Chapter 4

v1_chapter4latin CAPUT QUARTUM CHAPTER IV v1_chapter4latin DE PROFECTIONE HIEROSOLYMITANA ET REDITU IN HISPANIAM ON THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM AND THE RETURN TO SPAIN v1_chapter4latin Postquam in via spirituali et abnegationis studio solida Ignatius fundamenta jecerat, propositum illud antiquum de locis Terrae Sanctae invisendis, ubi Christus reparationis nostrae mysteria exsecutus fuerat, ad effectum deducere optabat. Et cum eo desiderio inflammaretur, primo quoque tempore et data navigandi occasione, in Italiam transire sub anni 1523 initium statuit, ut inde Hierosolymam pergens, ibidem si fieri posset permaneret; nec solum suae devotioni satisfacere in sanctis illis locis invisendis, sed etiam infidelibus (si qua ratione ostium ipsis (sic aperiretur), Christi fidem ac doctrinam praedicare, et multa propter ipsius amorem agere et pati proposuerat. In hoc autem toto itinere, propter fidei et spei in Domino constitutae magnitudinem, constans in eo paupertatis amor valde eminuit: nam in primis, quamvis et socii hujus itineris aliqui sese obtulissent, et viaticum a piis viris eidem offerretur, neutrum admittere voluit, ne in alio quam in Deo suam confidentiam constitueret. Sed cum navis praefectus neminem vellet admittere, qui saltem panis nautici (quem biscoctum vocant) commeatum ad suum usum non inferret, anxius Ignatius quod juxta votum suum non permitteretur omnino sine his humanis praesidiis navem ingredi, confessarium consuluit, a quo injunctum ipsi est ut praedictum panem inferret; quod cum ex mendicato facile comparasset, et in navem comportasset, aliquid pecuniae, quod ipsi superfuerat, in ipso littore reliquit, ne quidquam amplius quam quod omnino necessarium erat viatici haberet. After Ignatius had laid a firm foundation in the spiritual life and the practice of self-abnegation, he decided to put into effect his previous proposal to visit the places in the Holy Land where Christ had accomplished the mysteries of our redemption. And since he was inflamed with that desire, at the first opportunity of taking a ship he decided to sail to Italy in the year 1523. He planned to go from there to Jerusalem and to remain there, if it were possible. And he proposed not only to satisfy his own devotion by visiting the holy places, but also to preach the faith and teaching of Christ to the infidels (if in some way the door was open for this), and to do and suffer many things because of his love for him. But in this whole journey, because of the magnitude of his faith and hope in the Lord, the constant love of poverty in him was especially visible; for, first of all, although some of the companions of this journey offered him help, and money for the journey was offered to him by some devout persons, he wanted to accept neither, so that he would not place his confidence in anyone else but in God. But since the captain of the ship wanted to accept no one, who did not bring along for his own use a supply of what is called “nautical bread” (which they call “twice cooked” [1. Italice biscotto; hispanice biscocho.
In Italian biscotto; in Spanish biscocho]), Ignatius, uneasy because according to his vow of trusting in God alone, he would absolutely not be permitted to board the ship without these human supports, consulted a confessor. He directed him to bring the required bread with him. He was able easily to buy this with the money he begged and he brought it on board the ship, but the extra money he had he left on the shore, so that he would not have anything more than what was absolutely necessary for the journey. v1_chapter4latin Barcinona ergo solventes, post validam tempestatem Caietam appulerunt, et inde Romam terrestri itinere magno cum labore Ignatius pervenit. Cum enim peste Italiae pars magna laboraret, in oppida ignoti perdifficile admittebantur; et ita praeter laborem itineris, et hospitiorum seu hospitalium defectum, fame etiam ei egregie laborandum fuit. Romae igitur benedictione Pontificis pro more peregrinorum accepta, qui tunc Adrianus, natione holandus, erat, Venetias proficiscitur: quamvis autem piis hominibus Romae non adquieverat, qui hanc peregrinationem ut periculosam [ei dissuaserant] propter Solimani, turcharum regis, potentiam, qui Rhodum insulam in potestatem non multo ante, scilicet, anno Domini 1522 praecedente, redegerat, et suis classibus illa maria infestabat; ut tamen septem vel octo aureos nummos in eleemosynam donatos acciperet, ad naulum solvendum persuaserunt. Sed cum in itinere haec pecunia Ignatium torqueret, quod alibi quam in Deo fiduciam habere sibi videretur, de ea abjicienda cogitabat: sed hoc postea consilium coepit, ut eam pauperibus distribueret, quod et fecit: et scrupulum sibi brevi, ne obolum quidem retinendo, ademit. Et cum ob corporis debilitatem lentius pedes incederet, alii eum comitem habere fugiebant; alii, postquam coepissent comites esse, eum deserebant; et ita linguae italicae