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v1_191-227latin 1547B
191. Missus fuerat primo vere hujus anni 1547, ut supra diximus, P. Hieronymus Domenech ad Pro-regem Siciliae, Joannem de Vega. Panormum ergo initio mensis Maii pervenit, et pietatis operibus dare operam eo in regno coepit. Invisit eum P. Jacobus Lhoost, qui in dioecesi Agrigentina, simul cum Vicario, utiliter admodum in Domino laborabat, et quaedam monasteria monialium, quae anno praeterito ad observantiam suae religionis reductae fuerant, confessionibus, et praedicationibus in officio continebat; aliquae etenim moniales, quae non libenter reformationem ferebant, negotium facessere melioribus solebant; magna tamen animi laetitia, in communi vivendi ratione juxta ipsarum institutum, Dominus eas perfundebat. Praelegit interim clero epistolam B. Pauli ad Titum; sed diebus dominicis et festis lectio tam populo quam ipsis communis erat; aliis autem ferialibus diebus, solis clericis, et paucis quibusdam nobilibus adjunctis, de iis, quae ad ipsorum officium et mores pertinebant; libenter autem clerus quae suggerebantur admittebat, et ad suum officium faciendum se comparabat. In concionibus etiam auditorum crescebat multitudo, et in multis eorum Deo serviendi desideria augebantur. Archipresbyter quidam, qui oppido, in quo quatuor millia familiarum degebant, praepositus erat, sexdecim sacerdotes deputavit, qui curae oppidi exercendae vacarent. Hic assiduus auditor Patris Jacobi erat, et cum magna benevolentia prosequebatur. Sed et hospitali per eleemosynas subveniri curavit, et alios aegrotantes extra hospitalia invisebat, eos, qui ipsis assistebant, praecepta Dei docens, et ad confessionem exhortans. Quoddam monasterium monialium reformationi, quam alia susceperant, resistebat; sed et illud, cum de profectu spirituali aliorum et fervore rescivisset, eadem imitari coepit.
191. In the beginning of spring in 1547 Fr. Jerome Domenech was sent, as we said above, to the Viceroy of Sicily, John de Vega. Therefore he arrived at Palermo at the beginning of May, and he began to assist with pious works in that kingdom. Fr. James Lhoost visited him, who was working very successfully together with the Vicar in the diocese of Agrigento, who was helping some convents of nuns, who the previous year had been brought back to the observance of their rules, with sermons and confessions. For, some of the nuns, who did not willingly accept reformation, were wont to make trouble for the good ones; however, the Lord filled them with great happiness of soul, when they began to live a common life according to their constitutions. In the meantime, he gave lectures to the clergy on the letter of St. Paul to Titus, but on Sundays and feast days the lecture was for both the people and the clergy. But on ferial days it was only for the clerics and a few members of the nobility, and the subject would be about what pertained to their duties and moral life. The clergy willingly accepted what was suggested, and made themselves ready to do their duty. For the sermons also the size of the audience increased, and the desire of serving God increased in many of them. A certain Archpriest, who was also the mayor in a town in which four thousand families lived, assigned sixteen priests to take care of the needs of the town. He was a constant listener to Fr. James, and he treated him with great benevolence. But he also helped the hospital with alms, and visited other sick people who were not in the hospital; he taught the commandments of God to those who were serving the sick and he exhorted them to go to confession. A certain convent of nuns resisted the reform which the others had accepted; but that one also, when it learned about the spiritual progress and fervor of the others, began to imitate them.
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192. Dedit etiam operam ut monasterium pro mulieribus, quae a turpi vita ad sanam mentem redire volunt, institueretur. Missus est praeterea in quoddam oppidum a Vicario, ubi unum ex eis monasteriis, quae reformationem acceperant, ob gubernationis defectum, valde coeperat perturbari; sed adveniente Patre Jacobo, Dominus rursus moniales ad observantiae studium, magna cum devotione et lacrymis reduxit; Abbatissae et aliquot monialium confessiones Jacobus audivit; omnes autem sanctissimum Eucharistiae sacramentum susceperunt. Alias etiam in eodem oppido confessiones audivit, ac sacerdotibus persuasit, ut aegrotantes officiosius inviserent. In duo alia, vel tria oppida missus etiam a Vicario, similia his praestitit; nam et Abbatissam monasterii, cum aliquot monialibus sacramento Poenitentiae consolatus est, et perseverantes in observantia sui instituti reliquit. Statutum etiam ibi fuit, ut sacerdotes aegrotantes visitarent, et oppidi illius Vicarius promisit, se ne id omitteretur curaturum. Ad civitatem deinde rediens, sub Paschae tempus, messem uberrimam usque ad octavam Paschae ibidem habuit, et a triginta retro annis fatebantur nunquam a se fuisse visam hujusmodi ad sacramenta Confessionis et Communionis accedentium multitudinem. Non est silentio praetermittenda hujus P. Jacobi obedientia, cui cum P. Ignatius injunxisset, ut octavo quoque die scriberet, quamvis nunciorum deesset commoditas, et eadem essent crebro repetenda, nullam tamen elabi hebdomadam permisit quin scriberet, licet multae simul ejusdem litterae quandoque perferebantur. In schola etiam quadam pueros catechismum edocuit. Cum autem Vicarius Cardinalis Carpensis, ad Pro-regem salutandum, Panormum se conferret, secuin P. Jacobum deduxit; unde mense Maio Patrem Hieronymum , qui recens advenerat, magna animi laetitia amplexus est; usque ad Pentecostem Panormi manens, et in monasterio Conversarum confessionibus et communionibus, sicuti et aliorum eo convenientium, et in quibusdam etiam concionibus occupatus, Agrigentum rediit, et in solitis se functionibus charitatis exercuit, donec mense Augusto, a P. Ignatio Romam, ut inde Lovanium proficisceretur, est evocatus.
192. He also gave assistance so that a convent would be established for women, who wanted to return to a healthy state from an immoral life. Moreover, he was sent to a certain town by the Vicar, where one of the convents, which had accepted reformation, began to be very much disturbed because of a defect in government; but when Fr. James arrived, the Lord again brought the nuns back to the observance of their rule, and it was done with great devotion and tears. James heard the confession of the Abbess and some of the nuns, but all received the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. He also heard other confessions in the town, and he convinced the priests that they should visit the sick more attentively. Having been sent by the Vicar to two or three other towns, he brought about similar results; for, he consoled the Abbess of the convent and some of the nuns with the sacrament of Penance, and he left them persevering in the observance of their rule. Also it was determined there that the priests should visit the sick, and the Vicar of the town promised that he would not omit doing that. Then returning to the city, at the time of Easter, he gained an abundant harvest there until the octave of Easter, and they confessed that for thirty years they had not seen such a multitude of people receiving the sacraments of Confession and Communion. The obedience of this Fr. James must not be passed over in silence; for, since Fr. Ignatius had commanded him to write to him every week, although the mail service was not good and the same things had to be repeated, he did not allow one week to go by without writing, even though many letters were delivered at the same time. In a local school he taught catechism to the boys. But when the Vicar of Cardinal Carpensi came to Palermo to greet the Viceroy, he brought Fr. James with him. Hence in the month of May with great joy he embraced Fr. Jerome, who had arrived there recently. He remained in Palermo until Pentecost, and having been occupied in the convent of the reformed women with confessions and communions and in giving some sermons, he returned to Agrigento, and he was busy with the usual works of charity until the month of August, when he was called by Fr. Ignatius to Rome, in order that he might go from there to Louvain.
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193. At P. Hieronymus, cum primum Panormum pervenit et amanter admodum a Pro-rege et ab ejus uxore, domina Eleonora Osorio, fuisset exceptus, utriusque confessiones audire coepit. A Pro-regina, quae inde decesserat, commendatum valde fuerat dominae Eleonorae monasterium Conversarum; quae cum rescivisset spirituali et temporali auxilio valde illud indigere, utriusque auxilii afferendi curam Hieronymo commendavit. Cum autem P. Hieronymus illuc se contulisset, ineo statu monasterium invenit, ut si praesens remedium non adhiberetur, timendum esse judicaret, ne pium illud opus omnino concideret. Qui electi fuerant ab ipsa civitate ut hujus monasterii curam gererent, etsi jam mensis post electionem praeteriisset, nullam tamen monasterii curam suscipiebant, quia laboriosam admodum ejus gubernationem fore intellexerant, tum propter discordiam monialium, quae Abbatissae subesse nolebant et de recessu potius cogitabant, tum quia populus, ad quem intestinarum turbarum permearat rumor, voluntatem huic operi subveniendi abjecerat. Adivit deputatos P. Hieronymus, et ne desponderent animo hortatus est, et omnem operam, nominee Pro-reginae, ac favorem obtulit; unde illi animati, manum operi admoverunt. Curavit autem P. Hieronymus ut, ex eo monasterio Abbatissa educta, ad suum monasterium unde egressa fuerat, reduceretur; quod jam pridem Vicarius, et deputati faciendum judicabant, si aliam quae Conversis praeesset invenire possent. Pater ergo Hieronymus matronam quamdam, viduam primariam, ac spiritu divino praeditam, quae huic operi, ut inchoaretur, ab initio favorem praestiterat, conveniens rogavit eam, ut ejus monasterii curam tamdiu susciperet, dum alia, quae praeesset, quaereretur; quod cum matrona fecisset, totum monasterium pacavit, et Drepano duas vel tres moniales evocandas curavit, quarum una Conversis praeesset, et aliae juvarent. Praeterea P. Hieronymus spiritualia Exercitia Conversis proposuit, ac earum confessiones generales audivit, et consequuta est mira rerum omnium immutatio, et in dies magis proficiebant; praescripsit eis etiam formulam quamdam vivendi, et idoneum confessarium eisdem quaerere studuit, ut ipse ad vacandum aliis operibus pietatis expediretur ; octavo quoque die confitebantur et communicabant; maxima pars in communi vivebant; Vicariam etiam cui obedirent, elegerunt. Demum tantus fervor poenitentiae et devotionis in illis mulieribus subsequutus est, ut exceptis duabus, vel tribus, reliquae omnes, quae fere triginta sunt, velut eximiae imitatrices Magdalenae viderentur. Temporalibus etiam earum necessitatibus subveniendum curavit, ct duos Marchiones, qui inter nobiles eleemosynas in earum usum quaererent, rogavit; quod illi pie praestiterunt. Cum praeterea in festo Corporis Christi, in quadam abbatia jentaculum magnis sumptibus Pro-regi et civitati pararetur, hunc morem, quem offensae Dei nonnullae consequebantur, auctore P. Hieronymo Pro-rex abolevit ; et pecuniam, quae inutilibus sumptibus impendebatur, in Conversarum subsidium applicavit; aliis etiam, ut muletarum, emolumentis sic monasterium fuit adjutum, ut illud experiretur, quaerite primum regnum Dei, et caetera adjicientur vobis; nam et domus, quae praediis augenda erat, aucta est, ut et numero et spiritu Conversarum monasterium augeretur.
193. But Fr. Jerome, as soon as he arrived in Palermo and was very kindly received by the Viceroy and his wife, Lady Eleanor Osorio, heard the confessions of both of them. The convent of the reformed women had been highly recommended to Lady Eleanor, who had just departed from there; and when she learned that it was very much in need of spiritual and temporal assistance, she commended to Jerome the care of providing both kinds of assistance. But when Fr. Jerome went there, he found the convent in such a state that if an immediate remedy were not given, he feared lest that good work would collapse completely. Those who had been elected by the city to take care of this convent still had not done anything to help the convent, because they understood that its government would be very difficult, both because of the discord among the nuns, who refused to be subject to the Abbess and rather asked for her dismissal, and because the people, who had heard the rumor of internal disturbances, did not have the will to undertake this work. [1. Paragraphus haec sic in mss. se habet : “…nullam tamen monasterii curam suscipiebant, tum quia laboriosam admodum earum gubernationem fore intellexerant, partim propter discordiam monialium, quae abbatissae subesse nolebant sed de recessu potius cogitabant, partim quia populus protestasset rumores , voluntatem huic operi subveniendi abjecerant. „ Ubi recte hujus scripti antiquus et diligens scrutator in ora paginae haec verba apposuit: Videtur deesse aliquid; el alius: desiderantur aliqua. Nos autem, ut sententia sit, quam exprimunt litterae Patris Domenech infra memorandae, verba aliqua immutavimus et alia pauca addidimus.
The paragraph in the manuscript reads like this: “…they still had not done anything to help the convent, both because they understood that their government would be very difficult, partly because of the discord of the nuns, who did not want to be under the Abbess but rather thought about her removal, partly because the people spread rumors, and did not want to come to the aid of this work.” Here correctly the ancient and diligent examiner of this writing placed these words on the top of the page: Something seems to be missing; and someone else: Some other things are required. But we, so that the meaning may be what the letter of Fr. Domenech actually says, have changed some words and added a few others] Fr. Jerome went to the delegates and urged them not to lose heart, and he offered them his help and support in the name of the Queen Regent; hence they were encouraged and decided to do what was required. And Fr. Jerome saw to it that the Abbess was removed from the convent and was returned to the convent from which she had come. For a long time the Vicar and the delegates thought that this should be done, if they could find another Abbess who would be the superior of the convent. Therefore Fr. Jerome asked a certain respectable lady, a distinguished widow endowed with a divine spirit, to take charge of this work for a time, while another nun was being sought who would be the Abbess. When the lady agreed to do this, peace was restored in the convent, and he arranged that two or three nuns should be summoned from Drepano, one of whom would be in charge of the convent with the help of the others. In addition, Fr. Jerome gave the Spiritual Exercises to the women, heard their general confessions, and a wonderful change in all things followed so that daily they were making more progress. He also wrote out for them a rule of life, and he sought a suitable confessor for them so that he would be free to dedicate himself to other works of piety; they confessed and received Communion weekly; most of them lived in the community; and they also elected a Vicar whom they would obey. Finally, such fervor for penance and devotion in those women was the result that, with the exception of two or three, all the rest, who were about thirty in number, seemed to be like outstanding imitators of Magdalen. He also took care to provide for their temporal needs, and he asked two Marquises, who among the nobles were seeking alms for their support, and they were very helpful. Moreover, since on the feast of Corpus Christi in a local abbey a sumptuous breakfast was prepared for the Viceroy and the city, at the request of Fr. Jerome the Viceroy abolished this custom, which was the cause of certain offenses against God; and he used the money, which was wasted on this useless affair, to support the convent of converted women. Also with other similar gifts the convent was helped in such a way that the following was experienced: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well; for, the house, which received extra land, was expanded, and so the convent of converted women grew in numbers and spiritually.
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194. Admonuit etiam P. Hieronymus Pro-regem quod alia monasteria ejus civitatis reformatione valde indigere compertum ipsi erat. Cum autem Pro-rex viros aliquos primarios et pios, simul cum P. Hieronymo, congregari jussisset, et de remedio adhibendo ageretur, cura data est P. Hieronymo, ut monasteriorum regulas videret, et ut simul cum Vicario ea inviseret; et quamvis in aegritudinem incidens Hieronymus, aliquandiu monasteriorum in meliorem statum reductio dilata est; nihilominus, valetudine recuperata, pium opus est prosequutus; et P. Ignatio Romae juvante apud Sedem Apostolicam (id Joannes de Vega, Pro-rex, litteris ab eo expetierat), prout in monasteriis Catalauniae fecerat, non frustra laboratum est. Nam ut ipse Pro-rex scribit, sub hujus anni finem duo monialium monasteria Panormi, opera ejusdem P. Hieronymi sunt reformata. Effectum est praeterea ut illud Innocentii decretum, quo cavetur ne medici aegrotos invisere pergant, nisi prius confessi fuerint, Panormi publicaretur, adjuvante doctore Ignatio Lopez, et Pro-rege pro animi sui pietate id jubente; itaque jam passim cernebatur Sanctissimum Sacramentum ad aegrotantes allatum, et medici sacculos tunicarum plenos habebant scriptis testimoniis, quod aegrotantes confessi essent; nec confessarii tam multis poenitentibus inlirmis sine magno labore satisfacere poterant. Effectum est deinde ut edictum per totum regnum promulgaretur ; quod perutile fuit, cum multis in locis homines publice confiteri erubescerent; et per manus P. Hieronymi, centum litterae, subscriptae a Pro-rege, cum adjunctis edictis expeditae fuerunt. Et sic demum in omnibus ejus insulae locis edictum promulgatum est.
