which the glorious Father S. Francis instituted which is in obseruation of the holy Ghospel liuing in obedience and chastity without any propriety Clare the vnworthy seruant of IESVS CHRIST and the litle plant of the holy Father S. Francis promiseth obedience and reuerence to Pope Innocent and to his successours canonically elected and to the Romane Church And as she in the beginning of her conuersion together with all her sisters hath promised inuiolable obedience to his successours lett all her other sisters be in like sort for euer obliged to obey the successours of S. Francis and sister Clare and other Abbesses that shall succeed her canonically elected How the Religious must be receaued into Religion THE II. CHAPTER IF any Virgin or woman diuinely inspired present her selfe to you to be admitted to this course of life lett the Abbesse be obliged to damaund aduise of her sisters and if the greater part consent therto she may receaue her after permission had of the Cardinall Protectour of the Order Bur before the habitt be giuen her lett her very diligently examine her or cause her to be examined touching the Catholique Faith and the holy sacramentes of the Church And if she be found sincerely faithfull in those matters and doe loyally confesse them and promise entierly to obserue them and that she be not marryed or if hauing a husband he by consent of the Bishop of the Diocese become Religious hauing vowed continencie and she not hauing other impediment as ouer-aged or infirme or want of iudgement and discretion to obserue such course of life lett the manner and rule of liuing be dilligently declared vnto her then being found capable the wordes of the gospell be denounced vnto her that she goe and sell all she hath and endeauour to distribute it vnto the poore which if she cannot effect her good will shall suffice And lett the Abbesse and other sisters be carefull not to confound their cogitations with her temporall affaires but lett them leaue that care to her that she dispose of her substance as our Lord shall inspire her And if she demaund counsaile of them thervpon lett them direct her to some vertuous person that feareth God by whose counsaile she shall dispose of her goodes among the poore After that hauing cutt her haire about her garment and discloathed her of her seculer attire lett be giuen her three coates one cloake and lett her no more be permitted to goe out of the Monastery without profitable manifest and probable occasion The yeare of her probation expired lett her be receaued to obedience promising perpetually to obserue the life and rule of our pouerty None may weare the vaile but after the yeare of probation and nouitiat the sisters also may weare a cloake to be more lighty decently and commodiously prepared to labour Lett the Abbesse discretly prouide thē cloathing according to the qualities of the personnes places and time and correspondent to necessity The virgins that are receaued into the monastery before their age conuenient lett their haire be cutt and being disattired of their seculer garmentes lett them be cloathed with the same cloath that the other Religious do vse as it shall please the Abbesse and hauing attayned age conuenient lett them be cloathed as the other and make their probation And lett the Abbesse commende them as also the other Nouices to a mistresse whome she should choose of the most vertuous of the monastery who shall carefully instruct them according to the order of our professiō Lett the forme aforesaid be obserued in the examination made to receaue the sisters that are to serue without the Monastery and they may weare hose and shooes and lett no woman or mayden dwell in the Monastery among you if she be not receaued according to the forme of your profession My deere and welbeloued sisters I admonish pray and require you for the loue of IESVS CHRIST who comming into the world was wrapped in poore cloutes and then by his most sacred mother layd in a manger that you alwayes cloath your selues with the poorest and coursest cloath and the meanest that you can possibly Of the manner of saying the diuine office of fasting and of the time of communicating THE III. CHAPTER THe Religious that can read shall say the diuine office according to the vse of the Frere Minors when they may haue a Breuiary and shall read it without singing and they who sometimes vpon some light impediment cannot read the office shall say their Pater nosters as the others sisters that cannot read who shall say for their Mattins twenty four times the Pater noster for Laudes fiue For the Prime Third Sixt and Ninth houre for each seauen times the Pater Noster for the Euensong twelue times and for Compline seauen times They also shall say for the euensong of the dead seauen times the Pater Noster with Requiem aeternam and for the Matins twelue times And the sisters that can read shall say the office of the dead When any Religious of the Monastery shall dye the sisters shall say fifty Pater Nosters for her soule The sisters shall fast att all times but on the Natiuity of our Lord IESVS CHRIST fall it on whatsoeuer day they may eat two meales The yong the weake and the seruantes that liue out of the Monastery may be dispensed withall for their fastes by mercy and charity according to the discretion of the Abbesse But in time of manifest necessity the sisters shall not be obliged to corporall fast Lett them with permission of the Abbesse confesse twelue times in the yeare lett them be exceeding wary not to entermingle any wordes in their confession but what is necessary thervnto and for the saluation of their soules Lett the sisters communicate seauen times a yeare to witt att the Natiuity of our Lord Maundie thursday att Easter Ascension day Whitsonday on the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Alsaintes since the canonization of sainct Francis for the eight communion is added the day of his feast It shal be permissable for the chappelain to communicate the sick within the Monastery How the Abbesse is to be chosen THE IV. CHAPTER THe Religious shal be obliged to obserue the canonicall forme in election of their Abbesse where they shall endeauour to haue the Generall of the Frere Minors or att least the Prouinciall who may by the word of God vnite them and admonish them to agree touching the election of their Abbesse to doe what shall seeme to them most profitable aduertising them not to choose a Religious that is not professed and if one should be elected before profefsion and made Abbesse by any other meane lett not such Abbesse be obeyed till she haue made profession conformably to the ordonances and to the rule of our pouerty And the terme of her chardge being ended lett an other be chosen And if sometimes after the election of the Abbesse all the sisters iudge her vncapable of such chardge for
for the passion of IESVS CHRIST kept her sometimes out of her selfe and the internall loue which she had imprinted in her hart in manner continually represented vnto her IESVS CHRIST crucified She ordinarily gaue exāple by worckes of what she taught her Religious by wordes For admonishing them often and instructing them secretly touching some exercise before she had ended her discourse she was seene to power out of her eyes abondance of teares Among the houres of the diuine office that are sung in the Church she was present with greatest deuotion att the Sixt and ninth by reason that att such houres she was crucified with her Redeemer IESVS CHRIST The holy Virgin retyring one time to her priuate deuotion after the ninth houre the deuill came to her and did beat her outragiously and euen did so hurt her in the face that her eye was all bloud-shott and the signe remayned on her cheeke but S. Clare omitted nor for that to perseuer in her prayer And to the end she might with the more deuotion apply herselfe to the cōtentmentes which she conceaued in mediating of IESVS CHRIST crucified she ordinarily contemplated the mistery of the fiue woundes and therfore she learned by hart the office of the crosse as the true louer of the crosse S. Fancis had taught her She accustomed to weare against her naked flesh a girdle of thirteene knottes wherto also were litle stones fastened in forme of knottes which she did for a secrett memory of the woundes and doulours of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST One lent vpon Maundy thursday wheron our Lord IESVS CHRIST shewed a particuler loue to his disciples att the houre of the agony that our Redeemer did sweat bloud and water in the garden this holy virgin retyred into her oratory full of deep sorrow and ioyned herselfe with almighty God in prayer as if she had seen him praying and as if by contemplation of the soule of IESVS CHRIST sorrowfull euen to death she her selfe had felt and suffered his prison his derisions his iniuries reproches affrontes beatinges sentence crosse and most ignominious death carrying in her memory a like sorrow wherfore as vtterly transported she sate on a straw-bed and all that night and the day following she was so absorpt and rapt out of her selfe that her eyes being open and without motion she seemed to hold them fixed in one place and remayned so insensible being conioyntly crucified with IESVS CHRIST that a Religious familier vnto her comming often to see if she wanted any thing she found her alwayes in one same manner But on the night of holy saterday this deuout Religious came to her deere mother with a candle and partly by signes and partly by wordes she made her the best she could to vnderstand the commandement that the holy Father sainct Francis gaue her that she should not passe one day without taking and eating something So in the presence of this Religious sainte Clare as if she came out of another place sayd vnto her what need haue you to light this candle is it not day Wherto the Religious answeared Mother the night of holy thursday is past as also goodfriday and we are now in the night of Easter eue The Sainct replyed my daughter blessed be this sleep which almighty God att length after my long desire hath granted me But I admonish and command you not to speake herof to any creature liuing whiles I shall liue in the world Of many miracles wrought by saincte Clare by the signe and vertue of the crosse THE XXI CHAPTER OVr Redeemer IESVS CHRIST recompenced well the pious desires and good worckes of his beloued Virgin saincte Clare for as she was enflamed with an infinite loue of the misteries of the holy crosse so by the vertue and power of the same crosse she became noble in the signes miracles of IESVS CHRIST Oftentimes in making the signe of the crosse on the sicke they were miraculously cured and indifferently of all sortes of diseases A Religious man called Stephen hauing a hote feuer that exceedingly afflicted him the holy Father sainct Francis sent him to saincte Clare to make the signe of the crosse vpon him as one that well knew her perfection and vertue which he exceedingly honoured Now the Lady Hortulana mother of saincte Clare was then in the Couent of saint Damian for a litle before considering that her daughters had espoused IESVS CHRIST she came to them to Religion where this happy lady serued as a true Gardener in that Garden enclosed with those virgins our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and with the glorious Agnes sister to sainte Clare and the other Religious all replenished with the holy Ghost to whome the holy Father saint Francis sent many diseased whome they cured after hauing made on them the signe of the crosse which they most hartely honoured The sayd Religious then being sent to sainte Clare she as the daughter of obedience being therto commanded by the holy Father Saint Francis presently made on him the signe of the crosse then left him a litle to sleep in the Church in the place where she was accustomed to pray and the Religious hauing a litle reposed arose sound secure and freed of his infirmity then he retourned to saint Francis by whome he had bene sent to saint Damian and consequently was cured A child of three yeares old of the citty of Spoletum called Matthew had by chaunce a stone thrust into his nose whence it could not be gotten out so that the child was in extreme perill whervpon he was brought to saincte Clare who hauing made the signe of the crosse on him the stone incontinently fell out of his nose and he was perfectly well An other child of Perusia hauing a filme on his eye was brought to sainte Clare who touching the eye of the child and making the signe of the crosse theron willed them that had presented the child vnto her to carry it vnto her mother that she might also make the signe of the crosse vpon it which hauing done the eye became cleare and being purged of the filme that obscured it he was presently cured whervpon sainte Clare affirmed that this miracle was wrought by the merittes of her mother who finding such glory to be attributed vnto her reputed her selfe vnworthy therof One of her Religious called Beneuanta hauing had for twelue yeares together an impostume vnder her arme which did purge by fiue seuerall issues saincte Clare had compassion therof and made on her the vertuous signe of the crosse then with her owne handes taking away the playster she was cured of her long continued sores An other of her Religious called Aimia being for more then a yeares space afflicted with the dropsy together with an extreme paine in her sides and a burning feeuer sainte Clare conceaued a very strong compassion of her therfore hauing recourse to her noble and infallible medicine she made on her body the signe of the crosse in the name of
ordayned to receaue him shall make an exact enquiery of his estate and condition and propose vnto him the obligation of the company and particulerly restitution of goodes iniustly possessed Which done and he consenting lett him be cloathed according to the Order and lett him endeauour to satisfie his Creditors if he owe any thing either with ready mony or security of pledge and lett him att length find meanes to content and satisfie them in some or other manner and so be reconciled to his neighbour Which being accomplished and the yeare of probation expired if the discreet Brethren be of opinion and hold it requisit to admitt him he shal be receaued on these conditions which are that he promise to keep the diuine preceptes and to satisfie the statutes and constitutions wherto he shal be bound and obliged as also to performe the penance that shal be enioyned him or the punishment ordayned if he proue obstinate and a transgressour and to obey the visitor before whome he shall appeare if he be called and shall submitt himselfe to his iudgement and to all this aforesayd he shall oblige himselfe by subscription before publike Notaries neither shall it be permitted to the prouinciall Minister to receaue any but vpon the sayd conditions except some notable considerations doe otherwise require and that the quality of the perâ—onne presented giue iust occasion of an extraordinary proceeding Besides we ordaine that none may retire from this confraternity being once entred to retourne to the world But we permitt him to enter into an other approued Religion Maryed women also may not be receaued without the consent of their husbands Of the forme of their habitt and how they must be clothed THE III. CHAPTER LEtt the Brethren of this company be cloathed with course cloth and of meane price of a colour neither fully white nor directly black except the visitors find it good to dispense therein with any one for a time and with the Counsaile of the Prouinciall Minister vpon some iust and manifest occasion Their cloakes and other habits shal be as decencie requireth without cuttinges and their sleeues shal be simple close and straight the sisters shall weare a cloake and gowne or coat of course cloth also and vnder their cloke shall weare a white or black habit or a very long coat of linnen cloth or canuas without plaites The sisters may be dispensed withal in the coursnes of the cloth of their habits according to their need the qualitye of the personnes and condition of the places They shall vse neither buttons nor girdles of silke nor besides the said cloth may vse any furres other then lambes skin their purses shal be of leather and their girdles plaine without any ornament of silke neither shall they weare any thing else forsaking according to the behoufull counsaile of saint Peter all other vaine ornamentes of this world That the said Penitentes may not haunt dishonest banquettes nor comedies nor giue any thinge to stage-players and comedians THE IV. CHAPTER IT is forbidden to the sayd Brethren to frequent and be present att baÌ„quettes playes dances and dishonest spectacles to giue mony or any other thing to see such vanityes neither must they permitt any of their seruantes to giue any thing to that purpose Of abstinence and fasting THE V. CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren abstaine from eating flesh foure dayes in the weeke that is munday wednesday friday and saterday if they be not hindred by necessity of sicknesse or infirmity They that haue bin lett bloud may eat flesh three times that weeke They also that trauell may eat flesh on the dayes permitted by the Church it is also permissable to eat it on principall and solemne feastes The dayes whereon is no obligation of fasting they may eat cheese and egges and when they shall come to conuentuall houses they may care with other Religious what shal be sett before them But they must content themselues with two meales a day except in case of necessity trauell or weakenesse for then this rule doth not oblige Lett the eating and dâ—incking of the healthy be moderate as the Gospell teacheth vs saying Be carefull that your hartes be not ouerchardged with surfeâ—ting and drunckennesse Lett the sayd Brethren neuer sitt downe att table but hauing first sayd the Pater Noster and Aue Maria and after their meale lett them say it with the ordinary graces And if att any time they fo gett the same lett them say three for one They shall fast all the fridayes of the yeare it they be not hindered by sicknesse or some other lawfull excuse If the Natiuity of our Lord fall on a friday they shall not be obliged to fast on that day From the feast of Alsainctes to Easter they shal be bound to fast euery wednesday and friday besides the other ordinary fastes appointed by the Church They shal be also obliged to fast euery day from the leÌ„t of sainct Martin till Christmas and from Quinquagesima sunday till Easter the sundayes excepted Women with child if they will shal be exempted from all corporall austerityes and rigours from their time of being great till after their churching during which time they shal be obliged only to prayer Artificers that labour with the sweat of their bodyes may make three meales from Easter day to S. Francis day if they know it needfull They that are hyred labourers and haue their dyett prouided may eat of what shal be presented them except the friday and other fastes commanded How osten in the yeare they ought to confesse and communicate THE VI. CHAPTER ALl the Brethren and sisters must be carefull to confesse their sinnes three times euery yeare and deuoutly to receaue the Blessed SacrameÌ„t reconciling theÌ„â—elues to their neighbours making restitution of others goods The sayd times shal be Christmas Easter and Whitsunday That they must not weare offenciue weapons THE VII CHAPTER LEtt not the Brethren weare any offensiue weapons but for defence of the Church and faith of IESVS CHRIST or for defence of their contry or with permission of their superiours In what manner the said Bre. Penitents ought to say their Canonicall houres THE VIII CHAPTER THe Brethren shall euery day say the canonicall houres that is Matins with the Laudes Prime and other houres to the Compline The Clarcks to witt they that can read the psalter shall for Prime say Deus in nomine tuo saluum me fac and Beats 〈◊〉 to the psalme Legem pone and att the other howers the psalmes following according to the vse of the Romane Church with the Gloria Patrâ— And when they are in the Church they shall for Matins say the psalmes which the Priestes or Cathedâ—all Church doe say att least they shall say 12. Paters and 12. Anes with Glorâ—a Patrs as they that cannot read and for each of the other houres 7. Gloria Patrs and att Prime and Compline they that can say the Apostles Creed and the psalme
to Assisium purposing by almes to execute and accomplish that which he could not doe with the mony of his fathers merchandise and this his dessigne had good successe For seeking ouer the citty where he was alreadie knowne to be the seruant of God he found mony among his freindes and kinred and matter requisite for the building of the said Church So associating him selfe with the Preist that serued there he began the said reparation wanting nether masters nor worckmen to this effect he neuertheles without intermission employed his owne person therin that his body being already weakened by continuall fastes and ordinary abstinences might be more subiected and chasticed as well by carrying burdensome stones as by the mortification he endured in demaunding of them to whome he had formerly giuen Thus by the grace of God and the deuotion of the faithfull he so well endeauoured that he accomplished the reparation of the said Church in which labour the said Preist perceiuing how painfully he employed himselfe for so holy an enterprise alwayes reserued somethinge to refectionate and releiue him But the humble seruant of God could not long endure that as being desirous to serue and not to be serued of any Wherupon he said once in himselfe Is it conuenient that thou haue alwayes a preist to serue thee Is that the way of pouerty which thou seekest and then he resolued to be no longer serued by preist or other person and when he would eate he tooke a dish and went to the dores with other poore people to demaund almose for the loue of God and with them did there eat what was giuen him And albeit this was att the begining very sharpe and difficult vnto him yet in the progresse it was so pleasing and contentfull that he afterward affirmed to his Religious that he neuer eat with so good an appetite as then Being one day inuited to eat with a Prelate he would eat nothing but what he had brought with him of almose giuen att the dores Saint Francis hauing finished the reparation of the Church of S. Damian went to repaire an other of S. Peter farther off from the citty and by the same meanes that he vsed in the former he in short time accomplished this also After that he went to Porticella very neere to Assisium where was a Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary which was so abandoned that there was no person had câ—ardge therof nor did any seruice therin He for the great deuotion he had to the Queene of heauen remained therin and incontinently began to thinck of repayring it and being there often visited by the Angels conformably to the title of the Church which was S. Mary of Angels he the more willingly stayed there and affected that place aboue all other because therin he began humbly proceeded and fought valiantly and there ended most blessedly There by diuine reuelation did he begin the foundation of the rule and order of the Frier Minors which was not without mysterie but by disposition of the diuine prouidence which gouerned him instructed and directed him in all his dessignes So that this worthey seruant of God repaired three materiall Churches of S. Damian S. Peter and S. Mary of Angels and all this before the institution of his Order and his preaching of the gospell as well that from these sencible thinges he might attaine to intellectuall and from lesser matters by course and ordre to great as also that what he should doe might first be reuealed vnto him by the mystery of sensible thinges to the end it might appeare that as he had reestablished three Churches so also that of IESVS CHRIST should be by him renewed and repayred according to the forme rule and doctrine which he would giue him as we see apparantly to haue succeeded in the three exercises or warfares if you will which are the three Orders which saint Francis institued in the world Of the second vocation to the estate of Euangelicall perfection and how he began his rule THE VII CHAPTER THe worthy of God hauing chosen for his residence the Church of the mother of IESVS CHRIST and therin perseuering in coÌ„tinuall feruent deuotions beseeching her to be his aduocate his prayers were of such efficacie that by the merittes of the glorious virgin he was also found worthy to conceiue and produce the spiritt of verity and of Euangelicall pouerty For as he one day deuoutly heard the masse of the Apostles where the gospell is read wherin our lord IESVS CHRIST prescribeth theÌ„ the forme of the EuaÌ„gelicall life when he sent them to preach ouer the world to this purpose saying Do not possesse gold nor siluer nor purses not a scripp for the way neither two coates neither shooes neither rodde And into what soeuer place you shall enter salute it saying the peace of God be in this house S. Francis hearing this cryed out with more then a naturall voice That is it which I seeke that is it which the interiour of my hart desireth and theÌ„ was he replenished by the holy spiritt of IESVS CHRIST with such a vertue that it did not only traÌ„sforme him into the said for me and rule in coÌ„sent and desire but euen in operations and effectes for immediatly he putt of his shooes he reiected his staffe and wallet He cast away the mony which remayned vnto him of almose and contenting himselfe with one only garment or coate reiected euen the lesser belt wherewith he was girded and vsed a corde being more carefull then to conforme himselfe perfectly to the Apostolicall life Vpon this Euangelicall lesson in this week and on this day which was the yeare of our lord one thousand two hundred and eight in the month of October and feast of S. Luke this blessed S. began the rule of the Frier Minors being then twenty seauen yeares of age two yeares from his coÌ„uersion being expired the twelueth yeare of Pope Innocent the third a worck proceeding verilie from the holy Ghost by the gospell of IESVS CHRIST not from any humane spiritt though God for an instrumeÌ„t would vse his most faithfull seruant as founder of so glorious a fabrick who as a prudent Architect layd the foundation of his Order with violent floudes of teares with most feruent prayers with worckes of mercie of penance and of retirednes and coniunction vnto God neuer wearied nor desisting till the holy Ghost had giueÌ„ him the foundatioÌ„ of the Apostles and Prophets which is that soueraigne stable corner stone IESVS CHRIST on whome the whole edifice being gounded and referred vnto it encreased in this holy temple of God vpon whome the S. did not build his order with the chaffe of vaine titles or of temporall possessions nor with the dirty dregges of worldly and perishable thinges but with purified gold which is the Euangelicall spiritt and with precious stones which are the Apostolical Counsailes by meanes wherof it was then securely guarded against the force
face vpon the earth or if he held his handes ioyned together on high if he sighed if he spett or coughed Brother Iohn would doe the like S. Francis once reprehending him for it he thus answeared I haue promised to God to doe what soeuer I shall see you doe and therfore I must endeauour to conforme me entierly vnto you The holy Father admired and together reioyced to finde him so constant in his simplicity by meane wherof he so much att lenght profited in all other kind of vertues that all the other Brethren held the perfection wherto he arriued in great admiration But by reason that the world was not worthie of so pure a conscience God afterwardes called him to himselfe After his death S. Francis with great ioy recounted vnto his Brethren his holy conuersation and called him not Brother Iohn but S. Iohn It happened about that time that S. Francis preaching in the prouince of Ancona there came one day after sermon a man vnto him that said he would leaue the world and dwell with him to whome S. Francis answeared If thou desire to enter into this order goe first and accoÌ„plish the saying of the gospell Sell what thou hast and giue it to the poore He then incoÌ„tinently went and distributed all his goodes amoÌ„g his kinred being herevnto moued rather by passioÌ„ of the flesh then deuotion of the spiritt and then retourned to S. FraÌ„cis to whome he said Father I haue forsakeÌ„ all that I had The holie Father demaÌ„ded of him in what manner he had disposed therof and he replyed that he had distributed it amoÌ„g his poore and needy kinred S. FraÌ„cis then knowing that this man had not any feruour of spiritt said vnto him Brother Fly sith thou hast giueÌ„ they goodes to they kinred gett thee home and aske no more to liue of almose with my poore BrethreÌ„ So this wretch retourned alone to his kinred as vnworthy to liue with so manie perfect seruaÌ„tes of God Many others inspired by the supreme bouÌ„ty and with an exceeding feruour of spirit daily entred into the Order the renowme wherof was spread ouer all Italy yea through all ChristeÌ„dome By reasoÌ„ that S. Francis sent his Religious into diuers partes of the world who represented the life of IEVS CHRIT by holy pouertie which they carryed in steed of purses by obedience wherin they were most prompt and ready and trauaile wherby they were speedie in their iorneyes and in regard that they had nothing they feared not the losse of any thing Thus liued they euery where without feare and in great tranquility of spiritt without care either by day or night as they had bin instructed by him that is the only true and singuler Master They kept not the remaynes of one dayes meat for the next being of beleefe that to endure want of these temporall and transitory benefittes was their great richesse and aboundance In what exercise and beleefe he fashioned â—â—is Bretheren THE XXX CHAPTER SAint Francis knowing that his religion was instituted of the holy Ghost in the church of God for a mirrour or looking glasse wherin sinners might behold and contemplate their deformitie and how far different and distant they are from the liknes of God he for this respect endeauoured to annoynt his Brethren with the vnction of IESVS CHRIST by whose vertue he begatt them So then being replenished with the holy Ghost his Order did not only encrease in nomber but in vertue also and edification of the faithfull and to the end that besides their deuotion they might also be exercised in charitie and loue of their neighbour sith they were piously to coÌ„uerse in the world he would often louinglie sitt downe with them and in the name of God command now one then an other to make some exhortation of that which the holy Ghost should dictate vnto him and this he practised often And one time of all other they whome he had enioyned to speake did all deliuer such excellent and admirable thinges of the bounty and goodnes of God and of his secrettes and this vnpremeditated only by the vertue of obedience that themselues grew into admiration therof He then by experience knew that which God said to his disciples It is not you that speake before Presidents and Princes but the spiritt of your Father that speaketh in you Now whiles these holy pure and simple vessels did poure out the baulme of diuine grace discoursing of very high matters of God and discouering the deepe misteries of the scripture by vertue of obedience vnto their holy Father our lord IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto them and stood in the middes of them in forme of a most beautifull yong man and gaue them his benediction with such a sweet and immensiue grace that S. Francis and his Brethren were rauished in extasie and fell all in a sound and as dead to the ground Being retourned to themselues S. Francis said My deerly beloued Brethren we are much obliged to be thankfull vnto God for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to manifest his treasure by the mouth of the simple and to appeare vnto vs to lett vs know that he was present and that when it pleaseth him he maketh the mouthes of infantes of the simple and mute to appeare right eloquent These seruantes of God thus replenished with so great a light of diuine grace S. Francis sent them to illuminate the world and att their retourne they all repayred to our ladie of Angels as their true mother and there they enioyed againe each others sight with an extreame contentment which so filled them with a spirituall exultation that they easilie forgott the labours and contradictions which in their trauiles they had endured The other Brethren that stirred not from the Couent though sometimes they were employed in manuall labours about the necessities of their house neuertheles the chiefest part of their exercise was in prayer for they very frequentlie prayed with feruour and teares They arose att midnight watching to pray to God for themselues and for all other sinners They had a very tender and mutuall loue to each other The holy Father serued them as a mother doth her only sonne charitie so burned in them all that it seemed very easy vnto them to spend their life not onlie for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST but euen for the safty of one of their Brethren Two Brothers walking one day through the feildes they mett a foole that cast stones att one of them which the other perceiuing he stept before his companion to receiue the strokes of the stones These good Brethren did such and the like thinges being induced therto out of perfect charity They reuerenced one an other as masters and he that by his office or age was amongest them the principall would appeare the most humble and abiect they exercised themselues in obedience each of them being prepared to performe not only the precept but
