of two perfect rules in the Church of IESVS CHRIST were to witt S. Dominick as a cleare Cherubim that with the resplendent light of wisdome and predications spred the winges of his doctrine ouer cloudy obscurities of the world which by this his so great splendour did giue light and discouer the errours of heretikes and conducted the hartes of the faithfull in the secure way of true peace And the blessed S. Francis as an other Seraphim ascending out of the east purged with that kindled fiery coale IESVS-CHRIST crucified and entierly enflamed with the feruour of heauenly loue he scattered this diuine fire ouer the world both the one and the other leauing to their beloued disciples the said Properties though in each of them and in certaine of their perfect and legitimate issue the splendour of science and the feruour of charity were merueilous well connexed together But by reason that all the euils of that time proceeded of the vnbridled greedines abondance of temporall substance and with all that men did employ and glutt themselues in vanities and in loathsome sensualities the holy Father S. Francis touched with the holy Ghost would cutt off euen by the very roote and farr remoue from himselfe and his Order all temporall richesse as a reformer of this fift age and as one whom the holy Ghost had deputed to beginne the sixt age and the sixt estate of the Church proposing to the eyes of all Christians the life of IESVS CHRIST crucified not written or read in paper but engrauen by the industriouâ— labour of these perfect imitatours as far foorth as humane infirmity could imitate the same It may in verity be affirmed that S. Francis was formed of God as the first man who after the first fiue dayes of his workes was with a mature counsaile made the sixt after his image and similitude so likewise IESVS-CHRIST in the sixt age of his Church formed S. Francis according to his image and in similitude of his life and crosse in as much as humaine fragility did permitt And this was done for a new augmentation of his elect He was likewise figured by the Angell of whome we haue formerly spoaken that he cryed with a loud voice vnto the foure Angels to whome was commanded to hurt the land and the sea in these wordes Doe not any hurt till we haue signed the seruantes of God in the forehead that is till we haue raced out the accursed signes and characters of the beast which are the vices and sinnes of men and haue imprinted not only in their hartes by penance but euen in their liues the signes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which is the holy Crosse the true signe of the elect which office is conueniently applied vnto S Francis as to him that carryed the title seale and figure of the life and passion of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST as well in following the steppes of his conuersation in the hight of contemplation as in excellent and miraculous workes as also in the singuler priuiledge of the communication of his most sacred stigmates Who can euer explicate or conceiue with what resemblance the holy Ghost in the life of this holy man hath represented vnto the Church the life crosse humility and perfection wherein our Lord IESVS CHRIST ought to be imitated And it was doubtles expedient for the great necessities of the Church When our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST came as S. Augustin saith the world was in extreme necessity it is therfore very reasonable that we yeld him infinite thankes he hauing releiued vs against so many disasters But who is he I pray you that had not bin ruyned and ouer whelmed by the violent torrent of the malice and sinnes of the world if the crosse of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST and his diuine aucthority had not with such burning feruour bin preached in the middes of the world for we now relying there vpon are firme in God and secure against the violence of malice and enormitie The estate of the world was so wretched and miserable that there was need of a diuine redresse by whose aucthority man might be induced to voluntary pouerty to continence charity iustice concord and true piety with all other excellent vertues which are the way to eternall saluation and the end of Christian profession It seemed then that in the fift age the world was retourned in manner to the like necessity as it was in before the comming of IESVS-CHRIST so deeply had it buried in forgetfulnes the good which he had procured it for it did againe wallow in his former ancient iniquities in such sort that the charity of God was as it were constrained to be once againe crucified before the eyes of ingratefull men who seemed to haue forgotten that incomprehensible benefitt not for the Redemption of sinnes for his passion sufficied for infinite worldes but to renew in the memory of men the way to heauen which is no other then the crosse and passion And it not being expedient to reiterate the same because IESVS CHRIST as glorious and immortall is no more capable of death his diuine wisdome found this meane liuely and effectually to represent in his seruant the standard of the crosse his passion and his woundes to renew them in the memory of men that they might follow the perfection of the Euangelicall estate which himselfe by his most holy life had taught vs. This seruant elected for so great a mystery was the glorious Father S. Francis in such necessity deputed to make a spirituall renouation in the world of the life of IESVS-CHRIST represented to the eies of the faithfull in his person and in the perfect Religious of his Order And in regard that the life of IESVS CHRIST and his perfection doth particulerly shine as the ghospell teacheth vs in the passion and the crosse that is in most profound humility in most strict pouerty without any mixture of temporall substance in feruour of charity and compassion of sinners in worckes of our saluation austere and difficult but especially in interiour perfection of charity wherwith our Lord IESVS-CHRIST our head conioyneth and vniteth vs with God and for better perfomance of this vnion he counsaileth vs the renunciation of temporall richesse and the abdication of proper libertie and sensualities The holy Father S. Francis walked this way of the Counsailes of IESVS-CHRIST ill vnderstood of the world and instituted a rule and direct path tending to perfection and to vnion with God wherein walking himselfe and teaching more by effect then by wordes he shewed to the world the true way of penance and saluation According therfore to the opinion of S. Bonauenture may be obserued three merueillous effectes wherfore God sent S. Francis into this world The first was to preach penance as an other forerunner of IESVS-CHRIST in the desert of pouerty because Christians had already forgotten it and therfore he insinuated vnto them the necessity they had therof by reason of the blindnes that their enormous sinnes had
an illusion of the deuill and that he had no lesse desire to releiue the poore then the Brother and further that it was not well done to take an others goodes and to giue it to the poore and so went on his way But his companion being yet tempted of the deuill and persisting to importune him vnder pretence of an indiscreet zeale to releiue the poore he was att length enforced to permitt him to take vp the said purse so to lett him vnderstand the illusion being therfore retourned in the companie of a yong man whome they mett in the way the holie Father made his prayer and then bid his companion to take vp the purse who being licenced began to tremble with feare already feeling the deceipt of the deuill Yet stooping to take vp the purse now rather of obedience then of any will he had being already repentant and strecthing out his hand to take hold therof he saw goe out of it a great viper and in the same instant all vanished and so the deceipt of the deuill was discouered The said Brother therfore acknowledging his vaine curiositie and confessing his fault to S. Francis he said vnto him Behold Brother mony to a Religious man is no other thing but the deuill and venimous serpentes That he desired that pouerty should shine in all his and his Brethrens actions THE XLIV CHAPTER THe true poore of IESVS CHRIST sought desired that holy pouerty should appeare in all his actions and if sometimes he perceaued any one that exteriourly in his habitt seemed poorer them himselfe he desired to exceed him and so practised herein with such desire to appeare miserable among the poore that for feare to be surmounted in pouerty he firmelie contended withall the world Meeting a poore man one daye on the way almost all naked he said with a lamenting voice vnto his companion The pouerty of this miserable man procureth vs great shame for we haue made choice of pouertie to be our great richesse I see it appeare greater in this man this shame is to vs more insupportable in that it is now said ouer al the world that Brother Francis and his companions haue chosen holy pouertie for companion Lady Mistresse and their delightes as well spirituall as corporall that they haue so promised to God men By these wordes the holy Father desired that the Brethren should make it their esteeme to be poore and should be ashamed to doe or weare any thing wherin should not appeare the incōmoditie therof so that he would not haue the beanes or pease watered ouer night for the next morning desiring to obserue the saying of IESVS CHRIST in the Gospell Be not carefull for the morrow and he would not that prouision should be made of their food but from day to day which was long time inuiolably obserued in many places of the Religion The true poore of IESVS CHRIST said that how much his Brethren should shunne pouertie so much would the world shunne them that they should seeke almose and not finde it but if they embraced holie pouertie as their deere mother the world would sustaine nourish thē and acknowledge them as sent for the saluation therof for the accord betweene it and the Freer Minors is that they shall giue it good example and that it shall allow them necessarie releife and if they giue not it good example performing that wherto they are obliged the world hath iust reason to depriue them of their ordinarie almose The Bishop of Assisium said one day to S. Francis that this his manner of life seemed to him very austere and difficult considering that he had nothing assured for his maintenance the holy Father answeared him My Lord if we had any substance it were necessary we had also weapons to defend it for of it would proceed difficulties debates matters of selfe loue and many other impedimentes against obtayning the loue of God and particulerlie of our neighbour Therfore we hold it most secure not to seeke the possession of whatsoeuer thing in the world and we hope that in respect therof our Lord will permitt vs to be loued and cherished of euerie one Of the exercise of pouerty which is to demaund almose and what S. Francis and his disciples did touching this point THE XLV CHAPTER WHen the holy Father began to haue encrease of Brethren considering that God had giuen him so holy a company and so sweet a conuersation he was exceedingly comforted and so loued and honoured his children of IESVS CHRIST that their necessary food failing he sent not them to the dores to seeke almose but went himselfe which he did as wel that they should not be troubled att any thing that might happen or fearing they might be ashamed to begge because it was then an vnusuall thinge as also that the world should not giue them occasion to repent and retourne back against their holy vocation He cōtinued this course till the holie winges of the loue of God and so holy pouerty were growne out wherwith they were able to fly abroad and trauaile ouer the world to become glorious in the labours of pouerty the better to sow the seed of the word of God among the people And although it were very laboursome vnto him so much to begge yet was it more painfull vnto him by reason of his complexion because being of a delicate nature his abstinence and austerity was an impediment vnto him of supporting this burden Therfore the nomber of his Brethren being exceedingly multiplyed he began to seet one foot this vertuous exercise of begging And albeit they were att first ashamed and that it seemed very hard and difficult vnto them yet assisted by remembrance of the holy obedience which they had vowed they found both this and euery other thing very easy and pleasant And then seeing the holie Father so to paine himselfe for them they prayed him to leaue that labour vnto them Wherto he answeared My beloued Brethren you should not esteeme it a difficultie to goe seeke almose from dore to dore for the loue of God but to account it a great fauour of his For who is he that would not more then willinglie goe to demaund almose if he saw his Prince and Lord to goe before him saying with himselfe What shall the disciple be more worthy then the master and the seruaunt then the Lord should it not be rather pride then shame would not such one deserue rather punishment then compassion Remember that our Lord IESVS CHRIST that celestiall king of whose mites or crummes to witt of the bread of grace the Angels of heauen and the inhabitantes of the earth are maintayned He I say that became poore for our benefitt and example asked almose and liued by it in this world We can neuer walke so strict a way of pouertie if we haue not first our Lord before our eyes as a begger whiles he liued in this
fruition of the glory of Paradice and because the sunne of all corporall creatures is the cheife of the irreasonable and our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST is called the Sunne of iustice he therfore intituled it the Canticle of the sunne which is that which followeth diuided into eight litle verses conformable to the eight beatitudes Most high lord all prayses glory and honours are thine to thee alone ought to be rendred and referred al graces and no man is worthy to name thee My God be thou praysed and exalted of all creatures and particulerly of our brother the Sunne thy worcke which illuminateth the day that lighteneth vs it is also thy figure by his beauty and splendour likewise of the siluer moone and glittering starres which thou hast created in heauen so bright and so beautifull My God be praysed by the fire whereby the night is lightened in his darcknes because it is resplendent pleasant subtil cleare beautifull and vigorous Lett the aire and windes cleare and cloudy seasons and all other seasons prayse my God wherby all other base creatures doe liue Lett my God be praysed by the water an element most necessary and profitable to mortall creatures humble chast and cleare Lett my God be praysed by the earth our mother which supporteth and nourisheth vs producing such diuersity of herbes flowers and fruites S. Francis added the ensuing versicle when he accorded the Bishop and the Capitaine of Assisium as in place proper shal be inserted Let my God be praysed by them that pardon each for his loue and support in pacience afflictions and infirmities with alacritie of spiritt Blessed are they that liue in peace for they shall be crowned in heauen The holy Father likewise added the verse ensuyng when God had reuealed vnto him the day of his death Let my God be praysed by corporall death which no liuing man can escape Wretched be they that dy in mortall sinne and blessed those that att the houre of their death be found in thy grace as hauing obeyd thy most sacred will for they shall not see the second death of eternall torments Lett all creatures prayse and giue thanckes to my God lett them be gratefull vnto him and serue him with due humility This Canticle was many times sung by the said S. vnto his Brethren whome he also taught to sing the same He exceedingly reioyced when he saw them sing it with grace and feruour for hearing it he merueillouslie eleuated his spirit vnto God He sent certaine of his Religious that were very spirituall vnto Brother Pacificus who liuing in the world had bin a very skilfull Musitian as we haue said that he might learne them to sing it perfectly in Musicke therby to praise God afterward when they should preach ouer the world for he would they should obserue to sing this canticle after their preaching as a prayse vnto God and that they should affirme themselues to the people to be the musitians of God and that they would no other reward for this their musicke but that they should doe pennance for their sinnes For confirmation whereof what are the seruantes of God said he but his representers to moue and awaken humane hartes to true spirituall ioy and particulerlie the Freer Minors who are giuen to the people for their saluation The holy Father affirmed that in the morning att Sunne rising a man ought to prayse God the Creatour of the Sunne by whose beames our eyes are illuminated by day and that he ought likewise to prayse God in the night for his Brother the Fire because by it our eyes are lightened by night and that we should be all blinde if God did not illuminate our eyes by these two creatures for which and for the other creatures whose vse we ordinarily haue we ought continually to prayse our glorious Creatour Of the prayer and thanckes giuing to God which S. Francis made after the confirmation of his rule THE CX CHAPTER MOst mighty most high most holy and soueraigne God holy Father and iust Lord king of heauen and earth we thanck thee for the loue of thy selfe because that by thy will and by thy only Sonne with the holy Ghost thou hast created all thinges corporall and incorporall then diddest frame vs according to thine image and placed vs in the terrestriall Paradice whence through our fault we are fallen We also thancke thee for that as thou hast created vs for thy Sonne so for the infinite loue which thou diddest beare vnto vs thou hast procured him to be borne in this world true God and true man of the wombe of the euer glorious virgin Mary and wouldest that his life should be vnto vs an example of pouerty humility and penitence and that his precious bloud his tormentes and most cruell death should be the price of the Redemption of humaine nature Finally we thanck thee for that thy Sonne is once againe to come downe on earth in glory and maiesty to chase the accursed into hell who would not repent nor acknowledge thee for Redeemer and to say to them that shall haue serued and adored him and done pennance Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world But because we miserable sinners are not worthy so much as to name thee we humblie beseech thee to accept that our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST thine only beloued Sonne with the holy Ghost the true comforter doe yeld vnto thee for each of vs the thanckes we owe thee according to thy pleasure and that he satisfy thee for all the graces thou giuest vs by his meane and shalt giue vs prouided that we faile not in our endeauour such and so great as no humane tongue shal be able to expresse We also pray the blessed Virgin S. Michael S. Gabriel S. Raphael and all the quiers of blessed Spirittes Seraphins Cherubins Thrones Dominations Principalities Pouers Vertues Archangels and Angels the blessed Elias and Noe and all the Patriarckes and Prophetes S. Iohn Baptist and all the holy Innocentes S. Peter and S. Paul withall the other Apostles and Euangelistes Disciples Martyrs Confessors Virgins and all the sainctes that haue bin are and shal be that with the good pleasure of thy diuine Maiesty they giue thee thanckes for so many fauours as it hath pleased thee to afford vs to thee that art soueraine true eternall and liuing and to thy most glorious Sonne our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to the holy Ghost the comforter world without end Amen Alâ—etuya We Frere Minors vnprofitable seruantes demaund of thee and most humbly beseech thy diuine Maiestie to graunt vnto all them that will serue thee in thy holie Catholicke Apostolique Romane church and to all Orders of the said holy Church Preistes Deacons Subdeacons Acolites Exorciâ—tes Lectors Porters and to all the Cleargie to all Religious of both sex and to al Kinges Princes Lords and seruants Artizans and labourers to all Virgines widowes and maryed women and to all
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
new sainct called Francis and lett vs see if he will diue into the sea to finde our ankors wherto all the rest accorded not in derision as he moued it but heartelie and with great faith reprehending Perfectus for his sottish speech and derision and so praying and making vowes they instantlie saw their ankors miraculously to swimme vpon the waters as if the nature of iron had bin chaunged into that of wood so that by this meane they persisted deuoute and fully comforted A poore pilgrime exceedinglie wearied and afflicted by meanes of a sharpe feuer that had a long time tormented him came by shippe from beyond the sea he had enterprised this iorney to see the body of the glorious Father Sainct Francis to whome he was exceedinglie deuoted and not being entierlie recouered of the â—aid sicknes he was one day extremelie afflicted with thirst but hauing no fresh water in the shippe where he was he began to call with a loud voice and with a strong faith for drinck to be brought him affirming that he well knew that Sainct Francis had filled his barrell with pure water and so in deed the barrell which was knowne to be empty was found full of sweet and cleare water The day following there a rose a very cruell tempest which so raised the waues that they couered all the said shippe which was so beaten with the windes that the mariners expected the breaking of the mastes tacklinge and consequentlie the immediate sincking and drowning of the vessel and themselues by the furious impetuositie of the surges But when the said pilgrime that ceassed not to pray for them all began to cry a loft Brethren arise and come to entertaine Sainct Francis who commeth to assist vs behold him he is come to saue vs. Then did they all kneele downe and with teares and sighes beseech him to voutsafe to make intercession for their deliuery The sea immediatlie became calme the windes and cruell tempeste ceassed and they all gaue thanckes to the almighty and rested obliged to the pilgrime who att the instant was also cured of his feiuer and together they perseuered deuout to the holy Father S. Francis Brother Iames of Ariete passing ouer a riuer in a boat with other of his Brethren and comming to the shoare attempting to land out of the boate as his componions had done the boat was vtterlie ouerturned so that both himselfe and the ferry-man tombled in the water the ferry-man saued himselfe by his dexterity of swiming but the Religious sunck to the bottome The other Religious extremelie afflicted att the mischance of their Brother most instanlie prayed S. Francis that he would voutsafe to assist his deuout child who on his owne part in the best sort he could in the water imployed the helpe of his holy Father who failed not in so vrgent a necessity to relieue this his beloued child for he continually accompanied him in the depth of the water till they ascended to the boat where being taken by the hand he mounted and went afterward to his Brethren who were much amazed not only to see him safe and secure but more to see his garmentes so dry notwithstanding the long time he had bin in the bottome of the riuer in so much that one drop of water could not be perceaued vpon him An other Religious called Bonauenture trauailling with two of his companions in a boat which by the forcible current of the water being splitted on the one side they by that meanes sunck to the bottome of the riuer but they from the lake of miseries inuocating the depth of mercie and in this imminent perill imploring the assistance of their holy Father S. Francis the barke att length was raised without one dropp of water and being conducted by the power of God and the vertue of the glorious S. they all arriued safe and secure to the shoare A Religious of Ascoli being cast into a riuer was deliuered of the danger by the merittes of the sainct Certaine men and women being in manifest perill of drowning in the riuer of Riete they inuocated the helpe of S. Francis and were deliuered from the dangerous shipwrack of their vessell Certaine Mariners of Ancona being in a vehement storme without hope of sauing themselues and as it were assured of their death they humbly inuocated the assistance of S. Francis yea with such faith that there incontinently appeared a great light about their shippe wherby in an instant they found the sea very calme as if the glorious S. by his admirable vertues could att his pleasure commaund the seas and the windes I should in deed esteeme it a matter impossible to vndertake in this behalfe perticulerly to relate the admirable miracles which this holy Father hath caused to appeare so potent by sea as by land where he hath assisted releiued an infinite number of miserable dispayring persons And in truth it is not to be admired that now raigning in heauen he commaund the sea considering that whiles he liued in the world he was obeyed of euery liuing creature yea in admirable manner How diuers haue bin deliuered out of prison by the merittes and intercessions of the sainct THE IX CHAPTER A Grecian seruant of a gentleman in the Romane confines was falsly accused of theft wherevpon his master caused him to be apprehended and cast into an obscure prison with order to be bound and chained but his mistresse knowing it was exceeding sorrowfull because she esteemed him sincere and faithfull therfore often prayd her husband not to condemne him of disloyaulty but to sett him att liberty but her prayers could take no hold in the obstinacie of her husband and therfore she had recourse to the helpe of the glorious Father sainct Francis beseeching him to vndertake the patronage of the truth to her prayers adding vowes This aduocat of the afflicted went att the same time to visitt the prisoner and hauing broaken the walles of the prison and caused the manacles to fall from his handes and the fetters from his feet taking him by the hand led him out saying I am he to whome thy mistresse hath so affectionately recommeÌ„ded thee And albeit this poore prisoner was in extreme feare and wandered much to find his way being much amazed and labouring to cleare his passadge by the vertue yet of his deliuer he found himselfe in the direct way where he euidently knew the fauour he had receaued whervpon taking courage he went incontinently to his mistresse to whome he recounted the miracle which encreased her feruour and loue towardes our Lord IESVS CHRIST and her deuotion towardes S. Francis In the citty of Massa a poore man was to pay a quantity of siluer to a knight but he was so poore that his goodes being insufficient to dischardge the debt he was att the sute of the knight imprisoned the wretch therfore finding himselfe fast in prison prayed the said knight to haue compassion of him
and liberality giue a right worthy example distributing the patrimony of IESVS Christ among his poore Fourthly that the imitation of the life of IESVS Christ might be better knowne and more readily embraced in pouerty crosses and contempt of all transitory thinges men hauing by experience seene how many euils and sinnes succeeded in his Church by meane of honours and temporall richesse and that euen the blinded worldlinges might be assured that the state of life which himselfe did choose in this life is most secure and most perfect Fiftly and finally to condiscend vnto the imperfection and infirmity of many that being incapable of the excellent and Apostolique pouerty wrought their saluation by this more large way whence may be conceiued that God hath alwayes ordeyned the estate of his Church according as he knew it most expedient for his elect so that wheras the Church hath bin enriched with temporalities it was by the most prudent counsaile of the holy Ghost This magnificence of richesse and temporall estate auaileth much for triall of Prelates and Ecclesiasticall personnes for by the same appeareth whither they be humble in honours temperate in abondance and amiddest their flowing substance poore in regard of their will But alas few by this triall haue proued such for contrarie wise they haue become licencious and haue conuerted that into intollerable transgression which was giuen vnto them for inducement to exercise themselues in all piety and vertue Now this fall towardes the end of this latter age and estate of temporall prosperity is merueillous punctually declared by S. Iohn in the fift chapter of his visions where he introduceth the Angell speaking to the fift Church of Sardis Thou art esteemed to liue but thou art dead Then by way of threates he saith that in regard of the great euels and litle good which she did if she did not amend she should in short time be punished and damned And in the opening of the fift seale it is said that the sainctes out of great zeale required vengeance on sinners and att the sound of the fift trompett it is said that a starre therby being vnderstood the principall of the estate of the Church seculers and ecclesiasticals fell as vpon the earth with so greedy a desire of terrestriall thinges that the pittes of the bottomles depth did open as if he would say all kinde of sinnes and vices as are pride auarice cruelty murders and other infinite enormities did by their euill example ouerflow the earth and vpon that occasion the name of God hath bin from that time blasphemed and many heresies haue thence succeded and likewise warre betweene kingdomes and peoples one against an other schismes and discorde among Prelates one against another and betwene Prelates and their subiectes and all this to the great scandall of Christians which did so much exceed the other precedent disasters in regard that it was domesticall proceeding of the cheefe spirituall and temporall personnes of the Church In the dregges of this fift age was all the Empire of Federic the second a violent persecuter of the Church and of the Prelates in so much that he brought the Sarrazins into Italy and there planted them who by their incursions committed a great murder of the Christians saccagementes ruines and burninges of Churches and monasteries to satiate their barbarous infidelity The sunne was then obscured to witt our holy Father the Pope who was depriued of the reuerence from each one due vnto him and the moone became bloudy by the persecutions imprisonmentes death of the Cardinals and Prelates that were so much afflicted by the said Emperour Federic and his adherentes And the starres fell from heauen that is many ecclesiasticall personnes betraying the Church of IESVS Christ adhered to the Emperour The deuils therefore ministers of the wrath of God made readie themselues to reuenge such and so many enormities ouer the world in all the foure partes of the earth and to this purpose they induced men to vnwonted sinnes labouring to preuent with punishment the diuine mercy doubtles if our Lord IESVS Christ had not fauoured his Church by a new byrth and reformation of spirit she could not haue auoyded an horrible chasticement God omitted not to reueale to his vicares on earth and to many faithfull Catholiques for their consolation this necessity and the remedy he intended to the same He manifested invision to Pope Innocent the third the Church of S. Iohn Lateran as ready to fall but that it was supported and susteyned by the shoulders of two poore men So when afterwardes the glorious Father S. Francis and after him S. Dominick came to demanded permission of the said Pope to institute their Orders in the Church he knew by illumination of the holy Ghost that they were the two poore men whome he had seene in his dreame or vision supporting the said Church and therfore was he the more easily induced to accord their requestes So that the Church was att that time filled with brutish people that were all sclaues to their concupiscences and as terrestiall serpents full of auarice and with other cruell and horrible monsters hauing their face and conuersation vtterly deformed corrupted with infinite vices but particulerly with hypocrisie and heresie which then raigned Albeit that God as iealous of the honour of his Espouse was exceedingly moued and offended att so many enormities yet did he not therfore in his greatest fury omitt to shew his mercie for in the middes of his Church he raysed the Orders of begging Friers flowing with men of famous sanctity that should roote out auarice banish allurements and carnall pleasures reiect honours and terrestriall dignities shame hipocrisie defend truth stirre vp the fire of charity reforme other peruerse habitudes and imitating and following the exampe of IESVS CHRIST should boldy reprehend the euill deportements and abuse of some in the Church should by the word of God awaken induce the people to pennance should with admirable vertue confound the malice and great errours of mischeuous heretikes and by their instant and seruent prayers should appease the iust wrath of God Among whome as it were being figured by Enoch and Elias S. Francis and S. Dominick particulerly were ordayned and deputed to this employment And as S. Antonine in his history recounteth the holy Father S. Dominick in spiritt saw God exceedingly moued against the world which he intended to punish But that the glorious Virgin demaunded pardon for the Church presenting vnto him two men who by the diuine prouidence were already deputed to preach pennance to sinners to moue them to amendement which were the glorious Father S. Francis and S. Dominick by whose prayers God was appeased and it happened afterward that these holy Fathers entring into the Church of S. Peter att Rome did in spirit know one an other to be Brothers and companions designed to this affaire wherefore in great charity they mutually embraced one an other These two origines and institutors
that they first yeld and say We are vnprofitable seruantes answearing alwayes with humility and being very carefull of growing into passion For men that maintaine their choller against their neighbour are obliged to render account therof att the iudgement of God and he that shall vpbraid his neighbour with contemptible wordes shal be condemned to the fire of hell Lett them therfore loue one an other as our lord teacheth vs when he saith My children this is the precept I giue you that you loue one an other as I haue loued you Now the truest manner of mutuall loue according to the Apostle is knowne by wordes by worckes and in verity Lett them not curse any personne lett them not murmure nor lett them not speake ill of any for it is written The murmurers and detracters are abhorred of God Lett them be modest shewing themselues gentle and tractable to all not iudging nor condemning any man and as our lord saith consider not the litle sinnes of others but rather with a bitternes and contrition of your soule obserue your owne and endeauour to enter by the streight gate because our lord saith the way is streight as also is the gate that giueth entry to eternall life and there are few that finde it and enter theratt That the Brethren ought to be wary not to behould nor conuerse with women THE XII CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren in whatsoeuer place they reside very respectiuely forbeare wanton lasciuious aspectes and lewd and dangerous conuersations with women When it shal be necessary lett none presume to speake alone with a woman excepting the Preistes who may speake modestly vnto them when they giue them any penance or any spirituall counsaile and lett no woman in what soeuer manner be receiued to obedience by any Brother what soeuer to whome it shal be yet permitted to counsaile her spiritually to doe penance where she will And lett vs all carefully preserue ourselues with exceeding warines and dilligence for God hath said that what man soeuer shall behold a woman to couett her he hath already sinned withher in his hart because it is not lawfull for vs to behold that which is not lawfull for vs to desire Of the punishment of the Brethren that shall fall into the sinne of the flesh THE XIII CHAPTER IF any Brother by instigation of the deuill committ the sinne of the flesh lett him vtterly loose and be depriued of the habit which by his offence and lewdnes he shall haue defiled and wher of by his finne he shall haue depriued himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled the Religion and let him goe to doe penance for his sinne Of the manner the brethren ought to obserue trauailling thorough the world THE XIIII CHAPTER VVHen the Brethren thall trauaile through the world they must not nor may not carry any kind of prouision nor wallet purse mony nor staffe and into what soeuer houses they shall enter they shall say The peace of our lord be in this house and being entertained in any place they may there repose and eat and drincke of what shal be presented vnto them And if they shall be abused in wordes or effectes by any one lett them not be moued therwith yea if one should giue them a buffet on the one cheek lett them tourne the other if any one would disapparell them lett thē not hinder it yea if one should violētly robbe them of their coat lett them not aske it againe but lett them beleeue that all this arriueth vnto them by the prouidence of God That the Religious may not haue any horses THE XV. CHAPTER I Command all my Brethren aswell Preistes as lay that when they shall trauaile thorough the world or shall reside in any place they haue no kind of beast to ride on neither for them selues nor for others nor that it be euer lawfull for them to ride on horse-backe but in case of sicknes or of manifest necessity Of them that shall goe to the Mores and Infidels THE XVI CHAPTER OVr lord saith Behold I send you as sheep in the middes of wolues Be ye therfore wise as serpentes and simple as doues And if any Brother moued with a diuine inspiration would goe among the infidell Mores he may not goe without licēce of his Minister Prouinciall who knowing that Religious sufficient and of such a spiritt that therof one may hope some fruit to redounde to others not only saluation to himselfe let him not be denyed all vnderstood with the assistāce of God For the said Minister Prouinciall shal be obliged to be accountable vnto God if graunting or refusing permissiō to the faid Brother his resolutiō shal be pious or indiscreet And the Brethren that shall goe among the infidels may in two manners conuerse with them First they may not contentiously impugne them but lett them be subiect not only to the said infidels but to euery creature for the loue of God yet confessing themselues alwayes to be Christians Secondly that when they perceiue it to be the will of God they preach his word to the end they beleeue in him one soueraigne power the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost on God in Trinity and in the humanity of the Redeemer and Sauiour of the world exhorting them to be baptised and to liue thence-foward in Christianity because he that shall not be borne againe by Baptisme and the holy Ghost cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen They shall preach to the Infidell people these thinges and many others which God shall inspire them For our lord said in the gospell I will confesse before my Father which is in heauen all those that shall confesse me before men but the day when I shall come on the earth in the Maiesty of my Father I will deny them that shal be ashamed to confesse me to be the Sonne of man Lett all the Brethren in what soeuer place they are remember that they haue already offered their soules and bodies to the soueraigne God and that they ought to expose and employe them for the loue of him in all occurrances and to present the same to the ennemies visible and inuisible because our lord hath said he that in this world shall loose his life for my sake shall finde it safe in eternall life and blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Lett them also call to minde that which our lord saith If you be persecuted of the impious and wicked they haue first persecuted me and if you be persecuted in one citty fly into an other When men shall hate you and persecute your name and you renowme and shall speake all euill of you for my sake and for my loue reioyce yee boldely for your recompēce therof is great in heauen And thus much I speake to you my Brethren to thēd you should not feare those that haue power to kill the body and with your patience you shall possesse you
iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God
retired into a poore house adioyning to the bishopprick Being about midnight in prayer a fiery chariott of admirable splendour sodēly appeared to his poore family which entring att the doore of their cottage where some prayed and others slept it there turned three times In the middes of this chariott was the glorious Father S. Francis and ouer him a circled cloud and bright as the sunne the splendour whereof gaue light to the obscurity of the night and then those that slept by meanes of the noyse did awake the bodyes of the Bretheren were so illuminated and resplendant that their consciences were discouered each to other and att lenght they mutually seeing each others hart perceiued that S. Francis though absent in body was present in spiritt and that by a supernaturall vertue he appeared vnto them on that fiery chariott to insinuate vnto them that they ought to follow him as true Israelites sith as an other Elias he was by the prouidence of God deputed to be their chariott and guide It is credible that our Lord att the prayer of S. Francis opened the eyes of these simple seruantes that they might see the maiestie of God as he did when he opened the eyes of the seruant of Elizeus to lett him see the mountaine full of armed men of fiery chariottes and of Angels that were there to protect the Prophett So that the S. incontinently retourning began to penetrate their hartes and to comfort them with this strange vision discouering vnto them diuers extraordinarie and admirable thinge of the augmentation of their order and explicating vnto them many thinges that euen exceed humane vnderstanding Which gaue the Brethren to vnderstand that the holy Ghost was really discended and with such perfection remayned alwayes in him that he was vnto them to all the faithfull the securest way they could possibly haue wherby to procure their saluation How S. Francis went to dwell at our Lady of Angels THE XXVI CHAPTER THis holy Pastour of a flocke litle in nomber yet great in merittes determined to leaue the said place as well by reason that it was not capable conueniently to lodge them as also because they were there exceedingly disquieted he therfore said to his childrē My deerly beloued I know that God will multiplie vs it therfore seemeth necessarie that we repaire to to the Bishop of Assisium or to the Canons of S. Ruffinus or to the Abbott of S. Benedict to begg of them some poore Church where we may read the canonicall houres neere vnto it some poore cottage built of loame and laughtes wherin we may be all couered and haue what shal be necessary for vs by reason that this place as you see is not capable to entertaine many Brethren besides the inconuenience which to vs is more intollerable that the strictnes therof doth not afford vs meanes to read our canonicall houres nor lesse to burie on of our company if any chaunce to dye here The Brethren approued these considerations Repairing then to the Bishop humbly to demaund his necessitie he receiued answere that he had neither church nor house for him The Canons answeared as much taking leaue therfore of thē he went vp to the mount Sabusio to a monasterie of S. Benedict and demaunding for the Abbott he presented the same petition relating vnto him the answeare and deniall of the bishop and Canons The Abbott hauing attentiuely beheld him inspired of God with a generall consent of all his Religious gaue to S. Francis and his disciples the Church of S. Mary of Portiuncula which was among all other the poorest they had but the same that S. Francis especially desired and to whome and to his the Abbott said My brethren vnderstand this We graunt all that you haue demaunded vs but in recompence we require that if God giue you grace to multiply as we hope the cheife of your religion haue his residence in this place Wherto S. Francis hauing graciously thancked them for their exhibited fauour answeared that the place which they had bestowed on them should be as they desired the principall of his Order S. Francis hauing obtayned this request tooke his leaue and retourned exceedingly satisfied as well in regard that the said church was dedicated to the most holy Virgin by whose merittes he had receiued many graces of God and hoped yet many greater as also because it was surnamed Porticella of the place where it was built which was ancientlie called in latin Portiuncula that is a litle portion the true figure of the religion which he professed to obserue which was the strictest and most painfull life that in all the holy church was obserued and that of all other was to haue the least part in this world The holy Father vpon this occasion said that God would not that the first Brethren of the Order should build an other church to the end the foresaid prophefie might be accomplished by the Frier Minors who were to persist in the perfection of Euangelicall pouerty to encrease and multiplie ouer all the world And notwith standing as I said before the said Abbott and his Religious had entierlie giuen him the said church without reseruation of any acknoledgement S. Francis neuertheles as a louer of pouertie a good and prudent Founder that would establish his religion on a strict and sharpe pouertie did yearlie send and giue to the said Abbott a litle baskett full of small fishes which he tooke in a neighbour riuer as a note not onlie of humilitie but also of acknoledgement that his brethren might vnderstand that they had nothing in proprietie sith they paye euen for the permission of the Church for which they gaue the said fishes which were in great reuerence and deuotion receiued of the said Abbott and Religious and in recompence therof was giuen them a vessell of oyle The poore of IESVS CHRIST being thus accommodated in the house of the glorious Virgin there began incontinentlie to breath forth the sweete sauour of their vertue and not only in the vally of Spoletum but euen in diuers partes of the world by reason that S. Francis went from thence to preach in diuers places not with wordes of terrestriall humane and artificiall science but by vertue of the holie Ghost and that with such merueilous efficacie that his audience admired him as celestiall because he most ordinarilie fixed his countenance on heauen seeking and endeauouring to eleuate and raise the creatures from the earth to their Creatour Of the augmentation of the Brethren of the conuersion of Brother Siluester and how S. Francis cured Br. Maricius and conuerted him to his Order THE XXVII CHAPTER THe holy seruant of God being with his disciples in his new residence in extreame austerity of life most zealous exercise of prayer and feruour both by example and doctrine of the saluatiō of soules the worthy vigne of IESVS CHRIST began to sprout forth new buddes to branch and produce
the fauour and grace of God He was verie deep in contemplation Brother Pacificus did afterward enter into the Order in this manner Being a very famous Poett he was interiourlie affected by the Emperour Frederick the second who with his owne hand crouned him with laurell and entitled him the Prince of Poetry But as the merittes of the vertues of the holie Father S. Francis did augmēt and the most pleasing sauour of his sanctitie was spread in diuers places diuers being moued and induced with so singuler a vertue went from the Court of the said Emperour where he was with a generall admiration so much praysed for a great mispriser of the world expresly to see him Among others Brother Pacificus then a famous poett and Courtier conceiued a desire to see and heare him and therfore he attempted a iourny to find him which he did when he least thought therof at the towne of S. Seuerin within the limites of Ancona where he saw the said S. miraculously crossed with two glittering swordes wherof th one reached from his head euen to the middes of his feet and the other a crosse from the left hand to the right by which vision though he had neuer seene S. Francis he notwithstanding instantly knew him and was then by God conuerted to the chaunge of his profession to abandon the world and to vnite himselfe with him as well in that he had bin touched by the wordes of S. Francis as transpearced with the sword of the holy Ghost that issued out of his mouth Hauing then misprised and renounced the vanities of the world he incontinētly adhered to the said S. with a firme purpose to follow him Which the holy Father preceiuing who by the spiritt of God vnderstood that his conuersion was perfect and entierly chaunged from the inquietudes of world to the peace and tranquility of IESVS CHRIST he gaue him the name of Brother Pacificus This man perseuering in the seruice of God merited att an other time to see the holy Father S. Francis with the great Thau which is a Greek letter made in forme of a crosse painted on his forehead with such liuely colours that they cast as it were a diuine light vpon the face of the said S. Att the very same time Brother Geniprus entred into the said religion he was a man endued with profound humility and patience as in his life appeareth Of Many others that entred the Order and of one whome S. Francis would not receiue THE XXIX CHAPTER BRother Iohn a man of deep simplicity was about that time admitted after this manner It happened that S. Francis goeing to preach in a church and finding it foule and very vncleane he swept it himselfe The report then incontinently ran through those quarters that S. Francis was arriued in that village whervpon out of a great deuotion that the people bare him many reprayed thither and among others the said Brother Iohn att that time a very simple man who being at his labour when he vnderstood of the comming of the S. least his oxen feild and plough to goe to see him and was one of the first that came vnto him whome he found sweeping the said church and therfore said vnto him Brother giue me this broome I will assist you and taking it out of his handes he ended the sweeping of the church S. Francis soone after perceiuing the affluence of people there present because he preached to each ones great contentment he retired himselfe and the said Iohn insinuating himselfe vnto him said I haue for many dayes had a desire to serue God and since I haue heard spoaken of you this my desire hath exceedingly encreased but I knew not where to find you Now sith it pleased God that I haue this day mett you I am resolued to accompany you and to follow your commandements The holy Father perceiuing his quality and good purpose and exceedinglie reioycing in God to vnderstand that by reason of his great simplicitie he should proue a good Brother he thus answeared My Brother if you desire to obserue our rule and to conyoine your selfe with vs it is precedentlie necessarie that you depriue your selfe of what soeuer you haue in the world and following that which the gospell doth counsaile vs that you distribute it vnto the poore for all those of mine that could haue done the same Which this good and simple Iohn hauing heard he retourned to the place whence he came from his labour and loosing an oxe from the plough he brought it to the S. and said I haue for so many yeares serued my father and his house therfore though this be a very sclender recompence I will neuertheles for the portion of mine inheritance content my selfe with this oxe which as mine I will giue to the poore or will dispose of him as to you shall be most pleasing But as the holie Father and he consulted together what should be done with this oxe his kinred hauing notice that his resolution was to leaue them came all where he was and did there so bitterlie lament that the S. conceiued great compassion therat and for their consolation he said Prepare some thing speedilie to eat and weep not for I will recomfort you So they went together to one of their houses where they did eat with the S. who after dinner addressing himselfe to the Father of the said Iohn said vnto him you ought not thus to disquiett your selfe for that your sonne hath a desire to serue God but rather ought you to reioyce theratt and to giue thanckes to IESVS CHRIST who is content to be serued by one of your bloud by meane of this yoursonne Iohn you this day gaine all our Religious to be your children and Brethren And he being the creature of God whome to serue is to raigne hath now made choice to serue his Creatour But that in this his seruice of God you remaine not vtterly discomforted I will that in regard of your pouerty he leaue you this oxe wheras according to the gospell he ought to giue it to other poore people His parentes did then shew themselues much comforted especially in regard of the oxe he left them for they lamented him as much in respect of their pouerty as their sonne did of charity By this meane S. Francis gayned his Brother Iohn as Elias did Elizaeus retiring him from temporall labour to the perfect labour of the vigne of God And because the S. exceedinglie affected pouerty in himselfe and in others being once cloathed he euer after tooke him with him for his companion which so augmented in him this his simplicity of hart that whatsoeuer he saw the S. to doe the same he sought to imitate For if he saw him in prayer he would seeke some place where he might easily obserue him to conforme himselfe vnto him euen in his very gestures so that if S. Francis were on his knees or standing vp right in prayer or prostrate with his
face vpon the earth or if he held his handes ioyned together on high if he sighed if he spett or coughed Brother Iohn would doe the like S. Francis once reprehending him for it he thus answeared I haue promised to God to doe what soeuer I shall see you doe and therfore I must endeauour to conforme me entierly vnto you The holy Father admired and together reioyced to finde him so constant in his simplicity by meane wherof he so much att lenght profited in all other kind of vertues that all the other Brethren held the perfection wherto he arriued in great admiration But by reason that the world was not worthie of so pure a conscience God afterwardes called him to himselfe After his death S. Francis with great ioy recounted vnto his Brethren his holy conuersation and called him not Brother Iohn but S. Iohn It happened about that time that S. Francis preaching in the prouince of Ancona there came one day after sermon a man vnto him that said he would leaue the world and dwell with him to whome S. Francis answeared If thou desire to enter into this order goe first and accoÌ„plish the saying of the gospell Sell what thou hast and giue it to the poore He then incoÌ„tinently went and distributed all his goodes amoÌ„g his kinred being herevnto moued rather by passioÌ„ of the flesh then deuotion of the spiritt and then retourned to S. FraÌ„cis to whome he said Father I haue forsakeÌ„ all that I had The holie Father demaÌ„ded of him in what manner he had disposed therof and he replyed that he had distributed it amoÌ„g his poore and needy kinred S. FraÌ„cis then knowing that this man had not any feruour of spiritt said vnto him Brother Fly sith thou hast giueÌ„ they goodes to they kinred gett thee home and aske no more to liue of almose with my poore BrethreÌ„ So this wretch retourned alone to his kinred as vnworthy to liue with so manie perfect seruaÌ„tes of God Many others inspired by the supreme bouÌ„ty and with an exceeding feruour of spirit daily entred into the Order the renowme wherof was spread ouer all Italy yea through all ChristeÌ„dome By reasoÌ„ that S. Francis sent his Religious into diuers partes of the world who represented the life of IEVS CHRIT by holy pouertie which they carryed in steed of purses by obedience wherin they were most prompt and ready and trauaile wherby they were speedie in their iorneyes and in regard that they had nothing they feared not the losse of any thing Thus liued they euery where without feare and in great tranquility of spiritt without care either by day or night as they had bin instructed by him that is the only true and singuler Master They kept not the remaynes of one dayes meat for the next being of beleefe that to endure want of these temporall and transitory benefittes was their great richesse and aboundance In what exercise and beleefe he fashioned â—â—is Bretheren THE XXX CHAPTER SAint Francis knowing that his religion was instituted of the holy Ghost in the church of God for a mirrour or looking glasse wherin sinners might behold and contemplate their deformitie and how far different and distant they are from the liknes of God he for this respect endeauoured to annoynt his Brethren with the vnction of IESVS CHRIST by whose vertue he begatt them So then being replenished with the holy Ghost his Order did not only encrease in nomber but in vertue also and edification of the faithfull and to the end that besides their deuotion they might also be exercised in charitie and loue of their neighbour sith they were piously to coÌ„uerse in the world he would often louinglie sitt downe with them and in the name of God command now one then an other to make some exhortation of that which the holy Ghost should dictate vnto him and this he practised often And one time of all other they whome he had enioyned to speake did all deliuer such excellent and admirable thinges of the bounty and goodnes of God and of his secrettes and this vnpremeditated only by the vertue of obedience that themselues grew into admiration therof He then by experience knew that which God said to his disciples It is not you that speake before Presidents and Princes but the spiritt of your Father that speaketh in you Now whiles these holy pure and simple vessels did poure out the baulme of diuine grace discoursing of very high matters of God and discouering the deepe misteries of the scripture by vertue of obedience vnto their holy Father our lord IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto them and stood in the middes of them in forme of a most beautifull yong man and gaue them his benediction with such a sweet and immensiue grace that S. Francis and his Brethren were rauished in extasie and fell all in a sound and as dead to the ground Being retourned to themselues S. Francis said My deerly beloued Brethren we are much obliged to be thankfull vnto God for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to manifest his treasure by the mouth of the simple and to appeare vnto vs to lett vs know that he was present and that when it pleaseth him he maketh the mouthes of infantes of the simple and mute to appeare right eloquent These seruantes of God thus replenished with so great a light of diuine grace S. Francis sent them to illuminate the world and att their retourne they all repayred to our ladie of Angels as their true mother and there they enioyed againe each others sight with an extreame contentment which so filled them with a spirituall exultation that they easilie forgott the labours and contradictions which in their trauiles they had endured The other Brethren that stirred not from the Couent though sometimes they were employed in manuall labours about the necessities of their house neuertheles the chiefest part of their exercise was in prayer for they very frequentlie prayed with feruour and teares They arose att midnight watching to pray to God for themselues and for all other sinners They had a very tender and mutuall loue to each other The holy Father serued them as a mother doth her only sonne charitie so burned in them all that it seemed very easy vnto them to spend their life not onlie for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST but euen for the safty of one of their Brethren Two Brothers walking one day through the feildes they mett a foole that cast stones att one of them which the other perceiuing he stept before his companion to receiue the strokes of the stones These good Brethren did such and the like thinges being induced therto out of perfect charity They reuerenced one an other as masters and he that by his office or age was amongest them the principall would appeare the most humble and abiect they exercised themselues in obedience each of them being prepared to performe not only the precept but
