ecclesiastics, who conceal their odious acts and
put a favourable interpretation upon them—such
as their marriages within the prohibited degrees
of kindred and the like—they are to be spurred
on in such and similar conduct, under the hope
of obtaining through our agency such dispensations
from the Pope, which his holiness will
grant, reasons being given, and precedents
quoted, and arguments adduced, having for
their pretext the common good and the greater
glory of God, which is the object of the
Society.

In order to obtain the mastery of the minds
of princes, it will be of service that our people
(nostri) offer themselves adroitly, and by the
agency of third persons to execute honourable
and favourable embassies to other princes and
kings, and especially to the Pope and the highest
monarchs; for on these occasions they will be
able to recommend themselves and the Society.
The favourites of princes and their confidential
servants are especially to be gained over by
small presents and various marks of affection, in
order that, in the end, they may faithfully
acquaint our people with the humours and
inclinations of princes and great men, which will
enable the Society to accommodate itself the
more easily to their caprices. Experience has
taught what advantages the Society has gained
by intermeddling with royal marriages, in the
house of Austria, and in the kingdoms of
France, Poland, and in other continental
countries. Wherefore, it will be prudent to
propose well-chosen matches, who are friendly or
familiar with the relations or friends of our
people.

The wives of princes are most easily to be
gained through their femmes de chambre, for
which purpose they are to be made much of by
every possible means, for thus we shall obtain
access to every circumstance, even the most
secret, which occurs in the family. In directing
the consciences of great people, our confessors
will follow the opinion of those authors who
advocate a certain liberty, in opposition to the
stricter interpretation of other religious orders.
In consequence, great folk, one and all, will quit
the others, preferring to depend on our direction
and advice. Moreover, cautious and prudent
insinuations must be made respecting the very
ample power which the Society possesses of
granting absolution even in cases reserved from
the jurisdiction of other pastors and monks,
namely, in dispensations from fasting, the
payment of or the suing for debts, matrimonial
impediments, and other well-known matters,
which will cause the majority to have recourse
to us and to incur obligations to us. The
enmities and dissensions of great people are to
be referred to us for reconciliation, for thus we
shall little by little obtain the knowledge of
their private and secret affairs, and so gain the
confidence of one or other of the parties. If
any servitor of a monarch or prince look coldly
upon our Society, great pains must be taken
either by our own people, or better through the
means of other persons, to make him friendly
and familiar with the Society, by the promise of
favour and promotion to be obtained from his
monarch or prince.

Our members must exercise their influence
over princes and great men in such a way as to
make it appear that they are solely aiming at
the greater glory of God and at a degree of
conscientiousness which the princes themselves
must approve of, for they must arrive little by
little, and not abruptly, at worldly and political
power. Therefore they must strongly inculcate
that the distribution of honours and dignities
must be made with a view to justice, and that
God is highly offended by princes who act
contrary to justice, and proceed from the impulse
of passion. They will often and seriously
protest that they have no wish whatever to meddle
with public matters, but that they are compelled
to speak against their will in consequence of
the duties of their office. As soon as this point
is well understood and admitted, they will
explain the good qualities which are required to
fit persons for advancement to the highest
dignities and public offices, and, in the end, they
will manage to suggest and nominate persons
who have proved themselves to be sincerely
attached to the Society. Our confessors and
preachers must, above all, remember to treat
princes with suavity and gentleness, and on no
account to be severe with them either in their
sermons or in private conversation, but to make
faith and political justice the main topics of
their exhortations.

When the Society is founding a new
establishment, our people must be careful at first
not to purchase landed property; but if they
do buy any well-situated land, let it be done
under the assumed name of some faithful and
secret friend, in order that our poverty may be
the more apparent. Let landed property near
any of our colleges be made over to some
distant college, to prevent the authorities from
ascertaining the exact amount of the Society's
revenues. Our people will select rich cities
only as their collegiate residence, in imitation
of our Lord Jesus, who sojourned mainly at
Jerusalem. In each province, let none but the
Provincial know precisely what the revenues
are; but let the sums in the treasury at Rome
be regarded as a holy mystery.

"How to gain rich widows for the Society"
furnishes a chapter of considerable interest.
For this purpose must be selected Fathers
advanced in age, of a lively complexion and agreeable
conversation. Let them visit these widows,
and as soon as they perceive in them any liking
for the Society, let them place at their disposal
the good offices and the spiritual merits of the
Society. If they accept, and begin to visit our
churches, let them be provided with a confessor,
by whom they may be well directed, with the
intention of keeping them in their widowhood,
by enumerating and lauding its advantages and
pleasures. He may promise and answer for
their certainly thus obtaining eternal bliss and
avoiding the pains of purgatory.

The confessor will induce them to busy