acquaintance with the Hebrew language itself, as well as a superstitious reverence for everything Roman in the thirteenth century, prevented this, and substituted, instead of the letters familiar to the ancient people of God, the alphabet most familiar to all the Western Churches in that age.

Further, in this service of dedication it has to be observed that not only are most of the prayers full of appropriate references to individuals and incidents mentioned in the Old and New Testament writings, but portions of the sacred Scriptures themselves are prescribed for reading. There is a Lectio, for instance, from the beautiful twenty-first chapter of Revelation, in these words, "I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband;" and ending with the passage, "And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." The verses from St Luke's Gospel recording the conversion of Zaccheus (Luke xix. 1-10) are also prescribed for reading. The bishop, too, in addition to all that takes place before, has a sermon to preach to the people concerning the dedication of the church and other matters; and with the benediction, &c., the service apparently comes to an end.

F

CHAPTER VIII.

The Rise of the Mendicant Orders.

UT now the question naturally arises-Why,

BUT

in this particular century, were there so many churches and chapels dedicated in this part of Scotland? Many of these edifices had no doubt been in existence for years before this time, and religious services had been conducted in them why was there such haste now in giving an apparently enhanced sacredness to these buildings by the act of a bishop's dedication? The editor of the 'Pontificale' mentions (Introd., p. v) a suggested explanation—namely, that "in the year 1239 Cardinal Otho held a Legatine Council in Edinburgh," and that probably he issued "a constitution relating to the neglect of consecration of churches." 1 But if so, why did the Cardinal issue a constitution at this particular

1 Cardinal Otho promulgated an order dealing with the consecration of churches in England in 1237. (Vide Johnson's 'English Canons,' Anglo-Cath. Liby., Part II., p. 151.)

time? and why, in all probability, did the several bishops of Scotland give a ready and immediate compliance with the Cardinal's command? The only satisfactory solution of this problem can be obtained by remembering that in the early part of this thirteenth century a great religious movement sprang up throughout all Europe, which, whilst in all probability it tended to the spiritual welfare of the people, at the same time was most damaging to the parochial clergy, and to the churches where they ministered. From these churches worshippers in great numbers were withdrawn; and to counteract this apparent evil, and give a peculiar sacredness to these buildings, the bishops of the country in all probability proceeded at once to their consecration. The movement above referred to, and which in David de Bernham's days was exercising a most important influence on the people of Scotland, was the preaching of Dominican, Franciscan, and other friars.

Indeed one of the most remarkable spiritual developments of the thirteenth or of any other century was the rise and rapid progress of the Mendicant Orders. The pride and arrogance of the Pontiffs were now at their height. The enemies of the Church were everywhere increasing.

There was a growing feeling among the people against the looseness of ecclesiastical discipline. The doctrines and opinions of the so-called heretics -the Albigenses and Waldenses-were spreading. The secular clergy were indulging in luxury and ease, and often neglectful of their duties. The old Orders of monks-the Benedictines, Cistercians, Carthusians, and suchlike- were many of them living in utter disregard of their rules, and not a few giving themselves up to vice and sloth. An odium was thus resting upon religion. Christianity was being wounded in the house of its friends, when all at once there burst upon Europe the flame of Dominican and Franciscan piety, and the zeal of the new preachers. New orders of men rapidly sprang up, who, by their eloquence, burning zeal, self-denial, and contempt of the world, drew towards them the attention of listening thousands, so that the ordinary sanctuaries in many cases became deserted, the people eagerly attached themselves to their new teachers, and all over Christendom there was given a tremendous impetus to religion and godliness of life. Nor was this a temporary outburst of mental activity and spiritual life. "During

three centuries," says Mosheim (Ch. Hist., Cent. XIII., Part II., chap. ii. sect. 24), the Domini

What

cans and Franciscans "had the direction of nearly everything in Church and State, held the highest offices both ecclesiastical and civil, taught with almost absolute authority in all the schools and churches, and defended the authority and majesty of the Roman Pontiffs against kings, bishops, and heretics with amazing zeal and success. the Jesuits were after Luther began the Reformation, the same were the Dominicans and Franciscans from the thirteenth century to the time of Luther-the soul of the whole Church and State, and the projectors and executers of all the enterprises of any moment. Indeed the history of this and the following centuries shows that so great [sect. 23] was the reputation of these Mendicant friars, that they were employed in transactions of the highest magnitude, in negotiations for peace, in the ratification of treaties, in controlling the policy of courts," &c., &c.

Dominic, or St Dominic as he is sometimes called the founder of the first-mentioned Order -was a Spaniard by birth, and said to be of an illustrious family of the name of Guzman. He was born near to Calahorra in 1170, was educated for the Church, and being a youth of studious habits and great austerity of life, he soon became a canon of the Cathedral Church of Osma, in his