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
to this end we be called to witt to cure the wounded to reduce those that erre into the right way and to make vnion where there was diuision fastening them together with the sweet nayles of the feare of God He afterward explicated vnto them the state of the Freer Minors saying The Religion of the Freer Minors is a nett that taketh the great fishes for God and letteth the lesser escape and the life and religion of the Freer Minors is a little flock and fold of sheep which the Sonne of God hath desired his heauenlie Father to giue vnto him in this later time which were a people replenished with humility and with so abiect a pouerty that they were different from all other and were content to posses no other thing in this world but himselfe in regard that his Father had giuen them vnto him Herevnto he added that for this respect God had commanded him in a reuelation to call his Religious Freer Minors because they were the poore people which he had required of his Father to whome in his gospell he spake in these tearmes Feare not my litle flock for it hath pleased the Father to giue you the eternall kingdome And albeit this hath bin vnderstood in the person of all the poore of spiritt yet was it particulerly spoaken concerning the Religion of the Freer Minors who were to renew in the church the primitiue estate of the Apostles Thus did the holy Father encourage them without feare to trauaile ouer the world securely to denounce and simplie to preach pennance reposing their confidence in God who had vanquished the world who would speake for gayning of soules for them and in them by meane of the holy Ghost But lett vs especially haue care said the holy Father we that haue already abandoned the world that we loose not the celestiall kingdome for a matter of small moment I therfore further aduise you that if you find mony in any place wher soeuer you esteeme it no more then the dust you trample vnder your feet The said S. did afterward admonish them not to contemne any person that they should see to liue licentiously or cloathed sumptuously considering that God is our common Lord who is of sufficient power to call and iustifie them For which reason he would that his Religious should yeld them equall reuerence with their fellow Brethren and Lordes for they are as well and really theire brothers in regard of reasonable essence sith we are all creatures of one same and sole Creatour and Redeemer and they are also their Lordes in as much as they assist them in their course of life and releiue them in their necessities He farther affirmed that the Freer Minor ought to be such in the world that in whatsoeuer he should see or heare in the world he should glorifie the heauenly Father The Brethren one day besought the holy Father that he would be pleased to manifest vnto them what vertue would make a man the greatest freind to IESVS CHRIST and he answeared them My Brethren pouerty my Brethren pouerty my Brethren pouerty Know for certaine that it is the singuler way to perfection the stemme or stock of humility and that God would that therevpon should begin the structure and building of perfection saying If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast because therby the greatest impedimentes are cutt off to witt the affection and cogitations of temporall substance ordinarily accompanyed with pride and vaine glory of the world which breed of richesse as the moth engendreth in cloth Our Lord also declareth this eminencie of pouerty to be the seat of all other vercues when he saith He that will liue with me lett him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Because he that is perfectly poore ought not only to forsake all loue and desire of temporall thinges but also the loue of himselfe of his proper iudgement of his prudence and of his owne will that hauing no propriety in any thing he may enter into the merueillous puissances of God and present himselfe nakedlie into his sweet embracementes In the discourse which S. Francis made to his Brethren he did also commend in a Religious the vertue and grace of prayer affirming that without the same none could perseuer or profitt in the seruice of God he therfore exercised and induced his Brethren to prayer by all meanes he could deuise persuading them to pray alwayes trauailling or resting in one place a broad or within in comfort and affliction and that they should doe al things with their spiritt erected vnto God who is alwayes present in all places and within vs â—and will that we continuallie conuerse with him for feare that by our negligence and tepidity we depriue our selues of the veritie of his holy spiritt not receiuing it with due reuerence Of the austere life of S. Francis THE XXXII CHAPTER THe blessed Father knowing that he was giuen of God for an example and light vnto the Gentiles and worldly Christians that many by his meane carrying the crosse of our Redeemer should be saued as a captaine of the warre of IESVS CHRIST he endeauoured to gett the crowne of victory by worckes of perseuerance in perfection and reflecting on these words of the Apostle They that appertaine to IESVS CHRIST haue crucified their flesh with their vices also to carry the armour of God in their bodies he crucified his flesh with the rigour of discipline and so bridled his appetites that touching his refection he scarcely tooke what was necessarie to suffice nature And as one that had well experienced the matter he affirmed it to be a thing verie difficult to satisfie the necessitie of the body without obeying the disordinate inclinations of sensuall delight In the beginning of the Order albeit he had not sufficient almose of bread to releiue his Brethren yet for the most part he demaunded no more because himselfe and his Brethren were so attentiue and addicted to the spiritt and to prayer that out of forgetfulnes they omitted to demaund almose and therfore refected themselues with hearbes and rootes which they did eate with exceeding good appetit and great contentment The holy Father in his health did very seldome or almost neuer eate any meat dressed by fier His ordinarie repast was bread and water and if att any time he did eat of such it was of boyled hearbes which he so mingled with ashes or cold water that loosing their sauour they were worse then raw and drincking water he toke only so much as he thought would suffice him not to quench the heat of his thirst but to satisfie the necessitie of his body His ordinarie table was the ground neither had his Brethren other during his life He euerie day inuented and found some extraordinary manner of abstinence so atttentiue and regardfull was he to chastice the flesh and to render it obedient to reason that
thee to make thee know thy selfe and sith chasticementes and stripes doe please thee more then fasting and austeritie of life thou shalt surely haue it consider here the habitt of religion which signisieth sanctitie it was not permitted to sence to steale it away And if thou desire to be gon get thee now thus whipt whither thou wilt Goeing then foorth of his cell he threw himselfe on the snow and incontinentlie made seauen boules of the snow which he sett before him and said behold my bodie the greatest of these boules is thy wife and these four are two daughters and two sonnes which she hath conceiued by thee and the other two are a man and maid seruant that are to serue thee take them now and gett them cloathing for they faint with cold And if this new solicitude be troublesome to thee content thy selfe to serue one sole master who is much more easy to please then this flesh Thus was the deuill confounded the temptation crosled and the holy Father was in such sort victorious that the deuill durst no more to visitt him with the like tentations By this so generous act of resistance against the flesh he left to his disciples a documente and example to resist sensuall temptations not only by prayer but also by corporall labours with rigour and asperitie accompained with abondance of teares and not deliciouslie as the worldlie and carnall would gladlie doe and without any labour that might be any way troublesome nor much lesse with cold purposes rather then actes of the will wherin certaine spirituall personnes that are tender and delicate place their force and knowledg Wherefore it is not to be admired if they be alwayes feeble and imperfect because they shall euer proue such whiles they omitt the corporall exercise of the vertues and of the steppes of their spirituall Father and master To the end therfore that this example might profitt vs God would that whiles the Seraphicall S. was employed heerin a Brother that was in prayer saw and heard all that passed by reason that the moone did shine which being perceaued by the holie Father he recounted vnto him the cause which was the temptation but with commandement not to discouer it to any person of the world during his life Of the guard and vigilancie he taught to be had of our sences THE XXXIIII CHAPTER SAint Francis did not only teach how one ought to mortifie the vices of the flesh and to bridle our seÌ„suall appetites but also with what caâ—e one ought to gard the exteriour sences by meanes wherof death entreth the into the soule to the end that the Brethren might keep more securely the inestimable treasure of chastity though in so britle a vessell of earth he did verie dilligently admonish them and did prohibite them the amitie and conuersation of women which hath bin oftentimes the ruine of many He assuredly affirmed that through the like occasioÌ„s the weake man doth fall and the strong is weakened It is as difficult for a man that is no more then perfect to preserue himselfe from these thinges as to walke and goe bare-foot on burning coales without burning For this cause he kept his sences so retired and sequestred and particulerlie his eyes from beholding the vanities of the world that according to what he one day said he scarce knew any woman by sight because he affirmed that it was not verie secure to imprint in his memory the image of a figure that might make greater the least sparckle of sensuality mortified by the ashes of penance or to admitt and yeld vnto it any thing that might afterward staine the purity and splendour of the chast soule and therfore it is not to be admired if he attained to such perfection of chastitie considering that he made such cruell warre against his sences that it seemed he had obtayned a perfect and soueraine dominion ouer his flesh and in imitation of an other Iob had made a compact with his eyes that he would not only haue in horrour the sight of thinges perillous but euen of such as were vaine and curious He admonished his Brethren that it was not expedient for them to giue care to the speeches of women whereby the soule of the vertuous becommeth effeminate and feeble excepting in confession and when it shal be necessary to giue them some breife instruction for the good of their soules What occasion may a Brother haue said he that may force him to frequent women vnlesse when he is required to heare their confession or to discourse with them touching penance or to giue them some counsaile for the benefitt of their soule A man that presumeth of ouer much securitie hath lesse regard of his ennemy who hauing power to surprise him doth not spare him Thus did the holie Father loue and desire in his Brethren aboue all thinges next vnto the foundation of holy pouertie and humilitie modestie and mortification of the eyes to giue them therfore a more apparant instruction how to gouerne them he once vsed vnto them this parabole There was a potent and iust king that sent two pages one after an other to deliuer a message vnto the Queene his wife the first retourning to the king his master made his answeare simplie because out of modestie he had forborne to behold the countenance of the queene his mistris the second page making his answeare to the king commended the beautie of the Queene saying Verilie sir the Queene is the most beautifull and pleasing woman that is vnder heauen and in truth you ought to repute your selfe happy in hauing such a woman to your espouse The king hearing this said How hast thou dared thou lewd fellowe so vnchastly to behold my wife thou hast coueted the pourchase of what thou so attentiuelie hast beheld Therevpon he presentlie recalled the other page of whom he demaunded what his opinion was of his wife he answeared Syr I esteeme exceeding well of her for she gaue a very willing eare to what I deliured in your behalfe The king replyed to this discreet answeare and said hast thou obserued her grace dost thou thinck there can be any thing more desired or added to the beautie of her countenance The page answeared Syr it appertaineth vnto you to iudge of that My duetie was to deliuer her my message and to bring you the answeare Which the king vnderstanding thus ordayned and said it is most probable that thou who hast bin so chast of they eyes wilt proue more chast of body thou therfore shalt be of my chamber and especially fauoured But as for this presumptuous brazen-face I will that he be dismissed for feare of committing further mischeife S. Francis hereof inferred that the Brethren beholding a woman ought to esteeme and be persuaded that it is this same Queene the espouse of IEVS CHRIST and themselues to be the first page And in this manner he very clearly demonstrated vnto them by his life and doctrine the
owne will alleaging vnto them the example of God himselfe who had no sooner made man but by precept he obliged him to obedience forbidding him to eate of the aple of the knowledge of good and euill wherof not eating he did not sinne but as soone as he had transgressed his obedience he condemned himselfe and consequentlie vs by the same fact The Brother that appropriatelie to priateth to himselfe any thing of this tree of knowledge guided by selfe-will which by the vow of obedience he hath already forsaken and becommeth proud in regard of his substance already giuen to God liuing without the yoke of obedience vnto his Superiour such a one I say doth apparantly discouer that he yeldeth to the false perswasions of the deuill sith he is become a violatour and transgressour of his vow to eate of the aple of selfe will and by this meane he resteth condemned and expelled out of the paradice of Religion For God saith in the ghospell He that would saue his soule shall loose it Now that man would saue his soule in this world who desireth to follow his owne fancie vnderstanding by the soule the will which the said Brother ought in such sort toforsake as that though he could performe such actes as might be better and more behoufull to his soule then those which his Superiour commandeth him yet ought he to sacrifice his will to God and doe only that which his Superiour prescribeth therfore my beloued Brethren as soone as you shall heare the first word of obedience accomplish it without attending an other replie neither make you any excuse though the commandement seeme impossible or that you be not obliged vnto it for what soeuer is commanded you allthough it exceed your power yet obedience is of it selfe so puissant that it will giue you supplie offorce to effect the same S. Francis being demanded by his Brethren what was true obedience he answeared that one could hardlie finde a man in the world so perfect that he could entierlie obey his Superiour and to confirme the same he alleadged an example of a dead man Take said he a dead man without soule and sett him where you will he doth not in any sort contradict you he resisteth not if you chaunge his place he doth not murmure if you sett him downe he complayneth not if you leaue him there he doth there remaine if you sett him on a bench he no more looketh vp then downe if you cloath him with purple he will not become the more proud such is the true obedient that iudgeth not to haue chaunged place and if any chardge be giuen him the dignity maketh him not to forgett humilitie but the more he is honoured the more doth he esteeme himselfe vnworthy therof Therfore though this holy Father as a good Euangelicall marchaunt had by diuers meanes purchased diuine richesse and employed the time present in meriting yet would he not be superiour but a subiect he would not command but obey that he might not only leaue vnto his Brethren the quality of a good Superiour but of a good and obedient subiect also that may liue a life of continuall martyrdome when the Prelates are meere libertines Therfore when his Order began to multiply he refused to be Generall therof and did incontinently submit himselfe to a Gardian whome he obeyed in all things as in place proper we shall recount He affirmed the fruit of Obedience to be so great that they who submitt thēselues therto doe not passe any moment without much merit And therfore when he trauailed he accustomed to promise obediēce vnto his companion which he performed and herevpon sometimes would say Of all the graces that the diuine goodnes hath imparted vnto me this is one of the principall that I would as willingly obey a Nouice of one houres antiquitie if he were appointed vnto me for Gardian as to an old man of sufficient iudgment and prudence and I would as well content me with what soeuer he should enioyne me as if I were the meanest of all other For the Brother being subiect as he is ought not to consider his Superiour as man but as him for whose loue he is subiect vnto him besides the lesse worthy of honour the Superiour is the more pleasing is the humilitie of the obeyer vnto God Yet did he not forbeare as Prelate to aduertise the Superiours of his Order that they should rarelie charge vpon obedience because one shouid not incontinently proceed with such thundering rigour which ought alwayes to be the last when no other meane can auayle for one ought not vpon light acccasion to lay the hand one the sword Then addressing himselfe to his Brethren he would say He that will not obey with diligence may be nombred among them that feare not God nor respect men Now the one and the other of these opinions are true and worthy to be marked because in a rash man auctority to command is no other thing then a sword in the hand of one that is furious there is no thinge more desperate and incurable then a Brother without obedience in respect wherof the holy Father detested pride as the originall of all kind of euils and disobedience as the eldest daughter therof Not with standing he did not reiect the humble penance of the disobient Brother when he performed the same as by the ensuying chapter shall appeare Ofcertaine actes of disobedience which the S. chasticed THE XL. CHAPTER THere was presented vnto S. Frācis a Brother that had disobeyed his Superiour to be corrected according to his desartt but the benigne holy Father perceiuing by euident signes that the said Brother was already penitent with great humilitie acknoledged his faulte he pardonned him yet to the end his facilitie of pardonning should not occasion others to offend he caused his capuce to be taken off and cast into the fire that it might appeare to all with what rigour disobedience ought to be chasticed where hauing remayned a certaine time entier he caused it to be restored to the brother that very humblie demaunded it and the said capuce was seene not without a generall admiration without any apparence of burning It pleased almightie God in one act to shew two thinges pleasing to his diuine Maiestie the vertue of the holie Father and the meritt of true penitence It happened an other time that the S. Hauing commanded a brother to haue care of a leaper and to serue him with dilligence and affection the brother would not attempt the matter And being afterward demaunded by the holy Father if he had employed himselfe therin and he vnderstanding the contrary I thought said he vnto him I had vnder my gouernment men dead to the world but they are yet liuing Goe therfore you others said he to the Brethren there present take this disobedient and bury him aliue The Brethren attempted the performance of their duety some of them digged the graue
pouerty wherby he became a new man in the world terrible to the deuil and an example to all mortall people by the loue and possession wherof he merited by diuine and speciall priuiledge to haue principallitie in the holie Church The said S. had this particuler affection to holie pouertie by consideration how much it was esteemed of the Sonne of God whiles he conuersed here below and how it was then banished and expelled out of all the world He therfore desiring with himselfe to make his residence where holy pouerty was retired renounced the world and what soeuer he had proper he gaue to the poore and hauing for the loue of God forsaken his Father his mother his kinred and freindes he remayned a perfect pilgrime on earth to meritt to lodge in himselfe holy pouertie so generallie abhorred There was neuer auaricious of the world so greedy of monie and so carefull to keepe his treasure as Saint Francis was to keepe his pouertie which he alwayes had in his eyes and in his mouth as a precious stone and Euangelicall pearle he dwelt with pouertie he eat with it he cloathed himselfe with it he dreamed of it breefly he had it alwayes imprinted in his hart vsing onlie for this life a short coat streight and all peiced a cord and linnen breeches contenting himselfe neuertheles in this his rich pouertie he therin perseuered euen to the end desiring in the same to exceed euery one as he had learned of it to esteeme himselfe the least of all He often represented vnto himselfe the pouertie of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and of his most sacred mother and practicallie taught it vnto his disciples with great abondance of teares assuring them that pouertie was the Queene of vertues in regard that it appeared of such excellent beautie in the king of heauen and in the Queene his mother Pouertie said he is a principall way vnto saluation as being mother and nourse of humilitye and the root of all perfection whose fruit is of exceeding profitt and furtherance to euery one albeit this verity be very secrett and vnknowne to the men of the world it is without doubt the hidden treasure in the Euangelicall feild the which to buy a man ought to sell all that he hath and he that cannot giue his goodes to the poore ought att least to haue a will to contemne richesse and to vse violence vnto his proper will and presumption for he doth not perfectly renounce the world that keepeth his purse full of his proper iudgement and wil. Thus discoursing of holy pouerty he often reiterated the wordes of God The foxes haue holes and the foules of the aire nestes but the Sonne of man hath not where to repose his head Then he exhorted his disciples that as poore people they should build but poore cottages for their residence where they should remaine not as in theire owne houses but as pilgrimes and straungers that aime att other places The law of Pilgrimes said he and their reasonnable desire is to retire into the houses of others during their voyage conceating neuer to see the hower to arriue in their country by reason of the great desire they haue to be there and to passe peaceably without medling in matters appertaynning to others He called pouerty the foundation of his Order whervpon all his edifice was grounded Therfore he affirmed vnto thē that he knew by reuelation that the true entry of his Religion was this word of IESVS CHRIST If thou wilt be perfect goe sell the thinges that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come follow me In respect wherof he admitted noneinto his Order if within the tearme of the yeare of probation they did not forsake what soeuer they possessed in the world This he caused to be very exactly obserued aswell in regard of the said wordes of IESVS CHRIST as also that none should search in the treasuries of Religion for any thing that he had putt there And if any one demaunded the habitt of Religion not hauing made the said renunciation he would say vnto him Get thee hence for thou art not yet gone forth of thy house thou hast not forsaken that which appertayneth vnto thee nor abandonned the feeble foundation grounded on the sand of affection vnto worldly goodes and yet demaundest of me the habitt first accomplish what thou oughtest and then demaund it By the said foundation he vnderstood holy pouerty whome he sometime accustomed to call mother att other times espouse and sometime Mistresse Goeing one day with some of his Brethren towardes Sienna being verie neere the citty he mett three women so like in gesture beauty and habitte that the one could not be discerned from the other and all three with one voice saluted him saying Holy Pouerty is welcome which the S. hearing exceedingly reioyced as one that affected nothing more then to be called pouerty of each one as he was then of the said women who incontinently disappeared which being seene and considered by the other Brethren his companions filled with admiration att such and so vnwonted accident they esteemed the same not to want some great mistery and it doubtles was easy to coniecture that the said three women or perhaps Angels did signifie the beautie and Euangelicall perfection of the three principall vowes Pouertie Obedience and Chastitie which IESVS CHRIST counsailed to the Brethren all which did appeare to be equall in the S. in all eminence and perfection That he did extremely abhorre mony THE XLIII CHAPTER THough he were directly opposite to what soeuer repugned pouertie he most especially hated mony and by examples and wordes did often reiterat vnto his brethren that they should shunne it as the deuill It chaunced that a seculer man hauing done his deuotions in the Church of our lady of Angels where the brethren dwelt left a peice of mony in signe of almose neere a litle Crosse which a Brother tooke and hid in a hoale of the said Church to giue to the poore But in the meane while S. Francis had intelligence therof and the said Brother cōsidered the matter and went and fell at the feete of the S. of whome he demaunded pardon and offered himselfe to pennance The holy Father hauing well checked him for presuming to touch mony commaunded him to take the peice of mony where it was in his mouth and to cast it into the house of office which the Brother hauing ioyfully and instantly performed his companions did all admire and thence forward more contemned mony The S. passing an other time by Bary in Apulia saw a great purse in the middes of the way which seemed to be full of mony the Brother that accompanied him did exceedinglie importune him to take vp the purse being therto induced by a pious zeale to distribute the mony which he beleeued to be therin vnto the poore But the holie Father refusing affirmed that it was
and what befell him in the way THE LI. CHAPTER SAinct Francis in an other of the foresaid Chapters wherin the Freer Minors were distributed ouer Christendome addressed himselfe to all the Religious and said My beloued Brethren I acknowledge my selfe obliged to giue edification to all the Brethren therefore my children being sent into diuers Prouinces to endure hungar thirst labour and other necessities it seemeth reasonable that my selfe doe likewise trauaile into some farre country to the end that others the more voluntarily support their afflictions when they shall see me vndertake the like and therfore his manner being neuer to send forth any Religious but first to pray vnto God that he would afford some fruit to be reaped therby hauing with all his Brethren made prayer for himselfe he arose and said In the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST of his most sacred mother and of all the SS of God I make choise of the prouince of France wherin there are many Catholike people and subiect to the holy Romane Church and because they be exceeding deuout vnto the most blessed Sacrament I beleeue I shall receaue much consolation in conuersing with them hauing said thus much and chosen two companions he tooke his leaue of his Religious and enterprised his iorney Being arriued att the citty of Arezzo and not permitted to enter there because it was night he lodged att an hospitall in the suburbes where he vnderstood that the miserable cittizens of that place being diuided into two factions did cruelly murder one an other And the more to confirme the matter as he was att his prayers about midnight he heard such a noise of men and armour that they seemed to be to armies ready to assault each other wherby he perceaued manifestlie the worck of the deuill that mayntayned them in warre Wherefore moued with compassion he spent the rest of that night in prayer with much feruour and abondance of teares then he called Brether Siluester a Preist and man of worthy faith and puritie to whome he said Goe you to the gate of this miserable citty and cry with a loud voice the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be praysed and blessed Ye deuils that keepe these people in warre and sedition I command you on the part of almighty God and in the vertue of holy obedience to depart all out of this citty which Brother Siluester hauinge done the deuils incontinentlie fled and so without any other prediction or any other meane the said citizens were reunited and appeased S. Francis being desirous to prosecute his iorney would not then stay in that citty but preaching vnto them afterward att his retourne he sharply reprehended them for their hatredes that had so furiously and inhumanelie enraged them against each other and gaue them to vnderstand the great grace which God had giuen thē by meane of the said wordes which were vttered by Brother Siluester that was a holy man not to speake of himselfe deliuering them from the deuils that maintayned them in so cruell a warre By these considerations the S. exceedingly confirmed them in the peace already concluded and besides induced them to doe penance for their sinnes How the S. by commandement of the Cardinall Protectour of his Order was intercepted of his iorney THE LXII CHAPTER BEing att Florence he there foūd the protectour of his order who was legat of his holines in that place The holy Father goeing to visitt him recoūted vnto him the cause of his iorney that he was trauelling into France there to plant his Order to gaine soules wherin he mēt to employ some time which the Cardinall vnderstāding was exceedingly disquieted endeuoured to persuade him by pregnāt reasons to change his resolution considering that he might doe greater seruice◠to God in Italie and should benifitt more to support and mayntaine his Religion where it was already knowen then otherwhere The S. answeared that the cause that most moued him to goe thither was that he thought it not reasonnable that hauing sent his Religious into diuers forraine Contryes to endure many inconueniences he should rest in repose whiles they suffered and endured The Cardinal replyed Wherfore haue you sent your Religious so farre to vndergoe so many afflictions The holy Father answeared him Thincke you my Lord that God hath instituted this Religion for the good only of the Italian soules You must know that he hath chosen the Freer Minors to goe ouer all the world yea not onlie for the behoufe of faithfull Christians but euen of Infidelles And they shall goe and shall there be receaued and shall fructifie gayning many soules to God who will prouide them all their necessities when men shall faill them The Cardinal admiring the good and pious resolution of the S. confessed to beleeue that it would arriue as he had designed neuertheles would he neuer permit him to goe into France Wherfore S. Francis not minding any further to contradict him desisted his iorney to content him and sent thither in his place Brother Pacificus and his other companiōs and himselfe hauing seiourned some time with the said Protectour retourned to our Lady of Angels Of the great generall chapter called the chapiter of Mattes THE LXIII CHAPTER AS well in regard that the Freer Minors did not yet throughlie appeare ouer all forreine Prouinces as for other necessary respectes the yeares 1219. they all assembled by a great generall chapter att our Lady of Angels where there mett according to S. Bonauenture about fiue thousand which would seeme somewhat difficult to beleeue if such a S. did not testifie it that this holy Order was so multiplied in so short a space Whiles this chapiter was held Pope Honorius was withall his Court att Perusia and the aforesaid Protectour of this order went to Assisium whence he visited them euery day He celebrated masse and preached vnto them conceauing exceeding ioy to see fifty or an hundred of his soldiers of IESVS CHRIST walking in open feild vnited together some employed in pious discources of God others in diuine offices others in some other worckes of charitie and others separated in contemplation and all this was performed with such and so exact a silence that there was not heard any noyse att all So the said Cardinall as also all the Lordes of the Popes Court filled with extreme deuotion did both admire and exceedingly reioyce interiourly yea as much as was possible seeing those wordes of Iacob to be verified in so gteat a multitude of the seruantes of God These are the Campes of God and his dwelling is here considering that their lodgeings were in the wilde feildes made of rushes and mattes by them of Assisium and contriued as a dormitory therfore was this chapter called the chapter of Mattes or rushes Their beddes were either the bare ground or a litle chaffe the bolster a stone or blocke of wood each one was so edified with this company that many Cardinals Bishops great Lordes and
this that followeth in my selfe I purpose to goe to the chapiter where shal be assembled all the Religious who will receaue me with great reuerence as their superiour afterward lett them pray me to comfort them explicating vnto them the word of God which for their satisfaction performing lett them all arise and say Hold they peace we well haue thee no longer for Superiour for thou art an idiot block-head and ignorant and with all knowest not what thou sayest wherfore it is ouer great shame to haue such a superiour then be it that you detrude me out of the chapter with vtter dishonour as deseruing the same I would not I say esteeme me a good Freer Minor if I did not support all that with the same promptitude and ioy as if I heard my selfe praysed for if I reioyce att honours what profitt reape I therby I putt my soule in perill of vaine glory without hope of any benefitt but if I be contemned my soule is therby secured and profiteth in spiritt In regard of his exceedingly zeale vnto this humility when it happened that any praysed him either for his preaching or vpon any other occasion he commanded his companion to contrary it and to giue him wordes of disprayse which doeing though vnwillingly the holy Father would answeare God blesse you because you speake the truth and that which the sonne of Peter Bernardone doth deserue Being one day att out lady of Angels Brother Macie had a desire to trie the humility of S. Francis though he were his perticuler freind only because he knew it would be gratefull vnto him Being then in his presence he twice iterated these wordes Wherfore to you wherfore to you as if he would inferre Francis wherefore doe people so much honour you The holie Father smilinglie answeared What meane you by that brother Macie All the world replyed brother Macie runneth after you euery one desireth to see you to heare and obey you and for any thing that I know you are neither personable learned eloquent nor noble whence is it then the world doth follow you The S. then vested with his accustomed humilitie hauing lifted his eyes to heauen and a litle prayed and thanked God thus answeared his deere freind Will you know Brother Macie whence it proceedeth that as you say such resort of people doe follow me and willinglie heare me This proceedeth of the eyes of the great omnipotent God which in all places beholding both the good and bad hath pleased to choose me as the most simple and vilest sinner in the world for God doth choose the most feeble and infirme thinges with them to confound the noble potent strong and worldlie wise that the glorie may be his alone and that the creature being in presence of his Creatour may haue nothing wherof to glory An answeare doubtles more then humane and descending from heauen where the spiritt of this holy Father learned of that high and potent God who hath euer his eyes fixed on the humble of spiritt as likewise the most sacred virgin learned when she answeared to the prayses of S. Elizabeth by these wordes My soule doth prayse God because he hath beheld the humilitie of his hand maid How S. Francis reputed him selfe the greatest sinner of the world THE LXXXI CHAPTER THat the more he humbled himselfe on earth the more he was exalted in heauen was manifested vnto Brother Ruffinus in a reuelation whiles he was praying for being rapt in spiritt he saw an high and eminent place in heauen wherin was the Order of Seraphins and among them a seat void farre more resplendant then any other and all couered with precious stones Wherevpon with exceeding admiration he demaunded for whome that seat was prepared and he heard a voice that said this seat was one of the principall Seraphins that fell into hell and now it is reserued for the right humble Francis After this vision Brother Ruffinus had an extreme desire to know wherin principally consisted that so great humility which was so meritorious in the blessed Father saint Francis hauing therfore some discourse one day with him he said My beloued Father I hartely beseeche you to tell me certainely what is your owne esteeme and what opinion you haue of your selfe Sainct Francis answeared Verily I hold my selfe for the greatest sinner of the world and toe serue God lesse then any other Brother Ruffinus replyed vnto him that he did not thinck he could speake the same sincerily and with a cleare conscience it being so that others as was apparent did committ many greiuous sinnes wherof by the grace of God he was innocent To this S. Francis answeared If God had with so great mercy fauoured those others of whome you speake I am assured that how soeuer wicked and detestable they may be now they would farre more gratefully acknowledge the giftes of God then I doe and would serue him much better And if my God should now forsake me I should perpetrate more enormities then any other In regard therfore of this ineffable grace done vnto me I accuse and acknowledge my selfe to be the greatest sinner that is Brother Ruffinus by this answeare was thoroughly confirmed in the vision which God had shewed vnto him hauing found good demonstration of the meritt of the holy Fathers humility But because humility ought alwayes to haue verytie for foundatiō it seemeth one may make a sufficient reply to this his answeare and not without reason For some one might thus argument Most holy Father tell me if you please by the excessiue loue which in this world you haue borne to the hūble Jesus Christ and att this presēt more thē euer doe beare him where haue you learned that if an other sinner had receaued or should receaue the talent of grace which God hath giuen you that he would more acknowledge it and make better profitt therof then you haue done Vpon what reason vpon what doctrine and on what spiritt is grounded the foundation of this feeble opinion which you seeme to haue of your selfe For I firmely beleue that if God had knowne it he would neuer haue bestowed this grace on you but rather on that other The most humble Father to this obiection might well answeare that he had learned it of the doctrine of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST who with his mouth hath said The spiritt breatheth where he will and of S. Paul that neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but he that giueth the increase God wherof he might thus inferre I not being Francis without God that worcketh in me when he had pleased to inspire an other there is no doubt but he had done the like and euen more according to his grace And wheras you beleeue that if God had giuen it to an other it had bin knowne that he had done this or more your beleefe is false for as the same S. Paul saith it is in the power of
which done he retourned and said vnto him Goe to my good freind sith these Religious doe not serue you well I will serue you my selfe The Leaper answeared Tell me I pray what will you doe more then they the S. replyed I will doe whatsoeuer you shall cammand me begin from this instant to tell me what you please to haue and I promise to doe it I will said the leaper that you wash all my body for I cannot endure the filthy sauour therof I will most willingly doe it answeared the S. and sodenly caused to be prepared a bath of veri◠pleasing hearbes then discloathed him to his skinne and washed him one of the Religious powring water on his body But there hapened a notable miracle whiles the holy Father with his pitifull handes washed him all the scurfes of his leapry one after an other fell off so that the flesh remayned cleane and neat as of a litle child in fine he was entierly cleansed and cured within and without The diseased person therfore knowing this great miracle began very bitterly to lament saying I am worthy not of one but of a thousand helles as well for hauing blasphemed against God as for the contempts iniuries and buffettes wherby I haue offended your poore Religious that so louingly haue ministred vnto me And after his cure he remayned fifteene dayes in this lamentation then he made a generall confession imploring the ayd of our Lord IESVS CHRIST S. Francis left him not till fearing himselfe for the great concourse of people that repayred to this miracle he was constrayned to depart so leauing the man in the grace of God who shortly after passed from this world into an other And incontinentlie the holie Father being in prayer he appeared vnto him in heauen more bright then the sunne and said Father know you me The S. asked him who are you And he answeared I am the soule of that leaper whome liuing in the world God cured by your prayers and humility I now enter into the kingdome of glory for which I giue thanckes to God and you blessed be your wordes and your actions also whereby many soules in the world are saued Know that there passeth no day but the Angels and SS in heauen giue glorie and prayse to God for the innumerable fruites which by your meane and your Order are procured in the Church and therefore perseuer to the time predestinated to your great crowne hauing said thus much he disappeared leauing the S. exceedingly comforted who gaue thanckes to God for all and particulerly for the sauing of that soule who was in such imminent perill of damnation Of three famous theeues conuerted by the humility and charity of S. Francis the eight chapter of the tenth booke transferred to this place as most proper vnto it THE LXXXVI CHAPTER BRother Angelus being Gardian att Mount Casal three famous theeues haunted that place doeing cruell murders thereabout who being one day oppressed with hungar came to him demaunding somewhat to eat The good Guardian knowing them not only refused to giue them almose but began to check and reprehend them alleadging that they feared not God nor men whome they so miserablie slew liuing by the labours of others and leading a life more diabolicall then humane robbing dishonouring tormenting and cutting the throates of their neighbour as they did and that he admired how the earth did sustaine them that it did not swallow them quick as they were and so bad them hast away and withall rudely shutt the dore against them wherevpon they in extreme choller departed S. Francis a litle after came with one of his companions vnto that place to whome the Guardian recounted the precedent whereto the holy Father answeared that he had done very ill because such sinners retourne to God and are conuerted rather by sweet and pittifull wordes then by such reprehensions which did rather harden them and that therfore God said They that are in health need not a Phisition but they that are ill att ease that he came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance And therefore added he because you haue done against charity the commandemēt of the gospell the example of IESVS CHRIST I command you in vertue of obedience for pennance to cary them to the mountaine where they are this loafe of bread this flagon of wine which was giuen vs by the way when you come in their presence fall one your knees at their feet and aske thē pardō for the wordes you haue spoken when they haue taken the bread entreat them in my behalfe to Ieaue that miserable kinde of life and I will prouide for all their necessities and vse all the art you can deuise to induce them hither The most obedient Guardian presentlie went on and the holy father in the meane while went to the Church to pray for them whence he departed not till God had heard him Brother Angelus comming to the theeues and hauing performed the commandement of S. Francis whiles they did eat the bread one of them said to the others Alas what shall become of vs sottish wretches what must be our lott what horrible torments are prepared for vs in hell for so many theftes and murders as we daylie perpetrat neither yet haue we any scruple much lesse feare of God or repentance for so many enormous sinnes And this Religious who hath brought vs to eat is come thus farre with so great humility to aske vs pardon for one only word iustlie vttered vnto vs admonishing vs according to our desert in the meane while we wretched theeues and detestable robbers neuer demaund pardon of God Besides this he hath sheuen vs charity praying vs to repaire to that holy Father who hath sent vs releefe who for the zeale he hath of our soules doth so freelie offer vs alwayes to prouide vs all our necessities They are true servantes of God who haue already gayned heauen but what shall we doe who being children of the deuill euery day heape sinnes vpon sinnes considering withall that our sinnes are so enormous as deserue of God rather punishment then pardon Myne opinion therfore is that it were very conuenient sith God doth seeme to call vs by this Religious that we make no longer delay nor abuse the patience of his diuine maiesty but that we repaire vnto him and he will instruct vs in the direct way how to free our selues att length from hell and euen to meritt mercy The other two theeues being of the same opinion they went together with the Guardiā to the holy Father in whose presence being com they kneeled att his feete saying Father we haue litle hope by reason of the enormity of our sinnes that God will vse mercie vnto vs but if you assure vs that we may yet finde grace behold vs here ready to doe whatsoeuer you shall command vs. The holy Father receaued them verie amiably cherished and encouraged them affirming withall that they should not
God But albeit Brother Leo promised him yet did he neuertheles answeare him God the Father whose mercy is infinite and infinitly greater then our sinnes will giue you his grace accompayned with most singuler giftes The holy Father therfore halfe angry said vnto him Brother Leo why would you not giue me cōtentement in so reasonable a demande and why haue we thus misprised the precept of obedience Brother Leo falling prostrate on the earth humbly answeared him God knoweth that I alwayes purposed to obey you but he would haue me speake according to his will and not according to yours The S. herewith not fully satisfied replyed and with instance said I beseech you my deere child to comfort me att least for this once and when you shall heare me to accuse myselfe answeare me that I am not worthy of mercy Brother Leo answeared him Father if it lye in me for your satisfaction I will most willingly doe it S. Francis then all bathed in teares with a loud voice cryed out Ingratefull wretch doest thou thinck euer to finde pardon att Goddes handes and Brother Leo incontinently answeared Father thou shall finde it and shalt besides obtaine so many speciall graces of God that he will exalt thee on earth and in heauē then he added pardō me Father if my power hath not bin to speake otherwise as you desired for God speaketh by my mouth thus did they spend the night in other like exercises wherin God did apparētly manifest how gratefull vnto him is humility as also the true misprise of ones selfe How S. Francis prepared himselfe to prayer and what conditions be that prayeth ought to haue THE LXXXXIII CHAPTER SIth we haue spoaken of the holy Fathers Marines it seemeth now conuenient time to make some mention of his so perfect prayer Mine opiniō is that there is no place more proper to speake therof then after the description of his great humility whereon as on a firme stone and true foundation prayer to haue it penetrate euen to heauen ought to be builded Wherfore he merited to obtaine all the conditions requisite to a true and worthy prayer the first wherof is the knowledge of ones owne misery according to Salomon when he saith O liuing God if any one acknowledgeing the wound of his hart to witt his sinnes doth lift his handes to thee in this thy temple heare him Now who hath more perfectly knowne himselfe who hath more clearly confessed his fault and who hath more humbly discouered it to God and men then this glorious S. Therefore also were his prayers admitted before the presēce of God who fixeth his eyes on the humble and reiecteth not their pious prayers as the Prophett saith The deuout Iudith affirmeth the same saying My God the prayers of the humble are alwayes pleasing vnto thee The second condition of prayer is to keepe the soule euer separated from terrestriall thinges and eleuated vnto God as saith Isodorus If the soule will be illuminated with spirituall light she must precedently purge her selfe of the filth of worldly cogitations and so she may be neat and pure before her God That prayer is pure which is made without any mixture of worldly thoughtes and that impure where the spiritt is employed in terrestriall thinges And therfore IESVS CHRIST leauing vs the forme of perfect prayer saith When thou shalt pray enter into thy camber in secrett that thou mayest leaue out all care excepting only of speaking with God shutt the dore of thy hart that nothing enter in to robbe his substance call thy soule and make her be in her selfe without any distraction and attentiue in God and then thy prayer shal be perfect before God and thou shalt be heard The holy Father S. Francis performed the same for he so reiected all other care of the world to transforme himselfe into God that he had no remembrance of himselfe or of his worldly affaires And therfore most commonly when he prayed his body was eleuated into the aire hauing nothing in it that could poise it downe to the earth God teacheth vs the third condition of prayer by his Prophet Isaie saying Giue thy bread to the hungry and thy coat to him that is naked and releiue each one in his necessities then offer thy prayers to God and he will heare thee call him by this meane and he will come vnto thee On the contrary he that shutteth his eares to the demaund of the poore when in his necessity he shall crye to God he will not heare him This piety and compassion was such and so great in S. Francis that he absolutely gaue or bestowed his only coate occasion presenting yea which is the most that may be he desired to giue entierlie himselfe for the only loue of God as is formerlie alleadged In regard of this extreme charitie towardes the poore and for his example vnto the world he also merited to be so interiourly affected of his God The fourth conditiō of prayer necessary to a Christian is to giue good eare to God if we desire to be heard of his diuine Maiesty for God will abhorre the prayers of him saith the Sage that hath not eares to heare his holy commandements therfore the sinner hath no cause to complaine that God doth not heare him because himselfe did not first heare God and if he heare him in one only thing or two or three he proueth deafe in all the rest And therefore on the other side one Pater noster or one Aue Maria of a Christian fearing God is with greater reason heard then a thousand of a vicious and disobedient person the holy Father S. Francis obeyd God in such degree of perfection that hauing called him by his grace he did not only labour to accomplish his diuine preceptes but euen the Counsailes of his ghospell without omitting the least point therefore also did God afterward graciously graunt him what he demaunded so farre foorth as he permitted other creatures to obey him The fift condition is that he that prayeth doe also separate himselfe from the conuersation of the world not only when he would pray but euen alwayes if he will pray perfectly and that he sequester him selfe into some desert and solitary place if he will that his soule be alwayes disposed worthely to pray vnto God The contemplatiue Father S. Bernard speaking by experience saith If the world delight thee thou shalt euer be impure Our Lord IESVS CHRIST hath also left vs example hereof for he often went vp to the mountaine and left his best beloued disciples to vnite himselfe alone to his Father So this glorious Sainct found himselfe so much more gratified by the communication of the holy Ghost as he was farther estranged from the rumours of the world and farther sequestred into solitary places wherin he was so farre from being subdued by cogitations of the world and by the infections therof that he obtayned notable victories against the deuill He
