Was born in Staffordshire, at Swinerton, in 1552. His father was William, the fourth son of sir Anthony Fitzherbert, a celebrated lawyer of Norbury, in Derbyshire, according to Dodd; but the life prefixed to " A Treatise concerning Policy and Religion" says Dorsetshire; and his mother was Isabel, coheiress of Humphrey Swinerton of Swinerton, in Staffordshire. In this county Thomas received the rudiments of his education; he was afterwards, in 1568, sent either to Exeter or Lincoln college, Oxford: but an order of the council of Trent appeared, which declared that occasional conformity was inconsistent with the severity of the gospel and behaviour of Christians in all ages: he was therefore obliged to leave the university without taking his degrees, and to return to his paternal residence where he strenuously and effectually opposed the conformity of some of his friends; and marrying soon after, he was greatly instrumental in upholding the Catholic cause, both by his learning, and by his prudence, and still more by his example. As he was however avowedly a recusant, information was soon laid against him, and in 1572 he was committed to prison but obtaining his discharge, fresh informations were preferred, and to avoid a second imprisonment, he privately left the country, and retired to London; where his wife and family soon after joined him.

In the metropolis a new field was opened for the exercise of his zeal, and he exerted himself in confirming many who were wavering in their faith, or who at least outwardly conformed, to prevent the consequence of a prosecution: he was also instrumental in recovering back to the fold of the church, many who had gone astray, and had wandered from the belief of their ancestors, solely that they might give an unrestrained loose to their passions, under the indulgent auspicies of the new religion. This line of conduct however obliged him a second time to seek his safety by flight; he therefore crossed the channel and arrived in Paris with his lady in the year 1582. In this city he was soon known to the distressed and to the wretched, particularly of his own country; to these he proved a kind friend, and as far as lay in his power he dispelled their wants. He also advocated the cause of the unfortunate Mary, and presented a memorial in her favour to the French court, and to the duke of Guise. But while engaged in alleviating the miseries of human nature, his wife died; he then changed the course of life which he had hitherto pursued, and gave himself up entirely to the performance of works of mercy, and of charitable deeds. About this time he also contracted a friendship with the duke of Ferrara, and was by that nobleman persuaded to accompany him into Spain: where he became eminently serviceable to many of the distressed English, in consequence of the interest the duke had procured him at court, and also by the abundant alms, which he was enabled to collect, and by a singular turn of good fortune the court settled a pension upon himself. As the duke was the professed patron of the English, whom the sanguinary laws of Elizabeth, and the persecuting spirit of her ministers, had forced from their homes, Mr. Fitzherbert made it a point of duty to accompany him during his several journeys into Spain, and Flanders. Upon one of these excursions he was accused before the states of Flanders of holding a correspondence with Cecil, secretary of state to queen Elizabeth; and also of a design to set fire to the magazine at Mechlin. His accusers were culprits, who suffering under the torments of the rack, thought to escape the punishment of death, by raising a fabricated plot: the imposition was discovered by the duke, who cross examin

ed the informants himself: this happened at Bruxelles in the year 1595. He afterwards returned into Spain, and from thence accompanied the duke to Milan; in which city he tarried but a short time, and quitting his noble friend and patron, he went to Rome with the intention of embracing the ecclesiastical state, a project which he had for some time past contemplated. Apartments were provided for him adjoining the English college, the rules of which he strictly followed in the distribution of his time, for prayer and other religious duties the college bell was as attentively observed by him, as by the most fervent student. He was soon ordained priest, and appointed agent for the English clergy: this office he held for twelve years, during which time he employed his leisure hours in composing several learned works, which in that age were highly esteemed.

