conscience which knowing it selfe pure before God could feare nothing Not withstanding it was not conuenient in presence of so many seculers who all knew him to be nerre death to shew no signe of repentance of his offences past no remorse of his sinnes committed against God attleast in this terrible passadge of death S. Francis with great feruour answeared him Brother giue me leaue giue me leaue I pray thee to reioyce in God and in his prayses during this sicknes because by the grace of the holy Ghost my spiritt is in such sort vnited vnto his diuine Maiestie and so secure that it may reioyce Remember now that there are two yeares past since you deliuered me from him an aduertisment of this my passadge since which time I haue alwayes endeauoured to prepare my selfe lamenting my sinnes and satisfying God for them But sithence that by his immensiue grace he hath made me worthy of his glory as he hath reuealed vnto me I haue euer since endeauoured to reioyce and now so much more in that the time approacheth wherin my soule shall for euer be loosed from the waight of this body and shall goe towardes him who hath created it and in that he will not omitt in me to edifie this people How the S. made himselfe be carryed to our Lady of Angels finding his death to approach THE LXVI CHAPTER THe glorious Father therfore perceauing that the day of his death approached prayed all the gentlemen and his freindes there present to cause him to be carryed to his church of our Lady of Angels that he might render vnto God the spiritt of life where he had receaued of him the spiritt of grace So hauing obtayned permission of the bishop and Gouernour of the citty they went accoÌ„panyed with the greatest part of the said citty and comming to the hospitall which is in the great street betweene the citty and our Lady of Angels causing himselfe with his bed to be sett on the ground and tourning towardes the citty he gaue it his benediction saying Citty blessed mayest thou be of the soueraigne God because by thee many soules shal be saued and in thee many worthy seruantes of God of both sex shall make their residence and by thy meane many shall attaine the kingdome of glorie So hauing blessed the citty and proceeding his way towardes our Lady of Angels S. Clare his deere and true disciple imitatrice and daughter in IESVS CHRIST fearing she should not see him before his death sent to aduertise him that herselfe was also in such estate as she should not liue long after yea that she thought to goe first and that therfore she felt an extreme greife to dye without his holy benediction without seeing him who was her master and beloued Father in CHRIST IESVS and for that occasion she prayed him for the passion of our Lord I. C. with her knees on the ground not to permitt her to dye so discontent but sith he was in his iorney to doe her that last and singuler fauour as to visitt her before he went to our Lady of Angels The holie Father S. Francis felt the bowels of Fatherly coÌ„passion to moue in him in that he could not content her by reason of the immineÌ„t perill wherin he was and that the Phisicions nobles and gentlemen there present would not to permitt him yet procuring wherwith all to write he sent her by a Religious his benediction in writing then lifting his eyes to heauen he said vnto him Goe and comfort my beloued sister telling her this good newes that she shall see me before she dye which shal be shortly as shall all her Sisters to their exceeding consolation This prophesie fayled not in the effect for the holie Father being dead when the Cittizens carryed him to bury att Assisium they passed through the monastery of S. Damian as hereafter shall appeare and seeing the body of the Sainct with in their Couent they were all exceedinglie comforted therwith How a Romane Lady very deuout and affected to S. Francis called Lady Iaqueline of the seauen Sunnes came by diuine reuelation from Rome to the death of S. Francis THE LXVII CHAPTER THe holy Father approching neere vnto his death called a Religious whome he willed to finde out a messenger to goe with al diligence to Rome expresly to aduertise the Lady of the Seauen Sunnes that she should incontinentlie come to visitt him if she desired to see him liuing knowing in what affliction she would haue suruiued if she had not seene him before his death as he had promised her when he tooke leaue of her att his departure out of Rome and in meane while procuring wherwith to write he dictated this letter ensuying To the Lady of the Seauen-Sunnes poore Brother Francis desireth health in our Lord IESVS CHRIST Know my beloued Sister in IESVS CHRIST that God by his grace hath reuealed vnto me the last day of my life Wherfore if you desire to see me liuing hasten so much as sometime on saterday you may be att our Ladie of Angels and bring with you a morcell of gray cloth wherwith to coueâ— me and wax for my seruice Att the end of this letter it was reuealed vnto the S. that she would come wherfore he said to the writer Rent this letter for there is no need therof He had scarce ended those wordes but a messenger came from the said lady that told him she was att the gate of the Monastery with two of her children senaâ—ours of Rome and a noble and honourable company to visitt him A while after the said lady came who entring his chamber fell incontinently on the ground humbling her countenance as an other Magdalen towardes his feet bathing them with bittet teares and â—mprinting her lippes in his sacred stigmates with such ioy and consolation of spiritt as nothing could be more she could not be satisfied with kissing them embracing and clipping them with all reuerence in regard of their vertue representing vnto her those of our Lord IESVS CHRIST she could not depart from him no more could the Religious for she was entierlie rauished in this so singular sweetnes of spiritt without any speech att all till S. Francis called her att whose voice awakening she answeared the S. who asked her how it happened that she came so readily that being one night in prayer she heard the voice of God that said If thou wilt find Brother Francis aliue goe incontinentlie to our lady of Angels and carry with thee what thow knowest necessarie to his sepulture and such meat as thou gauest him att his being in Rome to comfort him in his sicknes Which hauing heard I prepared my selfe verie instantlie and thus am come S. Francis gaue thanckes to God and demaunding the said meates he refected his body with very great consolation Now this lady supposing that S. Francis would lye long time sick determined to send back her children to Rome and many personnes of note that
III. CHAPTER IN the citty of Potencia in Apulia there was a Preist called Roger a very venerable man and Canon of the great church who being by meanes of an infirmity become very feeble entred one day into a church to pray wherein was painted the image of S. Francis with the stigmates which beholding he began to conceaue a doubt in himselfe of the sublimity of the miracle as of an inaccustomed thinge and vtterly impossible his hart being thus wounded with incredulity he felt att the verie instant such a greiuous pearcing of his left hand within his gloue that an arrow flyeth not out of a bowe with more force and violence wherupon being exceedingly amazed with the wound together with the stroake and yet more with the secrett manner therof he pulled of his gloue to see with his eyes the effect of that which he had heard and felt and hauing neuer before had any wound in his hand with admiration he beheld this new wound whence began to proceed such an extreme paine as he thought therof to dye it was merueilous to consider for in the gloue appeared no signe att all but only in the hand that the wound made secretly in the hand might be correspondent to that which was secrett in the hart So for the space of two dayes making publicke relation of the occasion and the secrett of his incredulity he confessed and with oath affirmed that he beleeued the sacred stigmates to be imprinted in S. Francis he humbly recommended himselfe vnto him beseeching him by the vertu of his sacred stigmates and by the efficacie of his intercession to procure the cessation of his paine Att the end of two dayes his incredulity hauing bin sufficiently punished God by the merittes of the S. gaue him ease for the greife entierly ceassed the heat of the hurt was qualified and no signe of the wound remayned so that secrett infirmity of the soule was cured by the manifest launce of the flesh and by diuine prouidence the body was cured together with the soule the man remayning humble towardes God deuout to his seruant S. Francis and affectionate to the Religious of his Order This so solemne miracle was assured by autenticall letters from the Bishop of the said citty sealed with the ordinary seale that thenceforward none might admitt any doubt of the sacred woundes of the Sonne of God diuinely imprinted in his seruant Francis and that no mannes eye should be euill to see that God is good as if the liberality and gift of this grace did not corresponde vnto the eternall bounty Of the dead raised by the merittes of S. Francis THE IV. CHAPTER IN the citty of Mont-Maron neere to Beneuentum there dyed a woman of singuler deuotion vnto the glorious Father S. Francis where the Clergie being assembled the same euenning to sing hir vigiles the woman arose before them all called one of the Preistes there present saying vnto him Father I desire to be confessed of one sinne Know that after my death I should haue bin coÌ„demned to the deuil in an obscure horrible prison because I neuer confessed a sinne which I now desire to confesse but the holy Father S. Fr. hauing prayed for me because I haue euer deuoutly serued him it is permitted me to retourne to life that being confessed of this sinne I may afterward obtaine eternall life with him And for assurance hereof as soone as I shal be confessed and haue absolution I shall goe to the glory promised So hauing with exceeding great contrition confessed her sinne and performed the peÌ„nance enioyned by her Confessour all trembling accommodating her selfe sweetly into her bed she slept in our Lord. In the mountaines of Apulia in the towne of Parmace there was a maried man that had one only daughter young and exceedingly beloued of himselfe and her mother who being seased with an inexpected and greiuous sicknes sodenlie dyed wheratt the Father and mother being out of hope euer to haue other children were so afflicted that they were ready to dye with her Theire kinred and freindes being come to bury and bewayle her the mother was so sorrowfull and oppressed with greife that she consumed into teares yea so gaue way to sorrow and so employed her selfe in this affliction that she neither saw nor vnderstood any thing that was done in her house but as euerie one was thus disquieted yea voide of hope the holie Father S. Francis with one Religious only appeared to the mother that was deuout vnto him and in compassionate manner said Woman ceasse to lament for the light of thy candell whome thou bewaylest as dead shal by mine intercession be incontinentlie reuiued Which said he disappeared and the woman presentlie related what had bin said vnto her by the S. vnto those present and would not permitt the body of her dead daughter to be carryed to buriall but comming neere her and inuocating the name of S. Francis she lifted her vp aliue and in health in the presence of her kinred and freindes who gaue thanckes to God and to his blessed seruant The Frere Minors of Nocere staÌ„ding in need of a chariott demaunded one of a man named Peter who in steed of lending them his chariott and affording them the almose which they demaunded for the honour of God and S. Francis he sotishly answeared them and with iniurious wordes cursed the name of the S. but he soone repented his folly in regard of what incontinently befell him which wrought in him a great feare of the wrath of God for he lost his eldest sonne who being euen then stricken with a disease sodenly dyed wherfore in an extreme passion that assailed his hart casting himselfe on thâ— ground and there wallowing he inuocated the S. with the same mouth that had so indiscreetly blasphemed him and bitterly weeping said Father I am he that haue offended I am he that haue impiously spoaken thou doest iustlie chasticie me ô S. of God! restore the innocent child to him that repenteth his fault and is ready to doe pennance Punishment is due to him that hath lewdly blasphemed wherfore I freely giue my selfe to thee I offer me to serue thee for euer and to offer vnto God sacrifice of praise to the honour glory of thy holy name It was admirable that att these wordes his sonne arose one his feet and procuring end to their lamentation that mourned for him he confidently affirmed that wheÌ„ he dyed he saw the holy Father S. Francis who had conducted his â—oule from the separation of the body and by their prayers had restored it againe The sonne of a Notary att Rome about the age of seauen yeares desiâ—ing according to the custome to goe with his mother to masse she vnwilling to permitt him did shutt him into the house The child seeing he could not gett out att the dore lept out att the window and fel dead against the ground The mother that was not gone farre hearing the fall
ghospell saying If any man will come after me lett him deny himselfe lett him know how much he is deceaued that esteemeth himselfe of any worthe lett him hate and dye in himselfe that he may know me loue and liue in me and I in him And as the nature of fire is to ascend on high so the nature of a soule free and disburdened from the waight of selfe and naturall affection is to mount and ascend into God which is her proper place where she was created to repose in him blessedly perfect and eternall As it is the nature of a stone by meane of his naturall waight to decline vnto his center so is it naturall to the hart loaden with loue of it selfe and other creatures to fall by his owne fault into hell Lett the soule then that shall haue placed all his end in God and desireth to ascend to the throne of grace of the true Salomon IESVS GHRIST who being a most gracious and peaceable king fitteth art the right hand of his Father in whome all the desires of Angels and glorious soules are absolutelie effected lett that soule I say behold in this dayes exercise the ladder of Iacob whose hight toucheth the heauen and that she the more easely and with better order ascend she may make seauen seuerall degrees or steppes which are so disposed by Vbertin The first is the tast the second the desire the third satiety the fourth excesse or spirituall extasie the fift asseurance the sixt tranquility God only knoweth the name of the seauenth We attaine to the knowledge of these degrees and exercises rather by the effectes and actions as it is in other spirituall thinges then of themselues they being perceiued with spirituall eyes wherto althinges are apparant but especially those that concerne the sweet effectes and graces therof The soule therfore that will profitt in them the more that she shall finde her sight cleare to know her weakenes shall correct her faultes and shall perseuer in mortification and exercise of worckes of charity so much lesse sight shall she haue to cast her eyes on the degree or on the height of her perfection leauing the care therof to God alone imploying her selfe onlie in her humility he that hath any litle knowledge of spirituall thinges will easilie comprehend that to search after that which appertayneth only to God to witt to labour for perfection and not for mortification that it followeth therof that there are so few truely spirituall and that deserue this name though many by their profession or exercise pretend so to be Of the first degree and exercise of contemplation THE II. CHAPTER THe first degree then of contemplation as we haue said is the tast wherof Dauid seemeth to speake when the saith Tast and see how sweet God is blessed is he that hath put all his hope in him The Prophett speaketh to smners who thinck to haue no other gaine nor tast but of the world Tast yee sinners saith he and see your errours and you shall know what you loose euen in this life And as the first steppe of the ladder raiseth a man from the earth so the exercise of this first degree is to sequester one from sinnes and the indirect way and to loose the tast of lewd wordlie contentementes yea to hate and detest them so to receaue the tast which God giueth to the soule of a cleare conscience Therfore his diuine Maiestie to draw vnto him the soule accustomed to sensnall thinges giueth vnto her spirituall consolations in the beginning for it would be verie difficult to draw the cold and feeble soule to diuine thinges without this new tast which is giuen her of God as a sensible Manna and therfore the other exercises of this estate are true contrition frequent confession full satisfaction and most profound acknowledgement of ones owne fault ingratitude malice and rash presumption against God Of which thinges proceed desires to satisfy the diuine iustice for satisfaction in other respectes should already be done being neuer wearyed wiâ—h sighing and repenting to haue offended God and so with a feruent zeale of iust correction for God to addict himselfe to penance to fastinges disciplines austerities and wachinges labouring with great patience to offer such prayers as proceed rather from the hart then the mouth And because it will seeme difficult to the penitent to performe this appearing repugnant to his nature he must endeauour to prepare and enable his hart by pious cogitations and meditations and by the remembrance and tast of God as to thinck on death on the generall iudgement on the feare therof on hell and the paine therof one Paradicice and the glory therof on the benefittes and graces of his diuine Maiesty as well in generall as in particular bestowed on all personnes and aboue all lett him not forgett the passion of our Lord IESVS CHRIST as a soueraigne benefitt of God bestowed on vs wherin consisteth all our consolation and hope When the sinner calleth to minde his great ingratitude towardes God in as much as lyeth in him by his sinnes crucifying him againe and after he had bin so deerly redeemed with his precious bloud and most cruell death destroying himselfe againe by yelding himselfe to the deuill to the great misprise and contempt of his God he cannot but carrie a great hatred to his sinnes and desire to doe great penance therfore that he no more erre from the way of God he considereth how he ought to liue he sequestreth himselfe frome idle and vnprofitable conuersations he smothereth peruerse inclinations and appetites endeauouring to gett an hatred of his owne affection a contempt of the world and finally a victory of him selfe to yeld himselfe absolutely vnto God IESVS CHRIST taught this first degree to his seruant Francis when appearing vnto him att the beginning of his conuersion he told him that it was necessarie for him to chaung the corrupted and infected tast which he had and to make him finde tast in that which till then he had misprised and that what soeuer he had sound pleasing should proue distastfull and bitter I know not indeed of what Sainct are recorded greater exercices in this separation deeper foundation of penance and more labours then of him and doubles it was requisite for him for he was to ascend vnto such a perfection and to be an example in the church to fly the world to make his habitation in solitary places and desert woodes to renounce monie and his fathers patrimonie euen to this shirt to displaint himselfe from his kinred and freindes from conuersations and ordinarie courses of life euen by the root to trans-plant himselfe into God and with such courage that it was not needfull for him to fly into the desert thenceforward to sequester him selfe from the world He powered out an abondant quantitie of teares and sighes with a feeling coÌ„passion meditating on the passion of our Lord IESVS CHRIST wherof he learned to liue in such
