spēd time with this simple and inconsiderat multitude of people considering the litle hope we haue being so few to suppresse their obstinacie lett vs rather repaire to their king endeauouring first to conquer the head so with more ease facility to gett victory of the mēbers afterward Lett vs giue him the on sett couragiously and ioyfully lett vs goe then lett vs goe preach and tell him the verity of the faith of IESVS CHRIST of Baptisme of penance in remission of sinnes Lett vs boldly confesse before him that IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God is true God and man who would be borne dye for sinners with his owne bloud redeeming vs from eternal death rising againe after his death ascended vnto heauen and sitteth att the right hand of his Father Iudge of the liuing dead where he expecteth vs to croune vs with his holy martyrs for euer How these fiue Religious preached before the king of the Mores the faith of Iesus Christ our Sauiour and what sueceeded therof THE VI. CHAPTER THese Religious being thus mutuallie animated went directlie to the Pallace of the king att the entrie wherof being intercepted by the guard their Captaine who was a gentleman of note demaunded of them what they were They answeared that they were Italiens and desired to speake with his maiestie of matters of great importance as well touching his owne particuler as his whole kingdome Whervpon the Captaine demaunded if they had no letters or other token of commendations to deliuer him They replyed that their embassage was to be deliuered by mouth and could not be writtē but in hartes by tongues The Captaine willed thē securely to commend the affaire vnto him promising to deliuer it faithfully vnto the king they prayed him againe for conclusion to conduct them only to the presence of the king where he might also vnderstand what they had to say The Captaine related the whole vnto the king who commanded them to be brought before him where being present he demaunded them what they were whence they came who sent thē vnto him wherfore they were come Wherto they answeared that they were Christiās that they came frō Rome sent frō the king of kinges and Redeemer of the world IESVS CHRIST to preach vnto him his holy faith so that their bussines tēded only to the saluatiō of his soule which should be effected if he would no lōger beleeue the doctrine of Mahomet but in IESVS C. the true God receauing baptisme in the name of the most sacred Trinity that he could not be saued by any other meane The Mory king that expected no such greeting became despightfully furiours for he esteemed the seruantes of God to haue giuen him an extreme affrōt to whome he said O ye poore braineles men sottish and miserable as ye are how can ye possibly presume to vtter this speech in my presence without more respect vnto my crowne or feare of the losse of your liues already infallibly incurred by the great blasphemie committed against my most holy Prophet But tell me are yee come hither expresly and in my only particuler respect or to preach also vnto my people and to delude them dissuading them frō mine obedience and their alleagiance Hereto the good Religious with a bold and smiling countenāce answeared O king know that we are come to thee as to the chiefe of all this sect of Mahomet filled with diabolicall spiritt and to him that in the bottome of hell shall be more rigorously tormented then thy subiectes that shall persist in obstinacie to the end that thou being reduced into the way of truth saluation thou mayest be a meane of their conuersion as thou art now the cause of their damnatiō for auoyding wherof thou must beleeue in IESVS CHRIST our Redeemer who sendeth vs vnto thee saying in the Gospell Goe and teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost adding afterward for thē that would not yeld thervnto he that will not belieue shal be damned eternally This king stopping his eares began to rage and crye out O cursed wretches your former lewd behauiour no doubt hath brought you hither where it shal be rewarded instantly neither is there any other meane to deliuer free your selues but that you vnsay whatsoeuer you haue now foolishly and rashlie vttered and to receaue and espouse the Religion of our great Prophett for so doeing I will not only pardō you but will also make you great and rich in my kingdome that it may publikelie appeare how much we prise and esteeme the greatnes of our Prophett and how much we honour respect and enrich those that preferre our Religion before their owne but otherwise you shall for your sollie dye with infinite torments or I will enforce you to beleeue me The Religious replyed if your law were not full of lies false impious as it is but iust and conformable vnto truth we would receaue it but because it doth eternallie damne the followers therof we respect not all treasure nor feare tormentes for false honours are the baites and delusions of you Mores who truely miserable doe end together with them because they haue no longer continuance and you are eternallie damned the meerlie contrarie