Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 8.djvu/94

 === Heading text === INSTITUTES INSTITUTES Abbey of Maredsous (1904-1907) : his successor is Dr. Gottfried Kurth, professor emeritus :it flie University of Liege. The institute has published thus far two volumes of "Analecta Vaticano-Belgica " : I, "Sup- pliques de Ck^ment VI" (1342-1352), by Berli^re; II, "Lettres de Jean XXII" (1316-1334), vol. I (1316-1324), by Fayen. The following are in prepa- ration: "Lettres de Jean XXII", vol. II, by Fayen; " SuppIiquesd'Innocent VI " (1352-1362), by Berlicre; "Lettres de Benoit XII" (1334-1342), by Fierens. Two other volumes are under way. By his pam- phlet " De la creation d'une ^cole Beige a Rome " (.Tournai, 1S96), Professor Cauchie of Louvain con- triliutcd greatly to the founding of the institute. Ilolhtnil. — The Netherland institute grew out of various historical commissions, the last of which was established 20 May, 1904. Its two representatives, Dr. Brom and Dr. Orbaan, were appointed on 31 March, 1906, director and secretary respectively of the state institute founded on this date, and of which they thus became the first members (Brom, " Neder- landsche geschiedvorsching en Rome", 1903). This institute aims at a systematic investigation of Hol- land's ecclesiastical and political relations, and of her artistic, scientific, and economic relations, with Rome and Italy during the fourteenth, fifteenth, and six- teentli centiuies, a period of very great importance for Holland. A yearly report of the institute and its library appears at The Hagus in " Verslagen om- trent's Rikjs onde archieven". Besides a number of essays and minor works, there appeared at The Hague, during 1908, a work by Brom, "Archivalia in Italic"; part I, Rome, "Vaticaansch Archief". All historical material in Italian archives bearing on the Netherlands will be concisely described in this series of volumes; the first part contains 2650 numbers, and is specially valuable because of the excellent conspectus it offers of the contents of the Vatican archives. A work by Orbaan, on Dutch scholars and artists in Rome, is ready for the press (1910). VI. Miscellaneous Rese.iuiches in the Vatican Archives. — The institutes above-mentioned offer a very incomplete idea of the historical work done in the Vatican archives. Many Frenchmen, Germans, Au.s- trians, Belgians, and others flock to Rome and spend much of their time in private investigations of their own. Most of these workers attach themselves to some institute and profit by its experience. Among Americans we may mention Professor Charles Homer Haskins, who familiarized liimself with the treas- ures contained in the archives and library, and made a report on the same for the " American His- torical Review", reprinted in the "Catholic Univer- .sity Bulletin", Washington, 1S97, pp. 177-196; Rev. P. de Roo, who laboured for several years on the "Hegesta" of Alexander VI; Heywood, who com- piled the " Documenta selecta e tabulario Sanctaj Sedis, insulas et terras anno 1492 repertas a Christo- l)horo t'olumbo respicientia", which he pviblished in phototype in 1892. Other American scholars have profited largely by the immemorial academic hospi- tality of the popes. Special mention should be made here of the studies of Lvika Jelie and Conrad Eulicl concerning early missionary enterprises, and of an essay by Shipley on "The Colonization of America" (Lucerne, 1899). For other valuable information see the tenth vohmie of the "Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia". The time would seem to b(? at hand for the foundation of an American Catholic historical institute, which would take over the task of collecting and publishing in a systematic way iw numerous important docu- ments concerning the Aiucrican Church preserved in many places at Rome, purticularly in the Propaganda archives. Rus.sia has sent historical commissions to Home repeatedly, and for several years at a time. The names of Schmurlow, Briickner, Pierling, PorS- ter, Wiersbowski, and others are sufficient reminders of the excellent work accomplished. From Japan came Dr. Murakami, to explore the Propaganda and Vatican archives for a history of the Catholic missions to Japan (1549-1690). Denmark is represented among the investigators by such names as Moltesen, Krarup, and Lindback; Norway by Storm, and Swe- den by Tegner, Elof, Karlson, and others. Moritz Stern, Felix Vernet, and others obtained at the Vatican material for a history of the Hebrews. The Spanish Government was long officially represented by the famous Spanish historian, Ricarilo de Hinojosa, while researches in Portuguese history are conducted by MacSwiney. Switzerland entered into this peaceful competition by the labours of Kirsch and Baumgarten in 1899, and since the close of the last century many Swiss have visited Rome for Vatican researches, both as individuals and on official missions. We need only mention the names of Biichi, Wirz, Bernoulli, Stef- fens, Reinhard, and Stilckelljerg. In addition to these and many more names, we must mention the numerous religious who seek in the ar- chives fresh material for general ecclesiastical history, or the history of their order, e. g. the Benedictines and the Bollandists. The writer has observed at work in the archives during the last twenty-one years Domin- icans, Jesuits, Franciscans, Minor Conventuals, Capu- chins, Trinitarians, Cistercians, Benedictines, Ba- silians. Christian Brothers, Lateran Canons Regular, Vallombrosans, Camaldolese, Olivetans, Silvestrines, Carthusians, Augustinians, Mercedarians, Barnabites, and others. Women have at times secured temporary admittance, though for intelligible reasons this privi- lege is now restricted. Since 1879 the archives have welcomed Catholics, Protestants, Hebrews, believers and infidels. Christians and heathens, priests and lay- men, men and women, rich and poor, persons of high social standing and plain citizens, of every nation and language. The writer is acquainted with nearly all the great archives of Europe, and knows that none of them afford similar facilities to the liistorical student or extend him more courtesy. The number of visitors is at all times higher than to other archives, while the freedom allowed in the u.se of the material is the most far-reaching known; practically nothing is kept hidden. VII. Results of Vatican Research. — It is not easy to determine which branch of historical science derives most benefit from Vatican research, nor is the question a simple one. Chronologically, there is no doubt that so far the most favoured period is that of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The six- teenth century comes next, much light being shed on it by the nunciature reports and the Acts of the Council of Trent. The seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries have hitherto been represented by few works, and these not very comprehensive. From the standpoint of subjects treated, Vatican re- search falls into tlu-ee parts: (1) The study of the ecclesiastical relations of Rome with individual na- tions or peoples; (2) Roman ecclesiastical administra- tion in all its details; (3) the influence exerted by the papacy on the civilized world, whether purely polit- ical or of a mixed political and religious nature. If we coiisiiler the iHc(li<'v;d jieriod under the first of these subdivisions the results obtained are substan- tially as follows: (a) compilation of correct lists of bishops and titular bishops; (b) investigation of the so-called Sfi'vilia. (communia et secrcl(i), i. e. of cer- tain dues paid at liome, among them ixdlimn dues; (c) completer lists of bislioprics, abbeys, prelateships and churches directly subject to the Holy See; (d) lists, as complete as po.ssible, of all kinds of |)apal ordinances, processes, decisions, constitutions, and decrees; (e) study of the entire sy.stem of minor bene- fices in so far as affected by curial reservations;