Saint Ignatius Loyola

AFTER this manner Ignatius saw his Societyenter Germany, and outflank in its own fastnesses the potent Reformation. But what had happened in that Paris which was,.virtually, the very cradle of the Order, wherein all its first members had been recruited, and Ignatius himself had received his chief training?

Paris had not been left without seed. Ignatius had experienced its educational advantages, and he kept there a small number of students whom he specially wished to train intellectually. The charity of wealthy friends of the Society provided their expenses. They were placed under a Superior;

at first d'Eguia, in the next year (1541), when he was recalled, Geronimo Domenech, who, having known Ignatius at the University, had been made a Jesuit by Favre and Lainez during a tour of study in Italy. They lodged at first in the College des

Tresoricrs, then in that of the Lombards, where many of them had scholarships, so that they could accommodate the others in their rooms. In 1542

Ignatius sent Ribadeneira thither from Rome, in company with Diaz — who, however, failed to a duel. Poor young Ribadeneira, weak of body, it was suggested should ride, but, " Pedro may do is he likes,'* said the Saint; " if he be son of mine he will foot it like the rest." And foot it Pedro did, begging food and lodgings after the custom of the early Jesuits on travel. Travel-fordone and weak as he was, Viterbo yet saw that the old monkey-spirit was not quite dead in Ignatius's beloved scapegrace. He wandered over the hospital which sheltered them at evening, into the church, and clambered into the pulpit, where the Sacristan espied him and — error or jest — says to himself, " Ha, here we have a preacher,'' and begins ringing of the bell. In come passers-by; down comes Pedro, but is told they have come to hear him, and he must preach. By good hap, he had lately preached a sermon — the practice-sermon of a Novice — on the Blessed Sacrament in the Roman House. So, wdth true Pedro-audacity, he stepped back into the pulpit and gave it bravely out. He escaped to his cell, thinking the escapade over, when in came an old man — an old man with an avowal. True Italian, he had been hoarding up revenge on an enemy for several years, and avoiding the confessional till he should have wreaked it. But the amateur preacher had touched him; he repented his design and besought absolution. Pedro sent him to his priestly companion, rejoiced in so happy an outcome of his freak.

Ribadeneira was not the sole distinguished name among these Paris students. There, also, were Paolo Achille and, still more, France3C0 Strada. Diego Miron, future Provincial of Spain, was a Novice. But renewal of the ever-renewed Spanish war brought forth the banishment from France of all Spaniards: eight Jesuits, including Ribadeneira and the Superior, Domenech, had to quit. Strada also was one of them: they drifted to Arras, and from Arras to Brussels. Thence, when the French army was at last driven from before Louvain, they reached that city. Not till 1545 did peace permit some of the students, headed by Father Viola, to regain Paris.

Despite the victory which their Founder's personality in old days had gained there, they found plenty of the wholesome hardship, the necessity for struggle, which keeps the spiritual no less than the physical athlete "fit." It we remember the obloquy of the Spaniards in Elizabethan, or of the French in later Georgian, England, we can conceive the enmity of France towards all Spaniards in this period of chronic, prolonged, and, for France, not over-glorious war. The Jesuits, largely Spanish, bore the full disadvantage of it. The Universities, headed by the powerful Sorbonne, were bitterly jealous of the foreign interlopers. The nephew of the Archbishop of Paris, against his uncle's will, had joined the Society; they were papally excepted from his jurisdiction: and the Archbishop, therefore, entered the informal coalition against them. Postel, a clever and erratic Paris professor, by his connection with the Society, had brought on it further obloquy. He could walk, he boasted, from Paris to Peking, speaking the tongue of every country through which he passed; and he had been some time in the East. This personage had entered the Roman novitiate, but soon began to talk the most extravagant pseudo-mysticism of the period, and was dismissed the Order. He fell under the Inquisition before his return to Paris, and here was pretty matter for the enemies of Jesuitism. Then was put forth the famous legend of the " Monita Secreta," the story of secret lessons given to the Jesuit Superiors, which contradicted all the pious external professions they were warned to maintain, and directed them to exalt the Society by all means lawful or unlawful. An ex-Jesuit, Zahorowski, was the author of the " revelation,"