happening to vs considering that by the pouertie and contempt of our dayes of this life we pourchace eternall treasures and honours in heauen as our Lord teacheth vs when he said Heap not vp your treasure in earth where nothing is secure but in heauen where you may for euer enioy the benefitt therof And therfore O king be thou conuerted to receaue this true and holie law in regard of this recompence And if thou so much esteeme a kingdome of this world how much more oughtest thou to esteeme this eternall kingdome of heauē tourne thy hart to the soueraigne and true God who hath thus long expected thy penannce and now sendeth vs vnto thee as his messengers to deliuer thee from the eternall tormentes of hell which are prepared for thee and all them that follow the absolutely accursed Mahomett Take heed how thou misprise the grace which God by meanes of vs doth offer vnto thee How the fiue Martyrs were adiudged to death by the Morian king who att the instance of the prince his sonne reuoked his sentence THE VII CHAPTER THe Morian king could no longer endure nor heare the preaching and remonstrance of the Religious against his sect but being exceedingly afflicted and enraged commanded them to be expelled his presence and condemned them to be cruelly whipt and then to haue their heades cutt off The Martyrs then hastened to death with a courage and countenance very ioyfull and contented as they that knew themselues neere to the accomplishment of what they so much desired and to encourage each other they mutually said Behold brethren behold how God doth benignely offer vnto vs that which we haue so long desired
albeit his life and the Countesse his wiues were stored withall kind of vertues yet in his last dayes speaking of her being vrged by the holy Ghost he vttered to those present these wordes The infidell man is sanctified by the faithfull woman whome I leaue a virgin in this mortall life as I receaued her a virgin and vnspotted This holy Confessour of IESVS CHRIST changed this life for a better the yeare of grace 1327. Father Francis of Maronis a famous preacher and Doctour was present att his death The very daye of his departure he appeared in all glory vnto his wife who was them in her Countie in Prouence to whome he vttered these wordes of the Psalmist The snare is broaken and we are deliuered and so without any other word he vanished The Contesse the same day recounted to all her company the death of her husband it being the 27. day of September He was buryed in the church of the Cordeliers att Paris clothed in the habitt of the third Order and the same yeare his body was translated into Prouence to the Couent of Apte in which his sanctity was by many miracles diuulged for which he was by the Apostolike sea canonized His feast is celebrated the 27. of September The Countesse Delphine his wife liued many yeares after him perseuering in piety being dead she was buryed by her husband hauing the the habitt of the Frere Minors as a disciple of the holy Father S. Francis and of the third Order Att the death of this Countesse and till her body was enterred a most sweet harmony was heard in the aire as they haue testified and assured who were neere her body It is piously beleeued that they were Angels singing as true friendes of virginall purity Our Lord wrought many miracles as well in the life time as att the death of this holy woman and in such quantity as there is no doubt but that our lord had canonized her in heauen The life of the blessed Yues of the 3. Order S. Francis Of the holy exercises and mortification of the flesh of S. Yues THE XXII CHAPTER YVes florished in that time in the Duchy of Bretanie within the diocese of Tâ—iguier He was a man of eminent sanctity and led a merueillous austere life for which cause almighiy God made him famous by many miracles This holy man was the sonne of a very rich vertuous man by whose good example he was from his tender infancie a patterne of commendable conuersation His Father sent him to study humanity att Paris thence to Orleans to study the Canon and Ciuill law but much more did he profitt in diuine wisdome for there manifesting his doctrine he layd open to many the true knowledge and assured way of iustice And being to retourne to his Father the Bishop of Triquet hauing heard the fame of his excellent vertues and sanctity made him his Officiall or commissary with very ample aucthority And albeit the holy man withall his power withstood the acceptance of this cha dge yet was he att lenght constrained therevnto He with such prudence and without acception of persons administred iustice that the ballance was alwayes equall which he performed with such sincerity that he would neuer receaue any â—ecompence for it in this life A litle after by diuine prouidence he became Priest in which ministery he offered his body a liuely sacrifice vnto almighty God His habit was then according to his quality common decent and modest But vnder he woare a very sharp hayr-cloth Wheâ—with he afflicted his body did weaken it by frequeÌ„t and austere fastes by