of him We are att the port lett vs seeke to arme vs well to endure this litle conflict henceforward we shal no more feare the terrible tempestes of this world nor the windes of the temptations of the deuill nor the deceiptfull singing of the alluring Mermaides of our flesh the impious thenceforward shall haue no more power ouer this our feeble body for we goe into a glorious country to see againe our first originall and to serue our Lord whose seruice is to reigne there shal we receaue recompense of our labours after more then a hundred more then the double yea a thousand times more then we deserue Lett vs now then giue prayse to our God enduring this litle for his loue lett vs restore this life to him that hath redeemed it by his owne death Vttering these good speeches thy hastened to receaue the martyrdome att the place where they were to be executed goeing before the executioner who with some other officers of Iustice seeing with what alacrity they hastened to their death began to haue compassion on them as of poore foolish personnes and therfore exhorted them to reflect on their owne case with these or the like wordes Doe yee not consider your owne misery thus reioycing being so neere the losse both of this life and the other deny that which you haue vnaduisedly and impiously or att least temerariously vttered against our law and against the person of our king and to this effect we will seeke to obtaine you fauour and to enrich you with temporal substance and our Prophett Mahomett who is very mercifull will pardon you and benefitt you in the other life The Religious herevnto answeared your richesse delicacies allurementes of this world are as false and deceiptfull as your law and your promises and therfore lett them be your portion that giue creditt to such delusions For our parts we beleeue nothing more certaiue and glorious then to endure for the truth and the name of IESVS CHRIST sith that only is the secure way to eternall life Therfore doe we so ioyfully contemne the present life with all the wealth therof considering with all that it is but a puffe in comparison of eternity And the false Prophett whome you honour being in hell can neither obtaine mercy for himselfe nor for any others There did accompany them certaine Christians who much feared that the extremity of the tormentes might enforce them to renounce their Faith The sonne of the said king of Seuill who was present with his Father when he gaue sentence against the holy Religious perceauing his fury to be somewhat appeased said vnto him Vpon what reason Father haue you so lightlie giuen order for the death of these men It were not amisse vnder correction of your better aduise that you commanded our Preistes to be called that they may conuince the impious Christians as well by naturall reasons as by aucthority of the law for mine opinon is that proceeding otherwise you putt them to death vniustly euen according to our owne lawes The king weighing what his sonne had said and a litle moderating himselfe commaunded that they should not be executed but should be imprisoned in an high and strong toure till it were more maturely concluded what should be done against them How the Martyrs preached thorough the batlements of the tour where they were prisonners and therfore were shutt vp into a deep dungeon then presented to the king and att last by aduise of the Counsaile sent to Maroccho THE VIII CHAPTER THe Martyrs by this reuocation felt in their hartes a double martyrdome fearing that God would withdraw from them his grace of suffering for him by reason of some imperfection which he saw in them neuertheles entierly yelding themselues into his handes they resolued on their part to performe their due obedience of preaching what soeuer issue it should please his diuine Maiestie to worck therof and to this effect they mounted to the toppe of the tower and out att the batlements they preached vnto the Mores that passed by with a loud voice crying vnto them Poore blinded people beleeue in the true God and Lord IESVS CHRIST and abandon the superstition and impietie of your vnfortunate Mahomett otherwise your law and all you shal be eternally damned Now is the time of penance God sendeth vs to visitt you receaue his word of sufficiencie to saue your soules forbeare to lend any more your eaâ—e to the dâ—uill and to his illusions if you wil not be eternally tormented in hell Such and like matters did these holy Martyrs preach wherof the king was incontinentlie aduertised who commaunded them to be thrust downe into a deep dungeon where they persisted in continuall prayer the space of fiue entire dayes preaching also to the other prisoners After that the king caused them to be brought before him supposing they had binreclaymed and repentant therfore disirous to gaine them by menaces terrours promises and mercie to allure them to his sect he said O yee sottish and blinded haue you not as yet acknowledged and abiured your errour Doe no longer abuse my clemencie who haue so long expected your repentnace as also my holy Prophett who though you haue blasphemed him is so gracious as he will not faile to pray to God for you Now I ordaine and att this present pronounce as a finall sentence either death by the most cruell tormentes that without any delay can be inuented or my grace with all the honours and richesse that my best fauourites enioy The glorious Martyrs verie constantly answeared him as they had att other times affirmed that they nothing respected honours and temporall richesse and much lesse those tormentes nor death it selfe and therfore would yeld themselues to be disposed att his pleasure considering that their bodies and soules were so firmely grounded in the loue of their Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that euery hower which they expected to meet him in Paradice seemed to them a thousand yeares knowing that there they should liue eternally without feare euer to be separated then they added Our God is the soueraine good and not your Mahomett for whome as also for all his adherentes are prepared eternall tormentes which they already experience as you shall one day if you be not conuerted yea without hope euer to gett out of hell where you shall call and crye but none shall answeare you There shall you repent in vaine that you followed not our Counsaile which God sendeth you there shall you be in horrour greife sorrow and eternall dispaire which God hath prepared for them whome att the terrible day of iudgemeÌ„t he shall find to haue bin contrary to the true faith of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST true God and true man there to liue in perpetuall tormentes as they who are his shall liue in perpetuall ioy Then O king thou shalt not escape his handes though thou seeme now to haue some power which is a singuler benefitt bestowed on thee by God to see and
serued but wormes stinch and eternall death Better were it for you my child beleeue me to endure a litle here so to receaue in heauen that incomprehensible recompence which by no humane tongue can be expressed A discourse of Religion and Obedience THE XXXIX CHAPTER I Would more respect a litle grace from almighty God in Religion then much more in the world because there is more perill and lesse helpe in the seculer estate then in Religion and yet a sinfull man hath more feare of his good then of his euill because he feareth more to doe penance entring into Religion then to persist in sinne in the world They that enter into Religion and performe not what is conuenient to their vow are like a common labourer that adorneth himselfe with the armour of a braue soldier and when he must fight knoweth not how to vse it I doe not esteeme it much to enter into the Court of a king and to gett fauour of him but I much esteeme to know how to liue in a Court as one ought and so to perseuer The Court of a great king is Religion wherin it is a small matter to enter and to receaue some gift of Almighty God But to know how to liue there and to perseuer in holy deuotion to the end is a matter very laudable and estimable Wherfore I had rather liue in seculer estate with desire to enter into ReligioÌ„ then to be Religious with wearinesse and ircksomnes The glorious Virgin Mother of IESVS CHRIST was borne of sinfull man woman and liued not inclosed in any Religion neuertheles she was is as she is But when a Religious hath made profession he must beleeue that he neither knoweth nor can liue out of Religion It doth vndoubtedly seeme vnto me that the Religion of the Frere Minors was sent of God into the world for a great benefitt and profitt to al men but we shal proue extremely miserable if we be not such as we ought to be I esteeme the Religion of the Frere Minors to be the poorest and the richest of the world but we haue this deâ—ect that we aspire to rise to high when a shippe is broaken by a tempest though the affliction be great he that can striueth to saue himselfe Considering all the Religions that are and haue bin from the beginning of the world to this present I find none so reasonable conuenient nor better then this of the Frere Minors He is rich that playeth the part of a rich man he is wise that imitateth the wise he good that imitateth the good and he noble that is a true follower of our most noble Lord IESVS Vertuous conditions open vs the way to all happines and vicious to perdition And therfore the more a Religious submitteth himselfe vnder the yoke of odedience the more fruit doth he produce and the more obedient a Religious is and more subiect to his Superiour for the honour and loue of God so much more is he poore of spiritt and purged of his sinnes A Religious truely obedient is as a soldier well armed and as a horseman mounted on a gallant Courserâ— who securely breaketh through the middest of his ennemies without detriment The Religious that obeyeth with murmure is as a disarmed horseman on a cowardly iade that passing through his ennemies stumbleth and is taken prisonner The Religions that seeketh to liue according to his will desireth to goe to the fire of hell When the oxen submitt their neck to the yoke then are the corne-loftes full with graine but when they run wandering ouer the fieldes and taking their pleasure it is a signe that the garners are empty The more eminent and wise personnes yeld their head vnder the yoke of obedience but the il-aduised and ignorant retire themselues and contemne to obey The mother doth often bring vp her sonne and rayse him to honour and the vngratefull sonne disobeyeth his mother and derideth her Many Religious doe the like to Religion their mother ther. I more esteeme to obey a Superiour for the loue of God then to obey God himselfe for he that obeyeth the vicar of IESVS CHRIST with greater reason would he obey God himselfe if he command him He that submitteth his head vnder the yoke of obedience and afterward remoueth it to follow of himselfe the way of perfection according to his fantasie he discouereth his interiour pride Wherfore it seemeth to me if one had obtayned the grace to speake with the Angels were att the instant called by his superiour he should incontinently leaue his conference with the Angels and obey a man to whome he hath voluntarily made himselfe subiect for the loue of God Our Lord and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath made the verity of this doctrine appeare in Br. Andrew my deuout companion who being in feruent prayer in his cell his diuine Maiesty appeared vnto him in forme of a very beautifull child who by the splendour of his contenance and the familiarity which he shewed him filled him with an ineffable consolation But in the meane whiles it runge to Euensong the poore Religious then not knowing what to doe resolued to leaue his God and went incontinently to the quier saying that it was the better to obey the creature for the loue of the Creatour in this maÌ„ner giuing satisfaction to both the one and the other The sequell discouered how pleasing this his opinion was vnto God for the euensong being ended Brother Andrew retourned to his cell and there yet found the litle child IESVS who sayd vnto him If thou haddest not gone to the quier I had presently gone hence and neuer retourned A discourse of vertues and vices in generall and of Prayer THE XL. CHAPTER DIuine thinges make a man rich and humane thinges make him poore Wherfore men should follow and loue the one and the other For as all the wayes of the earth are full of vices and sinnes so they of heauen are full of vertues which being prepared for creatures call to each one saying come and entertaine vs and we will teach you the way of saluation but man miserable as he is hath no mind that way Whose fault is it then if he liue in misery and pouerty sith being called of God he will not take the paines to come to his presence wherby he maketh himselfe guilty of eternall death For as vertues and graces are the way and ladder leading to heauen so sinnes are the downfall descending into hell But it is very perillous to demaund of God vertues and graces because if hauing receaued them we doe not good worckes accordingly we make his diuine Maiesty more our ennemy and prouoke his wrath to chastice vs for our ingratitude in respect that by how much greater the gift is which God presenteth to his creature the more vngratefull doth he proue that conserueth it not The more a man is surmonted by vices and sinnes the more ought he to hate and abhorre them By prayer a man
face vpon the earth or if he held his handes ioyned together on high if he sighed if he spett or coughed Brother Iohn would doe the like S. Francis once reprehending him for it he thus answeared I haue promised to God to doe what soeuer I shall see you doe and therfore I must endeauour to conforme me entierly vnto you The holy Father admired and together reioyced to finde him so constant in his simplicity by meane wherof he so much att lenght profited in all other kind of vertues that all the other Brethren held the perfection wherto he arriued in great admiration But by reason that the world was not worthie of so pure a conscience God afterwardes called him to himselfe After his death S. Francis with great ioy recounted vnto his Brethren his holy conuersation and called him not Brother Iohn but S. Iohn It happened about that time that S. Francis preaching in the prouince of Ancona there came one day after sermon a man vnto him that said he would leaue the world and dwell with him to whome S. Francis answeared If thou desire to enter into this order goe first and accoÌ„plish the saying of the gospell Sell what thou hast and giue it to the poore He then incoÌ„tinently went and distributed all his goodes amoÌ„g his kinred being herevnto moued rather by passioÌ„ of the flesh then deuotion of the spiritt and then retourned to S. FraÌ„cis to whome he said Father I haue forsakeÌ„ all that I had The holie Father demaÌ„ded of him in what manner he had disposed therof and he replyed that he had distributed it amoÌ„g his poore and needy kinred S. FraÌ„cis then knowing that this man had not any feruour of spiritt said vnto him Brother Fly sith thou hast giueÌ„ they goodes to they kinred gett thee home and aske no more to liue of almose with my poore BrethreÌ„ So this wretch retourned alone to his kinred as vnworthy to liue with so manie perfect seruaÌ„tes of God Many others inspired by the supreme bouÌ„ty and with an exceeding feruour of spirit daily entred into the Order the renowme wherof was spread ouer all Italy yea through all ChristeÌ„dome By reasoÌ„ that S. Francis sent his Religious into diuers partes of the world who represented the life of IEVS CHRIT by holy pouertie which they carryed in steed of purses by obedience wherin they were most prompt and ready and trauaile wherby they were speedie in their iorneyes and in regard that they had nothing they feared not the losse of any thing Thus liued they euery where without feare and in great tranquility of spiritt without care either by day or night as they had bin instructed by him that is the only true and singuler Master They kept not the remaynes of one dayes meat for the next being of beleefe that to endure want of these temporall and transitory benefittes was their great richesse and aboundance In what exercise and beleefe he fashioned â—â—is Bretheren THE XXX CHAPTER SAint Francis knowing that his religion was instituted of the holy Ghost in the church of God for a mirrour or looking glasse wherin sinners might behold and contemplate their deformitie and how far different and distant they are from the liknes of God he for this respect endeauoured to annoynt his Brethren with the vnction of IESVS CHRIST by whose vertue he begatt them So then being replenished with the holy Ghost his Order did not only encrease in nomber but in vertue also and edification of the faithfull and to the end that besides their deuotion they might also be exercised in charitie and loue of their neighbour sith they were piously to coÌ„uerse in the world he