“A greater Heretic than Constantino.” (Page 139).
Cervantes here alludes to a Spanish Lutheran, named Constantino Ponce de la Fuente. This martyr to sincere religious faith is frequently mentioned by the old Spanish historians, and it may be presumed the few scattered notices of his life here collected cannot fail to interest the English reader.
In the beginning of the sixteenth century great alarm was created in Spain by the rapidly increasing number of Protestants. In all the principal cities of the kingdom the Jesuits zealously exerted themselves for the discovery of heretics as the Protestants were commonly termed. The crafty brotherhood hoped by this means to recommend themselves to the common people, and also to induce the clergy to regard them as the strongest phalanx on which the Romish Church could rely for upholding the Catholic religion. In Seville, the doctrines of Luther were secretly adopted by many individuals distinguished for their rank and intelligence, and he who laboured most actively and earnestly for their propagation was Dr. Constantino Ponce de la Fuente. This celebrated man was a native of the city of San Clemente de la Mancha, in the Bishoprick of Cuenca, and he studied in the University of Alcalá de Henares, with his friend Dr. Juan Gil de Egidio. After quitting the University, both took up their abode in Seville where they commenced propounding the doctrines of Luther, Calvin, and other reformers, but with such well concerted secrecy that so far from being suspected of heresy they were regarded as most orthodox and exemplary Catholics. The fame of Constantino’s learning and talents induced several prelates to invite him to reside in their respective dioceses. The Bishop of Cuenca, was desirous of appointing him magistral canon of his cathedral, and he wrote several letters urging him to accept a dignity for which he was so well fitted. But Constantino declined the proffered honour founding his refusal on reasons more or less plausible; the real one however being that his partiality for Lutheran doctrines made him reluctant. Shortly after this, the Emperor Charles V., appointed Constantino his Chaplain of Honour, the duties of which post compelled him to proceed to the Netherlands, where he resided for a considerable time.
Immediately after his return to Spain he was elected Magistral Canon of the Cathedral of Seville where he commenced preaching. His orations, in which Lutheran principles were artfully veiled, and ingeniously interwoven with Catholic doctrines, drew crowds of listeners to the Cathedral. About this time, the Jesuit Father Francisco de Borja, happening to be in Seville, he went to the Cathedral to hear from the lips of Constantino one of those eloquent sermons, the fame of which was resounding throughout Spain. The Padre was startled on hearing certain propositions, which in his opinion, were anything but orthodox, and turning to some persons near him, he repeated the line: Aut aliquis latet error, equo ne credite Teucri.
Alarmed at Constantino’s popularity Borja recommended Father Juan Suárez (then Rector in Salamanca), to repair to Seville without delay, and there to establish a House of the Brotherhood of Jesus, for the purpose of checking as far as possible the progress of Lutheran opinions. Borja and other learned Jesuits urged the Dominican Friars to attend in the Cathedral whenever Constantino preached for the purpose of noting any observations of heretical tendency in his sermons, and reporting thereon to the Inquisition. Fully aware that he was an object of suspicion, Constantino felt the necessity of holding himself on his guard. On one occasion whilst descanting in the pulpit on some disputed point of belief, he began to fear that he was too freely unveiling his opinions, and suddenly checking himself in the midst of his discourse he said: Me robaban la voz aquellas capillas. As he uttered these words he pointed to the vaulted roofs of the lateral Chapels pretending to the Catholic portion of the congregation that an echo or some other cause prevented him from rendering himself audible, but in reality alluding to the Dominican monks, whose presence he wished his friends to understand, obliged him to be cautious and reserved.[93]
Shortly after this Constantino took a step which naturally excited great astonishment among the Jesuits. He made a formal application to be admitted as a member of the College which the brotherhood had established in Seville. Whether he took this step with the view of evading the danger of rapidly increasing suspicion; or whether he had conceived the design of attempting to convert the Jesuits to Protestantism, it is impossible to determine, but it can scarcely be imagined he was sincere in his wish to join the fraternity. Father Santibañez, in his Historia de la Compañïa de Jesús, furnishes the following particulars relating to Constantino’s application and its result.
“Constantino came to our college and discoursed with Padre Bartolomé de Bustamante, then exercising the functions of Provincial. He declared that his mind was beginning to be disabused of the world and its vanities; at the same time he feigned the utmost contempt for all mundane concerns, and expressed his wish to retire wholly from them. He declared his resolution to devote himself to religion, to do penance for his sins, and to correct the vanity and presumption of his sermons, by which he said he had gained more applause to himself than souls to God.—Several days elapsed, during which the Fathers discussed together Constantino’s proposition, but without coming to any agreement on the question. In the meanwhile Constantino’s frequent visits to our college were observed, and it began to be reported about that some secret scheme was in agitation. These reports reached the ears of the Inquisitor Carpio, and he desired to make himself acquainted with the facts of the case. He thought it best to address himself privately to Father Juan Suárez, with whom he was on friendly terms. Accordingly he invited Suárez to dinner, and during the repast he turned the conversation on matters concerning the Jesuits. He asked several questions respecting some of the probationers; which questions Suárez answered; and thereupon the Inquisitor said—
“‘I have heard that Doctor Constantino proposes to join the society.’
“‘He has,’ replied the Padre; ‘but what of that, señor, though his proposition has been listened to and entertained, yet we have come to no decision upon it.’
“‘He is,’ resumed the Inquisitor, ‘a person of weight and influence, and much looked up to by reason of his great learning;—yet I doubt whether a man at his age, and one who has always been accustomed to think and act according to his own will and pleasure, could easily submit to the restraints of a noviciate, and to the rigour of monastic rules. Instead of conforming to the regulations of your society he will, on the plea of his own superior merit, lay claim to, and possibly obtain some of those dispensations so odious in religious communities, whose high character can be maintained only by the perfect equality of duties and privileges. Believe me, when Constantino has fairly entered your college, he will give much to get out of it, and to bid you all farewell. To permit him to remain there with exemptions, would be a dangerous relaxation of the religious discipline so inviolably maintained by your society. It is by this sort of relaxation that monastic laws lose their force, and thereby many congregations suffer in the integrity of their principles. I assure you,’ pursued the Inquisitor, ‘that it gives me pain to communicate these doubts; but if the affair concerned me as it does you, I would decline Constantino’s proposition.’