outward submission of words thus the holy man replied my Lord if the Father repell his sonne at one doore he must enter in againe at another By force of which humility the Bishop being wholy subdued embraced him with a loving and chearefull countenance saiyng then vnto him Beholde that none can preach the worde of god without leaue of his superiour From hence forth both you and your brethren may freely preache in in my Diocesse by my licence generall for so much your holy humility hath very well deserved It happened that once he came to Aretium at such time as the whole Cittie was so miserably afflicted with civill warre and dissention that it seemed to be therby in present danger of vtter distruction And he being then lodged in the suburbes sawe a route of Divells alofte in the aire right over the Citty insulting and also inflaming the perturbed mindes of the Cittizens to mutuall armes and slaughter But to the ende he might driue away those seditious powers of the aire he sent brother Siluester a man of singular simplicity and sincerity assigning vnto him the Office of a Crier saiyng Go before the gate of the Citty and on the parte of Almighty God commande the Diuells by vertue of obedience that they speedily departe Incontinently the childe of true obedience made hast to performe the Fathers commaundement having first given praise vnto Almighty God he beganne with loude voice to crie before the gate of the Citty on the parte of God Almighty and by the commaundement of his servant Francis depart ye farre away from hence all ye wicked Divells Aud presently vpon these wordes the Citty returned vnto peace againe and all the Cittizens with great good agreement renewed the lawes of their former civility For the raging pride of the Diuells which had as it were besieged that Citty being once repelled the wisedome of the poore that is to say the humility of Saint Francis comming then vppon them restored peace vnto the people and preserved the Citty from desolation For by the merite of that rare and excellent vertue of humble obedience he had obtained so powerfull a commaundement ouer those prowde rebellious spirits that the did both represse theire insolent arrogancy and did also repell their importunate violence In this manner the prowde Diuels do ever flie away from the eminent vertues of the humble saving that sometimes the mercie of God permitteth them to be buffeted of the enemie for the better preservation of their humility according as Saint Paul the Apostle writeth of himselfe 2. Cor. 12.7 and as Saint Francis proved by experience For being requested by Lord LEO Cardinall of the Holy Crosse to remaine some litle wile with him in the Citry he humbly consented thervnto for the reverence and loue he bare vnto him But in the very first night of his entertainement his praiers being ended and he preparing himself to sleep a sorte of Divells issued in vpon him furiously assailing the souldier of Christe Aug. 18. de ciu Deic 18. Whome when they had long and sorely beaten at lenght they left him for dead But as soone as the fiends were gone the servant of God calling his companion related vnto him the whole matter as it had befallen him saiyng I do verely belieue Brother that the Divells who can doe nothing but as the providence of God doth dispose haue for this cause rushed now with so great fury vpon me because ther is no good hope to be conceiued of my aboade in the Court of Princes For my brethren that abide in poore and forlorne places hearing that I am now in company with Cardinals will peradventure imagine that I am busied in wordly affaires that I am advanced with honors and that I do abound with pleasures Wherfore I thinke it better that he who is given as an examplevn to others should avoide the Court and converse humbly among the humble in humble places to the ende that vnto them who sustaine povertie himselfe may giue encouragement by sustaining the like with them In the morning therefore they came and humbly excusing themselves tooke their leaue of the Cardinall For the holy man abhorred pride as the roote and of spring of all other evills besides no lesse detesting the foule vice of disobedience which he esteemed as her most pestilent deformed daughter but the humility of pennance he did as equally approue It fortuned once a certaine brother to be brought before him who having committed some offence against the law of obedience was therefore rightfully to be corrected by the discipline of iustice But the man of God by evident tokens perceyving that the brother was vn fainedly pennitent for his fault of transgression was by the loue he bare to humility much inclined to pardone him yet least that his facility in par doning might be vnto others an occasion in like manner to offend he commaunded the brothers Capouche to be taken from him and cast into the middest