iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God
senceles he was expelled the church whither he came afterward to aske pardon of God and the S. which being obtayned the fish retourned into a capons legge and the holy Father publikely recounted the successe of the fact for which they generally gaue infinite thankes to God With what rigour he chasticed his passionate wordes and thoughts THE LXXXXI CHAPTER HAuing bin many dayes blinde as by reason of the great infirmity of his eyes which his wepinges had procured him it often happened he determined for his consolation to visitt Brother Bernard one of his first companions and inward freindes and to remayne some time with him to talke of God But comming to his cell on the toppe of the mountaine and finding it shutt he thought he was in prayer as indeed he was and hauing no meane to see him he called him by these wordes Open Bernard and come comfort this poore blind mā and many times reiterating the same the Religious not answearing he was much disquieted and said to his companion I haue called him many times he will not answeare me lett vs goe in the name of God and so departing iudged Brother Bernard to be proud and neuertheles considering better that it was not his coustume so to doe he tourned from his companion and fell to prayer where he was not long but he heard answeare from God who reprehending him said Litle man why doest thou trouble they selfe so much doest thou thinck it reasonable to leaue the Creatour for the creature when thou calledst Brother Bernard he was with me not with him selfe and therfore he could not answeare thee for he did not heare thee Which S. Francis hearing he humbled him selfe to God and asked him pardon Then incontinently retourning directly to Brother Bernard he mett him without his cell hauing ended his prayer and as Brother Bernard fell att his feet he likewise fell at his and acknowledged his fault of the ill iudgement he had conceaued of him then required of him to enioyne him this pennance I will said he that thou sett they feet on my throat and on my mouth and treading hard theron shalt say Poore worme the sonne of Peter Benardone there lye one the earth sith thou hast so exalted thee in pride bafe and abiect as thou art which poore Brother Bernard hearing he would in no sort yeld ther to till the holy Father commanded him in vertue of obedience and then with the greatest modesty and reuerence he could possibly he obeyed first conditioned that the S. should in like sort doe to him what he would and so hauing obeyed the S. he reciprocally commanded him very sharply to reprehend him for euery fault of his he should know as often as they should meete together Thus did the Religious Saints of those dayes exercise themselues in humility But S. Fracis hearing that was in such sort afflicted for hauing promised him obedience for the great reuerence he had towardes him aswell for his great worthynes as because he was the first of his Order as that he resolued rather to forbeare his sweet and gratious cōuersation then to haue subiect to reprehend him though in such a seruant of God there were litle or nothing to reprehend A Religious that had care of a leaper comming with him to our Lady of Angels the S. reprehended him for hauing brought him thither with trouble and afliction which he had scarcely vttered but thinking that he had offended the leaper in reprehending the Religious in his presence he presently went and acknowledged his fault vnto his Vicaire of whome he demanded for pennace that he would enioyne him to eat with the leaper in one same dish who not to giue him discontent was constrained so to command him and so there was incōtinently brought a dish of pottage from the kitchen for the leaper and himselfe it was admirable to see with what patience and tast this worthy seruant of God endeauoured to eat of the pottage in which the leaper putt his finges which being all couered with the loathsome infection of his leapry the droppes of putrefaction ran into the dish which caused in the Religious there present an extreame hart-greife and compassion that their Father without offence should performe so bitter and intollerable a penance Lett this be spoaken to our confusion that seeke so many curious arts to season our meates which we desire to haue so delicious The said Religious did assuredly affirme that as often thence-forward ae they remembred that refection of their Father with the leaper all meat how delicate soeuer it might be made their hart arise and was disdayned of them Of the new and notable Matines of holy humility which S. Francii and Brother Leo did sing hauing no Breuiary to read them THE LXXXXII CHAPTER THe holy Father being one time in the hermitage with Brother Leo he went so farre from the celle that the night preuented them and hauing no Breuiary with them the houre of Matines being come S. Francis said to the Brother will not yee that we employ this time vnprofitably that therfore we passe it in the prayse of God say as I shall tell you but take heed that you chaunge not any word I then will say O Francis thou hast committed so many sinnes in the world that thou deseruest hell and you shall answeare me you say the truth that you deserue a place in the deepest part of hell Brother Leo most humble and obedient promised him to say so but as the S. began to vtter the foresaid wordes Brother Leo answeared Know Brother Franc. that you shal not goe to hel but to the glory of Paradice Which the holy Father admiting he commanded him againe not to say so but as now I shall tell thee I will begin to say Francis thou hast so much offended God that thou well deseruest to be eternally accursed and you shall answeare without any variation thou art doubtles worthy to be foreuer expelled from the face of God which the good Brother Leo promising to obserue the holy Father with a loud and fearefull voice knocking his brest began O God lord of heauen earth I haue committed so many offences against thy diuine Maiesty that I am well assured I meritt to be eternally banished thy glory and perpetually damned and Brother Leo answeared God will accept thee for such an one as among the great multitude of his elect thou shalt be especially blessed and glorious in his celestiall kingdome S. Francis more admiring then before in that he knew how obedient Brother Leo was he said why doe you not answeare me as I enioyned you and as you promised me I now command you in vertue of obedience that when I say O wretched and miserable Francis doest thou thinck euer to deserue pardon of the God of mercies hauing alwayes so much offended him thou art not worthy of grace I command you I say to answeare me thou in no sort deseruest the mercie of
also must renounce it if not entierlie att least in part Lett vs loue our ennemies and doe good to them that hate vs lett vs obserue the preceptes and counsailes of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST renouncing our selues and liuing vnder the sweet yoke of his obedience Lett vs not be wise according to the flesh but simple humble and pure keeping our sences mortified and pride trodden vnder foot considering our basenes vnworthie to be superiour to others as they would we should be Lett vs imitate our Lord and carry his crosse vpon vs lett vs suffer together with him who hath endured so much for vs wretches in this world and bestoweth on vs so many benefittes and far greater will hereafter and to whome all creatures ought to giue prayse honour and glorie in heauen in earth in the sea and in the depth because he is our vertue and our force who only is good only most high onlie almighty meruaylous and glorious and only holy praysed and exalted for euer Amen I Brother Francis your seruant with the greatest humilitie I can prostrate on the earth and kissing your feet doe beseech you by the bowels of the charitie of God to receaue these wordes and others of our Lord IESVS CHRIST to effect and obserue them with due humilitie and charitie assuring all them that shall receaue vnderstand and effect them and shall by wordes and example teach them to others therein perseuering to the end that the Father the Sonne and holie Ghost will giue him his benediction Amen Of the conditions and qualities in a true Frere Minour taken out of the 10. chapter and 10. booke and placed here as in their due place THe holy Father S. Francis as a good pastour and zealous of the profitt and releife of his sheepe in Euangelicall perfection considered often with himselfe what conditions ought to be in a true and perfect Freer Minor Our Lord hauing reuealed vnto him the perfections of many of his interiour freindes and first disciples in whome he made appeare singuler grace◠he vniting them all together in this sort framed a Frere Minor Lett him haue the faith and loyaulty of Brōther Bernard Quintaualle who had also a most perfect obseruance of pouerty as in his life shall appeare the simplicity and purity of Brother Leo the good manners and good nature of Brother Angelus of Riete who being in the world was a right worthy and cōpleate knight the gracious countenance naturall science and deuout speech of Brother Macie the soule eleuated in contemplation as Brother Giles the perseuerant prayer of Brother Ruffinus who prayed without intermission though he were employed in other affaires it seemed euen when he slept that his soule was with God the patience of Brother Iuniperrus who desired nothing more then to endure and be contemned the Fortitude of Brother Iohn des Landes a man of notorious courage and extreme abstinence the Charitie of Brother Roger and the care of Brother Lucidus who was so sollicitous of soule that when he felt consolation in one place he would repaire to an other to auoyd the setling of his loue in this world whervpon he would say that one must dwell as in an inne with the foot euer readie to putt into the sturrup to prosecute the iorney to heauen Th end of the doctrines Of certaine Miracles wherby our lord confirmed the life and holy doctrine of his Preacher S. Francis THE LII CHAPTER THere happening an extreme drinesse att Beneuentum