used afterwards by Jansenists and all adversaries of the Order, even to our own day. The Cardinals of the Holy Congregation pronounced the '' Monita Secreta '' false, calumnious, and defamatory; but the accusation circulated and gained credence all the same. The ready belief in falsehood, and the slow acceptance of truth, is among the most observed traits of human nature. The "Monita Secreta'* was only the most conspicuous and famous of innumerable stories which were set on foot regarding the Society from the moment it sprang into notice, and which, like itself, spread rapidly over Europe. Ignatius met these libels, for the most part, with a resolved policy of silence. His sons were forbidden to answer, and told to live the calumnies down. It is the only wise method with such prolific mushroom growth of scandal, which always outstrips the capacity to answer it; and herein he showed his unfailing wisdom. But when, in 1549, the Cardinal Guise de Lorraine came to Rome, advocating a league against the Emperor, Ignatius took the opportunity to enlist his sympathies against the attacks of the Sorbonne and the French Universities. He succeeded so well that Henry II., who had followed the first Francis on the throne of France, in January 1550 gave the Society Letters Patent to build a house and college in Paris., In this year, too, the Bishop of Clermont gave his town house to the Order; and it developed ultimately into the College Louis le Grand. The Provincial of Italy, Paschase Broet, was sent to Paris as French Provincial to accept the Bishop*s donation, there being no professed Father at the time in Paris, Father Viola, the first choice for the position, having fallen ill. 233 2G

But this turn of events in the Society's favour was met by a new outbreak of virulence. A CarmeHte gave the signal by a hostile sermon in the Church of St. Severln. De Bellay, Archbishop of Paris, lent to the anti-Jesuit movement the sanction of his high place; men of reputation so illustrious as Seguier, du Boulay, Bruslart, Marillac — anticipating Pascal in a later day — came forward in the same sense, or nonsense; and the Parliament of Paris, declaring the Society noxious to King, State, and Hierarchy, refused to enrol the Letters Patent. Henry complied with the storm so far as to institute a Privy Council examination of the Jesuit Constitutions and the Bull of Authorisation. The Council pronounced that they could find nothing in them mischievous; and Henry again ordered the Parliament to register the Letters. This was two years after the first issue of them, in January 1552, but the Parliament continued obstinate. A new Spanish war aided them to delay the matter for a further two years. Then the Papal Letters and Briefs were handed over to the examination of the Theological Faculty and the Archbishop of Paris — the Society's enemy. The Huguenots combined with the Court and the Guises against a common adversary. The University petitioned the King against the registering of Paul HL's Bull. After three days' consideration, the Parliament issued its objections, through its President, du Boulay. In December the Faculty of Theology put forth a unanimous and hostile conclusion. It is worth quotation, as an example of what responsible men could in that day authoritatively assert against the Jesuits:

" This new Society, which assumes the unusual

title of the name of Jesus, which receives with so much licence and without selection all sorts ot persons, however criminal, illegitimate, or infamous; which differs in nothing from the secular clergy in its dress, tonsure, &c., to which have been granted so many privileges and permissions, to the prejudice of the Ordinaries and the hierarchy of other Religious Orders, even of temporal princes and lords, moreover against the privileges of the Universities, and at a heavy charge to the people; this Society seems to wound the honour of the monastic state; weakens entirely the necessary exercise of virtue, in abstinence, ceremonies, austerity; facilitates the free abandonment of Religious Orders; withdraws from the obedience due to the Ordinaries; deprives the lords temporal or ecclesiastical of their rights, disturbs both classes, causes many subjects of complaint among the people, many lawsuits, contentions and divisions. Therefore, we, having examined all this and much else with great care and attention, find that this Society appears dangerous to the Faith, likely to trouble the peace of the Church, to overturn the monastic Orders, and rather to destroy than to strengthen."

