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soul_n	body_n	bread_n	nourish_v	4,911	5	10.6386	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18932	The life of the glorious virgin S. Clare Togeather with the conuersion, and life of S. Agnes her sister. And of another S. Agnes, daughter to the King of Bohemia. Also the rule of S. Clare. And the life of S. Catharine of Bologna. Translated into English.; Chronicle and institution of the order of the seraphicall father S. Francis. Selections	Marcos, de Lisboa, Bishop of Porto, 1511-1591.; Bentley, Catharine, attributed name.; Evelinge, Elizabeth, attributed name.	1622 (1622)	STC 5350; ESTC S121170	48,749	225

diuine seruice she sighing sayd O my God thou seest how I remaine here alone and ending this she began to heare the Mattines that were sung in the Church of Saint Francis in Assisium very distinctly vnderstanding the voice of the Religious and the very sound of the Organs yet was she not so neare the said Church as she might humanly heare what was sung there but it must necessarily be concluded that this was miraculously done in one of these two sortes eyther that the singing of the said Religious was by the will of God carried to S. Clare or her hearing was extended extraordinarily by the speciall grace of God euen to our Lady of Angells neere vnto Assisium But this Saint was further fauored by a diuine reuelation which exceedingly comforted and reioyced her for she was by almighty God esteemed worthy to see in spirit his holy Cribbe The morning following her Religious coming to see her she sayd Deare sisters blessed for euer be our Lord Iesus Christ that it hath pleased him not to leaue me alone as you haue done but know that by the grace of his diuine maiesty I haue heard all the seruice that this night hath byn performed in the Church of our holy Father S. Francis Of the spirituall doctrine wherwith S. Clare noursed her daughters CHAP. XVII THE virgin S. Clare acknowledged that she was committed to the pallace of the great King for gouernesse and mistres of his deare espouses therfore did she teach them a sublime doctrine comforting assisting them with such loue and pitty as with words cānot be expressed First she taught them to cleare their soules of all rumors of the world that they might the more freely attaine to the high secrets of God She also taught them to haue no affection to their carnall kindred and intierely to forget their ownehouse the better to please Iesus Christ She admonished them also to surmount and misprise the necessities of their bodies to get a habit of repressing the deceiptes and appetites of the flesh by the bridle of reason She likewise taught them that the subtill enemy armed vvith malice continually addresseth his hidden snares to surprise the pure soules and that he tempteth the pious in another sort then worldlings Finally she would haue them so imployed in handy labour for certaine houres that they might afterwards be more prompt and better prepared to the desire of their Creatour by the exercise of prayer which after their labour they shold vndertake not leauing for such payne the fire of holy loue but rather expelling by it the tepidity of deuotion already purchased There was neuer seene a stricter obseruation of silence then amongst them nor a greater forme and example of vertue There was neuer seene done in this holy house one act of vanity neyther by wordes nor signes nor was there discouered by any vaine discourse any desire of lightnes so much were they mortifyed their holy Mistres giuing good example by wordes and pious and briefe documents likewise teaching her disciples feruent desires and admonishing them to possesse and conserue them vnder the key custody of strict silence By meanes of deuout preachers she procured to her daughters the holy word of God wherof her owne was not the least part she being filled with contentment and ioy when she heard the word of God preached and would with such deuotion and consolation reioice in the memory of her sweetest spouse Iesus Christ that one time hearing the sermon of brother Philip de Adria a most famous preacher there was seene before this holy virgin a most beautifull child which there remained during almost all the sermon comforting her with his ioifull delectations of which apparition she receiued such a sweetnes and delight as she could no way explicate Albeit this most prudent virgin had neuer studyed yet did she much delight to heare a learned man preach vnderstanding very well that vnder the wordes of science lay hidden the sweetnes of spirit which herselfe subtily obteined tasted vvith much more gust She accustomed to say that the Sermon of whosoeuer preaching the word of God was exceeding profitable to soules considering that it is no lesse prudence to know how sometimes to gather beautifull and sweet flowers from amongst grosse and rude thornes then to eate the wholsome fruits of a good plant Pope Gregory the ninth one time at the instance of diuers Prelates cōmaunded that no Religious man should preach at the monastery of poore Religious women without his expresse permission wherat the pittifull mother complayning in regard that thence forward her deuout Religious daughters shold seldome be spiritually fed vvith holy doctrine with teares she said let then all my Religious be taken hence since they are taken away who gaue vs the food of spirituall life withall sending away the Religious that appertained to her monastery to serue them in getting almes abroad refusing to haue Religious that should prouide them bread to relieue the body sith they