for want of rayne and wheras euery one expected and feared a great dearth the holy Father S. Francis arryued there and hauing preached and being enformed of their affliction he commaunded each one to say a Pater nostex and Aue Maria which done it rained very abondantlie Preaching an other time in a church neere vnto a pond where were manie frogges which by their croakinges hindred the people from hearing him the holie Father commaunded them to be silent and they in such sort obeyed him that retourning thither an other time and knowing that they had not croaked from the time of the said prohibition he gaue them licence to vse their naturall voice which att the verie instant they began to doe There being a generall procession made in a place called Arona for an extreme drinesse which they endured sainct Francis comming thither began to preach vnto them publikelie in the middes of a feild in the violent scorching sunne whither to the end he and his audience might not be molested our lord sent such a number of swallowes that remayning in the middes of the aire they couered the multitude from the beames of the sunne and stirred not thence till sainct Francis had ended his predication Preaching att Albruzo in a church of the Virgin Marie to excite the people more seriouslie to obserue the word of God there being presented vnto him a child that was crooked lame and mute called Albertus Campoly he with his verie handes streightned his crookednesse and his other maymed members which obeyed him as if they had consisted of soft waxe and composed euerie part aacording to their nature then calling him he made him answeare and of that answeare followed his speech so that he deliuered him perfectlie cured vnto his Father who with verie great faith expected the successe wherevpon he with all the people were inflamed in the true loue of God and yelded infinite thanckes to his diuine Maiestie He cured a dangerous wound in a yong man by the signe of the crosse in the cittie of Castello whither he was brought with great faith that he might signe him with the said signe so that the next morming the flesh being growen where before it was putrified the cicatrice remayned vermillion like a rose in perpetuall memorie of the miracle When the Monasterie was builded for his Religious att Ancona the worckmen wanting wine they murmured and would no longer labour but sainct Francis hauing made his prayer went to a neighbour fountaine the water wherof by the signe of the crosse which he made thereon he tourned into wine then made the labourers to drincke whome he made penitent of their conceaued impatience A gentleman visiting the holie Father in the Church of sainct Christopher att Iterrena and hauing inuited him to eat with him it happened that there was no wine in his house sainct Francis then commanded a botell of vinegar to be drawne and it was seene and knowne to be most precious wine In the same cittie a wall being fallen vpon a yong man that was found dead vnder the stones whiles he was lamented in his Fathers house sainct Francis hauing compassion therof and inspired of God entred in att a back dore and approching to the beare that was vncouered for in Italy the body is carryed to buried clothed as Prelates are here he tooke the dead by the arme and calling him by his name he raised him no otherwise then if he had awaked him from sleep
compassion to see him so tormented by his owne Father and that admired not the cruelty of the one and the patience of the other But glorious Francis who had his spiritt vnited with IESVS CHRIST by whome he was comforted did in the meane time thus encourage himselfe that by these strokes of the hammer of affliction God would forge of him a merueillous and admirable vessell baked and purged in the fournace of most panifull crosses and labours to dilate and amplifie his glory and to renew his memory on earth Certaine dayes then after yong Francis was committed to prison his father vppon occasion of his affaires being gone out of Assisium his mother who was not pleased with that her husband had done conceiuing a naturall compassion of her sonne went to see him and with the gentle and sweet speeches of a mother endeauoured to persuade him to obey his father accompanying her wordes that were of them selues sufficiently pregnant and effectuall with abondance of teares This certainly was no sclender assault and combatt to the new champion whose mother could nothing preuaile in that she desired for he lett her know that his obligation was more to God then to his father or mother and besides that he was resolued to follow the inspiration which he had receiued of the holy Ghost Then he tourned his speech to his mother her selfe exhorting her to acknoledge the great benefitt which she had receiued of God in that he called her sonne to his seruice and that therfore she ought to be thankfull vnto him This woman att length ouer comme with the reasons of her child and desperate of force euer to supplant his firme resolution and constantie and with all touched with a motherly compassion loosed his chaines and imparting vnto him her benediction she dismisses him Francis finding himselfe att liberty saluted his mother and prayed her to be no more afflicted in his regard and then retourned to the fore said Church to giue thankes to the Soueraigne Redeemer for what soeuer had happened vnto him But his father being retourned and not finding his sonne in the place where he left him hauing greiuously checked and iniuried his wife for dismissing him he ran vtterly enraged into the said Church with resolution to procure his banishment out of his contry as a dishonour vnto him if he should persist in his former resolution The victorious Francis presented himselfe before his Father to intertaine him graciously notwithstanding he preceiued him to be extreme furious and with an assured and ioyfull countenance said vnto him Father I feare not att all your threates your beatinges your fetteringes nor all you tormentes for I am ready to endure such persecution as you desire to inflict on me for the loue of my God Which his father hauing heard and knowing well that he should neuer moue nor stagger his stable and cōstant resolution he then thought att least to redeeme and recouer the mony which his sonne had receiued for his merchandise and to that end sought information of the Preist how it was imployed but in the meane while he seemed to perceiue a great purse vpon a window whereto goeing neere he found that it was his mony which hauing seazed on it much appeased his fury the burning thirst of his auarice being somewhat moderated by the application of this medicine How the seruant of Iesus Christ Francis renounced his father not only touching his due but euen restored vnto him all the garments wherwith he was cloathed disapparelling himselfe euen to his shirt and this in presence of the bishop of Assisium THE IIII. CHAPTER THe terrestriall father of the glorious Francis being not yet satiated with the cruelties inflicted on him would tempt the sonne of grace in temporall abilities seeking to constraine him to render and renounce the dew portion which of his father he was to haue and to this effect conducted him before the bishop of the citty Now the father thus proceeded for feare that being dead his sonne should distribut the part of his succession among the poore S. Francis vnderstanding it went very willingly before the bishop as a true louer of pouerty and obedient child without expecting further summoning and without◠any consideration of the matter and there he did not only most readily renounce his paternall succession but euen putt off the garmentes wherwith he was cloathed to his very shirte in presence of the bishop and diuers others without blushing any thinge theratt being mindefull of our most gracious IESVS CHRIT who for vs was nailed naked vnto the crosse Then he made a litle bundle of his cloathes and deliuered the same to his father saying Till this present I haue called you father and haue reputed you so in this world but from hence forward I may securely say Our Father which art in heauen to whome I haue giuen in custody my treasure and in him haue reposed all the hope of hereditary succession The bishop seeing so strange a specctacle nothing resting on the body of poore Francis but his haire cloth and preceiuing on the other side that the father supported and endured to see his sonne naked without any compassion of his hart considering with all in the sonne such an extraordinary feruour with so admirable and excessiue patience he reputed him the true seruant of God and therefore arising and standing vp he with gracious sweetnes receiued him into his armes and as a pious Pastour couered him with his owne gowne and commanded his seruantes to bring him a garment whervpon they brought him an old base coate of a poore labourer which Francis gratefully receiued without expecting any other and requiring that there might be brought him a paire of Cicers he so fashioned the same that it couered a man in forme of a Crosse A right heroicall act worthy of very great consideration and merueillous to see after what manner the world the true soldier of the deuill our cruell ennemie reduceth to nothing those that desire truely to serue God leauing them euen naked without wherwithall to couer them We ought here to consider how necessary it is for the good and vertuous to mesprise the wealth of the world and not to feare the inconueniences therof to disburthen them of the weight of the earth with the greater alacrity to carry the burden of our Redeemer and finally in a certaine sort to disnaturalize them selues forsaking father and mother and worldly kinred to become cittizens of heauen Thus was the seruant of the most mighty Monarque dischardged of his terrestriall father to follow our naked IESVS CHRIST crucified whom he loued and so armed with the armours of the crosse he recommanded his soule to the tree of life by the vertue wherof he secured himselfe from the tempestuous sea of this world Of the exercises wherin the seruant of Iesus Christ Francis thence forward employed himselfe THE V. CHAPTER THis contemner of the world being then freed of the chaines and
