There is indeed a proviso that the infant upon his return or twelve months after coming of age, may by prayer or motion in opeu court, obtain a trial; but upon that trial he must prove negatively that he was not sent contrary to the act, or it shall be taken for granted against him as if it had been fully proved. And if he should do so, still he shall loose his goods and chattles, and all the profits of his lands prior to his conviction, and the rest be restored only upon condition of swearing certain constrained oaths, and making forced metaphysical declarations of belief in open court.

N. B. To avoid future repetitions, it may be here briefly stated, that the oaths, and declarations generally intended throughout, are those of allegiance, abhorrence, abjuration, and against transubstantiation.

2 Ann. s. 1. c. 6. Sending or suffering to be sent a child under 21, except sailors, ship boys, merchants' apprentices, or factors, without special license of the queen or chief governor and four privy counsellors, like penalties.

A judge or two justices suspecting any child to be sent, may convene father, mother, relation or guardian, require them to produce the child within two months, aud unless they prove it to be in England or Scotland, it is to be convicted as one educated in foreign parts, and suffer accordingly.

8 Ann. s. 3. Protestants converted from Popery must educate their children under fourteen in the established religion, or forfeit all offices of trust or profit, and be disabled from sitting in either house of parliament, or being barrister or attorney, and be for ever disqualified.

2 Ann. s. 1. c. 6. Where either father or mother is a Protestant, the chancellor is to make an order for educating the child a Protestant till eighteen, appointing where it shall be educated and how, and also by whom; the father to pay all the charges directed by the court: and the child may be taken away from the Popish parent.

7 W. 3. s. 1. c. 4.

Papists are forbid to instruct youth in any public school, and even in those of the family, under pain of fine and imprisonment.

private houses, unless 8 Ann. c. 3. s. 16. A Papist teaching publicly or privately, or entertained as an usher to a Protestant schoolmaster, to be esteemed a Popish regular clergyman convict, and suffer all the pains inflicted upon such, that is, 1st, to be imprisoned in the common gaol; 2d, to be transported; 3d, if he returns to his friends and native land, to suffer as a traitor. Any person entertaining such teachers to forfeit 10l. to be distributed in equal shares between the king and the informer. Any person discovering such teacher, to have 10l. levied like money for robberies, all upon the Papists. All persons of sixteen years of age may be summoned and forced to become informers upon oath, touching the being and residence of such teachers, on pain of 20l. or twelve months imprisonment. A Protestant permitting a child under fourteen to be educated a Papist, to suffer as a Papist.

MARRIAGE.

9 W. 3. c. 28. If a Protestant maid, being heir apparent, or having interest in lands, or a personal estate of 500l. marry any man without a certificate from a minister, bishop, and justice, attested by two creditable witnesses, that he is a known Protestant, the estate shall go to the next of kin, and all Popish intervening heirs deemed dead and intestate, and the Protestant maid to be dead in law: and husband and wife to be for ever disabled from being guardian, executor, &c.; and the person who married them to be imprisoned a year and forfeit 10l. half to the king, and half to the informer, who will sue by bill or suit, and no essoign shall be allowed.

6 Aun. c. 16. If a woman persuade an heir apparent to marry her, by secret delusions; insinuations or menaces, she loses thirds dower, and all real and personal estate; and all accessaries before the fact, to suffer three years imprisonment.

Ib. s. 2. If any Protestant shall marry any maiden or woman without such certificate, he is for ever disabled from being heir, executor, administrator, guardian, &c. or to sit in parliament, or bear any employments, civil or military, unless he procures her to be converted in one year, and a certificate thereof under hand and seal of the archbishop, bishop, or chancellor, to be enrolled in chancery.

2 Ann. ́s. 1. c. 6. Any person having real or personal estate in the kingdom who mar

ries a Papist abroad-like disabilities and penalties as if he married within the kingdom. 9 W. 3. c. 28. Whoever marries a soldier to any uncertified wife, to be imprisoned till he pay 20%. half of which is to reward the informer.

