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PREFACE, iii

INTRODUCTION.

The Author dissuaded from writing the History of the Jesuits--Reasons for undertaking the Work--Difficulty of well delineating the Character of a Jesuit--The Author pledges himself to be Impartial, 1

ORIGIN OF THE ORDER.

CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SOCIETY.

HIERARCHY.

The Members of this Society are divided into Four Classes--Gioberti and Pellico upon a Fifth Secret Class--The Novices--Their Trials--Their Vows--Scholars--Qualities they must possess--Coadjutors Temporal and Spiritual--Their several Duties--Their Vows--Professed Members--The First Class in the Society--They take a Fourth Vow of implicit Obedience to the Holy See--Ceremony in taking the Vows--They as well as the Coadjutors are bound to live by Alms--The General of the Order--How Elected--His Attributions--His Powers--The Provincial and other inferior Officials of the Order--Their Attributions, 45

PROGRESS OF THE ORDER, AND ITS FIRST GENERAL.

Ignatius elected General, at first refuses the office--Afterwards accepts of it--His Zeal and Activity in promoting the Interests of the Order--Charitable Institutions in Rome--He co-operates in re-establishing the Inquisition--The Albigenses--Rules of the Tribunal--Terror which it spread through Italy--The Jesuits in Missions in various parts of Europe--The first Jesuits in Great Britain--Instructions given them by Loyola--Their Proceedings, 57

THE FEMALE JESUITS.

Their origin--Donna Isabella--Rosello--Trouble which they gave to Ignatius--He refuses to take charge of them--Attempts of some Women to establish the Order of Female Jesuits--They are Suppressed in 1631--They Revive as the Sisters of the Holy Heart, 71

THE FIRST OPPOSITION TO THE ORDER, AND DEATH OF LOYOLA.

MISSIONS.

Jesuit Authors who write about them--Mission of East India--Francis Xavier--Zeal and Devotedness of the First Missionaries--Sketch of the Life and Character of Xavier--He Arrives at Goa--Moral State of the Town--Efforts of Xavier to Reform it--He Succeeds but Partially--Xavier on the Coast of Malabar--His Conduct there--He goes to Malacca--To Japan--His intended Mission to China--Opposition of Don Alvarez, Captain General of Malacca--Xavier lands at Sancian--His Illness and Death, 1552--Appreciation of Xavier's Merits--Prevarication of the Missionaries after Xavier's Death--Father Nobili introduces Idolatry into the Christian form of Worship--He gives himself out as a Brahmin--The Jesuits maintain the Distinction of Castes among the Converts--Their way of making Christians--They greatly exaggerate the number of Converts--Scandalous Idolatry--The Court of Rome condemns it--Cardinal de Tournon, Pope's Legate in India--He solemnly condemns the Malabar Rites--Incredible Impudence and Audacity of the Jesuits, to elude the Ordinance of the Legate--The Pope and the Inquisition confirm the Decree of De Tournon--He proceeds to China--His Conduct there--He is Expelled from Pekin--His Imprisonment--Cruel Treatment to which he is subjected--His Death, 1710--The Jesuits the Authors of his Misfortunes--The Pope's Eulogium on De Tournon--Repeated Decrees of the Holy See against the Jesuits--Decline of their Influence in India--Principal Feature of Missions--Why the Pope Condemned the Malabar Rites--Popish Idolatry--Procession of Good-Friday, 96

THE GENERALS OF THE ORDER.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE JESUITS IN THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF EUROPE.

The Jesuits in Poland--Sigismond the King of the Jesuits--The Jesuits' Paramount Influence employed in re-establishing Popery, 202

The Jesuits in Switzerland and Piedmont--Canisius founds the College of Friburg--The Waldenses--Their Simplicity and Innocence--Persecution and Cruelties exercised against them by Possevin--He hunts them as Wild Beasts--Pretends that many abjure Protestantism--Reflexions on the Influence and Conduct of the Jesuits throughout Europe, 205

COMMOTION AMONG THE JESUITS.

DOCTRINES AND MORAL CODE OF THE JESUITS.

OVERGROWING INFLUENCE OF THE SOCIETY.

The Jesuits in Germany--They are the most able Auxiliaries of Ferdinand in destroying the Protestants--Tilly, Wallenstein, and Piccolomini, their Pupils--Conduct of the Jesuits in the Thirty Years' War--Advantages which they derived from it, 278

Influence of the Jesuits in Poland--They used it against the Protestants--Letter of the University of Cracow to that of Louvain on the Jesuit Cruelties--Cassimir, King of Poland, formerly a Jesuit--He is on the point of losing his Kingdom--Commits it to the care of the Virgin Mary, 280

The Jesuits and Christina of Sweden--Father Macedo converts her to Romanism--She Abdicates the Crown and goes to Rome, 282

AMERICAN MISSIONS.