were depriued by this meanes of all spirituall teachers that gaue thē bread to nourish their soules wherof his Holines being aduertised he presently reuoked his former prohibition referring all to the disposition of the generall of the Friars Minors S. Clare had not only a prouident care of her Religious daughters soules but of their bodies also that were feeble and tender for whose necessary wantes she daly prouided with exceeding feruour and charity she oftentimes in the night when it was cold going to visit and couer them whiles they slept and if she found any one ouer much benummed with cold or otherwise in il disposition through strict obseruation of the common rigour she instantly commaunded her to take some recreation till her necessities were satisfied If any of her Religious daughters were any time afflicted or much grieued in mind through temptations or were sorrowfull and melancholy she would call her apart and most louingly comfort her She would sometimes fall prostrate herselfe at the feete of those that were heauy and afflicted therby to put away the force of their griefe by her motherly cherishings for which they in all submission yealding themselues to this their holy Mother did not proue vngratefull They likewise reuerenced the office of Prelature in their Mistres following all their life time the conduct of so diligent and secure a guide directing their actions by the espouse of Iesus Christ admiring with all the excellency of such sanctity charity Of the deuotion which Pope Gregory the ninth had to the holy virgin S. Clare and of a letter which he wrote vnto her whiles he was yet Cardinall CHAP. XVIII POPE Gregory the ninth had a meruailous confidence in the prayers of S. Clare hauing experienced their great vertue efficacy and oftentimes when he was in any difficulty both whiles he was Cardinall Bishop of Hostia and afterwards when he was Pope he would by letters recommend himselfe to this glorious virgin demaunding help of

is almost lost by the continuall warrs of heretikes and punishment for our sinnes Now our Lord began to power out the aboundance of his celestiall graces vpon the roote that afterwardes the sproutes of farre greater sanctity might follow and disperse into the boughes Neyther would he that this deuout woman Hortulana should be depriued of the cōsolations knowledge of this grace for being neere her child-birth she one day with great feruour prayed in a Church before a Crucifix where she besought Almighty God to deliuer her from the danger of death in her child birth which she much apprehended she heard a voice that sayd Woman feare not for thou shalt safely and without danger bring forth a light that shall illuminate and lighten all the world Being thus comforted and admonished by this diuine answere so soone as she was deliuered of a daughter she caused her to be called in Baptisme Clare firmely belieuing that in her should be accomplished the splendour of the light promised according to the prouidence and the ordinance of the diuine bounty Of the Education Charity Prayer Mortification and Virginity of S. Clare CHAP. II. SAINT Clare being borne into the world she began incontinently to appeare and shine as a morning starre in the obscure night of that age for in the most tender yeares of her first infancy she already discouered euidēt signs of notable and pious works wherin she made to appeare her naturall worth and the graces which God had communicated vnto her for being naturally of a very delicate constitution she receiued of her Mother the first foundations of faith afterwards being inspired of God to apply herselfe to vertuous and pious workes she shewed herselfe to be a vessell aptly prepared for diuine grace and as she abounded in interiour piety aswell by nature as by grace towardes poore beggars so according to the small meanes which then she had she supplyed their necessities And to the end her Sacrifice might be more pleasing vnto God the most delicate meates that vvere giuen her for the nourishment of her little body she hid and gaue it secretly to the poore Thus did piety augment and increase in her nourished charity in her soule preparing her to receiue the grace mercy of Almighty God Her greatest contentment was in prayer wherby she was often susteyned made ioyfull and comforted as by an Angelicall milke and in a most delicious manner eleuated to the diuine pleasures of the conuersation of our Lord Iesus Christ In these beginninges hauing no beades she vsed insteed thereof certaine little stones some to serue for the Pater nosters and others for the Aues and so offered her prayers to God Wherupon beginning to feele the first feruours of diuine loue she iudged that the must contemne all transitory apparence painted flowers of this world and being by prayer well instructed of the holy Ghost she resolued as a wise spirituall Merchant to haue no more regard of terrestriall affayrs acknowledging them vnworthy to be esteemed with this spirit she did weare as another S. Cecily vnder her gay apparrell a haire-cloth so exteriourly satisfying the world and interiourly her Lord Iesus Christ But hauing attayned the age of marriage she was importuned by her Father other kindred to choose a husband whereto she would neuer consent but vsed lingrings and delayes putting off and differring what she could all humane marriage euer recommended to our Lord Iesus Christ her Virginity with other vertues wherwith she was indued by such exercises indeauouring to please almighty God that he might bestow on her his only Sonne for her spouse Such were the first fruits of her