procured thē The first name also that this holy Religion had was Preachers of penance which title and ministery was giuen them by Pope Innocent the third in the first confirmation of the Order therfore was it that S. Francis did institute the third Order called of Penitents The second matter he was to be employed in by the holy Ghost was for himselfe and his disciples by profession and rule to renouate the Euangelicall life and perfection the which to effectuate he instituted with the spirit of IESVS CHRIST and ordeyned the rule of the Frier Minors which he being desirous to found with exceeding deepe foundations of humility he would that his Brethren should be called Minors that is the least of all other Many holy Fathers haue florished in this Order who haue bin glorious in sanctity doctrine as S. Antony S. Bonauenture S. Lewis the bishop S. Benardine and many other Confessours and Martyrs of IESVS-CHRIST S. Francis did also institute the Apostolicall rule and life of S. Clare and hir Disciples who by their sanctity and example drew an innumerable multitude of Virgins that espoused thēselues to IESVS-CHRIST Finally the third thing that this Seraphicall sainct was to attempt was to teach all faithfull Christians voluntarily to take vp and carry on their shoulders the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST demonstrating vnto them that with pouerty and the crosse they should gaine and gett possession of true incorruptible richesse and with labour should attaine true repose that with humility is gotten true glory and with the familiarity and frequent communication which is had with our Lord IESVS-CHRIST is purchaced his loue and amity The stigmates also and woundes of our Redeemer were imprinted in this glorious S. Francis not only in his soule but euen visibly in his body that the carnall might haue no excuse of not following IESVS CHRIST crucified in his seruant Francis Now out of these obligations which this holy Father had as out of a new spiritt of IESVS CHRIST there proceeded in him that nouelty of so merueillous worckes in all sortes of vertues as those excesses of humility contempt of himselfe the austerity of discipline wherwith he afflicted his body the great feruour he had of the saluation of his neighbour wherby he entierly employed both himselfe and his to reforme Christians to reduce them into the way of obedience vnto God his law These things are vnderstood of few also of few prised according to their worth by reason that they seeme cōtemptible to earthly eyes yea mē shunne iest at thē because the sensual mā guided only by natural light cōceiueth not the thinges that are of God The deuout Christian then ought now to demaund humbly of this soueraigne God as of the author of this worck the light of his grace wherby being freed of humane iudmentes and conceiptes he may vnderstand tast and gather the fruit of the spiritt of IESVS CHRIST so bcuntifully communicated to S. Francis to his true children for the reformatiō assistance and comfort of his elect and of all true Christians The summe of that which is contained in each of these Ten bookes IN the three first are written the life workes death and miracles of the holy Father S. Francis these first three bookes make the first volume In the fourth booke are recorded the Martyrdomes of many of his disciples In the fift the doings and miracles of S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua In the sixt the conuersations of many other disciples of S. Francis In the seauenth the exemplar life of the blessed Br. Giles his third disciple In the eight the life of S. Clare the beginning of her Order In the ninth the institution of the Rule and Order of Penitentes called the third Order of S. Francis In the tenth and last is treated and discoursed of diuers thinges happened and worthy to be obserued in the first time of the said Religion of the Frier Minors THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS Wherin is treated of the conuersion life and actions of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis Englished out of French by F. C. Of the Birth Education and naturall incl nation of S. Francis THE I CHAPTER THE grace of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST hath appeared vnto vs in these later dayes particulerly in his seruant Francis to whome the Father of mercy and light would by his benignity impart such benedictions and so excellent fauours that as by the discourse of his life appeareth he did not only draw him out of the darckenes of the world to setle him in the true light but he made him great in the merites of the perfection of all vertues And hauing extraordinarily communicated vnto him many note-worthy mysteries of the crosse he merueillously eleuated and exalted him in his holy Church wherin he gaue him a right eminent place and degree This great seruant of God Francis was borne the yeare of grace 1182 in the citty of Assissium scituate in the valley of Spoletum in Italy His Father was a rich Marchant of an honest familie called Mariconi his name was Peter Bernardone taking for his name the proper name of his father the grand father of the said Francis called Bernardone de Mariconi his mother was called Pica who was a very pious honest woman who procured him in his baptisme to be called Iohn but his Father afterward att his Confirmation would that he should chaung his name and was called Francis Some affirme that he was called Francis because he had with exceeding facility learned the French tongue Before his birth his mother endured very much being many dayes in labour of deliuery in meane while there came a poore pilgrime to the doore of the house who hauing receiued an almose said to him that brought it cause that woman who endureth such throwes of trauaile to be carryed into a stable and she shal be incontinently deliuered Which being done she was instantly deliuered and for that respect there was built in that place a chappell where in memory of the birth of this S. the history of this miracle was depeinted whome our Lord IESVS-CHRIST would in regard of his birth in a poore and contemptible place make like vnto himselfe This chappell is now called S. Francis the litle Francis was nourtured and educated of his parentes as their eldest sonne And hauing in short time learned the French tongue though it be very difficult they putt him to learne Latin as most vniuersall in ail Europe for to merchantes it is of no small importance to know many tongues which hauing learned and being of age capable to manadge affaires he trayned him to his trafique both in his citty and abroad And though he where busyed and employed in the vanities and folies of the world yet was it not possible for the deuill to corrupt his good and naturall inclination which God who had sowed the same in him as in a
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
shunned sensuall light as distractiue vnto the hart and hauing giuen some repose vnto his body in the beginning of the night he spent the rest in most deepe silence in high contentment with his beloued God The sixt condition of perfect prayer is a feruent charity towards God without all feare not like vnto that of the cold negligent and new beginners for this perfect charity expelling all base feare and labour doth by loue vnite the hart of man with the goodnes of God This loue was such in the holy Father that it continuallie burned in his hart as a liuing fire the flame wherof dilated it selfe in charity to the benefitt of his neighbour through all the partes of the world Of the perseuerance of his prayer and of the effect it wrought and continued in S. Francis THE XCIV CHAPTER THe seauenth condition is perseuerance therin because God saith we must alwayes pray and not ceasse Of this point it may be alleadged that the life of S. Francis was a continuall prayer vnto God either for his owne saluation or his neighbours desiring to communicate his Redeemer IESVS CHRIST vnto all Creatures that they might know and loue him as he did and that for his owne part he might euer dwell with his diuine Maiestie But being by the impediment of the weight of his terrestriall body that was a stranger and remote from his true country disabled to enioy his beloued he by perseuerant prayer endeauoured with all possiblity to keepe his soule alwayes vnited vnto him which was not ouer-difficult vnto him as hauing so mortified in himselfe earthly afflictions that he conuersed in spiritt on high with the blessed as a Cittizen of heauen and familier in the house of God Therfore prayer was vnto him a singuler refreshment in his labours an assured fortresse against temptations and a remedy in necessities for distrusting himselfe and his proper forces industry and knowledge he had setled and reposed all his hope in God by meane of prayer which he affirmed that euery faithfull Christian ought aboue all other things to demaund of God in this life considering that without it one can make no profitt nor progresse in spirituall life and therfore to be an example vnto his Religious he made alwayes to appeare exteriourly and interiourly that trauailing or praying being in action or rereposing his spiritt was continually attentiue vnto prayer And therfore it seemed that he had not only dedicated his soule and body vnto his beloued God but euen the very momentes of time to the end that no visitation of the holy Ghost should by his negligence passe and be lost as not finding him disposed to receaue it Therefore when in his iorney he felt the same he would stay and lett his companion passe on to know with a very deep attention what God inspired vnto him And when he was in solitary places he filled the mountaines with sighes and bathed the earth with a flud of teares he beat his brest for the offences committed against his God Sometimes he accused himselfe as if he had bin before a Iudge other times he demaunded mercy as a child of his gracious Father sometimes he sweetlie discoursed as if he had bin priuately with his intimous freind he hath att such time bin heard of his Religious to inuocate the clementie of God by the great commiseration which he felt in himselfe of the death and passion of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST as if he had seene him crucified He shewed exteriour gesture conformable to the interiour effect Sometimes he held his mouth against the earth now he was on his knees then vpright on his feet now he held his armes crossed then his handes ioyned towardes heauen And praying after this manner he was most commonlie seene enuirouned with a great light and lifted into the aire in testimony of the interiour light and affection towardes God and then did he participate of the diuine secrettes which he neuer reuealed but when it was requisite for he ordinarily said that one did often loose an inestimable treasure for a very base price offending the giuer with daunger neuer to haue it againe For which cause when he retourned from his exercises he in such sort composed and dissembled his countenance that he that had not much experienced it would neuer haue suspected that he had prayed in such excesse of spirit When he prayed with his Religious he retayned his sighes and all other gestures wherby he might be obserued He taught the manner to pray secretlie then to say My God I recommend vnto thee this consolation which it hath pleased thee without any meritt of mine to graunt me to the end I steale not this great treasure He assured them that by this meane they should obtaine that God inuiting them would say Freind because thou hast bin so humble ascend now vnto an higher place Of the attention which S. Francis had in his prayers and of the deuotion he had in diuine seruice THE LXXXXV CHAPTER HE said the canonicall houres with so great reuerence and deuotion that albeit he were most commonly weary and feeble by reason of his infirmities yet making no esteeme thereof he was alwayes standing or kneeling with his head bare reading verie distinctly If he trauiled when the time of prayer and saying the said houres was he would stay This practise did he neuer omitt whatsoeuer rayne or storme did happen saying If the body that is to be food for wormes desired to eat in repose with how much more reason ought one to giue repose to the soule when she receaueth the refection of the life which she is eternally to possesse without corruption He said his psalmes and what soeuer was to be said with such attention as if God had bin before his eyes When he was to name the name of God he pronounced it so sweetly that he seemed to lick his lâ—ppes such contentment felt he in his soule yea he commanded his Religious carefullie to gather vp all the papers they found wherin was written the name of IESVS that it might not be troddeÌ„ vnder foot He reputed it a great offence when one spake vnto God to thincke of other matters And if he chaunced sometimes to apply his spiritt on other affaires though spirituall he would accuse himselfe thereof in confession yea albeit he had his interiour powers so recollected within him by meane of the continuall and assiduous exercise therin employed that the flyes of the world molested him very seldome Being one lent att an hermitage he attempted for exercise to make an osier basket but the time of prayer being come because in saying the third houre the basket came to his minde he tooke it and incontinentlie threw it into the fire with these wordes I sacrifice thee vnto God in place of his seruice which thou hast interrupted This glorious Sainct held the feast of the natiuity of our Sauiour in particuler deuotion Being on
damnation he might manifestest the saluation of the other Whiles he was in the caÌ„p of the Christians vnder Damiette when he weÌ„t to preach to the great SoldaÌ„ he prophesied to the Christians that if they gaue battell they would loose the feild But they not beleeuing him their fault of incredulity was payed by the losse of the bodie of the army that was putt to flight where of one part was slaine Retourning afterward on this side the sea and arriuing att Celano he was inuited to dinner by a gentleman where being as according to his coustume he prayed before his sitting to the table he saw in his God on whome he had alwayes his eyes eleuated that which he fore told as it afterward arriued for incontinentlie calling vnto him the said gentleman Confesse and prepare your selfe said he for in short time you shall dye and from this time you shall receaue the recompence of all the good worckes you haue done particulerlie in harbouring the seruantes of God Doe then in such sort as without impediment you may goe directlie to God The gentleman therefore who had confidence in the wordes of the holie Father sodenlie taking leaue of him prepared himselfe to confession then calling the companion of sainct Francis who was preist he made an entiere confession vnto him afterwardes he recomended his patrimonie to the diuine prouidence so to auoyd all impediment And so with the greatest deuotion he could possible he expected when God would call and inuite him but he expected not long for whiles his familie were att table without other greife but very well disposed of body and spiritt he rendred his soule to his Creatour according to the prophesie of the holy Father armed by the diuine mercie with armour conuenient and necessarie to a true penitent How S. Francis saw the secrets of mennes consciences THE CXII CHAPTER OVr lord IESVS CHRIST hauing chosen the glorious Father S. Francis for Pastour of his flock he also so illuminated him interiourlie by his diuine vertue that he discouered vnto him the secrettes of the consciences of those that were his and likewise their priuate and hidden necessities so that by the same meane he knew both the grace which they had receaued of God and eueÌ„ that which they theÌ„ receaued By this knowledge he foretold the fall of manie who seemed to haue attayned the state of perfection and on the contrarie the saluatioÌ„ of manie wicked prophesying their conuersion He saw what should succeed them for manie yeares after as if it had bin present onlie beholding the vnspotted and cleare mirour of diuine light and his admirable splendour by a diuine prerogatiue and especially the successes and mutatioÌ„s of Religion which he would sometimes with aboÌ„dance of teares coÌ„municate to his coÌ„panions Touching that which concerned the consciences of his Religious he both with al possible speed and effect redressed the same and if they were far distant he appeared vnto them in their sleepe and instructed them what they ought to doe and froÌ„ what to abstaine as by the sequell shall appeare The holie Father comming from beyond the sea with his companion Brother Leonard a Religious of very worthie familie and being by reason of his infirmities verie wearie and feeble he had for ceraine dayes the vse of an asse But the poore Brother Leonard that followed him a foote being also very weary began to murmure saying to himselfe what doe I poore follow that I am to follow this man a foot Is there not great difference betweene his discent and mine why then contrary to that which should be doe I goe on foot and he on horseback and euen I follow him as a lackye driuing this asse with speed and so wearying my selfe as I can no longer endure The good Brother Leonard went on thus still discoursing with himselfe in his first motions when as the holy Father S. Francis seeing in spiritt the secret murmure of his companion called him and alighting from his asse he said Brother and Freind I confesse I haue litle discretion to see you so wearily to goe a foot and my selfe to ride att mine ease Gett vp therfore on this asse now att least whiles I remember me considering that being in the world you were farre more noble and more honnorable then my selfe Brother Leonard hearing this was vtterly confounded and amazed that the S. so soone knew his euill cogitation Falling therfore at his feet and confessing his vaine ridiculous discourse with a very deep contrition he asked and obtayned pardon Two very spirituall Religious came expresly from Rieta to the Oratory of Grecio to visitt S Francis and to haue his benediction But being there ariued it was told them that there was no hope of speaking with the holy Father by reason that hauing taken his refection he was retourned to his cell where he prayed and slept and came forth but once a day to eat it being lent and that being then so solitary he would not haue his companioÌ„ much lesse any other Religious to disturbe him vnles he so commaunded These two poore Religious exceedingly afflicted esteeming themselues by reason of their sinnes vnworthy of such grace not hauing oportunity any longer to expect because their superiour had commaunded them to retourne the same night to their Couent they hastened homeward S. Francis who in spiritt had seen all this contrary to his custome came hastely out of his câ—lle and went after the said Religious who by that time were farre gone and so in an instant giuing them consolation together with his benediction which they demaunded he dismissed them doubly satisfied knowing that the holy Father came by diuine inspiration to giue them his benediction Two Religious comming from Naples to visitt him the elder of them on the way committed some fault att which the yonger was extremely scandalized now comming to the presence of S. Francis he giuing them his benediction demaunded of the yonger how his companion had behaued himselfe he esteeming it indecent to discouer the faultes of his Brother answeared well The holy Father replyed My sonne beware that vnder colour of humility you doe not lye for I know what hath passed in your iorney and I would haue you know that you shall shortly see this man to proue worse Which so succeeded for this old man not long after went out of the Order according to that which S. Francis had foretold for the sinne for the scandall and for his neglect of doeing pennance which is the ladder to diuine mercie In the first beginning when none was admitted and receaued into the Order but by S. Francis himselfe a gentleman of Luca came expressy to demaund the habitt of him he had with him some of his coÌ„panions it being when he lay sicke in the Bishoppes lodgeing of Assisium The said gentleman being conducted to the S. he fell on his knees before him most instantlie beseeching him to admitt him into his Religion
deuotion they all neuertheles seeme displeasing and withall knowing that all humane affections and motions all liberall artes sciences all subtility of spirittes all exquisite theologie and other curious sciences cannot giue peace nor satiate our hart if they be vsed with pride and that only the diuine loue can performe the same in an humble hart and mortified in his proper desires and opinions which will not be surprised more or lesse in any other thing nor affecteth other power or knowledge then how to loue his God and how to ridde himselfe of all vaine cogitations and of his proper complacence and curiosity to comprehend lofty and secrett matters and to proceed in a singularitie of life and exercises the property of this estate is to support the tentations the terrours and deceiptes of the deuils because our soule resisteth not flesh and bloud only but the spirittes and powers of darcknes surmounting all other creatures yea himselfe and possessing God alone in his only desire Our soule hath an other property not only seeking thenceforward finding her beloued in creatures by meditations and imaginations framed by the vnderstanding but often without attending and knocking att the dote the feruent desires enflamed sighes which she breatheth out for her loue conducteth her in and then she conuerseth with and freely heareth her God because she incontineÌ„tlie arriueth to that estate wherof our Lord IESVS CHRIST spake I call you no longer seruantes but freindes such are the effects of feruent loues that transport the soule into God to make her one spiritt with him and one will and as this loue is supernaturall and diuine incomparablie of more efficacie then the naturall it doth consequentlie with a fastened knott and bond of charity conioyne the spiritt with God So that we may say in this estate such a loue worcketh three effectes or offices The first to depriue the soule of all kind and quality of loue except the loue of God that she may no more be disioyned from him conformablie to those wordes of the Apostle sainct Paul No man can hereafter separate vs from the charity and loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST The second is to giue no place to idlenes for as saith the moral sainct Gregory He that is idle loueth not and therfore his worck is to labour with an appetite sweet and sauourous in God and to run vnto him withall his hart as to his soueraigne Good and to keep his spiritt setled and combined in him continually enflaming his desires to a cruell and continuall warre vpon such discord that can neuer haue peace with the cares disordinate passions and naturall desires which labour to satiate him in other places wheras this loue endeauoureth att least to keep him alwayes concerning the memorie and the desires being separated from all terrestriall cares and conuersations with the feare of the staine which veniall disorders leaues in the soule and the impediment which they procure to the continuall amourous affection of God which causeth the soule especially to loue and desire solitude and to be sequestred from all creatures for as the Adamant draweth iron vnto it so God being loued draueth vnto him the louer into a solitarie place and sequestreth him from humane conuersation that he may tast diuine The third office whence this second proceedeth is that this loue neuer ceasseth to growe no otherwise then fire which hauing matter neuer faileth to encrease As then our Lord I. C. is infinitely worthy to be loued and that charity alwayes findeth in him matter to encrease and more and more euery hower to dilate it selfe so this augmentation of loue hath neuer end in this life so that the proper office of this loue is to constraine a man to make progresse in his perfection of life and with a continuall warre against luke warmnesâ—e It is easie to be collected in diuers places out of the Legend rule and life of S. FraÌ„cis how much this degree of loue and perfection made him alwayes ioyfull and content in his pouerty it there appeareth how much he abhorred and shunned the honours and contentments of the world and with what vnion of spiritt he conceaued tast and satisfaction in prayer For this occasion he would that his Religious should be alwayes ioyfull exteriourly and interiourly as men contented in the true graces which they receaued of the mercie of God this satiety which he had in God hindered him from desiring sciences and honours for his Religion as the greedy of this world desire and procure but he would that only the pouerty and humility of his Lord I. C. should alwayes be and shine in his Order and that there one should neuer satisfie and content himselfe enough in the following imitating and louing of I. C. The wicked spirittes could not not endure this loue that burned in him perpetually and therfore they neuer omitted to tempt and terrifie him endeauouring to distract him but finding nothing in him wherof to take hold he being naked and depriued of all earthely thinges they presumed by their horrours and terrours to make him stopp and tourne his course The continuall lentes which he kept in perpetual silence and in solitarie places discouer how incomparable he was and his continuall feruour in the exercise of prayer and spirituall profitt in all kind of vertues as also his ordinarie watchfulnes ouer his sences and his body likewise his manner of life alwayes apart except when he trauelled for the saluation of soules as one that had in God alone his repose and satiety Of the fourth degree to ascend vnto perfection called spirituall Excesse or Extasie THE V. CHAPTER THe fourth degree is extasie spirituall excesse or dronkennes of spiritt which proceedeth of the satiety of the soule made droncken with the diuine loue of the Holy Ghost without any water of our imaginations and humane fantasies which forsake vs not without difficulty if God take not the soule by the hand draw it vnto him causingal the sences to remaine without depriued of their functioÌ„ the soule being imployed secretly with her God yea it see meth to the soule that she endureth the like for being with God she is more aboue then in her selfe and therfore seeing she seeth not and feeling she feeleth not For she being pure and cleare from all corporall images which are her irons and the matter of her prayers she feeleth only the effectes with the worckes of the diuine presence and charity And therfore he that is raysed to this degree of perfection doth accustome to exercise lesse meditations how pious soeuer vsing them only to creat in his soule admirations deuotions and feruours towardes his beloued God drawing the sparckes of loue from his hart with those meditations as with a perfect fire-steele which most commonly is in men more hard then a flint-stone for as the way of the vnderstanding proceedeth not of humane stile though it be directed vnto God the knowledge notwithstanding proceeding
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
euen the will of his Superiour They vndoubtedly beleeued that whatsoeuer was commanded them was the will of God and by that meanes obedience was easy and pleasing vnto them that they might not be iudged by others they accused and condemned themselues and if any so much forgatt himselfe as to vtter a scandalous word to one of his Brethren he would conceaue such remorce and greife theratt that he was not well nor could repose till he fell att his feet whome he had offended to whome with demaund of pardon he acknowledged his fault and herewith not content he would pray the Brother offended to sett his foot on his mouth and tread hard vpon it In this manner chastissing themselues did they suppresse and trample pride vnder foot This was not practised only among the simple Brethren but among the Superiours themselues For in whatsoeuer place one found himselfe to haue with out reason offended any Brother he commanded the offended to sett his foot on his throat that by this meane the malice and tyrannie of the deuill being suppressed loue and fraternall charity might be conserued among them They also armed themselues against vices and exercised vertues beside this they vsed their habites bookes and other moueables in common that none among them might presume to call any thing mine And albeit they were in deepe degree of pouerty they were neuertheles in their hartes exceeding rich and most liberall and very freely and ioyfully gaue what was demaunded of them for the loue of God fulfilling his word who saith Giue that Gratis which you haue receiued for nothing If any poore people begged the almose which had bin giuen them they gaue it them He that had not what to giue to the poore that asked him an almose would giue them part of the habitt that couered him When the rich of this world came to visitt them to conferre with them of some spirituall matter they ioyfully entertayned them and delighted sometime to frequent their company so to finde occasion to persuade them to leaue their sinnes and to induce and moue them to doe doe pennance When their holy Father was to send them into the world they would instantly and as a singuler father craue of him not to send them into their owne country therby to auoyd the conuersation of their kinred and freindes of this world because this seemed vnto them a certaine kinde of retourne to the world For what soeuer necessity that might befall them in their trauaile they took neither gold siluer nor otherkind of mony because they singulerly contemned it and aboue all thinges did from their hartes tread it vnder foot Being so freed and exempted of all wordly desires they numbred themselues with those of whome Isai said how beautifull and swift are the feete of the Euangelistes and preachers of peace and eternall Saluation Thus did these true Religious circuit the world by the streight and sharpe way of their pouerty surmounting the hard stones of selfe desires and euill inclinations breaking the thicke cloudes of the sinnes and depraued customes of worldly men with great paine of their life walking on the thornes of tribulations and contrarietyes with exāples vertues and doctrine of pennance because such is the path way that leadeth them to liue who with a perfect resolution seek the same The holy Father did also exercise his children in hauing care of leapers so to plant in their soule a firme root of humility and mortification of themselues and therfore ordayned his Brethren to be att the hospitall of leapers when occasion required to serue and minister vnto them If any Gentilman presented himselfe to be receiued into the order among many things propounded vnto him one of the principall was that he should serue leapers and dwell in their house when he should be commanded considered withall that S. Francis himselfe did the same with much contentment of body and spiritt and with him all his beloued and holy Religious And in regard that the holy Father was very zealous of the honour of the most blessed Sacrament he would that not only the altares but euen the churches and house of God were conuenient neat and well ordered and if he found any one vncleane he would sweep it himselfe or if he could not he would commaund some Brethren to make cleane and accommodate the same that by this worck of God they might nourish in themselues humilitie a reuerence to his diuine maiestie and feruonr of spiritt to enrich with him the conscience of all the soules of faithfull Christians which are the true temples of the liuing God Of the doctrine and documents of S. Francis THE XXXI CHAPTER SAinct Francis did often make spirituall lectures to his children in IESVS CHRIST putting them in mind of their profession and the state whervnto God had so graciously called them which he performed by these wordes My welbeloued Brethren lett vs haue alwayes before our eyes the first vocation wherto with so great mercie we haue bin called of God not only to saue our selues but also for the saluation of many And sith it is so lett vs trauaile ouer the world with good example and behoufull wordes exhorting and teaching euery one that sinners may repent their sinnes past and call to minde the diuine preceptes which they seeme to haue already forgotten Now whiles you thus trauaile you ought to haue a firme faith that God will procure you to encounter faithfull men gentle and gracious who will of charity receiue you ioyfully and you shall gaine them When you shall meet with vnfaithfull and proud personnes that shall resist your speeches support them with patience and humilitie for theloue of him who being iniuryed misprised and dishonoured by the Iewes did not answeare them one crosse word nor would reuenge himselfe of the outrages which they had done him but presented himselfe with an extreme charitie to support all in satisfaction of our sinnes When S. Francis sent his brethren to any place he gaue them this document Haue alwayes humility and honestie in your company and in the morning till the third hower keepe silence strictlie and in the meane while offer your deuotion and pray to God in your hart Vtter not wordes that are idle and without fruit neither doe you giue eare vnto them because in whatsoeuer place you walke or be your conuersation ought to be no lesse humble and modest then if you were in your oratory or cell sith that where soeuer we goe or be we haue alwayes with vs our cell which is our body wherof our soule is the hermite which resideth therin to pray vnto God and to meditate on his benefittes And therfore if the soule rest not in peace in this celle that of the monastery will litle auaile vnto a Brother Liue in such sort as no man be scandalized att you but that each one by your sweetnes be induced to peace to benignity and concord considering that
virginall purity wherin God did alwayes conserue him in the middes of worldly vanities and that he had such speciall care therof that he deserued to haue the sacred woundes of our Redeemer engrauen on this his pure and virginall flesh Wherof Brother Leo gaue testimony who notwithstanding that he was his Confessour being curious to be confirmed therin did neuertheles in his prayer demaund the same of our lord IESVS CHRIST who by diuine reuelation ascertayned him therof for he shortlie after saw the holie Father in spiritt on a high mountaine in a most beautifull garden among roses and lilies hauing his handes full of them He was hereby aduertised that what he saw on this mountaine was the sainct registred in heauen with the virgines not only of body but euen of spiritt and will How the holy Father taught his Bretbren to shunne idlenes THE XXXV CHAPTER HE a boue all other thinges taught both by doctrine and example that idlenes ought to be shunned as a principall cause of lewd cogitations and corrupter of vertue shewing by example of his life with what diligence one ought to exercise the flesh by fruitfull mortificatiō in regard that it is addicted to sloath and is rebellious And therfore he called the body litle asse as one that ought to be subiected to the ordinary supporting of the burdens of labours not making resistance and that it ought to be chasticed with stripes and nourished with very course and rude meates If by chaunce he saw any loitring and idle person that would eat of an others labour he said that he ought to be called Brother Fly because not doeing any good but distayning and hindering the good worckes of others he ought to be reputed contemptible and abhominable In the beginning of the institution of the order to giue example of exercise vnto his Brethren he trauailed alone to seeke almose wherin he extremelie laboured his body that was already very sickly He spent the night in watchinges and continuall prayers and the day in reading the office in seruing and preaching in the townes and villages or in administring to leapers or decking and triming the churches It succeeded afterward that many Brethren who were not fitt to keep the quire did liue of the labours of others as of Brother Giles Brother Ginipero and some others who were imployed in certaine profitable occupations to shuune the capitall ennemy of the life and soule thence it proceeded that they had sufficient almose for themselues and for others Neither would he permitt his Brethren to giue eare to newes and relation of seculer matters that they came not by omitting the contemplation and tast of celestiall thinges to employ themselues in vaine and worldly thinges which they had already abandoned It was not permitted to any of them to relate what he heard abroad All they that were nere S. Francis were aswell by night as day exercised in diuine prayses wherin they rather seemed Angels thē men In this sort did they maintaine the schoole of the holy Father in labour and exercises of the spiritt Among the said Brethren it was held a great sinne for one to take his recreation and pleasure in any other thing then the consolation of the spiritt The holy Father affirmed that the negligent and sloathfull that applyed not themselues to any exercise should be incōtinently vomited out of the mouth of God And if he mett with any such he would incontinently reprehend him as one that by his example of perfectiō was in continuall exercise to the end that in his schoole none should loose any part of so great a benefitt as is time which is giuen vs by our lord IESVS CHRIST After his refection he accustomed with his Brethren to vse some exercise to auoyd idlenes that when afterwardes they were to pray they might not by meane of their vnfruitfull wordes then vttered loose the gifte and recompence which they had merited att the handes of God So the more to shunne idlenes he gaue this rule that by his commandement all the Brethren that should vtter any idle word conuersing or trauayling together should be obliged to say one Pater and to praise God in the beginning and end to the benefitt of the soule of the culpable cōditionally that he first acknoledged his fault before he were reprehēded by others But if he were first admonished and reprehēded by an other the said Pater noster should be for the soule of the reprehender And if the culpable would not admitt the admonitiō and penāce mayntainning his speech not to be idle the holy Father ordayned that he should be obliged to redouble the said penāce and now to say twice the Pater noster once for the reprehēder and once for him that should iudge his worde to be idle or vnprofitable Now the prayses which he ordayned to be said before and after the Pater noster he would they should be vttered with such and so distinct a voice that it might be vnderstood of all the Brethren there present who should then be silent to heare the prayse of God and if any one then spake he should in like manner be obliged to say Pater noster for him that was to praise He would that all the Brethren entring into any house or other place and casually meeting one an other should prayse God saying God be praysed or some like wordes This Seraphicall Father was accustomed to giue these honoures to God with a most zealous feruour and desired that all his Brethren should be carefull and religious in doeing the like How he was ennemye to murmuringe and how he reprehended it THE XXXVI CHAPTER THe holy Father extremely abhorred murmurers the venimous fruit of murmures growing of the pestiferous tree of idlenes yea he shunned them aboue all other kind of vicious personnes affirming them to haue a most mortall venime in the topp of their tongue wherewith they empoyson men both present and absent Wherefore hauing one day heard a Brother offending the reputation of an other he tourned to Brother Peter Catanio and crying with a loud voice he vttered these wordes Discorde beginneth to enter into religion if detractours be not chasticed with discipline and if these loathsome mouthes be not stopt the sweet odour of the good will incontinently be infected Arise arise speedily and dilligently examine the matter and if thou finde the offended Brother innocent chastice the murmurer sharpely that he serue for an example to all others And so I will that all Gardiens and Ministers be verie vigillant that this pestiferous infirmitie take not root in religion To this purpose he often said that whosoeuer did frustrate his Brother of his glory and fame merited to be depriued of the habitt of the order and of all power euer to lift vp his eyes to God till he had to his power restored the honour taken from his Brother He further affirmed that the crueltie of detractors exceeded that of murderers in regard of the law of IESVS
