himselfe the basest yea worst of all men And this because he did not know whether the good which he did doe did please God or whether he should perseuer therein neither did he know the end wherto another might come and for this he iudged none Whē he did heare any euill of any one either he did excuse him or in hearing did shew himselfe sadde or did wholy turne the words of the speaker to some other matter The 6. was that he did much loue reprehensions them who reprehended him And if any ill thing was spoken of him he granted it if they did say any good he excused himselfe and said that he did no good knowing in his minde that God did doe and giue all good The 7. was that he did willingly serue all and would scarce permit any one to serue him reputing himselfe vnworthy of all seruice for said he Christ did not come to be ministred vnto but to minister If therfore any one did serue him in any necessitie in his heart he gaue thankes to God who gaue him that will to serue and to be able to doe it The 8. was that he did endeavour to contemplate all Gods benefits in himselfe in others yea in all creatures and did giue thankes to God for all of them afterward humbling himselfe did say who am I that I should giue thankes for others when I am not sufficient to giue thanke◠for the least part of the good tha◠God hath done vnto me especially sith I am so poore a creature The 9. was the guard of his tongue with out which all good is easily lost for he did abstain◅ not only from evill hurtfull or vnciuill words but also from all superfluous vaine talke which doth expell deuotion 10. Aboue all things he did take care that in euery word of his there should be truth goodnesse and humilitie Because the words of a man ought to begin in truth proceed in goodnesse end in humilitie and be measured in breuitie The 11. was his great Povertie which he esteemed as his Lady and Spouse because that it had bene so dignified in our Saviour and his Blessed Mother And therfore he left this as an inheritance to all his children The 12. was his prompt obedience which he esteemed aboue all other things because it did so shine in our Saviour who was obedient to his Father euen to the death of the crosse and therfore our holy Father said he would as willingly obey to a Novice of one dayes standing as to the eldest of the house if he were made his Superiour To omit many other rare Perfections which the devout Reader may gather in his life the last principall was his tender compassion of our Saviours Passion whereby he did merite to receiue the stigmats or markes of Christ Iesus crucifyed After this example devout soules in reading the liues of Saincts may gather the principall perfections or rarest vertues which haue bene in the Saincts that they may lay them vp in store to benefit themselues by their examples To conclude I will adde the words of S. Hierome in the first chapter of his Rule Christ saith he hath instructed women placed in Monasteries what manner of life they should principally take saying Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements and what those are he hath tought saying thou shall loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neigbour as thy selfe diligently consider that without the fullfilling of those commandements no man entreth to liue with God therfore the Apostle doth not glorie in the tongues of Angels and men nor in the knowledge of the misteries of God nor in the spirit of Prophecy but in charitie This alone doth make men liue to God This maketh Religious monkes Nunnes Without charitie Monasteries are but hell and those who dwell in them are but divells But with charitie Monasteries are Paradises on earth and those who abide in them are Angels therfore my most beloved daughters although long fasts doe make your bodies leane and abiect and poore garments deforme them and long offices be performed if charitie be wanting within you are not as yet come to the lowest degree of Religion It is a good pleasant thing for Sisters to dwell in one that is in one bond of loue and affection of charitie who doe helpe one another in tentation mutually administer to each other the offices of charitie and pietie Wherfore let there be one heart one soule in you corporally vnited for certrinely there is no life worse than to liue together in body and not in minde and they are truly vnhappy in whom there is not one will but diverse therfore let there be alwayes in you one affection one fraternitie one will one proportion of manners one ioy one sadnesse let not that which in our Lord is pleasing to one be displeasing to another neither that which is the ioy of one be the griefe of another and so ye may haue the proposed end and virtue of Religion if yee dwell vnanimously in the house of Lord. Instructions for the conservation of mutuall charitie FIrst you ought to consider your Sister not as flesh and bloud but as the image of God which he most affectionately loueth and to reforme it hath giuē his only Sonne he hath created all this world for its corporall service and spirituall assistance he hath also ordayned those most noble creatures the Angels to labour for its profit the Sonne of God Christ Iesus hath giuen his proper life for it for he hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes by his bloud Iudge whether it be reasonable to hate those whom he so infinitely loueth or contemne those whom Iesus Christ cherisheth 2. Consider your Sister not as a stranger but as one who is very neere vnto you whose prosperitie or adversitie concernes your selfe if any one loueth hir carnall Sister much more ought you to loue your spirituall Sister engendred with you by the same mother the holy Church and Religion and of the same Father Christ Iesus We come from the wombe of our Mother to miseries sinne and death wherein is no true fraternitie but we are engendred in the bosome of the Church Religiō to ioy merits and life everlasting wherein is perfect affinitie 3. Regard not your Sister al though shee be angry and envious towards you as euill or iniurious to you but as one who doth cause you great good honour for in speaking ill of you or contradicting or discoursing of you c. she is the occasion that you walke more carfully liue more religiously therfore consider that by her meanes you may heape vp merits 4. At all times when you find in your minde any ill will or a version against your Sister doe not suffer the cockle sowed by the craftie enimie to encrease in you but presently apply some remedy which you may doe by vncessantly praying God for her If
