know that this blessed Father had the spiritt of prophesie as they testifie who knew him and that hauing perseuered in sanctity of life he reposed in peace He was buryed in Arezzo his owne country whither it is held that he brought from Babilon one of the fingers of the holy Prophett Daniel Br. Peregrinus of Faleron was admitted to the religion of the holy Father S. Francis who prophesied vnto him that albeit he weere learned he should notwithstanding apply himselfe to the actiue life and his companion to the contemplatiue and so it arriued for he was a lay brother for which humility he obtayned of God an exceeding great perfection in vertues and particulerly the grace of compunction and the loue of God for whose sake desiring martyrdome he went to Ierusalem where he visited all the holy places with such deuotion teares embracinges and most tender louing kisses that in those places he adored our Sauiour as present Br. Bernard Quintaualle affirmed of this Religious that he was one of the most perfect of the world And as he was by name a Stranger so was he also in his life for the loue of IESVS CHRIST was so burning in his hart that he neuer permitted any other thing to rest there but alwayes walked and sighed towardes heauen thus did he ascend from vertue to vertue in such sort that he was exceedingly illuminated in his life and in his death by diuers miracles Br. Ricerio employed himselfe in the contemplatiue life according to the prophesie of S. Francis which made him familier vnto him and he instructed him in many diuine verities he made him Prouinciall of the marquisate of Ancona many matters coÌ„cerning this holy Religious are recorded in the life of S. Francis Br. Augustin of Assisium Prouinciall of the land of Labour commoÌ„ly called Naples was a Religious of such sanctity that he merited not only to be companion in life and profession with S. Francis but also in his death and glory for hauing in his last sicknes already lost his speech he saw the soule of S. Francis ascend vnto heauen which encouraged him to cry out Stay holy Father stay for me and his soule foorthwith leauing his body it accompanyed that of his blessed Father to eternall glory Br. Roger the disciple of S. Francis v as of such sanctity that Pope Gregorie the ninth approued him for a S. permitted commemoration to be made of him in the CoueÌ„t of the Frere Minors of Tiuoly but because he was not canonized with the accustomed soleÌ„nities the Religious neuer durst keep his soleÌ„ne feast He was not canonized because the exameÌ„ of his miracles appointed by the said Pope was neuer accomplished Brother Philippe the Long was also disciple of S. Francis He was the first Confessour Visitour and Minister of the Religious of S. Clare It is found recorded of this S. that an Angell purged his lippes touching them with a burning coale as the Seraphin did to the Prophett Esaye which was not a litle necessary to him that was to administer the word of God vnto Religious women Br. Barbarus Br. Iohn of S. Constantin and Br. Bernard of Viridante that were of the first companions of S. Francis were exceeding eminent in their vertuous and merueillous actions as their worckes were written in the booke of life so their soules for euer liue in glory their bodyes are buryed in the Couent of S. Francis att Assisium Br. Pacificus companion of the holy Father was of such perfection that he merited to see many merueillous worckes which our Lord secretly wrought in his seruant S. FraÌ„cis and because the glorious S. knew his perfection and sanctity he sent him Prouinciall into FraÌ„ce where he remayned diuers yeares then dyed and was buryed att Laon. The end of the sixt booke of the second volume and first part of the Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin particuler mention is made of 25. disciples of the holy Father S. Francis all of very singuler sanctity of life of worthy miracles THE SEAVENTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS CONTAINED THE LIFE AND admirable doctrine of Br. Giles of Assisium a Religious of great perfection who was the third Disciple of S. Francis Translated as before Of the conuersion of Brother Giles to the Religion of the Frere Minors THE FIRST CHAPTER ALBEIT to read or heare the liues of all or any sainctes exceedingly dispose the spirittes to the contempt of temporall pleasures and induce them to purchase true and eternall richesse yet it cannot be denyed but that the life of some one more then an other doth cause these effectes as I hope this ensuyng shall proue of the glorious Brother Giles of Assisium who was the third that followed S. Francis whose life being of singuler note it is requisite it should be described more att lardge The time employed in reading therof shall not be wasted for the soules therby shal be enriched with holy doctrines with diuine examples and documents But I omitte to recount his conuersion it being already handled in the ninth chapter of the first booke and first volume of this present part How Brother Giles went to visit the reliques of S. Iames in Galuâ—a and the holy Sepulcher of our Redeemer Iesus Christ in HierusaleÌ„ THE II. CHAPTER IT was the custome of the first Fathers of this Order to goe often in pilgrimage not to seeke their more liberty nor to satisfie their appetite with better cheere but for the exercise of perfection and to suffer hungar thirst cold heate and the affi ontes which they often endured as vnknowne in that new habitt and so did they dispose theÌ„selues to the incommodities of obedience and were couragious for they went barefoot withone single habit without wallets edifying themselues in patience and their neighbour in charitie Now Brother Giles hauing gotten leaue of the holy Father S. Francis he went to visitt the church of S. Iames of Compostella in which voyage he did not so much as once satisfie his hungar such a desire had he to feele in himselfe the force of pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST Finding one day no meane to gett so much as bread wherwith only he liued hauing found in a barne certaine huskes of beanes left there after the threshing he did eat them with great appetite and after tooke his rest in the same place The next morning he arose very early as cheerfull and well disposed as if he had eaten the best and most delicate foode in the world He was thus accustomed to suffer being often in forrestes and solitary places which were more to his content then the conuersation of the world as lesse subiect to distractions in his spirituall exercises and more commodious for spending the night in watching and prayer In this iorney meeting with a poore sick creature full of soares and not knowing what to giue him he ript of his capuce and gaue it
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
to Assisium purposing by almes to execute and accomplish that which he could not doe with the mony of his fathers merchandise and this his dessigne had good successe For seeking ouer the citty where he was alreadie knowne to be the seruant of God he found mony among his freindes and kinred and matter requisite for the building of the said Church So associating him selfe with the Preist that serued there he began the said reparation wanting nether masters nor worckmen to this effect he neuertheles without intermission employed his owne person therin that his body being already weakened by continuall fastes and ordinary abstinences might be more subiected and chasticed as well by carrying burdensome stones as by the mortification he endured in demaunding of them to whome he had formerly giuen Thus by the grace of God and the deuotion of the faithfull he so well endeauoured that he accomplished the reparation of the said Church in which labour the said Preist perceiuing how painfully he employed himselfe for so holy an enterprise alwayes reserued somethinge to refectionate and releiue him But the humble seruant of God could not long endure that as being desirous to serue and not to be serued of any Wherupon he said once in himselfe Is it conuenient that thou haue alwayes a preist to serue thee Is that the way of pouerty which thou seekest and then he resolued to be no longer serued by preist or other person and when he would eate he tooke a dish and went to the dores with other poore people to demaund almose for the loue of God and with them did there eat what was giuen him And albeit this was att the begining very sharpe and difficult vnto him yet in the progresse it was so pleasing and contentfull that he afterward affirmed to his Religious that he neuer eat with so good an appetite as then Being one day inuited to eat with a Prelate he would eat nothing but what he had brought with him of almose giuen att the dores Saint Francis hauing finished the reparation of the Church of S. Damian went to repaire an other of S. Peter farther off from the citty and by the same meanes that he vsed in the former he in short time accomplished this also After that he went to Porticella very neere to Assisium where was a Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary which was so abandoned that there was no person had câ—ardge therof nor did any seruice therin He for the great deuotion he had to the Queene of heauen remained therin and incontinently began to thinck of repayring it and being there often visited by the Angels conformably to the title of the Church which was S. Mary of Angels he the more willingly stayed there and affected that place aboue all other because therin he began humbly proceeded and fought valiantly and there ended most blessedly There by diuine reuelation did he begin the foundation of the rule and order of the Frier Minors which was not without mysterie but by disposition of the diuine prouidence which gouerned him instructed and directed him in all his dessignes So that this worthey seruant of God repaired three materiall Churches of S. Damian S. Peter and S. Mary of Angels and all this before the institution of his Order and his preaching of the gospell as well that from these sencible thinges he might attaine to intellectuall and from lesser matters by course and ordre to great as also that what he should