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
neuer so litle relenting his austeritie to be cured of his infirmities the occasion was reasonable to free himselfe piously of such a chardge And therfore att the generall chapter held two yeares before he receaued of our Lord IESVS CHRIST his sacred stigmates he publikelie renounced the office of Minister Generall not without the exceeding greife of all the Religious who by all meanes refusing during his life to admitt any other Minister he was constrayned to constitute a Vicar Generall that gouerned the Order in his name To this effect he made choise of Brother Peter Catanio his second sonne in Religion a man of great prudence and very expert to gouerne to whome the holie Father promised his cheiffest obedience and besides to him that should be constituted his Guardian Which all the Religious seeing they began bitterlie to weepe esteeming they should continue as orphanes without the ordinary gouernment of their beloued Father who comforting them the best he could his handes ioyned and his eyes eleuated towardes heauen he said My God I recommende vnto thee this family which to this houre thou hast recommended vnto me For now by reason of mine infirmities other impedimentes and iust causes to thee knowne being vnable henceforward to haue care of them I haue committed them to a Vicar Generall and to other Prouinciall Ministers who shal be obliged to yeld thee a very exact account of them att the terrible day of the great iudgement if they chaunce to perish by their negligence or euill example And so the holy Father S. Francis thenceforward perseuered to be alwayes subiect euen to the day of his death surpassing thē all in humilitie Yet did he neuer faile to be very zealous in assisting and with his vtmost to fauour his Order euen during the life of his first Vicar who died att the end of the second yeare of his Prelature in the Monastery of our Lady of Angels S. Francis not being there when he was buryed His body wrought so many miracles that an infinite multitude of people from all partes flocked thither leauing a very great quantity of almose vnto the monasterie The holie Father therfore comming thither and vnable to endure either the one or the other the former for distracting them all and the latter for relaxation of the order which he forsaw would grow of such quantity of almose he wēt to the sepulcher where so many miracles were wrought and to the deceased he vttered these wordes My deerlie beloued Brother as thou hast alwayes obeyed me during thy life we being now by thine intercession molested with such a world of peopl thou must also obey me after thy death I therefore cōmand thee on obedience that thou worcke no more miracles sith by them we are in dāger to be ruinated The deceased which is admirable to consider ceassed vpon this commandement to worcke any more miracles such is the vertue power of holy obediēce in a true and good Prelat in a true and good subiect that it extendeth not onlie on earth and during life but euen in heauen after death Yea by it ceassed the glorie and eminencie of miracles that exalt the honour of the liuing God the more to magnifie him by the exercise of holie pouertie and the quiett retire from a turbulent applause of the world How S. Francis instituted his second Vicar Generall This was the 32. chapter of the second book but hither transferred to obserue due order of the history The miracles of Brother Peter Catanio being now ceassed as we haue said the holie Father S. Francis by aduise of the ministers in place of the said deceassed subrogated Brother Elias a man of singuler prudence and verie learned for which he was respected not only of his Religious but euen of seculer persons Prelates and Princes He gouerned as long as the holy Father liued who the more to honour him gaue him the title of Generall though he were not so for the reason aforesaid that the Religious would neuer accept other Generall then S. Francis during his life The said Brother Elias attributing the said honour vnto himselfe and not to God he made him know with all that his deepe prudence according to the world was before him but a very sottish folly for rising into pride he fell as an other Lucifer from such an hight to the deepest profunditie of these worldlie miseries the great mercie of God by the prayers of the S. redeeming him from eternall punishment as hereafter shall appeare This that followeth is the residue of 85. chapter already past which we purposely omitted as no proper place for it as may easily be iudged The holy Father S. Francis being att table together with many of his Religious he tooke some of the most remarkable in humility simplicity that sate neere vnto him by the handes and tourning towardes the said Brother Helias he willed him graciously to honour those other learned noble Brethren sitting there Brother Helias extremly puffed vp in pride without any respect thus answeared O Brother Francis I doubt not but by your simplicity and carelesse negligence you will ruinate this whole Order The holy Father more curious of his saluation then of himselfe answeared him O miserable wretch this pride which thou wilt not cast off and this kinde of thy passionate behauiour to such euill purpose wil be occasion that thou shalt dye out of the Order Which so happened for he died out of the Order in the Court of the Emperour Frederick the second who was excommunicated An other time the holy Father prophesied in this māner of this Vicar General It hapened that Brother Helias was once called for att the dore of the Couent by one that affirmed himselfe to be an Angell sent vnto him frō God and the porter did him the message telling him that an Angell in humane shape expected him att the gate musing therfore what this might be he was a long time perplexed yet att lenght he went thither and the Angell proposed vnto him this doubt whither it were lawfull for the professours of the gospell to eat of what soeuer was indiffefently presented vnto them or no. Att this proposition he rested vtterly confounded for he had purposed to be author of a new constitution in the Order which was that the Freres might not eat flesh against their first holy Rule wherfore he rudely and cholerickly shutt the dore against the Angell and retourned into the Couēt Which being reported vnto S. Francis he incontinently arose frō prayer and went to his Vicar whome he sharply reprehēded saying Brother Helias you haue done ill in shutting the gate against the Angels when God sendeth thē to iustruct you I tell you therefore it is impossible for you to perseuer stable in the Order with this pride The holy Father spake thus much vnto him because it had bin reuealed vnto him that he should die out of the Order and besides that he should be damned
he dyed to the great greife of all the Cittizens who seeing him were induced to the loue of God by the memory of so rare a miracle and benefitt which he had done them by meane of his seruant S. Francis How it being necessary that sainct Francis should haue a cautere made with a burning iron the fire obeying him lost his force THE XL. CHAPTER NOt onlie the beastes obeyed S. Francis but euen the very elementes as may appeare by the example following and others to be inserted hereafter The glorious Father was long time afflicted with sicknes and hauing no meanes of cure he was by reason that the cold was aduersiue vnto him as the Protectour had appointed remoued from Rieta to Fonte Colombo for better commodity of the Phisicion that had care of him and to defend him from the aire that was verie dangerous vnto him and from the splendour of the sunne which he could not endure they made him a great capuce and put a gread bande ouer his eyes Now the Phisicion being come and perceauing the danger of the disease affirmed that there must necessarilie be applyed a cautere behind the eare next that eye which was most offended in which act though the holy Father S. Francis deferred his cure fearing perhappes to dye in the absence of the Vicar Generall who was to be there neuertheles the infirmitie encreasing and the Vicar not comming it was necessarie to proceed and to applie the fire and especiallie because in a whole night he could take no repose Wherfore the night following he made this exhortatioÌ„ to the Religious that attended and watched with him taking compassion of him that by his occasion he reposed neither night nor day no more then him selfe Brother and my beloued sonne I beseech thee lett it not afflict thee to suffer and take paines for me in this my sicknes for God will giue thee recompense of thy labour both in this life and the other and will reward thee euen for all the good worckes thou omittest to doe by meanes of mine infirmitie Yea I aduertise thee that thou gaynest much more by this charitie then thou shouldest by prayer for they that serue and assist me in such necessitie serue all the bodie of our Order and assist to mayntaine it Therfore thou mayest securelie say vnto God offering this thy seruice My God I spend my time in seruice of this man for which thou art indebted to me considering that I serue him for thy sake The S. spake this to the end that being by the deuill ouercome of impatience he should not loose his meritt And therfore as we said a litle before seeing the imminent perill wherin he laboured and the trouble of his Religious he consented that preparation should be made to administer vnto him the cautere appointed by the Phisicion though his vicare were not present Euerie thing necessaâ—ie then being prepared S. Francis seeing the burning iron had a naturall feare of the torment he was to endure wherfore he mildlie vttered these wordes to the fire My noble brother most profitable of all other creatures by the almightie created I pray thee with my vtmost affection haue compassion of me in this thine action and vse not thy rigour against me sith I loue thee so much for our Creatours sake of whome I demaund so much fauour as to moderate thy feruour and