blasphemy, and the blasphemer put into a basket
and drowned in the lake, if he did not pay within fifteen days; which
must have made profanity a luxury even to the rich. But in that day
a man had to pay twenty soldi (seventy-five cents) if he spoke to
a woman in church; and women were not allowed even the moderate
diversion of going to funerals, and could not wear silk lace about the
neck, nor have dresses that dragged more than a yard, nor crowns of
pearls or gems, nor belts worth more than ten livres (twenty-five
dollars), nor purses worth more than fifteen soldi (fifty cents.)

Possibly as an antidote for the corruption brought into the world with
Vincenzo, there was another Gonzaga born about the same period, who
became in due time Saint Louis Gonzaga, and remains to this day one of
the most powerful friends of virtue to whom a good Catholic can pray.
He is particularly recommended by his biographer, the Jesuit Father
Cesari, in cases of carnal temptation, and improving stories are told
Italian youth of the miracles he works under such circumstances. He
vowed chastity for his own part at an age when most children do not
know good from evil, and he carried the fulfillment of this vow to
such extreme, that, being one day at play of forfeits with other
boys and girls, and being required to kiss--not one of the little
maidens--but her _shadow_ on the wall, he would not, preferring to
lose his pawn. Everybody, I think, will agree with Father Cesari that
it would be hard to draw chastity finer than this.

San Luigi Gonzaga descended from that Ridolfo who put his wife to
death, and his father was Marquis of Castiglione delle Stivere. He was
born in 1568, and, being the first son, was heir to the marquisate;
but from his earliest years he had a call to the Church. His family
did everything possible to dissuade him--his father with harshness,
and his uncle, Duke William of Mantua, with tenderness--from his
vocation. The latter even sent a "bishop of rare eloquence" to labor
with the boy at Castiglione; but everything was done in vain. In due
time Luigi joined the Company of Jesus, renounced this world, and
died at Rome in the odor of sanctity, after doing such good works as
surprised every one. His brother Ridolfo succeeded to the marquisate,
and fell into a quarrel with Duke William about lands, which dispute
Luigi composed before his death. About all which the reverend Jesuit
Father Tolomei has shown how far heaviness ca