nd all members of the kingdom, by the especial
suffrage of her (almifici) gracious confessor and bishop, the
most blessed John of Beverley, as we verily believe!

"Oh! ineffable consolation, especially in our times, in every age
pleasant, and ever to be called to mind; namely, the victory of
our most Christian Prince, King Henry V. of England, and of his
army, in the battle of Agincourt, lately fought in the parts of
Picardy; which on the Feast of the Translation of the said Saint,
to the honour of the divine name, and to the honour of the realm
of England, from the boundless mercy of God, was granted to the
English.

"On which Feast of his Translation, whilst the struggle between
our countrymen and the French was being carried on, as to the
hearing of us and our brethren in our last convocation, (p. 196)
abundantly and especially, the true report of the inhabitants of
that country brought the tidings, that from his tomb sacred oil
flowed, drops falling as of sweat, indicative of the divine mercy
towards his people, doubtless obtained by the merits of that most
holy man.

"Wishing, therefore, in our province to spread an increase of
divine worship, and especially to extol further the praise of so
great a patron, with the wills, counsel, and assent of our
brethren and the clergy in the said convocation, and no less at
the special instance of the said most Christian Prince, we have
determined that the memory of that most holy confessor everywhere
throughout our province should be exalted with feelings of
prayers and devotions [votivis et devotis affectibus]."

* * * * *

Then follows the decree above mentioned.

This mass of extravagant folly and blind superstition, this presumptuous
sharing of God's omnipotence and sovereign might with the power of such
poor erring fellow-mortals as the corrupt ministers of a corrupt church
had presumptuously ranked among the inhabitants of heaven,--thus daring
to forestal the judgment of Christ at the last day, and to pronounce on
the glory of a man whose spiritual state Omniscience alone can know,--it
is impossible to contemplate without feelings of gratitude that Heaven's
mercy has released us from such perverted use of the Gospel of the
Saviour; nor without a prayer that the Spirit of light and truth would
guide