doe might first be reuealed vnto him by the mystery of sensible thinges to the end it might appeare that as he had reestablished three Churches so also that of IESVS CHRIST should be by him renewed and repayred according to the forme rule and doctrine which he would giue him as we see apparantly to haue succeeded in the three exercises or warfares if you will which are the three Orders which saint Francis institued in the world Of the second vocation to the estate of Euangelicall perfection and how he began his rule THE VII CHAPTER THe worthy of God hauing chosen for his residence the Church of the mother of IESVS CHRIST and therin perseuering in coÌ„tinuall feruent deuotions beseeching her to be his aduocate his prayers were of such efficacie that by the merittes of the glorious virgin he was also found worthy to conceiue and produce the spiritt of verity and of Euangelicall pouerty For as he one day deuoutly heard the masse of the Apostles where the gospell is read wherin our lord IESVS CHRIST prescribeth theÌ„ the forme of the EuaÌ„gelicall life when he sent them to preach ouer the world to this purpose saying Do not possesse gold nor siluer nor purses not a scripp for the way neither two coates neither shooes neither rodde And into what soeuer place you shall enter salute it saying the peace of God be in this house S. Francis hearing this cryed out with more then a naturall voice That is it which I seeke that is it which the interiour of my hart desireth and theÌ„ was he replenished by the holy spiritt of IESVS CHRIST with such a vertue that it did not only traÌ„sforme him into the said for me and rule in coÌ„sent and desire but euen in operations and effectes for immediatly he putt of his shooes he reiected his staffe and wallet He cast away the mony which remayned vnto him of almose and contenting himselfe with one only garment or coate reiected euen the lesser belt wherewith he was girded and vsed a corde being more carefull then to conforme himselfe perfectly to the Apostolicall life Vpon this Euangelicall lesson in this week and on this day which was the yeare of our lord one thousand two hundred and eight in the month of October and feast of S. Luke this blessed S. began the rule of the Frier Minors being then twenty seauen yeares of age two yeares from his coÌ„uersion being expired the twelueth yeare of Pope Innocent the third a worck proceeding verilie from the holy Ghost by the gospell of IESVS CHRIST not from any humane spiritt though God for an instrumeÌ„t would vse his most faithfull seruant as founder of so glorious a fabrick who as a prudent Architect layd the foundation of his Order with violent floudes of teares with most feruent prayers with worckes of mercie of penance and of retirednes and coniunction vnto God neuer wearied nor desisting till the holy Ghost had giueÌ„ him the foundatioÌ„ of the Apostles and Prophets which is that soueraigne stable corner stone IESVS CHRIST on whome the whole edifice being gounded and referred vnto it encreased in this holy temple of God vpon whome the S. did not build his order with the chaffe of vaine titles or of temporall possessions nor with the dirty dregges of worldly and perishable thinges but with purified gold which is the Euangelicall spiritt and with precious stones which are the Apostolical Counsailes by meanes wherof it was then securely guarded against the force
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
it might not hinder the profitable progresse of the soule He deuided the yeare into diuers Lentes all which he fasted austerelie and first the Lent which our Lord fasted which beginneth from the Epiphanie this great seruant of God fasted it in the honour and example of IESVS CHRIST very secretly with great silence and very strict abstinence of bread and water Then incontinently after Easter he kept an other Lent to solemnise the feast of the holy Ghost in which he prepared himselfe in example of the Apostles for so great a comming An other he made in honour of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul an other from the feast of the said Apostles to the assumption of the virgin Mary After this Lent he fasted till the feast of S. Michaell the Archangell Besides the foresaid Lentes he very austerely fasted the Aduent He left it as a precept to all his Brethren to fast it from the day after the feast of Alsaintes according to the same forme of the quality of meat which himselfe vsed Touching the rest of his austere life it may be conceaued by that which he said of himselfe I was neuer theefe in demaunding almose superfluously yea I haue alwayes taken lesse of that which I needed therby not to frustrate other poore because if I should haue done otherwise I should haue condemned my selfe of manifest theft Notwithstanding when he trauailed he did accommodate himselfe to their diett who gaue him entertainement in their house according to the gospell in such sort that both fasting and eating he alwayes edified his neighbour If in his sicknes he were constrayned to eat flesh from the time of his recouery he would for pennance double his ordinarie abstinence In regard wherof Brother Giles would commonly say that if S. Francis had a body sound and stronge as he desired all the world together had not equalised him for sufferance and patience in austerityes But because the merite and noblenesse of vertue consisteth not only in the party of the body but of the spiritt therfore by how much his bodilie force did faile so much were the feruours of his spiritt refortified so that they exceeded without comparison his naturall forces and that was his great crowne And therfore appearing one day to Brother Giles and telling him that he desired to speake foure wordes vnto him he answeared and said learne first with thy selfe that which thou wouldest say to me Besides the bare hard ground was the ordinary bed of this poore wearyed and trauailed body and his pillow was a stone or a peece of wood yet did he oftē sleep sitting in respect wherof his body had very small ease repose in his sleep for he spēt the most part of the night in prayer Wherto he arose whiles the other Br. slept whē he was with thē His habitt was one only coat with the capuce of very rude boysterous cloth and sometimes breeches and the corde As he hated delicate cloathing so did he extremely affect that which was rude and rough saying that S. Iohn was for that exceedingly praysed of God in these wordes that the custome of delicate cloathing is in the Courtes of Princes and not in the houses of the poore If therfore the holy Father felt any complacence in his habitt as being neat or whole he would incontinently quilt it within with grosse threed He affirmed that he knew of certaine that the diuels did admire att the obseruance of a difficult and austere life and that on the contrary they violentlie tempted those that were cloathed delicatelie Being one day demaunded how he could endure the sharpnes of winter in so poore and simple habitt he answeared couragiously If we were cloathed within with the flame of God we should most easily support this cold without and greater then ordinary if it shall happen But because he knew that all his Brethren were not capable of the like sufferance he said that the true seruant of God ought to gouerne himselfe with much discretion in his drincking and eating and in the vse of all other thinges necessarie to the entertainement of the body and in such sort that he gaue it not occasion to murmure that it hath not strength not only to pray and labour with the rest but euen not to stand on foot and when he shall haue done that if the body doe afterward play the iade become lazie and drowsie when it should pray lett him rudelie chastice it and therfore he ought in all his necessities to haue alwayes recourse to his superiours and humbly demand them And if he doe not obtaine them he ought to beare it patiently for the loue of God who also prayed his Father and was not heard and lett him vndoubtedly beleeue that a necessity voluntarily suffered for the loue of God is reputed vnto him as a martyrdome and if his body be therby endomaged the fault is not his but it is the will of God Notwithstanding these so milde documents for others he subdued his one body with an incredible rigour in regard wherof some few dayes before his death he of conscience asked it pardon for hauing so rigourously treated it and alleaged for excuse that he had not done it out of hatred vnto it but for its greater security and for the glorie of God Of preseruing the treasure of chastitie and how he afflicted himselfe and cast himselfe into a pitt full of snow THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe blessed Father liued with an extreame rigour and sharpnes of discipline to conserue the virginall splendor of chastity very diligently enflaming the interiour and exteriour man For this cause in the beginning of his conuersion he often times during the winter season cast himselfe all naked in the middes of snowes or on the ice that he might perfectly subdue his domesticall ennemy the flesh and conserue the shining robe of immaculate virginity from the fire of sensuality not permitting it long residence therin as by this example shall appeare Being one day in the hermitage Lautiauo making his prayer in a celle apart the deuill called him thrise saying Francis Francis Francis to whome thoughe the S. answeared yet knew he not who called him The deuill then said vnto him there is no sinner in the world whome God doth not pardon if he conuert himselfe but he that shall kill himselfe by ouer rigorous pennance shall neuer finde mercie before the face of God The holy Father then knew the deceipt of the wicked ennemye hidden vnder the sweetnes of those wordes and he knew it the more apparantly in that att the same instant by the loathsome breath of that foule dragon which enflameth the coales of hell he had a vehement temtation of the flesh which the louer of chastitie feeling he discloathed himselfe and with his corde very sharpelie beate himselfe saying Goe to Brother asse this kindnes I must shew thee it is requisite that thus I serue
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
