The Jesuits, 1534-1921: A History of the Society of Jesus from Its Foundation to the Present TimeCampbell, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
History
The Jesuits, 1534-1921: A History of the Society of Jesus from Its Foundation to the Present Time
Campbell, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
Jesuits -- History
Toletus, however, continued to fight. On January 12 he advised Aquaviva
to propose the discussion of a change of assistants and a sexennial
congregation. A commission was immediately formed to wait on the Pope,
but it failed to see him; whereupon Toletus appeared on January 14 and
informed the General that the two points should be regarded as settled
without discussion. Accordingly, four days later, new assistants were
elected, but the law of the six-year convocations became a dead letter.
On January 8 Toletus had presented a document to the Pontiff urging nine
different changes in the Constitutions, adding that Philip II had asked
for them, though in reality the king had only asked that they should be
discussed. Doubtless Toletus had misunderstood. Fortunately, the Pope
would not admit all of the changes, but suggested to the congregation
four harmless ones--first, that except for the master of novices, the
term of office should be three years; second, that at the end of their
term the provincials should give an account of their administration;
third that the papal reservations should be observed; and fourth, that
the assistants should have a deciding vote. The three first were readily
accepted, and the fourth respectfully rejected. The remaining business
was then expedited, and the congregation adjourned on January 19, 1594.
The conspirators, however, had not yet been beaten. They proposed to the
Pope to appoint Aquaviva Archbishop of Capua. Of course, Aquaviva
refused, and then it was cunningly suggested that it would be an
excellent thing if the General, in the interests of unity and peace,
should visit the Spanish provinces. Philip III, who was now on the
throne, had been approached, and he wrote to the Pope to that effect.
Clement rather favored the proposition, but Henry IV of France,
Sigismund of Poland, the Archdukes Ferdinand and Matthias and other
German princes protested. Then the Pope took the matter under
consideration, but before he reached any conclusion he died, and the
plot was thus thwarted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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