ning to the assembled multitude, gives
them his blessing. He then approaches the altar, and with his hands
upon the holy Gospels, takes the following solemn oath.

Now, gentle reader, we are anxious that you should pay particular
attention to the words of this oath. They may be found in Wilkins'
_Concilia_ (vol. ii., p. 199), in the original Latin, just as they
were uttered by Simon Langham, and other Archbishops, in old Catholic
days. We give them translated into English. And, as you read them, ask
yourselves whether the Archbishops who uttered them were genuine Roman
Catholics, or merely Parliamentary Bishops of the local and national
variety, belonging to the present English Establishment.

We take our stand in spirit in Westminster Abbey, on the 4th day of
November, 1366, and, in common with the rest of the vast congregation
which fills every available space, we listen to the newly elected
Archbishop, as in clear, ringing words, with his hands on the Gospels,
he swears as follow:--

"I, Simon Langham, Archbishop of Canterbury, will be from this hour
henceforth faithful and obedient to St. Peter, and to the Holy
Apostolic Roman Church, and to my Lord the Pope, Urban V., and to his
canonical successors."

Surely, some of us would open our eyes pretty wide if we saw the
present Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury with his hands on the
Gospels taking that oath. Yet we are assured, _ad nauseam_, that the
Church to which Simon Cardinal Langham belonged is the same as the
present Church of England, which repudiates the authority of the Pope
altogether. The same? Well, yes; if light and darkness, and sweetness
and bitterness, are the same. But let us read the whole of the oath:
"I, Simon Langham, will be from this hour henceforth faithful and
obedient to St. Peter, and to the Holy Apostolic Roman Church, and to
my Lord the Pope, Urban V., and to his canonical successors. Neither
in counsel or consent or in deed, will I take part in aught by which
they might suffer loss of life, or limb, or liberty. Their counsel
which they may confide to me, whether by their envoys or their letter,
I will, to their injury, wittingly disclose to no man. The Roman
Papacy and the royalty of St. Peter, I will be their helper to defend
and to maintain, saving my order, against all men. When summoned to a
Synod I will come, unless hindered by a canonical impediment. The
Legate of the Apostolic See I will treat honourably in his coming and
goin