In fact, not less than 397 of these licences were taken out at the New Sessions-house, Clerkenwell, for the county of Middlesex only in the course of two years!

But among the most fortunate of these lay-adventurers, we may certainly reckon a ci-devant coal-heaver, notorious for no quality "non earth, but consummate impudence and incorrigible ignorance. He has long been known to be in the receipt of between one and two thousand per annum. He has been the proprietor and far totum of two chapels, after which he set up his carriage; and to crown the whole, not long since, married the widow of a baronet.But though now much enfeebled, as a proof of the bigotry that reigns among his infatuated followers, they are still content as they use the phrase "to wait upon his ministry, though it be for little more than to watch the movements of his gracious tips!" In reality, there is no end to the indulgences which these supposed pious pastors experience on the part of their wellfleeced flocks. The name of one of them in the west of England could be mentioned, who, after being detected in long habits of gross familiarity with several of his female hearers, and removed from his charge for the same, notwithstanding this censure, received an invitation from another congregation to become their pastor in the course of a few months.

Let us then hear no more of the influence of Catholic priests over their flocks. Government from political motives may sound this alarm; but what influence can be so dangerous to any ́establishment as that of itinerant demagogues upon the soul of plastic ignorance! Truly if such men have a call, it cannot be the call of God; men who keep a " bank of faith," who are hand in glove with God Almighty, and draw pretty largely upon the purses of their credulous followers.

If opportunity should offer, I may at some future period add a sketch of the character of Protestant Missionaries to these traits of itinerant preachers and lay conventiclers..

VIGILANS.

BIOGRAPHY.

JOHN NELSON.

JOHN NELSON, son of Nicholas, Knt. was born at Shelton, near York. At the age of 40, he went over to Douay in 1574, to qualify himself there for the sacerdotal state, to which he was ordained at Bynche, near Cambray, in June 1576, and was by his own desire sent upon the English Mission, Nov. 7th of the same year.

His zeal for the conversion of his deluded countrymen was so great, that he often used to say, that lukewarmness in a priest, when there was au opportunity of doing good, even at the hazard of the greatest dangers, was an open denial of their Master Jesus Christ and the Apostles, who had shed his blood, with joy, in behalf of the Catholic Religion; he reminded himself of the text of Jam. v. 20. "Let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

He laboured day and night in the Vineyard of the Lord, in dangers, persecutions, hunger and thirst, cold and heat, and converted many from the errors of their ways, until the 1st of Dec. 1577, when he was apprehended, saying his prayers, in an open field, on a very frosty night, at the time he was on his travels, and had no lodging to resort to. Being suspected of Papistry, he was sent to prison, and after a few days, brought before the high Commissioners. Here they tendered him the oath of the Queen's Supremacy, which he refused to take. Being asked his opinion of the religion now practised in England, he answered," that it was both schismatical and heretical." He was asked what schism was? He told them "a voluntary departure from the unity of the Catholic Roman faith." They then urged him to tell whether the Queen was a schismatic or no? He said he could not tell, because he knew not her mind in setting forth or maintaining the religion now publicly used in England. They replied, that the Queen did both promulgate and maintain it; they pressed him to tell, if she did so, whether she were a schismatic and heretic or not? Here Mr. Nelson paused a while, being unwilling to exasperate her Majesty, yet more unwilling to offend his God; he

answered conditionally: "if she be the promulgator and defender of this religion, now practised in England, then she is a schismatic and a heretic." Then they said, he had spoken enough, they wanted no more to convict him.

Upon this, he was sent back to prison, and seven weeks after brought to trial, when the same questions being asked and the former answers given, he received sentence of death as a traitor, Feb. 1st, 1578; at which he never changed countenance, but took his condemnation very meekly, and prepared himself courageously for death. The jailor's wife, moved with compassion, offered him wine; but he would not taste it, saying, "that a cup of cold water was more meet for him." From the hour of his sentence, until the hour of his death, he took no other food but bread and water. A friend of his reminding him of the many thousands of martyrs, who had suffered the most excruciating torments for Christ's sake, he answered, "that this thought often presented itself to his mind, and afforded him such comfort, that he no ways doubted, but that he should feel the like grace of God's consolation in the midst of his agony."

Monday, Feb. 3d, he came very early up to the higher part of the prison; whereas before he had been kept close in his dungeon, He said to two of his friends, whom he saw in tears, "Weep not for me; for I have a sure confidence that all will be well. It may be painful, but it must be short, compared to eternity, in which · 1 am going to enter." Two ministers now endeavoured to allure him from the established faith of Jesus Christ, by the promise of a full pardon; but he said, "Do not lay a stumbling block before me; the Lord is with me.”

