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The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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ASCETICISM OF BORROMEO. llQ<br />

choly notions savouring <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>The</strong>atines, and he commanded<br />

that <strong>the</strong> Jesuits and o<strong>the</strong>r rehgious orders should be informed<br />

that he would punish <strong>the</strong>m if <strong>the</strong>y set foot in <strong>the</strong> house <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Cardinal. 1 <strong>The</strong> feeling against <strong>the</strong> Jesuits was so strong and<br />

so wide-spread that <strong>the</strong> secretary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Order, Polanco,<br />

thought it necessary to send a letter in his own hand to Spain,<br />

in which he made <strong>the</strong> matter clear, and denied any responsi-<br />

bility on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Order for <strong>the</strong> steps<br />

taken by <strong>the</strong> Cardinal.<br />

However compliant Charles Borromeo had hi<strong>the</strong>rto been in<br />

giving way to <strong>the</strong> wishes <strong>of</strong> his uncle, he would not make <strong>the</strong><br />

slightest concession to him in <strong>the</strong> matter <strong>of</strong> any mitigation<br />

<strong>of</strong> his severe rule <strong>of</strong> life. On <strong>the</strong> contrary, his strictness con-<br />

tinued to increase, especially after <strong>the</strong> <strong>close</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council<br />

<strong>of</strong> Trent. In June, 1564, his court and state were reduced<br />

to a great extent ; about eighty persons, who seemed little<br />

suited for a clerical life, were dismissed and o<strong>the</strong>rwise pro-<br />

vided for, while those who remained were forbidden <strong>the</strong> use<br />

<strong>of</strong> silken garments and o<strong>the</strong>r luxuries. On one day in <strong>the</strong><br />

week, <strong>the</strong> Cardinal took nothing but bread and water ; he<br />

devoted yet more hours <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day to devotion than before ;<br />

^ Requesens to Philip II. in Dollinger, BeitrS.ge, I., 561,<br />

confirmed by <strong>the</strong> *reports <strong>of</strong> Fr. Tonina <strong>of</strong> April 22 and 29, 1564<br />

(Gonzaga Archives, Mantua, Appendix Nos. 34 and 35). Pius IV.,<br />

however, had only forbidden Lainez and Ribera to have access<br />

to Borromeo, <strong>the</strong> messenger who delivered <strong>the</strong> Pope's order<br />

extended it to all Jesuits. Canisii Epist., IV., 532.<br />

^ Polanco to Araoz on April 28, 1564, printed in Astrain, II.,<br />

208 seq. Cf. Canisii Epist., IV., 531 seq. Polanco as well as<br />

Bascape (p. ga) hints that Charles sometimes went too far<br />

" Eaque fuit in moribus omnique vitae consuetudine gravitas,<br />

ut ad austeritatem quoque perveniret, quemadmodum saepe<br />

solet initio vitae religiosioris evenire." <strong>The</strong> thought <strong>of</strong> even<br />

denying himself a walk was attributed to Charles by Egidio<br />

Foscarari, according to Bascape (p. 9a). Ribera received in <strong>the</strong><br />

following year <strong>the</strong> long sought permission to go to <strong>the</strong> foreign<br />

missions. A letter <strong>of</strong> farewell to him <strong>from</strong> Borromeo, on February<br />

3. 1565, in Sala, Document!, III., 331 seq.<br />

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