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

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THE FRANCISCAN ORDER. 257<br />

general reform was inaugurated at <strong>the</strong> general chapter <strong>of</strong> 1568,<br />

and this was, in accordance with <strong>the</strong> wishes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope, made<br />

more strict and comprehensive by <strong>the</strong> General and Provincials,<br />

and <strong>the</strong>n confirmed by a bull.^ <strong>The</strong> Pope charged <strong>the</strong> Pro-<br />

tector <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Order, Cardinal Borromeo,- with its execution,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> latter took great pains with <strong>the</strong> introduction <strong>of</strong> community<br />

life among <strong>the</strong> Conventuals <strong>of</strong> his diocese.^ In<br />

Borromeo's name, and through <strong>the</strong> agency <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> visitors<br />

and <strong>the</strong> commissary-general, Girolamo Curti, <strong>of</strong> Milan, <strong>the</strong><br />

new constitution was also accepted in Germany by <strong>the</strong> chapter<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Order at Ueberlingen in 1572. <strong>The</strong> zealous Provincial<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Franciscan Conventuals in Upper Germany, Jodocus<br />

Schliissler, had already, previously to this, been appointed<br />

apostolic visitor by Papal brief ; in 1571 a chapter, also held<br />

at Ueberlingen, had introduced several useful reforms,<br />

especially one which provided that in future no one should<br />

have <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> superior conferred upon him by <strong>the</strong> civil<br />

power.*<br />

<strong>The</strong> Congregation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Third Order <strong>of</strong> St. Francis was also<br />

committed to <strong>the</strong> care <strong>of</strong> Borromeo. Before this. Cardinal<br />

Carpi had already worked on behalf <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Order, and on<br />

April 28th, 1569, he had issued some ordinances for its use,<br />

which aimed at <strong>the</strong> revival <strong>of</strong> its religious hfe, which had<br />

fallen into a lax state. ^ <strong>The</strong> success which <strong>the</strong>se provisions<br />

1 July 23, 1568, ihid. 6gi seqq.<br />

" Ihid. §3.<br />

^ Bascape, I, 2, c. 5, p. 36.<br />

* K. EuBEL, Gesch. der oberdeutschen (Strassburger) Minoriten-<br />

provinz, Wiirzburg, 1886, 118. For <strong>the</strong> part played by <strong>the</strong> future<br />

Sixtus V. in <strong>the</strong> reform <strong>of</strong> his Order cf. Tempesti, I., 70 seqq. and<br />

Corresp. dipl., I., 113. *Brief to <strong>the</strong> senators <strong>of</strong> Savoy and <strong>the</strong><br />

Bishop <strong>of</strong> Geneva, January 7, 1570, on <strong>the</strong> reform <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Francis-<br />

cans at Chambery and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Augustinians <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> convent <strong>of</strong><br />

S. Pietro de Albignaco, in Brevia, Arm. 44, t. 14, p. 327b, Papal<br />

Secret Archives.<br />

« Bull <strong>of</strong> July 3, 1568, Bull. Rom., VIL, 679. On November<br />

15, 1567, a *brief was sent to <strong>the</strong> Observant, Angelo da Stronconio,<br />

on <strong>the</strong> reform <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bro<strong>the</strong>rs and Sisters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Third Order in<br />

Italy. Archives <strong>of</strong> Briefs, Rome.<br />

VOL. XVII. 17

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