bearing liuely resemblance of the KING his Father and in that respect very worthy to be nourished at the KINGES owne table this also by way of interpretation hee therevnto adioyned Wee haue no cause to feare that the Sonnes and heires of the Eternall KING shall perishe and die for hunger who beeing borne of a poore Mother by the power of the HOLIE GHOST to the image of CHRIST their KING are also to bee gotten vnto him in a poore religion by the spirite of povertie For if the KING of HEAVEN doe promise an eternall Kingdome to them that followe him howe much more will hee provide them of things of necessity which he giveth indifferently not only to the good but also to the wicked This parable and the meaning thereof when the Vicar of Christ had diligeÌ„tly heard observed he mary vailed greatly thereat knew for certain that it was vndoubtedly Christ himselfe who covertly spake in the man And moreover also he avowed by the instinct of Gods heavenly spirit that a certaine vision also which he had about this time receyued from heaven should be in this man accoÌ„plished For he had seene in his sleepe as himselfe reported the Church of Laterane to be in present danger now forthwith to fall to the grounde the which a certain poore maÌ„ of mean stature conteÌ„ptible to behold putting his own back vnder it did so preserue froÌ„ falling Whervpon he thus pronovnced verely this is he who by his worke doctrine shall vphold the Church of Christ Then this prudeÌ„t Pastor being wholy fraught with devotion inclined himself in every degree to the desires of the servant of Christ bare evermore vnto him a speciall loue affection Wherfore he graunted his request promised to graunt yet more vnto him he approued his Rule he gaue him in Charge to vndertake the preaching of pennance for all the lay brethreÌ„ to that were associate the servaÌ„t of Christ he caused them to haue litle crownes made that they might freely preach the word of God THE FOVRTH CHAPTER Of the increase of the Order vnder his hand and of the coÌ„firmation of the Rule formerly approued THE holy man Saint Francis now thus supported with Gods grace and Papall authority did with much confidence of minde take his way to the vale of Spoletum that he might as well by deed as by worde denounce the Gospel of Christ But as he debated wâ—ih his companions in the way by what meanes they might in all sincerity obserue the Rule by them newly vndertaken and how they might in all manner of holinesse and iustice walke before the face of God and further yet how they might not only arise to greater profit in themselues but might also be an example and guide vnto others by long protracting this manner of conference the time sodeinely ouerpassed vnawares And they being now much wearied with the long continewance of their travel and hungry also therwithall were inforced to stay in a certaine solitary place of the desert At which very time and place they haivng no kind of meanes to provide theÌ„selues of necessary food then did the providence of God manifest it self in their behalf For sodeinely a man appeared vnto them bringing bread in his hand which he gaue vnto the poore ones of Christ and forth disappeared being altogether vnknowene from whence he came or whether he went Here by the poore brethren perceyving that in the company of the man of God they where assisted with the help of Gods heavenly protection were better refreshed by the gift of this divine liberality then by the refection of their emptie bodies And morover they were so singularly replenished with the coÌ„solation of God that they firmely purposed and irrevocably decreed neuer for any violence either of hunger or tribulation to faile from the promise of holie pouertie After this returning with this holie purpose into the vale of Spoletum they beganne to dispute among themselues whether it were more expedient for theÌ„ to converse among men or to betake theÌ„selues vnto solitarie places But the seruant of Christ S. Francis not presuming vpon the industrie either of himselfe or of his bretheren determined by instancy of praier to seeke the good will and pleasure of God in this behalfe Being therefore inlightened by the oracle of divine revelation it was given him to vnderstand that he was for this very purpose sent of God that he might gaine such soules vnto Christ as the Divell endeavoured to leade astray For which cause he rather chose to liue for the generall good of all than for the private benefitte of himselfe alone being therevnto provoked by his example who being but one vousafed to die for all The man of God therefore together withall the rest of his companions betooke himself to a certaine forlorne Cottage nigh to Assisium Wherin they liued in much labour and needines according to the rule of holy poverty desiring rather to be sustayned with the foode of teares than with the nice of curiosities of delicate fare For there they were incessantly busied in fervent praiers proceeding rather from mentall affection thaÌ„ outwardly disclosed by vocall wordes intending wholy to the studie of devotion because they had not as yet any Ecclesiasticall bookes where in they might sing there Canonical howers but insteede of them they behelde continuallie the booke of the Crosse of Christ and turned it over day and night thereto instructed by the example and speach of the holie father who daily preached of Christ his Crosse vnto them