ON SAINT EUSTOLUS THE BISHOP,
MARTYR AT NICOMEDIA.
From the same Martyrology.
CommentaryEustolus, Bishop, Martyr at Nicomedia (S.)
G. H.
Toward the end of the Martyrs of this day is set forth, in the four copies of the aforesaid Martyrology, the Holy Bishop Eustolus, or Eustylus, or Eustulus: but from what city or See he was led thither, is not expressed: he is presumed however to have been crowned with martyrdom, like many others; and that at Nicomedia, the Seat of the Emperors. Indeed the ancient Martyrologies of the Casinensian monastery in Lombard character, and the Roman of Duke Altempsius, on the seventh of June refer the same Bishop Eustolus, as crowned at Nicomedia. More about his contest does not exist, hitherto seen by us: would that they might emerge from elsewhere for the designated Supplement!
ON THE SAINTS MARTYRS,
GERMANUS, PAULINUS, JUSTUS, AND SCICIUS,
AT GERONA IN CATALONIA.
UNDER DIOCLETIAN.
PREVIOUS COMMENTARY.
On their cult certain, on their Acts uncertain.
Germanus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Paulinus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Justus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Scicius, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
BY G. H. AND D. P.
Gerunda, commonly Gerona by the Spaniards, is an ancient city of the Ausetani, in Hither Spain or Tarraconensian, and modern Catalonia, rich and fortified, by whose title once used the firstborn sons of the Kings of Aragon, called Counts or Princes of Gerona. This city, having anciently received the faith of Christ, glories that it had S. Narcissus as Bishop, crowned with martyrdom in the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian on March 18, when we gave the Acts of his martyrdom and various miracles. In the same persecution are said to have suffered the Four Holy Martyrs, Germanus, Paulinus, Justus, and Scicius or Sicius; whose feast is celebrated with solemn Office on the next day or the second feria after the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, and they are named in the Collects of the Mass and divine Office, Cult on the 2nd feria after the feast of the Holy Trinity. asserts Antonio Vincenzo Domenech, Theologian of the Order of Preachers, born in the diocese of Gerona, in his General History of the Saints of the Principality of Catalonia, in which he describes the Acts of these Martyrs in Spanish, taken from a book, written by an ancient hand, which they keep in the Cathedral church of Gerona diligently guarded. These things from Domenech's Spanish, translated by himself into Latin, Juan Tamayo Salazar published in his Spanish Martyrology; but in such a way, that we cannot trust him, now often discovered to give hardly anything so sincerely, Acts of martyrdom from a Gerona MS. that he does not mix in something of his own. Wherefore we considered it a piece of good fortune, that we received from Catalonia itself the original Latin, for judgment immediately to be passed on them. The title was this: Here begins the History of the four Stonecutter Martyrs of the city of Gerona. No year of martyrdom is there expressed, only Dacian the Governor, sent by
Diocletian and Maximian, also known in the Acts of S. Vincent: Domenech however assigns the year 300, and at the beginning of the leaf the month of June, whose day VI Ides, or this 8th of June, Tamayo defines: which we, as long as nothing more certain is set forth which we may follow, will hold for the time being; rather than the foreigner Ferrari, who himself does not allege a foundation for defining the 13th day: but his typographer erred, when from Germanus he made Gesmanus.
[2] The first Translation made by Charlemagne, That the bodies of these Saints were first deposited outside the walls of the city in the church, once of B. Mary, afterwards of S. Felix Martyr in the same place; then by Charlemagne the Emperor with singular honor and reverence were translated to the Cathedral Church, and placed in the altar of the Blessed Virgin; and finally by Arnald of Monte-Rotundo, then Canon, afterwards Bishop of Gerona, the second by Canon Arnald before 1198, were borne to the Chapel, built by him in honor of these Saints, indicate the Acts both Latin of the old MS. and Spanish of Domenech. Arnald presided over the city and diocese of Gerona from the year 1198 until the year 1216; and it is said of him, that he went to the Roman Curia, and thence had the Life of those Saints.
