she called her husband be dead hence forward the world shall die to me who am dead to the world What she said in words she fullfild in deeds for at that time the ouerseers of her young sonne vnable as yet to succeed in his Fathers dominions cast her out of all and banished her the court not permitting her to come neare the Prince her sonne this confusioÌ„ she willingly embraces and no way either desireing reuenge or murmuring against it she reioyced much and with the Apostles gloried in tribulation Wherein as we may be hold her glorious humility patience and other vertues so also the fickle estate of fortune Shee who heretofore had beene wont to liue in princely pallaces is now glad to creep into some poore cottage she that had beene esteemed honoured obeyed and loued as one of the greatest princesses of the world is now despised contemned and derided of all yea of those whom formerly shee had relieued she that was wont to be clad in rich attires of gold siluer and pretious iewels now walks in poore ragges and cloathes embroadered perhaps with mire she that accustomed to bestow her almes so liberally on the poore is now glad to begge her owne bread Who would not take compassion of her After she had passed the winter in these sufferances lent comming on she redoubled her deuotions wherein she found wonderfull sweetnesse which she was no way able to expresse and therein had many reuelations aswell of our Sauiour as of our B. lady I will only set downe one or two Once being in an extasie our lord appeared to her said Dost thou desire to be with me and I will be with thee Whereto she answered Let it be so my lord as thou dost wouchsafe to be with me so also I will remaine with thee and be neuer separated from thee Our B. lady appeared vnto her very frequently and did instruct her how God doth impart benefits to his beloued by many tribulations and how by his grace which he giueth them he maketh their soules more capable of greater grace whilst they out of a holy humâ—litie doe as it were become diffident of receiueing such and so great benefits which he dayly more and more bestoweth on them And thereupon she counselled her to committ her selfe to the diuine will and goodnesse and attribute more to the power of God than to her owne indignitie The same was also manifested to the saint by a very rare miracle for being one day walking with her ghostly Father called Br. Roderingus they fell into a serious discourse of the spirituall progresse that a soule might make in perfection amongst other things the holy woman said Reuerend Father amongst all my troubles and difficulties of minde there is none so nerely touches me as that I am doubt full of the beneuolence and goodnesse of my creatour towards me not that I doe not know him to be the soueraigne good and liberall in his loue towards vs but that I find my demerits to be such that I shall and ought to bee reiected although I burne with his loue Whereto the Father answered you haue no reason to feare for so great is the diuine goodnesse that without all doubt he loues againe much more than he is loued by any But she replied how then doth he suffer me to be drawne away from him by afflictions and sicknesse at any time or any moment whereas I would alwaies and in all places adhere to him Br Roderingus answered Those are rather signes of one that is beloued of God than of one forsaken by him for he doth permit them to encrease your loue to him as also your merit And in signe hereof the more to confirme you herein in the vertue of his name whome you loue I command that tree which is on the other side of the riuer to come to this side where we are which was presently done Whereupon the saint fell at the Fathers feet craueing pardon for her offence The while these things were done some of her frieÌ„ds were thinking to helpe her and to allow her some honourable meanes and also prouide for her some noble marriage But she not against her will as they thought but voluÌ„tarily both poore and solitary maÌ„fully refused all saying I am coÌ„fident in the diuine protection that what I haue vowed whilst my husband liued I shall not loose now that he is dead what soeuer authoritie presse me or friendship flatter me I will not suffer that to be taken from me by men which I haue begunne for God alone neither doe I feare any violence for it is alwayes free to me with my will to dissent from it and to make my face more deformed or euen to cut of my nose O heroicall resolution rather she wil loose her life than leaue the promise she had made to God How the holy woman tooke vpon her a religious course of life §. 4. ALthings neuerthelesse being well composed and suffinent meanes giuen her to maintaine her selfe she was nothing altered thereby from her former resolution to liue after a poore manner in so much that her nobilitie condemned her esteeming her as a foole or superstitious idiot She was indeed to the wicked a derision and mocking-stocke but to the godly and iust she was in great veneration Whence Pope Gregorie the 9. hearing the fame of her vertues writ to her takeing her as his daughter vnder the protection of the Apostolicall See and commending her to Conradus a Friar as some will haue it a very holy man that he should instruct her what she was to doe where with the Saint was much strengthened and confirmed most willingly submitting her selfe to his direction Conradus then persuaded her to the contempt of the world and the following of Christ which she very willing to doe to the end she might execute it in some sure and constant course of life she made choise of this order of S. Francis to liue accordingly in holy and euangelicall pouertie which not without seeming reluctation her ghostly Father approued especially seeing her so earnestly with teares to beg it And vpon a good Friday before the altar in the Friar minors Church by a solemne profession she renounced parents children pompes and vanities of the world and her proper will to follow our Lord but being about to giue away all her meanes Conradus would not permit it Not long after for the loue of her ghostly Father that she might better enioy his good instructioÌ„s she went to Marburge where she began an hospitall which by commandement of Pope Gregory the 9. she dedicated to S. Francis The Pope at that time sent her some of the bloud that flowed froÌ„ the side of the said saint when he was marked with the holy stigmats In this hospitall she aspires to a higher kind of life and with a spirituall emulation endeauours to imitate the Friar Minors in a noble contempt of all things takeing their state of life and habit as much
