Voynich buys some Jesuit manuscripts

[Rafal]

Did they really need that money that badly?

Even if they didn't need the money badly, they probably prefered selling the stuff to having it confiscated at some moment.
And I suppose some of them would prefer to burn the manuscripts than give them away to the state.

Relationships between the Catholic Church and new united, secular Italian state were really bad and hostile at that time.
Read the stuff like: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.  to get the historical context.

When a potential buyer appeared they used the occasion.