then got a note of all the poore of the Citty relieued them therwith An other time wanting mony for the like supply she sold her iewels and with the price therof â—eleiued the needy She would often times withdraw thinges necessary from her selfe her women and maydes to supply the necessity of the poore She caused an hospitall to be builded att the foot of her castell which was very high where she placed all the poore sick people and euery day went downe to visitt them albeit the discent was very troublesome and difficult and releiued their necessities exhorting them to patience and to purge their soules by confession and communion She serued attended and dressed them withan exemplar humility supporting with an extreme patience the loathsomes that issued out of their soares and sometimes hauing no other linnen att hand to make them cleane she would putt off her coife disfurnish her head to dry and wipe off the filthy matter of the said soares which so strongly sauoured that her Ladies could not endure them Of the death of the Duke her husband and of many afflictions which she endured in her widowhood THE XIII CHAPTER OVr Lord had by his grace and by the prayers and petitions of the Duchesse coÌ„uerted the LaÌ„tgraue so that albeit he were by the affaires of his estate and his possessions exceedingly hindered froÌ„ the seruice of God yet did he not omitt to haue good desires and with his vtmost put in practise good worckes But because he could not persist in spirituall exercises he permitted his wife to employ her selfe therin for the honour of God and the benefitt of both their soules And this vertuous woman desiring her husband should employ his forces in defence of the Catholike faith she induced him to visit the holy land and to assist the Christians in recouery therof He then to this effect hauing with his troupes for so laudable an enterprise aduanced his iorney so far as Italy rested att Brindes to attend conuenient time and weather to take shipping But it pleased God that he ther fell sick of a mortall infirmity so that he shortly after with an exemplar contrition yelded his spiritt vnto God S. Elizabeth being aduertised of his death receaued her widowhood with almost the like wil as she had don her mariadge resoluing to apply her selfe entierly to the seruice of her celestiall Spouse And so almighty God began to visitt her with greater afflictions as hauing a soule more free and was a litle more sublime then euer For as soone as the death of the Lantgraue was diuulged she was by his kinred and vassalles expulsed her palace as if she had bin a prodigall waster of the reuenue of her estate and was so abandoned that the night following as a reiected creature not knowing where to repose she retyred in to a cottage employed for the shelter of beastes There she ioyfully gaue thanckes to God for her misfortune which she reputed as a great fauour and most singuler grace The next morning she repayred vnto the monastery of the Frere Minors and prayed the Religious to sing Te Deum laudamus in thanckes-giuing to God for that according to her desire he had afforded her the estate of pouerty After that she ordered her children to be disposed into diuer s places to be instructed and educated according to their quality and degree hauing no meane to retaine them any longer with her many iniuryes and affrontes being imposed on her by the kinred of her deceased husband in his vassals which she ioyfully with inuincible patience supported as a fauour sent her by almighty God An archibishop that was her vnckle caused her no small affliction in that seeing her yong and reduced to such pouerty he resolued to bestow her honorably in mariage But the espouse of IESVS CHRIST hauing layd a firme resolution rather to dye then to mary againe obtayned of God by meane of prayer the victory in so strong a conflict Whiles she honorably remayned in a castle of her vnckles the body of her husband was brought from Brindes which was receaued by the sayd Archibishop with a very solemne troup and procession of the Clergie and accompayned by the sayd Princesse with many teares she thus speaking vnto almighty God I giue thee infinite thanckes O soueraine Bounty that it hath pleased thee to comfort me with the receipt of the bones of my deceased husband thy seruant Thou alone knowest my God how much I loued him because he loued and feared thee And neuertheles thou knowest also what consolation I haue receaued of his death being depriued of his presence euen for thy loue in that he went to serue thee for the recouery of the holy land and albeit I receaued an exceeding contentment to liue with him yet was it with condicion that we both together might trauell as poore beggers ouer the world But sith that may not be thou knowest my God that if it were in my power to restore him to life I would not doe it nor were it requisiâ— for me to employ therin one haire of my head if I thought it not thy holy will But I recommend his soule and mine to thy diuine clemencie The king of Hongary hauing vnderstood the death of the Lantgraue his sonne in law and the miserable estate of his daughter and with what impiety she was persecuted by the subiectes of her husband he sent one of the principall Earles of his kingdome to bring her vnto him who hauing sought her found her spinning of wooll among very poore women wheratt he so admired and was so gâ—ieued that he began to breake out into exclamations regrets and complaintes and att lenght deliuered his cha dge aduertising her of the will of her Father But in vaine did he striue to perswade her to retourne to her contry for she as a generous Princesse choie with the Prophett Dauid rather to liue abiected with the poore in the house and seruice of God then honoured in royall delightes and in the palace of terresiâ—â—all Princes How S. Elizabeth became religious and founded a great hospitall for the vse of poore sick people THE XIV CHAPTER THis blessed widow had vowed that if she ouer-liued her husband she would spend the rest of her dayes in perpetuall chastity obedience and pouerty which she failed not with much feruour to accomplish and theâ—fore she toke the habitt of the Penitents of the third Order of S. Francis and being clothed in a coat and cloke of grosse gray cloth all patched with sackloth she promised obedience to her Confessour called Fa. Courad a Religious of notable sanctity which she most exactly obserued euen in worckes of penance as fastes disciplines and other mortifications in which vertues this holy Religious man did exercise her for the greater benifitt of her soule And to the end she might entierly deliuer her hart in possession vnto God without being distracted or hindered by any temporall affection she besought
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
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
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
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
came also with her But the holy Father willed them all to stay and told them he should dye the saterday following and be interred on the Sonday and then they might retourne in companie which was done This ladie after the death of Sainct Francis dwelt att Assisium where she liued verie piouslie and was afterward buryed in the Church of Saint Francis att Assisium in a chappell adioyning to the bodie of Sainct Francis How S. Francis gaue his benediction to his eldest sonne Brother Bernard Quintaualle Taken out of the sixt chapter of the sixt booke and put here as the due place therof NOw whiles S. Francis was eating the said meates prepared by the handes of the said Lady calling to minde that Brother Bernard was with him att Rome the first time that he did eat therof he asked those present where he was and caused him to be called to eat therof also Brother Bernard being come and obeying the Sainct hauing eaten two morcels with him perceauing that he approached neere his end making his benefitt of the good occasion humblie demaunded his holie benediction To whome sainct Francis answeared my deere child I graunt it most willinglie and so commanded his benediction to be written which thus began The first Religious and companion that God gaue me was Brother Bernard Quintaualle who was the first that began as he that euer since continued perfectlie to obserue the rule of the gospell and the Counfailes therof wherfore aswell in regard of that as for manie other graces which God hath bestowed on him I am much obliged to loue him yea aboue all other Religious of our Order And therfore I will and ordaine that euerie other Minister that shall come hereafter doe loue him as my selfe Then he bad him stand att his right hand for he had alreadie lost his sight But Brother Bernard seeing Brother Helias that extremelie desired it knowing right well the need he had therof hauing compassion of him he sent him to the right hand of the Sainct and placed himselfe att the left contenting himselfe to gaine that soule to God by the benediction so much desired of his beloued Father But sainct Francis intending to lay his hand on the head of Brother Bernard knew either by the touch or by diuine reuelation that it was Brother Helias wherfore he sodenlie called Brother Bernard who answearing him he perceaued by his voice that he was att his left hand and therfore crossed his handes as did the Patriarch