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who made such a shining figure in this sect, || and burned.* The death of this person was was committed to the flames at Paris with one highly detrimental to the affairs of the Breof the brethren. She had undertaken to de- thren of the free spirit: it did not, however, monstrate in an elaborate treatise, "That the ruin their cause, or extirpate their sect. For soul, when absorbed in the love of God, is free it not only appears from innumerable testimofrom the restraint of every law, and may freely nies, that, for a long time afterwards, they gratify all its natural appetites, without con- held their private assemblies at Cologne, and tracting any guilt."* Pope Clement V., exas- in many other parts of Germany, but also that perated by this and other instances of the per- they had several men among them of high nicious fanaticism that prevailed among this rank and great learning, of which number sect, published in a general council at Vienne, Henry Aycardus, or Eccard, a Saxon, was the A. D. 1311, a special constitution against the most famous. He was a Dominican, and also Beghards and Beguines of Germany; and the superior of that order in Saxony; a man of though the edict only mentions imperfectly the a subtle genius, and one who had acquitted opinions of this sect, yet, by the numeration of himself with reputation as professor of dithem, we may easily perceive that the Mystic vinity at Paris. In 1330, pope John XXII., brethren and sisters of the free spirit are the endeavoured to suppress this obstinate sect by persons principally intended. Clement, in a new and severe constitution, in which the the same council, issued another constitution, errors of the sect of the free spirit are marked by which he suppressed another and a very out in a more distinct and accurate manner different sort of Beguines, who had hitherto than in the Clementina. But this attempt been considered as a lawful and regular society, was fruitless; the disorder continued, and was and lived in fixed habitations appropriated to combated both by the inquisitors and bishops their order, but were now corrupted by the fa- in most parts of Europe to the end of this cennatics above mentioned; for the Brethren and tury. Sisters of the free spirit had insinuated themselves into the greatest part of the convents of the Beguines, where they inculcated with great success their mysterious and sublime system of religion to these simple women; and these credulous females were no sooner initiated into this brilliant and chimerical system, than they were captivated with its delusive charms, and babbled, in the most absurd and impious manner, concerning the true worship of the Deity.§

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Jo. Trithemii Annal. Hirsaug. tom. ii. p. 155.—

VI. The Clementina, or constitution of the council of Vienne against the Beguines, or the female societies that lived together in fixed habitations, under a common rule of pious discipline and virtuous industry, gave rise to a persecution of these people, which lasted till the reformation by Luther, and ruined the cause both of the Beguines and Beghards in many places. For though the pope, in his last constitution, had permitted pious women to live as nuns in a state of celibacy, with or V. The Brethren of the free spirit, oppres-without taking the vow, and refused a tolerased by so many severe edicts and constitutions, formed the intention of removing from Upper Schaten, Annal. Paderborn. tom. ii. p. 250.-This is Germany into the lower parts of the empire; that famous Walter, whom so many ecclesiastical and this scheme was so far put in execution, historians have represented as the founder of the that Westphalia was the only province which sect of the Lollards, and as an eminent martyr to refused admission to these dispersed fanatics, their cause. Learned men conclude all this, and and was free from their disturbances. This same Walter Lohareus, (so it stands in my copy, from the following words of Trithemius; That tranquillity was produced by the provident though I fancy it ought to have been Lolhardus, esmeasures of Henry, archbishop of Cologne, pecially as Trithemius, according to the custom of who, having called a council, in 1322, serious- his time, frequently uses this word when treating of the sects that dissented from the church,) a native ly admonished the bishops of his province of of Holland, was not well versed in the Latin tongue.' the approaching danger, and thus excited them I say, from this short passage, learned men have to exert their utmost vigilance to prevent any whence, as from its founder and master, they supconcluded that Walter's surname was Lolhard; of these people from coming into Westphalia.posed his sect derived the name of Lollards. But it About the same time the Beghards|| upon the Rhine, lost their chief leader and champion, Walter, a Dutchman of remarkable eloquence, and famous for his writings, who came from Mentz to Cologne, where he was apprehended

* Luc. d'Acherii Spicil. veter. Scriptor. tom. iii, p. 63.-J. Bale, de Scriptor. Britan. Centur iv. n. 88. p.

367.

It is extant in the Corpus Juris Canon. inter Clementinas, lib. v. tit. iii. de Hæreticis, cap. iii. p. 1088.

