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
life happily The second that whosoeuer shall against reason persecute the Order shal be notoriously punished The third that the Religious who shall perseuer impious in the said Order shall soone dye out of it or therin shall remaine confounded And the fourth that the Religion shall for assistance of holy Church continue to the end of the world The sequel is the rest of the 64. chapter of the first booke transferred hither as the proper place therof THe deuill being vnable to endure such perfection of S. Francis and perceauing the greate fruit which he did and might produce determined to kill him wherfore the S. being one morning att the toppe of the mountaine whence did hang a very deep downefall there praying to God with all his hart the deuill to ruine him in that downefall thrust him so violently that he cast him farre off vpon a great rock of the mountaine and wheras the deuill hath no farther power ouer vs then God permitteth him he could in no sort annoy him for the S. inuocating the helpe of his diuine maiestie the rock wheron he was cast receaued him in as if it had bin a heape of very tender wax or soft earth so that besides the space of his body which was enclosed in the rocke there remayned the hollow mould which he there made as also the impressiō of his hādes fingers when he tooke hold theron which character or impression to the great admiration of all people is att this present there to be seene for all is apparentlie to be discerned so that the deuill was confounded and enraged and the seruant of God miraculously conserued by that immensiue vertue which is euer present to his seruantes to releiue them as occasion shall require Such was the possession that God gaue to his seruant of this mountaine lett vs now then retourne to speake of the innocencye of the holy Father which caused the birdes as we haue said to secure themselues on him as on a solitarie tree they knowing his interiour and lett vs obserue how many other creatures did the like Of the familiarity and obedience which all kinde of creatures had vnto the holy Father S. Francis THE XXXVIII CHAPTER THe soule of the glorious Father S. Francis was in such sort endued with sanctitie that he euidentlie declared that he had obtained of God the first estate of innocencie interiour and exteriour for in this estate he conserued himselfe perfectly subiect and obedient vnto God whence followed that he was so much honoured and obeyed of other creatures his inferiours ouer whome God had giuen him dominion as by the examples ensuying we shall make appeare Passing one time by the citty of Sienna he found a great flock of sheepe feeding in a meadoe and comming neere them he very curteouslie saluted them They leauing their pasture as if they had bin capable of reason went towardes him and with their head lifted vp beholding him made shew that they reioyced att his presence The Religious companions of the S. and the shepheardes were exceedinglie amazed att such a nouelty that sheep muttons and lambes as reasonable creatures should demonstrate that they admired and reuerenced the S. They would not retourne to their feeding till the holy Father had giuen them his benediction Att our Lady of Angels one gaue him a sheep which he most gratefully receaued for the naturall simplicitie innocencie and meeknes which is in sheep This holy Father admonished this sheep to be carefull to praise God and to be wary not to offend or be offended by the Religious which the sheep to her vtmost obserued and performed yea so seriously as if it had discretion to obey a master When the Religious went to sing in the quire the beast went also and followed them to the Church where without any instruction she would kneele downe Then in steed of singing she would leap and bleat before the altare of the virgin Mary and of her Sonne the lambe without spott as if she would salute and prayse them And when one eleuated the sacred host att the Masse she inclined kneeling downe honouring and adoring her Creatour as if she would inuite deuout Christians to giue more honour to the Sacrament and check and reprehend the indeuout for their litle reuerence S. Francis had some time att Rome a litle lambe in memory and mindfulnes of the patient lambe IESVS CHRIST and being to depart he recommended it to a Roman gentlewoman his deuoted freind called Iaqueline of Sertesoli the lambe followed her as the S. commanded it goeing and retourning from church if the houre of masse did passe hauing heard the clock it solicited her with his voice and by gestures so that the disciple of S. Francis was master of deuotion vnto this gentlewoman Being in the Oratory of Grecio on presented him with a leuerett but he presently sett him att liberty that he might runne away but seeing that he would not runne away but was only remoued from him he recalled it and the leuerett incontinently lept on his legges and he embracing it as his child sweetly asked it why it permitted it selfe to be so taken then hauing compassion of it he deliuered it