Pope Paul 111., after deliberating with his cardinals, some of whom were not favourable to Loyola's plan, approved of it, and it was decided that the new order should be called the Society of JOH118, that the members should wear no monkish garb, but dress in black, like the secular priests, and should in fact differ esseutially from the monastic orders then existing. The bull of the pope authorising the new society was issued in 1540, and in it, by a remarkable privilege, the general of the Jesuits was authorized to issue such regulations as he judged fit, and to alter the existing ones according to time, place, and circumstances. The original 'Conatitutiones ' of Ignatius were written io Spanish, but afterwards translated into Latin. The first edition of them appeared at Rome, Constitutionea Societatis Jesu,' 1558, two years after the death of the founder. At his death the society was already established in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany, and had above 100 schools, besides numerous missionaries in the East and in Africa and America. Ignatius was succeeded as general of the society by James Lainez, a man of more extensive information and greater elasticity of character than his pred teessor. It is to Lainez that the principal share in framing the Constitutiones' is attributed, and that work bears the impress of a master mind. Cardinal Richelieu said that it was a model of administrative policy. The 'Coustitu tiones ' are divided into ten parts, subdivided into chapters. Part 1., 'De admissions ad probationem,' concerns the modo of admission of applicants for the noviciate ; the qualifications required in the appli cant, such as health, no grievous deformity or mutilation, or other physical imperfection; certificates of good conduct and temper, natural abilities, and fourteen years of age complete. Birth, wealth, and other accidental circumstances are to be considered as null where the physical and mental qualifications fail ; but should they be united with these in the same individual, they reuder him more acceptable. Then comes a list of absolute impediments to admission, such as having committed murder, apostacy, and other grievous offences, having been subjected to a degrading sentence, having belonged to some monastic order, being married, and lastly, labouring under insanity or decided weakness of intellect. Defects of' temper, obsti nacy, injudicious enthusiasm or visionary devotion, being involved in debt, and other civil ties, are not absolute impediments, but the con sideration of them is left to the discretion of the general or of any of his subordinates, to whom he may give the power of admitting probationary pupils. The candidate, if approved of, is admitted to a first probation, as a sort of guest for a few weeks in one of the houses of the society, in order that he may become acquaint° 1 with the mode of living. Ho afterwards assumes the dress of the order, and is examined by proper examiners upon the numerous points contained in the printed form, Primum ac Generale Examen its omnibus qui in Societatem Jesu admitti petunt proponendum,' Rome, ]558. Should the examination prove satisfactory, the applicant is shown the constitutions and regulations of the society ; and after confessing himself and receiving the sacrament, he signs a declaration that he will observe the rules and discipline thereof, and he is then admitted into one of the houses of second probation, or noviciate. I'art 'Qum ad eos dimittendos pertinet, qui ad probation em admissi fueruut et parum apti ad Societatem inveniuutur.' Those who during their noviciate are found, after mature experience, not to be fit subjects for the society, on account of mental or bodily defects or vices, are to be dismissed privately, without scandal or exposure, aud with kind advice and exhortations. Those who leave of their own accord are not to be sought after, unless they have qualities which make it desirable for the society to retain them. Part iii, 'De its censer vandis et promovendis qui in probation° manent.' This part treats of the mental and moral discipline to which novices are subject ; docility and obedience are to be inculcated, pride and obstinacy to be conquered : it treats also of the physical education, cleanliness, whole some diet, proper exercise, &c. The term of probation lasts gene rally two years. Part iv., 'De Ha qui in Societate retinentur instruendia in literis.' This part treats of the colleges and schools. Tho colleges have revenues derived from donations or bequests of benevolent persons; those colleges which can support twelve scholars besides teachers aro not to collect alms or receive other cleemosyn try offerings. After two years' probation, those who intend to enter the society are received as scholastici in one of the colleges, and take the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. The courses are humanities and rhetoric, logic, natural and moral philosophy, metaphysics, and theology (both scholastic, and positive or dogmatic), and the study of the Scriptures. Besides the colleges or seminaries for the society, there are classes and schools for lay or external pupils. Every college is under the direction of a rector, appointed by the general