did manifest her ciuility in cōplieing to their desires than any content she had in the recreation She carried her selfe indifferent in all such things and so by a quotidian and dayly excercise resisted her naturall inclinations and mortified her appetite alwayes declining from the libertie of a loose life she did raise vp her selfe to greater meanes of perfection Entring into the Church she would alwayes lay aside her crowne vntill such time as all being done she were admonished to returne for that she thought it a great impietie that her head should there be adorned with the proude pompe of a glittering crowne where was represented vnto her the head of our sauiour crowned with pricking thornes Who could expect such deuotiō such high vertues in so tender yeares It seemed to many and not without reason that she was more fitting to liue amongst religious woemen than in the court you would iudge that she had beene some Angel in humaine nature especially where as so many occasions of wordly sensuality were presented vnto her as all knowe the courts of Princes be subiect to What she did in the time of her Marriage § 2. IN the fourteenth yeare of her age she is forced by the obedience she owed to her Father to marry and thereby perhaps must mitigate somewhat of this great feruour But nothing lesse for her heart was firme and stable in those graces that God had giuen her more and more sheweing forth her feruour of spirit dayly encreasing in the study of vertuous actions feeding her minde with the contemplation of celestiall things and excerciseing her body in watchings prayers and fasts oftentimes cautiously riseing frō her husbands side in the night to pray And when she could get opportunity she would lie on the bare ground and to preuent all rebellion of the flesh she chastised her tender body euery fryday with disciplines in the lent oftener Vnder her silkes and sattins she ware continually a haireshirt yea many times permitted her maides to discipline and chastise her when she could think that she had done ought amisse A rare parterne in so great a princesse To all this we may adde her great charitie wherein she spent the greater part of her time now labouring by word and workes to draw others to amendment of life by reason whereof many ladies forsooke the vanitie of the world some by her counsell makeing vowes of chastitie others entering into religiō others who had not receiued the faith by her good counsell and instruction brought to be baptized she her selfe going to be their God-mother at the font Other whiles going forth to visit poore sicke woemen comforting and cherishing them with all things necessarie which she alwayes brought with her And indeed she was alwayes-mercifull to the poore not disdaining secretly to dresse their fores and botches yea their scald-heads and scurfes where of being sometimes reprehended she ioyfully answered that she had rather please Christ than mē And to auoid idlenesse the mother of all mischiefe being vacant from the aforesaid works of piety she vsed with her maydes to spinne and therewithall she cloathed the poore And that her charitie might neuer cease she caused a faire hospitall to be built wherein she gaue order that all things necessarie should be prouided for the poore that were weake and sick which hospitall although it were on a high mountaine somewhat painfull to ascend she did ordinarily visit euery day going with great humilitie to each one that was there enquiring whether they wanted any thing or what they desired and with her owne hands did feed those that were not able to helpe themselues taking them out of their beds bearing thē in her armes and composeing their beds for them Most louingly would she embrace the poore little children carrieing them in her armes and shewing her tender affection to them as if she had beene their mother so that ordinarily she was called the Mother of the poore She neuer regarded their deformitie diseases scabs or filth but louingly receiued all as if they had beene her owne In this hospitall she had alwayes 28 persons for whom she prouided although she were forced sometimes for their sakes to substract necessaries from her selfe Besides there were 900. beggars daily nourished by her almes but aboue all she tooke speciall care for the funeralls and burials of such poore people as were not able to prouide for themselues These acts of so notable charity God almighty shewed both to be gratefull to himselfe and also not preiudiciall to her husbands state as the following examples will shew For once being much importuned by some poore people for almes and hauing not any other thing to giue she gaue them her mantell which was very rich which the Prince misseing asked for it the Sainct confidently answered that it hung thereby as experience did verify At another time the prince being in great anxietie of mind for that she had not apparell beseeming her qualitie especially in such a time as there came vnto him an Embassadour from the king her Father she willed him not to be troubled for that she did neuer care for such vanities But the time being come that she must descend to the Embassadour loe she appeares in very rich apparell adorned with such beauty that euery one was strucke into admiration especially the prince to whom demāding the reason she smiling said our lord doth know how to prepare such things when he pleaseth About the yeare 1225. there fell a great dearth through the whole country when her husband being abroade she gathers all the corne she could get and most bountifully imparts it to the poore so that she emptied all the princes barnes and store-houses which notwith standing were found to be as they were before It is too hard to expresse her great deuotion at Masse and other diuine offices her feruent and pious aspirations her pietie in the time of communion wherein she was many times seene to shine with a great light and brightnesse And although she spent her whole time very religiously yet more particularly she obserued the lent with fastings almes and prayers adding frequent disciplines and on maundy thirsday poorely clad she visited the churches washing with great deuotion the feet of twelue poore woemen and after ward gaue them liberall almes Shee oftentiues went the processions barefoot The fame of these and such like vertues came to the eares of our seraphicall S. Francis who for her comfort by the commandement of the Cardinall protectour sent her his cloake which she most deuoutly receiued It seemes to me that this cloake was a misticall signe of what she was to be to wit not only one of his children but a mother and patronesse of this third order which the holy Father by this signe doth commend vnto her What she did after her husbands death §. 3. NEwes cōming to her of the princes death she with a constant resolution said teares sweetly flowing from her eyes If my Brother so
the princesse Marie sister of the same Philip the 4. gaue their names to this Religion Perhaps the cilice doth not become the Royall dignitie certainely it doth and in the time of Elizeus the prophet the sacred historie doth tell that the king of Israel did vse it Wherefore then doe you admire that a Cardinall should put vpon his purple a cinericious habit and gird himselfe with a cord You say it is a habit too humble for such a dignitie But I answere therefore it is to be taken in this time c. What therfore should I doe when I am eleuated to so supreme a dignitie in the Church but defend my selfe with the humility of S. Francis whereby I may more securely beare the labours and burthen of my enioyned charge But what more is not the cinericious or ashy coloured habit of S. Francis truly purple wherewith Royall and Cardinall dignitie may be adorned it is truely purple which the bloud of Christ hath coloured and the faith of his passion signed and which in Christs place S. Francis hath made redde with his proper bloud flowing from his stigmats Is the humilitie of Christ a seruitude that is not seruile which doth nobilitate the Royall purple If any one should contemne or abhorre this habit let him consider that it is not gray but purple for humilitie vnder taken for Christ doth carry with it a Royall dignitie What therefore haue I done I haue couered purple with purple and that of a Cardinall with a kingly one It is so farre from humbling me that I may doubt whether I am become prouder thereby Thus farre the foresaid Cardinall Whence we may gather that this Order is sutable to Popes and Cardinals kings and princes and other of what condition soeuer they be and this day in Spaine nothing more frequent almost whole