of the said holy Martyrs were afterwardes translated to Teruel by the king of Arragon THE XXXVII CHAPTER AFter this glorious Martyrdome Dom Iames the first of that name king of Arragon began by the prouidence of God to warre against and alwayes to putt to the worst the king of Valencia subdueing him att each time that they encountred and taking prisoners a great number of the Mores gaining daily and possessing his landes and dominions it happened one time that he tooke prisoners certaine noble men of the Mores whervpon the Christians of Arragon prayed their king to demaund the reliques of the said S. for ransome of the said prisonners by reason that by their meanes God did ordinarily worckmany miracles which caused the Christiās to be very importunate to haue them This request was easy to obtaine for the king of Arragon did exceedingly reuerence the said reliques and the king of the Mores was very desirous to retire his principall champions for a matter which he regarded nothing at all Thus were these reliques solemnely placed att Teruell in a faire Couent of Frere Minors there expresly erected in acknowledgement of the fauours and graces which in respect of them the Christians haue receaued of God and to this day great miracles are wrought there by them How the Morian king Azot became Christian and gaue the citty of Valencia to the king of Arragon and in satifaction of his sinne he conuerted his Pallace into a Monastery of Religious of the Order of S. Francis THE XXXVIII CHAPTER THe king Azot perceauing his forces and kingdome daily in appearance to diminish in such sort as he could no longer resist the king of Arragon resolued to enter into composition with him and to render vnto him all the kingdome of Valencia peaceably and withall to be baptised reseruing condition of honest maintenance during his life which the king Iames promised not only to him but euen to all his people that would be conuerted and to others promising to permitt them peaceably to liue in their law or otherwise to retire whither they pleased Which being thus accorded the king of Arragon entred Valencia to take possession therof the yeare 1238. on the eue of S. Michael this was the second time that the Christians recouered it for Ruy Dias had once before taken it from the Mores for the king of Castile after whose death it was lost againe Now the king Azot became Christian hauing obtayned in gift of king Iames a rich Earledome which his successors doe yet enioy all his moueables and his pallace which incontinently after with the consent of the king of Arragon he gaue to the Frere Minors there to build a Church in the honour of the holy Martyrs in satisfaction of their bloud which he had shed and consequently there was builded a very beautifull Couent Of a Miracle wrought by the said holy Martyrs att Teruell THE XXXIX CHAPTER CErtaine yeares after the said Martyrdome there repaired ouer the Citty of Teruell and the neighbour places such a quantity of locustes that as a cloud they hindred the beames of the sunne in the aire and on the earth they couered all the plaines the people made many processions to be freed of this affliction which yet ceassed not to trouble them But there was a good man that consailed the people to carry in procession the reliques of the holy Martyrs which they did went in great deuotion to an hermitage that was out of the Citty and att the retourne of that processiō all the locustes were vanished so that neuer after were seene more in those quarters then in other places This much augmēted the deuotiō of those people towardes the holy martyrs The Martyrdome of fiue Frere Minors with a multitude of Christians att Marroccho This was the 29. chapter of this booke transferred hither to giue place to the more famous ON an other time diuers yeares after the foresaid fiue other Frere Minors were martyred att Maroccho together with all the Christians men and women that then there resided in a chappell where they offered their prayers to God for the exaltation of the faith of IESVS CHRIST This persecution was executed on the sixteenth of September with such rage and fury of the Mores that there remayned not in the said citty so much as one liuing man that durst professe himselfe a Christiā after this notorius Martyrdome or persecution the Mores saw a great splendour to discend from heauen into the said chappell where the martyerd bodies remayned and heard also all the belles to ring of themselues and the voices of Angels to sing with an inestimable sweetnes but their hartes were too obstinatly hardened against God to benefitt themselues by their conuersion The names of these Martyres are not knowne on earth it sufficeth that they are recorded in the booke of eternall life The Martyrdome of Br. Electus disciple of S. Francis and of his companions Taken out of the 35. chapter and placed here for the reason aboue proposed THere resteth no other memory recorded of the Martyrdome of Br. Electus then this The Mores tooke Br. Electus many others for preaching the holy gospell to putt them to death He being brought to the place of execution tooke the rule of S. Francis in his hand and said to his companion Brother I confesse my fault before God and you of what soeuer I may haue offended and committed against this rule which said his head was cutt off then his companions and consequently the others after that many miracles were wrought Touching his Iife it is recorded that he entred very yong into the Order in so much that he could not performe the fast therof but forcing his nature he not only in this cōbat ouercame gluttony but continually chasticed his flesh with a shirt of iron happy child that began so yong to serue the almighty and so gloriously ended the course of his holy life The end of the fourth booke of the second part of the Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin are recorded the histories of 21. disciples of the holy Father S. Francis THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS CONTAINED THE LIFE DOctrine death and miracles of the glorious Father S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua Translated as the former Of the birth of S. Antony and his education by his Father how he left the world and became a Canon reguler in the Order of Sainct Augustin THE FIRST CHAPTER THE glorious Father S. Antony was borne in the noble and populous citty of Lisbone the Metropolitan of the kingdome of Portugall in the westerne partes of Spaine his house was directly ouer against the great gate of the Episcopall Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary this Church is very famous among other respectes in regard of the body of the victorious Martyr S. Vincent that there reposeth The Father of the said S. Antony was called Martin de Buglione and his Mother Teresa de Teuery
of a mountaine they burned and became outragious with thirst without any redresse and yet greater was their dispaire when they found the widenes of the Country to be of greater extent then that which they had passed in drinesse but considering that when they should retourne they should all dye with thirst before they should finde water they knew not way to take Now the said fiue Religious hauing by the prouidence of God againe deceaued their keepers came to the Camp which they found in despaire where perceauing the cruell thirst that afflicted the army they publikely with a verie strong confidence which they had in the diuine maiesty offered to procure vnto the Mores as much water as they should need on condition they would be conuerted vnto the faith of IESVS CHRIST assuring them that if they would be Baptised with the water of baptisms they should not want water to drinck This proposition comming to the eares of the king he said this drinesse befell them vpon no other occasion but for neglecting the punishment of the great blasphemies of the said Religious against his great Prophett Mahomett These good Religious seeing the obdurate hartes of the king and his people to make knowne the omnipotencie of IESVS CHRIST and the truth of the Catholike faith which they preached resoluing not to loose the occasion presented to manifest the glory of God for the saluation of the soules of those people applying themselues to prayer Brother Berard tooke a staffe and therwith made a litle hole in the earth whence issued out water most abondantlie and sufficiently to alay the thirst not only of the men but of all the horses and camels of the army of Miramolin yea they receaued therof and made prouision for the dayes following which done the said fountaine incontinentlie dryed vp This gaue so generall an applause and the Christians and very Mores were so edified therby that they desirouslie sought to kisse their habittes and to honour them as sainctes of God only the king persisted obdurate as an other Pharao and a Preist of the Mores that a mong them was reputed for a S. who often disputed with the said Religious and particulerly against Brother Berard and because he was ordinarily vanquished but especially by reason of this said miracle he ful of greife and affliction fled and was neuer after seene amongst the Mores in that country The prince sent the said Religious againe into his Pallace vnder strict guard for feare least if they should preach they might more scandalize the king How the fiue Martyrs retourned againe twice to preach