194. Fr. Jerome also advised the Viceroy that he had discovered that other monasteries of his city were very much in need of reformation. But when the Viceroy ordered some of the leading and pious men to meet with Fr. Jerome, and they talked about applying a remedy, the task was given to Fr. Jerome to examine the rules of the monasteries and to visit them along with the Viceroy; however, Fr. Jerome became ill, and so the reform of the monasteries was delayed for some time; nevertheless, when he regained his health, this pious work was put into effect. And with the help of Fr. Ignatius in Rome at the Apostolic See (John de Vega, the Viceroy, by his letter had asked him to do this), just as he had done in the monasteries of Catania, here he did not labor in vain. For, as the Viceroy himself writes, near the end of this year two convents of nuns in Palermo were reformed by the work of the same Fr. Jerome. Moreover, it was ordered that the decree of Pope Innocent, according to which physicians were not to visit the sick unless they had first gone to confession, was published in Palermo, with the help of Dr. Ignatius Lopez, and as commanded by the Viceroy according to the piety of his own mind. Therefore passim it was seen that the Holy Sacrament was brought to the sick, and the doctors had their bags full of written testimonies that the sick had gone to confession; and the confessors could not satisfy so many sick penitents without great effort on their part. It happened then that the edict was promulgated throughout the whole kingdom; this was very advantageous, since in many places the people were ashamed to go to confession publicly; and by the hands of Fr. Jerome a hundred letters containing the edict and signed by the Viceroy were sent out. And so at last in all parts of the island the edict was promulgated.
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195. Domus praeterea orphanorum utriusque sexus Panormi est instituta, de qua etiam Pro-rex Romam scripsit, et a P. Ignatio juvari voluit; cum autem ad hoc opus domum et ecclesiam idoneam invenissent, cumque civitas supra duo millia scutorum, annui reditus, ad puellarum orphanarum dotes haberet, minus difficile fuit, auctoritate Pro-regis, ac dominae Eleonorae charitate adjuvante, ut haec pietatis insignis opera, puerorum scilicet ac puellarum, et initium et progressum etiam haberent. Curabat interim P. Hieronymus ut inter congregationes quasdam pax, quae magni momenti erat, conciliaretur; quod ad quietem cujusdam civitatis pene universae, scilicet Drepani, multum conferebat; et demum aliis hujusmodi pietatis functionibus P. Hieronymus vacabat, propter quas P. Ignatio domina Eleonora gratias agit, qui eum in Siciliam miserat.
195. Furthermore, a home for orphans of both sexes was established in Palermo, about which the Viceroy also wrote to Rome, and he wanted to be helped by Fr. Ignatius. But since for this work they found a house and a suitable church, and since the city had over two thousand ducats as an annual income for the endowment for the orphaned girls, it was not difficult, with the approval of the Viceroy and helped by the charity of Lady Eleanor, for this work of outstanding piety for boys and girls to have both its beginning and its progress. In the meantime, Fr. Jerome was able to establish peace, which was very important, among certain congregations; this contributed very much to the quiet of almost the whole city, namely, Drepano. Also Fr. Jerome performed other similar functions of piety because of which Lady Eleanor gave thanks to Fr. Ignatius, who had sent him to Sicily.
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196. Quamvis autem Pro-rex, et ejus domus, statis temporibus, in civitate Montis Regalis versaretur, quia Panormo tribus tantum milliaribus distat, eo se P. Hieronymus ad confessiones et illius, et dominae Elisabethae, ipsius liliae, conferebat; et tam ipsa, quam domina Eleonora, decimo quinto quoque die communicabant, quod ut novum eo in regno, ita et magnae aedificationis fuit. Ibidem etiam praesente Pro-rege, et frequenti auditorio, concionatus est, non sine populi commotione et satisfactione; in quodam etiam monialium monasterio urgente domina Eleonora, concionatus, ad lacrymas uberes auditores commoti sunt; Exercitia etiam spiritualia primae hebdomadae proposuit monialibus, nec ulterius est progressus quod Panormum illi esset redeundum.
196. Although the Viceroy and his household at certain times stayed in the city of Monreale, because it was only three miles from Palermo, Fr. Jerome went there to hear his confession, and that of Lady Elizabeth, his daughter. And both she and Lady Eleanor received Communion biweekly, which was something new in the kingdom, and it was the source of great edification. He also preached there in the presence of the Viceroy and a large audience, not without the satisfaction of the people; he also preached there in a convent of nuns at the request of Lady Eleanor, and the hearers were moved to abundant tears; he gave the Spiritual Exercises of the first week to the nuns, and he did not go anywhere else until he had to return to Palermo.
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197. Custodias etiam publicas cum inviseret P. Hieronymus, plurimos pauperes ob exigua debita ibi retineri observavit; curavit ergo cum Pro-rege ut aliquam pecuniae summam ex poenis applicaret, qua viginti ex his debitoribus pauperibus liberavit, ex quibus aliqui unum aliqui duos annos in carcere detenti fuerant, et quidem cum detrimento uxorum ac filiorum non exiguo; quatuordecim aliis facultatem impetravit, ut cum custode ad publicum quoddam opus (scilicet, un bastion) egrederentur, ut suo labore mercedem aliquam, qua se liberarent, lucrarentur. In spiritualibus etiam Exercitiis virum quemdam ad optima quaeque promovit; duos etiam sacerdotes per eadem in spiritualibus exercuit; quorum alter orphanis magister erat; alter ad confraternitatem clericorum instituendam , quae pueros toto regno gratis doceret, Messanam venerat, cujus etiam socius fuit adjutus. Messanae etiam in quadam primaria ecclesia coepit concionari, quod diebus dominicis et festis consequentibus praestitit.
197. When Fr. Jerome visited the public jail, he noted that many poor men were kept there because of a small debt; therefore he arranged with the Viceroy that he could make use of a sum of money from the payment of fines, and with this he freed twenty of the poor debtors, some of whom had been kept in prison for one or two years, and this was at no small loss to their wives and children. He also got permission for fourteen others to be released under guard so they could do some public work, and so earn enough money to buy their freedom. Also with the Spiritual Exercises he helped a man to make excellent progress; he also trained two priests in the same spiritual meditations. One of them was a teacher of orphans; the other had come to Messina to establish a confraternity of clerics, who would teach boys gratis in the whole kingdom, and he also had a companion. At Messina also he began to preach in one of the large churches, which he did on Sundays and on the feast days.
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198. Invenit autem Messanae complures, qui in spiritu proficere optabant; et ille sacerdos, qui in spiritualibus Exercitationibus se exercuerat, praeterquam quod ipse valde profecit, multis aliis ea ipsa communicavit, et duodecim in eis exercuit, et in omnibus admiranda metamorphosis cernebatur; sed prae aliis, juvenis quidam, mercator, sui profectus etiam externa documenta et non vulgaria dedit. Ipse P. Hieronymus tres simul exercuit, et inter alios, Baronis filium ecclesiasticum, quem cum ejus pater edomare non posset, tres menses in triremibus habuerat, et admirandam hic etiam vitae mutationem in bonum fecit. Comes etiam quidam, de Condiano dictus, per eadem Exercitia valde profecit. Duo item alii nobiles ad id aspirabant, et quoddam monialium monasterium et alii non pauci; sed unus satisfacere omnibus non poterat; cum praesertim, praeter conciones dominicis et festis diebus habitas, feriatis diebus in variis monialium monasteriis concionaretur. Orphani pueri, qui a suo magistro Exercitia spiritualia acceperant, magnos in spiritu progressus faciebant, et latissime hoc per spirituales Exercitationes beneficium patere coepit.
198. Now in Messina he found many men who wanted to grow in the spirit; and the priest, who had made the Spiritual Exercises, in addition to the fact that he made great progress, communicated the same things to many others, and he gave the same Exercises to twelve men, and a wonderful metamorphosis was discerned in all of them. But above all a certain youth, a merchant, added to his progress some valuable printed documents. Fr. Jerome himself gave the Exercises to three men, and among others, the ecclesiastical son of a Baron; since his father was not able to control him, he put him in a trireme for three months, and this produced an amazing change of life for the better. Also a certain associate, named de Condiano, because of the Exercises made great progress. Two other nobles wanted to do the same, and a convent of nuns, and not a few others, but one man could not take care of all these people. That was so especially because, besides the sermons delivered on Sundays and feast days, he also preached in various convents of nuns. Orphaned boys, who had received the Spiritual Exercises from their teacher made much progress in the spirit, and this benefit from the Spiritual Exercises began to be known far and wide.
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199. Magno abusu homines Messanae in templis deambulare tempore divinorum ofiiciorum soliti erant, unde non exiguae Dei offensae sequebantur; effecit autem P. Hieronymus habita Pro-regis auctoritate, ut toto in regno is abusus aboleretur ; Messanae quidem edictum contra hujusmodi homines est promulgatum, deinde per totam insulam, Vicariis ut id promulgarent injunctum est.
199. As a great abuse, in Messina the men were accustomed to walk around in church during the time of the divine liturgy, and so no small offenses to God were the result. But Fr. Jerome brought it about, acting with the approval of the Viceroy, that this abuse was abolished in the whole kingdom. Indeed, in Messina an edict was promulgated against men doing this, and then throughout the whole island the pastors were told to promulgate it.
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200. Cum etiam suggereret Pro-regi utile admodum fore si ludimagistri suis in scholis doctrinam Christianam discipulos edocerent, ipsius cum voluntate (quam ad omnia pietatis opera propensam inveniebat), excudi typis brevem tractatum catechismi curavit, ut postmodum auctoritate Pro-regis, toto in regno id edictum promulgaretur, ut praeceptores ad catechismum docendum tenerentur; ipse etiam operam suam offerebat ad hanc consuetudinem per singulas urbes inducendam, in quibus interim Dei verbum potuisset concionari; et quidem peregrinando, cum socio Juliano, id praestare cupiebat. Ad id tamen cum facultate P. Ignatii esset opus, responsum ipsius exspectavit; et interea quidam, qui in Exercitiis spiritualibus sub ipso profecerat, cum patentibus litteris Pro-regis bene animatus ad Christianam doctrinam ubique docendam profectus est.
200. When he suggested to the Viceroy that it would be very helpful, if the schoolmasters would teach Christian doctrine to their students, with his approval (which he found well-disposed to all works of piety), he had a small summary of the catechism printed, so that afterwards with the authority of the Viceroy an edict would be promulgated in the whole kingdom that the teachers were required to teach catechism. He also offered his assistance to introduce this custom in each of the cities, where at times he was able to preach the word of God; and when he was traveling with his companion Julian that is exactly what he did. Now to do that he needed the permission of Fr. Ignatius, and he was waiting for his response. In the meantime, a man who had made progress under him in the Spiritual Exercises, being highly motivated, with the permission of the Viceroy proceeded to teach Christian doctrine everywhere.
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201. Doctore Ignatio Lopez, medico, suggerente, et domino Didaco de Cardona, regni sindicatore, negotium promovente, serio agi coeptum est de Collegio Messanae instituendo. Pro-rex et ejus uxor ad hoc opus valde propensi erant, nec solum Messanae sed Panormi, Catanae et Calatagironae institui Collegia posse Pro-rex judicabat; sed ab ipsa civitate Messanensi rogari voluit, antequam ipse ad P. Ignatium scriberet. Res ergo in Consilio civitatis proposita a domino Didaco de Cardona, successum prosperum et perfacilem habuit; imo si non susciperet civitas hujus Collegii instituendi curam, privati quidam nobiles suis sumptibus reditus parare constituebant. Sed statim, quod a civitate petebatur, obtentum est; id erat, ut commodam habitationem et ecclesiam Collegio instituendo, et ad fundationis initium quingentos aureos annui reditus, firmos et stabiles, daret. Meditabatur quidem civitas studium generale, vel Universitatem, Messanae instituere, sed a Societate quatuor tantum praeceptores exigebat ; ex quibus unus Grammaticam, alter Philosophiam, tertius Theologiam scholasticam, quartus conscientiae casus praelegeret. Cum autem nobilium quaedam confraternitas, Divo Nicolao dicatum sacrarium, cum domo conjunctum, haberet, in civitatis et etiam operis tam pii gratiam, facile suam ecclesiam , quae pulchra satis et magna erat, illi obtulerunt, et quidem in via quadam primaria civitatis, et in salubri situ, cum horto et habitatione studiis commoda et quieta satis. Accesserunt tandem jurati civitatis ad Pro-regem, Joannem de Vega, a quo et consensum (qui necessarius erat) facile impetrarunt, et litteras ad P. Ignatium , et ad oratorem Caroli Imperatoris in Urbe, ut ea, quae a Summo Pontifice necessaria essent ad Universitatem, impetraret; de augendo etiam Collegio jam tunc cogitantes, abbatiam aliquam ex his, quae in regno Siciliae satis multae sunt, et hospitalibus ac piis operibus aliquando applicabantur, petere statuebant. Scripsit ergo civitas et dominus Joannes de Vega P. Ignatio, pro beneficio magno Collegium hoc Messanae institui petentes, quod ipsis libenter concessum est initio sequentis anni; sub finem enim quadragesimi septimi id petierunt.
201. At the suggestion of Dr. Ignatius Lopez, a physician, and the Lord Didacus de Cardona, a top official of the kingdom, promoting the plan, they began to think seriously about establishing a College in Messina. The Viceroy and his wife were very well disposed towards this proposal, and the Viceroy thought that it was possible to establish a College not only in Messina, but also in Palermo, Catania and Caltagirone; but he wanted to be asked by the city of Messina before he wrote to Fr. Ignatius. Therefore the matter was proposed in the city Council by Lord Didacus de Cardona, and it received favorable and easy approval; indeed, if the city had not accepted the responsibility of establishing the College, some nobles from their own resources were prepared to provide the funding. But as soon as the city decided on it, it was obtained; that is, it provided a suitable building and church for the College, and at the beginning of the foundation a firm and stable annual income of five hundred gold crowns. Indeed the city considered establishing a program of general studies, or a University in Messina, but it requested from the Society only four teachers. Of those one would teach grammar, the other philosophy, the third scholastic theology and the fourth moral theology. But since the confraternity of nobles had a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas joined together with a house, for the sake of the city and such a good work, they offered their church, which was quite beautiful and large; it was located on a main street of the city, and was well situated with a garden and a quiet dwelling well suited for study. So the city officials approached the Viceroy, John de Vega, from whom they easily obtained both his consent (which was necessary), and a letter to Fr. Ignatius, and a letter to the ambassador in Rome of the Emperor Charles so that they would get from the Sovereign Pontiff the things necessary for a University. Then also thinking about expanding the College, they decided to approach a certain Abbey among those that are quite numerous in the kingdom of Sicily, and occasionally they were helped by hospitals and other pious works. Therefore, the city and Lord John de Vega wrote to Fr. Ignatius, seeking from him the great benefit of establishing this College in Messina, and this was willingly granted to them at the beginning of the following year; for, towards the end of Lent seven people requested it. [2. Quae a n. 191 hucusque continentur, excerpta sunt ex litteris P. Hieronymi Domenech, quarum plures quo die scriptae fuerint non constat, aliae vero, et quidem postremae die 4 Julü 47 datae sunt. — Vide etiam litteras italicas Juratorum et populi nobilis civitatis Messanensis Pro-regi Joanni de Vega, 17 Decembris, et eorumdem Ignatio, 18 Decembris 47.
The things contained from number 191 to this point were taken from the letters of Fr. Domenech; several of them do not have the date on which they were written, but others and especially the last one is dated July 4, 1547.See also the Italian letter of the city officials and that of the nobles of Messina to the Viceroy John de Vega on December 17, and the letters of the same people to Ignatius, December 18, 1547.]
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202. Confectum erat primis mensibus hujus anni 1547 bellum Germanicum a Carolo V Imperatore, qui Ducem Saxoniae, cum Landgravio, captum penes se detinebat. Erat tunc in ea provincia P. Nicolaus Bobadilla, et initio anni apud Episcopum Passaviensem, qui eum magna benevolentia et honore prosequebatur. Ibi latine Bobadilla in quadragesima concionabatur, et aliis pietatis officiis dabat operam, quod et Ratisbonae postea fecit, cum post Pascha eo se conferret. Hic, licet senatus corruptus, ut et magna pars civitatis, esset, non inutiliter laboravit ; et inter caetera effecit, ut publica supplicatio, seu processio solemnis, ad gratias Deo agendas de victoria Imperatoris contra Principes lutheranos celebraretur; et alia etiam publice fieri curavit juxta catholicum ritum, quae ab aliquot annis, ea in civitate, intermissa fuerant. Magma ejus erat apud Praelatos et Principes Germaniae gratia et auctoritas, sed apud Regem Romanorum Ferdinandum praecipue; unde Episcopi Viennensis et Wratislaviensis, et alii magnae auctoritatis viri, ejus favore apud praedictum Regem, in suis negotiis ecclesiasticis utebantur. Et habita ratione temporum et locorum, non poenitendum ex illa sterili Germaniae vinea fructum capiebat.