of the flaming fire to the end that all men might obserue with how great and with what mauner of revenge the offence of disobedience ought of right to be chasticed and corrected But when the Caponche had bine a good while in the fire he commaunded the same to be taken out of the fire againe and to be delivered vnto the brother vpon his humble repentance A wonderfull marter it is to reparte The Capouche being raked out from the middest of the flames bare no marke or signe of burning at all and so it came to passe that wod by this one miracle did both approue the vertue of the holy man and did also commend the humility of pennance Worthely therefore is the humility of Saint FRANCIS to be immitated and embraced which obtained even in earth so admirable a dignity as to incline the wil of God to his desire to chaunge the affection of man to foile by his commaundement the insolent pride of the Divells and with a beck to represse the devouring names of the fire This is in very deâ—e that high and excellent vertue which exalting them that possesse it while it giveth reverence vnto all deferveth worthily to be honored of all THE SEAVENTH CHAPTER Of his loue of pouerty and of the marueilous supply of his wants AMONG the many and fundry gifts of spirituall graces which holy Saint FRANCIS obtained of the bountifull giuer of all things he merited by a certain speciall prerogatiue to aboued in the riches of simplicity by the loue of most perfect pouerty This vertue the holy man considering to hane binne familiar vnto the sonne of God waighing also the same to be now a daies as it were abandoned throughout the world did so efficacioussy endeuour to espouse the same vnto himselfe by perpetuall Charity that for the loue thereof he did not only forsake both Father and Mother but also did freely distribute and disburden himself of what ever he either had or might in time to come
a poore man that asked him almes for the loue of God he presently remembring himselfe and entring into iudgement with his owne heart did speedily runne after him bestowing his almes with much affection vpon him making furthermore euen then a promise vnto Almighty God that from thence forward so long as he should haue any thing in the worlde to giue hee would never denie to giue something to such as should begge of him for our Lords sake which he observing continually with an vnwearied zeale of devotion vnto his death was thereby made woorthie to obtaine an aboundant encrease of the favour and grace of Almighty God For he was woont to say after that he had perfectly put on Christ that even whilest he was in secular habite he felt a great motion in his heart whensoever he heard any worde expressing the loue of God Furthermore the mildnesse of his conversation together with the sweetnesse of his manners his patience and tractable behaviour more theÌ„ is ordinary in meÌ„ his liberality beyond the measure of his ability which appeared in him in his youth were tokens that God had a greater aboundance of blessing to powre vpon him It fortuned once that a very simple man of Assisium by the instruction of God as we haue good cause to thinke meeting vpon a time with Saint FRANCIS as he passed along the Citty cast off his cloake and spread the same vnder his feete affirming that he should be worthie of all manner of reverence the time beeing nowe not long vnto wherin he should performe great matters and should be of the whole worlde for that cause marveilously honored But yet altogether ignorant was S. FRANCIS at this time of Gods determination concerning him aswell beeing by the commaundement of his father distracted in externall affaires as also by naturall corruption carried away with terrestriall â—â—â—â—ters wherby he had not as yet learned to conteplate vpo the matters of Heauen nor had accustomed himselfe to taste of the sweetnesse of God And because the scourge of affliction doth oftentimes giue light to the spirituall vnderstanding the mighty hande of our Lord did come vpon him the right hand of the highest wrought a perfect change within him afflicting his body with lingring infirmities whereby the better to prepare his soule to receiue the precious inspirations and motions of the Holy Ghost But having recovered his strength and being provided of decent apparell according to his vsuall manner he chanced to meete a certaine souldiar who was in yery deede a gentleman by birth but poore and meanely apparelled whose poverty he commiserating with a syncete affection dispoiled himselfe of his own apparell and furnished the poore souldiar therewithall that so in one worke he might performe a double office of piety both in covering the shame of a gentleman souldiar in releiueing the misery of a poore distressed man In the night following when he had betaken himselfe to his naturall rest it pleased the goodnesse of