"of the age have been their advocates; the nation "is their friend ;-the letter of the law their only "enemy. To this, it is owing, that they languish "under disabilities, which cramp their industry,

prevent their providing for their families, drive "them from their own country for education, ob"trude them on foreigners for subsistence, and "make them, as it were, aliens amongt their fellowsubjects:

"That the doctrine of general toleration uni"versally prevails:

"And that no plea can be urged for tolerating, " in foreign countries, the dissenters from the mode "of worship established there, which may not, "with as great propriety, be urged, for tolerating "in England those of the catholic persuasion.

Upon these grounds, your memorialists hope "for your concurrence and support in their "intended application for redress of their grievances."

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LXXXII. 4.

The Opinions of the Foreign Universities.

At a meeting of the catholic committee on the

Mr. Fermor, informed the committee, that they had, that morning, had a conference with Mr. Pitt, and read the following minute of what was said by him:

"That government will make no objection to "the business relating to the relief of the English "roman-catholics, being brought before parliament "early next sessions:

"But, he observed, if moved this session, it "will be impossible to carry the measure to a "conclusion; and, of course, it must lie over to "next year:

This, Mr. Pitt is of opinion, will not be a "favourable circumstance to the catholic cause, as "it will prevent government from preparing the "minds of some of the leading interests in this "country, previous to the bringing on of a measure "of such importance:

"He also desired the catholics to furnish him "with authentic evidence of the opinion of the "catholic clergy and catholic universities, with

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respect to the existence or extent of the pope's "dispensing power:

"That, though the relief prayed for appeared "simple and clear, yet many parts of it involved

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great and weighty considerations for government "to determine upon :

"He observed, that whatever was conceded to "the roman-catholics, the protestant dissenters "must also enjoy:

"He concluded by saying, that though govern

"be moved this session, yet it was left to the "catholics to consider, whether they should run "the risk of the consequences attending its lying "over to next year:

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"Mr. Pitt repeated several times, he hoped the "roman-catholics would be assured, the present adjournment of their business to next session "did not arise merely from motives of delay, but "that government seriously intended to consider "their situation, and wished to grant them that "relief, which, in prudence, they could adopt."

Lord Petre, sir Henry Charles Englefield, and Mr. Fermor, having communicated to the committee this account of their interview with Mr. Pitt, the committee addressed a letter to him, in which they thanked him "for the obliging and candid "manner in which he had received the deputa"tion from them, and assured him that they would "lose no time in procuring the information he "wished to have respecting the opinion of catholics "on the pope's dispensing power: and in the mean "time sent to him the publication intituled 'Ro

MAN-CATHOLIC PRINCIPLES IN REFERENCE "TO GOD AND THE KING.'"-A copy of it is inserted in the Appendix to the third volume of these Memoirs *.-To give this document the greater authenticity, the honourable James Talbot, then vicar-apostolic of the London district of the English roman-catholics, was pleased, at the request of the members of the committee present at the meeting, to sign the first page of it with his name.

Appendix to Vol. iii. Note I.

In pursuance of Mr. Pitt's suggestions, three questions were sent to the universities of the Sorbonne, Louvaine, Douay, Alcala, and Salamanca. They were expressed in the following terms, and received the following answers:

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"1. Has the pope or cardinals, or any body of men,

or any individual of the church of Rome, any civil "authority, power, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence "whatsoever, within the realm of England?

"2. Can the pope or cardinals, or any body of men, "or any individual of the church of Rome, absolve or dispense with his majesty's subjects from their " oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever? 3. Is there any principle, in the tenets of the "catholic faith, by which catholics are justified in "not keeping faith with heretics, or other persons differing from them in religious opinions, in

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any transaction either of a public or a private "nature?"

The universities answered unanimously:

"1. That the pope or cardinals, or any body of

men, or any individual of the church of Rome, "has not nor have any civil authority, power, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence whatsoever, within the "realm of England.

"2. That the pope or cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the church of Rome, can not absolve or dispense with his majesty's subjects from their oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever.

3. That there is no principle in the tenets of

" in not keeping faith with heretics, or other per"sons differing from them in religious opinions, "in any transactions either of a public or a private "nature."

The opinions of the universities of the Sorbonne, Louvaine, and Douay, were first received; and were transmitted to Mr. Pitt with the following letter:

"Sir,

"The committee of the English catholics have "the honour to lay before you the opinions of the "universities of Sorbonne, Louvaine, and Douay, "which have been transmitted to us in consequence "of your desire.

"You will, we hope, see from these opinions, "that the sentiments of the most famous foreign "bodies, perfectly coincide with those which we "had the honour of stating to you last year, as "our firm and sincere tenets.

"At the same time we beg leave to call to

your remembrance, that our opinions were fully "stated to you previously to the obtaining these "of the foreign universities; and that they were "consulted, not as the rule by which we form our "ideas of the duties of good subjects, but as a "collateral proof to you, that our sentiments are "consonant to those of the most enlightened and "famous bodies of catholic divines on the con"tinent upon these subjects.

"We have the honour to be, &c."

As soon as the other opinions were received, the committee transmitted them also to Mr. Pitt.