a difficult and dangerous enterprise we are therein much more induced by example then by any persuasions of whom soeuer though we acknowledg them to be certainlie true None could be found that would resolue ioyfully to embrace the vertue of pouerty humility chastity fasting and other peniteÌ„tiall labours if he knew not that others not only with wordes exteriourly but really with worckes haue embraced the same Neither was it for any other cause that our Lord IESVS Christ would personnaly come into this world but by example to shew vs the way of our saluation and his holy wil because the examples aduertissementes of his faithfull seruantes would not suffice to retire vs from our euill conuersation and way and to setle vs in his no not the preceptes which he had giuen in the first written law But when he began to walke this way how many were there that would accompagny him very seriously seruing him euen till their death and this only for his loue The Church therfore knowing right well the glory that redoundeth to almightie God and the fruit which men gather by the memory of the life of our lord IESVS Christ and of his sainctes doth euery day propose and sett them before our eyes in the diuine office in the sacrifices and solemnities that it should not be tedious vnto vs to follow and imitate them whome we prayse and whose memory we honour and that likewise we should not esteeme it labourious to walke that way which alone conducteth vs to eternall life Hereof mayest thou consider deuout Reader what vse almightie God maketh of his elect in fauour of vs because we are saith S. Iohn coadiutors to the saluation of soules we may hence also conceiue how greatlie we are obliged to the trueseruantes of God who haue so put themselues to paines in the exercise of vertues that they haue left the way open that such as seeke it may finde it and by their examples haue taught vs which it is and with whath force and industry we may attaine vnto true glory Those of former ages guided only by naturall light did vse exceeding diligence to induce and animate themselues by the examples of their famous predecessours vsing them as so many spurres vnto vertrue to the end they might in no time be defectiue in the obligation they had both to their natiue country and to their owne honour and indeed the milke wher with they nourced their childreÌ„ in their publique schooles was the generous actes of their ancestours which were red vnto them in poemes and orations that by meanes of those examples the children might be affected to vertue and enflamed with desire of glory although it was more vaine then vertuous This is of such force that euen at this present many of our Christians following the same practise cause their children to spend the most entiere parte of their age in committing to memory the heroyicall actes of the ancient Grecians and Latines But would to God that too many did not employ and wast all their life in this study and that many others were not more affected to Homer Cicero and Virgil then to IESVS Christ O extreme indignity of Christians deseruing sharp reprehension and eternall punishment in regard that they glory to be imitatours of the superstitious Gentils who as they wanted faith and the true light illuminating the hart of Christians so was not their vertue true and solid but exteriour and vaine And although that in that time of obscure darcknes they gaue to men some sparckle of light some litle knowledg of vertue more with wordes then with effect these Pagans neuertheles persiste in obscurity euen in the cleare day of the true light of our lord IESVS Christ the soueraigne truth and perfection and are vnworthy to be honoured in comparison of true Christians who being illuminated with the light of faith can easily discerne iudge and condemne the world with his vnwise adherentes because as the Apostle S. Paul Saith the spirituall man knoweth and iudgeth al thinges Pagans on the contrary glorying and esteemning themselues wise with their eloquence become sottish and ignorant as hauing attributed and giuen vnto creatures that which appertayned only to the Creatour but they whose cogitation and confidence is more setled and grounded on the diuine will and doctrine then humane and do follow celestiall not earthly Philosophy such I say shal only arriue to heauen whence first discended their knowledge they cannot erre being taught by the eternall wisdome neither shall they euer want glory euen amoÌ„g mortall people though they haue with all possibility shunned the same but shal be illustrious to all the world For though antiquity haue exceedingly honoured great ambitious personnes that desired to leaue some memory and renowne of themselues in this world after their death yet our holy mother the Church doth farre more exalt and make more glorious our Sainctes continually in the predications feastes and solemnities which for them and in their honour are celebrated besides that we beleeue that they liue and gloriously raigne in heauen in the contemplation of their Lord. So that the true seruantes of God are blessed among Angels and honoured among men as eminent sainctes as great they are and worthy of all reuerence Altars are euery where consecrated and churches bult in their names their images are honoured their wordes and workes are highly commended and preached their reliques are reuerenced and worshipped on earth their soules glorified in heauen and the miracles and excellent workes both ancient and moderne which our lord in them and by them hath wrought are with exceeding great glory admired Our Lord euen in this world recompenceth his elect who not in appareâ—e but in effect are vertuous and holy and incorruptedlie conserue their faith to their Creatour When was there euer found in any time among the ancient naturalistes such constancie such faith temperance magnanimity sweetnes mercy iustice fortitude and loyaulty as hath bin found in our Christians who by no kinde of threates or faire speeches of Tyrantes could be induced to leaue their obedience vnto God could neuer be corrupted by any promise or recompence nor haue bin inclined by any kinde of flatteries or fauours but persisting firme constant in the truth haue nothing esteemed nor feared the terrible and horrible tormentes were they neuer so barbarous nor in the extremity of them or death it selfe but haue alwayes remayned immoueable and inuincible in true vertu piety not desiring reuenge or detriment to the persecutours or executioners but pardon and saluation praying vnto God for them And all this not att their death only but euen in their life For there is no kinde of vertue wherin the sainctes haue not excelled some in purity of virginity others in continencie with great labour subiecting the flesh to the spirit that euen on earth leading a life more angelical then humane they might purchase eternall glory in heauen others renouncing kingdomes estates and dignities
had bin made att that verie hower with the hard nayle vpon the bare flesh and the bloud appeared exceeding full of life O happy were the soules that were held worthy to see in his seruant what they could not see in their Lord IESVS CHRIST and more when afterwardes they saw his sacred handes which his Holines discouered and saw pearced as the feet and hauing also the like nailes we also kissed them laying our impure lippes onthe sacred bloud that was yet very fresh which made vs to poore out teares that so abondantly fell from our eyes as that they hindered our cōtentment for we could not tast nor enioy the same according to our wish our eyes were so troubled that we often saw not that precious treasure But who cā euer explicate the motiō of our vnderstāding the abstractiō of our spiritt the melting of our sences and the faintnes of our corporall forces procured by this precious sight O thrice happy the mouthes of vs so greiuous sinners wherwith we were permitted to kisse that sacred wound of his foot with such interiour cōsolation as none could be more But seauen fold more hapy the Pope who alone kissed the wound of his side flowered as a fresh rose consequētly his very mouth whervpon he graciously vttered these wordes O most worthy excellēt memoriall of our redemption wherwith the eternall God would that conformably to our Lord I. C. the glorious Father S. Fr. should be deputed aliue dead to represent to the world euen till the last day of iudgmēt the signe of his dolorous passion O holy woundes first endured by the Sonne of God for the sinnes of men and after for our benefitt renewed in his holy seruant Francis O most gracious God! to whome hast thou euer shewē such loue but to this thy most faithful seruant Blessed sainct thou hast really carryed the triumphant stander of the crosse together with the liuely marckes of his passion Finally thou alone hast ben elected and found worthy to be pearced in true imitation of our Lord I. C. differing from him only in this that he receaued his woundes of the wicked Iewes and thou of our Redeemer I. C. O extreme benefite O singuler gift O ineffable prerogatiue Fr. who taught thee to serue God in what new scoole was it performed and by what merueillous doctrine Of what master hast thou learned to moūt to so high a degree of perfection that neuer S. of either sex could equall thee in the giftes of God The Pope vttered these and many other wordes being rauished out of himselfe in the presence of this S. of God himselfe together with vs bathinge the pauement of that holy place with abondance of our teares Now we so persisted in these sweet cōceiptes that whē we least thought theron one aduertised vs that it was neere day and that it was necessary for vs to depart to shutt vp the hole of the sacred sepulcher dexteriously which touched our hart as a deadly wound the space of six or seauen howers that we were there seeming to haue flowen and not passed away Making therfore some litle prayer more and recommending our selues to the S. the Pope first goeing out we all followed but not till we had opened the two vaultes in the two other arches where we saw the two other glorious bodies of his disciples entier also and very odoriferous but much lesse then that of their master hauing their habittes of sackcloth Att the entry we saw the body of the blessed Brother Giles then we came foorth and the Guardian shutt the dores praying his Holines to keepe the same in great secresie which he promised him and commāded vs also the same This my freind Iames was the cause of my inuocation that night when I cryed O Francis Francis hauing yet hope yea very confident that he wil be protectour of my soule before God att my departure But it seemeth indeed very admirable that this glorious S. had not procured his recouery but that he might haue declared this his glory to many his deuoted freindes that much desired to vnderstand it for this discourse ended he began so to decay that he dyed the night following leauing assured testimony of this truth considering that it is not to be beleeued nor thought nor is it probable that aman especially such as this being in the conflictes of death would for his pleasure and without occasiō faine a false matter the time so neere when he should most stricktly render an account vnto God who seuerely condemneth the culpable and ill-deseruers as he crowneth the sainctes his elected here on earth but much more in heauen there glorifiyng their bodies their soules with his glorious vision eternally whither I beseech him by his grace to conduct vs where he is three and one and liueth and raigneth world without end Amen The end of the second booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS CONTAYNING A TREATISE OF S. Bonauenture of certaine miracles of the glorious Father S. Francis after his death With a discourse of the Author of the degrees wherby the S. attained to perfection Translated by the parties afore mentioned Of the miracle of the Stigmates THE FIRST CHAPTER TO the honour and glory of almighty God and the blessed Father S. Francis Being to write certaine miracles of his wrought after his glorification in heauen we haue determined to begin with that immensiue priuiledge giuen him by our Lord IESVS CHRIST honouring him with the signe of the crosse and passion This glorious Father S. Francis was then eminent by a new miracle when he appeared charactered and illustrated with so singuler a priuiledge neuer before graunted to any creature I meane the sacred woundes of our Lord which made his mortall bodie like to that of IESVS CHRIST crucified the sacred stigmates considered wherof whatsoeuer any humane tongue can expresse is litle or nothinge in comparison of so sublime and worthy a mystery wrought by his diuine maiesty in his faithfull seruant Francis that this signe of the crosse which he alwayes carryed imprinted in his hart from the beginning of his conuersion might also exteriourly appeare in his body entierly vnited in the said crosse and that as his soule was interiourly vested with IESVS CHRIST the habite of a penitent which he tooke representing the image of the crosse the body also might in like sort be inuested with the said sacred signe and that with such colours and distinctions he might the more couragiously serue his God as his principall Capitaine in the spirituall warre and army wherin God had ouercome the powers of spirituall ennemies Yea and diuers misteries of the crosse appeared in the S. from his first beginning in spirituall warfare as in the discourse of his life plainely appeareth by the diuers apparitions of the crosse which he had And for farther assurance of the verity of so admirable a fact God did not only giue testimonies worthy of creditt
deuotion they all neuertheles seeme displeasing and withall knowing that all humane affections and motions all liberall artes sciences all subtility of spirittes all exquisite theologie and other curious sciences cannot giue peace nor satiate our hart if they be vsed with pride and that only the diuine loue can performe the same in an humble hart and mortified in his proper desires and opinions which will not be surprised more or lesse in any other thing nor affecteth other power or knowledge then how to loue his God and how to ridde himselfe of all vaine cogitations and of his proper complacence and curiosity to comprehend lofty and secrett matters and to proceed in a singularitie of life and exercises the property of this estate is to support the tentations the terrours and deceiptes of the deuils because our soule resisteth not flesh and bloud only but the spirittes and powers of darcknes surmounting all other creatures yea himselfe and possessing God alone in his only desire Our soule hath an other property not only seeking thenceforward finding her beloued in creatures by meditations and imaginations framed by the vnderstanding but often without attending and knocking att the dote the feruent desires enflamed sighes which she breatheth out for her loue conducteth her in and then she conuerseth with and freely heareth her God because she incontineÌ„tlie arriueth to that estate wherof our Lord IESVS CHRIST spake I call you no longer seruantes but freindes such are the effects of feruent loues that transport the soule into God to make her one spiritt with him and one will and as this loue is supernaturall and diuine incomparablie of more efficacie then the naturall it doth consequentlie with a fastened knott and bond of charity conioyne the spiritt with God So that we may say in this estate such a loue worcketh three effectes or offices The first to depriue the soule of all kind and quality of loue except the loue of God that she may no more be disioyned from him conformablie to those wordes of the Apostle sainct Paul No man can hereafter separate vs from the charity and loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST The second is to giue no place to idlenes for as saith the moral sainct Gregory He that is idle loueth not and therfore his worck is to labour with an appetite sweet and sauourous in God and to run vnto him withall his hart as to his soueraigne Good and to keep his spiritt setled and combined in him continually enflaming his desires to a cruell and continuall warre vpon such discord that can neuer haue peace with the cares disordinate passions and naturall desires which labour to satiate him in other places wheras this loue endeauoureth att least to keep him alwayes concerning the memorie and the desires being separated from all terrestriall cares and conuersations with the feare of the staine which veniall disorders leaues in the soule and the impediment which they procure to the continuall amourous affection of God which causeth the soule especially to loue and desire solitude and to be sequestred from all creatures for as the Adamant draweth iron vnto it so God being loued draueth vnto him the louer into a solitarie place and sequestreth him from humane conuersation that he may tast diuine The third office whence this second proceedeth is that this loue neuer ceasseth to growe no otherwise then fire which hauing matter neuer faileth to encrease As then our Lord I. C. is infinitely worthy to be loued and that charity alwayes findeth in him matter to encrease and more and more euery hower to dilate it selfe so this augmentation of loue hath neuer end in this life so that the proper office of this loue is to constraine a man to make progresse in his perfection of life and with a continuall warre against luke warmnesâ—e It is easie to be collected in diuers places out of the Legend rule and life of S. FraÌ„cis how much this degree of loue and perfection made him alwayes ioyfull and content in his pouerty it there appeareth how much he abhorred and shunned the honours and contentments of the world and with what vnion of spiritt he conceaued tast and satisfaction in prayer For this occasion he would that his Religious should be alwayes ioyfull exteriourly and interiourly as men contented in the true graces which they receaued of the mercie of God this satiety which he had in God hindered him from desiring sciences and honours for his Religion as the greedy of this world desire and procure but he would that only the pouerty and humility of his Lord I. C. should alwayes be and shine in his Order and that there one should neuer satisfie and content himselfe enough in the following imitating and louing of I. C. The wicked spirittes could not not endure this loue that burned in him perpetually and therfore they neuer omitted to tempt and terrifie him endeauouring to distract him but finding nothing in him wherof to take hold he being naked and depriued of all earthely thinges they presumed by their horrours and terrours to make him stopp and tourne his course The continuall lentes which he kept in perpetual silence and in solitarie places discouer how incomparable he was and his continuall feruour in the exercise of prayer and spirituall profitt in all kind of vertues as also his ordinarie watchfulnes ouer his sences and his body likewise his manner of life alwayes apart except when he trauelled for the saluation of soules as one that had in God alone his repose and satiety Of the fourth degree to ascend vnto perfection called spirituall Excesse or Extasie THE V. CHAPTER THe fourth degree is extasie spirituall excesse or dronkennes of spiritt which proceedeth of the satiety of the soule made droncken with the diuine loue of the Holy Ghost without any water of our imaginations and humane fantasies which forsake vs not without difficulty if God take not the soule by the hand draw it vnto him causingal the sences to remaine without depriued of their functioÌ„ the soule being imployed secretly with her God yea it see meth to the soule that she endureth the like for being with God she is more aboue then in her selfe and therfore seeing she seeth not and feeling she feeleth not For she being pure and cleare from all corporall images which are her irons and the matter of her prayers she feeleth only the effectes with the worckes of the diuine presence and charity And therfore he that is raysed to this degree of perfection doth accustome to exercise lesse meditations how pious soeuer vsing them only to creat in his soule admirations deuotions and feruours towardes his beloued God drawing the sparckes of loue from his hart with those meditations as with a perfect fire-steele which most commonly is in men more hard then a flint-stone for as the way of the vnderstanding proceedeth not of humane stile though it be directed vnto God the knowledge notwithstanding proceeding
render a strict account vnto God and therfore hast yee speedily hence for feare least this house fall and vtterly oppresse you or that the earth open and swallow you vp These wordes made them so ashamed and mute that without replying they retourned to giue answeare to Ezelin who thenceforth esteemed him the true seruant of God and therfore willed his people to permitt him to say of him what he would which was no small restrainct vnto him whilest he liued How att one sermon of his he conuerted 22. theeues THE XVII CHAPTER TWo and twenty theues being assembled for robbery retired into a very thick and bushy wood where they murdered the passangers Italy was then by reason of the warres there full of such theeues who feared not to goe disguised into the citties as did these of whome we speake who resolued to proue if the truth and effect answeared the reputation giuen to the preachinges of S. Antony for they had heard that as an other Elias he burned the hartes of men with the fiery light of the word of God which they experienced in themselues for att the beginning of his sermon they began to feele their hartes to mollifie then by litle and litle to receaue the heat of the Holy Ghost so that att the end of the sermon they went all to conferre with him who after he had giuen them necessary reprehension told them that he would absolue them on condition they would be very wary neuer after to retourne to their vomitt assuring the in the behalfe of almighty God that if they fell againe they would miserably perish as it after arriued to some of them who retourned to their filth againe as before others perseuered piously and especially one of them who had seriously obserued and made his profitt of the endes of both his good and bad companiōs who afterwardes affirmed and assured the same and said that he was enioyned to goe twice to Rome in penance to visitt the holy Apostles in remission of their enormous sinnes saying that as he had accomplished his penance so did he hope to obtaine remissiō of his misdeedes Of the conuersion of many heritikes by a sermon which S. Antony made to the fishes of the sea which gaue him eare THE XVIII CHAPTER ITaly being vtterly disordered by the afforesaid warres and mingled with all nations that embrued their barbarous weapons in the body of that contry though they were called in by the Italians themselues that supposing to ruinate each other they might afterwardes be their prey as in deed they were In such troubles of warre the Italians did not only diminish their former vertues which made them like terrestriall Angels and more excellent then all other strangers in curtesie and loue but they did also diminish that faith for which they had renounced the Empire of the world submitting their neck to the most sweet yoke of IESVS CHRIST and of his immaculate and holy Catholike Apostolike and Roman Church and besides that as it is incident to men to admitt the habitt of those with whome they conuerse they dranck the horrible cup of heresie and abomination the heretikes multiplying in Italy by the extreme liberty of life then there in vse Now sainct Antony hauing so much profited in France where he conuerted a great nomber of heretikes as also in Romania whither then many were retyred of whome he conuerted a great part by miracles and particulerly their Arch-heretique called Bonuillo de Bimini who for thirty yeares had persisted obstinate and buryed in the darcknes of heresie the sainct therfore endeauoured to displant all the rest of that prouince which there were exceedinglie augmented Now as he one day preached vnto them they refusing to heare him because disputing against them he did vtterly confound them and being without the sea shoare att the mouth of a riuer called Matecchia he called the fishes in the name of God to heare his holy word sith men whome he had redeemed by the precious bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST his only Sonne had refused it It was a worthy and admirable thing to see almost an infinite quantity of fishes of the sea and of the said riuer instantly vpō those wordes to appeare on the water which by litle and litle assēbling sorted themselues according to their kindes and qualities placing themselues in admirable Order so that the lesser drew neerest the shoare and the greater by degrees without in such sort that it was a most pleasing sight to behold them Being setled and accomodated the sainct made them this sermon following My Brethren fishes who being the creatures of the comon Creatour as we are are also bound to prayse him considering that you haue receaued of him your being and life and he hath giuen you for habitation the noble element of water sauoury saltish according to your necessity and entertaynement Further he hath therein giuen you shelters and retraites to shroud you from the ambushes of your persecutors It hath pleased him also that this element should be transparent cleare and pearceable to the eye that you may the more easily see what you are to accept and what to shunne therfore also hath he bestowed on you phinnes and force to guide you selues where you desire but you are especially obliged vnto him for that you alone of all other creatures were saued in the vniuersal deluge by meanes whereof you are encreased in nomber aboue all other You were chosen to saue the Prophett Ionas and hauing preserued him three dayes in your belly you restored him a liue vpon the earth You haue payed the due and tribut for our Lord IESVS CHRIST and for his chiefe Apostle S. Peter you haue also euer bin his food during his life and after his death when he was risen For which reasons and others which for the present are out of my memory you are exceedingly obliged to thancke almighty God The fishes approued these wordes with all the gestures they could shew bending downe their heades mouing their tailes and making signe of desire to come neere him Vpon which demonstratiōs the holy Father tourned towardes the rebellious and stony hartes of the heretikes and in presence of a great multitude of people there assembled by the recourse of such a nomber of fishes that stirred not expecting till the S. dismissed them he said vnto them God be praysed that the very fishes doe desireously heare his word but you wherfore demurre you on your conuersion What other testimony doe you expect more euident of the vertue of the loue of God Are not you ashamed to appeare of lesse vertue then the fishes who are voyd of reasō All the heretikes there presēt thē without farther expectation were cōuerted to the faith and the Catholiques more solidly cōfirmed The fishes neuer stirred but their nūber still encreased without any confusiō of their order till they had all had the benediction of the holy Father after which they diuided thēselues each one
the ninth of that name and fortie fourth king of France goeing in Pilgrimage to Rome there to visitt the holy Apostles determined to see Br. Giles of whose sanctity he had heard notable report being therfore att Perusia he went to the monastery of the Frere Minors with some few of his neerest fauourites all vested in pilgrimes weedes where arriuing he told he Porter that the desired a word or two with Br. Giles the Porter deliuered his message that certaine Pilgrimes were att the gate of whome one desired to speake with him Br. Giles vnderstanding by reuelation who it was that demaunded for him he full of feruour of spiritt went incontinently out of his cell and comming to the gate the king and he fell both on their knees and very louingly embraced each other with entertainement of most deuout and pious mutuall kisses in the face as if their had bin a very inward and ancient amity betweene them After they had thus some time remayned and had shewen many mutuall tokens of charity they separated themselues in silence without the vtterance of one word betweene them Now whiles these two SS were vnited in so spirituall a contentment the Porter demaunded of one of the kinges followers who that Pilgrime was that with such great familiarity embraced Br. Giles who answeared him that it was Lewes king of France who goeing to visitt the holy Reliques of Rome tooke in his way the visitation of Br. Giles The Religious vnderstanding who he was were exceedingly troubled because they had seene Br. Giles not only not to haue giuen him the reuerence due to so great a King but euen not to haue vttered so much as one word and therfore they went expresly to the holy Father whome they sharpely checked and reprehended for this great errour that should in no sort haue bin committed against so puissant a Prince being also a Christian endwed with so religious a deuotion and mansuetude as that he came expresly to receaue of him some consolation Hereunto Br. Giles answeared Trouble not your selues deere Brothers nor doe you admire if you see me not speake to the king nor he to me For when we embraced each other the diuine light manifested vnto vs the interiour of our hartes reuealing the secrets of his to me and of mine to him and hauing fixed the eyes of our soules in the resplendant mirour of the eternall light wherin euery thing is seene more perfectly then in it selfe we discoursed together as much as we desired with an extreme consolatiō of spirit without any noyse of wordes which would rather haue hindered then furthered vs in regard of the sweetnes that our soules did feele With this answeare the Religious being stricken into exceeding admiration and confusion they acknowledged their faultes among themselues repenting to haue iudged so admirable a worcke of God which they did not vnderstand How Br. Giles comsorted and encouraged a Religious whome he had conuerted and brought to be of the Order who complained that he shewed not himselfe so gracious vnto him as before he receiued the habitt THE XVIII CHAPTER AKnight much deuoted and friendly to Br. Giles by his pious admonitions became a Frere Minor but after he had taken the habitt Br. Giles seemed to haue no more care of him for he no more visited nor instructed him as before which was a great affliction to this Religious wherfore he one day complained therof vnto him in these termes Father I am extremely troubled discontented and doe admire att you that whiles I was in the world you tooke such paine to instruct me in what was necessary to my saluation so that by your holy admonitions I am come to be Religious and principally vpon hope the more commodiously to enioy your holy conuersation wherin I experience the contrary and find my selfe much deceiued For you giue me not now so much as one word so that you neither counsaile nor instruct me any more nor giue me any manner of consolation so that you seeme to haue vtterly forsaken me belieue you therfore I beseech you that my soule can receiue no greater contentment then to vnderstand by you the manner how to gouerne her selfe in this new kind of life Whereto Br. Giles answeared Brother sith you are of the house and family of God as my selfe also him and that you and I as fellowes doe fight vnder one capitaine and lord it is not conuenient for me that am your companion to command you to doe this and not to doe that because I know not whither the wil of God be that you doe a thing contrary to that which I may counsaile you and so I may persuade you to one thing and God to an other Thus speaking he lifted vp his face towardes heauen and speaking with his Redeemer in presence of this Religious with a very sweet voice and yet with feruour he said O my Lord IESVS CHRIST how worthy and excellent a thing is sanctity and chastity how pleasing to thy diuine Maiesty how well louest thou the soule that possesseth it how doest thou heare her in the company of Angels and in what manner doest thou recompense her with eternall life then sighing with gesture that discouered exceeding contentment he sayd Ah! ah ah my God how pleasing and gratefull is such a soule vnto thee and beginning againe he continued O my God how pleasing is that creature vnto thee who for thy loue sequestreth his hart from the world forsaking Father mother kinred friendes and whatsoeuer he affected in the world then discouering an extreme ioy he sighed as before saying Ah! ah ah my God! how greatefull vnto thee are the obedient soules that haue no other will then thine O my God how doth thy diuine maiesty loue him that with all his hart obeyeth thy holy commandementes and after these wordes he sighed as before and then sayd O my God! how pleasing is that soule vnto thee which being eleuated in thy loue perseuereth in continuall prayers contemplating thy celestiall treasures and graces But how much is that soule comforted of thee when in her deuotions she poureth out abondance of teares very gratefull to thy diuine maiesty and profitable to her selfe because they bathe the conscience and open paradice vnto her Ah! ah ah my God! how pleasing is that sould and how gratefull is that personne vnto thee that for thy loue supporteth fatigations labours and affrontes and carryeth on him thy crosse not refusing the burden therof as our brother the asse which complayneth not for being ouerloaden and beaten nor when one sayth I would the wolfe had eaten thee or that thou were fleyed yea to such iniuryes an affrontes he answeareth not a worde to giue me a great example of patience Now with this new kind of speech this new Religious was exceedingly comforted yea and extremely encouraged to perseuerance in the seruice of our Lord IESVS CHRIST And this may serue for a generall document to make appeare what feare and discretion
