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463. Nullibi clarius quae sit vis spiritualium exercitiorum quam hoc tempore Compluti elucebat. Cum enim nullus ibi concionator sed nec confessarius de nostra Societate esset, hac ratione spiritualium exercitiorum et familiarium colloquiorum paulatim spiritualis fructus augebatur, et vix hi spiritualia Exercitia absolvebant, cum illi in eorum locum succedere nitebantur. Inter alios etiam ipse Gubernator, ut exercitiis excoleretur, se omnino alias occupationes velle relinquere affirmabat. Nec solum ipse Franciscus de Villanova, sed etiam Emmanuel Lopez, dum studiis dabat operam, cum spirituali fructu non poenitendo Exercitia spiritualia quibusdam tradebat. Eorum, qui hac ratione multum profecerant, unus erat Doctor Hieronymus de Vergara, vir magnae auctoritatis et eruditionis, nec minoris pietatis, qui vocari quidem se ad institutum Societatis suspicabatur, cum ejus animus ad eam esset valde propensus; sed partim quod ad conchensis ecclesiae cathedralis canonicatum promotus esset, partim quod bonis suis, quae fere in ecclesiasticis reditibus consistebant, Collegium Societatis inchoare et pro virili dotare constituerat, hunc ingressum distulit, et quidem tamdiu ut deinde, senio accedente , parum jam idoneus ad nostri instituti labores effectus est. Is hoc ipso anno procuratorias litteras Romam ad P. Ignatium misit, ut aliqui ecclesiastici reditus Collegio Societatis Complutensi unirentur; et sub anni ejusdem linem domum illam emit Societati, in qua Collegium nostrum erectum est; quamvis aliis adjunctis domibus auctum postea fuerit.
463. The power of the Spiritual Exercises shone nowhere clearer than it did at this time in Alcalá. For since there was no preacher there nor confessor of our Society, by reason of the Spiritual Exercises and of friendly conversations gradually the spiritual fruit increased, and scarcely had one group finished the Exercises when another group wanted to take their place. Among others, also the Governor, in order to make the Exercises, said that he wanted to completely set aside his other occupations. Not only Francis de Villanova himself, but also Emmanuel Lopez, while he was busy studying, gave the Spiritual Exercises to certain persons with great spiritual fruit. Of those who in this way made much progress, one was Dr. Jerome de Vergara, [1. Verbis Hieronymus de Vergara non deletis, superposita sunt aliena manu, et recte quidem, haec : Alphonsus Ramirez de Vergara.
Without erasing the words, Jerome de Vergara, written over them by someone else, and correctly, are these: Alphonse Ramires de Vergara.] a man of great authority and erudition, and also of piety, who suspected that he was being called to the Institute of the Society, since his mind was so disposed towards it. But partly because he had been promoted to the canonship of the cathedral in Cuenca, partly because with his money, which consisted for the most part of ecclesiastical benefices, he had decided to start a College of the Society and to endow it heavily, his entrance was delayed. This went on for some time, and then because of his advanced age, he became less suitable for the labors of our Institute. During this year he sent a procuratory letter to Fr. Ignatius in Rome, so that some ecclesiastical incomes could be applied to the College of the Society in Alcalá; and at the end of the same year he bought a house for the Society, in which our College was established, although later it was increased in size by other adjoining houses. [2. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, ut Franciscum de Villanova reprehendat et puniat, et de eodem Villanova et Emmanuele Lopez ad sacros ordines promovendis, 13 Septembris ; idem Francisco de Villanova, de ejus resipiscentia et poenitentia, ineunte Octobri ; Ignatius Doctori Vergara, de beneficiorum unione, de operario in Conchensem civitatem mittendo, de casu conscientiae, eodem tempore, anno 49. — Publica instrumenta fundationis, erectionis et dotationis Collegii Complutensis Societatis Jesu.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, that he reprehend and punish Francis de Villanova, and on promoting the same Villanova and Emmanuel Lopez to Holy Orders, September 13; the same to Francis de Villanova, on his reformation and penance, at the beginning of October; Ignatius to Dr. Vergara, on the union of benefices, on sending a worker to the city of Cuenca, on a case of conscience, at the same time in 1549.Public documents on the founding, erection and endowment of the College of the Society of Jesus in Alcalá.]
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464. Quidem Societatis amicus, qui Doctor Ludovicus Gomez dicebatur, Ducissae del Infantazgo id optanti, promisit nomine Francisci de Villanova quod ipsam invisurus esset; quod statim ac Villanova intellexit, ut Ludovici fidem liberaret, Guadalaxaram se contulit, ubi de rebus spiritualibus cum eadem Ducissa aliquoties et magna ipsius consolatione egit; eidem etiam Ludovico spiritualia Exercitia primae hebdomadae tradidit decem illis diebus, quibus Guadalaxarae commoratus est, et cum magna fame reliquorum eum reliquit; cum aliis etiam ibidem non sine fructu versatus est, et praecipue cum nobili quodam Didaco Lopez de Orozco, quem Dux et illi nobiles ut patrem habebant, quod aetas, doctrina et virtus magnam ei auctoritatem apud eos conciliaret. Hic vir prudens tam intime Societatis institutum penetravit, idque ita ejus animo sedit, ut quodammodo alia de re quam de Societate non loqueretur. Et non sine utilitate id fiebat; conciones enim illius religiosi, de quo paulo superius mentio facta est, et aliorum ejusdem Ordinis praedicatorum, sic Societatem nostram in Hispania tunc nascentem suggillabant, non quidem jam Compluti (cum enim id tentassent et aliquoties in Societatem invecti essent, nostris tacentibus, Dominus per alios de eadem Universitate, etiam nostris ignotos, eos reprehendebat et coercebat), sed per alia loca suis concionibus suspiciones et timores contra Societatem spargebant, adeo ut multi ne loqui quidem de Societate auderent, nedum nostris conversari.
464. A friend of the Society, Dr. Luis Gomez, at the request of Duchess del Infantazgo, promised in the name of Francis de Villanova that he would visit her. As soon as Villanova learned about this, in order to free Luis from his promise, he went to Gaudalajara, where he spoke with the Duchess several times about spiritual things and with great consolation for her. He also gave the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises to the same Luis during the ten days he was staying in Guadalajara. He dealt there also with others not without some fruit, especially with a nobleman named Didacus Lopez de Orozco. The Duke and nobles looked upon him as their father, because his age, doctrine and virtue merited great authority for him among them. This prudent man had grasped the nature and entered into the Institute of the Society so intimately, and it was so planted in his soul, that he spoke almost about nothing else but the Society. And he did that not without some advantage; for, the sermons of that religious, who was mentioned above, and of other preachers of the same Order, so insulted our Society, just beginning then in Spain, but not yet in Alcalá (for since they had attempted it and had attacked the Society several times, while ours remained silent, the Lord through others of the University, even without the knowledge of ours, reprehended and stopped them), but by their sermons they spread suspicions and fears in other places regarding our Society, so that many people did not dare to speak about the Society, much less to converse with ours. [3. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Francisco de Villanova , consolatoriae litterae, sub finem Januarii; idem eidem, quid praestandum ne alio nomine quam Societatis Jesu appellentur , eadem die; idem Patri Araoz, de mittendo Strada ad tempus Guadalaxaram, mensa Decembri 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Francis de Villanova, a consoling letter at the end of January; the same to the same, on what should be done lest they should be called by any other name than The Society of Jesus, on the same day; the same to Fr. Araoz, on sending Strada for a time to Gaudalajara, in December 1549.]
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465. Scripsit hoc tempore P. Ignatius magistro Joanni de Avila, de quo superius sermo factus est, et de ejus benevolentia ac pietatis operibus erga Societatem ei gratias egit, et cura data est Francisco de Villanova, ut Cordubam ad eum invisendum se conferret. Qui, quamvis id temporis tribus Exercitia proponeret, et septem vel octo alios, quorum unus Theologiae Doctor, alii in Philosophia magistri, ad eadem Exercitia peragenda paratos haberet, hoc iter suscepit. Et amantissime a Joanne Avila susceptus, de rebus nostrae Societatis quaedam ei explicavit; licet enim in universum Societatem Joannes diligeret, de ea tamen pauca intellexerat; immo dictum ei fuerat in Exercitiis spiritualibus ad vota emittenda homines adstringi, etc.; at, ubi intellexit peculiari regula id prohiberi, magna consolatione affectus est, et operam suam omnem et vires ad conservationem et augmentum Societatis se collaturum affirmabat , ac se dolere quod aetate et morbis plurimis enervatus non posset Societati se ipsum utiliter adjungere; ac suum discipulum, Doctorem Gasparem, de quo superiori anno scriptum est, ubi cursum theologicum hoc anno absolvisset in civitate Xerez, ad Societatem missurum se recepit. Rescripsit etiam magister Joannes de Avila officiosas et pias admodum litteras Patri Ignatio, gratias agens Deo, sapientiae fonti, quod ab ipsa institutione Societatis opus Dei eam esse, et quidem magnae misericordiae tam erga eos, qui in eamdem admitterentur quam erga alios, qui per eam juvarentur, intellexisset. Suggessit etiam opportunum sibi videri si a Sede Apostolica remedium aliquod (conservatoriam vulgo vocant) contra eos, qui operi Dei se opponunt adhiberetur; aliquem etiam ex primis Societatis Patribus in Hispaniam mitti postulabat, quamvis eos, qui in eadem Deo inserviebant, commendaret.
465. At this time Fr. Ignatius wrote to Master John de Avila, who was mentioned above, and he thanked him for his benevolence and help for the Society, and he directed that Francis de Villanova should go to Cordova to visit him. Although then the latter was giving the Exercises to three men, and he had seven or eight other persons ready to make the Exercises, of whom one was a doctor of Theology and the others teachers of Philosophy, still he undertook the journey. And having been received very kindly by John Avila, he explained certain things to him about our Society. For, although in general John loved the Society, still he knew very little about it; indeed, he had been told in the Spiritual Exercises that people are required to take vows, etc.; but, when he understood that was forbidden by a special rule, he was filled with great consolation, and he said that he would dedicate all his effort and strength to the preservation and increase of the Society, and that he regretted that, having been weakened by his age and many illnesses, he could not join the Society as a useful member. He also said he would send his disciple to the Society, Dr. Gaspar, about whom we wrote in the previous year, when he finished this year his course in theology in the city of Jerez. Master John de Avila wrote a respectful and very pious letter to Fr. Ignatius, giving thanks to God, the font of wisdom, that from the institution of the Society it has been a work of God, and also of great mercy to those who are admitted into it and to those who are assisted by it. He also added that it seemed to him to be opportune if some remedy were used by the Apostolic See (generally they call it a Conservatory) against those who are opposed to the work of God; and he requested that one of the first Fathers of the Society be sent to Spain, although he commended those who were serving God there already. [4. Ignatius Joanni Avilae, 24 Januarii; Joannis Avilae ad Ignatium responsum (Vide Historia de la provincia de Andalucia, de la Compañía de Jesùs, por el P. JUAN DE SANTIVÁÑEZ, mss.). Palancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de Ig-natii litteris ad Joannem de Avila per Ducem Gandiae missis, eadem die 49.
Ignatius to John Avila, January 24; the response of John Avila to Ignatius (See Historia de la provincia, de la Compañia de Jesus, by Fr. Juan de Santivañez, mss.). Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, on the letter of Ignatius sent to John de Avila through the Duke of Gandia, on the same day in 1549.]
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466. Rediens Complutum Villanova paratam invenit messem quam, pro more suo, in horrea Domini congregaret, et Toleti Societatem expeti, et domum ac reditus ei a multis nobilibus offerri; aliqui etiam Societatem ingressi sunt, quorum alii, quoniam propter domum exiguam et paupertatem eius Compluti admitti non poterant, Valentiam et Gandiam missi sunt.
466. Upon returning to Alcalá, Villanova found a ripe harvest, and in his usual way he gathered it into the storehouse of the Lord; he also found that the Society was desired in Toledo, and that a house and revenue was being offered to him by many nobles. Some men also entered the Society, but some of them could not be admitted in Alcalá because of the small house and its poverty, so they were sent to Valencia and Gandia. [5. Polancus, ex commissione, Francisco de Villanova, de beneficiis Ludovici Gomez Complutensi Collegio applicandis, mense Junio; idem Patri Araoz, de Collegus Toletano, Hispalensi, Astensi quid oporteat spondere, de unione beneficiorum, ineunte Octobri 49. — Historicae et Complutenses quadrimestres; VALDIVIA, Historia de los Colegios de Castilla, mss.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Francis de Villanova, on the benefices of Luis Gomez given to the College in Alcalá, in the month of June; the same to Fr. Araoz, on what promises should be made for the Colleges in Toledo, Seville and Asti, in the union of benefices, the beginning of October 1549.Historical and quarterly letters concerning Alcalá; Valdivia, Historia de los Colegios de Castilla, mss.]
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467. Defunctus est Compluti quidam nostrae Societatis religiosus, Petrus de Sylva nomine, qui unicus erat inter nostros Compluti degentes sacerdos; et tanta erat nostrorum paupertas ut ornamenta, quibus illum induerent (sunt autem ea exigui admodum pretii, quibus defuncti sacerdotes vestiuntur communiter), non haberent. Sed quidam Ordinis Sancti Francisci religiosus, qui charitatem fratrum nostrorum inter se (cum forte illis adesset) mirabatur, nemine ab eo id petente, tam ornamenta quam reliqua ad sepulturam necessaria sponte providit; ubi id observatum est quod, cum fuerit defunctus ille magna devotione erga Sanctum Franciscum affectus, ipse per illum monachum suum quae necessaria erant ad sepulturae commoditatem et decentiam providit.