Iacob and gaue them his benediction yet alwayes naming Brother Bernard he said vnto him God giue thee his benediction encrease in celestiall benedictions of IESVS CHRIST as thou hast bin first called to this holie Religion to serue for an example of Apostolicall life and to demonstrate how one ought to follow IESVS CHRIST in pouerty and in his crosse sith thou hast not only giuen all they terrestriall substance to his poore but hast offered thy very selfe vnto him in sacrifice Be thou therfore blessed of our lord Iesus Christ and of me his poore seruant with an eternal benediction goeing retourning remayning sleeping and waking He that shall blesse thee be he blessed and lett not him that shall curse thee rest vnpunished Thou shall be superiour of all thy Brethren and they shal be subiect vnto thee Lett him that thou wilt receaue into this Order be receaued and him that thou wilt reiect be reiected Thou shalt haue liberty to reside where thou wilt none hauing authority euer to forbidde or to prescribe thee any law in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the blessed holy Ghost Amen Of the testament the holy Father S. Francis made before his death THE LXVIII CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis before he left his spirituall children determined to leaue them his testament that therin beholding the will of their holy Father they might enable themselues to effect it to meritt the patrimony he bequeathed them in the Euangelicall rule and profession which testament was such First my Brethren I will imprint in your memory how God drew me vnto him and how I stripped my selfe all naked before the bishopp and renounced al my possibilityes in the world thē seeking to doe pennance God gaue me this grace that whereas I formerly abhorred to behold leapers much more to serue thē I began to loue thē extremely so that what before seemed vnto me bitter insupportable was then pleasing desirable After that I began simply to pray vnto God and to make vnto him this prayer Most sacred Lord we adore thee in this place and in all the churches that are ouer all the world and doe honoure thee because by thy holy crosse thou hast redeemed the world And his diuine goodnes gaue me afterwardes such faith towardes Preistes that liue according to the forme of the holie Romane church in regard of their Order that albeit they had persecuted me I would haue had recourse to none but them selues And If I had had the wisdome of Salomon and had mett the most simplest Preist in the world I would neuer haue preached in his church against his will And them and all other will feare loue and honour as my Lordes and mastes and will remarck no sinne in them in whome I see the Sonne of God obseruing no other thing of him in this life but his most precious bodie and bloud which they consecrate receaue and only administer vnto others And will aboue althinges reuerence and honour these sacred mysteries and bestow thē in precious places As also I haue euer reuerenced the holy name of God in whatsoeuer papers I haue foūd it written in vnseemely places I haue gathered it vp and doe pray euery one to doe the like and to putt the papers in honest places I desire also that all diuines be honoured such as teach the diuine worde as they who truely giue vs the spiritt and life Besides I beseech you to referre your selues entierly into the handes of the diuine mercie who as he hath taught me to liue according to the forme of his holy gospell will shew you the like if you follow the rule which his diuine Maiestie hath caused me to prescribe in breife and simple wordes confirmed afterwardes by his holy vicar on earth Now all they that presented themselues to liue in this Order distributed their goodes vnto the poore as the said rule doth import they contented themselues with one coat peiced without and within and with a corde to girde them with the linnen breeches and we would haue no more We haue for a time liued in this sort praying in deuotion the Preistes saying their office according to the vse of our holy mother the church and we the lay Brethren in our simplicity subiecting our selues to all for the loue of IESVS CHRIST and endeauouring to gaine our liuing with the labour of our handes Now I beseech you so to doe alwayes And if there be any ignorant lett thē
spēd time with this simple and inconsiderat multitude of people considering the litle hope we haue being so few to suppresse their obstinacie lett vs rather repaire to their king endeauouring first to conquer the head so with more ease facility to gett victory of the mēbers afterward Lett vs giue him the on sett couragiously and ioyfully lett vs goe then lett vs goe preach and tell him the verity of the faith of IESVS CHRIST of Baptisme of penance in remission of sinnes Lett vs boldly confesse before him that IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God is true God and man who would be borne dye for sinners with his owne bloud redeeming vs from eternal death rising againe after his death ascended vnto heauen and sitteth att the right hand of his Father Iudge of the liuing dead where he expecteth vs to croune vs with his holy martyrs for euer How these fiue Religious preached before the king of the Mores the faith of Iesus Christ our Sauiour and what sueceeded therof THE VI. CHAPTER THese Religious being thus mutuallie animated went directlie to the Pallace of the king att the entrie wherof being intercepted by the guard their Captaine who was a gentleman of note demaunded of them what they were They answeared that they were Italiens and desired to speake with his maiestie of matters of great importance as well touching his owne particuler as his whole kingdome Whervpon the Captaine demaunded if they had no letters or other token of commendations to deliuer him They replyed that their embassage was to be deliuered by mouth and could not be writtē but in hartes by tongues The Captaine willed thē securely to commend the affaire vnto him promising to deliuer it faithfully vnto the king they prayed him againe for conclusion to conduct them only to the presence of the king where he might also vnderstand what they had to say The Captaine related the whole vnto the king who commanded them to be brought before him where being present he demaunded them what they were whence they came who sent thē vnto him wherfore they were come Wherto they answeared that they were Christiās that they came frō Rome sent frō the king of kinges and Redeemer of the world IESVS CHRIST to preach vnto him his holy faith so that their bussines tēded only to the saluatiō of his soule which should be effected if he would no lōger beleeue the doctrine of Mahomet but in IESVS C. the true God receauing baptisme in the name of the most sacred Trinity that he could not be saued by any other meane The Mory king that expected no such greeting became despightfully furiours for he esteemed the seruantes of God to haue giuen him an extreme affrōt to whome he said O ye poore braineles men sottish and miserable as ye are how can ye possibly presume to vtter this speech in my presence without more respect vnto my crowne or feare of the losse of your liues already infallibly incurred by the great blasphemie committed against my most holy Prophet But tell me are yee come hither expresly and in my only particuler respect or to preach also vnto my people and to delude them dissuading them frō mine obedience and their alleagiance Hereto the good Religious with a bold and smiling countenāce answeared O king know that we are come to thee as to the chiefe of all this sect of Mahomet filled with diabolicall spiritt and to him that in the bottome of hell shall be more rigorously tormented then thy subiectes that shall persist in obstinacie to the end that thou being reduced into the way of truth saluation thou mayest be a meane of their conuersion as thou art now the cause of their damnatiō for auoyding wherof thou must beleeue in IESVS CHRIST our Redeemer who sendeth vs vnto thee saying in the Gospell Goe and teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost adding afterward for thē that would not yeld thervnto he that will not belieue shal be damned eternally This king stopping his eares began to rage and crye out O cursed wretches your former lewd behauiour no doubt hath brought you hither where it shal be rewarded instantly neither is there any other meane to deliuer free your selues but that you vnsay whatsoeuer you haue now foolishly and rashlie vttered and to receaue and espouse the Religion of our great Prophett for so doeing I will not only pardō you but will also make you great and rich in my kingdome that it may publikelie appeare how much we prise and esteeme the greatnes of our Prophett and how much we honour respect and enrich those that preferre our Religion before their owne but otherwise you shall for your sollie dye with infinite torments or I will enforce you to beleeue me The Religious replyed if your law were not full of lies false impious as it is but iust and conformable vnto truth we would receaue it but because it doth eternallie damne the followers therof we respect not all treasure nor feare tormentes for false honours are the baites and delusions of you Mores who truely miserable doe end together with them because they haue no longer continuance and you are eternallie damned