame thing,
as if they had profeſs’d amongſt them. They be.
itow upon them pieces of their Habits, they call
them Little Scapularies, which they wear under
their Bodies : By Virtue of which bits of Cloth,
they are made partakers of all the good Works
they do, and of all the Graces, Priviledges, Bleſ
.
fings and Indulgences granted to their Order :
When they are dead, they bury them in their
Churches, and they endeavour, if they can to make
them paſs for Saints, for an Encouragement to
others. And indeed, it is very eaſie for them to do
it; to chis purpoſe they have but this courſe to take;
the firft fick perſon they go to viſit, they amply dil-
courſe about the high ſtate of Perfection to which
Madam ſuch an one was arriv'd, who was lately
bury'd in their Church ; That they do not doubt
in the leaſt, but ſhe is a great Saint, and that if the
fick perſon can reſolve to pray to and call upon
her with full aſſurance, they queſtion nor but ſhe
will work a Miracle in favour of him: Yea, they
many times offer to bleſs fome Wine, Syrup, or
ſome other Liqour in the name of this Saint, or
to dip it in ſomething or other that in her Life
.
time ſhe uſed to wear, as her Diſcipline, or Pater
Noſter : And having done this, they offer this Li-
quor to the Sick party to drink, who if they
chance to recover,
the Saint hath wrought
2 Miracle; they cauſe a Picture to be drawn of
what was hapned, which they carry to the Saint's
Tomb. But if it happen, that the Patient die
OL

of a Journy tỏ Loretto, &c. 175
or that the Sickneſs continue very long, there is
not a word made of it, but all huſh'd in hopes of
better opportunity for the future. Thoſe who are
any thing acquainted with the ſtate of Afxirs in
Italy, know that in all this I advance nothing but
what is very true. Hence it is eaſie to conceive
by what means ſo many new Sainrs are entred
into the Church of Rome, to whom at preſent AI:
tars are erected. It is to no purpoſe to alledge here;
the great Precautions they take at Rome, in exami:
ning matters of Fact in the verbal Proceſſes, they
make of their Canonization ; ſo that is impoflible
for
any thing to eſcape the cognizance of thoſe who
have the charge of it. Alas, ir is but too well known,
how great a power Silver and Gold have a: Rome ;
and it is certain, they never Canonize any Saint, but
it brings them in immenſe ſans of mony. In cale
any difficulties be ſtarted, 'tis only to get the mony
doubled.
My deſign at firſt, was only to give you ſome
account of the Italick Pilgrimages ; but the occa-
fion of mentioning theſe three Saines, whoſe Bot
dies are preſerv'd in Incorruption, have put me up.
on this Digrellion. Wherefore to inake an end in
few words of what I have yet to ſay of ny firſt
Subject, you may take notice, that all other Pil.
grimages of Italy, beſides thoſe of Loretto, Rome,
and S. Anthony of Padua, are very inconſiderable.
Some Pilgrims go to S. Michael, which is at Mount
Gargan in the Pouille, others to S. Nicholas of Bar;
but the moſt that go to theſe places are Beggars,be-
Cauſe the way thither is very troubleſom from the
City of Naples ; lying all over high Mountains,
and the Inhabitants of the Country are almoſt all
Robbers: The Italian Lords-are very backward to
lead their Ladies a walk thither, with their Pil.
grim-Staves all ſet with Diamonds. The delicious
march

L4

176 The Fourth LET I ER,
march of Ancona, is much more proper and fe
cure for this ſort of Pilgrims: The Pilgrimage of
S. Anthony of Padua in the pleaſant Venetian
Country, is for the ſame reaſon much more fui.
table to them. There be very few Italians, who
do not take this Tourny every Three years; and
ſome of them go regularly every year. This Saint
has gain'd ſo great credit in Italy, that he is of
equal eſteem with the Virgin, yea, with God
himſelf; Some with a great deal of reaſon have
call'd him the God of Italy, Italiæ Deus. ** When
an Italian has ſworn by S. Antonio, 'tis the grea.
teſt Oath he can ſwear. And whereas in other
Countries they are vont to ſay, I intend to go
10 Such or such a place at such a time, if God pie.
ſerve my Life ; Or Ill do this or that, if it pleaſe
God; 'tis their cuſtom to ſay, I'll go thither, or
do this, if it pleaſe the Virgin and S. Anthony.
Their moſt common Interjection, when ever they
are in any danger, ſurprize or admiration, is to
cry, Madonna Santiſſima! or Antonio ! And by a
ſtrange kind of Blaſpheiny, tho' they make it a
great Point of Devotion, they have the Impiety
to ſay, I hope in S. Anthony, that I fall never
periſh. They call him The Saint, by way
Emphaſis, il Santa, which is a great Honour, but
of right due to God only, to whom the An.
gels cry continually, Holy, Holy, Holy! There is
never a Church in Italy, where there is not an
Alrar dedicated to S. Anthony of Padua. They
make their Addreſſes in particular to this Saint
for all things that are loft, to which purpoſe they
tell you this following ſtory.
A rich Venetian Merchant being at Sea, by miſ
.
chance let a Diamond of a very great price fall
into the Sea, who immediately upon his return to
Venice went to Padua, and betook himſelf al Santo;
he
of

Of" a: fourny to Loretto, &c.
177
he deſir'd the Fryers of that Convent to ſay Nine
Maffes for him, and to joyn their Prayers with his,
for the Recovery of his Diamond. The ninth day
after his Nine Maffes were ended, the Merchant
deſigning to treat all the Monks of the Convent
with a Dinner, he brought amongſt other things
a very large Fiſh and ſent it to them ; the Fryer
Cook having opened and gutted this Fiſh, found
the Diamond in the Intrails of it, which the Mer.
chant had dropt into the Sea, which was
immediately reſtor'd to him, and Thanks re.
turn'd to the Saint, who had heard their Pray.
ers.
This ſtory is related at large in the Le.
gend of his Life : But does it not ſeem to you,
Sir, to be contriv'd or invented of theſe good
Monks, to perſuade Men to ſend them in
good Dinners, and to get them to ſay Maſſes for
them ?
They tell another pleaſant ſtory, which however
they were very cautious of inſerting in their Le-
gend. The Fryers del Santo go without contra-
diction for the moſt debauch'd that are in all Padua,
and who in this quality out-vie the Scholars them-
ſelves of the Univerſity. One of theſe Monks
having for ſome Months follicited a young Wo.
man to comply with his Luſt, ſhe at laſt fell under
the Temptation ; but ſoon after was ſo extreamly
griev'd for the fin the had committed, that ſhe
was ready to Deſpair. The Fryer perceiving it,
notwithſtanding what was paſt, made a ſhift to
perſuade her, that in caſe ſhe would give him ſome
conſiderable ſum of mony, for Maffes to be ſaid
to S. Anthony, that Saint ſhould reſtore her the
Virginity ſhe had loft. - Thus beſides the ſatisfying
of his Luft, he got mony of her wherewith to glut
his Luxury elſewhere. I will not oblige you to
believe
IS

178. The Fifth L ETT E R,
believe this ſtory, having no ſufficient Warrant to
believe it my ſelf: However, ſure I am, that
theſe Jolly Monks, under the Cloak of their
S. Anthony, play many Tricks nor a whit inferiour
to this.
I may poſſibly have occafion to entertain you
with ſome of them in one of my LETTERS ; and
in the mean time conclude this, aſſuring you that
I ſhall be all my Life,
Sir,
Your, 8C
The FIFTH LETTER,
Of Feſtivals
, and Confraternities, &c:
SIR,
IA
Mer with nothing conſiderable in my Journy
from Loretto to Rome, ſave the Accident that
hapned to me in paſſing of a Bridge, whereof 1
gave you an Account in my last LETTER. I
arriv'd there about Chriſtmas, and continu'd
in that City all the Holidays, and the Lent fol.
lowing, until Eaſter. My principal Employment
.
during my ſtay here, was to frequent their Feſti.
vals, to hear their Sermons, and to be preſent
at their Confraternities; which accordingly I do
intend ſhall be the Subject of this preſent LET:
TER.
This word Feaft; or Feſtival, in the Church of
Rome, properly ſignifies thoſe Days of the Year
which are more religiouſly obſerv'd than the reſt,
in honour either of the Virgin, or of ſome myſtery
of the Goſpel, or of ſome Sainț, which we in Engar
land call Holidays. Some of theſe Feafts are Uni-
verſal, others only Particular, The Univerſal Feafts.
are

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities, 179
are thoſe that are generally obſerv'd in all Coun-
tries that profeſs the Romijls Religion ; and on theſe
days they are bound (under pain of mortal fin) to
go to Maſs. The Particular Feaſts are ſuch as are
only kept in certain Provinces, Cities, Pariſhes, or
Chapels. Thus, foraſmuch as at Rome there is a
prodigious number of Churches and Chapels,
ir is every day Holiday in divers parts of that
City.
But they have another fort of Feaſts in Italy.
which for diſtincton fake I may call Feafts of Gal-
lantry. Theſe are when ſome noble or wealthy
Perſons do at their own Coſts and Charges under-
take to have the firſt and ſecond Veſpers, together
with the Maſs, ſung in Muſick, in honour of ſome
he or ſhe Saint : I give them the Name of Gal.
lant Feafts ; nor ſo much for the Muſicks ſake,
(that is to ſay, for the admirable ſymphony of
Voices and Concerts of Inftruments, which are
fo
great a part of them ;) bur with reſpect to the La.
dies who are invited to them, or who do commonly
frequent them.
After that I had for ſome days reſted my felf at
Rome, I went abroad to take a view of the Curio.
fities and Antiquities of that great City. As I
was walking one Evening on the Piazza Novonna,
I paſs'd by a very fie Church, called Dela Pace :
The Porch, which of it ſelf was a moſt exquiſite
piece of Architecture, of the fairelt white Marble,
was over and above magnificently embeliſh'd and
adorn'd with inoſt curious Pictures, and a multi-
tude of Figures made of ſmall ſheets of Silk of dif.
ferent colours, of the Bononia faſhion. This gave
me the Curioſity of entring into the Church, where
I ſaw a very fine Companyl of Gentlemen, who had
Causd a kind of a Throne to be made for them in
a part of the Church, from whence they could very
com

The Fifth L ETT ER,
commodiouſly view thoſe who either came in of
went out. It was one of theſe Gentlemen, as I un-
derſtood afterwards, at whoſe Appointment and
Charges this Feaſt was Celebrated in honour of S.
Agnes ; tho'it was not the day of the year which is
Conſecrated to her, viz. the 21ſt of January;
But there was another Myſtery in the Caſe, which
we ſhall preſently diſcover.
Theſe young Lords had each of them in their
turns appointed the Celebration of their Milt-
reſſes Feſtivals : They were eight of them in all
.
whereof the Four firſt had already kept theirs in
other Churches, and this was the Feaſt appointed
by the fifth of them. He was of the Family of
Carpegna, and his Miſtreſſes Name was Agnes ?
&orini. The Church de la Pace, that is, of Peace,
is extreamly well adorn'd; it is Gilt and Painted
all within in like manner, as almoſt all the Chur
ches of Rome be; however the more to exalt its-
Beauty, and to add ſomething peculiar with Res
lation to this Feaſt now to be folemniz'd there,
there were ſeveral Triumphal Arches erected
in the middle of the Church, which afforded
a lively. Repreſentation of the Hiſtory of S.
Agnes, who by- her Conſtancy triumphed over all
the Torments - which Tyrants could inflict upon
her.
This whole Hiſtory was repreſented to the
Life, with little Scrowls of Silk: Theſe are
different ſizes, and of all ſorts of colours. They
know the ſer price they are to pay for an Hun-
dred Ells thereof ready wrought, and every one
chuſeth what pleaſerh them beſt. There are a
ſort of Men at Rome, and throughout all Italy
who are call'd Addobbators, or Adorners of Chur.
ches; theſe furniſh the Silk themſelves, and are
extreamly Ingenious and Artificial to fold and
form
of

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 181
s there
form them in all manner of ſhapes and figures.
They had been three weeks a preparing theſe Or-
naments I am ſpeaking of: There were two Thea-
tres erected on each ſide of the Quire, which were
embelliſh'd all over with Hiſtories repreſented in
the foreſaid filken Figures; the one being deſign'd
for the Vocal Muſick, the other for the Inſtrument-
al, each conſiſting of fifty Muſicians : Beſides
there were in a little Box near the Altar, four
Muſicians, callid Singalones, which were ſaid
to be four of the beſt Muſicians that were in
Rome; who were to fing by themſelves, the
one after the other. They never go any where
to fing, but they are paid forty Crowns for each
Motetä.
The Italians, more than any other Nation of the
World, love Conforts of Muſick, and thoſe amongſt
them that have good Ears, follow thoſe excellent
Muſicians to all. places, ſo that there was a vaſt
Concourſe to this Church. When I entred, the
Mufick was nor yet begun, and I took my place
near to the Throne, where theſe Gentlemen were
feated. They ſeem'd to be ſomewhat reſtleſs to
have Veſpers or Even-Song begin, for it was already
near fix a Clock, and all the Wax Candles had
already been lighted above a quarter of an hour,
and the Muſicians were all at their poſts. Some
Boys that had counted the Wax-Tapers, ſaid there
were four hundred and forty of them, of an ex,
traoadinary white Wax. However the Gentlemen,
all impatient as they were, durft not order the be
ginning of the Ceremony, beeauſe the Fair Agnes,
for whoſe dear fake all theſe Preparations were
made, was not yet come: And foraſmuch as they
were willing not to be underſtood, they made uſe
of the little French they had learnt, to talk to one
another. The Principal ( who was at the Coft
of

182 The Fifth LETTER,
of this Feſtival, ſomewhat to quier the mind of his
Companions) told them, he was aſſur'd his Agnes
would quickly be there; that he had ſent one of
his Lackeys, to come and give him Norice, as ſoon
as he ſhould ſee her fer forth from home ; that ſhe
preciſely knew the hour, and having promis'd to
be there, ſhe would certainly be as good as her
word. Some of them anſwer'd him, That they
fear'd left her Mother, -who was very Difficult and
Humorſom, might keep her at home ; and advis'd
him to ſend another Lackey to acquaint her Mo-
ther, Thar if the would not ſuffer her Daughter
to come, pe mould repent it. But juſt as they
were in Conſultation about this point, in comes
the firſt Lackey, and tells his Maſter that the long
look'd for Agnes was coming, and already very
near the Church. Whereupon, immediately a
Signal was given to the Muſicians to be in a rea.
dineſs, and at the very Moment Me fet her Foot
in the Church, upon another Signal given them,
they Thundred away the firſt Anthem of the com•
mon-Even Song for the Feaſt of Virgins, begin.
ning thus, Hec eft Virga Sapiens & una de numero pru.
dentium. This is a wiſe Virgin and one of the prudent
ones. Whereupon ourGentlemen in a trice chang'd
their reſtleſneſs into an exceſs of Joy and Satisfa
.
ction, which might eaſily be read in their faces.
heard them ſay, That Ladies often took pleaſure
to make their Lovers wait for them, to make their
Preſence, after a long Attendance, the more ac-
ceptable and welcom. I ſhould never have known
this fair Idol, amongſt thoſe throngs of Ladies; that
enter'd every moment, if the young Gentleman,
who had prepar'd all this Incenſe for her, had
not gone to meet her, and led her to her place:
She ſeem'd to me very inodeſtly dreſt, having
upon her -Head cover'd with a large black Scarf,
which

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 18;
which almoſt reach'd, down tn her feet: Her face
was wholly cover'd, according to the cuſtom of
the Romiſh Ladies, when ever they go abroad :
Her Mother follow'd her, the cuſtom of the Coun-
try being for the Daughters to go before, and the
Mothers after. Near to the Throne where there
Gentlemen were ſeated, there was prepar'd for her
a Reading Desk, cover'd with a very fair Carpet of
blue Velver ſet round with a deep golden Fringe,
and great Cuſhions of the ſame richly Embroider'd,
whereon ſhe and her Mother kneel'd down. I was
very near her, and obſerved that as long as the
Mufick laſted, ſhe did her utmoſt endeavour, under
pretext of ſticking ſome Pins about her head, to
diſcover ſome part of her face, in favour of thoſe
Gentlemen, who had their Eyes almoſt continu.
ally fix'd upon her; ſhe made a ſhift to ſend them
fome Smiles : Her Breaſts were ſcandalouſly exa
pos’d to view, for there being nothing to cover
them, ſave only that of her Veil, which hung down
over them, the knew ſo dexterouſly to play with
it
, that every one who was not depriv'd of his
Eye-fight, might at times have a full view of them.
In the mean time the Muſick was imcomparable
and raviſhing, and all the Anthems that were ſung,
tho” for the moſt part they were taken out of the
Canticles, were more applicable to this young La«
dy, than to S. Agnes, whoſe Feaſt they pretended
to celebrare. Whilft I was here, I chanc'd to caſt
an. Eye upon a Picture of this Saint, which was
plac'd upon the Altar, at which the Maſſes were
to be faid the next Morning, and I eaſily perceiv'd
it to be the very Face of Agnes Vi&torini, except
only, that it was ſurrounded with Rays, as the
Saints are us’d to be, and that they had painted a
little Lamb by her, as is cuſtomary in all the Res
preſentations of S. Agnes. I ſaw by this, that
the ..

cover an
184 The Fifth LELTER,
the young Gentleman had forgor nothing that might
Manifeſt his Devotion to his Lady, having taken
care to place her upon the very Altars, there to be
ador'd by every one.
About the middle of the
Even-Song, two of theſe Gentlemen took a great
Charger, full of Flowers, with an intent to pre.
ſent all the Ladies there preſent with Noregaies
made of Carnations, Knops of Roſes, and Orange
Flowers mix'd together, (for at Rome you may have
any ſort of Flowers at any Seaſon of the Year,)
they were tyed together with a golden Twilt
,
to which was faſtned a fair Knot of about three
or four yards of Riband; ſo that each Noſegay
could not be worth leſs than two Crowns, or
thereabouts. The firſt of theſe: was preſented to
the fair Agnes ; and I took notice, that there was
a little Note convey'd between the Flowers,
which ſhe immediately took thence and put in
her Hours, or Book of Devotion, to peruſe it. It
was not poſſible for me to diſcern the Contents,
and tho’ I was very nigh to her, I could not diſ-
My Goddeſ. No ſooner were theſe Noſegaies
diſtributed, but there came flying from the upper
Galleries of the Church a vaſt quantity of prin:
ted Papers, which the people ſtrove to catch
.
Theſe Prints contained Sonners in the praiſe of
S. Agnes, but which really and indeed reach'd
the Lady, much more than the Saint ; for the
Poem was almoſt a continual alluſion to Victo-
ries; being a ſufficient hint they were calculated
for her, whoſe Name was Victorini. The Con.
cert of Muſick laſted almoſt four Hours, and it
was very late before all was over; however,
ſo exceeding charming and delightful was the
Muſick, that it ſeemed to me I had not been
above half an hour in the Church.
The

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 185
The next day I return'd thither again, and was
preſent at the whole Service, which was celebrated
with all the Pomp and Solemnity imaginable.
All the Morning they celebrated a great number
of Maſſes, and many Abbats (to honour the young
Garpagna and his Miſtreſs) came and ſaid Maſs ar
the Altar, but now mention'd before the fair Image.
At the beginning of High Maſs, they threw down
from the upper Galleries other Sonnets; ſome
of them in praiſe of S. Agnes, and others in comú
mendation of the young Gentleman, who was
the Maſter of the Feſtival: For the Puieſts of this
Church finding themſelves much oblig'd to him
for that he had been pleas’d to make choice
of their Church for this Solemnity (whence they:
always reap a confiderable Profit) had caus’d ihis
Poem to be made in the Praiſe of his Devotion and
extraordinary worth. There are a ſort of Men.
in Italy, whom they call Virtuoſi, or Poets, who
inake a livelihood of praiſing others ; that is, of
making Encomiaſtical Songs or Poems. Neither is
it expenceful to make uſe of their Wit ; for if
you do but give them the Subject, they furniſh you
with a good one for a ſingle Crown ; ſo that you are
at no further Charges, ſave only that of printing.
it.
It was one of the Clock in the Afternoon by
that time the Morning Service was ended, when
the Ladies retir'd to their own Homes, and the
Gentlemen with the Prieſts to an Apartment near
the Church of Peace, whither they had taken care
to ſend abundance of Proviſions, to make a ſump-
tuous Dinner. The Muſicians retir'd into the Sex.
try, whither ſome Hours after they ſent in to thein
ſeveral large Diſhes of Meat, abundance of all
forts of Wine, with ſugar'd cooling Waters. The
Notes, diſtributed to that purpoſe, ſpecifi’d, That
the

186 The Fifth LETTER,
the ſecond Even-ſong was to begin about Three
in the Afternoon; wherefore I made it my buſinel
to be there about that time ; but I found I was
come too ſoon, for the Muſicians had not din'd ye,
more Dishes of Meat being ſtill ſent into them,
neither did Service begin till about Five of the
Clock; and the fame Order was obſerv'd as at
the former Even-ſong, except only that the Ver
.
ſes and Anthems were chang’d, and that the La.
dies (before they departed) were not only pre-
ſented with Nolegaies, as before, but with grea
Chargers of Sweetmeats, with which they fill'd
their Handkerchiefs, and ſo return'd home laden
with Flowers and Fruits. . The young Carpagna
not a little proud and pleas'd, for having ſo mag.
nificently diſcharg'd all the part of that Solemnity,
received the Congratulatory Applauſes of all his
Companions; and another of them (whoſe turn was
next) appointed the next Sunday for a like Feſtival
to be celebrated at the Church of S. Andrew of the
Valley, where he had order'd all things to be
prepard for the ſolemnizing of the Feaſt of S.
Catherine..
I was willing, Sir, ſomewhat to enlarge my ſelf
in the deſcription of the particulars of this Feaſt
riot as if it were a thing rare and extraordinary
,
(for indeed, what I have here related is but as One
of a Thouſand that I have ſeen, and which it would
be very ſuperfluous to repeat to you, there being
indeed nothing more common in Italy ;) but my
deſign was only to give you a more diſtinct Idea
of this thing, when you ſhall chance to hear any
diſcourſe concerning theſe Italian Feaſts. I have
livid Seven years in that Country, and in all thar
rime, never did a Week paſs over my Head, in
which I was not preſent at ſome or other of them
wherefore I have reaſon to be able, to
ſpeak
with

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities, 187
with good Ground concerning them. I ſhall on-
ly add one thing, which may well makc the Ro.
man Catholicks bluſh ; viz. That it is at theſe ſorts
of Feaſts, that young Women are debauch'd and
corrupted.
There are Bawds, who (by their Emiſſaries)
acquaint them with the places where any of theſe
Feaſts are to be kept, whereupon they never fail
to reſort.thither in Troops, very laſciviouſly' dreſt:
And as for other Women and Maidens, as the
only pretext they can have to oblige their parents
or Husbands to let them go abroad, is that of
going to Church ; they continually ſigh and long
for theſe ſorts of Feafts, to have ſo fair an op-
portunity to go abroad and divert themſelves. Tis
at theſe Feaſts, I ſay, that Meetings are appointed,
and Notes ſecretly convey'd ; here it is they learn
to make love with their Eyes, and to diſcourſe
one another by Geſts and Signs ; and in a
word, here it is, O ſhame! that thir lewd and in.
famous Bargains are inade. Neither do I afferr
ought in all this, but what is fully confirm’d by
their own Proverb; which tells us, Chimanda le-
ſua figliuola ad ogni. Fefta, in puoco Tempo ne fa una
Puttana ; That be who ſends his Daughter to every
Feaſt, will make her a Whore in a port time.
The young and inarry'd Women ſer themſelves on
each ſide of the Church, and the Gentlemen
walk in the midſt, whereby they have an op,
portunity to look them in the Face. They pulli
one another, they laugh, they talk aloud, and
entertain one another with Diſcourſes, very un-
becoming the Sacredneſs of the place where they
are. The Holy Sacrament, which they believe
to be the true living Body of our Saviour
Jeſus Chriſt, is for the moſt part expos'd upon -
the High Altar, or in ſome particular Chapel,


42

188 The Fifth L E IT E R,
but they
to make the Solemnity the greater ;
have ſo little reſpect for it, that they turn their
backs upon it, to face the Ladies and Muſicians,
Whence it is evident, that they do very ſlightly
,
if at all, believe that main Point of their Dow
etrin, or at leaſt, that their Practice gives their Faith
the Lye. The Prieſts reap a conſiderable Advan.
tage from theſe Feaſts ; for all the Ceremonies
they officiate, and the Maſſes they ſay are dear.
ly paid them, and they are highly feaſted into the
Eargain.
But more particularly, we meet with theſe kind
of Feaſts very frequent in Convents and Mona:
ſteries; the Religious whereof may be diſtinguilhd
into three forts, either ſuch are endow'd with
means for their Subſiſtance, as generally all thoſe
called Monks are; or elſe they live partly of their
Incoms, and partly on Alms, as are all thoſe
who are call’d Frati, or Fryers; or laſtly, they
are ſuch who live wholly upon Alms, as t'e
Capuchins, and other Mendicant Orders. Now
each of theſe are very ambitious, and do their
utmoſt endeavours to have of theſe Feaſts made
in their Churches. The Monks deſire it, to make
a ſhew of their Riches and Grandeur; the whole
Ceremony is carry'd on at their own Charges and
the Feaſt they make is call'd a Pontifical, and is
indeed the moſt pompous and magnificent Show
that can be ſeen.
I will endeavour to give you here the moſt ex.
act Deſcription of it that poſſibly I can. To this
purpoſe I will take for my Subject one of thoſe i
ſaw in the famous Abby of S. Michael in Boſco
of Bononia, where I taught for Two years to:
gether ; the Monks thereof are of the Order
of Mount Olivet. The Abbat is not Com
mendatory, but Regular, and has the power
of

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 189
of officiating Pontifically. He caus'd his Pontifical
to be publiſh'd io Bononia, three weeks before the
Feaſt of S. Bernard, Founder of their Order, which
thapned to be on a Thurſday; and accordingly the
firſt Even-Song began on Wedneſday in the Evening.
The Church of this Abby is a meer Jewel of a
thing, for the extraordinary Curioſity of the Marble,
Fajper, and Porphyrie Stones, that do in part com-
poſe and embelliſh it; the Gilding and Painting that
adorn it, are of an ineſtimable price; the Roof and
all the Walls of the Church are Gilt; the High Al-
tar, as well as the other leſſer ones of the Chapels,
are all of precious Stones. All the Seats of the
Quire are of In-laid Work, wherein the whole Life
of S. Bennet, and many Hiſtories of the Bible are
repreſented ; the Balliſters of Iron that ſhut the
Quire and Chapels, are all Gilt, and very delicate-
ly wrought ; the pavement is of black and white
Marble , inſomuch that there isnot the leaſt part in
in the whole Church, that ſtands in need of any
fuperadded Ornament.
Yet notwithſtanding all this, the Abbar ſent for
the moſt dexterous Adorners of Churches to ſet it
forth with filken Machins of Bononia, with which
all the Windows and Walls of the Church were fillid,
affording various Hiſtorical Repreſentations ; tho
to ſpeak the truth, this was a very needleſs Cost,be.
cauſe what was hid by theſe filken Figures was more
curious and coſtiy, than the Figures themſelves.
He orderd Arms of Silver to be fix'd round the
Church and Candleſticks of the ſame, to be plac'd
on all the Corniſhes and Pillars of the Church, to
ſupport a prodigious number of White Wax-Candles,
which were to burn all the time of the Service. The
High-Altar was ſet as thick as it could hold with
Plate, brought out of the Treaſury of that Abby to
make a ſhew of it to all Men. About Three of
the

190 The Fifth L ETT ER,
the Clock in the After-noon, the Abbat (accompa
ny'd with all his Monks) and many Gentlemen of
hisRelations and Friends following him,inarch'd for-
wards towards the Church. He was appareld in
the Habit of his Order, being diſtinguiſh'd from
the reſt of the Monks by his Ring, his Hood, and
his Cap. The Monks of this Abby are wont to en.
ter into the Church by the Gate of the Cloifter which
is near the Choir; but for the more State, and to
make a greater ſhew of their Abbat in his Pomp and
Majeſty, they choſe this time to come out of the
Monaſtery, and to make a Round, in order to their
Enrring the Church by the great Gate, at the Welt-
end of it. As ſoon as they entred, the Bells, Or.
gans,
and other Muſical Inſtruments founded 2
March; and as for the Monks, they gave forth ſuch
an Air in their going, as diſcover'd rather the Vani
Modestydy of their Hearts, than that Majelky which becomes
the Miniſters at the Altar.
When they were come to the Church, the Abbar
made a halt before the Chappel of S. Bernard, which
is at the lower end of the Church, and kneeld down
upon Cuſhions of Violet-colourd Velvet, very rich-
ly Embroider'd, which were laid upon a Desk, co.
ver'd with a Carpet of the ſame, garniſh'd with a
rich golden Fringe. And at the ſame time the Mu.
ficians ſung an Anthem in praiſe of that Saint. Af.
ter this the Abbat was conducted to his Throne,
which they had erected at the right ſide of the Al.
rar. It was cover'd on high with a magnificent Ca.
nopy of State, and ſurrounded with ſeveral Seats,
very richly adorn'd, for all the Officers that were
to officiate at the Pontifical. Being arriv'd here
,
he ſeated himſelf, having two Abbats of his Friends
on each ſide of him ; and immediately fourteen of
his Monks, in their Surplices, went and took the
Ornaments that were laid on Tables plac'd near the
High

Of Feſtivals and Coafraternities. 191
High Airar, wherewith he was to be inveſted; and
having each of them taken what belong'd to their
place, they rang'd themſelves one behind another,
making a long Row. The firſt of them carry'd in
a large Silver gilt Charger the Abbatical Buskins ;
the ſecond in another like Charger, the Abbatical
Shooes of Violer colour'd Velvet richly Embroidered;
a third carry'd the Coif, a fourth the Rochet ;
which, as alſo the Coif, was of moft fine Linnen,
lacd round a bour, and at the Hands, with a very cu.
rious Point de Venice of a Foot deep ; the fifth foly
low'd with a very coſtly Girdle, of white filk, wo-
ven and wrought to admiration ; the ſixth carry'd
the Stole ; the ſeventh and eighth each of them a
Tunicle of white Taffery ; the ninth the Cap, which
like the Stole, was of Cloth of Gold, the Edges of
it being rais'd by: Embroidery into ſeveral curious
Figures, compos'd of Seed-Pearls, and furniſh'd
with golden Claſps ; the tenth carry'd the Little
Croſs of Dimonds, valu'd at two thouſands Crowns;
the eleventh, in a great Charger gilt and enameld,
Carry'd the Abbatical Gloves ; and the twelfth the Ab-
batical Ring, being an Amethiſt of extraordinary lize;
the thirteenth follow'd with the Mitre, thick ſet with
Pearls and precious Stones ; and the Fourteenth and
laſt carry'd the Crofier or Paſtoral Staff. Every one
of theſe in order, as they drew near to the Abbat (ſeat-
ed on his Throne) bow'd the Knee before him ;
and after they had deliver'd their ſeveral Charges
into the Hand of the Aſſiſtant Abbats, who were to
attire their Prelate, having firſt worſhip'd him with
another Genuflexion, retir'd again in good order.
At every Ornament that was pur upon him, there
were particular Prayers which the affifting Abbats,
repeated, and the officiating Prelate read himſelf in
the Pontifical Book, which was ſupported by two
Monks ; and two others in their Surplices and Tuni.
cles,

192
The Fifth L ETT E R,
cles, held Wax-Candles to light him, whilft
the Maſter of Ceremonies turn'd the Leaves for
him.
The Abbat being Accoutred with all theſe Orna.
naments, and having the Mitre on his Head, ſeared
himſelf on his Throne in the midſt of the two Abbats
Affiftants; and immediately all the Officers, who
were to Officiate at the Ceremony, rang'd them.
ſelves near to him. There Officers were four Chauna
ters in their Rochets and Hoods four Sub-Chaunters
in their Surplices, two Deacons in their Stoles and
Tunicles, two Sub Deacons in their Tunicles, two
Taper Bearers to hold the Candleſticks, and two In.
cenſe Bearers dreſt in Surplices and their ſilver Cen.
fers in their Hands; beſides another Officer to hold
the Crofier Staff, and the Maſter of Ceremonies with
his Rod or Wand. All theſe were only to Officiare
till about the middle of Even ſong; at which time,
as if they had been extreamly tir'd with the At-
tendance they had given, they were relieved by o
thers yet more gorgeouſly Apparell’d, who were to
Officiate till the Service was ended. Their Mufick
was very numerous and choice: The Abbat ſung
the firſt Verſe of Even ſong, which was continu'd
by the Muſick and Singing. Men with abundance
of Ceremonies, which I ſhall not inſiſt upon at pre-
ſent, that which I have already deliver'd being ſufo
ficient to give you an Idea of that extraordinary
Majeſty and External Pomp, wherewith Feaſts are
folemniz'd in the Churches of Italy. For in
caſe it be a Biſhop or Archbiſhop that Officiates,
the Magnificence is much greater; and if it be a
Cardinal or Pope that celebrates the Feaft
,
theſe Ceremonies are carry'd to the high ,
eſt point of Elevation and Grandeur imagin-
able.
I remember to have read ſomewhere in an Eng
0.
lish

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 193
liſh Proteſtant Author, the Commendations and Elod
gies he beſtows upon thoſe of the Romilh Commius
nion, in this point of Ceremonies, ſaying, That in
this only they are praiſe-worthy and to be commended,
that they ſpare nothing that may.contribute to the Coſta
lineſs and Solemnity of their Feaſts. For my part, I
chave very induſtriouſly apply'd my ſelf to ſearch out
the Principle form whence ſo much falſe Luſtre doth
proceed, which they make uſe of in the Church of
Rome to dazle the Eyes of the Inconfiderate and
Unthinking People; and I have found that it is not
their great Zeal for the Houſe of God that is the
Motive of it ; but only Intereſt, Vain-glory and
Self-love, as I abundantly diſcovered upon this O.co
cafion.
The Even-ſong ended about ſix of the Clock in
the Evening; after which the Abbat and his Offi-
cers, having put off their Ornaments, went into
the Sextry, where they found great Tables cover'd
and thick ſer with dry and wer Confects, Neats-Ton-
gues, Bononia Sauſages, and fine Paſtry meat. All
the Ladies and Gentlemen of Quality that were in
the Church, were deſir'd to enter ; and as for my
ſelf, having a free acceſs to that Abby, as being in
a manner one of the Family, becauſe I publickly
taught there the Liberal Arts, and had a good
Allowance, beſides the Abbat's Table ; I entred
into the Sextry with them, and had moreover the
Priviledge of bringing ſome Frenchmen of my Ac-
quaintance in with me, which are now in London.
The Gentlemen and Ladies were not wanting to
beſtow great Encomiums on the Abbat, each declad
ring how admirably well his Pontifical Habit did
become him, and how gracefully he did Offi-
ciare. In the mean time the Monks apply'd thema
ſelves to the Ladies of their Acquaintance, and
enrerd into clofe Diſcourſe with them, but what it
K
was,

194 The Fifth LET 1 ER,
Gn.
was, I could not be witneſs to; only thus much I
can aver, That their Beauty had ſo far charm'd
them, that for a whole Month after it was the
great Subject of their Diſcourſe. It ſeems they had
ſo well ſtudied them, during the Converſe they
had with them, that they could give an exact ac-
count of the Cloaths, Ribands, and Laces they had
The Abbat "(during the Entertainment) addreft
hinſelf to two Ladies of Quality, the one a Lady
Marqueſs, and the other a Counteſs; and demand.
ed of them, Whether they had not found a deſire
itirring in them, to perſuade ſome of their Chil-
dren to become Religious of his Order ? The La-
dy Marqueſs anſwer'd, She would conſider of it
But the Counteſs very frankly aſſured him, That
She had been ſo extreamly fatisfied with the Pontifical,
which had been celebrated with ſo much Pomp and Ma.
jefty, that it had even raviſh'd her; and that ſhe was
abſolutely refolv’d, her son ſhould take the Habit of
the Order. She told the Abbar, That the Jeſuits
did their utmoft Endeavours, to draw him over to
them ; but that ſhe would be ſure to break all their Mea
Sures, and hoped that her Son would behave himſelf ſo
well in the Monaftery, that one day ſhe might have the
Foy and Comfort to ſee him made Abbat of the Order,
and Pontifically Officiating,
All our good narur'd Monks, in the mean time,
notwithſtanding all the pains they had taken in
afliſting at the Church.Ceremonies, were very
ready to wait upon the fair Ladies at Table, and
to keep them Company, as being in this regarda
Thouſand fold more happy than other Italias
Laymen, who have not the priviledge of making
Feafts to get a ſight of their Ladies, and who can
ſcarcely ever meet with an opportunity of rendring
them the like Services. I cannot deny, but thai
Come

of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 195
ſome of theſe Ladies were of Kin to them;
but however, it muſt needs be a great ſatisfaction
to have an occaſion of Treating them ſo ſplendid-
ly out of the publick Stock of the Abby, which
cannot be done, but in thoſe ſorts of Ceremonies
For at any time, if they deſire to do it, it muft
coſt them a round ſum of mony. The Ladies,
' in
the mean while, were in ſo good Humor, and fo
extraordinarily well pleas'd, as well with their En-
«tertainment in the Church, as in the Sextry, thật
they very freely, asked the Abbat, When they might
expect to come to another Pontifical? Who promisd
them to celebrate another on the Day of S. Francis
of Rome.
It is impoſſible, Sir, you ſhould not take notice
in all this I have related to you concerning the
ſolemnity of this Feaſt, what indeed were the true
motives of it. The Abbar hereby pleas'd his
Vain-glorious humor, by appearing in a Pontifical
Dreſs, with ſo many pompous Ornaments, amidft
ſo many Adorations and ſo inany Incenſings as
were preſented to him. Beſides this, he made,
alſo his advantage of it; for from hence he took
occaſion to ſollicite Perſons of Quality, after he
had dazled their Eyes with the magnificent ſplen-
dor of his Pontifical, to perſuade their Children
to take the Habit of the Order. I know very
well how gainful it is to the Abbat and other
principal Officers of the Abby, when the Child.
ren of Perſons of Quality take upon them the Ha.
bit. They never admit them to the Profeflion,
till their parents have preferred them very libe.
rally, beſides the Annual Penſion they are bound
to allow their Son; and the more honourable the
Perſons are, the more conſiderable ſtill are the Pre-
ſents that are made them. The reſt of the Reli.
gious find cheir pleaſure and ſatisfaction in theſe
K2
Fefti-

196 The Fifth LETTER,
Feſtivals; their Eyes are feaſted with the ſump.
tuous adorning of their Churches, and their Ears
with the ſweetneſs of the moſt choice and exquiſite
Muſick ; neither is the Feaſt that concludes the So-
lemnity, and the Ladies company, the leaſt Charm
co máke them deſirable.: So that, in a word, the
Glory of God, and the Zeal of his Holy Temple,
are at the beſt, and to ſpeak moſt favourably, but
the more remore Object of theſe pompous Solem-
nities.
I have already told you in one of my LETTERS,
that I fear'd to paſs for a ſevere Cenſor in your Judg
.
ment, who takes pleaſure to put a rigorous ſenſe
upon Actions, otherwiſe capable of a favourable
Interpretation ; and for this Reaſon I always back
what I ſay with the Reaſons that in induce me to
paſs theſe ſorts of Judgments ; and I queſtion nor
in the leaſt, but that if you will be pleas'd well to
weigh them, you'l find that I have us'd abundance
of Moderation in my Expreſſions. To apply this
therefore to the preſent Subject, I Thall proceed to
tell you, that the Feſtival of S. Francis of Romi
approaching, on which Day the Abbat had
pro-
mis'd the Ladies another Pontifical, preparations
were made for greater Poinp and Splendor, than
before had been at the Feaſt of S. Bernard. They
had ſent for Muſicians from Florence and Venice who
two days before the Feaſt were arriv'd at the Abby,
where they were very ſplendidly entertain'd. The
Evening before the Abbat and the Monks pray'd
heartily for fair Weather ; and the Air being at
at that time very clear and ſerene, there was all
the appearance imaginable that it would continue
fo, which Hopes Alld them with unutterable Joys
There was only one good old Convent Fryer a.
mongſt them, who being better inform'd than al
· this, by the Twitches his Corn gave him, very
perem

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 197
peremptorily aver'd, it would rain the next day.
Upon this ominous Intimation, the Abbat himſelf
went out after Supper, to Star-gaze what Weather
they were like to have the next day; and ſeeing
the Sky ſo very clear and full of Stars, declar'd
iere was no need to fear, but they ſhould have a
fair day on't, and that the old Fryer was a Turba
Feſtas a meer Trouble Feast to talk fo at random.
Upon this aſſurance the Monks retir'd to their
Apartinents that Evening with a great deal of Joy.
But foraſmuch as it is not for Men to know the
Times and Seafons, which God has reſerv'd in his
own power, about midnight the Weather chang’d,
and the next morning there fell fo furious a fhower,
that it was impoſſible to ſtir abroad without being
wet to the Skin. This Tempeſtuous Weather con-
tinu'd till Night, which ſeiz’d the Spirits of the
poor Monks with a ſtrange Confternation. The
next morning they appear'd all Pale-fac'd and
gave evident proof, how grear a change croft Des
fires are able to produce in the Body of Maii,
Some of them openly murinur'd againſt Heaven,
becauſe that almoſt every Year it diſturb’d or diſap-
pointed their Feaſt of S. Francis; others of them
retain'd ſtill ſome hope that the Rain might hold
up
within few Hours ; but alas! their Hopes were
all in vain ; the Heavens were too reſolv'd, and
the Storm was ſo far from ceaſing and diminiſhing,
that it increas'd more and more. The Abbat
perceiving there was no Remedy, ſent word to the
Sexton to ſhut up the Ornaments of the Pontifical ;
however, he order’d the Mufick ſhould play, be-
cauſe the Muſicians were preſent, and that inoſt
of thein were paid before-hand ; but he forbad
the great Rows of Wax Candles to be lighted,
which had been diſpos'd of round the Church, or
to burn the Incenſe that had been prepar'd for
K3
the