deluded by the deuill amiably replyed saying Oh God brother Ruffinus what wordes haue you vttered are you besides you selfe or doe you yeeld to be deluded by the deuill Know you not that S. Francis is an Angel of heauen on earth Is it not knowne vnto vs how many millions of soules God hath saued will saue by his meanes how he hath illuminated the world and how much ourselues perticulerly are by him illuminated howsoeuer sith he hath expresly sent for you I will that you repaire vnto him because indeed I know that you are exceedingly deluded by the deuill Brother Ruffinus being by these wordes att length persuaded without farther reply went with him and came to S. Francis in whose presence appearing the deuill lost his prey For after he had recounted vnto the S. all the circonstances of his temptation by order and had receaued demonstrations of the S. to witt that the deuill did harden the hearts of men and God on the contrary did soften and mollifie thē himselfe saying I will take from thee thy heart of stone and will giue thee one of flesh acknowledgeing the extreme hardnes which the deuill had left in his heart and with all vnderstanding in one instant all his slightes with abondance of teares he vttered his fault and cōfessed his sinne in concealing his temptation S. Francis then said vnto him My sonne goe make thy confession frequent prayer and know for certaine that this tēptation as thou shalt breifely experience shall tourne to no lesse peace and spirituall ioy And if this horrible deuill retourne to tempt thee vse these wordes vnto him Thou base and loathsome deuill open wide thy lying mouth that I may fill it full of filth Thus Brother Ruffinus retourning to his said mountaine and celle there to lament his passed errour Satan presented himselfe vnto him in forme of IESVS CHRIST crucified and said did I not forbid thee to beleeue Brother Francis But brother Ruffinus intertupted his wordes and answeared Thou loathsome and lying deuill open that thy mouth where out issue such horrible lyes that I may fill it with vilany which the false and proud deceauer hearing departed making such a terrible ruine of the stones of the montaine which he threw downe by grosse heapes hurling thē with such impetuosity that the stones flintes tumbling downe stroake fire against each other breifely it seemed that the mountaine was entierly to be ouer-throwen or suncken This storme was heard euen to the place where S. Francis was who with his companions went out to see whence proceeded this terrible noyse They were all exceedingly terrified S. Francis excepted who incontinently imagined the cause In the meane while Brother Ruffinus returned victorious from so tedious bitter a combatt who by experience knowing this illusion came to S. Francis to whome to the great ioy and contentement of all the hearers he recounted all the successe He being retourned to his cell the true Crucisix incontinentlie appeared vnto him and said Thou hast done well Brother Ruffinus to take the counsaile of Francis who hath discouered vnto thee th◠fraud of the deuill and therfore henceforward in consideration of the affliction which thou hast endured in this temptation I giue thee this grace that whiles thou liuest thou shalt be no more afflicted by the deuill then blessing him he disappeared whervpon he was according to the prophesie of the holy Father so comforted and replenished with such sweetnes and feruour of spiritt that his soule was often rauished and eleuated in God and so he liued and died in this perfect vnion of his loue Of the humility that shined in this Saint THE LXXIX CHAPTER IT being vnderstood that the holy Father had obtayned a right glorious victory ouer the deuill in himselfe and his for he only is vanquished that presumeth of himselfe and the humble as litle fishes escape out of the nettes we will now consider by what meane the S. became so admirably victorious ouer those proud and rebellious spirittes It was in deed by no other meane then by his humility wherwith he did not only surmount their cruell assaultes but they being vnable long time to endure him he putt them to flight it alone being the guard beauty and the mother of all other vertues aboue all which it shined in him gaue light as in the persō of him that would be the least of all his brethren and one that freely acknowledged himselfe the greatest sinner of sinners and reputed himselfe no other then a veslell full of ordure and not as in deed he was an elected vessell full of sanctity and very resplendant by the lustre of so great vertues and singuler graces wherin all perfection appeared as in a very beautifull cleare glasse Now on this vertue of humility he laboured to found and build all his holy and worthy edifice affirming that IESVS CHRIST descended not into the world from the besome of his eternall Father nor was vested with our so contemptible flesh for other end but hauing redeemed vs to teach vs both by word and effect as a true master of humility what himselfe said Learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart therfore he as his imitatour endeauoured to be of no respect first in his owne sight and then before others fearing least it should befall vnto him as it is writtē that he which is high before men is abominable before God for which cause he accustomed to say vnto his Religious A man is so great as he appeareth to be before God and no greater and therfore it is a great vanity to glory in the honours of the world He also reioyced when any iniury or reproch was done him and receaued prayses and honoures discontentedly being better pleased with reprehension then with flattery because said he by reprehension he learned to humble and correct himselfe wheras it was an ouer excessiue vanity to heare ones selfe praysed And with all he endeauoured to conceale the giftes which he receaued of God forbearing to discouer that which might occasion him to fall or offend Being one day called S. call me no more S. said he for as yet I may haue children and no man ought to be praysed till he haue perseuered vnto the end which to vs is vncertaine besides no glory is to be giuen to what soeuer is done by a sinner A sinner may fast lament and discipline his flesh but he cannot doe it alone and of himselfe The principall is that he be faithfull vnto his God wherof only he should glorifie which he shall doe if in his seruitude he attribute all the good he shall doe vnto God from whome doe proceed and are deriued vnto vs all graces and perfections as from the true Father of all our consolations Of the loue and zeale he had in humility THE LXXX CHAPTER DIscoursing one day with his brethren he said I cannot repute my selfe a Freer Minor If I proue not
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
in his soule conceaued such consolation therof that he no more remēbred all his trauailes past then if he had neuer endured them S. Francis then said vnto him My sonne admire no more for it is necessary that thou retourne into the world but greiue not for God hath appointed thee a very short time of seauen dayes only that in the meane time thou mayest prepare the better which ended I my selfe will come to thee and will conduct the thither to enioy with me this immortall glorie The blessed Father S. Francis with a very rich mantell and his holy stigmates glittered as shinning starres with such a splendour that he seemed with his beames to illuminate the greatest part of that great citty The Religious did there know many SS of S. Francis his company whome he had seene in the world all whome he nomminated att his retourne Att length hauing receaued the benediction of S. Francis he awakened out of his sleepe and heard the bell ringing to the Prime for it was yet early morning and he seemed to haue spent many yeares in his iorney he thē recounted the vision to his Guardian and the Religious for the cōsolation of all such as liue in labours and afflictions and to demonstrate that whatsoeuer sinners they be God doth neuer abandon any one but doth euer assist and preserue them in all their tribulations till he bring them to his kingdome Now for confirmation of all the precedent the Religious fell incontinently sick and with an admirable feruour of spiritt prepared himselfe for his last houre The seauen dayes expired the glorious Father S. Francis came as he had promised and carryed the soule of this theefe into Paradice This holy Father then by this humility in this sort gayned soules vnto God as by the ensuyng example shall more appeare How S. Francis conuerted certaine other theeues this was the 27. chapter of the 10. book transferred hither as a place more proper vnto it THE LXXXVIII CHAPTER THere were certaine theeues that had their residence on an high mountaine whence they discended to robbe the passengers they found on the wayes and some time very hungar constrayned them to aske bread for the loue of God att the Couent of the Freer Minors neere the borough of S. Sepulcre some of the Religious affirmed that it was not well done to giue them almose being theeues and murderers such as ought not to be releiued to the detriment of the cōmon weale Others neuertheles of compassion gaue them almose still admonishing them to leaue that lewd and detestable life and to doe pennance for it But S. Francis one day accidentallie comming to that Couent the Religious proposed this doubt vnto him to whome he answeared If you follow mine aduice I hope by the grace of God you shall gaine him those soules which is that you take bread and wine of each of the best you haue and carry it them to the mountaine whither they are retired and that calling them you very louingly vse this speeche vnto them Brethren feare not for we are Religious that bring you to eat then presentlie spread your cloakes on the ground and sett them your bread vpon it and with a ioyfull humility minister vnto them till they haue done eating After that in fauour of that charity on your part exhibited and of what you may thenceforward doe them pray and coniure them not to hurt kill or offend any man personnally and for that first time require no other thing of them An other day according to the good answeare they shall giue you you shall carry them other bread wine egges and cheese which you shall present vnto them with the greatest humility and kindenes that you can then you shall say vnto them Brethren we know wel what moueth you to liue in these mountaines with so many inconueniēces feares and perils both of body and soule which you will vndoubtedly bring to ruine if you perseuer in this course Therfore we counsaile you for the best to giue ouer this life to putt your confidence in God and he wil neuer abandon you in your temporall necessities On our part we will not faile for his loue and yours to releiue you att least to saue your soules and I hope in our Lord said the holy Father by this your charity and humility you shall conuert them which proued true For these Religious following that counsaile the vertue of the holy Ghost in a moment descended on the theeues in such sort that moued by the demonstrations of those good Religious they beleeued them so that by litle and litle the greater part of them entred into the Order and there liued piously and the rest hauing sworne vnto the Religious that they would amend themselues spent their time in very great repose and ended their liues as good Christians to the exceeding contentment and edification of all the country who for the same gaue thanckes to God and to those good Religious How much S. Francis shunned and abhorred honours for the loue of humility THE LXXXIX CHAPTER THough by the precedent it may be sufficiently vnderstood how much S. Francis shunned worldly glory and on the cōtrary how he reioyced when God was praysed by his worckes yet it will more manifestly appeare by this which we are to speake of him on this occasion Hauing one day ended his sermon in the citty of Iterrena the bishop arose and after he had made a short exhortation to his people in the end he said That frō the time that God had planted the Church he neuer abandoned it but did alwayes illuminate and assist it by meane of some perfect men that continually supported the same but now he did illustrate and maintayne it more then euer in this poore bare-foot and idiott vtterlie misprised for his loue wherevpon he concluded that they were much obliged to giue thanckes vnto his diuine maiesty for that his singuler benefitt As soone as the bishop had ended S. Francis doeing him reuerence very ioyfull replyed doubtles My Lord neuer man in the world hath to this day so much honoured me as your selfe for some say of me this man is holy and when God worcketh any thing by me many reflecting on me only giue not to God the glory due to his diuine maiesty but you as wise and prudent haue separated the vile from the precious wherefore falling on his knees before him he kissed his handes and departed leauing the bishop exceedingly edified If any one called him S. he would incōtinētlie answeare If God should take frō me the treasure of his grace which he hath giuen me in custodie there would remaine to me only my body and soule both burdened with sinnes and extreme blindnes as are the damned and infidels but as the picture and sculpture where the images of God and of the glorious virgin are engrauen and peinted in wood or stone are reuerenced and honoured as figures of the true image and as they are stone
lay men and women healthy and diseased children yong and old to all people families tongues to all nations and all the men of the whole earth that are and shal be the grace of true pennance in this life and so perseuerance in the true faith without which no man can be saued and we beseech thee to graunt vs grace together with theÌ„ to loue thee withall our hart withal our spiritt with all our forces withall our vnderstanding and withall our affections desires and interious willes sith thou alone hast giuen vs soule body and life creating and redeeming vs by thine only mercie thou hast saued vs and hast giuen vs miserable rotten and putrified ingratefull and ignoraÌ„t lowed and rebellious wretches dayly doest giue vs infinite benefittes Permitt then good God that we neuer desire nor seeke other thinge and that no other thing seeme good vnto vs or delight vs but they selfe our Creatour Sauiour and Redeemer only true God that art the perfect good all true and soueraine good that only is good and pitifull meeke and delightfull that only is holy iust true and vpright of whome for whome and in whome consisteth all our pardon all the grace and glory of all penitentes of all the iust and of all the blessed that raigne in heauen Permitt also Lord that nothing preuaile and hinder vs but that in euery place in all time att all houres continually we loue thee in verity and humility and that we hold thee imprinted in our hart as our true God And graunt if thou please that we loue thee honour adore serue prayse glorifie and preach thee for great and glorious and that we thank thee thou that art most high and God three and one Faâ—her Sonne and holy Ghost Creatour of althinges and Sauiour of all them that beleeue in thee and haue placed in thee their only hope and loue who art without beginning and without end immutable inuisible inenarrable ineffable incomprehensible inscrutable blessed praysed glorious glorified high amiable agreable delectable and aboue all thinges desirable world without end Amen Of the intelligence and spiritt of prophetie which this S. had THE CXI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis had in such sort cleared his soule illuminated and vnited it to our soueraine God by the continuall exercise of prayer that albeit he had no ouer-great vnderstanding of holy scripture being neuerthelesse illuminated by the beames of diuine reuelation he did penetrate the sublimity of the said scripture with an admirable intelligence of the diuine mysteries by which acquired science remayneth excluded the infused of diuine loue entring in his place And therfore what he read in holy scripture he vnderstood by diuine reuelation as a dilligent disciple of the holy Ghost he first imprinted it in his memory and then ruminated the same with an interiour tast of deuotion And if God inspired him not he neuer reuealed it to any person to appeare a learned master as now the practise is The Cardinall of Hostia Protectour of the Order who was afterward Pope Gregory the ninth secretlie requested him one time for the consolation of his soule to expound vnto him certaine profound places of holy scripture I doe not said he demaund this theologicall exposition of you as of a great doctour for I know well you haue not studied But I require it as of a man illuminated of the holy Ghost The S. satisfied him and gaue him such contentment as he could desire no more Being one day att Sienna a Religious diuine asked him how the Prophett Ezechiel is to be vnderstood where he saith If thou doe not admonish the impious of his impiety an account of his eternall death shal be exacted of thee the holy Father answeared if those wordes be to be vnderstood generally as they sound I thus vnderstand them that the seruant of God ought in such sort to burne and giue light by exemplare life and by his pious conuersation that he seeme silently to reprehend all the impious for by such in deed he preacheth their vices Wherein is duely to be considered how much more a Religious is obliged herevnto by the light of his good life seeing that it is here apparent that if he doe it not he cannot escape the terrible iudgement of the liuing God which prudent and true interpretation the diuine affirmed to proceed directlie from heauen and that himselfe could not giue a more direct exposition then was giuen by him with the swift speedy winges of the eagle soaring from infused science And affirmed with all that our interpretation was not such which proceeding from our blinded vnderstanding goeth naturally as a serpent trayling his body on the earth The said Religious did not try the holie Father in this matter onlie but in diuers others also in all which he rested fully satisfied and exceedinglie admiring att the grace which God had giuen him which was so great that he could not only discouer and vnderstand mysteries past but which God alone of himselfe can doe he discouered eueÌ„ the thinges to come as if he had had them then before his very eyes as by this example and them that follow shall euidentlie appeare The holie Father being yet in the cittie of Sienna he once demaunded a charitie for the loue of God of an affectionate freind of his who directlie answeared him he would not graunt it but that he should first tell him the certainty of his predestinatioÌ„ a demaund doubtles verie strauÌ„ge yea exceeding terrible But God that would for his profitt manifest vnto the world the merits of this his so glorious seruaÌ„t was coÌ„tent he shold promise to assure him Being theÌ„ amazed att this so inciuill request he eleuated and addressed his countenance to heaueÌ„ but much more his spiritt and so remayned in prayer a certaine space wherin was reuealed vnto him that this man was of the noÌ„ber of the predestinate and then he promised his deuout freind eternall life assuring him of his saluatioÌ„ But this good man vnable to conceale this his so extreme spirituall alacrity and so coÌ„ming to the eares of the afore said Religious diuine he was exceedinglie scaÌ„dalized att the presuÌ„ption of the holie Father Therefore repayring vnto him filled with choller as an other Pharisie he demaunded if it were true the S. answearing affirmatiuelie he laughing and deriding him said and who hath reuealed vnto youthat this your freind should be saued to whome the S. verie iealous of the honour of God openly answeared he that also told me that the last night thou committedst such a secrett sinne and that therfore in short time thou shalt abandoÌ„ thy habitt But because the Religious deserued not pardon though by manifestation of his sinne he might be well assured of the ensuying punishment which he prophesied vnto him he neuertheles did not penance as the holie Father then admonished him God permitting him to die out of his Order that by his
prepare it att their pleasure which Brother Bennenuto receaued and lapped all together then went to masse where he was so rapt in deuotion that all the time of seruice he remayned insensible without either memory of the kitchen or any other thing in the world The conuentuall masse being ended he retourned to himselfe and remembred that the meat was yet to dresse which was sent them and neuertheles it was the houre of dinner he therfore went much troubled to the kitchen and comming neere he heard manie personnes playing the Cookes wherat admiring he opened the dore that was shutt wihout wherof he had the key and entring he saw no person within but onlie found the said meates readie drest as he had purposed to prepare them whervpon he gaue thanckes to God for that he would please by the handes of his Angels to supply that which he had omitted How S. Francis was prayed to tell what was his intention concerning the obseruance of Euangelicall pouerty THE XVIII CHAPTER NOtwithstanding the premises and by how much the nomber of Religious encreased so much neuertheles did the nomber of true obseruers of Euangelicall pouerty diminish each one seeking to interprett the rule in such sort as he might not be obliged to this rigorous vow of pouertie yea there were good Religious that were putt in doubt therof by the subtilities of the infringers as particulerly Brother Ricorio de la Marquese who one time was very instant with sainct Francis to be resolued therin praying him to explicate his meanning concerning the obseruance of Euangelicall pouerty as well past as present and to come that if it pleased God he suruiued him he might giue testimonie to the Religious his Brethren of his true intention and with all concerning the bookes which the Preistes might possesse though they affirmed that their bookes apperteined to the Religion and not themselues The holie Father answeared him Know brother that such was my first intention and shal be my last if all the Religious would beleeue me that none of them possesse any other thinge then one habitt with the cord and linnen breeches as the rule permitteth Therfore to them that afterward affirmed that the holie Father S. Francis caused not the same to be obserued in his time his companions answered that among many wordes which the S. vsed to his Religious and caused to be written according as frō day to day God did dictate vnto him in his prayers and reuelations for the good of the Order he diuers times said that he supported many thinges by reason of the scandall which might happē betweene his Religious himselfe in the beginning of the Order and albeit he saw that many waxed cold and relented he tollerated thē in case that it were not in an essentiall matter of Religion against the vow because he would not debate with the disobedient he excused himselfe herein towardes God alleadging vnto him that to the end his word of the augmentatition of his seruantes might not proue vaine he would in himselfe supply for them wherein they were deficient which he failed not to doe as we haue formerlie inserted To confirme his intention I will relate what he one time answeared to the Prelate of the Monastery of S. Mary of Angels that asked him leaue thenceforward to receaue something of the nouices that should enter into Religion to relieue the necessities of the Couent The S. answeared that when necessity constrayned him he should sell the ornamentes and rather disfurnish the altare of the virgin Mary then doe against the strict vow of pouerty and the obseruance of the rule because he was certaine that the glorious Virgin would be better pleased that her terrestrialll altare should be disfurnished then her celestiall Sonne should be disobeyed An other time Many ministers were ernest with him to permitt his Religious to possesse something if not in particuler att least in common wherewith they might supply their necessity their number being so encreased thut they sometimes endured intollerable inconueniences S. Francis then felt a great anguish in his soule and hauing no will to answeare thē of himselfe he fell to his prayer and demanded counsaile of God who with a cleare and loud voice answeared him Francis I take from the Frere Minors all thinges both in common and particuler because my selfe alone will haue care to prouide for that familie lett it multiplie as much as it will for as long as it relyeth on me and not on temporall substance I will nourish it Sainct Francis gaue this answeare incontinentlie to the Ministers and exhorted them with patience to perseuer in their first holie vocation considering that by such proceeding they should be eternally comforted of God Of the pouerty which sainct Francis would that his Religious should shew in their habittes THE XIX CHAPTER THe holie Father S. Francis would that his Religious should likewise be cloathed with the habitt of pouerty aswell in the basenes of the stuffe as in the number of coates that is with cloath of grosse lockes and one only habitt he detested them that were cloathed with three coates or with a double garment he said that the necesity which is not gouerned by reason but followeth the pleasure and commodities of the body is a note that the spirirt is dead interiourlie because said the S. the spiritt being waxen cold and carelesse of the heat of grace wherwith one ought to be couered and defended it is necessary that it make vse of thinges appertayning to flesh bloud for in defect of spirituall releife thre remaineth to the soule no other remedy then that He therfore gaue this marcke to discerne true necessity The soule and the desires doe shew signes of necessity when reason giueth scruple to a man of such necessities But for that one must not so soone prouide for if the Religious hauing necessity should instātlie prouide for it what meritt would remayne vnto him what exercise of patiēce could he haue yea where subiect of meritt is presēted vnto him he by the dilligence he vseth to prouide for himselfe retourneth vnto Egipt to auoide the sufference of any thing for the loue of IESVS CHRIST which he had att other times promised to endure He very sharpely reprehend them that made difference of coulers desiring to haue them lighter or sadder and to confound them with his example he patched his habitt with peeces of the grossest sackcloth and att the end of his life commaunded that they should bury him in his habitt couered with sackcloth If it chaunced some Religious could not support this burden he rather permitted him to haue his vnder coate lesse austere then the vpper in which he would that in all manner seueritie and pouerty should appeare He would sometimes with extreame greife vtter these wordes A time will come when this obseruance of pouerty will so relent that it will loose his vigour and carelesse coldnes will raigne in place therof because the
Father as our protectour I beseech you my Brethren euen humblie kissing your feet and with the greatest charitie I can I doe exhort you to reuerence and honour with your vtmost ability the most sacred sacrament wherby heauenly and earthlie matters are reconciled with God I beseech all my brethren that are Preistes and such as in the name of God shal be when they intend to celebrate the diuine masse to be pure and neat that they may worthelie offer the true sacrifice of the most sacred bodie and bloud of our lord IESEVS CHRIST with the greatest reuerence puritie holie inteÌ„tion that they shal be able not for any humane respect for any feare or loue but that their intention be directed to God desiring to please onlie his Maiestie who sayth Doe this in remembrance of me Know then yee Preistes that he who shall doe otherwise shal be like vnto Iudas Remember the saying of the Apostle A man making the law of Moyses frustrate without any mercy dyeth vnder two or three witnesses How much more thinck you doth he deserue worse punishmente which hath trodden the Sonne of God vnder foot and esteemed the bloud of the testament polluted wherin he is sanctified and hath done contumelie to the spiritt of grace For then is a man irreuerent and treadeth on that lambe of God when as the Apostle saith he doth not examine and make a difference betweene this true bread of God and that which he doth ordinarily eat and therfore he receaueth it vnworthely For God saith in Ieremie The man is cursed that doeth negligently and feinedly And the Preistes that will not haue this care to celebrate so excellent a Mystery the most worthely that possibly can be shal be condemned of God who saith I will tourâ—e your benedictions to maledictions on your selues My brethren heare me I pray you if the glorious virgin be so much honoured as she deserueth for hauing receaued into her chast wombe our lord IESVS CHRIST If. S. Iohn Baptist trembled and durst not touch the head of IESVS CHRIST and finally if the holy sepulchre wherin IESVS CHRIST was buryed for his so small time of residence is so much reuerenced how much more ought he to be iust holy and well purged who with his handes doth handle and with his proper mouth doth receaue so high infinite a Maiesty and doth administer the same to others Remember that he is an immortall and eternall God that liueth glorious and eternall with contemplation of whose Maiesty the Angels themselues cannot be satisfied Preistes know your dignitie and be holy for God is holy and as in regard of so great a mystery and dignity you haue bin more honoured then other men remember in like sort to be also more gratefull vnto God and to reuerence loue and honour him for otherwise your misery is exceeding great and deserueth continuall teares in that you hauing in your handes the almighty God the fountaine of all good thinges you procure to haue transitory and terrestriall thinges all the world ought to tremble with feare and sweetly weepe whiles the Angels themselues bend their knees when IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of the most high is vpon the altare betweene the handes of man O merueillous highnes and diuine debasement O most high humility that the Sonne of God yea God himselfe the master and lord of the vniuersall world should so humble himselfe as to giue himselfe vnto vs hidden vnder the forme of bread Consider my brethren so profound a humility and purifie your hart before his diuine Maiestie to the end he receaue all as he giueth himselfe to all Therfore I aduertiâ—e you in the name of God that in all places where the Religious are you celebrate but one masse a day and though you haue diuers Preistes lett the rest be content to heare it for although it be seene in many pertes yet is it one and indiuisible and without any detriment true God and true man so in one sole masse he can communicate his grace to all present and absent that make themselues worthy one onlie and verie God Father Sonne and holie Ghost worcking this Amen Of the faith and knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and of the sacred Sacrament THE XLV CHAPTER TO all Christians Religious Ecclesiasticall lay men and women that are in the world Brother Francis their seruant and subiect in God desireth withall reuerence a true peace in heaueÌ„ by the sincere charity which is discended on earth As I am the seruant of you all so am I obliged to serue all and to administer vnto you the most sweet word of my lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Considering therfore in my soule that by reason of the diuers infirmities that afflict my body I cannot by corporall presence as I desire visitt you my selfe I haue thought good to supply the same by letters and by them to administer vnto you the worde of IESVS CHRIST who is the word of the eternall Father the wordes of the holy Ghost which are spiritt life I then admonish you Brethren to confesse your sinnes to a Preist with all the dilligence you can possible and att his hand to receaue the true body and bloud of IESVS CHRIST For as our Lord saith he that eateth not my flesh and drincketh not my bloud cannot haue eternall life Lett vs then endeauour worthely to receaue such so eminent a maiesty for he that receaueth it vnworthely in steed of saluatioÌ„ pourchaceth death Besides I exhort you often to visitt the holy churches and to reuerence Preistes not so much in respect of themselues if they be sinners as for reuerence of the function and dignity which they haue in being ministers of the most pretious body and bloud of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which by them is offered on the altare receaued and administred vnto vs without which none can be saued by the holy wordes which they vtter and minister he discendeth from heauen to earth and none but they can doe it O how happy and blessed are they who loue God withall their hart with all their soules and with all their forces and their neighbour as themselues I inuite you all my brethren and you my sisters to this loue lett vs all with one accord loue God with one pure affection of our hart adore him because that is the thing which he especially requireth and demaundeth of vs as himselfe hath said the true adorers adore in spiritt and truth and it is necessary for them that adore him to doe it in that manner Our lord said to his disciples I am the way the verity the life No man coÌ„meth to the Father but by me If you had knowne me my Father also certes you had knowen from hencefoorth you shall know him and you haue seen him Phillip said to him Lord shew vs the Father it sufficeth vs. IESVS said to him So long time I am
