to pursue with the young rebels of Coimbra. Success crowned his efforts, even beyond his expectations and desire. A strange revolution ensued. Many A reaction.

had seceded, and rumour made the most, or

rather the worst, of the transaction. It was a desperate hour for Jesuit-ascendancy in Coimbra-in Portugal. Something must be done to retrieve all-powerful influence. A glorious self-devotion was required, some striking example to agitate the minds and hearts of humanity. Godinius, the rector of the college, resolved to play the scape-goat or the hazazel, and take upon his bare shoulders the burthen of iniquity. On the octave of All Saints, he summoned his fellow-Jesuits to the chapel, and conjured them to put up prayers to God fervently for a certain man-meaning himself-much in need thereof, and for the sins of the whole Society, particularly the province of Portugal, and also for the sins of the seceders. He enjoined them not to stir from the chapel until dismissed. Thereupon he bared his shoulders, seized a scourge, and rushed into the street. Through the whole city he ran lashing himself without mercy, and at twelve of the most frequented resorts, falling upon his knees, with a loud voice, with tears and sobs he exclaimed: "Ye nobles and people of Coimbra, pardon me for the sake of the scourging of Christ the Redeemer; pardon me, whatever offence the College of Jesus has given you. Behold, I am the man whose sin is the offence, whatever is the offence. This wrath of God has been deserved by my transgressions." Having thus scoured the whole city, he enters the chapel suddenly once more, with the reverberating crash of the strokes as he laid them on his shoulders, cum magno verberum fragore repentinus ingreditur. The Jesuits at prayer were confounded at

the sight and the sound. He told them what he had done, and why, and all with copious tears. Example is catching, and they caught it with a vengeance. Instantly the same fury seized the rest of the Jesuits-'twas such a capital idea. One of them, Quadrius by name, who had shared the administration of the guilty college, protested that he shared the fault,-si qua esset-if there was any, for the Jesuits cling to innocence to the very brink of the precipice, and beyond, for aught we know to the contrary. All took fire-all cried for an expiation,-ut concedatur piaculum. Godinius reflected for an instant, and resolved to second their heated minds,-calentibus animis ratus obsecundandum; he ordered them once more into the chapel. "Here," he cried, "together assembled, in order that your service may be acceptable to the most divine Trinity, unite it to the sufferings most acceptable of Christ the Saviour, who offered himself for us to God and the Father in the odour of sweetness. Then, set before your eyes that sight in which, all over blood, with the bristling crown of thorns, he was led forth in mock purple to the people and listen to the President exclaiming, Behold the man. Let us spend an hour in the contemplation of this spectacle, and then, with the aid of divine grace, we will march forth into the streets with our cross. Scarcely had the hour elapsed, when all inflamed and angry with themselves, -accensi omnes iratique sibi, and breathing a certain divine ardour, and being admonished not to be so much intent on lacerating their bodies, as on following, in thought, the Lord burthened with his cross, as though they went to aid Him, they sallied forth, more than sixty in number, lashing themselves to desperation,— validè sese cædentes. There was borne before them a

mighty banner, representing Christ hanging on the Cross; and two of the younger Jesuits went before, singing the Litanies, to which the rest of the troop, chiming in between the crash of whips in mournful mutterings, responded. An immense mob of Coimbra. gathered at the sight and followed in admiration.

They reached the House of Mercy. The rector prayed awhile on the steps, and then turned to the surrounding multitude, with his fellow-Jesuits gathered around him, ascribed it to his own sins, if any offence had been given, begged pardon as a suppliant, and moreover conjured them to join their prayers to his in order to propitiate the Almighty. He spoke so sorrowfully, and so tearfully, that the people too began to cry. They crowded to the altar: the rector recited some prayers, and then all with one accord, shouting and weeping, cried "Mercy for the fathers"-omnes cum clamore, et

lacrymis, misericordiam comprecantur. Nothing remains to be translated but the remarks of the Jesuit-historian on this astonishing Epiphany. "Some there were who thought these holy things absurd. Certainly such an example was not necessary: but it was nevertheless wonderful how it embalmed the minds of the citizens, ulcerated by the calumnies of the seceders from the Society; and renewed the hearts of the brethren, filled by a certain horror as it were, and deeply agitated, to receive once more the seeds of divine wisdom." The wayward students of Coimbra rushed to the opposite extreme. Fervour became in fashion. Every man chose his own method with regard to his spiritual edification. Some consumed their bodies with austerities-lacerating their persons and scourging themselves to death: others, charmed by the sweets of contemplation, passed days and nights in spiritual communion with God, without scarcely thinking of study.2

It was on this occasion that Ignatius wrote his famous epistle on the Virtue of Obedience.

He begins with stating that obedience is the only virtue which produces and cherishes the other virtues ; that, properly speaking, it is the virtue of the Society, and the character which distinguishes its children: that, thus, other religious Orders might surpass them in fastings, in watchings, and in many other austere

1 Orland. xii. 62, 65. This is one of the awful facts omitted by Bouhours and Cretineau-Joly. The reason is obvious. It is, however, absolutely necessary to account for the mighty change which all the modern historians fail not to put forth. If I stopped to notice the tricks of the Jesuits, and of their foes, in the manner and matter of their facts, each volume would be swelled to two or more. I have been utterly disgusted with the experience. Probably there was some other cause for this disgrace in Portugal, but where are we to find it recorded? In the archives of the Jesuits. They alone can write a perfect history of the Order in its worst light. Bouhours, ii. 149.

practices which each of them observes piously, according to the spirit of their vocation; but as to what concerns obedience, they ought not to yield the palm to them; and that their vocation obliges them to render themselves perfect in that virtue.

He then establishes, on reasons deduced from the Scriptures and the Fathers, three degrees of obedience. The first and lowest consists in doing what is commanded the second is, not only to execute the orders of the superior, but to conform our will to his. The third is, to consider what is commanded as the most reasonable and the best, for this only reason-that the superior considers it as such. In order to attain this degree so elevated, which is called "the obedience of the understanding," he says that we ought not to care whether he who commands is wise or imprudent, holy or imperfect; but consider in him only the person of Jesus Christ, who has placed His authority into his hands, in order to guide us, and who, being wisdom itself, will not permit His minister to be mistaken.1

This letter was despatched to every province of the Society, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America: it was the new gospel of the Jesuits.

Meanwhile the unfortunate Rodriguez was somewhat persecuted and annoyed by being reproached with the disorders of Coimbra. This pious man "felt

a little resentment at not being sent back into Portugal."2

Rodriguez punished.

He had reasons for complaint, as he thought, and "his annoyance induced him to demand justice from the general."

Ignatius complied, appointed a tribunal of the Professed to investigate the charges. charges. Rodriguez was

1 Bouhours, ii. 151.

2 Id. ii. 183.