to the Mores for which the king deliuered them ouer vnto Iustice. THE XI CHAPTER THey that had chardge of the said Religious being Christians did so reuerence them that they could in no sort enforce them nor carry too wachful an eye ouer them by which meanes they escaped as formerly they had done This being vpon a friday when the king according to his custome was gone to visitt the sepulchers of his predecessours they vsed meanes that he might heare their predication att his retourne as once before they had done which they enterprised but the king so disdayned it that he caused them incontinentlie to be apprehended and in extreme choler commanded a noble man of the Mores called Abosaide one of the principall of his Court first to torture them and then to putt them to death but it succeeded otherwise for this noble More was present att the miracle which these Religious SS wrought in the army when they satisfied it with water and so out of deuotion and compassion which he had of them he was content not to medle with them from noone vntill night notwithstanding the expresse coÌ„maund giuen him by the king whome he presumed might be appeased and pacified by the frequent and humble petitions which the Christian noble men and gentlemen would present vnto him But they perceauing how much the king was incensed against them for the iniury which he pretended those Religious had so often reiterated vpon him they all quietly retyred into their houses where they carefully kept themselues close not daring to appeare for feare least they might freele the effectes of the choler of the king wherof in deed there was apparent reason for withall the Mores were so enraged against the Christians that they had a will to massacre them all in reuenge of the iniury done to their sect and to their Prophett Mahomett Att night the said noble man conuented before him the Religious who came to his lodgeing very ioyfull all manicled and enchained But were it vpon necessary and vrgent affaire that he had or would he take occasion to deferre their condemnation he was not then att home wherfore they were deliuered to an Apostata More of our Religion that had renounced Christianity to be carefully guarded and very early in the next morning they brought them againe to the lodgeing of the said noble man whome neither then did they finde for they vnderstood that he was out of the citty and the king also and would not vere speedily retourne they then committed the sainctes to prison vnder strong guard who albeit they were enchained beaten and exceedinglie tormented had neuertheles their speech alwayes free which they spared not to employ for the conuersion vnto IESVS CHRIST of those that so strictly kept and rudely entreated them who in disdaine therof gaue them sound buffettes spett in their faces and abused them most outragiouslie All this did not hinder these good Religious from preaching both to them and their other fellow prisoners where they remayned certaine dayes in very extreme want of food and all other necessities but afterward the Christians prouided them whatsoeuer was needfull in the most secrett manner they could and att length dealt so effectually and so gained those that had chardge of them that they condiscended to permitt them to depart on condition they should be securelie conducted euen into Spaine for the said Christians feared and suspected the hatred the king did carry them by occasion of these said Religious who deceauing their keepers as before escaped from the place they lodged the first night out of Maroccho and the next morning were seene againe att a publique place preaching constaÌ„tlie the faith of IESVS C. aduertising the Mores that if they did desire to discardge themselues from the sottish delusions of Mahomett and free themselues froÌ„ hell they must necessarily be baptised The Mores theÌ„â—aÌ„ furiously on the SS did beat abuse theÌ„ despitefully with tumult and exclamation but these true Religious endured this affront like couragious and inuincible lions Then after infinite iniuries and beatinges these simple and innocent sheep of IESVS CHRIST were led to the lodgeing of the gouernour in most ignominious manner for they most rudely threw them to the ground trayned and trampled on them as if they had bin brute beastes How the fiue Martyrs preached to the Gouernour of Maroccho THE XII
Father S. Francis hauing bin enformed that in this chapter were many Religious who to mortifie their flesh besides their other abstinences fastes and disciplines did weare insteed of haire a shirt of maille and certaine grosse hoopes of iron about theire loynes which procured them diuers sicknesses and euen that some died therewith the pitifull Father commanded by vertue of obedience that there should be brought him all the said mailles and hoopes and in an instant were brought him fiue hundred of the one the other sort wherfore he presently there vpon made a cōstitution that none should presume thenceforward to weare any sort of iron on their flesh There were in this Chapter certaine learned superiours who practised with their Protectour some meane to temperate the rigour of that their so extreme pouerty and liuing and to moderate it according to some other ancient rule that shunning extremities they might choose one more supportable Which being by the said Cardinall who also would haue him condiscend thervnto related vnto the holy Father S. Francis he tooke him by the hand and led him to the chapter where those said superiours were yet assēbled to whom addressing his speech he said My beloued Brethren our most mercifull Lord God hath called me vnto him by this way of simplicity pouerty humility and of this great asperity of life and not only my selfe but all those that will follow me therfore lett none of you thincke euer to make me espouse an other rule be it of S. Augustin S. Bernard or any other for my God hath shewed me this hath called vs vnto it and will that we be reputed insensible in this world because he will guide vs to heauen by an other path then this of the humane reasons of your sottish prudence and ignorance wherewith you are confounded yea I am so much assured from his diuine maiesty that he will chastice you by his executioners the deuils and then will remitt you into your former estate whence you are now fallen though it beagainst your will if first you doe it not of your selues This said he left them with this worthy conclusion The Cardinall hauing heard so resolute and terrible an answeare vtterly amazed att the great zeale of God which he demōstrated durst not reply so much as one word and the said superiors with such an exceeding terrour and feare of worse successe remayned mute A litle after the said chapter it was reuealed vnto the S. that whiles it was held many thousandes of deuils being assembled att the hospitall betweene our Lady of Angels and Assisium held an other where were present eighteen thousand conferring of some meanes wherby to hinder the holy progresse of the said Order of the Freer Minors where after many of the deuils had deliuered their opinion herein att length one more subtill then the rest thus proposed This Francis and his Religious shunne the world doe sequester themselues with so much feruour and for the present loue God with such force employing themselues in continuall prayer maceration of their flesh that whatsoeuer we shall now endeauour against them will litle or nothing preuaile therfore mine opinion is that we thincke not as yet of it but expect the death of the said Francis the head of this Order and the multiplication of the Religious for then we will procure into it yong men without zeale of Religion and saluation venerable old men and delicate gentilmen learned arrogants and men of feeble complexion such as shal be receaued to support the honour of the Order and to augment their number and then by their meanes we will draw them all to the loue of the world and of themselues to a great desire of knowledge and to blind ambition of honour and we will so allure them to our fantasie as we may dispose of them att our pleasure The other deuils approuing this opinion departed full of hope of a future reuenge which would to God had not in part so arriued How the Freer Minors were sent with authenticall letters into diuers Christian and Pagan Prouinces and how God miraculously releiued them THE LXVI CHAPTER IN the expeditiō of the foresaid great generall Chapter all the Christian and Pagan Prouinces were deputed to certaine Fathers who were sent thither with their companiōs carrying the letters patētes of the Pope in fauour wherof they were very ioyfully receaued and curteously entertayned of the Prelates and people among others six were sent vnto the citty of Morocco among the Mores of whome one remayned sick in Spaine and the other fiue that went thither were gloriously martyred as in the fourth booke shal be declared Many also were sent vnto Tunes there to preach against the false sect of Mahomet with Brother Giles the third disciple of S. Francis who being there arriued were by the merchantes with whome they came putt againe into the shippes against their willes for feare they might incurre some dommage by their occasion and so were sent againe into Italy there were also sent into diuers other places for many religiou◠entreated it of the S. for the desire they had of Martyrdome wherfore