and octaues of S. Clare which is not ordinarily granted vnlesse they were patrons or patronesses THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER Of the life and death of Blessed S. Lewis king of France THis glorious saint was borne of blessed parents to wit of Lewis the 8. king of France and Blancha queene of Castile both holy persons in the yeare 1215. being obtained of almightie God by the intercession of our B. lady For his deuout mother who also was of this third order grieuing that she had no children to succeed in the kingdome was persuaded by S. Dominicke to implore the aide and helpe of the B. virgin and to that end instructed her the manner of saying the Rosarie which had newly begunne Her prayers were not without fruit for she obtained her desire in enioying so blessed an ofspring who at twelue years old was crowned king of France yet remained vnder the protection of his mother who would often incultate these words vnto him My most deare sonne I had rather thou shouldest vndergoe a temporall death than by one mortall sinne offend thy creatour Which words tooke such root in his mind that Gods grace so preseruing him he neuer sinned mortally in his life his mother still instructing him in the way of vertue and procureing alwayes some religious men especially Franciscans and Dominicans to be with him that by their example he might be drawne to vertue and pietie And being now of age fit for marriage she prouided a wife for him to the great ioy and comfort of all his subiects but for three nights after his marriage he still continued in prayer bridling his coniugall desire with the feare of God and euer after liued most chastly with his queene Hee was greatly addicted vnto pietie and deuotion daily saying the canonicall houres and much loued humilitie pouertie charitie patience and other vertues studyeing the workes of pennance and mercy liuing in watchings prayers fastings disciplines and haircloath and continually meditateing on the sacred misteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour the principall instruments whereof he from all places procured as that of the crowne of thornes great part of the Crosse the Iron of the lance that opened our Sauiours side with many others He was very deuout in hearing Masse and did communicate often and that with such deuotion that he would allure others to pietie so strong in faith thereto that being one time called to behold an apparition of a most beautifull child when the priest did eleuate the holy Sacrament he refused to goe to see it saying that such signes were for those that did not belieue Out of his great zeale of Gods honour he went forth to make warre with the Sarazens wherein at the first he properously proceeded but in the end God so willing he was taken prisoner but by composition being set at libertie in his returne God by his prayer deliuered both himselfe and his company from shipwracke And as in this he shewed his feruent desire to reduce those infidels to the light of faith so he alwayes did defend the Church against its enemies he loued and maintained all religious orders especially those of the Friar minors and Preachers but was a seuere enemie to all heretickes euen to the houre of his death for on his death bed it was one of his last and greatest charges he gaue to his sonne Fili saith he fis deuotus obediens matri nostrae Romanae Ecclesiae summo Pontifici tanquam Patri spirituali be deuout and obedient to our mother the Romane Church and to the Soueraigne bishop as to a spirituall Father It is reported of him that going in pilgrimage to Rome he passed by Perusia to see Brother Giles one of the companions of our holy Father a man of great contemplation who by reuelation vnderstanding of his comming and meeting the king in a disguised habit for he went in a pilgrimes weed he presently most ioyfully receiued him and both falling prostrate to each other and both rising together after an houres space they went one from another Brother Giles being demanded why he did not speake to the king sith he knew him he answered we saw one anothers hearts so clearely that it was not needfull to speake any thing Omitting many other most excellent things in his life I will conclude with his death which was thus In the yeare 1270. hauing receiued all the Sacraments of the Church with great deuotion and casting himselfe prostrate on the ground with a haire-cloath and ashes vnder him holding his hands stretched forth in the forme of a Crosse he gaue vp the Ghost and afterward shined with many miracles especially that of curing the disease commonly called the kings Euill and as some will haue it from him all the succeeding kings haue that vertue For the great vertues and miracles that God wrought by this saint he was canonised by Pope Bonifacius the 8. in the yeare 1298. And that he was of this third order is manifest by all the ancient monuments of our order the whole order hauing alwayes celebrated his feast with peculiar right And Paulus 3. in his Bull Cum à nobis petitur 1547. numbers him amongst the saincts of this third order See the Martirologe of the Friar Minors on the 25. of August THE SEAVENTEENTH