nor vnderstand for they doe voluntarie blinde and ruinate their owne soules Open your eyes then blinded deluded as ye are by your ennemies the flesh the world and the deuill To the body it is a very delightfull thing to serue sinne very tedious to serue God all euils and sinnes proceed from the hart of mā as God saith in the Gospell The wicked haue no good in this world nor shall haue in the next they seeme att their pleasure to possesse the present vanities but they are deceaued for the time and houre will come when they shall loose all The holy Father said also that one being knowne to be verie sicke the first aduertisement of his kinred and freindes is not to prouide for his soule but to make his will and so his wife kinred and freindes gather about him to induce him to be mindfull of them And he ouercome by the teares of his wife the tender loue he beareth to his children and the persuasions of his kinred that seeme to haue forgotten his soule disposeth of his substance according to their fancie to giue them contēt and saith that he committeth to their gouernment and authority his substance his soule and his body that man is truely accursed who in this sort putteth his trust in man conformable to what the Prophett Ieremie said Cursed is the man that trusteth in man Now after such disposition the Confessour is sent for who finding the wretch obliged to some restitution soliciteth him to discharge himselfe therof but he answeareth that he hath made his testament disposed of all his goodes and deliuered it into the handes of his heires who will satisfie whatsoeuer shal be necessary and because he is in agonie and hath almost lost his speech there is no time to dispose of matters necessarie to the discharge of his conscience and so he dyeth a most miserable death Therfore lett euerie one know that when and howsoeuer a man dye in mortall sinne and without due restitution of an other mannes goodes hauing power to doe it before his death the deuill carryeth his soule directlie to hell where he shal be eternallie tormented and so in an instant he looseth bodie and soule goodes and honour because his kinred diuiding his inheritance among them they often curse his soule for not hauing left to one of them what he hath left to all Of the contrarietie of vices and vertues and certaine breife aduertisements and exercises of them THE LI. CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis affirmed that where true charity is there can neither be feare nor ignorance Where there is a ioyfull and voluntarie pouerty there is neither enuy nor auarice where there is Meditation of God there is no care where the feare of God is keeper of the house there the deuill cannot enter where there is discretion and mercy there is neither superfluity nor deceipt Now I tell you there is no man in the world can in any sort haue one of the said vertues If he doe not first die to himselfe and he that reallie possesseth one hath all with that one he erreth not in the rest and he that erreth in one erreth in all the other and is in that case as if he had not any they are of such valew that each one of it selfe confoundeth vices and sinnes holie wisdome confoundeth the deuill with all his malices holy simplicitie confoundeth the prudence of the deuill the world and the flesh holy pouertie confoundeth enuie auarice and seculer desires holy humilitie confoundeth pride with all worldly honoures and what soeuer is in them holy charity confoundeth all diabolicall and carnall temptations and pleasures holy obedience confoundeth all naturall will and sensuall affection subiecteth the body to obedience of the spiritt rendreth and maketh a man humble and subiect not only to all men but euen to other irreasonable creatures The Apostle saith the letter killeth but the spiritt giueth life they are killed by the letter who seeke to know only to be reputed learned and wise of the world by this meane to purchase honours and richesse with anxiety to aduance their kinred and freindes and in a word not for themselues but for the body or for others And they are quickened of the spiritt who referre all the learning and knowledge they haue and desire to haue only to the prayse and honour of the diuine maiesty and who appeare before God by the example of their life and with wordes full of edification offring vnto him that goodnes which is entierlie his owne In this sort it is that the seruant of God may know if he really haue his spiritt for if the flesh glorie in the worckes it doeth by meane of the grace of God as its owne it is then a signe that he is of the deuill But if in the said worckes he neuerthelesse repute himselfe vile and acknowledge himselfe a most greiuous sinner he is then truely of God and God is in him Happy is the seruant that neither speaketh nor doeth any thinge for hope of recompence in this world but for the loue of God nor lightlie speaketh what commeth to his mouth but prudently and in due time disposeth his propositions and answeares Wretched also is the Religious that buryeth in his hart the graces which he receaueth of God or that commanicateth them for subiect of vaine glorie desiring rather to manifest them verballie then to God for he hath alreadie receaued his reward and they who haue heard him haue bin litle edified therby These are wordes of life and he that shall ruminate and accomplish them shall finde true life and in the end obtaine saluation of God They that seeke not to tast how sweete God is and that loue darcknes more then light neglecting to obserue the commandementes of God are by his Prophett accursed of him who sayeth Cursed are they who erre from thy commandementes but how blessed and happie are they that loue God and performe the saying of the gospell Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and withall thy will Lett vs therefore My Brethren loue and prayse God day and night Our Father which art in heauen because it is necessary to pray alwayes without intermission and lett vs haue charity and humility and doe almose deedes that they may cleanse our soules from spottes of sinne for euerie thing appertayning to the world tourneth to ruine men must leaue it and carry with them onlie the recompence and reward of charitie and the almose they haue done wherof they shall receaue recompence of God And therfore it is good to fast from vices and sinnes flying all occasions of them and to keepe vs from all kinde of superfluitie though lawfull and we must frequent churches and honour Preistes in respect of the dignity they haue with God and especiallie the Religious that haue renounced the world to doe more good then others and by their example we
more perillous then secure and afterwardes he conformed himselfe to the ancient fathers who vsed it att their hermitages as sainct Paul the first hermite sainct Antony and others and not to be singuler herein he gaue leaue to all the Religious to vse one in their infirmities sicknesses and old age Afterward burning with this seruent fire of charitie towardes God and his neighbour he was carryed as we haue formerlie said through cittyes and townes where he preached with excessiue feruour thirsting with an extraordinarie burning desire to see the nomber of the elect of God accomplished to which places he was so welcome and gratefull that when he went from the people he was halfe naked because each one striued to cutt part of his habitt some with cicers others with pincers or like instrumentes carefullie keeping those shreddes afterwardes as reliques with most pious deuotion for cure of diseases and dangers of this life others brought him bread to blesse wherof afterward to make vse in like necessities hauing seene therof manifest experiences Notwithstanding all this the holie Father had a violent desire to retourne to that former humilitie and simplicitie of seruing leapers and of not knowing the imperfections of his disciples as he was afterwardes forced to know them and also of enduring austeritie of life To this effect he said to his Religious My Brethren we must now begin to serue God for to this present we haue done nothing or verie litle So he proposed in his spiritt to performe great matters not considering the weaknes of bodie by reason of the great feruour of his spiritt wherwith being carryed away he desired nothing but fresh combattes to gett victorie ouer the ennemie and indeed he that well considereth it sindeth that feeblenes nor tepeditie haue any place where the port is alwayes open vnto true loue which inuiteth and induceth to attempt impossibilityes And so much the more by reason that he had accustomed his flesh to obey the spiritt and had such a promptitude to obey God that he was so farre from resisting that he stroue and endeauoured to worcke aboue his forces Wherfore God that knew his desire opened vnto him the meanes of meritt so that he did not onlie desire with the ineffable doloures of his infirmitie which did so afflict him from the soale of his feet to the crowne of his head that he had neuer repose he endured in each of his members an extreame and particuler paine in such sort that in short time he came to haue nothing but skin on his bones In all these afflictions he discouered his desire of them sith that he was neuer heard to vtter so much as one worde of complaint but he called his dolours his brethren and his diseases his sisters yet he answeared the Religious who being moued with compassion wished him to pray vnto God that he would please to appeare a litle more merciful◠towardes him that if he did not hold him excused in regard of his simplicity he would teach him what it was to check God in his iudgementes He omitted not yet to chastice in his body the excesse of the offence of this Religious for rudely flinging himselfe out of his bed vpon the ground he tourned and wallowed vpon it often kissing it gaue thanckes vnto God praysed him and besought him for his greater consolations to redouble his afflictions which wordes ended The Religious by force of armes laid him againe on his bed for he could not helpe himselfe into it O inuincible patience of this glorious S. comparable to that of Iob he was doubtles both ioyfull and humble in his tribulations as an other S. Paul considering that the more he endured of greater paines in his body the greater vigour and force appeared in his soule besides what affliction his stigmates procured him which continually distilled bloud with such extreme grife that it was humanely impossible for him to support them only two dayes not two yeares as he did for augmentation of his meritt and example vnto the world How God sometimes conforted his faithfull seruant in his afflictions THE LXII CHAPTER ALl this being very well knowne to almighty God beside the interiour vertue which he bestowed on him he did often comfort him exteriourlie One day to mitigate his dolours therby to raise his spiritt vnto God he had a desire to heare some prayse sung vnto his diuine maiesty vpon some instrumentes And therfore he told Brother Pacificus who had bin a famous excellent Poete that though men of this world abuse musicall instrumentes which were inuented to prayse God as in deed so many holy men had praysed him theron he should neuerthelesse finde meane to haue secretly a violle and for his consolation should sing some spirituall prayse affirming that therin was no offence vnto God and that it seemed the greifes of his bodye by that meane would tourne into consolation and ioy of the spiritt But Br. Pacificus hauing answeared that in so dooing he might scandalize the world he replyed that he had reason and that he should let it alone Now God who had a speciall care of him incontinently sent an Angel that sounded and gaue so sweet a touch to a violl as may be imagined that an Angel of Paradise could doe in the same instant comforting both the afflicted body and the soule of the great seruant of God Addressing himselfe therfore to Bro. Pacificus who had not heard the melodie no more then his other companions he caused them to giue thanckes vnto God for the great consolation which he had voutsafed to send him Being in the house of the Bishop of Assisium vtterlie without all tast and vnable to eat any thing by reason of the griefe of his infirmities his companyons asked him wherof he would willingly eat he answeared them If I could haue a few litle fishes of fresh water me thincketh I could eat of them These wordes being ended there entred a boy that brought him many as sent from Brother Girard Minister of Riete though it were winter and so extreme cold that it was impossible to take them the riuers being frozen The Religious exceedinglie admired to perceaue the care which God had to releiue the necessities of his seruant and especially in thinges impossible to men An other time desiring to haue a litle lettice he asked some of his companiō who answeared that the same day they had bin all gathered Goe into the garden said he and bring me the first herbe that cometh to thy hād which shall be a lettice The Religious went and found a very faire lettice and thanking him who had there set the same for the consolation of the seruant of God he tooke it vp with great ioy and brought it vnto him and the S. hauing eaten a therof leafe felt himselfe fully conforted How he was assured of the Glory of Paradise THE LXIII CHAPTER BVt because there cannot be giuen to a seruant of God a greater consolation
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
a woman so much afflicted As she one night lamented vpon this subiect Sainct Francis caused her to sleep then in her dreame appeared vnto her and with very compassionate wordes comforted her and aâ—tlength wished her to carry her child to a church verie neere thervnto and dedicated to his name promising her that after she had washed him with the water of the Couent-well in the name of God he should recâ—aâ—e his perfect shape and health But the woman 〈◊〉 this to be an ordinarie dreame affected not the wordes of the S. who an other time appeared vnto her redoubling the same admonishment which she no more beleeued then the former The glorious sainct retourned the third time and himselfe conducted her fast a sleep together with her sonne to the dore of the Couent where he left her disappeared Certaine great Ladies of deuotion comming thither in the meane time awakened this woman who much amazed to finde her selfe there related vnto them the vision and so in company they presented the child vnto the Religious who incontinentlie drew water out of the well and the most honourable and worthyest lady with her owne handes washed the child which being washed his lymmes miraculouslie became duely placed to the wonderfull astonishment of those present perceauing what the mercy of God was in our behalfe by the great merittes of his seruant Of the miracles wrought by S. Francis by the signe of the crosse THE XX. CHAPTER THere was a man in the towne of Chora within the diocesse of Hostia which was so depriued of the force and strength of one foot that he could neither goe nor any way moue the same wherefore despairing by humane art to cure him he began one night to discourse with S. Francis as if he had bin present complayning before his altare in these wordes S. Francis helpe me remember what I haue done in thy seruice carrying thee with such deuotion on my asse I haue kissed thy holy handes and feet and haue bin euer most deuout vnto thee I loue thee cordiallie consider therfore how I am tormented with this extreme paine The holy Father as approuing his discourse was moued with his iust and pious complaintes and as one that hath a continuall memory of those deuout vnto him he appeared with one of his Religious to his freinde euen whiles he was waking and said Sith thou hast called on me I come to thee bringing wherwithall to cure thee then comming neere him he touched his place of paine with a litle staffe wheron was the figure of the signe Tau the Greek letter thus made in forme of a crosse and presentlie the apostume brake out of his legge and his paine ceassed the said man remayning perfectlie cured and that which more augmented the miracle was that in the place where his griefe was the signe of Tau remayned for memory of the same It was the seale wherwith the holy Father S. Francis sealed his letters when he wrote to his freindes concerning any worck of charity Now here is to be obserued that whiles we discourse of the diuerse miracles of this glorious sainct it happeneth by diuine inspiration and the will of this inuincible standeâ—dbearer of the crosse that we end our historie with the signe of Tau and marck of our saluation for hence may we collect that as it was vnto him a comfort and great meritt towardes his saluation in following IESVS as his Champion so being now triumphant with IESVS CHRIST it is become vnto him an assured testimonie of his honour and glory for great and admirable is the mysterie of the crosse wherin the giftes of graces the merittes of life and the treasures of the wisdome of God are very deeply couered and concealed from the wise and prudent of the world which neuertheles were entierly reuealed vnto this poore of IESVS CHRIST who during his life followed only the steppes of the crosse and neuer conceaued tast of any other thinge then the sweetnes of the crosse so that in the beginning of his conuersion he might well say with sainct Paul God forbid that I should glory sauing in the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST as also afterward he might truely say of his Rule Peace vpon them and mercy that shall follow this Rule but towardes the end he might more truely say with the said Apostle I beare the marckes of our Lord IESVS in my body and we should desire to heare those other wordes from him The grace of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be with your spiritt brethren Amen TheÌ„ mayest thou O glorious standerd-bearer of IESVS CHRIST most assuredly glory in the glory of the crosse of IESVS CHRIST because thou diddest begin by the crosse and finally end by the crosse and for testimonie of the crosse it hath bin manifested to all the faithfull how glorious thou now art in heauen so that we may securelie follow them that depart out of this cruell Egipt because the red sea being diuided by the wood of the crosse they passed the desertes to enter into the land promised to the liuing leauing behinde them the floud Iourdan of mortality by the merueillous carryer of this holy crosse to the which blessed land of the the liuing the infallible guide of our beloued IESVS CHRIST crucified conduct vs by the degrees of the ladder following his glorious seruant being our Intercessour Here end the miracles of the glorious Father Sainct Francis written by Sainct Bonauenture A treatise wherin is discoursed how the holy Father sainct Francis attayned to perfect contemplation which hath bin transferred hither from the 37. chapter to the end of the tenth booke this place being more proper there vnto THE I. CHAPTER IT seemeth here to good purpose in some sort to declare the order and degrees wherby the holy Ghost doth raise those that are his to this great and high vnion of spiritt with God as well for a more true relation and intelligence of the perfect contemplation and vnion which the glorious Father S. Francis had with God as for the greater comfort of the soules who desire to follow and imitate his life and exercise Now it is to be noted according to the doctrine of S. Augustin that men lay two foundations the one of perdition which is selfe-loue and the other of saluation which is the loue of God or else that men haue two endes some in God and others in themselues directing all their actions for themselues our will is gouerned according to these two endes for if it conuert it selfe vnto God as taking him for its end the more it disioyneth it selfe from creatures yea from it selfe the neerer doth it approach vnto God by obedience and charity and perhappes with diuine assistance to the perfect contempt and abnegation of it selfe and to transforme it selfe entirely into the loue of God which is our end wherin consisteth all our perfection and glory Our Master IESVS CHRIST left vs this rule in his holy
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
him in this sort of his desired successe in this voyage In the said citty of Tunes there was an old More a man of great authority with those Pagans whome they reputed a sainct he had for a long time opinatiuely forborne to speake but as soone as Br. Giles and his companions were landed this More went presently preaching and exclaming through all the streetes and corners that certaine Infidels were arriued who intended to condemne and calumniat their great Prophett and their law and therfore counsailled and commanded them to seeke them out they being ChristiaÌ„s to kil them This caused a great rumour and tumult ouer all the citty in such sort that in an instaÌ„t they were all armed and prepared themselues to murder these poore Religious But the Christians hauing vnderstood the cause of this insurrection and fearing the Mores would kill them all they forcibly thrust Br. Giles and his companions againe into the shipp in which they came But these true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST did not omitt to preach to the Mores out of the shipp which putt the Christians into such a feare that they commanded the Marineâ—s of the vessel to hoyse their sailes and so being peruented of the effecting of their pious desires they were retourned into Italy Of the hight and sublimity of Br. Giles his contemplation THE IX CHAPTER AFter this holy Father had spent many yeares in the actiue life in affliction and labours it pleased almighty God to make him a new man calling him to the repose of contemplation and priuiledging him aboue all men of his time The beginning of this his perfectioÌ„ was when being in the Couent of Faleron neere Perusia offering his prayer one night he was touchâ—d with the hand of God and replenished with such a supernaturall consolation that it seemed to him that God would separate his soule from the body In this instant he felt his members as dead it seeming vnto him that his soule forsooke them and that being gon foorth she already delighted and pleased her selfe in the sight and contemplation of her so great naturall beauty but much more of her spirituall wherwith the holy Ghost had already endowed her whereby she appeared to her selfe more beautifull then all humane consideration could comprehend as himselfe a litle before his death did testifie In this extasie weâ—e reuealed vnto him celestiall secrettes so great that he would neuer disclose them to any and therfore he would sometimes say Happy is he that can conserue the secrettes of God in himselfe and it must not be obiected vnto me that God hath reuealed them vnto me to the end I should manifest them to others for when it shall please him that I reueale them he will discouer them vnto me by other meanes Of divers apparitions of our Lord and S. Francis to Br. Giles THE X. CHAPTER THe eighteenth yeare of the conuersion of Br. Giles wherin S. Francis dyed he went to dwell in the Couent of Crettone in Toscane within the Diocese of Chiusiâ—the first night of his being there there appeared vnto him in vision an Emperour that spake very familierly vnto him this presaged vnto him the diuine vision of the glory which God communicated vnto him in that place where spending the lent of S. Martin in very aâ—stere fastes and continuall prayers he had one night an apparition of S. Francis to whome he said that he had a great desire to speake vnto him The S. answeared him Brother sift and examine wel your selfe before hand and so vanished Br. Giles perseuering three entyer dayes in prayer IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto him before the feast of his holy Natiuity and for as much as might be coniectured by his wordes he was rauished in spiritt and with the eyes of his soule â—aw the glory of Paradice he neither could nor durst explicate this viion which was not continuall but by intermission till the eue of the Epiphany att which time he was so replenished with force and consoâ—tion both spirituall and supernaturall that his weake and feeble humaâ—e body could not support it for his soule seemed to expire so that he â—as constrayned to breath out violent sighes by reason of the force â—f his spiritt which his body could not sustaine and albeit he were on he hight of a mountaine in a cell very remote where he prayed yet did he other Religious sometimes heare him and then would they seÌ„d Br. GratiaÌ„ to assist helpe him as there should be need This Religious thus â—ming one time vnto him asking him wherfore he coÌ„playned the â—oly Father answeared come hither my child thou art come in good tiâ—e for I wished thee here then recounted to him many thinges to his â—ceeding coÌ„fort The next morning retourning thither he fouÌ„d him bitâ—rly weeping wherfore he prayed him not to afflict himselfe in that â—rt for it might wee l shorten his dayes Brother Giles answeared Alas â—y friendly Brother how may I refraine from teares that feare to 〈◊〉 the ennemy of God for hauing receaued so many graces of his Maiesty I doubt I doe not serue him as I ought and according to his holy will wherof if I were certaine it would be more gracious vnto me then death it selfe which he spake in respect of the vision and diuine reuelation that made such alteration in him and therfore he sayd Till this present I weÌ„t whither I would and with my handes laboured as I would but henceforward I can no more follow my fantasie but must doe according to the spiritt that I find to conduct me This feare in this holy Faher was like to that of S. Paul when he sayd we carie this diuine treasure in earthen vessels Butt because the certaine perill of the losse of an eternall and infinite treasure would cause a diffidence and despayre in any one by consideration of his naturall infirmity he added we know that the preseruation of the diuine treasure consisteth in the vertue and power of God and not of vs. The sayd Religious then tooke occasion to comfort him or rather the holy Ghost for and by him with the said sentence of S. Paul saying that though it were expedient that the feare of God should be alwayes in vs yet should it be there with faith and full confidence in his bounty who as he giueth grace vnto his seruantes so also he giueth them force to preserue the same together with perseuerance Br. Giles being by these wordes comforted he proceeded in employing his dayes in such hight of contemplation and spirituall consolation as is not to be expressed demaunding of almighty God as a fauour not to be so ouer-chardged alleadging that he being so great a sinner an idiot rustike and simple was not worthy so much grace but the more he reputed himselfe vnworthy the more did almighty God augment his fauours There was a religious of pious life in the same CoueÌ„t to whome God did some times reueale his secrettes certaine dayes befor that
a new man his seruant S. Francis by him to reforme his faithfull in this sixt age would also that a valerous woman should by his worck appeare in the world to accompany that his great seruant to the end that of those two should be new borne a perfect regeneration of the children of God And as the first naturall generation came of man and woman as of an vnited beginning so this spirituall generatiō of the imitators of the life and counsailes of IESVS CHRIST proceeded in all the Church and in all the estates and qualities of personnes of one same spiritt of zeale of perfection of humility and of powerty from one man and one woman And to the end it might not be vnlike the creation almighty God hauing first perfected his seruant S. Francis would frame of the ribbe or side of his life doctrine and sanctity the glorious Virgin S. Clare his true and litigimate daughter in IESVS CHRIST for his companion as zealous also of perfection and Angelicall reformation With great reason therfore hath she her place in the Chronicles of the Frere Minors For she being a ribbe and partye of the same Order it is very requisite a special mention should be made of her sanctity of life as we shall here performe And if it be not according to her meritt shall att least be done with the least defect we can possible being resolued to employ therin that litle force of spiritt which God hath giuen vs and this to the honour of his diuine maiesty of his holy seruant and to the edification of soules The glorious saincte Clare was borne in the citty of Assisium scituat in the prouince of the Vally of Spoletum which is a territory appertayning to the Romane Church Her Father and Mother were noble of a famous and very weathy famility her mother was called Hortolana which in our tongue may be termed Gardener and not without mystery considering she was to produce so noble and vertuous a plant in the garden of the holy Church This woman was exceeding deuout and compleate in the fruites of good worckes and albeit she were maryed and consequently obliged to the care and gouernment of her house and family yet did she not omitt with all her power to be exercised in the seruice of God and employed in worckes of mercy She was so feruent in the loue of IESVS CHRIST that with great deuotion she passed the sea with many other Pilgrimes and visited those holy places which our Redemer IESVS CHRIST God and man had cōsecrated with his holy presence and retourned exceedingly cōforted and enriched with many merittes She also visited the Church of Th'archangell S. Michael on the mount Gargan and with a pious and feruent desire visited the Apostles S. Peter S. Paule in Rome in such sort did that vertue and feruour in those dayes shine in many holy personnes but now so weakened is the feruour of Christians touching visiting holy places and the reliques of our Lord and his SS that it is almost lost by the continuall warres of heretikes and of our sinnes Now our lord began to poore out the abondance of his celestiall giftes on the root that afterwardes the sproutes of greater sanctity might follow and dispearse into bowes Neither would he that this deuout woman Hortolana should be depriued of the consolations and knowledge of this grace for being neere her childbirth she one day with great feruour prayed in a Church and before a Crucifix where she besought almighty God to deliuer her from the danger of death in her childbirth which she much apprehended and she heard a voice that sayd Woman feare not For thou shalt safely and without danger bring forth a light that shall illuminate and lighten all the world Being thus comforted and admonished by this diuine answeare so soone as she was deliuered of a daughter she caused her to be called in Baptisme Clare firmly beleeuing that in her should be accomplished the splendour of the light promised according to the prouidence and ordonnance of the diuine bounty Of the education charity prayer mortification and virginity of saincte Clare THE II. CHAPTER SAinte Clare being borne into the world she began incontinently to appeare and to shine as a morning starre in the obscure night of the world for in the most tender yeares of her first infancie she alredy discouered euident signes of notable and pious worckes wherin she made appeare her naturall worth and the graces which God had communicated vnto her for being naturally of a very delicate constitution he receaued of her mother the first foundations of faith afterwardes being inspired of God to apply her selfe to vertuous and pious worckes she shewed her selfe to be a vessell aptly prepared for diuine grace and as she abounded in interiour piety as wel by nature as by grace towardes poore beggers so according to the small meanes which thē she had she supplyed their necessityes And to the end her sacrifice might be more gratefull vnto God the most delicate meates that were giuen her for the nourishment of her litle body she hid and gaue it secretly to the poore Thus did piety augment and encrease in her and nourished charity in her soule preparing her to receaue the grace and mercy of almighty God Her greatest contentment was in prayer wherby she was often sustayned made ioyfull and comforted as by an Angelicall milke and in a most delicious manner eleuated to the diuine pleasures of the conuersation of our lord IESVS CHRIST In these beginninges hauing no beades she vsed in steed therof certaine litle stones some to serue for the Pater noster and others for the Aues and so she offred her prayers to God Whervpon beginning to feele the first feruours of diuine loue she iudged that she must contemne all transitory apparence and painted flowers of this world and being by prayer well enstructed of the holy Ghost she resolued as a wise spirituall merchand to haue no more regard of terrestriall affaires acknowledging them vnworthy to be esteemed and with this Spiritt she did weare as an other saincte Cecilie vnder her gay apparell a hair-cloth so exteriourly satisfying the world and interiourly her Lord IESVS CHRIST But hauing attayned the age of mariage she was importuned by her Father and other kinred to choose a husband Wherto she would neuer consent but vsed lingringes and delayes putting off and differring what she could all humane mariage and euer recommended to our Lord IESVS CHRIST her virginity with the other vertues whe◠with she was endued by such exercises endeauouring to please almighty God that he might bestow on her his only Sonne for her Spouse Such were the first fruites of her spiritt and such the exercises of her piety so that being anoynted with such a sweet and spirituall oyntment she yelded a most pleasing sauour as shoppe replenished with most delightfull liquors whose sauours though they be shutt vp discouer and manifest themselues In
CHRIST seruing him alone in pouerty and humility This sainte Agnes of Bohemia being illustrated by many vertues and miracles hauing assembled an infinite number of Religious in diuers Couents and hauing with them perseuered in all perfection of vertues she left this transitory world to take eternall possession of her glorious celestiall Spouse CHRIST IESVS who honoured her and made her blessed as he hath manisested by many miracles which he hath wrought by her great merittes intercessions The Emperour Charles the fourth who was also king of Bohemia was two seuerall times deliuered from death by the intercession of this celestiall Princesse and therfore att his death he enioyned his sonne Wenceslaus and successour in the Empire to procure her canonization But he was hindered by important and continuall troubles and affaires that disabled him to execute the pious and iust desires of his Father Of many other Religious that florished primitiuely in the Order of S. Clare THE XLI CHAPTER THere was an other holy Religious of the royal bloud of Polonia called Salome whose sanctity was manyfested by diuers miracles which God wrought after her death she by her merittes deliuered many women from perill of death in trauell of child many lame were restored to the vse of their limmes blind recouered sight and wounded personnes were cured A holy Religious of Padua called Helena florished in great perfection of life in the monastery which was builded by the Seraphicall Father S. Francis and in which the blessed Father S. Antony of Padua yelded his spirit vnto almighty God This holy Religious liuing in that place after she had there obtayned of God many vertues she was tryed by IESVS CHRIST and refined as gold in the furnise of afflictions For she kept her bed depriued of all corporall force yea and of her speech for 15. yeares during all which time she ordinarily demonstrated by signes and gestures an exceeding great alacrity and ioy in her hart Our Lord reuealed many thinges to this sainct which she manifested to the Religious who curiously recorded the same to be kowne to posterity The sayd religious sisters being demaunded how the infirme Religious could make the vnderstand those wordes sith she could not speake they answeared that themselues then obserued so strict a silence that they scarcely spake att all but demaunded and opened their necessities by signes which were well vnderstood among them for expressing whatsoeuer they desired to haue knowen And in that sort had they vnderstood the sayd S. whose body for many yeares after the sayd Religious sisters did shew to such as in deuotion repayred to see it remayning entire and incorruptible yea her nayles and haire did grow as if she had bin liuing By her merittes God wrought many miracles and particulerly on the Marquesse of Parma who was of the family of Lupi called Boniface who being in the anguish of death the Marquesse his Lady making a vow to this sainte Helene for his health it was perfectly restored vnto him In the beginning of the Order of saincte Clare there was also of it the daughter of a king of Hungary called Cuiga sister vnto blessed sainte Elizabeth the widowe who hauing taken the habitt and made profession of the rule of saincte Clare became so famous after the death of sainte Elizabeth in sanctity and miracles both during her life and att her death that question is att Rome touching her canonization The end of the 8. booke and second volume of the first part of the croâ—icles of the Frere Minors THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE INSTITVTION and rule of the third Order called of penitents made by the holy Father S. Francis And the liues of many of the said Order especially of Sainte Elizabeth Queene of Hongary How the Order of the seculer penitents was instituted by the holy Father S. Francis THE FIRST CHAPTER THE Seraphicall Father saint Francis sowing ouer Italy the word and seed of life a good part therof fell into the hartes of men that were bound by the knott of Matrimony and of personnes of such like condicion whose soules could not freely follow the spiritt of penance as they desired yet their feruour was such that sometimes eueÌ„ whole townes and villages were dispeopled in following the holy Father saint Francis who purchased the saluation of their soules Wherupon this holy Father being requested yea importuned generally and particulerly to institute an Order and rule wherin seculer and marryed people might liue to doe penance and to liue in a more secure estate for their saluation The yeare 1221. he instiruted the Order of Generous Penitents whereof all Christians that liue not in monasticall Religion might yet be meÌ„bers The first that entred this Order was an holy man called Lucius and though no rule is found to be recorded att that time nor forme of liuing prescribed by S. Francis to these Penitents yet it is most assured that he gaue them certaine rules according to which they should temporally and spiritually gouerne themselues were it to fast or pray more then other seculers to know what office and deuotions they should vse what almose they should giue how they should be cloathed and what rigour of penance they should vndertake of which ordoÌ„nances deliuered by S. Francis and recorded by them to whome he taught the same Pope Nicolas the fourth cutt off one part and left only that which was most easie instituting a rule which here we will insert which was also afterward confirmed by the Apostolicke sea by three most ample letters patentes And albeit the first and ancient habitt of these penitentes was afterwardes different in diuers prouinces yet is it most probable that the most common and general was the same which those of the third Order yet weare in Italy as most conformable to their statue The colour is gray like to that of the Frere Minors but the forme and fashion is as others seculers doe weare and it is credible that S. FraÌ„cis his will was that the sayd Penitentes should weare this habitt siâ—h in those places where this Order was by him first instituted and where he most conuersed this manner of habit was vsed These sayd Penitents may not weare the cord as the Frere Minors These of the third rul which haue succeeded those who liue in coÌ„mon and are Religious by vow can lesse auouch the wearing of a cord but must vse a leather belt And it is to be noted that the Frere Minors cannot receaue these Penitents to the profession of Religious obedience or to any vow but only may admitt and receaue them to the sayd rule of life and company of the Penitents exhorting and admonishing them to obserue the same They may also assist them in confession and other spiritual worckes as CoÌ„freres and true Brethren of the Order Neuertheles the Religious may not be their Prelates or Superiours because they are