God to shew vnto him a great and beautifull pallace adotned with Military weapons insigned with the Crosse of CHRIST then foreshewing vnto him that the mercy which he had extended towards the poore souldiar for the loue of the heavenly King should be recompenced with an incomparable reward Wherevpon demaunding vnto whom all those goodly things did appertaine it was aunswered to him from aboue that they should be vpon him and his souldiars freely bestowed A waking therefore in the morning and having his minde not as yet exercised in the searching of Divine mysteries neither yet knowing how by the formes of visible thinges to consider the trueth of things invisible he perswaded himselfe that this vnaccustomed vision was a fore token of some great prosperity to happen vnto him So being as yet ignorant of Gods Divine ordinance towardes him he purposed to goe into Apulia vnto a certaine Earle of great liberality hoping by service vnder him in the wars to purchase a name of honour according as the mentioned vision vnto him seemed to foretell And being shortly after entred into his iourney as he came to the next City he heard in the night time our Lord in familiar manner thus speaking vnto him FRANCIS who is able to doe better for thee the master or the servant the rich man or the poore To whom Saint FRANCIS making aunswere that the master and the rich man were better able Our Lord presently replied why therefore doest thou leaue the master for the servant and the rich God for a poore man Then Saint FRANCIS asked what wilt thou haue me O Lord to doe And our Lord said vnto him returne into thine owne country for the vision which thon hast seene doth prefigurate a spiritual effect which is to be by the disposition of God not of man accomplished in thee In the morning therefore he speedily returned backe to Assisium resting nowe full of security and ioy making himselfe a patterne of obedience did readily expect the pleasure of our Lord. From that time foreward hee with-drewe himselfe from the practise of his common trafique and devoutly besought Almighty God of his mercy that hee would voutsafe to shew vnto him what he ought to doe And when by much vse of praier the flame of Heavenly desire began aboundantly to encrease in him so that nowe for the loue of the Heavenly country hee contemned all earthely things as very nothing then did he well perceiue himselfe to haue found the hidden treasure like a well advised marchant purposed with the sale of all his marchandise to purchase this rare and pretious pearle But as yet he was ignorant how to proceed therein saving that it was to his spirit sugested that the entring into spirituall affaires is the contempt of the world and that the warfare of Christ is not otherwise to be by any man begun than by obtaining first the conquest of himselfe Riding therefore one day vpon the plaine Beholde howe his adorning the Altarâ— did please god otherwise the holy man woulde not haue done them adioyning nigh to Assisium there came in his way a certaine Leaper vpon whose sodaine aspect he coÌ„ceived in mind an especiall horror and loathing But returning to his already resolued purpose of perfection and considering that he ought of necessity first to overcome himselfe if he would become the souldiar of Christ he presently alighted downe from his horse and went to kisse him At what time the Leaper reaching fotth his hand as hoping to receiue something from him did indeed teceiue money of him and a kisse also therewithall But he being presently gotten vp vpon his horse againe and looking round about in the open field could not espie the Leaper there Being therefore replenished with admiration and ioy he began devoutly to sing praises vnto God purposing from this beginning evermore to aspire vnto greater perfections From thenceforth he began to affect solitary places Behold his pilgrimage to holy places as best fitting vnto
disease such as no art of Physicke was able to cure wherefore having bin to visite the Church of the Apostles to craue the help of their meritts S. Francis repaired three Churches with the almes of the faithful Therefore it is a good work and pleasing to God it happened that in the way of his rerurne from pilgrimage he met with this holy servant of God At what tyme when as he would for very deuotiō haue kissed the footesteeps of his feete the humble man in no sorte permitting the same kissed the mouth of him that would gladely haue kissed his feet But so soone as Sainct Francis had with a marveillous piety once with his sacred mouth touched that horrible and loath some soare the malice forth with of the disease departed and the diseased man presently attained his wished health and recouery Herein I know not whether more to admire either the perfection of so great humility in so charitable a kisse or the excellencie of his vertue