would often louinglie sitt downe with them and in the name of God command now one then an other to make some exhortation of that which the holy Ghost should dictate vnto him and this he practised often And one time of all other they whome he had enioyned to speake did all deliuer such excellent and admirable thinges of the bounty and goodnes of God and of his secrettes and this vnpremeditated only by the vertue of obedience that themselues grew into admiration therof He then by experience knew that which God said to his disciples It is not you that speake before Presidents and Princes but the spiritt of your Father that speaketh in you Now whiles these holy pure and simple vessels did poure out the baulme of diuine grace discoursing of very high matters of God and discouering the deepe misteries of the scripture by vertue of obedience vnto their holy Father our lord IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto them and stood in the middes of them in forme of a most beautifull yong man and gaue them his benediction with such a sweet and immensiue grace that S. Francis and his Brethren were rauished in extasie and fell all in a sound and as dead to the ground Being retourned to themselues S. Francis said My deerly beloued Brethren we are much obliged to be thankfull vnto God for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to manifest his treasure by the mouth of the simple and to appeare vnto vs to lett vs know that he was present and that when it pleaseth him he maketh the mouthes of infantes of the simple and mute to appeare right eloquent These seruantes of God thus replenished with so great a light of diuine grace S. Francis sent them to illuminate the world and att their retourne they all repayred to our ladie of Angels as their true mother and there they enioyed againe each others sight with an extreame contentment which so filled them with a spirituall exultation that they easilie forgott the labours and contradictions which in their trauiles they had endured The other Brethren that stirred not from the Couent though sometimes they were employed in manuall labours about the necessities of their house neuertheles the chiefest part of their exercise was in prayer for they very frequentlie prayed with feruour and teares They arose att midnight watching to pray to God for themselues and for all other sinners They had a very tender and mutuall loue to each other The holy Father serued them as a mother doth her only sonne charitie so burned in them all that it seemed very easy vnto them to spend their life not onlie for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST but euen for the safty of one of their Brethren Two Brothers walking one day through the feildes they mett a foole that cast stones att one of them which the other perceiuing he stept before his companion to receiue the strokes of the stones These good Brethren did such and the like thinges being induced therto out of perfect charity They reuerenced one an other as masters and he that by his office or age was amongest them the principall would appeare the most humble and abiect they exercised themselues in obedience each of them being prepared to performe not only the precept but
fruition of the glory of Paradice and because the sunne of all corporall creatures is the cheife of the irreasonable and our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST is called the Sunne of iustice he therfore intituled it the Canticle of the sunne which is that which followeth diuided into eight litle verses conformable to the eight beatitudes Most high lord all prayses glory and honours are thine to thee alone ought to be rendred and referred al graces and no man is worthy to name thee My God be thou praysed and exalted of all creatures and particulerly of our brother the Sunne thy worcke which illuminateth the day that lighteneth vs it is also thy figure by his beauty and splendour likewise of the siluer moone and glittering starres which thou hast created in heauen so bright and so beautifull My God be praysed by the fire whereby the night is lightened in his darcknes because it is resplendent pleasant subtil cleare beautifull and vigorous Lett the aire and windes cleare and cloudy seasons and all other seasons prayse my God wherby all other base creatures doe liue Lett my God be praysed by the water an element most necessary and profitable to mortall creatures humble chast and cleare Lett my God be praysed by the earth our mother which supporteth and nourisheth vs producing such diuersity of herbes flowers and fruites S. Francis added the ensuing versicle when he accorded the Bishop and the Capitaine of Assisium as in place proper shal be inserted Let my God be praysed by them that pardon each for his loue and support in pacience afflictions and infirmities with alacritie of spiritt Blessed are they that liue in peace for they shall be crowned in heauen The holy Father likewise added the verse ensuyng when God had reuealed vnto him the day of his death Let my God be praysed by corporall death which no liuing man can escape Wretched be they that dy in mortall sinne and blessed those that att the houre of their death be found in thy grace as hauing obeyd thy most sacred will for they shall not see the second death of eternall torments Lett all creatures prayse and giue thanckes to my God lett them be gratefull vnto him and serue him with due humility This Canticle was many times sung by the said S. vnto his Brethren whome he also taught to sing the same He exceedingly reioyced when he saw them sing it with grace and feruour for hearing it he merueillouslie eleuated his spirit vnto God He sent certaine of his Religious that were very spirituall vnto Brother Pacificus who liuing in the world had bin a very skilfull Musitian as we haue said that he might learne them to sing it perfectly in Musicke therby to praise God afterward when they should preach ouer the world for he would they should obserue to sing this canticle after their preaching as a prayse vnto God and that they should affirme themselues to the people to be the musitians of God and that they would no other reward for this their musicke but that they should doe pennance for their sinnes For confirmation whereof what are the seruantes of God said he but his representers to moue and awaken humane hartes to true spirituall ioy and particulerlie the Freer Minors who are giuen to the people for their saluation The holy Father affirmed that in the morning att Sunne rising a man ought to prayse God the Creatour of the Sunne by whose beames our eyes are illuminated by day and that he ought likewise to prayse God in the night for his Brother the Fire because by it our eyes are lightened by night and that we should be all blinde if God did not illuminate our eyes by these two creatures for which and for the other creatures whose vse we ordinarily haue we ought continually to prayse our glorious Creatour Of the prayer and thanckes giuing to God which S. Francis made after the confirmation of his rule THE CX CHAPTER MOst mighty most high most holy and soueraigne God holy Father and iust Lord king of heauen and earth we thanck thee for the loue of thy selfe because that by thy will and by thy only Sonne with the holy Ghost thou hast created all thinges corporall and incorporall then diddest frame vs according to thine image and placed vs in the terrestriall Paradice whence through our fault we are fallen We also thancke thee for that as thou hast created vs for thy Sonne so for the infinite loue which thou diddest beare vnto vs thou hast procured him to be borne in this world true God and true man of the wombe of the euer glorious virgin Mary and wouldest that his life should be vnto vs an example of pouerty humility and penitence and that his precious bloud his tormentes and most cruell death should be the price of the Redemption of humaine nature Finally we thanck thee for that thy Sonne is once againe to come downe on earth in glory and maiesty to chase the accursed into hell who would not repent nor acknowledge thee for Redeemer and to say to them that shall haue serued and adored him and done pennance Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world But because we miserable sinners are not worthy so much as to name thee we humblie beseech thee to accept that our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST thine only beloued Sonne with the holy Ghost the true comforter doe yeld vnto thee for each of vs the thanckes we owe thee according to thy pleasure and that he satisfy thee for all the graces thou giuest vs by his meane and shalt giue vs prouided that we faile not in our endeauour such and so great as no humane tongue shal be able to expresse We also pray the blessed Virgin S. Michael S. Gabriel S. Raphael and all the quiers of blessed Spirittes Seraphins Cherubins Thrones Dominations Principalities Pouers Vertues Archangels and Angels the blessed Elias and Noe and all the Patriarckes and Prophetes S. Iohn Baptist and all the holy Innocentes S. Peter and S. Paul withall the other Apostles and Euangelistes Disciples Martyrs Confessors Virgins and all the sainctes that haue bin are and shal be that with the good pleasure of thy diuine Maiesty they giue thee thanckes for so many fauours as it hath pleased thee to afford vs to thee that art soueraine true eternall and liuing and to thy most glorious Sonne our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to the holy Ghost the comforter world without end Amen Alâ—etuya We Frere Minors vnprofitable seruantes demaund of thee and most humbly beseech thy diuine Maiestie to graunt vnto all them that will serue thee in thy holie Catholicke Apostolique Romane church and to all Orders of the said holy Church Preistes Deacons Subdeacons Acolites Exorciâ—tes Lectors Porters and to all the Cleargie to all Religious of both sex and to al Kinges Princes Lords and seruants Artizans and labourers to all Virgines widowes and maryed women and to all
ouercome by the violence of the water were also drowned without possibility of any mannes assistance After these came other Religious vnburdned and without any weight these were very poore and entring into the floud did easilie and without any perill passe the same Now S. Francis knowing by diuine inspiration that Brother Leo had had a vision and perceauing him much disquieted said vnto him Brother Leo tell me what God in this prayer hath manifested vnto thee Brother Leo incontinentlie recounted vnto him the circumstances of the vision he had praying him to expound it because he vnderstood it not The holie Father failed not to comfort him saying know that all thou hast seene is true the floud is this world which with extreme impetuosity runneth to perdition The Religious which are drowned in this floud are such as accomplish not their Euangelicall profession and the strict and voluntary pouertie promised but doe burden themselues with affaires of the world which sinck them to the bottome the second are such as hauing begun the way of God arriue to the middes but being vanquished by sensuality and concupiscence of terrestriall thinges forgetting their vowes are by the violent streame ouerwhelmed and drowned the third are such as hauing followed the spirit of God and not of the world haue not regarded to load themselues with the burden of the earth but haue bin content with one only habit to couer them and a morcell of bread to sustaine their life and to followe IESVS CHRIST naked on the crosse and therfore without any perill doe passe to eternall thinges whither they are called of God The sequell is extracted out of the sixteenth chapter of the 6. booke THe said Brother Leo an other time saw S. Francis hauing before him a crucifix that walked together with him and rested when he rested the face of the S. was illuminated with a splendour proceeding from the crucifix The third time he saw discend from heauen vpon his head a scrole wherin was written Hic est gratia Dei the grace of God is on this man The processe of the eleuenth chapter of the same booke THe infirmity of S. Francis vehementlie encreasing in such sort that all the Brethren thought he would die by reason that from the euening to the houre of mattines he ceassed not to auoyde bloud and had also very frequent accidentes happened vnto him all the Religious began lamentingly to say vnto him Father who after IESVS CHRIST haue ingendred vs in the world how without you shall we remayne orphanes and desolate depriued of your presence with which our hartes were edified and did walke in the seruice of God Wherfore O Father doe you so leaue vs without a guide Alas most deere Father who shall comfort our feeblenes who shall cure the infirmities of our soule who shall giue moysture to the dryed roote of our hart that it persist in charity sith these vertues were conserued in vs by your holy aduertisementes and by the example of your holy life and by these vertues we most strictly obserued Euangelicall pouerty Giue vs O Father some consolation if it be now your houre because we who are here in the name of all your children that are and shal be doe demaund your Fatherly benediction Leaue vs Father some memoriall in signe of your holy will that God hauing called you vnto him we as your most obedient children may persist in the continuall exercises of your holy aduertismentes and may say Our Father deliuered vs such speeches and recommended vnto vs such thinges att his death S. Francis intending to comfort them caused to be called Brother Benedict of Pirra one of the most ancient of the Order A Religious of great doctrine and sanctity who was his Confessour and said masse vnto him euery morning he being come the S. faid vnto him Write Brother Benedict these wordes which I leaue as a testament vnto my children I giue my benediction to all them that are and shal be in my Order euen to the worldes end And because by reason of my extreme weakenes I cannot speake much I declare my last will and intention to all the Religious present absent and that hereafter shal be in my Religion by these three last wordes only The first in signe and memory of my benediction and testament I command you mutually to loue each other as I haue and doe loue you The second that you loue and alvayes keepe holy pouerty which is my mistris The third that you be alwayes faithfull and subiect to the superiours of our Order and to all Preistes of the holy church and that you be humble and respectiue vnto them But God who saw that his seruant was yet very necessary to this his flock and that he should pourchase himselfe a greater crowne in heauen prolonged his life S. Francis was absolutely contrary to those that desired and procured to haue priuiledges and exemption from the Pope touching their life because it had bin reuealed vnto him of God that how much the Religious were priuiledged so much the lesse fruit did they produce he would that the intelligence of the rule should be taken of his wordes being so cleare as they were to any vnderstanding prouided that it were free from passioÌ„ though they seemed very obscure to such as would not conforme their life thervnto but endeauoured to wrest draw the sence to their libertine life seeking against all equity to haue this their licentious life called the life of Euangelicall perfectioÌ„ And to proue this to be true we see that those first children of the holy Father so simple vertuous and pious found no such difficulties therin and the reason was because seeking to imitate him they simply vnderstood and most dilligentlie obserued this rule which many that were learned neither could nor can vnderstand with all their declarations and exclamations of whome may be said and not without reason that they would not or will not vnderstand it as it hath bin vnderstood of those â—â— though they were simple and vnlearned What esteems S. Francis made of the great obligation which the Prelates haue towardes their subiects THE XII CHAPTER THe S. was alwayes a vigilant Pastour to gouerne the flock which God had committed vnto him encourageing them to prayer to fastinges and to the obseruance of holy pouertie and teaching them to imitate the highest master IESVS CHRIST who began first to doe then to teach himselfe doeing the like enduring many thinges only to giue example to his children Being one day att the Oratory of S. Eleutherius neere vnto Rieta he patched his habitt within and without with course and grosse cloth aswell against the violent cold that then was as for the indisposition of his stomach which the said patches did couer he commaunded his companion to doe the same But feeling that this peecing did comfort his body he presentlie remembred the necessity of his Religious of whome hauing compassion he said to