coÌ„tinual watchinges When he was admitted into the confraternity of the Penitents of the third Oâ—der of S. Francis he reiected all his fine apparell though most modest and plaine which he ware according to his quality cloathing himselfe with very grosse and course gray cloth and wearing rude and homely shooes as poore Religious ordinarily vse He wâ—are vpon his hair-cloth that it might not be seene a shirt made of towe raw or vndressed He slept very litle and then only when nature was wearyed with prayer study or spirituall exercise or burdened with naturall necessity of sleep his repose was short and he alwayes tooke it cloathed His bed was the bare ground a hurdle or some gâ—osse stickes wreathed together his pillow the bible an instrument of litle sleepe and of much dilligence he being mindfull and taking comfort of these wordes of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST They that are clothed in soft garments are in kings houses Of the abstinence charity prayer and the manner of saying the diuine office of S. Yues THE XXIII CHAPTER THis holy man did neuer feed on delicate meates but such as were very grosse which he did to reserue of his reuenue wherwith to reliue many poore people On fasting dayes commanded by the Church he vsed only bread and water ordinarily did with great abstinence fast the wednesday and saterday He had customarily strangers and pilgrimes in his house he was very dilligent in the practise of the worckes of mercy he entertayned poore people and particulerly the sick and lame with exceeding pitty and compassion and conuersed with them so mildly and familiarly as if they had bin his brethren he serued them and made their beddes washed their feet and did them all other seruices that they could need Being no lesse carefull to administer vnto them the spirituall food of the word of God then the corporall he made them notable exhortations wherin he multiplyed the talent of the Euangelicall doctrine to those that were vnder his chardge He was very prompt in according dissentions and procuring of peace with all persons He had the grace to conuert sinners to pennance He was so addicted to prayer and contemplation that he would sometimes neglect to take his ordinary repast and dyett And one time he continued fiue whole dayes in prayer in his chamber without asking or being offered him any thing to eat And yet when he came forth his countenaÌ„ce was so pleasing ioyful and vermillioÌ„ as if he had bin pampered with most exquisite meates As he celebrated masse with great feruour so did he therin receaue of God notable feelinges and graces as one day did appeare for as he eleuated the most sacred sacrament there discended from heauen an admirable splendour and brightnes which enuironned the sacred host together with the chalice He red the canonicall houres with admirable attention deuotion and did alwayes rise att midnight to say his Matins He diuided the office into all the houres of the dayes in imitation of the Prophett Dauid who praysed God seauen times in the day Of the blessed death of S. Yues THE XXIV CHAPTER THis holy Religious being complete in the perfectioÌ„ of all vertues exceeding deuout vnto IESVS CHRIST very austere towardes himselfe extreme curteous and charitable towards others as he was by diuine grace of a singuler life and admirable in
in their afflictions and appeare to all the Brethren a modell and patterne in the obseruation of the holie gospell and our rule fuch ought to be my sonne the Generall of the Frere Minors I would also that such a Prelate should be feared loued and honoured of all and that all his necessities be prouided for with a singuler loue as true Father and most louing Pastour Of a letter which the holy Father S. Francis wrote to Brother Helyas his Vicar Generall THE XIV CHAPTER THe holie Father S. Francis being sick wrote this letter following to Brother Helias his Vicar Generall that gouerned and visited the Order Brother God giue you his holy benediction I admonish you to be alwayes patient in what soeuer you shall take in hand and well disposed to support whatsoeuer accidēt may giue you discontēt And if you should be iniuriously offended by any of the Religious or other receaue all as proceeding from the hand of God manifesting to the world that you seeke no other thing but to loue them and to procure them to be the true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST And therfore exact no more of them then that which God shall giue you and herein I will know if you loue God my selfe his seruant and your selfe to witt if whensoeuer any Frere Minor in the world hauing committed neuer so enormous offence commeth before you he depart not without mercy and though you afterward vnderstand that he sinned a thousand times if yet you loue him more then you would my selfe and though by reason of feare or reuerence he should not require pardon you encouraging him shall demaund if he desire it to the end that acknowledgeing his offence he doe penance for it and thus much to be practised especiallie towardes the infirme You