202. In the first months of this year 1547 the German war was concluded by the Emperor Charles V, who captured and detained the Duke of Saxony along with the Landgrave. At that time Fr. Nicholas Bobadilla was in the province, and in the beginning of the year he was with the Bishop of Passau, who treated him with great benevolence and honor. Bobadilla preached there in Latin during Lent, and he assisted in other works of piety, which he also did in Regensburg afterwards, when he went there after Easter. Here he worked not without some advantages, although the senate was corrupt and a large part of the city; and among other things he brought it about that a public prayer or solemn procession was celebrated in order to give thanks to God for the victory of the Emperor over the Lutheran Princes; and he saw to it that other things took place publicly according to the Catholic rite, which for some years had been omitted in that city. He had great favor and authority among the Prelates and Princes of Germany, but especially with Ferdinand, the King of the Romans. Hence the Bishops of Vienna and Wroclaw, and other men of great authority, made use of his assistance in their ecclesiastical dealings with the King. And depending on the nature of the times and places, he gathered in no little fruit from the barren vineyard of Germany.
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203. Ratisbonam ad Aistetensem Episcopum, sibi amicissimum, evocatus est, ubi charitas in labores non exiguos hominem conjecit. Exercitus Caesarianus, cum id temporis stipendia non ei darentur, ut assolet, molestus erat etiam amicis Principibus; unde, cum Aistetensis Episcopus milites a sua ditione arcere vellet, ut latrocinia et caedes hominum vitarentur, curavit causam suam per Patrem Bobadilla apud Imperatorem agere ; quam egit ille diligenter, sed maximo cum labore, dum ultro citroque it et redit propere ut rem urgeret; favorem tandem impetravit majorem ipsi Episcopo Aistetensi a Caesare, quam ulli Principum Germaniae fuisset concessum. Sed et nimiis laboribus in morbum incidit; recuperata tamen sanitate, ad curiam, cui, gratissimus erat, rediit ; ubi Cardinalis Augustanus in cathedrali sua Ecclesia in pontificalibus sacrum, coram multis Principibus ac nobilibus celebravit; quae res, ut nova postquam exturbati fuerant Augusta catholici, ita gratissima catholicis fuit.
203. He was summoned to Regensburg by the Bishop of Eichstätt, who was very friendly to him, and there he assisted the man in important matters. The imperial army, since at the time their pay had not been given to them, as is usual, was troublesome to the friendly Princes; hence, when the Bishop of Eichstätt wanted to keep the soldiers away from his province so that thefts and killings might be avoided, he asked Fr. Bobadilla to present his case before the Emperor. He did this diligently, but it required great effort, and he went back and forth often in order to urge the matter. Finally, he obtained a greater favor from the Emperor for the Bishop of Eichstätt than was granted to any other German Prince. But because of too much work he fell sick; when he recovered his health, he returned to the court where he was very welcome. There, in the presence of many Princes and nobles, Cardinal Augustine celebrated a pontifical high Mass; this event, as something new, since Catholics had been driven out of Augsburg city, was very pleasing to the Catholics. [3. Bobadilla Cardinali Sanctae-Crucis, sine die sed hoc anno 47 ; idem Claudio Jaio, Tridentum, Ratisbonae, 4 Junii ; idem Salmeroni, Augustae, 16 Augustí 47, et Ignatio, 8 Aprilis 48.
Bobadilla to Cardinal Santa Cruz, not dated but in the year 1547; the same to Claude Jay at Trent, from Regensburg, June 4; the same to Salmeron, from Augsburg, August 16, 1547, and to Ignatius, April 8, 1548.]
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204. Coloniae interim qui de Societate nostra versabantur, et confessionibus et aliis consuetis Societatis ministeriis vacabant; et aliqui in spiritualibus meditationibus se exercentes, Deo in Societate se consecrarunt.
204. Meanwhile, the members of our Society living in Cologne were busy with confessions and the usual ministries of the Society; and some men who had made the Spiritual Exercises consecrated themselves to God in the Society.
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205. Lovanium pervenerat magister Daniel, Roma missus, ubi aliquot ex nostris, quos Dominus vocaverat, versabantur, sed initio non omnes simul; his vero primis mensibus anni, in unum locum omnes convenerunt, ideo praecipue quia Romam mittendi non videbantur, antequam sua studia ibidem absolverent, qui non ea absolvissent. Decima octava autem Februarii, in commune, quod singuli habebant, contulerunt, et donec aliud P. Ignatius constitueret, P. Cornelium [ Wischaven ] sibi superiorem constituerunt. In conductitia domo degebant; uni tamen ex nostris dum, ut caeteris se adjungeret, a Collegio, ubi paedagogum egerat, recedebat, Collegii Praeses illud se libenter nostris resignaturum significavit. Erant autem id temporis, praeter Cornelium et Danielcm praedictos, P. Adrianus Adriani, qui jam duos annos, postquam se Societati addixerat, Cornelio cohabitaverat; quartus erat Nicolaus Florentii Gaudanus Theologiae bacchalaureus formatus, qui tamen id temporis Bergis, dum aliud ab obedientia constitueretur, pastorem agebat; erat ibidem M. Cornelius Brogelmans, et M. Antonius Vinchius, bacchalaureus etiam Theologiae formatus, et alii quatuor vel quinque, quorum magna pars, votis emissis, divino obsequio in Societate se mancipaverant. Et cum reliquos suo patrimonio Daniel juvaret, ad debita quaedam solvenda suis expensis (quia nulli adhuc reditus erant, nec ex eleemosynis vivere eis licebat), in patriam se contulit. P. Jacobum Lhoost in superiorem expetebant, et ideo, ut superius dictum est, a P. Ignatio fuerat e Sicilia evocatus. Interim regulas quasdam, prout poterant, dum aliae a P. Ignatio mitterentur, ad disciplinam domi retinendam observabant; sed spiritus Domini, in eis abundans, efficiebat, ut perpaucis admodum regulis, in officio continerentur. Nullus enim erat inter illos, qui et vitae exemplo, et doctrina, et peculiari Dei vocatione, ad Societatem aptus non videretur.
205. Master Daniel, having been sent from Rome, arrived in Louvain, where some of ours, whom God had called, were living, but in the beginning they were not all together; but in these first months of the year they all convened in one place, this happened especially because it did not seem that they would be sent to Rome before those had finished their studies, who had not yet completed them. But on the eighteenth of February they began to live together in common, and until Fr. Ignatius decided otherwise, they named Fr. Cornelius [Wischaven] as their superior. They lived in a rented house; one of ours, who was living with the others, left the College where he was a teacher. There were also at that time, besides Cornelius and Daniel, Fr. Adrian Adriani, who had already lived with Cornelius for two years after he joined the Society. The fourth one was Nicholas Florence Gaudanus, [4. Idem est Nicolaus Gaudanus et Nicolaus Florentii Gaudanus, scil., Nic. Gaudanus Florentii filius. (Nota ad oram paginae apposita, non hic sed inferius, ubi denuo de Gaudano sermo fit.)
Nicholas Gaudanus and Nicholas Florence Gaudanus are the same person, that is, Nicholas Gaudanus the son of Florence. (A note at the top of the opposite page; we will speak about him not here, but below.)] a bachelor of theology, who at the time was working as a pastor in Bruges, until something else was decided by obedience. Master Cornelius Brogelmans and Master Anthony Vinch, a bachelor in theology, were also there, and another four or five; most of them, having taken their vows, had dedicated themselves to the service of God in the Society. And when Daniel had helped the others with his inheritance, he went to his homeland in order to take care of some debts (because until this point they had no income, and they were not permitted to live from begging alms). They received Fr. James Lhoost as their superior, and so, as was said above, he was called back from Sicily by Fr. Ignatius. In the meantime they observed certain rules as best they could in order to maintain discipline in the house, until others were sent to them by Fr. Ignatius. But the Spirit of the Lord being abundant in them brought it about that they lived together with very few rules. For there was no one among them who, by the example of his life, by his doctrine and by his special vocation from God, did not seem suited for the Society.
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206. Occupabatur quidem P. Cornelius in confessionibus audiendis, et quidem generalibus non paucis, et Exercitiis spiritualibus, nunc huic, nunc illi tradendis; multos ad varia religiosorum monasteria mittebat, qui tam libenter excipiebantur, ut ex quibusdam locis ad eum venirent, cum locus aliquis vacaret, et se multos menses exspectaturos pollicebantur, ut ad eorum monasteria aditum haberent, quos ille mitteret; sed nunquam exspectare oportuit, cum semper satis multos idoneos haberet, qui loca illa monasteriorum vacantia implerent. Attamen multis ejus ministeria non admodum grata Lovanii erant; unde simul cum P. Antonio Vinch, ipso in autumno hujus anni, Romam a P. Ignatio evocatus venit. Bergis autem Pater Nicolaus tam frequens habebat in concionibus auditorium, ut diu antequam concionem inchoaret, ad locum in ecclesia habendum ire oporteret. Magna eum dilectione et veneratione populus colebat; nec mirum, cum et doctrina et concionandi gratia, et aliis admodum raris Dei donis praeditus esset. Ex vicinis etiam civitatibus ad eum audiendum confluebant; haeretici multi, Deo favente, ad catholicam Religionem ejus opera conversi sunt; et ut canonicus, qui eum hospitio exceperat, affirmabat, tota illa civitas exemplo et concionibus ejus commota erat, et multi ad vitae reformationem adducti fuerant, alii ad eamdem aspirabant, et ad confessiones et communiones frequentissime accedebant, et communicantium octavo quoque die numerus augebatur; quae res, nova admodum illis in locis, et ideo magis admiranda videbatur.
206. Now Fr. Cornelius was busy hearing confessions, and not a few of them were general, and he also gave the Exercises now to this one, now to that one; he sent many men to various monasteries of religious, who were so happily accepted that they came to him from some places, and when there was an opening, they promised that they would wait for many months so they could accept the ones whom he would send to them; but they said it was not necessary to wait, since he always had many suitable candidates, who would fill those empty places in the monasteries. However, his ministries were not very pleasing to many people in Louvain; and so together with Fr. Anthony Vinch in the autumn of this year he came to Rome, having been summoned by Fr. Ignatius. But in Bruges Fr. Nicholas had such a large audience for his sermons that, long before he began to preach, it was necessary to go to the church in order to find a place. The people honored him with great love and veneration; there is no surprise at this, because he was endowed both with solid doctrine, the ability to speak well and many other rare gifts of God. People also came from the neighboring cities to listen to him; and many heretics, with the help of God, were converted to the Catholic religion. And as a canon said, who gave him hospitality, the whole city was touched by his example and sermons, and many were brought to a reformation of life; others aspired to it, and came in great numbers for Confession and Communion, and also the number of those communicating weekly increased. This matter, something quite new in these places, seemed to attract great admiration. [5. Vita mss. Patris Cornelii Wischaven.
Manuscript of the life of Fr. Cornelius Wischaven.]
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207. Pauci ex nostris hoc anno Parisiis versabantur, quibus P. Paulus de Achilles praeerat; inter quos P. Baptista Violaeus et P. Pclletarius erant. Spiritualia Exercitia quibusdam proponebant, et apud carthusienses Poenitentiae et Eucharistiae sacramenta multis octavo quoque die ministrabant. Cum autem ex Concilio Tridentino Episcopus Claramontanus Parisios rediisset, per suum Vicarium, ad Collegium Longobardorum missum, eos salutavit; cum autem ad ipsum accessissent, magna eos humanitate ac benevolentia excepit, et de fructu, qui opera Societatis proveniebat, ac praesertim in Concilio, multa retulit, et ex oratione P. Salmeronis multos ad lacrymas fuisse compunctos; animi etiam sui de Collegio Societatis erigendo, et quidem Parisiis, declaravit; addens brevi animi sui propositum se opere ostensurum. Aliqui Societati se adjungere decreverunt hoc anno, inter quos unus fuit P. Robertus Claysonius; sed et alii Flandri, et quidem Theologiae studiosi, hoc ipsum constituerunt , quamvis non id temporis sint exsecuti. Quaerebant autem domum aliquam, quae propria esset, Episcopo Claramontano juvante, donec domum suam claramontanam in via Citharae expeditam haberet; alii etiam juvabant, non tamen eam quae conveniret invenerunt, aliquot scholasticis si aliunde mitterentur, excipiendis.
207. In this year a few of ours were working in Paris, and Fr. Paul de Achillis was in charge of them; among them were Fr. Baptist Violaeus and Fr. Pelletarius. They gave the Spiritual Exercises to some men, and at the Carthusian monastery they administered the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist to many people every week. But when Bishop Claramontanus returned to Paris from the Council of Trent, through his Vicar, sent to the College of the Lombards, he greeted them. And when they went to see him, he received them with great kindness and benevolence, and he had much to say about the fruit which the works of the Society had produced and especially at the Council that the oration given by Fr. Salmeron had moved many to tears. He also said he wanted to establish a College in Paris, adding that he would soon make his proposal known. During this year some men decided to enter the Society, one of whom was Fr. Robert Clayson; also some Flemings, who were students of Theology, resolved to do the same thing, although at the time they did not actually do it. They were looking for a house that would be their own, with the help of Bishop Claramontanus, while he was having his house prepared on Cithara Street. Others also helped with this, but they did not find anything suitable, if some scholastics were to be sent there from elsewhere. [6. Alphonsus Salmeron, Rdo. in Xto. P. Paulo Antonio de Achillis apud Collegium Longobardorum, Parisiis, Bononiae, 1 Septembris 47.
Alphonse Salmeron, Rdo. In Xto. P. Paulo Antonio de Achillis apud Collegium Longobardorum, Parisiis, from Bologna, September 1, 1547.]
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208. Redierat sub anni hujus initium, in curiam Principis phiiippi, P. Antonius Araoz, cui commiserat P. Ignatius nostrorum qui in Hispania versabantur curam, et post P. Simonem, Portugalliae provincialem, secundus ipse fuit; et quidem universa Hispania provincia ipsius tunc erat, terris quidem late admodum patens; sed loca in quibus Societas residebat pauca, et homines etiam, qui Societati parebant, non multi erant. Coeperat tamen Societas, ut in praecedenti anno visum est, congregatiunculas habere quinque; unam Compluti, ubi octo vel decem hoc anno versabantur; altera Pintiae (Valle-oletum vocant) ubi tres, vel quatuor; tertia et quarta Valentiae et Gandiae, ubi etiam octo vel decem plus minusve in singulis versabantur; quinta Barcinone, ubi tres vel quatuor; pauci praeterea in curia Regis, et aliis in missionibus erant. Toleti quidem nobilis matrona, domina Elisabetha de Silva nomine, domum offerebat, et magnam vim pecuniae, ad reditus in Collegii dotationem emendos, paratam habebat, sed in quadam domus parte, pueros orphanos habitare, Societatis nostrae curae commissos, optabat; et quia juxta instituti nostri rationem id non erat, quamvis Toleti Collegium expetendum esset, P. Ignatius admittendum dominae de Silva donum non censuit. Movebantur et alii ad Societatis Collegia expetenda, quae juvare sumptibus suis parati erant; ut Hispali, Caesaraugustae, et aliis in locis; et Marchionissa de Pliego aliquos volebat collegiales Hispali sustentare, et plures etiam si Cordubae Collegium institueretur; sed paucitas operariorum dilatari Societatem non permittebat.
208. At the beginning of this year Fr. Antonio Araoz returned to the court of Prince Philip and Fr. Ignatius committed to him the care of our members in Spain, and so he was the second provincial, after Fr. Simon, the provincial of Portugal. At the time, the province included all of Spain, which is a large country; but there were only a few places where the Society was established, and there were also not many men there belonging to the Society. However the Society began, as was seen in the previous year, five small communities: one in Alcalá, where eight or ten men were working this year; the second was in Pintia, where there were three or four; the third and fourth were in Valencia and Gandia, where also eight or ten, more or less, were in each city; the fifth was in Barcelona, where there were three of four: in addition, a few were in the Court of the King and in other missions. In Toledo a noble married woman, whose name was Elizabeth de Silva, offered a house, and a large amount money, which she wanted to give as an endowment of the College, but in a part of the building she wanted to put some boy orphans entrusted to the care of our Society. And because that was not according to the nature of our Institute, although a College in Toledo was desired, Fr. Ignatius decided that the gift of Lady de Silva was not to be accepted. Now others wanted to obtain Colleges of the Society, which they were prepared to help with their donations, such as in Seville, Saragossa and in other places. The Marchioness de Pliego wanted to support some students in Seville, and several also in Cordova, if a College were established there, but the paucity of workers did not allow the Society to expand. [7. Araoz Ignatio 24 Aprilis 47. Vide etiam in Cartas y otros escritos del B. P. Pedro Fabro, t. I , pag. 127, notam 4 ; et ejusdem Fabri litteras domino Joanni de Aragón, Matriti datas 13 Januarii 1546, pag. 284 et sequentibus.