1.98 The Fifth LETT ER,
the Altars : So that, excepting only the Muſick,
the Office was very ſimply and plainly celebra.
red after the ordinary manner. The Abbar did not
appear ar it himſelf, and all this great pomp and
folemnity vanith'd in ſmoak.
Now I deſire you, Sir, only to draw a rational
and obvious Conſequence from all theſe proceed.
ings. Can you perfuade your ſelf, that God or the
Saint were the Object or Motive of all this ado?
God is Immenſe and infinite, every where preſent
,
whether it be fair or foul ; and the Saint allo
is ſuppos’d to be always the ſaine in Heaven:
How came it to paſs then, that the Solemnity was
chang'd, and put off; but becauſe the Gentlemen
and Ladies that have been invited, and for whoſe
fake the Feaſt was intended, could not come?
Sublatâ cauſâ tollitur effectus; Take away the Cauſe,
and the Effect cenſeth. Or can we. draw a more
juft Consequence, or more proper to ſtop the
mouths of our Adverſaries of the Roman Com:
Tiunion, who olject to us their Divine Service, as
celebrated with ſo much pomp and magnificence
,
and who find ſo much fault with the fimplicity
and modeſty of ours ? When they celebrate their
Matlins, or Morning Service, on their greareft
Holidays before Day-light, they ſcarcely Light
Two Wax-Candles on the Altar, (Becauſe ſay they ,
no body frequents them ;) whereas in the day time,
when there is abundance of Company, they light
a matter of Three or four hundred. May we not
therefore with great Reaſon reproach them, Thar
all their pompous Feafts and Solemnities are on
ly to ſatisfie their own Pleaſure, Vain-glory and
Avarice And that therefore God abhors and
abominates theſe their Services; ſo far are
they from being any proof of the Truth of their
Religion. In the Mean time I muſt needs acknou.
ledge,

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 199
only on the Will
ledge, That this is that which deludes many, and
is a Stone of Offence to all thoſe, only in Matters
of Religious Worſhip who conſider only that which
Atrikes the Senſes.
I knew a Papiſt in England, that was turn'd
Proteſtant many years before, who told me he
was returning again to Italy, in order to joyn him-
ſelf again to the Romiſh Communion; and his Reaſon
was, Becauſe forfooth the Divine Service was not
ſolemniz'd here with that folemnity as it was in his
Country. I wonder, why by the dint of the ſame
Argument he was not perſuaded to turn fer, who
uſe more Ceremonies than the Church of Rome ;
or rather, I am aſtoniſh'd he did not conſider wich
himſelf, That all theſe Ceremonies and pompous
Vanities being only arbitrary things, which depend
of Men, irithe Proteſtants were
inclin'd that way, might contrive and Inſtitute ſuch
as ſhould be more magnificent than thoſe of Roma,
and might make their Biſhops to appear every
day in as pompous Ornaments as the Pope does
on S. Peter's day: And if they don't do it, the
Reaſon is; Becauſe they are well perſuaded, that what
is moſt pleaſing in the Eye of Men, is not always'
moſt acceptable to God, who requires pure and bols
Hearts, and not rich and pompous Apparel, and to whom
the fervency of our prayers is far more acceptable than
clouds of the ſweeteſt incenſe. Beſides, the Service
and Worſhip of God, as it is celebrated in their
Churches, is not altogether deſtitute of decent
Ornaments neither: The Miniſters. Habic is ſuch
as diſtinguiſheth them from all others in their
Miniſtry, but yet ſo, as without any thing of
Superſtition: There is no Divine Virtue attribu.
ted to thein, that renders the Wearers' thereof
more holy than others; whereas, in the Church
of Rome, ſhould a Prieſt celebrate Maſs without
K 4.
his

200 The Fifth LETI E N.
1
his Hood, or Amic, and that wilfully, they hold it
to be a mortal fin.
I return: now to our Feaſts again, and having
given you an account how the ſame are celebrared
by thoſe Moniks who live upon their Incoms;
Hall proceed now to thoſe of other Religious, who
partly live of Incoms and partly of Alms, as well
known in Italy by the Name of Frati. During my
Itay at Rome, I went to the Minerva, which is a
famous Convent of the Dominicans ; it was on a
Saturday; at which time they were celebrating a
Feſtival in Honour of the Roſary of the Blested
Virgin. I leant, That the Heads of that Con
fraternity met every Saturday, and did every one
of them by turns celebrate the Feaſt of the Roy
Sary at their own Charges. 'Tis the Humor of
the Italians, in ſuch liker Caſės, to ſtrive for the
Honour of ſurpaſſing one another, and ſpare no
Coſt, to the end they may in magnificence our
vy others ; This is an Emulation that is natural
to them, and which I believe cannot with good
ground be attributed to their Virtue ; becauſe
herein they feed their Vanity as much as in
eboſe ſumptuous Cavalcades they make; and in which
(after the ſame manner) their great aim is to our
do one another.
Theſe Religious, or Frati, have contriv'd a
Form of Feaſts for their own Tooth : The
Monks (as was ſaid before) make them at their
own Charges, and to ſet forth their Riches and
Glory; but theſe always celebrate them upon o-
ther Mens Purſes, and with ſuch Caution, as with
al to fill their own into the bargain. The Laws
they have eſtabliſh'd to this purpoſe, are, That
whoſoever cauſeth a Feaſt to be folemniz'd, mult
ſend before-hand a ſufficient Sum of Mony, to
defray, all the Maſſes that the Religious of the
Convent

of Festivals and Confraternities. 201
Convent do celebrate that day: In the ſecond
place, he muſt be at the Charge of Adorning the
Chapel, or Church, where the Feaſt is to be
kept; and in the third place, be is oblig'd to ſend
a ſplendid Dinner for all the good Fryers of the
Convent. Some amongſt them, for this very
Reaſon, do very aptly call theſe Feaſts, The Fryers
Milch. Cows. As for thoſe Fryers which are callid
Mendicant's, ſuch as the Capuchins, and ſome others,
who live wholly of Alms; foraſmuch as they cannot
receive Mony for their Maſſes, there is this
difference, that inſtead of delivering the Mony
for that purpoſe into their own Hands, it is to be
paid to him whom they call their Temporal Father,
that is a Layman, who has the diſpoſal of their mony
for their uſe, and whom they call every Month
to an account, even to the utinoft farthing. Their
Patriarch S. Francis, never dreamt of this piece of
ſubtilty, and conſequently alſo he has not made
the leaſt mention of it in his Rule, or Direcco-
but as for theſe good Fathers, they have
quite outdone him in refined Wit and Invention.
They do noỉ think it convenient, ſo wholly to
rely upon the Divine Providence, as not to think
their own the more ſafe and ſure way. What
would you have us do ? (ſay they) alas ! the Times
are chang'd, and Laymen are not fo charitable now, as
they were in the time of S. Francis! For my part,
Į durft undertake to prove to their Faces, That
in caſe they liv'd with as much frugality as
their Ancient Fathers (who to ſpeak truth, are
of no great Antiquity neither) they would find
Superſtitious People enough, to furniſh them with
a ſufficiency, for a ſober and penitential Dier.
Bur" who would take delight to incommodate
themſelves, to cram a company of lazy Lubbards,
who do nothing but go about from Houſe to
Houſe
KS

202 The Fifth LETTER,
Houſe to fill their Bellies, eſpecially leading fo
ſcandalous a Life as they do ? True it is, that by
their cunning they have ſo order'd the matter, that
they want for nothing; and one of the beſt Inven.
rions they have ever get found out, to be
ſumptuouſly and delicately treated, is their
Feafts.
And foraſmuch as a Regular Feaſt, I mean
thoſe that are inark'd in the Almanack, are only
to be found once in the Year, they have invented
the uſeful Contrivance of Confraternities, as being
møft fruitful Nurſeries of Feafts or Holidays for
them, ſo as ever to produce many for them in one
and the ſame Week A Confraternity, according
to the Definition they give us of it, is an Aſſociation
of many Perſons, who unite themſelves and agree
together, at certain Times, to render ſome Reli
:
gious Worſhip to God, to the Virgin, or to ſome
other Saint, in ſuch a manner as is not common to
all : But at the bottom, it is indeed nothing elſe,
but the moſt ſure and refined Art the Church of
Rome has to catch mony; and they have always
ſome good crafty Father or other, that has the
Trade of drawing in people at his fingers end, who
is the Director of it: 'Tis to him all thoſe that
deſire to be admitted to the Confraternity muſt ad.
dreſs themſelves, where (for writing-down hisName
in the Book, and for Entrance-mony) it coſts him
a Crown at leaſt; and every Year at the ſame day,
he muſt come to have his Name renew'd, and pay
over the ſame Entrance mony, as at his firſt Admit-
tance, otherwiſe you are without Mercy moſt igno
miniouſly expellid the Confraternity, and from that
time forwards are excluded from having any
ſhare in their Prayers, or partaking of their Indul.
gences. Over and above all this, there is ſome
Mony to be paid every, Month, towards the
Lights

of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 203
Lights of the Chapel where the Confraternity is e.
rected; which, conſidering the vaſt Number of
thoſe who are inroll'd in it, producerh a prodigious
Sum of Mony.
The leaſt Confraternities that are,confiſt of Three
or four hundred perſons; there are ſome have a
thouſand, yea, Two or three thouſand belonging to
them. I have my ſelfſeen above Twenty thouſand
Names enrolld in the Book of the Confraternity of
the Scapulary of the Carmelites of Milan; and in
chat of the great Confraternity of the Rotary of S.
John, and S. Paul, of Venice, I have been certainly
inform'd there are above Forty thouſand Brothers :
Suppoſe every one of the Brethren ſhould only give
a Peny every Month towards the Chapel-Lights, it
would be impoffible to burn all the Wax-Candles
that mony would buy, which by conſequence turns
to the profit of theſe good Fryers. They are con-
tinually hankering about the richeſt perſons of
their Confraternity, endeavouring to perſuade them
to make Feafts in Honour of the he or ſhe
Saints in whoſe Name their Confraternity is ere.
cted.
I hapned once to be in company of an Italian
Count, who was of the Confraternity of the Little
Scapulary of the Virgin, erected in the Great Convent
of the Carmelites at Rome, at the time when the Fa
ther Director of the Confraternity came in to him.
and told him with a ſmiling, countenance, Conte
Giovanni, I have a great Complaint againſt you, from
one of your very good ſhe Friends. The Count ſuppo:
ſing it to be from one of his Miſtreſſes, ask'd him.
Who it was? The Director anſwer’d, That it was
from the Bleſſed Virgin, and that he had no reaſon to
doubt, but that ſhe was very angry with bim, for having
for ſo long a time neglected, to cauſe the Feaſt of th)
Holy Scapulary to be celebrated. The Count excus's
himſe

to pay
the more on
204. The Fifth LETTER,
himſelf upon the account of ſome extraordinary
Buſineſs, that had put him by his Thoughts that
way, and defir'd the Director to ſend him in next
Week the Liſt of their Religious. When he was
departed, the Count told me, That what he had
cold him imply'd as much, as that he would make
the Feaſt of the Scapulary the next Week; becauſe
on the like occaſion it is cuſtomary to ſend in as
many couples of Capons and Bottles of Wine, as
there be Religious in the Convent, beſides Mony
for the Maſſes that are to be ſaid that day ;
fo that his demanding a Liſt of the Director, was
a full Intimation that he had granted his Suit ; and
accordingly he took his leave very well fatisfi'd,
ſaying, He would take care to pacifie bis ſhe Friend
.
The Count cold me afterwards, That this
Feaſt would coſt him a round Sum ; becauſe
commonly the Nore of the Director of the
Confraternity mounted very high, as well for the
Lights, as for the Muſicians and Adorners of the
Church
And in order to the mulciplication of thefe Feafts,
they have pitch'd upon one day of the Week, for
the aſſembling or meeting together of their Cona
fraternities ; that of the Roſary meets every Satur
day ; of the Little Scapulary on Thurſdays; as like:
wiſe that of the Holy Sacraments; the Confraternity
of S. Francis his Cord on Fridays; that of the Ano
2unciation on Wedneſdays ; that of S. Antonio on
the Tueſdays; and laſtly, Mondays are peculiarly
appropriated to the Confraterities of the Souls in
Purgatory. So that you ſee, they are fairly pro:
vided with Feafts for every day of the Week, and
that without counting ſeveral other particular
Confraternities, the Number whereof is unknown
to me, theſe which I have mention'd being only
to

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 205
to be met with in oneChureb,nor in one and the ſame
Order of Religious; for the Roſary belongs to the
Dominicans ; the Little Scapulary to the Carmelites;
the Cord of S. Francis to the Franciſcans ; the
Annunciation to the Soccolanti ; S. Anthony of Pa.
dia appertains in general to all the Religious
chat live under the Rule of S. Francis ; and the
Souls in Purgatory do not only belong to all
the Religious Orders, but alſo to all Pariſhes
and Churches under the inſpection of Secular
Prieſts.
After all this, it cannot be deny'd but that thoſe
of the Roman Communion are certainly fallen in
love with their own Blindneſs, in that they will not
ſo much as take the pains to open their Eyes, to
ſee how miſerably theſe Fellows gull and chear
them : For what can be imagin'd more ridiculous,
than all theſe ſorts of Confraternities ? Becauſe S.
Francis forſooth, wore a Cord or Rope inſtead of
a Girdle, they have erected a Confraternity in
Honour of ir ; accordingly every Brother of the
Society muſt wear a finall Cord : Theſe ſmall
Cords or Bands, do not in the leaſt reſemble that
which S. Francis wore, which I have ſeen at Alize,
and is as thick as ſome of the greateſt Ropes that
wind up Buckets in a Well; but theſe are very
delicately wrought, and artificially knotted in
ſeveral places. The Cuſtom is, to bleſs them
publickly, with many. Ceremonies and Prayers ;;
which being perform d, they tell us, They have the
virtue to blot out all Venial finis ; to drive away the
Devil, and troubleſom Temptations of the Fleſs. Moſt
of the Ladies of Italy wear this Cord of S. Francis;
they tie them round about their Bodies and the ends
of them reach to the bottom of their Perticoats;
they are full of pretty little Knots, and they ſerve
them to play withal, as the Engliſh Ladies do with
their

206 The Fifth LETTER,
their Fans or Masks. Were it true indeed, Thar
theſe Cords had the Power of repreiſing Carnal
Tem tations, the Ladies of Italy, who wear fuch
lovely ones, could nor fail of being the chaſteſt
Women in the World ; and yet I am ſure, this is
not the Commendation that is given them. Bur
be it as it will, this Cord is a thing ſo extraordi.
nary Holy, that great Feafts are celebrated in
Honour of it every Week, in all the Churches
belonging to the Franciſcans ; and the Popes have
been pleas'd to beſtow great Indulgences to all
thoſe, who ſhall Enroll themſelves in this Society
of the Cord. They are only the poor Proreftans
that do not enjoy all theſe fair Advantages, be.
cauſe they look upon them as no better than
meer folly; and for my part, I believe they have
very good reaſon for being of this Opinion ; and
that the ſureſt and ſaféft way is, to believe with
them, That the only thing that can make us
of Proof againſt all Temptations, and endue us
with the
power to overcome ſin, is the Grace of
God, and that by means of it alone, we ſhall
become Conquerors over the Devil, the Fleſls, and
the World, without the aſſiſtance of either Rope or
Cord.
The Confraternity of the Roſary is no leſs ſupera
ftitiouſly founded than the foregoing. Since the
Salutation of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin, has
paſt in the Church of Rome for the inoſt Holy
Prayer that can be made to her, the Father Domie
nicans, who pretend to be the gieateſt Favourites
of the Holy Virgin, to the end they might have ſome
particular Devotion to Diſtinguiſh them from
the Cominon, have invented thar which is now
call’d The Roſary, which is nothing elſe but an
aggregation of ſeveral Ave Maries ; there are
Ten times ten of them in the Roſary, and at the
end

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 107
end of each Ten they add the Lord's Prayer. And
to the end they may not fail of ſaying the juſt
Number (for in caſe one only Ave Mary ſhould
chance to be onnitted, it would be the loſs of the
whole Indulgence) they have brought into uſe their
Pater-nosters, or Beads, by which they count the : *
Prayers as they ſay them, that there may be no
miſtake. And as it is the Belief of the Church of
Rome, That the Elements and material Subjects
of the Sacraments, are not only Signs, but Phyſical
Inſtrumental Cauſes, producing Grace in the Soul ;
For they ſay, That the Water in Baptiſm, the Oyl
in the Extream Unction, and the Marter preſented
in the Collation of Orders, do phyſically produce
Grace in the Soul ; fo in like manner the Popes
have affix'd to theſe Beads of Wood, Glaſs, or
any other matter, the Graces and Priviledges
that belong to the Roſary. So thar if a Perſon
hould Repeat all the Prayers order'd and eſtab.
lith'd for the Roſary, without having one of theſe ***
Pater-roſters; yea, tho' (to be exact in his Tale)
he ſhould count them on his Buttons or Fingers
yer would he not thereby obtain the Indulgence ;
No, by no means, there muſt be Pater noſters in a
the caſe, as being the Inſtrumental Cauſes of pro.
ducing Grace in the Soul. There are ſcarcely any
Italians but have theſe Pater nofters about them,
either in their Pockets, or hanging about their
Necks, between their Shirt and their Doublers.
The Ladies carry then on their Arms, and
they have nowadays made an Ornamental Bravery
of it, not inferiour to their Necklaces and Bracelets **
of Pearls and Diamonds. They ſometimes 'go a-
broad without either Fan or Mask, but never
without their Beads. The moſt common, for
Women of a mean Condition, are of Coral or
Amber"; but the Ladies of Quality have them
of

208 The Fifth L É L T E R,
of Precious Stones, or of Odoriferous Pasts, adorned
with che moſt curious Ribands, and garniſh'd with
abundance of Gold and Silver Medals. The grea
:
teft Prostitutes would be atamna to go abroad
without their Great Pater najters on their Arms,
which hang down to their Feer; nor that their
Devotion is ſo grear in Running of them over
,
but meerly becauſe it is cuſtomary, and a kind
of neceſſary Implement for them to trifle with
,
which they cannot well be without. Neither do
they make any difficulty to ask of their Lovers a
Pater nofter for the price of their infamous Com,
merce.
The Little Scapulary, or Habit of the Virgin, is a
piece of the ſame worth and values and belongs
to theſe Carmelites; for it is their own Habit to
which they make people pay fo_greát Reſpect
,
and ſo many Adorations. Theſe Fathers were 0.
rignally Hermits, who had their place of Retirement
on Carmel. They pretend, Thar the Bleſſed Virgin
appear'd to them there, and gave then the Form of
the Habit they were to wear, which is a Vest and
a Scapulary of a Brown Colour, and a great
white
and that ſhe told them at the ſame time,
That all thoſe who wear that Habit pould be bleft by
Her, and her Son Jeſus Chriſt, and mould never die
in any Mortal Sin. Now foraſmuch as it is morpol
fible to perſuade all the World to become Carmen
lites, that ſo they might enjoy the priviledges of this
miraculous Habit, they have found out a way to
cur their old Habits into a little ſquare piece of
the bigneſs of four or five fingers breadth, which
they (for the mony) beſtow upon Laymen, to wear
about them. They have perſons on purpoſe ſtanding
at the doors of their Churches, who ſell them for
Four-pence or five-pence apiece. Certainly, this
is the beſt improvement of old Cloaths that ever
Hood;
was

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 209
was thought of; and the moſt excellent Invention
never to want new ones,and to be always well clad,
that could poſſibly be imagin'd. And indeed,
ſcarcely remember ever to have ſeen any Carmelites,
that were not very well Accouter'd, and that with
new Cloaths too. True it is, there are ſome of
thoſe co be ſold, that are very curiouſly wrought
over with ſilk, for thoſe, who not contenting them-
felves with theſe fooliſh Devotions muſt need have
then ſet forth with abundance of Vanity ; but
however, the Ground of them muſt always be a.
thred of a Carmelite's old Frock. They have Inſti.
füred ſeveral Confraternities in Honour of this Holy
Habit ; chey celebrate great Feaſts every Week,
;
with almoſt exquiſit Muſick, and have particular
Maſſes ſaid in Reverence and Reſpect to this Ha-
bit. As for this Little Scapulary, as well as the
Rofary, S. Francis's Cord, the bleſt Paſts and Medals
of our Lady of Loretto, 'tis ſtill one and the ſame
Song ; it, as all the reſt, forgives Venials fins, pre.
vents ones dying in Mortal ſin, and procures a ſpee
dy Deliverance from the Flames of Purgatory. Ide.
fire you, Sir, to repreſent to your ſeif a poor Ro-
man Catholick with all this Gear and Harneſs a.
bout him, one of the Little Scapularies on his Back,
S. Francis his Rope about his Waſte, a Rofary, or
grear Pater noſter in his Hand ; abundance of Me.
dals and Bleſt Pafts, Images, Written Prayers, and
Saints Bones, about his Neck, upon his Breaſt, or
in his Pockets, who is Cock-ſure, that by means of
theſe he ſhall not only eſcape Hell, but alſo the
ſcorching Flames of Purgatory. What think you ?
Have not we all the reaſon of the World, to write
about his Head in great Characters, Error &
Superftitio ? On the other hand, ſet before your
Eyes a Good Proteſtant, who neglecting all theſe
things, wholly applies himſelf to Live well, placing
all

2IO The Fifth LETTER,
all his Hope and Confidence in God alone, and
the Merits of his Saviour Jeſus Chriſt ; and then
tell me ſincerely, and withour byaſs, which of both
has more Reaſon of his fide, and better ground for
what he does. And yet this Error and Superſtition
is ſo deeply rooted in the minds of the Papifts, that
there's ſcarcely any way left ro diſabuſe and unhoode
wink them,ſo fatally have their Prieſts and Monks en
chanted them.
I knew in Germany, a German Caprain, who had
no grear Faith in all theſe Confraternities and Con-
triv'd Devotions; I tabled at his Houſe in the City
of Mentz; whenever there hapned to be any dil.
courſe concerning them, he always diſcover'd his
Avertion to them, and declar'd with abundance of
reaſon, That they were only the effect of Priet
and Monk Craft to get Mony; and that he
believ'd, God would noft ſeverely puniſh them
for it in the other World, as well as thoſe who
fuffer'd themſelves to be abus’d by ſuch Folliesr
This Captain ſome time after fell into a Con-
ſumption, and about three or four hours before
his Death, I was wish him in his Chamber ; and
foraſmuch as he had ftill the free uſe of his
Senſes and Speech, he diſcours d concerning the
Things of Eternal Life; and (as a good Father)
exhorted his children, u hich ſtood abour his Bed,
to an honeſt and truly Chriſtan Life. Whilft he
was thus employ'd, in comes a Father Dominican
,
who had been ſent for by the Miſtreſs of the
Houſe : He was the Director of the Confraternity
of the Roſary, with a great Pater. Noſter in his
Hand, and drawing near to the Dying man,
he
exhorred him to Enroll himſelf in the Confro
.
ternity before his Death. The ſick. Man deſir'd
him nor to interrupt the Exhortation he was giv.
ing to his Children, which might be far more
1
profic

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 201
profit to them than his Roſary; the Words of a
dying Father to his Children remaining commonly
impreſt on their Minds as long as they live. The
Dominicans giving little heed to all this, obſtinately
proſecuted his Deſign, repeating continually to
him, That ſhould be come to die without Enrolling
his Name in the Confraternity, he would lye a tedious
while in Purgatory, and that there he would have
time enough, and to pare, to repent hirn at leaſure.-
The fick Man told him, If you believe it to be ſo
good and ſaving a thing for my Soul, why don't you
chen ſet dopon my Name of your own accord! But
the Father not finding his Account in this, con-
tinu'd to fright and terrifie the Patient; who at
laft being ſcar’d, by the horrid Repreſentations
he had made him, Cry'd out to his Wife,
Pray give him a Crown, and let him prite down
Name. Whereupon the Father, after he had given
him a Pater-nofter, went his way, and as he was
going out
out of Doors, told his Wife, That in caſe
be had not happily come to her Husband, he would haven.
diel like a Dog. The good Father having obtain'd
his end, came no more to look after him ; and this
poor Gentleman: died about three or four hours
after, with his great Bead row about his Neck. I
confeſs, I ſhould have been extreamly ſurpriz'd
to ſee, that a Man, who had all his life time
witneſſed ſo great an averſion for theſe fop-
piſh Superſtitions, ſhould himſelf at laſt fall un-
der them a little before his Death;. I ſay, I
thould have been very much aſtoniſh'd at it, had
I not my ſelf heard the frightful Diſcourſe where-
with the Dominican entertain'd him, taking occa-,
fion from his weak and dying condition, to im.
preſs in his Mind all the pannick Terrors of Hell
and Purgatory ; for he talk'd at ſuch a dreadful
rate to him, as if it were poſſible for him (with.
out...

212 The Fifth LETTER,
out giving his conſent to be admitted of
the Confraternity, with a Crown at the Tail
of it) to be ever ſaved, but would be ſure
to be damnd with all the Devils in Hell to all
Eternity.
See here, Sir, the goodly uſe is made of theſe
Confraternities, and what all theſe effected and
contriv'd Devotions of the Papiſts do end in. I am
now enter'd into ſo large a Field, and I have ſo
inany true Stories to produce on this Subject, that
I ſhould never make an end, ſhould I once begin
with them and am therefore oblig'd, that this
LETTER may nor ſwell too big, to paſs by them
in ſilence. Nevertheleſs, I think I cannot in rea.
ſon exempt my ſelf from giving you a word
of Information more concerning the Society of the
Souls in Purgatory. This is the moſt general of
them all, as belonging ro all Churches, and to all
Prieſts, as'well Secular as Regular : This is their
true Nurſing Mother; for in Italy, the Dead (which
is ſtrange) maintain the Living, and the Prieſts,
and the Monks are the Ravens and Crows, that
farten and cram themſelves with the Carkaſſes of
the Dead. This is that probably which inſpires"
them with that · inhuman: Cruelty and Bar.
barity that makes them deſire the Death of all
Men.
I ſhall not ſpend my time here to oppoſe the
falſe Opinion of Purgatory, becauſe being a Point
of Doctrin, it is no part of the Task I have un.
dertaken ; but fall only acquaint you with the
ufe is made of it in the Church of Rome ; and how
dexterouſy the Prieſts and Monks have turnd it
to their great Gain and Advantage. I cannot but
own, that perſon who is perſuaded of the Exi.
ftence of a Purgatory, and that ſo dreadful an one
as the Roman Catholicks, repreſent to us, cannor
bur

Of Festivals and Confraternities. 213
but apprehend it is his Intereſt to think ſeriouſly
of it; and according to this Perſuagon, I do not
think it ſtrange, if a Papiſt in his laſt Will ap-
propriates ſome conſiderable part of his Eftate for
Prayers and Maſſes to be ſaid for the Relief
of his Soul afrer Death, or even beſtowing fomea
thing by way of Charity, to have them ſaid for om
thers alſo ; but when this is done with Indiſcre.
tion and Exceſs, and to the grear prejudice of ones
Neighhour, this is a thing I can in no wiſe approve
of. I know well that in this point I ſhall have
all the Clergy of the Roman Communion 2.
gainſt me ; for they maintain, That in this caſe
there can be no Indiſcretion or Exceſs committed,
nor any prejudice or hurt done to any whatſoever,
grounding themſelves on this Principle (which they
extreamly miſ-conſtrue,) That a well order d Charity
begins from a Mans ſelf ; Charitas bene ordinata inci.
pit à ſeipſo. So that conform to their Hypothefis,
'
a Man that ſhould Diſinheric all his Children
without any other Cauſe, but the defire he has to
beſtow all his Eftate upon the Prieſts, that they
may pray to God, and ſay Males for his Soul after
his Death,does them no injury at all; and that they
would be ready to repreſent him as a Man who did
not conſult with Fleſh and Blood, in a Caſe where
the good of his own Soul lay at ſtake, and was con-
cern'd.
I ſhall to this purpoſe relate to you a Matter of
Fact, the remembrance only whereof doth ſtill
afflict and grieve me, becauſe it prov'd the ruin
of ſome perſons, whom I was particularly acquain-
red with. In a ſecond Journy I took to Rome, I
took a Lodging in the Houſe of a very honeſt Wi.
dow, who was plentifully provided for, her Hus-
band having left her a good Eſtate ; and foraſmuch
as ſhe had no Children, ſhe took two of her Siſters
to

214 The Fifth L E IT E R,
to live with her, and Entertain’d them very Cha
ritably. The Father Jeſuits, who are far better
acquainted with how many Widows there art
in Rome, than how many Chapters there are in
the Bible, had not forgot to ſet this good Woman
on their Lift ; neither were they wanting in their
diligence and application to Court her, in hopes
1o get her eftare. Her Confeſſors, who probably
wanted to have her in the other World, orderd
her (during the greateſt Heat of the Summer
to take a Journy to Loretto; which the faild not
to perform ; but return’d very fick to Rome, where
the Phyſicians ſoon deſpair'd of her Recovery;
whereupon ſhe made her laſt Will, whereby the
left all her Eſtate to her two Siſters, except only
Two hundred Livers, which ſhe aſſign'd for Maſſes
to be ſaid for her after her deceaſe. The Fathers
Feſuits had foon notice of this, and without delay
preſented themſelves before the Bed of their dying
Vorary ; they forgot nothing which they conceiv'd
might prevail with her to change her Teſtament
They repreſented to her, That it was the greateft
folly imaginable to beſtow ones Goods upon Re
lations, who commonly were very unthankful;
That her chiefeft Care ought to be, to procure her
own Reſt and Happineſs in the other World;
That ſhe might be ſure her Siſters would never be
at a Farthing charge, to procure Prayers for her ;
yea, ſo far was it from that, that they had diſco.
ver'd, That her. Sifters fofter'd a ſecret and mor
stal hatred againſt her, and that conſequently (by
a Trick of an Italian Revenge) they ſhould be
glad to leave her to ſwelter a good while in Pur
gatory. Laſt of all, they told her, That her Siſters
were too far engag‘d in a worldly Spirit, and
would probably make a very ill uſe of the Eftate
The ſhould leave them; and that to leave them
any

Of Feftivals and Confraternities. 215
any Mony would be no berrer than to truſt a Knife
in the hand of a Child, or Fool, who might hurt
themſelves therewith: And by this means, ſaid
they, ſhe would give an occaſion to her Siſters of
offending God, and damning their own Souls, and
conſequently would become reſponſible therefore
before God: Thar her Sfers could work, and
ſo might honeſtly gain their Livelyhood with the
Labour of their Hands, which at the ſame time
would ſecure then from Idleneſs, which is the
Mother of all Vices. All theſe fair Reaſons
being utter'd with all the Artifice and Rherorick
imaginable prevaild with this poor Widow, whom
a violent Fever, and the Pangs of approaching
Death, made yer more apprehenſive of the Pains
of Purgatory; ſo that without any more ado fhe
revok'd her Teſtament, and made bur one Arti.
cle of it, diſpoſing all the had to the Houſe of
the Father Feſuits of Rome, that they might cauſe
Prayers and Maſſes to be ſaid for her. Thus the
died in the midſt of four Fe/uits; and ſcarcely
had they fhut her Eyes, but they turn'd her Siſters
out of Doors, and poſſeft themſelves of all that
fe had. Theſe poor Gentlewomen, with tears
in their Eyes, deſir'd only that they would be
pleas'd to give them ſome of their Siſters Cloaths;
bur the Jeſuits utterly refus'd it, ſaying, That they
could not diſpoſe of the leaſt thing that belong'd to
their Siſter, for that all was to be turn'd into Mony
to pray to God for her Soul, who was nop a&tually bur.
ning in the Flames of Purgatory ; ſo that they could
not in Conſcience deprive her of the leaſt Refreſs.
ment or Comfort, ſhe had ſo wiſely provided for her
Self. Thus theſe
Women
were fain to leave the Houſe in a moſt deſo.
late Condition ; and I learnt ſince, that one of
them died in an Hoſpital and that the other
(preft
poor afflicted
afflicted young

216
The Fifth LETTER
(preſt by want) had ſuffer'd her ſelfto be debauch'd
and at preſent led a lewd and ſcandalous Life in
Rome.
What think you, Sir? Is. nor this an excellent uſe
that is made of the Doctrin of Purgatory by theſe
wretched and accurſed Jeſuits? I'll ſpend no
more time in repreſenting to you the deformi
ry and abominableneſs of the Fact, ſince the
ſole recital of it evidencech it as clear as the
Sun.
Now, to bring this Falſe Devotion the more in
Requeſt, and to procure ways and means of mul
.
tiplying it, they teach in Italy, That the Souls in
Purgatory are not only ſuccourd and reliev'd by
the Prayers and Maſſes of the Prieſts, but that by
the fame means they become helps and affiftants
to others. If we will believe them, they alliſt per-
fons upon Earth in all their Concerns and Occa.
fions; if any one has a Suit at Law, or is engag'd
in ſome troubleſome Buſineſs ; or if a Man be
defirous to obtain a Place, Command or Dignity
,
the ſureſt way (ſay they) in theſe caſes, is to have
recourſe to theſe ſuffering Souls, and to get a num:
ber of Maffes ſaid for them ; for then by way of
gratitude and acknowledgment, they take all Rubs
out of ones way; they influence the Spirits of the
Judges, and procure the Favour of Great Men
If a Man be to go a Journy, there is nothing more
common in Italy, than to ſend him
away
this good Prayer or with ; Go, and may the Blefied
Virgin, S. Anthony of Padua, and the Souls of Pure
gatory accompany you every where, and deliver you from
all Dangers. This is ſo univerſal, that even the
Boys that go to the Jeſuits School are taugh,
That if they would riſe at the Set Hour in
Morning, they muſt recommend themſelves to the
Souls in Purgatory over-night, before they go
with
che
10

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities, 217
to ſleep. But pray, What appearance is there that
thoſe poor Souls who cannot help themſelves,
Thould be in a condition to concern themſelves
abour, and help others? I have ſeen lewd Women
impudently come into the Sextry, and to order a
company of Maſſes to be ſaid for the Souls' in
Purgatory, to recover the good will of ſoine of cheir
Lovers, and to get more Practice; neither indeed
are they ſo much to be blam'd, for they are no bet-
ter taught.
The power of the Souls in Purgatory is conceivid
to be of that extent, and ſo general, as to believe
that by this means they can obtain even unlawful
things at the Hand of God. If it be demanded,
Who they are that entertain the people in this
grofs Ignorance ? It is evident that they are po 0-
ther but the Prieſts and Monks; and the Motive
for which they do it, is purely their own Intereſt.
They agree admirably well in the Doctrin of Pur.
gatory ; but in ſharing the Mony that is aſſign'd for
the Prayers, they are all of them together by the
Ears, and it is neither bercer-nor worſe, than Catch
that catch can.
A Noble Venetian, in a Companywhere I hapned
to be preſent, gave a very pleaſant Relation of
the ſport he had on this occafion : He was left
Executor of a Teſtament, and made the Guardian
of a Pupil: The Lady who was dead, had be
"queath'd a Sum of Mony for Two thouſand Maſ.
ſes, to be ſaid for her. The Monks and Prieſts
are very diligenr to inform themſelves, by means
of their ' Emiffaries when any Perſon of Quality
dies, to the end they may prevent one another i£
they can, and get the Maſſes for themſelves. The
Feſuits, as being the moſt crafty of all, bad firſt
got the ſcent of it, and before any others, addreft
themſelves to the Noble Venetian ; and as their
L
Cufton

218
The Fifth L ETTER,
of an
Cuſtom is, they began to enlarge on the Subje&t
of their own Praiſes, and averr'd, That there
were no Religious in the Church of God, who
did celebrate Maſſes with more Modeſty and
Devotion than themſelves ; and that the great
Zeal they had for the ſpeedy Deliverance of the
deceas'd Party, had induc'd them to come and
defire the diſcharging of the Two thouſand Malles
left by her laſt Will. They ſaid, it was an
open Mame to ſee in what manner the other
Religious and Secular Prieſts did diſpatch their
Maſſes with ſo much hurry and precipitation, that
a Maſs did not faft above half a quarter
hour, and that without doubt God was rather
diſhonour'd, than honour'd, by ſuch Services. The
Noble Venetian having heard this fair Speech, told
them, He was glad to ſee the great Zeal they had
for the ſoul of his Kinſwoman, tho he was not so
fully perſwaded of the Indevation of all other Ecclefia.
ſticks, as they ſeem'd willing to repreſent them; that
they might ſay Maſes for the Dead as well as others ;
and that tho' he knew well, that it was not lawful
for the Jeſuits, according to their Conſtitution, to re-
ceive the leaſt Mony for the Mafjes they ſaid ; yet
becauſe he would not ſeem altogether to reject them,
he would give them Mony for Fifty of them. The
Feſuits being ſorely vex'd, thus to be put by the Two
thouſand Maſſes they had already devour'd, retir'd
themſelves.
Soon after them the Sacriſtans or Sextons of the
Father Dominicans, were introduc'd; who repreſen.
ted, That they had in their Churches of Caſtello
,
and of St. Giovanni and Paolo, many Priviledged
Altars (theſe are Altars to which the Popes have
affix'd ſo many Indulgences, that if one only Maſs
be ſaid at them for any Soul in Purgatory, they
are infallibly deliver'd thence) they alledg'd be
Gides,

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 219
to every of them. The Venetian however gave
fides, That all the other Religious make no Bones
of it, to fing one High Maſs inſtead of many, and
which they made to paſs for an Hundred com.
mon Maſſes; but that as for them, they ſcorn'd
any ſuch finifter ways, and promis'd fairly to ſay,
them all without the leaſt abatement of the Tale;
and that moreover, to teſtifie their ſuperabundant
Kindneſs to the deceas'd Party, they would over
above the Number cauſe ſeveral Maſſes to be ſung
for her on the grand Priviledg'd Altar in their Chaa
pel of the Holy Roſary. The Noble Venetian, with-
out taking any great notice of their Diſcourſe, trea-
ted them no better than the Feſuits'; and having
granted them only ſome few Maſſes, ſent them pac-
king.
After them follow'd a great number of Sextorts
of other Religious Houſes, and all for the Love
of theſe Two thouſand Maſſes. If a Man might
believe them, they were every one of them
more Holy than their Brethren of other Orders;
all others, according to them, were perfons with-
our Conſcience, who devour'd the Mony affign'd
to Maſſes, without performing the Obligations
they took
.
of them a pretty competent number of
Maſſes, ſo that of the Two thouſand he had only,
five hundred left.
He ſent in the Evening one of his Servants to
the place of S. Mark, to inform the Secular Prieſts
(who commonly have their Walks there, to ac-
quaint themſelves where they may meet with
Mony for their Maſes) That the next Morning
his Maſter would be there, in order to diſtribute
a number of Maſſes. According to his promiſe,
the Venetian Nobleman repair'd thither with Five
hundred Notes (this being the way of giving
Maſſes in Italy ; they give a Nore, whereupon
L 2
he

The Fifth L E TI E R,
he that hath receiv'd, goes and ſays Maſs, and en.
ters it into the Sexton's Book, and then returns it
to him who hath given it him, to receive his Mo.
ny) and went up to the Procuracies of S. Mark,
which are the Buildings, which ſurround the Place
of S. Mark, and there pleas'd himſelf, throwing
down theſe Nores amongſt them from ſome of the
Upper-windows. There were about Three or
four hundred. Prieſts below greedily waiting for
them; who, as ſoon as they ſaw the Papers fly
abour, put themſelves in a poſture, to catch eache
of them the moſt they could ; they puſh'd one a.
norher, they fiung one another in the Dirt, they
Beat one, another, they pluck'd one another by
the Hair, and tore one anothers Bands and Cal.
facks, whilſt a great number of people look'd on,
and laugh'd at them. There can be no berter way
of repreſenting this Action, than can by fancying
to our ſelves a crowd of Common people, or ra.
ther of the Scum or Filth of the People, to whom
ſome pieces of Mony are thrown out of the Win.
dows, as I ſaw ſome Perſons of Quality did on the
Day of the Coronation of their Majefties King
William and Queen Mary ; for this was a perfect
Repreſentation of the Behaviour of the good Prieſts
of the Roman Church on this Occaſion. And lee.
ing many in the Scuffle had dropt their Cloaks
and Hars, ſome of their Companions, more
çiextrous than they, who choſe rather to get a
Cloak, or a Har, than a Noie, took them
up,
and having Nighly.convey'd them under their own,
skulk'd away with two Cloaks inſtead of one. The
Notes being thus diſtributed, or rather Chance and
Force having thus diſpos'd of them, theſe good Prieſts
deparred each of them to their ſeveral Poſts, to ſay
their Maſſes.
Probably, Sir,you'll think very frange of this Re
lation