CHAPTER The life of S. Iuo Patrone of the lawyers BLessed S. Iuo was borne of noble Parents neere Trecore in little Brittaine in the yeare 1258. who at competent age was sent thēce to Paris where hauing past his studies with praise as well in humanitie as Philosophy and diuinitie he departed thence and went to Orleans to study the cannon law where fearing the occasion of place and companie he began to exercise himselfe in the way of mortification and vertue which much encreased his good fame and esteeme of all men and made the Archdeane of Rhemes to choose him for to be his officiall which office he performed with great applause He euer cherished the poore helped orphans and comforted those that were in any affliction he was a great peacemaker neuer giuing sentence or iudgement but with teares accompanying it as vnwilling to displease any one In all things he did shew his great charitie to the poore and singular loue to God for whose sake he despised all the things of this world Which that he might more perfectly effect he tooke the habit of this third order which humble state made him to leaue his office or place although now he were officiall to the Bishop and retire himselfe to a poore little Parish Church where with more freedome he might be attentiue to diuine contemplation And now going in his poore habit vnder which also he did weare a hairshirt with most strict fasts euen in bread and water very frequently did remaine in extasie and sometimes for the space of seauen dayes together He celebrated Masse with exceeding great deuotion as also the diuine office which he said alwayes at midnight very sparing in
shed forth teares of compunction to wash away mine offences I did eat ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping The prophet Ioel c. 2. inuites all to the same Conuert imini ad me in toto corde in ieiunio in fletu in planctu Be conuerted to me in all your heart in fasting and in weeping and in mourming that is be ye conuerted to me your God by pennance with your whole heart with all your soule with all your spirit with all your affection which ye may best doe by fasting whereby the sinnes of the flesh and gluttonie are punished and in weeping and mourning whereby with teares ye deplore your ingratitude towards your good God This pennance was denounced vnto vs by all the prophets but in a more eminent manner declared and practised by that most holy forerunner of our Sauiour B. Saint Iohn Baptist whose office was to preach pennance by word and example of whom S. Bernard saith The austeritie and strict course of life of holy S. Iohn Baptist is a hard messenger of eternall death vnto delicious and wanton persons And S. Chrysostome The habit of his body might preach the vertues of his mind c. The Apostles tought the same S. Iohn Climacus hath notable examples in this kind The holy hermits that liued in the desarts did shine with pennance alwaies leading a strict penitentiall life And to omit infinite others let one S. Francis serue for all who after his conuersion did lead a most austere life of pennance For putting on the armour of the Crosse he did subdue all his sensuall appetites with such rigour of discipline that he scarce tooke what was necessarie for his sustentation for said he it is hard to satisfie the necessities of the body and not yeeld to sensuall inclination And therfore being in health he did seldome eat any dressed meates and when he did he put to ashes or water for sauce and very rarely too taking water enough to suffice nature He still inuented new wayes to afflict his body his bed being for the most part the ground or earth his pillow a blocke or stone With such and many the like mortifications did he arme him selfe to conuert the whole world and to draw it to pennance whereof he became a preacher both by word and example And this is all the knowledge his sermons tend vnto let other saints and Doctours preach the high points of speculatiue misticall or morall diuinitie let others abound in eloquence and fertile conceits of holy misteries let them teach the sublime misterie of the holy Trinity and other articles of our faith let them explicate the sublime gifts which God imparts to deuout soules or other such curious points S. Francis hath but one sermon of pennance alwayes repeating and inculcating the same after the example of S. Iohn Baptist and of his Master Christ Iesus knowes not how to speake any other language his text exordium narration peroration or conclusion is of pennance which he alwayes preaches whilst his very life is a continuated sermon of penuance The fruict whereof was such that the whole world would needs follow his example which made him for the satisfaction of all to make certaine rules of pennance All the sentences counsels and commandements of the first Rule sauour of nothing else but pennance and the professours thereof as wel noteth S. Bonauenture were Preachers of Pennance The second rule of no lesse austeritie and pennance he gaue to the poore Clares But this patriarcke of pennance had not thus giuen way and meanes to all for some had not strength and abilitie to vndertake such rigorous austerities who notwith standing forced by his example and words must needes take some rule and manner of life that they might doe pennance for their sinnes And this rule or method of liueing did the holy Father accomplish calleing it the rule of pennance or order of penitents so that the whole order of S. Francis is an order of pennance and all his children are penitents and those that are not so deserue not to be esteemed his disciples So that the first order in the beginning were called preachers of pennance but afterward for the more humilitie the Saint would haue them called Friar Minors a name of humilitie dependence and submission which is the highest condition of a Friar minor The vulgar people also stiled the now called poore