iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God
litle faith why distrust you the prouidence of God why remember you not those wordes of Dauid so often cited by your holy Father putt your hope in God and he will assist you he that faileth not the very beastes Know that it hath pleased God to chastice and afflict you with hungar for your weaknes of faith and therfore learne how you ought to behaue your selues hereafter which said he vanished and the Religious thus huÌ„bled demaunded pardon of God to whome they promised amendement How a man that built a Couent for the Freer Minos had his mony encreased this is the thirteenth chapter of the sixt booke putt in this place where it ought to be THE LXVII CHAPTER BVt what happened vnto two Religious that were sent into Arragon is verie admirable being receaued in Lerida by an honorable gentleman called Raymod de Barriaco verie deuout vnto the Order of S. Francis they persuaded him to build them an oratorie without the towne assuring him that by such disbursement his monie would not diminish wherto giuing credit he so seriouslie sett labourers on worck that in short time the building was verie forward Now sending his seruant one day vnto his cabinett to take thence some monie to pay the labourers he retourned answearing him that there was no more He not beleeuing it sent him the second time but he affirmed that doubtleslie there was none wherwith the gentleman considering the great expences he had made and the failing of the foresaid promise being exceedinglie disquieted went impatientlie to the said two Religious and reproached them wherto they humblie answeared that he should not not be afflicted but should goe himselfe and curiouslie search and should without doubt finde the promise of God not to be frustrate Which the gentleman hearing being somewhat recomforted and encouraged beleeued the wordes of the Religious Goeing then himselfe he found all his monie as if he had not disbursed a penie and besides he found a notable somme in a corner Wherfore replenished with ioy att the knowledge of such a miracle of God he weÌ„t to the said Religious at whose feete falling prostrate he demaunded pardon for the litle faith he had and then with exceding feruour proceeded in the building How S. Francis went into Egipt to preach the Faith of Iesus Christ vnto the the Soldan THE LXVIII CHAPTER THe yeare of grace 1219. after the said holie Father had sent his brethren into diuers places as we haue said he determi-to goe preach the faith vnto the great Soldan of Babilon in Egipt and with such feruour that the Christians then went with exceeding deuotion to see if he and his Religious could fight a spirituall combat and by the grace of God wrest those prisoners out of the handes of the deuill But as a great nomber of his Religious followed him to goe in his company arriuing att Ancona where they were to embarque themselues he said vnto them My beloued Brethren I would willingly content you all I know that you vehemently desire to accompany me in regard of your greedy thirst of Martyrdome But you may well perceaue that it is impossible because the vessell is not capable to carry vs all It is therfore expedient that you referre your selues to the will of God wherby such of you as shal be elected shall presently goe with me and the others shall remayne in peace And therfore that none be discontent you see there a litle child very simple which saying he poynted att him being before him who knoweth vs not if you thincke it good as I doe he shall make choice of you They al incontinently consented thervnto the holy Father therfore called the child to whome in theire presence he said Tell me my child is it the will of God that all these Religious goe with me into Egipt The child answeared no. Which of them then replyed S. Francis This this this said the child and so by one and one he pointed out eleuen and no more which the others perceauing they stopped thir iorney and the holy Father with the said eleuen Religious embarqued themselues At length after a longe nauigation they arriued in Egipt where the Christian army then beseiged the citty of Damiett which the Soldan possessed whose army was also in the feild euery day skiâ—mishing with ours so that there was no meane to passe the army of the Pagans without imminent daÌ„ger of death in regard that the Soldan had proclaimed an edict through his campe that euery More that could bring in the head of a Christian should be rewarded with a ducat But the seruant of God S. Francis who went thither for no other end but to die a martyr hauing made his prayer and being spiritually comforted in God went with all his companyons to the army of the Mores continually singing this verse of the Prophett Although I shall walke in the middest of the shaddow of death I will not feare euils because thou art with me Bur being discouered by the Mores diuers of them issued out of the campe and assaulted S. Francis and his companions as hungry wolues the simple sheep who yelded themselues captiues without any resistance affirming only that they had matters of importance to impart vnto the Soldan How the holy Father S. Francis preached vnto the Soldan THE LXIX CHAPTER THus then was S. Francis and his companions led fast bound vnto the Soldan who incontinently demaunded who they were who had sent them into his army and what was the end of their comming The holy Father as one that found himselfe in that place which he had a long time exceedingly desired with a merueilous feruour of spiritt thus answeared him Know Emperour Soldan that our comming hither hath not bin enioyned vs by any earthly man or Prince but by the will and ordinance of that almighty king of kinges and lord of lordes the eternall God who hath sent vs vnto thee that art not only his creature as we all are but art also his Minister and possessest his place in thine Empire and therfore his most gracious goodnes seeing that thou with all thy people walkest out of the true way of the knowledge of him thine only true and soueraigne God and though thou deceauest thy selfe putting thine affection in creatures without acknowledging their Creatour and Redeemer though thou doest farre stray from the way of naturall reason wherby thou mightest attaine the knowledg of thy faultes of the honour thou owest vnto his diuine Maiesty and of his law yet he hauing a feeling compassion of thee hath sent vs hither to teach thee the true way and the only meane of thy saluation which consisteth alone in the faith and obediece of IESVS CHRIST the true Sonne of God and true man who came into the world to redeeme vs from the handes of the deuill and to giue eternall glory to all them that haue bin are and shal be sincere in holy Faith and on the contrary eternall torment
humility and most feruent prayers that you can possible demaund of him the deliuery of your citty It cannot be expressed with what feruour and teares these deuout virgins incessantly offerred their prayers and teares vnto God one entier day and one night demaunding mercy in behalfe of the said citty besieged by their ennemies These prayers and teares were of such force and vertue that the omnipotent in bounty and mercy had compassion of them and from the day following sent them his puissant assistance in such sort that the ennemies camp was defeited the Capitaine constrained shamefully and in despight of his forces without sound of trompett to raise his siege for he fled without euer after troubling the Assisians being shortly after slaine Of the reuerence and deuotion which S. Clare had to the most B. Sacrament and of the vertue of her prayers against the Deuils THE XV. CHAPTER THe deuotion of S. Clare towardes the most precious Sacrament of the Altare was such that she made it apparent in many of her actions for though she were most grieuously sick in her bed yet would she so dispose her selfe therin and be so propped and stayed vp that she might conueniently spinne an exercise which she exceedingly affected and wherin she desirously employed her selfe and did it delicately and with the threed of her labour she caused to be wouen very curious and fine cloth which she employed in furniture for the chalice She one time got made 50. corporals which she sent in cases of silke to many Churches of the valley of Spoletun When she was to receaue the most sacred SacrameÌ„t before she presented her selfe therunto she was alwayes bathed in teares and so with exceeding feare approaching she did reuerence him that was hidden in the Sacrament as acknowledging him to be the same that gouerneth heauen and earth Therfore did the deuils so much feare the prayer of the espouse of IESVS CHRIST S. Clare as they haue sundry times declared A very deuout woman of the bishoprick of Pisa came to the monastery of S. Damian to thanck God his seruant S. Clare for hauing bin by her merittes deliuered of fiue deuils that possessed her which in goeing out of her body confessed that the prayer of S. Clare did burne them and to their great confusion expelled them out of the humane bodies which they possessed Of a merueillous consolation which S. Clare receaued on the feast of the most holy Natiuity THE XVI CHAPTER AS the glorious S. Clare was alwayes in her sicknesse with a liuely memory mindfull of her beloued IESVS so was she correspondently visited by him in her necessities As once in the night of the Natiuity when the world and Angels did so solemnly feast for the birth of our Redeemer all the Religious went to the quier to Matines and left their holy Mother accompanied only with her grieuous infirmity wherfore hauing begun to meditate on the great mistery of that night and lamenting exceedingly that she could not assist att the diuine seruice she sighing sayd O my God thou seest how I remayne here alone and ending this she began to heare the Mattins that were sung in the Church of S. Francis in Assisium very distinctly vnderstanding the voice of the Religious and the very sound of the Organes yet was she not so neere the said Church as she might humanly heare what was song there but it must necessarily be concluded that this was miraculously don in one of these two sortes either that the singing of the said Religious was by the will of God carryed to S. Clare or her hearing was extended extraordinarily and by speciall grace of God euen to our Lady of Angels neere vnto Assisium But this S. was further fauoured by a diuine reuelation which exceedingly comforted and reioyced her for she was by almighty God esteemed worthy to see in spirit his holy cribbe The morning following her Religious comming to see her she sayd Deere sisters blessed be our Lord IESVS CHRIST that it hath pleased him not to leaue me alone as you haue don but know that by the grace of his diuine Maiesty I haue heard all the solemnity and all the seruice that this night hath bin performed in the Church of our holy Father S. Francis Of the spirituall doctrine wherwith S. Clare nourced and eleuated her daughters THE XVII CHAPTER THe virgin S. Clare acknowledged that she was committed to the Pallace of the great king for gouernesse and Mistâ—esle of his deere espouses therfore did she teach them a sublime doctrine and did comfort and assist them with such loue and pitty as with wordes cannot be expressed First she taught them to cleare their soules of all rumours of the world that they might the more freely attaine to the high secrettes of God She also taught them to haue no affection to their carnall kinred and entierly to forgett their owne house the better to please IESVS CHRIST She admonished them also to surmount and misprise the necessities of the body and to gett a habitt of repressing the deceiptes and appetites of the flesh by the bridle of reason She likewise taught them that the subtill ennemy armed with malice continually addresseâ—h his hidden snares to surprise the pure soules and that he tempteth the pious in other sort then worldlinges Finally she would haue them so employed in handy labour for certaine houres that they might afterward be more promptly prepared to the desire of their Creatour by the exercise of prayer which after their labour they should vndertake not leauing for such paine the fire of holy loue but rather by it expelling the tepedity of deuotion alredy purchaced There was neuer seene a stâ—â—cter obseruation of silence then among them nor a greater forme and example of vertue Neuer was there seene don in this holy house one act of vanity neither by word nor signes nor was there discouered by any vaine discourse any desire of lightnes so much were they mortified Their holy mistresse gaue good example by wordes and by her pious briefe documentes she taught her duciples feruent desires admonishing them to possesse and conserue them vnder the keyes and custody of strict silence By meane of deuouâ— Preachers she procured to her daughters the holy word of God wherof her owne was not the least part she being filled with contentment and ioy when she heard the word of God preached would with such deuotion and consolation reioyce in the memory of her sweetest Spouse IESVS CHRIST that one time hearing the sermon of Brother Philipp de Adria a most famous preacher there was seene before this holy virgin a most beautifull child which there remayned during almost all the sermon comforting her with his ioyfull delectations of which apparition she receaued such a sweetnes and delight as she could no way explicate Albeit this most prudent virgin had neuer studyed yet did she much delight to heare a learned man preach well knowing that vnder the wordes of science lay
