without defect, it was so much the more susceptible, all bodies being more susceptible in proportion as they are more perfect. Even Adam before the fall could not by possibility have endured so much, he being made only of clay. "Y el cuerpo de Christo fue formado de la purissima sangre de la virgin sin manzella." Moreover a redemption was to be effected as much by justice as by love. He bore at that time the pain which all the sins of mankind deserved. Las 400 Respuestas, p. 2, f. 112.

IMMEDIATELY after the resurrection, as soon all the children of men are risen and collected together in expectation of their doom. Sabemos 66 que de repente se ha de abrir no Ceo huma grande porta, et que a primeira cousa que todos verão sahir por ella, cercada de resplandores bastantes a escurecer o Sol (se ainda ouvera Sol) serà a mesma sagrada Cruz, em que o Redemptor do mundo padecco, reservada so ella do incendio, et reunida de todas as partes

de Christendade, onde esteve dividida et adorada."—VIEYRA, Sermoens, tom. 2, p. 489. See also Ibid. tom. 7, p. 255.

Baptism.

“THE chrism was to be made of oil and balsam, denoting good inclination and good appearances. The person was to be anointed twice with holy oil before the baptismal act; once on the breast, to expel all evil and sinfulness and inspire good thoughts; once on the back, to expel slothfulness and strengthen to good works. After baptism twice with chrism, in the shape of a cross, on the head, that he may have understanding to give a reason for his faith; and on the forehead, that he may have courage to confess.-1 Partida, tit. 4, ley 14, 15. The chrism was only to be made on Good Friday.-P. 1, tit. 10, ley 13.

At consecrating a church, the walls and altars were to be anointed with chrism.Ibid. ley 16.

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In the seventeenth and last council of Toledo, it was decreed that the baptistery should be shut up and sealed with the episcopal seal all the year till Good Friday, on which day the bishop, in his pontificals, was with great solemnity to open it; in token that Christ by his passion and resurrection had opened the way to heaven for mankind, as on that day the hope was opened of obtaining redemption by this holy sacrament.-MORALES, 12. 62. 3.

See Collect. Gothica, for an Athanasian miracle.

Elijah.

"THIS is he, who, though he continue a man, yet waxeth he not old;-this is he that is reserved for a captain of war against Antichrist; this is he that in the end of the world will turn all men from lying and deceit unto God. Afore his mother was de

livered of him, his father saw in a vision ping him with flames of fire as it were the angels saluting him, all in white, wrapswathing bands, and nourishing him with fire as if it had been usual food or pap."DOROTHEUS.

ENOCH and ELIAS are preserved, according to the opinion of grave expositors, to be witnesses of God's judgements (ser testemunhas de sens juizios), one in the state of the written law, to which, I suppose, St. the law of nature, the other in the state of John is to be added for the law of grace.SEBASTIANESTAS, pt. 1, p. 21.

St. John.

ST. AUGUSTINE (Tract 124, in Johan.) mentions and ridicules a tradition that John ordered his own grave to be made, lay down in it, and went to sleep, still sleeping there, as is manifest by the heaving of the earth over him as he breathes.

DOROTHEUS says, "he living as yet (the Lord would so have it) buried himself."

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Holy Water.

"THERE were two reasons for sprinkling the graves, because sometimes the grave is the special purgatory, where soul and body suffer together but in general, because, while the soul is in purgatory and looking on to redemption, the Devil, knowing how dearly it loves the body wherein it is to rise again to glory, gets into the grave to insult it,-every wrong offered to the body afflicting the soul. Now if he happens to be there when the grave is sprinkled, he cannot bear holy water, and flies away directly."

This is only an opinion of Fray Luys d'Escobar, but he says he knows no opinion in opposition to it,—and it may hold good till some better reason be assigned.-Las 400, Respuestas, p. 1, f. 118.

Excommunication.

ADAM was the first man that was excommunicated; but this was not the first instance of excommunication, for the fallen angels were excommunicated before him.i Partida, tit. 8.

The Celestial Hierarchy.

THERE were ten orders originally. One fell, and man was created to supply its place.—1 Partida, tit. 20.

Fasting.

LENT is the title of the year.-This was following the precept of giving full and overflowing measure.-1 Partida, tit. 20, ley 3.

MARINUS, the disciple and biographer of Proclus, calls the sublimer virtues Cathartic.-T. TAYLOR.

THE Saturday's fast was originally instituted in commemoration of one enjoined by St. Peter on that day, because he was to

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Christ.