Araoz to Ignatius, April 24, 1547. See also in the Cartas y otros escritos del B. P. Pedro Fabro, vol. I, page 127, note 4; and the letter of the same Faber to Lord John de Aragon, from Madrid, January13, 1546, page 284ff.]
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209. Reditus Patris Araoz in curiam multis consolationem non mediocrem, ut scribit Apostolicus Nuncius, attulit; nam praeter confessiones et conciones, hospitalium et carcerum visitationes, familiaribus colloquiis et litteris multos ad meliora promovebat. Complutum se contulit, Matrito vicinum, ubi aliquoties, magno cum spiritu et fructu concionatus est et populo et Infantibus, Philippi Principis sororibus; et magnam Compluti Societatis notitiam dedit, et existimationem auxit. Villanova, nondum sacerdos, in spiritualibus Exercitiis perutilem operam viris quibusdam, ad Dei gloriam praeclara talenta habentibus, dedit. Admissus tunc est P. Joannes Alvarez, qui primum gradum inter philosophos obtinuerat, et tres annos Theologiae studuerat; praeclaris Dei donis praeditus, et magnae humilitatis operibus et mortificationis affectu conspicuus, qui in concionando postea plurimum valuit. Pater etiam Joannes de Valderabano, jam theologus, tunc fuit admissus. Erat eo tempore Compluti P. Michael de Torres, qui, quamvis anno praecedenti Gandiae simplicia vota Societatis emiserat, ad conficienda tamen quaedam negotia, toto fere hoc anno quid in animo haberet hominibus celabat; firmus nihilominus in animi sui proposito, cum canonicatus et cathedra ei offerretur, admittere noluit, et optimum sui odorem Compluti sparsit. Cum Gandia Caesaraugustam venisset, paratos animos multorum ad Societatem amplectendam reliquit, et quamvis ad jacienda ejus Collegii fundamenta, concionator aliquis merito expetebatur, duo tamen sacerdotes ex nostris, cum aliquo fratre coadjutore, hoc ipso anno Caesaraugustae residere, et quidem populo pergrati esse, coeperunt, nec minus utiles. Hi fuerunt Patres Rojas et Hercules, ex quibus neuter in Societate perseveravit, et tamen, dum alii accedebant, Dei providentia eorum ministerio ad multorum aedificationem utebatur.
209. The return of Fr. Araoz to the court brought no small consolation to many, as the Apostolic Nuncio writes; for, besides confessions and sermons, visits to hospitals and prisons, he moved many to a better way of life by his friendly conversations and letters. He went to Alcalá, which is near Madrid, where he preached several times with spiritual fruit to the people and to the Infantas, the sisters of Prince Philip; and he gave great publicity of the Society at Alcalá, and he increased her good name. Villanova, not yet a priest, gave the Spiritual Exercises to some men, who have outstanding talent for the glory of God. Then Fr. John Alvarez was admitted; he had obtained the first honors among philosophers, and had already studied Theology for three years. He was endowed with excellent gifts from God, conspicuous for his works of great humility and his desire for mortification, and afterwards he was very effective in his preaching. Also Fr. John de Valderabano, already a theologian, was then admitted. At the time Dr. Michael de Torres was at Alcalá, and he, although in the previous year in Gandia had taken the simple vows of the Society, in order to take care of some business for almost the whole year kept secret what he had in mind. Nevertheless, being firm in the desire of his heart, when a canonicate and a chair were offered to him, he refused them, and he had a good reputation at Alcalá. When he came from Gandia to Saragossa, he left the minds of many ready to embrace the Society, and although a suitable preacher was sought to lay the foundations of its College, still two of our priests, with a coadjutor brother, during this year began to work in Saragossa and they were well received by the people. They were Fathers Rojas and Hercules, neither one of whom persevered in the Society, and still, while others were entering, divine Providence used their ministry to the edification of many people.
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210. In quadragesima P. Araoz Matriti cum peculiari Dei favore concionatus est, quo tempore Aemilianus, P. Ignatii nepos, summae spei juvenis temporalem vitam cum aeterna, summo sui desiderio ac dolore illi provinciae Cantabriae relicto, commutavit. Et cum multi in Societatem admitti peterent, tamen perpaucos, ob domus et rerum temporalium angustias, et ut delectus severior haberetur, Araoz admittebat. Vallisoleti insigne oppidum, ubi pauci ex nostris erant, a P. Ignatio pei litteras petiit, ut congregationem illam, quae ibi concreverat, firmam ipsis et perpetuam relinqueret, et alia inierim pietatis opera, quae Romae curabat, promoveri ab ipso postulavit. Versabatur autem ibi noster ille pusillus grex cum magno fructu, et paulatim augebatur. Episcopus etiam Palentinus, similem causam, P. Ignatio scripsit, sed prius ei congratulatus est quod clericalem ordinem, ad antiquam institutionem et statum B. Petri Apostoli, illius perfectionis et paupertatis exemplo, Societas reducere niteretur. Erat et in Hispania, praesertim in curia, optimus odor sparsus de nostris qui in Concilio versabantur.
210. During Lent Fr. Araoz preached in Madrid with the special grace of God, and at this time Aemilian, the nephew of Fr. Ignatius, a youth of great hope, exchanged his temporal life for eternal life, and this happened in the midst of sorrow in the province of Cantabria. And when many sought to be admitted to the Society, Fr. Araoz accepted only a few because of the lack of space and of temporal things, and also so that a more rigid choice could be applied. The important city of Valladolid, where a few of ours were working, asked from Fr. Ignatius through a letter that he establish the community there, which had increased, on a firm and solid basis, and in the meantime it asked that the other works of piety, which he was concerned about in Rome, be advanced by him. But our little flock was working there with great fruit, and gradually it was increasing. Also Bishop Palentinus, for a similar reason, wrote to Fr. Ignatius, but first he congratulated him because the Society, by the example of its perfection and poverty, was striving to establish a religious order like the ancient institution of the Apostle St. Peter. There was also in Spain, especially in the court, an excellent report spread around about our members who took part in the Council.
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211. Interea Dux Gandiae, Franciscus de Borgia, cum initio anni in oppido suo Gandiensi versaretur, sollicite Collegii sui atque Universitatis expeditionem curabat, quae eodem anno Romae, P. Ignatio adjuvante, obtenta est; et ea fuit prima Universitas, quam Societas habuit; et licet exiguum Collegium esset, omnium primum firmam in Hispania dotationem habuit. Eodem Duce instante ut Societatis nostrae Exercitia auctoritate Sedis Apostolicae approbarentur, Summus Pontifex Paulus III domino Joanni de Toledo, Cardinali et Episcopo Burgensi, qui haereticae pravitatis Inquisitor erat, ac Episcopo Philippo Archinto, Almae Urbis Vicario, et Fratri Acgidio Foscharario, sacri palatii magistro, examinanda ea tradidit, qui omnes, magno consensu, versiones duas latinas, quarum una impressa circumfertur, adhibita etiam emendatione, approbavit. Cum autem idem Dux, ad inchoandum Collegium Caesaraugustae et Hispali, ad eumdem P. Ignatium officiose scriberet, ille cui res Societatis in Hispania minus perspectae erant, quam ut posset quidquam certi constituere, subscriptionem sui nominis in alba papyro ad Ducem transmisit, ut habita ratione rerum Societatis eo in regno, superscriberet illo chyrographo vel subscriptione, nomine ipsius P. Ignatii, quod ei scribendum videretur; quae confidentiae significatio mirum est quantopere Ducis animum, alioqui sibi et Societati valde devinctum, strinxerit ac consolatus fuerit. P. Stradam, licet ad Regem Portugalliae scriberet, ex eo regno avocare, ut Hispali, vel Caesaraugustae concionaretur, non potuit; nihilominus caesaraugustano Collegio, ut superius diximus, initium dedit; exiguum quidem, sed tamen unicum Collegium hoc anno, in Hispania, imo et in Societate universa inchoatum. Evocatus est interim a Principe Hispaniarum Philippo Dux Gandiae ut in conventu vel Diaeta regnorum Aragoniae, quae in oppido Monzon vocato, pro more fiebat [adesset], et quamvis contemplationi et orationi deditus Dux, apud Regem per litteras se excusare tentavit; non solum id non obtinuit, sed officium tractatoris (sic enim vocant eos, qui negotia praecipua conventus tractare solent), est illi injunctum; quod non solum Regis confidentiam, sed etiam de prudentia ipsius, et rerum gerendarum dexteritate, existimationem ostendit. Quamvis autem in Regis et regni negotiis occupatissimus erat, in his quae ad reformationem monasteriorum Catalauniae pertinebant, egregiam operam id temporis navavit. Venerat et Pater Antonius Araoz in idem oppidum de Monzon, nam Regis curiam sequi tenebatur consuetis Societatis ministeriis occupatus; cum autem in morbum gravem incidisset, et in domo Ducis ipsius curatus esset, ut vires melius recuperaret, Barcinonem est missus. Agebatur tunc de officio oeconomi Principis (Majorem domus vocant) eidem Duci Francisco conferendo; quod cum animadverteret idem Pater Araoz, admonuit P. Ignatium, ut videret quid facto opus esset, jam enim anno proxime elapso simplex votum Societatis idem Dux Gandiae emiserat; suggessitque ut dispiceret an per professionem, licet secretam ad tempus, stabiliri magis in sua vocatione Dux Gandiae deberet, dummodo aliqua ratio iniri posset, ut temporalium bonorum suorum administrationem habere ac distributionem tandem facere valeret, dum liberis suis utriusque sexus consuleret. Non neglexit P. Ignatius quod prudenter suggerebatur, et suppresso nomine, facultatem hanc profitendi a Summo Pontifice, relicta ad tempus bonorum administratione, obtinuit.
211. Meanwhile, the Duke of Gandia, Francis Borgia, when at the beginning of the year he was living in town of Gandia, was carefully working on the establishment of his College and University, and in the same year the approval for this, with the help of Fr. Ignatius, was obtained from Rome. And this was the first University that the Society had; and although the College was small, it was the first one in Spain to have a solid endowment. At the urging of the same Duke that the Exercises of our Society should be approved by the authority of the Apostolic See, the Sovereign Pontiff, Paul III, handed them over for examination to Lord John de Toledo, Cardinal and Bishop of Burgos, who was the Inquisitor of heretical perversity, and to Bishop Philip Archinto, Vicar of Rome, and to Brother Aegedius Foscharario, the master of the papal palace. All of them, with full consent, approved the two Latin versions, one of which was printed, with an added emendation. [8. Ita perspicue in mss.; sed mendum videtur pro commendatione ; nam commendationem quidem continent Apostolicae litterae ; emendationem vero nullam faciendam injungunt, nec factam reperimus. — Hic ad oram paginae scripsit aliquis, et recte: “De hoc dictum est etiam superiore anno. „
Thus clearly in the manuscript; but it seems it should be corrected to commendation; for, the Apostolic Letter contains a commendation; but it does not demand any emendation, nor do we find any.Here at the top of the page someone wrote, and correctly: “This was mentioned also in the previous year.”] But when the same Duke, in order to start the Colleges in Saragossa and Seville wrote officially to Fr. Ignatius, he for whom the situation of the Society in Spain was not fully clear so that he could not determine anything for certain, sent the signature of his name on a blank piece of paper, so that given the nature of the matters of the Society in the kingdom, he could write on it in his own hand, in the name of Ignatius himself, what he thought should be written on it. It is amazing to what an extent this sign of confidence bound and consoled the mind of the Duke, who was otherwise very devoted to the Society. Fr. Strada, even though he wrote to the King of Portugal, was not able to leave the kingdom to preach in Seville or Saragossa; nevertheless, as we said above, he was able to start the College in Saragossa. It was indeed small, still it was the only College opened this year in Spain, and actually in the whole Society. In the meantime, the Duke of Gandia was called by Philip, Prince of the Spaniards, to be present at the meeting or Diet of the kingdoms of Aragon, which was to be held in the city of Monzon, and since the Duke was dedicating himself to prayer and contemplation, he wrote a letter to the King and asked to be excused. Not only did he not obtain that, but the office of manager was given to him (for that is what they call those who are wont to run the affairs of the meeting). This shows not only the confidence of the King, but also the high regard he had for his prudence and ability to get things done. But although he was very busy with the affairs of the King and the kingdom, at that time he was very much involved in matters pertaining to the reformation of the monasteries in Catalonia. Fr. Antonio Araoz came to the same town of Monzon, for, being occupied with the usual ministries of the Society, he was required to follow the court of the King. But when he became seriously ill, and he was being cared for in the house of the Duke, he was sent to Barcelona to better recover his strength. Then there was concern about the office of the steward of the Prince (they call him the Major Domo), while consulting with the same Duke Francis. The same Fr. Araoz, when he became aware of this, advised Fr. Ignatius that he should decide on what should be done, for in the previous year the same Duke of Gandia had pronounced the simple vows of the Society; and he suggested that he should decide whether by his profession, although remaining secret for a time, the Duke of Gandia should be more firmly established in his vocation, provided that some way could be found, so that he could have the administration of his temporal goods and finally make the distribution of them, while he provided for his children of both sexes. Fr. Ignatius understood that this was prudently suggested, and having kept the name secret, he obtained this permission of making a profession from the Sovereign Pontiff, while delaying for a time the administration of the temporal goods. [9. Araoz Ignatio, Vergara, 1 Octobris, 7 et 19 Novembris 46; Matriti, 20 Martii, 24 Aprilis, 25 Maii 47; et Caesaraugustae, 9 Julii 47; Dux Gandiae Ignatio, 9 Junii, 46.
Araoz to Ignatius, from Vergara, October 1 and November 7 and 19, 1546; from Madrid, March 20, April 24, May 25, 1547; and from Saragossa, July 9, 1547; the Duke of Gandia to Ignatius, June 9, 1546.]
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212. Aliqui hoc anno in Societatem et Gandiae, et Valentiae, et Pintiae admissi sunt; inter alios, Gandiae, Magister Franciscus de Saboya, qui filiorum Ducis Francisci praeceptor erat; is, confecto Philosophiae cursu atque Theologiae, gradum doctor is suscepturus jam erat, ut qui egregie in ea profecisset, bonus etiam erat concionator, et mansuetudinis ac virtutis valde rarae. Praeterea P. Balthasar Diaz, Patris Andreae consanguineus. Venerat etiam Barcinone Antonius Cordeses. Curriculum autem artium a P. Francisco Onfroy inchoatum persequutus est magister Emmanuel de Saa, qui juvenis cum P. Ludovico Gonzalez ex Portugallia Valentiam venerat, ubi etiam cum ingenii et eruditionis laude litteris operam dederat, et conclusiones in Theologia, cum septemdecim annorum esset, docte sustentaverat. Adjecit Dux collegialibus suis vincam Collegio vicinam, olivos vineae admixtos complures habentem ; quo et vinum et oleum ad sustentationem corporis haberent, qui Samaritani more, vinum et oleum spirituale, hominibus per peccata vulneratis, adhibere deberent; unde, petente Duce et ejus filiis, orationibus et psalmis vinea benedicta fuit, et primus, pallio relicto, qui vitem plantavit, ipse Dux fuit, cujus filius vitibus, ut Isaac, oneratus, patre effodiente, humo vites suggerebat, quas in Sanctorum nomine, suo ordine collocabat; tantumdem Marchio de Lombay, ejus filius, et alii praestabant. In die qui Beato Sebastiano sacer est, sub cujus invocatione templum Collegii erat exstructum, in eo concionatus est Pater Andreas, cum magna populi, qui intererat, aedificatione ac fructu; sedulo autem neophytis (qui plurimi sunt in ditione Ducis Gandiae) concionari studuit, sed utinam labori fructus respondisset; confessiones etiam audiebat et quidem aliquorum qui magnopere tali medicina indigebant; fuerunt inter eos quidam externi, qui nunquam confessi fuerant.