shall not faile to admonish the Guardians to doe the like and that they resolue euer to doe it And therfore when it shal be knowne that one of the Brethren hath offended and forgotten himselfe lett not the other Brethren dishonour him nor murmure at him but lett them haue compassion of his fragility remembring that the sicke and not the healthie doe need the Phisition If any Religious induced by the deuill doe fall into any mortall sinne I will that he be obliged vpon obedience to haue present recourse vnto his Guardian who shall send him to the Prouinciall and he receauing him compassionatly shall haue care of him and comfort him as himselfe in such case would be conforted and he shall haue no authority to giue other penance to the contrite but to say only vnto him depart in peace and sinne no more Of the Prouinciall Ministers THE XV. CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis would that the Prouinciall Ministers should be equall with the other Religious and that for their goodnes and vertue they should be loued of all in such sort that the simple conceaue no feare nor apprehension to be vnder their gouernement and discipline He would also that they should be very discreet in their commandementes and compassionate in offences more ready to receaue iniuries and to pardon then to reuenge and capitall ennemies to vices but dilligent Curers of the vicious He would not haue them commaund the Religious in vertue of obedience in a matter of light consequence for that were to lay hand presentlie on the sword or to shew authority to commaund or to discouer the commaunder to be temerarious He desired they should be much respected but withall that their life should be such as might shine before all the Brethren as a mirour of vertue and Religion The cause why he would they should be loued and honoured was by reason that they carryed the burden and carre of all the rest and did meritte great recompence att Goddes hand and great prayse and honour with men when they charitablie preserved and gouerned in the foresaid manner the soules committed vnto their chardge How the holy Father S. Francis obtayned of God the gift of pouerty for hinselfe and his Order THE XVI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis as he trauayled came one night to a towne very weary and his companion also who was Brother Macie though as Religious liuing in manner of the Apostles they had nothing with them to eat and therfore they begged it for the loue of God and gott bread to releiue them comming afterward to a fountaine that was nor far from the towne they there found a very faire stone as a table there expresly placed to eat vpon wheron the holy Father hauing layd the litle bread they had exceedinglie contented in himselfe sayd O Brother Macie wee are not worthy of so great a treasure and still raysing his voice he often iterated the same wordes Wherefore Brother Macie reasoned with him in these wordes Tell me Father if you please how call you this extreme pouerty treasure where there is only bread and water without napkin to eat vpon The holy Father answeared yea I call this a very great treasure where there is not any thinge procured by humane industrie but all administred by the diuine prouidence The bread hath bin giuen vs for the loue of God the fountaine and stone were created of God for vs therfore will I beseech him to giue vs grace to loue the treasure of pouertie with all our hart wherof he is the only administrator and distributer They also receaued a refection more spirituall then corporall and gaue thanckes to God for it The next morning proceeding on their iorney S. Francis on the way discoursed verie profondlie of pouertie thus saying to his companion Brother If we well knew the worth of holy pouertie we should finde it to be so diuine a treasure and of such excellencie that we are not worthie to possesse it in such base and vnworthie vessels For this is the vertue wherbie these terrestriall and transitory thinges are misprised and trodden vnderfoot that they may serue vs and not we them This is it that remoueth the impedimentes betweene God and vs that our soule may vnite it selfe to her Creatour for it giueth her winges by which though she liue on earth she conuerseth with the Angels in heauen This is the vertue that accompanied our Lord IESVS CHRIST from his holy conception euen to the crosse that arose againe with him and in fine ascended with him to heauen On it especially God founded his holy church not only in the Apostolike estate but euen in all Christians who then renounced and sold all they possessed and brought the price to the feet of the Apostles There on also may beloued Brother hath he founded our Religion Which lett vs therefore pray him to support on that Euangelicall foundation and to cause to encrease in an infinite number of vertues in imitation of his beloued Sonne our Lord and master and that we may with more ease obtaine the same lett vs procure to be our intercessors the glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul the louers and preachers