[3] The same Arnald the Bishop, for the benefits from Charles
[4] Considering … that with the beauty of virtues Charlemagne so shone, that the Most High, for his clear and worthy merits acceptable to Him, deigned to work great and frequent miracles, as the powerful history of his deeds manifests; And that for this he was worthily added by the holy Apostolic See to the Catalogue of Saints, and concerning him through all Germany a solemn feast on the day entitled the fourth Kalends of February in the Church of God is celebrated each year; Considering moreover and recalling to memory, for benefits bestowed on Gerona, that among other cities of Spain, the city of Gerona by force of arms he took from the Saracens, and the church of Gerona, our spouse, as also all the monasteries of monks of our diocese he most beautifully founded, and also abundantly endowed; Therefore wishing and led by pious consideration, very much desiring, that both in the said Church of Gerona, and in the other Churches of our city and diocese, of him a famed and venerable memory be perpetually had; with the counsel and assent of our venerable Chapter, we appoint and also ordain, that from henceforth on the said day be made annually the feast of new rite, of the bountiful Confessor B. Charlemagne aforesaid in the Gerona Church aforesaid; and that in the altar of the chapel of the blessed Martyrs Germanus, Justus, Paulinus and Scicius, which we have founded and endowed, in this same Church, together with the invocation of these same Saints of the same bountiful Confessor, to be celebrated in the chapel of these 4 Martyrs. thus be entitled and perpetually placed; and that after both Vespers and Lauds of this feast, let a procession be made by the Clergy of the said Church on the aforesaid day to the aforesaid chapel; and before the aforesaid altar of this chapel, let there be made of this same bountiful Confessor a Commemoration, as is customary to be done in the Processions, which are made on the feastdays of the Saints, under whose title or invocation altars are constructed in the same; nor in all and each of the churches of our city and diocese aforesaid, in both Vespers and Lauds, on the said day of each year, with proper Prayer and Antiphons, designated by us for this, let a Commemoration be celebrated.
[5] Thus far Henschen, in no way hesitating to believe the tradition of the people of Gerona about the translation of the said Martyrs, Acts when and where composed? made from the suburbs to the Cathedral in the time of Charlemagne; under whom it was established that the city was purged from the filth of the Saracens, and the sacred buildings restored: rightly however doubtful of the truth of the Acts, neither produced into light from any old Christian writing, then also produced into light; nor from a memory handed down by hand, soon after the translation made there at Gerona written down; but composed at Rome after four hundred years and more from that time, and nearly nine hundred after the Passion of the Martyrs, and thence brought: nor are they more ancient, the whole style speaks, and that not Spanish, but Italian. So Henschen greatly doubting, whether it was expedient to insert them into this work, left the judgment of the matter to me; who, all things considered, only judged, why they are given as apocrypha! that the option should not be withdrawn from the discerning reader, by his own judgment to decide of the whole matter, and to judge how not without cause I bring them forth only as Apocrypha to be read.
APOCRYPHAL ACTS.
From an ancient Gerona MS.
Germanus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Paulinus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Justus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Scicius, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
BHL Number: 3466
FROM MSS.
[1] In the burning and inflaming persecution of Maximian and Diocletian, Country and parents of the Martyrs: there were present in the city of Gerona, four uterine fighters and glorious athletes, contending most gloriously for the faith of Christ; namely Germanus, Justus, Paulinus, and Sicius. These holy Martyrs had been born of the territory of Gerona, which is commonly called Empúries a Lampurda, in which is a certain village, which is called La Pera: where there was a certain man by the name of Eter, who had two sons, of whom one was called Lirus and the other Sirus: and in another village, which is called Cursa, was another man, by the name of Corus, who had two daughters, of whom one was called Floris, and the other was called Gelida. The first, by God's disposing, namely Flora, the aforesaid Lirus took to wife: the mother of two, a Christian, dies, the second, namely Gelida, Sirus took to wife. The first, namely Floris, had from her aforesaid husband, namely Lirus, two sons, namely Germanus and Paulinus; the second, namely Gelida, had from her husband Sirus other two sons, namely Justus and Sicius. When therefore the aforesaid Floris had conceived, she saw a certain dream: it seemed namely that fire went forth from her womb, which illumined the whole country. She, awakened, related the dream to her husband, who marveled greatly. In the course of time, the said two sons being now born; the said Floris narrated this same dream to a certain matron, called Fecunda, already Christian. Who indeed taught by the divine Spirit, interpreted this same dream, saying; Hear, daughter Floris; this dream which you saw, was revealed to you by Our Lord Jesus Christ: for know for certain, that these two sons of yours, will be two shining candlesticks in the holy Church: and because you deserved to see this light of truth, it remains that you receive holy baptism, that you may be able to be joined with Him who reigns in heaven. These things being heard, the said woman Floris was made Christian in a secret manner; who after not many days died. And her husband sent his sons, namely Germanus and Paulinus, to his sister-in-law, namely Gelida, and there they remained.