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
to you simple and to other in paraboles Manie monthes after that S. Francis being att our ladie of Angels the same Religious in extreme temptation recommended againe vnto him the aforesaid licence to haue a psalter to whome the holie Father said goe doe what the vicar generall hath graunted thee The Religious retourned whence he came but the holy Father considering what he had graunted went after him and ouertaking him said my sonne retourne with me and show me the place where I bid thee doe with the psalter what the vicar generall had permitted thee Comming thither S. Francis fell on his knees before the said Religious saying Brother I confesse my fault I confesse my fault then added know that he who wil be a good Frere Minor must haue nothing but his habitt the corde and linnen breeches as the rule enioyneth and they that are by manifest necessitie constrayned sockes euery thing els is superfluous and against the puritie and pouertie of the rule which we promise God to obserue the said Religious moued with the wordes beleeued this holy counsaile Being by diuers demaunded the like counsaile he answeared them with this sentence right worthy to be sett in letters of gold and not only painted or engrauen in marble but in the hartes of men A man hath so much knowledge as he is a man of vertue and loueth God and his neighbour and no more and the Religious so good as he doeth good worckes because the tree is knowne by his fruit When he retourned frō Syria a Prouinciall came to visitt him to cōferre with him of the affaires of the Order particulerly touching the vow of pouerty to know his will therin and of the obligatiō inserted in the first rule takē out of the gospell to witt whē you trauaile you shall carry with you neither mony nor wallett S. Fran. answeared I meane thus that the Frere Minors must only haue their habitt the cord linnen breches as the rule saith and such as are enforced by necessity the sockes The Prouinciall answeared What shall I doe with so many bookes as I haue that are worth more then fortie crownes which he said because he desired to haue licence of S. Francis to enioy them for he kept them with a remorse of conscience The S. replyed Brother I neither will nor ought nor can doe any thing against my conscience and the profession of the holy gospell which we haue promised Which this Prouinciall vnderstāding he was exceedingly troubled the S. perceauing him so sorrowfull with a great feruour of spirit said vnto him as if he had spoakē to all the Religious you would seeme to mē to be Frere Minors would be called Preachers of the gospell make shew to obserue it but in effect you desire to haue propriety and superfluity and to haue a purse The Ministers earnestly seeke to take away the first rule you shall not carry wallettes in your trauaile they supposing that they should so be freed from the obligation of this counsaile of Euangelicall perfection but the holy Father S. Francis in the presence of many brethren said the Ministers thincke to deceaue God and me but the deceipt falleth on them selues Lett them and all my other Religious know that they are obliged to the obseruance of Euangelicall perfection and will that it be thus written in the beginning and end of the rule That the Brethren are firmelie obliged to the obseruance of the holy gospell of our lord IESVS CHRIST Of the horrible malediction which S. Francis gaue to a prouinciall and wherfore and of the miracle that ensued THE XXIII CHAPTER BRother Iohn Estitia a very learned Minister of the Prouince of Bolognia ordayned an exercise of study in the Monastery of Bolognia without licence of the holy Father S. Francis who vnderstanding therof went incontinently thither and very sharply reprehended him by these wordes I rather desire that one obey the holy gospell and be employed in the study of holy prayer where the holy Ghost is Master then in humane studies and curious lessons wherin is lost the spiritt of humility and the sweetnes of God the ladder wherof is this Religion which annihilateth this new study But S. Francis being departed this Prouinciall began againe as before wherat the holy Father being for the zeale of God much disquieted he publikelie gaue him his malediction as to a disobedient child By which the said Brother Iohn fell incontinently very sicke and lying in his bedde perceauing that his sicknes did hourly encrease seased and touched rather with the feare he had of death then with true contrition he sent two Religious to pray S. Francis to reuoke the said malediction to whome the S. answeared God hath confirmed in heauen the maledictiō which I haue giuen him so that he is cursed of God In that instant there fell from heauen a litle stone of burning brimstone which transpearced both his body and bed and att the very houre he died yelding an extreme infection by this so seuere chasticement God shewed how iust and assured was the counsaile of the S. that they should not be curious of bookes but should rather study to ground themselues in holy humility prayers and pouerty The holy Father being once demaunded if he would consent that the learned who were and might enter into religion should study diuinity hee answeared affirmatiuelie prouided that they imitate the example of IESVS CHRST who prayed more then he read as is written also of his disciples and also that they omitte not the studie of prayer to gett learning and that they studie not onlie how they ought to speake but principallie how they may effect what they read and doeing so may teach others to doe good worckes I will that my Religious be disciples of the gospell and that so they make progresse in the knowledge of the truth and doe also encrease in puritie simplicity that from the prudence of the serpent they doe not separate the simplicity of the doue which IESVS CHRIST with his mouth hath vnited together The holie Father affirmed that by meane of the knowledge of ones selfe one easily obtayneth the knowledge of God prouided that one sought it with humilitie and without presumption Therfore he was much troubled when he knew that neglecting vertue and the vocation wherto the Religious was called of God one sought knowledge by curiositie with extreme dolour of his soule saying My Religious that are honoured by the curiosity of knowledge are found emptie handed in the times of tribulation I would rather exercise them in the vertue of humilitie that the perillous times of tēptations happening they might finde God with them in those anguishes for afflictions will come against which neither their bookes nor pourchaced science will auaile then would it be more expedient for them to be simple and feruent in obedience humilitie and charitie then great in commaunding and teaching in curiositie of science
conscience which knowing it selfe pure before God could feare nothing Not withstanding it was not conuenient in presence of so many seculers who all knew him to be nerre death to shew no signe of repentance of his offences past no remorse of his sinnes committed against God attleast in this terrible passadge of death S. Francis with great feruour answeared him Brother giue me leaue giue me leaue I pray thee to reioyce in God and in his prayses during this sicknes because by the grace of the holy Ghost my spiritt is in such sort vnited vnto his diuine Maiestie and so secure that it may reioyce Remember now that there are two yeares past since you deliuered me from him an aduertisment of this my passadge since which time I haue alwayes endeauoured to prepare my selfe lamenting my sinnes and satisfying God for them But sithence that by his immensiue grace he hath made me worthy of his glory as he hath reuealed vnto me I haue euer since endeauoured to reioyce and now so much more in that the time approacheth wherin my soule shall for euer be loosed from the waight of this body and shall goe towardes him who hath created it and in that he will not omitt in me to edifie this people How the S. made himselfe be carryed to our Lady of Angels finding his death to approach THE LXVI CHAPTER THe glorious Father therfore perceauing that the day of his death approached prayed all the gentlemen and his freindes there present to cause him to be carryed to his church of our Lady of Angels that he might render vnto God the spiritt of life where he had receaued of him the spiritt of grace So hauing obtayned permission of the bishop and Gouernour of the citty they went accoÌ„panyed with the greatest part of the said citty and comming to the hospitall which is in the great street betweene the citty and our Lady of Angels causing himselfe with his bed to be sett on the ground and tourning towardes the citty he gaue it his benediction saying Citty blessed mayest thou be of the soueraigne God because by thee many soules shal be saued and in thee many worthy seruantes of God of both sex shall make their residence and by thy meane many shall attaine the kingdome of glorie So hauing blessed the citty and proceeding his way towardes our Lady of Angels S. Clare his deere and true disciple imitatrice and daughter in IESVS CHRIST fearing she should not see him before his death sent to aduertise him that herselfe was also in such estate as she should not liue long after yea that she thought to goe first and that therfore she felt an extreme greife to dye without his holy benediction without seeing him who was her master and beloued Father in CHRIST IESVS and for that occasion she prayed him for the passion of our Lord I. C. with her knees on the ground not to permitt her to dye so discontent but sith he was in his iorney to doe her that last and singuler fauour as to visitt her before he went to our Lady of Angels The holie Father S. Francis felt the bowels of Fatherly coÌ„passion to moue in him in that he could not content her by reason of the immineÌ„t perill wherin he was and that the Phisicions nobles and gentlemen there present would not to permitt him yet procuring wherwith all to write he sent her by a Religious his benediction in writing then lifting his eyes to heauen he said vnto him Goe and comfort my beloued sister