in trauailes modest in your speches graue in your deportmentes and thanckfull for the grace and fauours which you shall receiue These deerly beloued disciples vnderstanding his holy aduertismentes being replenished with the holy ghost and desirous to obey their Pastour especially where it concerned the saluation of Christian soules coupled themselues two together and fell all seauen at the feet of the S. whome they honoured as their true father and demanded his benediction But causing them to arise he embraced them with a fatherly charity then gaue them the benediction of the father of mercies vsing to each of them those wordes of the Prophett Dauid Cast your care on our Lord and he will prouide for you He accustomed to vse this speech to all the Religious that he sent vnder obedience And knowing well that he was to serue for patterne and good example to the world to doe that first which he intended to teach he tooke for companion one of the seauen Religious and then tooke leaue of the rest hauing yet precedētly diuided thē in forme of a crosse that is sending two of thē towardes the east two towardes the west two towardes the south and two towards the north each one went with his companion on his way rich wel cloathed with diuine grace but with habitts torne patched tussed vp bare-foote and as it were all naked destitute of all tēporall prouisiōs preaching thorough the world more by worckes then by word giuing example of humility patience and pouerty They wanted no laborious accidentes being afflicted in many places and in diuers maners For of that which we find recorded of two we may collect the exercises of the rest The West was alloted vnto Brother Quintaualle who being with his companion arriued att Florence and not finding where to lodge the night being come they setled them selues against a wall vnder a penthouse the master whereof refusing to lodge thē by reason of the strange fashion of their habitt fearing that they were some lewd personnes and theeues they all the night endured much cold yea in great extremity in regard of the sharpnes of the season neuertheles they continually prayled God In the morning they went very early to masse praying with deuotion Now the mistresse of the house vnder whose roufe they had slept the night being present att that masse knew them to be those whome neither her husbād nor her selfe would entertaine for a nightes lodgeing She then said to her selfe These men doubtles are no theeues as my husband did coniecture for they seeme to be holy personnes These Religious in the meane time were beheld of each one for the nouelty of their habitt but much more when they refused the mony which one present offered them for an almose Eor therby were they knowne to be voluntarily poore for the loue of IESVS CHRIST And therfore the man and woman that before refused to entertaine thē by prayers conducted them to their house by whome they were exceedingly edified as wel by example of their life as by the pious and heauenly discourses wherwith they induced them to haue care of their soules Thus did these Religious passe Florence The inconuenience of the night which they endured was litle in regard of that which befell them afterward for both in respect of the strange forme of their habitt and for the austerity of their life they were most commonly iniuried and buffeted because almost euery one treated thē as senceles or distracted personnes Some gaue them tātes and mockes others cast dirt att them some pulled them by the cappuce others caused children with clamours to follow them These iniuries were not only procured them by the malice of idle personnes but also by the subtilty and inducement of the diuill who thought by these ignominies to terrifie them and make them desist from theire holy resolution But they being armed with the grace and patience of IESVS CHRIST did not only support the extremity of hunger cold and disgraces but euen did not by any exteriour signe appeare to be moued withall So farre also were they from replying to them that abused them that receiuing their persecutions as a great fauour they ordinarily prayed to God for them in such sort that these remonstrances of patience and charity hauing bin by certaine weighed and considered their vertue and sanctity did consequently appeare They therfore repenting to haue offended them repayred vnto them as to holy personnages humbly to require pardon vertue being of such force and efficacie that albeit for a time it be resisted and contemned yet in the end it doth alwayes conquere and triumph ouer the enemies therof Some certaine time being spent after the separation of these good Religious their compassionate Father being vnable any longer to endure and support this ircksome absence had a vehement desire to recollect his deerly beloued children But the difference and distance of the places where they were being such as it could not be don but by the diuine prouidence the sainct fell to his deuotion and prayed God that as he had sormerly assembled certaine Israelites very distantly separated and dispearced so he would also now vouch-safe to vnite and assemble his deerly beloued Brethren After a short time he miraculously knew the approbation of his prayer for without any humane dilligence or industry they were all as S. Francis had desired present in one very place which was not without an exceeding astonishment vnto his Brethren who admired the diuine prouidence The holy Father entertained his children with incredible ioy they then began among them selues to recount what they had endured in their trauaile and what was the fruit of their labours amongst the faithfull Christians Thus did these new Apostles in very short time beginne to exercise thē selues in the seruice of God by the footesteppes of his holy disciples About that time four other honorable gentlemen did adhere vnto them so that they were eleuen whose names were these Brother Bernard Quintaualle Brother Peter Catanio Br. Giles of Assisium Br. Sabadin Br. Morigo the lesse Br. Iohn Capelle Brother Phillip the long Br. Iohn of S. Constant Br. Barbarus Br. Bernard of Veridant and Br. Angelus Tancredas of Riete Of the first rule that S. Francis ordained THE XI CHAPTER S. Francis perceiuing his disciples to aproach to the Apostolicall nomber began to write downe the forme and rule of life which they should obserue wherto for foundatiō he gaue the obseruance of the gospell therto adding certaine other pointes necessary for such as liue in Congregation and this to the end the professours of his rule should not vary and differ in any thing from the intention and will of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST as well in his Preceptes as Councels which rule is this ensuying hauing since that time bin augmented by S. Francis as in his proper place shal appeare THE FIRST RVLE OF THE HOLY FATHER S. FRANCIS In the name of the Father and of
that they first yeld and say We are vnprofitable seruantes answearing alwayes with humility and being very carefull of growing into passion For men that maintaine their choller against their neighbour are obliged to render account therof att the iudgement of God and he that shall vpbraid his neighbour with contemptible wordes shal be condemned to the fire of hell Lett them therfore loue one an other as our lord teacheth vs when he saith My children this is the precept I giue you that you loue one an other as I haue loued you Now the truest manner of mutuall loue according to the Apostle is knowne by wordes by worckes and in verity Lett them not curse any personne lett them not murmure nor lett them not speake ill of any for it is written The murmurers and detracters are abhorred of God Lett them be modest shewing themselues gentle and tractable to all not iudging nor condemning any man and as our lord saith consider not the litle sinnes of others but rather with a bitternes and contrition of your soule obserue your owne and endeauour to enter by the streight gate because our lord saith the way is streight as also is the gate that giueth entry to eternall life and there are few that finde it and enter theratt That the Brethren ought to be wary not to behould nor conuerse with women THE XII CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren in whatsoeuer place they reside very respectiuely forbeare wanton lasciuious aspectes and lewd and dangerous conuersations with women When it shal be necessary lett none presume to speake alone with a woman excepting the Preistes who may speake modestly vnto them when they giue them any penance or any spirituall counsaile and lett no woman in what soeuer manner be receiued to obedience by any Brother what soeuer to whome it shal be yet permitted to counsaile her spiritually to doe penance where she will And lett vs all carefully preserue ourselues with exceeding warines and dilligence for God hath said that what man soeuer shall behold a woman to couett her he hath already sinned withher in his hart because it is not lawfull for vs to behold that which is not lawfull for vs to desire Of the punishment of the Brethren that shall fall into the sinne of the flesh THE XIII CHAPTER IF any Brother by instigation of the deuill committ the sinne of the flesh lett him vtterly loose and be depriued of the habit which by his offence and lewdnes he shall haue defiled and wher of by his finne he shall haue depriued himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled the Religion and let him goe to doe penance for his sinne Of the manner the brethren ought to obserue trauailling thorough the world THE XIIII CHAPTER VVHen the Brethren thall trauaile through the world they must not nor may not carry any kind of prouision nor wallet purse mony nor staffe and into what soeuer houses they shall enter they shall say The peace of our lord be in this house and being entertained in any place they may there repose and eat and drincke of what shal be presented vnto them And if they shall be abused in wordes or effectes by any one lett them not be moued therwith yea if one should giue them a buffet on the one cheek lett them tourne the other if any one would disapparell them lett thē not hinder it yea if one should violētly robbe them of their coat lett them not aske it againe but lett them beleeue that all this arriueth vnto them by the prouidence of God That the Religious may not haue any horses THE XV. CHAPTER I Command all my Brethren aswell Preistes as lay that when they shall trauaile thorough the world or shall reside in any place they haue no kind of beast to ride on neither for them selues nor for others nor that it be euer lawfull for them to ride on horse-backe but in case of sicknes or of manifest necessity Of them that shall goe to the Mores and Infidels THE XVI CHAPTER OVr lord saith Behold I send you as sheep in the middes of wolues Be ye therfore wise as serpentes and simple as doues And if any Brother moued with a diuine inspiration would goe among the infidell Mores he may not goe without licēce of his Minister Prouinciall who knowing that Religious sufficient and of such a spiritt that therof one may hope some fruit to redounde to others not only saluation to himselfe let him not be denyed all vnderstood with the assistāce of God For the said Minister Prouinciall shal be obliged to be accountable vnto God if graunting or refusing permissiō to the faid Brother his resolutiō shal be pious or indiscreet And the Brethren that shall goe among the infidels may in two manners conuerse with them First they may not contentiously impugne them but lett them be subiect not only to the said infidels but to euery creature for the loue of God yet confessing themselues alwayes to be Christians Secondly that when they perceiue it to be the will of God they preach his word to the end they beleeue in him one soueraigne power the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost on God in Trinity and in the humanity of the Redeemer and Sauiour of the world exhorting them to be baptised and to liue thence-foward in Christianity because he that shall not be borne againe by Baptisme and the holy Ghost cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen They shall preach to the Infidell people these thinges and many others which God shall inspire them For our lord said in the gospell I will confesse before my Father which is in heauen all those that shall confesse me before men but the day when I shall come on the earth in the Maiesty of my Father I will deny them that shal be ashamed to confesse me to be the Sonne of man Lett all the Brethren in what soeuer place they are remember that they haue already offered their soules and bodies to the soueraigne God and that they ought to expose and employe them for the loue of him in all occurrances and to present the same to the ennemies visible and inuisible because our lord hath said he that in this world shall loose his life for my sake shall finde it safe in eternall life and blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Lett them also call to minde that which our lord saith If you be persecuted of the impious and wicked they haue first persecuted me and if you be persecuted in one citty fly into an other When men shall hate you and persecute your name and you renowme and shall speake all euill of you for my sake and for my loue reioyce yee boldely for your recompēce therof is great in heauen And thus much I speake to you my Brethren to thēd you should not feare those that haue power to kill the body and with your patience you shall possesse you
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
a fatherlie affection embraced them very amourously and said Feare not for if till this day I haue and doe maintaine strangers how much more reason haue I to maintaine you you I say that are my most deere children And this affection will I shew to all those that henceforward shal be borne of your mother my deerly affected wife Applying which parabole he said Holy Father our rule and life is this poore woman by the mercy of the king of kinges accepted for his espouse of whome he hath begotten many children whome his diuine maiesty neither hath nor euer will faile to sustaine and as he hath a care to releeue strangers your holines need not doubt but he will also haue regard to maintaine and support his true and ligitimate children that the heires of the eternall king perish not by hunger who are borne according to his likenes by vertue of the holy Ghost of a poore mother to witt of the euangelicall pouerty and nourced with his proper milk And if the king of heauen promise the eternall kingdome to those that follow him with faith and verity how much rather will he giue them such thinges as he ordinarily with so bountifull liberality bestoueth indifferently on the good and the wicked The Pope hauing with carefull attention heard this similitude and so patheticall and strong argument of the S. he admired and sincerely acknowledged that our Lord IESVS CHRIST dwelled in S. Francis Without farther delay therfore and without admitting any other difficulty he approued his rule permitted him with the title of precher of pennance to preach ouer all the world and caused litle crounes to be made to all the lay Brethren that were with him And thervpon S. Francis with all his companions made his solemne profession vnder the handes of the Pope promising to obserue the euangelicall life and rule and he was by his holines established Minister generall of all his Order who offered and promised him his assistance when soeuer he should need it But because this confirmation of the rule was then only made Viuae vocis oraculo by the Popes worde of mouth the yeare of grace 1209. and the thirteenth of the Popedome of the said Pope Innocent the third nor hauing no Bulle of this confirmation therfore the beginning of the Order is not reckoned from that time but from the time that it was afterward confirmed by writing which was in the eight yeare of Pope Honorious with an authenticall Bulle fifteene veares after this first verball confirmation as in place and order shall hereafter be inserted How S. Francis retourned to Assisium and how God declared vnto him that his Order was instituted for the saluation of the soules of the faithfull THE XXIV CHAPTER SAinct Francis exceedingly encouraged by obtaining the so much desired confirmation departed from Rome towardes the vally of Spoletum there to beginne to preach the gospell of IESVS CHRIST discoursing alwayes with his companions by the way in what sort they might most perfectlie obserue the profession formerlie made In which discourse hauing spent a good part of their way and being wearied they rested themselues in a solitary place no lesse afflicted with hunger then with trauaile not hauing with them any prouision nor humanely cause to hope after any meanes of releife But our most mercifull God who is euer true and neuer faileth his faithfull of himselfe prouided for them causing in a moment a man to appeare loaden with bread who as soone as he had distributed it to those poore of IESVS CHRIST disappeared and was neuer by any of them seene againe These poore Religious therfore acknowledging this grace and fauour to be afforded them by the handes of God were exceedingly comforted and there purposed and irreuocablie confirmed neuer to breake that strict and rigorous vow of pouerty for any want of food or whatsoeuer other necessity or affliction that might befall them and with this feruour and good resolution they trauailed through the vally of Spoletum discoursing with themselues whither it were better for them to dwell in solitary places for their particuler repose or to conuerse in the world for edification of their neighbour Vpon which point S. Francis hauing long time conferred with his disciples not minding of himselfe to determine in such a case wherin he would not relie on his owne resolution he made his prayer vnto God that touching this point he would manifest vnto him his holy will which he knew by this meane He vnderstood that he was sent of God to endeauour to gaine many soules vnto him as Satan sought to robbe him of them to carrie them together with himselfe into hell He therfore resolued rather with his companions to conuerse in the world for the profitt of manie then to liue in an hermitage to benifitt only himselfe Hauing then setled himselfe with his Brethren in a desolate house neere to Assisium they there liued conformably to their rule in very simple pouertie seeming rather to sustaine themselues with the bread of teares then with temporall consolations They ordinarily employed themselues in prayer and especially mentall because they were not as then fournished with bookes nor brouiaryes to say their cannonicall houres and so in supplie therof they made their exercise in the excellent booke of the life of IESVS CHRIST meditating therō day night according to the instructiō that their blessed Father gaue thē for he cōtinuallie preached vnto thē the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST And wheras the Brethrē most instantlie besought S. F. to teach thē some forme of prayer he vsed vnto thē the wordes of our Lord When you praye say Pater noster qui es in caelis c. and afterward Adoramus te Christe c. We adore thee our Lord IESVS CHRIST and we praise and honour thee here in all the churches of the world because by thy crosse thou hast redeemed the world He also taught them to praise and honour God in all creatures to reuerence preistes to beleeue simply and to confesse firmely the truth of the Faith as the holie Catholique and Romane Church beleeueth and confesseth and his disciples with admiration of his doctrine were attentiue vnto him They fell on their knees when they saw any Church a far of and there they made theyr prayer as the S. had instructed them Of the admirable vision of a fiery chariott wheron the glorious S. Francis appeared vnto his disciples THE XXV CHAPTER THe poore colledge of S. Francis was neere to a place called Riuotorto in an old house and so litle that they could hardly accōmodate themselues sitting one close by an other From thence went foorth the louer of pouerty to preach pennance and contempt of the world first by worckes and then by wordes But being one saterday in the euening gone thence he went with a Brother to Assisium there to preach the sunday as he was accustomed to doe And to this effect he
true modestie he did not meane that one should shew a vaine ioy of speech or of light laughter for that is not the alacritie which the true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST ought to haue as some esteeme which is but a vanitie and a manifest signe of litle spiritt S. Francis therfore in an exhortation that he made to his Brethren declared vnto them what was the ioy of the true seruantes of God saying That Brother may be called happy who hath not his ioy but in worckes and wordes of charity by example and document wherof men are induced to loue prayse and honour God And on the contrary wretched is the Brother that is delighted in idle wordes wher with he moueth men to laughter in whome that is verified which the Apostle saith that his religion is vaine and vnfruitfull So that by spirituall ioy he meant the feruour resolution readines and tast of the will of the bodye prompt with alacritie to attempt all good by which feruour and ioy men are oftentimes more edified then by the very worckes they doe be they neuer so good if they seeme to be done with an euill will because they represent the idlenes anxietie of the will and the sloathfullnes of the body in doeing well so that they doe not edifie but corrupt The holy Father affected grauity in himselfe and others that the ioy of the spiritt might not seeme a certaine vaine mirth He well knew by experience that this grauity would serue him as a wall against the dartes of the deuill because the soule disarmed therof remayneth light and vaine and as a naked man amongst potent ennemies that seeke all meanes to murder him Of the fraternall vnion which he taught his brethren THE XXXVIII CHAPTER ANd because the said spirituall ioy proceedeth of the innocencie of the soule and of an amourous peace and tranquillitie with God and our neighbour S. Francis exceedinglie laboured that so holy a vnion might be cōserued amōg his deerly beloued disciples to th end that they who had ben engendred by the holy Ghost in vnion of loue and concorde might be conserued and maintayned semblably vnited among themselues in the lappe of their mother which is holy Religion To the end also that the said disciples should praise God with one hart and according to the Apostle should reioyce with the ioyfull and mourne with the sorrowfull neuer permitting any roote of sorrow enuie or any other disordinate passion to enter into them and that the greater should be assuredly vnited in a true loue of charitye with the least the prudent and wise with the simple as true Brethren and they that are in their country with such as are come from farre He one day proposed to his Brethren an example to this purpose of notable doctrine and efficacie Supposing said he that a generall chapter were held of all the Brethren that are in the glory of paradice and as there are both learned and simple ignorantes that haue vowed to serue God without any science acquyred lett commandement be giuen to a learned man and to a simple ignorant to make each of them a sermon the learned considering what he was to say thus discoursed with himselfe where there are so many of perfect knowledge it would be vnprofitable for me to appeare learned my auditours being incapable of further science to premeditate to make election and search of curious and subtill matters before more curious then my selfe would appeare ridiculous but peraduenture I shal be better and more voluntarily heard yea and with more fruit if I discourse simply Now the prefixed day being come all the holy Saints assemble in the place deputed to heare the sermon of the Doctour who appeared cloathed with a rude sack cloth and his head couered with ashes Those present more admired this habitt then the wordes which were compendious breife and simple in these termes My Brethren we haue promised great matters but greaters are promised vs. Lett vs exactly performe those and tenderly aspire att these The pleasure of sinne is breife but the paine therof is without end The labour of vertue is small but the glory gotten therby is infinite Many are called but few are chosen and each one in the end shall receiue according to his deserte These so pregnant and patheticall wordes did so touch and moue the hartes of the audience that they were constrayned to shed abondance of teares exceedingly praysing this Preacher and esteeming him a holy person The simple ignorant then that was also to preach said to himselfe Sith this learned Preacher hath made vse in his sermon of my simplicity I know what I will doe I haue some verses of the Psalter by hart them will I sett foorth the most eloquently and learnedly that I can sith that the doctour hath preached like a simple man The houre of his sermon being come this simple man rose vp and replenished with the holy Ghost he propounded his theme with such feruour so ingeniously and clearly yea with such eloquence by the grace which God imparted vnto him that his auditours filled with admiration sayd Without doubt God doth speake in the simple Now S. Francis expounded this figure in this manner Our Religion said he is a great and generall congregation in which are vnited from all partes of the world a great nomber of men vnder one same forme and rule of life The prudent therein ought to make vse of the grace that is in the idiotes which is to be employed in worckes of humilitie as true disciples of IESVS CHRIST and so to benefitt themselues therby when they shall see them exercised with a liuely intention in celestiall vertues and voluntarily to heare the mysticall doctrine of the holy Ghost yea with a pious and holy enuy to resemble them and to cleare their spirittes of all presumption that they may be enriched of God with the spiritt of humility and diuine theologie On the contrary the simple ought to be very carefull to make their profitt more of workes then of doctrine and to conuert the science which they see in the learned into so much fruit seeing the honour and reuerence which they exhibitt to the rule and to simplicity of life whereas they being so noble and so learned might liue in the world as Lordes and yet they haue made themselues litle because they had true knowledge of the greatnes of God Then he concluded that in this worthy concord consisted true peace in this equalitie of hartes reposed true ioye of spiritt yea all the beautie and perfection of all their congregation and that by this only meane they might become gratefull and pleasing to the eternall Father who as he had engendred them and alwayes conserued them in grace would also afterward vnite them together in glory How he accustomed his Brethren to perfect obedience THE XXXVIIII CHAPTER BEside the premises he also trayned them vp in the vertue of obedience and abnegation of their
an illusion of the deuill and that he had no lesse desire to releiue the poore then the Brother and further that it was not well done to take an others goodes and to giue it to the poore and so went on his way But his companion being yet tempted of the deuill and persisting to importune him vnder pretence of an indiscreet zeale to releiue the poore he was att length enforced to permitt him to take vp the said purse so to lett him vnderstand the illusion being therfore retourned in the companie of a yong man whome they mett in the way the holie Father made his prayer and then bid his companion to take vp the purse who being licenced began to tremble with feare already feeling the deceipt of the deuill Yet stooping to take vp the purse now rather of obedience then of any will he had being already repentant and strecthing out his hand to take hold therof he saw goe out of it a great viper and in the same instant all vanished and so the deceipt of the deuill was discouered The said Brother therfore acknowledging his vaine curiositie and confessing his fault to S. Francis he said vnto him Behold Brother mony to a Religious man is no other thing but the deuill and venimous serpentes That he desired that pouerty should shine in all his and his Brethrens actions THE XLIV CHAPTER THe true poore of IESVS CHRIST sought desired that holy pouerty should appeare in all his actions and if sometimes he perceaued any one that exteriourly in his habitt seemed poorer them himselfe he desired to exceed him and so practised herein with such desire to appeare miserable among the poore that for feare to be surmounted in pouerty he firmelie contended withall the world Meeting a poore man one daye on the way almost all naked he said with a lamenting voice vnto his companion The pouerty of this miserable man procureth vs great shame for we haue made choice of pouertie to be our great richesse I see it appeare greater in this man this shame is to vs more insupportable in that it is now said ouer al the world that Brother Francis and his companions haue chosen holy pouertie for companion Lady Mistresse and their delightes as well spirituall as corporall that they haue so promised to God men By these wordes the holy Father desired that the Brethren should make it their esteeme to be poore and should be ashamed to doe or weare any thing wherin should not appeare the incōmoditie therof so that he would not haue the beanes or pease watered ouer night for the next morning desiring to obserue the saying of IESVS CHRIST in the Gospell Be not carefull for the morrow and he would not that prouision should be made of their food but from day to day which was long time inuiolably obserued in many places of the Religion The true poore of IESVS CHRIST said that how much his Brethren should shunne pouertie so much would the world shunne them that they should seeke almose and not finde it but if they embraced holie pouertie as their deere mother the world would sustaine nourish thē and acknowledge them as sent for the saluation therof for the accord betweene it and the Freer Minors is that they shall giue it good example and that it shall allow them necessarie releife and if they giue not it good example performing that wherto they are obliged the world hath iust reason to depriue them of their ordinarie almose The Bishop of Assisium said one day to S. Francis that this his manner of life seemed to him very austere and difficult considering that he had nothing assured for his maintenance the holy Father answeared him My Lord if we had any substance it were necessary we had also weapons to defend it for of it would proceed difficulties debates matters of selfe loue and many other impedimentes against obtayning the loue of God and particulerlie of our neighbour Therfore we hold it most secure not to seeke the possession of whatsoeuer thing in the world and we hope that in respect therof our Lord will permitt vs to be loued and cherished of euerie one Of the exercise of pouerty which is to demaund almose and what S. Francis and his disciples did touching this point THE XLV CHAPTER WHen the holy Father began to haue encrease of Brethren considering that God had giuen him so holy a company and so sweet a conuersation he was exceedingly comforted and so loued and honoured his children of IESVS CHRIST that their necessary food failing he sent not them to the dores to seeke almose but went himselfe which he did as wel that they should not be troubled att any thing that might happen or fearing they might be ashamed to begge because it was then an vnusuall thinge as also that the world should not giue them occasion to repent and retourne back against their holy vocation He cōtinued this course till the holie winges of the loue of God and so holy pouerty were growne out wherwith they were able to fly abroad and trauaile ouer the world to become glorious in the labours of pouerty the better to sow the seed of the word of God among the people And although it were very laboursome vnto him so much to begge yet was it more painfull vnto him by reason of his complexion because being of a delicate nature his abstinence and austerity was an impediment vnto him of supporting this burden Therfore the nomber of his Brethren being exceedingly multiplyed he began to seet one foot this vertuous exercise of begging And albeit they were att first ashamed and that it seemed very hard and difficult vnto them yet assisted by remembrance of the holy obedience which they had vowed they found both this and euery other thing very easy and pleasant And then seeing the holie Father so to paine himselfe for them they prayed him to leaue that labour vnto them Wherto he answeared My beloued Brethren you should not esteeme it a difficultie to goe seeke almose from dore to dore for the loue of God but to account it a great fauour of his For who is he that would not more then willinglie goe to demaund almose if he saw his Prince and Lord to goe before him saying with himselfe What shall the disciple be more worthy then the master and the seruaunt then the Lord should it not be rather pride then shame would not such one deserue rather punishment then compassion Remember that our Lord IESVS CHRIST that celestiall king of whose mites or crummes to witt of the bread of grace the Angels of heauen and the inhabitantes of the earth are maintayned He I say that became poore for our benefitt and example asked almose and liued by it in this world We can neuer walke so strict a way of pouertie if we haue not first our Lord before our eyes as a begger whiles he liued in this
