into the seventh deadly sin. I admonished him in time, and, like the slave of Potiphar, Don Ferdinand escaped these new sirens. "The king was, above all things, incensed at the poverty of the chief altar of the parish of Valency, and at there being in the château a play-house, while there was neither a chapel nor an oratory-while the people were luxurious in their furniture and feasts, and miserable in the decoration of their temples. The king embroidered himself a beautiful robe of white silk, with gold pallets and gold fringe, for the Virgin. He had raised a superb altar, gilt, and he sometimes served himself the Mass at the feet of the Queen of the Angels. The Queen of the Angels was most sensible of these royal attentions, and manifested to him her content by many signs. It happened, in particular, that one night an Ecclesiastic of the district, being overcome with sleep in the church, the Virgin appeared to him as coming out of the altar-she advanced towards the Ecclesiastic, made several turns round him, to display the elegance of her toilette, and said to him, sighing, that her son received the vows of the king in recompense of the fine robe that he had given her: that the Spanish Princes would not remain long without being delivered: and that they must form an order of the Holy Sacrament, with which all the chevaliers should be armed for his defence. "The priest much touched by this speech, awakened, and came to me to reveal the miraculous vision; I answered, by assuring him that the Holy Virgin had already said as much to the king himself; who, in thanking her, had promised, that on his return to Spain he would make her worship flourish over all the provinces subjected to his dominions.”—Sermon prononciado en la gran fonction qui se celebro en Cadiz, par D. Blaz de Ostoloza, capellan major de S. M. C. y Su Confesor. Ed. 78 en Burgos, de la imprente de la Inquisition : 1814. INDULGENCE AND ABSOLUTION. One Tetzel, a Dominican, and a retailer of indulgences, had picked up a large sum at Leipsic. A gentleman of that city, who had no veneration for such superstitions, went to Tetzel, and asked him if he could sell an indulgence beforehand, for a certain crime which he would not specify, and which he intended to commit. Tetzel said, Yes; provided they could agree upon the price. The bargain was struck-the money paid-and the absolution delivered in due form. Soon after this, the gentleman, knowing that Tetzel was going from Leipsic well loaded with cash, way-laid him, robbed him, and cudgelled him, and told him at parting, that this was the crime for which he had purchased an absolution. George, Duke of Saxony, a zealous friend to the court of Rome, hearing of this robbery, at first was very angry: but being informed of the whole story, he laughed heartily, and forgave the criminal. PREACHING TO FISHES. Lady Morgan describes a picture in the Borghese palace at Rome, representing St. Anthony preaching to the fishes: "The salmon look at the preacher with an edified face, and a cod, with his upturned eyes, seems anxiously seeking for the new light. The saint's sermon is to be had in many of the shops at Rome. St. Anthony addresses the fish, the legend adds, that at the 'the fish bowed to him with profound humility, and a grave and religious countenance.' The saint then gave the fish his blessing, who scudded away to make new conversions, the missionaries of the main. Dearly beloved fish ;' and conclusion of the discourse, "The church of St. Anthony at Rome is painted in curious old frescos, with the temptations of the saint. In one picture he is drawn blessing the devil, disguised in a cowl; probably at that time When the devil was sick, and the devil a monk would be ;' the next picture shows, that "When the devil was well, the devil a monk was he;' for St. Anthony, having laid down in his coffin to meditate the more securely, a parcel of malicious little imps are peeping, with all sorts of whimsical and terrific faces, over its edges, and parodying Hogarth's enraged musician. One abominable wretch blows a post-horn close to the saint's ear, and seems as much delighted with his own music as a boy with a Jew's-harp, or a solo-player with his first ad libitum." BLESSING OF BEASTS. Lady Morgan says, that the annual benediction of the beasts at Rome, in a church there dedicated to St. Anthony, lasts for some days: " for not only every Roman, from the pope to the peasant, who has a horse, a mule, or an ass, sends his cattle to be blessed at St. Anthony's shrine, but all the English go with their job horses and favourite dogs; and for the small offering of a couple of paoli, get them sprinkled, sanctified, and placed under the protection of this saint. Coach after coach draws up, strings of mules mix with carts and barouches, horses kick, mules are restive, and dogs snarl, while the officiating priest comes forward from his little chapel, dips a brush into a vase of holy water, sprinkles and prays over the beasts, pockets the fee, and retires." Dr. Conyers Middleton says, that when he was at Rome, he had his own horses blest for eighteen-pence, as well to satisfy his curiosity as to humour his coachman, who was persuaded that some mischance would befal them in the year, if they had not the benefit of the benediction, CONFESSION-MADE EASY TO THE A pretty Irish boy, of mongrel breed, - At length on Sunday morn it came to pass, And begg'd the Priest to pardon all his sin. 66 No, by the mass," he said, "I cannot bless, "Nor pardon, till the culprit first confess." "Well," said the Boy, "supposing I were willing, "What is your charge?"--" I'll charge you but a shilling." "Must all men pay? and all men make confession?” “Yes, every man of Catholic profession!" |