the meerlie contrarie happening to vs considering that by the pouertie and contempt of our dayes of this life we pourchace eternall treasures and honours in heauen as our Lord teacheth vs when he said Heap not vp your treasure in earth where nothing is secure but in heauen where you may for euer enioy the benefitt therof And therfore O king be thou conuerted to receaue this true and holie law in regard of this recompence And if thou so much esteeme a kingdome of this world how much more oughtest thou to esteeme this eternall kingdome of heauē tourne thy hart to the soueraigne and true God who hath thus long expected thy penannce and now sendeth vs vnto thee as his messengers to deliuer thee from the eternall tormentes of hell which are prepared for thee and all them that follow the absolutely accursed Mahomett Take heed how thou misprise the grace which God by meanes of vs doth offer vnto thee How the fiue Martyrs were adiudged to death by the Morian king who att the instance of the prince his sonne reuoked his sentence THE VII CHAPTER THe Morian king could no longer endure nor heare the preaching and remonstrance of the Religious against his sect but being exceedingly afflicted and enraged commanded them to be expelled his presence and condemned them to be cruelly whipt and then to haue their heades cutt off The Martyrs then hastened to death with a courage and countenance very ioyfull and contented as they that knew themselues neere to the accomplishment of what they so much desired and to encourage each other they mutually said Behold brethren behold how God doth benignely offer vnto vs that which we haue so long desired
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
fortified vs against that pusillanimity when he willed vs not to feare those that haue power only to torment this wretched vile and fraile body but him that can torment both our body and soule eternally in hell Therfore for as much also as we know that he only shal be crowned who shall constantly perseuer to the end doe what you will for we hope in the diuine Maiesty that your executioners shal be rather be weary of tormenting vs then we of ioyfully enduring for the loue of God considering withall that we repute this death receaued for IESVS CHRIST as the gate of life wherby we are to enter This iudge seeing their constancy coÌ„manded them to be separated and committed to seuerall places and cruelly whipt and that after the executioners were wearied there should salt be put and vinegar powred in to their woundes and lastly shutt vp in prison all which was done and the next morning he caused the same to be iterated and then he sent theÌ„ to a publicke place vnto the people that they might be reueÌ„ged on them for the iniuryes committed against Mahomett They were brought thither naked their handes bound behinde their backes and cordes about their neckes there were their woundes renewed and their passed afflictions redoubled for besides that they were cruelly beaten scourged they cast them vpon broaken glasse and sharp pointed flintes wheron they roled and tumbled theÌ„ afterward they cast boylling oyle on their bodyes omitting nothing that might exulcerate their woundes each of them esteeming it a great sacrifice vnto Mahomett to exercise most barbarous and beastly kindes of tortures or to inuent them for dischardge of their fury against the holy Martyrs who notwithstanding in the middest of the said afflictions did with a loud voice praise and cofesse our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST demonstrating that they respected not the tormeÌ„tes which they endured nor the iniuryes disgorged against theÌ„ for one caÌ„not imagine that beastly dishonest and infamous wordes which were not then vttered vnto them but the most insupportable vnto them were the blasphemies which they vsed against God The whole day and part of the night was spent in this pittifull spectacle theÌ„ were they retourned to prisoÌ„ wher with all their hartes they gaue thaÌ„ckes vnto God and encouraged each other Now the immensiue and infinite bounty beholding from heauen his holy seruantes voutsafed to giue them a farther consolation with his visible presence appearing vnto them in a most resplendent light wherin they found an inestimable sweetnes and such as they vtterly forgott whatsoeuer they had suffered and endured This light so spred it selfe that it was also seene of the keepers who therin seeing many shadoes of personnes were fearfull suspected the prisoners were escaped therwith And therfore they hastened to a prisoner that was a good Christian called Peter Hermand to whome they related that they had seene the holy Martyrs escape and ascend vnto heauen in a bright and cleare light He coniecturing that this might be some notable vision seene by them did comfort them bid them not to feare affirming that he had heard them all the night to sing praise God which they being desirours to proue as seeming probable they went and found them all in prayer very ioyfull and content in their prison as if they had not endured any affliction How they were presented before the king Miramolin whome they putt to silence and confounded THE XIV CHAPTER THe next morning the king retourning from the fieldes and vnderstanding what had passed touching the Religious heresolued to see the end of their proceeding and either to conuert them to the law of Mahomett or els to haue a most cruell reuenge vpon them Which the foresaid Prince of Portugall Dom Pedro perceauing repayred to the said President and prayed him that after the said Religious should be dead their bodyes might not be committed to the disposition of the Mores but of the Christians which he obtayned The said Martyrs were then brought before the king their handes manicled behinde their backes their face swollen blew buffeted rent and all bloudy as was all the rest of their body with the blowes of the day precedent seeming rather dead then liuing creatures the king then beholding them with fauourable eye said Well you now being in my presence whither do you rather desirer to be mine enemies and rebelles and as such cruelly to dye or my freindes and as such aduanced to the principall degrees of my kingdome The holy Martyrs answeared that he might well hold them for his good freindes sith they were come from so farre a contry only for his cause and for the loue of him and of his kingdome to saue them from perishing and goeing to hell eternally damned putting their liues in hazard for the saluation of their soules and bodies The king vpon these wordes considering the resolution and inuincible fortitude of the holy Martyrs was vtterly confounded in himselfe wherfore as extremely enraged he retired into his closetâ— to consult what to doe with them sith he could draw them to nothing either by sweetnes or extremity the holy Martyrs on the contrary praising God for that he had giuen them grace euer till then to preach his holy faith notwithstanding the buffets they â—ad receaued to putt them to silence Of a conference betweene the said Religious and a noble man of the Mores THE XV. CHAPTER THere was a warlike noble More desirous to attempt if he could by faire meanes and speeches gaine them but he no more preuailed then the others for he endeauoured by sweet wordes to persuade them to obey the kinge who was more carefull of their good then them selues considering that being in his power to torment them and prolong their tortutures in deferring their death he neuertheles endeauoured to make them see their errours notwithstanding the iniuryes he had receaued of them and their great blasphemies vttered against his great prophett Mahomett who all men know how gratefull he is to God sith with his owne mouth he hath dictated vnto him his holy law wherin if they would liue he would in behalfe of the king promise them they should be most aduanced in his kingdome and should euer rule and gouerne in this world expecting by the intercession of their great Prophett Mahomett a double croune of God after their death Whereto Brother Otho with a zealous feruour answeared Vade retro Sathana auant from my presence thou hideous and infernall deuill for we with a firme and liuely faith adore and plainly confesse the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost God in Trinity and vnity but thou miserable wretch that art already condemned to the eternall fire where he is whome thou adorest hauing compassion of thy selfe and performing thy duety oughtest to be conuerted it were more necessary for thee to shew they selfe more respectiue of thy owne saluation then of ours we hauing made choice of this assured way the more readily to
