Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	die_v	great_a	king_n	8,350	5	3.6186	3	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01200	The chronicle and institution of the Order of the seraphicall father S. Francis conteyning his life, his death, and his miracles, and of all his holie disciples and companions / set foorth first in the Portugall, next in the Spanish, then in the Italian, lastlie in the French, and now in the English tongue.	Marcos, de Lisboa, Bishop of Porto, 1511-1591.; Cape, William.	1618 (1618)	STC 11314.2; ESTC S4305	734,345	826

and damnation to the disobedient and such as erre from the said most holy Faith and to this end would he by his immensiue charity assuming our nature therwith satisfie all our offences and die on the wood of the crosse for our sinnes and would afterwardes leaue vs the meritt of his passion in the sacrament of holy baptisme wherby we are new borne to eternall life that all our sinnes dying we may sett our selues free from the captiuity of the deuill and from eternall death which this cruell ennemy hath from time to time procured vs. Great Soldan proceeded the S. open the eares and eyes of thine vnderstanding misprise not the Embassadge which thine omnipotent eternall king sendeth thee permitt his grace to enter into thy hart and by his holy light he will giue thee instant knowledg of the great blindes wherin till this day thou hast liued and consider attentiuely how much thou art bound vnto his diuine maiesty letting thee now vnderstand that he can giue thee a kingdome in heauen much greater then this which he hath giuen thee here one earth But if thou perseuer in thine errour be thou assured of the punishment prepared for thee for thou must know that soone or late thou must fall into his handes yeld him an account both of thy sinnes and of thy vassals The holy Father spake these and many other like wordes with such feruour and vehemencie of spiritt that all those present though they were all infidels did manifestlie know that the said wordes proceeded of a more then humane vertue And they were indeed vttered with the same spiritt that God promised his seruantes saying I will giue you a tongue and wisdome which the princes of the world shall not be able to resist Now the Soldan acknowledgeing so great a vertue in the seruant of God he gaue him thanckes with much reuerence and tokens of curtesie then asked him concerning new difficulties being very attentiue to the answeares which the holy Father gaue him as a man sent him from God and therfore very instantlie prayed him not retourne to the Christians but to remaine with him the seruant of IESVS CHRIST cntierly circumvested with zeale of the faith thervpon made him this answeare Great Soldan If you with all your people wil be conuerted I will right gladly remayne with you and if you haue any doubt that detaineth you from leauing your beleefe for mine because the time is very short you may presentlie make proofe therof lett there be made a great fire in the middes of the army then call your Sacrificers and Religious command vs all to enter into the middes of the fire and afterwardes follow their faith that by their God shall be preserued The Soldan amazed att the proposition made by the holy Father said I doe not thinck that any of our Religious will make this triall Wherin he was not deceaued for he had scarcely vttered that word but one of his Collociers there present very aged and among the Turcks reputed for a S. hearing it incontinentlie slipt away fearing that the Soldan accepting the condition he should be deuoured by the flames The holie Father then addressing himselfe againe into the Soldan said Mighty Soldan wilt thou promise vnto God to become Christian if I my selfe alone goe into the fire Wherto I am now readilie prepared The Soldan answeared him that he durst not then make any such promise much lesse accept such offer fearing that such an vnwonted atteÌ„pt might raise some tumult in his army neuertheles it wrought much fruit in his hart and though for the present he did not resolue to be baptised yet he remayned exceedinglie aflected to the holy Father to whome he offered a great quantity of gold siluer and apparell for himselfe and his companions which the Saint no more esteemed then verie filth not vouchsafing to behold the same which much more amazed the Soldan yet he prayed him againe to accept those presents to dispose them in almose for his soule albeit he were not as yet resolued to be baptised But his requestes were vaine S. Francis then determined to passe further as not finding any firme and stable resolution in the Soldan though he prayed the holy Father to visitt him often affirming that he would conferre more amply with him graunted him letters patentes by vertue wherof he his Br. might freely preach ouer all his kingdome wherwith S. Francis departed How S. Francis and his companions preached the faith to the kingdome of the Soldan and how he miraculously resisted a More that tempted him to carnality THE LXX CHAPTER SAinct Francis diuided his companions and sent them ouer Egipt Syria and himselfe with Brother Illuminatus went through all the kingdome continually preaching the gospell And being on a time enforced to rest himselfe in a certaine place expecting the mitigation of the stormy