to giue them confort he permitted them to goe they did much fructifie in diuers places as in their liues shall appeare because hauing reposed all their confidence in God he wrought many miracles by them and miraculously releiued them in their necessities as in the accidentes following here placed for example doth appeare Many of the said Religious being in very vast mountaines were exceedingly afflicted with thirst by reason of the extreme heat that then was so that it could not be more violent when they came to any fountaine where hauing had the benediction of their superiour they drāck their fill of that water which they well knew to be more diuine then terrestriall considering that they found themselues therby so corroborated and reuiued that in vertue therof they coutagiously performed the rest of their iorney they yelded thanckes to God for the same Two others trauailling according to the Apostolicall manner without wallet and hauing spent almost a whole day in trauaile without getting any bread were so enffeebled with hungar that their extremety seemed att the full yet did it proue more when comming into a Church and demaunding a litle bread for the loue of God of the preist therof the honest man answeared that he had it not wherfore the poore Religious passing on in a kind of despaire mett on the way a yong man who hauing saluted them began to question with them in this manner whither goe you so sorrowfull and heauy that you appeare to be ouerchardged therewith they answeared that finding none that would giue them bread they walked whither their hungar did lead thē wherof they feared to die this yong man presently replyed goe to sitt downe and eat here are two loaues Whiles they were eating he began to discouer who he was saying vnto them O men of
care of all their necessities and promised them to sell his goodes to mayntaine them if they would continue in that country The worthy example of their life was so admirable that they who could not be conuerted by their doctrine were conuerted by meane of their vertuous worckes which indeed are of much more efficacie they mollified the most fierce and barbarous nations mortall ennemies of the Christian name making them compassionate and pittifull but the nomber of the wicked and insolent budding foorth and being the more potent in that country yet not daring to kill them in regard of the patentes of their great Soldan they caused them to liue a lamentable life afflicting them ten thousand manner of wayes and the holy Father here vpon knowing the will of God to be that he should retourne hauing by the assistance of his diuine Maiesty assembled al his Religious not hauing so much profited among those Barbarians as he desired he repayred towardes the Soldan thence hauing taken leaue of him to retourne into Italy How S. Francis retourned into Italy THE LXXI CHAPTER THe said holy Father being retourned towardes the Soldan was very ioyfully and graciously entertayned and he att length told him secretly that he would willingly become Christian beleeuing firmely that the Christian Religion was the true way of saluation but he feared to manifest the same for the present the time seeming improper he warring against the Christians nor being secure by reason that the Mores hated them to the death but because by thy retourne said the Soldan to S. Francis as I cōiecture thou mayest profitt many and I haue many matters to dispatch that deeply concerne me I beseech thee to instruct me att this preset that mine affaires effected I may obey thee when occasiō shal be presēted as I doe now sincerely promise thee The holy Father hauing demaunded respite of answeare went to his prayer wherin perseuering for many dayes together he continually implored the grace of God for that poore soule whence he would neuer desist till he was heard which with the successe being reuealed vnto him he wēt to the Soldā to whom he said Sir I resolue to goe into Italy the will of my God being such but I promise to sēd you two Religious in time conuenient by whose meane according to the reuelation which God hath giuen me and which I explicate and promise vnto you you shall certainely be saued The Soldan hauing heard so gratefull an answeare with an exceeding contentement imprinted the same in his hart and S. Francis taking leaue of him retourned into Italy and failed not in the accomplishment of his promise for he appeared to two of his Religious that were resident in Syria whom he sent to the Soldan who was deadly sick the Religious repayred vnto him and instructed him and hauing baptised him he died S. Antony of Padua speaking of this Soldan conformably hereto affirmeth that diuers are of opiniō that he was baptised before his death the firme affectiō which he carryed vnto the Christiās being apparantly manifested for he had entertayned of thē for the guard of his body it is well knowne what piety he alwayes shewed towardes our army Likwise Iames de Vitry Cardinall in his historie writtē of the conquest of the holie land guieth testimonie of S. Francis his voyage in those quarters in these wordes We haue seene the Father S. Francis the first Founder of the Order of the Freer Minors a simple man and without learning but so much fauoured of God and men and eleuated to so high a feruour of spiritt that cōming to the armie of Christiās that beseiged the cittie of Damiette in Egipt he passed with out any feare armed onlie with the buckler of faith to the middest of the armie of the Mores saying Bring me to the Soldan to whose presence being come as soone as he had beheld him of a most cruell beast as he was he became a most gentle lambe and gaue most attentiue eare to the word of God which he preached But att length fearing that many of his people that desirously herad him and yet did not stirre from his campe would be conuerted and adhere vnto our army he returned him with great reuerence vnto vs praying him att his deperture that he would pray vnto God for him that he would please to inspire him to entertaine and espouse that law that were most pleasing and gratefull vnto him Of the vehement temptations wherwith the deuils tormented S. Francis THE LXXII CHAPTER ALbeit the holy Father wrought so much fruit conuerting the sinners of Egipt and conducting them into the true land of promise which is Religion free from all earthly tribute and obligation neuertheles the ancient ennemy of this blessed generation did not sleep for he vsed all the slightes he could deuise wherwith to confound the same And because he knew well that it entierly consisted in the head which was S. Francis he omitted not to assault this fortresse which God had placed on an high scituation to be an example vnto others hoping alwayes either to weary him or att least to make some relent and mitigation of his strict rigour and perfection of life Knowing therfore that all kind of vertue was compleat in the said S. he also stirred all his ministers against him who notwithstanding could no further preuaile then God would permitt The arrogant and proud Lucifer could not support his profound humilitie Mammon the prince of the world perceauing that there was no wordlie thing in the S. but that he had cassiered euery thing yea him who was prince thereof by the rigour of Euangelicall pouertie he neuer slept from endeauouring to make him cast his affection on some creature of this world The gloutonus Satan watched and laboured to procure some relaxation in the rigour of his diett lodging and cloathing The impatient Asmodeus armed himselfe against him to leuell att the patience of the holie Father The loathsome and filthy Behemol assaulted him presenting sensualitie often vnto him with endeauour to defile the candour of his virginitie Belzebub the captaine of the idle omitted no time to tempt him with sloath and by some apparant reasons to persuade him to take some litle recreation The persecuting prince Leuiathan tormented him with naturall perturbations discontentements and disgustes wherwith the flesh afflicted the peace and charitie of the S. against which Golias and his army the humble Dauid in the name and vertue of his God obtayned so glorious a victorie that he might well sing Francis hath ruined and subdued an hundred thousand ennemies and hath driuen away the derisions and rebukes which the diuels procured vnto the Church by auarice and sensualitie But God would that the deuill himselfe should by the mouth of the possessed acknowledge the cruell warre that S. Francis and his Religious waged against him and likwise the great fruit they produced in soules though this his confession was sufficientlie
