the other sacraments; that the forgiveness of all sins was to be obtained by it from God, without the merits of Jesus Christ; that the old law of Christ was soon to be abolished, and that a new law, enjoining the baptism of blood to be administered by whipping, was to be substituted in its place," with other tenets more or less enormous than these; whereupon Clement VII. thundered out anathemas against the flagellants, who were burnt by the inquisitors in several places. It was however found as difficult to extirpate them, as it had been to suppress the other sects of wandering fanatics.

The sect of the dancers.

VIII. Directly the reverse of this melancholy sect was the merry one of the dancers, which in the year 1373, arose at Aix la Chapelle, from whence it spread through the district of Liege, Hainault, and other parts of Flanders. It was customary among these fanatics for persons of both sexes, publicly, as well as in private, to fall a dancing all of a sudden, and holding each other's hands, to continue their motions with extraordinary violence, till, being almost suffocated, they fell down breathless together; and they affirmed, that during these intervals of vehement agitation, they were favoured with wonderful visions. Like the flagellants, they wandered about from place to place, had recourse to begging for their subsistence, treated with the utmost contempt, both the priesthood and the public rites and worship of the church, and held secret assemblies. Such was the nature, and such the circumstances of this new phrensy, which the ignorant clergy of this age looked upon as the work of evil demons, who possessed, as they thought, this dancing tribe. Accordingly the priests of Liege endeavoured to cast out the devils, which rendered these fanatics so merry, by singing hymns and applying fumigations of incense; and they gravely tell us, that the evil spirit was entirely vanquished by these powerful charms.*

i See Baluzii Vit. Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 160, 316, 319, and Miscellan. tom. i. p. 50. Matthæi Analecta vet. ævi, tom. i. p. 50, tom. iii. p. 241, tom. iv. p. 145. Herm. Gygis, Flores tempor. p. 139.

k See Baluzii Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 485. Ant. Matthæi Analecta vet. ævi, tom. i. p. 51. Where we find the following passage in the Belgic chronicle, which gives but an obscure account of the sect in question; Å. 1374, Gingen de Dansers, and then fin Latin, Gens, impacata cadit, cruciata salvat. The French convulsionists, or prophets, who in our age were remarkable for the vehemence and variety of their agitations, greatly resembled these brethren and sister dancers.

The knights

IX. The most heinous and abominable tribe of heretics that infected this century, if the enormities with which they stand charged be true, were the templars extirknights templars, who had been established in pated. Palestine about two hundred years before this period, and who are represented as enemies and deriders of all religion. Their principal accuser indeed was a person whose testimony ought not to be admitted without caution. This accuser was Philip the Fair, who addressed his complaints of the templars to Clement V. who was himself an avaricious, vindictive, and turbulent prince. The pope, though at first unwilling to proceed against them, was under a necessity of complying with the king's desire; so that, in the year 1307, upon an appointed day, and for some time afterward, all the knights, who were dispersed throughout Europe, and not in the least apprehensive of any impending evil, were seized and imprisoned. Such of them as refused to confess the enormities of which they were accused, were put to death; and those who, by tortures and promises, were induced to acknowledge the truth of what was laid to their charge, obtained their liberty. In the year 1311, the whole order was extinguished by the council of Vienne. A part of the rich revenues they possessed was bestowed upon other orders, especially on the knights of St. John, now of Malta, and the rest confiscated to the respective treasuries of the sovereign princes in whose dominions their possessions lay.

ble impiety of

the

The intoleraknights signed as the severity. upon an

templars is as

cause of this

x. The knights templars, if their judges be worthy of credit, were a set of men who insulted the majesty of God, turned into derision the gospel of Christ, and trampled upon the obligation of all laws human and divine. For it is affirmed, that candidates, upon their admission to this order, were commanded to spit, as a mark of contempt, image of Christ; and that after admission, they were bound to worship either a cat, or wooden head covered with gold. It is farther affirmed, laid to their that among them, the odious and unnatural act charge. of sodomy was a matter of obligation; that they committed to the flames the unhappy fruit of their lawless amours; and added to these, other crimes too horrible to be mentioned, or even imagined. It will indeed be readily allow

A reflection concerning the crimes

ed that in this order, as in all the other religious societies of this age, there were shocking examples of impiety and wickedness; but that the whole order of the templars was thus enormously corrupt, is so far from being proved, that the contrary may be concluded even from the acts and records, yet extant, of the tribunals before which they were tried and examined. If to this we add, that many of the accusations advanced against them flatly contradict each other, and that many members of this unfortunate order solemnly avowed their innocence, while languishing under the severest tortures, and even with their dying breath; it would seem probable that king Philip set on foot this bloody tragedy, with a view to gratify his avarice, and glut his resentment against the templars,' and especially against their grand master, who had highly offended him.