6 Ann. c. 16. § 1. 3. 6. If any person above the age of fourteen, by fraud, flattery, or fair promises, shall allure any maid or widow, having substance, to marry him without consent of parents or guardian, and the person who celebrate the marriage be a Popish priest; or if a Popish priest celebrate any marriage knowing one party to be a Protestant, he shall be deemed, and suffer all the pains of a Popish regular-be imprisoned, transported, and, on returning, be drawn, hanged, quartered, beheaded, embowelled, entrails burned alive, head and quarters given to the queen, and attainted and blood-corrupted.

8 Ann. c. 3. The knowledge of the fact is to be presumed against the priest, and he to be convicted, unless he produce a certificate from the Protestant parish minister that neither were Protestants.

12 Geo. 1. c. 3. s. 1. A Popish or reputed Popish priest, celebrating marriage between a Protestant or reputed Protestant and a Papist, or between two Protestants or reputed Protestants-death, as a felon, without benefit of clergy. N. B. 19 Geo. 2. c. 13. annuls such marriages without process, judgment, or sentence.

23 Geo. 2. c. 10. s. 3. makes it felony in the priest, notwithstanding the marriage be annulled.

§. 1. And any two justices may summon all persons suspected to have been so married, or to have been present, and examine them on oath, where, by whom, with what form and ceremony such marriage was celebrated, and who were present; and upon neglect to appear or refusal to become informers against their friends, commit them to prison for three years without bail or mainprize, unless they will enter into recognizance to prosecute all the offenders.

7. G. 2. s. 6. A converted justice acting while his wife is a Papist, or his children educated as such, to be imprisoned one year, pay 100l. half to the king, half to the informer, and be for ever disabled to be executor or guardian.

7 G. 2. c. 5. s. 12. Barristers, six clerks, and attorneys disabled, unless they convert their wife in a year, and enrol a certificate thereof in chancery.

8 Ann. c. 3. A wife conforming in the life-time of her husband, may file a bill against him, and have all appointments or execution of powers as he might make in her favour, if he were willing, decreed, whether he will or not, and notwithstanding any disposition of his to the contrary, have one third of his chattels real and personal.

RELIGION-CLERGY.

7, 9 W. 3. S. 1. c. 26. s. 1. All Popish archbishops, bishops, vicars general, deans, regular Popish clergy, éxercising any ecclesiastical jurisdiction, to leave the kingdom in three months, or be transported, wherever the chief governor shall think fit. And if he return, be dragged and hanged, quartered and beheaded, blood-corrupted and attainted, entrails burned alive, and head and quarters at the king's disposal, to be piked or gibbetted, as was most for his royal pleasure and the honour of God, and forfeit all as in case of high treason..

§. 1. No such shall come into the kingdom, under pain of twelve months imprisonment, transportation, and in case of return, the same pains of high treason, hanging, dragging embowelling, &c.

2 Ann. c. 3. s. 1. Extends these pains to every clergyman of the Popish religion, secu. lar as well as regular; and for their easier conviction, gives a trial in any county at the option of the queen.

Ib. s. 4. Concealing any person so ordered to leave the kingdom, or forbid to enter it, to forfeit for the first offence 201, for the second, 40l. and for the third, lands and goods, half of the goods to the king, and half to the informer, provided, that the informer's share shall not exceed 100%. however more the king's may be, the surplusage shall remain to the king; and shall be recoverable in any of his courts of record.

Ib. s. 3. The fines of 10l. and 40l. to be levied by a single justice, who has power to summon parties and witnesses, and to convict and commit to prison in default of payment.

Ib. s. 8, 9, 10.. Justices are commanded to issue their warrants from time to time, for apprehending and committing archbishops, bishops, &c. remaining in the kingdom, and give an account in writing of their proceedings on pain of 100l. to the king and the informer. 8 Ann. c. 3. s. 21. Two justices may summon any Popish person of sixteen years or upwards, to give testimony on oath where he last heard mass, who celebrated it, what persons were present, and also touching the being and residence of any Popish clergyman or secular priest resident in the country, and upon neglect or refusal to become informer, commit him for twelve months, unless he pay 20%.

8 Ann. c. 3. s. 16. & 20. Any person discovering against the clergy so as they may be prosecuted to conviction, to have for discovering an archbishop or vicar-general, 501. for a regular or secular not registered 201, and for a schoolmaster 104,

1 Geo. 1. c. 9. Every justice may tender the oath of abjuration to every suspected person.

2 Ann. c. 7. s. 2. Priests converted to have a maintenance till otherwise provided for, and to read the liturgy in the English or Irish language. This statute gives 201, by subsequent ones it is increased to 401. yearly.