townes being of this Order There are other sorts of the third order both meÌ„ and woemen who are taken either in the Conuents of Friar Minors or Monasteries of S. Clare or ' of other Religions that liue vnder the gouernement of the Friar Minors in other Orders they are called Donats because they giue themselues to the seruice of such a house and Oblates because offered vp to such an end these make only simple vowes There are others whom the fire of diuine loue hath caused to leaue the world and liue in communitie vnder solemne vowes of obedieÌ„ce pouertie and chastitie professing this Rule of the 3. Order not barely as it was made by the seraphicall Father S. Francis but as it is accomodated to their state by seuerall Popes as we shall shew hereafter Some of these doe addict themselues to the keeping of Hospitals teaching of children seruing the sicke and such like Finally there be some that to make a compleat religious state haue ioyned certaine statutes to their Rule for the better attaining to perfection and doe adde the fourth vow of Enclosure Of these in this our treatise we meane to speake explicating the Rule conformably to their estate This diuersitie may perhaps seeme strange to the Reader and therfore it shall not be amisse to shew how it was brought in by shewing what progresse in perfection this holy Order hath made THE NINTH CHAPTER Of the great progresse that the professors of this Rule haue made in the way of perfection PLutarch in his apothegmes saith that there be more who adore the sunne rising than the sunne setting and that in some occasions with iust reason for such is the frailtie of creatures that all things are subiect to decay and euen man by nature growes worse and worse being as Aristotle saith the example of imbecillitie spoyle of time play of fortune and image of inconstancy Whence it is that almost all orders haue decayed and fallen from their first feruour and zeale which can neuer be repaired but by casting our eies vpon the rising sunne of that spirit which first began such and such an Order setting before vs the heroicall vertues of our progenitors endeauouring with new force and vigor to imitate their examples Let vs not looke vpon the sunne setting that is on the tepide and cold state that the corruption of nature hath brought vs to but as the Prophet Isay saith Attend to â—he rocke that is the first founder whence we were hewen out for in Christ they haue begotten vs and to the caue of the lake to the Profession of our Rule from whence wee are cut out that is hacked and hewed and made fitting for the celestiall HierusaleÌ„ There is no better way to reduce vs to perfection than by returning to the begining Whence in all orders almost there haue bene continuall reformations which not withstanding doe soone decay I pray God that the like doe not happen to this third Order which hitherto contrary to the ordinary course hath dayly more and more encreased not only in number but also in perfection and from a low shrubbe is become a faire and beautifull tree from the lowest state in Gods Church to be equall in a manner with the highest I can see nothing here but what the prophet Ezechiel denounceth c. 37. God made a league of peace to them and an euerlasting couenant shal be to them he hath founded them and will multiplie them and giue them his sanctification in the midst of them for euer The continuaÌ„ce in the same state is much considering our frailtie but to encrease dayly more and more in perfection is the hand of the almightie which particularly is to be seene in this Order for in the beginning it was but a certaine deuout course of life which our seraphicall Father did prescribe for all sorts as is said before but not long after the institution therof it became a sett Order and state of life for within six or seauen yeares after the Blessed and glorious Saint S. Elizabeth of hungary as Iodocus Chlictouaeus reporteth made a formall profession of this Rule and did take a gray poore patched habit and girt her selfe with a rude cord going alwayes barefoot spending the rest of her dayes in a most austere manner with some of her ladies cloathed in the same habit and professed in the same Order Which as it seemes was the first communitie that militated vnder this Rule After this the most pious Angela countesse of Ciuitella hauing gathered together many noble virgins at Fulginea which is a towne some twelue miles distant from Assisium did build a couent vnder the title of S. Anne wherein entring with her companions and making the three vowes of chastitie obedience and pouertie she perseuered ingreat sanctitie to her death as is to be seene hereafter in her life After her example very many virgins gathering their meanes together caused to be builded and erected in short time 8. monasteries in diuerse parts of Italie wherein they did liue vnder the habit and Rule of the third Order of S. Francis Gonzaga saith that this B. woman was the first who did make these
order who knowing the true state and manner of liuing might keepe them in a vniforme manner of life and ordaine lawes fitting for such a state For practicall experience more auaileth for the aduancement of any good gouernement than speculatiue knowledge drawen from bookes without practise and yet this is the most that ordinarily those that are not of the same order haue For this reason no doubt Blessed S. Ignatius founder of the holy Societie of Iesus not lauing begunne any order of woemen because his institution was principally to preach and teach did particularly ordaine that none of his should take charge and care of Nunnes well knowing that diuersitie of spirits might cause diuersity of instructions and consequently as many if not more confusions and so he would that euery one should looke to his owne charge and the sheepe be left to their owne pastours For such and many other reasons haue Popes exempted most Religious orders from the gouernement and iurisdiction of Bishops As in particular they haue donde to our order for Honorius 3. who approued our Rule did exempt both the Franciscans and Dominicans from episcopall iurisdiction Innocentius 4. did it more amply with many other And that this third order is also exempted is manifest by what hath beene said in the precedent chapter for if it enioyeth all the priuiledges of the first order it must necessarily also enioy this exemption which is an especiall priuiledge much tending to the good of their order Besides diuerse Popes haue wholy submitted it and the order of the poore clares to the gouernement of the Friar Minors as may be seene in the Bulles of Pope Martin the 5. Sixtus 4. Leo 10. Clement 7. with many others as is to be seene in the Bullarie of Roderiques Yea Clement the 7. doth extend this grace to their houses monasteries Churches Prelats seruants men and woemen benefactors persons substance and goods whatsoeuer granting them to vse and enioy all and singular the exemptions priuiledges immunities prerogatiues indulgences indults fauours conseruatories graces which the Friar Minors and Preachers and sisters of S. Clare or any other whatsoeuer mendicant orders doe enioy or shall enioy in future times not only like vnto them or by way of Communication but equally and principally without any difference the Popes following as is said before still giuing them the like exemptions And Pius 5. expressely commands them to submit themselues to the order of the Friars in all things to be gouerned directed visited and serued by the Friar Minors to whō also they haue committed the care and charge ouer them THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER What were the motiues that drew Popes to grant these priuiledges and graces to this third order I Know not who can better decide this question than the Popes themselues who haue beene so liberall to this sacred order and therfore I will produce their owne words most making to our purpose omitting many others that might be set downe and are to be seene in their Bulles more at large And to beginne with Pope Gregorie the. 9. who liued in the very beginning of this order he in his Bull cum dilecti filij saith of the religious of this order that they had left the world to please our lord in the tower of contemplation and therfore he frees them from receiuing and executing publicke offices in the world Alexander the 4. doth the same because they hauing left the vanities of this world being as yet corporally on earth diligently labour in spirit and mind to dwell in celestialls and for God to deny secular desires Caelestinus in his Bulla Dignum esse credimus giues the same because that being mind full of their last end and forsaking the vanities of this world they desire with a contrite heart and humble spirit to doe pennance Leo the tenth in his Bull Dudum faelicis communicates vnto them all the Priuiledges of the poore clares because they liue in the spirit of pouerty in the lillie of Chastitie and other odours of good fame Clement the. 7. goes farther and communicates vnto them all the priuiledges of all mendicant orders in his Bull ad vberes fructus giuing this reason directing the eie of our consideration vnto the plentifull fruit which the sacred order of Pennance which the truely seraphicall fisher of men B. S. Francis illuminated by the holy Ghost hath ordayned that he might gaine all soules to their creatour hath brought hitherto into the store-house of our lord and euery day ceases not to bring in with a more fertile hand and reuoluing in the secrets of our minde that this order not only by those that are married of both sex but also by the brethren and sisters liuing in community and making the three solemne vowes hath long agoe begun to flourish and euery day doth more and more flourish c. I will omit many such like and conclude that as the religious of this third order are participant with all other orders in their essentiall vowes religious obseruances fasts mortifications austerities prayers meditation cōtemplation and other labours night and day in the quire with ought else that belongs to a religious state they ought in all reason to participate of the same graces and fauours But I feare I haue beene some what tedious in this subiect yet I hope it wil be pleasing to some who are not only desireous to satisfie their curiositie but also to know the truth Wherfore I now proceed to my intended purpose and as I haue set downe the priuiledges that haue beene granted to this order by the Church so I haue thought good briefely to shew the great graces and gifts that God hath imparted to this order to witt sanctitie and perfection both which the Popes holynesse hath mentioned in the Prologue THE FOVRTEENTH CHAPTER Of the sanctitie of this order AS the Church triumphant is peopled with saints who haue made profession of the three Rules that S. Francis hath left to his children so the Church militant hath beene and is adorned embellished with many saints and holy persons whose liues and deaths haue beene miraculously confirmed by God and approued by the said Church For we find that there hath beene in S. Francis order 27. canonized saints 606. beatified of whom the diuine office is celebrated either generally in the whole order or particularly in some kingdomes Diocesses or townes and 920. martyrs besides infinite others which are not knowne as yet 1650. Confessours notable for Sanctitie of life and miracles 6. beatified saints whose canonization is dayly expected 4. whose beatification is in hand all things being finished therto required 14. who by command of the Pope haue their processe for the next generall beatificatiō 133. whos 's life and miracles are now in the last examine for to proceed for their beatification 19. whose processe is before the ordinaries the number of which encreaseth dayly Of all which saints this third order hath had no little share For in it we may
find 5. canonized saints whereto we may adde S. Roch as approued by the practise of the whole Church 9. beatified 21. knowue martyrs So that we may well say that of Num. cap. 24. O quam pulchra tabernacula tua Iacob How beautifull are thy tabernacles ô Iacob and thy tents ô Israell as wooddie vallies as watered gardens besides the Riuers as tabernacles which our lord hath pitched as cedars by the waterside O how beautifull are the seuerall congregations militating vnder the tents or Rules of the seraphicall Father S. Francis they are like to wooddy vallies extending themselues through the whole world which like strong bulwarkes are to withstand the treacheries and deceits of the Diuell for as he euery day vseth new inuentions to deceiue and deuoure soules so these orders yeeld new souldiours day ly to vanquish and tread him vnder foot no soouer doth one troupe begin to faile but another rises vp And therfore they may well be compared to watered gardēs besides the Riuers alwayes florishing and in due time giuing copious fruicts amongst whome by a pious kinde of emulation the true worship of God and religious pietie dayly encreaseth And according as they encrease so they are more and more strengthned being also as tabernacles which our lord hath pitched that is solide and firme as being erected and established by God who hath adorned each member and branche of them with seuerall gists and graces conformable to their capacity This camot choose but be a great ornament and splendour to the Church proceeding from the varietie of these cedars by the water side who being watered with the water of grace doe bring forth fruit in abundance Truly it is a thing worthy to be noted that in the sole order of S. Francis there is meat for all palats none can excuse themselues of weakenesse none can presume of their strength For amongst the professours of this order or children of S. Francis some liue as strictly and with as much austeritie as in any order of Gods Church as be those of the first and second order but in the third order as it is now be of all forts some liuing in a very strict manner no way inferiour to the professours of the first and second order some obseruing a meane accomodating themselues according to the disposition and nature of the country where they liue others liuing in a deuout manner in their houses And out of each of them haue sprung forth many saints which is an argument that this Rule is holy And least that any one should thinke I speake without ground I will compendiously set downe here the liues of some of them first beginning with the canonized Saints THE FISTEENTH CHAPTER The life of Blessed S. Elizabeth Queene of Hungary compendiously extracted out of the Annalls of our Order I Haue made choise to begin with this glorious saint as being the first canonized saint and as it seemes to me first that liued a claustral life in this order and therfore worthely acknowledged as patronesse thereof Her life is very amply set forth in latin by the R. F. Sedulius and now is translated out of french into English by S. Thomas H. whose sweet and elegant stile will soone shew a blemish in my harsh and vnpollished phrase who likes not one may read the other and pardon my desires to honour so great a Sainct whose heroicall and pious acts require a Seraphs penne If the reuerence I beare to the holy woman make me ouerbold the fault is pardonable or at least to be mended by others howsoeuer I intend not to make a compleat worke but a rude delineation and briefe extract of her life diuiding it into fiue parts the first shall be of her life vntill she was married the second of what she did in marriage the third what she did after her husbands death the fourth how she finished her life in a religious course and lastly of her translation What this sainct did vntill such time as she was married §. 