boldnes many would withdraw themselues as not able to heare such open and manifest reprehēsions and those that remayned couered their faces Yet these reprehēsions were intermingled with a competent and iust quantitie of salt which is the admirable vertue of discretion according to opportunity of time place and personnes For albeit his discourse att the beginning seemed sharpe yet the conclusion was gracious milde and supportable to all in such sort that without any scandall he terrified sinners comforted the weake encouraged the pusillanimous and made the most obstinate to tremble Preaching one time att Bourges where was held a Synode he addressed his speech to the arch-bishoppe concerning certaine articles of faith wherof he interiourlie doubted and so dextrously accused and reprehended his incredulitie laying open vnto him his errours by many authorities of holy scripture that the arch-bishop was not onlie not scandalized therby though in deed he felt himselfe stung to the quick but euen went directlie at the end of the sermon verie penitent and contrite and freelie discouered his hart vnto him who procured him such remedie as was necessarie for his saluation so that he proued thenceforward verie faithfull vnto his God And this Sainct did not onlie assist the soules of the faithfull Christians by preaching but in diuers other manners God also fauoured and furthered the ardent zeale which his seruant had of the saluation of soules as when in the night he appeared vnto them enforming them of their sinnes and admonishing them to goe to such or such a Confessour telling them how and by whome he was sent vnto them which was a singuler remedie for manie sinners who through feare or shame durst not confesse for feare to manifest their enormous sinnes But by the example following may appeare of what efficacie the wordes of the S. were A cittizen of Padua called Leonard confessing vnto sainct Antony among other sinnes that he confessed he accused himselfe to haue giuen such a blow with his foot on his mothers belly that she fell to the ground The Sainct very sharply reprehending him for it among other speeches tould him that the foot which dared to strike the belly of the Mother whence it proceeded deserued tobe cutt off alleadging that sentence of IESVS CHRIST If thy foot scandalize thee cutt it off and cast it from thee and such other thinges as might induce him to contrition After the said demonstration hauing giuen him absolution the simple man exceedinglie greeued att his offence supposing that the Sainct had enioyned him to cutt off his foot being in his lodgeing tooke a litle hatchett and with a merueillous courage cutt off his foot which done the extremes of death assaulting him the excessiue paine he endured caused him to cry so loud that his mother heard him who with manie of her neighbours came running and seeing the torment which he endured adioyned her cryes with those of her sonne who opening the cause of the disaster vnto her she knowing no other remedie went to sainct Antony and reproached him as hauing slaine her sonne relating vnto him the miserable accident The Saint vtterlie amazed excused himselfe with the truth affirming that he had not bin the cause hauing onlie told him that it deserued to be cutt off but not willed him to cutt or cause it to be cutt off but not content with answearing her he went to see him and being moued with his pious simplicitie after he had first offered his prayers to God he tooke the foot from vnder a bench and ioyned it vnto the legge whervpon he gaue a benediction and so reioyned them that there remayned neither signe nor any pain◠So standing vp sound and Iustie on his feet they all together gaue thanckes vnto almighty God How he reprehended the tirant Ezelin THE XVI CHAPTER EZelin a tyrant of Padua hauing by fauour and support of the Emperour Federic the second gotten the dominion of many faire and great citties of Italy he exercised such crueltyes the like wherof haue not bin heard to make himselfe more feared of his subiectes and none durst to reprehend him or demaund him the reason Hauing one time without cause slaine diuers gentlemen of note sainct Antony resolued to goe and performe his office vnto him And comming before him he spake in this manner Cruell tyrant and ennemy of God when wilt thou end thy rage and forbeare to shedde the bloud of faithfull Christians which without cause thou ordinarily spillest Know and assuredly beleeue that the seuere and terrible sentence of the iustice of God doth attend and will fall vpon thee when thou least fearest it To these wordes he added many other like then obiecting vnto him the graces and fauours which he had receaued of God he opposed also the homicides violences robberies murtherous assaultes and insupportable tolles wherwith he afflicted his subiectes and how by his permission they endured the destructions of whole citties As he spake this his guard admiring this free speech expected onlie the Tyrantes commaund to massacre him thincking this his accustomed patience verie strange especially vpon such iniuries but the successe was other then they expected for the Sainct hauing ended his discourse this cruell woulfe att the same instant became a meek lambe and hauing put off his girdle he layd it on his necke and fell at his feet calling for mercie vnto God and him for his misdeedes and promising for satisfaction to his diuine Maistie that he would accept and performe such penance as he should impose vpon him The people present were also in admiration att this Metamorphises of the Tyrant as much as att the raysing of a dead Now the Saint departing vpon asseurance of this good promise Ezelin turning to his people said vnto them Doe not admire to see me for the present thus humbled for I protest I saw to proceeed out of the face of this holie Father a beame of diuine splendour which did so terrefie and quelle me that I seemed to sinck into hell But God minding to chastice his ennemies by the handes of others of his ennemies permitted that this Tyrant kept not long his holy purpose for he began to doubt of the vertue of the Sainct of whome he would make a second triall Knowing that he publikelie preached against his cruelties he sent him a present by some of his people to whome he gaue chardge that if the Sainct accepted the present they should kill him but if he reiected it they should patientlie endure what soeuer he sayd without giuing him any replie and so should retourne They hauing offered vnto the Sainct the present which was of great value with the greatest humilitie they could faine praying him to accept the small charitie which Ezelin had sent him and to pray to God for him therby experienced what he was for he answeared them God preserue me me from receauing this present which is but the bloud of the poore of IESVS CHRIST wherof he must
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
for he hath thy leproise as he said and bid him vse them So being awaked and finding himselfe perfectly cured he caried his clapper by commandement of the S. to the soldier whome he found full of leprosie from the head to the foot for which he very hitterly lamented and repēting what he had done vowing and recommending himselfe to the S. he deserued to be heard hauing learned by experience how great is the vertue of the Sainctes of God Of many other miracles and of the Breefe of S. Antony against the Deuils which remained in the handes of the king of Portugall THE XXXV CHAPTER IN a combatt that happened betweene two soldiers one of them was so strangely hurt in one arme that speaking humanely it was incurable att least sauing his life he could not auoyd a perpetuall mayne Now recommending himselfe to S. Antony he was presently cured the wound being so closed it as if he had neuer bin hurt But as is said of the wicked hauing past and escaped the danger they scoffe att the S. so the soldier began to consider by what meanes he might be reuenged and diuers times discoursing therof with himselfe the night before this lewd designe the said wound came into his arme as before the S. teaching him and all others that the graces and fauours of God are not to be abused against his seruice that is employed in any thing which he forbiddeth and is not pleasing vnto him as to the detriment of ones neighbour A child of Padua called Henry hauing a swelling in his neck vowed to the S. and was immediatly cured but his mother that caused him to vow not regarding to fulfill it the infirmity retourned yet repenting and accomplishing the vow her sonne was cured againe An Abbot hauing great compassion of his seruant that was deafe dumme vowed in his behalfe to S. Antony that if he would please to cure him he would employ him all his life in the seruice of his Church he was instantly cured for which he was not vngratefull for he employed him in his church all the dayes of his life in the Citty of Sautaren in the kingdome of Portugall in the raigne of Don Donis There was a poore woman who though she were very deuout to S. Antony yet being sinfull the deuill sometimes posessed her and tempted her to destroy her selfe persuading her that she could neuer satisfie God for the many sinnes she had cōmitted but by voluntary killing her selfe to this false imagination he added a false vision for the deuill appeared vnto her in forme of a crucifix telling her that for the loue she boare him he would saue her but she could hardly satisfie for her sinnes vnlesse she would voluntary murder her selfe to which purpose he coūsailed her to goe that very houre to the riuer Tage and there to drowne her selfe and promised her to receaue her att the instant into his glory This woman hauing had this vision concealed it sometime in her hart now it happened that when her husband excedingly checked and rebuked her amōg other iniuries calling her possessed with a deuill she partly in fury and dispaire procured her by her husband and partly vrged by the deuill by remembrance of the said vision resolued to drowne her selfe and with that intention departed from her