212. During this year some men were admitted to the Society at Gandia, Valencia and Pintia. Among others, at Gandia, Master Francis de Saboya, who was the teacher of the sons of Duke Francis, was admitted. Having finished the course of Philosophy and Theology, he had already received the degree of doctor, and he had made great progress in it; he was also a good preacher, and a man of great kindness and virtue. Moreover, Fr. Balthasar Diaz, a relative of Fr. Andreas, was admitted. Also Antonio Cordeses came from Barcelona. Master Emmanuel Saa, who as a youth had come with Fr. Luis Gonzalez to Valencia from Portugal, was following the curriculum in the arts as initiated by Fr. Francis Onfroy. He devoted himself to his studies with praise for his talent and learning and, although he was only seventeen years old, very ably he defended the theses in Theology. The Duke gave to his students a vineyard located near the College; with this they would have wine and oil for the strength of the body, since like the Samaritan they had to have wine and spiritual oil for men wounded by sins. Hence at the request of the Duke and his sons, the vineyard was blessed with prayers and psalms; and the first one to plant a vine, after taking off his coat, was the Duke himself, whose son, like Isaac, loaded down with the vines, planted them as his father did the digging, and he lined them up in the name of the Saints. This is what the Marquis de Lombay, his son, and others did on that occasion. On the day dedicated to St. Sebastian, under whose protection the church of the College had been erected, Fr. Andreas preached in it, to the great edification and fruit of the people who were present. He preached zealously to the newly baptized Christians (there were many of them in the domain of the Duke of Gandia), but would that there had been more fruit for his efforts. He also heard confessions and he did that for some who were in great need of such medicine; among them were some others who had never gone to confession. [10. Araoz Ignatio, 20 Februarii 47.
Araoz to Ignatius, February 20, 1547.]
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213. Pater Miron Valentiae spiritualia Exercitia quampluribus dedit, inter quos quidam magister Vincentius, in Theologia doctor, et egregius concionator, admissus in Societatem est. Sed quia tenerum admodum erga consanguineos affectum ostendebat, nec satis vocationis beneficium agnoscere videbatur, consultus P. Ignatius, quamvis in magna operariorum penuria, hominem tamen a Societate dimitti jussit. Cum autem rerum temporalium penuria Valentina nostra congregatio premeretur, mille ducatorum subsidio eos Dux Gandiae sublevare voluit. Contradictiones etiam nonnullas, ut accidit, experiri Valentiae coeperunt. In studiis autem scholastici egregie proficiebant. Cum autem etiam matronae nostrorum opera juvarentur, nobilissima quaedam foemina, domina Joanna de Cardona nominata, a P. Mirone et aliis nostris in spiritu promota, admirandos in via Domini fecit progressus, et si Societas admisisset, illa utique Societatis obedientiae se subjecisset; in studio poenitentiae, mortificationis, et charitatis, eo progressa est ut in xenodochio pauperum aegrotorum ministerio se totani impendere voluit, et magna cum devotione plagas pauperum osculari solita erat; in oratione quinque, septem et novem horas aliquando simul expendebat, genibus perpetuo flexis et terram sudore madefactam relinquebat; et cum ejus maritus pridem interfectus fuisset, ipsa postquam spiritum Domini hausit, ad domum ejus qui occiderat, ut cibum caperet se contulit , et ut magis se ipsam vinceret, ea manu cibum capere voluit quae maritum confoderat; et in eodem hospitali, magna sanctitatis fama relicta, mortem obiit. Ex Majorica etiam jam tunc ad Collegium ibi instituendum Societas invitabatur, et aliquem scholasticorum numerum, ibi in studiis alere cives volebant.
213. Fr. Miron gave the Spiritual Exercises to very many people in Valencia, among whom was a certain Master Vincent, who was a doctor of Theology, an excellent preacher and he was admitted into the Society. But because he showed a very strong affection for his relatives, and did not seem to acknowledge sufficiently the gift of his vocation, Fr. Ignatius ordered that the man should be dismissed from the Society, even though there was a great lack of personnel. But since our community in Valencia was suffering from a lack of material things, the Duke of Gandia wanted to help them with a donation of a thousand ducats. Also in Valencia, as such things happen, they began to experience some opposition. But in their studies the scholastics were making excellent progress. Now when our works were helped by a distinguished matron, a noble women, whose name was Joanna de Cardona, having been schooled in the spirit by Fr. Miron and some other of our priests, she made admirable progress in the way of the Lord, and if the Society allowed it, she would have subjected herself to the obedience of the Society. In her zeal for penance, mortification and charity, she progressed to such an extent that she wanted to dedicate herself completely to the ministry of the poor sick in the hospital, and with great devotion she was wont to kiss the wounds of the poor. Sometimes she spent five, seven or nine hours in prayer, always kneeling, and she left the floor soaked with her sweat. And since her husband had been killed long ago, after she had drunk the spirit of the Lord, she went to the house of the man who had killed him to bring him some food, and in order to overcome herself even more, she wanted to receive food from the hand which slew her husband. And in the same hospital, having left a great reputation for holiness, she died. Also just then the Society was invited to establish a College on the island of Majorca, and the citizens there wanted to support some of our scholastics in their studies. [11. Araoz Ignatio, 20 Februarii 47; Miron Ignatio, Valentiae , 8,11 et 25 Octobris; 3, 12 et 15 Novembris 47.
Araoz to Ignatius, February 20, 1547; Miron to Ignatius, from Valencia, October 8, 11 and 25; November 3, 12 and 15, 1547.]
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214. Hoc anno 1547 res Societatis in Portugallia magnum incrementum acceperunt. In curia quidem Regis et Ulyssipone progrediebantur nostri in his exercitationibus, de quibus annis superioribus scriptum est. Pater Strada Regi, cum satisfactione magna, concionatus est. Princeps etiam, qui magistro et confessario P. Simone utebatur, proficiebat; et opera charitatis consueta exercebantur. Cum autem scripsisset P. Ignatius ut aliquos scholasticos ad se mitteret, sex P. Simon facile misit, et plures etiam, si vellet, obtulit. Tam multi enim sese offerebant Societati Conimbricae, ut eos domi excipere cunctos non posset; centum et quindecim hujus anni initio in Collegio habitabant, ex quibus nonaginta duo scholastici erant. Expendebat Rex singulis annis tria millia ducatorum in eorum subsidium. Inter alios hoc anno admissos, adolescens quidam fuit, Carvallus cognomine, qui cum Societatem ingredi aliquandiu optasset, nec tamen Conimbricae admitteretur, nihil cum eo communicans, qui curam ipsius gerebat, ad P. Simonem, qui in curia versabatur, perrexit, et cum magis ei paupertas et ejus indicia, quam divitiae placerent, antequam ad Simonem accederet, vestes suas quas gerebat, cum mendico quodam commutavit, et illius vestibus indutus, a P. Simone ut admitteretur litteras impetravit; et cum a paedagogo in reditu comprehensus esset, constanter nihilominus in suo proposito perseveravit; et quia patrem ejus ferebatur eum desponsasse, cum recederet, scriptum reliquit: Si quis non reliquerit patrem aut matrem, fratres, et sorores, et etiam uxorem, non potest meus esse discipulus. Constitutus fuerat, post discessum Patris Martini de Sancta-Cruce, Rector Collegii Conimbricensis Pater Ludovicus Gonzalez, qui Valentia redierat, et magnos in spiritu fecerat progressus, et Societatis institutum, ejusque finem, ac verae humilitatis et abnegationis sensum intimum prae se ferebat. Curavit autem is, ut qui litteris etiam humanioribus dabant operam, recte atque ordinate id agerent, unde majores in litteris progressus facere coeperunt. Cum autem a P. Simone litteras accepisset, quibus quatuor ex fratribus accersebat, ut ad eos aethiopes mitterentur, qui regnum Manicongo dictum incolunt, quorum magna pars baptizata quidem est, sed quod doctrina destituerentur, christianis vitam dignam non habebant, plurimi etiam in paganismi tenebris versabantur, vix exprimi posset quanta animi alacritate nuncium illud collegiales exceperint; et tam Rector, quam collegiales, prae lacrymis ex desiderio hujus missionis, vix loqui poterant. Quatuor electi fuerunt, scilicet, Georgius Vaz, Christophorus Ribeiro, et Jacobus Diaz, omnes sacerdotes; quartus fuit Didacus de Soveral, quos Ulyssiponam proficiscentes, magnis fletibus et suspiriis reliqui prosequebantur, non quia illi abirent, sed quod ipsi manerent. Missiones etiam factae sunt non paucae, nec parum utiles; Patres Antonius Gomez et Gonzalvus Vaz, omnes ferme civitates atque oppida vicina, a monasterio Sancti Felicis usque ad Portum, circuierunt, et Evangclio Christi repleverunt; est autem ea pars regni Portugalliae inter Dorium et Minium; praeter conciones autem vacabant audiendis confessionibus; nec solum in templis, sed etiam in campis, turbis sequentibus, aliquando bis et ter singulis diebus concionabantur. Ipsi autem in hospitalibus habitabant, ex mendicatis eleemosynis vivebant, et tam exemplo, quam praedictis ministeriis, uberrimum fructum in horrea Domini colligebant. Ad mirabantur homines contemptum divitiarum et commoditatum carnis, et indefessos labores pro animarum salute; et quorum magni laciebant vitam, facile amplectabantur doctrinam Pauperibus suam operam libenter impendebant; divitibus libere loquebantur; impios a sceleribus deterrebant; pigros a desidia revocabant; pios ad meliora promovebant. Missus etiam est Pater cognomento Morera, et Sylvester Alphonsus ad civitatem Guardiae ; et P. Sylvester in loco Belespera, in concionibus et doctrina Christiana docenda, etiam ad loca vicina excurrens mansit, et quidem eum fructu valde uberi; P. Morera in civitate Guardiae mane concionabatur, et post meridiem catechismum explicabat; lectionem praeterea, ex evangelio Sancti Joannis, canonicis praelegebat, ut occasionem eorum defectus publicos reprehendendi commodiorem haberet; et si non resipuissent, acerbiora minabatur. Cum autem interea dissiderent, alii enim Episcopum, alii decanum sequebantur, inter se homines conciliavit; et quae ad officiorum divinorum rationem pertinebant, reformari curavit. Publica etiam peccata ut vitarentur in causa fuit. Accidit autem ut ecclesiasticum quemdam, virum honoratum, qui in peccati publici faece haerebat, nec ab eo Episcopi, vel cujusquc auctoritate avelli poterat, primo cum humilitate admoneret, deinde severius reprehenderet ; initio autem minabatur ille multa mala, et se fustibus mulctaturum Patrem affirmabat; tandem, cum constantiam ejus et charitatem videret, illi omnino cessit, et peccatum relinquens, laudare magnopere Societatem coepit; Patremque exhortabatur ad perseverantiam in hoc procedendi modo; nullum enim tam obstinatum hominem fore aiebat, a quo non impetraret quod vellet, cuma se id obtinuerit, quod nullius auctoritas aut vires obtinuissent.
214. In this year of 1547 the Society enjoyed a great increase in Portugal. In the court of the King and in Lisbon ours were making progress in the exercises about which we wrote in the previous years. Fr. Strada preached to the King to his great satisfaction. The Prince also, who had Fr. Simon as his teacher and confessor, made progress, and the usual works of charity were carried out. But when Fr. Ignatius wrote that he should send to him some scholastics, Fr. Simon immediately sent six of them, and he also offered more, if he wanted them. For so many had offered themselves at Coimbra that he could not receive all of them in the house. In the beginning of this year a hundred and fifteen lived in the College, and of them ninety two were Jesuit seminarians. Every year the King allocated three thousand ducats for their support. Among others admitted this year there was a certain youth named Carvallus who, since he had wanted for a long time to enter the Society, but was not admitted in Coimbra, without speaking to the person in charge, went to Fr. Simon who was working in the court. And since poverty and its evidence was more pleasing to Simon than riches, before he approached Fr. Simon he exchanged the good clothes he was wearing with a beggar, and dressed in his clothes he sought a letter from Fr. Simon so that he would be admitted. And when on his return he was discovered by a teacher, nevertheless he persevered firmly in his proposal; and because his father wanted him to get married, when he left home he handed him in writing: If anyone does not leave father and mother, brothers and sisters, and even a wife, he cannot be my disciple. After the departure of Fr. Martin de Santa Cruz, it was decided that the Rector of the College at Coimbra would be Fr. Luis Gonzalez, who had returned from Valencia, and he made great progress in the spirit and promoted the Institute of the Society and its end and manifested an attitude of true humility and abnegation. And he saw to it that those who were studying the liberal arts were doing it correctly and in an orderly manner, and so they began to make greater progress in their studies. But when he received a letter from Fr. Simon in which he directed that four of the brothers were to be sent to those Ethiopians who inhabit the kingdom called Manikongo, many of whom have been baptized, but since they lack Christian teaching they do not have a life worthy of Christians, and also many of them still live in the darkness of paganism, it can hardly be expressed with what eagerness of soul the students received this news. Both the Rector and the students, because of the tears from their desire for this mission, could hardly speak. Four were chosen, namely, GeorgeVaz, Christopher Ribeiro, and James Diaz, all priests; the fourth was Didacus de Soveral; when they left for Lisbon, the others followed them with many tears and sighs, not because they were going away, but because they were remaining. [12. Vide infra n. 219.
See below at number 219.] Also many missions were carried out with no little success; they visited almost all the neighboring cities and towns, from the monastery of St. Felix to Porto, and they filled them with the Gospel of Christ. This part of the kingdom of Portugal is between Dorium and Minium; besides their sermons they also heard confessions, and they preached not only in churches, but also in camps and to various crowds, sometimes two and three times a day. They dwelt in hospitals, and they lived by begging alms, and both by their example and by their usual ministries they gathered an abundant fruit into the storehouse of the Lord. The people admired their contempt of riches and their way of life, and their untiring work for the salvation of souls; and those who admired them easily accepted their teaching. With joy they assisted the poor; they freely spoke with the rich; they deterred the wicked from their crimes; they cured the slothful; they urged the pious to higher things. Also Fr. Morera and Sylvester Alphonsus were sent to the city of Guardia; Fr. Sylvester was in the area of Belespera, where he preached and taught Christian doctrine, and he also visited the neighboring towns with great fruit. In the city of Guardia Fr. Morera preached in the mornings, and after midday he explained the catechism; also he gave a lecture on the Gospel of St. John to the canons, and so he had a good opportunity to reprimand them for their public defects; and if they did not mend their ways, he gave them severe warnings. But since there was dissent, because some followed the Bishop while others followed the dean, he established peace among them. And he brought about a reform in the things pertaining to the holy rites of the Church. He was also the reason why they avoided public sins. Then it happened that first of all he admonished humbly and then more severely rebuked a certain ecclesiastic, a man in a high position, who was living in a state of public sin, and who could not be turned away from it either by the authority of the Bishop or anyone else. At first he threatened him with many evils, and said he deserved a severe punishment; finally, when the man saw his persistence and his charity, he gave in completely and abandoned his sin, and he began to praise the Society greatly. And he exhorted the Father to perseverance in this way of living; for he said that there would be no man so obstinate, from whom he could not obtain what he wished, since he obtained from him what the authority or power of no one else was able to obtain. [13. Simon Rodericius Ignatio, Almeirini, 15 et 17 Januarii, et pluries toto hoc anno 47.
Simon Rodriguez to Ignatius, from Almeirim, January 15 and 17, and often during the whole year of 1547.]
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215. Pater etiam Emmanuel de Nobrega per pagos ac oppida, quae prope Guardiam erant, in hominibus instituendis, et a peccatis mortalibus abstrahendis (inter quos sacerdotes quidam erant, qui cum suis concubinis, tamquam cum uxoribus versabantur), et ad castitatem et Christianis dignam vitam revocandis, zelum suum ostendebat; aliquando nudis pedibus, et in magna paupertate hujusmodi charitatis functionibus se intendebat, quod in oppido de Gabugal, non sine copioso fructu, ex concionibus et Christiana doctrina relato, illi accidit. Ostiatim quaesitis eleemosynis vivebat, ac commoditatem victus et habitationem oblatam repudiabat. Minabatur Dei justitiam his, qui a peccatis publicis non recederent; et in concione quadam, in fervore spiritus, hoc promisit, quod, si non recederent a peccatis hujusmodi manifestis, ad singulas eorum domos se iturum, et altis clamoribus a Deo justitiam contra illam domum petiturum; et hic terror, populo incussus, magnae emendationis causa fuit. Alio in loco, qui factionibus ac simultatibus oppidanorum inter se ardebat, postquam concionatus esset, descendit ex suggestu, et genua flectens ante eos, magno cum fervore, ut inter se in concordiam redirent, supplex petebat, et ab iis nomine illorum, et ab illis nomine horum veniam petebat; unde in causa fuit, ut et omnes auditores genua flectendo, veniam ad invicem peterent; itaque et in hoc, et in omnibus aliis locis, in quibus versatus est, ad concordiam plurimos reduxit. Injuriis tamen publice aliquando afficiebatur, ne illa apostolica praerogativa deesset, scilicet, pro nomine Jesu contumeliam pati. In alio quodam oppido, cum eo defessus et famelicus pervenisset, nihilominus concionari statim coepit, sed quia impeditioris erat linguae, dilabebantur ex ejus concione omnes; cum autem admonuisset parochum, ut praemoneret populum, quod post meridiem esset concionaturus, ille molestiam hesternam sentiens, dixit populo: ” Clericus ille balbus in quadam ecclesia concionabitur, ipsum audire potestis; sed vereor ne parum utilitatis sitis consequuturi, quia tandem ille nihil boni est dicturus. „ Venerunt nihilominus auditores, et ex ejus concione tantum consolationis acceperunt, ut omnibus modis apud se eum retinere, etiam a Rege eam gratiam petendo, curarent, et se omnes confessionem octavo quoque dic frequentaturos pollicebantur. Mulierem quamdam ab infantia daemon vexaverat, tamque familiaris ei erat, ut in aurem suggereret, quod facere eam vellet. Cum ergo misera foemina Patri Nobregae confessa esset, ab eo salubriter admonita est, ne quidquam amplius ex his, quae daemon diceret, auscultaret, ac si importunus illi esse pergeret, responderet, ut P. Nobregam, si quid vellet, accederet; et sic demum mulier (ut postea intellectum est) libera a daemone mansit.