heat in such sort that my feeblenesse may support it Then he made the signe of the crosse on the fierie bullet when in meane while the Religious left him alone with the Surgeon for great compassion they had of him and being vnable to behold his torment and endurance Now the iron hauing bin applied the S. recalling them they retourned to whome he said O weake of hart and more weake of faith why did you fly I would haue you know that I felt not any payne yea if it be thought that the Surgeon haue not well made the cautere I am content to haue an other made then an other till it be well made The Surgeon and Religious being amazed att so strang a miracle wherby he saw force did faile to annoy but not to benefitt in such sort that the S. held himselfe immoueable without hauing his head held and insensible of the hoat iron he knew not what else to say but that in effect there was no other good in this world but to be the true seruant of almighty God Of the loue which the holy Father S. Francis boare to all creatures for the loue of his Creatour THE XLI CHAPTER BVt it is not so much to be admired that the fire and other creatures obeyed S. Francis when he commanded them for he in such sort honoured and loued them that he reioyced with them att their good and was so much afflicted att their detriment as a freind were he neuer so pittifull and affectionat would doe att the dommage or detriment of his deere freind He would discourse with them as if they had bin endued with iudgement and reason raysing himselfe by their meane condition to the consideration of the greatnes of him that had created them such therfore aboue others he carryed most affection to those creatures that had any relation vnto God or figure correspondence and proprietye with his seruantes as may be said of Larckes as hauing on their head a capuce like to his and his Religious And because they were humble and of earthlie colour and walked by ditches and ordinarie wayes to seeke their releife and then mounted sweetlie into the aire praysing their God Wherin they shewed him example as he said to his Religious to be cloathed with base and course cloth of earthly colour and to goe humblie seeking almose through the streetes and hauing conuersed here on earth as much as is necessarie to mount afterwardes into heauen with their cogitations praysing their Creatour And therfore he once said that if he were Emperour he would ordaine that no Larckes should be killed Discoursing afterwardes of other creatures he said that he would command all Gouernours of citties and borroughes to cause wheat to be scattered and cast abroad on ChristiaÌ„s day in the streetes feildes that the birdes might haue more occasioÌ„ on that day to reioyce hauing to feed att their desire and in memory that our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST was borne between an oxe and an asse they who had such beastes should be constrayned to giue them on such day hay and oates abondantly Among all creatures he particulerly affected the sunne the reason hath bin formerly expressed next vnto it the fire as a most noble element he would neuer putt it out in consideration of the innumerable benefittes which God by meane therof hath done vs as by the examples ensuying shall appeare Sitting one day before the fire there lept into his lappe vpon his habitt certaine litle sparckles as it often happeneth and albeit he saw it burne his habitt he would neuer extinguish it nor permitt a
is to be vsed by him that is to teach those soules whose perfect Master is IESVS CHRIST alone who guideth them according to their capacity and the grace which he hath giuen them for their saluation knowing that the instruction ought to be more of the spilitt and of God then of any humane tongue to touch and enflame their hartes in the poursuite of vertue How Brother Giles defended himselfe from the deuill by whome he was often persecuted THE XIX CHAPTER THe wicked spirites were the more hatefull and enuious to this seruant of God because he had knowledge and vnderstanding of many sublime and diuine secrettes for which respect they often tormented him as within few dayes after he had that diuine vision being alone praying in his cell the deuill appeared vnto him in so horrible and fearfull a figure that it presently depriued him of his speach But hauing in his hart called for helpe vnto almighty God he was incontinently deliuered and afterwardes made very fearfull relations of the lothsomnes of the deuill Br. Giles being once entred about midnight into the Church of S. Appollinaris in Spoleta there to offer his prayers the deuill lept vpon his shoulders whiles he prayed and held him so crushed and oppressed for a time that he could scarce moue yet he so strugled that he gott to the holy water pott where hauing taken holy water and signed himselfe with the crosse the deuill presently fled An other time as he was praying the deuill so tormented him that he was enforced as much as he could to cry out help me my Brethren att which call his companion Br. Gratian came running and he was instantly deliuered Praying also an other night he heard the ennemy with many other deuils that were very neere him who talking among themselues as men might doe sayd Wherfore doth this Religious labour so much fith he is already a sainct so agreable is he to God and euen in continuall extasie Which they sayd to tempt him and induce him to vaine glory The last yeare of his life the deuill persecuted him more cruelly thē he had don before as he thought one night after prayer to repose himselfe the deuill carryed him into so straight a place that he could not turne him on any side whatsoeuer endeauour he made to arise Br. Gratian hearing him complaine came to the dore of his cell to know if he were in prayer or that some other accident were befallen him and he perceiued that he was exceedingly troubled wherfore he began to cry out Father what is the mater wherto this holy Father answeared Come quickly my child come quickly But Br. Gratian being vnable to open the dore of the cell sayd vnto him I know not the reason but I cannot open the dore Br. Giles prayed him to doe his vtmost to open it speedely which after much labour he did then comming neere vnto him with all his power to assist him he could not so much as moue him out of the place where the deuill had throwne him which Br. Giles perceauing he said Br. let me alone in this case and lett vs referre all into the handes of God So Brother Gratian though against his will for bearing to endeauour to deliuer the holy Father out of this place he fell to prayer for him where by a litle eased he sayd to his companion you haue done well in comming to assist me God reward you for it But Brother Gratian complayning that he had not called him in this imminent perill of death wherin he was and relating the disgrace it would haue bin to him and to his companions if he had so dyed he sayd vnto him Be not troubled my child if God by me be reuenged of his ennemies for you must know that how much the deuill resisteth God seeking to afflict and torment me so much more is he tormented and discendeth deeper to the profundity of hell and so when he persecuteth me I am reuenged of him for the seruice which I haue now done to almighty God had no beginning of me but of his diuine Maiesty as the end shall be if it please him Wherfore I am assured that the deuill neither can nor euer shal be able to preuaile against God yet did not the deuill omitt to torment him in such sort that goeing att night to rest in his cell he alwayes went sighing asif he would say I expect yea I goe to martyrdome Of diuers answeres giuen by Brother Giles vpon sundry occasions THE XX. CHAPTER BRother Iames of Massa a very spirituall Religious euen in regard of his particuler grace to be often rauished in God one day demaunded of Brother Giles how he should gouerne himselfe in that grace and the holy Father answeared Brother neither augment nor diminish and shunne the multitude the most you can Brother Iames not well vnderstanding him asked him what he meant by those wordes and Brother Giles replyed when the spiritt is prepared to be conducted into the glorious light of the diuinity it should neither augment by presumption nor diminish by negligence he should also with all possibility loue and seeke solitarines if he desire that the grace receiued be well preserued and augmented A Religious hauing asked him what he might doe that might be most pleasing to God he answeared singing One to one one to one the sayd Religious alleadging that he vnderstood him not the holy Father replyed you ought without any intermissiō or whatsoeuer pretēce giue one sole soule to one sole God if you will please him Br. Gratian that had bin twenty yeares his companion and disciple testified that in all that time he neuer heard him vtter one only idle word This Religious as the discipline of so good a master had exceedingly profited by his company in spirituall edificatiue mortification and had receaued many other graces of God wherin desiring not to faile he one time demaunded of his master in what worck and in what kind of the graces which God had grāted him he should most exercise himselfe this questiō he made because he was absolutely resolued precisely to follow his counsaile Whereto the holy Father answeared you cānot be more gratefull to God in any other action then in hanging your selfe Which the good Religious hearing he was stricken into a greiuous amazement and with such an answeare much troubled wherfore Br. Giles proceeding said Know my child that a mā which hangeth himselfe is neither in heauē nor on earth but is only lifted frō the earth looketh alwayes downe Now doe you the like sith if you cānot be now in heauē you may neuerthelesse so raise your selfe aboue earthly thinges being exercised in vertuous works and prayer that humility alwayes appeare in you and liuing so hope in the diuine mercy By this counsaile he commended vnto him two singuler vertues prayer and humility as speciall graces of a Religious that desireth to please God A certaine man talking one day with Br.