1. OMitting the description of her noble race for she was daughter to the king of Hungary and the prophecy reported to haue beene made before the world enioyed so rare a piece of her birth name wit miracles and many such like things worthy enough of recording I will beginne at the 7. yeare of her age when she begins to shew forth the lustre of her future sanctitie For euen now before she well knowes what vertue is she is become the mirrour and patterne of vertue especially of patience and charitie For although her infancy principally in the more tender sex might excuse her griefe for her mothers death yet she then aboue her age and sex tooke it with a constant patience and with a patient charity not any waies seeking to reuenge her deare mother but sweetly prayeing for thē who had iniuriousely takē away her life And frō thēce forward you should find the little child alwayes in the Church before some Altar or other now prostrating her selfe in a most pious manner now kneeling for a long space together with eies and hands lifted vp to heauen and if she could not get into the Church sweetly kneeling at the doore kisseing the threshold doores and walles of that holy place As she encreased in yeares so she encreased in pietie making a happy progresse in all vertues and begins now to lay solide grounds of a spirituall life For at the 9. yeare of her age she begins to haue God alwayes before her eies and for his sake to despise contemne and cast of superfluitie of apparell the pleasures of the flesh and vanity of the world Now she prescribes to her selfe certaine prayers which she resolued dayly to make and if she chanced in the day time to be hindred as seldome she was because true deuotion will alwayes find occasion that her defect would she supply in the night Aboue all other saints next to our Blessed lady she made choise of S. Iohn Euangelist for her patron hauing first made her prayer to God that she might choose one who should most aduance her pious desires him she loued and reuerenced so much that she would neuer deny any thing that was demanded for his sake Shee most religiously obserued the solemnities of feasts and holy dayes and whereas according to the vanitie of the world others adorne and decke themselues with gay apparell shee on those dayes would take away some thing of her ordinary attire well knowing that it was more pleasing to God to haue the minde adorned with vertues than the body with rich apparell and that a soule addicted to the studie of religious pietie is more acceptable to him than the corporall substance shining with purple gold siluer iewels or pretious stones which are but as the drosse of the earth Although she were but yet a child yet tooke she no delight in childish toyes and playes and if by chance she were compelled to daunce she vsed such temperance therein that she rather
and octaues of S. Clare which is not ordinarily granted vnlesse they were patrons or patronesses THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER Of the life and death of Blessed S. Lewis king of France THis glorious saint was borne of blessed parents to wit of Lewis the 8. king of France and Blancha queene of Castile both holy persons in the yeare 1215. being obtained of almightie God by the intercession of our B. lady For his deuout mother who also was of this third order grieuing that she had no children to succeed in the kingdome was persuaded by S. Dominicke to implore the aide and helpe of the B. virgin and to that end instructed her the manner of saying the Rosarie which had newly begunne Her prayers were not without fruit for she obtained her desire in enioying so blessed an ofspring who at twelue years old was crowned king of France yet remained vnder the protection of his mother who would often incultate these words vnto him My most deare sonne I had rather thou shouldest vndergoe a temporall death than by one mortall sinne offend thy creatour Which words tooke such root in his mind that Gods grace so preseruing him he neuer sinned mortally in his life his mother still instructing him in the way of vertue and procureing alwayes some religious men especially Franciscans and Dominicans to be with him that by their example he might be drawne to vertue and pietie And being now of age fit for marriage she prouided a wife for him to the great ioy and comfort of all his subiects but for three nights after his marriage he still continued in prayer bridling his coniugall desire with the feare of God and euer after liued most chastly with his queene Hee was greatly addicted vnto pietie and deuotion daily saying the canonicall houres and much loued humilitie pouertie charitie patience and other vertues studyeing the workes of pennance and mercy liuing in watchings prayers fastings disciplines and haircloath and continually meditateing on the sacred misteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour the principall instruments whereof he from all places procured as that of the crowne of thornes great part of the Crosse the Iron of the lance that opened our Sauiours side with many others He was very deuout in hearing Masse and did communicate often and that with such deuotion that he would allure others to pietie so strong in faith thereto that being one time called to behold an apparition of a most beautifull child when the priest did eleuate the holy Sacrament he refused to goe to see it saying that such signes were for those that did not belieue Out of his great zeale of Gods honour he went forth to make warre with the Sarazens wherein at the first he properously proceeded but in the end God so willing he was taken prisoner but by composition being set at libertie in his returne God by his prayer deliuered both himselfe and his company from shipwracke And as in this he shewed his feruent desire to reduce those infidels to the light of faith so he alwayes did defend the Church against its enemies he loued and maintained all religious orders especially those of the Friar minors and Preachers but was a seuere enemie to all heretickes euen to the houre of his death for on his death bed it was one of his last and greatest charges he gaue to his sonne Fili saith he fis deuotus obediens matri nostrae Romanae Ecclesiae summo Pontifici tanquam Patri spirituali be deuout and obedient to our mother the Romane Church and to the Soueraigne bishop as to a spirituall Father It is reported of him that going in pilgrimage to Rome he passed by Perusia to see Brother Giles one of the companions of our holy Father a man of great contemplation who by reuelation vnderstanding of his comming and meeting the king in a disguised habit for he went in a pilgrimes weed he presently most ioyfully receiued him and both falling prostrate to each other and both rising together after an houres space they went one from another Brother Giles being demanded why he did not speake to the king sith he knew him he answered we saw one anothers hearts so clearely that it was not needfull to speake any thing Omitting many other most excellent things