Lainez, James

, a Spaniard, and celebrated general of the Jesuits, in which office he succeeded St. Ignatius 1558, after having been one of his first disciples, appeared with great distinction at the council of Trent and colloquy of Poissy was much esteemed for his prudence, learning, and piety refused the cardinal’s hat, and died at Rome, January 19, 1565, aged fifty-three, leaving some works in Latin, on “Providence,” “On the use of the Cup,” and “On Women’s painting and dress,” &c. Father Theophil us Raynaud attributes to him also “The Declarations on the Constitutions of the Jesuits;” while others believe that Lainez drew up the constitutions themselves, alledging, in support of this opinion, that they discover too much penetration, strength of genius, and refined policy, to have been the work of St. Ignatius. In the first congregation after that saint’s death, Lainez caused an absolute authority ty be granted him, with a perpetuity of the generalship, and a right of having prisons; thus changing the uprightness and simplicity of the founder’s maxims for a system of human policy, which guided all the undertakings of the society, and led at length to its destruction. ²