The court of Rome had in 1607 some thoughts of sending a bishop into England, and he was upon the list of those who were nominated as fit to be appointed to that dignity. This project however was not then carried into effect; and two years after, in 1609, he resigned the office of agent to the English clergy, in consequence of some remonstrances which had been made by Mr. Birket, and others of the secular clergy, who believed that he was in the habit of consulting father Parsons, and other Jesuits; and that he was privately attached to their order. Dr. Richard Smith, who became afterwards bishop of Calcedon, was appointed his successor, and to him, at Mr. Birket's desire, he delivered up all his accounts and instructions. In 1614, five years after this event, on the feast of the Purification, he took the habit of the society, was professed on the vigil of the feast of the Annunciation, and on the following day he sung his first mass. (Vide life, prefixed to a Treatise upon Policy and Religion).

He afterwards acted openly for the society, and was made rector of the English college, which appointment he enjoyed during twenty-two years, affording an example of obedience and docility to the commands of his own superiors, while at the same time he was a kind and affectionate father to the students committed to his care. He led a life of almost continual prayer, till at length worn out with age and full of good works,

he expired without any agony, and preserved his senses to the last, having previously received all the rights of the church. He was eighty-eight years old at the time of his death, which happened on the 17th of August, 1640. "Mr. Fitzherbert" says Dodd, was a great lover of books; and perhaps few laymen of his time made a better use of their academical education. He endeavoured to render his qualifications useful to all mankind. His purse, his learning, and his interest with men in power, were under that influence: and while he himself seemed to decline all preferments, his friends thought him worthy of the purple; and as I find there was some discourse of that dignity being conferred upon him. He published several learned books, under the initial letters of T. F. to say nothing of manuscripts and letters; which are a proof of his abili ties, and I have persued their originals. The letters he wrote to Dr. Worthington, and the archpriest Birket, though they frequently mention several contentious matters, yet are penned in a christian style, and demonstrate his capacity for business." His published works were numerous; but are now seldom to be met with; they excited much interest, when they first appeared, and answers to them were attempted by several Protestants.

CATHOLIC MISSIONS.

LETTER OF FATHER BOUCHET.

(Continued from p. 372.)

BUT if you could find the means of escaping the fury of the enemies of Christianity, you cannot avoid the alarms which the neophytes are always raising. The Indians, naturally timid, easily believe what they fear, and often on a great festival, Christmas for instance, or Easter, when the Christians are assembled in great numbers, they come with terror painted on their countenances to tell the missionary to dismiss the neophytes as quick as possible-that all is lost-that the soldiers are on the road, and will be here in less than an hour; and they add so many circumstances, which their frightened imagina

tion suggests, that they cause the missionary great embarrassment what to do. If on one side we cannot entirely trust these reports, often ill-founded, on the other prudence will not allow us to expose this multitude of faithful to the fury of the idolaters. You must have been in such a situation yourself before you can have any idea of what we suffer inwardly on these occasions. I have been in it more than once, and then I said to myself," shall I disturb the piety and fervour of so many neophytes for a danger which is perhaps only imaginary ;—but if it should be real, what sorrow for me to have delivered them into the hands of the barbarians!" In truth, every moment then is a dreadful torment.

The frequent revolutions of state are another source of dangers, to which we are not less exposed. The kingdoms of of south India are divided into many governments, which, though dependent on the prince, are so far their own masters that they can make war upon one another without the prince interfering in their quarrels. There is never a month, when there is not some of these little wars in one place or another of the mission. On the first alarm the inhabitants of the villages take flight, and retire to some other place. When these incursions are made suddenly, whatever they sword. That year in which I went from India to Europe, the enemies of the prince, to whom the lands upon which our church at Aour was built belonged, made a similar irruption. There was a little battle in the church yard. The missionary, who was confessing a neophyte, heard the whizzing of musket balls on every side; presently he perceived they had set fire to the church. However it was saved; the fire went out of itself as soon as the enemies were gone...

meet is put to the

Besides these little wars, which are very frequent, the king of Madura sends every year an army against these inferior governors. Wo to that man who is found in their way and has not time to fly to the woods or villages belonging to a different prince. The escape of F. Da from the fury of the soldiers on a similar occasion can be attributed to nothing but the particular protection of God. He was in a village which was all at once beset by the army of Madura. By day break the soldiers, entered pell mell, and put all to fire and sword. The