true modestie he did not meane that one should shew a vaine ioy of speech or of light laughter for that is not the alacritie which the true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST ought to haue as some esteeme which is but a vanitie and a manifest signe of litle spiritt S. Francis therfore in an exhortation that he made to his Brethren declared vnto them what was the ioy of the true seruantes of God saying That Brother may be called happy who hath not his ioy but in worckes and wordes of charity by example and document wherof men are induced to loue prayse and honour God And on the contrary wretched is the Brother that is delighted in idle wordes wher with he moueth men to laughter in whome that is verified which the Apostle saith that his religion is vaine and vnfruitfull So that by spirituall ioy he meant the feruour resolution readines and tast of the will of the bodye prompt with alacritie to attempt all good by which feruour and ioy men are oftentimes more edified then by the very worckes they doe be they neuer so good if they seeme to be done with an euill will because they represent the idlenes anxietie of the will and the sloathfullnes of the body in doeing well so that they doe not edifie but corrupt The holy Father affected grauity in himselfe and others that the ioy of the spiritt might not seeme a certaine vaine mirth He well knew by experience that this grauity would serue him as a wall against the dartes of the deuill because the soule disarmed therof remayneth light and vaine and as a naked man amongst potent ennemies that seeke all meanes to murder him Of the fraternall vnion which he taught his brethren THE XXXVIII CHAPTER ANd because the said spirituall ioy proceedeth of the innocencie of the soule and of an amourous peace and tranquillitie with God and our neighbour S. Francis exceedinglie laboured that so holy a vnion might be cōserued amōg his deerly beloued disciples to th end that they who had ben engendred by the holy Ghost in vnion of loue and concorde might be conserued and maintayned semblably vnited among themselues in the lappe of their mother which is holy Religion To the end also that the said disciples should praise God with one hart and according to the Apostle should reioyce with the ioyfull and mourne with the sorrowfull neuer permitting any roote of sorrow enuie or any other disordinate passion to enter into them and that the greater should be assuredly vnited in a true loue of charitye with the least the prudent and wise with the simple as true Brethren and they that are in their country with such as are come from farre He one day proposed to his Brethren an example to this purpose of notable doctrine and efficacie Supposing said he that a generall chapter were held of all the Brethren that are in the glory of paradice and as there are both learned and simple ignorantes that haue vowed to serue God without any science acquyred lett commandement be giuen to a learned man and to a simple ignorant to make each of them a sermon the learned considering what he was to say thus discoursed with himselfe where there are so many of perfect knowledge it would be vnprofitable for me to appeare learned my auditours being incapable of further science to premeditate to make election and search of curious and subtill matters before more curious then my selfe would appeare ridiculous but peraduenture I shal be better and more voluntarily heard yea and with more fruit if I discourse simply Now the prefixed day being come all the holy Saints assemble in the place deputed to heare the sermon of the Doctour who appeared cloathed with a rude sack cloth and his head couered with ashes Those present more admired this habitt then the wordes which were compendious breife and simple in these termes My Brethren we haue promised great matters but greaters are promised vs. Lett vs exactly performe those and tenderly aspire att these The pleasure of sinne is breife but the paine therof is without end The labour of vertue is small but the glory gotten therby is infinite Many are called but few are chosen and each one in the end shall receiue according to his deserte These so pregnant and patheticall wordes did so touch and moue the hartes of the audience that they were constrayned to shed abondance of teares exceedingly praysing this Preacher and esteeming him a holy person The simple ignorant then that was also to preach said to himselfe Sith this learned Preacher hath made vse in his sermon of my simplicity I know what I will doe I haue some verses of the Psalter by hart them will I sett foorth the most eloquently and learnedly that I can sith that the doctour hath preached like a simple man The houre of his sermon being come this simple man rose vp and replenished with the holy Ghost he propounded his theme with such feruour so ingeniously and clearly yea with such eloquence by the grace which God imparted vnto him that his auditours filled with admiration sayd Without doubt God doth speake in the simple Now S. Francis expounded this figure in this manner Our Religion said he is a great and generall congregation in which are vnited from all partes of the world a great nomber of men vnder one same forme and rule of life The prudent therein ought to make vse of the grace that is in the idiotes which is to be employed in worckes of humilitie as true disciples of IESVS CHRIST and so to benefitt themselues therby when they shall see them exercised with a liuely intention in celestiall vertues and voluntarily to heare the mysticall doctrine of the holy Ghost yea with a pious and holy enuy to resemble them and to cleare their spirittes of all presumption that they may be enriched of God with the spiritt of humility and diuine theologie On the contrary the simple ought to be very carefull to make their profitt more of workes then of doctrine and to conuert the science which they see in the learned into so much fruit seeing the honour and reuerence which they exhibitt to the rule and to simplicity of life whereas they being so noble and so learned might liue in the world as Lordes and yet they haue made themselues litle because they had true knowledge of the greatnes of God Then he concluded that in this worthy concord consisted true peace in this equalitie of hartes reposed true ioye of spiritt yea all the beautie and perfection of all their congregation and that by this only meane they might become gratefull and pleasing to the eternall Father who as he had engendred them and alwayes conserued them in grace would also afterward vnite them together in glory How he accustomed his Brethren to perfect obedience THE XXXVIIII CHAPTER BEside the premises he also trayned them vp in the vertue of obedience and abnegation of their
burning torches of the world It cannot be esteemed how worthy they are of honour if they be such as they ought to be and on the contrary how â—â—ch they deserue pitty and compassion if they sell their doctrine â—â—r recompence of a vaine and transitorie applause For which respect this holy Father could not endure such that esteemed more of themselues for being eloquent and learned then for being seruantes of the omnipotent God and employed by his diuine Maiesty in the most eminent degree that his Church affordeth to those whome he knew to be such he said Wherfore doe yee glorie of them that are conuerted to penance by your preachinges as though yourselues did conuert them wheras my simple Religious doe also the same And therfore the preachers that entierlie applyed themselues to preaching without any deuotion he called euill disposers of his goodes and exceedingly extolled those that had respect and memory of themselues after their preachinges rotyring and applying themselues to the spiritt of prayer and to tast how sweet God is after his example who leauing his disciples retyred him selfe vnto the mountaines to pray Of the feruent piety and charity which S. Francis had towardes God and his saincts THE LII CHAPTER WHo can euer expresse the feruent piety wherwith the glorious Father S. Francis the deere freind of his Spouse IESVS CHRIST alwayes burned in his hart considering that by meanes of this his feruour he was most often rapt out of himselfe and so transformed in IESVS CHRIST that it well appeared that with the exteriour quill the stringes of the instrument of his hart were touched within Wherfore he affirmed that it was vnwonted and ouer abondant prodigality to offer so great a price as the loue of God for an almose and he tearmed them senseles who were ignorant therof and who made more esteeme of a base farthing then of such a purchase for so much as they refused that sclender price which sufficed to buy heauen besides that the loue of him who hath so much loued vs ought iustlie to be prised and estoemed aboue althinges And to the end himselfe might be often stirred to this diuine loue he considered althinges as proceeding from the hand of God and so by the consideration of creatures he was with an admirable sweetnes swallowed vp in the contemplation of a most high and first cause and fountaine of all essence and life admiring in the beauty and composition of the second causes the most eminent and prudent Creator and pursued the same euery where to his pleasure which he found by a thousand new meanes manners framing a continuall ladder of althinges created wherby he ascended to the comtemplation and fruition of this lord vniuersally desired and att euery steppe of the said ladder he tasted as in a litle brooke of that most delicious fountaine of bounty with an extreme pleasure as if he had heard that celestiall harmony and consonance of the diuersity of vertues and of their effectes which God gaue to his creatures for which â—ounterchaunge he awakened and stirred theÌ„ with the Prophet to prayse their Creatour as in place heerafter shall appeare He continually carryed his desired crosse as a pleasing litle bundle of mirrh sauouring in his hart desiring with all his power to be transformed into it therby to be enflamed with an excessiue loue and to that end he had appointed lentes in which he retired into hermitages to enioy in silence his amorous IESVS CHRIST who as gratious failed not to reciprocate his deerly beloued in giuing him diuine consolations He burned with deuotion in the interiour of his bowels towardes the sacred sacrament admiring that so charitable and excessiue diuine communication And when he communicated which was often it was with such and so great deuotion that such as were present were amazed and enforced to deuotion seeing him so replenished with this celestiall tast wherwith being as it were druncken he was with all rauished into mentall extasy And he was so zealous and reuerent therevnto that fearing to handle it vnworthely he euer refused to be Preist yea being thereto vehemently sollicited and so farce foorth as he could no longer resist Wherfore he had recourse to his ordinary defence which was prayer wherin demaunding Counsaile of God an Angel appeared vnto him with a viol in his hand full of most pure and cleare liquor who sayd Behold Francis he that will administer the most holy sacrament ought to be as pure as this liquor in respect of which wordes he had neuer thence forward desire to be preist esteeming it no small matter to be Deacon sith so great a purity was required in Preisthood And therfore he commanded the Superiours and all other Religious to be carefull in the prouinces where they resided to aduertise and exhort the people Clarkes and Preistes to place the most sacred body of our Lord in a decent place with all reuerence and sent them the mouldes and first formes or modeles of steele wherin to make the hosties He was also carefull to haue the altares and churches very neate and curiously adorned and in all his chapters made mention therof He loued and reuerenced the glorious mother of our lord IESVS CHRIST with such Charity as cannot be expressed in consideration that she had made the most high lord God our Brother cloathing the diuine maiesty with our owne flesh Wherfore next after God he reposed all his hope in this glorious virgin and euen from the originall of the institution of his Religion he made choice of her for his protectrice and aduocatrice vnto her Sonne and for her honour and glory he fasted as we haue formerly alleadged After that besides and aboue all the other Angels whome he reuerenced for the speciall care they haue of vs he was with an inseparable bond of loue vinted vnto the Archangell S. Michael in regard of his office presenting soules vnto God and in deuotion vnto him he fasted forthy dayes before his feast In this holy fast it was that he merited that notable fauour of the stigmagtes as hereafter in place conuenient shal be inserted Finally he was generaly enflamed in the memory of the glorious Saints affecting them with all his soule as liuely stones of the celestiall edifice shining and glittering with that immensiue light aboue all other resplendant with the charity of IESVS CHRIST and among them he especially reuerenced with a singuler deuotion the Princes of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul for he went often to Rome expresly to visitt them and not in vaine sith he was reciprocally by them visited protected and comforted in all occurances Of the great charity of S. Francis towardes his neighbour and how he freed his Brethren of temptations THE LIII CHAPTER THe poore of IESVS CHRIST S. Francis had but two peeces of mony so called he the body and the soule which vpon euery occasion he offered for the loue of IESVS
recouer them and know the place of their residence but they could neuer see nor heare of them It was then iudged that this was the recompence of the curtesy which the deceased had done to S. Francis and his companions when he entertained them att Orgogno and thence forward those people were euer exceeding deuot vnto the Freer Minors In the same iorney betweene Barcelone and Ghirone neere vnto S. Celony one of the companions of S. Francis being very hungry entred into a vineyard which he happelie found there and did eat of the grapes The keeper of the vines hauing perceaued it tooke from him his cloake which he very patientlie permitted him to take and would not restore it whatsoeuer instance S. Francis vsed but carryed it to his master of whome the said S. so graciously demaunded it that he did not only restore it but withall inuited him to eat with him where he in such sort comported himselfe that this good man entierlie edified by the wordes of the S. and by his doctrine offered himselfe to be a perpetuall host vnto all the Freer Minors that thenceforward should passe that way To whome the S. reciprocally replyed I accept thee for a Freer of our Order and so proceeding in continuall performance of that charity when they passed that way he died many yeares after and as his kinred procured his obsequies to be performed where were present many Preistes some did deridingly beginne to murmure saying that the Freer Minors did not appeare att the death of one of their so affectionate Brethren of who they had receaued so many curtesies and vpon the deliuerie of these wordes there came two and twentie Religious singing the Psalmes of Dauid with an exceeding melodious harmony who hauing finished the office in the Church did all disappeare The kinred of the deceassed prepared for them to eat but they rested content with only giuing thanckes to God with the rest of the people for the recompence he affordeth those that entertayne his seruantes euen after their death It was then ordayned in that citty that the Freer Minors should thenceforward there be lodged and entertayned with all thinges necessary att the chardge of the common purse S. Francis passing afterward through the kingdome of France preaching in a hospitall att Montpelier he prophetically foretold that in that citty should shortlie after be erected a monastery of Freer Minors which was accordingly verified soone after in that a Couent was there built which was very worthely mayntayned till the fury of the Caluinian heresie did vtterly ruinate the same Of the first meeting of S. Francis and S. Dominick THE LVII CHAPTER THe yeare of grace 1215. when the first generall Councell was held att Lateran during the raigne of Pope Innocentius the third the holy Father S. Dominick was att Rome with the Bishop of Tolous called Falcon to procure the Popes confirmatioÌ„ of the Order of Preachers which he then intended to institute and estabish wherof the Pope being by diuine reuelation aduertised and enformed of the great fruit that this Order should produce vniuersally to the holy Church att his first vew of S. Dominick without farther notice of him incontinently commanded him to retourne vnto Tolouse and to conferre with his Religious touching the penning of a rule that might be approued by the Church vnder which his Religion might be confirmed S. Dominick then retourning to Tolouse and hauing with his Religious implored the diuine assistance they made election of the rule of S. Augustine with the name and title of Preachers The yeare following being 1216. Honorius the third succeeding Pope Innocent the third retourning to Rome he demaunded of the Pope that then succeeded the said confirmation with the Bull and apostolicall authority in vertue wherof to make profession and with all to adde other constitutions that seemed necessary All which hauing obtayned the night ensuying he saw in prayer our Lord IESVS CHRIST att the right hand of God against sinners in an hideous and terrible manner brandishing three launces in the aire against the world the first to suppresse the hautines of the proud the second to disgorge the ouer-stuffed entrailes of the auaricious and the third to massacre the carnall There was none that could resist this wrath but the virgin Mary his most sacred mother whome he saw most affectionately to embrace the feet of her sonne beseeching him to pardon those whome he had redeemed with his precious bloud and with the mixture of his infinite mercy to delay that his rigorous iustice Then he heard our Lord thus answeare her See you not mother how manie iniuryes they doe me how is it possible that my holy iustice permitt so many enormityes to be vnpunished His most gracious mother thus replyed Thou knowest my deere Sonne what is the way to conuert sinners vnto thee but behold here a faithfull seruant of thine whome thou mayst presently send into the world to preach thy word to men that being conuâ—rted vnto thee their Sauiour they perish not and behold there also an other of thy seruantes ready to assist him Presenting vnto him S. Dominick and S. Francis with whome he saw God to be satisfied Now S. Dominick awaking very well retayned the markes wherby he might know this his companion whome he neuer knew before But the day following by diuine prouidence he mett S. Francis who was then in the Church of saint Peter att Rome whome he incontinently knew by the markes which he had obserued in the said vision Then he ran and verie affectionatelie embraced him and said we shal be companions and shall labour together in our holie purpose and neither any man nor wicked spiritt shall haue power to preuaile against vs. At length he recounted vnro him the said vision And after long discourse together they remayned vnited in God with one hart will and spiritt They commanded the like vnto their brethren This vision was imparted vnto the Religious of saint Dominick by saint Francis his meanes to whome onlie the said saint had recounted the same How these two SS had sight of each other an other time att Rome and how they reiected the benefices that were presented to them and to their Religious THE XLVIII CHAPTER THese two eminent lightes sent of God to illuminate the world did an other time meet together att Rome in Cardinall Hosties house who for the great zeale he carryed to the Church of God and for the deuotion wherwith he respected them both said vnto them In the primitiue Church the Prelates were poore and liued without any vanity gouerning the flock of Christ with loue and humility not by desire of terrestriall and temporall thinges therfore in myne opinion the holie church would retourne to her primitiue estate if of your Religious we should make Bishops and Prelates because by their doctrine good example of life and by contempt of the world they would represent to the whole world the Prelates of the primitiue
this that followeth in my selfe I purpose to goe to the chapiter where shal be assembled all the Religious who will receaue me with great reuerence as their superiour afterward lett them pray me to comfort them explicating vnto them the word of God which for their satisfaction performing lett them all arise and say Hold they peace we well haue thee no longer for Superiour for thou art an idiot block-head and ignorant and with all knowest not what thou sayest wherfore it is ouer great shame to haue such a superiour then be it that you detrude me out of the chapter with vtter dishonour as deseruing the same I would not I say esteeme me a good Freer Minor if I did not support all that with the same promptitude and ioy as if I heard my selfe praysed for if I reioyce att honours what profitt reape I therby I putt my soule in perill of vaine glory without hope of any benefitt but if I be contemned my soule is therby secured and profiteth in spiritt In regard of his exceedingly zeale vnto this humility when it happened that any praysed him either for his preaching or vpon any other occasion he commanded his companion to contrary it and to giue him wordes of disprayse which doeing though vnwillingly the holy Father would answeare God blesse you because you speake the truth and that which the sonne of Peter Bernardone doth deserue Being one day att out lady of Angels Brother Macie had a desire to trie the humility of S. Francis though he were his perticuler freind only because he knew it would be gratefull vnto him Being then in his presence he twice iterated these wordes Wherfore to you wherfore to you as if he would inferre Francis wherefore doe people so much honour you The holie Father smilinglie answeared What meane you by that brother Macie All the world replyed brother Macie runneth after you euery one desireth to see you to heare and obey you and for any thing that I know you are neither personable learned eloquent nor noble whence is it then the world doth follow you The S. then vested with his accustomed humilitie hauing lifted his eyes to heauen and a litle prayed and thanked God thus answeared his deere freind Will you know Brother Macie whence it proceedeth that as you say such resort of people doe follow me and willinglie heare me This proceedeth of the eyes of the great omnipotent God which in all places beholding both the good and bad hath pleased to choose me as the most simple and vilest sinner in the world for God doth choose the most feeble and infirme thinges with them to confound the noble potent strong and worldlie wise that the glorie may be his alone and that the creature being in presence of his Creatour may haue nothing wherof to glory An answeare doubtles more then humane and descending from heauen where the spiritt of this holy Father learned of that high and potent God who hath euer his eyes fixed on the humble of spiritt as likewise the most sacred virgin learned when she answeared to the prayses of S. Elizabeth by these wordes My soule doth prayse God because he hath beheld the humilitie of his hand maid How S. Francis reputed him selfe the greatest sinner of the world THE LXXXI CHAPTER THat the more he humbled himselfe on earth the more he was exalted in heauen was manifested vnto Brother Ruffinus in a reuelation whiles he was praying for being rapt in spiritt he saw an high and eminent place in heauen wherin was the Order of Seraphins and among them a seat void farre more resplendant then any other and all couered with precious stones Wherevpon with exceeding admiration he demaunded for whome that seat was prepared and he heard a voice that said this seat was one of the principall Seraphins that fell into hell and now it is reserued for the right humble Francis After this vision Brother Ruffinus had an extreme desire to know wherin principally consisted that so great humility which was so meritorious in the blessed Father saint Francis hauing therfore some discourse one day with him he said My beloued Father I hartely beseeche you to tell me certainely what is your owne esteeme and what opinion you haue of your selfe Sainct Francis answeared Verily I hold my selfe for the greatest sinner of the world and toe serue God lesse then any other Brother Ruffinus replyed vnto him that he did not thinck he could speake the same sincerily and with a cleare conscience it being so that others as was apparent did committ many greiuous sinnes wherof by the grace of God he was innocent To this S. Francis answeared If God had with so great mercy fauoured those others of whome you speake I am assured that how soeuer wicked and detestable they may be now they would farre more gratefully acknowledge the giftes of God then I doe and would serue him much better And if my God should now forsake me I should perpetrate more enormities then any other In regard therfore of this ineffable grace done vnto me I accuse and acknowledge my selfe to be the greatest sinner that is Brother Ruffinus by this answeare was thoroughly confirmed in the vision which God had shewed vnto him hauing found good demonstration of the meritt of the holy Fathers humility But because humility ought alwayes to haue verytie for foundatiō it seemeth one may make a sufficient reply to this his answeare and not without reason For some one might thus argument Most holy Father tell me if you please by the excessiue loue which in this world you haue borne to the hūble Jesus Christ and att this presēt more thē euer doe beare him where haue you learned that if an other sinner had receaued or should receaue the talent of grace which God hath giuen you that he would more acknowledge it and make better profitt therof then you haue done Vpon what reason vpon what doctrine and on what spiritt is grounded the foundation of this feeble opinion which you seeme to haue of your selfe For I firmely beleue that if God had knowne it he would neuer haue bestowed this grace on you but rather on that other The most humble Father to this obiection might well answeare that he had learned it of the doctrine of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST who with his mouth hath said The spiritt breatheth where he will and of S. Paul that neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but he that giueth the increase God wherof he might thus inferre I not being Francis without God that worcketh in me when he had pleased to inspire an other there is no doubt but he had done the like and euen more according to his grace And wheras you beleeue that if God had giuen it to an other it had bin knowne that he had done this or more your beleefe is false for as the same S. Paul saith it is in the power of
neuertheles I hope in God that the inuisible ennemies the deuils that are his executioners to chastice the disobedientes in this world and in the other will also chastice the transgressours of the vow of their profession therby to their shame and forciblie to make them retourne to their first vocation to this effect I will not omitt to assist them whiles I liue att least by prayers and example sith otherwise I cannot and to instruct them the secure way which I haue learned of my God as I haue formerly done that they may haue no excuse before his diuine maiesty No further doe I hold my selfe obliged Such was his answeare which satisfying the Religious procured an inestimable greife to all the hearers wherby it also manifestlie appeared what reason the S. had to leaue them and what occasion they had to know themselues and by a pious acknowledgement of their fault and true repentance to haue recourse vnto him The end of the first booke of the Chronicles of the Friere Minors THE SECONDE BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS PROSECVTED THE discourses of the life death and miracles of the Seraphical Father S. Francis translated out of french into English Of the plenary indulgence graunted by Iesus Christ to the Church of our Lady of Angels of Portiuncula THE FIRST CHAPTER THE more the glorious Father S. Francis profited in perfection and endeauoured to vnite himselfe with God the more did he poure out teares and felt intollerable greife att the losse of soules redeemed by the price of the precious bloud of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST Wherfore not ceassing to desire mercie of God for sinners as he thirsted to haue all saued the yeare of grace 1223. being to that effect in prayer an Angell appeared vnto him and bid him incontinentlie to repaire vnto the church because our Lord IESVS CHRIST with his glorious Mother and a great number of Angels there expected him Hauing receaued this gracious embassadge he hastened thither and there found our Sauiour sitting in a Royall throne on the high altare and the Virgin Mary att his right hand enuironned with an innumerable multitude of blessed spirittes The holy Father incontinentlie falling prostrate on the earth heard the diuine voice of IESVS saying Francis Know that I haue heard thy feruent prayers and because I know with what solicitude thou and thy Religious procure the saluation of soules aske me what grace thou wilt for their soules benefitt and I will graunt it thee The S. being by such an answeare emboldened most humbly answeared My Lord IESVS CHRIST I miserable and vnworthy sinner with the greatest reuerence I can require of thy diuine maiesty that it will please thee so much to fauour all Christian people as to graunt them a generall pardon and plenary indulgence of all their sinnes I meane to all them that shall enter into this church confessed and contrite I also beseech thee O glorious holy Virgin mother and our Aduocatrix that it would please thee to make intercession to thy most gracious sonne for me and for all Christian sinners Our Lady was instantlie moued with these wordes and began in this sort to pray our Redeemer in his behalfe O my most high Lord and sonne of my bowels I beseech thee graunt vnto this thy faithfull seruaunt this grace which he hath demaunded with so great a zeale of the saluation of soules which thy selfe aboue all other thinges disirest My God graunt him this grace in this place to thine honour and the edification of thy holy church Our Lord sodenlie answeared Francis that which thou demaundest is great but this thy desire conformable to mine deserueth much more and therfore I graunt thy request But goe to my Vicar to whome I haue giuen al power of vnbinding and binding here on earth and in my name demaund it of him which said he disappeared The Religious that had their celles neere therevnto saw the splendour and heard some speach but durst not approach for reuerence and great feare that possessed them The holy Father S. F. hauing thācked God presētly called Bro. Macie in whose cōpany he wēt to Perusia where thē was Pope Honorius with his court befor whose holines he thus spake Holy F. I haue reestablished a church that was very ruinous desert called S. Mary of portiūcula very neere vnto the citty of Assise wherin are residēt your Religious the Frere Min. I beseech your holines by our Redeemer I. C. his most glorious mother to voutsafe for the benefitt of the soules of all faithful Christiās to graūt a plenary indulgēce and remission of all their sinnes to all them that shall visitt this church in good estate without giuing any almose in the same The Pope answeared him that the Apostolike sea did not accustome to graunt indulgēs without giuing of almose because it will that they be gayned by thē He thē asked him for how many yeares he desired the indulgēce S. Francis answeared Holy Father I desire not yeares but soules How soules said the Pope S. Frācis replyed I require that euery Christian confessed and contrite that shall come to visitt the said Church receaue plenarie absolution in earth and in heauen and that of whatsoeuer sinnes he shall haue committed from his Baptisme to that very houre I require not this in myne owne name but in our Lord IESVS CHRIST who hath sent me to your Holines Which the Pope hearing inspired of the holy Ghost he thus spake thrice with a loud voice I am content to graunt it as thou hast demaunded it But the Cardinals present aduised the Pope to consider well what he graunted because by that act he would destroy the indulgences of the holy land and of Sainct Peter and S. Paul att Rome which would no longer be regarded The Pope answeared that he would not reuoke what he had att that present graunted They replyed that att least it were requisit he should limitt the said indulgence to a certaine time and moderate it to a certaine prefixed day of the yeare The Pope then said We graunt to all faithfull Christians that being truely confessed and contrite shall enter into the Church of our Lady of Angels plenary indulgence and absolution both of paine and fault and we will that the same be of force for euer for one entier day that is from the first euensong till the sunne sitting of the day following Which the holy Father Sainct Francis hauing obtayned he kissed his feet then demaunded his benediction which receaued he arose to depart But the Pope recalling him said Whither goest thou simple man what specialtie hast thou of the indulgence obtayned The holy Father answeared that his word should suffice and besides that this worck was of God and therfore it should be published and supported by his diuine Maiesty and withall that he would haue no other Bull but the Virgin Mary IESVS CHRIST for Notary and the Angels for witnesses Which