prepared for thē that loue him perfectly And as the cōtēplatiue S. Bernard saith it is not permitted to all or in one same place and degree to enioy the secrett and glorious presence of God but according as the celestiall Father determineth to each one because we haue not elected God but he vs who hath giuen place proper to each one of his SS each one is where he hath bin placed S. Mary Magdalē found place to her was graunted the feet of our Lord I. C. S. Thomas the Apostle was admitted to his side S. Peter to the bosome of the Father S. Iohn to the breast of I. C. S. Paul was eleuated to the third heauē the sacred woūdes of our Lord I. C. were cōmunicated vnto S. Francis Who thē shall presume to haue a desire to know the perfectiō merittes of such a greatnes as S. Mary Magdalē reposed on the bed of true penance S. Thomas in the light of truth S. Peter in the chaire of faith S. Iohn in the fournace of charity S. Paul in the throne of wisdome and S. Francis in the loue trāsformation of I. C. we cānot for it is not permitted vs but only to follow imitate the SS in the worckes perfections which are mercifully reuealed by our Lord I. C. therfore to giue in finite thanckes to the author of all goodnes that by the merittes of his sainctes by their intercession and his diuine grace he conduct vs to that perfection in this life and that in the other we may enioy the eternall glorie Amen The end of the third booke and first volume of Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin is conteined the life death and miracles of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS CONTEINING THE MARTYRDOME of diuers Religious of the Order of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis Translated by the partie aforesaid THE SECOND VOLVME How S. Francis sent certaine Religious to preach the faith of Iesus Christ vnto the Mores in Spaine THE FIRST CHAPTER IN the yeare of grace 1219. the glorious Father S. Francis kept the great generall chapter att Pentecost wherat all the Religious of his Order assembled as it hath bin amplie declared in the first booke of the first volume of these present Chronicles This Chapter was held eleuen years after that Pope Innocent the third had with his owne mouth confirmed the Order of the Frere Minors the fourth yeare of the Popedome of Pope Honorious the third of blessed memory who then piously gouerned the Church In this Chapter it was reuealed vnto S. Francis that he should againe send his Religious ouer the world to preach the faith of IESVS CHRIST as well amongest Christians as Pagans After this the most capable Religious of the Order were chosen for Prouincials S. Francis applyed himselfe to obey the holy will of God And because the rage of the Mores was spred ouer three partes of the world Asia Africa and Europe he resolued to send his Religious into those partes to preach the truth of the faith of IESVS CHRIST to reduce the Pagans from their damnable errours And to make a beginning he chose Asia for himselfe whither he went with eleuen of his Brethren and preached to the Soldan and the Mores of his kingdome He sent Brother Giles into Africa with Religious of like feruour and deuotion who thincking to preach to the Mores were apprehended by Christians and very vnwillingly brought back into Italy He sent six Italian Religious of very perfect life into Spaine where the Emperour Miramolin of Marocco persecuted the Christians The said Religious were Brother Vital Brother Berard Brother Peter Brother Adiutus Brother Accursus and Brother Otto of whome the first Brother Vital was by the holy Father constituted their superiour Brother Berard was an excellent preacher in the Arabian tongue Brother Otto was a Preist Brother Adiutus and Brother Accursus were lay Brethren the rule so tearming the Religious that keep not the quiet Now sainct Francis hauing called them said My children God hath commanded me to send you to preach the holy faith vnto the Mores and to impugne the sect of Mahomet and therfore my freindes hold your selues ready to execute his holy will in such sort as you shall see cause Goe yee I say my beloued ioyfully preparing your soules to the crowne which it shall please his diuine Maiesty to bestow vpon you performing his holy will according as you shall feele your selues inspired They as obedient children only bended their heades and crossed their armes expecting his holy benediction but the holy Father first made them this exhortation My deere children I haue certaine wordes to deliuer you that you may the better effect this commandement of God to his glorie and the saluation of your soules Be yee carefull to keepe peace among your selues and be not Brothers so much in habitt and profession as in spiritt and will Next haue speciall care to fly enuie which was the first cause of our damnation support with patience and be ioyfull in persecutions and humble before God and men and by this meane you shall obtaine victorie against your ennemis visible and inuisible Be yee mindefull to imitate with all your power our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to follow him in the strictest manner you can in all the three vowes in obedience obeying your superiour as he one earth obeyed his parentes in pouerty liuing therin as he did for he would be borne liue and dye poore and did alwayes preach pouerty to teach vs the same and in chastity liuing and persisting chast not only in bodie but euen in spirit sith our Lord so muchloued this vertue that he would be borne of a virgin and presently after his Natiuity would haue for his first fruites the holie Virgin Innocentes and being on the Crosse he would dye betwene two virgins his Blessed Mother and S. Iohn the Euangelist Cast all your cogitations and hopes in God and he will assist and conduct you Carry with you the rule and the Breuiary and say the diuine office the most deuoutly you can Lett Brother Vital be your superiour and therfore obey him entierly but aboue all be mindefull to meditate cōtinually on the passion of our lord IESVS CHRIST for that is it which shall make all incommodities sweet vnto you and all trauell pleasing in this long iorney into Spaine which you are to attempt and in the conuersation and commerce which yee are to haue with the Mores the ennemies of their Creatour Beleeue I pray you that there is nothing doth separate you from me but the glorie of God and the saluation of soules for but for that I would neuer disioyne you from me And God knoweth the greife and affliction which my hart feeleth for your departure though in deed your prompt obedience doth much comfort me but it is necessarie that we preferre the will of our lord before our owne These good
of them a hanger in token of triumph and spake to her in these wordes God preserue thee O true seruant of IESVS CHRIST for so much as thou hast encouraged vs and as it were sent vs to this our glorious victory it hath pleased the diuine maiestie to haue vs appeare vnto thee in the same manner that we triumphed to promise thee that in acknowledgement of what thou hast done for vs we shall henceforward be thy Aduocates in heauen Which said they disappeared leauing the Infanta exceedinglie comforted and contented yea more then euer encouraged in the seruice of her sweet IESVS In short time after she caused a Church to be builded in the place where the martyrs appeared vnto her that thenceforward that house might serue only for the praise of God How the bodies of the fiue martyrs were dismembred by the Mores and how the Christians recouered them and preserued them from the fire that could not annoy them and of the miracle which God wrought when the Mores cutting them in pieces thought vtterly to dissipat and annihilat them THE XVIII CHAPTER THe bodies and heades of the holy Martyrs remayned in prey to the people who reioyced to see them all murdered and tooke pleasure to rent and traine them through the citty omitting no kind of inhumanity that might be imagined to be exercised on their poore bodies they tossed their heades from one to an other as if they had bin balles or baloones the Christians in the meane time praysed God for the constancie which the martyrs had with loud voice thancked him for the same others endeauoured to preserue or att least with their eyes to follow their reliques which the Mores perceauing they began so rudely to driue them away by casting stones that it might be attributed to a miracle graunted in fauour of the sainctes that the Christians could escape without detriment into their lodgeing where they were enforced to hide and keep themselues close and secrett during three dayes which the fury of this enraged people continued who of themselues would needes make a new massacre of them These Insidels more wearyed then glutted with tormenting the sainctes bodies cast them among the filthy ordure of the towne-sincke whither the prince of Portugall aforesaid sent his Cousin Syr Martin Alphonsus Theglio and the aforesaid Cheualier Peter Ferdinando de Castro Castillan to fetch them away but they yelded their soules vnto their Sauiour and Lord IESVS CHRIST in this seruice so gratefull vnto him and to his sainctes for they were slaine by the Mores that kept the bodies which not satisfying them they gott permission of the king to burne them publikely altogether and to this effect they made a pile of wood and thereon layd the bodies and heades but the fire being applyed therto could in no sort offend them but retired to one side without touching them Which many Christian Prisoners that aduentured to be present did testifie and certaines Mores that were friendes to the Christians also recounted the same as matter of admiration to the said Prince of Portugall The same may euen to this day be iustified by a head that is extant att S. Crosse of Conimbria the haires wherof were neuer touched by the fire But the rage of this barbarous nation not only was not qualified by this so euident miracle but was rather encreased Wherfore hewing these holy reliques into small morcels they thought to reduce thē to nothing saying Thus are the blasphemers and ennemies of our holy law chasticed