weather he retired into a house to lodge where in was a More who in the lineamentes and proportion of her face was faire and of comely grace but in spiritt extremelie loath some she induced by the deuill that one each side cast his snares to surprise the S. went to him into a chamber where purposely she had placed him alone and instantlie prayed him to sinne with her the S. answeared her woman if thou wilt that I offend with thee thou must also yeld to me in my request Wherto the amourous More presentlie accorded S. Francis then incoÌ„tinently goeing to a great fire that was there spreding it abroad layed downe and stretched himselfe theron inuiting the More to keepe her promise and lye with him one that bed so gorgious and resplendat The More remayned a while pensiue betweene loue and feare expecting the issue but att length seeing him to turne one the coales as if he had bin one roses and lillies she acknowledged her selfe and her sinne and was baptised and afterwards by vertue of the miracle of the S. as an other Samaritane conuerted many Mores vnto IESVS CHRIST The S. hauing vpon this occasion seiourned there certaine dayes went on his iorney coÌ„ming within three or four leagues of Antioch to a place called MoÌ„tenegro where was a Monastery of Religious of the Order S. Be. he there made some stay in such sort coÌ„ported him selfe that in few dayes the Abbott all the Religious renuÌ„cing all their possesioÌ„s into the haÌ„des of the Patriarck became Freer Minors In the meane while it chaunced vnto two other of his companions that they seeming to a More so miserable he of compassion offered them almose which they refusing in any sort to receaue the More demaunded them wherfore they would not accept the same wherto they answeared that for the Ioue of God they would possesse neither mony or any other thing in this world the More was therwith so touched that he sodenly receaued them into his affection yea into such amity that thence forward he had

speÌ„d time with this simple and inconsiderat multitude of people considering the litle hope we haue being so few to suppresse their obstinacie lett vs rather repaire to their king endeauouring first to conquer the head so with more ease facility to gett victory of the meÌ„bers afterward Lett vs giue him the on sett couragiously and ioyfully lett vs goe then lett vs goe preach and tell him the verity of the faith of IESVS CHRIST of Baptisme of penance in remission of sinnes Lett vs boldly confesse before him that IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God is true God and man who would be borne dye for sinners with his owne bloud redeeming vs from eternal death rising againe after his death ascended vnto heauen and sitteth att the right hand of his Father Iudge of the liuing dead where he expecteth vs to croune vs with his holy martyrs for euer How these fiue Religious preached before the king of the Mores the faith of Iesus Christ our Sauiour and what sueceeded therof THE VI. CHAPTER THese Religious being thus mutuallie animated went directlie to the Pallace of the king att the entrie wherof being intercepted by the guard their Captaine who was a gentleman of note demaunded of them what they were They answeared that they were Italiens and desired to speake with his maiestie of matters of great importance as well touching his owne particuler as his whole kingdome Whervpon the Captaine demaunded if they had no letters or other token of commendations to deliuer him They replyed that their embassage was to be deliuered by mouth and could not be writteÌ„ but in hartes by tongues The Captaine willed theÌ„ securely to commend the affaire vnto him promising to deliuer it faithfully vnto the king they prayed him againe for conclusion to conduct them only to the presence of the king where he might also vnderstand what they had to say The Captaine related the whole vnto the king who commanded them to be brought before him where being present he demaunded them what they were whence they came who sent theÌ„ vnto him wherfore they were come Wherto they answeared that they were ChristiaÌ„s that they came froÌ„ Rome sent froÌ„ the king of kinges and Redeemer of the world IESVS CHRIST to preach vnto him his holy faith so that their bussines teÌ„ded only to the saluatioÌ„ of his soule which should be effected if he would no loÌ„ger beleeue the doctrine of Mahomet but in IESVS C. the true God receauing baptisme in the name of the most sacred Trinity that he could not be saued by any other meane The Mory king that expected no such greeting became despightfully furiours for he esteemed the seruantes of God to haue giuen him an extreme affroÌ„t to whome he said O ye poore braineles men sottish and miserable as ye are how can ye possibly presume to vtter this speech in my presence without more respect vnto my crowne or feare of the losse of your liues already infallibly incurred by the great blasphemie committed against my most holy Prophet But tell me are yee come hither expresly and in my only particuler respect or to preach also vnto my people and to delude them dissuading them froÌ„ mine obedience and their alleagiance Hereto the good Religious with a bold and smiling countenaÌ„ce answeared O king know that we are come to thee as to the chiefe of all this sect of Mahomet filled with