soules and he that shall perseuer to the end shal be saued Of the Preachers THE XVII CHAPTER THe preaching of the gospell being the food and nourishment of the soule lett no Brother or Minister authorise himselfe and enterprise to preach without licence of his Superiours and lett such as â—â—albe authorised be very respectiue not to preach against the forme and constitutions of our holy mother the Church Lett the Minister Prouincials be aduertised not to admitt to any chardge especially in matter of importance all personnes indifferently but lett them formerly consider well therof Lett the Brethren that shal be admitted to preach or to exercise any other obedience take heed not to attribute to themselues or to their merittes the office which they shall haue and particulerly that of preaching they ought rather to practise by worckes then by faire elected wordes and therfore att all times and whensoeuer they shal be aduertised to desist from preaching lett them without any contradiction entierly forbeare to preach Therfore by charity which is God himselfe I pray all my Brethren Preachers Oratours and other Officers and Ministers as well Preistes as lay that they endeauour continually to debase and humble themselues and that they neither glory nor take complacence in any good that God doeth or speaketh by them because such worck is not theirs but Goddes and that they remember that which our lord IESVS CHRIST saith Esteeme not the more of your selues for that you see the deuils subiect vnto you and lett each on rest assured that we haue nothing of our owne but vices and sinnes and when we finde our selues tempted and oppressed with diseases and afflictions as well in soule as in body we should reioyce in hope of eternall life Lett vs beware of pride and vaine glory of the wisdome of the world and the prudence of the flesh which endeauoureth to speake well but litle to doe well For it seeketh not a religion and sanctity of spiritt but a religion and sanctity exteriour and apparant vnto men for these are they of whome our lord speaketh when he saith I tell you in verity you haue already your reward The spiritt which is of God desireth the flesh should be mortified misprised and esteemed vile and that it endeauour to be humble patient pure duly subiected to the spiritt and especially rooted in the feare and loue of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost referring all good thinges to the most high lett vs acknoledge our selues to be his and lett vs continually yeld him thankes as one from whome dependeth and proceedeth all our good Therfore are all honours and all benedictions due to him alone by reason also that he is the true and soueraigne good And therfore when we shall see any thing il done or ill spoaken against his holy name lett vs on the contrary endeauour to prayse exalt and thanck him as blessed for euer world without end Amen Now and when the Ministers ought to assemble THE XVIII CHAPTER THe Minister Prouinciall ought with all his Brethren to assemble together euery yeare att the feast of S. Michael in some coÌ„modious place to treat and determine of matters behoufull for the seruice of God and ReligioÌ„ And all the Minister Prouincials that are beyond the sea and in places on the other side the Mountaines shall asseÌ„ble once euery three yeares the other Minister Prouincials shall come euery yeare to the Chapiter in the Church of S. Mary of Angels if the Minister generall dispose not otherwise to whose ordonnance all ought to obey That all Brethren ought to liue Catholiquely THE XIX CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren be Catholiques and as such liue Catholiquely and if any one should erre in faith or in the instution and constitutions of holy Churche either by worckes or wordes if he doe not forthe with rectifie himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled out of our ReligioÌ„ We ought to acknoledge for our Superiours all Prelates and Religious in that which concerneth the good estate of our soule prouided that they proceed not against our Order and our Rule Of the confesion and communion of the Brethren THE XX. CHAPTER LEtt all my Brethren as well Preistes as the laity the blessed of God coÌ„fesse to the Preistes of our Order and if in case they caÌ„not they may confesse to an other Preist that is prudent and Catholique and lett them firmely beleeue that by the pennance and absolution giuen them they shal be absolued of all their sinnes and therfore lett them endeauour with the greatest faith and humility that they can to accomplish the penance that shal be enioyned them And if they should be in a place where they could not haue commodity of a Preist lett them in such case confesse with their Brethren as the Apostle saith Confesse your sinnes one to an other But let them not yet omitt when they shall haue meanes to repaire to Preistes because they alone haue the authority and power of God to bind and loose Being so contrite and coÌ„fested lett them with exceeding humility and reuerence receiue the most sacred sacrament calling to minde that which God saith he that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud hath life euerlasting And in an other place Doe this for a commemoration of me Of praysing God and exhorting Christians to pennance THE XXI CHAPTER VVHen my Brethren shall know and esteeme it expedient to preach to the people hauig imparted the benediction of God they may vse these wordes Feare loue honour praise continually and say yee Be thou blessed almighty God Trinity and vnitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost Creatour of all thinges I beseech thee to permitt me to performe fruites worthy of penance and to know this truth that we shall shortly die and that att that instant the knotte of this soule and body shall end to be either eternally happy or eternally miserable They must exhort such as haue bin offended to pardon as God doth pardon vs and to this effect lett them vnderstand that if they doe not pardon they shall not be pardonned and that they shal be blessed that shall die contrite because their place shal be in heauen and miserable shall they be that shall die impenitent because they shal be children of the deuill whose worckes they haue wrought and therfore shall they discend into eternall sier Be carefull my beloued Brethren to shunne all vices and perseuer in god euen to the end that God may blesse you An Exhortation he made to all the Brethren THE XXII CHAPTER LEtt vs be mindefull of that which our lord sayth loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you Because besides what he hath taugbt vs by worde he hath in like sort taught vs by effect whose steppes we ought to imitate As then he called Iudas his freind though he knew he would betray him and voluntarily presented himselfe to them that were to crucifie him so likewise lett vs repute them our freindes that
euen the will of his Superiour They vndoubtedly beleeued that whatsoeuer was commanded them was the will of God and by that meanes obedience was easy and pleasing vnto them that they might not be iudged by others they accused and condemned themselues and if any so much forgatt himselfe as to vtter a scandalous word to one of his Brethren he would conceaue such remorce and greife theratt that he was not well nor could repose till he fell att his feet whome he had offended to whome with demaund of pardon he acknowledged his fault and herewith not content he would pray the Brother offended to sett his foot on his mouth and tread hard vpon it In this manner chastissing themselues did they suppresse and trample pride vnder foot This was not practised only among the simple Brethren but among the Superiours themselues For in whatsoeuer place one found himselfe to haue with out reason offended any Brother he commanded the offended to sett his foot on his throat that by this meane the malice and tyrannie of the deuill being suppressed loue and fraternall charity might be conserued among them They also armed themselues against vices and exercised vertues beside this they vsed their habites bookes and other moueables in common that none among them might presume to call any thing mine And albeit they were in deepe degree of pouerty they were neuertheles in their hartes exceeding rich and most liberall and very freely and ioyfully gaue what was demaunded of them for the loue of God fulfilling his word who saith Giue that Gratis which you haue receiued for nothing If any poore people begged the almose which had bin giuen them they gaue it them He that had not what to giue to the poore that asked him an almose would giue them part of the habitt that couered him When the rich of this world came to visitt them to conferre with them of some spirituall matter they ioyfully entertayned them and delighted sometime to frequent their company so to finde occasion to persuade them to leaue their sinnes and to induce and moue them to doe doe pennance When their holy Father was to send them into the world they would instantly and as a singuler father craue of him not to send them into their owne country therby to auoyd the conuersation of their kinred and freindes of this world because this seemed vnto them a certaine kinde of retourne to the world For what soeuer necessity that might befall them in their trauaile they took neither gold siluer nor otherkind of mony because they singulerly contemned it and aboue all thinges did from their hartes tread it vnder foot Being so freed and exempted of all wordly desires they numbred themselues with those of whome Isai said how beautifull and swift are the feete of the Euangelistes and preachers of peace and eternall Saluation Thus did these true Religious circuit the world by the streight and sharpe way of their pouerty surmounting the hard stones of selfe desires and euill inclinations breaking the thicke cloudes of the sinnes and depraued customes of worldly men with great paine of their life walking on the thornes of tribulations and contrarietyes with exāples vertues and doctrine of pennance because such is the path way that leadeth them to liue who with a perfect resolution seek the same The holy Father did also exercise his children in hauing care of leapers so to plant in their soule a firme root of humility and mortification of themselues and therfore ordayned his Brethren to be att the hospitall of leapers when occasion required to serue and minister vnto them If any Gentilman presented himselfe to be receiued into the order among many things propounded vnto him one of the principall was that he should serue leapers and dwell in their house when he should be commanded considered withall that S. Francis himselfe did the same with much contentment of body and spiritt and with him all his beloued and holy Religious And in regard that the holy Father was very zealous of the honour of the most blessed Sacrament he would that not only the altares but euen the churches and house of God were conuenient neat and well ordered and if he found any one vncleane he would sweep it himselfe or if he could not he would commaund some Brethren to make cleane and accommodate the same that by this worck of God they might nourish in themselues humilitie a reuerence to his diuine maiestie and feruonr of spiritt to enrich with him the conscience of all the soules of faithfull Christians which are the true temples of the liuing God Of the doctrine and documents of S. Francis THE XXXI CHAPTER SAinct Francis did often make spirituall lectures to his children in IESVS CHRIST putting them in mind of their profession and the state whervnto God had so graciously called them which he performed by these wordes My welbeloued Brethren lett vs haue alwayes before our eyes the first vocation wherto with so great mercie we haue bin called of God not only to saue our selues but also for the saluation of many And sith it is so lett vs trauaile ouer the world with good example and behoufull wordes exhorting and teaching euery one that sinners may repent their sinnes past and call to minde the diuine preceptes which they seeme to haue already forgotten Now whiles you thus trauaile you ought to haue a firme faith that God will procure you to encounter faithfull men gentle and gracious who will of charity receiue you ioyfully and you shall gaine them When you shall meet with vnfaithfull and proud personnes that shall resist your speeches support them with patience and humilitie for theloue of him who being iniuryed misprised and dishonoured by the Iewes did not answeare them one crosse word nor would reuenge himselfe of the outrages which they had done him but presented himselfe with an extreme charitie to support all in satisfaction of our sinnes When S. Francis sent his brethren to any place he gaue them this document Haue alwayes humility and honestie in your company and in the morning till the third hower keepe silence strictlie and in the meane while offer your deuotion and pray to God in your hart Vtter not wordes that are idle and without fruit neither doe you giue eare vnto them because in whatsoeuer place you walke or be your conuersation ought to be no lesse humble and modest then if you were in your oratory or cell sith that where soeuer we goe or be we haue alwayes with vs our cell which is our body wherof our soule is the hermite which resideth therin to pray vnto God and to meditate on his benefittes And therfore if the soule rest not in peace in this celle that of the monastery will litle auaile vnto a Brother Liue in such sort as no man be scandalized att you but that each one by your sweetnes be induced to peace to benignity and concord considering that
true modestie he did not meane that one should shew a vaine ioy of speech or of light laughter for that is not the alacritie which the true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST ought to haue as some esteeme which is but a vanitie and a manifest signe of litle spiritt S. Francis therfore in an exhortation that he made to his Brethren declared vnto them what was the ioy of the true seruantes of God saying That Brother may be called happy who hath not his ioy but in worckes and wordes of charity by example and document wherof men are induced to loue prayse and honour God And on the contrary wretched is the Brother that is delighted in idle wordes wher with he moueth men to laughter in whome that is verified which the Apostle saith that his religion is vaine and vnfruitfull So that by spirituall ioy he meant the feruour resolution readines and tast of the will of the bodye prompt with alacritie to attempt all good by which feruour and ioy men are oftentimes more edified then by the very worckes they doe be they neuer so good if they seeme to be done with an euill will because they represent the idlenes anxietie of the will and the sloathfullnes of the body in doeing well so that they doe not edifie but corrupt The holy Father affected grauity in himselfe and others that the ioy of the spiritt might not seeme a certaine vaine mirth He well knew by experience that this grauity would serue him as a wall against the dartes of the deuill because the soule disarmed therof remayneth light and vaine and as a naked man amongst potent ennemies that seeke all meanes to murder him Of the fraternall vnion which he taught his brethren THE XXXVIII CHAPTER ANd because the said spirituall ioy proceedeth of the innocencie of the soule and of an amourous peace and tranquillitie with God and our neighbour S. Francis exceedinglie laboured that so holy a vnion might be cōserued amōg his deerly beloued disciples to th end that they who had ben engendred by the holy Ghost in vnion of loue and concorde might be conserued and maintayned semblably vnited among themselues in the lappe of their mother which is holy Religion To the end also that the said disciples should praise God with one hart and according to the Apostle should reioyce with the ioyfull and mourne with the sorrowfull neuer permitting any roote of sorrow enuie or any other disordinate passion to enter into them and that the greater should be assuredly vnited in a true loue of charitye with the least the prudent and wise with the simple as true Brethren and they that are in their country with such as are come from farre He one day proposed to his Brethren an example to this purpose of notable doctrine and efficacie Supposing said he that a generall chapter were held of all the Brethren that are in the glory of paradice and as there are both learned and simple ignorantes that haue vowed to serue God without any science acquyred lett commandement be giuen to a learned man and to a simple ignorant to make each of them a sermon the learned considering what he was to say thus discoursed with himselfe where there are so many of perfect knowledge it would be vnprofitable for me to appeare learned my auditours being incapable of further science to premeditate to make election and search of curious and subtill matters before more curious then my selfe would appeare ridiculous but peraduenture I