CHRIST the one by an ardent feruour and the other by abstinence and discipline sacrificing the flesh exteriourly in holocaust and interiourly burning in the temple of his soule the sweet incense of piety eleuating his spiritt vnto God by a most seruent loue and extending it by his interiour benignity ouer all creatures that were associated vnto him by nature and grace and redeemed by the precious bloud of our lord IESVS CHRIST He had not bin reputed the freind of IESVS CHRIST if he had left desolate the soules redeemed by such an inestimable price Wherfore he affirmed that one ought to preferre the safty of soules before al thinges sith that the only Sonne of God the Father would be crucified on the crosse for their saluation Therfore when he prayed he poured out an infinite quantity of teares When he preached he extremely heated himselfe and in this consideration it was that he so rigorously afflicted his body for it was not to punish it for sinnes which he had desisted to committe nor to preserue himselfe therefrom by reason that the hand of God was with him But it was to the end that by his example and merittes he might free and deliuer the poore soules of IESVS CHRIST from that horrible and insatiable gulphe of hell vsing those wordes of S. Paul If I speake with the tongues of men and of Angels and haue not charity I giue no good education to my neighbour and very litle doe I profitt others and much lesse my selfe Therfore he deuided this his charity as an abondant Fountaine into many and diuers chanels wherby he dispersed it louing and honouring each one in his degree and estate He particulerly honoured Preistes as the Ministers of God which he performed with exceeding reuerence acknowledging them to be sanctified by diuine aucthority with power to celebrate his sacred mistery and to absolue soules his mysticall body from detestable sinnes He would not see nor consider any imperfection in them as people that alwayes represented vnto him IESVS CHRIST He left by testament vnto his disciples this notable respect which he had vnto Preistes and shewed by example that euery man ought to reuerence them as personnes in whose authority next after God consisteth the recouery of our saluation He exceedinglie honoured Preachers and diuines as they who administred vnto vs the spiritt and life of the word of God He also much respected old people and gaue due honour to men of power and authority in the world But in especiall manner did he ground his affection on the poore He had peace and charity with all the world and would that his Religious should endeauour the like that none might be scandalized or troubled by their occasion He manifested vnto them the cordiall loue wherwith he affected them as his children in IESVS CHRIST in that he did not conuerse with them as their head lord or Superiour but as Father brother and seruant perticipating of all their necessityes afflictions and temptations so that he might well say with the Apostle Who among you is weake and I am not weake who is scandalized and I am not burnt and on the other side he congratulated extremely att the spirituall progresse they made he corroborated and conforted the feeble and they that were tempted as by these examples may appeare He was on a time entreated by one that was violently tempted to pray vnto God for him to whome conforting him he said My child be not disquieted for this ought to be vnto thee an assured testimonie that thou art pleasing and gratefull vnto God None may esteeme himselfe the seruant of IESVS CHRIST but in afflictions and temptations There are many though ignorant that glory not to haue tasted any infirmity and not to know what temptation is wheras they might iustly be greiued and therby vnderstand their weak spiritt and sclender loue towardes God and assuredly beleeue that they haue much more to endure in the other world For God doth here chastice the faithfull to free them from feare of correction otherwhere giuing them the meritt of a more worthy crowne and doth neuer permitt them to be tempted aboue their forces but causeth his seruantes to make great benefitt of these teÌ„ptations The said Religious was so comforted by these wordes that albeit he disposed himselfe thenceforward to endure and support his teÌ„ptations yet he incontinently felt all the bitternes he had sustayned to tourne into ioy and alacrity An other Religious being tempted with the spirit of blasphemy farre more insupportable then any other fell att his feet with abondance of teares and such sobbes that he could not vtter so much as one word Wherevpon the S. knowing the exceeding torment which this Religious endured â—oued with pitty and zeale of his soule he said I command you yee deuils in the name of our lord IESVS CHRIST that you presume not henceforward to tempt this Religious and he was incontinently deliuered yea in the very instant Here then appeared the deepe compassion of the holy Father and his power against wicked spiritts How he trauailed towardes Siria there to receiue Martirdome THE LIIII CHAPTER THe yeare of grace ' 1212. the order of S. Francis still florishing in nomber and in fame of sanctitie he ordayned that they should twice in the yeare assemble att our lady of Angels att the feast of Pentecost and of S. Michael tharchangel to suck the milke of Euangelicall pouertie from this their holy mother and there to conferre of matters necessarie to their Order and of accidentes occurring as also to vnite themselues in fraternall loue animating each other in vertue of the spiritt There were the preachers deputed to their places and other obediences ordayned The holie Father desiring to assist not onlie the faithfull but euen Infidell Pagans to sow the faith euery where and to offer himselfe in sacrifice to the fire of Martyrdome a liuely host vnto God and by his death after the example of IESVS CHRIST to lay open vnto erring foules the way of saluation in the aforsaid yeare which was the fourth of the institution of his order being no longer able to suppresse the flame of desire of martyrdome he resolued to passe the sea to goe preach vnto the Infidels in Siria He embarqued himselfe to this purpose but the vessell which carryed him was encountred with a most cruell tempest that forced it into Sclauonia where he remayned diuers dayes his companie refusing to proceed any farther Wherfore perceauing himselfe frustrated of his holy desire esteeming it to arriue by the prouidence and pleasure of his diuine maiesty and vnderstanding that there were certaine mariners retourning to Aucona he besought them for the loue of God to conduct him with his companion back againe into Italie They perceiuing him to be extremelie poore and that no benifitt was to be gotten by him they made excuse that they had sclender prouision But the holy Father relying on the mercie
reueale it to any liuing creature during the time he was as in this world Of an other vision THE CI. CHAPTER GOeing one time from one Monastery to an other there was cōmitted vnto him for companion a yong Religious that had no great feare of God So hauing refreshed thēselues in the Monastery whither they went the S. repayred to his rest before the others that he might rise to prayer when the rest were in their first sleepe as he accustomed to doe and his said companion remayned with the other Religious to whome murmuring against the S. he said that he did eat drinck and sleepe very well and withall that he was reputed a S. and therfore he resolued to goe see if he arose in the night to pray as the said Religious had assured him he did and to that end he slept not that night Att the second watch he perceaued the holy Father to arise who hastened into a wood thereby whither the Religious followed his steppes very gently Being come to the place that seemed most proper and falling on his knees he beganne to cast out his ordinary feruent sighes and pious enflamed speeches beseeching the glorious virgin to shew him her sweet child in such sort as she brought him into the world This prayer ended the said religious saw the holy virgin mother appeare in a most resplendent light who comming to the Saint with an admirable benignity deliuered and laid her sonne in his armes whome the S. hauing thanckfully receaued he tenderly embraced clipped and kissed verie amourously this infinite contentment and contemplation of the S. continued euen to the breake of day when he rendred him againe whence he receaued him then with most humble reuerence kneeling on the ground all the vision disappeared The said Religious was so edified by this miracle that he craued pardon of the S. and chaunged his life This holy Father had such and the like visitations of the glorious virgin Mary of the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and of the glorious Archangell S. Michael for the particuler deuotion he had vnto them and they all did exceedingly comfort him as his Confessour and companion Brother Leo did diuers times heare and see How the priuiledges which God gaue to the Frere Minors were by an Angell declared to their Father S. Francis This is extracted out of the 26. chapter of the 10. booke and here sett in his proper place THE CII CHAPTER SAinct Francis being in the Couent of Sainct Vrbin the Angel of God appeared vnto him who reuealed vnto him the singuler priuiledges and graces which God had graunted to them that obserued his rule and should die in his Order The first priuiledge is that if their intention be good they shall in althinges be gouerned by the holie Ghost The second that in this desert of their pilgrimage they shal be particulerly defended in their temptations from the snares of their ennemies and frō the pitt of mortall sinnes The third that they shal be so purged here that the paines of Purgatory shal be no stoppe to their speedy passadge to the glory which God hath prepared them The fourth that they who shall follow their rule with fidelity and feruour shall meritt to heare and obtaine that which was promised to the Apostles of God and afterward enioyed by them when he said yee that haue left althinges to serue me shall sitt on seates and shall iudge others The fift that God shall giue them increase of the goodes of this life and of grace who shall haue particuler deuotion to the Order and to the Religious therof in releuing them and shall afterwardes if they perseuer make them heires of his glorie The sixt is that they on the contrary who shall persecute the Order and not repent their life shal be short or if they liue it shal be in afflictions and maledictions of God and after their death shal be damned The seauenth that this rule shall endure euen to the end of the world and that temporall prouision shall neuer faile the Professors therof that likewise therin shal be alwayes Religious of good and pious life and zealous of the honour of God and Religion Of the continuall exercises which S. Francis vsed of the passion of Iesus Christ THE CIII CHAPTER THe principall of all the exercises of deuotion wherin S. Francis ordinarily employed his soule was the passion of our lord IESVS CHRIST which was so engrauen interiourlie within his hart euen from the beginning of his conuersion that as often as he remembred the same he could not forbeare to weep and therfore he so loued the blessed crosse that if it might be euer truelie said that any one hath faithfullie carryed it after God he hath bin one and doubtlesse the same in shunning all temporall consolations seeking and finding all kinde of affliction in this world to suffer with IESVS CHRIST He was also by meanes of his continual prayers abstinences watchinges and pilgrimages become very diseased and infirme for he was subiect to the head-ache greife of the eyes and of the lunges notwithstanding he omitted not the pious worckes that caused those infirmities He had no care to be cured therof excepting his eyes for the benefitt of his neighbour that he might suffer in his infirmities with his God such was the interiour and perfect loue which he bare to his most holy passion for which euery thing that to vs seemeth carnallie bitter was to him spiritually exceeding pleasant Being one day transported by this dolour of the passion of his sweet IESVS CHRIST not suspecting to be heard he cryed out with a loud voice as if he had then seen him die wherevpon a man of honour that feared God who had bin familier vnto him in the world passed by where the holy Father was of whome he very instantly and as vtterly amazed demaunded what disgrace had befallen him S. Francis with teares answeared him I lament and weep for the greiuous tormentes and dishonours wherwith the barbarous Iewes afflicted my lord IESVS CHRIST which I so bitterly bewayle in regard that all the world for whome he hath so much endured seemeth to haue forgotten so worthy a benefitt Which vttering he began to poore out a riuer of teares in such sort that the gentleman who came thither to cōfort him began himselfe to bewayle the passion of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST with his seruant Francis Being one time blinde which often happened vnto him and sometimes euery moneth through the infirmity of his eyes a Superiour of his Order demaunded of him what would follow sith he could not read att least some spirituall booke by meane wherof he might reioyce his spiritt in his infirmity S. Francis answeared him Brother I alwayes finde so much consolation and so much loue in the memory of the life and passion of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST that if I should liue till the end of the world I should need no other lesson So that this
be alwayes in cogitation with thee that we be with thee in intention and with thee in spiritt seeking thine honour in all our actions with all the forces and powers of our soule and bodie freelie employing all in the seruice of thy loue and in no other thing and that to obserue thy commandement we loue our neighbour as our selues shewing to all as to our selues an entier charitie for thy loue reioycing att the good of others as att our owne compassionating their necessities and afflictions as our owne giuing them all assistance we can possible far from offending them as our selues would desire to be assisted in like necessity Giue vs this day our daily bread that is thy deerly beloued and blessed Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in our spiritt and vnderstanding with all reuerence by the great loue wherwith he hath affected and by what soeuer he hath said done and endured for vs wretches And forgiue vs our debtes by thine infinite mercy by the vertue of the passion of thine only Sonne our lord IESVS CHRIST and by the merittes and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary pardon vs also good God As we forgiue our debters and if we pardon not them perfectly as we ought make vs Lord to doe it that we may meritt pardon Graunt good God that by thy loue we doe not only forbeare to doe euill for euill nor hate our ennemies but that we loue them and that by good offices and prayers for them we demonstrate the same to thee O God of mercie Lord God forsake vs not in our cruell temptations both secrett and manifest and permit vs not to fall therin but deliuer vs from euill past by meane of true contrition and holy pennance present by preseruation of thy grace and future by perseuerance in thy most holy feare Amen Of certaine other mysticall prayers and canticles which the holy Frther S. Francis made THE CXVIII CHAPTER The Holy Father in his canonicall houres said in latin these prayers following which he composed in the prayse of God HOly holy holy lord God almightie which art which hast bin and art to come thou art worthy that we offer vnto thee and to receaue of vs all prayse and honour and that we exalt and acknowledge thee aboue althinges the lambe that was slaine is worthy to receaue all vertue diuinitie wisdome force glorie honour and benediction Lett vs alwayes prayse God lett vs yeld the honour dew vnto the Father the Sonne and the the holie Ghost lett vs praise God for euer lett vs prayse the lord of heauen and earth and of all other thinges created vnder and on the earth with those that are in heauen lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost Lett vs prayse God for euer and magnifie him as he hath bin is now and shall be world without end Amen Lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Amen An other breife prayer vnto God Almighty most high and my soueraigne good all good that onlie is good We giue thee all praise all praise all glorie all honour and yeld thee all the thanckes we can and will that all good be referred to thee alone Amen An other short prayer for the diuine office Most high most mighty most iust and most mercifull lord afford vs miserable wretches so much of thy grace that we may accomplish thy holy will and may with all diligence seeke that alone which pleaseth thee that being interiourly illuminated and enflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost we may tread the most holy steppes of thine only Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that by meane of this thy grace we may see thee with the blessed thou that art the most high God who liuest in perfect Trinity simplicity and vnity and as almighty raignest in eternall glory Amen A prayer to the Queene of heauen and to the Angels God saue thee holy Queene most holy Mary mother of God and perpetuall virgin chosen of God the Father and of the holy Ghost the comforter in whome is faith and the entier perfection of all eminent vertue with all good vnited sith thou hast merited to haue in thee the author of life and grace God saue thee diuine Pallace God saue thee the habitation and tabernacle of the Redeemer God saue thee thee robe of God God saue thee the seruant and mother of God and God saue thee with all the Angelicall powers considering that thou art sent by the holy Ghost into the hartes of rebelles that of Infidelles thou make faithfull and true seruantes of God O most worthy mother of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with S. Michael the Archangell and all the celestiall spirittes vnto they beloued Sonne our lord and master Amen An other prayer to the virgin Holy Mary virgin and lady like vnto whome neuer woman was borne nor shal be in the world daughter and seruant of the most high king and celestiall Father most sacred mother of IESVS CHRIST and Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with all the Angels and sainctes vnto they beloued Sonne that he will voutsafe to saue vs Glory be to the Father vnto the Sonne and to the blessed holy Ghost Amen Praises vnto God Lord God thou art holy and God of all Goddes that worckest merueillous thinges that art the mighty and most high thou art the omnipotent Father and entierly soueraigne lord of heauen and earth God in Trinity and Vnity and sempiternall soueraigne good all good and euery good thing Lord God liuing and true thou art true loue and perfect charity thou art wisdome humility and patience thou art the incomprehensible beauty thou art true pleasure and assured repose thou art our hope and ioy thou art iustice temperance fortitude and prudence of mortall men thou art the richesse that can satiate vs thou art meeke thou art our only protectour and our guard thou art our vertue faith hope and charity and the sweetnes and consolation of all thou art the bounty without end a great God and admirable God omnipotent pittifull merciful and our Sauiour Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. The holy Father sainct Francis had a very feruent deuotiō to this versicle Gloria Patri therfore he often repeated it in his prayers He respected not so much Sicut erat Saying euensong one day with Brother Leo att euery verse of Magnificat he said Gloria Patri feeling therin a merueillous tast and contentment yea such as he thought he should neuer be satisfied with saying thereof he taught a Religious Preist that was in affliction and extremely tempted to say Gloria Patri which he did and was incontinently deliuered of his temptation Of the Canticle of the sunne and other creatures composed by S. Francis THE CIX CHAPTER THis holy Father composed a Canticle in latin in the prayse of God when he reuealed vnto him the
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
Gouernour with his handes ioyned and his eyes lifted towardes heauen gaue eare vnto it weeping for the great deuotion he had to the holy Father The Canticle being ended the Gouernour loudly spake I verily protest that I doe not only desire to be reconciled and become freind to my lord the Bishop whome I ought to acknowledge for my Superiour but euen if any one had slaine my brother or sonne I would hartely pardon him vttering these wordes he went to the Bishop and said My lord behold me ready for the loue of God and his seruant the holy Father S. Francis to doe what soeuer you shall enioyne me The Bishop also being exceedingly qualified answeared My duety was and being a Prelate I hold my selfe obliged to haue bin the first in action of humility and patience wherin hauing failed I repent me and aske you pardon And with those wordes full of loue and charity they embraced and kissed each other in token of amity not without the infinite admiration and ioy of the assembly sith no man had induced them for which they also gaue thanckes vnto God How much the spiritt of prophesie assisted the holy Father S. Francis THE CXVII CHAPTER THere came one day three yong Florentines to aske the benediction of the holy Father S. Francis wherof the porter hauing aduertised him without vttering one word he went into the garden where he gathered fiue figges wherof he gaue two vnto two of the three yong men that came to visitt him and the other three vnto the third to whome he said within few dayes you shal be one of mine theÌ„ hauing giuen them his benediction he dismissed them And shortâ—ly after this yong man became a Frere Minour and proued very pious and exemplar When S. Francis gaue his benediction it was in these termes The name of our lord IESVS CHRIST be blessed and his sacred passioÌ„ the most holy virgin that brought him foorth with all the celestiall Court Therfore being one day in prayer the virgin Mary appeared vnto him and gaue him the fairest aple that could be imagined saying vnto him that as that gift was precious euen so as often as her Sonne heard these wordes with deuotion vttered The name of our lord be blessed it was exceeding gratefull vnto him and he so much esteemed them as if some matter of high worth were presented vnto him and therfore the holy Father did afterwardes more often vse them S. Francis residing att Grecio where he tooke phisicke for his eyes the Phisition being one day come to visitt him he inuited him to dine in the Couent who dwelling not far thence neuer accustomed to eat there neuertheles he was att this time content to stay in regard that S. Francis had so inuited him But the Guardian being by commandemeÌ„t of S. Francis and in his name aduertised therof he retourned answeare that there was nothing wherwith to entertayne him S. Francis sent him reply that he should cause to be prepared the hearbes and bread which he acknowledged to haue and should leaue to God the care of the rest Now as they were sitting downe att table there knocked one att the gate where the porter found a woman that brought a great basket on her head full of bread egges fish cheese fruit and other thinges which a lady had sent them three leagues distant from the Couent which being ioyfully receaued by the porter and sett on the table euery one admired thereatt By meane of this miracle they vnderstood the wordes of the S. when he bad that the care should be left to God And when he smiled the Guardian also sending him word that he was ashamed to entertaine the said Phisician hauing nothing wherewith all So they were more confirmed in the beleefe they had of the propheticall spiritt of S. Francis and the Phisician said to the Religious verily Brethren we doe not know the sanctity of our Father For I stayed only in respect of him reioycing to eat this day with you by deuotion of your grosse refection but he hath wayted then to inuite me when he knew by prophetical spiritt that here would be a plentifull repast The Religious replyed that it was particuler vnto him to foretell what was to succeed without euer fayling therin Of other like cases of Prophesie THE CXVIII CHAPTER A Religious of the Order deluded by the deuill forsooke Religion and vnder coulour to liue more perfectly became a Pilgrime But committing manie offences he reflected on his errour and with great humllitie went to the holie Father who seeing him shutt himselfe into his celle att the merueillous astonishment of all his Religious for he accustomed to shew himselfe verie milde and gracious to the penitentes that retourned vnto him whence when he came foorth his Religious demanded of him why he shutt himselfe in he answeared that he ran to the armour of prayer to assist that Religious to defend him from the handes of the deuill whome he saw ouer him and that he had presentlie obtayned the victory Retourning then towardes the said Religious Brother said he our lord God hath pardonned thee but be carefull that the deuill vnder pretence of any other sanctitie deceaue thee not againe and cause not thee for any other stepmother what soeuer to forsake thy true mother which he perfectlie obserued perseuering in his Order all the time of his life This that followeth is taken out of the 22. chapter of the sixt booke because it is the beginning of the matter recounted euen to the place here recorded The holie Father S. Francis passing through Tuscane Brother Macie his companion walked a litle before him to discouer the way and comming into a parting way where one might take his course either towardes Florence Sienna or Arezza he asked S. Francis which way they should tourne who answeared as it shall please God Brother Macie replyed how shall God shew vs his will herein By thee said the S. and withall commanded him vnder obedience to tourne and not to rest till he commanded him Brother Macie was no lesse ready to obey then he should haue bin to commande yea he tourned so much that he many times fell to the ground by the giddines he felt in his head with often tourning and desisted not though the passengers stayd to behold him and derided him as an idiott till S. Francis with a loud voice bid him to stay which done he asked him towardes what place he was tourned and he answeared towardes Sienna Goe on then to Sienna said the holy Father whither being come the greater part of the nobles and gentlemen mett them and with exceeding deuotion accompayned them to the Bishopperick where the holy Father S. Francis preached vpon occasion of two men that by ciuill sedition had then bin slaine And by his preaching he so wrought that before his departure he reconciled them all by which worcke more diuine theÌ„ humane it manifestly appeared that it was
neuertheles I hope in God that the inuisible ennemies the deuils that are his executioners to chastice the disobedientes in this world and in the other will also chastice the transgressours of the vow of their profession therby to their shame and forciblie to make them retourne to their first vocation to this effect I will not omitt to assist them whiles I liue att least by prayers and example sith otherwise I cannot and to instruct them the secure way which I haue learned of my God as I haue formerly done that they may haue no excuse before his diuine maiesty No further doe I hold my selfe obliged Such was his answeare which satisfying the Religious procured an inestimable greife to all the hearers wherby it also manifestlie appeared what reason the S. had to leaue them and what occasion they had to know themselues and by a pious acknowledgement of their fault and true repentance to haue recourse vnto him The end of the first booke of the Chronicles of the Friere Minors THE SECONDE BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS PROSECVTED THE discourses of the life death and miracles of the Seraphical Father S. Francis translated out of french into English Of the plenary indulgence graunted by Iesus Christ to the Church of our Lady of Angels of Portiuncula THE FIRST CHAPTER THE more the glorious Father S. Francis profited in perfection and endeauoured to vnite himselfe with God the more did he poure out teares and felt intollerable greife att the losse of soules redeemed by the price of the precious bloud of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST Wherfore not ceassing to desire mercie of God for sinners as he thirsted to haue all saued the yeare of grace 1223. being to that effect in prayer an Angell appeared vnto him and bid him incontinentlie to repaire vnto the church because our Lord IESVS CHRIST with his glorious Mother and a great number of Angels there expected him Hauing receaued this gracious embassadge he hastened thither and there found our Sauiour sitting in a Royall throne on the high altare and the Virgin Mary att his right hand enuironned with an innumerable multitude of blessed spirittes The holy Father incontinentlie falling prostrate on the earth heard the diuine voice of IESVS saying Francis Know that I haue heard thy feruent prayers and because I know with what solicitude thou and thy Religious procure the saluation of soules aske me what grace thou wilt for their soules benefitt and I will graunt it thee The S. being by such an answeare emboldened most humbly answeared My Lord IESVS CHRIST I miserable and vnworthy sinner with the greatest reuerence I can require of thy diuine maiesty that it will please thee so much to fauour all Christian people as to graunt them a generall pardon and plenary indulgence of all their sinnes I meane to all them that shall enter into this church confessed and contrite I also beseech thee O glorious holy Virgin mother and our Aduocatrix that it would please thee to make intercession to thy most gracious sonne for me and for all Christian sinners Our Lady was instantlie moued with these wordes and began in this sort to pray our Redeemer in his behalfe O my most high Lord and sonne of my bowels I beseech thee graunt vnto this thy faithfull seruaunt this grace which he hath demaunded with so great a zeale of the saluation of soules which thy selfe aboue all other thinges disirest My God graunt him this grace in this place to thine honour and the edification of thy holy church Our Lord sodenlie answeared Francis that which thou demaundest is great but this thy desire conformable to mine deserueth much more and therfore I graunt thy request But goe to my Vicar to whome I haue giuen al power of vnbinding and binding here on earth and in my name demaund it of him which said he disappeared The Religious that had their celles neere therevnto saw the splendour and heard some speach but durst not approach for reuerence and great feare that possessed them The holy Father S. F. hauing thācked God presētly called Bro. Macie in whose cōpany he wēt to Perusia where thē was Pope Honorius with his court befor whose holines he thus spake Holy F. I haue reestablished a church that was very ruinous desert called S. Mary of portiūcula very neere vnto the citty of Assise wherin are residēt your Religious the Frere Min. I beseech your holines by our Redeemer I. C. his most glorious mother to voutsafe for the benefitt of the soules of all faithful Christiās to graūt a plenary indulgēce and remission of all their sinnes to all them that shall visitt this church in good estate without giuing any almose in the same The Pope answeared him that the Apostolike sea did not accustome to graunt indulgēs without giuing of almose because it will that they be gayned by thē He thē asked him for how many yeares he desired the indulgēce S. Francis answeared Holy Father I desire not yeares but soules How soules said the Pope S. Frācis replyed I require that euery Christian confessed and contrite that shall come to visitt the said Church receaue plenarie absolution in earth and in heauen and that of whatsoeuer sinnes he shall haue committed from his Baptisme to that very houre I require not this in myne owne name but in our Lord IESVS CHRIST who hath sent me to your Holines Which the Pope hearing inspired of the holy Ghost he thus spake thrice with a loud voice I am content to graunt it as thou hast demaunded it But the Cardinals present aduised the Pope to consider well what he graunted because by that act he would destroy the indulgences of the holy land and of Sainct Peter and S. Paul att Rome which would no longer be regarded The Pope answeared that he would not reuoke what he had att that present graunted They replyed that att least it were requisit he should limitt the said indulgence to a certaine time and moderate it to a certaine prefixed day of the yeare The Pope then said We graunt to all faithfull Christians that being truely confessed and contrite shall enter into the Church of our Lady of Angels plenary indulgence and absolution both of paine and fault and we will that the same be of force for euer for one entier day that is from the first euensong till the sunne sitting of the day following Which the holy Father Sainct Francis hauing obtayned he kissed his feet then demaunded his benediction which receaued he arose to depart But the Pope recalling him said Whither goest thou simple man what specialtie hast thou of the indulgence obtayned The holy Father answeared that his word should suffice and besides that this worck was of God and therfore it should be published and supported by his diuine Maiesty and withall that he would haue no other Bull but the Virgin Mary IESVS CHRIST for Notary and the Angels for witnesses Which
said he departed and by the way stayed at the hospitall of leapers where making his accustomed prayer it was reuealed vnto him by our Lord IESVS CHRIST that the indulgence which he had procured was confirmed in heauen wherof hauing aduertised his companion they both retourned to giue thanckes to his diuine maiesty How the day of the said indulgence was miraculously assigned from heauen THE II. CHAPTER THe day wherein the said indulgence was to be gained was not yet prefixed S. Francis being come to the Couent of our Lady of Angels and being about midnight in prayer in his celle the deuill appeared vnto him in forme of an Angell saying O poore Francis why seekest thou to dye before the time why doest thou consume chy complexion by so long watchinges knowest thou not that the night is made to sleepe and that sleepe is the principall nourishment of the body thou art not yet old why then wilt thou thus kill thy selfe Were it not better for thee to conserue thy life therein to serue thy God longer and to profitt the holy church and thine Order Beleeue me therfore and spend not thy life in such superfluous prayers and watchinge only mediocrity pleaseth God Which the holie Father hauing heard and knowing it to be a delusion of the deuill that tempted him exteriourlie by his voice and interiourlie by his suggestion arising from his prayer he stripped himselfe naked then cast himselfe into a bush full of very sharpe pricking thornes wherin he tourned and wallowed till the bloud euery where trickled downe and doeing the same he thus discoursed vnto his body Ah my body it had bin better for thee to contemplat the passion of IESVS CHRIST then to endure this for hauing in vayne repined and searched the delightes of the world Thus discoursing a great light appeared vnto him in the middes of the ice that was there it was in Ianuary and in the bush of thornes he saw very beautifull roses white and vermillion and a venerable troupe of Angels that filled all the way euen to his church and one of them called him saying Come Francis for our Lord expectethe thee and in an instant he miraculously found himselfe cloathed So knowing him that called him he gathered twelue white roses and twelue vermillion then went through the way all tapestred with Angelicall spirittes towardes his sweet Lord before whose feet he fell in great reuerence and then presented these twelue roses vnto his diuine Maiestie that appeared sitting on the said high altare as the other time accompanied with his glorious mother and assisted with an innumerable multitude of Angels to whome he said Most gracious lord gouernour of heauen earth sith it hath pleased thee to graunt me the plenary indulgence for this church I most huÌ„bly beseech thee to voutsafe also assigne the day wherein it shal be gayned I herein coniure thee by the merittes of thy most glorious mother our aduocatrice that it please thee to appoint the same by thy diuine mouth Our Lord answeared him I am content to satisfie thy desire and therfore I assigne thee the first day of August from the euensong of that feast wherin is made memory how I deliuered myne Apostle S. Peter from the chaines of Herod vntill the sunne sittiug of the day following But tell me if thou please my Lord said the holy Father after he had giuen him thanckes how shall the world know it and knowing it how shall it beleeue it Our Sauiour replyed I will consider therof in time conuenient but in meane while retourne to my vicare and carry with thee some Religious that haue seene this apparition and giue him some of these Roses and he shall incontinently confirme thee the day and cause the indulgence to be published The holy Father vpon obedience tooke three white and three vermillon roses and whiles our lord disappeared the Angels sung Te Deum laudamus and S. Francis gaue him thanckes who presently went to his holynes with Brother Bernard Quintaualle Brother Angelus of Rieta and Brother Ruffinus who had seene this great vision Being before the dore of the church he found the Pope retourned from Rome to whome he yelded account of what our lord had told him calling his companions for witnesses and presenting him the said Roses The Pope hauing attentiuely heard him and being vnable to satisfie himselfe with beholding the said Roses so fresh and sweet and therwithall so rauished as he could no longer containe himselfe he sayed Ah good God such roses in Ianuary to make me beleue what they haue sayd these alone are sufficient therfore he said to S. Francis I will consult with my Cardinals how thy request may be accomplished then will giue answeare and with those wordes dismissed him The next day he repaired againe vnto his holines in the Consistory where by the Popes coÌ„mandement he once more recounted all the successe and the day which God had prefixed vnto him The Pope theÌ„ said sith we arecertaine of the will of our lord IESVS CHRIST the true and soueraine Bishop whose place though vnworthy we hold on earth we also in his behalfe doe graunt the plenary indulgence for perpetuity to the foresaid church on the day before mentioned How the said indulgence was published in the church of S. Mary of Angels THE III. CHAPTER BVt that so great an indulgeÌ„ce might be published by Apostolical authority the Pope wrote to diuers Bishoppes of the valley of SpoletuÌ„ and particulerly to the Bishop of Assiâ—e within whose diocese the said church was and to the Bishoppes of FolliniuÌ„ of Agubio and of Nocera that they should be all present att S. Mary of Angels the first day of August to consecrate and publish the said indulgeÌ„ce that there had bin graunted by diuine reuelatioÌ„ and Apostolicall permission att the request of the holy Father S. Francis who taking the said letters and thancking the Pope he departed with his companios with great reuerence and humility to deliuer theÌ„ to the said Bishoppes praying them in the name of God and his holines that they would not faile on the said day to be preseÌ„t in his Church there to performe what was enioyned theÌ„ After that he retourned to AssisiuÌ„ where he caused to be prepared a great scaffold for that effect that the sayd Bishoppes might the more commodiously and better be vnderstood of the people The day determined being come the Bishoppes entred into the said Church where being asceÌ„ded on the scaffold they said to S. Fran. that though they were come thither to publish the indulgence as they were ready to doe yet they thought it more requisite that himselfe should first declare vnto the people wheÌ„ and in what sort it had bin grauÌ„ted him by God and the Pope which done they would confirme it The holy Father answeared theÌ„ though I be not worthy to speake in your preseÌ„ce yet as most obedient seruaÌ„t I will performe your coÌ„mand AsceÌ„ding therfore
