retourne where the Religious were to whome hauing recouered his speech he presentlie acknowledged his fault in his presumptious enterprise Thenceforward he much more reuerentlie respected sainct Francis hen before The Abbott of S. Iustin in the diocese of Perusia meeting him one day alighted off his mule for the great deuotion he had vnto him and embraced him discoursing a long time of certaine affaires att their parting he besought the S. to pray for him which he promised and so being separated S. Francis withdrew himslfe from his companion saying that he must pay the dept which he would performe to the benefitt of the Abbott who in the same instant that S. Francis prayed for him felt himselfe as it were rapt out of himselfe by an extraordinarie feruour which ouer-past he knew right well the vertue and efficacie of the prayer of the Sainct and afterward related the same to diuers Brother Macie an other time saw S. Francis pray in such sort that there seemed liuelie flames to issue out of his mouth and eyes and so entierlie enflamed he went vnto him and calling him thrise he said Ah! ah Brother Macie come to me wheratt he amazed att such an excesse of spiritt cast himselfe into his armes and S. Francis lifted him vp into the aire the hight of a launce and afterward he recounted vnto the Religious that in that instant he felt such and so great sweetnes that he neuer after felt the like Passing by the Bourough of S. Sepulchre by reason of his infirmities riding on an asse he was almost stifled by the extreme concourse of people that flocked thither to kisse his feet coate handes and his habit whereat he remayned so immoueable that he seemed rather an image then a man Being past the Bourough and not one of those people neere him he demaunded of his companions how farre he had yet to the Bourough whereby they knew that being rauished in spiritt vnto heauen he had not felt that extreme presse of people The said Fathers affirmed that the same happened not vnto him once only but diuers times by reason of the great excesse of spiritt which was ordinarily incident vnto him How by prayer he obtayned of God what he would THE XCVIII CHAPTER THough God alone who endued him with so many graces is able to expresse them yet we must not forbeare to relate those that haue bin committed vnto vs by writting Goeing to an hermitage there to spend one of his lentes and being vnable by reason of his great infirmities to goe one foote he borrowed an asse of a poore man who of deuotion would also goe with him The season being extreme hoat on the barren and sharpe mountaines he had a great thirst and such as he feared to dye therof and being no longer able to endure it he acquainted the S. therwith who moued with compassion alighted off his asse and on his knees prostrated himselfe before God and praying did not arise till he was heard then arising he said to the poore man Goe to yonder stone and by the vertue of God it will yeld thee water sufficientlie He went thither found water and quenched his thirst which done the fountaine shutt againe to make it more manifest that by the only mâ—rittes of the S. God had made the water to issue out of an hard rockâ— as he did for Moyses The holy Father being att Spoletum a lay Brother called Brothre Andrew of Sienna that went a begging reported vnto him that there was a Bourgesse that had litle feare of God of whome he could neuer gett an almose whereto he answeared that he should endeauour to gett were it but one onlie loafe of him and should bring it vnto him The said Religious went vnto him and was so troublesome in demaunding that att lenght by importunity he gott a loafe Hauing it he carryed the same to S. Francis who deuided it into litle morcels and thereof gaue to each of the Religious with condition that they should all say a Pater and an Aue for the auaricious man and himselfe ioyning with them to pray vnto God they obtayned that this extreme nigard became liberall God permitting him to know his fault in such sort that thenceforward there was none more liberall vnto them then he A vertuous gentleman did often inuite the holy Father vnto his house where he extended so much charity vnto him that casting his affection on him he much desired to haue him of his Order and to that effect he prayed God that he would voutsafe to illuminate this his freind to leaue the world which he did with such feruour that being in extasie he was eleuated into the aire whiles it chaunced that the said gentleman passing by saw him so in the aire and God with him who seemed to graunt him this grace being therefore conuerted and touched by God he entred into the Order Passing by the forrest of Cortone a Lady of worth came before him and demaunded his benediction which he hauing giuen her she began to recount vnto him the miserable estate wherin she then was to witt that God hauing long time before inspired her to serue him she had a husband so contrary to that her good intention and such an ennemy to their faluation that therby she liued in perpetuall anguish And therfore she prayed him for the loue of God to assist her The holy Father answeared her woman haue faith in God for he knowing your holy and pious intention will accomplish your desire Goe therefore to your house and boldly vse these wordes vnto your husband I tell you in the behalfe of God that now is the time of mercie and the time of iustice will come hereafter And therfore by the woundes of our redeemer IESVS CHR. crucified I pray you so to dispose that we may liue in the peace and feare of God and you shall see said S. Francis that he will heare you the woman left him and his companion in prayer and she in the meane time went away full of consolation The successe was admirable for comming to her lodgeing her husband asked her whence she came she recounted vnto him all by order and on the part of God vsed vnto him the wordes S. Francis had taught her wherewith he became so mild that he seemed not the man he accustomed to be and in deed answeared his wife that he was resolued thenceforward to chaunge his life and to serue God as she desired Whereto his wife replyed sith it pleaseth you thus to obey God it seemeth requisite that we beginne the same by a vow of chastity it is a vertue exceeding gratefull vnto God and wil be very meritorious vnto vs the husband was content therwith and so they after liued piously This conuersion gaue a merueilous admiration to all those that knew them and much more when hauing perseuered piously together they also dyed in one same day the wife in the morning and the husband att night she as a
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
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
his mony The deuil caused a stolne psalter to be restored to S. Antony S. Antony by his prayers revnited a broken glasse made wine retourne into a vessell that was run out He knew in spiritt the errour and heresie which a Prelat held in his hart and prudently putt him from it Mat. 18. Great simplicity of a penitent A man hauing cutt of his foot S. Antony reioyned it to the leg whence it was cutt A Tyrant humbled himselfe att the remonstrances of S. Antony The tyrant teÌ„pteth S. Antony Of the fauours which God bestoweth on fishes A hungry mule left oases to adore the B. Sacrament Marc. 16. S. Antony cured a criple only with the signe of the crosse And an other A womaÌ„ fell into a filthy ditch without fouling hir apparell by the meritts of the S. S. Antony caused an acquittance to be giuen to his father which was deliuered him and forwhich he was much trobled He raysed one murdered to make him testifie that his Father had not slain him and to absolue him of an excoÌ„municatioÌ„ who afterwardes fel dead againe as before Effects of the preachings of S. Antony The death of S. Antony the chaung of his flesh A Cardinal opposing against the canonization of the S. God inspired him to change his opinion All the belles of Lisbone did ring of themselues Marc. â—6 A miracle of the tongue of S. Antony A princesse was raised by the merits of S. Antony An other couered in earth A Chaplain incredulous of the miracles of the S. hauing recourse vnto him in a mortall infirmities was heard A gentleman proued a miracle by casting a glasse against the 〈…〉 An other seeing withered vignebranches to beare grapes in an instaÌ„t and to yeld wine An other iestingly faining to be blind was bliÌ„d in deed A soldier had the leprosy of a leper as he desired dissuading him from goeing to the sepulcher of S. Antony A soldier by the merits of S. Antony being cured of a deadly hurt thincking to be reuenged had his wond againe Vowes must be accomplished One deaf and duÌ„me cured by the said S. S. Antony hindered a woman from drowniÌ„g her selfe A blind man had his sight and spech restored by the meritts of the S. A Religious vnable to support the paines of purgatorie which she had desired obtayned by the S. to be freed of them And a child was raised froÌ„ death Patience of Br. Bernard What is to be don to gaine Paradise He twice reprehended the Generall of his Order God assisteth in tribulations Admirable consolation att the point of death S. IoaÌ„ 13. Br. Bernard alwayes iudged in the best sense The deuil lest one that was possessed att the only sight of Br. Ruffinus And left to trouble S. Franc. Ten possessed persons fled froÌ„ him Br. Leo obtained milke for an old woman to nurse a child He foretold a yong man that he should be a Frere Minor With the signe of the crosse he cured an apostume A peece of his habit cured the falling sicknesse He miraculously deliuered a prisoner The Frere Minors were established in Portugall by two Princesse God miraculously prouided for the Frere Minors of Alenquer Netable miracle of the Sacrament of the Eucharist The earth of the toÌ„be of Br. Zachary worketh miracles A Religious ought to shunne women The body of Br. Walter could not be lifted The original of the first monastery of the Frere Minors in Portugal In Portugall theyeares were heretofore counted by the yeare of the Emperour â— Reg. 15. Galatâ— More admirable then imitable patience of Br. Iuniperus Br. Iuniperus the passtime of Iesus Christ Cant. 5. â—say 6. Psal 127. Admirable simplicity of Br. Giles ResolutioÌ„ of Bro. Giles touching prayer Graue short reprehensions of Br. Giles against the traÌ„sgression of pouerty Bad Religious more punished in hell then worldlinges 〈◊〉 is a victory of chastity not to behold a woman 2. Cor. 11. Admirable disposition to extasie in Bro. Giles 1. Cor. 2. Br. Giles deuout to the constitutions of the Church and to the Saments Gal. 6. Sap. 9. Scolasticall distinction of Bro. Giles 1. Cor. 13. Sap. 9. The vertue of the signe of the crosse and of holy water Luc. 14. Counsait and consolation foo those that pray which aridity of spiritt One must not omitt to doe good for fear of vaine glory Grace doth profit more in Religion then in the world A duise for pilgrimes Consolation and counsaile for the kichen Frere Minors are Pilgrimes ouer all the world Notable discourse of the obligatioÌ„ we haue to serue God A pregnant argument against the infidelity of couetous persons Rom. 8. None ought to despaire Ierem. 9. Luc. 18. To suffer iniuries freely is of exceeding meritt A meane to get patience The exercise of the vertuous is to doe good and to suffer euill Troutes are not taken without wetting the handes Luc. 10. The auaricious reseÌ„bleth the Mole He that hath the greatest part in this world hath the worse Chastity like to a glasse A man may be dronken with his owne tunne Comparison of spirituall exercises with labouring Meritt of combatt with distractioÌ„s Instance requisit in prayer Humility necessary in prayer Distractions in prayer are procured by the deuil Consolation for theÌ„ that praye without feeling of deuotion One must labour for saluation Ioan. 4. Consider thy selfe Luc. 10. Notable similitude Luc. 22. What ought to be ordinary discourse of the Religious Great vertue to know when to be silent Note this word Paradox of Bro. 〈◊〉 To leaue God for to goe to God Ioan. 4. Notable answeared to a curious parson By the signe of the crosse he cureth one wouÌ„ded Diuine aduertisment for receiuing reprehisions 2. Mach. vlt. Notable prerogatiues of Br. Giles The couÌ„try of S. Clare The mother of S. Clare visited the holy land The first beades of S. Clare Ioa. He is too couetous whome God doth not suffice With a litle loafe she fed two families Cant. 1. Matt. 6. Iuc 6. The giftes of graces are distinct Matt. 4. Eccles 2. Cant. 5. Luc. 2. To pray for ones enemâ—es is very pleasing vnto God God infinitely surpasseth vs in loue Psal 83. Remarckable proceeding in a man of iustâ—ce â—at 11. The giftes of S. Yues Psal 18.
thing proper neither house nor place nor what soeuer other thinge but lett them liue in this world as pilgrimes and strangers and lett them serue God who hath redeemed vs in pouerty and humility and seeke almose with out shame or dishonour considering that our lord Iesus-Christ would be poore for vs. Now by the liuely example of this Order and by the so great austerities and strict obseruations our lord reprehendeth the frensie and folly of the Christians who forgetfull of the pouerty of our Redeemer Iesus-Christ and of his seruantes doe ruine themselues by auarice by delicacies and dissolutions We hope that God will neuer permitt vs to want perfect Religious of this Order that shall admonish vs of our duety by their example before the eyes of his diuine Maiestie But S. Iohn the Euangelist and Prophett in his reuelations doth more particulerly demonstrate the time and estate of the glorious Fa. S. Francis and his holy disciples saying And I saw when the Angel had opened the sixt seale there was made a great earthquake and the sunne became black as it were sackcloth of haire which is a garment made of the haire of a horse and of very grosse woll and the whole moone became as bloud and the starres frō heauen fell vpon the earth After these thinges I saw foure Angels standing vpon the four corners of the earth holding the four windes of the earth that they should not blow vpon the land nor vpon the sea nor on any tree And I saw an other Angell ascending from the rising of the sunne hauing the signe of the liuing God and he cryed with a loud voice to the foure Angels to whome it was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea saying hurt not the earth and the sea nor the trees till we signe the seruantes of our lord in their foreheades This Prophesie occording to the testimony of Vbertinus was preached by S. Bonauenture att Paris in a Prouinciall chapter as already verified in the Person of the holy Father S. Francis adding that he was by diuine reuelation assured that S. Iohn the Euangelist in this passadge had his eye on S Francis and on his sacred Religion The same is affirmed by Brother Iohn of Parma who was a right holy and Religious man and famous by many miracles that God wrought by him But for the more easie intelligence hereof it must be vnderstood that by the seauen visions of S. Iohn in his Apocalipse are signified the seauen ages or estates of the Church The first age was of the foundation therof made by our Lord IESVS Christ and his Apostles in Iurie which began at his preaching and continued till the Martyrdome of the Apostles This was figured by the first vision of the seauen Churches in the first and second chapter The second age was of the confirmation of the faith with the bloud of the martyrs shed thorough all the world by Pagans and Idolators which began att the persecution of Nero figured by the second vision of seauē seales in the 5. chapter The third age was doctrine in the same being declared the mysteries of our faith and all heresies clearlie refuted It began in the time of the Emperour Constantin who assembled the Councell of Nice against the heresie of Arius figured by the third vision of the seauen trompettes in the seauenth chapter The fourth age was solitary and Eremeticall life performed with long and great austeritie of life and contemplation of spiritt till the time of S. Antony figured in the fourth vision of the woman clothed with the sunne in the twelueth chapter The fift age was when the holy Church began to abound in temporall riches as well Religious as Clearkes it began in the time of Charles the great figured by the fist vision of the seauen golden vessels in the fifteenth chapter The sixt age of the renouation of Euangelicall life is of the warre against the sectes of Antechrist performed by the voluntary poore who possesse not any thing in this life it began in the Seraphicall Father S Francis author and institutor of the Frier Minors figured by the sixt vision of the abhominable and puissante woman of Babilon in the seauenteenth chapter The seauenth age shal be hereafter both in a merueillous repose and participation of warre which is to come in earth and shall shortly come in perfection in the generall resurrection of all the sainctes of God it shall haue his begymning in death before the comming of our Redeemer IESVS Christ to iudge it is figured in the twentith chapter of the Apocalypse when the dragon shall finally be condemned and the elect glorified So that in the first age did florish the perfection of Prelacie and the Pastorall care of the Church those were the holy Apostles In the second florished the estate of Martyrdome by the combatt and triumph of the Champions of IESVS Christ In the third florished the Voice of Preachers and Doctours the trompett of the diuine wisdome In the fourth the sanctity and ornament of contemplatiue life in those that liued and led an Euangelicall and celestiall life on earth In the fift florishhed the zeale of iustice by which one discendeth to a commune and lesse perfect life in the zealous iust institutors of Reguler estates In the sixt florished the estate of the imitation of IESVS Christ reformed by the Church in the true imitators of Euangelicall life In the seauenth afterward shall florish the tast and swetnes of the glory which God shall communicate vnto his elect for the wearysome labours which one shall haue voluntarily and affectionatly suffered here on earth as farre foorth as humane infirmity shall haue ability to support and God shal be pleased to inspire into vs. And our Lord hath ordayned these estates and these ages according to the necessities of the holy Church against his ennemies the diuels and against wicked men their followers who together maintaine ancient warre against his Church though tolerated by God for the greater glory of the elect for none shal be crowned but he that couragiously combatteth So was the first estate against the carnall and grosse intelligences ceremonies of the Iewes The second against the idolatry of the Pagans The third against the Arrians and other heretikes The fourth against the carnall and detestable sect of Mahomet The fift against the life of loose Christians dishonoring thēselues The sixt against the pestiferous poyson of Antechrist The seauenth against the army of deuils and their sectatours who in these latter dayes shall trouble the Church more then euer We ought neuertheles to conceiue that though the said estates be thus separated and each one haue his particuler property yet the one participating of the quality and property of the other they come in a certaine manner to entermingle together by reason that there euer haue bin and shal be in the Church of God Prelates Martyrs Confessors all affectionate and perfect imitatours of IESVS Christ It is a