467. One religious of our Society died at Alcalá, Peter de Sylva, who was the only priest among ours living in Alcalá; and the poverty of ours was so great that they did not have the vestments to clothe him with (and the price is very small for the vestments commonly used in the burial of a priest). But a certain religious of the Order of St. Francis, who admired the charity of our brothers for each other (when at times he was with them), without anyone asking him, voluntarily provided both the vestment and the other things necessary for the burial. Then it was observed that the dead priest had a great devotion for St. Francis, and that he, through one of his own monks, provided the things necessary for a fitting and decent burial.
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468. . Fuit autem admiranda Dei providentia erga illud Collegium Complutense in eo, quod jam subdam. Sacerdos quidam, cognomento Borassa, Franciscum de Villanova adiit ut in nostram Societatem admitteretur, et duos annos id sollicite curavit; et cum vir doctus, et honoratus, et sanctus a multis crederetur, cumque offerret ad suas expensas singulis annis quantum satis esset ut nostrorum paupertatem non gravaret, eum tamen Villanova nunquam admisit, cum in aliis religionibus ut apud se maneret rogarent. Cur autem Villanova eum non admitteret, ratio nulla movebat, sed interior quaedam aversio voluntatis et spiritus segregatio (ut ejus utar verbis) ab eo. Et vere a spiritu Dei motus est ne illum admitteret; non enim in veritate ambulabat nec in simplicitate cordis. immo in abominandis peccatis sub hypocrisi erat immersus, et suorum flagitiorum velamen nostra in Societate quaerebat. Multarum mulierum confessiones audiebat; et partim fraudibus, partim vi (adhibebat enim quaedam instrumenta ex cordis confecta) mulieres invitas tenebat ac violabat. Hic ergo cum admissus non luisset, nihilominus se de Societate esse mentiebatur, quae res non parum Societatis bonum nomen laedere potuisset, si mature non esset prospectum. Cum igitur Franciscus de Villanova hujus hominis peccata, etiam cum virginibus quibusdam in ecclesiis perpetrata, intellexisset, et quod se de Societate esse venditabat, secreta quadam diligentia curavit ut in manus Sanctae Inquisitionis deveniret; ubi captus inaudita facinora confessus est. Curavit tunc Pater Villanova ut fide publica illius tribunalis constaret quod nunquam in Societatem fuisset admissus; et pro miraculo habitum est a multis quod Dei providentia eum admitti non permisisset; nam gravem illi notam inussisset. Inde occasione sumpta, aliqui amici sentiebant habitum aliquem peculiarem a Societate esse assumendum, quo nostri a saecularibus clericis discernerentur; sed alii, qui penitius res inspiciebant, nihil magis probabant quam nullo signo externi habitus, sed vitae exemplo, nostros discerni; et horum sententiam Villanova, qui magno Dei spiritu dotatus fuit, sequebatur.
468. Now there was an astonishing providence of God towards that College in Alcalá in the matter I will now report. A certain priest, whose name was Borassa, [6. Melius et communius Barrasa.
Better and more common it is written as Barrasa] approached Francis de Villanova in order that he might be admitted to our Society, and this continued for two years. And since he was a learned and honored man, believed to be a holy many by many, and since he offered at his own expense each year enough help to alleviate the poverty of ours, nevertheless Villanova never admitted him, since he had already been rejected by other religious orders. But exactly why Villanova would not accept him, there seemed to be no clear reason, but only a certain aversion of will from him and difference of spirit (to use his words). And truly he was moved by the Spirit of God not to admit him; for, the man did not walk in the truth nor in simplicity of heart, and in fact he was immersed in abominable sins in a hypocritical way, and he sought a cover for his crimes in our Society. He heard the confessions of many women; and partly by deceit, partly by force (for he used an instrument made out of rope), he held and violated women against their will. Therefore, when he was not admitted to the Society, nevertheless he lied by saying he belonged to the Society, which could have seriously damaged the good name of the Society, if it had not been discovered early. Therefore, when Francis de Villanova learned about the sins of this man, even perpetrated with virgins in the churches, and that he claimed to be a member of the Society, with great care he saw to it that the man fell into the hands of the holy Inquisition. After he was seized he admitted his unheard of crimes. Then Fr. Villanova arranged that in a public trial it would be made known that he had never been admitted to the Society. And it was considered by many to be a miracle that the providence of God had allowed that he was not admitted; for he would have inflicted grave harm on her. Because of this event, some friends thought that the Society should adopt its own special habit by which ours could be distinguished from the secular clergy; but others, who understood the matter better, desired nothing more than that ours should be recognized not by the sign of an external habit, but by the example of their life; and Villanova, who was graced with the spirit of God, followed the latter opinion. [7. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz ut infamiam a Societate avertere satagat ex causa Barrasae provenientem, 13 Septembris; idem eidem, de signo aliquo externo an adhibendus sit, quo nostri a saecularibus sacerdotibus distinguantur, mense Decembris 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz that he take measure to avert infamy from the Society arising from the case of Barrasa, September 18; the same to the same, on whether some external sign should be used to distinguish ours from the secular priests, in the month of December 1549.]
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469. Ultimis hujus anni mensibus Complutum venit Pater Franciscus Strada. Quamvis enim sub medium Septembrem Vallisoletum venerat, a Provinciali Palentiam missus est, quod ea civitas diu multumque ejus adventum optasset. Octo diebus ibi versatus est, et totidem conciones habuit, duas in cathedrali ecclesia, reliquas in monasteriis; et tantopere Dominus civitatem illam commovit ut in Senatu egerint de ineunda ratione eum retinendi, aut, si id non obtinere possent, aliquos de nostra Societate obtinendi. De re eadem capitulum ejus ecclesiae et de domo nostrae Societati instituenda egit. Effecit tamen operariorum penuria ut eorum desideria ad effectum optatum non pervenirent. Duos reliquit portionarios in ea ecclesia cathedrali, qui Societatem ingredi decreverant, et alium sacerdotem, qui consiliorum viam sequi statuerat, brevi ad Provincialem venturus ut res suas cum eo conferret; sed et alii non pauci inspirationes Domini bonas se hausisse significarunt; et ex canonicis quidam recedentem comitatus est usque ad oppidum, Duegnas nomine, duas leucas Palentia distans, quod Patris Strada patria erat, et in itinere sic fuit accensus, ut decreverit Vallisoletum ad Exercitia se conferre.
469. In the last months of this year Fr. Francis Strada went to Alcalá. For although in the middle of September he had gone to Valladolid, he was sent by the Provincial to Palencia, because that city for a long time had very much desired his arrival. He stayed there for eight days, and each day he preached sermons, two in the cathedral and the rest in convents; and the Lord so moved the city that in the Senate they discussed about how to keep him there, or, if that was not possible, how to obtain other members of our Society. The chapter of the church dealt with the same matter and also about how to establish a house of our Society. But a lack of manpower brought it about that their desires could not be put into effect. He left behind in the cathedral two artisans who said they wanted to enter the Society, and another priest, who had decided to live a life of the counsels, and whom he was soon going to send to the Provincial to discuss his situation with him. But not a few others said that they had received good inspirations from the Lord. And one of the canons accompanied him as he was walking to a town called Duegnas, only two miles from Placencia, which was the homeland of Fr. Strada, and on the journey he was so set on fire that he decided to go to Valladolid to make the Exercises.
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470. Complutum deinde se Strada contulit, et coepit in templo Sancti lldephonsi concionari; est autem ea ecclesia Universitatis; et perdoctum et valde frequens habuit auditorium, cui conciones ejus tam gratae esse coeperunt tamque eorum animos permovere, ut fructus non vulgaris statim sperari merito coeperit. Qui ibidem fratres nostri erant, studia interim sua prosequebantur.
470. Then Strada went to Alcalá, and he began to preach in the church of St. Ildephonsus. That is the church of the University; it has a learned and very large audience, and his sermons began to be so pleasing to them and so to move their hearts that immediately and rightly he began to hope for excellent results. Our brothers were also present there, while in the meantime they were pursuing their studies.
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471. Egressus fuerat Compluto P. Christophorus de Mendoza ut in quibusdam locis, ubi Doctor Hieronymus de Vergara parochialia habebat beneficia, fructum aliquem spiritualem caperet. Ibi concionabatur et Christianam doctrinam rudes illos populos edocebat; cum autem multi ad poenitentiam moverentur, quamvis res esset insolita saepius quam semel in anno peccata confiteri, magna tamen populi pars eidem est confessa; et cum inde recessit, qui reliqui erant, ut rediret ad eos audiendos rogarunt. Non defecit ei initio patientiae occasio; nam per octo dies stramina tantum pro lecto habuit, ubi frigus hyemale somnum etiam adimebat; sed cum id fuisset a quibusdam intellectum, sollicite omnia necessaria ei providerunt. Non poenitendum fructum ex illo pago (quem Millorum vocant) collegit; fuerunt enim qui plurimorum annorum peccata, quae nunquam confessi fuerant, salubriter sunt confessi, erat etiam catechismus pernecessarius, quem plurimi ignorabant, sed recte in eo instructi fere omnes relicti sunt. Per domos, etiam noctu, ad eos docendos initio discurrebat, qui interdiu cum suis gregibus in pascuis aderant; sed postea eo simul in unum locum congregatos, noctu tamen, docere decrevit, et filios instruxit ut post coenam cum suis parentibus Christianam doctrinam recitarent. Cuidam etiam sacerdoti spirituals Exercitia tradidit. Doctor Vergara suis litteris testatur quod ejus opera multum illius loci homines profecissent et in quadragesima eum habere concionatorem optabant; sed ad locum alium existimavit potius esse mittendum, qui Villanova Scutariorum dicebatur, non tamen prius Villora recessit quam omnes mulieres id petentes sancto sacramento Poenitentiae et Eucharistiae refecisset. Villanovae autem eadem ministeria praestitit, quotidie concionibus et confessionibus occupatus; et a vicino etiam loco ut in festis, a prandio saltem, concionaretur rogatus est.
471. Fr. Christopher de Mendoza had departed from Alcalá so that he might reap some spiritual fruit in certain places, where Dr. Jerome de Vergara had parochial benefices. There he preached and taught Christian doctrine to the uneducated people. But when many were moved to go to confession, although it was something unusual to confess sins oftener than once a year, still a large part of the people made their confessions to him. And when he was ready to depart from there, those who were left asked him to return so he could hear their confessions. At the beginning, the occasion for patience was not lacking for him; for, he had only some straw for a bed for eight days, and the winter cold prevented him from sleeping; but when some of the people learned about this, they solicitously provided him with everything necessary. He gathered considerable fruit from that village (which they call Millora [8. Voci Milloram non deletae superscripta est haec: Villora; et bene. Est enim Villora locus in provincia et dioecesi Conchensi, ubi beneficiüm possidebat Vergara.
Over the word Millora, without deleting it, was written this: Villora; and correctly so. For Villora is a place in the province and diocese Cuenca, where Vergara had a benefice.).] For there were those who made a good confession, who had not confessed their sins for many years. Catechism was also very necessary, which many of the people had no knowledge of, but when he left almost all were well instructed in it. In the beginning he went around visiting the homes, even at night, in order to teach them, since during the day they were away in the fields with their flocks; but afterwards he decided to gather them all together in one place, but in the evening, to teach them, and he instructed the sons so that after dinner they could recite their Christian teaching to their parents. He also gave the Spiritual Exercises to a priest. Dr. Vergara wrote in his letter that, because of his ministry, the people of that place made much progress, and they wanted to have him as their preacher during Lent; but he thought that he should be sent rather to another place, which is called Villanova Scutariorum [9. Hispanice Villanueva de los Escuderos, provinciae et dioecesis Conchensis.
In Spanish it is Villanueva de los Escuderos, in the province and diocese of Cuenca.]; however, he did not depart from Villora before he had helped all the women seeking help with the holy sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. But he offered the same ministries in Villanova, being occupied daily with sermons and confessions; and he was also asked by a neighboring town to preach on feast days, at least after lunch. [10. Beneficiorum quamdam notitiam, quae possidebat Doctor Vergara et Complutensi Collegio adnecti curavit, invenies in libello, cui titulus Synopsis Actorum Sanctae Sedis in causa Societatis Jesu, Florentiae, 1887, et in publicis instrumentis fundationis, erectionis et dotationis Collegii Complutensis ejusdem Societatis.
The notice of a benefice, which Dr. Vergara possessed and gave to the College in Alcalá, you will find in the book whose title is Synopsis Actorum Sanctae Sedis in causa Societatis Jesu, Florence, 1887, and in the official documents of the foundation, erection and endowment of the College in Alcalá of the same Society.]
