CHARLES
623
CHARLES
meetings of the confraternities, also depriving Charles
of the Castle of Arona. Various rumours were in circu-
lation of more wicked plans against Charles, but his
tranquillity was maintained, and he carried on his
work with his usual rare, despite the fact that the
governor had placed an armed guard to watch his
palace. None of the governor's actions succeeding,
the governor was led to ask for absolution, which he
obtained by deception. When Gregory XIII learned
of this, he compelled the governor to make satisfaction
to Charles. This was done, and on 26 November
Charles announced that, the governor was absolved
from all penalties and censures. In this year Charles
founded a college for the nobility at Milan.
In August, 1574, Henry III of France was passing through the Diocese of Milan on his way from Poland to take the French throne. Charles met him at Monza. The fourth diocesan synod was in Novem- ber, 1574. Gregory XIII proclaimed a jubilee for 157."), and on the 8th of December, 1574, Charles left for Home. He visited many shrines and. having reached Rome, performed the required devotions and started for Milan, in February. He assisted at the death-bed of his brother-in-law, Cesare Gonzaga, and continued the visitation of his province. In 1570 the jubilee was kept in the Diocese of Milan. It began on the 2nd of February. Whilst the jubilee was being celebrated, news came of outbreaks of plague in Venice and Mantua. The fourth provincial council was held in May. In August, Don John of Austria visited Milan. Religious exercises were being carried out, and his arrival was made the occasion of rejoicings and spectacular effects. All at once everything was changed, for the plague appeared in Milan. Charles was at l.odi, at the funeral of the bishop. He at once returned, and inspired confidence in all. He was con- vinced that the plague was sent as a chastisement for sin, and sought all the more to give himself to prayer. At the same time he thought of the people. He pre- pared himself for death, made his will ill September, 1576), and then gave himself up entirely to his people. Personal visits were paid by him to the plague-stricken houses. In the hospital of St. Gregory were the worst cases; to this he went, and his presence comforted the sufferers. Though be worked so arduously himself, it was only after many trials that the secular clergy of the town were induced to assist him, but his persuasive words at last won them so that they afterwards aided him in every way. It was at this time that, wishing to do penance for his people, he walked in processii in, barefooted, with a rope round his neck, :it one time I in In- hand the relic of the Holy Nail.
At the beginning of 1.577 the plague began to abate, and though there was a temporary increase in the number of cases, at last it ceased. The Milanese vowed to build a church dedicated to St. Sebastian,
if he would deliver them. This promise was fulfilled. Charles wrote at this time the "Memoriale", a small work, addressed to his suffragans, which had for its object to recall the lessons given by the cessation of the plague. He also compiled books of devotion for persons of every state of life. By the beginning of 1578 the plague had quite disappeared from all part \t tii. end "f 1578 the fifth diocesan synod was held. It lasted three days. Charles endeavoured at this time to induce the canons of the cathedral to unite with himself in community life. In this year, on the 16th of August, he began the foundation of the con- gregation of secular pri.-sts under the patronage of Our Lady and St. Ambrose, giving it the title o
Oblates of Si Ambrose. Though he had been helped by various orders of religious, especially by the Jesuit ! and the Barnabites. one of whom (now BI. Alexander Sauli) was for many years hi- constant adviser, yet he felt the need of a body of men who could ad as his assistants and, living in community, would be more easily impressed by hi- spirit and wishes. He v.
master mind of this new congregation, and he ever
insisted on the need of complete union between him-
self and its members. It was his delight to be with
them, and, looking to him as a father, they were ready
to go where he wished, to undertake works of every
kind. He placed them in seminaries, schools, and
confraternities. The remaining synods were held in
1579 and succeeding years, the last (the eleventh) in
15S4.
His first pilgrimage to Turin, to visit the Holy Winding Sheet, was in 1578. About this time he first visited the holy mountain of Varallo to meditate on the mysteries of the Passion in the chapels there. In 1578-9 the Marquis of Ayamonte, the successor of Requesens as governor, opposed the jurisdiction of the archbishop, and in September of the latter year Charles went to Rome to obtain a decision on the question of jurisdiction. The dispute arose in conse- quence of the governor ordering the carnival to be celebrated with additional festivities on the first Sun- day of Lent, against the archbishop's orders. The pope confirmed the decrees of the archbishop, and urged the Milanese to submit. The envoys sent by them were so ashamed that they w'ould not themselves present the pope's reply. Gregory XIII had welcomed Charles and rejoiced at his pres- ence. Charles did much work during his stay for his province, especially for Switzerland. In connexion with the rule which Charles drew up for the Oblates of St. Ambrose, it is to be noted that when in Rome he submitted it to St. Philip Neri, who advised Charles to exclude the vow of poverty. Charles defended its inclusion, so St. Philip said, " We will put it. to the judgment of Brother Felix". This brother was a sim- ple Capuchin lay brother at the Capuchins, close to the Piazza Barberini. St. Philip and St. Charles went to him, and he put his finger on the article dealing with the vow of poverty, and said, "This is what should be effaced ". Felix was also a saint, and is known as St. Felix of Cantalicio. Charles returned to Milan by Florence, Bologna, and Venice, everywhere reviving the true ecclesiastical spirit. When he reached Milan, the joy of his people was great, for it had been said he would not return. After the beginning of Lent (1580), Charles began his visitation at Brescia; soon after, in April, he was called back to Milan to assist at the death bed of the governor, \yamonte. In this year Charles visited the Valtelline valley in the Grisons. In July he was brought to know a youth who after- wards reached great sanctity. lie was invited by the Marquis Gonzaga to stay with him, and refused, but while staying at. the archpriest's house he met the
eldest son of the marquis, Luigi Gonzaga, then twelve years old, now raised to the altars of the church as St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S. J. Charles gave him his first Communion. The next year (1581) Charles sent to the King of Spain a special envoy in the person of Father Charles Bascape of the Barnabites, charging him to endeavour to eoinc to an understanding on the question of jurisdiction. The result was thai a gov- ernor, the Duke of Terra Nova, was sent, who was instructed to act in concert with Charles. After this no further controversy arose.
In 15X2 Charles started on his last journey to Rome, both in obedience to the decrees of the Council of Trent, and to have the decree- of the sixth provincial
council confirmed, This was his last visit, and during
it he resided at the monastery attached to his titular
church of Santa Prassede, where -till are shown pieces of furniture used by him. Be left Rome in January, tnd travelled by Siena and Mantua, whi i . n commit !' ne J I ij the pope to pronounce a
judgment. A great portion of this year was taken up
by visitations. In November he began a visitation as
Apostolic visitor of all the cantons of Switzerland and the Grisons, leaving the affairs of his diocese in the hands of Monsignor Owen Lewis, his vicar-general.
