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from decorum, in comparison with those excesses which Leo's example sanctioned, or at which his indifierence connived. The few who, amidst this more than syren fascination, still' retained any sense of decency, were constrained to blush on beholding ecclesiastics minglinf^, without re- serve, in every species of pleasurable dissipation. The younger cardinals especially, many of whom were jumor branches of royal or illustrious houses, exulted in the free piuticipation of in- dolgences, to which the most sacred characters were no restraint.
On the first day of August in every year, Leo was accustomed to invite such of the cardinals as were among his more intimate friends, to plag at cards with him, when he distributed pieces of gold to the crowd of spectators who were permitted to be present at this entertain- ment. He was also a thorough proficient in the game of chess, though he is said to have always fepiDved the playing with dice.
Other gratifications in which I«o indulged were of Ae lowest and most disgusting nature ; such as his entertaining in his palace, a mendi- cant &iar, called Father Martin, whose chief merit consisted in eating forty eggs, or twenty capons, at a meal, and such lilce feats of vuia- doos gluttony; and the pleasure he derived from deceiving his guests by preparing dishes of crows and apes, and similar animals, and seeing tbe avidity with which the high seasoned food was devoured. Yet brutish as were these sources of diversion, they have found an apolo^t in a celebrated writer, who regards them when asso- ciated with Leo's literary pleasures, as serving " to mark that divernty and range of intellect whicfa distinguished not only Leo X., but also other individuals of this extraordinaiy family !" It must, however, be acknowledged, that his own meals were generally of the most frugal nature.
The profuse expenditure of Leo involved him in embarrassments, which led to the adoption of expedients, to supply the deficiency of his in- come, which for a while effected their purpose, bnt in the end became the means of limiting the pontifical authority, and of producing an eccle- siastical revolution, infinitely serviceable to the interests of religion and truth. Among the schemes which he adopted, to drain the wealth of the credulous multitude, was the open sale of dispentatimu and indulgences for the most enor- mous and disgraceful crimes, under pretence of aiding the completion of the magnificent and expensive church of St. Peter, at Rome. In Germany, the right of promulgating these in- dulgences was granted to Albert, elector of Metz and archbishop of Magdeburg, who employed a Dominican friar named Tetzel, as his chief agent for retailing them in Saxony; who, exe- cuting his commission with the most shameless effrontery, roused the indignation of Luther against such flagrant abuses of the papal autho- rity, and created such a feeling against the infa- mous measure, A terminated in the Reformation. The most illustriotis trait in the character of
Leo, was his munificent patronage of learning and the fine arts. He was himself well versed in the Latin language, and possessed a compe- tent knowledge of the Greek, accompanied with singular proficiency in polite litetature, and ex- tensive acquaintance with history in general. In the attention paid by him to the collecting and preserving of ancient manuscripts and other me- morials of learning, he emulated the example of his father, and by his perseverance and liberality at length succeeded in restoring to its former splendour the celebrated Laureutian libi;ary, which had been commenced by Cosmo de Me- dici, but had been aflerwards dispersed by the troops of Charles VIII. of France, on the ex-
fulsion of the haughty Piero de Medici from lorence.
His indifference to religion and religious du- ties, is farther confirmed by his conduct respect- ing the discourses delivered in his presence. " In the year 1614, he ordered his master of the palace, on pain of excommunication, to see that the sermon delivered before him did not exceed half an hour; and in the month of November, 1517, being wearied with a long discourse, he desired his master of the ceremonies to remind the master of the palace, that the council of the Lateian had decided, that a sermon should not exceed a quarter of an hour at most. In conse- quence of which remonstrances there was no sermon on the first day of the year 1518; the master of the palace being fearful that the preacher would exceed the prescribed limits.
It has been suspected that Leo was poisoned; but it is more probable that he died from a fever, brought on by excess of joy, at the unex- pected success of the papal armies against France.
1622. The first treatise on arithmetic, pub- lished in this country, was printed by Pinson, entitled. De Arte Supputandi, 4to. It was written by Cuthhert Tonstal, bishop of London, one of the best mathematicians, as well as general scholars of his m^. It is dedicated by bishop Tonstall to sir Thomas More.
1622. Hore Beate Marie Virginis ad tuum ecclesie Sarunt, i-c. Impresse Londonii per me winandum de worde commorantem in vico nuneu- pato de Fletestrete ad lignum solis. m.eccecjexij. Duodecimo.
In the productions of early printing may be distinguished the various splendid editions of Missals, Primers, and Prayer Books. Some of them we have attempted to describe; but all description must indeed fall short of these early specimens of the skill displayed by the printer, engraver, illuminator, and binder. They were embellished with cuts, in a most elegant taste ; many of them, however, were ludicrous, and often obscene. In one of them an angel is represented crowning the Virgin Mary, and God the Father himself at the ceremony. Sometimes St. An- thony appears attacked by devils. The Prymer of Salisbury, is full of cuts, and the present is the third edition, by Wynkyn de Worae, which is arranged in the following order: — The calen-
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