ye heard would ye know more hereatt they were so confounded that trembling as besides themselues they departed acknowledgeing their errour and not replying one word the holy father then retourned to accomplish the rule entierlie conformable to that which God had precedentlie reuealed vnto him This was in the yeare 1223. fifteene yeares after the Order confirmed by Pope Innocentius The S. did afterward carry this rule to Roome and deliuered it to Cardinal Vgolino his Protectour who presented it to Pope Honorius together with the holy Father who reading it vnto him and the Pope considering the seuerity and rigour therof sayd that it seemed to him very difficult to be obserued The S. answeared I beseech your Holinesse to beleeue that there is not in it so much as one word of myne inuention but that our Lord IESVS CHRIST hath composed it who well knoweth what is necessary and behoufull to the saluation of soules to the profitt of Religious and to the conseruation of this Order Therefore I neither can nor ought to alter any point therof The Pope then inspired of God and for the zeale he had to Euangelicall perfection which by this rule S. Francis planted in the church said to himselfe Blessed is he that being inspired by diuine grace shall with fidelitie and deuotion obserue this rule sith what is contayned in it is Catholicke holy and perfect and so in perpetuall memory by the insuyng Apostolicall Breuy he confirmed the same The bulle of confirmation of the rule of the Frere Minors by Pope Honorius the thirde THE VIII CHAPTER HOnorius Bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God to hie beloued children Brother Francis and all other Frere Minors health and Apostolicall benediction Because the Apostolick sea hath alwayes accustomed to fauour the iust desires and vowes of them that require it We therfore condiscend to your pious petitions children beloued in our Lord IESVS CHRIST which are that we confirme the rule already approued by Innocentius the third our Predecessour as is cited in the present letters We now by the Apostolicall auctoritie which we haue doe confirme the same and doe corroborate it vnto you by vertue of this present Breuy The rule is such as followeth THE SECONDE RVLE OF THE FRIER MINORS approued and confirmed by Apostolicall Breuy of Pope Honorious the second In the name of God here followeth the rule and life of the Frere Minors THE FIRST CHAPTER THe rule and life of the Frere Minors is thus to obserue the holy gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST liuing vnder obedience without possessing any thing of proper and in chastirie Brother Francis promiseth to Pope Honorius and his successors canonically elected and to the Romane Church obedience and reuerence and the Religious are obliged to obey Brother Francis and his successours How they who desire to lead this life are to be admitted THE II. CHAPTER IF any one inspired of God will enter into this Religion and espouse this kind of life when he shall haue imparted his intention to some Religious lett him be sent to the Prouinciall Minister who and no other is permitted to receaue the Religious The Minister being informed of his desire ought dilligentlie to examine him touching the Catholick faith and the sacramentes of holy church if he be obedient and giue satisfaction herein he shall proceed further and aske him if he be not marryed or being so if his wife be entred or intend to enter into some Monasteries of Religious women by permission of their Bishop hauing first both together made vow of chastitie they must also be of age that no sinister opinion be conceaued of them The truth of all this being vnderstood and no other impediment consisting lett him be instantlie aduertised of the gospell that saith Goe sell all thou hast and giue to the poore and if for some lawfull impediment he cannot doe it his goodwill shall suffice Lett the Brethren and their Ministers be very wary not to respect his temporall affaires but lett them leaue it freelie vnto him to dispose it as he shall finde himselfe inspired of our lord and if the said Nouice demaund Counsaile cōcerning this point of his superiour he may send him to some man fearing God by whose counsaile he may distribute his substance to the poore or otherwise art his pleasure And all this done the habitt of probation may be giuen him which consisteth of two coates without capuce and a cord for a gridle and the linnen breeches with the Caperon reaching euen to the girdle vnles it sometimes seeme to the said Ministers otherwise conuenient The yeare of probation expired the Nouices shal be receaued to obedience making vow to obserue this rule euer during their life It shal be in no sort permissable vnto them after the said probation vnder whatsoeuer pretence to goe out of Religion conformably to the commandement of his holines for as the gospell saith No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is apt for the kingdome of God Lett there be giuen to them that shall haue already promised obedience a coate with the capuce an other without it those that will and are constrayned by necessitie◠may weare sockes All the Religious shal be cloathed with course cloth which they may peece with sacking other patches with the blessing of God I admonish and exhort them not to misprise nor iudge rashly of the mē whome they shall see cloathed deliciously and in diuers colours and doe liue and feed themselues with delicate meates but lett each one iudge and misprise himselfe Of the course and order to be obserued in saying diuine seruice and its fasting and how the brethren ought to trauell ouer the world THE III. CHAPTER THe clarckes shall say the diuine office according to the Order of the holy Romane church except the psalter when they may haue breuiaries The lay Brothers for their matines shall say twenty foure Pater nosters for laudes fiue for prime third sixt and ninth houre for each seauen for euensong twelue and for compline seauen and they shall pray for the dead All the Brethren shall fast from the feast of Alsainctes to the Natiuity of our lord as also the lent of forty dayes that beginneth after the Epiphany it was consecrated by our lord IESVS CHRIST with his holy fast they who shall fast it of their proper will shal be blessed of God and they that will not fast it shall not sinne nor are obliged vnto it but all ought to fast the lent before the Pasche of the resurrection of our lord This rule doth not binde to fast any other time but the friday but in case of necessity the Religious shall not be obliged to corporall fast Now I counsaile admonish and exhort my Religious in the name of our lord that when they shall goe ouer the world they vse no disputes nor cōtentious wordes nor iudgeil of any personne but that they be curteous mild humble and modest
speaking religiously to euery one as is requisite And they ought not to trauell on horseback if they be not constrayned by manifest necessity or infirmity Entring into houses lett them say Peace be in this house And according to the gospell of all meates that shall be presented vnto them it shal be lawfull for them to eat That the Brethren ought not to receaue mony THE IV. CHAPTER IAbsolutelie commaunde all the Brethren not to receaue any kind of mony be it by them selues or any third person yet for necessity of the sicke and to cloath the other Brethren it is ordayned that the Ministers and Guardians shall haue care and cogitation therof only by spirituall freindes according to the places and times and as of necessity they shall see expedient neuertheles persisting alwayes resolute as is said not to receaue any kind of mony Of the manner of labouring THE V. CHAPTER THe Brethen that haue the grace of God to labour lett them performe it faithfully with deuotion and in such sort that shunning idlenes the capitall ennemy of soules they extinguish not the spititt of holy prayer and deuotion which ought to be preferred before all other temporall exercises And as for the hire of their labour they may receaue for themselues and their brethren whatsoeuer shal be necessarie to the body except mony and this with humility as is conuenient to the true seruantes of God and to the followers of holy pouerty That the brethren may haue nothing proper and of the manner of asking almose and ministring to the sicke THE VI. CHAPTER THe brethten may haue nothing proper as houses landes farmes nor other thing whatsoeuer but lett them liue as Pilgrimes and strangers in this world seruing our lord in humility and pouerty lett them goe confidently to demaund almose And they must not be ashamed being mindefull that our lord became poore for vs in this world My most deere brethren for this most high vertue of pouerty it is that you are institued inheritours of the celestiall kingdome by our Redeemer IESEVS CHRIST who making you poore in temporall substance hath enriched you with vertue that with this portion of riches he may exalt you to the land of the liuing I therfore pray you in the name of IESVS CHRIST to possesse nothing in this world In whatsoeuer place you are be alwayes familier amōg yourselues manifesting only to each other your necessities For if the mother nourishe and loue her carnall child with how much more diligence ought each of you to loue and cherish his spirituall brother And if any of the Brethrē fall sick the other brethren ought to serue and comfort him as themselues in necessitie would be serued Of the pennance to be giuen to the Brethren that shall sinne THE VII CHAPTER IF any of the Brethren induced by the deuil offend mortallie in those kind of sinnes which are reserued to the Prouinciall Minister lett him be obliged incōtinently without delay to goe to his Prouincial Minister who being Preist shall enioyne him penāce with mercy And if he be not Preist he shall procure him to be enioyned by an other Preist of the Order as God shail inspire him and as to him shall seeme most expedient lett them be carefull not to be moued to anger or vexed att the sinne of an other for choller anger hinder charity in himselfe and others The manner of holding the Generall chapter att Penticost and of electing a Generall when there shal be occasion THE VIII CHAPTER AL the brethren of this Order ought alwayes to haue a Minister Generall seruant of al the Brethren whome they shal be obliged sincerilie to obay And he dying his successour shal be elected by the Prouincialls and Guardians att the Chapter held at the feast of Penticost Att which time the Prouincialls are alwayes bound to assembly euerie three yeares more or Jesse in such place and according as shall please the said Generall And if it seeme to all the Prouinciall Ministers and Guardians that their Minister Generall is not sufficient for the seruice and common vtilitie of the Brethren in such case all the Brethren that haue aucthoririe to elect a Generall are bound to constitute in the name of our lord an other in his place The generall chapter of Penticost being ended lett the Ministers and Guardians of euerie Prouince haue power if they please to keep the same yeare a chapter in their iurisdictions assembling thither the Brethren that shal be vnder their chardge and iurisdiction Of the Preachers THE IX CHAPTER LEtt not the Brethren that are admitted to preach intrude themselues to preach in any bish oppericke without permission of the Bishoppe and lett no Brother presume to preach to the people whome the Minister Generall hath not formerly examined approued and admitted to the office of preaching I also exhort and admonish the Brethren to haue great consideration in their preachinges what wordes they vtter to the end they be so pure and chaste that the people may be edified therby Lett thē reprehend vices prayse vertues discouering the punishmēt of the one glory of the other and lett their sermons be cōpendious of wordes for our lord hath made an abbreuiated word on earth Of admonitions and corections of the Brethren THE X. CHAPTER LEtt the Ministers as seruantes of others be carefull to visitt and admonish the Brethren that are vnder their gouernment and as need shall require lett them correct such as shall deserue it but lett it be done with humility and charity Being very carefull not to cōmand them any thing against our rule and the benefitt of their soules lett the Brethren that ought to obey remember that for the loue of God they haue renounced their proper will I therefore very strictly cōmand them to obey their Ministers in whatsoeuer they haue promised God to obserue and to obey in their profession prouided that it be not in preiudice of their soules and of our rule In whatsoeuer place the Brethren be where they know they cannot spiritually obserue the rule they may and ought to haue recourse to their Ministers who must receaue them with benignitie and charitie and giue them confidence and courage to discouer their necessities and that with such familiaritie as if the subiectes were the masters For so is it requisite the Ministers be seruantes to all Brethren I admonish all the Brethren in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST to be very wary of the great and enormous sinnes of pride vaine glory enuy auarice and of cogitations and cares of the world of murmuring and detracting their neighbour Those who haue not studyed lett them not regard to beginne the same but lett them especially study to haue the spirit of God and his holy workes to make continuall prayer with a pure hart and to be patient and humble in sicknesses and persecutions towardes them that persecute reprehend and contradict vs for our Lord saith loue your
He alreadie foresaw that knowledge puffed vp with vanitie in future time would giue a great fall to the Order because curiositie of the said knowledge would induce manie to great arrogance which would destroy obedience humilitie pouertie with all true Religion bringing in libertie and priuiledges The said holie Father said there shall be so manie that will labour to gett knowledge that he shal be happie who for the loue IESVS CHRIST shall shunne the same He appeared after his death to one of his companions who was exceedinglie busied in the studie of preaching and reprehended him sharpelie forbidding him that ouer great anxietie of spirirt which he had towardes study and commaunded him to study to walke the path of holie humilitie and pouerty How he discouered and preuented the deceipt of the learned and curious of his Order THE XXIV CHAPTER IT will succed said S. Francis to these curious of knowledge and learning that esteeming to be more edified and enflamed in deuotion towardes God by knowledge of him if they vse it not with great humility they by the same science and by the great study therin employed will remayne void of all goodnes cold in charity and puffed with vaine glory reioycing in their vanity and obstinate in opinion wherfore the holy Ghost being vnable to dwell in bodyes subiect to sinne he wil be constrayned vtterly to forsake them Certaine Religious therfore one day relating vnto him that a great diuine was entred into their Religion att Paris and that by his doctrine he much edified the people and cleargie and was a great honour to the Order S. Francis sighingly answeared them I much feare that his like will one day destroy whatsoeuer God by me his vnworthy seruant hath planted in this vineyared I would haue no greater Doctours in diuinity then they who teach their neighbour by worckes meekenes pouerty and humility because the goodnes of a Religious is according to his obedience to the rule and his doeing what he knoweth Those preachers that trust only in their doctrine when thy see concourse of people and that they are desirously heard and some by their preaching are conuerted to penance thy are puffed with vaine glory for the worckes of an other as if they were their owne and so preach saluation to others but damnation to themselues therfore they glory of that wherof they haue no more cause then a trumpett which soundeth by the mouth of an other man that windeth it for what are they but trumpettes wherby God sendeth his sound be they good or euill so that the cause of the conuersion of the hearers ought not to be attributed to them but to the very force of holy doctrine and to the teares of the simple though the same be not by them vnderstood these simple ones are my knightes of the round table who hide them selues in desertes and sequestred places the more commodiously to apply them to prayer and meditation lamenting theirs and others sinnes therfore God alone knoweth the fruit they produce and how many soules by their merittes are saued wherfore they shall heare this his voice Come thou faithfull and prudent seruant because thou hast bin faithfull vnto me in few thinges I will place there ouer many enter into the kingdome of eternall life but they who haue had no other cogitation but to learne knowledge and to demonstrate their doctrine vnto others preaching without edifying by good worckes shal be poore empty of all good before the throne of the terrible iudge they shall haue their vessels full of shame and confusion and they shall also heare God say vnto them you haue preached only by the wordes of your purchaced science but I haue saued soules by vertue of the merittes of my simple ones you therfore shall remaine with the winde of pride which you haue sought and these shall receaue the recompence of the labour of their humility and prayer which is ourvocation wherto these puffed ones shall haue bin contrary with the winde of their knowledge persuading many to relinquish this truth yea persecuting as blinded and frantike such as walke by this truth but the errour and false opinion wherin in they haue liued which they haue preached and wherby they haue conducted many with thē in the profound goulfe of ignorāce and spirituall blindnes shall tourne to their greife and confusion and they shal be buryed in darcknes for it is written I will destroy the wisedome of the wise of this world and the prudence of the prudent I will reiect So the holy Father as far foorth as his power extended for his office in this world permitted not any of his Religious to be called Master though formerlie in the world he had bin such alleadgeing vnto them the wordes of our lord IESEVS CHRIST One is your Masterin heauen and therfore lett none be called master on earth He affirmed of himselfe that though he had bin very learned he would neuer haue endured to be called Doctour or master because it was to doe against IESVS CHRIST so that he concluded that it was much more profitable to a man to knowlitle and be humble then to performe great matters with much knowledge and presumption of himselfe How much S. Francis reioyced att the good example which his order gaue to the church and how much displeased when his Religious procured or caused any scandall THE XXV CHAPTER THis glorious Father said that the Frere Minors were sent of God in this latrer age to be an example of light to them that were entangled in the obscurities of sinne Therfore if he heard relation of any example of edification that the Religious gaue to the holy Church he with great feruour would say The house of God shal be filled with good sweet sauours which shal be produced by the precious oyntmēt of vertues He exceedingly reioyced att the good reputation of his deere childrē at the exāple of piety which they gaue because by meane therof they cōuerted sinners to the loue seruice of IESVS CHRIST a thing especially desired of him and to such he gaue his holy benediction And consequently because his Religious knew that their holy Father would haue them exercised in this vertue and zeale of the saluation of soules they so much the more endeauoured to giue him satisfactiō therin And if it happened that any one procured the least trouble to his neighbour he presently asked him pardon with great humility and offered to doe pennance for the same It chaunced one time that an ancient Religious of the Order in presence of a gentleman vttered some wordes in choler to one of his Brethren but perceauing that he had troubled his Brother and disedified the other acknowledgeing his fault and impatient against himselfe he incontinently tooke the dong of an asse and putt it into his mouth and forced himselfe to chew it saying tongue eat this dong sith thou hast presumed to arise against they neighbour
Father as our protectour I beseech you my Brethren euen humblie kissing your feet and with the greatest charitie I can I doe exhort you to reuerence and honour with your vtmost ability the most sacred sacrament wherby heauenly and earthlie matters are reconciled with God I beseech all my brethren that are Preistes and such as in the name of God shal be when they intend to celebrate the diuine masse to be pure and neat that they may worthelie offer the true sacrifice of the most sacred bodie and bloud of our lord IESEVS CHRIST with the greatest reuerence puritie holie inteÌ„tion that they shal be able not for any humane respect for any feare or loue but that their intention be directed to God desiring to please onlie his Maiestie who sayth Doe this in remembrance of me Know then yee Preistes that he who shall doe otherwise shal be like vnto Iudas Remember the saying of the Apostle A man making the law of Moyses frustrate without any mercy dyeth vnder two or three witnesses How much more thinck you doth he deserue worse punishmente which hath trodden the Sonne of God vnder foot and esteemed the bloud of the testament polluted wherin he is sanctified and hath done contumelie to the spiritt of grace For then is a man irreuerent and treadeth on that lambe of God when as the Apostle saith he doth not examine and make a difference betweene this true bread of God and that which he doth ordinarily eat and therfore he receaueth it vnworthely For God saith in Ieremie The man is cursed that doeth negligently and feinedly And the Preistes that will not haue this care to celebrate so excellent a Mystery the most worthely that possibly can be shal be condemned of God who saith I will tourâ—e your benedictions to maledictions on your selues My brethren heare me I pray you if the glorious virgin be so much honoured as she deserueth for hauing receaued into her chast wombe our lord IESVS CHRIST If. S. Iohn Baptist trembled and durst not touch the head of IESVS CHRIST and finally if the holy sepulchre wherin IESVS CHRIST was buryed for his so small time of residence is so much reuerenced how much more ought he to be iust holy and well purged who with his handes doth handle and with his proper mouth doth receaue so high infinite a Maiesty and doth administer the same to others Remember that he is an immortall and eternall God that liueth glorious and eternall with contemplation of whose Maiesty the Angels themselues cannot be satisfied Preistes know your dignitie and be holy for God is holy and as in regard of so great a mystery and dignity you haue bin more honoured then other men remember in like sort to be also more gratefull vnto God and to reuerence loue and honour him for otherwise your misery is exceeding great and deserueth continuall teares in that you hauing in your handes the almighty God the fountaine of all good thinges you procure to haue transitory and terrestriall thinges all the world ought to tremble with feare and sweetly weepe whiles the Angels themselues bend their knees when IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of the most high is vpon the altare betweene the handes of man O merueillous highnes and diuine debasement O most high humility that the Sonne of God yea God himselfe the master and lord of the vniuersall world should so humble himselfe as to giue himselfe vnto vs hidden vnder the forme of bread Consider my brethren so profound a humility and purifie your hart before his diuine Maiestie to the end he receaue all as he giueth himselfe to all Therfore I aduertiâ—e you in the name of God that in all places where the Religious are you celebrate but one masse a day and though you haue diuers Preistes lett the rest be content to heare it for although it be seene in many pertes yet is it one and indiuisible and without any detriment true God and true man so in one sole masse he can communicate his grace to all present and absent that make themselues worthy one onlie and verie God Father Sonne and holie Ghost worcking this Amen Of the faith and knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and of the sacred Sacrament THE XLV CHAPTER TO all Christians Religious Ecclesiasticall lay men and women that are in the world Brother Francis their seruant and subiect in God desireth withall reuerence a true peace in heaueÌ„ by the sincere charity which is discended on earth As I am the seruant of you all so am I obliged to serue all and to administer vnto you the most sweet word of my lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Considering therfore in my soule that by reason of the diuers infirmities that afflict my body I cannot by corporall presence as I desire visitt you my selfe I haue thought good to supply the same by letters and by them to administer vnto you the worde of IESVS CHRIST who is the word of the eternall Father the wordes of the holy Ghost which are spiritt life I then admonish you Brethren to confesse your sinnes to a Preist with all the dilligence you can possible and att his hand to receaue the true body and bloud of IESVS CHRIST For as our Lord saith he that eateth not my flesh and drincketh not my bloud cannot haue eternall life Lett vs then endeauour worthely to receaue such so eminent a maiesty for he that receaueth it vnworthely in steed of saluatioÌ„ pourchaceth death Besides I exhort you often to visitt the holy churches and to reuerence Preistes not so much in respect of themselues if they be sinners as for reuerence of the function and dignity which they haue in being ministers of the most pretious body and bloud of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which by them is offered on the altare receaued and administred vnto vs without which none can be saued by the holy wordes which they vtter and minister he discendeth from heauen to earth and none but they can doe it O how happy and blessed are they who loue God withall their hart with all their soules and with all their forces and their neighbour as themselues I inuite you all my brethren and you my sisters to this loue lett vs all with one accord loue God with one pure affection of our hart adore him because that is the thing which he especially requireth and demaundeth of vs as himselfe hath said the true adorers adore in spiritt and truth and it is necessary for them that adore him to doe it in that manner Our lord said to his disciples I am the way the verity the life No man coÌ„meth to the Father but by me If you had knowne me my Father also certes you had knowen from hencefoorth you shall know him and you haue seen him Phillip said to him Lord shew vs the Father it sufficeth vs. IESVS said to him So long time I am
with you and haue you not knowē me Phillip he that seeth me seeth the Father also The Father dwelleth in a light inaccessible God is a spiritt whome no man hath euer seene because he is a spiritt and therfore inuisible but in spiritt considering that he is a spiritt most pure for it is the spiritt that giueth life and the flesh can doe nothinge He may also be seene of euery true Christian in the Sonne in that substance which is equall to the Father and therfore all they that see our Lord IESVS CHRIST according to the humanity and not according to his diuinity are condemned as likewise are they who see the sacrament which is consecrated by the wordes of our Lord on the altare by the handes of the Preist vnder the formes of bread and wine and doe not see him and beleeue in their spiritt that it is the true and most sacred body and bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST are condemned the souueraine Lord giueth his testimony against them when he said This is my body and this is my bloud of the new testament which shal be shed for you and for many in remission of sinnes He saith in an other place He that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud shall haue life euerlasting He that hath the spiritt of God which dwelleth in his faithfull he receaueth the most sacred bloud and body of IESVS CHRIST and all other that haue not the same spiritt yet neuertheles presume to receaue it they eat and drinck their iudgement and damnation therefore yee children of men how long will you be sencelesse and haue your hartes so hardened When will you compasse to know the truth and to beleeue in the Sonne of God who so humbly seeketh you euery day as when he discended from his imperiall throne into the virginall wombe he ordinarily commeth euery day vnto vs in such humble manner attired and so approachable He euery day descendeth from the bosome of his Father into the handes of the Preist on the altare and as he was knowne vnto the holy Apostles in true flesh in that very manner doth he communicate himselfe vnto vs in the holy Sacrament And as they with their corporall eyes saw nothing but flesh yet with their spirituall eyes they knew him to be God euen so we with our corporall eyes seeing the accidentes of bread and wine ought to see and firmely to beleeue that there is the most sacred body and true bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST on the altare In this manner is God alwayes with his faithfull as himselfe hath said I wil be with you euen to the consummation of the world Of lone towards our neighbour and how much the body is to be hated THE XLVI CHAPTER THis thinge may doubtles much confound vs that making profession to be seruantes of IESVS CHRIST and being certaine that his true freindes haue done may worckes that haue bin entirely deuout vertuous and holy we neuertheles content our selues with the only relation of them and esteeme by the bare discourse therof without execution to raigne eternally Blessed is the seruant of IESVS CHRIST that loueth his Christian brother as much being sick as in health and in aduersitie as in prosperity Blessed is he that loueth and honoureth his Brother both farre and neere that speaketh nothing in his absence but what with great charity he may say in his presence God said in the Gospell loue your ennemies and pray for them that hate and iniury you He loueth his ennemie truely that complaineth not of the iniuries which he hath receaued doth receaue of him but of the sinnes which himselfe hath cōmitted and doth cōmitt against God and his soule and also he that is not content to haue the loue of God in himselfe if he doe not also make demonstration therof by the same worckes vnto his neighbour and much more vnto his ennemy Blessed are the poore in spiritt for theirs is the kingdome of heauen There are many that endure diuers afflictions in their bodyes in prayer and good worckes and that mortifie it with abstinence and neuertheles for a slight word spoaken against their liking or for hauing something denyed them they are incontinentlie scandalized and troubled Such are not poore in spirit though exteriourly they appeare so for the true poore in spirit misprise and abhorre themselues and loue not only those that afflict and iniury them but euen those that beat them Blessed also is he that supporteth the infirmity and fragility of his neighbour as he would be glad to haue his owne supported My faithfull lett vs loue our neighbour as our selues and they who see they cannot loue them as themselues lett them loue them as much as they can or att least lett them not offend them Lett vs hate and detest our peruerse willes for as God saith of our hart proceedeth all euils this is to be vnderstood of him that applieth his hart to satisfie his sensualities Many when they sinne or receaue any iniury accuse their neighbour therof which they should not doe for each one hath his ennemies which is the body with the sences therof by which he offendeth Therfore blessed is the seruant that hath such an ennemie in subiection and so keepeth it vnder and watcheth it with such prudence that he hath no cause to feare it for whiles he vseth this dilligence no other ennemy visible or inuisible can annoy him nor procure him to sinne in such sort that as S. Iohn Chrysostome saith no man is hurt but of himselfe We hate our body in as much as it will committ sinne for liuing carnally it seeketh to destroy the loue of God together with the glory of Paradise condemning it selfe and the soule perpetually to to hell the greatest ennemy therfore that a man hath is his proper flesh which can thinck of nothing but that which offendeth it nor feare ought in foresight of that which is eternally to befall it the humour and desire therof is only to abuse temporall thinges and the worst is it vsurpeth to it selfe all contentment and glory euen of that which is graunted to the soule not to it for it seeketh the honour of vertues of prayers watchinges and temporall fauour it will haue applause of teares in fine it leaueth nothing to the soule that apperteineth to her Of obedience THE XLVII CHAPTER GOd said to Adam Of euery tree of Paradise eat thou But of the tree of knowledge of good and euill eat thou not and whiles he obeyed God he offended not But hauing transgressed this commandement he was condemned of God for euer till he was redeemed by the grace of his Sonne That man doth eate of the forbidden apple of knowledge of good and euill who appropriateth to himselfe his owne will and with his benefittes which God vttereth and worketh by him doth exalte himselfe therfore was he necessarily obliged to punishment God saith in the gospell he that loueth his