[2] and appearing to her sister, mother of the others The said Gelida one night in dreams heard a voice, saying to her: Come to me. She looking, saw her sister, very beautiful, saying to her; Do you desire to have beauty like mine? She answered: How can it be done? since from my mother's womb I have been and am black. Her dead sister answering, said: Go to Stephen, who dwells nearby: he will tell you, what you must do. The place however in which the aforesaid Stephen then dwelt, is now called St. Mary of the Angels. These things being done, the deceased disappeared. The said Gelida, terrified by these things which she saw and heard, rose before daylight: and taking the road, she did not know where she was going. The Lord however, by whose will these things were done, sent her a light from heaven, which directed her even to the place, where the said Stephen kept house. When however the said Stephen had seen her entering, taught by the Holy Spirit, he knew why the said woman was coming; and began to preach to her of Christ's life and death, and other articles of faith, persuades her to become a Christian; and the said woman remained with the said Presbyter called Stephen, for three days, fasting, praying and hearing sermons: being well informed by which she received holy baptism:
[3] the same persuades this to her cousin, Lirus aforesaid however, husband of the deceased Floris, took a wife, full cousin of the said women Floris and Gelida, named Florentia, from whom he begat two sons, of whom one was born very beautiful, but the other leprous in all his members. These things being heard, parents and friends ran together to visit; among whom came that faithful Christian, namely Gelida, who said to her full cousin: Dear sister, if you knew the mystery, that has been done by the Lord, you should rather rejoice than be sad. so that her leprous son may be healed; Do you see, she said, your leprous son? this signifies your law of infidelity, which you keep: but if you desire health, for the boy, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary; and receive holy baptism, you and your sons, and you will see the marvels of God. Then she narrated to her everything, which being baptized, the stepsons are also baptized, that she Gelida had seen and heard from the Priest Stephen aforesaid. These things being heard the said Florentia, inspired by the Holy Spirit, asked the said Gelida, that she might send her the said Priest. And straightway the said Gelida, not slow but diligent, sent the aforesaid Priest. Who came and stayed in the house of the said Florentia for six days, instructing her in the faith. She being plainly instructed, asked for holy baptism: and at once the said Priest baptized her with her sons. When however that leper had been baptized, at once he was cured of his leprosy. Florentia seeing which, more ardently loved the Maker, and asked to hear Mass: which was so done. When however the Priest had elevated the sacred Host, Germanus and Paulinus the brothers, through the cracks of the chamber door saw Christ, as their aunt had seen: and at once terrified they began to cry out: and hastily entering the chamber, after Mass they received holy baptism.
[4] These things being done the aforesaid Priest spoke with Florentia about the faith, and their father, Gelida being absent, who was preparing dinner. Lirus however, husband of Florentia came, and finding the said Priest with his wife, filled with fury seized a sword, and wished to kill her: but at once by divine will he was made immovable, and suffered a grave disease. But at once Gelida came, and together with the said Florentia prostrated themselves before the altar of the Blessed Virgin, asking Christ to show his power. The prayer being made, they came to the said Lirus, showing him his son cured from leprosy
cured, saying to him: If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and allow yourself to be baptized in his name, you will receive health. Seeing which, and that he himself was tormented; he said: I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I wish to be baptized in his name. And at once he was cured, and immediately calling the aforesaid Priest he received holy Baptism.