But being requested of his brethren to teach them how to pray he said when you doe pray you shal say the Pater noster and this also we adore thee the O Christ at al thy Churches which are in the whole worlde and we blesse thee because by thy holie Crosse thou hast redeemed the worlde Moreover he taught them to praise our Lord in al thinges and out of al his creatures Heere thou maist see that faithâ— to be held and confessed whsch the holy Romane Church doth hold and teach They fell downe prostrate praying at all Churches Crosses to vse especial reverence also towardes Priests and principally this firmelie to beleue and simply to confesse the puritie of faith according vnto such manner forme as the holie Romane Church doth hold and teach All which precepts of the holy Father they on their parts in every point inviolably observed and at all Churches and before all Crosses which they could see a farr of they did humbly prostrate themselues according to the forme prescribed vnto them But it so fell out that the brethren long time abiding in the foresaid place the holy man went forth vpon a Saterday into the Citty of Assisium with purpose vpon a Sunday morning early to preach as his costome was in the Cathedrall Church And as the devout man of God had with drawen himselfe into a certaine shroud that stoode within the Channons garden there
thinges necessary so long as he should haue in the world to giue them O inestimable price of poverty by the admirable force whereof even Barbarours cruelty was chaunged into so great a sweetnes of mercy Wherefore it is a thing most horrible and a wickednes vnexcusable for a Christian man to tread vppon so pretious a pearle which an infidell Saracin held in so great a reverence About this time Moricus a Religious man of the Order called Cruciferi being miserably afflicted in an Hospital neare to Assisium with a long and greivouse disease through the violent force whereof the Phisitions were in vtter despaire of his recoverie made humble request to the man of God by a messenger sent for purpose with instant desire that he would vouchsafe to pray for him Whervnto the blessed Father with a willing minde assenting after praier devoutly made taking cartaine crummes of bread into his hand and mingling the same with oyle taken from out of the Lamp which burned before the Altar of the Blessed virgin brought it at lenght as it were to a certaine kinde of electuary which he sent vnto the sicke man by the handes of his brethren saying Beere ye this medicine vnto our brother MORICVS where by the power of Christ will not only restore him vnto perfect health againe but will make of him a strong and hardy warriour and shall further adioyne him perpetually vnto our troupe and company No sooner had this sicke man tasted of that exquisit medecine made confected by the Holy Ghost his invention but rising vp forth with now perfectly whole and well he obtained of God so much strength both of body minde that within a litle while after entring into the Religion of the holy man he was contended with one only slender coate Behold the wonderfull abstinence of the holy man who for a long space tasted neither bread nor wine and wasfed only with rawe meats vnder which also he ware for long time together a coate of maile next to his skinne vsed no other diet than raw meates as hearbes fruits and such like other things as he gathered vpon the earth not tasting for many and soundrie years either of bread or wine All which notwithstanding he still continewed in good health and strenght of body And as the merrits of the vertue of these litle ones of Christ did daily more and more increase so the sweet smell of their good opinion spreading it self ronde about drew many out of divers parts of the world to come in person to see the holy Father Among whom there was a curious inventor of secular songes who having binne for that cause crowned by the Emperour and called the king of verses determined to go see this man of God the contemner of wordly things And finding him preaching in a certaine Monastery at the Castle of Saint SEVERINVS the hand of our Lord comming then vpon him be beheld Saint FRANCIS the preacher of the Crosse of Christ ensigned with two swordes one overthwarr the other in the forme of a Crosse the one of them stretched along from his head to his feete and the other Crosse-wise along his breast from on hand to the other Wherby although he knew not the contenance of the servāt of Christ yet was he fully secured that this very man was he by the admirable apparence of so great a miracle At the sodain aspect whereof being much amased he beganne to propose vnto himselfe better things in his minde and being at the lenght compunct by the force of his words no lesse than if he had bin stricken through with the sword of the spirit issueyng out of his mouth vtterly contemning all secular pompes he conioyned himselfe in profession with the blessed Father Wherevpon the holy man seeing him to be perfectly converted frō the trouble of the world to the peace of Christ called him by the name of Frater Pacificus He afterward increasing in al holinesse before such time as he was made provinciall Minister in France for he was the first that bare that office there merrited once and againe to see the greeke letter T. in the forehaid of holy S. Francis the same being distinguished with such seemely variety of colours as did wonderfully adorne his face and countenance This signe the holy man did reverence with great affection this signe he did commend with frequent speeches and in his letters which he vsually dispatched he evermore with his owne hand subscribed the same Ezech. 