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472. Ex his locis post Pascha Hispalim ex obedientia se contulit, ubi de reditibus quibusdam suis ecclesiasticis egit, qui postea ad partem dotationis Collegii Hispalensis fuerunt applicati; et ad inchoandum idem Collegium aliquos jam tunc postulabat. Differenda tamen fuit adhuc illius Collegii institutio, sicut et aliorum, quae compluribus in locis expetebantur. Immo magister Joannes de Avila (de quo superius est actum) Collegium quoddam, in quo omnes scientiae praelegebantur in civitate Baeza, Societati dare cogitabat (auctor enim ipsius ille fuerat) et aliud in civitate Xerez; neutrum tamen admissum est. Erat Xerez patria Christophori de Mendoza, et ibidem condonari cum multorum satisfactione aggressus est, et magistrum Gasparem Lopez, qui suorum in theologica lectione discipulorum commoditatibus spiritualibus serviebat, et eorum aliquos ad Societatem adducere sperabat, et animavit et consolatus est.
472. From these places after Easter out of obedience he went to Seville, where he dealt with some ecclesiastical revenues, which afterwards were applied to part of the endowment of the College in Seville; and even then he requested that some persons begin the same College. But the establishment of that College still had to be delayed, just like that of others, which were longed for in many places. Indeed Master John de Avila (who was mentioned above) thought about giving a College in the city of Baeza to the Society in which all the sciences were taught (for he was the founder of it) and another one in the city of Xerez; however, neither was accepted. Xerez was the fatherland of Christopher de Mendoza, and there he began to preach with much success, and he animated and consoled Master Gaspar Lopez, who served with spiritual assistance in the theological reading of his disciples, and hoped to bring some of them to the Society. [11. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Christophoro de Mendoza, de subsidio ad aedificationem romani templi misso, 18 Januarii; idem Patri Araoz, de mittendo in patriara. Christophoro de Mendoza, sub finem Januarii; idem Christophoro de Mendoza, de eleemosyna a Gomez Hurtado facta Societatis domui romanae, 13 Februarii ; idem Gaspan Lopez, de Joanne de Avila , de iis qui Granatae Societatem expetunt , solaminis verba, eadem die; Ignatius Christophoro de Mendoza, eum Romam invitans ut veniat, ineunte Maio; eidem Polancus, de Gomez Hurtado et Sevillano, de Cardinali Carpensi, de beneficii resignatione, de Collegio in urbe Astensi erigendo, de ipsius Christophori profectione Romam, mense Julio ; idem eidem , de Augustino Cabeza de Vaca Romam secum adferendo aut mittendo, 13 Septembris; Ignatius Domino Gomez Hurtado, de ejus leviro Augustino Cabeza de Vaca, et de Strada Hispalim ad tempus mittendo , eadem die 49. — SANTIVÁÑEZ, Historia supra citata.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Christopher de Mendoza, on the help sent for the building of a Roman church, January 18; the same to Fr. Araoz, on sending Christopher de Mendoza to his fatherland, at the end of January; the same to Christopher de Mendoza, on the alms given by Gomez Hurtado to the Roman house of the Society, February 13; the same to Gaspar Lopez, on John de Avila, on those who are desiring the Society in Granada, words of comfort, on the same day; Ignatius to Christopher de Mendoza, inviting him to come to Rome, at the beginning of May; Polanco to the same, on Gomez Hurtado and Sevillano, on Cardinal Carpensi, on rejecting a benefice, on establishing a College in the city of Asti, on the departure of Christopher for Rome, in the month of July; the same to the same, on bringing with him to Rome or sending Augustine Cabeza de Vaca, September 13; Ignatius to Lord Gomez Hurtado, on his brother-in-law Augustine Cabeza de Vaca, and on sending Strada to Seville for a time, September 13, 1549.Santivañez, Historia, cited above.]
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473. Interim nostri, qui Vallisoleti versabantur, in pietatis operibus sub Patre Mendez se exercebant; et Senatu id magnis precibus contendente, cujusdam monasterii, quod sub nomine poenitentiae institutum et a nostris in rebus spiritualibus promotum fuerat, ad tempus aliquod, dum pastor earum quaereretur, ejus curam suscepere. Hoc tamen, quod lacrymae religiosarum illarum a Villa extorserunt, non multum duravit; brevi enim ea cura in alios rejecta est, quoniam nostro instituto minime congruebat; sed cum illae religiose admodum etiam prius vixissent, eo tamen tempore, quo earum habita est a nostris cura, tantum profecerunt, ut nunquam satis Deo gratias de hoc beneficio agere possent. Multae etiam personae nobiles utriusque sexus confessionis gratia ad nostros confluebant, et tam domi quam aliis in locis multa ad Dei gloriam et animarum profectum per eos agebantur.
473. In the meantime, Ours who were in Valladolid, were occupied with pious works under Father Méndez; and at the insistent request of the Senate, they took care of a certain monastery, which under the name of an institute of penance had been helped by Ours in spiritual matters, until a pastor for it could be found. This situation, however, which the tears of the nuns had extorted from Villa, did not last very long; for, in a short space of time, its care was turned over to others, since such care is in no way in accord with our Institute. But since those nuns were living very religiously even before, nevertheless during the time when they were under the care of Ours, they made such progress spiritually that they could never thank God sufficiently for this benefit. Moreover, many noble persons of both sexes flocked to Ours to go to confession, and both at home and in other places they were motivated by Ours to promote the glory of God and the progress of souls.[12. Ignatius Domino Ferdinando de Vega, 18 Januarii ; idem eadem die Consilio civium Vallisoleti; idem ejusdem Consilii Praesidi; Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Mendez, de mulierum cura non suscipienda, de conversarum confessionibus, de litteris et sociis Romam mittendis, sub finem Julii 49. — Patris Araoz litterae ad Ignatium. –VALDIVIA, Historia de los Colegios de Castilla.
Ignatius to Ferdinand de Vega, January 18; the same, on the same day to the Council of the city of Valladolid; the same, to the President of the same Council; Polanco, ex commissione, to Father Mendez, on not accepting the care of women, on the confessions of the converted, on sending letters and companions to Rome, at the end of July 1549. — Letter of Father Araoz to Ignatius.Valdivia, Historia de los Colegios de Castilla.]
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474. Sed Joannes de Valderrabano, Vallisoleto in Gallaeciam missus, in dioecesi Mindoniensi egregiam operam navabat, et cum ejus Episcopus ab uno loco in alium eum transferebat, lacrymis et suspiriis eum incolae prosequebantur, nunquam se usque ad ejus conciones auditas et catechismi lectiones doctrinam salutis audivisse, et quod tunc oculos aperire incipiebant testabantur. Nec parvi id faciendum est, cum ea fuerit illius provinciae conditio, quae valde inculta et ab institutione Christiana et rerum spiritualium gustu remota esset. Nondum erat sacerdos, non enim nisi in quadragesima hujus anni fuit promotus; sed in verbo Dei explicando, tum per conciones, tum per catechismi lectiones, se exercebat.
474. But John de Valderrabano, having been sent from Valladolid to Gallaecia, worked diligently in the diocese of Mondoñedo, and when its bishop moved him from one place to another, the inhabitants followed him with tears and sighs, and they testified that before hearing his sermons and lessons on the catechism they had never heard such teaching on the doctrine of salvation, and that now they had begun to open their eyes. And this is no small matter, since the condition of that province was such that it was very rustic and far removed from Christian culture and a taste for spiritual things. There was no priest there, but in this year there was one who was ordained in Lent; but Fr. Valderrabano was very much occupied in explaining the word of God, both by sermons and by lessons in catechism. [13. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, ut Societati concessas facultates, delectu habito , Joanni de Valderrabano, Didaco Mendez et Joanni Gonzalez communice , ineunte Octobri 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, that he communicate the faculties happily granted to the Society to John de Valderrabano, Didacus Mendez and John Gonzalez, at the beginning of October 1549.]
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475. Fuerat P. Antonius Araoz Barcinonae satis diu partim cum valetudine adversa conflictatus, partim praedicationi et monasteriorum reformationi et aliis piis operibus intentus. Eo autem tempore moniales Sanctae Clarae, quae reformationem amplexae erant, cum opera nostrorum, qui Barcinonae residebant, non parum profecissent, a P. Ignatio sollicite contendebant ut earum obedientiam Societas admitteret, et Principum virorum, immo et Regis litteris ad eum missis id se impetraturas cogitabant; a Patre etiam Araoz litteras ad eumdem Patrem Ignatium obtinuerunt, quibus ille consolationem monialium commendare videbatur. Non solum autem Ignatius earum obedientiam non admisit, sed etiam ipsi Patri Araoz, Provinciali, aliquam reprehensionem per litteras scribi voluit, quod videretur aliquo modo in id, quod nostro Instituto parum est consentaneum, propensus. Sed re quidem vera non minus erat alieno animo ab earum obedientia suscipienda Pater Araoz; at non reprimebat moniales ne Regis commendationem impetrarent, ut, ea accepta occasione, Regem (qui tum Princeps dicebatur) de rebus nostrae Societatis ipse melius informaret, et tamen, quod peteret, ostensis rationibus denegaret; hujusmodi enim repulsas cum ratione conjunctas facile Principes admittere ajebat, videlicet, cum rogati rogant, non ita tamen cum aliquid serio fieri expetunt; tunc enim, si concedendum id non videatur, curandum esse ne id petant sentiebat, ne repulsam moleste ferant. Aliquot annos tamen monialibus Sanctae Clarae quibusdam confessarius ex nostris est concessus.
475. Fr. Antonio Araoz at Barcelona for quite a long time partly suffered from bad health, and partly was very busy with the reformation of convents and other pious works. But at the time the nuns of St. Clare, who had embraced reformation, with the help of ours who resided in Barcelona made no small progress. Now they eagerly sought from Fr. Ignatius that the Society should accept their obedience, and they thought that they would obtain this because of the letters sent to him by various Princes and even by the King. They also obtained a letter from Fr. Araoz to the same Fr. Ignatius in which he seemed to recommend the request of these nuns. But not only did Ignatius not accept their obedience, but he wanted a reprimand to be written in a letter to Fr. Araoz, the Provincial, which seemed in some way to be directed to the fact that this is not in accordance with our Institute. Actually Fr. Araoz was not in favor of accepting their obedience, but he did not reprimand the nuns lest they seek the commendation of the King, so that, when he had the opportunity, he could inform the King (who then was called Prince) about the nature of our Society, and still for good reasons deny what he asked for; for he said that Princes easily make rejections of this kind, when the request is not urgent, but that is not the case when they expect something important to be done. For then, if it is seen that it will not be granted, he will be sure not to make the request, lest they be annoyed at the rejection. However, for a few years one of our confessors was assigned to the nuns of St. Clare. [13. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de Abbate Domenech, 18 Januarii; idem Patri Queralt, de privilegiis Societatis, eadem die ; idem Patri Araoz, de mutatione Abbatissae Sanctae Clarae, eadem die; idem, de Elisabetha Roser ; idem eidem, de Principis Philippi responsis circa reformationem monasteriorum, eadem die; Ignatius Hispaniarum Principi, de reformatione, etc., mense Decembri 48; idem eodem tempore Gundisalvo Perez, Principis Secretario: Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de non concionando et de moderatione adhibenda in numero confessionum singulis diebus audiendarum, sub finem Januarii ; idem Procuratoribus domus orphanarum, ut sollicitatorem in Curia constituant, et de domus orphanarum romanae constitutionibus, meunte Maio ; idem monialibus Sanctae Clarae plura de Instituto et Sancti Ignatii mente etc., eodem tempore; idem, eodem tempore, de iisdem Patri Queralt; idem fratri Antonio Gou, de ejus piis operibus, de monialibus Sanctae Clarae, mense Julio ; idem Joanni Gesti, Gerundam, de Exercitiis, etc., sub finem Julii 49. — Historia del Colegio Belén, de la Compañía de Jesús, en Barcelona, mss. — P. GABRIEL ALVAREZ, Historia de la provincia de Aragón, de la Compañía de Jesús, mss.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, about the Abbot Domenech, January 18; the same to Fr. Queralt, on the privileges of the Society, on the same day; the same to Fr. Araoz, on the change of the Abbess of St. Clare, on the same day; the same, on Elizabeth Roser; the same to the same, on the response of Prince Philip concerning the reformation of convents, on the same day; Ignatius to the Prince of the Spaniards, on the reformation, etc., in December 1549; the same at the same time to Gundisalvo Perez, Secretary of the Prince; Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, on not preaching and on using moderation on the number of confessions to be heard each day, at the end of January; the same to the Procurators of the house for orphans, that they have a solicitor in the Curia, and on the establishment of a home for orphans in Rome, at the beginning of May; the same to the nuns of St. Clare, many things about the Institute and the mind of St. Ignatius, etc., at the same time; the same, at the same time, on the same things to Fr. Queralt; the same to brother Antonio Gou, on his pious works, on the nuns of St. Clare, in the month of July; the same to John Gestus, on the Exercises, etc., at the end of July 1549.Historia del Colegio de Belén, de la Compañia de Jesus, en Barcelona, mss.P. Gabriel Alvarez, Historia de la provincia de Aragón, de la Compañia de Jesus, mss.]