In Jure Canonico inter Clementinas, lib iii. tit. xi. de religiosis domibus, cap. i. p. 1075, edit. Bohmer. For this reason, in the German records of this century, we often find a distinction of the Beguines into those of the right and approved class, and those of the sublime and free spirit; the former of whom adhered to the public religion, while the latter were corrupted by the opinions of the Mystics.

By Beghards, here, Dr. Mosheim means particularly the Brethren of the Free Spirit who frequently passed under this denomination.

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is very evident, not only from this, but from other passages of Trithemius, that Lolhard was no surname, but merely a term of reproach applied to all heretics who concealed the poison of error under the appearance of piety. Trithemius, speaking of the very same man, in a preceding passage, calls him. 'the head of the Fratricelli, or Minorites;' but these terms were very extensive, including people of various sects. This Walter embraced the opinions of the Mystics, and was the principal doctor among those Brethren of the free spirit, who lived on the banks of the Rhine.

† See Echardi Scriptor. Prædicator. tom. i. p. 507.Odor. Raynaldus, Annal. tom. xv. ad an. 1329. sect. lxx. p. 389.

This new constitution was never published entire. It began with the words, in agro Dominico;' and was inscribed thus, contra singularia, dubia, sus pecta, et temeraria, quæ Beghardi et Beghinæ prædicant et observant. We are favoured with a summary of it by Herm. Cornerus in Eccardi Corp. Histor. Medii Ævi, tom. ii. p. 1035. It is also mentioned by Paul Languis, in Chronico Citizensi, apud Jo. Pistorii Scriptores rerum German. tom. i. p. 1200.

tion only to such of them as were corrupted VIII. Directly the reverse of this melanwith the opinions of the Brethren of the free choly sect was the merry one of the Dancers, spirit, yet the vast number of enemies which which, in 1373, arose at Aix-la-Chapelle, the Beguines and Beghards had, partly among whence it spread through the district of Liege, the mechanics, especially the weavers, and part-Hainault, and other parts of the Netherlands. ly among the priests and monks, took a handle It was customary among these fanatics, for from the Clementina to molest them in their persons of both sexes, publicly as well as in houses, to seize and destroy their goods, and private, suddenly to begin dancing, and, holdoffer them many other insults. John XXII. ing each other's hands, to continue their moafforded some relief under these oppressions, tions with extraordinary violence, till, being in 1324, by means of a special constitution, in almost suffocated, they fell down breathless which he gave a favourable explication of the together; and they affirmed, that, during these Clementina, and ordered that the persons, intervals of vehement agitation, they were fagoods, and habitations, of the innocent Be-voured with wonderful visions. Like the guines, should be preserved from every kind || Flagellants, they wandered about from place of violence and insult;—an example of clemen-to place, had recourse to begging for their subcy and moderation which was afterwards fol-sistence, treated with the utmost contempt lowed by other popes. On the other hand, the Beguines, in hopes of disappointing more effectually the malicious attempts of their enemies, and avoiding their snares, embraced in many places the third rule of St. Francis, and of the Augustines. Yet all these measures in their favour could not prevent the loss both of their reputation and substance; for from this time they were oppressed in several provinces by the magistrates, the clergy, and the monks, who had cast a greedy eye upon their treasures, and were extremely eager to divide the spoil.*

VII. Some years before the middle of this century, while Germany and many other parts of Europe were distressed with various calamities, the Flagellants, a sect forgotten almost every where, and especially in Germany, made their appearance anew, and, rambling through many provinces, occasioned great disturbances. These new Flagellants, whose enthusiasm infected every rank, sect, and age, were much worse than the old ones. They not only supposed that God might be prevailed upon to show mercy to those who underwent voluntary punishments, but propagated other tenets highly injurious to religion. They held, among other things, "That flagellation was of equal virtue with baptism, and the other sacraments: that it would procure from God the forgiveness of all sins, without the merits of Jesús Christ: that the old law of Christ was soon to be abolished, and that a new law, enjoining the baptism of blood, to be administered by whipping, was to be substituted in its place," with other tenets more or less enormous than these; whereupon Clement VII. thundered out anathemas against these sectaries, many of whom were committed to the flames by the inhuman inquisitors. It was, however, found as difficult to extirpate them, as it had been to suppress the other sects of wandering fanatics.