Giles sayd vnto him Father I am resolued to become Religious wherto he answeared if you be fully resolued so to doe goe first and kill both your parentes which the other hearing he weeping replyed Father I beseech you oblige me not to committ such euill and so grieuous sinnes The holy Father then said what my friend are you so simple and so ignorant as not to vnderstand me I meant not that you should kille your parentes with the materiall but with the mētall sword because according to the word of our Lord he cannot be his disciple that hateth not his father his mother his kinred and his Friendes Two Cardinals one time visiting Br. Giles to cōferre with him of spirituall affaires retyring att length frō the place of cōference they feruently besought him to remēber in his deuotions to recōmend thē to God Whervpon he answeared thē my lordes what need can you haue of my prayers sith you haue a greater faith and hope then I The Cardinals admiring this answeare asked him what he mēt therby he answeared Because you with so much richesse hōnour 's delightes tēporall contentmētes hope to be saued I with such and so cōtinuall labours feare to be damned Which so touched those Cardinals to the quick that they departed frō him very cōtrite in their soules their faces bathed in teares A very spirituall Religious was troubled with a greiuous temptatiō and very humbly and deuoutly prayed God to be deliuered therof yet could he not be heard Wherfore he repayred to Br. Giles who vnderstanding his affliction said vnto him Brother doe not admire if God of whome you haue receaued so many graces will that you continually fight against this your ennemy For when a kinge armeth his knightes with better and surer armure it is a signe that he desireth they should fight the more couragiously for him A Religious one day demaūding of Br. Giles how he could goe with a good will to prayer because he ordinarily wēt without deuotion and very coldly he thus answeared him lett vs suppose that a king hath two faithfull seruantes wherof the one is well armed the other vnarmed He will that they both goe to warre against his ennemies he that is well armed goeth with great security as being well accōmodated and furnished of what is necessary for the battell but the other sayth to the king Syr you see I am disarmed neuertheles for the affection I haue to performe your seruice I will not omitt in this estate to vndergoe this chardge with others The king considering taking notice of the loue and fidelity of this his seruant he caused presently to be brought him such armour as he wanted and was needfull vnto him So he that wanteth deuotion and yet assisted with a strong faith goeth boldly to the warre of prayer lett him be assured that our Lord will not faile to furnish him of what he seeth necessary for him to obtaine the victory A man asking his opinion touching entring into Religion The holy Father thus answeared Tell me if a poore begger knew a great treasure to be hidden in a field would he aske Counsaile to goe seeke whereto the other answearing truely no Br. Giles replyed how much rather then ought a man runne to seeke and purchase the infinite treasure of the kingdome of God so this man with this counsaile departed and hauing giuen all that he had to the poore for the loue of God he presently became a Frere Minor Of other like answeares of the blessed Br. Giles THE XXI CHAPTER A Certaine good spirituall personne said one day to venerable Brother Giles Father I find my selfe exceedingly incombred I know not what counsel to take for if I doe any good act I am presently tickled with vaine glory and if I committ any sinne I am so troubled that I am ready sometimes to fall into dispaire The holy Father answeared thou doest well to lament thy sinne and to haue feeling of the perill wherto it leadeth but it should trouble thee with discretion considering that the power of God is much greater to receaue thee to mercy then thine is to cause thee to offend God But the feare of vaine glory should neuer hinder thee from doeing good deedes For if the labourer before seed-season should say to himselfe I will sow no corne because the birdes wormes of the earth may eat vp the seed which I shall sow before it take roote in the earth or when it is sprung vp and greene it may be eaten by beastes before it ripen and be gathered in if I say the labourer should thus discourse with himselfe and conceaue such friuolous difficulties he would neuer sow and so consequently neuer reape whence would ensue that we should haue no bread but the prudent and wise labourer doth till and sow his land and doth his endeauour and committeth the successe to the diuine prouidence So should you endeauour to proceed in good worckes without feare of vaine glory for albeit it doe a litle trouble you for the time the better and securer part doth still remaine vnto you An other asking him if one could obtaine and possesse the grace of God remayning in the world he answeared that he could but I had rather said he haue one grace in Religion then ten in the world because in Religion grace doth easily encrease and is better there conserued a man being there sequestred from the tumult and affection of worldly folies the capitall ennemies of grace and with all the Religious his companions by charitable remonstrances and by example of their holy conuersation doe with draw him from euill and inuite and induce him to goodnes But the grace which some may haue in the world may also be easily lost because the solicitude of worldly affaires and cogitations which is mother of distraction doth hinder and trouble the sweetnes of grace and other worldlinges by prophane and dishonest conuersations by scandalous examples and by diuilish hauntes and companies doe diuert him from good and allure him to lewdnes so that as it were by force they depriue him of his soules saluation it being no part of their custome to further a vertuous life but indeed to deride and scoffe att such as liue Christianly nor to reprehend the vicious and ennemies of God but to flatter and sooth them Wherupon I conclude that it is farre more 7s ecure to possesse one grace with a helpe that may conserue it then ten with such hazard yea in such imminent perill A seculer man hauing once requested him to pray for him he answeared Brother pray for they selfe for sith they selfe mayst haue recourse and accesse to God why goest thou not why wouldest thou send an other on thine arrant this man againe told him that he acknowledged himselfe so great a sinner that he knew himselfe to farre remote and separated from God But he being holy and well beloued of his diuine maiesty had more
hath receaued of God faithfully labouring therin for oftentimes the fruit doth perish by meane of the leafe and the graine by the huske God graunteth to some fruit and a few leaues and to others neither the one nor the other I doe more esteeme the conseruation of the benefittes receaued of God then the getting of thē He shall neuer be rich that knoweth how to gett but not to keep Wherfore many after much gaine haue bin neuer the richer because they knew not how to conserue yet is it not so great a matter to know how to conserue vnlesse also one know how to gett There are some that gainning but litle become incontinently rich because they know well how to keepe what they haue gotten The riuers would not be so often dry if running continually they did not cast thēselues into the sea Man demaundeth of God graces without measure and end and yet will make vse therof with measure and end but he that wil be loued and recompenced without end ought to loue and serue without end Happy is he that employeth his time body and spiritt in the loue of God that attendeth no recompence vnder heauen for the good he doeth If one should say to a very poore man Friend I lend thee this my house to make vse therof for three dayes in which time if thou knowest how to employ it thou mayest gaine an inestimable treasure this being assured and confirmed vnto him for most euident would not he vse all his endeauour to make this gaine That which is lent vnto vs of our lord is our flesh our life and whatsoeuer benefitt we can make therin is in a maner but as three dayes If the graine of corne doe not corrupt it cannot only produce no fruit but it also withereth and consumeth entierlie of it selfe without any encrease wherfore is it not better to make it to rott to the end it may spring be gathered threshed in due time and then layd vp into the garner of eternall life A man doth seldome take counsaile to doe ill but being to doe good the first thing is to take counsaile of all the world The prouerb sayth one must not putt the pott to the fire in expectation of a promise A mā is not happy for hauing only a good will but he must rather with all possibility labour to accomplish the same by good and pious worckes because God giueth his grace to a man to the end he follow the same A man one time praying Brother Giles to giue him some consolation he answeared Endeauour to doe well and thou shalt be comforted for if a man doe not prepare in himselfe a place for God he shall not find him in his creatures What man is there that will not doe that which is best not only for his soule but euen for his body in that which concerneth this life I can truely affirme that whosoeuer shaketh off the sweet and light yoke of our Sauiour shall find it afterward far more painfull and he that therwith burdeneth himselfe most att lenght shall find it most light Would to God all men would doe that which they may acknowledge to be best for their bodyes euen in this world for he that made the other world hath made this also and can giue to man in this world the benefittes which he giueth in the other and the body feeleth the happinesse of the soule A Religious hearing Brother Giles to speake these wordes sayd vnto him Tell me Father if you please we may perhappes dye before we haue any experience of any good The holy Father answeared The Furriers are knowen by skinnes Shomakers by shooes and forgers by iron But tell me Brother