shunned sensuall light as distractiue vnto the hart and hauing giuen some repose vnto his body in the beginning of the night he spent the rest in most deepe silence in high contentment with his beloued God The sixt condition of perfect prayer is a feruent charity towards God without all feare not like vnto that of the cold negligent and new beginners for this perfect charity expelling all base feare and labour doth by loue vnite the hart of man with the goodnes of God This loue was such in the holy Father that it continuallie burned in his hart as a liuing fire the flame wherof dilated it selfe in charity to the benefitt of his neighbour through all the partes of the world Of the perseuerance of his prayer and of the effect it wrought and continued in S. Francis THE XCIV CHAPTER THe seauenth condition is perseuerance therin because God saith we must alwayes pray and not ceasse Of this point it may be alleadged that the life of S. Francis was a continuall prayer vnto God either for his owne saluation or his neighbours desiring to communicate his Redeemer IESVS CHRIST vnto all Creatures that they might know and loue him as he did and that for his owne part he might euer dwell with his diuine Maiestie But being by the impediment of the weight of his terrestriall body that was a stranger and remote from his true country disabled to enioy his beloued he by perseuerant prayer endeauoured with all possiblity to keepe his soule alwayes vnited vnto him which was not ouer-difficult vnto him as hauing so mortified in himselfe earthly afflictions that he conuersed in spiritt on high with the blessed as a Cittizen of heauen and familier in the house of God Therfore prayer was vnto him a singuler refreshment in his labours an assured fortresse against temptations and a remedy in necessities for distrusting himselfe and his proper forces industry and knowledge he had setled and reposed all his hope in God by meane of prayer which he affirmed that euery faithfull Christian ought aboue all other things to demaund of God in this life considering that without it one can make no profitt nor progresse in spirituall life and therfore to be an example vnto his Religious he made alwayes to appeare exteriourly and interiourly that trauailing or praying being in action or rereposing his spiritt was continually attentiue vnto prayer And therfore it seemed that he had not only dedicated his soule and body vnto his beloued God but euen the very momentes of time to the end that no visitation of the holy Ghost should by his negligence passe and be lost as not finding him disposed to receaue it Therefore when in his iorney he felt the same he would stay and lett his companion passe on to know with a very deep attention what God inspired vnto him And when he was in solitary places he filled the mountaines with sighes and bathed the earth with a flud of teares he beat his brest for the offences committed against his God Sometimes he accused himselfe as if he had bin before a Iudge other times he demaunded mercy as a child of his gracious Father sometimes he sweetlie discoursed as if he had bin priuately with his intimous freind he hath att such time bin heard of his Religious to inuocate the clementie of God by the great commiseration which he felt in himselfe of the death and passion of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST as if he had seene him crucified He shewed exteriour gesture conformable to the interiour effect Sometimes he held his mouth against the earth now he was on his knees then vpright on his feet now he held his armes crossed then his handes ioyned towardes heauen And praying after this manner he was most commonlie seene enuirouned with a great light and lifted into the aire in testimony of the interiour light and affection towardes God and then did he participate of the diuine secrettes which he neuer reuealed but when it was requisite for he ordinarily said that one did often loose an inestimable treasure for a very base price offending the giuer with daunger neuer to haue it againe For which cause when he retourned from his exercises he in such sort composed and dissembled his countenance that he that had not much experienced it would neuer haue suspected that he had prayed in such excesse of spirit When he prayed with his Religious he retayned his sighes and all other gestures wherby he might be obserued He taught the manner to pray secretlie then to say My God I recommend vnto thee this consolation which it hath pleased thee without any meritt of mine to graunt me to the end I steale not this great treasure He assured them that by this meane they should obtaine that God inuiting them would say Freind because thou hast bin so humble ascend now vnto an higher place Of the attention which S. Francis had in his prayers and of the deuotion he had in diuine seruice THE LXXXXV CHAPTER HE said the canonicall houres with so great reuerence and deuotion that albeit he were most commonly weary and feeble by reason of his infirmities yet making no esteeme thereof he was alwayes standing or kneeling with his head bare reading verie distinctly If he trauiled when the time of prayer and saying the said houres was he would stay This practise did he neuer omitt whatsoeuer rayne or storme did happen saying If the body that is to be food for wormes desired to eat in repose with how much more reason ought one to giue repose to the soule when she receaueth the refection of the life which she is eternally to possesse without corruption He said his psalmes and what soeuer was to be said with such attention as if God had bin before his eyes When he was to name the name of God he pronounced it so sweetly that he seemed to lick his lâ—ppes such contentment felt he in his soule yea he commanded his Religious carefullie to gather vp all the papers they found wherin was written the name of IESVS that it might not be troddeÌ„ vnder foot He reputed it a great offence when one spake vnto God to thincke of other matters And if he chaunced sometimes to apply his spiritt on other affaires though spirituall he would accuse himselfe thereof in confession yea albeit he had his interiour powers so recollected within him by meane of the continuall and assiduous exercise therin employed that the flyes of the world molested him very seldome Being one lent att an hermitage he attempted for exercise to make an osier basket but the time of prayer being come because in saying the third houre the basket came to his minde he tooke it and incontinentlie threw it into the fire with these wordes I sacrifice thee vnto God in place of his seruice which thou hast interrupted This glorious Sainct held the feast of the natiuity of our Sauiour in particuler deuotion Being on
retourne where the Religious were to whome hauing recouered his speech he presentlie acknowledged his fault in his presumptious enterprise Thenceforward he much more reuerentlie respected sainct Francis hen before The Abbott of S. Iustin in the diocese of Perusia meeting him one day alighted off his mule for the great deuotion he had vnto him and embraced him discoursing a long time of certaine affaires att their parting he besought the S. to pray for him which he promised and so being separated S. Francis withdrew himslfe from his companion saying that he must pay the dept which he would performe to the benefitt of the Abbott who in the same instant that S. Francis prayed for him felt himselfe as it were rapt out of himselfe by an extraordinarie feruour which ouer-past he knew right well the vertue and efficacie of the prayer of the Sainct and afterward related the same to diuers Brother Macie an other time saw S. Francis pray in such sort that there seemed liuelie flames to issue out of his mouth and eyes and so entierlie enflamed he went vnto him and calling him thrise he said Ah! ah Brother Macie come to me wheratt he amazed att such an excesse of spiritt cast himselfe into his armes and S. Francis lifted him vp into the aire the hight of a launce and afterward he recounted vnto the Religious that in that instant he felt such and so great sweetnes that he neuer after felt the like Passing by the Bourough of S. Sepulchre by reason of his infirmities riding on an asse he was almost stifled by the extreme concourse of people that flocked thither to kisse his feet coate handes and his habit whereat he remayned so immoueable that he seemed rather an image then a man Being past the Bourough and not one of those people neere him he demaunded of his companions how farre he had yet to the Bourough whereby they knew that being rauished in spiritt vnto heauen he had not felt that extreme presse of people The said Fathers affirmed that the same happened not vnto him once only but diuers times by reason of the great excesse of spiritt which was ordinarily incident vnto him How by prayer he obtayned of God what he would THE XCVIII CHAPTER THough God alone who endued him with so many graces is able to expresse them yet we must not forbeare to relate those that haue bin committed vnto vs by writting Goeing to an hermitage there to spend one of his lentes and being vnable by reason of his great infirmities to goe one foote he borrowed an asse of a poore man who of deuotion would also goe with him The season being extreme hoat on the barren and sharpe mountaines he had a great thirst and such as he feared to dye therof and being no longer able to endure it he acquainted the S. therwith who moued with compassion alighted off his asse and on his knees prostrated himselfe before God and praying did not arise till he was heard then arising he said to the poore man Goe to yonder stone and by the vertue of God it will yeld thee water sufficientlie He went thither found water and quenched his thirst which done the fountaine shutt againe to make it more manifest that by the only mâ—rittes of the S. God had made the water to issue out of an hard rockâ— as he did for Moyses The holy Father being att Spoletum a lay Brother called Brothre Andrew of Sienna that went a begging reported vnto him that there was a Bourgesse that had litle feare of God of whome he could neuer gett an almose whereto he answeared that he should endeauour to gett were it but one onlie loafe of him and should bring it vnto him The said Religious went vnto him and was so troublesome in demaunding that att lenght by importunity he gott a loafe Hauing it he carryed the same to S. Francis who deuided it into litle morcels and thereof gaue to each of the Religious with condition that they should all say a Pater and an Aue for the auaricious man and himselfe ioyning with them to pray vnto God they obtayned that this extreme nigard became liberall God permitting him to know his fault in such sort that thenceforward there was none more liberall vnto them then he A vertuous gentleman did often inuite the holy Father vnto his house where he extended so much charity vnto him that casting his affection on him he much desired to haue him of his Order and to that effect he prayed God that he would voutsafe to illuminate this his freind to leaue the world which he did with such feruour that being in extasie he was eleuated into the aire whiles it chaunced that the said gentleman passing by saw him so in the aire and God with him who seemed to graunt him this grace being therefore conuerted and touched by God he entred into the Order Passing by the forrest of Cortone a Lady of worth came before him and demaunded his benediction which he hauing giuen her she began to recount vnto him the miserable estate wherin she then was to witt that God hauing long time before inspired her to serue him she had a husband so contrary to that her good intention and such an ennemy to their faluation that therby she liued in perpetuall anguish And therfore she prayed him for the loue of God to assist her The holy Father answeared her woman haue faith in God for he knowing your holy and pious intention will accomplish your desire Goe therefore to your house and boldly vse these wordes vnto your husband I tell you in the behalfe of God that now is the time of mercie and the time of iustice will come hereafter And therfore by the woundes of our redeemer IESVS CHR. crucified I pray you so to dispose that we may liue in the peace and feare of God and you shall see said S. Francis that he will heare you the woman left him and his companion in prayer and she in the meane time went away full of consolation The successe was admirable for comming to her lodgeing her husband asked her whence she came she recounted vnto him all by order and on the part of God vsed vnto him the wordes S. Francis had taught her wherewith he became so mild that he seemed not the man he accustomed to be and in deed answeared his wife that he was resolued thenceforward to chaunge his life and to serue God as she desired Whereto his wife replyed sith it pleaseth you thus to obey God it seemeth requisite that we beginne the same by a vow of chastity it is a vertue exceeding gratefull vnto God and wil be very meritorious vnto vs the husband was content therwith and so they after liued piously This conuersion gaue a merueilous admiration to all those that knew them and much more when hauing perseuered piously together they also dyed in one same day the wife in the morning and the husband att night she as a
be alwayes in cogitation with thee that we be with thee in intention and with thee in spiritt seeking thine honour in all our actions with all the forces and powers of our soule and bodie freelie employing all in the seruice of thy loue and in no other thing and that to obserue thy commandement we loue our neighbour as our selues shewing to all as to our selues an entier charitie for thy loue reioycing att the good of others as att our owne compassionating their necessities and afflictions as our owne giuing them all assistance we can possible far from offending them as our selues would desire to be assisted in like necessity Giue vs this day our daily bread that is thy deerly beloued and blessed Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in our spiritt and vnderstanding with all reuerence by the great loue wherwith he hath affected and by what soeuer he hath said done and endured for vs wretches And forgiue vs our debtes by thine infinite mercy by the vertue of the passion of thine only Sonne our lord IESVS CHRIST and by the merittes and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary pardon vs also good God As we forgiue our debters and if we pardon not them perfectly as we ought make vs Lord to doe it that we may meritt pardon Graunt good God that by thy loue we doe not only forbeare to doe euill for euill nor hate our ennemies but that we loue them and that by good offices and prayers for them we demonstrate the same to thee O God of mercie Lord God forsake vs not in our cruell temptations both secrett and manifest and permit vs not to fall therin but deliuer vs from euill past by meane of true contrition and holy pennance present by preseruation of thy grace and future by perseuerance in thy most holy feare Amen Of certaine other mysticall prayers and canticles which the holy Frther S. Francis made THE CXVIII CHAPTER The Holy Father in his canonicall houres said in latin these prayers following which he composed in the prayse of God HOly holy holy lord God almightie which art which hast bin and art to come thou art worthy that we offer vnto thee and to receaue of vs all prayse and honour and that we exalt and acknowledge thee aboue althinges the lambe that was slaine is worthy to receaue all vertue diuinitie wisdome force glorie honour and benediction Lett vs alwayes prayse God lett vs yeld the honour dew vnto the Father the Sonne and the the holie Ghost lett vs praise God for euer lett vs prayse the lord of heauen and earth and of all other thinges created vnder and on the earth with those that are in heauen lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost Lett vs prayse God for euer and magnifie him as he hath bin is now and shall be world without end Amen Lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Amen An other breife prayer vnto God Almighty most high and my soueraigne good all good that onlie is good We giue thee all praise all praise all glorie all honour and yeld thee all the thanckes we can and will that all good be referred to thee alone Amen An other short prayer for the diuine office Most high most mighty most iust and most mercifull lord afford vs miserable wretches so much of thy grace that we may accomplish thy holy will and may with all diligence seeke that alone which pleaseth thee that being interiourly illuminated and enflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost we may tread the most holy steppes of thine only Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that by meane of this thy grace we may see thee with the blessed thou that art the most high God who liuest in perfect Trinity simplicity and vnity and as almighty raignest in eternall glory Amen A prayer to the Queene of heauen and to the Angels God saue thee holy Queene most holy Mary mother of God and perpetuall virgin chosen of God the Father and of the holy Ghost the comforter in whome is faith and the entier perfection of all eminent vertue with all good vnited sith thou hast merited to haue in thee the author of life and grace God saue thee diuine Pallace God saue thee the habitation and tabernacle of the Redeemer God saue thee thee robe of God God saue thee the seruant and mother of God and God saue thee with all the Angelicall powers considering that thou art sent by the holy Ghost into the hartes of rebelles that of Infidelles thou make faithfull and true seruantes of God O most worthy mother of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with S. Michael the Archangell and all the celestiall spirittes vnto they beloued Sonne our lord and master Amen An other prayer to the virgin Holy Mary virgin and lady like vnto whome neuer woman was borne nor shal be in the world daughter and seruant of the most high king and celestiall Father most sacred mother of IESVS CHRIST and Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with all the Angels and sainctes vnto they beloued Sonne that he will voutsafe to saue vs Glory be to the Father vnto the Sonne and to the blessed holy Ghost Amen Praises vnto God Lord God thou art holy and God of all Goddes that worckest merueillous thinges that art the mighty and most high thou art the omnipotent Father and entierly soueraigne lord of heauen and earth God in Trinity and Vnity and sempiternall soueraigne good all good and euery good thing Lord God liuing and true thou art true loue and perfect charity thou art wisdome humility and patience thou art the incomprehensible beauty thou art true pleasure and assured repose thou art our hope and ioy thou art iustice temperance fortitude and prudence of mortall men thou art the richesse that can satiate vs thou art meeke thou art our only protectour and our guard thou art our vertue faith hope and charity and the sweetnes and consolation of all thou art the bounty without end a great God and admirable God omnipotent pittifull merciful and our Sauiour Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. The holy Father sainct Francis had a very feruent deuotiō to this versicle Gloria Patri therfore he often repeated it in his prayers He respected not so much Sicut erat Saying euensong one day with Brother Leo att euery verse of Magnificat he said Gloria Patri feeling therin a merueillous tast and contentment yea such as he thought he should neuer be satisfied with saying thereof he taught a Religious Preist that was in affliction and extremely tempted to say Gloria Patri which he did and was incontinently deliuered of his temptation Of the Canticle of the sunne and other creatures composed by S. Francis THE CIX CHAPTER THis holy Father composed a Canticle in latin in the prayse of God when he reuealed vnto him the
lay men and women healthy and diseased children yong and old to all people families tongues to all nations and all the men of the whole earth that are and shal be the grace of true pennance in this life and so perseuerance in the true faith without which no man can be saued and we beseech thee to graunt vs grace together with theÌ„ to loue thee withall our hart withal our spiritt with all our forces withall our vnderstanding and withall our affections desires and interious willes sith thou alone hast giuen vs soule body and life creating and redeeming vs by thine only mercie thou hast saued vs and hast giuen vs miserable rotten and putrified ingratefull and ignoraÌ„t lowed and rebellious wretches dayly doest giue vs infinite benefittes Permitt then good God that we neuer desire nor seeke other thinge and that no other thing seeme good vnto vs or delight vs but they selfe our Creatour Sauiour and Redeemer only true God that art the perfect good all true and soueraine good that only is good and pitifull meeke and delightfull that only is holy iust true and vpright of whome for whome and in whome consisteth all our pardon all the grace and glory of all penitentes of all the iust and of all the blessed that raigne in heauen Permitt also Lord that nothing preuaile and hinder vs but that in euery place in all time att all houres continually we loue thee in verity and humility and that we hold thee imprinted in our hart as our true God And graunt if thou please that we loue thee honour adore serue prayse glorifie and preach thee for great and glorious and that we thank thee thou that art most high and God three and one Faâ—her Sonne and holy Ghost Creatour of althinges and Sauiour of all them that beleeue in thee and haue placed in thee their only hope and loue who art without beginning and without end immutable inuisible inenarrable ineffable incomprehensible inscrutable blessed praysed glorious glorified high amiable agreable delectable and aboue all thinges desirable world without end Amen Of the intelligence and spiritt of prophetie which this S. had THE CXI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis had in such sort cleared his soule illuminated and vnited it to our soueraine God by the continuall exercise of prayer that albeit he had no ouer-great vnderstanding of holy scripture being neuerthelesse illuminated by the beames of diuine reuelation he did penetrate the sublimity of the said scripture with an admirable intelligence of the diuine mysteries by which acquired science remayneth excluded the infused of diuine loue entring in his place And therfore what he read in holy scripture he vnderstood by diuine reuelation as a dilligent disciple of the holy Ghost he first imprinted it in his memory and then ruminated the same with an interiour tast of deuotion And if God inspired him not he neuer reuealed it to any person to appeare a learned master as now the practise is The Cardinall of Hostia Protectour of the Order who was afterward Pope Gregory the ninth secretlie requested him one time for the consolation of his soule to expound vnto him certaine profound places of holy scripture I doe not said he demaund this theologicall exposition of you as of a great doctour for I know well you haue not studied But I require it as of a man illuminated of the holy Ghost The S. satisfied him and gaue him such contentment as he could desire no more Being one day att Sienna a Religious diuine asked him how the Prophett Ezechiel is to be vnderstood where he saith If thou doe not admonish the impious of his impiety an account of his eternall death shal be exacted of thee the holy Father answeared if those wordes be to be vnderstood generally as they sound I thus vnderstand them that the seruant of God ought in such sort to burne and giue light by exemplare life and by his pious conuersation that he seeme silently to reprehend all the impious for by such in deed he preacheth their vices Wherein is duely to be considered how much more a Religious is obliged herevnto by the light of his good life seeing that it is here apparent that if he doe it not he cannot escape the terrible iudgement of the liuing God which prudent and true interpretation the diuine affirmed to proceed directlie from heauen and that himselfe could not giue a more direct exposition then was giuen by him with the swift speedy winges of the eagle soaring from infused science And affirmed with all that our interpretation was not such which proceeding from our blinded vnderstanding goeth naturally as a serpent trayling his body on the earth The said Religious did not try the holie Father in this matter onlie but in diuers others also in all which he rested fully satisfied and exceedinglie admiring att the grace which God had giuen him which was so great that he could not only discouer and vnderstand mysteries past but which God alone of himselfe can doe he discouered eueÌ„ the thinges to come as if he had had them then before his very eyes as by this example and them that follow shall euidentlie appeare The holie Father being yet in the cittie of Sienna he once demaunded a charitie for the loue of God of an affectionate freind of his who directlie answeared him he would not graunt it but that he should first tell him the certainty of his predestinatioÌ„ a demaund doubtles verie strauÌ„ge yea exceeding terrible But God that would for his profitt manifest vnto the world the merits of this his so glorious seruaÌ„t was coÌ„tent he shold promise to assure him Being theÌ„ amazed att this so inciuill request he eleuated and addressed his countenance to heaueÌ„ but much more his spiritt and so remayned in prayer a certaine space wherin was reuealed vnto him that this man was of the noÌ„ber of the predestinate and then he promised his deuout freind eternall life assuring him of his saluatioÌ„ But this good man vnable to conceale this his so extreme spirituall alacrity and so coÌ„ming to the eares of the afore said Religious diuine he was exceedinglie scaÌ„dalized att the presuÌ„ption of the holie Father Therefore repayring vnto him filled with choller as an other Pharisie he demaunded if it were true the S. answearing affirmatiuelie he laughing and deriding him said and who hath reuealed vnto youthat this your freind should be saued to whome the S. verie iealous of the honour of God openly answeared he that also told me that the last night thou committedst such a secrett sinne and that therfore in short time thou shalt abandoÌ„ thy habitt But because the Religious deserued not pardon though by manifestation of his sinne he might be well assured of the ensuying punishment which he prophesied vnto him he neuertheles did not penance as the holie Father then admonished him God permitting him to die out of his Order that by his
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
deuout personnes that went with the said woman to gaine the indulgence but the men being a litle separated from the women his first hope was vaine and his second more for it miraculously happened that he could neuer see her in the church though he well saw all her company Wherfore acknowledging his fault and repenting it he confessed himselfe gayned the indulgence chaunged his life and behauiour yea so far foorth that he shortly after became Religious where he liued and dyed vertuously What sanctity Sainct Francis would haue obserued in that church THE VI. CHAPTER AS well in respecte of the accidentes afore recited as diuers other which God wrought in this holie church the holy Father Sainct Francis avouched as being reuealed vnto him that it was loued of the Virgin Mary with a particuler deuotion aboue all other churches of the world Therin were also graunted verie great graces to the said holy Father and prerogatiues generallie and particulerlie for himselfe and for others and therfore that the Religious might neuer forgett with what deuotion and reuerence they ought to respect that church and that particuler memory might be had therof aboue all the memorable thinges of the Order being one day sicke in presence of his Vicar Generall and many other Religious in manner of a testament he left these wordes I will that this house and church of our Lady of Angels of Portiuncula be duely reuerenced and honoured of my Religious and that therein be the residence of the Generall of the Order that he may prouide vnto this house a pious family with greater deuotion and dilligence to the end it may serue for example and mirour in piety and good conuersation and especially that there be chosen very spirituall Preistes and Clarckes to minister with deuotion that the Religious and seculers comming hither to gaine this holy indulgence be well edified therby and likewise I will that the lay Brethten be chosen humble and of vertuous life and that they serue the Preistes with much respect and reuerence I will besides that in this place be obserued a perpetuall silence and that if there be necessity of speaking they speake only with their superiours and among them be very wary not to recount worldlie matters or other idle wordes yea that themselues giue no eare in such thinges to seculer personnes to the end that no worldly matter enter into this holie house and that the Religious may the better conserue their holy pouertie therin And with all that this habitation be not prophaned by earthly discourses but that therein the time be alwayes employed in himnes prayers and psalmes the most secure armour for guard of the hart And if any religious herein already placed become and libertine a obserue not this Order and course of life I will that the Guardian expell him and put an other such as he shall thinck sitt in his place To the end that if other Religious and monasteries established wheresoeuer els where doe erre from the puritie due to their estate and to their vocation and vow made to God this holy place att least blessed by our Lord may remaine and perseuer as a mirour and example of true Religion and euangelicall perfection and may be a candlelesticke before the throne of God and the glorious Virgin Mary euer burning and giuing light for whose sake God may pardon the faultes and offences of all the Brethren of the Order and that this plante of our Religion may be for euer conserued producing fruites worthy of merittes and so obtayning the most holie grace of God Such was the Order of the glorious Father S. Francis which was seriously obserued of his first Religious nourished and educated with the purest milke of sanctitie who knowing how much this place was loued of IESVS CHRIST and his sacred mother liued alwayes in this house in highest purity in perpetuall silence and in extreme pouerty When they chaunced to speake some litle out of the time of silence their discourses were of spirituall thinges of benefittes receaued of God of our ingratitude of his mercie and all with exceeding great humility and deuotion And if by misgard it happened which it very seldome or neuer did that some one of them began to speake some thing that was not of God or more necessary he was incontinently reprehend by the others and did penance for it att the same instant In this place they mortified their flesh not only by watching and fastinges but also by disciplines nakednes and the rigour and austerity of their habitt supporting the one in sommer and the other in winter and the lay Brethren by labouring in the feeld to gaine bread and to maintaine themselues and the other Religious by such and other vertuous exercises sanctifying themselues and the place where they dwell A very deuout Religious being yet in the world saw once in vision a great nomber of people kneeling before this churche with ioyned handes and eyes eleuated towardes heauen all blinde who with loud voice required mercy of God powring out abondance of teares and beseeching the diuine Maiestie to voutsafe to restore their sight which prayer ended he saw desceÌ„d from heauen an exceeding great light that illuminating all the place restored sight to the blind vpon which vision he afterward became Religious How sainct Francis instituted the second rule and of the Apostolicall Bulle of pope Honorius against the professed that leaue the Order THE VII CHAPTER THe Religion of the Frere Minors daily augmenting and manie entring therinto without well measuring their forces before by their weaknes of spiritt their first feruours incontinently decayed wherfore being vnable to continue firme vnder the hammer of Euangelicall life leauing the habitt they went out of the Order worse by reason of their apostasie committed then they entred in Others without leauing the habitt went wandring ouer the world others the rigour being not then so seuere liued att libetty affirming that they were not bound to obserue a rule that was not confirmed nor approued by the holy Apostostolike sea but only viua vocis â—raculâ— by the mouth and voice of Pope Innocent the third and approned but not priuiledged by Pope Honorious his successour The yeare of grace 1221. which was the fist of his Papacie his holines for the reasons aforesaid made his breuet following two yeares before the second rule was confirmed This following it the said Breuet extracted out of the 32. chapter of the tenth booke and transferred hither as its proper place HOnorious bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God to our beloued sonne Brother Francis and to other Superiours of the Frere Minours health and Apostolicall benediction Because according to the opinion of the wise one ought to doe nothing without counsaile that being done no repentance ensue It is therefore necessary to him that will orderly and duely dispose a spirituall life and one more excellent then ordinary that he sett his eyes before his feet that is
that he precedently make good triall of his proper forces with the rule of discretion that he happen not which God for bidd to looke backe and be conuerted into a piller of lost salt for not hauing seasoned his sacrifice with the salt of prudence remayning as he that is vn wise without sauour and salt if he be not seruent and so he that is seruent shal be foolish and vnsauoury if he be not wise therfore it is most prudently ordayned in all Religious that they who are to promise reguler obseruance doe formerly make good triall therof for a certaine time to auoyed occasion of repentance for so he cannot lay any excuse on his temeritie or ignorance For this cause we by the tenour of these presentes forbid you to admitt any personne to the profession of your Order if he haue not first made an entier yeare of probation and also we ordaine that after the the said profession none presume to forsake the Order and that no other receaue him hauing left the same We also make prohibition that none goe out of his obedience with the habitt of the Order nor doe corrupt the puritie of true pouertie And if any presume to doe it we authorise you his superiours to execute against such the ecclesiasticall censures till he retourne to obedience Lett none whosoeuer attempt to infringe these present letters of prohition and benefitt or to oppose against them for if any one presume so to doe lett him be assured to incurre the indignation of God and of his blessed Apostles S Peter and S. Paul Giuen att Viterbium the 22. of September the fift yeare of our Papacie This is the prohibition which sainct Francis alleadged in the second chapter of his rule The prasecution of the sâ—auenth chapter which 〈◊〉 â—â—â—itted Besides all this it was thought necessary Ad perpetuam rei memoriam for a perpetuall memorie therof and for the asseurance and stabilitie of the order to confirme the said rule by Apostolicall authoritie Therfore the Cardinall Vgolino Protectour of the Order prayed the holie Father S. Francis to abridge it for it had bin much augmented by reason of manie new accidentes that happened from hand to hand He prayed him I say to moderate it in certaine thinges that it might be more easy to execute and to learne by hart and that he would procure it to be for euer confirmed by an Apostolicall bulle S. Francis vnderstanding this would know if such were the will of God as in all matters of importance that he enterprised he accustomed to doe and therfore taking leaue of the Cardinall telling him that he would shortlie giue him answeare he had recourse to prayer where he made supplication to God that he would reueale vnto him what he should doe who was rauished in spiritt and had this vision It seemed vnto him that he heaped together a quantitie of crummes of bread which he was to share amongst many Religious who together with himselfe were as it were hunger-staruen and because the crummes were too small he was carefull how to deuide them that they might not fall through his fingers but he heard a voice that said Francis make one entier hoste of those crummes and then giue it to them that will eat it Which hauing done it seemed vnto him that all they who receaued it not with deuotion or misprised it were entierlie couered with leprosie which vision he not so plainelie vnderstanding as he desired praying againe the day following and perseuering in demaunding counsaile of God he heard the same voice that said Francis the crummes of bread of the last night are the Euangelicall counlailes the hoste the Rule and the leaprosie malice The holy Father then knew that he should vnite his rule and compose it of the Euangelicall counsailes compendious and mysticall Hauing therfore giuen answeare to the said Cardinall that he would confine his rule conformably to the will of the diuine Maiesty and taking with him Brother Leo and Brother Bonisius of Bolognia he weÌ„t vp to the mount Carnerio neere Rieta otherwise called Fonte-ColoÌ„bo where fasting with bread and water forty dayes and forty nightes and persisting in continuall prayer he wrote and composed his rule as God reuealed vnto him then came downe with it from the mountaine as an other Moyses with the tables of the law and committed it to the keeping of Brother Helias who was his Vicar Generall who perceauing it to consist of a greater contempt of the world and of a more strict pouerty of life then was gratefull vnto him so delt that the rule was lost and perished that it might not be approued and confirmed by the Pope with intention to make an other according to his fansie But the holy Father that would rather follow the diuine then humane will making no esteeme of the wise of the world and knowing in spiritt the fayned cogitations of that Religious resolued to retourne to the said mountaine by fasting and prayer more copiously to obtaine the will and rule of God for his seruantes the Frere Minors Now Brother Helias to interrupt this his second attempt called an assemblie of many learned superiours of the Order where â—e began to discouer his peruerse intention alleadging vnto them that Brother Francis intended to constitute a rule so strict and austere that was impossible to be obserued and that he would procure it to be confirmed by the Pope for euer Which they hauing heard they with one accord answeared that they yelded all authoritie vnto him and that sith he was his Vicar Generall he should go to him and tell him that they intended not to keepe the rule he made but that it should be for himselfe alone if he would But Brother Helias fearing to be reprehended of S. Francis incouraged them and perswaded them to goe with him and so they wentin companie to the said mountaine and being called by Brother Helias he knew his voice and came out of his celle and seeing so many Religious he asked Brother Helias what they would who answeared they are superiours of the Order who vnderstanding that you institute a new rule they and I fearing we shall not be able obserue it doe protest vnto you that we will not oblige our selues therevnto S. Francis made no other answeare to this protestation but falling on his knees and casting his eyes to heauen said My God did I not tell thee that these people would not beleeue me and att the instant a voice was heard that sayd Francis as in this rule there is nothing of thine but all commeth and is of me so also I will that it be obserued Ad literam ad literam ad literam without glosse without glosse without glosse I know the infirmitie of man I know also my will to assist him Therfore they that will not obserue it lett them depart the Order and permitt others to keep it S. Francis then tourning to the superiours said haue ye heard haue ye heard haue
ennemyes and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you Blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen and he that perseuereth vnto the end shall be saued That the Brethren shall not enter into Monastories of Religious women THE XI CHAPTER I Ōrdaine and command all my Brethren that they haue no suspected familiarities with women and that they enter not into the Couentes of Religious women those excepted who to that effect shall haue speciall licence from the Apostolicall sea Likewise I will not that my Religious be God fathers either of men or women that by such meanes there happen not any scandall among the Brethren or by their occasion Of such as shall goe among the Sarrazins and other infidels THE XII CHAPTER EVery Brother whosoeuer that by diuine inspiration desireth to goe among the Sarrazins and other Infidels lett him demaund leaue of his Prouinciall Minister who shal be very respectiue not to giue licence but to such as to him shall seeme fitt to doe good among such people And for all these causes I commaund the Ministers vpon obedience to procure of his Holines to haue a Cardinall for Gouernour Protectour and Correctour of this Confraternity that they may be alwayes subiect to the feet of the holy Romane Church stable and firme in the Catholike faith Lett pouerty humility and the holy gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be entierlie obserued of vs as we haue faithfully promised The end of the rule of the Frere Minors The rest of the bulle touching the confirmation of the said Rule omitted in the beginning thereof LEtt it not therefore be permissible for any man to infringe this ordonnance of our confirmation or rashly to contradict the same And if anie presume so to doe know that he shall incurre the indignation of Almighy God and of S. Peter and S. Paul his Apostles Giuen att S. Iohn Lateran the 29. of Nouember the eight yeare of our Papacie The end of the confirmation of the rule of the Frere Minors Of the perfection of this rule and the abridgement therof THE IX CHAPTER AS the three yong men according to Daniel were ioyfull in the flaming fire of the burning fournace where Nabuchodonosor had caused them to be throwne as faithfull seruantes of God because they would not giue to his monstruous statua the honour dew to God alone and as they sung prayses to the Almightie together with a fourth like vnto the sonne of God so there were three Orders and holy Rules founded by three holy personnages S. Basill S. Augustin and S. Benedict in the burning fournace of temptations and worldly afflictions wherwith the prince of the world combatteth against the seruantes of God and often times surmounteth them which holy personnes as men freed from the fire and from feare haue with alacritie praysed God in the middes of it Afterward there was seene the fourth like vnto the sonne of God to witt The Seraphicall and crucified seruant of IESVS CHRISTS Francis that gaue a fourth estate vnto the church wherin men being deliuered from the prison of the world and taking more content in the honours and graces of God might more freelie serue IESVS CHRIST And such was his intention in all the wordes of his Euangelicall rule to witt that they who had made profession to imitate IESVS CHRIST should endeauour to become the most like vnto him in laboures of their life and exercises of spiritt that possibly could be procured He with the help of the holy Ghost founded on that onlie and firme foundation of IESVS CHRIST the edifice of the rule in meruaylous hight and perfection Therefore in the first chapter he saith The life and rule of the Frere Minors is such to keep and obserue the holie gospell liuing vnder holie obedience without possessing any thing in proprietie and in pure chastitie The life spiritt and wordes of the said holy Father considered his intention was that the Frere Minors should obserue not onlie the preceptes of the gospell but the counsailes also Neuertheles knowing and considering humane infirmitie he would not oblige them to all In the second chapter he teacheth to forsake and contemne the world with whatsoeuer is in it giuing them meanes to make such renunciation as the gospell teacheth which is to sell what they haue and to giue it to the poore that being deliuered of so great an impediment they might freelie serue IESVS CHRIST and with him say The Prince of this world is come in me he hath found nothing In the third he teacheth exercises to prayse God by the diuine offices and by fastinges and seuere abstinences mortifications of the flesh good examples and edification of our neighbour and particulerlie of seculer personnes He also teacheth them the vertue of penance humilitie and charity whereby they may with edification conuerse with all people In the fourth he expresly declareth that he will not his brethren shall haue mony vnder any pretence whatsoeuer but that the Prouincialls shall supplie their necessities knowing that auarice is daungerous to soules and principallie to Religious and how true is the sentence of IESVS CHRIST where he saith that no man can serue God and Mammon The holy Father therfore would that richesse should not onlie be remote but entierlie and absolutelie separated from the Order In the fift he bannisheth from his societie idlenes as contrarie to the true seruantes of God and capitall ennemy of mennes saluation In the sixt he rayseth the soule frō cogitations of the world and in as much as may be hoped or expected of him leauing neither place nor affection proper in thē wherby they might adhere to any cogitation of terrestriall loue to the end that they might ioyfullie say Our conuersation is in heauen as possessing nothing on earth In the seauenth he comforteth sinners and such as are sick teaching thē the conditions of their Phisicion that can and will cure them who is our lord IESVS CHRIST who will mercy and not sacrifice and who came not to call the iust but sinners that they might be conuerted and liue In the eighty chapter he teacheth the Superiours and all his Order in what manner they ought to gouerne the Religious and insinuateth that they should procure to haue alwayes a Generall sufficient and worthy of such a chardge In the ninth he teacheth his preachers to fly pride and arrogance in their life and doctrine and to be humble and zealous of the saluation of soules feeding them alwayes with holie and profitable doctrine without which they can neuer produce fruit redounding to the benefitt of the said soules In the tenth he admonisheth superiours and subiectes to be verie carefull in the diligent accomplishment of their obedience and the obligation which is reciprocallie betwen them but particulerlie that which they owe and is due to God by reason of their profession In the eleuenth chapter he demonstrateth vnto his Religious how
ouercome by the violence of the water were also drowned without possibility of any mannes assistance After these came other Religious vnburdned and without any weight these were very poore and entring into the floud did easilie and without any perill passe the same Now S. Francis knowing by diuine inspiration that Brother Leo had had a vision and perceauing him much disquieted said vnto him Brother Leo tell me what God in this prayer hath manifested vnto thee Brother Leo incontinentlie recounted vnto him the circumstances of the vision he had praying him to expound it because he vnderstood it not The holie Father failed not to comfort him saying know that all thou hast seene is true the floud is this world which with extreme impetuosity runneth to perdition The Religious which are drowned in this floud are such as accomplish not their Euangelicall profession and the strict and voluntary pouertie promised but doe burden themselues with affaires of the world which sinck them to the bottome the second are such as hauing begun the way of God arriue to the middes but being vanquished by sensuality and concupiscence of terrestriall thinges forgetting their vowes are by the violent streame ouerwhelmed and drowned the third are such as hauing followed the spirit of God and not of the world haue not regarded to load themselues with the burden of the earth but haue bin content with one only habit to couer them and a morcell of bread to sustaine their life and to followe IESVS CHRIST naked on the crosse and therfore without any perill doe passe to eternall thinges whither they are called of God The sequell is extracted out of the sixteenth chapter of the 6. booke THe said Brother Leo an other time saw S. Francis hauing before him a crucifix that walked together with him and rested when he rested the face of the S. was illuminated with a splendour proceeding from the crucifix The third time he saw discend from heauen vpon his head a scrole wherin was written Hic est gratia Dei the grace of God is on this man The processe of the eleuenth chapter of the same booke THe infirmity of S. Francis vehementlie encreasing in such sort that all the Brethren thought he would die by reason that from the euening to the houre of mattines he ceassed not to auoyde bloud and had also very frequent accidentes happened vnto him all the Religious began lamentingly to say vnto him Father who after IESVS CHRIST haue ingendred vs in the world how without you shall we remayne orphanes and desolate depriued of your presence with which our hartes were edified and did walke in the seruice of God Wherfore O Father doe you so leaue vs without a guide Alas most deere Father who shall comfort our feeblenes who shall cure the infirmities of our soule who shall giue moysture to the dryed roote of our hart that it persist in charity sith these vertues were conserued in vs by your holy aduertisementes and by the example of your holy life and by these vertues we most strictly obserued Euangelicall pouerty Giue vs O Father some consolation if it be now your houre because we who are here in the name of all your children that are and shal be doe demaund your Fatherly benediction Leaue vs Father some memoriall in signe of your holy will that God hauing called you vnto him we as your most obedient children may persist in the continuall exercises of your holy aduertismentes and may say Our Father deliuered vs such speeches and recommended vnto vs such thinges att his death S. Francis intending to comfort them caused to be called Brother Benedict of Pirra one of the most ancient of the Order A Religious of great doctrine and sanctity who was his Confessour and said masse vnto him euery morning he being come the S. faid vnto him Write Brother Benedict these wordes which I leaue as a testament vnto my children I giue my benediction to all them that are and shal be in my Order euen to the worldes end And because by reason of my extreme weakenes I cannot speake much I declare my last will and intention to all the Religious present absent and that hereafter shal be in my Religion by these three last wordes only The first in signe and memory of my benediction and testament I command you mutually to loue each other as I haue and doe loue you The second that you loue and alvayes keepe holy pouerty which is my mistris The third that you be alwayes faithfull and subiect to the superiours of our Order and to all Preistes of the holy church and that you be humble and respectiue vnto them But God who saw that his seruant was yet very necessary to this his flock and that he should pourchase himselfe a greater crowne in heauen prolonged his life S. Francis was absolutely contrary to those that desired and procured to haue priuiledges and exemption from the Pope touching their life because it had bin reuealed vnto him of God that how much the Religious were priuiledged so much the lesse fruit did they produce he would that the intelligence of the rule should be taken of his wordes being so cleare as they were to any vnderstanding prouided that it were free from passioÌ„ though they seemed very obscure to such as would not conforme their life thervnto but endeauoured to wrest draw the sence to their libertine life seeking against all equity to haue this their licentious life called the life of Euangelicall perfectioÌ„ And to proue this to be true we see that those first children of the holy Father so simple vertuous and pious found no such difficulties therin and the reason was because seeking to imitate him they simply vnderstood and most dilligentlie obserued this rule which many that were learned neither could nor can vnderstand with all their declarations and exclamations of whome may be said and not without reason that they would not or will not vnderstand it as it hath bin vnderstood of those â—â— though they were simple and vnlearned What esteems S. Francis made of the great obligation which the Prelates haue towardes their subiects THE XII CHAPTER THe S. was alwayes a vigilant Pastour to gouerne the flock which God had committed vnto him encourageing them to prayer to fastinges and to the obseruance of holy pouertie and teaching them to imitate the highest master IESVS CHRIST who began first to doe then to teach himselfe doeing the like enduring many thinges only to giue example to his children Being one day att the Oratory of S. Eleutherius neere vnto Rieta he patched his habitt within and without with course and grosse cloth aswell against the violent cold that then was as for the indisposition of his stomach which the said patches did couer he commaunded his companion to doe the same But feeling that this peecing did comfort his body he presentlie remembred the necessity of his Religious of whome hauing compassion he said to
He alreadie foresaw that knowledge puffed vp with vanitie in future time would giue a great fall to the Order because curiositie of the said knowledge would induce manie to great arrogance which would destroy obedience humilitie pouertie with all true Religion bringing in libertie and priuiledges The said holie Father said there shall be so manie that will labour to gett knowledge that he shal be happie who for the loue IESVS CHRIST shall shunne the same He appeared after his death to one of his companions who was exceedinglie busied in the studie of preaching and reprehended him sharpelie forbidding him that ouer great anxietie of spirirt which he had towardes study and commaunded him to study to walke the path of holie humilitie and pouerty How he discouered and preuented the deceipt of the learned and curious of his Order THE XXIV CHAPTER IT will succed said S. Francis to these curious of knowledge and learning that esteeming to be more edified and enflamed in deuotion towardes God by knowledge of him if they vse it not with great humility they by the same science and by the great study therin employed will remayne void of all goodnes cold in charity and puffed with vaine glory reioycing in their vanity and obstinate in opinion wherfore the holy Ghost being vnable to dwell in bodyes subiect to sinne he wil be constrayned vtterly to forsake them Certaine Religious therfore one day relating vnto him that a great diuine was entred into their Religion att Paris and that by his doctrine he much edified the people and cleargie and was a great honour to the Order S. Francis sighingly answeared them I much feare that his like will one day destroy whatsoeuer God by me his vnworthy seruant hath planted in this vineyared I would haue no greater Doctours in diuinity then they who teach their neighbour by worckes meekenes pouerty and humility because the goodnes of a Religious is according to his obedience to the rule and his doeing what he knoweth Those preachers that trust only in their doctrine when thy see concourse of people and that they are desirously heard and some by their preaching are conuerted to penance thy are puffed with vaine glory for the worckes of an other as if they were their owne and so preach saluation to others but damnation to themselues therfore they glory of that wherof they haue no more cause then a trumpett which soundeth by the mouth of an other man that windeth it for what are they but trumpettes wherby God sendeth his sound be they good or euill so that the cause of the conuersion of the hearers ought not to be attributed to them but to the very force of holy doctrine and to the teares of the simple though the same be not by them vnderstood these simple ones are my knightes of the round table who hide them selues in desertes and sequestred places the more commodiously to apply them to prayer and meditation lamenting theirs and others sinnes therfore God alone knoweth the fruit they produce and how many soules by their merittes are saued wherfore they shall heare this his voice Come thou faithfull and prudent seruant because thou hast bin faithfull vnto me in few thinges I will place there ouer many enter into the kingdome of eternall life but they who haue had no other cogitation but to learne knowledge and to demonstrate their doctrine vnto others preaching without edifying by good worckes shal be poore empty of all good before the throne of the terrible iudge they shall haue their vessels full of shame and confusion and they shall also heare God say vnto them you haue preached only by the wordes of your purchaced science but I haue saued soules by vertue of the merittes of my simple ones you therfore shall remaine with the winde of pride which you haue sought and these shall receaue the recompence of the labour of their humility and prayer which is ourvocation wherto these puffed ones shall haue bin contrary with the winde of their knowledge persuading many to relinquish this truth yea persecuting as blinded and frantike such as walke by this truth but the errour and false opinion wherin in they haue liued which they haue preached and wherby they haue conducted many with thē in the profound goulfe of ignorāce and spirituall blindnes shall tourne to their greife and confusion and they shal be buryed in darcknes for it is written I will destroy the wisedome of the wise of this world and the prudence of the prudent I will reiect So the holy Father as far foorth as his power extended for his office in this world permitted not any of his Religious to be called Master though formerlie in the world he had bin such alleadgeing vnto them the wordes of our lord IESEVS CHRIST One is your Masterin heauen and therfore lett none be called master on earth He affirmed of himselfe that though he had bin very learned he would neuer haue endured to be called Doctour or master because it was to doe against IESVS CHRIST so that he concluded that it was much more profitable to a man to knowlitle and be humble then to performe great matters with much knowledge and presumption of himselfe How much S. Francis reioyced att the good example which his order gaue to the church and how much displeased when his Religious procured or caused any scandall THE XXV CHAPTER THis glorious Father said that the Frere Minors were sent of God in this latrer age to be an example of light to them that were entangled in the obscurities of sinne Therfore if he heard relation of any example of edification that the Religious gaue to the holy Church he with great feruour would say The house of God shal be filled with good sweet sauours which shal be produced by the precious oyntmēt of vertues He exceedingly reioyced att the good reputation of his deere childrē at the exāple of piety which they gaue because by meane therof they cōuerted sinners to the loue seruice of IESVS CHRIST a thing especially desired of him and to such he gaue his holy benediction And consequently because his Religious knew that their holy Father would haue them exercised in this vertue and zeale of the saluation of soules they so much the more endeauoured to giue him satisfactiō therin And if it happened that any one procured the least trouble to his neighbour he presently asked him pardon with great humility and offered to doe pennance for the same It chaunced one time that an ancient Religious of the Order in presence of a gentleman vttered some wordes in choler to one of his Brethren but perceauing that he had troubled his Brother and disedified the other acknowledgeing his fault and impatient against himselfe he incontinently tooke the dong of an asse and putt it into his mouth and forced himselfe to chew it saying tongue eat this dong sith thou hast presumed to arise against they neighbour