* I have collected a great number of particulars relating to this long persecution of the Beguines. But the most copious of all the writers who have published any thing upon this subject (especially if we consider his account of the persecution at Basil, and of Mulbergius, the most inveterate enemy of the Beguines,) is Christian Wurstisen, or Urstisius, in his Chronicon Basiliense, written in German, lib.|| iv. cap. ix. p. 201, published at Basil, 1580. There are now in my hands, and also in many libraries, manuscript tracts of this celebrated Mulbergius, written against the Beguines in the following century.

t See Baluzii Vit. Pontif. Avenion, tom, i. p. 160. 316, and Miscellan. tom. i. p. 50.-Matthæi Analecta

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both the priesthood and the public rites and worship of the church, and held secret assemblies. Such was the nature of this new phrensy, which the ignorant clergy of this age looked upon as the work of evil demons, who possessed, as they thought, this dancing tribe. Accordingly, the priests of Liege endeavoured to cast out the devils which rendered these fanatics so merry, by singing hymns and applying fumigations of incense; and they gravely tell us, that the evil spirit was entirely vanquished by these powerful charms.*

IX. The most heinous and abominable tribe of heretics that infected this century, (if the enormities with which they stand charged be true,) were the Knights Templars, who had been established in Palestine about two hundred years before this period, and who were represented as enemies and deriders of all religion. Their principal accuser indeed was a person whose testimony ought not to be admitted without caution. This was Philip the Fair, an avaricious, vindictive, and turbulent prince, who loudly complained to Clement V.. of their opinions and conduct. The pope, though at first unwilling to proceed against them, was under a necessity of complying with the king's desire; so that, in 1307, on an appointed day, and for some time afterwards, all the knights, who were dispersed throughout Europe, and not in the least apprehensive of any impending evil, were seized and imprisoned. Such as refused to confess the enormities of which they were accused, were put to death; and those who, by tortures and promises, were induced to acknowledge the truth of what was laid to their charge, obtained their liberty. In 1311, the whole order was extinguished by the council of Vienne. Of the rich revenues they possessed, a part was bestowed upon other orders, especially on the knights of St. John, and the rest confiscated to the respective treasuries of the sovereign princes in whose dominions their possessions lay.

vet. Evi, tom. i. iii. iv.-Herm. Gygis Flores Tempor. p. 139. .

* Baluz. tom. i. p. 485.-Matth. Analecta, tom. i. p. 51, where we find the following passage in the Belgic Chronicle, which gives but an obscure account of the sect in question: A. 1374. Gingen de Dancers, and then in Latin, Gens, impacata cadit, cruciata salvat. The French convulsionists, (or prophets,) who, in our age, were remarkable for the vehemence and variety of their agitations, greatly resembled these brethren and sister dancers.

X. The Knights Templars, if their judges be worthy of credit, were a set of men who insulted the majesty of God, turned into derision the Gospel of Christ, and trampled upon the obligation of all laws, human and divine. For it is affirmed, that candidates, upon their admission to this order, were commanded to spit, as a mark of contempt, upon an image of Christ; and that, after admission, they were bound to worship either a cat, or a wooden head covered with gold. It is farther affirmed, that, among them, the odious and unnatural act of sodomy was a matter of obligation; that they committed to the flames the unhappy fruit of their lawless amours; and added, to these, other crimes too horrible to be mentioned, or even imagined. It will, indeed, be readily allowed, that in this order, as in all the other religious societies of this age, there were shocking examples of impiety and wickedness; but that the Templars in general were thus enormously corrupt, is so far from being proved, that the contrary may be concluded even from the acts and records, yet extant, of the tribunals before which they were tried and examined. If to this we add, that some

of the accusations advanced against them, flatly contradict each other, and that many members of this unfortunate order solemnly avowed their innocence, while languishing under the severest tortures, and even with their dying breath, it would seem probable, that Philip set on foot this bloody tragedy, with a view of gratifying his avarice, and glutting his resentment against the Templars,* and especially against their grand master, who had highly offended him.

