Skip to content
v1_271-295latin 1548C
271. Perfectum jam erat Collegii Gandiensis aedificium, sed aliquando nostri exspectarunt, donec magis assiccaretur; demum hoc ipso anno in vigilia Ascensionis Domini, in Collegii novi habitationem commigrarunt, et ipso Ascensionis die, in novo templo Missae sacrificium tono consueto celebrarunt pro fundatore, juxta constitutiones nostras; atque eodem die Sanctissimum Sacramentum in eodem templo, Sancto Sebastiano dedicato, collocaverunt, et post prandium (quod Dux cum suis filiis et multis aliis honestavit in novo refectorio) propositiones theologiae habitae sunt, magistro Francisco Onfroy eas defendente, ac Patre Jacobo Mirone, qui Valentia venerat praesidente; Philosophicas autem positiones magister Joannes Canalis, qui P. Mironem fuerat comitatus, loco magistri Emmanuelis de Sa, qui in morbum inciderat, sustinuit; et omnia feliciter, simul cum vespertino officio, sunt transacta. Nostri, qui novum Collegium inhabitare eo die coeperunt, tredecim erant; neophyti autem agarenorum filii decem in remota quadam Collegii parte sunt collocati; reditus tunc quidem fere quingentorum ducatorum erant plus minusve, sequenti vero anno fere octingenti, et brevi post tempore ad mille habiturum sperabatur, et fere 25 collegiales, praeter neophytos, poterant sustentari. Cum autem jam Universitas erecta esset, et confirmata Sedis Apostolicae auctoritate, et quidem cum his privilegiis, quae aliis Universitatibus concessa sunt, Rector Collegii nostri, Universitatis etiam futurus Rector erat; unde, ut haec prima fuit Universitas, quam Societas habuit, ita primus ejus Rector P. Andreas de Oviedo fuit, sub quo quidam alius ex nostris, et instituendi et regendi neophytos curam habebat. Hoc autem anno pleniora studia omnium facultatum coepta fuerunt, quamvis etiam praecedenti in logicis nostri se exercuerint, et festis diebus ethicorum lectiones habuerint, et singulis diebus dominicis a prandio positiones, ac disputationes, et in theologicis non nihil praelectum etiam fuerit. Optavit autem Dux, ut filius ipsius, dominus Alvarus de Borgia (qui tamen postea animum ad statum ecclesiasticum non applicuit, et marchio de Alcagnises nunc est) inter nostros in Collegio Gandiensi studiis operam daret. Idem etiam Ferdinandus de Vega pro duobus filiis, ut scilicet inter nostros Complutenses, studii gratia, admitterentur, obnixe petebat; quamvis autem P. Ignatius, ut optime meritis de Societate viris satisfieret, id concessit, in posterum aliis ostium hoc occludi voluit. Cum autem devotus quidam religiosus, frater Joannes deTexeda, ordinis Minorum, qui Duci valde familiaris erat, et Gandiae versabatur, ageret de habitatione in Collegio cum nostris habenda, id omnino Patri Ignatio non esse admittendum visum est, cum praesertim spiritum bonum, ut creditur, sed a nostro instituto alienum habere visus esset. Quoniam autem aliqui, qui in Societatem admitti volebant, propter rerum temporalium angustias, tunc quidem in aliis Hispaniae Collegiis admitti non facile poterant, obtulit Gandiae Dux suam operam, non solum illis de quibus agebatur, qui numerum quatuor vel quinque non excedebant, sed ad quadraginta quinque, si totidem Gandiam se conferrent.
271. The building for the College in Gandia was already completed, but our men waited for some time until it had dried out more; finally, in this year on the vigil of the Ascension of the Lord, they took up residence in the new College, and on the day of the Ascension, in the new church they celebrated a sung high Mass for the founder, according to our constitutions. And on the same day they put the Blessed Sacrament into the church, dedicated to St. Sebastian, and after lunch (which the Duke with his children and many others honored by his presence in the new dining room) some theses in theology were proposed, defended by Master Francis Onfroy, while Fr. James Miron, who came from Valencia, presided; but Master John [1. Videtur mendose positum pro Petrus.
This is a mistake; his true name is Peter.] Canalis, who had accompanied Fr. Miron, defended the philosophical theses in the place of Master Emmanuel de Saa, who had fallen sick. And everything was handled very well, concluding with the singing of Vespers. Ours, who began to live in the new College on that day, numbered thirteen; the ten neophytes were placed in a remote part of the College; the income then was more or less five hundred ducats, but in the following year almost eight hundred, and after a short space of time it increased to a thousand, and almost 25 students, in addition to the neophytes, could be supported. But since the University was already established, and confirmed by the authority of the Apostolic See, and also with the privileges which are granted to other Universities, the Rector of our College, was also going to be the Rector of the University; hence, as this was the first University which the Society controlled, so its first Rector was to be Fr. Andreas de Oviedo, under whom another one of ours had the responsibility of instructing and guiding the neophytes. But in this year more classes in all the faculties were initiated, although also in the previous year ours had studied logic, and on feast days they had lectures on ethics; and on Sundays, after lunch, and there were also disputations on theological subjects. But the Duke wished that his son, the Lord Alvarus de Borgia (who however later did not embrace the ecclesiastical state, and is now the Marquis de Alcagnises), should do his studies under ours in the College in Gandia. Similarly also Ferdinand de Vega asked with all his strength regarding his two sons, namely, that they be admitted to study with ours in Alcalá. However, although Fr. Ignatius granted this in order to satisfy men who were very generous to the Society, in the future he wanted to close this door to others. But when a certain devout religious, Brother John de Texeda, a member of the Friars Minor, who was a good friend of the Duke and lived in Gandia, asked to live in the College with ours, it seemed to Fr. Ignatius that it should absolutely not be permitted, since he seemed to be a man of good character, but to have an outlook foreign to our Institute. But since some, who wanted to be admitted into the Society, because of their difficulties in temporal matters, at that time could not easily be admitted into other Colleges in Spain, the Duke of Gandia offered his help, not only to those about whom there was some question, who were not more than four or five, but to forty-five, if that many would come to Gandia. [2. Polancus, ex commissione, Araoz de tribus eximiis lectoribus pro Collegio Gandiensi quaerendis ex Hispania et Portugallia, 5 Martii; idem eidem, de non permittendo ut qui de Societate non sunt cum iis qui Societate jam sunt cohabitent, 13 Martii; idem eidem, de providendis formandisque lectoribus pro Collegio Gandiensi, 28 Aprilis (sunt hae ultimae litterae imperfectae et sine die in tom, II pag. 94, operis Cartas de San Ignacio); idem Didaco Miron Valentiam, ut ex scholastcis, qui atrium cursum optime expleverunt, unum seligat obediendo paratiorem et communis utilitatis plus quam privatae amatorem, qui eumdem cursum Gandiae legat, eadem die; idem Araoz, tres ex Germania socios venisse Romam, quorum unus, qui aptior videatur, Gandiam, ut lector sit, mittetur, 27 Maii 48. Vide insuper quaedam sub num. 268 annotata.
Polanco, ex commissione to Araoz about seeking from Spain or Portugal three excellent teachers for the College in Gandia, March 5; the same to the same about not permitting those who do not belong to the Society to live with the members of the Society, March 13; the same to the same about finding and forming teachers for the College in Gandia, April 29 (these last letters are imperfect and without a date in vol. II, page 94, in the work Cartas de San Ignacio); the same to Andreas de Oviedo that, for the things pertaining to the College, he should consult Araoz, the same day; the same to Didacus Miron in Valencia saying that from the scholastics, who have very well completed the course in the liberal arts, he should choose one who is more prepared to obey and is a lover of the common good rather than his own private will, who can teach the same course at Gandia, on the same day; the same to Araoz that three companions have come from Germany to Rome, one of whom, who seems to be more suitable, will be sent to Gandia as a teacher, May 27, 1548. See also what was said in the note to number 268.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
272. Accidit autem ut propensio tam Patris Andreae de Oviedo, quam P. Francisci Onfroy, tam valida esset ad rerum spiritualium internam exercitationem, ut moderatio adhibenda omnino esse Patri Ignatio videretur. Scribit ipse P. Andreas, se praeter id tempus, quod officio divino recitando insumebat, tres alias horas certas quotidie orationi impendere; et juxta negotiorum occurrentium varietatem, plures etiam quam tres alias huic exercitationi dabat; et quod ad corporis castigationem attinet, ter singulis diebus se flagellis caedebat propter proximorum necessitates particulares et universales; lacrymarum autem tanta affluebat copia ut, cum oculis nocerent, non exiguo studio essent ab eo retinendae. Quoad detractiones, et si quid, quod persecutionem saperet, accidebat, sic erat animo dispositus, ut potius humilitate, ne propter illas sibi placeret, quam patientia, ne perturbaretur, opus haberet. In consolandis autem proximorum animis et in concionibus manum Domini misericordem admodum experiebatur. Sed interim eo progrediebatur spiritus (qui jam potius, quam a Deo, proprius esse vel forte a tentatore impulsus videretur) ut jam cum proximis occupari non libenter vellet, nisi quatenus obedientia, vel Dei inspiratio, vel saltem recta ratio obligaret; reliquum autem tempus contemplationi et orationi dare cupiebat. Pater etiam Franciscus Onfroy, ut Dux ipse Romam scripsit, a media nocte incipiendo, septem continuas horas orationi dabat. Eo demum res devenit, ut ad desertum ire uterque, magno spiritus impulsu, aspiraret; unde P. Andreas utriusque nomine ad Patrem Ignatium scribendo, facultatem ad id, multis rationibus allatis petiit; at P. Ignatius , qui discernendis spiritibus singulari Dei dono praeditus erat, hunc, ut ab instituto nostro alienum, quodque non solum studiorum profectum, sed etiam proximorum auxilium impediret, omnino improbavit; imo et Patrem Andream Romam venire jussit, nisi aliud Duci Gandiae videretur. Scribit autem Dux ipse, sibi a P. Andrea hoc desiderium communicatum esse, atque eidem respondisse, quamvis non esset hujusmodi desiderium quod executioni mandandum foret, quod nihilominus multum debebat Pater Andreas Deo, qui manenti in Societate, praemia solitudinis conferebat, et sine laboribus eremi, merita illius consequi dabat. Affirmat autem Dux, toto eo tempore quo responsum P. Ignatii exspectabat, magna animi resignatione Andream fuisse, imo et responso accepto, quo id quod petebat negabatur, magna ipsum consolatione fuisse allectum; unde infert quod, si Satan aliquid lucri in eo desiderio solitudinis sperabat, potius detrimentum fecit, cum simul et meritum eremi et sacrificium obedientiae inde reportaverit; et idem de Patre Francisco Onfroy scribit; unde profectionem Patris Andreae hanc ob causam in Urbem non esse necessariam.
272. But it happened that the propensity of both Fr. Andreas de Oviedo and of Fr. Francis Onfroy was so strong towards the internal practice of spiritual things, that it seemed to Fr. Ignatius absolutely that moderation had to be exercised. Fr. Andreas himself writes that, in addition to the time he spends reciting the divine office, he also spends daily three whole hours in prayer; and depending on his daily duties, sometimes he spends more than three hours at this exercise. And in what pertains to the chastisement of the body, three times daily he scourges himself because of the particular and universal needs of others; also he experienced such an abundance of tears that, since they harmed his eyes, they could be restrained only with great difficulty. Now concerning slanders, and if something happened that was like a persecution, he was so disposed mentally that he had need of humility, lest because of them he would be pleased with himself, rather than patience, lest he be upset. But in consoling the minds of others and in his preaching he experienced the very merciful hand of God. Meanwhile his spirit progressed to such an extent (who now rather than by God, he seemed to be moved by himself or perhaps by the tempter) that now he did not willingly want to be occupied with others, unless obedience, or an inspiration from God, or at least right reason demanded it; but he wanted to dedicate the rest of his time to contemplation and prayer. Also Fr. Francis Onfroy, as the Duke himself wrote to Rome, beginning at midnight, gave seven continuous hours to prayer. Finally, the matter went so far that both of them, with great passion of spirit, wanted to go into the wilderness. Hence, Fr. Andreas in the name of both of them wrote to Fr. Ignatius and requested, after advancing many reasons, permission to do that. But Fr. Ignatius, who had a special gift of God in discerning spirits, absolutely disapproved of this as foreign to our Institute, and as something not only hindering progress in studies, but also the help of our neighbors. In fact, he also ordered Fr. Andreas to come to Rome, unless it seemed otherwise to the Duke of Gandia. However, the Duke himself writes that this desire had been communicated to himself by Fr. Andreas, and that he had responded to him, and although it would not be a desire of this kind that he would command to be done, nevertheless Fr. Andreas owed much to God, who conferred the rewards of solitude on him while he remains in the Society, and without the hardships of the wilderness, he gave him the merits of that kind of life. But the Duke also said that during the whole time, while he was awaiting the answer of Fr. Ignatius, Fr. Andreas experienced great resignation of soul, and when the answer came, in which what he asked for was denied, he was filled with a great sense of consolation. Hence, he concludes that, if Satan hoped for some gain in that desire of solitude, he suffered rather a loss, since from it he derived from it at the same time both the merit of the wilderness and the sacrifice of obedience. And he writes the same thing about Fr. Francis Onfroy. Therefore, the trip of Fr. Andreas to the City was not necessary. [3. Polancus, ex commissione, Patri Araoz, de Patre Andrea de Oviedo, qui facultatem bis aut etiam ter in die Missam celebrandi petierat, 5 Martii 48; eidem Ignatius de eodem, si Romae esset Andreas, alio forte remedio ejucs nimia devotio sanaretur, scilicet, facultate etiam semel in die celebrandi negata, eadem die; idem Araoz, de moderandis flagellationis usu et piae meditationis tempore tum in se tum in Sociis Collegii Gandiensis, qui plerumque octo horas unoquoque die meditationi tribuebant; Polancus ex commissione, eidem, de Patribus Oviedo et Onfroy, qui facultatem petierant ad septem annos in eremum secedendi, quantum hoc ab Ignatii mente et Societatis instituto procul sit, 13 Martii; Ignatius Andreae de Oviedo, eum laudans quod Duci Gandiae pareat, eique gratulans de electo in Rectorem Magistro Saboya, 15 Augusti 48.