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476. Inde P. Araoz Gandiam se contulit, ubi P. Andreas de Oviedo, cum P. Jacobo Mironc, ipso die Annunciationis Beatissimae Virginis in ejus manibus professionem emisit, prout superius a P. Ignatio constitutum fuisse diximus. Adfuit praeter Ducem Gandiae et Comitem de Lerma, ejus generum, Marchio de Lombay, Comitissa de Oliva, et tota familia Ducis; et monachus quidam, magister Perez nomine, concionatus est, et multa ac magna in Societatis commendationem et insigne illius institutum, cum aliis religionibus comparando, disseruit, et quod opportune ad suam Ecclesiam his temporibus Deus eam miserit et quod necessaria ejus opera fuerit, unde Christi Vicarius non tantum eam confirmasset, sed insignibus etiam gratiis et indulgentiis ornasset. In Collegio nostro eo die Dux cum aliis multis nobilibus cibum ceperunt, cum religiosis et sacerdotibus multis, qui Valentia ad hoc spectaculum venerant. Quamdiu autem Pater Araoz Gandiae versatus est, cum propter valetudinem infirmam concionari non permitteretur, exemplo concionari nitebatur; cum suis fratribus tamquam unus ex ipsis omnino se gerebat, iramo et ut eorum ministrum; nullum sibi certum locum in mensa relinqui volebat, sed nunc hoc nunc illo loco sedebat, et potius in inferioribus quam in superioribus locis; in cibo nihil peculiare sibi exhiberi patiebatur, licet esset valetudinarius; et si aliquando quid peculiare oblatum ei esset, alicui ex assidentibus id dabat, et communioribus cibis utebatur; magna parte quadragesimae mensis ministravit, et donec omnes pransi essent, cibum non capiebat; lavabat deinde lances et reliqua vasa; in vestibus nihil non vulgare; immo accidit aliquando ut cum fratrem calceis laceris uti animadvertisset, suos calceos cum eo commutaret; et ita alius calceis usus est donec is, qui curam habebat, novos calceos fratri emens, quos ferebat prius, Patri Provinciali dedit.
476. From there Fr. Araoz went to Gandia, where Fr. Andreas de Oviedo, with Fr. James Miron, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin placed their profession in his hands, as we said above had been ordered by Fr. Ignatius. Besides the Duke of Gandia and Count de Lerma, his son-in-law, there were present the Marquis de Lombay, Countess de Oliva, and the whole family of the Duke; and a monk by the name of Master Perez preached, and he said many fine things in commendation of the Society, while comparing this excellent institute with other religious congregations; and he said that God sent it opportunely to his Church in these times and that its work is very necessary, hence the Vicar of Christ has not only approved it, but also endowed it with special graces and indulgences. In our College that day the Duke with many other nobles ate a meal, together with many religious and priests who had come from Valencia for this affair. But as long as Fr. Araoz remained in Gandia, since he was not allowed to preach because of his bad health, he endeavored to preach by his example. He conducted himself with his brothers just like one of them, and indeed as their servant; he did not want to have a reserved place at the table, but he sat now here and now there, and in the lower rather than in the higher places. He did not allow any special food to be given to him, even though he was a sick man; and if occasionally something special were offered to him, he gave it to one of those seated near him, and he ate the common food. During most of Lent he served at table, and he did not eat until everyone else had been served; then he washed the plates and other dishes. His clothing was very plain; in fact it happened on one occasion that, when he noticed a brother was wearing worn out shoes, he exchanged his own shoes with him; and so the other person used the shoes until the one in charge of such things bought new shoes for the brother, and gave his own shoes back to Fr. Provincial. [14. Ignatius Andreae de Oviedo, Jacobo Miron, et Doctori Torres, de professione, 18 Januarii; Polancus, ex commissione, Duci Gandiae, ut invigilet ne Araoz nimio labore prematur, sub finem Januarii ; idem Francisco Saboya, de sociorum cura habenda ut bene in utroque homine valeant (fuerat nuper Rector, loco Andreae de Oviedo, constitutus), mense Julio; idem Jacobo Miron, de ejus professione, de privilegiis, de studiis, eodem mense, anno 49. — Litterae Sancti Francisci Borgia, Andreae de Oviedo, Jaco Miron, Antonii Araoz ad Ignatium et Polancum. — Item historicae et quadrimestres.
Ignatius to Andreas de Oviedo, James Miron, and Dr. Torres, about the profession, January 18; Polanco, ex commissione, to the Duke of Gandia, that he see to it that Araoz is not overburdened with work, at the end of January; the same to Francis Saboya, on taking care of the companions so that both of them are in good health (recently he was the Rector, in place of Andreas de Oviedo), in the month of July; the same to James Miron, on his profession, on privileges, on studies, in July 1549.The letters of St. Francis Borgia, Andreas de Oviedo, James Miron, Antonio Araoz to Ignatius and Polanco.Also the historical and quarterly letters.]
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477. Venit aliquando Dux Gandiae ad invisendum Patrem Araoz, et cum usque ad horam coenae cum eo esset collocutus, ad culinam descendens sua manu par ovorum in aqua coxit et misit ad Patrem Araoz, ei, qui ea ferret, injungens ut diceret: quod bene posset illis vesci, cum prima essent quae ipse unquam coxiset. Tunc dixit Duci Pater Andreas: credas mihi, Domine, magnum Dei donum est in culina ipsi servire; cui respondit Dux: tam bonum hoc officium, mi Pater, existimo ut me eo indignum reputem. Cum laborasset autem colico dolore Pater Araoz et febri, venit cum eo ad coenam Dux ac dixit ei: quod postquam die sabbati in officio coqui inservisset, tunc volebat ei in officio incisoris ciborum inservire, et sic fecit.
477. Once the Duke of Gandia came to visit Fr. Araoz, and since he had spoken with him until the time for dinner, going down to the kitchen he cooked two eggs in water and sent them to Fr. Araoz, and he directed the one who brought the eggs to him to say: “I hope you will be able to eat them, since they are the first ones I have ever cooked.” Then Fr. Araoz said to the Duke: “Believe me, my Lord, it is a great gift of God to serve him in the kitchen.” And the Duke replied to him: “I consider this task to be so good, my Father, that I consider myself unworthy of it.” But since Fr. Araoz suffered from a fever and pain in the colon, the Duke came with him for dinner and said to him that after the Sabbath he would serve in the office of cook, and then he wanted to serve him as a preparer of food — and that is what he did. [15. Ignatius, Andrae de Oviedo, electo et confirmato Rectori Collegii Gandiensis, 18 Januarii; eidem Polancus, ex commissione, de Collegiorum paupertate, de punitione puerorum, et ne fiat Capitulum, mense Julio ; idem eidem, de tempore plae meditationi dando, de iis qui Societatem deserunt, de promissione ingrediendi Societatem, de flagellatione die Veneris, de bonorum abdicatione, de privilegiis Societatis, de constitutionlbus et regulis Collegii Gandiensis, de magistro Joanne, gallo, mense Julio; idem Patri Araoz, de Dominis Vergar a et Domenech, eodem mense ; idem Duci Gandiae, de paedagogo, qui curam habeat Patris Araoz, designando; de PP. Onfroy et Oviedo et de Fratre Tejeda; idem Patri Araoz, ut videat anne nimium parce et fere misere vescantur vestianturque Gandienses, et quae viderit, Ignatio nota faciat, ineunte Octobri; idem Andreae de Oviedo, de praesentatione, ut vocant, pro beneficiis, de Rectore Collegii et Universitatis, eodem tempore; idem cuidam Casellas, qui Patrem Araoz comitabatur , ut ejus curam assidue habeat, mense Decembri 49. — Vide annot. sub numero praecedenti. — Descripción de la ciudad de Gandía, noticias de su fundación. Universidad y Colegio de jesuítas, por MARTÍN VICIANA, mss.
Ignatius to Andreas de Oviedo, chosen and confirmed as the Rector of the College in Gandia, January 18; Polanco to the same, ex commissione, on the poverty of the Colleges, on the punishment of the boys, and that there should not be a Chapter, in the month of July; the same to the same, on the time to be given to pious meditation, on those who leave the Society, on the promise of entering the Society, on scourging on Friday, on the abdication of possessions, on the privileges of the Society, on the constitution and rules of the College in Gandia, on Master John, the Frenchman, in the month of July; the same to Fr. Araoz, on Lords Vergara and Domenech, in the same month; the same to the Duke of Gandia, on designating someone to care for Fr. Araoz, on Fathers Onfroy and Oviedo and on Brother Tejeda; the same to Fr. Araoz, that he find out whether the Gandia students are fed and clothed too frugally and almost miserably, and that he should tell Ignatius what he learns, at the beginning of October; the same to Andreas de Oviedo, on the presentation, as they say, of benefices, and on the Rector of the College and University, at the same time; the same to a certain Casellas, who was with Fr. Araoz, that he take good care of him, in December 1549.See the note for the preceding number.Descripción de la ciudad de Gandia, noticias de su fundación, Universidad y Colegio de jesuitas, by Martin Viciana, mss.]
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478. Valentiam deinde P. Araoz se contulit, et inter Ducem ac Ducissam Calabriae concordiam (dissidebant enim) conciliandam curavit. Et cum alia, quae ad illius Collegii bonum pertinebant, constituisset, Caesaraugustam se contulit, ubi, cum nostri parum essent cogniti (licet non pauci eorum opera in confessionibus uterentur) ejus praedicatione innotuerunt. Primo enim in hospitali, deinde in insigni templo, quod del Pilar vocant, concionatus est, et quidem cum insigni frequentia et fructu; multi namque ex primoribus ejus concionibus consolationis plurimum acceperunt, unde in multis magna mutatio consequuta est, et Societatem nostram peculiari prosequi charitate plurimi coeperunt; non solum enim populus ac nobilitas, sed docti etiam viri, quibus ea civitas abundat, Patris Araoz spiritum et doctrinam in concionando admirabantur.
478. Then Fr. Araoz went to Valencia, and between the Duke and Duchess Calabriae (for they were separated) he arranged a reconciliation. And when he had settled some other things pertaining to the College, he went on to Saragossa, where, since ours were not well known there (although not a few people made their confessions to them), they did become known through his preaching. For, first of all, he preached in the hospital, then in a distinguished church, which they call del Pilar, with a large crowd and good fruit; for, from his very first sermons many people derived much consolation, and so great change was the result for many, and many began to embrace our Society with a special charity; for, not only the people and the nobility, but also the learned men, of whom there are many in that city, admired the spirit and doctrine of Fr. Araoz manifested in his preaching. [16. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz , de Universitatibus, de Collegiis Genuensi, Goano et Congensi, et de Ognatensi ; de purgandis humaniorum litterarum libris, inuente Maio 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, on Universities, on the Colleges in Genoa, Goa, and Oñate; on cleansing the books of classical literature, at the beginning of May 1549.]
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479. Cum autem inter Conservatorem Aragoniae Ludovicum Gonzalez, filium Joannis Gonzalez, de quo superius facta fuit mentio quique jam vita functus erat, et ejus sororem , Dominam Aldunziam Gonzalez, lis gravis verteretur de domo quadam et ecclesia, quam ipsorum pater in monasterium erigi curaverat, ac postea honestis ex causis auctoritate apostolica dissolverat, egit Pater Araoz ut in arbitros suam controversiam rejicerent. Qui cum Aldunziae cum ecclesia domum adjudicassent, illa patris sui auctoritatem et propriam voluntatem secuta, sua habitatione etiam dum viveret se spoliare, ut Societati daret Caesaraugustae domicilium statuit; noluit tamen Pater Araoz hanc ejus liberalem oblationem admittere, partim ne ipsa incommodum hoc pateretur, partim quia ejus soror, Domina Anna Gonzalez, jus sibi in eadem domo et ecclesia vindicabat, et alioqui satis erat angusta ad Societatis usum habitatio; post multas tamen lites ea domus seminarium fuit, ut suo loco dicetur.
479. But since between the Conservator of Aragon Luis Gonzalvez, the son of John Gonzalez, who was mentioned above and who had already died, and his sister, Lady Aldunzia Gonzalez, there was a serious controversy about a certain house and church, which their father had arranged to be turned into a convent, and afterwards for good reasons by Apostolic Authority it was returned to the owner, Fr. Araoz had them place the controversy in the hands of arbitrators. When they judged that the house with the church belonged to Aldunzia, she followed the authority and will of her father and decided to deprive herself of her own dwelling even while he was living, so that she might give it to the Society for a domicile in Saragossa. However, Fr. Araoz refused to accept this generous offer, partly lest she suffer this inconvenience, partly because her sister, Lady Anna Gonzalez, claimed the right for herself to the same house and church; in addition, the house was too small for the use of the Society. After many legal battles, finally the house became a seminary, as will be said in the proper place. [17. Ignatii patentes litterae, seu publicum instrumentum resignationis domus, ecclesiae et redituum Caesaraugustanorum in favorem Dominae Aldonzae Gonzalez de Villasimplez, 3 Julii ; Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Francisco de Rojas et Dominae Aldonzae Gonzalez, de sententia Romae data in causa Collegii, 18 Januarii; idem Jacobo Lopez, eadem die; idem Duci Gandiae, de Domina Aldonza, sub finem ejusdem Januarii; idem Dominae Aldonzae de Collegii erectione, Pontificis Brevibus, sollicitatore, ineunte Maio; idem de iisdem Duci Gandiae, ut ipse quid agendum decernat; idem Francisco de Rojas, de iisdem et ut pacem inter Conservatoris liberos conciliare curet, 19 Maii; idem eidem, de lite, procuratoriis instrumentis, usufructu, etc., mensa Julio 49. — Litterae Francisci Rojas ad Sanctum Ignatium.