raysed their tunes that the holie Father and his companion did not well vnderstand one an other wherfore he willed them to stay a while till they had ended their office They were incontinētly silent and sung no more til the office was sayd after which he gaue them leaue to sing and then they began againe with more delight thē before to the great contentment of the S. There was att our lady of Angels a figge tree wheron was a grasse hopper att whose singing S. Frācis as one that in the least creatures did alwayes cōsider the greatnes of his Creatour did oftē awake to prayse God He one day called her and she instantly flew vnto his hand He cōmanded her by her song to prayse God and she began to sing and neuer ceassed till he cōmanded her to be silent and to retourne to her place Being retourned to the figge tree she euery day att the same houre came flying to the handes of the S. One day he said to his brethren I will that we giue liberty to our sister which hauing done she flew away and as a true daughter of obedience was neuer seene after Being sick in the citty of Sienna a gentleman a deuoted freind of his sent him a pheasant taken a liue which being before him shewed such signes of familiarity that he who brought him could not hold him so great a desire had it to come to the Sainct who receauing it would not claspe it in his fist but carryed it att libertie that it might fly away but it setled in his handes wherfore hauing committed it to a freind of his to keepe the phesant for greife would neuer eate till it was brought againe to the Sainct who hauing receaued it it began to eat verie ioyfully A Faulcon did nest on the mountaine of Auerne close vnto the celle of sainct Francis which came to the Sainct as familiarlie as if he had bin a deere freind In the night it serued him as an alarme or watch singing att the ordinarie houres that the Sainct accustomed to pray which pleased him will for the care which the Faulcon had freed him from care and so much the more because by diuine instinct when he was sicke the faulcon as if it had had discretion defferred his call about two howers or more according to the necessitie which the Sainct had to repose att other times verie gentlie after the breake of day This proceeding doutles is strange wherby God mayntained his seruant As S. Francis was one time in his trauaile he willed his companion to prepare him to eat which hauing done and the Sainct blessing the table a Nightingall began to sing so sweetlie that the Sainct replenished with ioy said to his companion Brother see how this sweet Nightingall inuiteth vs to prayse God sing therfore with him Brother Leo excusing himselfe by his vnpleasing voice he began himselfe to singe the nightingall being silent when he sung and singing when he rested alternatiuelie so that he was allured on by that sweet musicke euen till night when being wearie he confessed to Brother Leo that the nightingall had ouercome him in the praise of God then he said lett vs eat it is time and being sat the nightingall first flew on his head then on his shoulders and armes and att length on his hand where it tooke of him to eat and then hauing receaued his benediction it flew way How he made gentle a very fierce woulfe This was the 29. chapter of the 10. booke transferred hither to his place GOeing to preach in the cittie of Agubio he found it in deep despaire by reason of a woulfe that did not onlie deuoure the cattell but killed men and women and did eat people in respect wherof they durst not goe out of the cittie but armed in companie and therfore the Sainct went with his companion to seeke out the woulfe against the liking of the Cittizens who feared his aduenture he refusing to accept of any companie with him The Cittizens to behold the successe dispersed themselues on the hilles and mountaines about the cittie They expected not long but they saw the woulfe with extreme furie come towardes the Sainct The Agubians then began to cry out and bid sainct Francis to fly but the seruant of IESVS CHRIST armed with the weapon of inuincible faith went couragiouslie against him and opposed against him the signe of the crosse and in a moment tourned the woulfe into the nature of a lambe then curteouslie said vnto him Brother woulfe come hither I commaund thee in the name of my God that thou offend neither me nor any other Att these wordes which was admirable the woulfe fell att his feet expecting what the Sainct would enioyne him who said Thou hast commited so many homicides and made such spoiles in this countrie that thou hast a thousand times deserued death The soules of those whome thou hast murdered cry to God for iustice against thee but because thou hast humbled thy selfe if thou promise amendement I will procure thy pardon Wherto the woulfe seemed to answeare clapping his taile against the ground humbling his head and weeping therby making shew that he would obey which the S. vnderstanding said Goe to sith henceforward thou wilt doe no more hurt I will procure thee food of this towne for all the time of thy life pardonning thee all the offences past as if thou haddest neuer offended for we know that whatsoeuer thou hast done thou hast bin therto constrayned by necessity of hunger but giue me thy faith neuer to offend more Att which wordes the woulfe lifting vp his legge layed his paw in his hand thou mayst now said the S. come with me without any feare and so he followed him as a litle dogge The S. being come into a spacious place of the citty with the woulfe there was such affluence of people to see the miracle that there could be no more Therfore he made thē a sermon demonstrating vnto them that God had sent these scourge◠vnto men for their sinnes but that the mouth of this woulfe was nothing in comparison of that of the infernall woulfe which afterwardes expected the soules to deuoure them eternally he admonished thē therfore to doe penance if they would be freed both from the one and the other then said vnto them My Freindes behold here the woulfe which hath promised me to doe you no more mischeife you must also promise to releiue him Which the people hauing promised him he tourned to the woulfe and bad him promise them also to doe them no more hurt and to aske them pardon Admirable accident the woulfe in signe of repētance incontinently falling one his knees laid his Muzzle on the ground and the S. causing him againe to giue his paw in pledge of peace I promise said he for the one and the other party and so he liued two full yeares in the middes of the citty without any dogges barcking att him then
and att the verie instant he prophesied that he should liue and haue no children by his wife which came so to passe and all this was assured to Pope Nicolas the third by autenticall testimonie that was produced before notaries Of the exercises of the holy Father S. Francis and of the lent he kept on the lake of Perusiea THE LIII CHAPTER THe glorious S. after he was conuerted to God neuer remayned idle for he alwayes endeauoured to be employed in some action in example of Iacobs ladder wher on the Angels ceassed not to mount and discend receauing and carrying the pious worckes of the children of God to the soueraigne Father so the S. by contemplation mounted towardes God and by pietie and preaching discended to his neighbour thus did he employ all his time which had bin giuen him of his diuine Maiestie to meritt in the pious worckes which the holie Ghost did dictat vnto him Now the time of one of his lentes being come wherin as a carefull bee he collected the fruites and flowers of God by meane of prayer therof to compound the delicious honie of predications wherwith he might refectionat the hungrie chidren of the word of God he resolued to seeke out a place where he might performe the same commodiouslie solitarie and without any impedimēt to this purpose on Shrouetuesday he wēt vp to the lake of Perusia where a freind of his lodged him on the side of the lake whence the next morning he gott himselfe to be conducted in a barcke to the Iland that is scituat on the said lake then vnhabited with two litle loaues to sustaine him during the said lent he coniured his freind not to speake therof to any person for so much as he would not therin trust any of his Religious not hauing for that time taken any companion and enioyned his said freind not to come for him till Maundie or holie thursday Being then discended into this I le himselfe made a litle cottage of bowes of trees where he resided all the lent in continuall and holie contemplation and conuersation with God the Angels and blessed Saintes On holie thursday his freind comming earlie vnto him reconducted him to the Couent where he would communicate with all his disciples and wash their feet he restored a loafe and halfe to his freind of the two which he had giuen him the other halfe it is credible he did eat to obserue humane fast or not to giue subiect of vaine glorie to the deuill and not to equall himselfe to his God though God alone doth know and his seruant sainct Francis who would neuer reueale it to any man the combates he had during that lent against the inuisible ennemies the glorious graces he obtayned Afterward God voutsafed in some sort to reueale them worcking in that place manie miracles by the merittes of the Sainct whervpon the ile began to be inhabited and there was erected a Couent of Frere Minors which is exceedingly reuerenced in memory of the said miracle Of the lent of S. Michael which he kept on the Mount Aluerne THE LIV. CHAPTER THe yeare of grace 224. two yeares before the death of this glorious Father some dayes before the natiuitie of the Virgin Marie he repayred to the Oratorie of Mount Aluerne there to keep his lent that began the day after the said feast of the Virgin Marie continued til the feast of S. Michael the Archāgel according to his perticuler deuotion where he shutt himselfe into a celle sequestred from all others The first euening that he entred there he demaunded this grace of God that he would please to reueale vnto him in what he should serue him that lent as he accustomed to doe for he gouerned him in althinges according to the will of God and not according to his owne Now in the morning about the breake of day S. Francis arysing from prayer there incontinentlie flocked a great number of birdes that began to sing one after an other and hauing sung they tooke their flight and left the Sainct contented In that instant he heard a voice that said Francis let this be a signe of a notable fauour which God intendeth to shew thee in this place By which voice his hart was so altered that thence forward he felt a great quantitie of spirituall giftes in his interiour God continuallie visiting him and remayning there he burned with an ineffable flame of his loue and therfore he was often in his contemplations eleuated so high that as Brother Leo recounted who was then his companion and a curious obseruer of all his actions he could not discerne nor comprehend him with his sight surpassing the high cloudes of heauen which is not ouer-greatly to be admired considering that in this world he led a life more angelicall then humane He as he afterward recounted to his companions there demaunded as a singuler grace of his God to be entierlie transformed into his anguishes and dolours sith his Maiestie had not voutsafed to accept of his life which so manie times he had offered vnto him as the onlie thing he had to offer hauing no other thing in this world and hauing so often gone among the infidels there to receaue Martyrdome in the seruice of his diuine maiesty Wherfore it was incontinent lie reuealed vnto him of God that as he had alwayes endeauoured perfectly to follow and imitate his life and actions so should he be permitted to be like vnto him and to suffer with him in the dolours of his passion Which the holy Father vnderstanding albeit he were already exceedingly weakned by the rigour of his life past and by the continuall crosse with he had carryed yet he was fo farre from being troubled with all that he encouraged himselfe and enamoured himselfe the more to suffer a Martyrdome so noble and worthy aboue all others and by the interiour burning flame he extinguished the water of all the afflictions and dolours that euer could befall him and desired no lesse perfection to receaue in himselfe so inestimable a treasure How S. Francis receaued the sacked stigmates of our Lord Iesus Christ THE LV. CHAPTER THe most feruent Father S. Francis being thus highly eleuated in God by an extreme ardor of celestiall desires and transformed into IESVS CHRIST crucified for our sinnes by sweetnes of compassion on the day of the exaltation of the holy crosse which is the fourteenth of September a litle before the breake of day there appeared vnto him this vision following He saw an Angel descend from heauen like vnto the Seraphin with six winges in the Prophett Esay enflamed with a most resplendant fire whose beames were so glittering that to humane eyes they were insupportable This Angel approaching vnto the S. being already in the region of the aire so neere vnto him that he might see him there stayed and then the S. beholding him more attentiuely saw the image of IESVS CHRIST crucified imprinted in him which had the
two winges crossed on high as were those belowe so that the endes of those vpper passed the hight of the head those below passed the soles of the feet the other two passed on each side the endes of the fingers handes the two armes being stretched in forme of a crosse The soule of S. Francis was with this admirable appatition exceedingly melted being surprised with a contentment an extreme greife entermingled so together that it was impossible to explicate whither of the two were greater for on the one side he exceedinglie reioyced beholding himselfe in the mirour wherin the Angels themselues cannot be wearie to looke and wherin are enclosed the treasures of all beautitude and keeping his eyes alwayes more fixed on that celestiall fiery globe shining with a diuine light he consumed with loue and sweetnes but on the other side considering his God so cruelly fastened on the crosse with hard and grosse nailes as he then appeared vnto him and hauing his side opened with the stroke of a lance he by commiseration experienced that cruell iron which pearced the delicate breast of the Virgin Mary in such sort that he no lesse felt that dolour then if himselfe had bin crucified in that manner yea by his interiour compassion he was fullie transformed into his beloued IESVS CHRIST No man can doubt hereof sith this vision was not as others appearing only to the exteriour eyes but it was effectiue and operatiue by an act not heard of in the verie bodie of his Sainct imprinting in him the verie woundes which he had by meanes of his diuine beames which from his two handes his two feet and side he sent into his handes feet and side not spirituallie or imaginatiuelie only but sensiblie and corporally opening his side and pearcing his handes and feet and this was not only for the present but for an eternall testimonie he left him the nailes framed of his verie flesh fixed therin the heades of the nayles lardge appearing without in the paulmes of his handes but round and of iron colour and on the other sides the pointes clinched for the woundes were transpearced through both sides so that att the principall wound wherby the handes were pearced from one side to an other with the said nayles on the side where the pointes of the nayle was clinched there was such a space betweene the superiour part of the hand and the tourned clinch of the nayle that betweene the same one might putt in a finger the like might be said of the feet so that thenceforward he could not stand vpon them but with extreme paine in such sort that besides the incessant running of the bloud it was verie troublesome vnto him as also was the wound of his side which was verie lardge and open the flesh being there growen againe in forme of a cicatrice which was of the colour of a rose as it was seene afterward by diuers hauing touched the same as in place conuenient shal be inserted Our soueraigne Lord and God leauing in the body of his feruant a liuely true and long memoriall of his dolorious Passion not without a most profound iudgement and immensiue signe of an excessiue loue vnto vs for seeing that the memory of his bitter passion was vtterly extinguished in our harts he would not this other misterious passion for our cause only renued in the body of his seruant should be so soone forgottē In which respect it was necessary that he should endure it not one houre or two one day or a month but two yeares entierly the hard obstinacie and obstinate hardnes of our hartes opposite and rebellions to his diuine Maiestie so requiring it to procure vs with efficacie to remember the other How the glorious Father sainct Francis was att length constrained to reueale the impression of his stigmates to such as were most familiar vnto him THE LVI CHAPTER NOw after this admirable cōmunication performed with such and so great a prerogatiue as a greater could not be imagined the altare eukindled in the brest of the holie Father burned with the immensiue charitie he had vnto his God but leauing this to the deuoutsoules that raise themselues from the earth towardes their Creatour we will prosecute the historie telling how he discouered this treasure vnto the world Sainct Francis then hauing finished his lent which he fasted in the honour of sainct Michal the Archangel and hauing giuen thanckes to God he discended to the foot of the Mountaine carrying with him the diuine image of IESVS CHRIST crucified not in tables of stone or wood carued and engrauen by the hand of some humane or Angelicall Master but written and imprinted in the membres of his properflesh by the handes of the Sonne of God himselfe not casting his precious stones before euery body because he feared much to manifest to litle purpose so great a secret of God yet withall he found it impossible to conceale the same att least from his companions that were hourly with him therfore calling them together he proposed vnto them his doubt as in a third personne not specifying the fact but only speaking generally of the reuelations of the secrettes of God But Brother Illuminato truely illuminated of God ayming att that which proued true that Sainct Francis had receaued of God some reuelations of very great importance especially perceauing him to be as out of himselfe he thus answeared Beloued Father who knoweth better then your selfe that for the most part and almost alwayes God giueth great reuelations to his seruantes not for themselues alone but for others also as hath bin seene that it hath pleased him att lengtht to manyfest them all Wherfore it seemeth to me that you hauing receaued such should proue ingratefull to God if you conceale that which he hath wrought in you more for the saluation of the world then for your owne particuler therby burying his talent vnder the earth Which the holy Father vnderstanding as from the mouth of God besides what he often said with the Prophet My secrett vnto my selfe my secrett vnto my selfe he very humbly recounted vnto them the vision he had the successe thereof many other most high and diuine matters vnder the seale of secresie which is not to be doubted but God did reueale vnto him in so merueillous a coniunction How his sacred woundes were scene of diuers during his life THE LVII CHAPTER BVt it being impossible for the holy Father to conceale this light with God would haue to shine to all the world on an high candlestick though he could couer his feet with his sandales when he would and his handes with the sleeues of his habitt yet he was constrayned in the end to manifest them Brother Leo his Confessour saw them euery day the holy Father being of necessity to vse him as a Phisition to dresse his holy stigmates whence did continually distill bloud and to change the linnen and putt tentes betweene the nailes and flesh
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
naturally drawne att Venise in the church of S. Marck such as we haue formerlie described and with stigmates enameled after the Mosaicall manner Of the Buriall of the body of the blessed Father S. Francis THE LXXIII CHAPTER THe afore mentioned Lady Iaqueline of the Seauen Sunnes was the last that could not be satisfied with seeing and touching as an other Magdalen this sacred body of her deere master She did nothing but bath it with her gracious teares and dry it with her kisses the extreme swetnes that proceeded from this holie body but particulerlie from the sacred stigmates exceeded all other sweetnes neuerthelesse she held her eyes alwayes fixed on the wound of his side wherto she often applyed her mouth and handes whence she receaued such and so exceeding consolation that it seemed vnto her in this conuersation with her dead master and freâ—nd â—hat her soule with a straung and admirable ioy began to liue Butt to the cittizens of Assisium that desired to carry him to buriall finding much delay euery hower seemed an hundred by reason of the extreme feare they had that so precious a treasure by some extraordinarie accident might beÌ„ taken from them wherfore they placed a guard before the monasterie gate and soldiers diuided through the street euen to the gate of the citty which cittizens so importuned the said Lady that she annoynted him with precious iontment then cloathed him in a new gray habitt which she had expresly brought from Rome according to the aduertisement of the Angell and the Religious so opened this habitt that the wound of his side might easily be seene This glorious Sainct did alwayes in his life time desire that his bodie should be buryed in the basest place of all the citty of AssisiuÌ„ his hart excepted which he deputed to our Lady of Angels as during his life he had by affection there setled the same and in deed God did not frustrate him of this iust desire for his holy body was enterred though this were not till foure yeares after by reason that the monasterie was not yet build there nor the church which they sumptuouslie built there afterward in the most abiect place of Assisium where malefactours were executed called the mount of hell the common opinion is that his hart is in the chappell of S. Mary of Angels where according to report it is preserued with great reuerence On the sonday morning all the people being assembled with bowes of trees and the Religious Preistes and Gentlemen with their burning torches and lightes carryed this holie bodie as in procession first to the Church of S. Damian to S. Clare that the prophesie of the Sainct might be accomplished sending her worde some dayes before that she should shortlie see him to her exceeding consolarioÌ„ The grate being opened the body of the Sainct was brought in to the Religious who were so comforted therwith that greife could finde no place in their hartes particulerly in that of S. Clare who endeauouring in vaine to pluck out a nayle of his handes to keep it with her as a relique she began againe with her Sisters to bath this holy bodie with teares encourageing themselues together to proceed in the way begun of the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which he had taught them And so after they had restored this holie bodie to the people who weare troubled att this long attendance they carryed it to be enterred in a new sepulcher within the Church of S. George as in a dispositorie where it remayned full foure yeares vnder guard till his church was builded att the Mount of hell as aforesaid It was not without mysterie that he reposed in the said church wherin he had bin baptised had learned his first letters and where he had deliuerd his first preachinges therfore it seemed verie reasonable that his bodie should begin to repose in that place whither the said Lady of the Seauen-Sunnes repayred neuer to abandon him forsaking her habitation in Rome and neuer left this body till her death when she went for euer to dwell with his blessed soule in Paradise How the glorious Father Sainct Francis Was canonized by Pope Gregorie the ninth THE LXXIV CHAPTER THe merittes and glorie of the holie Father S. Francis began by his great miracles to be diuulged whence succeeded that himselfe raigning in heauen his sanctitie was also by diuine power manifested here on earth which he had neuerthelesse alredy made sufficientlie apparant to the world in his life directing an infinite number of soules in the infallible way of vertue The brute of the admirable thinges which God wrought by his seruant Francis came euen to the eares of Pope Gregorie the ninth who resting assured that the S. was glorified with God not only in regard of the said miracles wrought after his death but euen of the experience had with his owne eyes desiring here below to comforme himselfe to the will of God as his true Vicar he determined with a pious and deuoted zeale to canonize him and propose him to the world for a remarckeable example of sanctity and to take all scruple from the Cardinals and others he caused all his principall miracles to be examined and approued by actes of publike Notaries and infinite testimonies worthie of beleife So the Cardinals and all the principall diuines of his Court being herein dulie aduertised concluded that it was iust and verie expedient vnto the Church of God to canonize this glorious Sainct his seruant The yeare 1228. the Pope himselfe went with his Court to Assisium expreslie with this resolution and the sixteenth of Iulie a yeare and nine monethes and halfe after the death of this glorious Sainct vpon a Sonday morning his holines with manie ceremonies and great solemnitie inscribed the blessed Father sainct Francis in the catologue of the sainctes and before they departed thence his Church was begun to be built in the said citty and in the foundation therof the Pope himselfe in presence of an infinite multitude of people laid the first stone and thenceforward the place which was called the Mount of hell was nominated the mount of Paradise The bulle of canonization of the holy Father S. Francis extracted out of the fift chapter of the tenth booke and here more aptly placed GRegory Bishop the Seruant of the seruantes of God To our venerable Brethren Archbishoppes Bishoppes and to our beloued children Abbottes Priors Archpreistes ArchdeacoÌ„s Deanes other Prelates of the church to whose knowledge these presentes shall come health and Apostolicall benediction As the vessels of gold which S. Iohn saw full of perfumes which are the prayers of SS powred out most sweet odours before the most high to destroy the corruption of our sinnes we also beleeue that it is a great furtherance to our saluation with great reuerence to haue memory of his sainctes on earth and with solemnity to publish the merittes of those whose assistance by their continuall intercessions we hope
new sainct called Francis and lett vs see if he will diue into the sea to finde our ankors wherto all the rest accorded not in derision as he moued it but heartelie and with great faith reprehending Perfectus for his sottish speech and derision and so praying and making vowes they instantlie saw their ankors miraculously to swimme vpon the waters as if the nature of iron had bin chaunged into that of wood so that by this meane they persisted deuoute and fully comforted A poore pilgrime exceedinglie wearied and afflicted by meanes of a sharpe feuer that had a long time tormented him came by shippe from beyond the sea he had enterprised this iorney to see the body of the glorious Father Sainct Francis to whome he was exceedinglie deuoted and not being entierlie recouered of the â—aid sicknes he was one day extremelie afflicted with thirst but hauing no fresh water in the shippe where he was he began to call with a loud voice and with a strong faith for drinck to be brought him affirming that he well knew that Sainct Francis had filled his barrell with pure water and so in deed the barrell which was knowne to be empty was found full of sweet and cleare water The day following there a rose a very cruell tempest which so raised the waues that they couered all the said shippe which was so beaten with the windes that the mariners expected the breaking of the mastes tacklinge and consequentlie the immediate sincking and drowning of the vessel and themselues by the furious impetuositie of the surges But when the said pilgrime that ceassed not to pray for them all began to cry a loft Brethren arise and come to entertaine Sainct Francis who commeth to assist vs behold him he is come to saue vs. Then did they all kneele downe and with teares and sighes beseech him to voutsafe to make intercession for their deliuery The sea immediatlie became calme the windes and cruell tempeste ceassed and they all gaue thanckes to the almighty and rested obliged to the pilgrime who att the instant was also cured of his feiuer and together they perseuered deuout to the holy Father S. Francis Brother Iames of Ariete passing ouer a riuer in a boat with other of his Brethren and comming to the shoare attempting to land out of the boate as his componions had done the boat was vtterlie ouerturned so that both himselfe and the ferry-man tombled in the water the ferry-man saued himselfe by his dexterity of swiming but the Religious sunck to the bottome The other Religious extremelie afflicted att the mischance of their Brother most instanlie prayed S. Francis that he would voutsafe to assist his deuout child who on his owne part in the best sort he could in the water imployed the helpe of his holy Father who failed not in so vrgent a necessity to relieue this his beloued child for he continually accompanied him in the depth of the water till they ascended to the boat where being taken by the hand he mounted and went afterward to his Brethren who were much amazed not only to see him safe and secure but more to see his garmentes so dry notwithstanding the long time he had bin in the bottome of the riuer in so much that one drop of water could not be perceaued vpon him An other Religious called Bonauenture trauailling with two of his companions in a boat which by the forcible current of the water being splitted on the one side they by that meanes sunck to the bottome of the riuer but they from the lake of miseries inuocating the depth of mercie and in this imminent perill imploring the assistance of their holy Father S. Francis the barke att length was raised without one dropp of water and being conducted by the power of God and the vertue of the glorious S. they all arriued safe and secure to the shoare A Religious of Ascoli being cast into a riuer was deliuered of the danger by the merittes of the sainct Certaine men and women being in manifest perill of drowning in the riuer of Riete they inuocated the helpe of S. Francis and were deliuered from the dangerous shipwrack of their vessell Certaine Mariners of Ancona being in a vehement storme without hope of sauing themselues and as it were assured of their death they humbly inuocated the assistance of S. Francis yea with such faith that there incontinently appeared a great light about their shippe wherby in an instant they found the sea very calme as if the glorious S. by his admirable vertues could att his pleasure commaund the seas and the windes I should in deed esteeme it a matter impossible to vndertake in this behalfe perticulerly to relate the admirable miracles which this holy Father hath caused to appeare so potent by sea as by land where he hath assisted releiued an infinite number of miserable dispayring persons And in truth it is not to be admired that now raigning in heauen he commaund the sea considering that whiles he liued in the world he was obeyed of euery liuing creature yea in admirable manner How diuers haue bin deliuered out of prison by the merittes and intercessions of the sainct THE IX CHAPTER A Grecian seruant of a gentleman in the Romane confines was falsly accused of theft wherevpon his master caused him to be apprehended and cast into an obscure prison with order to be bound and chained but his mistresse knowing it was exceeding sorrowfull because she esteemed him sincere and faithfull therfore often prayd her husband not to condemne him of disloyaulty but to sett him att liberty but her prayers could take no hold in the obstinacie of her husband and therfore she had recourse to the helpe of the glorious Father sainct Francis beseeching him to vndertake the patronage of the truth to her prayers adding vowes This aduocat of the afflicted went att the same time to visitt the prisoner and hauing broaken the walles of the prison and caused the manacles to fall from his handes and the fetters from his feet taking him by the hand led him out saying I am he to whome thy mistresse hath so affectionately recommeÌ„ded thee And albeit this poore prisoner was in extreme feare and wandered much to find his way being much amazed and labouring to cleare his passadge by the vertue yet of his deliuer he found himselfe in the direct way where he euidently knew the fauour he had receaued whervpon taking courage he went incontinently to his mistresse to whome he recounted the miracle which encreased her feruour and loue towardes our Lord IESVS CHRIST and her deuotion towardes S. Francis In the citty of Massa a poore man was to pay a quantity of siluer to a knight but he was so poore that his goodes being insufficient to dischardge the debt he was att the sute of the knight imprisoned the wretch therfore finding himselfe fast in prison prayed the said knight to haue compassion of him
