66 object, for they transform themselves into various shapes 66 among Pagans, they will be Pagans; among Atheists, "Atheists; Jews among Jews; and Reformers among Re"formers, for the sole purpose of discovering your intentions, 66 your hearts, and desires. These persons are spread over "the whole earth: they will be admitted into the Councils of "Princes, which will, however, be no wiser from their intro"duction: they will infatuate them so far as to induce them to "reveal the greatest secrets of their hearts: they will be in no way aware of them. This will be the consequence of "their advisers neglecting to observe the laws of God and of "his Gospel, and conniving at the sins of Princes. Not withstanding, God will, in the end, in order to avenge his "law, cut off this Society even by those who have most sup"ported and employed it; so that, at last, they will become odious to all nations *." It was in Portugal that these Fathers formed their first establishment: before even the Bull of 1540, which confirmed their institution, had been granted to them, the ambassador MASCARENHAS had carried with him into Portugal, FRANCIS XAVIER and RODRIGUEZ. While XAVIER, full of zeal, crossed the seas to convert the Infidels, the Patriarch IGNATius did not omit to send many of his companions into Portugal, who knew how to make their way at Court. They obtained permission that the Schools should be confided to them +. The University of Coimbra opposed, in a body, the order which it received in 1555 (fifteen years after the introduction of the Jesuits in Portugal) to deliver up to them the College of Philosophy. At the congress of the deputies of all the cities in the Kingdom convoked by King SEBASTIAN in 1562, the people presented the strongest remonstrances against the See VARAN'S Annals of Ireland, reprinted at Dublin in 1705. See the Manifesto of the King of Portugal of the 28th June, 1759, by which he abolishes their Schools, declaring that Learning itself had sensibly declined under them. great wealth which these Professors had already acquired (since the twenty-two years which they had been in the kingdom), and against the system of education pursued by them. The nobility and people of Oporto met together on 22d No. vember, 1630, to deliberate upon the Schools opened by them in that year, and enacted severe penalties against all who should go there, or send their children there. War having arisen between France and CHARLES V. some of the Jesuits were compelled to quit Paris: they retired, with DOMANA their superior, who took them to finish their studies at Louvain: thence they spread themselves over Flan ders with some proselytes: having been there some time without any fixed residence, they influenced some Magistrates of Tournay, who took pains to procure them a College*. New intrigues followed on the part of the Jesuits: IGNATIUS procured a Letter from Cardinal CARPI to the Nuncio of Brussels, to maintain the privileges of the Jesuits; he obtained also the recommendation of the Queen of Spain. Their expulsion from Sarragossa took place in 1555 †: they had obtained a House there, while waiting for the building of their College; but finding they had not room enough, they seized upon a piece of land which belonged to the Augustines, on which they erected their Church. Those monks complained of the encroachment, and caused notice to be given to the Jesuits not to continue that building: but the Jesuits availing themselves of their privilege, which authorizes them to build wherever they may think proper, accused the Augustines of disobedience to the Holy See, and continued their building. When it was finished, without applying to the Ordinary, they put in force another of their privileges, which enables them to consecrate their own Churches, and they said Mass in their new Chapel. *See L'Histoire des Religieux de la Comp. de Jesus, lib. iii. ch. 58. + See Continuation of Fleury, Vol. xxxi. lib. 151, ་ hibit them from proceeding any farther; but they paid no attention to the admonition, which obliged the Grand Vicar to forbid all persons, on pain of excommunication, from going to hear Mass among them, or taking part in any sacred service: he caused the Decree to be affixed at the door of their Church, and directed all preachers to publish it from their pulpits. The Jesuits persisting in celebrating divine service, notwithstanding these proceedings, and in spite of the prohibitions, the Grand Vicar excommunicated them, as well as all who had assisted at it; and in order to oblige these Fathers to quit the city, he placed them under an interdict until they should depart: they quitted the city; but found, at length, the means of returning; for which purpose, they obtained a Letter from Queen JANE the mother of CHARLES V.