a difficult and dangerous enterprise we are therein much more induced by example then by any persuasions of whom soeuer though we acknowledg them to be certainlie true None could be found that would resolue ioyfully to embrace the vertue of pouerty humility chastity fasting and other peniteÌ„tiall labours if he knew not that others not only with wordes exteriourly but really with worckes haue embraced the same Neither was it for any other cause that our Lord IESVS Christ would personnaly come into this world but by example to shew vs the way of our saluation and his holy wil because the examples aduertissementes of his faithfull seruantes would not suffice to retire vs from our euill conuersation and way and to setle vs in his no not the preceptes which he had giuen in the first written law But when he began to walke this way how many were there that would accompagny him very seriously seruing him euen till their death and this only for his loue The Church therfore knowing right well the glory that redoundeth to almightie God and the fruit which men gather by the memory of the life of our lord IESVS Christ and of his sainctes doth euery day propose and sett them before our eyes in the diuine office in the sacrifices and solemnities that it should not be tedious vnto vs to follow and imitate them whome we prayse and whose memory we honour and that likewise we should not esteeme it labourious to walke that way which alone conducteth vs to eternall life Hereof mayest thou consider deuout Reader what vse almightie God maketh of his elect in fauour of vs because we are saith S. Iohn coadiutors to the saluation of soules we may hence also conceiue how greatlie we are obliged to the trueseruantes of God who haue so put themselues to paines in the exercise of vertues that they haue left the way open that such as seeke it may finde it and by their examples haue taught vs which it is and with whath force and industry we may attaine vnto true glory Those of former ages guided only by naturall light did vse exceeding diligence to induce and animate themselues by the examples of their famous predecessours vsing them as so many spurres vnto vertrue to the end they might in no time be defectiue in the obligation they had both to their natiue country and to their owne honour and indeed the milke wher with they nourced their childreÌ„ in their publique schooles was the generous actes of their ancestours which were red vnto them in poemes and orations that by meanes of those examples the children might be affected to vertue and enflamed with desire of glory although it was more vaine then vertuous This is of such force that euen at this present many of our Christians following the same practise cause their children to spend the most entiere parte of their age in committing to memory the heroyicall actes of the ancient Grecians and Latines But would to God that too many did not employ and wast all their life in this study and that many others were not more affected to Homer Cicero and Virgil then to IESVS Christ O extreme indignity of Christians deseruing sharp reprehension and eternall punishment in regard that they glory to be imitatours of the superstitious Gentils who as they wanted faith and the true light illuminating the hart of Christians so was not their vertue true and solid but exteriour and vaine And although that in that time of obscure darcknes they gaue to men some sparckle of light some litle knowledg of vertue more with wordes then with effect these Pagans neuertheles persiste in obscurity euen in the cleare day of the true light of our lord IESVS Christ the soueraigne truth and perfection and are vnworthy to be honoured in comparison of true Christians who being illuminated with the light of faith can easily discerne iudge and condemne the world with his vnwise adherentes because as the Apostle S. Paul Saith the spirituall man knoweth and iudgeth al thinges Pagans on the contrary glorying and esteemning themselues wise with their eloquence become sottish and ignorant as hauing attributed and giuen vnto creatures that which appertayned only to the Creatour but they whose cogitation and confidence is more setled and grounded on the diuine will and doctrine then humane and do follow celestiall not earthly Philosophy such I say shal only arriue to heauen whence first discended their knowledge they cannot erre being taught by the eternall wisdome neither shall they euer want glory euen amoÌ„g mortall people though they haue with all possibility shunned the same but shal be illustrious to all the world For though antiquity haue exceedingly honoured great ambitious personnes that desired to leaue some memory and renowne of themselues in this world after their death yet our holy mother the Church doth farre more exalt and make more glorious our Sainctes continually in the predications feastes and solemnities which for them and in their honour are celebrated besides that we beleeue that they liue and gloriously raigne in heauen in the contemplation of their Lord. So that the true seruantes of God are blessed among Angels and honoured among men as eminent sainctes as great they are and worthy of all reuerence Altars are euery where consecrated and churches bult in their names their images are honoured their wordes and workes are highly commended and preached their reliques are reuerenced and worshipped on earth their soules glorified in heauen and the miracles and excellent workes both ancient and moderne which our lord in them and by them hath wrought are with exceeding great glory admired Our Lord euen in this world recompenceth his elect who not in appareâ—e but in effect are vertuous and holy and incorruptedlie conserue their faith to their Creatour When was there euer found in any time among the ancient naturalistes such constancie such faith temperance magnanimity sweetnes mercy iustice fortitude and loyaulty as hath bin found in our Christians who by no kinde of threates or faire speeches of Tyrantes could be induced to leaue their obedience vnto God could neuer be corrupted by any promise or recompence nor haue bin inclined by any kinde of flatteries or fauours but persisting firme constant in the truth haue nothing esteemed nor feared the terrible and horrible tormentes were they neuer so barbarous nor in the extremity of them or death it selfe but haue alwayes remayned immoueable and inuincible in true vertu piety not desiring reuenge or detriment to the persecutours or executioners but pardon and saluation praying vnto God for them And all this not att their death only but euen in their life For there is no kinde of vertue wherin the sainctes haue not excelled some in purity of virginity others in continencie with great labour subiecting the flesh to the spirit that euen on earth leading a life more angelical then humane they might purchase eternall glory in heauen others renouncing kingdomes estates and dignities
knowne and experienced by the world and reuealed by IESVS CHRIST himselfe wherfore the S. merited to be crowned hauing bin so valiant in the fierce assaultes of so many ennemies and att length vanquished so tedious a combatt as he had from the beginning of his conuersion First by his very parentes and afterward by infinite other meanes that neuer permitted him in repose But how much more the deuill gaue him occasion to sinne so much more did he endeauour to meritt and became pure as gold in the fire Wherfore he often said If my Religious knew what warre mine ennemies raise against me they would perhappes haue compassion of me and hold me excused if I cannot be sometimes with them as I would desire One time when God permitted him for his greater good to be tempted the deuill drawe him into so deepe a melancholy of spiritt that exteriourly there appeared many signes therof he being no longer able to conceale nor moderate the same in such sort as he seemed to be vtterlie abandoned of God If he would conuerse with his Religious he could not if he would be sequestred from them it was worse abstinence and mortification of the flesh annoyed him haircloth and prayer auayled not He continued in this sort more then two yeares though one would not haue imagined it had bin of an houres continuance till att length God determining to haue compassion of him as he prayed with effusion of teares he heard the voice of God that said If thou hast so much faith as a mustard seed and sayest to this mountaine remoue from hence thither it shal be done S. Francis then answeared which is this mountaine my God and the voice replyed The temptation then S. Francis My God lett thy word then be accomplished And from thence he was freed and gaue infinite thanckes to God for the same Of many other temptations with S. Francis had THE LXXIII CHAPTER SAint Francis being in continuall prayer in the hermitage of Grecio a gentleman one night sending him a pillow to vse in regard of the infirmity of his eyes he could neuer repose nor pray for he had such a trembling in his head that all his body was distempered therwith Now hauing a long time discoursed with himselfe whence this distemperature should proceed he att length resolued and concluded that it could not be occasioned but by the pillow wherinto the deuill was entred wherfore he caused it to be carryed out of his cell by his companion who hauing to that purpose layed it on his shoulders and carryed it out incontinentlie lost his speech and which was yet worse stood immoueable with the said pillow He continued in this affliction which how it tormented him may of each one be imagined till sainct Francis admiring his long tariance called him att which voice the Religious retourned to himselfe cast the pillow instantlie to the ground and ran to the S. to whome he recounted all whervpon he answeared him My Brother last night whiles I was att compline I vnderstood that this deuill came hither and know that finding no other place he entred into the soft pillow learne therfore now how subtill and malicious he is that hauing no power to endommage the soule because it is protected by diuine grace he seeketh to hinder the repose of the body that it may not pray and performe other exercises in time conuenient or to make it diseased to procure it to murmure and therby to fall into sinne Being an other time afflicted with the said infirmitie of his eyes in such sort as for the space of fifty dayes together he could see no light he was placed in a very darck cell made of rushes mattes and earth there did he endure such excessiue greife as he could not haue one hower of repose The deuill to augment his affliction sent him into his celle a very great quantity of huge mice that they might prouoke him to impatience wherfore the S. being entierly resigned into the handes of God feeling a vehement anguish in his hart vttered these wordeâ— Help me my God in such a multitude of infirmities diseases and afflictions that I may patiently endure them Whereto a voice answeared Tell me S. Francis if for thyne infirmities and afflictions one should promise thee such a treasure and of so great valew as if all the earth were gold and all the stones diamondes or other precious stones and all the waters baulme wouldest thou not esteeme all thy miseries filthy dirt in comparison of the said treasure and wouldest thou not be content more then voluntarily to supporte the same herevnto the S. answeared yea I should be very glad therof Well reioyce thee then replyed the voice that thou mayest liue content and secure as if thou wert in my kingdome Hauing concluded his prayer with exceeding ioy of this vision deliuerance diuine promise he incontinently said to his companions If a king had giuen a kingdome to a seruaunt should not he haue cause to be alwayes ioyfull And they answeared yes And if added he he gaue him all the Empires of the world should he not haue yet greater cause of ioy they likewise answeared yes I ought then said he infinitely to reioyce in mine infirmities and greifes and for them to giue thanckes vnto the Father of mercie vnto my Redeemer IESVS CHRIST to the holy Ghost the true comforter sith he hath shewed such mercie to me his vnworthy seruant as to vouchsafe att this present to assure me of his kingdome In respect wherof I will compose himnes to singhenceforward and to yeld him infinite thankes for the same Of many other temptations and subtilties wherby the dâ—uiâ—â— tormented him THE LXXIV CHAPTER THe deuils not content to disturbe him with infinite temptations did also assault him by occasion of sinne as by the ensuyng accident shall appeare Preaching one day in Apulia in a church very neere vnto the Pallace of the Emperour Frederick being as yet vnknowne many Courtiers were there present who perceauing him so freelie to reprehend vices affirming that whosoeuer would follow and satisfie his sensuall appetites could neuer haue part in heauen they retourning did scoffingly relate the whole vnto the Emperour who answeared them These Preachers in deed do say much but they performe litle Wherfore I would willingly know if this maÌ„ be such a one lett some one amongest you vndertake to inuite him to supper lodge with him and hauing giuen him good entertainement let him dexterously conuey into his chamber a faire courtisane to try if he can vse that vertue of continence which he so forcibly preacheth vnto vs. A gentleman did presentlie offer to putt this proiect in practise for in princes Courtes there want not men that seeke rather to please their master in these friuolous and sottish toyes then in matters that concerne the honnour and saffety of the soule This Courtier then when he had found a time conuenient to the purpose
retourne where the Religious were to whome hauing recouered his speech he presentlie acknowledged his fault in his presumptious enterprise Thenceforward he much more reuerentlie respected sainct Francis hen before The Abbott of S. Iustin in the diocese of Perusia meeting him one day alighted off his mule for the great deuotion he had vnto him and embraced him discoursing a long time of certaine affaires att their parting he besought the S. to pray for him which he promised and so being separated S. Francis withdrew himslfe from his companion saying that he must pay the dept which he would performe to the benefitt of the Abbott who in the same instant that S. Francis prayed for him felt himselfe as it were rapt out of himselfe by an extraordinarie feruour which ouer-past he knew right well the vertue and efficacie of the prayer of the Sainct and afterward related the same to diuers Brother Macie an other time saw S. Francis pray in such sort that there seemed liuelie flames to issue out of his mouth and eyes and so entierlie enflamed he went vnto him and calling him thrise he said Ah! ah Brother Macie come to me wheratt he amazed att such an excesse of spiritt cast himselfe into his armes and S. Francis lifted him vp into the aire the hight of a launce and afterward he recounted vnto the Religious that in that instant he felt such and so great sweetnes that he neuer after felt the like Passing by the Bourough of S. Sepulchre by reason of his infirmities riding on an asse he was almost stifled by the extreme concourse of people that flocked thither to kisse his feet coate handes and his habit whereat he remayned so immoueable that he seemed rather an image then a man Being past the Bourough and not one of those people neere him he demaunded of his companions how farre he had yet to the Bourough whereby they knew that being rauished in spiritt vnto heauen he had not felt that extreme presse of people The said Fathers affirmed that the same happened not vnto him once only but diuers times by reason of the great excesse of spiritt which was ordinarily incident vnto him How by prayer he obtayned of God what he would THE XCVIII CHAPTER THough God alone who endued him with so many graces is able to expresse them yet we must not forbeare to relate those that haue bin committed vnto vs by writting Goeing to an hermitage there to spend one of his lentes and being vnable by reason of his great infirmities to goe one foote he borrowed an asse of a poore man who of deuotion would also goe with him The season being extreme hoat on the barren and sharpe mountaines he had a great thirst and such as he feared to dye therof and being no longer able to endure it he acquainted the S. therwith who moued with compassion alighted off his asse and on his knees prostrated himselfe before God and praying did not arise till he was heard then arising he said to the poore man Goe to yonder stone and by the vertue of God it will yeld thee water sufficientlie He went thither found water and quenched his thirst which done the fountaine shutt againe to make it more manifest that by the only mâ—rittes of the S. God had made the water to issue out of an hard rockâ— as he did for Moyses The holy Father being att Spoletum a lay Brother called Brothre Andrew of Sienna that went a begging reported vnto him that there was a Bourgesse that had litle feare of God of whome he could neuer gett an almose whereto he answeared that he should endeauour to gett were it but one onlie loafe of him and should bring it vnto him The said Religious went vnto him and was so troublesome in demaunding that att lenght by importunity he gott a loafe Hauing it he carryed the same to S. Francis who deuided it into litle morcels and thereof gaue to each of the Religious with condition that they should all say a Pater and an Aue for the auaricious man and himselfe ioyning with them to pray vnto God they obtayned that this extreme nigard became liberall God permitting him to know his fault in such sort that thenceforward there was none more liberall vnto them then he A vertuous gentleman did often inuite the holy Father vnto his house where he extended so much charity vnto him that casting his affection on him he much desired to haue him of his Order and to that effect he prayed God that he would voutsafe to illuminate this his freind to leaue the world which he did with such feruour that being in extasie he was eleuated into the aire whiles it chaunced that the said gentleman passing by saw him so in the aire and God with him who seemed to graunt him this grace being therefore conuerted and touched by God he entred into the Order Passing by the forrest of Cortone a Lady of worth came before him and demaunded his benediction which he hauing giuen her she began to recount vnto him the miserable estate wherin she then was to witt that God hauing long time before inspired her to serue him she had a husband so contrary to that her good intention and such an ennemy to their faluation that therby she liued in perpetuall anguish And therfore she prayed him for the loue of God to assist her The holy Father answeared her woman haue faith in God for he knowing your holy and pious intention will accomplish your desire Goe therefore to your house and boldly vse these wordes vnto your husband I tell you in the behalfe of God that now is the time of mercie and the time of iustice will come hereafter And therfore by the woundes of our redeemer IESVS CHR. crucified I pray you so to dispose that we may liue in the peace and feare of God and you shall see said S. Francis that he will heare you the woman left him and his companion in prayer and she in the meane time went away full of consolation The successe was admirable for comming to her lodgeing her husband asked her whence she came she recounted vnto him all by order and on the part of God vsed vnto him the wordes S. Francis had taught her wherewith he became so mild that he seemed not the man he accustomed to be and in deed answeared his wife that he was resolued thenceforward to chaunge his life and to serue God as she desired Whereto his wife replyed sith it pleaseth you thus to obey God it seemeth requisite that we beginne the same by a vow of chastity it is a vertue exceeding gratefull vnto God and wil be very meritorious vnto vs the husband was content therwith and so they after liued piously This conuersion gaue a merueilous admiration to all those that knew them and much more when hauing perseuered piously together they also dyed in one same day the wife in the morning and the husband att night she as a