imperitus, sine pecunia, ab obscuritate noctis interdum deprehensus antequam ad populos accederet (cum etiam illi propter pestem praedictam difficile externos admitterent), non mediocrem exercendae patientiae occasionem in hoc itinere habuit. Sed adjutor in opportunitatibus aderat illi Dominus, qui prope Patavium ipsi apparens, et consolatus est eum, et ipsius animum roboravit. Cumque diligenter custodes ejus urbis caeteros ob pestis timorem explorarent, libere Ignatius ingredi permissus est; cum tamen aliqui comites, qui eum deseruerant, magno cum labore et discussione vix tandem in urbem admissi fuerint. Therefore, setting sail from Barcelona and after a violent storm they arrived at Gaeta, and from there Ignatius traveled to Rome by land and with great difficulty. For since a large part of Italy was suffering from a plague, it was difficult for unknown persons to be admitted into towns; and so, in addition to the difficulty of the journey, and the lack of hospices and places to stay, he also suffered very much from hunger. Therefore in Rome, after having received the blessing of the Pontiff given to pilgrims, the Pope at the time being Adrian from the Netherlands, he set out for Venice. He did not agree with the pious men in Rome, who tried to persuade not to undertake this pilgrimage, because it was dangerous on account of the power of Soliman, the king of the Turks, who had captured the island of Rhodes not long before, that is, in the preceding year of the Lord 1522, and made sailing dangerous with his fleet of ships. But since he had received seven or eight gold coins given as an alms, they persuaded him to use it to pay for his trip. But when on his journey this money tormented Ignatius, because it seemed to him that he had trust in something other than God, he thought about getting rid of it; after some time he decided to give it to the poor, which is what he did. For a short time a scruple bothered him about keeping even one small coin. And since, because of the weakness of his body, he walked quite slowly, others did not want to have him as a companion; and still others, after they began to accompany him, abandoned him. And so, not knowing the Italian language, without money, sometimes overcome by the darkness of the night before he could reach a town (since also because of the plague as a stranger it was difficult to be admitted to a town), on this journey he had no little occasion to exercise patience. But the Lord was near him as a helper in these situations; and when he was near Padua the Lord appeared to him and consoled him and strengthened his soul. And although the guards of that city carefully examined others because of the fear of the plague, Ignatius was allowed to enter without hindrance. At the same time, however, some of the other companions who had abandoned him, with great effort and discussion were hardly allowed to enter the city. v1_chapter4latin Venetias inde veniens, cum non haberet unde expensas hospitii, vel cymbae, qua ad hospitale deferretur, solveret, in platea Sancti Marci prima nocte, qua in eam urbem appulerat, super cujusdam artificis scamno quieti se dedit. Accidit autem ut quidam ex patriciis ejus urbis, cum in suo lectulo jaceret, audire sibi hujusmodi verba videretur: “Tu in molli lecto conquiescis, et servus meus in platea noctem exigit. „ Surgens itaque et ad Sancti Marci plateam ille veniens, Ignatium, qui in praedicto scamno lectum sibi paraverat, invenit, et domum suam deducens, hospitio eum humaniter excepit. Sed cum nimio honore afficeretur, postridie ab ea domo recessit, et apud quemdam alium hispanum, et quidem cantabrum, in quem inciderat, divertit. Dissuadebat ille, quemadmodum et alii, peregrinationem hanc, praesertim sine pecunia, quae non solum in itinere, sed etiam in ipsa Terra Sancta solet esse necessaria. Sed Ignatius nihil de sua sententia mutans, amico illi dixit sperare se in Domino, si vel unica tabula eo anno in Terram Sanctam perveniret, se in illa Hierosolymamesse venturum. Noluit autem humana quaedam media, quae facile potuisset, adhibere; sed ipsemet ducem Venetiarum, Andream Gritti, cui omnino incognitus erat, adivit, et hispanice eum allocutus, propter Christi amorem postulavit, ut se in Terram Sanctam deferri juberet. Dux autem libenter ac liberaliter id quod postulabatur concessit. Et cum navis quaedam ejus reipublicae in Cyprum navigaret, ut Ignatium deportaret et expensas ipsi necessarias faceret injunxit. Then when he arrived at Venice, since he did not have money to pay for a hospice, or to pay for a boat to take him to it, the first night he rested on a bench of some artisan in the square of St. Mark, as that area is called in the city. But it happened that one of the patricians of the city, while he lay in his bed, seemed to hear words like this said to him: “You are resting on your soft bed, and my servant is spending the night in the square.” Therefore he arose and coming to the