The official letter of Ignatius, or the public document on the rejection of the house, church and income in Saragossa in favor of Lady Aldunzia Gonzales de Villasimplex, July 3; Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Francis de Rojas and Lady Aldunzia Gonzalez, on the decision of Rome concerning the College, January 18; the same to James Lopez, on the same day; the same to the Duke of Gandia, on Lady Aldunzia, at the end of January; the same to Lady Aldunzia about the establishment of the College, Pontifical Briefs, and the solicitor, at the beginning of May; the same about the same things to the Duke of Gandia, so that he may decide what to do; the same to Francis de Rojas, about the same things and that he bring about peace among the children of the Conservator, May 19; the same to the same, on the controversy, procuratory instruments, usufruct, etc., in July 1549.The letter of Francis de Rojas to St. Ignatius.]
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480. Optaverant olim primi Patres, qui in varia loca Sedis apostolicae auctoritate spargebantur, in anno jubilaei, quem hic quadragesimus nonus annus praecedebat, Romae congregari, et de modo procedendi in hac Societate ad Dei gloriam, prolatis in medium a se gestis, consulere; et sic hoc ipso anno Pater Ignatius quoquoversus ad Patres antiquiores et qui majoris erant in Societate auctoritatis scripsit ut sequenti anno Romam venirent; nam et constitutiones cum eis conferre et alia, de quibus agetur suo loco, tractare constituerat. Unde Pater Araoz significari sibi voluit num omnes qui vellent ex sua provincia secum esset adducturus, et quando profecturus esset, et quidem, si Dux Gandiae Franciscus de Borgia venturus erat (quod rationi consonum videbatur) nonnisi ipso in autumno anni jubilaei posse ex Hispania proficisci ajebat; et ita id visum fuit Patri Ignatio ut in autumnum adventus Hispaniensium differretur, ne sine Duce Gandiae Romam veniendum eis esset. Nec eos venire voluit qui sine gravi detrimento provinciarum aut Collegiorum, ubi residebant, venire non poterant.
480. In times past the first Fathers, who were spread out in various places by the authority of the Apostolic See, had desired to gather together in Rome in the jubilee year, which was preceded by this year of 1549, and, after considering what they had been doing, to consult with each other on the way of proceeding in the Society for the glory of God. And so in this year Fr. Ignatius wrote to the original Fathers and to those in positions of authority in the Society that they should come to Rome in the following year. For, he wanted to confer with them on the Constitutions and other things which will be treated in their proper place. Therefore, Fr. Araoz wanted to know whether he should bring with himself from the province all those who wanted to go, and when he should depart, and also, if Francis Borgia, the Duke of Gandia, was going to come (which seemed reasonable), he said they could not leave Spain for the jubilee until the autumn. And so it seemed good to Ignatius that the arrival of the Spaniards should be delayed until autumn, lest they would be coming to Rome without the Duke of Gandia. And he did not want those to come, who could not come without great damage to the province or College where they lived. [17. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de ejus et Ducis Gandiae profectione in Urbem anno proximo jubilaei, de Ducis gradu et sacerdotio et de itineris modo, mense Julio; idem eidem, de seligendis, qui Romam venire debebant, eodem mense; idem eidem, de tempore quo se Romam cum Duce Gandiae conferre debebit, de itineris sociis, 13 Septembris 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, on his and the Duke of Gandia’s journey to the City during the next year of the jubilee, on the grade and priesthood of the Duke and on the way of traveling, in the month of June; the same to the same, on selecting those who should come to Rome, in the same month; the same to the same, on the time when he should arrive in Rome with the Duke of Gandia, on the companions for the journey, September 13, 1549.]
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481. Ex hac urbe Caesaraugustana, rebus Societatis meliori loco, quam eas invenerat, relictis, profectus est P. Provincialis Vallisoletum et inde Complutum, ubi quod hujus anni reliquum erat exegit.
481. Fr. Provincial departed from Saragossa, having left the affairs of the Society in better shape than he had found them, for Valladolid and then for Alcalá, where he stayed for the rest of this year. [18. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de invisendo, Ignatii nomine, fratrum Praedicatorum Generali, de lectoribus Complutensibus, de domo Burgis instituenda, ineunte Maio; idem eidem, ut Franciscum de Villanova reprehendat et puniat, et de eodem Villanova et Emmanuele Lopez ad sacros ordines promovendis, 13 Septembris 49.VALDIVIA, opere citato, et Cartas de San Ignacio, t. V.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, on visiting, in the name of Ignatius, the General of the Order of Preachers, on the teachers at Alcalá, on establishing a house in Burgos, at the beginning of May; the same to the same, that he reprimand and punish Francis de Villanova, and on promoting to Holy Orders the same Villanova and Emmanuel Lopez, September 13, 1549.Valdivia, in the book cited, and Cartas de San Ignacio, vol. V.]
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482. Gandiae Franciscus Borgia, cum Patris Ignatii voluntatem intellexisset, tam circa orationis quam circa castigationis modum, magna cum resignatione voluntatis et consolatione sui spiritus ipsius consilium est sequutus; et ut theologiae diligentius daret operam (nam aliis in studiis jam pridem operam posuerat) in Collegium nostrum primo die quadragesimae commigravit. Erat autem theologiae lector ibidem magister Perez, qui in theologia praelegenda multos annos contriverat, et statim post Epiphaniam hujus anni erat aggressus, et quidem cum auditorio satis frequenti partim nostrorum, qui decem theologi erant et diligenter in scholasticis studiis se exercebant, partim externorum, inter quos aliqui etiam eruditi et nonnulli concionatores erant, unde florere non parum nova illa academia coepit. Sed P. Andreas in concionibus tum Gandiae tum Olivae, quo se contulerat Comitissae rogatu, se exercebat, et spiritualia Exercitia pro more suo quibusdam proponebat, et per eum Dominus energumenam quamdam foeminam a daemone liberavit, quae sequenti die ad confessionem et communionem accessit; psalterium etiam dominicis diebus et festis in templo sui Collegii enarravit, et multorum confessiones audivit.
482. At Gandia Francis Borgia, when he understood the will of Fr. Ignatius, both concerning the manner of prayer and of self-chastisement, with great resignation of will and consolation of his spirit followed his counsel. And in order to devote himself more diligently to the study of theology (for he had already completed the other studies), on the first day of Lent he attended classes in our College. Now the teacher of theology there was Master Perez, who had spent many years teaching theology, and immediately after Epiphany of this year he began his classes with a rather large audience, partly of ours, who were ten in number and working hard at their studies, partly of external students, among whom were some learned men and also some preachers; hence this new academy in no small measure began to flourish. But Fr. Andreas delivered sermons both in Gandia and in Oliva, where he went at the request of the Countess, and he gave the Spiritual Exercises in his usual way to certain individuals. Through him the Lord freed a woman possessed by the devil, and on the next day she went to confession and communion; also on Sundays and feast days he explained the Psalms in the College church and then heard many confessions. [19. Polancus, ex commissione, Andreae de Oviedo, de studiis Gandiensibus, et de iis, quibus exerceatur oportet Dux Gandiae, ineunte Maio; idem Duci Gandiae, de Doctoratus gradu suscipiendo, susceptionis forma, juramenti formula, etc., 13 Septembns 49. — Ducis Gandiae et Patris Araoz litterae ad S. Ignatium.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Andreas de Oviedo, on the studies at Gandia, and on those the Duke of Gandia should undertake, at the beginning of May; the same to the Duke of Gandia, on receiving the degree of Doctor, the form of the reception, the formula for the oath, etc., September 13, 1549.Letters of the Duke of Gandia and Fr. Araoz to St. Ignatius.]
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483. Valentiae interim P. Jacobus Miron diligenter in vinea Domini laborabat; concionabatur assidue et cum satis frequenti auditorio et fructu non poenitendo; sed aliorum pietatis operum forte non minus late fructus sese extendebat audiendis nimirum confessionibus, in quibus etiam P. Balthasar Diaz egregiam navabat operam, et in aegrotantium visitationibus et pauperum subventionibus; domi etiam theologicas positiones dominicis diebus simul cum alio sacerdote defendebat et bonum Societatis nomen Valentiae augebatur, ut potius jam contra tentationes vanae gloriae quam contradictionum certandum esset, cum multi, per eos ad Dei cognitionem et obsequium adducti, magna eosdem benevolentia complecterentur; diebus etiam dominicis mane ad communionem, a prandio vero ad spiritualia colloquia multi conveniebant, ut de his, quae ad ipsorum profectum et majorem Dei gloriam pertinebant, conferrent. Et non tantum domi nostrae sed in aliis etiam monasteriis ad sancta Sacramenta crebro homines accedebant. Nihilominus nomen Ignatianorum nobis ab aliquibus impositum, adhuc multi retinebant; difficile enim et hoc nomen, et apostolorum, sicuti et theatinorum, ab hominibus, qui parum familiariter nos noverant, auferri poterat.
483. In the meantime at Valencia Fr. James Miron was working diligently in the vineyard of the Lord; he was preaching continuously, with a rather large audience and also considerable fruit; but perhaps he obtained no less fruit in other works of piety, namely, by hearing confessions, in which also Fr. Balthasar Diaz was a great help, and in visiting the sick and assisting the poor. Also at home on Sundays together with another priest he defended various theological theses and so the good name of the Society increased in Valencia, so that now it was necessary to fight against temptations to vain glory rather than against opposition. This was so because many persons, having been led by them to the knowledge and service of God, embraced them with great benevolence. Also on Sundays many people came in the morning for communion, and after lunch for spiritual talks, so that they might learn things pertaining to their spiritual progress and the greater glory of God. And not only in our house but also in other monasteries people came often for the sacraments. Nevertheless the name “Ignatians” given to us by some persons was still retained by many; for it was difficult to remove this name, and that of “apostles” and also of “Theatines” from people who had very little knowledge of us. [20. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, quid praestandum ne alio nomine quam Societatis Jesu distinguamur, sub finem Januarii; Ignatius domino Petro Domenech, de ejus filii, Hieronymi Domenech, expetita profectione Valentiam, de bonorum renunciation, et de potestate curanda ad templum Valentiae aedificandum, mense Julio; idem Balthasari Diaz , de absolvendi facultate, etc., 13 Septembris; idem de iis , et de Collegio, et de Hercule Bucerio , et de Rojas , eadem die, 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, on what must be done so that we are not distinguished by any other name than Society of Jesus, at the end of January; Ignatius to Lord Peter Domenech, about his son, Jerome Domenech, on his longed for trip to Valencia, on the renunciation of possessions, and on providing means for the building of a church in Valencia, in the month of July; the same to Balthasar Diaz, on the faculty of absolving, etc., September 13; the same on these things, and on the College, and on Hercules Bucerio, and on Rojas, on the same day in 1549.]
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484. Extra Valentiam ad loca vicina tam ipse P. Miron quam socius sacerdos, concionandi et confessiones audiendi gratia se conferebat, et fructum egregium in horreum Domini reportabat; charitas enim sine sumptu illis impensa, operariis et auctoritatem et gratiam conciliabat.
484. Both Fr. Miron and his fellow priest went outside of Valencia to the neighboring places to preach and to hear confessions, and they brought back abundant fruit to the storehouse of the Lord; for their charity was dispensed at no charge, so this gained authority and favor for the workmen.
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485. Eos autem, qui Valentiae ad domum nostram accedebant, et alios viros bonos hortabantur ut hospitali civitatis, quod egregium est, opem suam conferrent, et aliquos disponebant, qui noctu aegrotantibus per vices assisterent, et consolationem vel ministerium eis impenderent; et cum horum virorum nomina in libro notata essent, unus ex nostris quotidie duos admonebat ut ad hoc pium opus in xenodochium se conferrent.
485. Now they exhorted those who came to our house in Valencia, and other good men, to help out in the city hospital, which is very large, and they saw to it that there were others, who helped the sick at night alternately, and brought them consolation and help. And since the names of these men were written down in a book, one of ours daily selected two of them to take care of this pious work in the hospital.
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486. Illud autem non omittam, quod, quamvis anno superiori, ut diximus, Valentiae disputatum esset an expediret crebro communicare, et ab Archiepiscopo constitutum pia concione fuisset ut octavo quoque die omnibus id liceret, multi ecclesiastici nihilominus, ac litterati non pauci, in sua sententia perseverando, etiam nunc repugnabant; et tamen populus in dies crebrius ad sanctam Communionem accedebat.
486. But I will not fail to mention the fact that, although in the previous year, as we said, it was disputed in Valencia whether it is a good thing to communicate often, and it was established by the Archbishop in a devout sermon that it is permitted for all every week, nevertheless many ecclesiastics, and not a few scholars, persevering in their own opinion still opposed it. However, the people day after day approached Holy Communion more frequently.
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487. Res Societatis nostrae interim in regno Portugalliae et numero nostrorum et reditibus etiam ad eum sustentandum augebantur; quia tamen, constitutionibus nondum editis, eadem ratio et modus procedendi nec in gubernatione nec in aliis quibusdam rebus ad spiritualem profectum pertinentibus servabatur, quae P. Ignatius optasset, de Patre Hieronymo Domenech praeficiendo illi provinciae cogitavit; et cum Pater Simon Romam venire magnopere optaret, eo ad hanc missionem Ignatius propensior erat. Et quidem ut Patrem Domenech a Sicilia avelleret, Patri Jacobo Laynez ut tentaret animum dominae Eleonorae Pro-reginae injunxerat; sed, si aegre id ferre eos animadverteret, ut non ulterius ullo modo progrederetur, admonuit. Cum autem ad primam hujus rei mentionem Pro-regina non parum affligi videretur, et Pro-rex ne fructus insignis per ejus absentiam periret timere se ostenderet, ea missio cessavit.