and in his face to spett the venime of thy choller Which the said gentleman seeing was exceedingly edified and deuoted to the whole Order presenting himselfe entierly to the seruice of it The holy Father S. Francis was contrarily extremely afflicted when he vnderstood that any one had disedified his neighbour To this purpose it being related vnto him that a bishop had reprehended one of his Religious for hauing seene him doe something sauouring of hypocrisie as to procure the growing of his beard and other thinges vnbeseeming a Frere Minor he stood vp right and ioyning his handes he weeping said Lord IESVS CHRIST who hauing chosen twelue Apostles one of them proued a traytor and was therfore damned and the residue ouer all the world preached thy holie faith by wordes and by pious and vertuous worckes and now in this latter houre being mindefull of thy mercie it hath pleased thee to plant the Religion of Frere Minors for helpe vnto they church and for seruice of they holie faith and thy holie gospell haue care therof I beseech thee for thy pietie for if this Religion giue scandale in steed of good example who shall satisfie thee for her Thus vrged by zeale of the honour of God and the saluation of soules stretching his armes a broad with great effusion of teares he vrtered these wordes Good God and Father I beseech thee leâ—t all the Religious who by their euill example and impious worckes shall destroy that which by meane of thy true Frere Minors thou hast edified be accursed of thee of thy celestiall court and of me thy humble seruant Vpon a day reprehending a Religious that had giuen ill example among other thinges he said this Brother will you that I lett you know the displeasure which the Religious procure me that scandalize others the same that one should doe who hauing a rapiere in his hand should often thrust me into the flanckes and therwith I could not dye so the noughty Religious doe augment in my soule greifes vpon greifes giuing euill example and doebucher my bowels then he added Ah my God! if one wounded could fly him that threatneth his death would he not fly and why then doe not I fly into the Mountaines and desertes to auoid the hearing of such and the like matters of my Religious Of an answeare which God gaue to the holy Father S. Francis in prayer being exceedingly afflicted for some scandales committed THE XXVI CHAPTER THe afflicted S. Francis knowing that certaine Prouincialls of his Order gaue not good edification to the simple Religious foreseeing that therby many other in short time might swarue from the obseruance of the rule moued with great greife which afflicted him for the zeale of the honour of God often reiterating these wordes My God I recommend vnto thee this familie which thou hast giuen me he heard a voice that said Why troublest thou thy selfe poore man Why doest thou so much afflict thee if some Religious walke not my way and giue ill example esteemest thou that I haue so chosen thee for Pastour of this Religion as that I continue not the principal Pastour thereof Who hath planted this Religion of Freere Minors who coÌ„uerteth men to pennance who giueth them force and vertue to perseuer in it Tell me doe not I al this yea I haue chosen thee expresly without learning or eloqueÌ„ce yea simple that performing what lyeth in thee thou committ the rest to me and that this new conuersion of so great part of the world be not attributed to thy doctrine nor to any humane industry but to my grace alone Now to the end thatt thou and all the world know that I will watch ouer my flock I haue placed thee there as a blanck and paterne to all the Religious that by what thou shall doe they may see whervnto they are obliged and I will preserue and maintaine them And if it happen that some doe fall others shall rise They that walke in my way are mine and shall retourne to me they that walke not in it shall loose the litle good which they seeme to haue Therfore I commaund thee not so much to vexe they selfe henceforward but onlie perseuer in thy course and know that I haue planted and conserue this Religion which I so much affect that if one of the Brethren retourne to his vomitt I will referre his crowne to an other in his place and if he be not borne I will cause him to be borne And that thou mayest know how much I loue the Religion of thy Freres though in the Order there remayne but three I will not abandon them but those three shal be my Religion The poore Father was comforted with these wordes and so supported all with more patience In the Chapters he would often vse these wordes to his Religious I haue made vow and professioÌ„ of the rule of Frere Minors and all the Brethren are in like sort obliged thervnto I haue left the office of Gouernour of the Religious by reason of mine infirmities and withall because it was permitted by his diuine maiesty for the good of my soule I know the greatest furtherance that I can giue to my Religion is continually to pray for it and to beseech God to gouerne it I am not obliged to any other thing then to giue to each one good example And if any perish by my euill example I wil be obliged to yeld account for him vnto God Therfore they that hold the same rule with me and know very well if they will what they ought to doe for they see it practised both by me and others if they doe not their duety they worck their owne damnation God will chastise them I shall not be obliged for them in that respect wherin I referre my selfe to God Certaine Religious one time said to S. Francis with a good zeale thincking therby to meritt much Father doe not you know that Prelalates sometimes refuse to giue vs leaue to preach by reason wherof we spend much time idlye we therfore thincke it conuenient that you shall doe great seruice to God and much good to soules if you procure generall licence of the Pope to preach freely with priuiledge The holy Father exceedingly reprehended them foreseeing the scaÌ„dall that therby might easily arriue betweene the Clergie and his Order and said vnto theÌ„ you Frere Minors will not know the will of God nor will permitt me to conuert the world in such sort as God will I should conuert it Therfore I tell you you ought to obtaine this licence of the Prelates themselues with your humility the good example of your life which coÌ„tinuyng in you the Prelates will pray you to preach in their diocesses churches and to conuert their people to pennance After this maÌ„ner they will more willingly call you to preach theÌ„ your priuiledges will doe which will only puffe you vp in pride and if you beleeue mine aduise you shall endeauour to keep
to be more tormented by her infirmities then she accustomed to be a sword of sorrow through-pearced the soule of her beloued daughters But a virgin seruante of IESVS CHRIST and a very deuout Religious of the Monastery of saint Paul and Order of saint Benedict had att that time this vision following It semed to her that she did visitt sainte Clare withall her sisters att saint Damian whom she saw in a sorrowfull yet precious bed about which they all lamēted expecting her death and withall she saw come to the bolster of the sayd bed a very beautifull woman who sayd to them that wept My daughters weep not for her that is yet to liue for she cannot dye til our Lord and all his disciples doe come A litle after the Romane Court was att Perusia where the encrease of sainte Clares sicknesse being diuulged the Cardinall of Hostia hastened with great dilligence to visite the espouse of IESVS CHRIST whose Father he was by office Gouernour by speciall sollicitude and Fosterer and friend in most pure and chast amitie and her he comforted applying and with his owne handes administring vnto her the most sacred sacrament of the Eucharist and then made a very deuout sermon vnto the Religious sainte Clare with great humility and in the name of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST besought him to accept in recommēdation that her family and all her other poore sisters of other Monasteries but aboue all she most instātly besought him to obtaine of the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinalls a priuiledge and confirmation of holy pouerty Wherto the Cardinall gaue his word and as a faithfull Protectour of her Religion one most deuout and affectionat to saincte Clare did afterwardes effect it For Pope Innocēt the fourth att her most instāt request confirmed the rule which the holy Father saint Francis had instituted for her as is formerly recorded of which rule S. Clare had neuer till then other cōfirmation written then that of the said Cardinall because the Pope supposing to induce sainte Clare not to bind her Religious to such an extreme pouerty did still deferre to confirme her rule by writing But Innocent the fourth seeing the perseuerāce and last will of sainte Clare graunted the same vnto her by a bull the eleuenth and last yeare of his raigne as we haue before recorded And the yeare being almost expired the Pope came with his Cardinals from Perusia to Assisium wherin the first vision touching the death of the holy virgin was accomplished for the Pope being in his office more then a man by the aucthority which he hath of IESVS CHRIST on earth whose person he representeth in the temple of the Church militant the Cardinals accompanying his holinesse represented the disciples of our Lord IESVS CHRIST How Pope Innocent the fourth visited S. Clare in her last sicknes and gaue her absolution THE XXIV CHAPTER THe diuine prouidence would no longer deferre the accomplishment of the will of S. Clare but her Spouse IESVS CHRIST came to eleuate into his celestiall Pallace his poore espouse and pilgrime on earth who desired nothing more that being deliuered of this mortall body she might haue the sight and fruition of her most glorious IESVS CHRIST in his kingdome Now then the members of this virgin being by continuance of her sicknes as vtterly decayed there befell her a new weakenes which being a token that she should in short time be called of God she also vsed it as a ladder to mount to eternall saluation Whervpon the Pope Innocent the fourth came to the Monastery of saint Damian accompanied with many Cardinals to visitt the seruant of God not doubting but she whose life he had already approued was the most perfect in sanctity of all women of his time and therfore worthy to haue her death honoured by his presence His holinesse then being entred he went directly to the glorious Virgin and comming neere to her bed he tendered her his hand to kisse which fauour saincte Clare with exceeding ioy receaued But besides that she with great humility besought him to aford her his feet to kisse The Pope to content her sate downe vpon a litle bench and deuoutly presented vnto her his Apostolicall feet on which this sainct reuerently laid her face and mouth most affectionatly kissing them then with the serenity of an Angelicall countenance she demaunded of him remission of all her sinnes Wherto the Pope answeared would to God my deere sister I had need of such a pardon but finally he gaue her the benefitt of absolutiō and the gift of his benediction then left her in peace She hauing that morning receaued the most sacred communion att the hand of the Prouinciall of the Frere Minors of that prouince with her handes ioyned and her eyes eleuated towardes heauen she weeping sayd to her Religious My daughters prayse almighty God for the benefitt it hath pleased him to bestow on me this day which is such that the earth and the heauens are not of sufficiencie to recompence it sith this day I haue both receaued the same Lord and am esteemed worthy to see his vicar on earth How S. Clare comforted her sister S. Agnes THE XXV CHAPTER THe daughters were all about their mother without whom they were in short time to remayne orphanes the cōsideration wherof through-pearced their soules with a most bitter griefe The heauines of sleep nor hungar could not draw them from the presence of their mother the contentment which they receaued in her presence made them forgett to eat and to sleep because all their exercise was to weepe and particulerly her most deuout sister Agnes who was expresly come from the Monastery which she had newly erected att Florence to be present att her death Being then in this anguish she tourned towardes her sister and most instantly prayed her not to depriue her of her presence Wherto sainte Clare answeared Deere sister whome I cordially loue sith it hath pleased God that I depart be you ioyfull and weepe no more for I assure you our Lord will shortly come to you to visitt you with an exceeding consolation before your death Here followeth the testament of the holy S. Clare In nomine Domini Amen AMongest all other benefittes which we haue receaued of our bountifull benefactour the king of mercies and doe daily receiue of him for which we are most boud to praise him one is for our vocatiō which by how much greater it is by so much more are we bound vnto him the Apostle saith acknowledge your vocatiō God hath made himselfe a way which he hath shewed by word and example our holy Father S. Francis a most perfect zelatour and follower of the same way hath thaught vs wherfor my beloued Sisters we ought to marcke the vnmeasurable benefitt which God hath done vnto vs amongest the rest that which he hath vouchsafed to worcke in vs through his seruāt our Father S. Frācis not only after our cōuersion but