freed and remitted to his former freedome and liberty Of the certaine women that being with child and in danger of death att their deliuery were releiued by the sainct THE XI CHAPTER A Great Countesse ot Slauonia who was no lesse famous for her vertue and worthines then noble in bloud and discent was exceeding deuout vnto S. Francis and very charitable vnto his Religious She being in trauaile of child was so tormented with throwes that the birth of the child was attended to be her death all humane helpe was despaired of without destroying the fruit Now amiddest the anguishes she called to minde the great vertues and merittes of S. Francis and of his eminencie therefore hauing att other times bin piously affected vnto him she with a very strong confidence had recourse vnto him as to the assured refuge of the desolate saying O glorious S. all my afflicted members beseech thy pitty to assist them and I promise thee by hart that which I cannot expresse by wordes Behold an admirable accident she had no soeuer vttered these wordes but her pangues did ceasse as did the terme of her trauaile for she brought into the world a faire and healthfull boy neither did she faile of her vowe for she caused to be builded a faire and lardge church in honour of her deliuerer which being finished she gaue it to his Religious spending the rest of her dayes exemplarly more affected then euer to the glorious father sainct Francis her Aduocate and Protectour About the plaines of Rome a woman called Beatrix whose time of greatnes being complete and hauing alreadie four whole dayes caryed her fruit dead in her wombe oppressed with most violent tormentes she expected only death the creature which she carryed liuelesse in her reducing her to this extremity the Phisicians failed not to administer vnto her all conuenient remedies that they could deuise but all humane helpe was vaine so that the malediction which God gaue to Eue in the earthlie Paradice might be said to be in a supreme manner fallen vpon her considering that her verie wombe wherin she had alreadie buryed her sonne was the beginning of her sepulture Now for her last releife she sent to the Church of sainct Francis to demaund some relique where finding no other thing then a peice of the cord wherwith he was girded two Religious of his Order brought it vnto her and layd it reuerently vpon her It admirably succeeded that as soone as this dolefull woman had touched the piece of cord she was deliuered of her dead child which doubtlesly had caused her death so that her anguishes did cease and she remayned sound and deliuered from the imminent perill of death Of other like miracles in assisting litle children THE XII CHAPTER ALl the children that a gentlewoman of Carnio called Iulian brought into the world did dye before she could haue comfort of them which caused her an extreame affliction incessantly complayning of her disastre that till then she had brought foorth her children only to be buryed now it chaunced that being four monthes gone with child reflecting more by reason of her disgraces past vpon the death then the birth of the child conceaued in her wombe she prayed sainct Francis for the conseruation of the life of that which was not yet borne Vpon a night therfore there appeared vnto her in vision a woman hauing in her armes a right beautifull child which she offered her but she refused it as fearing it would incontinently perish in her handes Notwithstanding the said woman encouraged her saying receaue it confidently for it is sent thee by the glorious Father sainct Francis the true comforter of the afflicted and be assured it shall not dye as the rest haue done but shall liue and thou shalt find great contentment in his vertuous disposition Awaking she remembred this celestiall vision which thenceforward procured her exceeding ioy to the time of her deliuery which was of a stronge and complete sonne who as he came into the world by the intercession of S. Francis so did also the vertues and merittes of the S. encrease in him that being great he induced his parentes to liue spiritualy he faithfully serued IESVS CHRIST and honoured his glorious SS with great zeale and perticulerly the holy Father S. Francis The like miracle was wrought in the citty of Tiuoly A woman hauing diuers daughters much desired to haue a sonne to which effect she often offered her prayers with a strong faith vnto sainct Francis that he would be her Intercessor who att lenght conceauing and the time of deliuery attended her fauour was doubled for att one birth she brought into the world two sonnes wherof being ouer-ioyed she yelded infinite thanckes to God the Creatour and to his deuout seruant S. Francis Neere the citty of Viterbo a woman being neere her deliuery was subiecte to soundinges such as she was often supposed to be dead being withall oppressed with such panges and throwes as women in that case doe ordinarilie endure her nature and strenght alreadie failing her and as it were desperate of all humane helpe she deuoutlie inuocated sainct Francis and with such faith recommended her selfe to his merittes that she was miraculouslie freed of those tormentes and was deliuered of a fayre and well proportioned child But wâ—eras shortlie after shee seemed to haue forgotten this great benefitt receaued not yelding due honour vnto the sainct because one the day of his feast in steed of honouring and sanctifying it she employed her selfe in certaine base and vnseemelie exercises God permitted for this ingratitude her right arme instantlie to wither the iust diuine wroth rested not there but she attempting to lift vp her cripled arme with the other that also withered withall This woman thus miserablie afflicted became repentant and acknowledged her crime committed and with such a faith promised almightie God to amend her selfe that by her true contrition and penitence she merited to haue the vse of her armes thus lost by almightie God restored vnto her through the merittes of sainct Francis wherin appeareth how God punisheth ingratitude and admitteth into fauour the truelie penitent An other woman of the countrie of Arrezzo in Tuscane hauing for seauen dayes together endured intollerable anguishes of childbirth being become euen all blacke and deformed in her countenance by meanes of the extremitie of her greife her cure being desperate she more by heart then voice vowed her selfe to sainct Francis and with such a firme confidence implored his aide that falling into a slumber she saw in vision her Intercessour who sweetlie saluted her demaunding of her if she knew him and she answeared she did Then he bid her say the Salue Regina affirming that before she had ended the same she should be securelie deliuered This woman vpon this discourse awaking with great hope began the Salue and hauing said Illos tuos mâ—sericordes ocâ—los ad not conuerte she was instantly deliuered of a sonne
called Marck for the loue of God entertayned this poore boy of whome he conceaued a great compassion in regard that he found him to be of a good disposition He often said vnto his wife that if the holy Father S. Francis would vouchsafe by his intercession to cure him he would promise for the loue of God to entertayne him all the time of his life The glorious S. lente not a dease eare to this pious intention for the oblation being made the boy began sodenlie to haue his tongue att libertie and to speake saying glory be vnto God and to the glorious Father S. Francis who hath now giuen me my speech and hearing for which the gentleman and his wife no lesse amazed then ioyfull gaue infinite thanckes to God performed the said promise and liued very spiritually being alwayes mindfull of this miracle and had a speciall care of the said child for the loue of God and of his faithfull seruant S. Francis Brother Iames of Iseo in his infancie and whiles he was vnder his fathers protection had a cruell wound in his stomake but being inspired of God with a very feruent deuotion he entred into the Order of this Sainct notwithstanding his tender yeares and the said infirmitie which he neuer discouered till being present art the translation of the glorious Sainct and approaching neere the sepulchre wherein his holie reliques were to be placed he with a feruent deuotion embraced the sepulchre whence that pretious treasure was taken and was instantlie cured of his wound which otherwise was incurable euerie thing disposing it selfe conueniently the very band falling of wherwith it was bound and in that â—ort were manie persons cured of the like infirmities by the merittes of this glorious Sainct as Brother Bartholomew of Agubio Brother Angelus of Todi Syr Nicolas of Stichiam Iohn de la Foye a Pisan gentleman one of the cittie of Ciperne Peter Sicilian a man of Spelle nere vnto Assisium and many others cured of like diseases as also especially Brother Angelus of Tudette and a Preist of Sucane called Sir Nicolas and an other also called Iohn de Fore and a man of the citty of Pise an other of the citty of Cisterne and one of Fspelle one called Peter of Sicily and infinite others that were by the mercie of God and the merittes of blessed S. Francis miraculously deliuered A woman of Maremme had bin about fiue yeares troubled in her spiritt depriued of her sight and hearing yea was come to that point that she rent her garmentes with her teeth and as enraged feared neither fire nor water nor other danger and as besides fallen into that horrible disease of the falling sicknes This miserable wretch it pleased the diuine Maiesty to fauour and first to illuminate her interiourlie for Sainct Francis one night appeared vnto her sitting verie eminentlie eleuated in a Royall seate before whome falling one her knees she humbly prayed him to cure her But the Sainct deferring to graunt her request she redoubled her petition therevnto adding a vow and promised him that in the honour of God and him she would neuer whiles she liued deny an almose to any poore person that should demaund it of her sofar foorth as her ability would stretch which Sainct Francis accepting he made on her the signe of the crosse and she was cured both of body and soule Many others oppressed with like infirmities haue bin cured by this compassionate Sainct and particulerly a yong mayden of Norcia and the sonne of a gentleman of the said citty who were deliuered by almighty God through the merittes and intercession of this his humble seruant Of other like miracles THE XVI CHAPTER PEter of Fullignium goeing as a Pilgrim but with litle deuotion to visitt the church of S. Michael the Archangell and drincking water att a fountaine the diuell entred into his bodie and so tormented him that he was as it were vtterlie grinded broaken crushed and all black he alwayes vttered abhominable matters and vsed certaine gestures that were dreadfull and fearfull to all the beholdeis And being on day lesse tormented then of ordinarie he remembred to haue heard the meruailous worckes of sainct Francis to be exceedinglie recommended and particulerly that he deliuered such as were possessed He went vnto his Church where with a profounde humilitie and deuotion he approached vnto his holie sepulchre which hauing touched he was miraculouslie deliuered of this oppression for which he shewed himselfe thanckfull vnto God and S. Francis A gentlewoman of the citty of Narnie afflicted by the deuill was by the compassion of the sainct deliuered together with diuers others that were tormented by the deuill which would be to long to committ to history A gentleman of Fano called Bon being afflicted with the palsey and leprosie caused himselfe to be conducted to the Church of Sainct Francis where he prayed him for his health with such instancie and faith that by the merittes of the sainct he was heard of almightie God A yong man called Accio of Saint Seuerin being a leaper made a vow to the S. caused himselfe to be carryed vnto his shrine and was incontinentlie by his merittes deliuered This glorious sainct had many excellent vertues touching the dressing and curing of this disease for he had deputed himselfe vnto their seruice for the loue he had to piety and Christian humility A gentlewoman of the citty of Sora called Rogata for foure and twentie yeares endured with extreme affliction the bloudy flux and this infirmitie was occasion of other diseases besides she hauing bin long time tormented by the Phisitians and finding no ease but a continuation of her greife and diuersitie of cruell diseases it reduced her euen to death for when her flux was stayed her her legges and all her body did sweell and whiles her flux continued it did so afflict her that she could not stand on her feet so that this poore woman knew not what to doe other then to expect in short time the end of her life being in this perplexity she one day heard a yong man recouÌ„t the merueilles so admirable which God had wrought and did worck by the merittes of the glorious Eather sainct Francis which so moued her that with abondant effusion of teares replenished with faith and hope she began to say to her selfe O glorious Sainct that art famous by so many miracles if it would please thee to haue compassion of me and to free me of mine insupportable miseryes thou knowest how much the great glory of thy clemencie would therby be augmented for it seemeth thou neuer diddest worck so great a miracle which hauing vttered she had an instant feeling of the diuine operation in her for by the merittes of the Sainct she was cured And together with her a child of hers called Marck maymed in one arme who hauing vowed to the Sainct was presently cured A Sicilian woman hauing bin afflicted with the
bloudy flux was by the merittes of this stander-bearer of IESVS cured therof Praxede a Roman gentlewoman famous for her sanctity in regard that she had liued exemplary from her tender age att which time for the loue of her Spouse IESVS CHRIST she shutt her selfe for 40. yeares into a litle chamber she I say was fauoured of sainct Francis for goeing one day vpon occasion to the topp of her house being surprised with an amazement of her head she fell downe and brake her foot and legge and disioynted hir shoulder but the holy Father sainct Francis incontinently appeared vnto her enuironned with splendour and glory and said Arise my daughter and feare not then taking her by the hand he lifted her vpright on her feet and presently the vision disappeared This gentlewoman thus amazed went about the house considering with her selfe whither she were cured or that she dreamed and the greatnes of this miracle was such that albeit she felt the truth therof she neuertheles called for a light wherby she assured her selfe that the diuine vertue by meane of sainct Francis had wrought this miracle in her which she related to her lay sister and afterwardes to diuers that did visitt her Of the merueillous chasticementes which God hath layd on those that haue not kept and honoured the feast of this glorious S. THE XVII CHAPTER IN Poictou in a village called Sime there was a Preist named Sir Renald very deuout vnto S. Francis and therfore aduertised his Parishioners of his feast exhorting them to keep the same as of precept but one of them hauing litle respect therof went that day to cutt wood and as he prepared himselfe thervnto he heard a voice that spake vnto him three seuerall times Doe not worcke for it is a festiuall day but the indeuout fellow would no more obey the voice of God then he had done the aduertissement of his Curat and therfore the diuine power for the glorie of the Sainct proceeded with correction for this man lifting vp one hande to cutt a forck of wood which he held with the other his left hand remayned fastened to the wood and the other to the iron without power to moue his fingars wherwith the wretch was so confounded that not knowing what to doe he resolued to goe in that manner to the Church where the people were yet assembled who beholding him in that estate were extremely amazed att so strange and vnwonted a punishment But the miserable fellow repenting his fault and being admonished by the Preist he humbly fell on his knees before the aultar and hartely recoÌ„mended himselfe to the S. and according as he had bin thrice admonished by the diuine voice he made three vowes the first was thenceforward to keep the feast the second that during all his life he would be euer present on that day in the same church to prayse and honour God and S. Francis the third that he would goe personally to visitte his holy body att Assisium It was doubtlesse a matter worthy and admirable for all the people assembled in that Church to behold that hauing made the said first vow one of his fingars was loosed from the iron instrument wherto his band was ioyned hauing made the second vow an other fingar was loosed and after the third not only the third fingar but both his handes formerly fastened were absolutely set att liberty The people hauing seene the greatnes of this miracle deuoutly gaue thanckes vnto God together with the man deliuered admiring the notable and singuler vertue of the S. that could so miraculously strike and cure in one moment The iron and wood wherto his handes were fastened doe to this present hang att an altare in the said church which was erected in honour of S. Francis and in memory of this miracle many other miracles wrought in the said place and that circuit demonstrate how great the vertue and power of this glorious sainct is in heauen and how much he is to be honoured and reuerenced on earth In the citty of Mans a woman refusing to keep the feast of S. Francis tooke her distaffe and spindle to spin but endeauouâ—ing to begin her â—â—ngars became so stiffe and procured her such torment that made her in manner furious but acknowledgeing her fault and the vertue and merittes of the Sainct she hastened instantly to the church wherere she played the Religious to recommend her to God and the Sainct So the deuout Religious offering their deuotions for this woman were heard for she was att the very instant cured of that extreme and insupportable torment There remayned only a signe as it were of a burning in memorie of this miracle Manie other like accidentes haue occured as in the plaines of Rome an other woman for refusing to keep the feast of the Sainct And in Spaine a man of Valladolid together with an other woman in the cittie of Pilles in which places the woman making no esteeme of the feast of the Sainct were rigouâ—ouslie punished but hauing acknowledged their faultes and done penance for them they were with more admiration deliuered A knight of Borgo in the contry of Massa without feare or respect contemned the wonderfull miracles of S. Francis offering many abuses to the pilgrimes that went to visitt the Church where his body reposed he euen impudently rayled against the Religious It happened one day that blaspheming the glorie of this holie Father he said if it be true that Brother Francis be a Sainct he will that my sword be my death and if he be not so I shall remaine without danger O admirable effect of the iust iâ—dgement of God some few dayes after this wâ—etch hauing certaine speeches with a nephew of his owne they grew from wordes to blowes and the Nephew wresting his sword out of his handes thrust him through the body with which thrust he instantly dyed God permitting his punishment to be conformable to his horrible blasphemie for an example to the temerarious that with ouer presumptuous wordes blaspheme the admirable worckes of SS who meritte to be honoured and reuerenced A Iudge called Alexander did not only condemne sainct Francis and his singuler vertues but did euen with all possibility endeauour to withdraw his holy reputation from the opinion of men in respect wherof by diuine permission he instantly became mute and so remayned for six yeares att the end wherof acknowledging that he had bin punished in that member wherby he had offended he was so penitent for his crime that he appeased the indignation of God and of the mercifull Sainct in such sort that his speech retourned for which he was thanckfull to God and to the Sainct his intercessour he failed not thenceforward to consecrate that tongue of his which he had abused in blasphemy to the praise and benediction of God and the glorious Father S. Francis to whome the said punishment had made him exceeding deuout Of some other miracles wrought by
of a mountaine they burned and became outragious with thirst without any redresse and yet greater was their dispaire when they found the widenes of the Country to be of greater extent then that which they had passed in drinesse but considering that when they should retourne they should all dye with thirst before they should finde water they knew not way to take Now the said fiue Religious hauing by the prouidence of God againe deceaued their keepers came to the Camp which they found in despaire where perceauing the cruell thirst that afflicted the army they publikely with a verie strong confidence which they had in the diuine maiesty offered to procure vnto the Mores as much water as they should need on condition they would be conuerted vnto the faith of IESVS CHRIST assuring them that if they would be Baptised with the water of baptisms they should not want water to drinck This proposition comming to the eares of the king he said this drinesse befell them vpon no other occasion but for neglecting the punishment of the great blasphemies of the said Religious against his great Prophett Mahomett These good Religious seeing the obdurate hartes of the king and his people to make knowne the omnipotencie of IESVS CHRIST and the truth of the Catholike faith which they preached resoluing not to loose the occasion presented to manifest the glory of God for the saluation of the soules of those people applying themselues to prayer Brother Berard tooke a staffe and therwith made a litle hole in the earth whence issued out water most abondantlie and sufficiently to alay the thirst not only of the men but of all the horses and camels of the army of Miramolin yea they receaued therof and made prouision for the dayes following which done the said fountaine incontinentlie dryed vp This gaue so generall an applause and the Christians and very Mores were so edified therby that they desirouslie sought to kisse their habittes and to honour them as sainctes of God only the king persisted obdurate as an other Pharao and a Preist of the Mores that a mong them was reputed for a S. who often disputed with the said Religious and particulerly against Brother Berard and because he was ordinarily vanquished but especially by reason of this said miracle he ful of greife and affliction fled and was neuer after seene amongst the Mores in that country The prince sent the said Religious againe into his Pallace vnder strict guard for feare least if they should preach they might more scandalize the king How the fiue Martyrs retourned againe twice to preach to the Mores for which the king deliuered them ouer vnto Iustice. THE XI CHAPTER THey that had chardge of the said Religious being Christians did so reuerence them that they could in no sort enforce them nor carry too wachful an eye ouer them by which meanes they escaped as formerly they had done This being vpon a friday when the king according to his custome was gone to visitt the sepulchers of his predecessours they vsed meanes that he might heare their predication att his retourne as once before they had done which they enterprised but the king so disdayned it that he caused them incontinentlie to be apprehended and in extreme choler commanded a noble man of the Mores called Abosaide one of the principall of his Court first to torture them and then to putt them to death but it succeeded otherwise for this noble More was present att the miracle which these Religious SS wrought in the army when they satisfied it with water and so out of deuotion and compassion which he had of them he was content not to medle with them from noone vntill night notwithstanding the expresse coÌ„maund giuen him by the king whome he presumed might be appeased and pacified by the frequent and humble petitions which the Christian noble men and gentlemen would present vnto him But they perceauing how much the king was incensed against them for the iniury which he pretended those Religious had so often reiterated vpon him they all quietly retyred into their houses where they carefully kept themselues close not daring to appeare for feare least they might freele the effectes of the choler of the king wherof in deed there was apparent reason for withall the Mores were so enraged against the Christians that they had a will to massacre them all in reuenge of the iniury done to their sect and to their Prophett Mahomett Att night the said noble man conuented before him the Religious who came to his lodgeing very ioyfull all manicled and enchained But were it vpon necessary and vrgent affaire that he had or would he take occasion to deferre their condemnation he was not then att home wherfore they were deliuered to an Apostata More of our Religion that had renounced Christianity to be carefully guarded and very early in the next morning they brought them againe to the lodgeing of the said noble man whome neither then did they finde for they vnderstood that he was out of the citty and the king also and would not vere speedily retourne they then committed the sainctes to prison vnder strong guard who albeit they were enchained beaten and exceedinglie tormented had neuertheles their speech alwayes free which they spared not to employ for the conuersion vnto IESVS CHRIST of those that so strictly kept and rudely entreated them who in disdaine therof gaue them sound buffettes spett in their faces and abused them most outragiouslie All this did not hinder these good Religious from preaching both to them and their other fellow prisoners where they remayned certaine dayes in very extreme want of food and all other necessities but afterward the Christians prouided them whatsoeuer was needfull in the most secrett manner they could and att length dealt so effectually and so gained those that had chardge of them that they condiscended to permitt them to depart on condition they should be securelie conducted euen into Spaine for the said Christians feared and suspected the hatred the king did carry them by occasion of these said Religious who deceauing their keepers as before escaped from the place they lodged the first night out of Maroccho and the next morning were seene againe att a publique place preaching constaÌ„tlie the faith of IESVS C. aduertising the Mores that if they did desire to discardge themselues from the sottish delusions of Mahomett and free themselues froÌ„ hell they must necessarily be baptised The Mores theÌ„â—aÌ„ furiously on the SS did beat abuse theÌ„ despitefully with tumult and exclamation but these true Religious endured this affront like couragious and inuincible lions Then after infinite iniuries and beatinges these simple and innocent sheep of IESVS CHRIST were led to the lodgeing of the gouernour in most ignominious manner for they most rudely threw them to the ground trayned and trampled on them as if they had bin brute beastes How the fiue Martyrs preached to the Gouernour of Maroccho THE XII
of them a hanger in token of triumph and spake to her in these wordes God preserue thee O true seruant of IESVS CHRIST for so much as thou hast encouraged vs and as it were sent vs to this our glorious victory it hath pleased the diuine maiestie to haue vs appeare vnto thee in the same manner that we triumphed to promise thee that in acknowledgement of what thou hast done for vs we shall henceforward be thy Aduocates in heauen Which said they disappeared leauing the Infanta exceedinglie comforted and contented yea more then euer encouraged in the seruice of her sweet IESVS In short time after she caused a Church to be builded in the place where the martyrs appeared vnto her that thenceforward that house might serue only for the praise of God How the bodies of the fiue martyrs were dismembred by the Mores and how the Christians recouered them and preserued them from the fire that could not annoy them and of the miracle which God wrought when the Mores cutting them in pieces thought vtterly to dissipat and annihilat them THE XVIII CHAPTER THe bodies and heades of the holy Martyrs remayned in prey to the people who reioyced to see them all murdered and tooke pleasure to rent and traine them through the citty omitting no kind of inhumanity that might be imagined to be exercised on their poore bodies they tossed their heades from one to an other as if they had bin balles or baloones the Christians in the meane time praysed God for the constancie which the martyrs had with loud voice thancked him for the same others endeauoured to preserue or att least with their eyes to follow their reliques which the Mores perceauing they began so rudely to driue them away by casting stones that it might be attributed to a miracle graunted in fauour of the sainctes that the Christians could escape without detriment into their lodgeing where they were enforced to hide and keep themselues close and secrett during three dayes which the fury of this enraged people continued who of themselues would needes make a new massacre of them These Insidels more wearyed then glutted with tormenting the sainctes bodies cast them among the filthy ordure of the towne-sincke whither the prince of Portugall aforesaid sent his Cousin Syr Martin Alphonsus Theglio and the aforesaid Cheualier Peter Ferdinando de Castro Castillan to fetch them away but they yelded their soules vnto their Sauiour and Lord IESVS CHRIST in this seruice so gratefull vnto him and to his sainctes for they were slaine by the Mores that kept the bodies which not satisfying them they gott permission of the king to burne them publikely altogether and to this effect they made a pile of wood and thereon layd the bodies and heades but the fire being applyed therto could in no sort offend them but retired to one side without touching them Which many Christian Prisoners that aduentured to be present did testifie and certaines Mores that were friendes to the Christians also recounted the same as matter of admiration to the said Prince of Portugall The same may euen to this day be iustified by a head that is extant att S. Crosse of Conimbria the haires wherof were neuer touched by the fire But the rage of this barbarous nation not only was not qualified by this so euident miracle but was rather encreased Wherfore hewing these holy reliques into small morcels they thought to reduce thē to nothing saying Thus are the blasphemers and ennemies of our holy law chasticed But the diuine vengeance which by extremity recompenceth tolleration sodenlie sent from heauen such an vnexpected tempest and storme of haile accōpanied with very frequent lightninges thunderclappes furious windes and vehement rayne that the vtter ruine of the citty seemed to be imminent so that the feare terrour which they had giuen to the Christians retourned vpon themselues yea in such sort that being fled into their houses they scarce held thēselues secure Which gaue courage leasure and commoditie to the Christians to gather vp the holy reliques by the light of the lampes of heauen which they incontinentlie brought to the aforesaid Prince none of them daring to take or keep them to themselues And by reason that the said extremity of the storme did not permitt them to finde all the pieces of the holy bodyes they partly by freindship and partly for mony gott them of the Mores How the said holy reliques were preserued and of their miracles THE XIX CHAPTER THe Prince of Portugall hauing receaued the holie reliques presently prepared shrines or reliquaries of very great price to place and preserue them in But first he commited them to Iohn Rupert Canon of Sainct Crosse of Conimbria att that time his Chaplen and Confessour a very pious and Religious Preist to whome he sent three yong pages of his who were very simple and virgins that they might assist him to dry and accommodate the said holy bodies who in the meane while neuer stirred out of his house so to preserue themselues from profaning the said reliques in any sort euen in thought as neere as they could These youthes then dryed the sacred reliques in a very retired and priuate place by commandement of the Prince and separated the flesh from the bones which they put in a precious chest to be carryed iuto Portugall then did it please our Lord to illustrate them by miracle For a knight called Peter de la Rose not considering what danger it is for sinners to touch the holy reliques of the seruantes of God would presume to present himselfe notwitstanding he kept a wench whome he lasciuiously entertayned but he had scarcely ascended the middest of the staires but he fell and lamed himselfe without power to moue till being contrite repentant and confessed vnto the said Almosner of the Prince and recommended vnto the Sainctes protesting to a abandon his vicious life he obtayned mercy for by litle and litle arising he discended and went halfe cured vnto the Prince failing only in his speech which he had lost the Prince therfore with a great confidence commanded his Almosner to putt one of the sacred heades of the sainctes on his breast which done he was att the same instant perfectly cured A squier of the Princes accustomed to handle certaine peices of the said reliques which were layed to dry on a buckler of his without receauing any punishment by reason that he was then free from sinne But falling one time by instigation of the deuill into a carnall sinne as he thought to handle them the buckler wheron they were so raysed it selfe that he could not reach them wherevpon reflecting on himselfe he went and confessed then retourning to the said reliques which was admirable he kneeled downe before them and the buckler being discend to the ground and retourned to the sunne as before they yelded themselues to be touched This fact cast such a feare into the hartes of the Christians of the Princes