diabolicall spiritt and to him that in the bottome of hell shall be more rigorously tormented then thy subiectes that shall persist in obstinacie to the end that thou being reduced into the way of truth saluation thou mayest be a meane of their conuersion as thou art now the cause of their damnatioÌ„ for auoyding wherof thou must beleeue in IESVS CHRIST our Redeemer who sendeth vs vnto thee saying in the Gospell Goe and teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost adding afterward for theÌ„ that would not yeld thervnto he that will not belieue shal be damned eternally This king stopping his eares began to rage and crye out O cursed wretches your former lewd behauiour no doubt hath brought you hither where it shal be rewarded instantly neither is there any other meane to deliuer free your selues but that you vnsay whatsoeuer you haue now foolishly and rashlie vttered and to receaue and espouse the Religion of our great Prophett for so doeing I will not only pardoÌ„ you but will also make you great and rich in my kingdome that it may publikelie appeare how much we prise and esteeme the greatnes of our Prophett and how much we honour respect and enrich those that preferre our Religion before their owne but otherwise you shall for your sollie dye with infinite torments or I will enforce you to beleeue me The Religious replyed if your law were not full of lies false impious as it is but iust and conformable vnto truth we would receaue it but because it doth eternallie damne the followers therof we respect not all treasure nor feare tormentes for false honours are the baites and delusions of you Mores who truely miserable doe end together with them because they haue no longer continuance and you are eternallie damned the meerlie contrarie happening to vs considering that by the pouertie and contempt of our dayes of this life we pourchace eternall treasures and honours in heauen as our Lord teacheth vs when he said Heap not vp your treasure in earth where nothing is secure but in heauen where you may for euer enioy the benefitt therof And therfore O king be thou conuerted to receaue this true and holie law in regard of this recompence And if thou so much esteeme a kingdome of this world how much more oughtest thou to esteeme this eternall kingdome of heaueÌ„ tourne thy hart to the soueraigne and true God who hath thus long expected thy penannce and now sendeth vs vnto thee as his messengers to deliuer thee from the eternall tormentes of hell which are prepared for thee and all them that follow the absolutely accursed Mahomett Take heed how thou misprise the grace which God by meanes of vs doth offer vnto thee How the fiue Martyrs were adiudged to death by the Morian king who att the instance of the prince his sonne reuoked his sentence THE VII CHAPTER THe Morian king could no longer endure nor heare the preaching and remonstrance of the Religious against his sect but being exceedingly afflicted and enraged commanded them to be expelled his presence and condemned them to be cruelly whipt and then to haue their heades cutt off The Martyrs then hastened to death with a courage and countenance very ioyfull and contented as they that knew themselues neere to the accomplishment of what they so much desired and to encourage each other they mutually said Behold brethren behold how God doth benignely offer vnto vs that which we haue so long desired

blindesse that held him in the handes of the deuill in this life and led him to eternall damnation in the other inducing him to embrace the sole true faith of IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour who out of pure loue being God vouchsased to become man and to dye on the tree of the Crosse to deliuer him from eternall death and ascending into heauen prepared for him an immortall life But this Morian king and his people shewing themselues deafe to this discourse determined to separate these Religious one from an other and then to each in particular were offered in the behalfe of the king richesse and honours att lenght they were threatened with most cruell tormentes yea with death it selfe if they would not accept of their law Their threates auayled as much as their promises for God had so transpearced their spiritt with the sweet nailes of his loue that they all in their hartes spake these wordes of S. Paule Who shall euer separate vs from the charity of IESVS shall the sword afflictions worldly fauours and richesse the pleasures of the flesh or any other allu rementes and withall couragiously answeared and derided their threates accusing Mahomett whome they tearmed accursed and his law contemptible carnall and damnable A certaine Preuost then drew his sword and gaue their superiour Father Daniel a dash on the head then ayming his sword point att his face and att his hart he said conuert thee traytor or I will procure thee a cruell death which he did to terrifie the other six who were by the Iudge and the Counsailers there present persuaded not to misprise the fauour of the king and to haue compassion att least of their miserable liues but they confidently answeared them and exhorted them that being old and already as it were in the mouth of death so that they could not long enioy the contentmentes of this life they would not persist in obstinacy least their soules