Page:Omniana 2.djvu/284

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274
OMNIANA.

eminent of these reformers. The Carmelites would probably deny that they followed his example, and trace up their institution directly to Elijah. This question is of little moment at present. They had their desarts also, and the regular establishment seems to have been one for every province. There were six Carmelite provinces in the Peninsula, and each had it's desart, except the province of Portugal, where in the early part of the 17th century they were about to establish one at Cintra, having obtained all the necessary licenses for that purpose. But though Cintra would have been in all natural respects just such a situation as the fathers would have chosen, it was too near the court, and they anticipated with a prudent dread the frequent interruption which would be occasioned by the concourse of visitors. It happened at this time that two of the fraternity, travelling from Aveyro to Coimbra; and convers-