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. iſt
lation of the Noble Venetian ; yet I dare aſſure
you, you need nor queſtion the belief of every part
of it. The Prieſts and Monks do agree the beſt
in the World, and are but as one, as long as their
common Intereſt cements and keeps them together;
but they are all at Dagger's drawing when the leaſt
particular Intereſt divides them. And as for thoſe
Prieſts, who thrub'd one another in the Place of
S. Mark, for to catch the Aſſignation to ſay Maſſes:
that is no ſtrange thing in Italy, I my ſelf have ſeen
it /vich mine' own Eyes above an hundred times :
Alas! they do far worſe than this, for even whilst
they are in the Sexery, inveſted with their Sacerdox
tal Ornaments, they ſometimes fight together for
the Priority or Precedency in faying their Malicom
and call one another the inolt infamous Names
imaginable. The Italians in this alſo excuſe them
with a great deal of favourableneſs, or rather with
too much Indulgence. What would you have theris
do ? (ſay they) they are a company of poor Pricis,
ibar live of their Maffes, and have nothing elſe to belga
elsemſelves with; when that fails them, all fails theni :
And therefore they bave great Reaſon to exert their
utmoft Activity for the obtaining of them. However
I am not a little amaz'd, that the Biſhops take no
courſe to prevent theſe ſcandalous Diſorders, and
that they ordain ſo many Prieſts withour providing
then ſome Benefices. There is nothing more
ſcandalous in a Clergy, than to ſee thoſe who are
the Members of it, to be reduc'd by a neceflity
of-Subîſtence; to ba fe are mean Actions, and alto.
gether unworthy of their Character. This Dif.
grace cannot but with a great deal of Reaſon re.
Hect uron their Heads; and it is an evident de
monſtration either of their Negligence to remedy
it, or theit want of Charity to procure the means
of 16.2 The moſt part of theſe poor Prieſts in Italy
live

222 The Fifth LETTER,
live of their Maſſes, or elſe by Filching, when
Maffes fail them. They take all they can get,
even in the Churches themſelves ; the Calices,
the Linnen Covering of the Altar,the Wax.Candles.
the Books, and in a word, all that comes to hand,
Wherefore we need make no difficulty to believe
what this Noble Venetian averråd, That ſome imthe
Scuffie had ſtolen the Cloaks of their Compani
ans.
Another thing menriond in his Diſcourſe, and
whereon I deſire you to make ſome Reflection,
is the great Diviſion and Enmity of thoſe Reli.
gious who went to demand the Masſes: They ac:
cus'd one another as perſons without Conſcience,
and falſe and faithleſs in diſcharging the Truſt
they took upon them, and for which they were
paida Wirat the Jacobite ſaid of the Cordelier, the
very fame the Cordelier ſaid of the Facobite, and to
of the reft; and indeed herein they all ſpoke
Truth. 'Tis a matter of common practice in
Italy; That when any one ſends Mon; po
Convent for an Hundred Maffes, they content
themſelves with ſinging one, with the alliſtance of
a Deacon and Sub Deacon. 'Tis the Prior,
or Guardian of the Colledge that ſings: They
call this a Maſs Sung, an High Maſs, a Sor
lemn Maſs ; and they maintain that one of
theſe Maſſes is an equivalent to many com.
mon ones: They call this Making a Redu.
&tion.
But, pray Sir, What can this Singing, or theſe
Ceremonies contribute towards the rendring One
Maß as efficacions as an Hundred ? I know a
Proteſtant may eaſily ſolve this difficulty, by fay.
ing, That one Maſs is as good as an hundred,
and that an hundred are of no more Value than
one ; becauſe they are good for nought, whether
ſingly

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 223
fingly or aggregate conſider'd. But you who are
a Roman Catholick, how can you anſwer this.? If
you have never ſo little ſincerity, you cannot but
own that your Prieſts and Monks, are not only con.
tent for to ſatisfie their Coverouſneſs, to make uſe
of the Doctrine of Purgatory to induce Lay-men to
laviſh their Mony for the celebrating of Maſſes; but
that after all this, they would by this Artifice of Re.
duction, exempt themſelves from the trouble of ſaying
them.
The deceas'd Pope Innocent the Eleventh, was no
way favouring this Trick of Reduction'; for being
inform'd that the Carmelites of Naples had celebra
red a Maſs in Muſick, to acquit themſelves of
all the Maffes they were oblig'd to ſay, he lens
down a Commiſſion, to examine the Regiſters and
Books of the Sextôn; and upon Examination there
were found no leſs than Four and forty thouſan:!
Maffes, which were not diſcharg’d. Innocens be-
ing acquainted herewith, did not believe, that ſo
vaſt a number of Maffes could ever be farisfi'd
by one Mars only, how folemn ſoever it might
be. He let them know, That ſeeing they had
receiv'd the Mony, they ought to ſay them with the
firſt ; and becauſe they had nor Prieſts enough in
their Convent to celebrate them, they muſt taka
in fome Secular Prieſts to their aſſiſtancers "The
thing taking wind, being divulg'd through Naples,
many ſtranger-Prieſts went and preſented them.
ſelves to celebrate ſome of them, and for Fifteen
days they admitted them'; within which time
they ſaid about Four thoufand Maſſes at ſeveral
Altars ; and the Fathers paid them at the Rate
of the one half of what they had receiv'd for
them. At the end of Three Weeks, fome Prieſts
that I was acquainted with, came and told me,
That-having been to offer themſelves, tu ſay
more

224
The Fifth LETTER,
more Maſſes of them, they were refus'd, and told,
That all the Malles were celebrated ; tho' indeed
it were a thing abſolutely impoflible for ſo many
Maſſes to be ſaid in that compaſs of Time: But
the truth of the matter was, That they were
griev'd ar the heart to ſquander their mony thus
abroad, and therefore were reſolv'd rather to
tell a groſs Lye, than to part with any more
.
They alledg'd' for their Excuſe, That they had
selebrated ſeveral Maſſes at their Priviledg’d Aler,
This is another ſtratagem of thoſe Prieſts, which
is never a whit inferiour to that of Reduction, and
againſt which the Popes have nothing to alledge;
for otherwiſe they would contradict themſelves,as to
the Power they pretend to have over the Affair of
Purgatory,
Theſe Priviledgd Altars (as was hinted before)
are ſuch as be Endow'd with great Indulgences
To obrain one of theſe Altars, great Sums of Mony
muſt be given ; but whar care they, as long as the
bubled Multitude refund in an-Hundredfold. A
Maſs celebrated at this ſort of Altars, on ſuch a
Day of the Week, which commonly is Mondays
dorh infallibly deliver a Soul out of Purgatory;
and a Man who ſhould dare to queſtion this, would
le lonk'd upon as an Hererick, and commited to
the Inquifition, as if he had deny d one of the Fun.
damentals of Chriſtianity. Accordica now to this
Principle they argue thus; (and indeed, granting
their Suppofition, I find their · Argument ſtrong
enough) The Pope (ſay they) grants a Priviledge to
one of our Altars, and declares, That when they shall
procure a Maſs to be, ſaid there for any Soul in
Purgatory, tho' the moſt obnoxious that is there, it
firsall in the ſame moment be deliver'd thence. Now,
ihe Pope is Infallible in all be declares, eſpecially
about the Concerns of the other World ; pherefsíc
to

or" Feſtivals and Confraternities, 225
to draw a Concluſion, We have Mony Sent us to
celebrate ſo many Hundred for Thouſand Maſſes, to ſami
for ſuch a Man "or' Woman ; What is to be done in
this Caſe ? Fruftra fit per plura, quod fieri poteft
per pauciora ; 'Tis a folly to go about, when their !
lies a ſhort Cur before us; We'l therefore cauſe
one Mafs to be ſaid at our Priviledg‘d Altat, which
will infallibly deliver the Party concern'd out of Purs
gatory, and will trouble our felves-no farther about
ſaying the reſt ; foraſmuch as they, being only in order
to procure the same end, would be altogether,
Superfluous and unprofitable ; fo that by this fair
way we have ( without the leaſt Pains taking )
gain'd a good Lump of Mony, as well as without
the leaſt diſcompoſure to our Peace "of Conſcience.
.
This Argument was once moſt vigoroudy "ena
forc'd againſt the Jeſuits of Rome upon this occalion,
A rich Merchant by his laſt Will had left thein
all fris Eſtate, to have ſo many Millions of Malles
ſaid for the Deliverance of his Soul from Purga
tory after his Death: His near Kinſman, who of
right was to have been his Heir, being made ac-
quainted with his Will, loft no time, but as ſoon
as he was dead, went to the Jefuits, and gave them
Mony to ſay a Mafs-ar their priviledg'd Altar,
for the Soul of the deceaſed; he himſelf was
preſent at it, and took an Atteſtation of writing
of them, that they had ſaid it. Haviag‘done this,
he order'd all the Goods of his Kinkman to be
Arreſted ;-a Hedging, That the end of the Teſta-
ment being obtaind, the Goods ought to retura
to their Natural Channel; that is to ſay, to the
Heir at Law ; that he could prove, Thạt his Re:
dation was either in Paradiſe, or in Hell, and that'-
in either of thoſe places they ſtood in-ng need
of Matles. This Cale was brought to the Bar, and
pleaded with great heat on both fides; the Jeſuits
being

2:26 The Fifth L E IT ER,
being Plaintiffs, and the Merchant the Defendant
But alas ! the Caſe was to be determind by an
Eccleſiaſtick's Court, where all the Judges were
Parties, who (had they done right) would have con
demn'd what themſelves do every day: So the Suit
was carry'd in Favour of the Feſuits, under prerence
forſooth, That the Church muſt always be favour'd
However, it is evident that Right and Reaſon were
on the Merchant's fide, and that he could not be
condemnd withoutInjuſtice. But I return to our Com
fraternities.
There is never a Village in Italy, how ſmall
and inconſiderable ſoever, which has not a Confro
ternity for the Souls of Purgatory, and at the leaf
a Score of Prieſts, who live upon it very plentiful
Beſides the Mony they receive for their Malles,
which never fail them, they have a ſort of People
who carry Boxes through the Streets, from Houſe
to Houſe, begging of all thoſe they meet with,
with a great great deal of Importunity, fome Mony
for the Souls
in Purgatory ; which Mony the Priels
afrerwards ſhare amongſt themſelves. In many
places of Italy, eſpecially in the great Cities
, in
order to their having a fix'd and ſerled Income,
they Let to Farm this Purgatory-Mony to ſome
Lay.man or other as I have ſeen at Milan, in
that famous Confraternity of the Souls.in Purga
tory, eſtabliſh'd in the Church of S. John de Caſa
Ratta. The Farmer here pays. Four thouſand
Crowns every Year to the Prieſts of that Church,
and makes his profit of the reſt : He maintains
for this end Forty Box.Carriers, who are cloath'd
in white, and wear upon their fhort White-Cloaks
the Arms of the Confraternity, to diſtinguiſh them.
They have each of them a Shilling a Day al
low'd thein, and their Buſineſs is to run through
all the Streets, of the City, and beg Mony for
the

of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 127
the Souls in Purgatory. Theſe Box-Carriers are
pickt Men, very cunning and skilful at their
Trade of Begging. Sometimes they are ſo fmrpora
tunare and impertinent, that they follow a Man
the length of two or three Streers, without quit-
ting him, to force him by their Importunity to
give them ſomething. Neither is it without
danger to give them any rude or churliſh Anſwer;
for in that caſe, they have the Malice to tell you
to your Face, That they fee well enough by you, you
have no conſideration for the Souls in Purgatory :
And ſhould you continue to Revile them, might
probably get you recommended to the Inquiſition,
to learn more manners. The Farmer of the Souls
in Purgatory has the Keys of all theſe Boxes, and
they are bound once or twice a week co bring
them in to him. When at any time they bring
them full, and well lin'd he gives them fome,
thing over and above their ordinary pay, to en-
courage them to perform the Queſt with ſo much
the more application and dexterity. He takes care
to place ſome of his Boxes in all Inns, Ordinaries,
Taverns, Victualling Houſes, and other publick
Places. Thoſe who have travellid Italy know,
That the Hoft doth commonly at the end of every
Meal, bring in his Box for the Souls in Purgatory,
and deſire his Gueſts to put in their Charity. At
the time of Harveſt and Vintage, the Farmer ſends
fome of his Emiſſaries into the Field; to carry
on the Queſt there for the ſaid Souls; they have
great Wagons with them, and beg fome Portion
of what is gather'd, in Corn, Wine, Wood,
Rice, Hemp, even to the very Eggs and Hens.
Which done, they either ſpend what they
have got themſelves, or elſe ſell it and turn it to
Mony.
Now the poor Country People being extream-
ly

228 The Fifth LETTER,
rerit
ly ſimple and ignorant, and the perſons employd
to receive their Charity being very ſubtil
and crafty, make them believe what they, pleaſe
themſelves, and abuſe them extreamly, I over
heard once a poor, Country.Woman, who gave
ſome Hemp to ſome of theſe Crafty Collectors;
ſaying, she was very forry ſhe could not give them
enough, to make a great Mift of : But one of the
Queft-men told her, That they would take care to
make a little Mift of it, for ſome ſmall Saul in
Purgatory. They turn'd their heads, and laugh'd
at the fimplicity of this poor Woman; but not
one of them had the Charity to inform her bet.
Ignorance in the Church of Rome paſſeth for
Simplicity; and 'tis to this Ignorant Simplicity or
Simple Ignorance, that they attribute chat Blel
.
ſing of the Goſpel, Bleſſed are the pine in Spirit.
Whereas it ſeeins to me, that this poverty of Spirit
is to be underſtood of a Siinplịcity equally devoid
of Malice and Ignorance, and of a Candid and
Open Spirit, without any foldings or deceit ; or
elſe of thoſe, who having their Hearts ſet looſe from
the deſire of the Riches of this World, are the
true Lovers of Evangelical Poverty. But to ſpeak
truph, the Reaſon hereof is, Becauſe this Ignorant
Simplicity, is a thing of ſuch exceeding Profit
and advantage to the Prieſts and Religious, of
Rome. The more Ideots the People are, the more
eaſie ir is to chouſe them, and to pick their Pock.
.
This is, Sir, fome part of what I have obo
ſerv'd concerning the Uſe that is made of the Do
Strin of Purgatory-in Italy, I might produce many
Inſtances of every different Point I have treated of
in my LETTERS : but commonly I alledge one
onlyand yery, rarely two; and indeed never,
but
ets.

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 22.9
but when ſome particular Circumſtance, which
deſerves ones Norice, does oblige me to it. I
fhall only add a word or two concerning their
Pixtures of Purgatory, before I conclude this LET-
TER.
There is never a Church or Chapel in Italy,
which has nor ſome large Picture in it, repreſen-
ting Purgatory. The Saints that are there are pain.
red in the reſemblance of naked young Men and
Women, with ſome Flames ſurrounding them ;
theſe Flames indeed are harınleſs enough, be.
cauſe they burn nor; but I fear thoſe infamous
naked Figures, kindle. very dangerous fames in
the Hearts of marix Spectators. An Italian, ha.
ving caus'd his Miſtreſs to be painted in the Flames
of Purgatory, , becauſe ſhe had refus'd him ſome
Favours, had there two Lines writ at the bottom of
the Pictures:
S'ecosi piacevole divederla in Purgatorio,
Che coſa farebbe divederla nel Cielo.
His Fancy was this: If it be fa pleaſing a thing to
ſee her in Purgatory, where the Flames hide ſome pare
of ber naked Body ; how great would the pleaſure be,
to fęc
. ber painted in Heaven stark naked, where no part
of hex Body would be bid? For after this manner do
they, of the Church of Romg. repreſent the laſt Judg.
ment, and the Bleſſed Souls in Heaven. They
publickly expoſe theſe. Pictures on their. Altars,
and the people have them before their . Eyes,
whilſt they hear Maſs. I know that they alledge,
That this is done, to impreſs theſe gre4t Truths of
Chriftianity, the more ſtrongly upon the Imagination;
as if Chriſtians were only to be led by their Imna.
ginations, and not by their Reaſon. They will
have a. Min to ſubmit his Reaſon in all things, and
to

230 The Fifth LETTER,
at the ſame time ſoare nothing for to fortifie his
Imagination. Whereas the Proteſtants do quite
the conrrary; they diſregard and neglect ma.
terial things that vigorouſly affect the Sen.
ſes, that they may worſhip God in ſpirit and
in truth, and to render to him a reaſonable Ser.
vice.
They practiſe one thing in Italy, which indeed
is very horrible. When a poor Criminal is led to
puniſhment, he has always two Prieſts by his
fide, who hold a Picture of Purgatory before his
Eyes; yea, they go up the Ladder or Scafold
with him, ſtill holding the Picture before him till
Execution be done, and talk to him of nothing elſe.
Is not this indeed to double the Fright and Terror
of theſe poor Wretches, who are but too much
terrifi'd already with the Death they fee prepar'd
for them? The ſame thing they practiſe towards
thoſe that lie a Dying ; They place a Picture of
Purgatory at the Feet of their Bed, between two
lighted Wax-Candles, to make it appear with
more luſtre, and the Patient is exhorted to keep
his Eyes upon it. Some are fain to beſeech them,
to ſpeak to them of the Goodneſs and Mercy of
God, becauſe they are already ſufficiently terri-
fied with his Juſtice : Bur for the moſt part, they
do but knock at a Dead Man's door; for the
Prieſts are ſo wedded to their Songs of Purgatory,
that if they chance to make a ſmall digreſſion,
they preſently fall again into their old Track.
For my part, I am of: opinion, That after we
have ſpoke to a fick perſon concerning the Juſtice
of God, of puniſhing of fin in the other World,
by the eternal pains of Hell, to the end to make
him ſeriouſly examine his own Conſcience; it is
very, firting afterwardsto lay before him the
Mercy of God, to raiſe his Hope and enfame

grear
his

Of Feſtivals and Confraternities. 238
his Charity. We fear God, becauſe he his juſt to
puniſh ; but we love him, becauſe he is kind to
pardon; and ſurely, 'tis better the laſt moments
of a Chriſtians Life ſhould be ſpent in loving God,
than in the fears and terrors, of his Judgments.
This is that which hath caſt many into thoſe Ter-
lors, which wanted little of downright Deſpair.
But alas ! it is but too evident, That the Doc-
trin of Purgatory was never contriv'd ſo much
for the Comfort of dying perſons, as for
the profit of the Living, I mean of thoſe lazy
Prieſts, who think of nothing, but of pleaſing
themſelves, and to enjoy Eaſe and Plenty in this
World.
I ſhould now come to ſpeak ſomething of the
principal means they make uſe of, to confirm and
maintain their Doctrin of Purgatory, which is to
preach it up with an incomparable Zeal and Ear.
neftneſs. I call to mind alſo that I promis'd
you at the beginning of this LETTER, to give
you ſome account of their manner of Preaching
in Italy. But foraſmuch as I perceive my LETTER
to be long enough already, and that this Subject
cannot be diſpatch'd in few words, I ſhall
reſerve - it for the next occafion I ſhall have
of writing to you; and in the mean time, Sir, I
beſeech you to believe, that I ſhall continue all my
Life,
Tour,
&c.
The

7:32
The SIXTH LETTER,
Of the Deplorable abuſe of Preaching in
Italy, &c.
You know, Sir, That that which ſupports the
Church of Ged, and is (as it were) the life
and Soul of it, are the Sacraments and the Word
of God; wherefore it is of the higheſt Conſequence
chat both theſe be faithfully and decently admini
.
ſtred ; and I fall always take the due and Faithful
Diſpenſation thereof for a ſure mark of the true
Church. This motive engag'd me, whilft I was at
Rome; particularly to inſpect the Practices of the
Church of Rorne ; in reference to both theſe, I
ſuppos'd I could not meer with any place more
favourable to this my deſign than this great City,
which boaſts her ſelf (if we will believe her) not
only to contain within her Precinct, the principal
and Morher Church of the whole World ; but over
and above, doth attribute to Herſelf (tho'it be hard
to ſay upon what good ground) the Name of HOLY,
Roma Saneta. As for what concerns the Admini.
ftration of the Sacraments, I cannot deny, bit
the fame is perform'd there both very orderly and
ſolemnly, and indeed with an overplus of Ceremo.
nies, even to Superftition. Here I ſhould give you
an account of thoſe Ceremonies which are obſervd
ar the Conſecration of Prieſts, the Celebrating
the Euchariſt, and of the pompous Preparations
that are made againſt Eaſter, the Week before,calid
The Holy Week; which by their ſplendor and
magnificence, craw an infinite number of Strangers
ro Rome, towards the end of Lent, to be Specta.
of
Tong

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 233
my ſelf
tors thereof. It is a common ſaying, That he who
pould paſs his time moſt agreeably in Italy, muſt be at
Venice at Shroveride and Afcenfion-day; the Oc-
tave of the Holy Sacrament at Bononia, and the Holy
Week at Rome.
Here alſo I ſhould have occafion to Relate to
you an infinite Number of Fopperies, that are pra-
Ais'd here on certain Feaſts in the Year; as at
Chriſtmas, Aſcenſion, and Pentecoſt; but becauſe
this would take up a great deal of time, I ſhall paſs
them by in ſilence at preſent, to enlarge my
on a more conſiderable Subject, wherewith my
intent is to entertain you particularly at this time,
which is their way and manner of Preaching. As
much as there is of Superftition and Exceſs in the
pompous Adminiſtration of the Sacraments; fo
great a Deficiency, Negligence, and Unfaithfulneſs
do we meet with in the Diſpenſing of the words
During the ſpace of ſeven years that I was in Italy,
in all the Cities where I have been at the Times
of Advent and Shrovetide, I have heard a vaſt num-
ber of Sermons; but I have never ſeen or known
any Curate, or Secular Prieſt, to Preach, except
once a Canon at S. John of Lateran, and a Cardi-
nal on Eaſter-day, in the Cathedral Church of
Milan. So that in caſe the Word of God be cor-
rupted and abus'd, as indeed it is very confiderably
every day, we cannot charge the Secular Prieſts of
Italy therewith, who do not preach at all, or who
indeed are (for the inoſt part) ſo Ignorant, that
they cannot, if they would; but the Fault is whol.
ly to be laid at the Door of the Monks, and other
Religious, who have in a manner wholly engroſs’d
the performance thereof. Methinks it is enough
ſaid, when I tell you, Tliat the true Paſtors, who
are the Curates, take no pains to feed their own
Flock, but recommend that Care to Strangers,
I

234 The Sixth LETT E R;
C
C
$
€
C
I mean to Monks, who are more ſollicitous to fa
!
tisfie their own Intereſt and Vain.glory,than toʻpro-
cure the ſalvation of Souls. Yea the Monks have
ſo abſolutely poſſeſs'd themſelves of this Miniſtry
that they will not ſuffer a Secular Prieſt to preach in
his own Church ; and if any of them ſhould under
take ſo to do, and they ſhould find that they could not
füpplant him, they would maliciouſly employ all man
ner of means to blacken and miſrepreſent him in the
eyes of the people, and rob him of his Credit and
Reputation.
True it is, that on the other hand, the Curate!
being generally Lovers of Eaſe and Idleneſs, make
no great endeavours to reclaim their Right to the
Pulpit : They declare openly, That it is the Buli
neſs of the Monks to preach, foraſmuch as not be.
ing engag‘d in the Buſineſs and Trouble of the
World, they have leiſure enough
in their Mona:
fteries to ſtudy and con their Sermons; but that as
for them, being wholly employd in the Admin
ſtration of the Sacraments, in hearing of Confeſ.
fions, and aſlifting at Funerals, they have
no ſpare time to
their Thoughts that
that we ſeldom meer
Quarrels on this Occaſion between them and the
Monks.
Whilft I was at Rome, I often went to the Miner-
va to hear Sermons: They are the Father Domini.
cans that Preach here, who are alſo call’d The Preno
ching Brothers ; becauſe in the ſharing and divi-
fion of the Gifts and Graces of God, the Monks
have made amongſt themſelves, theſe have boldly
appropriated to themſelves the Gift of Preaching
But we find that this is nothing but an arrogant
Uſurpation of theirs, without the Conſent of the
Holy Spirit ; for I have ſcarcely found
any
Monks
more unſucceſsful in this Miniſtry than themſelves
.
turn
way. So
with any
God

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 235
God will never permit the Pride of Men to diſ-
poſe of thoſe Gifts which belong to him alone.
The Jeſuits have arrogated to themſelves the Gifts
of Tongues, and of informing Youth ; and yet
Experience thews, that they are indeed very igno-
cant and unskilful in both theſe ; and that the
Scholars who have ſtudied in the Univerſities un.
der other Maſters, are incomparably better groun-
ded in Learning, than theirs are. The Monks of S.
Bennet have appropriated to themſelves the Chara.
der of Retirement and Silence, and yet we find no peo-
ple more gadding up and down in Cities and Coun.
try, than they.
But to rerurn to my Diſcourſe ; It was one of
thele Old Dominicans, or Preaching Brothers, that
Preach'd at the Minerva; but he did it in ſo une
worthy and indecent a manner, that I wonder how
I coulú reſolve to go and near nim more than once.
All that was attractive in him was, That notwith-
ſtanding he was very Old, yet he was extreainly
Comical,
ical, and an egregious Büſiūon ; ſo that he
made his Auditors laugh with open Throats. He
walk'd in his Pulpits (for in Italy they have them
very long and wide ;) he thumped the Pulpit with
his Hands and Feet ; he rolled his Eyes in his -
Head, and put himſelf into an hundred ridiculous
Poſtures.
I fall give you here a ſmall ſcantling of one of
his Sermons, which I ſtill remember, that by the
Pattern ye may judge of the whole Piece. He had
a mind it ſeems, to make a moral Application of
the Hiſtory ſet down in the 2 iſt. Chapter of the
Book of Geneſis, where Abraham turned his Maid
Hagar out of doors. He begins thus; Sirs, ſaid
he, come follow me, and take a walk with me in the
Holy Scripture : Then fetching three ſteps in the
Pulpit, having one of his Arms a kimbow, he
ſtopt

236 The Sixth LETTER,
ftope ſhort at the fourth, and as a Man who in an
horrid Deſert ſaw ſome Body at a great diſtance
he ſtood ſtill a good while without ſpeaking a word,
and very attentively fixing his Eyes till the near
approach of the Object; he began to ſay, What's
that I ſee there ? ſure it is a Woman ; and keeping
ſilence again a good while, he ſaid, O God! if!
ben't much mistaken, 'tis Hagar Abraham's ſervant
Ah, ſure enough 'tis the very ſame. God ſave you Ha
gar! Prethee tell me what is thy Buſineſs here in this
loanſom Deſert, which is ſo diſmal and frightful to Na
fure? Then making as if he view'd her from Head
to Foot, I perceive one thing already, (ſaid he) thai
me has not robd her Maſter, as many Servants do now
a-days; for ſhe is in a very pitiful Equipage. Tell and
Hagar, Why is it then you have left your Mafter?
Here making Hagar (peak in a moſt afflicted and
Sorrowful manner, and as it were all in Tears
That it was becauſe of her Miſtreſſes Jealouſie ; He
anſwerd laughing, A very fine Reaſon believe me
What was this all? Hüm ! this is very pleaſant : M
dam Sarah turns away her Servant, becauſe she is jos
lous of ber. Come Hagar, come thou along with me
I'll at this inſtant go and ſpeak to thy Mafter about it.
And then taking ſeven or eight Turns in the Pul
pit, muttering all the while to himſelf ; Sarah tern
away her ſervant becauſe ſhe is jealous of ber;/
ſtanch Reaſon indeed; and then itopr, ſtriking two
great Thumps againſt the Pulpit, he ſaid, Wild
is there ? Pray tell Abraham L'would ſpeak with him
And ſoon after, making a very low Bow, as
he had ſeen Abraham, he ſaid to him, Abraham,
pray tell me for what Reaſon you have turn'd
ſervant Hagar? She tells me it is, becauſe your Will
is jealous of her : Then perſonating Abraham, Abris
ham anſwers him, If I have turn'd away my ſervants
,
I have had an Order from God for it, and therefor

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 237
.
ad
4
ad
do not think my self bound to give you any further
Rarson of it. Though indeed, Hagar has not told you
al: It was not only upon the Account of Jealouſie,
fke was turn'd out of Doors; but becauſe he has a
little Boy of her own, that is very naughey, pe beats
bin that I had by my Wife, they are continually wrango
If
ling together ; they pull one another by the Hair
they cry, and make an intolerable Noiſe in the Houſe.
My Wife has ſeveral times ſpoke friendly to her Ser.
rint about it, but Hagar is becomas too bold and im.
pertinent, foe gives fawcy Anſwers, and has too much
longue : For theſe Reaſons therefore, and to have Quiet
ix mine Houſe, I have been fain to turn her out of
Doors. Here the Old Father Dominican, rolling his
Eyes in his Head, and wrinkling his Brow, as
one that was very angry with Hagar : Hagar (ſaid
he) I find now, that thou didſt not tell me the Cream
of the Feft : Thou art juſt like the Servants of Rome,
when ehey are turn'd out of ſervice, 'tis never any of
their Fault, 'tis becauſe their Miſtreſſes are of an in.
tolerable difficult Temper ; they are exceeding Humor.
14
fom, they are very Fealous, and 'tis impoſible to live
pith them; But by that I can perceive, it was becauſe
you began to play the Miftreſs, and becauſe there was
a continual Diſturbance in the Houſe upon your Account:
11
I knop well enough that Jealouſie could not be afuffi.
vient Reaſon for Lending a good Servant packing ; for
otherwiſe our Roman Dames, who are extreamly Fea-
lous, w:uld never be able to keep any : But there muſt
be this beſides in the caſe, That this Jealoufie cauſeth
*
Diſturbance and Noiſe in the Houſe between
the Husband and his Wife, or between the Children;
and then I am clearly of Abraham's Opinion, the
Servant muſt turn nur, Ejice Ancillam & Filium ejus.
The Father, after he had very dexterouſly plaid
the Buffoon on this Hiſtory of the Bible, paſt
on another, which he handled in the ſaine Comi.
cal
16
He
-4
n
10
f

238
The Sixth L ETT ER,
cal manner, making all his Hearers to burſt out
into a loud Laughter : And after all, fell upon the
Devotion common to their Order, which is the
Roſary; for they bring this in by the head and
ſhoulders upon all occafion, let their Subjects
be what they pleaſe. This was his conſtant inode
of Preaching, and the Church was always full of peo
ple.
The Italians are extreamly in love with Sermons
that make them laugh, which is the reaſon that
the moſt part of Their Preachers apply themſelves
to a Comical and Drolling ſtyle. The feluits
have another way of Preaching, which I may call
a Poetical ſtyle : For they being perſons who have
ſpent their young years in teaching Humane Lear
ning in their Colledges, they have their Head
and Fancies filld with Ovid's Metamorphoſis and
Æsop's Fables; and accordingly all their Sermons
are ſtufft with them. If they ſpeak concerning
the Incarnation of the Word, they would think they
had nor expreſt themſelves well without ſaying,
That the Divine Prometheus brought down Fire
from Heaven to the Earth ; that is to ſay, Has
perſonally united the Divine with the Human Nature
They commonly quote a vaſt number of Paſſages
drawn from profane Authors and Poets; as from
Cicero, Virgil, Horace, Martial, &c. yea, I have
heard ſome of them that have quoted Terence!
Comedies, and Ovid de Arte Amandi; but they very
ſeldom are heard citing the Fathers, and yet
more ſeldom the Holy Scriprure. The great Con
verſe they have with Perſons of Quality, make
their Words and Expreſſions to be choice ; their
Diſcourſe neat and refin'd, tho' ſubſtance and for
lidity be for the moſt part wanting in them
their Geſture is very proper, and their Declama
sion or Elocution not amiſs. For to gain the
mark

Of the Abuse of Preaching, &c. 239
15
more credit to their Order, which is of late
ſtanding, and yet ſo powerful, they very fre-
quently quote the Book of the Exerciſe of their
Founder S. Ignatius ; which after all, is but a very
poor Book, and (as 'tis faid) none of his own
neither, having ſtoln it when he was Convert
Brother in the Abby of the Benedi&ins of Montfer-
The Capuchins have another way of Preaching,
and their ſtyle is Stoical, Emphatical, and Thun-
dering: They commonly make choice of very
terrible Subjects, as Death, the Last Judgment,
Purgatory, and Hell: They fill the Air with Ex-
clamations, thump the Pulpit with their Hands
and Feet; they lay hold of their grear Beards,
and roar with ſuch a Tone as terrifies all Men, yea,
and the Dogs too ; for I have obſerv'd, that when
a Capuchin Preached, all the Dogs run out of the
Church. In a word, almoſt all the Religious have
a different way of Preaching, and different Divines
too, whom they follow, whoſe Opinions are fre.
quently oppoſite to one another. The Cordeliers have
their Scotus and S. Bonaventura; the Dominicans,
S. Thomas ; the Jeſuits, their Suarez; and ſo of the
reft.
As for the Order obſerv'd as to Partition of
their Sermon, 'tis, the ſame throughout all Italy.
They all begin their Sermons with the Angelicat
Salutation, or Ave Maria; and not with the Invo .
cation of our Heavenly Father, in praying, Our
Father, &c. or by calling upon the Holy Ghoſt,
which yet are the moſt proper, or rather the
only Neceſſary for this purpoſe. But indeed, the
Doctrin they preach is ſo extreamly corrupt and
wreſted, that it is no wonder to find their Intro-
ductions tainted with the ſame Infection. God
by this very thing Manifeſting to us, That what
they
B
11

240
The Sixth LETI ER,
to
do,
they preach is nor the pure Word of God, by per-
miteinig them to Preface their Human Inven
tions with the Invocation of a Creature. After
their Addreſs to the Virgin, they pronounce their
Text, which commonly is a place of Scripture
,
or ſometimes a part of a Prayer of their Church,
or ſome entrance of the Maſs. They cite the
Text of Scripture only by halves, and in abftra:
cted and interrupted ſenſe, without declaring what
goes before, or follows after ; which yet they ought
to render the ſenſe perfect. After this
they proceed to their Propoſition, and then con
cinue their Diſcourſe of a piece, without any
Diviſion or Subdiviſion at all. They divide their
Sermon indeed into Two Parts ; but the ſecond
is nothing elſe but an heap of Examples, Hiſtories
and Tales made at pleaſure, to divert their Au.
ditors. In the Interval between the firſt and ſe.
cond Part, they gather the Alins in the Church
for the Poor. There are Men appointed for this
purpoſe, who have Bags faſtned to the end of long
Staves, with little Bells at the bortom of them, and
they paſs by all the Ranks and Sears of the Hear-
ers, to receive their Charity. The Preacher in
the mean time, whilſt theſe Bags or Purſes are
marching about, doth with an incomparable Zeal
exhort them to give freely. I never in my
life
faw people more enflam’d with Charity for their
Neighbours, than they are in the Pulpit; you
would ſay, They are the very „Fathers of the Poor
.
Herein I cannot but do them the Juſtice to own
That our Proteſtant Miniſters are not ſo good Ad
vocates for the neceſſitous Members of Jeſus Chrift
,
and do nor take the cauſe of the Poor to hear
with ſo much hear and real, as theſe Men do
However, Sir, I would have you know, that
When I Praiſe your Italian Monks, 'tis nor their
Perſon

of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 240
Perſon I praiſe, but their Action, or rather the
external Appearance of their Action : For if we cut
this fair Apple in two, we ſhall find the Worm there,
which makes it all rotten and corrupt within. To
make ſhort, my meaning is, that the motive that
prompts them ſo ſeriouſly and zealouſly to recoma
mend the Poor to their Auditors, is a piece of
Self-intereſt: For the one half of the Alms that are
gathered in the Church, as well as at the Church-
door, during the Sermon, belongs to the Father-
Preacher : Otherwiſe, it were impoffible to induce
thoſe hard-hearted, and picileſs Monks, thofe Hearts
of Braſs and Marble, who are lo ſignally qualified
with Inſenſibleneſs and Cruelty; I ſay, it would be
impoſſible to induce them to any ſentiments of Mer.
cy and Compaſſion for the Miſeries of their Neigh-
bour, if Laymen had not found out a way to joyn
the Intereſt of the Preachers with that of the Poor,
and to make but one of them. This, this Sir, is
the great Spring that moves the whole Engine, and
'
makes the Monks to ſtudy ſuch importunate Mo-
tives and Reaſons, to draw Mony from their
Hearers Purſes ; Yea, there be ſome of them, who
are ſo extreamly Malepert and Inſolent, that I
am aſtoniſh'd they do not pull them out of the Pul-
pit.
I went one day in Lent to hear one of the Ser.
mons at the Church of S. Andrew of the Valley at
Rome ; it was a Father Franciſcan that then Preach'd
there ; his Sermon was concerning Predeſtination ;
and after he had declar'd, That the number of
thoſe that were Predeſtinate, was not ſo ſmall as
ſome did imagin; I ſpeak now (ſaid he) of Catho-
licks ; for as for all Infidels, who do not believe in Fe-
ſus Chriſt, as well as all Hereticks, as the Lutherans,
Calviniſts, Zuinglians, &c. our Mother (the Holy
Church Catholick, Apoftolick, and Roman) teachetlo
M

-242
The Sixth L E LI E R,
HS, That they are all undoubtedly damn'd, and w
ought to believe accordingly. Afterwards making a
long enumeration of all thoſe he firml; believ'd
would certainly be ſaved, he amongſt the reſt men
tion d all thoſe who were enrolld in the Confra.
ternity, of S. Francis his Rope, which perculiarly
belong to thoſe of his Order; Becauſe (faid he)
it is imposſible, according to the Bulls we have
concerning it from the Popes, that any ſuch Mould die
in any Mortal Sin. He very frankly allow'd the
ſame Grace alſo to all thole who wore the Habit
of the Order, and ſo very handſomly juſtled in
himſelf into the number of the Elect. Finally
,
putting a Queſtion to himſelf, Whether there
were nor ſome viſible Mark upon Earth, by which
one might diſtinguiſh the Elect from the Repro
bate ? he anſwered himſelf, Yes, that certain
there were ſuch Signs. Amongſt other Signs he
reckoned up, I remember this was one, To love
Mufick, and the found of Inſtruments ; but that the
principal Sign of all was, to give Alms. This in-
deed was the point he would be at, and very
dexterouſly he took occafion from hence, to
Exhort all his Auditors, To expoſe that Day to
the Eyes of all Mer, the undoubted Tokens of
* their Predeſtination, by their liberal putting into
the Parſes; and that for his part, he would take
exact Notice from his ſtation on high, of all thoſe
who
gave this Evidence of their Election, that ſo
he might know who were Reprobate, and who
were Predeſtinate amongſt them. Accordingly
he ſers himſelf down in his Pulpit, and was
filent; and ſtaring with his great Eyes that way
they carried the Bags, having perceived all the
firſt Rank had ſhewed themſelves very Liberal
This is well" (ſaid he) I find that there is one Ras
already of my Auditors that are Predeſtinate. An
th

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 243
the ſecond and third having followed the ſame
Example ; In very truth (faid he) I believe, that
my whole Auditory will prove to be of the Number of
the Elect. This is an extraordinary Comfort for me,
that I have preached here this Lent, and I render
Thanks to God for it ; becauſe it is a ſign that Sinners
are Converted. By this means this Father procur'd
a very liberal Collection. I obſerved all this
while, that he put many of his Auditors into
great trouble and confuſion, eſpecially ſome
Women, who probably had no Mony about them;
they bluſhed exceedingly, and to avoid the confua
fufion of being accounted Reprobares, they reach'd
forth their hands to the Bags, as if they had put
in ſomething. I my ſelf heard an "Handycrafts ,
man ſaying to one of his Acquaintance, That
Monk there (with his ſigns of Predeſtination) made me,
ſore againſt my will, put a Crown into the Bag, becauſe
I had no other ſmall Mony about me ; for if I had given
nothing, it would have ſpoild my Reputation ; they would
have taken me for a damn'd Wretch, which would have
been enough to have frightned all Customers from my
Shop.
The Monk, raviſhed to have ſeen ſo many
Elect in his Auditory, very joyfully fell to the
Second
part
of his Diſcourſe, and being put into
an extream good Humor by their Liberality, he
played the Buffoon to admiration. After he had
told them many little pleaſant Stories, he began
his ſecond Queſt for the Souls in Purgatory. He
made uſe of the ſame Motive, with which he
had ſpeeded ſo well before. He repreſented to
them, That it was not enough to have fewed
Charity to the Living, but that it was neceſſary
for the compleating of the Evidence of their Prede-
ſtination, to extend it alſo to thoſe that are dead;
that is, To the Members of the Suffering Church ;
M 2
for