and liberality giue a right worthy example distributing the patrimony of IESVS Christ among his poore Fourthly that the imitation of the life of IESVS Christ might be better knowne and more readily embraced in pouerty crosses and contempt of all transitory thinges men hauing by experience seene how many euils and sinnes succeeded in his Church by meane of honours and temporall richesse and that euen the blinded worldlinges might be assured that the state of life which himselfe did choose in this life is most secure and most perfect Fiftly and finally to condiscend vnto the imperfection and infirmity of many that being incapable of the excellent and Apostolique pouerty wrought their saluation by this more large way whence may be conceiued that God hath alwayes ordeyned the estate of his Church according as he knew it most expedient for his elect so that wheras the Church hath bin enriched with temporalities it was by the most prudent counsaile of the holy Ghost This magnificence of richesse and temporall estate auaileth much for triall of Prelates and Ecclesiasticall personnes for by the same appeareth whither they be humble in honours temperate in abondance and amiddest their flowing substance poore in regard of their will But alas few by this triall haue proued such for contrarie wise they haue become licencious and haue conuerted that into intollerable transgression which was giuen vnto them for inducement to exercise themselues in all piety and vertue Now this fall towardes the end of this latter age and estate of temporall prosperity is merueillous punctually declared by S. Iohn in the fift chapter of his visions where he introduceth the Angell speaking to the fift Church of Sardis Thou art esteemed to liue but thou art dead Then by way of threates he saith that in regard of the great euels and litle good which she did if she did not amend she should in short time be punished and damned And in the opening of the fift seale it is said that the sainctes out of great zeale required vengeance on sinners and att the sound of the fift trompett it is said that a starre therby being vnderstood the principall of the estate of the Church seculers and ecclesiasticals fell as vpon the earth with so greedy a desire of terrestriall thinges that the pittes of the bottomles depth did open as if he would say all kinde of sinnes and vices as are pride auarice cruelty murders and other infinite enormities did by their euill example ouerflow the earth and vpon that occasion the name of God hath bin from that time blasphemed and many heresies haue thence succeded and likewise warre betweene kingdomes and peoples one against an other schismes and discorde among Prelates one against another and betwene Prelates and their subiectes and all this to the great scandall of Christians which did so much exceed the other precedent disasters in regard that it was domesticall proceeding of the cheefe spirituall and temporall personnes of the Church In the dregges of this fift age was all the Empire of Federic the second a violent persecuter of the Church and of the Prelates in so much that he brought the Sarrazins into Italy and there planted them who by their incursions committed a great murder of the Christians saccagementes ruines and burninges of Churches and monasteries to satiate their barbarous infidelity The sunne was then obscured to witt our holy Father the Pope who was depriued of the reuerence from each one due vnto him and the moone became bloudy by the persecutions imprisonmentes death of the Cardinals and Prelates that were so much afflicted by the said Emperour Federic and his adherentes And the starres fell from heauen that is many ecclesiasticall personnes betraying the Church of IESVS Christ adhered to the Emperour The deuils therefore ministers of the wrath of God made readie themselues to reuenge such and so many enormities ouer the world in all the foure partes of the earth and to this purpose they induced men to vnwonted sinnes labouring to preuent with punishment the diuine mercy doubtles if our Lord IESVS Christ had not fauoured his Church by a new byrth and reformation of spirit she could not haue auoyded an horrible chasticement God omitted not to reueale to his vicares on earth and to many faithfull Catholiques for their consolation this necessity and the remedy he intended to the same He manifested invision to Pope Innocent the third the Church of S. Iohn Lateran as ready to fall but that it was supported and susteyned by the shoulders of two poore men So when afterwardes the glorious Father S. Francis and after him S. Dominick came to demanded permission of the said Pope to institute their Orders in the Church he knew by illumination of the holy Ghost that they were the two poore men whome he had seene in his dreame or vision supporting the said Church and therfore was he the more easily induced to accord their requestes So that the Church was att that time filled with brutish people that were all sclaues to their concupiscences and as terrestiall serpents full of auarice and with other cruell and horrible monsters hauing their face and conuersation vtterly deformed corrupted with infinite vices but particulerly with hypocrisie and heresie which then raigned Albeit that God as iealous of the honour of his Espouse was exceedingly moued and offended att so many enormities yet did he not therfore in his greatest fury omitt to shew his mercie for in the middes of his Church he raysed the Orders of begging Friers flowing with men of famous sanctity that should roote out auarice banish allurements and carnall pleasures reiect honours and terrestriall dignities shame hipocrisie defend truth stirre vp the fire of charity reforme other peruerse habitudes and imitating and following the exampe of IESVS CHRIST should boldy reprehend the euill deportements and abuse of some in the Church should by the word of God awaken induce the people to pennance should with admirable vertue confound the malice and great errours of mischeuous heretikes and by their instant and seruent prayers should appease the iust wrath of God Among whome as it were being figured by Enoch and Elias S. Francis and S. Dominick particulerly were ordayned and deputed to this employment And as S. Antonine in his history recounteth the holy Father S. Dominick in spiritt saw God exceedingly moued against the world which he intended to punish But that the glorious Virgin demaunded pardon for the Church presenting vnto him two men who by the diuine prouidence were already deputed to preach pennance to sinners to moue them to amendement which were the glorious Father S. Francis and S. Dominick by whose prayers God was appeased and it happened afterward that these holy Fathers entring into the Church of S. Peter att Rome did in spirit know one an other to be Brothers and companions designed to this affaire wherefore in great charity they mutually embraced one an other These two origines and institutors
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
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
deliured of the threates of his Father went into the desert that there alone and in silence he might heare the secrettes of the diuine worde And as he walked on a mountaine singing the prayses of God in the French tongue he was assaulted by certaine theeues who rudely examined him what he was and what he sought there to whome he answeared as a Prophett I am an herauld of the great king They disdayining this answeare came neere and beate him and after many threatning wordes they cast him into a ditch of snow that was there saying Thou shalt now lye there as a caitife herauld of the great king But Francis they being retired came out of the ditch and filled with exceeding contentment began againe to praise God after he had a long time walked he came to a Monastery where as a poore begger he demanded almose for the loue of God which he receiued Thence he went to the citty of Agubio where being knowne vnto an ancient frend of his curteously entertayned him into his house And in regard that he was so naked this frend couered him with a poore cloake which serued him two yeares carrying a staffe in his hand as an hermite with shooes on his feet and girt with a lether belt which made him esteemed to be Religious of the Order of S. Augustin Now this affectour of humility desirous to lay a firme and stable foundation to his spirituall edifice exerciced himselfe in the actiue life to witt in workes of charity towardes his neighbour entertayninge his life with much austerity and mortification For hauing vanquished and trodden vnder foot the loue of himselfe and transferred it vnto his neighbour his affection was entierly reposed and setled in Iesus Christ by reason that whiles he was yet worldly he abhorred the accesse of leapers but now enflamed and ennamoured of IESVS CHRIST who Isay was contemned in the world and vlcered as a leapar so that he seemed no more to be a man That he might the more pefectly subiect his will to the spiritt he entierly applyed himselfe to the seruice of leapers often visiting them in their owne houses traueilling to gett almose for them kissing their handes their feet and face breifely for the loue of Iesus-Christ he assisted and serued them with exceeding dilligence yea sometimes the better to conquere himselfe cleansed and purged their filthy loathsome vlceres and ill sauouring soares with an extreme feruour and deuotion as if he had bin newly sent of God into the world as a rare Phisitian for the mortall woundes of sinnes Sometimes also he layd his mouth on the earth amiddle the dust that accustoming himselfe to contemptes and reproches he might subiect the pride of the flesh to the law of the spiritt and might procure to be a peaceable and perfect possessour of himselfe by which exercise he obtayned of God so great vertues as he had incredible puissance to cure spirituall and corporall diseases I will here to this purpose sett downe one miracle among diuers others which shal be recorded in this history in their place There was a man of the Dukedome of Spoletum that had on his face a most hideous and perillous soare that had already consumed and eaten one of his iawes and a great part of his mouth and wheras no remedy could be procured to his infirmity he vowed to goe to Rome to visitt the sepulchres of the holy Apostles to craue their intercession and to implore the mercy of God that he would be pleased to deliuer him of that so greuious and loathsome disease Now as he retourned to his house hauing accomplished his vow he mett the blessed Francis on the way before whome this diseased enclined himselfe to kisse his feet by reason that his countenance was exceeding venerable But the humble seruant of God not permitting it stept back The diseased arising the imitatour of Iesus Christ embraced him and kissed his face which hauing performed with a merucillous compassion att the very instant that horrible vlcere and the mouth being kissed were incontinently cured I know not in deed which of the two is more admirable either the profound humility of the S. in kissing the wound or the excellency of his vertue in worcking such a miracle He did not exercise this charity only towardes leapers but did also extend such liberality to all poore peole that sometimes leauing himselfe halfe naked to couer thē he desired besides to giue his owne person and espetially to poore preistes whome he assisted with great piety and reuerence He was likewise very zealous and carefull of the ornamētes of Altars and of Churches so that he did often make them cleane and decent with his owne handes that by them God might be serued with more honour and reuerence To this glorious Saint pouerty seemed the most precious thing in the word all his ambition was to possesse the same in this respect only was he enuious if an other were poorer then himselfe Goeing on to offer his deuotions att S. Peters in Rome among a great multitude of poore that were there att the dore he espied one most wretched and miserable almost naked and vncouered of whome he had such compassion and was so enflamed with the loue of pouerty that puttning off his owne garment he gaue it to the poore Creature and cloathed himselfe with the others ragges and took such content therein ' that he remayned all that day with those poore people with exceeding alacrity reioycing in pouerty in contempt of the glory of the world learning by such and the like worckes of charity first to practise and performe and then to teach following the steppes of his true master IESVS CHRIST whose life and doctrine he should practise and teach to mortall men Being one day of the winter so poorely cloathed that much of the nakednes of his body appeared and hearing the holy masse a Brother of his by chaunce mett him there who scoffinglie asked him if he would sell him for six pence of his sweat The seruant of God ioyfully answeared I haue sold it all at a good price to my God and lord He might doutles affirme it with good reason considering he was continually busied in workes of charity towardes his neighbour and in exercises of humility surmounting the nature of his sences yet without omitting mentall conuersation with IESVS CHRIST crucified for more cōmodious fruition wherof he frequented hermitages and solitary places employing his time in prayer and weeping neither would he thence depart til he had learned some extraordinary fashiō of fasting How S. Francis repaired three Churches THE VI. CHAPTER THis glorious Saint was so well grounded in the vertue of simplicity and of the charity of IESVS CHRIST that calling to his minde what had bin miraculously cōmanded him by the Crucifix which was that that he should reestablish his Church supposing that he meant the said Church of S. Damian he retourned as an obedient seruant
of wind waters and tempestes the furious ennemies therof He began thenceforth to be like vnto Helie by diuine inspiration zealous of the trueth of the glory of God and his neighbours saluation inducing many to follow and embrace the way of perfection and mouing each one to patience His discourses were no more vaine ridiculous but replenished with the vertue of the holy Ghost and such as penetrated the hart of the hearers and were of such efficacie that they terrified the audience in regard of their sinnes so that they were penitent therof and the hartes of the obstinate they softened and mollified Thus did he conuert sinners and confirme the good in the right way of their saluation Of the two first disciples of S. Francis THE VIII CHAPTER THe vertue of this worthy seruant of God being dilated and diuulged in many places as well in regard of the verity of his simple doctrine as for the sanctity of his life many gentlemen were desirous to endeauour also in penitentiall practises to imitate him The first was a rich and honorable cittizen of Assisium called Bernardus Quintualle very famous for his prudence who hauing long time considered the extraordinary chaunge of life of S. Francis how he contemned the world and with what constancie and patience he supported iniuries and that the more contemptible he was reputed the more appeared his pleasure and content therin neuer shewing the least apparance of will to chaung his holy purpose he esteemed and resolued with himselfe att lenght that the same could be no other but a worck of God neuertheles he thought to proue and trye him and to that end after many prayers to supp with him he conducted him to his house where being sett att the table more couered with spirituall then corporall food they discoursed of many notable matters Now the hower being come of takinge their rest the honorable Bernard conducted the S. together with him into a chamber where there were two beddes and each of them tooke one to lodge in but the said Bernard that desired to proue some thing of this S. did subtilly fayne himselfe incontinently to sleepe which the S. beleeiuing rose a lite after from his bed fell on his knees and directed his countenance and handes towardes heauen entierly enflamed with diuine loue and being so on his knees he began to pray with these wordes Deus meus omma My God and althinges O my God whose are all thinges O my God who art all my good Quintaualle heard only those words which the S. often repeated powring out abondance of teares it seeming vnto him that his spiritt receiued exceeding consolation thereof without euer vttering any other word that he could vnderstand The seruant of God persisted till the morning in this prayer wherin his spirit was eleuated in extasie considering the great mercy which he had receiued of the diuine maiesty and that he vouch-safed to vse him for his seruice in this world as he had vnderstood by reuelatiō Wherupon conceiuing the importance of the affaire he acknowledged his insufficiencie and impotencie and therfore incessantly played God to graunt him perfection requisite to the enterprised worck that he might serue him according to his desire Then with exceeding affection he said Thou art my God and all my hope all my force my richesse my life my ioy my satisfaction and all that euer I can desire I possesse no other thing but thee It is thou that hast begun to fauour me with thy grace graunt also my most sweet Lord that I perseuer therein and that therwith I be guided to my desired end And hereupon persisting in the profound consideration of himselfe with a merueillous humility reputing himselfe to be nothing he cast him into the armes of the diuine celestiall loue where he felt in his soule that sweet communication of the grace of God The foresaid Bernard hauing then seene and heard thus much by meanes of a lampe which he had left burning in the chamber and knowing all to be true the day appearing and the holy man rising from his prayer Bernard spake vnto him in this sort O Francis tell me I pray thee what ought the seruant to doe to whome the master hauing imparted many commodities behoufull for his vse he would no longer make vse of them The S. made answeare vnto him saying He ought to restore them to the party that bestowed them on him Bernard replyed it ought doubtles so to be and therfore Francis my friend I will for the loue of God distribute the temporall substance which till this present I haue enioyed hauing receiued them as his gift and this I will doe by your aduise for I will obey and follow you in this and in euery other thing that you shall command me Which the S. vnderstanding full of ioy thus answeared him Bernard this worck is of such difficulty that before it be enterprised we must take counsail of God and affectionatly beseech him to make knowne vnto vs his will and how we may accomplish the same and att the instant they went together to the Church of S. Nicolas and in the way a Canon named Petrus Catanio associated himselfe vnto them who likewise desired to follow the S. Being then arriued att the Church and hauing heard masse and offered their deuotions S. Francis comming to the Preist prayed him to make the signe of the Crosse on the missal and then to open it and the preist obeying att the openning of the missal they lighted on the gospell taken out of the 19. of S. Matthew If thou wilt be perfect goe sell the thinges that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen Att which Councell the S. exceedingly reioyced and for it thancked God many times And as a perfect seruant of the most blessed Trinity he demaunded of God that he would vouchsafe by three seuerall testimonies to confirme the rule which they should vndertake and so they opened the booke the second time and lighted on the text of the same S. Matthew in the tenth chapter Goeing thorough the world you shall not carry any thing with you neither siluer two coates shooes nor staffe and this hauing confirmed them they the third time opened the Missal and found a text of the same S. Matthew in the sixteenth chapter If any man will come after me lett him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me S. Francis then tourning to his two new champions said vnto them My Brethren you haue now heard our rule and theirs that will adhere vnto vs. If therfore you desire to be perfect you must presently putt in execution what you haue heard Wherupon the said Bernardus Quintaualle gott licence of S. Francis to goe to his house where he sold all his substance and distributed it to the poore without reseruing any thing whatsoeuer So making himselfe worthy of the diuine vocatiō he merited to be the first
