The Spanish Brothers: A Tale of the Sixteenth Century

by Deborah Alcock

  XIV.

  The Monks of San Isodro

  "The earnest of eternal joy In every prayer I trace; I see the likeness of the Lord In every patient face. How oft, in still communion known, Those spirits have been sent To share the travail of my soul, Or show me what it meant."--A. L. Waring

  It is amongst the perplexing conditions of our earthly life, that wecannot first reflect, then act; first form our opinions, then, and nottill then, begin to carry them out into practice. Thought and actionhave usually to run beside each other in parallel lines; a terriblenecessity, and never more terrible than during the progress of momentousinward changes.

  A man becomes convinced that the star by which he has hitherto beensteering is not the true pole-star, and that if he perseveres in hispresent course his barque will inevitably be lost. At his peril, hemust find out the one unerring guide; yet, while he seeks it, his handmust not for an instant quit his hold on the helm, for the winds ofcircumstance fill his sails, and he cannot choose whether he will go, hecan only choose where. This lies at the root of much of the apparentinconsistency which has often been made a reproach to reformers.

  Though Carlos did not feel this difficulty as keenly as some of hisbrethren in the faith, he yet felt it. His uncle was continuallypressing him to take Orders, and to seek for this or that temptingpreferment; whilst every day he had stronger doubts as to thepossibility of his accepting any preferment in the Church, and was evenbeginning to entertain scruples about taking Orders at all.

  During this period of deliberation and uncertainty, one of his newfriends, Fray Cassiodoro, an eloquent Jeromite friar, who assistedLosada in his ministrations, said to him, "If you intend embracing areligious life, Senor Don Carlos, you will find the white tunic andbrown mantle of St. Jerome more to your taste than any other habit."

  Carlos pondered the hint; and shortly afterwards announced to hisrelatives that he intended to "go into retreat" for a season, at theJeromite Convent of San Isodro del Campo, which was about two miles fromSeville.

  His uncle approved this resolution; and none the less, because hethought it was probably intended as a preparation for taking the cowl."After all, nephew, it may turn out that you have the longest headamongst us," he said. "In the race for wealth and honours, no man candoubt that the Regulars beat the Seculars now-a-days. And there is nota saint in all the Spains so popular as St. Jerome. You know theproverb,--

  "'He who is a count, and to be a duke aspires. Let him straight to Guadaloupe, and sing among the friars.'"

  Gonsalvo, who was present, here looked up from his book and observedsharply,--

  "No man will ever be a duke who changes his mind three times withinthree months."

  "But I only changed my mind once," returned Carlos.

  "You have never changed it at all, that I wot of," said Don Manuel."And I would that thine were turned in the same profitable direction,son Gonsalvo."

  "Oh yes! By all means. Offer the blind and the lame in sacrifice. PutHeaven off with the wreck of a man that the world will not condescend totake into her service."

  "Hold thy peace, son born to cross me!" said the father, losing histemper at by no means the worst of the many provocations he had recentlyreceived. "Is it not enough to look at thee lying there a useless log,and to suffer thy vile temper; but thou must set thyself against me,when I point out to thee the only path in which a cripple such as thoucould earn green figs to eat with his bread, not to speak of supportingthe rank of Alvarez de Menaya as he ought."

  Here Carlos, out of consideration for the feelings of Gonsalvo, left theroom; but the angry altercation between the father and son lasted longafter his departure.

  The next day Don Carlos rode out, by a lonely path amidst the gray ruinsof old Italica, to the stately castellated convent of San Isodro.Amidst all his new interests, the young Castilian noble still rememberedwith due enthusiasm how the building had been reared, more than twohundred years ago, by the devotion of the heroic Alonzo Guzman the Good,who gave up his own son to death, under the walls of Tarifa, rather thansurrender the city to the Moors.

  Before he left Seville, he placed a copy of Fray Constantino's "Sum ofChristian Doctrine" between two volumes of Gonsalvo's favourite "Lope deVega." He had previously introduced to the notice of the ladies severalof the Fray's little treatises, which contained a large amount ofScripture truth, so cautiously expressed as to have not only escaped thecensure, but actually obtained the express approbation of the HolyOffice. He had also induced them occasionally to accompany him to thepreachings at the Cathedral. Further than this he dared not go; nor didhe on other accounts think it advisable, as yet, to permit himself muchcommunication with Dona Beatriz.

  The monks of San Isodro welcomed him with that strong, peculiar lovewhich springs up between the disciples of the same Lord, more especiallywhen they are a little flock surrounded by enemies. They knew that hewas already one of the initiated, a regular member of Losada'scongregation. Both this fact, and the warm recommendations of FrayCassiodoro, led them to trust him implicitly; and very quickly they madehim a sharer in their secrets, their difficulties, and theirperplexities.

  To his astonishment, he found himself in the midst of a community,Protestant in heart almost to a man, and as far as possible acting outtheir convictions; while at the same time they retained (how could theydiscard them?) the outward ceremonies of their Church and their Order.

  He soon fraternized with a gentle, pious young monk named Fray Fernando,and asked him to explain this extraordinary state of things.

  "I am but just out of my novitiate, having been here little more than ayear," said the young man, who was about his own age; "and already, whenI came, the fathers carefully instructed the novices out of theScriptures, exhorting us to lay no stress upon outward ceremonies,penances, crosses, holy water, and the like. But I have often heardthem speak of the manner in which they were led to adopt these views."

