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From a book review of After Lives: A Guide to Heaven, Hell and Purgatory by Paul Johnson: Writing on purgatory, Casey cannot resist quoting tariffs for indulgences. He has found a French document of 1691 that provides a curious insight into the relative seriousness of sins. A dispensation buying absolution from apostasy was the equivalent of only £4. Dispensation from vows of chastity was £15. Murder was priced at £95. The most expensive was bigamy, £1051. What does this tell us about the France of Louis XIV?Indeed!
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