subiect to seculer ecclesiasticall iurisdiction These Penitents may yet as is practised in all their Cōfraternityes create an head or chefe by the title of Minister Rector or Priour who shall haue care to assemble the Brethren att certaine times to consult of matters touching their company It is also manifest that S. Francis alone among al other authors of religions did institute and ordaine the Brethren and sisters of the third Order of Penitents And because he had formerly instituted two rules the one of Frere Minors and the other of poore Sisters this Confraternity of Penitents was called the third Order thence is deriued their denomination Since that time some others Orders principally the Begging Freres endeauour to imitate S. Francis and to institute also other Confraternities of imitating Penitents or what such other denomination they will and submitting themselues in some sort to the sayd Orders they withall enioy their priuiledges But to the end more apparent knowledge may be had of this first and true Order of Penitentes instituted by the holy Father S. Francis and the holy sea and of the fruit which they haue produced in the Church we will proceed in declaration of this Order First we will sett downe certaine Apostolicall fauours and concessions bestowed on this confraternity in the beginning therof then the rule which the said Pope Nicolas the fourth of blessed memory compiled approued finally we wil deduce the illustrious personnes that haue florished in the sayd Order in all sanctity which wil be a matter gratefull and worthy to be recorded The Briefe of Pope Gregory the ninth wherby he declared this Order to be confirmed and fauoured by Pope Honorius the 3. THE II. CHAPTER GRegory Bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God to all the Brethren of the Order of Penitents instituted in Italy Forsomuch as the detestable enuy of the ennemy of mankinde doth with greater obstinacy persecute the seruants of CHRIST IESVS spreading his snares against them and with all his power seeking to withdraw and remoue them from the seruice of the king of kinges by malicious inuentions we knowing that these hauing forsaken the vanitie of the world though they be yet with their bodies on earth neuertheles in soule and spiritt they conuerse in heauen renouncing worldly desires for the loue of God they enioy not only transitory pleasures but eternal richesse so much more also doth he torment them no otherwise then did the Egiptians persecute the people of God that went out of the Egipt of this world till they perished by diuine punition and a new manner of death finding receauing the end which their worckes deserued And after our Sauiour and Redeemer IESVS CHR. hauing receaued holy Baptisme went into the desert where hauing fasted 40. dayes and 40. nightes the same wicked spirit feared not to tempt him Therfor he that addicteth himselfe to the seruice of God must according to the sentence of the Sage prepare his soule vnto temptations Which being considered by Pope Honorius the 3. our Predecessour and that doeing worckes of Penance you were afflicted by the children of this world by diuers afflictions and crosses that therfore you had need to be nourished and fauoured by laudable worckes he embracing and louing your Religion in the bowels of IESVS CHR. gratified the same with speciall grace commanding all Bishoppes and Archbishoppes of Italy to exempt and free you from such oathes as are accustomed to be exacted of Gouernours of townes and other officers of others places and to protect you that you be not constrayned to accept publicke offices and chardges or to be receauers of common rentes and such like affaires But because the children of darcknes who by their humane prudence haue learned to repute darcknes light and light darcknes and this by calomnie of sinister interpretation haue so afflicted you in the preiudice of your priuiledges that you are for more vexed and chardged then before you had those priuiledges for albeit the sayd Officers cānot exact your oathes they find other occasions to enforce you to sweare not permitting you to giue your reuenues in almose where you please Wherfore you haue with great humility demaunded that we deliuer you from the obligation of such oathes as you haue made those accepted of peace faith and testimony and that you may not be chardged with impostes and contributions more then your other fellow Cittizens that you may employ your reuenues in pious vses and distribute it att your pleasure and may not be troubled for the debtes and faultes of your neighbours but that you be obliged to answeare the debtes of others for which you shal be engaged We then considering that you enter into the way of perfection and that the children of the world will so much the more hinder you as they are and know themselues different frō your holy life and that they make a confused heape of peruerse oppositions to hide and obscure the veritie doe by aucthority of these present letters giue and graunt to all you in your vniuersity of whose faith and Religion we hold our selues assured the permission which you demaund of vs in all the sayd matters most expresly commanding you that yon endeauour to vse the grace and fauour well which we bestow on you and that none of you abuse the same Vnlesse you wil be frustrated and depriued of the priuiledge which we graunt you and therfore lett none c. Giuen at saint Iohn Lateran the 30. day of March and second yeare of our Popedone This present Breife was giuen the yeare of grace 1228. wherin appeareth that the Confraternity of the Penitentes was not exempted from seculer or ecclesiasticall iurisdiction though in this Briefe it be tearned Religion because this title of Religion is taken and vnderstood lardgely for Christian Religion The Briefe of the said Pope Gregory the ninth wherby he permitteth the Penitents of the third Order of S. Francis to heare diuine office in time of interdiction THE III. CHAPTER GRegory Bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God to the Archibishoppes Bishoppes and Prelates of the church of Italy It being euident that the intention of those who are mindfull of death is not to follow the vanitie of the world but IESVS CHRIST doeing pennance with an humble hart by true contrition chasticing and subiecting the sences to reason and that their intention is to apply themselues to the seruice of God So that it were an iniust thing that these cōfraternityes should be separated and depriued of the diuine offices Ecclesiasticall sacraments it being reasonable that they receaue some speciall fauour of the holy Apostolike sea in these and other matters that concerne the seruice of God There being then many through Italy that obserue this order of life which some call Brothers Penitents we cōmand your prudence by this our Apostolicall Briefe that in the Churches of your iurisdiction wherin it is generally permitted you to say the
a gentleman but was for the present in miserable estate poore ragged and in shamefull condition Francis beholding him immediately represented vnto his memory our most noble but poore king IESVS CHRIST being in the world of whome he had so strong an apprehension as if he had seene him before his eyes and thence he conceiued such a compassion of this poore man that calling him aside he putt off his garmentes wherwith he was attired and cloathed him therwith The night following he saw in an imaginary vision sleeping a faire lardge hall full of verie rich armures all signed with the crosse and God for whose loue he had giuen his cloathes to the poore man shewing them vnto him who most assuredly promised him to giue all the armures which he saw to him and his if he would vndertake the triumphant standard of the crosse and couragiously follow him Francis awaking interpreted this vision to be of temporall cheualry wherein all Christianity was then earnestly exercised for the conquest of the holy land the Christians being there vnto induced by the bulle of the Croisadoe wherin the Pope granted plenary indulgence to all them that would vndertake so Catholike an entreprise called Croisadoe because all the horse and foot men did weare for deuise or badge the crosse on their cassakes and mandillians Now Francis hauing formerly had some desire to serue God in this voyage resolued and prepared himselfe there vnto hauing conceiued a full ioye and hope to become a famous and honoured Capitaine as God according to his owne interpretation had promised him Being therfore demaunded of diuers whence proceeded that his exceeding ioy and the extraordinary contentment which he exteriourly discouered he answeared them that it was out of a firme assurance which he had in short time to become great Hauing then compleately furnished himselfe with armours seruantes horses and whatsoeuer seemed necessary he hastened to Apulia to find out an Earle who was elected one of the principall heades of the enterprise supposing that seruing him he might after some worthy exploytes of armes be honoured att lenght with the Order of knight hood but the first night after he was departed he heard the voice of God that finally said vnto him Francis who can more benefit thee or better aduance thee the Master or the seruant a rich man or a poore He answeared without question the master he that is rich The voice replyed Why then leauest thou the Lord for the seruant and for a very poore man God that is most rich Francis thereto as an other S. Paul thus said O my God what wilt thou then that I doe Retourne answeared the voice to thy contry for the first vision which thou haddest signified a spirituall worck and not a terrestriall which is to be accomplished in thee not by humane fauour in no sort but by diuine disposition Francis then being thus changed thee next morning full of ioy and assurance he speedilie tourned his iorney towardes his contry beginning to feele in himselfe that contentment which perfect obedience and resignation of ones selfe to God doth cause and procure to the spirit with hope that his diuine maiesty would giue him vnderstanding of his further pleasure And thenceforward withdrawing himselfe from worldly companies and entanglements his endeauour and cogitation was only deuoutly to beseeche the diuine clemencie to make him worthy to know wherin he should employ himselfe for his seruice For although by the continuall vse of his frequent and daily deuotions he felt to encrease in himselfe the flame of diuine desires and that by reason of his affection to the celestiall Hiotusalem he thenceforward contemned whatsoeuer could detaine him from it and that he already desired to be entierly exercised in the seruice of God he neuertheles did not yet vnderstand in what mannr he should be therin employed he only by an interiour inspiration conceiued that God reuealed vnto him that this spirituall affaire was to be enterprised and begun by contempt of the world and that the cheuarly of IESVS CHRIST began by victory ouer ones selfe Being then thus retired into a solitary place and by continuall prayers and sighinges demanding the grace of IESVS CHRIST to be directed into the true way he heard a voice proceeding from a Crucifix that said Francis if thou wilt know my will it is requisite that thou hate and abhorre whatsoeuer thou hast to this present vainely affected and desired which if thou doest thou shalt feele a new tast and sweetnes in that which heretofore seemed to thee bitter and insupportable and that which did accustome to content thee thou shalt disdaine Francis hauing heard this lesson of IESVS CHRIST and often interiourly reflecting theron he chaunced one day as he trauelled one the plaine of Assissium to meete a poore leaper wheratt he was att the first apprehension afflicted beholding him with disdaine and contempt but incontinently remembring the purpose and resolution he had already made to embrace perfection and that to be a champion or warryer of IESVS CHRIST it was necessary for him to ouercome himself alighting from his horse he ran to embrace and kisse the leaper and hauing giuen him a liberal almose he mounted againe on his horse and looking about all that plaine he could no more set eye one that leaper wherfore being replenished with ioy and feare together he gaue thanckes to God and perseuering in continuall prayer teares and sighinges he merited to be heard in his pious deuotions Being one daye in prayer as in regard of his great feruour he was entierly as it were swallowed vp in God IESVS CHRIST crucified appeared vnto him by whose sight his soule al melted into compassion and the dolours of the passion of our Sauiour did so pearce his bowels and his interiour that as often thenceforward as that dolourous passion was represented to his memory could he with his vtmost endeauour scarcely suppresse his teares and sighes as himself a litle before his death recounted This man of God then Francis by this vision felt imprinted in his hart those wordes of IESVS CHRIST If any man wil come after me lett him denie himself and take vp his crosse and follow me And from that hower he was cloathed with the spiritt of the loue of God of patience humility and piety by which diuine loue esteeming no more but rather contemning all his temporall goodes and what soeuer he could euer expect of the world he perceiued and felt in his sowle that God had discouered vnto him a hidden treasure of infinite worth for the fruition wherof burning as it were and rapt out of himselfe he determined to sell al that he had and to distribute the price therof amongst the poore making by this meane an exchaunge of worldly traffique for an Euangelicall traffique which procureth true celestiall richesse In this manner did God draw this his seruant from prophane houses and shoppes of merchandise an other Matthew from
soules and he that shall perseuer to the end shal be saued Of the Preachers THE XVII CHAPTER THe preaching of the gospell being the food and nourishment of the soule lett no Brother or Minister authorise himselfe and enterprise to preach without licence of his Superiours and lett such as â—â—albe authorised be very respectiue not to preach against the forme and constitutions of our holy mother the Church Lett the Minister Prouincials be aduertised not to admitt to any chardge especially in matter of importance all personnes indifferently but lett them formerly consider well therof Lett the Brethren that shal be admitted to preach or to exercise any other obedience take heed not to attribute to themselues or to their merittes the office which they shall haue and particulerly that of preaching they ought rather to practise by worckes then by faire elected wordes and therfore att all times and whensoeuer they shal be aduertised to desist from preaching lett them without any contradiction entierly forbeare to preach Therfore by charity which is God himselfe I pray all my Brethren Preachers Oratours and other Officers and Ministers as well Preistes as lay that they endeauour continually to debase and humble themselues and that they neither glory nor take complacence in any good that God doeth or speaketh by them because such worck is not theirs but Goddes and that they remember that which our lord IESVS CHRIST saith Esteeme not the more of your selues for that you see the deuils subiect vnto you and lett each on rest assured that we haue nothing of our owne but vices and sinnes and when we finde our selues tempted and oppressed with diseases and afflictions as well in soule as in body we should reioyce in hope of eternall life Lett vs beware of pride and vaine glory of the wisdome of the world and the prudence of the flesh which endeauoureth to speake well but litle to doe well For it seeketh not a religion and sanctity of spiritt but a religion and sanctity exteriour and apparant vnto men for these are they of whome our lord speaketh when he saith I tell you in verity you haue already your reward The spiritt which is of God desireth the flesh should be mortified misprised and esteemed vile and that it endeauour to be humble patient pure duly subiected to the spiritt and especially rooted in the feare and loue of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost referring all good thinges to the most high lett vs acknoledge our selues to be his and lett vs continually yeld him thankes as one from whome dependeth and proceedeth all our good Therfore are all honours and all benedictions due to him alone by reason also that he is the true and soueraigne good And therfore when we shall see any thing il done or ill spoaken against his holy name lett vs on the contrary endeauour to prayse exalt and thanck him as blessed for euer world without end Amen Now and when the Ministers ought to assemble THE XVIII CHAPTER THe Minister Prouinciall ought with all his Brethren to assemble together euery yeare att the feast of S. Michael in some coÌ„modious place to treat and determine of matters behoufull for the seruice of God and ReligioÌ„ And all the Minister Prouincials that are beyond the sea and in places on the other side the Mountaines shall asseÌ„ble once euery three yeares the other Minister Prouincials shall come euery yeare to the Chapiter in the Church of S. Mary of Angels if the Minister generall dispose not otherwise to whose ordonnance all ought to obey That all Brethren ought to liue Catholiquely THE XIX CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren be Catholiques and as such liue Catholiquely and if any one should erre in faith or in the instution and constitutions of holy Churche either by worckes or wordes if he doe not forthe with rectifie himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled out of our ReligioÌ„ We ought to acknoledge for our Superiours all Prelates and Religious in that which concerneth the good estate of our soule prouided that they proceed not against our Order and our Rule Of the confesion and communion of the Brethren THE XX. CHAPTER LEtt all my Brethren as well Preistes as the laity the blessed of God coÌ„fesse to the Preistes of our Order and if in case they caÌ„not they may confesse to an other Preist that is prudent and Catholique and lett them firmely beleeue that by the pennance and absolution giuen them they shal be absolued of all their sinnes and therfore lett them endeauour with the greatest faith and humility that they can to accomplish the penance that shal be enioyned them And if they should be in a place where they could not haue commodity of a Preist lett them in such case confesse with their Brethren as the Apostle saith Confesse your sinnes one to an other But let them not yet omitt when they shall haue meanes to repaire to Preistes because they alone haue the authority and power of God to bind and loose Being so contrite and coÌ„fested lett them with exceeding humility and reuerence receiue the most sacred sacrament calling to minde that which God saith he that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud hath life euerlasting And in an other place Doe this for a commemoration of me Of praysing God and exhorting Christians to pennance THE XXI CHAPTER VVHen my Brethren shall know and esteeme it expedient to preach to the people hauig imparted the benediction of God they may vse these wordes Feare loue honour praise continually and say yee Be thou blessed almighty God Trinity and vnitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost Creatour of all thinges I beseech thee to permitt me to performe fruites worthy of penance and to know this truth that we shall shortly die and that att that instant the knotte of this soule and body shall end to be either eternally happy or eternally miserable They must exhort such as haue bin offended to pardon as God doth pardon vs and to this effect lett them vnderstand that if they doe not pardon they shall not be pardonned and that they shal be blessed that shall die contrite because their place shal be in heauen and miserable shall they be that shall die impenitent because they shal be children of the deuill whose worckes they haue wrought and therfore shall they discend into eternall sier Be carefull my beloued Brethren to shunne all vices and perseuer in god euen to the end that God may blesse you An Exhortation he made to all the Brethren THE XXII CHAPTER LEtt vs be mindefull of that which our lord sayth loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you Because besides what he hath taugbt vs by worde he hath in like sort taught vs by effect whose steppes we ought to imitate As then he called Iudas his freind though he knew he would betray him and voluntarily presented himselfe to them that were to crucifie him so likewise lett vs repute them our freindes that
iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God
retired into a poore house adioyning to the bishopprick Being about midnight in prayer a fiery chariott of admirable splendour sodēly appeared to his poore family which entring att the doore of their cottage where some prayed and others slept it there turned three times In the middes of this chariott was the glorious Father S. Francis and ouer him a circled cloud and bright as the sunne the splendour whereof gaue light to the obscurity of the night and then those that slept by meanes of the noyse did awake the bodyes of the Bretheren were so illuminated and resplendant that their consciences were discouered each to other and att lenght they mutually seeing each others hart perceiued that S. Francis though absent in body was present in spiritt and that by a supernaturall vertue he appeared vnto them on that fiery chariott to insinuate vnto them that they ought to follow him as true Israelites sith as an other Elias he was by the prouidence of God deputed to be their chariott and guide It is credible that our Lord att the prayer of S. Francis opened the eyes of these simple seruantes that they might see the maiestie of God as he did when he opened the eyes of the seruant of Elizeus to lett him see the mountaine full of armed men of fiery chariottes and of Angels that were there to protect the Prophett So that the S. incontinently retourning began to penetrate their hartes and to comfort them with this strange vision discouering vnto them diuers extraordinarie and admirable thinge of the augmentation of their order and explicating vnto them many thinges that euen exceed humane vnderstanding Which gaue the Brethren to vnderstand that the holy Ghost was really discended and with such perfection remayned alwayes in him that he was vnto them to all the faithfull the securest way they could possibly haue wherby to procure their saluation How S. Francis went to dwell at our Lady of Angels THE XXVI CHAPTER THis holy Pastour of a flocke litle in nomber yet great in merittes determined to leaue the said place as well by reason that it was not capable conueniently to lodge them as also because they were there exceedingly disquieted he therfore said to his childrē My deerly beloued I know that God will multiplie vs it therfore seemeth necessarie that we repaire to to the Bishop of Assisium or to the Canons of S. Ruffinus or to the Abbott of S. Benedict to begg of them some poore Church where we may read the canonicall houres neere vnto it some poore cottage built of loame and laughtes wherin we may be all couered and haue what shal be necessary for vs by reason that this place as you see is not capable to entertaine many Brethren besides the inconuenience which to vs is more intollerable that the strictnes therof doth not afford vs meanes to read our canonicall houres nor lesse to burie on of our company if any chaunce to dye here The Brethren approued these considerations Repairing then to the Bishop humbly to demaund his necessitie he receiued answere that he had neither church nor house for him The Canons answeared as much taking leaue therfore of thē he went vp to the mount Sabusio to a monasterie of S. Benedict and demaunding for the Abbott he presented the same petition relating vnto him the answeare and deniall of the bishop and Canons The Abbott hauing attentiuely beheld him inspired of God with a generall consent of all his Religious gaue to S. Francis and his disciples the Church of S. Mary of Portiuncula which was among all other the poorest they had but the same that S. Francis especially desired and to whome and to his the Abbott said My brethren vnderstand this We graunt all that you haue demaunded vs but in recompence we require that if God giue you grace to multiply as we hope the cheife of your religion haue his residence in this place Wherto S. Francis hauing graciously thancked them for their exhibited fauour answeared that the place which they had bestowed on them should be as they desired the principall of his Order S. Francis hauing obtayned this request tooke his leaue and retourned exceedingly satisfied as well in regard that the said church was dedicated to the most holy Virgin by whose merittes he had receiued many graces of God and hoped yet many greater as also because it was surnamed Porticella of the place where it was built which was ancientlie called in latin Portiuncula that is a litle portion the true figure of the religion which he professed to obserue which was the strictest and most painfull life that in all the holy church was obserued and that of all other was to haue the least part in this world The holy Father vpon this occasion said that God would not that the first Brethren of the Order should build an other church to the end the foresaid prophefie might be accomplished by the Frier Minors who were to persist in the perfection of Euangelicall pouerty to encrease and multiplie ouer all the world And notwith standing as I said before the said Abbott and his Religious had entierlie giuen him the said church without reseruation of any acknoledgement S. Francis neuertheles as a louer of pouertie a good and prudent Founder that would establish his religion on a strict and sharpe pouertie did yearlie send and giue to the said Abbott a litle baskett full of small fishes which he tooke in a neighbour riuer as a note not onlie of humilitie but also of acknoledgement that his brethren might vnderstand that they had nothing in proprietie sith they paye euen for the permission of the Church for which they gaue the said fishes which were in great reuerence and deuotion receiued of the said Abbott and Religious and in recompence therof was giuen them a vessell of oyle The poore of IESVS CHRIST being thus accommodated in the house of the glorious Virgin there began incontinentlie to breath forth the sweete sauour of their vertue and not only in the vally of Spoletum but euen in diuers partes of the world by reason that S. Francis went from thence to preach in diuers places not with wordes of terrestriall humane and artificiall science but by vertue of the holie Ghost and that with such merueilous efficacie that his audience admired him as celestiall because he most ordinarilie fixed his countenance on heauen seeking and endeauouring to eleuate and raise the creatures from the earth to their Creatour Of the augmentation of the Brethren of the conuersion of Brother Siluester and how S. Francis cured Br. Maricius and conuerted him to his Order THE XXVII CHAPTER THe holy seruant of God being with his disciples in his new residence in extreame austerity of life most zealous exercise of prayer and feruour both by example and doctrine of the saluatiō of soules the worthy vigne of IESVS CHRIST began to sprout forth new buddes to branch and produce
to this end we be called to witt to cure the wounded to reduce those that erre into the right way and to make vnion where there was diuision fastening them together with the sweet nayles of the feare of God He afterward explicated vnto them the state of the Freer Minors saying The Religion of the Freer Minors is a nett that taketh the great fishes for God and letteth the lesser escape and the life and religion of the Freer Minors is a little flock and fold of sheep which the Sonne of God hath desired his heauenlie Father to giue vnto him in this later time which were a people replenished with humility and with so abiect a pouerty that they were different from all other and were content to posses no other thing in this world but himselfe in regard that his Father had giuen them vnto him Herevnto he added that for this respect God had commanded him in a reuelation to call his Religious Freer Minors because they were the poore people which he had required of his Father to whome in his gospell he spake in these tearmes Feare not my litle flock for it hath pleased the Father to giue you the eternall kingdome And albeit this hath bin vnderstood in the person of all the poore of spiritt yet was it particulerly spoaken concerning the Religion of the Freer Minors who were to renew in the church the primitiue estate of the Apostles Thus did the holy Father encourage them without feare to trauaile ouer the world securely to denounce and simplie to preach pennance reposing their confidence in God who had vanquished the world who would speake for gayning of soules for them and in them by meane of the holy Ghost But lett vs especially haue care said the holy Father we that haue already abandoned the world that we loose not the celestiall kingdome for a matter of small moment I therfore further aduise you that if you find mony in any place wher soeuer you esteeme it no more then the dust you trample vnder your feet The said S. did afterward admonish them not to contemne any person that they should see to liue licentiously or cloathed sumptuously considering that God is our common Lord who is of sufficient power to call and iustifie them For which reason he would that his Religious should yeld them equall reuerence with their fellow Brethren and Lordes for they are as well and really theire brothers in regard of reasonable essence sith we are all creatures of one same and sole Creatour and Redeemer and they are also their Lordes in as much as they assist them in their course of life and releiue them in their necessities He farther affirmed that the Freer Minor ought to be such in the world that in whatsoeuer he should see or heare in the world he should glorifie the heauenly Father The Brethren one day besought the holy Father that he would be pleased to manifest vnto them what vertue would make a man the greatest freind to IESVS CHRIST and he answeared them My Brethren pouerty my Brethren pouerty my Brethren pouerty Know for certaine that it is the singuler way to perfection the stemme or stock of humility and that God would that therevpon should begin the structure and building of perfection saying If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast because therby the greatest impedimentes are cutt off to witt the affection and cogitations of temporall substance ordinarily accompanyed with pride and vaine glory of the world which breed of richesse as the moth engendreth in cloth Our Lord also declareth this eminencie of pouerty to be the seat of all other vercues when he saith He that will liue with me lett him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Because he that is perfectly poore ought not only to forsake all loue and desire of temporall thinges but also the loue of himselfe of his proper iudgement of his prudence and of his owne will that hauing no propriety in any thing he may enter into the merueillous puissances of God and present himselfe nakedlie into his sweet embracementes In the discourse which S. Francis made to his Brethren he did also commend in a Religious the vertue and grace of prayer affirming that without the same none could perseuer or profitt in the seruice of God he therfore exercised and induced his Brethren to prayer by all meanes he could deuise persuading them to pray alwayes trauailling or resting in one place a broad or within in comfort and affliction and that they should doe al things with their spiritt erected vnto God who is alwayes present in all places and within vs â—and will that we continuallie conuerse with him for feare that by our negligence and tepidity we depriue our selues of the veritie of his holy spiritt not receiuing it with due reuerence Of the austere life of S. Francis THE XXXII CHAPTER THe blessed Father knowing that he was giuen of God for an example and light vnto the Gentiles and worldly Christians that many by his meane carrying the crosse of our Redeemer should be saued as a captaine of the warre of IESVS CHRIST he endeauoured to gett the crowne of victory by worckes of perseuerance in perfection and reflecting on these words of the Apostle They that appertaine to IESVS CHRIST haue crucified their flesh with their vices also to carry the armour of God in their bodies he crucified his flesh with the rigour of discipline and so bridled his appetites that touching his refection he scarcely tooke what was necessarie to suffice nature And as one that had well experienced the matter he affirmed it to be a thing verie difficult to satisfie the necessitie of the body without obeying the disordinate inclinations of sensuall delight In the beginning of the Order albeit he had not sufficient almose of bread to releiue his Brethren yet for the most part he demaunded no more because himselfe and his Brethren were so attentiue and addicted to the spiritt and to prayer that out of forgetfulnes they omitted to demaund almose and therfore refected themselues with hearbes and rootes which they did eate with exceeding good appetit and great contentment The holy Father in his health did very seldome or almost neuer eate any meat dressed by fier His ordinarie repast was bread and water and if att any time he did eat of such it was of boyled hearbes which he so mingled with ashes or cold water that loosing their sauour they were worse then raw and drincking water he toke only so much as he thought would suffice him not to quench the heat of his thirst but to satisfie the necessitie of his body His ordinarie table was the ground neither had his Brethren other during his life He euerie day inuented and found some extraordinary manner of abstinence so atttentiue and regardfull was he to chastice the flesh and to render it obedient to reason that
it might not hinder the profitable progresse of the soule He deuided the yeare into diuers Lentes all which he fasted austerelie and first the Lent which our Lord fasted which beginneth from the Epiphanie this great seruant of God fasted it in the honour and example of IESVS CHRIST very secretly with great silence and very strict abstinence of bread and water Then incontinently after Easter he kept an other Lent to solemnise the feast of the holy Ghost in which he prepared himselfe in example of the Apostles for so great a comming An other he made in honour of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul an other from the feast of the said Apostles to the assumption of the virgin Mary After this Lent he fasted till the feast of S. Michaell the Archangell Besides the foresaid Lentes he very austerely fasted the Aduent He left it as a precept to all his Brethren to fast it from the day after the feast of Alsaintes according to the same forme of the quality of meat which himselfe vsed Touching the rest of his austere life it may be conceaued by that which he said of himselfe I was neuer theefe in demaunding almose superfluously yea I haue alwayes taken lesse of that which I needed therby not to frustrate other poore because if I should haue done otherwise I should haue condemned my selfe of manifest theft Notwithstanding when he trauailed he did accommodate himselfe to their diett who gaue him entertainement in their house according to the gospell in such sort that both fasting and eating he alwayes edified his neighbour If in his sicknes he were constrayned to eat flesh from the time of his recouery he would for pennance double his ordinarie abstinence In regard wherof Brother Giles would commonly say that if S. Francis had a body sound and stronge as he desired all the world together had not equalised him for sufferance and patience in austerityes But because the merite and noblenesse of vertue consisteth not only in the party of the body but of the spiritt therfore by how much his bodilie force did faile so much were the feruours of his spiritt refortified so that they exceeded without comparison his naturall forces and that was his great crowne And therfore appearing one day to Brother Giles and telling him that he desired to speake foure wordes vnto him he answeared and said learne first with thy selfe that which thou wouldest say to me Besides the bare hard ground was the ordinary bed of this poore wearyed and trauailed body and his pillow was a stone or a peece of wood yet did he oftē sleep sitting in respect wherof his body had very small ease repose in his sleep for he spēt the most part of the night in prayer Wherto he arose whiles the other Br. slept whē he was with thē His habitt was one only coat with the capuce of very rude boysterous cloth and sometimes breeches and the corde As he hated delicate cloathing so did he extremely affect that which was rude and rough saying that S. Iohn was for that exceedingly praysed of God in these wordes that the custome of delicate cloathing is in the Courtes of Princes and not in the houses of the poore If therfore the holy Father felt any complacence in his habitt as being neat or whole he would incontinently quilt it within with grosse threed He affirmed that he knew of certaine that the diuels did admire att the obseruance of a difficult and austere life and that on the contrary they violentlie tempted those that were cloathed delicatelie Being one day demaunded how he could endure the sharpnes of winter in so poore and simple habitt he answeared couragiously If we were cloathed within with the flame of God we should most easily support this cold without and greater then ordinary if it shall happen But because he knew that all his Brethren were not capable of the like sufferance he said that the true seruant of God ought to gouerne himselfe with much discretion in his drincking and eating and in the vse of all other thinges necessarie to the entertainement of the body and in such sort that he gaue it not occasion to murmure that it hath not strength not only to pray and labour with the rest but euen not to stand on foot and when he shall haue done that if the body doe afterward play the iade become lazie and drowsie when it should pray lett him rudelie chastice it and therfore he ought in all his necessities to haue alwayes recourse to his superiours and humbly demand them And if he doe not obtaine them he ought to beare it patiently for the loue of God who also prayed his Father and was not heard and lett him vndoubtedly beleeue that a necessity voluntarily suffered for the loue of God is reputed vnto him as a martyrdome and if his body be therby endomaged the fault is not his but it is the will of God Notwithstanding these so milde documents for others he subdued his one body with an incredible rigour in regard wherof some few dayes before his death he of conscience asked it pardon for hauing so rigourously treated it and alleaged for excuse that he had not done it out of hatred vnto it but for its greater security and for the glorie of God Of preseruing the treasure of chastitie and how he afflicted himselfe and cast himselfe into a pitt full of snow THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe blessed Father liued with an extreame rigour and sharpnes of discipline to conserue the virginall splendor of chastity very diligently enflaming the interiour and exteriour man For this cause in the beginning of his conuersion he often times during the winter season cast himselfe all naked in the middes of snowes or on the ice that he might perfectly subdue his domesticall ennemy the flesh and conserue the shining robe of immaculate virginity from the fire of sensuality not permitting it long residence therin as by this example shall appeare Being one day in the hermitage Lautiauo making his prayer in a celle apart the deuill called him thrise saying Francis Francis Francis to whome thoughe the S. answeared yet knew he not who called him The deuill then said vnto him there is no sinner in the world whome God doth not pardon if he conuert himselfe but he that shall kill himselfe by ouer rigorous pennance shall neuer finde mercie before the face of God The holy Father then knew the deceipt of the wicked ennemye hidden vnder the sweetnes of those wordes and he knew it the more apparantly in that att the same instant by the loathsome breath of that foule dragon which enflameth the coales of hell he had a vehement temtation of the flesh which the louer of chastitie feeling he discloathed himselfe and with his corde very sharpelie beate himselfe saying Goe to Brother asse this kindnes I must shew thee it is requisite that thus I serue