and in his face to spett the venime of thy choller Which the said gentleman seeing was exceedingly edified and deuoted to the whole Order presenting himselfe entierly to the seruice of it The holy Father S. Francis was contrarily extremely afflicted when he vnderstood that any one had disedified his neighbour To this purpose it being related vnto him that a bishop had reprehended one of his Religious for hauing seene him doe something sauouring of hypocrisie as to procure the growing of his beard and other thinges vnbeseeming a Frere Minor he stood vp right and ioyning his handes he weeping said Lord IESVS CHRIST who hauing chosen twelue Apostles one of them proued a traytor and was therfore damned and the residue ouer all the world preached thy holie faith by wordes and by pious and vertuous worckes and now in this latter houre being mindefull of thy mercie it hath pleased thee to plant the Religion of Frere Minors for helpe vnto they church and for seruice of they holie faith and thy holie gospell haue care therof I beseech thee for thy pietie for if this Religion giue scandale in steed of good example who shall satisfie thee for her Thus vrged by zeale of the honour of God and the saluation of soules stretching his armes a broad with great effusion of teares he vrtered these wordes Good God and Father I beseech thee leâ—t all the Religious who by their euill example and impious worckes shall destroy that which by meane of thy true Frere Minors thou hast edified be accursed of thee of thy celestiall court and of me thy humble seruant Vpon a day reprehending a Religious that had giuen ill example among other thinges he said this Brother will you that I lett you know the displeasure which the Religious procure me that scandalize others the same that one should doe who hauing a rapiere in his hand should often thrust me into the flanckes and therwith I could not dye so the noughty Religious doe augment in my soule greifes vpon greifes giuing euill example and doebucher my bowels then he added Ah my God! if one wounded could fly him that threatneth his death would he not fly and why then doe not I fly into the Mountaines and desertes to auoid the hearing of such and the like matters of my Religious Of an answeare which God gaue to the holy Father S. Francis in prayer being exceedingly afflicted for some scandales committed THE XXVI CHAPTER THe afflicted S. Francis knowing that certaine Prouincialls of his Order gaue not good edification to the simple Religious foreseeing that therby many other in short time might swarue from the obseruance of the rule moued with great greife which afflicted him for the zeale of the honour of God often reiterating these wordes My God I recommend vnto thee this familie which thou hast giuen me he heard a voice that said Why troublest thou thy selfe poore man Why doest thou so much afflict thee if some Religious walke not my way and giue ill example esteemest thou that I haue so chosen thee for Pastour of this Religion as that I continue not the principal Pastour thereof Who hath planted this Religion of Freere Minors who coÌ„uerteth men to pennance who giueth them force and vertue to perseuer in it Tell me doe not I al this yea I haue chosen thee expresly without learning or eloqueÌ„ce yea simple that performing what lyeth in thee thou committ the rest to me and that this new conuersion of so great part of the world be not attributed to thy doctrine nor to any humane industry but to my grace alone Now to the end thatt thou and all the world know that I will watch ouer my flock I haue placed thee there as a blanck and paterne to all the Religious that by what thou shall doe they may see whervnto they are obliged and I will preserue and maintaine them And if it happen that some doe fall others shall rise They that walke in my way are mine and shall retourne to me they that walke not in it shall loose the litle good which they seeme to haue Therfore I commaund thee not so much to vexe they selfe henceforward but onlie perseuer in thy course and know that I haue planted and conserue this Religion which I so much affect that if one of the Brethren retourne to his vomitt I will referre his crowne to an other in his place and if he be not borne I will cause him to be borne And that thou mayest know how much I loue the Religion of thy Freres though in the Order there remayne but three I will not abandon them but those three shal be my Religion The poore Father was comforted with these wordes and so supported all with more patience In the Chapters he would often vse these wordes to his Religious I haue made vow and professioÌ„ of the rule of Frere Minors and all the Brethren are in like sort obliged thervnto I haue left the office of Gouernour of the Religious by reason of mine infirmities and withall because it was permitted by his diuine maiesty for the good of my soule I know the greatest furtherance that I can giue to my Religion is continually to pray for it and to beseech God to gouerne it I am not obliged to any other thing then to giue to each one good example And if any perish by my euill example I wil be obliged to yeld account for him vnto God Therfore they that hold the same rule with me and know very well if they will what they ought to doe for they see it practised both by me and others if they doe not their duety they worck their owne damnation God will chastise them I shall not be obliged for them in that respect wherin I referre my selfe to God Certaine Religious one time said to S. Francis with a good zeale thincking therby to meritt much Father doe not you know that Prelalates sometimes refuse to giue vs leaue to preach by reason wherof we spend much time idlye we therfore thincke it conuenient that you shall doe great seruice to God and much good to soules if you procure generall licence of the Pope to preach freely with priuiledge The holy Father exceedingly reprehended them foreseeing the scaÌ„dall that therby might easily arriue betweene the Clergie and his Order and said vnto theÌ„ you Frere Minors will not know the will of God nor will permitt me to conuert the world in such sort as God will I should conuert it Therfore I tell you you ought to obtaine this licence of the Prelates themselues with your humility the good example of your life which coÌ„tinuyng in you the Prelates will pray you to preach in their diocesses churches and to conuert their people to pennance After this maÌ„ner they will more willingly call you to preach theÌ„ your priuiledges will doe which will only puffe you vp in pride and if you beleeue mine aduise you shall endeauour to keep
bare to the holy Father S. Francis Of an other child which God raysed by the merittes of the holy Father S. Francis and of diuers other miracles wrought THE XLIII CHAPTER BEing att an other time lodged with a knight as they discoursed of spirituall matters there came a seruant all chafed and full of teares telling this geÌ„tleman his master that his sonne was att that very houre drowned in a chanell wheratt the Father and mother pittifully lamented S. Francis was moued to coÌ„passion and after that he had comforted theÌ„ willing theÌ„ to haue hope in God he fell to prayer beseeching his diuine Maiesty to reueale vnto him the place where he might finde the child Now God hauing reuealed it vnto him he bad the gentleman to send vnto such a place where he should finde his child which being brought vtterly suffocated and drowned he raysed him an restored him to his Father in the name of God with an infinite ioy to all the assistantes who reÌ„dred thaÌ„ckes incessaÌ„tly vnto his diuine Maiesty The holy Father S. FraÌ„cis minding to preach in a certaine place within the diocesse of Cisterno where a great noÌ„ber of people were asseÌ„bled to heare him waÌ„ting coÌ„uenieÌ„t place to preach vnto theÌ„ coÌ„modiously by reasoÌ„ that it was a plaine he approached to an oake which was froÌ„ the bottome to the toppe all couered with antes which the holy Father hauing seene hecoÌ„manded theÌ„ to goe froÌ„ that tree and tourning to the people he willed theÌ„ to giue way to the said antes And theÌ„ which was admirable they in noÌ„ber almost incredible went that way which S. Francis had caused the people to make for them so that they neuer retourned more and this was cause of vnspeakeable fruit The holy Father S. FraÌ„cis of all other beastes had least affectioÌ„ to those antes because they employed ouer much dilligeÌ„ce in hoarding their prouisioÌ„ for the time to come And withall he affirmed that they deserued not to be nombred with the birdes of whome God said Behold the foules of the aire that they sow not neither reape nor gather into barnes and your heauenly Father feedeth them S. Francis would that all his Religious should haue the same faith and resignation of all their cogitations in his diuine prouidence that God would should be in his disciples In the same place and time that the S. preached there happened a fearfull miracle for there came a woman with a cow-bell to disturbe the company wherwith she made such a ringing sound that one could not heare what he said S. Francis reprehending her she encreased it such possession had the deuill of her Vpon this occasion the holy Father inspired of God and moued with zeale of his holy word and of the conuersion of soules vttered these wordes Carry her away Satan carry her away for she is one of they members and is thine O horrible and fearfull accident these wordes being ended the woman was incontinently carryed vp into the aire both body and soule in vew of all the world for which cause euery one was stricken in extreme terrour and feare of the diuine maiesty and thenceforward gaue eare to his holy worde in very great reuerence S. Francis walking with his companion on the banckes of the riuer Po and being ouertaken by the night he was exceedingly perplexed to get lodgeing by reason that the way was extreme foule and durty the aire very darck and the place not free froÌ„ theeues for though they had nothing to loose yet should they haue bin afflicted by them wherefore his coÌ„panion said vnto him Father pray vnto God if you please that he may voutsafe to be our guide and to deliuer vs froÌ„ this affliction The S. no otherwise answeared but God is able if he please and that it be for our good to deliuer vs and remouing this darcknes to giue vs his light Att this instant as he lifted vp his handes to heauen a cleare light appeared and so resplendant that being in all other places a very darck night they saw very clearly and perfectly nor only how to goe in their way but euery where about theÌ„ So by this light guided and comforted both spiritually and corporally they made such speed as they arriued att their place of retire singing prayses and himnes vnto God of whome S. Francis was assisted in his necessity He accustomed when he came to any place to preach therby the more coÌ„modiously to assemble the people to sound a cornet which to that purpose he carryed with him with two stickes of a paulme long which are to this day conserued in his church of Assisium in the sacristye hauing the endes garnished with siluer they are shewed with other reliques att all times when they are desired to be seene Certaine doctrines and discourse of the glorious Father S. Francis which haue bin found recorded Of the faith and reuerence due to the holy sacrament THE XLIV CHAPTER THe holie Father sainct Francis did not onlie seeke to edifie his neighbour in corporall presence and by example and preaching but also such as he could not assist by those meanes being remote from them he assisted by letters and aduertissementes which he caused his Religious to write wherof I thought it requisit to select the choice and principall to insert in this place specified according to the contentes A letter of the holy Father sainct Francis to all the Religious of the generall chapter IN the name of God of the most sacred Trinitie and soueraigne vnitie the Father Sonne and holie Ghost Amen To my beloued Brother the Minister Generall of the Order of Frere Minors and to all other Ministers that shall succeed him to all Prouincials Guardians and Preistes of our coÌ„frarernitie vnited in IESVS CHRIST and to all the humble simple and obedient first and last Brother Francis a man of nothing fraile and infirme your least seruant saluteth you in the name of him that hath redeemed you and hath washed vs with his owne bloud whose name we ought to adore prostrate on the earth with great feare and reuerence Most high lord IESVS CHRST Sonne of God is his name who is blessed for euer and euer Amen Harcken yee children of God and my deere Brethren imprint my wordes in your mindes incline the eares of your harte and obey the voice of the Sonne of God keepe with all your hart and obserue his sweet preceptes and embrace his counsailes with your entier will praise him for he is good and know that the eternall Father sendeth you into the world by your worckes and wordes to testifie his worckes and wordes And therefore striue to make it knowne to all people that he alone is almighty in all thinges perseuer in his discipline and obseruance and maytaine that which you haue promised him with a firme resolution siâ—h he as Father to his children giueth vs the true preseruing nourishment of spirituall and corporall essence and presenteth vs to his
Father as our protectour I beseech you my Brethren euen humblie kissing your feet and with the greatest charitie I can I doe exhort you to reuerence and honour with your vtmost ability the most sacred sacrament wherby heauenly and earthlie matters are reconciled with God I beseech all my brethren that are Preistes and such as in the name of God shal be when they intend to celebrate the diuine masse to be pure and neat that they may worthelie offer the true sacrifice of the most sacred bodie and bloud of our lord IESEVS CHRIST with the greatest reuerence puritie holie inteÌ„tion that they shal be able not for any humane respect for any feare or loue but that their intention be directed to God desiring to please onlie his Maiestie who sayth Doe this in remembrance of me Know then yee Preistes that he who shall doe otherwise shal be like vnto Iudas Remember the saying of the Apostle A man making the law of Moyses frustrate without any mercy dyeth vnder two or three witnesses How much more thinck you doth he deserue worse punishmente which hath trodden the Sonne of God vnder foot and esteemed the bloud of the testament polluted wherin he is sanctified and hath done contumelie to the spiritt of grace For then is a man irreuerent and treadeth on that lambe of God when as the Apostle saith he doth not examine and make a difference betweene this true bread of God and that which he doth ordinarily eat and therfore he receaueth it vnworthely For God saith in Ieremie The man is cursed that doeth negligently and feinedly And the Preistes that will not haue this care to celebrate so excellent a Mystery the most worthely that possibly can be shal be condemned of God who saith I will tourâ—e your benedictions to maledictions on your selues My brethren heare me I pray you if the glorious virgin be so much honoured as she deserueth for hauing receaued into her chast wombe our lord IESVS CHRIST If. S. Iohn Baptist trembled and durst not touch the head of IESVS CHRIST and finally if the holy sepulchre wherin IESVS CHRIST was buryed for his so small time of residence is so much reuerenced how much more ought he to be iust holy and well purged who with his handes doth handle and with his proper mouth doth receaue so high infinite a Maiesty and doth administer the same to others Remember that he is an immortall and eternall God that liueth glorious and eternall with contemplation of whose Maiesty the Angels themselues cannot be satisfied Preistes know your dignitie and be holy for God is holy and as in regard of so great a mystery and dignity you haue bin more honoured then other men remember in like sort to be also more gratefull vnto God and to reuerence loue and honour him for otherwise your misery is exceeding great and deserueth continuall teares in that you hauing in your handes the almighty God the fountaine of all good thinges you procure to haue transitory and terrestriall thinges all the world ought to tremble with feare and sweetly weepe whiles the Angels themselues bend their knees when IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of the most high is vpon the altare betweene the handes of man O merueillous highnes and diuine debasement O most high humility that the Sonne of God yea God himselfe the master and lord of the vniuersall world should so humble himselfe as to giue himselfe vnto vs hidden vnder the forme of bread Consider my brethren so profound a humility and purifie your hart before his diuine Maiestie to the end he receaue all as he giueth himselfe to all Therfore I aduertiâ—e you in the name of God that in all places where the Religious are you celebrate but one masse a day and though you haue diuers Preistes lett the rest be content to heare it for although it be seene in many pertes yet is it one and indiuisible and without any detriment true God and true man so in one sole masse he can communicate his grace to all present and absent that make themselues worthy one onlie and verie God Father Sonne and holie Ghost worcking this Amen Of the faith and knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and of the sacred Sacrament THE XLV CHAPTER TO all Christians Religious Ecclesiasticall lay men and women that are in the world Brother Francis their seruant and subiect in God desireth withall reuerence a true peace in heaueÌ„ by the sincere charity which is discended on earth As I am the seruant of you all so am I obliged to serue all and to administer vnto you the most sweet word of my lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Considering therfore in my soule that by reason of the diuers infirmities that afflict my body I cannot by corporall presence as I desire visitt you my selfe I haue thought good to supply the same by letters and by them to administer vnto you the worde of IESVS CHRIST who is the word of the eternall Father the wordes of the holy Ghost which are spiritt life I then admonish you Brethren to confesse your sinnes to a Preist with all the dilligence you can possible and att his hand to receaue the true body and bloud of IESVS CHRIST For as our Lord saith he that eateth not my flesh and drincketh not my bloud cannot haue eternall life Lett vs then endeauour worthely to receaue such so eminent a maiesty for he that receaueth it vnworthely in steed of saluatioÌ„ pourchaceth death Besides I exhort you often to visitt the holy churches and to reuerence Preistes not so much in respect of themselues if they be sinners as for reuerence of the function and dignity which they haue in being ministers of the most pretious body and bloud of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which by them is offered on the altare receaued and administred vnto vs without which none can be saued by the holy wordes which they vtter and minister he discendeth from heauen to earth and none but they can doe it O how happy and blessed are they who loue God withall their hart with all their soules and with all their forces and their neighbour as themselues I inuite you all my brethren and you my sisters to this loue lett vs all with one accord loue God with one pure affection of our hart adore him because that is the thing which he especially requireth and demaundeth of vs as himselfe hath said the true adorers adore in spiritt and truth and it is necessary for them that adore him to doe it in that manner Our lord said to his disciples I am the way the verity the life No man coÌ„meth to the Father but by me If you had knowne me my Father also certes you had knowen from hencefoorth you shall know him and you haue seen him Phillip said to him Lord shew vs the Father it sufficeth vs. IESVS said to him So long time I am
life shall lose it and in an other place he that doth not renounce all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple He renounceth all that he possesseth and looseth his soule for the loue of God who in euery thing submitteth himselfe to his Prelate for by this meane he may be tearmed truely obedient and then also knowing he could doe some other thing better then that which he is commanded and of more profitt to his soule he sacrificeth his will vnto God employing himselfe in that which he is commanded for the loue of God though it be of lesse fruit for true obedience is full of charity edifieth our neighbour and entierly satisfieth God But if the Superiour should command him any thinge in preiudice of his soule then only he ought not to obey but this case excepted in althinges else he must hold him his true Superiour and if that other Religious persecute and afflict him because he obeyeth his Superiour happy shall he be for he may then truely say that God hath communicated vnto him his perfect charity which consisteth in enduring persecutions and exposing his owne life for his neighbour But the misery is there are certaine Religious who whiles they would consider and know whither certaine thinges by them inuented be not better then those which the Superiours commaund them the wretches doe not consider that they looke back and retourne to the vomitt of their selfe-will and so doe they ruine themselues and their neigbour by their euill example Of patience and humilitie THE XLVIII CHAPTER THough there be nothing that ought more to displease the true seruant of God then sinne neuertheles if he fall into ouermuch passion for any sinne whatsoeuer his charity towardes his neighbour excepted he is guiltie of that sinne Therfore the seruant of God which is not moued in such accidentes may be truely said to be without passion for his patience â—cannot be knowen while altâ—inges smiles vpon him and succed according to his wish But when occasion is presented wherin he desireth to be satisfied and the contrary arriueth then is his patience experienced for he hath as much as he then sheweth and no more The holy Father S. Francis would say that they were truely peaceable who suffering in this world for the loue of God conserue peace in their interiour and liue as Lambes among woulues In which respect God himselfe liued and dyed so Happy is he that being reprehended and accused of others receaueth and beareth such reprehension charitably and patiently as of himselfe and without excusiue reply consenteth with shame confesseth with patience and performeth due satisfaction couragiously yea euen in matters wherof he is guiltles and being a subiect persisteth vnder the rule of discipline or being superiour conuerseth with his subiectes as with his superiours Happy is the seruant that incontinently correcteth and chasticeth his offences interiourly by contrition and exteriourly by confession and satisfaction A discourse which the holy Father S. Francis made to Brother Leo his companion being in seruour of spirit BRother Leo my beloued sonne note well these my wordes Albeit the Frere Minors in whatsoeuer place they be giue example of edification and sanctity neuertheles consider prudently seriously obserue that their perfect ioy consisteth not in that Yea if they should restore sight to the blind health to the sicke hearing to the deafe speech to the dumbe ability of goeing to the lame should expell diuels out of bodies and rayse the dead that had sauoured four dayes their true alacrity consisteth not in all this If they should vnderstand all the scriptures could speake all tongues should prophesie and know the consciences of men yet doth their true ioy lesse consist in this Had they intelligence to discourse of celestiall vertues with the very tongues of Angels as also of the course of the starres of the proprieties of plantes and stones were all the treasures of the world discouered vnto them knew they the nature and vertue of fishes and other beastes and also of men their true ioy dependeth not theron Though they should preach with such feruour as to conuert all the Infidels to the faith of IESVS CHRIST neither doth their true ioy consist in that Brother Leo to all this answeared Wherin then consisteth it S. Francis replied Heare me Brother Leo If we comming to our Lady of Angels by meane of a long iorny very weary wett with the raine frozen with cold dabled with durt and extremely hungry ringing att the gate the porter vtterly disquieted and in coller should aske vs who we were and hauing answeared him that we were Frere Minors and therefore â—e should open vs the dore he should reply So farre are you from being any of ours that you seeme two idle companions and rogues that goe loitering about the world robbing the poore of their almose and so should not permitt vs to enter but should make vs remaine till night all drowned and dagled with durt and rayne without giuing vs any comfort and if that we support it patientlie for the loue of God receauing all that from his holy hand and confessing that the porter knew vs very well Brother Leo writt that therein consisteth perfect ioy And if being constrained by necessity we continued ringing to enter the porter should come forth in great choler against vs and vse vs indiscreetlie and importunately â—aying vnto vs Get ye gone to the hospitall lewd and impudent fellowes as ye are and stay no longer here for you shall not enter if we support all this with alacritie and pardon him with all our hart therin consisteth perfect ioy And being full darck night we being euery way molested should begin againe to ring and knock weeping bitterlie should pray the porter to lett vs in for the loue of God yet he more cruell then before should come out with a good cudgell and load vs soundly with iniuries and bastinadoes leauing vs in the durt rather dead then aliue write Brother Leo that therin would consist perfect ioy prouided that we support it all with great patience that we pray God to pardoÌ„ him and that we loue him more then if he had opened the dore vnto vs for the loue of God who hath endured much more for all vs. Heare now the conclusion of all the graces of the holy Ghost which IESVS CHRIST hath graunted doth and euer will graunt to his elect The principall is that a man doe conquere himselfe and for his loue doe voluntarily supporte all kinde of iniuries and blowes euen to death because indeed we cannot truely glory of any of the other foresaid vertues and graces by reason that they are not ours as the Apostle saith but Goddes What hast thou that thou hast not receaued and if thou hast receaued why doest thou glory as if thou hast not receaued wherefore we neither can nor ought the glory but in the crosse of tribulations and afflictions which is our owne therfore the Apostle saith
two winges crossed on high as were those belowe so that the endes of those vpper passed the hight of the head those below passed the soles of the feet the other two passed on each side the endes of the fingers handes the two armes being stretched in forme of a crosse The soule of S. Francis was with this admirable appatition exceedingly melted being surprised with a contentment an extreme greife entermingled so together that it was impossible to explicate whither of the two were greater for on the one side he exceedinglie reioyced beholding himselfe in the mirour wherin the Angels themselues cannot be wearie to looke and wherin are enclosed the treasures of all beautitude and keeping his eyes alwayes more fixed on that celestiall fiery globe shining with a diuine light he consumed with loue and sweetnes but on the other side considering his God so cruelly fastened on the crosse with hard and grosse nailes as he then appeared vnto him and hauing his side opened with the stroke of a lance he by commiseration experienced that cruell iron which pearced the delicate breast of the Virgin Mary in such sort that he no lesse felt that dolour then if himselfe had bin crucified in that manner yea by his interiour compassion he was fullie transformed into his beloued IESVS CHRIST No man can doubt hereof sith this vision was not as others appearing only to the exteriour eyes but it was effectiue and operatiue by an act not heard of in the verie bodie of his Sainct imprinting in him the verie woundes which he had by meanes of his diuine beames which from his two handes his two feet and side he sent into his handes feet and side not spirituallie or imaginatiuelie only but sensiblie and corporally opening his side and pearcing his handes and feet and this was not only for the present but for an eternall testimonie he left him the nailes framed of his verie flesh fixed therin the heades of the nayles lardge appearing without in the paulmes of his handes but round and of iron colour and on the other sides the pointes clinched for the woundes were transpearced through both sides so that att the principall wound wherby the handes were pearced from one side to an other with the said nayles on the side where the pointes of the nayle was clinched there was such a space betweene the superiour part of the hand and the tourned clinch of the nayle that betweene the same one might putt in a finger the like might be said of the feet so that thenceforward he could not stand vpon them but with extreme paine in such sort that besides the incessant running of the bloud it was verie troublesome vnto him as also was the wound of his side which was verie lardge and open the flesh being there growen againe in forme of a cicatrice which was of the colour of a rose as it was seene afterward by diuers hauing touched the same as in place conuenient shal be inserted Our soueraigne Lord and God leauing in the body of his feruant a liuely true and long memoriall of his dolorious Passion not without a most profound iudgement and immensiue signe of an excessiue loue vnto vs for seeing that the memory of his bitter passion was vtterly extinguished in our harts he would not this other misterious passion for our cause only renued in the body of his seruant should be so soone forgottē In which respect it was necessary that he should endure it not one houre or two one day or a month but two yeares entierly the hard obstinacie and obstinate hardnes of our hartes opposite and rebellions to his diuine Maiestie so requiring it to procure vs with efficacie to remember the other How the glorious Father sainct Francis was att length constrained to reueale the impression of his stigmates to such as were most familiar vnto him THE LVI CHAPTER NOw after this admirable cōmunication performed with such and so great a prerogatiue as a greater could not be imagined the altare eukindled in the brest of the holie Father burned with the immensiue charitie he had vnto his God but leauing this to the deuoutsoules that raise themselues from the earth towardes their Creatour we will prosecute the historie telling how he discouered this treasure vnto the world Sainct Francis then hauing finished his lent which he fasted in the honour of sainct Michal the Archangel and hauing giuen thanckes to God he discended to the foot of the Mountaine carrying with him the diuine image of IESVS CHRIST crucified not in tables of stone or wood carued and engrauen by the hand of some humane or Angelicall Master but written and imprinted in the membres of his properflesh by the handes of the Sonne of God himselfe not casting his precious stones before euery body because he feared much to manifest to litle purpose so great a secret of God yet withall he found it impossible to conceale the same att least from his companions that were hourly with him therfore calling them together he proposed vnto them his doubt as in a third personne not specifying the fact but only speaking generally of the reuelations of the secrettes of God But Brother Illuminato truely illuminated of God ayming att that which proued true that Sainct Francis had receaued of God some reuelations of very great importance especially perceauing him to be as out of himselfe he thus answeared Beloued Father who knoweth better then your selfe that for the most part and almost alwayes God giueth great reuelations to his seruantes not for themselues alone but for others also as hath bin seene that it hath pleased him att lengtht to manyfest them all Wherfore it seemeth to me that you hauing receaued such should proue ingratefull to God if you conceale that which he hath wrought in you more for the saluation of the world then for your owne particuler therby burying his talent vnder the earth Which the holy Father vnderstanding as from the mouth of God besides what he often said with the Prophet My secrett vnto my selfe my secrett vnto my selfe he very humbly recounted vnto them the vision he had the successe thereof many other most high and diuine matters vnder the seale of secresie which is not to be doubted but God did reueale vnto him in so merueillous a coniunction How his sacred woundes were scene of diuers during his life THE LVII CHAPTER BVt it being impossible for the holy Father to conceale this light with God would haue to shine to all the world on an high candlestick though he could couer his feet with his sandales when he would and his handes with the sleeues of his habitt yet he was constrayned in the end to manifest them Brother Leo his Confessour saw them euery day the holy Father being of necessity to vse him as a Phisition to dresse his holy stigmates whence did continually distill bloud and to change the linnen and putt tentes betweene the nailes and flesh
then the hope and certainty of the glorie to come wherto S. Paul esteemed not the passions of this world coÌ„digne howsoeuer greiuous and continuall they might be The S. goeing one day for his consolation to visitt S. Clare with Brother Leonard of Assisium his companion the sweetnes of their spirituall discourses was such and so great that the night surprised theÌ„ before they perceaued it Wherfore constrayned by her prayers her Sisters and her companions he did eat two morcels with them and in an instant he was swallowed vp in the holy Ghost and rauished in extasie with a deep contentment where he heard that which sequentlie shal be related Being retourned to himselfe he cryed out with a loud voice My God be thou praysed and incontinentlie went to our Lady of Angels Arising from the table he fell on his knees and there was againe in extasie the space of an hower then instantly went away and left S. Clare and her sisters who were exceedingly greiued tâ—erewith His CoÌ„pany admiring theratt asked him the cause in their way the S. acknowledge it vnto them affirming that in the extasie God had reuealed vnto him his saluation by these verie wordes Francis I promise thee eternall life and assure thee therof in such sort as I tell thee thou canst no way loose it for which I thancked him saying Prayse be to thee my God then he forbad them to speake thereof till after his death Being come to our Lady of Angels for eyght howers together he could not vtter other wordes then these Be thou praysed my God yea he could not say his canonicall houres by reason of the ioy that had surprised his hart After that time his infirmitie in such sort encreasing that it manifestlie appeared he could not liue long one of his fâ—eindes seeing him cloathed with his coursest and patched habitt and hauing a peece of rugged cloth on his forehead for the infirmitie of his eyes in spirituall mirth said vnto him Father how will you sell this old habitt Oh how soone will God buy it of you and pay you deerlie for it giuing you in exchaunge therof an infinitye of precious garmentes of silke and gold besides eternall glorie afterward in the other world The S. induced and inspired of the holy Ghost sodenly answeared Brother thou hast reason for so shall it be to the honour and glory of God Of the last and extreme sicknes that augmented and redoubled in the holy Father S. Francis THE LXIV CHAPTER BEsides all the other infirmities of his eyes his stomacke his liuer and the greife of his stigmates there fell also a dropsie into his feet six monethes before his blessed end Notwithstanding he omitted not to visitt the monasteries citties and townes to procure the saluation of soules But his infirmities growing daily more violent the cittizens of Assisium iealous of so noble and precious a treasure which by right appertayned vnto them and fearing it would be robbed from them vpon the way they sent Embassadours to their holy Father who was then neere to Sienna to pray and by all sweetnes and amity to enforce him to retourne to his Monasterie Sainct Francis failed not to comfort them yelding that benefitt to them who in the beginning of his conuersion vsed him as a foole wherin each one may consider the admirable disposition of God and then lett him deride his Saiâ—ct that can Now on the way these Cittizens came to a village somewhat later then they expected by which meane they were disappointed of all prouision finding there no Inne but onlie houses of countrie people which refused to afford the company victuals for monie They who had chardge of the prouision recounted this discurtesie to Sainct Francis who answeared See now what vse you make of your monyflies retourne againe and demaund something to eat for the loue of God and you shall experience what difference there is betweene the vaine hopes of the world and the true and assured hope of God The gentlemen obeyed the S. and found for the loue of God so much to eat that they knew not what to doe with so much food Herevpon the S. said vnto them you are of opinion that it is a shamefull thing to demaund an almose but tell me wherwith doth all the world liue but with the continuall almose giuen by almightie God They were all filled with great admiration and silent with confusion and so shrincking their shoulders they proceeded on their iorney conducting their Father to his Country whither being come and for more security brought to the Pallace of the Bishop of Assisium master Bon Iohn a Phisicion and his deere freind came to visitte him whome he prayed to tell him freely his opinion of that sicknes adiâ—â—ing him not to deale with him as with other sicke personnes feeding him with vaine hopes wherwith he had not to doe assuring him that by the grace of God he rather desired death then life The Phisicion answeared him assuredlie that his infiâ—mity was mortall and that according to humane iudgement he could not passe the middes of October Which the S. vnderstanding he so strayned himselfe that he gott on his knees vpon his bed first stretching his armes then lifting his two handes towardes heauen with an eâ—ceeding feruour of spiritt he said you are welcome my beloued Sister the death which thou my God doest send me Of the consolation or exercise of the S. on his later dayes THE LXV CHAPTER THe holy Father in this greiuous sicknes had no other recreation and consolation but to prayse God and to procure his companions to prayse him by himnes psalmes and spirituall Canticles with which alone and without any other comfort of the world he qualified that his greiuous infirmity his dolours his paines which were such and so cruell that as he affirmed it had bin far more tollerable with all kinde of torment to endure a dolourous death by the handes of the executioner then to suffer what he endured But considering that the diuine spiritt doth not accord with the humane nor the children of light with the children of the world Brother Helias his Vicar Generall who went with the said Cittizens to pray him to retourne to Assisium and who forsoke him not till his death to whome on night two yeares before his death there appeared a venerable old man in a white habitt this was in an Oratory nere to FulliniuÌ„ who willed him to aduertise S. Francie that from thence two yeares he should be called of God out of this world which he had told him this man then seeing this his so vnaccustomed alacrity amiddes so many tormentes and that he did nothing but sing and cause to be sung prayses to God without otherwise lamenting his sinnes as formerly he accustomed to doe sayd vnto him that himselfe and his most affectionat freindes were much edified by this his ioy in that mortall infirmity were assured that it proceeded only of the integrity of his
manifestation that he had not any thing in this world and with the more facility to wrestle against his furious aduersary in this last conflict and triall wherin consisted the crowne he with an exceeding feruour and courage stript himselfe all naked as he had bin without any infirmity then cast himselfe on the ground couering with his left hand the precious wound of his right hand and tourning his ioyfull face towardes the kingdome whither he was to goe he began to prayse and blesse his sweet lord IESVS CHRIST that being dischardged and freed of all worldly impedimentes he might ascend to heauen and enioy his diuine Maiestie then tourning towardes his Religious he said vnto them My deere Brethren I haue to this present done what I ought to doe These wordes were diuersely vnderstood of the Religious some of them wept in regard he was to leaue them without Pastour and gouernour others because he seemed to leaue them as men forlorne others for other occasions only the Guardian whome he obeyed vnderstood the desire of the holy Father wherfore taking presentlie an habitt with the cord and linnen breeches brought and gaue it vnto him saying Father take this habitt which I lend you with the corde and breeches that you may be buryed therwith as a poore creature who of your selfe haue not so much as wherwith to couer your nakednes I command you to receaue it in this your last houre euen by the vertue and meritt of obedience wherof the Sainct discouered to haue the greatest contentment that can be imagined considering that in this extremity he had obserued his holy pouerty in such sort as he desired euen to the last end He contentedlie accepted the breeches but to conforme himselfe entierlie to his truely-beloued IESVS CHRIST that would dye naked on the crosse to the performance wherof wanting nothing but to dye naked hauing already bin and euen for the present being admirably crucified by the vertue of the almighty he commaunded his Religious not only to permitt him to dye on the ground but euen to leaue him there a long time after his death Hauing procured to be brought vnto him the holy Sacramentes and they being successiuely administred vnto him those I meane which the Church accustometh to afford such as are ready to dye he lastly tourned towardes his Religious to whome he made a worthy sermon exhorting them to the loue of God then of their neighbour and especially to obedience vnto his holie Romane Church next to obserue their pouerty and before the same and all other thinges to be alwayes mindfull to preferre the obseruance of the holy ghospell and the diuine counsailes therof Then crossing his hādes this great Patriarch of the poore gaue his holy benediction to all his Religious both present and absent saying My deere Brethren God of his mercy blesse you as also I blesse you be it his holy will to confirme me it in heauen Remayne ye all in his holy feare perseuering alwayes therin for the time of afflictions approach wherin they shal be happy who shall perseuer euen to the end remayne ye all in his holy obedience as you haue solemnely promised vnto him Finally remayne ye all in his most holy peace and in charity among your selues God blesse you I goe in great hast vnto God to whose grace I recommend you Amen Which hauing said he asked for the gospell and speaking no more to any person he only desired that place to be read vnto him where is mentioned the departure of our lord Ante diem festum paschae which being read to the end he began to say to himselfe Voce mea ad Dominum clamaui And being come to the verse Educ de custodia animam meam that is deliuer my soule if thou please my God out of this prison that it may attaine to thee my God and my lord where the iust expect me to the end thou mayest giue me my recompence Which being ended this holy soule at it desired was deliuered out of the prison of her proper flesh and eleuated to heauen there foreuer to enioy the eternall bounty with all the sainctes his elected of both sexes in that degree which his diuine maiestie ordayned and parepared for him How some saw the soule of the glorious Father sainct Francis ascend in glory THE LXXI CHAPTER THis holy soule failed not to appeare to some when it ascended to the celestiall glory For Brother Angelus a Religious of worthy sanctity being att that time prouinciall of the prouince of Naples and very neere his end saw in an instant the soule of the sainct as a resplendant starre on the toppe of a verie bright cloud to be transported aboue the great waters and directlie mounted and eleuated into heauen And albeit he had the space of two dayes lost his speech he neuertheles then resumed his spirittes for seeing the blessed spiritt of the sainct he began to crye out Stay for me Father stay for me for I goe also with you The Religious asking what he meant therbie See you not said he our holie Father sainct Francis that now goeth to the glory of Paradice which hauing spoaken he yelded his soule to God and followed his most holy Father The Bishop of Assisium being gone in pilgrimage to visitt the Church of S. Michael the Archangell on the mount Gargan S. Francis appeared vnto him the very night of his death and said My lord know that I haue left the world and goe to heauen The Bishop therfore being risen told his people that S. Francis was dead the night before which was proued to be true An other Religious of this Order being the same night rapt into deep contemplation saw the blessed Deacon of IESVS CHRIST vested with a very rich tunicle accompanyed with a great multitude of soules that attended him as a worthy Prince who so ascended into a pallace of merueillous beauty and eminency it is piously beleeued that the said soules were by his merittes deliuered out of Purgatory This glorious soule ascended to glory accompanied with many Angels that attended and visited him continually in this life and is now seated among the Seraphins which glory he merited not only in this life by the excessiue and Seraphicall loue of God but also it appartayned vnto him in regard of the Seraphicall vision of IESVS CHRIST who transformed him into himselfe making him a Seraphin by gtace and sealing the same with diuine seales as hath bin reuealed to many holy personnes worthy of creditt as well during the life of the Sainct as after his death The verie birdes and particulerlie the Larckes that were much beloued and verie familiar vnto him did exceedinglie reioyce att his glorie a great flight of them appearing verie earlie the next morning on the roufe of the house where sainct Francis lay dead warbling a verie delightfull and extraordinarie note yea as it were miraculous which continued diuers howers celebrating the prayses
naturally drawne att Venise in the church of S. Marck such as we haue formerlie described and with stigmates enameled after the Mosaicall manner Of the Buriall of the body of the blessed Father S. Francis THE LXXIII CHAPTER THe afore mentioned Lady Iaqueline of the Seauen Sunnes was the last that could not be satisfied with seeing and touching as an other Magdalen this sacred body of her deere master She did nothing but bath it with her gracious teares and dry it with her kisses the extreme swetnes that proceeded from this holie body but particulerlie from the sacred stigmates exceeded all other sweetnes neuerthelesse she held her eyes alwayes fixed on the wound of his side wherto she often applyed her mouth and handes whence she receaued such and so exceeding consolation that it seemed vnto her in this conuersation with her dead master and freâ—nd â—hat her soule with a straung and admirable ioy began to liue Butt to the cittizens of Assisium that desired to carry him to buriall finding much delay euery hower seemed an hundred by reason of the extreme feare they had that so precious a treasure by some extraordinarie accident might beÌ„ taken from them wherfore they placed a guard before the monasterie gate and soldiers diuided through the street euen to the gate of the citty which cittizens so importuned the said Lady that she annoynted him with precious iontment then cloathed him in a new gray habitt which she had expresly brought from Rome according to the aduertisement of the Angell and the Religious so opened this habitt that the wound of his side might easily be seene This glorious Sainct did alwayes in his life time desire that his bodie should be buryed in the basest place of all the citty of AssisiuÌ„ his hart excepted which he deputed to our Lady of Angels as during his life he had by affection there setled the same and in deed God did not frustrate him of this iust desire for his holy body was enterred though this were not till foure yeares after by reason that the monasterie was not yet build there nor the church which they sumptuouslie built there afterward in the most abiect place of Assisium where malefactours were executed called the mount of hell the common opinion is that his hart is in the chappell of S. Mary of Angels where according to report it is preserued with great reuerence On the sonday morning all the people being assembled with bowes of trees and the Religious Preistes and Gentlemen with their burning torches and lightes carryed this holie bodie as in procession first to the Church of S. Damian to S. Clare that the prophesie of the Sainct might be accomplished sending her worde some dayes before that she should shortlie see him to her exceeding consolarioÌ„ The grate being opened the body of the Sainct was brought in to the Religious who were so comforted therwith that greife could finde no place in their hartes particulerly in that of S. Clare who endeauouring in vaine to pluck out a nayle of his handes to keep it with her as a relique she began againe with her Sisters to bath this holy bodie with teares encourageing themselues together to proceed in the way begun of the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which he had taught them And so after they had restored this holie bodie to the people who weare troubled att this long attendance they carryed it to be enterred in a new sepulcher within the Church of S. George as in a dispositorie where it remayned full foure yeares vnder guard till his church was builded att the Mount of hell as aforesaid It was not without mysterie that he reposed in the said church wherin he had bin baptised had learned his first letters and where he had deliuerd his first preachinges therfore it seemed verie reasonable that his bodie should begin to repose in that place whither the said Lady of the Seauen-Sunnes repayred neuer to abandon him forsaking her habitation in Rome and neuer left this body till her death when she went for euer to dwell with his blessed soule in Paradise How the glorious Father Sainct Francis Was canonized by Pope Gregorie the ninth THE LXXIV CHAPTER THe merittes and glorie of the holie Father S. Francis began by his great miracles to be diuulged whence succeeded that himselfe raigning in heauen his sanctitie was also by diuine power manifested here on earth which he had neuerthelesse alredy made sufficientlie apparant to the world in his life directing an infinite number of soules in the infallible way of vertue The brute of the admirable thinges which God wrought by his seruant Francis came euen to the eares of Pope Gregorie the ninth who resting assured that the S. was glorified with God not only in regard of the said miracles wrought after his death but euen of the experience had with his owne eyes desiring here below to comforme himselfe to the will of God as his true Vicar he determined with a pious and deuoted zeale to canonize him and propose him to the world for a remarckeable example of sanctity and to take all scruple from the Cardinals and others he caused all his principall miracles to be examined and approued by actes of publike Notaries and infinite testimonies worthie of beleife So the Cardinals and all the principall diuines of his Court being herein dulie aduertised concluded that it was iust and verie expedient vnto the Church of God to canonize this glorious Sainct his seruant The yeare 1228. the Pope himselfe went with his Court to Assisium expreslie with this resolution and the sixteenth of Iulie a yeare and nine monethes and halfe after the death of this glorious Sainct vpon a Sonday morning his holines with manie ceremonies and great solemnitie inscribed the blessed Father sainct Francis in the catologue of the sainctes and before they departed thence his Church was begun to be built in the said citty and in the foundation therof the Pope himselfe in presence of an infinite multitude of people laid the first stone and thenceforward the place which was called the Mount of hell was nominated the mount of Paradise The bulle of canonization of the holy Father S. Francis extracted out of the fift chapter of the tenth booke and here more aptly placed GRegory Bishop the Seruant of the seruantes of God To our venerable Brethren Archbishoppes Bishoppes and to our beloued children Abbottes Priors Archpreistes ArchdeacoÌ„s Deanes other Prelates of the church to whose knowledge these presentes shall come health and Apostolicall benediction As the vessels of gold which S. Iohn saw full of perfumes which are the prayers of SS powred out most sweet odours before the most high to destroy the corruption of our sinnes we also beleeue that it is a great furtherance to our saluation with great reuerence to haue memory of his sainctes on earth and with solemnity to publish the merittes of those whose assistance by their continuall intercessions we hope
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
both of them illustrious in vertue and bloud in which respect they were found worthie in the flower of their marriage to enioy this child He was baptised in the said Church of which parish also he was there was he first named Ferdinand so that he was called Ferdinand Martin Buglione till he tooke the habitt of S. Francis He began his first learning in the said Cathedrall Church with the Christian doctrine the manner to prayse God he serued the quier both by night and day offering the first fruites of his age to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and to his most holy mother whome he chose for his particular Aduocatrise euen from his tender yeares He coÌ„tinued in this pious course fifteene yeares in which time he learned the study of humanity afterwardes his bloud began to heat and his sensuall appetites to desire carnall and worldly pleasures As soone as he perceaued it he endeauoured by the feare of God to restraine them and because it is very difficult to conuerse among so many thornes and not to be pricked he resolued to take a secure remedy Wherfore abandonning all conuersations of this perillous world he repaired to the Monastery of S. Vincent without the citty where were Canon Regulers of S. Augustin leading a life of very exemplare piety whence he neuer departed tlll he had taken the habitt and made his profession surmounting all the inconueniences and importunities of his kinred and friendes that omitted no meanes to diuert him from it there did he establish his foundation in the seruice of God But in regard that his worthie iudgement and great prudence began to appeare to his kinred and friendes they repaired vnto him for his counsaile and aduise in their affaires and difficulties running vnto him as to an oracle in such sort that being vnable to endure that exceeding disturbance of spiritt hauing with verie much difficulty obtayned the permission of his Superiour he retired to the deuout and Religious monastery of sainct Crosse of Conimbria of the same Order hauing spent two yeares in that of Lisbone And he so profited and proceeded there that it was to each one apparant that he was by a secrett and diuine vertue not by a lightnes of spiritt retired thither For proceeding daily ascending from perfection to perfection he aymed at a most perfect end of his life as being replenished with the spiritt of wisdome by his continuall reading and meditation of the holy scripture wherin hauing for his instructor the only and true master IESVS CHRIST he made such progresse that his learning was sufficient to shunne vices and embrace vertues to refute errours and support the truth How for the desire of Martyrdome he became Religious of the Order of S. Francis THE II. CHAPTER ABout that time thefame of the holy Father S. Francis did spred it selfe ouer all the world as also of the Frere Minors his disciples of whome as is said there were already monasteries in portugall they by their pouerty and contempt of the world conuerting many people to penance the holy Father Saint Antony as I haue formerlie said being one of the Religious of sainct Crosse that receaued the holy reliques of the glorious martyres of Marrocho and being as a noble Elephant encouraged by the sight of the bloud shed for the loue of God he resolued also to enter into combatt for IESVS CHRIST reputing his repose wherin he liued for the seruice of God to be nothing in respect of that course O spiritt really happy who not only was not terrified with the sight of the bloudy sword of the Tyrant but was so encouraged therby that the feruour of diuine charity in him was greater then the imbecillitie of humane fragillity Wherfore thirsting to effect this good desire he resolued first to take the habitt and therwith to imitate the life of those glorious Martyrs by the same meane to obtaine the two crownes and to ascend from one degree vnto an other to that soueraigne perfection of Martyrdome exercising himselfe before he entred into that conflict and combatt Now there were two Religious of sainct Francis which ordinarily liued in a Church of the title of sainct Antony without the Citty of Conimbria with which sainct Antony hauing casually mett he discouered his intention vnto them as to two Angels of Paradise and they gaue eare vnto him with great contentment and comforted him then they appointed him a day when they would repaire vnto him to effect his pious desire Hauing taken leaue of them he ceassed not to solicite and importune his superiour to vouchsafe to giue free consent to this his holy intention which as a thinge perordinated of God he att length with much difficulty obtayned The aforesaid Frere Minors comming on the prefixed day they gaue their habitt to sainct Antony euen in the monastery of sainct Crosse and then being cloathed they carryed him with them to their oratory Att his departure one of the Canon Regulers that was much disquieted therwith said vnto him Well goe your wayes in good time it may be you may proue a sainct giuing him such reproach as if he thought one could not serue God but in the Religion of sainct Francis sainct Antony humbly answeared him If it should happen that I proue a sainct it may be you would praise God for it But doubtles these Religious should not murmure if God transferred this sainct from their Order to that of sainct Francis considering that in their Church they possessed fiue of his martyrs and with all it cannot be denyed but that the worthie and pious education of sainct Antony ought to be attributed first vnto God and then to their holy Religion wherein he spent eleuen yeares so that he entred into the Order of sainct Francis the 26. yeare of his age being then Priest the yeare of grace 1220. How the name of Ferdinand was chaunged into Antony and how he departed for Marroccho with intention there to receaue Martyrdome and was by tempest driuen into Sicilia thence he went into Italy and thence to the generall chapter of S. Francis THE III. CHAPTER THe holy Father being come to the Oratory of the said Religious knowing that the title therof was sainct Antony he prayed them to giue him that name abhorring his owne as seculer and too prophane and to the end that not being so called of all he might be much lesse knowne and disburded of his kinred and friendes besides we may well attribute this same to the worck of the holy Ghost sith that many of his most note-worthie elect haue chaunged their name as first the Patriarkes Apostles and other â—his fauourites Hauing then thus chaunged his name he desired to effectuat the designe for which he became Frere Minor and to attaine the same he trauailed into Africa there to receaue the crowne of Martyrdome but he being afflicted with a great and long infirmity began by diuine inspiration to conceaue that his designe was not gratefull vnto God but