to a Religious to carry it to the mountaine to some desert and secure place and there to leaue it aduertising it first that it should be carefull not to be taken againe of any man Many other like accidentes happened vnto him In the lake of Perusia a wild conny being taken and giuen to the S. assoone as it saw him it ran and lept into his handes and bosome Passing by the lake of Reite to goe to the hermitage of Grecio a fisher presented him on great deuotion with a water bird which the S. ioyfully receauing opened his fist that it might fly away but the bird stirred not the S. lifting his eyes towardes heauen remayned long time as in an extasie then comming to himselfe as if he had retourned from some farre country seeing the bird still in his hand he gaue it his benediction and gently commanded it to goe whither it would and so the bird hauing receaued his benediction flew merily away In the same lake was giuen him a great fish aliue which hauing accepted and thancked the giuer he putt againe into the lake the fish mounting presently vpon the water alwayes followed the S. by the riuer side till he came to the place where the S. was to depart and there staying he began to sport aboue the water and would not depart till the S. had giuen him his benediction Of many other miracles like to the precedente THE XXXIX CHAPTER SAinct Francis passing with his companion by the Marishes of Venise found a great number of birdes on a tree which sung verie melodiously neere vnto whome he went with his companion to say his canonicall houres and to prayse God with them who stirred not yea the S. comming to say his office they so
came also with her But the holy Father willed them all to stay and told them he should dye the saterday following and be interred on the Sonday and then they might retourne in companie which was done This ladie after the death of Sainct Francis dwelt att Assisium where she liued verie piouslie and was afterward buryed in the Church of Saint Francis att Assisium in a chappell adioyning to the bodie of Sainct Francis How S. Francis gaue his benediction to his eldest sonne Brother Bernard Quintaualle Taken out of the sixt chapter of the sixt booke and put here as the due place therof NOw whiles S. Francis was eating the said meates prepared by the handes of the said Lady calling to minde that Brother Bernard was with him att Rome the first time that he did eat therof he asked those present where he was and caused him to be called to eat therof also Brother Bernard being come and obeying the Sainct hauing eaten two morcels with him perceauing that he approached neere his end making his benefitt of the good occasion humblie demaunded his holie benediction To whome sainct Francis answeared my deere child I graunt it most willinglie and so commanded his benediction to be written which thus began The first Religious and companion that God gaue me was Brother Bernard Quintaualle who was the first that began as he that euer since continued perfectlie to obserue the rule of the gospell and the Counfailes therof wherfore aswell in regard of that as for manie other graces which God hath bestowed on him I am much obliged to loue him yea aboue all other Religious of our Order And therfore I will and ordaine that euerie other Minister that shall come hereafter doe loue him as my selfe Then he bad him stand att his right hand for he had alreadie lost his sight But Brother Bernard seeing Brother Helias that extremelie desired it knowing right well the need he had therof hauing compassion of him he sent him to the right hand of the Sainct and placed himselfe att the left contenting himselfe to gaine that soule to God by the benediction so much desired of his beloued Father But sainct Francis intending to lay his hand on the head of Brother Bernard knew either by the touch or by diuine reuelation that it was Brother Helias wherfore he sodenlie called Brother Bernard who answearing him he perceaued by his voice that he was att his left hand and therfore crossed his handes as did the Patriarch Iacob and gaue them his benediction yet alwayes naming Brother Bernard he said vnto him God giue thee his benediction encrease in celestiall benedictions of IESVS CHRIST as thou hast bin first called to this holie Religion to serue for an example of Apostolicall life and to demonstrate how one ought to follow IESVS CHRIST in pouerty and in his crosse sith thou hast not only giuen all they terrestriall substance to his poore but hast offered thy very selfe vnto him in sacrifice Be thou therfore blessed of our lord Iesus Christ and of me his poore seruant with an eternal benediction goeing retourning remayning sleeping and waking He that shall blesse thee be he blessed and lett not him that shall curse thee rest vnpunished Thou shall be superiour of all thy Brethren and they shal be subiect vnto thee Lett him that thou wilt receaue into this Order be receaued and him that thou wilt reiect be reiected Thou shalt haue liberty to reside where thou wilt none hauing authority euer to forbidde or to prescribe thee any