487. Meanwhile, the works of our Society in the kingdom of Portugal, and the number of ours and also the revenues to support them increased. But because, since the Constitution had not yet been published, the same way of proceeding was not observed either in government or in certain other things pertaining to spiritual progress, according to what Fr. Ignatius desired, he thought about placing Fr. Jerome Domenech in charge of the province. And since Fr. Simon very much wanted to go to Rome, Ignatius was more inclined to this mission for him. And so that he could remove Fr. Domenech from Sicily, he instructed Fr. James Laynez to find out the mind of Lady Eleanor, wife of the Viceroy, on this matter; but if he noted that they took it ill, [21. Pro-regem et Pro-reginam
The Viceroy and his wife] he warned him not to pursue the matter any further. But since at the first mention of this the wife of the Viceroy seemed to be greatly disturbed, and the Viceroy showed himself to fear that outstanding fruit would be lost by his absence, the projected mission was dropped. [22. Ignatius Simoni Rodericio, de iis qui in Aethiopiam profecturi sunt, 18 Januarii 49.
Ignatius to Simon Rodriguez, on those who were going to go to Ethiopia, January 18, 1549.]
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488. Missus est Romam Petrus Diaz (qui postea martyr Domini fuit) ex Portugallia, partim ut Guilielmum Codurium in patrium aërem deduceret (nam ex peregrinationibus, laboribus et incommodis in aegritudinem acerbam inciderat, et sanguinem evomere crebro consueverat, nec aliud remedium quam patrium aërem medici adhibere noverant; et tamen ipso in itinere sanitatem veram, in meliorem aërem migrando consequutus est), partim ut Romae negotia Collegii Conimbricensis post mortem Patris Martini de Sancta-Cruce curaret Quominus autem ipse Pater Simon Romam veniret (eum tamen a Rege jam facultatem ad tempus impetrasset), duplex causa fuit; prima, quod suis litteris usque ad sequentem annum Pater Ignatius eum non evocaverat; altera, quia tempestas quaedam in Portugallia contra nostros exorta est propter dominum Teutonium, Ducis Bergantiae fratrem, cujus domus post regiam in eo regno praecipua est. Cum enim ille Conimbricae studeret et ad Societatis institutum valde afficeretur, paulo ante mediam noctem per muros eujusdam Collegii, in quo habitabat, se dimittens ad Collegium nostrum venit, et in Societatem, ut instabat, admissus est; cujus consanguinei, ac praecipue domina Isabella, ejus soror, iniquo admodum animo id tulerunt, et cum Rege ac Regina ut ipsis restitueretur curarunt. Rex tamen, ut erat summa pietate praeditus, vim nullam adhiberi passus est; sed tam valida oppugnatio principum virorum subsequuta est, ut in discrimen non exiguum Societatis status, ut ipse Simon scribit, adduceretur; et ut hos fluctus tantopere excitatos sedaret, manendum sibi in Portugallia aliquandiu censuit. Hic vero juvenis, cum aliquandiu in Societate mansisset, non tamen in ea perseveravit, sicuti nec Ducis Aveiri filius, de quo superius actum est. Hoc tamen eodem anno Ignatius de Acebedo, et ipse nobilis sanguine, sed virtute multo nobilior, et tandem Domini martyr, Societatem ingressus est.
488. Peter Diaz was sent to Rome (who later was a martyr of the Lord) from Portugal, partly to bring William Codure to the air of his homeland (for because of his travels, labors and hardships he had become seriously ill, and he vomited blood frequently, and the doctors knew of no other remedy to use except the air of his homeland; but in the journey itself, by traveling to better air, he recovered his good health), and partly to take care of the business in Rome of the College in Coimbra after the death of Fr. Martin de Santa Cruz. There were two reasons why Fr. Simon did not go to Rome (he had already received permission from the King to leave for a time). The first was that Fr. Ignatius until the following year had not summoned him by a letter to come; the second reason was because a storm had arisen in Portugal against ours because of Lord Teutonius, the brother of the Duke of Bragança, whose house is the main one after the royal house in that kingdom. For, since he studied at Coimbra and was very much attracted to the Institute of the Society, a little before midnight he left the College where he was living and came to our College, and at his insistence he was admitted into the Society. Now his relatives, and especially the Lady Isabella, his sister, were very unhappy about this, and they arranged with the King and Queen that he be returned to them. However, the King, since he was a man of great piety, did not want to use any force. But such strong opposition of important men followed that the status of the Society was placed in no small danger, as Simon himself writes. And in order to calm down such a raging sea, he thought that he should remain in Portugal for a rather long time. But this young man, when he had remained in the Society for some time, still did not persevere, just as the son of the Duke of Aveiro, who was mentioned above, did not persevere. However, in this same year Ignatius de Acebedo, who was of noble blood, but even more noble in virtue, and finally a martyr of the Lord, entered the Society. [23. Polancus, ex commissione, Simoni Rodericio, de obitu Martini de Santa Cruz, de ejus diligentia , de negotiis propter quae Romam venerat, de Balthasare Faria, de aliquo in locum Martini substituendo , de litteris scribendis, etc., sub finem Decembris 48 et initium Januarii 49; Ignatius Regi Portugalliae, ut facultatem faciat Simoni ex Portugallia et Francisco Xaverio ex India Romam venire, 18 Januarii; idem eadem die Simoni, de ejus profectione Romam anno jubilaei; quod si in Aethiopiam abire debeat, ut prius Romae Ignatium conveniat; Polancus, ex commissione, Simoni Rodericio, de evocando ex India Xaverio cum uno aut altero ex ejus sociis, et etiam nonnullis indigenis, 18 Januarii; idem eidem , de non transeundo a Societate in alias religiones, de negotiis Martini de Santa Cruz, ineunte Maio; Ignatius Simoni Rodericio, de quodam Fonseca, qui ex alia religione in Societatem. transire cupiebat, ineunte Maio; eidem Polancus, ex commissione, de eodem Fonseca, ut Romae, si velit, Ignatio se sistat, eodem tempore; de sollicitatore in curia romana pro lusitanis negotiis constituendo, etc., eodem tempore; Ignatius Simoni Rodericio, ut Romam anno jubilaei venire non omittat, aut prius, si in Brasiliam aut Aethiopiam sit ipsi eumdum, ineunte Septembri, et 11 Octobris 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Simon Rodriguez, on the death of Martin de Santa Cruz, on his diligence, on the business because of which he came to Rome, on Balthasar Faria, on substituting someone in the place of Martin, on writing letter, etc., at the end of December 1548 and the beginning of 1549; Ignatius to the Kind of Portugal, that he give permission to Simon to come to Rome from Portugal and to Xavier to come from India, January 18; the same on the same day to Simon, on his departure for Rome for the jubilee year; if he had to go to Ethiopia that he first meet with Ignatius in Rome; Polanco, ex commissione, to Simon Rodriguez, on calling Xavier back from India with one or two of his companions, and also some natives, January 18; the same to the same, on not transferring from the Society to other religious orders, on the business of Martin de Santa Cruz, at the beginning of May; Ignatius to Simon Rodriguez, about a certain Fonseca, who wanted to transfer from another religious order to the Society, at the beginning of May; Polanco to the same, ex commissione, about the same Fonseca, that, if he wishes, he may visit Ignatius in Rome, at the same time; on the solicitor in the Roman Curia advocating for the Portuguese affairs, etc., at the same time; Ignatius to Simon Rodriguez, that he should not fail to come to Rome for the jubilee year, or earlier, if he is going to Brazil or Ethiopia, at the beginning of September, and October 11, 1549.]
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489. Scripserat P. Ignatius ut aliquos ad professionem emittendam idoneos ex his, qui in Portugallia versabantur, Pater Simon nominaret; ille vero, quamvis multo plures idoneos esse in ea provincia scriberet, undecim tantum nominavit, qui in theologia docti, virtute ac prudentia praediti, ipsi videbantur; duodecimum etiam ex India Doctorem Antonium Gomez proposuit; sed hoc anno nullus eorum ad professionem admissus est, quamvis eam suo tempore maxima eorum pars emisit.
489. Fr. Ignatius wrote that Fr. Simon should name some priests suitable for making their profession from among those working in Portugal. But although he wrote that many more in the province were ready, he nominated only eleven of them, who seemed to him to be learned in theology, and endowed with virtue and prudence. He also proposed a twelfth man from India, Doctor Antonio Gomez; but in this year not one of them was admitted to the profession, although most of them did so at a later time. [26. Polancus, ex commissione, Simoni Rodericio, de tribus quatuorve eligendis, qui ad professionem admittantur, ineunte Maio; idem eidem sub idem tempus, de Domino Alphonso de Payva, Balthasare Faria, et de procuratorio instrumento in favorem cujusdam Crescentii (sollicitatoris?); idem eidem, de numero eorum, qui ad professionem admitti debeant, ne tres aut quatuor excedat, de negotiis Conimbricensis Collegii, etc. ineunte Septembri 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Simon Rodriguez, on selecting three or four who are admitted to professions, at the beginning of May; the same to the same about the same time, on Lord Alphonse de Payve, Balthasar Faria, and on a procuratory document in favor of a certain Crescentius (a solicitor?); the same to the same, on the number of those who should be admitted to profession, which should not exceed three or four, on the business of the Coimbra College, etc., at the beginning of September 1549.]
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490. Propensus etiam erat ad Societatem Abbas Petrus Gomenech, qui in Portugallia primam puerorum orphanorum domum more romano Ulyssiponae instituit; sed dum negotiis distinetur, antequam Societatem esset ingressus, ab hac vita decessit.
490. The Abbot Peter Domenech also was disposed to enter the Society; in Portugal he established the first house for orphaned boys in Lisbon according to the Roman way; but since he was delayed by various affairs, before he could enter the Society he died. [24. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de Abbate Domenech, 18 Januarii; Ignatius Abbati Domenech, officiose et de ejus Romam profectione, eadem die; Polancus Simoni Rodericio., de orphanarum domo ab Abbate Domenech instituta, de ipsius Abbatis reditu Barcinonam, ineunte Maio; Ignatius Abbati Domenech, et eidem Polancus, de ejus negotiis, etc., ineunte Septembri, 11 Octobris et 11 Novembris 49.
Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. Araoz, about Abbot Domenech, January 18; Ignatius to Abbot Domenech, courteously and about his departure for Rome, on the same day; Polanco to Simon Rodriguez, about the home for orphans established by Abbot Domenech, on the return of the Abbot to Barcelona, at the beginning of May; Ignatius to Abbot Domenech, and Polanco to the same, about his business affairs, etc., at the beginning of September, October 11 and November 11, 1549.]
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491. Pater Simon cum aliis non paucis sacerdotibus ac fratribus nostrae Societatis Regis curiam sequebatur, et consuetis occupationibus, confessionum praesertim audiendarum, occupabantur; sed et eorum quidam, Georgius nomine, concionatoris officio cum satisfactione auditorum fungebatur. Conimbrieae seriam studiis dabant operam; sed quia jam numerus non parum excreverat et inter eos satis multi maturuerant, triginta tres sacerdotes ibi residebant. Multi eorum, partim Conimbricae, partim aliis locis concionabantur; sed assidue prae caeteris Patres Alphonsus Stelles, Gonzalvus Vaz, Melchior Nugnes, Valerianus Mendez, Urbanus et Emmanuel Fernandez. Exercitia etiam spiritualia non paucis tradebant, ex quibus aliqui Societatem sunt ingressi. Fuit inter alios vir quidam ex civitate Portus primarius, qui, quamvis conjugatus esset, judicatum est mirum in modum in spiritualibus exercitiis profecisse, et sua prudentia et charitate, spiritualem fructum, qui in illa civitate nostrorum opera provenerat, conservare diligenter studuit.
491. Fr. Simon with some other priests and brothers of our Society followed the court of the King, and they were kept busy with the usual ministries, especially that of hearing confessions. But one of them, named George, performed the office of preacher to the satisfaction of the hearers. At Coimbra they were very much involved in their studies; but because now their number had increased considerably and among them many had already graduated, thirty-three priests were living there. Many of them preached, partly in Coimbra, partly in other places. But continuously besides the others there were Fathers Alphonse Stelles, [25. Ita Polanci librarius, cujus scriptionem emendavit alius Steues supra scribens; sed vare est Esteve, seu ut, latinitate donatum, a pluribus post FRANCO scribitur, Estevius.
Thus Polanco’s copyist; someone else corrected it by writing Steues over it; but it is really Esteve, or as given in Latin, after Franco it is written by many as Estevius.] Gonzalvus Vaz, Melchior Nugnes, Valerian Mendez, Urban and Emmanuel Fernandez. They also gave the Spiritual Exercises to not a few people, and of them some entered the Society. Among them was an important man [26. Arrigus Govea opinor (Ita in ora paginae).