square of St. Mark and he found Ignatius, who had fashioned a bed for himself on the before mentioned bench, and taking him to his home, he kindly gave him hospitality. But since he was treated with too much honor, he departed from that house and he stayed with another Spaniard from Cantabria whom he had met. That man advised him, as did others, against making this pilgrimage, especially since he lacked money, which always is necessary not only for the journey, but also for living in the Holy Land. But Ignatius, changing nothing in his opinion, told his friend that he hoped in God, and that if even one plank in that year arrived at the Holy Land, he would travel on it to get to Jerusalem. For, he did not want to use human means, which he could have done very easily. Then he went to the Governor of the Venetians, Andrew Gritti, to whom he was completely unknown, and speaking to him in Spanish, he asked him for the love of Christ to order that he (Ignatius) be transported to the Holy Land. The Duke willingly and generously granted his request. And since a ship of the republic was about to sail to Cyprus, he ordered that Ignatius should be taken on board and he took care of the necessary expenses. v1_chapter4latin Paupertatis difficultate sublata, in aliam non minorem incidit, in morbum videlicet quo non solum laborabat eo die quo navis erat ex portu discessura, sed catapotium eo ipso die sumpserat. Cum autem nunciaretur navis profectio, et medicus imminere ipsi mortem diceret, si tali in statu hanc navigationem aggrederetur, a meliori ipse medico instructus, in spiritu fidei et confidentiae in Domino, navim ingressus, agitatione maris non solum catapotium, sed noxios etiam humores ex stomacho evomuit: et Dei bonitate fidem ejus juvante, non solum ab ultimo hoc morbo liber factus fuit, sed etiam a diuturno stomachi morbo fuit sublevatus, a quo graviter aliquandiu luerat afflictus. Nec sine spirituali fructu haec navigatio peracta est; cum ejus exemplo et colloquiis commoti plurimi profecissent, et veneratione ac amore ipsum prosequerentur. Cum tamen quosdam, qui male se gerebant, liberius aliquanto reprehenderet, nautarum consilium hoc erat, ut ad quamdam insulam appellentes eum ibi relinquerent: sed cum illi jam vicini essent, vento contrario ab ea disjuncti, iter suum in Cyprum sunt prosecuti. Adfuit etiam Ignatio Dominus saepe, et consolatus est eum in hac navigatione. Once the difficulty of poverty was overcome, he fell into another serious difficulty, namely, into an illness, from which he suffered not only on the day when the ship was going to leave the port, but on that very day he had taken a turn for the worse. So when the departure of the ship was announced, and the doctor said that he was in danger of death if he were to undertake a sea journey in such a condition, he received some advice from a better doctor, and he went on board the ship with a spirit of faith and confidence in the Lord; and by the motion of the sea he vomited up the harmful humors from his stomach. And while the goodness of God was helping his faith, he was made free not only from this last illness, but he was also freed from the constant pains in his stomach, by which he was at times gravely afflicted. And this sailing trip was done not without some spiritual fruit; moved by his example and words many made progress spiritually and accompanied him with veneration and love. But when he reprehended certain ones, who were acting badly, the decision of the sailors was that, when they arrived at a certain island, they would leave him there; but when they approached the island, forced away from it by a contrary wind, they proceeded on their journey to Cyprus. So the Lord helped Ignatius often and consoled him in this voyage. v1_chapter4latin Cum autem in Cypro invenisset Ignatius peregrinorum navim, in eadem sine ullo viatico, quod reliquum erat itineris usque ad Terram Sanctam confecit; ubi cum singulari devotione et spirituali consolatione, nec solum in aliorum comitatu, sed solus interdum ea sancta loca nostrae redemptionis mysteriis nobilitata perlustravit. Sed praecipuo affectu eum Montis Oliveti locum, ubi Christus in coelum ascensurus, vestigia pedum impressa reliquit, non semel invisit, custodibus saracenis (cum pecuniam non haberet) res aliquas donando, ut ipsum eo accedere permitterent: dona autem quae habebat, quidam cultri pennarii et forcipes erant et alia hujusmodi. Et tanto gustu ac spiritualis consolationis sensu afficiebatur, ut quod prius cogitaverat, tunc multo certius constitueret, ibi scilicet manere; et ita guardianum coenobii Sancti Francisci eo videbatur sibi adduxisse, ut non repugnaret (quod in ipso erat) quominus Hierosolymis Ignatius manere posset. Sed minister provincialis id minime convenire ratus (quamvis gravem ipsis se non futurum promitteret Ignatius, nudum tectum nec quidquam praeterea ab eis exspectans, caetera ex eleemosynis vel a Christianis, vel ab