in so wonderfull a miracle But let vs comme to our intended purpose this holy man Saint Francis being firmely establishe in Christian humility recalled againe to his due obedience to be exhibited in performance of the worke from the Crosse enioyned vnto him concerning the repairing of Saint Damians Church as a true obedient servant he returneth back to Assisium that at the least by beginning he might cōpasse so much as might suffice to performe the commaundement of God For which cause putting aside all bashfullnes for the loue of Christ crucified he was willingly contented to begg of them amongst whome he was wont to liue in great aboundance offering his wearied body now wasted much with fasting to the carrieng of heavy stones towards the repaire of the ding This Church therefore being finally repaired by the help of God good devotion of the Cittysens least that his hody should after labour waxe wanton cōdemning idlenesse he seetled himselfe to the repayring of a certaine other Church dedicated to the holy Apostle S. Peter the same being distant som what further off from the Citty thereof he made rather his choice in regard of speciall devotion without of the purity of sincer faith he bare to the prince of the Apostles This Church being at the lenght finished he came vnto the place called Portiuncula wherin was a Church builded to the blessed virgin Mother of God but at that time decaied desolate not regarded of any Which the man of God seing to be thus forsakē did for the fervent devotiō which he carried towards this B. mother begane to make his daily residence there for the repayring of the same Church also And perceiving that according to the name therof which was from ancient time called S. Mary of Angels there appeared oftentimes Evangelicall visions there did he sett vp his rest and finall purpose of aboade as well for the reuerence of the Angels as for the singuler loue which he bare to the Mother of Christ This place the holy man loved aboue all other places of the world For here he beganne in humility heere he proceeded in integritie heere he made his end in felicity this place at his death he commended to his brethren as most dere to the blessed virgin Of this place cerraine devout brother did a litle before his conversion behold a vision very worthy of relation There appeared vnto him an innumerable company of blinde men standing within the Compasse of this Church all of them having their faces directed towards heaven and their knees bowed downe to the grounde who strectching for the their handes on high cried out to God in pittiful manner desiring him of mercy and reinioying of their sightes And behold there came a great light from heavē which spreading it self through them all restored vnto enery one of them theire perfect sightes and healthe according as they had before desired This is the place wheare S. Francis by the instinct of divine revelation beganne the order of the Friers Minors For by the appointmēt of Gods heavēly providence wherby the servant of Christ was directed in all things he erected three materiall Churchs before the beginning of his Order he did apply himself to the preaching of the Ghospell that he might not only ascend as it were by degrees frō things sensible vnto things intelligible from matters of lesser moment to things of farre greater perfection but that he might also foretell as it were in a mistery by some sensible worke what he was heareafter to do For like as the triple building was repayred by means of that holy man so according to the same forme rule doctrine by him prescribed the Church of Christ was in three sortes to be renewed in a threefold triumphant armie of the elect according as we do now see to be accomplished THE THIRD CHAPTER Of the institution of his order of Religion and of the approbation of his Rule THIS singuler seruant of God S. Francis now making his aboad in the Church of the most blessed virgin Mother and standing with cōtinuall sighes before Her who in her wombe conceiued theword repleinished with grace and truth desiring with vnspeakable affection that she would vouchsafe to be come his aduocate by the merrits of the mother of mercy he did conceiue and bring foorth the spirit of Euangelicall truth For one day hearing Masse of the Apostles with great deuotion that Ghospell was read wherein Christe sending his Apostles to preache prescribeth vnto them an Euangelicall forme of liuing to witt that they possesse no gold nor siluer nor mony in their purses nor Scripp for the Way nor two coats Math. 10. neither yet to beare either shoes vppon their feete or a rodde in their hand All which wordes this vnsained frend of Apostolicall pouerty hearing vnderstanding to heedefull memory cemmending feeling also in wardly in himselfe an incredible ioy contentation This is quoth he the thing I doe couet this