law in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the blessed holy Ghost Amen Of the testament the holy Father S. Francis made before his death THE LXVIII CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis before he left his spirituall children determined to leaue them his testament that therin beholding the will of their holy Father they might enable themselues to effect it to meritt the patrimony he bequeathed them in the Euangelicall rule and profession which testament was such First my Brethren I will imprint in your memory how God drew me vnto him and how I stripped my selfe all naked before the bishopp and renounced al my possibilityes in the world thē seeking to doe pennance God gaue me this grace that whereas I formerly abhorred to behold leapers much more to serue thē I began to loue thē extremely so that what before seemed vnto me bitter insupportable was then pleasing desirable After that I began simply to pray vnto God and to make vnto him this prayer Most sacred Lord we adore thee in this place and in all the churches that are ouer all the world and doe honoure thee because by thy holy crosse thou hast redeemed the world And his diuine goodnes gaue me afterwardes such faith towardes Preistes that liue according to the forme of the holie Romane church in regard of their Order that albeit they had persecuted me I would haue had recourse to none but them selues And If I had had the wisdome of Salomon and had mett the most simplest Preist in the world I would neuer haue preached in his church against his will And them and all other will feare loue and honour as my Lordes and mastes and will remarck no sinne in them in whome I see the Sonne of God obseruing no other thing of him in this life but his most precious bodie and bloud which they consecrate receaue and only administer vnto others And will aboue althinges reuerence and honour these sacred mysteries and bestow thē in precious places As also I haue euer reuerenced the holy name of God in whatsoeuer papers I haue foūd it written in vnseemely places I haue gathered it vp and doe pray euery one to doe the like and to putt the papers in honest places I desire also that all diuines be honoured such as teach the diuine worde as they who truely giue vs the spiritt and life Besides I beseech you to referre your selues entierly into the handes of the diuine mercie who as he hath taught me to liue according to the forme of his holy gospell will shew you the like if you follow the rule which his diuine Maiestie hath caused me to prescribe in breife and simple wordes confirmed afterwardes by his holy vicar on earth Now all they that presented themselues to liue in this Order distributed their goodes vnto the poore as the said rule doth import they contented themselues with one coat peiced without and within and with a corde to girde them with the linnen breeches and we would haue no more We haue for a time liued in this sort praying in deuotion the Preistes saying their office according to the vse of our holy mother the church and we the lay Brethren in our simplicity subiecting our selues to all for the loue of IESVS CHRIST and endeauouring to gaine our liuing with the labour of our handes Now I beseech you so to doe alwayes And if there be any ignorant lett thē
of Brother Leo Br. Angelus and Br. Rufinus all three companions of S. Francis The legend of Brother Thomas of Cellano The legend of Brother Leonard of Bessa The great and litle legend of S. Bonauenture The Flowers of the Religious of S. Francis and his companions The ancient chronicles that breifely treat of the most memorable matters of the order Vrbertin Casal in his booke intituled Vita Christi The monumentes The historicall mirrour of Br. Vincent of the Order of the Preachers The ancient memoriall of the order The history of S. Anthonius Arch-bishop of Florence Master Aluaro of the lamentations of the Church The legend of S. Antony S. Clare and other sainctes The legend of the fiue Martyrs of Marocco of S. Crosse of Coimbra The booke of Conformities THE PREFACE WHERIN IS DECLARED THE intention of the Holy Ghost in the institution of the holy Order of the Frier Minors IT is with great reason that learned men writing bookes of histories or doctrine for the publike good doe ordinarily accompany them with certaine introductions which we call proemes or prefaces to discouer their intention to the Readers which wanting they cannot haue perfect knoledge nor reape much fruit of what they read Though in deed for the Readers to remayne only depriued of these fruites and benefittes were a lesse inconuenience and in some sort supportable if they did not some times conceiue euill impressions that induce them to contemne the good doctrines and profitable exāples which they read and this proceedeth of their ignorant temerity which causeth them to condemne thinges worthy of praise and falsly to censure that which they vnderstand not which vice as is it reprehensible so is it detrimentall and detestable in all kinde of doctrine but especially in the sacred scriptures and