kable, perhaps,
of his foundations was the fraternity of the Oblates, a society whose
members were pledged to give aid to the church when and where it might
be required. He further paved the way for the "Golden" or "Borromean"
league formed in 1586 by the Swiss Catholic cantons of Switzerland to
expel heretics if necessary by armed force.

In 1576, when Milan was visited by the plague, he went about giving
directions for accommodating the sick and burying the dead, avoiding no
danger and sparing no expense. He visited all the neighbouring parishes
where the contagion raged, distributing money, providing accommodation
for the sick, and punishing those, especially the clergy, who were
remiss in discharging their duties. He met with much opposition to his
reforms. The governor of the province, and many of the senators,
apprehensive that the cardinal's ordinances and proceedings would
encroach upon the civil jurisdiction, addressed remonstrances and
complaints to the courts of Rome and Madrid. But Borromeo had more
formidable difficulties to struggle with, in the inveterate opposition
of several religious orders, particularly that of the Humiliati
(Brothers of Humility). Some members of that society formed a conspiracy
against his life, and a shot was fired at him in the archiepiscopal
chapel under circumstances which led to the belief that his escape was
miraculous. The number of his enemies was increased by his successful
attack on his Jesuit confessor Ribera, who with other members of the
college of Milan was found to be guilty of unnatural offences. His
manifold labours and austerities appear to have shortened his life. He
was seized with an intermittent fever, and died at Milan on the 4th of
November 1584. He was canonized in 1610, and his feast is celebrated on
the 4th of November.

Besides the _Nodes Vaticanae_, to which he appears to have contributed,
the only literary relics of this intrepid and zealous reformer are some
homilies, discourses and sermons, with a collection of letters. His
sermons, which have little literary merit, were published by J.A. Sax (5
vols., Milan, 1747-1748), and have been translated into many languages.
The record of his episcopate is to be found in the two volumes of the
_Acta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis_ (Milan, 1599). Contrary to his last
wishes a memorial was erected to him in Milan cathedral, as well as a
statue 70 ft. high on the hill above Arona, by his admirers who regarded
him as t