But the diuine vengeance which by extremity recompenceth tolleration sodenlie sent from heauen such an vnexpected tempest and storme of haile accōpanied with very frequent lightninges thunderclappes furious windes and vehement rayne that the vtter ruine of the citty seemed to be imminent so that the feare terrour which they had giuen to the Christians retourned vpon themselues yea in such sort that being fled into their houses they scarce held thēselues secure Which gaue courage leasure and commoditie to the Christians to gather vp the holy reliques by the light of the lampes of heauen which they incontinentlie brought to the aforesaid Prince none of them daring to take or keep them to themselues And by reason that the said extremity of the storme did not permitt them to finde all the pieces of the holy bodyes they partly by freindship and partly for mony gott them of the Mores How the said holy reliques were preserued and of their miracles THE XIX CHAPTER THe Prince of Portugall hauing receaued the holie reliques presently prepared shrines or reliquaries of very great price to place and preserue them in But first he commited them to Iohn Rupert Canon of Sainct Crosse of Conimbria att that time his Chaplen and Confessour a very pious and Religious Preist to whome he sent three yong pages of his who were very simple and virgins that they might assist him to dry and accommodate the said holy bodies who in the meane while neuer stirred out of his house so to preserue themselues from profaning the said reliques in any sort euen in thought as neere as they could These youthes then dryed the sacred reliques in a very retired and priuate place by commandement of the Prince and separated the flesh from the bones which they put in a precious chest to be carryed iuto Portugall then did it please our Lord to illustrate them by miracle For a knight called Peter de la Rose not considering what danger it is for sinners to touch the holy reliques of the seruantes of God would presume to present himselfe notwitstanding he kept a wench whome he lasciuiously entertayned but he had scarcely ascended the middest of the staires but he fell and lamed himselfe without power to moue till being contrite repentant and confessed vnto the said Almosner of the Prince and recommended vnto the Sainctes protesting to a abandon his vicious life he obtayned mercy for by litle and litle arising he discended and went halfe cured vnto the Prince failing only in his speech which he had lost the Prince therfore with a great confidence commanded his Almosner to putt one of the sacred heades of the sainctes on his breast which done he was att the same instant perfectly cured A squier of the Princes accustomed to handle certaine peices of the said reliques which were layed to dry on a buckler of his without receauing any punishment by reason that he was then free from sinne But falling one time by instigation of the deuill into a carnall sinne as he thought to handle them the buckler wheron they were so raysed it selfe that he could not reach them wherevpon reflecting on himselfe he went and confessed then retourning to the said reliques which was admirable he kneeled downe before them and the buckler being discend to the ground and retourned to the sunne as before they yelded themselues to be touched This fact cast such a feare into the hartes of the Christians of the Princes
clock they stripp themselues naked sending their cloathes to the Monastery of S. Crosse leauing on their bodies only linnen breeches of very meane cloth to couer their naturall parts and a capuce of cloth to hide their face or a handkirchefe and so they goe in procession through the middest of the cittye to the said church of S. Crosse where hauing offered their prayers very deuoutly together they passe through the Cloister to enter into a great house adioyning where they reattire themselues and then each one departeth att his pleasure The 29. chapter is put after the 39. of this booke as a place more proper vnto it The history of seauen Martyrs att Cepte How seauen Frere Minors departed from Italy to goe to preach the faith of Iesus Christ vnto the Insidels THE XXX CHAPTER SAinct Antony of Padua and others haue left in record that seauen Frere Minors were ioyned together to goe into Tuscane a Prouince of Italy whence they demanded leaue of Brother Helias then viare generall of the Order to goe into Spaine to preach to the Mores he names of these Religious were Brother Daniel Br. Angelus Br. Saâ—uel Br. Danulus Br. Leo Br. Nicolas and Br. Vgolin they arriued att Arragon hauing elected for their superiour Br. Daniel Prouinciall of Caâ—bria hauing found a vessell ready prepared for that place could neuer â—btaine permission of the patron therof to carry more then three Religious with him so that he was constrained to leaue three to come afer him He being arriued att Cepte with his three companions did not beginne to preach to the Mores till the arriuall of his Brethren which was on the last day of September and in the meane time they preached to diuers strange merchantes and other Christians that from all partes flocked thither When they were all assembled they began to discourse and conferre together what might be the rediest meane for them to profitt in the saluation of the soules of the Mores or to pourchace Martyrdome reiecting farre all humane feare and fortifying themselues with a great feruour of spiritt and an ineffable zeale of their neighbours good And hauing till then remayned without the towne with other Christians that were not permitted to enter they resolued to steale in secretly without the knowledge of any person that they might not be hindered by the Christians who could haue stayed them or aduertised the Mores who would haue forbidden their entry How the seauen Martyrs preached the faith of Iesus Christ to the Mores by whome they were abused and imprisoned THE XXXI CHAPTER BEing thus encouraged mutuallie by each other in our Lord IESVS CHRIST they began one friday by deuout and feruent prayers to prepare themselues and on the saterday the six were confessed by their superiour who confessed to an other then they communicated and receaued the sacred body of our Redeemer spending the rest of the day in pious deuotions And the sonday morning replenished with the grace of the holy Ghost they entred very early into the citty where they began to preach freely and loudly vnto the Mores admonishing them to abandon the false beleefe of Mahomet and to embrace the true faith of our Redeemer IESVS The Mores admiring the confidence wherwith they spake began first gently to reprehend them then rudely to iniury them but seeing these good Religious did perseuer in this pious predication they did buffet and beat them outragiously then hauing bound them they brought them before the kinge where they continued their preaching freely confessing the true faith of IESVS CHRIST and giuing him remonstrance of the deceatefulnes treachery of the law of the accursed Mahomet which he must of necessity forsake if he would saue his soule The king beholding theÌ„ so poorly attired and considering their feruour iudged them to be fooles as did all his Courtiers But in regard they had presumed to preach against his law he imprisonned them and cast them into a dungeon where they were loaden with heauy chaines of Iron Manicles and fetters which exceedinglie afflicted them for they remayned there eight entier dayes in which time they endured much and in diuers manners Of a letter which the 7. Martyrs wrote to the Christians of Cepte THE XXXII CHAPTER NOw these holy Religious desirous to shunne idlenes wrote this letter vnder inserted to the Christians residing in the suburbes of Cepte which they addressed to Brother Hugo Preist and Curat of Geneuois and to other Religious one of the Order of Preachers and the other a Frere Minor who were newly arryued in Africa to administer the sacramentes to the Christians there and to worck the saluation of their soules the said letter was thus Blessed be God the Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST Father of mercy and God of all consolations who comforteth vs all in our afflictions and appointed to our Father Abraham the Ramme he was to sacrifice and permitted him to trauell a pilgrime on earth and reputed his faith for iustice wherfore he merited the title of the friend of God teaching vs therby to appeare and become fooles before the world to please and proue wise in sight of the diuine maiesty And therfore saith he vnto vs Goe preach the Ghospell vnto all Creatures and tell them the seruant ought not to be greater then the master And if you be persecuted that they haue persecuted me likewise with which wordes we his least and vnworthy seruantes being moued haue left our contry and are come hither to preach for the glory of God and the benefitt of our soules to the edification of faithfull Christians and the confusion of obstinate Infidels as the Apostle saith we being vnto God a pleasing odour we are to some an odour of life and to others an odour of death which could not be vnderstood but that our Sauiour said If I had not come and had not preached vnto them they had not sinned We are entred into this citty of Cepte to preach his name and his holie faith before the people and the king himselfe who reputing vs sencelesse hath imprisoned vs it hath seemed expedient vnto vs to aduertise you hereof And albeit that by the grace of God we endure much here we are neuertheles exceedinglie comforted in our Lord in whose diuine Maiestie we haue a strong and assured confidence that he will please to accept our life for a gratefull sacrifice and therfore to him be giuen glorie and honour for euer How the holy Martyrs were againe presented to the king before whome they constantly preached the saith THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe sonday following which was the sixt of October in the morning the kinge caused the holy Religious to be taken out of prison and presented before him then prayed them to deny what they had vttered against his Prophett Mahomet and his law But they constantly answeared that they could not say otherwise then they had done sith it was truth it selfe on the contrary they exhorted himselfe to abandon his extreme