Clares or poore dames religious penitents only the name of penitents remaines to the third order whose rule is commonly called the rule of pennance and their order stiled the order of pennance as here the Popes Holinesse entitles it THE 22. CHAPTER Containing a declaration of the state of Innocency MY reader perhaps will admire why I propound this discourse so farre differing from my subiect but let him please to consider that my intention is to explicate the things that are contayned in the prologue of the rule which the Pope thus beginneth Among other things committed to our charge and gouernement those chieftly doe make vs sollicitous by which the concupiscences of the world and flesh being bridled the quiet state of innocence and peace giuen vs from heauen is knowen to be reduced to its originall state and perfection Intimating that by a religious state man may be reduced to the quiet state of innocencie which cannot well be explicated if first we set not downe what the state of innocency was and how we haue fallen from it As for the first we cannot better declare it than by its effects which principally were seauen the first was wisdome and perfect knowledge of all things the second grace amitie or friendship with God the third originall iustice the fourth immortalitie and impassibilitie the fifth the inhabitation of paradise where they might eat of the tree of life the sixth a speciall care that God had of them the seauenth and last freedome from all lust and concupiscence S. Bernard contemplating this state of Innocency in his 35. Sermon vpon Canticles saith that Adam did dwell in the terrestriall paradise a place of more happynesse than any mortall creature could desire his conuersation was exempt from pouertie nothing could discommodate him he was recreated with odoriferant flowers and delightfull fruicts filled with honour and glory and established or created prince of all creatures This minion or fauorite of heauen was an abridegement of all perfection a microcosme where God had heaped all the exquisite beauty that could be seene in heauen or in earth For he had enriched him with grace endowed him with immortalitie and aboue all created him in originall iustice whereby he perfectly possessed all naturall sciences which to gether with the knowledge of supernaturall misteries was infused into him at the time of his creation Moreouer God had ranged all creatures vnder his obedience all liuing beasts did acknowledge him for their lord all other things tending to his benefit content and pleasure the planets sent forth no euill influences each heauen planet
and element containeing themselues within the limits of their natures to the vse of man But that which excelles all is that man was made to the image and likenesse of God that he might alwayes tend towards him and conforme himselfe entirely to his holy will nothing being sufficient to content him saue only God So that beholding himselfe he had occasiō to contemplate the maker of all things and consider the dignitie of his owne soule To be briefe Adam had such great prerogatiues in the state of innocency that he was alwayes vnited to God his soule enriched with grace was pleasing to God his appetite without contradiction was subiect to the lawes of reason his body should have beene alwayes vigorous and strong c. Who is he that beholding this well carued image is not rauished and astonished or can refraine from extolling the honour and praise of the workeman Who can behold so noble a creature not magnify the Creatour who hath made man the ornament of the world the epitomie of the grand vniuerse the loue of heauen the terrour of the diuell cōpaniō of angels sonne of God and brother of Christ Iesus what shall I say more It is impossible to conceiue much harder to declare the preheminence dignity and nobility of man in the state of Innocence when as he was cloathed with that royall robe of originall iustice whereby man was subiect to God all the inferiour powers to reason But alas this did not long continue as is to be seene in the following chapter THE 23. CHAPTER Declaring mans fall from the state of Innocency HOmo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis Psal 48. Man when he was in honour did not vnderstand he was compared to the foolish beasts and became like to them Adam did not know his excellency and dignity but he became like an irrationall creature without iudgement and transgressed the commands of God by eating of forbidden fruit and so by his disobedience did as it were make a massacre vpon all mankind which thus piously S. Augustine deplores vpon S. Paules epistles O durus durior casus c. ô cruell and more than cruell fall alas what is it that man hath lost what is it that he hath found he hath lost the beatitude whereunto he was created he hath found death from whence he was exempted O infortunate Adam thou hast chased vs out of our country thy sinne hath banished vs into this troublesome desart of cursed earth and from immortall as we were we are become mortals O miserable seruitude inestimable losse insupportable paine and most grieuous torment ô vnfortunate Adam what hast thou done wherefore last thou so soone forgotten the commande of thy creatour transgressed the precept of thy master and trodden vnder foot the law of thy God what disorder what passion what intemperance hath seased on thee that thou couldest not be contented with so great abundance of all good but must needs eat of forbiddē fruit whereas thou mightest at thy pleasure eat of all the rest S. Chrysostome in his homily de Adamo in the person of God doth the same Vbi imago meaprimum for mosa c. where is my image that I haue created so beautifull where is that most pretious ornament of Paradise where is the chiefe worke of my hands where is the liuely heire of my kingdome where now is my familiar friēd O vnfortunate sinne that hath depriued