nor vnderstand for they doe voluntarie blinde and ruinate their owne soules Open your eyes then blinded deluded as ye are by your ennemies the flesh the world and the deuill To the body it is a very delightfull thing to serue sinne very tedious to serue God all euils and sinnes proceed from the hart of mā as God saith in the Gospell The wicked haue no good in this world nor shall haue in the next they seeme att their pleasure to possesse the present vanities but they are deceaued for the time and houre will come when they shall loose all The holy Father said also that one being knowne to be verie sicke the first aduertisement of his kinred and freindes is not to prouide for his soule but to make his will and so his wife kinred and freindes gather about him to induce him to be mindfull of them And he ouercome by the teares of his wife the tender loue he beareth to his children and the persuasions of his kinred that seeme to haue forgotten his soule disposeth of his substance according to their fancie to giue them contēt and saith that he committeth to their gouernment and authority his substance his soule and his body that man is truely accursed who in this sort putteth his trust in man conformable to what the Prophett Ieremie said Cursed is the man that trusteth in man Now after such disposition the Confessour is sent for who finding the wretch obliged to some restitution soliciteth him to discharge himselfe therof but he answeareth that he hath made his testament disposed of all his goodes and deliuered it into the handes of his heires who will satisfie whatsoeuer shal be necessary and because he is in agonie and hath almost lost his speech there is no time to dispose of matters necessarie to the discharge of his conscience and so he dyeth a most miserable death Therfore lett euerie one know that when and howsoeuer a man dye in mortall sinne and without due restitution of an other mannes goodes hauing power to doe it before his death the deuill carryeth his soule directlie to hell where he shal be eternallie tormented and so in an instant he looseth bodie and soule goodes and honour because his kinred diuiding his inheritance among them they often curse his soule for not hauing left to one of them what he hath left to all Of the contrarietie of vices and vertues and certaine breife aduertisements and exercises of them THE LI. CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis affirmed that where true charity is there can neither be feare nor ignorance Where there is a ioyfull and voluntarie pouerty there is neither enuy nor auarice where there is Meditation of God there is no care where the feare of God is keeper of the house there the deuill cannot enter where there is discretion and mercy there is neither superfluity nor deceipt Now I tell you there is no man in the world can in any sort haue one of the said vertues If he doe not first die to himselfe and he that reallie possesseth one hath all with that one he erreth not in the rest and he that erreth in one erreth in all the other and is in that case as if he had not any they are of such valew that each one of it selfe confoundeth vices and sinnes holie wisdome confoundeth the deuill with all his malices holy simplicitie confoundeth the prudence of the deuill the world and the flesh holy pouertie confoundeth enuie auarice and seculer desires holy humilitie confoundeth pride with all worldly honoures and what soeuer is in them holy charity confoundeth all diabolicall and carnall temptations and pleasures holy obedience confoundeth all naturall will and sensuall affection subiecteth the body to obedience of the spiritt rendreth and maketh a man humble and subiect not only to all men but euen to other irreasonable creatures The Apostle saith the letter killeth but the spiritt giueth life they are killed by the letter who seeke to know only to be reputed learned and wise of the world by this meane to purchase honours and richesse with anxiety to aduance their kinred and freindes and in a word not for themselues but for the body or for others And they are quickened of the spiritt who referre all the learning and knowledge they haue and desire to haue only to the prayse and honour of the diuine maiesty and who appeare before God by the example of their life and with wordes full of edification offring vnto him that goodnes which is entierlie his owne In this sort it is that the seruant of God may know if he really haue his spiritt for if the flesh glorie in the worckes it doeth by meane of the grace of God as its owne it is then a signe that he is of the deuill But if in the said worckes he neuerthelesse repute himselfe vile and acknowledge himselfe a most greiuous sinner he is then truely of God and God is in him Happy is the seruant that neither speaketh nor doeth any thinge for hope of recompence in this world but for the loue of God nor lightlie speaketh what commeth to his mouth but prudently and in due time disposeth his propositions and answeares Wretched also is the Religious that buryeth in his hart the graces which he receaueth of God or that commanicateth them for subiect of vaine glorie desiring rather to manifest them verballie then to God for he hath alreadie receaued his reward and they who haue heard him haue bin litle edified therby These are wordes of life and he that shall ruminate and accomplish them shall finde true life and in the end obtaine saluation of God They that seeke not to tast how sweete God is and that loue darcknes more then light neglecting to obserue the commandementes of God are by his Prophett accursed of him who sayeth Cursed are they who erre from thy commandementes but how blessed and happie are they that loue God and performe the saying of the gospell Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and withall thy will Lett vs therefore My Brethren loue and prayse God day and night Our Father which art in heauen because it is necessary to pray alwayes without intermission and lett vs haue charity and humility and doe almose deedes that they may cleanse our soules from spottes of sinne for euerie thing appertayning to the world tourneth to ruine men must leaue it and carry with them onlie the recompence and reward of charitie and the almose they haue done wherof they shall receaue recompence of God And therfore it is good to fast from vices and sinnes flying all occasions of them and to keepe vs from all kinde of superfluitie though lawfull and we must frequent churches and honour Preistes in respect of the dignity they haue with God and especiallie the Religious that haue renounced the world to doe more good then others and by their example we
the holy Father S. Francis had with God euen in desperate matters An other accident like vnto this happened att sainct Seuerin in the Marquisat of Ancona in this sort A very great stone being brought from Constantinople and by the helpe of diuers men carryed into the Church of the said S. in laying it downe it so slipt that a man fell directly vnder it but the stone att the very instant raysed it selfe S. Francis appeared to the miserable labourer whome he caused sound safe to arise albeit he was esteemed vtterly crushed in peeces A Burgesse of Gayette called Bartholomew earnestly employed in building the Church of S. Francis there to be erected a beame of timber being not well setled fell vpon his neck so that he was esteemed a dead man as well therfore as he could he required the B. Sacrament of a Religious there present who supposing it impossible for him to liue till the same might be procured vsed vnto him these wordes of S. Augustin Crede manducast◠beleeue and make account that thou hast eaten and receaued it then he caused him to be carryed to his house The night following S. Francis with eleuen Religious appeared vnto him holding before him a litle lābe and drawing neere the bed he called him saying Bartholomew feare not for the deuill shall not be able to hinder thee from labouring in my seruice Behold the lambe which thou diddest require to be giuen thee whome thou hast receaued by thy good and pious desire and by vertue wherof thou shalt recouer health of bodie and soule Then hauing layd on him his sacred hand and giuen him his holy benediction he commanded him to goe finish the worck begun He being vtterlie amazed arising in the morning entirely cured of so mortall a blow retourned with alacrity to his labour which passed with incredible admiration to all those that had left him for dead who awakened their soules disposing them to loue and deuoutlie to reuerence the holy Father S. Francis In the towne of Ceperan there was a man called Nicholas who was so wounded by his ennemies that they left him for dead vpon the pauement But whiles they stroke him he alwayes with a loud voice cryed out S. Francis helpe me which crye was heard a farre of by diuers who from the place where they were could not so redely releiue him but came to see him when the fact was done and carryed him into his house where he assured them that albeit they saw him all bathed in his bloud notwithstanding he should not dye of those woundes wherof he neither felt any kinde of paine and that this proceeded of the helpe he had receaued of the holy Father S. Francis and also that he had obtayned of God time for to doe penance The successe confirmed the same for being washed from his bloud he was withall cured of his woundes to the great astonishment of those that had seene and carryed him into his house In the towne of S. Geminian a gentlemans sonne had a flux of bloud issuyng out of his eyes and mouth which had brought him to extremity that nothing was expected but his death and had in deed diuers effects or tokens of death as feeblenes of his spiritt losse of his hearing his members also were so weakened that he seemed insensible and att euery moment was expected the yelding vp of his spiritt Many therfore of his fathers freindes repairing as the manner is to comfort him they had no other discourse but of his buriall But the father that had a great faith and confidence in God though as a man he was exceedinglie afflicted entertayned in his conceit a pious cogitation which he put in execution for leauing all those that were come to comfort him he retired himselfe alone into the Church of S. Francis that was neere vnto his house where falling prostrate on the groōd he putt his girldle about his necke and prayed to S. Francis that he would please to be a meditatour for the health of his sonne in such sort and with so great a faith so profound a humility and such dolorous plaintes and teares that he merited to be heard of IESVS CHRIST then filled with hope he retourned to his house where he found his kinred and freindes full of ioy for the health which his sonne had recouered so that they and he together chaunged their teares into ioy and their affliction into contentmēt So by the intercession of the said S. the death of the sonne was tourned into life And afterward they altogether gaue thanckes to God and his freindes and kinred departed exceedinglie comforted and edified by the vertue of the holy father S. Francis Our Lord IESVS CHRIST wrought a like action by the merites of this glorious S. in a towne called Tamarit in Catalonia where he restored health to a yong gentlewoman as also to an other of Ancona who had a daughter ready to dye through the extremity of her disease whose father inuocating the S. obtayned his daughters health A Preist named Mattheiw of a citty called Ville-blāche hauing drunk a deadly poyson incontinentlie lost his speech his tongue and bodie swelled in such sort that death only was expected An other Preist being present att this pittifull spectacle persuaded him to be incontinentlie confessed the other fell on his knees but could not vtter so much as one word wherfore making vse of reason he humblie recommended himselfe vnto God in heart beseeching him to vouchsafe by the merittes of his seruant Francis to free him from such an odious death At the verie instant which was admirable he began with a loud voice to inuocate the name of S. Francis then he vomited the venime which he had receaued yelding thanckes to God and S. Francis How S. Francis deliuered many pilgrimes from tempests and misfortunes of the sea THE VIII CHAPTER CErtaine nauigatours were on a time in this sort in peril of death they being some fiue leagues distant from the harbour of Barut the windes and tempestes growing violent fearing to be drowned they cast ankor but their disaster by the impetuositie of the windes so encreased and the seas in such sort swelled that the cables breaking the ankors did stick fast to the bottome and the vessell floated heere and there without hope of safety by reason of the incertaintie of the course of the waters and the inequalitie of the tide till it pleased God to calme the sea when the mariners as halfe dead began to seeke their ankors in the sea where they perceaued the cables there employing all the dilligence and art they could deuise But their labour vainlie spent they inuocated the assistance of diuers sainctes And being exceedinglie wearied one of them whose name was Perfectus though of condicion verie lewd and imperfect said in scoffing manner to his companions You haue implored the assistance of so manie Sainctes yet haue they not heard you lett vs a litle inuocate that
freed and remitted to his former freedome and liberty Of the certaine women that being with child and in danger of death att their deliuery were releiued by the sainct THE XI CHAPTER A Great Countesse ot Slauonia who was no lesse famous for her vertue and worthines then noble in bloud and discent was exceeding deuout vnto S. Francis and very charitable vnto his Religious She being in trauaile of child was so tormented with throwes that the birth of the child was attended to be her death all humane helpe was despaired of without destroying the fruit Now amiddest the anguishes she called to minde the great vertues and merittes of S. Francis and of his eminencie therefore hauing att other times bin piously affected vnto him she with a very strong confidence had recourse vnto him as to the assured refuge of the desolate saying O glorious S. all my afflicted members beseech thy pitty to assist them and I promise thee by hart that which I cannot expresse by wordes Behold an admirable accident she had no soeuer vttered these wordes but her pangues did ceasse as did the terme of her trauaile for she brought into the world a faire and healthfull boy neither did she faile of her vowe for she caused to be builded a faire and lardge church in honour of her deliuerer which being finished she gaue it to his Religious spending the rest of her dayes exemplarly more affected then euer to the glorious father sainct Francis her Aduocate and Protectour About the plaines of Rome a woman called Beatrix whose time of greatnes being complete and hauing alreadie four whole dayes caryed her fruit dead in her wombe oppressed with most violent tormentes she expected only death the creature which she carryed liuelesse in her reducing her to this extremity the Phisicians failed not to administer vnto her all conuenient remedies that they could deuise but all humane helpe was vaine so that the malediction which God gaue to Eue in the earthlie Paradice might be said to be in a supreme manner fallen vpon her considering that her verie wombe wherin she had alreadie buryed her sonne was the beginning of her sepulture Now for her last releife she sent to the Church of sainct Francis to demaund some relique where finding no other thing then a peice of the cord wherwith he was girded two Religious of his Order brought it vnto her and layd it reuerently vpon her It admirably succeeded that as soone as this dolefull woman had touched the piece of cord she was deliuered of her dead child which doubtlesly had caused her death so that her anguishes did cease and she remayned sound and deliuered from the imminent perill of death Of other like miracles in assisting litle children THE XII CHAPTER ALl the children that a gentlewoman of Carnio called Iulian brought into the world did dye before she could haue comfort of them which caused her an extreame affliction incessantly complayning of her disastre that till then she had brought foorth her children only to be buryed now it chaunced that being four monthes gone with child reflecting more by reason of her disgraces past vpon the death then the birth of the child conceaued in her wombe she prayed sainct Francis for the conseruation of the life of that which was not yet borne Vpon a night therfore there appeared vnto her in vision a woman hauing in her armes a right beautifull child which she offered her but she refused it as fearing it would incontinently perish in her handes Notwithstanding the said woman encouraged her saying receaue it confidently for it is sent thee by the glorious Father sainct Francis the true comforter of the afflicted and be assured it shall not dye as the rest haue done but shall liue and thou shalt find great contentment in his vertuous disposition Awaking she remembred this celestiall vision which thenceforward procured her exceeding ioy to the time of her deliuery which was of a stronge and complete sonne who as he came into the world by the intercession of S. Francis so did also the vertues and merittes of the S. encrease in him that being great he induced his parentes to liue spiritualy he faithfully serued IESVS CHRIST and honoured his glorious SS with great zeale and perticulerly the holy Father S. Francis The like miracle was wrought in the citty of Tiuoly A woman hauing diuers daughters much desired to haue a sonne to which effect she often offered her prayers with a strong faith vnto sainct Francis that he would be her Intercessor who att lenght conceauing and the time of deliuery attended her fauour was doubled for att one birth she brought into the world two sonnes wherof being ouer-ioyed she yelded infinite thanckes to God the Creatour and to his deuout seruant S. Francis Neere the citty of Viterbo a woman being neere her deliuery was subiecte to soundinges such as she was often supposed to be dead being withall oppressed with such panges and throwes as women in that case doe ordinarilie endure her nature and strenght alreadie failing her and as it were desperate of all humane helpe she deuoutlie inuocated sainct Francis and with such faith recommended her selfe to his merittes that she was miraculouslie freed of those tormentes and was deliuered of a fayre and well proportioned child But wâ—eras shortlie after shee seemed to haue forgotten this great benefitt receaued not yelding due honour vnto the sainct because one the day of his feast in steed of honouring and sanctifying it she employed her selfe in certaine base and vnseemelie exercises God permitted for this ingratitude her right arme instantlie to wither the iust diuine wroth rested not there but she attempting to lift vp her cripled arme with the other that also withered withall This woman thus miserablie afflicted became repentant and acknowledged her crime committed and with such a faith promised almightie God to amend her selfe that by her true contrition and penitence she merited to haue the vse of her armes thus lost by almightie God restored vnto her through the merittes of sainct Francis wherin appeareth how God punisheth ingratitude and admitteth into fauour the truelie penitent An other woman of the countrie of Arrezzo in Tuscane hauing for seauen dayes together endured intollerable anguishes of childbirth being become euen all blacke and deformed in her countenance by meanes of the extremitie of her greife her cure being desperate she more by heart then voice vowed her selfe to sainct Francis and with such a firme confidence implored his aide that falling into a slumber she saw in vision her Intercessour who sweetlie saluted her demaunding of her if she knew him and she answeared she did Then he bid her say the Salue Regina affirming that before she had ended the same she should be securelie deliuered This woman vpon this discourse awaking with great hope began the Salue and hauing said Illos tuos mâ—sericordes ocâ—los ad not conuerte she was instantly deliuered of a sonne
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
