The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 4, July, 1851Various
History
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 4, July, 1851
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
The emperor listened to this long narrative with attention, and
expressed his satisfaction at hearing his friend's history from his own
lips. "For," said he, "I felt great surprise when I received at Augsburg
your letter from Rome, notifying the choice you had made of a religious
brotherhood. And I still think, that a man of your weight ought to have
entered an order which had been approved by age rather than this new
one, in which no white hairs are found, and which besides, in some
quarters, bears but an indifferent reputation." To this Borja replied,
that in all institutions, even in Christianity itself, the purest piety
and the noblest zeal were to be found near the source; that had he been
aware of any evil in the Company, he would never have joined, or he
would already have quitted it; and that, in the matter of white hairs,
though it was hard to expect that the children should be old while the
parent was still young, even these were not wanting, as might be seen in
his companion, the father Bustamente. That ecclesiastic, who had begun
his novitiate at the age of sixty, was accordingly called into the
presence. The emperor at once recognized him as a priest who had been
sent to his court at Naples, soon after the campaign of Tunis, charged
with an important mission by Cardinal Tavera, primate of Spain.
Three hours of discourse with these able, earnest, and practised
champions of Jesuitism appear to have had their natural influence on the
mind of Charles. He hated innovation with the hate of a king, a devotee,
and an old man; and having fought for forty years a losing battle
against the reform of the terrible monk of Saxony, he looked with
suspicion even upon the great orthodox movement, led by the soldier of
Guipuzcoa. The infant Company, although, or perhaps because, in favor at
the Vatican, had gained no footing in the imperial court; and as its
fame grew, the prelates around the throne, sons or friends of the
ancient orders, were more likely to remind their master, that its
general had been once admonished by the holy office of Toledo, than to
dwell on his piety and eloquence, or on the splendid success of his
missions in the East. But from his ancient servant and brother in arms,
in the quiet shades of Yuste, Charles heard a different tale, which
seems to have changed his feelings towards the Jesuits, from distrust
and dislike, to approval and friendly regard.
Sometimes the talk of the emperor and his guest was of old times, and of
their former selves. "Do you remember," said Charles, "how I told you in
1542, at Moncon," during the holding of the Cortes of Aragon, "of my
intention of abdicating the throne? I spoke of it to only one person
besides." The Jesuit replied that he had kept the secret truly, but that
now he hoped he might mention the mark of confidence with which he had
been honored. "Yes," said Charles; "now that the thing is done, you may
say what you will."
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