The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

246
Cremona ;
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
they had had no suspicion of what was impending
when he declared the recently held election of a new General
invalid, and in virtue of his plenary powers from the Pope^
conferred that office on a more worthy man, who, under the
influence of the Barnabites, had adopted a stricter manner of
Hfe.2 .
Borromeo had been quite prepared to have to secure the
acceptance of the brief by force, but the Humiliati did not
venture on armed resistance until it came to a question of
imposing new superiors.^ They maintained that the brief
had been obtained by means of misrepresentations, and was
therefore invalid ; they appealed to the Pope, and at the
same time sought to secure the protection of the secular
princes. These steps having proved unavailing,^ and as
Borromeo continued his efforts to impose the reform,^ the
exasperation of many of the members of the Order grew
beyond all bounds. On the evening of October 26th, 1569,
the Cardinal was taking part in some devotions in the little
chapel of his palace when a shot was fired at him from a distance
of some four or five paces. The ball struck him on the spine,
but only penetrated his dress, and was afterwards found on
the ground ; some small shot pierced his dress and reached
the wall without doing any damage. In the midst of the
general confusion Borromeo remained quite unmoved, and
ordered that the function should be quietly proceeded with, a
thing which facilitated the escape of the assassin.^
^ Of May 10, 1567, in Sala, Docum., I., 201.
" For the latter see Bascape, t, 2, c. 4, p. 36.
* Cf. the five letters of Borromeo of June 26, 1567, in Sala,
Docum., III., 383 seq.
* Brief of June 28, 1567, ibid. 1., 205.
* *Brief to Borromeo of September 10, 1568, with faculties for
the reform (it includes the notice : " S.D.N, mandavit fieri reformationem
etiam per viros alterius ordinis a cardinali deputan-
dos). Archives of Briefs, Rome. Cj. the *brief of May 22, 1567,
to the General of the Humiliati, ibid.; Bascape, i, 2, c. xo, p. 44 ;
bull of July 23, 1568, Bull. Rom., VII., 695.
* Letter from Borromeo to Pius V., October 29, 1569, m San
Carlo Borromeo, 366 (in Giussano, 176 the letter has been altered