CHRIST which is not accomplished but in charitie and doth more oblige vs to desire the good of the soule thē of the body In this respect the Brethren from that holie time as obedient children that desired to accomplish the iust will of their Father were with their best industrie warie therof because to murmure what other thing is it said the same holie Father then with the gall of dishonour and treason to fill holie religion his true and deere mother Such murmurers are of the cursed race of Cham for as he discouered the nuditie of his Father so these discouer and aggrauate the defectes of their Superiours and of the Order Therfore they deserue the malediction of God they wallow in filth like hogges and seeke to lay false imputations on their Brethren and to make them like vnto themselues who haue their consciences exceedingly defiled and loathsome their office is conformable to that of dogges to bite to barck and to complaine of the order of the Superiours and of the discipline The voice of the murmurer is thus I want perfection of life and true knowledge I cannot attaine to tast the sweetnes of God and therfore I cannot find place neere his diuine Maistie nor repose with men I am resolued what to doe I will raise discord amōg the elect and the good people and I shal be fauoured of the principall so much the rather because I know my Superiour to be a man and that also as I doe he sometimes vseth this meanes Oh wretch thou feedest already on humane flesh why seekest thou not they food other where thou gnawest the liuer and bowels of those that liue well Those fellowes seeke to seeme vertuous not to be so and accuse the vices of others without indeauouring in the meane time co correct their owne They praise onlie them of whome they are praised or of whome they hope some benefitt yet doe they not prayse them but when they thincke or know it will come to their vnderstanding and that themselues shal be commended therfore The holie Father thus laboured with all his power to root out of his Order so many occasions of euels as arriue by an vnbridled tongue to the end his Brethren might obserue the Euangelicall silence And in that respect he hath att times exhorted them to auoid idle wordes as such wherof one should render an account and be punished for in the great and dreadfull day of iudgement and if he mett with any one that should forgett himselfe in this point he would verie sharplie reprehend him assuring his Brethren that holie silence was the gard and cōseruation of the purity of the hart that it was not one of the least vertues and that so slight regard ought not to be made therof sith the Scripture saith that death and life are in the power of the tongue Of the spirituall ioy he would that his Brethren should haue THE XXXVII CHAPTER HE had an especiall care that his Brethen in their prayers diuine offices and corporall exercises should euer haue interiourly some spirituall ioy against the venime of idlenes and melācholy as a signe that they were the habitatiō of Iesus Christ He did with all singularly affect in them this peace and alacrity of spiritt he assured them that this spirituall ioy was directly opposite to all kinde of deceipt and temptation of the deuill and said vnto them that if the seruaunt of God did labour to conserue in him interiourly and exteriourly the alacrity which springeth of the purity of the soule as his proper foūtaine which is caused by the vertue of prayer the deuilles cannot annoy him for they will say If this man be ioyfull in afflictions and trauailes by what meanes can we procure him euill And on the contrary when the deuill seeth the seruaunt of God disarmed of this spirituall alacrity he hopeth with all to make him loose the tast of prayer and of all his other good worckes and especially of the puritie of the soule for he well knoweth with what temptations and by what slightes he can endommage and robbe the peace of the spiritt and of the good disposition which is in the seruaunt of God But this mischeuious beast shall haue lesse power when the soule shal be dilligent to expell this heauines by the vertue of prayer which as a most pleasing odour hath power to chace far a way from her this fierce and venimous serpent but when the hart is oppressed with griefe and heauines the deuill reioyceth because he very easily plongeth him into melancholy or into dispaire or persuadeth it to wallow in worldly pleasures Thus did the holy Father exceedingly labour to preserue the ioy of the hart which is the oyle of spirituall vnction wherwith the holy Ghost annoynteth those whom he hath sanctisied and thereby preuenteth the dangerous disease of idlenes and of spirituall distast which the Sainct with such dilligence endeauoured to exterminate that when he felt it to breed in him he had incontinently recourse to prayer as to a most assured remedy and preseruatiue against so perillous a disease He counsailed his Brethren in like sort when they felt themselues troubled to haue instant recourse to prayer and being on their knees prostrate on the earth before God to say Restore me if thou please my God that grace which thou wert pleased formerly to graunt vnto my soule whereto I beseech thee to giue that alacrity and rast which it felt in thy holy seruice and comfort me by the same that I do not perish and he admonished them thus to perseuer till they were heard and that their former ioy retourned vnto them For said he if the soule permitt it selfe to be transported to heauines of spiritt the vice of confusion of Babilon will grow in it which rustieth the hart and silleth it with sorrow if it be not washed with teares And know yee said this good Father that the alacrity which proceedeth of a good conscience and of vnion with God by prayer is one of the principall giftes which one is to receiue and receaued ought to conserue Labour then all of you to obtaine it sith I loue it for my selfe and desire it for you both exteriourly and interiourly for the glory of God and the greater confusion of the deuill who only and his haue occasion to be melancholie wheras we on the contrary ought to reioyce in God I know well that the deuilles beare me enuie and that they cannot but against their wil endure so many graces to be imparted vnto me by his diuine maiesty and seeing they can not annoye me they endeauour to trouble my fellow-brethren but they lesse preuayling therin if it please God they shall depart with confusion If sometimes they tempt me with slugishnes idlenes and heauines of spiritt I free me therof by consideration of the alacritie of my Brethren Now it is here to be vnderstood that the holie Father being an Idea and paterne of all
CHRIST the one by an ardent feruour and the other by abstinence and discipline sacrificing the flesh exteriourly in holocaust and interiourly burning in the temple of his soule the sweet incense of piety eleuating his spiritt vnto God by a most seruent loue and extending it by his interiour benignity ouer all creatures that were associated vnto him by nature and grace and redeemed by the precious bloud of our lord IESVS CHRIST He had not bin reputed the freind of IESVS CHRIST if he had left desolate the soules redeemed by such an inestimable price Wherfore he affirmed that one ought to preferre the safty of soules before al thinges sith that the only Sonne of God the Father would be crucified on the crosse for their saluation Therfore when he prayed he poured out an infinite quantity of teares When he preached he extremely heated himselfe and in this consideration it was that he so rigorously afflicted his body for it was not to punish it for sinnes which he had desisted to committe nor to preserue himselfe therefrom by reason that the hand of God was with him But it was to the end that by his example and merittes he might free and deliuer the poore soules of IESVS CHRIST from that horrible and insatiable gulphe of hell vsing those wordes of S. Paul If I speake with the tongues of men and of Angels and haue not charity I giue no good education to my neighbour and very litle doe I profitt others and much lesse my selfe Therfore he deuided this his charity as an abondant Fountaine into many and diuers chanels wherby he dispersed it louing and honouring each one in his degree and estate He particulerly honoured Preistes as the Ministers of God which he performed with exceeding reuerence acknowledging them to be sanctified by diuine aucthority with power to celebrate his sacred mistery and to absolue soules his mysticall body from detestable sinnes He would not see nor consider any imperfection in them as people that alwayes represented vnto him IESVS CHRIST He left by testament vnto his disciples this notable respect which he had vnto Preistes and shewed by example that euery man ought to reuerence them as personnes in whose authority next after God consisteth the recouery of our saluation He exceedinglie honoured Preachers and diuines as they who administred vnto vs the spiritt and life of the word of God He also much respected old people and gaue due honour to men of power and authority in the world But in especiall manner did he ground his affection on the poore He had peace and charity with all the world and would that his Religious should endeauour the like that none might be scandalized or troubled by their occasion He manifested vnto them the cordiall loue wherwith he affected them as his children in IESVS CHRIST in that he did not conuerse with them as their head lord or Superiour but as Father brother and seruant perticipating of all their necessityes afflictions and temptations so that he might well say with the Apostle Who among you is weake and I am not weake who is scandalized and I am not burnt and on the other side he congratulated extremely att the spirituall progresse they made he corroborated and conforted the feeble and they that were tempted as by these examples may appeare He was on a time entreated by one that was violently tempted to pray vnto God for him to whome conforting him he said My child be not disquieted for this ought to be vnto thee an assured testimonie that thou art pleasing and gratefull vnto God None may esteeme himselfe the seruant of IESVS CHRIST but in afflictions and temptations There are many though ignorant that glory not to haue tasted any infirmity and not to know what temptation is wheras they might iustly be greiued and therby vnderstand their weak spiritt and sclender loue towardes God and assuredly beleeue that they haue much more to endure in the other world For God doth here chastice the faithfull to free them from feare of correction otherwhere giuing them the meritt of a more worthy crowne and doth neuer permitt them to be tempted aboue their forces but causeth his seruantes to make great benefitt of these teÌ„ptations The said Religious was so comforted by these wordes that albeit he disposed himselfe thenceforward to endure and support his teÌ„ptations yet he incontinently felt all the bitternes he had sustayned to tourne into ioy and alacrity An other Religious being tempted with the spirit of blasphemy farre more insupportable then any other fell att his feet with abondance of teares and such sobbes that he could not vtter so much as one word Wherevpon the S. knowing the exceeding torment which this Religious endured â—oued with pitty and zeale of his soule he said I command you yee deuils in the name of our lord IESVS CHRIST that you presume not henceforward to tempt this Religious and he was incontinently deliuered yea in the very instant Here then appeared the deepe compassion of the holy Father and his power against wicked spiritts How he trauailed towardes Siria there to receiue Martirdome THE LIIII CHAPTER THe yeare of grace ' 1212. the order of S. Francis still florishing in nomber and in fame of sanctitie he ordayned that they should twice in the yeare assemble att our lady of Angels att the feast of Pentecost and of S. Michael tharchangel to suck the milke of Euangelicall pouertie from this their holy mother and there to conferre of matters necessarie to their Order and of accidentes occurring as also to vnite themselues in fraternall loue animating each other in vertue of the spiritt There were the preachers deputed to their places and other obediences ordayned The holie Father desiring to assist not onlie the faithfull but euen Infidell Pagans to sow the faith euery where and to offer himselfe in sacrifice to the fire of Martyrdome a liuely host vnto God and by his death after the example of IESVS CHRIST to lay open vnto erring foules the way of saluation in the aforsaid yeare which was the fourth of the institution of his order being no longer able to suppresse the flame of desire of martyrdome he resolued to passe the sea to goe preach vnto the Infidels in Siria He embarqued himselfe to this purpose but the vessell which carryed him was encountred with a most cruell tempest that forced it into Sclauonia where he remayned diuers dayes his companie refusing to proceed any farther Wherfore perceauing himselfe frustrated of his holy desire esteeming it to arriue by the prouidence and pleasure of his diuine maiesty and vnderstanding that there were certaine mariners retourning to Aucona he besought them for the loue of God to conduct him with his companion back againe into Italie They perceiuing him to be extremelie poore and that no benifitt was to be gotten by him they made excuse that they had sclender prouision But the holy Father relying on the mercie
be alwayes in cogitation with thee that we be with thee in intention and with thee in spiritt seeking thine honour in all our actions with all the forces and powers of our soule and bodie freelie employing all in the seruice of thy loue and in no other thing and that to obserue thy commandement we loue our neighbour as our selues shewing to all as to our selues an entier charitie for thy loue reioycing att the good of others as att our owne compassionating their necessities and afflictions as our owne giuing them all assistance we can possible far from offending them as our selues would desire to be assisted in like necessity Giue vs this day our daily bread that is thy deerly beloued and blessed Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in our spiritt and vnderstanding with all reuerence by the great loue wherwith he hath affected and by what soeuer he hath said done and endured for vs wretches And forgiue vs our debtes by thine infinite mercy by the vertue of the passion of thine only Sonne our lord IESVS CHRIST and by the merittes and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary pardon vs also good God As we forgiue our debters and if we pardon not them perfectly as we ought make vs Lord to doe it that we may meritt pardon Graunt good God that by thy loue we doe not only forbeare to doe euill for euill nor hate our ennemies but that we loue them and that by good offices and prayers for them we demonstrate the same to thee O God of mercie Lord God forsake vs not in our cruell temptations both secrett and manifest and permit vs not to fall therin but deliuer vs from euill past by meane of true contrition and holy pennance present by preseruation of thy grace and future by perseuerance in thy most holy feare Amen Of certaine other mysticall prayers and canticles which the holy Frther S. Francis made THE CXVIII CHAPTER The Holy Father in his canonicall houres said in latin these prayers following which he composed in the prayse of God HOly holy holy lord God almightie which art which hast bin and art to come thou art worthy that we offer vnto thee and to receaue of vs all prayse and honour and that we exalt and acknowledge thee aboue althinges the lambe that was slaine is worthy to receaue all vertue diuinitie wisdome force glorie honour and benediction Lett vs alwayes prayse God lett vs yeld the honour dew vnto the Father the Sonne and the the holie Ghost lett vs praise God for euer lett vs prayse the lord of heauen and earth and of all other thinges created vnder and on the earth with those that are in heauen lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost Lett vs prayse God for euer and magnifie him as he hath bin is now and shall be world without end Amen Lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Amen An other breife prayer vnto God Almighty most high and my soueraigne good all good that onlie is good We giue thee all praise all praise all glorie all honour and yeld thee all the thanckes we can and will that all good be referred to thee alone Amen An other short prayer for the diuine office Most high most mighty most iust and most mercifull lord afford vs miserable wretches so much of thy grace that we may accomplish thy holy will and may with all diligence seeke that alone which pleaseth thee that being interiourly illuminated and enflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost we may tread the most holy steppes of thine only Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that by meane of this thy grace we may see thee with the blessed thou that art the most high God who liuest in perfect Trinity simplicity and vnity and as almighty raignest in eternall glory Amen A prayer to the Queene of heauen and to the Angels God saue thee holy Queene most holy Mary mother of God and perpetuall virgin chosen of God the Father and of the holy Ghost the comforter in whome is faith and the entier perfection of all eminent vertue with all good vnited sith thou hast merited to haue in thee the author of life and grace God saue thee diuine Pallace God saue thee the habitation and tabernacle of the Redeemer God saue thee thee robe of God God saue thee the seruant and mother of God and God saue thee with all the Angelicall powers considering that thou art sent by the holy Ghost into the hartes of rebelles that of Infidelles thou make faithfull and true seruantes of God O most worthy mother of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with S. Michael the Archangell and all the celestiall spirittes vnto they beloued Sonne our lord and master Amen An other prayer to the virgin Holy Mary virgin and lady like vnto whome neuer woman was borne nor shal be in the world daughter and seruant of the most high king and celestiall Father most sacred mother of IESVS CHRIST and Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with all the Angels and sainctes vnto they beloued Sonne that he will voutsafe to saue vs Glory be to the Father vnto the Sonne and to the blessed holy Ghost Amen Praises vnto God Lord God thou art holy and God of all Goddes that worckest merueillous thinges that art the mighty and most high thou art the omnipotent Father and entierly soueraigne lord of heauen and earth God in Trinity and Vnity and sempiternall soueraigne good all good and euery good thing Lord God liuing and true thou art true loue and perfect charity thou art wisdome humility and patience thou art the incomprehensible beauty thou art true pleasure and assured repose thou art our hope and ioy thou art iustice temperance fortitude and prudence of mortall men thou art the richesse that can satiate vs thou art meeke thou art our only protectour and our guard thou art our vertue faith hope and charity and the sweetnes and consolation of all thou art the bounty without end a great God and admirable God omnipotent pittifull merciful and our Sauiour Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. The holy Father sainct Francis had a very feruent deuotiō to this versicle Gloria Patri therfore he often repeated it in his prayers He respected not so much Sicut erat Saying euensong one day with Brother Leo att euery verse of Magnificat he said Gloria Patri feeling therin a merueillous tast and contentment yea such as he thought he should neuer be satisfied with saying thereof he taught a Religious Preist that was in affliction and extremely tempted to say Gloria Patri which he did and was incontinently deliuered of his temptation Of the Canticle of the sunne and other creatures composed by S. Francis THE CIX CHAPTER THis holy Father composed a Canticle in latin in the prayse of God when he reuealed vnto him the
with you and haue you not knowē me Phillip he that seeth me seeth the Father also The Father dwelleth in a light inaccessible God is a spiritt whome no man hath euer seene because he is a spiritt and therfore inuisible but in spiritt considering that he is a spiritt most pure for it is the spiritt that giueth life and the flesh can doe nothinge He may also be seene of euery true Christian in the Sonne in that substance which is equall to the Father and therfore all they that see our Lord IESVS CHRIST according to the humanity and not according to his diuinity are condemned as likewise are they who see the sacrament which is consecrated by the wordes of our Lord on the altare by the handes of the Preist vnder the formes of bread and wine and doe not see him and beleeue in their spiritt that it is the true and most sacred body and bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST are condemned the souueraine Lord giueth his testimony against them when he said This is my body and this is my bloud of the new testament which shal be shed for you and for many in remission of sinnes He saith in an other place He that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud shall haue life euerlasting He that hath the spiritt of God which dwelleth in his faithfull he receaueth the most sacred bloud and body of IESVS CHRIST and all other that haue not the same spiritt yet neuertheles presume to receaue it they eat and drinck their iudgement and damnation therefore yee children of men how long will you be sencelesse and haue your hartes so hardened When will you compasse to know the truth and to beleeue in the Sonne of God who so humbly seeketh you euery day as when he discended from his imperiall throne into the virginall wombe he ordinarily commeth euery day vnto vs in such humble manner attired and so approachable He euery day descendeth from the bosome of his Father into the handes of the Preist on the altare and as he was knowne vnto the holy Apostles in true flesh in that very manner doth he communicate himselfe vnto vs in the holy Sacrament And as they with their corporall eyes saw nothing but flesh yet with their spirituall eyes they knew him to be God euen so we with our corporall eyes seeing the accidentes of bread and wine ought to see and firmely to beleeue that there is the most sacred body and true bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST on the altare In this manner is God alwayes with his faithfull as himselfe hath said I wil be with you euen to the consummation of the world Of lone towards our neighbour and how much the body is to be hated THE XLVI CHAPTER THis thinge may doubtles much confound vs that making profession to be seruantes of IESVS CHRIST and being certaine that his true freindes haue done may worckes that haue bin entirely deuout vertuous and holy we neuertheles content our selues with the only relation of them and esteeme by the bare discourse therof without execution to raigne eternally Blessed is the seruant of IESVS CHRIST that loueth his Christian brother as much being sick as in health and in aduersitie as in prosperity Blessed is he that loueth and honoureth his Brother both farre and neere that speaketh nothing in his absence but what with great charity he may say in his presence God said in the Gospell loue your ennemies and pray for them that hate and iniury you He loueth his ennemie truely that complaineth not of the iniuries which he hath receaued doth receaue of him but of the sinnes which himselfe hath cōmitted and doth cōmitt against God and his soule and also he that is not content to haue the loue of God in himselfe if he doe not also make demonstration therof by the same worckes vnto his neighbour and much more vnto his ennemy Blessed are the poore in spiritt for theirs is the kingdome of heauen There are many that endure diuers afflictions in their bodyes in prayer and good worckes and that mortifie it with abstinence and neuertheles for a slight word spoaken against their liking or for hauing something denyed them they are incontinentlie scandalized and troubled Such are not poore in spirit though exteriourly they appeare so for the true poore in spirit misprise and abhorre themselues and loue not only those that afflict and iniury them but euen those that beat them Blessed also is he that supporteth the infirmity and fragility of his neighbour as he would be glad to haue his owne supported My faithfull lett vs loue our neighbour as our selues and they who see they cannot loue them as themselues lett them loue them as much as they can or att least lett them not offend them Lett vs hate and detest our peruerse willes for as God saith of our hart proceedeth all euils this is to be vnderstood of him that applieth his hart to satisfie his sensualities Many when they sinne or receaue any iniury accuse their neighbour therof which they should not doe for each one hath his ennemies which is the body with the sences therof by which he offendeth Therfore blessed is the seruant that hath such an ennemie in subiection and so keepeth it vnder and watcheth it with such prudence that he hath no cause to feare it for whiles he vseth this dilligence no other ennemy visible or inuisible can annoy him nor procure him to sinne in such sort that as S. Iohn Chrysostome saith no man is hurt but of himselfe We hate our body in as much as it will committ sinne for liuing carnally it seeketh to destroy the loue of God together with the glory of Paradise condemning it selfe and the soule perpetually to to hell the greatest ennemy therfore that a man hath is his proper flesh which can thinck of nothing but that which offendeth it nor feare ought in foresight of that which is eternally to befall it the humour and desire therof is only to abuse temporall thinges and the worst is it vsurpeth to it selfe all contentment and glory euen of that which is graunted to the soule not to it for it seeketh the honour of vertues of prayers watchinges and temporall fauour it will haue applause of teares in fine it leaueth nothing to the soule that apperteineth to her Of obedience THE XLVII CHAPTER GOd said to Adam Of euery tree of Paradise eat thou But of the tree of knowledge of good and euill eat thou not and whiles he obeyed God he offended not But hauing transgressed this commandement he was condemned of God for euer till he was redeemed by the grace of his Sonne That man doth eate of the forbidden apple of knowledge of good and euill who appropriateth to himselfe his owne will and with his benefittes which God vttereth and worketh by him doth exalte himselfe therfore was he necessarily obliged to punishment God saith in the gospell he that loueth his
I will glory only in the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST by which wordes is sufficientlie explicated the sentence of God when he said In your patience you shall possesse your soules Our Lord God the soueraigne Prelat said I come not to be serued but to serue And therfore such as are constituted ouer others ought to glory of such Prelature as if they were constituted to wash the feet of the Religious And when they are depriued their chardge they ought no more to be greiued then if were taken from them said office of washing the of feet such as doe otherwise doe really appropriat to theÌ„selues this dignityin very imminent peril of their soules That seruant of God then is happy who esteemeth himselfe neither greater nor better for being honoured of men yea no otherwise then if he were reputed amonge the most base and abiect for so great as he is before God such is he and no more Wretched is the Religious who being raysed to dignity by an other will not humble himselfe of his owne accord and of his owne will happy is he that is exalted against his will and not hauing procured it and doth neuertheles desire to remayne alwayes in lowe estate and vnder the feet of his subiectes for the loue of God Happy is he that is no more puffed in pride for the good which God doeth or speaketh by him then of that which he doeth or speaketh by others A man offendeth att all times and as often as he procureth to haue more of that which is his neighbours theÌ„ to giue to God of what is his owne We should neuer desire to be superiours and ouer others but to be subiectes and seruanees of all creatures for the loue of God and they who shall doe so may assure themselues that if they perseuer to the end the spiritt of God will rest vpon them and there will make his residence Ye men consider in what excellencie you haue ben created of God who hath created and framed you after his owne image according to the soule and after th' image of his SoÌ„ne according to the body and yet all creatures are much more obedient vnto him then your selues The deuils haue not crucified him which thou being induced by them hast done and dailie doest crucifie him by thy sinnes Wherein then canst thou glory miserable that thou art if thou were indued with all knide of science celestiall terrestriall the deuill hath knowne what appertaineth to heauen better then thou and now though against his will he knoweth more of earthly matters then all mankind together There is no health corporall disposition nor beautie comparable to that which the deuill had Take heed therfore least in abusing it as he did not acknowledging it to proceed of God but of himselfe thou fall as he hath done into the extremest depth of hell Happy is the seruant that treasureth vp the richesse his Loâ—d and master hath giuen him in heauen and expecting the recompence therof regardeth not to demonstrate them heere vnto men but leaueth the cogitation therof to God himselfe who when it shall please him will manifest it more then he would desire Happy then is he that keepeth and concealeth the secrettes of God in his hart How Religious ought to behaue themselues in Oratories and solitary places THE XLIX CHAPTER LEtt those that desire to reside in solitary places there to liue religiously and spiritually be in number foure or more wherof lett two be as mothers that haue two children lett two act the Life of Martha and the others of Magdalen and lett each one haue a celle so that they neither sleep nor conuerse together but when they read their office Lett them be carefull to say their Compline before the Sunne setting that thence forward they may keep silence till they arise in the night to say Mattins Lett them in all thinges first seeke the glory and the kingdome of God and his iustice Lett them say the Prime and Tierce att the ordinary houre which done they may speake each to other of some matter of edification Those said children as poore creatures shall demaund almose of their mother for the loue of God after that lett them say the Sixt Ninth and Euensong att their due houres lett them permitt no person to enter into the Cloyster or enclosure where they reside nor to eat there The mothers shall labour to liue also sequestred from all conuersation and with due obseruance of obedience to their Guardian lett them permitt none to speake to their children but their Guardian when he commeth to visitt them And lett the children sometimes for exercise of humilitie assume the office of Mothers according as the Guardian for their behoofe shall appoint that so they may experience both the one and the other office Happy is that seruant who hath no tast of any other thing then the word of his God and by the same doth excite others to loue him Miserable is that Religious that taketh pleasure in idle and vaine wordes for therbie enducing other to vanitie in imitation of himselfe in steed of edifiyng his neighbour he procureth his ruine Of the care which each one ought to haue of his owne saluation THE L. CHAPTER BRother I haue a secrett to open vnto thee Each of you well knoweth that we are the sonnes of the most high but I now aduertise thee that more then children we are also Spouses brothers and mothers of IESVS CHRIST Spouses when our soule by the vertue of the holie Ghost is vnited with God Brothers when we performe his will we are Mothers when by loue we beare him in our hart with a pure and sincere conscience for we afterward bring him forth both by the pious worckes which we performe and by the example which we giue our neighbour O my brethren it is a glorious admirable and desireable thing to haue such a Spouse Brother Sonne in heauen And more then that a Pastour who hath giuen his soule here on earth for vs his sheep and who continually prayeth the eternall Father for vs saying Holy Father keep them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be thine and may be with me where I shal be that they may enioy my glorie and splendour in my kingdome All they who liue not in penance not being contrite nor receaue not the sacred Sacrament but liue in vices and sinnes and conceaue complacence in their pernicious desires doe not performe vnto God what they haue promised but doe serue the world with their bodies in carnalities and the deuils with their soules being deluded in their contentment by him whose children they are Such people I say are blinded and depriued of the true light of IESVS CHRIST haue not true knowledge for they haue excluded from themselues the wisdome of the eternall Father IESVS CHRIST the soueraine verity though they seeme to see know vnderstand yet doe they neither see know
thanckes as by these wordes he often signified But who am I that presume to giues thanckes for others I I say that am not able to thanck him for the least grace he hath done me and am also such an abhominable sinner The ninth and last vertue was the guard of his tongue which is the hight of all good as being the verie gate of life and death according as it is employed without the guard wherof all good also is lost In respect wherof he was alwayes very carefull that his wordes should sauour of truth humility pouerty chastity goodnes benedictiō prayse of God and his neighbour so he merited to be in like sort blessed of God mē world without end Amen How the glorious body of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis was buryed in the citty of Assisium This is taken out of the first chapter of the tenth booke and here placed for conclusion of the second booke THere is no man but knoweth that the glorious body of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis is buryed in his owne monasterie in the citty of Assisium but yet after an ordinarie manner for it is not otherwise knowne in what place it is in the said church bnt that it is in a great chappell vnder the earth vnder the high altare and that lampes are putt in att a windoe to lighten that place where the sacred body reposeth as is also reported of sainct Iames of Galicia that he is buryed so farre vnder ground that none can come att him We must beleeue that God hath so disposed to the end such precious treasures by whose merittes it pleaseth his diuine maiesty daily to work such and so great miracles might not be robbed or ruinated by any alteration or disastrous euent of warre or other euill accident Now we desiring to content the readers and not to omitt any matter in this worck that may be desired and is possible to be performed we haue so dilligentlie searched and enformed our selues that we haue gotten knowledge that the true relation of what may be desired concerning this subiect fell into the handes of the great Capitaine Gonzales Heruandez de Cordoua in his conquest made of Calabria and the kingdome of Naples for his Catholique maiesty and therfore we haue so much Laboured with importunities and industrie that att length we obtayned the same it being this that ensueth read it with contentment A true and faithfull discourse wherby appeareth how the glorious Father S. Francis is buryed translāted out of the latin originall which fell into the handes of the great Capitaine Gonzales Heruādez de Cordoue in his conquest made of the kingdome of Naples To the right reuerenced Antony Bishop of Andria Francis Bancie Duke of Audria Health THe charge which it hath pleaseth you to lay on me to committ to writing the visitation which the sanctity of Pope Nicolas the first personally made of the glorious body of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis being on the one side ouerburdensome vnto me in regard of the great feeblenes of my spiritt hath neuerthelesse for other considerations bin very easie and contentfull as well in that this labour is pious and deuout as because I am to present it vnto you to you I say who were present when it was related vnto vs so that you are able to correct it and supply that wherin mine endeauour may faile So I beseech my sweet lord IESVS CHRIST for whose prayse and glorie I haue attempted to dictate this discourse to afford me the grace worthily to dischardge my duety herein I beseech him I say by the merittes of this glorious S. of whose body I am to treat considering that it is not conuenient to burry in silence so great a miracle wherin God doth manifest so great bounty and omnipotencie Your reuerence and my Lord Iames Bishop of Laquidonia being with me the eighth day of march as you conferred together walking and often resting your selues as the manner is in discoursing of some admirable accident I came neere you and prayed you to make me participant of your discourse if I were worthy and my request lawfull the said Lord Iames then said vnto me My Lord Duke if you knew wherof we did talke you would also admire and wonder Then did I very instantlie entreat him to tell me the occasion of such admiration Whereto the said Lord answeared that he would willinglie doe it but that he rather desired to weepe when such thinges are recounted and to heare thē of an other then to relate them himselfe Neuertheles he neither could nor would omitt to content me and leet me know that their admiration was not without subiect considering withall that it was a matter worthy to be knowne but not of all persons therfore making me partaker therof he thus began his discourse My Lord Duke you must vnderstand that I was one of the seruantes of the deceased Eustergio of worthy and blessed memorie Cardinal of the title of S. Eusebius Archbishop of Beneuentum who approaching to the pangs and agony of death yea arriuing to that priuation of naturall heat and vigour that we much feared he could not liue a day about midnight I heard him with a loud voice to cry O S. Francis then staying a while with groanes and sighes he redoubled O Francis O Francis wherwith he much amazed vs all but none of vs durst approach to aske him to demaund the reason for feare to trouble him but were attentiue to see the successe of this frequent inuocation I that exceedinglie loued him wept bitterly with him and for him mentally inuocated the Sainct to whome I haue euer had a particuler deuotion but this had no other successe sauing that the next morning when we supposed to prepare his obsequies he began to amend and the phisitians likewise conceaued better hope of him he hauing alwayes esteemed me for one of his most affectionate seruantes hauing bin then a very small time absent from the Court to yeld due residence to an Abbey which he had bestowed on me knowing well that he had bin with his Holines to visitt the body of the glorious S. Francis and desiring to heare the discourse as also knowing that att other times he had much desired that I should vnderstand the same but no occasion was euer presented to demaunde it of him Now taking this occasion of his frequent inuocation of the Sainct I began first readily to aske him the cause then att lenghth I freelie discoursed and humblie requested him breifely to relate vnto me how he had seene that glorious body in his Church Wherevpon he graciouslie answeared me in these wordes know Abbot if thou wert not deere vnto me as I hold thee to be I would not impart it vnto thee much lesse to any man in the world we that were there present hauing expresse commaundement of his holines to the contrary and therfore by reason of that prohibition I will not tell thee the place where it is but am