* Their credit at the Court of Spain was already so great, that, as has been observed, they interfered in the marriage of PHILIP II. They produce a copy of the Letters Patent, which they pretend to have obtained from that Prince for their esta blishment in the Low Countries, dated in August, 1556, the authenticity of which was attacked by M. GREBERT.-See Réponse de M. GREBERT, p. 12. The Author of L'Histoire des Religieux de la Com pagnie de Jesus gives a detail† (on the authority of ORLANDIN the Jesuit) of what passed in the Low Countries in 1556, respecting the Jesuits. IGNATIUS long laboured to procure for his Society an establishment in Flanders: he sent RIBADENEIRA to Antwerp, where PHILIP II. then kept his Court; the doctrines of LUTHER, which began to spread themselves in' the environs, afforded this Father a pretext for offering to that' Prince, the services of his Company: he laid before him the advantages which it had rendered to the Church, wherever it had possessed Establishments, adding, that it would be of equal benefit in the Low Countries, where it was so much Continuation of Fleury, Vol. xxxi. lib. 151. the more necessary from HERESY having begun to spread; that they only asked, in order to check its progress, such revenues as might give solidity to their Establishments; in short, that this Monarch would, "by his compliance, perform an action 66 worthy of his great mind, agreeable to the whole Church, and "to Religion in general." The King contented himself with requiring of the Jesuits their request in writing, which he sent to the Council of Flanders: as soon as it was communicated to them, the Bishops, Rectors, Magistrates, Religious Orders, and even the People, declared unanimously against their Establishment. The disturbances they had already excited in Tournay, and Sarragossa, were the general theme of conversation; and the indignation against them was universal. The Magistrates contending, amongst others, that the privileges of the Jesuits would overturn the rights of Bishops, and of the other religious Orders, the Jesuit RIBADENEIRA maintained, that "those privileges could not be attacked with"out attacking the omnipotence of Jesus Christ; because "Jesus Christ having bequeathed that to the Pope, it was a crying injustice to wish to annul, rectify, or alter what the "Sovereign Pontiffs had once settled." This extraordinary position had no weight with the Council of Flanders, and the Jesuits were at that time sent back. 66 The afflictions which followed their early disgraces in France, Flanders, Sarragossa, and Spain, were alleviated by the magnificent establishments, which their industrious Patriarch was enabled to procure for them at Rome*. This Professor of poverty, by the contributions which he drew from different persons, accomplished the erection of the two superb Roman and German Colleges, and a very agreeable and commodious country-house, for the advantage of the air. These Establishments, which have been since enlarged and multiplied, have furnished the Jesuits with the means * Continuation of Fleury, Vol. xxxi. lib. 151. of accommodating about six hundred of their members at Rome, and of presiding from thence over the world at large. IGNATIUS, the main spring of this great body, died on the 81st of July, 1556, having the satisfaction of seeing his company so increased that it was already divided into twelve Provinces, and possessed at least a hundred Colleges, without including its other Houses. LAINEZ, the oldest of IGNATIUS's companions, a subtle character, and one who appeared to have had the greatest share in all the operations of IGNATIUS, caused a General Assembly to be convened for the election of a General; and, in the mean time, he succeeded in obtaining for himself the appointment of Vicar General to govern during the inter regnum. As soon as the Deputies appeared at the General Assembly, that skilful Politician made them sign a kind of Formulary, the principal article of which was, that no other business should be proceeded on by the Chapter, until a General should be elected. Pope PAUL IV. having seen, however, with jealousy, that the authority of the General of this Order over his subjects was parallel with his own, had appointed Cardinal PACHECO to represent him at the Chapter, and to signify to it his determination; which was, first, that the Generalship should not be perpetual, but only for three years, as in many other Orders; and secondly, that the Jesuits should join in the public service of the Church, as was practised by other Orders. With a view to get rid of both these conditions, the Jesuits represented that they were unable to discuss any subject until the election of a General had taken place: they were therefore suffered to proceed to it, and on the 2d of July, 1558, the choice fell upon Lainez. LAINEZ. The election being once decided, no respect whatever was paid to the two demands of the Pope: he was much incensed at this; and when the new General came with many of his Order to announce the election to PAUL IV. he treated them |