I will glory only in the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST by which wordes is sufficientlie explicated the sentence of God when he said In your patience you shall possesse your soules Our Lord God the soueraigne Prelat said I come not to be serued but to serue And therfore such as are constituted ouer others ought to glory of such Prelature as if they were constituted to wash the feet of the Religious And when they are depriued their chardge they ought no more to be greiued then if were taken from them said office of washing the of feet such as doe otherwise doe really appropriat to theÌ„selues this dignityin very imminent peril of their soules That seruant of God then is happy who esteemeth himselfe neither greater nor better for being honoured of men yea no otherwise then if he were reputed amonge the most base and abiect for so great as he is before God such is he and no more Wretched is the Religious who being raysed to dignity by an other will not humble himselfe of his owne accord and of his owne will happy is he that is exalted against his will and not hauing procured it and doth neuertheles desire to remayne alwayes in lowe estate and vnder the feet of his subiectes for the loue of God Happy is he that is no more puffed in pride for the good which God doeth or speaketh by him then of that which he doeth or speaketh by others A man offendeth att all times and as often as he procureth to haue more of that which is his neighbours theÌ„ to giue to God of what is his owne We should neuer desire to be superiours and ouer others but to be subiectes and seruanees of all creatures for the loue of God and they who shall doe so may assure themselues that if they perseuer to the end the spiritt of God will rest vpon them and there will make his residence Ye men consider in what excellencie you haue ben created of God who hath created and framed you after his owne image according to the soule and after th' image of his SoÌ„ne according to the body and yet all creatures are much more obedient vnto him then your selues The deuils haue not crucified him which thou being induced by them hast done and dailie doest crucifie him by thy sinnes Wherein then canst thou glory miserable that thou art if thou were indued with all knide of science celestiall terrestriall the deuill hath knowne what appertaineth to heauen better then thou and now though against his will he knoweth more of earthly matters then all mankind together There is no health corporall disposition nor beautie comparable to that which the deuill had Take heed therfore least in abusing it as he did not acknowledging it to proceed of God but of himselfe thou fall as he hath done into the extremest depth of hell Happy is the seruant that treasureth vp the richesse his Loâ—d and master hath giuen him in heauen and expecting the recompence therof regardeth not to demonstrate them heere vnto men but leaueth the cogitation therof to God himselfe who when it shall please him will manifest it more then he would desire Happy then is he that keepeth and concealeth the secrettes of God in his hart How Religious ought to behaue themselues in Oratories and solitary places THE XLIX CHAPTER LEtt those that desire to reside in solitary places there to liue religiously and spiritually be in number foure or more wherof lett two be as mothers that haue two children lett two act the Life of Martha and the others of Magdalen and lett each one haue a celle so that they neither sleep nor conuerse together but when they read their office Lett them be carefull to say their Compline before the Sunne setting that thence forward they may keep silence till they arise in the night to say Mattins Lett them in all thinges first seeke the glory and the kingdome of God and his iustice Lett them say the Prime and Tierce att the ordinary houre which done they may speake each to other of some matter of edification Those said children as poore creatures shall demaund almose of their mother for the loue of God after that lett them say the Sixt Ninth and Euensong att their due houres lett them permitt no person to enter into the Cloyster or enclosure where they reside nor to eat there The mothers shall labour to liue also sequestred from all conuersation and with due obseruance of obedience to their Guardian lett them permitt none to speake to their children but their Guardian when he commeth to visitt them And lett the children sometimes for exercise of humilitie assume the office of Mothers according as the Guardian for their behoofe shall appoint that so they may experience both the one and the other office Happy is that seruant who hath no tast of any other thing then the word of his God and by the same doth excite others to loue him Miserable is that Religious that taketh pleasure in idle and vaine wordes for therbie enducing other to vanitie in imitation of himselfe in steed of edifiyng his neighbour he procureth his ruine Of the care which each one ought to haue of his owne saluation THE L. CHAPTER BRother I haue a secrett to open vnto thee Each of you well knoweth that we are the sonnes of the most high but I now aduertise thee that more then children we are also Spouses brothers and mothers of IESVS CHRIST Spouses when our soule by the vertue of the holie Ghost is vnited with God Brothers when we performe his will we are Mothers when by loue we beare him in our hart with a pure and sincere conscience for we afterward bring him forth both by the pious worckes which we performe and by the example which we giue our neighbour O my brethren it is a glorious admirable and desireable thing to haue such a Spouse Brother Sonne in heauen And more then that a Pastour who hath giuen his soule here on earth for vs his sheep and who continually prayeth the eternall Father for vs saying Holy Father keep them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be thine and may be with me where I shal be that they may enioy my glorie and splendour in my kingdome All they who liue not in penance not being contrite nor receaue not the sacred Sacrament but liue in vices and sinnes and conceaue complacence in their pernicious desires doe not performe vnto God what they haue promised but doe serue the world with their bodies in carnalities and the deuils with their soules being deluded in their contentment by him whose children they are Such people I say are blinded and depriued of the true light of IESVS CHRIST haue not true knowledge for they haue excluded from themselues the wisdome of the eternall Father IESVS CHRIST the soueraine verity though they seeme to see know vnderstand yet doe they neither see know
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
escape the wrath of God But the Guardian in his owne excuse alleadged that he did it not of himselfe and that by the grace of God he affected not those worldlie honours but had onlie consented therto for the commodity of other Religious Therfore said he doest thou meritt a double punishment considering that being austere in thine owne behalfe and accommodating they selfe vnto others thou doest not care to damne thine owne soule which said he vanished And what after became of the said Guardian is not knowne How S. Francis appeared in vision deciding who were his Religious and who not in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ sitting as Iudge Taken out of the seauententh chapter of the tenth booke IN the primitiue time of the Order there happened a very horrible accident on this subiect in England which was thus there being a Religious of sainct Francis very contemplatiue who for the merittes of his deuotions was often rapt into extasie his Guardian seeing him so to remayne a whole day and weeping said vnto him I command you brother vpon holy obedience to retourne to your selfe from the extasie you are in Hauing heard the word of obedience he incontinently came to himselfe and tooke refection according to his necessity hauing resumed his spirittes the Superiour commanded him againe vpon obedience to tell him what he had seene that caused him so bitterly to weepe which seemed vnto him meerly extraordinary for the property of mentall extasie is to cause ioy and not sorrow and lamentation The Religious thus constrayned began to recount vnto him saying O Father I saw our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST sitting on a very high throne with an incredible Maiesty attended with all his celestiall guard to execute his iudgement Then in an instant I saw to appeare all degrees of men and women and saw which I would neuer haue beleeued many Religious and many Preistes also condemned as worldlinges among whome I saw a Religious of our Order that had a delicate and sensuall habitt who being demaunded of what Religion he was he answeared that he was a Religious of the Order of sainct Francis Wherfore the mighty Iudge tourning to S. Francis asked him if it were true that this Religious were one of his He answeared that he was none of his Religious because his woare no habittes so fine and sensuall but poore and patched and so the wretch was sodenly throwne into hell after him came an other accompayned with many seculer Gentlemen the S. denyed him also to be any of his affirming that his Religious applyed themselues to prayer and other spirituall excises and not to vaine seculer conuersations and so he was condēned as the other as also the third because he came with a great quantity of curious bookes after these there came one very expert in contriuing lofty and sumptuous buildinges who was sent for an architect into hell Finallie there came one miserably cloathed and ragged who fell on his knees affirming himselfe to be a wretched sinner vnworthy of life but demaunded mercie of God S. Francis ioyfullie receaued him into his armes and conducted him with him into Paradise saying to our Lord this is one of my Frere Minors and then the vision disappeared now this is the cause of mine extraordinary teares Here ensueth an order of the nine principall vertues of this glorious S. wherby he merited to obtaine such worthy graces of God Taken out of the second chapter of the third booke AFter the miracles and apparitions which the holy Father S. Francis made to those that were deuout vnto him it shall not be amisse to recount also the vertues wherby he merited to obtayne of God such graces and so notable giftes which also he daily obtayneth according to what the blessed Brother Iuniperus his disciple writeth therof The first vertue then was his great contrition confession and satisfaction for his sinnes and his care to auoyd them afterward The second was the admirable affection he had towardes his neighbour and the compassion he had of him in effect and in word and especially in his interiour in that he esteemed euery one farre aboue himselfe taking for his ground this argument that hauing offended the soueraigne Creatour who so much loued vs as that for our loue alone he would take on him humane flesh he therfore participated himselfe with euery creature and so did voluntarily obey all not only his Superiours equals and inferiours but as faire foorth as was lawful and possible all creatures The third was a separation of heart from all terrestriall and transitory thinges for he was vnited to IESVS CHRIST alone who had created him and whome alone he desired Wherfore he in such sort exercised himselfe herein that it was so easy for him to sequester himselfe from terrestriall thinges and to haue his spiritt alwayes addressed vnto God that it seemed his flesh had the same will with his spiritt The fourth was the incredible pacience wherwith he endured all his afflictions and al the iniuryes that were laid vpō him endeauouring to loue them that iniuryed him mortifying his proper sences and receauing all as from the hand of God for as he beleeued that all good proceeded from the diuine liberality so did he beleeue that the affliction which he endured was for his sinnes and that God meant to chastice him in this lif not in the other The fift was his loue vnto the good and the great compassion he had of the wicked reputing himselfe much lesse then they for he would say that the end was not yet seene when the good might become wicked the wicked good When he heard any one detracted either he would excuse him or would shew that he disliked it so that he would putt the detractour to silence or chaunge the discourse The sixt was that he loued to be reprehended for which he was verie thanckfull Neuertheles he was verie vnwilling to reprehend though he were verie zealous of the honour of God of the good of his neighbour and of the obseruance of the rule yet to auoide obligation to reprehend he renounced the office of Generall The seauenth was that he serued each one with a pure will and very great affection though he would neuer permitt himselfe to be serued but in extreme necessity reputing himselfe vnworthy to be serued alleadging that IESVS CHRIST said that he came not to be serued but to serue And if any one in any necessity serued him he would in his heart giue thanckes to God for giuing will and power to that Religious to serue him The eight was that he endeauoured to conserue in his memorie the graces which he had receaued of his diuine maiestie as also the vniuersall benefitts exhibited to al other creatures for which he was alwayes thanckfull for himselfe and all others Att the end of this thanckesgiuing he ordinarily accused himselfe discending to the knowledge of himselfe and ascending to that of God reputing himselfe vnworthy to giue him
thanckes as by these wordes he often signified But who am I that presume to giues thanckes for others I I say that am not able to thanck him for the least grace he hath done me and am also such an abhominable sinner The ninth and last vertue was the guard of his tongue which is the hight of all good as being the verie gate of life and death according as it is employed without the guard wherof all good also is lost In respect wherof he was alwayes very carefull that his wordes should sauour of truth humility pouerty chastity goodnes benedictiō prayse of God and his neighbour so he merited to be in like sort blessed of God mē world without end Amen How the glorious body of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis was buryed in the citty of Assisium This is taken out of the first chapter of the tenth booke and here placed for conclusion of the second booke THere is no man but knoweth that the glorious body of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis is buryed in his owne monasterie in the citty of Assisium but yet after an ordinarie manner for it is not otherwise knowne in what place it is in the said church bnt that it is in a great chappell vnder the earth vnder the high altare and that lampes are putt in att a windoe to lighten that place where the sacred body reposeth as is also reported of sainct Iames of Galicia that he is buryed so farre vnder ground that none can come att him We must beleeue that God hath so disposed to the end such precious treasures by whose merittes it pleaseth his diuine maiesty daily to work such and so great miracles might not be robbed or ruinated by any alteration or disastrous euent of warre or other euill accident Now we desiring to content the readers and not to omitt any matter in this worck that may be desired and is possible to be performed we haue so dilligentlie searched and enformed our selues that we haue gotten knowledge that the true relation of what may be desired concerning this subiect fell into the handes of the great Capitaine Gonzales Heruandez de Cordoua in his conquest made of Calabria and the kingdome of Naples for his Catholique maiesty and therfore we haue so much Laboured with importunities and industrie that att length we obtayned the same it being this that ensueth read it with contentment A true and faithfull discourse wherby appeareth how the glorious Father S. Francis is buryed translāted out of the latin originall which fell into the handes of the great Capitaine Gonzales Heruādez de Cordoue in his conquest made of the kingdome of Naples To the right reuerenced Antony Bishop of Andria Francis Bancie Duke of Audria Health THe charge which it hath pleaseth you to lay on me to committ to writing the visitation which the sanctity of Pope Nicolas the first personally made of the glorious body of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis being on the one side ouerburdensome vnto me in regard of the great feeblenes of my spiritt hath neuerthelesse for other considerations bin very easie and contentfull as well in that this labour is pious and deuout as because I am to present it vnto you to you I say who were present when it was related vnto vs so that you are able to correct it and supply that wherin mine endeauour may faile So I beseech my sweet lord IESVS CHRIST for whose prayse and glorie I haue attempted to dictate this discourse to afford me the grace worthily to dischardge my duety herein I beseech him I say by the merittes of this glorious S. of whose body I am to treat considering that it is not conuenient to burry in silence so great a miracle wherin God doth manifest so great bounty and omnipotencie Your reuerence and my Lord Iames Bishop of Laquidonia being with me the eighth day of march as you conferred together walking and often resting your selues as the manner is in discoursing of some admirable accident I came neere you and prayed you to make me participant of your discourse if I were worthy and my request lawfull the said Lord Iames then said vnto me My Lord Duke if you knew wherof we did talke you would also admire and wonder Then did I very instantlie entreat him to tell me the occasion of such admiration Whereto the said Lord answeared that he would willinglie doe it but that he rather desired to weepe when such thinges are recounted and to heare thē of an other then to relate them himselfe Neuertheles he neither could nor would omitt to content me and leet me know that their admiration was not without subiect considering withall that it was a matter worthy to be knowne but not of all persons therfore making me partaker therof he thus began his discourse My Lord Duke you must vnderstand that I was one of the seruantes of the deceased Eustergio of worthy and blessed memorie Cardinal of the title of S. Eusebius Archbishop of Beneuentum who approaching to the pangs and agony of death yea arriuing to that priuation of naturall heat and vigour that we much feared he could not liue a day about midnight I heard him with a loud voice to cry O S. Francis then staying a while with groanes and sighes he redoubled O Francis O Francis wherwith he much amazed vs all but none of vs durst approach to aske him to demaund the reason for feare to trouble him but were attentiue to see the successe of this frequent inuocation I that exceedinglie loued him wept bitterly with him and for him mentally inuocated the Sainct to whome I haue euer had a particuler deuotion but this had no other successe sauing that the next morning when we supposed to prepare his obsequies he began to amend and the phisitians likewise conceaued better hope of him he hauing alwayes esteemed me for one of his most affectionate seruantes hauing bin then a very small time absent from the Court to yeld due residence to an Abbey which he had bestowed on me knowing well that he had bin with his Holines to visitt the body of the glorious S. Francis and desiring to heare the discourse as also knowing that att other times he had much desired that I should vnderstand the same but no occasion was euer presented to demaunde it of him Now taking this occasion of his frequent inuocation of the Sainct I began first readily to aske him the cause then att lenghth I freelie discoursed and humblie requested him breifely to relate vnto me how he had seene that glorious body in his Church Wherevpon he graciouslie answeared me in these wordes know Abbot if thou wert not deere vnto me as I hold thee to be I would not impart it vnto thee much lesse to any man in the world we that were there present hauing expresse commaundement of his holines to the contrary and therfore by reason of that prohibition I will not tell thee the place where it is but am
a woman so much afflicted As she one night lamented vpon this subiect Sainct Francis caused her to sleep then in her dreame appeared vnto her and with very compassionate wordes comforted her and aâ—tlength wished her to carry her child to a church verie neere thervnto and dedicated to his name promising her that after she had washed him with the water of the Couent-well in the name of God he should recâ—aâ—e his perfect shape and health But the woman 〈◊〉 this to be an ordinarie dreame affected not the wordes of the S. who an other time appeared vnto her redoubling the same admonishment which she no more beleeued then the former The glorious sainct retourned the third time and himselfe conducted her fast a sleep together with her sonne to the dore of the Couent where he left her disappeared Certaine great Ladies of deuotion comming thither in the meane time awakened this woman who much amazed to finde her selfe there related vnto them the vision and so in company they presented the child vnto the Religious who incontinentlie drew water out of the well and the most honourable and worthyest lady with her owne handes washed the child which being washed his lymmes miraculouslie became duely placed to the wonderfull astonishment of those present perceauing what the mercy of God was in our behalfe by the great merittes of his seruant Of the miracles wrought by S. Francis by the signe of the crosse THE XX. CHAPTER THere was a man in the towne of Chora within the diocesse of Hostia which was so depriued of the force and strength of one foot that he could neither goe nor any way moue the same wherefore despairing by humane art to cure him he began one night to discourse with S. Francis as if he had bin present complayning before his altare in these wordes S. Francis helpe me remember what I haue done in thy seruice carrying thee with such deuotion on my asse I haue kissed thy holy handes and feet and haue bin euer most deuout vnto thee I loue thee cordiallie consider therfore how I am tormented with this extreme paine The holy Father as approuing his discourse was moued with his iust and pious complaintes and as one that hath a continuall memory of those deuout vnto him he appeared with one of his Religious to his freinde euen whiles he was waking and said Sith thou hast called on me I come to thee bringing wherwithall to cure thee then comming neere him he touched his place of paine with a litle staffe wheron was the figure of the signe Tau the Greek letter thus made in forme of a crosse and presentlie the apostume brake out of his legge and his paine ceassed the said man remayning perfectlie cured and that which more augmented the miracle was that in the place where his griefe was the signe of Tau remayned for memory of the same It was the seale wherwith the holy Father S. Francis sealed his letters when he wrote to his freindes concerning any worck of charity Now here is to be obserued that whiles we discourse of the diuerse miracles of this glorious sainct it happeneth by diuine inspiration and the will of this inuincible standeâ—dbearer of the crosse that we end our historie with the signe of Tau and marck of our saluation for hence may we collect that as it was vnto him a comfort and great meritt towardes his saluation in following IESVS as his Champion so being now triumphant with IESVS CHRIST it is become vnto him an assured testimonie of his honour and glory for great and admirable is the mysterie of the crosse wherin the giftes of graces the merittes of life and the treasures of the wisdome of God are very deeply couered and concealed from the wise and prudent of the world which neuertheles were entierly reuealed vnto this poore of IESVS CHRIST who during his life followed only the steppes of the crosse and neuer conceaued tast of any other thinge then the sweetnes of the crosse so that in the beginning of his conuersion he might well say with sainct Paul God forbid that I should glory sauing in the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST as also afterward he might truely say of his Rule Peace vpon them and mercy that shall follow this Rule but towardes the end he might more truely say with the said Apostle I beare the marckes of our Lord IESVS in my body and we should desire to heare those other wordes from him The grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be with your spiritt brethren Amen TheÌ„ mayest thou O glorious standerd-bearer of IESVS CHRIST most assuredly glory in the glory of the crosse of IESVS CHRIST because thou diddest begin by the crosse and finally end by the crosse and for testimonie of the crosse it hath bin manifested to all the faithfull how glorious thou now art in heauen so that we may securelie follow them that depart out of this cruell Egipt because the red sea being diuided by the wood of the crosse they passed the desertes to enter into the land promised to the liuing leauing behinde them the floud Iourdan of mortality by the merueillous carryer of this holy crosse to the which blessed land of the the liuing the infallible guide of our beloued IESVS CHRIST crucified conduct vs by the degrees of the ladder following his glorious seruant being our Intercessour Here end the miracles of the glorious Father Sainct Francis written by Sainct Bonauenture A treatise wherin is discoursed how the holy Father sainct Francis attayned to perfect contemplation which hath bin transferred hither from the 37. chapter to the end of the tenth booke this place being more proper there vnto THE I. CHAPTER IT seemeth here to good purpose in some sort to declare the order and degrees wherby the holy Ghost doth raise those that are his to this great and high vnion of spiritt with God as well for a more true relation and intelligence of the perfect contemplation and vnion which the glorious Father S. Francis had with God as for the greater comfort of the soules who desire to follow and imitate his life and exercise Now it is to be noted according to the doctrine of S. Augustin that men lay two foundations the one of perdition which is selfe-loue and the other of saluation which is the loue of God or else that men haue two endes some in God and others in themselues directing all their actions for themselues our will is gouerned according to these two endes for if it conuert it selfe vnto God as taking him for its end the more it disioyneth it selfe from creatures yea from it selfe the neerer doth it approach vnto God by obedience and charity and perhappes with diuine assistance to the perfect contempt and abnegation of it selfe and to transforme it selfe entirely into the loue of God which is our end wherin consisteth all our perfection and glory Our Master IESVS CHRIST left vs this rule in his holy
nuditie fastinges and intollerable labours and to haue patience in such and so manie contempts and thence also proceeded his desires dailie to encrease his penance and to support the greatest affrontes for the loue of God All these thinges and many other did not only enrich his soule remouing her from all worldlie and sensuall tast but did procure in him euen a distast of all thinges present yea caused diuine thinges to be afterward more aggreable vnto him and God alwayes conserued him in this estate and appeared often times vnto would also afterward permitte him greater afflictions and possesse him with greater crosses for he prepared him to be a valiant and inuincible Captaine of his penitentes and an example of perfect and couragious warryers and also told him that the kingdome of heauen should suffer violence and that the violent should beare it a way not those of tender and delicates spirittes Of the second degree to arriue to perfection called Desire THE III. CHAPTER THe second degree is desire for as sainct Gregoire saith diuine thinges being tasted are desired and not tasted seeme without sauour in worldly matters it is contrary for the desire therof is alwayes best There groweth in the soule so extreme a hungar and a such a thirst after this tast and after a triall of this diuine sweetnes that no creature or temporall consolation can satisfie her but God alone whome she loueth And because she neither can nor doth yet deserue to obtaine the food of the great knowing her owne infirmitie and litle meritt she remayneth greedilie hungrie after temporall thinges and beggeth the mites of the table of God seeking them on earth meditating on his life and conuersation worckes and examples yea she seeketh them in his creatures where his steppes markes and traces are represented vnto her and in his Sainctes where she findeth most euident testimonyes of her God and often times she heareth his voice and seeth his presence and this estate is like to that wherof the espouse speaketh in the Canticles I adiure you if you finde my beloued to tell him that I languish and loose my selfe for his loue It is also expedient in this estate to make simplicityes in worckes and wordes for the great excesse of new desires as new spirituall wine of these desires when thy are reall doth grow the imitation of the life of IESVS CHRIST and of his humility as much as may be that he may be found and possessed In that respect doth our Lord call himselfe the path and way for we must walke by him and his steppes are as himselfe affirmeth humility meeknes patience charity prayers and finally his crosse and passion for the seruant is not greater then his Lord nor the disciple aboue his master This is the somme of whatsoeuer may be said or written It is the light of the diuine will wherin consisteth the rule and lesson of true wisdome It is the shortest and securest way that we can walke which openeth and discouereth vnto vs the most eminent master of truth wherin walking he taught men what way they should vndertake Lett no man thinck that there is an other way more direct to obtaine of God true charity then that of labours and the exercises of vertues This exercise consisteth in three pointes the first with a sincere hart to demaund of God the knowledge of ones offences mortall and veniall together with an interiour sorrow for them and a shunning of all occasions of mortall sinnes and distraction of spiritt the second to desire the good of our neighbour as our owne for whome God hath so much endured and to assist him corporally and spiritually in our prayers praying for our freindes and ennemies and for all those whome God will haue prayed for the third is to desire with a firme resolution to imitate the life of IESVS CHRIST in his conuersation as well in body as spiritt and to demaund of God that he will vnite him to his sonne and that nothing may be found in his bowels but IESVS CHRIST crucified demaunding also the vertues that may in anysort make vs like vnto IESVS CHRIST as pouerty humility and simplicity for in this manner exercising our selues in these vertues we attaine a true and feruent desire and a true thirst of the loue of our Saulour IESVS CHRIST and it wil be no paine or trouble vnto vs to be exercised in them therbie to obtaine the good which wee desire The glorious Father S. Francis ascended to this degree when with a feruent and perseuerant desire demaunding and finding his deare and beloued Lord the Euangelicall perfection and the Apostolicall life were reuealed vnto him and as if he had thenceforward began he couered himselfe with one only garment shaped in forme of a crosse desiring no other thing then IESVS CHRIST crucified esteeming himselfe neuer satisfied with pouerty humility and misprise to imitate his Sauiour I. â— He would not seeme humble and holy but a sinner and wretched he then exceedinglie reioyâ—ed when he was conteâ—â—ed and litle esteemed and was much displeased when he was honoured as other men accustome to hate their ennemyes and to persecute them so one the contrarie he loued with all his hart those that did persecute him and hated himselfe as his owne capitall ennemye and not others well knowing that the world and the deuill as our principall ennemies make warre against vs with our owne weapons and not with other instrumentes Therfore ouercomming our selues we shall triumph ouer all our potent ennemies he endeauoured by examples of euery kind of vertue and with zeale of the saluation of soules for which I. C. suffered to draw them to the estate of Euangelicall perfection he did not exercise his disciples but in the imitation of the pouertie humilitie and patience of IESVS CHRIST and the meditation of his passion for he wel knew that the more vertues we possesse the greater progresse doe we make in prayer and without the same none att all such were his ceremonies and mortifications such the edifices and exercises of his first order to finde I. C. in continuall labour abstinences and prayers and to carry the woundes of our Lord I. C. in his body with the difficulty of strict pouerty and with this innocencie purity and Christian simplicity he surpassed those that are cloathed only with the exteriour leaues of ceremonies to vndertake the way of perfection and checked those that cloathed themselues exteriourly with the said ceremonies only to couer their imperfections Of the third degree of perfection called Satiety THE IV. CHAPTER THe third degree is Satiety when the soule commeth to loath terrestriall thinges richesse honoures yea the repose of his owne life respecting all as nought conceauing a dislike to see or speake of any worldlie matters for whereas the soule doeth loue desire only God and findeth no repose but in him hauing experience that the creatures hinder his seruice though louing them vnder pretext of