his sermon for retourning she found her child dead stifled in the cradle where she had layd him wherfore retourning incontinently with her neigbours to the S. she fell at his feet beseeching him to restore her her child Wherto the S. answeared Beloued sister retourne to your home God will coÌ„fort you which making the womaÌ„ exceeding ioyfull she speedily hastened home where she found her child aliue and sound playing with litle stones which neither she nor he had seene before A yong man being conuerted by a sermon of the S. desired to confesse vnto him but the sobbinges sighes and teares which by a deep contrition he poured out would not permitt him to vtter one word wherevpon the sainct said vnto him My child goe and write your sinnes which he did and retourning to the Sainct and vnfolding the paper to read them in confession he found them by the diuine prouidence all blotted out wherwith as may be iudged he was exceedingly contented Making one day a funerall sermon vpon the death of a notorious vsurer he tooke for his texte these wordes Where thy treasure is there is thy hart which sermon being ended he willed the kinred of the deceased for better confirmation of what he had said to goe to his house and looke where he had layd his mony telling them that there they should find his hart which was not with his bodye So goeing with many people in company they found the very hart of the vsurer amongst his mony yet hote breathing and beating this miracle with many others is painted att the Bolonia chappell of the Sarazins intituled sainct Perronelle Of the efficacie vertue and feruour of his prayer THE XI CHAPTER THe great vertue and efficacie of the prayer of sainct Antony appeareth by many examples in that not only other creatures but the infernall spirittes obeyed him as by the sequel shal be discouered When he did read diuinity att Montpellier a Nouice secretly ran from the Couent hauing stolne from him a psalter commented by his owne hand whereon he studied to preach to his Religious in which respect he much esteemed it so that knowing of this theft he was exceedingly troubled with all and presently had recourse vnto prayer where he enforced the Nouice to restore it For as he was to passe ouer a bridge the deuill appeared vnto him extremely horrible hideous fearfull and threatning to kill him with a sword which he held in his hand if he would not carry backe the psalter to Brother Antony he constrayned him to retourne with such terrour and contrition that falling at the feet of the S. he obtayned pardon and was againe admitted to the habitt This S. hauing accomplished his prefixed time of prelature att Limoges he thought it conuenient to retourne to the chapiter In his iorney he lodged in a towne at the house of a poore charitable woman where God intending to confirme him in his grace by some tribulation wherby his loue might appeare permitted this woman the more to honour him to borrow of her neighbour a faire cuppe of glasse which his companion taking slight hold of fell out of his handes and brake in two peices and the wine was spilled on the table which the carefull Martha perceauing litle respecting the glasse ran instantly and took a bottell and carryed it to the Celler to fill with wine for till then she had only drawne in the said drinking glasse because she would not be too long in filling the bottell and make the Religious that were already att the table in the meane while to expect determining to take the bottel when they were eating But comming into the Celler she found that filling the glasse she had bin too hasty and forgotten to thrust fast the faucett into the vessell so that the wine was all run out wheratt exceedinglie greiuing she retourned all weeping to recount this mishapp vnto the Sainct who incontinently declining his head vpon his arme prayed to God and the glasse of it selfe was sodenly reunited which the poore woman seeing she thought that as the glasse was conioyned so the wine might also be retourned into the vessell wherfore running speedily into the caue she found her vessell fo full though in the morning it were halfe emptie that it wrought as if it had bin new vnrefined wine and ran out att the bung wheratt being vtterly amazed and halfe beside her selfe she scarce tooke time to serue the Sainct the rest of his dinner but that she retired herselfe to shunne occasion of vaineglorie leauing the inhabitantes of the towne piously disposed thenceforward to entertaine the holie seruantes of God verely beleeuing as in deed it is true that wealth neuer faileth but rather encreaseth by charitable almose How our Lord Iesus Christ was seene in the armes of sainct antony THE XII CHAPTER SAinct Antony for certaine dayes preaching in a citty of France he was inuited by a deuout gentleman to accept a lodgeing in his house whiles he remayned there alotting him the principall roome entier to himselfe quietly to spend his time in study and deuotions but this gentleman walking one night about his house and passing by chaunce before the chamber of the Sainct he saw a great light issuyng out through the chinckes of the dore wherfore looking in att the key hole he saw vpon a great booke lying before the Sainct a very faire child glittering and shininge with resplendant lightsome beames who casting himselfe on the neck of the Sainct did clip and embrace him as also in extreme amorous manner the S. did the like being neuer satisfied with beholding him The sweet and gracious child in his amiable embracinges reuealed vnto him that his host beheld them The Sainct knowing that he would not depart as long as IESVS CHRIST remayned there was willing he should for a time enioy his contenment in that admirable aspect that rauisbed the soule of the gentleman out of the world and then this p ecious child vanishing the S. instantlie opened his chamber dore and calling the gentleman he coniuâ—ed him by the loue which he boaâ—e to him whome he had seene not to discouer to any liuing person what he had seene till after his death which he promised and performed but as soone as he vnderstood of his death he could not satisfie himselfe with recounting and assuring it with teares and strong oathes which in respect of the creditt of the gentleman for his worthie qualities and the pietie of his life being generally beleeued it gaue occasion to paint the S. with a child on a booke in his armes Of his prophesie of a Martyr before he was borne and of the same Martyrdome THE XIII CHAPTER AS he visited a woman att Assisium great with child and very nere her time after he had exceedingly comforted her she recommended vnto his prayers her deliuery that it might be happie and easy He not vnmindfullof her recommend her to our Lord and the first time that
length by the holie Ghost conducted to Padua where he had formerly much profited In respect wherof he was very particulerlie loued and reuerenced of the inhabitantes of that citty and therfore when he began to preach there againe such was the confluence of people that pressed to heare him that he was forced to preach in a spacious field without the Cittie there being no Church capable of the people that from all partes flocked thither though there were some verie great Wherfore from the beginning of Lent the deuill perceauing the great fruit which he did and would produce he tooke him and so wrested and crushed his throat that as he after confessed to his companion if the sacred virgin whome he inuocated had not assisted him appearing vnto him with a great light and to his confort he had bin strangled but arming himselfe with the signe of the crosse and so deliuered from the ambushes of the deuill he gaue infinite thanckes to God and to his glorious Virgin mother And being become more couragious though he were verie feeble by reason of his abstinence and the labours which he ordinarily vndertooke which so depressed him that he had daily a litle fitt of an ague his zeale of the saluation of soules being more forcible with him then whatsoeuer other consideration he ceassed not to preach all the whole Lent and to spend all the rest of the day in spirituall exercises as to heare confessions and to giue Counsaile but it was a worthy thing to behold the feruour and deuotion not only of the Paduans but also of the inhabitantes of the townes borowes villages and castels there about that in such abondance flocked to his sermons that some went with light in the night to take their place in the field The bishopp was present att his preaching with all his Clergie as also the principall of the Cittie maryed women maides and yong gentlewomen frequented them withall comlines and modesty and without any pompe wherby it was easy to iudge with what spiritt they were induced to heare him During his predication all the merchantes and artificers did shutt vp their shoppes audience of iustice was omitted and all other offices ceassed so that it seemed some solemne feast In the time of his sermon the audience was so quiett that so much as one word was not heard amongest thirty thousand personnes there present and it succeeded that they all retourned replenished with the spiritt of compunction He that could touch the sainct or speake vnto him esteemed himselfe happy and if he had not bin purposlie guarded they would haue rent and cutt his habitt from his back and left him naked for such was the feruour of these people that they seemed to see in him a true Apostle sent to them by almightie God By his meane notorious and inueterat quarrels were appeased prisonners sett att libertie debtes quitted and forgiuen offences and iniuries pardoned and forgotten and mony and other thinges stolen or ill gott were restored Briefly what els men and women long accustomed to sinne were publikelie conuerted and did penance for their sinnes in such sort frequenting the sacraments that the Priestes had scarce time to serue them The glorious sainct hauing filled the Garner of almightie God with most pure corne after he had tryed it and burned the cockle att the verie time that he resided att Padua and hauing finished his three bookes of sermons vpon the sondayes and the Quarantine or sermons of Lent and the booke of the sermons of Sondayes full of verie deep subtilitie and morall droctrine which he had vndertaken and accomplished to satisfie his holinesse and the Guardian of Hostie he began to feele that God intended to call him vnto him and by signes and miracles to demonstrate the merittes of his most faithfull seruant wherein the people had such confidence that whosoeuer could haue a bitt of his habitt held himselfe happy and kept it carefully as a precious holy relique Of his last sicknes his prophesie of his future glory his vision of God and his death THE XXVII CHAPTER THis lent being ended S. Antony desiring to repose himselfe a litle retired to S. Peters fielde a place appertayning to a gentleman of Padua called Tise one that was exceedingly affected vnto him this place was neere to the Couent of the Frere Minors which this gentleman in manner alone mayntayned Now it may well be imagined with what countenance he entertayned the S. doubtles as if he had bin an Angel of Paradise sent vnto him by almighty God vnderstanding his intention he caused to be made him three celles of ozier one for himselfe and the other two for Brother Lucas and Br Roger his companions and familiers He remayned not long there till he felt himselfe assaulted with a great feeblenes that daily augmented but thincking to ease himselfe by trauaile he went to the next couent of Frere Minors where his infirmitie did oppresse and vtterly ouercome him There did God reueale vnto him that he should soone dye and what glory he should haue both in heauen and on earth Wherfore beholding and considering the amenity and good aire of the plaine and scituation of Padua that did neighbour the place where he was tourning towardes his companion he vttered these wordes this plaine shall shortly be illustrated and honoured with great glory as in deed it hath bin from after his death till this present yea more then he foretold in regard of the great confluence of people that haue and daily doe resort thither to visitt and honour his holy reliques And doubtles this citty may be tearmed happy and glorious hauing in it such a treasure that hath not enriched only it but all the world with singuler giftes and graces obtayned of God by the merittes of this glorious S. Now the S. foreseeing that his houre drew neere he told Br. Roger that if in case he should dye of that infirmity he would not be troublesome chardgeable to the Couent where he then was and therfore prayed him to gett him conducted to the Couent of the Virgin Mary att Padua where the Frere Minors were which the Religious approuing he layd him on a wagon to the great discontentment of all the Religious of that oratory And as they conducted him to the Citty they mett a deere freind of his in the way who knowing whither he way carryed caused him to change his purpose and persuaded him to goe to a Monastery out of the Citty called Arcele alleadgeing that the visitations he should haue att Padua would be very troublesome vnto him Being then arriued att Arcele and hauing there receaued all the sacraments God speedily called him for hauing with his Religious said the seauen Psalmes and alone that worthy hymne O gloriosa Domina as the glorious virgin Mother had alwayes in his life bin very gracious vnto him so for his comfort defence he saw her att his death then a litle after he saw her beloued sonne
he accompanied the Guardian euen to the place of the citty where he was and there fell on his knees before him and bitterly weeping besought him before all the people to pardon him The vertuous Religious did not only pardon him but gaue him thanckes for being occasion of his meritt towardes God yea and thenceforwd he tooke it so gratefully that remayning in the Couent of the said place to cure and ease the torments he had endured many honorable personnes presenting him many small commodities he alwayes sent the most worthie and excellent to the Earle affirming that he did not acknowledge himselfe more obliged to any man in the world then to him because he had not found any that had more accomplished his desires then he The earle on the contrary said that he knew therby that God would shortly end his enormous sinnes and that he should not liue long sith he had so vnworthely tormented an innocent and so sainct-like a man though he knew him not and that God would punish him for it Wherin he was not deceaued for a litle after he was slaine by his ennemies Now this singuler fact may notifie vnto vs the patience of Brother Iuniperus the excellencie of the vertues which God discouered in him with what faith hope humility and fortitude he was armed and the crosse which he carryed in himselfe and wherin only he glorified and the small gaine the deuill gott of him in this combatt where he was subdued by the patience of Brother Iuniperus more like to that of IESVS CHRIST then to that of Iob. Wherein appeareth how truly the holy Doctors affirme that almighty God is such a louer of our profitt and our glory which is purchaced by labour in his seruice that he denyeth it onlie to those who make themselues incapable to receaue it Of a Companion of Brother Iuniperus and that was vnder his gouernement THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus in his age had a companion that was so obedient and of such patience that were he beaten and tormented a whole day together he would neuer vtter a word of complaint He was sent to begge att their houses who were knowne not to be charitable but to be churlish scoffers and iniurious to the Religious whither he would willingly goe and with an admirable patience support the affrontes and iniuries offered vnto him If Brother Iuniperus commanded him to weep he would obey if he commanded him to laugh he would incontinently laugh He being dead Brother Iuniperus bitterly wept for this his deere companion affirming that in this life there remayned vnto him nothing of worth and that in the death of this Brother the world was as it were ruined so much did he loue and esteeme the vertue of the patience and mortification of this great seruant of God and his foster child How Brother Iuniperus in prayer saw the glory of God and of his death THE XLV CHAPTER AFter the death of this Religious the glorious Brother Iuniperus being very vigilant and feruent in prayer and deep contemplation seemed to hate the world and already to dye with desire to goe to the other life such was his endeauour to ascend vnto almighty God Being one time in the quier att masse he was so rapt in extasie that the seruice being ended the Religious left him alone where he so remayned a long time and when he was retourned to himselfe he came to the Religious to whome with a notable feruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Ah my Brethren why doe not we conceaue a pleasure to endure a litle labour and paine to gaine eternall life After that he vttered many thinges of high consequence touching the humility which deserueth the glory of the elect These wordes gaue sufficient cause to iudge that he had had some communication of heauen And in the end the true and worthie disciple of sainct Francis and singular freind of saincte Clare who called him the passetime of IESVS CHRIST because she found in him great consolation of spiritt and would haue him neere att her death this good and holy Religious I say after he had many yeares liued in great perfection in this desert passed from this life to the other and was by almighty God transported into his glory He was buryed att Rome in the Couent of Aracaeli The life of Brother Simon of Assisium the Disciple of sainct Francis Of the holy conuersation of Brother Simon THE XLVI CHAPTER BRother Simon of Assisium was called of God to holy Religion in the life time of S. Francis This Religious was by the diuine Maiesty endwed with such abondance of grace and raysed to such a high degree of contemplation that his whole life was a mirrour of sanctity and represented to all the image of the bounty of God according to the testimony of them that conuersed with him He rarely went out of his cell and if sometime he conuersed with his brethren his discourse was altogether of God He alwayes sought solitary places and though he had neuer learned the grammer nor other humane sciences he neuertheles discoursed so sublimely of God and of the most sweet loue of IESVS CHRIST that his wordes seemed rather Angelicall then humane Brother Iames of Massa and some other Religious went one euening with him into a wood to discourse of almighty God and Brother Simon so sweetly discoursed of the diuine loue that hauing spent all the night in that holy discourse and the breake of day alredy appearing it seemed to them that he did but thē begin When this Religious perceaued the comming of any diuine visitation he would cast himselfe on his bed as to sleep or as sicke of the disease of the Espouse who sayth in the Canticles Tell my beloued I languish for his loue Sometimes in the said diuine visitations he was so eleuated in God that he remayned insensible of worldly thinges so that a Religious once desiring to trye whiles he was in extasie if he had any feeling tooke a burning coale and putt it on his bare foot wherewith he did not only not come to himselfe nor felt the heat of the fier but the coale dyed on his foot without leauing any signe of burning The Sainct accustomed when he did eat with the Religious to feed them spiritualy with the word of God before they receaued their corporall refection How Brother Simon deliuered a Nouice from the temptation of the flesh and how the Nouice became perfect in charity and of his death THE XLVII CHAPTER THis good Father discoursing one day of almighty God with such feruour declared the obligation which we haue to his diuine Maiesty and to our owne saluation that a wordly yong man there present resolued to leaue the world and to become religious he was borne att Senseuerin a citty in the kingdome of Naples foorthwith tooke the habitt of Frere a Minor But the deuill by whose blowing the flames of temptations are enkindled enflamed this Nouice with so great