is the same which with all my whole harte and soule I desire His shoes did he therfore loose from his feete his staffe he layd a side his wallet he reiected and mony he vtterly abandoned rhus resting contented with one only coate refusing also his letherne belt in steade of a girdle he toke a coarde applieing all the diligence of his heart how he might most duely performe the things he had heard and might in all things conforme himselfe to the exact rule of Apostolicall perfection From this time the man of God by divine inspiration beganne to be a studious emulator of Evangelicall perfection and to invite others vnto Pennance with him His speeches were in no wise vaine neither yet such as might Minister cause of laughter but evermore full fraught with the power of the Holy Ghost penetrating even into the secret partes of the harte by force whereof he wrought not a litle astonishment in the mindes all such as heard him He preached alwaies peace vnto the people and in
person At length I am cast out with reproache as a man contemptible and basely estemed at euery hande I speake it vnto you truly my brother that vnlesse I shal with the same chearefulnes of countenance with the same in ward alacritie of minde and with the same inuiolable purpose of holinesse attend vnto the hearing of these wordes a Friar minor I cannot be And this admonition also he wel adioined In preeminence there is a ruine in praise a downfal but in the humilitie of the subiect is the gaine of the soule Why therefore doe we follow daungers more than gaine seing that wee haue received time to make our commodity And for this very cause this perfect patterne of humility Saint Francis would haue his brethren to be called Minors and the Prelates of his Order to be tearmed Ministers as well thereby to vse the wordes of the Gospell which he had promised to obserue as also that his disciples mighte by their very name be continually put in minde that they were come to learne humility at the Schooles of their humble Maister Christe For Iesus Christ that excellent Maister and most exquisite teacher of this notable vertue humiâ—itie to the ende he might perfectly informe his Disciples therein said vnto them whosoeuer will be the greater among you let him be your Minister Math. 20.26 and he that will be first among you shall be your servant And conformably herevnto it being demaunded of him by the Bishop of Hostia then Cardinal Protector and chiefe advancer of the Order of the Friars Minors who afterward according to the foreprophccieng of the holy man being exalted to the honor of Papall Dignity was called Gregory the Ninth whether it stood with his liking to haue his brethren promoted vnto Ecclesiasticall Dignities he made answeare vnto him My Lord for this cause are my brethren called Minors which is as much to say as lesser or inferiour persons that they may not presume to be made greater If you will haue theÌ„ to bring forth fruit in the Church of God then hold and conserue them in the state of their owne vocation permitte theÌ„ not by any meanes to ascend vnto Ecclesiasticall governments And for so much as he preferred humility as well in himselfe as in them that were vnder him before all other honours besides God therefore the lover of humble persons adiudged him to be worthy in that respect of farre greater and more high dignities accordingly as it was by a vision from heaven revealed vnto one of the brethren of spetiall vertue and devotion For being in the company of the man of God togeather with him praying in a certaint solitary abaÌ„doned Church with a great fervent affectioÌ„ he fell into a traÌ„ce and sawe among many seates in heaven one of more excellent dignity than all the rest besides the same being adorned with precious stones and shining also with all manner of glory And wondering then within himselfe at the brightnesse of that highe and eminent Throne he beganne very carefully in his thoughts to enquire who should be so happy as to be assumed therevnto At which very time he hearde a voice which saied vnto him This was the seate of one of them that fell and now it is kept for humble Francis And afterwards the brother returning vnto himselfe againe followed the blessed maÌ„ out of the Church according to his wounted manner At what time talking by the way as they went of Almightie God the brother not vnmindefull of the vision shewen vnto him very prudently demaunded of him what conceite and opinion he held of himself To whom the humble servant of Christ made answeare Verily I doe esteeme my selfe the greatest sinner of the world Wherevnto the brother repliyng that he could not with the safety of his conscience either say or thinke in such wise of himself he presently therevnto againe reioined saying O my brother if Christe had shewed so greate mercy vnto the most wicked man aliue as he hath