The Sixth LETTER,
for that is the Title they give to Pargatory. The
Mony of this Queft goes to the Prieſts or Monks
to whom the Church belongs where the Sermon
is preached ; and to encourage the Preacher to
do it more effectually, they allow him the fourth
part of the Collection. This is that which makes
them ſo zealous to exhort the people from their
Pulpits, to a liberal Contribution. There are ſome
who are ſo far tranſported with Zeal for theſe ſuf-
fering Souls, that not content to have made one
Queſt in general on this Subject, they back the
fame with two others. The ſecond is with an in-
tention to relieve ſome Relation or Friend, that
any
of the Auditors are more particularly obliged
to aſſiſt ; and the third, for that Soul in Purga.
tory, which is the moſt neglected as to matter
of Suffrages, and who hath neither Relacions nor
Friends to pray God for her. Thus it is that
theſe fooliſh and rafh Men, imprudently exalt
their Mercy and Compaſſion above that of God
· himſelf; implying, That if their Charity did
nor extend it ſelf to theſe wretched Souls, deſtitute
of all help and aſſiſtance, as they ſay, God would be
pirileſs and cruel enough, to let them fuffer a vaſt
number of Years, yea, even to the Day of
Judginent, without thewing any Mercy to
them.
I have been told a Story of a Country-man who
perceived that the Preacher of his Pariſh, after
thaving made three Queſts one after another, was
about to make the Fourth, for the Soul that ſuffer'd
moſt, called out to him aloud, Father, I would ad
.
viſe you, to ſhut up your Purgatory at preſent ; for if
you let one Soul more out, ſhe will be in danger to re-
turn from whence ſhe came without any thing ; For my
part (ſaid he) I tell you plainly, I have no more Mony
to give. Whether this be a true Story, or no
1

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 245
I cannot aver; only this I know, that very often
they give a fair occaſion for their Auditors
to ſay as inuch. 'Tis in the Interval of their
gathering this Collect, that the good Father
Preachers do urter whatſoever comes into their
Crowns, to perſuade their Auditors to ſo cha.
ritable a Work. Here it is, that with a great deal of
heat they vent all their Fables and Tales of Purgator
nj
I heard a Father Carmelite, in the Pariſh of S.
Sophia in Venice, who having made a ſign with his
Hand, to oblige his Auditory to be filent, and
liftning attentively with his Ear, as if he had hearti
fomething, he ar length asked them Whether they
did not hear a kind of indiſtinct noiſe, as of many
Voices at a diſtance ? Afterwards, lending his Ear
a ſecond time, he told them, That he heard
the Souls of Purgatory calling upon them, Not to
ſpare their Charities, but to Relieve then with a Lim
beral Contribution ; corrupring to this purpoſe that
Paſſage of the Revelations, Audivi ſub Altare Animas
interfe&torum clamantium, vindica ſanguinem noftrum,
Deus noſter : I heard under the Altar the Souls of
thoſe that were flain ; Crying, Avenge our Blood, 0.3
God. For he made bold to change moſt of the
words, to accominodate them to his purpoſe; fay-
ing, Audio JubiAltare Animas defunctorum clamantium,
Refrigerate Sanguinem noftrum Fratres noftri : I beard.
under the Altar the Souls in Purgatory, that cry, Re-
frefb: and cool our Blood our dear Brethren. Icook
this Action of the Preacher for an excellent Figure
of Rhetorick, which is called Fictio; but I am ſure,
that many there did not take it in my ſenſe, buc
did really believe, that the Preacher had indeed
heard the Souls in Pargatory crying under the
High Altar; a ſure ſign of which was thar many
roſe
up from their Seats to look that way. The Sera
M 3
mon

246
The Sixth L ET TE R.
to
mon being ended, the Preacher comes down out of
the Pulpit, and is led into the Sextry; whither the
Purſes are brought, and they are opend in his pre.
ſence, and his ſhare or dividend counted out
him; the Preachers herein reſembling
Fowls of Prey, or Hunting Dogs, to whom al
ways a portion is given of the Prey tiey have ta,
ken.
In thoſe Parts of Italy that border upon Germany
and France, the people don't ſuffer the Prieſts and
Monks to lead them by the Noſe, ſo much as the
Inhabitants of the Provinces that are nearer to
Rome. True it is, the Prieſts are not wanting to uſe
their urmolt endeavours to bring their Purgatory into
requeſt ; but the Lay-men look upon them 'no
better chan, Mountebanks for their pains, who
ſpare no Lies to perſuade the People to buy their
Drugs.
I was once deſired by the Curate of Campo
Dolcino in the Alps, to take the pains to clamber up
to Mount Splug, to go and preach the Day of the
Allumption of the Bleſſed Virgin, in a linall Village
I went thither, and did my utmoſt Endeavour to
ftir up their Devotion, and make it beneficial to
their Curare ; but it was impoſſible for me to ex
alt their Beneficence beyond a few Pounds of But
ter, notwithſtanding the Curate had earneſtly
entreared me, to be importunate with them for
ſome Mony. Mony it ſeems is very ſcarce in chole
Mountains, they affording nothing beſides Butter,
Cheeſe, Cheſnuts, and Salt-Meat ; and the poor
Country People carry to the Church ſuch as they
have, to beſtow upon their Carate. At the place
where I went to Preach, the Inhabitants cannor
continue, but about Two Months in the very
midſt of the Summer; after which the extream
Cold drives them from thence, and obliges them
TO

of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 247
fhift to divide their first part, and make two
to remove lower, where they continue about two
Months longer with their Cattle; thus deſcending
by degrees till they came down to the Vallies, where
they continue all the Winter. But to return to our
Preachers.
The Second part of their Sermon, as is already
mention'd, is inade up of nothing but idle Tales
and Drollery ; which is the reaſon why many.
perſons, who take no delight in thoſe Jeſts and
Foolleries, and probably alſo, for fear they flould
be forced againſt their wills, by the Iinpudence
of the Preacher, to put Mony into the Purſes. -
go out of the Church towards the end of them.
firſt part. This firſt part contains the Body and
Subſtance of their Diſcourſe ; and they who is
print their Quadrageſimals and their Advent Ser.
mons, that they may not diſparage themſelves,
never print the ſecond part of them; bur make a..
of
it.
The Buffon, or Comical Preachers, are the moſt
followed by the Common Peopie ; but thole
that preach by curious Thought, are the molt
eſteem'd; and thoſe who are call'd Dotti, or
Virtuoſi, do generally frequent them. This way of
preaching by curious. Thoughts, conſiſts chiefly in
never repreſenting things in their Natural Senſe.
If they alledge a Text of Scripture, it is a ſenſe
that is forced, ſubtil, curious and far fetch'd, which
is not the meaning of the Scripture'; and a.-
Preacher who ſhould ſtop at the Literal and Na.
tural ſenſe, would be look'd upon no better-than-
a Simpleton, Ignoramus and Ideor ; and except
he-fiad ſomething of a Comical Air with him,
would be very ſlenderly provided with Auditors,
I have made it my Obſervation, That they com:
monly take no place of Scripture in the Literali?
ſenſe
M ***

248 The Sixth LETTER,
to
ſenſe, beſides the Sacramental words, Hoc eft Corpus
meum ; This is my Body; for here they obſtinately
keep to the Lerter. And yet I once heard a Father
Minim, in Trinity Church on the Hill at Rome, who
interpreted the whole Hiſtory of the Inſtitution of
the Lord's Supper in another ſenſe, applying it
wholly to the Doctrin of Alms. Our Lord Jeſus.
Christ (ſaid he) the more engagingly to recommend to
was the care of the Poor, would have the laſt Action be
ever did here on Earth, ſhould be an Act of Charity;
this purpoſe; when he had nothing more to diſpoſe of
,
ſave one poor Morſel of Bread he had in his Hand, he
brake it, and gave it to his Diſciples. This Thought
af his was found very quaint and curious ; tho' in
the mean time it is very evident, that this is
not the true and Natural Senſe of the Holy Hiſto
.
ry; for Jeſus Chriſt in this Action, did not in the
leaſt pretend to give an Alms, but to inſtitute a
Sacrament, that might ſerve for the Suſtenance and
Spiritual nouriſhment of our Souls. However, the
Monk was extraordinarily applauded for this his
curious Thought, and he was not wanting to make
good uſe of it at his Queſt.. And to the end they
may be the more fruitful and copious in theſe fine
Thoughts, the Monks ordinarily retire, and take
their Walks in pleaſant places, as in Gardens and
Woods, there to meditate their Sermons: Others
again, betake themſelves to dark and ſubterranean
places, there to Contemplate without diſturbance.
Some of them drink good Wine, and that in great
quantity too, becauſe (according to the common Pro-
verb) Vinum acuit Ingenium; Wine excites Invention
.
And laſtly, others follow their particular Hus
The Superiours of Religious Houſes, ſuffer their
Preaching Monks to do what they pleaſe, and go
whither they will, to favour their Invention, or
inours.
(as

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 149
(as they term it) their curious Thoughts. They
deal with them as charily, as we us'd to do with
Big-bellied Women, whom nothing muſt be
refuſed, for fear of ſpoiling their Fruit, which
are their fine. Thoughts. 'Tis this great Liberty
and Indulgence that makes ſo many Monks in 4,
Italy apply themſelves to Preaching, becauſe being
once engaged in this way, they are exempted
from all the Obſervances their Rule obliged them
to.
The way
of ſetting forth theſe their fina
Thoughts in the Pulpit, is this : As ſoon as they
have utter'd any thing that is neat and curious,
to make appear that it doth not want folidity,
they (in order to back it) endeavour to find our
ſome Texts of Scriprure that ſeem to favour ir, and
to which, for the moſt part, they give as forc'd a"
turn, as to that which is the Balis and ground of
their neat Thought. They commonly quote no.
thing but ends and ſcraps of Ve.ſes, without tel.
ling what goes before, or what follows, and ſeldom
or never cite the Books from whence they are ra.
ken. They content themſelves with ſaying, As it is
pritzen ; or, According to the Oracle of the Holy
Spirit ; or, As it is ſet down in the Sacred Tex“; and
then quote the place che intend : But it is impoſ-
fible to know, whether what they alledge be faith:
fully Resorted by rhein or no.
Thus it is an eaſie
thing for chele Corruprers of the Holy Writ, (that
they may zurhorize then near Thoughts and high
Sublimations of Wic) to reduce poor Reople which
never read the Scriptore, and ro whom the reading
of it is not ſo much as periniteed. After they have
thus endeavour'd to back their curious Thought
with scriveure, they endeavour further to ſtrenginen
ir by the Authorit' of the Fathers. The reckon
amongſt the Fathers, not only the ancient Doctors
M.5
of

250
The Sixth LET T E R,
of the Church, as S. Chryſoſtom, S. Ambroſe, S.
Ferom, and S. Auſtin, &c. but alſo their inoft
modern Doctors, as S. Thomas Aquinas, Cardinal
Bellarmine, &c iníciuch as at this rate they have
a very large and wide Field to go a pickering in;
and foraſmuch as it is an ordinary Saying, thar
Good Wits jump, this egregiouſly flatters their Pride
to make our to the people, That thoſe great Un.
derſtandings of Ancient times do accord ſo well
with theirs. Some have the ſorriſh Vanity to ſay,
in the Pulpit, S. Auſtin, or S. Ainbroſe, had the
Same Thought with me, when he ſaid, &c. They very
ſeldom quote the Books and Chapters from whence
they have their Authorities, and they content
themſelves with ſaying in general, As Saith S.
Auſtin; as S. Ambroſe affirms. But Experience
does evidence it beyond diſpute, that they
cire a vaſt number of Authorities falfly, or elſe do
ſo extreamly mangle and corrupt them, that if
we ſhould go to look for them in the Original,
from whence they pretend to have drawn
them, it would be a very hard matter to know
them.
I once heard a Benedictin Monk in the Church
of S. Praxed at Rome, who having made an Ob.
jection to himſelf, Why amongſt ſo many perſons
who have recourſe to the Bleſſed Virgin in: their
needs, ſo few are relieved by Her? An Event in.
deed which ſeems directly oppos'd to the Belief
of the Church of Rome, viz. That all thoſe who
Addreſs themſelves with confidence to the Bleſſed
Virgin, are infallibly affifted by her. He aniwer'd
this Objection by ſaying, That thoſe who fail'd of
her Aid, were ſuch as did not Lift up their Hearts to
ber. They indeed (laid he) do often enough Lift up
their Eyes, their Hands, and their Voice, to Mary;
- but their Hearts all, the while are groveling on the

my memory
of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 251
Earth, and they never lift them up towards her. To
this purpoſe he quoted S. Ferom, Si volumus exato
diri à Maria, erigamus corda noftra ad Mariant ; ;
If we would have Mary bear us, we must life up
our heart to Mary. I have read S. Ferom before,
and I have read him over ſince, having always this
but I could never find it there, and I am well aſſur'd
that no Body will be able to find it there after mes :
But the Myſtery of it was, That this paffage was very
proper to back and confirm the fine Thought of the
Monk.
We need nor wonder to find the Roman Catholickor.
boaſt of having the Fathers on their fide ; for if
at any time they are nor ſo, they ſoon make them :
come over to them by force, and draw them in (as
we ſay) by Head and Shoulders. In this caſe they
do imirate another Italian Monk, who not being
able to make a Paiſage of S. Chryfoftom favoura
fine Thought was come into his Head, he began
to be in a Pallion, and having changed two orchree
words in the Text, which did in a manner ſpoil
the whole ſenſe of it, he ſaid in bad Latin, but
very expreſſive of what he would be at, Faciams :
te bene venire, and thus forc'd the Text to comply:
with foolith Imaginationis
. ne Belektrino comply.
ir is there miſerable Monks make thoſe Ve-
nerable ancienr Fathers to affert that which"}
they never thought of, and can nevert beca
found in their Writings ; and all this is only
to feed their Vun glorious Humour; and to ob
trade their own Dreains for Authentick Truchs,.
own'd and believ'd by the pureſt Times of Chrizi !
tendom
Moreover,rð ſet forth tħefe their'curious Thoughtësi.
with the greater luitre, they do adorn them with
many quaint Figures of Rhetoricks all-their Dif
cotofest

252 The Sixth LETI ER,
courſe being made up of Metaphors, Alluſions, and
holy Allegories, with a taking Elocurion, and cu.
rious ſelect Words; and all of them Antitheta
,
or oppos'd to one another, wherein the Italian
Language is happy beyond others. See here the
fair and glittering Cup of Gold, wherein the
Whore mingles her Poyſon, Lies and Errors, to
intoxicate the Souls of Men. This is the wide
Gare by which ſo many extravagant and dangerous
Opinions are entered into the Church of Rome.
You may eaſily judge by the Nature of the Pa-
ſture, of the condition the Flock is in; and
by the Qualifications of their new Paſtors, I
mean the Monks, the wretched eſtate of the
Sheepfold, committed to their charge. Theſe
are thoſe Paſtors, who fhare the Wooll, and feed
on the farreſt of the Flock; but have little or no
concern for the Salvation of their Souls, ſo they
may but glut and ſatisfie their Coverouſneſs and
Ambition.
Loredano, a Noble Venetian, fo famous in Italy
for his witty and curious Compoſitions, writing
Almoro Grimani Verontling to recommend to
him a Preacher of his acquaintance, expreſt
himſelf in his Letter to him in theſe words;
Sene viene in cotefta Città il Padre Fra. Girolamo
Olivi, à far pompa d' Elequenza nel corſo Quadrage-
fimale : The Father Jerom Olivi goes to Verona to
make a pompous fhem of his Eloquence during Lent
.
He ſaith not, That this Monk goes to Preach the
Goſpel, or to ſtrive to gain Souls to eſus Chriſt;
but ſaith, That he goes to make a few of the Eloquence
,
In which words he very fully expreſſeth
the Motive that puts theſe Monks upon Prea.
ching.
I have no words, Sir; to expreſs to you the
Cabals, Intrigues, Sollicitations and Interceſſions
to
thar
Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 153
that are made to get into the beſt Pulpir: that is:
to ſay, thoſe where the moſt Mony or Honour is
to be got. They interpoſe Favour of Grandees
and Princes, to aſſure themſelves of them, and
that four or five years before they becoinë vacant.
There are fome of theſe Pulpits, that are worth
to the Preacher, for an Advent and Lent, four hun-
dred, five hundred, and fix hundred Crowns'; yea,
ſome of them a thouſand and more, without rec.
koning the ſhare of the Alms given to the Poor.
As for thoſe, from whence there is no great profit
to be expected, the preſs is not ſo great; and as
for the poor Pariſhes in the Country, where nothing
at all is to be had, there is not a Monk to be found
that will beſtow ſo much as one Sermon upon
them.
They have ordinarily no Preaching in Italy, ſave
only during Advent and Lent : On all other Feafts
and Sundays of the Year they have no Serinons at
the Pariſhes; and inſtead thereof they only fing
an High Maſs in Mufick; bur the Word of God
is nor preached at all in them. Yer in ſome Con-
venrs of Monks they have Sermons in the Afternoon;
bur theſe are Sermons peculiar to the Order of
which the Monks are, and always on the ſame
Suvject. The Dominicans preach eternally on the
Roſary; the Carmelites on the Scapulary; the Francia
Scans on the Rope of S. Francis ; and the Soceolanti
have for their Subjects, Anthony of Padua. True
it is, theſe Matters are of themſelves very dry and
barren, and I am aſtoniſhed how they can conrinu.
ally make them yield ſomething to talk of. One
greater part of their Sermons is made up of a Re.
lation of Miracies, which a Preacher of good In-
vention may almok with as much eaſe coin, as ut.

ter.
The Jeſuits alſo havę erected in their Houſes
Con.

254
The Sixth L ETTER,
Congregations, which they denominate from the
Bleſſed Vigin, where they preach all Sundays and
Hoiy day : And to the end they may Have at all,
and draw to them all ſorts of People, they make
a diſtinction of perſons; they have one Congrega.
tion for Artizans and Handycrafts-inen, another for
Scholars, a third for Merchants, and a fourth for
Gentlemen and Noblemen. They have alſo Ser:
days on which they preach in their Churches, to
prepare People to Die well: They have very hap:
pily poffeft themſelves of this poſt; for it is
exceeding gainful and profirable to them. Upon
this ſcore it is, that they are ſent for to Exhort
the Sick, and ſuch as lye at the Point of Death;
which is the moſt proper rime, and faireft occafion
for them to ger themſelves put into their laſt
Will.
There is yet another ſort of Preachers in Italy,
which I never ſaw in any other parts, where the
Popiſh Religion is profeft': Theſe Preachers are
call’d, Preachers of the Plate, To give you a more
diftinct Idea hereof, you muſt know, Sir, thar
in the great Cities of Italy, towards Evening, when
the great heat of the day is paſt, the Italians (of
what Rank or Quality foever they be) go
take a walk in the Piazza: Here it is they give
Audience, and diſcourſe about their buſineſs.
If any has a mind to meet with any perſon
about that time, the firſt thing he does, is to
go and look for him ar this place. Here you
are ſure always to meet with a great number
of Ballad fingers, Juglers, Mountebanks, Fortune.
Tellers, and other ſuch like; who find their
greateſt profit amongſt the greateſt Crowds :
And the People do not fail to get about them,
for their Diverſion and Recreation; and amongſt
theſe, you meer with more Prieſts and Monks,
and
tha,

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 255
chan Lay.men; for after they have diſcharg'd
themſelves of their Maſſes in the Morning, there
are none more idle than they all the reſt of the
day. No ſooner are the Mountebanks got up to
their Stage, but at the ſame time (by what motive
or zeal I know not) a Monk, with a great Cruci.
fix carried before him, with a little Bell they ring,
to give Notice of his coming, mounts a portative
Pulpir prepared for him in one of the Corners of
the Place, oppoſite to the Theatre of the Rope Dans
cers, and there begins to preach ; a multitude
of People running from all parts
to hear
him.
When I firſt ſaw this, I was extreamly edified to
ſee ſuch crowds of People leave theſe Actors and
Rope Dancers, to hear a Sermon; but drawing
near my ſelf ro hear the Diſcourſe, I found that
theſe Preachers were better qualified to make the
People laugh by their pleaſant diſcourſe and Mi.
mical
Geſture, than the Merry Andrews of the
Stage. The Mountebanks play the Fool on their
Stages; and they, the Buffons and Drolls in their
Pulpits. Whilft thoſe uſe their utmoſt Effort to
fell their Drugs; theſe make Queſt in the place
which goes in the Name of Beingſ for the poor,
whom they recommend with a great deal of zeal
and earneſtneſs to their Hearers ; tho' indeed all
the Mony they gather comes into their own
Pockers. "I chanced once to be in the Company
of ſome Monks, who impudently did aver, That
theſe Sermons in the Piazza's, were a Mani-
feſt proof of the Truth of the Religion at Rome
againſt the Hereticks; becauſe in them there was
a viſible Accompliſhment of that Oracle of the
Holy Ghoſt; which we find in the firſt Chap-
ter of the Proverbs, where it is ſaid, thar Wil-
dlom cries in the publick Places:; and that it was
only

256
The Sixth LETTER,
Viſits they make to the Palaces of the great Ones
only to be found amongſt the Roman Catholicks, where
Wiſdom, that is, The word of God, made it felf to be
heard in Publick, by means of theſe Preachers of the
places.
To tell you my thoughts, Sir, I am fully per:
fuaded, that if Wiſdom do indeed cry there, it is
for Vengeance upon the horrid abuse and affront
done to his Goſpel, which is there ridiculd and
made the ſubject of their Drollery, to make peo-
ple laugh. Keither can it be ſaid, That Wiſdom
cauſeth her Voice to be heard there, with reſpect to the
perſons of the Preachers, the moſt of them being
Monks of the moſt debauch'd and rrofligare Lives
.
I knew one of them at Venice that was a moſt
wicked Wretch, who no ſooner got out of the
Pulpit, but went and ſpent the Mony he had got
at his Queſt, in infanous places, upon Whores.
The Roman Catholicks are at a loſs, whither to
berake themſelves for viſible Signs of the Truth of
their Church. They produce ſome others every whit
as pitiful as that now mention d, amongſt which
they reckon a certain Cuſtom introduc'd, in Italy,
to make little Children preach publickly in their
Churches, from Chriſtmaß till Twelf-tide. They
take pretty Children of about three or four years
of Age, and they make them get by heart ſome
ſhort Sermons upon the Birth of our Saviour,
which may laſt above a quarter of an hour'; they
ſpend much time to exerciſe them in the utterance
of them with a good Grace ; and on Chriftmaſsday
they preach them, before the Mangers t'iat are
prepared in all Churches at thar time. Theſe lit-
cle Children obſerve all the Ceremonies of reach-
ers : They begin with their Ave Maria, then
proceed to a ſhort Introduction, and airerwards
co-a Diviſion, . As ſoon as they have made an end
of

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 157
of their firſt part, they make a Queſt, and all
their Auditors give them ſomething. This done,
they preach for the Souls in Purgatory. No ſoon-
er has one of them made an end of his Sermon,
but another takes his place, and begins: And
thus they continue rill Twelf-tide. They begin
early in the Morning, and don't make an end
till far in the Night. The Mony they get at
their Queſts, ſerves them afterwards to make a
Collation with, and buy them Sweet-meats,
or other Junkers. Thus it is they educare and
accuſtom theſe young Lions betimes to the
prey, to the end (when they are grown up to
be great Preachers) they may be expert at de.
vouring the Alms, which are given to the Poor only.
Now all this pretty Intrigue is produc'd by
the Italians, as a mark' forſooth of the Truth of
their Religion, applying it to that Verſe of the
Plalmiſt, Ex ore Infantium & Lattentium perfeciſti
Laudem ; Thou haft (according to their Explication
of it) perfected the work of Preaching out of the mouth
of Infants. They ſay, that this is no where to be
found, ſave only in their Church. This gives me
an occaſion to ſpeak to you of that ſignal Mark
of their Church, of which they boaſt ſo much,
and which with ſo much vehemence they object
to the Proteſtants. viz the Miſſion of their
Evangelical Preachers, which they ſend into
Forein Countries, This I can aſſure you,
That ſhould the Jeſuits of Italy and other
Countries, of the Roman Communion, ſend
thither their Miſſionaries, porporcionably to the
Mony that is given thein for this purpoſe, all the
Fathers of that Order would not be ſufficient to
fupply the places. It is impoſſible to imagin the
immenſe Sums are given them upon this account;
This is their grent prerence, in the frequent
Viſits

258 The Sixth LETTER,
as well as to the Houſes of Widows and rich
Men, to induce them to contribute to ſo holy a
Work. And after all, they content themſelves
with ſending only a certain number of their Jeſuits,
whom they provide for, employing the reſt of
the Mony in Building thoſe ſtately Houſes, or
rather ſome fumptuous Palaces for themſelves, as
they do; (for they will not have them callid Mo.
nafteries and Convents) and with the ſame Mony
they porportionably increaſe the Renrs and Incoms
thereof. A poor Capuchin, who goes about beg.
ging an Alms, is very well content, if he gers
but wherewith to fill his hungry Belly ; but
the prerext of the Jeſuits is far more ſpecious, 'ris
for the Converſion of Souls, and one muſt open wide
one's Purſe ſtrings to them, ad majorem Dei gloriana ;
for the greater Glory of God; elſe they are not
well ſatisfied. In the mean time we fee with
our Eyes the work they made in England, in-
fomuch as their Name is become execrable and
abominable; nor ſo much for their earneft apo
plication to convert, or rather ro pervert Souls, as
for the Intrigues they carry on
to trouble the
publick Peace: For finding it impoſſible to per-
ſuade people by the weakneſs of their pitiful Aro
guments, they endeavour to put a whole Kingdom
into Combuſtion, and to ſet Proteſtants together
by the Ears, to the end, that having by their
mutual Animofities and Quarrels, plentifully
drawn Blood from each other, ſome Catholick
Prince may afterwards ſubdue them
eaſily ; and ſo bring about that by the Sword
which it was impoſſible for them to do by their
Reaſons.
This is that I was told by a Jeſuit of Milan
about four years ſince : Our Reverend Fathers, the
Jeſuits in England (laid he) prite to us, That the
more
Englim

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 259
.
Engliſh are exceeding obſtinate in perſisting in their
Hereſie ; and that the ony way of Converting them,
is totally to exterminate and root them out. This is
that therefore (continued he) for which our Fathers do
Snceſſantly labour ; and we hope within a sort time to
fee, that God has bleft their Endeavours with an anſwer-
able ſucceſs. Indeed, when I arriv'd at London,
about two years and half ago, the Feſuits were
become exceifively Incolent. Being once occafion-
ally got into Diſpute with them, and finding them.
felves pinch'd, without being able to anſwer, they
began to put it oft with Raillery; and telling me,
That all my fine Reaſonings would not hinder me from
being damnd at laſt. Another of thein more cun-
ning, and very probably more malicious too, told
me, That he had at his Lodging ſome invincible Argu.
ments ſet down in Writing, and if I would take the
pains to come thither, he would eaſily anſwer all
the Obje&tions I had made againſt him. But I had
a care of truſting fo honeſt a Man, and I con.
tênted my ſelf with telling him, That he would
do well to go and fetch his Papers, or to appoint ano•
ther place for me to meet him, than at his own Lodg.
ing. But I found him Deaf of that Ear. Soon
after;. I perceiv'd the Feſuits had forind a Deſign,
to make me leave London, and to this purpoſe, and
becauſe they could not do it openly by Force, and-
for that they found me always upon my Guard, they
ſent out a great number of Rogues and Cut throats to
dog me, who follow'd me every where, to have an
occaſion to do me ſume Miſchief ; but foraſmuch
as I never went abroad at Night, theſe good Miſ-
foneries faild of executing their Deſign ;, and
the happy Revolution, that hapned ſoon after,
obligd them to caft their Thoughts another
One thing here is remarkable, which is, Thar
way.
we

280 The Sixth LĒTI E R,
we do not find the Jeſuits ſo zealous to go to o
ther Proteftants Countries, as they are to come
for England; for we meer but with very few of
them in Swiſſerland or Germany ; the Reaſon is
Becauſe England is furniſh'd with a Charm that
is irreſiſtible for them ; 'tis a Country well ſtor'd
with Mony, and could they but once wriggle in
themſelves to be the Confeffors and Directors of
all the Engliſh Ladies, it would be a very pleaſ-
ing Employment for them. Beſides, it is well
known what kind of Life they lead here, and that
it is nothing leſs than a Penitential way of living
as they would make others believe. Wherefore
I cannor ſee how their Miſſion can be an infallible
Mark of the Truth of the Roman Religion, as
che Papiſts pretend : But ſure I am that this Mark
(if there muſt be any at this time) may with grea
ter Juſtice be attributed to thoſe zealous Prore
ſtant Miniſters, who having already ſuffered
Impriſonment and Baniſhment for the Defence of
the Goſpel, are privately return'd to France, in
the great heat of the Perfecution, and betaken
themſelves to thoſe Provinces where they were
altogether unknown, for to ſtrengthen and encou-
rage their Brethren, to preſerve in them the pro-
fefſion of the Truth, and to endeavour to raiſe up
thoſe again, who by their Frailty had renounced
it. Here, to be ſure, were no Temporal Advan.
tages for them to hope for; and they could eaſily
be affur'd, That in caſe they were taken in
the Fact, they would be ſent to the Gallies, or
condemn’d to death, as hath hapned to many
them.
But as for the Feſuits, they are ſo well perſua
ded, that they are never like to ſuffer any thing
here in England, upon the account of their Religi
on, that notwithſtanding all the Acts of Parlia-
ment,
of

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 261
ment, which are only level'd to prevent their
wicked Deſigns, they ftili concioue here very free.
ly and openly : and yet, when they are got home,
they will not be wanting to publiſh every where,
as it is their cuſtom to do, That they have been pera
ſecured, clapt up in Prilon, tormented and had cer-
tainly been pur to death, had not the Intercellion
of the Bleſſed Virgin, or of ſome Saint to whom they
have devoted theinielves,moſt miraculouſly deliver
ed them.
But 'tis time I return again to Italy, where I
find yet another fort of Millionaries, which are noe
to be employ'd in Foreign Couetries, but in Italy
it felf. Theſe are all Monks, ſometimes of one,
and ſometimes of another Order, but moſtly Ce.
puchins, and yet more ordinarily a cerrain fort of
Fryers, which are called, The Fathers of the Miſſion:
Thele after they have furniſhed themſelves with a
good ſtock of Sermons upon different Sub-
jects, they ſend to Rome, and demand a Miſſion
from the Pope ; that is, leave to go and preach
their Sermons in cerrain Towns and Provinces
with all the Indulgences and power to Abſolve in,
reſerved ; as is cuſtomarily granted on likę occas
fions.
The firſt I ever ſaw of this fort was at Mox
tefiaſcon, two days Journy and an half from Rome,
Theſe were Capuchins, who beſides their Habit,
which was very odd and antick, with their grear
Beards, they had on their Heads great red Com
lots, or cloſe Caps, to ſignifie their Zeal, and the
Red hot ardour of their Charity for the Conver-
fion of Souls: For this (if we will believe them)
is yet another Mark of the True Church ; for
even as the Holy Ghoſt did viſibly deſcend on
the Heads of the Apoſtles in the forın of Fiery
Tongues, ſo there are to this day found thoſe Heads
in

262 The Sixth LETTER,
in the Church of Rome, whom the Fire of Scarlet
diftinguiſheth from others; and that this alſo is
the Reaſon why the Cardinals, who are all Di.
vine Love, (or to ſpeak more truly, who ought to
be ſo) wear red Hats, and the Pope a Cap of
the ſame colour. Well, to return to my red Caps;
I had the curioſity to go and hear them preach;
entred the Church where I ſaw one of them in
the Pulpit, with a great Rope or Cord about his
Neck, and a great Crucifix in his Arins, who
did his utmoſt endeavour, to excite ſenſible af.
fections in che hearts of his Auditors. The chief
Aim of theſe Preachers, is, to make the People weep;
if they can once effect this, they are happy, and
this is all they deſire ; for this procures them
the Reputation of being great Miſſionaries
,
and Men of a truly Apoftolick Spirit. To
this end they make uſe of the inoſt tender,
melting, and
affectionate Expreſſions they
can think of, to draw Tears from their Hear-
ers.
The Preacher I heard at this time, was para.
phrafing the Hiſtory of the Paſſion of our Savio
our, and after he had employ'd his utmoſt skill
in ſetting forth our Saviour as the moſt lovely
and beautiful of all Men : He on the other hand
repreſented thoſe pitileſs Tormentors, who with
great Cords tied his fair Hands, white as the
driven Snow, and bear his lovely Countenance
where the Lilly and the Roſe did urge for Ma
Stery. He added to all theſe Expreſſions a moſt
lamentable and affecting Tone, with Geſtures
very proper, and according to the Subject ; 1 per-
ceiv'd that this Father was an excellent Declaimer
When on a ſudden ſome good Women, wholy
melted into Tenderneſs and Compaſſion (as were
thoſe Women of Jeruſalem, who wept ſeeing Je.
lus

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 263
ſus Chriſt carrying bis Croſs up ro Mounc
Calvary, and whom cur Saviour bad not to weep
for him, but for themſelves) caus'd their fighs to
be heard aloud ; and a few minures after, all thac
Quarter where the Woman ſar being all in Tears.
the Emotion loon cauyht amongſt the Men alſo
ſo that the whole Church was fill'd with groans,
fighs, and fobs. Whereupon the Capuchin re-
fòlv'd to proſecute his Conqueſt, catt himielf down
upon his Koees, and fixing his great Crucifix upon
the Pulpit, he lifred up both his Hands to Hea-
ven ; and with a mournful and terrible Voice,
twiſting the Cord about his Neck, as if he had
a mind to ſtrangle himſelf, he cry'd out, Mercy,
Mercy; and continued in the ſame manner, to
repeat the ſame word abour forty or fifty times,
till he made all his Auditory cry ſo after him.
Then there was a moft dreadful Noiſe heard
in the Church, which conrinu'd for a good
quarter of an hour, till their Brearhs being ſpent,
the Noiſe began to leſſen by degrees, and at laſt
ended in a great filence ; which gave occaſion
to the Father to reſume his Diſcourſe, which he
continued with the ſame tender Affections to the
end.
I don't pretend in the leaſt to blame here the
ſenſibleneſs and tenderneſs of Mens Hearts, with
reſpect to our Saviour's Paffion ; I am ſo far from
that, that I wiſh it were in my Power to make
a moſt deep impreffion thereof in the hearts of
all Men : But witha', this ſhall never hinder
me from averring, That theſe Affections do or.
dinarily paſs away like Lightning ; and that
good folid Motives laid down in a Sermon, to en.
gage People to a truly Chriſtian Life, make a
longer ſtay in a Man's Mind, and are there
Leady upon Occaſions to move the Will ; and this
is

264 The Sixth L ETT ER,
is that which theſe Miſſionaries wholly negle&.
Accordingly we don't find, that the Italians (after
all theſe Miſſions) are yer a whit the better Men.
At the end of three weeks or a Month, which
commonly is the term of theſe Miſſions, they go
with a great deal of Solemnity, and plant a great
Croſs of Wood (of about thirry or forty foot high)
on ſome eminent place near the Cities where the
Miſſion has been diſcharg'd, ad perpetuam rei memor
riam This Action is perform’d with a great deal
of Ceremony and Superftition; thither repair all,and
worſhip bare-foored, with Cords about their Necks
;
and here it is the Preacher concludes and ſeals his
Miſſion, in giving the People a good Benedim
tion, and all the Indulgences the Pope has afforded
him.
It was once my hap to meet with ſome Miffiona
ries on Mount Apennin, who came from preaching
in a City belonging to the Country of Orbain. Å
lufty Young man, who had been their Guide for
ſeven or eight Miles together, and who had carried
them on his ſhoulders over a Brook, declar'd,
That he had never found any thing more light
than they were, and that he thought they they
weighed no more than a Feather. The Hoſtels
at whoſe Houſe they had lodg’d, anſwer'd ſmiling
That this Miracle did ſurprize her the more, becauſe
she had given them a good Dinner just before thei
going away ; and if there were nothing but what they
had eaten, they must needs weigh Something. The
place where I met them was at another Inn, where
they notwithſtanding caus'd a ſecond Dinner to be
prepard for them. By this I perceiv'd, that all
theſe zealous Miſſionaries with their Ropes about
their Necks, are not always the greateſt Lovers of
Penance, herein reſembling the Phariſees, who
iho they carried the Commandments of the

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 265
Law written on their foreheads, yer were not
the ſtrictest Obſervators of it. And yer it is to
theſe kind of Miſſionaries, the Roman Catholicks
affure us, That the Gift of Preaching is particularly
communicated by the Holy Ghost in the particular
difpenfation and diviſion of his Graces and Gifts. For
my part, I ſhould rather believe, That this execel-
lent Priviledge does in the firſt place belong to the
Biſhops and Miniſters of the Churches theſe
are the true Paſtors, whom the Sheep are to hear.
Indeed we may fay in one ſenſe, That the
Miniſtry of Preaching is quite ceaſed in Italy,
where they hear in a inanner nothing elſe but the
Voice of Strangers ; I mean, of a vaſt number of
miſerable Monks, who are not Curates of Chur.
ches. Bon 4041-45 masca
I have already mention'd in one of my LET-
TERS, That during the ſpace of ſeven years that
Ilived there, I never heard any Man preach that
had Eccleſiaſtick Authority; that is to ſay, who
was either Curate or Biſhop, except only Cardi-
nal Viſconti, Archbiſhop of Milan, whoſe cuſtom
was to preach on the four principal Feafts or Holy-
days of the year, in his own Cathedral. And
yer herein alſo I found a great inconvenience i
for this Cardinal Archbiſhop, that he might preach
with the greater magnificence, and probably alſo
by a morive of Vain-glory, would not permit any
Sermon to be preach'd that day, neither in the
Morning nor Afternoon; and this in Milan, which
is a very great City, and full of people. The Church
indeed is very ſpacious, but yet I don't believe it
can contain the fiftieth part of the Inhabitants, at ſuch
a diſtance that they may underſtand the Preacher :
So that excepting only a certain number of perſons,
all the reſt are depriv'd of Hearing the Word of
God.
N
1

2626
The Sixth LETTER,
I went once to hear him preach on an Eaſtero
Daysi I could ſay indeed that I ſaw him preach,
bue I could not hear him, the found of his Voice
nog teaching-fo fan as where I was ; and becauſe
of the great crowds it was not poſſible for me to
get wear. He was magnificently apparel'd in his
his Pontifical Habiliments, with the Mitre on his
Head; and the Gulpit of that: Cathedral being
very ſpacious, thehadı ſeveral Canons that afliſted
on each ſide of him, likewiſe dreſt in all their
molt pompous Ornaments. Having therefore ſeen
him for a good while, ſhaking his Head, and calt-
ing abroad of his Hands, I went out of the
Church, without having underſtood one word
what he ſaid. And foraſınuch as I have now
made-mention of an Eaſter-Day, I cannot refrain,
Sir, from giving you ſome account of a pleaſan,
bur yet truly deteſtable and abominable Cuſtom,
which takes place on Eaſter-Day, throughout all
Italy, in reference to Preaching. They tell us
That Eaſter Day is a Day of Merriment and Re:
jojcing for Chriſtiatis, applying to this purpoſe that
Text of the Pfalmift; Hæc eft dies quam fecit Dow
minus, exulremius & lætemur in ea; This is a Dar
which the Lord hasb made, let tis be glad and rejoyce
wherein. And indeed it is at ſuch a Day; but in
another. ſenſe than they take it. Wherefore, to
make the people merry» all the Preachers on thar
Day (how grave or ſerious foever they be), mult
play the. Merry: Andrémes in their Pulpits, and ad
a kind of Comedy, that the people inayı hear the
Rreacher with the greater pleaſure and ſatisfacti.
The Sermon that is us’d to be preachd, dws
ring Lone time, in the Morning, is on Eaſtere
De made in the Afternoon ; becauſe (as the
Lacin. Proverb hath it) Venter jejunus non doo
bedatur Mufaces Ax hungry Belly takes no pleatures
01.
20

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 267
in Mufick. The word Hallelujah is a common Text
to all the Preachers on thiar Day, which word in its
proper ſignification is as much as to ſay, Praiſe the
Lord: Bur on Eaſter-Day, in Italy it ſignifies, Gen.
tlemen and Ladies, prepare your ſelves for a loud
Laughter. After they had nain'd their Text, they
enter upon Matter, and vent all the most ridicu-
lous ſtuff they can think of. Theſe Sermons after-
wards ferve all the Eaſter-time for Mirth and
Paſtime in Companies, where every one hath
delight in relating to othe's what he hathi
heard.
Being once on on Easter-Dry in Bononia, I went
to hear the Sermon ar S. Peter's Church, being the
Cathedral of that Cicy, the Archbiſhop himſelf
being then preſent. The Preacher was one of
the Fathers Soccolants. After that he had surn'd
ſeveral Texts of Scripture into Ridicule, he quo-
red the ad Verſe of the 16th Chapter of S. Mark,
where it is faid, Thar the Maries came to the Sea
pulclore, Orto jam Sole, after Sunriſing, at it is in the
Vulgar Latin ; and oppos'd this to the ift Verſe
of the loch Chapter of the Goſpel of S. John,
where it is ſaid, That they arrivd very early, before
it was yet day light ; and then put the Queſtion, how
ir were poflible to reconcile theſe two places,
which ſeein’d to contradict one another. For
his part (he ſaid) be believed, That the Maries did
nor Riſe till long after the Sun was riſon, andindeed
till it was near Noon: For me fce (ſaid he) that this
goes for very Early Riſing with our Italian Ladies, what
son's come to Maß on Sundays till it be balf an hour
after Eleven or Twelve. And hereupon he began in
a Comical manner, to repreſent a Woinans awa-
king out of her ſleep; the time the takes to rub her
Eyes, to ſtretch her Arms, and an hundred other
impertinent Follies, which put all the Church into
N 2