Religious began then out of loue to weep bitterlie and affectionatelie recommended themselues to his prayers wherin next vnto God they reposed more confidence then in any other thing saying vnto him Father send vs whither you shall please we are ready to accomplish what soeuer God by you shall command But withall we beseech you to remember that we goe a mong most cruell men whose tongue is vnknowne vnto vs as also are their manners and behauiour besides we know them to be the ennemies of Christians desiring nothing more then to drinck their bloud and ours with so much more fury and passion when they shall know we endeauour to conuert their people for accomplishmeÌ„t wherof we acknowledge our forces to be most infirme and our selues very insufficient if the mercy of God doe not by your prayers assist vs and therfore we recommending vs vnto them demaund your holy benediction that we may vndergoe this obedience to the honour of God and the saluation of our owne and the Infidels soules S. Francis then lifting his eyes all bathed with teares towardes heauen blessed them in this manner The benediction of God the Father the loue of the Sonne our Redeemer IESVS and the grace of the holy Ghost discend vpon you as it discended on the Apostles conduct comfort and fortifye you in afflictions that you may valiantly resist couragiously assault and gloriously subdue your ennemies sith God sendeth you for his glory and seruice And feare not for God goeth with you to be your protector So being full of teares he dismissed them and these Apostolicall Religious tooke their iorney conformably to the Rule of the holy Ghospell on foote without mony scrip or staffe bare-foote with one only coate poore course and all patched but yet in exchaunge of all this they had the grace of God that safelie and securely conducted them into Spaine How Brother Vitall fell sicke in Spaine and would that leauing him alone in the hospitall his Companions should proceed on other iourney and of his death THE II. CHAPTER THese good Religious being arriued in Arragon Brother Vital their superiour fell sicke and kept his bedde the others expected there some time to see the issue of this sicknes which daily encreasing Brother Vital said to his companions My beloued Brethre you see my sicknes is violent and what wil be the issue therof I know not wherfore I will no longer detaine you from proceeding about that which hath bin enioyned vs it hauing bin alwayes my desire to accoÌ„pany you if it pleased God who I suppose hath ordained that I proceed no farther in respect that being too great a sinner I am not perhapps worthy of your coÌ„pany or to be employed in so worthy an office It is therfore necessary that you leaue me in this hospitall and that you apply your selues to this holy enterprise of the conuersion of this people to God who hath thus farre conducted you by obedience and be not greiued to leaue me here alone for his diuine Maiesty will prouide for me Proceede then on your iourney accomplish the will of God and be mindefull of the admonitions of our holy Father with a speciall care not to transgresse them and pray to God for me constituting Brother Bernard the preacher to be their superiour The poore Religious hauing heard the said proposition with extreme sorowfull and sobbing sighes that sufficiently discouered the bitternes that afflicted their spirit they bowed downe their heades calling God to witnesse of the greife they had to leaue him so alone but because their obedieÌ„ce vnto S. Francis and him so required they acknowledged themselues ready to obey and so hauing receaued his benediction after they had louingly and charitably embraced each other they departed beseeching him by his prayers to obtaine of God that they might againe see one an other att least in Paradise This poore Religious remayning then alone in affliction dayly weakened till hauing vnderstood the martyrdome of his companions and giuen thanckes to God for it he was so afflicted for not perticipating with them and for hauing lost that crowne that burning with charity towardes God this fire in such sort augmented that by his good will and desire he shortly after receaued the â—ame crowne in his bedd making of himselfe a gratefull and pleasing sacrifice vnto his diuine Maiesty and so hastened to meet them in the other world Thus much for Brother Vitall We must now discourse of the combat of his companions who still maâ—ching further on into Spaine euen vnto Portugall neuer ceassed in time and place conuenient to preach vnto both Catholiques and heretiques wherof then the nomber was great in Spaine and euery where produced fruit most pleasing to the almighty whose grace had conioyned them together How the fiue Religious arriued att Conimbria where they prophecied vnto the queene her death and their owne Martyrdome THE VII CHAPTER THe said Religious being arriued at Conimbria a famous citty in regard that it was the vniuersity of the kingdome of Portugall as also being very anncient and right noble there they found the queene Vraca wife of king Alphonsus the secoÌ„d who incontinently inuited them vnto her entertayned theÌ„ with great deuotioÌ„ as exceedingly affected vnto their Order and then very louingly demauÌ„ded of theÌ„ whence they came whither they intended and withall offered to releiue theÌ„ in all their occurreÌ„ces They breifely answeared her discouered vnto her their designe to witt that they were sent by their Generall Brother Francis to preach the faith of IESVS CHRIST to Infidels But the queene not coÌ„tent with this slight narratioÌ„ putt theÌ„ into discourse of diuers spirituall matters as one more thirsty of the word of our lord then a hinde of fresh water With whose discourse finding her selfe exceedingly edifyed and coÌ„forted perceauing their extreme feruour and to what degree of the fauour of God their merittes had raysed theÌ„ she drew them a part coÌ„iured them in his name for whose loue they had resolued euen to endure death so much to gratifie her as by prayer to procure reuelation froÌ„ God of the time and hower of her death not admitting their excuses which were that it would be a great temerity presuÌ„ption to seeke to know the secrettes which God for deepe great coÌ„siderations would not haue knowne vnto meÌ„ adding withall that they were not worthy to obtaine the same diuers other such reasons but she so importuned them that they were att lenght coÌ„straynd to accord vnto her hauing to this end applyed theÌ„selues to prayer they vnderstood froÌ„ God that and more then they demauÌ„ded whervpoÌ„ they went vnto the queene and thus spake vnto her Madame lett it not if you please be troublesome vnto you to vnderstaÌ„d that which you haue so instaÌ„tly required of vs and so much the lesse because we assure you that no creature loueth you so much as God who will in no sort dispose of you but
for your good and greater glory Know then that you shall dye before your husbād and in short time and we shall ioyne with you neere about the time wherof we will also giue you an infallible token You shall vnderstand that within few dayes we shall dye by the stroake of the sword for the faith of our gracious Redeemer for which we infinitely thāck his diuine maiesty exceedingly reioycing that it hath pleased him to elect vs to be of the nomber of his Martyrs But when we shall haue accōplished our course the Christians of Marrocco shall bring our bodyes into this citty to the meeting wherof you and your husband shall come in great reuerence and solemnity When then you shall see these thinges hope and know that your terme shal be expired and that you shall shortly be through loue vnited with God there to raigne eternally How the fiue Martyrs arriuing at Alenquer the Infāta prouided thē shipping other necessaries to goe to Siuill and seculer habits therby to passe vnknowne amōg the Mores who otherwise would neuer haue permitted them to passe THE IV. CHAPTER THe fiue Religious hauing taken leaue of the Queene who gaue thē letters of fauour cōmendation vnto Alēquer whither they intēded their iorney in which citty there was already a Couēt of Frere Minors whome they visited where for certaine dayes they comforted one an other in meane while they also bethought thēselues of cōmodious meanes to goe to Lisbone distāt thēce about eight leagues in which time they were aduertised of a merchants ship wherin they vnderstood they might passe by the fauour of the Infanta Sanctia the daughter of Sancho second king of Portugall who resided in the same citty there kept her Court they presēted vnto her the leters of the foresaid Queene for whose sake she gaue them a gracious welcome being one of the most pious vertuous ladyes that all Christendome did then afford and had reiected great matches to conserue her virginity wherof she made such esteeme as she desired rather to be depriued of Paradise thē to haue her chastity violated She was in deed endued with all vertues and liued in great abstinence and fasting wearing next her flesh a haire cloth in steed of a smock praying day and night giuing and distributing her reuenewes vnto the poore She was a true mother vnto the poore considering the affection wherwith she releiued comforted and assisted them She then hauing heard related the admirable worckes of S. Francis and his Brethren when they were there the yeare 1217. she called then vnto her and built them a Couent without Alenquer in a solitary place against the riuer by reason of whose ouerflowing she admitted them into her Pallace where she builded them a litle monasterie as a place more healthfull free from the inundations of the water and more commodious for her The pious Infanta then hauing vnderstood the holy and firme resolution of these said Religious commended it exceedinglie and for the time of their being there entertained them very curteouslie discoursing alwayes of spirituall matters She gaue them seculer habittes that they might trauell the more commodiouslie for otherwise they might haue bin entercepted in their passage neither would the merchants haue admitted thē into their vessels together with them in their habittes if they had in any sort discouered their designe for feare to offend the Mores whose disfauour they would not haue encurred for any thing whatsoeuer as people more respecting their profitt then their honour or saluation and more hungry of mony then of the glory of God Therfore then did they remayne some time in that citty in meane while their haire did grow and encrease so that their crownes or other distinctions could not be discerned from seculer personnes att length commending their pious desire prompt obedience and feruour of charity towardes God and their neigbour encouraging them also of her part though needlesly she sent them to Lisbone as worldlings and vnknowne there to embarcke themselues for Seuill hauing withall formerly furnished them with what was necessarie How the said Religious arriuing att Siuill and hauing cast off then seculer habitt did preach to the Mores and of the beginning of their tribulations THE V. CHAPTER THe good Religious not without much trouble arriued att Seuill where they disbarqued themselues This citty was then possessed and vsurped by the Mores they lodged in the house of a Cittizen that was a Christian rich noble and deuout there they putt off their seculer habitts tooke their owne and then for eight dayes together applyed thēselues to fasting and feruent prayer with teares begging day and night of almighty God that he would please to assist and further them that they might begin their enterprise to the glory of his diuine maiesty to their owne and those ruined soules saluation and that he would giue them force to die for his holy faith Now being deceaued by the exteriour apparence of the deuotion of their Host they plainlie discouerd vnto him their full intention presuming of his aduise therin but they were much deceaued and amazed for he repenting that he had lodged them for feare both of himselfe and other Christian marchantes that liued there began to endeauour to dissuade them affirming that they would profitt nothing but would rather put themselues in extreme daunger and manifest perill to loose their owne faith by meanes of the terrible tormentes which would be inflicted on them Which these good Religious vnderstanding they instantlie without giuing any aunsweare or making him other reply forsoke his house and as couragious and valiant soldiers went directly to giue the assault to the fortresse of the ennemy to witt to the Temple of the Mores where finding all their ennemies in armes praying to their Prophett they began to chardge and strike them with the cutting sword of the word of God preaching and praysing the faith of IESVS But the great multitude of ennemies seeing them in such base and straung kind of habitts thrust them out with the pointes of their daggers and stroakes of cudgels vsing them as fooles This beginning of trouble redoubled the pious feruour of the good Religious making them actiue and desirous to suffer much more for the name of IESVS CHRIST wherfore they determined to seeke to enter into an other Temple greater thē the former and full of people there to conuince and cōfound the Mahometan errour and to preach the truth of the Christian faith but they were not permitted to enter there but were very rudely and with iniuries farre repulsed They enflamed with great zeale to denounce make knowne I. C. vnto these infidels were nothing terrified but to giue courage to themselues said to each other Brethren what doe we lett vs remēber those wordes of our Lord I. C. Feare not litle flock for it hath pleased your Father to dispose vnto you his kingdome therfore lett vs not desist to preach his holy faith Wherfore doe we
he saw her againe he prophesied and willed her not to feare because first she should be deliuered easilie secondlie her child should liue thirdlie it should be a man child fourthlie he should be pious and feare God fiftlie he should be a Frere Minor and sixtlie he should be a Martyr Now the three first of the conditions being easilie verified it shall not be out of purpose also to iustifie the other three The child then being borne and baptised was called Phillip and liuing in manner of an Angell vntill he came to conuenient age he became a Frere Minor where being fortified in the feare and loue of God he trauailed with exceeding deuotion in pilgrimage to the holie land And being in Azoto when it was by treason taken from the Christians who being in nomber two thousand were all condemned to death he obtayned of those persidious dogges to be the last that that should be martyred they supposing that he would renounce and deny IESVS CHRIST But this Sainct when this spectacle horrible to the world and gratefull to the diuine Maiesty and to him began did animate and comfort them all with exceeding courage crying vnto them that God had reuealed vnto him that the very same day he should ascend into heauen with more then a thousand martyrs wherwith being much comforted they all offered their heades as pleasinge sacrifices vnto God vnder the sword of the executioners who cutt them off Now it being reported vnto the Soldan that he exercisced the office of a preacher he commanded all the ioyntes of his fingers one by one to be all cutt off in presence of the Christians which notwithstanding he desisted not to exhort them all to that glorious victorie in such sort that they all misprising the honours and riches offered them by the Mores and the tortures wherwith they threatned them being by the valour of the Saint confirmed in IESVS CHRIST they with one voice cryed out that they would follow Brother Philip on whose choice oflife or Martyrdome they relyed which the Soldan taking very despitefullie caused him to be fleyed aliue euen to the Nauell and then his tongue to be cutt off which supporting with inestimable constancie and notable patience he the more enflamed and moued the rage and furie of rhe Mores and the hartes of the Christians more willingly to suffer death as a momentarie matter seeing him with an inuincible hart to endure the same by such cruell tormentes in the middest wherof he ceassed not by the gestures and motions of his bodie to exhort them beeing vnable to speake by reason that his tongue was bereaued him Att length he was beheaded with the rest and in token of their croune a thinge which the Mores beheld full sore against their willes their bodies that remayned many dayes in the street without buryall yelded no offensiue but a pleasing sauour Thus was the admirable prophesie of the glorious Father S. Antony accomplished Of an other prophesie of his touching an other Martyr and of his Martyrdome THE XIV CHAPTER PReaching in France in the citty of Puy where he was Guardian as often as he saw a Notary that was impious of life and conuersatiō he remouing his capuce would doe him very humble reuerence The Notary knowing himselfe vnworthy to receaue such honour by him that gaue it vnto him hauing many times endured the same he imputed it to simplicity yet att length he sought to shunne the meeting of the S. turning from him a farre of because he would not be saluted by him but it one time happened that he could not preuent the Sainctes meeting of him who saluted him as before yea more hūbly which putting the Notary into great choler he came to him and said if thou wert not a Religious man I would long agone haue sheathed this my sword in thy body But tell me thou varlett what cause hast thou in this manner to flout me The S. very humbly answeared him My beloued brother be you not troubled I beseech you but beleeue that I salute you only to honour you and the reason is such hauing desired to shed my bloud in the seruice of the diuine maiesty I haue not bin found worthy nor hath it pleased God to satisfie me therein But his diuine maiesty hauing reuealed vnto me that you shall dye a martyr I haue euer since and still shall yeld you reuerence Besides I most hartely beseech you when you shal be in that glorious conflict to be mindfull of me wretched sinner Hereat the Notary chaunged his choler into laughter and deriding him went his way but in short time after it was iustified For being inspired of God to goe with the bishop of the said citty to adore the holy sepulcher and in an instant hauing changed his lewd conuersation into the contrary arriuing there the bishop discoursing with the Mores touching our faith and being rudely refelled the notarie for the first and second time endured it but att length being ashamed of the tepedity of his bishop and fearing some worse issue he told him that he did not defend our faith as he ought and then himselfe very couragiously disputed against the Mores and confuted them affirming for their reproach that their Mahomet was the sonne of perdition damned to hell by almighty God as themselues should be if they did not acknowledge their errours which hauing said the Mores presently tooke hold of him cruelly beat him and neuer ceassed for three dayes together to torment him which expired leading him to execution he confessed to his other companions that S. Antony had prophesied vnto him that martyrdome And they afterward retourning haue testified the same to all the world and so he consummating his martyrdome ioyfully rendered his soule to his Creatour Of the office of his doctrine and his seuerity against sinnes THE XV. CHAPTER THis S. of God with a very great dilligence and admirable prudence sowed the word of his diuine maiesty in the soules of the faithfull being neuer wearyed by his continuall labours trauailling through diuers cittyes townes villages and castelles ouer mountaines and vallyes and this he did out of his extreme zeale to assist the soules redeemed by the precious bloud of our Lord as one instructed rather by heauenly then humane doctrine he so disposed of his documentes according to the necessity of his audience that they all were satisfied in respect wherof his sermons were reputed for so many miracles they that neuer heard him preach were att deathes dore with desire to heare him but especiallie the learned as well in regard of his eloquence as of his exceeding subtility and viuacity of spiritt wherwith he admirably gaue to althinges which he handled their proper signification valure nomber and weight with a notable art He also reprehended the great personnes of this world with such constancie and seuerity that the most famous preachers trembled with feare when they heard him and did admire how it was possible he could haue such
I hope being conformable vnto his will he will afford me the same All this is spoaken to lett you vnderstand what were the cogitatiōs and what the desires of the first Fathers of the Order of S. Francis what were their gold their siluer theirtichesse and their treasures such were their practises and negotiations to witt to learne only the meane to obtaine the perfection of vertues which are the merchandise wherwith is purchaced the kingdome of heauen and are the precious stones which the wise and spirituall merchant should seeke and the treasure for purchase wherof he should not only sell all he hath in the world but euen the desires of whatsoeuer he may haue as also all temporall tast and selfe will eating drincking and sleeping and by meane of very strict abstinence of mortifications watchinges teares and prayers they obtayned of God the vertues which they demaunded and hauing obtayned them doe possesse and conserue them to the great glory of God to the profitt of their soules and to the exceeding edification of their neighbour Of the counsaile which Br. Macie gaue to a murmurer to correct his fault THE XXV CHAPTER THere was a very deuout man that ordinarily frequēted the Couent of the Frere Minors of Cybotoly neere Perusia and discoursing with the Religious he alwayes murmured att the sinnes of his neighbours committed in his Citty Br. Macie hauing often times heard him could no longer endure him for hauing formerly forborne him in respect of the presence of the Guardian att length he drew him a part and sayd My sonne I beseech you take the consaile that I giue you as from one of yeares Haue alwayes before your eyes and in your mouth the life of the holy and vertuous and alwayes speake of their good conditions for doeing so if thou be euill thou wilt become good and if thou be good thou wilt therby become better But be not delighted yea shunne with all possible care to speake or heare spoaken of the sinnes and defectes of your neighbour for att length of good you will become euill and of bad farre worse and will doe the same you heard spoaken of them These pious wordes did not a litle profitt this miserable man in regard that Brother Macie had such a grace of deliuery that whatsoeuer he spake was to each one gratefully accepted and imprinted in the hearer Wherfore S. Francis describing a perfect Frere Minor among other conditions he must haue would he say the religious and good conceite the naturall science and spirituall eloquence of Brother Macie Of the prayer of Brother Macie and of his holy death THE XXVI CHAPTER BRother Macie was a Religious exceedingly addicted to prayer yea more then any other shedding therin day and night abondance of teares as to al his Brethrē was most manifest He did eat only once a day which was towardes the euening the night being come he tooke his rest about midinght he arose and continued in prayer till day in which the other Religious heard him often to repeat these wordes My Lord IESVS CHRIST giue me if thou please true contrition of my sinnes and giue me grace to amende and to satisfie thee according to thy holy will which wordes he neuer ceassed to repeat till he bathed and dissolued in teares in the morning hauing heard masse he retyred into his cell and singing with a very deuout tune would say My Lord IESV CHRIST permitt me I beseech thee to feare thee and to loue thee with all my hart then falling to prayer he was heard often to repeat vh vh vh with a contented ioyfull and feruent voice In his contemplation his countenance was alwayes very pleasing and ioyfull Brother Iames of Falerone a Religious of exceeding piety demaunding of him one day because he had often seene and heard him in this spirituall ioy to vtter those wordes without chaunge why he did not varifie his tune he redily answeared because finding all good and contentment in one thing it is not needfull to change the tune Thus this holy Father replenished with many graces and merittes passed from this temporall life to the celestiall and eternall and was buryed in the Church of sainct Francis att Assisium where were his other companions some are of opinion that his body lyeth att Mur in the Marquisat of Ancona The liues of the holy Brethren Brother Zacharie and Brother Walter How Brother Zacharie and Brother Walter were by commandement of the holly Father sainct Francis sent into Portugall and of the first Monastery they founded there THE XXVII CHAPTER BRother Zacharie and Brother Walter were sent by the holy F. S. Francis with some other Religious into Portugall there by their preachinges and good examples to conuert sinners to penance where being arriued they were ill treated and entertained as well because they were strangers as for the nouelty of their habitt theire defect of the Spanish tongue was cause that they were not gratefully heard and that they did not willingly discourse and hauing no letters or patentes of the approbation of their rule and profession they could no where be receaued for the Portugals feared that they might be some heretikes of Italy where then were many so that these good Religious were constrayned to repaire vnto the queene Vraca the wife of Alfonsus the second to whome they recounted their persecution and prayed her to bestow on them some litle church or chappel where they might securely remaine and celebrate the diuine seruice This queene hauing graciously entertayned them she curiously enformed her selfe of their life estate and rule and the cause of their comming into Portugall and resting at length sufficiently assured that they were the true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST and professours of the obseruation of the Euangelicall life she procured for them of the king a litle place nere vnto the Citty of Conimbria among the hermitages there and also permission to goe to Lisbone and to the cittye of Guimaranes where the reputation of their sanctity being spred came euen to the Princes Saucia sister to the said king Alfonsus a very deuoute lady and enclined to all vertues who had cōsecrated her virginity to IESVS CHRIST dwelt in the Citty of Alenquer She exceedingly desiring to see and know these Frere Minors which were so much spoaken of sent for thē and hauing heard thē discourse of God and obserued remarked their spirit vertue would not permitt them to depart from her but lodged them in her owne pallace and assigned them a Church neere to the water where there were many poore celles such as they required and there did they remayne with out desire of any other or consent to haue them bettered they being proper to the true life of these perfect poore of our Lord the first founder of the sacred Religion of S. Francis The place which these first Religious possessed is now the Church of saincte Catherine att the foot of the Citty of Alenquer as is found
recorded Of the sanctity and miracles of Brother Zachary who was the first Guardian of the Couent of Alenquer and of his death THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe said Monastery being thus founded with exceeding pouerty and sanctity by the vertue and exemplar life of the sayd disciples of the glorious Father sainct Francis and namely of Brother Zachary as being the most notable in all vertues This holy Father zealous towardes God in worckes of charity in watchinges and prayers did often offer his prayers before a Crucifix which was after in the Chapiter of the said Couent of Alenquer till the yeare 1414. by which our Lord aduertised him of many thinges as well concerning his owne as his neighbours welfare The consolation and spirituall ioy which he receaued of this image was such as he could not leaue it but with great greife Brother Zacharie being Guardian it one day happened that there were but two loaues of bread in al the Couent the hower of refection being come he enioyned all the brethren to prayer then commanded them to sitt downe att table and the sayd loaues to be portioned among all the Religious and att the same instant there appeared an Angell att their gate in forme of a beautifull yong man who brought them as many loaues as there were persons in the Monastery his grace and beauty was such as could be imagined He calling for the Guardian gaue it vnto him who with the other Religious knowing this present to come to them from the hand of God who hauing care of all his creatures neuer forgetteth his true poore they gaue him thanckes for it Many kept of this bread as a holy relique but namely the Princesse Saucia who would haue her part therof Preaching on a time with great zeale of the faith of IESVS CHRIST and of the saluation of soules one that was incredulous being partly contrite and conuerted by his sermon would afterwardes confesse vnto him but by all the industry the good Father could deuise he could not rid him of his doubtes touching the Blessed sacrament of the Eucharist Art length hauing an exceeding desire to saue his soule he sayd vnto him Sith thou canst not be cured by the wordes of God come againe to morrow in the morning with the greatest deuotion thou canst and perhappes it will please our Lord IESVS CHRIST to illuminate and confirme thee by his diuine presence and so dismissing him and that day ended the Sainct spent all that night in deuotion praying God to voutsafe to illuminate and confirme this poore man in the holy faith The next morning he celebrated masse this man being present with great deuotion but the wordes of consecration being vttered he saw the sacred host conuerted into flesh and so continuyng till the Preist was ready to communicate and then he saw it retourne to the forme of an host as before the consecration This admirable vision entierly cleered his soule of all doubtes he had and fully confirmed him in the Catholike faith This glorious Father att length yelding vp his soule it ascended to heauen and his body was buryed on the right side of the crosse of the Church of the said Couent in Alenquer with his other companions and the holy disciples of the glorious Father sainct Francis The inhabitants of Alenquer att this present take the earth of that sepulcher and with great reuerence apply it to the sicke who therby recouer their health Of a Religious that was disciple to sainct Francis in the Couent of Alenquer THE XXIX CHAPTER AMong all the Religious that were sent by the holy Father saint Francis to the said Couent of Alenquer there was one very deuout and solitary that flying especially all conuersation and discourses with women spent almost all his time in prayer Now it happened that one of the ladyes of the Princes Saucia called Mary Gracia noting this Religious to be so spirituall began to haue perticuler deuotion vnto him and therfore she desired to haue some conference witht him But this holy Religious refusig all acquaintance and speech with any women shunned her with all endeauour Neuertheles it once happened that the Lady and the Religious in such sort met each with other that the Religious could not without discurtesie auoyd to speake vnto her for she much vrged him therto but he sayd vnto her Madame I beseech you before I spake vnto you cause to be brought hither some straw with fier which hauing don he willed her to putt the straw the fier together the lady hauing so dō the straw presētly burned the Religious then sayd vnto her Madame what issue you haue seene the straw to haue with the fier the like belieue me hath the seruant of God with a woman speaking with her without necessity Whereat this lady was so shamefully amazed that leauing this good Religious she neuer more insinuated herselfe by her curious deuotion to trouble him Wherfore as this holy Religious perseuered in vertues so att the end of his life his dead body was endowed with such a beauty and splendour that all the Religious both admired and reioyced exceedingly therby hauing more perfect assurance of his sanctity Att the instant of his death S. Antony of Padua who then was Canon Reguler in the monastery of S. Crosse in Conimbria celebrating the masse saw in spirit the soule of this Religious mount into the aire and gloriously to ascend into Paradise hauing first passed Purgatory as a bird that flyeth swiftly Of the life sanctity death and miracles of Br. Walter and of the ancient custome of Portugall to record matters that happened by the yeares of Augustus Caesar THE XXX CHAPTER THe vertue and sanctity of Br. Walter disciple of S. Francis are yet of great fame he hauing so piously and exemplarly liued that in a short time he drew al the neighbour contrye to be friendes to his Order he also conuerted them from many vices and sinnes wherto the inhabitantes therof were much enclined and addicted and exercised them in vertues It is sayd that this holy Father being dead and enterred there issued out of his tombe an oyle of such vertue as it cured many diseases and perseuered till his body was transported to the great Couent neere to the said citty The day of his death which was the second of August was a long time festiually solemnised and in regard of the great concourse of people that from euery where repayred thither to honour and reuerence the holy reliques there was kept a generall faire A long time after the Frere Minors hauing built their Couent very neere the citty the Canons resolued to steale from them this holy body but though to this purpose they came thither with a great nomber of men and afterwardes with strength of oxen to draw away the tombe of the sayd S. entier neuertheles they could not so much as lift vp the reliques alone out of the tombe by what soeuer forcible endeauour nor much lesse
by reason of that great foole Brother Iuniperus that came the way directly towardes vs for I cannot endure his presence they to know if this master lyer then spake the truth did curiously search and found that Brother Iuniperus came that way they were to goe so that if the possessed had noâ— fled they had directly mett him When the possessed personnes were brought to S. Francis if the deuill would not depart he would thus threaten him If thou dost not presently depart out of this body I will send for Brother Iuniperus who shall chastice thee according to thy deserts The deuill fearing the presence of this holy Religious would presently flye How the deuill attempting to be reuenged on Brother Iuniperus did maliciously torment him and brought him euen to a gallowes to hang him THE XXXXIII CHAPTER THis great seruant of God was exceedinglie afflicted and tormented by the deuilles according to their ancient custome to assault and torment the humble more then all other men as those whome they know to be most pleasing vnto almighty God And albeit we find not recorded the secrett and particuler temptations of this holy Religious yet we cannot doubt but that he hath had exceeding great sith the deuilles for no other cause feared him but in regard that he often vanquished them besides it being manifestlie seene that he could neuer be wearied with iniuryes the more easily by his patience to suppresse the pride and arrogancie of the deuill Yet we obserue a terrible temptation which the deuill weaued against him which was such as brought him euen to the gallowes ready to be hanged hauing formerly bin cruelly tormented wherby may be coniectured what his other temptations were The matter was thus Brother Iuniperus being to goe to a castell where there dwelt a noble man very euill minded in regard of his cruelties called Nicolas who warred against the inhabitants of Viterbium the deuill transformed into the shape of a man went to this noble man and hauing drawen him a part as to discouer vnto him some secrett of importance sayd vnto him My Lord I come to you as your seruant and friend to discouer vnto you that your ennemies of Viterbium haue concluded and determined your death in this place and to fier it that none of your people escape and to this effect they haue plotted with a man and committed the chardge vnto him who is already in the way to attempt it He is disguised in this manner his habitt is very base and contemptible all tome on his head he hath a capuce of diuers pieces and patches Therfore command him to be brought before you and you shall finde about him a long aule wherwith to stabbe you and a fier stone with maches to fier this castell Which hauing vttered he was no more seene by the noble man whose cogitation was only vppon this aduertisement that did extremely trouble him as hauing bin deliuered him by so excellent and perfect an Oratour and he was therwith so terrified that he did shake and tremble with the feare He foorthwith aduertised the guardes of his castell and others whome he sent forth with charge if they found any such and so attired to apprehend him and warily to bring him to him Now Brother Iuniperus according to the speciall leaue he had went alone and in his way mett with yong idle companions that as birdes wondred him and pulled him by the capuce wherof they still toare of some piece so that by such entreaty and his owne often giuing some litle piece to the poore entring into the castell one would haue taken him neither for Religious nor lay person and being knowne by the description giuen of him the guardes layd hold of him and brought him before the noble man who caused him to be searched where was found about him the aule wherwith he sowed his sandales and a fier steele to strict fier when he was some time in the forestes in prayer Being then found with those instrumentes fitt to execute the practise wherof he was accused they began to torment him to enforce him to confesse who sent him and what he pretended to doe considering withall the whole description of the traytor was approued and confirmed in him First then his head was bound with grosse cordes fastened with two cudgels in such sort as they forced and strayned the naturall disposition of the bones this extreme torment so wrought that during the rest of his life he had neuer more the head ach after that he had giuen him infinite strappadoes Being demaunded who he was he answeared that he was the greatest sinner in the world and being asked if he came not thither to betray the castell he answeared that he was the greatest traytor that was being examined if he had not promised and resolued to kill the Lord of the castell he answeared that he should doe wrose if God would permitt and abandon him Wherevpon he was att length condemned to be drawne through the citty att a horse taile so to the place of execution to be hanged and strangled This worthy mirrour of patience Brother Iuniperus neuer alleadged one excuse or reason to iustifie himselfe nor gaue no demonstration of his disquiett or vexation but resigning himselfe entierly to the diuine prouidence shewed in the middest of his torments a ioyfull and contented countenance Now as all the people flocked together to see him trayned through the dirt and consequently to be hanged as a traytor one of the ministers of iustice went incontinently to the Couent of the Frere Minors of the same Citty and prayed the Guardian to hasten instantly for the reliefe and comfort of the soule of a miserable malefactour that was conducted to his execution and death yet neuertheles hath no apprehension of death nor hath care or speaketh att all of confession The Guardian speedily hastened to the place of execution where finding knowing Brother Iuniperus he began to weepe and would haue put of his habitt to couer him but he answeared that it was better to couer a poore liuing creature then one dead so litle was this holy Religious troubled with the tormentes past the ignominie present and the apprehension of death att hand but he appeared so cheerfull and so pleasant as if he had bin in a faire garden and plott of roses gilliflowers and other beautifull and sweet flowers Which the Guardian admiring prayed the officers of iustice there present to suspend the execution of this criminell till he had spoken with their Lord whose fauour he would craue in behalfe of him that he knew to be innocent which they willingly promised Comming then to the noble man he thus spake vnto him Know my Lord the man whome you haue condemned to so ignominious a death is one of the most perfect Religious of our Order of Frere Minors and is called Brother Iuniperus This extremely vexed this noble man who by reputation knew Brother Iuniperus hauing heard of his meruailes wherfore
