loom and obscurity of the church with the clear
light of reason and truth; who misused the priests and religious orders,
and welcomed and assisted in Prussia all those whom the holy mother
Catholic Church banished for heresies and unbelief.

Benedict, the predecessor of the present pope, was also known to have
been the enemy of Frederick, but he was wise enough to be silent and not
draw down upon the cloisters, and colleges, and Catholics of Prussia the
rage of the king.

But Clement, in his fanatical zeal, was not satisfied to pursue this
course. He was resolved to do battle against this heretical king. He
fulminated the anathemas of the church and bitter imprecations against
him, and showered down words of blessing and salvation upon all those
who declared themselves his foes. Because of this fanatical hatred,
Austria received a new honor, a new title from the hands of the pope.
As a reward for her enmity to this atheistical marquis, and the great
service which she had rendered in this war, the pope bestowed the title
of apostolic majesty upon the empress and her successors. Not only the
royal house of Austria, but the generals and the whole army of pious and
believing Christians, should know and feel that the blessing of the pope
rested upon their arms, protecting them from adversity and defeat.
The glorious victory of Hochkirch must be solemnly celebrated, and the
armies of the allies incited to more daring deeds of arms.

For this reason, Pope Clement sent to Field-Marshal Daun, who had
commanded at the battle of Hochkirch, a consecrated hat and sword,
thus changing this political into a religious war. It was no longer a
question of earthly possessions, but a holy contest against an heretical
enemy of mother church. Up to this time, these consecrated gifts had
been only bestowed upon generals who had already subdued unbelievers or
subjugated barbarians. [Footnote: OEuvres Posthumes, vol. iii.]

But King Frederick of Prussia laughed at these attacks of God's
vicegerent. To his enemies, armed with the sword, he opposed his own
glittering blade; to his popish enemy, armed with the tongue and the
pen, he opposed the same weapons. He met the first in the open field,
the last in winter quarters, through those biting, mocking, keen
Fliegenden Blattern, which at that time made all Europe roar with
laughter, and crushed and brought to nothing the great deeds of the pope
by the curse of ridicule.

The consecrated hat an