When he lay on the hurdle, the Sheriff entreated him to ask the Queen's forgiveness; he answered, "I will ask her no pardon, for I never offended her." Here the people in a rage cried out, Let him be hanged like a traitor as he is! and he said, “Amen. God's will be done; better is it to abide all punishment here, be it ever so grievous, than to suffer eternal torments."

At the place of execution, he addressed himself to the multitude, saying, "I call you all to witness, that I die in the unity of the Catholic Church; and for that unity, I most willingly suffer my blood to be shed. May it please God, in his great mercy, to bring you all to that unity, for which Jesus Christ has shed his precious blood." At which many cried out, Away with the Romish faith!NO. V.

Here, being again urged to ask the Queen's pardon, he said, "If I have offended her, or any one else, I ask her and all the world forgiveness, as I forgive heartily my persecutors; or any one whom I may have offended." When the cart was drawn away, a great multitude cried out with a loud voice, Lord, receive kis soul!

He was cut down before he was half dead, and being quartered, his members were hanged on four gates of the city, and his head set upon London Bridge. He suffered at Tyburn, Feb. 3d, 1578

PARALLEL OF THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT WITH THAT OF THE BRACHMANS.

(Continued from p. 121.)

THIS sacrifice of a sheep seems to me very much to allude to that of the Paschal Lamb; for it is to be observed, that, as the Jews were obliged to eat part of the victim, so the Brachmans, though they are not allowed to eat any flesh, yet dispense with this on the day of the sacrifice of Ekiam, and are obliged by the law to eat of the sacrificed sheep.

PERPETUAL FIRE.-Several Indians worship fire. There is a peculiar precept for the sacrifice of Oman, by which it is ordained always to keep up the fire, and never to suffer it to go out. This care answers exactly enough to the command given in Levit. chap. vi. ver. 12, 13. "And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it, it shall not be put out, and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out."

SERPENTS WORSHIPPED.-The Indians have also an extraor dinary notion of serpents. They believe those creatures have something divine, and that the sight of them is fortunate. Thus many worship serpents, and pay them the most profound respect; but those ungrateful animals do not forbear biting their wor shippers after a cruel manner.

MOSES PENTATEUCH.-The first part of the Indian Vedam, or Bible, which they call Irroucouvedam, treats of the First Cause, and of the manner how the world was created. The most singular of what they have told me about it is, that in the beginning there

was nothing but God and the waters. It is easy enough to observe how much that resembles the first chapter of Genesis.

EXODUS. I have been told by several Brachmans, that, in the third Book of their Vedam, which they call Samavedam, there are many precepts of morality that seems to me to answer the moral precepts scattered about in Exodus.

LEVITICUS AND DEUTERONOMY.-The fourth Book, which they call Adaranavedam, contains the different sacrifices they are to offer, the qualifications requisite in the victims, the manner of building their temples, and the several festivals that are to be observed. This, without much guessing, is very likely a notion taken from the Books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

LAW GIVEN ON A MOUNTAIN. In conclusion, my lord, that nothing may be wanting to the parallel, (as it is a prevailing mistaken notion in Europe, that the Indians never had any knowledge nor tradition about the Creation, the deluge, or other remarkable events related in the Bible,) the Scripture says that it was on the famous mountain of Sinai that Moses received the ' law; so it was on their renowned mountain of Mahamerou that Brama had the Vedam of the Indians. This mountain is the same which the Greeks call Meros, where they say Bacchus was born. The Indians to this day say, that this mountain is the place where the Chorchams, or the several paradises, are placed.

Will it not be proper, my lord, that, having said enough about Moses and his law, we should add something concerning that Prophet's sister Miriam ? for her history has not been altogether. unknown to the Indians.

The Scripture tells us, that Miriam, after the miraculous passing of the Red Sea, assembled the Israelitish women, took musical instruments, and fell a dancing with her companions, and singing the praises of the Almighty. Here follows an account nothing unlike, which the Indians give of their famous Lakekoumi. That woman, as well as Miriam, sister to Moses, came out of the sea after a miraculous manner. No sooner had she escaped the danger, wherein she had like to have perished, than she made a magnificent ball, at which all the gods and goddesses danced to the music of instruments.

The Indian gods, as they relate, reside in their Chorcam, or para dise of delights. Devendiron, the god of glory, presided in that great assembly. There were present a mighty throng of gods and goddesses the most famous penitents had also a place there,, and