History of the Jesuits: Their origin, progress, doctrines, and designsNicolini, G. B. (Giovanni Battista)
History
History of the Jesuits: Their origin, progress, doctrines, and designs
Nicolini, G. B. (Giovanni Battista)
Jesuits -- History
The government, satisfied that the Jesuits were the cause of all these
troubles, and with the view of quieting the popular commotions, issued
a proclamation, which may have been considered just in those days, but
which we, who live in a more tolerant age, must unconditionally condemn.
Among its other enactments were the following:—“That whosoever had any
children, wards, kinsmen, or other relations in parts beyond the seas,
should after ten days give in their names to the ordinary, and within
four months call them home again, and when they had returned, should
forthwith give notice of the same to the said ordinary. That they should
not, directly or indirectly, supply such as refused to return with any
money. That no man should entertain in his house or harbour any priests
sent forth from the aforesaid seminaries, or Jesuits, or cherish and
relieve them. And that whosoever did to the contrary, should be accounted
a favourer of rebels and seditious persons, and be proceeded against
according to the laws of the land.”[138]
The proclamation was boldly answered by pamphlets from each of the
Jesuits. Parson’s was full of virulence towards the Protestants, and
Campion’s, although written in a more moderate tone, was no less
offensive. This last was entitled _Ten Reasons_. It was a defence of the
Church of Rome and its supremacy, and made no little noise.[139] In both
of these writings, it was protested that the Jesuits were in England
solely for the purpose of exercising their holy ministry, and not for any
political end whatever; that, on the contrary, they had come to modify
the Bull of Pius V. Crétineau says, that “Parson and Campion would not
leave Rome until they obtained from the Holy See this concession (the
modification of the Bull), which would greatly facilitate their apostolic
mission; even the Protestants themselves mention this in their annals as
a fact.”[140] And in a note he cites “Camden.” We shall quote for him the
passage of the English annalist.
“Robert Parson and Edmund Campion were authorised by Gregory XIII.
in these words:—An explication of the bull issued by Pius V. against
Elizabeth and her adherents is sought for from our supreme lord, since
the Catholics desire that it be thus understood, that it should always
bind her and the heretics, but by no means the Catholics, as matters now
stand, but only when the execution of the same bull be publicly ordered.
The supreme Pontiff granted the aforesaid grace to Father Robert Parson
and Edmund Campion when about to set out to England, on the 13th April
1580, in the presence of Father Oliver Manara assistant.”[141]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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