face vpon the earth or if he held his handes ioyned together on high if he sighed if he spett or coughed Brother Iohn would doe the like S. Francis once reprehending him for it he thus answeared I haue promised to God to doe what soeuer I shall see you doe and therfore I must endeauour to conforme me entierly vnto you The holy Father admired and together reioyced to finde him so constant in his simplicity by meane wherof he so much att lenght profited in all other kind of vertues that all the other Brethren held the perfection wherto he arriued in great admiration But by reason that the world was not worthie of so pure a conscience God afterwardes called him to himselfe After his death S. Francis with great ioy recounted vnto his Brethren his holy conuersation and called him not Brother Iohn but S. Iohn It happened about that time that S. Francis preaching in the prouince of Ancona there came one day after sermon a man vnto him that said he would leaue the world and dwell with him to whome S. Francis answeared If thou desire to enter into this order goe first and accoÌ„plish the saying of the gospell Sell what thou hast and giue it to the poore He then incoÌ„tinently went and distributed all his goodes amoÌ„g his kinred being herevnto moued rather by passioÌ„ of the flesh then deuotion of the spiritt and then retourned to S. FraÌ„cis to whome he said Father I haue forsakeÌ„ all that I had The holie Father demaÌ„ded of him in what manner he had disposed therof and he replyed that he had distributed it amoÌ„g his poore and needy kinred S. FraÌ„cis then knowing that this man had not any feruour of spiritt said vnto him Brother Fly sith thou hast giueÌ„ they goodes to they kinred gett thee home and aske no more to liue of almose with my poore BrethreÌ„ So this wretch retourned alone to his kinred as vnworthy to liue with so manie perfect seruaÌ„tes of God Many others inspired by the supreme bouÌ„ty and with an exceeding feruour of spirit daily entred into the Order the renowme wherof was spread ouer all Italy yea through all ChristeÌ„dome By reasoÌ„ that S. Francis sent his Religious into diuers partes of the world who represented the life of IEVS CHRIT by holy pouertie which they carryed in steed of purses by obedience wherin they were most prompt and ready and trauaile wherby they were speedie in their iorneyes and in regard that they had nothing they feared not the losse of any thing Thus liued they euery where without feare and in great tranquility of spiritt without care either by day or night as they had bin instructed by him that is the only true and singuler Master They kept not the remaynes of one dayes meat for the next being of beleefe that to endure want of these temporall and transitory benefittes was their great richesse and aboundance In what exercise and beleefe he fashioned â—â—is Bretheren THE XXX CHAPTER SAint Francis knowing that his religion was instituted of the holy Ghost in the church of God for a mirrour or looking glasse wherin sinners might behold and contemplate their deformitie and how far different and distant they are from the liknes of God he for this respect endeauoured to annoynt his Brethren with the vnction of IESVS CHRIST by whose vertue he begatt them So then being replenished with the holy Ghost his Order did not only encrease in nomber but in vertue also and edification of the faithfull and to the end that besides their deuotion they might also be exercised in charitie and loue of their neighbour sith they were piously to coÌ„uerse in the world he would often louinglie sitt downe with them and in the name of God command now one then an other to make some exhortation of that which the holy Ghost should dictate vnto him and this he practised often And one time of all other they whome he had enioyned to speake did all deliuer such excellent and admirable thinges of the bounty and goodnes of God and of his secrettes and this vnpremeditated only by the vertue of obedience that themselues grew into admiration therof He then by experience knew that which God said to his disciples It is not you that speake before Presidents and Princes but the spiritt of your Father that speaketh in you Now whiles these holy pure and simple vessels did poure out the baulme of diuine grace discoursing of very high matters of God and discouering the deepe misteries of the scripture by vertue of obedience vnto their holy Father our lord IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto them and stood in the middes of them in forme of a most beautifull yong man and gaue them his benediction with such a sweet and immensiue grace that S. Francis and his Brethren were rauished in extasie and fell all in a sound and as dead to the ground Being retourned to themselues S. Francis said My deerly beloued Brethren we are much obliged to be thankfull vnto God for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to manifest his treasure by the mouth of the simple and to appeare vnto vs to lett vs know that he was present and that when it pleaseth him he maketh the mouthes of infantes of the simple and mute to appeare right eloquent These seruantes of God thus replenished with so great a light of diuine grace S. Francis sent them to illuminate the world and att their retourne they all repayred to our ladie of Angels as their true mother and there they enioyed againe each others sight with an extreame contentment which so filled them with a spirituall exultation that they easilie forgott the labours and contradictions which in their trauiles they had endured The other Brethren that stirred not from the Couent though sometimes they were employed in manuall labours about the necessities of their house neuertheles the chiefest part of their exercise was in prayer for they very frequentlie prayed with feruour and teares They arose att midnight watching to pray to God for themselues and for all other sinners They had a very tender and mutuall loue to each other The holy Father serued them as a mother doth her only sonne charitie so burned in them all that it seemed very easy vnto them to spend their life not onlie for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST but euen for the safty of one of their Brethren Two Brothers walking one day through the feildes they mett a foole that cast stones att one of them which the other perceiuing he stept before his companion to receiue the strokes of the stones These good Brethren did such and the like thinges being induced therto out of perfect charity They reuerenced one an other as masters and he that by his office or age was amongest them the principall would appeare the most humble and abiect they exercised themselues in obedience each of them being prepared to performe not only the precept but
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
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
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
world and in like sort all his disciples Therfore he said by his Prophett Dauid I am a begger and poore God hath bin careful of me Goe on then securely after so worthy a Capitaine guide to take possession of that inheritance which IESVS CHRIST hath pourchaced vs and hath left to them that according to his example leaue the world and seeke to liue in pouertie onlie for his loue glorie of this inheritance and preferment in regard that he hath giuen it only to his beloued Know that many of the most noble and best learned men of the world shall adhere to our company who shall repute it a great fauour in this manner to goe aske an almose Goe then seeke for almose with the benediction of God and haue a faith and assurance far greater then they who carry with them a quantitie of siluer to pay it att the will of their master for you pay your benefactours more liberally then any other though it seeme not so giuing them for your almose the loue of God when you say Giue vs an almose for the loue of God But tell me I pray you what thing may there be had in heauen or earth that can equalize the price of the loue of God The Brethren being by their gracious Father thus induced went with allacrity to demaund almose into the townes and other places and being retourned to their Couent they incontinentlie deliuered it to the Father Gardian who afterward distributed it in common The said holy Father being one time in the Church of our lady of Angels a Brother that was very spirituall retourned from beging from Assisium with a loud voice thancking God S. Francis perceauing him was stricken with an amourous affection towardes him and went himselfe vnto him and kissed his shoulder wheron he caryed the wallett which he tooke off and layed on his owne shoulder to carry to the Couent where he said to the other Brethren I will that my fellow Brethren doe in like sort seeke almose and prayse God att their retourne It happened one day that a Nouice was commaunded to goe to begge but he refused to goe alleadging that he should be ashamed The holy Father vnderstanding it expelled him out of the Order with these wordes What Brother flye wilt thou liue of the labour of the other Brethren and rest idle in the vineyard of God as the drone who without trauaile seeketh to eat the labour of the bees The will of S. Francis was that the Brethren should often goe a begging according to their necessity that they might meritt and that being accustomed therto they should not be ashamed when occasion vrged them to goe And so the more noble and the more honoured a Brother had bin in the world the more ioyfull and content was he and the better edified aswell by this humility as by other seruices of obedience which he performed Sometimes S. Francis encouraging his Brethren would vse these like wordes vnto them My Brethren we haue bin giuen vnto the world in this latter age that the elect might accomplish in vs the worckes of charitie to the end they might meritt to be recompenced att the last day of iudgment with these sweet wordes of our God I was an hungred and you gaue me to eat I was thirsty and you gaue me to drincke and as long as you did it to one of these my least Brethren you did it to me Therupon the S. affirmed that to begge vnder the title of Freer Minor was a thing of exceeding consolation and recompence in the retribution of the iust which forenamed title the master of the Euangelicall truth particulerly specified with his diuine mouth when he said by his Prophett Man hath eaten the bread of Angels for this bread which is demaunded for the loue of God said the S. is properlie called the bread of Angels sith his diuine Maiestie by his Angels inspireth men to giue it Att principall feastes himselfe hauing leasure would vndertake to begge to make the feast more solemne in pouerty Being one time of Easter in a Couent so far from habitation that there was no meane for him to begge calling to minde that our Lord IESVS CHRIST on the like day appeared in forme of a Pilgrime to his disciples that went to Emaus he demanded almose in the refectorie of his owne Brethren as a poore straunger and liued therwith admonishing his Brethren that passing through the desert of this world as Pilgrimes and straungers and as true Hebrewes that haue no assured residence here they should alwayes in humilitie of spiritt celebrate the Pasch of God which is his passadge from this world to his eternall Father in the glory of heauen Being inuited by certaine great noble men to eat with them be â—at nothing there but the almose which he had begged att the dores THE XLVI CHAPTER BY reason that he demaunded not almose out of a couetousnes but only by a liberty of spiritt and a zeale of holy pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST therfore did he far more willingly eate of that which he begged and was giuen him att dores then of what was presented him att table in the banquettes of Princes When therfore he was inuited by them before he went thither he first begged morcels of bread att the dores which he eat att their tables Which he did partlie for loue he bare to holie pouerty and partly also to giue example to his Brethren Being one day inuited by the Cardinall of Hostia who exceedinglie loued him he first according to his custome begged peices of bread and hauing gott what was necessary he went to the table of the said Cardinall where he sodenlie emptyed out all the said peices of bread and laid before him next vnto whome was the place of the said Cardinall who esteemed himselfe as it were braued thereby yet for the present would say nothing therof But the holy Father thincking on what he had to doe began to deuide his bread into many litle morcels which he distributed among the noble men that were att the table who receaued it very deuoutly some of them presentlie eating it others kept it for reuerence Which the Cardinall perceauing with much contentment was somewhat appeased Notwithstanding after the refection being retired into a chamber with S. Francis embracing him and clipping him with his armes he gestingly said O simple brother my freind why hast thou giuen me so great an affront this daye as comming to eat att my table which is thine and theirs who appertaine vnto thee thou wouldest first begge that thou wert to eat The holy Father answeared him nay I haue rather done you this day great honour sith that att your table hath bin honoured a greater Lord then your selfe and one that is your master besides the subiect doeing that which his Lord commandeth him he honoureth his master For God had so much loued this royall pouerty that he hath vouch-safed to accept
her for his espouse to enrich vs her inheritours together with her and by meanes of pouerty of spiritt which we shall haue here to giue vs glory afterwardes in heauen NOW I neither can nor will omitt to gaine such a succession for any apparance of false richesse that may be presented considering with all that they are of small continuance and so much more in regard that it is necessary for me to make my selfe a forme and example vnto my other Brethren and besides for that I well know that in this Religion there are and shal be many Brethren that shal be minors in name and effect for the loue of God and by the light of the holy Ghost that teacheth them with all humility to serue others in their necessity I know likewise very well would to God it were not so that there are and yet shal be more such as shall haue no will to humble themselues to aske almose and to doe other seruile offices be it either thorough shame or by corrupted manners It is therfore necessary for me to instruct them their duety by worckes to the end that both in this world the other they be inexcusable before God and that they may not say they found none that gaue them example and so they remaine dischardged Being therfore att this present with you who are an Apostolicall Prince and our Protectour or att other times with some other great personnes that entertaine me not only with a pleasing countenance for the loue of IESVS CHRIST but euen doe sometimes constraine me to remaine with you I should not therfore be ashamed to aske almose but I rather am ioyfull to receaue it and to follow my God esteeming it for his loue to be an heroicall act and of dignitye for himselfe being almighty would for vs become and make himselfe as nothing Now I would haue all my Brethren present and to come to know that I am better pleased to be att their table and to see their pouerty then to be att these your bountifull tables that are superfluous in all thinges because the bread receaued of almose is bread offered and entierly sacrificed for the loue of God sith the Brother that demaundeth it saith first God be praysed and then asketh it in the name and for the loue of God This said S. Francis was silent and the Cardinall was exceedingly edified by the seruour of his wordes which did spiritualy comfort him Of the second exercise of pouerty which consisteth in giuing and how S. Francis denyed nothing to the poore THE XLVII CHAPTER THe holy Father had besides a most exceeding naturall clemencie and liberalitie which redoubled the giftes he had of holy pouerty and the compassion that God had imparted vnto him which was the cause why he did not only glory in demaunding but much more in denying nothing for the loue of God He declared by effect that it is a more happy thing to giue for the loue of God then to aske of them that are truely poore of spiritt who possesse nothing in proper but as from IESVS CHRIST and their neighbour And because the professors of Euangelicall pouerty beginne by this action of giuing all they haue to the poore of IESVS CHRIST and therby obtaine the estate and title of poore of spiritt they exercise perseuer and consummate themselues therin denying nothing that is in their power yea giuing themselues for the seruice of their neighbour because they who are such are very ready and content to giue hauing alwayes in memory the wordes of IESVS CHRIST which he left as a law vnto his disciples to witt Giue and it shalbâ— giuen you which wordes are so negligently obserued of Christians that they may be iustly called in humane be they of what estate and condition they please sith they acknoledge no necessity in others because they feele it not in themselues And therfore the poore of spiritt whosoeuer they be doe obserue this law for if they acknoledge themselues in necessity and desire to be assisted they must assist euery one towardes his salutaion The said holie Father then instituting the true religion of pouertie endeauoured to teach that the true nature of holie pouerty did not so much consist in asking as in giuing any thing that one hath or possesseth if it be demaunded in the name of God and this to the end that auarice or cruelty enter not into the house of holy pouertie and of Christian piety He also taught them in all poore to consider IESVS CHRIST and therfore meeting any poore on the way were he neuer so miserable he did not onlie giue him as to the person of IESVS CHRIST what he had though it were necessary to the entertainment of his owne life but he euen esteemed it of right to be rendred as appertaining to the poore party wherof I will deduce and relate some few examples of a great multitude which might be committed to writing of this holy Father In a verie extreame cold of the winter a brother of one of the Religious lent him a peice of cloth to vse for a cloake but meeting a poore old woman that asked him an almose he presentlie putt off the said cloake from his shoulders and albeit it were not his owne gaue it vnto her saying Hold sister make thee a coat of this cloath in regard that thou hast need therof She went very contentedlie and ioyfull to her house and hauing cutt out a coat of that cloath she wanted yet a litle peice to finish the same in which case not knowing what to doe she att length considered the liberalitie of the said S. whome she sought out shewing vnto him the coat cutt out and what she wanted The holie Father seeing the necessitie of this poore old woman tourning to his companion Brother said he behold the necessity of this poore woman lett vs for the loue of God endure the cold giue her thy cloake to supply her want of cloath which the Brother incontinentlie performed so that by cloathing her alone they both remayned in so cold a season without cloake The S. being an other time in the Couent of Cortona he had a new cloake which the Brethren had made him but seeing a poore man that lamented his deceased wife and desolate family he endeauoured to comfort him but the afflicted answeared that the occasions of his teares were great and diuers but that which most afflicted him was the great chardge of his distressed familie that remayned desolate and forlorne by the death of his wife The S. moued with compassion gaue him his cloake with these wordes I giue thee this for the loue of God yet with this condition that if it be required of thee thou deliuer it not except thou be payed for it Now the Brethren that had very latelie before giuen him this cloake went whence he came and would haue taken the cloake from the poore man but he being emboldened vpon the wordes of the
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