telling her this good newes that she shall see me before she dye which shal be shortly as shall all her Sisters to their exceeding consolation This prophesie fayled not in the effect for the holie Father being dead when the Cittizens carryed him to bury att Assisium they passed through the monastery of S. Damian as hereafter shall appeare and seeing the body of the Sainct with in their Couent they were all exceedinglie comforted therwith How a Romane Lady very deuout and affected to S. Francis called Lady Iaqueline of the seauen Sunnes came by diuine reuelation from Rome to the death of S. Francis THE LXVII CHAPTER THe holy Father approching neere vnto his death called a Religious whome he willed to finde out a messenger to goe with al diligence to Rome expresly to aduertise the Lady of the Seauen Sunnes that she should incontinentlie come to visitt him if she desired to see him liuing knowing in what affliction she would haue suruiued if she had not seene him before his death as he had promised her when he tooke leaue of her att his departure out of Rome and in meane while procuring wherwith to write he dictated this letter ensuying To the Lady of the Seauen-Sunnes poore Brother Francis desireth health in our Lord IESVS CHRIST Know my beloued Sister in IESVS CHRIST that God by his grace hath reuealed vnto me the last day of my life Wherfore if you desire to see me liuing hasten so much as sometime on saterday you may be att our Ladie of Angels and bring with you a morcell of gray cloth wherwith to coueâ— me and wax for my seruice Att the end of this letter it was reuealed vnto the S. that she would come wherfore he said to the writer Rent this letter for there is no need therof He had scarce ended those wordes but a messenger came from the said lady that told him she was att the gate of the Monastery with two of her children senaâ—ours of Rome and a noble and honourable company to visitt him A while after the said lady came who entring his chamber fell incontinently on the ground humbling her countenance as an other Magdalen towardes his feet bathing them with bittet teares and â—mprinting her lippes in his sacred stigmates with such ioy and consolation of spiritt as nothing could be more she could not be satisfied with kissing them embracing and clipping them with all reuerence in regard of their vertue representing vnto her those of our Lord IESVS CHRIST she could not depart from him no more could the Religious for she was entierlie rauished in this so singular sweetnes of spiritt without any speech att all till S. Francis called her att whose voice awakening she answeared the S. who asked her how it happened that she came so readily that being one night in prayer she heard the voice of God that said If thou wilt find Brother Francis aliue goe incontinentlie to our lady of Angels and carry with thee what thow knowest necessarie to his sepulture and such meat as thou gauest him att his being in Rome to comfort him in his sicknes Which hauing heard I prepared my selfe verie instantlie and thus am come S. Francis gaue thanckes to God and demaunding the said meates he refected his body with very great consolation Now this lady supposing that S. Francis would lye long time sick determined to send back her children to Rome and many personnes of note that
lept sound out of his bed with a loud and cleare voice praysing God The Prince being by affaires hindred from present goeing to Conimbria he sent thither the said reliques conducted by a gentleman of note called Asphonsus Perez of Aragon who attended them accompanyed by many knightes and gentlemen The king Alphonsus and the queene Vraca his wife being therof aduertised sent vnto them with Order to haue the said reliques stayed in a place neere the citty that they might present themselues before them together with the Clergie to giue them such entertainement as they worthely deserued How the holy reliques were carryed to the citty of Conimbria in generall procession where the king was present and how they miraculously chose the place where they would rest and how they transported themselues to diuers places and of the conuersion of S. Antony of Padua which by example hereof came to passe THE XXII CHAPTER ALl thinges being fitly disposed and accommodated the king queene attended with all the nobility the Clergie and people went a foote in procession with great deuotion vnto the said reliques with many crosses and banners in token of the triumphant victory of the holy martyrs Comming to the place where the reliques were hauing deuoutly saluted them they caused the mule that carryed them to goe before that she her selfe might choose her way as she had alwayes done before So without the conduct of any personne she went directly to Conimbria where she entred into Sampsons street att this day called the street of the old figtree and then to the monastery of sainct Crosse att which gate she stayed till it was opened though the intention of the king were to place the said reliques in the great church The gate of the said monastery being opened the mule of her selfe entred into the Church and went directly before the high altare where she kneeled downe and so remayned till she was disburthened of the said reliques each one admiring the miracle wherby the holy martyrs did choose and make knowne where they would haue their reliques to repose for which they were all thanckfull vnto God and there ended the Procession The king erected a sumptuous chappell att the place where the mule kneeled downe and a rich shrine wherin were putt the greatest part of the said reliques others in an other shrine in the cloister of the said monastery the litle that remayned was sent part to the Church of the holy Ghost of Goueau where there was a Couent of Religious of sainct Francis Order and an entiere body to the monastery of sainct Bernard of Loruant three leagues from Conimbria becausse the Abbesse of that monasterie was sister to the king Now the very day that the reliques were brought into the monastery of S. Crosse they began there to shine by miracles for they cured a great multitude of diseased persons there present and from that time the miracles haue so continued euen to this day that they deliuered from perill all such as recommended themselues vnto them vpon which occasion it is that so many strange pilgrimes doe frequent that place The greatest gaine of that day wheron the reliques were receaued was of S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua who was then a Canon Reguler of S. Crosse and as such in the said procession gaue praise to God among the rest and solemnised the arriuall of the holy reliques for he merited to be inspired of the holy Ghost who anymated him with a great zeale vnto his honour in such sort as he resolued to offer his life for the confession of the holy faith by the example of the said martyrs whome desiring entierly to imitate he would begin by the habitt and rule of sainct Francis whose true disciples these martyrs had bin Of the death of the queene Vraca prophesied by the holy martyrs as before in the third chapter hath bin recorded and of a vision which her confessor had therevpon THE XXIII CHAPTER THe Queene Vrraca had great care of her death because the holy Martyrs had prophesied vnto her therof yea she was in extreme affliction considering that their death and the translation of their bodyes was effected as they had foretold but the issue of what she doubted did succeed for as soone as she came to the holy reliques she began to feele her selfe ill so that she could not accompany them but was constrained to goe to her bedde and the night following she dyed That very night Peter Nuguez Canon reguler of the monastery of sainct Crosse a man of exceeding piety and Confessor to the said queene Vrraca had this vision He saw a great multitude of Frere Minors wherof fiue went before but they were conducted by a Religious Father of their Order that gaue a very great splendour and they entred in to the quier of the said Church of S. Crosse in procession where they very melodiously sung matines he extremely amazed att what he saw began to discourse with himselfe how so many Religious could enter the dores being shutt as they were and why they sung matines without any precedent ringing Being in this vehement admiration he questioned with one of the Religious asking him who they were how and where they entred into the monastery att such an hower The Religious answeared him We are Frere Minors and because thou wert Confessour to the Queene and fearest God it hath pleased his diuine goodnes to reueale vnto thee this vision He whome thou seest to precede the rest with such glory is our holy Father S. Francis whome thou hast so much desired to see in this life and the fiue which thou seest to follow him are the fiue Martyrs of Marroccho which are here shrined Know besides that the Queene Vrraca is this night departed and because she exceedingly affected our Order our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath sent vs all hither solemnely here for the benefitt of her soule and for her obsequies to sing these Matines doubt not of her death for as soone as we are departed hence one shall come to aduertise thee therof And the Matines and prayses of God being ended this glorious procession disappeared and therwith one knocked att his dore to aduertise him of the death of the queene How our Lord chasticed the citty and king of Marroccho for the cruell death of his holy Martyrs THE XXIIII CHAPTER THe king of Marroccho remayned not vnpunished no more did his contry for the very same yeare did his arme and right hand which he had so wicke dly stretched out against the holy Martyrs wither as also did all the right side of his body from the head to the feet The people were punished in an other manner for in three yeares after this Martyrdome neither in the said citty nor in a great circuit therabout did there fall one drop of raine which caused an extreme dearth and mortality of catell then correspondently to the nomber of the Martyrs the plague continued for fiue yeares after wherof dyed the