can a man be knowne by an art that he neuer practised Thinck you that Princes and Potentates bestow great fauours and prefermentes on sottish personnes and without iudgement there is no probability Good worckes are the true way and meane to the fruition of all happines as ill deedes to fall into all miseries happy is he that feeleth no scandall att whatsoeuer matter vnder heauen and he that is edifyed with whatsoeuer he seeth and heareth and that amongest all thinges chooseth only those that he may vse to the most benefitt of his soule A discourse of the contempt of the world THE XXIX CHAPTER VNhappy is the man that setleth his hart his desires and his hopes on earthly thinges for which he looseth all celestiall happinesse If the Eagle that soareth so high had to each of her winges fastened one of the beames of the Carpēters worck att S. Peters in Rome it is most certaine she could not mount into the ayre As I obserue many that labour for the body so doe I find few that trauell for the soule Many take exceeding paines for corporall affaires breaking and cutting the marbles digging mountaynes labouring the earth furrowing the sea and performing many other painfull exercises but who is he that laboureth manfully and with feruour for the soule The auaricious is like the Mole that thincketh there is no other good but to digge the earth and therfore therin setteth vp his rest yet doubtlesse ther is an other treasure vnknowne to the Mole The birdes of heauen the beastes of the earth and the fishes of the sea content thēselues when they haue sufficient to eat but because man cannot content himselfe with what the earth affordeth he alwayes sigheth after somewhat else It is certaine that he was not created principally for these base thinges but for such as are high and supreme for so much as the body was made for the soule and this world for loue of the other This world is a field of such quality as the that hath the better and greater part therof hath the worse share This holy Father to this purpose alleadged that the holy Father sainct Francis did not loue the Antes because of their ouer much care to assemble their prouisions but loued the birdes much more because they made no prouision to liue vpon but depending on the diuine prouidence made only search from houre to houre according to their need A discourse of Chastity THE XXX CHAPTER A Religious demaunded of the venerable Br. Giles how a man might best keepe himselfe from the vice of the flesh and he answeared he that will remoue a grosse stone or beame vseth therin more industry then force so must he doe that will preserue his chastity for it is like to a most cleare looking glasse which may be blemished and stayned in his brightnes by one only breath It is impossible that a mā can attaine the diuine grace whiles he is delighted in sensuall pleasures Consider althinges behold tourne and retourne vp and downe and from one side to an other you shall finde att lenght that nothing is more necessary then to fight against the fles◠which seeketh day and night to deceaue and betray vs he that surmounteth it hath ouercome all his ennemies and becommeth afterward
their necessities and doe good to all churches and hospitalles and this being done each one should esteeme him a lewd man and he knowing so much should not att all respect it nor forbeare but rather continue his pious worckes yea should the more voluntarily and with greater feruour exercise them as one that desireth not any recompence in this life considering that Martha careful to serue our Lord IESVS CHRIST demaunded assistance therin of her Sister Mary Magdalen and was reprehended of our lord because she would distract her sister from contemplation who yet gaue not ouer her good worcke so he that is truely actiue should not omitt good worckes for whatsoeuer reprehension may be giuen him sith he hopeth for no recompence but in heauen A Religious came coÌ„plaining to Br. Giles that his brethren made him to labour so much that he had hardly time enough to pray and that for that cause he was determined to procure licence to remoue vnto an other Couent where he might with more repose serue God in prayer Wherto the holy Father thus answeared if you were in the Court of the king of FraÌ„ce should demand of him a thousand marck in siluer he might answeare what hast thou don for me that may moue thee to demaund such a recompence but if you had formerly done him some notable seruice you might with faâ—re more assurance make such demaund Therfore if you will serue God you must first labour in obedience sith it is a greater vertue to doe one thing att the will of an other then to doe two att ones owne pleasure Then he added No maÌ„ can obtaine to conteÌ„plation of the glory of his diuine Maiesty but by feruour of spiritt ferueÌ„t prayer and then is a man enflamed with the feruour of the holy Ghost soareth vp to diuine conteÌ„plation when the hart is so disposed with the mâ—bers that neither can nor will thinck of other thing then that w ich it possesseth and feeleth He shal be a perfect contemplatour who hauing all his meÌ„bres cutt off yea and his tongue would neither thinck procure nor desire to haue any other member nor whatsoeuer other thing he can imagine vnder heauen and this by reason of the excellencie of the most delicious and ineffable odour and sweetnes of contemplation In that respect S. Marie MagdaleÌ„ being prostrate att the feet of our lord IES CHR. receaued and felt such a sweetnesse of his wordes that she had no member in her that could or would doe other thing then what she then did Which she sufficiently testified when her sister complayning att the waÌ„t of her helpe she answeared nothing either by wordes or figues But our Redeemer as her Aduocate and Procuratour answeared for her withall she was imployed in his seruice more excellently then Martha was Now to contemplate is to sequestred from men and to remayne vnited alone with IESVS CHRIST Br. Giles made this demannd to a Religious of his Couent Brother what say the Doctours of conteÌ„plation the Religious answeared they speake diuersely Will you replyed the holy Father that I speake mine opinion therof the degrees of conteÌ„plation are fire vnction extasie tast repose and glory then he added a more expresse contemplation of God with the soule cannot be giuen then that of the Espouse with his Espouse for the Spouse before he receaueth his Espouse sendeth her precious stones iewels and other ornamentes of price to adorne her but wheÌ„ they are together the Espouse leaueth all those thinges to approch vnto her Spouse so doe good worckes and vertues adorne the soule as precious stones and sumptuous attire and prayer vniteth it vnto God An ancient Religious demaunded of Br. Giles if the soule by extasie and contemplation did sometime euen in this life goe out of the body and he answeared that it did yea he assured him that he knew a man yet liuing whose soule being lifred vp in extasie went out of the body and forsooke it yea already vtterly forgetting the same I beleeue said the Religious that such soule was exceedingly grieued to retourne into her body Br. Giles then smilingly replyed Brother that which you say is true yea most true This holy Father would often in prayer and att other times with exceeding feruour say What art thou my God of whome I demaund this and what am I that aske it I am a sack filled with dung with loathsomnes and with wormes and thou art lord of heauen and earth And thus beginning his prayer he would be incontinently eleuated and rapt into almighty God Of profitable science and vnfruitfull of preaching and the interpretation of those wordes of the scripture Ego rogaui pro te Petre. THE XXXVI CHAPTER THe Venerable Br. Giles would sometimes say lett him who desireth to be learned humble well his head lett him be exercised in good worckes and lett him rent his body on the earth God will giue him knowledge It is a soueraine wisdome to doe good worckes carefully to obserue the coÌ„mandementes and to consider the iudgements of God He once sayd to a Religious that would goe to a lecture att a Colledge Tell me wherfore would you goe to the lecture Know that the most worthy science is to feare and loue God these two vertues will suffice you a man hath knowledge according to his good worckes and no more Be not only carefull to profitt others thou being obliged to be more carefull to benefitt thy selfe We would often times know many thinges for others and few for our selues The word of God is not of him that heareth it nor of him that vttereth it but of him that putteth it in effect Many not knowing how to swimne throw themselues into the water to helpe an other that they see in danger of drowning but hauing aduentured too farre they are drowned together so that wheras there was but one in perill two are lost by presumption In purchasing aboue all thinges the saluation of thy owne soule as thou art obliged thou shalt not omitt to assist others but rather in doeing good worckes for thy selfe thou shalt also profitt them that wish thee well The Preacher of the word of God is a messager of his maiesty to the end he be to the people a flaming light a glittering glasse a standerd-bearer of his warryers Happy is he that conducteth others by the assured way that faileth not to walke the same way and that inducing others to runne standeth not still himselfe and so if he helpe to enrich others he remayneth not poore I suppose a good Preacher preacheth more for himselfe then for others and it seemeth that he who endeauoureth to draw soules out of an euill course to setle them in a good ought to feare that himselfe be not seduced from the same good way and led to the way of the deuill A Religious demaunded of this holy Father whither were better to preach well or to doe well he answeared tell me who