[5] Then these things being done, Gelida with her husband Sirus returned to their own house: and the uncle. this Sirus indeed, finding his wife one night within the chamber making prayer, and considering her to be Christian, snatching a sword wished to slay her. But at once the Angel of the Lord, in the form of a boy, was present with a very great light, and prostrated this Sirus on the ground, so that the whole night he was out of his senses. The morning being come, Gelida sent for her full cousin and her husband, narrating to them the event which had happened. These things being heard, they came to Sirus, and saw him in bed as it were dead. And when the said Sirus had been roused, he called his wife; and in the presence of those standing around narrated what he had seen; and very sad asked pardon from his wife, and asked to be made a Christian, and so received holy baptism.
[6] These therefore four, Germanus, Paulinus, Justus, and Sicius, arriving at the due age, The 4 cousins made stonecutters, live celibate: learned the mechanical art both of stones and of woods. They were however very skilled stonecutters, and in the art of sculpture famous craftsmen; who indeed are not found to have had wives: perhaps for they desired to fulfill by deed Christ's counsel of preserving virginity, by the fervent love by which they were borne toward Christ. Whence in Matthew 19 it is said; There are eunuchs, who have castrated themselves for the kingdom of heaven; he who can take it, let him take it. These, I say, four strenuous, defenders together and confessors of the Catholic faith, God chose and caused to arise in these parts of Spain, that in so atrocious a persecution they might most constantly confess Christ, and by their martyrdoms might marvelously strengthen the orthodox faith in the hearts of the faithful, and demonstrate it admirable by many miracles and holy doctrines. For which God, dispensing rewards to the good and just, as he specially chose them to the contest of martyrdom, for the defense of the Catholic faith; so also in this earthly city of Gerona, and in the heavenly city of Paradise, most gloriously magnified them: of whom the Apostle speaks to the Romans 8; Whom he foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son: whom indeed he predestined, these also he called: and whom he called, these also he justified; whom indeed he justified, these also he magnified.
[7] With their parents however dead, using the aforesaid art without wives, remaining in the Catholic faith, shine with miracles, they also shone with miracles. For first, in the place which is called Beyond-the-mountain, when they had built a certain house, one of the helpers fell from the building: and with his legs and arms broken, there was no hope of life in him. The blessed ones however seeing him came down; and lifting him from the ground, the divine name invoked, so restored him to former health, as if he had never suffered anything of evil. The said work being completed, they came to the place which is called Flassà: and when they had entered the place, they saw there a youth, deaf and mute from nature. To whom the said Saints compassionating, summoned him; and touching his ear and his tongue, said; Hear, and speak, and render thanks to the Most High. And at once his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke rightly, blessing God. Their fame however began to be spread through the whole village. They wishing to flee the praises of men, withdrew thence, and came to the village which is called Moneto, in which they found one man possessed by a demon: and at once the aforesaid Saints rendered the man, in the name of God, sound and unharmed. Who seeing the fame growing, withdrew from that place, and came to Gerona; and at the gate of the city found one lame old man, asking alms: to whom approaching the Saints of God, said; In the name of Jesus Christ, of Nazareth, crucified, rise and walk. Who at once rising, followed them.
[8] In those times however reigned two Emperors, namely Diocletian and Maximian, ordered by Prefect Rufinus to sculpt idols. who persecuted Christians: who sent Dacian, general Governor over all Spain, that he might persecute Christians. He when he had come to Valencia, there most cruelly slew
[9] These things being heard Rufinus, filled with fury, ordered them to be sent to prison, emaciated in prison by fasting, that there they might die of hunger: and commanded the guards, that none should give them aid. Sent therefore to prison, the Angel of the Lord came, comforting and saying: Do not fear: for the Lord Jesus Christ will not abandon you. The Saints of God being therefore comforted the Angel departed: and on the eighth day Rufinus had them presented to him: them being presented he ordered them stripped, and beaten with leaden whips, and again shut up in prison. And behold the Angel of the Lord comforting them, then beaten with leaden whips, healed them. On the third day however again Rufinus had them presented to him, saying: O youths, why do you wish to die for that Crucified One? Leave him, and deny him, and adore our gods: and I will make you great men in the land, and to be honored by all men. Then the holy Men with one voice cried: O member of Satan! Worship your gods: but we believe in Jesus Christ, and for him we are ready to die. Then Rufinus ordered a tribunal to be prepared for him, before the gate of Dark-Valley; and sitting on the tribunal he gave sentence. First, that Germanus, who said God almighty, and asserted his only-begotten son, with flint and hammer his head should be pounded. Second, that Paulinus, who said, that Christ suffered on the cross for sinners, should be beheaded. Third, that Justus, who said that Christ was the head of the Church, and rose on the third day, are condemned of the head. should have his head cut off. Fourth, that Sicius, who said that Christ on the fortieth day from his resurrection ascended into the heavens, and on the fiftieth day sent the Holy Spirit in fiery tongues upon the Apostles, should be given to the fire. Which sentence given, the Saints of God said in a loud voice: We give you thanks, Lord, because you have made us worthy to die for you. While the Saints of God were being tormented, a voice from heaven came with a great thunder, saying; Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. Hearing which voice Rufinus, feared, and fell to the ground; and trembling, with great fear entered within the gateway; and ordered the gateway itself to be closed with stones and lime, so that from then on it was not opened: the people however fled to their own houses. These things being done, devout and honest women came by night, and took the bodies of the Saints, and buried them in marble tombs; and for each tomb made their own inscription, namely in the church of B. Mary outside the walls, where now is the church of S. Felix.