liues of sainctes And therfore we see that God in all his worckes would prepare men as it were by certaine proemes that they might vnderstand them and expect them with such intention as he meant to performe them as when he purposed to renew the world by meanes of the vniuersall deluge he conferred thereof with the iust Noe an hundred and twenty years before commanding him the edifice of the arck to thend that worck might be knowne not only to those that then liued but also to such as should succeed them afterward Neither did he vpon any other consideration deferre to giue children to the Patriarch Abraham but that he should the better vnderstand and with greater reuerence receiue the grace which was figured vnto him in his sonne Isaac I am of opinion that for the same respect he was forty dayes in giuing the law to the people of Israel bountifully imparting vnto them many notable fauours in the meane time and with such excellent miracles deliuering them frō the seruitude of Egipt that they might by these meanes dispose thē to acknoledge him alone for God and completely to obserue his law I may also inferre the like of the forty yeares that he entertayned that people in the desert that it was vnto them as it were a disposition the more deerly to prise and estimate the so much desired land of promise For this selfe same cause did God vse Prophetes among his people were it to thereaten them with punishment and chasticementes or to giue them hope of the benefittes and fauours which he intended vnto them or to teach them the manner to demand and meritt his grace And finally all the old testament the sacrifices ceremonies and mysteries haue bin nothing else but as a certaine proeme or preface of the new that it might be desired and hoped vnderstood by them and receiued by vs according to the true light of the holy Ghost and not with a humane and fallacious spiritt Intending therfore to imitate those diuine and humane examples it seemed to me expedient to add a preface to this worck that the readers might dispose them to read it with a good intention and auoid the enormous vice of ingratitude not duely receiuing the diuine graces and that also they might receiue therof a beneficiall fruit Which I haue found so much more necessary to this worck as the holy Ghost in the institution of the Order of the Freer Minors is more remote from the ordinary intention and discourse of the world for Mounting aboue the common obligation of the preceptes he hath designed it to a degree of perfection more high then the Euangelicall Councells It is not needfull not with standing that I search farre to find the proeme requisite to discouer and manifest vnto you the intention of the holy Ghost and the eminencie of this Order sith him selfe semeth to haue disigned it both in the old and new testament We read in the prophet Ieremie that when the Hebrew people were obstinate in their sinnes and that they opened not their eares to the wordes which on the part of the almighty were by the Prophetes preached vnto them God said to Ieremie Goe to the house of the children of Rechab and conduct them with thee to the temple and giue them wine to drincke Wherto Ieremie obeyed and hauing brought the Rechabites to the temple in to the house of one of the principall Officers before him and many others he offred them wine in cuppes or vessels and bid them drinck But they answeared him Know Ieremie that we haue neuer drunck wine nor will we drinck any because we haue bin forbidden it by Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our Father who commanded it vnto vs in these termes You Rechabites shall neuer drincke wine nor your children you shall not build houses you shall not sow you shall not plant vignes nor possesse any but you shall dwell all your life in tentes and pauillions that you may liue many dayes on the earth wherin you are pilgrimes And in this sort doe we obserue it obeying that which our father hath commanded vs. The Rechabites hauing giuen this answeare to Ieremie he had incontinently the spiritt of God that said vnto him Ieremie goe to the people of Iuda and of Hierusalem and thus speake vnto them O obdurate and obstinat people will ye neuer obey my law and follow my commandementes the wordes of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab are they of more force then mine He would that his children and their posterity should neuer drinck wine and to obey their father they haue not dranck any and you would neuer obey my commandementes I will therfore send you a punishment worthy of your rebellion according as I haue threatned you but I will not ceasse to fauour the Rechabites because they haue obeyd the commandements of their father A figure doubtles most expresse so farre foorth as the ancient estate would permitt it and so particular for the Religion of the Frier Minors of the B. Fa S. Francis that it hath litle need of farther exposition then to be red and conferred with the expresse wordes of his rule which are these The Frier Minors haue not any