*See the Acts annexed to Putean's Histoire de la

Condemnation des Templiers, and other writings of his relating to the history of France, published at Paris, in 1654. The most valuable edition of the addition of a great number of documents, by which history appeared at Brussels, in 1751, enlarged by the every diligent and impartial reader will be convinced that the Templars were greatly injured. See also Nicolai Gurtleri Historia Templariorum. If the reader has an opportunity, he would do well to con. sult Steph. Baluzius, Vit. Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 8, 11, &c. Ger. du Bois, Hist. Eccles. Paris. tom. ii. p. 540. The principal cause of Philip's indelible hatred against the Templars, was, that in his quarrel with Boniface VIII. the knights espoused the cause of the pope, and furnished him with money to carry on the war; an offence which the king could never pardon.

THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

PART I.

THE EXTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
CHAPTER I.

Concerning the prosperous Events that happened

to the Church during this Century.

I. THE new subjects, that were added to the kingdom of Christ in this century, were altogether unworthy of that sublime title, unless we prostitute it by applying it to those who made an external and insincere profession of Christianity. Ferdinand, surnamed the Catholic, by the conquest of Granada, in the year 1492, entirely overturned the dominion of the Moors or Saracens in Spain. Some time after this happy revolution, he issued a sentence of banishment against a prodigious multitude of Jews, who, to avoid the execution of this severe decree, dissembled their sentiments, and feigned an assent to the Gospel;* and it is well known that, to this very day, there are both in Spain and Portugal a great number of that dispersed and wretched people, who wear the outward mask of Christianity, to secure them against the rage of persecution, and to advance their worldly interests. The myriads of Saracens that remained in Spain after the dissolution of their government, were at first solicited by exhortations and entreaties to embrace the Gospel. When these gentle methods proved ineffectual to bring about their conversion,

* J. de Ferreras, Hist. Generale d'Espagne, tom. viii. p. 123, 132, &c

the famous Ximenes, archbishop of Toledo, and prime minister of the kingdom, judged it expedient to try the force of the secular arm, in order to accomplish that salutary purpose. But even this rigorous measure was without the desired effect: the greatest part of the Mohammedans persisted, with astonishing obstinacy, in their fervent attachment to their voluptuous prophet.*

II. The light of the Gospel was also carried in this century among the Samogetæ [in Poland] and the neighbouring nations, but with less fruit than was expected. Toward the conclusion of this age, the Portuguese, who cultivated with ardour and success the art of navigation, had penetrated as far as Ethiopia and the Indies. In 1492, Christopher Columbus, by discovering the islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica, opened a passage into America; and, after him, Americus Vesputius, a citizen of Florence, landed on the continent of that vast region.§ The new Argonauts, who thus discovered nations hitherto

* Esprit Flechier, Histoire du Cardinal Ximenes, p. 89.-Geddes' History of the Expulsion of the Morescoes, in his Miscellaneous Tracts, tom. i.

† Jo. Henry Hottinger, Hist. Ecclesiast. sæc. XV. p. 856.

See Charlevoix, Histoire de l'Isle de St. Domingue, tom. i. p. 64.

§ See the Life of Americus Vesputius, written in Italian by the learned Angelo Maria Bandini.

unknown to the inhabitants of Europe, deemed || it their duty to enlighten them with the knowledge of the truth. The first attempt of this pious nature was made by the Portuguese among those Africans who inhabited the kingdom of Congo, and who, with their monarch, were suddenly converted to the Romish faith, in 1491.* But what must we think of a conversion effected with such astonishing rapidity, and of a people who at once, without hesitation, abandoned their inveterate prejudices? Has not such a conversion, a ridiculous or rather an afflictive aspect? After this religious revolution in Africa, Alexander VI. gave a rare specimen of papal presumption, in dividing America between the Portuguese and Spaniards, but showed at the same time his zeal for the propagation of the Gospel, by the ardour with which he recommended, to these two nations, the instruction and conversion of the Americans, both in the isles and on the continent of that immense region. In consequence of this exhortation of the pontiff, a great number of Franciscans and Dominicans were sent into those countries, to enlighten the darkness of their inhabitants; and the success of the mission is abundantly known.‡

CHAPTER II.

Concerning the calamitous Events that happened

to the Church during this Century.