Polanco ex commissione to Fr. Araoz, about Fr. Andreas de Oviedo, who had asked for permission to celebrate the Mass two or even three times a day, March 5, 1548; Ignatius to the same about the same matter: If Andreas were in Rome, his excessive devotion would perhaps be cured with another remedy, namely, by denying him permission to celebrate Mass even once a day, on the same day; the same to Araoz, on moderating the use of scourging and the time of pious meditation, both for himself and for the Companions at the College in Gandia, who generally were spending eight hours each day to meditation; Polanco ex commissione to the same, about Fathers Oviedo and Onfroy, who had asked for permission to spend seven years in the wilderness, and how far this was from the mind of Ignatius and the Institute of the Society, March 13; Ignatius to Andreas de Oviedo, praising him because he is obedient to the Duke of Gandia, and congratulating him on the election of Master Saboya as Rector, August 15, 1548.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
273. Scripsit etiam Dux ad Summum Pontificem (antequam Patris Ignatii litteras acciperet, quae hoc ipsum petebant) supplicavitque ut Societati facultates eas, quas mare magnum religiosi vocant, concederet; quamvis enim multum auctoritatis et gratiae Ignatius apud Pontificem haberet, quia tamen Ducem, ec ipsius domum Borgia, magno in pretio haberi a Summo Pontifice sciebat, eidemque multum affici, libenter ejus litteris, et gratia, atque auctoritate ad Societatis negotia promovenda utebatur. Tunc autem agi coeptum est de illis facultatibus, quae anno sequenti fuerunt expeditae.
273. The Duke also wrote to the Sovereign Pontiff (before he had received the letter of Fr. Ignatius, which sought this), and he asked that the faculties be given to the Society, which religious call mare magnum (the great sea); for although Ignatius had much favor and authority in the eyes of the Pontiff, but because he knew that the Duke, and the house of Borgia, is held in high esteem by the Sovereign Pontiff, and was much influenced by it, willingly he used his letter, and favor, and authority to promote the affairs of the Society. Then the matter was set in motion concerning those faculties, which were granted in the following year. [4. Ignatius Duci Gandiae, de Mare magno, 29 Septembris 48.
Ignatius to the Duke of Gandia on the mare magnum, September 29, 1548.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
274. Jam inde ab anno praecedenti, tacito nomine, facultas fuerat a Summo Pontifice impetrata (ut saepius dictum est) ut si professionem emitteret Dux Gandiae, nihilominus per triennium a Majo mense hujus anni computandum, administrationem ducatus et bonorum omnium retineret, ut et filias collocare, et filiis prospicere, et tam Collegii quam aliorum piorum operum coeptam fundationem ad perfectionem adducere posset. Cum autem hujusmodi facultatem Dux accepisset, evocavit statim Patrem Antonium Araoz, Provincialem; sed cum ille ad festum Purificationis Beatae Virginis, aegritudine vel negotiis impeditus esset, ipso die Purificationis, secreto quidem, sed solemnem professionem Dux emisit, et cum sui animi magna consolatione, pium hoc officium transegit. Nec mirum est quod tam cito profitendi facultatem P. Ignatius Duci (quem posthac P. Franciscum de Borgia nominavit) concesserit. Ei namque statim post Imperatricis mortem (cujus ad sepulturam deferendae munus ab Imperatore Carolo V fuerat ei injunctum) oculos divina Bonitas aperuit, adeo ut mundi hujus vanitatem ac fallaciam cognoscens, Deo inservire serio constituerit; et cum post sepulturam Imperatricis, quae mense Majo anni 1538 accidit, in lectica ex urbe Granata rediret, magna divini Numinis gratia illustratus, de vitae mutatione, quamvis superstitem haberet uxorem, serio cogitare coepit; et tam orationi ac lectioni (erat enim ab adolescentia ad eruditionem propensus) et etiam corporis castigationi vacare magno cum animo aggressus est; adeo ut, dum esset Catalauniae Pro-rex, praeter ciliciorum usum et arctissimorum jejuniorum (inter epulas, quas aliis exhibere cogebatur) et flagellationem assiduam carnis, multas horas etiam continuas mentali orationi impendebat. Et sic in lectione Doctorum sacrorum, et in meditatione rerum ad perfectionem vitae Christianae pertinentium profecerat, ut cum Gandiae anno proxime elapso versaretur, et scriptis libellis quibusdam, et etiam concionando (quod in monasterio monialium Sanctae Clarae, ostiis clausis, praestitit) egregium in hac parte talentum accepisse a Domino cerneretur; et cum ad imitationem nostrorum collegialium, inter paucos quosdam ex domesticis, qui profectui spirituali vacabant, aliquem concionari statuisset, cui sors obveniret, ipsimet bis concionandum fuit, et de sui cognitione posteriorem concionem tanta cum eruditione, ordine, et spiritu habuit, ut valde admirarentur qui audiebant, nec ab aliquo, quam a Deo illam esse, cum non tam libros quam orationem redoleret, existimabant, et aureis litteris describendam esse affirmabant. Jam id temporis, uxore mortua, et exercitiis peractis, ac simplicibus votis emissis Deo se consecraverat, et in dies progressus magnos in omni virtute spirituali faciebat. Et sicut de P. Andrea diximus, sic et ipse Franciscus Borgia, tum in orationis tempore, tum in abstinentia, et corporis castigatione per cilicia et flagella, sancto quodam fervore, ultra mensuram aliquantum progredi videbatur.
274. Moreover, since the preceding year, without mentioning the name, permission had been sought from the Sovereign Pontiff (as has been said often) that, if the Duke of Gandia takes his vows, nevertheless for three years beginning with May of this year he will retain the administration of the duchy so that he can place his daughters, and provide for his sons, and can bring the beginning foundation of the College and of other pious works to completion. But when the Duke received this permission or dispensation, he immediately summoned Fr. Antonio Araoz, the Provincial; but because on the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin he was impeded by sickness or by some business, on the very day of the Purification, secretly the Duke made his solemn profession, and so he performed this pious duty with great consolation of his soul. And it is not surprising that Fr. Ignatius conceded so quickly to the Duke (whom afterwards he called Fr. Francis de Borgia) this permission to make his profession. For the divine Goodness opened his eyes immediately after the death of the Empress (the Emperor had given him the function of accompanying her body to its place of burial), so that, coming to know the vanity of this world and its deceptions, he decided absolutely to serve God. And after the burial of the Empress, which took place in May of 1538, he returned from the city of Granada; having been enlightened by a great grace of the divine Majesty, he began to think seriously about a change in his life, although his wife was still living. With great determination he began to spend time in prayer and in reading (for from his youth he had a love for learning) and also in chastising of the body. Thus, while he was the Viceroy of Catalonia, besides the use of chains and strict fasting (at the banquets which he was forced to provide for others) and the constant flagellation of the flesh, he also spent many uninterrupted hours in mental prayer. And he made such progress in the reading of the holy Doctors, and in meditation on things pertaining to the perfection of the Christian life that, when he was in Gandia in the following year, it was discerned that he had received a special talent for these things; this was seen in the booklets he wrote, and also in his preaching (which he did in the convent of Saint Clare, when the doors were closed to outsiders). And when, in imitation of our students, among a few of his domestics who were interested in spiritual growth, he determined that someone should preach; the lot fell to him, so he had to preach twice, and he gave the second sermon with such erudition, order and spirit that those who heard him were very astonished, and they thought that this gift could be from no one else but from God, since it had the odor not so much of books as it did of prayer, and they said it should be written down in letters of gold. Now at this time, since his wife had died and he had made the Exercises, and had consecrated himself to God by his simple vows, daily he made great progress in every spiritual virtue. And as we said about Fr. Andreas, so also Francis Borgia, because of his holy fervor, seemed to go somewhat beyond good measure both in the time given to prayer, and in fasting, and in the chastising of the body with chains and scourges. [5. Polancus, ex commissione, Hieronymo Natali, de professione Ducis Gandiae, 4 Aprilis (videtur mendose positum pro Maii) 48; ipsius Ducis Gandiae arcanis atque arbitrariis signis (vulgo cifras) notata solemnis professionis formula.
Polanco ex commissione to Jerome Nadal, on the profession of the Duke of Gandia, April 4 (this seems to be a mistake for May), 1548; the formula of the solemn profession of the Duke of Gandia, marked with secret and arbitrary signs (popularly called cifras).]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
275. Sed de iis Ignatius ab eo consultus respondit (exstat exemplum litterarum, quibus respondebat Ignatius consultationi) Deo omnino adseribenda, quae eatenus gessisset; verum, cum alia spiritualia et corporalia exercitia uni tempori, alii diversa conveniant, satius sibi videri si mediam partem ejus temporis, quod orationi dabat (erat autem valde prolixum ), adimeret, et ad studia litterarum transferret, ut non tantum infusa a Domino, sed adquisita etiam doctrina, Deo inservire et de proximis bene mereri niteretur; majoremque virtutem esse aiebat et gratiam posse Deo frui, eique ubivis inservire in variis officiis, quam in uno tantum, etiamsi illud sit oratio. Quod ad jejunia et abstinentias attinet, cum jam per Dei gratiam, liberam a gravioribus tentationibus carnem, et spiritui satis subjectam haberet, non esse ipsi tantopere abstinendum ut stomachus (jam coeperat) debilis ad concoctionem redderetur; quin potius naturales vires esse roborandas cibis convenientibus; seque optare plurimum ut hoc sibi persuaderet, quoniam anima et corpus Dei sunt, curandum esse bonam de utroque rationem Deo reddere; nec sinere corpus, et ejus vigorem marcescere, ne et ipsi animae ad ejus functiones parum utile reddatur; aliquando quidem commendandam fuisse nimiam illam abstinentiam a communibus cibis, sed in posterum, quod corpus illud roboraret sine Dei et proximorum offensa, ei esse tribuendum.
275. But Ignatius, having been consulted by him, responded about those things (there is a written copy of Ignatius’s response in matters of consultation) that what he so far had done should be attributed absolutely to God; truly, since other spiritual and corporal exercises are suitable for one time or another, it seemed to him that it would be enough, if he took half of the time that he spent in prayer (because it was very long), and used it for study, so that not only insights infused by God, but also acquired knowledge can be used to serve God and to help the neighbor; and he said that there is more virtue and grace that can be obtained from God, and that one can serve God anywhere in various positions, rather than in only one, even if it is prayer. Regarding what pertains to fasting and abstinence, since already by the grace of God his flesh was free from grave temptations and was sufficiently subject to the spirit, he said that he should not fast so much lest his stomach (it had already begun) not be able to digest food; rather, he said, his natural powers should be strengthened by eating the proper foods; and he wished very much that he would be persuaded by this, since both soul and body are from God, and it will be necessary to give a good account to God for both of them. He also said that he should not allow his body and its vigor to become weak, lest his soul be rendered less useful for its functions. He said that sometimes the extreme abstinence from ordinary foods is to be recommended, but afterwards he should strengthen the body without offending either God or the neighbor.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
276. De corpore castigando per flagella, cum consuevisset quotidie usque ad aliquam sanguinis effusionem, ad honorem Passionis Christi se caedere, censuit P. Ignatius, ab ejusmodi flagellis, quae ad sanguinem usque procederent, illi esse abstinendum, et loco sanguinis dona Dei spiritualia, velut aliquam lacrymarum effusionem, sive propter peccata propria, aut aliena, sive propter mysteria Christi in hac vita vel in aeterna, sive in divinarum Personarum consideratione ac dilectione, esse curanda; hujusmodi enim spirituales actiones fidei, spei, et charitatis, longe exercitationi corporeae esse praeferendas, cum corporea exercitatio eatenus sit commendanda, quatenus ad spiritualium donorum profectum confert. Quamvis autem in his, quae dicta sunt, Francisci de Borgia profectus admirationi esset, singularis tamen ejus humilitas, charitas, et reliquae solidae virtutes, quo rariores esse solent, non in principibus viris tantum, sed etiam in religiosis, eo magis in ipso admirandae videbantur. Prudentia item tam in rebus gerendis, quam in spiritualibus consiliis, in eo non parum splendebat; et denique quod Theologicae doctrinae, cum professionem emitteret, defecit, sequentibus annis assiduo studio Theologiae scholasticae compensavit. Nactus erat trigesimum septimum fere aetatis suae annum, cum solemnem hanc emisit professionem, quam tamen, per tres annos, donec Romam rediit, prudenter dissimulavit ; quo tempore non solum filias quam optime collocavit, sed et primogenito filio suo Marchioni de Lombay, conjugem quaesivit Comitis Olivae filiam ; quae cum Patri in Comitatu succederet, satis amplis reditibus Ducatum Gandiae auxit; adeo ut inter primarias magnatum Hispaniae domos illa sit censenda non solum quod ad nobilitatem attinet, sed etiam quod ad reditus. Franciscus vero de Borgia omnibus Aegypti divitiis et honoribus improperium Christi praetulit nec solum quid magnum se reliquisse non censebat, sed pro nihilo illas divitias ducens, de accepto paupertatis Dei beneficio nunquam satis gratias se Deo reddere posse existimabat.