and damnation to the disobedient and such as erre from the said most holy Faith and to this end would he by his immensiue charity assuming our nature therwith satisfie all our offences and die on the wood of the crosse for our sinnes and would afterwardes leaue vs the meritt of his passion in the sacrament of holy baptisme wherby we are new borne to eternall life that all our sinnes dying we may sett our selues free from the captiuity of the deuill and from eternall death which this cruell ennemy hath from time to time procured vs. Great Soldan proceeded the S. open the eares and eyes of thine vnderstanding misprise not the Embassadge which thine omnipotent eternall king sendeth thee permitt his grace to enter into thy hart and by his holy light he will giue thee instant knowledg of the great blindes wherin till this day thou hast liued and consider attentiuely how much thou art bound vnto his diuine maiesty letting thee now vnderstand that he can giue thee a kingdome in heauen much greater then this which he hath giuen thee here one earth But if thou perseuer in thine errour be thou assured of the punishment prepared for thee for thou must know that soone or late thou must fall into his handes yeld him an account both of thy sinnes and of thy vassals The holy Father spake these and many other like wordes with such feruour and vehemencie of spiritt that all those present though they were all infidels did manifestlie know that the said wordes proceeded of a more then humane vertue And they were indeed vttered with the same spiritt that God promised his seruantes saying I will giue you a tongue and wisdome which the princes of the world shall not be able to resist Now the Soldan acknowledgeing so great a vertue in the seruant of God he gaue him thanckes with much reuerence and tokens of curtesie then asked him concerning new difficulties being very attentiue to the answeares which the holy Father gaue him as a man sent him from God and therfore very instantlie prayed him not retourne to the Christians but to remaine with him the seruant of IESVS CHRIST cntierly circumvested with zeale of the faith thervpon made him this answeare Great Soldan If you with all your people wil be conuerted I will right gladly remayne with you and if you haue any doubt that detaineth you from leauing your beleefe for mine because the time is very short you may presentlie make proofe therof lett there be made a great fire in the middes of the army then call your Sacrificers and Religious command vs all to enter into the middes of the fire and afterwardes follow their faith that by their God shall be preserued The Soldan amazed att the proposition made by the holy Father said I doe not thinck that any of our Religious will make this triall Wherin he was not deceaued for he had scarcely vttered that word but one of his Collociers there present very aged and among the Turcks reputed for a S. hearing it incontinentlie slipt away fearing that the Soldan accepting the condition he should be deuoured by the flames The holie Father then addressing himselfe againe into the Soldan said Mighty Soldan wilt thou promise vnto God to become Christian if I my selfe alone goe into the fire Wherto I am now readilie prepared The Soldan answeared him that he durst not then make any such promise much lesse accept such offer fearing that such an vnwonted attēpt might raise some tumult in his army neuertheles it wrought much fruit in his hart and though for the present he did not resolue to be baptised yet he remayned exceedinglie aflected to the holy Father to whome he offered a great quantity of gold siluer and apparell for himselfe and his companions which the Saint no more esteemed then verie filth not vouchsafing to behold the same which much more amazed the Soldan yet he prayed him againe to accept those presents to dispose them in almose for his soule albeit he were not as yet resolued to be baptised But his requestes were vaine S. Francis then determined to passe further as not finding any firme and stable resolution in the Soldan though he prayed the holy Father to visitt him often affirming that he would conferre more amply with him graunted him letters patentes by vertue wherof he his Br. might freely preach ouer all his kingdome wherwith S. Francis departed How S. Francis and his companions preached the faith to the kingdome of the Soldan and how he miraculously resisted a More that tempted him to carnality THE LXX CHAPTER SAinct Francis diuided his companions and sent them ouer Egipt Syria and himselfe with Brother Illuminatus went through all the kingdome continually preaching the gospell And being on a time enforced to rest himselfe in a certaine place expecting the mitigation of the stormy weather he retired into a house to lodge where in was a More who in the lineamentes and proportion of her face was faire and of comely grace but in spiritt extremelie loath some she induced by the deuill that one each side cast his snares to surprise the S. went to him into a chamber where purposely she had placed him alone and instantlie prayed him to sinne with her the S. answeared her woman if thou wilt that I offend with thee thou must also yeld to me in my request Wherto the amourous More presentlie accorded S. Francis then incōtinently goeing to a great fire that was there spreding it abroad layed downe and stretched himselfe theron inuiting the More to keepe her promise and lye with him one that bed so gorgious and resplendat The More remayned a while pensiue betweene loue and feare expecting the issue but att length seeing him to turne one the coales as if he had bin one roses and lillies she acknowledged her selfe and her sinne and was baptised and afterwards by vertue of the miracle of the S. as an other Samaritane conuerted many Mores vnto IESVS CHRIST The S. hauing vpon this occasion seiourned there certaine dayes went on his iorney cōming within three or four leagues of Antioch to a place called Mōtenegro where was a Monastery of Religious of the Order S. Be. he there made some stay in such sort cōported him selfe that in few dayes the Abbott all the Religious renūcing all their possesiōs into the hādes of the Patriarck became Freer Minors In the meane while it chaunced vnto two other of his companions that they seeming to a More so miserable he of compassion offered them almose which they refusing in any sort to receaue the More demaunded them wherfore they would not accept the same wherto they answeared that for the Ioue of God they would possesse neither mony or any other thing in this world the More was therwith so touched that he sodenly receaued them into his affection yea into such amity that thence forward he had
God and because no application did auaile him he resolued to vse this last refuge I will said he goe seeke out S. Francis of whome if I be mildly and with a gracious countenance entertayned I shall haue hope of Goddes mercy but if he looke awry vpon me I will take it for a signe that God hath forsaken me Hauing thus determined he tooke his way towardes the holy Father who was att Assisium in the Bishops house who then was sick where he had reuelation of all this wherfore he commanded Brother Leo and Brother Macie to goe meet him and to tell him in his name that he loued him particulerly aboue all other of his Religion which the said Religious vnderstanding full of consolation he fell on his knees with the interiour of his hart giuing thanckes to God for that he neuer abandoneth his seruantes but doth euer giue eare to the prayers of those that hope in him and giueth them the helpe of his grace to perseuer in his seruice Which done he arose and with them went to the holy Father who knowing their comming arose from the bed where he lay and comming to him very tenderly embraced him left him not till he was entierly conforted and then dismissed him fully satisfied and freed of his temptation Brother Angelus was also so greiuously tempted that he durst not be alone in the night for feare of the deuils but S. Francis hauing made the signe of the crosse vpon him enioyned him to goe vp on an high mountaine and with a loud voice to say vnto them O yee proud deuils come ye all and doe that vnto me which God hath permitted which hauing done he neuer after saw any thing that did offend him How S. Francis gaue assistance to certaine of his Brethren that were far from him THE LXXVII CHAPTER SAinct Francis hauing his children alwayes in his hart and in his soule he merited that as he prayed for them God did often reueale vnto him the necessities wherinto they were fallen to the end that by his presence or sending vnto them or prayers he might releiue them His Vicar one a time holding a chapter he saw in spiritt a Religious that would not acknowledge his fault to doe penance for it but did with all possible reasons defend himselfe S. Francis called a Religious and said vnto him Brother behold how the deuill sitteth one the shoulders of that poore Religious and holdeth him by the throte halfe choaked because I haue prayed to God for him and he hath heard me goe and bid him humble himselfe to his Vicar and tell him the deuill henceforward shall haue no power of him Which the Religious hauing done the other full of contrition fell at the feet of the Vicar acknowledged his fault did penance and merited thenceforward to liue very piously Brother Leo being exceedingly oppressed afflicted by diuers temptations of the deuill S. Francis sent him a letter such as the said Brother Leo then desired who att the very instant that he had read it was deliuered the contentes wherof were thus God hold and blesse tourne his face to thee God be mercifull to thee and giue thee his peace Brother Leo God giue thee his benediction So be it The which wordes taken out of the booke of Numbers of the benedictions of God were of such efficacy that they deliuered all those from temptations to whome the S. in writing sent them God permitted S. Francis being one day att our Lady of Angels to see a great multitude of deuils that endeauoured to enter there which they could not doe till a Religious began to conceaue hatred against one of his Brethren which did so breed in his hart that they entred into his body and possessed him which S. Francis perceauing as a pittifull Pastour of his sheep called the Religious and reprehended him for the hatred he boare to his brother wherat he being exceedingly amazed that S. Francis knew it did acknowledge the vertue that God gaue him and put away that hatred and thus was consequentlie freed of his ennemy How he deliuered Brother Ruffinus from a vehement temptation THE LXXVIII CHAPTER BRother Ruffinus the companion of S Francis was one time so extremely and cruelly tempted with a temptation of diffidence of predestination that I doubt whither there could be a greater whence may be collected what slightes the deuill doth vse to seeke the ruine of the most perfect if God did not exceedingly assist them Brother Ruffinus was a Religious of a pious and holy conuersation and of very deepe contemplation wherfore the deuill hauing tēpted him with diffidence of predestination made it seeme vnto him that all the labours troubles and afflictions which he endured were lost with the time which he vnprofitably spent in Religion by reason that he was not predestinate vnto glory which temptation augmenting though he omitted not to conuerse with his Brethren did neuertheles make him exceeding sorrowfull And because he was fearfull and ashamed to discouer it to any one the deuill by diuine permission did tempt him more and more Wherfore assaulting him both exteriourly and interiourly he one time appeared vnto him in forme of a crucifix that seeming to haue compassion on him said Poore man why doest thou afflict thee with so many abstinences without fruit what auaile thee so many prayers sith all the world together cannot chaunge that which from all eternity hath bin ordayned by the prouidence of my Father wherby thou art not of the nomber of the predestinate but of the reprobate Wherfore I am moued with compassion of thy so great sufferance that att least thou begin not they hell during they life and albeit I haue already diuers time inspited thee interiourly I am now content to appeare vnto thee such as I am and by mine ordinary clemencie to assure thee of that which onlie I doe know sith onlie I doe damne and saue which I doe to putt thee out of all doubt and to the end thou no longer beleeue that other damned also that sonne of Bernardone who shall goe to hell with his Father and all they that follow him shal be deceaued And after these wordes he vanished leauing the poore Brother Ruffinus in such heauines a miserie that doth prostrate and ouetthrow the greatest seruants of God and in his spiritt so shadowed by the great princes of darcknes that he was euen ready to loose the faith he had in God and in his holy seruant to whome notwithstanding the aforesaid he imparted nothing of his affliction But the holie Father being by diuine reuelation aduertised therof and seeing the perill wherinto his so deerly beloued brother was fallen he sent for him by Brother Macie as farre as the mount Subasio where he remayned in a celle separated from other to whome hauing vnderstood the message he rudely answeared That he had nothing to doe with S. Francis by which wordes Brother Macie esteeming that he might be
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
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
but the holy Father beholding him attentiuely answeared O miserable man this request is not graunted to men entierly addicted to sensuality and to the world as you are for you doe lye to the holy Ghost these teares are seigned and not true your interiour is not with God neither is it he that calleth you to this Religion Depart you therfore in good time for you are not fitt for it The holy Father had scarce ended these wordes but the Religious vnderstood that the kinred of this gentleman were come for him but not beleeuing them he put his head out att the windoe whence hauing seene them he was very ioyfull and taking leaue of the said Religious he retourned with them to his house Those present exceedingly admired the spiritt of S. Francis that knew the feined intentions of this man who exteriourlie appeared so contrite The rest of this chapter is transfered to the end of this first book with the 31. and 32. chapter of the second booke there placed together as their proper place Of a Religious that seemed a S. The 28. chapter of the 12. booke transferred to this place as proper vnto it THE CXIII CHAPTER HE knew by an other Religious who being deluded by the deuil he more strictly to keepe silence proceeded so farre as that he would not so much as confesse as did the other Religious but by signes as one dumme which he vsed also when he demaunded any thing and without any speech he sheued such signes of spirituall alacritie that he moued all the Religious to prayse God The fame hereof was presentlie diuulged so that he was generally held for a S. In the meane while S. Francis arriuing where this Religious was he was aduertised of his proceeding but he answeared that he was exceedingly tempted and deluded by the deuill because confession of the mouth was necessary as contrition of the soule and satisfaction of worckes The superiour of the place then confirmed the sainctity of the said Religious vnto S. Francis alleadgeing that it was not possible he should be tempted of the deuill considering the signes of sanctity which he exteriourlie shewed The holy Father replyed proue him in this manner commaund him to confesse twice or att least once euery weeke which if he refuse beleeue that it is a delusion of the deuill Which the superiour hauing done the Religious putting his finger in his mouth and shaking his head by these signes declared that he could not doe it for breaking of silence His superiour would no farther vrge him but the great prudence of S. Francis was not long vnknowne for a litle after this Religious S. abandoned his Religion a tooke a seculer habitt Two Religious of his companions meeting him attyred seculerly conceauing great compassion of his blindenes sayd vnto him O miserable wretch and forgetfull of thy selfe where is that thy solitarie and sainct-like life yea such as thou wouldest not conuerse with thy Brethren nor speake in Confession for keeping of silence thow now hauing lost thy selfe in the world abandoned our habitt reiected thy vow and broaken the rule as if thou haddest no beleefe of God but he gaue them so diuellish an answeare that he plainly discouered he had not only chaunged habitt but also Religion and interiour vertue These good Religious could by no meanes reduce him though they laboured to reprint in his minde the obligation he had to God and the perill of his damnation and so in few dayes after he dyed being in possession of the deuill that held him choaked because he would not confesse It is a worthy example for all Religious to beware of singularity in matters appertayning to their Order that demonstrate more pride then spiritt of deuotion and humility Of other merueillous accidents wherin the spiritt of Prophetie of S. Francis did miracously appeare THE CXIV CHAPTER THe Cardinall of Hostia hauing on a time commaund S. Francis to repaire vnto him to Rieta where then was Pope Honorious with his Court and comming neere the citty he saw a great troup of people that came against him wherfore stopping his iorney he staid in a Church before S. Fabian a league and halfe from the citty where was a very poore Preist that very curteously and in the best manner he could entertayned him But the Cardinals and many other of his Court knowing whither he was retired went thither to see him by this visitation the vineyard of the poore Preist was wastfullie gathered by the indiscretion of the trampling traine of the Cardinals and others whereat he exceedingly complayned repenting that he had entertayned S. Francis in regard that for the litle good he had done him he thought he should incurre such losse The holy Father who in spiritt knew the affliction of the Preist that durst not acquaint him therewithall and who on the other side knew what fruit he was to procure in that place whither he had bin expresly sent of God there to plant an abondant vigne of true penitentes in which respect he could not depart thence reputing it behoufull to endure the losse of that litle materiall vigne for the better gayning a spirituall Neuertheles as a pittifull louing Father he called the Preist whome for his consolation he bad not to vex himselfe nor to feare for of the litle that remayned of his vigne he should gather double the ordinary though there appeared almost nothing The Preist that firmely beleeued these wordes deserued also to be recompenced according to his faith for wheras he accustomed to haue three hogsheddes he had then twenty of verie good wine as the holy Father had promised him which with exceeding ioy and admiration he related vnto him and to all the people thereabout to the prayse of God and of his seruant Francis This holy Father being in the Prouince of Massa on the Mount Casal within a desert Church there employed in prayer God reuealed vnto him that in the same Church were relikes of his sainctes Wherefore determining that they should no longer there remaine concealed and without the honour due vnto them and hauing no opportunity of longer abode in the said church by reason of other occurrances for which he was to take order he commaunded his Religious sheuing them where they were to take them from that place and to carry them into their church which hauing said he departed But these good Religious forgatt it Wherefore they being one day to say masse in the Oratory thinking to prepare the Alcare they found vnder it certaine bright and glittering bones that filled the place with a most delicious sauour Being extremely amazed and diuising who should putt them there they remembred the commaundement which S. Francis had giuen them and concluded that those were the reliques which he commaunded them to remoue and that because they had fayled therein God had miraculouslie supplyed it as accordinglie S. Francis being retourned to that place and hauing vnderstood the processe and pardoned
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
conscience which knowing it selfe pure before God could feare nothing Not withstanding it was not conuenient in presence of so many seculers who all knew him to be nerre death to shew no signe of repentance of his offences past no remorse of his sinnes committed against God attleast in this terrible passadge of death S. Francis with great feruour answeared him Brother giue me leaue giue me leaue I pray thee to reioyce in God and in his prayses during this sicknes because by the grace of the holy Ghost my spiritt is in such sort vnited vnto his diuine Maiestie and so secure that it may reioyce Remember now that there are two yeares past since you deliuered me from him an aduertisment of this my passadge since which time I haue alwayes endeauoured to prepare my selfe lamenting my sinnes and satisfying God for them But sithence that by his immensiue grace he hath made me worthy of his glory as he hath reuealed vnto me I haue euer since endeauoured to reioyce and now so much more in that the time approacheth wherin my soule shall for euer be loosed from the waight of this body and shall goe towardes him who hath created it and in that he will not omitt in me to edifie this people How the S. made himselfe be carryed to our Lady of Angels finding his death to approach THE LXVI CHAPTER THe glorious Father therfore perceauing that the day of his death approached prayed all the gentlemen and his freindes there present to cause him to be carryed to his church of our Lady of Angels that he might render vnto God the spiritt of life where he had receaued of him the spiritt of grace So hauing obtayned permission of the bishop and Gouernour of the citty they went accoÌ„panyed with the greatest part of the said citty and comming to the hospitall which is in the great street betweene the citty and our Lady of Angels causing himselfe with his bed to be sett on the ground and tourning towardes the citty he gaue it his benediction saying Citty blessed mayest thou be of the soueraigne God because by thee many soules shal be saued and in thee many worthy seruantes of God of both sex shall make their residence and by thy meane many shall attaine the kingdome of glorie So hauing blessed the citty and proceeding his way towardes our Lady of Angels S. Clare his deere and true disciple imitatrice and daughter in IESVS CHRIST fearing she should not see him before his death sent to aduertise him that herselfe was also in such estate as she should not liue long after yea that she thought to goe first and that therfore she felt an extreme greife to dye without his holy benediction without seeing him who was her master and beloued Father in CHRIST IESVS and for that occasion she prayed him for the passion of our Lord I. C. with her knees on the ground not to permitt her to dye so discontent but sith he was in his iorney to doe her that last and singuler fauour as to visitt her before he went to our Lady of Angels The holie Father S. Francis felt the bowels of Fatherly coÌ„passion to moue in him in that he could not content her by reason of the immineÌ„t perill wherin he was and that the Phisicions nobles and gentlemen there present would not to permitt him yet procuring wherwith all to write he sent her by a Religious his benediction in writing then lifting his eyes to heauen he said vnto him Goe and comfort my beloued sister telling her this good newes that she shall see me before she dye which shal be shortly as shall all her Sisters to their exceeding consolation This prophesie fayled not in the effect for the holie Father being dead when the Cittizens carryed him to bury att Assisium they passed through the monastery of S. Damian as hereafter shall appeare and seeing the body of the Sainct with in their Couent they were all exceedinglie comforted therwith How a Romane Lady very deuout and affected to S. Francis called Lady Iaqueline of the seauen Sunnes came by diuine reuelation from Rome to the death of S. Francis THE LXVII CHAPTER THe holy Father approching neere vnto his death called a Religious whome he willed to finde out a messenger to goe with al diligence to Rome expresly to aduertise the Lady of the Seauen Sunnes that she should incontinentlie come to visitt him if she desired to see him liuing knowing in what affliction she would haue suruiued if she had not seene him before his death as he had promised her when he tooke leaue of her att his departure out of Rome and in meane while procuring wherwith to write he dictated this letter ensuying To the Lady of the Seauen-Sunnes poore Brother Francis desireth health in our Lord IESVS CHRIST Know my beloued Sister in IESVS CHRIST that God by his grace hath reuealed vnto me the last day of my life Wherfore if you desire to see me liuing hasten so much as sometime on saterday you may be att our Ladie of Angels and bring with you a morcell of gray cloth wherwith to coueâ— me and wax for my seruice Att the end of this letter it was reuealed vnto the S. that she would come wherfore he said to the writer Rent this letter for there is no need therof He had scarce ended those wordes but a messenger came from the said lady that told him she was att the gate of the Monastery with two of her children senaâ—ours of Rome and a noble and honourable company to visitt him A while after the said lady came who entring his chamber fell incontinently on the ground humbling her countenance as an other Magdalen towardes his feet bathing them with bittet teares and â—mprinting her lippes in his sacred stigmates with such ioy and consolation of spiritt as nothing could be more she could not be satisfied with kissing them embracing and clipping them with all reuerence in regard of their vertue representing vnto her those of our Lord IESVS CHRIST she could not depart from him no more could the Religious for she was entierlie rauished in this so singular sweetnes of spiritt without any speech att all till S. Francis called her att whose voice awakening she answeared the S. who asked her how it happened that she came so readily that being one night in prayer she heard the voice of God that said If thou wilt find Brother Francis aliue goe incontinentlie to our lady of Angels and carry with thee what thow knowest necessarie to his sepulture and such meat as thou gauest him att his being in Rome to comfort him in his sicknes Which hauing heard I prepared my selfe verie instantlie and thus am come S. Francis gaue thanckes to God and demaunding the said meates he refected his body with very great consolation Now this lady supposing that S. Francis would lye long time sick determined to send back her children to Rome and many personnes of note that