268 The Sixth LET T'ER,
a loud Laughter. After (for this Father was very
fertil of his curious. Thought) he recalls himſelf
,
and ſaid, That indeed the Maries were Riſen very early
in the Morning, but that they nceded ſo much time to
Dreß and Trick up themſelves, that it was very late
before they could get out of the Doors, which was the
Reaſon they could not reach-the Sepulchre till after the
Sun was riſen ; Orto jam Sole. Here he repreſen.
ted Women dreſſing themſelves-; how much time
they ſpend in dreſſing their head, and laying on
of Paint, fixing their Patches, and making an hun-
dred Faces before their Looking glaſſes ; and ex
preft all theſe particulars admirably well, with
his Mimical Geſtures. This curious Thought he
immediately back'd with another: I cry Mercy!
(ſaid he) the Maries were 12+ ſuch vain Women, as I
have been juſt now a deſcribing : But they were
Goliping Houſwives, they roje, and went abroad indeed
betimes in the Morning, but before they could take
their Leaves of their Neighbours, much time was
Jfkent; ſo that they did not come to the Sepulchre til
it was late ; Ortojam Sole. Here he enlarg d him.
ſelf on the Tatling and Goſſiping Diſcourſe of Wo.
inen, and mention'd ſuch ridiculous ſtuff amongſt
it, that the Cardinal-Archbiſhop, who was there,
burſt out into a loud Laughter. He continued his
Eaſter Sermon at the ſame rate, to the end of it,
profaning (after a inoſt henious and unworthy
inanner) lo holy a Day, and the Venerable Hiſtory
of theſe holy Women, who were judg’d worthy
D) be the firſt Witneſſes of the greateſt Myſtery of
our Faith, viz. The Reſurrection of our Lord Jeſus
Chriſt.
Another year, being at Venice on Eaſter Day,
I heard a Benedictin, that was a Genoueſe by Birth
who (amongſt a great many foolish and imper
.
tidene Stories) told this that follows, by which
you

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 269
you may judge of the reſt : A young Lady (laid he)
being newly Married, did extreamy afflict her felf
becauſe her Husband often told her, That he could
not Love her ſo well as otherwiſe be would, becauſe
fue bad not black Eyes. Whereupon fe went and
communicated her Grief to her Confefjor; the Good
Father, whom he had choſen to be her Director of
ber Conſcience, bade her noe “to afflict Tser felf, and
that if me would but bring him all the Feröbls
and Great Pieces of Gold which her husband kep!
very charily in his Cloſer, he would by his Prayer's
obtain for her of God the favour of having Black
Eyes. The Lady in the earnej deſire ſloo bad by
becoming more beautiful and pleaſing to her life
band, follow'd her Confeſſor's Dire&tion, and brought
him the Jewels and Gold, according to his defire :
But her Husband miſing them foon after, and per.
ceiving by the ambiguous and uncertain Anſwers
of his Wife, that she muſt be guilty of the Teft,
Beat her moſt outragiouſly; and to make her Con.
feſ, hope she had diſpos'd of them, made her Black -
and Blue all over with tbe Stroakr be bail giver
ber
. The poor Lady in this pitiful Condition, with
Tears in her Eyes, returned to her Confefjor, to ac.**
quaint him how ill ſhe had Sped with bis Advice,
and to Re-demand ber Jewels; but the: Confcffor
abſolutely refus’d to reſtore them to her, maintaining
That now they were his own, according to the Bora
gain and Contract made between them ; foraſmuch as
ſhe could not deny, but ſhe had obtain'd ber deſire, and
got Black Eyes with a vengeance, as indeed they were
with the Stroaks and Bittiſes her Husband had gives
ber.
What think you, Sir; was nor this a prerry
Story, to be told from a Pulpit on Eaſter Daj?
It being inoreover very probable, that this was
only an invented Tale. * Thars theſe wretched
Monks,
N 3

170
The sixth LETI E A,
Monks, inſtead of diſpenſing the Word of Truth
to the people, ordinarily feed them with nothing
bur Lies.
I ſuppoſe, Sir, you will not take it ill, if I ven.
zure upon another fort Digretlion, referring to
another pleaſant Cuſtom obſerv'd in Italy, vigi
that of Bleſſing Eggs at Eaſter, which are of grear
virtue to ſanctifie both Soul and Body. On Eaſter-
Eve and Eaſter-Day, all the Heads of Families
ſend great Chargers full of hard Eggs to the
Church, to get them Bleſt, which the Prielts
Ferforin by faying ſeveral appointed Prayers,
and making grear ſigns of the Croſs over them
and ſprinkling then with Holy.water. The
Prieſt having finifh'd rhe Ceremony, demands,
how many dozen Eggs there be in every Balon?
to the end he may know, how many of them
came to his mare; and ſometimes are ſo honelt
as to take three or four out of every Dozen, eſ
pecially when they know the perſons that ſend
them to be wealthy. There be ſome of the
poorer fort who are apt to cry, when they fee
the Prieſt take more than his due or pick allt
the fairelt or greateſt of thein. Theſe bieſt Eggs
hare the virtue of fanctifying the Entrails of the
Body, and are ro be the firſt fat or fleſhy Nouriſh-
mentthey take after the Abftinence of Lent. The
Ixalians do not only abitain from Fleſh during
Lent, but alſo from Eggs, Cheeſe, Butter, and
all white Meats. As ſoon as the Eggs are Bleſt,
every one carries his portion home, and cauſeh
a large Table to be ſet in the beſt Room they
have in the Houſe, which they cover with their
beſt Linuen, all beſtrew'd with Flowers; and
place round about it a dozen Diſhes of Meat
,
and the great Charger of Eggs in the midſt. 'Ti
a very pleaſant light to ſee theſe Tables ſet forth

Of the Abuſe of Preading, Sec. 29
08
is
in the Houſes of Great Perſons, where they expofe
on Side-board Tables (round abour the Chamber)
all the Plate they have in the Houſe, and whatſo
ever elſe they have that is rich and curious, in hon-
out to their Eaſter Eggs, which of themſelves
yield a very fair fhew ; for the Shells of thein
are all painted with divers Colours and gilt. Some.
times there are no leſs than twenty Dozen in the
fame Charger, neatly laid together, in form of
Pyramid. The Table continues in the ſame po.
fure cover d all the Bafter Week, and all that coinc
to viſit them within that time, are invited to eat
an Easter Egg with them, which they muſt not fear
füle.
I return now again to my Sermons, upon which
Subject I have this only further to add, that there
yet another ſort of Preachers, who only preach**
before the Nuns Grates. Theſe are finical Prea..
chers, of a ſweer Countenance, and cornmónly ali
of them handſom young Monks : For except Beaua
ty and Sweetneſs do meer in Preacher, the
Nuns who have the choice of them, will have none
of him. All the ſtudy of theſe Men is, to find out-
pretty Words, and the moſt tender and affection.
are Expreifions, and frequently to enlarge them.
ſelves in praiſe of the Nuns, co whom they preach.
I have heard many of theſe forts of Preachers, and
amongſt the reſt a young Monks at Milan, Preach-
ver to the Benedictin Nuns of the Monaſtery callid
the Magiore. Scarcely could this Monki(peak threes
words together-without fome expreffion of the high
value and love he had for thein : My moſt daar and
lovely Sisters, whom I love from the deepest bottom of
my heart, Said he, which was almoſt the conſtanci
Appendix of every Senrence he lumbrid : Senat
having recollected all his Sermon with my ſelf,
I found that the upſhot (in a manner) of all that
N 4
he

272 The Sixth LEITER,
he had ſaid, was, -That he loved them the most ten.
derly and affectionately that could be. When once a
Monk has the good hap to become a Preacher to the
Nuns, and that he is lik'd of by them, he may
promiſe himſelf an happy time of it ever after, and
that he ſhall ſpend the reſt of his days in a volup.
tuous delicacy and renderneſs : For the Nuns have
nothing ſo much upon their hearts, as to procure all
inanner of eaſe to their Directors and Preachers
,
to the end, to make them the more indulgent
towards them. They allow them great Penſions
every Year, they provide them with Linnen, and
furniſh them with dry and wer Sweet-meats, and
ſend them every day a diſh of what they judge-mok
pleaſing and delicate, which they call the Preachers
Diſh. So that indeed, it is no difficult thing for
aheſe handſom Monks to declare froin their Pulpits
the extraordinary Love they have for their tender
Nurſes, and to be ſo laviſh in their praiſing of
thein.
al mo bokep
This way of praiſing others from the Pulpit
,
puts me in mind of another Cuſtom the Monks
have introduc'd, to praiſe one another publickly
on certain days of the year, which is commonly
the Feaſt of their Bleſſed Founders. Thus, for
Example, on the Feaſt of S. Ignatius de Loyola,
Founder of the Order of the Jeſuits, they make
the Panegyrick of thar Saint in all their Church.
and after having enlarg‘d themſelves in the
praiſe of their Patriarchs, they proceed to that
of his Children and Diſciples, that is, all thoſe
that follow his Rule, and more particularly of
the Fathers of that Convent where the Sermon
is preach'd. But foraſmuch as according to the
common Proverb, Proprio Laus fordet in ore;
That
it is a baſe thing to praiſe ones ſelf; they employ
2. Religious of ſome other Order to preach in
es;
their

Of the Abuſe of Preaching, &c. 273
their Churches on that Day. It is a thing but too
notorious, That the Monks do mortally hate one
another ;, however, the deſire of being prais'd
themſelves in their turn, prevailing beyond their
hatred, makes them to undertake there otherwiſe
unpleaſing Panegyricks. The Dominicans do pub-
lickly praiſe the Feſuits, and the Feſuits the Do-
minicans ; and ſo for the reſt. They all agree
that theſe are the moſt difficult Sermons of all
others, and that rarely one comes off with Cre.
dit and Applauſe, partly by reaſon of the too in
ſatiable deſire of the One party, to be prais'd
beyond meaſure; and partly becauſe it goes 2..
gainſt the grain with the other, to praiſe them,
which makes one in the midſt of their Enco.
miums to diſcover ſome thing of force and con.
ſtraint, that evidenceth the falſeneſs of them.
Indeed, how is it poſſible to praiſe thoſe hear-
tily whoſe Hearts one wiſheth out of their Bo.
dies.
A Cordelier preaching the day of S. Francis
Xavier, in the Church of S. Lucia, belonging to
the Father Feſuits of Bononia, praiſed them very
pleaſantly, attributing Elogies to them, diame.
trically oppoſit to their known qualities and
practice. Do you ſee (ſaid he) the Reverend Fathers
the Jefuits of this Houſe, they are the best Men that
live on the Earth: They are as modest as Angels.
They never open their Eyes, to cast a Look upon the
Ladies at Church: They are ſuch extraordinary
Lovers of Retirement, that one never ſees them iiz
the Streets : They are ſo in love with Poverty. thit
they deſpiſe and trample on all the Riches of the
World: They never come near Dying perſons or
Widows, to importune them to be remembred in tíseir
Last Wills : They never concern themſelves in making
up of Marriages: They never go to Complcinent
the
N....

274
The Sixth LET T E R,
the Cardinal Legat, or the Cardinal Archliffhop
.
And in this in this manner he ran over every
particular of their Behaviour and Conduc: Al
that were in the Church laugh'd at this pretty way
of Commending them the Cordelier had lighted
** on ; but the "Feſuits were gall dito the heart, and
put to the utmoſt confuſion. The Cordelier having
ended lis Sermon, came down from the Pulpit;
and inſtead of going to the Jefuits Convert, there
to be Entertain'd, (according to the Cuſtom of
Preachers in the like cafe) he went directly to
the Gate; it ſeems, he fear'd their giving of him
the Lafh, and (I ſuppoſe) that to avoid their Re.
venge, he never afterwards would appear in the
City Bononia.
This, Sir, is the fubftance of what I had to
write to you, concerning the manner of Preaching,
and Behaviour ofthe Preachers in Italy: It remains
now, that I ſhould oppoſe to them the way
Preaching us'd by our Protestant Ministers; and
their profound and ſolid Sermons ; ibut left you
fhould accuſe me of being too lavinin praiſing my
own Party, I ſhall at preſent content my ſelf with
telling you, That they declare to the People the Word
of God, with a great deril of modesty and reverence's
And what is the chiefest of all, they always keep cloſe to
the Truth and Purity of the Goſpel
, in the which i
deſire to live and die. I wiſh you the ſame Grace,
and am, Sir, with all my heart,
of
Your meft bumble Servant,
C.
The

275
The Seventh LETTER,
of the Proceffions of Italy, &c.
SIR
Having paffed the Learnime Rome, I departed
thence fome Weeks after Easter, with an il-
ment of returning do France I cook any founy
through that part of the Great" Duke of Tufcum's
Country, which borders upon the Pateimony of
S. Peter, or che Popes Dominions. The Erittanice
into the Dukes Territories, is by Il ne de Caphani,
which is a very high Mounrain, ſurrounded with
many grear Woods, and is a very proper place
for Hunting ; where I ſaw ſeveral Cardinals, who
diverted themſelves at that Sporr. Froni tience
tis two days Journy to Sienne: In my way thither
I met with nothing but Praceffiours all along the
Road. Tis an ancient.Cuftom jeftabliſhed in the
Roman Churob to celebrare frequentaProceſiong after
Eafter which they call Rogations in order to implore
the Blexing of God upon the Fruits of the Earth.
The Year wherein I took this Jourry, there was a
more prefling need of it than ordinary, becauſe
of the great Drought which threatned a Ssanci.
ty.
A Proceffion according to the definition of the
Papiſts, is, A walking, ar marching of People from
*one Church do another, untler she conduet of the Priefts.
fſifting with the Croß and Banner, there so invoke,
by the interceſſion of fome he or she Sainr, he estry
ordinary alistance of God. Thele Proceflions are
Sometimes two or thvee days a marching before
they come to the place deſign'd5 and whemikey
have

276 The Seventh L ETT ER,
have once diſpach'd the ſinging of their Litaniel
they play the Fools as much as the Pilgrims in
their Pilgrimaging do, according to the account I
have already given you in a former LETTER : So
that I wanted no Divertiſement all the way from
the Rè de Cophani, till I came to Sienna, whither
all theſe Proceſſions were going. Only I found
great inconvenience when I came to my Inn;
becauſe whenever theſe Proceſſions paſs, they cauſe
great Scarcity, by reaſon of the great Numbers
that compoſe them. Being come to Sienna, I en
quir'd what Church it was to which all theſe
Devotions were deſign'd; and was told, That
they all went to a Church of Our Lady, where
they had lately uncover'd a miraculous Image of
the Virgin ; which was ouly done at the end
of every Forty years. My Curioſity invited me
to take a view of it ; but the Throng of People
was ſo great, that I had much ado to crowd in
to the Church. They told me, That this thronging
Concourſe had already continued for eight days (for lo
long the Image had been Unveiled) and that after
eight days more, it was to be Veiled again with a
great deal of folemnity. I took an exact view of
this Image, which was about a Foor broad, and a
Foor and an half high, the Countenance of it re-
preſenting that of a very young Girl ; neither
could I find anything extraordinary in it, for
which it might ſeem to obſerve the Adorations
they gave it. I enquir’d of the Prieſts that ſerv'd
this Church, What might be the Reaſon that
this Image was only Unveild once in Forty
years ? But they could give me no better than
this, That it had been a Cuſtom obfervid time out
of mind ; and that they believ'd the firſt Riſe of
it was an Order given by the Virgin her ſelf for fo doo
ing
1

Of Proceſſions, &c.
277
I have in Italy ſeen a vaſt number of theſe forts
of veiled Images ; not only of the Virgin, but
alſo of the Crucifix, and all other Saints; and I
can ſay with truth, That there is ſcarcely a Church
to be met with, which hath not two or three of
them. Sometimes we meet with great pictures in
their Churches, where ſeveral Saints are repreſented,
and amongſt them one only having his or her
Face veiled, that being the myſterious Saint. The
ſecret of which Intriegue, as far as I could pierce
into, by the uſe the Prieſts and Monks make of it,
is plainly this: They find this way admirably well
ſuited to advance their Temporal profit. The
things we ſee every day become too common
with us, and make little or no impreſſion, by
reaſon of the Cuſtomarineſs of them on our Ima-
gination. There be ſome parts of the World,
where they have ſix Months of Night, and
Months of Day; ſo that their whole Years con-
lifts but of a Day and a. Nighr. Now, we are
told, That the Inhabitants of theſe Countries, aſ-
ſemble themſelves in crowds, to ſee the ſun riſe ;
whereas in theſe Lands where the Sun riſeth every
day, we don't find People concern themſelves to
be preſent at his riſing; and by a parity of Reaſon
we may conclude, That the Images and Statues
of the Church of Rome, would make no great
impreſſion on the Minds of the people, or be
powerful enough to induce the opening of their
Purſe-ſtrings, if the Prieſts had not found out this
ingenious invention of making them more rare,
and therefore the more deſired. Yea, it ſeems
alſo, that the long time of their Veiling, begers
ſomething of a greater veneration for them,
and that the Roman Catholicks imagin, That
when after ſo long a time they are uncovered,
they meet with in thoſe Pictures, Images, and Sta
tues,

278 The Seventh LETTER,
Crs.
mues, ſomething more Auguſt and Divine than or
dinary.
In a word, They all believe and take it for
granted, that when theſe are Unveiled here on
Earth, the Saints whom they repreſent, be.
come more liberal in Heaven, and more favon.
rably inclin'd to grant their Vows and Pray.
Thus you ſee whither Superſtition, or iraus
ther Folly will run, when thoſe who ought to
be the moſt Zealous to overthrow it, I mean
the Clergy, are the chief Contrivers of ways
and methods to foſter and encourge ir. The
profit which from hence accures to the Prieſts
is very great, as you will be able to conceive
from what I fall tell you of this our Lady of
Sienna.
I ſpent nine or ten days in this City, and ſo
had the leifure frequently to viſit this Church of
the Virgin : I confeſs, I cannot give you an exact
account of the Preſents I ſaw there offer'd; and
therefore fhall content my ſelf to tell you, that I
do not believe any ſingle perſon entred the Church.
without giving fome thing confiderable. And to
encourage the People the more in their Libera-
lity, to exceed and outſtrip one another, the
Prieſts had the cunning to prepare a place Rail'd
in with Baliſters, near to the Altar of the Virgin;
where they expos'd to view part of the preſenrs
the people had offer'd. Here were to be feen a
vaſt quantity of whole pieces of Cloths and fine
Linnen, Handkercheifs, Shifts, many rich Jewels,
and in particular, a prodigious number of great
Tapers of white Virgin Wax, whereof ſome of
them could weigh-no leſs than yo pounds apiece
the leaſt of them being about four or five pound
each, with the Names of the Donors upon
them,
As for the Mony that was given, I Luppoſe the
Prieſts

Of Proceſſions, &c.
279
Prieſts put it into their own pockets, parting it
amongſt themſelves ; for tho'the people were cone
tinually pouring in Mony into the Bafons, yer
fome Hours after they were ſeen all empty. Some"
Spaniſh Prieſts, that were travelling homewards,
having preſented themſelves to ſay Maſs in the
faid Church, whilft they were in the Sexery, had
Rings preſented ro them by ſome of the Country
Gentry, who fuppofed them to be Prieſts belong-
ing to that Church; and had defired them, to get
them, faftned to ſome particular Picture ; but
they conceiv'd it more convenient, to put them
into their own Pockets, and being gor out of the
Church, profecnted their journy with a great
deal of Chearfulneſs for the Booty they had ſo
happily light on: One of them laid Merrily,
That he found no fonuple in himſelf #t all, for bate
ving committed this awful piece of Robbery, s
being in much more want than the image of the
Virgin, who had no need either to eat or drink, usi
be bad.
The following Sunday, all the Inhabitants of
Sienna and Neighbouring places met together in
different Bodies, according as they were diſtin-
guith'd by their Trades and Callings; and all of
them together made a great Proceffion to the
Church of Our Lady, every Company marching:
under its own Croſs and Banner, different from
the reſt, as under their Proper Standard. "The
Cubilers, as being inferioar to all the reft, weno firſt
of all; the Arms pourtray'd on their Banner,
were two Awls plac'd Salter-wife: Theſe were
follow'd by the Shoe-makers ; and ſo all the reſt
in their Order. After every Banner followed az
Man, carrying a great Wax Taper, which was
that of the Company, being all gift, and adorn'd
with Ribands and Flowers,
with a great Seurche-
OFT

280 The Seventh LETT ER,
on upon it. Beſides which, every Member of each
Society or Company (which the Italians call Scuole)
had their own Tapers of about three or four pounds
apiece. After the Croſs, Banner, and Taper, came
a Man in a Surplice, carrying a great Purſe, faſtned
to the End of a fine grear Staff, curiouſly gilt and
painted, which contain'd the Sum of Mony that each
Company were to preſent to theImage of the Virgin.
Some of theſe had about ten Crowns apiece in
them, and others twenty, more or leſs, accord.
ing to the Ability of each Profeſſion. In the
Purſe belonging to the company of Merchants
,
there were at leaſt two Hundred Crowns, as I
was informed by one of the Merchants them
ſelves.
All theſe Companies do not affiſt at theſe Procelli
.
ons only in their ordinary Cloaths, as having over
them great Veſts of Fine Linnen, dy'd of different
Colours, to diſtinguiſh the Companies one from a.
nother; theſe they have gixt about them with ca.
rious Girdles, and upon the Breaſt or Arms, the De-
vice or Scutcheon of their Society; and have beſides
a great Cowl, hanging down on their Backs. Af-
ter the Company of Merchants, follow'd all the Rs
ligious Orders that are in that City or Neighbouring
places, which are very numerous : They marched
according to their Antiquity or ſtanding in the Ci-
ty.
'Tis on ſuch occaſions as theſe one may be die
verted with the moſt pleaſant variety of extrava-
gant Dreſſes, that can be imagin’d: Some are
dreſt in Gray, others in Brown, and others again
in Black, &c. and all with their Frocks and Cowls
ſhap'd in different faſhions, the pattern of moſt
of which they pretend to have receivd from no
meaner a hand than that of the Virgin, or even God
himſelf. Every one of theſe Religious Orders went
under

Of Proceffións, &c. 281
under their own Croſs and Banner, the difference
only was, that their Banners were not follow'd by
either Taper or Purſe, they leaving that Ceremo-
ny to the Seculars ; as being very well pleas'd to ſee
them bring plentifully to their Churches, and are
not wanting to encourage them thereto by all the
devices and ways imaginable; but as for them, they
take ſpecial care the Seculars ſhall never be a Far.
thing the better for them.
1° It would be an eaſie matter one would think,
for the Italians to reflect a little on theſe practices,
if once they were willing ; but that it is which
purs out their Eyes, that they are unwilling to
diſcover the Cheat. For to ſpeak the truth, Sir,
what does hinder theſe Monks, that are ſo rich,
and moſt of which have great Revenues belong-
ing to them, which they ſo prodigally ſpend at
Taverns and Bawdy. Houſes ; What hinders them
(fay I) from making up a Purſe amongſt them-
felves, as well as the Seculars, and to be at the
charge of a greät Taper to preſent to the Virgin,
as well as they; but that they do not find them-
felves in the humor, to furniſh other Prieſts with
Mony, as knowing but too well, how they uſe to
fpend it? And yet, if the poor Seculars ſhould
entertain the ſame thoughts of them, they would
at the Tribunal of their Confeffion, condemn.
ſuch Reflections of great Impiecy and Sacri-
After the Monks, or Regular Clergy, follow'd
the Secular Clergy, viz. the Prieſts, Curates, and
Canons, who all appear'd likewiſe with empry
Hands. The Cardinal-Archbiſhop was ſomewhat
indiſpoſed, who (if he had been there) I am ſure
he would, like all the reſt, have affiſted all the Ce.
remony without either Purſe or Taper. Both theſe
Orders of the Clergy were followed by the Magift-
ledge.
rates

282 The Seventh LETTER,
rates of the City, and the Officers of Juſtice, all in
theirRopes of Ceremony,with their Tapers and Pur-
ſes. And laſt of all, the whole Proceſſion was con.
cluded with a coinpany of young Gentlemen and
Sword-Men.
This Proceffion marched on towards the Church
@f our Lady in very good order, at the ſound of
Trumpers and Drums, and the Air reſounding with
continual Ora pro nobis. All their Wax-Tapers and
Purfes were left in the Church in the hands of
the Prieſts, by which you may gueſs the grear
Advantage they make of theſe pageantries. For
fas the Spaniard ſaid very well) the Image does not
Stand in need either of Meat or Drink, and none but Men
can make uſe of the Mony, and other Preſents offer:d to
Two or three days after, as Children pleaſe
themſelves in imitating the Practices of their
Elders, the Boys and Girls of the Town“affem-
bled themſelves in Companies. The School-Boys
and young Girls got their Maſters and Miſtrelles
to conduct them to Our Ladies Church. They made
Purſes of about two or three Crowns apiece ; fo
that about two days after the Grear Proceſſion, one
could ſcarcely walk through the Streets of Sienna;
for the Boys had got great Cords, which they held
at both ends, ftretch'd out, to make all thoſe that
had a mind to paſs, co give ſomewhat to make up
their Purſes. Afterwards they provided themſelves
with Wax Tapers, little Croſſes and Banners, and
ſo went by way of Proceſſion to the Church; where
the Prieſts gave them a very kind reception, weeping
for very Joy, to ſee ſo good Beginning in ſuch ren.
der and young years.
The Sixth Day they covered the Image with a
pomp and magnificence altogether extraordinary;
at which time there was a great concourſe of
the

Of Proceffions, &c
thie Nobility and Genery of the City and Country.
The Confluence was ſo extraordinary, that they
were forced to ſet a Guard at the Doors of the
Church, who ſuffer'd none to enter, but perſons of
Appearance and Quality. I heard an Old Gentle
man, who with a great ſenſe of Devotion bleffed
God with a load Voice, That he had vouchſafed
him the happineſs of having ſeen the fame Miraculous
Image two and Twenty times uncover'd during his Life
time. I was ſomewhat furpriz'd at this Expreſſion
of his; for had it been true, that the Image (as
was ſaid) had not been uncover'd more than once
in Forty years, it muſt fiave follow'd, that at that
rate this Gentleman must be more Aged than
Methuſalem. But I was inform'd alterwards, That
there ſeldom paffed a year, wherein (upon ſome
emergency or other publick and need requiring
it) the ſaid Image was not uncover'd. This gave
me a full Notion of the Cuoning of the Prieſts,
who to procure the Vogue and Devotion of the
People for ſome of their Images, do Veil them,
withal, declaring them to be Miraculous, and ſo
tranſcendently Holy, that it is nor lawful to expoſe
them to publick and common View, more than
once in ſeveral years time, except it be upon ſome
extraordinary emergent Neceſſity : And yer, as
foon as they ſee that their Device has taken, that
the Devotion of the People is kindled, and that
their Profit is ſure, they fiave nor the patience
themſelves to ſtay out the time of they own pre-
fixing, before they diſcover theſe their Lucrife.
rous Myſteries ; but they lay hold of the oppor:
tunity of the firſt Drought, or Wet Seaſon; and
declare, That Neceflity having no Law; and
Fruits of the Earth being in great danger, they are
forc'd to uncover,the Image ſooner than they had
deſign d.
And

284 The Seventh L ETT ER,
And thus an Image, or Statue, which according
to the firſt Inſtitution was not to be expos’d more
than once in Forty years, is ſet forth almoſt every
Year Which proceeding of theirs is ſo far from
being ſuſpected by the deluded Lairy, that it gains
then a great deal of Reputation, and the Eſteem
of very good and honeſt Men, full of Compaſſion,
and extreamly deſirous to obviate and prevent (as
far as in them lies) all publick Calamities. The
Monks and Prieſts do both of them perfectly well
agree and harmonize in this point ; for they have
all of them ſome hidden Idol or other in their Chur:
ches, which they uncover at certain Intervals of
Time, each in their due order, without interfering
or claſhing one with another, playing Hedie mibi, erds
tibi.
In thoſe Monaſteries where the Abbats, Priors,
and Guardians are Triennial, they have taken
up the Cuſtom of vouchſafing this Favour to
the Pablick, at their firſt Arrival in the Mo.
naſtery, and this commonly either by expoſing
the Holy Sacrament for three days together, or
by uncovering ſome miraculous Image or other
.
Neither doth the Idol" loſe a whit of credit
or repute for all this, becauſe it is look'd
upon as an extraordinary Occaſion, and ceaſed
not to paſs in the Minds of the people for a
Myſtery not to he expos'd, but once in ſuch
an interval of years. This was the rare Shew
I was entertain'd with at Sienna, which at pre-
ſent is one of the moſt Superſticious Cities
that is in all Italy, and is commonly called
by way of Prerogative, and Excellence, si
enna the Devotion. This Ciry alſo is very fa-
mous for the Purity of Language, the beſt
Italian without contradiction being ſpoken
here.
After

Of Proceſſions, &c. 285
After that I had viſited all the places of Devo-
tion that are in it, I proſecuted my Journy, and
paffing a ſecond time through Tuſcany and Flo-
rence, after two great days Journy, I came to
Bononia, which is a very fine City. Formerly
this place was of common wealth ; but at pre-
ſent the Popes have reduc'd it to their Obedi.
ence, and have a Legat there, who commands in
their Name. On the great Gate of the Legate's
Palace, which is a very ancient Structure, is
a Statue of Stone, repreſenting a Woman with
a Tiara, or Triple Papal Crown upon her Head.
They of Bononia fay, This Figure repreſents
Rekigion; but it ſeems with inore probability to
be a Statue of Pope Joan : For that it is not the
former appears
from hence, becauſe the principal
Marks with which the Papiſts ſet forth Religion,
are wanting in this Statue, viz. a Croſs in the
one hand, and a Chalice with the Hot in the
other. Two days after my arrival at Bononia, I
went to take a view of the fair and renowned
Abby of S. Michael in Bofo, ſituate on a pleaſant
Hill, about two Mulquet-Mot from the City..
It ſeems to have been plac'd on that eminence,
to be ſeen and admir'd by all Italy. Above all
other places, this is peculiarly famous for the
curious Paintings that embelihh it, Carache, Guido
Rhenus, and many other fainous Painters ſeem-
ing to have depoſited in this Building the whole
curioſity and perfection of their Art, to make
it the more recommenda ble to Pofterity. The Re.
ligious that dwell here are Olivetan Monks ; they
profeſs the Rule of S. Bennet, and are habited in
White.
As I was taking a view of the painting of
the Grotto's, or of the firſt Cloiſter, which is
built with right Angles, the Abbat taking a walk
after

286 The Seventh LETTER,
after Dinner with ſome of his Religious, by an
extraordinary piece of Civilitydrew near to ine
and took the pains himſelf to explain toine
the Pictures, which repre ent ſome very confi
derabie particularities of the Life of their Legia
Slator S. Bennet. After which he conducted me!
to their Library, which is all curiouſly painted, and
furniſhed with very good and fairly bound Books,
and certainly is one of the neareſt I have ſeen
in Italy. Where being entred into Diſcourſe con-
cerning ſome of thoſe Books ; the Abbat made a
proffer to me of staying in the ſaid Abby, and
teaching Humanity and Rhetorick to his Religious;
telling me, that if I thought good to accept of it,
I ſhould be "Entertain'd at his amper Table, and enjo
a very competent Allowance. Tho' ar this tine I
had no deſign of ſtaying in Italy, and that I was
now actually engag'd in my Journy for France;
yet this occafion ſo favourably prefenting it felf,
and meeting with a ſtrong Inclination in me, to
acquire a further perfection in the Italian Tongue,
after two or three Days reſpir I Had defir'd of the
Abbat, to conſider of ir, I accepted of his Offers.
He appointed me a very good Salary, and allign'd
me twelve of his young Monks for my Pupils. 14
They were alınoſt all of them cither Earls or Mara
queſſes; for theſe Fathers receive none into their
Society, but perfons of the higheft Quality. 1
continued two whole years in this Employment;
during which time I receiv'd a Thouſand marks
of Kindneſs and Civility from my young Religious
Scholars, beſides the continual Experience I had
off the bounty and generolicy of the Noble Pres
late.
You cannor douby, Sir, but that by this means
I had the faireft:Opporuinity I could wifi for, to pe.
netrate all the Secrets of Monkery; for they kept
nothing

Of Proceffions, &c. 287
them, yet
nothing from me ; and tho I was not one of
I liv'd and .continually convers'd with
mem, neither was any thing hid from me. Wherc.
fore I may fay, without boaſting, That I can ſpeak
of the Monaſtick-way of Living upon good grounds,
which I intend to do in my next LETTER O
jou. As for this I have now in hand, as I have
already begun it, with giving you ſome account
of the Manner of their Proceffiuns, fo I intend to pro-
lecure the ſame Subjects and the rather, becauſe
I find here in this City Matter enough to ſtuff it
out, and ſuch as is very curious roo; and there.
fore hope, that the Recital I thall make of it, will
not prove unacceptable or tedious to you. I ſhall
begin with the proceſſions which are celebrared
during the O&ave, or Week of the Holy Sacra-
nent in the City of Bononiai: The Feast of the
Holy Sacrament having been inſtituted on purpoſe,
o make the Hojt $0 Triumph, as the Papifts ſay
they omic nothing that may render that Day,
and Week following, the moſt pompous and
olemn that may be. They make many fine Procef-
foes, and carry the Conſecrated Hoſt (which, they
ay, is the Living Body of our Saviour Jeſus Chrift)
through their Streers, with very magnificent Shews
and Ceremonies.
In France it is a Cuftom on this occaſion, ta
adorn the Fronts of Houſes with curious Tape-
tries, and to ſtrew the Streets with Flowers and
weer ſinelling Herbs. They erect Oratories, ar
Repofitories (as they call them) at certain di-
handes, there to repoſe the Holy Sacraments, as if
4 were very weary with the March it had raken.
They dreſs up abundance of Little Children
like Angels, to ſtrew Flowers in the Way before
is
, and to Incente it. And in a word, they make
Thouſand Idolatrous Proſtrations and Adorations

288 The Seventh LETTER,
to it. In Germany they adorn all their Streers with
the Branches of Trees on both ſides of them, by
this means turning their Cities into Parks, or
Foreſts, or rather into fine Gardens, whereof
every Street repreſents a long Walk, as far as
one could fee, all ſet with Trees and Verdure.
But Italy being the moſt ingenious of them all,
as well as the moſt Superſtitious, does by ma.
ny degrees excel all other Nations that
pro-
feſs the Roman Catholick Religion ; and the City
Bononia exceeds the reſt of Italy, in her famous
celebration of the O&ave of the Holy Sacrament.
Beſides the great General Proceſſion which is
made throughout that Cicy, the Thurſday after
Trinity_Sunday (which is the Day appointed for
their Feaſt) at which all the Clergy both Regu.
lar and Secular, with all the Magiſtrates of the
City do aſſiſt ; there are every year three Pa-
sriſhes appointed to furniſh and make the Prepara
tive for the Octave; and having diſcharged their
Turn, they are quit of that Expence for twelve
or fourteen years after, until all the reſt have
had theirs ; this being a very chargeable Office.
About a fortnight or three weeks before the Feaſt,
they barricado all the Entries of the Streets of
of thoſe Pariſhes, to hinder Horſes and Carts from
paſſing that way, that the Workmen may apply
theinſelves to their work without difcurbance.
The chief Work, and that which is moft pain.
ful, and takes up moft time, is to cover all the
Streers and Walls with Veils of Silk, which are
the Manufactory of that Ciry, and to form them
into Figures and Hiſtories. The ſevera! Pariſhes,
when their turn comes, ſtrive to ourvy one ano•
ther in ſome new Invention or other. Some with
theſe little Veils repreſent all manner of Birds
,
others all Four-foot Beaſts, inſomuch that a
Man
Of Proceſſions, &c. 289

Man cannot ſo much as imagine any whole
Figure is not to be found there. Others endea.
vour'd to reprelent in the ſaid ſilken Figures Hun.
tings, Battles, Triumphs, and in a word, an
infinite Variety of things extreamly pleaſing to
the Eye. Moreover, they expoſe to publick view
in the Streets, all the moſt curious Pictures
which the Inhabitants of thoſe Pariſhes are Maf
ters of, nor excepting the profane ones them-
felves; amongſt which are to be ſeen many infa-
mous naked Pičtures and Groteſques to cauſeLaughter.
The Bononians are extreamly curious in Pictures
all their Cloſers, Halls, and Chambers are full
hung with them; and foraſmuch as they expoſe
them to publick view at this time, Travellers
meêr with the facisfaction of ſeeing very rare
and curious Pieces of Art. Over and above all
this, Altars are erected almoſt in every corner
of the Streets ſet forth and adorn'd with Sra.
tues, Images and Veſſels of Gold and Silver
and upon every Altar there is always a repre.
ſentation to the Life of fome Myſtery of our Rea
ligion, or of ſome Saint. The Houſes of the
Lords of thoſe Pariſhes that furniſh the Ornament
of the Feaſt, are open to all; As long as this
Feaſt laſts, they take care to adorn their Cham-
bers the moſt fumptuouſly they can, and to ex.
poſe all their Riches to view: There be ſome
of them ſo ſplendid and liberal, to beſtow
cooling Liquors, called Sorbett, and upon all
comers, or at leaſt upon all perſons who appear
never ſo little contiderable, and in their Courts
or Gardens, they have Fountains Running with
Wine in great abundance for the Common People.
All things being thus prepared, the Proceſſion
begins; This is a Work on which the Prieſts ex.
hauſt their Invention, and rack their Brains to
o
bring

290 The Seventh L ETT ER,
bring forth fomething new and unlook'd for, that
may pleaſe Spectators. They dreſs up a great
many Little Children like Angels, with Wings at
their Backs; they make very lively Repreſentati
,
ons of all the Figures and Types mention'd in
the Old Teſtament, which they conceive did
prefigure their Holy Sacraments; as Abraham's Sa-
crificing his Son Ifaac, the Offering of Melchifedeck,
the Shew. Bread, the Paſchal Lamb, &c. They
, repreſent all the Prophets and Sibyls, that have
Propheſied of our Saviour : And laſt of all, they
make a fhew of the Bleſſed Virgin, the Twelve
Apoſtles, and our Saviour, who follows them with
a Loaf in his Hand, as if he were about to break
ir as he did at the Celebration of his Holy Sup.
per. Beſides theſe, they alſo give us the Repreſen-
stations of many of their He and She Saints which
were moſt devoted to the Holy Sacrament; as S.
Thomas Aquinas, S. Anthony of Padua, S. Roſe of Vi
Berbo, &c. All theſe they repreſent not in Figures
to the Life, but Living Figures, that is young
Boys and Girls, chuſing the prettieſt and handſom.
eſt they can meet with. Above all, I took notice
of many Little S. John Baptiſts amongſt them.
To repreſent theſe S. John Baptifts they take Little
Children of four or five Years of Age, ſtrip them
ſtark Naked, and put nothing upon them beſides
a colour'd Riband, which like a Belt reached from
cheir Right Shoulder to their Left Thigh, ſo as it
doth not hinder theirNakedneſs from being expos'd
to publick View. It is not now only, that the
* Italians are accus'd of equally loving both Sexes ;
ſo that no Body needs to be ſurpriz’d at
their having ſo great a Devotion to theſe Little
S. Johns ; of whom I very well remember, I coun-
ted no leſs than Twenty in one Proceſſion, fol
.
lowing one another. In one Hand they hold
a

of Probelions, &c. 29
a great Croſs, made of Reed, and very light-;
and with the other, they lead a little Lambin
a String. After all this Pageantry ; follow the
Prieſts in magnificent Habits, and next to them
follows the Holy Sacrament, which is carried un-
der a rich Canopy, ſurrounded with an infinite
number of young Boys and Girls, attir'd like
Angels, who all the way ſtrew Flowers before it.
Near to the Canopy there is always an excellent
Company of Muſicians, who ling Hymns and Songs
of the Holy Sacrament, being thoſe the Church
of Rome has compos'd ſince the Council of Trent,
in honour of it. The Canopy is follow'd by the
Principal Men of the Pariſh; and after them, to
fhut up all, a vaſt crowd of People of all ſorts. In2
this manner they Walk our Lord (to uſe their own Ex-
preſſion) throughout all the Streets of the Pariſlı;
but yet ſo, as to give him leave to expofe himſelf at
the End of every Streer, on the Altårs erected for
that purpoſe.
When the Proceſſion is ended, they do not for
all that take away the Adorning of their Streets,
but leave them whole and entire for many days;
to give the Citizens leave to view them at their
leiſure, and to walk the fame Round the Pro-
ceſſion took ; for in ſo doing they believe they
Mall merir much, "and obtain great Indulgences.
All the Sbirries of the Legar and Archbiſhop, do
guard all theſe Pageants all Night, to prevent
the ſtealing of them. And it is chiefly at Night,
that the Gentlemen and Ladies of the Town
walk abroad to take a view of them, becauſe
then they make the fineſt Shew; all the Streets
being illuminated with a vaſt number of white
Wax. Tapers, ſer thick in every corner which
very much exalt the fplendor of thoſe rich
and
pompous
it is court
02
their