276. On chastising the body with scourges, since he was accustomed to beat himself daily to the point of shedding some blood, for the honor of the Passion of Christ, Fr. Ignatius thought that he should abstain from scourging of this kind, which result in shedding blood, and in place of blood he should seek the spiritual gifts of God, such as the shedding of tears, either because of his own sins, or the sins of others, or because of the mysteries of Christ in this life or in heaven, or in the consideration and love of the divine Persons. He said that such spiritual works of faith, hope and charity, are to be greatly preferred to corporal exercises, since the corporal exercises are to be recommended insofar as they contribute to the progress of the spiritual gifts. Although in the things that have been said Francis Borgia made admirable progress, still his singular humility, charity, and other solid virtues, are wont to be quite rare, not only in important men in the world, but also in religious, and so they seemed to be even more admirable in him. Prudence likewise was no less evident in him, both in getting things done and in his spiritual advice to others. Finally, when he made his profession he was deficient in his knowledge of Theology, so in the following years he made up for that by his constant study of scholastic Theology. He was thirty-seven years old when he made his solemn profession, which, however, he prudently kept hidden for three years, until he returned to Rome. [6. Romam habet mss.; sed fortassis Melius diceretur Roma. Nam tune primum Romae Borgia fuit, cum, sub finem Octobris anno 1550 eam ingressus est. Sensus itaque verborum Polanci hic esset : professionem Ducis ignotam in Hispania fuisse, donec Roma, sub initium anni 1551, rediit.
The manuscript has Romam, but perhaps it should be Roma. For Borgia was in Rome for the first time when, near the end of October 1550, he went there. Therefore the meaning of the words of Polanco is this: that the profession of the Duke was unknown in Spain, until he returned from Rome at the beginning of 1551.] During this time not only did he provide very well for his daughters, but he found a wife, the daughter of Count Olive, for his eldest son, the Marquis de Lombay. And since she succeeded her father in his noble title, she increased the revenue of the duchy of Gandia significantly. Thus among the leading houses of the magnates of Spain, this one must be considered about the greatest not only with regard to nobility, but also with regard monetary income. But Francis Borgia preferred the name of Christ to all the riches and honors of Egypt, and not only did he not think he had left something great, but considering those riches as nothing, he thought that he could never give enough thanks to God for his gift of the poverty of God. [7. Polancus, ex commissione, Andreae de Oviedo, ut curet ne Gandiae Dux sibi suaeque valetudini nimiis corporis afflictationibus noceat, 12 Martii; Ignatius Duci Gandiae de moderatione adhibenda in spiritualibus operationibus et corporis afflictationibus, eadem die et 20 Septembris 48.
Polanco ex commissione to Andreas de Oviedo, that he see to it that the Duke of Gandia would not harm himself and his health by too much corporal penance, March 12; Ignatius to the Duke of Gandia on using moderation in spiritual matters and in the chastising of the body, on the same day and September 20, 1548.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
278. Et hic quidem in Hispania Societatis status erat; in Portugallia vero continuos progressus per Dei gratiam Societas faciebat. Tribus in locis residebat Societas hoc anno; quamvis unus non esset omnino stabilis, curia scilicet Regis, ubi Pater Simon, Provincialis, ut officio suo, magistri scilicet Principis, fungeretur, residebat, nec sine magno spirituali fructu ipsius Principis, qui octavo quoque die eidem Patri confitebatur; et cum prius longe aliter dispositus videretur, ejus ad pietatem propensio omnibus erat admirationi. Magnam etiam Simon apud Regem auctoritatem habuit, et apud alios primarios regni viros, qua ad subventionem multorum et ad pietatis opera promovenda utebatur; et hic fructus bonum Patrem consolabatur, qui officium infimi coqui in Societate, omnibus dignitatibus et opulentiis praeferebat. Habebat autem secum aliquos sacerdotes, quibus in audiendis confessionibus et proximis omni studio juvandis uteretur. Cum autem tunc de missione Patriarchae et aliorum in Aethiopiam ageretur, magno desiderio, ejus spiritus ad hanc missionem accendebatur; et ita ex intimo affectu Patri Ignatio scripsit, ut nullam se consolationem sentire affirmaret in suis laboribus, nisi cum de adim plendis desideriis in Indiam transeundi cogitabat, et ita Patrem Ignatium ut hac occasione ex Regis Portugalliae cura ipsum eriperet, cum aliter desperaret se liberum ab ea fore, urgebat. Quod si non succederet de quo agebatur, ad Brasiliam, quae id temporis recens detecta a lusitanis fuerat, et a viris anthropophagis habitabatur, aspirabat. Aliud tamen divinae Providentiae placuit, cujus ope in Portugallia tam prospere Pater Simon res Societatis et communis boni promovebat.
278. And this was the status of the Society in Spain; now in Portugal the Society was making constant progress by the grace of God. In this year the Society was active in three places: although one was not completely stable, at the court, that is, of the King, where Fr. Simon the Provincial resided and had the official position as teacher of the Prince, and not without the great spiritual fruit of the Prince himself, who every week went to confession to the same Father. And since previously he seemed to be inclined completely otherwise, his disposition towards piety was admired by all. Simon also had great authority with the King, and among other important men of the kingdom, which he was able to use to help many people and to promote various works of piety. And this fruit consoled the good Father, who preferred the office of the least cook in the Society to all dignities and riches. But he had with him some priests, whom he made use of in hearing confessions and in helping others in every way possible. But since at the time there was consideration about the sending of a Patriarch and of others to Ethiopia, with a very strong desire his spirit was set on fire for this mission; and so with deep affection he wrote to Fr. Ignatius, and he said that he felt no consolation in his labors, except when he thought about fulfilling his desires of going to India, and so he urged Fr. Ignatius to use this occasion to remove him from the court of the King of Portugal, since otherwise he feared that he would not be liberated from it. But if what he desired was not successful, he wanted to go to Brazil, which had recently been discovered by the Portuguese, and was inhabited by cannibals. However, something else was pleasing to divine Providence, by whose operation in Portugal Fr. Simon so favorably promoted the works of the Society and the common good. [9. Ignatius cuidam Societatis sacerdoti (¿P.L. de Grana?) in Curia Regis Portugalliae, de missione Aethiopica, de Brasiliensi, de mittendo in Lusitaniam Patre Jaio aut Patre Domenech, 17 Januarii 49.
Ignatius to a certain priest of the Society (P. L. de Grana?) in the Court of the King of Portugal, about the Ethiopian mission, about Brazil, about sending Fr. Jay or Fr. Domenech to Portugal, January 17, 1549.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
279. Ulyssiponae apud Sancti Antonii multi sacerdotes nostri, et alii etiam ex fratribus, residebant. P. Georgius diebus festis mane conciones, a prandio vero catechismum frequenti auditorio, et magna ejusdem consolatione prosequebatur. Coeperat quidem ibidem concionari P. Strada , postquam in curia Regis cum multis auditorum lacrymis concionatus esset. Is, postquam multis hominum millibus verbum Dei proposuisset, recipiebat se in domum nostram, illis se adjungens, qui castigationi corporis et sacramentis Confessionis et Communionis crebro sumendis vacabant. Haec autem congregatio vel confraternitas, quia fructus ex ea non mediocris capiebatur, in suscepto proposito piae per flagella castigationis ac sacramentorum frequentationis, privatis concionibus conservabatur. Concionandi autem apud ipsos munere fungebatur Pater Joannes, cui cognomentum fuit de Sancto Michaël, qui egregium paulatim talentum in publicis etiam concionibus ostendit. Confratrum numerus bis centum superabat, quorum aliqui non infimae notae homines erant; fervor autem spiritus et lacrymae, dum castigationi corporis dabant operam, admiranda omnino erant. Quidam vel curiositate, vel forte ob derisum eo accesserunt ut spectatores, sed vehementer compuncti percutientes pectora sua redibant, et, auditis poenitendum gemitibus et fletibus, suarum culparum et ipsi vulnera sentiebant. Alii etiam ex nostris ministerio Confessionis et Communionis assiduo ibidem distinebantur, et in omnibus piis operibus, sed praecipue in catechismo singulis sextis Feriis declarando, perutiliter in ea civitate exercebantur. Non pauci etiam ad religiosum institutum, eorum opera, qui Ulyssiponae versabantur aspirantes, in nostram Societatem et alias religiosas familias sunt admissi.
279. Many of our priests, and also some of our brothers were living in Lisbon at St. Anthony’s. On feast days Fr. George gave sermons in the morning, and after lunch he explained the catechism to a large audience, which was very pleased with it. Likewise, in the same place Fr. Strada began to preach, after he had preached in the Court of the King, followed by many tears of the hearers. After he had preached the word of God to many thousands of people, he returned to our house and he joined those who were chastising the body and receiving often the sacraments of Confession and Communion. But this congregation or confraternity, because it gained no little fruit from it, was preserved by private sermons in the adopted program of pious chastising by scourging and of frequent Confession and Communion. Now Fr. John assumed the function among them of preaching and his surname was for St. Michael; gradually he showed outstanding talent also in giving public sermons. The number of the brothers surpassed two hundred, some of whom were men of no mean talent; but their fervor of spirit and tears, when they scourged their bodies, were very admirable. Some persons, either out of curiosity or perhaps out of derision went to visit them as spectators, but moved deeply by compunction they returned beating their breasts and, having heard the groans and weeping of the penitents, they also felt the wounds of their sins. Some of ours also were busy there with the constant ministry of Confession and Communion, and they were very usefully employed in that city in all pious works, but especially in teaching catechism every Friday. Also not a few who desired a religious life, through the work of those active in Lisbon, were admitted into our Society and other religious families. [10. Martinus de Sancta-Cruce, ex commissione, Simoni Rodericio, quo a Rege veniam impetrare valeat ut Stradae liceat a Portugallia longius abesse, litterarum trassumpta Hispali et Jerez ad Ignatium datarum mittit, 20 Augusti 48. — Vide annot. ad mnum. 260, supra pag. 299, et ad num. 262, pag. 303. — Franciscus Strada Ignatio, Portus, 10 Februarii; idem eidem, Conimbricae, 20 Februarii 48; Regulae, quae Conimbricae servantur; quadrimestres Lusitaniae, hoc anno 48.
Martin de Santa Cruz, ex commissione, to Simon Rodriguez, asking him to get permission from the King so that he would allow Fr. Strada to be absent from Portugal for a longer period of time, August 20, 1548.See the note to numbers 260 and 262.Francis Strada to Ignatius, from Porto, February 10; the same to the same, from Coimbra, February 20, 1548; the Rules which are observed at Coimbra, during four months in Portugal, in this year of 1548.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
280. At Conimbricae nonaginta ex nostris et amplius (praeter aliquos qui eis inserviebant), id temporis habitabant, ex quibus plurimi et virtute, et ingenio, et aliis praeclaris Dei donis, nobilitate etiam non pauci, praediti erant; et Regis benignitas ad plures quam centum alendos necessaria subministrabat; etiam Collegii aedificium Regis ejusdem expensis surgebat, et quidem ducentorum collegialium capax futurum. Invisebat eos aliquando Pater Simon, et spiritualibus documentis et auxiliis ad optima quaeque promovebat, et ut parati essent non solum ad operam et industriam, sed etiam ad sanguinem et vitam pro Christi gloria ponendam; et qui non hujusmodi in se animi praeparationem experiretur, ut ex Collegio recederet admonebat. Rectorem ipsis initio hujus anni constituerat et quidem hac usus arte: unum aliquem se velle mortificare dixit; vocavit autem Patrem Ludovicum de Grana eique ut esset Collegii Rector injunxit; et Patrem Ludovicum Gonzalez, qui Rector anno proxime elapso fuerat, coqui officio ornavit; et cum quidam peteret a P. Simone uter illorum mortificatus censeretur, superflua interrogatio fuit existimata, cum humilitatis officia ad consolationem et quietem maximam, praelationis vero ad laborem et mortificationem pertinere constaret. Faciebant autem scholastici serio suum officium, tam in his quae ad litteras, quam in his quae ad spiritualem profectum pertinebant. Et qui externis juvandis dabant operam, non segniter etiam suo officio sunt perfuncti. Concionatus ibidem est hac quadragesima P. Franciscus Strada in scholis Universitatis, a quo plurimi ad pietatem excitati fuerunt, et aliqui scholastici in litteris et Dei donis clari in Societatem sunt admissi. Rectoris mutatio non solum utilis fuit, quod valde idoneus et gratus Rector, et in rebus spiritualibus versatus, praefectus est, sed quia P. Ludovicus Gonzalez eo liberatus onere, ad missiones, quas cum fructu peregit, liber dimitti potuit. Erant ea in existimatione nostri scholastici in Conimbricensi academia, ut praeclarissima ejus ingenia, apud nostros cuncta esse crederentur, adeo ut non defuit qui diceret, et quidem ex publicis praelectoribus, defuturos esse in posterum viros doctos in ea Universitate, quoniam optima quaeque ingenia Societatem ingrederentur. Triginta jam tunc erant theologi, praeter philosophos et humaniorum litterarum studiosos; et positiones dominicis diebus, doctore aliquo praesidente, in Collegio utiliter defendebantur; et interim aliis ac aliis ad sacerdotium promotis, operariorum numerus in vinea Domini augebatur.