both of them illustrious in vertue and bloud in which respect they were found worthie in the flower of their marriage to enioy this child He was baptised in the said Church of which parish also he was there was he first named Ferdinand so that he was called Ferdinand Martin Buglione till he tooke the habitt of S. Francis He began his first learning in the said Cathedrall Church with the Christian doctrine the manner to prayse God he serued the quier both by night and day offering the first fruites of his age to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to his most holy mother whome he chose for his particular Aduocatrise euen from his tender yeares He coÌ„tinued in this pious course fifteene yeares in which time he learned the study of humanity afterwardes his bloud began to heat and his sensuall appetites to desire carnall and worldly pleasures As soone as he perceaued it he endeauoured by the feare of God to restraine them and because it is very difficult to conuerse among so many thornes and not to be pricked he resolued to take a secure remedy Wherfore abandonning all conuersations of this perillous world he repaired to the Monastery of S. Vincent without the citty where were Canon Regulers of S. Augustin leading a life of very exemplare piety whence he neuer departed tlll he had taken the habitt and made his profession surmounting all the inconueniences and importunities of his kinred and friendes that omitted no meanes to diuert him from it there did he establish his foundation in the seruice of God But in regard that his worthie iudgement and great prudence began to appeare to his kinred and friendes they repaired vnto him for his counsaile and aduise in their affaires and difficulties running vnto him as to an oracle in such sort that being vnable to endure that exceeding disturbance of spiritt hauing with verie much difficulty obtayned the permission of his Superiour he retired to the deuout and Religious monastery of sainct Crosse of Conimbria of the same Order hauing spent two yeares in that of Lisbone And he so profited and proceeded there that it was to each one apparant that he was by a secrett and diuine vertue not by a lightnes of spiritt retired thither For proceeding daily ascending from perfection to perfection he aymed at a most perfect end of his life as being replenished with the spiritt of wisdome by his continuall reading and meditation of the holy scripture wherin hauing for his instructor the only and true master IESVS CHRIST he made such progresse that his learning was sufficient to shunne vices and embrace vertues to refute errours and support the truth How for the desire of Martyrdome he became Religious of the Order of S. Francis THE II. CHAPTER ABout that time thefame of the holy Father S. Francis did spred it selfe ouer all the world as also of the Frere Minors his disciples of whome as is said there were already monasteries in portugall they by their pouerty and contempt of the world conuerting many people to penance the holy Father Saint Antony as I haue formerlie said being one of the Religious of sainct Crosse that receaued the holy reliques of the glorious martyres of Marrocho and being as a noble Elephant encouraged by the sight of the bloud shed for the loue of God he resolued also to enter into combatt for IESVS CHRIST reputing his repose wherin he liued for the seruice of God to be nothing in respect of that course O spiritt really happy who not only was not terrified with the sight of the bloudy sword of the Tyrant but was so encouraged therby that the feruour of diuine charity in him was greater then the imbecillitie of humane fragillity Wherfore thirsting to effect this good desire he resolued first to take the habitt and therwith to imitate the life of those glorious Martyrs by the same meane to obtaine the two crownes and to ascend from one degree vnto an other to that soueraigne perfection of Martyrdome exercising himselfe before he entred into that conflict and combatt Now there were two Religious of sainct Francis which ordinarily liued in a Church of the title of sainct Antony without the Citty of Conimbria with which sainct Antony hauing casually mett he discouered his intention vnto them as to two Angels of Paradise and they gaue eare vnto him with great contentment and comforted him then they appointed him a day when they would repaire vnto him to effect his pious desire Hauing taken leaue of them he ceassed not to solicite and importune his superiour to vouchsafe to giue free consent to this his holy intention which as a thinge perordinated of God he att length with much difficulty obtayned The aforesaid Frere Minors comming on the prefixed day they gaue their habitt to sainct Antony euen in the monastery of sainct Crosse and then being cloathed they carryed him with them to their oratory Att his departure one of the Canon Regulers that was much disquieted therwith said vnto him Well goe your wayes in good time it may be you may proue a sainct giuing him such reproach as if he thought one could not serue God but in the Religion of sainct Francis sainct Antony humbly answeared him If it should happen that I proue a sainct it may be you would praise God for it But doubtles these Religious should not murmure if God transferred this sainct from their Order to that of sainct Francis considering that in their Church they possessed fiue of his martyrs and with all it cannot be denyed but that the worthie and pious education of sainct Antony ought to be attributed first vnto God and then to their holy Religion wherein he spent eleuen yeares so that he entred into the Order of sainct Francis the 26. yeare of his age being then Priest the yeare of grace 1220. How the name of Ferdinand was chaunged into Antony and how he departed for Marroccho with intention there to receaue Martyrdome and was by tempest driuen into Sicilia thence he went into Italy and thence to the generall chapter of S. Francis THE III. CHAPTER THe holy Father being come to the Oratory of the said Religious knowing that the title therof was sainct Antony he prayed them to giue him that name abhorring his owne as seculer and too prophane and to the end that not being so called of all he might be much lesse knowne and disburded of his kinred and friendes besides we may well attribute this same to the worck of the holy Ghost sith that many of his most note-worthie elect haue chaunged their name as first the Patriarkes Apostles and other â—his fauourites Hauing then thus chaunged his name he desired to effectuat the designe for which he became Frere Minor and to attaine the same he trauailed into Africa there to receaue the crowne of Martyrdome but he being afflicted with a great and long infirmity began by diuine inspiration to conceaue that his designe was not gratefull vnto God but
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
him in this sort of his desired successe in this voyage In the said citty of Tunes there was an old More a man of great authority with those Pagans whome they reputed a sainct he had for a long time opinatiuely forborne to speake but as soone as Br. Giles and his companions were landed this More went presently preaching and exclaming through all the streetes and corners that certaine Infidels were arriued who intended to condemne and calumniat their great Prophett and their law and therfore counsailled and commanded them to seeke them out they being ChristiaÌ„s to kil them This caused a great rumour and tumult ouer all the citty in such sort that in an instaÌ„t they were all armed and prepared themselues to murder these poore Religious But the Christians hauing vnderstood the cause of this insurrection and fearing the Mores would kill them all they forcibly thrust Br. Giles and his companions againe into the shipp in which they came But these true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST did not omitt to preach to the Mores out of the shipp which putt the Christians into such a feare that they commanded the Marineâ—s of the vessel to hoyse their sailes and so being peruented of the effecting of their pious desires they were retourned into Italy Of the hight and sublimity of Br. Giles his contemplation THE IX CHAPTER AFter this holy Father had spent many yeares in the actiue life in affliction and labours it pleased almighty God to make him a new man calling him to the repose of contemplation and priuiledging him aboue all men of his time The beginning of this his perfectioÌ„ was when being in the Couent of Faleron neere Perusia offering his prayer one night he was touchâ—d with the hand of God and replenished with such a supernaturall consolation that it seemed to him that God would separate his soule from the body In this instant he felt his members as dead it seeming vnto him that his soule forsooke them and that being gon foorth she already delighted and pleased her selfe in the sight and contemplation of her so great naturall beauty but much more of her spirituall wherwith the holy Ghost had already endowed her whereby she appeared to her selfe more beautifull then all humane consideration could comprehend as himselfe a litle before his death did testifie In this extasie weâ—e reuealed vnto him celestiall secrettes so great that he would neuer disclose them to any and therfore he would sometimes say Happy is he that can conserue the secrettes of God in himselfe and it must not be obiected vnto me that God hath reuealed them vnto me to the end I should manifest them to others for when it shall please him that I reueale them he will discouer them vnto me by other meanes Of divers apparitions of our Lord and S. Francis to Br. Giles THE X. CHAPTER THe eighteenth yeare of the conuersion of Br. Giles wherin S. Francis dyed he went to dwell in the Couent of Crettone in Toscane within the Diocese of Chiusiâ—the first night of his being there there appeared vnto him in vision an Emperour that spake very familierly vnto him this presaged vnto him the diuine vision of the glory which God communicated vnto him in that place where spending the lent of S. Martin in very aâ—stere fastes and continuall prayers he had one night an apparition of S. Francis to whome he said that he had a great desire to speake vnto him The