mankind of so great good made him to be cast out of paradise and to be condemned to teares labours griefes and death both in himselfe and all his posteritie No sooner then had man disobeyed God but concupiscence began to raigne and domineere ouer the spirit and the inferiour powers to rebell against reason He who euen now was the most noble and most perfect of all sensible creatures is now become of all the most miserable and because he had rebelled against his God he finds a continuall rebellion within and against himselfe being as the Apostle S. Paule saith Rom 7. venundatus sub peccato sold vnder sinne and he his posteritie deliuered vp to the slauery of originall sinne and tyrannie of concupiscence The flesh is become a remora to the spirit in its course to heauē whereof each one may iustly complaine in himselfe saying I see another law in my members repugning that is rebelling to the law of my minde and captiuating me in the law of sinne making me subiect to the law of sinne that is my concupiscence In so much that vnwillingly and with reluctation I am forced to feele its vitious inclinations and I cannot escape its snares Well hath the wise man sayd Eccl. 40. Great trauell is created to all men and an heauie yoake vpon the children of Adam from the day of their comming forth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all In their whole life they are to suffer many infirmities wants griefes lamentations mournings cares anguishes labours contradictions persecutious wearinesses iniuries rapines slaughters temptations and other innumerable troubles and afflictions in so much that life seemeth no other than a long and continuall death a prolonged death or decaying life I will conclude omitting many yea innumerable euills that haue proceeded from this sinne of Adam and only set downe the ten effects of originall sinne which Cardinall Bellarmime in his booke de amiss gra doth assigne to wit Ignorance in the vnderstanding malice in the will concupiscene in the flesh calamitie labour and paine in the members death in the body anger and wrath of God captiuitie vnder the diuell strifes debates brawlings seditions and warres with our neighbours enmitie and rebellion of irrationall creatures and innumerable euils comming from the heauens and elements O grieuous yoake of mankind THE 24. CHAPTER Declaring how we may reduce our selues to the state of Innocency HAuing thus briefly shewed what the state of innocence was and what we haue lost by Adams sin it is now time to explicate the Popes words afore cited and see how we may be reduced to the state of Innocence The light and Doctour of the Gentils Rom. 5. saith If in the offence of one death reigned by one much more they who receiue abundance of grace and of donation and of Iustice shall reigne by one Iesus Christ Therfore as by the offence of one vnto all men to condemnation so also by the iustice of one vnto all men to iustification of life As if he should haue sayd If by the fault of Adam all his posteritie did incurre the guilt paine of death know that Christ hath exhibited a farre greater benefit for Christ by his grace hath giuen vs greater gifts than Adam by his sinne hath taken from vs. For saith he not as the offence so also the gift For if by the offence of one many died much more the grace of God and the gift in
Psalmist Psal 12. They that troubled me will reyoice if I be moved O doe not offend leaue and misprise God who is your Creatour and Saviour Doe not contristate his B. mother most ready to helpe you and most zealous of your saluation doe not dishonour your Angel Guardian who most sincerely loues you keepes you most carefully and admonishes you most faithfully rather to follow and hearken after the suggestions of the diuell than to the most wholsome exhortations of the Angels Doe not make your selues odious and contemptible to the triumphant Church of the celestiall court Doe not yeeld your selues to be a shame mokquerie prey to the most envious most cruell enemies But rather pray with the wise man Eccl. 23. O Lord Father and dominatour of my life leaue me not in their counsell least I fall in the fight of mine adversaries and mine enemies rejoice The 8. is presently to resist in the beginning of the tentation principally in the tentations of the flesh from which as from their obiects occasions incitations and subiects they are incontinently to turne the eies of the spirit and of the body the imagination fancy memorie and convert them to behold and consider some holy and compunctiue things as beholding the crucifix and the Passion the last endes weighing also the breuitie and incertitude of this present life Moreouer they ought to be magnanimous and laudably vindicatiue that so they may afflict the diuells their enemies by so much more earnestly and vncessantly addicting themselues to all workes of vertue principally of profound humilitie Obediēce Charitie by how much more they endeavour to withdraw them from their saluation say with the true warrier Psal 17. I will pursue mine enemies and ouertake them And I will not returne till they faile I will breake them neither shall they be able to stand they shall fall vnder my feete The 9. is to ponder the basenesse impietie and turpitude of tentation and vice and so presently with an indignation turne themselues as from a stinking most detestable carron Euen as a marchant would with indignation refuse iron or dung that the buyer should giue him for gold or balsome so when for our Lord God eternall infinit most worthy and for the most pretious guift of his grace glorie the world the flesh the diuell should propound vaine filthy and base things let them answere with great contemptand not vouchsafe to behold or hear ken to those who suggest such things nay rather according to that which the standard bearer of Christ Iesus Blessed S. Francis hath tought vs let them say to the tempter