The publication of this decision — which was at the same time a bitter indictment and from the highest ecclesiastical tribunal of France — was hailed as a victory by the coalition against the Society, with a discharge of artillery (so to speak) all along the line. From the pulpits, from the professional chairs, rolled salvoes of invective; printed diatribes flamed from the walls of the Sorbonne, rustled from hand to hand in the churches, were thrust under doors, lay about the streets of Paris. The Archbishop forbade Jesuit ministry in his diocese. To all this formidable and organised assault the Jesuits made no reply. Ignatius would not even take any measures against the Archbishop's breach of the privilege conferred on him by the Holy See. One church, the Abbey of St. Germain des Pres, was exempt frc.m archiepiscopal control. There, by favour of the Abbot, they quietly continued the work else interrupted. So, beneath the surface, Jesuitism spread and made no sign.

Meanwhile, the little Spanish colony which fled from Paris to Louvain before the edicts against Spaniards, pursued a successful propaganda in the Flemish town. 1 heir practices were copied by other students, and to most eloquent examj^le they added addresses and discourses. Impetuous Ribadeneira peculiarly distinguished himself; but study, austerity, and active evangelisation, told on a youth still in the Novitiate: he fell into moody melancholy, and began to falter in his vocation. The Superior of the little band, Domenech, therefore took Ribadeneira with him when he was summoned to Rome. The mere prospect of seeing Ignatius again brightened Pedro: but he needed all his energy in the hard and circuitous journey forced on them by the war. Favre, still at Mainz when they arrived thither, wxpt at the sight of the irrepressible boy, the beloved scapegrace of the Roman House; washed his bleeding feet, and gave him a small cloak when he persisted in struggling forward with Domenech after four days' rest. Through the mountains they came down to Venice and Lainez. By Ravenna and its pine-wood, loved by Shelley and Dante, Domenech fell sick, and their other companion, Delz, stayed with him; but Ribadeneira pushed on alone towards the Saint for whom his heart cried out — selling Favre's cloak for two lire in the market-place. At Ancona, Father Christobal de Mendoza sent him on his way with two larger coins. At Loreto Church he fainted away. Nevertheless he strove forward to Tolentino; and there Salmeron and Broet succoured him, so that he set forth again enheartened and in comparative affluence. Ignatius was vesting for Mass when there fell at his feet the wreck of Ribadeneira, unrecognisable by the friends of his Roman days. Nor was it long before the two companions, whom his eager haste had left behind, rejoined him at headquarters, Domenech recovered from his illness. Such was the manner in which these undauntable early Jesuits faced the horrors (as our comfortable day would account them) of a journey on foot through a Europe torn with wars, un traversed by railroad or even diligence.

Others of the Jesuits whom we have seen rooting the Society in France and Germany were converging on the Spanish Peninsula. The college at Alcala was founded by a recruit whom wc have not hitherto met, Francisco de Villanueva. Here was a type worth noting; for it was entirely different from the cultivated and scholarly men so familiar to us in the previous records of the nascent Society. Francisco was just an honest peasant, and the son of a peasant, with the intelligence and industry of a peasant, but no education. We must conceive the Spanish peasant of those days as another man from the slow " beefwitted " English rustic of our own day. So much so that his parish priest (near Plasencia) entrusted him with business in Rome. There he heard of the new Order, went through the "Exercises** with Salmeron, and was received into the Gesu. He was put in the kitchen, and afterwards given other cognate offices connected with the domestic administration of the house. For his failures in these capacities Ignatius penanced him, until the Father pleaded that he was asked to do more than man could accomplish. Ignatius only said: " Let him be; he has courage for anything/* and wished that, of the sixty Novices, he had twenty like the Spanish peasant. This man it was whom the Saint sent to start the Alcala College; thinking also, after his wont, that a return to his own country might subserve Francisco's health. Two ladies found lodging for him and his comrades, and helped them with alms — continuing the tradition of womanly aid long ago begun towards Ignatius himself by Isabel Roser and so many others. The erstwhile peasant soon brought people of consequence into the Society, and was held as spiritual master by the aristocracy of the city which in old days had driven forth Ignatius — Ignatius, who now returned in triumph through those members of the great Religious family since born to him. Yet, like the Founder, Villanueva at thirty-four was even now setting himself to school; studying grammar from borrowed books he was too poor to buy: an ignorant man, all unlike the brilliant associates who were making the Jesuit name ring through Europe. Even now this Rector of the College drudged in the kitchen; it was all, said he, for which he was of use. The Bishop of his own familiar Plasencia visited him, and asked that some one might take an ass to fetch water. The Rector's brother was just come, said the Rector, and was the very person to send, and sent the Rector's brother was.