Our Opinion of the Missions--Praises awarded to the Fathers--Difference between the Indian and American Missions--State of the two Countries--Cruelties exercised by the Spaniards against the Indians--Humane and Christian-like Conduct of the Jesuits--They Differ from other Monks--The Indians receive the Jesuits as their Protectors--Wandering of the Jesuits in making Proselytes--Acquaviva Traces to them a Plan of Proceeding--They Establish themselves in Paraguay--The Reductions--Conduct of the Jesuits--The Indians Idolise them--Form of Government of Reductions--Communism--Mode of Life in the Reductions--The Indians forbidden to leave the Reductions, and Strangers to enter them--The Indians drilled to Arms--The Jesuits accompany and direct them in their Expeditions--Criticism of the Jesuits' System in the Reductions--Opinion of Quinet--Our Opinion differs from that of this celebrated Professor--Well-founded Reproaches addressed to the Jesuits on account of the Superstitious Practices Introduced by them into Religion--They are reproved even by Roman Catholics--Palafox, Bishop of Angelopolis--He attempts to exercise his Authority over the Fathers--Privileges of the Jesuits--Letter of Palafox to the Pope, asking for a Reform of the Society--Persecution raised against him by the Jesuits continued after his Death--They Oppose his Canonisation--What are the Causes of Discord between the Jesuits and the other Orders--Opinion of Gioberti--The Jesuits want to Domineer over Bishops and Legates--Their Conduct towards them--Divers Bulls of different Popes on the Disobedience and Revolt of the Order against the Holy See, 295

INTERNAL CAUSES OF DECLINE.

A Spirit of Independence pervades the Order--The Aristocratic Class of the Professed refuse Obedience to the Generals--Incapacity of the latter--Under Vitelleschi, the Spirit of the Constitution is quite Changed--Letters of Vitelleschi and Caraffa to deprecate the Ruin of the Order--Piccolomini and Gottifredi, Generals--Nickel, the elected General, attempts a Reform--General Congregation depriving him of all Authority--Oliva Vicar-General--He becomes General after the Death of Nickel--His Character--His Epicurean Habits--Relaxation of Discipline--Political Influence which the Society acquired at such an Epoch--Its Causes--The Jesuits, blinded by Prosperity, become less Cautious--Noyelle, Gonzales, and Tambourini, Generals--The Company follow a Road which leads to Ruin--They excite the Jealousy of all the other Monastic Orders--They sell a Passport against the Evil Spirit--Mastrilli sends a Message every day by an Angel to Xavier, and receives Answers, 315

DOWNFALL OF THE JESUITS.

ABOLITION OF THE ORDER.

Proceedings against the Jesuits immediately after the Publication of the Bull--A Retrospective Glance at the Progress of the Order--Its Humble Origin--Its Increase--Its Considerable Power--Number of Houses, Colleges, and Fathers at the Epoch of the Suppression--Approximate Estimate of their Wealth--Different Sources of it--Ricci's Denial that the Order possesses any Money--Reasons for believing otherwise--Ricci and some other Jesuits sent Prisoners to the Castel St Angelo--Slanders of the Jesuits on Ganganelli's Conduct, 407

THE JESUITS DURING THE SUPPRESSION.

Conduct of the Jesuits after the Suppression--Few obey the Bull--They seek an Asylum with Protestant Princes--Strange conduct of Frederick of Prussia--He Protects the Jesuits--Is Ridiculed by his friend D'Alembert--The Jesuits in Silesia--Braschi succeeds Ganganelli in the Papal Chair--The Sovereigns of the House of Bourbon press him to see the Bull of his Predecessor executed--Character of Braschi--He fears rather than loves the Jesuits--He writes to Frederick--The Answer of the King--St Priest explains the Conduct of Frederick--The Author differs with him in Opinion, 422

Catherine of Russia protects the Jesuits--Her Motives--The Jesuits Establish themselves in Russia in Opposition to the Pope's Command--Death of Ricci--The Jesuits in Russia name a Vicar-General--Siestrencewiecz, Bishop of Mohilow--He permits the Jesuits to receive Novices--Remonstrances of the Court of Rome--The Jesuits name a General and act as if the Bull of Suppression had not been Issued--How Cr?tineau Exculpates them--Chiaramonti succeeds Braschi--He Re-establishes the Society in White Russia--Its Progress there--Grouber elected General--His Talents and Prudence--The Jesuits Re-established in Sicily--Grouber Dies in a Conflagration--Imprudent Conduct of the Jesuits after his Death--Alexander Expels them from St Petersburg--The Jesuits persisting in their Criminal Practices, are Expelled from Russia, 1820, 430

RE-ESTABLISHMENT.