he saw her againe he prophesied and willed her not to feare because first she should be deliuered easilie secondlie her child should liue thirdlie it should be a man child fourthlie he should be pious and feare God fiftlie he should be a Frere Minor and sixtlie he should be a Martyr Now the three first of the conditions being easilie verified it shall not be out of purpose also to iustifie the other three The child then being borne and baptised was called Phillip and liuing in manner of an Angell vntill he came to conuenient age he became a Frere Minor where being fortified in the feare and loue of God he trauailed with exceeding deuotion in pilgrimage to the holie land And being in Azoto when it was by treason taken from the Christians who being in nomber two thousand were all condemned to death he obtayned of those persidious dogges to be the last that that should be martyred they supposing that he would renounce and deny IESVS CHRIST But this Sainct when this spectacle horrible to the world and gratefull to the diuine Maiesty and to him began did animate and comfort them all with exceeding courage crying vnto them that God had reuealed vnto him that the very same day he should ascend into heauen with more then a thousand martyrs wherwith being much comforted they all offered their heades as pleasinge sacrifices vnto God vnder the sword of the executioners who cutt them off Now it being reported vnto the Soldan that he exercisced the office of a preacher he commanded all the ioyntes of his fingers one by one to be all cutt off in presence of the Christians which notwithstanding he desisted not to exhort them all to that glorious victorie in such sort that they all misprising the honours and riches offered them by the Mores and the tortures wherwith they threatned them being by the valour of the Saint confirmed in IESVS CHRIST they with one voice cryed out that they would follow Brother Philip on whose choice oflife or Martyrdome they relyed which the Soldan taking very despitefullie caused him to be fleyed aliue euen to the Nauell and then his tongue to be cutt off which supporting with inestimable constancie and notable patience he the more enflamed and moued the rage and furie of rhe Mores and the hartes of the Christians more willingly to suffer death as a momentarie matter seeing him with an inuincible hart to endure the same by such cruell tormentes in the middest wherof he ceassed not by the gestures and motions of his bodie to exhort them beeing vnable to speake by reason that his tongue was bereaued him Att length he was beheaded with the rest and in token of their croune a thinge which the Mores beheld full sore against their willes their bodies that remayned many dayes in the street without buryall yelded no offensiue but a pleasing sauour Thus was the admirable prophesie of the glorious Father S. Antony accomplished Of an other prophesie of his touching an other Martyr and of his Martyrdome THE XIV CHAPTER PReaching in France in the citty of Puy where he was Guardian as often as he saw a Notary that was impious of life and conuersatiō he remouing his capuce would doe him very humble reuerence The Notary knowing himselfe vnworthy to receaue such honour by him that gaue it vnto him hauing many times endured the same he imputed it to simplicity yet att length he sought to shunne the meeting of the S. turning from him a farre of because he would not be saluted by him but it one time happened that he could not preuent the Sainctes meeting of him who saluted him as before yea more hūbly which putting the Notary into great choler he came to him and said if thou wert not a Religious man I would long agone haue sheathed this my sword in thy body But tell me thou varlett what cause hast thou in this manner to flout me The S. very humbly answeared him My beloued brother be you not troubled I beseech you but beleeue that I salute you only to honour you and the reason is such hauing desired to shed my bloud in the seruice of the diuine maiesty I haue not bin found worthy nor hath it pleased God to satisfie me therein But his diuine maiesty hauing reuealed vnto me that you shall dye a martyr I haue euer since and still shall yeld you reuerence Besides I most hartely beseech you when you shal be in that glorious conflict to be mindfull of me wretched sinner Hereat the Notary chaunged his choler into laughter and deriding him went his way but in short time after it was iustified For being inspired of God to goe with the bishop of the said citty to adore the holy sepulcher and in an instant hauing changed his lewd conuersation into the contrary arriuing there the bishop discoursing with the Mores touching our faith and being rudely refelled the notarie for the first and second time endured it but att length being ashamed of the tepedity of his bishop and fearing some worse issue he told him that he did not defend our faith as he ought and then himselfe very couragiously disputed against the Mores and confuted them affirming for their reproach that their Mahomet was the sonne of perdition damned to hell by almighty God as themselues should be if they did not acknowledge their errours which hauing said the Mores presently tooke hold of him cruelly beat him and neuer ceassed for three dayes together to torment him which expired leading him to execution he confessed to his other companions that S. Antony had prophesied vnto him that martyrdome And they afterward retourning haue testified the same to all the world and so he consummating his martyrdome ioyfully rendered his soule to his Creatour Of the office of his doctrine and his seuerity against sinnes THE XV. CHAPTER THis S. of God with a very great dilligence and admirable prudence sowed the word of his diuine maiesty in the soules of the faithfull being neuer wearyed by his continuall labours trauailling through diuers cittyes townes villages and castelles ouer mountaines and vallyes and this he did out of his extreme zeale to assist the soules redeemed by the precious bloud of our Lord as one instructed rather by heauenly then humane doctrine he so disposed of his documentes according to the necessity of his audience that they all were satisfied in respect wherof his sermons were reputed for so many miracles they that neuer heard him preach were att deathes dore with desire to heare him but especiallie the learned as well in regard of his eloquence as of his exceeding subtility and viuacity of spiritt wherwith he admirably gaue to althinges which he handled their proper signification valure nomber and weight with a notable art He also reprehended the great personnes of this world with such constancie and seuerity that the most famous preachers trembled with feare when they heard him and did admire how it was possible he could haue such
went where he pleased and S. Antony retourning into Riminy there conuerted the rest of the heretiques that being there had not bin present att the miracle How he conuerted a very obstinate heretike by a miracle of the blessed sacrameÌ„t THE XIX CHAPTER SAinct Antony preaching one time att Tholousse though some affirme it to be att Riminy against a very obstinate heretike of the reall Presence of IESVS C. in the B. Sacrament he many times coÌ„uinced him euen by reasons in which the heretike not knowing what to answeare told the S. that in deed he was forced to yeld in dispute but the reason was because he was more subtill a greater philosopher and better learned then himselfe which he acknowledged but could not yet confesse and acknowledge that his affirmations were to be beleeued and therfore challenged him to proue by effectes and shew him by some miracle of the B. Sacrament wherby he might know that God was present there which if he could performe he did promise and sweare to adhere to his opinion and beliefe The sainct answeared him that he should consider and bethinck himselfe what miracle he desired by the grace of God he should see it effected The heretike replyed that he would shutt vp a mule and keep her three dayes without meat then they both would be present together himselfe with ores the S. with the B. Sacrament and if the mule did leaue the otes and adore the B. Sacrament he would be content also to adore the same S. Antony accepted this condition And the third day being come they both present att a publike place the holy Father hauing celebrated masse before he communicated he shewed the sacred Host vnto the people that held