280. But at Coimbra ninety of ours and more (besides those who served them) at that time were living there, of whom many were endowed with virtue, and talent, and other excellent gifts of God, and not a few were also from noble families. And the generosity of the King provided the things necessary to support more than a hundred; also the building of the College was being constructed at the expense of the King, and it would be capable of holding two hundred students. Sometimes Fr. Simon visited them, and by spiritual example and helps he urged them to strive for excellence, and that they should be prepared not only for work and activity, but also to shed their blood and give their life for the glory of Christ. And he admonished them that anyone who did not have a mental attitude like this should leave the College. At the beginning of this year he appointed a Rector for them, and he did it in this way: he said it will be someone who wishes to mortify himself; so he called Fr. Luis Grana and commanded him to be the Rector of the College; and he gave the office of cook to Fr. Luis Gonzalez, who was the Rector the previous year. And when someone asked Fr. Simon which one of them was thought to be mortified, it was considered a superfluous questions, since it is certain that the positions of humility pertain to consolation and great peace, but those of authority to much work and mortification. But the scholastics took their duties seriously, both in what pertains to studies and in what pertains to spiritual progress. And those who were busy helping others did not perform their office in a sluggish manner. During this Lent Fr. Francis Strada preached there in the schools of the University, and many were inspired by him to embrace a life of piety, and some of the students noted for their learning and their gifts from God were admitted into the Society. The change of Rector was not only advantageous, because a very suitable and agreeable Rector, well versed in spiritual matters, was put in charge, but also because Fr. Luis Gonzalez having been freed from his burden, could freely be sent to the missions, which he did with fruit. Our scholastics were held in high regard at the academy in Coimbra, so that ours were thought to be outstanding in talent; so much so that there were some who said, and they did it even in public lectures, that in the future they would be the learned men in that University, because the most talented men were the ones entering the Society. At this time there were thirty studying Theology, besides those studying Philosophy and the liberal arts; and on Sundays various theses, with some professor presiding, were defended profitably in the College. And in the meantime now this one and now that one was ordained to the priesthood, so the number of the workers in the vineyard of the Lord was increased. [11. Vide annot. sub numero praecendenti
See the note to the preceding number.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
281. Inter eos, qui ad missiones varias destinati sunt, bonam partem India accepit; horum unus fuit P. Gaspar Franciscus, Flander, qui cum utiliter in quadam missione versaretur, missus est ad eum P. Ludovicus Gonzalez, ut hanc profectionem ei significaret, et ejus loco ibidem maneret. Fuit autem mira populi commotio cum intelligeret P. Gasparem in Indiam esse destinatum; alii negotia pietatis quaedam ei tractanda offerebant, quae si non expedivisset, in damnum animarum, quibus juvandis missus erat, esse cessurum affirmabant; sed ille brevissimo tempore omnia componens, cum magno ipsorum sensu sese expedivit. Qui autem illi oppido judex erat praefectus, omnino Gasparem in Indiam sequi constituit, si ab uxore et filiis id posset impetrare. Secundus ex his qui in Indiam mittebantur, fuit P. Antonius Gomez; tertius Pater Paulus Davale, et alii, qui omnes numero septem fuerunt, eorum vero quatuor sacerdotes.
281 Among those who were selected for the various missions, India received a good part. One of these was Fr. Gaspar Francis, from Flanders, [12. Vide notam 1 sub num. 151, pag. 193.
See note 1 for number 151.]who was usefully occupied in a certain mission; Fr. Luis Gonzalez was sent to him, in order to tell him about his selection for India, and then the latter remained there in his place. However, there was great commotion among the people when they learned that Fr. Gaspar had been assigned to India; some mentioned the various works of piety being handled by him, and they said that, if he did not take care of them, it would result in the loss of the souls whom he had been sent to care for. But he took care of everything in a short space of time, and so to their satisfaction he was free to leave. But the one who was the presiding judge in that town decided absolutely to follow Gaspar to India, if he could get approval for that from his wife and children. The second one of those who were sent to India was Fr. Antonio Gomez; the third was Fr. Paul Davale, [13. Rectius de Valle, ut videre est apud FRANCO, aliosque lusitanos scriptores.
The correct name is de Valle, as can be seen in Franco, and in the works of other Portuguese writers.] and the others who numbered seven in all, and of them four were priests. [14. Quadrimestres Lusitanicae et historicae litterae hujus anni 48.
See the Four Months in Portugal and the historical letters of this year 1548.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
282. Missus etiam fuit P. Georgius ad eumdem locum, ubi Gaspar fuerat condonatus, provinciam quamdam, sub magistro ordinis Sancti Joannis, quae doctrina magnopere indigebat; et ille per quaedam oppida, Pater autem Ludovicus Gonzalez per alia discurrendo, partim concionibus, partim confessionibus audiendis, partim aliis pietatis functionibus dabant operam. In ea provincia inter alia oppida, unum erat Pedograum majus nomine, ubi inimicitiae et simultates magnae fervebant, et oppidani, alioqui viri fortes, sex annos cum suo domino contendebant, nec eum in oppidum ingredi permittebant ; et credi vix potest, quem fructum divina Bonitas per hos Patres inde retulerit. Cum autem in magna paupertate, mendicato viventes et exiguis eleemosynis contenti, non minus exemplo quam verbo populos aedificare niterentur, quocumque se convertebant, non solum cum devotione magna excipiebantur, sed a vicinis etiam oppidis, cum ad eadem accersebantur; et quocumque accedebant, magistratus, edicto promulgato, omnes ut ad audiendam praedicationem apostolorum accederent (sic enim nostros in eo regno vocant), undecumque, etiam ex remotioribus locis aut villis, congregabant. Nec illi multum operae in concionibus limandis collocabant; sed cum ex corde verbum Dei proponerent, vix ipsi loqui, cum auditores flere incipiebant; et lacrymarum effusionem vitae mutatio sequebatur, et peccata multa, in quibus vixerant, per poenitentiam diluebant; infamis habebatur ille, qui hujusmodi concionibus non adesset, adeo ut aliqui dicerent (cum obloqui vellent): hic vel ille non accedit ad praedicationem apostolorum; alii tureas esse censendos eos, qui tales conciones non audiebant. In oppido illo, ad quod missi fuerant, cum concionem unus ex nostris absolvisset, toto populo praesente, viginti homines, qui magnis inter se odiis certaverant et quidem diu, veniam a se invicem petierunt, et id tam multis cum lacrymis et amplexibus charitatis, ut facile divini verbi ένεργείαν, et quod interius operatum fuerat, exterius manifestarent. Ex mutatione autem dexterae Excelsi, quae in illo oppido facta est, alia finitima oppida, quatuor, quinque, et decem leucas distantia, excitata sunt, ut hos Patres tanto studio per litteras accerserent, ex parte Dei propter suas graves necessitates id petendo, ut omnibus satisfacere omnino oportuerit; nec litteris explicari posset, quae divina Bonitas in illis populis est operata. Inter alios unus erat sacerdos, triginta et octo annos habens in infirmitate sua, cum nullus esset, qui ad piscinam Domini eum deduceret; cum enim sacerdos esset, publice triginta annos in concubinatu sic vixerat, ut cum uxore vivere videretur; in prima autem concione Patris Georgii mulier sic compuncta est, ut in ipso templo publice vocem elevans, fletibus et gemitibus cum magna aliorum aedificatione templum impleret; haec confessa est cum magna peccatorum suorum contritione ac devotione. Sequenti autem die cum sacerdos concioni adesset, sic verbum Dei cor ejus pupugit ac penetravit, ut, quod nullius opera tot annis effecerat, omnino a vitae turpitudine ad vitam sacerdote dignam agendam se transferre constitueret. Alia etiam foemina, quae septem vel octo annos cum alio sacerdote inhoneste vixerat, magno animi fervore castam vitam agere decrevit, et quibusdam aliis documentis in confessione, quam fecit, instructa, tantopere in bono opere confirmata est, ut cum sacerdotem illum, cum quo Deum offenderat, in via publica invenisset, ei diceret: Ecce animam meam propter te hactenus perdidi, sed non amplius eam perdere constitui; proinde tu confiteri peccata tua illi Patri (hic autem erat P. Gaspar, antequam in Indiam discederet), et convertere ad Deum. Et his verbis tantum efficaciae Deus tribuit, ut sacerdos statim ad Dominum conversus, de animae salute sollicitus fuerit. Sine numero quodammodo fuerunt concordiae inter homines illos initae; nam fere omnes in illis oppidis alii ab aliis dissidebant et odio se mutuo prosequebantur. Et praecipua illa pax, propter quam missi fuerant, inter supradictum oppidum et ipsius dominum, etiam confecta est. Recedente autem inde P. Georgio, mansit in oppido Pedograo P. Gaspar, cujus opera, vel potius Dei per ipsum, admiranda prorsus ibi fuerunt; sed ut unum, quod praecaeteris enituit, dicatur, senex ibi erat quidam, qui, ut populi publica vox ferebat, licet sacerdos esset, nunquam peccata sua bene confessus fuerat; sed cum eum inviseret Gaspar, sic ejus cor Dominus immutavit, ut generalem totius vitae confessionem, cum magna ipsius et populi aedificatione atque consolatione institueret. Simul atque in oppidum aliquod accedebant, licet jam nox esset, statim ad praedicationem invitabantur, nullo studio praecedente; coram toto etiam populo, ad modum catechismi, de rebus ad salutem necessariis agebant; et multi non solum ad pietatem, sed etiam ad institutum religionis, et aliqui ad Societatem a Domino movebantur, et omnes Societatis agendi rationem admiratione magna prosequebantur. Cum autem P. Ludovicus Gonzalez Patri Gaspari successisset, quod illis in locis notior erat primariis viris, multum eis populis aedificationis attulit; concionabatur autem in uno oppido secunda feria, tertia in alio, et sic in aliis usque ad dominicam; quo die sub vesperum ad illud primum oppidum se conferebat, ubi secunda feria coneionatus erat. Georgius etiam ad alia oppida, scilicet Thomar, Sanchos, Abrantes, ad eadem munera obeunda se contulit. Id temporis Franciscus Strada in civitate Portuensi ante quadragesimam otiosus non erat; tantoque fervore cives eum audiebant, ut ante diem jam templum replere inciperent, et in crebro usu Sanctissimi Sacramenti, orationis et poenitentiae exercitatione, tam concitato cursu ferebantur, ut fraeno prorsus indigerent. Sed cum Conimbricam ad concionandum venturus esset, magno doloris sensu propter absentiam, eam urbem reliquit; quem quidam ex primoribus civibus, in litteris bene institutus, comitatus est et in Societatem admissus. Nec illud omittam, quod cum duo ex nostris, magno zelo augendorum operariorum, quosdam sacerdotes saeculares essent allocuti, non paucos ad religionem ea ratione Dominus vocavit; quamvis non esse imitandum hujusmodi zelum, Societatis nostrae superiores merito existimarunt.
282. Also Fr. George was sent to the same place, where Gaspar had preached, a certain region under the control of the order of St. John, which was in great need of solid doctrine; and he visited various towns, while Fr. Luis Gonzalvez visited other places, and they worked very hard, partly by preaching, partly by hearing confessions, partly by promoting other works of piety. In that region among other towns, there was one called Pedrograo Grande, [15. Pedograum majus clare habet mss., sed error certe est pro Pedrogao Grande, quod oppidum est intra terminos civitatis Thomar. Vide CAETANO DE LIMA, Geografia historica, tomo II, em que se trata de Portugal, pág. 669.