lept sound out of his bed with a loud and cleare voice praysing God The Prince being by affaires hindred from present goeing to Conimbria he sent thither the said reliques conducted by a gentleman of note called Asphonsus Perez of Aragon who attended them accompanyed by many knightes and gentlemen The king Alphonsus and the queene Vraca his wife being therof aduertised sent vnto them with Order to haue the said reliques stayed in a place neere the citty that they might present themselues before them together with the Clergie to giue them such entertainement as they worthely deserued How the holy reliques were carryed to the citty of Conimbria in generall procession where the king was present and how they miraculously chose the place where they would rest and how they transported themselues to diuers places and of the conuersion of S. Antony of Padua which by example hereof came to passe THE XXII CHAPTER ALl thinges being fitly disposed and accommodated the king queene attended with all the nobility the Clergie and people went a foote in procession with great deuotion vnto the said reliques with many crosses and banners in token of the triumphant victory of the holy martyrs Comming to the place where the reliques were hauing deuoutly saluted them they caused the mule that carryed them to goe before that she her selfe might choose her way as she had alwayes done before So without the conduct of any personne she went directly to Conimbria where she entred into Sampsons street att this day called the street of the old figtree and then to the monastery of sainct Crosse att which gate she stayed till it was opened though the intention of the king were to place the said reliques in the great church The gate of the said monastery being opened the mule of her selfe entred into the Church and went directly before the high altare where she kneeled downe and so remayned till she was disburthened of the said reliques each one admiring the miracle wherby the holy martyrs did choose and make knowne where they would haue their reliques to repose for which they were all thanckfull vnto God and there ended the Procession The king erected a sumptuous chappell att the place where the mule kneeled downe and a rich shrine wherin were putt the greatest part of the said reliques others in an other shrine in the cloister of the said monastery the litle that remayned was sent part to the Church of the holy Ghost of Goueau where there was a Couent of Religious of sainct Francis Order and an entiere body to the monastery of sainct Bernard of Loruant three leagues from Conimbria becausse the Abbesse of that monasterie was sister to the king Now the very day that the reliques were brought into the monastery of S. Crosse they began there to shine by miracles for they cured a great multitude of diseased persons there present and from that time the miracles haue so continued euen to this day that they deliuered from perill all such as recommended themselues vnto them vpon which occasion it is that so many strange pilgrimes doe frequent that place The greatest gaine of that day wheron the reliques were receaued was of S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua who was then a Canon Reguler of S. Crosse and as such in the said procession gaue praise to God among the rest and solemnised the arriuall of the holy reliques for he merited to be inspired of the holy Ghost who anymated him with a great zeale vnto his honour in such sort as he resolued to offer his life for the confession of the holy faith by the example of the said martyrs whome desiring entierly to imitate he would begin by the habitt and rule of sainct Francis whose true disciples these martyrs had bin Of the death of the queene Vraca prophesied by the holy martyrs as before in the third chapter hath bin recorded and of a vision which her confessor had therevpon THE XXIII CHAPTER THe Queene Vrraca had great care of her death because the holy Martyrs had prophesied vnto her therof yea she was in extreme affliction considering that their death and the translation of their bodyes was effected as they had foretold but the issue of what she doubted did succeed for as soone as she came to the holy reliques she began to feele her selfe ill so that she could not accompany them but was constrained to goe to her bedde and the night following she dyed That very night Peter Nuguez Canon reguler of the monastery of sainct Crosse a man of exceeding piety and Confessor to the said queene Vrraca had this vision He saw a great multitude of Frere Minors wherof fiue went before but they were conducted by a Religious Father of their Order that gaue a very great splendour and they entred in to the quier of the said Church of S. Crosse in procession where they very melodiously sung matines he extremely amazed att what he saw began to discourse with himselfe how so many Religious could enter the dores being shutt as they were and why they sung matines without any precedent ringing Being in this vehement admiration he questioned with one of the Religious asking him who they were how and where they entred into the monastery att such an hower The Religious answeared him We are Frere Minors and because thou wert Confessour to the Queene and fearest God it hath pleased his diuine goodnes to reueale vnto thee this vision He whome thou seest to precede the rest with such glory is our holy Father S. Francis whome thou hast so much desired to see in this life and the fiue which thou seest to follow him are the fiue Martyrs of Marroccho which are here shrined Know besides that the Queene Vrraca is this night departed and because she exceedingly affected our Order our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath sent vs all hither solemnely here for the benefitt of her soule and for her obsequies to sing these Matines doubt not of her death for as soone as we are departed hence one shall come to aduertise thee therof And the Matines and prayses of God being ended this glorious procession disappeared and therwith one knocked att his dore to aduertise him of the death of the queene How our Lord chasticed the citty and king of Marroccho for the cruell death of his holy Martyrs THE XXIIII CHAPTER THe king of Marroccho remayned not vnpunished no more did his contry for the very same yeare did his arme and right hand which he had so wicke dly stretched out against the holy Martyrs wither as also did all the right side of his body from the head to the feet The people were punished in an other manner for in three yeares after this Martyrdome neither in the said citty nor in a great circuit therabout did there fall one drop of raine which caused an extreme dearth and mortality of catell then correspondently to the nomber of the Martyrs the plague continued for fiue yeares after wherof dyed the
both of them illustrious in vertue and bloud in which respect they were found worthie in the flower of their marriage to enioy this child He was baptised in the said Church of which parish also he was there was he first named Ferdinand so that he was called Ferdinand Martin Buglione till he tooke the habitt of S. Francis He began his first learning in the said Cathedrall Church with the Christian doctrine the manner to prayse God he serued the quier both by night and day offering the first fruites of his age to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to his most holy mother whome he chose for his particular Aduocatrise euen from his tender yeares He coÌ„tinued in this pious course fifteene yeares in which time he learned the study of humanity afterwardes his bloud began to heat and his sensuall appetites to desire carnall and worldly pleasures As soone as he perceaued it he endeauoured by the feare of God to restraine them and because it is very difficult to conuerse among so many thornes and not to be pricked he resolued to take a secure remedy Wherfore abandonning all conuersations of this perillous world he repaired to the Monastery of S. Vincent without the citty where were Canon Regulers of S. Augustin leading a life of very exemplare piety whence he neuer departed tlll he had taken the habitt and made his profession surmounting all the inconueniences and importunities of his kinred and friendes that omitted no meanes to diuert him from it there did he establish his foundation in the seruice of God But in regard that his worthie iudgement and great prudence began to appeare to his kinred and friendes they repaired vnto him for his counsaile and aduise in their affaires and difficulties running vnto him as to an oracle in such sort that being vnable to endure that exceeding disturbance of spiritt hauing with verie much difficulty obtayned the permission of his Superiour he retired to the deuout and Religious monastery of sainct Crosse of Conimbria of the same Order hauing spent two yeares in that of Lisbone And he so profited and proceeded there that it was to each one apparant that he was by a secrett and diuine vertue not by a lightnes of spiritt retired thither For proceeding daily ascending from perfection to perfection he aymed at a most perfect end of his life as being replenished with the spiritt of wisdome by his continuall reading and meditation of the holy scripture wherin hauing for his instructor the only and true master IESVS CHRIST he made such progresse that his learning was sufficient to shunne vices and embrace vertues to refute errours and support the truth How for the desire of Martyrdome he became Religious of the Order of S. Francis THE II. CHAPTER ABout that time thefame of the holy Father S. Francis did spred it selfe ouer all the world as also of the Frere Minors his disciples of whome as is said there were already monasteries in portugall they by their pouerty and contempt of the world conuerting many people to penance the holy Father Saint Antony as I haue formerlie said being one of the Religious of sainct Crosse that receaued the holy reliques of the glorious martyres of Marrocho and being as a noble Elephant encouraged by the sight of the bloud shed for the loue of God he resolued also to enter into combatt for IESVS CHRIST reputing his repose wherin he liued for the seruice of God to be nothing in respect of that course O spiritt really happy who not only was not terrified with the sight of the bloudy sword of the Tyrant but was so encouraged therby that the feruour of diuine charity in him was greater then the imbecillitie of humane fragillity Wherfore thirsting to effect this good desire he resolued first to take the habitt and therwith to imitate the life of those glorious Martyrs by the same meane to obtaine the two crownes and to ascend from one degree vnto an other to that soueraigne perfection of Martyrdome exercising himselfe before he entred into that conflict and combatt Now there were two Religious of sainct Francis which ordinarily liued in a Church of the title of sainct Antony without the Citty of Conimbria with which sainct Antony hauing casually mett he discouered his intention vnto them as to two Angels of Paradise and they gaue eare vnto him with great contentment and comforted him then they appointed him a day when they would repaire vnto him to effect his pious desire Hauing taken leaue of them he ceassed not to solicite and importune his superiour to vouchsafe to giue free consent to this his holy intention which as a thinge perordinated of God he att length with much difficulty obtayned The aforesaid Frere Minors comming on the prefixed day they gaue their habitt to sainct Antony euen in the monastery of sainct Crosse and then being cloathed they carryed him with them to their oratory Att his departure one of the Canon Regulers that was much disquieted therwith said vnto him Well goe your wayes in good time it may be you may proue a sainct giuing him such reproach as if he thought one could not serue God but in the Religion of sainct Francis sainct Antony humbly answeared him If it should happen that I proue a sainct it may be you would praise God for it But doubtles these Religious should not murmure if God transferred this sainct from their Order to that of sainct Francis considering that in their Church they possessed fiue of his martyrs and with all it cannot be denyed but that the worthie and pious education of sainct Antony ought to be attributed first vnto God and then to their holy Religion wherein he spent eleuen yeares so that he entred into the Order of sainct Francis the 26. yeare of his age being then Priest the yeare of grace 1220. How the name of Ferdinand was chaunged into Antony and how he departed for Marroccho with intention there to receaue Martyrdome and was by tempest driuen into Sicilia thence he went into Italy and thence to the generall chapter of S. Francis THE III. CHAPTER THe holy Father being come to the Oratory of the said Religious knowing that the title therof was sainct Antony he prayed them to giue him that name abhorring his owne as seculer and too prophane and to the end that not being so called of all he might be much lesse knowne and disburded of his kinred and friendes besides we may well attribute this same to the worck of the holy Ghost sith that many of his most note-worthie elect haue chaunged their name as first the Patriarkes Apostles and other â—his fauourites Hauing then thus chaunged his name he desired to effectuat the designe for which he became Frere Minor and to attaine the same he trauailed into Africa there to receaue the crowne of Martyrdome but he being afflicted with a great and long infirmity began by diuine inspiration to conceaue that his designe was not gratefull vnto God but
being not full but neere a yeare after his death Wherto there directly opposed himselfe a Cardinall which caused further proceeding to be deferred till the day following but the first night after the Cardinall had this dreame It seemed vnto him that his holinesse would consecrate an Altare and to that end demaunded holy reliques of him But he not knowing what to giue him heard a voice that said Giue him of the new reliques of S. Antony Wherevpon this Cardinall awakinge sollicited the Pope more then any other to hasten the canonization of the S. as hauing bin by this diuine voice fully assured of his great merittes Besides the approbation of the vnder written miracles wrought after his death nor including those wrought in his life time he cured nineteene that were lame fiue of the palsie fiue that were crooked six blinde three deafe three mute two of the gout he raised two to life and cured diuers others of sundry diseases For which cause the yeare 1232. on the day of Penticost he was enrolled by the Pope in the Catalogue of Sainctes with great solemnitie The said Pope composed and sung that worthy antheme O Doctor optime and ordayned it to be sung in all churches the day of his feast which was constitued to be yearly the thirteenth of Iune One the day of his canonization all the belles of his cittie of Lisbone did ring of themselues to the exceeding contentment of all personnes wherof they knew no cause but that they felt an inestimable ioy in their hartes but they vnderstood afterward that their contryman and fellow-cittizen S. Antony had bin that day canonized The bulle of the aforesaid canonization taken out of the tenth chapter of the sixt booke and heere more properly placed GRegory bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to our venerable Brethren Archbishops Bishoppes health and Apostolicall benediction As God saith by the Prophett I will make you honoured and praysed of all people and by the sage he promiseth that the iust shall shine in the presence of God as the sunne so it seemeth vnto vs expedient that we also here on earth below doe prayse the sainctes which his diuine Maiestie hath crouned in heauen and considering withall that God is knowne and adored principally in them who is praiseworthy and glorious in his Sainctes and that miraculously to manifest his omnipotencie and his mercy towardes our saluation he euen ennobleth here below by miracles his faithfull seruantes with whome he hath concurred to the meritt of eternall glory and this to confound the obstinacie of many heretikes and to confirme his church in his holy Catholique Apostolike and Romane faith and to expell out of lukewarme hartes all sloath and negligence awakening them to good worckes by these holy examples and that the hartes of heretikes might be made plyable to belieue by effect what they seeme not to vnderstand by the holy scriptures and finally that all Iewes and Pagans the vaile of blindnes being taken from before their eyes may see this transparent light of the omnipotencie of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and that they may not alleadge for excuse that they had no occasion deseruing their conuersion vnto him and their acknowledgement of him for true God and true man Wherfore my beloued we yeld thanckes to this bountifull giuer of all goodnes if not as we ought at least as we may for that it hath pleased him for confirmation of our holy faith and the confusion of heretikes to bestow on vs holy and famous men in these dayes who by signes and manifest miracles haue declared how true inestimable and indubitable is the faith of the holy Romane Church sith they who dye therein so dye in the grace of God that they glitter twinckle and shine in the world as Sunnes in the firmament Therfore being therein but one faith and the same by this diuine and manifest approbation appearing most true the falshood of all others must be very euident Of the nomber of those that haue meritted to worck miracles before and after their death is the blessed Father S. Antony of the Order of the Frere Minors who liuing in this world was very famous for his great merittes and liuing now in heauen he shineth by many miracles which are ordinarily wrought att his sepulcher wherof we are assured as well by very authenticall worthy actes as by reuelation of personnes worthy of creditt These two thinges merittes and miracles suffice to giue testimony among men of the sanctity of a man yea they suffice to make vs yeld to honour and inuocate them as our intercessors vnto God which two thinges are taken out of this text of the Gospell They goeing forth preached euery where our lord worcking withall and confirming the word with signes that followed For this cause we haue giuen order to the abouesaid Bishop to Br. Giles Iourdain Priour of the Order of S. Benett and to Br. Iohn Priour of S Augustins in the monastery of the Iacobins of Padua that they should make an exact examen and approued catalogue of the miracles of the said Sainct which we hauing seene to be conformable to that which by our owne experience we know to be very true touching his life and holy conuersatiō that it may not seeme we would hinder or depriue him of his praise being therevnto vrged by the said Bishop of Padua and the reuerence of the seruantes of God which so notoriously deserue the same and by the aduise of our venerable Brethren the Cardinalls of the holy Roman Church and of all the Prelates att this present neere vnto vs we haue enrolled him in the Catalogue of the SS Wherfore the candell not being sett on the candlesticke but to giue light we pray and commaund all those to whome the knowledge of these presents shall come that in vertue of this Apostolicall Breuie they induce their subiectes and procure them solemnly and reuerentlie to keepe and honour his feast which is the thirteenth of Iune to the end that God being moued and appeased by his holie prayers doe giue vs his holie grace in this life and his glorie in the other Besides that the sepulcher of this worthie Confessour who by the splendour of his miracles beautifieth our holie Church be with the honour due vnto it visited and frequented we trusting in the diuine grace and in the aucthoritie of the glorious Apostles sainct Peter and sainct Paul we mercifullie remitte and release a yeares penance enioyned them to all those that truelie confessed and penitent doe on the day of his feast and all the octaue of euerie yeare visitt the same Giuen att Spoletum the twelfeth of Iulie in the sixt yeare of our Popedome How his body was transported into the said church of Padua then into that where it now is and wherefore THE XXXI CHAPTER POpe Alexander the fourth desiring to deliuer manie Citties of Lombardie from the cruelty of the Tyran Ezelin that had vsurped almost all the
Venetian territorie he sent to Venise as his Legat Philip de Fontaine Bishop of Rauenna that hauing ouerthrowne a mightie and potent armie he might assige Padua where the Tyran had placed a nephew of his as lieutenant to guard that place faithfullie for him God determining to end and cease the tyrannie of this cruell Prince and to deliuer that Cittie by the merittes of sainct Antony the night of his feast The cittie being in this trouble the Guardian of the Couent of the Frere Minors called Brother Bartholomew Corradin watching att the sepulcher of the Sainct in feruent prayers and teares praying for the deliuery of that cittie he heard a cleare voice that seemed to proceed out of the said sepulcher which said vnto him Brother Bartholomew feare no more but be comforted and giue thanckes to God for I promise and assure thee that on my octaue day this citty shal be restored to her former liberty which came to passe for Anselmus the Gouernour therof being terrified by the hand of God went out and fled with all his people in such sort that the said Apostolicall Legat entred in and restored all thinges to their former splendour liberty and freedome The said voice was not onlie heard by the said Guardian but also by many Religious of the Couent that watched in the said Church who gaue testimony therof afterward Wherfore the Paduans ordayned that thenceforward the said octaue day should be solemnised as the day it selfe of the feast of sainct Antony in acknowledgement of that singuler benefitt Afterward they tooke him for a singuler aduocate of their cittie consecrating vnto him the altare of their great church wherein they placed his reliques and there they celebrated his feast on which day manie worthy miracles were wrought Padua being thus deliuered the yeare 1259. the Paduans began to build a great and sumptuous Church wherinto were transported his holie reliques the yeare 1273. the eue of Quasi modo the Cardinall of Bolonia named Guy Charles Bishop of Portuensis legat of his holinesse with many ceremonies solemnised the said translation This Cardinall hauing bin deliuered from death by sainct Antony was exceeding deuout vnto him and therfore offered vnto him a faire and rich shrine or reliquarie of siluer wherin he putt his holie head Sainct Bonauenture Generall of the Order was present att his translation and opened the shrine wherin the glorious bodie of the Sainct had bin thirtie yeares which he found all tourned to ashes sauing the tongue which was verie fresh and vermillion as when it had life which taking in his handes in presence of all the companie with aboundance of teares he vttered these wordes O blessed tongue which hast alwayes praysed they God and hast laboured others to doe the like it verie euidentlie appeareth that thou hast highlie merited before God! then kissing it verie tenderlie he put it againe verie reuerentlie into the said reliquarie On a certaine time after a Generall desired to transport this holie tongue from that place but hauing taken it vp and thincking to carry it away he could neuer finde the dore where to goe forth nor had he power to carrie it back whence he had taken it wherfore he secretlie hid it in an altare none perceauing the same where it remayned manie yeares after till it pleased the Sainct to discouer it so that taking it thence it was put in a veâ—ie faire and rich reliquary of crystall where it is euen to this day shewen pure and entier to all deuout Pilgrimes How he raised his Nephew that died att Lisbone THE XXXII CHAPTER ANephew of the sainctes the soÌ„ne of his sister called Paris played one day att Lisbone on the sea shoare with many children his companions all which entred into a shallop which for their recreation they lanched into the sea but there sodeÌ„ly arose a storme which raysing the sea waues presently ouer-whelmed the shalop all that were therin saued themselues by swiming except Paris who being the yongest could not swimme but was drowned which his Father vnderstanding he prayed the Fishers to search for recouery of his body to giue it Christian buryall They more to satisfie him then in hope to finde him sought him sometime and att length God permitted them to finde him and deliuering him to his Father the kinred were of opinion to haue him buryed but his pittyfull mother the sister of S. Antony hauing good hope of the life of her sonne by the merittes of her brother would not permitt him to be buryed and therfore would be continually neere him all the day following and the night after but the next morning the kinred purposing not to permitt the body any longer vnburyed because it already exceedingly sauoured the mother resolutely said and auowed that if they would bury her child they should bury her aliue together with it Then she made this prayer to S. Antony O my glorious Brother if charity moue thee as I belieue it doeth and if thou be so carefull and ready to gratifie them that inuocate thee yea such as are strangers I beseech thee to haue compassion of thy sister and of thy Nephew who if thou please to restore him life shall serue God in thy Order wheÌ„ he shall attaine to age conuenient competent to that end if so it please the diuine Maiestie The successe was admirable for as soone as she had ended her vow the child that had bin three dayes dead arose before all the company and hauing attained age sufficient he accomplished the said vow taking the habit of the Order of his vncle wherein he piously perseuered Of two other raised from death by Sainct Antonie and of some others THE XXXII CHAPTER A Queene of Leon in Spaine borne in Portugall hauing by accident of sicknes lost her daughter of eleuen yeares of age and hauing heard this foresaid miracle recounted would not haue her daughter buryed but kept her three dayes without buryall during which time she deuoutly inuocated the helpeof S. Antony with a feruent faith for which she deserued att length to be heard but the child her daughter being raysed sayd vnto her deere Mother I beseech God to pardon you for hauing troubled me in the celestiall glory where I was amongest the virgins though it be not for long time for I am restored to life att the instance of S. Antony but for fifteene dayes which so succeeded for fifteene dayes after she dyed againe A gentleman that could haue no children vowed to the S. that if he would obtaine him one he would euery yeare visitt his sepulcher and he was heard but goeing one day to accomplish his vow he left his sonne of seauen yeares old sick in his house who by litle and litle so recouered health that he went to play with his companions in a chanell where then there was no water it being bended an other way to water a certaine plaine but the banke or bay being not strong enough gaue such way to
the violence of the water that it retourned impetuouslie into the chanell where it drowned nine children playing there wherof two being found were presentlie buryed The said gentleman retourning from Padua of his first friendes that he mett he demaunded how his sonne did they vnwilling to deliuer him such vnwelcome newes answeared they thought he was well because it was not long since he played therby with his companions This poore father passed farther and came to his house where he asked for his sonne His seruantes seemed not to heare him and endeauoured to diuert him from such demaund but he said he would neither eat nor drinck till he had seene him Which constrayned them to declare vnto him the infortunate disaster of his sonne which hauing vnderstood he became out of himselfe but afterwardes by litle and litle recouering his spirittes he swoare and very obstinately protested that he would neither eat nor drinck till sainct Antony had restored him his sonne which with a very feruent faith expecting a litle after his sonne entred in where he was with other nine of his companions that by the merittes of sainct Antony had bin saued with him for which they praysed God in his sainct and glorified him with hart and voice It is found to be recorded that the two other children companions of the foresaid which were already buryed were also raysed by the merittes of the S. who had compassion of the clamours that their parentes made vnto him In Apulia in the citty of Monoplia a child did so vndermine a pitt neerevnto the Frere Minors that the earth hauing no support brake downe vpon him where he was buryed without appearance of any reliefe His mother vnderstaÌ„ding therof ran instantly to the monastery of Frere Minors crying and often reiterating these wordes O S. Antony restore me my child In meane while they were busy in taking vp the earth froÌ„ the pitt wherein they found the childe aliue though much troubled who was asked how it was possible that so much earth had not choaked him He answeared that S. Antony had still held his hand vnder his throat to giue him meanes to breath which gaue all those present occasion to praise and thanck God in his sainct Of many miracles wrought against such as would not beleeue the glory of the Sainct THE XXXIV CHAPTER A Chaplain belonging to the Bishop of Padua hearing the first miracles of S. Antony related would not only not belieue them but euen did iest and scoffe att them But he presently felt the diuine reuenge for he was striken with an extreme sharp and pestilencious feauer which did so enfeeble him and brought him to that extremitie that he was in danger of death Wherupon acknowledging his offence and repenting the third day of his sicknesse he called his mother to whome he confessed his fault and protested he was exceedinglie grieued therat then he prayed her to goe to the sepulcher of the S. there to seeke to obtaine mercie and in his name to promise that thenceforward in steed of incredulity and dirision he would firmelie beleeue publikely preach and manifest the glorie of this miracle to all the world It was admirable to consider the mother goeing thither she inuocated the Sainct then made the vow and in that very instant the sick party was cured leaping out of his bed to the great admiration of all that were present A certaine old gentleman that had bin an heretike from his infancie setting one day att table heard many miracles recounted of sainct Antony whereatt gibing and reputing all fabulous he tooke a drincking glasse of crystall and threw it out att the windoe saying If sainct Antonie can preserue that glasse from breaking I will henceforward hold him for a sainct and the glasse being very forciblie cast against the stones was miraculouslie preserued entier This heretike seeing so manifest a miracle was moued not onlie to belieue that Sainct Antonie was truelie and reallie a Sainct but was also induced to forsake his herâ—sie and abiuring it sincerelie to embrace our faith which he performed Diuers persons eating att table fell into discourse of the miracles of the sainct and after many relations one of them recounted that of the glasse aforesaid exceedinglie admiring and wondring therat an other of them that was a companion and scoffer doubting of this miracle saw withered branches of a vigne wherof he tooke a handfull and in the other hand a glasse saying If Sainct Antony would make grapes to grow out of these branches and that their iuyce and liquor would fill this glasse I would hold it a miracle and then would I beeleue the former miracle you recounted Which he had no sooner spoaken but all the sprigges of the branches which this scoffing fellow held budded forth leaues and then very faire grapes which being crushed together filled the glasse with liquor and by this meane the vertue of S. Antony was acknowledged and confessed by those that formerlie derided him Sainct Antonie was become famous and reuerenced att Padua for the miracles by him there ordinarilie wrought wheratt neuerthelesse some heretiques did ordinarilie scoffe and gibe and one time they purposed publikelie to deride them and to that end presented themselues att the Church dedicated to the sainct and being before the sepulcher they began to cry and lament saying that one of them who had a hand kirchefe before his eyes which they had embrued with bloud that it might be thought his eyes were thrust out according to their crye had in a quarrell vnfortunately lost both his eyes and therfore they exhorted the people to pray for this wretched blind man who of his owne part omitted not to pray to God and fayned to inuocate the sainct cunninglie playing the hypocrite Now after they had spent about an houre vpon this subiect the blinde fellow purposed to take off his handkirchefe to make a shew first that he was cured as he cryed and protested that by this fact he might afterwardes inferre that as often as any miracles were wrought by sainct Antony they were supposed and suborned as that was But they were much amazed when they saw the two prunelles out of the Imposters eyes when as they determined and thought to deride the sainct and therfore changing their laughter into teares and their quibbes and scoffes into prayers they with such a faith humbled themselues that att length they obtayned the recouerie of their imposters sight An hereticall soldier meeting a poore leaper that went to the sepulcher of sainct Antony to be cured sayd vnto him Friend thou loosest they labour and time for I assure thee if sainct Antony euer cure thee of thy leaprosie I am content to haue it The poore Leaper yet omitted not to proceeded in his iorney and being att the sepulcher of S. Antony he fell a sleepe The S. appeared vnto him in a dreame and sayd goe and carry thy clappers to the soldier that thou mettest in the way
vtterly amazed and terrified did rent out his eyes and tongue and then vanished This miserable fellow hastened directly to the Church of S. Antony where repenting to haue consented to the Magician he inuocated with his hart not hauing the vse of his voice his assistance And vpon these his humble prayers in the time of high masse as the Preist sung Gloria in excelsis Benedictus qui venit in nâ—â—une Domini his two eyes were miraculously restored him which being knowne all the Citty of Padua was full of the bruit each one desiring to see him Many of the more ancient and noble of the citty held it conuenient that all the people there present should ioyne themselues in prayer that it might please God to accompany this first miracle with a second in restoring his speech To this effect they all fell on their knees offered their prayers the Masse alwayes coÌ„tinuying when the Agnus Dei was sung his tongue was also restored wherby he began with a loud voice to prayse God and his S. A Religious woman of the Order of sainct Clare hauing heard preached the rigour of the paines of Purgatory conceaued such a terrour of goeing thither that she prayed almighty God to graunt her to suffer her Pugatory in this world and so long continued in prayer that att length God heard her But being vnable any long time to support so rigorous and insupportable tormentes she discouered the cause of her afflictions to the other Religious whome she prayed to make supplication to God by the merittes of sainct Antony that he would please to moderate those so bitter tormentes which she endured and so all the Religious with such deuotion and humility applyed themselues to prayer that by the merittes of S. Antony she was eased therof thenceforward she was no more so rash as to tempt God but entierly resigned herselfe to the will of his diuine maiesty casting herselfe absolutely into his disposition The Religious Br. Bernardine of Parma by a violent catarre in his throat became dumme for cure wherof were applyed all about his neck burning cauters all which nothing auayled so that he became so feeble that putting to him a litle waxe candle lighted he could not with his breath blow it out wherfore his death and stifling being feared he was carryed to Padua where the feast of S. Antony was celebrated to visitt his sepulcher There was then a great concourse of people where in publike presence he offered his prayer shedding abondance of teares then he began to spett and to auoyd such a quantity of filthy and loathsome matter that the beholders could no longer endure it their hartes so arrising att the sight of such insupportable stuffe and withall he was cured of the catarre and recouered his speech for which he hartely praysed God and his sainct The sonne of a poore woman about tweÌ„ty monthes old called Thomasin dwelling neere the said Church fell one day vnaduisedly into a pond full of water with his head downeward and was carryed home dead His mother full of desolation hastened with great faith to the sepulcher of the sainct before which she fell on her knees beseeching him with all her soule to restore her child to life and promising euery yeare though she were needy to giue an almose to the poore in his honour of the quantity of her sonnes weight in wheat who was speedily restored to life to the exceeding amazement of all that were present who together with the mother gaue thanckes to God for the same These miracles of S. Antony are approued to be very authenticall together with three or fower which he wrought with S. Francis in whose life we haue inserted them where by the vse of the table they may be easily found for which miracles many other generally knowne may truely be said Mirabâ—lis est Deus in sanctis suis Amen The end of the Fift booke of the second part of the first volume of the Chrocles of the Frere Minors THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN ARE CONTAINED THE LIVES OF twenty particuler and speciall Disciples of the Seraphicall F. S. Francis Translated by the aforesaid The life of Br. Bernard Quintauall the eldest spirituall child of Sainct Francis Of the conuersion of Br. Bernard Quintauall and of his pouerty THE FIRST CHAPTER BROTHER Bernard Quintauall was borne att Assisium of the most noble family therin where hauing considered the strangenes of life of S. Francis his admirable contempt of worldly commodities his vnchangeable assurance his inuincible constancie in supporting iniuryes and his exceeding patieÌ„ce in enduring the troubles and laboures of this life yea seeming dailie more and more to conceaue greater contentment therin He esteemed all this could not proceed but by the will of God which he experienced as hath bin amplie declared in the eight chapter of the first booke and first volume where his conuersion is related att lardge Hauing then renounced the world and sold all he had in the marckett place of Assisium and giuen the price to the poore and beggers of IESVS CHRIST following S. Francis he deserued to be his eldest child as well in time as perfection for by speciall priuiledge he had the grace to be a true louer of pouerty And also S. Francis sometimes would say that Br. Bernard had founded his Order selling his substance to giue to the poore euen to his very apparell wherwith he was cloathed so that his first Religious habitt was made of almose then being thus naked he offered and cast himselfe into the armes of IESVS CHRIST crucified naked whome he imitated euen to his death God also by a particuler prerogatiue bestowed on him a ioyfull patience which merueillously shined in him and particulerlie in those iornyes he performed vpon obedience edifying his neigbour and exercising himselfe in vertues How Br. Bernard by the vertue of patience built a monastery att Bolonia and some others in Lombardy THE II. CHAPTER AFter the first confirmation of the Order by Pope Innocent the third and hauing receaued the precept of penitence Brother Bernard was sent by sainct Francis to Bolonia to edifie the people with examples of piety Being in that Citty the Children seeing him in so simple a habitt and so different from other Religious they followed him in the streetes crying after him reproaching him reuiling him and vsing him as a foole which he endured with immoueable patience and contentment yea to procure himselfe the greatest disgrace and dishonour for the loue of IESVS CHRIST who was so much contemned for vs he would frequent those places where was the greatest recourse of people and there the idle and loytering companious scoffed att him and flouted him as a foole But the patient and obediente seruant of God did neither resist nor complaine but shewed a pleasing and ioyfull contenance contenting himselfe for his food with a bitt of bread giuen him for the loue of God and