9.4 as if all his study were to make the signe T according to the saieing of the Prophet vpon the foreheades of them that sighed and mourned and were vnfainedly converted to Christ Now when the number of brethren was in processe of time increased the carefull Pastor beganne to call them together vnto a general Chapter then to beholden in the place of our Lady of Portiuncula that in the measure of divine distribution he might giue vnto every one his portiō of obedience in the land of their poverty Where although there were great penurie and the brethren sometimes came together aboue fiue thowsand in number yet by the help of Gods mercie they had sufficient foode together with health of body and aboundance of spirituall ioy But for so much as he could not be in body present at the provinciall Chapiters he was therefore in spirit by the diligent care of his governement by the instancy of prayer and by the efficacy of benediction evermore present at them notwithstanding that sometimes by the marvailous power and worke of God he did visibly appeare For as Saint Anthony that worthy preacher who is now a notable Confessour of Christ was preaching in the Chapter at Arles of the title of the Crosse Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes a certaine brother of approued vertue called Monaldus looking as the will of God was towardes the Chapter house doore sawe with is corporall eies the blessed Father Saint FRANCIS lifted vp alofte in the aire ad blessing his brethren with his handes stretched out as it were in the forme of a Crosse At which very time all the brethren did feele thēselues to be replenished with so great vnvsual-a consolation of spirit that the inward testimony which they felt in their hartes did sufficiently secure them of the vndoubted presence of the holy Father though afterwardes it was not only by evident signes but also by the said holy Fathers owne wordes externally confirmed And well it may be believed that the same power of Almighty God which granted the devout and holy Bishop Saint Ambrose to be present at the in tombing of the glorious Bishop Saint Martin to the end that he might with devout reverence honor the devout Bishop deceased did also by an especiall favour present his servant Saint Francis at the sermon of his true preacher Saint Anthony that he might approue the words of truth those especially of the Crosse of Christ whereof himselfe was a continuall
and feeble flesh so invincible a power of the spirit admired with himselfe thereat and extolled this divine miracle faying I tell you plainly brethren I haue seene wonderfull things to day For the holy man was now come vnto that excellent degre of purity that by a wonderfull sweet consent harmonie his flesh did agree with his spirit his spirit did wholy conforme it self vnto God it was by a divine ordinaÌ„ce brought to passe that the creature obeying the Creator was miraculously subiect to his will coÌ„mandement As may also be seene by this other exaÌ„mple of the same holy servant of God who being sicke one time of a most dangerouse disease in the Desert of S. VRBANE feeling then directly in himselfe the defect of nature demaunded a cup of wine to be brought vnto him S. Francis making the â—igne of the Croste turned puer Water into most excilent wene whervpon answere being made that there was no wine there to be had he required them to bring him water which being donne he blessed the same with the signe of the Crosse Immediarly therevpon that which was before very naturall watter was now turned intoâ—â—ost excellent wine and that which the poverty of the place could not afforde the same did the purity of the holâ— men deserue to obtaine By the taste also whereof he so spcedily recovered himselfe againe that both the newnesse of the rast the present reuewing of his imapired health alter ring supernaturally both the thing tasted him that was the taster therof did by a double testimony confirme the absolute dispoiling of the olde man and the perfect putting one of the newe And not only was this manner of obedience by the creatutes of God to his holy servant exhibited but the providence also of the Creator did every where condiscend to satisfie his wil and desire For his body being vpon a time ouer-dulled with the concurrence of many diseases together he founde in himselfe a desire to heare some harmonicall kinde of sounde that thereby he might be reviued and receiue more comforte of spirite but it not beseming his life and profession to procure it by the ministerie of man behold the service of Angels was ready to accomplish the Holy mans desire For as he was waking one night meditating vpon God so dainly there sounded a Harpe of most wonderfull harmony and of most sweet and pleasant melodie At what time he saw not any man but might well perceive the passage and returne of the Harper by the alteration of the sounde of the musicke as it was sometime nigher and sometime further from him Wherefore directing his spirit vp to God he was so singularly delighted in that most sweet souÌ„ding musicke that he did almost thinke himselfe to haue bin in another world This also could not be hidden