alsowhen we were in the captiuity vanity of the world for after his conuersion not hauing as yet any Brethren or companions being ro repaire the Church of saint Damian where he was visited with diuinecōsolation and cōstrained wholly to abandon the world filled with ioy and illumination of the holy Ghost he prophesied of vs that which our lord hath afterwardes fulfilled standing then on the walles of the said Church he called with a loud voice in the french tongue vnto some poore people dwelling therby saying Come helpe me in this Church of sainct Damian for there shall came women of whose good life and holy conuersation our heauenly Father shal be reioyced in his whole Church In this may we obserue the infinite bounty of God towardes vs who of his aboundāt mercy and charity hath vouchsafed to prophesie those thinges by his seruant of our vocatiō and election not only of vs hath our holy Father prophesied these thinges but also of those who hereafter shal be called vnto that vocation wherto our Lord hath called vs. With what care of soule and body are we then bound to keep the commādements of God of our holy Father saint Francis to the end that with the grace of God we may pay the multiplied talent And our lord hath not only placed vs as an example vnto the seculer but also vnto all our Sisters whome he shall call vnto our vocation that we may be vnto those who conuerse in the world a mirrour and example For our Lord God hath called vs vnto so great thinges that they may take example of vs who are giuen vnto others for an example for which we are bound greatly to blesse the more ought we for this to be strēgthened in our lord to doe well wherfore if we liue according to the forme aboue mentioned we shall leaue good example vnto those which follow vs with short paine we shall receiue the reward of euerlasting life After that our heauenly Father vouchsafed through his great mercy and grace to illuminate my hart in such sort that by the example and touching of our holy Father S. Francis I began to doe penance a litle after my conuersion I with a few Sisters whome our Lord gaue me haue willingly promised vnto him obedience like as our lord through the light of his grace inspired vnto vs by meanes of his merueillous life and holy doctrine Saint Francis then marcking that we were tender and fraile according to the body yet neuerthelesse nothing dismayed with any necessity pouerty paine tribulation or contempt of the world but that we esteemed all those thingees as great pleasure euen as he had experienced by the example of his Brethren he reioyced in our lord and with great charity inclining towardes vs he obliged himselfe his Brethren to haue alwayes ouer vs a speciall and diligent care We also by the will of God of our holy Father saint Frācis repaired to the Church of saint Damiā there to dwell a litle after which time our lord through his great mercy grace multiplyed vs and then was fulfilled that which our lord had foretold by his seruant for we had dwelt before in an other place litle after that he wrote vnto vs this forme of life and principally that we should perseuer in this pouerty and it was not sufficient vnto him to haue admonished vs therunto in his life by many sermons aduertisemētes to the end he might moue vs to the loue and obseruance of this most holy pouerty but he hath also giuen vs many writinges that after his death we should not fall from the same holy pouertye according to the example of the Sonne of God who liuing in this world did neuer leaue the same which holy pouerty our holy Father saint Francis and his Brethrē did honour and obserue during his life Wherfore I Clare seruant and handmayd of Christ and of the poore Sisters of saint Damian although vnworthy and the litle plant of our holy Father saint Francis considering this with my other Sisters as also the highnes of our profession made vnto such a worthy Father and the frailty of vs and others which we feare after the death of our holy Father who next vnto God was our only piller and comfort againe and againe we binde our selues vnto the holy lady pouerty to the end that the Sisters who are or shall come after my death may by no meanes decline from the same This Pouerty I haue alwayes bin carefull with the grace of God to obserue and to cause it to be obserued and for more surety of the same I haue made my Profession therof vnto our holy Father Pope Innocent the fourth in whose time we began and haue confirmed it by his successours that by no meanes in no time we should decline from this holy Pouerty which we haue vowed vnto God and vnto saint Francis Wherfore I bending the knee both of myne inward and outward man in all humility doe commend vnto the church of Rome to our holy Father the Pope and especially vnto the Cardinall to whose protection together wit the Franciscans we are committed that for the loue of God who was layd in the cribbe liued poorly in this world and dyed poorly on the crosse they will keepe the litle flock which God the Father hath gayned in his church through the wordes and examples of our holy Father saint Francis causing it to follow the humility and pouerty of his deerly beloued Sonne the Father of wisdome and of his holy mother and that they will cause the holy pouerty to be obserued which we haue promised vnto God and to sainct Francis as also strengthen thē for to obserue the same And like as God gaue vnto vs our Father saint Francis for our founder and helper in the seruice of God and of those thinges which we haue vowed vnto God and vnto him to obserue and as he was carefull whiles he liued to exercise vs his plantes by word examples so I commend and leaue my Sisters who already are as also those who hereafter shall be vnto the successours of saint Francis and to the whole religion that they wil be alwayes an assistance vnto vs to profitt from better to better to serue God and to accomplish and obserue this holy pouerty If it should happen att any time that the said sisters should leaue their country or citty to goe vnto an other they are firmely bound after my death in what place soeuer they are to obserue the holy pouerty which they haue vowed vnto God and to saint Francis Those which shall be in office as also the other sisters shal be carefull not to receiue more land then extreme necessity doth require as a garden for hearbes vnto their necessity And if for the defence or vse of the cloyster it weere needfull to haue more land they shall take but only to supply the necessity and in this lād they may neither plough
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
solemnized ouer al the Catholike Church This blessed S. departed this life the yeare of grace 1231. the 19. day of NoueÌ„ber Certaine yeares after her reliques being traÌ„slated her body was found in the cosin of lead where it was first layd in sepulture her flesh being melted into oyle and most precious liquor that yelded a most delicious and pleasing â—auour this oyle restored health to infinite sick people and a very long time distilled from her sacred bones The life of the B. Elzearius of the third order of sainct Francis and S. Delphine his wife Of the sanctity mortification abstinence and virginity of S. Elzearius THE XVIII CHAPTER ELzearius was Earle of Arian in Prouince no lesse generous and noble in vertues and sanctity then eminent famous in race generation for the Eaâ—les of Arian his predecestors were of the most illustrious of Prouence This nobleman from thirteen yeares of age accustomed to fast often and woare a cord girded on his flesh knotted with fiue knottes which he vsed as a restraint and bridle to carnall sensuality and as a secrett memory of the fiue woundes of our lord IESVS CHRIST When he was ouer-wearyed with watching and was ouercome with necessity of sleep he neuer putt of his cloathes to take his rest and by day woare an hair-cloth therby to feele some affliction in his body both by day and night considering that without afflictions the fruites of spirituall desires cannot be obtayned His rigours also serued him to represse the coÌ„cupiscences stinges of the flesh and to obtayne the fruites of true wisdome His age encreasing he addicted himselfe to a stricter rule of abstinence chasticing his body by fastes to subiect it vnto the spiritt He gaue vertuous and pious instructions to his family that they might liue in the feare of God and not iniury their neighbour but might edifie him and that God might by them be serued and honoured This sainct after his youth though he had bin delicately nourrished was a great friend vnto chastity and so continued euen to his death preseruing in his soule and body the inestimable treasure of virginity How sainct Elzearius was maryed and accorded with his wife to conserue their virginity THE XIX CHAPTER S. Elzearius was maryed in his youth vnto a gentlewoman of noble familie called Delphine who had a like intention with her husband to preserue her virginity She being past twelue yeares of age and knowing she should shortly be deliuered and committed to Elzearious her Spouse began exceedingly to feaâ—e that notwithstanding the sanctity she knew to be in him as not sufficiently fiâ—me and resolute in this grace he would ouerthrow the holy resolutioÌ„ she had to coÌ„serue her integrity And consulting therof with a Frere Minor that was her ghostly Father called Frere Philip Denguerre a man of notable piety he gaue her full asseurance and satisfaction with a prophetical spiritt telling her that she should not only entierly obserue her vow but that her husbaÌ„d and she should liue together chastly and so perseuer to the end And so the nuptiall solemnities being ended they liued together twenty seauen yeares religiously and piously vnder the shadow of the name of mariadge very well vnited in spiritt but remote from the vnion of the flesh preseruing in this vessell of earth the inestimable treasure of most precious chastity a vertue not so much recommendable as rare and so much more worthy to be imitated att least in part as the contrary vice is damnable and ruinous Of the worthy and singuler vertues of S. Elzearius THE XX. CHAPTER THis holy man duely considering that the principall vertue which the seruant of God can haue is the misprise of himselfe and consequently humility and not worldly nobility his spiritt could neuer be raysed to vaine glory by the great substance honours and puissance which the eminency of his house did yeld him His wordes were gracious and pleasing conformable to the spiritt that deliuered them and the better to attaine to the perfect contempt of himselfe he would often for the loue of IESVS CHRIST wash the soares and vlceres of leapers with his one handes and serue them with gteat feruour of deuotion and with such charity as if with his owne eyes he had seene and serued IESVS CHRIST himselfe He behaued himselfe towardes his subiectes and vassals ouer whome he had entier iurisdiction as a iust lord iudgeing their causes with a seuere clemencie as one that could not be drawne from the right course of iustice by feare hatred fauour or corruption This holy man proceeded in all actions by the vertue of discretion wherwith he so teÌ„pered his worckes of mercy that therin he with exceeding humility auoyded worldly glory and fauour and as a valiant and perfect warryer he neuer desisted from his first inteÌ„tion and as iust he withall his industry shunned the occasions of offending God This seruant was so charitable and liberall to the poore that neuer any demaunded of him an almose for the loue of God but he gaue him a reward together with good wordes All his care was to feed the hungry to lodge pilgrimes and haue care of poore sick and forlorne creatures as one that acknowledged the poore CHR. IES in his poore creatures in sicknesses the painfull afflictions wâ—ich he endured for vs miserable sinners And as he was replenished with the loue of his neighbours no lesse was he but much more replenished with the loue of IESVS CHRIST And knowing that the edifice of vertues hath its end in the perfection of holy prayer in regard that it is a conuersation and familiarity with God he applyed himselfe with all his endeauour to prayer and contemplation he also sayd the canonicall houres with such deuotion and attention as if he had bin in the visible presence of IESVS CHRIST How S. Elzearius had the true vertue of patience of his death and canonization and the death of his wife THE XXI CHAPTER THis inuincible Champion was so armed with the precious armours of patience by the exercise of vertue that albeit he supported many thinges very difficult to endure yet none could euer disquiett him so that he was neuer perceaued to be in choler nor the least iott remote from his ordinary mildnes For he very patiently and humblie supported and endured the iniuâ—yes and affiontes directly or indirectly offered vnto him and was neuer heard to proceed out of his mouth any word but of praise and thanckesgiuing vnto God he with such sweetnes and clemencie pardonned his ennemies whatsoeuer offence they commited against him that he did not only make appeare that he was satissied and appeased but proceeded in their behalfe as if there had neuer bin cause of discontentment Being att Paris and hauing fore-knowledge of the houre of his death he with great abondance of teares and exceeding deuotion made his coÌ„fession then with much reuerence and in very exemplar manner receaued the sacramentes of the church And
deliured of the threates of his Father went into the desert that there alone and in silence he might heare the secrettes of the diuine worde And as he walked on a mountaine singing the prayses of God in the French tongue he was assaulted by certaine theeues who rudely examined him what he was and what he sought there to whome he answeared as a Prophett I am an herauld of the great king They disdayining this answeare came neere and beate him and after many threatning wordes they cast him into a ditch of snow that was there saying Thou shalt now lye there as a caitife herauld of the great king But Francis they being retired came out of the ditch and filled with exceeding contentment began againe to praise God after he had a long time walked he came to a Monastery where as a poore begger he demanded almose for the loue of God which he receiued Thence he went to the citty of Agubio where being knowne vnto an ancient frend of his curteously entertayned him into his house And in regard that he was so naked this frend couered him with a poore cloake which serued him two yeares carrying a staffe in his hand as an hermite with shooes on his feet and girt with a lether belt which made him esteemed to be Religious of the Order of S. Augustin Now this affectour of humility desirous to lay a firme and stable foundation to his spirituall edifice exerciced himselfe in the actiue life to witt in workes of charity towardes his neighbour entertayninge his life with much austerity and mortification For hauing vanquished and trodden vnder foot the loue of himselfe and transferred it vnto his neighbour his affection was entierly reposed and setled in Iesus Christ by reason that whiles he was yet worldly he abhorred the accesse of leapers but now enflamed and ennamoured of IESVS CHRIST who Isay was contemned in the world and vlcered as a leapar so that he seemed no more to be a man That he might the more pefectly subiect his will to the spiritt he entierly applyed himselfe to the seruice of leapers often visiting them in their owne houses traueilling to gett almose for them kissing their handes their feet and face breifely for the loue of Iesus-Christ he assisted and serued them with exceeding dilligence yea sometimes the better to conquere himselfe cleansed and purged their filthy loathsome vlceres and ill sauouring soares with an extreme feruour and deuotion as if he had bin newly sent of God into the world as a rare Phisitian for the mortall woundes of sinnes Sometimes also he layd his mouth on the earth amiddle the dust that accustoming himselfe to contemptes and reproches he might subiect the pride of the flesh to the law of the spiritt and might procure to be a peaceable and perfect possessour of himselfe by which exercise he obtayned of God so great vertues as he had incredible puissance to cure spirituall and corporall diseases I will here to this purpose sett downe one miracle among diuers others which shal be recorded in this history in their place There was a man of the Dukedome of Spoletum that had on his face a most hideous and perillous soare that had already consumed and eaten one of his iawes and a great part of his mouth and wheras no remedy could be procured to his infirmity he vowed to goe to Rome to visitt the sepulchres of the holy Apostles to craue their intercession and to implore the mercy of God that he would be pleased to deliuer him of that so greuious and loathsome disease Now as he retourned to his house hauing accomplished his vow he mett the blessed Francis on the way before whome this diseased enclined himselfe to kisse his feet by reason that his countenance was exceeding venerable But the humble seruant of God not permitting it stept back The diseased arising the imitatour of Iesus Christ embraced him and kissed his face which hauing performed with a merucillous compassion att the very instant that horrible vlcere and the mouth being kissed were incontinently cured I know not in deed which of the two is more admirable either the profound humility of the S. in kissing the wound or the excellency of his vertue in worcking such a miracle He did not exercise this charity only towardes leapers but did also extend such liberality to all poore peole that sometimes leauing himselfe halfe naked to couer thē he desired besides to giue his owne person and espetially to poore preistes whome he assisted with great piety and reuerence He was likewise very zealous and carefull of the ornamētes of Altars and of Churches so that he did often make them cleane and decent with his owne handes that by them God might be serued with more honour and reuerence To this glorious Saint pouerty seemed the most precious thing in the word all his ambition was to possesse the same in this respect only was he enuious if an other were poorer then himselfe Goeing on to offer his deuotions att S. Peters in Rome among a great multitude of poore that were there att the dore he espied one most wretched and miserable almost naked and vncouered of whome he had such compassion and was so enflamed with the loue of pouerty that puttning off his owne garment he gaue it to the poore Creature and cloathed himselfe with the others ragges and took such content therein ' that he remayned all that day with those poore people with exceeding alacrity reioycing in pouerty in contempt of the glory of the world learning by such and the like worckes of charity first to practise and performe and then to teach following the steppes of his true master IESVS CHRIST whose life and doctrine he should practise and teach to mortall men Being one day of the winter so poorely cloathed that much of the nakednes of his body appeared and hearing the holy masse a Brother of his by chaunce mett him there who scoffinglie asked him if he would sell him for six pence of his sweat The seruant of God ioyfully answeared I haue sold it all at a good price to my God and lord He might doutles affirme it with good reason considering he was continually busied in workes of charity towardes his neighbour and in exercises of humility surmounting the nature of his sences yet without omitting mentall conuersation with IESVS CHRIST crucified for more cōmodious fruition wherof he frequented hermitages and solitary places employing his time in prayer and weeping neither would he thence depart til he had learned some extraordinary fashiō of fasting How S. Francis repaired three Churches THE VI. CHAPTER THis glorious Saint was so well grounded in the vertue of simplicity and of the charity of IESVS CHRIST that calling to his minde what had bin miraculously cōmanded him by the Crucifix which was that that he should reestablish his Church supposing that he meant the said Church of S. Damian he retourned as an obedient seruant
