Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/731

BEATIFIC VISION. constituting the bliss of angels and of men in heaven. A term of Roman Catholie theology. The Council of Florence (a.d. 1439) defined: "The souls of those who, after receiving bap- tism have incurred no stain of sin whatever, or who, after incurring such stain, have been puri- fied in the bodj- or out of the body, . . . are at once received into heaven and clearly see Ood Himself as He is, in Three Persons and One Sub- stance ; some, however, more perfectly than oth- ers, according to the diversity of their merits." Such vision is supposed to have been enjoved bv Moses (Ex. xxxiii. 11) and by Paul (11. Cor. xii. 4) before their death, but it is not ordinarily given in the flesh. Hence the loose application of the term to such visions as those of Saint Catherine is improj)er. It is not taught that the saints have a perfect knowledge of (jod, for this is impossible to finite creatures. But they have such knowledge of Him as He wills, and see in Him all the facts concerning His creatures which He wills to communicate. Thus, it is said, they can hear prayers addressed to them, though not omniscient, because enabled by the beatific vision. Consult Addis and Arnold, Catholic Dictionary (New York, 1893J.

BEAT'ING THE BOUNDS. The popular expression in England for the periodical surveys or perambulations by which the ancient boun- daries of parishes are preserved. Formerly the ceremony took place annually, but now it is ob- served less often. The procedure, according to common custom, is in this wise: On Holy Thursday or Ascension Day, the elcrgj'man of the parish, the parochial officers and other pa- rishioners, together with the boys of the parish school, headed by their master, go in procession to the parish boundary. It is their duty to trace very carefully every foot of the boundary, even if ladders must be used in climbing over build- ings and other obstructions. It is desirable to have as many Ijoys as possible. At each 'boun- dary-mark' a halt is made, and the boys beat the mark with peeled willow wands to impress its location on their memories. The beating was not confined to the above performance of the boys, but where it was desired to preserve evi- dence of particular boundaries, the singular ex- pedient was used of whipping the boys them- selves on the spot, or one of them, who received a stated fee for the permitted castigation out of the parish funds — it being thought that the impression made on the memory was thus more likely to be lasting.

The custom is a Teutonic institution, taking its rise in the 'procession' of the ancient mark or township. This procession was led by the priest who performed sacrifices on altars placed near the borders. When the fiermans were con- verted, the Christian priest took the place of the pagan, and the heathen sacrifice was sup- planted by the mass. The procession is still maintained in Bavaria, as also in Russia. Simi- lar duties were jierformed by the appointed 'per- ambulators' in the New England Colonies, and by the 'processioners' in early Virginia. In Eng- lish law the correct legal term for beating the bounds is perambulation (q.v.). Consult: Toul- min Smith, The Parish (London, 18.57); Brand, Poptilnr Anfiquilics (London, 1873-77) : Lysons, Environs of London, Vol. II. (London, 1792-96) ; Hone, Evcri/ IJaif Hook (London, 1826-31); Steer, Varish [auc (London, 1887); Grimm, Rechtsaltertiimer (Giittingen, 1854) ; Laveleye, Primitive Propertij (Eng. trans. London, 1878) ; Wallace, Ilussia (New York, 1881) ; and, in gen- eral, Howard, Local Constitutional History, Vol. 1. (Baltimore, 1889).

BEAT'ITUDES (Lat. beatitudo, blessing). The name frequently given to the opening clauses, nine in number, of the Sermon on the Mount, each of which begins with the word 'Blessed.' See Matt. v. 3-11.

BEATON, be'ton, Scot. pron. ba'ton, or Betiune, D.wii) (1494-1546). A cardinal and primate of Scotland, noted for his opposition to the Reformation in that country, and for bis persecution of Protestants. He was born in Fife and became a student at Saint Andrews Univer- sity, afterwards studying canon and civil law in Paris. After filling several minor positions with ability, he was appointed Lord Priy Seal in 1.528, and in 1533 went as Ambassador to France. On the fecommendation of the French King, Pope Paul III. in 1538 made Beaton cardinal, and in 1539, at his uncle's death, he became Archbishop of Saint Andrews. On the death of .James V., December 14, 1542, after the disastrous overthrow of the Scots at Solway Moss, Beaton produced a forged will of the late King, appointing himself, with three others. Re- gent of the kingdom during the minority of the infant Queen, Mary. The nobility, however, re- jected the fictitious document, and elected the Ear! of Arran regent, who then professed the Re- formed faith. The following month, Beaton was arrested and imprisoned, accused, among other charges, of a design to introduce French troops into Scotland, in order to .stop the negotiations then in progress with Henry of England for a marriage between the young Prince of Wales, afterwards Edward VI., and the infant Queen of Scots. He was soon after liberated, and recon- ciled to the Regent, whom he induced to abandon the English interest, and publicly to abjure the Reformed religion. (Dn the .young Qiieen's corona- tion in 1543, Beaton was again admitted to the council and appointed Chancellor. He now re- newed his persecution of the Reformers, and in .January, 1540, accompanied by the Regent, he made a diocesan visitation of the counties under his jurisdiction, and pimished with the utmost severity all the Protestants he could find. At Perth, a number of persons accused of heresy were banished from the city, others imprisoned ; three men were cruelly hanged, and one woman drowned by his directions. During a provincial council of the clergy held in Edinburgh, at which he presided, he caused the celebrated evan- gelical preacher, George Wishart, to be appre- hended and conveyed to the castle of Saint An- drews, where he was burned at the stake. Bea- ton and other prelates witnessed his sufferings from a window. The Lairds of Fife, friends of Wishart, determined to avenge him and secure their own safety by compassing the Cardinal's death. John Leslie, brother to the Earl of Rothes, his nephew Norman and Kirkaldy of Grange, entered the archiepiscopal palace by stealth, and, surprising the Cardinal in his bedroom, murdered him on May 29, 1540. Although a talented man, Beaton was arrogant, cruel, and immoral. He had six natural children. He married the three daughters into titled families, and one of his sons became a Protestant. Con-