"Todos os outros homens, quando se gerão et concebem no ventre da may, não são homes, nem ainda meninos; porque so tem a vida vegetativa, ou sensitiva, et ainda não estão informados com a Alma racional; porem o Verbo Encarnado, Christo, desdo primeiro instante de sua conceição foy varão perfeito et perfeitissimo, não so com todas as potencias da Alma et do corpo, senão tambem com o uso dellas."-VIEYRA, Sermoens, tom. 4, p. 50.

Confession and Absolution.

THE necessity of those in the strict Catholic sense was one of the early corruptions of Christianity. It is insisted upon by Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, under Decius. See EUSEBIUS, l. 6, c. 44. Iepì Σαραπίωνος.

SOZOMEN traces the growth of the practice. In the beginning of Christianity people accused themselves publicly before the congregation. As zeal abated, shame increased, and that confession which had formerly been made openly in the church, was now made to the priest alone and in privacy. He gives this only as his opinion-ey de wc oiμaι ányíσopa, but it is the natural process. Lib. 7. c. 16.

"HE opiniam de Doutores piadosa et bem recebida, que em todos os dias consagrados a alguma Festa da Senhora, estam mais franqueadas as portas do Ceo. Mas que este privilegio seja particularmento concedido a mayor Festa de todas, que he a da Assumpçam gloriosa, naõ tem so a probabilidade de opiniam, mas he cousa certa.

LADDERS of Christ and of the Virgin, as seen by S. Francesco and Leon.-Ibid. tom. 6, p. 479.

ON a certain day, when the Virgin sate weeping, "præ desiderio videndi Christum," an angel appeared and told her that within three days she should depart and see her son, and placed in her hand a celestial palmbranch, radiant with splendour, which he said was to be borne before her bier. Upon this she requests that all the apostles might be brought together to see her before she died. St. John was at that time preaching at Ephesus. At the ninth hour before noon, an earthquake shook the place, and in the sight of the astonished people he was enveloped in a cloud and rapt away out of the pulpit, they knew not whither. He arrived first of all the Apostles, who from different parts of the world were transported in like manner; and the Virgin gave him the palm-branch, charged him with the care of her funeral, and especially that he would provide against all danger of that outrage which the Jews were likely to offer to her corpse in their hatred for the mother of our Lord. Other believers assembled, and when they were all sitting together, on the third day, a sudden sleep came upon all except the apostles, in whose presence Christ appeared in glory, surrounded with angels. The Virgin prostrated herself and adored him, and after mutual expressions of affection, she laid herself at his feet and died. Christ then commends her soul to the Archangel Michael, directed the Apostle to conceal her body in the earth, and then he ascended. The body remained unchanged in colour or in beauty; it became fragrant not sunken,— a cloud in the shape of a cone descended and remained upon the bier ;-angels accompanied it singing the obsequies;—immense numbers collect by the heavenly voice;

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-Jews who attempt to insult the bier are struck with palsy or blindness, and are miraculously restored upon repentance; and finally the body was interred at Gethsemene, in the spot which her Son had appointed. There the angels remain three days singing beside the grave, and it is doubtful whether they would ever have returned to heaven, if they had not taken the precious body with them. On the third day, Thomas, doubting of the Assumption, moreover came to the grave to see and venerate the body. He found the sepulchre empty, retaining only the fragrance which was left there.-LIGHTFOOT, vol. 8, 307-9, from Melito, S. Metaphrastes, Nicephor. et aliis.

[Fragment.] St. Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins.

THE earliest notice of St Ursula that has been discovered, is in that veracious historian, GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH.

According to him, when Constantine went from Britain to deliver the Roman world from the tyranny of Maxentius, Octavius Duke of the Wesseans took advantage of his absence, slew the proconsuls who had been left in charge of the government, made himself king, and having once been driven from the kingdom and recovering it by the murder of Trahern, an uncle of the Empress Helena, who had been sent from Rome against him, kept possession of it till the time of Gratian and Valentinian. Then in his old age, wishing to provide for the succession, he convoked his Council, and asked them which of his family they desired to have for their king after his decease, seeing that he had no son, and only one daughter. Some advised him to marry her with some

noble Roman, and bestow the kingdom with her, that so they might enjoy a firmer peace. Others were of opinion that his nephew Conan Meriadoc ought to succeed to the throne, and that his daughter, with a competent dowry in money, should be given in marriage to a foreign prince. Caradoc, Duke of Cornwall, differed from both, and advised, as the surest means of securing a permanent peace, that Maximian, the Roman Senator, should be invited over to marry the Princess, and succeed to the throne. Maximian was the son of Leolin, who was also an uncle of the Empress Helena; but by his mother and birth-place he was a Roman, and on both sides of royal blood, therefore having on both sides a right to the crown of Britain.