disciple of this holy Father The Canon afterward did as much for hauing renounced his Canonry he gaue all the rest to the poore therfore he also was worthy to be a Sonne of this holy Father S. Francis the sixteenth of Aprill of the yeare 1209. gaue to them both his habitt Vpon this occasion there are some of opinion that the Order of the Frier Minors began on that day because say they this word Order signifieth no other thing but a congregation of certaine personnes vnited together The S. with his two disciples departed from Assisium and went into a solitary place where he laboured to instruct them and to exercise them in pouerty humility and prayer the true and solid ground worckes and foundations of Religious How Brother Giles was the third disciple of S. Francis then other foures and of the reuelation which S. Francis had that his and his disciples sinnes were pardoned and that his Order should augment to a great nomber THE IX CHAPTER THese tow disciples were tripled by an other of Assisium named Giles who was not in the towne when Bernard and the Canon sold their substance and distributed the same to the poore to follow S. Francis But att his retourne vnderstanding by his parentes and kinred the resolution of those his two freindes who gaue an amazement to each one he resolued also to associate himself vnto them in the seruice of God and to this effect he left his kinred and not knowing where S. Francis then was falling on his knees he most affectionately prayed God to fauour him so much as that he might finde him A litle after which prayer he miraculously arriued in short time where those three great and true contemners of the world were As soone as S. Francis saw him he was ready to embrace him but Giles falling to the ground and reputing himself vnworthy of such a fauour besought him with abondance of teares to fauour him so much as to admitt him into his society The holy Father seeing the humility the faith and deuotion of a man so note-worthy said vnto him My deerly-beloued Brother acknowledge the great mercy which God sheweth you to receiue you this day for his seruant Then he comforted him and exhorted him to perseuer in the vocation whervnto God had called him And conducting him to his compagnions he said vnto them Our God hath this day giuen vs a good Brother They then very affectionatly and desiredly embraced him reioycing together with him att the secure acquisition and election of the good which he had made Then they went together to prayer and next to dinner afterward S. Francis called Giles vnto him to take him with him to Assisium to gett an habitt in the way they chaunced to meet a very poore woman that asked them an almose S. Francis hauing nothing to giue her tourned to Giles and said Brother giue your cloake to this poore woman for the loue of God and he with so ready a wil obeyed that he seemed to see that almose to ascend vnto heauen so great was the contentment he conceiued therin Now eight dayes after the foresaid two had taken the habitt which was S. Georges day Giles also receiued the same hauing first distributed his goodes to the poore and so the third place was possessed by this man of God worthy of glorious memory famous and renowrned by the exercise of his vertues as S. Francis foretold And albeit he was of nature very simple and had not studyed he was notwithstanding so eleuated to the sublimity of most high contemplation that one might truely affirme of him that he led a life more Angelicall then humane as in his history we shall recount The holy Ghost a litle after sent foure other disciples vnto S. Francis so that they were seauen in nomber and yet but one in will Now to giue a beginning to some deuotion S. Francis ordayned that to each Canonicall houâ—e of the seruice of our Lord excepte the masle they should say thrice the Pater noster Brother Giles said that the reason why S. Francis ordayned so short a prayer was because he would not haue their deuotion restrayned by the obligation of their constitutions but that the prayers and seruices of each one should proceed of the feruour of deuotion S. Francis thus liuing with his companions in continuall prayer and abstinence in that hermitage being one day retired into a place a part and very remote from his disciples to offer his prayer and bitterly to lament his former life which had not bin without offence against God and demaunding pardoÌ„ of the soueraigne God not only for himselfe but for his companions also he was filled with an vnspeakcable contentment by the holy Ghost who assured him that his prayers were heard and affirmed that the infinite bounty had graunted to him and to all his disciples a plenary indulgence and remission of all their sinnes euen to the vtmost minute And immediatly in faith and confirmation hereof he was rauished and absoâ—pt with a merueillous light and knowledge which opening his spiritt gaue him clearly to vnderstand what God had wrought in him and in all his Hauing then thus knowne the diuine will he sought to encourage his simple company telling them that they should not be deiected in regard of their small nomber but should proceed in hope because as the diuine Maiesty had reuealed vnto him they should multiply in great nomber and should performe great matters in the world notwithstanding their and his owne simplicity and should after possesse the eternall kingdome in the next with which wordes all his Brethren were exceedingly comforted How S. Francis began to send his Religious ouer the world what succeeded them in the way and how they were miraculously reunited THE X. CHAPTER VNitie ioined it selfe to the nomber of seauen which signisieth perfection to demonstrate euen exteriourly how well these new champions of IESVS CHRIST were vnited in charity this was an other that tooke the habitt of S. Francis whose name with the others shal hereafter be recorded so that they were now eight with the S. who as a pious Father hauing assembled them discoursed vnto them of the kingdome of God of contempt of the world of the abnegation of their proper will and of mortification of their owne flesh then he discouered vnto them that his intention was they should diuide themselues and trauell ouer the foure quarters of the world because not content with that litle nomber which then his poore and sterile simplicity had regenerated in God he desired also to renew the birth of al Christians inducing them to contrition and teares of repentance He therfore enioyned his deere Religious children to prepare them selues to goe to denounce and publish peace to men to preach vnto them penance to obtaine remission of their sinnes which he did in these wordes Be you patient in supporting iniuryes vigilant and assiduous in prayer couragious
a fatherlie affection embraced them very amourously and said Feare not for if till this day I haue and doe maintaine strangers how much more reason haue I to maintaine you you I say that are my most deere children And this affection will I shew to all those that henceforward shal be borne of your mother my deerly affected wife Applying which parabole he said Holy Father our rule and life is this poore woman by the mercy of the king of kinges accepted for his espouse of whome he hath begotten many children whome his diuine maiesty neither hath nor euer will faile to sustaine and as he hath a care to releeue strangers your holines need not doubt but he will also haue regard to maintaine and support his true and ligitimate children that the heires of the eternall king perish not by hunger who are borne according to his likenes by vertue of the holy Ghost of a poore mother to witt of the euangelicall pouerty and nourced with his proper milk And if the king of heauen promise the eternall kingdome to those that follow him with faith and verity how much rather will he giue them such thinges as he ordinarily with so bountifull liberality bestoueth indifferently on the good and the wicked The Pope hauing with carefull attention heard this similitude and so patheticall and strong argument of the S. he admired and sincerely acknowledged that our Lord IESVS CHRIST dwelled in S. Francis Without farther delay therfore and without admitting any other difficulty he approued his rule permitted him with the title of precher of pennance to preach ouer all the world and caused litle crounes to be made to all the lay Brethren that were with him And thervpon S. Francis with all his companions made his solemne profession vnder the handes of the Pope promising to obserue the euangelicall life and rule and he was by his holines established Minister generall of all his Order who offered and promised him his assistance when soeuer he should need it But because this confirmation of the rule was then only made Viuae vocis oraculo by the Popes worde of mouth the yeare of grace 1209. and the thirteenth of the Popedome of the said Pope Innocent the third nor hauing no Bulle of this confirmation therfore the beginning of the Order is not reckoned from that time but from the time that it was afterward confirmed by writing which was in the eight yeare of Pope Honorious with an authenticall Bulle fifteene veares after this first verball confirmation as in place and order shall hereafter be inserted How S. Francis retourned to Assisium and how God declared vnto him that his Order was instituted for the saluation of the soules of the faithfull THE XXIV CHAPTER SAinct Francis exceedingly encouraged by obtaining the so much desired confirmation departed from Rome towardes the vally of Spoletum there to beginne to preach the gospell of IESVS CHRIST discoursing alwayes with his companions by the way in what sort they might most perfectlie obserue the profession formerlie made In which discourse hauing spent a good part of their way and being wearied they rested themselues in a solitary place no lesse afflicted with hunger then with trauaile not hauing with them any prouision nor humanely cause to hope after any meanes of releife But our most mercifull God who is euer true and neuer faileth his faithfull of himselfe prouided for them causing in a moment a man to appeare loaden with bread who as soone as he had distributed it to those poore of IESVS CHRIST disappeared and was neuer by any of them seene againe These poore Religious therfore acknowledging this grace and fauour to be afforded them by the handes of God were exceedingly comforted and there purposed and irreuocablie confirmed neuer to breake that strict and rigorous vow of pouerty for any want of food or whatsoeuer other necessity or affliction that might befall them and with this feruour and good resolution they trauailed through the vally of Spoletum discoursing with themselues whither it were better for them to dwell in solitary places for their particuler repose or to conuerse in the world for edification of their neighbour Vpon which point S. Francis hauing long time conferred with his disciples not minding of himselfe to determine in such a case wherin he would not relie on his owne resolution he made his prayer vnto God that touching this point he would manifest vnto him his holy will which he knew by this meane He vnderstood that he was sent of God to endeauour to gaine many soules vnto him as Satan sought to robbe him of them to carrie them together with himselfe into hell He therfore resolued rather with his companions to conuerse in the world for the profitt of manie then to liue in an hermitage to benifitt only himselfe Hauing then setled himselfe with his Brethren in a desolate house neere to Assisium they there liued conformably to their rule in very simple pouertie seeming rather to sustaine themselues with the bread of teares then with temporall consolations They ordinarily employed themselues in prayer and especially mentall because they were not as then fournished with bookes nor brouiaryes to say their cannonicall houres and so in supplie therof they made their exercise in the excellent booke of the life of IESVS CHRIST meditating therō day night according to the instructiō that their blessed Father gaue thē for he cōtinuallie preached vnto thē the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST And wheras the Brethrē most instantlie besought S. F. to teach thē some forme of prayer he vsed vnto thē the wordes of our Lord When you praye say Pater noster qui es in caelis c. and afterward Adoramus te Christe c. We adore thee our Lord IESVS CHRIST and we praise and honour thee here in all the churches of the world because by thy crosse thou hast redeemed the world He also taught them to praise and honour God in all creatures to reuerence preistes to beleeue simply and to confesse firmely the truth of the Faith as the holie Catholique and Romane Church beleeueth and confesseth and his disciples with admiration of his doctrine were attentiue vnto him They fell on their knees when they saw any Church a far of and there they made theyr prayer as the S. had instructed them Of the admirable vision of a fiery chariott wheron the glorious S. Francis appeared vnto his disciples THE XXV CHAPTER THe poore colledge of S. Francis was neere to a place called Riuotorto in an old house and so litle that they could hardly accōmodate themselues sitting one close by an other From thence went foorth the louer of pouerty to preach pennance and contempt of the world first by worckes and then by wordes But being one saterday in the euening gone thence he went with a Brother to Assisium there to preach the sunday as he was accustomed to doe And to this effect he
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
which done he retourned and said vnto him Goe to my good freind sith these Religious doe not serue you well I will serue you my selfe The Leaper answeared Tell me I pray what will you doe more then they the S. replyed I will doe whatsoeuer you shall cammand me begin from this instant to tell me what you please to haue and I promise to doe it I will said the leaper that you wash all my body for I cannot endure the filthy sauour therof I will most willingly doe it answeared the S. and sodenly caused to be prepared a bath of veri◠pleasing hearbes then discloathed him to his skinne and washed him one of the Religious powring water on his body But there hapened a notable miracle whiles the holy Father with his pitifull handes washed him all the scurfes of his leapry one after an other fell off so that the flesh remayned cleane and neat as of a litle child in fine he was entierly cleansed and cured within and without The diseased person therfore knowing this great miracle began very bitterly to lament saying I am worthy not of one but of a thousand helles as well for hauing blasphemed against God as for the contempts iniuries and buffettes wherby I haue offended your poore Religious that so louingly haue ministred vnto me And after his cure he remayned fifteene dayes in this lamentation then he made a generall confession imploring the ayd of our Lord IESVS CHRIST S. Francis left him not till fearing himselfe for the great concourse of people that repayred to this miracle he was constrayned to depart so leauing the man in the grace of God who shortly after passed from this world into an other And incontinentlie the holie Father being in prayer he appeared vnto him in heauen more bright then the sunne and said Father know you me The S. asked him who are you And he answeared I am the soule of that leaper whome liuing in the world God cured by your prayers and humility I now enter into the kingdome of glory for which I giue thanckes to God and you blessed be your wordes and your actions also whereby many soules in the world are saued Know that there passeth no day but the Angels and SS in heauen giue glorie and prayse to God for the innumerable fruites which by your meane and your Order are procured in the Church and therefore perseuer to the time predestinated to your great crowne hauing said thus much he disappeared leauing the S. exceedingly comforted who gaue thanckes to God for all and particulerly for the sauing of that soule who was in such imminent perill of damnation Of three famous theeues conuerted by the humility and charity of S. Francis the eight chapter of the tenth booke transferred to this place as most proper vnto it THE LXXXVI CHAPTER BRother Angelus being Gardian att Mount Casal three famous theeues haunted that place doeing cruell murders thereabout who being one day oppressed with hungar came to him demaunding somewhat to eat The good Guardian knowing them not only refused to giue them almose but began to check and reprehend them alleadging that they feared not God nor men whome they so miserablie slew liuing by the labours of others and leading a life more diabolicall then humane robbing dishonouring tormenting and cutting the throates of their neighbour as they did and that he admired how the earth did sustaine them that it did not swallow them quick as they were and so bad them hast away and withall rudely shutt the dore against them wherevpon they in extreme choller departed S. Francis a litle after