from his brethren who did oftentims by certaine and vnfallible tokens perceiue that he was visited by Almightie God with so excessiue frequent consolations that it was not possible for him in any sorte to conceale them An other time also as the man of God went to preaeh betweene Lombardie and the Marquisate of Tervisium being then accompained with one of his brethren travailing along by the Riuer Poe the darkenesse of the night sodainly came vpon them By meane whereof the way being subiect vnto many and sundry perilouse daungers as wel in regarde of the Fenns thereabouts as also of the River it selfe the brother associate spake vnto the holy man saying make thy praiers good Father vnto God that we may be delivered out of these imminent daungers To whom the man of God answeared with much hope an confidence in this wise God is able no doubt my brotherr if it stand with the good pleasure of his sweet disposition to dispearse the deepe darkenesse of this obscure night and to vouchsafe vnto vs the benefit of light Which wordes he had no sooner vtteted but by the power of God such an aboundant light beganne to shine about them that the night being darke to others they neverthelesse did see in cleare and perfect light not only the way but very many things on every side aboute them being by the conduct thereof both corporally directed spiritually comforted whereby they came safe the last to the place of their lodging by the passage of no small space of grounde which they ioyfully overpassed with singing Himnes and praises in honor of Almightie God See now consider vnto how great vertue and wounderful purity this holy man had attained at whose beck the fire did temper his heat the water did change her tast the melodie of Angels did recreate his spirits whome the light of heaven did guide conduct in his way that so it may fully appeare that vnto the sanctified sences of Gods holy servant the whole frame of the world did readilie yeild an obsequious kinde of obeisance THE SIXTH CHAPTER Of his humility and obedience and of Gods fauourable condiscending vnto all his desires THE guardian and ornament of all vertues humility had in so aboundant manner replenished this holy servant or God that in his own reputation he was nothing els but a wretched sinner whereas in very deed he was a perfect mirrour and amost gloriouse ressemblance of all maÌ„ner of holynesse Vpon this grounde worke he determined to build vp himselfe having as a wise Architecke laid that very same foundation which he had learnd of our Sauiour Christ For this cause he saied that the sonne of God did come downe from the highnes of his Fathers Bosome to these our contemptible things that being our Lord Maister he might aswell by his owne example as by his worde teach this excellent vertue of humility vnto vs. And therefore as the true disciple of Christe his praier was to seeme vile and base both in his owne and other mens eies remeÌ„bring the same which is said by the most superexcellent Maister That which is high amonge men is abhomination with God Thervnto also adding this saying of his owne that Looke how much a man is the sight of God so much he is and no more And therefore he held it for a very vaine and foolish thing to be extolled with the favours of the world reioycing much to be reproached and sorrowing no lesse to be commended For he had farre rather heare himselfe reuiled and reproched than praised or commended knowing that the one might provoke him to amende and the other might giue occasion to fall And for that cause oftentimes when the people extolled in him the meritt of holinesse he commanded one of his brethren to vtter some words of debasement and reviling against him in his owne hearing Which when the brother did although much against his will calling him a rusticall and rude body an vnskilfull and vnprofitable hireling he was marveilously exhilerated therat aswell in minde as in countinance whereby he answered Our Lord blesse thee my most dere sonne for thou
he soe amazed that he could not finde the way to depar te but making a noyse at the gate terrified all his keepers Who making reporte vnto the Bishoppe of his deliverie from imprisonement the Bishoppe himselfe after vnderstanding had of the order and course of the matter came with devotion vnto the prison and manifestly knowing the power of God adored our Lord in that place The bondes also and fetters were brought before our Lord the Pope and the Cardinalls all that were present who seing what had binne donne and admiring the same exceedingly gaue honour and praise vnto God One Guidolotus of Saint Geminianus being falsely accused of killing a certaine man with poyson and that by the same manner of death he would also haue destroied his sonne all his familie was therefore apprehended by the Governour of the lande by whose commaundement he was loaden with irons and straightly imprisoned in a certaine Tower But he having hope in our Lord by reason of his innocencie which he knewe in his owne harte cōmended his cause to the defence of Saint Francis his patronadge But while the Governoure was thinking with himselfe by what manner of torment he might make him confesse the obiected crime further with what paines he might after such confession finally put him to death the poore man being the nexte morning to be brought to his torments was visited that very night with the presence of Saint Francis and