house but S. Antony would not permitt such an act so vnworthy of a Christian to be perpetrated especially on such a day it being on the celebration of his feast for this miserable woman passing before his Church was inspired to enter into it which she did and thē very deuoutly prayed the S. that he would voutsafe to reueale vnto her if it were possible whither it were the will of God she should drowne her selfe or not hauing ended her prayer she slept a sweet sleep and so light that she heard the voice of the Sainct which in her dreame said vnto her looke vpon thy bosome and when thou hast read the writing thou findest there thou shalt be cured The woman presently awaking found on her bosome a bitt of parchment wherin was written in letters of Gold Ecce crucem Domini fugite partes diuersae vicit leo de tribu Iuda Alleluia Alleluia As soone as she had read the same she was entierlie freed of her temptation The king of Portugall Don Donis hauing bin aduertised of this great miracle by the husband of the woman demaunded the said Breefe or writing which was giuen him but it was strange this woman not hauing her writing the deuill began presently to vex her but hauing no meanes to demaund it againe of the king who had put it amongst his reliques hauing wrought many miracles by this breefe the husband was aduised to request a copy therof which by meane of some Religious he obtained which hauing deliuered to his wife she was all the rest of her dayes freed from the said temptation liuing securely the space of twenty yeares How he deliuered from death the Princesse of Portugall Taken out of the sixteenth chapter of the tenth booke to be more properly put in this place THe princesse Lady Aldoucia daughter of the king of Portugall and of queene Teresa by a very extreme and dangerous infirmity that tormented her approaching to her death her mother had recourse vnto sainct Antony to whome she was much deuoted most affectionately recommending her daughter vnto him and praying him to remember that he was borne in that kingdome and that as he had cured saued and raysed so many in Italy he would please also to deliuer her daughter from that danger of death Att that very instant so strong and violent a fitt of the feauer did assault the sick Princesse that euery one esteemed it her last agony But then did the Sainct appeare vnto her and said daughter God hath sent me to thee for satisfaction of the frequent prayers of thy mother to putt it to the election of thy will either to goe now with me to Paradise or for consolation of thy mother to continue longer in the world The Princesse hauing choasen the second sainct Antony deliuered her his girdle saying Well kisse this Cord which she taking in her handes and as she thought holding it fast she cryed to her mother Madame Madame come see the glorious sainct Antony whome I hold by his girdle which he hath deliuered me to kisse therby to be cured she comming and not seeing the Sainct att all found her daughter perfectly well wherfore she diuulged this miracle in the Citty of Allenquor where this happened in the Church of the Frere Minors whither she with all her Court repayred to giue thanckes to God and to his holy seruant Of certaine other miracles of sainct Antony THE XXXVI CHAPTER A Poore man being seduced by an Inchaunter that promised to procure him an instinct to know what soeuer he desired entred with him into a circle where in an instāt he saw appeare a great number of deuils who perceauing him to be
vtterly amazed and terrified did rent out his eyes and tongue and then vanished This miserable fellow hastened directly to the Church of S. Antony where repenting to haue consented to the Magician he inuocated with his hart not hauing the vse of his voice his assistance And vpon these his humble prayers in the time of high masse as the Preist sung Gloria in excelsis Benedictus qui venit in nâ—â—une Domini his two eyes were miraculously restored him which being knowne all the Citty of Padua was full of the bruit each one desiring to see him Many of the more ancient and noble of the citty held it conuenient that all the people there present should ioyne themselues in prayer that it might please God to accompany this first miracle with a second in restoring his speech To this effect they all fell on their knees offered their prayers the Masse alwayes coÌ„tinuying when the Agnus Dei was sung his tongue was also restored wherby he began with a loud voice to prayse God and his S. A Religious woman of the Order of sainct Clare hauing heard preached the rigour of the paines of Purgatory conceaued such a terrour of goeing thither that she prayed almighty God to graunt her to suffer her Pugatory in this world and so long continued in prayer that att length God heard her But being vnable any long time to support so rigorous and insupportable tormentes she discouered the cause of her afflictions to the other Religious whome she prayed to make supplication to God by the merittes of sainct Antony that he would please to moderate those so bitter tormentes which she endured and so all the Religious with such deuotion and humility applyed themselues to prayer that by the merittes of S. Antony she was eased therof thenceforward she was no more so rash as to tempt God but entierly resigned herselfe to the will of his diuine maiesty casting herselfe absolutely into his disposition The Religious Br. Bernardine of Parma by a violent catarre in his throat became dumme for cure wherof were applyed all about his neck burning cauters all which nothing auayled so that he became so feeble that putting to him a litle waxe candle lighted he could not with his breath blow it out wherfore his death and stifling being feared he was carryed to Padua where the feast of S. Antony was celebrated to visitt his sepulcher There was then a great concourse of people where in publike presence he offered his prayer shedding abondance of teares then he began to spett and to auoyd such a quantity of filthy and loathsome matter that the beholders could no longer endure it their hartes so arrising att the sight of such insupportable stuffe and withall he was cured of the catarre and recouered his speech for which he hartely praysed God and his sainct The sonne of a poore woman about tweÌ„ty monthes old called Thomasin dwelling neere the said Church fell one day vnaduisedly into a pond full of water with his head downeward and was carryed home dead His mother full of desolation hastened with great faith to the sepulcher of the sainct before which she fell on her knees beseeching him with all her soule to restore her child to life and promising euery yeare though she were needy to giue an almose to the poore in his honour of the quantity of her sonnes weight in wheat who was speedily restored to life to the exceeding amazement of all that were present who together with the mother gaue thanckes to God for the same These miracles of S. Antony are approued to be very authenticall together with three or fower which he wrought with S. Francis in whose life we haue inserted them where by the vse of the table they may be easily found for which miracles many other generally knowne may truely be said Mirabâ—lis est Deus in sanctis suis Amen The end of the Fift booke of the second part of the first volume of the Chrocles of the Frere Minors THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN ARE CONTAINED THE LIVES OF twenty particuler and speciall Disciples of the Seraphicall F. S. Francis Translated by the aforesaid The life of Br. Bernard Quintauall the eldest spirituall child of Sainct Francis Of the conuersion of Br. Bernard Quintauall and of his pouerty THE FIRST CHAPTER BROTHER Bernard Quintauall was borne att Assisium of the most noble family therin where hauing considered the strangenes of life of S. Francis his admirable contempt of worldly commodities his vnchangeable assurance his inuincible constancie in supporting iniuryes and his exceeding patieÌ„ce in enduring the troubles and laboures of this life yea seeming dailie more and more to conceaue greater contentment therin He esteemed all this could not proceed but by the will of God which he experienced as hath bin amplie declared in the eight chapter of the first booke and first volume where his conuersion is related att lardge Hauing then renounced the world and sold all he had in the marckett place of Assisium and giuen the price to the poore and beggers of IESVS CHRIST following S. Francis he deserued to be his eldest child as well in time as perfection for by speciall priuiledge he had the grace to be a true louer of pouerty And also S. Francis sometimes would say that Br. Bernard had founded his Order selling his substance to giue to the poore euen to his very apparell wherwith he was cloathed so that his first Religious habitt was made of almose then being thus naked he offered and cast himselfe into the armes of IESVS CHRIST crucified naked whome he imitated euen to his death God also by a particuler prerogatiue bestowed on him a ioyfull patience which merueillously shined in him and particulerlie in those iornyes he performed vpon obedience edifying his neigbour and exercising himselfe in vertues How Br. Bernard by the vertue of patience built a monastery att Bolonia and some others in Lombardy THE II. CHAPTER AFter the first confirmation of the Order by Pope Innocent the third and hauing receaued the precept of penitence Brother Bernard was sent by sainct Francis to Bolonia to edifie the people with examples of piety Being in that Citty the Children seeing him in so simple a habitt and so different from other Religious they followed him in the streetes crying after him reproaching him reuiling him and vsing him as a foole which he endured with immoueable patience and contentment yea to procure himselfe the greatest disgrace and dishonour for the loue of IESVS CHRIST who was so much contemned for vs he would frequent those places where was the greatest recourse of people and there the idle and loytering companious scoffed att him and flouted him as a foole But the patient and obediente seruant of God did neither resist nor complaine but shewed a pleasing and ioyfull contenance contenting himselfe for his food with a bitt of bread giuen him for the loue of God and