boldnes many would withdraw themselues as not able to heare such open and manifest reprehēsions and those that remayned couered their faces Yet these reprehēsions were intermingled with a competent and iust quantitie of salt which is the admirable vertue of discretion according to opportunity of time place and personnes For albeit his discourse att the beginning seemed sharpe yet the conclusion was gracious milde and supportable to all in such sort that without any scandall he terrified sinners comforted the weake encouraged the pusillanimous and made the most obstinate to tremble Preaching one time att Bourges where was held a Synode he addressed his speech to the arch-bishoppe concerning certaine articles of faith wherof he interiourlie doubted and so dextrously accused and reprehended his incredulitie laying open vnto him his errours by many authorities of holy scripture that the arch-bishop was not onlie not scandalized therby though in deed he felt himselfe stung to the quick but euen went directlie at the end of the sermon verie penitent and contrite and freelie discouered his hart vnto him who procured him such remedie as was necessarie for his saluation so that he proued thenceforward verie faithfull vnto his God And this Sainct did not onlie assist the soules of the faithfull Christians by preaching but in diuers other manners God also fauoured and furthered the ardent zeale which his seruant had of the saluation of soules as when in the night he appeared vnto them enforming them of their sinnes and admonishing them to goe to such or such a Confessour telling them how and by whome he was sent vnto them which was a singuler remedie for manie sinners who through feare or shame durst not confesse for feare to manifest their enormous sinnes But by the example following may appeare of what efficacie the wordes of the S. were A cittizen of Padua called Leonard confessing vnto sainct Antony among other sinnes that he confessed he accused himselfe to haue giuen such a blow with his foot on his mothers belly that she fell to the ground The Sainct very sharply reprehending him for it among other speeches tould him that the foot which dared to strike the belly of the Mother whence it proceeded deserued tobe cutt off alleadging that sentence of IESVS CHRIST If thy foot scandalize thee cutt it off and cast it from thee and such other thinges as might induce him to contrition After the said demonstration hauing giuen him absolution the simple man exceedinglie greeued att his offence supposing that the Sainct had enioyned him to cutt off his foot being in his lodgeing tooke a litle hatchett and with a merueillous courage cutt off his foot which done the extremes of death assaulting him the excessiue paine he endured caused him to cry so loud that his mother heard him who with manie of her neighbours came running and seeing the torment which he endured adioyned her cryes with those of her sonne who opening the cause of the disaster vnto her she knowing no other remedie went to sainct Antony and reproached him as hauing slaine her sonne relating vnto him the miserable accident The Saint vtterlie amazed excused himselfe with the truth affirming that he had not bin the cause hauing onlie told him that it deserued to be cutt off but not willed him to cutt or cause it to be cutt off but not content with answearing her he went to see him and being moued with his pious simplicitie after he had first offered his prayers to God he tooke the foot from vnder a bench and ioyned it vnto the legge whervpon he gaue a benediction and so reioyned them that there remayned neither signe nor any pain◠So standing vp sound and Iustie on his feet they all together gaue thanckes vnto almighty God How he reprehended the tirant Ezelin THE XVI CHAPTER EZelin a tyrant of Padua hauing by fauour and support of the Emperour Federic the second gotten the dominion of many faire and great citties of Italy he exercised such crueltyes the like wherof haue not bin heard to make himselfe more feared of his subiectes and none durst to reprehend him or demaund him the reason Hauing one time without cause slaine diuers gentlemen of note sainct Antony resolued to goe and performe his office vnto him And comming before him he spake in this manner Cruell tyrant and ennemy of God when wilt thou end thy rage and forbeare to shedde the bloud of faithfull Christians which without cause thou ordinarily spillest Know and assuredly beleeue that the seuere and terrible sentence of the iustice of God doth attend and will fall vpon thee when thou least fearest it To these wordes he added many other like then obiecting vnto him the graces and fauours which he had receaued of God he opposed also the homicides violences robberies murtherous assaultes and insupportable tolles wherwith he afflicted his subiectes and how by his permission they endured the destructions of whole citties As he spake this his guard admiring this free speech expected onlie the Tyrantes commaund to massacre him thincking this his accustomed patience verie strange especially