was he by a speciall grace of God alwayes preserued from vices and sinnes but being by his eternall maiesty induced to shunne the snares of the deuill hauing for the loue of IESVS CHRIST giuen all he had to the poore he in the time of Sainct Francis became a Frere Minor and hauing obtayned of God the grace of contemplation and Euangelicall perfection he withall his iudustry laboured that the same might not proue vaine and fruitlesse in him He therfore much exercised himselfe in the vertue of holy obedience which is more pleasing to God then sacrifices In the most violent and extremest cold being almost naked he trauelled for the necessities of the Religious he continuallie employed himselfe in prayer dailie examining his conscience for the most part his reliefe was only bread and water with abondance of teares and by such like abstinence he mortified the concupiscences of his flesh to be able with more puritie to offer vp his soule in sacrifice vnto God He was exceeding compassionate vnto afflicted personnes and with alacrity serued the sicke not only Religious but the seculer also If there wanted phisike he demaunded it for the loue of God as also all other thinges necessarie he was very humble and therfore desirously laboured in the kitchen washed the dishes swept the house and very willingly busied himselfe in all other offices of humility If by any word or act he had giuen occasion of troubles to any one he would presently put a cord about his owne neck and so goe aske him pardon though he endured iniuryes done to himselfe as patiently as if no such thinge had bin he liued fifteene yeares in such and the like exercises of vertue and afterwardes in his death and since God hath discouered how gratefull the life of this his seruant was vnto him before his last sicknes he reuealed the day of his death and the place which he declared to one of his companions He trauelled to Ciuitadochia where being arriued he fell sick and few dayes after the terme of his life being exspired one night att mattins he shewed such an extraordinary ioyfull face as if he had some vision that made him euen exteriourly to reioyce Wherfore the Religious that attended him demaunded if he had seene any Angell of heauen or the holy Father Sainct Francis he answeared that he had not seene the holy Father S. Francis but of the Angel he sayd nothing Being in those ioyes he aduertised his companions of the death of one deuoted vnto him which was reuealed vnto him saying that William was already departed out of this world vnto almighty God and that himselfe should follow him the same day betweene none and euensonge which came to passe for att the time foretold this holy Religious Ambrose yelded his soule into the handes of his Creatour Of many muracles wrought by this glorious S. Ambrose THE XXXV CHAPTER THe nomber of miracles by which our Lord would approue the life and sanctity of his seruant Brother Ambrose was such that Pope Gregory the ninth by an Apostolicall breuie commanded the Bishop of Ciuitadochia and the Priour of S. Iohn of the Order of S. Augustin to meet and to examine the life and miracles of the S. and hauing perused them to approue them for autenticall This Briefe was giuen att the Palace of Lateran the 13. yeare of his Popedome by vertue wherof the said Prelates hauing made a most dilligent search they found that fourteene lame persons had by the merittes of this seruant of God bin cured as also foure deliuered of the falling sicknesse one dispossessed in his life time and two after his death six cured of mortall impostumes and one of a fistula He restored hearing to one that was deafe four men were cured of seuerall diseases a woman of the bloudie flux and an other whose child had bin foure monethes dead in her wombe he restored sight to foure that were blind and finally raysed many from death The said Prelates tooke notice of these and many other miracles but the death of the Pope peruerted his inscription in the catalogue of the SS in the Church militant though he were recorded in heauen where he raigneth with IESVS CHRIST in his Church triumphant making supplication to his diuine maiesty for those that in their necessities haue recourse vnto him Of the life of Br. Iuniperus disciple of S. Francis Of the exemplare humilitie and singuler patience of Brother Iuniperus THE XXXVI CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus was one of the first and most perfect disciples of S. Francis for he was so grounded in the firme and assured foundations of humility patience contempt of the world and of himselfe that no tormenting temptations of the deuill nor persecution of the world could in any sort remoue or desioyne him from his estate of perfection There was neuer any that saw him troubled or disquieted so couragiously did he support all iniuryes of wordes or actions Which brought him to such misprise of himselfe that many seeing him in such poore apparance and so ill treated not knowing his perfection esteemed him for a foole and sencelesse But S. Francis that knew him right well reputing him in the nomber of the perfect sayd that he should be a good and true Frere Minor that attayned the misprise of the world and of himselfe so far foorth as had done Brother Iuniperus and oftentimes considering his simplicities the contempt of himselfe and patience in reprehensions giuen him he would say to the Religious present My Brethren I desire and would to God I had a great forrest full of such Iunipers This worthy seruant of IESVS CHRIST oftentimes found new occasions for exercise of his patience to be misprised and reproached yet without offending God neuer shunning to be reputed a foole as when he one time entred into the citty of Viterbium hauing made a fardell of his habitt bound vp with his cord which he carryed on his shoulders and so went into the marckett place where the children seeing him almost naked vsed him as a foole reuiled him with wordes cast stones att him and berayed him with filth After he had left these that thus tormented him he went to the Couent where the Religious seeing him in such pittifull estate and vnderstanding by him wherefore he had bin so handled they were much scandalized att what he had don and tooke it in very ill part bitterly reprehending him for it some told him he deserued to be cudgelled others to be imprisonned others to be hanged for the great scandall he had giuen to the people but he accepted all these indignities with a very contented and ioyfull countenance as matter much desired of him and in signification of the interiour contentment he conceaued he tooke the fore part of his habitt and beholding those Religious that were most offended with his fact and rebuked him for it sayd vnto thē My freindes fill this I pray you with these iewels doe so feare not for I receaue them
so much lesse is he in the presence of God and doth not know what God is If thou heare any one speake ill of thee assist him if he speake well of thee referre that to God If thou wilt make thy part the better make it ill and that of an other good I meane thou must praise the worckes and good wordes of others and blame thine owne If thou wilt gaine loose for in the end when thou shalt thinck to haue gained thou shalt find that thou hast lost because this way is such that though it seeme to lead to saluation it tendeth to perdition We doe not orderly support afflictions and therfore are not fitt to receaue and support spirituall consolations Doe not wrong or iniury to any and if it be offred to thee support it patiently for the loue of God and in remission of thy sinnes for it is more meritorious to suupport a great iniury for the loue of IESVS CHRIST without murmure then to feed euery day an hundred poore people and to fast much and austerely What doth it profitt a man to misprise himselfe to afflict his body by fastinge to pray to watch and to vse discipline if after all that he cannot support an iniury done by his neighbour for which he should receaue a greater recompence then for whatsoeuer he could endure by his owne election To support tribulations and afflictions without murmure doth exceedingly purge the sinnes of a man yea more then doeth a great effusion of teares and therfore happy is he that supporteth all these afflictions patiently in regard that he shall reape therby a great fruit of consolation Happy is he that neither hath nor desireth any consolation from whatsoeuer creature vnder heauen He doth not hope for any recompence from God that is humble and peaceable only when althinges succed according to his will He that hath alwayes his sinnes before his eyes will not faile to make his profitt of all the afflictions that befall him Thou must acknowledge all the good thou hast to proceed from God and all the euill from thy sinnes for if one man had done all the good deedes that all the men in the world haue done doe or shall doe withall that if he duely cōsider himselfe he shall find himselfe meerly aduerse to his owne good This holy Father being demaūded by a Religious what one should doe if those great tribulations forespoaken by our Sauiour to arriue att the day of the generall iudgement should come to passe in our time he answeared If the heauens should raine sharpe stones and flintes they could not hurt vs if we were such as we should be Know brother if a man persist in his duety all the euill that he can endure will turne to his good for as to him that hath a disordered will the good doth tourne into euill so to him that hath a pure will the euill doth tourne into good And all good is interiour in man so that it cannot be seene The grieuous infirmities great labours and molestfull offences which we endure cause the euill spirittes which are about vs to fly If thou wilt be saued neuer seeke to haue iustice don thee against any creature whatsoeuer because holy and vertuous personnes thinck only how to doe well and to endure euill If thou acknowledge to haue offended God the Creatour of althinges acknowledge also thy desert to be persecuted by all creatures which reuenge the iniuryes thou hast don to their Creatour Therfore oughtest thou with much patience to support to be crossed afflicted by all creatures thou hauing no reason to alleadge against them in regard that thou deseruest to be corrected by them The vertue of a man that conquereth himselfe is in deed great for therby he surmounteth all his ennemies and maketh purchace of all good It were a great vertue for a man to content himselfe to be ouercome of all the men of the world for so he should become truely lord of all the world If thou wilt be saued labour to remoue from thee all hope and cogitatation of whatsoeuer consolation may arriue vnto thee by any mortall creature because the falles proceeding of consolations are greater and more ordinary then those of afflictions The nature of a horse is then esteemed noble though he fly with great fury and dexterity when he permitteth himselfe to be guided and gouerned by the discretion of the rider that stoppeth him att his pleasure and maketh him goe whither he list So when a man feeleth himselfe spurred by anger must he doe and permitt himselfe to be gouerned and directed by some one that is to correct him yea he should desire to giue as a recompence for the loue of God all that he hath to haue giuen him spurnes with the feet bastonades buffettes and to haue his beard torne off haire by haire A Religious one day in presence of Br. Giles did murmure att a rigorous obedience enioyned him to whome this holy Father said Brother the more you murmure the more you burden your selfe and with the more deuotion and humility you submitt your neck vnder the yoke of obedience the more easy and light shall you find it you will not be iniuryed in this world and yet wil be honoured in the other you will not heare a displeasing word and wil be one of the Blessed you will not labour and desire to repose But you deceaue your selfe for honour is purchaced by reproach benediction by malediction and repose by labour the prouerb being true Troutes are not taken with dry handes and therfore lett it not trouble thee if thy neighbour sometime offend thee for euen Martha that was so holy would prouoke our lord against her sister Magdalen not without reason complayning of her and neuertheles Mary was more sparing of her membres then Martha in the vse of them but she laboured more then she in contemplation though without Martha Mary had lost her speech sight hearing and tast Endeauour then to be vertuous and gratefull to our lord IESVS CHRIST and sight couragiously against vices support patiently afflictions considering that there is nothing in this world of greater meritt then to conquer ones selfe and that it is most difficult for a man to conduct his soule to God without this victory A discourse of Idlenesse THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe idle man looseth this world and the next it being impossible to purchace any vertue without diligence and labour He that may rest in a secure place should not put himselfe in a place or doubt or danger He is in a secure place that laboureth for God The yonge man that will put himselfe to paine for God doth also shunne the kingdome of heauen And if endeauour doe not further at least let not negligence be an impediment and hinderance for as idlenes is the way to hell so good worckes are the way that leadeth to heauen A man ought to be very carefull and diligent to conserue the grace he
doth meritt more ha that goeth in pilgrimage to sainct Iames of Galicia or he that sheweth him the way I see many thinges that are not myne I heare much that I vnderstand not and I speake much that I doe not performe and it seemeth to me that a man is not saued for seeing speaking and hearing but for well performing that which he knoweth to be the best Wordes are farther distant from deedes theÌ„ the earth is remote from heauen If any one would permitt you to goe into his vineyeard there to gather grapes would you content your selfe with leaues It is a thousand times more necessary for a man to gett instruction for himselfe then for all the world If you desire to know much doe many good worckes and humble your selfe withall possibility A Preacher should not speake ouer-curiously nor too grosly but should vse only common and ordinary tearmes Then the holy Father smilingly proceeded there is great difference betweene the ewe that bleateth much and her that bringeth many lambes that is it is not one thing to preach and to putt in execution Br. Giles one day sayd to a Doctour that seemed to glory much in his doctrine and preaching if all the earth were in the possession of one man and he should not labour it what fruit would he reap therof Rely not therfore so much one your learning albeit all the knowledge of all the world were in your head because not performing worckes necessary to your saluation it would nothing auayle you This holy Father prayed a Religious that went to preach att Perusia to take for the theme of his sermon these wordes I kisse I kisse I speake much and performe litle This is in his life a litle before This holy Father expounding these wordes of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST I haue prayed for thee Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and thou once couuerted confirme thy Brethren he thus interpreted it Almighty God sayd he would giue to vnderstand that a man should first labour for himselfe and then for others And albeit the conuersion of soules be very gratefull vnto God yet it is vnderstood of those that can doe it without preiudice to the saluation of their owne soules seruing God as S. Paul whersoeuer they are Therfore this holv Father would often with great feruour of spiritt say Paris Paris thou doest ruinate the Order of S. Francis Which this good Religious sayd seeing the disquiett and trouble of spiritt of many learned Frere Minors that put confidence in their sciences Br. Giles hearing a quaile and a doue to sing sayd in feruour of spiritt there is the way there is the way and not there as if they sayd lett vs endeauour to doe well in this life and not expect the other with reasoÌ„ sister doue thou speakest this so sweetly groning But sinner wheron thinckest thou why makest not thou they profitt of this aduertisment Besides it is to be vnderstood that Br. Giles speake this vpon the allusion of the Italianâ— and Spanish tongue with the note of the doue and the quaile which is quaqua which cannot be applyed to the French tongue A discourse of good and euill wordes THE XXXVII CHAPTER HE that vttereth good wordes is as the mouth of God he that speaketh ill litle differeth from the mouth of the deuill When the seruaÌ„tes of IESVS CHRIST asseÌ„ble together in any place to discourse they should talke of the excelleÌ„cy of vertues that they may seeme pleasing vnto theÌ„ and giue them coÌ„tentment and should also be exercised in theÌ„ By which act they shall come to loue theÌ„ more and to performe better actions for the more a man is burthened with vices the more needfull it is for him to speake of vertues because by the frequeÌ„t and pious discourse of them he persuadeth and easily disposeth himselfe to put them in practise But what shall we say the conditions of this world being so corrupted that one cannot speake good of good nor euill of euil We will then confesse the truth that we know not how to speake of good how good it is nor lykewise of euill how euill it is Wherfore it seemeth that neither of these to thinges can sufficiently be comprehended So that I tell you I esteeme it not a leâ—â—e vertue to know how to be silent then how two speake well and according to my iudgement a man should haue a long neck as a Crane that his wordes passe by many ioyntes before it goe out of the mouth A discourse of perseuerance in good worckes and of the memorie of death THE XXXVIII CHAPTER WHat doth it profit a man to fast pray giue almose mortifie himselfe and to haue vnderstanding of celestiall thinges yet with all this doth not arriue to the desired port of saluation There hath bin sometime seene in the mayne sea a faire shipp loaden with abondance of wealth which neere vnto the hauen surmonted by a litle tempest hath miserably perished What then hath auayled the brauery and richesse that it brought But on the contrary hath bin seene an old vessell vnseemely and contemptible to each one that hath defended it selfe from the perilles of the sea with her burden of merchandises and securely arriued in the port such an one deserueth praise The same happeneth also to men of this world and therfore ought they to liue alwayes in the feare of God For although a tree grow and is fastened in the ground he doth not yet sodenly become great and when he is great he doth not presently florish he is not so soone fruitfull if he be they be not ripe if ripe they do not in euery respect content the master For some doe rott other are beaten downe by the windes of temptations and are deuoured by the wormes of the sences Two thinges I hould for great benefittes of God when a man hath his hart remote from sinne and replenished with loue towardes God which two thinges whosoeuer shall possesse without danger of any euill shal be in possession of all good But he must perseuer because if one had from the beginning of the world to this instant liued in distresses afflictions and now should haue abondant fruition of all kind of ioyes all the miseries past would not offend him on the contrary if one had alwayes spent his time in continuall iollyty and contentment and were att this present oppressed with diuers miseries and infirmities his pleasures past would nothing reioyce him Wherfore each one should leuell att that where althinges are to end and determine A seculer person hauing told this holy Father that he would be content to liue a long time in this world and to be rich and haue his pleasure in all thinges he answeared him If you should liue a thousand yeares and were lord of all the world what recompence shoulde you receaue in the death of this body which you shall with so great affection and pleasure haue
that prayeth continually for all the people and for the holy Cittie which the sayd Religious vnderstood to be Brother Giles A woman of the citty of Perusia hauing no milke wherwith to suck her litle child had recourse to this holie Father to whome she was much deuoted but he being in extasie she could not speake vnto him And she not hauing leasure to expect came neere him where he prayed whose breast hauing with exceeding faith and deuotion touched she had milke sufficient to nource her child How God communicated to Br. Giles a most pleasing seeling of glory before this death THE XLIII CHAPTER THis holy Father a litle before his death retourning from prayer into his cell replenished with a merueillous ioy sayd to his companion My child giue me thy iudgement in this I haue found a treasure of such worth and excellency as no humane tongue can expresse and therfore my child I pray thee againe speake thine opinion therof Which he diuers times repeated with an exceeding feruour of spiritt and with such enflamed charity that he seemed to be really druncken with the wine of the loue of God and the abondance of his grace But this Religious hauing told him that it was time to goe take his refection he ioyfully answeared him My child this is a singuler refection and farre better then any other The Religious thincking to tempt him sayd Father lett vs not now thinck of these thinges but lett vs to goe to dinner Wherto the venerable Br. Giles replyed that such speech was iniurious vnto him and that he should haue done him greater pleasure to haue stricken and wounded him to the bloud Now one may piously presume that this holy soule had notice that it should shortly leaue the flesh to enioy that notable treasure of eternall glory which it so much desired there to haue fruition and tast of the most sacred presence of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST About that time a Religious told him that the holy Father S. Francis had sayd that the seruant of God should alwayes desire to end his life by martyrdome wherto he answeared For my part I respect not to die better then in contemplation Of the admirable prophesic he made of himselfe and of his death THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Giles besides his age being wasted by grieuous insrmities as ache in his head and stomache by a very troublesome cough and burning ague so that he could neither eat sleep nor repose The Cittizens of Perusia out of great deuotion towardes him sent many armed men to guard him that being dead his body might not be buryed other where well knowing that he did not only desire but would order to be buryed att our Lady of Angels Vnderstanding then that he was guarded with armed men with great seruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Brethren tell the Perusians that the belles shal neuer ring for my canonization nor for any miracle of mine and that they shall haue no other signe but that of the Prophet lonas Which the Perusians vnderstanding they answeared they would haue him in their cittie though he should not be canonized and so the eue of sainct George att the houre of Mattins as soone as the Religious had layed him on a bed to repose hauing receaued the holy sacramentes ordayned by the Church without any acke of his body that might discouer and make appeare the agony of his death only shutting his mouth and eyes this contemplatiue soule was dissolued from the body with great repose God hauing for all eternity eleuated it vnto his glory This holy Father departed this life the yeare of grace 1260. and of his conuersion to Religion 52. haning merited to ascend vnto heauen their to raigne eternally the same day that he receaued the habitt of the holy Father sainct Francis becomming his true follower and disciple The Perusians after death seeking stones to make him a tombe found a sepulchre of marble wherin was carued the history of the Prophett Ionas where they layd his body according as he had prophesied Of the reuelation of the glory of this S. THE XLV CHAPTER A Person of notable sanctity saw in vision the holy Br. Giles accōpayned with a great number of soules of Religious others that then were dead and comming out of Purgatory they with him ascēded into heauē He saw our lord IESVS CHRIST with a great multitude of Angels that came to receaue him with musicke exquisitely melodious made by those Angelicall quiers these blessed soules were with great honour entertayned of our Redeemer into his kingdome were he seated them on a seat of merueillous glory Att the same time that Br. Giles was sicke of his last sicknes an other Religious fell also sick euen to death who was instantly prayed by a third Religious his Friend that if it should please God to call him he would reueale vnto him his estate if the diuine Maiesty would permitt it which the sick Religious promised Wherfore he dying the same day that Br. Giles did appeared to this his Religious friend and thus spake vnto him Br. giue thanckes vnto God for that it hath pleased him to graunt and giue me his glory deliuering me with many other soules from the paines of Purgatory by the merittes of Saint Giles Which sayd he vanished This Religious not daring to reueale this apparition to any fell grieuously sick But conceauing that this sicknes might be sent him for not diuulging the glory of Br. Giles he instantly called into his Couent some Frere Minors to whome and to many other Religious he recounted the foresaid apparition and was with all miraculously recouered S. Bonauenture said of this holy Br. Giles that God had giuen him one speciall grace which was that whosoeuer did inuocate him in matters concerning the saluation of their soules were heard Our lord wrought many miracles after his death by his merittes and intercession He cured three personnes of infirmities in their eyes fiue that were lame and two of paine in their feet that hindred them from mouing three of the sqinancie a woman in trauell of child two of agues one of the stone and many of diuers other diseases The end of the seauenth book and second volume of the first part of the present Chronicles THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE LIFE OF the glorious Virgin S. Clare the institution of her rule the conuersion of S. Agnes her sister and of an other S. Agnes daughter to the king of Behomia Of the intention of our Lord in the vocation of S. Clare and of her contry her father and mother Of a reuelation vnto her mother touching her sanctity and of her birth THE FIRST CHAPTER SIX yeares after the conuersion of the holy Father S. Francis and the fourth yeare after the confirmation of his rule by Pope Innocent the third the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent Father of light hauing framed and sent into the world a
such sort that this holy virgin began without her knowledge to be commended by her neighbours the true same of her secrett pious worckes so publishing themselues that in an instant they were exceedingly spred abroad and euery where diuulged How the virgin S. Clare had knowledge of the vertues of the holy Father S. Francis THE III. CHAPTER THis vertuous virgin Clare hearing the grat same of the admirable life of S. Francis that then renewed vnto the world the way of perfection in the same citty with a merueillous example of piety and vertue and considering that many gentlemen did follow him and that his life was already approued by our holy mother the Church she exceedingly desired to see and heare this worthy seruant of God therunto inspired by the soueraigne Father of spirittes to whome had already bin presented the first fruites of their deuotions though differently S. Francis hauing bin aduertised of this her desire and hauing heard the bruit of her vertues and holy affections desired also exceedingly to see her and to conferre with her with intention to frustrate the world of so noble and precious a pray to present her vnto our soueraigne Redeemer to serue him in some notable enterprise as preordayned of God to despoyle the great prince of the world Neither did his diuine Maiesty faile to open vnto them the meanes and to at taine therunto he inspired this vertuous woman to relye on a very honorable graue woman that gouerned her in her house as her mother And to the end this holy purpose might be sinisterly enterpreted of men and to hinder publicke murmure she went out of her Fathers house with this good womau and found out the holy Father by the feruour of whose pious discourses she was presently enflamed with diuine loue and moued by his holy actions which she admired as seeming vnto her more then humane And therfore she began very exquisitely to dispose her selfe to the effecting of the wordes of the holy seruant of God who hauing very louingly entertayned her began to preach vnto her the contempt of the world and by euident reasons to demonstrate vnto her that all the beauty of thinges present is but a vanity filled with false and deceipt full hopes Then he persuaded vnto her pure eares the honourable and amiable espousale of IESVS CHRIST and counsayled her to conserue that most precious pearles of virginall purity for that glorious Spouse who out of loue he bare to the world being God became man and would be borne of a virgin This holy Father sollicited this affaire and playd the procuratour as a Paranimph and Embassadour of the heauenly king The holy virgin on her side beginning already to tast the sweetnes of contemplation and the proofe of the eternal ioyes the world began to seeme vnto her vile and contemptible as indeed it is she as it were melting for the loue of her celestiall Spouse whome she already desired with all her hart Thencefoorth therfore she desprised precious stones iewels gold sumptuous apparell and all other worldly trash as filth and donge and abhorring the detestable delightes of the flesh she resolued intierly to dedicate her selfe a liuely temple to IESVS CHRIST and to take him for the only Spouse of her body and soule and so submitting her selfe totally to the counsailes of the glorious Father S. Francis him next after our Lord she tooke for guid and directour of her life How S. Francis drew the virgin S. Clare out of the world and made her Religious THE IV. CHAPTER ANd to the end the most cleare Mirrour of her soule might not be stayned and blemished with the dust of this world and that the contagious seculer life did not corrupt her innocencie the holy Father prudētly endeauoured to sequester this virgin from worldly people And the solemnity of palme-sunday approching the holy espouse of IESVS CHRIST wit a great feruour of spiritt repayred to this man of God and most instantly demaunded of him when and how she should make her retyre from the world Whervpon the holy Father S. Francis ordayned that one the day of the sayd feast she should goe to the procession of palmes with the people decked and adorned the most richly and gorgiously that she could procure and the night following goeing out of the citty and withall out of all conuersation of the world she should change seculer pleasures into lamentations of the passion of our Lord. Palme-sunday being come the glorious S. Clare went in the cōpany of her mother and other ladies to the great Church where there happened a matter worthy to be recorded as not done without the prouidēce of the diuine goodnes Which was that all the other ladyes goeing as is the custome of Italie to take holy palme and S. Clare out of a virginall bashfulnes remayning alone without mouing out of her place the Bishop descended the steppes of his seat and putt into her hand a branch of palme The night approching she began to prepare her selfe for effecting the commandement of the holy Father and to make a glorious flight and honorable retyre frō the world in honest company But it seeming to to her impossible to goe foorth att the ordinary and chieffest dore of the house she bethought her selfe to take the benefitt of a back dore which though it were damned vp with grosse stones and mighty blockes she with an admirable courage a force rather of a strong man then a tēder yong woman her selfe brake open Thus then leauing her fathers house her citty kinred and friendes she with extraordinary speed arriued att the Church of our lady of Angels where the Religious that in the house of God were employed in pious watchinges receaued with burning wax lightes in their handes this holy virgin that sought her Spouse and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST with a lampe not extinct and empty but filled with diuine loue And incontinently in the selfe same hour and place hauing left and abandonned the immondicities of Babilō she gaue the world the ticket of defiance and repudiation before the altar of the soueraine Queene of Angels where the glorious Father sainct Francis inspired of God and neglecting all other worldly respect cutt off her haire then he cloathed her with a poore habitt of the Order reiecting the iewels and gorgious attire which she brought to be giuen to the poore of IESVS CHRIST It had not bin in deed conuenient that the new Order of florishing virginity towardes the end of the world should otherwhere begin then in the Angelicall Pallace of that most emminent lady who before had alone bin a mother and Virgin and consequently more worthy then all others In the very same place had the noble cheualrie of the poore of IESVS CHRIST the Frere Minors their beginning vnder the valerous Captaine sainct Francis to the end it might euidently appeare that the mother of God in this her habitation ingendred and produced the one and the other Religion And so as this new
her sister which answeare one among them disdayning full of passion and transported with choler tooke her by the haire and gaue her many blowes with his feet and sistes then vsed all his force to pull her out of the place which att length by the helpe of the others he performed for taking her in their armes they forcibly trayled her out But this litle daughter of IESVS CHRIST seeing her selfe violently wrested by those furious lions out of the armes of her God she began to cry to her sister help me sister and permitt me not to be separated from our Lord IESVS CHRIST and your louing company Her carnall kinred trayned a long the vally this virgin of IESVS CHRIST against her will and in despight of her feeble though couragious resistance renting her cloathes from her tender body In meane while sainte Clare vnable by other meanes to relieue her sister had recourse to prayer with abondance of teares beseeching God to voutsafe to giue a couragious confidence to her sister that his diuine fauour defending his faithfull seruant humane forces might be ouercome and our lord heard her for att the instant of her prayer the body of the virgin Agnes miraculously became so weighty that her kinred were att lenght enforced to leaue her one the ground And albeit so many men and their seruantes putt all their forces to lift her vp yet could they neuer doe it but called labourers worckmen of the vineyards that wrought therabout to assist them yet their great nomber no more auayled then the lesser Finally the forces failing of her kinred and those that attempted to assist them they acknowledged the miracle though scornefully saying It is no meruaile that she is so weighty she hauing bin all night as lead whervpon Signeur Monalde her vncle in extreme passion lifting vp his arme to strike her he presently felt an extreme paine therin which did not only torment him for the present but a long time after Herevpon S. Clare after her prayer arriuing besought her kinred to forbeare in vaine to contend with God and to leaue vnto her the care of her sister who lay as halfe dead They perceauing that they would neuer stagger in their pious resolution being exceedingly wearyed left the two sisters together This troup then being departed the tormented Agnes arose from the ground full of ioy in IESVS CHRIST for whose loue she had fought and ouercome in this her first conflict against the world and his Prince the deuill by fauour and assistance of diuine grace and her sister asking her how she felt her selfe she answeared that notwithstanding all the affliction they had procured her by buffettes beatinges spurnes with their feet and fistes tearing by the haire trayning her through stony wayes she had felt in manner nothing especially by the vertue and force of diuine grace and next by the merittes of her good prayers Shortly after the holy Father sainct Francis cutt off her haire leauing her stil hir proper name Agnes in memory of the innocent lambe IESVS CHRIST who offering himselfe in sacrifice to his Father gaue resistance to the world fought valerously and ouercame And so the holy Father instructed her with her sister and taught her the way of God in such sort that she so encreased and profited in Religion in vertue and sanctity that she was an admiration to all the world Of the humility of the Virgin saincte Clare THE VII CHAPTER PRofound humility was the first assured stone and foundation which the holy Virgin layd in the beginning of her Religion after she had began to labour in the way of God so to aduance and sett forward the building of all other vertues She vowed obedience vnto sainct Francis which vow in all her life she neuer transgressed and for three yeares after her conuersion she desired rather with great humility to be subiect then a superiour shunning the title and office of Abbesse taking more content to serue among the seruantes of IESVS CHRIST them to be serued But being att lenght by the holy Father sainct Francis thervnto constrayned she vndertooke the gouernement of the Religious which bred in her hart more feare then presumption so that she rather continued and became a seruant then free from subiection For the more she seemed to be raysed to the office and title of dignity the more did she repute and esteeme her selfe vile and the more shewed her selfe ready to serue and made her selfe more contemptible then all her Religious both in habitt and base seruice She disdained not to doe the office of seruantes giuing water to the Religious to wash whome she made often to sitt her selfe standing and seruing them att table When she commanded any thing it was vnwillingly rather desiring to doe then to command others She performed to the sicke all kind of seruices were they neuer so loathsome as to make cleane the immondicities and filthines shunning with so worthy a spiritt the loathsome actions nor abhorring or disdaining the most offensiâ—e sauours She often washed the feet of the lay sisters when they came from abroad made them cleane and with great humility kissed them It one time chaunced that washing the feet of a seruant and offering to kisse them the seruant vnwilling to permitt such humility pulled away her foot to auoyd it but she did it so rudely that she gaue the holy virgin a dash on the face Yet so farre was this Sainct from being offended therwith that on the contrary she mildly tooke the foot of the seruant againe and kissed the sole therof Thus did this true espouse of God accomplish the doctrine of IESVS CHRIST and the example which he left when he washed the feet of his Apostles Of the voluntary pouerty of the Virgin saincte Clare and of her zeale to that holy vertue THE VIII CHAPTER THis holy virgin made a vnion and correspondence betweene her pouertye in all externall thinges and her holy pouerty of spiritt and first att the beginning of her conuersion she made sale of her patrimony and birth right al which distributing vnto the poore of IESVS CHRIST she reserued nothing to her selfe Hauing so abandoned all the world exteriourly and enriched her soule interiourly freed of the burden of worldly affaires she ran farre more lightly after IESVS CHRIST and thetby contracted such an inuiolable amity with holy pouerty that she would haue possession of no other thing then the glorious IESVS CHRIST nor would she permitt her spirituall daughters to possesse any thinge else And with this Euangelicall trafique she purchaced the most precious pearle of celestiall desire in place of all the other thinges which she had sold acknowledging that the same could in no sort be enioyed together with the distraction and occupation of temporall thinges Giuing instructions to her Religious she would somtimes say vnto them that this their company should be then gratefull to God should become very rich in pouerty and should by such
the good of the seruice of God and of their Monastery lett them be bound and obliged to choose an other as soone as they can according to the said rule And lett her that shal be chosen consider well what is the burthen which she hath taken on her and to whome she must yeld an account of the sheep wherof she hath taken chardge Lett her endeauour to be rather Superiour to precede her Religious in vertues and pious conuersation then in honour and dignity to the end that the sisters induced by her example obey her more for loue then for feare Lett not her carry any particuler affection for feare that in louing one she may scandalize others lett her comfort the afflicted and be alwayes the first and last in assisting art diuine seruice Lett her be the reliefe and recourse of the afflicted that if the remedies of saluation faile them she att least exempt and deliuer them from the disease of despaire Lett her haue a very diligent care of the comunalty in all thinges but principally in the Church in the dormitory in the refectory in the infirmary and in their cloathing And lett her Vicaresse be in like sort obliged to all the aforesaid Lett the Abbesse be obliged to assemble all her Religious in the chapiter att least once a weeke in which place as well she as the others shall accuse themselues of all their publike sinnes and of all their defaultes and negligences Then lett her there treat and consult with her sisters of the affaires of their Monastery because God doth oftentimes communicate and giue his spiritt to the meanest of the company Lett her not enter into great or important debt but by the common consent of all the Religious and vpon a manifest necessity and withall lett it be by the entermile and mediation of the Procuratour of the monastery Lett the Abbesse as also the sisters be carefull not to receaue any pledge or gage into their Monastery in regard of the troubles encombers and scandales that often arriue therby Lett all the officers of the monastery be also elected by the common consent of the Religious the better to entertaine peace and fraternall vnion among them and likewise shal be chosen and elected att least eight Religious of the most discreet of whome the Abbesse shal be obliged to take counsaile in such matters as our rule requireth The Religious likewise may and ought if they know it to be necessary put out such officers as are indiscreet and incapable and choose others in their places Of silence and of the manner of speaking in the speake house and att the grate THE V. CHAPTER THe sisters shall keep silence from Cōpline till the Third hower those except that serue without the monastery But let it be alwayes kept in the dormitory and in the Church as also in the refectory att the houre of repast sauing in the infirmary were the Religious may alwayes speake discreetly for the recreation and seruices of the sicke They may also briefly and in a low voice open their necessities It shall not be permissable for any sisters to speake att the speakehouse or grate with out permissiō of the Abbesse or of her Vicaresse And lett not those that haue leaue to speake in the speakehouse presume to speake there but in the presence of two sisters that may heare whatsoeuer is there spoaken But lett them not presume to goe to the grate if there be not att least three sisters present sent by the Abbesse or her Vicaresse who shal be of those that are chosen by the Religious to be Counsailers to the Abbesse And lett the Abbesse and Vicaresse be obliged to obserue this order of speaking as much as shal be possible and lett not any speake att the grate but very rarely and att the gate neuer Lett there be putt before the grate within to couer it a curtaine of black cloth which shall not be drawne but for more conuenient hearing the sermon or when a sister would speake with any one Lett no Religious speake att the grate with whome soeuer in the morning before the sunne arise not att night after the sunne is sett Lett there be alwayes a black cloth before the speakehouse within-side which shall neuer be drawne Lett no sister speake in the lent of S. Martin nor in the ordinary lent in the speakehouse but to a Priest to confesse or for some other manifest necessity which shal be referred to the discretion of the Abbesse or her Vicaresse That the Religious may not receiue nor haue any Possessions nor any thing proper in their owne or any third persons Custody THE VI. CHAPTER Here is an adiunction of S. Clare proper to her rule which hath bin here annexed since the death of S. Francis IT hauing pleased he most high celestiall Father to illuminate my hart with his diuine grace that I might doe penance by the example and doctrine of the holy Father S. Francis a litle after his conuersion my selfe and my Religious promised obedience vnto him Now the holy Father seeing that we feared no kind of pouerty labour affliction or contempt of the world yea that all these thinges did exceedingly content vs hauing compassion of vs he prescribed vnto vs a rule to liue in this manner Sith you are become daughters and seruātes of the most high by diuine inspiration of our Redeemer and that you haue resigned and committed your selues to the conduct of the holy ghost I will and promise for my selfe and my Religious to haue alwayes care of you as of our selues and this with a particuler care and diligence which I will carefully accomplish and obserue during my life and will that my Religious very diligently accomplish and obserue the same for euer Now to the end we might neuer leaue the most holy pouerty which we haue vndertaken that this might be knowen to those that shal succeed vs a litle before his death he left vs his last will in these termes I Br. Francis poore wretch and caitife will follow the life and pouerty of my most high Lord IESVS CHRIST and of his most holy mother and therin perseuer to the end And I beseech all you poore sisters and counsaile you to liue alwayes in this most holy life of pouerty and aboue althinges to keep your selues from forsaking it vpon whose counsaile or doctrine soeuer that would persuade you the contrary But now as my selfe and also all my sisters haue euer bin carefull to obserue the holy pouerty which we haue promised to God and to our holy Father S. Francis I desire also that the Abbesses which shall hereafter come to succeed me in this chardge be obliged with all their Religious to haue diligent and inuiolable care not to receaue possessions inheritances or other thinges proper whatsoeuer reserued of their owne or from others that may giue them nor whatsoeuer other thing that may be called proper but that which shal be needefull to a requisite
alsowhen we were in the captiuity vanity of the world for after his conuersion not hauing as yet any Brethren or companions being ro repaire the Church of saint Damian where he was visited with diuinecōsolation and cōstrained wholly to abandon the world filled with ioy and illumination of the holy Ghost he prophesied of vs that which our lord hath afterwardes fulfilled standing then on the walles of the said Church he called with a loud voice in the french tongue vnto some poore people dwelling therby saying Come helpe me in this Church of sainct Damian for there shall came women of whose good life and holy conuersation our heauenly Father shal be reioyced in his whole Church In this may we obserue the infinite bounty of God towardes vs who of his aboundāt mercy and charity hath vouchsafed to prophesie those thinges by his seruant of our vocatiō and election not only of vs hath our holy Father prophesied these thinges but also of those who hereafter shal be called vnto that vocation wherto our Lord hath called vs. With what care of soule and body are we then bound to keep the commādements of God of our holy Father saint Francis to the end that with the grace of God we may pay the multiplied talent And our lord hath not only placed vs as an example vnto the seculer but also vnto all our Sisters whome he shall call vnto our vocation that we may be vnto those who conuerse in the world a mirrour and example For our Lord God hath called vs vnto so great thinges that they may take example of vs who are giuen vnto others for an example for which we are bound greatly to blesse the more ought we for this to be strēgthened in our lord to doe well wherfore if we liue according to the forme aboue mentioned we shall leaue good example vnto those which follow vs with short paine we shall receiue the reward of euerlasting life After that our heauenly Father vouchsafed through his great mercy and grace to illuminate my hart in such sort that by the example and touching of our holy Father S. Francis I began to doe penance a litle after my conuersion I with a few Sisters whome our Lord gaue me haue willingly promised vnto him obedience like as our lord through the light of his grace inspired vnto vs by meanes of his merueillous life and holy doctrine Saint Francis then marcking that we were tender and fraile according to the body yet neuerthelesse nothing dismayed with any necessity pouerty paine tribulation or contempt of the world but that we esteemed all those thingees as great pleasure euen as he had experienced by the example of his Brethren he reioyced in our lord and with great charity inclining towardes vs he obliged himselfe his Brethren to haue alwayes ouer vs a speciall and diligent care We also by the will of God of our holy Father saint Frācis repaired to the Church of saint Damiā there to dwell a litle after which time our lord through his great mercy grace multiplyed vs and then was fulfilled that which our lord had foretold by his seruant for we had dwelt before in an other place litle after that he wrote vnto vs this forme of life and principally that we should perseuer in this pouerty and it was not sufficient vnto him to haue admonished vs therunto in his life by many sermons aduertisemētes to the end he might moue vs to the loue and obseruance of this most holy pouerty but he hath also giuen vs many writinges that after his death we should not fall from the same holy pouertye according to the example of the Sonne of God who liuing in this world did neuer leaue the same which holy pouerty our holy Father saint Francis and his Brethrē did honour and obserue during his life Wherfore I Clare seruant and handmayd of Christ and of the poore Sisters of saint Damian although vnworthy and the litle plant of our holy Father saint Francis considering this with my other Sisters as also the highnes of our profession made vnto such a worthy Father and the frailty of vs and others which we feare after the death of our holy Father who next vnto God was our only piller and comfort againe and againe we binde our selues vnto the holy lady pouerty to the end that the Sisters who are or shall come after my death may by no meanes decline from the same This Pouerty I haue alwayes bin carefull with the grace of God to obserue and to cause it to be obserued and for more surety of the same I haue made my Profession therof vnto our holy Father Pope Innocent the fourth in whose time we began and haue confirmed it by his successours that by no meanes in no time we should decline from this holy Pouerty which we haue vowed vnto God and vnto saint Francis Wherfore I bending the knee both of myne inward and outward man in all humility doe commend vnto the church of Rome to our holy Father the Pope and especially vnto the Cardinall to whose protection together wit the Franciscans we are committed that for the loue of God who was layd in the cribbe liued poorly in this world and dyed poorly on the crosse they will keepe the litle flock which God the Father hath gayned in his church through the wordes and examples of our holy Father saint Francis causing it to follow the humility and pouerty of his deerly beloued Sonne the Father of wisdome and of his holy mother and that they will cause the holy pouerty to be obserued which we haue promised vnto God and to sainct Francis as also strengthen thē for to obserue the same And like as God gaue vnto vs our Father saint Francis for our founder and helper in the seruice of God and of those thinges which we haue vowed vnto God and vnto him to obserue and as he was carefull whiles he liued to exercise vs his plantes by word examples so I commend and leaue my Sisters who already are as also those who hereafter shall be vnto the successours of saint Francis and to the whole religion that they wil be alwayes an assistance vnto vs to profitt from better to better to serue God and to accomplish and obserue this holy pouerty If it should happen att any time that the said sisters should leaue their country or citty to goe vnto an other they are firmely bound after my death in what place soeuer they are to obserue the holy pouerty which they haue vowed vnto God and to saint Francis Those which shall be in office as also the other sisters shal be carefull not to receiue more land then extreme necessity doth require as a garden for hearbes vnto their necessity And if for the defence or vse of the cloyster it weere needfull to haue more land they shall take but only to supply the necessity and in this lād they may neither plough