  "Who was their teacher? Fray Cassiodoro?"

  "Latterly; not at first. It was Dr. Blanco who sowed the first seed oftruth here."

  "Whom do you mean? We in the city give the name of Dr. Blanco (thewhite doctor), from his silver hairs, to a man of your holy order,certainly, but one most zealous for the old faith. He is a friend andconfidant of the Inquisitors, if indeed he is not himself a Qualificatorof Heresy:[#] I speak of Dr. Garcias Arias."

  [#] One of the learned men who were appointed to assist the Inquisition,and whose duty it was to decide whether doubtful propositions were, orwere not, heretical.

  "The same man. You are astonished, senor; nevertheless it is true. Theelder brethren say that when he came to the convent all were sunk inignorance and superstition. The monks cared for nothing but vainrepetitions of unfelt prayers, and showy mummeries of idle ceremonialBut the white doctor told them all these would avail them nothing,unless their hearts were given to God, and they worshipped him in spiritand in truth. They listened, were convinced, began to study the HolyScriptures as he recommended them, and truly to seek Him who is revealedtherein."

  "'Out of the eater came forth meat,'" said Carlos. "I am truly amazedto hear of such teaching from the lips of Garcias Arias."

  "Not more amazed than the brethren were by his after conduct," returnedFray Fernando. "Just when they had received the truth with joy, andwere beginning heartily to follow it, their teacher suddenly changed histone, and addressed himself diligently to the task of building up thethings that he once destroyed. When Lent came round, the burden of hispreaching was nothing but penance and mortification of the flesh. Noless would content him than that the poor brethren should sleep on thebare ground, or standing; and wear sackcloth and iron girdles. Theycould not tell what to make of these bewildering instructions. Somefollowed them, others clung to the simpler faith they had learned tolove, many tried to unite both. In fact, the convent was filled withconfusion, and several of the brethren w
ere driven half distracted. Butat last God put it into their hearts to consult Dr. Egidius. YourExcellency is well acquainted with his history, doubtless!"

  "Not so well as I should like to be. Still, for the present, let uskeep to the brethren. Did Dr. Egidius confirm their faith?"

  "That he did, senor; and in many ways he led them into a furtheracquaintance with the truth."

  "And that enigma, Dr. Blanco?"

  Fray Fernando shook his head. "Whether his mind was really changed, orwhether he concealed his true opinions through fear, or through love ofthe present world, I know not I should not judge him."

  "No," said Carlos, softly. "It is not for us, who have never beentried, to judge those who have failed in the day of trial. But it mustbe a terrible thing to fail, Fray Fernando."

  "As good Dr. Egidius did himself. Ah, senor, if you had but seen himwhen he came forth from his prison! His head was bowed, his hair waswhite; they who spoke with him say his heart was well-nigh broken.Still he was comforted, and thanked God, when he saw the progress thetruth had made during his imprisonment, both in Valladolid and inSeville, especially amongst the brethren here. His visit was of greatuse to us. But the most precious boon we ever received was a supply ofGod's Word in our own tongue, which was brought to us some months ago."

  Carlos looked at him eagerly. "I think I know whose hand brought it,"he said.

  "You cannot fail to know, senor. You have doubtless heard of Juliano ElChico?"

  The colour rose to the cheek of Carlos as he answered, "I shall thankGod all my life, and beyond it, that I have not heard of him alone, butmet him. He it was who put this book into my hand," and he drew out hisown Testament.

  "We also have good cause to thank him. And we mean that others shallhave it through us. For the books he brought we not only use ourselves,but diligently circulate far and wide, according to our ability."

  "It is strange to know so little of a man, and yet to owe him so much.Can you tell me anything more than the name, Juliano Hernandez, which Irepeat every day when I ask God in my prayers to bless and reward him?"

  "I only know he is a poor, unlearned man, a native of Villaverda, inCampos. He went to Germany, and entered the service of Juan Peres, who,as you are aware, translated the Testament, and printed it, Julianoaiding in the work as compositor. He then undertook, of his own freewill, the task of bringing a supply into this country; you well know howperilous a task, both the sea-ports and the passes of the Pyrenees beingso closely watched by the emissaries of the Holy Office. Juliano chosethe overland journey, since, knowing the mountains well, he thought hecould manage to make his way unchallenged by some of their hazardous,unfrequented paths. God be thanked, he arrived in safety with hisprecious freight early last summer."

  "Do you know where he is now?"

  "No. Doubtless he is wandering somewhere, perhaps not far distant,carrying on, in darkness and silence, his noble missionary work."

  "What would I give--rather, what would I not give--to see him once more,to take his hand in mine, and to thank him for what he has done for me!"

  "Ah, there is the vesper bell. You know, senor, that Fray Cristobal isto lecture this evening on the Epistle to the Hebrews. That is why Ilove Tuesday best of all days in the week."

  Fray Cristobal D'Arellano was a monk of San Isodro, remarkable for hisgreat learning, which was consecrated to the task of explaining andspreading the Reformed doctrines. Carlos put himself under the tuitionof this man, to perfect his knowledge of Greek, a language of which hehad learned very little, and that little very imperfectly, at Alcala.He profited exceedingly by the teaching he received, and partiallyrepaid the obligation by instructing the novices in Latin, a task whichwas very congenial to him, and which he performed with much success.