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
assuredly capable of all happines He would ordinarily say that if he were to make choice of the vertues he would choose chastity Being asked what he called chastity he answeared I call chastity the conseruation of all the sences of the body in the grace of our Lord. A maryed man that was deuoutly affected towardes him was one day present when he praysed chastity and sayd vnto him Father I desire to be resolued of you if liuing with my wife and keeping fidelity towardes her I am secure touching this point Br. Giles answeared him what doe you not know that a man may as well be droncken with the wine of his owne tunne as with that of an other mannes A discourse of Temptation THE XXXI CHAPTER A Great grace cannot be possessed in peace but that there wil arise many contrarieties yea the higher degree of grace a man hath the more shall he be assaulted of the deuill but a man should not therfore omitt to prosecute his course of vertue for the more violent the combatt is the more excellent shal be the crowne when he shall haue ouercome And if any doe misse this employment lett him know that it is because he is not such as he ought to be besides this is to walke alwayes in the direct way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST in which all trauell and displeasure is sweet but a man that followeth the course and way of the world findeth displeasure and labour euen till death so that albeit the more a man shal be perfect in vertues the more will vices be contrary vnto him yet hating them so much att euery vice that he surmounteth he purcacheth a great vertu and becomming victorious ouer all kind of vices wherby he might haue bin tormented he shall not faile of a great recompence for it and vpon whatsoeuer occasion he omitteth to walke in the way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST for the same occasion he looseth his recompence The burden of temptations is often like to the trauell of the labourer that findeth a great peece of land which he is to worck vpon couered with thistles thornes so that he is constrained with great trouble to cleare the same before his labour be auayleable in such sort that he often repenteth to haue enterprised so painfull a businesse in regard of the great expences and bodily labour that he is enforced to employ therin For first he considereth that he must leuell and make euen all the hillockes that are vnequall with the ground and therof seeth not the fruit Secondly he cutteth or burneth the bushes thornes and thistles therin yet seeth no fruit therof Thirdly with much labour and sweat he diggeth vp the rootes neither yet seeth the fruit Fourthly he openeth the earth with the plough-share to cleanse the same yet hath no sight of the corne that is the ground of such his labour Fiftly he tilleth it the second time and maketh it into furrowes Sixtly he soweth his graine Seauenthly when the corne is sprung vp he cleanseth it and rooteth out the weedes Eighthly he doth haruest the corne into his barne Ninthly with much labour and sweat he separateth it from the chaffe causing it to be threshed winnowed sifted and very diligently cleansed Tenthly and lastly he transporteth the corne into his garner and for the contentment he conceaueth to see the fruit of his paines and labours he then forgetteth them and purposeth to vndertake yet much greater for the only ioy he hath of his haruest Now the like effect is in the temptations and labours which one endureth in this world for the spirituall fruit and contentment which he is to reape therof in the life euerlasting A Religious hauing one time conference with Br. Giles sayd vnto him Father it is recorded that S. Bernard once sayd his seauen penitentiall psalmes without euer thincking of other matter nor was assaulwith any distractiōs The holy Father answeared I would better esteeme a castle valerously assaulted and more couragiously defended A discourse of Penance THE XXXII CHAPTER A Iudge discoursing with Brother Giles of spirituall matters asked him by what meanes seculer personnes might ascend to the state and glory of vertue Wherto the holy Father answeared A man ought first to procure sorrow and contrition for his sinnes then to confesse them with bitternes and griefe to haue offended God and afterward to fulfill the penance that his ghostly Father shall enioyne him So being in good estate he must carefully keepe himselfe from offending God and shunne all occasions that may induce him to sinne and finally must exercise himselfe in good worckes Blessed be the temporall affliction that conuerteth to a mannes happines and accursed be the pleasure that tourneth to his misery A man should endure and support affliction in this world with a good will sith our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath giuen vs an example in himselfe Happy is he that hath true contrition of his sinnes and lamenteth day and night nor will seeke his consolation in this world but where all the desires of his hart shal be satisfied A discourse of Prayer THE XXXIII CHAPTER PRrayer is both the beginning and perfection of all good Prayer illuminateth the soule and by it good and euill are discerned All sinners ought to make this prayer vnto God that he will giue thē knowledge of their owne sinnes of the diuine mercy and of the benefittes receaued of IESVS CHRIST He that cannot pray knoweth not God It is necessary for all those that are to be saued if they haue vse of reason to apply themselues to prayer to obtayne mercy of God Lett vs suppose that a widdow and lady which were much retyred simple and chast had a sonne that for some crime committed were prisonner condemned to death This Mother though honorable and retyred would she not repayre to the Prince with abondance of teares to seeke fauour for her sonne This vrgent necessity no doubt for the extreme loue of this widow to her sonne though she were very rarely seene to goe out of her house would enforce her to runne through the streetes with cryes weepinges and lamentations to sollicite all those whome she thought might any way assist her in sauing the life of her sonne which she would attempt without any feare or respect of the modesty requisite to her degree and quality In like manner he that knoweth his sinnes knoweth consequently to aske pardon for them with shame and humility There was one that growing as it were into despaire for that in prayer he receaued not the grace of God which he desired complayned therof to Br. Giles who answeared him Brother I counsaile you to goe on sweetly and to haue patience for as there being lees in a vessel one doth not therfore shake and entermingle it together with the wine which were it neuer so good would be vtterly spilled therby And as though sometimes the mill-stone grindeth not good meale one doth not therfore breake it
this holy virgin which wasted her forces and ouerthrew all her naturall strenght and health of body The deuout Religious daughters of this holy mother had exceeding compassion of her and very bitterly lamented her voluntarily procuring her owne death For remedy wherof saint Francis and the bishop of Assisium forbad her those three dayes of fast which euery weeke she cruelly inflicted on her selfe and commanded her not to passe one day without taking att least an ownce and a halfe of bread to conserue her life And albeitt such grieuous affliction of the body doe accustome to breed also some affliction to the heart yet did the contrary succed in her for she carryed a countenance so gracious and ioyfull in all her austerities that she seemed either to haue no feeling of them or not to feare any inconuenience therof Yea she in a sort scoffed att corporall afflictions which sufficiently demonstrated that the spirituall ioy wherwith she was interiourly nourished appeared exteriourly in her holy face because the true loue of the hart alwayes maketh corporall afflictions easy and light Of the deuotion and spirituall profitt which the fame of the glorious S. Clare procured ouer all the world THE XI CHAPTER THe fame of sainte Clare began within litle time to spred ouer all Italy which caused women from all partes to begin to runne after the odour of the precious liquour of her fanctity The virgins after her example approached vnto IESVS CHRIST and made him presentes of their virginity Marryed women endeauoured to liue more chast and vertuously Gentlewomen and