CIRCUMINCESSION
780
CISTERCIANS
Bishop of Vercelli, rebuked those who profaned the
holy season by pagan dances, songs, and the lighting
of lamps (P. L., CXXXIV, 43). (See also New
Year's Dat.)
Acta SS-, Jan., I, Senna Faustini (describing secular festivi- ties ami ('hrislian fast s; l'ri'l.EK, The I.r. ■,.fth, Sun!*, 1 Jan.;
Smith, Dirt. "/ Christ. Antiquities, s, v ; Duchesne, Les ori- gines ctu culte chrit. (tr. London, 11104). 273.
John J. Tierney.
Circumincession. See Trinity. Cirta. See Constantine, Diocese of.
Cisalpine Club, an association of Catholic laymen formed in England to perpetuate the movement which had found expression in the "Declaration and Protestation" signed by the Catholic body in 1789. These principles represent a remarkable reaction against the attitude hitherto traditional among Cath- olics, which seems to have begun about the time of the death of the Pretender in 1766. Up to then they had 1 ii stanch Jacobites, and had looked to the restora- tion of the Stuarts as the only chance for a revival "i Catholicity. About, this fame, however, by what Berington calls "one of those singular revolutions for which no cause can be assigned " (State and Behaviour of English Catholics in 1780, p. 134), they gave up their former political aspirations, and frankly ac- cepted the reigning House of Hanover. Part of the reaction was a suspicion of the wisdom of their ec- clesiastical rulers, who, they became convinced, had adopted in the past a needlessly strict attitude, opposed to English national aspirations, and which (they contended) had been dictated by the Court of Rome.
They reverted to the Oath of Allegiance of the reign of King James I, which they declared them- selves willing to take, while some even maintained that the Oath of Supremacy could be interpreted in a sense not inconsistent with the Catholic religion. These were the principles which animated the well- known Catholic Committee (1782-92) in their strug- gle for emancipation. The two chief leaders were Lord Petre and Sir John Throckmorton, both mem- bers of old Catholic families, who had suffered much in times past under the Penal Laws. They had the active assistance of Charles Butler, the distinguished lawyer, nephew of Alban Butler, who acted as secre- tary to the committee. The greater number (though by no means all) of the Catholic aristocracy, who in those days were the practical supporters of religion, sympathized with them, and, in a modified degree, some of the clergy, especially in London. One bishop, Charles Berington, was on their side, and the Rev. Joseph Wilkes. O. S. B., who was a member of the committee, went to great lengths in supporting them. Dr. James Talbot (Vicar Apostolic of the London District, 1781-90) also allowed his name to be added, and showed a weakness in opposing them which he regretted on his death-bed, and which made the task of his successor, Dr. Douglass (1790-1812), a difficult one.
Towards the end of the year 178S, Lord Stanhope, a member of the Established Church, desiring to help the committee, and believing that their supposed "Ultramontane" principles, and in particular their accredited belief in the "deposing power" of the pope, were the chief obstacles in their way, drew out a "Protestation" disclaiming these in unmeasured 'language. The committee adopted the Protestation
mi , i early in the following year railed upon all Cath-
i h:s t:. sign it. Eutler limits that ii 'Vis enh with
i ime difficulty that the bishops win- induced to sign; but they did sign, and were followed by two hundred and forty priests foul of about two hundred and sixty), and by all the chief Catholic laymen of the country. Two of the bishops afterwarck revoked their signatures, and Milncr, who was one of those who had signed,
took an active part in opposing the committee. The
result of their labours was the Act of 1791. In the
first draft there had been an "Oath of Declaration,
Protestation and Allegiance", based on the Protesta-
tion of 1789, but going to even greater lengths. This
oath was definitely condemned by the bishops, led by
the venerable Dr. Walmesley, in 1789 and 1791.
After a sharp conflict it was removed from the bill
during its passage through Parliament, and the Irish
Oath of 1774 substituted. As the act in its final state
failed to embody the principles of the Protestation, a
new society was formed to perpetuate these, under
the ominous title of "The Cisalpine Club". Others
besides the members of the Catholic Committee were
invited to join the club, and the membership usually
numbered between forty and fifty. They met four
or five times a year, each meeting being preceded by
a dinner. At first they took an active part in Cath-
olic affairs, though consistently disclaiming any re-
presentative character. In several ways they suc-
ceeded in guarding Catholic interests, and by their
influence a school was established at Oscott, directed
by a governing body of laymen, though the head-
master was a priest, appointed by the bishop. After
a few years, however, the Cisalpine Club ceased to
perform any active work, and developed into a mere
dining club. At the beginning the bishops had natu-
rally viewed it askance, although indeed in private
life the members were all devout and edifying, and
often the chief supporters of Catholic charities. As
time went on, their Cisalpine tendencies became less
and less marked, and they got on good terms with
Bishop Poynter (1803-1826), who only regretted the
unfortunate name of the club. Soon after the pass-
ing of Catholic Emancipation (1829) this was reme-
died by the members re-forming themselves into a
new club, which they called the "Emancipation Club",
and which continued for seventeen more years before
finally dissolving. (See Butler, Charles; England,
sub-title Since the Reformation.)
Bctler. Hist. Mem. of Eng. Catholics (London, 1S19);
Milnkh, Supplrmrntary .\Irm<rirs (London, LS-'O); Amherst,
Cath. Emancipation (London, 1SS6); Ward, Cath. London a
Century Ago (19051; Minute Books . . . of Cisalpine Club, MS.
Bernard Ward.
Cisamus, a titular see of Crete. Kisamos, or Kissa- mos, was a harbour on the north-west coast of Crete in a bay of the same name, and served Aptera as a port of entry. Lequien (II, 272) gives only two Greek bishops, Theopemptus in 692 and Leo in 787; Gams (404) adds Gerasimus about 1500. The see still exists, and is suffragan to Candia. During the occu- pation of the island by the Venetians there was also a Latin see subject to Gortyna and Candia. Ten bishops are mentioned by Lequien (III, 927-930) from 1346 to 15S9; twenty by Eubel (I, 192, IT, 142) from about 1305 to 1498. Angelo Barbadigo (created cardinal by the antipope Nicholas V) who was present at Rome at the coronation (1328) of Emperor Louis I V, became administrator apostolicus Chironensis in Crete, Bishop of Cisamus, and afterwards of Verona. Kis- samos, or Kissamo Kasteli, is now a little port fre- quented only by coasting boats. S. Petrides.
Cisneros, Francisco Ximf.nes db. See Ximenes.
Cistercians. — Religious of the Order of Citeaux, a Benedictine reform, established at Citeaux in 1098 by St. Robert, Abbot of Molesme in the Diocese of Lan- grcs. for the purpose of restoring as far as possible the literal observance of the Rule of St. Benedict. The history of this order may be divided into four periods: I. The Formation (1098-1134); II. The Golden Age (1134-1342); III. The Decline (1342-1790); IV. Th 2 Restoration (1790 ).
I. The Formation (109S-1134).— St. Robert, son of the noble Thierry and Ermengarde of Champagne,