Through one man he reformed the neighbouring convent — an Hicronymite convent — of Ten- dilla. This was a Pedro de Aragon, his friend, who was so affected bv the " Exercises," under Francisco's direction, that he would have his brethren go through them. They scorned to embrace new-fangled notions at the suggestion of a young Religious and a new Order. One alone consented, in a spirit of levity, and set forth towards Alcala " to trv some sorceries which the Inigistas practise.*' This Lay-brother was an old soldier, so testy that only the moneys he had given to the convent prevented his dismissal. The brethren laughed irresistibly at the subject Pedro had secured for his experiment; and when the testy ex-warrior saw the peasant Rector in his patched robe, he was for turning back forthwith. Villanueva soothed him in the amiable Ignatian fashion, and persuaded him to stay overnight. Next day he was so molHfied as to begin the "Exercises"; and the old soldier-noble (in brief) went back to his brethren a lamb, who had gone forth a lion. Confounded by such a result of the " sorceries which the Inigistas practise,*' they all agreed to try the marvel, and the " Exercises" worked their charm. The convent was reformed. But Alcala, which had expelled the Founder, did not without an effort against them submit to his disciples. The power of.Ortiz secured them for awhile, but on his death began invective and accusation. Villanueva appealed to the Rector of the University, who inspected the House, examined the Rules, and (in 1548) appointed a Commission of Inquiry. It was a hostile Commission of three; but nevertheless ended by clearing the Society, and this was the end of the attack. One doctor, Casa, who persisted, was dismayed into silence and retractation by threat of the Inquisition: and thus the tribunal so often used against the Jesuits at last was turned against their foes. That is perhaps the most significant sign of the change which was coming over their position.

From Germany, meanwhile, came Favre, untired by conflict with Reformers and Catholics more disheartening than Reformers. Strada, also, landed at Corunna with his party destined for the College of Coimbra. A curious result of his landing was this — that a great haul of sardines being simultaneously secured, the sardine-fishing became traditionally supposed to be under the protection of the Society. Strada's preaching gained a recruit in the person of a Canon of the Cathedral, Juan Beira (afterwards missionary in India), who went on with them to Coimbra. They found that Rodriguez's work had prospered abundantly in the College; and many novices destined to eminence entered after their arrival. Favre arrived at Lisbon, having (as we have seen) been invited by the King of Portugal. He met the King at Evora, was favourably received, and was joined by Araoz. Araoz had aroused extraordinary enthusiasm at Valencia on his way, and had been asked to found a college; but its founding was reserved for Domenech in the following year. Favre and Araoz set forth on their journey towards Castile, where Favre was due to meet the young Philip of Spain and his bride, Maria, the daughter of the Portuguese King. They preached at Salamanca, promised to found there a Jesuit house, and passed on to Valladolid. There Philip and his bride (who died a few months later) awaited them; and Philip was quick to extend his patronage to the Society. Following his example, the Marquis of Tavora, the Archbishop of Toledo, and other bishops promised their protection. Leonora Mascarenhas, governess of the royal child, of old a friend of Favre, now aided him to start a fesuit house at Valladolid; and ultimately both house and college were completed by the help of many iubscribers. The completion of yet another work remained for Favre before he ended his career. Francis Borgia, who had succeeded his father as Duke of Gandia, was laying the stone of a college for the Society, and Favre was deputed to represent Ignatius. The two men met again for the last time. Borgia's wife, the beloved Leonora, was dead, and he was now free, and resolved to leave the world. He wished to consult Favre concerning the Order he should enter. The third time he went through the " Exercises " with Favre, and decided. He said farewell — for ever as it proved — to his guide, and gave him a message for Ignatius that he hoped soon to be numbered among his children. It was Favre's crowning achievement. Paul III. ordered him to accompany Lainez and Salmeron to Trent. But before the Council began, Favre had been summoned to the Council of Christ.

