nevertheless often make mistakes and do not understand the words."[1] Then he brought masters from the East to teach the monks, first Andronikos Gallinatos, then Constantine Laskaris. He founded a chair of Greek at Messina at the cost of the monks. Gallinatos, then another Greek of Constantinople, Glykas, then Laskaris held this chair in turn.[2] Bessarion was also concerned to reform the life of the monks. In 1466 he summoned a synod of Basilians to Rome to consider various points of reform.[3]
But the disorders went on. In the sixteenth century, Rodotà says: "Degenerate from their institution, they had nothing of monks but the name. They observed no rule of life but that which was suggested by their own will, without any command of superiors. They wandered from town to town. Many lived in the houses of their relations, without any restraint, and far from all pious practices. With pride and arrogance they interfered in worldly affairs; there was no business of the people in which they did not wish to have their say."[4] Julius II (1503-1513) named Cardinal Dominic Grimani Protector of the Basilians. He at once sent two visitors to reform them.[5] But later, Cardinal Santoro says of them: "The rule of St Basil lies in darkness and dirt ... the monasteries, filled with a mass of men, are looked upon as a joke. In them is no pious habit of life, no order, no discipline. The monks wander everywhere without a rector, and ruin the dignity of the ordinaries ... though they say their office in Greek they can neither read nor write Greek properly, and they spoil the rites. ... Cruel shipwreck of discipline, most lamentable fall and certain death of the ancient order established by the most holy and learned Father, which has lasted so many centuries."[6] In Santoro's time the Basilians in Italy nearly came to an end. Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) was so annoyed by the scandals of the monks that he determined to abolish them altogether. It was Santoro who persuaded him not to do so.[7] Though Santoro was so conscious of the disorders of these monks, yet he did not want to see the old order done away with.
Meanwhile a curious side-issue to our subject is the establishment of a branch of the Basilian order in Spain. But these