spirt and such the exercises of her piety so that being anoynted with such a sweet and pretiousoyntment she yielded a most pleasant sauour as a closet replenished with most delightfull liquors whose perfumes though they be shut vp discouer and manifest themselues and in such sort this holy virgin beganne without her knowledge to be commended by her neighbours the true fame of her secret pious workes so publishing themselues that in an instant they were exceedingly spread abroad euery where diuulged How the virgin S. Clare had knowledge of the Vertues of the holy Father S. Francis CHAP. III. THIS vertuous Virgin Clare hearing the great fame of the admirable life of Saint Francis who then renewed vnto the world the way of perfection in the same Citty with a maruelous example of piety and vertue considering that many gentlemen did follow him and that his life was already approued by our holy mother the Church she exceedingly desired to see and heare this seruant of God most worthy and eminent in all vertues thereunto inspired by the soueraigne Father of spirits to whome had already byn presented the first fruites of their deuotions though differently S. Francis hauing byn aduertised of this her desire and hauing heard the bruit of her vertues and holy affections desired also exceedingly to see her and to conferre with her with intention to frustrate the world of so noble and pretious a prey to present her to our soueraigne redeemer to serue him in some notable enterprise as preordayned of God to despoyle the great prince of the world Neither did his diuine maiesty fayle to open vnto them both the meanes to attaine thereunto he inspired this vertuous woman to rely vpon a very honorable graue matron that gouerned her in her house as her Mother And to the end that this holy purpose might not be sinisterly interpreted of men and to hinder publike murmure she went out of her Fathers house with this good woman found out the holy Father by the seruour of whose pious discourses she was presently inflamed with diuine loue and moued by his holy actions which she admired as seeming vnto her to be more then humane and therfore she began very exquisitely to dispose herselfe to the effecting of the wordes of the holy seruant of God who hauing very louingly intertained her began to preach vnto her the cōtempt of the world and by euident reason to demonstrate vnto her that all the beauty of thinges present is but a vanity filled with false and deceitfull hopes Then he persuaded vnto her pure eares the honourable amiable Espousall of Iesus Christ and counsailed her to cōserue those most pretious pearles of virginall purity for that glorious Spouse who out of the loue he bare to the world being God became man would be borne of a virgin This holy Father sollicited this affayre and played the part of a true Paranymph Embassadour of the heauenly King The holy virgin on her side beginning already to tast the sweetnes of contemplation and the proofe of the eternallioyes the world beginning to seeme vnto her vile and contemptible as indeed it is she as it were melted for the loue of her celestiall spouse whome she already desired with all her hart Thēce forth therfore she despised pretious stons

Iewells gold sumptuous apparrell all other worldly trash as filth and dunge and abhorring the detestable delights of the flesh she resolued intierly to dedicate herself a liuely temple to Iesus Christ to take him for the only spouse of her body and soule and so submitting herselfe wholly and totally to the counsayles of the glorious father S. Francis him next after our Lord she tooke for guid and director of her life How S. Francis drew the virgin S. Clare out of the world and made her Religious CHAP. IIII. AND to the end the most cleare mirrour of her soule might not be stayned and blemished vvith the dust of this world and that the contagious seculer life did not corrupt her innocency the holy Father prudently indeauoured to sequester this virgin from worldly people And the solemnity of palme-sonday approching the holy Espouse of Iesus Christ with a great feruour of spirit repayred to this man of God and most instantly demaunded of him when and how she should make her retyre from the world wherupon the holy Father ordayned that on the day of the sayd feast she should goe to the procession of Palmes with the people decked and adorned the most richly and gorgiously that she could procure and the night following going out of the Citty and withall out of al conuersation of the world she should change secular pleasurs into lamentations of the passion of our Lord. Palme-sonday being come the glorious S. Clare went in the company of her mother and other Ladyes to the great Church where there hapned a matter worthy to be recorded as not done without the prouidence of the diuine goodnes which was that all the other Ladyes going as is the custome of Italy to take holy Palme and S. Clare out of a virginall bashfulnes remayning alone without mouing out ofher place the Bishop descended frō the steps of his seate put into her hand a branch of Palme The night approaching she began to prepare herselfe for effecting the commaundment of the holy Father and to make a glorious flight and honorable retyre from the world in honest company But it seeming to her impossible to goe forth at the ordinary and chiefest doore of the house she bethought herselfe to take the benefit of a backe doore which though it were dammed and closed vp with grosse stones and mighty blocks she with an admirable courage force rather of a strong man then of a tender yong woman herselfe