of grace 1253. the twelfth of August forty yeares after her perfect vocation to God and the 60. yeare of her age She was enterred the 12. of August on which day her feast is solemnised att Assisium and ouer all the holy Romane Church Of the miracles wrought by the merittes of S. Clare and first of possessed personnes that haue bin deliuered THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe cheefest marckes that sainctes can haue and the worthiest testimonies of faith and reuerence are sanctity of life and the perfection of good worckes for sainct Iohn Baptist wrought no miracles during his life and yet they that haue wrought many shall not be esteemed more holy then he And therfore the notable renowne of the religious life of saincte Clare might suffice to make her appeare such as she is if the tepedity coldnes and remissnesse of the world and partly also deuotion did not otherwise require But sith this holy virgin was not only in her life time by her merittes swallowed vp in the depth of diuine illumination but was also after her death of merueilous splendour ouer all the world by the light of her miracles and as the most pure verity hath caused the recording of many of her miracles that they remayne as testimony memory and denunciation of her sanctity therfore also the multitude of them enforce the rehearsall of some that they may be generally diuulged and knowne A child called Iames seeming not so sick as possessed in regard that sometimes he cast himselfe into the fire or into the riuer fell rudely on the ground and with such fury did bite the stones that he brake his teeth withall forced bloud out of his head and wrested his mouth most strangely yea sometimes would seeme a mōstrer so dubling and folding his members as his feet would be on his necke He was ordinarily twice in the day afflicted with the like tormentes in such sort that two personnes sufficed not to restraine him from tearing of his cloathes yea there was great difficulty to keep him from murdering himselfe Many Phisitians hauing in vaine laboured to cure him att length his Father named Guidalot had recourse to the merittes of S. Clare affectionatly saying O holy virgin honoured of the world to thee I adresse my self to beseech thee to obtaine of God my sōnes health Then ful of cōfidence he conducted him to the sepulchre of this sainct and layd him therevpon and he presently miraculously obtayned the fauour he desired his sonne being perfectly cured of all his infirmities and was neuer troubled after Alexandrina of the towne of Frata neere to Perusia was possessed tormented with an abhominable deuill to whose power she was so left that he made her fly as a byrd to the topp of a rock neere to the riuer of Tiber then made her descend to a branch of a tree that did hang over the sayd riuer then to hang on that branch there playing her idle pranckes This woman had halfe her body vtterly benummed for which the Phisitians could find no remedy Att lenght she came with great deuotion to the shrine of saincte Clare and inuocating her merittes she was cured of all her afflictions for she had also the gout in her left hand and her body halfe paraliticall was cured and withall she was entierly freed of the oppression and seruitude of the deuill An other woman of the same place was cured before the sayd sepulcher who was in like sort possessed with the deuill and had withall many other diseases Of many that were miraculously cured of diuers diseases THE XXIX CHAPTER A French youth goeing to Rome in company of others his country men fell sick and lay by the way and by the force of his infirmity lost his sence and speech and his body became deformed as it were a monster then became he so furious that he could not be held so that he seemed ready to dye which spectacle did not only moue his companions to compassion but did also exceedingly terrifie them and therfore they bound him to a biere and carryed him to the Church of saincte Clare where hauing placed him before her sepulcher they applyed them all to prayers inuocating the helpe of God and of the S. who made such intercession for the yong man that he was in an instant entierly cured A man of the citty of Spoletum called Valentin was exceedingly afflicted with the falling sicknesse in which he fell six times a day in whatsoeuer place he was and besides he had one foot so wrested awry that he was vtterly lamed he was brought on an asse to the sepulcher of S. Clare where hauing remayned two dayes and three nightes the third day attempting to moue his lame foot and none being neere him he made such a noyse that being heard by some a farre off they seemed to heare the kreaking of a peice of dry wood and the man was instantly cured of both the one and the other his sayd diseases The sonne of a woman of Spoletum called Iames of twelue yeares old beingblind could not goe without a guid being once forsaken by him that conducted him he fell into a pitt brake one of his armes and hurt his head The night following sleeping by the bridge of Varue a woman appeared vnto him and sayd Iames if thou come to me to Assisium I will cure thee Arising early in the morning he much admired att the vision which he recounted vnto two other blind men who answeared him Brother we haue lately heard of a Lady that is dead in the citty of Assisium att whose sepulcher God worcketh by her merittes great miracles which the blinde youth hauing heard he left the two other blind men and wiht a strong confidence hastened to Assisium in the way he lodged att Spoletum where in the night he had the same vision which encreased his hope of recouering his sight and made him hasten in time to arriue to the church of saincte Clare But he found it so filled with worldly people that he could not enter which exceedingly troubled him But seeing no remedy he rested att the dore and there remayned till the euening where this poore blind youth being weary by his iorney and afflicted for that he could not enter into the church setled himsesfe the best he could to rest vpon the ground leaning his head against a great stone and so slept and presently the third time heard the sayd voice speaking Iames God will doe thee good if thou canst enter and incontinently awaking out of that sleep he began to cry and begge of the people with abondance of teares to permitt him to enter which hauing a long time continued they gaue him place and hauing discloathed himselfe putting his girdle about his neck he went to the sepulcher of the sainct before which with great reuerence and humility he fell on his ' knees and hauing persisted sometime in prayer beseeching saincte Clare to intercede for him he fell into a gentle slumber wherin
procured thē The first name also that this holy Religion had was Preachers of penance which title and ministery was giuen them by Pope Innocent the third in the first confirmation of the Order therfore was it that S. Francis did institute the third Order called of Penitents The second matter he was to be employed in by the holy Ghost was for himselfe and his disciples by profession and rule to renouate the Euangelicall life and perfection the which to effectuate he instituted with the spirit of IESVS CHRIST and ordeyned the rule of the Frier Minors which he being desirous to found with exceeding deepe foundations of humility he would that his Brethren should be called Minors that is the least of all other Many holy Fathers haue florished in this Order who haue bin glorious in sanctity doctrine as S. Antony S. Bonauenture S. Lewis the bishop S. Benardine and many other Confessours and Martyrs of IESVS-CHRIST S. Francis did also institute the Apostolicall rule and life of S. Clare and hir Disciples who by their sanctity and example drew an innumerable multitude of Virgins that espoused thēselues to IESVS-CHRIST Finally the third thing that this Seraphicall sainct was to attempt was to teach all faithfull Christians voluntarily to take vp and carry on their shoulders the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST demonstrating vnto them that with pouerty and the crosse they should gaine and gett possession of true incorruptible richesse and with labour should attaine true repose that with humility is gotten true glory and with the familiarity and frequent communication which is had with our Lord IESVS-CHRIST is purchaced his loue and amity The stigmates also and woundes of our Redeemer were imprinted in this glorious S. Francis not only in his soule but euen visibly in his body that the carnall might haue no excuse of not following IESVS CHRIST crucified in his seruant Francis Now out of these obligations which this holy Father had as out of a new spiritt of IESVS CHRIST there proceeded in him that nouelty of so merueillous worckes in all sortes of vertues as those excesses of humility contempt of himselfe the austerity of discipline wherwith he afflicted his body the great feruour he had of the saluation of his neighbour wherby he entierly employed both himselfe and his to reforme Christians to reduce them into the way of obedience vnto God his law These things are vnderstood of few also of few prised according to their worth by reason that they seeme cōtemptible to earthly eyes yea mē shunne iest at thē because the sensual mā guided only by natural light cōceiueth not the thinges that are of God The deuout Christian then ought now to demaund humbly of this soueraigne God as of the author of this worck the light of his grace wherby being freed of humane iudmentes and conceiptes he may vnderstand tast and gather the fruit of the spiritt of IESVS CHRIST so bcuntifully communicated to S. Francis to his true children for the reformatiō assistance and comfort of his elect and of all true Christians The summe of that which is contained in each of these Ten bookes IN the three first are written the life workes death and miracles of the holy Father S. Francis these first three bookes make the first volume In the fourth booke are recorded the Martyrdomes of many of his disciples In the fift the doings and miracles of S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua In the sixt the conuersations of many other disciples of S. Francis In the seauenth the exemplar life of the blessed Br. Giles his third disciple In the eight the life of S. Clare the beginning of her Order In the ninth the institution of the Rule and Order of Penitentes called the third Order of S. Francis In the tenth and last is treated and discoursed of diuers thinges happened and worthy to be obserued in the first time of the said Religion of the Frier Minors THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS Wherin is treated of the conuersion life and actions of the Seraphicall Father S. Francis Englished out of French by F. C. Of the Birth Education and naturall incl nation of S. Francis THE I CHAPTER THE grace of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST hath appeared vnto vs in these later dayes particulerly in his seruant Francis to whome the Father of mercy and light would by his benignity impart such benedictions and so excellent fauours that as by the discourse of his life appeareth he did not only draw him out of the darckenes of the world to setle him in the true light but he made him great in the merites of the perfection of all vertues And hauing extraordinarily communicated vnto him many note-worthy mysteries of the crosse he merueillously eleuated and exalted him in his holy Church wherin he gaue him a right eminent place and degree This great seruant of God Francis was borne the yeare of grace 1182 in the citty of Assissium scituate in the valley of Spoletum in Italy His Father was a rich Marchant of an honest familie called Mariconi his name was Peter Bernardone taking for his name the proper name of his father the grand father of the said Francis called Bernardone de Mariconi his mother was called Pica who was a very pious honest woman who procured him in his baptisme to be called Iohn but his Father afterward att his Confirmation would that he should chaung his name and was called Francis Some affirme that he was called Francis because he had with exceeding facility learned the French tongue Before his birth his mother endured very much being many dayes in labour of deliuery in meane while there came a poore pilgrime to the doore of the house who hauing receiued an almose said to him that brought it cause that woman who endureth such throwes of trauaile to be carryed into a stable and she shal be incontinently deliuered Which being done she was instantly deliuered and for that respect there was built in that place a chappell where in memory of the birth of this S. the history of this miracle was depeinted whome our Lord IESVS-CHRIST would in regard of his birth in a poore and contemptible place make like vnto himselfe This chappell is now called S. Francis the litle Francis was nourtured and educated of his parentes as their eldest sonne And hauing in short time learned the French tongue though it be very difficult they putt him to learne Latin as most vniuersall in ail Europe for to merchantes it is of no small importance to know many tongues which hauing learned and being of age capable to manadge affaires he trayned him to his trafique both in his citty and abroad And though he where busyed and employed in the vanities and folies of the world yet was it not possible for the deuill to corrupt his good and naturall inclination which God who had sowed the same in him as in a
compassion to see him so tormented by his owne Father and that admired not the cruelty of the one and the patience of the other But glorious Francis who had his spiritt vnited with IESVS CHRIST by whome he was comforted did in the meane time thus encourage himselfe that by these strokes of the hammer of affliction God would forge of him a merueillous and admirable vessell baked and purged in the fournace of most panifull crosses and labours to dilate and amplifie his glory and to renew his memory on earth Certaine dayes then after yong Francis was committed to prison his father vppon occasion of his affaires being gone out of Assisium his mother who was not pleased with that her husband had done conceiuing a naturall compassion of her sonne went to see him and with the gentle and sweet speeches of a mother endeauoured to persuade him to obey his father accompanying her wordes that were of them selues sufficiently pregnant and effectuall with abondance of teares This certainly was no sclender assault and combatt to the new champion whose mother could nothing preuaile in that she desired for he lett her know that his obligation was more to God then to his father or mother and besides that he was resolued to follow the inspiration which he had receiued of the holy Ghost Then he tourned his speech to his mother her selfe exhorting her to acknoledge the great benefitt which she had receiued of God in that he called her sonne to his seruice and that therfore she ought to be thankfull vnto him This woman att length ouer comme with the reasons of her child and desperate of force euer to supplant his firme resolution and constantie and with all touched with a motherly compassion loosed his chaines and imparting vnto him her benediction she dismisses him Francis finding himselfe att liberty saluted his mother and prayed her to be no more afflicted in his regard and then retourned to the fore said Church to giue thankes to the Soueraigne Redeemer for what soeuer had happened vnto him But his father being retourned and not finding his sonne in the place where he left him hauing greiuously checked and iniuried his wife for dismissing him he ran vtterly enraged into the said Church with resolution to procure his banishment out of his contry as a dishonour vnto him if he should persist in his former resolution The victorious Francis presented himselfe before his Father to intertaine him graciously notwithstanding he preceiued him to be extreme furious and with an assured and ioyfull countenance said vnto him Father I feare not att all your threates your beatinges your fetteringes nor all you tormentes for I am ready to endure such persecution as you desire to inflict on me for the loue of my God Which his father hauing heard and knowing well that he should neuer moue nor stagger his stable and cōstant resolution he then thought att least to redeeme and recouer the mony which his sonne had receiued for his merchandise and to that end sought information of the Preist how it was imployed but in the meane while he seemed to perceiue a great purse vpon a window whereto goeing neere he found that it was his mony which hauing seazed on it much appeased his fury the burning thirst of his auarice being somewhat moderated by the application of this medicine How the seruant of Iesus Christ Francis renounced his father not only touching his due but euen restored vnto him all the garments wherwith he was cloathed disapparelling himselfe euen to his shirt and this in presence of the bishop of Assisium THE IIII. CHAPTER THe terrestriall father of the glorious Francis being not yet satiated with the cruelties inflicted on him would tempt the sonne of grace in temporall abilities seeking to constraine him to render and renounce the dew portion which of his father he was to haue and to this effect conducted him before the bishop of the citty Now the father thus proceeded for feare that being dead his sonne should distribut the part of his succession among the poore S. Francis vnderstanding it went very willingly before the bishop as a true louer of pouerty and obedient child without expecting further summoning and without◠any consideration of the matter and there he did not only most readily renounce his paternall succession but euen putt off the garmentes wherwith he was cloathed to his very shirte in presence of the bishop and diuers others without blushing any thinge theratt being mindefull of our most gracious IESVS CHRIT who for vs was nailed naked vnto the crosse Then he made a litle bundle of his cloathes and deliuered the same to his father saying Till this present I haue called you father and haue reputed you so in this world but from hence forward I may securely say Our Father which art in heauen to whome I haue giuen in custody my treasure and in him haue reposed all the hope of hereditary succession The bishop seeing so strange a specctacle nothing resting on the body of poore Francis but his haire cloth and preceiuing on the other side that the father supported and endured to see his sonne naked without any compassion of his hart considering with all in the sonne such an extraordinary feruour with so admirable and excessiue patience he reputed him the true seruant of God and therefore arising and standing vp he with gracious sweetnes receiued him into his armes and as a pious Pastour couered him with his owne gowne and commanded his seruantes to bring him a garment whervpon they brought him an old base coate of a poore labourer which Francis gratefully receiued without expecting any other and requiring that there might be brought him a paire of Cicers he so fashioned the same that it couered a man in forme of a Crosse A right heroicall act worthy of very great consideration and merueillous to see after what manner the world the true soldier of the deuill our cruell ennemie reduceth to nothing those that desire truely to serue God leauing them euen naked without wherwithall to couer them We ought here to consider how necessary it is for the good and vertuous to mesprise the wealth of the world and not to feare the inconueniences therof to disburthen them of the weight of the earth with the greater alacrity to carry the burden of our Redeemer and finally in a certaine sort to disnaturalize them selues forsaking father and mother and worldly kinred to become cittizens of heauen Thus was the seruant of the most mighty Monarque dischardged of his terrestriall father to follow our naked IESVS CHRIST crucified whom he loued and so armed with the armours of the crosse he recommanded his soule to the tree of life by the vertue wherof he secured himselfe from the tempestuous sea of this world Of the exercises wherin the seruant of Iesus Christ Francis thence forward employed himselfe THE V. CHAPTER THis contemner of the world being then freed of the chaines and
disciple of this holy Father The Canon afterward did as much for hauing renounced his Canonry he gaue all the rest to the poore therfore he also was worthy to be a Sonne of this holy Father S. Francis the sixteenth of Aprill of the yeare 1209. gaue to them both his habitt Vpon this occasion there are some of opinion that the Order of the Frier Minors began on that day because say they this word Order signifieth no other thing but a congregation of certaine personnes vnited together The S. with his two disciples departed from Assisium and went into a solitary place where he laboured to instruct them and to exercise them in pouerty humility and prayer the true and solid ground worckes and foundations of Religious How Brother Giles was the third disciple of S. Francis then other foures and of the reuelation which S. Francis had that his and his disciples sinnes were pardoned and that his Order should augment to a great nomber THE IX CHAPTER THese tow disciples were tripled by an other of Assisium named Giles who was not in the towne when Bernard and the Canon sold their substance and distributed the same to the poore to follow S. Francis But att his retourne vnderstanding by his parentes and kinred the resolution of those his two freindes who gaue an amazement to each one he resolued also to associate himself vnto them in the seruice of God and to this effect he left his kinred and not knowing where S. Francis then was falling on his knees he most affectionately prayed God to fauour him so much as that he might finde him A litle after which prayer he miraculously arriued in short time where those three great and true contemners of the world were As soone as S. Francis saw him he was ready to embrace him but Giles falling to the ground and reputing himself vnworthy of such a fauour besought him with abondance of teares to fauour him so much as to admitt him into his society The holy Father seeing the humility the faith and deuotion of a man so note-worthy said vnto him My deerly-beloued Brother acknowledge the great mercy which God sheweth you to receiue you this day for his seruant Then he comforted him and exhorted him to perseuer in the vocation whervnto God had called him And conducting him to his compagnions he said vnto them Our God hath this day giuen vs a good Brother They then very affectionatly and desiredly embraced him reioycing together with him att the secure acquisition and election of the good which he had made Then they went together to prayer and next to dinner afterward S. Francis called Giles vnto him to take him with him to Assisium to gett an habitt in the way they chaunced to meet a very poore woman that asked them an almose S. Francis hauing nothing to giue her tourned to Giles and said Brother giue your cloake to this poore woman for the loue of God and he with so ready a wil obeyed that he seemed to see that almose to ascend vnto heauen so great was the contentment he conceiued therin Now eight dayes after the foresaid two had taken the habitt which was S. Georges day Giles also receiued the same hauing first distributed his goodes to the poore and so the third place was possessed by this man of God worthy of glorious memory famous and renowrned by the exercise of his vertues as S. Francis foretold And albeit he was of nature very simple and had not studyed he was notwithstanding so eleuated to the sublimity of most high contemplation that one might truely affirme of him that he led a life more Angelicall then humane as in his history we shall recount The holy Ghost a litle after sent foure other disciples vnto S. Francis so that they were seauen in nomber and yet but one in will Now to giue a beginning to some deuotion S. Francis ordayned that to each Canonicall houâ—e of the seruice of our Lord excepte the masle they should say thrice the Pater noster Brother Giles said that the reason why S. Francis ordayned so short a prayer was because he would not haue their deuotion restrayned by the obligation of their constitutions but that the prayers and seruices of each one should proceed of the feruour of deuotion S. Francis thus liuing with his companions in continuall prayer and abstinence in that hermitage being one day retired into a place a part and very remote from his disciples to offer his prayer and bitterly to lament his former life which had not bin without offence against God and demaunding pardoÌ„ of the soueraigne God not only for himselfe but for his companions also he was filled with an vnspeakcable contentment by the holy Ghost who assured him that his prayers were heard and affirmed that the infinite bounty had graunted to him and to all his disciples a plenary indulgence and remission of all their sinnes euen to the vtmost minute And immediatly in faith and confirmation hereof he was rauished and absoâ—pt with a merueillous light and knowledge which opening his spiritt gaue him clearly to vnderstand what God had wrought in him and in all his Hauing then thus knowne the diuine will he sought to encourage his simple company telling them that they should not be deiected in regard of their small nomber but should proceed in hope because as the diuine Maiesty had reuealed vnto him they should multiply in great nomber and should performe great matters in the world notwithstanding their and his owne simplicity and should after possesse the eternall kingdome in the next with which wordes all his Brethren were exceedingly comforted How S. Francis began to send his Religious ouer the world what succeeded them in the way and how they were miraculously reunited THE X. CHAPTER VNitie ioined it selfe to the nomber of seauen which signisieth perfection to demonstrate euen exteriourly how well these new champions of IESVS CHRIST were vnited in charity this was an other that tooke the habitt of S. Francis whose name with the others shal hereafter be recorded so that they were now eight with the S. who as a pious Father hauing assembled them discoursed vnto them of the kingdome of God of contempt of the world of the abnegation of their proper will and of mortification of their owne flesh then he discouered vnto them that his intention was they should diuide themselues and trauell ouer the foure quarters of the world because not content with that litle nomber which then his poore and sterile simplicity had regenerated in God he desired also to renew the birth of al Christians inducing them to contrition and teares of repentance He therfore enioyned his deere Religious children to prepare them selues to goe to denounce and publish peace to men to preach vnto them penance to obtaine remission of their sinnes which he did in these wordes Be you patient in supporting iniuryes vigilant and assiduous in prayer couragious
and others others brought thither the disobedient who entred into it with a great indignation of spiritt and besides his sences as one that by his disobedience was already in the diuels possession He also commanded the Brethren to couer him instantly with earth but being scarce halfe couered the deuill by the merittes of the S. Hauing left him he began bitterly to weep saying The deuill that had hardened my hard hath now altogether left me but proceed you bouldly in couering me for I haue well deserued this death and a more greiuous The Brethren hearing him began to weep with him and some of them aduertised the S. of his conuersion who commanded that he should be taken vp and brought before him where being he said vnto him Choose what house you will wherin you may be comforted and there shall you dwell vpon obedience which the Brother hearinge with bitter teares he answeared not so my most gracious Father if you please but the greatest consolation you can giue me is that I accomplish my first penance the holy Father being moued with these wordes gaue him his benediction Thus hath he shewen vs by these examples that the end of the chasticement of Religion ought to be penitence and amendement of the sinner on whom if he acknowledge himselfe chasticement ought not to be inflicted but fatherlie consolation rather as IESVS CHRIST hath taught vs in his worthy parabole of the prodigall child who being repentant of his offences demaunded pardon of his father and the father very tenderlie embraced him and with great ioy conducted him into his house How S. Francis sent Brother Ruffinus to preach without the caepuce in vertue of obedience and of the penance which thersore he inflicted on himselfe THE XLI CHAPTER BY this that followeth there appeareth a merueillous order for gouernment to witt that the Superiour ought not to command vnto his subiects the thinge that himselfe would not doe S. Francis one day called vnto him Brother Ruffinus whome he commanded to goe preach in the cittie of Assisium and to deliuer vnto the people onlie what God should inspire vnto him but Brother Ruffinus making his excuse answeared Pardon me if you please good Father you know I am not apt to preach because I haue not any grace in my speech as being too simple and an idiot Which he spake with much humilitie And though in deed he had bin a discreet knight in the world he was neuertheles so chaunged in himselfe by meanes of the grace of contemplation which he had receiued of God that he was manie times out of himselfe and spake verie seldome and yet that litle was with such difficulty that he seemed to speake with exceedinge paine but the S. reprehending him for not hauing instantlie obeyed commanded him further vpon obedience and gaue him for penance to goe without his capuce The obedient Brother Ruffinus then without farther contradiction hauing put off his capuce and falling one the ground demaunded his benediction which hauing receiued he went to Assisium and first entred into a church there to make his prayer which done he ascended the pulpitt and began to preach The people then assembled who admiring to see him without capuce and amazed att such a noueltie said one to an other these poore Freers doe such austere penance that there withall they loose their witts So whiles this good Brother preached S. Francis considering the prompt obedience of Brother Ruffinus and the rigour of his commandement he began to check himselfe thus reasoning the matter What will hast thou gotten thou sonne of Peter Bernardone thou of so meane estate to command Brother Ruffinus who is one of the principall gentlemen of Assisium to goe preach without his capuce I will make thee to be an example of what thou hast commanded to an other and speaking thus to himselfe he hastiely tooke the capuce from his owne head and taking Brother Leo for companion he went to Assisium Being come into the church where Brother Ruffinus preached the people that saw him without capuce esteemed him to be likewise foolish beleeuing that the Br. Ruffinus and he were become sottish by meanes of their ouer sharpe penance many people therfore flocking thither Brother Ruffinus in the best manner he could deliuered this speech My beloued Brethren shunne the world leaue sinne retourne to the socure way if you desire to avoid hell obserue the diuine preceptes loue God and your neighbour and doe penance because the great kingâ— dome of heauen approacheth att least if you will possesse it But as soone as he perceiued S. Francis he discended from the pulpitt to come vnto him and the S. incontinentlie ascended The Church was then entierlie full of wordlie people for some came thither to see the extremitie of that life others moued with compassion and deuotion and others to deride them reputing them senceles but the holie Ghost that was in S. Francis caused him to vtter such worthy and merueillous matters of the contempt of the world of holie and necessary penance and of voluntary pouerty of the desire of the kingdome of heauen of obedience of the nuditie ignominies and passion of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and other like thinges which he declared in such manner and with such feruour that they who formerlie derided the noueltie of his habitt and reputed these Brethren to be out of their right sences did now bitterly weepe and such was that weeping and so violent for the compassion which they had of the death of IESVS CHRIST crucified and the feare which they conceaued of hell that they began to crie for mercie as if it had bin an other good friday on which day the Passion is preached so patheticallie in Italy that all the world cryeth mercie as one would doe att the sacking of a towne Wherfore the people being so edified and contrite Brother Leo who had brought with him both the capuces gaue to each one his owne they afterward retourned to their Monasterie praysing God for his great mercie sith by the vertue of holie obedience they had obtayned victorie ouer themselues and manifested how much they contemned the world They had much to doe to be ridd of the people that before reputed them for fooles and now he that could touch or kisse their habittes esteemed himselfe happy It appeared by the end of this worck that the beginning proceeded of God though it were wrought by an excessiue meane as the worcke of the Prophettes not so much to be imitated as for a signe of approbation of holy obedience of mortification of selfe will and contempt of the world and that we might know what glorious end God giueth to the worckes of holy obedience either secrett or manifest as it pleaseth him Of the loue which S. Francis boare to pouerty THE XLII CHAPTER AMong many giftes and singuler fauours which the glorious S. receaued att the bountifull hand of God one of the principall was that of
Goddes will he should come thither This holy Father finding himselfe loaden with the prayses of men which he esteemed an intollerable burden he one day priuatly departed the towne without speaking a word to any man The sequel of the aforesaid hundredth chapter Brother Macie thefore that followed him murmured a litle to himselfe att his litle good manners in departing from the Bishop without taking leaue of him for making him turne as a foole in the middes of the way the day before but perceauing afterwardes that it was a deceipt of the deuill he very bitterlie reprehended himselfe affirming that he deserued hell for presuming to iudge of the S. as opposing against the diuine worckes by him wrought as a verie true Angell of the liuing God in such or like manner accusing himselfe The holie Father tourning to him said Proceed bouldelie Brother Macie for this thy last discourse is euen so of God as thy former was of the deâ—ill Brother Macie then so much more humbled himselfe as he more approued the admirable sanctity of his holy Father An other Religious had a great desire to conuerse with him but he abstayned fearing to offend him by knowing his great imperfections doubting withall that offending the purity of his soule he should also vtterlie loose his fauour These thoughtes being entierly reuealed vnto S. Francis he one day called him to him said Brother I know you desire to conuerse with me speake therfore and say freely what you will and come to me when you desire by this meane the Religious was so secured as he remayned more affected vnto him These thinges wherby the prophetie of the holie Father Sainct Francis was generallie manifested are almost infinite therefore hauing hereafter recited two or three other we shall haue ended all that may be collected of all authors God knoweth the rest How S. Francis prophesied the Papacy to Nicolas the 3. when he was yet a child This is taken out of the 9. chapter of the 9. booke and here put in his place Mathew Rimido a Romane gentleman was an affectionate freind vnto the holy Father Sainct Francis yea did afterward take the habitt of the Rule of the third Order this man hauing one morning inuited Sainct Francis to dine with him and presenting vnto him his sonne Iohn Caietan then a litle child who was afterward Pope Nicolas the third to giue him hs benediction the holy Father tooke him in his armes embraced and kissed him very louingly and recommended vnto him his Religion which procured great astonishment and abondance of teares of the Father present and much more when he more plainly told him that the child should not be Religious in habitt but much in deuotion and principall Lord of this world and protectour of his Religion The holy Father vsed one of his ordinarie exercises of humility with this gentleman out of the very harty loue he boare to holy pouerty which was that being inuited by him and comming att such time as he was not att home where certaine new seruantes not knowing him gaue diuers poore people to eat within a Court he likewise receaued almose and did eat togeather with them The Lord Mathew comming home and finding Sainct Francis to eat among the poore he incontinently sate downe on the ground with him where he would in like sort eat with the poore and the S. to whome he said Father sith you would not dine with me I must dine with you The sequel of the said hundredth chapter Brother Iohn Bonello a Religious of great perfection held a generall chapter in Prouence in the monastery of Arles where he was Prouinciall Minister S. Antony of Padua preached att that chapter vpon the title of the holy crosse It there happened then that a Religious Preist called Brother Monaldus of a very exemplare life saw ouer the dore of the Chapter in the aire S. Francis with his handes and feet stretched on a crosse and as he was he blessed all the Religious loosing his right hand from the crosse whiles S. Antony most profoundlie expounded the said title of the crosse Wherefore the spirituall consolation which they all then felt in themselues was such and so great that albeit Brother Monaldus alone saw the said S. present neuertheles they all did participate of the grace in such sort that if any one would not haue beleeued the relation of Brother Monaldus he was constrayned to be assured thereof by that which he had felt in his hart Besides many other like apparitions of the said S. by diuine permission wherein God would demoÌ„strat how neere our soule is when she wil receaue his grace vnto the diuine light and eternall wisdome by communication wherof she ariseth from the world to vnite herselfe with God making the humble and poore of spiritt Prophettes reuealing high mysteries vnto them as it made Dauid one of the principall prophetes afterwardes S. Peter and the other Apostles according to the saying of the Gospell Many thinges I haue to say to you but you cannot beare them now But when he the spiritt of truth commeth he shall teach you all truth and in these latter dayes his humble and simple seruant S. Francis For as he did chose the Apostles simple and idiotes in regard of the learning of the world he neuertheles made them famous by doctrine and diuine worckes and the Sheepheard Dauid to feed the sheep of the sinagogue transported out of Egipt and S. Peter the fisher to fill the nettes of the holy church with the multitude of faithfull Christians so he would haue Sainct Francis a merchaunt to teach vs to traficke and negociate for this precious stone of the Euangelicall life selling all his goodes and distributing it to the poore for his loue and to enrich his church with soules redeemed by this holy meane How the blessed Father Sainct Francis renounced and rendred in the handes of his Brethren the office of Generall of the Order and instituted a Vicar Generall in his place This was the 31. chapter of the second booke improperly and therfore to follow the true Order of his life we haue here put it in his place This B. Father was so zealous of obedieÌ„ce especially of that his most holy humility that he could in no sort dispose himself to coÌ„mauÌ„d so that it was irksome vnto him to performe the office appertayning therevnto as to haue the chardge of gouerning so many thousandes of Religious to commaund and reprehend to aduise and correct to giue ordonnances and to chastice the offenders Therfore he resolued to renounce the office of Minister Generall as well for the cause hereafter alleadged as the better by example to teach obedience vnto his children Besides he found himselfe too sickly so that he could not apply himselfe to that office as was requisite and yet would not omitt the rigour of his penance to conserue his body yea he was better content to continue sicke then by
they must be Frere Minors not only in their health but euen in their sickenes and that therfore they should not haue an insatiable spiritt nor admitt all the commodities that the delicate of the world enioy for so there would be no difference nor should they meritt before God for whose loue they ought to be content to endure some inconueniences yea euen in their sicknesses Now though this holy Pastour did zealously vtter these wordes yet such was his charity that seeing them sicke he could not but releiue them and seek to supply their necessities and cherish them to his power as by this example may appeare One of the most ancient Religious of the Order being sicke the S. moued with cōpassion to see him so afflicted said to himselfe if this Religious had eate grapes he would be better then calling the Religious he conducted him into a vineyard neere vnto the Couent whither being come that the Religious might not be ashamed he began first to eat grapes then gaue to him and made him sitt downe and so entertayned him that he arose as sound as he had euer bin the vertue of God worcking by the charitie of his seruant which the said Religious diuers times with teares recounted to his brethren How the holy Father S. Francis did eate with S. Clare and how both were rapt into extasie This is taken out of the 4. chapter of the 10. booke and hither tranfferred to his proper place SAinct Francis being att our Lady of Angels was infinite times importuned by his first spirituall daughter S. Clare to take his refection once with her Yet though she were of sanctity sufficientlie knowne to all people he would neuer consent thereto att lenght the glorious saincte fearing that when she least thought therof God might call vnto him the holy Father such being the infirmities whervnto he was subiect so that she should neuer enioy that consolation in all her life she so much solicited all Religious that were most auncient and best beloued of the S. to obtaine so honest a request in her behalfe that they together so affectionately entreated him as that in the end he consented therevnto But to auoyd scandall and ill example to his Religious and that they should not therby challenge a consequence of goeing to eat att the monasteries of Religious women he caused S. Clare to come with some of her Religious to our Lady of Angels where he had consecrated her vnto God and he very curteously entertayned her with all her Religious then hauing with her made a long prayer vnto the Virgin Mary and hauing deuoutly visited the altares he made preparation according to his custome vpon the ground and att the ordinary houre they sate downe where for the first course he began so highly to discourse of God that himselfe S. Clare and all the Religious were so rapt in extasie that they were no longer of this world but hauing their eyes lifted vp they were as it were out of themselues Att that instant it seemed to the Burgesses of the citty of Assisium that they saw the house of our Lady of Angels with althe circuit the very Mountaines to burne they seemed also to see an exceeding great fire ouer the monastery much more violent then the rest wherfore they all ran hastely to quench it But being come to the church they found neither fire nor flame but that of the holy Ghost which they considered and very well perceaued in the countenances and aspectes of those whome they found yet fitting and swallowed vp in God with S. Clare and all her companions from whence awaking all finally finding the grace of God they did eat vse litle other thinge being already satisfied and filled with that celestiall food So euery one departed giuing thanckes to God who alwayes offereth and presenteth himselfe to them that in charitie vnite themselues vnto him Saincte Clare retourned to her monasterie of S. Damian wher here Religious receaued her with much consolation because they feared that S. Francis would haue sent her to found some monastery other where as he had done her Sister Agnes whome he had sent to Florence The 31. and 32. chapters are formerlie inserted after the last chap. of the first booke so to obserue the true Order of the life of S. Francis How S. Francis knew that it was the will of God he should helpe to saue soules by his preaching and not only by prayer and how he instituted the Order of Penitents called the thirde Order THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe true seruant of God desiryng to serue his master entierlie in such thinges as should be most gratefull to his diuine maiestie in fidelitie and perfection of life without respect to any kinde of consolation temporall or spirituall there arose a doubt in his spiritt wherof he diuers times conferred with his Brethren in this manner My brethren I beseech you by the charitie which liueth and is amongst you to tell me what I ought to doe and whither of these two exercises you esteeme more to the seruice of God either that I applie my selfe entierlie to prayer or that I also labour in preaching so to instruct the ignorant the way of God I am of litle and simple stature as you see and cannot teach with wordes full of doctrine and withall hauing on the other side receaued a greater grace of God to pray then to speake I would more willinglie applie me to continuall prayer besides that I know by experience that there is a great gaine and a certaine augmentation of grace in prayer wheras to preach is to impart and communicate to others those litle giftes which one receaueth of God prayer is a lustre of good desires and of the pious affections of the soule and a collection of celestiall vertues vnited to the true and supreme good but preaching is to bedust the spirituall feet that is the amourous affections of the hart towardes God which serue as feet and foundation to all the spirituall edifice a man by it detourning himselfe from seuerity of life and rigour of discipline In prayer we speake vnto God and harcken vnto him when he speaketh to vs and leading a life in manner Angelicall we more conuerse in heauen with the Angels then here on earth with men wheras preaching we must alwayes conuerse with men and liue among them to conuert them to tell them the truth and to heare many worldly thinges of them Neuertheles there is one thing in preaching verie contrarie to all these which maketh much in behalfe therof and is worthy of great consideration discouering vnto vs that God maketh esteeme therof which is that his only Sonne who is soueraigne goodnes the only modell of diuine wisdome descended from the bosome of his eternall Father to enstruct the world to teach by his holy example and to preach vnto men the word of saluation wherby he afterwardes saued the predestinate soules washing them with his precious bloud reuiuing them
nor vnderstand for they doe voluntarie blinde and ruinate their owne soules Open your eyes then blinded deluded as ye are by your ennemies the flesh the world and the deuill To the body it is a very delightfull thing to serue sinne very tedious to serue God all euils and sinnes proceed from the hart of mā as God saith in the Gospell The wicked haue no good in this world nor shall haue in the next they seeme att their pleasure to possesse the present vanities but they are deceaued for the time and houre will come when they shall loose all The holy Father said also that one being knowne to be verie sicke the first aduertisement of his kinred and freindes is not to prouide for his soule but to make his will and so his wife kinred and freindes gather about him to induce him to be mindfull of them And he ouercome by the teares of his wife the tender loue he beareth to his children and the persuasions of his kinred that seeme to haue forgotten his soule disposeth of his substance according to their fancie to giue them contēt and saith that he committeth to their gouernment and authority his substance his soule and his body that man is truely accursed who in this sort putteth his trust in man conformable to what the Prophett Ieremie said Cursed is the man that trusteth in man Now after such disposition the Confessour is sent for who finding the wretch obliged to some restitution soliciteth him to discharge himselfe therof but he answeareth that he hath made his testament disposed of all his goodes and deliuered it into the handes of his heires who will satisfie whatsoeuer shal be necessary and because he is in agonie and hath almost lost his speech there is no time to dispose of matters necessarie to the discharge of his conscience and so he dyeth a most miserable death Therfore lett euerie one know that when and howsoeuer a man dye in mortall sinne and without due restitution of an other mannes goodes hauing power to doe it before his death the deuill carryeth his soule directlie to hell where he shal be eternallie tormented and so in an instant he looseth bodie and soule goodes and honour because his kinred diuiding his inheritance among them they often curse his soule for not hauing left to one of them what he hath left to all Of the contrarietie of vices and vertues and certaine breife aduertisements and exercises of them THE LI. CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis affirmed that where true charity is there can neither be feare nor ignorance Where there is a ioyfull and voluntarie pouerty there is neither enuy nor auarice where there is Meditation of God there is no care where the feare of God is keeper of the house there the deuill cannot enter where there is discretion and mercy there is neither superfluity nor deceipt Now I tell you there is no man in the world can in any sort haue one of the said vertues If he doe not first die to himselfe and he that reallie possesseth one hath all with that one he erreth not in the rest and he that erreth in one erreth in all the other and is in that case as if he had not any they are of such valew that each one of it selfe confoundeth vices and sinnes holie wisdome confoundeth the deuill with all his malices holy simplicitie confoundeth the prudence of the deuill the world and the flesh holy pouertie confoundeth enuie auarice and seculer desires holy humilitie confoundeth pride with all worldly honoures and what soeuer is in them holy charity confoundeth all diabolicall and carnall temptations and pleasures holy obedience confoundeth all naturall will and sensuall affection subiecteth the body to obedience of the spiritt rendreth and maketh a man humble and subiect not only to all men but euen to other irreasonable creatures The Apostle saith the letter killeth but the spiritt giueth life they are killed by the letter who seeke to know only to be reputed learned and wise of the world by this meane to purchase honours and richesse with anxiety to aduance their kinred and freindes and in a word not for themselues but for the body or for others And they are quickened of the spiritt who referre all the learning and knowledge they haue and desire to haue only to the prayse and honour of the diuine maiesty and who appeare before God by the example of their life and with wordes full of edification offring vnto him that goodnes which is entierlie his owne In this sort it is that the seruant of God may know if he really haue his spiritt for if the flesh glorie in the worckes it doeth by meane of the grace of God as its owne it is then a signe that he is of the deuill But if in the said worckes he neuerthelesse repute himselfe vile and acknowledge himselfe a most greiuous sinner he is then truely of God and God is in him Happy is the seruant that neither speaketh nor doeth any thinge for hope of recompence in this world but for the loue of God nor lightlie speaketh what commeth to his mouth but prudently and in due time disposeth his propositions and answeares Wretched also is the Religious that buryeth in his hart the graces which he receaueth of God or that commanicateth them for subiect of vaine glorie desiring rather to manifest them verballie then to God for he hath alreadie receaued his reward and they who haue heard him haue bin litle edified therby These are wordes of life and he that shall ruminate and accomplish them shall finde true life and in the end obtaine saluation of God They that seeke not to tast how sweete God is and that loue darcknes more then light neglecting to obserue the commandementes of God are by his Prophett accursed of him who sayeth Cursed are they who erre from thy commandementes but how blessed and happie are they that loue God and performe the saying of the gospell Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and withall thy will Lett vs therefore My Brethren loue and prayse God day and night Our Father which art in heauen because it is necessary to pray alwayes without intermission and lett vs haue charity and humility and doe almose deedes that they may cleanse our soules from spottes of sinne for euerie thing appertayning to the world tourneth to ruine men must leaue it and carry with them onlie the recompence and reward of charitie and the almose they haue done wherof they shall receaue recompence of God And therfore it is good to fast from vices and sinnes flying all occasions of them and to keepe vs from all kinde of superfluitie though lawfull and we must frequent churches and honour Preistes in respect of the dignity they haue with God and especiallie the Religious that haue renounced the world to doe more good then others and by their example we
affirme that the stigmates of the holie seruant of God Francis that were so miraculouslie by diuine Maiestie imprinted on him were fables and ought to be reproued what could he say more He att one same time depriued the holie seruant of God of his honour and glorie yea God himselfe who by a singuler priuiledge and excellent mysterie gaue him those signes and hath depriued vs of aucthoritie and dew respect considering that he hath presumed to impugne our auctoritie for we haue approued the said stigmates not onlie as hauing heard relation therof by personnes worthie of creditt and bin assured therof by verie authenticall written testimonies but ouer selues also haue seene them with our proper eyes and touched them with our verie handes Now we vnderstand that the said Religious is mounted to such audacitie as he presumeth to preach publikelie to the dishonour of the Religious Frere Minors baptising them before the people with the false name and title of dore-begging preachers and lyers adding that they ought to be preuented and excommunicated All these thinges considered we command you in vertue of this present Apostolicall Breuie to suspend the said Religious from the facultie of preaching in what place soeuer he shall appeare and vsing all meanes to gett him into your handes you shall incontinentlie send him vnto vs that we may inflict on him the punishment due to his desert The other Breuy that was directed to the Arch-bishop of Coileigne was thus The diuine wisdome that first framed man according to his flesh to redeeme him by the mystery of his holy Incarnation he also hath adorned his seruant Francis with the same woundes that it is so we with the Colledge of our venerable brethren the cardinals haue approued the same hauing bin assured therof by diuers personnes of vertuous life and haue our selues seene very authentical testimonies therof and besides we haue bin induced by our selues that haue with our owne eyes seene and touched them with our owne handes For which respectes we haue really and with iust reason concluded that it ought to be held for truth wherfore we command you that vnderstanding this our intention and probation of them you also publikelie approue them and not to permitt any within your diocesse to contradict them Pope Alexander the fourth that saw them made also a Breuie in approbation of them and commanded the Frere Minors neuer to leaue the Oratorie of Mount Aluerne where theire holie Father had receaued so singuler a gift of God Pope Benedict the second ordayned by a Breuie that the Frere Minors should celebrate the feast and say the office of the said sacred stigmates of the glorious Father sainct Francis All which testimonies and manie other which for breuitie I omitt we were willing to insert in this place because the malice of enuie that wil be of as long continuance as the world had enforced vs therto by reason that so admirable a miracle ought not to be related without due circumstances and proofes to make mute the perfidious tongues of the euill minded enuious Of the zeale of the honour of God and saluation of soules which the holy Father sainct Francis had after the impression of the sacred stigmates and of the figures precedent THE LX. CHAPTER THis glorious Sainct hauing felt in his proper flesh the dolours paine of the passion of God and as it were partlie experienced of what deere price soules were vnto the Sonne of God he to loose no time began incontinentlie to trauaile ouer all cittyes and townes instructing by meane of prayer preaching and the example of good life God assisting with merueillous miracles in testimonie of his docttine to redeeme the precious soules of poore Christians out of the mouth of the perfidious Lucifer he being armed with these weapons of the crosse that alwayes ouerthrow euerie ennemie corporall and spirituall of the elect of God who continuallie gett the victorie And as a new Legat deputed of his diuine maiestie he carryed with him the sea le of the soueraigne bishop IESVS CHRST wherwith he confirmed his doctrine and his worckes Therby did he trulie appeare to be sent of God wherfore he not onlie found no contradiction where he went but was exceeding gratefull to all all personnes Besides that this is also worthy of merueillous consideration that as in all thinges deseruing perpetuall memorie for being of great consequence it semeth that his diuine Maiestie alwayes obserued three condicions prophesying or figuring them precedently approuing them by good testimonies with the rumour of present renowme and confirming them afterward by diuine signes and miracles in like sort would he obserue three conditions in this singuler fauour wherof the rumour renowme and manifest proofe being seene for the time present and the miracles afterward it resteth now that we demonstrate the figure by which this singuler act hath in a certaine manner bin many times prophesied First it seemed to be signified by the vision of the glittering and resplendant soules marcked with the signe of the crosse of whome God constituted him his captaine in the beginning of his conuersion The same also seemed to be signified by the vision of the crucisix that interiourly transpearced his soule with excessiue sorrow with the voice that told him he must repaire his holy church And it was also signified by the crosse which Brother Siluester saw to come out of his mouth that expelled the dragon of hell Againe it was denoted by the vision which Brother Pacificus had before he was conuerted when he saw two glittering swordes that made a crosse vpon his brest Finally it was signified by the apparition which S. Francis made att the Chapter of Arles in forme of a crosse in the aire giuing his benediction to the Religious there assembled Lett no man therfore presume to contradict so certaine a truth denounced and prophesied by figures seene visibily touched palpably approued by the church iustlie and finally by IESVS CHRIST confirmed by so many miracles in earth and in heauen Of the new seruour and merueillous patience of the sainct THE LXI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. F. finding himselfe enriched with so glorious a treasure made his habitt to be lengthened as much as was possible to couer the same and began thenceforward to carry a staffe wherwith he walked about the house though verie seldome being vnable by reason of the sacred woundes to sett his feet on the ground It is admirable to consider that as in the two first yeares of his conuersion before he founded the Order he carryed a staffe so he began againe to carry it two yeares before his death that he might end by the walking staffe as a true Pilgrime on earth albeit he had left it vpon obseruation of the worde of IESEVS CHRIST who commanded his disciples not to carry it in their iorney signifying that they should not relye on any fauour of the world vnderstood by the staffe or stalke of a reed