of God entred so secretlie with his companion into the shipp that they were not seen of the Patron Being so hidden without the knowledge of any person to giue them to eat an Angel sodenlie appeared to a man in the ship that had the feare of God to whome he gaue prouision for his seruant saying Take this food and dispose it prouidentlie for the reliefe of the two Religious that are hidden here within whome he shewed vnto him and when they shall haue need be charitable vnto them Hauing said thus much he disappeared and what he had giuen in chardge was performed The mariners in meane while so long floted in stormes and tempestes that they spent all their prouision so that there only remayned in the shippe that releife which God had sent vnto the S. which appearing to be but litle did neuertheles in such sort augment by the prayers of S. Francis rendring good for euill that it sufficed for all them that were in the vessell till they arriued att their pretended port which miracle being knowne vnto the Patron he repented to haue refused to admitt them for the loue of God whose diuine Maiestie notwithstanding was pleased to shew such a manifest miracle to the end it might appeare how much more his seruantes do by their merittes support and vphold the world then they are supported by it Of the Conuersion of the glorious S. Clare and of the beginning of her Order THE LV. CHAPTER THe afforesaid yeare 1212. the glorious S. being by the diuine Maiesty recalled not without cōsideration of great consequēce from the voyage of Siria he gaue a beginning to the Order of the Damianes the roote and originall wherof was the glorious mother S. Clare descended of a noble familie of Assisiū who albeit by her parentes educated and nourished deliciously with intent to be afterward according to the manner of the world honourably marryed the holy Ghost did notwistanding worck the contrary and intended to enrich her with celestiall treasures For which occasion euen from her infancy he had a very particuler care of her with purpose to espouse her vnto our Lord IESVS CHRIST And when he thought the time conuenient he permitted that hearing admirable matters deliuered of the holy Father S. Francis she with a manly courage resolued to follow him in the strict way of euangelical perfection Hauing then found opportunity she presented her selfe alone to the said S. and hauing discouered her hart vnto him he instantly perceaued the inspiration which she had from God and in very few howers giuing the farwell to her kinred her substance together with all the world she procured him to cutt of her haire and to cloth her with his owne habitt before the aulter of our Lady of Angels For more security the holy Father S. Francis committed her to the monastery of S. Paul where were Religious of the Order of S. Benett whence by reason of extreme persecutions and violent proceedinges off her kinred hauing att length taken her out he placed her in the Church of S. Damian where was the first monastery of S. Clare and by reason of their nomber that there encreased they were called Damianes as shall seuerally and verie particulerlie appeare in the eight booke in the life of B. and glorious Saincte Clare How the S. went to Moroccho to seeke Martyrdome THE LVI CHAPTER SAinct Francis euer thirsting to be martyred for the faith of IESVS CHRIST being peruented of his iorney into Siria in the yeare 1214. he attēpted a voyage together with Brother Bernard Brother Macie towardes Moroccho through Spaine supposing thence to find passage vnto the Emperour of the Mores att Moroccho called Miramoline to preach vnto him the faith of IESVS CHRIST He enterprised this iorney with such alacritie that albeit he were very feeble and infirme he notwithstanding did alwayes so much out goe his companions that he seemed to fly But being arriued in Spaine his infirmityes did so oppresse him that he could hardly trauell vnto S. Iames in Galicia where prostrating himselfe before the altare of the said S. and praying with his accustomed feruour God enioyned him to retourne into Italie because many places were offered vnto him wherin to accommodate his family and that his retourne thither was very necessary to confirme the greene places of his erected vingneyard In this iorney S. Francis was att Guimaranes a citty of Portugall where it is said that he raysed the daughter of the master of the house where he lodged thence he visited the queene Vracca wife of king Alfonsus the second who beheld him with great reuerence and deuotion and was exceedingly comforted and edified by him Proceeding afterward on his iorney he lighted on a riuer in the said prouince of S. Iames betweene the citties of Nonis and Orgogno which he knew no meanes how to passe by reason there was not any house in that part nor personne to conduct him ouer Not knowing then what to doe he had recourse to prayer and att the very instant whiles he was praying to God there came a boy from the citty of Nonis who hauing pitty of them gaue thē encouragment saying that hauing passed ouer his horses that were loaden with bread he would vnload them and