Ladyes contemning their faire houses and sumptuous tables shutt themselues into Monasteryes esteeming it a great glory to liue in strict penance for the loue of IESVS CHRIST This Saint was also a spurre vnto men to excite in them a violent feruour and principally to youth that began to take courage in the contempt of the world and by example of the frayler sexe to fight against the temptations and deceiptfull pleasures of the flesh Many marryed personnes with mutuall consent obliged themselues to continencie the men entring into Couentes of men and the women into monasteryes of Religious women The mother induced the daughter to serue IESVS CHRIST the daughter the mother one sister an other and briefly each one by a holy enuie desired to serue IESVS CHRIST all seeking to participate of the euangelicall life which by this espouse of IESVS CHRIST was demonstrated vnto them An infinite number of virgins that by her fame were induced to piety vnable to become Religious or to leaue their Fathers houses endeauoured yet to liue therin religiously leading a reguler life without rule S. Clare by her example produced such branches of saluation that it seemed the saying of rhe Prophett was to be accomplished in her The fruites of the desolate and barren are far greater then of the maried Whiles these matters thus proceeded in Italy the discent of this benediction which destilled downe in the vally of Spoletum grew by diuine prouidence to so spacious and lardge a floud that the violent current therof ouer flowed all the citties of the holy Church so that the nouelty of such admirable thinges was speedily diuulged ouer all the world and with such praise and admiration gaue such lustre that the nature of her vertues filled with splendour the chambers of great ladyes and penetrated euen into the great pallaces of Duchesses yea those most pure beames of her brightnes pearced into the very cabbinettes of Queenes and Princesses in such sort that eminencie of bloud and hight of nobility submitted debased it selfe to follow the steppes of this glorious Virgin many reiecting the beames of their honour and the sublimity of their estates so that some ladyes that could haue bin marryed to kinges and dukes induced by the fame of saincte Clare tooke vpon them the practise of strict pennance and many already marryed to men of great nobility desired in their estate to imitate this seruant of IESVS CHRIST An infinite number also of citties were in this example adorned with Monasteries of yong women The fieldes and mountaines were ennobled and enriched with the structures of these celestiall buildinges The exercise and honour of chastity did multiply in the world saincte Clare carrying the standerd of the Order of Virgins which being almost extinguished she restored to perfection reneweing it by the blessed flowers of her example and conuersation But retourning to the history lett vs speake of the perfection of the prayer of this glorious Virgin by meane wherof she obtayned of God so great graces for her selfe and her daughters Of the feruent and perfect prayer of the Virgin S. Clare THE XII CHAPTER AS saincte Clare was mortified in her flesh and far remote from all corporall recreation so did she continually busye her soule in deuotions and diuine prayses This virgin had fixed and imprinted the subtility of her feruent desire in the eternal light as she was remote from earthly occupations and rumors so did she the more lardgely dilate the bosome of her soule to the influence of diuine grace She continued in long prayer together with her Religious after compline the riuers of teares that flowed from her eyes awakening and bathing the hartes of her companions When the sleep of others gaue her opportunity to be solitary being often in prayer she would lay her face against the earth bathed with teares kissing it sweetly and with such contentmenr that she seemed alwayes to hold in her armes her Spouse IESVS CHRIST att whose feete her teares trickled downe and her kisses left their impressions It happened one time that as this holy virgin powered out her teares in the silent of the night the Angel of darcknes appeared vnto her in figure of a black yong man saying If thou continuest this extreme weeping thou wilt become blind Wherto she answeared He that is to see God cannot be blinde Wherwith the deuill being confounded vanished and fled The same night this S. being in prayer after matines all bathed in teares the temptor appeared againe vnto her and sayd Weep not so much vnlesse thou wilt haue thy braine to melt and distill in such sort as thou shalt auoyd it att thy eyes and nostrels and therwith shalt haue thy nose crooked S. Clare with great feruour answeared him He that serueth IESVS CHRIST can haue no crookednesse and presently the wicked spiritt disappeared Many signes did discouer make knowne the great alteration she receaued in her selfe in the feruour of her prayer and how sweet and delectable the diuine bounty was vnto her in this ioy and holy conuersation for when she retourned from prayer she with admirable contentment brought wordes enflamed with the fire of the altare of God which kindled the hartes of her Religious and procured in them a great admiration att this extreme sweetnes that appeared and flashed out of her face It is without doubt that almighty God had coupled and conioyned his sweetnes with her
alsowhen we were in the captiuity vanity of the world for after his conuersion not hauing as yet any Brethren or companions being ro repaire the Church of saint Damian where he was visited with diuinecōsolation and cōstrained wholly to abandon the world filled with ioy and illumination of the holy Ghost he prophesied of vs that which our lord hath afterwardes fulfilled standing then on the walles of the said Church he called with a loud voice in the french tongue vnto some poore people dwelling therby saying Come helpe me in this Church of sainct Damian for there shall came women of whose good life and holy conuersation our heauenly Father shal be reioyced in his whole Church In this may we obserue the infinite bounty of God towardes vs who of his aboundāt mercy and charity hath vouchsafed to prophesie those thinges by his seruant of our vocatiō and election not only of vs hath our holy Father prophesied these thinges but also of those who hereafter shal be called vnto that vocation wherto our Lord hath called vs. With what care of soule and body are we then bound to keep the commādements of God of our holy Father saint Francis to the end that with the grace of God we may pay the multiplied talent And our lord hath not only placed vs as an example vnto the seculer but also vnto all our Sisters whome he shall call vnto our vocation that we may be vnto those who conuerse in the world a mirrour and example For our Lord God hath called vs vnto so great thinges that they may take example of vs who are giuen vnto others for an example for which we are bound greatly to blesse the more ought we for this to be strēgthened in our lord to doe well wherfore if we liue according to the forme aboue mentioned we shall leaue good example vnto those which follow vs with short paine we shall receiue the reward of euerlasting life After that our heauenly Father vouchsafed through his great mercy and grace to illuminate my hart in such sort that by the example and touching of our holy Father S. Francis I began to doe penance a litle after my conuersion I with a few Sisters whome our Lord gaue me haue willingly promised vnto him obedience like as our lord through the light of his grace inspired vnto vs by meanes of his merueillous life and holy doctrine Saint Francis then marcking that we were tender and fraile according to the body yet neuerthelesse nothing dismayed with any necessity pouerty paine tribulation or contempt of the world but that we esteemed all those thingees as great pleasure euen as he had experienced by the example of his Brethren he reioyced in our lord and with great charity inclining towardes vs he obliged himselfe his Brethren to haue alwayes ouer vs a speciall and diligent care We also by the will of God of our holy Father saint Frācis repaired to the Church of saint Damiā there to dwell a litle after which time our lord through his great mercy grace multiplyed vs and then was fulfilled that which our lord had foretold by his seruant for we had dwelt before in an other place litle after that he wrote vnto vs this forme of life and principally that we should perseuer in this pouerty and it was not sufficient vnto him to haue admonished vs therunto in his life by many sermons aduertisemētes to the end he might moue vs to the loue and obseruance of this most holy pouerty but he hath also giuen vs many writinges that after his death we should not fall from the same holy pouertye according to the example of the Sonne of God who liuing in this world did neuer leaue the same which holy pouerty our holy Father saint Francis and his Brethrē did honour and obserue during his life Wherfore I Clare seruant and handmayd of Christ and of the poore Sisters of saint Damian although vnworthy and the litle plant of our holy Father saint Francis considering this with my other Sisters as also the highnes of our profession made vnto such a worthy Father and the frailty of vs and others which we feare after the death of our holy Father who next