in his life I will conclude with his death which was thus In the yeare 1270. hauing receiued all the Sacraments of the Church with great deuotion and casting himselfe prostrate on the ground with a haire-cloath and ashes vnder him holding his hands stretched forth in the forme of a Crosse he gaue vp the Ghost and afterward shined with many miracles especially that of curing the disease commonly called the kings Euill and as some will haue it from him all the succeeding kings haue that vertue For the great vertues and miracles that God wrought by this saint he was canonised by Pope Bonifacius the 8. in the yeare 1298. And that he was of this third order is manifest by all the ancient monuments of our order the whole order hauing alwayes celebrated his feast with peculiar right And Paulus 3. in his Bull Cum à nobis petitur 1547. numbers him amongst the saincts of this third order See the Martirologe of the Friar Minors on the 25. of August THE SEAVENTEENTH CHAPTER The life of S. Iuo Patrone of the lawyers BLessed S. Iuo was borne of noble Parents neere Trecore in little Brittaine in the yeare 1258. who at competent age was sent thēce to Paris where hauing past his studies with praise as well in humanitie as Philosophy and diuinitie he departed thence and went to Orleans to study the cannon law where fearing the occasion of place and companie he began to exercise himselfe in the way of mortification and vertue which much encreased his good fame and esteeme of all men and made the Archdeane of Rhemes to choose him for to be his officiall which office he performed with great applause He euer cherished the poore helped orphans and comforted those that were in any affliction he was a great peacemaker neuer giuing sentence or iudgement but with teares accompanying it as vnwilling to displease any one In all things he did shew his great charitie to the poore and singular loue to God for whose sake he despised all the things of this world Which that he might more perfectly effect he tooke the habit of this third order which humble state made him to leaue his office or place although now he were officiall to the Bishop and retire himselfe to a poore little Parish Church where with more freedome he might be attentiue to diuine contemplation And now going in his poore habit vnder which also he did weare a hairshirt with most strict fasts euen in bread and water very frequently did remaine in extasie and sometimes for the space of seauen dayes together He celebrated Masse with exceeding great deuotion as also the diuine office which he said alwayes at midnight very sparing in
both in her life and after her death Blessed Vraca Roderiguez of Vlmes of most noble parentage and exceeding rich entring into a a Church where she heard the words of our Sauiour si vis perfectus esse vade vende omnia quae habes da pauperibus tooke them as said to her selfe and so bestowed much part of her meanes vpon religious houses builded an hospitall conuerting her owne house into a monasterie and giuing all the rest to the poore Afterward she with fiue of her neeces and three other gentlewoemen entred into this order about the yeare 1491. None was more chast than she none more vigilant She exceld all the rest in patience meekenesse mercie humilitie and dayly labours and at last replenished with merits and sanctitie died lies buried in the monasterie she had erected About the same time liued Blessed Agnes à ferro who sometime did attend on the Queene of Aragonia but afterward being weary of the world and despiseing the vaine honours thereof became religious of this third order liuing in great pouertie humilitie and sanctitie In the yeare 1500. Blessed Anne of Areualo was famous for sanctitie in the monasterie of S. Elizabeth of the third order of S. Francis where she liued for a hundred yeares in exceeding great humilitie patience abstinence prayer and charitie About the same yeare liued Blessed Clare of Fulginea famous for pietie and deuotion being very zealous of regular obseruance and often deseruing to be comforted in apparitions by the seraphicall Father S. Francis About the yeare 1515. florished Blessed Catharine Ruiz whose charitie in assisting the sicke sisters was admirable spending all that euer she could get for them yea begging for them and thereby became famous for sanctitie Blessed Anna Sanchez was one of her companions whose deuotion and continuall prayer was much to be admired yet she was of an excellent prudence for gouernement and therfore was sent to be mother or Abbesse in the Cloyster of S. Clement from whence after she had beene there 20. yeares with great labours and toiles leauing the most fragrant odour of her sweet conuersation she returned to her former place where broken and wearied with pennances fastings and continuall prayers she died with great sanctitie the cell and bed wherein she died did for sometime after shine with a great light to the great admiration of those that beheld it About the same time also liued in Placentia Blessed Baptista famous in her life for many vertues and after her death for many miracles especially for that her body remaining entire doth yeeld a most sweet and pleasing smell In the yeare 1519. liued B. Maria Pennalosa in the monasterie of S. Elizabeth in Segouia a woman of a very religious spirit in humilitie prayer and charitie hardly to be equalised who as it is commonly reported in her life time did obtaine life for a yong man that was dead for which and other things she is worshipped there with great deuotion About the same time B. Elizabeth Pontia together with her two daughters both also holy woemen began the monasterie of S. Anne in the prouince of Carthage and by their example did draw many others to Religion And as in their life they had the generall opinion of sanctitie so after their death their Reliques haue deliuered many that had beene possessed as also cured many diseases Blessed Francisca of S. Anne in the yeare 1525. was brought from the monasterie where she had made profession of the third order to the monasterie of the annuntiation at Grinion in the diocesse of Toledo that she might giue a beginning therto and instruct others that were to come in regular discipline and as she had beene abbesse of the former place so was she abbesse of this with woÌ„derfull fruit of soules for she did excell in prudence charitie pietie humilitie affabilitie modestie abstinence and monasticall obseruance B. Lucie about the yeare 1530. did found the monasterie of S. Clare vnder the rule of the third order and was very famous for perfection of life and miracles Her body is had in great estimation with the faithfull in those parts About this time liued Blessed S. Ioane of the holy Crosse whose admirable life is set forth in out vulgar language and therefore here omitted B. Francis liued in the same time of whom Gonzaga thus writes This most vertuous and religious sister Francis was a child of the third order of saint Francis who declining from the innumerable deceits of the fiend did get a glorious victorie ouer sathan and therefore was much feared by him B. Aldonza about the yeare 1566. was famous for sanctitie and after hauing beene abbesse when the sisters were to remoue she prayed that she might die in the same place which she obtained and six yeares after her death her body was found whole and entire yeelding a fragrant odour wherefore she was held in great veneration Blessed Marie Gonsalue in the yeare 1577. died with great opinioÌ„ of sanctitie after she had fouÌ„ded a monasterie of this third order wherein she lead a life of great