or by the respective provincials, and chosen from the class of coadjutors, and removable at pleasure. The Christian doctrine or Catechism is to be read and explained by the rector. Subsequent regulations were pub lished at various times concerning tho mode of instruction in the 'Ratio Studiorum ' of Acquaviva, and the lllethodus Docendi et Discendi a P. Juvencio in usum Magistrorum Societatis Jesu; which was approved of by the 14th general congregation of the society. Another chapter treats of tho universities which belong, or may belong, to the society ; of the faculties of arta, philosophy, and theology ; of the examinations and degrees, &c. The society did not concern itself with the faculties of law and medicine. Part v., ' De its qum ad admittendum in corpus Societatis pertinent,' treats of the admission of scholars into the body of the society, either as profeasi or coadjutors. The professi must have studied theology for four years, and be put twenty-five years of age. The formula of the pro fession is given. The vows taken on making profession before the reverend father-general, ' locum dei tenenti,' or any other superior appointed by him, are perpetual chastity, poverty, obedience, and a peculiar care of the education of youth ; besides which the professi promise an especial obedience to the sovereign pontiff with respect to any missions which ho may send them to. This last promise, or vow, is not made by the coadjutors. Part vi., 'De its qui admissi et in corpus Societatis cooptati suet, quod ad ipsorum personas attinet; given regulations for the manner of living in the professed houses, which, unlike the colleges, cannot have any property or settled income, but the inmate most live upon the alms given by the faithful. The coadjutors who are not employed in the colleges as rectors or teachers must live in the professed houses of charity, like the profeasi. The professi and the coadjutors must renounce all claims to hereditary succession, nor can the society succeed to any of their claims. But there were also lay or secular coadjutors, who took the simple vows, yet continued to enjoy their property, and lived in the world at large. Part vii., `De its gum pertinent ad admissos in corpus Societatis, ad proximonnn utilitatem, in vineam Domini distribuendoa; treats of the various kinds of missionaries, those sent by order of the pope, and those sent by the general of the society, and gives them directions, &c. Part viii., De its gum conferunt ad eorum qui dispersi aunt cum
suo capite, et inter ee, mutuam unionem; recommends frequent reports and correspondence between the rectors and provincials and the general, and between the missionaries and other detached fathers with their respective provincials or other superior, &c. Every member of the society is to report to his immediate superior any misconduct which he observes in any of his companions. The general receives monthly reports from the provincials, and quarterly ones from the superiors of professed houses, the rectors of colleges, &c. These reports contain notes on the disposition, capacities, and conduct of the individual members, besides news and occurrences which may affect or interest the body of the society or any part of it. The second chapter of this part treats of the general congregations or representative esactublies of the society ; and it begins by saying, that owing to the regular and constant intercourse and correspondence kept up between the general and the local superiors, the trouble and confusion attending such general assemblies can be in great measure avoided, and they can only be necessary either for the purpose of electing a new general or for deliberating on some very weighty matter concerning the society, such as the dissolution or transfer of Its houses and colleges, &c. In the first case each province deputes its provincial and two more professed members, who are chosen by a provincial congregation, convoked for this special purpose, which provincial congregation consists of all the professi of the province who can conveniently attend, and those coadjutors who are rectors of colleges. In the second ease, for purposes of deliberation, the father provincial appoints two of his subordinates, and the general may add somo others, making not more than five deputies altogether, for each province. Part ix., 'De its quo ad caput Societatis et gubernationem ab to descendentem pertinent,' concerns the qualifications, powers, and duties of the Prtepositus Generalis. Tho general is for life, resides at Rome, Is attended by a monitor and five assistants. From his orders there Is no appeal : all are obliged to obey him unhesi tatingly ; he may expel members, or remove them wherever he pleases, inflict punishments, issue regulations, or alter the existing ones. His power is in fact absolute. Part x., 'Be mode quo couservari et augeri totum corpus Societatia in suo Bono statu possit,' contains advice to all and each of the various classes and members, recommending strict discipline, obedience, zealous teaching and preaching ; not to seek after dignities or honours, and even to refuse them unless obliged by the pope; strict morality, moderation in bodily and mental labour, brotherly charity, &c.