that saw and with their owne handes touched those holy stigmates during his life but did manifest them euen by merueillous apparitions and miracles wrought after the death of the glorious Father as hereafter we shall orderly discourse besides what hath bin formerly said vpon the doubt of Pope Gregory the ninth in the nine and fiftieth chapter of the second booke A Religious Freer Minor and Preacher very famous in regard of the admiration of many vertues that excelled in him beleeued att first the mystery of the sacred stigmates which the holy Father had neuertheles being desirous to know by humane reason the occasion of such a miracle he began to doubt therof so that growing dayly more scrupulous his doubt encreased of so manifest a verity Wherfore one night as he slept S. Francis appeared vnto him hauing his feet couered with dirt and a countenance humbly austere and patiently angry who said what combatt doe thy cogitations cause thee what turpitude hath so absolutely possessed thee behold my handes and feet But the Religious though he saw the woundes of his handes with their nailes could not yet perceaue those of his feet because they were couered with dirt wherfore the S. said vnto him put of the dirt from my feet and behold the woundes of the nayles and so the Religious deuoutly taking hold of his holy seet seemed to make them cleane and with his handes to touch the said woundes after which awaking he found himselfe all bathed with teares and being cleared of all his scrupulous cogitations he publiquely confessed his errour with a firme beleefe of such an assured verity crauing pardon therof att the handes of God and his Sainct Of other miracles of the stigmates of the holy Father S. Francis THE II. CHAPTER A Vertuous Gentlewoman of Rome hauing chosen the holy Father S. Francis for her aduocate and hauing vpon this occasion placed his image in her oratory beholding it one time and seeing that it had not the sacred stigmates she began in admiration to complaine and not thincking it to be the fault of the painter that had neglected to make them she for many dayes had purposes to search out the cause of this defect but those admirable signes one day appeared in an instant in that image as they are accustomed to be paynted in all other This Gentlewoman perceauing it filled with feare and admiration called her daughter who was very yong and deuout and had dedicated herselfe vnto God and asked her if she remembred that she had formerly seene in that image those stigmates that then appeared The daughter did sweare that she had neuer seene them and that they came there miraculously But the soule of man often seeking occasion to fall calling the verity in doubt there entred an other scruple into the hart of this gentlewoman contrary to the former which was that the said stigmates had euer bin in the said image but that she had not well obserued it God intending not to haue his first miracle misprised added a second permitting the said stigmates to vanish againe and the image to remayne as before and so the first miracle was confirmed by the second Att the Citty of Lorio in Catalonia there was a man named Iohn very deuout vnto the holy Father S. Francis who passing one night through a street where certaine lewd persons attended to murder their ennemy that was to passe that way who was a freind to the said Iohn and did resemble him so supposing him to be their ennemy in person they assaulted him and so wounded him that they left him on the ground for dead there remayning in him no hope of life for the first blow cutt as it were cleane off one arme besides a stabbe that had pearced him thorough vnder the breast so that the winde which issued thence blew out six burning candelles ioyned together wherevpon the Phisicions presently iudged him for dead and as such forsooke him his woundes daily putrifying the loathsome matter that issued out of his body was so intollerable that euen his wife could no longer endure it wherfore seeing that all humane helpe was out of hope he had recourse to his Patron and to the blessed virgin whome he had very confidently and couragiously inuocated att the instant of his wounding Now this miserable afflicted thus lying in his bed accompained only with his misery did in a manner continually weepe and often calling on the holy Father S. Francis there one day appeared vnto him a man in habitt of a Freer Minor who as it seemed to him entred att the window and calling him said know Iohn that because thou hast had confidence in me God will cure thy woundes Which the afflicted man hearing he prayed him to lett him know who he was that brought him such gratefull newes he answeared that he was Brother Francis who comming neere him vnbound his woundes and annoynted them with a precious oyntment which doeing the sick man felt such vertue to proceed out of his sacred handes that he perceaued himselfe manifestly to be healed and so att an instant from halfe dead and already sauouring he was restored and cured for his putrifaction was by the vertue of the signes of the passion of our Sauiour chaunced into sweet sauour and the flesh of his woundes in such sort renewed that he was absolutely cured which done the Sainct disappeared and the good man arose from his bed with great ioy to prayse God and the blessed Sainct then called his wife with so stronge a voice that she was vtterly amazed knowing that she had left him in his bed with so litle courage that scarcely could he vtter a word but finding him out of his bed and cured whome she thought to bury the next day she was much more amazed wherfore she so cryed out in admiration of the miracle that she was heard of all the neighbours Those of his family att first supposing him to be frantike prayed him to retourne to his bed for they could not be persuaded that he was cured but he hauing shewed them his body sound they were exceedingly abashed being of opinion that he whome they saw was not Iohn but a phantasticall spiritt or vision which conceat neuer ceassed in them till he had recounted the whole progresse of the miracle which being diuulged ouer the citty the people abondantly flocked to see this man and the notable miracle wrought by the sacred stigmates of S. Francis ad all replenished with ioy and admiration with one accord extolled the prayses of the Standerd bearer of IESVS CHRIST who being dead of body neuertheles liued in the other life so that by the admirable demonstration of his presence and the sweet touch of his handes he raised as may be said one already dead by meane of his more then humane marckes with which our soueraigne Redeemer raised the Christian people already dead eternally by sinne Of an other miracle of the stigmates of S. Francis THE
nuditie fastinges and intollerable labours and to haue patience in such and so manie contempts and thence also proceeded his desires dailie to encrease his penance and to support the greatest affrontes for the loue of God All these thinges and many other did not only enrich his soule remouing her from all worldlie and sensuall tast but did procure in him euen a distast of all thinges present yea caused diuine thinges to be afterward more aggreable vnto him and God alwayes conserued him in this estate and appeared often times vnto would also afterward permitte him greater afflictions and possesse him with greater crosses for he prepared him to be a valiant and inuincible Captaine of his penitentes and an example of perfect and couragious warryers and also told him that the kingdome of heauen should suffer violence and that the violent should beare it a way not those of tender and delicates spirittes Of the second degree to arriue to perfection called Desire THE III. CHAPTER THe second degree is desire for as sainct Gregoire saith diuine thinges being tasted are desired and not tasted seeme without sauour in worldly matters it is contrary for the desire therof is alwayes best There groweth in the soule so extreme a hungar and a such a thirst after this tast and after a triall of this diuine sweetnes that no creature or temporall consolation can satisfie her but God alone whome she loueth And because she neither can nor doth yet deserue to obtaine the food of the great knowing her owne infirmitie and litle meritt she remayneth greedilie hungrie after temporall thinges and beggeth the mites of the table of God seeking them on earth meditating on his life and conuersation worckes and examples yea she seeketh them in his creatures where his steppes markes and traces are represented vnto her and in his Sainctes where she findeth most euident testimonyes of her God and often times she heareth his voice and seeth his presence and this estate is like to that wherof the espouse speaketh in the Canticles I adiure you if you finde my beloued to tell him that I languish and loose my selfe for his loue It is also expedient in this estate to make simplicityes in worckes and wordes for the great excesse of new desires as new spirituall wine of these desires when thy are reall doth grow the imitation of the life of IESVS CHRIST and of his humility as much as may be that he may be found and possessed In that respect doth our Lord call himselfe the path and way for we must walke by him and his steppes are as himselfe affirmeth humility meeknes patience charity prayers and finally his crosse and passion for the seruant is not greater then his Lord nor the disciple aboue his master This is the somme of whatsoeuer may be said or written It is the light of the diuine will wherin consisteth the rule and lesson of true wisdome It is the shortest and securest way that we can walke which openeth and discouereth vnto vs the most eminent master of truth wherin walking he taught men what way they should vndertake Lett no man thinck that there is an other way more direct to obtaine of God true charity then that of labours and the exercises of vertues This exercise consisteth in three pointes the first with a sincere hart to demaund of God the knowledge of ones offences mortall and veniall together with an interiour sorrow for them and a shunning of all occasions of mortall sinnes and distraction of spiritt the second to desire the good of our neighbour as our owne for whome God hath so much endured and to assist him corporally and spiritually in our prayers praying for our freindes and ennemies and for all those whome God will haue prayed for the third is to desire with a firme resolution to imitate the life of IESVS CHRIST in his conuersation as well in body as spiritt and to demaund of God that he will vnite him to his sonne and that nothing may be found in his bowels but IESVS CHRIST crucified demaunding also the vertues that may in anysort make vs like vnto IESVS CHRIST as pouerty humility and simplicity for in this manner exercising our selues in these vertues we attaine a true and feruent desire and a true thirst of the loue of our Saulour IESVS CHRIST and it wil be no paine or trouble vnto vs to be exercised in them therbie to obtaine the good which wee desire The glorious Father S. Francis ascended to this degree when with a feruent and perseuerant desire demaunding and finding his deare and beloued Lord the Euangelicall perfection and the Apostolicall life were reuealed vnto him and as if he had thenceforward began he couered himselfe with one only garment shaped in forme of a crosse desiring no other thing then IESVS CHRIST crucified esteeming himselfe neuer satisfied with pouerty humility and misprise to imitate his Sauiour I. â— He would not seeme humble and holy but a sinner and wretched he then exceedinglie reioyâ—ed when he was conteâ—â—ed and litle esteemed and was much displeased when he was honoured as other men accustome to hate their ennemyes and to persecute them so one the contrarie he loued with all his hart those that did persecute him and hated himselfe as his owne capitall ennemye and not others well knowing that the world and the deuill as our principall ennemies make warre against vs with our owne weapons and not with other instrumentes Therfore ouercomming our selues we shall triumph ouer all our potent ennemies he endeauoured by examples of euery kind of vertue and with zeale of the saluation of soules for which I. C. suffered to draw them to the estate of Euangelicall perfection he did not exercise his disciples but in the imitation of the pouertie humilitie and patience of IESVS CHRIST and the meditation of his passion for he wel knew that the more vertues we possesse the greater progresse doe we make in prayer and without the same none att all such were his ceremonies and mortifications such the edifices and exercises of his first order to finde I. C. in continuall labour abstinences and prayers and to carry the woundes of our Lord I. C. in his body with the difficulty of strict pouerty and with this innocencie purity and Christian simplicity he surpassed those that are cloathed only with the exteriour leaues of ceremonies to vndertake the way of perfection and checked those that cloathed themselues exteriourly with the said ceremonies only to couer their imperfections Of the third degree of perfection called Satiety THE IV. CHAPTER THe third degree is Satiety when the soule commeth to loath terrestriall thinges richesse honoures yea the repose of his owne life respecting all as nought conceauing a dislike to see or speake of any worldlie matters for whereas the soule doeth loue desire only God and findeth no repose but in him hauing experience that the creatures hinder his seruice though louing them vnder pretext of
in the soule by the loue and the will its charity is neuer so intentiue in the contemplatiue life and in the proper mortification as vnto the exercise of vertues neither is this kinde of seeking and ascending to the admiration and deuotion of God so perfect it is more ordinary in the learned and prudent personnes and of subtill spiritt in whome the intelligence proceedeth alwayes vnto the will and this loue by meditation and consideration But the affectiue way is farre more breife to ascend vnto God the principall therin is the will for she hath her exercises ordinarily in desires in inspirations and interiour sighes in verie frequent manner vnto her beloued which she performeth by iaculatorie prayers more ardent then long meditations of the spiritt wherof although she make vse as of the foundation as it were to recomfort her owne infirmitie she notwithstanding vseth them to raise the soule to her God by a desire of loue which encreasing she vseth the action of the will which is to loue because it hath more entrie with God then the action of the vnderstanding which is to know the way verie breife for perfection and easy to practise because it needeth neither science nor many bookes in which the most simple idiot profiteth much more then the learned God disposing according to his liberality that the soule of him who seeketh him without meane be rather instructed by him vnto his conuersation but this instruction is perticulerlie necessarie to them that are alreadie arriued to the loue which causeth them the extasies to the end they setle not all their perfection in the deuotion and sensible tast which they receaue for finally it is an instrument only for spirituall charity and that those impetuosities of deuotion and subtill conceited actes make them not presumptuous because this matter may be obtayned by naturall exercise and without grace But lett them diligentlie regard and consider in themselues if they receaue this diuine grace with fruit and if they profitt in true mortification and abnegation of their proper will so that it be prompt to execute the diuine will receauing with patience and contentment of hart what soeuer it shall please God to ordaine as well in exteriour as interiour labours euen the losse of consolations yea temptations For if it seeme to them that they are lesse obliged to these later then the other they will haue no care to seeke the exercise of vertues but will apply all their endeauour to gett this sweetnes of deuotion though they fall into extasy seauen times in a day they will profitt litle and will abuse the diuine grace wrongfully and to their damnation for they satisfie their pleasure with more diligence then the will of God and such shall finde in themselues rather passionate cogitations and wordes of presumpsumption esteeming themselues perfect and resting assured to be in the way of perfection iudgeing others that walke not their way to proceed erroniously then to haue true feare and humility The property then of this way is when without deceipt as God sendeth mentall extasies vnto the soule eleuating her to the imbracementes of diuine loue so the soule being retourned to her selfe worcketh merueillous excesses of humility and patience the example of all vertues and particulerly in the amourous compassion of the passion of IESVS CHRIST whose excessiue tormentes being contemplated by the soule she burneth and cannot conteine hir in her selfe for the great apprehension which she hath of such a charity which is such as she desireth to repay IESVS CHRIST this his glorious death by her owne life exposed to martyrdome We may coniecture in what perfection this degree of the loue of the holy Ghost eleuated S. Francis wrought by frequent and excessiue corporall deuotions wherin he was swallowed vp being a figure of many greater eminent conceated worckes of the spiritt so that for the most feruent loue he carryed to IESVS CHRIST crucified he trauelled to seeke martyrdome But because his admirable excesses of prayer humility and other vertues haue bin already recorded it is not necessary to repeat them it sufficeth to haue only refreshed the memory of the readers therwith as with a matter worthy to be noted Of the fift degree of perfection called Asseurance THE VI. CHAPTER THe fift degree is called asseurance because hauing in the precedent estate tasted feruent chariry it expelleth all feare out of the soule which doth not repute her selfe only resigned and perfectly setled as much as is possible for her in the diuine will and disposition but doth euen desire really and with seruour to expose her selfe to all labours to conforme her selfe to her laboured IESVS CHRIST and so she remayneth without cause of feare for albeit God should cast her into hell the same should be her glory it being the will of God and besides she hath such a strong hope and assured persuasion of the grace and fauour of her God that it is impossible for her to be separated from him saying with S. Paul For I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers neither thinges present nor thinges 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 IESVS CHRIST our loâ—d Let vs therfore know that this word Assurance is rather a name accidental of the effect this estate then essential because the root and essence therof is the coniunctiue loue which the soule possesseth but because this name hath a secrett and hidden signification though diuers know it not which is manifest only to God the soule wherin it worcketh this merueillous vnion we haue signified it by the name of the effect wherby the soule attayneth to make her selfe a spiritt by the coÌ„tinuall norriture of grace and charity by the merueillous vnioÌ„ of her loue with God For as a droppe of water mingled with wine looseth its nature assumeth that of wine as also the coulour and sauour so the soule that perfectly loueth in this degree falling into the infinite diuine charity without yet loosing her nature is conuerted into the diuine loue according to the office and institutioÌ„ of life and all her powers remayne confected in the tast of the loue of God albeit our nature is not chaunged in this diuine vnion touching her naturall esseÌ„ce yet doth it chauÌ„ge many inclinations coÌ„ditions obtayneth others beyond the forces of nature created as we see the fiâ—e worcketh in iron which it depriueth of the hardnes coldnes and blacknes which are proper vnto it endueth it with other coÌ„trary and more excelleÌ„t qualities yet without chauÌ„ging the nature therof so the soule farre more enflamed vnited in the diuine loue being endued with other life motioÌ„ force remayneth without any feare or dulnesse without diffideÌ„ce so light and easy to traÌ„sforme it selfe into God her beloued by a vnitiue desire as the diuine fire
that burneth in her and maketh her in that manner feruēt in her spirituall operations in such sort the soule remayneth filled with this diuine vnion replenished with so great feruour that she att their first arriuall putteth to flight the flyes of contrary tēptations and doth more annihilate and mortifie her selfe in one act of the will then others can doe in much time She likewise receaueth a penetratiue vertue to participate with all creatures without any impedimēt because she easily is vnited to her God thus doth she dispose her selfe to receaue greater grace of God because she approacheth neerer and is raysed vnto the perpetuall fountaine and to the Father of lightes the eternall God The property of this estate of Asseurance is to haue God alwayes in her hart present in euery place neuer separating her selfe frō him which she performeth by meane of a liuing loue and cōtinuall memory of him for she is present liueth in his armes freed frō all action sauing that wherin her beloued God employeth her he being euer presēt with her The holy Father knew that he had attayned this degree of vnitiue loue in the cōtinuall memory and diuine cōmunication which he had without disturbance as well in the Monasteries as in hermitages alone and in company were he employed in the doctrine of saluation of soules or in prayer And it was euen apparant that the holy Father S. Francis had obtained this degree of perfection in the conuersion of his sences powers and inclinations into God for he seemed to be retourned into the state of innocencie so much were his interiour powers submitted to the empire and domination of the soule which was so perfectly vnited vnto her God in the light and frequent reuelations which she receaued of the diuine presence whence proceeded that he gloryed in his labours and in merueillous asseurance of his saluation which was by speciall diuine grace reuealed vnto him Of the sixtdegre of perfection called Tranquility THE VII CHAPTER THe estate of perfection called Tranquility is in the sixt degree where there is such peace and contentment that the soule liueth as it were in silence and repose as in a sleepy slumber on the brest of God so that she may say with S. Paul that she no more liueth in herselfe but that IESVS CHRIST liueth and raigneth in her But three thinges should preceed this life so singuler this sanctity and conuersation with God this perfect charity towardes God and our neighbour this seeling of the diuine familiarity First a perfect mortification in worckes and affaires of the world in such sort that the soule for her owne respect haue no contentment in any creature what soeuer and lesse in her selfe but onlie in her Creatour The second that she be distracted from all spirituall consolations wherin she taketh comfort and reioyceth for her owne repose and tast because often times in the spirittes euen of them that vtteirle shunne spirituall thinges doe grow great affections and spirituall delectations wherin they finde consolations for themselues but God seldome or neuer and so they shutt the gate to the true light and this happeneth because they propose not God for the end of their exercises purelie and without meane of any creature Now this sincere intention and renunciation as it is far more perfect so is it much more difficult then the former therfore also the soule that doubteth therof holdeth her selfe absolutely in the hand of God as well for matters of the world as of the body soule The third is that with an assiduous dilligēce she procureth to conuert her selfe free and peaceable into this most pure and most simple good which is God remitting her spiritt into him not in part but absolutely considering God enioying him as it pleaseth him to communicate himselfe vnto her in this life for the excellēcie diuine prerogatiues by which we call him with diuers names Almighty God most wise most good most iust For so much as the holy scripture attributeth vnto him these names and qualities for the diuers effects which he worcketh in his creatures wherby we come to the knowledge of him for the diuine essence exceedeth all titles all tearmes and imaginations of our vnderstāding and when the soule cometh to contemplate God in the said māner she attayneth the quiet and peaceable estate of contēplation though it be not cōtinuall but for a very short time in regard of the infirmity and weight of the mortallity wherin she liueth The property of this estate is that the soule be instructed addressed towardes God in all her actions cogitations remote from the way of humane prudēce considering that God is the guide and master of euery estate of spirituall perfection and that he alone knoweth the necessities the capacity the intētions of the spirit of man and therfore he alone can conduct guide vs in the most commodious and most certaine way They therefore doe erre who by their counsaile and doctrine will not only persist in their own opinions but also admonish others for taking on them to be guides of the blinde they doe not perceaue that thēselues being blind presuming to know the necessity of the feeble both the one and the other doe oftē fall into the deepe gulfe of errour It is also the property of this degree of perfectiō that the man which hath attained the same is conuersant in all the exercises of the other foresaid degrees especiallie of humility of the imitation memory of I. C. wherin he layeth a deep foundation that the edifice of his contemplation fall not but be conserued and augmented by the benignity of IESVS CHRIST Among other effectes wherby the holy Ghost discouered to haue cōmunicated this height of perfectiō vnto his seruāt Fr. one was the manifest and almost continuall spiritt of prophecie wherwith he endued him wherby he seemed peaceablyto enjoy the contēplatiō of God a diuine conference and familiarity And by how much he was sequestred disioyned from all the world and from himselfe so much was he perfectly and intentiuely alwayes employed in the exercises of the spiritt By reason also of them his life and perfection is praised and preached considering that therby he is admitted to the tranquilitie of the diuine contemplation Of the seauenth degree of persection THE VIII CHAPTER THere is no man that with humane wordes can say any thing of the seauenth degree of perfection which is a priuiledge rarely communicated of God sith that the wordes of Angels would be defectiue and seeme barbarous in the explication therof Some SS haue experienced it in this flesh God communicating it vnto thē sodenly as to passengers now they enioy and possesse it manifestly without limitation or measure of faith It is that which the iust doe feele in glory being of the nomber of those thinges which the eyes cannot behold nor the eares heare nor the hartes of mē comprehēd which God hath
prepared for thē that loue him perfectly And as the cōtēplatiue S. Bernard saith it is not permitted to all or in one same place and degree to enioy the secrett and glorious presence of God but according as the celestiall Father determineth to each one because we haue not elected God but he vs who hath giuen place proper to each one of his SS each one is where he hath bin placed S. Mary Magdalē found place to her was graunted the feet of our Lord I. C. S. Thomas the Apostle was admitted to his side S. Peter to the bosome of the Father S. Iohn to the breast of I. C. S. Paul was eleuated to the third heauē the sacred woūdes of our Lord I. C. were cōmunicated vnto S. Francis Who thē shall presume to haue a desire to know the perfectiō merittes of such a greatnes as S. Mary Magdalē reposed on the bed of true penance S. Thomas in the light of truth S. Peter in the chaire of faith S. Iohn in the fournace of charity S. Paul in the throne of wisdome and S. Francis in the loue trāsformation of I. C. we cānot for it is not permitted vs but only to follow imitate the SS in the worckes perfections which are mercifully reuealed by our Lord I. C. therfore to giue in finite thanckes to the author of all goodnes that by the merittes of his sainctes by their intercession and his diuine grace he conduct vs to that perfection in this life and that in the other we may enioy the eternall glorie Amen The end of the third booke and first volume of Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin is conteined the life death and miracles of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS CONTEINING THE MARTYRDOME of diuers Religious of the Order of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis Translated by the partie aforesaid THE SECOND VOLVME How S. Francis sent certaine Religious to preach the faith of Iesus Christ vnto the Mores in Spaine THE FIRST CHAPTER IN the yeare of grace 1219. the glorious Father S. Francis kept the great generall chapter att Pentecost wherat all the Religious of his Order assembled as it hath bin amplie declared in the first booke of the first volume of these present Chronicles This Chapter was held eleuen years after that Pope Innocent the third had with his owne mouth confirmed the Order of the Frere Minors the fourth yeare of the Popedome of Pope Honorious the third of blessed memory who then piously gouerned the Church In this Chapter it was reuealed vnto S. Francis that he should againe send his Religious ouer the world to preach the faith of IESVS CHRIST as well amongest Christians as Pagans After this the most capable Religious of the Order were chosen for Prouincials S. Francis applyed himselfe to obey the holy will of God And because the rage of the Mores was spred ouer three partes of the world Asia Africa and Europe he resolued to send his Religious into those partes to preach the truth of the faith of IESVS CHRIST to reduce the Pagans from their damnable errours And to make a beginning he chose Asia for himselfe whither he went with eleuen of his Brethren and preached to the Soldan and the Mores of his kingdome He sent Brother Giles into Africa with Religious of like feruour and deuotion who thincking to preach to the Mores were apprehended by Christians and very vnwillingly brought back into Italy He sent six Italian Religious of very perfect life into Spaine where the Emperour Miramolin of Marocco persecuted the Christians The said Religious were Brother Vital Brother Berard Brother Peter Brother Adiutus Brother Accursus and Brother Otto of whome the first Brother Vital was by the holy Father constituted their superiour Brother Berard was an excellent preacher in the Arabian tongue Brother Otto was a Preist Brother Adiutus and Brother Accursus were lay Brethren the rule so tearming the Religious that keep not the quiet Now sainct Francis hauing called them said My children God hath commanded me to send you to preach the holy faith vnto the Mores and to impugne the sect of Mahomet and therfore my freindes hold your selues ready to execute his holy will in such sort as you shall see cause Goe yee I say my beloued ioyfully preparing your soules to the crowne which it shall please his diuine Maiesty to bestow vpon you performing his holy will according as you shall feele your selues inspired They as obedient children only bended their heades and crossed their armes expecting his holy benediction but the holy Father first made them this exhortation My deere children I haue certaine wordes to deliuer you that you may the better effect this commandement of God to his glorie and the saluation of your soules Be yee carefull to keepe peace among your selues and be not Brothers so much in habitt and profession as in spiritt and will Next haue speciall care to fly enuie which was the first cause of our damnation support with patience and be ioyfull in persecutions and humble before God and men and by this meane you shall obtaine victorie against your ennemis visible and inuisible Be yee mindefull to imitate with all your power our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to follow him in the strictest manner you can in all the three vowes in obedience obeying your superiour as he one earth obeyed his parentes in pouerty liuing therin as he did for he would be borne liue and dye poore and did alwayes preach pouerty to teach vs the same and in chastity liuing and persisting chast not only in bodie but euen in spirit sith our Lord so muchloued this vertue that he would be borne of a virgin and presently after his Natiuity would haue for his first fruites the holie Virgin Innocentes and being on the Crosse he would dye betwene two virgins his Blessed Mother and S. Iohn the Euangelist Cast all your cogitations and hopes in God and he will assist and conduct you Carry with you the rule and the Breuiary and say the diuine office the most deuoutly you can Lett Brother Vital be your superiour and therfore obey him entierly but aboue all be mindefull to meditate cōtinually on the passion of our lord IESVS CHRIST for that is it which shall make all incommodities sweet vnto you and all trauell pleasing in this long iorney into Spaine which you are to attempt and in the conuersation and commerce which yee are to haue with the Mores the ennemies of their Creatour Beleeue I pray you that there is nothing doth separate you from me but the glorie of God and the saluation of soules for but for that I would neuer disioyne you from me And God knoweth the greife and affliction which my hart feeleth for your departure though in deed your prompt obedience doth much comfort me but it is necessarie that we preferre the will of our lord before our owne These good
blindesse that held him in the handes of the deuill in this life and led him to eternall damnation in the other inducing him to embrace the sole true faith of IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour who out of pure loue being God vouchsased to become man and to dye on the tree of the Crosse to deliuer him from eternall death and ascending into heauen prepared for him an immortall life But this Morian king and his people shewing themselues deafe to this discourse determined to separate these Religious one from an other and then to each in particular were offered in the behalfe of the king richesse and honours att lenght they were threatened with most cruell tormentes yea with death it selfe if they would not accept of their law Their threates auayled as much as their promises for God had so transpearced their spiritt with the sweet nailes of his loue that they all in their hartes spake these wordes of S. Paule Who shall euer separate vs from the charity of IESVS shall the sword afflictions worldly fauours and richesse the pleasures of the flesh or any other allu rementes and withall couragiously answeared and derided their threates accusing Mahomett whome they tearmed accursed and his law contemptible carnall and damnable A certaine Preuost then drew his sword and gaue their superiour Father Daniel a dash on the head then ayming his sword point att his face and att his hart he said conuert thee traytor or I will procure thee a cruell death which he did to terrifie the other six who were by the Iudge and the Counsailers there present persuaded not to misprise the fauour of the king and to haue compassion att least of their miserable liues but they confidently answeared them and exhorted them that being old and already as it were in the mouth of death so that they could not long enioy the contentmentes of this life they would not persist in obstinacy least their soules were eternally condemned to hell for adhering to men of this world and to a law that their owne consciences knew to be false as apparently as a thing to be touched with the finger But these old men held themselues so offended with this speech though they had bin very fauourable and respectiue vnto them that they resolued their death How the seauen Martyrs were condemned to death and beheaded THE XXXIV CHAPTER THe iudge therevpon gaue Order that as enemies of the law of God they should be beheaded wherwith the holy Martyrs exceeding well pleased did encourage each other and then the six Religious addressing themselues to their superiour Father Daniel and kissing his handes gaue him thanckes for procuring them these marriages each of them asked his benediction and the grace to be the first martyred for the loue of God This good Father hauing his eyes beteared with ioy thancking God for such a singuler gifte and giuing them his benediction he said My deerly beloued children lett vs all reioyce in God in this festiuall day which he hath pleased to ordaine for the last of our pilgrimage and be not terrified for all his Angels are present prepared to assist vs they haue opened vs the gate of Paradice whither if he please we shall this day arriue together to receiue the crounes of martyrdome and to be eternally glorious These wordes ended the executioners stripped the seauen martyrs inuincible champions of IESVS and hauing bound their handes behinde their backes they conducted them out of the kinges Pallace with a trompettt before them as if they had bin attainted of some notorious crime But these holy Religious as meeke lambes went to the slaughter and hauing their spiritt eleuated to the soueraigne God ceassed not preach to the Mores by the way Being come to the place of execution they fell on their knees and recommending thēselues to God they ioyfully receaued martyredome offering vp their innocent soules vested with the pious purple of their very bloud with a great admiratiō to the Mores who as enraged were not satisfied herewith esteeming themselues as indeed they had reason rather vanquished then to haue ouercome These Ministers of the deuill tooke those holy bodies dismembred them and trayned them thorough the dirt till they were weary and then the Christians secretly gathered them vp and carryed them into the suburbes where they were and are honoured and reuerēced for many miracles which by their merittes God wrought there wherof hauing no other asseurance then the affirmation of the inhabitants of the place I thought it not expedient to committ them to writing as determining to insert nothing in these chronicles but what is most true and autenticalll It sufficeth that Pope Leo the tenth graunted and permitted the Freere Minors to celebrate their feast on the day of their Martyrdome which was the tenth of October 1227. a yeare after the death of S. Francis So is it att this day celebrated in the bishopprick of Brague the Primacie of Spaine though in the office of Bracare it is put in the yeare 1221. but it is an errour of the Printer It is recorded in the end of the legende that a Prince of Portugall by a speciall fauour obtayned these resiques and carryed them into Spaine but there is not to be found any other perticuler mention of certainty in the bookes of the Order The 35. Chapter is put after the 39. of this very booke as more proper vnto it The triumph of two Martyrs of Valencia How two Religious which S. Francis sent to Valencia in Arragon were Martyred there THE XXXVI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis sent two Religious of pious life to the kingdome of Arragon to witt Brother Iohn a Preist Peter a lay Brother who arriuing att the citty of Teruel they caused a chappell to be built there wherin they dwelt employing their time in pious exercises and prayers and liued vertuously with exceeding edification and by their preachinges filled the citty with a most sweet odour of their sanctity The citty of Valencia was then possessed by the Mores mortall ennemies of the Christians and therein raigned their king Azot a most cruell persecutor of the faith of IESVS CHRIST and therfore these two seruantes of God resolued to preach there and to offer their liues for the saluation of soules so passionate was their zeale of the faith and their desire of Martyrdome So then goeing and entring in to the Citty they began to confesse and resolutely denounce to that people the word of God condemning their erronious sect as pernicious and damnable Wherof the king hauing first made them all kinde of gracious offers to allure them to his law them vsing terrible threates to feare them and perceiuing that he no more auayled in the one sort then the other he caused their heades to be cutt off on the feast of the decollation of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare 1231. and their bodyes were carefully gotten and buryed by the Christians God by their merittes working many miracles How the reliques