Open thy mouth and I will cast dong into it The 10. remedie is to discover aswell in confession as out of it what passeth is hidde in they spirit to discreet good and charitable men and humbly obey to their counsells and instructions The tēpter doth seeke meanes to deceiue vs propounding false and perverse things vnder the species of true and good and doth lay snares and guiles wherfore he feares to be discovered For according as Christ hath said in the Gospell Ioan. 3. Euery one that doth ill hateth the light and commeth not to the light that his workes may not be made manifest Wherfore a man hath then almost vanquished the diuell and discouered all his deceits and trecheries when he hath declared all the secrets of his heart to men of iudgement It is also and act of humilitie and discretion in such sort to discouer the interiour and to desire to be wel instructed therein and therfore let them overcome thus the pride of the diuell Many other things may be added as to haue recourse to our B. Lady to the Saincts towards whome they haue particular devotion And principally to haue a serious consideration of the Passion of our Saviour For Christ hath giuen great power and inestimable vertue to his Passion death wherby he hath redeemed humane kind It contayneth in it selfe an infinit merit because by a soveraigne and most ardent charitie most perfect Obedience most profound humilitie most firme patience most strong constancy and most mild spirit he hath submitted himselfe to it his divinitie added to his humanitie did giue to it an immense efficacy of merites wherfore by how much more a man is ioyned to Christ by more humble ardent and strict charitie by so much more abundantly he may participate of his vertues and merits If then they be tempted with any difficulty or rigour of the Order and of its observance as of the hardnesse and austeritie of Religion that it theeme greeuous and painfull to carrie the Crosse and follow Christ let them consider diligently what he hath suffered for them how in his agony for horrour of death he hath shed a bloudy sweat and was sadde euen to death and carrying vpon his owne shoulders the heauie gibbot of the crosse he was most ignominiously ledde to the place of Calvarie If they be tempted with the delights of the flesh or with the desires of pleasure dissolution play sport vnmeasured laughter let them consider the griefe that he suffered for vs when his most delicate flesh was torne even to the opening of his sides and most cruelly rent with the blowes of scourges when his hands and feete were transpierced with rough and great nailes of Iron when his head was crowned with thornes and beaten with a reede If they be tempted with ambition let them consider how for our sakes he became reproch of men and out cast of the people He was mocked with a white garment derided in purple bespitted on his face blasphemed and despiced handled and slaine as the most base and the most wicked amongst men for those who did see him did mocke at him saying Mat. 27. If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the Crosse c. If the rigour of abstinence or of fasting be troublesome and painfull to them if they be tempted with more delicate meat or drinke let them remember that they gaue him gall for his meate and in his thirst they gaue him vinagre to drinke Psal 68. If the motion of Pride the impetuositie of impatience or anger assault them because some haue done them iniuries or other contrarieties let them consider how most patiently he hath endured all things when he wa◠carried before Pilate with a mos◠mild heart not saying one word when he was most enormously accused If rancour or motion of envie strike them let them remember how he fastened to the Crosse already environed with anguish and prickings of death and more interiourly transperced did pray for those who crucifyed him If sloath assault them let them call to mind with what ardēt charitie he hath procured our saluation Briefely in all temptations let them interiourly consider what and how great things he hath vndertaken excercised and suffered for our saluation with what most bitter and most cruell death he was slaine and most violently
afterward the occasion present it selfe or if you can seeke the occasion to praise that Sister shew her a good countenance and talke with her of things that occurre so you shall become a child according to that of our Saviour Matt. 18. Vnlesse you be converted and become as little children you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen You shal be a little child not in sense but in malice a child not in imbecillitie but in sinceritie 5. Doe not contract ouer much familiaritie or immoderate friendship with any one Sister for this is not charitie but a moth of charitie the ruine of peace vertue and perfection and is obtained with offense to others for from this root most commonly buddes forth these branches 1. a continuall remembrance of those whom you loue with an obliuion of God 2. many idle discourses and losse of time ordained to contrition prayer and good workes not to vanitie detractiōs which ordinarily follow such familiaritie 3. scandale to the other Sisters who detest such affections which are contrarie to a Religious life 4. a continuall anguish and care least some corporall euill sicknesse or dishonour should come vnto them 5. a continuall care to defend them with such like which many times causeth dissension and strife with others wherfore cōmunicate a generall loue to all assist all speake to all and shew to all the same signes of familiaritie And if you are bent to loue one more than another let it be in no other but in Iesus Christ your Spouse wherby you may the more encrease in his loue 6. Contemne all tēporall things and wholy banish the loue of them from your heart For oftentimes base and abiect things defited doe breake peace betweene Sisters and hurt