thus he continued for certaine dayes till it pleased our Lord to declare him to be his seruāt which by this meanes came to passe One of the noblest of the Citty who then was the Iudge seeing and considering the life of this poore Religious sayed in himselfe this man thus contemned must needes be some holy personnage in regard of his extraordinary patience And therfore he called him vnto him and hauing demaunded what he was and whence he came Brother Bernard drew out of his bosome the Euangelicall rule which sainct Francis had giuen him and which he had written no lesse in his hart then in that paper and without vsing any other wordes deliuered it vnto him The iudge hauing seene the same was stricken into an amazement and tourning towardes many that were flocked thither to heare the Religious discourse he sayd This rule doubtlesse teacheth the most strict and rigorous religious life that is in the Church and in deed this man and all his companions that lead this life represent vnto vs the Apostolicall Colledge and therfore are worthy of very great honour This being said he conducted Brother Bernard to his house with such ioy and contentment as if he had bin an Angell of heauen A litle after att his owne expences he built for him and his companions a Couent without the cittie but very neere the walles as most commodious for them He liued and dyed as a deuout Brother of the Order In this sort was Brother Bernard the first that began the Couent att Bolonia which he did not seeke to build sumptuouslle and found with much rentes and possessions but with the examples of a most profound humility and patience he built vpon the firme rocke of IESVS CHRIST who is our true and liuely foundation Br. Bernard being then thus seated att Bolonia the people by litle and litle knowing his sanctity beganne to respect him and desirouslie to heare his wordes and to admitt his Coūsailes in such sort that in a short space many did not only forsake their disordered life but also left the world becomming Frere Minors in the said monastery To be short he was generally respected of all as a sainct each one desired to see him and to kisse that habitt which formerlie they misprised but he as the true and humble disciple of Euangelicall humilitie shunning these vaine honours retourned to the holie Father sainct Francis whome he besought to send him some other where wherin the sainct was willing to gratifie him and sent him into Lombardie where he edified the people with admirable vertue and erected many monasteries and recouered an infinite nomber of soules that resolued to follow the life and profession of the gospell of IESVS CHRIST Of the pilgrimage of Brother Bernard to S. Iames in Galicia and what happened to him there THE III. CHAPTER WHen the holy Father S. Francis went into Spaine to visitt the Church of sainct Iames in Galicia he tooke Br. Bernard and certaine other of his companions with him They found in theiriorney a poore sicke personne in a place very miserable and discomfortable and vttetly abandoned there they remayned certaine dayes to haue care of him serue and comfort him But sainct Francis knowing his sicknesse would be of long continuance lefte Brother Bernard to attend him and proceeded on his pilgrimage whence retourning he found the sick man recouered and tooke Brother Bernard back with him into Italie whence shortlie after he demaunded leaue of him to visite the Apostle Sainct Iames in Galicia not hauing opportunitie to goe with him the other time and hauing accomplished his iust desire att his retourne he came to a riuer which by reason of the swiftnes and violence of the current which was very deepe he could not wade ouer wherfore he was enforced to stay att the side therof where a litle after an Angel in very actiue manner appeared vnto him and saluted him in Italian Which Brother Bernard admiring asked him if he came from Italie or whence he was wherto he answeared that he came from our Lady of Angels where he had bin to admonish Br. Helias of his temerity in desiring to make a new rule and that he had rudely shutt the gate vpon him for which God would punish him Which said he easily conducted Br. Bernard to the other side of the riuer and then incontinentlie vanished leauing Br. Bernard exceedinglie comforted who gaue thanckes to God for hauing visited and assisted him by his Angell Being att Assisium he recounted to the holy Father S. Francis and others what the Angell had tould him of Brother Helias by which meane it was knowne that he who was att the dore of the Couent of our Lady of Angels and had spoken to Brother Helyas as hath bin related in the 100. chapter of the first booke was sent of God to propose vnto him the question there sett downe to giue him occasion of amendement How Brother Bernard receaued of almighty God the grace of extaticall contemplation and of the effectes therof together with his abstinence THE IV. CHAPTER THis holy Father oftentimes retyred himselfe from the worckes and labour of the actiue life wherin he spent a good part of his time for the saluation of soules to the repose of the contemplatiue life whereby he obtained of God such a sublimitie of spiritt and clearnesse of vnderstandinge that the deepest learned diuines repayred vnto him to demaunde solution of difficult and obscure passages of the holy scripture It seemed that his soule conuersed continually in heauen Sometimes he went ouer the mountaines entierly transported in God rauished as a propheticall spiritt in manifest signe of his continuall mentall eleuation Fifteene yeares before his death as he was spiritually in heauen he had also his countenance euer lifted very high in his iornyes when he began to feele the force of spirituall extasie he would bid his companion to expect a while then would turne out of the way and seeke some tree against which to rest and so held himselfe firme and stable that his spiritt might not wander diuers wayes till the extasie were ended He one time said to that great contemplatiue Brother Giles that he made himselfe but halfe a man remayning as a woman shut vp in his Cell and not goeing abroad to teach men the right way of their saluation Brother Giles answeared him O Brother it is not permitted to all men to eat and flye as swallowes as it is to you who goeing resting not stirring and running in any place whatsoeuer doe alwayes tast the extaticall and diuine consolation For which cause sainct Francis tooke great contentment to discourse with him of matters concerning God so that to that effect they were sometimes found together in a wood both rapt in extasie where they remayned in that manner a whole night together As he one day heard Masse in the quier he was so rauished in spiritt that he remayned till the ninth hower immoueable and insensible with his eyes
a hand and he heard a voice from aboue that said vnto him Brother Leo know that without this hand thou canst performe no good thinge Which Brother Leo hauing heard entierly enflamed in diuine loue he arose on his feet and beholding heauen he diuers times thus spake with a loud voice It is true my God that if thy puissant hand doe not helpe and assist our infirmity we can doe nothing of ourselues much lesse shall we resist our ennemies and obtaine the meritt of perseuerance in thy loue and seruice The 17. chapter is put after the last of the second booke and first volume of this first part where is related a vision which Brother Leo had of the vniuersall Iudgement as being a matter appertaining to the holy Father sainct Francis How Brother Leo burned the box which Brother Helias Generall of the Order had sett at the Church dore to gather almose for the fabrique against the purity of the rule THE XVIII CHAPTER BRother Helias who after the death of sainct Francis for many yeares gouerned the Religion as General was he that very sumptuously builded the Couent of S. Francis att Assisium where Pope Gregory the ninth layd the first stone the almose of the people of Assisium not sufficing for so great an edifice Brother Helias seeking all meanes possible to find mony for the worck sett a box att the Church dore with this inscription The almose for the sabriqâ—e which many good Religious hauing seene and especially Brother Leo in regard that it was a thing directly against the obseruance of the purity of their rule being zealous of the Euangelicall Pouertie they repaired to the venerable Brother Giles to consult with him and to aduise together by what meanes they might preuent this inconuenience who answeared that he dwelt att our Lady of Angels and therfore though one built a Couent as great as the Citty of Assisium he would notwithstanding be content to remaine wher he was and that was all his care But Brother Leo not satisfied with this answeare they added we haue a purpose to burne that box what think you of it Brother Giles then with teares of his eyes replyed If Brother Helias be dead you may doe so but if he liue lett him proceed for you will hardly endure his persec ution But Brother Leo and his companions leauing Brother Giles tooke the box and burned it which Brother Helias vnderstanding and being extremely vexed therwith he very cruelly disciplined them all and hauing detayned theÌ„ some time in prison he banished them from Assisium for which and other like matters the Pope put Brother Helias from his Prelature as we haue formerly related in the life of S. Antony of Padua Of certaine miracles and of the death of the glorious Brother Leo THE XIX CHAPTER WHiles Brother Leo resided att our Lady of Angels it happened that a poore woman of Assisium dyed in trauaile of child whose mother was also a very poore old widdoe who being much afflicted att the death of her daughter and not knowing how to bring vp the litle infant that was left vnto her she went to brother Leo for his counsaile to whome with teares discouering her greife she moued him to haue compassion of her misery so that he went and with feruour offred his prayers demaunding of God assistance for that so desolate poore old womaÌ„ His prayer ended he sayd vnto her Goe good woman and putt the child to thy breast and hope that almighty God will giue thee the milke that he would haue giuen the mother of the child Though this old woman was much amazed att this speech yet the infant being present she obeyed for she offered her breastes vnto it which were found very full of milke to relieue the child And the same continued as long as there was vse for it and the child attayning to competentage beame a man of the church He often recounted that he had bin miraculously nursed by the merittes of Brother Leo. This seruant of God meeting a yong man in the way and beholding his countenance sayd vnto him thou shalt be one of our Religious which wordes had such efficacie in his hart that he could neuer apply himselfe to any thing till he became a Frere Minor A woman of Codale in the vally of Spoletum hauing an apostume in her brest which ordinarily yelded forth corruption and being void of all helpe that might any way releiue her she repaired to Brother Leo with great deuotion praying him to make the signe of the crosse one the place greiued which being done the apostume vanished so that no apparance remayned therof A yong man being exceedingly afflicted with the falling sicknes and a continuall feauer did secretly cutt of a peece of the habitt of Brother Leo out of the great deuotion he carryed towardes him which hauing layd on his neck he was presently cured but hauing lost it the said infirmity retourned yet hauing gotten an other peece he was perfectly cured againe A man of Treuy being by commandement of the gouernour of Spoletum imprisoned and enchained he recommended himselfe to the prayers of Brother Leo who was att our Lady of Angels who appeared vnto him about the time of noone and in presence of all that were there vnchayned him then drew him out of prison and commanded him to goe as a Pilgrime to our Lady of Angels which hauing performed he there found Brother Leo att whose feet prostrating himselfe he thancked him for the great singuler fauour receaued of him But he answeared him that he should only thancke the Virgin Mary whose feast of her holy purification was celebrated that day Our lord wrought many other miracles by the merittes of his seruant Brother Leo to manifest his sanctity to the world which would be too tedious to be inserted That holy Father Brother Ruffinus and Brother Angel us by commandement of their generall composed the legend of sainct Francis which was afterward called the legend of three companions wherof the most worthy and remarckable hauing bin extracted and put in other histories of sainct Francis the same was afterwardy lost Brother Leo att length hauing in vertue and sanctity accomplished his dayes he left the desert of the world and retired to his celestiall contry He was enterred att Assisium in the Church of S. Francis The life of Brother Siluester Of the conuersation merittes and death of Br. Syluester THE XX. CHAPTER THe good Father Br. Siluester was the first preist that entred into the Religion of S. Francis In the first booke and first volume of this first part we haue sett downe his conuersion and how he became a Frere Minor This was his eleuenth disciple who so encreased and profited in the vertue of sanctity that he discoursed and conuersed with God as ordinarily one freind doth with an other which S. Francis often experienced and diuers times gaue testimony therof as when he reuealed vnto him that the will of God was
recorded Of the sanctity and miracles of Brother Zachary who was the first Guardian of the Couent of Alenquer and of his death THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe said Monastery being thus founded with exceeding pouerty and sanctity by the vertue and exemplar life of the sayd disciples of the glorious Father sainct Francis and namely of Brother Zachary as being the most notable in all vertues This holy Father zealous towardes God in worckes of charity in watchinges and prayers did often offer his prayers before a Crucifix which was after in the Chapiter of the said Couent of Alenquer till the yeare 1414. by which our Lord aduertised him of many thinges as well concerning his owne as his neighbours welfare The consolation and spirituall ioy which he receaued of this image was such as he could not leaue it but with great greife Brother Zacharie being Guardian it one day happened that there were but two loaues of bread in al the Couent the hower of refection being come he enioyned all the brethren to prayer then commanded them to sitt downe att table and the sayd loaues to be portioned among all the Religious and att the same instant there appeared an Angell att their gate in forme of a beautifull yong man who brought them as many loaues as there were persons in the Monastery his grace and beauty was such as could be imagined He calling for the Guardian gaue it vnto him who with the other Religious knowing this present to come to them from the hand of God who hauing care of all his creatures neuer forgetteth his true poore they gaue him thanckes for it Many kept of this bread as a holy relique but namely the Princesse Saucia who would haue her part therof Preaching on a time with great zeale of the faith of IESVS CHRIST and of the saluation of soules one that was incredulous being partly contrite and conuerted by his sermon would afterwardes confesse vnto him but by all the industry the good Father could deuise he could not rid him of his doubtes touching the Blessed sacrament of the Eucharist Art length hauing an exceeding desire to saue his soule he sayd vnto him Sith thou canst not be cured by the wordes of God come againe to morrow in the morning with the greatest deuotion thou canst and perhappes it will please our Lord IESVS CHRIST to illuminate and confirme thee by his diuine presence and so dismissing him and that day ended the Sainct spent all that night in deuotion praying God to voutsafe to illuminate and confirme this poore man in the holy faith The next morning he celebrated masse this man being present with great deuotion but the wordes of consecration being vttered he saw the sacred host conuerted into flesh and so continuyng till the Preist was ready to communicate and then he saw it retourne to the forme of an host as before the consecration This admirable vision entierly cleered his soule of all doubtes he had and fully confirmed him in the Catholike faith This glorious Father att length yelding vp his soule it ascended to heauen and his body was buryed on the right side of the crosse of the Church of the said Couent in Alenquer with his other companions and the holy disciples of the glorious Father sainct Francis The inhabitants of Alenquer att this present take the earth of that sepulcher and with great reuerence apply it to the sicke who therby recouer their health Of a Religious that was disciple to sainct Francis in the Couent of Alenquer THE XXIX CHAPTER AMong all the Religious that were sent by the holy Father saint Francis to the said Couent of Alenquer there was one very deuout and solitary that flying especially all conuersation and discourses with women spent almost all his time in prayer Now it happened that one of the ladyes of the Princes Saucia called Mary Gracia noting this Religious to be so spirituall began to haue perticuler deuotion vnto him and therfore she desired to haue some conference witht him But this holy Religious refusig all acquaintance and speech with any women shunned her with all endeauour Neuertheles it once happened that the Lady and the Religious in such sort met each with other that the Religious could not without discurtesie auoyd to speake vnto her for she much vrged him therto but he sayd vnto her Madame I beseech you before I spake vnto you cause to be brought hither some straw with fier which hauing don he willed her to putt the straw the fier together the lady hauing so dō the straw presētly burned the Religious then sayd vnto her Madame what issue you haue seene the straw to haue with the fier the like belieue me hath the seruant of God with a woman speaking with her without necessity Whereat this lady was so shamefully amazed that leauing this good Religious she neuer more insinuated herselfe by her curious deuotion to trouble him Wherfore as this holy Religious perseuered in vertues so att the end of his life his dead body was endowed with such a beauty and splendour that all the Religious both admired and reioyced exceedingly therby hauing more perfect assurance of his sanctity Att the instant of his death S. Antony of Padua who then was Canon Reguler in the monastery of S. Crosse in Conimbria celebrating the masse saw in spirit the soule of this Religious mount into the aire and gloriously to ascend into Paradise hauing first passed Purgatory as a bird that flyeth swiftly Of the life sanctity death and miracles of Br. Walter and of the ancient custome of Portugall to record matters that happened by the yeares of Augustus Caesar THE XXX CHAPTER THe vertue and sanctity of Br. Walter disciple of S. Francis are yet of great fame he hauing so piously and exemplarly liued that in a short time he drew al the neighbour contrye to be friendes to his Order he also conuerted them from many vices and sinnes wherto the inhabitantes therof were much enclined and addicted and exercised them in vertues It is sayd that this holy Father being dead and enterred there issued out of his tombe an oyle of such vertue as it cured many diseases and perseuered till his body was transported to the great Couent neere to the said citty The day of his death which was the second of August was a long time festiually solemnised and in regard of the great concourse of people that from euery where repayred thither to honour and reuerence the holy reliques there was kept a generall faire A long time after the Frere Minors hauing built their Couent very neere the citty the Canons resolued to steale from them this holy body but though to this purpose they came thither with a great nomber of men and afterwardes with strength of oxen to draw away the tombe of the sayd S. entier neuertheles they could not so much as lift vp the reliques alone out of the tombe by what soeuer forcible endeauour nor much lesse
was he by a speciall grace of God alwayes preserued from vices and sinnes but being by his eternall maiesty induced to shunne the snares of the deuill hauing for the loue of IESVS CHRIST giuen all he had to the poore he in the time of Sainct Francis became a Frere Minor and hauing obtayned of God the grace of contemplation and Euangelicall perfection he withall his iudustry laboured that the same might not proue vaine and fruitlesse in him He therfore much exercised himselfe in the vertue of holy obedience which is more pleasing to God then sacrifices In the most violent and extremest cold being almost naked he trauelled for the necessities of the Religious he continuallie employed himselfe in prayer dailie examining his conscience for the most part his reliefe was only bread and water with abondance of teares and by such like abstinence he mortified the concupiscences of his flesh to be able with more puritie to offer vp his soule in sacrifice vnto God He was exceeding compassionate vnto afflicted personnes and with alacrity serued the sicke not only Religious but the seculer also If there wanted phisike he demaunded it for the loue of God as also all other thinges necessarie he was very humble and therfore desirously laboured in the kitchen washed the dishes swept the house and very willingly busied himselfe in all other offices of humility If by any word or act he had giuen occasion of troubles to any one he would presently put a cord about his owne neck and so goe aske him pardon though he endured iniuryes done to himselfe as patiently as if no such thinge had bin he liued fifteene yeares in such and the like exercises of vertue and afterwardes in his death and since God hath discouered how gratefull the life of this his seruant was vnto him before his last sicknes he reuealed the day of his death and the place which he declared to one of his companions He trauelled to Ciuitadochia where being arriued he fell sick and few dayes after the terme of his life being exspired one night att mattins he shewed such an extraordinary ioyfull face as if he had some vision that made him euen exteriourly to reioyce Wherfore the Religious that attended him demaunded if he had seene any Angell of heauen or the holy Father Sainct Francis he answeared that he had not seene the holy Father S. Francis but of the Angel he sayd nothing Being in those ioyes he aduertised his companions of the death of one deuoted vnto him which was reuealed vnto him saying that William was already departed out of this world vnto almighty God and that himselfe should follow him the same day betweene none and euensonge which came to passe for att the time foretold this holy Religious Ambrose yelded his soule into the handes of his Creatour Of many muracles wrought by this glorious S. Ambrose THE XXXV CHAPTER THe nomber of miracles by which our Lord would approue the life and sanctity of his seruant Brother Ambrose was such that Pope Gregory the ninth by an Apostolicall breuie commanded the Bishop of Ciuitadochia and the Priour of S. Iohn of the Order of S. Augustin to meet and to examine the life and miracles of the S. and hauing perused them to approue them for autenticall This Briefe was giuen att the Palace of Lateran the 13. yeare of his Popedome by vertue wherof the said Prelates hauing made a most dilligent search they found that fourteene lame persons had by the merittes of this seruant of God bin cured as also foure deliuered of the falling sicknesse one dispossessed in his life time and two after his death six cured of mortall impostumes and one of a fistula He restored hearing to one that was deafe four men were cured of seuerall diseases a woman of the bloudie flux and an other whose child had bin foure monethes dead in her wombe he restored sight to foure that were blind and finally raysed many from death The said Prelates tooke notice of these and many other miracles but the death of the Pope peruerted his inscription in the catalogue of the SS in the Church militant though he were recorded in heauen where he raigneth with IESVS CHRIST in his Church triumphant making supplication to his diuine maiesty for those that in their necessities haue recourse vnto him Of the life of Br. Iuniperus disciple of S. Francis Of the exemplare humilitie and singuler patience of Brother Iuniperus THE XXXVI CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus was one of the first and most perfect disciples of S. Francis for he was so grounded in the firme and assured foundations of humility patience contempt of the world and of himselfe that no tormenting temptations of the deuill nor persecution of the world could in any sort remoue or desioyne him from his estate of perfection There was neuer any that saw him troubled or disquieted so couragiously did he support all iniuryes of wordes or actions Which brought him to such misprise of himselfe that many seeing him in such poore apparance and so ill treated not knowing his perfection esteemed him for a foole and sencelesse But S. Francis that knew him right well reputing him in the nomber of the perfect sayd that he should be a good and true Frere Minor that attayned the misprise of the world and of himselfe so far foorth as had done Brother Iuniperus and oftentimes considering his simplicities the contempt of himselfe and patience in reprehensions giuen him he would say to the Religious present My Brethren I desire and would to God I had a great forrest full of such Iunipers This worthy seruant of IESVS CHRIST oftentimes found new occasions for exercise of his patience to be misprised and reproached yet without offending God neuer shunning to be reputed a foole as when he one time entred into the citty of Viterbium hauing made a fardell of his habitt bound vp with his cord which he carryed on his shoulders and so went into the marckett place where the children seeing him almost naked vsed him as a foole reuiled him with wordes cast stones att him and berayed him with filth After he had left these that thus tormented him he went to the Couent where the Religious seeing him in such pittifull estate and vnderstanding by him wherefore he had bin so handled they were much scandalized att what he had don and tooke it in very ill part bitterly reprehending him for it some told him he deserued to be cudgelled others to be imprisonned others to be hanged for the great scandall he had giuen to the people but he accepted all these indignities with a very contented and ioyfull countenance as matter much desired of him and in signification of the interiour contentment he conceaued he tooke the fore part of his habitt and beholding those Religious that were most offended with his fact and rebuked him for it sayd vnto thē My freindes fill this I pray you with these iewels doe so feare not for I receaue them
giue you repulse In this manner doe I euer preserue my forteresse from being surprised by such base companions who by their entry would vtterly ruinate me or att least it would be very difficult for me to expell them for att the instant that I perceaue them ready to assault me without permitting them to lay their siege I enforce them to retire with shame enough Which Brother Giles vnderstanding he tourned to his companions and sayd Brethren I am of Brother Iuniperus opinion resolue heÌ„ceforward to make vse of his stratageme of warre for it is most certaine considering that in this sinne the securest fight is to fly by reason that the traiterous appetite which is within the flesh findeth such a stroÌ„ge concurrence of assistaÌ„ce in the exteriour sences by an army raysed by the deuill and opposed against the soule that the perill is extreme and the victory vncertaine so that the securest is not to permitt this traiterous domesticall sinne to enter into our hart Iuniperus being one time reprehended for hauing spoaken too lightly the mouth being the dore wherat the spiritt of deuotion and prayer goeth out he continued six entiere monthes in perpetuall silence the first day his purpose not to speake was in honour of God the Father the second for reuerence of the Sonne the third for loue of the holy Ghost the fourth for the Queene of heauen and so each day proposing some saincte he strictly obserued his silence all that time with new feruour and deuotioÌ„ though naturally he spake very litle which also was of spirituall thinges for as he could not endure to be flattered so neither could he flatter and so had no other discourse but of God and as a Religious perfect in humility he would rather learne and heare then with wordes and exteriour signes of sanctity teach others Of the great charity which Br. Iuniperus exercised towards the sick THE XXXIX CHAPTER THis glorious S. had a great affection to the sick and with an extreme charity did desirously serue them by meanes wherof happened a strange accident att our Lady of Angels touching a sicke person of whome by order of S. Francis who then was there he had the chardge This poore sick man was by the continuance of his infirmity become so feeble that he had not so much strength as to eat which would infallibly hasten his death Br. Iuniperus hauing great coÌ„passioÌ„ of him prayed him with tearfull eyes to tell him wherof he could willinglie ear and he would procure it for him The sick party answeared that he thought he could well eat of a hogs foote in Vinegar if he could gett it Br. Iuniperus replyed be of good Courage Brother I will presently bring you one dressed as you desire and taking a great knife out of the kitchen he went out of the house and seeing many hogges feeding in a field neere by he ran so faâ—t after them that he gott one and cutt off his foot and therwith retourned to the Couent where he presently dressed it with vinegar then carrying it to the sick he did eat therof with such appetite and courage that recouering his tast and appetite he began to amend and by this meane escaped for that time the danger of death In the meane time the master of the hogges being by his swineheard aduertised that a Frere Minor had cutt off the foot of one of his hogges he puffed vp with choller went hastely to the Couent where exclaming as a maded man he vttered many iniurious speeches to the Religious and so farre was he transported with fury that he disgordged against them a thousand vilanies Which the holy Father S. Francis vnderstanding he went to him and sought to appease him praying him for the loue of God to haue patience and offred to repaire whatsoeuer dommage he had receaued But the man more possessed with despight then with the losse would heare no proposition but weÌ„t away exceedingly scandalized att the Religious of whome he bruted many lyes through the streetes and very seriously and vehemently threatned them These good Religious were in meane while exceedingly greiued att this accident and knew not the cause therof wherfore hauing long time discoursed vpon it among themselues they att length addressed themselues to Br. Iuniperus suspecting that his simplicity and some indiscreet zeale had moued him to this fact But he respecting only God contemned all those toyes and respectes of the world The holy Father S. Francis called him before him to vnderstand the matter and circumstances and he very ioyfully recounted vnto him that God had directed and sent vnto him that hogge for the cure of the poore sicke Brother Sainct Francis exceedingly admiring sayd vnto him Ah Brother Iuniperus you haue this day caused a great scandall for the master of the hogge hath bin here and in all fury hath giuen vs infinite reproaches but I acknowledge that he hath reason and doe feare he will defame vs ouer all the citty Wherfore I command you vpon obedience to run after him to aske him pardon and to assure him that he shal be satisfied for his losse and especially so to deale with him as he be not scandalized att vs. Brother Iuniperus much admiring that any one should be moued to choller vpon so charitable a worck considering it to be apparant that temporall goodes are giue of God but for vse of charity he answeared Doubt not Father but I will presentlie appease him in such sort as he shalle haue no cause to complaine of such a charity done as more concerneth God then himselfe Which sayd he went in great hast to seeke out the master of the hogge whome hauing found full of choller he related vnto him how and for what cause he had cutt off his hogges foot then added that he ought to thanck him because thereby he had giuen him occasion of meritt in an act so pleasing vnto God as by his meane was accomplished In meane while the man abused him and grew into such fury as he was euen ready to strike him but the good Religious fell at his feet embraced him and besought him for the loue of God to pardon him which manner of proceeding so mollified his hart that hauing apparantlie seene and perceaued his simplicity and that what he had done proceeded merely of charitie and not of malice or to doe him a mischiefe as the deuill had put in his head he entred into himselfe and repented that euer he had iniuryed the Religious and asked them pardon acknowledging himselfe auaricious and ingratefull for the benefittes he had receiued of God in satisfaction wherof he presentlie killed the hogge and causing him to be conueniently dressed he sent him to the Religious that for the verie loue of God they might eat him in satisfaction of the iniuries vttered against them and thenceforward was very deuout and liberall to the poore of IESVS CHRIST How Brother Iuniperus gaue all he had and could haue for the loue of God