S. answeared him Brother sift and examine wel your selfe before hand and so vanished Br. Giles perseuering three entyer dayes in prayer IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto him before the feast of his holy Natiuity and for as much as might be coniectured by his wordes he was rauished in spiritt and with the eyes of his soule â—aw the glory of Paradice he neither could nor durst explicate this viion which was not continuall but by intermission till the eue of the Epiphany att which time he was so replenished with force and consoâ—tion both spirituall and supernaturall that his weake and feeble humaâ—e body could not support it for his soule seemed to expire so that he â—as constrayned to breath out violent sighes by reason of the force â—f his spiritt which his body could not sustaine and albeit he were on he hight of a mountaine in a cell very remote where he prayed yet did he other Religious sometimes heare him and then would they seÌ„d Br. GratiaÌ„ to assist helpe him as there should be need This Religious thus â—ming one time vnto him asking him wherfore he coÌ„playned the â—oly Father answeared come hither my child thou art come in good tiâ—e for I wished thee here then recounted to him many thinges to his â—ceeding coÌ„fort The next morning retourning thither he fouÌ„d him bitâ—rly weeping wherfore he prayed him not to afflict himselfe in that â—rt for it might wee l shorten his dayes Brother Giles answeared Alas â—y friendly Brother how may I refraine from teares that feare to 〈◊〉 the ennemy of God for hauing receaued so many graces of his Maiesty I doubt I doe not serue him as I ought and according to his holy will wherof if I were certaine it would be more gracious vnto me then death it selfe which he spake in respect of the vision and diuine reuelation that made such alteration in him and therfore he sayd Till this present I weÌ„t whither I would and with my handes laboured as I would but henceforward I can no more follow my fantasie but must doe according to the spiritt that I find to conduct me This feare in this holy Faher was like to that of S. Paul when he sayd we carie this diuine treasure in earthen vessels Butt because the certaine perill of the losse of an eternall and infinite treasure would cause a diffidence and despayre in any one by consideration of his naturall infirmity he added we know that the preseruation of the diuine treasure consisteth in the vertue and power of God and not of vs. The sayd Religious then tooke occasion to comfort him or rather the holy Ghost for and by him with the said sentence of S. Paul saying that though it were expedient that the feare of God should be alwayes in vs yet should it be there with faith and full confidence in his bounty who as he giueth grace vnto his seruantes so also he giueth them force to preserue the same together with perseuerance Br. Giles being by these wordes comforted he proceeded in employing his dayes in such hight of contemplation and spirituall consolation as is not to be expressed demaunding of almighty God as a fauour not to be so ouer-chardged alleadging that he being so great a sinner an idiot rustike and simple was not worthy so much grace but the more he reputed himselfe vnworthy the more did almighty God augment his fauours There was a religious of pious life in the same CoueÌ„t to whome God did some times reueale his secrettes certaine dayes befor that
that prayeth continually for all the people and for the holy Cittie which the sayd Religious vnderstood to be Brother Giles A woman of the citty of Perusia hauing no milke wherwith to suck her litle child had recourse to this holie Father to whome she was much deuoted but he being in extasie she could not speake vnto him And she not hauing leasure to expect came neere him where he prayed whose breast hauing with exceeding faith and deuotion touched she had milke sufficient to nource her child How God communicated to Br. Giles a most pleasing seeling of glory before this death THE XLIII CHAPTER THis holy Father a litle before his death retourning from prayer into his cell replenished with a merueillous ioy sayd to his companion My child giue me thy iudgement in this I haue found a treasure of such worth and excellency as no humane tongue can expresse and therfore my child I pray thee againe speake thine opinion therof Which he diuers times repeated with an exceeding feruour of spiritt and with such enflamed charity that he seemed to be really druncken with the wine of the loue of God and the abondance of his grace But this Religious hauing told him that it was time to goe take his refection he ioyfully answeared him My child this is a singuler refection and farre better then any other The Religious thincking to tempt him sayd Father lett vs not now thinck of these thinges but lett vs to goe to dinner Wherto the venerable Br. Giles replyed that such speech was iniurious vnto him and that he should haue done him greater pleasure to haue stricken and wounded him to the bloud Now one may piously presume that this holy soule had notice that it should shortly leaue the flesh to enioy that notable treasure of eternall glory which it so much desired there to haue fruition and tast of the most sacred presence of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST About that time a Religious told him that the holy Father S. Francis had sayd that the seruant of God should alwayes desire to end his life by martyrdome wherto he answeared For my part I respect not to die better then in contemplation Of the admirable prophesic he made of himselfe and of his death THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Giles besides his age being wasted by grieuous insrmities as ache in his head and stomache by a very troublesome cough and burning ague so that he could neither eat sleep nor repose The Cittizens of Perusia out of great deuotion towardes him sent many armed men to guard him that being dead his body might not be buryed other where well knowing that he did not only desire but would order to be buryed att our Lady of Angels Vnderstanding then that he was guarded with armed men with great seruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Brethren tell the Perusians that the belles shal neuer ring for my canonization nor for any miracle of mine and that they shall haue no other signe but that of the Prophet lonas Which the Perusians vnderstanding they answeared they would haue him in their cittie though he should not be canonized and so the eue of sainct George att the houre of Mattins as soone as the Religious had layed him on a bed to repose hauing receaued the holy sacramentes ordayned by the Church without any acke of his body that might discouer and make appeare the agony of his death only shutting his mouth and eyes this contemplatiue soule was dissolued from the body with great repose God hauing for all eternity eleuated it vnto his glory This holy Father departed this life the yeare of grace 1260. and of his conuersion to Religion 52. haning merited to ascend vnto heauen their to raigne eternally the same day that he receaued the habitt of the holy Father sainct Francis becomming his true follower and disciple The Perusians after death seeking stones to make him a tombe found a sepulchre of marble wherin was carued the history of the Prophett Ionas where they layd his body according as he had prophesied Of the reuelation of the glory of this S. THE XLV CHAPTER A Person of notable sanctity saw in vision the holy Br. Giles accōpayned with a great number of soules of Religious others that then were dead and comming out of Purgatory they with him ascēded into heauē He saw our lord IESVS CHRIST with a great multitude of Angels that came to receaue him with musicke exquisitely melodious made by those Angelicall quiers these blessed soules were with great honour entertayned of our Redeemer into his kingdome were he seated them on a seat of merueillous glory Att the same time that Br. Giles was sicke of his last sicknes an other Religious fell also sick euen to death who was instantly prayed by a third Religious his Friend that if it should please God to call him he would reueale vnto him his estate if the diuine Maiesty would permitt it which the sick Religious promised Wherfore he dying the same day that Br. Giles did appeared to this his Religious friend and thus spake vnto him Br. giue thanckes vnto God for that it hath pleased him to graunt and giue me his glory deliuering me with many other soules from the paines of Purgatory by the merittes of Saint Giles Which sayd he vanished This Religious not daring to reueale this apparition to any fell grieuously sick But conceauing that this sicknes might be sent him for not diuulging the glory of Br. Giles he instantly called into his Couent some Frere Minors to whome and to many other Religious he recounted the foresaid apparition and was with all miraculously recouered S. Bonauenture said of this holy Br. Giles that God had giuen him one speciall grace which was that whosoeuer did inuocate him in matters concerning the saluation of their soules were heard Our lord wrought many miracles after his death by his merittes and intercession He cured three personnes of infirmities in their eyes fiue that were lame and two of paine in their feet that hindred them from mouing three of the sqinancie a woman in trauell of child two of agues one of the stone and many of diuers other diseases The end of the seauenth book and second volume of the first part of the present Chronicles THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE LIFE OF the glorious Virgin S. Clare the institution of her rule the conuersion of S. Agnes her sister and of an other S. Agnes daughter to the king of Behomia Of the intention of our Lord in the vocation of S. Clare and of her contry her father and mother Of a reuelation vnto her mother touching her sanctity and of her birth THE FIRST CHAPTER SIX yeares after the conuersion of the holy Father S. Francis and the fourth yeare after the confirmation of his rule by Pope Innocent the third the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent Father of light hauing framed and sent into the world