Charitie Be you ashamed that possessing the guifts of God with hope to be heires of God you should dispute and quarrell for a little booke for a cell and such like preferring those little and vaine things before the good of charitie loue 7. Overcome your proper will and submit it to the will of your Sisters For Iesus Christ did not come to doe his proper will but to be subiect to all So you are not entred into Religion to satisfie your proper desires but the will of our Lord. If you will know what the proper will is which for the good of peace you ought to forsake S. Bernard will tell you Proper will saith he is not commonto God and men but is only ours when we will any thing not for the honour of God nor for the will of our Sisters but we doe and accomplish it for our selues without intention to please God or profit our Sisters but to satisfie the proper motions of our spirit This is directly opposite to charitie 8. Renounce your proper iudgement not too much confiding or relying vpon your owne opinion for euen as amongst carnall and imperfect persons disordinate loue of earthly things doth ordinarily raise strifes and debates so amongst spirituall persons the diversitie of sense and iudgement ordinarily engendreth discord Now you may obtaine this abnegation of your iudgement by true humilitie of heart if you esteeme others more wise and stayed and your selues more foolish and lesse experienced Hearken to S. Paule praying each one Phil. 2. If therfore there be any consolation in Iesus Christ if any solace of charitie if any societie of spirit if any bowels of commiseration fullfill my ioy that you be of one meaning hauing the same charitie of one minde agreeing in one Nothing by contention neither by vaine glorie but in humilitie each counting other better than thēselues 9. Thinke seriously that there is nothing so great profitable or pretious which may be preferred before the good of charitie and vnion wherfore order all your exteriour things all your affaires in such sort that the fraternall charitie may not be preiudiced but cōserved with the losse and interest of all other things 10. Be neuer angry against your Sister how iust an occasion soeuer you haue according to your seeming for anger doth blind the vnderstanding and looseth the good of peace and charitie you may well be angry against your sinnes but beare alwayes a peaceable and quiet heart towards your Sisters or at the least striue to appeare so exteriourly Endeavour to suppresse anger not only in your owne heart but also in the hearts of your Sisters which you may doe by cutting of the occasions by humble satisfaction and by sweet courteous words 11. Doe not promise to your selfe long life but thinke that you may presently die and accustome your selfe with tranquillitie of spirit to suffer iniuries and wrongs from your Sisters as you would doe if you were at point of death when you would not esteeme of such things but rather apply your mind to God wherfore euen now consider all things which are done and said as if they did no way touch you and so you shall not be any wayes troubled and shall offer all to God as voluntarie Sacrifices 12. Consider and reuerence Iesus Christ in every one for you ought not so much to consider the person as God who by his essence presence and power is in all things and principally in rationall creatures and therfore for his sake you ought to interpret all their words and works in good part or if you cannot returne to your owne selfe and consider whether there be nothing in you that may displease God who is present where perhaps you may find greater faults and therfore you may the better support the imperfections of others Besides such is Gods goodnesse that oftentimes he couereth great and heroicall vertues vnder day ly and light imperfections ORDO AD VNGENDAM INFIRMAM IN primis pulsetur campana Capituli Sorores quae possunt in Ecclesiam conveniant quibus congregatis Sacerdote cum Ministris praeparatis Sacerdos accipiat olcum sanctum Deinde ordinate procedant cum psalmo Miserere mei Deus Cum autem peruentum fuerit ad locum vbi iacet infirma Sacerdos dicat Pax huic domui ℟ Et omnibus habitantibus in ea Stans ante agrotam dicat ℣ Adiutorium nostrum c. ℟ Qui fecit caelum c. ℣ Dominus vobiscum c. Oremus INtroeat Domine Iesu Christe domum hanc sub nostrae humilitatis ingressu aeterna foelicitas diuina prosperitas serena laetitia charitas fructuosa sanitas sempiterna Effugiat ex hoc loco accessus daemonum adsint Angeli pacis domumque hanc deserate effugata discordia Magnifica Domine super nos nomen sanctum tuum ✠benedic nostrae conuersationi sanctifica ✠nostrae humilitatis ingressum qui sanctus pius es permanes cum Patre spiritu sancto in saecula saeculorum Amen ORemus deprecemur Dominum nostiū Iesum Christum vt benedicendo benedicat ✠hoc tabernaculum omnes habitantes in eo det eis Angelum bonum custodem faciat eas sibi
did manifest her ciuility in cōplieing to their desires than any content she had in the recreation She carried her selfe indifferent in all such things and so by a quotidian and dayly excercise resisted her naturall inclinations and mortified her appetite alwayes declining from the libertie of a loose life she did raise vp her selfe to greater meanes of perfection Entring into the Church she would alwayes lay aside her crowne vntill such time as all being done she were admonished to returne for that she thought it a great impietie that her head should there be adorned with the proude pompe of a glittering crowne where was represented vnto her the head of our sauiour crowned with pricking thornes Who could expect such deuotiō such high vertues in so tender yeares It seemed to many and not without reason that she was more fitting to liue amongst religious woemen than in the court you would iudge that she had beene some Angel in humaine nature especially where as so many occasions of wordly