that he would employ him in the entreprise of peace where he must fight with a long and continuall martyrdome not as a priuate soldier but as a Capitaine and Doctour of many people he therfore resolued to experience and more clearly to enforme himselfe of the will of God And to that end embarqued himselfe againe for Marroccho but by a tempest he was driuen into the I le of Sicilia where being landed he went to the Couent of Frere Minors where he vnderstood that they made preparation to goe to the Generall Chapter att Assisium wherfore being assured of the will of God he much resisted his owne proper will and entirely resigned himselfe into the handes of his goodnes and so in their company he came to the Generall chapter which ended it was noted that he alone by certaine diuine disposition remayned vndemaunded of any Superiour wherefore comming humblie to the Romane Proninciall called Brother Gratian he prayed him to vouchsafe to demaund him of the holy Father sainct Francis and consequentlie to instruct him together with the other Religious Nouices in the ceremonies and obseruations of the Order So the true seruaunt of God preseruing the vertue of humility made himselfe generally to appeare ignorant Thus hauing obtayned what he desired he was no sooner arriued att the Couent with his Superiour but he prayed him to permitt him to liue solitarily in some sequestred place which was also graunted him and a residence aloted him in a litle hermitage vpon the mountaine of sainct Paul where there was a litle Couent of other Religious of their Order there he spent his time alone and in a priuate celle seruing God in continuall meditations and prayers fortifying his spiritt in his loue against the temptations of the deuill and chastising his body by continuall abstinence and fastinges refecting only and rarelie with bread and water whereby he so weakened and subdued himselfe that his Brethren walking sometimes with him to conferre of spirituall matters did testifie that he was so feeble as he could not stand on his feet so that he seemed alwayes ready to fall This elected spiritt of God for a certaine time thus conuersed as ignorant and simple amongst the simple not presuming to aspire to any glorious act or notable enterprise for the glorie of God and the saluation of faithfull soules as being preuented of his first intention But entierlie resigned himselfe vnto God absolutelie renouncing his owne will it being also the most secure way that can be taken and most pleasing vnto God who afterwardes in time and place maketh vse of such seruantes as he did of this Of his first preaching and how he was afterward made preacher by sainct Francis THE IV. CHAPTER THe time of taking Orders being come the F. Guardian of sainct Antony being to send certaine of his Religious to receaue them himselfe would associat them and took sainct Antony for his companion so they were with certaine Dominicans together att Torlie where the houre of collation being come and they all att table the Guardian began to entreat the said Dominicans to make some exhortation for the consolation of the companie but they out of humilitie excusing them selues the Guardian inspired of God commaunded sainct Antony in vertue of obedience to speake some thing for their edification according as the holy Ghost should dictate vnto him The glorious Sainct as much as he possiblie could excused himselfe alleaging that he had neuer bin accustomed to any other thing in Religion but to wash the shooe-clowtes to lay the bucke and dresse the kitchin and being ignorant he was lesse fitt for such an office then for any other herein he spake nothing but what his Brethren there present knew to be true so that he was easilie beleeued for none had yet perceaued his learning he hauing no bookes but he had a notable and assured memorie and in his mentall Prayers was of a verie high contemplation two particuler giftes wherwith God and nature had endued him and withall he had well studyed in former times yet in speaking latin he was verie sober and sparing Being then vnable by his preceptes to resist his obedience to his Guardian who not admitting his excuses as forcible constrayned him to satisfie his commandement he began to speake simply But the holy Ghost inspiring and worcking where he pleaseth would not haue this his cleare burning light any longer hidden but that he should giue light and illuminate his holy Church he I say made him so to shine and appeare that his audience perceauing his eloquence and his learning both pourchased by practise and infused by God they were all astonished and amazed but much more were they edified by his humility in that he had so long time concealed this talent The holy Frather sainct Francis being hereof by the Guardian incontinently aduertised giuing thanckes to God he aucthorised him to be a preacher and commaunded him to make vse of the notable benefitt which his diuine Maiesty had bestowed on him and so he was chosen of God and deputed to the holy Ministery of his word miraculously and not by his owne industry he also confirmed his doctrine by an entier and meere voluntary contempt of the world and a most simple innocencie by a perfect resignation of his will into God by mortification of his flesh and by a very deep humility together with his charity towardes God and his neighbour hauing a most feruent will to die in their cause though God for his greater croune and the edification of the faithfull disposed otherwise of the effect When he began to preach as before he feared not to goe among the barbarous Pagans much lesse did he then feare being among Christians the power of Princes and Potentates of the world So that without acception of personnes indifferently he touched and stroake all sortes of qualities with the sword of God yet alwayes vsing the meaner sort more mildlie to auoyde to scandalize them How where and of whome he learned and after read Diuinity THE V. CHAPTER THis glorious S. was the first Religious of the Order of the Frere Minors that studied and read diuinity with consent and by permission of the holy Father S. Francis who sent him to Verselles with an other called Brother Adā de Marisco an Englishman to heare the Abbott of sainct Andrew a most famous diuine of that time and one that had lately translated and commented vpon the workes of sainct Denis Areopagita out of Greeke into Latin then it was that the Vniuersity of Millan and Pauia were transferred to Verselles the said Abbot gaue those Religious a gratefull countenance for that he held himselfe so edified by them as he freely confessed that they taught him a doctrine not humane but heauenlie and that he beheld in them the hierarchies of Angels these good Religious in the meane time profited exceedingly for they attayned that very yeare to such a sublimity and eleuation of vnderstanding that they seemed
to Assisium and not to the Couent so much did he yeld himselfe to obedience that his only cogitation was readily to obay The Guardian hauing commanded a Religious that was praying to goe to demaund almose the Religious therat murmured exceedingly withhimselfe and in this distemper came to Br. Giles thus cōplayning Father I was praying in my cell and the Guardian hath commanded me to goe begge so that I must omitt the greater good for the lesse B. Giles answeared him brother you know not yet what prayer is for the most true and perfect is that the subiect doe the wil of his Superiour How zealous Br. Giles was of his rule and of holy pouerty THE VI. CHAPTER THe blessed Br. Giles as the true disciple of S. Francis was a great friend of pouerty From his entring into Religion to the end of his life he had neuer but one habitt and that all patched He went alwayes barefoot made his owne cell with earth and brāches of trees shunning all such superfluous celles as were more hansome commodiously built Comming one time to Assisium to visitt the sepulcher of S. Francis the Religious shewed him the Couent that was new built very great and sumptuous shewing him the great edifice of the Church and a faire structure of the altare that had three stages or stories of hight then the Cloister the refectory the dormitory and other places newly built for the commodity of the Religious who gloried in the accōplishment of so eminent a peece of worck Br. Giles very attentiuely considered all without vttering a word and hauing seene all he addressed himselfe to those that guided him saying Brethren here is no want vnto you but of women The Religious seeming to be much scandalized att those wordes Br. Giles replyed you should not wonder att what I haue sayd for you know well that it is no more lawfull for vs to dispense with pouerty then with chastity So that you hauing bid adieu to pouerty taking that for lawful which is directly against our rule I doe much admire you doe not dispense with your selues in the breach of this other article considering that both are vowes by you equally made vnto God There was a Religious that came one day full of ioy and contentmēt to Br. Giles sayd Father I bring you good newes This last night I saw a vision of hell and looking very curiously into it I could not see any of our Relligious Which Br. Giles vnderstanding he sighing sayd I belieue thee my child I belieue that you haue seene none and oftentimes reiterating the same wordes he was rauished in spiritt then retourning to himselfe he added belieue it for certaine my Child that there are some but thou sawest them not because thou diddest not discend low enough where they are tormēted wretched as they are for not hauing performed worckes conformable to their rule and habit for as holy Religious haue with the most perfect and glorious their residence in heauen so those which are bad haue their place with the most wicked in hell How much Br. Giles affected the purity of Chastity THE VII CHAPTER THis venerable Father continually afflicted his flesh keeping it subiect to the spiritt Which he did to conserue in his soule the splendour of chastity therfore he accustomed to eat but once a day and that litle and very late He would say that our flesh was like vnto a hogge that very greedily ran to the dirt and filth delighting himselfe therin or like the beetle that in all his life doth nothing but tumble and wallow himselfe in loathsome filthines He would also affirme our flesh to be the most valliant soldier that our ennemy hath against vs by which wordes and other like he demonstrated what an ennemy himselfe was to the peruerse inclinations of his senses and what a friend to Angelicall chastity Being one day in the citty of Spoletum he heard a voice as of a woman that called him this voice being of the deuill suggested into his heart such a temptation as he had neuer experienced a greater But as a valerous Champion of IESVS CHRIST he chased farre away his ennemy and remayned victorious first by cruell disciplining himselfe then by seruent prayer A Religious Priest being exceedingly afflicted and tormented by the deuill with a cruell temptation of the flesh and getting no remedy by abstinences and prayers he sayd with himselfe if I could see Br. Giles to discouer vnto him this mine affliction I am assured he would relieue met but he was so farre distant that there was no meane to come att him Br. Giles or his Angell for him appeared one night vnto him with whose presence the Religious being exceedingly comforted he opened vnto him all his temptation and demaunded of him some ayde and counsaile Br. Giles sayd vnto him come hither brother what would you doe to a dogge that would bite you The Religious answeared that he would cry att him and make him fly Br. Giles replyed doe the like to him that tempteth you and I will pray to God to assist and encourage you therin whervpon the Religious awaking he found himselfe fully comforted and deliuered of his trouble some temptation Other Religious were also in such sort molested with the like temptations that they became euen desperate and in tearmes to leaue the Order neuertheles they were deliuered by the wordes and prayers of Br. Giles A Religious came one time full of ioy and contentment vnto him vpon a victory gottē against a tēptation of the flesh◠for he had perceaued heard a woman come behinde him which caused him a very grieuous temptation and the neerer she came vnto him the more did his temptation encrease But she passing before him and he hauing attentiuely beheld her was freed of the temptation Br. Giles asked him if she were old or yong he answeared she was olde and deformed Br. Giles replyed that it was no great meruaile if the temptation presently ceassed and with all added know brother that you gott no victory but haue bin vanquished for the victory consisted in not beholding her att all when she past by you this is the securest remedy one can vse in the conflict of the flesh Therfore herein be very carefull hereafter for feare that in steed of an olde you behold a faire young woman which would cause the temptation with infamy to proceed further How Br. Giles went into Africa to preach to the Mores with intention there to suffer Martyrdome THE VIII CHAPTER THe yeare 1219. wherin the greatest generall chapter was held of the Frere Minors S. Francis deputing and disposing of all his Religious throughout all Christendome and euen among the infidels Africa fell to Br. Giles his lott whither he hastened with many his companions of one same spiritt And to that end they embarqued themselues with an Italian merchant and safely arriued att Tunes but the deuill by diuine pe mission preuented
the ninth of that name and fortie fourth king of France goeing in Pilgrimage to Rome there to visitt the holy Apostles determined to see Br. Giles of whose sanctity he had heard notable report being therfore att Perusia he went to the monastery of the Frere Minors with some few of his neerest fauourites all vested in pilgrimes weedes where arriuing he told he Porter that the desired a word or two with Br. Giles the Porter deliuered his message that certaine Pilgrimes were att the gate of whome one desired to speake with him Br. Giles vnderstanding by reuelation who it was that demaunded for him he full of feruour of spiritt went incontinently out of his cell and comming to the gate the king and he fell both on their knees and very louingly embraced each other with entertainement of most deuout and pious mutuall kisses in the face as if their had bin a very inward and ancient amity betweene them After they had thus some time remayned and had shewen many mutuall tokens of charity they separated themselues in silence without the vtterance of one word betweene them Now whiles these two SS were vnited in so spirituall a contentment the Porter demaunded of one of the kinges followers who that Pilgrime was that with such great familiarity embraced Br. Giles who answeared him that it was Lewes king of France who goeing to visitt the holy Reliques of Rome tooke in his way the visitation of Br. Giles The Religious vnderstanding who he was were exceedingly troubled because they had seene Br. Giles not only not to haue giuen him the reuerence due to so great a King but euen not to haue vttered so much as one word and therfore they went expresly to the holy Father whome they sharpely checked and reprehended for this great errour that should in no sort haue bin committed against so puissant a Prince being also a Christian endwed with so religious a deuotion and mansuetude as that he came expresly to receaue of him some consolation Hereunto Br. Giles answeared Trouble not your selues deere Brothers nor doe you admire if you see me not speake to the king nor he to me For when we embraced each other the diuine light manifested vnto vs the interiour of our hartes reuealing the secrets of his to me and of mine to him and hauing fixed the eyes of our soules in the resplendant mirour of the eternall light wherin euery thing is seene more perfectly then in it selfe we discoursed together as much as we desired with an extreme consolatiō of spirit without any noyse of wordes which would rather haue hindered then furthered vs in regard of the sweetnes that our soules did feele With this answeare the Religious being stricken into exceeding admiration and confusion they acknowledged their faultes among themselues repenting to haue iudged so admirable a worcke of God which they did not vnderstand How Br. Giles comsorted and encouraged a Religious whome he had conuerted and brought to be of the Order who complained that he shewed not himselfe so gracious vnto him as before he receiued the habitt THE XVIII CHAPTER AKnight much deuoted and friendly to Br. Giles by his pious admonitions became a Frere Minor but after he had taken the habitt Br. Giles seemed to haue no more care of him for he no more visited nor instructed him as before which was a great affliction to this Religious wherfore he one day complained therof vnto him in these termes Father I am extremely troubled discontented and doe admire att you that whiles I was in the world you tooke such paine to instruct me in what was necessary to my saluation so that by your holy admonitions I am come to be Religious and principally vpon hope the more commodiously to enioy your holy conuersation wherin I experience the contrary and find my selfe much deceiued For you giue me not now so much as one word so that you neither counsaile nor instruct me any more nor giue me any manner of consolation so that you seeme to haue vtterly forsaken me belieue you therfore I beseech you that my soule can receiue no greater contentment then to vnderstand by you the manner how to gouerne her selfe in this new kind of life Whereto Br. Giles answeared Brother sith you are of the house and family of God as my selfe also him and that you and I as fellowes doe fight vnder one capitaine and lord it is not conuenient for me that am your companion to command you to doe this and not to doe that because I know not whither the wil of God be that you doe a thing contrary to that which I may counsaile you and so I may persuade you to one thing and God to an other Thus speaking he lifted vp his face towardes heauen and speaking with his Redeemer in presence of this Religious with a very sweet voice and yet with feruour he said O my Lord IESVS CHRIST how worthy and excellent a thing is sanctity and chastity how pleasing to thy diuine Maiesty how well louest thou the soule that possesseth it how doest thou heare her in the company of Angels and in what manner doest thou recompense her with eternall life then sighing with gesture that discouered exceeding contentment he sayd Ah! ah ah my God how pleasing and gratefull is such a soule vnto thee and beginning againe he continued O my God how pleasing is that creature vnto thee who for thy loue sequestreth his hart from the world forsaking Father mother kinred friendes and whatsoeuer he affected in the world then discouering an extreme ioy he sighed as before saying Ah! ah ah my God! how greatefull vnto thee are the obedient soules that haue no other will then thine O my God how doth thy diuine maiesty loue him that with all his hart obeyeth thy holy commandementes and after these wordes he sighed as before and then sayd O my God! how pleasing is that soule vnto thee which being eleuated in thy loue perseuereth in continuall prayers contemplating thy celestiall treasures and graces But how much is that soule comforted of thee when in her deuotions she poureth out abondance of teares very gratefull to thy diuine maiesty and profitable to her selfe because they bathe the conscience and open paradice vnto her Ah! ah ah my God! how pleasing is that sould and how gratefull is that personne vnto thee that for thy loue supporteth fatigations labours and affrontes and carryeth on him thy crosse not refusing the burden therof as our brother the asse which complayneth not for being ouerloaden and beaten nor when one sayth I would the wolfe had eaten thee or that thou were fleyed yea to such iniuryes an affrontes he answeareth not a worde to giue me a great example of patience Now with this new kind of speech this new Religious was exceedingly comforted yea and extremely encouraged to perseuerance in the seruice of our Lord IESVS CHRIST And this may serue for a generall document to make appeare what feare and discretion
hath receaued of God faithfully labouring therin for oftentimes the fruit doth perish by meane of the leafe and the graine by the huske God graunteth to some fruit and a few leaues and to others neither the one nor the other I doe more esteeme the conseruation of the benefittes receaued of God then the getting of thē He shall neuer be rich that knoweth how to gett but not to keep Wherfore many after much gaine haue bin neuer the richer because they knew not how to conserue yet is it not so great a matter to know how to conserue vnlesse also one know how to gett There are some that gainning but litle become incontinently rich because they know well how to keepe what they haue gotten The riuers would not be so often dry if running continually they did not cast thēselues into the sea Man demaundeth of God graces without measure and end and yet will make vse therof with measure and end but he that wil be loued and recompenced without end ought to loue and serue without end Happy is he that employeth his time body and spiritt in the loue of God that attendeth no recompence vnder heauen for the good he doeth If one should say to a very poore man Friend I lend thee this my house to make vse therof for three dayes in which time if thou knowest how to employ it thou mayest gaine an inestimable treasure this being assured and confirmed vnto him for most euident would not he vse all his endeauour to make this gaine That which is lent vnto vs of our lord is our flesh our life and whatsoeuer benefitt we can make therin is in a maner but as three dayes If the graine of corne doe not corrupt it cannot only produce no fruit but it also withereth and consumeth entierlie of it selfe without any encrease wherfore is it not better to make it to rott to the end it may spring be gathered threshed in due time and then layd vp into the garner of eternall life A man doth seldome take counsaile to doe ill but being to doe good the first thing is to take counsaile of all the world The prouerb sayth one must not putt the pott to the fire in expectation of a promise A mā is not happy for hauing only a good will but he must rather with all possibility labour to accomplish the same by good and pious worckes because God giueth his grace to a man to the end he follow the same A man one time praying Brother Giles to giue him some consolation he answeared Endeauour to doe well and thou shalt be comforted for if a man doe not prepare in himselfe a place for God he shall not find him in his creatures What man is there that will not doe that which is best not only for his soule but euen for his body in that which concerneth this life I can truely affirme that whosoeuer shaketh off the sweet and light yoke of our Sauiour shall find it afterward far more painfull and he that therwith burdeneth himselfe most att lenght shall find it most light Would to God all men would doe that which they may acknowledge to be best for their bodyes euen in this world for he that made the other world hath made this also and can giue to man in this world the benefittes which he giueth in the other and the body feeleth the happinesse of the soule A Religious hearing Brother Giles to speake these wordes sayd vnto him Tell me Father if you please we may perhappes dye before we haue any experience of any good The holy Father answeared The Furriers are knowen by skinnes Shomakers by shooes and forgers by iron But tell me Brother can a man be knowne by an art that he neuer practised Thinck you that Princes and Potentates bestow great fauours and prefermentes on sottish personnes and without iudgement there is no probability Good worckes are the true way and meane to the fruition of all happines as ill deedes to fall into all miseries happy is he that feeleth no scandall att whatsoeuer matter vnder heauen and he that is edifyed with whatsoeuer he seeth and heareth and that amongest all thinges chooseth only those that he may vse to the most benefitt of his soule A discourse of the contempt of the world THE XXIX CHAPTER VNhappy is the man that setleth his hart his desires and his hopes on earthly thinges for which he looseth all celestiall happinesse If the Eagle that soareth so high had to each of her winges fastened one of the beames of the Carpēters worck att S. Peters in Rome it is most certaine she could not mount into the ayre As I obserue many that labour for the body so doe I find few that trauell for the soule Many take exceeding paines for corporall affaires breaking and cutting the marbles digging mountaynes labouring the earth furrowing the sea and performing many other painfull exercises but who is he that laboureth manfully and with feruour for the soule The auaricious is like the Mole that thincketh there is no other good but to digge the earth and therfore therin setteth vp his rest yet doubtlesse ther is an other treasure vnknowne to the Mole The birdes of heauen the beastes of the earth and the fishes of the sea content thēselues when they haue sufficient to eat but because man cannot content himselfe with what the earth affordeth he alwayes sigheth after somewhat else It is certaine that he was not created principally for these base thinges but for such as are high and supreme for so much as the body was made for the soule and this world for loue of the other This world is a field of such quality as the that hath the better and greater part therof hath the worse share This holy Father to this purpose alleadged that the holy Father sainct Francis did not loue the Antes because of their ouer much care to assemble their prouisions but loued the birdes much more because they made no prouision to liue vpon but depending on the diuine prouidence made only search from houre to houre according to their need A discourse of Chastity THE XXX CHAPTER A Religious demaunded of the venerable Br. Giles how a man might best keepe himselfe from the vice of the flesh and he answeared he that will remoue a grosse stone or beame vseth therin more industry then force so must he doe that will preserue his chastity for it is like to a most cleare looking glasse which may be blemished and stayned in his brightnes by one only breath It is impossible that a mā can attaine the diuine grace whiles he is delighted in sensuall pleasures Consider althinges behold tourne and retourne vp and downe and from one side to an other you shall finde att lenght that nothing is more necessary then to fight against the fles◠which seeketh day and night to deceaue and betray vs he that surmounteth it hath ouercome all his ennemies and becommeth afterward
doth often meritt great graces and vertues for he is therby illuminated in his soule and fortifyed in faith he taketh notice of his misery obtayneth feare and humility and purchaseth a contempt of himselfe he getteth contrition for his sinnes the gift of teares and amendement of his euill life Prayer maketh the science of a man pure maketh him constant and stable in patience and delighting in obedience it maketh him perfect in mortification of himselfe it purchaseth vnto him an assured knowledge the gift of vnderstanding the gift of force the gift of prudence and finally conducteth him to the knowledge of God who manifesteth himselfe to them that adore him in spiritt and truth for a man by prayer is inflamed in loue then presently runneth after the diuine odour and obteyneth the sweetnes of delight then is eleuated to repose of spiritt where he is admitted to the glory of the sweetnes of God When he shall haue layd his mouth to the word of the most high wherwith alone the soule is satisfied Who can euer separate him frō prayer which raiseth and eleuateth the spiritt vnto contemplation And that they who shall desire to obtaine the afforesaid thinges may know to attayne therto lett them among all other well obserue these six considerations as most necessary wherof the first is touching his sinnes past for which he must haue contrition the second to be prudent in his actions present the third to foresee those to come the fourth lett him consider the mercy of God that expecteth mannes repentance not taking vengeance on him though he haue made himselfe worthy of eternall tormentes according to diuine iustice which he dessembleth in expectation of his amendemēt The fift is of the benefittes of his diuine Maiesty which are innumerable as the incarnation and passion and all for our benefitt the doctrine which he left vs and the glory he promiseth And for the sixt and last he must consider what our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath loued in this life as pouerty nakednes hunger thirst cold humility dishonour contempt trauels wherin we must endeauour to conforme our selues and to follow him with all possibility Of some other spirituall discourses of this glorious Sainct THE XL. CHAPTER THis holy Father was once demaunded by a seculer person vpō what occasion man should be more enclined to euill then to good he answeared It hath bin more apt to the earth since the malediction therof to produce ill weedes then good hearbes But a carefull and dilligent labourer can by his industry so husband it that those weedes shall not easily grow therin An other putting him a question of predestination he answeared The water of the sea shoare is sufficient to wash my feet yea my whole body and I esteeme him a foole that this being able to content him will cast himselfe into the mayne sea for I beleeue it sufficeth a Christian to know how to liue well without search into matters so highe Then he added you must pray to God that he giue you not too much felicity in this world but that he send you great combattes against your sences and that therin he doe not assist you by the tast of his diuine sweetnes and suauity for your greater recompence and his greater glory Hereby may be discerned whither a man loue God perfectly if with an earnest care he endeauour to sequester himselfe from vices seeking daily to augment in good worckes because it is a greater vertue to follow grace then patiently to support afflictions for many haue patience but follow not grace Frere Minor is as much to say as one vnder the feet of all men and the greater the descent is the greater also is the sally We ought more to feare temporall feclicity then temporall euill for the euill followeth man and felicity is his contrary We must so conuerse with men as we loose not that which God woorketh in vs. But lett vs rather labour and trauell to saue our selues with litle sith that it sometimes happeneth that a man being skilfull in swimming and will imprudently seeke to helpe an other that is in perlll of drowning in the water they both are drowned and so the losse is double A man shal be obliged to yeld an account of the graces which he hath not For as God createth a creature by his bounty and grace he ought reciprocally appeare gracious and acknowledge the same if not lett him know that he hath lost grace by his owne negligence For if he would trauell and labour in the grace receaued he should obtaine many other graces of God which through his owne fault he hath not I desire sayd this holy Father first to obey euen to death then to be humble vnder the feet of each one thirdly I desire rigorously to chastice and rent my flesh with my teeth and so bind my neck with an iron chaine as I would haue no power att my pleasure to gett loose How God wrought many miracles by the merittes of Brother Giles THE XLII CHAPTER OVr Lord by a notable miracle declared how much was the meritt of charity in his seruant Brother Giles who meeting on the way to Assisium a gentleman that was carryed to haue a foot cutt off wherin there was a wound so eaten with a cancre that if the foot were not cutt off his life were in imminent danger The gentleman knowing Brother Giles weeping made him a pittifull relation of the occasion of his iorney to Assisium then opened his legge and shewed him the wound and with great humility and deuotion prayed him to make the signe of the crosse theron Br. Giles therby moued with pittie and compassion made the signe of the crosse on the wound then with great deuotion kissed it and the gentleman was a litle after entierly cured and retourned to his house a foot praysing and thancking God for such a grace obtayned by the meritt of his holy seruant This good Father one time reprehended a Religious for a fault committed and he tooke this reprehension sinisterly and with litle patience but the night following there appeared vnto him one that sayd Brother henceforward receaue with patience and in good parr the aduertisments and reprehensions which shal be giuen you for he that shall beleeue and obey Br. Giles shal be happy The Religious incontinently after this vision arose before it was day and came to the holy Father acknowledging his fault of impatience vsed vnto him and most humbly besought him to correct him often promising thenceforwaad to take whatsoeuer should come from him not only with patience but with great ioy A Religious that had neuer seene Br. Giles but had heard such report of him desired to see both him and some of his actions But being exceedingly grieued that the great distance betweene them put him in dispaire of euer receiuing that happines he one night saw in a vision a booke wherin no other thing was written but these wordes This is he
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