a mountaine where he found a litle chappell hauing bin an hermitage called S. Laurence farre distant from habitation and consequently very solitary there he resolued to spend his lent but three dayes after he was there arriued it did so snow and freeze that they could not possibly goe abroad The holy Religious seeing there was no meane to goe foorth to seeke bread sayd to his companion Brother lett vs make petition to almighty God that he will please in our necessity to send vs bread sith there is none but he that can heare and releiue vs. Then he recounted an history of certaine Religious who wanting bread in the like necessity had recourse to him and were heard Being moued by such an example they began on the euenning to pray with loud voice vnto almighty God so perseuered till the breake of the day following when as God inspired a good man of a neighbouring place who seeing the snow so extreme called to minde that he had seene att other times Hermites att S. Laurence thought with himselfe that if then there were any there they could not come foorth to seeke food which mouing him to compassion he went out of his house with bread and wine which he gaue to the Religious and being retourned to his house he aduertised his neighbours and friendes of the necessity of the said seruantes of God and so procured that they wanted not wherwith to liue the rest of the lent which happened to good purpose for them in regard of their extreme necessity Br. Giles desirous to acknowledge the great charity vsed vnto him by those people he said to his companion hitherto we haue prayed to God for our selues to be relieued in our necessity heceforward we ought to pray vnto him for our benefactors so that persisting night and day in these petitions our Lord bestowed such graces and fauours on the inhabitantes of that place that neuer Frere Minor hauing bin formely seene there many among them neuertheles being moued by the example and pious exhortations of the sayd Religious forlooke the vanity of this world and became Frere Minors and such as could not serued God by prayers and did penance in their owne houses and by this meane for corporall benefittes they gaue in exchaunge spirituall in double mesure Of the humilitie and obedience of Br. Giles THE V. CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis cordially loued Br. Giles for his great perfection in all vertues and his promptitude in doeing well and therfore did often obserue him and would say to his other Religious that he was one of his knightes of the round table so did he call the humble and deuout Religious Now Br. Giles one day demaunded obedience of S. Francis to goe where he pleased or to remayne where he was the holy Father answeared him your residence is prouided goe where you will whervpon hauing demaunded and receiued his benediction he went and walked in this freedome fower whole dayes but finding his spiritt much disquieted he retourned to S. Francis Father sayd he I beseech you designe me a certaine place whither to goe because goeing according to my owne liberty I cannot haue my conscience free the S. sent him to the Couent of Fabrian whither he went barefoote with a very ragged habitt though the season were extreme cold On the way he mett a passenger that sayd vnto him I would not goe so poorly cloathed in so cold a season were I therby to pourchace paradice by which wordes the deuill so augmented the cold that he expected death therby but he incontineÌ„tlie called to minde that our lord IESVS CHRIST went barefoote and poorely cloathed through the world and endured far more cold and other labours for our sakes these pious cogitations did in this sort warme first his hart and then all his body with a diuine heat wherfore he began to praise God his sweet lord who had thus warmed him not with materiall fier but by the only burning heatof his diuine loue So Br. Giles remayned many yeares in the sayd place where one day weighing his sinnes he ascended on a mountaine neere by whither he carryed a yoÌ„g Religious whome he commanded with a cord about his necke to lead him naked to the place where the other Religious were and entring in this sort before them he began with teares to cry Haue compassion and pitty of me miserable and detestable sinner The Religious beholding him in such a gastly plight began all to weep and prayed him to putt on his habitt but he answeared with bitter teares and extreme sighes that he was vnworthy to be a Frere Minor Yet if you will that I take the habitt againe said he I will as an almose receaued of you though I doe not deserue it and so he cloathed himselfe and there remayned labouring with his handes in making caskettes of straw to couer or keep glasses and litle baskettes which he and his companion carryed to the neighbour towne and villages and in exchauâ—ge receaued what they needed either of food or cloathing and with the rest he cloathed other Religious saying that such almose done to any Religious prayed for him when he slept and could not then pray himselfe This good Religious retourning one day from the fieldes hauing in his handes a reed and a hatchett he past before a church the Chappelaine wherof seeing him called him hippocrite which did so grieue and afflict Br. Giles that he wept bitterly A Religious finding him thus lamenting demandindg the occasion of his teares he answeared him because I am an hippocrite as a Preist did now instantly assure me The Religious replied poore man doest thou then belieue it to be true Br. Giles answeared that he belieued it because he was a Priest that auouched the same and he could not conceaue that a Priest would lie The Religious replyed Brother be no longer disquieted for it may be thou art no hippocrite because the opinion of men is most often farre from the iudgement of God Br. Giles with this reasonnable answeare was somewhat satisfied and comforted saying that if he were not such it was by the pure grace of God Hearing one day relation of the fall of Br. Helie that had bin Generall of the Order whence he was an Apostata then liuing excommunicated thence in the traine and seruice of the Emperour Frederic the second then a rebell vnto the Church he with extreme griefe fell flatt vpon the ground and there contemptibly tourned and tumbled himselfe affirming that he would discend as low as he could because the other had wrought his owne distruction by clymeing so high This great seruant of God being one day out of the Couent he receaued a letter and therby commaundement from his Generall to meet him att Assisium whither he instantly tooke his iorney his companion putting into his minde that it were good to retourne first to the Couent to aduertise the Religious therof he answeared Brother I am commanded to goe
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
such sort that this holy virgin began without her knowledge to be commended by her neighbours the true same of her secrett pious worckes so publishing themselues that in an instant they were exceedingly spred abroad and euery where diuulged How the virgin S. Clare had knowledge of the vertues of the holy Father S. Francis THE III. CHAPTER THis vertuous virgin Clare hearing the grat same of the admirable life of S. Francis that then renewed vnto the world the way of perfection in the same citty with a merueillous example of piety and vertue and considering that many gentlemen did follow him and that his life was already approued by our holy mother the Church she exceedingly desired to see and heare this worthy seruant of God therunto inspired by the soueraigne Father of spirittes to whome had already bin presented the first fruites of their deuotions though differently S. Francis hauing bin aduertised of this her desire and hauing heard the bruit of her vertues and holy affections desired also exceedingly to see her and to conferre with her with intention to frustrate the world of so noble and precious a pray to present her vnto our soueraigne Redeemer to serue him in some notable enterprise as preordayned of God to despoyle the great prince of the world Neither did his diuine Maiesty faile to open vnto them the meanes and to at taine therunto he inspired this vertuous woman to relye on a very honorable graue woman that gouerned her in her house as her mother And to the end this holy purpose might be sinisterly enterpreted of men and to hinder publicke murmure she went out of her Fathers house with this good womau and found out the holy Father by the feruour of whose pious discourses she was presently enflamed with diuine loue and moued by his holy actions which she admired as seeming vnto her more then humane And therfore she began very exquisitely to dispose her selfe to the effecting of the wordes of the holy seruant of God who hauing very louingly entertayned her began to preach vnto her the contempt of the world and by euident reasons to demonstrate vnto her that all the beauty of thinges present is but a vanity filled with false and deceipt full hopes Then he persuaded vnto her pure eares the honourable and amiable espousale of IESVS CHRIST and counsayled her to conserue that most precious pearles of virginall purity for that glorious Spouse who out of loue he bare to the world being God became man and would be borne of a virgin This holy Father sollicited this affaire and playd the procuratour as a Paranimph and Embassadour of the heauenly king The holy virgin on her side beginning already to tast the sweetnes of contemplation and the proofe of the eternal ioyes the world began to seeme vnto her vile and contemptible as indeed it is she as it were melting for the loue of her celestiall Spouse whome she already desired with all her hart Thencefoorth therfore she desprised precious stones iewels gold sumptuous apparell and all other worldly trash as filth and donge and abhorring the detestable delightes of the flesh she resolued intierly to dedicate her selfe a liuely temple to IESVS CHRIST and to take him for the only Spouse of her body and soule and so submitting her selfe totally to the counsailes of the glorious Father S. Francis him next after our Lord she tooke for guid and directour of her life How S. Francis drew the virgin S. Clare out of the world and made her Religious THE IV. CHAPTER ANd to the end the most cleare Mirrour of her soule might not be stayned and blemished with the dust of this world and that the contagious seculer life did not corrupt her innocencie the holy Father prudētly endeauoured to sequester this virgin from worldly people And the solemnity of palme-sunday approching the holy espouse of IESVS CHRIST wit a great feruour of spiritt repayred to this man of God and most instantly demaunded of him when and how she should make her retyre from the world Whervpon the holy Father S. Francis ordayned that one the day of the sayd feast she should goe to the procession of palmes with the people decked and adorned the most richly and gorgiously that she could procure and the night following goeing out of the citty and withall out of all conuersation of the world she should change seculer pleasures into lamentations of the passion of our Lord. Palme-sunday being come the glorious S. Clare went in the cōpany of her mother and other ladies to the great Church where there happened a matter worthy to be recorded as not done without the prouidēce of the diuine goodnes Which was that all the other ladyes goeing as is the custome of Italie to take holy palme and S. Clare out of a virginall bashfulnes remayning alone without mouing out of her place the Bishop descended the steppes of his seat and putt into her hand a branch of palme The night approching she began to prepare her selfe for effecting the commandement of the holy Father and to make a glorious flight and honorable retyre frō the world in honest company But it seeming to to her impossible to goe foorth att the ordinary and chieffest dore of the house she bethought her selfe to take the benefitt of a back dore which though it were damned vp with grosse stones and mighty blockes she with an admirable courage a force rather of a strong man then a tēder yong woman her selfe brake open Thus then leauing her fathers house her citty kinred and friendes she with extraordinary speed arriued att the Church of our lady of Angels where the Religious that in the house of God were employed in pious watchinges receaued with burning wax lightes in their handes this holy virgin that sought her Spouse and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST with a lampe not extinct and empty but filled with diuine loue And incontinently in the selfe same hour and place hauing left and abandonned the immondicities of Babilō she gaue the world the ticket of defiance and repudiation before the altar of the soueraine Queene of Angels where the glorious Father sainct Francis inspired of God and neglecting all other worldly respect cutt off her haire then he cloathed her with a poore habitt of the Order reiecting the iewels and gorgious attire which she brought to be giuen to the poore of IESVS CHRIST It had not bin in deed conuenient that the new Order of florishing virginity towardes the end of the world should otherwhere begin then in the Angelicall Pallace of that most emminent lady who before had alone bin a mother and Virgin and consequently more worthy then all others In the very same place had the noble cheualrie of the poore of IESVS CHRIST the Frere Minors their beginning vnder the valerous Captaine sainct Francis to the end it might euidently appeare that the mother of God in this her habitation ingendred and produced the one and the other Religion And so as this new
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
which the glorious Father S. Francis instituted which is in obseruation of the holy Ghospel liuing in obedience and chastity without any propriety Clare the vnworthy seruant of IESVS CHRIST and the litle plant of the holy Father S. Francis promiseth obedience and reuerence to Pope Innocent and to his successours canonically elected and to the Romane Church And as she in the beginning of her conuersion together with all her sisters hath promised inuiolable obedience to his successours lett all her other sisters be in like sort for euer obliged to obey the successours of S. Francis and sister Clare and other Abbesses that shall succeed her canonically elected How the Religious must be receaued into Religion THE II. CHAPTER IF any Virgin or woman diuinely inspired present her selfe to you to be admitted to this course of life lett the Abbesse be obliged to damaund aduise of her sisters and if the greater part consent therto she may receaue her after permission had of the Cardinall Protectour of the Order Bur before the habitt be giuen her lett her very diligently examine her or cause her to be examined touching the Catholique Faith and the holy sacramentes of the Church And if she be found sincerely faithfull in those matters and doe loyally confesse them and promise entierly to obserue them and that she be not marryed or if hauing a husband he by consent of the Bishop of the Diocese become Religious hauing vowed continencie and she not hauing other impediment as ouer-aged or infirme or want of iudgement and discretion to obserue such course of life lett the manner and rule of liuing be dilligently declared vnto her then being found capable the wordes of the gospell be denounced vnto her that she goe and sell all she hath and endeauour to distribute it vnto the poore which if she cannot effect her good will shall suffice And lett the Abbesse and other sisters be carefull not to confound their cogitations with her temporall affaires but lett them leaue that care to her that she dispose of her substance as our Lord shall inspire her And if she demaund counsaile of them thervpon lett them direct her to some vertuous person that feareth God by whose counsaile she shall dispose of her goodes among the poore After that hauing cutt her haire about her garment and discloathed her of her seculer attire lett be giuen her three coates one cloake and lett her no more be permitted to goe out of the Monastery without profitable manifest and probable occasion The yeare of her probation expired lett her be receaued to obedience promising perpetually to obserue the life and rule of our pouerty None may weare the vaile but after the yeare of probation and nouitiat the sisters also may weare a cloake to be more lighty decently and commodiously prepared to labour Lett the Abbesse discretly prouide thē cloathing according to the qualities of the personnes places and time and correspondent to necessity The virgins that are receaued into the monastery before their age conuenient lett their haire be cutt and being disattired of their seculer garmentes lett them be cloathed with the same cloath that the other Religious do vse as it shall please the Abbesse and hauing attayned age conuenient lett them be cloathed as the other and make their probation And lett the Abbesse commende them as also the other Nouices to a mistresse whome she should choose of the most vertuous of the monastery who shall carefully instruct them according to the order of our professiō Lett the forme aforesaid be obserued in the examination made to receaue the sisters that are to serue without the Monastery and they may weare hose and shooes and lett no woman or mayden dwell in the Monastery among you if she be not receaued according to the forme of your profession My deere and welbeloued sisters I admonish pray and require you for the loue of IESVS CHRIST who comming into the world was wrapped in poore cloutes and then by his most sacred mother layd in a manger that you alwayes cloath your selues with the poorest and coursest cloath and the meanest that you can possibly Of the manner of saying the diuine office of fasting and of the time of communicating THE III. CHAPTER THe Religious that can read shall say the diuine office according to the vse of the Frere Minors when they may haue a Breuiary and shall read it without singing and they who sometimes vpon some light impediment cannot read the office shall say their Pater nosters as the others sisters that cannot read who shall say for their Mattins twenty four times the Pater noster for Laudes fiue For the Prime Third Sixt and Ninth houre for each seauen times the Pater Noster for the Euensong twelue times and for Compline seauen times They also shall say for the euensong of the dead seauen times the Pater Noster with Requiem aeternam and for the Matins twelue times And the sisters that can read shall say the office of the dead When any Religious of the Monastery shall dye the sisters shall say fifty Pater Nosters for her soule The sisters shall fast att all times but on the Natiuity of our Lord IESVS CHRIST fall it on whatsoeuer day they may eat two meales The yong the weake and the seruantes that liue out of the Monastery may be dispensed withall for their fastes by mercy and charity according to the discretion of the Abbesse But in time of manifest necessity the sisters shall not be obliged to corporall fast Lett them with permission of the Abbesse confesse twelue times in the yeare lett them be exceeding wary not to entermingle any wordes in their confession but what is necessary thervnto and for the saluation of their soules Lett the sisters communicate seauen times a yeare to witt att the Natiuity of our Lord Maundie thursday att Easter Ascension day Whitsonday on the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Alsaintes since the canonization of sainct Francis for the eight communion is added the day of his feast It shal be permissable for the chappelain to communicate the sick within the Monastery How the Abbesse is to be chosen THE IV. CHAPTER THe Religious shal be obliged to obserue the canonicall forme in election of their Abbesse where they shall endeauour to haue the Generall of the Frere Minors or att least the Prouinciall who may by the word of God vnite them and admonish them to agree touching the election of their Abbesse to doe what shall seeme to them most profitable aduertising them not to choose a Religious that is not professed and if one should be elected before profefsion and made Abbesse by any other meane lett not such Abbesse be obeyed till she haue made profession conformably to the ordonances and to the rule of our pouerty And the terme of her chardge being ended lett an other be chosen And if sometimes after the election of the Abbesse all the sisters iudge her vncapable of such chardge for
necessity of the Monastery Neuertheles they may haue and possesse a litle ground to make a garden to supply the necessities and seruices of the sisters How and in what sort the Religious must labour and exercise themselues THE VII CHAPTER THe sisters to whome God hath giuen grace and ability to labour after the third houre they may employ themselues in some decent exercise and conuenient to their profession that may be for the common profitt sincerely and deuoutly yet in such sort that expelling idlenes the capitall ennemy of the soule the spiritt of holy prayer and deuotion be not extinguished wherto all other tēporall thinges ought to serue And what they shall haue wrought with their handes they shall bring to the chapter before all the other Religious deliuering the same to the Abbesse or to her vicaresse The same shall likewise be done touching all the almes that shal be sent to the monastery by whome soeuer that some prayers be offered in common for such benesactours and then such thinges shal be distributed according to the common necessitie by the Abbesse or her vicaresse with the consent of the discreet or Counsailers of the Abbesse That the Religions may not appropriat any thing to them selues and of the sick sisters THE VIII CHAPTER LEtt not the Religious haue any thing in propriety but lett them serue God in this world as pilgrimes and strangers in all pouerty and humility seeking almose with confidence and they must not be ashamed therof considering that our Lord IESVS CHRIST became poore for vs in this world It is this sublimity of the most high pouerty that maketh and instituteth you my beloued sisters heires of the cestiall kingdome making your selues poore of temporall cōmodities to be ennobled with celestiall vertues Lett it be your part and portion to conduct you to the land of the liuing wherto to arriue my deerest sisters for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST despise and haue no regard to gett any other thing Let it not be permitted to any Religious to send or receaue letters nor to take or conuey any thing in or out of the Monastery without leaue of the Abbesse Lett it neither be permissable to any Religious to keep any thing that is not giuen or permitted her by her Abbesse or Vicaresse And if their kindred or others send any thing to the Religious lett the Abbesse cause it to be deliuered And if that Religious to whome it is sent haue need therof she may vse it if not an other that hath need may of charity vse it And if mony be sent the Abbesse by aduise of the discreetes shall therwith prouide and supply the wants of her to whome it is sent Lett the Abbesse be obliged to haue care of the sick sisters as well to comfort them as to procure by her selfe and others that which their infirmity requireth touching their diett and other thinges necessary according to the possibility of the place and lett them be prouided for with charity and compassion Considering that all the Religious are bound to sssist succour and serue their sick sisters as they in the like case would expect of others And lett one sister securely manifest and discouer her necessities to an other in regard that if she that is a true mother doe loue and cherish her carnall child with what greater dilligence and care ought a sister to loue cherish her spirituall sister and therfore it shal be permitted to lay the sicke on beddes of chaffe and to giue them a pillow filled with downe or soft feathers and they that haue need to be layd on Matteresses filled with wooll and to haue coueringes it may be graunted them When the said sick sisters shal be visited by them that enter into the monastery they may briefely answeare them in discourse of edification And lett not the others sisters that shall haue leaue to speake yet presume to doe it to those that enter into the Monastery if there be not two of the discreetes present to heare what they shall say whome the Abbesse or her Vicaresse shall nominate and lett the Abbesse her selfe and the Vicaresse be obliged also to obserue this forme of speaking Of the penance fitt to be giuen to the Religious vpon occasions and of the manner of negotiation without the Monastery THE IX CHAPTER IF any Religious be so forgetfull as to sinner mortally against the rule or institutions of your profession by the instigation of the deuill hauing bin once and twice reprehended and chaptered for it by the Abbesse and euen by the other Religious without amendement As many dayes as she remayneth obstinate lett her eat but bread and drinck water in the refectory before all the other sisters and vpon the ground afterwardes lett her be enioyned to a greater pēnance att the pleasure of the Abbesse And lett her be prayed for during her abstinencie demaunding of God to illuminate her hart and to reduce her to pennance Lett the Abbesse and the Religious be wary not to be much offended or troubled att the sinne of any of their sisters because anger and vexation of it selfe hindereth charity towardes ones neighbour If it should happen which God if he please forbid that the sisters should fall into contentious wrangling against one an other and should vtter wordes of scandall she that shal be cause therof lett her before she offer any prayer to IESVS CHRIST goe fall on her knees to the feet of the other and not only demaund pardon of her but lett her entreat her to pray to our Lord to pardon her And the party offended remembring the wordes of our Lord saying If you forgiue not with a good hart no more will your heauenly Father forgiue you lett her most willingly and freely pardon her sister all the iniuryes she may haue receaued of her Lett the lay sisters that serue without the monastery and trauell abroad neuer goe forth of the monastery but vpon some manifest necessity Lett them goe modestly and speake litle that the personnes with whome they haue affaires be edified by them And lett them haue a speciall care not to be in company that may be suspected nor to entertaine any euill counsaile Lett them not be Gossips to men or women for feare that some occasion of murmure doe arise therof And lett them not be so bold as to recount vnto the Monasterie the newes of worldly matters and affaires and lett them be most strictly obliged not to report abroad any thing done or spoaken in the monastery that may occasion scandale And if one of them doe simplie fall into one of these errours it shall rest in the discretion of the Abbesse to giue her a pennance answearable to her offence yet with compassion which she shall doe by the aduise and counsaile of the greater part of the discreetes How the Abbesse ought to visit her Religious THE X. CHAPTER LEtt the Abbesse visitt her Religious admonish reprehēd and correct them with
her beloued IESVS CHRIST the Religious was perfectly cured An other seruāt of God borne att Perusia had for two yeares so lost her voice that one could scarcely heare her speake but hauing vnderstood by a visiō which she had the night of the Assuption of our Lady that sainte Clare should cure her the poore afflicted creature hauing very impatiently expected the breake of day repayred with a strōg confidēce vnto that holy virgin and by signes craued her benedictiō which fauour hauing obtayned her voice which so lōg time she had wāted became as cleare and shrillas euer it had bin An other Religious called Christina that had bin lōg time deafe in one of her eares had in vaine tried many remedies S. Clare hauing made the signe of the crosse on her head with her hād touched her eare she recouered her hearing as perfectly and clearly as before An other Religious called Andrea had a disease in her throat the griefe wherof procured her much impatiēce it was admirable that among so many prayers enflamed with diuine loue there should be a soule so cold among such prudent virgins one so indiscreet vncōsiderate This Religious feeling her selfe one night more tormēted with her infirmity then ordinarily afflicted impatiēt that her paine did rather encrease thē diminish she so crushed pressed her throat that she made appeare her intentiō to choake her selfe thincking by violēce to expell that swelling so to auoyd longer torment by ignorāce attempting to doe more then was the will of God But whiles that poore Religious busied her selfe in this folly saincte Clare by diuine inspiration had knoledge therof wherfore calling one of her Religious she willed her to hasten downe and boyle an egge in the shell and cause sister Andrea to swallow it which done to bring her to her presence The Religious instātly dressed the egge and forthwith brought it to the sicke party whome she found litle better then dead hauing so crushed her throat that her speech was vtterly gone yet she made her swallow the egge as wel as she could then raising her frō her strawbed shewith much labour led her to S. Clare who thus spake vnto her Wretched sister confesse thee to God and haue contrition for what thou intendedst to doe and acknoledge that IESVS CHRIST will giue thee health far better then thou with thy owne handes haddest purposed to doe change thy euill life into a better for thou shalt neuer recouer an other sicknesse that shall succed this but shalt dye therof These wordes procured in this Religious a spiritt of compunction and contrition so that she being entierly cured of this grieuous infirmity amended her life and a litle after she fell into an other sicknes which saincte Clare had foretold wherof she ended her life piously It doth manifestly appeare by these examples and by many other merueillous thinges which this holy virgin wrought by this healthfull signe that the tree of the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST was deeply planted in her hart and that in a merueillous manner the fruites did interiourly recreat her soule sith the leaues therof did exteriourly worck such remedies by the handes and merittes of this glorious sainct How saincte Clare blessed bread wheron the signe of the crosse miraculously remayned THE XXII CHAPTER S. Clare was a disciple of the crosse of such notable fame and sanctity that not only great prelats and Cardinals much desired to see her to heare and discourse with her for which cause they often visited her but the Pope himselfe boare her also this affection in so much that Pope Innocēt the fourth repayred to her Monastery to heare of her as a secretary of the holy Ghost celestiall and diuine discourses And hauing a long time conferred with her of matters of saluatiō of the prayses of God whiles they entertayned thēselues in so pious a discourse S. Clare caused the dinner to be prepared the tables for the Religious to be couered causing bread to be brought thither with intentiō to procure the Vicar of IESVS CHRIST to blesse it to be afterwardes kept of deuotion Their discourse thē being ended sainte Clare fell on her knees before the Pope and besought him to blesse the bread wherto his holinesse answeared daughter Clare I will that you blesse it your selfe making theron the signe of the crosse The sainct therto answeared most holy Father pardon me if you please for if I should doe it I should deserue sharpe reprehensiō in presuming to giue my benedictiō in presence of your holinesse The Pope againe replyed well that no presumption be imputed vnto you and that you meritt therby I command you by holy obedience to blesse these loaues making on them the signe of the crosse This daughter of obedience presently lifted vp her hand and made the signe of the crosse on the bread whence ensued an admirable accident for the crosse remayned on the bread wherof part was eaten of deuotion and the rest reserued as a holy relique which euent filled the Pope with admiration for which he gaue thanckes to God then gaue his benediction to sainte Clare who receaued it with great humility and was much comforted withall Of many infirmities of the glorious Virgin S. Clare of her weaknesse and how she was visited by the Protectour THE XXIII CHAPTER THe Virgin sainte Clare had now forty yeares run the race of the most eminent vertue and practise of pouerty and broken the alleblaster of her body in the most strict prison by fasting and rigours of disciplines and by this meane filled the house of the holy Church with the most precious oyntment of her vertues wherwith she drew after her an infinite number of soules to the seruice of IESVS CHRIST and as she already approached to the recompence of eternall glory hauing supported diuers infirmities and consumed the forces of her body in her first yeares by the rigour of penance she was also in her latter dayes oppressed and afflicted with diuers grieuous sicknesses But because in the time of her health she was in such sort enriched with the meritt of good worckes that being sicke she gained the true richesse of the merittes of patience she yet enioyed the fruites of her vertues that were ripened in afflictions and molestations occasioned by diuersity of diseases But the vertue of her patiēce doth euidently appeare in that hauing bin twenty eight yeares together afflicted with diuers diseases she was neuer heard to vtter the least murmure or complaint but continually were heard to proceed out of her mouth pious wordes and thanckesgiuing to almighty God Now being exceedingly weakened with infirmity and euery moment seeming to her the drawing on of the end of her life it pleased our Lord IESVS CHRIST to prolong it till she might be visited by the eminent Officers of the Romane Church wherof she was a seruant and special child For the Pope being yett att Lions this S. beginning