shal be better and more voluntarily heard yea and with more fruit if I discourse simply Now the prefixed day being come all the holy Saints assemble in the place deputed to heare the sermon of the Doctour who appeared cloathed with a rude sack cloth and his head couered with ashes Those present more admired this habitt then the wordes which were compendious breife and simple in these termes My Brethren we haue promised great matters but greaters are promised vs. Lett vs exactly performe those and tenderly aspire att these The pleasure of sinne is breife but the paine therof is without end The labour of vertue is small but the glory gotten therby is infinite Many are called but few are chosen and each one in the end shall receiue according to his deserte These so pregnant and patheticall wordes did so touch and moue the hartes of the audience that they were constrayned to shed abondance of teares exceedingly praysing this Preacher and esteeming him a holy person The simple ignorant then that was also to preach said to himselfe Sith this learned Preacher hath made vse in his sermon of my simplicity I know what I will doe I haue some verses of the Psalter by hart them will I sett foorth the most eloquently and learnedly that I can sith that the doctour hath preached like a simple man The houre of his sermon being come this simple man rose vp and replenished with the holy Ghost he propounded his theme with such feruour so ingeniously and clearly yea with such eloquence by the grace which God imparted vnto him that his auditours filled with admiration sayd Without doubt God doth speake in the simple Now S. Francis expounded this figure in this manner Our Religion said he is a great and generall congregation in which are vnited from all partes of the world a great nomber of men vnder one same forme and rule of life The prudent therein ought to make vse of the grace that is in the idiotes which is to be employed in worckes of humilitie as true disciples of IESVS CHRIST and so to benefitt themselues therby when they shall see them exercised with a liuely intention in celestiall vertues and voluntarily to heare the mysticall doctrine of the holy Ghost yea with a pious and holy enuy to resemble them and to cleare their spirittes of all presumption that they may be enriched of God with the spiritt of humility and diuine theologie On the contrary the simple ought to be very carefull to make their profitt more of workes then of doctrine and to conuert the science which they see in the learned into so much fruit seeing the honour and reuerence which they exhibitt to the rule and to simplicity of life whereas they being so noble and so learned might liue in the world as Lordes and yet they haue made themselues litle because they had true knowledge of the greatnes of God Then he concluded that in this worthy concord consisted true peace in this equalitie of hartes reposed true ioye of spiritt yea all the beautie and perfection of all their congregation and that by this only meane they might become gratefull and pleasing to the eternall Father who as he had engendred them and alwayes conserued them in grace would also afterward vnite them together in glory How he accustomed his Brethren to perfect obedience THE XXXVIIII CHAPTER BEside the premises he also trayned them vp in the vertue of obedience and abnegation of their
shalt performe the pennaunce that I shall now enioyne thee The Religious acknowledging his fault and submitting himselfe to doe his penaunce S. Francis said vnto him Strip thy selfe naked and aske him pardon and beseech him to pray to God for thee which was done He caused an other Religious to doe the like for hauing only giuen a rigorous answeare to a poore man that asked an almose He manifested to his Brethren how they ought to behaue themselues towardes the poore in these termes When you shall see a poore creature consider that it is a mirour which our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST proposeth vnto you of his pouerty and of his blessed virgin mother and that he presenteth it to your sight When you shall see a sick person know that it is a paterne of the infirmity which he tooke on him for our sakes if the pride and irreuerence of the riche displease God how much more will displease him the rigorous wordes of Freer Minors to such as make professiō of pouerty If in this our profession God permitt that we be honoured of great personnes how intollerable will our pride appeare if proudly puffed vp we contemne such as are as poore as our selues Lett vs therfore beware that by iust permission of God it happen not to our confusion that the rich make lesse esteeme of vs yea that they suffer vs to die for want of releife Of the spiritt of feruour of S. Francis in his preachinges THE L. CHAPTER BEcause the Apostle saith that piety is profitable and behoufull in euery thing this vertue was so vnited to the hart of the holy Father and so engrauen in his bowels that it seemed to subiect him to all creatures but especially to the soules redeemed by the precious bloud of our Lord IESVS CHRIST for if the saw them sicke or dead in sinne he had such a tender feeling of hart and affection with them as if he had naturally begotten them And in that respect he excceedingly honoured Preachers because they alwayes raysed some dead Brother vnto our Redeemer and with a pious care endeauoured to reuoke the erring and to confirme the imperfect in God S. Francis then preached being vested with this zeale and charity towardes his neighbour not with selected wordes or by humane art but by the vertue and doctrine of the holy Ghost did manifest vnto them the kingdome of God his preaching was vehement as a burning fire that peneteated the center of the hart and putt soules into a continuall admiration and as it were beside themselues Prayer alone was all his bookes distrusting all his knowledged and industrie and entierly relying on the diuine vertue He obtained of God this his holy grace which he so instantly required for assistance of his neighbour in such sort that his wordes did penetrate not only the eares but euen the hartes of sinners It only once happened that he studyed his sermon and the reason was because he was to preach before the Pope and many Cardinals by commandement of the Cardinall of Hostia Protectour of his Order The time being come to ascend the pulpitt and being therin he could by no meanes beginne his sermon though he exceedingly laboured to doe it which infinitely troubled him and much amazed the assistantes wherfore he publickely acnowledged that he had seriously studied that sermon but hauing incontinently recourse to prayer in few wordes recommending himselfe with all his hart vnto God vtterly reiecting his former conceipt and entierly referring himselfe to his diuine maiestie he began to preach with such feruour that hauing in an instant sett att liberty his holy tongue he deliuered matter so learned sublime and so necessary that he moued all the hartes of his audience to compassion and then it appeared to each one that the wordes of God were vndoubtedlie true where he saith It is not you that speake but the spiritt of God that speaketh in you This holy Father thus obtayning the reuelatious of the diuine mysteries by meane of prayer and correcting first whatsoeuer vices he found in himselfe it is not to be admired that he moued the most obdurat hartes vnto pennance reprehending vices with such vehemence He preached with like feruour his constancie being incredible both to great and meaner people riche and poore many and few and alwayes with exceeding profitt What conditions S. Francis required in Preachers THE LI. CHAPTER BEing according to the example of IESVS CHRIST a true Euangelicall Preacher and teaching rather by workes then wordes he would in like sort that his disciples rather wanted learning then goodnes because sayd he the function and grace of preaching is farre more gratefull to God then any other humane office if it be especiallie practised with a care of perfect charitie adding with all that the poore and wretched preacher that despoiling himselfe of pietie sought not the benefitt of soules in his preachinges but only to please men for his particuler interest deserued to be lamented so miserable was his state and condition But more greiuous was his case that by his lewd life he scandalized and ruyned more soules then he gained by his doctrine Herevpon he inferred that before such Preachers was to be preferred a simple Religious man who by his pious example and imitable life induceth each one to vertue Which is insinuated by the wordes of S. Anne Donec sterilis peperit Till the barren bring foorth many children and she that had many become infirme vnderstanding the barren to be the simple Religious whose function is not to preach and by his doctrine to bring foorth any child vnto God but att the day of the vniuersall iudgement it will appeare that by his life his example his prayers and his teares which he hath presented vnto his diuine maiestie imploring him for the conuersion of sinners he shall haue engendred many more in the Church of God then diuers that preach because the iust iudge shall attribute them all vnto him for his merittes and shall recompense him accordinglie And the mother that is the Preacher that in exteriour apparence seemed to haue many children shall appeare infirme because he shall proue to haue no part in that wherein he gloryed as proceeding from himselfe and notfrom God In respect wherof he would not that the Preachers should be distracted and transported by cares and asfaires of the world but should remayne retired and attentiue to prayer as being elected by his diuine Maiesty for publishing his holy word vnto sinners Therfore said he the first thing that a Preacher ought to doe is in priuate prayer to feed himselfe with the spiritt of God then being himselfe enflamed within to communicate and impart vnto them therby to enflame them without The Function of preaching was by him reputed reuerend so consequentlie the Ministers therof Preachers said he are the life of the body of the holy church they are the champions and bucklers of soules against the deuill they are the
church or att least they would be farre better then we who liue ordinarilie in vanities because they are instructed and educated in humilitie and pouertie and therfore touching this point I shall be glad to know your opinion The Cardinall being silent there arose a pious contention betweene the two holie Fathers which of them should first answeare Att lenght S. Francis superiour of humility left the superiority of obedience vnto S. Dominick wherby he answeared the Cardinall in these wordes The Dominican Preachers are in a sufficient good and high estate if they can conceaue it and therfore for as much as shall lye in my power I will neuer consent that they ascend to higher dignitie And then silent S. Francis arose and with great vehemencie thus spake My Religious are called Minors onlie in respect that they neuer presume to be made great in this world and much lesse to be Prelates so that their title sheweth them their true vocation which is to remayne alwayes in their meannesse and to tread the steppes of humility of IESVS CHRIST that they may meritt to be exalted in the other world among the blessed Therfore if you will that they fructifie in the Church of God keep them low as they are yea if they would aspire to prelacie neuer consent thervnto Here was the S. silent also The Cardinall remayning exceeding well satisfied with these two answeares dismissed the S. who goeing together S. Dominick most instantly requested of S. Frācis the cord wherewith he was girded who after he had of humility much denyed him was att last content to be ouercome by charity and vngirding himselfe gaue it vnto him S. Dominick out of great deuotion girded himselfe therwith vnder his habitt and afterward they departed each from other S. Dominick vsed these speeches generally to all men I speake it in verytie all other Religious ought to admire and imitate the life of this man so great is his perfection and so true the way which he hath vndertaken to follow IESVS CHRIST How S. Francis proceeded in sending his Religious ouer all Christendome and deuided vnto them the prouinces THE LIX CHAPTER IN the yeare of grace 1217. the generall chapter being held att Assisium by reason of the great multitude of Religious that were there present the Prouinces were assigned as well on this side as beyond the Mountaines throughout all Christendome Then were elected Prouincials with companions and personnes deputed to their obedience and because then there were not a few heretikes in Spaine he sent thither his Religious and among other Brother Zacharie and Brother Walter trauelled euen to Portugall who as an vnwonted spectacle were very ill entreated as well in regard of the nouelty or rarenes of their habitt as for the diuersity of their language and suspecting them to be heretikes they were not permitted to rest in any place wherfore they addressed themselues to the said Queene Vracha by whose fauourable protection they were receaued att Coymbra Guymarances Alanquer and Lisbone as hereafter with the rest of their life shal be declared in the sixt booke The others were much worse entreated no man yelding to receaue them not knowing whence they were and therfore they were euery where driuen away especially because they brought not authenticall letters from the Pope that might giue testimony of their condition Wherfore they were constrayned to retourne vnto S. Francis who incontinentlie aduertised the Cardinall Hostie therof then made protectour of the Order after the death of the Cardinall of Sebastian who was their first protectour but not according to the forme of theire Order as this was who offered himselfe to S. Francis for such and for a Brother of the Order whome also the S. himselfe required of the Pope to be their Protectour The holie Father being then by the said Cardinall of Hostie presented vnto his holynes and to the colledge of Cardinals he deliuered vnto them a notable oration of the praise of Euangalicall perfection wherof himselfe and his Religious were Professours with such and so great seruour that he put all the Colledge into exceeding admiration and deuotion towardes his Religion who thervpon promised him all fauour He esteemed himselfe happy who after the Consistory was ended could haue a Freer Minor in his companie And the Pope caused letters patentes to be made him wherof the tenour was such Honorius bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God to our welbeloued and as our Brethren Arch-bishops and Bishoppes our welbeloued sonne Brother Francis of Assisium and his companions of the Order of Minors hauing after they had contemned and abandonned the vanities of this world chosen the way and life of perfection with iust reason approued of this holy Church and sowing the word of God in imitation and example of the Apostles through diuerse Prouinces We pray and command you in vertue of holie obedience by these presentes our Apostolicall letters that when any of them shall repaire vnto you with these said presentes you receaue them as Catholiques and true beleeuers and that for the reuerence of God whose true seruantes they are and ours also you shew them fauour and curtesie Giuen att Etc. The said letters were signed by the Protectour and other Cardinals to the glorie of God and the benefitt of soules Of two other Apostolicall Breuies graunted by the same Pope transferred vnto this place as proper vnto it out of the tenth booke of these chronicles and 31. chapter THE LX. CHAPTER IN the fourth yeare of his Popedome the same Pope sent forth an other of this tenour Honorius seruant of the seruantes of God to our welbeloued Arch-bishoppes Bishopdes Abbotes Priors and other Prelates of the Church who are with in the Realme of France health and Apostolicall benediction Hauing formerlie written vnto you in the behalfe of our welbelourd children the Freer Minors praying you to haue them in recommandation as we are giuen to vnderstand some of you being yet scrupulous of this Order permitt not them to seiourne in their bishopprickes though in deed there is in them nothing deseruing suspicion as we haue bin very precisely enformed and assured and therefore our letters ought to suffice to dispossesle them of all sinister opinion that they might formerly conceaue of them We therfore certifie and giue testimony to each one that we hold the Order of Freer Minors for approued and know the Brethren of the said Order to be Religious Catholikes deuout and of pious conuersation and therfore we admonish and by these presentes oblige you to admitt the said Freer Minors into your bishopprickes and to hold them highly recommendable for reuerence of God and of vs Giuen att Viterbium the eight and twentieth of May the fourth yeare of our Popedome In the very same yeare his Holines wrote other letters of the same tenour in fauour of the said Religion which are recorded to be extent in the Couent of Paris How S. Francis would come into France