[10] Bodies translated under Charlemagne, After some time Charlemagne, Emperor and King of France, took the city of Gerona; and made the new See in the Mosque of the Saracens, in the See which is now. And it was revealed to him, that four Martyrs were buried in the said church: and with great honor he translated them into the altar of B. Mary: and infinite miracles were done on that day, by the merits of these Saints. And after a great time, a certain Canon of this See, called Arnald of Monterotundo, for the honor and reverence of the said Saints, made in the said church a certain chapel with a tomb, into which he translated the said Saints. And there he instituted a certain Sacerdotal Benefice: then into their own chapel. and for the doing of these things he went to the Roman Curia; and from there had the Life of these Saints, for whose reverence he made many expenses. Wherefore it is well believed, that by the merits of these Saints he became Bishop of Gerona, and lived for a long time; and was good, simple, and chaste; and other graces in their name were granted to him, by the grace of God and their merits. May God be blessed forever and ever. Amen.
[11] A weakened girl from a fall, offered to the Saints, In past times, before the city of Gerona publicly held the feast of the said holy four Martyrs, there was in the said city a certain good woman, married to a man, who had a certain daughter, who when she was three years old, falling by accident, totally lost the powers of walking, because she could in no way be sustained on her feet or legs; though previously she had walked sufficiently and according to her age vigorously, and then as it were destitute of strength she was carried about: and this for the space of about three years. For which cause the woman aforesaid, and mother of the sick girl, very often wept from sadness; considering and as it were doubting, that the girl herself would for a long time so live, and never could be freed from the said infirmity. The vigil however of the day of the said Saints arriving, and it being heard that these Saints did many miracles; with the will of her husband, she vowed the girl herself to be sent into the confraternity of these Saints, on condition she be cured from the said infirmity. Which being done, the said girl lying on a certain mat (for otherwise she could not stand except by lying) and the mother being busy through the house about the ministry; this girl trying to go tried to lift herself by her own power, no one else helping. suddenly is strengthened. And standing upright and laughing for joy, because it was long that she had not so stood; she called her mother, applauding and saying; Behold, my mother, behold I walk: and so afterwards she recovered, and lived in the same city, sound and entire in all her members; and was married, and had sons; and afterwards in her time fell asleep in peace. And her parents, the said grace being obtained by the merits of these Saints, at once placed this same girl within the confraternity of the said Saints.
NOTES OF G. H.
p Tamayo, to be scourged with leaden globules.
q The same, he fled into the city with the rest of the crowd of the populace.
r The same adds: The day of contest is believed to be VI Ides of June in the year of the Lord 300. The same year Domenech indicates, and adds: Then many hundreds of years having elapsed, namely until the year 778; in which, as the Annals of the Franks teach us, Charlemagne acquired Pamplona, and received hostages from the cities Huesca, Barcelona, and Gerona; which he could also have personally approached, not yet however Emperor: for this he first became in the year 800, nor did he ever see Catalonia with that title.
s Here end the Acts of Tamayo.
t Catalogue of Bishops of Gerona.
CENSURE OF D. P.
Germanus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Paulinus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Justus, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
Scicius, Martyr at Gerona in Catalonia (S.)