The manuscript has Pedograum majus, but this is certainly an error for Pedograo Grande, which is a town within the limits of the city of Tomar. See Caetano de Lima, Geografia historica, vol. II, where he treats Portugal, page 669.] where fierce enmities and rivalries were raging, and the inhabitants, being in general strong men, for six years had been contending with their lord, and they did not allow him to enter the town; and it can hardly be believed what fruit the divine Goodness produced there through these Fathers. Since they endeavored to edify the people not less by example than by word, they lived in great poverty by begging and were content with meager alms; and wherever they went, they were received not only with great devotion, but also by the neighboring towns, when they went to visit them. And wherever they went the magistrates published a decree and invited all to come and hear the preaching of the apostles (since that is what they call ours in that region), and they came from everywhere, even from distant places or villages. They did not spend much time preparing their sermons; but since they spoke the word of God from their heart, hardly had they started to speak, when the hearers began to weep; then a change of life followed the flow of tears, and through penance they washed away the many sins in which they had lived. He was considered to be disgraceful who was not present at these sermons, so much so that some said (when they wanted to chide them): this man or that one does not come to the preaching of the apostles; others said that those should be considered to be Turks, who did not listen to such sermons. In one town to which ours were sent, when one of ours finished his sermon, while all the people were present, twenty men, who had been fighting with each other for a long time, asked each other for pardon, and they did it with so many tears and friendly embraces that easily the ένεργείαν (power) of the divine word manifested exteriorly what it had caused interiorly. But from the movement of the right hand of the Most High, which took place in that town, other nearby towns — some four, five and ten miles away — were aroused to action, so that they asked these Fathers with such zeal by their letters to come to them, while asking for this in the name of God because of their grave necessities, that it was absolutely necessary to satisfy all of them; nor can it be explained in writing what the divine Goodness accomplished among those peoples. Among others, there was one priest, who was living in sin for thirty-eight years, since there was no one to bring him to the water of the Lord; and although he was a priest, he had lived publicly in concubinage for thirty-years in such wise that he seemed to be living with a wife. However, during the first sermon of Fr. George the woman felt such compunction that, raising her voice publicly in the church, she filled the church with her weeping and groaning to the great edification of the others; and then she made her confession with great devotion and contrition for her sins. But on the following day, when the priest was present at the sermon, the word of God so penetrated his heart that, what the work of no one for many years had effected, he decided definitely to change himself from a life of disgrace to a life worthy of a priest. Also another woman, who had cohabited with another priest for seven or eight years, with great interior fervor resolved to lead a chaste life, and having been instructed by certain other warnings which she received in confession, she was so confirmed in her new way of life that, when she encountered on a public street the priest with whom she had offended God, she said to him: “Look, because of you until now my soul has been lost, but I have decided to lose it no longer; therefore, you should confess your sins to that Father (it was Fr. Gaspar before he left for India) and be converted to God.” And God gave such power to these words that the priest was immediately converted to God and became solicitous for the salvation of his soul. In a certain measure, peace was established among those men without number; for in those towns almost all were disagreeing with each other and pursued each other with mutual hatred. And a special peace, because of which they had been sent, was brought about between the town mentioned above and its own lord. Now when Fr. George departed from there, Fr. Gaspar remained in the town of Pedograo Grande, and his works, or rather those worked by God through him, were very much admired there. But something may be said about one of them, which outshines the others: there was a certain old man there who, as was commonly known, although he was a priest, had never made a confession of his own sins; but when Gaspar visited him, the Lord so changed his heart that he made a general confession of his whole life, to the great consolation of himself and the edification of the people. As soon as they arrived in some town, even though it was already nighttime, immediately the people were invited to a sermon, without any previous notice; in the presence of all the people they spoke about the things necessary for salvation by giving a lesson in catechism; and many were moved not only to embrace piety, but also the religious life; and some were moved by the Lord to the Society, and all showed great admiration for the way of life of the Society. Now when Fr. Luis Gonzalvez succeeded Fr. Gaspar, because in those places he was more known than the leading men, the people were very edified. He preached in one town on Monday, in another on Tuesday, and he did the same on the other days until Sunday; on that day after Vespers he went back to the first town, where he had preached on Monday. George also went to the other towns, namely, Tomar, Sancho and Abrantes, to perform the same functions. At that time Francis Strada was not idle in the city of Porto before Lent; the citizens heard him with such delight that they began to fill the church even before dawn, and in the frequent use of the Holy Sacraments, of prayer and going to confession, and they moved at such a rapid pace that they needed some restraint. But when he was going to go to Coimbra to do some preaching, he left the city in great sorrow because of his absence; one of the leading citizens, who was well schooled in the liberal arts, accompanied him and was admitted into the Society. I will not omit mentioning that, when two of ours, with the great zeal of strong workers, addressed some secular priests, because of that the Lord called not a few to the religious life; however, the superiors of our Society rightly concluded that zeal of this kind should not be imitated.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
283. Quaedam etiam Dei judicia, non sine admiratione, observata sunt, circa eos, qui Patrum horum doctrinam non admittebant; ex quibus duo, vel tria subdentur. Conferebat Pater Georgius cum homine quodam de rebus ad Deum pertinentibus, et juxta eos quidam transiit, qui inimicitiam cum homine illo gerebat, unde eos non salutavit. Cum autem die sequenti, prout constituerat, Georgius concionaretur, accidit, ut inter caetcra, eos reprehenderet, qui propter causas non magni momenti, colloquium aliis subtraherent, quo imitari daemonia viderentur; ille ergo qui, ipso insalutato, praecedenti die transierat, concione absoluta, Georgium conviciis coepit insectari; rogat eum Georgius quam ob causam ea diceret, subjungit ille magna cum ira, quod propter ea quae concionatus fuerat, quae contra se dicta intellexerat; genibus tunc flexis Georgius veniam petiit, si quid offendisset; sed ille nihil de suo furore remittens et obloquens recessit; antequam vero domum perveniret, cum interesset cuidam rixae, brachium illi in aliquot partes fuit comminutum.
283. Also certain judgments of God, not without admiration, were observed concerning those who did not accept the teaching of these Fathers. Here we will mention two or three of them. Fr. George conferred with a certain man about things pertaining to God, and while doing so another man, who was angry at the former person, passed them by and did not greet them. When, however, on the next day George preached, as he usually did, it happened that, among other things, he reproached those who, for a matter of small moment, refuse to speak with others and in this way seem to imitate demons. Therefore, the man who passed them by the previous day without a greeting, when the sermon was over, began to rail at George with insults. So George asked him why he said those things; and he replied with much anger that it was because of what he had said in his sermon, which he thought was aimed at himself. Then George fell on his knees and begged for pardon if he had offended him; but he left without any change in his anger. However, before he arrived at home, he got involved in a quarrel, and his arm was broken in several places.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
284. Cum alio in loco, sacerdos quidam, nescio quo spiriritu finxisset et ita publice dixisset quemdam ex nostris in quodam eremitorio, non parum ab oppido distanti, concionari, populus, a magistratibus edicto promulgato, ad eum audiendum properavit; quem cum non invenissent, longe enim distabat aliis in locis, delusa multitudo ad oppidum rediit; sed qui auctor fuerat hujus deceptionis, subito in pleuritidem incidit et tam grave mortis periculum, ut suae levitatis dolorem non mediocrem poenitens senserit.
284. In another place, a certain priest was moved by I know not what spirit and so said publicly that one of ours was going to preach in a hermitage, which is quite a distance from the town, so the magistrate published the news and the people hastened to hear him; when they did not find him, for he was far away in other places, the deluded people returned to the town. But the one who was the author of this deception suddenly came down with pneumonia and was in such grave danger of death that, being repentant, he felt great sorrow for his levity.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
285. Cum autem P. Emmanuel de Nobrega, qui quibusdam in locis, Societatis ministeria magno cum fructu exercebat, templum quoddam ingressus, in eo cantus et symphonias virorum ac mulierum, valde illi loco indecentes, audisset, de ea dissolutione homines commonefecit; at illi, parum ei credentes, in suis pergebant deliciis; unus autem eorum, qui prae caeteris significare voluit quam parum hujusmodi reprehensione moveretur, coepit verba quaedam blasphemiae in Deum proferre, et id fecit quia Emmanueli se displicere ea impietate judicabat. At Emmanuel genua ante eum flectens rogare Deum ut a viro illo iram suam averteret. Non est tamen exauditus: cum enim infelix ille blasphemus ab illo consortio discedens, simul cum aliis alio pergeret, fulmen e coelo eum et equum, quo insidebat, repente medios diffidit, cum nullum alium de societate, quae eum circumstabat, fulmen contingeret; quod cum magni terroris causa oppidanis fuisset, longe alia attentione ac voluntate quam prius, Patrem illum concionantem audiebant.
285. When Fr. Emmanuel de Nobrega, who exercised the ministries of the Society in various places with great fruit, entered a certain church and there he heard the singing and music of men and women which was very indecent, and he warned them that they should stop doing that; but they, paying little attention to him, continued with their pleasures. But one of them, who more than the others wanted to show how little he was moved by this rebuke, began to utter some words of blasphemy against God, and he did it because he knew he would irritate Emmanuel with his impiety. But Emmanuel on bended knee before him asked God to turn away his anger from that man. However, he was not heard: for, when that unhappy blasphemer was departing from that assembly, as soon as he left there with others, lightning from heaven split him in half, and also the horse on which he was sitting, while the lightning did not touch any of the others who were with him. Since this was the reason for great fear among the local inhabitants, they listened to the preaching of that Father with much greater attention than before.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
286. Non omittenda est sollicitudo audiendi verbi Dei, quae in quibusdam oppidis, ubi nostri concionati sunt, cernebatur. Noctu enim, postquam in domum ex agris homines rediissent, concio erat habenda; et oppidani pyras in editioribus collibus incendebant, ut ex vicinis villis et montibus ad concionem audiendam homines convenirent; qui, relictis occupationibus quibuscumque, magna alacritate et celeritate ad verbum Dei audiendum concurrebant. In multis autem hujusmodi oppidis ea consuetudo relicta est, ut singulis mensibus magna hominum pars confiteatur; sed et illud addam, quod populi cujusdam gubernator animadvertens quemdam ex his Patribus, dum his et illis ad eorum spiritualia negotia tractanda vacabat, non cibi sumendi, et vix Officii divini recitandi tempus sibi relinquere, edicto publico cavit, ne quis Patrem illum, qui apud eos agebat, nisi certis quibusdam horis occuparet; et sic effecit hominum provida charitas, ut aliquid ei temporis ad quietem et refectionem superesset. In oppido quodam, ubi P. Ludovicus Gonzalez concionabatur, praeter magnam populi in melius mutationem, viginti virgines ex nobilioribus castitatem perpetuam servare constituerunt; unde parentes ipsarum, cum idem Pater moneret ut monasterium conficerent, dotes, quas illis erant daturi, ad monasterium constituendum obtulerunt. Interim autem illae in jejuniis et orationibus assiduis Deo servire serio coeperunt.
286. Now we should not omit mentioning the solicitude about hearing the word of God, which was noticed in some of the towns where ours preached. For in the evening, after the men returned home from the fields, sermons were given; and the inhabitants built fires on the higher hills, so that people could come from the neighboring villages and mountains to hear the sermon; and having left whatever work they were doing, with great alacrity and speed they came together to hear the word of God. However, in many of these towns the custom remained that each month a large part of the people would go to confession; but I will add the fact that the mayor of one of these towns noticed that one of these Fathers, while he was busy taking care of the spiritual needs of various groups, scarcely had time to eat and to pray his divine Office. So he issued a public decree that no one should bother that Father, who was working among them, except during certain hours. And so the provident charity of the man provided that some time was left over for his rest and restoration. In one town, where Fr. Luis Gonzalez was preaching, besides a huge change of the people for the better, twenty virgins from good families decided to observe perpetual chastity; hence their parents, when the same Father said that they should build a convent, offered the dowries, which they were going to give for them, for the construction of the convent. Meanwhile they began to serve God seriously with fasts and constant prayers. [16. Quadrimestres Lusitaniae, et historicae litterae hujus anni 1548.
Quadrimestres Lusitaniae, and the historical letters of this year 1548.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
287. Quidam ex collegialibus Conimbricae, cum duodecim menses capitis dolore laborasset, et crescente aegritudine nec remediis cedente, intra ipsum chranium (prout medici affirmabant) lethale apostema fuisset generatum, de ejus vita desperabatur; cum autem ejus afflictio alios etiam domesticos affligeret, supervenit eo tempore Pater Simon, qui aliquandiu foris fuerat, quem infirmus, antequam moreretur, videre summopere optabat, spem interim habens quod, eo viso, sanitatem esset consequuturus. Hac ergo viva fide ac confidentia, cum eum alloqueretur et, postquam amplexatus eum esset, animaretur a Patre Simone, qui inter caetera ei dixit ut curaret valere, dedit hoc Deus vel fidei fratris vel obedientiae ut statim, omni dolore cessante, sanus omnino maneret. Ut autem hunc reliquit Deus, ita alium magnae exspectationis juvenem, Dominum Rodericum de Meneses, ad se vocavit; qui consummatus in brevi explevit tempora multa; et jam jam ad sacerdotium promovendus, acerbissimo lateris dolore correptus, et paucis diebus confectus, magna et animi fortitudine et conformitate cum voluntate Dei, omnibus Sacramentis acceptis, inter orationes et lacrymas fratrum laetus migravit ad Dominum.
287. One of the students at Coimbra, when he had suffered from a headache for twelve months, and while the illness was increasing and the remedies provided no help, a deadly cancer had grown inside his brain (as the doctors said) and there was no hope of his survival. But when his illness also afflicted other domestics, at that time Fr. Simon arrived, who had been away for a long time. The sick man wanted to see him before he died, because he hoped that, having seen him, he would recover his health. Therefore with this living faith and confidence, when he spoke with him and, after he had embraced him, he was revived by Fr. Simon, who among other things told him he wanted to heal him; then God did that either by the faith of the brother or his obedience, so that immediately, as all his pain disappeared, he was completely healed. But as God left this one, so he called to himself another young man of great expectations, Roderick de Meneses; he died young, but he accomplished many things; as soon as he was ordained a priest, he experienced a sharp pain in his side, and after a few days, with great fortitude and acceptance of the will of God, after having received all the Sacraments, he went happily to the Lord amidst the prayers and tears of his brothers. [17. Emmanuel Leite toti Societati, Ulyssipone, de statu Societatis, et de felici obitu fratris Roderici de Meneses, 25 Augusti 48. — Vide annot. ad n. 279, pag. 320.
Emmanuel Leite to the whole Society, from Lisbon, on the state of the Society, and on the pious death of Brother Roderick de Meneses, August 25, 1548.See the note to number 279.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
288. Sed et Romae, hoc ipso anno, vita functus est P. Marcus de Sancta-Cruce, qui Rector Collegii Conimbricensis fuerat, et ad ejus negotia Romae conficienda venerat. Hoc autem in eo observatum est, quod cum esset alioqui vir optimus, tam studiosum se praebebat rerum illius provinciae, ac personarum, ut Patri Ignatio non eam habere rationem videretur, quam ordinata charitas exegisset; hic ergo anno nondum completo, quo Romam venerat, colicis doloribus acerbissimis confectus, et ea, in quibus, licet non mala voluntate, errasset, tamen detestatus, ad Dominum, ut sperandum, migravit.
