The Attack Of The Church Of Rome On Freemasons And Freemasonry.

of the Sacred Office of the Prince of the Apostles , and in other usual and accustomed Places of the City , by me Peter Romolatius , Cursitor of the most Holy Inquisition . EDICT . Joseph Cardinal Firrao , of the Title St .

Thomas in Famine , and of the Sacred Roman College Cardinal Priest AVhereas the Holiness of our Sovereign Lord Pope Clement XII . happily reigning , in his Bull of the 28 th of April last , beginning In eminent ! , condemned , under Pain of Excommunication reserved to

himself , certain Companies , Societies , and Meetings , under the Title of Freemasons , more proper to be called Conventicles , ivhich , under the Pretext of Civil Society , admit Men of any Sect and Reli gion , with a strict Tie of Secrecy , confiined by Oath

on the Sacred Bible , as to all that is transacted or done in the said Meetings , and Conventicles : And whereas such Societies , Meetings and Conventicles are not only suspected of occult Heresy , but even dangerous to publick Peace , and the Safety

of the Ecclesiastical State ; since if they did not contain Matters contrary to orthodox Faith , to the State , and to the Peace of the Commonwealth , so many and strict Ties of Secrecy would not be required as it is widely taken Notice of in the aforesaid Bull ; and it being the Will of the Holiness of our said Lord that such Societies , Meetings , and Conventicles , totally cease and be

dissolved , and that they who are not constrained b y the Fear of Censures , be curbed at least b y temporal Punishments . Therefore , it is the express Order of his Holine .-s , by this Edict to prohibit all Persons , of any Sex , State , or Condition

soever , whether Ecclesistical , Secular , or Regular , of whatever Institute , Degree , or Dignit y , though ordinarily or extraordinaril y privileged , even such as require special and express Mention to be made of them , comprehending the four Legations of

Bologna , Ferrara , Romagna , Urbino , aud the City and Dukedom of Benevento ; and it is hereb y forbidden that any do presume to meet , assemble , or associate in any Place under the said Societies , or Assemblies of freemasons or under other Title

, any or Uoak whatsover or even be present at such Meetings and Assemblies , under Pain 01 JJeath and Confiscation of their Effects , to be irremissibl y incurred without Hopes 01 Grace . ! t is likewise prohibited , as above , to

any Person soever to seek or tempt any one to associate with any such Societies , Meetings , or Assemblies , or to advise , aid or abet to the like Purpose the said Meetings or Assemblies , under the Penalties abovesaid ; and they who shall furnish or provide a Houseor any other Place for such

Meet-, ings or Conventicles to be held , though under Pretext of Loan , Hire , any other Contract soever , are hereby condemned , over and above the aforesaid Penalties , to have the House , or Houses , or other Places where such Meetings and Conventicles

shall be held , utterly erased and demolished ; and it is his Holiness ' s Will , that to incur the abovesaid Penalty of Demolition , any human Conjectures , Hints , or Presumptions , may and shall suffice for a Presumption of Knowledge in the Landlords of such Houses

aud Places , without Admission of any Excuse soever . Aud because it is the express Will of our said Lord , that such Meeting , Societies , and Conventicles do cease , as pernicious , and suspect of Heresy and Seditionbe

, utterly dissolved : his Holiness does hereby strictly order , that any Persons , as above , Avho shall have Notice for the Future of the holding of the said Meetings ,

Assemblies , and Conventicles , or who shall be solicited to associate with the same or are in any Manner Accomplices or Partakers with them , be obliged , under the Fine of a thousand Crowns in Gold , beside other grievous corporal Punishments , the Gallies

not to be excepted , to be inflicted at Pleasure , to denounce them to his Eminence , or to the chief Magistrate of the ordinary Tribunal of the Cities , or other Places in which the Offence shall be committed , contrary to Edict ; with Promise and

Assurance to such Denouncers , orluformers , that they shall be kept inviolably secret and safe , and shall further obtain Grace and Immunity , notwithstanding any Penalty they themselves may or shall have incurred .

And that no one may excuse himself from the Obligation of informing under the borrowed Pretext of natural Secret , or the most sacred Oath , or other stricter Tye , by order of said Holiness , Notice is hereby given to all , that such Obligation

of natural Secret or any Sort of Oath in criminal Matters , and already condemned under Pain of Excommunication , as above , neither holds nor binds in any Manner , being nui , made void , and of no Force , & c ,