broke open Thus then leauing her Fathers house her Citty kindred and friendes she with extraordinary speed arriued at the Church of our Lady of Angels where the Religious that in the house of God were imployed in pious watchings receiued with burning wax lights in their handes this holy virgin that sought her spouse and redeemer Iesus Christ with a lampe not extinct and empty but filled with diuine loue and incontinently in the selfe-same houre and place hauing left and abandoned the impurityes of Babylon she gaue the world the ticket of defiance and vtter adieu before the Altar of the soueraigne Queene of Angells where the glorious Father S. Francis inspired of God neglecting all other worldly respects cut off her hayre then he cloathed her with a poore habit of the order cōmanding the Iewels gorgeous attire which she brought to be giuen to the poore of Iesus Christ It had not beene indeed conuenient that the new Order of florishing virginity towardes the end of the world should otherwise begin then in the Angelical pallace of that most Immaculate Queene who before had alone byn a mother and a virgin and consequently more worthy then all others vvhatsoeuer In the very same place had the noble Chiualry of the poore of Iesus Christ the Friars Minors their beginninge vnder the valourous Captaine S. Francis to the end it might euidently appeare that the Mother of God in this her habitation ingendred and produced the one and the other Religion And so soone as this new Espouse had receiued the habit ensignes of holy pēnance before the Aultar of the most sacred virgin Mary the hūble seruāt was accepted by Iesus Christ for his Espouse and the glorious Father S. Francis conducted her to the monastery of S. Paul in Assisium where were Religious womē of the order of S. Bennet there to remaine till almighty God had prouided another monastery How much the kindred of S. Clare laboured to rerire her from Religion and how she was conducted to S. Damian CHAP. V. THE kindred of this holy virgin vnderstanding what she had done and the bruit of her resolution being diuulged ouer all the Citty many of the friendes of her Father and Mother assembled and consulted to preuent this vertuous virgin of her holy resolution and coming to the monastery of the Religious of Saint Bennet whither she was retired they purposed to execute by violence what they could not compasse by humane policy trying their forces against the meeke lambe of Iesus Christ and by their malice peruerse counsell seeking to delude that simple doue the did they make her deceiptful promises exhorting her to retire herselfe frō such base condition and abiection demonstrating vnto her that it was a matter vnworthy her noble descent and that the like neuer hapned in the Citty But the virgin firme and stable in Iesus Christ approaching to the Altar discouered her hairelesse head alleadging that she could no more be separated frō the seruice of Iesus Christ for whose loue she had already forsaken all the world themselues also and the more they tormented her the more was her hart inflamed in the loue of God and of her sweet spouse Iesus Christ who supplyed her with new forces to resist Thus for many dayes togeather disturbed with many iniuries she indured great contradictions in the way of God and albeit her kindred perseuered in their attempts to withdraw her from her pious designe her feruour yet did neuer wax cold nor her hart feble but on the contrary so many iniurious wordes and violent threats did so much confirme her confidence in God that her kindred were constrayned to forbeare any more to vexe and disquiet her retyring themselues as all ashamed confounded Thus did almighty God make appeare how much the power of those that are his though of themselues feeble did exceed the strong and puissant of the world But in regard that her soule had not perfect repose in that place she was by the holy Father S. Francis placed in the church of S. Damian and there as in a secret harbour and secure she cast the anker of her soule neuer changing place nether in respect of the great restraint therof nor for feare of solitude this Church being without the Citty This was the Church in reparatiō wherof the Glorious S. Francis laboured in the beginning of his conuersion and where he did also offer money to the Chaplaine to repayre it this holy Father being once also in this Church and

the leaues did worke exteriourly such remedies by the hands merits of his glorious Saint How Saint Clare blessed bread vpon which the signe of the Crosse miraculously remayned CHAP. XXI SAINT Clare was a disciple of the Crosse and of so notable same sanctity that not only great Prelates Cardinalls much desired to see her to heare and discourse with her for which cause they often visited her but the Pope himselfe bare her also this affection in so much that Pope Innocent the fourth repayred to her monastery to heare of her as a secretary of the holy Ghost celestiall and diuine discourses And hauing a long time conferred with her of matters of saluation and of the prayses of God whiles they intertayned themselues in so pious a discourse S. Clare caused dinner to be prepared and the tables for the Religious to be couered causing bread to be brought thither with intention to procure the vicar of Iesus Christ to blesse it to be afterwards kept of deuotion Their discourse then being ended S. Clare fell vpō her knees before the Pope beseeching him to blesse the bread vvhereto his holines ansvvered daughter Clare I will that you blesse it your selfe making therupon the signe of the Crosse the Saint therto