doth often meritt great graces and vertues for he is therby illuminated in his soule and fortifyed in faith he taketh notice of his misery obtayneth feare and humility and purchaseth a contempt of himselfe he getteth contrition for his sinnes the gift of teares and amendement of his euill life Prayer maketh the science of a man pure maketh him constant and stable in patience and delighting in obedience it maketh him perfect in mortification of himselfe it purchaseth vnto him an assured knowledge the gift of vnderstanding the gift of force the gift of prudence and finally conducteth him to the knowledge of God who manifesteth himselfe to them that adore him in spiritt and truth for a man by prayer is inflamed in loue then presently runneth after the diuine odour and obteyneth the sweetnes of delight then is eleuated to repose of spiritt where he is admitted to the glory of the sweetnes of God When he shall haue layd his mouth to the word of the most high wherwith alone the soule is satisfied Who can euer separate him frō prayer which raiseth and eleuateth the spiritt vnto contemplation And that they who shall desire to obtaine the afforesaid thinges may know to attayne therto lett them among all other well obserue these six considerations as most necessary wherof the first is touching his sinnes past for which he must haue contrition the second to be prudent in his actions present the third to foresee those to come the fourth lett him consider the mercy of God that expecteth mannes repentance not taking vengeance on him though he haue made himselfe worthy of eternall tormentes according to diuine iustice which he dessembleth in expectation of his amendemēt The fift is of the benefittes of his diuine Maiesty which are innumerable as the incarnation and passion and all for our benefitt the doctrine which he left vs and the glory he promiseth And for the sixt and last he must consider what our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath loued in this life as pouerty nakednes hunger thirst cold humility dishonour contempt trauels wherin we must endeauour to conforme our selues and to follow him with all possibility Of some other spirituall discourses of this glorious Sainct THE XL. CHAPTER THis holy Father was once demaunded by a seculer person vpō what occasion man should be more enclined to euill then to good he answeared It hath bin more apt to the earth since the malediction therof to produce ill weedes then good hearbes But a carefull and dilligent labourer can by his industry so husband it that those weedes shall not easily grow therin An other putting him a question of predestination he answeared The water of the sea shoare is sufficient to wash my feet yea my whole body and I esteeme him a foole that this being able to content him will cast himselfe into the mayne sea for I beleeue it sufficeth a Christian to know how to liue well without search into matters so highe Then he added you must pray to God that he giue you not too much felicity in this world but that he send you great combattes against your sences and that therin he doe not assist you by the tast of his diuine sweetnes and suauity for your greater recompence and his greater glory Hereby may be discerned whither a man loue God perfectly if with an earnest care he endeauour to sequester himselfe from vices seeking daily to augment in good worckes because it is a greater vertue to follow grace then patiently to support afflictions for many haue patience but follow not grace Frere Minor is as much to say as one vnder the feet of all men and the greater the descent is the greater also is the sally We ought more to feare temporall feclicity then temporall euill for the euill followeth man and felicity is his contrary We must so conuerse with men as we loose not that which God woorketh in vs. But lett vs rather labour and trauell to saue our selues with litle sith that it sometimes happeneth that a man being skilfull in swimming and will imprudently seeke to helpe an other that is in perlll of drowning in the water they both are drowned and so the losse is double A man shal be obliged to yeld an account of the graces which he hath not For as God createth a creature by his bounty and grace he ought reciprocally appeare gracious and acknowledge the same if not lett him know that he hath lost grace by his owne negligence For if he would trauell and labour in the grace receaued he should obtaine many other graces of God which through his owne fault he hath not I desire sayd this holy Father first to obey euen to death then to be humble vnder the feet of each one thirdly I desire rigorously to chastice and rent my flesh with my teeth and so bind my neck with an iron chaine as I would haue no power att my pleasure to gett loose How God wrought many miracles by the merittes of Brother Giles THE XLII CHAPTER OVr Lord by a notable miracle declared how much was the meritt of charity in his seruant Brother Giles who meeting on the way to Assisium a gentleman that was carryed to haue a foot cutt off wherin there was a wound so eaten with a cancre that if the foot were not cutt off his life were in imminent danger The gentleman knowing Brother Giles weeping made him a pittifull relation of the occasion of his iorney to Assisium then opened his legge and shewed him the wound and with great humility and deuotion prayed him to make the signe of the crosse theron Br. Giles therby moued with pittie and compassion made the signe of the crosse on the wound then with great deuotion kissed it and the gentleman was a litle after entierly cured and retourned to his house a foot praysing and thancking God for such a grace obtayned by the meritt of his holy seruant This good Father one time reprehended a Religious for a fault committed and he tooke this reprehension sinisterly and with litle patience but the night following there appeared vnto him one that sayd Brother henceforward receaue with patience and in good parr the aduertisments and reprehensions which shal be giuen you for he that shall beleeue and obey Br. Giles shal be happy The Religious incontinently after this vision arose before it was day and came to the holy Father acknowledging his fault of impatience vsed vnto him and most humbly besought him to correct him often promising thenceforwaad to take whatsoeuer should come from him not only with patience but with great ioy A Religious that had neuer seene Br. Giles but had heard such report of him desired to see both him and some of his actions But being exceedingly grieued that the great distance betweene them put him in dispaire of euer receiuing that happines he one night saw in a vision a booke wherin no other thing was written but these wordes This is he
pouerty and did manifest exteriourly in her body that her soule was interiourly replenished with diuine light In this manner did she ordinarily liue full of so supreme delightes passing ouer this deceiptfull world with her noble Spouse IESVS CHRIST and being on this wheele of motion she was theron sustayned with an assurance and firmity of vertue very stable and preserued with the celestiall eleuation of her soule in the hight of heauen keeping the treasure of glory securely shutt vp with in a vessell of flesh here below on earth This holy virgin accustomed to call vp the yonger Religious a litle before mattines and to awaken them with the ordinary signe to excite them very often to praise God All her Religious sleeping she did watch lighted the lampe rung att mattines so that negligence found no entrance into her monastery nor sloath had there any place She also by the sting of sharpe repreprehension and of her liuely and effectuall examples expelled tepedity and ircksomnes in prayer and the seruice of God How the Mores were expelled the Monastery by the prayers of S. Clare THE XIII CHAPTER THis being the place where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin it is not conuenient that we pretermitt them in silence for as the merueillous effectes of her prayer are veritable so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence In the time of the Emperour Federick the second the holy Church in diuers places endured great persecutions but particulerly in the vally of Spoletum which being subiect to the Romane Church dranck of the vessell of wrath of this mischieuous tyrant his capitaines and soldiers being scattered ouer the fieldes as grasse hoppers with sword to murder people and with fire to burne their houses The impiety of this Emperour did so augment that he had assembled all the Mores that dwelt on the mountaines and among the desertes to make himselfe the more fearefull vnto his vassels and after he had by lardge promises gayned these Mores and disposed them into diuers places he gaue them att length for retyre a very ancient but ruined citty which yet to this present is called Moura des Mores which they fortifyed and then thither retyred about twenty thousand fighting men who did much mischeife ouer all Apulia and in other Christian places These ennemies of the faith of IESVS CHRIST came one day vnexpectedly towardes the cittye of Assisium who being already close to the portes a great number of them came to the Monastery of saint Damian as a lewd and dissloyall nation that continually thirsteth after the bloud of Christians and dareth to committ indifferently all kind of execrable actes without either shame of men or feare of God These Mores then brake euen into the Monastery of sainte Clare where she was with her Religious daughters who had their hartes surprised with an extreme terrour but much more when they heard the barking and crye of those dogges so neere them so that they were euen dying with the apprehension not knowing where to seeke reliefe nor of whome to hope for deliuerance from so emminent perill but by the merittes of their holy mother Whome with infinite sighes and teares they aduertised of what they heard and saw This holy virgin though sick encouraging her Religious caused her selfe with incredible constancie to be carryed to the gate of her Monastery att the entry wherof in the sight of all her ennemies she with very great reuerence placed the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist in the pix before which falling postrate on the earth she with abondance of teares thus spake