charity not commanding them any thing against their soule and the Order of your profession Lett the Religious be mindefull also that for the loue of God they haue renounced their proper will and that therfore they are obliged in all thinges to obey their Abbesse according to their promise prouided that it be not against their saluation and your profession Lett the Abbesse vse such familiarity with her Religious that they may comport themselues as mistresses towardes their seruantes for in such sort must they liue together as that the Abbesse be seruant to all her Religious I also exhort my sisters and in the name of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST I admonish them to beware of pride of vaine glory of enuy of auarice of cogitations and solicitude of worldly affaires not to speake euill of any to shunne dissention murmure and diuision but lett them be all carefull to preserue vnity of fraternal loue which is the knott of perfection Besides they that cannot read lett them not regard to learne but lett them only consider that they ought aboue althinges to desire to haue the spiritt of IESVS CHRIST and his holy operation that they ought alwayes to pray vnto God with purity of hart to be humble and patientin afflictions and in their sicknesses and that they ought to loue them that reprehend them because our lord sayth Blessed are they they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen He that shall perseuer vnto the end shal be saued Of the duety of the Portresse THE XI CHAPTER THe Portresse must be prudent and of good conuersation ripe of yeares and fitt to remayne and reside all the day long att the cell of the port the dore wherof shal be alwayes open She must haue and keep with her a fitt companion which shal be appoynted her by the Abbesse or Vicaresse to call any or to doe what occasions and occurances shall require The port or gate shabe of two folding leaues and fastened with two lockes and padlockes which in the night shal be shutt with two keyes wherof the Abbesse shall haue one and the Portresse the other The port shall neuer be without guard by day and shal be shutt with one key only But it must be most dilligently guarded very respectiue care being taken that it neuer be open but vpon necessity When any one commeth to enter they shall not be opened vnto him but vpon permission formerly had of the Pope or the Protectour to enter into the monastery where it shall not be lawfull for any person to enter before the sunne rising or after sunne sett Nor lett the Religious permitt any to enter into their monastery but vpon reasonable manifest and ineuitable occasion If it be permitted to a Bishop to celebrat within the monastery to blesse the Abbesse to consecrate a Religious or for any other important occasion lett him be content to enter with the least traine and most decencie that may be When it shal be necessary for any Officer or worckman to come in for some worck of importance lett the Abbesse place some fitt person att the gate to admitt only those into the Monastery that shall haue employment and lett the Religious then vse all endeauour to keep themselues out of the sight of those that come in How the Monastery is to be visited THE XII CHAPTER YOur Visitor ought alwayes to be of the Oâ—der of the Frere Minors such as shal be constituted and commanded by the Cardinall your Protectour and yet he must be of a life generally knowne for pious and exemplar His office shal be to correct the excesses committed against the order of your profession as well in the head as in the members The said visitor must speake vnto you in publike place that he may be seene of all It is permitted him to speake with many Religious or with one alone of matters concerning the visitation as he shall thinck most to the purpose You shall haue ordinarily without yet neere to your Monastery foure Religious wherof one shal be your Chaplen who shall haue also a companion that shal be a Preist of good report and discretion and two lay brothers of vertuous and pious life for the helpe and ayd of your pouerty as we haue alwayes compassionatly found the said Order of the Frere Minors which we still demaund as a singuler fauour of the said Order for the loue of God and of the glorious Father S. Francis And lett it neuer be permitted to the Chaplen to enter into the sayd Monastery without the other Priest his companion And lett those that shall enter alwayes remaine in some publike place in such sort as they may see one an other And to heare the confessions of the sick that cannot come to the speakhouse to administer vnto them the communion and extreme vnction and to assist them in the agonies of death it shal be permissable for the sayd priestes to enter in and also for the solemne Masses and obsequies for the dead or for the buriall the Abbesse may admitt into the Monastery personnes of vnderstaÌ„ding and fitt for that purpose And withall this lett the Religious be alwayes obliged to haue for their Protectour Gouernour and Correctour a Cardinall of the Romane Church who shal be by his Holinesse appointed vnto the Frere Minors to the end they may be alwayes in submission and subiection to the feet of the same Church firme and stable in the Catholique faith perpetually obseruing the pouerty and humility of our Lord IESVS CHRIST any his most holy mother Thus endeth the rule of the poore Religious women giuen att Perusia the 16. of September the 10. yeare of the Papedome of Innocent the fourth The sequel is the remainder of the 19. chapter LEtt not any perseon be permitted to breake or rent this our letter and bull of confirmation and lett none be so bold or rash as to contradict it And if any presume to doe it lett him know that he shall incurre the disgrace and malediction of God his holy Apostles sainct Peter and sainct Paul Giuen att Assisium the 9. of August the 11. yeare of our raigne The end of the confirmation of the rule of saincte Clare which sainct Francis instituted for her Of the the most feruent loue of Iesus Christ which enflamed the hart of S. Clare and how the deuill tormented her of an extasie wherin she continued a night and two dayes together THE XX. CHAPTER WHen S. Clare heard speake of the passion our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST she ofteÌ„ accustomeÌ„d to weepe in coÌ„passion in such sort that out of the sacred woundes she would sometimes draw dolorous feelinges affectioÌ„s and att other times ioyes and consolations of admirable sweetnes And the crosse of IESVS CHRIST which with her Spouse she carryed in her soule and the weight therof gaue her so much more tast of conteÌ„tment as she felt more griefe The great abondance of teares which she powred out
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
the ayre where she did some seruice to an other woman there came a wolfe which being taken by the girle but for a dogge he lept on her neck tooke hold of her head The other woman and the mother of the girle there present ran after and cryed for helpe inuocating sainte Clare and it was admirable to heare that the child being in the teeth of the wolfe reprehended him saying Thou theefe how canst thou carry me farther I being recommended to that holy virgin The wolfe as daunted with those wordes gently sett the girle on the ground and as a theefe found and taken in the fact he fled and the girle retourned without any hurt vnto her mother How diuers were deliuered from drowning and danger of sea hauing iâ—uocated S. Clare THE XXXII CHAPTER AShippe fraught with many personnes departing out of the port of Perusia for the I le of Sardinie the first night there arose such a terrible tempest that the force therof leaked the bottome of the vessell which made apparent to all therein that they were in most euident perill of shipwrack wherfore they began to inuocate the Queene of heauen and many other sainctes to assist them Att length perceiuing no apparence of their liues safety they addressed themselues to saincte Clare and vowed to her that if by her intercession they were deliuered they would goe all naked to their very shirtes with their girdle about their necks to visitt her sacred reliques att Assisium carrying each a wax light of two poundes in their handes This vow being made they saw three great lightes discend from heauen the one wherof setled on the forepart of the shipp an other on the poupe and the third on the pumpe by the vertue wherof the leakes where the water entred did close and the sea became so quiet and calme that with a gracious wind the vessell was accompanied and conducted by the said lightes to the part of Arestan whither being arriued and landed the marchandise all safely putt on shoare the sayd lightes vanished and which was admirable the shippe presently sunk and was cast away They that had gone out of her acknowledging the miracle att their retourne to Pisa deuoutly accomplished their vow yelding infinite thanckes to almighty God and to the virgin sainte Clare for the great benefitt receaued by her intercession How S. Clare was canonized by Pope Alexander the fourth THE XXXIII CHAPTER POpe Innocent the fourth liued so litle time after the death of sainte Clare that he cold not canonize her The holy siege hauing bin two yeares vacant Alexander the fourth was chosen Pope who being exceedingly deuoted and a friend to piety protectour of Religious hauing heard true relation both of the miracles which our Lord IESVS CHRIST wrought for the glory of his holy seruant and of the renowme of her vertue which daily more and more diuulged it selfe in the Church knowing also that her canonization was generally desired his holinesse being also induced by the assurance of so many miracles therfore begaÌ„ to treat in the Consistory of her canonizatioÌ„ Wherin to proceed more maturely there were elected prudent and vertuous men to examine the sayd miracles and the irreprehensible life of the sainct Which being done and this holy virgin being found and proued to haue bin in her life an vnspotted mirrour of all vertues and to haue bin ennobled of almighty God after her death by true and approued miracles the day of her Canonization was appointed when