for in heauen Knowing therfore right well the conuersion life and merittes of the holy Father S. Francis Institutour and Gouernour of the Order of Freer Minors yea by our owne experience and by the testimony of others of most worthy creditt who haue seene the notable miracles which God by meanes of him hath wrought we are likewise assured that he is glorified in heauen his life and apparant renowne dissipating the obscuritie of sinners that liue and haue liued in the shadow of death both men and women for corroboration of the faith of the holy church and to the confusion of the malice of heretikes the contentment of a great nomber of them that haue and doe follow him yet florishing and leading a celestiall life Wherfore that it may not seeme we intend to frustâ—ate the said S. of the honour due vnto him permitting him to be depriued of the reuerence which men owe him as one already glorified of God by the aduise and counsaile of our venerable Brethren the Cardinals and of all the Prelates now here present we haue iudged it requisite to inscribe him in the catologue of SS that as a candle of God he giue light here belowe no way deseruing to be hidden vnder a bushell but to be sett on an high candlesticke of his holy Church We therfore command you in vertue of these preseÌ„t Apostolicall letters that for the vniuersall benefitt you awaken the deuotion of your people to the veneration of this S. of God euery yeare celebrating his feast on the fourth day of October and that you admonish euery one to obserue the same that by his prayers and merittes God may graunt vs his holy grace in this life and his glory in the other Giuen att S. Iohn Lateran the six and twentith of march the second yeare of our Papacie The originall of this authenticall bull is extant in the great Conuent of the Cordeliers att Paris Of the great deuotion which Pope Gregory the ninth euer had to the Order of S. Francis extracted out of the eleuenth chapter of the tenth booke and here put in due place COnsidering that we haue discoursed of the canonization of the glorious Father S. Francis performed by Pope Gregory the ninth it seemeth to the purpose to sett downe what also concerneth the said Pope touching the familiarity and deuotion which he euer carryed towardes this glorious S. and his Order and the prophesie wherby S. Francis often reuealed vnto him that he should attaine to the dignitie of the Papacie His holinesse being yet Cardinall of Hostia and Protectour of this Order had euer a perticuler deuotion to his Religion so that discoursing once together he said vnto him I beseech you Father for the loue of IESVS CHRIST tell me freely your opinion for I am determined to obey you in that you shall resolue me which I promise you and call God to witnesse to witt whither I shall liue in this dignity or serue God in your Religion leauing the world and vanities therof and be cloathed in your habitt Which S. Francis hearing and considering what a beneficiall member he was vnto the church answeared that on the one side he might doe the Church of God and the world good seruice in this present estate considering that he was a man of great experience very prudent and iudicious of Counsaile and on the other side being such and in such dignity in the Church and theÌ„ce entring into religion should giue a most worthy example and by his preachinges purc asing many soules to God should exceedingly benefitt the world therfore he could not herein resolue him without reuelation from God and so he left him extremely perplexed But a little after knowing by diuine reuelation that he should be Pope many occasions happening of writing vnto him concerning his religion he thus made the superscription of his letter To the future Father of the world the Cardinall and so it came to passe for after the death of Pope Honorius he was chosen in his place the same yeare that the S. dyed It is said that of deuotion vnto thaâ— Order he often went vnknowne in company of the Frere Minors wearing the habitt and particulerly on good friday when he went to visitt the Churches and in this sort did wash the feet of the poore with them Wherfore he failed not with his vtmost affection to fauour the two Religions of S. Dominick and S. Francis in such sort that he canonized this holy Father as we haue said the second yeare of his Papacie and S. Antony of Padua in the sixt as in due place shal be mentioned he also canonized S. Dominick the eight yeare of his Papacie How the body of the glorious Father sainct Francis was transported into his owne church THE LXXV CHAPTER THe yeare of grace 1230. the Frere Minors being assembled att Assisium there to hold their Generall Chapter when the translation of this holy body was to be made from the church of S. George into the new church builded to that purpose there repaired an infinite multitude of people from all partes of Italy and many further remote to see this precious body But brother Helias who by the fauour and assistance of the Pope and many seculer gentlemen though Brother Iohn PareÌ„t were Minister Generall caused the holy body without priuity of the said Generall or other persoÌ„ne to be secretly remoued permitting none sauing only certaine of his freindes to know where it reposed which he did for certaine humane considerations And this exceedingly disquieted the said Religious who came rather to see the holy body then to hold the Chapter Brother Helias satisfied them with very few yet witty wordes so that this notwithstanding the said translation was celebrated with a very sumptuous solemnity the Pope hauing expresly sent thither his Apostalicall Noncioes as well to make his excuse of not comming in person by reason of certaine lawfull impedimentes as also to adorne that new church with a great crosse of gold enriched with many precions stones wherin was sâ—tt a litle peice of the true crosse and also with many dressinges and vessels to trimme and decke the high altare and many other rich ornamentes and withall a good almose to defray the said translation and towardes the finishing of the said building then halfe erected His holines by Apostolicall authoritie exempted the said church as also his monastery from all the landes subiect to the Romane Church and would that it should be immediately subiect to the holy Sea himselfe hauing there laid the first stone Now this holy treasure being translated and transported thus sealed with the character of the omnipotent it pleased his diuine maiesty by meane of his seruant to worck many miracles therby to induce the faithfull by feruent imitation to follow his steppes considering that during his life he had bin so deere vnto him as that by conteÌ„plation he had transported him as Enoch into Paradice and as Elias had bin
had bin made att that verie hower with the hard nayle vpon the bare flesh and the bloud appeared exceeding full of life O happy were the soules that were held worthy to see in his seruant what they could not see in their Lord IESVS CHRIST and more when afterwardes they saw his sacred handes which his Holines discouered and saw pearced as the feet and hauing also the like nailes we also kissed them laying our impure lippes onthe sacred bloud that was yet very fresh which made vs to poore out teares that so abondantly fell from our eyes as that they hindered our cōtentment for we could not tast nor enioy the same according to our wish our eyes were so troubled that we often saw not that precious treasure But who cā euer explicate the motiō of our vnderstāding the abstractiō of our spiritt the melting of our sences and the faintnes of our corporall forces procured by this precious sight O thrice happy the mouthes of vs so greiuous sinners wherwith we were permitted to kisse that sacred wound of his foot with such interiour cōsolation as none could be more But seauen fold more hapy the Pope who alone kissed the wound of his side flowered as a fresh rose consequētly his very mouth whervpon he graciously vttered these wordes O most worthy excellēt memoriall of our redemption wherwith the eternall God would that conformably to our Lord I. C. the glorious Father S. Fr. should be deputed aliue dead to represent to the world euen till the last day of iudgmēt the signe of his dolorous passion O holy woundes first endured by the Sonne of God for the sinnes of men and after for our benefitt renewed in his holy seruant Francis O most gracious God! to whome hast thou euer shewē such loue but to this thy most faithful seruant Blessed sainct thou hast really carryed the triumphant stander of the crosse together with the liuely marckes of his passion Finally thou alone hast ben elected and found worthy to be pearced in true imitation of our Lord I. C. differing from him only in this that he receaued his woundes of the wicked Iewes and thou of our Redeemer I. C. O extreme benefite O singuler gift O ineffable prerogatiue Fr. who taught thee to serue God in what new scoole was it performed and by what merueillous doctrine Of what master hast thou learned to moūt to so high a degree of perfection that neuer S. of either sex could equall thee in the giftes of God The Pope vttered these and many other wordes being rauished out of himselfe in the presence of this S. of God himselfe together with vs bathinge the pauement of that holy place with abondance of our teares Now we so persisted in these sweet cōceiptes that whē we least thought theron one aduertised vs that it was neere day and that it was necessary for vs to depart to shutt vp the hole of the sacred sepulcher dexteriously which touched our hart as a deadly wound the space of six or seauen howers that we were there seeming to haue flowen and not passed away Making therfore some litle prayer more and recommending our selues to the S. the Pope first goeing out we all followed but not till we had opened the two vaultes in the two other arches where we saw the two other glorious bodies of his disciples entier also and very odoriferous but much lesse then that of their master hauing their habittes of sackcloth Att the entry we saw the body of the blessed Brother Giles then we came foorth and the Guardian shutt the dores praying his Holines to keepe the same in great secresie which he promised him and commāded vs also the same This my freind Iames was the cause of my inuocation that night when I cryed O Francis Francis hauing yet hope yea very confident that he wil be protectour of my soule before God att my departure But it seemeth indeed very admirable that this glorious S. had not procured his recouery but that he might haue declared this his glory to many his deuoted freindes that much desired to vnderstand it for this discourse ended he began so to decay that he dyed the night following leauing assured testimony of this truth considering that it is not to be beleeued nor thought nor is it probable that aman especially such as this being in the conflictes of death would for his pleasure and without occasiō faine a false matter the time so neere when he should most stricktly render an account vnto God who seuerely condemneth the culpable and ill-deseruers as he crowneth the sainctes his elected here on earth but much more in heauen there glorifiyng their bodies their soules with his glorious vision eternally whither I beseech him by his grace to conduct vs where he is three and one and liueth and raigneth world without end Amen The end of the second booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS CONTAYNING A TREATISE OF S. Bonauenture of certaine miracles of the glorious Father S. Francis after his death With a discourse of the Author of the degrees wherby the S. attained to perfection Translated by the parties afore mentioned Of the miracle of the Stigmates THE FIRST CHAPTER TO the honour and glory of almighty God and the blessed Father S. Francis Being to write certaine miracles of his wrought after his glorification in heauen we haue determined to begin with that immensiue priuiledge giuen him by our Lord IESVS CHRIST honouring him with the signe of the crosse and passion This glorious Father S. Francis was then eminent by a new miracle when he appeared charactered and illustrated with so singuler a priuiledge neuer before graunted to any creature I meane the sacred woundes of our Lord which made his mortall bodie like to that of IESVS CHRIST crucified the sacred stigmates considered wherof whatsoeuer any humane tongue can expresse is litle or nothinge in comparison of so sublime and worthy a mystery wrought by his diuine maiesty in his faithfull seruant Francis that this signe of the crosse which he alwayes carryed imprinted in his hart from the beginning of his conuersion might also exteriourly appeare in his body entierly vnited in the said crosse and that as his soule was interiourly vested with IESVS CHRIST the habite of a penitent which he tooke representing the image of the crosse the body also might in like sort be inuested with the said sacred signe and that with such colours and distinctions he might the more couragiously serue his God as his principall Capitaine in the spirituall warre and army wherin God had ouercome the powers of spirituall ennemies Yea and diuers misteries of the crosse appeared in the S. from his first beginning in spirituall warfare as in the discourse of his life plainely appeareth by the diuers apparitions of the crosse which he had And for farther assurance of the verity of so admirable a fact God did not only giue testimonies worthy of creditt
attaine the eternall kingdome And hauing spoken this touched with a iust and zealous disdaine spett twice vpon the ground in token that he abhorred the Mores proposition which the More tooke so offenciuely that in extreme fury he would willingly haue drawen his sword to haue slaine him but that it was death to draw a weapon in the kinges house and therfore he only gaue him a sound buffett saying goe sir master and learne to gouerne your tongue an other time This good Religious then as a true disciple of IESVS CHRIST incontinently answeared Brother God pardon you for you know not what you doe then tuurning his face he offered him the other cheeke bidding him strike as rudely as he would being as ready to eudure both that and more for the faith of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST The More not well hearing this reply was exceedingly amazed when he was aduertised therof and tourning towardes his owne people he said These lewd Christians shall not escape the iustice of our king which this day shall sharply be inflicted on them But these miserable wretches vnderstood not that kinde of reuenge knowne only to a few of the true seruantes of God How the king attempted againe to stagger and corrupt the holy Martyrs by promises THE XVI CHAPTER THe king in the meane time resolued to assault them with a new temptation wherby presuming to preuaile he reasoned with them in this manner you would repute your selues truely and really happy if you knew the grace which God and our great prophett offereth you in that they so pacifie my courage as I cannot reuenge me on you in such sort as your offences and demerites require but on the contrary in steed of punishing you I seeke by all meanes to gratifie you Herevpon the king freed his chamber of all the company but some few fauourites and caused to enter fiue faire and yong gentlewomen richely attired then said to the fiue Martyrs Note well what is in my clemencie I know well that your extreme pouerty and misery such as your habittes doe demonstrate hath troubled your braine but I hope by curtesie and my meree liberality to cure you for I will espouse you to these gentlewomen with whome I will giue a rich dowrye besides the portion of their parentes who are the greatest Peeres of my kingdome and whose substance you shall enherit vpon this only condition that you accept of our Religion which so many kingdomes and great personnages doe embrace The holy Martyrs stopped their eares against these deluding promises made by this subtill and creafty tyran whome they freely answeared O accursed of God assure thy selfe these thy delightes will shortly conduct thee to the goulfe of hell in the bottome wherof thy false messenger of God Mahomet attendeth thee to the end that as thou obeyest him in his law thou eternallie accompany him in tormentes And because thou art great in this world thou shalt also be greatly tormented and so much aboue others as thou hast more pleasure then they in this miserable life Ah wretched and miserable acknowledge the errour which thou so obstinatlie maintaynest As for vs by the grace of God we know well how to fly these false and transitorie pleasures hereafter to enioy those that are reall and eternall in the glorie of God which also we offer vnto thee in his behalfe with remission of all thy sinnes for our mercifull Lord IESVS CHRIST dyed as much for thee on the tree of the crosse as for vs. And if thou wilt not be ingratefull towardes his diuine maiestie acknowledge his graces and repent thee of this filthy life thou leadest which hath bin taught by thy false Prophett to thee and thine whome he leadeth as beastes by the nose of the sences after these carnall pleasures insteed and recompense wherof thou shalt eternallie burne in hell The king by this answeare perceaued well that his fauourable wordes avayled no more then his promises Wherfore as halfe enraged with fury for the iniuryes vttered against his Prophett and himselfe sith said he you will not conceaue your owne good I will make you proue what it is to offend the deity of our great Prophett and the maiesty of a croune for my selfe will reuenge the same with my owne handes for him and me which said he prepared himselfe to play the executioner How the holy Martyrs were beheaded by the very hand of the king Miramolm and how they appeared to the Infanta Madam Sanctia THE XVII CHAPTER BVt the beloued sainctes of our Lord neuer in all their life heard more welcome newes And therfore exceedingly ioyfull and content and replenished with an admirable consolation as knowing themselues to be neere their so desired recompence they with a great vehemence and feruour answeared in this sort O king our bodies only are in thy power and therin consisteth the greatest hurt thou canst doe vs which also redoundeth to our exceeding good with God therefore dispose of them att thy pleasure for our glory shal be so much greater in heauen where his diuine maiesty prepareth vs his crowne in regard that we dye for his holy faith in zeale wherof we againe admonish thee and in as much as the saluation of thy soule is precious vnto thee doe pray thee to leaue thy errours wherin the diuell hath drowned thee and to embrace the faith of the liuing God and of his only sonne IESVS CHRIST who seeketh to saue thee because this flesh which thou so much tenderest shall shortly be food for wormes and thy miserable soule shall feele the cruell and eternall paines which the damned endure in hell The king heard not the end of this discourse but commanded them to be conducted to a place before his palace that there he might execute them himselfe and that thereby the zeale he had to the law of Mahomett might publikely appeare after that he walked thither with his people where taking his great hanger he separated them then cryed out I am now to reuenge the cause of our holy Prophett and the derisions of our law with myne owne handes which said full of diabolicall fury he gaue to each of the Martyrs a blow on the middest of the head which cleaued it euen almost to the chinne then he pleased himselfe in cutting their throtes glutting his fury by the sight of their bloud So being deuoutlie on their knees praying God to pardon their persecutors they by the handes of this great executioner yelded their soules vnto God the yeare of grace 1220. and the fourth yeare of the Papacie of Pope Honorius the third the sixt of Ianuary somewhat lesse then seauen yeares before the death of the glorious Father S. Francis These were the first of his Order which he sent vnto heauen Att the same time the fiue Martyrs appeared to the foresaid Infanta in the citty of Alenquer about eleuen of the clock in the forenoone she being very deuoutlie praying in her chamber They had in their handes each
clock they stripp themselues naked sending their cloathes to the Monastery of S. Crosse leauing on their bodies only linnen breeches of very meane cloth to couer their naturall parts and a capuce of cloth to hide their face or a handkirchefe and so they goe in procession through the middest of the cittye to the said church of S. Crosse where hauing offered their prayers very deuoutly together they passe through the Cloister to enter into a great house adioyning where they reattire themselues and then each one departeth att his pleasure The 29. chapter is put after the 39. of this booke as a place more proper vnto it The history of seauen Martyrs att Cepte How seauen Frere Minors departed from Italy to goe to preach the faith of Iesus Christ vnto the Insidels THE XXX CHAPTER SAinct Antony of Padua and others haue left in record that seauen Frere Minors were ioyned together to goe into Tuscane a Prouince of Italy whence they demanded leaue of Brother Helias then viare generall of the Order to goe into Spaine to preach to the Mores he names of these Religious were Brother Daniel Br. Angelus Br. Saâ—uel Br. Danulus Br. Leo Br. Nicolas and Br. Vgolin they arriued att Arragon hauing elected for their superiour Br. Daniel Prouinciall of Caâ—bria hauing found a vessell ready prepared for that place could neuer â—btaine permission of the patron therof to carry more then three Religious with him so that he was constrained to leaue three to come afer him He being arriued att Cepte with his three companions did not beginne to preach to the Mores till the arriuall of his Brethren which was on the last day of September and in the meane time they preached to diuers strange merchantes and other Christians that from all partes flocked thither When they were all assembled they began to discourse and conferre together what might be the rediest meane for them to profitt in the saluation of the soules of the Mores or to pourchace Martyrdome reiecting farre all humane feare and fortifying themselues with a great feruour of spiritt and an ineffable zeale of their neighbours good And hauing till then remayned without the towne with other Christians that were not permitted to enter they resolued to steale in secretly without the knowledge of any person that they might not be hindered by the Christians who could haue stayed them or aduertised the Mores who would haue forbidden their entry How the seauen Martyrs preached the faith of Iesus Christ to the Mores by whome they were abused and imprisoned THE XXXI CHAPTER BEing thus encouraged mutuallie by each other in our Lord IESVS CHRIST they began one friday by deuout and feruent prayers to prepare themselues and on the saterday the six were confessed by their superiour who confessed to an other then they communicated and receaued the sacred body of our Redeemer spending the rest of the day in pious deuotions And the sonday morning replenished with the grace of the holy Ghost they entred very early into the citty where they began to preach freely and loudly vnto the Mores admonishing them to abandon the false beleefe of Mahomet and to embrace the true faith of our Redeemer IESVS The Mores admiring the confidence wherwith they spake began first gently to reprehend them then rudely to iniury them but seeing these good Religious did perseuer in this pious predication they did buffet and beat them outragiously then hauing bound them they brought them before the kinge where they continued their preaching freely confessing the true faith of IESVS CHRIST and giuing him remonstrance of the deceatefulnes treachery of the law of the accursed Mahomet which he must of necessity forsake if he would saue his soule The king beholding theÌ„ so poorly attired and considering their feruour iudged them to be fooles as did all his Courtiers But in regard they had presumed to preach against his law he imprisonned them and cast them into a dungeon where they were loaden with heauy chaines of Iron Manicles and fetters which exceedinglie afflicted them for they remayned there eight entier dayes in which time they endured much and in diuers manners Of a letter which the 7. Martyrs wrote to the Christians of Cepte THE XXXII CHAPTER NOw these holy Religious desirous to shunne idlenes wrote this letter vnder inserted to the Christians residing in the suburbes of Cepte which they addressed to Brother Hugo Preist and Curat of Geneuois and to other Religious one of the Order of Preachers and the other a Frere Minor who were newly arryued in Africa to administer the sacramentes to the Christians there and to worck the saluation of their soules the said letter was thus Blessed be God the Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST Father of mercy and God of all consolations who comforteth vs all in our afflictions and appointed to our Father Abraham the Ramme he was to sacrifice and permitted him to trauell a pilgrime on earth and reputed his faith for iustice wherfore he merited the title of the friend of God teaching vs therby to appeare and become fooles before the world to please and proue wise in sight of the diuine maiesty And therfore saith he vnto vs Goe preach the Ghospell vnto all Creatures and tell them the seruant ought not to be greater then the master And if you be persecuted that they haue persecuted me likewise with which wordes we his least and vnworthy seruantes being moued haue left our contry and are come hither to preach for the glory of God and the benefitt of our soules to the edification of faithfull Christians and the confusion of obstinate Infidels as the Apostle saith we being vnto God a pleasing odour we are to some an odour of life and to others an odour of death which could not be vnderstood but that our Sauiour said If I had not come and had not preached vnto them they had not sinned We are entred into this citty of Cepte to preach his name and his holie faith before the people and the king himselfe who reputing vs sencelesse hath imprisoned vs it hath seemed expedient vnto vs to aduertise you hereof And albeit that by the grace of God we endure much here we are neuertheles exceedinglie comforted in our Lord in whose diuine Maiestie we haue a strong and assured confidence that he will please to accept our life for a gratefull sacrifice and therfore to him be giuen glorie and honour for euer How the holy Martyrs were againe presented to the king before whome they constantly preached the saith THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe sonday following which was the sixt of October in the morning the kinge caused the holy Religious to be taken out of prison and presented before him then prayed them to deny what they had vttered against his Prophett Mahomet and his law But they constantly answeared that they could not say otherwise then they had done sith it was truth it selfe on the contrary they exhorted himselfe to abandon his extreme
of the said holy Martyrs were afterwardes translated to Teruel by the king of Arragon THE XXXVII CHAPTER AFter this glorious Martyrdome Dom Iames the first of that name king of Arragon began by the prouidence of God to warre against and alwayes to putt to the worst the king of Valencia subdueing him att each time that they encountred and taking prisoners a great number of the Mores gaining daily and possessing his landes and dominions it happened one time that he tooke prisoners certaine noble men of the Mores whervpon the Christians of Arragon prayed their king to demaund the reliques of the said S. for ransome of the said prisonners by reason that by their meanes God did ordinarily worckmany miracles which caused the Christiās to be very importunate to haue them This request was easy to obtaine for the king of Arragon did exceedingly reuerence the said reliques and the king of the Mores was very desirous to retire his principall champions for a matter which he regarded nothing at all Thus were these reliques solemnely placed att Teruell in a faire Couent of Frere Minors there expresly erected in acknowledgement of the fauours and graces which in respect of them the Christians haue receaued of God and to this day great miracles are wrought there by them How the Morian king Azot became Christian and gaue the citty of Valencia to the king of Arragon and in satifaction of his sinne he conuerted his Pallace into a Monastery of Religious of the Order of S. Francis THE XXXVIII CHAPTER THe king Azot perceauing his forces and kingdome daily in appearance to diminish in such sort as he could no longer resist the king of Arragon resolued to enter into composition with him and to render vnto him all the kingdome of Valencia peaceably and withall to be baptised reseruing condition of honest maintenance during his life which the king Iames promised not only to him but euen to all his people that would be conuerted and to others promising to permitt them peaceably to liue in their law or otherwise to retire whither they pleased Which being thus accorded the king of Arragon entred Valencia to take possession therof the yeare 1238. on the eue of S. Michael this was the second time that the Christians recouered it for Ruy Dias had once before taken it from the Mores for the king of Castile after whose death it was lost againe Now the king Azot became Christian hauing obtayned in gift of king Iames a rich Earledome which his successors doe yet enioy all his moueables and his pallace which incontinently after with the consent of the king of Arragon he gaue to the Frere Minors there to build a Church in the honour of the holy Martyrs in satisfaction of their bloud which he had shed and consequently there was builded a very beautifull Couent Of a Miracle wrought by the said holy Martyrs att Teruell THE XXXIX CHAPTER CErtaine yeares after the said Martyrdome there repaired ouer the Citty of Teruell and the neighbour places such a quantity of locustes that as a cloud they hindred the beames of the sunne in the aire and on the earth they couered all the plaines the people made many processions to be freed of this affliction which yet ceassed not to trouble them But there was a good man that consailed the people to carry in procession the reliques of the holy Martyrs which they did went in great deuotion to an hermitage that was out of the Citty and att the retourne of that processiō all the locustes were vanished so that neuer after were seene more in those quarters then in other places This much augmēted the deuotiō of those people towardes the holy martyrs The Martyrdome of fiue Frere Minors with a multitude of Christians att Marroccho This was the 29. chapter of this booke transferred hither to giue place to the more famous ON an other time diuers yeares after the foresaid fiue other Frere Minors were martyred att Maroccho together with all the Christians men and women that then there resided in a chappell where they offered their prayers to God for the exaltation of the faith of IESVS CHRIST This persecution was executed on the sixteenth of September with such rage and fury of the Mores that there remayned not in the said citty so much as one liuing man that durst professe himselfe a Christiā after this notorius Martyrdome or persecution the Mores saw a great splendour to discend from heauen into the said chappell where the martyerd bodies remayned and heard also all the belles to ring of themselues and the voices of Angels to sing with an inestimable sweetnes but their hartes were too obstinatly hardened against God to benefitt themselues by their conuersion The names of these Martyres are not knowne on earth it sufficeth that they are recorded in the booke of eternall life The Martyrdome of Br. Electus disciple of S. Francis and of his companions Taken out of the 35. chapter and placed here for the reason aboue proposed THere resteth no other memory recorded of the Martyrdome of Br. Electus then this The Mores tooke Br. Electus many others for preaching the holy gospell to putt them to death He being brought to the place of execution tooke the rule of S. Francis in his hand and said to his companion Brother I confesse my fault before God and you of what soeuer I may haue offended and committed against this rule which said his head was cutt off then his companions and consequently the others after that many miracles were wrought Touching his Iife it is recorded that he entred very yong into the Order in so much that he could not performe the fast therof but forcing his nature he not only in this cōbat ouercame gluttony but continually chasticed his flesh with a shirt of iron happy child that began so yong to serue the almighty and so gloriously ended the course of his holy life The end of the fourth booke of the second part of the Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin are recorded the histories of 21. disciples of the holy Father S. Francis THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS CONTAINED THE LIFE DOctrine death and miracles of the glorious Father S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua Translated as the former Of the birth of S. Antony and his education by his Father how he left the world and became a Canon reguler in the Order of Sainct Augustin THE FIRST CHAPTER THE glorious Father S. Antony was borne in the noble and populous citty of Lisbone the Metropolitan of the kingdome of Portugall in the westerne partes of Spaine his house was directly ouer against the great gate of the Episcopall Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary this Church is very famous among other respectes in regard of the body of the victorious Martyr S. Vincent that there reposeth The Father of the said S. Antony was called Martin de Buglione and his Mother Teresa de Teuery
being not full but neere a yeare after his death Wherto there directly opposed himselfe a Cardinall which caused further proceeding to be deferred till the day following but the first night after the Cardinall had this dreame It seemed vnto him that his holinesse would consecrate an Altare and to that end demaunded holy reliques of him But he not knowing what to giue him heard a voice that said Giue him of the new reliques of S. Antony Wherevpon this Cardinall awakinge sollicited the Pope more then any other to hasten the canonization of the S. as hauing bin by this diuine voice fully assured of his great merittes Besides the approbation of the vnder written miracles wrought after his death nor including those wrought in his life time he cured nineteene that were lame fiue of the palsie fiue that were crooked six blinde three deafe three mute two of the gout he raised two to life and cured diuers others of sundry diseases For which cause the yeare 1232. on the day of Penticost he was enrolled by the Pope in the Catalogue of Sainctes with great solemnitie The said Pope composed and sung that worthy antheme O Doctor optime and ordayned it to be sung in all churches the day of his feast which was constitued to be yearly the thirteenth of Iune One the day of his canonization all the belles of his cittie of Lisbone did ring of themselues to the exceeding contentment of all personnes wherof they knew no cause but that they felt an inestimable ioy in their hartes but they vnderstood afterward that their contryman and fellow-cittizen S. Antony had bin that day canonized The bulle of the aforesaid canonization taken out of the tenth chapter of the sixt booke and heere more properly placed GRegory bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to our venerable Brethren Archbishops Bishoppes health and Apostolicall benediction As God saith by the Prophett I will make you honoured and praysed of all people and by the sage he promiseth that the iust shall shine in the presence of God as the sunne so it seemeth vnto vs expedient that we also here on earth below doe prayse the sainctes which his diuine Maiestie hath crouned in heauen and considering withall that God is knowne and adored principally in them who is praiseworthy and glorious in his Sainctes and that miraculously to manifest his omnipotencie and his mercy towardes our saluation he euen ennobleth here below by miracles his faithfull seruantes with whome he hath concurred to the meritt of eternall glory and this to confound the obstinacie of many heretikes and to confirme his church in his holy Catholique Apostolike and Romane faith and to expell out of lukewarme hartes all sloath and negligence awakening them to good worckes by these holy examples and that the hartes of heretikes might be made plyable to belieue by effect what they seeme not to vnderstand by the holy scriptures and finally that all Iewes and Pagans the vaile of blindnes being taken from before their eyes may see this transparent light of the omnipotencie of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and that they may not alleadge for excuse that they had no occasion deseruing their conuersion vnto him and their acknowledgement of him for true God and true man Wherfore my beloued we yeld thanckes to this bountifull giuer of all goodnes if not as we ought at least as we may for that it hath pleased him for confirmation of our holy faith and the confusion of heretikes to bestow on vs holy and famous men in these dayes who by signes and manifest miracles haue declared how true inestimable and indubitable is the faith of the holy Romane Church sith they who dye therein so dye in the grace of God that they glitter twinckle and shine in the world as Sunnes in the firmament Therfore being therein but one faith and the same by this diuine and manifest approbation appearing most true the falshood of all others must be very euident Of the nomber of those that haue meritted to worck miracles before and after their death is the blessed Father S. Antony of the Order of the Frere Minors who liuing in this world was very famous for his great merittes and liuing now in heauen he shineth by many miracles which are ordinarily wrought att his sepulcher wherof we are assured as well by very authenticall worthy actes as by reuelation of personnes worthy of creditt These two thinges merittes and miracles suffice to giue testimony among men of the sanctity of a man yea they suffice to make vs yeld to honour and inuocate them as our intercessors vnto God which two thinges are taken out of this text of the Gospell They goeing forth preached euery where our lord worcking withall and confirming the word with signes that followed For this cause we haue giuen order to the abouesaid Bishop to Br. Giles Iourdain Priour of the Order of S. Benett and to Br. Iohn Priour of S Augustins in the monastery of the Iacobins of Padua that they should make an exact examen and approued catalogue of the miracles of the said Sainct which we hauing seene to be conformable to that which by our owne experience we know to be very true touching his life and holy conuersatiō that it may not seeme we would hinder or depriue him of his praise being therevnto vrged by the said Bishop of Padua and the reuerence of the seruantes of God which so notoriously deserue the same and by the aduise of our venerable Brethren the Cardinalls of the holy Roman Church and of all the Prelates att this present neere vnto vs we haue enrolled him in the Catalogue of the SS Wherfore the candell not being sett on the candlesticke but to giue light we pray and commaund all those to whome the knowledge of these presents shall come that in vertue of this Apostolicall Breuie they induce their subiectes and procure them solemnly and reuerentlie to keepe and honour his feast which is the thirteenth of Iune to the end that God being moued and appeased by his holie prayers doe giue vs his holie grace in this life and his glorie in the other Besides that the sepulcher of this worthie Confessour who by the splendour of his miracles beautifieth our holie Church be with the honour due vnto it visited and frequented we trusting in the diuine grace and in the aucthoritie of the glorious Apostles sainct Peter and sainct Paul we mercifullie remitte and release a yeares penance enioyned them to all those that truelie confessed and penitent doe on the day of his feast and all the octaue of euerie yeare visitt the same Giuen att Spoletum the twelfeth of Iulie in the sixt yeare of our Popedome How his body was transported into the said church of Padua then into that where it now is and wherefore THE XXXI CHAPTER POpe Alexander the fourth desiring to deliuer manie Citties of Lombardie from the cruelty of the Tyran Ezelin that had vsurped almost all the
he accompanied the Guardian euen to the place of the citty where he was and there fell on his knees before him and bitterly weeping besought him before all the people to pardon him The vertuous Religious did not only pardon him but gaue him thanckes for being occasion of his meritt towardes God yea and thenceforwd he tooke it so gratefully that remayning in the Couent of the said place to cure and ease the torments he had endured many honorable personnes presenting him many small commodities he alwayes sent the most worthie and excellent to the Earle affirming that he did not acknowledge himselfe more obliged to any man in the world then to him because he had not found any that had more accomplished his desires then he The earle on the contrary said that he knew therby that God would shortly end his enormous sinnes and that he should not liue long sith he had so vnworthely tormented an innocent and so sainct-like a man though he knew him not and that God would punish him for it Wherin he was not deceaued for a litle after he was slaine by his ennemies Now this singuler fact may notifie vnto vs the patience of Brother Iuniperus the excellencie of the vertues which God discouered in him with what faith hope humility and fortitude he was armed and the crosse which he carryed in himselfe and wherin only he glorified and the small gaine the deuill gott of him in this combatt where he was subdued by the patience of Brother Iuniperus more like to that of IESVS CHRIST then to that of Iob. Wherein appeareth how truly the holy Doctors affirme that almighty God is such a louer of our profitt and our glory which is purchaced by labour in his seruice that he denyeth it onlie to those who make themselues incapable to receaue it Of a Companion of Brother Iuniperus and that was vnder his gouernement THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus in his age had a companion that was so obedient and of such patience that were he beaten and tormented a whole day together he would neuer vtter a word of complaint He was sent to begge att their houses who were knowne not to be charitable but to be churlish scoffers and iniurious to the Religious whither he would willingly goe and with an admirable patience support the affrontes and iniuries offered vnto him If Brother Iuniperus commanded him to weep he would obey if he commanded him to laugh he would incontinently laugh He being dead Brother Iuniperus bitterly wept for this his deere companion affirming that in this life there remayned vnto him nothing of worth and that in the death of this Brother the world was as it were ruined so much did he loue and esteeme the vertue of the patience and mortification of this great seruant of God and his foster child How Brother Iuniperus in prayer saw the glory of God and of his death THE XLV CHAPTER AFter the death of this Religious the glorious Brother Iuniperus being very vigilant and feruent in prayer and deep contemplation seemed to hate the world and already to dye with desire to goe to the other life such was his endeauour to ascend vnto almighty God Being one time in the quier att masse he was so rapt in extasie that the seruice being ended the Religious left him alone where he so remayned a long time and when he was retourned to himselfe he came to the Religious to whome with a notable feruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Ah my Brethren why doe not we conceaue a pleasure to endure a litle labour and paine to gaine eternall life After that he vttered many thinges of high consequence touching the humility which deserueth the glory of the elect These wordes gaue sufficient cause to iudge that he had had some communication of heauen And in the end the true and worthie disciple of sainct Francis and singular freind of saincte Clare who called him the passetime of IESVS CHRIST because she found in him great consolation of spiritt and would haue him neere att her death this good and holy Religious I say after he had many yeares liued in great perfection in this desert passed from this life to the other and was by almighty God transported into his glory He was buryed att Rome in the Couent of Aracaeli The life of Brother Simon of Assisium the Disciple of sainct Francis Of the holy conuersation of Brother Simon THE XLVI CHAPTER BRother Simon of Assisium was called of God to holy Religion in the life time of S. Francis This Religious was by the diuine Maiesty endwed with such abondance of grace and raysed to such a high degree of contemplation that his whole life was a mirrour of sanctity and represented to all the image of the bounty of God according to the testimony of them that conuersed with him He rarely went out of his cell and if sometime he conuersed with his brethren his discourse was altogether of God He alwayes sought solitary places and though he had neuer learned the grammer nor other humane sciences he neuertheles discoursed so sublimely of God and of the most sweet loue of IESVS CHRIST that his wordes seemed rather Angelicall then humane Brother Iames of Massa and some other Religious went one euening with him into a wood to discourse of almighty God and Brother Simon so sweetly discoursed of the diuine loue that hauing spent all the night in that holy discourse and the breake of day alredy appearing it seemed to them that he did but thē begin When this Religious perceaued the comming of any diuine visitation he would cast himselfe on his bed as to sleep or as sicke of the disease of the Espouse who sayth in the Canticles Tell my beloued I languish for his loue Sometimes in the said diuine visitations he was so eleuated in God that he remayned insensible of worldly thinges so that a Religious once desiring to trye whiles he was in extasie if he had any feeling tooke a burning coale and putt it on his bare foot wherewith he did not only not come to himselfe nor felt the heat of the fier but the coale dyed on his foot without leauing any signe of burning The Sainct accustomed when he did eat with the Religious to feed them spiritualy with the word of God before they receaued their corporall refection How Brother Simon deliuered a Nouice from the temptation of the flesh and how the Nouice became perfect in charity and of his death THE XLVII CHAPTER THis good Father discoursing one day of almighty God with such feruour declared the obligation which we haue to his diuine Maiesty and to our owne saluation that a wordly yong man there present resolued to leaue the world and to become religious he was borne att Senseuerin a citty in the kingdome of Naples foorthwith tooke the habitt of Frere a Minor But the deuill by whose blowing the flames of temptations are enkindled enflamed this Nouice with so great
a heat and sting of sensuality that loosing all hope of force to ouercome so great a temptation he diuers times required his apparell of the sayd Father Simon to retourne to the world affirming that he could no longer remaine in Relligion but the good Father comforted him and still deferred him to an other time Neuertheles his temptations encreased daily And as one day he exceedingly vrged him to permitt him to depart out of relligion this holy Father hauing compassion of him commanded him to sitt downe by him which the nouice hauing done he layd his head on his lappe then lifting his eyes towardes heauen he with such feruour prayed for him that being rapt in extasie he was heard in such sort that the Nouice was so deliuered of his temptations that thenceforward his sensuall heat was tourned into the fier of charity wherof he made demonstration after he had made his vow by this accident A lewd fellow was condemned for his misdeedes to haue his eyes crushed out this Religious hauing heard report hereof moued with charity towardes his neighbour went and most instantly prayed the iudge to temper iustice with mercy and to mittigate the sentence giuen against that criminell The Iudge answeared that he could not This good Religious then fell on his knees before the Iudge and with tearfull eyes besought him that the sentence then might be executed on himselfe in regard that the party condemned would not endure the torment nor support the disgrace so patiently as himselfe The Iudge moued with such wordes and admiring the Charity of this Religious pardoned for that time the malefactor This holy Father being in prayer in a solitary place many birdes came ouer him and by their singing made so great a noyse as they distracted him Wherfore he commanded them in the name of God to depart and they redily obeyed The houre of death of this worthy seruant of God being att length come and his yeares being accomplished he yelded his soule to his Creatour adorned with vertues and sanctity He was buryed in the Couent of Spoletum where his notable merittes haue bin manifested he hauing obtayned many graces of God for the comfort and benefitt of infinitie personnes that haue implored him as their intercessour The life of the glorious Father Brother Christopher Of the mortification charity abstinence and affliction of body of the glorious Brother Christopher THE XLVIII CHAPTER THe venerable Brother Christopher was borne in Romania he was Preist before he entierly left the world to follow IESVS CHRIST he was moued thervnto by the example predication of S. Francis who hauing admitted him to the habitt and profession of the Frere Minors sent him into France to the Prouince of Gascone the yeare 1219. there to edifie soules and to plant the seed of Religion This Father was of a profound humility and simplicity especially pittifull to the afflicted He succoured assisted and serued the leapers with great deuotion and dilligence washing their feet dressing their soares and vlcers making their beddes paring their nayles and giuing them comfort in all their necessities But how much he was pittifull in the behalfe of others as charity commanded him so much was he seuere and rigorous to himselfe weakening him selfe by continuall fastes and wearing a grosse hairecloth hauing besides for a long time worne a coat of maile the more to torment his flesh His perseuerance in rigour of life was such that being an hundred yeares old he did eat but once a day except the sondayes and principall feastes of the yeare so that albeit his body grew old and decayed he was neuettheles alwayes yong and firme in vertues Notwithstanding such mortifications and abstinences he had a face very cheerfull for the interiour ioy shined and appeared exteriourly and the most sweet and gracious loue of his hart towardes his God made all the afflictions sweet which his body endured Of the diuine consolations which he receaued in prayer and att Masse THE XLIX CHAPTER THis holy Religious neuer spent his time idly but euer employed himselfe either in prayer or reading or in manuall exercise in the garden or in some other seruice necessary to relligion He was wery dilligent in prayer and had the grace of shedding many teares And that he might the more commodiously apply himselfe to prayer he made choice of a very litle cell made of earth and boughes of trees separate frome the others wherin he spent most of his time which was a thing in manner generall to the first Fathers of that time and there was he often visited diuinely as also the glorious Virgin Mary appeared vnto him one time with her mother S. Anne comforted him that was particulerly deuout vnto them He euery day said masse with great deuotion and abondance of teares which was very gratefull to IEVS CHRIST as by the sequell appeareth This venerable Brother saying masse one morning one of the candels on the altare was casually putt out and there was seene a light instantly to discend from heauen that lightened it againe There was often seene a white pigeon houering ouer his head whiles he said masse the Religious that serued and assisted him did often see it he was a yong man very neat and an innocent disciple of his called Brother Peter who hauing forsaken his kinred his friendes his patrimony and all the world besides on whose fallacious and deceiptfull apparences he would not relye entred into the Religion of Frere Minors where he ascended to such sanctity that in regard of his pure simplicity he merited often times to see and speake with his good Angell Gardien The first time that he saw the pigeon discend vpon the head of the glorious Br. Christopher not knowing what it signified he sought to driue it away wherin he exceedingly troubled his master who was enforced to will him to lett it alone and therby it was knowne what it was This venerable Father one time calling to minde his sinnes committed in the world extremely feared the punishment they deserued conformably to that which the scripture sayth Happy is he that alwayes feareth and therfore he prayed this Angelicall yong man Br. Peter whose conscience he knew very well to demaund of his familier Angell his estate touching his former sinnes who made him this answeare Tell Brother Christopher he need not feare his sinnes past because God hath pardoned them entierly But lett him striue to perseuer in his good worckes begun that he may meritt eternall life The rest of this Chapter is inserted in the end of the 71. chapter of the second booke being a vision that this holy Father had of the death of Sainct Francis Of some miracles wrought by this glorious Br. Christopher in his life time THE L. CHAPTER ALthough this holy mā did not publikely ascend into the pulpitt to preach the word of God yet did he deliuer it to such people as he conuersed withall giuing them profitable admonitions accompanyed with seuere reprehensions so