232 The Seventh L ETTER,
otheir Miſtreſſes and Aſiignations, and diſpatch
Notes to one another, and in the end, always ſome
miſerable Wrerch or other is left a cold Victim on
the ground to the Revenge of his Enemies, or
the Jealouſie of his Rivals. All the Ladies of
pleaſure, in a particular manner, never fail of
coming thither towards Evening, where they con.
tinue till they have got their prey. In a word,
it appears that the moſt innocent are thoſe who
repair thither only to ſatisfie their Eyes, or pleale
their Curioſity ; for as for Devotion, there is
not ſo much as the leaſt ſhadow of it to be dif-
cern'd amongſt them. Thus are theſe fine gaudy
Feaſts, inſtituſed on purpoſe to confound the
Proteſtants, within a Mort time, by a juſt Judg.
ment of God become the Thame and confuſion
of Papifts themſelves; and I have reaſon to fear,
that our Lord Jeſus will tell them to their faces,
at the Great Day in which he will come to
judge both the Quick and the Dead, that his
Soul has abhorr'd the Feaſt, and that their Incenſe
has been an Abomination unto himn ; becauſe in.
tead of advancing his Glory by them, as they
ſeem to pretend, they have only endeavour'd to fa.
tisfie their own Curioſity, Vanity, and infamous
Luſts.
I have been a Spectator of many other Proceſ.
facns, made in honour of the Holy Sacrament at
Venice, Milan, and other parts of Italy; but I will
not take up time to give the particulars of them,
becauſe they generally are the ſaine thing over a.
gain; except only, that their Adornings of the
Streets are not ſo curious, neither continue ſo long
a time as thoſe at Bononia. I cannot find that
the Prieſts reap any great Benefit from thele
Proceſſions, but on the contrary are at the Charges
of Adorning their Churches and Altars : But howv•
ever

Of Procesſions, &c.
291
ever, they hereby gain much credit and repute to
their Priesthood and Maſſes ; and they appear at
them with ſo much Maleſty, and dreſ will
ſuch pompous Ornaments and Habiliments, that
it makes the People conceive a greater Venera.
tion for their Perſons. However they know well
how to repay themſelves this Charge they are a“.
upon other Occaſions : 'Tis bur Unveiling one of
their Miraculous Images, when they hare a mind
to Reimburſe themſelves double and treble. And
probably 'tis for this very reaſon, that at Bononia
(a ſhort time after the Octave of the Holy
Sacrainent) they make that great Ceremony
and Proceſſion of our Lady of S. Luke. To gire
you ſome Idea of it, I thall tell you that about
fire Miles from Bononia, upon an high Hill called
the Mount de la Guardia, ſtands a Church, wherei:
is kept an Image of the Virgin, which the Papiſts
tell us was painted by S. Luke himſelf. The Prieits
have fo beftirr'd themſelves, as to perfuade the
Magiſtrates to put the City under her protection,
giving her the Title of Their Patronefs and
Conſervatrix; l'aircna- Conſervatrix Bononia.
They have cauſed a Coin to be ſtainpr in honour
of her, which on the one fide bears the Repre.
ſentation of the Image pretendedly painted by
S. Lake; and on the Reverſe the Arms of the
City, which piece of Mony they call a Madonni i?,
The Magiſtrates have made a Vow, to go and
fetch this Image every year, and carry it in Pro.
ceſfion : They bring it from Mount de la Guardia
to the Town, to the end ſhe many bleſs its Inhabi.
tants.
Many days before this Solemnity, great Prepara-
tions are made to fetch her off in triumph. Hav.
her into the City, they make her ſtay there
8 Days, during which time they remove her to two
ing got
O 3

294 The Seventh LETT E R;
or three Churches. Where the People flock in
throngs to viſit her, and offer great Preſents, all
which accrue to the profit of the Prieſts of thoſe
Churches. After that they have ſufficiently idoliz'd
this Image, or Picture, they oblige her to give her
Bleſſing to all the People. To this purpoſe they
faſten ihe Picture to great Sraves or Poles, ſupporr
ed by Mel; and lifting it up on high, they make
it bow and incline towards the People, as if the
ſalured them. This done, they lift her up a little
higher, and incline her downwards again; and
then ſtoop her down towards the Right and Left
,
that ſo ſhe may may make the ſign of the Croſs
over all the People that are preſent; and this, for
ſcoth, is her Bleifing of the People. To receive
this Benediction with the greater Reverence; all the
People are down upon their Knees, with their Faces
bow'd down to the ground. All this while the
trumpers and Drums do wonders. And after this
Ceremony is over, ſhe is conducted back again, in
the famę Procesſional way, to the place of her a.
bode, where ſhe continues all the year after, ex-
cepring ſome publick Calamity oblige the Magi.
ſtrates to permit the bringing of her extraordinari
ly to rl e City in Proceſſion; for in that caſe they be.
lieve ſhe will not fail of redreſſing all the Evils they
can lye under. Every Saturday there is a vaſt con
courſe of People comes to this Image from the City
of Bononia, and adjoyning places.
To make the Way more commodious for thoſe
devout Pilgrims, the Bononians, have undertaken to
make a covered way, which begins at the Gate of
the City, and is intended to be carried on to char
of the Church, where the Image reſides. Above
half of this Way was already finiſhit, when I was
there. The whole is compos'd of great Portico's
of Brick, very large and high Rooft, the Roofs be-
ing

Of Proceffions, &c. 295
ing all curiouſly painted; and the bortoin is paved
very neatly with great ſquare Bricks. When this
Portal is finiſh'd it will be one of the moſt curious
pieces of Workmanſhip that is in Italy. Many par.
ticular Noblemen have ſignaliz'd their Zeal for
carrying on of this Work, having each of thein
made ſeveral Arches of it at their own Chara
ges, on which they have cauſed their Arms to be
painted. But in the mean time, tho' this Work be
already ſo far advanced, yer ſome are afraid they
ſhall never ſee it brought to perfection; becauſe
the remaining part is the moſt difficult to compaſs,-
and will coſt much more than what is already
done ; for this Portal is now to be carried on up
the Mountain, till it reach the Church of Our Lady,
on the Top of it ; and to this end they muſt be oba
lig'd to dig very deep, to find firm Ground whereon
to lay a ſolid Foundation. A good Corno perceira
ing, the Devotion of contributing to this vaſt Exo
pence began to grow cold, found out a very ingenio
ous way to excite the drowzy and lethargic Charities.
of the People, making uſe of the following Device:
He acquainted his Pariſhioners, Thät le fele hin-
Self inſpir'd by the Virgin, to make a Proceſſion to the
Miraculous Image withe Twelve Wagons loaden with
Materials, for carring on this Stručture ; be deſired
them to show their Zeal in contributing to ſo good a
Wik; ants that for his part, he would take care to
range the- Proceſſion in order, according to the Model
the Virgin bad been planſed to give him in a Dream.
His «Pariſhioners very punctually executed the Ore
ders he had given them, lading four Wagons with
Bricks, four with Lime, and four with Sand. The
Carnte ſeeing their forwardneſs, ſent every where
for Flower and fweer Herbs to cover the Waggons,
and to make Garlands for the Oxen that drew them;
he
got their Horns and Hoofs to bę gilt, and ſer
O
himſelf

296 The Seventh L ETT E R,
himfelf at the Head of this Convoy, with a Croſs
and Banner, having procur'd ſeveral young Girls
with Timbrels in their Hands to play upon them,
and Dance about the Wagons, as David did before
the Ark. In this Equipage he paſs’d through all
the Streets of the City. He had the Approbation
of the Italians, who are much delighted with new
and well-contriv'd Inventions,and eſpecially where.
in Women or Girls come to play their parts. The
good ſucceſs this Curate met with, belides the ge.
neral Approbation, put all his Brethren upon doing
ſomething in imitation of him, and, if poffible, to
go beyond him. So that about a Fortnight after
there was to be ſeen a general Proceſſion of all the
Pariſhes with above 200 Wagons loaden with Bricks,
Lime, and Sand, drawn by Oxen with gilded Horns
.
I never ſaw a more extravagant Proceſſion than this
was, nor a more pleaſant one. The march advan
ced in very good order, with Crefjes, and Banners,
Prieſts, and ihe Girls that Danced, towards our La:
dy of S. Luke, and help'd to build a great part of
that Pertal. As ſoon as it is finiſhed, they will be able
to go (at all Seaſons, and in all Weathers) from
Bononia to the place of Devotion, without wetting
or dirting theinſelves, any more than if they were
in their own Houſes.
But that I may not wander too far from mySub-
ject of Proceſſions, I fhall further acquaint you, That
the Monks do far excel the Prieſts in their Invention
on theſe Occaſions. There is ſcarely an Holiday
or Sunday paſſerh over their heads, without ſome
Proceflion or other made in their Monaſteries,
The Dominicans inake a Proceſſion of the Roſary
every firſt Sunday of the Month, and the ſecond
Şundays the Carmelites make one in honour of the
Scapulary; the third Sundays, the Soccolanti celebrate
2. Proceſſion in honour of S. Anthony of Padua.
lis

Of Proceflions, &c. 297
Tis in theſe Monkiſh Proceffions that all is puc in
practice, wherewith Lewdneſs and Vanity are
capable of inſpiring the inoſt looſe and effeminate
Souls ; ſo far are they from being Religious, and
fitted for Devotion, as they pretend them to be
By the ſmall taſte I ſhall here give you of them,
you may be able to judge of all the reſt. I ſhall
begin with a Proceſſion of the Roſary, which I ſaw
ar Venice, made by the Dominicans of Caſtello, which
was order'd in this manner :
Next after the Croſs and Banner, went about
2 or 3 Hundred little children, drejt like Angels,
and others like little he or ſhe Saints, amongſt
which they did not forget to place a good number
of little $. Fohn Baptiſts : Theſe were follow'd by
thirty or forty young Women, repreſenting ſo many
Saints of their Sex. One of them repreſented S.
Apollina ; and to diſtinguiſh her from the reſt Me
carried in her hand a Bafon gilt and enameld, it
which there were Teeth ; another repreſented S.
Lucia, and carried in a Baſon two Eyes; a third S.
Agnes, who carried in her Arins a living Lamb;
and ſo of the reſt, every one of them being cha.
racterized by their Marks of diſtinction. There
were ſome of them that were prepar'd on purpoſe
to make people laugh, and above all the reſt, a
Saint Genevisve, who had a lighted Wax Taper in
one hand, and in the other a Book wherein the
read, or at leaſt made thew of doing ſo ; and
round about her there were ſeven or eight young
Boys dreit like Devils, all over black as a Conly
with great long Tails, and very extravagantiaid
ridiculous Countenances, and great Horns on
their Heads; theſe skipped about the Saint, and
made a thouſand ridiculous poſtures, Apiſh cricks
and faces, to endeavour to diſtract and divert her
from reading of her Breviary, by making of her
O 5
laug!
298 The Seventh L ETT E R

laugh. The Maiden who acted the perſonage of
this Sainr, had been choſen by them on purpoſe of
a Melancholy temperament, who accordingly act.
ed'her part very well; ſhe always kept her Eyes
fix'd on her Hours, without giving the leaſt, ſliew
of a Smile ; tho' all the Spectators that were pre ,
ſent could nor contain themſelves from burſting our
into loud Laughter, to ſee the ridiculous poſture
thoſe ligle Devils put themſelves into ; and who
were certainly moſt impudent and pickel'd Youths;
foraſmuch as many times they make a few of ta-
king up their Coats. This Saint was follow'd by
another, as if to make the people laugh as the
former ; this was a S. Catherine of Sienna, who
had by her fide a pretty little Boy, with a Broom
in one hand, and a pair of Bellows in the other;
for they hold, that this Saint (who was a Religious
of the Dominican Order) had ſo great a Familiarity
with the Child Jeſus, thar that Divine Infant,to eaſe
when ſhe was weary, frequently came and ſwept
her Chamber, and kindled her Fire. After theſe
good ſhe Saints came all thoſe whom they call
Figures
, comprehending all thoſe Holy Women,
who according to them did repreſent the Bleſſed
Virgin in the Old Teſtament; they were carried
upon Frames on Mens ſhoulders. Amongſt the reſt
there was Jacl to be ſeen in her Tent, with Sifera
lying at her Feet, who was a beautiful young
Youth, dreſt in the Garb of a Warrior, and Me
with a great Nail and Hammer, making thew as
if ſhe had been ready to pierce his Temples:
After this Figure came a Dalilab, fitting in an El-
bow.Chair with a comely Youth between her
knees ; ſhe had a pair of Sciſſors in her Hand,
if ſhe had been about to cut off his Locks,
theſe appeareth Judith:. This was a fine Figure
indeed ; for on the Framę wliere Mę was, there,

as
After
were

Of Proceſſions, &c.
299

were above rwenry perſons, it being the repré-
ſentation of Judith's return to Bethuliah in Tri-
umpth with Holofernes his Head, when the Prieſts
and People came out to meet, and ſung a Song
in praiſe of her. This Judith was one of the moſt
beautiful young Women of Italy, and very laſ
civiouſly dreſt; round about her (upon the ſame
Frame and Pageant) they had placed ſeveral excel-
lent Muſicians, who ſung moſt raviſhing Stanza's
in honour of her. The following Pageant, as if
they had a mind ro oppoſe Deformity to Beauty,
ſupporting a good Old Woman, without any Teeth
in her Head, and very deformed; who murter'd
fomething within her Gums, and repreſented
Hannah the Mother of Samuel, I was aſtonish'd
to ſee a Woman of her Age would truft her ſelf
on a Pageant. She was followed by many more
Pageants, which were in all Eighteen in number,
with their different Figures : But I fhall not
inlift upon a particular deſcription of any more
of them, that I may not tire you our; and ſhall
only tell you, that the laſt of them all was the
Truth of all theſe Figures, and the Perſon cypified,
vize the Bleſed Virgin, who was repreſented by a
very comely and beautiful Maid, very richly
dreſt, with a grear Royal Robe ; fhe held a
great Rofetaring or Bead-row in her left Hand, and
in her right Hand a Scepter. She had a rich
Crown
upon
her Head, ſerthick with Pearls and Dia.
monds,
People of Quality in Italy take it to be a Merito-
rious piece of Service to accomodate the Saints of
both fexes with their richeſt Jewels, at theſe Proceſ.
fions; which is the reaſon, that very frequently
on theſe Occaſions great Riches are expos'd to
view.
I obſerved, that when this young Woman,
whe


300 The Seventh L ETI ER,
who repreſented the Bleſſed Virgin, paſt by, car-
ried on a Pageant, no Body ſtirr’d their Hars, no
Body bow'd themſelves, or fell down to worſhip
her, or call upon her; but a little while after,
when the Wooden Image of the Virgin came to
paſs by them, (which is the ſame that ſtands on
the Altar of the Chappel of the Roſary of the Domi.
nicans of Caſtello) all the People fell down on their
Knees, and beating their Breaſts, called her the
Mother of God, and prayed to her. They made
her, at certain diſtances, to beſtow her Salutati-
ons and Benedictions upon the People, in the
ſame manner I related to you, ſpeaking of the
Lady of S. Luke of Bononia, and which were
received by them with a great deal of Acknow-
legment, as a very great Favour. Having ap-
ply'd my mind to find out the Reaſon, why the
Papiſts do not pay their Adorations to living
Figures, tho' they indeed repreſent the Virgin
more naturally, than a piece of Stone or Wood
can do; and yer are ſo exact in beſtowing them
on their Inanimate Statues : After having ſpent
fome Thoughts upon it, I could not light upon
any other Reaſon but this, That Human Nature
having a kind of Horrour impreft upon it, of ren.
dring to the Creature a Worſhip, that is due to God
only, all Living Figures, and eſpecially thoſe of Men
and Women, do more fully diſcover to the Senſe their
weak dependant Creatural Being, than Inanimate
things do, in which they ſuppoſe there is ſome ſecret
adherent Divine virtue. Tho' to speak the Truth,
this is no other than the higheſt pitch of Folly, and
the root and riſe of all Idolatry. But I return to our
Proceffion.
This Image of Wood was carried in the midſt
of the Fathers Dominicans, who were the num.
ber of about an Hundred; for they having many
Convents


Of Proceſions, &c.
301
Convents in Venice, they are ready to aſſiſt one
another upon the like Occaſions. Nothing can
be imagin’d more looſe and laſcivious than they
appear'd in all their Deportment; they had great
Roſaries on their Arms, and there was none of
them that troubled himſelf to ſay them, except it
were fome old Father amongſt them, that was
going out of the World, and was no more fir to
make any Figure in it; but all the reſt of them
ftrurred and march'd in the moſt wanron manner
in their fine white Habits. All the way they
went the they talk'd and laugh'd together,
caſting their Eyes this way and that way on the
Ladies that look'd out at the Windows, or ſtood
in the Streets, to ſee the Proceſſion march a-
long.
I do not think, Sir, it will be neceſſary for
me to deſire you to inake ſome Reflection on
theſe kind of Proceedings; becauſe you cannot
but take norice from the Recital I give you,
what all theſe Proceſſions aim at. Certainly, they
are at the beſt no better than Entertainments for
Children, or rather ridiculous Farces to pleaſe
Fools; but which at the ſame time expoſe the
Chriſtian Religion to the reproach and deriſion
of Atheiſts and Infidels. Some Perſons reported
to me of a truth, that they had overheard ſome
Turkiſh Merchants who were Spectators at this
Proceflion, ſaying to one another, Have you ever
ſeen the like extravagant Fooleries ? And, must not
a Man be bereft of his Senſes, before he can ever be
perſuaded to embrace ſuch a Religion? The Papiſts
boaſt themſelves in this, as an infallible Mark
of the Truth of their Religion, That there is ng
one Chriſtian Society in the World, that take more
pains for the Converſion of Infidels, and who are
blest with greater ſucceſs in that Undertaking, than
themſelves



302 The Seventh L ETTER,
***
themſelves. But ſuppoſing all they ſay be true, yer
I am ſure it may ſaid, with much more
Truth, That there is no Christian Church in the
World, is a greater obstacle to the Converſion of
Infidels, than theirs is ; and that for one whom they
Convert, they hinder a Million from being Converted,
who probably might come to the Light of the Goſpel,
had they not been Eye witneſſes of the groſs Folly
and Idolatry of their pretended Religious Practices:
Yea, they are even found in the uſe of theſe things which
make their own Roman Catholicks of Foriegn Coun.
tries to Blups for them, when they are told of it. The
Engliſh Papiſts look upon ſuch Relations barely, as
Exaggerations and Calumnies deviſed by their
Enemies, to blacken them. All that I can ſay
to this ſort of People is, That if they pleaſe to go
to Italy, their own Eyes will be able to convince
them of inore and greater Extravagances, than
thoſe I have related to you
to you in any of my
LETTERS: The very fame Follies were form.
erly in Vogue and Practice in France ; but the
fight only of the Protestants that were mingled
amongſt them, have made them drop a good num.
ber of them. Thus by a ſpecial effect of the
Goodneſs of God, the Preſence only of Proteſtants
carries a kind of Bleſſing with it, which fecretly
reproves and corrects Vice, confounds Error, and
inſpires Truth.
I will add to this Proceſſion I ſaw at Venice,
another I have ſeen at Milan: This was cele.
brated by the Carmelites, in honour of the Little
Scapulnry, wherewith I have entertain d you in a
foriner LETTER; and that I may not trouble
you with Repetitions of the Angels and Figures
,
which were of the ſame kind, as thoſe I have
already given you a deſcription of; I fall only
take notice to you of ſuch Particulars as were
ſingulas

Of Proceffions &c. 303
fingular, and different in this Proceſſion from thoſe
before related. One thing very remarkable in
this Proceſſion was, That moſt of the young Gen-
tlewornen of the Town affiſted at it in their
richeſt Cloaths, and adorn’d with all their Jewels.
They marched four in a Rank, with great white
Wax Tapers in their Hands, and all the way they
went, ſung the Pſalıns and Hymns to the Bleſſed
Virgin, that are uſed in the Roman Church. The
Women in Italy are not wont to Sing in their
Churches, it being forbidden them, except thoſe
only who are of ſome Religious Order. However,
the Carmelites made bold to introduce this piece
of Novelty, either to give themſelves the ſatiſ-
faction of being charm'd with ſo many ſweet
Voices, or at leaſt to flatterand pleaſe the Humor
of the Milan Gentlemen, who were extreamly
pleas'd with the Device. They were rang'd on
both ſides of the Street, to ſee the young Ladies
paſs by, who went with Naked Breaſts, and with
an Air of Wantonneſs, properto inſpire their Lovers
with a Devotion indeed, but very different from
what was pretended.
Is was about an hour and half in the Night
when the Proceſſion began to ſet forth, and the
Light of the Wax Candles and Torches, nuch
advanced the luftre of the Beauty and Ornaments
of this Choice Band. All the way they paſt, the
Streets rung with nothing but, Ay, this is a fine Shem
indeed ! O, the lovely Proceffion! See, how gracefully
the Lady of N. carries her Taper! What a maje,
ſtick and becoming Gate that Lady has? O, the
charming Voice of this ſweet One bere ! Others again
in öre impertinent than the former, cait out words
to them (as they paſs'd by) of a double meaning,
which in the inidſt of ſo holy an Exerciſe, as (for.
ſooth) they will needs have it to be, were pregnant
Inſtances of the profaneſs and filth of their Hearts.
After

304 The Seventh L ET 7 E R,
After the Ladies, came the Fathers Carmelites, two
and two together ; ſo that this whole Proceffion
was only compos'd of Women and Monks, with as
wooden Image repreſenting the Virgin, which
brought up the Rear,and to which all the Spectators:
paid their Adoration, kneeling down in the Streets
when it paſſed by, to receive Salutations and Be:
nedictions, which the good Fathers Carmelites, that
bore the Statue, made her beſtow on the people.
The Monks and Prieſts pleaſe themſelves ex-
treamly in making ſuch like Proceſſions in their
ſeveral Churches; becauſe it is upon theſe Occa-
fions that they appear with a pomp and luſtre,
that dazles the eyes of the people, and makes
the ſimple imagin they diſcern ſomething in their
Perſons that is more than Human ; tho' indeed all
this be at the bottom no more than a fooliſh
Vanity, and a pure Illuſion of the Spirit of this
World. We don't find them ſo zealous for, and
ready to aſſiſt at thoſe Proceſſions, that have any
thing that is painful annexed to them: and at
which the Ladies cannot conveniently aſſiſt. This
is what I obſerv'd at Milan, at the time of the
Rogations that are kept in Aſcention Week, 'Tis a
Cuſtom obſery'd in all Countries that are of the
Romiſh Communion, ro make Proceffions the
three Days before Holy Thurſday; that is to
ſay, to go with Oroſs and Banner from
one Church to another, to ſay their Pray.
Now at Milon this Proceſſion begins not till
an hour after Midnight, and doth not end till
the next day at two of the Clock in the After-
All the Prieſts of the City, and adjoyning
places are bound to aſſiſt at them, not excepting
the Stranger Prieſts that are in the City. They
muſt percilely meet at the Hour appointed, at
ers.
noon.
the

Of Proceffions, &c. 305
the ſound of the great Bell of the Cathedral, in
order to range themſelves under the Croſs and
Banner. But becauſe the great Allurement is
wanting in theſe kind of Proceſſions, the Prieſts
had rather ſleep far in the Day, than to take the
pains to aſſiſt at them: But the Cardinal Archbi.
ſhop, tho' he does not care for going himſelf, has
at laſt found out a way to make them go, tho?
foré againſt their Wills; for by his Order alſ
the sbirries of the Archbiſhoprick being joyn'd
with thoſe of the Town, to the number of an
Hundred and Fiſty, armed with Blunderbuſſes,
Piſtols, and Bayoners, divide themſelves into
ſeveral ſmall parties of five or lix rogerher, and
go the Round through all the Streets of the City,
to look for the Prieſts that are abſent froin the
Proceſſion ; they go and ſearch for thein in
their very Houſes, and in caſe they find any, they
tye their Hands together on their Backs, and
in this Infamous manner drag them to the Arch-
biſhops Priſons. When they are come to the Pri-
ſon Gates, then the Sbirries ſearch their Cloaths
and Pockers, and after having very Abuſively
treated them, they take from them all they find
about them, and thruſt them down into a Dun.
geon ; where they remain, till they be ſummon-
ed to appear in the Archbiſhops Court ; where
at laſt they are acquitted, after a ſmall Reproof,
and a Mulet of twenty Crowns to the Arch-
biſhop. The Prieſts ſeeing that there was no
way of exempting themſelves from aſſiſting at
the Proceſſion, found out the ſecret however,
of making it ſomewhat more ſweet and eaſie to
them.
The Proceſſion goes in one Morning only to
ten or twelve Churches, where they enter, and
ſtay for ſome confiderable time, to ſing theirs
Litanies;

306 The Seventh LETTER,
Litanies ; but foraſmuch as the Prieſts, by reaſon
of their great Numbers, cannot all enter into the
fame Church, the far greater part of them be.
ing oblig'd to ſtand abroad in the Street, about
the Church; but they not liking this Waiting
abroad, found a means to take up allthe adjoyn.
ing Taverns and Victualing-Houſes, and there
make much of themſelves, whilſt their Brethren
were Singing in the Church ; and after they
had well ſolac'd themſelves, went and reliev'd
their Brethren, giving them an occaſion to do
as they had done ; and by this means the Office
was diſparch'd with much more Courage and
Vigour. But the thing in it ſelf being lo baſe
and ſcandalous in the Eyes of the Seculars, and
fome Complaints having been made of their dif.
orderly Carriage to the Archbiſhop, he order'd
ſome thirty of his sbirries ſhould always Coaſt
about the Proceſſion, and ſearch all the Taverns
for Prieſts, and if they find any, to drive them
thence; ſo that the poor Prieſts being ſo nearly
watch'd, are debarrd of the opportunity of
refreſhing themſelves with a Glaſs of good
Wine. However this doth not hinder, but that
ſome of them take care to have a Bortle of
Wine in their Pockers, or ſome other Conve-
nience under their Surplices ; and when they
have a mind to a Supper, they pray ſome of
their Brethren to ſtand round them, and ſtoop.
ing a little, that they may not be perceived by
the Sbirries, they very dexterouſly refreſh them.
ſelves, in ſpight of the Machinations of their
Enemies.
When the Proceſſion enters into any Churches
belonging to Monks, the Priefis ger themſelves into
the Convent which joyns to it, where the Monks?
(that any of them are acquainted with) treat them
with

Of Proceſſions, &c.
307
with Meat and Drink, as much as they deſire ;
and here they are ſecureit from the Search of the
Sbirries, who have no power to look for them there ;
and ſhould they attempt ſuch a thing, would find
bur a very bad Welcom. As ſoon as the Proceſſion
is arriv'd to a certain Church,
a certain Church, ſpecified by the
Archbiſhop, the Twelve Eccleſiaſtical Præfests of
the Twelve Gates of Milan, which are all Arch-
Prieſts, and who have the Inſpection of all the Clergy
divided amongſt them, aſſemble themſelves in ſome
great place, and every one of them having a Lift
of all the Prieſts that are under his Juriſdiction,
they read their Names aloud one after another,
being all of them obliged to anſwer to their Names,
and preſent themſelves. If any one be found wante
ing, the ſame day a Nore is ſent to his Houſe, to
pay the Twenty Crowns mulct for his Abſence.
The whole Ceremony being finiſh'd, the Proceſſion re-
turns to the Cathedral. It is commonly three of the
Clock in the Afternoon, before the Proceſſion enters
the Cathedral ; and then upon the Ringing of the
Great Bell, every one of them has leave to return
home, the Sbirries have no further power to meddle
with thein ; but they ſcuffle home with thar preci.
piration, as makes the Spectators laugh heartily, to
ſee Hungry Prieſts poſt away to their looked for
Dinners.
Now it is apparent that theſe Rogation Proceſſions
are ſo very diſpleaſing to them ; becauſe, firſt of
all, there is nothing to be gain’d by them. In the
ſecond place, there are no Ladies to allilt at them.
And thirdly, there are neither Angels nor Figures,
to give them the leaſt Sport or Diverſion. The
fourth place, they are not permitted to folemnize
theſe Proceſſions in their pompous Habits, but
fimply with their Surplices and ſquare Bonners,
which is the cauſe why the Seculars will not ſo
much

308 The Seventh LETT E R,
much as ſtep out of their way to ſee them paſs.
Fifthly, the Proceſſion being enjoyn'd them, under
rigorous Mulets and Puniſhments, this is that which
makes it go moſt of all againſt their Stomach to
aflift at it; for as much pleaſure as they take in
imperiouſly commanding others, ſo much regret
they have to obey and be ſubject to the Command
of their Superiours. And laſt of all, in theſe kind
of Proceſſions, there are ſome inconveniences to be
endur'd; they muſt leave their Beds long before
Day; they muſt take many large Turns and weari.
fom Sreps, and Sing long without either Eating or
Drinking ; which does not very well ſort with their
Humour.
The Jolly Proceſſions of the Holy Sacrament have
much more Charms for them; or the Unveiling of
fome Miraculous Image ; or the pompous Proceſſion
of the Holy Nail, which is celebrated every Summer
in Milan, and to which not only the Inhabitants of
of that City, but all the Nobility and Gentry of the
Neighbouring Towns and Provinces do flock in
crowds, to be the Spectators of that Ambulatory
Pomp and Magnificence. In this caſe there is no
need of the Sbirries, to oblige the Eccleſiaſticks to
alliſt at it: The Cardinal. Archbiſhop himſelf aſſiſts
in perfon at it; and carries the Relick of the Holy
Nail. And according to their Tradition, this is
one of thoſe Nails thar pierced the adorable Body
of our Lord and Saviour Feſus Chriſt, when he was
Nailed to the Croſs; which Conſtantine the Great
having iner with, in Honour ro it, made it
part
of
his Horſes Bridle. It is now expos'd to view, en-
clos'd in a very fair Chryſtal, fix'd upon a large
Pedeſtal of pure Gold, of incomparable Workınan-
fhip, and embelliſh'd with Precious Stones; and is
certainly one of the richeſt and fineſt Pieces that
Can
Of Proceflions, &c.
309

can be ſeen, and ſo heavy, that the Cardinal had
much ado to carry it. The Nail is crooked, as
having been inade a part of a Bridle.
The Reflection I have made upon this Nail is,
that according to the Hiſtory it ſelf, which the
Papifts give us of it, it appears, That the Relicks,
and ſpecially the Inſtruments of the Paiſion of our
Saviour, to which they at preſent prerend, we are
obliged to render Letria, that is, Divine Worſhip,
did not in Ancient cimes receive any luch Honour,
lince Conſtantine (as they own theinſelves) made
that Nail a part of his Hories Bridie ; which no
Body will be ſo impertinent as to own for a piece
of Divine Honour. He did not cauſe it to be ſer
upon the Altar, as it is at preſent ; neither did
Men kneel before it, as the practice of the Papiſts
is at this Day ; for otherwiſe irwould have follow'd,
That wherever Conftantine's Horſe pafs'd, all Per-
fons muſt have proſtrated themſelves before it ;
which is very abſurd, and is not in any part of the
Hiſtory of that Great Emperor.
And ſince I am ſenſibly fallen upon the Proceſſions
that are in Vogue at Milan, I think my ſelf bound
to give you the deſcription of one of the moſt Fam.
ous that City can boaſt of, being the ſame which is
pur in practice the Eve of Holy Friday. This Pro-
cellion is celebrated by Torch Light, and proceeds
in Order, as follows:
Immediately after the Croſs and Banner, follow
the Croſs Bearers ; theſe are Men that carry great
Croſſes on their Shoulders, fifteen or twenty Foot
long ; they are very great and heavy in appearance,
but hollow within, and indeed are nothing but
four thin Boards glu'd together : Yer I am apt to
believe, that by reaſon of their grear Bulk, they
are a reaſonable good Burthen for a ſingle Man,
and troubleſom enough to thoſe that bear them
and

310 The Seventh LETTER,
and accórdingly they rell us, That theſe Croſs-Bearers
perform this piece of Devotion from a Spirit of
Repentance and Penance, and to imitare our Savia
our Jeſus Chriſt, when he carried his Croſs up to
Mount Calvary. There are no leſs commonly than
two or three hundred of them, and the moſt of
them have Ropes about their Necks, and great
Chains on their Legs, which trail on the ground
after them, and make a hideous Noiſe. Their Faces
are covered with great Com's.
Theie Cross Bearers pur me in mind of certain
Hereticks, mention'd by Baronius in his Ecclefiaftical
Annals, who were callid Cruciferi. It ſeems they
took that place of the Goſpel according to the
Letter, Hc that doth-not take up his Croſs and follow
me, cannot be my Diſciple: And accordingly they
had got grear Croſſes, which they bore on their
Shoulders, and running like Mad-men over Moun.
cains and through Delarts, they never quitted them,
till hunger, thirſt, and wearineſs, thruſt their Souls
out of their Bodies. I muſt confels, That thoſe
who aſlift at theſe Proceſſions, do not ſtrain their
Devotion to this pitch ; but ſtill there is ſomewhat
of reſeinblance in their Actions.
In the midſt of theſe Croſs Bearers was carried on
a "Pageant, a Figure of our Saviour "going up to
Mount Calvary. After theſe Croſs Bearers followed
"the Diſcipliners, as they call them ; theſe alſo had
their Faces cover'd with great Cowls, and having
their Backs ſtark naked, with great Diſciplines they
had in their Hands they cruelly beat themſelves
,
making the Blood to run down their Shoulders, in
a manner, that caus'd horror to Nature. In the
midſt of theſe Flagellators, was carried a Repre.
ſentation of the Scourging of our Saviour,cyed to a
Pillar. After theſe followed ſeveral Companies of
Soldiers, with their Muſquers and Pikes, the
Points

of Proceſſions, &c.
311
Points downward, and their Colours in like mana
ner. All the Drums were cover'd with black Cloth,
and beating upon it, made the Sound very doleful.
After the Soldiers follow'd a living Figure of our
Saviour, which was a young Man dreſt in a large
Purple Robe, with a Crown of Thorns on his Head,
and bearing a great Croſs on his Shoulders :
He had round about himn near a Score of Youths
labited like Jews, who put themſelves into an
hundred ridiculous Poſtures, and made Faces at
him after ſuch a manner, as forc'd the Specta-
tors to Laugh, at a Sight, which ought to have
melted their Hearts into Sorrow and Compune
ction ; neither was this a ſtrange thing amongſt
them, their holy Repreſentations being very ſure-
ly not exempt from ſome nororious Profanation:
There was no kneeling to this Figure, becauſe
it was a Live one. This Figure was follow'd by
all the Confraternities of the City of Scuole,
which are very numerous. They march Two
and Two, with Wax Tapers lighted in their
Hands; and after them follow d another Figure
of our Saviour laid in his Sepulchre. As ſoon as
this came by, tho' it were only made of Wood,
all that ſtood in the Streers, fell down on their
Knees and worſhipp'd it. About this Figure, there
marched a Company of Women all in Mourn-
ing, who held their Handkerchiefs before their
Eyes, as if they had wept. Next to theſe Women
follow'd the Prieſts, and after them a Statue of
the Bleſſed Virgin, having her Heart pierc'd with
ſeven great Swords that ſtuck fait in it: They
cominonly call this, Our Lady of Pity; and where-
ever it paſſed, they paid to it the ſame Proſtra-
tions and Adorations, as to the Statue of our Savi.
A great Throng of People laſt of all, con-
cluded the Proceſien.
I
our.