retourning would conduct them ouer which he performed and hauing guided them to Orgogno he lodged them in a house of his where he putt his bread wherin he gaue them the best entertainement he could deuise for which the holy Father gaue him many thanckes att his departure and said God giue you the payment which he hath promised to good people and so departed That very yeare which is worthy admiration this yong man retourning from Rome hauing visited the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul he demaunded of God as a speciall grace that he would please to take him out of this world before he lost the meritte of so many holy indulgences which he had gotten His prayer was not frustrate for by the merittes of the blessed Father S. Francis as by the consequence is apparent God heard him from heauen and so he died in the very pilgrimage His Father by letters from freindes being aduertised of his death after much lamentation procured the office of piety to be performed for his soule att the end of which office there appeared in the said citty of Nonis about seuenty Frier Minors though those people neuer supposed so many to be in all the world and they were all present att the church in procession singing with such melodie and with so pious a sweetnes that they drew teares of deuotion from all the audience After they had sung masse the parentes of the deceased inuited them to eat with them which they did and then departed and a great multitude of those people conducted them very farre the table was afterward found furnished with meate as if they had not eaten This miracle being perceaued many ran after them to see if they could
of holy pouerty that in our behalfe they make intercessiō to God to graunt vs to be truely poore and his right humble disciples and graunt this priuiledge to our Order that there be alwayes therin such as are truely poore that honour and loue holy pouerty S. Francis with this feruour went to Rome in pilgrimage to visitt the holy Apostles beginning already to foresee the great persecutions which many of his Order would lay on pouertie after his death and that few would aduenture to passe with all Being then come to Rome he entred into the Church of S. Peter and being retired into a chappell with violent effusion of teares he demaunded of God that he would please to confirme vnto him the grace and priuiledge of most holy Euangelicall pouertie for himselfe and his Order inuocating for intercessors the glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul who in most glittering splendour appearing vnto him did embrace and salute him then said Brother Francis because with such deuotion thou demaundest that which God will and we obserue and counsaile to be obserued he hath sent vs vnto thee to aduertise thee in his behalfe that thou art heard in heauen and that he hath graunted the treasure of Euangelicall pouertie to thee and to all them that shall follow thee and that they shal be of the nomber of the blessed who shall embrace the same Which sayd they disappeared leauing the holy Father S. Francis exceedinglie comforted and recounting the whole to Brother Macie they according to their duety together yelded thanckes to God Of the pouerty which the holy Father S. Francis obserued and would should be obserued att table and how the Religious were often miraculously prouided for in their necessitis THE XVII CHAPTER SAinct Francis being in the Oratory of Rieta a Prouinciall repayred vnto him to celebrate with him the Natiuity of our lord Wherfore the Religious entending to honour the feast and the Prouinciall prepared the table with a cloth and white napkins fournishing it with neat vessel and meat a litle better then ordinary But the S. cōming that morning to eat with them in the refectory and seeing that preparation and that the table was raysed from the ground where it accustomed to be he secretly went foorth and finding a begger att the gate he borrowed his hatt and cloake then taking a companion with him they went out of the house and in the meane time the Religious sate downe att table for he had ordayned that when soeuer he was not found in the Couent att the houre of refection they should not attend him About the middes of their meale the holy Father retourned disguised as aforesaid and went directly to the refectory att the dore wherof he demaunded an almose for the loue of God The Prouinciall answēared him Brother we are poore as you are and therefore haue need of these almose but for the loue of God which thou hast named enter and we will giue thee part of the almose which IESVS CHRIST hath sent vs S. Francis entred and stood expecting to haue somewhat giuen him The Prouinciall gaue him his owne dish with the bread that was in it The S. receauing it discouered himselfe and sate downe on the ground before the Religious but being approached to the fire he sighing said My beloued Brethren this table so decently prepared is not fitt for poore Religious that ought euerie day to goe aske almes from dore to dore for the loue of God it would better beseeme