XXVII.

entitled him to the applause of those whose approba- CHAP. tion becomes lasting celebrity, if, by making the extirpating determination one of the undeviating rules of his official actions, he had not placed himself among those, whom the human sympathies consign to a reprobation, which must continue as long as memory survives.

The papacy of Pius V. tho short in its chronological length,' became unusually extensive and destructive in its operations, from the lamentable principle to which we have adverted. Among these, he distinguished himself by commencing, and acrimoniously pursuing, a personal and deadly warfare against the only maiden queen, that has swayed the English sceptre. Elizabeth was no amazon, and was as inoffensive to this particular pope, as one individual could be to any contemporary member of European society; and yet from his intellectual bigotry and pontifical hostility, Pius V. has the distinguishing notoriety of assailing this illustrious female, who was shedding more lustre on her throne than most of her male predecessors, since the death of Alfred, had imparted to it, with the combined mischiefs of personal conspiracy, of interior rebellion, and of external invasion. Yet Pius V. might allege, that he only put into more strong and unlimited action, the antient principles of his see, which many of his predecessors had exemplified or inculcated,2

His pontificate began 7th January 1566, and ended 1st May 1572. 2 The bull of Nicolaus III. dated 3d March 1280, against heretics, contains a summary of the most objectionable severities against them; and as it was a precedent and groundwork of what were afterwards inflicted, may be taken as the specimen of the spirit and practice of the papal hierarchy on this subject, between 1200 and 1600. It is in

II.

BOOK when he began that career of violence and homicide, which blends his memory so inseparably with the reign and biography of the endangered Elizabeth.' The pride and passion of his mature life was to be a Roman inquisitor. If experience had not proved that it is possible to be this dreaded and dreadful description of human character, without any visible marks of an atrocious disposition," we might have inferred from his taste for it, that he was of a fierce. and merciless nature. But having so perverted his judgment, and deadened his moral sensibilities, as to select it as his pleasure and as his merit, he exercised this cruel office effectually against those who wished reformation at Como, even tho of episcopal dignity;" and pursuing it afterwards at Pergamo, he was at

the Bullarium, v. 3. part 2. p. 26. Gregory IX. emulated the principle so far as to declare, that not to have built any churches, monasteries, or pious places, justified a suspicion that the emperor Frederic II. was an heretic.' Labb. Concil. 2. p. 644.

3 So soon after his becoming pope as 29th December 1567, Thobias Eglinus wrote from Italy, that persons of all ranks were promiscuously subjected to the same imprisonment, tortures, and death.' And on 2d March 1568, his letter was, 'At Rome some are every day burnt, hanged, or beheaded. All the prisons and places of confinement are full. They are obliged to build new ones. That large city cannot furnish gaols for the number of pious persons who are continually apprehended.' M'Crie's Reformation in Italy, p. 272, 3.

He was of the Ghislieri family, which had become 'debole e ridotta a pochi.' He came in poverty on foot to Rome a private and destitute Dominican friar; but in fifteen years raised himself to be a bishop, cardinal, and the supreme governor of the inquisition. T. Porcacchi da Castiglione Vite, p. 627.

Wolff tells us, that an inquisitor of Spain, whom I met with in the Propaganda of Rome, said that the members of the inquisition in Spain are very gentlemanlike men, and of a very mild and cool disposition.' Journal, v. 2. p.38. This description leads me to recollect Mr. Keppel's account of the Arab Moolah Ali: One with whom murder and every other crime had long been familiar. Yet there was nothing in his appearance to justify the supposition. His mild eye beamed with intelligence when he spoke; and his mouth was lighted up with so pleasing a smile, that the diabolical matter of his speech was often lost in attending to the pleasing manner of his delivery.' Kepp. Journey from India. Against its bishop Vittor Loranzo.' Porc. p. 627.

66

L

XXVII.

length chosen by Paul IV. with the preference and CHAP. discernment of a congenial spirit, as the person most adapted to be appointed commissary of the inquisition at Rome. In this station he so fulfilled his patron's wishes, as to become to his then satisfaction, but to his present disgrace, with every honorable and cultivated mind, the sommo inquisitore."

་

6

Catena Vit. Summus Inquisitor.' Gabut. 624. Mr. Wolff mentions in his journal, that after his conversations with the learned Jews at Jerusalem, he discovered that, an institution like the Catholic inquisition founded by St. Dominic, had existed among the Jews in the time of our Lord, and has been sanctioned by the Talmud, and even by the celebrated rabbi Mose Ben Maimon.' See Sanhed. p. 36; and Maimon Hilhoth Mamrin. c. 3; Rev. J. Wolff's Journ. v. 1. p. 312. He also remarks,' A rich Portuguese Jew, called Cohen, told me, that there are Jews in Portugal who are bishops and Roman Catholic priests, but in secret observe the Jewish religion.' ib. p. 82. If these things be true, the Dominican inquisition may have had a very unchristian origin. Renegadoes in all ages have been furious persecutors. It is in Spain that the inquisition has most direfully flourished. Llorente, the secretary of it at Madrid, reckons from its records that 31,912 persons were BURNT by it in Spain before it was suppressed there in 1811; (Hist. Inquis. p. 583 ;) and 17,669 burnt in effigy. Such the inquisition has been. But it is with great pleasure I find that Pius VII. diminished its iniquities. The Gazettes de France, of 14th April and 22d May 1816, announced on the authority of letters from Rome, that his holiness had abolished the use of torture in all the tribunals of the holy office, and had ordered that the procedure of the inquisition was to be similar to that of other tribunals, and to be made public; and that in all trials for heresy, the accuser shall be confronted with the accused in the presence of the judges. He also expressed his intention that the trials should be so conducted as to avoid the punishment of death.

