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

THE ORDERS IN SPAIN. 253
what was to be done v/ith monastic houses which were not
suitably situated for the Observants.^
In the same brief the Pope also made provision for those
Orders which had no houses of the stricter observance, and
which could not therefore be reformed by removing their
members to such houses. Pius V. placed these under the care
of other religious of a similar manner of life, as for example
the Franciscan Conventuals of the Third Order under the
Observants of the Premonstratensians, and the Hermits of
St. Jerome under the Observants of the Order founded by
the same saint. ^ The Carmelites, Trinitarians and Mer-
cedarii were to be led to a better manner of life by the bishops,
with the assistance of two Dominicans.^
The Franciscan Conventuals wilhngly submitted to the
reform, and as early as November 5th, 1567, the Pope was able
to express his satisfaction at what had been accomplished.*
The attempt to subject the Spanish branch of the Premon-
stratensians to a reorganization met with greater difficulties.
The Hieronymites were appointed as their visitors. Phihp II.
would have liked them to adopt the rules and habit of the
visitors, and thus end their days in the Order which he himself
favoured ;^ a pontifical ordinance to this effect had already
been issued,^ but now, in response to the protests of the
^ Edict of April 16, 1567, §3, 5, loc. cit., 568 seq.
^ Ibid. §6-7, ibid. 569. Cf. Requesens to Philip II., March 16,
1567, Corresp. dipl., II., 72. Castagna had called attention to the
conditions existing among the Spanish Premonstratensians, in
the Third Order, and in a branch of the Hieronymites :
Bonelli, January 2, 1567, ibid, i seq.
^ Edict of April 16, 1567, §8, loc. cit., 570.
* Corresp. dipl., IV., xxxiv, n.
to
* Ibid, xxxviii. As a reason for the suppression Philip II. brings
out the fact that in the greater part of the 18 Spanish houses
of the Premonstratensians there were not more than from four to
eight religious, who were ignorant and not very edifying. Letter
to Zuniga of May 14, 1568, Coleccion de docum. 'ined., VII., 531.
* Corresp. dipl., IV., xxxix : "Mandamus, quod dicti fratres
Praemonstratenses ad obscrvantiam fratrum s. Hieronymi de
observantia Hispaniarum cum effectu reducantur,"