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
deluded by the deuill amiably replyed saying Oh God brother Ruffinus what wordes haue you vttered are you besides you selfe or doe you yeeld to be deluded by the deuill Know you not that S. Francis is an Angel of heauen on earth Is it not knowne vnto vs how many millions of soules God hath saued will saue by his meanes how he hath illuminated the world and how much ourselues perticulerly are by him illuminated howsoeuer sith he hath expresly sent for you I will that you repaire vnto him because indeed I know that you are exceedingly deluded by the deuill Brother Ruffinus being by these wordes att length persuaded without farther reply went with him and came to S. Francis in whose presence appearing the deuill lost his prey For after he had recounted vnto the S. all the circonstances of his temptation by order and had receaued demonstrations of the S. to witt that the deuill did harden the hearts of men and God on the contrary did soften and mollifie thē himselfe saying I will take from thee thy heart of stone and will giue thee one of flesh acknowledgeing the extreme hardnes which the deuill had left in his heart and with all vnderstanding in one instant all his slightes with abondance of teares he vttered his fault and cōfessed his sinne in concealing his temptation S. Francis then said vnto him My sonne goe make thy confession frequent prayer and know for certaine that this tēptation as thou shalt breifely experience shall tourne to no lesse peace and spirituall ioy And if this horrible deuill retourne to tempt thee vse these wordes vnto him Thou base and loathsome deuill open wide thy lying mouth that I may fill it full of filth Thus Brother Ruffinus retourning to his said mountaine and celle there to lament his passed errour Satan presented himselfe vnto him in forme of IESVS CHRIST crucified and said did I not forbid thee to beleeue Brother Francis But brother Ruffinus intertupted his wordes and answeared Thou loathsome and lying deuill open that thy mouth where out issue such horrible lyes that I may fill it with vilany which the false and proud deceauer hearing departed making such a terrible ruine of the stones of the montaine which he threw downe by grosse heapes hurling thē with such impetuosity that the stones flintes tumbling downe stroake fire against each other breifely it seemed that the mountaine was entierly to be ouer-throwen or suncken This storme was heard euen to the place where S. Francis was who with his companions went out to see whence proceeded this terrible noyse They were all exceedingly terrified S. Francis excepted who incontinently imagined the cause In the meane while Brother Ruffinus returned victorious from so tedious bitter a combatt who by experience knowing this illusion came to S. Francis to whome to the great ioy and contentement of all the hearers he recounted all the successe He being retourned to his cell the true Crucisix incontinentlie appeared vnto him and said Thou hast done well Brother Ruffinus to take the counsaile of Francis who hath discouered vnto thee th◠fraud of the deuill and therfore henceforward in consideration of the affliction which thou hast endured in this temptation I giue thee this grace that whiles thou liuest thou shalt be no more afflicted by the deuill then blessing him he disappeared whervpon he was according to the prophesie of the holy Father so comforted and replenished with such sweetnes and feruour of spiritt that his soule was often rauished and eleuated in God and so he liued and died in this perfect vnion of his loue Of the humility that shined in this Saint THE LXXIX CHAPTER IT being vnderstood that the holy Father had obtayned a right glorious victory ouer the deuill in himselfe and his for he only is vanquished that presumeth of himselfe and the humble as litle fishes escape out of the nettes we will now consider by what meane the S. became so admirably victorious ouer those proud and rebellious spirittes It was in deed by no other meane then by his humility wherwith he did not only surmount their cruell assaultes but they being vnable long time to endure him he putt them to flight it alone being the guard beauty and the mother of all other vertues aboue all which it shined in him gaue light as in the persō of him that would be the least of all his brethren and one that freely acknowledged himselfe the greatest sinner of sinners and reputed himselfe no other then a veslell full of ordure and not as in deed he was an elected vessell full of sanctity and very resplendant by the lustre of so great vertues and singuler graces wherin all perfection appeared as in a very beautifull cleare glasse Now on this vertue of humility he laboured to found and build all his holy and worthy edifice affirming that IESVS CHRIST descended not into the world from the besome of his eternall Father nor was vested with our so contemptible flesh for other end but hauing redeemed vs to teach vs both by word and effect as a true master of humility what himselfe said Learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart therfore he as his imitatour endeauoured to be of no respect first in his owne sight and then before others fearing least it should befall vnto him as it is writtē that he which is high before men is abominable before God for which cause he accustomed to say vnto his Religious A man is so great as he appeareth to be before God and no greater and therfore it is a great vanity to glory in the honours of the world He also reioyced when any iniury or reproch was done him and receaued prayses and honoures discontentedly being better pleased with reprehension then with flattery because said he by reprehension he learned to humble and correct himselfe wheras it was an ouer excessiue vanity to heare ones selfe praysed And with all he endeauoured to conceale the giftes which he receaued of God forbearing to discouer that which might occasion him to fall or offend Being one day called S. call me no more S. said he for as yet I may haue children and no man ought to be praysed till he haue perseuered vnto the end which to vs is vncertaine besides no glory is to be giuen to what soeuer is done by a sinner A sinner may fast lament and discipline his flesh but he cannot doe it alone and of himselfe The principall is that he be faithfull vnto his God wherof only he should glorifie which he shall doe if in his seruitude he attribute all the good he shall doe vnto God from whome doe proceed and are deriued vnto vs all graces and perfections as from the true Father of all our consolations Of the loue and zeale he had in humility THE LXXX CHAPTER DIscoursing one day with his brethren he said I cannot repute my selfe a Freer Minor If I proue not
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
said he departed and by the way stayed at the hospitall of leapers where making his accustomed prayer it was reuealed vnto him by our Lord IESVS CHRIST that the indulgence which he had procured was confirmed in heauen wherof hauing aduertised his companion they both retourned to giue thanckes to his diuine maiesty How the day of the said indulgence was miraculously assigned from heauen THE II. CHAPTER THe day wherein the said indulgence was to be gained was not yet prefixed S. Francis being come to the Couent of our Lady of Angels and being about midnight in prayer in his celle the deuill appeared vnto him in forme of an Angell saying O poore Francis why seekest thou to dye before the time why doest thou consume chy complexion by so long watchinges knowest thou not that the night is made to sleepe and that sleepe is the principall nourishment of the body thou art not yet old why then wilt thou thus kill thy selfe Were it not better for thee to conserue thy life therein to serue thy God longer and to profitt the holy church and thine Order Beleeue me therfore and spend not thy life in such superfluous prayers and watchinge only mediocrity pleaseth God Which the holie Father hauing heard and knowing it to be a delusion of the deuill that tempted him exteriourlie by his voice and interiourlie by his suggestion arising from his prayer he stripped himselfe naked then cast himselfe into a bush full of very sharpe pricking thornes wherin he tourned and wallowed till the bloud euery where trickled downe and doeing the same he thus discoursed vnto his body Ah my body it had bin better for thee to contemplat the passion of IESVS CHRIST then to endure this for hauing in vayne repined and searched the delightes of the world Thus discoursing a great light appeared vnto him in the middes of the ice that was there it was in Ianuary and in the bush of thornes he saw very beautifull roses white and vermillion and a venerable troupe of Angels that filled all the way euen to his church and one of them called him saying Come Francis for our Lord expectethe thee and in an instant he miraculously found himselfe cloathed So knowing him that called him he gathered twelue white roses and twelue vermillion then went through the way all tapestred with Angelicall spirittes towardes his sweet Lord before whose feet he fell in great reuerence and then presented these twelue roses vnto his diuine Maiestie that appeared sitting on the said high altare as the other time accompanied with his glorious mother and assisted with an innumerable multitude of Angels to whome he said Most gracious lord gouernour of heauen earth sith it hath pleased thee to graunt me the plenary indulgence for this church I most huÌ„bly beseech thee to voutsafe also assigne the day wherein it shal be gayned I herein coniure thee by the merittes of thy most glorious mother our aduocatrice that it please thee to appoint the same by thy diuine mouth Our Lord answeared him I am content to satisfie thy desire and therfore I assigne thee the first day of August from the euensong of that feast wherin is made memory how I deliuered myne Apostle S. Peter from the chaines of Herod vntill the sunne sittiug of the day following But tell me if thou please my Lord said the holy Father after he had giuen him thanckes how shall the world know it and knowing it how shall it beleeue it Our Sauiour replyed I will consider therof in time conuenient but in meane while retourne to my vicare and carry with thee some Religious that haue seene this apparition and giue him some of these Roses and he shall incontinently confirme thee the day and cause the indulgence to be published The holy Father vpon obedience tooke three white and three vermillon roses and whiles our lord disappeared the Angels sung Te Deum laudamus and S. Francis gaue him thanckes who presently went to his holynes with Brother Bernard Quintaualle Brother Angelus of Rieta and Brother Ruffinus who had seene this great vision Being before the dore of the church he found the Pope retourned from Rome to whome he yelded account of what our lord had told him calling his companions for witnesses and presenting him the said Roses The Pope hauing attentiuely heard him and being vnable to satisfie himselfe with beholding the said Roses so fresh and sweet and therwithall so rauished as he could no longer containe himselfe he sayed Ah good God such roses in Ianuary to make me beleue what they haue sayd these alone are sufficient therfore he said to S. Francis I will consult with my Cardinals how thy request may be accomplished then will giue answeare and with those wordes dismissed him The next day he repaired againe vnto his holines in the Consistory where by the Popes coÌ„mandement he once more recounted all the successe and the day which God had prefixed vnto him The Pope theÌ„ said sith we arecertaine of the will of our lord IESVS CHRIST the true and soueraine Bishop whose place though vnworthy we hold on earth we also in his behalfe doe graunt the plenary indulgence for perpetuity to the foresaid church on the day before mentioned How the said indulgence was published in the church of S. Mary of Angels THE III. CHAPTER BVt that so great an indulgeÌ„ce might be published by Apostolical authority the Pope wrote to diuers Bishoppes of the valley of SpoletuÌ„ and particulerly to the Bishop of Assiâ—e within whose diocese the said church was and to the Bishoppes of FolliniuÌ„ of Agubio and of Nocera that they should be all present att S. Mary of Angels the first day of August to consecrate and publish the said indulgeÌ„ce that there had bin graunted by diuine reuelatioÌ„ and Apostolicall permission att the request of the holy Father S. Francis who taking the said letters and thancking the Pope he departed with his companios with great reuerence and humility to deliuer theÌ„ to the said Bishoppes praying them in the name of God and his holines that they would not faile on the said day to be preseÌ„t in his Church there to performe what was enioyned theÌ„ After that he retourned to AssisiuÌ„ where he caused to be prepared a great scaffold for that effect that the sayd Bishoppes might the more commodiously and better be vnderstood of the people The day determined being come the Bishoppes entred into the said Church where being asceÌ„ded on the scaffold they said to S. Fran. that though they were come thither to publish the indulgence as they were ready to doe yet they thought it more requisite that himselfe should first declare vnto the people wheÌ„ and in what sort it had bin grauÌ„ted him by God and the Pope which done they would confirme it The holy Father answeared theÌ„ though I be not worthy to speake in your preseÌ„ce yet as most obedient seruaÌ„t I will performe your coÌ„mand AsceÌ„ding therfore