THE JESUITS IN AND AFTER 1848.

CONCLUSION, 493

INDEX 497

PAGE

INTRODUCTION.

When I first intimated to some of my friends my intention of writing the History of the Jesuits, most of them dissuaded me from the enterprise, as from a task too difficult. I am fully aware of all the difficulties I have to encounter in my undertaking. I am sensible that to write a complete and detailed history of the Jesuits would require more time and learning than I have to bestow: neither could such a history be brought within the compass of six or seven hundred pages. It will be my endeavour, however, to give as faithful an account of the Society as I can, to furnish an accurate narrative of facts, and an outline of the principal members of the order. Thus much, at least, with the aid of time, patience, and study, may be achieved by any one.

It is under the guidance of such principles of criticism as these that I shall write my history.

My readers, however, must not look to find my book thick-sown throughout with nothing but vehement and indiscriminate abuse against the order. Such is not the vehicle through which, in the judgment of the impartial, I shall be expected to manifest my disapproval, whenever the occasion for such disapproval shall present itself. It will be my endeavour not to be led astray by any feeling whatsoever, but to give every one his due. Whatever I shall advance against the Jesuits, I shall prove upon their own authority, or by notorious, incontestable facts. Alas! these will prove to be too numerous, and of too dark a character, to require the addition of anything that is untrue; and the Society numbers among its members too many rogues to prevent its historian from making creditable mention, for poor humanity's sake, of the few honest, if misguided, ones he may chance to meet on his way.

I hope my readers will be indulgent to me, if I promise that I will spare neither trouble nor exertion to surmount all the difficulties that lie in my path, and to present in as true a light as possible the crafty disciples of the brotherhood of Loyola.

HISTORY OF THE JESUITS.

ORIGIN OF THE ORDER.

To a very submissive letter which the Reformer addressed to the Pope, appealing to him as to a judge, the Court of Rome replied by a bull of excommunication. Upon this Luther renewed his anxious investigation of the Holy Scriptures with increased ardour; and, becoming more and more powerfully convinced that he had been propounding nothing but the Word of God, fearlessly cast aside all idea of a reconciliation, and stood firm in support of his doctrines. Previously he might have been inclined to keep in abeyance some of his private opinions, but now he had come to consider it a deadly sin not to preach the truth as expressed by God in his Holy Word.

And let us here admire the hand of Divine Providence! As if with the special view of facilitating the rapid diffusion of the Reformed religion, there was given to the world but a few years before, and in that same Germany where it took its rise, the most wonderful and efficient instrument for the purpose--the Art of Printing. Without the press, Luther's doctrines would never have spread so widely in so very few months. As at that time this beneficent invention was a powerful agent in advancing religious reformation, so has it since become an effective means of political as well as religious enfranchisement. Hence the hatred of the Popes and their brother despots towards this staunch supporter of liberty.

It is of this renowned and dreaded Society that I purpose to write the history. As a matter of course, the first few pages will contain a biographical sketch of its bold and sagacious founder, to whom altars have been consecrated, and who is still regarded as the type and soul of the order.

Yet the military life had not lost its attractions for him. It did not require the painful preparation necessary to earn a saintly reputation, and was, moreover, more in accordance with his education and tastes. He long hesitated which course to adopt--whether he should win the laurels of a hero, or earn the crown of a saint. Had he perfectly recovered from the effects of his wound, there is little doubt but that he would have chosen the laurels. But this was not to be. Although he was restored to health, his leg remained hopelessly deformed--he was a cripple for life. It appeared that his restorer, St Peter, although upon the whole a tolerably good physician, was by no means an expert surgeon. The broken bone of his leg had not been properly set; part of it protruded through the skin below the knee, and the limb was short. Sorely, but vainly, did Ignatius strive to remove these impediments to a military career, which his unskilful though saintly surgeon had permitted to remain. He had the projecting piece of bone sawn off, and his shortened leg painfully extended by mechanical appliances, in the hope of restoring it to its original fine proportions. The attempt failed; so he found himself, at the age of thirty-two, with a shrunken limb, with little or no renown, and, by his incurable lameness, rendered but slightly capable of acquiring military glory. Nothing then remained for him but to become a saint.

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