the glorious Father S. Francis But when he was shewen his fall and had seene whence he came euen to the ground he was vtterly amazed and beside himselfe to consider what had happened vnto him without any knowledge of his till the presente Wherfore be promised vnto God before them all in acknowledgement of so worthy a benefitt to doe pennance for the fauour afforded vnto him by the merittes of the glorious Father S. Francis In the towne of Pophy in Campania a Preist called Thomas goeing to repaire a mill appertayning to the church scituat on the border of the riuer he fell by mischance vnder the wheele of the mill which by violence of his motion carryed him downe and held him in the current with his face vpward without power to moue or speake by reason that the water which draue the wheele fell on his face so that he could not vtter one word Wherfore he called in his hart for help vnto S. Francis hauing no farther power and hauing so remayned a good space his companions endeauouring to assist him by force and industry they so preuayled that the wheele tourned backe so that the Preist was by the current of the water incontinently carryed into the depth of the chanell and whiles he was there there appeared vnto him a Frere Minor cloathed in white and girded with a corde who very dextrously took him by the arme and drew him out of the chanell saying vnto him I am that Francis whome thou hast inuocated The preist therfore finding himselfe not only freed from danger but perfectly well considering the greatnes of the miracle and the great mercy of God in his behalfe by the merittes of S. Francis exceedingly amazed and prostrating himselfe to the earth to kisse the feet of his benefactour but not seing him he being already vanished he asked his companions whither he was gone and how he might finde him but they knowing no more then himselfe began to conceaue the miracle Wherfore they all together fixing their eyes on the earth did eleuate their spiritt to God magnifying his immensiue greatnes and the vertuous merittes of the Sainct Certaine yong men goeing from the towne Celan to gather grasse in a feild where there was a well which being ouergrowne with grasse was not seene and each of them endeauouring to cutt his part it chaunced that one of them fell into the well where the water was fower pases deep Falling he called for the helpe of S. Francis with a very strong faith and deuotion and so lowd that all his companions heard him and not seeing him they came to the place where they heaâ—d the voice and by the way which his hooke had made thy found the well where seeing him therin they ran to their houses lamenting and crying for helpe where they so moued their towne fellowes that they came to assist him and one of them descending into the well found him sitting on the water without receauing any detriment and drawing him out he told them that falling he had inuocated the help of S. Francis who in his very fall assisted him with his presence for he very gently supported him with his sacred hand neuer leauing him till they had drawne him out then he exhorted them all together with him to giue thanckes to God for that by the vertue of his faithfull seruant he had deliuered him from death and so they retourned to the towne giuing thanckes to God and to S. Francis When the Romane Court was resident att Assisium the Cardinall of Hostia who was afterward Pope Alexander the fourth ' preaching in the church of S. Francis there fell a grosse stone vpon the head of a deuout womaÌ„ wherwith she receaued such hurt that falling to the ground each one thought her to be dead and for such couered her with her owne coate not to trouble the sermon with resolution to carry her out to performe her funeralles But this woman as she testified afterward when she receaued the blow with great faith called for the helpe of sainct Francis she was then before his altare so the sermon being ended she arose with the other women sound and perfectly well without any signe of hurt and which is admirable hauing formerly had a great paine in her head that had long troubled her in fauour of this last mortall blow she neuer felt any paine after Neere to the citty of Cornette where there is a monasterie of Frere Minors as they were melting a bell many of the neighbour places repaired thither to see it but there arose such a winde that the whole world seemed ready to be dissolued and taking the two doores it mounted them into the aire and cast them againe on the ground with great impetuosity and violence wherof one fell on a child called Bartholomew about eight yeares of age which a woman deuout vnto the Couent had sent thither with an almose Now they all esteemed him not only dead but vtterly dismembred vnder such a waight neuertheles inuocating the glorious Father sainct Francis they ran all to lift vp the child from vnder the dore the Father of him being present was so surprised with greife that he was euen sencelesse yet he inuocated the Sainct to whome he offered his sonne if he recouered the dore att length being lifted vp the child arose on his legges sound and well as if he had awakened from a sleep which procured a great ioy to the people and particulerly to his Father Now according to his vow the child being of competent age which was about fourteen yeares he made him a Frere Minor where he dyed piously hauing so liued a good Religious of a notable spiritt worthy doctrine and a famous Preacher Certaine other miracles like to these of diuers that were deliuered from the danger of death THE VII CHAPTER CErtaine men of Castel-Lantin hauing cutt out a verie great stone to place vnder the altare of a church of sainct Francis that was shortlie after to be dedicated albeit they were forty men to raise and accommodate the same on the wagon to carrie it to the said Church yet were they not of sufficiencie to performe the same Now some of them attempting to trye their forces and to doe more then they were able the stone slipped out of their hold and fell vpon one of them which was a great terrour and greife to the rest as not knowing how to releiue their companion Wherfore they went away all to ten persons as not able to endure that hideous spectacle which ten inspired of God hauing inuocated sainct Francis praying him to haue compassion of him that had so employed himselfe in his seruice they attempted to tourne the said stone which they so easely handled that they perceaued well they were assisted by the S. The stone being remoued the man arose very sound without any hurt yea hauing one eye defectiue he was entierly cured therof that it might publiquely appeare what power
the holy Father S. Francis had with God euen in desperate matters An other accident like vnto this happened att sainct Seuerin in the Marquisat of Ancona in this sort A very great stone being brought from Constantinople and by the helpe of diuers men carryed into the Church of the said S. in laying it downe it so slipt that a man fell directly vnder it but the stone att the very instant raysed it selfe S. Francis appeared to the miserable labourer whome he caused sound safe to arise albeit he was esteemed vtterly crushed in peeces A Burgesse of Gayette called Bartholomew earnestly employed in building the Church of S. Francis there to be erected a beame of timber being not well setled fell vpon his neck so that he was esteemed a dead man as well therfore as he could he required the B. Sacrament of a Religious there present who supposing it impossible for him to liue till the same might be procured vsed vnto him these wordes of S. Augustin Crede manducast◠beleeue and make account that thou hast eaten and receaued it then he caused him to be carryed to his house The night following S. Francis with eleuen Religious appeared vnto him holding before him a litle lābe and drawing neere the bed he called him saying Bartholomew feare not for the deuill shall not be able to hinder thee from labouring in my seruice Behold the lambe which thou diddest require to be giuen thee whome thou hast receaued by thy good and pious desire and by vertue wherof thou shalt recouer health of bodie and soule Then hauing layd on him his sacred hand and giuen him his holy benediction he commanded him to goe finish the worck begun He being vtterlie amazed arising in the morning entirely cured of so mortall a blow retourned with alacrity to his labour which passed with incredible admiration to all those that had left him for dead who awakened their soules disposing them to loue and deuoutlie to reuerence the holy Father S. Francis In the towne of Ceperan there was a man called Nicholas who was so wounded by his ennemies that they left him for dead vpon the pauement But whiles they stroke him he alwayes with a loud voice cryed out S. Francis helpe me which crye was heard a farre of by diuers who from the place where they were could not so redely releiue him but came to see him when the fact was done and carryed him into his house where he assured them that albeit they saw him all bathed in his bloud notwithstanding he should not dye of those woundes wherof he neither felt any kinde of paine and that this proceeded of the helpe he had receaued of the holy Father S. Francis and also that he had obtayned of God time for to doe penance The successe confirmed the same for being washed from his bloud he was withall cured of his woundes to the great astonishment of those that had seene and carryed him into his house In the towne of S. Geminian a gentlemans sonne had a flux of bloud issuyng out of his eyes and mouth which had brought him to extremity that nothing was expected but his death and had in deed diuers effects or tokens of death as feeblenes of his spiritt losse of his hearing his members also were so weakened that he seemed insensible and att euery moment was expected the yelding vp of his spiritt Many therfore of his fathers freindes repairing as the manner is to comfort him they had no other discourse but of his buriall But the father that had a great faith and confidence in God though as a man he was exceedinglie afflicted entertayned in his conceit a pious cogitation which he put in execution for leauing all those that were come to comfort him he retired himselfe alone into the Church of S. Francis that was neere vnto his house where falling prostrate on the groōd he putt his girldle about his necke and prayed to S. Francis that he would please to be a meditatour for the health of his sonne in such sort and with so great a faith so profound a humility and such dolorous plaintes and teares that he merited to be heard of IESVS CHRIST then filled with hope he retourned to his house where he found his kinred and freindes full of ioy for the health which his sonne had recouered so that they and he together chaunged their teares into ioy and their affliction into contentmēt So by the intercession of the said S. the death of the sonne was tourned into life And afterward they altogether gaue thanckes to God and his freindes and kinred departed exceedinglie comforted and edified by the vertue of the holy father S. Francis Our Lord IESVS CHRIST wrought a like action by the merites of this glorious S. in a towne called Tamarit in Catalonia where he restored health to a yong gentlewoman as also to an other of Ancona who had a daughter ready to dye through the extremity of her disease whose father inuocating the S. obtayned his daughters health A Preist named Mattheiw of a citty called Ville-blāche hauing drunk a deadly poyson incontinentlie lost his speech his tongue and bodie swelled in such sort that death only was expected An other Preist being present att this pittifull spectacle persuaded him to be incontinentlie confessed the other fell on his knees but could not vtter so much as one word wherfore making vse of reason he humblie recommended himselfe vnto God in heart beseeching him to vouchsafe by the merittes of his seruant Francis to free him from such an odious death At the verie instant which was admirable he began with a loud voice to inuocate the name of S. Francis then he vomited the venime which he had receaued yelding thanckes to God and S. Francis How S. Francis deliuered many pilgrimes from tempests and misfortunes of the sea THE VIII CHAPTER CErtaine nauigatours were on a time in this sort in peril of death they being some fiue leagues distant from the harbour of Barut the windes and tempestes growing violent fearing to be drowned they cast ankor but their disaster by the impetuositie of the windes so encreased and the seas in such sort swelled that the cables breaking the ankors did stick fast to the bottome and the vessell floated heere and there without hope of safety by reason of the incertaintie of the course of the waters and the inequalitie of the tide till it pleased God to calme the sea when the mariners as halfe dead began to seeke their ankors in the sea where they perceaued the cables there employing all the dilligence and art they could deuise But their labour vainlie spent they inuocated the assistance of diuers sainctes And being exceedinglie wearied one of them whose name was Perfectus though of condicion verie lewd and imperfect said in scoffing manner to his companions You haue implored the assistance of so manie Sainctes yet haue they not heard you lett vs a litle inuocate that
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
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
both of them illustrious in vertue and bloud in which respect they were found worthie in the flower of their marriage to enioy this child He was baptised in the said Church of which parish also he was there was he first named Ferdinand so that he was called Ferdinand Martin Buglione till he tooke the habitt of S. Francis He began his first learning in the said Cathedrall Church with the Christian doctrine the manner to prayse God he serued the quier both by night and day offering the first fruites of his age to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to his most holy mother whome he chose for his particular Aduocatrise euen from his tender yeares He coÌ„tinued in this pious course fifteene yeares in which time he learned the study of humanity afterwardes his bloud began to heat and his sensuall appetites to desire carnall and worldly pleasures As soone as he perceaued it he endeauoured by the feare of God to restraine them and because it is very difficult to conuerse among so many thornes and not to be pricked he resolued to take a secure remedy Wherfore abandonning all conuersations of this perillous world he repaired to the Monastery of S. Vincent without the citty where were Canon Regulers of S. Augustin leading a life of very exemplare piety whence he neuer departed tlll he had taken the habitt and made his profession surmounting all the inconueniences and importunities of his kinred and friendes that omitted no meanes to diuert him from it there did he establish his foundation in the seruice of God But in regard that his worthie iudgement and great prudence began to appeare to his kinred and friendes they repaired vnto him for his counsaile and aduise in their affaires and difficulties running vnto him as to an oracle in such sort that being vnable to endure that exceeding disturbance of spiritt hauing with verie much difficulty obtayned the permission of his Superiour he retired to the deuout and Religious monastery of sainct Crosse of Conimbria of the same Order hauing spent two yeares in that of Lisbone And he so profited and proceeded there that it was to each one apparant that he was by a secrett and diuine vertue not by a lightnes of spiritt retired thither For proceeding daily ascending from perfection to perfection he aymed at a most perfect end of his life as being replenished with the spiritt of wisdome by his continuall reading and meditation of the holy scripture wherin hauing for his instructor the only and true master IESVS CHRIST he made such progresse that his learning was sufficient to shunne vices and embrace vertues to refute errours and support the truth How for the desire of Martyrdome he became Religious of the Order of S. Francis THE II. CHAPTER ABout that time thefame of the holy Father S. Francis did spred it selfe ouer all the world as also of the Frere Minors his disciples of whome as is said there were already monasteries in portugall they by their pouerty and contempt of the world conuerting many people to penance the holy Father Saint Antony as I haue formerlie said being one of the Religious of sainct Crosse that receaued the holy reliques of the glorious martyres of Marrocho and being as a noble Elephant encouraged by the sight of the bloud shed for the loue of God he resolued also to enter into combatt for IESVS CHRIST reputing his repose wherin he liued for the seruice of God to be nothing in respect of that course O spiritt really happy who not only was not terrified with the sight of the bloudy sword of the Tyrant but was so encouraged therby that the feruour of diuine charity in him was greater then the imbecillitie of humane fragillity Wherfore thirsting to effect this good desire he resolued first to take the habitt and therwith to imitate the life of those glorious Martyrs by the same meane to obtaine the two crownes and to ascend from one degree vnto an other to that soueraigne perfection of Martyrdome exercising himselfe before he entred into that conflict and combatt Now there were two Religious of sainct Francis which ordinarily liued in a Church of the title of sainct Antony without the Citty of Conimbria with which sainct Antony hauing casually mett he discouered his intention vnto them as to two Angels of Paradise and they gaue eare vnto him with great contentment and comforted him then they appointed him a day when they would repaire vnto him to effect his pious desire Hauing taken leaue of them he ceassed not to solicite and importune his superiour to vouchsafe to giue free consent to this his holy intention which as a thinge perordinated of God he att length with much difficulty obtayned The aforesaid Frere Minors comming on the prefixed day they gaue their habitt to sainct Antony euen in the monastery of sainct Crosse and then being cloathed they carryed him with them to their oratory Att his departure one of the Canon Regulers that was much disquieted therwith said vnto him Well goe your wayes in good time it may be you may proue a sainct giuing him such reproach as if he thought one could not serue God but in the Religion of sainct Francis sainct Antony humbly answeared him If it should happen that I proue a sainct it may be you would praise God for it But doubtles these Religious should not murmure if God transferred this sainct from their Order to that of sainct Francis considering that in their Church they possessed fiue of his martyrs and with all it cannot be denyed but that the worthie and pious education of sainct Antony ought to be attributed first vnto God and then to their holy Religion wherein he spent eleuen yeares so that he entred into the Order of sainct Francis the 26. yeare of his age being then Priest the yeare of grace 1220. How the name of Ferdinand was chaunged into Antony and how he departed for Marroccho with intention there to receaue Martyrdome and was by tempest driuen into Sicilia thence he went into Italy and thence to the generall chapter of S. Francis THE III. CHAPTER THe holy Father being come to the Oratory of the said Religious knowing that the title therof was sainct Antony he prayed them to giue him that name abhorring his owne as seculer and too prophane and to the end that not being so called of all he might be much lesse knowne and disburded of his kinred and friendes besides we may well attribute this same to the worck of the holy Ghost sith that many of his most note-worthie elect haue chaunged their name as first the Patriarkes Apostles and other â—his fauourites Hauing then thus chaunged his name he desired to effectuat the designe for which he became Frere Minor and to attaine the same he trauailed into Africa there to receaue the crowne of Martyrdome but he being afflicted with a great and long infirmity began by diuine inspiration to conceaue that his designe was not gratefull vnto God but