perfection aswell in seruing the poore as in compassionating their miseries and wants she did alwayes sleep without any bed vnder her exactly obseruing the fasts of the whole yeare with rigorous and bloudy disciplines Blessed Olalia Grinesia was famous for sanctitie about the yeare 1583. For entring into this order and therein desiring the height of pennance she was not contented with the ordinary austerities of her order but inuented new fastings all the lents and vigils in bread and water and three times in the weeke did take bloudy disciplines being much addicted to pouertie and humilitie she would willingly serue all and continually did meditate on our lords Passion and not without teares Lastly falling into a dropsy now fourscore yeares old she died most blessedly The sisters by her reliques did cure very many diseases About the same time liued B. Clare Martineira whost abstinences fastings watchings teares haircloaths rigorous disciplines humble exercises feruent prayers mortificatioÌ„s pious workes most great temptations deuout actâ—oÌ„s celestiall visions diuine fauours frequent miracles both in her life and after her death are set downe by Daza And least I be ouer tedious in rehearsing so many holy persons to omitte many others which may be seene in the martyrologe amounting to two hundred vpwards I will conclude this chapter with Blessed Innocentia who liued in these our times and died in the yeare 1624. This Blessed virgin of noble parents in Cicilie from her infancy gaue her selfe to pietie vertue and temperance obseruing the fasts very strictly and despiseing the pompe and vanitie of this world out of her great desire of perfection entred into this third order giuing very good example of humilitie pouertie chastitie and obedience And by her continuall meditation she was so enflamed with the fire of diuine loue especially when she communicated that she was often rapt into extasie Her body remaines as yet whole and
and element containeing themselues within the limits of their natures to the vse of man But that which excelles all is that man was made to the image and likenesse of God that he might alwayes tend towards him and conforme himselfe entirely to his holy will nothing being sufficient to content him saue only God So that beholding himselfe he had occasiō to contemplate the maker of all things and consider the dignitie of his owne soule To be briefe Adam had such great prerogatiues in the state of innocency that he was alwayes vnited to God his soule enriched with grace was pleasing to God his appetite without contradiction was subiect to the lawes of reason his body should have beene alwayes vigorous and strong c. Who is he that beholding this well carued image is not rauished and astonished or can refraine from extolling the honour and praise of the workeman Who can behold so noble a creature not magnify the Creatour who hath made man the ornament of the world the epitomie of the grand vniuerse the loue of heauen the terrour of the diuell cōpaniō of angels sonne of God and brother of Christ Iesus what shall I say more It is impossible to conceiue much harder to declare the preheminence dignity and nobility of man in the state of Innocence when as he was cloathed with that royall robe of originall iustice whereby man was subiect to God all the inferiour powers to reason But alas this did not long continue as is to be seene in the following chapter THE 23. CHAPTER Declaring mans fall from the state of Innocency HOmo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis Psal 48. Man when he was in honour did not vnderstand he was compared to the foolish beasts and became like to them Adam did not know his excellency and dignity but he became like an irrationall creature without iudgement and transgressed the commands of God by eating of forbidden fruit and so by his disobedience did as it were make a massacre vpon all mankind which thus piously S. Augustine deplores vpon S. Paules epistles O durus durior casus c. ô cruell and more than cruell fall alas what is it that man hath lost what is it that he hath found he hath lost the beatitude whereunto he was created he hath found death from whence he was exempted O infortunate Adam thou hast chased vs out of our country thy sinne hath banished vs into this troublesome desart of cursed earth and from immortall as we were we are become mortals O miserable seruitude inestimable losse insupportable paine and most grieuous torment ô vnfortunate Adam what hast thou done wherefore last thou so soone forgotten the commande of thy creatour transgressed the precept of thy master and trodden vnder foot the law of thy God what disorder what passion what intemperance hath seased on thee that thou couldest not be contented with so great abundance of all good but must needs eat of forbiddē fruit whereas thou mightest at thy pleasure eat of all the rest S. Chrysostome in his homily de Adamo in the person of God doth the same Vbi imago meaprimum for mosa c. where is my image that I haue created so beautifull where is that most pretious ornament of Paradise where is the chiefe worke of my hands where is the liuely heire of my kingdome where now is my familiar friēd O vnfortunate sinne that hath depriued mankind of so great good made him to be cast out of paradise and to be condemned to teares labours griefes and death both in himselfe and all his posteritie No sooner then had man disobeyed God but concupiscence began to raigne and domineere ouer the spirit and the inferiour powers to rebell against reason He who euen now was the most noble and most perfect of all sensible creatures is now become of all the most miserable and because he had rebelled against his God he finds a continuall rebellion within and against himselfe being as the Apostle S. Paule saith Rom 7. venundatus sub peccato sold vnder sinne and he his posteritie deliuered vp to the slauery of originall sinne and tyrannie of concupiscence The flesh is become a remora to the spirit in its course to heauē whereof each one may iustly complaine in himselfe saying I see another law in my members repugning that is rebelling to the law of my minde and captiuating me in the law of sinne making me subiect to the law of sinne that is my concupiscence In so much that vnwillingly and with reluctation I am forced to feele its vitious inclinations and I cannot escape its snares Well hath the wise man sayd Eccl. 40. Great trauell is created to all men and an heauie yoake vpon the children of Adam from the day of their comming forth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all In their whole life they are to suffer many infirmities wants griefes lamentations mournings cares anguishes labours contradictions persecutious wearinesses iniuries rapines slaughters temptations and other innumerable troubles and afflictions in so much that life seemeth no other than a long and continuall death a prolonged death or decaying life I will conclude omitting many yea innumerable euills that haue proceeded from this sinne of Adam and only set downe the ten effects of originall sinne which Cardinall Bellarmime in his booke de amiss gra doth assigne to wit Ignorance in the vnderstanding malice in the will concupiscene in the flesh calamitie labour and paine in the members death in the body anger and wrath of God captiuitie vnder the diuell strifes debates brawlings seditions and warres with our neighbours enmitie and rebellion of irrationall creatures and innumerable euils comming from the heauens and elements O grieuous yoake of mankind THE 24. CHAPTER Declaring how we may reduce our selues to the state of Innocency HAuing thus briefly shewed what the state of innocence was and what we haue lost by Adams sin it is now time to explicate the Popes words afore cited and see how we may be reduced to the state of Innocence The light and Doctour of the Gentils Rom. 5. saith If in the offence of one death reigned by one much more they who receiue abundance of grace and of donation and of Iustice shall reigne by one Iesus Christ Therfore as by the offence of one vnto all men to condemnation so also by the iustice of one vnto all men to iustification of life As if he should haue sayd If by the fault of Adam all his posteritie did incurre the guilt paine of death know that Christ hath exhibited a farre greater benefit for Christ by his grace hath giuen vs greater gifts than Adam by his sinne hath taken from vs. For saith he not as the offence so also the gift For if by the offence of one many died much more the grace of God and the gift in