288. But also at Rome, during this year, Fr. Martin de Santa Cruz died; he was the Rector of the College in Coimbra, and had come to Rome to take care of some business. But this was noted in him — that since he was in other respects an excellent man, he showed himself to be so devoted to the affairs of that province, and of the persons, that he seemed to Fr. Ignatius not to have the balance which ordinary charity demands; therefore, before the end of the year he came to Rome. There he experienced sharp pains in the colon, and having repudiated the things about which he had erred, although it was not with a bad will, with hope he went home to the Lord.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
289. Hoc ipso anno 1548 in Mauritaniam et Tingitanam aliqui de nostra Societate missi sunt. Habet Rex Portugalliae aliquot urbes, quas in Africa ejus majores occuparunt, et militum praesidiis a saracenorum vicinorum incursionibus defenduntur. Inter eas, Ceuta est, ubi sub nobili viro, domino Alphonso, validum lusitanorum praesidium collocatum est, qui cum suis uxoribus ac familiis civitatis formam conficiunt. Hic ergo cum ad Patrem Simonem scriberet, et aliquos ex nostris ad se mitti obnixe peteret, visum est eidem P. Simoni, in illius civitatis et gubernatoris gratiam id esse concedendum; accedebat quod vicina civitas (quae Tituam vocatur) magnam vim Christianorum captivorum habebat; qui prius a viro quodam hispano, cognomine Contreras, juvabantur, qui magna charitate, quae ad redemptionem ipsorum et consolationem etiam spiritualem pertinebant, curabat, et cum magna sanctitatis opinione obierat. Recusaverat ille oblatum sibi episcopatum cum abbatia adnexa, et cum Hispali sub finem anni praecedentis obiisset, magna totius illius civitatis aedificatione, vix de barba, capillis, et vestibus ejus quidquam populi devotio reliquit, qui ob venerationem, quasi sancti viri, reliquias apud se habere cupiebat. Hujus ergo viri defuncti occasio effecit, ut duo ex nostris sacerdotibus, scilicet P. Joannes Nuñez (qui postea Aethiopiae Patriarcha fuit electus) et P. Ludovicus Gonzalez, a Patre Simone electi, in Africam trajicerent. Magno ergo cum labore et paupertate, mediis aestibus Augusti mensis, primo Hispalim, deinde ad oppidum quod Gibraltar vocant, prope columnas herculeas, ubi Oceanus cum Mediterraneo mari conjungitur, iter fecerunt. Ibi ergo decem vel duodecim triremes, quibus dominus Bernardinus de Mendoza praeerat, invenerunt, qui eisdem diebus, aliquot turcarum armata navigia (gustas vocant) partim ceperat, partim submerserat et tureas non paucos captivos effecerat. Fauces ergo illas maris die sequenti navigando Ceutam pervenerunt; et cum ad Ecclesiam B. Virgini sacram, quam de Africa vocant, orarent, dominus Alphonsus cum magna multitudine eo veniens, summa laetitia eos excepit et domum deduxit; quamvis nostri in aliam domum, ad functiones Societatis commodiorem, paulo post se contulerunt. Coepit autem Pater Ludovicus Gonzalez, incipiendo ab ipso die Nativitatis B. Virginis, ea die et dominicis sequentibus, bis quotidie concionari; aliis autem diebus semel, et quidem magno cum fervore charitatis, et commotione ac lacrymis audientium, adeo ut diceret Gubernator, et nepos ipsius, dominus Antonius, se vehementer admirari hoc praedicandi genus, quod non tam praedicare quam homines convertere dicendum esse videretur. Coeperunt etiam confessionibus magno cum fructu vacare, et aegrotantes invisere, et ipsum etiam Gubernatorem, cui, quoniam omnino cum Patre Ludovico conferre sua vellet, multum temporis ei erat tribuendum. Cum saracenis etiam multis egit (quidam enim ex eis amici erant), optime se in illos affectum ostendens, ut eos Christo lucrifaceret; et cujusdam saraceni ex regno Velez , sicut et mulieris judaeae, quae cum Ducis uxore versabatur, conversio brevi secutura sperabatur. Aliqui etiam ex nobilibus, et Gubernator ipse confessiones suas generales cum Patre Joanne fecerunt, et magna cum confidentia quidquid proponerent, nostrorum arbitrio relinquebant. Custodiam publicam et hospitale inviserunt, et aliquorum confessiones audierunt, quarum numerus quotidie augebatur; et tota civitas magna spirituali consolatione est affecta. Scribit inter alia Gubernator Ceuta Patri Simoni haec verba: ” Pro certo habeas quod cum hactenus hujus civitatis homines, quodammodo saracenis pejores in moribus existimaverim, jam post quindecim dies, quos hi Patres in ea versati sunt, eam vitae mutationem fecerunt, ut plus quam religiosos eos existimem. Quid ergo si diutius hic haeserint sperandum est? „ Scribit etiam quod a praefecto urbis Tituani (Acen vocant) facultatem petierit ut nostri Tituanum se conferrent; sed cum Satan, spiritualem fructum, inde consequuturum in captivis, timeret, impedimenta opponere curavit; respondit enim Acen, vereri se ne Giarifus (hic titulus principis erat), non aequo animo nostrorum adventum esset laturus; si tamen non concionaturi essent saracenis, ad captivos Christianos invisendos et per Sacramenta consolandos, aditum patere posse, et eo facilius, si de redemptione captivorum acturi essent; et sic Tituanum ventitando, postquam timorem saracenis adimerent, deinde de rebus ad Deum pertinentibus liberius loqui posse. Petiit etiam obnixe Gubernator, ut si inde ipsis ad alia loca esset recedendum, Ceutam redirent. Regem etiam rogavit ut, juxta Ecclesiam B. Mariae de Africa, domum nostris erigi juberet; spem magnam conversionis judaeorum et saracenorum faciens, si ibi residerent.
289. In this year of 1548 some members of our Society were sent to Mauretania and Tingitana. The King of Portugal has several cities, which his predecessors occupied in Africa, and they are defended by garrisons of soldiers against the attacks of the neighboring Saracens. Among them there is Ceuta, where under a noble man, the Lord Alphonse, a strong fortress of the Portuguese is located; with their wives and families they composed something like a small city. Therefore when he wrote to Fr. Simon and with all his might that some or ours be sent to him, it seemed to Fr. Simon that it should be granted as a favor to that city and governor; but it so happened that the neighboring city (which is called Tétouan) had a large number of Christian captives; formerly they were helped by a Spanish man by the name of Contreras, who with great charity provided things pertaining to their redemption and also their spiritual consolation, and he had died with a common opinion of his holiness. He had refused an episcopacy offered to him with an abbey connected to it, and when he died in Seville at the end of the previous year, to the great admiration of that whole city, the devotion of the people hardly left anything of his beard, hair and clothes which, because of their veneration for him as a holy man, they wanted to have as relics. Therefore the occasion of the death of this holy man brought it about that two of our priests, namely, Fr. John Nuñez (who afterwards was chosen to be the Patriarch of Ethiopia) and Fr. Luis Gonzalvez, chosen by Fr. Simon, crossed over to Africa. Therefore with great effort and poverty, during the heat of the month of October, they traveled first to Seville, then to the town which is called Gibraltar, near the Pillars of Hercules, where the Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore there they found ten or twelve triremes, which were under the command of Lord Bernardine de Mendoza who, at the same time, had captured several Turkish warships (they call them gustas [18. Melius fortassis fustas.
Perhaps the word should be fustas.]) and sunk some others, and also had made not a few Turks captives. So on the following day they sailed through the entrance to the port and arrived in Ceuta. And when they were praying in the church of the Blessed Virgin, which they call “of Africa,” Lord Alphonse came there with a large crowd; he received them with great joy and brought them to his home. However, shortly thereafter ours went to another house more suitable for the works of the Society. Then Fr. Luis Gonzalvez, on the feast day of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, began to preach twice on that day and on the following Sundays; on the other days he preached once, and indeed with the great fervor of charity, and emotion and tears of the hearers. As a result, the Governor, and his nephew the Lord Antonio, said that they greatly admired this kind of preaching, which must be said to be not just preaching to people but also converting them. Also they began to hear confessions with great results, and to visit the sick and also the Governor himself, who wanted to consult with Fr. Luis, spent much time with him. He also dealt with many Saracens (for some of them were his friends), showing himself to be well disposed towards them, in order that he might win them over to Christ. The conversion was hoped to follow soon of a certain Saracen belonging to the kingdom of Velez, and also that of a Jewish women, who worked for the wife of the Duke. Also some of the nobles, and the Governor himself made their general confessions to Fr. John, and with great confidence whatever they proposed they left to the judgment of ours. They visited the prisons and hospital, and heard the confessions of some, whose number increased daily; and the whole city was touched by great spiritual consolation. The Governor of Ceuta writes to Fr. Simon, among other things, the following words: “Certainly you know that, up until now, the people of this city in my opinion have been worse in their moral life than the Saracens, and now after just fifteen days during which the Fathers have been here, they have brought about a change of life, so that I think now the people are much more religious. Therefore, what should I hope if they were to stay here longer?” He writes also that he has asked permission from the prefect of the city of Tétouan (they call him Acen) that our priest should go there; but since Satan feared the fruit that would be accomplished there among the captives, he took pains to hinder it. For Acen responded that he feared that Giarifus (this was the title of the chief) would not kindly put up with the arrival of our priests. However, if they were not going to preach to the Saracens, when they were visiting the Christian captives and consoling them with the Sacraments, then their presence could be acceptable, and even more so, if they helped to free some of the captives. And so by visiting Tétouan often, after they took away fear from the Saracens, then they could speak more freely about things pertaining to God. Also the Governor made a strong request that, if they were to leave there to go to other places, they should return to Ceuta. He also asked that he order that a house be built for ours next to the Church of the Blessed Mary of Africa, for this would provide great hope for the conversion of the Jews and Saracens, if they were to reside there. [19. Rerum a PP. Joanne Nuñez et Ludovico Gonzalez in Africae ora gestarum enarratio ab scholasticis Conimbricensibus confecta et in Societatis caeteras domos missa, sub finem hujus anni 48 aut initio sequentis. Historicae litterae Romae concinnatae et in Siciliam missae mense Junio 49.
The narration of the things done by Fathers John Nuñez and Luis Gonzalvez in Africa was put together by the scholastics in Coimbra, and sent to the other houses of the Society towards the end of this year 1548 and the beginning of the following year. The historical letters were composed in Rome and sent to Sicily during June of 1549.]
v1_271-295latin 1548C
290. Distat civitas Tituan quinque vel sex tantum leucis Ceuta, ubi quingenti, vel sexcenti christiani captivi in vinculis tenebantur; eo igitur se contulerunt, et cum multa tentassent, vix fructum alium, quam inter hos captivos retulerunt; unde Pater Ludovicus Gonzalez, qui alioqui multa, et quidem magni momenti, Regi Portugalliae suggerenda conceperat, relicto Tituani Patre Joanne Nuñez, ad consolationem captivorum, in Portugalliam ipse rediit. Praefectus autem illius urbis jusserat Patrem Joannem simul cum Ludovico accedere; sed per quemdam illius ministrum, qui gratia apud ipsum valebat, ab ea sententia revocatus est; nam perutiliter Tituani mansurum dicebat Patrem Joannem, ad captivorum aegrotantium curationem et eorumdem redemptionem. Sic ergo Pater Joannes Tituani mansit; qui cum pecuniam ex Castella et Portugallia ad captivorum subventionem accepisset, et jam confessiones audiendi facultatem a Gubernatore saracenorum obtinuisset, quemdam in extremo periculo fidem abnegandi constitutum, a faucibus daemonis, per Dei gratiam, revocavit. Tam multi autem captivorum, ad eum, confessionis gratia, veniebant, ut integro die ipsis esset vacandum, dempto tempore quod sacrificio Missae impendebatur; quo absoluto, tribus vel quatuor captivis quotidie Christi corpus communicabat; hactenus enim hoc Sacramentorum solatio destituti fuerant. Designabat autem eis certos dies, quibus hi vel illi ad se venirent, ut omnium posset consolationi satisfieri; etiam cum per vias incedebat, sic ad osculandas ejus manus aut pallium irruebant, ut vix se posset expedire. Invisebat quotidie sex custodias captivorum (tot siquidem erant Tituani, in quas noctu captivi recluduntur), ut solaretur aegrotantes; et si aliquis in morbum incidisset, ad ejus confessionem audiendam statim convolabat; cibum deinde ad cancellos custodiarum (mazmorras vocant) deferebat, quod non solum captivis, sed etiam saracenis, aedificationem non vulgarem praestabat. Vidit aliquando mahometanus urbis Gubernator egredientem de custodia Patrem Joannem, cui arridens, deinde ad suos conversus, de pietatis officiis, quae videbat, eum laudavit. Allocutus est Pater et Gubernatorem ipsum cum uxore, et filio, qui omnes benevolos se ei exhibebant, et disputantem cum judaeis libenter audiebant, et quod Tituani versaretur, laetari se significabant. Cum saracenis tamen circumspectius procedebat, ne offensus Gubernator fructum apud Christianos impediret. Concionabatur aliquando mercatoribus et captivis, qui congregari poterant; contulit etiam se ad Synagogam judaeorum, ubi multos pueros quidam Rabinus eorum docebat, cum quo dum disputaret, conduxerunt multi judaei ad disputationem; coepit etiam cum quodam inter eos seniore (quem sapientem ipsi praedicabant) multisque circumstantibus, ex dictis prophetarum probare, et ex multis rationibus, quod jam Messias venisset et is Christus esset. Cum autem illi negarent Christum esse Deum et Messiam, succensus ardenti zelo clamare coepit, quod saepissime, et non semel tantum, mori paratus esset pro hac veritate manifestanda, quod Christus fuisset Messias a prophetis praedictus, quod quidem nullus eorum pro defensione legis, in qua vivebat, facturus erat; et quod satis constabat quod abjecti essent illi ubique gentium, nulli dominantes, sed perpetuo servi, in poenitentia sui peccati, quod Messiam occidissent; et alia hujusmodi ipsis dicebat. Domum postea redeuntem eorum Rabinus sequutus est, et confessus, quod veritatem per prophetas satis cognoscebat, et quod nihil aliud expetebat, quam commoditatem duos filios Ceutam deducendi, et de manibus saracenorum evadendi. Multos hi Patres nutantes in fide confirmarunt; multos eleemosynis pueros ac puellas, adultos etiam utriusque sexus e misera servitute redemerunt; alios etiam et verbo, et sacramentorum ministerio, et rerum etiam externarum subsidio recrearunt et consolati sunt.