you to follow the example of humilitie of our lord then of any other for to that end are we called considering also that we haue promised to obserue it now doe I esteeme me a Frere Minor beholding my selfe sitting on the ground The feastes of God and his sainctes ought to be honoured with that holy pouerty wherby they haue pourchased heauē and not with these superfluityes which they did vtterlie abhorre as thinges that did separate them from the loue of God It cannot be expressed how much the poore Religious were amazed hauing heard and seene this act for many did weep seeing their Father sitting on the ground with that habitt with so great humility correcting the fault which they had committed wherof accusing them selues they acknowledged their fault to the S. who blessing them bad them with all euer to keep their table so poore and hūble that the seculers seeing it might not be scandalized and that if any begger came he might be inuited to eat with them Besides he would that the bread which they begged should be so limited that there should remaine none superfluous in the house but what should only suffice the Religious assuring them that if they wanted God would prouide for them as by the ensuing miracle doth appeare The generall chapter being on time ended and the Ministers dimissed each one to his Prouince there remayned with S. Francis 31. Religious amōg whome was that Brother Monaldo that merited to see the S. as crucified att Arles as we haue formerly alleadged they being vpon departure and the S. desiringe charitably to eat with thē there was found only three litle loanes in the house which S. Francis caused to be brought made on thē the signe of the crosse thē diuided it amongest thē And God did so multiply it that it sufficed thē all with the fragmēts was filled a great baskett by meane of which miracle the Religious retourned exceedingly encouraged in the seruice of God and the loue of pouerty finding by experience that God was their procuratour On an other time S. Francis comming by night to the Oratory of Sō nino in Lombardy with many Religious exceedingly oppressed with hunger they found not in the house one only morcell of bread for their custome was to demaūd no more of almose then would suffice them for one day and if any remayned they presently distributed it to the poore The holy Father S. Francis vnderstanding thus much said to the keeper of the prouision goe to such a place and you shall finde a baskett full bring it vnto me He goeing thither brought thence a baskett full of bread which had bin miraculously conueyed thither to releiue the seruantes of God They all did eat with very great appetite finding it extraordinarily pleasing which did not passe without giuing thanckes to the diuine Maiesty for the almes which so liberall a hand bestowed on them Many other such miracles happened vnto these poore of God as this that ensueth How whiles the Cooke was att his prayers in the Church the refection was miraculously prepared The 33. chapter of the tenth booke transferred to this proper place SAinct Francis admitted to Religion a knight called Bennenuto who of his great humility made choice to liue alwayes in the kitchen It happened on a time that a Burgesse had a will to refect the Religious one morning and to that end sent them betimes what he thought conuenient therto that they might
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
a hand and he heard a voice from aboue that said vnto him Brother Leo know that without this hand thou canst performe no good thinge Which Brother Leo hauing heard entierly enflamed in diuine loue he arose on his feet and beholding heauen he diuers times thus spake with a loud voice It is true my God that if thy puissant hand doe not helpe and assist our infirmity we can doe nothing of ourselues much lesse shall we resist our ennemies and obtaine the meritt of perseuerance in thy loue and seruice The 17. chapter is put after the last of the second booke and first volume of this first part where is related a vision which Brother Leo had of the vniuersall Iudgement as being a matter appertaining to the holy Father sainct Francis How Brother Leo burned the box which Brother Helias Generall of the Order had sett at the Church dore to gather almose for the fabrique against the purity of the rule THE XVIII CHAPTER BRother Helias who after the death of sainct Francis for many yeares gouerned the Religion as General was he that very sumptuously builded the Couent of S. Francis att Assisium where Pope Gregory the ninth layd the first stone the almose of the people of Assisium not sufficing for so great an edifice Brother Helias seeking all meanes possible to find mony for the worck sett a box att the Church dore with this inscription The almose for the sabriqâ—e which many good Religious hauing seene and especially Brother Leo in regard that it was a thing directly against the obseruance of the purity of their rule being zealous of the Euangelicall Pouertie they repaired to the venerable Brother Giles to consult with him and to aduise