to her beloued Spouse IESVS CHRIST Is it possible my God thy will should be that these they seruantes who cannot vse materiall weapons to defend thēselues and whome I haue here brought vp nourced in thy holy loue should now be deliuered into the power of the Infidell Mores Oh my God! Preserue thē if thou please and me likewise for albeit thy diuine Maiesty hath cōmitted thē to my gouernemēt yet is it not in my power to defend thē from so great a perill sith this protection cānot be but by a worck of thine omnipotencie Therfore doe I recōmend thē to thy diuine Maiesty with all the affection that I am able As soone as this holy virgin had sent these prayers vnto heauē she heard a voice so delicate as if it had bin of a sucking child that said I will protect you for eue◠The holy mother did not yet giue ouer to present her prayers saying My God I humbly beseech thee if so it be thy holy will to preserue and defend this thy citty of Assisium which doth nourish vs for the loue it beareth to thy diuine Maiesty Wherto God answeared This citty shall suffer much but in the end I will by my fauour defend it Sainte Clare hauing heard so gracious newes lifted vp her face bathed with teares and comforted her beloued daughters saying Deere Sisters I assure you that no euill shall befall you only be carefull to haue a firme faith and confidence in IESVS CHRIST The diuine assistāce made no long delay for the presumption and rage of the Mores was incontinently cooled so that a sodaine vnknowne terrour hauing surprised them they speedily retyred ouer the walles which they had scaled and ouer leapt to enter They being thus by the vertue of the prayer of sainte Clare expelled she priuatly called the Religious that had heard the sayd voice of God and commanded them that howsoeuer it were they should not diuulge what they had heard during her life How the citty of Assisium was an other time deliuered by the prayer of this holy Virgin THE XIV CHAPTER ON an other time one of the principall Capitaines of the Emperour Federick called Vitall d'Auerse a man very ambitious of glory full of courage and a notable Capitaine conducted his troupes to besiege Assisiū and hauing encōpassed it he exposed to wast and spoile the plaine contry therabout making a totall ruine euen to the very trees which were hewed downe and then framing his siege he vttered menacing and vaunting oathes that he would not stirre thence till he had giuen the citty a victorious assault and so this siege so long continued that the besieged began to loose courage as wanting many thinges extreemely needfull vnto them Wherof this holy seruant of IESVS CHRIST being aduertised sighing in her hart she called all her Religious to whome she thus discoursed My deere sisters you know that all our necessities haue euer bin supplyed by the charity of this citty so that we should proue very vngratefull if we should not according to our ability assist them in this extreme necessity then she commanded to be broughte her ashes and all her Religious to discoife their heades and to giue them example she began to couer her bare head with ashes wherin all the other Religious following her she said Goe ye to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and with the greatest
hidden the sweetnes of spiritt which her selfe more subtility obtayned and tasted with more sauour She accustomed to say that the sermon of whosoeuer preaching the word of God was exceeding profitable to soules considering that it is no lesse prudence to know how sometimes to gather beautifull and sweet flowers from a mong grosse and rude thornes then to eat fruittes of a good plant Pope Gregory the ninth one time att the instance of diuers Prelates commanded that no Religious should preach att the monasterie of poore Religious women without his expresse permission wheratt the pittiful mother complayning in regard that thenceforward her daughters should seldome be spiritually fed with holy doctrine with teares she sayd Lett then all my Religions be taken hence sith they are taken away who gaue vs the food of spirituall life And with all sent away the Religious that appertayned to her monastery to serue them in getting almose abroad refusing to haue Religious that should prouide them bread to reliefe the body sith they were depriued her that gaue them bread to nourish their soules Wherof his Holinesse being aduertised he reuoked his prohibition referring all to the disposition of the Generall of the Frere Minors S. Clare had not only care of her daughters soules but of their bodies also that were feeble and tender for whose necessities she prouided with exceeding feruour and charity For she often in the night when it was cold went to visitt and couer them whiles they slept And if she found any ouer-much benummed with cold or otherwise in ill disposition through strict obseruation of the commune rigour she commanded them to take some recreation till their necessities were satisfied If any of her daughters were troubled with temptations or were sorrowfull or melancholie she would call her a part and louingly comfort her Sometimes she would fall to the feet of those that were heauy and afflicted to putt away the force of their griefe by her motherly cherishinges for which they yelding themselues to this their holy mother did not proue ingratefull They reuerenced the office of Prelature in their mistresse and followed the conduct of so diligent and secure a guide and ayming their actions by the espouse of IESVS CHRIST they admired the excellencie of such a sanctity and charity Of the deuotion which Pope Gregoire the ninth bad to the virgin sainte Clare and of a latter which he wrote vnto her whiles he was yet Cardinall THE XVIII CHAPTER POpe Gregory the ninth had a merueillous confidence in the prayers of saincte Clare hauing experienced their great vertue efficacie and often times when he was in any difficulty both whiles he was Cardinall and bishop of Hostia and afterwardes when he was Pope he would by letters recommend himselfe to this glorious virgin demaunding helpe of her because he knew of what importance her assistance was this being in him not only a great humility but also worthy to be dilligently imitated to see the vicar of IESVS CHRIST on earth to begg helpe of a seruant of God in recōmending himselfe to her prayers This great Pastour knew well what diuine loue could doe and how freely pure virgins doe finde the port of the consistory of the diuine Maiesty open There is extant a very deuout letter of this Pope written to saincte Clare whiles he was Cardinall which is here inserted to make appeare that the spiritt of God made his residence in this Prelat and what deuotion he carryed to the sanctity of the glorious saincte Clare To the most deere sister in IESVS CHRIST and mother of his holinesse sister Clare the seruant of IESVS CHRIST Vgolin miserable sinner Bishop of Hostia recommendeth himselfe what soeuer he is and what he may be Well beloued sister in CHRIST IESVS since the houre that the necessity of my retourne separated me from your holy speeches and depriued me of that pleasure to conferre with you of celestiall treasures I haue had much sorrow of hart abondance of teares in myne eyes and haue felt an extreme griefe In such sort that if I had not found att the feet of our Lord IESVS CHRIST the consolation of his ordinary piety I feare I had fallen into such anguishes as my spiritt would haue forsaken me and my soule would haue vtterly melted away and not without reason because that ioy failed me with which I discoursed with your good company of the body of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and of his presence on earth celebrating the feast of Easter with you and the other seruantes of our Lord. And as whiles our Sauiour by his dolorous passion and death was absent from the presence of his disciples they were possessed with an extreme griefe and affliction so doth your absence procure my desolation and though I acknowledged my selfe a grieuous sinner considering the prerogatiue of your merittes and the rigour of your holy Religion I know not out of doubt but that the number and grauity of my sinnes are such and so much haue I offended God the vniuersall Lord that I am not worthy to be vnited to the society of the elect nor to be sequestred from worldly occupations if your teares and prayers doe not obtaine me pardon of my sinnes And therfore to you I committ my soule to you I commēd my spiritt as IESVS CHRIST on the crosse recommended his spiritt to his Father to the end that in the terrible day of the vniuersall iudgement you giue an account for me if you be not diligent and carefull of my saluation For I confidently beleeue that you may obtaine of the soueraigne Iudge whatsoeuer by your deuotion and your teares you shall demaund of him The Pope speaketh not of cōming to Assisium as I desire but I purpose to visitt you and your sisters att my first commodity Recommend me to Agnes your sister and mine and to all your other sisters in IESVS CHRIST Of the confirmation of the first rule of saincte Clare inserted with her rule THE XIX CHAPTER THe holy Father sainct Francis by instruction of the holy Ghost made a rule for saincte Clare and the Religious that intended to follow her distinguished ordered by chapters conueniēt and conformable to the Rule of the Frere Minors which rule this holy Father imparted vnto Cardinall Vgolin then Bishop of Hostia who was Protectour of his Order and was after Pope by the title of Gregory the ninth who was very affectionate vnto him and confirmed the sayd rule in the rigour of a strict pouerty austerity of life not by bulle but only of his Apostolicall authority and viua voce The Order of saincte Clare had not this rule confirmed by authenticall bull till the third yeare of the Popedome of Innocent the fourth which was the yeare 1245. when the sayd Pope att the instance of certaine Prelates and of certaine Abbesses of the Religion of saincte Clare instituted the second rule for the virgins of this Order vnder the title of the enclosed Religious