I See the acts annexed to Putean's Histoire de la Condemnation des Templiers, and other writings of his, relating to the history of France, published in 4to. at Paris, 1654. Another edition of this book was printed in 8vo. at Paris, 1685; another at Brussels, 1713, two volumes in 8vo. The fourth, and most valuable of all, was published in 4to. at Brussels, 1751, enlarged by the addition of a great number of proofs by which every diligent and impartial reader will be convinced that the templars were greatly injured. See also Nicolai Gurtleri Historia Templariorum, Amstelod. 1703, in 8vo. If the reader has opportunity, he would do well to consult Steph. Baluzius Vit. Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 8, 11, 12, &c. Germ. du Bois, Histor. Eccles. Paris. tom. ii. p. 540. The principal cause of king Philip's indelible hatred against the Templars, was, that in his quarrel with Boniface VIII. the knights espoused the cause of the pope; and furnished him with money to carry on the war; an offence this, which Philip could never pardon.

THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

PART 1.

EXTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

CONCERNING THE PROSPEROUS EVENTS THAT HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH DURING THIS CENTURY.

The Moors

converted in

1. THE new subjects that were added to the kingdom of Christ in this century, are altogether unworthy of that sublime title, unless we prostitute it, by and Jews applying it to those who made an external though by insincere profession of Christianity. Ferdinand, force. surnamed the Catholic, by the conquest of Granada in the year 1492, entirely overturned the dominion of the Moors, or Saracens in Spain. Some time after this happy revolution, he issued out a sentence of banishment against a prodigious multitude of Jews, who, to avoid the execution of this severe decree, dissembled their sentiments, and feigned an assent to the gospel of Christ; and it is well known that, to this very day, there are both in Spain and Portugal, a great number of that dispersed and wretched people, who wear the outward mask of Christianity, to secure them against the rage of persecution, and to advance their worldly interests. The myriads of Saracens that remained in Spain after the dissolution of their government, were at first solicited by exhortations and entreaties to embrace the gospel. When these gentle methods proved ineffectual to bring about their conversion, the famous Ximenes, archbishop of Toledo, and prime minister of the kingdom, judged it expedient to try the force of the secular arm, in order to accomplish that salutary purpose. But even this rigorous measure was without the desired effect; the greatest part of the Mahometans per

a Jo. de Ferreras, Hist. Generale d'Espagne, tom. viii. p. 123, 132, &c.

sisted, with astonishing obstinacy, in their fervent attachment to their voluptuous prophet."

te and Indians

II. The light of the gospel was also carried in this century among the Samogeta and the neighbouring The Samoge- nations, but with less fruit than was expected." converted. Toward the conclusion of this age, the Portuguese, who cultivated with ardour and success the art of navigation, had penetrated as far as Ethiopia and the Indies. In the year 1492, Christopher Columbus, by discovering the islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica, opened a passage into America, and after him Americus Vesputius, a citizen of Florence, landed on the continent of that vast region. The new Argonauts, who discovered these nations that had been hitherto unknown to the inhabitants of Europe, judged it their duty to enlighten them with the knowledge of the truth. The first attempt of this pious nature was made by the Portuguese among those Africans, who inhabit the kingdom of Congo, and who, together with their monarch, were converted all of a sudden to the Roman faith in the year 1491.' But what must we think of a conversion brought about with such astonishing rapidity, and of a people which all at once, without hesitation, abandon their ancient and inveterate prejudices? Has not such a conversion a ridiculous, or rather an afflicting aspect? After this religious revolution in Africa, Alexander VI. gave a rare specimen of papal presumption, in dividing America between the Portuguese and Spaniards; but showed at the same time his zeal for the propagation of the gospel, by the ardour with which he recommended to these two nations the instruction and conversion of the Americans, both in the isles and on the continent of that immense region." In consequence of this exhortation of the pontiff, a great number of Franciscans and Dominicans were sent into these countries to enlighten their darkness, and the success of their missions is abundantly known."

b Esprit Flechier. Histoire du Cardinal Ximenes, p. 89. Geddes, History of the Expulsion of the Moriscoes, in his Miscellaneous Tracts, tom. i. p. 8.

c Jo. Henry Hottinger, Hist. Ecclesiast. Sac. xv. p. 856.

d See Charlevoix, Histoire de l'Isle de St. Domingo, tom. i. p. 64.

e See the Life of Americus Vesputius, written in Italian, by the learned Angeli Maria Bandini.

f Labat, Relation de l'Ethiope Occidentale, tom. ii. p. 366. Jos. Franc. Lafitau. Histoire des decouvertes des Portugais dans le nouveau Monde, tom. i. p. 72.

See the Bull itself, in the Bullarium Romanum, tom. i. p. 466.

Sec Thom. Maria Mamachias, Orig. et Antiquitat. Christianar. tom. ii. p. 326,