CHAPTER XVI.

1773.

ABOLITION OF THE ORDER.

The Court of Rome is divided into Zelanti and Regalisti—Intrigues of the two Parties to Insure the Tiara to one of their own Adherents—Cardinal de Bernis—His Character—His Insinuations to the Conclave—Answer of the Opposite Faction—Charles III. Refuses to give his Support but to a Candidate who would promise to Abolish the Order—Joseph II., Emperor of Germany, and Leopold, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in Rome—Veneration of the Romans for the names of Republic and Emperor—Joseph is courted by both Parties—His Visit to the Gesù—His Words to the General—Consternation which they produce—He affects an Indifference as to the Election of the Pope—He Visits the Conclave—His Haughty Behaviour there—The Spanish Cardinals enter the Conclave—They succeed in bringing it to a close—Lorenzo Ganganelli—His Birth—First Education—Character—Habits before and after being elected Pope—Ranke and others exaggerate the Virtues of Ganganelli—His Ambition—His Equivocal Conduct in order to gratify it—How he was chosen to the Throne—Written Opinion concerning the Abolition of the Jesuits, given by him to the Spanish Cardinals—Whether this constitutes the Sin of Simony—Specious part played by De Bernis in the Intrigues for the Election—Joy of Ganganelli at being elected Pope—His Liberal and Tolerant Policy—The Affair of the Jesuits Poisons all his Joy—His Perplexities on the Measure of Abolishing them—He flatters De Bernis, in order to obtain some delay in coming to a Decision—He obtains some Respite—He goes to Castel-Gandolfo to enjoy this short Triumph—Charles III. and Choiseul press De Bernis to bring the Pope to a Speedy Decision—Bernis’ Urgency with the Pope—Letter of Ganganelli to the King of Spain to obtain some Respite—The Jesuits assert that Ganganelli was Forced by the Sovereigns to Abolish the Order—How far this Assertion is true—Very Plausible Reasons why he Hesitated so long to Abolish the Order—Some of them less honourable—The Pope is afraid of being Poisoned by the Jesuits—Menacing Attitude of the Sovereigns of the House of Bourbon toward the Court of Rome—Florida Blanca, Spanish Ambassador—Clement resists all Importunities till he is persuaded that the Abolition is an Act of Supreme Justice—His Foreboding in Signing the Bull of Suppression—A Short Analysis of the Bull—Gioberti’s Opinion of it—The Bull _Dominus et Redemptor_, 362

Proceedings against the Jesuits immediately after the Publication of the Bull—A Retrospective Glance at the Progress of the Order—Its Humble Origin—Its Increase—Its Considerable Power—Number of Houses, Colleges, and Fathers at the Epoch of the Suppression—Approximate Estimate of their Wealth—Different Sources of it—Ricci’s Denial that the Order possesses any Money—Reasons for believing otherwise—Ricci and some other Jesuits sent Prisoners to the Castel St Angelo—Slanders of the Jesuits on Ganganelli’s Conduct, 407