How genuine Acts of the Holy Martyrs differ, received from the Proconsular records of the trials, or certainly received from the account of contemporary writers, from those composed long after from old tradition; and these again, from those which, with no such tradition shining before, are altogether gratuitously fabricated; no one can be ignorant, who is versed in the reading of this our work. Such a one however will easily discern, in what class are to be placed Acts of this sort, found at such place and time, of these otherwise unknown Martyrs; about whom this alone hitherto was known, that they were found in a suburban church under the altar, where before the irruption of the Saracens they had been deposited; and in the 8th century, Gerona recovered by the Christians, they were translated to the Cathedral; in number four, and distinguished by names, either preserved by tradition, or known from an inscribed tablet. That more could be known of them at Gerona, when the translation was made, no one will believe, who shall have considered, that Arnald the Canon, good and simple, who, for reverence of the Saints translated by him into a new chapel, made many expenses, is said to have brought their Life from Rome, such as we have now exhibited. He was without doubt persuaded, like countless others, more pious than skilled in matters, that notices of all who had suffered for Christ could be found at Rome; ignorant that nowhere had the Acts of the holy Martyrs been more zealously abolished anciently than there, with Diocletian and his ministers most intent upon that matter; whence it happened, that the histories of certain more illustrious passions, afterwards somehow rewritten, Pope Gelasius indeed did not entirely disapprove, knowing they were read in some churches; yet he wished it testified, by his Decree on Apocrypha, that they were not received by the Roman Church. When therefore Arnald, with no less anxiety than devotion, was searching there for the Acts of the aforesaid four; there seems to have been found some smatterer, who, intending to make a profit from the good man's piety, fabricated a peculiar Legend, taking the foundation from the Legend of S. Felix Martyr of Gerona, which supplied to him the names of Diocletian and Maximian, and of Dacian sent by them into the Spains, and of the Official Rufinus; likewise Empuriae and Gerona. Four however being in the inquiry, it occurred to him to think of the Four Crowned ones, who because they would not sculpt statues of the gods, suffered martyrdom; and so he also made them Stonecutters. Fearing then lest a simple narration, although clothed with these circumstances, should not satisfy his Canon, unless he also added of what parents they were born, and how they had been made Christians; he allowed himself to invent Lirus and Sirus as brothers, sons of Corus by two sisters Flora and Gelida, daughters of Etherus; of whom the first bore Germanus and Paulinus; the second, brought her own cousin Florentia, married to Lirus after the death of Flora, and already by Lirus mother of Justus and Sicius, to Christ together with her husband, and brought them to Stephen the Presbyter to be baptized: about which Stephen because it seemed shameful to say nothing, he added in the margin; It is reported, that this Stephen came with the Blessed Magdalene, Lazarus, Celidonius and others; who when they had come to Marseille, this one returned to confirm this province. A worthy cover indeed for the dish. Pardonable meanwhile is the rudeness of the 12th and 13th century, that these could be received by Arnald as treasure, and find credit among the people of Gerona: but that they seemed even worthy of the press to Domenech and Tamayo, no one will marvel, who shall have known that Domenech, at the beginning of this century, still rude in such things, wrote; and Tamayo's iron stomach, for approving and digesting fictions however absurd. One thing I say, by no example ever to be proved, that Christians, writing the passions of the Martyrs while they were being carried on, had the leisure or mind to weave long histories of their births and parents, as this author did. Now indeed the names of villages, Pera, Cursa, Ultramont, Flassa, Morels, the author seems to have invented all the more freely, because he hoped that credit of antiquity might be made more certain to the Spaniards, the less they were known to them: with which confidence he also added miracles of Christ appearing during Mass, and of leprosy purged through Baptism. The sentence however passed against the Martyrs, according to the diversity of each one's confession, concerning the trinity of divine Persons and the firmness of the Head of the Church, seems no less ineptly to have been conceived for the person of the Judge, than the title of General Governor of the Spains is given to Dacian. The ancients under the Romans would have called him Praeses, the later writers Captain General. Similarly the Altar of the Blessed Virgin, before which Gelida and Florentia are fictitiously prostrated, the first Christianity under the Gentiles would not have called such, and other things of this kind, on which it is not free to linger.