congenial mode of life at Gandia. Having already
held some correspondence with Ignatius Loyola, he now powerfully
encouraged the recently founded order of Jesus. One of his first cares
at Gandia was to build a Jesuit college; and on the death of Eleanor in
1546, he resolved to become himself a member of the society. The
difficulties arising from political and family circumstances were
removed by a papal dispensation, which allowed him, in the interests of
his young children, to retain his dignities and worldly possessions for
four years after taking the vows. In 1550 he visited Rome, where he was
received with every mark of distinction, and where he furnished the
means for building the Collegium Romanum. Returning to Spain in the
following year, he formally resigned his rank and estate in favour of
his eldest son, assumed the Jesuit habit, was ordained priest, and
entered upon a life of penance and prayer. At his own earnest request,
seconded by Loyola, a proposal that he should be created a cardinal by
Julius III. was departed from; and at the command of his superior he
employed himself in the work of itinerant preaching. In 1554 he was
appointed commissary-general of the order in Spain, Portugal and the
Indies, in which capacity he showed great activity, and was successful
in founding many new and thriving colleges. In 1556, shortly after
Charles V. retired, Borgia had an interview with him, but would not
yield to his inducements to transfer his allegiance to the older order
of Hieronymites. Some time afterwards Borgia was employed by Charles to
conduct negotiations with reference to a project which was to secure for
Don Carlos of Spain the Portuguese succession in the event of the death
of his cousin Don Sebastian. On the death of Lainez in 1565, Francis
Borgia was chosen to succeed him as third general of the Jesuits. In
this capacity he showed great zeal and administrative skill; and so
great was the progress of the society under his government that he has
sometimes been called "its second founder," The peculiarities which are
most characteristic of the order were, however, derived from Loyola and
Lainez, rather than from Borgia, whose ideal was a simple monasticism
rather than a life of manifold and influential contact with the world.
He died at Rome on the 30th of September 1572. He was beatified by Urban
VIII. in 1624, and canonized by Clement X. in 1671, his festival being
afterwards (1683) fixed by Innocent XI.