vpon such iniuries but the successe was other then they expected for the Sainct hauing ended his discourse this cruell woulfe att the same instant became a meek lambe and hauing put off his girdle he layd it on his necke and fell at his feet calling for mercie vnto God and him for his misdeedes and promising for satisfaction to his diuine Maistie that he would accept and performe such penance as he should impose vpon him The people present were also in admiration att this Metamorphises of the Tyrant as much as att the raysing of a dead Now the Saint departing vpon asseurance of this good promise Ezelin turning to his people said vnto them Doe not admire to see me for the present thus humbled for I protest I saw to proceeed out of the face of this holie Father a beame of diuine splendour which did so terrefie and quelle me that I seemed to sinck into hell But God minding to chastice his ennemies by the handes of others of his ennemies permitted that this Tyrant kept not long his holy purpose for he began to doubt of the vertue of the Sainct of whome he would make a second triall Knowing that he publikelie preached against his cruelties he sent him a present by some of his people to whome he gaue chardge that if the Sainct accepted the present they should kill him but if he reiected it they should patientlie endure what soeuer he sayd without giuing him any replie and so should retourne They hauing offered vnto the Sainct the present which was of great value with the greatest humilitie they could faine praying him to accept the small charitie which Ezelin had sent him and to pray to God for him therby experienced what he was for he answeared them God preserue me me from receauing this present which is but the bloud of the poore of IESVS CHRIST wherof he must
of saluation he being ready to execute whatsoeuer he should command him The Religious hauing consailed him to sell all he had he did his vtmost to make restitution where he was obliged and according to Euangelicall couÌ„saile gaue the rest to the poore then offered himâ—elfe to God becoÌ„ming a Frere Minor where he perseuered in vertues and piously ended his life all his people were also conuerted and did penance So the holy simplicity of this Religious produced a merueillous fruit not preaching of high and subtill matters nor with elegant wordes but only of the paines of hell and glory of Paradise as he had bin instructed by the holy Father sainct Francis The 8. and 9. chapters are put after the 72. chap. of the first booke the 10. chap. after the 5. of the second booke and the eleuenth chap. after the 74. of the second booke Notable humility of a Preacher of S. Francis his Order THE XII CHAPTER AN English Frere Minor and Doctour of diuinity preaching in the Monastery of S. Damian where S. Clare was Abbesse in the presece of holy Br. Giles he as a great freind of humility would make proofe therof in this Preacher and so in the middest of his sermon he willed him to be silent because himselfe would preach and the diuine incontinently held his peace and Brother Giles with exceeding feruour of spiritt and to the great amazement and edification of the hearers vttered matters of great sublimity and eminency touching almighty God then tourning towardes the Diuine he willed him to proceed in his sermon which S. Clare perceauing she was exceeding ioyfull sayd This day is accomplished one of the defines of S. Francis who would often say I desire that my Religious be so humble as that a Doctour in diuinity goeing into the pulpitt if a simple lay Brother make a motion to preach the Doctour shall giâ—e him place I tell you truely my Brethren this Preacher hath more edifyed me then if he had raysed one from death The 13. chapter is after the 54. of the first booke the 14. chap. is after the last of the second booke Of a very terrible accident vnto a Nouice cloathed by S. Antony of Padua THE XV. CHAPTER THere was a worldly man whose profession was to follow the warres in which practise he did much mischiefe this maÌ„ induced by the deuil came to the blessed Father S. Antony of Padua then Guardian of the Monastery of Limoges and besought him to giue him the habit of the Frere Minors affirming a desire to serue God therin The Sainct as zealous of the saluation of soules after diuers and seuerall conferences with him and alwayes finding him firme in his pretended holy purpose heard his confession then hauing piously admonished him to doe penance for his sinnes he gaue him the habitt and had a particuler care of his deportements but this lewd wretch hauing promised the deuill to serue him with fidelity in whatsoeuer vocation he should take vpon him and neuer to discouer his intention to any person did very strongly obserue this conuention and in his generall confession â—sing his vtmost dissimulation did conceale this secrett of the deuils from sainct Antony and indeed did alwayes in his hart excogitate matters directly opposite to his saluation as his master the deuill had taught him So that it is easy to iudge that God had not drawne him to Religion