being vntil the morning incōpassed with a great brightnesse of lighte being also filled with ioy much confidence also of minde he receaved security of his escape But in the morning the tormētours came about him they ledde him out of the prison they hung him vpon the torture and increased vpon him many and sundrie waights of iron He was oftentimes lette downe and lifted vp againe that by the succeding of one paine after another he might be the sooner inforced to confesse the crime but by the spiritte of his innocencie he retained a chearefullnesse in his countenance making no shewe of sadnesse in all those paines Yet after this a great fier was made beneathe him but not soe much as one of his heares was thereby perished though he hung with his head to the grounde And last of all being scalded all over his bodie with boiling oyle by vertue of his patrone to whose defence he had commended himselfe overcomming all these things he went away safe and free from harme THE SIXTE DIVISION Of Women deliuered from daunger in Childebirthe A certaine Countesse in Sclauonia no lesse vertuous in conversation than highe in honorable degree condition did beare towards Saint Francis an exceeding great devotion and towards the brethren an industriouse affectionof pietie But she suffering one time in her travel of childe exceeding sharpe and dolorouse paines was brought vnto that extremitie of distresse that the future birthe of the childe seemed likely in all expectation to be the present death of the Mother For it seemed impossible that the childe should be borne with life vnlesse that shee thereby should ende her life and should by such a deliverie nor bring forth but perrish But then shee bethought her selfe of Saint Francis his fame of his vertue and glory her faith was stirred vp her devotion was inflamed Shee turned her selfe vnto his efficacious helpe vnto him as vnto a true frind as vnto a solace of the devoute as vnto a refuge of the afflicted O Saint Francis quoth shee vnto thy pietie al the bones of my body make humble supplication and I vow in minde what I cannot expresse in wordes And marveilouse was the speede of his pietie A certaine woman being helped by S. Francis in the danger of child-birth doth afterwards performe her vowe and build a Church in his honor The ende of her speaking was the ende of her lamenting the bounde of her travell the beginning of her childe bearing For presently her labours being all at an end shee did with safetie bring forthe her childe And afterwardes shee was not vnmindefull of her vow nor yet refractorie from her wel intended purpose For shee caused a goodly Church to be builte and the same being builte and finished shee assigned vnto the brethren in honour of the holy Sainte In the parts aboute Rome there was a certaine woman named Beatrice who looked now shortely to be brought a bed of a childe but having borne it deade by mischaunce for fower daies space in her wombe shee miserablie sustained many and sundrie torments and was distressed with dolorouse paines even to the pointe of deathe For the dead issue constrained the mother to deathe and the abortiue being not yet brought to lighte inforced the apparant perrill and danger of the Mother Shee tried the helpe of the Phisitians Gen. 3.16 But by whatsoever humane helpe shee laboured it prooved all in vaine And soe of the first maledictions some parte did plentifully befall vpon this miserable woman that being made the graue and Sepulcher of her owne conception she was for certaine to expect a graue for her selfe immediately But shee at the length withall her devotion committing her selfe by message vnto the Friers Minors did with great faith humbly craue to haue somewhat of the Reliques of Saint Francis And it happened by Gods providence that there was founde a certaine peice of a corde See heere howe parte of the girdle of S. Francis being applyed to a Woman doth deliuer her frō danger of death wherewith the holy man had binne sometime girded The which so soone as it was put vpon the mournefull woman most easely forthwith removed all paine and dolour quite away the dead childe which was the cause of her danger being now brought forth shee wes perfectly restored vnto her former health A certaine noble manswife of Narnium named Iuliana passed her yeares in sorrow and heavinesse for the death of her sundrie sonnes and did continually bewaile her vnhappy misfortune concerning them in regard that all that euer she had with greate paine and labour brought into the world she did in shorte space with farre greater sorrowe commit to buriall But bearing one time in her wombe a childe of fower monethes conception and being by reason of the former events more afflicted in minde concerning the deathe than concerning the birth of the childe she faithfully praied vnto the blessed Father Saint Francis for the life of the childe that was yet vnborne And beholde one nighte as shee lay at rest a certaine woman appeared in sleepe vnto her holding a goodly boy in her handes and offering him in most chearefull manner vnto her But whereas shee refused to receaue him whom shee feared foorth with to loose againe the woman yet further in this māner of wise replied saying receaue him securely for he whom Saint Francis bearing compassion with thee in thy griefe doth send vnto thee shall be sure to liue and shal continewe in perfect healthe And presently the woman