215. Also Fr. Emmanuel de Nobrega showed his zeal by visiting the villages and towns, which are near to Guardia, by teaching people and drawing them away from mortal sins (among whom there were some priests, who lived with their concubines as if they were their wife), and by calling them back to chastity and a life worthy of Christians; sometimes with bare feet and in great poverty he dedicated himself to works of charity, which he accomplished in the town of Gabugal not without great fruit as a result of his sermons and teaching Christian doctrine. He lived by seeking alms from door to door, and he rejected the offers of good food and accommodations. He threatened the justice of God to those who did not cease from their public sins; and in one of his sermons, in a spirit of fervor he promised this, namely, that if they did not stop committing their public sins, he would go to each one of their homes, and with loud cries he would beg justice from God against that house; because of this the people were struck with fear, and for this reason there was a great reform. In another place, which was alive with factions and feuds of the people with each other, after he preached, he descended from the pulpit and knelt down before them, and with great fervor he pleaded with them to establish peace among themselves, and he asked for forgiveness now from this group, now from that group. And so he was the reason why all the hearers knelt down and asked for pardon from one another. Therefore in this place, and in all the other places he visited, he established peace among most of them. However, sometimes he suffered public attacks, lest that apostolic warning be lacking, namely, to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. In another town, when he arrived there tired and hungry, nevertheless he began to preach immediately, but because of the impediment of the language, they all went away during his sermon. But when he admonished the pastor that he should tell the people that after midday he was going to preach, knowing about the trouble of the previous day, he said to the people: “That stuttering priest will speak in the church and you can listen to him; but I fear that you will get little help from him, because he will have nothing good to say.” Nevertheless the hearers came, and they derived so much consolation from his sermon that in every way they tried to keep him there, even by seeking this favor from the King, and they all promised that they would go to confession every week. A demon had vexed a certain woman from her infancy, and he was so close to her that he would whisper in her ear what he wanted her to do. Therefore when the miserable women confessed to Fr. Nobrega, she was kindly warned by him not to listen to anything more of what the demon said, and if he continued to harass her, she should respond that Fr. Nobrega would give him what he wanted. And so at least the woman (as he learned later) remained freed from the demon.
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216. Nec solum ad horam populi horum Patrum concionibus commovebantur, sed fructus constanter in eis perseverabat; ut accidit oppido de Camigna, ubi primi illi Patres Antonius Gomez et Gonzalvus Vaz condonabantur, et universum oppidum ad confessionem accessit, deinde eam consuetudinem inchoavit, ut crebro ad confessionem et communionem accederent, et fere quinquaginta confessiones singulis diebus audiebant; sic etiam in oppido de Viana, paulo post mediam noctem surgere eos oportuit, ad orationem et studium concionibus necessarium, ut tempus diei utriusque sexus confessionibus tribuerent. Nihil autem magis hominum animos movebat, quam id observare, quod sine ullo propriae utilitatis emolumento, tantumque desiderio salutis eorum, homines religiosos et doctos sic laborare animadverterent; et publici fletus in concionibus, et populorum ad optima quaeque commotiones, quod digitus Dei ibi esset facile ostendebant. Multi etiam institutum Societatis sequi voluissent, sed quia illiterati erant non admittebantur; praeter paucos quosdam, qui cum venissent Conimbricam, et bono ingenio et mediocri eruditione praediti inventi essent, admissi sunt. In civitate autem Portus tanta hominum multitudo ad confessiones mota est, ut ne omnes quidem sacerdotes qui Conimbricae erant , illis satisfacturi essent; et facile haec missio docuit quanti referat exemplum, ut effleax sit doctrina, et ministerium nostrum; et cum ii duo Patres valetudinarii essent, et causa conlirmandac valetudinis, ad Sanctum Felicem missi essent, unde et ad hanc missionem perrexerunt, facile cernitur, quod Dei peculiari gratia, et non debilium instrumentorum talentis, tam late patens tunc et copiosus fructus acceptus ferri debeat. Cum autem in quodam oppido mane concionaretur Gonzalvus, et a prandio tauri agitandi essent, dixit Gonzalvus se a prandio concionaturum, et consideraturum quinam essent mundi servi et qui servi Dei, nec se concionem relicturum, licet tantum unicam haberet vetulam audientem; et sic populus commotus est, ut nullus prorsus venationi taurorum interesse voluerit; quin potius, ut se servos Dei ostenderent, ante concionandi tempus Ecclesiam implentes, ipsum concionatorem evocarunt, ut verbum Dei sibi praedicaret; et admirando prorsus cum fervore spiritus in via Dei populus ille procedebat.
216. The people were moved by the sermons of these Fathers not just for a day, but the fruit remained in them constantly. For example, it happened in the town of Camigna, where the first Fathers Antonio Gomez and Gonzalvus Vaz preached, and the whole town went to confession, and then they adopted the custom of going often to Confession and Communion, and each day they heard almost fifty confessions. So also in the town of Viana it was necessary for them to rise from bed a little after midnight for prayer and the preparation of their sermons, so that they could give the time during the day to hearing the confessions of both sexes. But nothing moved the souls of men more than to observe that, without any advantage for themselves, and only with the desire for their salvation, these religious and learned men worked for them. And the public weeping during the sermons, and the desire of the people to lead a better life, easily showed that the finger of God was there. Many also wanted to enter the Society, but because they were illiterate they were not admitted, except for a few who were admitted, because they had come to Coimbra and were endowed with real talent and some erudition. However, in the city of Porto such a multitude of people came for confession that not even all the priests in Coimbra could take care of them. And this mission showed easily how important good example is in order to make our teaching and ministry effective. Now since the two Fathers were in bad health, in order to recover their health they were sent to St. Felix, and so they had come to the mission in this state. And so it is easy to discern that by a special grace of God, and not by the talents of weak instruments, such an abundant fruit was produced. But when Gonzalvez preached in a certain town in the morning, and after lunch there would be a bull fight, Gonzalvez said that he was going to preach after lunch, and that he would consider who were the servants of the world and who were the servants of God, and that he would not cancel the sermon, even if he had only one old woman in the audience. And the people were so moved by this that no one wanted to be present at the bull fight; rather, in order to show that they were servants of God, filling the church before the time for the sermon, they called for the preacher, so that he would preach the word of God to them; and with an admirable fervor of spirit the people proceeded in the way of God.
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217. Pater Franciscus Strada Ulyssiponae frcquentissimo auditorio et magno cum fructu concionabatur, numerusque eorum qui quotidie, in divi Antonii templo, ad sacramenta Confessionis et Communionis accedebant, et corporum suorum castigationi vacabant, augebatur.
217. Fr. Francis Strada was preaching in Lisbon to a large audience and with much fruit, and the number increased of those who received daily in the church of St. Anthony the sacraments of Confession and Communion, and also practiced some corporal penance.
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218. Conimbricae interim in Societatem admissus est dominus Joannes, Ducis Aveirensis filius; is quidem a patre, institutionis gratia, in Collegio collocatus fuerat, et cum aliqui nobiles, ipsius consanguinei, ne ad Societatem animum adjiceret praecavere vellent, non paucis antidotis contra vocationem istam juvenem praemunierant; ubi autem Collegiumfingressus, spiritualem fratrum conversationem et in laboribus animi alacritatem observasset, statim pulsari spiritu Domini coepit ad idem institutum suscipiendum; memor tamen documentorum, quae a consanguineis acceperat, et in spem succedendi patri in ducatu, eum unicus esset ei filius, erectus, praecogitatis antidotis, hujusmodi inspirationibus resistebat; fatebaturque ipse catalogum quemdam penes se habuisse, quo omnia ea continebantur, quae in Societate ipsi displicebant, quem quotidie et legebat et meditabatur; nihil tamen omnes hujusmodi rationes perinde dissipabat atque litterarum lectio, quae spiritualem fructum ex opera Societatis provenientem explicabant. Sed hoc ille remedium excogitaverat, ut praedictarum litterarum lectioni se subduceret; itaque, dum alii ad has litteras legendas conveniebant, non ausus lectionem hanc exspectare, alio recessit; cum autem, eis perlectis magna cum illorum consolatione, in sacellum oraturi pro P. Ignatio et Societate se contulissent, ratus ipse perlectas litteras, ad alios collcgialcs se adjunxit. At ecce legebatur ibidem epistola quaedam, qua diligentiam adhibitam ad P. Claudium episcopatus onere liberandum significabat Ignatius. Et cum in lectionis initio, fratrum perturbationem timentium quo res tandem vergeret, et fine jam audito, multis lacrymis consolationem contestantium observasset, tantopere hic animorum affectus Joanni placuit, ut apud se omnino constitueret Dei castra ibi esse; et postquam decem alios dies negotium Domino commendatum esset, multis cum lacrymis ad pedes P. Ludovici Gonzalez se projecit, et ut admitteretur in Societatem obtinuit, se ipsum, quod tamdiu Spiritui Sancto restitisset in tam clara vocatione, accusando. Cum autem in spiritu multum proficere coepisset (admiranda Dei judicia sunt prorsus), beneficium tamen hujus vocationis non conservavit. Alii etiam non pauci id temporis Societati nomen dederunt.
218. In the meantime, at Coimbra the Lord John, son of the Duke of Aveiro, was admitted into the Society; in favor of the institution he had been placed in the College by his father, and when some nobles, relatives of his, wanted to prevent him from entering the Society and they fortified the youth with not a few antidotes against his vocation. But when he entered the College and observed the spiritual life of the brothers and their eagerness for works of the soul, immediately he began to be touched by the spirit of the Lord and the desire to belong to the same Institute. However, remembering the documents he had received from his relatives, and in the hope of succeeding his father in the dukedom, since he was his only son, being an upright person, he resisted thoughts of this kind. And he confessed that he had in his possession a catalogue in which all those things were contained that displeased him in the Society, and that he read it every day and meditated on it. But all these reasons did not discourage him and then there was the reading of the letters, which explained the spiritual fruit coming from the works of the Society. But he thought of this remedy so that he might remove himself from the reading of the foresaid letters. Therefore, while some agreed with the reading of these letters, not daring to wait for this reading, he went to something else. But when he had read them with great consolation, he went to the chapel to pray for Fr. Ignatius and the Society, and having thought about the letters he read, he joined up with the other students. And behold in the same place a letter was read in which Ignatius explained the diligence used in order to free Fr. Claude from the burden of the episcopacy. And when at the beginning of the reading he observed the disturbance of the brothers fearing where this matter would finally go, and when the end was heard he saw the consolation with many tears of those present; this sign of affection so pleased John that he decided for himself absolutely that this is the camp of God. And after he had commended the matter to the Lord for another ten days, with many tears he threw himself at the feet of Fr. Luis Gonzalvez, and he obtained that he should be admitted to the Society, while he accused himself of resisting the Holy Spirit for so long regarding such a clear vocation. But when he began to make much progress in the spirit (the judgments of God are to be admired totally), still he did not preserve the gift of this vocation. But at that time not a few others also gave their name to the Society.
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219. Septimo calendas Augusti litteras a P. Simone Conimbricae acceperunt, quibus quatuor ex collegialibus eam sortem decernebat ut ad aethiopes mitterentur in regnum magni Congi. Cum enim et illius regionis Rex et multi ex nobilibus olim Christi fidem suscepissent, doctrinae penuria ad paganismi mores relabi ferebantur; multi etiam sacro baptismate abluti non cratit; et cum non sine miraculo Christi fides ibidem fuisset promulgata, non deserenda ea messis Regi Portugalliae videbatur. Destinati sunt ergo ad hanc missionem Patres Georgius Vaz, Christophorus Riberus et Jacobus Diaz, quibus et adjunctus est Didacus Soveral. Vix exprimi verbis posset, quot lacrymis et suspiriis fratrum horum discessus celebratus a reliquis fuerit, non quia illi abirent, sed quod ipsi manerent, quod impatienter admodum nonnulli ferebant.
219. On August 7 our members in Coimbra received a letter from Fr. Simon in which he said that four of our students would be sent to the Ethiopians in the kingdom of Manikongo. For since the King of the region and many of his nobles some time ago had accepted the faith of Christ, because of a lack of Christian teaching they had fallen back into the customs of paganism; also, many had not received the waters of Baptism. And because the faith of Christ had been spread out there not without a miracle of Christ, the King of Portugal thought that the harvest must not be abandoned. Therefore Fathers George Vaz, Christopher Ribeiro and James Diaz were assigned to this mission, and Didacus Soveral was also included. It can hardly be expressed in words with what tears and sighs the departure of these brothers was celebrated by the others, not because they were leaving, but because they were remaining behind, and some bore this very impatiently. [14. Quao hoc n. 219 continentur, dicta jam fuere in n. 214. Vide igitur notam ibi appositam, et scito non haec solum sed omnia fere quae ab illo n. 214 ad n. 220 narrantur confirmari litteris ibi citatis.
The things contained in this number 219 were already said in number 214. Therefore, see the note appended there, and note that not only these things, but also that almost all the things that are narrated from n. 214 to 220 are confirmed by the letters cited there.]
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220. Quod attinet ad res temporales sollicite admodum Satan earum progressum impedire, non tantum per Regis ministros, sed etiam per alios viros religiosos nitebatur; Rege tamen, immobili affectu, nostros suo favore prosequente, et quod praecipuum est, Deo protegente, tam in spiritu, quam etiam in his, quae ad aedificium materiale et ad reditus etiam pertinebant , res Collegii Conimbricensis magnum incremen tum suscepit.
220. In what pertains to temporal things, Satan tried very hard to impede their progress, not only through the ministers of the King, but also through other religious men. However, the King with unwavering affection showed his affection to us, and what is most important, with the help of God, both spiritually and also in the things which pertained to the actual building and its income, the condition of the College in Coimbra enjoyed a great increase.
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221. Sub initium hujus anni 1547, cum perlustrasset Pater Franciscus Xavier insulas, quas Mauri vocant, ad arcem lusitanorum, quae Moluco dicebatur, in insula Ternate, rediit; ubi tres, vel quatuor menses versatus est; dominicis et festis diebus bis concionabatur; diebus autem Mercurii et Veneris, uxoribus lusitanorum seorsim fidei articulos, decalogum, et quae ad sacramenta Confessionis et Communionis pertinent, declarabat; quod cum magno fructu tum ipsarum, tum maritorum, tum etiam filiorum ac filiarum et demum Christianorum illius oppidi effectum est. Cum autem Malacam inde navigaret (et quidem noctu Moluco profectus, ut spiritualium filiorum ac filiarum lacrymas evitaret) ad quasdam pervenit insulas, ubi cum quatuor naves invenisset, decem vel duodecim dies ibidem exigens, multorum auditis confessionibus, et inter multos discordantes pace reconciliata, ter eisdem concionatus, iter suum profectus est. Quando autem ipse Moluco recesserat, id constitutum reliquit, ut quotidie Christianae doctrinae explicatio proponeretur; confecerat autem ipse expositionem hujusmodi brevem, et captui novorum Christianorum accommodatam: et cuidam sacerdoti amico serio commendavit, ut duas horas quotidie huic pietatis exercitationi impenderet, et semel singulis hebdomadis, de fidei articulis et Sacramentis, apud uxores lusitanorum concionaretur. Eam etiam consuetudinem induxit, ut quidam Moluci, tintinnabulo homines noctu excitans, ad Deo commendandas animas, quae in purgatorio cru ciantur, et omnes homines, qui in peccato mortali vivunt, invitaret; quae res novis Christianis devotioni magnae, infidelibus autem non minori terrori fuit; cives ipsi hominem quemdam, qui cum laterna ad hoc pium opus discurreret per urbem, elegerunt.