came with one of his companions vnto that place to whome the Guardian recounted the precedent whereto the holy Father answeared that he had done very ill because such sinners retourne to God and are conuerted rather by sweet and pittifull wordes then by such reprehensions which did rather harden them and that therfore God said They that are in health need not a Phisition but they that are ill att ease that he came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance And therefore added he because you haue done against charity the commandemēt of the gospell the example of IESVS CHRIST I command you in vertue of obedience for pennance to cary them to the mountaine where they are this loafe of bread this flagon of wine which was giuen vs by the way when you come in their presence fall one your knees at their feet and aske thē pardō for the wordes you haue spoken when they haue taken the bread entreat them in my behalfe to Ieaue that miserable kinde of life and I will prouide for all their necessities and vse all the art you can deuise to induce them hither The most obedient Guardian presentlie went on and the holy father in the meane while went to the Church to pray for them whence he departed not till God had heard him Brother Angelus comming to the theeues and hauing performed the commandement of S. Francis whiles they did eat the bread one of them said to the others Alas what shall become of vs sottish wretches what must be our lott what horrible torments are prepared for vs in hell for so many theftes and murders as we daylie perpetrat neither yet haue we any scruple much lesse feare of God or repentance for so many enormous sinnes And this Religious who hath brought vs to eat is come thus farre with so great humility to aske vs pardon for one only word iustlie vttered vnto vs admonishing vs according to our desert in the meane while we wretched theeues and detestable robbers neuer demaund pardon of God Besides this he hath sheuen vs charity praying vs to repaire to that holy Father who hath sent vs releefe who for the zeale he hath of our soules doth so freelie offer vs alwayes to prouide vs all our necessities They are true servantes of God who haue already gayned heauen but what shall we doe who being children of the deuill euery day heape sinnes vpon sinnes considering withall that our sinnes are so enormous as deserue of God rather punishment then pardon Myne opinion therfore is that it were very conuenient sith God doth seeme to call vs by this Religious that we make no longer delay nor abuse the patience of his diuine maiesty but that we repaire vnto him and he will instruct vs in the direct way how to free our selues att length from hell and euen to meritt mercy The other two theeues being of the same opinion they went together with the Guardiā to the holy Father in whose presence being com they kneeled att his feete saying Father we haue litle hope by reason of the enormity of our sinnes that God will vse mercie vnto vs but if you assure vs that we may yet finde grace behold vs here ready to doe whatsoeuer you shall command vs. The holy Father receaued them verie amiably cherished and encouraged them affirming withall that they should not
damnation he might manifestest the saluation of the other Whiles he was in the caÌ„p of the Christians vnder Damiette when he weÌ„t to preach to the great SoldaÌ„ he prophesied to the Christians that if they gaue battell they would loose the feild But they not beleeuing him their fault of incredulity was payed by the losse of the bodie of the army that was putt to flight where of one part was slaine Retourning afterward on this side the sea and arriuing att Celano he was inuited to dinner by a gentleman where being as according to his coustume he prayed before his sitting to the table he saw in his God on whome he had alwayes his eyes eleuated that which he fore told as it afterward arriued for incontinentlie calling vnto him the said gentleman Confesse and prepare your selfe said he for in short time you shall dye and from this time you shall receaue the recompence of all the good worckes you haue done particulerlie in harbouring the seruantes of God Doe then in such sort as without impediment you may goe directlie to God The gentleman therefore who had confidence in the wordes of the holie Father sodenlie taking leaue of him prepared himselfe to confession then calling the companion of sainct Francis who was preist he made an entiere confession vnto him afterwardes he recomended his patrimonie to the diuine prouidence so to auoyd all impediment And so with the greatest deuotion he could possible he expected when God would call and inuite him but he expected not long for whiles his familie were att table without other greife but very well disposed of body and spiritt he rendred his soule to his Creatour according to the prophesie of the holy Father armed by the diuine mercie with armour conuenient and necessarie to a true penitent How S. Francis saw the secrets of mennes consciences THE CXII CHAPTER OVr lord IESVS CHRIST hauing chosen the glorious Father S. Francis for Pastour of his flock he also so illuminated him interiourlie by his diuine vertue that he discouered vnto him the secrettes of the consciences of those that were his and likewise their priuate and hidden necessities so that by the same meane he knew both the grace which they had receaued of God and eueÌ„ that which they theÌ„ receaued By this knowledge he foretold the fall of manie who seemed to haue attayned the state of perfection and on the contrarie the saluatioÌ„ of manie wicked prophesying their conuersion He saw what should succeed them for manie yeares after as if it had bin present onlie beholding the vnspotted and cleare mirour of diuine light and his admirable splendour by a diuine prerogatiue and especially the successes and mutatioÌ„s of Religion which he would sometimes with aboÌ„dance of teares coÌ„municate to his coÌ„panions Touching that which concerned the consciences of his Religious he both with al possible speed and effect redressed the same and if they were far distant he appeared vnto them in their sleepe and instructed them what they ought to doe and froÌ„ what to abstaine as by the sequell shall appeare The holie Father comming from beyond the sea with his companion Brother Leonard a Religious of very worthie familie and being by reason of his infirmities verie wearie and feeble he had for ceraine dayes the vse of an asse But the poore Brother Leonard that followed him a foote being also very weary began to murmure saying to himselfe what doe I poore follow that I am to follow this man a foot Is there not great difference betweene his discent and mine why then contrary to that which should be doe I goe on foot and he on horseback and euen I follow him as a lackye driuing this asse with speed and so wearying my selfe as I can no longer endure The good Brother Leonard went on thus still discoursing with himselfe in his first motions when as the holy Father S. Francis seeing in spiritt the secret murmure of his companion called him and alighting from his asse he said Brother and Freind I confesse I haue litle discretion to see you so wearily to goe a foot and my selfe to ride att mine ease Gett vp therfore on this asse now att least whiles I remember me considering that being in the world you were farre more noble and more honnorable then my selfe Brother Leonard hearing this was vtterly confounded and amazed that the S. so soone knew his euill cogitation Falling therfore at his feet and confessing his vaine ridiculous discourse with a very deep contrition he asked and obtayned pardon Two very spirituall Religious came expresly from Rieta to the Oratory of Grecio to visitt S Francis and to haue his benediction But being there ariued it was told them that there was no hope of speaking with the holy Father by reason that hauing taken his refection he was retourned to his cell where he prayed and slept and came forth but once a day to eat it being lent and that being then so solitary he would not haue his companioÌ„ much lesse any other Religious to disturbe him vnles he so commaunded These two poore Religious exceedingly afflicted esteeming themselues by reason of their sinnes vnworthy of such grace not hauing oportunity any longer to expect because their superiour had commaunded them to retourne the same night to their Couent they hastened homeward S. Francis who in spiritt had seen all this contrary to his custome came hastely out of his câ—lle and went after the said Religious who by that time were farre gone and so in an instant giuing them consolation together with his benediction which they demaunded he dismissed them doubly satisfied knowing that the holy Father came by diuine inspiration to giue them his benediction Two Religious comming from Naples to visitt him the elder of them on the way committed some fault att which the yonger was extremely scandalized now comming to the presence of S. Francis he giuing them his benediction demaunded of the yonger how his companion had behaued himselfe he esteeming it indecent to discouer the faultes of his Brother answeared well The holy Father replyed My sonne beware that vnder colour of humility you doe not lye for I know what hath passed in your iorney and I would haue you know that you shall shortly see this man to proue worse Which so succeeded for this old man not long after went out of the Order according to that which S. Francis had foretold for the sinne for the scandall and for his neglect of doeing pennance which is the ladder to diuine mercie In the first beginning when none was admitted and receaued into the Order but by S. Francis himselfe a gentleman of Luca came expressy to demaund the habitt of him he had with him some of his coÌ„panions it being when he lay sicke in the Bishoppes lodgeing of Assisium The said gentleman being conducted to the S. he fell on his knees before him most instantlie beseeching him to admitt him into his Religion
the Religious their negligence who most humblie required the same thancked God very hartilie for that he voutsafed to haue care of the very dust of his true seruantes then he went to see and with great contentment to reuerence them Brother Pellegrino and Brother Falcone comming to take the habitt att the hands of S. Francis he prophesied vnto them that the first though verie learned should serue the Religious as a lay Brother and the other albeit ignorant should applie himselfe to contemplation wherein he should proue most perfect as the other reciprocally in humility which came to passe as in the sixt booke and 55. chapter shall appeare Other effectes of the propheticall spiritt of S. Francis THE CXV CHAPTER SAinct Francis remayning in the house of the bishop of Rieta exceedingly afflicted with the greife of his eyes a Preist called Gedeon aduaunced by the said bishop a man worldlie affected had long time kept his bed sicke without power to remoue him selfe and when any endeauoured to take hold of him or lift him vp he remayned vtterlie crooked for he could in no manner stand vpright So perceauing that no humane application auayled and that Sainct Francis rightlie to the purpose was there he caused himselfe to be brought before him at whose feet falling he besought him to make the signe of the crosse vpon him The holie Father answeared My Brother and friend know that because to this day thou hast liued carnallie and according to the allurementes of thy sensuall appetites without any respect of the iudgementes of God he hath therefore sent this affliction to make thee know and amend thy selfe But now in his holy name I giue thee his benediction and doe aduertise thee that if thou alter not thy course of life a greater miserie will befall thee for the sinne of ingratitude So hauing made on him the signe of the crosse the Preist incontinentlie arose very sound and stretching himselfe on his feet the chine-bone and the brest plate gaue a cracke as a staffe forciblie broaken But by reason that this ingratfull fellow and ennemy of his saluation retourned vnto his vomitt being one day with diuers of his companions committing their ordinarie sinnes about midnight the loose of the house fell vpon him and so being crushed and slaine alone that the diuine vengeance might the more euidentlie appeare according to the prophesie of S. Francis he miserablie ended his life Being att his Oratory in Grecio it was told him that the violent stormes did euery yeare destroy all the fruites of that place that the wolues deuoured the cartell and that the very inhabitantes could hardly be secure of their liues The holy Father therefore hauing compassion of these poore people he made them a sermon wherby he exhorted them all to amendement of life as the surest meane to appease the wrath of God to confesse and communicate with a firme purpose to offend no more affirming that by this meane God would disburden them of the said punishment which being effected he admonished them to beware of sinning a fresh for then the chasticement would be redoubled This people moued by these holy demonstrations prepared themselues with great contrition confessed communicated did penance for their sinnes and craued mercy of God in respect wherof and in fauour of the prayers of the holy Father God incontinentlie freed and deliuered them from the tempest and wolues yea in short time this people did not only repaire their dommages past but became very rich But alas they could not long time perfeuer in this happy estate which made them forget the behoufull admonitions of S. Francis which procuring Godes wrath he so chasticed them with the rodde of pestilence that few among them remayned aliue he also burned a great number of their houses accomplishing all that S. Francis had foretold vnto them As this holy Father preached in Apulia a Religious that was fallen from his Order repayred vnto him fell att his feet and with infinite teares demaunded him pardon promising if he would restore him the habitt to correct his course of life The Sainct made him arise and before he spake a word shewed him a gibbett that was vpon the high way then said vnto him I receaue thee but remember that if thou once againe proue an Apostata from the Order thou shalt be hanged on that gibbett Which euen so succeeded for falling againe and being shortly after in cōpany with certaine lewd fellowes he was apprehended and hanged on the same gibbett cōfirming the vsuall prouerbe a wicked life hath a wicked death Of the peace which was made betweene the Bishop and the Gouernour of Assisium by meane of two Religious sent by S. Francis to sing in their presence the canticle of the sunne THE CXVI CHAPTER THe mortall enmities which were betweene the Bishop and the Gouernour of Assisium redoubled the greifes of S. Francis his infirmitie who lay sicke att our lady of Angels The Bishop had excommunicated the Gouernour and he had forbidden all persons to sell any thing to the bishop or to buy ought of him So their enmities was euerie day nourished and encreased by some new and diabolicall inuention to the great scandall of all the cittie and the ruine of their owne soules S. Francis seeing that neither ecclesiasticall nor seculer persō laboured to accord them said one day to his Religious doubtles this may be a great shame to vs that make profession to be such seruantes of God to permitt this so dangerous and abhominable hatred thus to breed without applying any redresse Wherevpon calling two of them he said Goe presentlie to the Gouernour and in my name bid him to repaire to the Bishoppes house together with the principall of the cittie and as manie as he can traine thither and two others he commanded to goe in the meane while vnto the Bishop and when the Gouernour and people were come to the Bishoppe to sing the Canticle of the Sunne with the verse which he then added as is before mētioned in the prayse of God att which song said he I hope those hartes so obdurate against each other wil be mollified and they will accord together a perpetuall peace which so arriued For first the Gouernour as if God had commanded him to repaire to the Bishop obediently hastened thither with as manie people as he could assemble and found the Bishop in a great hall with his Clergie where being together one of the Religious which S. Francis sent to the Bishop spake to them in this māner Syrs and deerlie beloued Brethren in IESVS CHRIST the holie Frather Brother Francis being by reason of his infirmitie vnable to come in person hath sent vs hither to sing you a canticle which he hath made in the prayse of God He beseecheth you by the loue which you beare vnto his Maistie and to him that you will deuoutly heare it then the two Religious began with a loud voice to sing the