This advice, as might be expected, was vehemently opposed by Conan Meriadoc; King Octavius came to no decision, and Duke Caradoc persisting in his views sent his son Mauricius to acquaint Maximian with what had passed. Mauricius arrived at Rome in happy hour, when Maximian was offended with the two Emperors for having refused to admit him as a third. The Embassador represents to him that ample means for acquiring not merely a portion of the empire, but the whole, were now at his disposal. King Octavius being aged and infirm would gladly give him his daughter, and make over to him his kingdom; and with the means in treasure and in men which Britain could supply, he might return to Rome, drive out the Emperors, and win the empire for himself, after the example of his kinsman Constantine. Maximian lent a willing ear, and set out accordingly for Britain. On the way he subdued the cities of the Franks, in which he found great treasure both of silver and gold; he raised men in all parts; set sail with a fair wind, and arrived at Hamo's Port,-since called Southampton.

Mauricius had deceived him, but with no ill intent. He had represented that the King and the Nobles had with one consent invited him; whereas the mission was from

Duke Caradoc alone, and the King was so alarmed at what appeared an invasion, that he ordered Conan to raise all the force of the kingdom, and march against the enemy. This he did with such celerity that he came in sight of Hamo's Port while Maxentius was still in his tents there. Maxentius was

not prepared for an opposition which he had had no reason to expect; his troops were far inferior in numbers; his council were of opinion that a battle ought not to be hazarded, and Mauricius proposed a politic way of proceeding, to which they all consented. He took with him twelve grayhaired men, eminent beyond the rest for their quality and wisdom, and bearing olive branches in their right hands; and thus accompanied he went towards the British army. The Britons seeing these venerable men, and that they bore the emblem of peace, saluted them respectfully, and opened a way for them to their commander. Him they saluted in the name of the Emperors and of the Senate, and said that Maximian | was sent with an Embassy to the King from Gratian and Valentinian. Why then, said Conan, comes he with an army, rather like an invader than an ambassador? Mauricius replied that the force with which he came was not greater than was suitable for his rank, and necessary for his safety, seeing that by reason of the Roman power, and the actions of his ancestors, he was obnoxious to many kings through whose territories he had to pass. But it was in peace that he came to Britain, and from the time of his landing his behaviour had been peaceful. He had taken nothing by force, and had paid for every thing that his people required. Duke Caradoc was at hand to urge that the Embassy should be received, and Conan being rather overruled than persuaded, unwillingly laid down his arms, and conducted Maximian to London.

Then Duke Caradoc and Mauricius represented to the King that what the more faithful and loyal of his subjects had long desired, was now by the good providence of God brought about. Now when by reason

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of his great age it was his wish to retire from the fatigues of the government, God had vouchsafed to bring him a person of the imperial family, upon whom he might most fitly bestow his daughter and his crown;-one indeed who had a just claim to the throne, for he was the cousin of Constantine and the nephew of King Coel, whose daughter Helena had possessed by an undeniable hereditary right. To these representations Octavius yielded; Maximian accordingly married the Princess, and ascended the throne. Conan retired in anger into Albania, as Scotland was then called, raised an army there, crossed the Humber, and wasted the provinces on either side. Maximian marched against him, gave him battle, and defeated him, but it was not till after many conflicts, and much loss on both sides, that Conan's resentment was appeased, and a sincere accommodation concluded.

From this time Conan became Maximian's friend. That king, elated by the wealth and strength which he had at his command, fitted out a fleet for the purpose of invading Gaul. He landed upon the coast of Armorica, and there put the Gauls under their leader Inbaltus to flight, with the loss of fifteen thousand men. That victory rendered the conquest of Armorica certain, after which he doubted not of reducing all Gaul. Calling Conan aside, therefore, he said that amends should now be made him for his disappointed hopes of the British crown. Another Britain should be made of Armorica for his kingdom. The land was fruitful in corn, the rivers abounded with fish, and the forests with game; they would drive out the old inhabitants and people it with Britons. This determination was carried into effect. All the cities and towns were taken with little resistance, and all the males who were found in them were put to the sword. The strong places were made still stronger, and garrisoned with Britons. Thirty thousand troops were brought from Britain, to defend this new Britain, and an hundred colonists to repeople it. And while Maximian pursued his conquests