221. At the beginning of this year of 1547, when Fr. Francis Xavier had visited the islands, which they call the Mauri, he returned to the fortress of the Portuguese, which was called Moluku, on the island of Ternate, where he stayed for three or four months. [15. In magnam, nostro quidem judicio, confusionem incidunt scriptores, accuratissimo Orlandini non excepto, cum ad has Molucas insulas accedunt, et Xaverii vestigia, ex una in aliam navigantis, sequi conantur. Contra quam confusionem ut futuros harum rerum enarratores praemuniamus, Patris Coleridge animadversiones hic transcribere operae pretium judicamus. Ait ille : “We have already noticed that Francis Xavier speaks of Moluku (Molucum) as a single place, at the same time that he speaks of it as a region, and also mentions the “Molucca” islands. Strictly speaking, the Moluccas are the five islands, which lie in a string from north to south along the western shores of the large island of Gilolo, to the east of the Celebes. They are all small — Ternate, Tidor, Motir, Macian and Batchian. But in a more general sense a great number of islands, some larger than these, are included in the Moluccas. Mr. Wallace allots them a space of ten degrees of latitude by eight of longitude, and they thus embrace the islands and groups between the Philippines and Timor, New Guinea and Celebes (Malay Archipelago, II, 138). He counts among them Cerama and Bouro, three very considerable islands. In the letters of St. Francis we shall find distances given, as to which we cannot depend on the accuracy of the copyists or translators, who had never been in that part of the world or seen a good map. He seems by Moluku, when used as the name of a single island, to mean Ternate: but Ternate is in sight of Gilolo, which some writers identify with the island of the Moors, of which we shall her so much; which, however, St. Francis is made to place at the distance of sixty leagues from Moluku.” Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier, vol. I, page 363.
In our opinion, the authors fall into great confusion, including the accurate Orlandinus, when they write about these Molucca islands, and they try to follow the movements of Xavier sailing from one to another. Against this confusion, so that we may forewarn future narrators of these things, we judge it worth the trouble to quote here the observations of Fr. Coleridge: “We have already noticed that Francis Xavier speaks of Moluku (Molucum) as a single place, at the same time that he speaks of it as a region, and also mentions the “Molucca” islands. Strictly speaking, the Moluccas are the five islands, which lie in a string from north to south along the western shores of the large island of Gilolo, to the east of the Celebes. They are all small — Ternate, Tidor, Motir, Macian and Batchian. But in a more general sense a great number of islands, some larger than these, are included in the Moluccas. Mr. Wallace allots them a space of ten degrees of latitude by eight of longitude, and they thus embrace the islands and groups between the Philippines and Timor, New Guinea and Celebes (Malay Archipelago, II, 138). He counts among them Cerama and Bouro, three very considerable islands. In the letters of St. Francis we shall find distances given, as to which we cannot depend on the accuracy of the copyists or translators, who had never been in that part of the world or seen a good map. He seems by Moluku, when used as the name of a single island, to mean Ternate: but Ternate is in sight of Gilolo, which some writers identify with the island of the Moors, of which we shall her so much; which, however, St. Francis is made to place at the distance of sixty leagues from Moluku.” Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier, vol. I, page 363.] On Sundays and feast days he preached twice; but on Wednesday and Friday separately he explained to the wives of the Portuguese the articles of the faith, the Decalogue, and things pertaining to the sacraments of Confession and Communion. And this was done with great fruit both for them, and also for their husbands and sons and daughters, and then for the Christians of that town. But when he sailed from there to Malacca (having departed from Moluku during the night to avoid the tears of his spiritual sons and daughters), he arrived at some islands where, since he found four ships, he spent ten or twelve days there, hearing the confessions of many people; he established peace among many dissidents, he preached to them three times, and then he continued on his journey. But when he departed from Moluku, he left it with the rule that the explanation of Christian doctrine should be given on a daily basis; he himself composed a short explanation of it accommodated to the mentality of the new Christians [16. Hanc expositionem lingua galliea donatam et hoc titulo Catéchétique aux Moluquois, affert PAGÉS, Lettres de Saint François Xavier, t. I, p. 379 et sequentibus. De ea haec ipse PAGÉS animadvertit: “La Catéchétique aux Móluquois fut écrite par le Saint en 1546. Mgr. Asseline, évêque de Boulogne, a traduit cette belle instruction avec élégance, mais sans s’astreindre à une scrupuleuse fidélité. „
Pagés presents this explanation, translated into French and with the title Catéchetique aux Moluquois, in his book, Lettres de Saint François Xavier, vol. I, page 379ff. Concerning this Pagés himself says: “La Catéchetique aux Moluquois was written by the Saint in 1546. Msgr. Asseline, the Bishop of Boulogne, translated this beautiful instruction with elegance, but without restricting himself to scrupulous faithfulness.”]; and he recommended seriously to a priest friend that he should spend two hours each day in this exercise of piety, and that he should preach once a week to the Portuguese wives about the articles of faith and the Sacraments. He also introduced the custom that a Molukan man by ringing a bell during the night should wake up the people and invite them to commend the souls to God who are being tormented in purgatory, and to pray for all the people who are living in mortal sin. This matter was a source of great devotion for the new Christians, but to the unbelievers a cause of no small fear; the citizens themselves selected the man, who would pass through the city with a lantern in order to carry out this pious work.
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222. Moluci vel Termite Rex, secla mahometanus, sed Regi Portugalliae subditus erat; is Christi fidem ne amplecteretur, carnis vitiis, non quod Mahometi studiosus esset, prohibebatur; nihil enim aliud ex ejus secta praeter hoc habebat, quod infans circumcisus fuerat, et jam natu grandior centum uxores primarias, et totidem alias inferiores duxerat. Illarum regionum mahometani nullam fere suae sectae instructionem, paucos magistros errorum, et eos admodum rudes, et fere omnes peregrinos habent. Rex ille tam arcte P. Franciscum diligebat, ut ejus subditi iniquo animo id ferrent; ambiebat etiam ut ipsi P. Franciscus esset amicus, et aliquam spem suae conversionis praebebat; et ex filiis suis unum se daturum, ut Christiana sacra susciperet, pollicebatur, dummodo postquam Christianus esset, insularum MauriRex constitueretur.
222. The King of Moluku or Ternate was a Mohammedan, but he was subject to the King of Portugal; this man was prevented from embracing the faith of Christ because of his vices of the flesh, not because he was a zealous Mohammedan. He adhered to nothing else from his sect except that an infant was to be circumcised, and then when he was fully grown he had a hundred wives of the first rank, and just as many others of a lower rank. The Mohammedans of these regions have almost no instruction in their own sect, few teachers of errors, and even they are very illiterate, and almost all are foreigners. That King loved Fr. Francis so much that his subjects did not like it at all; he went around with him as if Fr. Francis was his friend, and he did offer some hope of his conversion; and he promised that he would give one of his sons to become a Christian, provided that after he became a Christian he would be established as the King of the Mauri islands.
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223. Cum tandem Malacam P. Franciscus Julio mense pervenisset, tres ibidem de nostra Societate invenit, quos, per litteras, cum Moluci esset, accersierat; hi erant P. Joannes de Beira et Nunius Riberus, cum fratribus Nicolao Nugnez et Balthasare, quos cum per bimestre et amplius penes se Malacae retinuisset, et de rebus molucensibus diligenter instruxisset, Molucum dimisit; quo incolumes pervenerunt et a confraternitate, quam vocant Misericordiae, magno cum gaudio excepti, in vinea Domini laborare coeperunt. Multi equidem Christiani jam tunc et Moluci et in vicinis insulis erant, quorum pars a P. Francisco baptismum susceperat, et inter caeteros Regina, Regis Ternate mater, Christi militiae adscripts fuerat. Recessit Joannes de Beira ad Mauri insulas cum Nicolao Nugncz et Balthasare; Nunius autem Ribcrus, ad insulas quas Amboinas vocant (ubi naves Moluco redeuntes, quatuor menses haerere solent), se contulit; et ibi brevi fere sexcentos Christo Domino lucrifecit; et loca illa Christianorum peragrando, ca- techismum docebat, idola confringebat, et rudes prorsus homines, in his quae ad vitae Christianae cultum faciunt, excolebat. Cum autem quatuor illis mensibus elapsis, naves Malacam inde progrederentur, mansit nihilominus Nunius in insulis Ambuini, et aliqui lusitani, qui quatuor elapsis mensibus tam multos viderant ad Christum converti, ad sanctum hoc opus se illi socios adjunxerunt.
223. Now when Fr. Francis arrived at Malacca in the month of July, he found some members of our Society, whom he had sent there by a letter when he was in Moluku. These were Fr. John de Beira and Nunius Riberus, with brothers Nicholas Nugnez and Balthasar; he had kept them with himself at Malacca for more than two months, and had carefully instructed them about things pertaining to the Molukans. Then he sent them to Moluku; they arrived there safely, and having been received with great joy by the Confraternity of Mercy, they began to work in the vineyard of the Lord. At the time there were many Christians at Moluku and the neighboring island, part of whom had received baptism from Fr. Francis, and among others the Queen, the mother of the King of Ternate, who had joined the militia of Christ. John de Beira went back to the islands of Mauri with Nicholas Nugnez and Balthasar; but Nunius Riberus went to the islands, which they call the Amboinas (where the ships returning from Moluku are accustomed to stay for four months). And there in a short time he gained almost six hundred people for Christ the Lord; and while passing through those places of Christians, he taught them catechism, destroyed idols, and he trained the ignorant people in the things necessary for the development of a Christian way of life. But when those four months were over, the ships went from there to Malacca, but Nunius remained in the Amboinas islands, and some of the Portuguese, who during those four months had seen so many people converted to Christ, joined themselves as companions in this holy work.
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224. At P. Franciscus Xavier sex fere menses Malacae, dum navigationis in Indiam tempus adveniebat, exegit; duas horas quotidie, et amplius, docendis lusitanorum filiis, uxoribus, et servis, expendebat; ipsis autem lusitanis dominicis et festis diebus pro more mane concionabatur; a prandio vero neophytis, qui innumeri accedebant, sicuti et ad Christianam doctrinam, idem pietatis opus impendebat; et in lingua vernacula declarationem symboli, quo firmiores essent in fide, cis reliquit. Diebus autem Jovis mane, sacro absoluto, uxoribus Christianorum seorsim concionabatur; dabat nihilominus operam confessionibus; aegrotantes in nosocomiis invisebat; cos qui laborabant inimicitiis (nam christiani milites illis in locis, ut bellicosi, saepe inter se concertare solent), ad pacem adducebat. In bellis etiam contra mahometanos nostros milites animabat. Accidit autem ut quidam ex his hostibus classe Malacam appellentes, et noctu aliquos in terram ejicientes, nonnihil predae secum adportarent; quod cum Dux lusitanorum intellexisset, expeditam classem instruens, cum fere centum et octoginta militibus, mahometanos persequutus est. Nomen autem Duci erat Simon de Melo, qui cum hostium classem, centum leucas jam progressam, in cujusdam fluminis ostio consequutus esset, certamen cum ea inivit navale, et multis navigiis hostium occupatis ac praeda, quam Malaca abstulerant, multis eorum interfectis, victor Malacam redibat; cum autem aliquandiu reditus differretur, qui in civitate substiterant, ipsis timere coeperunt; et timorem juvabat rumor quidam sparsus a magiae quibusdam sectatoribus , quod christiani fugati essent ab adversariis. Cum autem concionaretur P. Franciscus, modicam ipsorum fidem reprehendens, injunxit ut semel dicerent orationem dominicam et salutationem angelicam in actionem gratiarum ob victoriam, quam Deus Christianis dedisset; et id quidem dixit, cum nullus adhuc nuncius ex classe Malacam venisset; sed post pauculos dies, portum Malacae ingredientes magna cum animi laetitia Christianos, cum majore P. Franciscus et reliqui de civitate excepere. Publice etiam fama inter lusitanos ferebat, quod cum Moluci condonaretur die quodam, hortatus est P. Franciscus auditores, ut semel Pater noster et Ave, in memoriam passionis Domini, recitarent, pro anima cujusdam arabis, qui procul inde occisus fuerat, nec de ejus morte quidquam Moluci innotuerat. Quemdam etiam a daemone obsessum, Missam in honorem Beatae Virginis celebrando liberavit, et ad Christi (idem cum aliis quibusdam convertit; unde magna etiam veneratione tam mahometani, quam gentiles, et non solum lusitani, Patrem Franciscum prosequebantur, et Patrem Sanctum appellabant. Mense autem Decembri hujus anni in Indiam navigavit; cuidam tamen sacerdoti, ut coepta prosequeretur, curam reliquit; quia tamen a malacensibus duo ex nostris magno affectu expetebantur, ut eisdem charitatis functionibus ipsos juvarent mittendos esse eo censuit, quod et primo vere sequentis anni praestitit.
224. But Fr. Francis Xavier spent almost six month in Malacca, until the time came for sailing to India. Daily he spent two hours and more teaching the wives, children and servants of the Portuguese; but on Sundays and feast days, as usual, he preached to the Portuguese in the morning; and in the afternoon he did the same thing for the neophytes, who were there in countless numbers; and he left them an explanation of the creed in their vernacular language, so that they could become stronger in the faith. But on Thursday mornings, after the Mass, he preached separately to the wives of the Christians; he spent time hearing confessions; he visited the sick in the hospitals; he brought about peace among those at enmity with each other (for the Christian soldiers in those places, being warlike, often were wont to fight among themselves). Now it happened that some of the enemies came to Malacca in a fleet, and after landing some soldiers during the night, they carried off a large amount of booty. When the commander of the Portuguese learned about this, he put together a fleet, with about 180 soldiers, and they pursued the Mohammedans. The name of the commander was Simon de Melo who, when he caught up with the fleet of the enemy, which had gone about a hundred leagues and was at the mouth of a certain river, engaged them in a naval battle, and after capturing many enemy ships and much booty, which they had taken from Malacca, and after many of them were killed, he returned to Malacca as the victor. But since his return was delayed for a rather long time, those in the city began to have fear for them. And a certain rumor helped the fear, which was spread around by some promoters of magic who said that the Christians were put to flight by the enemies. But when Fr. Francis preached, while reprimanding their little faith, he asked them to say once the Lord’s Prayer and the angelic greeting in thanksgiving for the victory, which God had given to the Christians. And he said this, when still no news had been received in Malacca from the fleet; but after a few days, when they returned to the port of Malacca, Fr. Francis and the rest of the citizens received the Christians back with great joy. It was also public opinion among the Portuguese that, when he preached on a certain day in Moluku, Fr. Francis urged the listeners to say once the Our Father and the Hail Mary in memory of the passion of the Lord, for the soul of a certain Arab, who was killed far away from there, and no news about his death had come to Moluku. He also freed a man from a demonic obsession after celebrating Mass for him in honor of the Blessed Virgin, and then he converted him to Christ along with some others; therefore, both Mohammedans and Gentiles, and not only the Portuguese, honored Fr. Francis with great veneration, and they even called him the Holy Father. But in December of this year he sailed to India; but he left the work that he had started to the care of a certain priest; but because two of ours were eagerly desired by the people of the Malaccas, he thought about sending them to help them with the same works of charity, which he did in the spring of the following year.