I. In the vast regions of the eastern world Christianity daily lost ground; and the Moslems, whether Turks or Tartars, united their barbarous efforts to extinguish its bright and salutary lustre. Asiatic Tartary, Mogolestan, Tangut, and the adjacent provinces, where the religion of Jesus had long flourished, were now become the dismal seats of superstition, which reigned among the people under the vilest forms. Nor in these immense tracts of land were there at this time any traces of Christianity visible, except in China, where the Nestorians still preserved some scattered remains of their former glory, and appeared like a faint and dying taper in the midst of a That some Nesdark and gloomy firmament, torian churches were still subsisting in these regions of darkness, is undoubtedly certain; for in this century the Nestorian pontiff, in

* Labat, Relation de l'Europe Occidentale, tom. ii. p. 366.-Jos. Franc. Lafitau, Histoire des Decouver. tes des Portugais dans le nouveau Monde, tom. i. p. 72.

† See the Bull itself, in the Bullarium Romanum, tom. i. p. 466.

See Thom. Maria Mamachius, Orig. et Antiquitat. Christian. tom. ii. p. 326, where we have an account of the gradual introduction of the Christian religion into America.-See also Wadding, Annal. Minor. tom. xv. p. 10.

Chaldea, sent missionaries into Cathay and China, who were empowered to exercise the authority of bishops over the Christian assem blies, which lay concealed in the remoter provinces of those great empires.* It is, at the same time, almost equally certain, that even these assemblies did not survive this century.

II. The ruin of the Grecian empire was a new source of calamities to the Christian church in a considerable part of Europe and Asia. When the Turks, conducted by Mohammed II., an able prince and a formidable warrior, had made themselves masters of Constantinople, in 1453, the cause of Christianity received a blow, from which it has not yet recovered. Its adherents in these parts had no resources left, which could enable them to maintain it against the perpetual insults of their fierce and incensed victors; nor could they stem that torrent of barbarism and ignorance which rushed in with the triumphant arms of the Moslem prince, and overspread Greece with a fatal rapidity. The Turks took one part of Constantinople by force of arms; the other surrendered upon terms.† Hence, in the former division, the public profession of the Gospel was prohibited, and every vestige of Christianity effaced; while the inhabitants of the latter were permitted to retain their churches and monasteries during the whole course of this century, and to worship God according to the precepts of the Gospel, and the dictates of their consciences. This valuable liberty was, indeed, considerably diminished in the reign of Selim I., and the Christian worship was loaded with severe and despotic restrictions.

The outward form of the Christian church was not, indeed, either changed or destroyed by the Turks; but its lustre was eclipsed, its strength was undermined, and it was gradually attenuated to a mere shadow under their tyrannic empire. Pope Pius II. wrote a warm and urgent letter to Mohammed II. to persuade that prince to profess the Gospel; but this letter is equally destitute of piety and prudence.§

*This circumstance was communicated to the au thor in a letter from the learned Mr. Theophilus Sigefred Bayer, one of the greatest adepts in eastern history and antiquities, that this or any other age has produced.

In this account Dr. Mosheim has followed the Turkish writers. And indeed their account is much more probable than that of the Latin and Greek historians, who suppose that the whole city was taken by force, and not by capitulation. The Turkish relation diminishes the glory of the conquest, and therefore probably would not have been adopted, had it not been true.

Demet. Cantemir, Histoire de l'Empire Ottoman. t. i. 11, 46, 54.

§ Dictionnaire Hist. et Critique de Bayle.

THE INTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

Concerning the state of Letters and Philosophy during this Century.

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tions purified the taste, excited the emulation noble ambition of excelling in the same way.* of men of genius, and animated them with a

II. The ruin of the Grecian empire contributed greatly to the propagation and advancement of learning in the west. For, after the reduction of Constantinople, the most eminent of the Greek literati passed into Italy, and were thence dispersed into the other countries of Europe, where, to gain subsistence, these venerable exiles instructed the youth in Grecian erudition, and propagated throughout the western world the love of learning, and a true and elegant taste for the sciences. Hence it was, that every distinguished city and university possessed one or more of these learned Greeks, who formed the studious youth to literary pursuits. But they received no where such encouraging marks of protection and esteem as in Italy, where they were honoured in a singular manner in various cities, and were more especially distinguished by the family of Medici, whose liberality to the learned seemed to have no bounds. It was consequently in Italy that these ingenious fugitives were most numerous; and hence that country became, in some measure, the centre of the arts and sciences, and the general rendezvous of all who were ambitious of literary glory.