312 The Seventh L ETT ER,
I know well enough that the Papiſts will not
only excuſe theſe kinds of Proceſſions, but will alſo
exalt them far above their plain Ones ; alledging,
That theſe are all of them Holy Repreſentations,
which renew in our Minds the Idea of what paſt
long a go on Mount Calvary : But for my part, I
believe that the time they take to diſpoſe and regu.
late theſe kind of Proceffions, and which the
Spectators ſpend in ſeeing them paſs by, would
be much better employ'd in Reading and Me.
ditating of the Hiſtory of our Saviour's Paffion
in private, in order to the enkindling of holy
Affections, ſuitable to that great Occaſion. This,
I ſay, would in all probability be a far more
efficacious means to obtain this Holy End, than
to dreſs up a Man like our Saviour, and turn
all to a Farce, to make the People Laugh at ſo
tremendous a Myſtery ; for this indeed, how.
ever they may otherwiſe diſguiſe ir, is the end of
all.
Thus likewiſe it is, when five Weeks after Eaſter
they repreſent the Aſcenſion of our Saviour Jerus
Chriſt into Heaven ; they have a great Statue of
Wood ro repreſent him, which they tye with
great Cords about the Head, and juſt at Noon.
tide of Aſcenſion-Day, at the Ringing of all the
Bells in the Town, and in the preſence of all the
People, certain Peiſons placed on the Roof of
the Church, draw it up b; Cords into the Air';
the Prieſts in the mean time ſinging the Anthem,
Viri Galilæi quid admiramini aſpicientes in Cælum?
&c. When the Statue is ready to enter into the
Hole, which they have made on purpoſe in the
Roof of it, there are Men poſted, who from the
high Galleries of the Church, caſt ſome twenty
or thirty Pails of Water on the Spectators ; ſo
that many of them are made wet to the Skins,
which

Of Proceſions, &c.
313
mance.
which makes the reſt break out into loud Laughter.
This is the devout End of this fine Ceremony or
holy Repreſentation, as they are pleas'd to term ir.
I have alſo ſeen a great number of Croſs Bearers
and Diſcipliners, as in Italy. And indeed, to judge
by outward appearance, one would believe
theſe Perſons to be animated by a greater Spirit
of Devotion and Mortification, but having made
it my buſineſs ro fearch into the matter, I found
that the moſt of them are engag'd to do it for
Intereſt fake, being paid for Laſhing of then-
ſelves, becauſe the Eccefiafticks think it a ſhame,
ifin a Lent Proceſſion they ſhould not have a good
number of theſe Men of Diſcipline, and Crofs.
Bearers. Others again do it becauſe their Con-
feſfors have enjoyned it them as a piece of Pes
I know indeed No Reaſon, why the Prieſts
ſhould pride themſelves with this; but ſure I am,
I have often heard them Reproach one another,
that they had none, or very few Scourgers in
their Proceſſions. 'Tis poſſible, that by a fottiſh
ſuppoſe the
Glory of theſe kind of publick Penances reflects
upon themſelves, as being the Impoſers of them;
in which caſe their Vain-glory is no better
founded, than the Crow's in the Fable, who
prided himſelf with that was none of his. They
are very well pleaſed, to ſee others Laſh them-
felves ; but not ſo much as one of them will be
an Example of it to others: For never in my
Life did I ſee either Priests or Monks whip them-
ſelves in publick. Theſe Whippers and Croſs-Bearers,
for the moſt part, to inake this piece of Pe-
nance more tolerable to them, drink themſelves
to a good pitch before they ſet out on Proceſſion.
ing.
P
Whilst

314 The Seventh L ETT ER,
on.
Whilft I was at Mentz in Germany, I ſaw a grear
Inconvenience and diſappointment happen upon
this Occafion; where many of theſe Croſs-Bearers
,
in the midſt of the Proceſſion, threw down their
Croſſes in the Streets, and very fairly ſer themſelves
down upon them, ſaying, That they had born them
long enough, and that it was but fitting the Croiles
fhold now bear them. Beſides, many of the
Diſcipliners fell a Singing and Dancing, and Vo.
initing the ſurplus of the Wine they had taken.
Moſt of them were Jeſuits Scholars, whom their
Regents had forc'd to this involuntary Mortificati
By this, Sir, you may eaſily diſcern, that the
Papiſts will make all things bend and ſtoop to
their Fancy, and Humour. They have almoſt
fram'd to themſelves a New Goſpel; and they
interpret the Myſteries of it ſo materially and
grolly, that in the end they will probably per.
ſuade People, That to bear their Croſs in this World,
is nothing elſe, but to go a Proceffioning, with great
Croffes of Wood upon their Shoulders; and conſe.
quently maintain, that it is a meer Hereſie to
believe with the Proteſtants, That true Mortifica.
tion is that of an humble and contrite Heart, and
of a Soul pierced with an holy forrow and repentance
for Sin. "'Tis ſcarce poſſible to make the Popiſh
Jeſuits and Prieſts, that come into England, ac-
knowledge, That theſe ſort of fooliſh "Exerciſes
of Devotion, are ar this Day the moſt frequent
Employments of their Roman Catholicks, in thoſe
Places where that Religion takes place. They
are ſo aſham'd to own theſe their Follies, that
at preſent none but Travellers are able to con.
vince them thereof, who can rell them, that
they have ſeen with their own Eyes, what they
lo impudently deny with their Mouths. It was
an

of Procefrons, &c.
315
my ſelf
an effect of this Shame, that made fome Italia:
and German Feſuits, in my preſence, treat a
Chapter of a certain Book, as containing nothing
but meer Calumnies, becauſe it mention'd a De
votion which is ſtill every Year practiſed in Italy
and Germany at Chriſtmas, which is the Ceremos
ny of Rocking the Cradle of the Child Jeſuse
And yet there is nothing more true, than that this
Cuſtom is much in Vogue amongſt them, my
have ſeen it done ſeveral times. Their way is
this: Tiey make on an Altar, or in ſome Cha-
pel of their Churches, a Repreſentation of the
Stable at Bethlehem with great Figures repre.
ſenting the Bleſſed Virgin, s. Foſeph, and the Child
7 ESU S lying in his Manger. The Italians do
excel all others in making thoſe kind of Repre.
ſentations, and make them their Paſtime and
Diverſion all the Chriſtmas. Holydays ; and the
Women have leave at that time to go from
Church co Church, to ſee theſe Pageants, and
under pretext of frequenting theſe Devotions,
many Bargains are ſtruck, little ſuiting with the
pretended Holineſs of the places where they are
made.
It cannot be deny d, but that there is ſome-
thing in theſe Repreſentations, that does ex-
treamly take the Eye: You have a pleaſant pro-
ſpect here of Rocks, Fountains, Foreſts, and de.
lighful Green Plains, expreſt to the Life, and
Shepherds feeding their Flocks upon them ; You
ſee People from all parts coming through Lanes
and Paths, to offer their Preſents to the Child
Feſus. All this is very naturally repreſented, and
there is always ſome Merry Conceit or other
joyn'd with them, to make people Laugh. . But
the principal point I aim ar in this Deſcription
is, That there are many great Ribbands, or Cords
bye
P a
316
The Seventh L ETTER,
cy'd to the Cradle of the Child Jefus, which the
Spectators that are there preſent, and upon their
Knees, do pull towards them rery devoutly,to Rock
the Cradle, in like manner as we ſee Nurſes do
their Children ; and then ſing what in Ita ian they
call their Na, Na, which are Songs commonly ſung
to rock Children aſleep.; Sleep my Little Jeſus, ſleep
my deer Love, Reep ; Na, Na, Na, Na. But that
which ſurpriz'd me beyond meaſure was, to ſee
ſometimes Old Men and Women riſe up from
their Knees in a great Anger, when they heard tuo
much noiſe made in the Church, and bidding thein
be Huſht, for that elſe they would awake the Child
Fefus ; which notwithſtanding is no more than a
piece of Wood or Paſtboard painted over : Yea, there
be ſome ſo fearful of offending this way, that they
pull off their Shoes aſſoon as they enter the Church,
for fear of troubling the Child's Reſt ; whilft (in
the mean time) their Monks and Prieſts,ſtanding be.
hind in theirSextries, Laugh at all theſe their Follies.
I can ſay, that I never ſaw any of them lay hold
of the Cords to rock the Cradle, and would be ſore
alhamd to be found to ſottiſhly employ’d. And
probably, they would be underſtood in this ſenſe,
when they ſay, that this is never practis'd amongſt
chem, becauſe they do not do it themſelves; bur
they are very glad to ſee the Seculars ſo well em.
ployed for their Diverſion. Neither is this Childs
Play altogether without Profit to them; for there
be inany of the Viſitants, who bring ſome of
them frelh Eggs, and others Pullers and Capons,
to make Caudels and Broths for the Virgin ; all
which they lay in the Stable, near to the image :
Others bring Cheeſes and great Bottles of Wine,
which they lay near to the Image of S. Joſeph ;
and others caf large pieces of Mony into a great
Bafon, which the Prielts hold out to them, and

which

of Proceffions, &c.
which (as they tell them) is to be laid out, to buy
Neceſſaries for the Child Jeſus.
I hapned once to be at Mentz in Germany, in the
Sextry of the Fathers Fefuits, with five or fix of
them. It was a diverſion to us, to ſee the Preſents
they made to the Manger. A poor Country-Fellow
(amongſt the reſt) brought with grear fimplicity
and devotion a great Truſs of Hay, and laid it
down in the Holy Stable, between the Ox and the
Aſs; but the Jeſuits perceiving it, ſaid one to ano-
ther ; Fie, Fie, this muſt be taken away immediately.
it will prove a very bad precedent; at this rate they'll
bring nothing but Graſs and Hay for the Beaſts. No,
this muſt not be; they had much better bring good
Gammons of Bacon and Neats Tongues for S. Joſeph. -
The Sexton accordingly ran to take it away; but
the Country man briskly oppos'd him, ſaying; That
he could not endure to ſee the Ox and the Aſs die for
Hunger, whilſt the reſt, were ſo well provided. But
they endeavour'd to appeaſe him, by telling him,
That the Child Jeſus would take care to ſuſtain them by..
bis Divine Virtue, rather than that ſhould happen.
Thus fora iniſerable and baſe Intereſt, they moſt
outragiouſly abuſe the poor, and keep them in Ignoa.
rance, and afterwards to advance their impiety to
the higheſt degree, they make a Vertue of it, giving
it the Name of Simplicity and Innocence. 'Tis be-
fore theſe Sort of Mangers, that (according as I have
told you in a former LETTER) they ſet Little.
Children to Preach.
I have made bold upon this Occaſion to make
this ſhort digreſſion, which I hope will not prove un-
pleaſing to you. I return:now again to our Proš
ceſſions, or rather I Mall conclude this LETTERIA
in like manner as I have begun it, by giving you a
Relation of another Unveiling of an Image of the
Virgin I have ſeen at. Milan, and which ( as I was
cold)
P:3

318 The Seventh LETTER,
told) was only done once in 56 years. All the
Corporations of the City, and of the Neighbouring
places, made the Viſits to ir Proceſſionally, with
Wax Tapers, Purſes, Preſents, and Ceremonies,
nor much unlike thoſe I have already related to
you. The only thing fingular in this Uncovering
was, That all the while the Image was Unveiled,
there was great Concourſe from all Parts, of Poffeſ-
ſed Perſons, the Prieſts being very buſie in all the
Corners of the Church, to Exorciſe them. The
Papiſts maintain, That their Prieſts in their Ordination
receive the power of Caſting out Devils, and that the
Effect fhews they are ſucceſsful in it. For my part,
I have ſeen very many of theſe Poſſeſſed Perſons,
and I have diligently apply'd my ſelf, to ſearch into
and examin the Matrer ; but never could diſcover
any able to perſuade mne, that thoſe Effects or
Operations proceed rather from the Devil, than
from a ſtrong Imagination or ſome violent Diſtemp.
er.
Beſides, I ſeldom mer with any, but Women
that were poſſeſſed; and I would gladly be in.
formed, why the Devil ſhould rather attack them
than Men. Indeed, the true Reaſon of this is, That
in Italy the Women are more than ordinary ſubject
to fall into Phrenſies and ſtrange Imaginations.
Their Parents, or their Husbands, keep them al.
ways ſhut up in their Chambers or Garrets, with
out permitting them to go abroad, except it be
ſometimes to Church : And being naturally of an
Hot and Amorous Temper,a flattering and pleaſing
Object they may by chance have eſpy'd from their
Windows, or at Maſs, does ſo far tranſport them,
that they are wholly poiſeft with it, and with the
Devil, as is ſuppoſed. Their Thoughts are ſtrongly
fixt on it Day and Night, and the force of the
Imagination, making a wonderful impreſſion upon
their Vital Spirits, does extreamly agitate and
con

Of Proceſions, &c.
319
off to
confound them; and from thence proceed all thoſe
diſorders and Convulſions that appear in their bodies.
The Church I ſpeak of was full of this ſort of
Ponteſted Perſons. " Amongſt the reſt, I perceived
in one of the Chapels a very beautiful young Gen-
tlewoman, who continually beat her Breaſt with
her hand, and cry'd out, as if he had felt fome-
thing that would have choak'd her. She had many
Prieſts about her, reading of Exorciſıs; but
amongſt the reſt there was a very handſom Prieſt,
who did wonders, and indeed our did thein allo
The Pofſeft Party ſeem'd co have no conſideration
for any of the reſt, but for him only, and whenever
he couch'd her, the Devil to appearance, being
overcome by the force of his Exorciſms, left
torment her. I was aſtoniſhed to
ſee the Liberty this young Gentleman took with
his Poſſeſſed ; for ſometimes he would embrace her
Body, he handled her Hands and Arms, and almoſt
continually gave her little laps on the Cheek. They
tell us, That the Devil being a proud haughty Spiritsen
cannot endure to be humbled; which is the Reaſon of
their boxing and affronding the Poffeſſed. The other
Prieſts that were about her, ſonrerimes ſtretche.
forth their hands to box her, as he did, but the
Mewed her felf enraged againſt them; and would
not ſuffer them to touch her; ſo that they were
fain to content themſelves with abuſing the Devil
in words, whilſt the young Prieſt alone was ad-
mitted to flap her on the Cheek. This proceed.
ing at laſt ſtirred up ſome fealouſie amongſt them-
ſelves, and one of the old Prieſts ſaid to this young
Blade, in a ſmart way of Raillery, Dom Pietro,
well, that the Devil likes none fo well as your
ſelf; and if I ben’ti much miſtaken, you well enough,
agree together.
But whatever the Prieſts of Rome may pretend,
I ſee
Cer-
320
The Seventh LETTER,
means.
certain it is, that the abſolute power they claim
over the Devils, is not ſo evidently verified in
them, as they would make the People believe it is.
I have ſeen Potleſt Perſons, and Exorciſms pro.
nounc'd over them in quantity ; But I never ſaw
any of them freed of their Poffeffion by this
I know 'tis commonly ſaid, There are ma-
ny Beggars, who counterfeit themſelves Poffelfed,
that by this means they may procure a good Main-
tenance all their Lives after; and as for theſe indeed,
I queſtion not but the Prieſts have power to deliver
them of their Counterfeit Poffefſions. This Cheat
of the Beggars procures vaſt Credit to their My.
ſterious Images, which are but once Unveiled in
50 Years time.
But I'll leave theſe Poffeffed, to come to a Con-
cluſion of what I have ſaid concerning Popiſ Pro-
ceſions, which they define, as I hinted at the
beginning of this LÊTTER, a Marching, or Wal.
king of the People from one Church to another, under
the Conduct of their Prieſts, with the Croſs and
Banner, there to Invoke the extraordinary Afiftance of
God. But indeed and in truth, according to the
account now given you of them, does it not appear
to you, Sir, that they may with much more right
be defin'd, Pompous and Magnificent Walks, invent:
ed on purpoſe to enhance the Credit and Repute of
the Monks and Prieſts, and to abuſe and gull the Peo.
ple, for their own Advantage? We have not the leaſt
Footſteps of theſe kind of Proceſſions in the Pri.
mitive Centuries of the Church, as being only an
Invention of the Pope's Brain ; and if I ben't
much miſtakeri, S. Gregory the Great was the firſt
that Inſtituted them at a time of the Plague. In
his time they were celebrated with abundance of
Modeſty ; but the Luxury and Ambition of the
Clergy have in proceſs of time ſo much ampli.

fied

Of Proceffions, &c.
fied them, that it is as clear as the Sun at Noon-
day, they ſerve for no other uſe ar preſent, but
to give them the Advantage, and make them i
triumph over the Seculars. Befides; they ſerve
for publick Marks of Honour, whereby they are
diſtinguiſhed amongſt themſelves. There is no.
thing they are more jealous of, than their precedens :
cy in Proceſſions, the Priests and Monks oft quarreb
with one another on this occaſion, and ſometimes
their Contefts break out into great Diſorders, as
it hapned nor long ſince at Dijon, a Parliament City
in France, where the Monks of S. Bennet having
undertaken to go a Proceffioning with great Canes in
their Hands, as an Enſign of their Authority over
the reſt of the Clergy ; the Canons of the Holy
Chapel roſe up againſt them, which occaſion'd a fue
rious Skirmish between them, with their Croſlesand?
Banners.
The Order obſerv'din all Poceffions, is, That the
Meaneſt march firſt, and thoſe of the higheſt Ranki
and Quality laſt of all ; ſo that the Biſhop is always
the laſt Man thar fhurs up the Proceſſion. The Jeſuit;
being of ſo late ſtanding in the Church of Rome;
and not having been able to obtain the Precedenty
they affected of their Senior Orders, ar Proceſſions,
have wholly renounc'd them, and nevert aſliſt ar
them. Only at Venice, the Senate obliged them to
go in Proceſſion with the reſt; and to avoid ming-
ling themſelves amongſt the Prieſts or Monks, they*
rather chooſe to march amongſt Tradeſmen. The
Coblers, Shoemakers and Taylors, march firſt of all, and
after them come che Feſuits, who are followed by
the other Trades:
I ſhall here conclude this Letter, and withoue***
deraining you with an ample Moral Applicationi
of all this, ſhall only tell you, That foraſmuch as in
is apparent and viſible, that theſe kinds of Praction
ins
322 The Eighth LETTER,
in the Church of Rome, are only made to ſerve the
Ends of Ambition and Temporal Intereſt of the
Clergy; that the beſt Proceſſions we can make, are
not to march from one Church to another; but to
advance from one Church to another, until we
arrive at the Holy Mount of God, viz. Bleſſed
Eternity. Optima Proceffio fit procedere de virtute in
virtutem, afque ad Montem Domini. I remain, Sir,
Your.
The Eighth LETTER,
Of the Corruption of the Italian Prieſts and Monks in
their Devotion and Morals, &c.
SIR
7 Have already acquainted you in my laſt, that
my abode for two years together in the City
of Bononia, at the Abby of S. Michael in the Wood,
afforded me a very favourable Opportunity of
penetrating into the Lives, and Manners of Mod.
naſticks, and I might have ſtaid their much
longer, if the perſuaſions of a Noble Venetian,
had not prevaild with me, to go with him to
Venice. It ſeems, as if, a Divine Providence had
conducted me thither, to put me in a ſtation
where I might take a nearer view of the Con-
duct and Converſation of other Eccleſiaſticks
commonly called Seculær Prieſts ; not ſo much,
becauſe I was ignorant before of their way of
Life, having been always brought up amongſt
them, and one of them ; but becauſe I found a
conſiderable deal of difference between the Se
cular Clergy of Italy and thoſe of France, amongſt
whom


Of the Corruption of Prieſts, Sc. 323
whom I had my Education. The former of theſe
live without any Reſtraint, and without being
inuch obſerv'd or taken notice- of by their own
Countrymen whom they have corrupted as well
in their Practice, as in their Principles, as I ſhall
more particularly make out to you in the Sequel
hereof; whereas the latter, (that is to ſay, the Eco
clefiafticks of France) have ſtudied the Art of Dilli.
mulation, and are more upon their Guard, to avoid
their being expos'd to the Cenfure of Proteſtants: $
whom they regard as ſo many Spies upons:
them.
I was no ſooner arriv'd at Venice, but I had
the good luck to procure my ſelf the Protection ?
of ſome of the moſt conſiderable perſons in that
Republick ; ſo that in leſs thair a Months time I
was provided of Three Small Benefices, in three
different Churches, which gave me an occaſiora
of Converſing with a vaſt number of Clergy-
men of all Nations, who reſort to that City of
Liberty, there to enjoy the Pleaſures of this Life;
After I had ſtaid Three Years here, I undertook ;
another Journy to Rome, having been drawn
thither by the Promiſes of a Cardinal, who died.
eight Days after my arrival there. This unlooku
for Accident having defeated the Hopes I had
formerly of making a longer ſtay in that City, I
departed thence ſome Months after. Having Vis?
ſited before, the City of Naples; I took
ny towards Milan, without any deſign of making
any ſtay there ;- but the perſuaſion of ſome Noble. '':
men of that Country made me change my Re..
ſolution. The Abbar of Great S. Vi&or, amongſt
others, made me very conſiderable Offers, co« oba: .,
lige me to ſtay in his Abby, and to take upon 128"
the Care of Inſtructing his Religious, according
as he knew I had done, in the Abby of S. Mi.
โas
my Jou

324 The Eighth LETTER
chael, in Bononia, that was of the ſame Order as
his, wh ch at length induc'd me to yield to his
Deſire. By this means I found my ſelf anew en.
gag'd with Monks.
I have here on this Occaſion, Sir, hinted to you
ſeveral parts of Italy, where I have made my abode
for ſome time, and the employments I have had
there, but without the leaſt intent of boaſting my
ſelf on that account, but only to inform you, That
what I take upon me to ſpeak here concerning the
Prieſts and Monks, is from a thorough Knowledge
and Experience, as having had abundant Opportuni
.
ties to make thoſe Obſervacions, which many (who
have handled the ſame Subject) have been wholly
depriv'd of. I have had ſeveral other Employments
both in Italy and Germany, which I might with
more Reaſon boaſt of, if I was ſo minded; but
they having no reference to the Subject in hand,
Ipaſs them by in Silence. Tho' indeed it be not
'altogether out of the way, for one in my Circum.
ftances, to make mention of the Employments he
has had beyond the Seas, and the Hounorable way
of Subfiſtence he has been in, if it were only to
confure the Calumnies the Papiſts are wont to caſt
upon the Prieſts of their Religion, who leave their
Communion, to ſatisfie their Conſciences by joyn.
ing themſelves to that of the Reformed Churches:
Their common Cry is, That ſuch are either mere."
Vagabonds, or perſons that had nothing to live on
at home in their own Country, and who were weary,
of the Condition they were in, for want of ſome
good Benefice wherewith plentifully to maintain
themſelves ; or elſe, that it is nothing but a Spirit.
of Libertiniſm, that prompts to make this Change,
This laſt Aſperſion being the moſt odious and re-
flecting of all,, made me very careful (when I was
in Italy) to obviatę it, by taking Atteſtations of my
Good

Of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 325
Good Behaviour and Manners from all the places
where I had made any ſtay, that I might have them
in a readineſs. to clear my ſelf from any ſuch Rea
proach, in caſe any ſhould be found Malicious
enough to rank me in that Number; ſo that indeed
(by the Grace and Goodneſs of God) I may now
ſpeak boldly and openly, without the leaſt danger
or apprehenſion from the moſt envenom'd Tongues.
Yer for all this, I muſt profeſs, that the Subject of
this laſt LETTER is very averſe to iny Natural
Humour and Inclination, viz. to expoſe the Vices
and Defects of others : But yet, when I conſider on
the other hand, that Jeſus Chriſt oft declaim'd very
ſeverely againſt the Hypocriſie of the Scribes and
Phariſees:of his Time, and this, to inform the People,
and derer them from following their ways; I con-
clude, it cannot be unlawful ( upon good ground
and occaſions) to publiſh the Sins of thoſe, who are
not only the main Corrupters of the Morality, but
alſo of the Principles and Doctrins of the Goſpel,
to the end, we may oblige others, to be warned and
take heed of them, as of Wolves in Sheeps cloathing ;
Cavete à fermento Phariſeorum ; Take beed of the
Leaven of the Phariſees. By this means alſo it will
appear, what uſe is made of all thoſe vaſt Sums of
Mony, which accrue to the Prieſts of the Church of
Rome, by thoſe Subtil Inventions and Religious Are
tifices wherewith I have entertain'd you in my fore-
going LETTERS: For it is evident, that Gold and
Silver can ſerve only forthe uſe of Men; and by
the uſe they make of it, we may eaſily judge of
the End they propounded to themſelves, in ſearch:
ing for the Means to obtain it.
Having therefore more eſpecially apply'd my
ſelf, during my abode in Italy, to find out the Ways
the Prieſts and Monks had, to diſpoſe of and ſpend
their valt Revenues, I found,, that it was only to
fatisfie
326 The Eighth LETTER,
ſatisfie and glue their domineering Appetites, Luſts,
and Paſſions. Some of them are ſuch Idolarers of
Mammon, tharthe more they heap up, the leſs they
think themſelves pofſeſt of ; and thus dye (like little
Crefus's, or rather like bad Rich Men) in the midſt
of their Riches from which nothing but Death could
ſeparate them. 'Tis the common Cry of the Poor
in that Country, That nothing can be more inexor.
able, more inſenſible, or more pityleſs that the
Clergy. 'Tis meer labour loſt, to addreſs one's ſelf
to them for an Alms; for at the beſt one meets
with a Denial, and very often with Scornful and
Taunting Words: So that their Covetouſneſs is
like an unſatiable Gulf, which ſwallows all, and
gives up nothing again. I have known ſeveral
Prieſts, who had their Coffers full of Gold, and
notwithſtanding grutch'd themſelves a piece of
dry Bread ; and ſome of theſe were ſo dextrous,
as to make their fordid Avarice paſs for a love
of Abſtinence and Mortification ; but in the mean
time were ſo far from beſtowing the leaſt Alms
on the Poor, that chey could not endure that
ſhould ask them a Charity; whence it was obvious
to make this Diſcovery, That ſo fair a Vertue as
Abſtinence is, could not be the Inmate of ſuch for-
didly
. Coverous Breafts: For according to that Say.
ing, Sublevamen Pauperis fit Abſtinentia Fejunantis;
The Abftinence of him that Faſts, ought to be a Relief
for the Poor.
Others beſtow theis Mony in building Palaces
for themſelves; I ſay, Palaces ; for tho' indeed 18
would much better become their Profeſſion, to
provide for themſelves Houſes, in which ſome :
Marks of that Chriftian Humility might be diſ-
cerned, which is ſo indiſpenſable a Qualification of
Miniſters of the Altar; yet ſo far are they from
this temper, that they ſpare no Coſt to erect for
themſelves


any one

of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 337
themſelves moſt ſtately and ſumptuous Fabricks be-
yond the magnificence ofthe Palaces of the greateſt
Princes. For proof of what I here alledge, we
need only caſt an Eye upon all the Monaſteries
of Italy; and thoſe who have Travell'd thoſe
Countries know, that the faireſt Palace which is
found near the Church, is always the Curares,
Houſe. Others conſume their Revenues in ma.
king much of themſelves, and contriving ways for
their pleaſure and diverſion : For ſeeing they have
no Families to provide for, It would be a profanation
ſay they, of the Gifts of God, (ſo they call the im-
menſe Riches they have got by their Maſſes)
in caſe they ſould not make uſe of them, to make much
of themſelves in this World, who do ſo much good to the
Souls of Purgatory in the other. For this Řeaſon it
is, we ſee their Tables ſo deliciouſly and profuſely
cover'd, and that they Entertain one another by
Turns with ſuch Exquiſitneſs, Splendor and Ma-
nificence; inſomuch that their inclination this way
has authoriz'd that Proverbial Expreſſion, ſo com-
mon in Italy, by which they call any extraordinary
Dainty, Boccone di Preti ô di Cardinali ; A Bit for a
Priest or Cardinal. What I have here ſaid, concern-
ing thoſe Objects that pleaſe the Pallar, is to be
underſtood porportionably concerning all other
things that do any way contribute to a delicious
and luxurious Life, which they take care to pro.
cure for themſelves with a ſuperfluous profuſeneſs
altogether inexcuſable. Should any Man be
tempted with a deſire to ſee the very utmoſt
height of Vanicy, or Wantoneſs, and of Effemi.
nacy, he need only to take a view of the Court
of Rome, which, as it is compoſed only of Prieſts
and Monks ; ſo it boaſts it ſelf, of ſurpaſſing in
Gallantary, Pomp and Manificence, thoſe of
the greateſt and moſt potent Monarchs of the
Earth.
Here

3.28 The Eighth LETTER,
Here you will find BiMops that have two of
three Biſhopricks, and Abbats that have five or
fix Abbies apiece. 'Tis a kind of diſgrace for an
Eccleſiaſtick, to have no more than one Benefice;
for indeed without a great Revenue, one can
make no Figure in this Court of Priests. Yea, the
Vanity of this Court is mounted to that Exceſs
,
that the Members of it are ſo far from Bluſhing
ar it, that they make it the principal Matter of
their glory and boaſting. A Cardinal or Biſhop
does not make an Hunting March, does not Feaſt
his Conſorts, but the whole world forſooth muſt
ring of it. All the Gazettes we have from Rome
are ſtuft full of ſuch Vanities as theſe, That my
Lord the Cardinal- N, hets given a Viſit to one of
bis Colleagues : That another was at the Opera ;
or caus'd a rich Livery to be made for his Retinues
And appear'd in publick with a Train of ſo many
Coaches. I have oft made it my diverſion, whilft
I was at Rome, to ſee the Cardinals (on Sunday
Morning) Ride to the Vatican, when the Pope
held Chapel there. They are trick'd up like ſo
many Scarler Puppets in their Coaches, and all
their Creatures are about them, with an Air that
proclaims them extremely effeminate and wan-
After all, I confeſs, a Man muſt needs have
a very ſtrong Faith to believe, that this ſort of Peo-
ple are no ſooner met together in a Chamber, bus
the Holy Ghost is inſtantly in the midſt of them, to
give Law to the Conſciences of all Men. If to
meet together with ſuch Exceſs of Ambition and
Vanity, be to Meer in the Name of the Lord, 'tis
certain our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who appeared in
ſo mean; and humble a condition, did not come
into the World in the ſame Name. Every Cara
dinal has his Nephew or neareſt Kinſman with
him, who holds his Scarlet-Hac in the Boot of the
Coach;
ton.

Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 329
Coach; which is a ſignal Honour to him, and a
Mark of his being the moſt beloved Creature of the
Cardinal.
'Tis this Nepotiſm, that made ſuch a Noiſe in
the time of the late Pope Innocent the XIth, and
which he (who, to give him his due, was a Man
ſevere enough in his Morals) reſolved wholly to
extirpate, having begun the Reformation in his
own Houſe ; but we ſee now, that things are quiets
ly and without Noiſe return'd to their old Chan.
nel. All the endeavours of Pope Innocent: the
XIth were only like the ſprinkling of a little cold
Water upon red hot Iron, which ſerves only to
make it more fiery and glowing: And for my part,
Imuſt own, That I cannot conceive how a Church
(where Fleſh and Blood ride ſo gloriouſly Tri-
umphant, and prevail to that exceſſive degree) can
ever have the Face to boaſt, That the Gates of Hell
fall never prevail againſt Her. This Nepotiſm, or
Exalration of their Nephews, does not only take
place at the Court of Rome, but (whether from
imitation, or by natural Inclination of promoting
thoſe who are nearly related to us) we find it ob-
tain amongſt all the reſt of the Clergy, who are
not perfect Slaves to Avarice, or the love of Plea-
ſure. They think of nothing elſe, but how they
may
enrich thoſe of their Family, whoſe Humour
pleaſeth then beſt. I confeſs indeed, that this is
the moſt coinmendable and moſt innocent way of
employing their Treaſure, as carrying ſome appea-
rance of Charity in it; tho' (to ſpeak the Truth)
we can never make Chriſtian Vertue of ir, as being
common to us with the Heathens themſelves : The
Turks do good to thoſe of theirKindred and Friends
as well as the Prieſts of the Church of Rome, and
probably alſo do it during their Lives, which theſe
latter are very ſeldom found guilty of, becauſe
they
:

330 The Eighth LETTER
W
10
21
they commonly do not diſpoſe of the Riches to thoſe
of their Family, cill they ſee Death ready to ſnatch
them away. This Nepotiſm therefore is a vaſt Gulf,
which ſwallows great part of the Eccleſiaſtical Re.
venues; bur there is another Abyſs thar devours
incomparably much niore, and in a way that is nor
only a Seandal and Reproach to their Profeffion,
but even to Nature it ſelf; and, is in a word, the
abominable Commerce they drive with both
Sexes.
All the World knows,thar ir is nor lawful for the
Prieſts and Monksiof the Church of Rome to Marry,
as having proteſted againſt a thing (to uſe their own
terms) which defiles and pollutes a Man, and makes hi
him incapable of duly and purely ſerving at the Altar, in
'Tis upon this Principle they refuſe to Marry, and
the Prieſt that can be convict of violating this Law,
muſt be burnt alive. But for all this their Huffing,
they preceive well enough, that all this while they
reckon without their Hoſt, and this great Under:
raking of theirs proves quite another thing in effect,
than it wasin ſpeculation. Take but a little leiſure
fo
to read their Lives, and you'l find they have no
ſooner made their Vow of Chaſtity, but they ſtudy linh
and invent (with all the Application imaginable)
how to break it. They have voluntarily debarr'd
themſelves from honeſt and lawful Wedlock, and
inuſt now betake themſelves to Fornication, Adul.
tery, Inceſt, and Sacriledge, to ſatisfie their Con.
th
cupiſcence, and glut their infamous Luſts. Now to
do this, there muſt be Mony, becauſe the Debauch.
ed Sex is doubly concern'd for having to do with
thein, and therefore do not afford them ſo good
Quarters as they do to others; and their Wenches
have the boldneſs to tell them, That ſince it is
a greater Sin to have to do with them, than with others,
'tis but juſt they ſhould pay accordingly. The Clergy
there:
W
VI
187
be

Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 33r
herefore finding, that the World carries it ſome
what Uncivil towards them in this regard, and
f, groaning to ſee themſelves in a condition to ſtand
in need of them, reſolve on their ſide (as far as
's pollible) to be even with them ; accordingly, they
so will nor ſay a Maſs, or Prayer, or go a ſtep upon
1, any ſcore whatſoever, without being well paid for
e 1 If they be ſent for to Baptize an Infant, to Ex-
h
port a Sick Body, or to Bury a Corps, they firſt de-
mand what they will give them for their pains,
e and budge not till the Bargains be made. They
, policit for Mony towards their Confraternities,
heir Feſtivals, Proceſſions, Benedictions, and De-
fotions of the Souls in Purgatory with incredible
importunity and earneftneſs, as being a prompt
and effectual Expedient, to fill their Purſes. There
is nothing diſquiers them more, than the perſuaſion
which poſſeſſerh the Sex they love, That to have to
I do wieb Men conſecrated to God (as they are) is &
ind of Sacriledge, and the worſt of all Crimes,
This indeed is a Conſequence, which very plainly
ollows from their Principles; but which they not-
withſtanding endeavour to veil as much as ever
they can. You ſeldom hear them preaching againſt
Wantonneſs, Incontinence, Adultery, &c. and if
at any time they do 'tis without being invective,
and ſo as to diminiſh the Horror any one might.
have conceiv'd of theſe Crimes. Yea, ſome of
them are arrived to that degree of Iinpudence ro
publiſh, That theſe are the moſt innocent of all other
Vices
, and that God conſidering, that they are born and
grown up with us, and have their riſe from the Blood
and Body that ſurround us, is very ready to forgive
od pardon them. They ſay, That ſuch Sins as theſe
are Inſtances of Human fraily ; and provided a perfon
be only convinced of his weakneſs therein, Confeſs them,
and be humble for them, 'tis enough ; and one Ave
Mary,

332 The Eighth L ETT E R,
le
Mary, or the ſign of the Croſs, with a ſprinkling, of lied
Holy Water is all the Penance that is ordinarily for ſuch in
Peccadillo's as theſe.
They are wont alſo, to treat Seculars very f
ſmoothly in this point, at their Confeffion, and
in particular the Female Sex; Left (ſay they) by
treating them too harſhly, they might be diſcouraged
6
another time to Confeſs them with all their Circum. -
ſtances. But the true Reaſon is, thar in ſo doing
they may oblige the Seculars, to be as favourable
towards them in their Cenſures on the like occaſion,
and that they may not be too ſtrictly obſerved them
ſelves , when they fall into the ſame Crimes. In
deed Auricular and Secret Confeilion, is the molt in
commodious way the Prieſts have to lodge their
Game; 'Tis there they put Women to the Queſtion,
and by this means accuſtoming thein (by little and
little) from their Youth up to ſpeak with confidence
of their ſecret Sins, they make them at length loſe lo
that Natural Shamefacedneſs, which otherwiſe they
would be ſenſible of, in making the leaſt mention
of ſuch filthineſs. Being therefore by this means
inform’d of their Inclinations and Weak-ſide, if
chey find them to be of an Amorous Complection
it is an eaſie thing for them to ſpeak for themſelves,
and to inſinuate their own Paflion. It is notoriouly
evident, thau commonly none but Woinen go to
Confeſſion ;, for as for Men, they ſeldom uſe is
more then once a year, and that towards Eaften
The Reaſon whereof having been once ask'd in my
Preſence, a Perſon of very good Senſe return'd thi
Anſwer, That the Reason why none but Women were a
ſeen to Confefs, was, becauſe Men were Confeſſors; but
that if Women were once posſeft of the Chair of Con
feſſion, we should ſoon find the contrary, and that nont
but Men would appear before them. The Reaſon is
becauſe Woinen for the moſt part take pleaſure in
their

Of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 331
heir confefiing, being well aſſured, that their Con-
feflors will put luch Queſtions to them, as cannot
nuch diſpleaſe them; and knowing, that how o.
enly ſoever they may declare their Sins, the Seal
f Confeifion will always put them out of danger
of running any Riſque thereby: Yer, there are not
wanting a vaſt Number oi thoie, who relying upon
he Secrecy of this Tribunal, and encouraged by
the Exhortations of their Prieſts, of hiding nothing
from them, no not ſo much as their impure Thoughts,
pake no diffiru y ingenuouſly to declare, that they
pve thein ; that they can neither Day nor Night rid
peir Spirit from running our after them; and
peir Amorous Temprations are ſo violent, that
xcept God be plealed ro reſtrain them, or to take
me compaſſion on them, it will make them infalli.
ly go Mad and Distracted.
The Men (eſpecially in Italy) go but ſeldom to
Confellion becauſe they do not love to be queſtion'd
vexamined about tbeir Amours, A Capucin Fryer
who was very ugly, and the very picture of a Satyr,
with his great Beard) told me once Smiling, That
's Confeſſion-Seat was a Scare-Crom -to Women ; but
bat
, to make amends for that, he was the great Cor.
for of Fealous Lovers. His meaning was, That
Vomen did not care to Confeſs to him, becauſe he
ugly ; but that on the other hand, Men did
chooſe to confeſs to him the rather, becauſe he was
9, as judging him incapable of injuring them by
becoming their Rival. A Confeſor, who has a de.
ign to make a bad uſe of his Miniſterial Function,
may eaſily find means, by the Queſtions he can put,
and to which his Penitent is obliged to Anſwer, to
diſcover the perſon he ſpeaks of, accordingly may
afterwards find means of attempting her.
А young Noble Venetian having been upon a time
poo indiſcreetly Queſtioned by a Monk in his Con.
fellion,
was

334 The Eighth L ET I ER,
feſſion, where his Miſtreſs dwelt, Swore he would
never Confeſs upon that Point any more, except it
were at the Point of Death, or at leaſt, when he
Thould be weary of his Miſſes, and no more appre.
hend, to have a Competitor in his Love.
I have been told by ſeveral Gentlewomen, That
Confeffors have come to Viſit them in their Hou-
ſes, being led thither only by the Light they have
got from the Confeſſion of their Penitents. This
Confeſſion is one of the New Sacraments of the
Church of Rome, and we ſee to what goodly Ends
it is made uſe of, and the Intereſt the Priests and
Monkshave to preſerve it. This is that which makes
them ſo boldly to proteſt againſt Marriage, which
they care ſo little for; the Corruption of Man's Na.
ture being ſo great, that it repreſents Sin more
ſweet and pleaſant to him, than that which is ho.
neſt and lawful.
I remember a Saying of a Regular Abbat of a
Monaſtery in Italy, who talking with me about
Women, faid, Melius est habere nullam quam ali-
quam ; That it was better to have none than any;
And having demanded of him what he meant by
thoſe Words; Becauſe (ſaid he) when a perſon is not
tied to one, he may make uſe of many. This you!
ſay was a fine piece of Morality; and to give this
Prelare his due, his Practice was very Conform.
able to his Doctrin. He entertain'd above a Score
of Women with the Revenues of his Abby ; he had
inany Country Houſes, which he turn'd into as
many Brothel-Houſes for himſelf and his Friends
,
where he ſplendidly Entertain'd them : and the
exceſſive Expence he was at in theſe places of plea.
fure, procur'd him the Surname of Liberal. But he
was not of the ſame Humour towards his poor
Farmers, who labour'd hard to make the beſt of his
Incomes and to Till his Ground; for he was to them
an

Of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 335
an
$
inſatiable Exactor and Oppreſſor, inſomuch as
they could ſcarcely get out of him ſome part of the
e Mony, which was of Right due to them. Theſe
poor Men finding themſelves ſo ill Treated by him,
reſolved on a time to have their full Revenge of
him, and to play their Maſter ſuch a Malicious
Trick, as he might have Realon to remember ever
after. They knew very well the Archbiſhop was
s a ſworn Enemy to Monks and Abbats, and there-
fore queſtion'd nor, but they would find him in a
s diſpoſition of favouring their Enterprize. They
went therefore and complain'd to him, of a Scanda-
lous Life cheir Abbat led, who was at that time
Three Leagues diſtant from Bononia, at one of his
Country-Houſes, with Three young Women, who
lie in the ſame Bed with him every Night. The
Archbiſhop having taken their Information, loft
no time, but the ſame Evening, ſent away all his
Marſhalſey, compos'd of the Barigel or Provoſt, and
Threeſcore Sbirries or Serjeants well Arm’d, with
Order to ſeize the Abbar, and the Women, that
were with him. They arrived at the Abbats Coun-
try Houſe but a mornent after he was gone to Bed.
The Farmers, who had got the Word and the Keys
of all the Doors, made the Provoſt, with the Sbirries,
enter to rights into the Prelates Chamber; who
(you may eaſily imagin) was extreamly ſurpriz'd
with this unwelcom and unlook'd for Viſit. He
deſir'd to compound with the Provoſt, and the
Sbirries, as he had often done before ; and to per.
ſuade them the better, opend to thema Purſe full
of Gold ; but their Orders were too expreſs to be ſo
eluded, and the Farmers, who out of pure Re-
venge had ſolicited the Seizing of their Land-
lord, were in preſence, and would not have fail'd
to give in their full Information concerning all
that had paſſed, to the Archbiſhop : So the Bari-
gel

336 The Eighth LETTER,
gel and Sbirries (tho' People otherwiſe of baſe and
coverous Minds) upon this occaſion ſhew'd a
forced Reſolution, not to be corrupted by the
Prelates Gold. Accordingly they took the Abbat
ſtark Naked, as he was, without ſuffering him to
pur any thing upon him, beſides a Morning gown;
and in this Equipage having Mounted him with
his Concubines, upon an old Cart they found in a
back yard of the Houſe, they tied thein all together
Back to Back, and thus led them in Triumph in
the moſt ignominious and reproachful manner into
the City of Bononia, before the Archbiſhop. It was
Midnight when they arrived, and the thick Dark.
ireſs of the Night favour'd the poor Abbat very much,
íparing him a great deal of Confuſion, he would
otherwiſe have been put to. The Archbiſhop ſee-
ing him in this condition, fell a Laughing, and by
way of Raillery, told him, That ſince it was not law.
ful for him to take any Cognizance of the Affairs of
Monks, he was willing ſo far to honour them, as to make
themſelves the Fudges of their Brethren ; and fo orº
dered him with his Wenches, at that very inftant,
to be carried in the ſame poſture ro S. Michael in
the Wood, a Monaſtery of the ſame Order about a
Canon - Shor diſtance from the City,
about One of the Clock in the Morning when all
this goodly Traiti arrived there. The Sbirries
Knocke with that violence at the Gates of the Mo.
naſtery, and made ſuch a Hollowing and Shou.
ting, that the Abbar himſelf was fain to Riſe, and
"to go (accompanied by all his Monks) to the great
Gate, where he met with a fight he had little dreamt
of. He at firſt would not acknowledge the Old
Abbar for his Brother, upon pretext forſooth he
"was in his Night-Gown, without the Habit of his
Order, and refus'd to receive him into the Mona.
ſtery: But the Sbirries told him, That if he was for
It was
reſolvid

Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 337
reſolu'd, they had no more to do, but to earry him back
again to the Archbiſhop, who would not fail to ſend for
his Habit, and ſend him back the next day at High Noon
in his Prelates Habit, and accompanied with his Doxies,
as now he was. The Abbat perceiving that nothing
could be gain'd this way, but a double Reproach
and Confuſion, commanded his Fryers, ro go
and
unlooſe him, and ſo admitted him into the Mona.
ſtery, and let the Women go. The Penance im-
pos'd upon this Abbat, for the Affront and Scandal
he had given, was this; To abide 15 Days in the
Monaſtery without ſtirring abroad : Which was
the more eaſie for him to fubmit to, becauſe the
Noiſe of his gallant Story being ſpread through the
whole Ciry, he could not well any ſooner (without
great Shame and Confuſion) have appear'd in
the Streets. The General, who might eaſily have
Depoſed him from his Charge of Abbat, was of
Opinion, That for ſo light a Fault as this, it was
not worth the pains to proceed to ſo rigid a Cen-
fure and thus by a Spirit of Charity, which will
not permit us to do that to another, which we would
not have others do to us, eſpecially when we find
air ſelves in the ſame Circumſtances, contented
himſelf to make him exchange his Abby for ſome
time, and Entertained him at his own Monaſtery,
of Mount Olivet.
I have given you a true and faithful Relation
of this Hiſtory, as having been an Eye-witneſs
of part of it my ſelf, becauſe it hapned during
the time that I was in the Monaſtery of S. Micha-
el in the Wood. This Accident gave me occaſion
of inaking a very pleaſant Diſcovery : for upon the
Sbirries entring into the Monaſtery, a young Reli.
gious being exrreamly affrighted, and apprehending
left they might make a narrow ſearch into his
Chambers, where for Three Weeks time he had
Q
kepr
3

