faith with heretics, who differ from them in religious opinions. On the contrary, it is the unanimous doctrine of catholics, that the refpect due to the name of God, fo called to witness, requires that the oath be inviolably kept to whomfoever it is pledged, whether catholic, heretic, or infidel.”

Extracted from the Regifter of the facred Faculty of the Univerfity of Doway. January 5, 1789.

The anfwer of the facred faculty of divinity in the Univerfity of Paris, to the queries propofed by the English catholics.

"The dean and faculty of divinity in the University of Paris, to all who fhall inspect thefe prefents, fend greeting.

"Certain queries, the tenor of which is as follows, have been tranfmitted to us from England, in the name of the catholics living in that kingdom. (Then follow the queries as above.)

They beg us to give our opinion in a folemn instrument upon these questions, that by it they may repel, as well from themselves, as from the catholic faith, to which they are inviolably attached, all evil fufpicion, as well on those points which relate to the right of the fovereign under whofe government they live, as on those which relate to the public faith and peace of England, which upon no pretence ought to be disturbed.

The answer to the first query.

"Neither the pope, nor the cardinals, nor any body of men, nor any other person of the church of Rome hath any civil authority, civil power, civil jurisdiction, or civil pre-eminence whatsoever in any kingdom, and confequently none in the kingdom of England, by reason or virtue of any authority, power, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence, by divine inftitution inherent in, or by any other means belonging to the pope or the church of Rome.

Anfwer to the fecond query.

"Neither the pope, nor the cardinals, nor any body of men, nor any person of the church of Rome, can by virtue of the keys, abfolve or free the subjects of the king of England from their oath of allegiance.

"There is no tenet in the catholic faith, by which catholics are justified in not keeping faith with heretics, nor those who differ from them in matters of religion.

"The tenet that it is lawful to break faith with heretics, is fo repugnant to common honesty, and the opinions of the catholics, that there is nothing of which those who have defended the catholic faith against protestants, have complained more heaN 2

vily, than the malice and calumny of their adverfaries in imputing this tenet to them.

Given at Paris, in the general affembly of the Sorbonne, held on Thursday the 11th Day before the Calends of March, 1789.

LE CHEVALIER,

Décanus Sacræ Facultatis Parifienfis.

The anfwer of the University of Valladolid, in the kingdom of Spain, to the fame three questions proposed to it by the English catholics.

Anfwer to the first question.

"The University of Valladolid, in the Roman Pontiff, in the cardinals of the holy Roman church, in any council, even in a general council legally affembled, much lefs in any individual, acknowledges no civil authority, civil power, jurisdiction, or pre-eminence, by virtue of communion with that church, neither directly or indirectly, in the kingdom of Great Britain, nor in other kingdoms or provinces, whether catholic or not, over which they poffefs no temporal dominion, in confequence of any fpiritual power granted by Christ our Lord, either to the universal church or its head, or to its members, however exalted in dignity and rank.

Anfwer to the fecond question.

"Neither the Roman Pontiff, nor the cardinals of the holy Roman church, nor any council, not even a general council lawfully affembled, nor any

individual of the catholic church, can any way abfolve the subjects of the King of Great Britain, or any other perfons, whether catholics or not, over whom they hold no temporal dominion, from their oath of allegiance, nor dispense with its obligations.

Anfwer to the third question.

"Among the articles of the catholic faith, there is none which teaches, that catholics may lawfully break their faith with heretics, or any other person whatever, who diffent from them in matters of religion. The obligations of keeping faith, is grounded on the natural law, which binds all men equally, without regard to their religious opinions; and with respect to catholics it has still greater force, being confirmed by the precepts of the catholic religion."

This is the decifion of the University of Valladolid, figned by all and each of the profeffors, on the 17th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1789. *

These are the decifions of some of the first Univerfities in the catholic world: decifions which will for ever triumph in the minds of the unprejudiced,

* It is unneceffary to make any extracts from the other Universities, as their decifions are all of the fame tenor. Some of them go to great length upon the questions, but I have only extracted the paragraphs which bear immediately upon the queries. They who wish for more may confult the original.

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over all the envenomed shafts of calumny and malice, and teach the public to form a right judgement of that pharisaical race of libellers, who, under the fanctified mantle of zeal for the constitution, have imposed fo many notorious falfhoods upon them.

To these decisions, every catholic in the British empire is ready to fubscribe: for let it be remembered, that while we acknowledge the fpiritual fupremacy of the Sovereign Pontiff, we have one great interest in common with our fellow subjects, which confists in the fecurity, peace, glory, and profperity of our country, under a mild and virtuous monarch, who makes the happiness of his people. the principal object of his government. Though we may differ in opinions on the subject of religion, we shall never differ from, or be furpaffed by the best of his majesty's fubjects in our attachment to his family, to the independence, laws, and liberty of our country. We love, we honour, and revere our king, nor will we ever fuffer any other power whatfoever to divide our affections, or eftrange our allegiance.

FINIS,

NEWCASTLE:

PRINTED BY EDW. WALKER.

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