ye heard would ye know more hereatt they were so confounded that trembling as besides themselues they departed acknowledgeing their errour and not replying one word the holy father then retourned to accomplish the rule entierlie conformable to that which God had precedentlie reuealed vnto him This was in the yeare 1223. fifteene yeares after the Order confirmed by Pope Innocentius The S. did afterward carry this rule to Roome and deliuered it to Cardinal Vgolino his Protectour who presented it to Pope Honorius together with the holy Father who reading it vnto him and the Pope considering the seuerity and rigour therof sayd that it seemed to him very difficult to be obserued The S. answeared I beseech your Holinesse to beleeue that there is not in it so much as one word of myne inuention but that our Lord IESVS CHRIST hath composed it who well knoweth what is necessary and behoufull to the saluation of soules to the profitt of Religious and to the conseruation of this Order Therefore I neither can nor ought to alter any point therof The Pope then inspired of God and for the zeale he had to Euangelicall perfection which by this rule S. Francis planted in the church said to himselfe Blessed is he that being inspired by diuine grace shall with fidelitie and deuotion obserue this rule sith what is contayned in it is Catholicke holy and perfect and so in perpetuall memory by the insuyng Apostolicall Breuy he confirmed the same The bulle of confirmation of the rule of the Frere Minors by Pope Honorius the thirde THE VIII CHAPTER HOnorius Bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God to hie beloued children Brother Francis and all other Frere Minors health and Apostolicall benediction Because the Apostolick sea hath alwayes accustomed to fauour the iust desires and vowes of them that require it We therfore condiscend to your pious petitions children beloued in our Lord IESVS CHRIST which are that we confirme the rule already approued by Innocentius the third our Predecessour as is cited in the present letters We now by the Apostolicall auctoritie which we haue doe confirme the same and doe corroborate it vnto you by vertue of this present Breuy The rule is such as followeth THE SECONDE RVLE OF THE FRIER MINORS approued and confirmed by Apostolicall Breuy of Pope Honorious the second In the name of God here followeth the rule and life of the Frere Minors THE FIRST CHAPTER THe rule and life of the Frere Minors is thus to obserue the holy gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST liuing vnder obedience without possessing any thing of proper and in chastirie Brother Francis promiseth to Pope Honorius and his successors canonically elected and to the Romane Church obedience and reuerence and the Religious are obliged to obey Brother Francis and his successours How they who desire to lead this life are to be admitted THE II. CHAPTER IF any one inspired of God will enter into this Religion and espouse this kind of life when he shall haue imparted his intention to some Religious lett him be sent to the Prouinciall Minister who and no other is permitted to receaue the Religious The Minister being informed of his desire ought dilligentlie to examine him touching the Catholick faith and the sacramentes of holy church if he be obedient and giue satisfaction herein he shall proceed further and aske him if he be not marryed or being so if his wife be entred or intend to enter into some Monasteries of Religious women by permission of their Bishop hauing first both together made vow of chastitie they must also be of age that no sinister opinion be conceaued of them The truth of all this being vnderstood and no other impediment consisting lett him be instantlie aduertised of the gospell that saith Goe sell all thou hast and giue to the poore and if for some lawfull impediment he cannot doe it his goodwill shall suffice Lett the Brethren and their Ministers be very wary not to respect his temporall affaires but lett them leaue it freelie vnto him to dispose it as he shall finde himselfe inspired of our lord and if the said Nouice demaund Counsaile cōcerning this point of his superiour he may send him to some man fearing God by whose counsaile he may distribute his substance to the poore or otherwise art his pleasure And all this done the habitt of probation may be giuen him which consisteth of two coates without capuce and a cord for a gridle and the linnen breeches with the Caperon reaching euen to the girdle vnles it sometimes seeme to the said Ministers otherwise conuenient The yeare of probation expired the Nouices shal be receaued to obedience making vow to obserue this rule euer during their life It shal be in no sort permissable vnto them after the said probation vnder whatsoeuer pretence to goe out of Religion conformably to the commandement of his holines for as the gospell saith No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is apt for the kingdome of God Lett there be giuen to them that shall haue already promised obedience a coate with the capuce an other without it those that will and are constrayned by necessitie◠may weare sockes All the Religious shal be cloathed with course cloth which they may peece with sacking other patches with the blessing of God I admonish and exhort them not to misprise nor iudge rashly of the mē whome they shall see cloathed deliciously and in diuers colours and doe liue and feed themselues with delicate meates but lett each one iudge and misprise himselfe Of the course and order to be obserued in saying diuine seruice and its fasting and how the brethren ought to trauell ouer the world THE III. CHAPTER THe clarckes shall say the diuine office according to the Order of the holy Romane church except the psalter when they may haue breuiaries The lay Brothers for their matines shall say twenty foure Pater nosters for laudes fiue for prime third sixt and ninth houre for each seauen for euensong twelue and for compline seauen and they shall pray for the dead All the Brethren shall fast from the feast of Alsainctes to the Natiuity of our lord as also the lent of forty dayes that beginneth after the Epiphany it was consecrated by our lord IESVS CHRIST with his holy fast they who shall fast it of their proper will shal be blessed of God and they that will not fast it shall not sinne nor are obliged vnto it but all ought to fast the lent before the Pasche of the resurrection of our lord This rule doth not binde to fast any other time but the friday but in case of necessity the Religious shall not be obliged to corporall fast Now I counsaile admonish and exhort my Religious in the name of our lord that when they shall goe ouer the world they vse no disputes nor cōtentious wordes nor iudgeil of any personne but that they be curteous mild humble and modest
prepare it att their pleasure which Brother Bennenuto receaued and lapped all together then went to masse where he was so rapt in deuotion that all the time of seruice he remayned insensible without either memory of the kitchen or any other thing in the world The conuentuall masse being ended he retourned to himselfe and remembred that the meat was yet to dresse which was sent them and neuertheles it was the houre of dinner he therfore went much troubled to the kitchen and comming neere he heard manie personnes playing the Cookes wherat admiring he opened the dore that was shutt wihout wherof he had the key and entring he saw no person within but onlie found the said meates readie drest as he had purposed to prepare them whervpon he gaue thanckes to God for that he would please by the handes of his Angels to supply that which he had omitted How S. Francis was prayed to tell what was his intention concerning the obseruance of Euangelicall pouerty THE XVIII CHAPTER NOtwithstanding the premises and by how much the nomber of Religious encreased so much neuertheles did the nomber of true obseruers of Euangelicall pouerty diminish each one seeking to interprett the rule in such sort as he might not be obliged to this rigorous vow of pouertie yea there were good Religious that were putt in doubt therof by the subtilities of the infringers as particulerly Brother Ricorio de la Marquese who one time was very instant with sainct Francis to be resolued therin praying him to explicate his meanning concerning the obseruance of Euangelicall pouerty as well past as present and to come that if it pleased God he suruiued him he might giue testimonie to the Religious his Brethren of his true intention and with all concerning the bookes which the Preistes might possesse though they affirmed that their bookes apperteined to the Religion and not themselues The holie Father answeared him Know brother that such was my first intention and shal be my last if all the Religious would beleeue me that none of them possesse any other thinge then one habitt with the cord and linnen breeches as the rule permitteth Therfore to them that afterward affirmed that the holie Father S. Francis caused not the same to be obserued in his time his companions answered that among many wordes which the S. vsed to his Religious and caused to be written according as frō day to day God did dictate vnto him in his prayers and reuelations for the good of the Order he diuers times said that he supported many thinges by reason of the scandall which might happē betweene his Religious himselfe in the beginning of the Order and albeit he saw that many waxed cold and relented he tollerated thē in case that it were not in an essentiall matter of Religion against the vow because he would not debate with the disobedient he excused himselfe herein towardes God alleadging vnto him that to the end his word of the augmentatition of his seruantes might not proue vaine he would in himselfe supply for them wherein they were deficient which he failed not to doe as we haue formerlie inserted To confirme his intention I will relate what he one time answeared to the Prelate of the Monastery of S. Mary of Angels that asked him leaue thenceforward to receaue something of the nouices that should enter into Religion to relieue the necessities of the Couent The S. answeared that when necessity constrayned him he should sell the ornamentes and rather disfurnish the altare of the virgin Mary then doe against the strict vow of pouerty and the obseruance of the rule because he was certaine that the glorious Virgin would be better pleased that her terrestrialll altare should be disfurnished then her celestiall Sonne should be disobeyed An other time Many ministers were ernest with him to permitt his Religious to possesse something if not in particuler att least in common wherewith they might supply their necessity their number being so encreased thut they sometimes endured intollerable inconueniences S. Francis then felt a great anguish in his soule and hauing no will to answeare thē of himselfe he fell to his prayer and demanded counsaile of God who with a cleare and loud voice answeared him Francis I take from the Frere Minors all thinges both in common and particuler because my selfe alone will haue care to prouide for that familie lett it multiplie as much as it will for as long as it relyeth on me and not on temporall substance I will nourish it Sainct Francis gaue this answeare incontinentlie to the Ministers and exhorted them with patience to perseuer in their first holie vocation considering that by such proceeding they should be eternally comforted of God Of the pouerty which sainct Francis would that his Religious should shew in their habittes THE XIX CHAPTER THe holie Father S. Francis would that his Religious should likewise be cloathed with the habitt of pouerty aswell in the basenes of the stuffe as in the number of coates that is with cloath of grosse lockes and one only habitt he detested them that were cloathed with three coates or with a double garment he said that the necesity which is not gouerned by reason but followeth the pleasure and commodities of the body is a note that the spirirt is dead interiourlie because said the S. the spiritt being waxen cold and carelesse of the heat of grace wherwith one ought to be couered and defended it is necessary that it make vse of thinges appertayning to flesh bloud for in defect of spirituall releife thre remaineth to the soule no other remedy then that He therfore gaue this marcke to discerne true necessity The soule and the desires doe shew signes of necessity when reason giueth scruple to a man of such necessities But for that one must not so soone prouide for if the Religious hauing necessity should instātlie prouide for it what meritt would remayne vnto him what exercise of patiēce could he haue yea where subiect of meritt is presēted vnto him he by the dilligence he vseth to prouide for himselfe retourneth vnto Egipt to auoide the sufference of any thing for the loue of IESVS CHRIST which he had att other times promised to endure He very sharpely reprehend them that made difference of coulers desiring to haue them lighter or sadder and to confound them with his example he patched his habitt with peeces of the grossest sackcloth and att the end of his life commaunded that they should bury him in his habitt couered with sackcloth If it chaunced some Religious could not support this burden he rather permitted him to haue his vnder coate lesse austere then the vpper in which he would that in all manner seueritie and pouerty should appeare He would sometimes with extreame greife vtter these wordes A time will come when this obseruance of pouerty will so relent that it will loose his vigour and carelesse coldnes will raigne in place therof because the
