"of the college of Gloucester (who had got upon "the heads of men) coming towards him with a "great wide cowl hanging at his back, the boy

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thought it a good occasion for him to escape by, and handsomely conveyed himself into "the monk's cowl. The monk got up with the boy in his cowl, and for a while felt no weight

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or burthen at last feeling his cowl heavier "than accustomed, and hearing a voice behind "him, he was more afraid than while in the "throng, believing that the evil spirit that had "set the church on fire, was got into his cowl; "then began he to play the exorcist: 'In the

name of God,' said he, and all saints, I com"mand thee to declare what thou art, that art "behind at my back.' I am Bertram's boy,' "said the other. But I,' said the monk, ad"jure thee, in the name of the inseparable Trin

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ity, and thou, wicked spirit, do tell me who "thou art, and from whence thou comest, and "that thou go hence. I am Bertram's boy,' "said he, 'good master, let me go.' When the "man perceived the matter, he took the boy "out; who ran away as fast as he could. In "the meantime, those who were in the streets, "perceiving all things to be without danger: "made signs to them in the church to keep "themselves quiet, crying to them there was

no danger: but, for as much as no word could "be heard, by reason of the noise in the church, "those signs made them much more afraid than "before supposing all on fire without the "church, and that they were best to tarry there"in, and not venture out for the dropping of "the lead, and the fall of other things; this. "trouble lasted for many hours. The next day, "and week following, there was an incredible "number of bills set upon the church doors to " inquire for things lost; as shoes, gowns, caps, "purses, girdles, swords, and money; and in "this tumult, few but, through negligence, or "forgetfulness, left something behind them. "The heretic, who, through this hurly burly, "had not done his sufficient penance, was the "day following taken to the church of St. "Frideswide, where he supplied the rest of his "plenary penance. This ridiculous accident," adds Fox, "happened anno 1541, in the reign "of King Henry the Eighth."

SAINT STEPHEN.

In the reign of the younger Theodosius, Lucian, a presbyter of Jerusalem, and the ecclesiastical minister of the village of Caphargamala, about twenty miles from the city, related a very singular dream, which, to remove his doubts,

had been repeated on three successive Saturdays. A venerable figure stood before him, in the silence of the night, with a long beard, a white robe and gold rod; announced himself by the name of Gamalial, and revealed to the astonished presbyter, that his own corpse, with the bodies of his son Abidas, his friend Nicodemus, and the illustrious Stephen, the first martyr of the christian faith, were secretly buried in the adjacent field. He added, with some impatience, that it was time to release himself and his companions from their obscure prison, that their appearance would be salutary to a distressed world; and that they had made choice of Lucian to inform the bishop of Jerusalem of their situation and their wishes. The doubts and difficulties which still retarded this important discovery, were successively removed by new visions and the ground was opened by the bishop, in the presence of an innumerable multitude. The coffin of Gamalial, of his son, and of his friend, were found in regular order; but when the fourth coffin, which contained the remains of Stephen, was shown to the light, the earth trembled, and an odour, such as that of paradise, was smelt, which instantly cured the various diseases of seventy-three of the assistants. The companions of Stephen were left in their

peaceful residence of Caphargamala: but the relics of the first martyr were transported, in solemn procession, to a church constructed in their honour on mount Sion; and the minute particles of those relics, a drop of blood, (a phial of Stephen's blood was annually liquified at Naples, till he was superseded by St, Januarius) or the scrapings of a bone, were acknowledged in almost every province of the Roman world, to possess a divine and miraculous virtue. The grave and learned Augustin, whose understanding scarcely admits the excess of credulity, has attested the innumerable prodigies which were performed in Africa, by the relics of St. Stephen; and the marvellous narrative is inserted in the elaborate work of "the city of God," which the bishop of Hippo designed as a solid and immortal proof of the truth of Christianity.

SUPERSTITION AN ENGINE OF OPPRESSION.

Urlan Gradier, minister and Canon of Loudon in France, was a great preacher and a man of much literary merit. His sermons, which were honest and eloquent, drew on him the envy of the brethren in a neighbouring monastery; the consequence of which was, that he received sentence to suffer penance for a crime he did not appear to be guilty of, and was deprived of all

his benefices. Being relieved however, from this unjust decree by the parliament of Paris, his enemies were obliged to find out new means for his destruction. In order to this, a nunnery of Ursulines, at Loudon, were prevailed upon to feign themselves possessed, and to accuse Grandier of being the magician. Cardinal Richlieu, then in full power, was a man of a vindictive temper; means were found to set him against the poor priest by insinuating that he was the author of a libel against his eminence. Although the piece was a mean performance, quite unworthy a man of Urban's genius, orders were sent for his prosecution, and twelve credulous judges were packed on purpose to try him. According to the Cardinal's wish, they condemned him, and the unfortunate man was burnt alive.

What a striking instance have we here, both of the weakness of a people, and of the malice of which a great minister may be guilty!

It is also one of the innumerable proofs which show, that wherever superstition prevails, the powerful are sure to make use of it to oppress and destroy the weak,

It is amusing enough to read the terms of Urban's indictment, as it was exhibited in a public court of judicature. It ran upon the deposition of Artaroth, a demon of the order of Sera