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morem gerere exoptantes nostras litteras pro Russiaco imperio datas, ad utriusque Siciliae regnum extendimus novis in simili forma brevis litteris incipientibus:

alias expeditis die trigesima Julii anni domini millesimi octingentesimi quarti.

Pro ejusdem societatis Jesu restitutione unanimi fere totius Christiani orbis consensu instantes, urgentesque petitiones a venerabilibus fratribus archiepiscopis et episcopis, atque ab omnium insignium personarum ordine et coetu quotidie ad nos feruntur; praesertim postquam fama ubique vulgata est uberrimorum fructuum, quos haec societas in memoratis regionibus protulerat, quaeque prolis in dies crescentis foecunda, dominicum agrum latissime ornatura, et dilatatura putabatur.

Dispersio ipsa lapidum sanctuarii ob recentes calamitates, et vicissitudines, quas deflere potius juvat, quam in memoriam revocare, fatiscens disciplina regularium ordinum (religionis et ecclesiae catholicae splendor et columen) quibus nunc reparandis cogitationes curaequae nostrae diriguntur, efflagitant, ut tam aequis et communibus votis assensum nostrum praebeamus. Gravissimi enim criminis in conspectu Dei reos nos esse crederemus, si in tantis reipublicae necessitatibus ea salutaria auxilia adhibere ne gligeremus, quae singulari providentia Deus nobis suppeditat, et si nos, in Petri navicula assiduis turbinibus agitata et concusa collocati, expertes et validos, qui sese nobis offerunt, remiges ad frangendos pelagi naufragium nobis et exitium quovis momento minitantis fluctus,

respueremus.

Tot ac tantis rationum momentis, tamque gravibus causis animum nostrum moventibus id exequi tandem statuimus, quod in ipso pontificatus nostri exordio vehementer optabamus. Postquam igitur Divinum auxilium ferventibus precibus imploravimus, suffragiis et consiliis plurimum venerabilum fratrum nostrorum sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinalium auditis, ex certa scientia, deque

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apostolicae potestatis plenitudine ordinare et statuere decrevimus, uti revera hac nostra perpetuo valitura constitutione ordinamus et statuimus, ut omnes concessiones et facultates, a nobis pro Russiaco imperio, et utriusque Siciliae regno unice datae, nunc extensae intelligantur, et pro extensis habeantur, sicut vere eas extendimus, ad totum nostrum statum ecclesiasticum, aeque ad omnes

alios status et ditiones.

Quare concedimus et indulgemus dilecto filio presbytero Thaddeo Borzozowski, moderno praeposito generali societatis Jesu, aliisque ab eo legitime deputatis, omnes necessarias et opportunas facultates, ad nostrum et Sedis Apostolicae beneplacitum, ut in cunctis praefatis statibus et ditionibus omnes illos, qui regularem ordinem Societatis Jesu admitti et cooptari petent, admittere et cooptare libere ac licite valeant; qui in una vel pluribus domibus, in uno vel pluribus collegiis, in una vel pluribus provincijs, sub praepositi generalis pro tempore existentis obedientia conjuncti, et prout res feret, distributi, ad praescriptum regulae sancti Ignatii de Loyola, apostolicis Pauli tertii constitutionibus approbatae et confirmatae, suam accomodent vivendi rationem: concedimus etiam et declaramus, quod pariter juventuti catholicae religionis rudimentis erudiendae ac probis moribus instituendae operam dare, nec non seminaria et collegia regere, et consentientibus, atque adprobantibus ordinariis locorum, in quibus eos degere contigerit, confessiones audire, verbum Dei praedicare et sacramenta administrare libere et licite valeant omnia vero collegia, domus, provincias, sociosque sic conjunctos, et quos in posterum conjungi et aggregari contigerit, jam nunc sub immediata nostra et hujus Apostolicae Sedis tutela, praesidio, et obedientia recepimus; nobis et Romanis pontificibus successoribus nostris reservantes ea praescribere, quae ad eandem societatem magis magisque constabiliendam et communiendam, et ab abusibus, si forte (quod Deus avertat) irrep

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serint, repurgandam, statuere ac praescribere visum fuerit expedire.