On 3d May he confirmed the annulment of the fatal sentence which the inquisition of Ravenna had pronounced against a relapsed Jew, adding these words, which form so remarkable a contrast with his sainted namesake and predecessor, Pius V.: The divine law is not of the same nature as that of man, but a law of persuasion and gentleness. Persecution, exile, and imprisonment, are suitable only to false prophets and the apostles of false doctrines.'

To this noble conduct there was only wanted to be added the abolition of the obnoxious institution. A letter from Rome, of 17th January 1817, gave some hopes of this: It is reported that the holy office will be reformed this year. The government considers it dangerous to allow a body to exist which is useless, and always armed against the progress of reason.' And in March 1816, we hear of the formal suppression of the inquisition in Portugal. Llorente Hist. Inq. p. 573. Eng. ed. May these improvements continue!

BOOK

II.

On the death of Pius IV. he was perceived, by the cardinal consistory, to be the character who would most resolutely enforce the violent plans which had been resolved on against the Reformation; and was chosen suddenly, and almost unanimously, the new pope: by inspiration, in the opinion of his friends; and the claim may be allowed, if the nature of the influence be named from the character of the actions which he most zealously promoted. For these, he has received the highest exaltation which his successors and church could confer. He has been made a saint." One day in every year is devoted to the religious celebration of his memory; and the prayer appointed to be used for this purpose in all the Catholic churches and chapels in the world, aptly expresses the merits for which the celestial elevation has been granted. His exertions to exterminate heretics and heresies procured the canonizing

10

Eletto quasi miracolosamente e fuor d'ogni aspettatione humane, piutosto da Dio, che dagli uomini.' Pollini Ist. Eccl. p. 455. He was elected on 7th January 1566. Porcacch. p. 627. Yet Gabutius owns that a 'mœror ac pavor ingens plurimos invasit, a great dread and grief affected many, especially in the city; nemine fere sibi non timente hominis severitatem; every one fearing for himself the severity of the man.' Vita Pii, p. 629.

9 It was not till 140 years after his death, that sufficient official testimonials of miracles alleged to have occurred a century and a half before, were procured for the papal tribunal of beatification. But these having been furnished to its legal satisfaction, Pius was declared by Clement XI. in due form, in 1712, a saint; and the 1st of May in every year, was appointed to be that of the religious worship that was to be paid him.

10 The prayers appropriated to him in the Roman missal and breviary are, Priest and bishop! worker of miracles! O good shepherd of the people! pray for us to the Lord.

O God! who didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Pius the fifth, chief bishop, to crush the enemies of the church, and repair divine worship! grant that we may be defended by his patronage, and be so obedient to thy commands, that the snares of all enemies being removed, we may enjoy perpetual peace.'

XXVII.

boon. That his zeal was as honest as it was wrongly CHAP. directed; and that he persecuted the Lutherans with as much sincerity of heart, as Luther withstood the popedom, there is no just reason to doubt. But he had adopted the great stain of the Catholic churchthe firm opinion, that heretics, however virtuous, estimable, pious, learned, or intelligent, were detestable and pernicious reptiles," and were to be crushed as such for the common good; and that all ideas were heresies, and all persons heretics, whom any pope pronounced such; and having interwoven this deranged sentiment with his whole mind and feelings, Pius V. acted upon it with inflexible energy, and to the full stretch of his vast and indefinite influence and powers. He burnt men of talent in his

This is the English of the prayer as printed in The Ordinary of the Mass,' by J. P. Coghlan, No.37, Duke-street, Grosvenor-square, 1799. It is curious that the same prayer is translated with some softening variations, in the Roman Missal for the use of the laity,' by Keating and Brown, London, 1815. In this it stands, O God! who wast pleased to raise blessed Pius to the dignity of chief bishop, in order to depress the enemies of Thy church, and to restore the divine worship! Make us by Thy grace so diligent in all that concerneth Thy service, that we may defeat the treacherous designs of our enemies, and rejoice in everlasting peace.'

6

In this translation we find the word 'crush' softened into 'depress,' an improvement of taste and feeling in sixteen years which cannot but be applauded. Yet the first version was most like its Latin original: Deus, qui ad conterendos ecclesiæ tuæ hostes et ad divinum cultum reparandum, beatum Pium quintum, pontificem maximum eligere dignatus es: Fac nos ipsius defendi præsidiis; et ita tuis inhærere obsequiis, ut omnium hostium superatis insidiis, perpetua pace lætemur. Coghlan's ed. p. 356, and Antwerp ed. 1781. "In the thirteenth century the language was Perfidiæ vipereos filios; tanquam materni uteri corrosores: maleficos vivere non passuri; per quorum scientiam seducentem mundus inficitur; lupi rapaces; angeli pessimi; filii pravitatum; hi colubri; serpentes a cauda feriunt,' &c. Labbe, v. 11. p. 619, 20. In the sixteenth century, Pollini terms the reformers, Mostri infernali, and the harpies of the church,' p. 455; 'setta diabolica,' p. 458; and Pius V. calls them in his letters, nefariis; communibus hostibus,' p. 86; Dei hostes,' p. 63; ' scelestissimis hominibus,' p. 61; ' sceleratissimorum hominum,' p. 55.