seemed to sleep He dyed in the citty of Cahors the yeare of grace 1272. hauing spent fifteen yeares in the Order of the Frere Minors att six of the clock att night the Eue of Alsaintes to reigne eternally with them Att the very houre of his death two Religious women ancient both in Relligion and vertues did testifie to haue heard Angelicall musike exceedingly mellodious accompanying the soule of this worthy seruant of God vnto heauen A man of the third Order of that citty in a vision saw the soule of this glorious Father att the hower of his departure carryed by Angels with great ioy into Paradise The same night a Burgesse of Cahors called Peter saw in vision the soule of this holy Father sitting on a very resplendant couch that did spread and sparckle glittering beames as the sunne of whome demaunding who he was I am said he the soule of Br. Christopher that haue left my body on earth and am goeing to heauen This man sodenly awaked and arising likewise awakened all his familie to whome he recounted his vision then went to the monastery where he found the body of the holy Father alredy according to the custome carryed into the Church thence to be enterred else where The day following the death of this holy Father being diuulged there repayred such a coÌ„course of people to see this blessed body that he could not be taken out of the handes of those that desired to touch him to kisse teare off part of his habitt to keepe for reliques and to demaund some grace of God by the merittes of him that had worne it This body being with much a doe att length takeÌ„ out of the Church embalmed with precious liquours and aromaticall oyntments it was on the third day putt in a coffin of wood and enterred in the Church of the Frere Minors with great solemnity and reuerence Of the dead raysed by the inuocation of this sainct THE LIII CHAPTER ALmighty God voutsafed also to demoÌ„strate the exceeding great miracles which by the merittes of this his gratefull seruant he wrought in the bishopprick of Cahors for a mother hauing casually left her child vpon a bridge he fell into the water and was drowned The mother seeing her child dead filled all the village with compassion of the sorrow and griefe which by her extreme lamentation she did discouer Att length she had recourse to S. Christopher to whome she vowed to visitt his sepulcher and to present vnto it an image of waxe if he would raise her sonne The vow being made the child began to moue his lippes then to open his eyes and by the merittes of such an intercessour in presence of many people he retourned to life and â—afety A creature being wrested dead out of the mothers wombe was restored to life by the prayers and intercessions of this sainct who was exceedingly importuned and induced thervnto by those that were present In the same citty a mother had layd her child of two yeares old in bed betweene her husband and her selfe but awaking she found the child smothered and dead after many regreets she made vow to S. Christopher that if by his intercession the child might reuiue she would carrie it to his sepulcher and there would present a light and image of waxe Which vow being made the child began to gape then to moue the armes and att length opening his eyes it retourned to life In the same citty and after the same manner the S. being inuocated for a dead child by the father who was deuout vnto him in these tearmes O saint of God rayse my daughter and I promise thee to carry her to thy sepulcher where I will offer there an altare cloth and an image of waxe she vpon this vow retourned to life and the Father and others present gaue thanckes to almighty God and to the S. In a towne called Concet neere to the said citty there was a youg man so weakened with a continuall feauer that he was generally esteemed for dead no motion could be perceaued in him not so much as of his pulse wherfore his mother in extreme affliction perceauing all humane helpe to faile had recourse to almighty God whome she inuocated by the merittes of S. Christopher of whome she had heard many miracles recounted to restore her sonnes health vowing to carry him to his sepulcher there to present an altare cloth and an image of wax The effect was admirable for the presenting of her vow being finished he began to amend and in short time was entierly cured to the great astonishment and content of all his friendes and kinred who fayled not to giue thanckes to God and to accomplish their vow Health was also restored to an other yong man called Iohn desperatly sick att Cahors in the manner aforesayd A Relligious of the Order of S. Clare called Sister Mary being so extremely weakened with sicknes that she could not remoue her selfe in her bed nor much lesse take her rest therin she expected only death but hauing heard it reported that the holy Father Christopher was deceassed and that he wrought infinite miracles she bitterly lamenting presented vnto him this request O holy Father that hast often heard my confession pray vnto almighty God if thou please that I may recouer my health to serue him Which spoaken she fell into a sweet sleep from whence the next morning she awakened full of comfort and consolation and went to the quier to communicate with her other sisters who theratt were much amazed and afterwardes they all together gaue thanckes to the omnipotent bounty of God and to his holy intercessour by whose merittes he so compassionatly assisteth those that addresse their petitions vnto him Of other miracles wrought in the cure of many dangerous and incurable diseases THE LIV. CHAPTER VPon the Mount Abban in the bishopprick of Cahors a child reduced neere vnto death and his mother extremely afflicted by dispaire of her sonnes recouery which hauing exceedingly weakened her by the great wearines of labour that this sicknesse causer her she fell into a litle sleep wherin she heard a voice that sayd vnto her Woman feare no more but make a vow for thy sonne to S. Christopher and God by his merittes will cure him This woman awaking and hauing made her vow her sonne was cured and the mother carryed him to the sepulcher of the sainct wher she thancked God and her Intercessour for it A woman of the said citty of Cahors called Valeria was so sick that the Phisitians iudged her as dead and withall had alredy lost her speech and the motion of all her members and was as black as pitch a priest also comming to heare her confession was constrayned to retourne without vsing his function for she could neither speake heare nor make any signes But her kinred and freindes that were present greiued att the losse of a woman whome they cordially loued fell deuoutly on their knees lifted vp their ioyned
know that this blessed Father had the spiritt of prophesie as they testifie who knew him and that hauing perseuered in sanctity of life he reposed in peace He was buryed in Arezzo his owne country whither it is held that he brought from Babilon one of the fingers of the holy Prophett Daniel Br. Peregrinus of Faleron was admitted to the religion of the holy Father S. Francis who prophesied vnto him that albeit he weere learned he should notwithstanding apply himselfe to the actiue life and his companion to the contemplatiue and so it arriued for he was a lay brother for which humility he obtayned of God an exceeding great perfection in vertues and particulerly the grace of compunction and the loue of God for whose sake desiring martyrdome he went to Ierusalem where he visited all the holy places with such deuotion teares embracinges and most tender louing kisses that in those places he adored our Sauiour as present Br. Bernard Quintaualle affirmed of this Religious that he was one of the most perfect of the world And as he was by name a Stranger so was he also in his life for the loue of IESVS CHRIST was so burning in his hart that he neuer permitted any other thing to rest there but alwayes walked and sighed towardes heauen thus did he ascend from vertue to vertue in such sort that he was exceedingly illuminated in his life and in his death by diuers miracles Br. Ricerio employed himselfe in the contemplatiue life according to the prophesie of S. Francis which made him familier vnto him and he instructed him in many diuine verities he made him Prouinciall of the marquisate of Ancona many matters coÌ„cerning this holy Religious are recorded in the life of S. Francis Br. Augustin of Assisium Prouinciall of the land of Labour commoÌ„ly called Naples was a Religious of such sanctity that he merited not only to be companion in life and profession with S. Francis but also in his death and glory for hauing in his last sicknes already lost his speech he saw the soule of S. Francis ascend vnto heauen which encouraged him to cry out Stay holy Father stay for me and his soule foorthwith leauing his body it accompanyed that of his blessed Father to eternall glory Br. Roger the disciple of S. Francis v as of such sanctity that Pope Gregorie the ninth approued him for a S. permitted commemoration to be made of him in the CoueÌ„t of the Frere Minors of Tiuoly but because he was not canonized with the accustomed soleÌ„nities the Religious neuer durst keep his soleÌ„ne feast He was not canonized because the exameÌ„ of his miracles appointed by the said Pope was neuer accomplished Brother Philippe the Long was also disciple of S. Francis He was the first Confessour Visitour and Minister of the Religious of S. Clare It is found recorded of this S. that an Angell purged his lippes touching them with a burning coale as the Seraphin did to the Prophett Esaye which was not a litle necessary to him that was to administer the word of God vnto Religious women Br. Barbarus Br. Iohn of S. Constantin and Br. Bernard of Viridante that were of the first companions of S. Francis were exceeding eminent in their vertuous and merueillous actions as their worckes were written in the booke of life so their soules for euer liue in glory their bodyes are buryed in the Couent of S. Francis att Assisium Br. Pacificus companion of the holy Father was of such perfection that he merited to see many merueillous worckes which our Lord secretly wrought in his seruant S. FraÌ„cis and because the glorious S. knew his perfection and sanctity he sent him Prouinciall into FraÌ„ce where he remayned diuers yeares then dyed and was buryed att Laon. The end of the sixt booke of the second volume and first part of the Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin particuler mention is made of 25. disciples of the holy Father S. Francis all of very singuler sanctity of life of worthy miracles THE SEAVENTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS CONTAINED THE LIFE AND admirable doctrine of Br. Giles of Assisium a Religious of great perfection who was the third Disciple of S. Francis Translated as before Of the conuersion of Brother Giles to the Religion of the Frere Minors THE FIRST CHAPTER ALBEIT to read or heare the liues of all or any sainctes exceedingly dispose the spirittes to the contempt of temporall pleasures and induce them to purchase true and eternall richesse yet it cannot be denyed but that the life of some one more then an other doth cause these effectes as I hope this ensuyng shall proue of the glorious Brother Giles of Assisium who was the third that followed S. Francis whose life being of singuler note it is requisite it should be described more att lardge The time employed in reading therof shall not be wasted for the soules therby shal be enriched with holy doctrines with diuine examples and documents But I omitte to recount his conuersion it being already handled in the ninth chapter of the first booke and first volume of this present part How Brother Giles went to visit the reliques of S. Iames in Galuâ—a and the holy Sepulcher of our Redeemer Iesus Christ in HierusaleÌ„ THE II. CHAPTER IT was the custome of the first Fathers of this Order to goe often in pilgrimage not to seeke their more liberty nor to satisfie their appetite with better cheere but for the exercise of perfection and to suffer hungar thirst cold heate and the affi ontes which they often endured as vnknowne in that new habitt and so did they dispose theÌ„selues to the incommodities of obedience and were couragious for they went barefoot withone single habit without wallets edifying themselues in patience and their neighbour in charitie Now Brother Giles hauing gotten leaue of the holy Father S. Francis he went to visitt the church of S. Iames of Compostella in which voyage he did not so much as once satisfie his hungar such a desire had he to feele in himselfe the force of pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST Finding one day no meane to gett so much as bread wherwith only he liued hauing found in a barne certaine huskes of beanes left there after the threshing he did eat them with great appetite and after tooke his rest in the same place The next morning he arose very early as cheerfull and well disposed as if he had eaten the best and most delicate foode in the world He was thus accustomed to suffer being often in forrestes and solitary places which were more to his content then the conuersation of the world as lesse subiect to distractions in his spirituall exercises and more commodious for spending the night in watching and prayer In this iorney meeting with a poore sick creature full of soares and not knowing what to giue him he ript of his capuce and gaue it
art she that teachest vs the way of our saluation and directest vs in the right and secure path wherin â—e that walketh cannot stray but he that seeketh and followeth another shall only find therin an eternall damnation He was present att masse with exceeding feruour All sondayes and solemne feastes he receaued his Creatour and employed those dayes entierly in contemplation of the grace receaued for goeing very early into the church he would there remayne all the day in the company rather of Angels and Saincts theÌ„ of men Celebrating the feast of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and many other times in the feruour of his prayer he hath bin seene rapt in extasie and eleuated aboue the ground the hight of three handfuls or a foot and a halfe Of other such extasies of spiritt recorded of the glorious Sainct FIue Prouincials did at one time with great deuotion and reuerence visitt this blessed Father with Br. Gratian his companion who aduertised him of their arriuall vpon knoledge wherof he preseÌ„tly mett them and hauing graciously entertayned them he with great feruour of spiritt began to speake vnto them and beholding the heauen with his armes opened as to play on a viole he sung in this manner O Br. make a castell hauing in it neither stone nor iron O my Br. build me a citty without lime or stone and thus singing he was rapt in extasie The said Prouincials knew not the signification of the wordes But Br. Gratian told them that by the castels and citties he meant the holy Apostles and martyrs of the Primitiue church who without the armour of iron and without the helpe of any temporall matter generously builded the house of God in soules which zeale and intention had Br. Giles renouncing temporalities to become a castell of the liuing God and a glorious citty not of temporall building or substance but spirituall of pouerty and diuine loue And because they as Prouincials of the Religion were captaines and furtherers of this worck he by this song gaue them a notable document of their duety in their vocation and office This holy Father being in the monastery of Agele by Perusia he after supper made an exhortation to the Religious in the refectory with his ordinary feruour and with such sweetnes that he enflamed the hartes of all his audience in diuine loue yea his owne also in such sort that he was rauished and out of himselfe in the middest of his BrethreÌ„ where he so continued till the cock-crowing and in the meane time he shined with such a spleÌ„dour which enuironed him that the brightnes of the moone which then was in full was so obscured that the shining therof being darckned by this new light she appeared not in that place which put the Religious in admiration who gaue thanckes to our lord for the admirable worckes demonstrated in his seruant Brother Giles one day thus reasoned with S. Bonauenture who was Generall of the Order Father God hath bestowed many fauours on you that are learned for you haue knoledge of many matters by which you prayse him But what shall we doe to saue our selues we I say that ar ignorant and idiots S. Bonauenture answeared if God had giuen no other grace to men but only ability to loue him it would suffice because loue is more gratefull to God then any other thing that can be offered vnto him Brother Giles herevpon replyed Tell me Father if you please can an ignorant person loue God as much as one learned he can said S. Bonauenture yea I say more a simple and poore old fellow