of him We are att the port lett vs seeke to arme vs well to endure this litle conflict henceforward we shal no more feare the terrible tempestes of this world nor the windes of the temptations of the deuill nor the deceiptfull singing of the alluring Mermaides of our flesh the impious thenceforward shall haue no more power ouer this our feeble body for we goe into a glorious country to see againe our first originall and to serue our Lord whose seruice is to reigne there shal we receaue recompense of our labours after more then a hundred more then the double yea a thousand times more then we deserue Lett vs now then giue prayse to our God enduring this litle for his loue lett vs restore this life to him that hath redeemed it by his owne death Vttering these good speeches thy hastened to receaue the martyrdome att the place where they were to be executed goeing before the executioner who with some other officers of Iustice seeing with what alacrity they hastened to their death began to haue compassion on them as of poore foolish personnes and therfore exhorted them to reflect on their owne case with these or the like wordes Doe yee not consider your owne misery thus reioycing being so neere the losse both of this life and the other deny that which you haue vnaduisedly and impiously or att least temerariously vttered against our law and against the person of our king and to this effect we will seeke to obtaine you fauour and to enrich you with temporal substance and our Prophett Mahomett who is very mercifull will pardon you and benefitt you in the other life The Religious herevnto answeared your richesse delicacies allurementes of this world are as false and deceiptfull as your law and your promises and therfore lett them be your portion that giue creditt to such delusions For our parts we beleeue nothing more certaiue and glorious then to endure for the truth and the name of IESVS CHRIST sith that only is the secure way to eternall life Therfore doe we so ioyfully contemne the present life with all the wealth therof considering with all that it is but a puffe in comparison of eternity And the false Prophett whome you honour being in hell can neither obtaine mercy for himselfe nor for any others There did accompany them certaine Christians who much feared that the extremity of the tormentes might enforce them to renounce their Faith The sonne of the said king of Seuill who was present with his Father when he gaue sentence against the holy Religious perceauing his fury to be somewhat appeased said vnto him Vpon what reason Father haue you so lightlie giuen order for the death of these men It were not amisse vnder correction of your better aduise that you commanded our Preistes to be called that they may conuince the impious Christians as well by naturall reasons as by aucthority of the law for mine opinon is that proceeding otherwise you putt them to death vniustly euen according to our owne lawes The king weighing what his sonne had said and a litle moderating himselfe commaunded that they should not be executed but should be imprisoned in an high and strong toure till it were more maturely concluded what should be done against them How the Martyrs preached thorough the batlements of the tour where they were prisonners and therfore were shutt vp into a deep dungeon then presented to the king and att last by aduise of the Counsaile sent to Maroccho THE VIII CHAPTER THe Martyrs by this reuocation felt in their hartes a double martyrdome fearing that God would withdraw from them his grace of suffering for him by reason of some imperfection which he saw in them neuertheles entierly yelding themselues into his handes they resolued on their part to performe their due obedience of preaching what soeuer issue it should please his diuine Maiestie to worck therof and to this effect they mounted to the toppe of the tower and out att the batlements they preached vnto the Mores that passed by with a loud voice crying vnto them Poore blinded people beleeue in the true God and Lord IESVS CHRIST and abandon the superstition and impietie of your vnfortunate Mahomett otherwise your law and all you shal be eternally damned Now is the time of penance God sendeth vs to visitt you receaue his word of sufficiencie to saue your soules forbeare to lend any more your eaâ—e to the dâ—uill and to his illusions if you wil not be eternally tormented in hell Such and like matters did these holy Martyrs preach wherof the king was incontinentlie aduertised who commaunded them to be thrust downe into a deep dungeon where they persisted in continuall prayer the space of fiue entire dayes preaching also to the other prisoners After that the king caused them to be brought before him supposing they had binreclaymed and repentant therfore disirous to gaine them by menaces terrours promises and mercie to allure them to his sect he said O yee sottish and blinded haue you not as yet acknowledged and abiured your errour Doe no longer abuse my clemencie who haue so long expected your repentnace as also my holy Prophett who though you haue blasphemed him is so gracious as he will not faile to pray to God for you Now I ordaine and att this present pronounce as a finall sentence either death by the most cruell tormentes that without any delay can be inuented or my grace with all the honours and richesse that my best fauourites enioy The glorious Martyrs verie constantly answeared him as they had att other times affirmed that they nothing respected honours and temporall richesse and much lesse those tormentes nor death it selfe and therfore would yeld themselues to be disposed att his pleasure considering that their bodies and soules were so firmely grounded in the loue of their Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that euery hower which they expected to meet him in Paradice seemed to them a thousand yeares knowing that there they should liue eternally without feare euer to be separated then they added Our God is the soueraine good and not your Mahomett for whome as also for all his adherentes are prepared eternall tormentes which they already experience as you shall one day if you be not conuerted yea without hope euer to gett out of hell where you shall call and crye but none shall answeare you There shall you repent in vaine that you followed not our Counsaile which God sendeth you there shall you be in horrour greife sorrow and eternall dispaire which God hath prepared for them whome att the terrible day of iudgemeÌ„t he shall find to haue bin contrary to the true faith of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST true God and true man there to liue in perpetuall tormentes as they who are his shall liue in perpetuall ioy Then O king thou shalt not escape his handes though thou seeme now to haue some power which is a singuler benefitt bestowed on thee by God to see and
CHAPTER THe couragious Seruantes of IESVS CHRIST being presented before the parlemental seate of the Mores with their handes manicled behinde their backes all bloudy and embrued with the blowes giuen them by the people the cheife president made them this demaund Obstinate men and temerariours ennemies of our faith whence are you whence come ye what is your designe whence proceedeth such a presumption thus to blaspheme our great Prophet The SS answeared that they were by nation Italians and came froÌ„ Portugal but said the president who permitted you to enter into this kingdome so presumptuously and boldly heere to preach a new doctrine cotrarie to the faith of the Mores Brother Otto a Preist constantly answeared that as for their preaching it came from God who is to be obeyed rather then men because said they our Lord IESVS CHRIST is the Creatour Redeemer and soueraigne master to whome whatsoeuer is in the world is subiect and none is able to resist his holie will he hath left vs this commandement that we should vniuersally preach his holy gospell therfore are we come to preach to your king and to your selues to denounce vnto you the wordes of life that being illuminated with diuine grace you may discerne in what errour you are to come afterward to the true way of saluation as we shall demonstrate vnto you if you please to giue vs audience Besides we are sent hither by our Generall Brother Francis who as well by himselfe as by his Religious trauelleth ouer all the world to preach vnto Insidels by an exceeding loue and desire of the saluation of soules that induceth him the true way of faith notwithstanding you carry vs so great an hatred The president answeared you poore blinded ignorant wretches deceaued as ye are to esteeme them for vtterly lost that follow not your doctrine but tell me a litle what is that truth which you haue found and whither it be possible that there may be an other way of saluation then what we professe Brother Otto replenished with the holy Ghost replyed IESVS CHRIST is the soueraine verity and the true and only way that can conduct to the port of saluation by meane of his holy faith which consisteth in belieuing him to be God and man God three and one Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and true man borne of the Virgin Mary Creatour of all this frame of the world true man conioyned to the diuinity and Redeemer of all the men in the world that were already lost and condemned by the sinne of Adam in which humanity he conuersed with all he instructed all and saued all those that would belieue in him both then att this present and euen till the day of the last iudgement he suffered death and passion to pay by his precious bloud our proper and particuler faultes and incontinentlie after arose againe to conduct vs all also to heauen whence he shall come hereafter to iudge on earth the liuing and dead he shall then come in his maiestie where neither humane forces nor richesse nor kingdomes nor Empires shall in any sort preuaile man being obliged to stand naked and alone accompanyed only with his worckes good or euill according to which he shall iudge him giuing to his SS eternall glory in heauen and to others that would not belieue in him eternall fire in hell The President smiling said And how know you these thinges to be so certaine as you auouch them Brother Otto answeared By the testimony of the holy scriptures dictated by the holie Ghost which haue reuealed vnto vs this verity by testimonie I say of the Patriarches and Prophâ—ttes of the old testament as also by the doctrine and testimony of our Redeemer IESVS who is the way out of which there is none att all the truth out of which is nothing but deceipt and the life out of which is only death likewise by the predication of his holy Apostles confirmed by manie great miracles which propheties for the most part are fulfilled and only remaine those that are for the end and consummation of the world in such sort as we ought also to belieue their doctrine and with greater reason and foundation then you haue for your superstition considering that you belieue only vpon the writing of your false prophett Mahomet which is not assured or confirmed by any testimony more then his simple deceiptfull and lying word and we besides the said confirmations and accomplishmentes of matters foretold by our Prophetes haue infinite miracles wrought by our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST and his holâ—e Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgins that giue vs proofe of the holy yea most holie and most assured faith for we haue seene to be cured an infinite number of diseased personnes infinite possessed creatures deliuered the necessarie vse of members restored to the maymed the blind illuminated hearing and speech restored to infinite deafe and dumme leapers cleansed and purified and finally the dead already putrified to be raised which you caÌ„not auouch of your false Mahomett therfore reiecting this vaine and abhominable beleife embrace ours approued by so many tokens and testimonies diuine and humane flye this manyfest illusion take from before your eyes this false cloud that obscureth them only by reason that you are borne in such an accursed law and nusled therin for beleeue that as soone as you shall begin to giue place in your hart to the holy Ghost you shall interiourly feele such a light and force that you will after doe more of your selues the we can by wordes expresse and by your example you shall open then gate of saluation to the simple people Take knowledge therfore with me I beseech you how your miserable prophett leadeth you together with himselfe to eternall damnation by meanes of many of his falsities and sinnes that he hath taught you which are out of the true and only way of saluation And if you desire to saue your soules you must necessarily follow the true light of life which is ready to illuminate each one and resist no longer the holy Ghost that calleth you to his kingdome Of the constancy of the fiue Martyrs in their tormentes and how they were visited in prison by our Lord. THE XIII CHAPTER BVt the President hearing this notable discourse and fearing the people might be conuerted by such pregnant reasons filled with a zeale towards his owne law proposed vnto the holy Martyrs one of these two elections either that they should yeld honour and glory to his Prophett for the blasphemies they had vttered against him and should freely preach his law or els should prepare themselues to endure such cruell tormentes as should enforce their death Wherto Brother Otho replenished with exceeding ioy for the desired aduertisement they heard of Martyrdome answeared if feare of death would terrify vs we should perhappes aduise to admitt your law as many miserable wretches that for feare to loose this traÌ„sitory life loose the eternall But our Redeemer hath strengthened and
boldnes many would withdraw themselues as not able to heare such open and manifest reprehēsions and those that remayned couered their faces Yet these reprehēsions were intermingled with a competent and iust quantitie of salt which is the admirable vertue of discretion according to opportunity of time place and personnes For albeit his discourse att the beginning seemed sharpe yet the conclusion was gracious milde and supportable to all in such sort that without any scandall he terrified sinners comforted the weake encouraged the pusillanimous and made the most obstinate to tremble Preaching one time att Bourges where was held a Synode he addressed his speech to the arch-bishoppe concerning certaine articles of faith wherof he interiourlie doubted and so dextrously accused and reprehended his incredulitie laying open vnto him his errours by many authorities of holy scripture that the arch-bishop was not onlie not scandalized therby though in deed he felt himselfe stung to the quick but euen went directlie at the end of the sermon verie penitent and contrite and freelie discouered his hart vnto him who procured him such remedie as was necessarie for his saluation so that he proued thenceforward verie faithfull vnto his God And this Sainct did not onlie assist the soules of the faithfull Christians by preaching but in diuers other manners God also fauoured and furthered the ardent zeale which his seruant had of the saluation of soules as when in the night he appeared vnto them enforming them of their sinnes and admonishing them to goe to such or such a Confessour telling them how and by whome he was sent vnto them which was a singuler remedie for manie sinners who through feare or shame durst not confesse for feare to manifest their enormous sinnes But by the example following may appeare of what efficacie the wordes of the S. were A cittizen of Padua called Leonard confessing vnto sainct Antony among other sinnes that he confessed he accused himselfe to haue giuen such a blow with his foot on his mothers belly that she fell to the ground The Sainct very sharply reprehending him for it among other speeches tould him that the foot which dared to strike the belly of the Mother whence it proceeded deserued tobe cutt off alleadging that sentence of IESVS CHRIST If thy foot scandalize thee cutt it off and cast it from thee and such other thinges as might induce him to contrition After the said demonstration hauing giuen him absolution the simple man exceedinglie greeued att his offence supposing that the Sainct had enioyned him to cutt off his foot being in his lodgeing tooke a litle hatchett and with a merueillous courage cutt off his foot which done the extremes of death assaulting him the excessiue paine he endured caused him to cry so loud that his mother heard him who with manie of her neighbours came running and seeing the torment which he endured adioyned her cryes with those of her sonne who opening the cause of the disaster vnto her she knowing no other remedie went to sainct Antony and reproached him as hauing slaine her sonne relating vnto him the miserable accident The Saint vtterlie amazed excused himselfe with the truth