burning torches in their handes there being presente the greatest personnes of the cittie who attended him to the place where the proofe was to be made The heretike was there ready with the hungry Mule which alreadie smelled the oates which her master had brought and brayed after them Sainct Antonie then commaunded her by the vertue of the liuing God who was present in the Host which there he held to adore it Her master also cast before her all the oates he had yet leauing the oates she came with her head declined very humbly to adore the B. Sacrament before which she kneeled downe to the exceeding contentment of the Catholikes there present and the confusion of many heritikes especially of the aforesaid who was conuerted together with them Of the conuersion of many heritikes by a miracle of S. Antonyes eating poysoned meat without receauing any detriment THE XX. CHAPTER THis miracle so encreased the hatred of heretikes against him that they resolued to procure his death And to this purpose one of them inuited him to his table which the sainct promised in hope by some familier discourses to conuert him Euen as for the same end our Redeemer did eat with Publicans and sinners Sainct Antony then being att table with manie heretikes he knew by diuine reuelation that the meat sett before him was poysoned as also the wine appointed for him to drinck for which he modestly checked them 〈…〉 their treachery But they in steed of being confounded and acknowledgeing their fact with a brasen face answeared him that IESVS CHRIST in his gospell promised his disciples that albeit they should drinck or eat poyson it should not hurt them And therfore sayd they had they done that onlie to proue that speech so that if he refused to eat therof he must acknowledge the Gospell to be false wherevpon the holy Father consulting with himselfe what he should doe fouÌ„d therin some difficulty for one the one side he feared it might proue a tempting of God who seemed to haue reuealed the same vnto him to the end he should forbeare it on the other side desirous not to preiudice the gospell he resolued to eat the poyson on condition they would become Catholikes if it did not hurt him wherto they accorded and the S. said vnto them Well then my masters I drinck and eat your poysonned meat and drinck not with a will to tempt God whose wordes I firmely beleeue but to manifest vnto you the truth of his word and also as zealous of his gospell to whome althinges obey then he dranck and eat therof without receauing any detriment either then or afterward Which the heretikes perceauing they were conuerted to the faith of the gospell the wordes wherof they had experienced to be puissant aboue all naturall reason and in deed it was reasonable they should expell the poyson out of their soules seeing corporall poyson by vertue of the wordes of the gospell to be annichilated How in one sermon and att one time he was heard by many strangers to preach in their seuerall languages and a woman heard him far off THE XXI CHAPTER POpe Gregory the ninth published a great Iubilie att Rome there to declare the expedition of the Christians called Croisade against the Mores who then had possession of the holy land in respect wherof there was a great concourse of people att Rome that repayred thither from all partes of Europe S. Antony one day preaching there before a huge assembly of people the nomber being exceeding great of French Grecians English Italians Almanes Sclauonians Spaniards and other strangers they all heard him preach in their owne naturall tongue as heretofore the Apostles of our Sauiour had bin which much amazed the people But besides this the Pope hauing heard this sermon called him the holy arke of the testament in regard of the merueillous copiosity of hâ—â— doctrine and eloquence wherwith he in such sort lincked together the sentences and wordes of holy scripture by new and high 〈…〉 wherby it manifestly appeared that it was not he but the holy Ghost that spake who by his holy seruant taught these people the true meane to ascend to heauen This other miracle was also of no small consequence A woman exceedingly desiring to heare S. Antony preach her husband not permitting her to goe because it was a great league from the citty she went vp into her corne-loft so to content her sight with beholding the place where her spiritt was to witt the Church where was the Sainct where her body could not be which performing very attentiuely and a long time she admired to heare the Sainct beginne his sermon wherfore calling her husband she protested that from the place where she was she miraculously heard sainct Antonyes sermon vsing the same gestures that he did and relating his wordes wherin she so persisted to confirme hir husband that himselfe would needes make triall therof and to that end mounting into the garrett he putt his head out att the windoe and heard the end of the same sermon then presentlie went to conferre with such as had bin personallie present and found that the wordes which his wife affirmed to haue heard in the beginning of the sermon were the verie same that the
him in this sort of his desired successe in this voyage In the said citty of Tunes there was an old More a man of great authority with those Pagans whome they reputed a sainct he had for a long time opinatiuely forborne to speake but as soone as Br. Giles and his companions were landed this More went presently preaching and exclaming through all the streetes and corners that certaine Infidels were arriued who intended to condemne and calumniat their great Prophett and their law and therfore counsailled and commanded them to seeke them out they being ChristiaÌ„s to kil them This caused a great rumour and tumult ouer all the citty in such sort that in an instaÌ„t they were all armed and prepared themselues to murder these poore Religious But the Christians hauing vnderstood the cause of this insurrection and fearing the Mores would kill them all they forcibly thrust Br. Giles and his companions againe into the shipp in which they came But these true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST did not omitt to preach to the Mores out of the shipp which putt the Christians into such a feare that they commanded the Marineâ—s of the vessel to hoyse their sailes and so being peruented of the effecting of their pious desires they were retourned into Italy Of the hight and sublimity of Br. Giles his contemplation THE IX CHAPTER AFter this holy Father had spent many yeares in the actiue life in affliction and labours it pleased almighty God to make him a new man calling him to the repose of contemplation and priuiledging him aboue all men of his time The beginning of this his perfectioÌ„ was when being in the Couent of Faleron neere Perusia offering his prayer one night he was touchâ—d with the hand of God and replenished with such a supernaturall consolation that it seemed to him that God would separate his soule from the body In this instant he felt his members as dead it seeming vnto him that his soule forsooke them and that being gon foorth she already delighted and pleased her selfe in the sight and contemplation of her so great naturall beauty but much more of her spirituall wherwith the holy Ghost had already endowed her whereby she appeared to her selfe more beautifull then all humane consideration could comprehend as himselfe a litle before his death did testifie In this extasie weâ—e reuealed vnto him celestiall secrettes so great that he would neuer disclose them to any and therfore he would sometimes say Happy is he that can conserue the secrettes of God in himselfe and it must not be obiected vnto me that God hath reuealed them vnto me to the end I should manifest them to others for when it shall please him that I reueale them he will discouer them vnto me by other meanes Of divers apparitions of our Lord and S. Francis to Br. Giles THE X. CHAPTER THe eighteenth yeare of the conuersion of Br. Giles wherin S. Francis dyed he went to dwell in the Couent of Crettone in Toscane within the Diocese of Chiusiâ—the first night of his being there there appeared vnto him in vision an Emperour that spake very familierly vnto him this presaged vnto him the diuine vision of the glory which God communicated vnto him in that place where spending the lent of S. Martin in very aâ—stere fastes and continuall prayers he had one night an apparition of S. Francis to whome he said that he had a great desire to speake vnto him The S. answeared him Brother sift and examine wel your selfe before hand and so vanished Br. Giles perseuering three entyer dayes in prayer IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto him before the feast of his holy Natiuity and for as much as might be coniectured by his wordes he was rauished in spiritt and with the eyes of his soule â—aw the glory of Paradice he neither could nor durst explicate this viion which was not continuall but by intermission till the eue of the Epiphany att which time he was so replenished with force and consoâ—tion both spirituall and supernaturall that his weake and feeble humaâ—e body could not support it for his soule seemed to expire so that he â—as constrayned to breath out violent sighes by reason of the force â—f his spiritt which his body could not sustaine and albeit he were on he hight of a mountaine in a cell very remote