donne to me I do verely belieue that he would haue binne more thankefull vnto Almighty God than I haue bin Vpon the hearing of the which so admirable humility the brother was absolutely confirmed concerning the truth of the vision disclosed vnto him acknowledging by testification of the holy Gospell it self that vnto the excellency of glory from the which the proude is cast downe he that is truly humble is exalted Another time also as he was praiyng in a certaine solitary Church within the Province of Massa at the hill Casalis he vnderstood by revelation of the spirit that there were certain holy Reliques remaining there in that place which he theÌ„ with griefe of minde perceaving to haue binne for long togeather defrauded of the honor due vnto them commanded his brethren to translate them in all reverent manner vnto a more convenient and semely place of abiding But himselfe being vppon iust occasion for a time departed from them the children then vnmindfull of the commandement of their father neglected the merite of holy obedience Notwithstanding vpon a certaine day when as they intended to celebrate the holy Misteries having removed the vpper covering of the Aultat they founde there not without great admiration sundrie most faire and fragrant bones discerning them to be the same holy Reliques which no hand of man but the power of God had brought to the place And it was no long while after Thou which dost contemne the relick of saintes beholde what reverence the man of God gaue vnto them that the holy man of God returning back againe beganne diligently to enquire whither that which himselfe had commaunded concerning the Reliques had binne by them accomplished But the brethren humbly coÌ„fessing their fault in neglecting their due obedience deserved to obteine pardon togeather with some punnishement also therewithall And then the holy man burst forth into these wordes Blessed saith he be my Lord my God who hath by himself fulfilled that which your parte and dutie ought to haue performed Consider now diligently the cate of Gods divine providence concerning this dust of ours ponder also maturely in minde the excellent savour which humble Saint Francis enioied in the eyes of God For man refusing to obay his commaundements Almighty God vouchsafed to grant his desires Vpon a certaine time also comming to the Citty of IMOLA he went forthwith to the Bishop and humbly then besought him that he might with his good favour assemble the people vnto a Sermon Whervpon the Bishop somewhat roughly repliyng saied It sufficeth Brother that to the people vnder my charge I my self do preache Immediatly the paterne of true humility bowing downe his heade with humble reverence departed out of the place how be it that within lesse than an howre he returned thervnto againe Wervpon the Bishop seming to be much offended demaunded of him what he sought for at his handes now the second time vnto whome with no lesse inward humility of harte than
he made supplication vnto his Father there he familiarely discoursed with his beloued friend He praieth with his hand stretched out a crosse There also he was somtime heard by his brethren that devoutly obserued him with clamorous groanes to call vnto Gods devine clemency in the behalf of sinners with lowde voice also to be waile our Lord his passion even in such wise as if it had then visibly bin set before him There was he seene in the night season praieing with his handes stretcht out a crosse his whole body being lifted vp on high from the grounde and rounde about environed with a brrght and gloriouse cloude so that of that marveilouse garnishing which he had inwardly in his minde the admirable glorious light wihch outwardly appeared about his body might be an vndoubted testimony Even there also according as it is approved by most evident tokens the vncertaine hidden points of Gods divine wisedome were discovered vnto him albeit that he did in no sorte exteriourly diuvlge them otherwise then as his charity towardes Christ did inforce him and the â—rofite of his neighbour did especially require â—â—m For he would commonly say that for a very mean and light hire a thing of inestimable praice and valewe happeneth oftentimes to be vtterly lost that he who gaue the same is easily provoked in no wise to giue the like againe Evermore when he returned from his private prayers by the which he was almost chaunged into another man he was especially carefull to coÌ„forme himself vnto others least haply that which had bin out wardly discovered might by the breath of humane favour be inwardly evacuated of merite and reward And therfore when in some publicke place he had bin at any time visited by our Lord he alwaies gaue some other matter of obiect vnto the standers by least that the familiar loue tokens of the spouse should be outwardely obserued and reported