affirming that he had not bin the cause hauing onlie told him that it deserued to be cutt off but not willed him to cutt or cause it to be cutt off but not content with answearing her he went to see him and being moued with his pious simplicitie after he had first offered his prayers to God he tooke the foot from vnder a bench and ioyned it vnto the legge whervpon he gaue a benediction and so reioyned them that there remayned neither signe nor any pain◠So standing vp sound and Iustie on his feet they all together gaue thanckes vnto almighty God How he reprehended the tirant Ezelin THE XVI CHAPTER EZelin a tyrant of Padua hauing by fauour and support of the Emperour Federic the second gotten the dominion of many faire and great citties of Italy he exercised such crueltyes the like wherof haue not bin heard to make himselfe more feared of his subiectes and none durst to reprehend him or demaund him the reason Hauing one time without cause slaine diuers gentlemen of note sainct Antony resolued to goe and performe his office vnto him And comming before him he spake in this manner Cruell tyrant and ennemy of God when wilt thou end thy rage and forbeare to shedde the bloud of faithfull Christians which without cause thou ordinarily spillest Know and assuredly beleeue that the seuere and terrible sentence of the iustice of God doth attend and will fall vpon thee when thou least fearest it To these wordes he added many other like then obiecting vnto him the graces and fauours which he had receaued of God he opposed also the homicides violences robberies murtherous assaultes and insupportable tolles wherwith he afflicted his subiectes and how by his permission they endured the destructions of whole citties As he spake this his guard admiring this free speech expected onlie the Tyrantes commaund to massacre him thincking this his accustomed patience verie strange especially vpon such iniuries but the successe was other then they expected for the Sainct hauing ended his discourse this cruell woulfe att the same instant became a meek lambe and hauing put off his girdle he layd it on his necke and fell at his feet calling for mercie vnto God and him for his misdeedes and promising for satisfaction to his diuine Maistie that he would accept and performe such penance as he should impose vpon him The people present were also in admiration att this Metamorphises of the Tyrant as much as att the raysing of a dead Now the Saint departing vpon asseurance of this good promise Ezelin turning to his people said vnto them Doe not admire to see me for the present thus humbled for I protest I saw to proceeed out of the face of this holie Father a beame of diuine splendour which did so terrefie and quelle me that I seemed to sinck into hell But God minding to chastice his ennemies by the handes of others of his ennemies permitted that this Tyrant kept not long his holy purpose for he began to doubt of the vertue of the Sainct of whome he would make a second triall Knowing that he publikelie preached against his cruelties he sent him a present by some of his people to whome he gaue chardge that if the Sainct accepted the present they should kill him but if he reiected it they should patientlie endure what soeuer he sayd without giuing him any replie and so should retourne They hauing offered vnto the Sainct the present which was of great value with the greatest humilitie they could faine praying him to accept the small charitie which Ezelin had sent him and to pray to God for him therby experienced what he was for he answeared them God preserue me me from receauing this present which is but the bloud of the poore of IESVS CHRIST wherof he must
went where he pleased and S. Antony retourning into Riminy there conuerted the rest of the heretiques that being there had not bin present att the miracle How he conuerted a very obstinate heretike by a miracle of the blessed sacrameÌ„t THE XIX CHAPTER SAinct Antony preaching one time att Tholousse though some affirme it to be att Riminy against a very obstinate heretike of the reall Presence of IESVS C. in the B. Sacrament he many times coÌ„uinced him euen by reasons in which the heretike not knowing what to answeare told the S. that in deed he was forced to yeld in dispute but the reason was because he was more subtill a greater philosopher and better learned then himselfe which he acknowledged but could not yet confesse and acknowledge that his affirmations were to be beleeued and therfore challenged him to proue by effectes and shew him by some miracle of the B. Sacrament wherby he might know that God was present there which if he could performe he did promise and sweare to adhere to his opinion and beliefe The sainct answeared him that he should consider and bethinck himselfe what miracle he desired by the grace of God he should see it effected The heretike replyed that he would shutt vp a mule and keep her three dayes without meat then they both would be present together himselfe with ores the S. with the B. Sacrament and if the mule did leaue the otes and adore the B. Sacrament he would be content also to adore the same S. Antony accepted this condition And the third day being come they both present att a publike place the holy Father hauing celebrated masse before he communicated he shewed the sacred Host vnto the people that held burning torches in their handes there being presente the greatest personnes of the cittie who attended him to the place where the proofe was to be made The heretike was there ready with the hungry Mule which alreadie smelled the oates which her master had brought and brayed after them Sainct Antonie then commaunded her by the vertue of the liuing God who was present in the Host which there he held to adore it Her master also cast before her all the oates he had yet leauing the oates she came with her head declined very humbly to adore the B. Sacrament before which she kneeled downe to the exceeding contentment of the Catholikes there present and the confusion of many heritikes especially of the aforesaid who was conuerted together with them Of the conuersion of many heritikes by a miracle of S. Antonyes eating poysoned meat without receauing any detriment THE XX. CHAPTER THis miracle so encreased the hatred of heretikes against him that they resolued to procure his death And to this purpose one of them inuited him to his table which the sainct promised in hope by some familier discourses to conuert him Euen as for the same end our Redeemer did eat with Publicans and sinners Sainct Antony then being att table with manie heretikes he knew by diuine reuelation that the meat sett before him was poysoned as also the wine appointed for him to drinck for which he modestly checked them 〈…〉 their treachery But they in steed of being confounded and acknowledgeing their fact with a brasen face answeared him that IESVS CHRIST in his gospell promised his disciples that albeit they should drinck or eat poyson it should not hurt them And therfore sayd they had they done that onlie to proue that speech so that if he refused to eat therof he must acknowledge the Gospell to be false wherevpon the holy Father consulting with himselfe what he should doe fouÌ„d therin some difficulty for one the one side he feared it might proue a tempting of God who seemed to haue reuealed the same vnto him to the end he should forbeare it on the other side desirous not to preiudice the gospell he resolued to eat the poyson on condition they would become Catholikes if it did not hurt him wherto they accorded and the S. said vnto them Well then my masters I drinck and eat your poysonned meat and drinck not with a will to tempt God whose wordes I firmely beleeue but to manifest vnto you the truth of his word and also as zealous of his gospell to whome althinges obey then he dranck and eat therof without receauing any detriment either then or afterward Which the heretikes perceauing they were conuerted to the faith of the gospell the wordes wherof they had experienced to be puissant aboue all naturall reason and in deed it was reasonable they should expell the poyson out of their soules seeing corporall poyson by vertue of the wordes of the gospell to be annichilated How in one sermon and att one time he was heard by many strangers to preach in their seuerall languages and a woman heard him far off THE XXI CHAPTER POpe Gregory the ninth published a great Iubilie att Rome there to declare the expedition of the Christians called Croisade against the Mores who then had possession of the holy land in respect wherof there was a great concourse of people att Rome that repayred thither from all partes of Europe S. Antony one day preaching there before a huge assembly of people the nomber being exceeding great of French Grecians English Italians Almanes Sclauonians Spaniards and other strangers they all heard him preach in their owne naturall tongue as heretofore the Apostles of our Sauiour had bin which much amazed the people But besides this the Pope hauing heard this sermon called him the holy arke of the testament in regard of the merueillous copiosity of hâ—â— doctrine and eloquence wherwith he in such sort lincked together the sentences and wordes of holy scripture by new and high 〈…〉 wherby it manifestly appeared that it was not he but the holy Ghost that spake who by his holy seruant taught these people the true meane to ascend to heauen This other miracle was also of no small consequence A woman exceedingly desiring to heare S. Antony preach her husband not permitting her to goe because it was a great league from the citty she went vp into her corne-loft so to content her sight with beholding the place where her spiritt was to witt the Church where was the Sainct where her body could not be which performing very attentiuely and a long time she admired to heare the Sainct beginne his sermon wherfore calling her husband she protested that from the place where she was she miraculously heard sainct Antonyes sermon vsing the same gestures that he did and relating his wordes wherin she so persisted to confirme hir husband that himselfe would needes make triall therof and to that end mounting into the garrett he putt his head out att the windoe and heard the end of the same sermon then presentlie went to conferre with such as had bin personallie present and found that the wordes which his wife affirmed to haue heard in the beginning of the sermon were the verie same that the
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
thou bestow on him that should giue thee feet and he answeared that he would giue him an hundred duckettes if he had so much And if one would giue thee handes he answeared he would giue him al his welth moueables immoueables If one would giue thee eyes to him sayd he I would oblige my selfe in seruice al my life You must now theÌ„ brother that in this world God hath giuen thee feet handes and eyes and the whole body with all thy teÌ„porall and spirituall substance therfore thou must endeauour to please him and to acknwledge such and so many benefites for which thou oughtest to serue him all the time of thy life A discourse of Faith THE XXIII CHAPTER ALl the thinges that can be seene related or imagined are as nothing in comparison of those that cannot be seene heard or coÌ„ceaued All the wisest and most holy personnes that haue bin are and shal be who haue spoaken and shall speake of God haue sayd nothing nor can say any thing in comparison of what he is no more then the point of a needle in respect of the heauens the earth and all the creatures therein contayned yea a thousand times lesse Two Religious of the Order of S. Dominick one day visiting Brother Giles and discoursing which him of faith one of them sayd sainct Iohn the Euangelist hath recorded many merueilous thinges of God Wherto the holy Father answeared Brother S. Iohn hath sayd nothing of God The Religious replyed Father consider well if you please what you say for S. Augustin is of opinion that if S. Iohn had spoaken more highly of God no mortall man could aue vnderstood him Br. Giles then againe I tell you brother and once againe I tell you that S. Iohn hath said litle or nothing of God These Religious being much troubled and scandalized att the holy Father would needes be gon and tourning away Br. Giles stayed them and shewed them a very high mountaine whereon was the oratory of Cettone neere where vnto they then were and sayd vnto them If there were one mountaine made of a thousand together so great as that you see and att the foot therof a litle bird did eat of it tell me brethren I pray you how much would he diminish of that mountaine euery day euery month euery yeare yea in an hundred yeares they answeared him that in a thousand yeares he would consume so litle as should not be perceaued The holy Father thervpoÌ„ inferred Know you my Brethren that the eternall diuinity is so immensiue and is a mountaine of such eminent hight that S. Iohn who was as a bird hath said litle or nothing in comparison of the greatnes of God These Religious acknowledgeing how prudently Brother Giles had spoaken fell att his feet confessing their errours and so retourned exceedingly edified Br. Giles one day discoursing of spirituall matters with a lawyer that was a Iudge in some place O Iudge sayd he beleeue you that the recompenses which God promiseth his seruantes are great the Iudge answeared he did Br. Giles proceeding sayd I will proue that you doe not How much are you worth the iudge answeared about a thousaÌ„d crownes Well said the Father se now how you beleeue it only in wordes for tel me if you could giue your thousand crownes for an huÌ„dred thousand would you not esteeme it a great gaine would you not presently employ them I beleeue you would and yet you will not giue them for the kingdome of heauen What followeth then but that you doe not much esteeme nor much valew the glory of the heauenly kingdome in regard of the friuolous follies of this world And the reason is because you haue no liuely faith Yet the Iudge vnwilling to yeld replyed to Br. Giles Father beleeue you that euery one worcketh as much as he beleeueth the holy Father answeared he that beleeueth well and perfectly worcketh and perfoâ—meth worckes correspondente as did the sainctes who did all the good they could and haue accomplished by pious desires what they could not performe in effect And if one haue a perfect and liuely faiâ—h he would arriue to that estate as God would giue him a perfect knowledge and assurance euen of diuine thinges as sayth the Apostle to the Romanes I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers neither thinges present nor things to come neither might nor height nor depth nor other creature shal be able to separate vs from the charity of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And the man that assuredly hopeth this eternall soueraine recompence doth not regard any afflictioÌ„ as on the contrary no good can satisfie him that despaireth of the eternal good in so much as a sinner should neuer despaire of the mercy of God whiles he hath life coÌ„sidering that there is no tree so thorny disordered but men if they list can prune and rectifie it Much lesse can there be so great a sinner in the world as that God cannot adorne him with his graces and vertues A discours of Charity and of what the Prophet meant when he said that all his friendes did deceaue him THE XXIV CHAPTER CHarity is the principall of all the vertues happy is he that feeleth not in himselfe any disgust of the thinges which he ought alwayes to desire Brother Giles put this question to a Religious with whome he was very familier doe you beleeue that I loue you the Religious answeared he did Wel then said the holy Father beleeue it no more for a creature ought not sincerely to loue but the Creatour who is pure and infinite An other Religious said to the holy Father I beseech you Father make me vnderstaÌ„d how that must be interpreted which the Prophet saith Euery friend deceiueth Wherto he answeared I deceiue you in that I doe not search your good as I doe mine owne For the more I repute your good to be mine owne the lesse shall I deceaue you the more a man reioyceth att his neighbours good the more doth himselfe participate therin therfore if you desire to participate therof striue to reioyce therat to procure Charity is the truest most sure way of saluation sith that therby one doth not only reioyce att the good of his neighbour but is also grieued att his crosses he beleeueth and iudgeth well of others and euill of himselfe he honoureth others and mispriseth himselfe He that will not honour an other shall not be honoured and he that knoweth not himselfe shall not be knowne he that will not weary himselfe shall not repose also the greatest of all labours and the most meritorious is to labour in piety and benignity he that doeth a good worck without loue and charity is not gratefull to God nor to his sainctes but he that for the loue of God maketh himselfe poore of temporall substance shal be rich of such as are celestial A man then ought
