midnight
His evil desires spring from an unsound brain ; -- I would have him dealt with mercifully ! Guard him with all necessary and firm restraint , -- but do not brutalise his body more than Rome has brutalised his soul ! '' With that he turned away , -- and his armed guard and attendants followed him . That self-same midnight a requiem mass was sung in a certain chapel before a silent gathering of black-robed stern-featured men , who prayed `` For the repose of the soul of our dear brother , Andrea Del Fortis , servant of God , and martyr to the cause of truth and justice , -- who departed this life suddenly , in the performance of his sacred duties . '' In the newspapers next day , the death of this same martyr and shining light of the Church was recorded with much paid-for regret and press-eulogy as ` due to heart-failure ' and his body being claimed by the Jesuit brotherhood , it was buried with great pomp and solemn circumstance , several of the Catholic societies and congregations following it to the grave . One week after the funeral , -- for no other ostensible cause whatever , save the offence of openly publishing his official refusal of a grant of Crown lands to the Jesuits , -- the Holy Father , the Evangelist and Infallible Apostle enthroned in St. Peter 's Chair , launched against the King who had dared to deny his wish and oppose his will , the once terrible , but now futile ban of excommunication ; and the Royal son of the Church who had honestly considered the good of his people more than the advancement of priestcraft , stood outside the sacred pale , -- barred by a so-called ` Christian ' creed , from the mercy of God and the hope of Heaven . For several days after the foregoing events , the editors and proprietors of newspapers had more than enough ` copy ' to keep them busy .