he saw her againe he prophesied and willed her not to feare because first she should be deliuered easilie secondlie her child should liue thirdlie it should be a man child fourthlie he should be pious and feare God fiftlie he should be a Frere Minor and sixtlie he should be a Martyr Now the three first of the conditions being easilie verified it shall not be out of purpose also to iustifie the other three The child then being borne and baptised was called Phillip and liuing in manner of an Angell vntill he came to conuenient age he became a Frere Minor where being fortified in the feare and loue of God he trauailed with exceeding deuotion in pilgrimage to the holie land And being in Azoto when it was by treason taken from the Christians who being in nomber two thousand were all condemned to death he obtayned of those persidious dogges to be the last that that should be martyred they supposing that he would renounce and deny IESVS CHRIST But this Sainct when this spectacle horrible to the world and gratefull to the diuine Maiesty and to him began did animate and comfort them all with exceeding courage crying vnto them that God had reuealed vnto him that the very same day he should ascend into heauen with more then a thousand martyrs wherwith being much comforted they all offered their heades as pleasinge sacrifices vnto God vnder the sword of the executioners who cutt them off Now it being reported vnto the Soldan that he exercisced the office of a preacher he commanded all the ioyntes of his fingers one by one to be all cutt off in presence of the Christians which notwithstanding he desisted not to exhort them all to that glorious victorie in such sort that they all misprising the honours and riches offered them by the Mores and the tortures wherwith they threatned them being by the valour of the Saint confirmed in IESVS CHRIST they with one voice cryed out that they would follow Brother Philip on whose choice oflife or Martyrdome they relyed which the Soldan taking very despitefullie caused him to be fleyed aliue euen to the Nauell and then his tongue to be cutt off which supporting with inestimable constancie and notable patience he the more enflamed and moued the rage and furie of rhe Mores and the hartes of the Christians more willingly to suffer death as a momentarie matter seeing him with an inuincible hart to endure the same by such cruell tormentes in the middest wherof he ceassed not by the gestures and motions of his bodie to exhort them beeing vnable to speake by reason that his tongue was bereaued him Att length he was beheaded with the rest and in token of their croune a thinge which the Mores beheld full sore against their willes their bodies that remayned many dayes in the street without buryall yelded no offensiue but a pleasing sauour Thus was the admirable prophesie of the glorious Father S. Antony accomplished Of an other prophesie of his touching an other Martyr and of his Martyrdome THE XIV CHAPTER PReaching in France in the citty of Puy where he was Guardian as often as he saw a Notary that was impious of life and conuersatiō he remouing his capuce would doe him very humble reuerence The Notary knowing himselfe vnworthy to receaue such honour by him that gaue it vnto him hauing many times endured the same he imputed it to simplicity yet att length he sought to shunne the meeting of the S. turning from him a farre of because he would not be saluted by him but it one time happened that he could not preuent the Sainctes meeting of him who saluted him as before yea more hūbly which putting the Notary into great choler he came to him and said if thou wert not a Religious man I would long agone haue sheathed this my sword in thy body But tell me thou varlett what cause hast thou in this manner to flout me The S. very humbly answeared him My beloued brother be you not troubled I beseech you but beleeue that I salute you only to honour you and the reason is such hauing desired to shed my bloud in the seruice of the diuine maiesty I haue not bin found worthy nor hath it pleased God to satisfie me therein But his diuine maiesty hauing reuealed vnto me that you shall dye a martyr I haue euer since and still shall yeld you reuerence Besides I most hartely beseech you when you shal be in that glorious conflict to be mindfull of me wretched sinner Hereat the Notary chaunged his choler into laughter and deriding him went his way but in short time after it was iustified For being inspired of God to goe with the bishop of the said citty to adore the holy sepulcher and in an instant hauing changed his lewd conuersation into the contrary arriuing there the bishop discoursing with the Mores touching our faith and being rudely refelled the notarie for the first and second time endured it but att length being ashamed of the tepedity of his bishop and fearing some worse issue he told him that he did not defend our faith as he ought and then himselfe very couragiously disputed against the Mores and confuted them affirming for their reproach that their Mahomet was the sonne of perdition damned to hell by almighty God as themselues should be if they did not acknowledge their errours which hauing said the Mores presently tooke hold of him cruelly beat him and neuer ceassed for three dayes together to torment him which expired leading him to execution he confessed to his other companions that S. Antony had prophesied vnto him that martyrdome And they afterward retourning haue testified the same to all the world and so he consummating his martyrdome ioyfully rendered his soule to his Creatour Of the office of his doctrine and his seuerity against sinnes THE XV. CHAPTER THis S. of God with a very great dilligence and admirable prudence sowed the word of his diuine maiesty in the soules of the faithfull being neuer wearyed by his continuall labours trauailling through diuers cittyes townes villages and castelles ouer mountaines and vallyes and this he did out of his extreme zeale to assist the soules redeemed by the precious bloud of our Lord as one instructed rather by heauenly then humane doctrine he so disposed of his documentes according to the necessity of his audience that they all were satisfied in respect wherof his sermons were reputed for so many miracles they that neuer heard him preach were att deathes dore with desire to heare him but especiallie the learned as well in regard of his eloquence as of his exceeding subtility and viuacity of spiritt wherwith he admirably gaue to althinges which he handled their proper signification valure nomber and weight with a notable art He also reprehended the great personnes of this world with such constancie and seuerity that the most famous preachers trembled with feare when they heard him and did admire how it was possible he could haue such
he accompanied the Guardian euen to the place of the citty where he was and there fell on his knees before him and bitterly weeping besought him before all the people to pardon him The vertuous Religious did not only pardon him but gaue him thanckes for being occasion of his meritt towardes God yea and thenceforwd he tooke it so gratefully that remayning in the Couent of the said place to cure and ease the torments he had endured many honorable personnes presenting him many small commodities he alwayes sent the most worthie and excellent to the Earle affirming that he did not acknowledge himselfe more obliged to any man in the world then to him because he had not found any that had more accomplished his desires then he The earle on the contrary said that he knew therby that God would shortly end his enormous sinnes and that he should not liue long sith he had so vnworthely tormented an innocent and so sainct-like a man though he knew him not and that God would punish him for it Wherin he was not deceaued for a litle after he was slaine by his ennemies Now this singuler fact may notifie vnto vs the patience of Brother Iuniperus the excellencie of the vertues which God discouered in him with what faith hope humility and fortitude he was armed and the crosse which he carryed in himselfe and wherin only he glorified and the small gaine the deuill gott of him in this combatt where he was subdued by the patience of Brother Iuniperus more like to that of IESVS CHRIST then to that of Iob. Wherein appeareth how truly the holy Doctors affirme that almighty God is such a louer of our profitt and our glory which is purchaced by labour in his seruice that he denyeth it onlie to those who make themselues incapable to receaue it Of a Companion of Brother Iuniperus and that was vnder his gouernement THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus in his age had a companion that was so obedient and of such patience that were he beaten and tormented a whole day together he would neuer vtter a word of complaint He was sent to begge att their houses who were knowne not to be charitable but to be churlish scoffers and iniurious to the Religious whither he would willingly goe and with an admirable patience support the affrontes and iniuries offered vnto him If Brother Iuniperus commanded him to weep he would obey if he commanded him to laugh he would incontinently laugh He being dead Brother Iuniperus bitterly wept for this his deere companion affirming that in this life there remayned vnto him nothing of worth and that in the death of this Brother the world was as it were ruined so much did he loue and esteeme the vertue of the patience and mortification of this great seruant of God and his foster child How Brother Iuniperus in prayer saw the glory of God and of his death THE XLV CHAPTER AFter the death of this Religious the glorious Brother Iuniperus being very vigilant and feruent in prayer and deep contemplation seemed to hate the world and already to dye with desire to goe to the other life such was his endeauour to ascend vnto almighty God Being one time in the quier att masse he was so rapt in extasie that the seruice being ended the Religious left him alone where he so remayned a long time and when he was retourned to himselfe he came to the Religious to whome with a notable feruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Ah my Brethren why doe not we conceaue a pleasure to endure a litle labour and paine to gaine eternall life After that he vttered many thinges of high consequence touching the humility which deserueth the glory of the elect These wordes gaue sufficient cause to iudge that he had had some communication of heauen And in the end the true and worthie disciple of sainct Francis and singular freind of saincte Clare who called him the passetime of IESVS CHRIST because she found in him great consolation of spiritt and would haue him neere att her death this good and holy Religious I say after he had many yeares liued in great perfection in this desert passed from this life to the other and was by almighty God transported into his glory He was buryed att Rome in the Couent of Aracaeli The life of Brother Simon of Assisium the Disciple of sainct Francis Of the holy conuersation of Brother Simon THE XLVI CHAPTER BRother Simon of Assisium was called of God to holy Religion in the life time of S. Francis This Religious was by the diuine Maiesty endwed with such abondance of grace and raysed to such a high degree of contemplation that his whole life was a mirrour of sanctity and represented to all the image of the bounty of God according to the testimony of them that conuersed with him He rarely went out of his cell and if sometime he conuersed with his brethren his discourse was altogether of God He alwayes sought solitary places and though he had neuer learned the grammer nor other humane sciences he neuertheles discoursed so sublimely of God and of the most sweet loue of IESVS CHRIST that his wordes seemed rather Angelicall then humane Brother Iames of Massa and some other Religious went one euening with him into a wood to discourse of almighty God and Brother Simon so sweetly discoursed of the diuine loue that hauing spent all the night in that holy discourse and the breake of day alredy appearing it seemed to them that he did but thē begin When this Religious perceaued the comming of any diuine visitation he would cast himselfe on his bed as to sleep or as sicke of the disease of the Espouse who sayth in the Canticles Tell my beloued I languish for his loue Sometimes in the said diuine visitations he was so eleuated in God that he remayned insensible of worldly thinges so that a Religious once desiring to trye whiles he was in extasie if he had any feeling tooke a burning coale and putt it on his bare foot wherewith he did not only not come to himselfe nor felt the heat of the fier but the coale dyed on his foot without leauing any signe of burning The Sainct accustomed when he did eat with the Religious to feed them spiritualy with the word of God before they receaued their corporall refection How Brother Simon deliuered a Nouice from the temptation of the flesh and how the Nouice became perfect in charity and of his death THE XLVII CHAPTER THis good Father discoursing one day of almighty God with such feruour declared the obligation which we haue to his diuine Maiesty and to our owne saluation that a wordly yong man there present resolued to leaue the world and to become religious he was borne att Senseuerin a citty in the kingdome of Naples foorthwith tooke the habitt of Frere a Minor But the deuill by whose blowing the flames of temptations are enkindled enflamed this Nouice with so great
hereto replyed I come to Perusia more for this only respect then for any other thing and therfore bring him incontinently hither which was done but as soone as Brother Giles had in great humility kissed the feet of the Pope he scarcely began to speake vnto him but that he was rauished in spiritt and remayned immoueable with his eyes fixed towardes heauen which the Pope seeing he sayd verily if thou die before me I would seeke the knoledge of no other miracles to canonize thee An other time the said Pope goeing to the Couent of the Frere Minors of Perusia to visitt Brother Giles the Religious ran presently to his cell to aduertise him therof but they found him in extasie which the Pope vnderstanding he went to his cell accompanyed with many Cardinals and other noble men who all continued a long time beholding him and to see if he would retourne to himselfe But seeing it would not be in short time the Pope with his company departed much admiring and troubled that he could not speake with him as he desired He commanded that his extasie being ended he should be told his holinesse attended him to dine with him which was done and at dinner time this good Father went to the Pope whose feet he most reuerently kissed and was with al curtesie entertayned There was then with his holinesse a gentleman that sayd vnto him that he had heard report of Br. Giles his gracious and sweet singing praying his holinesse to cause him to sing therof to receaue some contentment and consolation The Pope as well in regard of his deuotion towardes him as of his desire to heare him prayse God said vnto him Sonne I should be glad you would comfort and reioyce vs in God by some gracious and deuout song Br. Giles answeared doth it please your holinesse that I sing which hauing diuers times reiterated he retyred himselfe into a corner and was presently rapt in extasie The Pope those with him desirous to experience the force of that extasie they felt found him withour pulse or heat The Pope being exceedingly troubled that he had lost the company and conuersation of this holy Religious sharply reprehēded the gentlemā that had persuaded him to cause him to sing The time of supper being come and Br. Giles still in extasie the Pope said to the Cardinals presēt I am sory this holy Father is not heere with vs but I am resolued to try in him the vertue of obediēce whereof haue bin seene many experiēces in the Frere Minors then cōming to Br. Giles he said vnto him Because the Order of the Frere Minors depēdeth immediatly of vs we cōmand thee vpon obediēce to retourne incōtinently to thy selfe The successe was admirable for att the very instāt this mā of God that had bin entierly insēsible as dead stood vp right on his feet and wēt fell on his knees before his holines with deep humility acknowledging his fault The Pope causing him to arise took him by the hād spake vnto him then Br. Giles demaūded of him how he did the Pope answeared that thāckes be to God he was well Br. Giles added Holy Father you haue great need of the help of God in the great importāt affaires which you haue For I suppose that the inquietude occupatiōs of the soule in exteriour matters are of great labour The Pope answeared My child thou sayest true therfore doe I pray thee to treat with almighty God for me that by meane of his grace I may the more easily carry the weight of this burdē Br. Giles replyed that he would willingly doe it and submitted his neck to the yoke of the cōmandement of God to that end instātly retired himselfe from the presēce of the Pope to performe his obediēce and employed himselfe in prayer where he was so rauished in spiritt that he retourned not thece in fower houres after In the meane while the Pope all his cōpany praysed God in his seruāt to whome he had imparted such a diuine familiarity that he cōuersed more out of then in the world though he were as yet in this mortall flesh Now Br. Giles being retourned to himselfe his holinesse sat downe att table willed he should eat with him which was an incredible contētment to the Pope who afterward cōmended him to a chāber to repose The day following his holinesse familierly discoursing with him asked him what should become of him The holy Father making his excuse of answearing thervnto the Pope againe vrged him att least to tell him what he should be Wherto Br. Giles hauing likewise replyed that he could not answeare therin being still pressed by his holinesse cōmandement he sayd holy Father endeauour to keepe both the eyes of your spiritt alwayes very pure the right eye cōtinually to contēplate high future thinges wherin we ought to addresse all our actiōs the left to order direct presēt matters that are vnder our chardge doe appertayne to the duety of our place and quality He spake many other thinges of notable edificatiō which are not extāt wherby appeared the great abōdance of diuine lighte imparted to this holy Religious The Pope therwith remayned more edified then euer and was enamoured of this sainct as being the true and perfect freind of God Of the exercises and of the affection Br Giles had to the contemplatiue life THE XIII CHAPTER THis true seruāt of God had his face alwayes cherfull ioyful and whē he spake to answeared any one he alwayes discouered himselfe to be full of ioy deuotion and entierly eleuated in God yea sometimes he so exceeded in this ioy that he oftē would kisse the very stones did such other like actes thervnto cōstrayned by the loue of his Creatour and perseuering in such grace he was very wary not to contristate the spiritt of God which he possessed so that it was exceeding troublesome vnto him vpon whatsoeuer occasion to leaue the diuine cōuersation and retourne to the cōsideration of these humane affaires He desired to entertaine his life with leaues of trees only so to haue more occasiō to shunne all humane cōsolation Whē cōming frō prayer he mett with the other Religious shewing himselfe to be ful of ioy he would say in a māner as did S. Paul The eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascēded into the hart of mā what thinges God hath prepared for them that loue him By which wordes he confirmed and enflamed the spiritt of the other Religious in the loue of God He held in exceeding reuerence and deuotion the sacramentes of the church the diuine seruice And if any discoursed vnto him of the cōstitutiōs decrees of the Church he in this sort with great feruour praysed thē O holy mother Romane Church Ignorant and miserable as we are we doe not know thee nor much lesse the zeale boūty wherby thou labourest to saue vs. Thou
