IGNATIUS LOYOLA, the founder of the order of Jesuits, was born at the castle of Loyola, in Biscay, in the year 1491. He became, first, page to Ferdinand V. king of Spain, and then an officer in the army. In the latter capacity he signalized himself by his valour, and was wounded in both legs at the siege of Pampeluna in 1521. To this circumstance the Jesuits owe their origin; for whilst he was under cure of his wound, a Life of the Sainte, which was put into his hands, determined him to exchange the military for the ecclesiastical profession. His first devout exercise was to dedicate himself to the blessed virgin as her knight. He then went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land; and upon his return to Europe he continued his theological studies in the universities of Spain, though he was then thirty-three years of age. After this he went to Paris, and in France laid the foundation of that new order, the institutes of which he presented to Pope Paul III., who made many objections to them, but at last, in 1540, confirmed the institution. The founder died in 1555, and left his disciples two famous books: first, Spiritual Exercises; second, Constitutions or Rules of the Order. But it must be remembered, that though these avowed institutes contain many privileges obnoxious to the welfare of society, the most objectionable are contained in the private rules, entitled Monita Secreta, which were not discovered till long afterwards; but most writers attribute these, and even the Constitutions, to Laynez, the second general of the order.