2 Ann. c. 6. s. 1. Persuading any person to be reconciled to the see of Rome, the reconciler and the party reconciled both subject to the pains of premunrie.

BURIAL OF THE DEAD.

7 & 9 W. 3. st. 1. c. 26. None to bury any dead in a suppressed monastery, abbey, or convent, if it be not used for divine service according to the liturgy of the established church, upon pain of 10. upon all that shall be present, one half to the informer, to be levied summarily by a single justice.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

2 Ann. s. 1. c. 6. s. 7. A child of a Popish parent professing a desire to become a Protestant, may institute a chancery suit against his parent, and be decreed a present maintenance, and a portion after the parent's descease.

8 Ann. c. 3. A child on conforming may also oblige his father to discover upon oath the full value of all his real or personal estate, and have a new bill, toties quoties.

N. B. Though the parent should abandon all his property, yet if he afterwards acquired any thing, he might be vexed with a new bill as often as an undutiful child might think fit, to the end of his life.

2 Ann. st. 1. c. 6. 3. The eldest son by conforming, may, by filing a bill against his father, divest him of his fee, rendering him bare tenant for life, and take the reversion, subject only to maintenance and portions for younger children, not exceeding one-third of the value.

Ib. s. 5. No Papist to have the guardianship of an orphan child, and if there be no Protestant relation, the child to be committed to a stranger, who shall be bound to use his utmost endeavours to make the child a Protestant; and any Papist who takes upon himself such guardianship, to forfeit 500l. to the blue coat hospital.

6 Geo. 1. c. 6. Children of Popish parents bred Protestants from the age of twelve years, and receiving the sacrament of the established church, to be reputed Protestants, and enjoy their rights; but if, after eighteen, they are present either at matins or vespers, to suffer the penalties of converted Papists relapsing into Popery.

2 Ann. s. 1. c. 6. Disables priests from purchasing lands in their own name or in trust, or even any rents or profits issuing out of lands, or to take a lease for more than 31 years, and not that, unless two-thirds of the yearly value be reserved-all other estates to be void.

Ib. s. 7. 8. & 9. No Papist who will not renounce his religion to take any estate, in fee simple, or in tail, by descent or purchase, but the next Protestant to take as if he were dead. The children of Papists to be taken as Papists, a Papist conforming may be heir to a Papist disabled; wife, if a Protestant, to have dower.

2 Ann. c. 6. s. 12. If the heir at law of a Papist be a Protestant, he must enrol a certificate of that matter in chancery; if a Papist, he has a year, within which, if he renounce his religion, he may have his land.

English Stat. 1. Ann, S. 1. c. 32. s. 7. enacts, that the lands theretofore forfeited and vested in trustees, should be sold to Protestants only, and if any title in the same shall accrue to any Papist, he must renounce his religion, or as it was commonly expressed, the errors of the church of Rome, in order to enjoy the estate; and if any make or assign a lease to a Papist, both grantor and grantee, to forfeit treble the yearly value; with the exception of a cottage or cabin with two acres of land to a day labourer; and any Protestant might file a bill of discovery against any person supposed privy to any trust, to which neither plea nor demurrer was allowed, and on trial of any issue, none to be jurors but Protestants.

TRADE.

8 Ann. c. 3. s. 37. No Papist who is or shall be permitted to follow any trade, craft, or mystery (except hemp or flaxen manufactory) to have two apprentices, nor any for a less time than 7 years, on pain of 100/.

25 Geo. 3. c. 42. s. 11 and 12. The 4000l. granted by this act, to be expended in p prentices fees, for apprentices taken from charter schools or hospitals, to Protestant tradesmen only.

No persons making locks or barrels for fire-arms, or swords, skeins, knives, or other weapons, shall instruct an apprentice of the Popish religion on pain of 201. one moiety to the king, and one to the informer, and the indentures of apprenticeship shall be void, and such apprentice exercising, to suffer the like penalty, and refusing to take the oaths shall amount to a conviction.