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225. Cum Malacae versaretur, magna quaedam ei relata fuerunt de insulis paulo ante cognitis, quas dei Japon nominabant. Venerat cum mercatoribus lusitanis ex ea regione incola quidam, Angerus nomine, qui cum peccata quaedam juvenis admisisset, propter quae conscientiae stimulis, cum adhuc gentilis esset, urgebatur, a lusitanis remedium aliquod ad veniam a Deo impetrandam postulavit; cum autem illi ut adiret Patrem Franciscum Xaverium suaderent, Japone Malacam usque, ut eum colloqueretur, mercatores comitatus est; sed quia Franciscus Malaca discesserat, rediit et ipse in Japonem; cum autem jam ad aspectum Japoniensium insularum esset delatus, fera tempestate oborta, navis denuo, non sine naufragii maximo periculo, Malacam delata est, ubi Franciscum, qui jam Moluco redierat, invenit. Quem adiens multa de religione Christiana idiomate lusitano, quod utcumque didicerat, percontatus est, et cum ad Christianae doctrinae declarationem accederetur, sponte sua fidei articulos diligenter scribebat; ad templum etiam ut oraret crebro veniebat, et demum suae salutis sollicitus admodum, cum recederet in Indiam P. Franciscus, eumdem sequutus est. Interroganti autem Francisco, quaenam spes esset Japoniensium ad Christi (idem reducendorum, si eo se conferret, respondit; quod non statim Japonienses Christi (idem essent suscepturi, sed quod prius multa interrogaturi essent, et quid responderet quidque intelligeret observaturi, et in primis, an ipsius vita doctrinae consentanea esset; quod si in utroque ipsis satisfieret, tam Regem suae provinciae quam alios nobiles, ac reliquos, qui judicio pollerent, Christi tidem esse suscepturos; non enim nisi nitione gentem suam induci ad haec, sicut nec ad alia, posse. Affirmabant etiam mercatores lusitani nullibi, ut ipsi putabant, uberiorem fructum inter gentiles, quam apud Japones capi posse. Unde coepit P. Franciscus et cogitare, et internas animi motiones de insulis illis adeundis sentire, quamvis iter et periculis maris et piratarum sinensium valde obnoxium esset. Interim autem Angerus linguae lusitanae majorem peritiam, ac rationis vitae lusitanorum majorem notitiam habiturus, et, quae ad Christianam doctrinam pertinent, intellecturus magis et expositionem articulorum fidei in idioma lusitanorum conversurus utiliter videbatur. Interim autem saevissima tempestas, qualem nunquam Franciscus expertus fuerat, per integrum triduum naves in Indiam proficiscentes jactavit, sed magno conatu orationem ad Deum ipse fudit, et ecclesiae militantis ac triumphantis suffragia poposcit, et sic extrema pericula omnes evaserunt. Scribit autem Franciscus, cum aliquid Roma ad nostros in Molucis vel Japoniensibus insulis commorantes scribetur, non posse responsum ante tres annos, et novem menses accipi; nam in Indiam litterae octo mensibus fere perferuntur, et antequam naves Molucum aut in Japonem discedant totidem menses sunt exspectandi; in eundo autem Molucum , et redeundo, menses viginti et unus exiguntur, aliis vero octo mensibus ex Indiis Romam perferri possunt, et hoc quidem sic fiet, si prospera ubique fuerit navigatio, quod si sinistri quidquam accideret, facile annum et amplius exspectare adhuc oportebit.
225. When he was in Malacca, many things were told to him about some islands just heard about, which are called Japan. An inhabitant had just come from that region with some Portuguese merchants, whose name was Angerus; when he had admitted certain sins of his youth, which troubled him with pangs of conscience, since he was still a pagan, he asked the Portuguese about how to obtain forgiveness from God. So when they told him he should go to Father Francis Xavier, he accompanied the merchants from Japan to Malacca so he could speak with him. But because Francis had already left Malacca, he returned to Japan. But when he arrived within sight of the Japanese islands, a huge storm arose, and the ship, not without great danger of shipwreck, finally made it to Malacca, where he found Francis, who had just returned from Moluku. When he went to see Francis he asked him many things in the Portuguese language, which he had learned to some extent, and when he was given an explanation of Christian doctrine, on his own accord he carefully wrote down the articles of faith. He also went often to the church to pray, and at length being very solicitous about his salvation, when Fr. Francis returned to India he followed him. Now when Francis asked him what hope there would be of bringing the Japanese to the faith of Christ, if he were to go there, he responded: that the Japanese would not accept the faith of Christ immediately, but that first they would ask him many questions, and that they would observe what he responded and what he understood, and especially whether his life is consonant with his doctrine; that if he satisfied them on both counts, that both the King of his province and other nobles, and the rest of the people, who have the power of good judgment, would accept the faith of Christ. And he said that his people could be induced to accept this only if it is seen as reasonable, as in other things. The Portuguese merchants also said that nowhere, in their opinion, could a more abundant fruit be gathered among the Gentiles than among the Japanese. Therefore Fr. Francis began to think and to feel internal movements of his mind about going to those islands, even though the journey was also very exposed to the dangers of the sea and of Chinese pirates. In the meantime, Angerus was gaining more fluency in the Portuguese language, and more knowledge of the way of life of the Portuguese, and, in things pertaining to Christian doctrine he learned more, and it seemed that he would be very useful in the explanation of the articles of the faith in the language of the Portuguese. [17. Sic; sed est manifestus error pro Japoniensium vel Japontim. Scripserat Xaverius de hoc Angero: “Catequizarle hemos, y sacaremos, ayudándonos él, toda la doctrina cristiana en lengua de Japón, con una explicación clara y copiosa sobre los artículos de la Fe y preceptos del Decálogo, porque Angero sabe muy bien escribir en letra del Japón. „ Cocini, XII cal. Februarii 1548.
Thus in the text, but this is an obvious error for Japanese. Xavier had written about this Angerus: “We have catechized him, and baptized him and we have helped him to put the whole Christian teaching in the language of Japan, with a clear and extensive explanation of the articles of faith and the Ten Commandments, because Angerus knows very well how to write the Japanese language.” From Cochin, February 12, 1548.] Meanwhile a very violent storm, such as Francis had never experienced, harassed the ships for three whole days on their way to India, but with great intensity he poured out prayers to God, and he asked for help from the Church militant and triumphant, and so all escaped extreme danger. But Francis writes, when something was written from Rome to ours living in the Molukus or the Japanese islands, that a response could not be received before three years, and [18. Mss. habet vel, sed ex sequentibus corrigendum videtur
The manuscript has or, but from what follows it seems to need correction.] nine months; for it takes almost eight months for a letter to reach India, and before the ships reach Moluku or Japan it takes just as many months. But to go to Moluku and to return twenty-one months are required, but it can take another eight months to go from India to Rome, and even this is the case if the sailing conditions are good, because if something unfavorable happens, it will easily be necessary to wait for a year or more.
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226. Inter eos qui ex Portugallia in Indiam venerant unus luit Henricus Henriquez, qui cum valetudinarius esset, et vix Goae, ubi nihil de rebus necessariis deesse solet, sanitatem tueri possit, cum ex obedientia P. Francisci, qui per litteras eum jusserat in maritimam oram Comurini advenire, ubi magna rerum omnium penuria erat, nihilo pejus, imo sat melius corpore valuit, cum aliis brevi moriturus videretur. Oppidum Tutichorim, inter caetera ejus regni maximum, ei commissum est, ubi primarii homines ejus provinciae versantur; secundum etiam Punicale dictum, quod non multum priori inferius erat; tria praeterea minora oppida, simul cum duobus praedictis sibi commissa, visitabat, novem aut decem diebus omnia percurrens; quamvis Punicali diutius quam alibi haereret, quod in medio aliorum esset. In uno ex his locis quemdam ex indigenis instruxit, ut alios docere posset, quod et in aliis facere curabat. Duorum praeterea locorum curam aliquam idem habebat; sed satis erat secundo quoque mense cos invisere, cum sacerdotem quemdam ex indigenis P. Franciscus cis praefecisset, qui tamen non magnam apud suos auctoritatem habebat, nec unus poterat tam multis necessitatibus subvenire, cum singula loca unum aut alterum sacerdotem, ut homines in officio contineret, exigerent. Alii etiam ex nostris alia loca sibi commendata habebant per tractum quindecim aut viginti milliarium, qui catechismum Christianos docebant, et utriusque sexus, et omnis aetatis homines instituebant; difficultates etiam ipsorum dissolvere, et lites dirimere necesse erat, quamvis autem ad primarios viros inter ipsos, qui patangatis dicuntur, causas rejiciebant; et vix cibo sumendo tempus per occupationes suppetebat. Magna pars tamen hominum initio ad Christi fidem, vel ut affiictiones quasdam vitarent, vel ut aliqua quae sperabant consequerentur, accedebant; sed postquam ovile Domini ingrediebantur, excoli, et ad meliora promoveri, Deo juvante, poterant; gubernatorum etiam Indiae favor multum ad hujusmodi conversiones momenti habebat. Erant praeter P. Hernicum in illo tractu P. Cyprianus, P. Franciscus Henriquez, cum P. Francisco Mansilla et Emmanuele de Morales; omnium autem caput erat P. Antonius Criminalis (recesserat enim inde P. Joannes Beira cum aliis, de quibus supra dictum est, ad Molucum destinatis). Pueri bis quotidie, mane et vespere, ad Christianae doctrinae lectionem alacriter accedebant; foeminae diebus sabbatis, viri diebus dominicis, in vernacula lingua per duas horas praecipua catechismi capita addiscebant; idololatria prorsus exulabat; magnas tamen contradictiones, tam a gentilibus, quam a Mahometi sectatoribus, et malis etiam Christianis Patres patiebantur. Mores quidem hominum illius regionis valde depravati, ut fere sine rationis usu videantur; paupertas etiam apud illos summa est; vix corporis verecunda tegunt; ex paleis domos conliciunt, et quidem multo humiliores quam nostri pastores solent; aliqui invitati ut christiani sint, negant se id facturos, quia nobiles per baptismum efficientur, nec unde sibi victum quaerant, habebunt; ad ea, quae spiritualia sunt, perexiguum judicium prae se ferunt; ad ea, quae carnis, perspicacissimum; unde nec operariis sine magna et solida virtute in ea Domini vinea securus esset accessus, cum pericula undecumque non exigua immineant. Consultum autem videbatur, ad uberiorem fructum in vastissimis illis regionibus capiendum, pueros recte in moribus et litteris instituere, qui aliquando desuis benemereri possent; donec nostri, distinctas provincias habentes, ac indigenarum idioma addiscentes, sine interpretibus (qui non bene hoc officio fere funguntur), per se ipsos saluti necessaria docere possint.
226. Among those who came from Portugal to India, one of them was Henry Henriquez who, since he was sickly, and could hardly regain his health in Goa, where none of the necessary things were lacking, when out of obedience to Fr. Francis who by a letter had ordered him to go to the seacoast of Comorin, where there is a great lack of all things, he did not get worse but rather regained his bodily strength, when it seemed to others that he would soon die. He was sent to the town of Tutichorin, the largest town of this kingdom, where the important men of the province live; the second largest is called Punical, which is not much smaller than the other town; he visited three other smaller towns, together with the two just mentioned, passing through all of them in nine or ten days, although he did spend more time in Punical than he did elsewhere, because it is located in the middle of the others. In one of these places he instructed one of the inhabitants, so that he could teach the others, and this is what he did also in other places. In addition, he had some care of two places, but it was enough to visit them every other month, since Fr. Francis had appointed for them a certain priest belonging to the natives, but he did not have much authority among them, nor could one priest take care of so many necessities, since each place needed one or two priests. Also some of our men had other places committed to them over a region of fifteen or twenty thousand miles. They taught the catechism to the Christians of both sexes, and they instructed people of all ages; it was also necessary to resolve difficulties, and to settle disputes, although they rejected cases pertaining to important men among them who are called “patangatis.” [19. In ora paginae scriptum est: pantagatcs; ast qui Xaverii litteras ediderunt, scripsere patangates et patangatini; patangats et patangatins; praeter Cutillas, qui aliquando habet patagantines. De iis haec ait Possinus : “Patangates vel Patangatini erant quasi Decuriones, aut magistri Vicorum, singuli singulis Holdeis, hoc est, Mapalibus, certo numero familiarum pauperum in tuguriis sparsim habitantium constantibus, Praefecti. „ Ad epístolas novas Sancti Francisci Xaverii, indiculus exegeticus, E p. X. — Similia habet PAGÉS, tom. I, pag. 96; sed undenam suam descriptionem deprompsit, an ex Possino, an vero ex amico suo M. Dubeux, in schola linguarum orientalium professore, non dicit. (Vide supra, notam 2 ad n. 46, pag. 105.)
On the top of the page it is written: pantagates; but those who edited the letters of Xavier wrote patangates and patangatini; patangats and patagatins; in addition, Cutillas sometimes has patagantines. About this matter Possinus says: “Patangates or Patangatini were something like senators or mayors of villages, that is, prefects for huts, with a certain number of poor families living in huts scattered around.”Ad epistolas novas Sancti Francisci Xaverii, indiculus exegeticus, Letter X. Pagés has something similar, vol. I, page 96; but where he got his description, whether from Possinus, or whether from his friend M. Dubeux, a professor in the school of languages, he does not say. (See above, note 2 in number 46).] And they were so busy that they hardly had time to take some food. However, a large part of the people in the beginning accepted the faith of Christ, either to avoid certain afflictions, or so that they might obtain some things that they wanted. But after they joined the flock of the Lord they could be carefully cultivated and, with the help of God, moved to higher things. Also, the favor of the governors of India was very important with regard to these conversions. In that region there were, besides Fr. Henry, also Fr. Cyprian, Fr. Francis Henriquez, along with Fr. Francis Mansilla and Emmanuele de Morales. But the chief of all was Fr. Antonio Criminalis (for Fr. John Beira with the others, about whom we spoke above, had departed from there and were sent to Moluku). The boys came eagerly twice a day, in the morning and evening, for lessons on Christian doctrine. The women on Saturdays, and the men on Sundays, for two hours in the vernacular language learned the main principles of the catechism. Idolatry was totally abolished; however, the Father suffered great opposition, both from the Gentiles, and from the followers of Mohammed, and also from some bad Christians. Now the morals of the people of that region were very depraved, so that they seemed to be almost without the use of reason. They also lived in great poverty; they barely cover the private parts of the body; they make their houses out of straw, and in fact they are wont to be much poorer than our shepherds. Some who have been asked to become Christians said that they would not do that, because through baptism they will become nobles, and they do not have the means of providing food for themselves. They show very little knowledge about things that are spiritual, but they are very shrewd concerning things of the flesh; and without great and solid virtue there would be no place for workers in the vineyard of the Lord, since great dangers threaten from all sides. But it seemed desirable, in order to obtain a more abundant fruit in those vast regions, to instruct the boys properly in morals and literacy, since eventually they could expect good things from them. Meanwhile ours, having different provinces and learning the languages of the natives, without translators (who nearly always did not perform this function well), could teach by themselves the things necessary for salvation.
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227. Goae etiam hoc anno Nicolaus Lancillotus Collegii, de quo jam mentio facta est, curam gerebat; sentiebat ille a tenerrima aetate quinque vel sex annorum pueros esse erudiendos, ut virtutes et Christianam vivendi rationem purius haurirent; nam aetate adultiores deceptionibus daemonis et vitiis cor plenum adferentes, difficilius ad pietatem excoli possent; quamvis, ratione proprii idiomatis, aliquos non ante duodecimum annum suscipiendos existimabat. Miraculo quodam perpetuo, vires lusitanorum in India Deus conservare videbatur, ut verisimile mihi fit, ad Evangelium in eas nationes perferendum. Anno 1546 praecedente, in magnum discrimen res Christianorum erant adductae, cum civitatem Diensem barbari occupassent; mira tamen Dei providentia effectum est, ut recuperaretur; nam tormenta ipsa bellica, quae hostes praeparaverant, ignem non susceperunt, quae maximam lusitanorum partem, qui alia via quam per ora bombardarum transire non poterant, haud dubie interfecissent. Affirmabant etiam pulcherrimam quamdam foeminam in turri cathcdralis Ecclesiae conspectam esse, quae hostes excaecabat, quam Beatissimam Virginem esse creditum est. Hoc etiam anno Indiae gubernator, mense Novembri, ingentem exercitum Regis Cambaiae fudit ac fugavit, divinis potius quam humanis viribus; et sic civitatem, in qua Rex ille versabatur, lusitani ceperunt.
227. At Goa during this year Nicholas Lancilott was in charge of the College, which we have already mentioned. He thought that the boys should be taught beginning at the early age of five or six, so that they would more effectively become virtuous and drink in the Christian way of living. For, the older boys, having a heart full of demonic deceptions and vices, were much more difficult to train to a life of piety; however, because of their own language, he thought that some should not be accepted before the age of twelve. By some kind of perpetual miracle God seemed to preserve the power of the Portuguese in India, as it seems probably to me, in order to bring the Gospel to those nations. In the preceding year of 1546 Christianity there was put in grave danger, since the barbarians occupied the city of Diensis; but by the wonderful providence of God it came about that it was recovered. For, the warlike defenses, which the enemy had prepared, did not catch fire, which without doubt would have killed most of the Portuguese, who did not have any other way of approach other than directly at the cannons. They also said that they saw a very beautiful woman on the tower of the cathedral, who blinded the enemy, and they believed she was the Blessed Virgin. Also during this year the governor of India, in the month of November, defeated and put to flight a huge army of the King of Cambay, by divine rather than by human power; and so the Portuguese captured the city where their King resided.