where he prayed yet did he other Religious sometimes heare him and then would they seÌ„d Br. GratiaÌ„ to assist helpe him as there should be need This Religious thus â—ming one time vnto him asking him wherfore he coÌ„playned the â—oly Father answeared come hither my child thou art come in good tiâ—e for I wished thee here then recounted to him many thinges to his â—ceeding coÌ„fort The next morning retourning thither he fouÌ„d him bitâ—rly weeping wherfore he prayed him not to afflict himselfe in that â—rt for it might wee l shorten his dayes Brother Giles answeared Alas â—y friendly Brother how may I refraine from teares that feare to 〈◊〉 the ennemy of God for hauing receaued so many graces of his Maiesty I doubt I doe not serue him as I ought and according to his holy will wherof if I were certaine it would be more gracious vnto me then death it selfe which he spake in respect of the vision and diuine reuelation that made such alteration in him and therfore he sayd Till this present I weÌ„t whither I would and with my handes laboured as I would but henceforward I can no more follow my fantasie but must doe according to the spiritt that I find to conduct me This feare in this holy Faher was like to that of S. Paul when he sayd we carie this diuine treasure in earthen vessels Butt because the certaine perill of the losse of an eternall and infinite treasure would cause a diffidence and despayre in any one by consideration of his naturall infirmity he added we know that the preseruation of the diuine treasure consisteth in the vertue and power of God and not of vs. The sayd Religious then tooke occasion to comfort him or rather the holy Ghost for and by him with the said sentence of S. Paul saying that though it were expedient that the feare of God should be alwayes in vs yet should it be there with faith and full confidence in his bounty who as he giueth grace vnto his seruantes so also he giueth them force to preserue the same together with perseuerance Br. Giles being by these wordes comforted he proceeded in employing his dayes in such hight of contemplation and spirituall consolation as is not to be expressed demaunding of almighty God as a fauour not to be so ouer-chardged alleadging that he being so great a sinner an idiot rustike and simple was not worthy so much grace but the more he reputed himselfe vnworthy the more did almighty God augment his fauours There was a religious of pious life in the same CoueÌ„t to whome God did some times reueale his secrettes certaine dayes befor that
pouerty and did manifest exteriourly in her body that her soule was interiourly replenished with diuine light In this manner did she ordinarily liue full of so supreme delightes passing ouer this deceiptfull world with her noble Spouse IESVS CHRIST and being on this wheele of motion she was theron sustayned with an assurance and firmity of vertue very stable and preserued with the celestiall eleuation of her soule in the hight of heauen keeping the treasure of glory securely shutt vp with in a vessell of flesh here below on earth This holy virgin accustomed to call vp the yonger Religious a litle before mattines and to awaken them with the ordinary signe to excite them very often to praise God All her Religious sleeping she did watch lighted the lampe rung att mattines so that negligence found no entrance into her monastery nor sloath had there any place She also by the sting of sharpe repreprehension and of her liuely and effectuall examples expelled tepedity and ircksomnes in prayer and the seruice of God How the Mores were expelled the Monastery by the prayers of S. Clare THE XIII CHAPTER THis being the place where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin it is not conuenient that we pretermitt them in silence for as the merueillous effectes of her prayer are veritable so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence In the time of the Emperour Federick the second the holy Church in diuers places endured great persecutions but particulerly in the vally of Spoletum which being subiect to the Romane Church dranck of the vessell of wrath of this mischieuous tyrant his capitaines and soldiers being scattered ouer the fieldes as grasse hoppers with sword to murder people and with fire to burne their houses The impiety of this Emperour did so augment that he had assembled all the Mores that dwelt on the mountaines and among the desertes to make himselfe the more fearefull vnto his vassels and after he had by lardge promises gayned these Mores and disposed them into diuers places he gaue them att length for retyre a very ancient but ruined citty which yet to this present is called Moura des Mores which they fortifyed and then thither retyred about twenty thousand fighting men who did much mischeife ouer all Apulia and in other Christian places These ennemies of the faith of IESVS CHRIST came one day vnexpectedly towardes the cittye of Assisium who being already close to the portes a great number of them came to the Monastery of saint Damian as a lewd and dissloyall nation that continually thirsteth after the bloud of Christians and dareth to committ indifferently all kind of execrable actes without either shame of men or feare of God These Mores then brake euen into the Monastery of sainte Clare where she was with her Religious daughters who had their hartes surprised with an extreme terrour but much more when they heard the barking and crye of those dogges so neere them so that they were euen dying with the apprehension not knowing where to seeke reliefe nor of whome to hope for deliuerance from so emminent perill but by the merittes of their holy mother Whome with infinite sighes and teares they aduertised of what they heard and saw This holy virgin though sick encouraging her Religious caused her selfe with incredible constancie to be carryed to the gate of her Monastery att the entry wherof in the sight of all her ennemies she with very great reuerence placed the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist in the pix before which falling postrate on the earth she with abondance of teares thus spake to her beloued Spouse IESVS CHRIST Is it possible my God thy will should be that these they seruantes who cannot vse materiall weapons to defend thēselues and whome I haue here brought vp nourced in thy holy loue should now be deliuered into the power of the Infidell Mores Oh my God! Preserue thē if thou please and me likewise for albeit thy diuine Maiesty hath cōmitted thē to my gouernemēt yet is it not in my power to defend thē from so great a perill sith this protection cānot be but by a worck of thine omnipotencie Therfore doe I recōmend thē to thy diuine Maiesty with all the affection that I am able As soone as this holy virgin had sent these prayers vnto heauē she heard a voice so delicate as if it had bin of a sucking child that said I will protect you for eue◠The holy mother did not yet giue ouer to present her prayers saying My God I humbly beseech thee if so it be thy holy will to preserue and defend this thy citty of Assisium which doth nourish vs for the loue it beareth to thy diuine Maiesty Wherto God answeared This citty shall suffer much but in the end I will by my fauour defend it Sainte Clare hauing heard so gracious newes lifted vp her face bathed with teares and comforted her beloued daughters saying Deere Sisters I assure you that no euill shall befall you only be carefull to haue a firme faith and confidence in IESVS CHRIST The diuine assistāce made no long delay for the presumption and rage of the Mores was incontinently cooled so that a sodaine vnknowne terrour hauing surprised them they speedily retyred ouer the walles which they had scaled and ouer leapt to enter They being thus by the vertue of the prayer of sainte Clare expelled she priuatly called the Religious that had heard the sayd voice of God and commanded them that howsoeuer it were they should not diuulge what they had heard during her life How the citty of Assisium was an other time deliuered by the prayer of this holy Virgin THE XIV CHAPTER ON an other time one of the principall Capitaines of the Emperour Federick called Vitall d'Auerse a man very ambitious of glory full of courage and a notable Capitaine conducted his troupes to besiege Assisiū and hauing encōpassed it he exposed to wast and spoile the plaine contry therabout making a totall ruine euen to the very trees which were hewed downe and then framing his siege he vttered menacing and vaunting oathes that he would not stirre thence till he had giuen the citty a victorious assault and so this siege so long continued that the besieged began to loose courage as wanting many thinges extreemely needfull vnto them Wherof this holy seruant of IESVS CHRIST being aduertised sighing in her hart she called all her Religious to whome she thus discoursed My deere sisters you know that all our necessities haue euer bin supplyed by the charity of this citty so that we should proue very vngratefull if we should not according to our ability assist them in this extreme necessity then she commanded to be broughte her ashes and all her Religious to discoife their heades and to giue them example she began to couer her bare head with ashes wherin all the other Religious following her she said Goe ye to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and with the greatest