vnto God was our only piller and comfort againe and againe we binde our selues vnto the holy lady pouerty to the end that the Sisters who are or shall come after my death may by no meanes decline from the same This Pouerty I haue alwayes bin carefull with the grace of God to obserue and to cause it to be obserued and for more surety of the same I haue made my Profession therof vnto our holy Father Pope Innocent the fourth in whose time we began and haue confirmed it by his successours that by no meanes in no time we should decline from this holy Pouerty which we haue vowed vnto God and vnto saint Francis Wherfore I bending the knee both of myne inward and outward man in all humility doe commend vnto the church of Rome to our holy Father the Pope and especially vnto the Cardinall to whose protection together wit the Franciscans we are committed that for the loue of God who was layd in the cribbe liued poorly in this world and dyed poorly on the crosse they will keepe the litle flock which God the Father hath gayned in his church through the wordes and examples of our holy Father saint Francis causing it to follow the humility and pouerty of his deerly beloued Sonne the Father of wisdome and of his holy mother and that they will cause the holy pouerty to be obserued which we haue promised vnto God and to sainct Francis as also strengthen thē for to obserue the same And like as God gaue vnto vs our Father saint Francis for our founder and helper in the seruice of God and of those thinges which we haue vowed vnto God and vnto him to obserue and as he was carefull whiles he liued to exercise vs his plantes by word examples so I commend and leaue my Sisters who already are as also those who hereafter shall be vnto the successours of saint Francis and to the whole religion that they wil be alwayes an assistance vnto vs to profitt from better to better to serue God and to accomplish and obserue this holy pouerty If it should happen att any time that the said sisters should leaue their country or citty to goe vnto an other they are firmely bound after my death in what place soeuer they are to obserue the holy pouerty which they haue vowed vnto God and to saint Francis Those which shall be in office as also the other sisters shal be carefull not to receiue more land then extreme necessity doth require as a garden for hearbes vnto their necessity And if for the defence or vse of the cloyster it weere needfull to haue more land they shall take but only to supply the necessity and in this lād they may neither plough
hardly can I speake and this because I am corporally separated from you and my holy sisters with whome I hoped to haue happely liued and dyed in this world So farre is this my griefe from slacking that it continually encreaseth which as it had a beginning so doe I beleeue it will finde no end in this world For it is so continuall and familier vnto me that it will neuer forsake me I was persuaded that life and death should be a like without power of any separation on earth amongest them who haue one same conuersation and life in heauen and must haue one same sepulture them I say who one same and equall naturall profession and one same loue hath made sisters But as far as I can see being abandoned and afflicted on eache side I am much mistaken O my holy sisters I beseech you to be reciprocally grieued with me and lett vs weepe together I being assured that you shall neuer experience any doulour comparable to that which I now feele in being separated from them with whome IESVS CHRIST had conioyned me This griefe tormenteth me incessantly this fire burneth my hart continually so that being on each side afflicted I know what to thincke neither doth any hope remayne but to be assisted by your prayers that Almighty God easing this affliction may make it tollerable vnto me O my most gracious mother what shall I doe and what shall I say sith I know not that euer I shall see you more or likewise my sisters O that it were lawfull for me to vtter vnto you the conceiptes of my soule as I would desire or that I could open my hart vnto you on this paper then should you see the liuely and continuall dolour that tormenteth me My soule bâ—rneth interâ—ourly being afflicted with an incessant fire of loue and my hart groneth sigheth and lamenteth with desire of your presence Myne eyes cannot haue their fill of weeping and albeit I seeke some consolation against this bitternes yet can I find none but euery thing turneth into griefe and much more when I coÌ„sider the meanes to see you I am entierly steeped in these anguishes hauing none that can comfort me in this life but that I receaue a litle consolation from the liberal hand of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Which causeth me to beseech you all to giue thanckes vnto his diuine maiesty for this fauour and mercy extended towardes me and for that through his grace I finde in this Couent such concord peace and charity as by wordes cannot be expressed these sisters hauing receaued me with exceeding loue deuotion yelding me obedience with extraordinary promptitude and reuerence They all with one accord recommend themselues to our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you my sister and to all the sisters of the monastery and I recommend both my selfe and them to your prayers beseeching you as our Mother to be mindfull of them and of me as of your daughters and know you that they and I will all the dayes of our life obserue and keep your holy preceptes and aduertisementes Besides I desire you should know that the Pope hath accorded to whatsoeuer I demaunded him conformably to your intention and mine and particulerly in the matter you know viz. that we may not possesse any thing proper I beseech you my most deere Mother to procure of the R. Father Generall that he often visitt vs to comfort vs in God whose grace be with your spiritt Amen Of an extasie of S. Agnes and how S. Clare saw her thrice crowned by an Angell THE XXXVI CHAPTER SAinte Clare in her last sicknes obtained that her sister S. Agnes might come to see her in the monastery of S. Damian to keep her company during the few dayes she had to liue And so S. Agnes hauing left her Couent well grounded in Religion and sanctity she came to Assisium where sainte Clare being one night in prayer a part from her sister she neuertheles saw her being also in prayer lifted from the earth and an Angell to crowne her head three seuerall times with so many crownes The day following she demanded of her sister what player or contemplation she had made the night past But she of humility vnwilling to manifest her prayer being att length enforced by obedience made her this relation I considered the great goodnes and patience of almighty God wherby he supporteth such enormous offences of sinners which I considered with a deep sorrow and compassion Then I thought and yet doe thinck on the loue which almighty God beareth to sinners and how he endured death to saue them Thirdly I considered and doe consider and am with coÌ„passion exceedingly afflicted for the soules in purgatory and their great tormentes and because they cannot helpe them selues I asked mercy for them of the most sacred woundes of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST How S. Agnes sent S. Clares vaile to the monasterie of Florence and of her death and translation to S. George of Assisium with all her Religious into a new Couent THE XXXVII CHAPTER AFter the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes sent her black vaile which she did ordinairily weare to the poore Religious of MouÌ„t Celi which she had founded att Florence which she did in regard of her great amity towardes them that they might inherite some reliques of sainte Clare for their comfort and deuotion That vaile is yet in the sayd monastery where it is so carefully preserued that in substance and colour it seemeth still new There is likewise to be seene in the same monastery a cloake of sainct Francis by which reliques our lord worcketh many miracles A litle after the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes also desired to be present att the mariage of the lambe whither she was inuited but she first receaued the consolatioÌ„ which sainte Clare had promised her that before she departed out of this life she should see her Spouse IESVS CHRIST as a tast of the eternall felicities wherto she was to be eleuated and conducted by her sweet Spouse CHRIST IESVS She dyed the 56. yeare of her age replenished with perfect sanctity and being deliuered out of this prison she went to possesse the kingdome with Angels and the holy virgins that had bin consecrated to IESVS CHRIST in which glory these two sisters and daughters of Sion companions in heauen by nature and grace doe prayse God without end There assembled a great multitude of people vpon the death of sainte Agnes and they with great deuotion ascended the ladder of the monastery of sainct Damian hoping there to receaue some spirituall consolation of sanctity but it happened that the chaine which held the ladder did slip so that al those that were on it fell downe one vpon an other which made a great bruit and clamour by those that were hurt who hauing with a strong faith inuocated S. Agnes were all cured The sayd holy virgin was enterred att S. Damian but afterward was transported into the Church of