abroade As for muche spitting groaning deepe sighes and outward gestures during the time he praied amongst his bretheren he altogether eschewed them either because he loued to be secrete in those thinges or els because in his inward cogitatioÌ„ he was whole borne vp alofte into Cod. And oftentimes in this sorte he would speake vnto his familiars wheÌ„ the servant of God in time of praier is visited froÌ„ aboue he ought forth with to say vnto him Thou O Lord hast sent this comfort from heaven vnto me a sinner and vnworthy person and I commite the fame againe vnto thy custody because I perceaue my selfe to be but a robber of thy divine treasure And when he returneth from prayer he ought to shewe himselfe as very a poore wretch and as much a sinner as if he had obtained no such new grace an favour at all But it chaunced vpon a time when the man of God was praieng in the place of Portiuncula that the Bishopp of Assisium came vnto him to visite him according to his accustomed manner Who so soone as he entred into the place did ouer bolly approach vnto the Cell whearein the servant of Christ did pray but having knockt at the little doore and putting forward himselfe to enter in no sooner had he put in his head and seene the holy man at praier but being stricken with a soddeine feare all the partes of his body did loose their strength and his vety speach did also leaue him Moreover he being through Gods divine will by force driven out of the place was soddainely borne backe a good way of Whereat the Bishoppe being much astonished made hast to the brethren as fast as he could and God then restoring vnto him his speache againe in the first wordes he spake he confessed his fault One other time also it happened that the Abbot of the monastery of S. Iustine which is within the Bishoppricke of Perusium did meete the servaunt of Christe Vpon whose sight the devout Abbot did speedily alight from his horse aswell to doe reuerence vnto the man of God as also to conferre with him vpon some things concerning the health well fare of his soule And at length after sweete conference passed betweene them the Abbot departed humbly desiring him to pray for him To whom the beloved servant of God answeared I will pray for you willingly Behold the wonderfull force of Saint Francis his praier So the Abbot being nowe gone a little way of the faithfull man Saint Francis saied vnto his companion expecte a while my brother because I desire to pay the debt which I haue promised But meane while that he contineued in prayer the Abbot sodeinely felt in himselfe in an vnusuall kinde of warmeth and swetnes vntill that time altogether vnknowen vnto him and that in such degree that being brought into an extasie of the minde he failed wholy from himselfe into Almighty God And so for some little space he remained but afterwardes returning into himselfe againe he did well perceiue the efficacie of the prayer of holy Saint Francis For which cause he was evermore inflamed with a greater love vnto the Order and vnto many he reported this fact for a miracle The holy man was alwaies accustomed Loe with what devotion attention he reciteth his canonicall howers with no lesse reverent feare then attentiue devotion to recite his Canonicall howers For notwithstanding that he was troubled with the infirmity of his eies of his stamacke of his spleene and liuer yet would he not leane against any wall or resting place while he did sing his seruice but euermore accoÌ„plished his howers bearing himself vpright with his head vncovered his eies vnremoued and without any manner of cutting shorte his wordes and sentences And if at any time he were in iorney he neverthelesse made stay for the time in no sorte omitting this holy and reuerent custome for whatsoeuer aboundance of raine and flouds that might come vpon him For thus he would often say If the body doe quietly eate this present foode which shall with the same become the meate of wormes with howe great peace and quietnesse is it then expedieÌ„t for the soule to receiue the foode and sustenance of life Wherfore he did thinke himselfe greivously to offend if at any time while he was at prayer he were inwardly distracted with vaine fantasies And when any such thing had chaunced to be fall he made no spare forthwith by confession to purge himselfe thereof Which his so singuler a care he had converted into so vsuall an habite that he was exceeding rarely troubled with such kinde of flees He had in one lent season made a certaine litle vessel to over passe some short moments of time that they also might not be lost in idlenesse Which comming once into his memory as he was saying his third hower hauing then in some litle degree distracted his minde he was there vpon so moved with feruour of spiritte that he consumed the same in the fire saying I wil sacrifice it vnto our Lord