The Pope Joan Legend

In spitO of the learned historian by , whom the story has been refuted, there I is still a widespread popular belief that there axisted in the middle ages a female pope. Pepe Joan, as she is called, has even given her nuie to a game of cards, which is mentioned in Sheridan's "School For Scandal." The tradition with regard to the female pope has been traced back to the eleventh century, but she is said to have lived much earlitr, her pontificate having taken place in the ninth century and having lasted for more than two years. The name she is alleged to have assumed is John VII. At the last meeting of the Academy of Inscriptions in Paris, M. Muntz dealt another blow at a story which Gibbon, who cannot be suspected of Catholic prejudic.es, considered had been "amuhilated" by two Prptestpirt critics, Blondel and Bayle. M. Muntz characterizes-U. a vulgar fable invented in I ages. Never, lie declares, after a careful study of the question, has i woiaa.u worn the tiara, and moreover there was no interregnum at the period when thie pretended John VII goverued the church.