infidelibus postulaturus), nihilominus ille in sua perstitit sententia, et cum facultatem se habere diceret, ut eos a communione fidelium repelleret, qui ipso invito in Terra Sancta manere vellent, intellexit Ignatius non esse Dei voluntatem ut ibi tunc maneret, et satis res ipsa docuit ejus ministerium aliis provinciis et charitatis functionibus Deum velle ut impenderetur. When Ignatius found a ship of pilgrims in Cyprus, in it without any money for the journey he completed the rest of the trip to the Holy Land. There with singular devotion and consolation, not only in the company with the others, but sometimes alone he visited the holy places of our redemption renowned for their mysteries. But with special affection more than once he visited the Mount of Olives where Christ, when he was about to ascend into heaven, left an imprint of his feet; there he gave some things to the Saracen guards (since he did not have money) so that they would permit him to visit the place; the gifts he had were a pen holder, a pair of scissors and a few other things like these. And he was filled with such enthusiasm and sense of spiritual consolation, that what he had thought about at first, now he held as much more certain, that is, that he should remain there. And so it seemed to him that he should approach the Custodian of the Franciscan Fathers so that he would not refuse (which he had the power to do) to allow Ignatius to remain in Jerusalem. But the Franciscan Provincial thinking that that was not a good idea (although Ignatius promised that he would not be a burden to them, since he did not expect lodging or anything else from them, saying that he would provide for his needs by seeking alms from Christians or from infidels), he still persisted in his opinion. And since he said he had the power to excommunicate those who wanted to remain in the Holy Land contrary to his will, Ignatius understood that it was not the will of God that he should remain there. And so this matter taught him that God wanted him to carry out his ministry in other provinces and charitable activities. v1_chapter4latin Rediit ergo in Cyprum, ubi cum tres naves essent Venetias navigaturae, una turcharum, altera valde bona venetorum, tertia debilis, quae aquam per rimas aliquas admittebat, in illam venetorum validiorem pii viri inducere Ignatium nitebantur, et ut praefecto navis id persuaderent, eum esse virum sanctum dicebant; ille vero facetia, admissionem Ignatii recusans: “Si sanctus est, inquit, non indiget mea navi, et per aquas pedibus ire poterit.„ Fuit itaque in illa tertia et despecta navicula admissus; sed cum omnes eodem die ex Cypro solvissent, sola haec Venetias pervenit; nam, oborta tempestate, turcharum navis absorta undis, illa autem valida scopulis illisa naufragium fecit, quamvis homines non perierunt. Recreatus autem aliquot diebus Venetiis, et humaniter ab hospite suo cantabro tractatus est, qui aliquid etiam pecuniae ei in eleemosynam dedit ut Genuam saltem perveniret, quod imbecillitas ejus valetudinis id postulare videbatur. Therefore he returned to Cyprus. Since three ships there were about to set sail for Venice, one of Turks, another a very good ship of the Venetians, the third being an old ship, which took on some water because of cracks in the hull. Devout men tried to persuade Ignatius to take the better ship of the Venetians, and in order to persuade the captain of the ship they told him that Ignatius was a very holy man. But he with a witty statement refused to take Ignatius. “If he is a saint,” he said, “he does not need my ship and he can go by walking on the water.” Therefore, he was taken on board of the third, despicable little ship. But when all left Cyprus on the same day, only this ship arrived in Venice. For, when a storm arose, the ship of the Turks sank, while the good ship ran aground and was shipwrecked, although the people on board did not perish. Then after resting for a few days in Venice, and having been treated kindly by his Spanish host from Cantabria, the latter gave him some money as an alms so that he might at least reach Genoa, which the weak condition of his health seemed to require. v1_chapter4latin Sed cum Venetiis circa initium anni 1524 profectus Ferrariam venisset, et in summo templo oraret, pauper quidam ab eo eleemosynam postulavit, cui unam ex minoribus monetis quas ferebat dedit, et cum alius tantumdem faceret, dedit et illi. Demum cum, aliis alios admonentibus, multi ad eum venissent, nulli propter Christi amorem petenti negare eleemosynam sustinens, post minutas monetas majores dare coepit, donec ne obolum quidem sibi reliquit, et ex mendicato cibum eo die quaerere debuit, clamantibus italico sermone pauperibus, qui onere pecuniae eum liberaverant: ” II santo, il santo.