she called her husband be dead hence forward the world shall die to me who am dead to the world What she said in words she fullfild in deeds for at that time the ouerseers of her young sonne vnable as yet to succeed in his Fathers dominions cast her out of all and banished her the court not permitting her to come neare the Prince her sonne this confusioÌ„ she willingly embraces and no way either desireing reuenge or murmuring against it she reioyced much and with the Apostles gloried in tribulation Wherein as we may be hold her glorious humility patience and other vertues so also the fickle estate of fortune Shee who heretofore had beene wont to liue in princely pallaces is now glad to creep into some poore cottage she that had beene esteemed honoured obeyed and loued as one of the greatest princesses of the world is now despised contemned and derided of all yea of those whom formerly shee had relieued she that was wont to be clad in rich attires of gold siluer and pretious iewels now walks in poore ragges and cloathes embroadered perhaps with mire she that accustomed to bestow her almes so liberally on the poore is now glad to begge her owne bread Who would not take compassion of her After she had passed the winter in these sufferances lent comming on she redoubled her deuotions wherein she found wonderfull sweetnesse which she was no way able to expresse and therein had many reuelations aswell of our Sauiour as of our B. lady I will only set downe one or two Once being in an extasie our lord appeared to her said Dost thou desire to be with me and I will be with thee Whereto she answered Let it be so my lord as thou dost wouchsafe to be with me so also I will remaine with thee and be neuer separated from thee Our B. lady appeared vnto her very frequently and did instruct her how God doth impart benefits to his beloued by many tribulations and how by his grace which he giueth them he maketh their soules more capable of greater grace whilst they out of a holy humâ—litie doe as it were become diffident of receiueing such and so great benefits which he dayly more and more bestoweth on them And thereupon she counselled her to committ her selfe to the diuine will and goodnesse and attribute more to the power of God than to her owne indignitie The same was also manifested to the saint by a very rare miracle for being one day walking with her ghostly Father called Br. Roderingus they fell into a serious discourse of the spirituall progresse that a soule might make in perfection amongst other things the holy woman said Reuerend Father amongst all my troubles and difficulties of minde there is none so nerely touches me as that I am doubt full of the beneuolence and goodnesse of my creatour towards me not that I doe not know him to be the soueraigne good and liberall in his loue towards vs but that I find my demerits to be such that I shall and ought to bee reiected although I burne with his loue Whereto the Father answered you haue no reason to feare for so great is the diuine goodnesse that without all doubt he loues againe much more than he is loued by any But she replied how then doth he suffer me to be drawne away from him by afflictions and sicknesse at any time or any moment whereas I would alwaies and in all places adhere to him Br Roderingus answered Those are rather signes of one that is beloued of God than of one forsaken by him for he doth permit them to encrease your loue to him as also your merit And in signe hereof the more to confirme you herein in the vertue of his name whome you loue I command that tree which is on the other side of the riuer to come to this side where we are which was presently done Whereupon the saint fell at the Fathers feet craueing pardon for her offence The while these things were done some of her frieÌ„ds were thinking to helpe her and to allow her some honourable meanes and also prouide for her some noble marriage But she not against her will as they thought but voluÌ„tarily both poore and solitary maÌ„fully refused all saying I am coÌ„fident in the diuine protection that what I haue vowed whilst my husband liued I shall not loose now that he is dead what soeuer authoritie presse me or friendship flatter me I will not suffer that to be taken from me by men which I haue begunne for God alone neither doe I feare any violence for it is alwayes free to me with my will to dissent from it and to make my face more deformed or euen to cut of my nose O heroicall resolution rather she wil loose her life than leaue the promise she had made to God How the holy woman tooke vpon her a religious course of life §. 4. ALthings neuerthelesse being well composed and suffinent meanes giuen her to maintaine her selfe she was nothing altered thereby from her former resolution to liue after a poore manner in so much that her nobilitie condemned her esteeming her as a foole or superstitious idiot She was indeed to the wicked a derision and mocking-stocke but to the godly and iust she was in great veneration Whence Pope Gregorie the 9. hearing the fame of her vertues writ to her takeing her as his daughter vnder the protection of the Apostolicall See and commending her to Conradus a Friar as some will haue it a very holy man that he should instruct her what she was to doe where with the Saint was much strengthened and confirmed most willingly submitting her selfe to his direction Conradus then persuaded her to the contempt of the world and the following of Christ which she very willing to doe to the end she might execute it in some sure and constant course of life she made choise of this order of S. Francis to liue accordingly in holy and euangelicall pouertie which not without seeming reluctation her ghostly Father approued especially seeing her so earnestly with teares to beg it And vpon a good Friday before the altar in the Friar minors Church by a solemne profession she renounced parents children pompes and vanities of the world and her proper will to follow our Lord but being about to giue away all her meanes Conradus would not permit it Not long after for the loue of her ghostly Father that she might better enioy his good instructioÌ„s she went to Marburge where she began an hospitall which by commandement of Pope Gregory the 9. she dedicated to S. Francis The Pope at that time sent her some of the bloud that flowed froÌ„ the side of the said saint when he was marked with the holy stigmats In this hospitall she aspires to a higher kind of life and with a spirituall emulation endeauours to imitate the Friar Minors in a noble contempt of all things takeing their state of life and habit as much