Fray Luis de León: A Biographical FragmentFitzmaurice-Kelly, James
History
Fray Luis de León: A Biographical Fragment
Fitzmaurice-Kelly, James
León, Luis de, 1527-1591
When did Luis de Leon return to Salamanca, and how was he received
there? According to an anonymous contemporary, whom Gallardo
conjectured to be a Jesuit, Luis de Leon made a sort of triumphal
entry into Salamanca, accompanied by a procession which marched along
to the sound of timbrels and trumpets.[189] This procession is alleged
to have taken place in the afternoon of December 30, 1576; but, as the
statement is made by one who has no divine idea of a date,[190] it
would be imprudent to rely on his unsupported authority in this
particular. The date of the procession may be doubtful. There is no
reason to doubt the general accuracy of the assertion that there was
some public manifestation of joy at Luis de Leon's release.[191]
Though he was not popular, his fellow-citizens were proud of him, and
there is a natural tendency to show sympathy with a man who has been
hardly used. But life is not made up of triumphal processions. On
December 31[192] Luis de Leon met the _Claustro_ of the University,
which had been duly informed of his acquittal. After congratulatory
phrases from the Rector, the released man was invited to speak.
According to the decree of the Inquisition, Luis de Leon was entitled
to claim restitution to his University chair. There were practical
difficulties in the way. Luis de Leon's tenure had lapsed while he was
in prison at Valladolid; his immediate successor had been Bartolomé de
Medina, a dangerous enemy, and the chair was subsequently occupied by
the Benedictine Fray Garcia del Castillo, another declared opponent
who had intervened at an early stage of the case. Luis de Leon
renounced all claim, present or future, to his former chair--_que la
daba por bien empleada_--so long as it was held by Castillo. He
besought the _Claustro_ to bear in mind his past services, pointed
out that his acquittal implied a general approval of his teaching,
and then left the meeting.[193] Finally the _Claustro_ of Salamanca
agreed to create a new chair for Luis de Leon, with a salary of two
hundred ducats a year, his duty being to lecture on theology.[194]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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