Hinc plurima continentur in conciliis etiam generalibus, quæ non sunt de fide: scilicet quod est in eis obiter dictum; multo minus quod in sessionibus a variis prælatis, dum sententias proferunt, probatum est; multo etiam minus quæ a doctoribus in discussionem rei definiendæ præmittuntur aut allegantur." Veron, Reg. Fidei, c. 1. § iv. N° v. In conclusion, allow me, Sir, to offer you my congratulations on the eminent services, which by your valuable works you have rendered to the Catholic cause. That tone of moderation and forbearance by which they are distinguished, will place in a more striking light the temerity and intemperance of this your new, and, as far as I can judge, unprovoked antagonist. APPENDIX. N° I. Opinions of Foreign Universities on the Temporal Power of the Pope. IN pursuance of Mr. Pitt's suggestions, three ques- . tions 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 : “ 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 what"soever, within the realm of England? ،، or any 2. Can the Pope or Cardinals, or any body of men, individual of the Church of Rome, absolve or dispense with his Majesty's subjects, from their oath "of allegiance, upon auy pretext whatsoever? 66 66 "3. Is there any principle in the tenets of the Catholic faith, by which Catholics are justified in not keeping faith with heritics, or other persons differing from “ them in religious opinions, in any transaction, either "of a public or a private nature?" 66 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, cannot ab"solve 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 the "Catholic faith, by which Catholics are justified in not keeping faith with heretics, or other persons 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: 66 Sir, "The Committee of the English Catholics have the "honour to lay before you, the opinions of the univer"sities 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. 68 "At the same time, we beg leave to call to your re"membrance, that our opinions were fully stated to you previously to the obtaining those of the foreign uni"versities; 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 Continent, upon these subjects. 66 "We have the honour to be," &c. &c. Q As soon as the other opinions were received, the committee transmitted them also to Mr. Pitt. A translation of all these answers is inserted in the Appendix to the first volume of Mr. Butler's "Histo"rical Memoirs of the English, Irish, and Scottish "Catholics." N° II. The Oath taken by the English Roman Catholics, under the Provisions of the Act passed for their Relief, in the Year 1791. "I, A. B. do hereby declare, That I do profess the "Roman Catholic religion." "66 "I, A. B. do sincerely promise and swear, That I will "be faithful, and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, and him will defend, to the "utmost of my power, against all conspiracies and "attempts whatever, that shall be made against his per"son, crown or dignity; and I will do my utmost en"deavour to disclose and make known to his Majesty, "his heirs and successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which may be formed against him or "them: And I do faithfully promise to maintain, support and defend, to the utmost of my power, the suc"cession of the crown; which succession, by an act, "intituled, An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of "the Subject,' is and stands limited to the Princess Sophia, electress and duchess dowager of Hanover, " and the heirs of her body, being Protestants; hereby 66 66 "utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto any other person claiming or pretending a right to the crown of these realms; And I do swear, " that I do reject and detest, as an unchristian and impious position, that it is lawful to murder or destroy 66 66 any person or persons whatsoever, for or under pre"tence of their being heretics or infidels; and also, "that unchristian and impious principle, that faith is "not to be kept with heretics or infidels: And I further "declare, that it is not an article of my faith, and that "I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, that princes, excommunicated by the Pope and council, "or any authority of the see of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any person whatsoever: And I do promise, "that I will not hold, maintain or abet any such opi"nion, or any other opinions contrary to what is expressed in this declaration: And I do declare, that "I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, state or potentate hath, or હૃદ ought to have, any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm: And I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify and declare, that I do "make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words of this oath, "without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reserva"tion whatever; and without any dispensation already 66 66 66 66 granted by the Pope, or any authority of the see of Rome, or any person whatever; and without thinking "that I am, or can be, acquitted before God or man, "or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, "although the Pope, or any other person or authority 66 whatsoever, shall dispense with or annul the same, or "declare it was null and void.” |