answered most holy Father pardon me if you please for if I should doe it I should deserue sharpe reprehension in presuming to giue my benedictiō in presence of your holines The Pope againe replyed well that no presumption be imputed vnto you and that you may merit thereby I command you by holy Obedience to blesse these loues making vpon them the signe of the Crosse This daughter of obedience lifted vp her hand making the signe of the Crosse vpon the bread whence insued an admirable accident for the Crosse remayned vpon the bread whereof part was eaten of deuotion the rest reserued as a holy Relique which euent filled the Pope with admiration for which he gaue thankes to God then gaue his benediction to S. Clare who receiued it with great humility and was much comforted withall Of many infirmityes of the glorious virgin S. Clare of her weakenes and how she was visited by the Protectour CHAP. XXII THE Glorious virgin S. Clare had now forty yeares run the race of the most eminent vertue and practise of pouerty hauing broken the alabaster of her body in the most strict prison by fasting and rigorous disciplines and by this meanes filled the house of the holy Church with the most pretious oyntment of her vertues wherwith she drew after her an infinit number of soules to the seruice of Iesus Christ And as she already approached to the recompence of eternall glory hauing supported diuers infirmities and consumed the forces of her body in her first yeares by the rigour of pennance she was also in her latter dayes oppressed and afflicted with diuers grieuous sicknesses And because in the time of her health she was also enriched in such sort with the merit of good workes that being sicke she gayned the true riches of the merits of patience she yet inioyed the fruits of her vertues that were ripened in afflictions and molestations occasioned by diuersity of diseases But the vertue of her patience doth euidently appeare in that hauing byn twenty eight yeares togeather afflicted with diuers diseases she was neuer heard to vtter the least murmure or complaint but continually were heard to proceed out of her mouth pious wordes and thankes-giuing to Almighty God Now being exceedingly weakened with infirmity and euery moment seeming to her the drawing on of her life towardes an end it pleased our Lord Iesus Christ to prolonge it till she might be visited by the eminent Prelates of the Roman Church wherof she was a seruant and a speciall child for the Pope being yet at Lyons and this Saint beginning to be more tormented with her infirmities then she was accustomed to be a sword of sorrow pierced through the soule of her beloued daughters But a virgin seruant of Iesus Christ a very deuout Religious of the monastery of S. Paul and order of S. Benedict had at that time this vision following It seemed to her that she did visit S. Clare with all her sisters at Saint Damian whome she saw in a sorrowfull yet pretious bed about which they all lamented expecting her death and withall she saw come to the bolster of the sayd bed a very beautifull woman who sayd to them that wept my daughters weep not for her that is yet to liue for she cannot dye till our Lord and all his disciples doe come A little after the Roman Court came to Perusia where the increase of S. Clares sicknes being diuulged the Cardinall of Hostia hastened with great diligence to visit the Espouse of Iesus Christ whose Father he was by office gouernour by speciall sollicitude fosterer and friend in most pure and chast amity he comforted her and vvith his ovvne handes administring vnto her the most blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist and then made a very deuout sermon to the Religious S. Clare with great humility in the name of our Redeemer Iesus Christ beseeching him to accept into his Protection that her family all her other poore sisters of other monasteries but aboue all she most instantly besought him obtaine of the Pope the Colledge of Cardinalls a priuiledge confirmation of holy pouerty Whereto the Cardinall gaue his word as a faithfull Father of her Religiō one most deuout affectionate to S. Clare did afterwardes effect it for Pope Innocent the fourth at her most instant request confirmed the Rule which the holy Father S. Francis had instituted for her as is formerly recorded wherof S. Clare had neuer vntill then other confirmation written but that of the said Cardinall because the Popes supposing to induce S. Clare not to bynd her Religious to such an extreme pouerty did still deferre to confirme her Rule by writing But Innocent the fourth seing the perseuerance last will of Saint Clare graunted the same vnto her by a Bull the eleuenth and last yeare of his reigne as we haue before recorded And the yeare being almost expired the Pope came with his Cardinalls from Perusia to Assisium whereby the first vision touching the death of the holy virgin was accomplished For the Pope being in his office more then a mā by the authority which he hath of Iesus Christ vpō earth whose person he representeth in the temple of the Church militant the Cardinalls accompanying his Holines represented the disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ How Pope Innocent the fourth visited Saint Clare in her last sicknes and gaue her absolution CHAP. XXIII THE diuine prouidence wold no longer deferre the accomplishment of the will of Saint Clare but her Spouse Iesus Christ came to eleuate into his celestiall pallace his poore Espouse Pilgrime vpon earth who desired nothing more that being deliuered of this mortall body she might haue the sight full