the ninth of that name and fortie fourth king of France goeing in Pilgrimage to Rome there to visitt the holy Apostles determined to see Br. Giles of whose sanctity he had heard notable report being therfore att Perusia he went to the monastery of the Frere Minors with some few of his neerest fauourites all vested in pilgrimes weedes where arriuing he told he Porter that the desired a word or two with Br. Giles the Porter deliuered his message that certaine Pilgrimes were att the gate of whome one desired to speake with him Br. Giles vnderstanding by reuelation who it was that demaunded for him he full of feruour of spiritt went incontinently out of his cell and comming to the gate the king and he fell both on their knees and very louingly embraced each other with entertainement of most deuout and pious mutuall kisses in the face as if their had bin a very inward and ancient amity betweene them After they had thus some time remayned and had shewen many mutuall tokens of charity they separated themselues in silence without the vtterance of one word betweene them Now whiles these two SS were vnited in so spirituall a contentment the Porter demaunded of one of the kinges followers who that Pilgrime was that with such great familiarity embraced Br. Giles who answeared him that it was Lewes king of France who goeing to visitt the holy Reliques of Rome tooke in his way the visitation of Br. Giles The Religious vnderstanding who he was were exceedingly troubled because they had seene Br. Giles not only not to haue giuen him the reuerence due to so great a King but euen not to haue vttered so much as one word and therfore they went expresly to the holy Father whome they sharpely checked and reprehended for this great errour that should in no sort haue bin committed against so puissant a Prince being also a Christian endwed with so religious a deuotion and mansuetude as that he came expresly to receaue of him some consolation Hereunto Br. Giles answeared Trouble not your selues deere Brothers nor doe you admire if you see me not speake to the king nor he to me For when we embraced each other the diuine light manifested vnto vs the interiour of our hartes reuealing the secrets of his to me and of mine to him and hauing fixed the eyes of our soules in the resplendant mirour of the eternall light wherin euery thing is seene more perfectly then in it selfe we discoursed together as much as we desired with an extreme consolatiō of spirit without any noyse of wordes which would rather haue hindered then furthered vs in regard of the sweetnes that our soules did feele With this answeare the Religious being stricken into exceeding admiration and confusion they acknowledged their faultes among themselues repenting to haue iudged so admirable a worcke of God which they did not vnderstand How Br. Giles comsorted and encouraged a Religious whome he had conuerted and brought to be of the Order who complained that he shewed not himselfe so gracious vnto him as before he receiued the habitt THE XVIII CHAPTER AKnight much deuoted and friendly to Br. Giles by his pious admonitions became a Frere Minor but after he had taken the habitt Br. Giles seemed to haue no more care of him for he no more visited nor instructed him as before which was a great affliction to this Religious wherfore he one day complained therof vnto him in these termes Father I am extremely troubled discontented and doe admire att you that whiles I was in the world you tooke such paine to instruct me in what was necessary to my saluation so that by your holy admonitions I am come to be Religious and principally vpon hope the more commodiously to enioy your holy conuersation wherin I experience the contrary and find my selfe much deceiued For you giue me not now so much as one word so that you neither counsaile nor instruct me any more nor giue me any manner of consolation so that you seeme to haue vtterly forsaken me belieue you therfore I beseech you that my soule can receiue no greater contentment then to vnderstand by you the manner how to gouerne her selfe in this new kind of life Whereto Br. Giles answeared Brother sith you are of the house and family of God as my selfe also him and that you and I as fellowes doe fight vnder one capitaine and lord it is not conuenient for me that am your companion to command you to doe this and not to doe that because I know not whither the wil of God be that you doe a thing contrary to that which I may counsaile you and so I may persuade you to one thing and God to an other Thus speaking he lifted vp his face towardes heauen and speaking with his Redeemer in presence of this Religious with a very sweet voice and yet with feruour he said O my Lord IESVS CHRIST how worthy and excellent a thing is sanctity and chastity how pleasing to thy diuine Maiesty how well louest thou the soule that possesseth it how doest thou heare her in the company of Angels and in what manner doest thou recompense her with eternall life then sighing with gesture that discouered exceeding contentment he sayd Ah! ah ah my God how pleasing and gratefull is such a soule vnto thee and beginning againe he continued O my God how pleasing is that creature vnto thee who for thy loue sequestreth his hart from the world forsaking Father mother kinred friendes and whatsoeuer he affected in the world then discouering an extreme ioy he sighed as before saying Ah! ah ah my God! how greatefull vnto thee are the obedient soules that haue no other will then thine O my God how doth thy diuine maiesty loue him that with all his hart obeyeth thy holy commandementes and after these wordes he sighed as before and then sayd O my God! how pleasing is that soule vnto thee which being eleuated in thy loue perseuereth in continuall prayers contemplating thy celestiall treasures and graces But how much is that soule comforted of thee when in her deuotions she poureth out abondance of teares very gratefull to thy diuine maiesty and profitable to her selfe because they bathe the conscience and open paradice vnto her Ah! ah ah my God! how pleasing is that sould and how gratefull is that personne vnto thee that for thy loue supporteth fatigations labours and affrontes and carryeth on him thy crosse not refusing the burden therof as our brother the asse which complayneth not for being ouerloaden and beaten nor when one sayth I would the wolfe had eaten thee or that thou were fleyed yea to such iniuryes an affrontes he answeareth not a worde to giue me a great example of patience Now with this new kind of speech this new Religious was exceedingly comforted yea and extremely encouraged to perseuerance in the seruice of our Lord IESVS CHRIST And this may serue for a generall document to make appeare what feare and discretion
but with time and patience repaireth it so must you doe and thinck your selfe vnworthy to receaue any consolation in prayer considering that albeit a man had liued from the beginning of the world till this present and were to liue till the end therof and should euery day in prayer power a quart of teare-water out of his eyes yet should he not att the end of the world be worthy to receaue any consolation from God An other Religious demaunding of this his Father why a man was more tempted in his prayer then in any other time he answeared When any one hath a processe in a kinges Court and knoweth that his aduersary seeketh to gett some fauour against him att the kinges handes he endeauoureth with all meanes and possibility to hinder his repaire to the Court if he cannot he procureth att least that the king giue not eare vnto him or at least that he obtaine not his request and then vseth all his indeauours to procure iudgement in his owne behalfe Thus worcketh the deuill against vs. And therfore when you discourse with any one you shall very rarely perceaue the deuill to warre against you with his temptations but if you goe about to recreat your soule with God in prayer you shall incontinently feele the shottes of the ennemy against you But you must not therfore giue ouer prayer but with great feruour and resolution perseuer for there is the true and assured way leading to the celestiall contry and he that for temptations omitteth prayer is like to a coward that flyeth the combatt An other Religious said to this holy Father I see many that when they are in prayer incontinently obtaine the grace of deuotion and teares but my selfe can neuer find any consolation Br. Giles answeared Brother omitt not to continue prayer with your accustomed feruour For if God giue not you his grace att first he can giue it you att an other time and that which he might haue giuen you in a day or in a weeke in a month or in a yeare he will giue you when he shall see it most conuenient and most necessary for you But in the meane while faile not in your endeauour and leaue the care of the rest to the prouidence of God For the master Cutler giueth many hammer-strokes on the iron before the endeth a knife and then att last finisheth it with one blow A man ought to haue great care of his saluation sith that if it were possible that the whole world were heaped vp with men to the very cloudes and of all them only one were to be saued yet not one should omitt to follow his vocation and procure the grace to be that one for to loose the glory of Paradise is not a matter of small importance as to loose the lachett of a shooe or such other thinge But wretched as we are there wanteth not one to giue but to receaue the refections are prepared but there is none ready to eat Many good worckes are commended in holy scripture as to cloath the naked to feed the hungry and other like thinges but prayer ought to be in spiritt and truth as our Lord IESVS CHRIST saith The holy Religious are as wolues who seldome goe foorth in publike vulesse vppon vrgent necessity neither then doe they long remayne abroad A Religious that was very familier to Br. Giles asked him one time why he did not more often goe abroad to visitt the seculers that desired to conferre with him The holy Father answeared him I desire to satisfie my neighbour without preiudice to my soule Do not you beleeue that sometimes I would giue my neighbour a thousand duckets if I had them rather then I would giue him my selfe the Religious answeared that he beleeued him Beleeue you not also sayd the holy Father that I would giue my neighbour foure thousand duckets rather then my selfe The Religious answeared I beleeue you Br. Giles then inferred Our Sauiour sayth in the Gospell he that forsaketh Father Mother Brothers Sisters kinred friendes and all other worldly thinges for my sake shall receaue an hundred fold in this world and in the other life euerlasting This holy Father seeing a gentleman that was esteemed to be worth threescore thousand duckets to enter into Religion sayd The retribution which God giueth in this life is excessiuely great sith that to this man is to be deputed and hundred times threescore thousand duckets but we are blind and worse then blind that will neither know nor consider it This good Father on a time sayd beleeue me if we should see a man replenished with grace and vertues we should not support the sight of his perfection and if a man were perfectly spirituall he could hardly permit and endure to see or heare any wordly thing or to speake with any worldly personne but vpon vrgent necessity but would affect to be alwayes solitary He sayd of himselfe I had rather be blind then be the fairest richest wisest and most noble in the word This Religious asked him the reason Because said he all thinges are apt to hinder my sure way this my blindnes and want of sight might be a guid and assistance vnto me A discourse of spirituall warinesse and of consideration THE XXXIV CHAPTER IF thou wilt tast the chieffest good thou must sequester thy selfe from all sensual thinges if thou wilt loue thy selfe well◠thou must hate thy selfe If thou wilt liue well mortifie thy selfe if thou wilt be rich make thy selfe poore if thou wilt liue deliciously afflict thy selfe if thou wilt liue in security perseuer alwayes in feare if thou wilt be exalted humble thy selfe if thou wilt be honoured dispise thy selfe if thou desire to haue that which is good endure that which is euill if thou wilt be blessed support maledictions O how great is his wisdome that can performe this but because they are great matters they are not graunted to all If a man should liue a thousand yeares and had nothing to doe without himselfe he should find businesse enough within him yea he were not able to cōpasse all that was necessary to be done None should desire to see to heare or to speake but what were a furtherance to his spiritual profitt and vpon whatsoeuer occasiō should proceed no further He that will not know shall not be knowne But vnhappy are we if hauing the giftes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST we doe not know thē they that haue then not seek not to haue them a man imagineth God according to his apprehension but God is such as he is A discourse of the Actiue and Contemplatiue life THE XXXV CHAPTER AS no man can conueniently attaine to the contemplatiue life if he be not sincerely and deuoutly exercised in the actiue wherin it is necessary that with all his cogitation he apply himselfe so he shall proue a true actiue man who if he could feed all the poore of the world cloath them and supply all
serued but wormes stinch and eternall death Better were it for you my child beleeue me to endure a litle here so to receaue in heauen that incomprehensible recompence which by no humane tongue can be expressed A discourse of Religion and Obedience THE XXXIX CHAPTER I Would more respect a litle grace from almighty God in Religion then much more in the world because there is more perill and lesse helpe in the seculer estate then in Religion and yet a sinfull man hath more feare of his good then of his euill because he feareth more to doe penance entring into Religion then to persist in sinne in the world They that enter into Religion and performe not what is conuenient to their vow are like a common labourer that adorneth himselfe with the armour of a braue soldier and when he must fight knoweth not how to vse it I doe not esteeme it much to enter into the Court of a king and to gett fauour of him but I much esteeme to know how to liue in a Court as one ought and so to perseuer The Court of a great king is Religion wherin it is a small matter to enter and to receaue some gift of Almighty God But to know how to liue there and to perseuer in holy deuotion to the end is a matter very laudable and estimable Wherfore I had rather liue in seculer estate with desire to enter into ReligioÌ„ then to be Religious with wearinesse and ircksomnes The glorious Virgin Mother of IESVS CHRIST was borne of sinfull man woman and liued not inclosed in any Religion neuertheles she was is as she is But when a Religious hath made profession he must beleeue that he neither knoweth nor can liue out of Religion It doth vndoubtedly seeme vnto me that the Religion of the Frere Minors was sent of God into the world for a great benefitt and profitt to al men but we shal proue extremely miserable if we be not such as we ought to be I esteeme the Religion of the Frere Minors to be the poorest and the richest of the world but we haue this deâ—ect that we aspire to rise to high when a shippe is broaken by a tempest though the affliction be great he that can striueth to saue himselfe Considering all the Religions that are and haue bin from the beginning of the world to this present I find none so reasonable conuenient nor better then this of the Frere Minors He is rich that playeth the part of a rich man he is wise that imitateth the wise he good that imitateth the good and he noble that is a true follower of our most noble Lord IESVS Vertuous conditions open vs the way to all happines and vicious to perdition And therfore the more a Religious submitteth himselfe vnder the yoke of odedience the more fruit doth he produce and the more obedient a Religious is and more subiect to his Superiour for the honour and loue of God so much more is he poore of spiritt and purged of his sinnes A Religious truely obedient is as a soldier well armed and as a horseman mounted on a gallant Courserâ— who securely breaketh through the middest of his ennemies without detriment The Religious that obeyeth with murmure is as a disarmed horseman on a cowardly iade that passing through his ennemies stumbleth and is taken prisonner The Religions that seeketh to liue according to his will desireth to goe to the fire of hell When the oxen submitt their neck to the yoke then are the corne-loftes full with graine but when they run wandering ouer the fieldes and taking their pleasure it is a signe that the garners are empty The more eminent and wise personnes yeld their head vnder the yoke of obedience but the il-aduised and ignorant retire themselues and contemne to obey The mother doth often bring vp her sonne and rayse him to honour and the vngratefull sonne disobeyeth his mother and derideth her Many Religious doe the like to Religion their mother ther. I more esteeme to obey a Superiour for the loue of God then to obey God himselfe for he that obeyeth the vicar of IESVS CHRIST with greater reason would he obey God himselfe if he command him He that submitteth his head vnder the yoke of obedience and afterward remoueth it to follow of himselfe the way of perfection according to his fantasie he discouereth his interiour pride Wherfore it seemeth to me if one had obtayned the grace to speake with the Angels were att the instant called by his superiour he should incontinently leaue his conference with the Angels and obey a man to whome he hath voluntarily made himselfe subiect for the loue of God Our Lord and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath made the verity of this doctrine appeare in Br. Andrew my deuout companion who being in feruent prayer in his cell his diuine Maiesty appeared vnto him in forme of a very beautifull child who by the splendour of his contenance and the familiarity which he shewed him filled him with an ineffable consolation But in the meane whiles it runge to Euensong the poore Religious then not knowing what to doe resolued to leaue his God and went incontinently to the quier saying that it was the better to obey the creature for the loue of the Creatour in this maÌ„ner giuing satisfaction to both the one and the other The sequell discouered how pleasing this his opinion was vnto God for the euensong being ended Brother Andrew retourned to his cell and there yet found the litle child IESVS who sayd vnto him If thou haddest not gone to the quier I had presently gone hence and neuer retourned A discourse of vertues and vices in generall and of Prayer THE XL. CHAPTER DIuine thinges make a man rich and humane thinges make him poore Wherfore men should follow and loue the one and the other For as all the wayes of the earth are full of vices and sinnes so they of heauen are full of vertues which being prepared for creatures call to each one saying come and entertaine vs and we will teach you the way of saluation but man miserable as he is hath no mind that way Whose fault is it then if he liue in misery and pouerty sith being called of God he will not take the paines to come to his presence wherby he maketh himselfe guilty of eternall death For as vertues and graces are the way and ladder leading to heauen so sinnes are the downfall descending into hell But it is very perillous to demaund of God vertues and graces because if hauing receaued them we doe not good worckes accordingly we make his diuine Maiesty more our ennemy and prouoke his wrath to chastice vs for our ingratitude in respect that by how much greater the gift is which God presenteth to his creature the more vngratefull doth he proue that conserueth it not The more a man is surmonted by vices and sinnes the more ought he to hate and abhorre them By prayer a man
diuine office in time of interdiction you doe admitt and receaue them also in to the Church in the sayd time of interdiction prouided alwayes that they be not cause of the sayd interdiction the which office neuertheles shall not be sayd but after expelling the interdicted and excommunicated out of the Church the dores being shutt and no ringing of belles and that you also admitt them to the Ecclesiasticall sacraments and to buriall in Churches or church yardes Giuen at Perusia the 2. of August and third yeare of our Popedome An other Briese of the said Pope Gregory the ninth in fauour of the Freres Penitents THE IV. CHAPTER GRegory Bishop to the Archibishoppes and Bishops of Italy It doth too manistly appeare how the clemencie of God is abused by such as hinder or delay those who withall their hart desire and seeke to serue IESVS CHRIST in conuerting themselues vnto him And yet no man doubteth but they are accursed of God that spread their ambushes against the sayd seruants â—o make them stumble disturbing them by diuerse persecutions as imitators of Pharo who hauing his harte obdurate neuer permitted the people of God to depart out of Egipt but by force of chasticement and being departed did not omitt to persecute them by tyranies and crueltyes till himselfe and all his were submerged by the diuine right hand leauing to all an example that his like deserue the like punishment you therfore must vnderstand that being come to the knowledge of Pope Honorius the third our predecessour of blessed memory that some in your quarters very prudently considering their end resolued to doe penance in their owne howses or other where and desirous more purely to approch vnto almighty God they abandon the vanities of this world and doe impose on their miserable flesh the true daughter of Babilon so much paine and affliction as it would impose on their soules the true daughters of God that by this meane the fault and punishment which they haue merited may by his diuine Maiesty the more easily be remitted But the Gouerners and Magistrates of the Citties and townes where they resided not considering that they who really serue God doe not entangle themselues with affaires and businesse of this world wherwith the Espouse will not foule or defile the feet she hath so well washed with the teares of penance doe on the coÌ„trary enforce them to sweare to follow and accommodate themselues to the warres constraying them to accept and vndertake publike offices yea they who the more commodiously to serue God were retyred into obscure places in villages and hermitages haue bin by them enforced to retourne to the citty then haue they imposed on them new the greatest chardges taking pleasure to affront and afflict those whome they ought more to honour and cherish as the friendes of God Wherfore our office of Pastor being to fauour such as by such resolutions lanctity of life become the friendes of God after the example of our sayd predecessour of blessed memory we by this Apostolicall Bâ—iefe doe command your fraternities not to permitt the sayd Penitents-besides domestical affaires to be without reason molested in al the afforesayd thinges and other like wherein their holy purposes may be hindered and that you restraine their persecutors by Ecclesiasticall censure notwithstanding whatsoeuer oppositions or appeales Of an other Briefe of Pope Innocent the fourth THE V. CHAPTER INnocent Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to our welbeloued children the Generall and Prouinciall Ministers of the Frere Minors of Italy and the kingdome of Sicily health and Apostolicall benediction We with a benigne fauour doe assist all such as being deuoutly coÌ„uerted vnto God produce in his Church fruites worthy of penance to deserue att the handes of God an eternall recompence The Confraternities called the third Order of S. Francis being very remarckable among them through Italy and the I le of Sicilie we condescending to their iust petitions doe by aucthority of these presents command your prudence to appoint vnto them in time conuenient Religious of your Order of capacity to be visitors who instructing them in matters fitt for them to doe shall correct and reforme them as cause shall require and shall chastice the transgressours and restraine them by Ecclesiasticall ceÌ„sures Notwithstanding whatsoeuer appeales c. Giuen att Lions the fift of August and fift yeare of our Popedome Of the authenticall institution of the first rule and forme of life of the Brethren Penitents of the third Order of S. Francis ordayned by Pope Nicolas the 4. inserted with the said rule THE VI. CHAPTER NIcolas Bishop seruant of the seruantes of God to our welbeloued children in our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST the Brethren sisters of the Order of Penitents present and to come health and Apostolicall benediction The firme fouÌ„dation of Christian ReligioÌ„ being already grounded built on the Mount of the Catholick Faith the pure deuotion of the disciples of IESVS CHRIST boyling with the fire of charity and by the word preached to them that liue in darcknesse this faith is that which the Romane Church holdeth and professeth the foundation wherof cannot shake for whatsoeuer tribulation that may assault it nor fall whatsoeuer violent tempest beat against it because it is the true and right faith without which none can be gratefull to God nor find grace with his diuine Maiesty It is the the same also that sheweth the way of saluation and that promiseth the recompenses and coÌ„tentments of eternall beatitude And therfore the Confessour of IESVS CHRIST S. Francis institutor of this Order teaching by word and example the meane to mount vnto heauen denounced and preached the sincerity of this faith to his children and instituted this Order willing them accordingly to make profession of the Catholike Faith to the end that they who faithfully obserue the same walking securely in the way of vertue may meritt to be made possessors of the eternall glory after the prison of this present life Of the meane to examine them that will enter into the said Order THE FIRST CHAPTER ANd for so much as we are willing to assist this Order with coÌ„uenient fauour desiting the augmentatation therof we ordaine that all those who are to be receaued to the obseruation of this forme of life shal be formerly withall dilligence examined touching the Catholike faith to see if they firmely confesse the sayd faith and obedience to the sayd Church theÌ„ theymay be securely admitted vnto the Order But especially dilligent care must be had that no heretike or suspected of heresie and noted with infamy be admitted to this forme of life And if any should be receaued being knowne for such lett him be presently discouered to the Inquisitor that he may be punished and corrected In what manner they ought to be receaued who desire to enter into the sayd Order THE II. CHAPTER WHen any one shall present himselfe to be admitted into this company the superiour Ministers
matter be brought before the Magistrate who hath auctority to iudge therof who hearing the parties with patience shall determine their discord by iustice How the Brethren may be dispenced withall in their abstâ—nences THE XVIII CHAPTER THe Oâ—dinaryes of the places or the Visitor shall haue power to dispence with the Brethren and sisters touching the abstinences fastes and other austerities of this rule vpon lawfull cause and when they shall see it expedient That the Ministers must discouer vnto the visitor the manisest saultes THE XIX CHAPTER THe Ministers shall aduettise the Visitor of the manifest faultes of the Brethren and Sisters that the culpable may be punished And if any be found incoâ—igible after three seuerall admonitions by the Minister or by some of the discreet Brethren lett him be denounced to the Father Visitor who shall expell him the confraternity and publish them in the congregation Approbation of the Pope that none of the Brethren shal be obliged vnder mortall sinne to obserue the points aforâ—said THE XX. CHAPTER BVt in al the afoâ—esayd thinges wherunto the Brethren and Sisters of your Order are not obliged by the commandements of God or ordinances of the Romane Church we will not that they be bound vnder mortall sinne but lett them with prompt humility receaue the penance enioyned them for the excesse committed and study to accomplish it entierly The sequell of the confirmation of this rule Let no man presume to dismember the page of this our decree rule or rashly to contradict it But if any presume to attâ—pt it lett him know that therin he incurreth the indignation of Almighty God and of his blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Giuen att the Reate the 17. of August the second yeare of our Pontificate The Briefe of Pope Nicolas the fourth in fauour of the confraternity of Penitents THE XXI CHAPTER NIcolas Bishop the seruant of the seruants of God to all faithfull to whome these presents shall appeare healâ—h and Apostolical benediction The only sonne of God by whose precious woundes we haue bin redeemed and reuiued in the fountaine of his precious bloud founded and instiruted the holy Church on the rock of faith instantly after his birth and committed the iurisdiction and power of his celestiall empire to the blessed Prince of the Apostles and porter of eternall life giuing to him and to his successors principality and power to bind and loose the dispeaâ—ced of Israel that by the mystery of his passion are retyred into his fold And therfore the foueraine Romane Bishop successour of the same principasitie of those principall watches and carefull diligences and not of studyes and desiâ—es filled with vanities is changed by Apostolicall obligation that the Church alwayes multiply with a new generation and race to be vnited to the well-disciplined flock because the condition of humane nature is easily broaken or dissolued as an earthen vessell that is subiect to fragility and with difficulty reformed And therfore it is necessary for the faithfull of the same Church to haue especiall care as hauing bin diligently educated in the innocencie of sincerity and verity not to deface and corrupt the doctrine and constitutions of the Successour of the same Prince or in whatsoeuer manner by wordes of murmure to hinder the same for as the Apostle saith He is contrary to the Ordinances of God that resisteth his power Sith then the holy seruant of God and singuler Confessour of IESVS CHRIST S. Francis enflamed with the burning fire of charity disciple both in wordes and worckes of the glorious Apostles aduancing himselfe with a spiritt full of verity to augment the family in the house of our Redeeemer IESVS CHRIST with intention to reduce into the way of saluation the feet of such as walked in darcknes instructing them without learning he hath infrituted an Order with the title of Penitents to whome he hath giuen meane to meritt eternall life We desisiring to fauour the sayd Order to the end the intention and zeale of the sayd Confessour doe encrease in vertues and that the Professours of this Order by meane of our care make good progresse in the way of their saluation It hath seemed vnto vs requisite approuing the sayd Order that therin be performed certaine ordinaces worthy to be obserued as most behoufull which by our letters we haue to that end perscribed vnto them and among others where we counsaile and with a Fatherly affection admonish the sayd Brethren Penitents to follow and obserue the sayd rule and forme of life and that so doeing they with perfect charity by meane therof conseâ—â—e a mutuall vnion and affection Naturall reason and duety requiring that for reuerence vnto this holy Confessour the Professors of the sayd Order be conducted and guided by the doctrine and counsaile of the Frere Minors the sayd Saint hauing hin institutor of these Orders and therfore lett them procure to haue of the Frere Minors to be Visitors and reformers of the sayd Religion And for so much as some of the sayd Order which is lamentable by their peruerse will being doubtles illegitimate children yea bastardes of the Church and of this holy Confessour of IESVS CHRIST doe rebell against this our permission and counselle and haue presumed to affirme and maintaine that the Religious receauing and obseruing that rule cannot be saued therin and are so temerarious as that without any feare they attempt to peruert and att least doe persecut theÌ„ that desire to follow our sayd consaile We therfore determining not to lett this presumption with conniuence to passe vnpunished doe totally annull the processe made or to be made against those that follow our counsaile and will that all they who with reuerence accept and follow our sayd behouful counsaile doe participate of the grace of the Church and of our benediction and doe enioy the priuiledges graunted to the same Order of Penitents by the holy Apostolike sea or to be graunted hereafter We further ordaine that they who shall resist or hinder so holy a constitution be in such sort restrayned by the Ordinaries of the places that they enforce them to desist from their turbulent impedimentes Notwithstanding whatsoeuer priuiledge or vnder whatsoeuer forme of wordes obtained to the contrary and lett the Brethren Penitents that shall follow our sayd healthfull counsaile haue Ministers taken and elected among themselues according to the forme contayned in the sayd rule Giuen att Ciuita Veazia the 8. day of August the third yeare of our Pontificate The life of S. Elizabeth the widow daughter to the king of Hungary and of the third Order of S. Francis Of the Innocencie and vertue of S. Elizabeth in her most tender youth THE VIII CHAPTER THis blessed S. the daughter of king Henry of Hongary was royally educated in her Fathers house but being by diuine grace illuminated and opening the eyes of hir natural knowledg she timely began to misprise the vanities of the world and the apprehensions of youth chaunging them
the erection of a worthy confraternitie THE XXXVII CHAPTER THe Couent of the citty of Mans is one of the most ample and ancient of the Order there commonly resyding forty Religious or more from the time that the blessed Electus one of the companions of sainct Francis there layd the foundation about the yeare 1215. A deuout and ample confratetnity perhaps the most ancient of Christendome was erected and is honorably continued in that Couent vpon this occasion A venerable and very simple Religious celebrating masse a spider of lothsome greatnes casually or to speake more Christianly by diuine prouidence fell after consecration into the sacred chalice The deuout Religious att first apprehēsion was much perplexed how to behaue himselfe in the holy cōmunion were it that the directiōs how to behaue himselfe in the holy cōmunion were it that the directiōs how to proceed in such accidents were not then recorded in the Missall Rubriques as they are now or that he did not then reflect on them for more ample manifestation of the glory of God he finally resolued vpon that excellēt promise of our Lord If they who beleeue in me as they ought drink any mortiferous poyson they shall receaue no detriment thereby so cōming to the sacred communion of the precious bloud of our lord he in one draught refected himselfe both with poyson and the medicament of death and of life so that euen in this point might be accomplished that which the Church singeth att the resurrection of our Lord Mors vita duello conflixere mirando and as here Dux vitae mortuus regnat viuus so then did he graunt that effect to this same precious bloud that it expelled the poyson and without paine the venemous spider passed through the Priest a litle after when the other Religious of the Couent and certaine deuout seculer persons there present thought no otherwise of the Celebratour hauing by his relation vnderstood what had happened then those of Malto conceated of the biting of S. Paul by the viper Almighty God here renuyng that ancient miracle sauing that this appeareth greater by the difference of an exteriour byting of a viper and the interiour operation of a spider no lesse venemous The people of Mans that were euer very religious did by this miracle so augment their deuotion vnto the B. Sacrament of the Altare that att the same time was erected a Confraternity of innumerable persons of all qualities which is most deuoutly entertayned in that Couent hath bin since imitated in diuers other Citties and townes of the kingdome of France to the glory of God the augmentation of his seruice and the benefitt of Christian people The end of the first part of the Chronicles of the Frere Minors A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAYNED IN THIS FIRST Tome of the Chronicle histoire of the Order of Saint Francis ALMES SAint Fra. asked a beggar forgiuenes pag. 3. He put off his owne cloathes to cloath one ragged p. 5. He selleth his Fathers marchandise to repaire S. Damians Church p. 9. At Rome he put off his owne cloathes to cloathe a beggar p. 15 S. Fran. giueth Br. Giles his cloake in an almes p. 22 He gaue away his owne cloake and his companions in the depth of winted p. 92 Diuers other like actes of charitie p. 93. 94. 95 S. Anthonie of Padua The life of S. Antonie p. 56. c. Angelus The life of Br. Angelus p. 530. Ambrose The life of Br. Ambrose p. 534 Agnes The life of S. Agnes sister to S. Clare p. 630. 684. The life of sainte Agnes daughter to the king of Bohemia p. 692 Creatures The loue and compassion which Saint Franc. had of vnreasonable creatures p. 182 He redeemed a sheepe from amongst goates ibid. He gaue his cloake to saue the life of two lambes p. 183. He cursed a sow for eating a lambe ibid. The entertainment of S. Fran. by birdes on the mount Aluerne p. 288. A flock of sheepe honor him p. 290 How obedient a sheepe was to him ibid. A Sheepe and a lambe shew a will to honor God p. 291 A Leueret a Conny and a Fish became tame vnto him ibid. Of many other miracles like to the precedent p. 292. 293 Of the loue S. Franc. boare to all creatures p. 296 Of Antes or Emmots p. 300 Of the fauours which God bestoweth on fishes p. 477 Churches Three Churches repayred by S. Franc. p. 16. 17 Crosse or Crucifix A Crucifix speaketh vnto S. Francis p. 7. A Crucifix speaketh vnto him in the Church of S. Damian p. 9 A vision of the Crosse to Br. Siluester before he was religious p. 53 S. Fran. cured a priest by the signe of the Crosse p. 199 A Crucifix walketh with him p. 240 He multitude bread by the signe of the Crosse p. 252 He tamed a wild wolfe therby p. 293 He conuerted therby water in wine p. 317 Many miracles wrought by S. Francis by the signe of the Crosse p. 424 S. Anthonie cured a criple by the signe of the Crosse p. 481. 482 Br. Leo with the signe of the Crosse cured an Apostume p. 519 Many miracles wrought by Br. Christopher by the signe of the Crosse p. 553. 554 The virtu of the signe of the Crosse p. 588 Of many miracles wrought by sainte Clare by the signe of the Crosse p. 663. 664. c. Contempt of the world S. Francis stripped himselfe starck naked to render his cloathes to his Father p. 12 Of the contempt of the world p. 602 Chastitie Saint Franc. would not that his Brethren should behould women p. 68. 69 How Br. Gyles affected chastitie p. 571 Of Chastitie p. 603 Christmas How saint Francis once celebrated the feaste of Christs Natiuitie p. 168 Of the consolation which sainte Clare receaued on the feast of Christs Natiuitie p. 643. Christopher The life of Br. Chistopher p. 55◠Clare The life of S. Clare p. 623 Deuills Saint Francis commandeth the diuels p. 103 The diuels hould a chapter against the order of S. Franc. p. 119 The diuell entreth into his pillow p. 129 How he confounded them p. 132 How he assisted his Religious from choaking by the diuell p. 135 The diuell tempted him to make him leaue prayer p. 214 An assemblie of diuells against his order p. 281 The diuell endeuoureth to kill him p. 289 Diuers thinges discouered by S. Anthonie of the diuell p. 465. c. How Bro. Iuniperus was feared of the diuell p. 544 How Brother Gyles defended himselfe against the diuell p. 588 Of one who had made a conuention to serue the diuell p. 736 Extasies Saint Francis eating with sainte Clare both were rapt in extasie p. 277 The extaticall contemplation of Br◠Quintauall p. 507 The admirable extasies of Br. Gyles p. 576. 580 The extasies of sainte Clare pag. 661 An extasie of Sainte Agnes pag. 686 Elizabeth The life of Sainte Elizabeth daughter to the kinge of IIungarie p. 710 Elzearius The life of Brother
Elzearius pag. 724 Gyles The life of Br. Gyles p. 563 His visitation by Saint Lewis king of France p. 585 Of diuers strang speeches and admirable answeres of his pag. 581. 586. 589. c. Diuers discourses of his as of faith of charitie of humilitie and others p. 595. 596. c. Humilitie Of the great humilitie of S. Francis p. 138. 139. Of his exercises of humilitie pag. 144 How he exercised his nouices in the same p. 145. A Bishop forced by Saint Francis humilitie to lett him preache p. 149. Three theeues conuerted by his humilitie p. 151 His humilitie to a Bishop that called him idiot p. 157 Remarkable humilitie and satisfaction in a Frere Minor p. 266 Of patience and humilitie p. 308 The humilitie of Brother Macie p. 521 Of Br. Angelus p. 532 Of Br. Ambrose p. 534 Of Br. Iuniperus p. 536 Of Br. Gyles p. 568. Of S. Clare p. 632 Of S. Elizabeth p. 713 Of an English Frere Minor p. 735. 736 Of Br. Iames p. 738 Indulgence Of the plenarie Indulgence granted by Iesus Christ to the church of our Ladie of Angells pag. 212 The day therof miraculously assigned from heauen p. 214 The publication therof p. 216 The same day a Doue was seene to flye in the Church and our Ladie appeared in the same pag. 218. Of miracles wrought in confirmation of the said Indulgence p. 217 Testimonies of persons deceased touching this Indulgence p. 218. 219. Diuers miracles of the same Indulgence p. 220. 221. 222 Iniuries S. Francis taken prisoner by theeues p. 4 S. Francis beaten and imprisoned by his father p. 19. Beaten of theeues and throwen into a ditch of snow p. 13 Iniuries offered to those who were first sent by S. Fran. to preach to the world p. 25 Iuniperus The life of Bro. Iuniperus p. 56 c. Lent Of the Lent S. Fran. Kept at the lake of perusia P. 318 Item of S. Michael p. 319. Leo. The life of Br. Leo see p. 516. c. Leapre S. Fra. kisseth a Leaper p. 7 He serueth Leapers his care of Leapers p. 40. By his humilitie he cuâ—â—th a Leaper inwardlie and out wardlie p. 150 Luxurie Luxuries See Temptations Martyrdome How S. Francis went to Siria to seek martyrdome p. 103 Also to Moroccho p. 105 Fiue frere minors Martyred by kinge Miramolin p. 418 Seauen other frere minors martired p. 451 Two other martyred at Valencia p. 452 Fiue other martyred at Moroccho with many christians also p. 455 The martyrdome of Brother Electus and his companion p. ibid. The desire S. Antonie of Padua had of Martyrdome and his departure for Moroccho for this purpose p. 457 c. Macie The life of Br. Macie see p. 520 Miracles S. Francis cureth one of an vlcer in kissing it p. 14 He obtaineth by prayer to see his religious that were dispersed far a sunder p. 26 S. Francis and his disciples afflicted with hungar a man appeareth vnto them loaden with bread p. 48 How God sustained some frere minors miraculouslie p. 120 Of one of their benefactors whose mony encreased miraculously p. 121 A capons leg conuerted into a fish p. 160 S. Francis gathered white and red roses in Ianuarie p. 215 Diuers miracles concerning the Indulgence giuen from heauen to the church of our Ladie p. 218. 219. 220. S. Francis multiplied bread by the signe of the crosse p. 252 Dinner miraculouslie prepared whilst the cooke was at the Church ibid. Diuers miracles wrought by S. Francis p. 285 He was receaued of a hard rock as of soft wax p. 289 How many vnreasonable creatures miraculouslie obeyed him p. 290. 291. 292. 293 Fire lost his force in making a cauter in the bodie of S. Fran. p. 294 Of a miracle of Aples p. 298 A womaÌ„ carried away by the deuill for troubling S. Fran. sermon p. 300 A l ght enlightneth him in a darck night p. 301 Many miracles confirming the life and doctrin of S Francis p. 316. 317 Many miracles of him after his death p. 353. 356. 357. 358. 359 Of the miracle of the Stâ—gmates p. 370. 371. 372. 373 374 A woman dead raâ—sed by the merits of S. Francis p. 375 Other dead raised by the merits of S. Francis p. 377 Others deliuered from the danger of death by his merits p. 378. 379. 380. 381 c. How he deliuered many pilgrimes from the tempestes of the sea p. 384. 385. 386 Diuers also out of prison 386. 387. c. Diuers women with child p. 390. c. Diuers blind receiued sight p. 393. 394 Miracles of diuers sorts wrought by S. Francis p. 401. 402. c. Miracles wrought by S. Francis by the signe of the Crosse p. 404 Of many miracles wrought by the fiue martyrs put to death by the hand of kinge Miramolm p. 435. c. Of many miracles of S. Anthonie of Padua 463. 464. c. Of a foote a man had cutt off p. 472 Of the fishes of the sea who giue care to his sermon p. 476 A miracle of the B. Sacrament p. 478 Of his eating of poyson p. 479 Of his miraculous preaching p. 480 See more p. 481. c. The miracles of Br. Quintauall p 507 c. Of Brother Ruffinus p 514 c. Of Brother Leo p. 518 Of Brother Zacharie p. 526 c. Of Brother Walter p. 528 c. Of Brother Ambroise p. 535 c. Of Brother Christopher p. 553 c. Of Brother Gyles p. 567 619 Of S. Clare p. 635. c. 663 678 Of S. Agnes p. 688 Of saincte Elizabeth of Hongarie p. 719. 722 Mission Sainct Francis sendeth his religious â—uer the world p. 24 Item p. 110. 119 He sendeth his religious to preach to the Moores in Spaine p. 421 Their shipping at Alenquer p. 425 Their arriuing at Siuill p. 426 Their preaching before the kinge of the Moores and their iudgement to dye p. 418. 419 And of diuers other thinges vnto pag. 442 Of seauen other frere Minors sent to preach the faith to the Infidells p. 448 Mortification Rigorous chasticements for inconsiderat wordes p. 39 Of the austeritie of the life of S. Fran. pag. 64. 65 How he cast him into a pit of snow p. 67 A parable he vsed touching the mortification of the eies p. 69 Of the great austerities of the first Frere Minors p. 118 He made one of his Bre. set his foote vpon his throat p. 161 He wallowed himselfe naked on a bush of thornes p. 215 Wherin the true ioy of a Frere Minor consisteth p. 308. 309 The mortification of Br. Iuniperus p. 537 Of Br. Christopher p. 551 Of Br. Gyles p. 565 Of S. Clare p. 636 Of S. Yues p. 727. c. Obedience Comparison of a dead bodie to one trulie obedient p. 78 The rigorous chasticement of one disobedient p. 80 Of Obedience p. 307 S. Francis commandeth a Sainct deceased to worck no more miracles and he obeieth p. 207 The obedience of Brother Quintauall p. 514 Of Br. Macie p. 520
I will glory only in the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST by which wordes is sufficientlie explicated the sentence of God when he said In your patience you shall possesse your soules Our Lord God the soueraigne Prelat said I come not to be serued but to serue And therfore such as are constituted ouer others ought to glory of such Prelature as if they were constituted to wash the feet of the Religious And when they are depriued their chardge they ought no more to be greiued then if were taken from them said office of washing the of feet such as doe otherwise doe really appropriat to theÌ„selues this dignityin very imminent peril of their soules That seruant of God then is happy who esteemeth himselfe neither greater nor better for being honoured of men yea no otherwise then if he were reputed amonge the most base and abiect for so great as he is before God such is he and no more Wretched is the Religious who being raysed to dignity by an other will not humble himselfe of his owne accord and of his owne will happy is he that is exalted against his will and not hauing procured it and doth neuertheles desire to remayne alwayes in lowe estate and vnder the feet of his subiectes for the loue of God Happy is he that is no more puffed in pride for the good which God doeth or speaketh by him then of that which he doeth or speaketh by others A man offendeth att all times and as often as he procureth to haue more of that which is his neighbours theÌ„ to giue to God of what is his owne We should neuer desire to be superiours and ouer others but to be subiectes and seruanees of all creatures for the loue of God and they who shall doe so may assure themselues that if they perseuer to the end the spiritt of God will rest vpon them and there will make his residence Ye men consider in what excellencie you haue ben created of God who hath created and framed you after his owne image according to the soule and after th' image of his SoÌ„ne according to the body and yet all creatures are much more obedient vnto him then your selues The deuils haue not crucified him which thou being induced by them hast done and dailie doest crucifie him by thy sinnes Wherein then canst thou glory miserable that thou art if thou were indued with all knide of science celestiall terrestriall the deuill hath knowne what appertaineth to heauen better then thou and now though against his will he knoweth more of earthly matters then all mankind together There is no health corporall disposition nor beautie comparable to that which the deuill had Take heed therfore least in abusing it as he did not acknowledging it to proceed of God but of himselfe thou fall as he hath done into the extremest depth of hell Happy is the seruant that treasureth vp the richesse his Loâ—d and master hath giuen him in heauen and expecting the recompence therof regardeth not to demonstrate them heere vnto men but leaueth the cogitation therof to God himselfe who when it shall please him will manifest it more then he would desire Happy then is he that keepeth and concealeth the secrettes of God in his hart How Religious ought to behaue themselues in Oratories and solitary places THE XLIX CHAPTER LEtt those that desire to reside in solitary places there to liue religiously and spiritually be in number foure or more wherof lett two be as mothers that haue two children lett two act the Life of Martha and the others of Magdalen and lett each one haue a celle so that they neither sleep nor conuerse together but when they read their office Lett them be carefull to say their Compline before the Sunne setting that thence forward they may keep silence till they arise in the night to say Mattins Lett them in all thinges first seeke the glory and the kingdome of God and his iustice Lett them say the Prime and Tierce att the ordinary houre which done they may speake each to other of some matter of edification Those said children as poore creatures shall demaund almose of their mother for the loue of God after that lett them say the Sixt Ninth and Euensong att their due houres lett them permitt no person to enter into the Cloyster or enclosure where they reside nor to eat there The mothers shall labour to liue also sequestred from all conuersation and with due obseruance of obedience to their Guardian lett them permitt none to speake to their children but their Guardian when he commeth to visitt them And lett the children sometimes for exercise of humilitie assume the office of Mothers according as the Guardian for their behoofe shall appoint that so they may experience both the one and the other office Happy is that seruant who hath no tast of any other thing then the word of his God and by the same doth excite others to loue him Miserable is that Religious that taketh pleasure in idle and vaine wordes for therbie enducing other to vanitie in imitation of himselfe in steed of edifiyng his neighbour he procureth his ruine Of the care which each one ought to haue of his owne saluation THE L. CHAPTER BRother I haue a secrett to open vnto thee Each of you well knoweth that we are the sonnes of the most high but I now aduertise thee that more then children we are also Spouses brothers and mothers of IESVS CHRIST Spouses when our soule by the vertue of the holie Ghost is vnited with God Brothers when we performe his will we are Mothers when by loue we beare him in our hart with a pure and sincere conscience for we afterward bring him forth both by the pious worckes which we performe and by the example which we giue our neighbour O my brethren it is a glorious admirable and desireable thing to haue such a Spouse Brother Sonne in heauen And more then that a Pastour who hath giuen his soule here on earth for vs his sheep and who continually prayeth the eternall Father for vs saying Holy Father keep them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be thine and may be with me where I shal be that they may enioy my glorie and splendour in my kingdome All they who liue not in penance not being contrite nor receaue not the sacred Sacrament but liue in vices and sinnes and conceaue complacence in their pernicious desires doe not performe vnto God what they haue promised but doe serue the world with their bodies in carnalities and the deuils with their soules being deluded in their contentment by him whose children they are Such people I say are blinded and depriued of the true light of IESVS CHRIST haue not true knowledge for they haue excluded from themselues the wisdome of the eternall Father IESVS CHRIST the soueraine verity though they seeme to see know vnderstand yet doe they neither see know
to be more tormented by her infirmities then she accustomed to be a sword of sorrow through-pearced the soule of her beloued daughters But a virgin seruante of IESVS CHRIST and a very deuout Religious of the Monastery of saint Paul and Order of saint Benedict had att that time this vision following It semed to her that she did visitt sainte Clare withall her sisters att saint Damian whom she saw in a sorrowfull yet precious bed about which they all lamēted expecting her death and withall she saw come to the bolster of the sayd bed a very beautifull woman who sayd to them that wept My daughters weep not for her that is yet to liue for she cannot dye til our Lord and all his disciples doe come A litle after the Romane Court was att Perusia where the encrease of sainte Clares sicknesse being diuulged the Cardinall of Hostia hastened with great dilligence to visite the espouse of IESVS CHRIST whose Father he was by office Gouernour by speciall sollicitude and Fosterer and friend in most pure and chast amitie and her he comforted applying and with his owne handes administring vnto her the most sacred sacrament of the Eucharist and then made a very deuout sermon vnto the Religious sainte Clare with great humility and in the name of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST besought him to accept in recommēdation that her family and all her other poore sisters of other Monasteries but aboue all she most instātly besought him to obtaine of the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinalls a priuiledge and confirmation of holy pouerty Wherto the Cardinall gaue his word and as a faithfull Protectour of her Religion one most deuout and affectionat to saincte Clare did afterwardes effect it For Pope Innocēt the fourth att her most instāt request confirmed the rule which the holy Father saint Francis had instituted for her as is formerly recorded of which rule S. Clare had neuer till then other cōfirmation written then that of the said Cardinall because the Pope supposing to induce sainte Clare not to bind her Religious to such an extreme pouerty did still deferre to confirme her rule by writing But Innocent the fourth seeing the perseuerāce and last will of sainte Clare graunted the same vnto her by a bull the eleuenth and last yeare of his raigne as we haue before recorded And the yeare being almost expired the Pope came with his Cardinals from Perusia to Assisium wherin the first vision touching the death of the holy virgin was accomplished for the Pope being in his office more then a man by the aucthority which he hath of IESVS CHRIST on earth whose person he representeth in the temple of the Church militant the Cardinals accompanying his holinesse represented the disciples of our Lord IESVS CHRIST How Pope Innocent the fourth visited S. Clare in her last sicknes and gaue her absolution THE XXIV CHAPTER THe diuine prouidence would no longer deferre the accomplishment of the will of S. Clare but her Spouse IESVS CHRIST came to eleuate into his celestiall Pallace his poore espouse and pilgrime on earth who desired nothing more that being deliuered of this mortall body she might haue the sight and fruition of her most glorious IESVS CHRIST in his kingdome Now then the members of this virgin being by continuance of her sicknes as vtterly decayed there befell her a new weakenes which being a token that she should in short time be called of God she also vsed it as a ladder to mount to eternall saluation Whervpon the Pope Innocent the fourth came to the Monastery of saint Damian accompanied with many Cardinals to visitt the seruant of God not doubting but she whose life he had already approued was the most perfect in sanctity of all women of his time and therfore worthy to haue her death honoured by his presence His holinesse then being entred he went directly to the glorious Virgin and comming neere to her bed he tendered her his hand to kisse which fauour saincte Clare with exceeding ioy receaued But besides that she with great humility besought him to aford her his feet to kisse The Pope to content her sate downe vpon a litle bench and deuoutly presented vnto her his Apostolicall feet on which this sainct reuerently laid her face and mouth most affectionatly kissing them then with the serenity of an Angelicall countenance she demaunded of him remission of all her sinnes Wherto the Pope answeared would to God my deere sister I had need of such a pardon but finally he gaue her the benefitt of absolutiō and the gift of his benediction then left her in peace She hauing that morning receaued the most sacred communion att the hand of the Prouinciall of the Frere Minors of that prouince with her handes ioyned and her eyes eleuated towardes heauen she weeping sayd to her Religious My daughters prayse almighty God for the benefitt it hath pleased him to bestow on me this day which is such that the earth and the heauens are not of sufficiencie to recompence it sith this day I haue both receaued the same Lord and am esteemed worthy to see his vicar on earth How S. Clare comforted her sister S. Agnes THE XXV CHAPTER THe daughters were all about their mother without whom they were in short time to remayne orphanes the cōsideration wherof through-pearced their soules with a most bitter griefe The heauines of sleep nor hungar could not draw them from the presence of their mother the contentment which they receaued in her presence made them forgett to eat and to sleep because all their exercise was to weepe and particulerly her most deuout sister Agnes who was expresly come from the Monastery which she had newly erected att Florence to be present att her death Being then in this anguish she tourned towardes her sister and most instantly prayed her not to depriue her of her presence Wherto sainte Clare answeared Deere sister whome I cordially loue sith it hath pleased God that I depart be you ioyfull and weepe no more for I assure you our Lord will shortly come to you to visitt you with an exceeding consolation before your death Here followeth the testament of the holy S. Clare In nomine Domini Amen AMongest all other benefittes which we haue receaued of our bountifull benefactour the king of mercies and doe daily receiue of him for which we are most boud to praise him one is for our vocatiō which by how much greater it is by so much more are we bound vnto him the Apostle saith acknowledge your vocatiō God hath made himselfe a way which he hath shewed by word and example our holy Father S. Francis a most perfect zelatour and follower of the same way hath thaught vs wherfor my beloued Sisters we ought to marcke the vnmeasurable benefitt which God hath done vnto vs amongest the rest that which he hath vouchsafed to worcke in vs through his seruāt our Father S. Frācis not only after our cōuersion but