seemed to sleep He dyed in the citty of Cahors the yeare of grace 1272. hauing spent fifteen yeares in the Order of the Frere Minors att six of the clock att night the Eue of Alsaintes to reigne eternally with them Att the very houre of his death two Religious women ancient both in Relligion and vertues did testifie to haue heard Angelicall musike exceedingly mellodious accompanying the soule of this worthy seruant of God vnto heauen A man of the third Order of that citty in a vision saw the soule of this glorious Father att the hower of his departure carryed by Angels with great ioy into Paradise The same night a Burgesse of Cahors called Peter saw in vision the soule of this holy Father sitting on a very resplendant couch that did spread and sparckle glittering beames as the sunne of whome demaunding who he was I am said he the soule of Br. Christopher that haue left my body on earth and am goeing to heauen This man sodenly awaked and arising likewise awakened all his familie to whome he recounted his vision then went to the monastery where he found the body of the holy Father alredy according to the custome carryed into the Church thence to be enterred else where The day following the death of this holy Father being diuulged there repayred such a coÌ„course of people to see this blessed body that he could not be taken out of the handes of those that desired to touch him to kisse teare off part of his habitt to keepe for reliques and to demaund some grace of God by the merittes of him that had worne it This body being with much a doe att length takeÌ„ out of the Church embalmed with precious liquours and aromaticall oyntments it was on the third day putt in a coffin of wood and enterred in the Church of the Frere Minors with great solemnity and reuerence Of the dead raysed by the inuocation of this sainct THE LIII CHAPTER ALmighty God voutsafed also to demoÌ„strate the exceeding great miracles which by the merittes of this his gratefull seruant he wrought in the bishopprick of Cahors for a mother hauing casually left her child vpon a bridge he fell into the water and was drowned The mother seeing her child dead filled all the village with compassion of the sorrow and griefe which by her extreme lamentation she did discouer Att length she had recourse to S. Christopher to whome she vowed to visitt his sepulcher and to present vnto it an image of waxe if he would raise her sonne The vow being made the child began to moue his lippes then to open his eyes and by the merittes of such an intercessour in presence of many people he retourned to life and â—afety A creature being wrested dead out of the mothers wombe was restored to life by the prayers and intercessions of this sainct who was exceedingly importuned and induced thervnto by those that were present In the same citty a mother had layd her child of two yeares old in bed betweene her husband and her selfe but awaking she found the child smothered and dead after many regreets she made vow to S. Christopher that if by his intercession the child might reuiue she would carrie it to his sepulcher and there would present a light and image of waxe Which vow being made the child began to gape then to moue the armes and att length opening his eyes it retourned to life In the same citty and after the same manner the S. being inuocated for a dead child by the father who was deuout vnto him in these tearmes O saint of God rayse my daughter and I promise thee to carry her to thy sepulcher where I will offer there an altare cloth and an image of waxe she vpon this vow retourned to life and the Father and others present gaue thanckes to almighty God and to the S. In a towne called Concet neere to the said citty there was a youg man so weakened with a continuall feauer that he was generally esteemed for dead no motion could be perceaued in him not so much as of his pulse wherfore his mother in extreme affliction perceauing all humane helpe to faile had recourse to almighty God whome she inuocated by the merittes of S. Christopher of whome she had heard many miracles recounted to restore her sonnes health vowing to carry him to his sepulcher there to present an altare cloth and an image of wax The effect was admirable for the presenting of her vow being finished he began to amend and in short time was entierly cured to the great astonishment and content of all his friendes and kinred who fayled not to giue thanckes to God and to accomplish their vow Health was also restored to an other yong man called Iohn desperatly sick att Cahors in the manner aforesayd A Relligious of the Order of S. Clare called Sister Mary being so extremely weakened with sicknes that she could not remoue her selfe in her bed nor much lesse take her rest therin she expected only death but hauing heard it reported that the holy Father Christopher was deceassed and that he wrought infinite miracles she bitterly lamenting presented vnto him this request O holy Father that hast often heard my confession pray vnto almighty God if thou please that I may recouer my health to serue him Which spoaken she fell into a sweet sleep from whence the next morning she awakened full of comfort and consolation and went to the quier to communicate with her other sisters who theratt were much amazed and afterwardes they all together gaue thanckes to the omnipotent bounty of God and to his holy intercessour by whose merittes he so compassionatly assisteth those that addresse their petitions vnto him Of other miracles wrought in the cure of many dangerous and incurable diseases THE LIV. CHAPTER VPon the Mount Abban in the bishopprick of Cahors a child reduced neere vnto death and his mother extremely afflicted by dispaire of her sonnes recouery which hauing exceedingly weakened her by the great wearines of labour that this sicknesse causer her she fell into a litle sleep wherin she heard a voice that sayd vnto her Woman feare no more but make a vow for thy sonne to S. Christopher and God by his merittes will cure him This woman awaking and hauing made her vow her sonne was cured and the mother carryed him to the sepulcher of the sainct wher she thancked God and her Intercessour for it A woman of the said citty of Cahors called Valeria was so sick that the Phisitians iudged her as dead and withall had alredy lost her speech and the motion of all her members and was as black as pitch a priest also comming to heare her confession was constrayned to retourne without vsing his function for she could neither speake heare nor make any signes But her kinred and freindes that were present greiued att the losse of a woman whome they cordially loued fell deuoutly on their knees lifted vp their ioyned
art she that teachest vs the way of our saluation and directest vs in the right and secure path wherin â—e that walketh cannot stray but he that seeketh and followeth another shall only find therin an eternall damnation He was present att masse with exceeding feruour All sondayes and solemne feastes he receaued his Creatour and employed those dayes entierly in contemplation of the grace receaued for goeing very early into the church he would there remayne all the day in the company rather of Angels and Saincts theÌ„ of men Celebrating the feast of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and many other times in the feruour of his prayer he hath bin seene rapt in extasie and eleuated aboue the ground the hight of three handfuls or a foot and a halfe Of other such extasies of spiritt recorded of the glorious Sainct FIue Prouincials did at one time with great deuotion and reuerence visitt this blessed Father with Br. Gratian his companion who aduertised him of their arriuall vpon knoledge wherof he preseÌ„tly mett them and hauing graciously entertayned them he with great feruour of spiritt began to speake vnto them and beholding the heauen with his armes opened as to play on a viole he sung in this manner O Br. make a castell hauing in it neither stone nor iron O my Br. build me a citty without lime or stone and thus singing he was rapt in extasie The said Prouincials knew not the signification of the wordes But Br. Gratian told them that by the castels and citties he meant the holy Apostles and martyrs of the Primitiue church who without the armour of iron and without the helpe of any temporall matter generously builded the house of God in soules which zeale and intention had Br. Giles renouncing temporalities to become a castell of the liuing God and a glorious citty not of temporall building or substance but spirituall of pouerty and diuine loue And because they as Prouincials of the Religion were captaines and furtherers of this worck he by this song gaue them a notable document of their duety in their vocation and office This holy Father being in the monastery of Agele by Perusia he after supper made an exhortation to the Religious in the refectory with his ordinary feruour and with such sweetnes that he enflamed the hartes of all his audience in diuine loue yea his owne also in such sort that he was rauished and out of himselfe in the middest of his BrethreÌ„ where he so continued till the cock-crowing and in the meane time he shined with such a spleÌ„dour which enuironed him that the brightnes of the moone which then was in full was so obscured that the shining therof being darckned by this new light she appeared not in that place which put the Religious in admiration who gaue thanckes to our lord for the admirable worckes demonstrated in his seruant Brother Giles one day thus reasoned with S. Bonauenture who was Generall of the Order Father God hath bestowed many fauours on you that are learned for you haue knoledge of many matters by which you prayse him But what shall we doe to saue our selues we I say that ar ignorant and idiots S. Bonauenture answeared if God had giuen no other grace to men but only ability to loue him it would suffice because loue is more gratefull to God then any other thing that can be offered vnto him Brother Giles herevpon replyed Tell me Father if you please can an ignorant person loue God as much as one learned he can said S. Bonauenture yea I say more a simple and poore old fellow may loue our lord as much as a Doctour in diuinity Vpon these wordes Br. Giles went with great feruour into the garden and tourning towardes the towne he cryed out Poore and caitiue old wretch ignorant idiot and simple loue thy Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and thou mayest be greater then Br. Bonauenture Which sayd he remayned three houresrapt in extasie Of an admirable dispute held by Br. Giles touching free will against Br. Gerardin in the presence of many Religious THE XV. CHAPTER THe venerable Br. Giles being in the Couent of Perusia a Romane gentlewomaÌ„ called SeaueÌ„-Sunnes that was very deuout to S. Francis both in his life time and after his death for she made her residence att Assisium to beneere vnto his sepulcher came to visitt him to receaue some consolation of his energicall doctrine there did she find Brother Gerardin a Religious of exemplar life and very learned together with some other very spirituall Religious who also came to visitt Brother Giles to heare of him some spirituall exhortation Thus discoursing together they fell into dispute vpon a certaine passadge of holy scripture And among many other sentences alleadged by Br. Giles for proofe of what he maintained this was one He that doeth not what he can often endureth that which he would not Br. Gerardin desirous to entertaine Br. Giles in discourse to gratifie the coÌ„pany and for his particuler coÌ„tentment thus begaÌ„ scolastically to argumeÌ„t against him Br. I much admire that you affirme that a man endureth what he would not if he doe not what he can considering that a man can doe nothing of himselfe which is proued by many reasons wherefore I say that the power presupposeth the being so that the action of the thing be according to its being And so much doe the wordes of the Apostle signifie where he sayth If any man esteeme himself to be something wher as he is nothing he seduceth himselfe whence ensueth that a man cannot doe any thing sith he is nothing which I will proue vnto you also by an other reason If a man of himselfe doe any thing it is either by his soule or by his body or by both together Now I will proue that he can doe nothing by meane of any of theÌ„ First he can doe nothing by meane of the soule alone for it is most cleare that the soule separated from the body can neither meritt nor demeritt neither can he doe more by meane of the body only because the body receaueth all his operation of his forme and without the soule it hath no humane being so that much lesse can it worcke which is a thinge proper to the forme and finally yet lesse can he doe by meane of the composition that is of the body and soule vnited together and if he could doe any thing it should be by meane of the soule But I haue proued that the soule being separated from the body can doe nothing and now I affirme that it can much lesse vnited with her body because the body being corruptible chardgeth and burdeneth it as for example if a beast cannot goe vnloaden much lesse can it vnder a burthen Thus Br. Gerardin made his argument appeare very probable which procured to the audience an amazement and confusion But Br. Giles very prudently answeared My good Br. and friend beleeue I pray you that you haue spoaken amisse wherfore acknowledge therin
thou bestow on him that should giue thee feet and he answeared that he would giue him an hundred duckettes if he had so much And if one would giue thee handes he answeared he would giue him al his welth moueables immoueables If one would giue thee eyes to him sayd he I would oblige my selfe in seruice al my life You must now theÌ„ brother that in this world God hath giuen thee feet handes and eyes and the whole body with all thy teÌ„porall and spirituall substance therfore thou must endeauour to please him and to acknwledge such and so many benefites for which thou oughtest to serue him all the time of thy life A discourse of Faith THE XXIII CHAPTER ALl the thinges that can be seene related or imagined are as nothing in comparison of those that cannot be seene heard or coÌ„ceaued All the wisest and most holy personnes that haue bin are and shal be who haue spoaken and shall speake of God haue sayd nothing nor can say any thing in comparison of what he is no more then the point of a needle in respect of the heauens the earth and all the creatures therein contayned yea a thousand times lesse Two Religious of the Order of S. Dominick one day visiting Brother Giles and discoursing which him of faith one of them sayd sainct Iohn the Euangelist hath recorded many merueilous thinges of God Wherto the holy Father answeared Brother S. Iohn hath sayd nothing of God The Religious replyed Father consider well if you please what you say for S. Augustin is of opinion that if S. Iohn had spoaken more highly of God no mortall man could aue vnderstood him Br. Giles then againe I tell you brother and once againe I tell you that S. Iohn hath said litle or nothing of God These Religious being much troubled and scandalized att the holy Father would needes be gon and tourning away Br. Giles stayed them and shewed them a very high mountaine whereon was the oratory of Cettone neere where vnto they then were and sayd vnto them If there were one mountaine made of a thousand together so great as that you see and att the foot therof a litle bird did eat of it tell me brethren I pray you how much would he diminish of that mountaine euery day euery month euery yeare yea in an hundred yeares they answeared him that in a thousand yeares he would consume so litle as should not be perceaued The holy Father thervpoÌ„ inferred Know you my Brethren that the eternall diuinity is so immensiue and is a mountaine of such eminent hight that S. Iohn who was as a bird hath said litle or nothing in comparison of the greatnes of God These Religious acknowledgeing how prudently Brother Giles had spoaken fell att his feet confessing their errours and so retourned exceedingly edified Br. Giles one day discoursing of spirituall matters with a lawyer that was a Iudge in some place O Iudge sayd he beleeue you that the recompenses which God promiseth his seruantes are great the Iudge answeared he did Br. Giles proceeding sayd I will proue that you doe not How much are you worth the iudge answeared about a thousaÌ„d crownes Well said the Father se now how you beleeue it only in wordes for tel me if you could giue your thousand crownes for an huÌ„dred thousand would you not esteeme it a great gaine would you not presently employ them I beleeue you would and yet you will not giue them for the kingdome of heauen What followeth then but that you doe not much esteeme nor much valew the glory of the heauenly kingdome in regard of the friuolous follies of this world And the reason is because you haue no liuely faith Yet the Iudge vnwilling to yeld replyed to Br. Giles Father beleeue you that euery one worcketh as much as he beleeueth the holy Father answeared he that beleeueth well and perfectly worcketh and perfoâ—meth worckes correspondente as did the sainctes who did all the good they could and haue accomplished by pious desires what they could not performe in effect And if one haue a perfect and liuely faiâ—h he would arriue to that estate as God would giue him a perfect knowledge and assurance euen of diuine thinges as sayth the Apostle to the Romanes I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers neither thinges present nor things to come neither might nor height nor depth nor other creature shal be able to separate vs from the charity of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And the man that assuredly hopeth this eternall soueraine recompence doth not regard any afflictioÌ„ as on the contrary no good can satisfie him that despaireth of the eternal good in so much as a sinner should neuer despaire of the mercy of God whiles he hath life coÌ„sidering that there is no tree so thorny disordered but men if they list can prune and rectifie it Much lesse can there be so great a sinner in the world as that God cannot adorne him with his graces and vertues A discours of Charity and of what the Prophet meant when he said that all his friendes did deceaue him THE XXIV CHAPTER CHarity is the principall of all the vertues happy is he that feeleth not in himselfe any disgust of the thinges which he ought alwayes to desire Brother Giles put this question to a Religious with whome he was very familier doe you beleeue that I loue you the Religious answeared he did Wel then said the holy Father beleeue it no more for a creature ought not sincerely to loue but the Creatour who is pure and infinite An other Religious said to the holy Father I beseech you Father make me vnderstaÌ„d how that must be interpreted which the Prophet saith Euery friend deceiueth Wherto he answeared I deceiue you in that I doe not search your good as I doe mine owne For the more I repute your good to be mine owne the lesse shall I deceaue you the more a man reioyceth att his neighbours good the more doth himselfe participate therin therfore if you desire to participate therof striue to reioyce therat to procure Charity is the truest most sure way of saluation sith that therby one doth not only reioyce att the good of his neighbour but is also grieued att his crosses he beleeueth and iudgeth well of others and euill of himselfe he honoureth others and mispriseth himselfe He that will not honour an other shall not be honoured and he that knoweth not himselfe shall not be knowne he that will not weary himselfe shall not repose also the greatest of all labours and the most meritorious is to labour in piety and benignity he that doeth a good worck without loue and charity is not gratefull to God nor to his sainctes but he that for the loue of God maketh himselfe poore of temporall substance shal be rich of such as are celestial A man then ought
that prayeth continually for all the people and for the holy Cittie which the sayd Religious vnderstood to be Brother Giles A woman of the citty of Perusia hauing no milke wherwith to suck her litle child had recourse to this holie Father to whome she was much deuoted but he being in extasie she could not speake vnto him And she not hauing leasure to expect came neere him where he prayed whose breast hauing with exceeding faith and deuotion touched she had milke sufficient to nource her child How God communicated to Br. Giles a most pleasing seeling of glory before this death THE XLIII CHAPTER THis holy Father a litle before his death retourning from prayer into his cell replenished with a merueillous ioy sayd to his companion My child giue me thy iudgement in this I haue found a treasure of such worth and excellency as no humane tongue can expresse and therfore my child I pray thee againe speake thine opinion therof Which he diuers times repeated with an exceeding feruour of spiritt and with such enflamed charity that he seemed to be really druncken with the wine of the loue of God and the abondance of his grace But this Religious hauing told him that it was time to goe take his refection he ioyfully answeared him My child this is a singuler refection and farre better then any other The Religious thincking to tempt him sayd Father lett vs not now thinck of these thinges but lett vs to goe to dinner Wherto the venerable Br. Giles replyed that such speech was iniurious vnto him and that he should haue done him greater pleasure to haue stricken and wounded him to the bloud Now one may piously presume that this holy soule had notice that it should shortly leaue the flesh to enioy that notable treasure of eternall glory which it so much desired there to haue fruition and tast of the most sacred presence of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST About that time a Religious told him that the holy Father S. Francis had sayd that the seruant of God should alwayes desire to end his life by martyrdome wherto he answeared For my part I respect not to die better then in contemplation Of the admirable prophesic he made of himselfe and of his death THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Giles besides his age being wasted by grieuous insrmities as ache in his head and stomache by a very troublesome cough and burning ague so that he could neither eat sleep nor repose The Cittizens of Perusia out of great deuotion towardes him sent many armed men to guard him that being dead his body might not be buryed other where well knowing that he did not only desire but would order to be buryed att our Lady of Angels Vnderstanding then that he was guarded with armed men with great seruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Brethren tell the Perusians that the belles shal neuer ring for my canonization nor for any miracle of mine and that they shall haue no other signe but that of the Prophet lonas Which the Perusians vnderstanding they answeared they would haue him in their cittie though he should not be canonized and so the eue of sainct George att the houre of Mattins as soone as the Religious had layed him on a bed to repose hauing receaued the holy sacramentes ordayned by the Church without any acke of his body that might discouer and make appeare the agony of his death only shutting his mouth and eyes this contemplatiue soule was dissolued from the body with great repose God hauing for all eternity eleuated it vnto his glory This holy Father departed this life the yeare of grace 1260. and of his conuersion to Religion 52. haning merited to ascend vnto heauen their to raigne eternally the same day that he receaued the habitt of the holy Father sainct Francis becomming his true follower and disciple The Perusians after death seeking stones to make him a tombe found a sepulchre of marble wherin was carued the history of the Prophett Ionas where they layd his body according as he had prophesied Of the reuelation of the glory of this S. THE XLV CHAPTER A Person of notable sanctity saw in vision the holy Br. Giles accōpayned with a great number of soules of Religious others that then were dead and comming out of Purgatory they with him ascēded into heauē He saw our lord IESVS CHRIST with a great multitude of Angels that came to receaue him with musicke exquisitely melodious made by those Angelicall quiers these blessed soules were with great honour entertayned of our Redeemer into his kingdome were he seated them on a seat of merueillous glory Att the same time that Br. Giles was sicke of his last sicknes an other Religious fell also sick euen to death who was instantly prayed by a third Religious his Friend that if it should please God to call him he would reueale vnto him his estate if the diuine Maiesty would permitt it which the sick Religious promised Wherfore he dying the same day that Br. Giles did appeared to this his Religious friend and thus spake vnto him Br. giue thanckes vnto God for that it hath pleased him to graunt and giue me his glory deliuering me with many other soules from the paines of Purgatory by the merittes of Saint Giles Which sayd he vanished This Religious not daring to reueale this apparition to any fell grieuously sick But conceauing that this sicknes might be sent him for not diuulging the glory of Br. Giles he instantly called into his Couent some Frere Minors to whome and to many other Religious he recounted the foresaid apparition and was with all miraculously recouered S. Bonauenture said of this holy Br. Giles that God had giuen him one speciall grace which was that whosoeuer did inuocate him in matters concerning the saluation of their soules were heard Our lord wrought many miracles after his death by his merittes and intercession He cured three personnes of infirmities in their eyes fiue that were lame and two of paine in their feet that hindred them from mouing three of the sqinancie a woman in trauell of child two of agues one of the stone and many of diuers other diseases The end of the seauenth book and second volume of the first part of the present Chronicles THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE LIFE OF the glorious Virgin S. Clare the institution of her rule the conuersion of S. Agnes her sister and of an other S. Agnes daughter to the king of Behomia Of the intention of our Lord in the vocation of S. Clare and of her contry her father and mother Of a reuelation vnto her mother touching her sanctity and of her birth THE FIRST CHAPTER SIX yeares after the conuersion of the holy Father S. Francis and the fourth yeare after the confirmation of his rule by Pope Innocent the third the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent Father of light hauing framed and sent into the world
this holy virgin which wasted her forces and ouerthrew all her naturall strenght and health of body The deuout Religious daughters of this holy mother had exceeding compassion of her and very bitterly lamented her voluntarily procuring her owne death For remedy wherof saint Francis and the bishop of Assisium forbad her those three dayes of fast which euery weeke she cruelly inflicted on her selfe and commanded her not to passe one day without taking att least an ownce and a halfe of bread to conserue her life And albeitt such grieuous affliction of the body doe accustome to breed also some affliction to the heart yet did the contrary succed in her for she carryed a countenance so gracious and ioyfull in all her austerities that she seemed either to haue no feeling of them or not to feare any inconuenience therof Yea she in a sort scoffed att corporall afflictions which sufficiently demonstrated that the spirituall ioy wherwith she was interiourly nourished appeared exteriourly in her holy face because the true loue of the hart alwayes maketh corporall afflictions easy and light Of the deuotion and spirituall profitt which the fame of the glorious S. Clare procured ouer all the world THE XI CHAPTER THe fame of sainte Clare began within litle time to spred ouer all Italy which caused women from all partes to begin to runne after the odour of the precious liquour of her fanctity The virgins after her example approached vnto IESVS CHRIST and made him presentes of their virginity Marryed women endeauoured to liue more chast and vertuously Gentlewomen and Ladyes contemning their faire houses and sumptuous tables shutt themselues into Monasteryes esteeming it a great glory to liue in strict penance for the loue of IESVS CHRIST This Saint was also a spurre vnto men to excite in them a violent feruour and principally to youth that began to take courage in the contempt of the world and by example of the frayler sexe to fight against the temptations and deceiptfull pleasures of the flesh Many marryed personnes with mutuall consent obliged themselues to continencie the men entring into Couentes of men and the women into monasteryes of Religious women The mother induced the daughter to serue IESVS CHRIST the daughter the mother one sister an other and briefly each one by a holy enuie desired to serue IESVS CHRIST all seeking to participate of the euangelicall life which by this espouse of IESVS CHRIST was demonstrated vnto them An infinite number of virgins that by her fame were induced to piety vnable to become Religious or to leaue their Fathers houses endeauoured yet to liue therin religiously leading a reguler life without rule S. Clare by her example produced such branches of saluation that it seemed the saying of rhe Prophett was to be accomplished in her The fruites of the desolate and barren are far greater then of the maried Whiles these matters thus proceeded in Italy the discent of this benediction which destilled downe in the vally of Spoletum grew by diuine prouidence to so spacious and lardge a floud that the violent current therof ouer flowed all the citties of the holy Church so that the nouelty of such admirable thinges was speedily diuulged ouer all the world and with such praise and admiration gaue such lustre that the nature of her vertues filled with splendour the chambers of great ladyes and penetrated euen into the great pallaces of Duchesses yea those most pure beames of her brightnes pearced into the very cabbinettes of Queenes and Princesses in such sort that eminencie of bloud and hight of nobility submitted debased it selfe to follow the steppes of this glorious Virgin many reiecting the beames of their honour and the sublimity of their estates so that some ladyes that could haue bin marryed to kinges and dukes induced by the fame of saincte Clare tooke vpon them the practise of strict pennance and many already marryed to men of great nobility desired in their estate to imitate this seruant of IESVS CHRIST An infinite number also of citties were in this example adorned with Monasteries of yong women The fieldes and mountaines were ennobled and enriched with the structures of these celestiall buildinges The exercise and honour of chastity did multiply in the world saincte Clare carrying the standerd of the Order of Virgins which being almost extinguished she restored to perfection reneweing it by the blessed flowers of her example and conuersation But retourning to the history lett vs speake of the perfection of the prayer of this glorious Virgin by meane wherof she obtayned of God so great graces for her selfe and her daughters Of the feruent and perfect prayer of the Virgin S. Clare THE XII CHAPTER AS saincte Clare was mortified in her flesh and far remote from all corporall recreation so did she continually busye her soule in deuotions and diuine prayses This virgin had fixed and imprinted the subtility of her feruent desire in the eternal light as she was remote from earthly occupations and rumors so did she the more lardgely dilate the bosome of her soule to the influence of diuine grace She continued in long prayer together with her Religious after compline the riuers of teares that flowed from her eyes awakening and bathing the hartes of her companions When the sleep of others gaue her opportunity to be solitary being often in prayer she would lay her face against the earth bathed with teares kissing it sweetly and with such contentmenr that she seemed alwayes to hold in her armes her Spouse IESVS CHRIST att whose feete her teares trickled downe and her kisses left their impressions It happened one time that as this holy virgin powered out her teares in the silent of the night the Angel of darcknes appeared vnto her in figure of a black yong man saying If thou continuest this extreme weeping thou wilt become blind Wherto she answeared He that is to see God cannot be blinde Wherwith the deuill being confounded vanished and fled The same night this S. being in prayer after matines all bathed in teares the temptor appeared againe vnto her and sayd Weep not so much vnlesse thou wilt haue thy braine to melt and distill in such sort as thou shalt auoyd it att thy eyes and nostrels and therwith shalt haue thy nose crooked S. Clare with great feruour answeared him He that serueth IESVS CHRIST can haue no crookednesse and presently the wicked spiritt disappeared Many signes did discouer make knowne the great alteration she receaued in her selfe in the feruour of her prayer and how sweet and delectable the diuine bounty was vnto her in this ioy and holy conuersation for when she retourned from prayer she with admirable contentment brought wordes enflamed with the fire of the altare of God which kindled the hartes of her Religious and procured in them a great admiration att this extreme sweetnes that appeared and flashed out of her face It is without doubt that almighty God had coupled and conioyned his sweetnes with her