her sister which answeare one among them disdayning full of passion and transported with choler tooke her by the haire and gaue her many blowes with his feet and sistes then vsed all his force to pull her out of the place which att length by the helpe of the others he performed for taking her in their armes they forcibly trayled her out But this litle daughter of IESVS CHRIST seeing her selfe violently wrested by those furious lions out of the armes of her God she began to cry to her sister help me sister and permitt me not to be separated from our Lord IESVS CHRIST and your louing company Her carnall kinred trayned a long the vally this virgin of IESVS CHRIST against her will and in despight of her feeble though couragious resistance renting her cloathes from her tender body In meane while sainte Clare vnable by other meanes to relieue her sister had recourse to prayer with abondance of teares beseeching God to voutsafe to giue a couragious confidence to her sister that his diuine fauour defending his faithfull seruant humane forces might be ouercome and our lord heard her for att the instant of her prayer the body of the virgin Agnes miraculously became so weighty that her kinred were att lenght enforced to leaue her one the ground And albeit so many men and their seruantes putt all their forces to lift her vp yet could they neuer doe it but called labourers worckmen of the vineyards that wrought therabout to assist them yet their great nomber no more auayled then the lesser Finally the forces failing of her kinred and those that attempted to assist them they acknowledged the miracle though scornefully saying It is no meruaile that she is so weighty she hauing bin all night as lead whervpon Signeur Monalde her vncle in extreme passion lifting vp his arme to strike her he presently felt an extreme paine therin which did not only torment him for the present but a long time after Herevpon S. Clare after her prayer arriuing besought her kinred to forbeare in vaine to contend with God and to leaue vnto her the care of her sister who lay as halfe dead They perceauing that they would neuer stagger in their pious resolution being exceedingly wearyed left the two sisters together This troup then being departed the tormented Agnes arose from the ground full of ioy in IESVS CHRIST for whose loue she had fought and ouercome in this her first conflict against the world and his Prince the deuill by fauour and assistance of diuine grace and her sister asking her how she felt her selfe she answeared that notwithstanding all the affliction they had procured her by buffettes beatinges spurnes with their feet and fistes tearing by the haire trayning her through stony wayes she had felt in manner nothing especially by the vertue and force of diuine grace and next by the merittes of her good prayers Shortly after the holy Father sainct Francis cutt off her haire leauing her stil hir proper name Agnes in memory of the innocent lambe IESVS CHRIST who offering himselfe in sacrifice to his Father gaue resistance to the world fought valerously and ouercame And so the holy Father instructed her with her sister and taught her the way of God in such sort that she so encreased and profited in Religion in vertue and sanctity that she was an admiration to all the world Of the humility of the Virgin saincte Clare THE VII CHAPTER PRofound humility was the first assured stone and foundation which the holy Virgin layd in the beginning of her Religion after she had began to labour in the way of God so to aduance and sett forward the building of all other vertues She vowed obedience vnto sainct Francis which vow in all her life she neuer transgressed and for three yeares after her conuersion she desired rather with great humility to be subiect then a superiour shunning the title and office of Abbesse taking more content to serue among the seruantes of IESVS CHRIST them to be serued But being att lenght by the holy Father sainct Francis thervnto constrayned she vndertooke the gouernement of the Religious which bred in her hart more feare then presumption so that she rather continued and became a seruant then free from subiection For the more she seemed to be raysed to the office and title of dignity the more did she repute and esteeme her selfe vile and the more shewed her selfe ready to serue and made her selfe more contemptible then all her Religious both in habitt and base seruice She disdained not to doe the office of seruantes giuing water to the Religious to wash whome she made often to sitt her selfe standing and seruing them att table When she commanded any thing it was vnwillingly rather desiring to doe then to command others She performed to the sicke all kind of seruices were they neuer so loathsome as to make cleane the immondicities and filthines shunning with so worthy a spiritt the loathsome actions nor abhorring or disdaining the most offensiâ—e sauours She often washed the feet of the lay sisters when they came from abroad made them cleane and with great humility kissed them It one time chaunced that washing the feet of a seruant and offering to kisse them the seruant vnwilling to permitt such humility pulled away her foot to auoyd it but she did it so rudely that she gaue the holy virgin a dash on the face Yet so farre was this Sainct from being offended therwith that on the contrary she mildly tooke the foot of the seruant againe and kissed the sole therof Thus did this true espouse of God accomplish the doctrine of IESVS CHRIST and the example which he left when he washed the feet of his Apostles Of the voluntary pouerty of the Virgin saincte Clare and of her zeale to that holy vertue THE VIII CHAPTER THis holy virgin made a vnion and correspondence betweene her pouertye in all externall thinges and her holy pouerty of spiritt and first att the beginning of her conuersion she made sale of her patrimony and birth right al which distributing vnto the poore of IESVS CHRIST she reserued nothing to her selfe Hauing so abandoned all the world exteriourly and enriched her soule interiourly freed of the burden of worldly affaires she ran farre more lightly after IESVS CHRIST and thetby contracted such an inuiolable amity with holy pouerty that she would haue possession of no other thing then the glorious IESVS CHRIST nor would she permitt her spirituall daughters to possesse any thinge else And with this Euangelicall trafique she purchaced the most precious pearle of celestiall desire in place of all the other thinges which she had sold acknowledging that the same could in no sort be enioyed together with the distraction and occupation of temporall thinges Giuing instructions to her Religious she would somtimes say vnto them that this their company should be then gratefull to God should become very rich in pouerty and should by such
hidden the sweetnes of spiritt which her selfe more subtility obtayned and tasted with more sauour She accustomed to say that the sermon of whosoeuer preaching the word of God was exceeding profitable to soules considering that it is no lesse prudence to know how sometimes to gather beautifull and sweet flowers from a mong grosse and rude thornes then to eat fruittes of a good plant Pope Gregory the ninth one time att the instance of diuers Prelates commanded that no Religious should preach att the monasterie of poore Religious women without his expresse permission wheratt the pittiful mother complayning in regard that thenceforward her daughters should seldome be spiritually fed with holy doctrine with teares she sayd Lett then all my Religions be taken hence sith they are taken away who gaue vs the food of spirituall life And with all sent away the Religious that appertayned to her monastery to serue them in getting almose abroad refusing to haue Religious that should prouide them bread to reliefe the body sith they were depriued her that gaue them bread to nourish their soules Wherof his Holinesse being aduertised he reuoked his prohibition referring all to the disposition of the Generall of the Frere Minors S. Clare had not only care of her daughters soules but of their bodies also that were feeble and tender for whose necessities she prouided with exceeding feruour and charity For she often in the night when it was cold went to visitt and couer them whiles they slept And if she found any ouer-much benummed with cold or otherwise in ill disposition through strict obseruation of the commune rigour she commanded them to take some recreation till their necessities were satisfied If any of her daughters were troubled with temptations or were sorrowfull or melancholie she would call her a part and louingly comfort her Sometimes she would fall to the feet of those that were heauy and afflicted to putt away the force of their griefe by her motherly cherishinges for which they yelding themselues to this their holy mother did not proue ingratefull They reuerenced the office of Prelature in their mistresse and followed the conduct of so diligent and secure a guide and ayming their actions by the espouse of IESVS CHRIST they admired the excellencie of such a sanctity and charity Of the deuotion which Pope Gregoire the ninth bad to the virgin sainte Clare and of a latter which he wrote vnto her whiles he was yet Cardinall THE XVIII CHAPTER POpe Gregory the ninth had a merueillous confidence in the prayers of saincte Clare hauing experienced their great vertue efficacie and often times when he was in any difficulty both whiles he was Cardinall and bishop of Hostia and afterwardes when he was Pope he would by letters recommend himselfe to this glorious virgin demaunding helpe of her because he knew of what importance her assistance was this being in him not only a great humility but also worthy to be dilligently imitated to see the vicar of IESVS CHRIST on earth to begg helpe of a seruant of God in recōmending himselfe to her prayers This great Pastour knew well what diuine loue could doe and how freely pure virgins doe finde the port of the consistory of the diuine Maiesty open There is extant a very deuout letter of this Pope written to saincte Clare whiles he was Cardinall which is here inserted to make appeare that the spiritt of God made his residence in this Prelat and what deuotion he carryed to the sanctity of the glorious saincte Clare To the most deere sister in IESVS CHRIST and mother of his holinesse sister Clare the seruant of IESVS CHRIST Vgolin miserable sinner Bishop of Hostia recommendeth himselfe what soeuer he is and what he may be Well beloued sister in CHRIST IESVS since the houre that the necessity of my retourne separated me from your holy speeches and depriued me of that pleasure to conferre with you of celestiall treasures I haue had much sorrow of hart abondance of teares in myne eyes and haue felt an extreme griefe In such sort that if I had not found att the feet of our Lord IESVS CHRIST the consolation of his ordinary piety I feare I had fallen into such anguishes as my spiritt would haue forsaken me and my soule would haue vtterly melted away and not without reason because that ioy failed me with which I discoursed with your good company of the body of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and of his presence on earth celebrating the feast of Easter with you and the other seruantes of our Lord. And as whiles our Sauiour by his dolorous passion and death was absent from the presence of his disciples they were possessed with an extreme griefe and affliction so doth your absence procure my desolation and though I acknowledged my selfe a grieuous sinner considering the prerogatiue of your merittes and the rigour of your holy Religion I know not out of doubt but that the number and grauity of my sinnes are such and so much haue I offended God the vniuersall Lord that I am not worthy to be vnited to the society of the elect nor to be sequestred from worldly occupations if your teares and prayers doe not obtaine me pardon of my sinnes And therfore to you I committ my soule to you I commēd my spiritt as IESVS CHRIST on the crosse recommended his spiritt to his Father to the end that in the terrible day of the vniuersall iudgement you giue an account for me if you be not diligent and carefull of my saluation For I confidently beleeue that you may obtaine of the soueraigne Iudge whatsoeuer by your deuotion and your teares you shall demaund of him The Pope speaketh not of cōming to Assisium as I desire but I purpose to visitt you and your sisters att my first commodity Recommend me to Agnes your sister and mine and to all your other sisters in IESVS CHRIST Of the confirmation of the first rule of saincte Clare inserted with her rule THE XIX CHAPTER THe holy Father sainct Francis by instruction of the holy Ghost made a rule for saincte Clare and the Religious that intended to follow her distinguished ordered by chapters conueniēt and conformable to the Rule of the Frere Minors which rule this holy Father imparted vnto Cardinall Vgolin then Bishop of Hostia who was Protectour of his Order and was after Pope by the title of Gregory the ninth who was very affectionate vnto him and confirmed the sayd rule in the rigour of a strict pouerty austerity of life not by bulle but only of his Apostolicall authority and viua voce The Order of saincte Clare had not this rule confirmed by authenticall bull till the third yeare of the Popedome of Innocent the fourth which was the yeare 1245. when the sayd Pope att the instance of certaine Prelates and of certaine Abbesses of the Religion of saincte Clare instituted the second rule for the virgins of this Order vnder the title of the enclosed Religious
of the Order of sainct Damian in which rule he dispeÌ„sed with the Religious touching their vow of pouerty in commune and the confirmation of this rule passed in the citty of Lions which dispensation exceedingly afflicted saincte Clare and all her Companions for the zeale they had to the obseruation of the holy Euangelicall pouerty And not only the monasteries which desired the said dispensation and rule of Innocent the fourth did accept the same but euen other monasteries were enforced to receaue and follow it But the Pope being afterward better enformed commanded the Generall and all the Prouincialls that they should in no sort constraine the Abbesses and Religious of the Order of S. Clare and of S. Damian to obserue the rule which he had newly instituted but willed and commanded that the first rule giuen by the holy Father sainct Francis att the beginning of his religion and confirmed by Pope Gregory the ninth should be perpetually obserued commanding and commending it to the Cardinall of Hostia Protector of the Order to see it obserued notwithstanding whatsoeuer appellations letters obtayned or to be obtayned The bull of Pope Innocent the fourth att the instance of S. Clare for renewing the graunt made by Pope Gregory the ninth That the Religious of S. Damian may not haue goodes in propriety Taken out of the 10. booke and put here in due place INnocent Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to his beloued daughter in IESVS CHRIST Clare and to the other Sisters of the Monastery of saint Damian of Assisium as well present as to come Health and Apostolicall benediction Because it is manifest that desiring to be dedicated only vnto God you haue sold all your substaÌ„ce to distribute it among the poore the better to renounce cogitations and desires of temporall thinges and that you haue a firme resolution not to posses in whatsoeuer manner any kind of possessions nor immoueable goodes in althinges following the steppes of him that for vs became poore the true way verity and life The necessitie and want of corporall thinges being vnable to deterre or separate you from this firme resolution because the left hand of the celestiall Spouse is vnder your head to sustaine the great weaknes of your body which you haue subiected to the law of the spiritt with an exceeding feruour and charity This Lord also that feedeth the birdes and cloatheth the flowers of the fieldes will reward you with himselfe in eternity when his right hand shall embrace you in the perfect sight of him Considering withall that with great humility you demaund of vs that of our Apostolicall fauour we confirme your sayd resolution taken to follow most strict pouerty We by the to nour of these presentes doe graunt you that you may not be constrayned by any whoseuer to take haue nor to retaine temporall possessions And if any sister either will not or cannot obserue this rule lett her not remayne with you but lett her incontinently be putt in some other place We ordaine and command that no person of whatsoeuer quality or condition he may be presume to trouble your Monastery And if any person ecclesiasticall or seculer knowing this our constitution and confirmation be so rash as to attempt in whatsoeuer manner against it and if after three seuerall times reprehended and aduertised he do not amend make satisfaction answearable to his default let him be depriued of his office dignity and honour and lett such person be reputed as already condemned for his impieties by the iudgement of God therfore lett him be cutt off from the most holy coÌ„munion of faithfull Christians and be obliged to the diuine vengeance att the last iudgement But they who shall loue you in IESVS CHRIST and your Order and especially the Monastery of sainct Damian the holy peace of God be with them that they may receaue the fruit of their good worckes and find the recompence of eternall beatitude in the day of the rigorous and last iudgement The sequel of the aforesaid ninth chapter AFterward the same Pope confirmed the first rule vâ—uae vocis oraculo with his owne mouth formerly approued by the sayd Pope Gregory the ninth his predecessour and by the Cardinall of Hostia Protectour who by commission receaued from his holinesse had approued the same in such sort that this first rule was renewed into force This Pope Innocent afterward confirmed it by his bull in the citty of Assisium the eight of August the second yeare of his Papacie Whervnto he was enforced by the deuotion and most humble request of S. Clare Apostolicall confirmation of the rule which S. Francis gaue to S. Clare INnocent Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to our welbeloued daughters in IESVS CHRIST Clare Abbesse and to the other sisters of the monasterie of S. Damian att Assisium health and Apostolicall benediction The Apostolicall sea accustometh to consent vnto iust desires liberally to fauour the vertuous and pious requestes of them that seeke the same And because you haue humbly required vs touching the rule according to which you ought to liue in common in one spiritt and vow of most high pouerty the same rule hauing bin giuen you by the holy Father S. Francis by you receaued of him with much coÌ„tentment which rule our venerable Brother the Bishop of Hostia of Veltré approued according as is more amply coÌ„tayned declared in the letters of the sayd Bishop conformable to the commandement which we gaue him to approue it by Apostolicall authority to that effect coÌ„mitted vnto him desirous now to accord vnto your requestes we confirme againe by these preseÌ„tes the said rule by our Apostolicall authority causing the tenour of this rule to be writteÌ„ word by word in these presentes as followeth Vgolin by the grace of God Bishop of Hostia of Veltré to his most deare mother and daughter in IESVS CHRIST Clare Abbesse of S. Damian att Assisium and to her Religious as well present as to come health and Fatherly benediction For so much as you my welbeloued daughters in IESVS CHRIST despising the pompes and delightes of the world and following the warlike course of IESVS CHRIST and of his most sacred mother haue chosen to dwell corporally enclosed to serue God we commending your pious resolution are willing benignely to graunt with a good will and Fatherly affection your demandes and holy desires And therfore inclining to your pious petitions we by the Popes and our owne authority doe confirme for you and all those that shall succeed in your Monastery the forme and rule to liue by meane of a holy vnion and of the most high and sublime pouerty which the glorions Father sainct Francis hath giuen you to obserue as well by word as by writing which rule is here vnder specifyed as followeth The rule of the Religious of S. Clare called Damiates THE FIRST CHAPTER WE are to begin the rule forme of life of the sisters
then got a note of all the poore of the Citty relieued them therwith An other time wanting mony for the like supply she sold her iewels and with the price therof â—eleiued the needy She would often times withdraw thinges necessary from her selfe her women and maydes to supply the necessity of the poore She caused an hospitall to be builded att the foot of her castell which was very high where she placed all the poore sick people and euery day went downe to visitt them albeit the discent was very troublesome and difficult and releiued their necessities exhorting them to patience and to purge their soules by confession and communion She serued attended and dressed them withan exemplar humility supporting with an extreme patience the loathsomes that issued out of their soares and sometimes hauing no other linnen att hand to make them cleane she would putt off her coife disfurnish her head to dry and wipe off the filthy matter of the said soares which so strongly sauoured that her Ladies could not endure them Of the death of the Duke her husband and of many afflictions which she endured in her widowhood THE XIII CHAPTER OVr Lord had by his grace and by the prayers and petitions of the Duchesse coÌ„uerted the LaÌ„tgraue so that albeit he were by the affaires of his estate and his possessions exceedingly hindered froÌ„ the seruice of God yet did he not omitt to haue good desires and with his vtmost put in practise good worckes But because he could not persist in spirituall exercises he permitted his wife to employ her selfe therin for the honour of God and the benefitt of both their soules And this vertuous woman desiring her husband should employ his forces in defence of the Catholike faith she induced him to visit the holy land and to assist the Christians in recouery therof He then to this effect hauing with his troupes for so laudable an enterprise aduanced his iorney so far as Italy rested att Brindes to attend conuenient time and weather to take shipping But it pleased God that he ther fell sick of a mortall infirmity so that he shortly after with an exemplar contrition yelded his spiritt vnto God S. Elizabeth being aduertised of his death receaued her widowhood with almost the like wil as she had don her mariadge resoluing to apply her selfe entierly to the seruice of her celestiall Spouse And so almighty God began to visitt her with greater afflictions as hauing a soule more free and was a litle more sublime then euer For as soone as the death of the Lantgraue was diuulged she was by his kinred and vassalles expulsed her palace as if she had bin a prodigall waster of the reuenue of her estate and was so abandoned that the night following as a reiected creature not knowing where to repose she retyred in to a cottage employed for the shelter of beastes There she ioyfully gaue thanckes to God for her misfortune which she reputed as a great fauour and most singuler grace The next morning she repayred vnto the monastery of the Frere Minors and prayed the Religious to sing Te Deum laudamus in thanckes-giuing to God for that according to her desire he had afforded her the estate of pouerty After that she ordered her children to be disposed into diuer s places to be instructed and educated according to their quality and degree hauing no meane to retaine them any longer with her many iniuryes and affrontes being imposed on her by the kinred of her deceased husband in his vassals which she ioyfully with inuincible patience supported as a fauour sent her by almighty God An archibishop that was her vnckle caused her no small affliction in that seeing her yong and reduced to such pouerty he resolued to bestow her honorably in mariage But the espouse of IESVS CHRIST hauing layd a firme resolution rather to dye then to mary againe obtayned of God by meane of prayer the victory in so strong a conflict Whiles she honorably remayned in a castle of her vnckles the body of her husband was brought from Brindes which was receaued by the sayd Archibishop with a very solemne troup and procession of the Clergie and accompayned by the sayd Princesse with many teares she thus speaking vnto almighty God I giue thee infinite thanckes O soueraine Bounty that it hath pleased thee to comfort me with the receipt of the bones of my deceased husband thy seruant Thou alone knowest my God how much I loued him because he loued and feared thee And neuertheles thou knowest also what consolation I haue receaued of his death being depriued of his presence euen for thy loue in that he went to serue thee for the recouery of the holy land and albeit I receaued an exceeding contentment to liue with him yet was it with condicion that we both together might trauell as poore beggers ouer the world But sith that may not be thou knowest my God that if it were in my power to restore him to life I would not doe it nor were it requisiâ— for me to employ therin one haire of my head if I thought it not thy holy will But I recommend his soule and mine to thy diuine clemencie The king of Hongary hauing vnderstood the death of the Lantgraue his sonne in law and the miserable estate of his daughter and with what impiety she was persecuted by the subiectes of her husband he sent one of the principall Earles of his kingdome to bring her vnto him who hauing sought her found her spinning of wooll among very poore women wheratt he so admired and was so gâ—ieued that he began to breake out into exclamations regrets and complaintes and att lenght deliuered his cha dge aduertising her of the will of her Father But in vaine did he striue to perswade her to retourne to her contry for she as a generous Princesse choie with the Prophett Dauid rather to liue abiected with the poore in the house and seruice of God then honoured in royall delightes and in the palace of terresiâ—â—all Princes How S. Elizabeth became religious and founded a great hospitall for the vse of poore sick people THE XIV CHAPTER THis blessed widow had vowed that if she ouer-liued her husband she would spend the rest of her dayes in perpetuall chastity obedience and pouerty which she failed not with much feruour to accomplish and theâ—fore she toke the habitt of the Penitents of the third Order of S. Francis and being clothed in a coat and cloke of grosse gray cloth all patched with sackloth she promised obedience to her Confessour called Fa. Courad a Religious of notable sanctity which she most exactly obserued euen in worckes of penance as fastes disciplines and other mortifications in which vertues this holy Religious man did exercise her for the greater benifitt of her soule And to the end she might entierly deliuer her hart in possession vnto God without being distracted or hindered by any temporall affection she besought
this laughter tourned into weeping then againe openning her eyes she shewed the like signes of ioy as before and shutting them she began againe to weep thus continuyng without speech till Compline And then she began to say O my God if thy holy will be to remaine with me I most humbly beseech thee to beleeue that I affect not nor desire any thing more passionatly then to remayne eternally with thy diuine maiesty Her companioÌ„s hauing prayed her to tell them for the glory of God and the edification of their soules what she had seene she sayd my beloued sisters I haue seene heauen open and my Lord IESVS CHR. benignely bowing vnto me shewing vnto me his holy gracious countenance Whiles I beheld him I was filled with incompreheÌ„sible ioy but not seeing him I was oppressed with inestimable griefe therfore did I so bitterly weepe And therfore God haâ—ing compassion of me he againe coÌ„forted and reioyced me with remonstrance of his glorious face replenished with inessable splendour who asking me if I would remayne with him I answeared as you haue hea d. Her companions further prayed her to impart vnto them the reuelation she had a litle before being before the altare She answeared I may not tell you what I haue seene yet I tell you I saw a merueillous matter of almighty God my hart was filled with his ioyful gracious visitation This S. was so visited of God in diuers manners though she reuealed nothing to her coÌ„panions therof nor what she knew to be the wil of God who soueth the secrecy of his friendes Our Redeemer would manifest the feruent charity of this blessed S. hearing her prayers by diuers effects wherof we will heere record the two examples following It happened one night as she slept that her mother appeared vnto her in vision on her knees in this sort entreating her alas my daughter remember the paines I endured in thy birth and pray for me for thou must know I suffer extreme torment for hauing liued too negligently not done penance for my sinnes The S. with this complaintive voice awaking and touched and moued with compassion towardes her mother she fell on her knees and made her prayer to God demaunding mercy of him for her mother And after a long and seruent prayer she fel a sleep and an other time saw her mother in vision with a ioyfull countenance who sayd My daughter I am by thy prayers deliuered of the paines wherwith I was tormented in purgatory and am now goeing to heauen This saynt seeing a yong man very sensuall and full of vanity had pitty of him and prayed for him whome also she persuaded to pray to God for himselfe wherto he accorded So whiles they both prayed the yong man began to cry out Madame pray no more for me pray no more forbeare if you please Which the S. hearing she redoubled the feruour of her prayers and the yong man began againe to cry lowder Madame pray no more for me I am all burned which exteriourly appeared for all his body did smoake by the extreme sweat wherin he was which made him tremble lift vp his armes and his countenance to faile They that found him there touching his flesh could not endure their handes on it his cloathes were al wet with the excessiue sweat that bathed him and therfore he stil encreased his cryes saying that he burned But the prayer of the sainct being ended this extreme visible heat left the yong man who retourning to the true knowledge of himselfe was then so purged and illuminated with diuine grace that the entred into the Religious Order of Frere Minors where he liued died piously and so God shewed the force and vertue of the prayer of his holy seruant not in these two examples only but also in many others Of the blessed death of S. Elizabeth and of the great miracles she wrought and how Pope Gregory the 9. canonized her THE XVII CHAPTER THe time of peregrinatioÌ„ of this holy widow being expired our lord appeared vnto her in vision and very familierly sayd Mine elect come possesse the celestial habitation In the morning she related this newes to her companions then by order she receaued with an examplar deuotion all the sacraments of the Church after that she prepared what was necessary for her obsequies and the night following tourning towardes a corner of the bed they that were neere her heard a cleare voice most sweetly singing wherupon one of her familier companions asked her who it was that did sing there and she mildely answeared that there was a litle bird which by the pleasing melody of his tune had induced her to sing then she began to cry auoyd auoyd auoyd wicked spiritt So that the deuill being come to see if he could find any thing for him in this sainct vanished att that voice And she hauing her countenance very ioyfull and her spiritt by prayer eleuated vnto God demaunded if it were not yet midnight att which houre our Sauiour voutsafed to be borne in the world and layd in the cribbe then saying that the houre was come when God would inuite her soule to the celestiall mariadge she sodenly mounted vnto heauen Her body hauing remayned foure dayes vnburyed continued so beautifull and yelded so sweet a sauour that it represented rather a glorious then mortall body There appeared at that instant on the roofe of the church a great noÌ„ber of birdes of strange kind which did so sweetly sing that they filled those that saw and heard them with extreme admiratioÌ„ this was to make knowne the feast which was celebrated in heauen att the entertaynment of this blessed soule her funerals were filled with great clamours complaintes and lamentations particulerly of the poore for the death and absence of her that loued attended and dressed them as amiably as if she had bin the carnal mother to them all There repayred thither a great confluence of people that with much deuotion weâ—e present att her obsequies each one entitling her a sainct and blessed He that could gett so nere her body as to haue one of her haires or part of her habitt esteemed it as a notable treasure Then would our Lord make knowne the glory of this his faithfull seruant by many miracles which by her merittes he wrought restoring sight to the blind curing the lame cleansing the leprous dispossessing the possessed giuing also sight to one borne blind and her selfe being layd in her graue deliuered many by her intercession from death Wherof Pope Gregory the ninth being adâ—ertised authentically assured of the miracles Wrought att the sepulchre of this holy womaÌ„ to whome liuing he carryed a perticuler deuotion after due and ordinarie information in such case procured and the examen of her life and miracles effected with the consent of al the Cardinals and Prelates of the Church that could be assembled the sayd Pope enroled her in the Catalogue of SS ordayning her feast to be
solemnized ouer al the Catholike Church This blessed S. departed this life the yeare of grace 1231. the 19. day of NoueÌ„ber Certaine yeares after her reliques being traÌ„slated her body was found in the cosin of lead where it was first layd in sepulture her flesh being melted into oyle and most precious liquor that yelded a most delicious and pleasing â—auour this oyle restored health to infinite sick people and a very long time distilled from her sacred bones The life of the B. Elzearius of the third order of sainct Francis and S. Delphine his wife Of the sanctity mortification abstinence and virginity of S. Elzearius THE XVIII CHAPTER ELzearius was Earle of Arian in Prouince no lesse generous and noble in vertues and sanctity then eminent famous in race generation for the Eaâ—les of Arian his predecestors were of the most illustrious of Prouence This nobleman from thirteen yeares of age accustomed to fast often and woare a cord girded on his flesh knotted with fiue knottes which he vsed as a restraint and bridle to carnall sensuality and as a secrett memory of the fiue woundes of our lord IESVS CHRIST When he was ouer-wearyed with watching and was ouercome with necessity of sleep he neuer putt of his cloathes to take his rest and by day woare an hair-cloth therby to feele some affliction in his body both by day and night considering that without afflictions the fruites of spirituall desires cannot be obtayned His rigours also serued him to represse the coÌ„cupiscences stinges of the flesh and to obtayne the fruites of true wisdome His age encreasing he addicted himselfe to a stricter rule of abstinence chasticing his body by fastes to subiect it vnto the spiritt He gaue vertuous and pious instructions to his family that they might liue in the feare of God and not iniury their neighbour but might edifie him and that God might by them be serued and honoured This sainct after his youth though he had bin delicately nourrished was a great friend vnto chastity and so continued euen to his death preseruing in his soule and body the inestimable treasure of virginity How sainct Elzearius was maryed and accorded with his wife to conserue their virginity THE XIX CHAPTER S. Elzearius was maryed in his youth vnto a gentlewoman of noble familie called Delphine who had a like intention with her husband to preserue her virginity She being past twelue yeares of age and knowing she should shortly be deliuered and committed to Elzearious her Spouse began exceedingly to feaâ—e that notwithstanding the sanctity she knew to be in him as not sufficiently fiâ—me and resolute in this grace he would ouerthrow the holy resolutioÌ„ she had to coÌ„serue her integrity And consulting therof with a Frere Minor that was her ghostly Father called Frere Philip Denguerre a man of notable piety he gaue her full asseurance and satisfaction with a prophetical spiritt telling her that she should not only entierly obserue her vow but that her husbaÌ„d and she should liue together chastly and so perseuer to the end And so the nuptiall solemnities being ended they liued together twenty seauen yeares religiously and piously vnder the shadow of the name of mariadge very well vnited in spiritt but remote from the vnion of the flesh preseruing in this vessell of earth the inestimable treasure of most precious chastity a vertue not so much recommendable as rare and so much more worthy to be imitated att least in part as the contrary vice is damnable and ruinous Of the worthy and singuler vertues of S. Elzearius THE XX. CHAPTER THis holy man duely considering that the principall vertue which the seruant of God can haue is the misprise of himselfe and consequently humility and not worldly nobility his spiritt could neuer be raysed to vaine glory by the great substance honours and puissance which the eminency of his house did yeld him His wordes were gracious and pleasing conformable to the spiritt that deliuered them and the better to attaine to the perfect contempt of himselfe he would often for the loue of IESVS CHRIST wash the soares and vlceres of leapers with his one handes and serue them with gteat feruour of deuotion and with such charity as if with his owne eyes he had seene and serued IESVS CHRIST himselfe He behaued himselfe towardes his subiectes and vassals ouer whome he had entier iurisdiction as a iust lord iudgeing their causes with a seuere clemencie as one that could not be drawne from the right course of iustice by feare hatred fauour or corruption This holy man proceeded in all actions by the vertue of discretion wherwith he so teÌ„pered his worckes of mercy that therin he with exceeding humility auoyded worldly glory and fauour and as a valiant and perfect warryer he neuer desisted from his first inteÌ„tion and as iust he withall his industry shunned the occasions of offending God This seruant was so charitable and liberall to the poore that neuer any demaunded of him an almose for the loue of God but he gaue him a reward together with good wordes All his care was to feed the hungry to lodge pilgrimes and haue care of poore sick and forlorne creatures as one that acknowledged the poore CHR. IES in his poore creatures in sicknesses the painfull afflictions wâ—ich he endured for vs miserable sinners And as he was replenished with the loue of his neighbours no lesse was he but much more replenished with the loue of IESVS CHRIST And knowing that the edifice of vertues hath its end in the perfection of holy prayer in regard that it is a conuersation and familiarity with God he applyed himselfe with all his endeauour to prayer and contemplation he also sayd the canonicall houres with such deuotion and attention as if he had bin in the visible presence of IESVS CHRIST How S. Elzearius had the true vertue of patience of his death and canonization and the death of his wife THE XXI CHAPTER THis inuincible Champion was so armed with the precious armours of patience by the exercise of vertue that albeit he supported many thinges very difficult to endure yet none could euer disquiett him so that he was neuer perceaued to be in choler nor the least iott remote from his ordinary mildnes For he very patiently and humblie supported and endured the iniuâ—yes and affiontes directly or indirectly offered vnto him and was neuer heard to proceed out of his mouth any word but of praise and thanckesgiuing vnto God he with such sweetnes and clemencie pardonned his ennemies whatsoeuer offence they commited against him that he did not only make appeare that he was satissied and appeased but proceeded in their behalfe as if there had neuer bin cause of discontentment Being att Paris and hauing fore-knowledge of the houre of his death he with great abondance of teares and exceeding deuotion made his coÌ„fession then with much reuerence and in very exemplar manner receaued the sacramentes of the church And
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