I. THE Grecian and Oriental Muses languished under the despotic yoke of the Mohammedans; their voices were mute, and their|| harps unstrung. The republic of letters had a quite different aspect in the Latin world, where the liberal arts and sciences were cultivated with zeal and spirit, under the most auspicious encouragement, and recovered their ancient lustre and glory. Several of the popes became their zealous patrons and protectors, among whom Nicolas V. deserves an eminent and distinguished rank; the munificence and authority of kings and princes were also nobly exerted in this excellent cause, and animated men of learning and genius, to display their talents. The illustrious family of the Medici in Italy, Alphonso VI. king of Naples, and the other Neapolitan monarchs of the house of Arragon,† acquired immortal renown by their love of letters, their liberality to the learned, and their ardent zeal for the advancement of science. Under their auspices, or in consequence of their example, many academies were founded in Germany, France, and Italy, libraries were collected at a prodigious expense, and honours and rewards were lavish- III. The learned men who adorned at this ed on the studious youth, to animate their in- time the various provinces of Italy, were prindustry by the views of interest and the desire cipally employed in publishing accurate and of glory. To all these happy circumstances, in elegant editions of the Greek and Latin clas favour of the sciences, was now added an ad- || sics, in illustrating these authors with useful mirable discovery, which contributed, as much as any thing else, to their propagation, I mean the art of Printing, (first with wooden, and afterwards with metal types,) which was invented about the year 1440, at Mentz, by John Guttemberg. By the aid of this incomparable art, the productions of the most eminent Greek and Latin writers, which had lain, concealed, before this interesting period, in the libraries of the monks, were now spread abroad with facility, and perused by many, who could never have had access to them under their primitive form.1 The perusal of these noble composi

* We have a full account of the obligations of the republic of letters to the family of Medici, in a valuable work of Joseph Bianchini de Prato, dei gran Duchi di Toscana delle reale Casa de Medici, Protettori delle Lettere e delle Belle Arti, Ragionamenti Historici, published at Venice, in 1741.

Erud. Viror. tom. ii.

a mould, was the contrivance of John Schoeffer, and
was first practised at Mentz. This learned work, in
which the author examines the opinions of Mar-
in 1760, under the following title: Jo. Danielis
chand, Fournier, and other writers, was published
Schoepflini Consil. Reg. ac Franciæ His. Vindicia
Typographicæ, &c.

Marchand, Histoire de l'Imprimerie.
*Mich. Maittaire, Annales Typographici.-Prosp.

† Jo. Henr. Maii Vita Reuchlini, p. 11, 19, 28, 152, 165.-Casp. Barthius ad Statium, tom. ii. p. 1008.— Boulay, tom. v. p. 692.

of the history of learning, the reader may consult For a farther account of this interesting period the learned work of Humphry Hody, de Græcis illustribus Literarum Græcarum in Italia Instauratoribus, to which may be added, Battier's Oration on the same subject, published in the Museum Helveticum, tom. iv.

So this note stands in the first edition of this History, in 4to. Since that time, the learned † See Giannone, Historia di Napoli, tom. iii.-An- and ingenious Mr. Gerard Meerman, pensionary of ton. Panormitani Dicta et Facta memorabilia Al-Rotterdam, has published his laborious and interestphonsi I. denuo edita a Jo. Ger, Meuschenio, in Vit.ing account of the origin and invention of the art of printing, under the following title, “Origines Ty pographicæ,"-a work which sets this matter in its true light, by making certain distinctions unknown to the writers who treated this subject before him. According to the hypothesis of this writer, (an hy. pothesis supported by irresistible proofs,) Laurence Coster, of Haerlem, invented the moveable wooden types;-Genfleisch and Guttemberg carved metallic types at Mentz, which, though superior to the former, were still imperfect, because often unequal; Schoeffer perfected the invention at Strasbourg, by casting the types in an iron mould, or matrix, engraven with a puncheon. Thus the question is decided. Coster was evidently the inventor of printing; the others improved the art, or rendered it more perfect.

Dr. Mosheim decides here, that Guttemberg of Mentz was the inventor of the art of printing; but this notion is opposed with zeal by several men of learning. Of the many treatises that have been published on this subject, not one is composed with greater erudition and judgment than that of professor Schoepflin, of Strasbourg, in which the learned author undertakes to prove that the art of printing, by the means of letters engraven on plates of wood, was invented at Haerlem, by Coster; that the method of printing, by moveable types, was the discovery of John Guttemberg, a discovery made during his residence at Strasbourg; and that the still more per fect manner of printing with types of metal cast in

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