Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 98, September 13, 1851 / A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.

by Various

PAPAL BULLS, ETC.

A correspondent (S. P. H. T.) inquires, 1. Has there been any authorised collection of Papal Bulls, Breves, Encyclical Letters, &c., published since the beginning of the present century?

2. If not, has there been any authorised list of those addressed to the Roman Catholic Church in England or Ireland?

3. What bulls have, during the last century, been published against Bible Societies, &c., and where will I find authorised copies of them, more particularly those of Pope Pius VII., bearing date 29th June, 1816, and directed to the Primate of Poland; that of 18th September, 1819, against the circulation of the Scriptures in the Irish Schools; that of Leo XII., dated 3rd May, 1824, directed to the Irish clergy, which last is the latest I am acquainted with?

4. What authority is there for using the "Form of receiving Converts from the Church of Rome," as published by the British Reformation Society? Does it occur in any edition of the Book of Common Prayer?

5. What authority is there for the occasional services of 5th November, 30th January, 29th May, and 20th June? Some of these are, I am aware, specially directed by act of parliament; but the point upon which I wish to obtain information is, what the precise amount of obligation is that exists on the officiating minister to use or neglect the services in the absence of any specific directions on the matter from his Ordinary?

6. What authority is there for the use of the Gloria immediately after the minister's announcing the Gospel. No rubric now appears to recognise it?

7. At what period did the practice of playing "a voluntary" upon the organ during the collection of the alms originate? And what is the earliest record of the alms being collected after the communion service and before the sermon, and not after the prayer for the Church Militant?

S. P. H. T.

[The Editor will be happy to insert a reply pointing out sources of information. It is obvious that this is all which the limits of the work and the claims of other correspondents and readers will allow, when questions are proposed which contain many, and some of them difficult and disputed, points.]