IGNATIUS
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IGNATIUS
seemed blotted out from his soul, and never again was
there the least consent to any carnal thought". His
conversion was now complete. Every one noticed
that he would speak of nothing but spiritual things,
and his elder brother begged him not to take any rash
or extreme resolution, which might compromise the
honour of their family.
II. Spiritual Formation, 1522-24. — When Igna- tius left Loyola he had no definite plans for the future, except that he wished to rival all that the saints had done in the way of penance. His first care was to make a general confession at the famous sanctuary of Montserrat, where, after three days of self-examina- tion, and carefully noting his sins, he confessed, gave to the poor the rich clothes in which he had come, and put on a garment of sack-cloth reaching to his feet. His sword and dagger he suspended at Our Lady's altar, and passed the night watching before them. Next morning, the feast of the Annunciation, 1.522, after Communion, he left the sanc- tuary, not knowing whither he went. But he soon fell in with a kind woman, Ifies Pascual, who showed him a cavern near the neighbour- ing town of Manresa, where he mi^ht retire for prayer, austerities, and contempla- tion, while he lived on alms. But here, instead of obtain- ing greater peace, he was consumed with the most troublesome scruples. Hatl he confessed this sin? Had he omitted that circum- stance? At one time he was violently tempted to enti his miseries by suicide, on which he resolved neither to eat nor to drink (unless his life was in danger), until God granted him the peace which he desired, and so he continued until his confes- sor stopped him at the end of the week. At last, how- ever, he triumphed over all obstacles, and then abound- ed in wonderful graces and visions. It was at this time, too, that he began to make notes of his spiritual experiences, notes which grew into the little book of "The Spiritual Exercises". God al.so afflicted him with severe sicknesses, when he was looked after by friends in the public hospital; for many felt drawn towards him, and he requited their kind offices by teaching them how to pray and instructing them in spiritual matters. Having recovered health, and ac- quired sufficient experience to guide him in his new life, he commenced in February, 152.3, his long-medi- tated migration to the Holy Land. From the first he had looked forward to it as leading to a life of heroic penance; now he also regarded it as a school in which he might learn how to realize clearly and to conform himself perfectly to Christ's life. The voy- age was fully as painful as he had conceived. Pov- erty, sickness, exposure, fatigue, starvation, dangers of shipwreck and capture, prisons, blows, contra- dictions, these were his daily lot; and on his arrival the Franci.scans, wlio had charge of the holy places, commanded him to return under pain of sin. Igna- tius demanded what right they had thus to interfere with a pilgrim like himself, and the friars explained that, to prevent many troubles which had occurred in finding ransoms for Christian prisoners, the pope had
i
1
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St. Ionatics Lotola
Versailles Museum
given them this power, and they offered to show him
their Bulls. Ignatius at once submitted, though it
meant altering his whole plan of life, refused to look
at the proffered Bulls, and was back at Barcelona
about March, 1524.
III. Studies and Companions, 1524-39. — Igna- tius left Jerusalem, in the dark as to his future and "asking himself as he went, quid agendum" (Auto- biography, § 50). Eventually he resolved to study, in order to be of greater help to others. To studies he therefore gave eleven years, more than a third of his remaining life. Latin he studied amongst scliool-boys at Barcelona, and early in 1.526 he knew enough to proceed to his philosophy at the University of Alcald. But here he met with many troubles to be described later, and at the end of 1527 he entered the University of Salamanca, whence, his trials continuing, he betook himself to Paris (June, 1 528), and there with great method repeated his course of arts, taking his M..\. on 14 March, 15:55. Meanwhile theology had been begun, and he had taken the licentiate in 1534; the doctorate he never took, as his health compelletl him to leave Paris in March, 1.535. Though Ignatius, de- .'-pite his pains, acquired no great erudition, he gained many practical advantages from his course of education. To say nothing of knowledge sufficient to find such infor- mation as he needed after- wards to hold his own in the company of the learned, and to control others more eru- dite than himself, he also be- came thoroughly versed in t he science of educa t ion , and learned by experience how the life of prayer and pen- ance might be combined with that of teaching and study, an invaluable ac- ciuirement to the future founder of the Society of Jesus. The labours of Ig- natius for others involved him in trials without num- ber. At Barcelona he was beaten sensele.ss, and his companion killed, at the instigation of some worldlings vexed at being refused entrance into a convent which he had reformed. At .Mcala a meddle- some inquisitor, Figueroa, harassed him constantly, and once autocratically imprisoned him for two months. This drove him to Salamanca, where, worse still, he was thrown into the common prison, fettered by the foot to his companion Calisto, which indignity only drew from Ignatius the characteristic words, "There are not so many handcuffs and chains in Salamanca, but that I desire even more for the love of God."
In Paris his trials were very varied — froni poverty, plague, works of charity, and college discipline, on which account he was once sentenced to a pulilic flogging by Dr. Govea, the rector of College Ste- Barbe, liut on his explaining his conduct, the rector as pulilicly l)ogged his panlon. There was but one dela- tion to the inquisitors, and, on Ignatius re()Ucsting a prompt settlement, the Inquisitor Ori told him pro- ceedings were therewith quashed. We notice a cer- tain progression in Ignatius's dealing with accusations against him. The first time he allowed them to cease without any pronouncement being given in his fa-