middest of the greatest prosperity that she euer had she alwayes desired the estate of pouerty to imitate and follow that of IESVS CHRIST in this life shunning all pompe and worldly glory By this fauour and holy desire she would often being alone in her house with her friendes and seruantes cloath her selfe poorly affirming that if she fell into pouerty she would in that sort be cloathed She would be alwayes present att generall processions and litanies bare foot and attyred in linnen and with great humility would heare the sermons among the simple people When she went first to Church in the morning she would not goe attyred according to her quality but the most simply she could in example of the Virgin Mary carying her child in her armes and laying it very reuerently on the Altare there offring a lambe and a candell Retourning home after the seruice she would giue the cloathes she woare att masse to some very poore woman And the more perfectly to obserue the rule of humility she promised obedience in that concerned the good of her soule to her CoÌ„fessour M. Courard a poore Religious but of great piety and doctrine whose counsailes though generally vertuous she so strictly obserued as if IESVS CHRIST himselfe had commanded her By this obedience and vpoÌ„ a scruple of her conscieÌ„ce she would neither touch nor vse any thing bought with the mony aâ—ysing of any gaine made by the Officiers of Lantgâ—aue her husband fearing that it might be gotten of the blond of the poore subiectes And albeit the same were lawfull and permissable to that sainct in regard of the simplicity of those times yett att this present it may not be done nor permitted to any Hauing in her widowhood receaued a great iniury which exceedingly troubled and disquieted her she fell to her prayers and began with great abondance of teares to pray vnto God for those that had done her iniury beseeching him to bestow on each of them a grace wherby they might receaue some consolation of his diuine Maiesty During the feruour of this prayer she heard a voice that sayd vnto her thou hast neuer presented a prayer vnto me more gratefull then this which hath thorough pearced my bowels Wherfore I pardon thee all thy sinnes and giue thee my grace This holy Princesse knowing the mercy which God had shewed her considered with her selfe what course of life she might thenceforward vndertake to become more gratefull to his diuine Maiesty and to serue him more dilligently But being in deep consideratioÌ„ herevpoÌ„ the ineffable searcher of hartes sayd vnto her hope in God doe good worckes and shunne sinne thou shalt alwayes haue coÌ„fort Of the deuotion of this S. towardes the Frere Minors and how doubting of the loue of God towardes her he miraculously displanted a tree and replanted it where she desired THE XI CHAPTER THis blessed lady was both a singuler mother and daughter vnto the Frere Minors as one replenished with the spiritt of pouerâ—y and contempt of the world wherof they made profession theâ—fore hauing bin many dayes without the sight of any she was exceeding melancholy Her husband perceauing that she was more sad then of custome asked her the cause wherto she answeared that it was because she had not in a long time seene any seruant of God nor of them heard the word of his diuine Maiesty And therfore was she so heauy and melancholy both interiourly and exteriourly Which her busband vnderstanding he presently sent for Frere Minors to comfort her who being come she presently resumed her former serenity and mildnes of countenance and a long time discoursed of the estate of her soule with one of them who was her spirituall Father and among other thinges thus spake vnto him Father that which most afflicteth my soule is when I consider my sinnes to deserue that I be litle loued of almighty God sith I continually striue with my vâ—most ability to loue him and yet I much feare that he â—eiecteâ—h me as vnworthy his presence and his loue The Religious thervpon assured her that she was farre more beloued of God then he could be of her Wherto the Sainct replyed If it were so my God would not peâ—mitt me to be separated from him one only moment but would ordinarily visitt me with some sicknesses or afflictions which I desiâ—e and would exceedingly effect for the loue of his diuine Maiesty This good Religious by very pregnant reasons demonstrated vnto her what and how great is the loue of God towardes his creature and how much it exceedeth ours in that his loue is infinite eternall strong pure and entier and ours is slender temporall feeble impure and imperfect But this Religious discoursed to litle purpose for the vertuous lady could not beleeue him and therfore shewing him a tree on the other side of a â—iuer wherby they were she sayd Father I would rather beleeue that the tree which you yonder see could remoue hither then beleeue my selfe to be more loued of God then I loue him being as I am att this present separated from the sweetnes of his true loue The sequell was most admirable for those wordes were no sooner spoaken but the tree was displanted by the rootes and transplanted on the side of the riuer where they were This Princesse then remayning as it were in extasie experieÌ„ced in her soule how much the loue of God exceedeth ours and so she acknowledged her selfe to be vanquished by the loue of God Of the great charity of this holy Princesse and how she spent her time in worckes of mercy THE XII CHAPTER THe liuely waters of the worckes of mercy did continually flow out of this fountaine of diuine loue wherwith the poore of IESVS CHRIST were refreshed who saith that he will accept the said worckes as done vnto himselfe This Princesse was extremely sparing and frugall in what was for her owne vse and paâ—ticuler necessitieâ— but exceeding liberall towardes to poore whome she could not endure to want any thing necessary vnto them for which vertue the people called her the true mother of the poore who in regard of this her piety would often inuite her to be God mother to their children in baptisme whervnto she would voluntarily accord to haue â—ore occasion to assist theÌ„ and to procure the education of their childâ—eÌ„ She one time gaue one of her gownes to a poore woman who with this almose thought her selfe rich and conceaued therof such an excessiue ioy that att the instant she fell as dead to the ground And this compassionate Princesse hauing prayd for her she retourned to her selfe She earned mony by spinning and sowing with her maydes which she distributed to the poore She also employed her selfe in that exercise to giue example of humility vnto her women and maydnes and to shunne idlenes Heâ— husband being in Italy there happened in her territories an extreme famine for reliefe wherof this pious woman gathered together all her reuenues
albeit his life and the Countesse his wiues were stored withall kind of vertues yet in his last dayes speaking of her being vrged by the holy Ghost he vttered to those present these wordes The infidell man is sanctified by the faithfull woman whome I leaue a virgin in this mortall life as I receaued her a virgin and vnspotted This holy Confessour of IESVS CHRIST changed this life for a better the yeare of grace 1327. Father Francis of Maronis a famous preacher and Doctour was present att his death The very daye of his departure he appeared in all glory vnto his wife who was them in her Countie in Prouence to whome he vttered these wordes of the Psalmist The snare is broaken and we are deliuered and so without any other word he vanished The Contesse the same day recounted to all her company the death of her husband it being the 27. day of September He was buryed in the church of the Cordeliers att Paris clothed in the habitt of the third Order and the same yeare his body was translated into Prouence to the Couent of Apte in which his sanctity was by many miracles diuulged for which he was by the Apostolike sea canonized His feast is celebrated the 27. of September The Countesse Delphine his wife liued many yeares after him perseuering in piety being dead she was buryed by her husband hauing the the habitt of the Frere Minors as a disciple of the holy Father S. Francis and of the third Order Att the death of this Countesse and till her body was enterred a most sweet harmony was heard in the aire as they haue testified and assured who were neere her body It is piously beleeued that they were Angels singing as true friendes of virginall purity Our Lord wrought many miracles as well in the life time as att the death of this holy woman and in such quantity as there is no doubt but that our lord had canonized her in heauen The life of the blessed Yues of the 3. Order S. Francis Of the holy exercises and mortification of the flesh of S. Yues THE XXII CHAPTER YVes florished in that time in the Duchy of Bretanie within the diocese of Tâ—iguier He was a man of eminent sanctity and led a merueillous austere life for which cause almighiy God made him famous by many miracles This holy man was the sonne of a very rich vertuous man by whose good example he was from his tender infancie a patterne of commendable conuersation His Father sent him to study humanity att Paris thence to Orleans to study the Canon and Ciuill law but much more did he profitt in diuine wisdome for there manifesting his doctrine he layd open to many the true knowledge and assured way of iustice And being to retourne to his Father the Bishop of Triquet hauing heard the fame of his excellent vertues and sanctity made him his Officiall or commissary with very ample aucthority And albeit the holy man withall his power withstood the acceptance of this cha dge yet was he att lenght constrained therevnto He with such prudence and without acception of persons administred iustice that the ballance was alwayes equall which he performed with such sincerity that he would neuer receaue any â—ecompence for it in this life A litle after by diuine prouidence he became Priest in which ministery he offered his body a liuely sacrifice vnto almighty God His habit was then according to his quality common decent and modest But vnder he woare a very sharp hayr-cloth Wheâ—with he afflicted his body did weaken it by frequeÌ„t and austere fastes by coÌ„tinual watchinges When he was admitted into the confraternity of the Penitents of the third Oâ—der of S. Francis he reiected all his fine apparell though most modest and plaine which he ware according to his quality cloathing himselfe with very grosse and course gray cloth and wearing rude and homely shooes as poore Religious ordinarily vse He wâ—are vpon his hair-cloth that it might not be seene a shirt made of towe raw or vndressed He slept very litle and then only when nature was wearyed with prayer study or spirituall exercise or burdened with naturall necessity of sleep his repose was short and he alwayes tooke it cloathed His bed was the bare ground a hurdle or some gâ—osse stickes wreathed together his pillow the bible an instrument of litle sleepe and of much dilligence he being mindfull and taking comfort of these wordes of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST They that are clothed in soft garments are in kings houses Of the abstinence charity prayer and the manner of saying the diuine office of S. Yues THE XXIII CHAPTER THis holy man did neuer feed on delicate meates but such as were very grosse which he did to reserue of his reuenue wherwith to reliue many poore people On fasting dayes commanded by the Church he vsed only bread and water ordinarily did with great abstinence fast the wednesday and saterday He had customarily strangers and pilgrimes in his house he was very dilligent in the practise of the worckes of mercy he entertayned poore people and particulerly the sick and lame with exceeding pitty and compassion and conuersed with them so mildly and familiarly as if they had bin his brethren he serued them and made their beddes washed their feet and did them all other seruices that they could need Being no lesse carefull to administer vnto them the spirituall food of the word of God then the corporall he made them notable exhortations wherin he multiplyed the talent of the Euangelicall doctrine to those that were vnder his chardge He was very prompt in according dissentions and procuring of peace with all persons He had the grace to conuert sinners to pennance He was so addicted to prayer and contemplation that he would sometimes neglect to take his ordinary repast and dyett And one time he continued fiue whole dayes in prayer in his chamber without asking or being offered him any thing to eat And yet when he came forth his countenaÌ„ce was so pleasing ioyful and vermillioÌ„ as if he had bin pampered with most exquisite meates As he celebrated masse with great feruour so did he therin receaue of God notable feelinges and graces as one day did appeare for as he eleuated the most sacred sacrament there discended from heauen an admirable splendour and brightnes which enuironned the sacred host together with the chalice He red the canonicall houres with admirable attention deuotion and did alwayes rise att midnight to say his Matins He diuided the office into all the houres of the dayes in imitation of the Prophett Dauid who praysed God seauen times in the day Of the blessed death of S. Yues THE XXIV CHAPTER THis holy Religious being complete in the perfectioÌ„ of all vertues exceeding deuout vnto IESVS CHRIST very austere towardes himselfe extreme curteous and charitable towards others as he was by diuine grace of a singuler life and admirable in