338 The Eighth LETTER,
kept a young Laſs, came direct y to me; and with
out much confidering to whoin he addreſt himſelf,
deſired me, for the Love of God, to hide his Miſt.
reſs in one of the moſt private Chambers of my
Apartment, until the Storm was over. But nor-
withſtanding the extream Earneftneſs wherewith
he folicited my Conſent, I did not think it fit to
expoſe my own Credit, to ſave his; and knowing
withal how dangerous it is, to give a downright
Refuſal to an Italian, and more eſpecially to a
Monk; I in the mildeſt way I could, wifhed him
to Addreſs himſelf to the Apothecary of the Abby
who was a young Man of his own Country, and
was not ſo ſcrupulous in that point, as I was: The
Religious following my Council, found the Apothe.
cary very ready to comply with his defire, and
without making any difficulty, took her from him,
and ſhut her up in one of the Large Preſſes of his
Shop; where he continued the reſt of that Night,
and the Day following, in deadly Fears. The
young Monk came to me the Next Morning, to
Excuſe himſelf, and (as 'ris likely) being troubled
that he had given me the occaſion, (by the diſco.
very he had made to me) to believe, that the
reſt of his Brethren were better than he ; he took
the freedom to diſcover to me ſeveral things,
which till then I was ignorant of, tho' I had now
already continued ſix months amongſt them :
He told me, That most of his Brethren had their
Wenches, whom they kept in their Chambers ; and
that they got them in from abroad from time to time,
where they kept them, ſome a Week, others a Fort-
night, or a Month, according to the Bargain they
bad made with them, and the Ability of their
Purſe: The Abbat himſelf was not ignorant of it;
but prevalent Custom had reduc'd things to that
paß amongst them, that he was fain to wink at all,
and

Of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 339
out.
3
and content himſelf with the Preſents they made
him from time to time for ſo doing: The moſt con-
venient time they had to get their Wenches into the
Abby, was about the beginning of the Night ; who
being come to a place (according to the Appointment)
and preciſely at ſuch an Hour ; the Monks, who had
Sent for them, brought the Cowls and Frocks, and
so dreſs'd them in their own Habit ; which done
theſe good Fryers entred all without diſtinction into
the Monaſtery, in greater Number than they were gone
I had indeed formerly often been furpriz'd, to
fee ſeveral new Figures of Monks entring in the
Dorinitories, which I had never ſeen before and
upon my Enquiry, they had always made me be-
lieve, that they were ſome Stranger-Monks, that
were come to Lodge with them. Moſt of the Re.
ligious have double Rooms, whereby they have a
great convenience of Entertaining their Women
unperceiv’d. The Abbats inake their Profit of it;
for a Religious cannot have one of theſe Double.
chambers, without paying abour an Hundred Crowns
for it; and they are very well acquainted what it
is deſign'd for ; bur provided their Religious only
take care, to manage the Matter ſo, as that it may,
come to the knowledge of Seculars, they
do not trouble theinſelves about it; neither
doch this hinder them from being advanced
to Religious Charges and Employments, as
much as if they were the Holiçſt perſons of the
World.
I was acquainted at Venice with a Regular Ca.
non of the Abby of S. Saviour, who was a young
Man of conſiderable Learning, and who publickly
taught Philoſophy. This Man entertain'd the
moſt infamous Whore that was in the whole City,
and who commonly ſerv'd for a Model to the
Q 2
Lim;

340 The Eighih LEITE R.
Limiers of the Academy. It was above a year
that he had commerce with her, and his Abbar
gave him leave (every Evening) during Shrovetide
to dreſs himſelf in Maſquerade, and to go to her
Lodging, and lead her thence to the Opera or
Comedy, after which, he either brought her along
with him to his Chamber in the Monaſtery, or elle
paſt the reſt of the Night with her at her own Lodge
ing. Now, as long as the Matter was carried
ſecretly, and without making any Noiſe, abroad,
the Abbat let the young Monk take his ſwing,
without giving him the leaſt Check or Reproof
for it; and having a particular Kindneſs for him,
he had already diſpos'd all things in order to his
being choſen Abbat; when by (11l-luck for this
young Fryer) a great number of Artizans, who
lived in the ſame Street with this Courtiſan,
and who probably were diſpleaſed with his fre-
quent Viſits to her, came and made their Com-
plaints to the Monaſtery. The Abbat having
heard what they had to ſay, endeavour'd what he
could to ſweeten them, and to excuſe the Monk;
but all this did but incenſe them the more ; and
the next Sunday they gather'd together in the
Church, near to the Chappel where this young
Religious was wont to ſay Maſs, being reſolved
publickly to Affront him, and to ſtop him from
going to the Altar; but the Abbat having notice
of it, ſent them a piece of Mony, to make them
defiſt from proſecuting their Deſign ; whereupon
they retir'd without more ado: But the Abbat
perceiving the thing had taken Wind, and was
become the publick Talk of the City, thought it
now high time to declare himſelf againſt the
Monk ; and notwithſtanding he had never before
given him the leaſt Reproof for this high Mil-
deineanour, he then wrote a Letter to the Father-
General

of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c:
341
General of the Order, to deprive him of his
Salary; and about a Fortnight after there came air
Order, by which he was put out of his place of
Philoſophy - Lecturer, and ſent away to a ſmall
Monaſtery in the Country. His Crime, as far as
I could ſearch into the matter, was nor for having
Entertain'd an infamous Familiarity with a com-
mon Proſtitute, for this his Superiour had been
well acquainted with a year ago ; but his
Fault was, That he had been ſo unhappy, not to uſe
that caution, as to prevent its coming to publick
Knowledge
Italy; without contradiction, is accounted by all
for a very corupt and debauch'd County ;; and !
itt is as, Lure,, that the Priizffiss and Mankiss (a fault off
yeople,, alho bruce Womedi Emonal Chnyükny) 2119 tile
DINASUNNT UXLILAIKOIN WAI REZETT rasta DOMMessa ww? Mert woenen ITATIL TAHU
biondh. The immanke Tiemſhinas they iroitlas, aie
a Sarundinll and Stumbling Stone irrero tuhai, well
Iooke Woman,w.o aurreimoniigidununræff idhüisaucuIOLENIEI
.
tebrem eluess Happy to be makan imo ribeir Fundur ;;
zit ibeing a Ponreitb iin Tetelly, Tlimu idle Wordb cof a
Prizeft, car Mordk, carm nrenør maut amy thing. The
Monkey, lbefides udhe Vow off ohnflity, Ibrawe alio tat-
ikan upon them thrret Trawenty,and nccordinglyouglar
never tro proffels any Mony of their own; binhe
Avarice of the Popes ihuve imate them, in coppcli-
on to their Vow, Proprieron. To wilint ponpofe is
it; to cover the Inſtitution of Monaſtick Orders un.
der the fair sretext of leading a more Chriſtian
Life, than Secular Men do; when it is ſo
appa »
rent that the principal Motive of their Inſtitution
was the filling of the Pope's Coffers, and the en-
riching of the Prelates of the Court of Rome ? Let :
any one go and ſearch as long as they pleaſe in
Cloiſters for that Spirit of Chaſtity, Poverty, and
Obedience, which in them is exprelly profeſſed, and
Q 3
after

342 The Eighth L ETT ER,
cannot
after all, 'tis certain he will find there leſs of theſe
than in many Secular Families : Bur fure it is, the
Pope always finds them ready to furniſh him with
what Sum of Mony he ſtands in need of. The
Reaſon why the Popes inſtitute ſo many New Or-
ders, is, becauſe they are morally certain, they
will not ſtand long, without falling and depar-
ting from the Rules and Strictneſs of their In.
ftitution, and that this will make way for their
Suppreſſion, which
but be of vaſt ad.
vanrage to them. 'Tis
not long ſince that the
Pope ſuppreſſed Three of them all at once, viz.
the Order of S. Ferom, that of the Feſuits, and that
of the Waters, who likewiſe profeſſed the Rule
of S. Ferom. The Inſtitution of this laſt Order was
a very pleaſant one, and their Exit was as ridicu-
tous.
The Firſt Fathers of this Order being Inſpired
(as they ſaid) by the Holy Ghost, ſet themſelves to
Diſtil Waters and Spirits, for the relief and
ſervice of poor Sick People; and this their Di.
ſtilling of Waters, was their Character of dictincti.
on from others, and made them to be call’d Fathers
of the Waters. A ſhort time after, all this Spiritu-
ality was reduced to a Diſtilling of Beautifyiug W4:
sers for Ladies, to make their Hands white, and
to preſerve or augment their Beauty. All theſe
Three Orders were become extreainly Rich and
Scandalous, when the Pope thought fit to ſuppreſs
them, and to unite to the Patrimony of the Church
all their Poffeffions, giving their Churcbes to other
Monks, who at the bottom were ne'er a whit bet-
ter, than thoſe they were taken from. This was
indeed a very rude Treatment for them, thus at
once to diveſt them of all their Revenues and In-
coms and to force them, tho' ſore againſt their
Will, to the practice of their Vow of Poverty,
by

Of the Corruption of Prieſts, Sc. 343
by reducing them to Beggary, and the Charitable
Benevolence of their Friends and Acquaintance.
This is that which makes the Monks to much
dread theſe Suppreſſions; and the Popes, who
are not ignorant of it, have nothing rodo, but
to threaten them therewith, whenever they have a
mind to ſqueez a conſiderable Suin of Mony from
them; which Method the late Pope Innocent the
XIth ſeveral times pur in practice, as well
againſt the Order of the Canons Regular, as
ſeveral other Congregations of the Order of S.
Bennet.
The Order of Mount Olivet alone, ar one time
made him a Preſent of an Hundred Thouſands
Crowns, to appeaſe his Anger ; tho it was not
long before this, that another Pope had ſqueez'd
out of them, by the ſame Artifice, the Sum of
400000 Crowns; and becauſe for this Reaſon it
was impoſſible for them to raiſe that Sum in Rea.-
dy Mony, within a ſhort term was allorted theiīt
for it, he gave them leave to engage their Fonds,
and Mortgage the Land belonging to their Mona-
ſtery; which they did accordingly, and making a
dextrous uſe of this Conjuncture, by ſtriking whilft
the Iron was hor, they deſired the Pope, whom they
found at that time in a good Humor, to give them
leave to receive Penſions from their Kindred and
Relations, and of poſſeſſing Land in Propriety ;
which was in effect to requeſt, that notwithſtando
ing their Vow of Perpetual Poverty, it might
be lawful for them, to be Rich as any other
Seculars;
and yer as contradictory to their Vow,
as their Requeſt was, the Pope had the Conſcience
to grant it, not only to them, but all other Religious
Houſes, from whence he drew valt Sums of Mo-
ny.
This is that which ar this day makes the Monks
Q4
of
344 The Eighth LETTER,
of Italy ſo full of Mony and ſo well Lin'd; for bei
fides the competent Allowance they have for their
Subſiſtance from the Monaſtery, they enjoy be.
fides conſiderable Annual Penſions from their Fa.
milies, which they ſpend at their pleaſure, and to
fatisfie their Luſts. I have known ſome of them
my ſelf, that had no leſs than 1000 l. Sterling
Annual Penſion. The Cardinals perceiving that
the Popes draw ſo conſiderable Advantage from
Religious Orders, are not wanting on their fide,
to make them as profitable to themſelves, as they
can , and to this end have found out the way
of Selling them theie: Prorection, to whom they
allow an Annual Pension of 3 21:4002 Crowng jandi
albis, ffer to obtain theiii Fawaii and Priore dtiem att
alhe Court of Rumo, upon occalion. The Abbaus
of the Congregation of Mount olivet, finding that
Ormocon't the Xidh was reſolved to fupipieſs them),
Oi at leaft inade a flew to be ſo, they immedia
ately had reccunfe no their Pirotector, the Cure
dinal Fcfoluenetti ; they wiita Letrerro him, wheie-
in they declar'd, the great Danger in which their
Congregation was, and earnefly entreated thim
to make uſe of all his Oredit with the Pope to
have off this fatal Blow from them, and that in
confideration of this ſeaſonable Service, they
would augment his Penſion with the additional
Supplement of 10oo Crowns a Year. I was pre-
ſent at that very time when the Cardinal open-
ed this Lerter, and having read the promiſe they
made him of 1000 Crowns Augmentation, he
Cry'd out in a moſt render and affectionare Tone;
Ah my Dear Congregation of Mount Olivet, I will
never ſuffer it to be ſaid, That ſo great an Affront
ſhould happen unto thee, whilst í am thy Protector :
and immediately thereupon ſent his Secretary to
the Vatican ; to defire Audience of the Peope, upon

a

Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 345
a Matter that was extreamly preſſing, and of great
Importance. He had the good luck to be admitted
to Audience, at the very time when the Act for Sup.
preſſing the Order, was actually Drawing up. His
Eminence caſt himſelf at the Pope's Feer, and told
him Weeping, That if he did proceed in his Reſolutio
on, it would certainly be his Death. The Pope ſee-
ing him in this poſture, lifted him up with a great
deal of Kindneſs, and the Cardinal being his old
Friend, he Promis’d, That for his Jake he would not
Suppreſs the Order as he did intend ; and accordingly
we ſee it ſubfiſt until this Day, tho' the Monks of it
be ne'er a whit better than others, who have been a
ſuppreſt.
It would be matter of Aſtoniſhment to ſee ſo ma-
ny Monaſteries and Convents ſufferd in Italy, full
of a ſort of People, who being under a Vow of O.
bedience, take a full ſwing of their own Wills and In-
clinations, who profeſſing Poverty, are more Pro-
prietors thanMen of the World, and who having con:
ſecrated their Virginity to God, live more ſcanda.
lous and debauch'd Lives than can be imagin'd; I
ſay, this would be matter of Aſtoniſhment, but that
it is notorious, That Gold is more powerful at Rome,
than God himſelf. Can any thing be conceiv'd inore
Infamous and Licentious, than the Lives of Monks :
He that doubts of it, needs only to go to Rome,
Venice, or other principal Cities of Italy, at Shrove-
tide, where he Mall ineer with nothing in the
Streets, but Monks in Maſquerade, with their
Whores; all the Theaters of Comedies and Opera's,
and all places of publick Shews and Paſtime, are
thronged with them ; yea, and they glory in theſe
their Exceſſes, which ought to be the greateſt matter
of Shame and Confuſion to them.
I have been acquainted with a vaſt Number of
Monks, who at Shrovetide ſeeing me, would draw
neai."
Q5 )
346 The Eighth LETTER,
over.
near to me, and take off their Vizards on purpoſe
that I might take notice of them ; they had each
of them a Wench by the Hand, and the next Morn.
ing in the Sextry, before they went to the Altar to
ſay Maſs, all their Diſcourſe was about the De.
bauches and Licentious Pranks they had plaid the
Day before, and ſo what they intended to play the
fame Day, after their Drudgery of Saying Maſs was
I call to mind a Story one of theſe Monks on
a time told me, which becauſe it contains ſome rare
extraordinary Circumſtance, I think worthy of my
communicating to you. The Hiſtory I am about
to tell you hapned at Venice. This Monk told me,
that it was about Three Weeks ſince, that he had
met with a very happy Adventure ; which was,
That as he was going one Evening to the Play-
Houſe, he met with a Lady of Quality in Maſque-
rade, who (as far as he could gueſs from all circum
ſtances) was a Noble Venetian ; though at firſt, be.
cauſe ſhe was alone,and becauſe ſhe rather Addreſt
her ſelf to him, than he to her, he took her to be
a Lady of Pleaſure; and in this perſuaſion he deſir’d
her to go along with him to the Play Houſe ; the
Lady very readily accepted his Offer, which being
ended, he offer'd her his Service to lead her home;
and ſhe who deſired nothing more, preſently made
a ſign to the Men (that waited for her coming ar
the Water fide in her Gondolato come and take her
in. The Monk ſtept in with her, and ſpied ar the
farther end of the Boat a Gentleman in Maſquerade,
who received him with a great deal of civility.
The Lady fearing left the unlook'd-for Meeting
with this Gentleman, might affright or diſcompoſe
her New Gallant, bid him, not to fear any harm;
and commanded the Boar-men, to pull away. It
was about one of the clock in the Morning when
they entred the Góndola, and the Moon being in the
Wane


Of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 347
Wane, and the Heavens all cover'd with Clouds,
made thiat nothing could be diſcern'd by any Light
from thence; and the Boat-men made ſo many
Turnings and Windings through the Canals of
Venice, that it was impoſſible for him to diſcern in
what part of the City he was. All that he could
take Notice of was, That the Gondola, ſtopt at a
back Gate of a ſtately Palace, whence immediately
many Vizarded Lackeys came forth with Flambeaus
to Light them in. He was conducted by a Private
pair of Stairs into a ſpacious Dining Room, where
he met with ſeveral Perſons with Vizards. - The
Monk, tho' he was a Perſon of great Confidence and
Reſolution, confeſt to me, That he was ſeiz'd with
an extream Terror which receiv'd a conſiderable
addition, after the Lady was withdrawn, and he
faw himſelf left all alone with the Gentleman, and
ſome Domeſticks, all Mask'd; for as he aſſur'a
me, he expected nothing leſs than Death. But the
Gentleman, on the other hand, us'd his utmoſt enes
deavours to aſſure and rid him of his Fears. Soon
after the Table was cover'd with a ſuinptuous Colla.
tion, and he was ſerv'd with ſeveral ſorts of the
choiceſt Wines. After which he was ſhewed to a
rich Bed, where he was bid to Lie down. The Monk
ſeeing there would be danger for him, not to com.
ply readily with every thing they would have him
to do, gave a ready Obedience to all their Orders.
He was no ſooner got into Bed, but the Fire and
all the Tapers in the Room were purdut, and im.
mediately after the Lady entred, and came to Bed
to him, giving him a Thouſand Aſſurances, that not
the leaſt hurt ſhould happen to him, and therefore
wiſhing him to diſcard all Fear. He was thus kept
and ſerv'd for a Fortnight together, in the manner
as I have juſt now related, without ever being able
to diſcover where he was, or who any of the Perſons

were

348 The Eighth L ETT ER,
were, that accompanied, or waited on him. All that
he could gueſs from the Lady's Diſcourſe was, That
becauſe ſhe cculd have no Children by her Husband, he
had conſented to avenge himſelf of ſome of his Neareſt
Relations, to whom he was unwilling to leave his Eftate
after his Death, that ſe might find out ſome Expedient
to have an Heir; and that they had not judged any way
more proper for their Deſign, than to make uſe of a
young and handſom Monk, as he was, to obtain their
Defire. Thus after many Civilities receiv'd, and a
very kind and great Entertainment (but withal, after
having committed a great Sin) he was ſent away
with the Preſent of about Fifty Guineas value in
Gold; and having in a dark Night put him into a
Gondola, after many Turnings and Windings, they
Landed him near the place, where they had taken
him in ; neither was it poſſible for him ever after
to make any further diſcovery about this Matter.
He himſelf related to me this Adventure with ſuch
a Tranſport of Joy, (and this too, when he was upon
the point of going up to the Altar to ſay Maſs) as
made it evident, he would have been extreamly ſa-
tisfied, to find himſelf again in the fame Circum-
Itances.
I have heard of another Monk, who ( in a much
like caſe) met with a very different Succeſs; for
having been brought by a Lady of Quality into her
Houſe, during her. Husbands abſence, probably
with the ſame deſign of providing him an Heir ;
but by MiMap for him, her Husband being unex-
pectedly return'd, ſurpriz’d the good Fryer, and
took him napping; and having kept him a cloſe
Priſoner in a Chamber for about a Fortnight, till a
certain Holiday, on which a General Proceſſion was
to be celebrated; which the Gentleman knew was
to paſs by his Door; as the Proceſſion was approach.
ing, hệ caus'd his Priſoner to be ſtript ſtark naked,
and
Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 349
and after he had been foundly ſlaſht by 4 of his
Lackeys, juſt at the midſt of the Proceſſion as the
Fathers Carmelites paſs’d by, of whoſe Order this
Fryer was, he turn'd him out of Door ſtark naked,
with a written Paper on his Back, ſpecifying his
Crime, and forc'd him thus to run through the Pro.
cefron. This gave a very great Offence, and the
Farhers Carmelites, who found theinſelves moſt out-
ragiouſly Affronted thereby, went and complained
to the Inquiſition, pretending that the Gentleman,
who had thus horribly expos'd one of their Bro-
therhood, could be no other than an Heretick, and
a ſworn Eneiny to all Religious Orders; whom he
had ſo outragiouſly abus'd in the Perſon of their
Brother ; but however, notwithſtanding all their
Rage, the honeſt Man made a ſhift to defend and
juſtifie his Proceeding againſt the Diabolical Malice
of theſe Monks.
I could furniſh you here with an infinite number
of curious Stories, concerning the Amours and
Intriegues of Monks and Prieſts, if I were nor
perſuaded, that it is the Duty of every honeft
Man, not to ſpeak, but with great Moderation
of a Vice,whereof the Diſcovery is equally danger-
Ous, to him that makes it, and to thoſe to whom
it is made.. And therefore ſhall only tell you,
that
I may cut ſhort here, That I never in my life con,
vers'd with any one Monk or Prieſt of the Church
of Rome, for ſo long a time as was ſufficient to
penetrate a little into their Manner and Courſe of
Liſe; but that I found at laſt, that they had le.
crer Commerce with Women, or, which is worſe,
and what I would not willingly narne, viz. That
they were addicted to the abominableSin of Sodomy.
And yet many of thoſe were meer Saints to
ward appearance, all their Diſcourſe was of the
Bleſſed Virgin, and of Purgatory ; and the only
Reaſon

out-
350 The Eighth LETTER,
Reaſon why I defir'd their Friendſhip, was becauſe
at firſt I took them to be very good and honeſt Men;
but ſome time after I found to my great Regret,that
I had been deceived by my too favourable Opinion
of them.
I was acquainted (during my ſtay at Venice) with
one of them, that was the Steward of a Religious
Houſe. He was a Man of the moſt promiſing
Phyfiognomy that could be ; and I was much edi,
fied to ſee how modeſt and humble he was in his
Garb and Behaviour. For, whereas moſt of the
Monks of Italy wear curious ſhining Stuffs, fine
Hats, Silk Stockins, and near Shoes, he had no-
thing about him but what was very plain and ſim-
ple. He wore a great old Har, with a brim of
a Foot and an half broad, which flap'd down o.
ver his Ears, with a great Pater Noster of Wood
hanging down from his Girdle ; and beſides this,
had an Air and Port that breath'd nothing but
Devotion; and his Maſſes, which others have
found a way to expedite in leſs than a Quarter of
an Hour, alway laſted an Hour and an half. He
was alſo a great Lover of Books, as being of ſome
competent Learning. Theſe good Qualities I ob.
ſerv'd in him, joyn’d with ſome others that he pro-
feſs'd, and the good Report he had every where;
tho' indeed acquir'd by his Hypocriſie, were the
Motives that engag'd me, to endeavour an Ac-
quaintance with him ; and I look'd upon my ſelf
as very happy, in meeting with a great deal of
Facility in the executing of this my Deſign. Du.
ring a ſeven Months Converſation I had with him,
I perceived nothing by him but what was good and
honeſt: Yea, he ſeem'd to have ſomething of a
Spirit of Prophecy : for what he had publickly
foretold of the railing of the Siege of Vienna, and
of the total Defeat of the Turkiſh Army, very

par.
Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 351
particularly came to paſs. It had been happy for
him, could he as well have foreſeen the ill Con-
fequences, which the licentious and flagitious Life
he led in Secrer, would draw down upon him, in
order to have prevented them. This good Monk
(for ſo he was as to all outward appearance, and
whom I look'd upon as a Mau come froin Heaven)
was oblig'd by a troubleſom Accident that hapned
to him, to diſcover to me all his wicked Life: A
Lewd Woman, whom he had kept for ſeveral Years,
was reſolv'd ar laſt to ruin his Reputation ; She be-
ing perfectly well accquainted, how great a Lover
this Hypocritical Monk was of Vain.glory, ſhe had
already for ſome Months threatned to expoſe him
in his own Colours to the World, in cafe he did
not furniſh her with the Sum of Money ſhe deinan-
ded of him. She had already, by theſe Menaces
drawn from him at twice an ioo Crowns, and
was now come for the Third time, to demand the
like Sum, neither would he have mended himſelf
a whit, by complying with her Demand, becauſe
The would not have fail'd within a Fortnight after
to come with the ſame Threats, viz. That she was
refolv'd to declare in preſence of the Prior of the Con-
vent, and all the Religious, That he (through whoſe hands
all the Mony of the Convent paſſed) had not only re-
viſb’d her Daughter ; but alſo abuſed one of her Boys,
in the moſt abominable manner imaginable. The Monk
own'd, that he had to do with the one and the o.
ther, and the Mother too ; but that he had not
been the firſt ; foraſmuch as long before his Ac-
quaintance with them, they had been Proſtitutes,
and that beſides they had been well paid for it :
That in the mean time, to put ſome ſtop to her
Impudence, he defir'd me to go and warn her ſe.
riouſly, That if ſhe would not be ſatisfied with the
Mony be bad already given her, he was refolu'd to get
ber




354 The Eighth LETTER
her Murther'd. I was ſo far from offering him my
Service in this Affair, chat from that time for-
wards I conceiv'd the greateſt horror and averſion
for him, and took a firm Reſolution never to ſee
him more. However, I had the Curioſity, before
I took my laſt leave of him, to ask him, What
was the Reaſon why he went ſo ſtrangely Dreſt,
and ſuch a ſouching Hat hanging over his Ears ;
he who took ſuch great pleaſure in courting of Wo-
men? He told me, That he had found the Habit
he wore very advantagious and uſeful to him, that
being an Officer of the Monaſtery, when he went
to receive any Rents, the Perſons concern'd had the
greater Reſpect for him ; and beſides this, That
it was alſo very beneficial to fill his owu Purſe,
which he ſhewed me how. For as our Monaſteries
(ſaid he) are never without Suits of Law, every one
knows what is the ſet price of an Allignation, a Wars
rant, a Contract, an Acquittance, and an hundred
other Formalities us’d in Law. It is ſufficient when
I give in my Accounts, that I have made uſe of ſo ma-
ny Affignations, Conſultations, Acquittances, &c.
which do amount to ſuch a Sum: All, or moſt of which
is my Profit ; for ſometimes I have disburs'd nothing
at all for them. I go to the Lawyers, the Attorny, ,
and Notary with my great Slouching-Hat, and in a
pitiful whining tone I repreſent to the utmoſt of my
power, the Extream Poverty of our Monaftery, and
that ſo effectually, as often to move them to compaſ.
fion; and ſo they either take no Mony at all of me, or
elſe content themſelves with a very little : So that the
Mony of theſe formalities of Law comes into my own
Pocket, neither am I oblig'd to give, an account thereof
to my Superiours, as being the fruit and product of
my own Induſtry. Whereas (laid he) poould I preſent
my ſelf to theſe Men of the Lamp with a little Hat, and
a Neat Habit, they would preſently twit me with an
See

Of the Corruptions of Prieſts,&c. 353
See here a Company of good Fat Monks, who
live at eaſe and pleaſure, and have wherewith
to pay well, and ſo they ſhall; and accordingly
would make me pay to the utmoſt Rigour. And as for
Women (ſaid he) I am already aſſur’d, That tho! ?
my Perſon may not pleaſe them, yet my Mony will
and that as long as I am ſtord with that I shall never
fail of being Welcom to them.
This Diſcourſe made me conceive, That all thoſe
great flapping Hats, thoſe old and Thredbare
Cowls, the long Beards of the Capuchins, and the
high Collars of the Feſuits, are no certain Proof (as
fome ſuppoſe) that thoſe who wear them are goodi
und lihoneilt Mer). The knowledge alſo; I lave hadi
of their Dillerdes, bas polmeifiully convinced men,
that the Siin of Windlastineſs is that which verigns imost
ablolwely, and without comuonl amongſt them
and that of alll whelle Vowkeus of Cimbing, the site are
but a very few, and may be, none at all that obi
feive it indeed and in th: for God will never
afford hiss Blefiing to Confidences, or Rath Vows.
For all that has been finid, it will not be difficult
to conceive, how the Roman Clergy can make away
with thoſe walit Revenues they are poffeffed of, this
Sin of the Fleſh being one of thoſe Vices that re-
quires grent Expences iro maintain it. True it is,
that Prieſts and Monks are not all of them equa'llý
for there be ſome of them, that have neither
Benefices nor Penfions, and who conſequently are
not in a condition to ſpend as high as others, who
yet ſpend proportionably to their Incoms. I have
known ſome of them who had nothing to live upon,
but the Mony they receiv'd for their Maffes, who
did almoft ſtarve themſelves with hunger, to ipare
ſomething to enable them to Viſit a Whore Houſe
once a Fortnight, or at the leaſt once a Month.
There are others of them who have ſuch baſe and
Rich;
mean

954 The Eighth LETTER,
5
ces.
mean Souls, that they learn Handicrafts, and exer:
ciſe them in private, to gain ſome Mony : Yea,
there be aot wanting ſome of them who learn to
make Womens Cloaths; as, Manteaus, Stays, and
Petticoars that by this means they may have an
occaſion of freer acceſs to them ; ſome of them pro-
feſs the Art of Fortune-Telling, and ſome of them
are downright Neoromancers. Laſtly, there be o
thers who are not only baſe and mean, but alſo
Sacrilegious ; for tho' (according to their Princis
ples to celebrate more Maſſes than one a day, be
one of the greateſt Profanations a Man can be
guilty of, yet theſe Prieſts and Monks, who ſacrifice
all that is Sacred and Holy to their own Intereſt,
do eaſily get over this difficulty, and ſay ſome.
times three or four Maſſes a day in ſeveral pla.
Cace on a Holiday I heard Maſs ſaid very early
in the Morning in the Church of S. Mark atVenice,
by a poor Prieſt of my Acquaintance; and having
occaſion the ſame Morning to go to Muran, which
is but a little League diſtant from Venice, as I paſt
through a Church, I ſaw the ſame Prieſt celebrating
another Maſs. About Two Hours after I was ob-
lig'd to go to a place call'd l'Fudeka, and there
again found the ſame Prieſt ſaying Maſs in a con-
vent of Nuns. This Prieſt turning himſelf to the
People at Dominus vobiſcum, perceiv'd me, knowing
he was diſcover'd, he became ſeiz'd with ſuch an
exceſſive fear and reſtleſnefs, during the reſt of the
Maſs, that he ſcarcely knew or minded what he
faid, he left out ſome of the accuſtomed Collects
and Benedictions, and after he had conſecrated the
Cup, he forgat to lift it up on high for the People
to Worſhip it, according to Cuſtom. As ſoon as he
had made an end of Saying Maſs, he put off his
Habit with an extraordinary precipitancy, and
taking

Of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 355
taking his Hat and Cloak, ran away without ever
demanding his Mony for the Maſs he had ſaid.
I could eaſily have cauſed him to be ſeized ; but
knowing it to be a matter belonging to the Inqui-
ſition, and having never had any liking for that Tri-
bunal, I would not concern my ſelf with it. Be.
ſides I knew that he was nor the only Man, that was
guilty of this Fault, but that many others commit-
ted the ſame every day. My Pen is weary of ſet-
ting down all thoſe infamous and ſcandalous Acti.
ons; but yer, becauſe there is no Evil from whence
ſome great Good may not be drawn, I heartily wiſh,
Sir, that from what I have here written, as well as
in all my other LETTERS, you may at leaſt derive
this Benefit, to be convinc'd, That the firſt Argu-
ment which put me upon Writing theſe LET.
TERŞ, and upon which you rely ſo much for your
confirmation in the Romijn Religion, is a very poor,
weak and dangerous one, viz. That it is imposia
ble, that ſuch a great number of Monks and Prielts,
who ſit at the Helm of your Church, mould be all of them
in an Error, and conſequently, that they may be
very
Safely rely'd upon. This is one of thoſe Arguments
we call Circulus Vitiofus, a Vicious or Faulty Circle
The Seculars repoſe themſelves in inatters of Faith
upon the Prieſts and Monks ; and if we divide the
Prieſts and Monks
, as they divide them at Rome;
viz. into Prieſts on this fide, and on the other ſide
the Alpes; we find that the latter rely on the former
who are Italians ; and theſe again repoſe themſelves
wholly on thoſe at Rome, that is, upon that
number of Eccleſiaſticks that are about the Pope,
and who in their Opinion paſs for very great Do-
ctors. Now theſe again on the other hand, do not
rely ſo much upon their own Science or Learning,
which they know to be very 'mean, as upon the great
number of Prieſts and Seculars, who believe them.
This

356 The Eighth LETTER,
This made one of their great Preachers declare from
the Pulpit , That it was an invincible. Argument to
prove the Truth of Tranſubſtantiation, becauſe there
was ſuch a vaſt number of thoſe who believed, in com-
pariſon of the inconſiderable Number that deny'd it :
That their. Catholicks being twenty to one, were to be
accounted as the ſtrongeſt, ſo the trueſt.
I Ihall not employ my time here to ſhew, how
weak and frivolous thoſe Arguments are, that are
drawn either from the Number, or Dignity of the
Perfons that profeſs. it. It ſhall fuffice me, that I
have expoſed to your View the diſcovery I have
made of the Unfaithfulneſs; and Falſneſs of
your
Paltors, and how muchi ic is their outward Intereſt
no abuſe youth, and no deceive them iedves whilst they
impere upon you. For as whey are well plea fæd no
be made wie of by the Moulinitude, as an Arruiment
no anoide TNETT Benitei ; To God fuffens ubem tro imalike
the fame Multriinude, an Argumentro confivan their
own Bellief. lfone Blind Manllends anoulion, whey
anuft lboth of them fall into the Dirdh; and iüf one
leads Twenty, they muſt ftillundergo dhe fame Fare.
Tisa mudh furer way for ustro srely upon ſomething
we know trobe frst and folid (as welknow the Sanip
Tule to be, and to endeavour tro peneriare the wie
ſenſe thereof,) than to sepole ones Confidence upon
Men, who being blinded by their Intereſts, or Pafi-
Ons, may afterwards deceive us for Company.
I thall conclude this account of my Journey, or
rather the Remarks I have made during my ſtay in
Italy, with the reciral of ſome ſmall Circumſtances
which deſerve to be taken notice of. Fronı Milan
I took my Journey, towards the Lake de Como,
where I Embarked to go to the Valteline ; and from
thence I again paſt over the Mountain Splug, where
(in my way) I gave a Viſit to the Curare of Campo:
dolcino, my old Acquaintance, who was a Doctor of
Milana

of the Corruptions of Prieſts, &c. 357
Milan. He was much ſurpriz’d to ſee me there
again, and eſpecially when he underſtood by me,
That my intention was to take another Journey
through the Country of the Griſons into Switzerland.
He adviſed me very ſeriouſly to beware of the Here-
ticks and to converſe with them as little and as
cautiouſly as might be. I told him, It would be a
very difficult Task to avoid their converſation in a
Country where they are every where mix'd with
the Catholicks, or ſo much as to know and dil,
cern them. Whereupon he told me, That I might
eaſily diſcern them by their manner of Diſcourſe;
For (ſaid he) you fall not be a quarter of an Hour ire
any of their Company but you jball hear theſe Words
coming from them, The Purity of the Goſpel ; the
the Liberty of the Children of God; the Written
Truth; the Teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt, and other like
expresſions, tending to exalt the Holy Scripture above the
Authority of the See of Rome. But this Notion the
Doctor gave ine of Proteſtants, was ſo far from give
ing ine an undervaluing Conceit of them, that on
the contrary, I took notice of ſomething very plea:
ling and excellent in it,and which rendred them the
more amiable in my eyes,
And as I was pafling over the Alps, meditaring on
the deſcription the Doctor had given me of the Pro-
teſtants, I conceiv'd, That what was an objection to
them as a Crime, mighr very well be look'd upon
as an Apology for them. Whilſt my Mind was
taken up with thoſe thoughts, I perceiv'd afar off a
Company of Litle Children, who came Running
towards me from a little Hamler, upon the Moun-
tain, to Beg an Alms of me; I obſerv'd that theſe
Children beg'd only in the Name of God, and for
the Love of Jeſus Chrif, by which I knew them to be
Proreftants. And tho I was not then ſo well ſtor’d
with Mony to be liberal to them ; yet they were
very

358 The Eighth LETTER,
very thankful for the Little I gave them, and return'd
peaceably to the Village, having firſt beſtow'd a
Thouſand Bleſſings upon me. As I travelld forwards,
and was coming down the Mountain, I met with a.
nother ſmall Hamlet, from whence alſo came forth
a Company of Children upon the ſame deſign as the
former ; but that Form of Begging was very differ.
ent; for they entreated my Charity for the Love of the
Bleſſed Virgin, of S. Anthony of Padua, and the Souls
of Purgatory. Neither were they contented with the
ſmall Gift I had beftow'd upon the other Children,
bur follow'd me with great Importunity above a
quarter of a League, repeating a great Number of
Ave Maries, and Prayers for the Dead; and after all,
ſeeing they could get no more of me, they changd
their Prayers into a Thouſand Curſes, and took up
Stones which they flung at me. I perceiv'd by this
Action, that theſe Little Catholicks were not ſo well
Taught and Educated as the Children of Proteſtants ;
and that the Doctrin inſtill'd into them, did not pro-
duce ſo good Fruit, as the Purity of the Goſpel did
in others. In this manner I continued my Journy
through the Country of the Griſons, and of the Swiſ.
ſers; and without tying my ſelf to obſerve the Advice
of the Curate of Campodolcino, I indifferently con.
verſed with the Proteſtants and Catholicks.
I know it is a difficult thing for People of a dif-
ferent Religion (tho' living under the ſame Laws
and Government, as the Swiſſes are) perfectly to
love one another. However, I obſervd, That the
Papifts ſpeak with a great deal more of Bitterneſs
againſt the Proteſtants, than the Proreſtants did a.
gainſt thein, tho' indeed theſe latter had much more
Reaſon ſo to do for it was at the time when the Per.
fecution was carried on againſt the Proteſtants with
a great deal of Fury. I was much edified with the
Example of ſeveral French Proteſtants, fled into Swit-
zerland,

of the Corruption of Prieſts, &c. 359
gerland, who were ſo far from complaining of the
Miſeries they had ſuffer'd, that they exhorted one
another, (with words of Holy Scripture) ro bear pa-
ciently thoſe further Sufferings their Exile might ex.
poſe them to. Neither could they endure to hear
others ſpeak ill of their Perſecutors, and teſtified
themſelves to deſire nothing more, than that it
would pleaſeGod to pardon and convert them. There
was an old Gentleman, who in my hearing, with a
great deal of Charity reproy'd a young French Sol-
dier for being tranſported into Pallion againſt the
French ; asking him, Whether the Reading of the Ho-
ly Bible had taught him ſo to do? The Young Man
was daſhed with this Check, and deſired him, to ex-
cuſe a Fault he had committed, by the Regret he
had, to ſee himſelf reduced to the condition of a
Soldier's Life for a poor Subfiftance, after having
loſt all his Eftate in France.
When I was in Switzerland, and ſo near to Geneva,
1 reſolv'd to ſpend Three or Four Days there. I
was Lodg’d at the Houſe of a good Widow, who
was a very Zealous Proteſtant, and by this occaſion
found my ſelf many times engag’d, to diſpute about
Matters of Religion : And foraſmuch as I was then
maintaining a Weak Cauſe, I found the Arguments
put 10 me to be very ſtrong; and tho' I did not im-
mediately give up the Cudgels, yet thoſe I diſcours'd
with, took notice of the Moderation wherewith I
gave in my Anſwers; which made one of the Mi.
niſters who was then preſent, ſay, That it were greatly
to be wiſh'd, that all the Prieſts of Rome had the ſame
command of their Spirits; becauſe by this means Truth
would have the betterOpportunity of diſcovering her ſelf
unto them; but that commonly by the Caſſionateneſs,
and their ſcornful and injurious Expreſſions, they broke
off all Diſputes, as ſoon as they found themſelves, pinch'd
with the Evidence of Truth. The Truth is, they be.
haved

3:60 The Eighth LETT E R &c.
haved themſelves towards me with a great deal of
Kindneſs and Civility ; and after the Diſpute was
over, a Fine Collation was Dreft up, to which they
invited me, defiring only of me (by a kind of ſecrer
Reproach, which did not diſpleaſe me, becauſe I
knew it to be Juſt) that I would be pleas'd to make
this Reflection upon their Carriage, 'That their Spirit
was nog like that of the Papiſts: For (ſaid they) Sir,
you know very well, that if we had Diſputed as much
either in France or Italy, to maintain our Faith, as you
have done here to defend yours,we ſhould have been abus'd,
Clapt up into Priſon, yea, -and Burnt alive ; but as for
us, we are ſo far from having any recourſe to ſuch barba:
rous and horrid Means, that we do not ſo much as upon
that account think the worſe of you; neither Mall you
perceive any thing from us, but the kindeſt Entertain.
ment we are able to afford you. I cannot but own, that
I found in this their Behaviour fomething of that
Spirit of Beneficence and Sweetneſs, wherewith fefus
Chriſt, and his firſt Preachers of the Faith, did Con-
vert ſuch Crouds of Infidels and Sinners. The Idea
whereof has been ever-ſince impreſt on my Mind,
and put me upon applying iny ſelf to the reading of
the Writings of Proteſtants, and to Weigh their Rea.
ſons with a inore unbias'd Temper, and having found
them Solid, and founded on the Word of God and
the Practice of the Reformed Churches, conform to
thoſe of the firſt Ages of the Church, God had been
pleas'd to give me his Grace, to diſpoſe my Will to
embrace it, by adjuring all the Errors of the Church
of Rome, which I have, and utterly do renounce from
all my heart, and wiſh you (in Chriſtian Charity)
the ſame Happineſs, as being,
SIR,
Your moſt Affectionate, &c,
F 1 N 1 s.

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Examination and treatment records
are on file.
Call # B x 2439 A2 E53
1725
Job # P2.53
Work by Lbyla.
ahan-Loung
December 1946
Date