The modern editors of the Book of Martyrs tell us that the foreign inquisitors "seldom shew mercy to a Protestant;" but what mercy, we should be glad to know, was shewn by these penal statutes to the Catholics, who formed the bulk of Ireland, while in Spain and Portugal scarce a Protestant was to be found? They also talk of scenes of perfidy and treachery-of distractions between husband and wife-of disobedient and wicked children-but could laws be invented better calculated to produce these horrible evils in society than those which have been just described? Observe too, these laws were not passed by Spanish inquisitors, but by a PROTESTANT LEGISLATURE, to prevent the further growth of Popery-by men who pretended to be enlightened by the spirit of the gospel, and influenced by the light of pure religion. What a perversion of the sublime principles of charity and justice! Under pretence of promoting the pure light of the gospel, every principle of law was reversed and religion insulted; parental affection, private friendship, filial duty, and conjugal love violated; family dissension promoted; education prevented; spies and informers encouraged; and industry proscribed; in short, nothing left unattempted that the evil spirit could devise to torment and drive the Catholic from his faith; and all this while the credulous people of England were made to believe that Catholics, and Catholics only, were the most barbarous and brutalized of mankind. Surely it is time that our liberal Protestant fellow-countrymen should begin to open their eyes, and see through the base stratagems which have been practised to mislead and blind them.

We have before said that the tribunal of the inquisition forms no part of the system of the Catholic religion; it is a civil tribunal, which may or may not be established in any country, either Catholic or Protestant, that consents to adopt it. In England it never existed while she remained Catholic, therefore it is baseness in the extreme to attempt to affix the abuses which may have existed in this tribunal in foreign Catholic countries on the Catholics of England and Ireland, Were the

Catholics here to get the upper hand, there could be no danger of the inquisition being introduced, as it never did exist here, and is incom-' patible with the principles of the British constitution, founded by our Catholic ancestors. With these remarks we may take leave of this part of the Book of Martyrs, having, we flatter ourself, sufficiently shewn the falsehoods and misrepresentations of the editors on this head, and made it clearly appear, that their attention had better be directed to the excesses and cruelties committed by the minions of “Protestantascendency" nearer home than the pretended enormities of the Spanish inquisition.

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BOOK VI.

FARTHER HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS, SUFFERINGS, and cruel deaths of pROTESTANT MARTYRS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, 66 DURING THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES.

"SECTION I.

BRIEF RELATION OF THE HORRIBLE MASSACRE IN FRANCE, ANNO 1572. Such are the titles chosen to adorn the sixth book and first section' of the work we are engaged to review. They are well calculated to` strike the sensitive mind with horror, and excite abhorrence of the deeds' perpetrated; but we must beg the reflecting reader to suspend his judgment until he has seen what we have to advance in palliation of the transactions which occupy this first section of the sixth division of John Fox's Book of Martyrs. Before however we commence our remarks, we will here give the martyrologist's brief relation of the massacre of 1572.-"After a long series of troubles in France, the Papists seeing noદ thing could be done against the Protestants by open force, began to' "devise how they could entrap them by subtlety, and that by two ways first by pretending that an army was to be sent into the lower' country, under the command of the admiral, prince of Navarre and "Condé; not that the king had any intention of so doing, but only "with a view to ascertain what force the admiral had under him, who 66 they were, and what were their names. The second was, a marriage "suborned between a prince of Navarre and the sister of the king of "France; to which were to be invited all the chief Protestants. cordingly they first began with the queen of Navarre; she consented "to come to Paris, where she was at length won over to the king's "mind. Shortly after she fell sick, and died within five days, not "without suspicion of poison; but her body being opened, no sign "thereof appeared. A certain apothecary, however, made his boast, "that he had killed the queen by venomous odours and smells, prepared by himself.

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"Notwithstanding this, the marriage still proceeded. The admiral, prince of Navarre and Condé, with divers other chief states of the "Protestants, induced by the king's letters and many fair promises, came to Paris, and were received with great solemnity. The marriage at length took place on the 18th of August, 1572, and was so"lemnized by the cardinal of Bourbon, upon an high stage set up on purpose without the church walls: the prince of Navarre and Condé "came down, waiting for the king's sister, who was then at mass. This