but rather some discontentment in that his worldly affaires succeeded not as he wished and hearing sainct Antony preach he became Religious yet omitted not to hope and expect some benefitt from the deuill Sainct Antony as a faithfull seruant of God with exceeding feruour made him many remonstrances to enduce him to renounce the world with all his hart to resist chastice his flesh to shunne the deuill and to withstand all his temptations and to this effect gaue him meanes to performe a sharp and rigourous penaÌ„ce for his enormous sinnes But this Nouice in all such vertuous and pious actions did dissemble as hauing no affectioÌ„ thervnto This wretched Nouice theÌ„ goeing one day out of his cell which was on a litle hill separated from the others saw a very faire horse well harnised with a complet a mour vpon him and a cloke bagge on him behinde which att first sight and apprehension amazed him but after hauing without feare beheld the horse he had a desire to see what was in the cloke bagge and to that end layd hold on the horse by the raines and drew him a side where hauing searched the sayd cloake bagge he found stoare of mony and a saire sute of apparell so that hauing found a horse apparell armour and mony he reputed himselfe most happily fournished withall that he desired whervpon shaking off his Frere Minors habitt putting on his worldly attyre and armour of a soldier he mounted on horseback and so secretly rode away that none perceaued him The same day he made such speed that he arriued att Bourges in Berry where alighting late att an Inne the houre of soupper being come he sett himselfe att table and was attended by the daughter of the Host who so well pleased his fancy that he demanded her of her Father in Mariage and to induce his consent shewed him the mony he had in his cloackbag The Host att the sight of so much mony was tempted with auarice graunted his daughter to be his wife and left them to complement together The deuill then presently leauing the figure of a horse and hauing putt on the shape of a man came about midnight and knocked att the dore of that Inne where being entred drew the master of the house a side to speake with him seining himselfe iealous of his honour and sayd Syr is it not true that you haue consented to mary your daughter to a stranger it is sayd the host the deuill replyed know then that he whome you haue accepted for your sonne in law is a Religious man who as alewd fellow hath deluded you and rauished your daughter Therfore sith there is no other remedy follow my counsaile goe whiles it is night he sleeping in his bed but so warily that he may not heare you and you shall find his head bare shauen with a croune in manner of a Religious so that it prouing infallible what I tell you cutt his throat and take his mony withall that he hath wherwith you shall much better mary your daughter Besides there is no cause of feare for this fellow is not knowne in these quarters nor in any part of France This discourse putt the â—ost into an extreme anguish but being at length ouercome by the passion of choller and encouraged by the deuill he resolued to murder his new sonne in law if he found it true which his preteÌ„ded frieÌ„d had told him whom he prayed to stay till he had effected his counsaile to assist him to bury the body promising him a share of the mony wherto the deuil accorded
of holy pouerty that in our behalfe they make intercessiō to God to graunt vs to be truely poore and his right humble disciples and graunt this priuiledge to our Order that there be alwayes therin such as are truely poore that honour and loue holy pouerty S. Francis with this feruour went to Rome in pilgrimage to visitt the holy Apostles beginning already to foresee the great persecutions which many of his Order would lay on pouertie after his death and that few would aduenture to passe with all Being then come to Rome he entred into the Church of S. Peter and being retired into a chappell with violent effusion of teares he demaunded of God that he would please to confirme vnto him the grace and priuiledge of most holy Euangelicall pouertie for himselfe and his Order inuocating for intercessors the glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul who in most glittering splendour appearing vnto him did embrace and salute him then said Brother Francis because with such deuotion thou demaundest that which God will and we obserue and counsaile to be obserued he hath sent vs vnto thee to aduertise thee in his behalfe that thou art heard in heauen and that he hath graunted the treasure of Euangelicall pouertie to thee and to all them that shall follow thee and that they shal be of the nomber of the blessed who shall embrace the same Which sayd they disappeared leauing the holy Father S. Francis exceedinglie comforted and recounting the whole to Brother Macie they according to their duety together yelded thanckes to God Of the pouerty which the holy Father S. Francis obserued and would should be obserued att table and how the Religious were often miraculously prouided for