[s. B. DAWSON] THE LINES OF DEMARCATION 483 



" provided with the seal of some person endowed witli ecclesiastical dignity, or 

 " with that of an ecclesiastical court, the same unquestioned faith shall be given, 

 " in a court of justice, or without, or anj'where else, as to these presents if they 

 " were shown or exhibited." 



This clause is customary in Bulls or Briefs which are intended for 

 wide circulation and will be found also in Inter cetera. It is so common 

 that in some Bullaria, the first words alone are given '^'Verum tamen 

 difficile foret, etc., etc.," with a note on the margin to the effect that 

 '' faith is to be given to copies." A clause almost in the same words 

 occurs at the end of the encyclical of the present pope concerning the 

 Jubilee which appeared in the newspapers a few months ago. 



These two forms of expressing the decision of a pope vary in out- 

 ward appearance. A Brief commences with an abridged formula. The 

 name of the Pope is prefixed and the words, "ad perpetuam rei memo- 

 riam;" then it continues on with the main subject matter. It is 

 written on paper, in a modem style of handwriting, dated according 

 to the modern calendar and sealed in red wax with the "fisherman's 

 ring." 



A Bull, although it possesses no greater authority, is more formal 

 in its salutation and more solemn ; as will be seen on reference to ap- 

 pendix A. "Alexander, epi^copus, serviis servorum Dei, etc., etc." It 

 is Avritten on parchment and (until recently) was in an antique style 

 of characters. It is dated according to the old Koman calendar ; but 

 the essential note is that the seal is of lead (it might be of gold) 

 stamped on one side with the effigies of S8. Peter and Paul and, on 

 the other, with ithe name of the reigning pope. The seal is attached 

 by strings of various significant colours. There are other points of 

 difference, but the above are the most striking. 



It is of the essence of a law^ of any kind, and before all others of 

 these pontifical laws which bind the conscience, that they shall be pub- 

 lished or promulgated. A secret law is not a law in any sense of the 

 word. Until it is promulgated it does not exist as a law and binds no 

 one. It will be seen later how this fundamental principle has been 

 entirely overlooked, and this is the more surprising, inasmuch as, by the 

 laws of all Catholic countries in those days, every Bull, Brief or public 

 letter of the popes had to be pi'esented to cerltain royal officers and 

 receive the royal placet or exsequatur before being published or even 

 communicated to any other person whomsoever. The extract given on 

 page 480 from a letter to his vice-roy by King Ferdinand the Catholic, 

 will set this matter in a very clear light. In that way monarchs guarded 

 their prerogatives ; for a Bull not promulgated in a country did not 

 bind there. To get over this difficulty it was maintained by some 



Sec. II., ism. :3i. 