you from pride from the vices of auarice of enuy and vaine desires so detrimentall to your soules and by your example to your neighbours also you shall in your sermons exhort the people to pay their tythes to the Preistes of whome so doeing you shal be entreated to preach and heare their confessions though you should not so much respect that as to conuert them for a man conuerted will soone finde a confessour as for me I demaund no other priuiledge of God but to loue and reuerence each one and to conuert the most sinners that I can by obedience to God and his holy church and the same more by humilitie and example of the obseruance of our rule then by wordes Of the afflictions incident vnto the Order reuealed vnto the holy Father S Francis THE XXVII CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis being one time in prayer att our Lady of Angels most instantlie praying his diuine maiesty that he would please to shew mercy to the ChristiaÌ„ people on whome he had reuealed vnto him that he would lay a great scourge God answeared him Francis if thou wilt that I haue compassion of my people procure dilligentlie that thy Order perseuer in such sort as it is instituted that therin may be found such as may worthelie make intercessioÌ„ for them and in fauour of thy Order and of thee I promise thee not to lett fall on my church that great affliction which aymeth att it threateneth it But I will haue thee know that if thy Order doe preuaricate the first punishmentes which I shall inflict on my church shal be on the preachers therof and will giue to the deuill what authority ouer them he will Thence will grow so manie scandales betweene them and the world that none will aduenture to take the habitt but in the desertes where I will preserue this few number of elect as I preserued the children of Israel so manie yeares and so the good being conserued in my grace the Order shall afterward be reduced to his pristine estate Herevpon did S. Francis prophesie that a verie violent temptation should be raised in his Religion by pourchaced science wherwith in manner of a furious winde from the region of the desert as the affliction of Iob furiously striking the four corners of the house of his Religion his owne children would bring it to ruine because said he being puffed vp by their learning and relying theron they well lay ambushes and cast snares for the true and lawfull children framed by that huge damned woman called pride to whome they will sacrifice their child birthes that is their worckes and will liue in the delightes of the profitt of them and of the recompence of their impudencie and arrogancie Now the auctoritie of such Religious wil be extremelie bitter and insupportable to the iuste that shal be persecuted by them because their simplicitie obedience pouertie and zeale of the honour of God shall in a manner inexplicable secretlie confound them Wherfore they by reason of their pride being vnable to endure it relying on the wisedome and reputation of their valure and the authority of the nobility and Princes of the world pourchaced by meane of ambition will persecute them to death There is also found a prophesie of the holy Father S. Francis written by the hand of Brother Leo of the great schisme and diuision that was in the Church after the election of Pope Vrban the sixt the yeare 1378. that continued neere 40. yeares the tenour wherof was thus A time will come when the holy Church shal be full of schismes which will put men in extreme perplexitie as well in the spirituall as temporall estate and the deuill shall haue manie followers and shal be more dilligente then ordinary to take aduantage by this occasion to augment his kingdome then shall the beauty of this Order be defiled with that of others and prophane apostasie shal be accomplished to the dissention of two Realmes when few shall obey the holie Church with a true charitie and he that shall not be canonicallie elected to the Papacie yea suspected of heresie shall be obeyed because manie shal be subtillie peruerted by him by his contagious errours then shal scandales multiplie and Christianitie be diuided manie refusing to contradict the same the scismes and diuisions of the Clergie of Religious and of the people shal be so violent that if those dayes were not abbreuiated by God the elect if it were possible would fall into the same errours if God of his mercie should not deliuer them S. Francis in regard of this reuelation particulerlie put into his rule the vow of obedience vnto the Pope vnto his successours canonicallie elected and to the holie Romane church in the beginning and end of the same rule knowing how much it would profitt his order in that so turbulent time to perseuer firme therfore he gaue this instruction to his that foreseeing the same they might know to gouerne themselues well therein Of the liberty wherinto the Order should fall prophecied by S. Francis THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe holie Father S. Francis being one day in presence of the Cardinall Vgolino Protectour of the Order and of manie other of his Religious he vttered these wordes which he afterward also preached to the Brethren a time will come when the Religious of my Order by the malice of the deuill shallleaue the way of holie simplicitie and pouerty indifferentlie receauing all sort of mony and all such legacies as by testament shal be bequeathed them and leauing solitarie and humble places will build faire and sumptuous houses in cittyes and townes capable to entertayne Princes and Emperours then by fauour they will procure obtaine priuiledges of the Popes through art and humane prudence and by their earnest importunitie they will obtaine requestes merelie iniust though cloaked with truth by this meane they will not onlie abandon their rule instituted by IESVS CHRIST against their solemne profession but will also ruine and alter the puritie therof chaunging the good intention into peruerse and being armed by meane of the said priuiledges against obedience against other Religious and against all the Clergie when they shall expect to gett the victory the wretches shall â—inde themselues fallen into the trench which themselues shall haue made gathering no other fruit of their seminary but scandales which they shall offer to God in steed of the saluation of soules who seeing the same shal be no more thenceforward their Pastour but their ruiner according to their meritt And therfore he will leaue them entangled in the nettes of auarice and their vaine desires Which being naturalie considered of many shall cause that acknowledgeing this punishment of the hand of God they repent their faultes and retourne to their former estate notwithstanding that they be persecuted and derided of others as are all the vertuous and true seruantes of God by the wicked and impious But as the same temptations shall accomplish the
manifestation that he had not any thing in this world and with the more facility to wrestle against his furious aduersary in this last conflict and triall wherin consisted the crowne he with an exceeding feruour and courage stript himselfe all naked as he had bin without any infirmity then cast himselfe on the ground couering with his left hand the precious wound of his right hand and tourning his ioyfull face towardes the kingdome whither he was to goe he began to prayse and blesse his sweet lord IESVS CHRIST that being dischardged and freed of all worldly impedimentes he might ascend to heauen and enioy his diuine Maiestie then tourning towardes his Religious he said vnto them My deere Brethren I haue to this present done what I ought to doe These wordes were diuersely vnderstood of the Religious some of them wept in regard he was to leaue them without Pastour and gouernour others because he seemed to leaue them as men forlorne others for other occasions only the Guardian whome he obeyed vnderstood the desire of the holy Father wherfore taking presentlie an habitt with the cord and linnen breeches brought and gaue it vnto him saying Father take this habitt which I lend you with the corde and breeches that you may be buryed therwith as a poore creature who of your selfe haue not so much as wherwith to couer your nakednes I command you to receaue it in this your last houre euen by the vertue and meritt of obedience wherof the Sainct discouered to haue the greatest contentment that can be imagined considering that in this extremity he had obserued his holy pouerty in such sort as he desired euen to the last end He contentedlie accepted the breeches but to conforme himselfe entierlie to his truely-beloued IESVS CHRIST that would dye naked on the crosse to the performance wherof wanting nothing but to dye naked hauing already bin and euen for the present being admirably crucified by the vertue of the almighty he commaunded his Religious not only to permitt him to dye on the ground but euen to leaue him there a long time after his death Hauing procured to be brought vnto him the holy Sacramentes and they being successiuely administred vnto him those I meane which the Church accustometh to afford such as are ready to dye he lastly tourned towardes his Religious to whome he made a worthy sermon exhorting them to the loue of God then of their neighbour and especially to obedience vnto his holie Romane Church next to obserue their pouerty and before the same and all other thinges to be alwayes mindfull to preferre the obseruance of the holy ghospell and the diuine counsailes therof Then crossing his hādes this great Patriarch of the poore gaue his holy benediction to all his Religious both present and absent saying My deere Brethren God of his mercy blesse you as also I blesse you be it his holy will to confirme me it in heauen Remayne ye all in his holy feare perseuering alwayes therin for the time of afflictions approach wherin they shal be happy who shall perseuer euen to the end remayne ye all in his holy obedience as you haue solemnely promised vnto him Finally remayne ye all in his most holy peace and in charity among your selues God blesse you I goe in great hast vnto God to whose grace I recommend you Amen Which hauing said he asked for the gospell and speaking no more to any person he only desired that place to be read vnto him where is mentioned the departure of our lord Ante diem festum paschae which being read to the end he began to say to himselfe Voce mea ad Dominum clamaui And being come to the verse Educ de custodia animam meam that is deliuer my soule if thou please my God out of this prison that it may attaine to thee my God and my lord where the iust expect me to the end thou mayest giue me my recompence Which being ended this holy soule at it desired was deliuered out of the prison of her proper flesh and eleuated to heauen there foreuer to enioy the eternall bounty with all the sainctes his elected of both sexes in that degree which his diuine maiestie ordayned and parepared for him How some saw the soule of the glorious Father sainct Francis ascend in glory THE LXXI CHAPTER THis holy soule failed not to appeare to some when it ascended to the celestiall glory For Brother Angelus a Religious of worthy sanctity being att that time prouinciall of the prouince of Naples and very neere his end saw in an instant the soule of the sainct as a resplendant starre on the toppe of a verie bright cloud to be transported aboue the great waters and directlie mounted and eleuated into heauen And albeit he had the space of two dayes lost his speech he neuertheles then resumed his spirittes for seeing the blessed spiritt of the sainct he began to crye out Stay for me Father stay for me for I goe also with you The Religious asking what he meant therbie See you not said he our holie Father sainct Francis that now goeth to the glory of Paradice which hauing spoaken he yelded his soule to God and followed his most holy Father The Bishop of Assisium being gone in pilgrimage to visitt the Church of S. Michael the Archangell on the mount Gargan S. Francis appeared vnto him the very night of his death and said My lord know that I haue left the world and goe to heauen The Bishop therfore being risen told his people that S. Francis was dead the night before which was proued to be true An other Religious of this Order being the same night rapt into deep contemplation saw the blessed Deacon of IESVS CHRIST vested with a very rich tunicle accompanyed with a great multitude of soules that attended him as a worthy Prince who so ascended into a pallace of merueillous beauty and eminency it is piously beleeued that the said soules were by his merittes deliuered out of Purgatory This glorious soule ascended to glory accompanied with many Angels that attended and visited him continually in this life and is now seated among the Seraphins which glory he merited not only in this life by the excessiue and Seraphicall loue of God but also it appartayned vnto him in regard of the Seraphicall vision of IESVS CHRIST who transformed him into himselfe making him a Seraphin by gtace and sealing the same with diuine seales as hath bin reuealed to many holy personnes worthy of creditt as well during the life of the Sainct as after his death The verie birdes and particulerlie the Larckes that were much beloued and verie familiar vnto him did exceedinglie reioyce att his glorie a great flight of them appearing verie earlie the next morning on the roufe of the house where sainct Francis lay dead warbling a verie delightfull and extraordinarie note yea as it were miraculous which continued diuers howers celebrating the prayses
greatest part of the men of that miserable kingdome but three yeares after the want of raine the king together with his Councell acknowledged that God sent that punishment vpon them in reuenge of his holy Martyrs and therfore he ordayned a generall assembly of all his people in the place where the Martyrs had bin tortured and that in the same publicke place they should crye towardes heauen inuocating them asking them pardon and imploring their mercy which they performed with such confidence that presently there began miraculously to discend a gentle sweet raine by meane wherof the dearth and plague by litle and litle ceased And then did the king permitt the Christians in his kingdome to haue a bishop with condition that he should be of the Order of S. Francis and might publikly preach our gospell and withall consented to haue a Church builded in Marroccho where the sacramentes might be administred conformably to our Catholique and Romane Religion How sainct Francis hauing vnderstood of the Martyrdome of his children with thanck fulnes to almighty God gaue his benediction to the Monastery of Alenquer THE XXV CHAPTER THe greatest contentment that S. Francis had euer receaued of his Order was to heare of the Martyrdome of his fiue religious whervpon hauing praysed and thancked God he spake these wordes Now may I confidently affirme that I haue fiue Frere Minors Then blessing the Monastery of Alenquer because they hauing long time resided there departed thence to goe to their Martyrdome he said Be thou blessed O place of the most high which hast as it were engendred and produced to the king of heauen fiue faire flowers of the colour of the rose and of bloud of a sauour more then sweete which are fiue true Frere Minors the first fruites of this Order Would to God the Religious that shal be resident here might for euer exactly keepe the rule of our Order Of a miracle wrought by the reliques of the holy Martyrs against an Apostolike legat that endeauoured to withdraw the people from their honour and veneration because they were not as yet canonized THE XXVI CHAPTER ATt this very time as the reliques of the said holy Martyrs were exceedingly honoured of the Spainardes it fell out that a legatt of the holy Siege was present who seeing what deuotioÌ„ the people had to the said holy Martyrs moued with an indiscreet zeale not considering the canonization which IESVS CHRIST had made in heauen of the Martyrs that had bin publiquely martyred nor the miracles that had followed therevpon he began to cry to the people rebuking them as ignorant and forbad them any more to make their prayers to the said reliques and att the very instant he was aduertised that his Mule which waited for him before the Church was sodenly fallen dead and thincking to goe fee the manner therof he was immediatlie surprised with so vehement an ague that it enforced him to acknoweledge his fault and the pride which caused him so rashlie to speake against the holie Martyrs whose reliques he went to visitt and falling on his knees among the people acknowledgeing the punishment of God he cryed out a loud O holy Martyrs I confesse that you are canonized in heauen and because God will haue you honoured and reuerenced on earth I repent and confesse the errour of my tongue and begge pardon of you for t and doe promise that I will henceforward be the foremost and most carefull that shall visitt your reliques and in whatsoeuer place I shall be I will celebrate your merittes A strange euent these wordes vttered he arose from the ground very sound and his mule formerly supposed for dead to the great astonishment and contentmet of each one arose againe and this made the reliques of the sainctes more famous How by the intercession of the said sainctes a gentleman was deliuered from death THE XXVII CHAPTER A Poore gentleman of Conimbria was vnexpectedly assaulted by his ennemies neere vnto the Monastery of sainct Crosse so that he ran towardes it to saue himselfe but being two forcibly followed he could not time enough gett in but was enuironed by them so that he hauing no other remedy but the inuocation of God by the merittes of the holy Martyrs they gaue him as many stabbes and thrustes as they would without any defence of his sauing the couering with his cloake in such sort as he lay for lead in the place The people that came next that way carryed him â—pped in his cloake as they found him in to the said Church there to â—ury him but as soone as he was entred into the same he stood vp on his feet very sound and confessed aloud that the holy Martyrs had till defended him and therfore together with the people he repaired o their chappell to giue them thanckes Of the institution of the procession which is made euery yeare in the month of Ianuary wherin the men goe all naked to visitt the holy Martyrs of Conimbria for hauing bin by their intercession cured of the plague THE XXVIII CHAPTER IN the Bishoperick of Conimbria there is a towne called Fala where there fell so cruell and contagious a plague that it dispeopled the whole towne for the inhabitantes were all either dead â—r fled sauing one man already infected with the disease and halfe dead who seeing himselfe alone and in such extremity hauing alwayes ben very deuout to the holy Martyrs he had then with an exceeding strong faith his recourse vnto them and made them this vow That if by their intercession he were cured of that disease he would euery yeare on the sixt of Ianuary being the day of their feast att Conimbria goe visitt their reliques a foot and all naked as long as he should liue and would take order that after his death one of his family should goe thitherin the same manner and withall would endeauour to persuade all the other families of the said towne to doe the like This vow being made he was so effectually heard that att the very instant he found himselfe more sound and strong then euer neither did there any one more dye out of that place whereto he caused many from abroad to retourne and so it was by litle and litle repeopled afterward his fellow Cittizens accorded to his vow yea this deuotion so encreased that the neighbour inhabitants and many personnes of note gentlemen and others accustomed from thence as is continued to this present in procession to visitt the holy reliques on bare foot with an exceeding deuotion in the most rigorous season of winter And how soeuer the season proue the sixt of Ianuary being the day of their Martyrdome though it raine freeze or snow neuer so much they omitt not this pilgrimage Now the order of this procession is thus On the said day all the Confraternity assemble att the Couent of the Frere Minors that is without the citty of Conimbria on the other side of the bridge and there about nine of the
