themselves with the embellishment of a chapel or
oratory in their own house, where they may
attend undisturbed to their spiritual exercises,
so as to avoid the conversation and visits of any
parties coming to woo; and even if they have
a chaplain, our people must not neglect to
celebrate mass there, and to keep the chaplain
under their thumb. Everything belonging to
the management of the house must be cautiously
and gradually changed, due regard being had to
the mistress, the neighbourhood, her likings,
and her spiritual condition. Servants who do
not communicate or correspond with the Society
are especially to be got rid of (but little by
little); and such are to be recommended (if
there be any need to fill up the vacancies) as
depend, or are willing to depend, on our people.
We shall thus be informed of everything that
passes in the family.

The confessor's grand object must be to get
the widow to ask and follow his advice on all
occasions; he will opportunely make her understand
that such obedience is the only foundation
of her spiritual advancement. Let him counsel
the frequent usuge of the sacrament of
penitence especially, in which she may freely
discover her most secret thoughts, and every
temptation by which she is assailed. A thorough
knowledge of her every inclination will be
forwarded by her repeating a "general confession,"
even though she has made it elsewhere to
another. Let her be repeatedly exhorted as to the
benefits of widowhood and the vexations of
matrimony, especially of a second marriage.
Now and then, and dexterously, suitors whom
she is known to detest may be proposed to her;
of others, whom she is believed to favour, the
vices and immoral lives may be described, so that,
in any case, she may be disgusted with the idea
of a second match.

As soon, therefore, as all has been made right
with regard to the widowhood, then a spiritual
(not a religious or conventual) life is to be
recommended. Let the confessor, as soon as
possible, close every access to a second marriage by
making her take a vow of chastity for a term of
two or three years at least; during which period
all conversation with the opposite sex and
recreation even with relations must be prohibited,
on the ground that a more binding union has
been formed with God. The ecclesiastics by
whom the widow is visited, or whom she visits,
if they cannot be all excluded, must still be such
as depend upon our nod.

"How widows are to be kept, and how the
goods they have are to be disposed of." Let
them be urged continually to go on in devotion
and good works, so that not a week may pass
without their voluntarily depriving themselves
of some superfluity in honour of Jesus, the
Blessed Virgin, or the saint whom they have
chosen for their patron—of something which
they may lay out on the poor, or on the
embellishment of churches, until they have stripped
themselves of the spoils of the Egyptians. It
they manifest especial liberality towards our
own Society, aud persist in it, let them participate
in the benefit of all the Society's good
works and merits, with a special indulgence
from the Provincial, or, if they be persons of
sufficiently exalted quality, from the General of
the Order.

If they have taken a vow of chastity, let them
renew it, according to our custom, twice a year,
a decent recreation being granted to them for
that day, in company with our own people. Let
them be frequently visited, and amused and
cheered with pleasant talk and witty stories and
jokes, according to the humour and inclination
of each. They must not be treated too severely
in confession, lest they should fall into too low
spirits, unless all hope be lost of regaining their
favour which has been acquired by otner parties:
in all which great discretion is required to judge
properly the inconstant temper of women. They
must be ingeniously prevented from visiting and
attending the festivals of other churches,
especially those belonging to religious orders; and
it must be impressed upon them that the
indulgences of other orders are united in the
Society. If they have to go into mourning, a
handsome style of dress may be permitted,
combining at the same time the spiritual with the
worldly, so that they may not apprehend that
they are completely governed by a spiritual
person. Finally, provided there be no fear of
their inconstancy, and if they prove faithful and
liberal to the Society, let them be allowed whatever
they require for sensuality [concedatur
illis quidquid ad sensualitatem requirant]—in
moderation and avoiding scandal.

Their health and their amusement must also
be attended to quite as carefully as their salvation;
wherefore, if they suffer from indisposition,
they must immediately be prevented from
going on with fastings, hair-shirts, and other
penitential corporal discipline, and not even be
allowed to go out to church, but be managed
with prudence and caution at home. No notice
will be taken of their being brought into the
(Jesuits'?) garden or the college, provided it be
done secretly. They may be allowed to have
interviews and secret recreation with the
individuals who please them best.

To induce a widow to dispose of her revenues
in favour of the Society, it will be well to set
forth to her the perfection of the state of these
holy men who, relinquishing the world and
giving up their relations and their goods, served
God with great resignation and joyfulness of
mind; and also to quote the examples of widows
who, by these means, attained sanctity in a short
space of time, holding out the hope of canonisation
if they persevere unto the end, and
demonstrating that our credit with the Pope is quite
sufficient for the purpose. Confessors will take
very great care that widows of this class who are
their penitents, do not visit other ecclesiastics
on any pretence whatsoever, nor enter into the
slightest familiarity with them. To prevent
such occurrences, they will endeavour to vaunt
the Society, on suitable occasions, as a more
excellent Order than the others, as extremely
useful to the Church, of the highest authority