to sacrifice to idols. Every one of these heads has a cap of scarlet, adorned with pearls.

PURITANS.

Cromwell's parliament got the name of Barebone's parliament, from one of the fanatics of the house, noted for his long prayers, sermons, and harangues. He was a leather-seller in London: his name Praise-God Barebone-whilst that of his brother was, If Christ had not died for you, you had been damned, Barebone. But the people tired of this long name, retained only the last word and commonly gave him the appellation of Damned Barebone. At this time it became usual for the pretended saints to change their names, from Henry, Edward, Anthony, William, which they regarded as heathenish, into others more sanctified and godly; even the New Testament names, James, Andrew, John, Peter, were not held in such regard as those which were borrowed from the Old Testament, Hezekiah, Habakkuk, Joshua, Zorobabel. "Cromwell," says Cleveland, "hath beat up his drums clean through the Old Testament. You may learn "the genealogy of our Saviour by the names of "his regiment: the muster master hath no other "list than the first chapter of St. Matthew."

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ENORMOUS MONASTERY.

The largest monastery we have ever read of is described by one Urreta, a genuine catholic liar, in his history of the monastery of Phurmanos, in Abyssinia, four leagues in circumference, which is inhabited by 9000 Dominicans, and contains the queen of Sheba's Library!

PAUL SARPI.

Father Paul Sarpi had a memory so strong, that to lessen the idea of it, he used to say, out of modesty, that he could never repeat above thirty verses after he had heard them once read

over.

HEAVEN?

Father Lewis Henricus, in his book, 'Occu"pation des Saints dans le Ceil," affirms, that there will be a sovereign pleasure in kissing and embracing the bodies of the blessed; that they shall all bathe in the sight of one another, for which there shall be the most delicious baths ; that they shall swim in them like fishes, and sing as harmoniously as larks or nightingales; that the angels shall be dressed like women, and shall appear to the saints in the habits of ladies, theirhair curled, their petticoats fardingaled and in the richest linen. That men and women shall divert themselves with masquerades,

feasts and balls. That the women shall sing more agreeably than the men, to make the pleasure the greater; that they shall rise again with longer hair, and shall be decked with ribbands and ruffles as they are in this world. That married people shall kiss one another, as in this life; and a great deal more of et ceteras of a like sort. Swedenborg, himself an insane, and who wrote the "Pleasures of Insanity," has given the world an account of all that takes place in Heaven, (of which he was an eye witness!) in the most particular manner: but the absurdities are too gross to set down even here, although his sect swallow all the Baron's vagaries, even down to this day. Of the situation of Paradise, St. Ambrose simply saith, how can we describe the situaton of Paradise which we have never seen? and if we could see it, yet should we neverthe less be restrained from revealing it to others. Philo the Jew, hath allegorized Paradise; the four rivers flowing thence, he compared to the four royal virtues, prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice; or else the four gospels, or the four elements: the trees may signify all profitable discipline, or the loves of the saints, their super excelling fruits, with the holy manners and religious works of the good and virtuous, &c. &c.

PIOUS ASSES.

There have been some pious Asses, to wit, at Padua, in Italy, in St. Anthony's Church, stands graven upon an altar, St. Anthony of Padua, going along the street with the sacrament: and some Jews that were there did mock it, and would not kneel down, and by and by, there came an ass along the street, which seeing that it was very flesh and blood (transubstantiated), did fall devoutly on his knees, and did open his mouth so wide, that St. Anthony of Padua did esteem the same such a great miracle, as wholly to confound the heretics. (St. Thomas Aquinas, the legend of Gregory and Vicentius Liriensis, all vouch for the authority of this miracle.) Hear also M. Wesley: An odd circumstance occurred at Rotherham, during the morning preaching. It was well only serious people were present. An ass walked gravely in at the gate, came up to the door of the house, lifted up his head, and stood stock still, in a posture of deep attention. Might not the dumb beast reprove many, who have far less decency, and not much more understanding.

EMPEROR OF THE HOLY GHOST.

In Southey's Travels in Spain we are furnished with an account of the following singular, perhaps we should say, superstitious and blas

"Easter Sunday

phemous Portuguese custom. "is the Accession day of the Emperor of the

Holy Ghost. This great personage is a little "boy: his reign lasts only till Trinity, but his "privileges are for life, and singular ones they "are; for he is allowed to commit any crime "without incurring the punishment of death, except high treason: for that he may be behead

"ed. On most eminences his standard is erect"ed; a high pole, with a flag bearing a dove; "his retinue parade the streets with similar "flags, proffering them to all good catholics to "kiss, and receiving money in return, which is "expended in a feast on Whit-Sunday, at which "the Emperor presides in person. There is an "Emperor in every parish, where any families. "choose privileges so dearly purchased for their

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*

son: for the expence is considerable. Good "catholics give ducks, fowls, pies, rabbits, &c. "dressed out with ribbon, as offerings to his in"fantine and imperial holiness. These are sold "and regularly purchased, at a high price, as being consecrated. The money goes to the Em

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peror's treasury; each Emperor dines without "his parish church, in public, under an awning "with music playing, and abundance of rockets flying in the face of the sun."

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