that according to the etymologie of his name he carryed IESVS CHRIST in his body by penance in his hart by seruent prayers and in his mouth by diuine prayses and wordes of his law which he imprinted in the memory of sinners And God by many miracles which he wrought by him would demonstrate how gratefull his worckes were vnto him and of what vertue and efficacie his prayers were before his diuine maiesty Being in the citty of Cahors in France a child of eight yeares old called Remond afflicted with so greiuous a disease that he was esteemed neere his end S. Christopher att the instancie of his mother prayed for him and hauing made the signe of the crosse and layd his hand vppoÌ„ the child he presently spake calling his mother who came with great ioy and gaue him to eat and so by the prayer of this holy Religious against all humane hope and apparance he was cured In the same citty an other child called Peter could not moue his right arme nor his foot and besides had almost lost his sight so that he was generally iudged as dead This holy Father att the request of the mother came to visitt him and read the gospell ouer him then made the signe of the crosse from his head to his feet and the child was instantlie cured A man of the same citty hauing bin long time afflicted with the falling sicknes prayed the holy Father to giue him his benediction which hauing receaued he was entierly cured of the said infirmity A woman of Sauueterre in the same citty was exceedinglie vexed with a fieuer and hauing great deuotion to the holy Father she sent vnto him to come visitt her which he hauing performed and prayed for her she was cured by the signe of the crosse A Priest that was very sicke drincking of the holy water giuen him by Br. Christopher that visited him was instantly cured Againe in the Bishopprick of Cahors a woman hauing left her child in the field whiles she was reaping corne by a sodaine sinister accident he became dumme The mother hauing carryed him to diuers churches recommended him to God by the inuocation of many sainctes the child found no cure Att length full of confidence and deuotion she presented him to this holy Father who hauing made his prayer and the signe of the crosse vpon him he restored him to his mother speaking as before and shee giuing thanckes to God and his seruant retourned full of consolation vnto her house Of the spiritt of prophetie and of some other miracles wrought by this glorious seruant of Iesus Christ THE LI. CHAPTER THere was without the citty of Cahors a very high mountaine by which this holy Father passing one day he saw many men and women on the banck of the riuer that ran vnder the sayd mountaine employed in diuers actions Br. Christopher sayd vnto theÌ„ Fly ye all from this place and that instantly for the mountaine will incontinently fall some of them seeing no appearance laughed first att this admonition Yet the sanctity of this good Father being manifestly knowen they all retired from that place which they had scarcely done but a great part of the mountaine fell downe without hurting any person wherfore they all gaue thanckes to God for the benefitt receaued and were the more deuout vnto this sainct A woman of the sayd citty hauing bin afflicted with a longe infirmity was visited by the sainct whome she prayed to obtaine of God for her either that he would please to restore her health or by death to deliuer her from such extreme anguishes This holy Father answeared her feare not but take courage my daughter for on such a day att the third houre thou shalt depart out of this life On the sayd day he expresly retourned att the same houre whome she seeing sayd vnto him Father that which you told me seemeth not to be accomplished he replyed doubt not my daughter for it shall incontinently be accomplished as in deed it was For as they did ring att the third houre this woman being coÌ„fessed and hauing performed what belonged to a Christian in the presence of this holy Father and of many others yelded her spiritt to our Sauiour This seruant of God in Marseilles saw two men in guise of Phisitians comming to visitt one that was sicke but knowing in spiritt that this sick person was in estate of mortall sinne and that the seeming Phisitians were two deuils he made the signe of the crosse against them and they instantly vanished then the holy Father admonishing the sick party he sincerely confessed his sinnes and being contrite and comforted with a quiett conscience he happely departed from this life to a better In the sayd citty a good deuout woman had a very auaricious husbaÌ„d and sparing in worckes of mercy whervpon she complayned to this holy Father that she had nothing to giue in almose but wine The S. bid her giue securely of that wine for the loue of God This woman obeyed him giuing therof to all poore that had need in such sort that there was not much left in the vessell her husband drincking knew by the tast of this wine that it was very low and neere the lyes wherfore he grew into choler with his wife examining her what was become of his wine she full of trembling answeared that there was yet much in the vessell The husband sent his seruant to be truely enformed what quantity was left she found the vessell full euen to the bung wherof she with great ioy incontinently aduertised her master which reuiued the soule of his wife that was dying with feare and thervpon she boldly recounted all to her husband who resolued thenceforward to be more charitable towardes the poore attributing the present miracle to the merittes of the glorious Br. Christopher and to the vertue of charity whose worckes our Lord doth not only recompence in the other world but euen in this also Of the glorious death of Br. Christopher THE LII CHAPTER AFter that almighty God had ennobled and enriched his seruant Christopher with many merittes and miracles and by the example of his holy life had singulerly planted the rule and Order of the Frere Minors in diuers places of France where he caused the erecting of many Couents which he furnished with Religious of holy life and exemplare conuersation he would att length recompence him with eternall reward as he ordinarily doth those that faithfully labour in the vigneyard of his holy Church The night when he passed from this miserable life to that which is blessed all the Religious being assembled about his bed he made them a long discourse of the kingdome of God exhorting them to perseuer with purity in his holy seruice they then demaunded his benediction which he gaue them very affectionatly in the name of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST then recommending his spiritt to his Creator he rendred it vnto him and his body remayned so â—elligiously composed that he
Giles sayd vnto him Father I am resolued to become Religious wherto he answeared if you be fully resolued so to doe goe first and kill both your parentes which the other hearing he weeping replyed Father I beseech you oblige me not to committ such euill and so grieuous sinnes The holy Father then said what my friend are you so simple and so ignorant as not to vnderstand me I meant not that you should kille your parentes with the materiall but with the mētall sword because according to the word of our Lord he cannot be his disciple that hateth not his father his mother his kinred and his Friendes Two Cardinals one time visiting Br. Giles to cōferre with him of spirituall affaires retyring att length frō the place of cōference they feruently besought him to remēber in his deuotions to recōmend thē to God Whervpon he answeared thē my lordes what need can you haue of my prayers sith you haue a greater faith and hope then I The Cardinals admiring this answeare asked him what he mēt therby he answeared Because you with so much richesse hōnour 's delightes tēporall contentmētes hope to be saued I with such and so cōtinuall labours feare to be damned Which so touched those Cardinals to the quick that they departed frō him very cōtrite in their soules their faces bathed in teares A very spirituall Religious was troubled with a greiuous temptatiō and very humbly and deuoutly prayed God to be deliuered therof yet could he not be heard Wherfore he repayred to Br. Giles who vnderstanding his affliction said vnto him Brother doe not admire if God of whome you haue receaued so many graces will that you continually fight against this your ennemy For when a kinge armeth his knightes with better and surer armure it is a signe that he desireth they should fight the more couragiously for him A Religious one day demaūding of Br. Giles how he could goe with a good will to prayer because he ordinarily wēt without deuotion and very coldly he thus answeared him lett vs suppose that a king hath two faithfull seruantes wherof the one is well armed the other vnarmed He will that they both goe to warre against his ennemies he that is well armed goeth with great security as being well accōmodated and furnished of what is necessary for the battell but the other sayth to the king Syr you see I am disarmed neuertheles for the affection I haue to performe your seruice I will not omitt in this estate to vndergoe this chardge with others The king considering taking notice of the loue and fidelity of this his seruant he caused presently to be brought him such armour as he wanted and was needfull vnto him So he that wanteth deuotion and yet assisted with a strong faith goeth boldly to the warre of prayer lett him be assured that our Lord will not faile to furnish him of what he seeth necessary for him to obtaine the victory A man asking his opinion touching entring into Religion The holy Father thus answeared Tell me if a poore begger knew a great treasure to be hidden in a field would he aske Counsaile to goe seeke whereto the other answearing truely no Br. Giles replyed how much rather then ought a man runne to seeke and purchase the infinite treasure of the kingdome of God so this man with this counsaile departed and hauing giuen all that he had to the poore for the loue of God he presently became a Frere Minor Of other like answeares of the blessed Br. Giles THE XXI CHAPTER A Certaine good spirituall personne said one day to venerable Brother Giles Father I find my selfe exceedingly incombred I know not what counsel to take for if I doe any good act I am presently tickled with vaine glory and if I committ any sinne I am so troubled that I am ready sometimes to fall into dispaire The holy Father answeared thou doest well to lament thy sinne and to haue feeling of the perill wherto it leadeth but it should trouble thee with discretion considering that the power of God is much greater to receaue thee to mercy then thine is to cause thee to offend God But the feare of vaine glory should neuer hinder thee from doeing good deedes For if the labourer before seed-season should say to himselfe I will sow no corne because the birdes wormes of the earth may eat vp the seed which I shall sow before it take roote in the earth or when it is sprung vp and greene it may be eaten by beastes before it ripen and be gathered in if I say the labourer should thus discourse with himselfe and conceaue such friuolous difficulties he would neuer sow and so consequently neuer reape whence would ensue that we should haue no bread but the prudent and wise labourer doth till and sow his land and doth his endeauour and committeth the successe to the diuine prouidence So should you endeauour to proceed in good worckes without feare of vaine glory for albeit it doe a litle trouble you for the time the better and securer part doth still remaine vnto you An other asking him if one could obtaine and possesse the grace of God remayning in the world he answeared that he could but I had rather said he haue one grace in Religion then ten in the world because in Religion grace doth easily encrease and is better there conserued a man being there sequestred from the tumult and affection of worldly folies the capitall ennemies of grace and with all the Religious his companions by charitable remonstrances and by example of their holy conuersation doe with draw him from euill and inuite and induce him to goodnes But the grace which some may haue in the world may also be easily lost because the solicitude of worldly affaires and cogitations which is mother of distraction doth hinder and trouble the sweetnes of grace and other worldlinges by prophane and dishonest conuersations by scandalous examples and by diuilish hauntes and companies doe diuert him from good and allure him to lewdnes so that as it were by force they depriue him of his soules saluation it being no part of their custome to further a vertuous life but indeed to deride and scoffe att such as liue Christianly nor to reprehend the vicious and ennemies of God but to flatter and sooth them Wherupon I conclude that it is farre more 7s ecure to possesse one grace with a helpe that may conserue it then ten with such hazard yea in such imminent perill A seculer man hauing once requested him to pray for him he answeared Brother pray for they selfe for sith they selfe mayst haue recourse and accesse to God why goest thou not why wouldest thou send an other on thine arrant this man againe told him that he acknowledged himselfe so great a sinner that he knew himselfe to farre remote and separated from God But he being holy and well beloued of his diuine maiesty had more
a new man his seruant S. Francis by him to reforme his faithfull in this sixt age would also that a valerous woman should by his worck appeare in the world to accompany that his great seruant to the end that of those two should be new borne a perfect regeneration of the children of God And as the first naturall generation came of man and woman as of an vnited beginning so this spirituall generatiō of the imitators of the life and counsailes of IESVS CHRIST proceeded in all the Church and in all the estates and qualities of personnes of one same spiritt of zeale of perfection of humility and of powerty from one man and one woman And to the end it might not be vnlike the creation almighty God hauing first perfected his seruant S. Francis would frame of the ribbe or side of his life doctrine and sanctity the glorious Virgin S. Clare his true and litigimate daughter in IESVS CHRIST for his companion as zealous also of perfection and Angelicall reformation With great reason therfore hath she her place in the Chronicles of the Frere Minors For she being a ribbe and partye of the same Order it is very requisite a special mention should be made of her sanctity of life as we shall here performe And if it be not according to her meritt shall att least be done with the least defect we can possible being resolued to employ therin that litle force of spiritt which God hath giuen vs and this to the honour of his diuine maiesty of his holy seruant and to the edification of soules The glorious saincte Clare was borne in the citty of Assisium scituat in the prouince of the Vally of Spoletum which is a territory appertayning to the Romane Church Her Father and Mother were noble of a famous and very weathy famility her mother was called Hortolana which in our tongue may be termed Gardener and not without mystery considering she was to produce so noble and vertuous a plant in the garden of the holy Church This woman was exceeding deuout and compleate in the fruites of good worckes and albeit she were maryed and consequently obliged to the care and gouernment of her house and family yet did she not omitt with all her power to be exercised in the seruice of God and employed in worckes of mercy She was so feruent in the loue of IESVS CHRIST that with great deuotion she passed the sea with many other Pilgrimes and visited those holy places which our Redemer IESVS CHRIST God and man had cōsecrated with his holy presence and retourned exceedingly cōforted and enriched with many merittes She also visited the Church of Th'archangell S. Michael on the mount Gargan and with a pious and feruent desire visited the Apostles S. Peter S. Paule in Rome in such sort did that vertue