I think it is Arrigus Govea (thus at the beginning of the page).] from the city of Porto who, although he was married, in an amazing way made progress in the spiritual exercises, and by his prudence and charity he tried diligently to preserve the spiritual fruit, which he had received in that city through the efforts of our members. [27. Polancus, ex commissione, Rectori Conimbricensi, de iis qui Conimbricae aegrotant, ut videat an victus conveniens sit, labor prudenter moderatus, et ut singulis quindecim diebus Romana scribat, 18 Januarii 49. Parcus est in rerum hoc anno in Lusitania gestarum enarratione Polancus ; multo autem parcior Orlandinus. Plura tamen, scitu quidem digna, reperiuntur tum in iis, quae in Cartas de San Ignacio, t. II, edidimus, tum in historicis hujus anni litteris, tum denique et praecipue in quadrimestribus Lusitaniae et aliis. Consuli etiam debet TELLEZ, Chronica da Companhia de Jesús em Portugal, et FRANCO, Synopsis annalium Societatis Jesu in Lusitania, et Imagem da virtude em o Noviciado da Companhia Jesus no Real Collegio de Coimbra em Portugal.
Polanco, ex commissione, to the Rector at Coimbra, on those who are sick in Coimbra, that he should see to it that the food is adequate, the work prudently moderated, and that he should write to Rome every two weeks, January 18, 1549. Polanco is sparing in what he wrote about the things done this year in Portugal; and Orlandinus is even more sparing. However, many more things worth knowing both in the things which we published in Cartas de San Ignacio, vol. II, and in the historical letters of this year, and finally and especially in the quarterly letters from Portugal. Tellez must also be consulted: Chronica de Companhia de Jesus em Portugal, and Franco, Synopsis annalium Societatis Jesu in Lusitania, and Imagem da virtude em o Noviciado de Companhia de Jesus no Real Collegio de Coimbra em Portugal.]
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492. Interim in Africa P. Joannes Nugnes, qui Tituani residebat, consuetis pietatis officiis erga captivos vel reducendos, vel in rebus spiritualibus et corporalibus adjuvandos, se exercebat.
492. In the meantime in Africa Fr. John Nugnes, who lived in Tituani, kept himself busy in the usual works of piety for the captives and slaves, or by helping them in spiritual and corporal matters.
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493. Missi sunt hoc anno ex Portugallia in Brasiliam quatuor de Societate viri, quorum caput fuit Pater Emmanuel de Nobrega, et ejus socius P. Joannes de Azpilcueta. Hi autem ex Portugallia profecti sunt prima die Februarii cum classe, quam Rex Joannes in Brasiliam eo anno mittebat ut civitatem novam conderent, et negotium Christianae Religionis apud brasilienses promoverent. Quinquaginta sex diebus, prosperis admodum ventis, ad portum Brasiliae, quem Omnium Sanctorum vocant, sine ullo navigationis impedimento pervenerunt et, pace cum indigenis constituta, de loco novae civitatis condendae consilium inierunt, et situm multis fontibus plenum, quod tamen bona ex parte mari alluitur, elegerunt, et habitationem sibi aedificare, adjuvantibus indigenis, coeperunt, ut centum domus mense Augusto ejusdem anni cernerentur. Est autem inditum civitati nomen Salvatoris. Cannas etiam, quibus saccharum conficiunt, et alia multa ad usum vitae necessaria plantare coeperunt; solum enim fertile admodum est, quamvis aliquando in herbam luxuriantem propter nimiam fertilitatem quod seminatum erat vertebatur. Aër salubris ad modum est, et temperatus, unde accidebat ut Lusitani nec laboribus nec mutatione ciborum in adversam valetudinem, praeter paucos quosdam, qui brevi convalescebant, inciderent. Est autem regio magnitudine ingens et plantis ac virore amoenissima, multis et optimis fructibus abundans, mare piscosum valde, montibus nihil pulchrius depingi posset, in quibus varia animalium et herbarum genera inveniuntur, quorum apud scriptores Europae nulla mentio esse potuit, cum nec res ipsae in ea invenirentur. Hominum autem barbaries summa est; nullum Deum certum colunt, quidquid ipsis proponatur pro Deo facile credunt; affectus sensualis vel appetitus propensione, non autem ratione, vel consilio, aut prudentia ulla, reguntur; connubia sic colunt, ut unus plures habeat uxores, quae cum eo tamdiu maneant, quamdiu alterutri parti non displicuerit; bellis cognationes diversae et inter se divisae certant; si aliquos in bello capiant, suas illis filias in uxores adjungunt, ut eos serviant et aliquandiu conservent, donec magna cum laetitia, congregatis amicis, eos occidant, etsi aliquos filios reliquerunt, quamvis vel nepotes illis vel fratres sint, comedunt eos tamen, immo nec matres ab eorum esu abstinent; dicunt enim ad patrem omnino et nihil ad se pertinere. Si occidant in bello aliquem, in frusta concisum et fumo applicatum cum simili solemnitate comedunt; quod ex odio quodam intimo faciunt. Et in his duobus, scilicet, uxorum multitudine et inimicorum interfectione, summum honorem immo et felicitatem suam constituunt. Avaritia illis bellorum causa non est; nihil enim, praeter id quod piscantur, et venantur, et fructus quos terra produxit, habent; sed ex desiderio vindictae bellantur. Et sunt tam obnoxii irae, ut si aliquis casu inter eundum in alium offendat, statim ad baculos vel saxa eatur, vel dentibus se concidant; et propter eamdem vindictam animalcula, quae illis molesta sunt, comedunt. Cum quis moritur, eum quasi sedentem sepeliunt, et cibum prope illum ponunt; nam animas ex montibus ad cibum capiendum venire credunt. Daemonia sunt illis familiaria, et illa valde timent; confusam habent notitiam diluvii Noë, et Sancti Thomae, cujus vestigia in quadam rupe ostendunt; et cibos, quibus utuntur, ab eo se didicisse testantur; et de eo bene loquuntur, sed male de ejus socio, quia sagittae, quas in ipsum torquebant, contra eos redibant, et eos occidebant. Inter amicos magna est concordia et omnia communia; quae vel piscatione vel venatione quis habet, iis et amici fruuntur.
493. In this year four men of the Society were sent from Portugal to Brazil; their head was Fr. Emmanuel de Nobrega, and his companion Fr. John de Azpilcueta. They departed from Portugal on the first day of February with the fleet, which King John sent to Brazil this year in order to establish a new city, and to promote the Christian religion among the Brazilians. After fifty-six days, with very favorable winds, they arrived at the port of Brazil, which they call All Saints, without any difficulties of navigation. And after having established peace with the natives, they deliberated about the place to build the city. They chose a site filled with many springs, which partly was exposed to the sea, and with the help of the natives they began to build for themselves a dwelling place, so that by August of the same year a hundred houses could be seen. The city was named for the Savior. They began to plant canes, out of which they make sugar, and many other things necessary to support life. For the ground is very fertile, although at times what was sowed developed into huge plants because of the great fertility. The air is very healthy, and mild, and so it happened that the Portuguese men neither by their hard work nor by the change of food became ill, except for a few, who quickly recovered. The region is very large in size and very pleasing because of the trees and verdure; it abounds in many excellent fruits, the sea is full of fish, and nothing could be painted more beautiful than the mountains. There various kinds of animals and plants are found, which could not be mentioned by any European authors, because these things are not found in Europe. However, the savageness of the people is extreme; they worship no certain God, and they easily believe in whatever is proposed to them as God. They are ruled by the inclination of the sensual affection or appetite, but not by reason, or counsel or prudence; they so honor marriages that one man has several wives, who remain with him as long as it is not displeasing to either one of the two. Diverse families wage war with each other; if they capture others in war, they take and add their daughters to the number of their wives, so that they keep them for a long time, until with great joy, having gathered together their friends, they kill them, and if they have left some children, although they are either their nephews or brothers, still they eat them, and even the mothers do not abstain from eating them; for they say that they belong totally to the father and not to themselves. If they kill someone in war, they cut him up into pieces, cook him and eat him with solemnity; and they do this with a special kind of hatred. They find their supreme honor and happiness in these two things, namely, the multiplicity of wives and the killing of enemies. For them avarice is not a cause of war; for, they do not have anything but what they get by fishing, and hunting, and the fruits which the earth produces. They wage war out of a desire for vengeance. And they are so inclined to violence that, if someone by chance offends another person, immediately he resorts to the use of sticks or stones, or they sink their teeth into each other. And because of the same vengeance they eat small animals that annoy them. When someone dies, they bury him in a sitting position, and they place some food next to him; for they believe that the souls come down from the mountains to take the food. Demons are familiar to them, and they fear them very much. They have a confused knowledge of the flood of Noah and of St. Thomas, whose footsteps they show in a certain rock; they claim that they learned from him about the foods that they eat. They speak well of him, but badly of his companion, because the arrows that they shot at him returned back against themselves and killed them. Among friends there is great concord and everything is held in common; what anyone has either by fishing or by hunting, they enjoy together with their friends.
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494. Coepit P. Emmanuel cum sociis pagos Brasiliensium invisere et, familiariter cum eis agendo, regnum Dei annunciare. Et hic modus est quem, ut ipsos docerent, observabant: invitabant juvenes ut discerent legere et scribere; qua occasione quae ad doctrinam Christianam pertinent ipsos edocebam et de eadem eis condonabantur. Novum enim admodum iliis videbatur et admiratione dignum quod nostri legere et scribere nossent, et id ipsum addiscere et Christiani esse optabant; sed a vitiis et peccatis abstinere, hoc opus, hic labor est. In pagis civitati Salvatoris vicinis, jam abstinere ab interfectionibus hominum et humanae carnis esu incipiebant. Quocumque nostri perveniebant, cum magna dilectionis significatione, praesertim a pueris, excipiebantur; et quos ipsi docebant pueros catechismum, hi aliorum magistros se exhibebant. Ex his autem, qui magis idonei videbantur, centum primis illis mensibus baptizarunt: in festo autem Pentecostes ejusdem anni sexcenti vel septingenti catechumeni baptismum exspectabant, qui omnia egregie addiscebant; et nonnulli in viis ipsis publicis occurrebant nostris et magnum desiderium baptismi prae se ferentes, juxta nostrum institutum victuros pollicebantur. Nostri tamen non prius baptismum conferre quam uxores idoneas maritis paratas esse invenissent; nam post baptismum statim Sacramentum matrimonii eis conferre (prius instruendo quomodo se in matrimonio gerere deberent) non sine causa solebant. Et in iis omnibus Brasilienses obedientiam eis praestabant. Accidit ut, dum Pater Joannes de Azpilcueta pueros quosdam legere et cruce se signare doceret, lapides quidam varii coloris, quos in labris perforatis ferre consueverunt, nonnihil impedimenti ad cruce se signandos adferrent; hoc cum cujusdam mr. (mater?) observasset, lapidem ex labro pueri eductum super tectum projecit; alii pueri hoc ipsum imitati, suos etiam lapillos, qui tamen in pretio sunt apud gentem illam, projecerunt.
494. Fr. Emmanuel with his companions began to visit the villages of the Brazilians and, by acting in a familiar way with them to announce the kingdom of God. And in order to teach them, this is the procedure they followed: they invited the youths to learn how to read and write; and in this way they taught them what pertains to Christian doctrine, and they also preached to them about the same thing. For it seemed to them to be something totally new and worthy of admiration that they could read and write, and so they wanted to learn it and to become Christians. But it is hard and difficult work to get them to abstain from vices and sins. In the villages near the city of the Savior now they began to abstain from the killing of people and from the eating of human flesh. Wherever ours went, they were received with great signs of affection, especially by the boys; and the boys to whom they taught the catechism then became the teachers of others. Of those who seemed to be more suitable, in the first months one hundred were baptized; six or seven hundred catechumens were waiting to be baptized, who had learned everything very well. And some even approached ours on the public streets and manifesting a great desire for baptism, they promised to live as Christians. However, ours did not confer baptism before they found that suitable wives were pledged to their husbands. For, after baptism they were accustomed to confer on them the Sacrament of Matrimony (after having instructed them how they should conduct themselves in matrimony). And in all these things the Brazilians were obedient to them. It happened that, while Fr. John de Azpileueta was teaching some boys to read and to make the sign of the cross, the stones of various colors, which they were wont to have in their pierced lips, presented a certain obstacle to their making the sign of the cross; when a certain mr. (mother?) saw this, she took the stone from her boy’s lip and threw it over the roof. The other boys imitated this, and so they also threw away the little stones, which are considered valuable among those people.
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495. Discurrebat Pater ille Joannes per varios pagos et apud eosdem pernoctabat, quia, cum interdiu sparsi essent per varia loca, non nisi noctu simul omnes inveniri et do- teri poterant. Perpaucis mensibus didicit ille eorum linguam, quae cum Cantabrica (ipsi P. Joanni vernacula) convenire ex parte deprehensa est; unde et intelligebat eos et intelligebatur ab eis. Magna charitate in spirituale eorum auxilium incumbebat, et in duobus pagis, qui inter caeteros erant praecipui, domos ei Brasilienses ad catechumenos docendos contruxerunt. Aliam etiam Pater Emmanuel prope novam urbem Salvatoris in modum eremitorii conficiendam curavit, in qua duo ex nostris docendi ac praedicandi tam neophytis quam catechumenis, qui ibidem degebant, curam susceperunt. Nec quidquam impediebat ne baptizarentur vicinorum locorum primores, nisi quod diximus de conjugibus, quae cuique convenirent et fidem eis servarent, inveniendis. Hactenus enim adulterii crimen pro nihilo habebatur, cum nec stabiles uxores, nec mariti essent. Multis etiam ex aliis locis ad res fidei ac religionis edocendas evocabantur, quibus satisfacere tam pauci numero non poterant.