were present with his Holinesse many Cardinals Archbishoppes Bishoppes other Prelates and a great number of Priestes and Religious with infinite noblemen gentlemen and others each in their degree and quality before whome the Pope proposed this sacred affaire demaunding the opinion of the Prelates who with one accord gaue consent and affectionatly besought the said sainct might be canonized in the Church as IESVS CHRIST had glorified her in heauen In this sort then three yeares after her happy decease Pope Alexander caused her solemnely to be enrollod in the Catalogue of Sainctes ordayning her feast to be celebrated with solemnity in the Church the 12. of August This Canonization was performed the yeare of grace 1255. and the first of the raigne of the Pope to the praise and glory of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST The life of saincte Agnes sister to saincte Clare The conuersion of this Sainct is described before in the fift chapter of this present booke and therfore to auoyd reiteration it is here pretermitted How saincte Agnes was by the holy Father sainct Francis sent to Florence there to build a Monastery THE XXXIIII CHAPTER THe virgin and espouse of our Redeemer IES CH. Agnes true sister companion of S. Clare as well in bloud as in vertue and Religion perseuered and persisted in notable sanctity of life in the Monastery of sainct Damian and from the time of her entrance into Religion euen to her death she alwayes woare a very rough haircloth next her tender flesh Her ordinary refection was almost alwayes bread and water she was naturally very pittifull to euery one Sainct Francis finding this virgin to haue obtayned of God by meane and assistance of her sister a worthy perfection he sent her to Florence there to found a new Monastery of poore sisters called Mount Celi wherof sainct Francis made her Abbesse This holy virgin induced many soules to abandon the world to serue IESVS CHRIST which she did by meane of her pious conuersation and sanctity of life by holy discourses and wordes of God that sweetly flowed out of her mouth and as a perfect Contemptrice of transitory thinges and follower of IESVS CHRIST she planted in this Monastery conformably to the desire of the holy Father sainct Francis and of saincte Claâ—e the obseruance and profession of Euangelicall pouerty but being exceedingly grieâ—â—d with the absence of her sister she wrote this letter following vnto her and to all the Religious of the Monastery of sainct Damian wherin she had receaued her education and spirituall nourriture A Copte of the letter which saincte Agnes wrote to her Sister saincte Clare and to all the others sisters of her Monastery THE XXXV CHAPTER TO the venerable and beloued Mother in our Lord CHRST IESVS Clare and to all her Couent humble sister Agnes the least of the disciples of IESVS CHRIST and of yours recommendeth herselfe vnto you all and prostrate att your feet doth yeld you all submission and deuotion wishing vnto you what is most precious from the most high king of kinges To the end that all nature which hath bin created of God doe acknowledge it selfe to be such as none can persist of it selfe in its owne essence the diuine prouidence most prudently permitteth that when any one esteemeth himselfe to be in prosperity then is he drowned and plunged in aduersities This I tell you my most deere Mother that you may know what affliction and extreme heauines possesseth my spiritt being so tormented that
his diuine maiesty to setle in her hart such a misprise of al temporalities as might depriue her euen of her loue to her children and giue her force to support all the iniuryes of this life Arising from this prayer she went and thus spake to her companions Know ye that almighty God hearing my prayers hath graunted me that henceforward I shall neuer esteeme all the magnificences amities and other deceiptfull allurements of the world more then filth yea neither shall I haue any care of my children more then of my neighbours to the end I apply my loue to nothing but his diuine maiesty After she had taken the religious habitt she with greater feruour addicted her selfe to prayer as also to worcks of mercy and hauing receaued 2000. Marckes of mony as part of her dowry she gaue the greatest part therof to the poore and with the rest builded an honorable and commodious hospitall to entertaine poore sick people and there to haue them cherished attended and medicined wherein her selfe as the most humble seruant serued the poore sick creatures yea with such charity as she washed their feet and made their beddes and then would say to her companions that assisted her we haue this day receaued a great fauour of God in that we haue washed couered and serued him sith it is he whome we serue in his poore people She relieued and assisted with such great feruour and humility that in one night she carryed a poore blind and very sick boy six times to his necessities albeit he was euery where full of filth and lothsomnes and then ioyfully washed the linnen that he had fouled There was in this hospitall a leapresse whome she often purified though she were so couered with filth and leprosie that one could not so much as behold her without horrour But this Princesse did handle her as if she had bin very cleane dressed her meat gaue it her to eat and applyed her medicins pulled off her hose and pared her nailes with such promptitude as she procured a strang admiration in all the beholders She caused the sick ordinarily to confesse and communicate and in like case a poore old and sick woman that had no will to confesse was by her corrected and made confesse She washed and shrouded the dead bodyes with her owne handes and with very great deuotion attended them to buryall Our Lord by many miracles which he wrought by this blessed lady made appeaâ—e how gratefull this worck of mercy was vnto his diuine maiesty What order S. Elizabeth obserued and the miracles she wrought in the said Monasterie THE XV. CHAPTER SAinte Elizabeth in her hospitall ordayned that no poore person should be admitted without being formerly confessed because a man in mortall sinne doth not deserue att the handes of God the bread he eateth It one time happened that a blind man demaunded entertaynment in the sayd hospitall but because he would not confesse he was not admitted wherfore retourning he murmured blasphemed and tayled for that he was reiected thence But being charitably reprehended and admonished by this vertuous Lady and a Frere Minor he was conuerted and very deuoutly confessed his sinnes and then was admitted into the hospital where being the Religious man sayd to S. Elizabeth Sith you haue receaued the blind man and haue giuen him to eat you must also if you please restore him his sight The S. as one full of humility answeared Father that which you require is a worck of importance and such as none but God can doe as he alone that illuminateth the blinde but sith it hath pleased his infinite bounty so mercifully to graunt him the light of grace I shal be glad that he voutchsafe him that of his eyes And therfore Father obtaine you of his diuine maiesty the light of one eye and I wil endeauour to pray for the other And so both of them with great confidence and feruour falling to their prayers the sight of one eye was restored to the blind and a litle after the other Wherin God shewed the difference of the meritts of the intercessors in that the sight restored to the second eye was very much clearer purer and sharper then the other The sainct one day entring secretly into the hospitall with two seruants to visit the sick she found att the dore a paralytique lying on the ground who was also deafe and dumble She hauing compassion of this poore creature asked him with a low voice what he ayled The sick man that could not yeare her moued his head and mouth as one dumbe and making signes with his handes the seruant of God with feruour of the holy Ghost sayd vnto him I command thee in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST to tell me where is thy griefe att which worde the paralytique arose on his feet and sayd I haue bin for many yeares both dumbe and lame as you see and this is the griefe I had This sainct vtterly amazed att such a miracle speedily retourned whence she came to auoyd the notice and obseruation of the world As she went an other time to visitt the sick it happened that she saw one so much decayed as by reason of his extreme weaknes he could not eat The S. prayed him to tell her what he desired to eat The sick creature sighing answeared her that he could willingly eat of some fresh-water fish the vertuous Princesse assuring him to procure it for him left him much comforted and presently sent a seruant of the hospitall to gett such fish for the sick man But retourning he aduertised her that the riuer being frozen there was no meane to haue any Which this compassionate mother of the poore vnderstanding hauing confidence in God and being well instructed by the holy Ghost tooke a bason in her hand and went incontinently to a fountaine close by the hospitall wherinto hauing dipped her bason she drew it out full of water and fish which with great pleasure she boiled and gaue to the sick party that was halfe dead who did eat with such appetite that a litle after he arose from his bed sound and gaue thanckes to almighty God Of the contemplation of S. Elizabeth and how she deliuered her mother out of Purgatory and conuerted a very sensuall yong man THE XVI CHAPTER THis holy Princesse had ordinarily reuelations and visitations of her beloued IESVS CHRIST by his most ferueÌ„t loue wherwith she was wounded Being in the Church one day in the lent she so setled and fixed her eyes on the altare that she made it appeare that she there saw the presence of the diuine maiesty so remayning many howers receauing celestiall reuelations Retourning to her selfe she was coÌ„strayned by so great weaknes to rest her head on the lappe of one of her seruantes and so remayning a while she began to behold the heauen att a window discouering such a ioy in her countenance that it enforced her to breake out into a merueillous laughter and a litle after