art she that teachest vs the way of our saluation and directest vs in the right and secure path wherin â—e that walketh cannot stray but he that seeketh and followeth another shall only find therin an eternall damnation He was present att masse with exceeding feruour All sondayes and solemne feastes he receaued his Creatour and employed those dayes entierly in contemplation of the grace receaued for goeing very early into the church he would there remayne all the day in the company rather of Angels and Saincts theÌ„ of men Celebrating the feast of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and many other times in the feruour of his prayer he hath bin seene rapt in extasie and eleuated aboue the ground the hight of three handfuls or a foot and a halfe Of other such extasies of spiritt recorded of the glorious Sainct FIue Prouincials did at one time with great deuotion and reuerence visitt this blessed Father with Br. Gratian his companion who aduertised him of their arriuall vpon knoledge wherof he preseÌ„tly mett them and hauing graciously entertayned them he with great feruour of spiritt began to speake vnto them and beholding the heauen with his armes opened as to play on a viole he sung in this manner O Br. make a castell hauing in it neither stone nor iron O my Br. build me a citty without lime or stone and thus singing he was rapt in extasie The said Prouincials knew not the signification of the wordes But Br. Gratian told them that by the castels and citties he meant the holy Apostles and martyrs of the Primitiue church who without the armour of iron and without the helpe of any temporall matter generously builded the house of God in soules which zeale and intention had Br. Giles renouncing temporalities to become a castell of the liuing God and a glorious citty not of temporall building or substance but spirituall of pouerty and diuine loue And because they as Prouincials of the Religion were captaines and furtherers of this worck he by this song gaue them a notable document of their duety in their vocation and office This holy Father being in the monastery of Agele by Perusia he after supper made an exhortation to the Religious in the refectory with his ordinary feruour and with such sweetnes that he enflamed the hartes of all his audience in diuine loue yea his owne also in such sort that he was rauished and out of himselfe in the middest of his BrethreÌ„ where he so continued till the cock-crowing and in the meane time he shined with such a spleÌ„dour which enuironed him that the brightnes of the moone which then was in full was so obscured that the shining therof being darckned by this new light she appeared not in that place which put the Religious in admiration who gaue thanckes to our lord for the admirable worckes demonstrated in his seruant Brother Giles one day thus reasoned with S. Bonauenture who was Generall of the Order Father God hath bestowed many fauours on you that are learned for you haue knoledge of many matters by which you prayse him But what shall we doe to saue our selues we I say that ar ignorant and idiots S. Bonauenture answeared if God had giuen no other grace to men but only ability to loue him it would suffice because loue is more gratefull to God then any other thing that can be offered vnto him Brother Giles herevpon replyed Tell me Father if you please can an ignorant person loue God as much as one learned he can said S. Bonauenture yea I say more a simple and poore old fellow may loue our lord as much as a Doctour in diuinity Vpon these wordes Br. Giles went with great feruour into the garden and tourning towardes the towne he cryed out Poore and caitiue old wretch ignorant idiot and simple loue thy Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and thou mayest be greater then Br. Bonauenture Which sayd he remayned three houresrapt in extasie Of an admirable dispute held by Br. Giles touching free will against Br. Gerardin in the presence of many Religious THE XV. CHAPTER THe venerable Br. Giles being in the Couent of Perusia a Romane gentlewomaÌ„ called SeaueÌ„-Sunnes that was very deuout to S. Francis both in his life time and after his death for she made her residence att Assisium to beneere vnto his sepulcher came to visitt him to receaue some consolation of his energicall doctrine there did she find Brother Gerardin a Religious of exemplar life and very learned together with some other very spirituall Religious who also came to visitt Brother Giles to heare of him some spirituall exhortation Thus discoursing together they fell into dispute vpon a certaine passadge of holy scripture And among many other sentences alleadged by Br. Giles for proofe of what he maintained this was one He that doeth not what he can often endureth that which he would not Br. Gerardin desirous to entertaine Br. Giles in discourse to gratifie the coÌ„pany and for his particuler coÌ„tentment thus begaÌ„ scolastically to argumeÌ„t against him Br. I much admire that you affirme that a man endureth what he would not if he doe not what he can considering that a man can doe nothing of himselfe which is proued by many reasons wherefore I say that the power presupposeth the being so that the action of the thing be according to its being And so much doe the wordes of the Apostle signifie where he sayth If any man esteeme himself to be something wher as he is nothing he seduceth himselfe whence ensueth that a man cannot doe any thing sith he is nothing which I will proue vnto you also by an other reason If a man of himselfe doe any thing it is either by his soule or by his body or by both together Now I will proue that he can doe nothing by meane of any of theÌ„ First he can doe nothing by meane of the soule alone for it is most cleare that the soule separated from the body can neither meritt nor demeritt neither can he doe more by meane of the body only because the body receaueth all his operation of his forme and without the soule it hath no humane being so that much lesse can it worcke which is a thinge proper to the forme and finally yet lesse can he doe by meane of the composition that is of the body and soule vnited together and if he could doe any thing it should be by meane of the soule But I haue proued that the soule being separated from the body can doe nothing and now I affirme that it can much lesse vnited with her body because the body being corruptible chardgeth and burdeneth it as for example if a beast cannot goe vnloaden much lesse can it vnder a burthen Thus Br. Gerardin made his argument appeare very probable which procured to the audience an amazement and confusion But Br. Giles very prudently answeared My good Br. and friend beleeue I pray you that you haue spoaken amisse wherfore acknowledge therin
this holy virgin which wasted her forces and ouerthrew all her naturall strenght and health of body The deuout Religious daughters of this holy mother had exceeding compassion of her and very bitterly lamented her voluntarily procuring her owne death For remedy wherof saint Francis and the bishop of Assisium forbad her those three dayes of fast which euery weeke she cruelly inflicted on her selfe and commanded her not to passe one day without taking att least an ownce and a halfe of bread to conserue her life And albeitt such grieuous affliction of the body doe accustome to breed also some affliction to the heart yet did the contrary succed in her for she carryed a countenance so gracious and ioyfull in all her austerities that she seemed either to haue no feeling of them or not to feare any inconuenience therof Yea she in a sort scoffed att corporall afflictions which sufficiently demonstrated that the spirituall ioy wherwith she was interiourly nourished appeared exteriourly in her holy face because the true loue of the hart alwayes maketh corporall afflictions easy and light Of the deuotion and spirituall profitt which the fame of the glorious S. Clare procured ouer all the world THE XI CHAPTER THe fame of sainte Clare began within litle time to spred ouer all Italy which caused women from all partes to begin to runne after the odour of the precious liquour of her fanctity The virgins after her example approached vnto IESVS CHRIST and made him presentes of their virginity Marryed women endeauoured to liue more chast and vertuously Gentlewomen and Ladyes contemning their faire houses and sumptuous tables shutt themselues into Monasteryes esteeming it a great glory to liue in strict penance for the loue of IESVS CHRIST This Saint was also a spurre vnto men to excite in them a violent feruour and principally to youth that began to take courage in the contempt of the world and by example of the frayler sexe to fight against the temptations and deceiptfull pleasures of the flesh Many marryed personnes with mutuall consent obliged themselues to continencie the men entring into Couentes of men and the women into monasteryes of Religious women The mother induced the daughter to serue IESVS CHRIST the daughter the mother one sister an other and briefly each one by a holy enuie desired to serue IESVS CHRIST all seeking to participate of the euangelicall life which by this espouse of IESVS CHRIST was demonstrated vnto them An infinite number of virgins that by her fame were induced to piety vnable to become Religious or to leaue their Fathers houses endeauoured yet to liue therin religiously leading a reguler life without rule S. Clare by her example produced such branches of saluation that it seemed the saying of rhe Prophett was to be accomplished in her The fruites of the desolate and barren are far greater then of the maried Whiles these matters thus proceeded in Italy the discent of this benediction which destilled downe in the vally of Spoletum grew by diuine prouidence to so spacious and lardge a floud that the violent current therof ouer flowed all the citties of the holy Church so that the nouelty of such admirable thinges was speedily diuulged ouer all the world and with such praise and admiration gaue such lustre that the nature of her vertues filled with splendour the chambers of great ladyes and penetrated euen into the great pallaces of Duchesses yea those most pure beames of her brightnes pearced into the very cabbinettes of Queenes and Princesses in such sort that eminencie of bloud and hight of nobility submitted debased it selfe to follow the steppes of this glorious Virgin many reiecting the beames of their honour and the sublimity of their estates so that some ladyes that could haue bin marryed to kinges and dukes induced by the fame of saincte Clare tooke vpon them the practise of strict pennance and many already marryed to men of great nobility desired in their estate to imitate this seruant of IESVS CHRIST An infinite number also of citties were in this example adorned with Monasteries of yong women The fieldes and mountaines were ennobled and enriched with the structures of these celestiall buildinges The exercise and honour of chastity did multiply in the world saincte Clare carrying the standerd of the Order of Virgins which being almost extinguished she restored to perfection reneweing it by the blessed flowers of her example and conuersation But retourning to the history lett vs speake of the perfection of the prayer of this glorious Virgin by meane wherof she obtayned of God so great graces for her selfe and her daughters Of the feruent and perfect prayer of the Virgin S. Clare THE XII CHAPTER AS saincte Clare was mortified in her flesh and far remote from all corporall recreation so did she continually busye her soule in deuotions and diuine prayses This virgin had fixed and imprinted the subtility of her feruent desire in the eternal light as she was remote from earthly occupations and rumors so did she the more lardgely dilate the bosome of her soule to the influence of diuine grace She continued in long prayer together with her Religious after compline the riuers of teares that flowed from her eyes awakening and bathing the hartes of her companions When the sleep of others gaue her opportunity to be solitary being often in prayer she would lay her face against the earth bathed with teares kissing it sweetly and with such contentmenr that she seemed alwayes to hold in her armes her Spouse IESVS CHRIST att whose feete her teares trickled downe and her kisses left their impressions It happened one time that as this holy virgin powered out her teares in the silent of the night the Angel of darcknes appeared vnto her in figure of a black yong man saying If thou continuest this extreme weeping thou wilt become blind Wherto she answeared He that is to see God cannot be blinde Wherwith the deuill being confounded vanished and fled The same night this S. being in prayer after matines all bathed in teares the temptor appeared againe vnto her and sayd Weep not so much vnlesse thou wilt haue thy braine to melt and distill in such sort as thou shalt auoyd it att thy eyes and nostrels and therwith shalt haue thy nose crooked S. Clare with great feruour answeared him He that serueth IESVS CHRIST can haue no crookednesse and presently the wicked spiritt disappeared Many signes did discouer make knowne the great alteration she receaued in her selfe in the feruour of her prayer and how sweet and delectable the diuine bounty was vnto her in this ioy and holy conuersation for when she retourned from prayer she with admirable contentment brought wordes enflamed with the fire of the altare of God which kindled the hartes of her Religious and procured in them a great admiration att this extreme sweetnes that appeared and flashed out of her face It is without doubt that almighty God had coupled and conioyned his sweetnes with her
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
the good of the seruice of God and of their Monastery lett them be bound and obliged to choose an other as soone as they can according to the said rule And lett her that shal be chosen consider well what is the burthen which she hath taken on her and to whome she must yeld an account of the sheep wherof she hath taken chardge Lett her endeauour to be rather Superiour to precede her Religious in vertues and pious conuersation then in honour and dignity to the end that the sisters induced by her example obey her more for loue then for feare Lett not her carry any particuler affection for feare that in louing one she may scandalize others lett her comfort the afflicted and be alwayes the first and last in assisting art diuine seruice Lett her be the reliefe and recourse of the afflicted that if the remedies of saluation faile them she att least exempt and deliuer them from the disease of despaire Lett her haue a very diligent care of the comunalty in all thinges but principally in the Church in the dormitory in the refectory in the infirmary and in their cloathing And lett her Vicaresse be in like sort obliged to all the aforesaid Lett the Abbesse be obliged to assemble all her Religious in the chapiter att least once a weeke in which place as well she as the others shall accuse themselues of all their publike sinnes and of all their defaultes and negligences Then lett her there treat and consult with her sisters of the affaires of their Monastery because God doth oftentimes communicate and giue his spiritt to the meanest of the company Lett her not enter into great or important debt but by the common consent of all the Religious and vpon a manifest necessity and withall lett it be by the entermile and mediation of the Procuratour of the monastery Lett the Abbesse as also the sisters be carefull not to receaue any pledge or gage into their Monastery in regard of the troubles encombers and scandales that often arriue therby Lett all the officers of the monastery be also elected by the common consent of the Religious the better to entertaine peace and fraternall vnion among them and likewise shal be chosen and elected att least eight Religious of the most discreet of whome the Abbesse shal be obliged to take counsaile in such matters as our rule requireth The Religious likewise may and ought if they know it to be necessary put out such officers as are indiscreet and incapable and choose others in their places Of silence and of the manner of speaking in the speake house and att the grate THE V. CHAPTER THe sisters shall keep silence from Cōpline till the Third hower those except that serue without the monastery But let it be alwayes kept in the dormitory and in the Church as also in the refectory att the houre of repast sauing in the infirmary were the Religious may alwayes speake discreetly for the recreation and seruices of the sicke They may also briefly and in a low voice open their necessities It shall not be permissable for any sisters to speake att the speakehouse or grate with out permissiō of the Abbesse or of her Vicaresse And lett not those that haue leaue to speake in the speakehouse presume to speake there but in the presence of two sisters that may heare whatsoeuer is there spoaken But lett them not presume to goe to the grate if there be not att least three sisters present sent by the Abbesse or her Vicaresse who shal be of those that are chosen by the Religious to be Counsailers to the Abbesse And lett the Abbesse and Vicaresse be obliged to obserue this order of speaking as much as shal be possible and lett not any speake att the grate but very rarely and att the gate neuer Lett there be putt before the grate within to couer it a curtaine of black cloth which shall not be drawne but for more conuenient hearing the sermon or when a sister would speake with any one Lett no Religious speake att the grate with whome soeuer in the morning before the sunne arise not att night after the sunne is sett Lett there be alwayes a black cloth before the speakehouse within-side which shall neuer be drawne Lett no sister speake in the lent of S. Martin nor in the ordinary lent in the speakehouse but to a Priest to confesse or for some other manifest necessity which shal be referred to the discretion of the Abbesse or her Vicaresse That the Religious may not receiue nor haue any Possessions nor any thing proper in their owne or any third persons Custody THE VI. CHAPTER Here is an adiunction of S. Clare proper to her rule which hath bin here annexed since the death of S. Francis IT hauing pleased he most high celestiall Father to illuminate my hart with his diuine grace that I might doe penance by the example and doctrine of the holy Father S. Francis a litle after his conuersion my selfe and my Religious promised obedience vnto him Now the holy Father seeing that we feared no kind of pouerty labour affliction or contempt of the world yea that all these thinges did exceedingly content vs hauing compassion of vs he prescribed vnto vs a rule to liue in this manner Sith you are become daughters and seruātes of the most high by diuine inspiration of our Redeemer and that you haue resigned and committed your selues to the conduct of the holy ghost I will and promise for my selfe and my Religious to haue alwayes care of you as of our selues and this with a particuler care and diligence which I will carefully accomplish and obserue during my life and will that my Religious very diligently accomplish and obserue the same for euer Now to the end we might neuer leaue the most holy pouerty which we haue vndertaken that this might be knowen to those that shal succeed vs a litle before his death he left vs his last will in these termes I Br. Francis poore wretch and caitife will follow the life and pouerty of my most high Lord IESVS CHRIST and of his most holy mother and therin perseuer to the end And I beseech all you poore sisters and counsaile you to liue alwayes in this most holy life of pouerty and aboue althinges to keep your selues from forsaking it vpon whose counsaile or doctrine soeuer that would persuade you the contrary But now as my selfe and also all my sisters haue euer bin carefull to obserue the holy pouerty which we haue promised to God and to our holy Father S. Francis I desire also that the Abbesses which shall hereafter come to succeed me in this chardge be obliged with all their Religious to haue diligent and inuiolable care not to receaue possessions inheritances or other thinges proper whatsoeuer reserued of their owne or from others that may giue them nor whatsoeuer other thing that may be called proper but that which shal be needefull to a requisite