„ Ferraria iter Genuam versus instituit; sed cum in Longobardia et Cisalpina Gallia, bellum inter Caesarianos et Gallos hoc tempore, scilicet, anno Domini 1524 ineunte, gereretur, dum prope Caesarianos transiret, a militibus ut explorator captus, et ad ducem adductus fuit. Cum autem consuevisset Ignatius ad compensandam nimiam in loquendo civilitatem, qua in curiis principum uti solitus erat, simplicem ac pene rusticum loquendi modum etiam cum nobilibus et magnatibus tenere, cum ad hunc ducem adduceretur, venit ei in mentem mutandum esse loquendi modum et honorifice illum esse sibi compellandum; nam et torturam et alia hujusmodi ob suspicionem timere poterat. Agnoscens autem hujusmodi cogitationes ex timore profectas, et contra, id quod sibi proposuerat, ad majorem sui abnegationem et Dei honorem tendere, decrevit non solum consuetum loquendi morem non mutare, sed nec ullum signum honoris huic duci exhibere, ut in tentatorem tela sua regereret. Adductus ergo coram praedicto duce, nec pileo, nec verbo, nec ullo signo corporis ullam reverentiam ei exhibuit: interrogat ille unde veniat, quo vadat, cujas sit, quod sit ejus nomen. Nullum verbum Ignatius respondit, in terram defixos oculos habens, quod videns dux ille, interrogavit num explorator esset: hic tantum respondendum duxit se exploratorem non esse. Dux ergo, tamquam hominem parum sanae mentis ad se duxissent, militibus succensens, dimitti Ignatium jubet, quem illi milites ob reprehensionem sui ducis commoti, non sine calcibus et pugnis incussis dimiserunt; sed quidam miles jejuno et cibo indigenti Ignatio humanitatem exhibuit, apud quem refectus in itinere coepto perrexit; et a speculatoribus gallorum etiam comprehensus et examinatus, benigne tamen ab eisdem exceptus et dimissus est ; et inter haec pericula et molestias singulari devotionis et consolationis spiritualis dono a Christo affectus, cum Genuam pervenisset, a quodam triremium praefecto cantabro, cui Portundo nomen erat, sibi aliquando familiarius noto, in Hispaniam transmissus est. But when around the beginning of the year 1524 he left Venice and arrived in Ferrara, and while he was praying in the cathedral, a poor man asked him for an alms, and he gave him one of the small coins that he had; and when another asked him for the same thing, he gave it to him. Finally, when these poor men told others about him, many came to him, and for the love of Christ not wanting to deny an alms to anyone asking him, after the small coins he began to give the more valuable coins, until not even one small coin was left. So that day, in order to get some food, he had seek it by begging. But the poor men to whom he had given all his money, cried out in Italian: “He is a saint, he is a saint!” Then he began his journey from Ferrara to Genoa. But since at this time a war was being waged in Lombardy and cisalpine France between the Empire and the French, that is, at the beginning of the year of the Lord 1524, since he had to pass by the imperial troops he was taken into custody by the troops as a spy and taken to the Commander. But since Ignatius, in order to make up for the excessive politeness in speaking which he was accustomed to use in the courts of princes, was accustomed to use a simple and almost rustic manner of speaking, even with nobles and officials, when he was brought to this Commander, the thought occurred to him to change his way of speaking and to address him in a honorific way. For, because of the suspicion about him, he could fear both torture and other torments. But when he realized that these thoughts proceeded from fear, and on the other hand, that his usual way of acting tended more to self-abnegation and the honor of God, he decided not only not to change his usual way of speaking, but not to show any sign of honor to this Commander, so that he might re-direct the darts back to the tempter. Therefore, when he was brought before the General, he did not show any reverence for him by removing his cap, by words or by any sign of his body. The man asked him where he came from, where he was going, who he worked for, what his name was. Ignatius said not a word, while keeping his eyes fixed on the ground. When the General saw this, he asked him whether or not he was a spy; he responded only to this by saying he was not a spy. The General, therefore, thinking that they had brought to him a man not of a sound mind, being angry with the soldiers, he ordered them to release Ignatius. Then the soldiers, upset because of the rebuke from their Commander, set him free, but not without hitting and beating him. But one soldier took compassion on Ignatius, who was fasting and in need of food; after being refreshed by him, he continued on his journey. And after having been seized and questioned by French soldiers, he was treated kindly by them and then released. And among these dangers and troubles he was treated by Christ with a singular gift of devotion and spiritual consolation; and when he arrived in Genoa, he was taken to Spain by a certain Cantabrian captain of a trireme whose name was Portundo a man whom Ignatius had known in the past.