may loue our lord as much as a Doctour in diuinity Vpon these wordes Br. Giles went with great feruour into the garden and tourning towardes the towne he cryed out Poore and caitiue old wretch ignorant idiot and simple loue thy Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and thou mayest be greater then Br. Bonauenture Which sayd he remayned three houresrapt in extasie Of an admirable dispute held by Br. Giles touching free will against Br. Gerardin in the presence of many Religious THE XV. CHAPTER THe venerable Br. Giles being in the Couent of Perusia a Romane gentlewomaÌ„ called SeaueÌ„-Sunnes that was very deuout to S. Francis both in his life time and after his death for she made her residence att Assisium to beneere vnto his sepulcher came to visitt him to receaue some consolation of his energicall doctrine there did she find Brother Gerardin a Religious of exemplar life and very learned together with some other very spirituall Religious who also came to visitt Brother Giles to heare of him some spirituall exhortation Thus discoursing together they fell into dispute vpon a certaine passadge of holy scripture And among many other sentences alleadged by Br. Giles for proofe of what he maintained this was one He that doeth not what he can often endureth that which he would not Br. Gerardin desirous to entertaine Br. Giles in discourse to gratifie the coÌ„pany and for his particuler coÌ„tentment thus begaÌ„ scolastically to argumeÌ„t against him Br. I much admire that you affirme that a man endureth what he would not if he doe not what he can considering that a man can doe nothing of himselfe which is proued by many reasons wherefore I say that the power presupposeth the being so that the action of the thing be according to its being And so much doe the wordes of the Apostle signifie where he sayth If any man esteeme himself to be something wher as he is nothing he seduceth himselfe whence ensueth that a man cannot doe any thing sith he is nothing which I will proue vnto you also by an other reason If a man of himselfe doe any thing it is either by his soule or by his body or by both together Now I will proue that he can doe nothing by meane of any of theÌ„ First he can doe nothing by meane of the soule alone for it is most cleare that the soule separated from the body can neither meritt nor demeritt neither can he doe more by meane of the body only because the body receaueth all his operation of his forme and without the soule it hath no humane being so that much lesse can it worcke which is a thinge proper to the forme and finally yet lesse can he doe by meane of the composition that is of the body and soule vnited together and if he could doe any thing it should be by meane of the soule But I haue proued that the soule being separated from the body can doe nothing and now I affirme that it can much lesse vnited with her body because the body being corruptible chardgeth and burdeneth it as for example if a beast cannot goe vnloaden much lesse can it vnder a burthen Thus Br. Gerardin made his argument appeare very probable which procured to the audience an amazement and confusion But Br. Giles very prudently answeared My good Br. and friend beleeue I pray you that you haue spoaken amisse wherfore acknowledge therin
is to be vsed by him that is to teach those soules whose perfect Master is IESVS CHRIST alone who guideth them according to their capacity and the grace which he hath giuen them for their saluation knowing that the instruction ought to be more of the spilitt and of God then of any humane tongue to touch and enflame their hartes in the poursuite of vertue How Brother Giles defended himselfe from the deuill by whome he was often persecuted THE XIX CHAPTER THe wicked spirites were the more hatefull and enuious to this seruant of God because he had knowledge and vnderstanding of many sublime and diuine secrettes for which respect they often tormented him as within few dayes after he had that diuine vision being alone praying in his cell the deuill appeared vnto him in so horrible and fearfull a figure that it presently depriued him of his speach But hauing in his hart called for helpe vnto almighty God he was incontinently deliuered and afterwardes made very fearfull relations of the lothsomnes of the deuill Br. Giles being once entred about midnight into the Church of S. Appollinaris in Spoleta there to offer his prayers the deuill lept vpon his shoulders whiles he prayed and held him so crushed and oppressed for a time that he could scarce moue yet he so strugled that he gott to the holy water pott where hauing taken holy water and signed himselfe with the crosse the deuill presently fled An other time as he was praying the deuill so tormented him that he was enforced as much as he could to cry out help me my Brethren att which call his companion Br. Gratian came running and he was instantly deliuered Praying also an other night he heard the ennemy with many other deuils that were very neere him who talking among themselues as men might doe sayd Wherfore doth this Religious labour so much fith he is already a sainct so agreable is he to God and euen in continuall extasie Which they sayd to tempt him and induce him to vaine glory The last yeare of his life the deuill persecuted him more cruelly thē he had don before as he thought one night after prayer to repose himselfe the deuill carryed him into so straight a place that he could not turne him on any side whatsoeuer endeauour he made to arise Br. Gratian hearing him complaine came to the dore of his cell to know if he were in prayer or that some other accident were befallen him and he perceiued that he was exceedingly troubled wherfore he began to cry out Father what is the mater wherto this holy Father answeared Come quickly my child come quickly But Br. Gratian being vnable to open the dore of the cell sayd vnto him I know not the reason but I cannot open the dore Br. Giles prayed him to doe his vtmost to open it speedely which after much labour he did then comming neere vnto him with all his power to assist him he could not so much as moue him out of the place where the deuill had throwne him which Br. Giles perceauing he said Br. let me alone in this case and lett vs referre all into the handes of God So Brother Gratian though against his will for bearing to endeauour to deliuer the holy Father out of this place he fell to prayer for him where by a litle eased he sayd to his companion you haue done well in comming to assist me God reward you for it But Brother Gratian complayning that he had not called him in this imminent perill of death wherin he was and relating the disgrace it would haue bin to him and to his companions if he had so dyed he sayd vnto him Be not troubled my child if God by me be reuenged of his ennemies for you must know that how much the deuill resisteth God seeking to afflict and torment me so much more is he tormented and discendeth deeper to the profundity of hell and so when he persecuteth me I am reuenged of him for the seruice which I haue now done to almighty God had no beginning of me but of his diuine Maiesty as the end shall be if it please him Wherfore I am assured that the deuill neither can nor euer shal be able to preuaile against God yet did not the deuill omitt to torment him in such sort that goeing att night to rest in his cell he alwayes went sighing asif he would say I expect yea I goe to martyrdome Of diuers answeres giuen by Brother Giles vpon sundry occasions THE XX. CHAPTER BRother Iames of Massa a very spirituall Religious euen in regard of his particuler grace to be often rauished in God one day demaunded of Brother Giles how he should gouerne himselfe in that grace and the holy Father answeared Brother neither augment nor diminish and shunne the multitude the most you can Brother Iames not well vnderstanding him asked him what he meant by those wordes and Brother Giles replyed when the spiritt is prepared to be conducted into the glorious light of the diuinity it should neither augment by presumption nor diminish by negligence he should also with all possibility loue and seeke solitarines if he desire that the grace receiued be well preserued and augmented A Religious hauing asked him what he might doe that might be most pleasing to God he answeared singing One to one one to one the sayd Religious alleadging that he vnderstood him not the holy Father replyed you ought without any intermissiō or whatsoeuer pretēce giue one sole soule to one sole God if you will please him Br. Gratian that had bin twenty yeares his companion and disciple testified that in all that time he neuer heard him vtter one only idle word This Religious as the discipline of so good a master had exceedingly profited by his company in spirituall edificatiue mortification and had receaued many other graces of God wherin desiring not to faile he one time demaunded of his master in what worck and in what kind of the graces which God had grāted him he should most exercise himselfe this questiō he made because he was absolutely resolued precisely to follow his counsaile Whereto the holy Father answeared you cānot be more gratefull to God in any other action then in hanging your selfe Which the good Religious hearing he was stricken into a greiuous amazement and with such an answeare much troubled wherfore Br. Giles proceeding said Know my child that a mā which hangeth himselfe is neither in heauē nor on earth but is only lifted frō the earth looketh alwayes downe Now doe you the like sith if you cānot be now in heauē you may neuerthelesse so raise your selfe aboue earthly thinges being exercised in vertuous works and prayer that humility alwayes appeare in you and liuing so hope in the diuine mercy By this counsaile he commended vnto him two singuler vertues prayer and humility as speciall graces of a Religious that desireth to please God A certaine man talking one day with Br.
CHRIST seruing him alone in pouerty and humility This sainte Agnes of Bohemia being illustrated by many vertues and miracles hauing assembled an infinite number of Religious in diuers Couents and hauing with them perseuered in all perfection of vertues she left this transitory world to take eternall possession of her glorious celestiall Spouse CHRIST IESVS who honoured her and made her blessed as he hath manisested by many miracles which he hath wrought by her great merittes intercessions The Emperour Charles the fourth who was also king of Bohemia was two seuerall times deliuered from death by the intercession of this celestiall Princesse and therfore att his death he enioyned his sonne Wenceslaus and successour in the Empire to procure her canonization But he was hindered by important and continuall troubles and affaires that disabled him to execute the pious and iust desires of his Father Of many other Religious that florished primitiuely in the Order of S. Clare THE XLI CHAPTER THere was an other holy Religious of the royal bloud of Polonia called Salome whose sanctity was manyfested by diuers miracles which God wrought after her death she by her merittes deliuered many women from perill of death in trauell of child many lame were restored to the vse of their limmes blind recouered sight and wounded personnes were cured A holy Religious of Padua called Helena florished in great perfection of life in the monastery which was builded by the Seraphicall Father S. Francis and in which the blessed Father S. Antony of Padua yelded his spirit vnto almighty God This holy Religious liuing in that place after she had there obtayned of God many vertues she was tryed by IESVS CHRIST and refined as gold in the furnise of afflictions For she kept her bed depriued of all corporall force yea and of her speech for 15. yeares during all which time she ordinarily demonstrated by signes and gestures an exceeding great alacrity and ioy in her hart Our Lord reuealed many thinges to this sainct which she manifested to the Religious who curiously recorded the same to be kowne to posterity The sayd religious sisters being demaunded how the infirme Religious could make the vnderstand those wordes sith she could not speake they answeared that themselues then obserued so strict a silence that they scarcely spake att all but demaunded and opened their necessities by signes which were well vnderstood among them for expressing whatsoeuer they desired to haue knowen And in that sort had they vnderstood the sayd S. whose body for many yeares after the sayd Religious sisters did shew to such as in deuotion repayred to see it remayning entire and incorruptible yea her nayles and haire did grow as if she had bin liuing By her merittes God wrought many miracles and particulerly on the Marquesse of Parma who was of the family of Lupi called Boniface who being in the anguish of death the Marquesse his Lady making a vow to this sainte Helene for his health it was perfectly restored vnto him In the beginning of the Order of saincte Clare there was also of it the daughter of a king of Hungary called Cuiga sister vnto blessed sainte Elizabeth the widowe who hauing taken the habitt and made profession of the rule of saincte Clare became so famous after the death of sainte Elizabeth in sanctity and miracles both during her life and att her death that question is att Rome touching her canonization The end of the 8. booke and second volume of the first part of the croâ—icles of the Frere Minors THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE INSTITVTION and rule of the third Order called of penitents made by the holy Father S. Francis And the liues of many of the said Order especially of Sainte Elizabeth Queene of Hongary How the Order of the seculer penitents was instituted by the holy Father S. Francis THE FIRST CHAPTER THE Seraphicall Father saint Francis sowing ouer Italy the word and seed of life a good part therof fell into the hartes of men that were bound by the knott of Matrimony and of personnes of such like condicion whose soules could not freely follow the spiritt of penance as they desired yet their feruour was such that sometimes eueÌ„ whole townes and villages were dispeopled in following the holy Father saint Francis who purchased the saluation of their soules Wherupon this holy Father being requested yea importuned generally and particulerly to institute an Order and rule wherin seculer and marryed people might liue to doe penance and to liue in a more secure estate for their saluation The yeare 1221. he instiruted the Order of Generous Penitents whereof all Christians that liue not in monasticall Religion might yet be meÌ„bers The first that entred this Order was an holy man called Lucius and though no rule is found to be recorded att that time nor forme of liuing prescribed by S. Francis to these Penitents yet it is most assured that he gaue them certaine rules according to which they should temporally and spiritually gouerne themselues were it to fast or pray more then other seculers to know what office and deuotions they should vse what almose they should giue how they should be cloathed and what rigour of penance they should vndertake of which ordoÌ„nances deliuered by S. Francis and recorded by them to whome he taught the same Pope Nicolas the fourth cutt off one part and left only that which was most easie instituting a rule which here we will insert which was also afterward confirmed by the Apostolicke sea by three most ample letters patentes And albeit the first and ancient habitt of these penitentes was afterwardes different in diuers prouinces yet is it most probable that the most common and general was the same which those of the third Order yet weare in Italy as most conformable to their statue The colour is gray like to that of the Frere Minors but the forme and fashion is as others seculers doe weare and it is credible that S. FraÌ„cis his will was that the sayd Penitentes should weare this habitt siâ—h in those places where this Order was by him first instituted and where he most conuersed this manner of habit was vsed These sayd Penitents may not weare the cord as the Frere Minors These of the third rul which haue succeeded those who liue in coÌ„mon and are Religious by vow can lesse auouch the wearing of a cord but must vse a leather belt And it is to be noted that the Frere Minors cannot receaue these Penitents to the profession of Religious obedience or to any vow but only may admitt and receaue them to the sayd rule of life and company of the Penitents exhorting and admonishing them to obserue the same They may also assist them in confession and other spiritual worckes as CoÌ„freres and true Brethren of the Order Neuertheles the Religious may not be their Prelates or Superiours because they are
