tra, id fummo ftudio videatur egiffe ne, qui in negotio religionis alia fequebantur caftra ullum ufquam æquitatis veftigium in fuis fcriptis reperirent. Adeo in defenfione illarum partium quas probabat, totus eft ubique hiftoriam profeffus, non folum theologum, fed etiam perfæpe difputatorem è fchola agit. Locos communes, a narratione hiftorica digrediens, fæpiffime contexit; Proteftantes paffim nullo difcrimine, convitiis, maledictis et infandis calumniis inceffit. Jura principum, quæ a paucis feculis obtentu religionis imminui ceperunt, ita cupide, quoties datur occafio, contrahit, arrodit, evertit, ut natum in regno noscere nequeas; educatum, altum et auctum Romæ facile agnofcas. Denique ita fe geffit Baronius totis 12 fuorum annalium tomis, ut qui dubitari nollet, præcipium fibi fcopum fuiffe, papalem monarchiam ftabilire, amplificare, et ad coelum ufque evehere.” This is a juft character of the annals of Baronius. The beft edition of this work, is the English tranflation of it by Hall, doctor of the Sorbonne. It is not only preferable to the French, Italian, and every other translation, but far better than the original Latin, on account of Hall's corrections, and moft learned notes and differtations.

the centu..

N. B. After all, however, the centuries of Magde-Account of bourg, which were published in 1559 and 1560, are the ries of valuable body of ecclefiaftical hiftory. Baronius, who Magdepretended to answer them by his annals, is undoubtedly bourg the finest writer; but the minifters, Matthias Flaccius, Jean Vigand, Matthew le Judin, Bafil Faber, Nicholas Gallus, and Andrew Corvin, are the learned men to whom we are indebted for the nobleft collection of hiftorical truths in ecclefiaftical affairs, that ever appeared in the world. They are honeft writers indeed. Every page of their work difcovers a zeal for truth, and the glory of Chrift; while Baronius fadly labours for a pontifex maximus, and the cheats of Rome. The work of the centuriators extends to the 13th century, and every century contains 16 chapters: the 1ft is a fummary of the things to be recited; then the 2d treats of the place and extent of the church; 3, of perfecution

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and

cardinal

Bellarmine.

and peace; 4, of doctrine; 5, of herefies; 6, of ce remonies and rites; 7, of polity and government; 8, of fchifm; 9, of fynods; 10, of bifhops; II, of heretics; 12, of martyrs; 13, of miracles; 14, of the Jews; 15, of religions feparated from the church; and 16, of broils and political changes. In this clear and distinct manner are the things of every age treated.

N. B. Baronius afcribes the guidance and fuccefs of his pen in writing his annals, to the favor of the moft holy Mary, the mother of God. "To her, from "whom I acknowledge the whole to be received, I offer "these annals, etc: To her by whom the whole of "this gift comes to us from God, to the moft holy "Virgin, the most fafe ark in which our labours may "be kept, and in fafe cuftody protected, we offer these

annals, that he may fanctify them with her bleffing, " etc, etc;for the intirenefs of his net, after his "having caft it fo often, and the continuance of his "ftrength fresh and green in his old age; all was from "the grace of Abifag, their fhunamite, cherishing his "aged bones; the moft holy and pure virgin favour"ing the work begun, and taking care of, and happily promoting all his affairs, etc, etc."What must a true chriftian say to this?

Many are the abridgments of the annals; but the beft is that of Henri Sponde, the apoftate, aforementioned. It is well done.

Account of N. B. Bellarmine was born the 4th of October, 1542, and died September 17, 1621, aged 79:-He was a man of great learning in the works of the fathers, councils, canon-law, and church hiftory, and writ feveral laboured things: but his chief performance is his Body of Controversy in 4 volumes folio; which the catholicks think very fine: They fhew, indeed, great reading; but, ignorance of the fenfe of fcripture, and are quite void of argument. There is not one article of popery tolerably well defended in the 4 volumes. Every expofition and vindication are fenfelefs and ridiculous.

N. B.

N. B. Ifaac Cafaubon, who writ the Exercitations on Account of Baronius, (and lies in Westminster Abbey) was born Ifaac CaFeb. 18, 1559, and died in the 55th year of his age, A. D. 1614.

Befides his exercitations, he published several learned works, and animadverfions and commentaries on Perfius, Polybius, Athenæus, Strabo, Suetonius, and Diogenes Laertius, It was he firft published in Greek, Polyanus's Stratagems of the Antients in War, in the year 1589; having purchased the M. S. at a great price; but the Latin verfion he added to it, was done by Justus Vulteius: and we have fince had a more correct edition of Polyenus, by Pancratius, in the year 1690. The Epiftola Cafauboni are likewise valuable things; but of moft merit are his Exercitations, and his Perfius: His Commentary on Perfius is admirable, not only for a just explication of his incomparable author, but for a deal of fine claffical learning he has scattered through it and for his Exercitations against Baronius, the friend of truth must be for ever charmed with them. It is to be lamented that we have but 16 of them. They go no farther than to the 34th year of Jefus Chrift, and relate principally to Baronius's bad explication of scripture.

