they seem to exceed the old pagans) are thus described by Naogeorgius apud Hospinian, de Orig. Festor. Christian. p. 114. "Templi sacrati celebantur festa quotannis, Scorta jubet simul adduci, turbasq. nothorum. CHAPTER X. GIFTS. 1. THE heathen offered gifts unto their gods. This hath been sufficiently cleared in several instances; yet a few more I will add in this place. Adrian, the emperor, offered unto Juno a peacock, 4 her beloved bird, of pure gold, with wings round about; at the extremities he caused all manner of sparkling and precious stones to be put, that they might serve in lieu of eyes, and represent the perfect form of a peacock.-Marius d'Assigni, p. 21. The Gauls of Insubria promised to offer the armours of the Romans to Vulcan; but (saith Florus) it fell out otherwise: for Verdumarus their king was slain, and Marcellus hung the third Opima, that is, magnificent and pompous spoils, which since the reign of Romulus had been offered to Jupiter Feretrius.-Histor. Roman. lib. ii. cap. 4. In a word, the old Romans upon every eminent deliverance offered very splendid gifts to that god who was the supposed author of it. And thus do Papists offer gifts unto their saints. This is clear from the offices appointed for them. 66 Sanctify, we beseech thee, O Lord, these gifts which we offer in veneration of St. Nicholas thy bishop."-Missale sec. us. Sar. in ejus Festo. Respect, we beseech thee, O Lord, the gifts of thy people offered in honour of St. David thy confessor."-Idem in ejus Festo. "O Lord, we beseech thee, accept the gift offered in honour of thy virgin."-St. Praxedes— Idem in ejus Festo. The like prayer we have in the feast of St. Patrick, St. Benedict, and many others in the aforesaid missal. Tursellin spends a considerable part of his book, entitled "The History of the Lady of Loreto," in recounting the gifts presented by popes, princes, noblemen, &c., to that one saint. “The citizens of Recanati, upon their deliverance from a grievous plague, which they imputed to that virgin's intercessions, gave unto her a golden coronet beset with precious jewels."Lib. ii. cap. 8. 66 George Monachus, of Padua, gave a silver image of our blessed lady, of five pounds weight. Cardinal Tranensis, another of the same substance and form, but of double weight.”—Lib. ii. cap. 9. 66 Albertus, Marquis of Aquaviva, sent his own image of silver of ten pounds weight. Albertus, Duke of Bavaria, a great cross of emeralds, garnished with gold and carbuncles, and set as it were in a mountain of crystal."Lib. v. cap. 1. 2. The gifts, which the heathen offered to their gods, had the cause of their oblation for the most part engraven upon them, or expressed in tables hung up in the temple of that God, to whom they were presented. Take two or three of these inscriptions, as I find them recorded by Brissonius de Formulis, lib. i. p. 117. "Minervæ memori Cælia Juliana indulgentia medicinarum ejus infirmitate gravi liberata, D. P." F Again; "Soli sacrum pro salute Cl. Juliani Pr. Vr. Præf. Annoneti. Julius Balbillus S. Sol. ded. xiii. Kal. Febr." And when the gift was votive, that was also put into the inscription, saith the same author. "Q. Servilius vulnere servatus Herculi Deo invicto signum æreum ex voto posuit pro Martem Argenteum in magna ara." Again; "Silvano sancto C. Aucturnius Medicus Lud. Gallic. porticum et exedram et signum æneum voto suscepto libens merito dedit.”—Kal. Maii. L. Martio et sex. Coss. Thus do Papists many times engrave upon their gifts to saints, the cause of their oblation. To clear this take a few instances out of Tursellin. 66 Mary of Aragon, Marquess of Guasto, gave unto the lady of Loreto the silver image of a young man, wherein the cause is written in manner following: Mary of Aragon, Marquess of Guasto, sent it in performance of a vow, for restoring health to Anthony, a young man, my brother's son."— Lib. iii. cap. 8. Stephen Bathorius, Prince of Transylvania, (whom they call the Vayvode,) sent to the B. virgin of Loreto for a gift, a silver image of our B. lady, almost a cubit and an half, of excellent workmanship, and curiously inlaid with gold. At whose feet the Vayvode himself, being all in armour, is expressed in a silver image, as if he were praying; which the inscription of the base declareth to be a votive gift.' 66 The magnificent Lord Stephen, Earl of Bathor, Vayvode of Transylvania, Earl of Siculum, and judge of the court of the most excellent Prince Matthias, by the grace of God, King of Hungary, Bohemia, &c. "Dedicated this silver image, in honour of God, and his most blessed mother; for that by the intercession of the said glorious Virgin, he was delivered from a certain great danger in the year 1489."-Lib. ii. cap. 6. I will add but one more. 66 Henry the Third, king of France, sent a princely gift to the virgin of Loreto, viz. a worthy cup, to obtain issue-male by her intercession; a gift for substance and work excellent. For the cup itself is of hollowed gem, at this day called the azure-stone. It is also very big, and intermingled with golden veins, the cover whereof is of turned crystal set in gold, and adorned with many excellent jewels. In the top of the cover, an angel of gold doth hold in his hand a lily of diamonds, the arms of the kingdom of France; which lily doth consist of three diamonds joined together in the gold with admirable art. The foot of the cup, being eme |