pouerty and did manifest exteriourly in her body that her soule was interiourly replenished with diuine light In this manner did she ordinarily liue full of so supreme delightes passing ouer this deceiptfull world with her noble Spouse IESVS CHRIST and being on this wheele of motion she was theron sustayned with an assurance and firmity of vertue very stable and preserued with the celestiall eleuation of her soule in the hight of heauen keeping the treasure of glory securely shutt vp with in a vessell of flesh here below on earth This holy virgin accustomed to call vp the yonger Religious a litle before mattines and to awaken them with the ordinary signe to excite them very often to praise God All her Religious sleeping she did watch lighted the lampe rung att mattines so that negligence found no entrance into her monastery nor sloath had there any place She also by the sting of sharpe repreprehension and of her liuely and effectuall examples expelled tepedity and ircksomnes in prayer and the seruice of God How the Mores were expelled the Monastery by the prayers of S. Clare THE XIII CHAPTER THis being the place where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin it is not conuenient that we pretermitt them in silence for as the merueillous effectes of her prayer are veritable so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence In the time of the Emperour Federick the second the holy Church in diuers places endured great persecutions but particulerly in the vally of Spoletum which being subiect to the Romane Church dranck of the vessell of wrath of this mischieuous tyrant his capitaines and soldiers being scattered ouer the fieldes as grasse hoppers with sword to murder people and with fire to burne their houses The impiety of this Emperour did so augment that he had assembled all the Mores that dwelt on the mountaines and among the desertes to make himselfe the more fearefull vnto his vassels and after he had by lardge promises gayned these Mores and disposed them into diuers places he gaue them att length for retyre a very ancient but ruined citty which yet to this present is called Moura des Mores which they fortifyed and then thither retyred about twenty thousand fighting men who did much mischeife ouer all Apulia and in other Christian places These ennemies of the faith of IESVS CHRIST came one day vnexpectedly towardes the cittye of Assisium who being already close to the portes a great number of them came to the Monastery of saint Damian as a lewd and dissloyall nation that continually thirsteth after the bloud of Christians and dareth to committ indifferently all kind of execrable actes without either shame of men or feare of God These Mores then brake euen into the Monastery of sainte Clare where she was with her Religious daughters who had their hartes surprised with an extreme terrour but much more when they heard the barking and crye of those dogges so neere them so that they were euen dying with the apprehension not knowing where to seeke reliefe nor of whome to hope for deliuerance from so emminent perill but by the merittes of their holy mother Whome with infinite sighes and teares they aduertised of what they heard and saw This holy virgin though sick encouraging her Religious caused her selfe with incredible constancie to be carryed to the gate of her Monastery att the entry wherof in the sight of all her ennemies she with very great reuerence placed the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist in the pix before which falling postrate on the earth she with abondance of teares thus spake to her beloued Spouse IESVS CHRIST Is it possible my God thy will should be that these they seruantes who cannot vse materiall weapons to defend thēselues and whome I haue here brought vp nourced in thy holy loue should now be deliuered into the power of the Infidell Mores Oh my God! Preserue thē if thou please and me likewise for albeit thy diuine Maiesty hath cōmitted thē to my gouernemēt yet is it not in my power to defend thē from so great a perill sith this protection cānot be but by a worck of thine omnipotencie Therfore doe I recōmend thē to thy diuine Maiesty with all the affection that I am able As soone as this holy virgin had sent these prayers vnto heauē she heard a voice so delicate as if it had bin of a sucking child that said I will protect you for eue◠The holy mother did not yet giue ouer to present her prayers saying My God I humbly beseech thee if so it be thy holy will to preserue and defend this thy citty of Assisium which doth nourish vs for the loue it beareth to thy diuine Maiesty Wherto God answeared This citty shall suffer much but in the end I will by my fauour defend it Sainte Clare hauing heard so gracious newes lifted vp her face bathed with teares and comforted her beloued daughters saying Deere Sisters I assure you that no euill shall befall you only be carefull to haue a firme faith and confidence in IESVS CHRIST The diuine assistāce made no long delay for the presumption and rage of the Mores was incontinently cooled so that a sodaine vnknowne terrour hauing surprised them they speedily retyred ouer the walles which they had scaled and ouer leapt to enter They being thus by the vertue of the prayer of sainte Clare expelled she priuatly called the Religious that had heard the sayd voice of God and commanded them that howsoeuer it were they should not diuulge what they had heard during her life How the citty of Assisium was an other time deliuered by the prayer of this holy Virgin THE XIV CHAPTER ON an other time one of the principall Capitaines of the Emperour Federick called Vitall d'Auerse a man very ambitious of glory full of courage and a notable Capitaine conducted his troupes to besiege Assisiū and hauing encōpassed it he exposed to wast and spoile the plaine contry therabout making a totall ruine euen to the very trees which were hewed downe and then framing his siege he vttered menacing and vaunting oathes that he would not stirre thence till he had giuen the citty a victorious assault and so this siege so long continued that the besieged began to loose courage as wanting many thinges extreemely needfull vnto them Wherof this holy seruant of IESVS CHRIST being aduertised sighing in her hart she called all her Religious to whome she thus discoursed My deere sisters you know that all our necessities haue euer bin supplyed by the charity of this citty so that we should proue very vngratefull if we should not according to our ability assist them in this extreme necessity then she commanded to be broughte her ashes and all her Religious to discoife their heades and to giue them example she began to couer her bare head with ashes wherin all the other Religious following her she said Goe ye to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and with the greatest
of grace 1253. the twelfth of August forty yeares after her perfect vocation to God and the 60. yeare of her age She was enterred the 12. of August on which day her feast is solemnised att Assisium and ouer all the holy Romane Church Of the miracles wrought by the merittes of S. Clare and first of possessed personnes that haue bin deliuered THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe cheefest marckes that sainctes can haue and the worthiest testimonies of faith and reuerence are sanctity of life and the perfection of good worckes for sainct Iohn Baptist wrought no miracles during his life and yet they that haue wrought many shall not be esteemed more holy then he And therfore the notable renowne of the religious life of saincte Clare might suffice to make her appeare such as she is if the tepedity coldnes and remissnesse of the world and partly also deuotion did not otherwise require But sith this holy virgin was not only in her life time by her merittes swallowed vp in the depth of diuine illumination but was also after her death of merueilous splendour ouer all the world by the light of her miracles and as the most pure verity hath caused the recording of many of her miracles that they remayne as testimony memory and denunciation of her sanctity therfore also the multitude of them enforce the rehearsall of some that they may be generally diuulged and knowne A child called Iames seeming not so sick as possessed in regard that sometimes he cast himselfe into the fire or into the riuer fell rudely on the ground and with such fury did bite the stones that he brake his teeth withall forced bloud out of his head and wrested his mouth most strangely yea sometimes would seeme a mōstrer so dubling and folding his members as his feet would be on his necke He was ordinarily twice in the day afflicted with the like tormentes in such sort that two personnes sufficed not to restraine him from tearing of his cloathes yea there was great difficulty to keep him from murdering himselfe Many Phisitians hauing in vaine laboured to cure him att length his Father named Guidalot had recourse to the merittes of S. Clare affectionatly saying O holy virgin honoured of the world to thee I adresse my self to beseech thee to obtaine of God my sōnes health Then ful of cōfidence he conducted him to the sepulchre of this sainct and layd him therevpon and he presently miraculously obtayned the fauour he desired his sonne being perfectly cured of all his infirmities and was neuer troubled after Alexandrina of the towne of Frata neere to Perusia was possessed tormented with an abhominable deuill to whose power she was so left that he made her fly as a byrd to the topp of a rock neere to the riuer of Tiber then made her descend to a branch of a tree that did hang over the sayd riuer then to hang on that branch there playing her idle pranckes This woman had halfe her body vtterly benummed for which the Phisitians could find no remedy Att lenght she came with great deuotion to the shrine of saincte Clare and inuocating her merittes she was cured of all her afflictions for she had also the gout in her left hand and her body halfe paraliticall was cured and withall she was entierly freed of the oppression and seruitude of the deuill An other woman of the same place was cured before the sayd sepulcher who was in like sort possessed with the deuill and had withall many other diseases Of many that were miraculously cured of diuers diseases THE XXIX CHAPTER A French youth goeing to Rome in company of others his country men fell sick and lay by the way and by the force of his infirmity lost his sence and speech and his body became deformed as it were a monster then became he so furious that he could not be held so that he seemed ready to dye which spectacle did not only moue his companions to compassion but did also exceedingly terrifie them and therfore they bound him to a biere and carryed him to the Church of saincte Clare where hauing placed him before her sepulcher they applyed them all to prayers inuocating the helpe of God and of the S. who made such intercession for the yong man that he was in an instant entierly cured A man of the citty of Spoletum called Valentin was exceedingly afflicted with the falling sicknesse in which he fell six times a day in whatsoeuer place he was and besides he had one foot so wrested awry that he was vtterly lamed he was brought on an asse to the sepulcher of S. Clare where hauing remayned two dayes and three nightes the third day attempting to moue his lame foot and none being neere him he made such a noyse that being heard by some a farre off they seemed to heare the kreaking of a peice of dry wood and the man was instantly cured of both the one and the other his sayd diseases The sonne of a woman of Spoletum called Iames of twelue yeares old beingblind could not goe without a guid being once forsaken by him that conducted him he fell into a pitt brake one of his armes and hurt his head The night following sleeping by the bridge of Varue a woman appeared vnto him and sayd Iames if thou come to me to Assisium I will cure thee Arising early in the morning he much admired att the vision which he recounted vnto two other blind men who answeared him Brother we haue lately heard of a Lady that is dead in the citty of Assisium att whose sepulcher God worcketh by her merittes great miracles which the blinde youth hauing heard he left the two other blind men and wiht a strong confidence hastened to Assisium in the way he lodged att Spoletum where in the night he had the same vision which encreased his hope of recouering his sight and made him hasten in time to arriue to the church of saincte Clare But he found it so filled with worldly people that he could not enter which exceedingly troubled him But seeing no remedy he rested att the dore and there remayned till the euening where this poore blind youth being weary by his iorney and afflicted for that he could not enter into the church setled himsesfe the best he could to rest vpon the ground leaning his head against a great stone and so slept and presently the third time heard the sayd voice speaking Iames God will doe thee good if thou canst enter and incontinently awaking out of that sleep he began to cry and begge of the people with abondance of teares to permitt him to enter which hauing a long time continued they gaue him place and hauing discloathed himselfe putting his girdle about his neck he went to the sepulcher of the sainct before which with great reuerence and humility he fell on his ' knees and hauing persisted sometime in prayer beseeching saincte Clare to intercede for him he fell into a gentle slumber wherin
saincte Clare appeared vnto him and sayd Arise Iames for thou art already cured and being awaked and raysed on his feet the defect of his sight left him and by the vertues and merittes of this Sainct he clearly saw for which he glorifyed God and gaue him thanckes for so admirable a worcke exhorting all present to doe the like and to prayse our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in his holy seruant Of the lame and paralitiques cured by saincte Clare THE XXX CHAPTER A Cittisen of Perusia called Iohn Martin de Buony weÌ„t one time with many other Cittisens out of the citty to fight against their ennemies of Tullinium the skirmish being ended Iohn found his hand exceedingly hurt with the blow of a flint stone and the bone being broken he was therby maymed hauing bin att extreme coste for the cure therof yet without any remedy but still enforced to carry his arme in a scarfe he alwayes complayned therof as of a desperat may me and asked counsel about cutting off his hand but hauing one day heard speech of merueillous matters wrought by almighty God att the intercession of sainte Clare he with a strong faith vowed to goe to her sepulcher whither arriuing he very deuoutly and reuerently presented her a hand of wax then fell on his knees and made his feruent prayers to God that it would please his diuine Maiesty by the merittes of that holy virgin to cure him The successe was admirable for before this gentleman arose he felt his hand entierly cured for which he gaue thanckes to God and to the Saint A yong man of Castrouitoly called Petronius was so consumed with a disease which had for three yeares continually afflicted him that he seemed to be already withered and corrupted yea he was therby brought to such weakenesse that in goeing he stooped with his face as it were on the ground and found great difficulty to walke though with a staffe in his hand to support him His Father hauing already bin exceedingly chardged about his cure continued yet in resolution to employ the residue of his substance out of his vehement desire to see his sonne cured But the Phisitions hauing assured him that there was no hope of cure by humane art he had recourse to the new Sainct of whose vertue hauing heard much report he caused his sonne to be carryed where the Reliques of saincte Clare reposed And hauing made his prayers by her sepulcher he recouered his former health and miraculously arose sound and straight as if he had neuer endured infirmity yea he ran leapt and praysed God and saincte Clare inducing all present to haue greater faith and deuotion towardes her In the towne of sainct Quiric within the diocesse of Assisium a child of ten yeares old hauing bin borne lame went so pittifully and painfully that if he chanced to fal to the grouÌ„d he could not rise againe but with extreme difficulty His Mother had many times recommended him to S. Francis yet found he no redresse but vnderstanding afterward that the virgin sainte Clare was very famous for infinite miracles which by her merittes were wrought att her sepulcher she caused her sonne to be carryed thither and incontinently after he had bin there his bones were setled in their places and his members were cured that which sainct Francis entreated by deuout prayers would not graunt he referred to be obtayned and impetrated by the merittes of his disciple saincte Clare A Cittisen of Augubia called Iames le Franch had a sonne of fiue yeares old so lame that he could not goe which he very impatiently supported it seeming to him that the torment of his child was a reproch vnto his honour and family When this child was on the ground he would wallow and creep in the dust in that sort to goe and if he would stay himselfe against any thing to arise he could not for nature had giuen him only a desire but no force and ability thervnto But his Father and mother consulted to make a vow for him and to offer him to the merittes of sainte Clare to whome they promised that being cured he should be called hers The vow being made the espouse of IESVS CHRIST cured this child who began so well to goe that without any helpe he went to the sepulcher of the sayd sainct A woman of Castel Menany called Plenaria had bin long time benummed in such sort as she could not goe without a staffe but causing herselfe to be carryed to the sepulcher of S. Clare and hauing there deuoutly offered her prayers she the day following obtayned what she there with faith demaunded So she retourned home on her owne feet who came thither supported by the feet of others A woman of Perusia had a swelling on her cheeke which tormented her a long time and besides had al ouer her body many ring wormes tettars she had also her neck greater then her head And often thincking of S. Clare she one day went to her church where withgreat deuotion and a true faith she made her prayers and continuing by her sepulcher till euen within night she fell into a great sweat wherby the swelling began to wax dry and to shrinck and so by litle and litle she was so perfectly cured that there remayned no shew of scarre How two children were by saincle Clare rescued and preserued from the rage of wolues THE XXXI CHAPTER THe vally of Spoleâ—uÌ„ was accustomed to be much afflicted with wolues who did ofâ—eÌ„ proy there on humaÌ„ flesh There dwelt a woman called Bonna on the Mount Galien within the diocesse of Assisium who hauing two children had scarce ended her lamentations for the one which the wolues had deuoured but whiles she was busy in her house they carryed away the other The wolfe carryed her child to the top of the mountayne grapled it by the throat when a labourer in the vineyardes hearing the pittifull cry of the child called the mother and admonished her to haue care of her sonne in regard he heard a crying voice like to his The woman not finding her sonne presently beleeued that the wolfe had seased on him and therfore began to rayse her lamentation towardes heauen deuoutly inuocating the helpe of S. Clare in these tearmes O blessed saincte Clare haue compassion on me miserable woman and restore me my child Alas heare if thou please the prayers of an infortunate mother permitt me not to continue in this so rigorous desolation Whiles this poore woman so recommended her distresse to saincte Clare her neighbours fournished with weapons hastened after the rauening wolfe and comming to the top of the sayd mountaine they found that he had left the child wounded in the throat whose woundes a dogge was licking And so the child was safely recouered by the merittes of saincte Clare who was inuocated by his mother to whome he was brought and was incontinently restored to perfect health A litle girle of the towne of Canary being about noone abroad 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
till euensong she felt her selfe freed from the deuils that possessed her this was done on the feast of S. Francis The kinred of this deliuered woman offered an image of waxe weighing two poundes to the sepulchre of the sainct in acknowledgement of the grace and fauoure receaued A man of Perusia with a continuall feiuer had in his body an impostume wherof the Phisitions gaue their iudgement he would in short time end his dayes Wherfore a woman called Celiola admonished him to recommend himselfe to sainte Agnes and to vow the visiting of her sepulchre Which hauing done and his prayers ended his infirmity ended withall being cured both of the one and the other disease for which not being vngratefull he visited the said sepulchre and euery where preached the prayâ—es of the holy virgin giuing thanckes to almighty God for such a fauour A Religious of the Monostery of saincte Clare in Assisium had lost the sight of one eye and was in danger to loose the other But finding that no humane application did auayle her she recommended her selfe to saincte Agnes and the other Religious of her Monastery also prayed for her who as she one time prayed in the Church saw a woman that came to her and said Sister open your eye for your sight is recouered and so opening her eyes she clearly saw but she could no more see the woman that spake vnto her only she was assured that it was sainte Agnes to whome she had hartely recommended her selfe Vitula the wife of Matthew du Loup att sainct Francis gate in Assisium had a sonne called Martin that had a deep soare in his throat and an other in his shoulder both mortall whence issued such an offensiue sauour that it was not possible to come neere him Att length after many remedyes had in vaine bin tryed his mother recommended him to sainte Agnes to whome hauing with a deuout hart offered her prayers the S. one night appeared vnto her richly attyred with a diademe of gold on her head and a branch of lilly in her right hand and sayd vnto her My daughter disquiett not thy selfe for they soÌ„ne for he shal be cured and deliuered from perill Which this woman hauing heard she arose full of comfort and went to the Monastery of S. Clare and recounted this apparition to the Abbesse and the Religious then she heard masse which being ended the Religious shewed to the mother and the sonne the sacred Reliques of the saint and at the instant the sonne was cured of the impostume in his throat only After that S. Agnes appeared to him in vision together with an other womaÌ„ that brought a viol full of oyntment S. Agnes then sayd to the child My sonne how doe you wherto he answeared I am by the merittes of S. Agnes cured of the impostume in my throat but that which is on my shoulder procureth me extreme affliction The S. replyed I will cure this as I did the other in thy throat then she vnbound the sayd impostume tooke of the plaister and cast it on the ground then applyed therto the oyntment which her companion had brought and instantly the child was perfectly cured When his mother came to see him she found the playsters on the ground and her sonne sound and lusty who particulerly recounted vnto her the sayd vision which afterward was generally diuulged This happened in the yeare 1350. The life of an other saincte Agnes who was daughter to the king of Bohemia and Religious of S. Clares Order THE XL. CHAPTER IN the beginning of this Religiious Order there was an other virgin besides the precedent called Agnes as illustrious in sanctity as in bloud for she was daughter to a king of Bohemia who promised her in mariage to the Emperour Federick and this holy virgin hauing heard the worthy reputation of S. Clare who then liued by such as â—ame from Rome and Assisium being inspired of God she besought the king her Father to giue her leaue to â—erue rather the celestiall then a terrestâ—iall Spouse But the king knowing that he could not recall his word and that whatsoeuer excuse he should alleadge to breake this mariage the Emperour would sinisterly interpret it he vtterly denyed her Now the virgin hauing found the drift and cause of this denyall assured her Father that if he would accord to what she demaunded she would vndertake that the Emperour should condiscend thervnto presuming confidently on the fauour of IESVS CHRIST She knew well to deliuer many other allegations with so good a grace and with such persuasiue tearmes that she purchaced her Fathers coÌ„sent to what she desâ—ed without further seeking the approbation of the Emperour Whervpon this Princesse presently sent for certaine Frere Minors of Magnes where they had a Couent who comming to her did shortly after consecrate vnto God this royall planâ— with many other gentlewomen of a great families of Bohemia to whome they gaue the habitt of Religion instructing theÌ„ in the life and rule of S. Clare The king desiring to assigne a good pensioÌ„ and to bestow on the Monastery where his daughter was a good reuenue to supply the necessities therof she formally withstood him purposing to liue and dye poore and to be maintayned by almose coÌ„formably to her rule rigourously obseruing the intention of the holy Father saint FraÌ„cis S. Clare in the vow of pouerty which is yet to this day in the same maÌ„ner obserued in the sayd monastery which is in Prague the chiefe citty of the kingdome of Bohemia with froÌ„ this first foundation layd by this holy Princesse hath alwayes bin furnished with gentlewomen Now the Emperour hauing vnderstood that his promised loue had abandoÌ„ned the world he was att the first appreheÌ„sion exceedingly troubled But considering with more maturity that she had not forsaken him to take an other man but for IESVS CHRIST himselfe he was att lenght satisfyed contented and comforted S. Clare being aduertised of all that this Princesse had done and of her life and perfection who also had written and expresly sent a messenger to acknowledge obedieÌ„ce vnto her as to her Mother and mistresse auouching her selfe her humble disciple S. Clare answeared her by a letter filled with much feruour and consolation and sent her in token of amitye and good will a girdle a vayle a cupp of wood and a dish wherin the S. her selfe accustomed to eat and many like small thinges which the holy Princesse with great deuotion accepted Our Lord wrought many miracles by the â—aid Reliques which euer afterward were kept in the sayd Monastery in very great deuotion and reuerence The renowne of this Princesse being diuulged ouer al Almania there were founded many monasteries of poore Religious in her imitation which were filled with many daughters of Princes Dukes Earles and other great Lordes and gentlemen of that contry who in imitation of saincte Clare and the sayd Princesse Agnes abandonning the world and the follyes therof espoused for eternity IESVS
the worckes of charity so was he honoured of God in this life by merueillous actions miracles For he expelled the euill spirittes out of humane bodyes he cured all kind of diseases Wherin was accomplished the prophesie of his mother who confidently affirmed that he being a child it was reuealed vnto her that he should proue a sainct The day of his death was reuealed vnto him three weekes before he dyed And thervpon he sayd to his people that he was shortly by the diuine will to depart out of this life And so the three weekes being expired being fortified with the sacraments of the Church making a end answearable to the worth of his life he yelded his soule vnto God the yeare 1303. the 19. of May 50. of his age His feast is celebrated the same month day and in some places the 27. day of October by reason of his translation Of some other holy persons of the third Order of S. Francis THE XXV CHAPTER THere haue bin many other SS of this coÌ„fraternity of the third Order of Penitents of S. Francis the history particuler life of whome would be too tedious to be inserted And therfore we will rest coÌ„tent with the only rehearsall of the names of such as by many authors are recorded Among the SS of this Order is reckoned S. Lewis king of France and queene Blanch his mother who was daughter to the king of Castille The blessed Luchesius of Poggibongy whose reliques are in Toscane in a monastery of Frere Minors scituat on the mount imperiall where they are exceedingly reuereÌ„ced S. Bonne-femme the wife of the sayd Signiour Luchesius S. Lucius who was the first that sainct Francis receaued into the third Order of Penitents Nicoluccius Sienos and Iames de la Lande Priest by whome our Lord wrought many miracles S. Peter Romanus who was martyred by the Soldan Bonacius de Voltera Peter de Colle Alexander of Perusia Leo Archbishop of Milan Walter Bishop of Tremise and Richard Bishop of Alexandria doctour of diuinity Charles Dendono of Manfeltâ—e Iohn of Rauerie Torcello of Puppio Bartholomew of S. Giminian Peter Petinarius and of the blessed Thomas Vntius of Tullinium who by miracles prophesie was very famous All the aforesayd haue bin famous in sanctity of life and in great reputation of vertues and miracles The names of many holy women of this Order S. Rosa of Viterbium sainte Margarit of Cortone sainte Aemiliana of Florence sainte Clare of Mont-faucon in whose hart after her death was found a crucifix with all the mysteries of the passion and many other Ladyes among whoÌ„ is placed an Empresse which women were very venerable and worthy of perpetuall memory Which if they haue not obtayned heere below among earthly people they enioy it with far greater glory among the Angels SS in the celestiall kingdome by which fruit it appeareth that this holy confraternity of Penitents instituted by the holy Father S. Francis was assisted by the holy Ghost to the end that Christians of free estate maryed persons and widoes that cannot support the burden of Religion may in their houses produce fruites worthy of penance to the saluation of their soules and for the loue of IESVS CHRIST The end of the ninth booke THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS OF THE SFRAPHICALL FATHER S. FRANCIS WHERIN ARE RECORDED MANY notable thinges happened in the first beginning of the said Order An aduertisment of the first Translatour vnto the Reader DEuout reader you must not meruayle that in this booke we haue not followed the order of the author for we haue thus done for a better disposition of this worck and for your greater satisfaction placing the chapters that concerne the life of the holy Father S. Francis in their place which I suppose the author omitted because wanting knowledge of them att first he would not afterward take the paine to change the methode which he had with so much labour begun though we for the glory of God only and your contentment haue willingly vndertaken the same Know then that The first and second chapter are placed after the last chap. of the second booke The 3. chap. after the 27. of the second booke The 4. chap. after the 30. of the second booke The 5. chap. after the last of the booke And the 6. chap. after the 30. of the first booke Of what arriued to two Religious of S. Francis with a Tyrant whome they conuerted to penâ—tence THE VII CHAPTER WHen first S. Francis with the Benediction of God and his own sent his first disciâ—les to preach penaÌ„ce ouer the world to the end they might communicate vnto men the fruites of their good life and by their example and the edification of their pious worckes renew the church of God being in forraine contryes among barbarous natioÌ„s they that saw theÌ„ with admiration sayd what â—aâ—ity is this we haue neuer seene men thus attyred bare-footed liuing so austerely and so different from all other Religious that they rather seeme wild men then other Neuertheles when they entred into any particuler place or house they would say God giue you peace and would admonish the inhabitants to feare and loue God as the Creatout of heauen and earth and exhort them to labour alwayes in the obseruation of his holy commandements to doe penance and to amend their liues And albeit few were found to whome these exhortations were gratefull yet they mett with curious persons that made so many demandes as they were much troubled to giue them answeare As wheÌ„ce they were whence they came Of what Order they were how and wherof they liued who was their cheefe And in fine by what aucthority they preached Whereto with patience and humility thy answeared that they were Religious of penance of our Ladyes of Angels att Assisium that their pâ—incipall head and directour was Brother Francis and that by ordinance and commandement of the Pope they preached penance Others seeing them so disguised and hearing them speake with such simplicity reputed them fooles cousening or deluding companioÌ„s and would not admitt them into their houses for feare thy would robbe them whence it often arriued that none hauing compassion to harbour them they slept in the church porches or vnder pent-houses so perseuering by their example of pouerty and humility they att length moued the most obdurat harts to compassion and deuotion left many places edified in the feare of God And theâ—fore the reputation of their vertues encreasing they daily produced singuler fruites of good example among which this is one which we now intend to relate It happened one time that two new Religious but true children of the holy Father saint Francis trauelling through a contry which they neither knew nor they knowne to any they came to a castell that was a retuge to certaine theeues of whome was captaine a noble man of great family but of most vicious life whither being come weary feeble