to be more tormented by her infirmities then she accustomed to be a sword of sorrow through-pearced the soule of her beloued daughters But a virgin seruante of IESVS CHRIST and a very deuout Religious of the Monastery of saint Paul and Order of saint Benedict had att that time this vision following It semed to her that she did visitt sainte Clare withall her sisters att saint Damian whom she saw in a sorrowfull yet precious bed about which they all lamēted expecting her death and withall she saw come to the bolster of the sayd bed a very beautifull woman who sayd to them that wept My daughters weep not for her that is yet to liue for she cannot dye til our Lord and all his disciples doe come A litle after the Romane Court was att Perusia where the encrease of sainte Clares sicknesse being diuulged the Cardinall of Hostia hastened with great dilligence to visite the espouse of IESVS CHRIST whose Father he was by office Gouernour by speciall sollicitude and Fosterer and friend in most pure and chast amitie and her he comforted applying and with his owne handes administring vnto her the most sacred sacrament of the Eucharist and then made a very deuout sermon vnto the Religious sainte Clare with great humility and in the name of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST besought him to accept in recommēdation that her family and all her other poore sisters of other Monasteries but aboue all she most instātly besought him to obtaine of the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinalls a priuiledge and confirmation of holy pouerty Wherto the Cardinall gaue his word and as a faithfull Protectour of her Religion one most deuout and affectionat to saincte Clare did afterwardes effect it For Pope Innocēt the fourth att her most instāt request confirmed the rule which the holy Father saint Francis had instituted for her as is formerly recorded of which rule S. Clare had neuer till then other cōfirmation written then that of the said Cardinall because the Pope supposing to induce sainte Clare not to bind her Religious to such an extreme pouerty did still deferre to confirme her rule by writing But Innocent the fourth seeing the perseuerāce and last will of sainte Clare graunted the same vnto her by a bull the eleuenth and last yeare of his raigne as we haue before recorded And the yeare being almost expired the Pope came with his Cardinals from Perusia to Assisium wherin the first vision touching the death of the holy virgin was accomplished for the Pope being in his office more then a man by the aucthority which he hath of IESVS CHRIST on earth whose person he representeth in the temple of the Church militant the Cardinals accompanying his holinesse represented the disciples of our Lord IESVS CHRIST How Pope Innocent the fourth visited S. Clare in her last sicknes and gaue her absolution THE XXIV CHAPTER THe diuine prouidence would no longer deferre the accomplishment of the will of S. Clare but her Spouse IESVS CHRIST came to eleuate into his celestiall Pallace his poore espouse and pilgrime on earth who desired nothing more that being deliuered of this mortall body she might haue the sight and fruition of her most glorious IESVS CHRIST in his kingdome Now then the members of this virgin being by continuance of her sicknes as vtterly decayed there befell her a new weakenes which being a token that she should in short time be called of God she also vsed it as a ladder to mount to eternall saluation Whervpon the Pope Innocent the fourth came to the Monastery of saint Damian accompanied with many Cardinals to visitt the seruant of God not doubting but she whose life he had already approued was the most perfect in sanctity of all women of his time and therfore worthy to haue her death honoured by his presence His holinesse then being entred he went directly to the glorious Virgin and comming neere to her bed he tendered her his hand to kisse which fauour saincte Clare with exceeding ioy receaued But besides that she with great humility besought him to aford her his feet to kisse The Pope to content her sate downe vpon a litle bench and deuoutly presented vnto her his Apostolicall feet on which this sainct reuerently laid her face and mouth most affectionatly kissing them then with the serenity of an Angelicall countenance she demaunded of him remission of all her sinnes Wherto the Pope answeared would to God my deere sister I had need of such a pardon but finally he gaue her the benefitt of absolutiō and the gift of his benediction then left her in peace She hauing that morning receaued the most sacred communion att the hand of the Prouinciall of the Frere Minors of that prouince with her handes ioyned and her eyes eleuated towardes heauen she weeping sayd to her Religious My daughters prayse almighty God for the benefitt it hath pleased him to bestow on me this day which is such that the earth and the heauens are not of sufficiencie to recompence it sith this day I haue both receaued the same Lord and am esteemed worthy to see his vicar on earth How S. Clare comforted her sister S. Agnes THE XXV CHAPTER THe daughters were all about their mother without whom they were in short time to remayne orphanes the cōsideration wherof through-pearced their soules with a most bitter griefe The heauines of sleep nor hungar could not draw them from the presence of their mother the contentment which they receaued in her presence made them forgett to eat and to sleep because all their exercise was to weepe and particulerly her most deuout sister Agnes who was expresly come from the Monastery which she had newly erected att Florence to be present att her death Being then in this anguish she tourned towardes her sister and most instantly prayed her not to depriue her of her presence Wherto sainte Clare answeared Deere sister whome I cordially loue sith it hath pleased God that I depart be you ioyfull and weepe no more for I assure you our Lord will shortly come to you to visitt you with an exceeding consolation before your death Here followeth the testament of the holy S. Clare In nomine Domini Amen AMongest all other benefittes which we haue receaued of our bountifull benefactour the king of mercies and doe daily receiue of him for which we are most boud to praise him one is for our vocatiō which by how much greater it is by so much more are we bound vnto him the Apostle saith acknowledge your vocatiō God hath made himselfe a way which he hath shewed by word and example our holy Father S. Francis a most perfect zelatour and follower of the same way hath thaught vs wherfor my beloued Sisters we ought to marcke the vnmeasurable benefitt which God hath done vnto vs amongest the rest that which he hath vouchsafed to worcke in vs through his seruāt our Father S. Frācis not only after our cōuersion but
nor sowe I admonish you all my Sisters who are shall be that you labour to follow the way of simplicity humility pouerty and also the modesty of holy conuersation as we in the beginning of our conuersion haue bin taught of Christ and of our holy Father saint Francis through which not through our meritt but through the mercy of the liberall giuer the Father of mercies hath spread abroad the sauour of our good name as well vnto those who are far off as to such as are neere And for the charity of our Lord IESVS lett thē keepe the vniō of loue The charity which you haue interiourly shew it exteriourly by worckes to the end that through your exāple the sisters who are called vnto your profession may encrease in the loue of God mutuall charity Also I pray all those who shal be chosen in the offices of the sisters that they study to excell the others rather in vertue and modest conuersation then in their office to the end that by their example the Sisters that were called vnto the religion before them be moued to obey them not only in respect of their office but for loue The Abbesse must be carefull discreet towardes her Sisters as a good mother towardes her children She must also haue a prouident care of euery one according to their necessity of the almose which it shall please God to send her She must withall be so sweet and indifferent vnto all that the sisters may with out feare or doubt declare vnto her their necessity and that they confidently haue recourse vnto her when the Abbesse and the Sisters shall thincke it to be necessary The Sisters that are subiect lett them remember that for the loue of God they haue renounced their owne willes wherfore I will that they obey their mother as they of their one accord promised vnto God to doe to the end that their mother seeing the humility charity vnion which they haue vnto each other may easily beare the chardge with the office shesustaineth and because it is heauy bitter they must through their holy conuersatiō turne it into sweetnes And because the way is narrow the gate streight which leadeth vnto life few there are that walke in it and few that perseuer therin blessed are they that haue receiued the grace to walke in it and to perseuer vnto the end lett vs therfore be carefull if we be entred in the way of our lord that by out fault and negligence we doe not fall from the same to the end that we committ not that iniury vnto our lord to this blessed mother the glorious Virgin Mary to our holy Father sainct Francis and to the triumphant and militant church for it is written accursed are they who decline from your commandement For to obtaine this grace I bend my knee vnto the heauenly Father through the merittes of lord IESVS and of his blessed mother of our holy Father saint Francis and of all the Sainctes that it well please him of his diuine Maiestie who hath giuen a good beginning to graunt grace also that it may augment and perseuer euen vntill death Deerly beloued Sisters present and to come to the end that you may the better perseuer in your vocation I leaue vnto you this writing and in token of our Lordes benediction and of the benedictiction of our holy Father saint Francis and of me your mother and seruant The end of the testament of the glorious Virgin saincte Clare Here ensueth S. Clares Benediction vnto her Sisters present and to come IN the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen My deerly beloued Sisters our lord giue you his holy benedictiō and behold you with his holy eye of mercy giuing you his peace as also to all those that shall enter and perseuer in this our Colledge and monastery and vnto all other of the Order who shall perseuer vnto the end in this holy pouerty I Clare seruant of IESVS CHRIST and litle plante of our holy Father S. Francis your mother Sister though vnworthy doe beseech our lord IESVS CHRIST that by the intercession of his most holy mother of the holy Archangell S. Michaell and of all the holy Angels of our holy Father S. Francis and of al the holy Saintes that it wil please him to giue and confirme vnto you this benediction in heauen and in earth by multiplying in you his holy grace and in heauen by eleuating you into the eternall glory with his saintes And I giue you my benediction in my life and after my death in all that I am able and more then I am able Withall the blessinges wherwith the Father of mercies hath or shall blesse his spirituall children both in heauē and earth or that the spirituall mother doth or shal be able to blesse her spirituall chirldren Amen Be alwayes louers of God of your soule and of your Sisters and be alwayes carefull to keepe that which you haue vowed to God Our lord be alwayes with you and you with him Amē Of the death of the blessed Virgin S. Clare and of a vision which one of her Religious saw THE XXVI CHAPTER THe holy virgin and seruant of IES CH. was many dayes towardes the end of her life afflicted with diuers diseases The faith deuotiō which att that time each one boare her exceedingly encreased yea so far foorth as she was honoured as a S. being ordinarily visited by Cardinals Bishoppes and other Prelates But which is more admirable to heare hauing bin seauenteen dayes without force to receaue any sustenāce that was presented vnto her she was neuertheles so fortified of God and encouraged of his diuine Maiesty that she exhorted all those that would comfort her to be prompt in the seruice of God A Religious mā intending to comfort her and to persuade her to haue patience in so grieuous a sicknesse that procured her so much torment she with a smiling countenance cleare voyce answeared him Brother since the time that I knew the grace of my God by meanes of his seruant saint Francis no paine hath bin troublesome vnto me no penance hath seemed difficult nor no sicknesse ircksome And as almighty God approached neere vnto her her soule being as it were att the dore to goe forth the blessed virgin would haue the most pious and spirituall Frere Minors to be present to discourse vnto her of the passiō of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and by their pious wordes to enflame her more in the loue of God Wherfore some of them who were vnto her true Brethren in our Redeemer CHRIST IESVS were present and amōg others Br. Iuniperus the familier of our Lord IESVS CHRIST who often vttered vnto her such fiery and enflamed wordes of the omnipotēt God that she by his presēce being filled with an extreme ioy one day demaunded of him if he then knew nothing new of almighty God whervpon Br. Iuniperus opening his
hardly can I speake and this because I am corporally separated from you and my holy sisters with whome I hoped to haue happely liued and dyed in this world So farre is this my griefe from slacking that it continually encreaseth which as it had a beginning so doe I beleeue it will finde no end in this world For it is so continuall and familier vnto me that it will neuer forsake me I was persuaded that life and death should be a like without power of any separation on earth amongest them who haue one same conuersation and life in heauen and must haue one same sepulture them I say who one same and equall naturall profession and one same loue hath made sisters But as far as I can see being abandoned and afflicted on eache side I am much mistaken O my holy sisters I beseech you to be reciprocally grieued with me and lett vs weepe together I being assured that you shall neuer experience any doulour comparable to that which I now feele in being separated from them with whome IESVS CHRIST had conioyned me This griefe tormenteth me incessantly this fire burneth my hart continually so that being on each side afflicted I know what to thincke neither doth any hope remayne but to be assisted by your prayers that Almighty God easing this affliction may make it tollerable vnto me O my most gracious mother what shall I doe and what shall I say sith I know not that euer I shall see you more or likewise my sisters O that it were lawfull for me to vtter vnto you the conceiptes of my soule as I would desire or that I could open my hart vnto you on this paper then should you see the liuely and continuall dolour that tormenteth me My soule bâ—rneth interâ—ourly being afflicted with an incessant fire of loue and my hart groneth sigheth and lamenteth with desire of your presence Myne eyes cannot haue their fill of weeping and albeit I seeke some consolation against this bitternes yet can I find none but euery thing turneth into griefe and much more when I coÌ„sider the meanes to see you I am entierly steeped in these anguishes hauing none that can comfort me in this life but that I receaue a litle consolation from the liberal hand of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Which causeth me to beseech you all to giue thanckes vnto his diuine maiesty for this fauour and mercy extended towardes me and for that through his grace I finde in this Couent such concord peace and charity as by wordes cannot be expressed these sisters hauing receaued me with exceeding loue deuotion yelding me obedience with extraordinary promptitude and reuerence They all with one accord recommend themselues to our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you my sister and to all the sisters of the monastery and I recommend both my selfe and them to your prayers beseeching you as our Mother to be mindfull of them and of me as of your daughters and know you that they and I will all the dayes of our life obserue and keep your holy preceptes and aduertisementes Besides I desire you should know that the Pope hath accorded to whatsoeuer I demaunded him conformably to your intention and mine and particulerly in the matter you know viz. that we may not possesse any thing proper I beseech you my most deere Mother to procure of the R. Father Generall that he often visitt vs to comfort vs in God whose grace be with your spiritt Amen Of an extasie of S. Agnes and how S. Clare saw her thrice crowned by an Angell THE XXXVI CHAPTER SAinte Clare in her last sicknes obtained that her sister S. Agnes might come to see her in the monastery of S. Damian to keep her company during the few dayes she had to liue And so S. Agnes hauing left her Couent well grounded in Religion and sanctity she came to Assisium where sainte Clare being one night in prayer a part from her sister she neuertheles saw her being also in prayer lifted from the earth and an Angell to crowne her head three seuerall times with so many crownes The day following she demanded of her sister what player or contemplation she had made the night past But she of humility vnwilling to manifest her prayer being att length enforced by obedience made her this relation I considered the great goodnes and patience of almighty God wherby he supporteth such enormous offences of sinners which I considered with a deep sorrow and compassion Then I thought and yet doe thinck on the loue which almighty God beareth to sinners and how he endured death to saue them Thirdly I considered and doe consider and am with coÌ„passion exceedingly afflicted for the soules in purgatory and their great tormentes and because they cannot helpe them selues I asked mercy for them of the most sacred woundes of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST How S. Agnes sent S. Clares vaile to the monasterie of Florence and of her death and translation to S. George of Assisium with all her Religious into a new Couent THE XXXVII CHAPTER AFter the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes sent her black vaile which she did ordinairily weare to the poore Religious of MouÌ„t Celi which she had founded att Florence which she did in regard of her great amity towardes them that they might inherite some reliques of sainte Clare for their comfort and deuotion That vaile is yet in the sayd monastery where it is so carefully preserued that in substance and colour it seemeth still new There is likewise to be seene in the same monastery a cloake of sainct Francis by which reliques our lord worcketh many miracles A litle after the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes also desired to be present att the mariage of the lambe whither she was inuited but she first receaued the consolatioÌ„ which sainte Clare had promised her that before she departed out of this life she should see her Spouse IESVS CHRIST as a tast of the eternall felicities wherto she was to be eleuated and conducted by her sweet Spouse CHRIST IESVS She dyed the 56. yeare of her age replenished with perfect sanctity and being deliuered out of this prison she went to possesse the kingdome with Angels and the holy virgins that had bin consecrated to IESVS CHRIST in which glory these two sisters and daughters of Sion companions in heauen by nature and grace doe prayse God without end There assembled a great multitude of people vpon the death of sainte Agnes and they with great deuotion ascended the ladder of the monastery of sainct Damian hoping there to receaue some spirituall consolation of sanctity but it happened that the chaine which held the ladder did slip so that al those that were on it fell downe one vpon an other which made a great bruit and clamour by those that were hurt who hauing with a strong faith inuocated S. Agnes were all cured The sayd holy virgin was enterred att S. Damian but afterward was transported into the Church of
royally with this almose procured them by the deuill Which being perceaued by certaine good ancient Religious who acknowledged the spiritual detriment that arriued vnto them one of them began to consider on some meanes to remedy the same therfore he recoÌ„mended himselfe to God and besought him not to permit his seruants to faâ—â— into such relaxation in their manner of life And so being touched with the spirit of God he weÌ„t with his coÌ„panion to the house of this gentlemaÌ„ then benefactour with whome hauing discoursed of diuers matters touching almighty God he demaunded of him who had induced him to such deuotion towardes them as to bestow on them such liberall almose considering that a litle before he was nothing charitable towardes them att all Whereto the gentleman answeared that among infinite seruices which one of his seruants had don still continued he reputed this the principall that he had wrought him to be affected vnto them for the benefit of his soule And had such a special care to put him in minde to send them some bountifull almose that there was neuer day wherin he failed to procure the performaÌ„ce therof This Father admiring the exceeding charity of this seruant prayed the gentleman that he might see him whome causing diuers times to be called there was no meanes to make him appeare before this holy Religious But being att leÌ„gth thereunto enforced as soone as this good Religious saw him he knew who he was And he seeing himselfe discouered vanished and was neuer after seene in that place The Religious then hauing discouered the subtility of the deuill and procured the gentlemans promise to send no more almose to the monastery he reformed it and restored it to their former abstinence and rigour of spiritual life The deuill inuented an other delusion in Portugall in the Couent of Alenquer to disturbe disquiett the Religious of that place For hauing assumed the humane shape of an excellent Phisicion Surgion or Apothicary he went to the CoueÌ„t to demauÌ„d the habit of a Frere Minor which he did with great instance and feyned deuotion pretending to serue God therin Hauing receiued the habitt and being Nouice he dressed assisted and attended the sick Religious with so extraordinary a charity proÌ„ptitude and therin was so diligent and also in assisting att diuine seruice and prayer where he appeared so deuout and in althings fained himselfe so huÌ„ble that the Religious were exceedingly pleased in him in whome thy perceaued nothing deseruing admonition but that he alwayes made some excuse or cuasion to shunne the sacred communion with the other Nouices lay Brothers and other Religious that were not Priestes so that her neuer communicated all the time of his being there This fained Religious began of himselfe to publish vnto seculer parsons his qualities and sciences So that there was alwayes some one att the Couent dore that demauded certaine water receites or medicines for diuers infirmities he hauing already the fame of an excellent Phisician Wherwith the Religious were so disturbed that the Guardian who was one of the disciples of Saint Francis vppon this inquietude gaue himselfe to prayer to know the will of God in this behalfe where it was reuealed vnto him that the Phisician was a deuill and had putt himselfe among them to disturbe them wherupon he tooke the habitt fâ—oÌ„ that nouice and consequently expelled the deuil So that the Couent retourned to its former repose and pouerty which had already began to grow to ruine by the great quantity of almose brought thither by meanes of the Phisicion to whome infinite people from all partes did resort How our Sauiour Iesus Christ by the merittes of S. Francis conserued certaine Religious in the Order THE XXV CHAPTER AYong Religious being professed was so tempted by the deuill that he would needes leaue the habitt yet would he not doe it without the consent of sainct Francis of whom he demanded leaue to depart But he denyed him in these wordes Brother sith our lord by his piety hath deliuered you from the perils and miseries of the world you may by no meanes retourne againe therto This Religious being yet still tempted to leaue the Order went to the Pope to gett dispensation of his Holinesse But there also finding denyall he of him selfe cast off the habitt then wandring alone in the holdes he met a man naked hauing such woundes as our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST receaued for vs in his feet handes and side who shewed him his woundes wheratt the yong man being vtterly amazed asked him who he was how he had receaued those woundes so like to those of our Lord IESVS CHRIST Wherto our Sauiour answeared It is my selfe that haue bin thus wounded for thee and for mankinde and yet thou wilt abandon me to follow the world behould these woundes which I haue endured for thee And at al times that the deuill shal teÌ„pt thee causing thee to endure some contradiction against thy desire and tast fix thine eyes on these woundes and thou shalt find consolation Which sayd he incontinently vanished and the yong man changing his purpose retourned to S. Francis to whome he acknoweleged his fault and hauing obtayned pardon he recounted to all the Religious what he had seene and piously perseuered in the Order to the end An other Religious was tempted with desire to visite his kinred and leaue being refused him by the Prouinciall he sayd to himselfe I will goe and they shall see who can force me to retourne and presently without further licence departed The Religious followed him far most instantly praying him to retourne But reiecting their prayers ad admonitioÌ„s and proceeding in his iorney he was a litle after surprised with such an extreme desire of sleepe that he could not possibly resist it and so falling to the ground he fell a sleep And presently he had this vision S. Francis who then liued and was far distant from those quarters appeared vnto him saying how hast thou dared to misprise the yoke of obedience retourne incontineÌ„tly to the Couent whence thou art fled And because he would not goe S. Francis stroake him soundly with a wand which he had in his hand so that awaking he still felt the paine of the blowes receiued whervpon he speedily retourned to his Couent where his Brethren hauing very charitably receaued him he related vnto him how S. Francis had enforced him to retourne Sometime after a yong gentleman of very delicat constitution being admitted into the Order of the Frere Minors began by diabolicall teÌ„ptation to haue his habitt in such horrour that he seemed to carry on him a most base and abhominable burden This ircksomnes of religion encreasing in him he resolued to abaÌ„don it and to retourne to the world Now his Master of the Nouiciat had taught him that as often as he past before the altare of the most sacred sacrament he should vncouer his head bend his knees crossing his armes lowly
world and in like sort all his disciples Therfore he said by his Prophett Dauid I am a begger and poore God hath bin careful of me Goe on then securely after so worthy a Capitaine guide to take possession of that inheritance which IESVS CHRIST hath pourchaced vs and hath left to them that according to his example leaue the world and seeke to liue in pouertie onlie for his loue glorie of this inheritance and preferment in regard that he hath giuen it only to his beloued Know that many of the most noble and best learned men of the world shall adhere to our company who shall repute it a great fauour in this manner to goe aske an almose Goe then seeke for almose with the benediction of God and haue a faith and assurance far greater then they who carry with them a quantitie of siluer to pay it att the will of their master for you pay your benefactours more liberally then any other though it seeme not so giuing them for your almose the loue of God when you say Giue vs an almose for the loue of God But tell me I pray you what thing may there be had in heauen or earth that can equalize the price of the loue of God The Brethren being by their gracious Father thus induced went with allacrity to demaund almose into the townes and other places and being retourned to their Couent they incontinentlie deliuered it to the Father Gardian who afterward distributed it in common The said holy Father being one time in the Church of our lady of Angels a Brother that was very spirituall retourned from beging from Assisium with a loud voice thancking God S. Francis perceauing him was stricken with an amourous affection towardes him and went himselfe vnto him and kissed his shoulder wheron he caryed the wallett which he tooke off and layed on his owne shoulder to carry to the Couent where he said to the other Brethren I will that my fellow Brethren doe in like sort seeke almose and prayse God att their retourne It happened one day that a Nouice was commaunded to goe to begge but he refused to goe alleadging that he should be ashamed The holy Father vnderstanding it expelled him out of the Order with these wordes What Brother flye wilt thou liue of the labour of the other Brethren and rest idle in the vineyard of God as the drone who without trauaile seeketh to eat the labour of the bees The will of S. Francis was that the Brethren should often goe a begging according to their necessity that they might meritt and that being accustomed therto they should not be ashamed when occasion vrged them to goe And so the more noble and the more honoured a Brother had bin in the world the more ioyfull and content was he and the better edified aswell by this humility as by other seruices of obedience which he performed Sometimes S. Francis encouraging his Brethren would vse these like wordes vnto them My Brethren we haue bin giuen vnto the world in this latter age that the elect might accomplish in vs the worckes of charitie to the end they might meritt to be recompenced att the last day of iudgment with these sweet wordes of our God I was an hungred and you gaue me to eat I was thirsty and you gaue me to drincke and as long as you did it to one of these my least Brethren you did it to me Therupon the S. affirmed that to begge vnder the title of Freer Minor was a thing of exceeding consolation and recompence in the retribution of the iust which forenamed title the master of the Euangelicall truth particulerly specified with his diuine mouth when he said by his Prophett Man hath eaten the bread of Angels for this bread which is demaunded for the loue of God said the S. is properlie called the bread of Angels sith his diuine Maiestie by his Angels inspireth men to giue it Att principall feastes himselfe hauing leasure would vndertake to begge to make the feast more solemne in pouerty Being one time of Easter in a Couent so far from habitation that there was no meane for him to begge calling to minde that our Lord IESVS CHRIST on the like day appeared in forme of a Pilgrime to his disciples that went to Emaus he demanded almose in the refectorie of his owne Brethren as a poore straunger and liued therwith admonishing his Brethren that passing through the desert of this world as Pilgrimes and straungers and as true Hebrewes that haue no assured residence here they should alwayes in humilitie of spiritt celebrate the Pasch of God which is his passadge from this world to his eternall Father in the glory of heauen Being inuited by certaine great noble men to eat with them be â—at nothing there but the almose which he had begged att the dores THE XLVI CHAPTER BY reason that he demaunded not almose out of a couetousnes but only by a liberty of spiritt and a zeale of holy pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST therfore did he far more willingly eate of that which he begged and was giuen him att dores then of what was presented him att table in the banquettes of Princes When therfore he was inuited by them before he went thither he first begged morcels of bread att the dores which he eat att their tables Which he did partlie for loue he bare to holie pouerty and partly also to giue example to his Brethren Being one day inuited by the Cardinall of Hostia who exceedinglie loued him he first according to his custome begged peices of bread and hauing gott what was necessary he went to the table of the said Cardinall where he sodenlie emptyed out all the said peices of bread and laid before him next vnto whome was the place of the said Cardinall who esteemed himselfe as it were braued thereby yet for the present would say nothing therof But the holy Father thincking on what he had to doe began to deuide his bread into many litle morcels which he distributed among the noble men that were att the table who receaued it very deuoutly some of them presentlie eating it others kept it for reuerence Which the Cardinall perceauing with much contentment was somewhat appeased Notwithstanding after the refection being retired into a chamber with S. Francis embracing him and clipping him with his armes he gestingly said O simple brother my freind why hast thou giuen me so great an affront this daye as comming to eat att my table which is thine and theirs who appertaine vnto thee thou wouldest first begge that thou wert to eat The holy Father answeared him nay I haue rather done you this day great honour sith that att your table hath bin honoured a greater Lord then your selfe and one that is your master besides the subiect doeing that which his Lord commandeth him he honoureth his master For God had so much loued this royall pouerty that he hath vouch-safed to accept