natural proceeding, and deserving notice only because it owes its origin to the once customary riots in Rome during an interregnum, when it was an established thing for the mob to rifle the Pope's palace. To guard against the illicit removal of Pontifical property, the Camerlengo stays therefore in the palace until all has been properly registered, when, carrying away the key of the Pope's apartments, he returns in state to his
memoriam,' with date from the Incarnation, and signature of the various functionaries of the Apostolical Chancery, the document being written in Latin in mordern letters upon dark rough parchment. A Brief, which is likewise in Latin, has but the Pope's name at the beginning—'Pius Papa IX.'—is signed by the Cardinal Secretary of Briefs, bears date from the Nativity, and is written in modern letters upon soft white parch- ment. The die of the leaden seal affixed to Bulls was kept at the Vatican until Pius VII. solemnly deposited it at the Cancellaria, with pain of excommunication against whoever enters without express permission the room in which it is. At one period the Cistercian Friars had the privilege of furnishing the keepers of this seal. There is yet a third form of Papal expression in writing, called a Chirograph, the exact nature of which it is difficult to define. It appears indeed to have no binding force except what it may derive from personal respect for its author, and resembles in authority somewhat the minutes; which at times are drawn up in our offices, or the peculiar expression of Royal wishes formerly in use in Prussia, and termed Cabinets-order.
