ALASCANI, the name of a religious sect, who took their name from John Alasco, a Polish nobleman, and a near relation of the king of Poland. He was originally a bishop of the church of Rome, and purchased the valuable library of Erasmus, when that learned man was lying on his death-bed. In consequence of having adop ted the principles of the Reformation, he was banished from his native country. Alasco took the charge of a Protestant church in Embden ; but, on the promulgation of the Interim, he and his congregation fled for shelter to England, where the reformed religion was making rapid progress under the auspices of Edward VI. These, and other Protestant refugees, to the number of 380, were made denizens of England : they were erected into a corporation by Edward, under the care of Alasco, and received a grant of the church of the Augustin friars, in 1550. Upon the accession of nary, however, most of the Alascani were obliged to fly, the kingdom. Alasco, and some of his congregation, embarked for Denmark ; but as soon as their principles were made known, they were compelled to depart in the midst of winter. They afterwards went to Lubec, Wismar, and Hamburgh ; but, in consequence of the religious an imosities which prevailed, they were expelled from these towns, after the most barbarous treatment. They
at last found an asylum at Embden. In 1560, when the supreme power devolved on Elizabeth, the Alascani were restored to their privileges, on condition that no foreigner should be at the head of their congregation. They were therefore obliged to depose Alasco, and to choose Grindal, Bishop of London. The church in Austin Friars, which was then given them, is mill re tained by their descendants. By the kindness of Sigis mund, Alaseo spent the latter part of his life in Poland, Where he died 1560. The Alascani were hostile to episcopal forms, they received the sacrament sitting, they denied the necessity of baptism, and maintained, that the expression, " This is my body," in the institu tion of the eucharist, refers not merely to the bread, but to the whole celebration of the supper. Sec Neal's 'Met. of the Puritans.vol. i. p. 165, and Andrew's Britain, vol. i. 18, 357, 415, 467. (o)