290. The city of Tétouan is about five or six miles from Ceuta, where five or six hundred Christian captives were held in chains; therefore they went there, and when they attempted many things, they gathered hardly any fruit other than among these captives. Hence Fr. Luis Gonzalvez, who thought about suggesting in other respects things of great importance to the King of Portugal, decided to leave Fr. John Nuñez in Tétouan for the consolation of the captives, and he returned to Portugal. But the prefect of that city ordered Fr. John together with Luis to come to see him; but through a minister of his, who enjoyed his favor, Fr. John was not allowed to leave. For, he said that it was very useful for Fr. John to remain in Tétouan in order to take care of the sick captives and to work for their freedom. Accordingly, Fr. John remained at Tétouan; and since he had received some money from Castile and Portugal for the help of the captives, and already had received permission from the Governor of the Saracens to hear their confessions, by the grace of God he was able to rescue a certain man from the jaws of the devil, who was in extreme danger of denying his faith. Now so many of the captives came to him for confession that he spent a whole day caring for them, except for the time spent offering the sacrifice of the Mass. When that took place he communicated the body of Christ to three or four of the captives; for before that time they had been deprived of this consolation of the sacraments. Then he designated certain days for them on which these or those men could come to see him, so that he could bring consolation to all. Also when he was walking on the streets they so surrounded him in order to kiss his hands or cloak that he could hardly get away from them. Daily he visited six prisons of captives (there were that many in Tétouan, where the captives were kept during the night) in order to comfort the sick; and if someone was in danger of death, he went there immediately to hear his confession. Then he brought food to the entrance of the prisons (which they call mazmorras), which caused no small edification not only among the captives, but also among the Saracens. On one occasion the Mohammedan Governor of the city saw Fr. John leaving one of the prisons; then turning to his own soldiers, he praised him for the work of piety he had just seen. The Father addressed the Governor himself and his wife and son, and they all showed themselves to be very kind to him, and they willingly listened to him disputing with the Jews, and they said they were very happy to have him ministering in Tétouan. For he dealt with the Saracens in a very prudent manner, lest the Governor be offended and hinder the good fruit among the Christians. At times he preached to the merchants and captives, who could be gathered together; he also went to the synagogue of the Jews, where one of the Rabbis taught many boys; when he disputed with him, many Jews assembled to hear the disputation. He also began to prove from the prophets and from many reasons to an old man among them (they said he was a wise man), in the presence of many people, that the Messiah has already come and that he is Christ. But when they denied that Christ is God and the Messiah, seized by an ardent zeal he began to shout that he was ready to die often, and not just once, in order to make this truth known — that Christ was the Messiah predicted by the prophets, and that no one of them would do that in defense of the law under which he lived; and that it was sufficiently certain that they had been scattered everywhere among the nations, ruling over none but being perpetual servants, as punishment for their sin because they had killed the Messiah; and he said other similar things to them. Their Rabbi followed him afterwards when he was returning home, and he confessed that he knew the truth sufficiently well through the prophets, and that he desired nothing more than a fitting occasion to take his two sons to Ceuta, and so escape from the hands of the Saracens. Thus Father strengthened many who were wavering in their faith; with alms they redeemed many boys and girls, and also adults of both sexes from their miserable slavery; they also refreshed and consoled others both by word, and by the administration of the sacraments and by providing temporal assistance.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
291. In oram etiam exteriorem Africae, quae ad meridiem Oceano abluitur, hoc ipso anno nostri, qui praeterito profecti erant, pervenerunt, scilicet Pater Georgius Vaz ac Pater Christophorus Ribeirus, cum duobus sociis, et in insula, quae Sancti Thomae dicitur, ex qua in regnum Magni Congi facilis est navigatio, aliquandiu substiterunt; et quamvis febribus et aliis morbis fere omnes vexati fuerint, omnes tamen ex illa insula, decima octava die Februarii hujus anni, prout erant valetudinarii, solverunt, et decima septima Martii in portum illius regni, Pinda vocatum, ac deinde in civitatem Magni Congi ipso die Pentecostes appulerunt, et humaniter a Rege sunt excepti. Et quamvis nec ibi quidem prospera uterentur valetudine, non tamen Missam celebrare, nec concionibus, ac ministerio Baptismi et Poenitentiae, aut verbi Dei vacare desinebant. Labores vero suos prudenti consilio dividebant. Equidem frater Jacobus Soveral in schola puerorum, suscepit curam docendi eos, tum legere, tum ea quae ad Christianam doctrinam et vitam pertinent; et non inutile id laboris cum sexcentis fere pueris impendere arbitrabatur; nam praecipuus in civitate fructus ex hujusmodi scholis ortum habere deprehendebant. Sacerdotes et praedicationi, et confessionibus audiendis dabant operam. Pater Georgius Vaz, initio mensis Junii, desideriis accensus non mediocribus ad finitimos urbi pagos se conferendi, et per regnum ipsum discurrendi, a Rege facultatem ad id petiit. Detrectabat quidem initio Rex, ipsorum operam necessariam esse Congi asseverans; sed Georgius magis urgere aliorum necessitatem videns, non solum facultatem a Rege, sed interpretem etiam obtinuit. Sed cum esset necesse aliquos habere secum, qui ferrent victui necessaria, et peristromata ex paleis confecta, quae pro lectis sunt (nec enim aliter per regnum discurrere ratio regionis illius ferebat), fere viginti dies, ut viaticum haberet, quod Rex offerebat, exspectavit. Nec mirum id erat; nam id Rex in more habebat, ut, si vel immensum auri pondus ei hodie daretur, die crastina nihil haberet; et ita diu sine ulla pecunia regia domus erat. Visum est Patri Georgio non esse diutius exspectandum sed in Deo spem collocandam, et ita interpreti (qui Petrus Alvarez dicebatur) persuasit, ut cum suis famulis ex urbe secum proficisceretur, nec timeret necessaria ipsis esse defutura, suis Dei providentiam prospecturam. Credidit Petrus Alvarez, qui prius, hortatu Georgii, cum instaret festum Sancti Petri et Pauli, sacramento Confessionis et Communionis refectus fuit; et statim Regem salutando, in nomine Domini recesserunt; ac viginti trium dierum spatio, circa urbem non ultra sex milliaria in circuitu procedendo, duo millia et septingentos homines baptismate Christo regeneravit, praecedente tamen catechismi instructione; erant inter illos aliqui sexaginta annos nati, alii septuaginta, imo et octoginta, diu enim satis ea gens vivere solet. Demum in aegritudinem incidit Georgius, quae cum labores necessarios non permitteret, cum socio et interprete, Petro Alvarez, in civitatem rediit; cum autem numeratis famulis, septem essent, ut fides Petri Alvarez confirmaretur, ex eleemosynis abunde necessaria omnia eis suppeditata sunt. Mira erat morum corruptio in hoc regno, tam in indigenis, quam inter lusitanos, qui apud eos vivebant; sed per Dei gratiam, post adventum nostrorum, aliqua emendatio est consequuta. Foeminae nec Missae sacrificio, nec doctrinae Christianae explicationi interesse solebant; adierunt ergo Regem nostri, et quod grave peccatum admitterent significaverunt, et suam operam ad Missae sacrificium et catechismi explicationem obtulerunt. Respondit Rex: Chilicha, quod interpretari potest recte dicitis; et sic jussit, ut foeminae omnes in ecclesiam quamdam (in qua, antequam Christiani essent, sepeliri solebant, Ambiro vocabant, sed ibi deinde ecclesia constituta est) convenirent; nobiles ergo foeminae, cum suis famulis, eo se conferebant, et Missa celebrata, unus ex nostris sacerdotibus, quae ad doctrinam saluti necessariam faciunt, eis explicabat; alter autem interim Regi et viris, tam indigenis, qui nigro sunt colore, quam externis, colore albis, qui multi inter eos versantur. Erant in eadem civitate praeterea duo alia templa; unum quidem pro cathedrali Ecclesia habetur; alterum autem cujusdam congregationis est hominum alborum (sic enim eos, qui non sunt indigenae, vocant) in honorem Beatae Virginis dedicatum. In utroque ex his templis per unam vel duas horas quotidie catechismum docebant; baptizabantur aliqui quotidie; sed si adulti erant, instructio de rebus fidei praecedebat; nec nisi postquam ipsimet velle se Christianos esse significarent, et baptismum peterent, eis conferebatur. Nec difficile ad fidem suscipiendam, si rationes ad id essent allatae, adducebantur. Eorum loquendi modus fere metaphoricus est, et fere semper figuratis utuntur loquendi modis; cum in colloquiis ab eis petebatur, quis eos creasset, hilari animo respondebant: “In fumeto Zambicho pungo,„ scilicet, Dominus Deus me fecit; itaque non alium quam unum Deum agnoscebant, et quamvis idola conficiant, et in superstitionibus versentur, non aliunde, quam ex ignorantia, id provenire videtur. Jacobus Diaz Missae sacrificium primum his diebus celebravit, et altare in edito quodam loco ad id fuit constructum; et non parum fuit elaborandum in excludendis honoribus ac muneribus, quae indigenae offerre volebant; sed quia propter Christum paupertatem elegerant, ditari ab eis noluerunt. Jusserat Rex ut nobiles omnes multa offerenda secum ferrent, sed nostri obnixe illum rogarunt, ut nihil prorsus offerretur, quum nihil esset admittendum; et tandem Rex acquievit.
291. Also on the west coast of Africa, which is near the equator, in this year ours arrived there, who had departed for that place the preceding year, namely, Fr. George Vaz and Fr. Christopher Ribeirus, with two other companions, and for some time they stayed on an island, which is called Saint Thomas, from which it is easy to sail to the kingdom of Congo. And although almost all of them came down with a fever and other illnesses, still all left that island on February 18 of this year, even though they were sick, and on March 17 they arrived at the port of that kingdom, which is called Pinda, and then they went to the main city of Congo; they arrived on the day of Pentecost and were received in a friendly manner by the King. And although even there they did not yet enjoy good health, still they did not fail to celebrate Mass, nor to preach, nor to administer the sacraments of Baptism and Penance, and to proclaim the word of God. But in a prudent way they divided up the work. Indeed, Brother James Soveral in the school for boys assumed the task of teaching them both to read and to learn the things pertaining to Christian doctrine and life; and he was thought to do that very well for about six hundred boys. For they were convinced that a special fruit in the city would result from a school of this kind. The priests were busy with preaching and hearing confessions. Fr. George Vaz, at the beginning of June, eagerly desiring to go to the remote parts of the city, and to travel through the kingdom itself, not only obtained permission from the King, but also the help of an interpreter. But since it was necessary to have some others with him, who would carry the necessary food, and the carpets made out of straw, which are used for sleeping (for otherwise there was no way of traveling through the kingdom), he waited for almost twenty days to receive the supplies which the King had offered. And there was nothing surprising in that; for the King had the habit that, even if an immense amount of gold were given to him today, the next day he would have nothing; and so for a long time the royal house was without any money. So Fr. George thought that they should not wait any longer, but to put all their hope in God, and so he persuaded the interpreter (who was called Peter Alvarez) that with his servants he should depart from the city with him, and not to fear that the necessities of life would be lacking for them, since God in his providence would take care of them. Peter Alvarez believed him, who just before that, having been encouraged by George, was strengthened by the sacraments of Confession and Communion on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Immediately they greeted the King and in the name of the Lord they went on their way. And during the space of twenty-three days, while going around the city over a distance of not more than six thousand yards they regenerated with the Baptism of Christ 2700 persons, after giving them basic instruction in the catechism. Among them were some sixty years old, others seventy, and even some eighty years old, for those people were accustomed to live for a long time. At length George became sick, and since this prevented him from doing his work, he returned to the city with his companion and interpreter, Peter Alvarez. But since there were seven servants to be cared for, in order that the faith of Peter Alvarez might be confirmed, from the alms received everything necessary was provided for abundantly. There was much corruption of morals in this kingdom, both among its inhabitants and among the Portuguese, who lived with them; but by the grace of God after the arrival of our priests there was some improvement in this regard. Women were not accustomed to be present at the Mass, nor at the explanation of Christian doctrine. Therefore ours went to see the King, and they pointed out that a grave sin was being committed and they offered their help regarding the sacrifice of the Mass and the explanation of the catechism. The King responded: Chilica, which means, You are right; and so he commanded that all the women should gather together in a certain church (in which, before they became Christians, they were wont to be buried and they called it Ambiro; but from then on it was designated as a church). Therefore the noble women went there with their family, and after the Mass was celebrated, one of our priests explained for them the doctrine of the Church necessary for salvation. But another priest did the same for the King and the men, both the inhabitants who are black, and the foreigners who are white, many of whom live among them. Moreover, there were in the same city two other churches — and one of them was used for the cathedral; but the other one holds a congregation of white people (that is what they call those who are not indigenous) dedicated in honor of the Blessed Virgin. They taught catechism daily in both of these churches for one or two hours; every day some were baptized; but if they were adults, instruction in matters of faith preceded the baptism; and afterwards, only if they said they wanted to be Christians, and asked for Baptism, was it conferred on them. If the proper reasons were given, it was not difficult to bring them to the faith. Their way of speaking is quite metaphorical, and almost always they use figurative ways of speaking. When in conversation they are asked who made them, with a joyful heart they respond: “In fumeto Zambicho pungo,” that is, The Lord God made me; therefore they acknowledge only one God, and although they make idols, and tend to be superstitious, this seems to come only from their ignorance. James Diaz in these days celebrated the first sacrifice of the Mass, and an altar for it was constructed on a high place; and it was not easy to refuse the honors and gifts that the natives wanted to offer. But because they had chosen poverty for the sake of Christ, they did not want to be enriched by them. The King commanded that the nobles bring along many offerings, but ours with all their might asked him not to offer anything, since nothing would be accepted; and finally the King agreed to this.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
292. Inter errores, quos diabolus animis horum hominum persuadet, illud est, quod sint immortales; et hinc est quod nulla gravior injuria cuiquam fieri potest, quam si ei dicatur: Tuus pater, vel mater mortua est; et hic error inter rusticos, potissimum gentiles, est; et cum aliqui moriuntur, alio translatos esse ferunt, et licet senes admodum sint, non illis videtur quod moriantur, si mors eis alibi quam in bello obveniat: alium etiam errorem persuadet diabolus, quod nihil mali faciant. Unde cum aliquos gentiles, ad Christi fidem disponentes, instruebant ut de peccatis vitae anteactae dolerent, respondere solebant, quod peccata non haberent. Filius cujusdam sortilegi Christianus factus est; quem cum interrogarent quomodo parentes ejus eum capi permisissent (captus enim erat) respondit omnia apud illos esse mendaciis plena, et quod solum homines albi bonam habebant religionem, atque solus Deus omnium erat Dominus. Admiranda prorsus est alacritas et animi laetitia, qua hujusmodi homines Christianam fidem amplectuntur.