together by what meanes they might preuent this inconuenience who answeared that he dwelt att our Lady of Angels and therfore though one built a Couent as great as the Citty of Assisium he would notwithstanding be content to remaine wher he was and that was all his care But Brother Leo not satisfied with this answeare they added we haue a purpose to burne that box what think you of it Brother Giles then with teares of his eyes replyed If Brother Helias be dead you may doe so but if he liue lett him proceed for you will hardly endure his persec ution But Brother Leo and his companions leauing Brother Giles tooke the box and burned it which Brother Helias vnderstanding and being extremely vexed therwith he very cruelly disciplined them all and hauing detayned theÌ„ some time in prison he banished them from Assisium for which and other like matters the Pope put Brother Helias from his Prelature as we haue formerly related in the life of S. Antony of Padua Of certaine miracles and of the death of the glorious Brother Leo THE XIX CHAPTER WHiles Brother Leo resided att our Lady of Angels it happened that a poore woman of Assisium dyed in trauaile of child whose mother was also a very poore old widdoe who being much afflicted att the death of her daughter and not knowing how to bring vp the litle infant that was left vnto her she went to brother Leo for his counsaile to whome with teares discouering her greife she moued him to haue compassion of her misery so that he went and with feruour offred his prayers demaunding of God assistance for that so desolate poore old womaÌ„ His prayer ended he sayd vnto her Goe good woman and putt the child to thy breast and hope that almighty God will giue thee the milke that he would haue giuen the mother of the child Though this old woman was much amazed att this speech yet the infant being present she obeyed for she offered her breastes vnto it which were found very full of milke to relieue the child And the same continued as long as there was vse for it and the child attayning to competentage beame a man of the church He often recounted that he had bin miraculously nursed by the merittes of Brother Leo. This seruant of God meeting a yong man in the way and beholding his countenance sayd vnto him thou shalt be one of our Religious which wordes had such efficacie in his hart that he could neuer apply himselfe to any thing till he became a Frere Minor A woman of Codale in the vally of Spoletum hauing an apostume in her brest which ordinarily yelded forth corruption and being void of all helpe that might any way releiue her she repaired to Brother Leo with great deuotion praying him to make the signe of the crosse one the place greiued which being done the apostume vanished so that no apparance remayned therof A yong man being exceedingly afflicted with the falling sicknes and a continuall feauer did secretly cutt of a peece of the habitt of Brother Leo out of the great deuotion he carryed towardes him which hauing layd on his neck he was presently cured but hauing lost it the said infirmity retourned yet hauing gotten an other peece he was perfectly cured againe A man of Treuy being by commandement of the gouernour of Spoletum imprisoned and enchained he recommended himselfe to the prayers of Brother Leo who was att our Lady of Angels who appeared vnto him about the time of noone and in presence of all that were there vnchayned him then drew him out of prison and commanded him to goe as a Pilgrime to our Lady of Angels which hauing performed he there found Brother Leo att whose feet prostrating himselfe he thancked him for the great singuler fauour receaued of him But he answeared him that he should only thancke the Virgin Mary whose feast of her holy purification was celebrated that day Our lord wrought many other miracles by the merittes of his seruant Brother Leo to manifest his sanctity to the world which would be too tedious to be inserted That holy Father Brother Ruffinus and Brother Angel us by commandement of their generall composed the legend of sainct Francis which was afterward called the legend of three companions wherof the most worthy and remarckable hauing bin extracted and put in other histories of sainct Francis the same was afterwardy lost Brother Leo att length hauing in vertue and sanctity accomplished his dayes he left the desert of the world and retired to his celestiall contry He was enterred att Assisium in the Church of S. Francis The life of Brother Siluester Of the conuersation merittes and death of Br. Syluester THE XX. CHAPTER THe good Father Br. Siluester was the first preist that entred into the Religion of S. Francis In the first booke and first volume of this first part we haue sett downe his conuersion and how he became a Frere Minor This was his eleuenth disciple who so encreased and profited in the vertue of sanctity that he discoursed and conuersed with God as ordinarily one freind doth with an other which S. Francis often experienced and diuers times gaue testimony therof as when he reuealed vnto him that the will of God was