Omnes vero et singulos Superiores, praepositos, rectores, socios, et alumnos qualescumque hujus restitutae societatis, quantum in Domino possumus, commune facimus et exhortamus, ut in omni loco ac tempore sese fideles asseclas et imitatores tanti sui parentis et institutoris exhibeant, regulam ab ipso conditam et praescriptam accurate observent, et utilia monita ac consilia, quae filiis sui tradidit, summo studio exequi conentur.

Denique dilectis in Christo filiis illustribus et nobilibus viris, principibus ac dominis temporalibus, nec non venerabilibus fratribus archiepiscopis et episcopis, aliisque in quavis dignitate censtitutis saepedictam societatem Jesu et singulos illius socios plurimum in Domino commendamus, eosque exhortamus ac rogamus, non solum ne eos inquietari a quocumque permittant ac patiantur, sed ut benigne illos, ut decet, et cum charitate suscipiant.

Decernentes praesentes litteras et in eis contenta quaecumque semper ac perpetuo firma, valida et efficacia existere et fore, suosque plenarios et integros effectus sortiri et obtinere, et ab illis, ad quos spectat et pro tempore quandocumque spectabit, inviolabiliter observari debere, sicque, et non aliter per quoscumque judices quavis potestate fungentes judicari et definiri pariter debere: ac irritum, et inane si secus super his a quoquam quavis auctoritate scienter vel ignoranter contigerit attentari.

Non obstantibus constitutionibus et ordinationibus apostolicis, ac praesertim supra memoratis litteris in forma brevis felicis recordationis Clementis XIV. incipientibus: Doninus ac Redemptor noster, sub annulo Piscatoris expeditis die vigesima prima Julii anni domini millesimi septingentesimi septuagesimi tertii, quibus ad praemissorum effectum expresse ac speciatim intendimus derogare, caeterisque contrariis quibuscumque.

Doctor Munter, the bishop of Zealand, so well known by his works on religious subjects, and who has furnished me whith much information connected with the present inquiry, states, that no bulls have ever been presented to the Danish government, nor has the Regium Exequatur ever been required.

The Roman catholic churches in this country are subject to no visitation, although it is understood that they are under the inspection of the bishops of the established church, who endeavour, as much as possible, to prevent their making proselytes. The communications of the Danish government are made to them by the bishops in Denmark Proper, or in the duchies by the consistories, the superintendent-general, or the provosts of such districts as do not belong to his diocese,

With respect to the Jesuits, your Lordship will observe, that they are most strictly prohibited by law from entering the kingdom. Doctor Munter asserts, that in the year 1769, the royal dispensation was necessary in order to enable the celebrated astronomer Hall, of Vienna, who was of the order of Jesus, to proceed to Wardaehuus in Norway, for the purpose of making his observations on the passage of the planet Venus over the sun's disk.

All the Roman catholic priests who are in function receive their mission from the bishop of Hildesheim. They are called missionaries, and provided with very extensive powers, but they dare not absolve in any case which the See of Rome has reserved to itself in the bull in Coena Domini.

That no information may be wanting which might be judged necessary by your Lordship upon this important subject, I also transmit a precis of the laws of Denmark relative to the Roman catholics, which I have had translated, having received it in Danish, by favour of the

minister of justice and cabinet minister Monsr de

Kaas.

I have the honour to be, with the highest respect

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant.

(Signed) AUG. J. Foster.

Rigt Hon. Visc. Castlereagh

K. G. etc. etc. etc.

B.

Extracts from such Decisions of the Danish Laws as regard the free exercise of the Roman Catholic Religion in his Majesty the King of Denmarks Dominions.

By the fundamental, or king's law, issued out by king Frederick the third, being authorized thereto by the States assembled on the 14th of November 1665, the said law to be an unaltered, for ever established, fundamental law for the Danish state; it was appointed and fixed in the firs! article: that the predominant religion of the country should be the Evangelical Lutheran, as professed and agreed upon at the public confession held at Augsburg in the year 1530, charging at the same time all the subsequent kings, as a duty incumbent on them, to keep their subjects to the said pure and true Christian doctrine, to protect and maintain it, and forcibly defend it, in these countries, against all heresy, fanaticism, and blasphemy.

According to the above stated law, his Majesty king Christian the Vth, was most graciously pleased to order and command in the Danish law, book 2, chap. 1. that the Evangelical Lutheran religion, as mentioned above, should be solely permitted in the state of Denmark. In the 6th book, 1st, 3d, and 4th articles of the said law, it was further ordained, that no Roman catholic, or any other from the established religion deviating confessors,

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