into desires to serue God And from fiue yeares old she continued and perseuered in prayer in the Church with such mature grauity and such repose that her Gouernesse had much labour to withdraw her thence And therfore she was often constrayned to find occasions to goe into her chappell att accustomed howers where she would spend such time as she could and make her prayer prostrate on her bare knees vsing all industry to induce her waiting ladyes to doe the like and to pray read psalmes and be deuout and honour the sainctes She so vsed the matter that she drew a spirituall fruit out of the very playes and pastimes that her Ladyes vsed for she obliged those that lost to say certaine Paters Nosters and Aue Maries or to giue such a somme to the poore And as her yeares encreased so did also her deuotion purity and zeale in all vertues choosing the sacred Virgin Mary for her Aduocate and S. Iohn the Euangelist for the Guardian of her innocencie to whome she was so specially deuoted that she denyed nothing which being in her power to giue was demaund for his sake She had her spiritt so eleuated that she tooke occasion of euery matter presented to stirre her selfe to deuotion in such sort that when she was constrayned to be present att assemblies of magnificence and sportes she would often in the middest of the greatest pleasure and contentment that could happen therin leaue the company which she would doe so dexterously and prudently that it much edified all that were present She was cloathed very decently and modestly and did eat temperatly and then caused to be giuen to the poore which then attended for such almose att her dore the rest of the meat prepared for her she would be presēt att the diuine seruice with great reuerence and deuotion Whiles the Ghospell was read and att the eleuation of the most sacred Host she would put off her gloues iewels and other precious ornaments of her head and lay them on the ground for greater reuerence to almighty God She neuer omitted her ordinary prayers and pious exercises and sometimes would watch a good part of the night to satisfye the omissions and employments of the day Of S. Elizabeths perseuerance in vertues after she was maryed of her pious behauiour and of her patience in her afflictions THE IX CHAPTER THis heroicall Lady being eleuated and nourced in these pious exercises she by diuine inspiration entierly resigned her selfe to whatsoeuer it pleased God to ordayne and dispose of her for albeit she had resolued with her selfe neuer to haue other Spouse then IESVS CHRIST yet did the diuine prouidence otherwise ordayne for so much as her Father to whome she was most obedient enforced her to mary Lantgraue Duke of Toringe of the greatest Princes and of fairest possessions of Germanie disposing this marriage for the extreme necessity that the Toringians had being halfe barbarous of some one to excite them to the loue of God and to the practise of charitable worckes towardes their neighbour and worthy merittes of the vertue of chastity This holy princesse found much trouble with her husband the first yeare not that he wanted sufficient inclination to vertue but by reason of the ill disposition of those of his counsaile and of some particuler seruants and domesticall officers of his who interpreted and reputed the great humility of this worthy Princesse for sottishnes and want of ciuility and Courtlie complements and therfore did contemne and persecute her to their vtmost But by her continuall prayers she obtayned of God many particuler graces and namely that her husband should not only not hinder her holy exercises but should be very ioyfull the which incontinently came to passe For being replenished with the feare of God he permitted her secretly to doe whatsoeuer she thought to tend to the seruice of his diuine Maiesty comforting her ordinarily in the disgustes and discontentmēts that she might fall into by the subtility of the deuill in spirituall life and by sweet wordes encouraging her for the good of her soule In such sort that albeit this holy Princesse had chaunged her estate yet did she not desist from her pious exercises and holy intentions alwayes vsing very rigorous penance afflicting her body by disciplines watchinges and abstinences and did also very often arise from her husbands bed and spent the rest of the night in prayer vnto God And if sometimes sleep did ouercome her she would only make vse of a pillow on the ground to sleep on And when her husband was from home she would employ the whole night in prayer in the company of her celestiall Spouse She secretly woare a haircloth and very often vsed disciplining to conforme her selfe to her Sauiour that would be so cruelly scourged for vs. She was so seuere in her abstinence and kept it so perfectly that in the middest of banquettes of the abondance and delicacie of the most exquisit dishes she would often content her selfe with only bread and would entertaine those that were with her att table with caruing and presenting meat vnto them to the end they might not obserue her but might thinck shee did eat indifferently of euery dish Because she tooke no pleasure to behold so much good meat she would often send to a poore yet vertuous seruant of hers for some of his ordinary dyet wheron she would feed Her husband obseruing all these thinges did tolerat them with an extreme admiration and deuotion and would say that he would wilingly doe the like but that it was necessary for him to conserue his house and estate Of the prayer humility pouerty obedience and forgetfulnes of iniuries of S. Elizabeth and of the reuelation which God made vnto her of the remission of her sinnes THE X. CHAPTER THis vertuous woman was so feruent in prayer that she neuer prayed without weeping and yet in such sort as she kept it vnknowne In her prayer she felt both sorrow and ioy in her soule she would say that to weepe with force and heauinesse was to shew an euill countenance vnto God It once happened that being according to her custome in prayer her hart eyes and handes eleuated towardes heauen her soule was so rapt and swallowed vp in God that burning coales falling on a fold or plait of her gowne burned a good part therof she not perceiuing it and had burned yet farther if one of her seruantes passing by had not hastely extinguished the same in doeing wherof she cryed so loud that she caused the pious lady to retourne to her selfe who with her owne handes sett a piece on that part of her gowne which was burned She would not haue her seruantes and the poore people to cal her Lady but would cōuerse with them as their equall causing them to sitt by her and eating spinning and worcking with them without any ceremony She so affected humility that she disdayned not or omitted the basest occurance for the loue of God In the
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
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
of saluation he being ready to execute whatsoeuer he should command him The Religious hauing consailed him to sell all he had he did his vtmost to make restitution where he was obliged and according to Euangelicall couÌ„saile gaue the rest to the poore then offered himâ—elfe to God becoÌ„ming a Frere Minor where he perseuered in vertues and piously ended his life all his people were also conuerted and did penance So the holy simplicity of this Religious produced a merueillous fruit not preaching of high and subtill matters nor with elegant wordes but only of the paines of hell and glory of Paradise as he had bin instructed by the holy Father sainct Francis The 8. and 9. chapters are put after the 72. chap. of the first booke the 10. chap. after the 5. of the second booke and the eleuenth chap. after the 74. of the second booke Notable humility of a Preacher of S. Francis his Order THE XII CHAPTER AN English Frere Minor and Doctour of diuinity preaching in the Monastery of S. Damian where S. Clare was Abbesse in the presece of holy Br. Giles he as a great freind of humility would make proofe therof in this Preacher and so in the middest of his sermon he willed him to be silent because himselfe would preach and the diuine incontinently held his peace and Brother Giles with exceeding feruour of spiritt and to the great amazement and edification of the hearers vttered matters of great sublimity and eminency touching almighty God then tourning towardes the Diuine he willed him to proceed in his sermon which S. Clare perceauing she was exceeding ioyfull sayd This day is accomplished one of the defines of S. Francis who would often say I desire that my Religious be so humble as that a Doctour in diuinity goeing into the pulpitt if a simple lay Brother make a motion to preach the Doctour shall giâ—e him place I tell you truely my Brethren this Preacher hath more edifyed me then if he had raysed one from death The 13. chapter is after the 54. of the first booke the 14. chap. is after the last of the second booke Of a very terrible accident vnto a Nouice cloathed by S. Antony of Padua THE XV. CHAPTER THere was a worldly man whose profession was to follow the warres in which practise he did much mischiefe this maÌ„ induced by the deuil came to the blessed Father S. Antony of Padua then Guardian of the Monastery of Limoges and besought him to giue him the habit of the Frere Minors affirming a desire to serue God therin The Sainct as zealous of the saluation of soules after diuers and seuerall conferences with him and alwayes finding him firme in his pretended holy purpose heard his confession then hauing piously admonished him to doe penance for his sinnes he gaue him the habitt and had a particuler care of his deportements but this lewd wretch hauing promised the deuill to serue him with fidelity in whatsoeuer vocation he should take vpon him and neuer to discouer his intention to any person did very strongly obserue this conuention and in his generall confession â—sing his vtmost dissimulation did conceale this secrett of the deuils from sainct Antony and indeed did alwayes in his hart excogitate matters directly opposite to his saluation as his master the deuill had taught him So that it is easy to iudge that God had not drawne him to Religion but rather some discontentment in that his worldly affaires succeeded not as he wished and hearing sainct Antony preach he became Religious yet omitted not to hope and expect some benefitt from the deuill Sainct Antony as a faithfull seruant of God with exceeding feruour made him many remonstrances to enduce him to renounce the world with all his hart to resist chastice his flesh to shunne the deuill and to withstand all his temptations and to this effect gaue him meanes to performe a sharp and rigourous penaÌ„ce for his enormous sinnes But this Nouice in all such vertuous and pious actions did dissemble as hauing no affectioÌ„ thervnto This wretched Nouice theÌ„ goeing one day out of his cell which was on a litle hill separated from the others saw a very faire horse well harnised with a complet a mour vpon him and a cloke bagge on him behinde which att first sight and apprehension amazed him but after hauing without feare beheld the horse he had a desire to see what was in the cloke bagge and to that end layd hold on the horse by the raines and drew him a side where hauing searched the sayd cloake bagge he found stoare of mony and a saire sute of apparell so that hauing found a horse apparell armour and mony he reputed himselfe most happily fournished withall that he desired whervpon shaking off his Frere Minors habitt putting on his worldly attyre and armour of a soldier he mounted on horseback and so secretly rode away that none perceaued him The same day he made such speed that he arriued att Bourges in Berry where alighting late att an Inne the houre of soupper being come he sett himselfe att table and was attended by the daughter of the Host who so well pleased his fancy that he demanded her of her Father in Mariage and to induce his consent shewed him the mony he had in his cloackbag The Host att the sight of so much mony was tempted with auarice graunted his daughter to be his wife and left them to complement together The deuill then presently leauing the figure of a horse and hauing putt on the shape of a man came about midnight and knocked att the dore of that Inne where being entred drew the master of the house a side to speake with him seining himselfe iealous of his honour and sayd Syr is it not true that you haue consented to mary your daughter to a stranger it is sayd the host the deuill replyed know then that he whome you haue accepted for your sonne in law is a Religious man who as alewd fellow hath deluded you and rauished your daughter Therfore sith there is no other remedy follow my counsaile goe whiles it is night he sleeping in his bed but so warily that he may not heare you and you shall find his head bare shauen with a croune in manner of a Religious so that it prouing infallible what I tell you cutt his throat and take his mony withall that he hath wherwith you shall much better mary your daughter Besides there is no cause of feare for this fellow is not knowne in these quarters nor in any part of France This discourse putt the â—ost into an extreme anguish but being at length ouercome by the passion of choller and encouraged by the deuill he resolued to murder his new sonne in law if he found it true which his preteÌ„ded frieÌ„d had told him whom he prayed to stay till he had effected his counsaile to assist him to bury the body promising him a share of the mony wherto the deuil accorded
fixed towardes heauen When he retourned to himselfe he seemed vtterly amazed and tourning to the other Religious he cryed out vnto them My Brethren is there any man howsoeuer great rich and noble he may be that will not esteeme it easy to carry a sack full of dung ordure and carrion if therfore he be promised a pallace full of gold herby intending to signify the immensiue treasure which God reserueth for those that are contrite in heart But it is a thing worthy of especiall note in him that in fifteene yeares of his spirituall feruour he neuer more then halfe satisfyed his appetite though he did eat indifferentlie of euery permissable thing sett before him whervpon he would say that it cannot be called abstinence for a man to forbeare that which he tasteth not seeing that this vertue fighteth against the tast of that which pleaseth and seemeth good vnto him but because few attaine to that perfection it is best to shunne the occasions How this worthy seruant of God was tryed and exercised in patience and endurance of temptations THE V. CHAPTER BEcause almighty hath God ofteÌ„ accustomed to proue his faithful seruantes by a restraint of spirituall consolation and of his sweet presence he oftentimes afflicted him in this kinde but afterwardes considering his notable constancie he could not but comfort him He once past eyght dayes without tasting any sweetnes of diuine conuersation that time by reason of his exceeding loue to almighty God seemed vnto him eight yeares he kept himselfe solitary and verie pensiue continually praying God with much feruour to restore vnto him the consolation he desired and the ioy which by his presence he receaued Herevpon there instantly appeared in the ayre a hand bended and as it were in action of striking a viole whence he felt so pleasing and delightfull a harmony that it filled his soule interiourly with such and so excellent a sweetnes that if the sound had longer endured it had as to him seemed dissolued his soule from his bodye Almighty God tryed him also and exercised him exceedingly by terrible and strange temptations which was reuealed in prayer to the holy Father sainct Francis who recommending him most affectionately to IESVS CHRIST that he would please to assist him with his grace and to giue him victory against such potent and mortall ennemies he heard a voice from heauen that said Feare not for the temptations which assault Brother Bernard are giuen him for exercise and for a crowne and att lenght he shall haue the victory ouer all his ennemies Besides know that Brother Bernard is one of the elect of the table of our Lord Sainct Francis was so comforted with this voice that he could not satisfye himselfe with giuing thanckes to God and thenceforth euer loued Brother Bernard better He related all to his companions adding that God would deliuer Brother Bernard of all his temptations and before his death would so setle his spiritt in peace that all the Religious which should behold him should prayse God for it and that from heere below he should ascend to IESVS CHRIST in that peace and spirituall tranquillity which so came to passe The sixt chapter is put in the middest of the 67. chapter of the tenth booke with this title How sainct Francis blessed Brother Bernard miraculously in imitation of the Patriarch Iacob That place being more proper vnto it Of the zeale of Religion and the charity which Brother Bernard had towardes the sicke THE VII CHAPTER THe glorious Brother Bernard was so zealous of his rule and profession that he sharply reprehended euery delinquent in that respect of what soeuer degree of superiority he might be as hauing one day seene Brother Helias Generall on a very lusty faire and fatt mule he came behinde him and with a great zeale reprehending him said Brother Generall this beast wheron you ride is very great and fatt wheras you know our rule doth not permitt the same then laying his hand on the rumpe of the mule he repeated the same wordes adding also many other An other time knowing that he was retired into his chamber where with many other Religious he did â—eat meates delicately dressed he was much troubled with the euill example of such remissnesse wherfore he arose from the table of the refectory taking his earthen dish in one hand and his cup in the other and went to the chamber of the Generall ouer against whome he sate downe att the table and sayd Brother I entend to eat with you this good meat which is the almose of the poore of our Lord. Brother Helias with these wordes was not a litle troubled and confounded yet he durst not reply a word knowing that he was esteemed of the Religious for a very holy man and as such was generally reuerenced and honoured This good Religious Brother Bernard was also very charitable towardes the sick A Religious one day demaunding of him why he gaue so much to a sick Religious person to eat he answeared Brother I doe it therby to dischardge on my part what is requisite and what charity commandeth me you may well iudge that the sicke eateth but according to his necessity Of the death of the glorious Brother Bernard THE VIII CHAPTER WHen it pleased God to call his seruant Brother Bernard out of this terrestriall prison to his celestiall kingdome he was assaulted with a violent disease in which notwithstanding he continued so intentiue in God that he would not endure to heare spoaken or to thinck of any other thing Vpon this occasion when sometimes the Religious that had care of him putt vinegar with rose water to his nose or therwith washed his wrestes to recomfort him knowing that the same did withdraw him from his diuine meditations he would not permitt it to be applyed vnto him If it chaunced that by ach of his head or other occasion some ill cogitation that was not of God troubled his minde reflecting instantly on him selfe he would forciblie shake his head to expell and driue it away And that he might haue no occasion to be separated one only moment from God vpon the necessities of his body he resigned all his will for the care of seconde causes and worldly respectes into the handes of his Infirmarian vsing vnto him these wordes My beloued brother I will no more thincke on the necessities of this body I referre the care therof to you wherfore vse it as you shall thinck requisit I will take whatsoeuer you shall prepare me If you giue me nothing I will thinck of nothinge Now because after the death of sainct Francis all the Religious did reuerence Brother Bernard as their Father knowing this to be his last sicknes and that his death was neere they for many respectes came to visitt him and among others that worthy contemplatiue Br. Giles who finding him weakened to so low an estate said vnto him SursuÌ„ corda Brother Sursum corda Brother Bernard att these wordes exceedingly
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
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