POETRY.

The description we have given of the various tortures inflicted by the Inquisition will not apply to every individual tribunal. There were variations in the degree of torture, and frequently in the description of the machines used. For instance, in some tribunals, instead of the rack being used, the prisoner was forced up against the wall, and cords over his body, running through rings fastened in the wall, were tightened so as to cut into his flesh. In others, 'the dice,' and 'the canes,' were used. The iron dice were fastened by a machine to the heel of the feet, and were by screws forced through the flesh till they came to the bone. Canes were placed crosswise between the fingers of the hands, and by pressure a most unbearable pain was inflicted.

6

Besides the more severe tortures we have mentioned, there were others of a minor character; for instance, small cords were sometimes tied round the thumb, and drawn so tight that the blood was forced from beneath the nails; red hot irons were applied to the breasts and sides till they burnt to the bone; and in one instance, a red hot iron slipper was placed on the foot of a female, till the flesh was burnt off, and the bone laid bare. We cannot close this part of the subject without stating, that in cases where females were brought before the Inquisition, (and they were by no means unfrequently so), they were treated in a most immodest and brutal manner, and were subjected by the functionaries of the holy office to insults and injuries of the most revolting character."-History of the Inquisition.

Poetry.

THE PROGRESS OF ERROR; OR, ENGLAND'S CHURCH
IN PERPLEXITY.

BY A COUNTRY SHOEMAKER.

FOR many years poor Mother Church

Hath been perplex'd with care and trouble,

For many left her in the lurch

And treated her as chaff or stubble;

And built them chapels of their own;

Some preach'd in streets, and some in attics;

So Mother Church, in angry tone,

Call'd them a set of vile schismatics.

POETRY.

And then her priests in concert met,
And often counsel took together,
Saying, "We'll stop this wandering set,
In spite of either wind or weather;

Both Methodists, and Baptists too,

Of various sorts; and them prude Quakers; And Independents, not a few,

For some of them are mighty speakers."

But some there were who seem'd more tame,

Said, "Where will be the good of striving?
We'll hunt the fox, and kill the game-
They cannot take away our living."

But in due time dissenters true,
With hope of better days elate,
Said to all round, "It will not do
To have united Church and State."

For that can ne'er be a true Church
Which owns for head a King or Queen;

For if in holy writ we search,

This very plainly may be seen.

Then Dr. P., of Oxford school

A very crafty learned man

Said, "We must not let these men go on,
But we must stop them if we can.

Now if you will attend to me

There is a church across the water,

To which if we united be,

These men will have but little quarter.

But let us first the people sound

For some, perhaps, will smell the powder

And if we find we're gaining ground

We then may talk a little louder.

And first of all we will begin

With apostolical succession;

And this will make dissent a sin,

And all their preaching a transgression.

And if we are not too profuse,

We then may burn a little incense,

And bring wax candles into use,

Though some may call them popish nonsense.

But never mind; we must begin
Against dissent to make a stand,

And all our youth must be brought in

To help us in a work so grand."

POETRY.

Some said that this advice was good,
And this to prove did spare no pains;
And some thought apostolic blood
Began to run within their veins.

And then again it seem'd quite plain
That they had been by far too chary;
They might their prayer-book yet maintain,
And honour saints and Virgin Mary.

So very soon the greater part

Of parsons held with doctor P.;

Each soon began his wily art,

And said, "You must hear none but me.

I am the priest, and only 1,

You ought to listen to, and follow,

As for all others, low or high,

Their teaching is unsound and hollow.

And now, be sure you dont forget

To bring your infants to our laver,

And we'll regenerate the pet,

And make it right now and for ever.”

And soon there came from Oxford sehools
A new set of conceited preachers,
Who seem'd to think the people fools,
And set themselves up as their teachers.

This done, one to the Pope did hie,
And whisper'd thus, "My hearty fellow,
You may at England's Church let fly,
For I believe the fruit is mellow."

“Well,” said the Pope, “I did not think
I might begin my work so soon,
But I'll be at them in a twink,

As sure as there's a sun and moon."