Lainez, being sent by the pope as his legate to the Council of Trent, was one of the chief advocates of the papal supremacy, and maintained, among other things, against the opinion of the archbishop of Granada and other Spanish prelates, that the jnriadiction of the bishops and their authority over any particular diocese is entirely derived from the pope, who is the fountainshead of all ecclesiastical authority, and that he can give it or suspend it, or transfer it when he sees fit. Lainez repaired also to the Conference of Poissy, in 1561, where he had to face Beza, and other Calvinist theologians, but his arguments, mixed with coarse vituperations against his antagonists, according to the polemics of the age, produced little effect. About the same time the society, by the influence of the Cardinal de Lorraine, and after several years' struggle against the University of Paris and the Bishop du Belley, obtained letters patent from Francis IL to open colleges and schools in France. The Jesuits taught gratis, and the university, whose courses of lectures were paid for, were jealous of them, and attacked them repeatedly before the Parliament as an institution contrary to the laws and dangerous to the state. But this being the time of the great religious and civil war in France, the belief, says De Thou, that the Jesuits were born to conquer and destroy Protestantism, made the Parliament and the French prelates wink at their introduction into the kingdom, at least until further deliberation. William Duprat, bishop of Clermont, son of the Chancellor Duprat, gave them a house in Paris which they made into a college, called the College of Clermont, and he bequeathed them also 86,000 &us in his will.
During the war of the League the Jesuits, like the other monastic orders, with the Sorbonne, and the Parliament of Paris, showed them selves opposed to the claims of Henri IV. as being a heretic. Even after the abjuration of that prince a fanatic of low birth, called Barriere, conspired to murder him, but was discovered, and it was found that a Capuchin, a Carmelite monk, a curate, and a Jesuit rector of the college at Paris were cognisant of and accessory to the conspiracy. Soon after another fanatic, Jean Chatel, attempted his life, and actually wounded Henri. This young man had studied under the Jesuits, but it was never proved that they had instigated him to the deed. It is true that among the papers of a Jesuit called Guignard some satirical and abusive expressions against the king were found, which seemed to imply au approbation of the crime. Chatel was broken on the wheel, and Guigoard was hanged; and the Parliament of Paris, already instigated against the Jesuits by the university, decreed their banishment in 1594, which sentence however did not extend to the jurisdictions of the parliameuta of Bordeaux and Toulouse. But at the end of 1603 Henri IV., at the pressing request of the pope, recalled the Jesuits, and ou the 2nd of January 1604 the Parliament of Paris registered the king's letters patent for the restora tion of the Jesuits. From that time they remained in France, where they greatly extended the number of their colleges and pupils, though always seen with a jealous eye by many, till their final expulsion in 1764.
The Jesuits found their way into England under Elizabeth, in whose reign several of them were implicated in conspiracies against the queen, for which they were executed. It ought to be noticed however, that De Thou, who is no friend to the society, states that the conspirator Parry, who is said to have been encouraged in his attempt by a Venetian Jesuit, met at Paris the Jesuit Vatz, who earnestly dissuaded him from his purpose, quoting the opinions of other learned men of the society, who declared that no reason, political or religious, could justify an attempt against the life of a sovereign, how ever heretical. This and other similar instances prove that iu so numerous a body as that of the Jesuits' society men of various tempera and opinions must be found, some of whom, through a strange casuistry or fanatical zeal, arrived at totally different conclusions from those of the more sober and more honest part of their community. In the reign of James I. the Jesuit Garnet was tried for having parti cipated in the Gunpowder Plot; and after exhibiting throughout his examination a great aptitude for equivocation, he was coudenined and executed.