and halfe starued with hungar and cold not able to passe farther they there stayed without dreaming what danger might there befall them and sent to pray this tyrant to entertayne lodge and refresh them that night for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST This noble man by diuine inspiration willingly receaued them into his house and commanded incontinently a good fire to be made them then caused them to cat with his people At which time one of the Religious that was a Priest and had a speciall grace in preaching well perceauing that att this table there was no speech but of robbing killing and pilling each one vaunting of his villanies and glorying in his murders and theftes committed the good seruant of God resolued after supper to make them an exhortation in the behalfe of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST with the greatest feruour he could procure And so grace being sayd vnable any longer to retaine his zealous spiritt he addressed himselfe to the tyrant and sayd Hauing receaued of you such a charity for the loue of God we should proue too ingratefull if we did not beseech the diuine maiesty to reward you for vs and did not endeauour to requite you by some documents conformable to our pouerty that may benifitt your soules and your peoples whome I beseech you heere to assemble together we desiring to giue to you all a spirituall refection for the corporal which you haue giuen vs. This noble man hauing conuocated all his people and they hauing setled themselues to heare the sermon the Religious began with exceeding feruour to discourse of the glory of Paradise in these termed My beloued Brethren in CHRIST IESVS if the eternall felicities for which God hath created vs were knowne vnto vs and that we did often well consider them what paine would we not vndertake to serue him and neuer to offend him for feare to loose that ioy and glory without end for so base a trifle as the world that sweet society of the Angels that life and security of the blessed that glorious satiety of the elect that supreme light without night and darcknes that perpetuall peace and amity without any feare or perturbance and all the happines that we can desire free and secure from all disaster with that diuine fountaine of the presence and glorious communication of the eternall God And sith that man so blinded and miserable for so base and loathsome a thing so short and of so sclender value as is sinne will loose such innumerable and infinite felicities he shall deseruedly goe into hell there to endure eternall hungar thirst cold all kind of torment and perpetuall affliction in the company of cruell deuils serpents and dragons where is a continuall death without end and without hope of life with palpable darcknes And finally greater miseries then we can imagine considering that there is nothing but howlinges lamentations despaires and eternall torments and all euill voyd of all good wherinto my brethren you haue merited to be throwne and imprisoned for the sinnes which you haue perpetrated â—o precipitiously without any apprehension of the diuine iustice att least according to the inference of your discourses which haue testified vnto me your vicious and detestable life you therby giuing demonstration that you neither feare God nor esteeme of his commandements nor regard the doeing of any good woâ—ck Therfore my beloued brethren doe I admonish you in the behalfe of our Lord IESVS CHRIST who for you was fastened on the hard wood of the crosse and pardonned the theefe to giue vs confideÌ„ce of his mercy and doe counsaile you by the â—euerence of the omnipotencie of the Creatour of althinges not to make ship wrack and exchaung of the celestiall and eternall richesse for the briefe pleasure of sinnes which as you experience vanish as a shadow Retourne then with great promptitude vnto God to the end he thrust you not into hell denying you time and space to doe penance so many yeares hauing fleeted away wherin he hath so patiently expected you though you haue giuen no signe of regarding it This Religious vttered these thinges and much more with such a zeale that they pearced the hart of the Tyrant who being touched by the holy Ghost and already stricken with contrition fell to the ground together with all his people bittetly lamenting their sinnes They shewed signes of penitence and after many teares the tyrant with great instancie required the Religious to sett them in the way to saue their soules sith God had sent him hither for their saluation And the Religious aduised them to make a generall confession of all their sinâ—es Which being with notable deuotion and contrition performed he sayd It is now necessary that for penance for your sinnes which are enormous and in nomber infinite you goe in pilgrimage to visiâ— the holy places and that you mortifie your flesh by fastes watchings and prayers giuing many almoses and performing other worckes of piety But you must begin with satissaction restoring what you iniâ—stly deâ—aine Wherto he answeared Father I am content to satisfie whatsoeuer I am bouÌ„d vnto But because I was neuer out of this contâ—y nor can write not read no not the Pater noster nor can fast I beseech you for the loue of God to giue me some other penance that I may be able to performe The Religious replyed I will for the loue of God doe penance and pray vnto IESVS CHRIST for you that your soule be not lost I will not for the present giue you other penance then for mortification your selfe to bring vs hither a litle straw wheron to repose our selues The tyrant becomming a lambe presently brought straw for the Religious to rest on and prepared their place himselfe Then considering with himselfe the discourse that the Religious had made him and how speedily he had conuerted him to penitence he reputed him a sainct and resolued to watch him all that night to see what he would doe Now the Religious att his houre layd himselfe to repose and when he thought they all slept he arose went out of the house to doe penance for the penitent as he had promised him Lifting then his handes to heauen he with many teares demaÌ„ded pardon of almighty God for the sinner praying with exceeding feruour his body was eleuated froÌ„ the earth the hight of a tour in that manner bitterly bewayled the soule of that noble man begging pardon of IESVS CHRIST for his offences in such sort and with a charity so passionate that he merited to be heard as appeareth by what ensueth for the penitent hauing seene and heard all this not without exceeding terrour contrition and abundance of teares accompanyed with consolation perceauing with what feruour the seruant of God offered his prayers to the diuine Maiesty for the saluation of his soule very early in the morning he sell att the feet of the Religious praying him with great compunction to setle him in the direct way
vnto glory The lady of the Seauen Sunnes as an other Magdalen annoynted the body of S. Fr. He was enterred as he desired in the place of executioÌ„ being the most abiect of the citty How S. Clare saw the body of S. Franc. S. Fr. was canonised a yeare and nine months after his death by the same Pope att Assisium Pope Gregory the 9. being Cardinal would become a Frere Minor S. Franc. fortold and prophesied to Pope Gregory the 9. that he shold be Pope This Pope sometimes cloathed himselfe in habitt of a Frere Minor vnknown did his deuotion among them S. Franc. cured a tame girle And saued a girle fro drowning S. Franc. by his merittes reuiueth a dismembred child Pope Nicolas the 5. went expresly to Assisium to see the body of S. Franc. the yeare 1449. The admirable standing of the body of S. Franc. The stigmates of S. Franc. appeared fresh on his body Brother Giles also How the doubt of the sacred stigmates was cleared from a Frere Minor preacher A Gentlewoman not beleuing a miracle of the stigmates which God had set on an image where there wer none an other miracle putting them out made her to beleeue One wounded to death cured by the sacred stigmates of S. Franc. A womaÌ„ deuout vnto S. Francis raised to confesse a sinne and then died againe The only daughter of one deuout vnto S. Francis raised by his merittes A blasphemer of the name of S. Franc. lost his eldest sonne but repenting the S. restored him S. Franc. by his merits raised a child And an other drowned An other crushed vnder the ruines of an house An other And an other A man fallen from the hight of a towre had no hurt by the merites of S. Franc. An other fallen vnder a water mill An other fallen into a well A womaÌ„ being wounded with a grosse stone A double admirable cure A child on whom had fallen the dore of a church A man crushed with a verymassie stone by the merites of S. Frno hurt befel hun therby Nor an other Nor an other by death A sick child abaÌ„doned of men was cured by the merites and intercessions of S. Franc. And an other sick in like sort Then an other A Priest also that was poisoned S. Franc. by his intercessioÌ„ made iron ankers to swime vpon the sea S. Frans. miraculously seÌ„t fresh water to one deuoted vnto him and in his fauour ceassed a violent tempeste S. Franc. preserued a Fr. Minor from drowniÌ„g yea from being wett though he were in the bottom of a riuer And also three Religious And an other And certaine men and women And also Mariners of Ancona S. Franc. deliuereth a prisoner iniustly imprisoned A gentleman misprising S. Franc. had trial of his power And an other likewise S. Franc. freed a prisoner without seking him att liberty S. Franc. was protectour of the innocencie of a geÌ„tleman deuout vnto him A lady very happely deliuered in a daÌ„gerous trauaile of child A womaÌ„ was deliuered of a dead child by touching a girdle of S. Fr. A womaÌ„ that could not bring vp her children did nourish one by the intercessioÌ„ of S. Fr. that proued very vertuous And an other also A womaÌ„ that could haue no sonnes had by the merites of S. Franc. two att a birth Punishment of a womaÌ„ ingratefull to S. Francis A womaÌ„ was assisted by S. Francis and deliuered of a most dangerous child birth S. Franc. cured a Religious of a mortall infirmity of his eyes A blinde woman receaued sight on the feast of S. Fr. And an other Then an other S. Franc. gaue sight to one borne blind And an other for his spiritual prositt God restored speech hearing to one by the intercessioÌ„ of S. Fr. And cured mortal wouÌ„des He restored sight and hearing and cured a woman extremly tormented and afflicted One posessed was deliuered by the merits of S. Francis And also an other And an other And a woman of a mortal bloudy flux One also â—aâ—nned of one arme And an other of the flux He cured S. Praxede of a dangerous fall A man refusing to keepe the feast of S. Fr. had his handes fastened to his hatchett And a woman attempting on that day to spin â—ad an extreme paâ—ne in her fingars The punishment of a blasphemâ—e against S. Franc. An other One deuout vnto S. Fr. miraculously obteined water in her necessity A chery tree of one deuout to the said S. being dead and withered bare fruit Of vignes corne that wer preserued froÌ„ certaine wormeâ— that destroyed them The oxe of one deuout â—â—to him was cured of a broken legge He recouered a lost horse for one deuout vnto him reioyned a dish broaken in pieces An old woman had milk to nurcâ— a child by the merits of S. Franc. And a monaster was cured S. Franc. cured one deuout vnto him of an incurable disease in his legge What was the seale of S. Franc. Gal. 6. Lib. 14. chap. 18. Matt. 16. Seauen degrees of perfection Matt. 11. Hom. 30. vpon the Gospels Cant. 50. Ioan. 14. 15. Ephes 6. Ioan. 15. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. A worthy similitud Esay 64. 1. Corrin 2. Exhortations to certaine of his Religious which he sent to the Infidels The benediction which S. Francis gaue theÌ„ Luc. 10. Luc. 12. Matt. 28. Matt. 6. The fiue Martyrs were 20. dayes without meat or drinck The fiue Religious obtained of God water in an extreme necessity Matt. 10. Luc. 21. 2. Tim. 2. Cruelties of the Mahometans vpon the 5. Martyrs 1220. Punishment of one that would touch the said reliques being in mortall sinne How pure one ought to be to touch the said reliques The lyons respect the said reliques The reliques miraculously saued the Prince The king Miramolin some what acknowledgeth his faults and satisfieth the holy martyrs â—om 8. A Frere Minor died with his rule in his hand S. Antony becam att Frere Minor to goe in that kind to preach to the Infidels Great humility of S. Antony S. Antony preaching vnprouided by obedience was knowne to be a notable preacher S. Aâ—â—ony was twice seene in diuers places att one instant By the prayers of S. Antony haires torne off took root againe A stream of raine did not wett a maid employed in the seruice of the Frere Minors S. Antony foretold that the deuil would trouble his sermon And discouered a lye of the deuil to the same end He also discouered vnto his Religious an illusioÌ„ of the deuil to diuert them froÌ„â—â—ayer An extreme shower of raine did not wet nor fall vpon an audieÌ„ce of a sermoÌ„ of S. Antony though it ouerwhel med all the neighbour places A foole hauing kissed the cord of the S. was cured By the merittes of the S. a child being in a cawdron of boilling water was not hurt An other child raised from death Effect of true contrition Matt. 6. S. Antony caused the hart of a vsurer to be seene after death a mongst
soules and he that shall perseuer to the end shal be saued Of the Preachers THE XVII CHAPTER THe preaching of the gospell being the food and nourishment of the soule lett no Brother or Minister authorise himselfe and enterprise to preach without licence of his Superiours and lett such as â—â—albe authorised be very respectiue not to preach against the forme and constitutions of our holy mother the Church Lett the Minister Prouincials be aduertised not to admitt to any chardge especially in matter of importance all personnes indifferently but lett them formerly consider well therof Lett the Brethren that shal be admitted to preach or to exercise any other obedience take heed not to attribute to themselues or to their merittes the office which they shall haue and particulerly that of preaching they ought rather to practise by worckes then by faire elected wordes and therfore att all times and whensoeuer they shal be aduertised to desist from preaching lett them without any contradiction entierly forbeare to preach Therfore by charity which is God himselfe I pray all my Brethren Preachers Oratours and other Officers and Ministers as well Preistes as lay that they endeauour continually to debase and humble themselues and that they neither glory nor take complacence in any good that God doeth or speaketh by them because such worck is not theirs but Goddes and that they remember that which our lord IESVS CHRIST saith Esteeme not the more of your selues for that you see the deuils subiect vnto you and lett each on rest assured that we haue nothing of our owne but vices and sinnes and when we finde our selues tempted and oppressed with diseases and afflictions as well in soule as in body we should reioyce in hope of eternall life Lett vs beware of pride and vaine glory of the wisdome of the world and the prudence of the flesh which endeauoureth to speake well but litle to doe well For it seeketh not a religion and sanctity of spiritt but a religion and sanctity exteriour and apparant vnto men for these are they of whome our lord speaketh when he saith I tell you in verity you haue already your reward The spiritt which is of God desireth the flesh should be mortified misprised and esteemed vile and that it endeauour to be humble patient pure duly subiected to the spiritt and especially rooted in the feare and loue of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost referring all good thinges to the most high lett vs acknoledge our selues to be his and lett vs continually yeld him thankes as one from whome dependeth and proceedeth all our good Therfore are all honours and all benedictions due to him alone by reason also that he is the true and soueraigne good And therfore when we shall see any thing il done or ill spoaken against his holy name lett vs on the contrary endeauour to prayse exalt and thanck him as blessed for euer world without end Amen Now and when the Ministers ought to assemble THE XVIII CHAPTER THe Minister Prouinciall ought with all his Brethren to assemble together euery yeare att the feast of S. Michael in some coÌ„modious place to treat and determine of matters behoufull for the seruice of God and ReligioÌ„ And all the Minister Prouincials that are beyond the sea and in places on the other side the Mountaines shall asseÌ„ble once euery three yeares the other Minister Prouincials shall come euery yeare to the Chapiter in the Church of S. Mary of Angels if the Minister generall dispose not otherwise to whose ordonnance all ought to obey That all Brethren ought to liue Catholiquely THE XIX CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren be Catholiques and as such liue Catholiquely and if any one should erre in faith or in the instution and constitutions of holy Churche either by worckes or wordes if he doe not forthe with rectifie himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled out of our ReligioÌ„ We ought to acknoledge for our Superiours all Prelates and Religious in that which concerneth the good estate of our soule prouided that they proceed not against our Order and our Rule Of the confesion and communion of the Brethren THE XX. CHAPTER LEtt all my Brethren as well Preistes as the laity the blessed of God coÌ„fesse to the Preistes of our Order and if in case they caÌ„not they may confesse to an other Preist that is prudent and Catholique and lett them firmely beleeue that by the pennance and absolution giuen them they shal be absolued of all their sinnes and therfore lett them endeauour with the greatest faith and humility that they can to accomplish the penance that shal be enioyned them And if they should be in a place where they could not haue commodity of a Preist lett them in such case confesse with their Brethren as the Apostle saith Confesse your sinnes one to an other But let them not yet omitt when they shall haue meanes to repaire to Preistes because they alone haue the authority and power of God to bind and loose Being so contrite and coÌ„fested lett them with exceeding humility and reuerence receiue the most sacred sacrament calling to minde that which God saith he that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud hath life euerlasting And in an other place Doe this for a commemoration of me Of praysing God and exhorting Christians to pennance THE XXI CHAPTER VVHen my Brethren shall know and esteeme it expedient to preach to the people hauig imparted the benediction of God they may vse these wordes Feare loue honour praise continually and say yee Be thou blessed almighty God Trinity and vnitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost Creatour of all thinges I beseech thee to permitt me to performe fruites worthy of penance and to know this truth that we shall shortly die and that att that instant the knotte of this soule and body shall end to be either eternally happy or eternally miserable They must exhort such as haue bin offended to pardon as God doth pardon vs and to this effect lett them vnderstand that if they doe not pardon they shall not be pardonned and that they shal be blessed that shall die contrite because their place shal be in heauen and miserable shall they be that shall die impenitent because they shal be children of the deuill whose worckes they haue wrought and therfore shall they discend into eternall sier Be carefull my beloued Brethren to shunne all vices and perseuer in god euen to the end that God may blesse you An Exhortation he made to all the Brethren THE XXII CHAPTER LEtt vs be mindefull of that which our lord sayth loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you Because besides what he hath taugbt vs by worde he hath in like sort taught vs by effect whose steppes we ought to imitate As then he called Iudas his freind though he knew he would betray him and voluntarily presented himselfe to them that were to crucifie him so likewise lett vs repute them our freindes that
iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God