292. Among the errors that the devil planted in the minds of these people is that they are immortal; and hence it is that no more serious injury can be done to someone than if one says to him, “Your father, or your mother is dead.” And this is an error among the country people, especially the pagans; and when some die, they say they have gone somewhere else, and although they are very old, it does not seem to them that they will die, if death comes to them at some place other than in war. The devil has also convinced them about another error, namely, that they do nothing evil. Hence when they instruct some unbelievers, disposing them for faith in Christ, and tell them they should be sorry for the sins of their past life, they usually respond that they do not have any sins. The son of a certain soothsayer became a Christian; when they asked him how his parents allowed him to be captured (for he had been captured), he replied that everything among them is full of lies, and that only the white men have a good religion, and that the only God of all things in the Lord. The eagerness and personal joy is truly admirable with which people like this embrace the Christian faith.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
293. Quamvis aliqui christiani jam a tempore regis Emmanuelis in hoc regno facti essent, magna tamen rerum ad cultum necessariarum erat penuria, cum ex Portugallia ea adferri oporteret; tanta etiam sacerdotum, qui eo se conferebant ex Portugallia, ubi erant instituti et promoti, erat dissolutio, ut magis destruere, quam aedificare homines ejus regni dicerentur; unde et Rex eos contemnere solitus erat, quos in aliorum hominum peccatis insordescere videret. Pecuniae etiam eo in regno magna penuria erat, cum aurifodinae essent in potestate hostis (quem Chianchala vocant); nihilominus quae ad victum necessaria erant, abunde suppetebant, et quidem his, qui Deo serviunt, copiosius quam ipsi Regi, cui saepe accidit, ut, cum non habeat quid comedat, quemdam suae domus ministrum, qui albus est, precetur ut sibi aliquid, quo vescatur, mittat. Causa hujus penuriae ea est, quia omnia largiuntur, nihil ad crastinum retinent. Nudi fere incedunt; tantum interdiu panno quodam, ab umbilico pendenti, pudenda contegunt; nec pileo, nec calceis utuntur; si quis indusium nactus fuerit, a corpore non removet, donec conteratur; noctu sic dormiunt, ut interdiu incedunt; si multum habent quod comedant, multum comedunt, si parum, aut fere nihil, minimo cibo sustentantur. Utinam ad Dei honorem, quae patiuntur dirigerent! Sanctorum enim poenitentias communis eorum vita excedit, quod ad corporis commoditatis attinet; et vere subtrahi a Deo commoda ista corporum videntur, ut minus mali sint: nam cum talis sit et victus et vestitus eorum, alios, a quibus subleventur, devincire sibi non curant; nam nihilominus in mendaciis et calumniis perpetuo versantur; et si cui objicias quod mentiatur, ridet. Post nostrorum tamen adventum, tam ecclesiastici, quam laici, indigenae atque albi, mores non parum reformarunt. Mirum non est, si aliqui, praesertim initio, a semel suscepta religione Christiana recesserint; eorum enim sacerdotes multos simul, adultos et parvulos, sine ulla instructione baptizabant; unde quid mirum si ad sua peccata redirent, cum de catholica religione suscepta aliud dicere nescirent, nisi quod aliquid salis comederant? Provincia haec late patet, et Portugalliae similis dicitur; aër salubris; aestus non est toto anno infestus ; a Martio mense usque ad medium Augusti hiems apud illos est (chisimo vocant) non quidem imbribus molesta, sed ventis ac frigore, quod aegre admodum ferunt indigenae, nec tamen aliud remedium habent, quam ut ignem unum ante faciem, alium post terga conficiant. Rex in ipsa civitate Congi residet, cujus mores barbari satis, et Christiana religione parum digni erant. Cum P. Georgius in vicinis huic civitati locis, reducendis ovibus ad Christi gregem vacaret, tres ecclesias, primam sub invocatione Servatoris, alteram B. Virginis, tertiam Sancti Joannis Baptistae, confici curavit.
293. Now although some Christians since the time of King Emmanuel had been in this kingdom, still there was a great lack of things necessary for divine worship, since they had to be brought from Portugal; also the dissolution of the priests who went there from Portugal, where they were trained and ordained, was so great that they were said rather to destroy than to edify the people of that region. Hence also the King was accustomed to despise those whom he saw indulge themselves in the sins of other men. Also in that kingdom there was a great lack of money, since the gold mines were controlled by the enemy (whom they call Chianchala); nevertheless they had an abundant supply of necessary food, and for those who serve God it was more abundant than for the King himself. For, it often happened to him that, when he did not have something to eat, he would ask one of the ministers of his house, who was white, to give him something to eat. The reason for this penury is the fact that they give everything away, and they save nothing for the next day. They walk around almost naked; in the daytime they cover their private parts with a cloth hanging from the waist; they wear neither a hat nor shoes; if someone has underwear, it is not removed until it falls apart; if they have much to eat, they eat much, if little, or almost nothing, they are sustained by little food. Would that they would offer what they suffer for the honor of God! For their daily life exceeds the penances of the saints, in what pertains to the convenience of the body. And those conveniences of the body truly seem to be taken away by God so that they will be less evil. For, since their food and clothing is such as it is, they do not try to conquer others by whom they would be supported. Nevertheless they are constantly using lies and calumnies, and if you point out to someone that he is lying, he will just laugh at you. However, after the arrival of ours, both ecclesiastics and laymen, natives and whites, in no little way reformed their morals. It is not surprising if some, especially at the beginning, abandoned the Christian religion they had formerly adopted. For, their priests baptized many people at the same time, adults and children, without giving them any instruction; hence, why is it surprising if they returned to their sins, since they did not know how to say anything about their newly acquired religion, except that they ate a little salt? This province is quite large, and it is said to be like Portugal; the air is healthy; the heat is not a problem for the whole year; from March until the middle of August is the time of winter for them (they call it chisimo), during which they are not annoyed by rain, but by wind and cold, which the natives find very painful, but they have no other remedy except that they make one fire before their face and another one behind them. The King resides in the city of Congo; his morals are quite barbarous, and not worthy of the Christian religion. When Fr. George was working in the places near this city, bringing back the sheep to the flock of Christ, he saw to the construction of three churches, the first under the invocation of the Savior, the second of the Blessed Virgin, the third of St. John the Baptist.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
294. Qui scholae curam habebat, Jacobus Soveral, praeceptores alios sub se ex ipsa civitate habebat; et necessaria, tam ad ipsorum quam discipulorum sustentationem, a Rege obtinebat; et quamvis, ut dictum est, ad sexcentorum numerum accederent, omnes Rex alebat; quod si non faceret, nullus esset, qui ad discendum veniret; et magna admodum patientia, ad hoc pium opus, Fratri Jacobo necessaria erat; nam praeter incommoda victus et rerum aliarum, quae ad vitam hanc sunt necessaria, cum morbis crebro conflictandum erat; medicinae autem, ut scribunt, nullae meliores erant quam confidentia in Deo.
294. The one who had charge of the school, James Soveral, had some other teachers under him from the city; and he received from the King the things necessary for their support and that of the students. And although, as has been said, there were six hundred students, the King cared for all of them; and if he did not do that, there would be no one who would come to learn; and Brother James needed great patience in order to deal with this situation. For besides the disadvantages of food and other things, which are necessary for this way of life, he also had to deal often with illnesses; but the medicines, as they describe the situation, were nothing more than confidence in God.
v1_271-295latin 1548C
295. Pater Christophorus Ribeirus, licet fere semper febricitans, mille et septingentos homines, a vigesima septima die Martii usque ad calendas Augusti, Christianos effecit; noctu aliquis eorum tintinnabulum manu ferens, animas, quae in purgatorio sunt, orationibus commendabat; multi sine sacramento Confessionis decessissent, praesertim grassante quodam morbo eschirentiae id temporis, si nostrorum sollicitudo eis non subvenisset. Pauperes etiam eleemosynis ditium juvandos curabant. Cum eos catechismum docerent, eis, ut libentius exciperent, insinuabant, quod relicta patria, ad eos, cum tot incommodis navigationis et morborum, ad eorum animas juvandas, non ad ipsorum bona quaerenda venissent; non tamen sensum gratitudinis magnum habere videbantur. Dum et praecepta Dei et peccata mortalia explicabantur, audiebant; sed cum ad cognitionem Dei per rerum creatarum ac visibilium manuductionem adducebantur, hoc illis erat gratissimum. Sed tam in hoc munere, quam in confessionum ministerio, interpretis opera utebantur. Eo tempore Rex bellum contra suum hostem Changalam praeparabat; et ipsis calendis Augusti, classicum per civitatem cani jussit; hic enim mos est, cum ad bellum proficiscitur; aliquis autem ex nostris eum erat comitaturus. Praeter eos quos P. Georgius Vaz extra urbem Congi baptizavit, alios trecentos his mensibus ad ovile Christi adduxit, catechismo et exhortationibus additis, et cum caerimoniis juxta Ecclesiae ritum. Frater Jacobus autem, licet scholae curam haberet, quadringentos tamen homines, simili modo instructos, baptizavit; quia vero nihil ab eis accipiebant, id aedificationis plurimum illis praebebat.
295. Fr. Christopher Ribeirus, who almost always was suffering from a fever, made one thousand seven hundred people Christians, from March 27 to August 1. During the night one of them, carrying a bell in his hand, requested prayers for the souls in purgatory; many died without the sacrament of Confession, especially when a certain sickness called eschirentia [20. Italice, schirantia, squinantia; hispanice, esquinencia; item italice et hispanice et etiam latine (CELS.), angina.
In Italian it is schirantia, squinantia; in Spanish, esquinencia; likewise in Italian and Spanish and also Latin (Cels.), angina (a severe swelling of the throat).] was raging at the time, and if the care of ours was not there to help them. They also cared for the poor with the alms given by the rich. When they were teaching them catechism, in order to get them more willing to accept it, they said that, having left their own fatherland, they had come to them with so many inconveniences of navigation and sickness, in order to save their souls and not to seek their temporal goods. However, they did not seem to receive any great sense of gratitude. While they were explaining the commandments of God and mortal sins, they listened to them; but when they were led to the knowledge of God through the evidence of visible and created things, this was most pleasing to them. But both in this function and in the ministry of confessions they used the help of an interpreter. At that time the King was preparing for war against his enemy Changala; on the first day of August he ordered a trumpet to be sounded throughout the city; for this is the custom when he is going to war. And one of ours was assigned to accompany him. Besides those whom Fr. George Vaz baptized outside the city, during these months he brought three hundred others to the flock of Christ, after catechism lessons and exhortations and with the ceremonies according to the rites of the Church. But Father James, even though he had care of the school, still baptized four hundred people after having instructed them in the same way. And because they did not accept any gifts from them, that was the reason for even more edification.