495. Fr. John traveled about through the various villages and spent the night with them, because, since during the daytime they were scattered about in various places, only in the evening could all be found together and taught. In a few months he learned their language, which had some similarities with Cantabrian (the native language of Fr. John); hence he understood them and he was understood by them. With great charity he dedicated himself to their spiritual growth, and in two villages, which were superior among the others, the Brazilians constructed houses for the teaching of catechumens. Also near the new city of the Savior Fr. Emmanuel procured another house as something like a retreat house, in which two of ours assumed the responsibility of teaching and preaching both the neophytes and catechumens who lived there. And nothing prevented the important men of the neighboring places from being baptized, except for what we said about the problem of their wives, who agree with them and keep the faith with them. For hitherto adultery was not considered a crime, since neither wives nor husbands were stable. Also they were asked by many other places to teach them about the faith and religion, but being so few in numbers they were not able to satisfy them.
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496. Initium hoc, satis prosperum, duobus rationibus daemones impedire conati sunt. Neutra tamen illis successit. Nam primo instigarunt Brasiliensem quemdam ad interficiendum unum ex eis Christianis, qui in classe lusitanorum venerant; sed cum jam de bello ageretur, ipsi Brasilienses homicidam Christianis tradiderunt; quem Gubernator, ad aliorum terrorem, ante os bombardae positum, igne adhibito, in frusta ejus ictu concidit, quod magno terrore praesentes indigenas affecit. Secunda ratio fuit quod fere omnes, qui baptismo renati fuerant, in varios morbos inciderunt; unde quidam eorum nigromantici occasionem nacti sunt eos a Christiana Religione deterrendi, mentientes quod cum baptismo et doctrina Christiana mortem illis nostri propinabant; sed divina Bonitas, dum omnes statim convaluerunt, eos mendacii convicit, quae voluit forte ipso in initio eorum fidem et constantiam probare. Comitabantur nostros, nec unquam, dum iter facerent, eos deserebant, et magno cum silentio et admiratione quae de Deo et de Christo, Domino nostro, dicebantur, audiebant; et Jesu nomen, prout edocti erant, in ore illorum crebro personabat. Quidam inter ariolos eorum praecipuus, cum a Patre Emmanuele interrogaretur in cujus virtute aegritudines curaret et Muam haberet communicationem cum Deo, qui coelum et terram condiderat et in eis regnabat, an cum daemone, qui in infernis erat, ille impudenter respondit se Deum natum esse, et quemdam in medium attulit, cui sanitatem se dedisse jactabat et Deum coeli esse quidem sibi amicum et saepius in nubibus et fulgoribus ipsi apparere affirmabat. Non ferens hanc blasphemiam Emmanuel magna voce eum convincere coepit convenientibus ad audiendum indigenis multis; habebat autem interpretem, qui omnia clara voce dicebat, quae ipse cum magno sensu doloris suggerebat. Demum ariolus ille confusus, prout Emmanuel injunxit, palinodiam recantavit, et omnia mendacia esse fassus est et vitam emendare proposuit; cumque pro eo Emmanuel suas preces apud Dominum offerret, idem postmodum baptismum poposcit, et inter catechumenos admissus est.
496.For two reasons the demons tried to impede this very favorable beginning. However, neither one was successful. For, first of all, they incited a Brazilian to kill one of the Christians who had come in the Portuguese fleet; but when there was now a question of war, the Brazilians handed over the murderer to the Christians. So in order to put fear into the others, the Governor place him before the mouth of a canon, lit it and blew him to pieces, and this put great fear into the natives who were present. The second reason was that almost all who were reborn with baptism came down with various illnesses; therefore some of their sorcerers seized the occasion to turn them away from the Christian religion; they lied by saying that ours were causing their death with baptism and Christian teaching. But the divine Goodness, when all immediately recovered their good health, convicted them of their lie, which he did perhaps in the beginning in order to test their faith and constancy. They accompanied ours, and while they were traveling they never deserted them, and with great attention and admiration they listened to what they had to say about God and about Christ our Lord. And the name of Jesus, as they were taught, resounded often in their mouth. A chief among their soothsayers, when he was asked by Fr. Emmanuel in whose power he cured diseases and what contact he had with God, who made heaven and earth and rules over them, and whether he did it with the demon who is in hell, he replied shamelessly that he was God, and he brought a man into their midst whom he said he had cured, and he said that the God of heaven is his friend and often appears to him in the clouds and in the lightning. While not tolerating this blasphemy, with a strong voice Emmanuel began to argue against him, as many natives gathered together to listen to him; but he had an interpreter, who repeated everything in a clear voice, which he supplied with a great sense of sorrow. Finally the confused soothsayer pronounced his recantation, as Emmanuel ordered him to do, and he confessed all his lies and pledged to amend his life. And when Emmanuel offered his prayers to the Lord for him, afterwards the same man asked for baptism and was admitted among the catechumens.
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497. Mille fere leucas ea Regio Brasiliensium, semper mari adjacens, extenditur. Tantum in locis frigidioribus foeminae bombicinis vestibus utuntur; alibi tam viri quam foeminae sine ulla veste incedunt, unde noctibus, dum in retibus dormiunt, ignem habeant vicinum necesse est. Farinam ex quibusdam radicibus admixtam milio conficiunt et ex ea panem, qui facit ut etiam a nostratibus triticeus non desideretur; boves, caprae et varia ad cibum animalia terrestria et aves etiam suppetunt, quamvis, ut diximus, nihil usquam proprium ex hujusmodi cibis, sed omnia omnibus sint communia; nec solliciti sunt ut ab uno die in sequentem quid reservent; sed nec circa dotes filiarum sunt graves, qui enim eas ducunt in uxores, quamvis cum eis nihil accipiant, a soceris se beneficium accipere agnoscunt.
497. That part of Brazil extends along the seacoast for about a thousand miles. The women wear clothes only in the colder places; elsewhere both the men and women go about without any clothes, and so during the night, while they are sleeping, it is necessary for them to have a fire nearby. They make flour out of some roots mixed with millet, and with that they make bread, with the result that even wheat flour is not desired by the Portuguese. Also for food they use cows, goats, and various animals and birds, although, as we have said, none of this food is ever privately owned, but all things are common to all. And they are not solicitous about keeping something from one day to the next. They do not provide a dowry for their daughters, but those who take them as wives, although they receive nothing with them, still expect to receive some benefits from the parents. [28. Litterae Emmanuelis de Nobrega ad Ignatium, Simonem Rodericium et socios lustianos ; item historicae et Lusitaniae quadrimesters anni 50.
Letters of Emmanuel de Nobrega to Ignatius, Simon Rodriguez and Portuguese companions; also the historical and Portuguese quarterly letters in 1550.]
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498. Versabatur initio hujus anni 1549, Cochini P. Franciscus Xavier et magna cum consolatione sui spiritus in Japoniam navigare constituerat, quamvis certo jam constabat ex navibus, quae Malaca discesserant, quod ab omnibus portubus sinarum lusitani ab omni commercio excludebantur, et contra eos arma capere, si eo accederent, parati incolae erant. Unde, cum multi mirarentur quod tam longam navigationem ad sinas et japonenses et tam plenam periculis, tum hostium sinensium, tum piratarum, tum etiam tempestatum, suscipere vellet, cum ex quatuor navibus, si duae incolumes eo pervenissent, bene cum ipsis actum crederent, id nullo modo propensum Francisci animum ad regiones illas juvandas retardabat; immo nullam quietem in hac vita majorem se optare posse testabatur quam in magnis mortis periculis et laboribus propter Dei amorem et Religionis Christianae augmentum susceptis versari, et servorum Dei animos magis in his conquiescere quam extra illa affirmabat. Duo autem potissimum erant quae Patrem Franciscum ad hanc provinciam suscipiendam excitabant; alterum quod japonenses homines naturae dotibus egregiis praeditos etiam ex ipso experimento Pauli et sociorum ejus intellexerat, unde et messem ibi copiosam in horrea Domini colligi sperabat, quae ab indigenis conservari posset. Alia ratio, quam ipsi Patri Ignatio scribit, haec erat, quod Indorum gens illis in locis, quae ditioni Regis Portugalliae subditae sunt, in universum loquendo, barbara admodum erat, nec ad sciendum quidquam, quod suis ritibus non consonaret, propensa, nec de Deo aut de sua salute quidquam intelligere solliciti erant, immo nec, si ultro eis offerretur mentio de rebus hujusmodi, libenter audiebant, et qui ad fidem christianam accedebant, vel importunis precibus et instantia nostrorum et aliorum religiosorum, vel quod favorem aliquem et amicitiam lusilanorum expeterent, fidem suscipiebant; vires naturales admodum corruptas ad quodvis genus virtutum habebant, mirum in modum inconstantes, peccatis plurimis obnoxii, mendaciis pleni; unde cum neophytis non parum nostri, ut fide dignam vitam agerent, laborabant; et id efficiebat inveterata peccandi consuetudo, ut contra rationem quibusdam videretur a suis vitiis recedere. Auget etiam nostrorum laborem aestus nimius veris tempore, et venti et pluviae tempore hyemis, quamvis frigus non sit molestum; victus autem in Malucis et in Comurini regione et Socotora est satis incommodus; spiritualis etiam labor cum hoc genere hominum agendi, praesertim in magna difficultate idiomatum, molestus est. Sed prae caeteris pericula utriusque vitae tam temporalis quam aeternae, non sine magna Dei providentia evitabantur, cui P. Franciscus gratias agendas etiam ab omnibus nobis affirmat, qui tam peculiarem protectionem nostrorum suscepisset, ne in peccata inciderent; et testatur quod non solum lusitanis, tam ecclesiasticis et religiosis quam saecularibus, sed etiam infidelibus admirationi essent, et ab eis valde diligerentur.
498. In the beginning of this year Fr. Francis Xavier [29. Cochinum venerate in Decembri 1548 (Ita in margine.)
He had come to Cochin in December 1548 ,(Thus in the margin.)] was active in Cochin and with great consolation of spirit he had decided to go to Japan, although it was now established as certain from the ships, which passed through Malacca that the Portuguese were excluded from all the ports of China and from all commerce, and the inhabitants were prepared to take up arms against them, it they went there. Hence, many people were amazed that he wanted to undertake such a long journey to China and Japan which is so full of dangers, both from the Chinese and from pirates and from the storms. Since of four ships, if two arrived there safely, they believed that they were very fortunate, in no way did that hinder the mind of Francis who wanted to go and help the people in those regions. Indeed he said that he desired no rest in this life more than to be engaged in great dangers of death and labors taken on for the love of God and the increase of the Christian religion, and he stated that the minds of the servants of God rest more in these things than without them. There were two things especially that motivated Fr. Francis to take on this mission: the first is that he understood that the Japanese are endowed by nature with excellent gifts, and so he hoped to gather there an abundant harvest into the storehouse of the Lord, which could be carried on by the natives themselves. Another reason, which he wrote about to Fr. Ignatius, was this, namely, that the people of India in those places, who are subject to the rule of the King of Portugal, generally speaking, were very barbarous, and they were not inclined to learn anything which did not agree with their own customs, and they were not solicitous to understand anything about God or about their own salvation; in fact, they would not listen willingly, if the mention of such things was offered to them. And those who came to the Christian faith, accepted the faith either because of the troublesome prayers and insistence of ours or of other religious, or because they hoped to gain some favor or friendship with the Portuguese. He said that their natural powers are very corrupt with regard to any kind of virtue, that they are very inconstant, exposed to many sins, full of lies; therefore ours worked very hard with the neophytes to get them to live a life worthy of the faith. And their long established habit of sinning had the result that it seemed to them to be unreasonable to abandon their vices. The extreme heat of springtime also increases the work of ours, and also the winds and rain during the winter, although the cold is not a problem. But the food in the Moluccas and in the region of Comorin and Socotra is not sufficient; also the spiritual nature of working with this kind of men, especially given the great difficulty of the languages, is troublesome. But above all the dangers both of one’s temporal and eternal life cannot be avoided without the powerful providence of God, to whom Fr. Francis says that thanks must be given by all of us, who has assumed such special protection of ours lest they fall into sin; and he asserts that they are admired not only by the Portuguese, both ecclesiastics and religious and laymen but also by the unbelievers, and that they are very much loved by them. [30. Ignatius Francisco Xaverio, de usu facultatum Societati concessarum ; de mittendis Malacam, de Collegio Goensi, etc., 18 Januarii; Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Joanni de Aragon, Ignatii jussa et alia, eadem die; Ignatius Dominae Guiomar de Coutinho, officiose, eadem die, 49.
Ignatius to Francis Xavier, on the use of the faculties granted to the Society; on sending men to the Molukus, on the College in Goa, etc., January 18; Polanco, ex commissione, to Fr. John de Aragon, at the request of Ignatius, and other things, on the same day; Ignatius to Lady Gulomar de Coutinho, courteously, on the same day in 1549.]