He had promised a house at Salamanca, and Ignatius himself was petitioned to found there a college. For this purpose he sent Miguel de Torres and two companions. Torres, an old Rector of the University of Alcala, had been a persistent enemy of the Society, and had finally been converted by an interview to which he was reluctantly persuaded with Ignatius. Beginning in poverty, Torres and his comrades ended by success; and with success came an enemy more irreconcilable than Torres himself had been. This enemy arose in the Order of St. Dominic. Melchior Cano, a celebrated preacher and writer, one of whose works is still used, inveighed against the Society with the fervour of conviction. The Jesuits, he declared^ were heretics, visionaries, worse than the

Reformers, foreshadowers of Antichrist, with all the terrible denunciations in which the sixteenth century was inexhaustibly fertile. In vain Torres pleaded the Papal approbation, the appointment of Lainez and Salmeron as Papal theologians at Trent, of Xavier as Nuncio in the Indies. In vain even the Dominican General declared for the Society. The Jesuits tried to get rid of Cano by procuring him a bishopric in the Canaries. But Cano would not go to the Canaries. He remained to be a gadfly to the Society. His General might call the Jesuits " our comrades in arms, who have the same objects as ourselves.'' Cano to the last held impenitently another view. " I wish," said he, in a letter, " that I may not have the fate of Cassandra.... If these Religious Orders go on as they have begun, God forbid that a time should come when kings shall wish to withstand them and find it impossible." In which, truly, he shot near enough to the maik — in the letter, if not in the spirit. As the " Monita Secreta " represent the unscrupulous and malignant side of the agelong assault on the Society, so Cano exemplifies that convinced hostility of honourable men, culminating in Pascal and the " Provincial Letters,'' which is the portion sharpest to be borne of the bitter legacy imprecated by Ignatius for his children. And under this virulent watering, as always, the Salamanca College prospered and attained good repute.

In the spring of 1546 (when Ignatius was now fifty-five), Domenech inaugurated yet another college at Bologna. In that same year died Luther, and the leader of the Jesuit forlorn hope on Lutheran Germany. Favre, leaving Borgia at

Gandia, reached Barcelona fever-stricken. Hearing this, Ignatius respited his summons to Rome. Some warned him that the journey would be fatal in his feeble state. But he was nominated Papal theologian for Trent: other of his brethren advised departure, and he took the deadly counsel. " Need is to obey, but not to live," he said; and the saying spoke his character and his Order*s. It might have come from the mouth of a Japanese general, heir of the Samurais. Ignatius welcomed him with tears, but, after a brief rally in the joy of the reunion at Santa Maria della Strada, he sank again and passed away. If he had the Japanese self-devotion, he had nothing of Japanese relcntlessness. Love was his guide. " Give me the good spirit! " was his ejaculation in prayer: and he had special affection for the ministering angels, whose work he emulated on earth. He had invoked the Guardian Angel of each town he entered, of each person he addressed in talk, that the tutelary spirit might guide him to the fit word. In him died Ignatius's proper successor, full of work if not of years.