Two Jefuits, Boullenger and Jean L'Heureux, writ against the Exercitations: but Endemen Jean, the name L'Heureux went by, his defence of Baronius is very weak, as you will foon fee, reader, on turning him over: And as to Julius Cæfar Boullenger, the other monk, when you have read his Differtation against Cafaubon, and bishop Montaigue's animadverfions on that differtation, you will perceive he was a poor creature.

It is remarkable, that Ifaac Cafaubon's two fons, Henry and Merric, both went off to popery, and died in France apoftate priefts in the Romish church; tho' their father had fled from that country for the fake of the proteftant religion, and was one of the beft defenders of the reformed faith. He was one of the judges at the famous conference between Du Pleffis and Perron: and, by the way, I think it equally remarkable, that the grandson of the great primate Usher, and the only re

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faubon.

maining

Of the edict of Nantz.

maining person of the archbishop's family, fhould be the most violent papist I ever faw. I knew the man in Dublin, and have never heard fo outragious a catholic as he was. He faid, to my astonishment, that his grandfather was a great light, but burnt with his head downwards in this world, till he dropt into hell in the next.

As to the conference between Du Pieffis and Perron, about the Eucharift and other matters, befides the two pieces I have mentioned, to wit, Perron's account of it, and Mornay's answer to the account, you will find a good relation of it in L'Hiftoire de L'edit de Nantes, tom. I. p. 343, & Suiv: and fee on this article Sully's Memoirs.

N. B. The ingenious and excellent Mifs Mornay, of Shelford-Park, is defcended from the great Philip Mornay Du Pleffis, and the laft of the house of Du Ples now living. Her grandfather, Jacques de Mornay, was great grandfon to Du Plessis Mornay, and came over to England on the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in the year 1685.

N. B. Lewis the 14th, with the fame hand that figned the edict of revocation, likewife figned an order for eigh.y thousand merciless dragoons and other troops, to march against his proteftant subjects, and force them, by plundering and torturing, to turn papists.

Í fay with the fame hand, because the 12th article of the edict figned by this cruel and perfidious prince, in the 43d year of his reign, is as follows:-12. And furthermore, Thofe of the faid pretended reformed religion, till fuch time as it fhall please God to illuminate them, may abide in the towns, and places of our king. dom, countries and lands of our dominion, and continue their traffick, and enjoy their goods, without being molefted or hindered, on account of the faid pretended reformed religion, provided they do not affemble to exercife it, etc.- -This was a monftrous cheat and perfidiousness, to deceive and ensnare his poor subjects. Something might be faid for the edict of revocation, if Lewis had declared, that to quell the agitations of his confcience, he must revoke the edict of Nantes, tho'

he

bigne (31), whose word is fterling, affirms it. See here (Mr. Seymour faid) the 2d volume of D'Aubigne's history, book 2. ch. 2. p. 108, il paroiffoit un autre livre qui s'apA a 3 pelloit

he had fworn to the obfervation of it; but he allowed a certain time to his proteftant fubjects, after which they muft either turn catholicks, or quit the kingdom, with their families and effects, or else they should be expofed to fuch and fuch treatment.- -This had been plain and honeft dealing, tho' an arbitrary proceeding: but to give it under his hand to his fubjects, that they might stay and continue their traffick, enjoy their goods without being molefted, or hindered on account of their religion; and at the fame time leave them to the mercy of the dra-Was not this an heinous act? Had he been guilty of this fingle one only, (fays Laval, in his excellent history of the Reformation of France, vol. 6.) it would have imprinted fuch a spot on his reputation, that all the waters of the Seine were not fufficient to wash it away.

goons:

The edict of Nantz was granted to the reformed by Henry the 4th, in the 9th year of his reign, of grace 1598.

(31) Theodore Agrippa Aubigne, the favorite of Henry the 4th, was born in the year 1550, and died 1631, aged 80. He writ feveral curious things: but his great and principal work is his Univerfal History, in 3 tams folio: containing the tranfactions from 1550 to 1601.

This is a very extraordinary hiftory, and contains many curious relations that are no where else to be found.He was obliged to fly France on account of this hiftory, and died at Geneva.-His two fatyrs, called La Confeffion de Sancyand Le Baron de Fenefte, are fine things.The Avantures of the Baron de Fenefte, (du Chat's edition) are likewife well worth reading: The best edition is à Cologne, 1729, 2 vals. in 12mo.It is a very curious thing.