in their necessitis THE XVII CHAPTER SAinct Francis being in the Oratory of Rieta a Prouinciall repayred vnto him to celebrate with him the Natiuity of our lord Wherfore the Religious entending to honour the feast and the Prouinciall prepared the table with a cloth and white napkins fournishing it with neat vessel and meat a litle better then ordinary But the S. cōming that morning to eat with them in the refectory and seeing that preparation and that the table was raysed from the ground where it accustomed to be he secretly went foorth and finding a begger att the gate he borrowed his hatt and cloake then taking a companion with him they went out of the house and in the meane time the Religious sate downe att table for he had ordayned that when soeuer he was not found in the Couent att the houre of refection they should not attend him About the middes of their meale the holy Father retourned disguised as aforesaid and went directly to the refectory att the dore wherof he demaunded an almose for the loue of God The Prouinciall answēared him Brother we are poore as you are and therefore haue need of these almose but for the loue of God which thou hast named enter and we will giue thee part of the almose which IESVS CHRIST hath sent vs S. Francis entred and stood expecting to haue somewhat giuen him The Prouinciall gaue him his owne dish with the bread that was in it The S. receauing it discouered himselfe and sate downe on the ground before the Religious but being approached to the fire he sighing said My beloued Brethren this table so decently prepared is not fitt for poore Religious that ought euerie day to goe aske almes from dore to dore for the loue of God it would better beseeme you to follow the example of humilitie of our lord then of any other for to that end are we called considering also that we haue promised to obserue it now doe I esteeme me a Frere Minor beholding my selfe sitting on the ground The feastes of God and his sainctes ought to be honoured with that holy pouerty wherby they haue pourchased heauē and not with these superfluityes which they did vtterlie abhorre as thinges that did separate them from the loue of God It cannot be expressed how much the poore Religious were amazed hauing heard and seene this act for many did weep seeing their Father sitting on the ground with that habitt with so great humility correcting the fault which they had committed wherof accusing them selues they acknowledged their fault to the S. who blessing them bad them with all euer to keep their table so poore and hūble that the seculers seeing it might not be scandalized and that if any begger came he might be inuited to eat with them Besides he would that the bread which they begged should be so limited that there should remaine none superfluous in the house but what should only suffice the Religious assuring them that if they wanted God would prouide for them as by the ensuing miracle doth appeare The generall chapter being on time ended and the Ministers dimissed each one to his Prouince there remayned with S. Francis 31. Religious amōg whome was that Brother Monaldo that merited to see the S. as crucified att Arles as we haue formerly alleadged they being vpon departure and the S. desiringe charitably to eat with thē there was found only three litle loanes in the house which S. Francis caused to be brought made on thē the signe of the crosse thē diuided it amongest thē And God did so multiply it that it sufficed thē all with the fragmēts was filled a great baskett by meane of which miracle the Religious retourned exceedingly encouraged in the seruice of God and the loue of pouerty finding by experience that God was their procuratour On an other time S. Francis comming by night to the Oratory of Sō nino in Lombardy with many Religious exceedingly oppressed with hunger they found not in the house one only morcell of bread for their custome was to demaūd no more of almose then would suffice them for one day and if any remayned they presently distributed it to the poore The holy Father S. Francis vnderstanding thus much said to the keeper of the prouision goe to such a place and you shall finde a baskett full bring it vnto me He goeing thither brought thence a baskett full of bread which had bin miraculously conueyed thither to releiue the seruantes of God They all did eat with very great appetite finding it extraordinarily pleasing which did not passe without giuing thanckes to the diuine Maiesty for the almes which so liberall a hand bestowed on them Many other such miracles happened vnto these poore of God as this that ensueth How whiles the Cooke was att his prayers in the Church the refection was miraculously prepared The 33. chapter of the tenth booke transferred to this proper place SAinct Francis admitted to Religion a knight called Bennenuto who of his great humility made choice to liue alwayes in the kitchen It happened on a time that a Burgesse had a will to refect the Religious one morning and to that end sent them betimes what he thought conuenient therto that they might