“After so many storms, troubles, divisions, every good man looked forward with impatience to the happy day which was to restore peace and tranquillity. But under the reign of Clement XIII., the times became more difficult and tempestuous, complaints and quarrels were multiplied on every side, in some places dangerous seditions arose, tumults, discord, dissensions, scandals, which, weakening or entirely breaking the bands of Christian charity, excited the faithful to all the rage of party hatreds and enmities. Desolation and danger grew to such a height, that the very sovereigns whose piety and liberality towards the Company were so well known as to be looked on as hereditary in their families,—we mean our dearly-beloved sons in Christ, the Kings of France, Spain, Portugal, and Sicily,—found themselves reduced to the necessity of expelling and driving from their states, kingdoms, and provinces these very companions of Jesus, persuaded that there remained no other remedy to so great evils, and that this step was necessary in order to prevent the Christians from rising one against another, and from massacring each other in the very bosom of our common mother, the Holy Church. “Actuated by so many and important considerations, . . . after a mature deliberation, we do, out of our certain knowledge, and the fulness of our apostolic power, suppress and abolish the said Company. We deprive it of all activity whatever, of its houses, schools, colleges, hospitals, lands, and, in short, every other place belonging to the said Company in any manner whatever, in whatsoever kingdom or province they may be situated. We abrogate and annul its statutes, rules, customs, decrees, and constitutions, even though confirmed by oath and approved by the Holy See, or otherwise; we declare all and every kind of authority, the General, the Provincial, the Visitor, and other superiors of the said Society, to be annulled and abolished for ever, of whatsoever nature the said authority may be, as well in things spiritual as temporal,” &c. CHAPTER III. THE CONNECTING TIE.