And quick he call'd a special meeting
Of cardinals, in hats of red,
To whom he gave a kindly greeting,
And then in solemn accents said:

"I have at length got information,

The truth of which I give my pledge in,

That into yonder English nation

We now may drive a good strong wedge in.

But mind, we must be very wary,

For in our records may be seen, That Pius, by the Virgin Mary,

Once curs'd a noble British Queen.

POETRY.

But still we may ensure success,
If we but only mind our hits;
For England's Church is in a mess,
And long has had convulsion fits.
And but for that old craftyFoxe,'

Who published the Book of Martyrs,
And that old Scotchman named John Knox,
Who gave us Catholics no quarters,

We should not in the British soil

Have met with such contempt and scorn; But still I think we may by guile

At Englishmen now have a turn.
For many of her priests are ready
With Catholics to re-unite;

Come then, my boys, let us be steady,
And show how well we yet can fight.
There's Wiseman! never was a better;
I'll make a cardinal of him:

He'll watch their movements like a setter,
To see if we shall sink or swim.

And then I'll put a higher style,

And bishops make of all my vicars;
And give them rule o'er all the isle-
O'er every man, both saints and sinners."

The red-hats liked the plan right well,
And wish'd the scheme might meet success;
So now to England they have come,
To make us all to them confess.

But shall we Protestants be quiet,
And o'er us let the sin man reign;
I do not say begin a riot,

But try to quit yourselves like men.
For sure as I'm a living sinner,

We have some nobles in our land, Who would invite the Pope to dinner,

Or gladly shake him by the hand.

Well, let them go and bow to Rome,

With my young Lord and Lady Feilding;

They are not fit for such a home

As this, if they to Rome are yielding.

Our Queen will not, nor yet the Prince,
Nor any man who loves his bible;

His love for it he will evince

By scouting every popish foible.

Now I have told my lengthy tale,

For which I must have gone to gaol,

And though in humble rhyme, 'tis plain,

Had I this done in Mary's reign.

S. S.

ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS.

Anecdotes and Selections.

BY JOHN BUNYAN.

GRANDEUR OF FAITH.-As he that cometh to God by Christ is no fool, so he is no little spirited fellow. There is a generation of men in this world that count themselves men of the largest capacities, when yet the greatest of their desires lift themselves no higher than to things below. If they can, with their net of craft and policy, encompass a bulky lump of earth, oh, what a treasure have they engrossed to themselves! Meanwhile, the christian has laid siege to heaven! has found out the way to get into the city! and is resolved, in and by God's help, to make that his own! Earth is a drossy thing in this man's account; earthly greatness and splendours are but like vanishing bubbles in this man's esteem; none but God, as the end of his desires, none but Christ, as the means to accomplish this his end, are the things counted great by this man. This man's mind soars higher than the eagle, or the stork of the heavens.

POWER OF FAITH.-They that come not to God by Christ, have no faith. What! is man such a fool as to believe things, and yet not look after them; to believe great things, and yet not concern himself with them? Who would knowingly go over a pearl, and yet not count it worth stooping for? Believe thou art what thou art; believe hell is what it is; believe death and judgment are coming, as they are; believe that the Father and the Son are, as by the Holy Ghost in the word they are described-and sit still in thy sins if thou canst.

MADNESS OF WORLDLY MEN.-If there be a world to come, and such a way to it, so safe and good, and if God is there to be enjoyed by them that come to him by Christ; then this shows the great madness of the most of men.-A madman sets more by the straws and cock's feathers by which he decks himself, than he does by all the pearls and jewels in the world. And they that come not to God by Christ, set more by the vanishing bubbles of this life, than they do by that glory that the wise man shall inherit.

DEATH.-Death is God's sergeant, God's bailiff, and he arrests in God's name when he comes, but seldom gives warning before he clappeth us on the shoulder. And when he arrests us, though he may stay a little while, and give us leave to pant, and tumble, and toss ourselves for awhile upon a bed of languishing, yet at last he will prick our lungs, and let out our life, and then our soul will be poured upon the ground, yea, into hell, if we are not ready and prepared for the life everlasting. He that doth not watch for, and is not afraid lest death should prevent him, will not make haste to God by Christ.