and feruour in those dayes shine in many holy personnes but now so weakened is the feruour of Christians touching visiting holy places and the reliques of our Lord and his SS that it is almost lost by the continuall warres of heretikes and of our sinnes Now our lord began to poore out the abondance of his celestiall giftes on the root that afterwardes the sproutes of greater sanctity might follow and dispearse into bowes Neither would he that this deuout woman Hortolana should be depriued of the consolations and knowledge of this grace for being neere her childbirth she one day with great feruour prayed in a Church and before a Crucifix where she besought almighty God to deliuer her from the danger of death in her childbirth which she much apprehended and she heard a voice that sayd Woman feare not For thou shalt safely and without danger bring forth a light that shall illuminate and lighten all the world Being thus comforted and admonished by this diuine answeare so soone as she was deliuered of a daughter she caused her to be called in Baptisme Clare firmly beleeuing that in her should be accomplished the splendour of the light promised according to the prouidence and ordonnance of the diuine bounty Of the education charity prayer mortification and virginity of saincte Clare THE II. CHAPTER SAinte Clare being borne into the world she began incontinently to appeare and to shine as a morning starre in the obscure night of the world for in the most tender yeares of her first infancie she alredy discouered euident signes of notable and pious worckes wherin she made appeare her naturall worth and the graces which God had communicated vnto her for being naturally of a very delicate constitution he receaued of her mother the first foundations of faith afterwardes being inspired of God to apply her selfe to vertuous and pious worckes she shewed her selfe to be a vessell aptly prepared for diuine grace and as she abounded in interiour piety as wel by nature as by grace towardes poore beggers so according to the small meanes which thē she had she supplyed their necessityes And to the end her sacrifice might be more gratefull vnto God the most delicate meates that were giuen her for the nourishment of her litle body she hid and gaue it secretly to the poore Thus did piety augment and encrease in her and nourished charity in her soule preparing her to receaue the grace and mercy of almighty God Her greatest contentment was in prayer wherby she was often sustayned made ioyfull and comforted as by an Angelicall milke and in a most delicious manner eleuated to the diuine pleasures of the conuersation of our lord IESVS CHRIST In these beginninges hauing no beades she vsed in steed therof certaine litle stones some to serue for the Pater noster and others for the Aues and so she offred her prayers to God Whervpon beginning to feele the first feruours of diuine loue she iudged that she must contemne all transitory apparence and painted flowers of this world and being by prayer well enstructed of the holy Ghost she resolued as a wise spirituall merchand to haue no more regard of terrestriall affaires acknowledging them vnworthy to be esteemed and with this Spiritt she did weare as an other saincte Cecilie vnder her gay apparell a hair-cloth so exteriourly satisfying the world and interiourly her Lord IESVS CHRIST But hauing attayned the age of mariage she was importuned by her Father and other kinred to choose a husband Wherto she would neuer consent but vsed lingringes and delayes putting off and differring what she could all humane mariage and euer recommended to our Lord IESVS CHRIST her virginity with the other vertues whe◠with she was endued by such exercises endeauouring to please almighty God that he might bestow on her his only Sonne for her Spouse Such were the first fruites of her spiritt and such the exercises of her piety so that being anoynted with such a sweet and spirituall oyntment she yelded a most pleasing sauour as shoppe replenished with most delightfull liquors whose sauours though they be shutt vp discouer and manifest themselues In
hardly can I speake and this because I am corporally separated from you and my holy sisters with whome I hoped to haue happely liued and dyed in this world So farre is this my griefe from slacking that it continually encreaseth which as it had a beginning so doe I beleeue it will finde no end in this world For it is so continuall and familier vnto me that it will neuer forsake me I was persuaded that life and death should be a like without power of any separation on earth amongest them who haue one same conuersation and life in heauen and must haue one same sepulture them I say who one same and equall naturall profession and one same loue hath made sisters But as far as I can see being abandoned and afflicted on eache side I am much mistaken O my holy sisters I beseech you to be reciprocally grieued with me and lett vs weepe together I being assured that you shall neuer experience any doulour comparable to that which I now feele in being separated from them with whome IESVS CHRIST had conioyned me This griefe tormenteth me incessantly this fire burneth my hart continually so that being on each side afflicted I know what to thincke neither doth any hope remayne but to be assisted by your prayers that Almighty God easing this affliction may make it tollerable vnto me O my most gracious mother what shall I doe and what shall I say sith I know not that euer I shall see you more or likewise my sisters O that it were lawfull for me to vtter vnto you the conceiptes of my soule as I would desire or that I could open my hart vnto you on this paper then should you see the liuely and continuall dolour that tormenteth me My soule bâ—rneth interâ—ourly being afflicted with an incessant fire of loue and my hart groneth sigheth and lamenteth with desire of your presence Myne eyes cannot haue their fill of weeping and albeit I seeke some consolation against this bitternes yet can I find none but euery thing turneth into griefe and much more when I coÌ„sider the meanes to see you I am entierly steeped in these anguishes hauing none that can comfort me in this life but that I receaue a litle consolation from the liberal hand of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Which causeth me to beseech you all to giue thanckes vnto his diuine maiesty for this fauour and mercy extended towardes me and for that through his grace I finde in this Couent such concord peace and charity as by wordes cannot be expressed these sisters hauing receaued me with exceeding loue deuotion yelding me obedience with extraordinary promptitude and reuerence They all with one accord recommend themselues to our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you my sister and to all the sisters of the monastery and I recommend both my selfe and them to your prayers beseeching you as our Mother to be mindfull of them and of me as of your daughters and know you that they and I will all the dayes of our life obserue and keep your holy preceptes and aduertisementes Besides I desire you should know that the Pope hath accorded to whatsoeuer I demaunded him conformably to your intention and mine and particulerly in the matter you know viz. that we may not possesse any thing proper I beseech you my most deere Mother to procure of the R. Father Generall that he often visitt vs to comfort vs in God whose grace be with your spiritt Amen Of an extasie of S. Agnes and how S. Clare saw her thrice crowned by an Angell THE XXXVI CHAPTER SAinte Clare in her last sicknes obtained that her sister S. Agnes might come to see her in the monastery of S. Damian to keep her company during the few dayes she had to liue And so S. Agnes hauing left her Couent well grounded in Religion and sanctity she came to Assisium where sainte Clare being one night in prayer a part from her sister she neuertheles saw her being also in prayer lifted from the earth and an Angell to crowne her head three seuerall times with so many crownes The day following she demanded of her sister what player or contemplation she had made the night past But she of humility vnwilling to manifest her prayer being att length enforced by obedience made her this relation I considered the great goodnes and patience of almighty God wherby he supporteth such enormous offences of sinners which I considered with a deep sorrow and compassion Then I thought and yet doe thinck on the loue which almighty God beareth to sinners and how he endured death to saue them Thirdly I considered and doe consider and am with coÌ„passion exceedingly afflicted for the soules in purgatory and their great tormentes and because they cannot helpe them selues I asked mercy for them of the most sacred woundes of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST How S. Agnes sent S. Clares vaile to the monasterie of Florence and of her death and translation to S. George of Assisium with all her Religious into a new Couent THE XXXVII CHAPTER AFter the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes sent her black vaile which she did ordinairily weare to the poore Religious of MouÌ„t Celi which she had founded att Florence which she did in regard of her great amity towardes them that they might inherite some reliques of sainte Clare for their comfort and deuotion That vaile is yet in the sayd monastery where it is so carefully preserued that in substance and colour it seemeth still new There is likewise to be seene in the same monastery a cloake of sainct Francis by which reliques our lord worcketh many miracles A litle after the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes also desired to be present att the mariage of the lambe whither she was inuited but she first receaued the consolatioÌ„ which sainte Clare had promised her that before she departed out of this life she should see her Spouse IESVS CHRIST as a tast of the eternall felicities wherto she was to be eleuated and conducted by her sweet Spouse CHRIST IESVS She dyed the 56. yeare of her age replenished with perfect sanctity and being deliuered out of this prison she went to possesse the kingdome with Angels and the holy virgins that had bin consecrated to IESVS CHRIST in which glory these two sisters and daughters of Sion companions in heauen by nature and grace doe prayse God without end There assembled a great multitude of people vpon the death of sainte Agnes and they with great deuotion ascended the ladder of the monastery of sainct Damian hoping there to receaue some spirituall consolation of sanctity but it happened that the chaine which held the ladder did slip so that al those that were on it fell downe one vpon an other which made a great bruit and clamour by those that were hurt who hauing with a strong faith inuocated S. Agnes were all cured The sayd holy virgin was enterred att S. Damian but afterward was transported into the Church of
middest of the greatest prosperity that she euer had she alwayes desired the estate of pouerty to imitate and follow that of IESVS CHRIST in this life shunning all pompe and worldly glory By this fauour and holy desire she would often being alone in her house with her friendes and seruantes cloath her selfe poorly affirming that if she fell into pouerty she would in that sort be cloathed She would be alwayes present att generall processions and litanies bare foot and attyred in linnen and with great humility would heare the sermons among the simple people When she went first to Church in the morning she would not goe attyred according to her quality but the most simply she could in example of the Virgin Mary carying her child in her armes and laying it very reuerently on the Altare there offring a lambe and a candell Retourning home after the seruice she would giue the cloathes she woare att masse to some very poore woman And the more perfectly to obserue the rule of humility she promised obedience in that concerned the good of her soule to her CoÌ„fessour M. Courard a poore Religious but of great piety and doctrine whose counsailes though generally vertuous she so strictly obserued as if IESVS CHRIST himselfe had commanded her By this obedience and vpoÌ„ a scruple of her conscieÌ„ce she would neither touch nor vse any thing bought with the mony aâ—ysing of any gaine made by the Officiers of Lantgâ—aue her husband fearing that it might be gotten of the blond of the poore subiectes And albeit the same were lawfull and permissable to that sainct in regard of the simplicity of those times yett att this present it may not be done nor permitted to any Hauing in her widowhood receaued a great iniury which exceedingly troubled and disquieted her she fell to her prayers and began with great abondance of teares to pray vnto God for those that had done her iniury beseeching him to bestow on each of them a grace wherby they might receaue some consolation of his diuine Maiesty During the feruour of this prayer she heard a voice that sayd vnto her thou hast neuer presented a prayer vnto me more gratefull then this which hath thorough pearced my bowels Wherfore I pardon thee all thy sinnes and giue thee my grace This holy Princesse knowing the mercy which God had shewed her considered with her selfe what course of life she might thenceforward vndertake to become more gratefull to his diuine Maiesty and to serue him more dilligently But being in deep consideratioÌ„ herevpoÌ„ the ineffable searcher of hartes sayd vnto her hope in God doe good worckes and shunne sinne thou shalt alwayes haue coÌ„fort Of the deuotion of this S. towardes the Frere Minors and how doubting of the loue of God towardes her he miraculously displanted a tree and replanted it where she desired THE XI CHAPTER THis blessed lady was both a singuler mother and daughter vnto the Frere Minors as one replenished with the spiritt of pouerâ—y and contempt of the world wherof they made profession theâ—fore hauing bin many dayes without the sight of any she was exceeding melancholy Her husband perceauing that she was more sad then of custome asked her the cause wherto she answeared that it was because she had not in a long time seene any seruant of God nor of them heard the word of his diuine Maiesty And therfore was she so heauy and melancholy both interiourly and exteriourly Which her busband vnderstanding he presently sent for Frere Minors to comfort her who being come she presently resumed her former serenity and mildnes of countenance and a long time discoursed of the estate of her soule with one of them who was her spirituall Father and among other thinges thus spake vnto him Father that which most afflicteth my soule is when I consider my sinnes to deserue that I be litle loued of almighty God sith I continually striue with my vâ—most ability to loue him and yet I much feare that he â—eiecteâ—h me as vnworthy his presence and his loue The Religious thervpon assured her that she was farre more beloued of God then he could be of her Wherto the Sainct replyed If it were so my God would not peâ—mitt me to be separated from him one only moment but would ordinarily visitt me with some sicknesses or afflictions which I desiâ—e and would exceedingly effect for the loue of his diuine Maiesty This good Religious by very pregnant reasons demonstrated vnto her what and how great is the loue of God towardes his creature and how much it exceedeth ours in that his loue is infinite eternall strong pure and entier and ours is slender temporall feeble impure and imperfect But this Religious discoursed to litle purpose for the vertuous lady could not beleeue him and therfore shewing him a tree on the other side of a â—iuer wherby they were she sayd Father I would rather beleeue that the tree which you yonder see could remoue hither then beleeue my selfe to be more loued of God then I loue him being as I am att this present separated from the sweetnes of his true loue The sequell was most admirable for those wordes were no sooner spoaken but the tree was displanted by the rootes and transplanted on the side of the riuer where they were This Princesse then remayning as it were in extasie experieÌ„ced in her soule how much the loue of God exceedeth ours and so she acknowledged her selfe to be vanquished by the loue of God Of the great charity of this holy Princesse and how she spent her time in worckes of mercy THE XII CHAPTER THe liuely waters of the worckes of mercy did continually flow out of this fountaine of diuine loue wherwith the poore of IESVS CHRIST were refreshed who saith that he will accept the said worckes as done vnto himselfe This Princesse was extremely sparing and frugall in what was for her owne vse and paâ—ticuler necessitieâ— but exceeding liberall towardes to poore whome she could not endure to want any thing necessary vnto them for which vertue the people called her the true mother of the poore who in regard of this her piety would often inuite her to be God mother to their children in baptisme whervnto she would voluntarily accord to haue â—ore occasion to assist theÌ„ and to procure the education of their childâ—eÌ„ She one time gaue one of her gownes to a poore woman who with this almose thought her selfe rich and conceaued therof such an excessiue ioy that att the instant she fell as dead to the ground And this compassionate Princesse hauing prayd for her she retourned to her selfe She earned mony by spinning and sowing with her maydes which she distributed to the poore She also employed her selfe in that exercise to giue example of humility vnto her women and maydnes and to shunne idlenes Heâ— husband being in Italy there happened in her territories an extreme famine for reliefe wherof this pious woman gathered together all her reuenues