sensuality were presented vnto her as all knowe the courts of Princes be subiect to What she did in the time of her Marriage § 2. IN the fourteenth yeare of her age she is forced by the obedience she owed to her Father to marry and thereby perhaps must mitigate somewhat of this great feruour But nothing lesse for her heart was firme and stable in those graces that God had giuen her more and more sheweing forth her feruour of spirit dayly encreasing in the study of vertuous actions feeding her minde with the contemplation of celestiall things and excerciseing her body in watchings prayers and fasts oftentimes cautiously riseing frō her husbands side in the night to pray And when she could get opportunity she would lie on the bare ground and to preuent all rebellion of the flesh she chastised her tender body euery fryday with disciplines in the lent oftener Vnder her silkes and sattins she ware continually a haireshirt yea many times permitted her maides to discipline and chastise her when she could think that she had done ought amisse A rare parterne in so great a princesse To all this we may adde her great charitie wherein she spent the greater part of her time now labouring by word and workes to draw others to amendment of life by reason whereof many ladies forsooke the vanitie of the world some by her counsell makeing vowes of chastitie others entering into religiō others who had not receiued the faith by her good counsell and instruction brought to be baptized she her selfe going to be their God-mother at the font Other whiles going forth to visit poore sicke woemen comforting and cherishing them with all things necessarie which she alwayes brought with her And indeed she was alwayes-mercifull to the poore not disdaining secretly to dresse their fores and botches yea their scald-heads and scurfes where of being sometimes reprehended she ioyfully answered that she had rather please Christ than mē And to auoid idlenesse the mother of all mischiefe being vacant from the aforesaid works of piety she vsed with her maydes to spinne and therewithall she cloathed the poore And that her charitie might neuer cease she caused a faire hospitall to be built wherein she gaue order that all things necessarie should be prouided for the poore that were weake and sick which hospitall although it were on a high mountaine somewhat painfull to ascend she did ordinarily visit euery day going with great humilitie to each one that was there enquiring whether they wanted any thing or what they desired and with her owne hands did feed those that were not able to helpe themselues taking them out of their beds bearing thē in her armes and composeing their beds for them Most louingly would she embrace the poore little children carrieing them in her armes and shewing her tender affection to them as if she had beene their mother so that ordinarily she was called the Mother of the poore She neuer regarded their deformitie diseases scabs or filth but louingly receiued all as if they had beene her owne In this hospitall she had alwayes 28 persons for whom she prouided although she were forced sometimes for their sakes to substract necessaries from her selfe Besides there were 900. beggars daily nourished by her almes but aboue all she tooke speciall care for the funeralls and burials of such poore people as were not able to prouide for themselues These acts of so notable charity God almighty shewed both to be gratefull to himselfe and also not preiudiciall to her husbands state as the following examples will shew For once being much importuned by some poore people for almes and hauing not any other thing to giue she gaue them her mantell which was very rich which the Prince misseing asked for it the Sainct confidently answered that it hung thereby as experience did verify At another time the prince being in great anxietie of mind for that she had not apparell beseeming her qualitie especially in such a time as there came vnto him an Embassadour from the king her Father she willed him not to be troubled for that she did neuer care for such vanities But the time being come that she must descend to the Embassadour loe she appeares in very rich apparell adorned with such beauty that euery one was strucke into admiration especially the prince to whom demāding the reason she smiling said our lord doth know how to prepare such things when he pleaseth About the yeare 1225. there fell a great dearth through the whole country when her husband being abroade she gathers all the corne she could get and most bountifully imparts it to the poore so that she emptied all the princes barnes and store-houses which notwith standing were found to be as they were before It is too hard to expresse her great deuotion at Masse and other diuine offices her feruent and pious aspirations her pietie in the time of communion wherein she was many times seene to shine with a great light and brightnesse And although she spent her whole time very religiously yet more particularly she obserued the lent with fastings almes and prayers adding frequent disciplines and on maundy thirsday poorely clad she visited the churches washing with great deuotion the feet of twelue poore woemen and after ward gaue them liberall almes Shee oftentiues went the processions barefoot The fame of these and such like vertues came to the eares of our seraphicall S. Francis who for her comfort by the commandement of the Cardinall protectour sent her his cloake which she most deuoutly receiued It seemes to me that this cloake was a misticall signe of what she was to be to wit not only one of his children but a mother and patronesse of this third order which the holy Father by this signe doth commend vnto her What she did after her husbands death §. 3. NEwes cōming to her of the princes death she with a constant resolution said teares sweetly flowing from her eyes If my Brother so