1 CENTURY XIII. Mogul empire-2. Crusaders.-3. Learning.-4. Tyranny of the popes-5. Monks.-6. Dominicans.-7. Franciscans. -8. Theology,-9. Flagellants.-10. Rites and ceremonies. -11. Inquisition.-12. Brethren of the Free Spirit. 1. In this century flourished the great Mogul Empre of the Tartar race, under Gengis-Khan, and his successors, extending from the Chinese Sea, to the Euphrates and Euxine. The first of these Mogul emperors was friendly to Christianity; and the Roman pontiffs sent ambassadors, and also missionaries to him, who were not altogether unsuccessful. They instructed many, both of the Tartars and of the Nestorians in the principles of the Romish religion, and gathered Christian churches not only in Tartary, but also in China. And had it not been for the divisions and contentions between Christians themselves, especially between the Roman Catholics and Nestorians, Christianity might probably have gained the ascendency throughout the East. But in the end, the Mohammedan religion prevailed, as probably being more congenial with the warlike character and spirit of the Tartar race. II. The crusades were kept up in this century, and several expeditions passed over to Syria and Egypt, but with very little success. The popes found it a gainful business, as tending greatly to incase both thei. vealth and power; they, there fore, used all their influence to keep up these wars But after so many disasters and defeats, the sove reigns of Europe would no longer venture upon an enterprise of so much expense and hazard. Hence the kingdom of the Latins in the East gradually wasted away, in spite of the efforts of the Roman pontiffs to preserve it; and on the capture of Ptolemais, A. D. 1291, it became wholly extinct. Thus ended this vain effort where it began, after it had cost Europe an immense amount of blood and treasure. It is estimated that not less than two millions of European lives were lost in these holy wars! were The Prussians, and other northern barbarians, were influenced in this century to come over to the Christian faith, by a fifty years' war, waged upon them for that purpose, by the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary. Continued wars waged in Spain by the Christian kings of Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Arragon, against the Saracen princes, who were still in possession of Valencia, Andalusia, Granada, and Murcia. And these latter were gradually weakened, and their territory diminished. III. Learning in this century laboured under great disadvantages among the Greeks, but revived and flourished among the Latins. The kings and princes of Europe, having experienced the advantages a nation may derive from learning and the useful arts, invited learned men into their territories, encouraged a thirst for knowledge, and rewarded it with honours and emoluments. The emperor Frederic II. and Alphonsus X. king of Castile and Leon, distinguished themselves as the patrons of learning. Public schools were founded at Padua Modena, Naples Capua, Salamanca, Lyons, Cologne, and other places. But the school at Paris excelled them all, and was the first that assumed the form of a university. The college of theology was principally founded and endowed by Robert de Sorbonne, (A. D. 1250,) a wealthy and pious man, and a favourite of Lewis IX.; from whom it derived the name of Sorbonne, which it has retained to the present day. In this age the works of Aristotle obtained a complete ascendency in the schools. The first who published expositions of Aristotle, were Alexander Hales, an Englishman, called the Irrefragable Doctor; Albert the Great, a German, and a man of superior genius; and after these Thomas Aquinas, who was the great luminary of the schools, and was called the Angelic Doctor. In this age lived Roger Bacon, an Englishman, and a Franciscan monk. He was a very extraordinary man, skilled far beyond the standard of his age, in philosophy, mathematics, chemistry, the mechanic arts, and various languages. He was called the Admirable Doctor. His discoveries and exhibitions in chemistry and the arts were so wonderful, and so far above the comprehension of the age, that he was accused of magic, and imprisoned for ten years as a heretic. IV. The Roman pontiffs of this century were most corrupt, tyrannical, and oppressive; they scrupled at no means of extending their power and increasing their wealth; claimed universal authority and control, both in church and state; and sometimes raised up, and put down kings at pleasure. Innocent III. in the year 1208, excommunicated John, surnamed Lack-land, king of England and Ireland; afterwards, in 1211 absolved his subjects from their oath of allegiance; and finally, in the year 1212 divested him of his authority, and gave the kingdoms of England and Ireland to Philip Augustus, the king of France. Alarmed at these decrees, and dreading a war, John made his kingdoms tributary to the pope, in the year 1212. His submission was in the following words "I John, by the grace of God, king of England and lord of Ireland, for the expiation of my sins, and out of my own free will, with the advice and consent of my barons, do give unto the church of Rome, and to pope Innocent III. and his successors, the kingdoms of England and Ireland, together with all the rights belonging to them; and will hold them of the pope as his vassal. I will be faithful to God, to the church of Rome, to the pope my lord, and to his successors lawfully appointed, and I bind myself to pay him a tribute of one thousand marks of silver yearly, viz seven hundred for the kingdom of England, and three hundred for Ireland." This imprudence brought extreme disgrace and immense evils upon the king. A most furious quarrel was carried on between pope Gregory IX. and the emperor Frederic II. Having before excommunicated him, which he little regarded, the pope thundered forth his bull against the emperor in the following style;-"A beast of blasphemy, replete with names, is risen from the sea, with the feet of a bear, the face of a lion, and members of other beasts; which, like the proud, hath opened his mouth against the holy name, not even fearing to throw his arrows against the tabernacle of God, and the saints that dwell in heaven," &c. Frederic met this bull by a reply in which he styles his holiness "the great dragon, the antichrist," of whom it is written, "and an other red horse arose from the sea, and he that sat upon him took peace from the earth," &c. This quarrel rekindled the two factions of the Guelphs and Ghibelines, whose cities were given up to indiscriminate butchery. V. Many new oiers of monks originated in this century, some of which soon ceased, and others have continued to the present time. But none equalled in numbers, privileges, and reputation, the Mendicant Orders. These multiplied so greatly that they became a heavy burden, not only upon the people, but also upon the church. This evil Gregory X. attempted to correct in the general council of Lyons, A. D. 1272, and reduced them to four orders; viz:-Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinian Eremites. "As these orders had liberty from the pontiffs to spread themselves every where and to instruct the people and to teach the youth; and as they exhibited a far greater show of piety and sanctity than the older orders of monks, all Europe suddenly ourst forth in admiration and reverence for them. Very many cities, as appears from the most credible documents, were divided for their sakes into four sections; of which, the first was assigned to the Dominicans, the second to the Franciscans, the third to the Carmelites, and the fourth to the Augustinians. The people frequented, almost exclusively, the churches of the mendicants, and but seldom asked for the sacraments, as they are called, or for burial, except among them; which naturally called forth grievous complaints, from the ordinary priests who had the charge of the parishes. Indeed, the history of this and the following centuries, shows, that so great was the reputation and influence of these mendicant Friars, |