were eternally condemned to hell for adhering to men of this world and to a law that their owne consciences knew to be false as apparently as a thing to be touched with the finger But these old men held themselues so offended with this speech though they had bin very fauourable and respectiue vnto them that they resolued their death How the seauen Martyrs were condemned to death and beheaded THE XXXIV CHAPTER THe iudge therevpon gaue Order that as enemies of the law of God they should be beheaded wherwith the holy Martyrs exceeding well pleased did encourage each other and then the six Religious addressing themselues to their superiour Father Daniel and kissing his handes gaue him thanckes for procuring them these marriages each of them asked his benediction and the grace to be the first martyred for the loue of God This good Father hauing his eyes beteared with ioy thancking God for such a singuler gifte and giuing them his benediction he said My deerly beloued children lett vs all reioyce in God in this festiuall day which he hath pleased to ordaine for the last of our pilgrimage and be not terrified for all his Angels are present prepared to assist vs they haue opened vs the gate of Paradice whither if he please we shall this day arriue together to receiue the crounes of martyrdome and to be eternally glorious These wordes ended the executioners stripped the seauen martyrs inuincible champions of IESVS and hauing bound their handes behinde their backes they conducted them out of the kinges Pallace with a trompettt before them as if they had bin attainted of some notorious crime But these holy Religious as meeke lambes went to the slaughter and hauing their spiritt eleuated to the soueraigne God ceassed not preach to the Mores by the way Being come to the place of execution they fell on their knees and recommending theÌ„selues to God they ioyfully receaued martyredome offering vp their innocent soules vested with the pious purple of their very bloud with a great admiratioÌ„ to the Mores who as enraged were not satisfied herewith esteeming themselues as indeed they had reason rather vanquished then to haue ouercome These Ministers of the deuill tooke those holy bodies dismembred them and trayned them thorough the dirt till they were weary and then the Christians secretly gathered them vp and carryed them into the suburbes where they were and are honoured and reuereÌ„ced for many miracles which by their merittes God wrought there wherof hauing no other asseurance then the affirmation of the inhabitants of the place I thought it not expedient to committ them to writing as determining to insert nothing in these chronicles but what is most true and autenticalll It sufficeth that Pope Leo the tenth graunted and permitted the Freere Minors to celebrate their feast on the day of their Martyrdome which was the tenth of October 1227. a yeare after the death of S. Francis So is it att this day celebrated in the bishopprick of Brague the Primacie of Spaine though in the office of Bracare it is put in the yeare 1221. but it is an errour of the Printer It is recorded in the end of the legende that a Prince of Portugall by a speciall fauour obtayned these resiques and carryed them into Spaine but there is not to be found any other perticuler mention of certainty in the bookes of the Order The 35. Chapter is put after the 39. of this very booke as more proper vnto it The triumph of two Martyrs of Valencia How two Religious which S. Francis sent to Valencia in Arragon were Martyred there THE XXXVI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis sent two Religious of pious life to the kingdome of Arragon to witt Brother Iohn a Preist Peter a lay Brother who arriuing att the citty of Teruel they caused a chappell to be built there wherin they dwelt employing their time in pious exercises and prayers and liued vertuously with exceeding edification and by their preachinges filled the citty with a most sweet odour of their sanctity The citty of Valencia was then possessed by the Mores mortall ennemies of the Christians and therein raigned their king Azot a most cruell persecutor of the faith of IESVS CHRIST and therfore these two seruantes of God resolued to preach there and to offer their liues for the saluation of soules so passionate was their zeale of the faith and their desire of Martyrdome So then goeing and entring in to the Citty they began to confesse and resolutely denounce to that people the word of God condemning their erronious sect as pernicious and damnable Wherof the king hauing first made them all kinde of gracious offers to allure them to his law them vsing terrible threates to feare them and perceiuing that he no more auayled in the one sort then the other he caused their heades to be cutt off on the feast of the decollation of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare 1231. and their bodyes were carefully gotten and buryed by the Christians God by their merittes working many miracles How the reliques

length by the holie Ghost conducted to Padua where he had formerly much profited In respect wherof he was very particulerlie loued and reuerenced of the inhabitantes of that citty and therfore when he began to preach there againe such was the confluence of people that pressed to heare him that he was forced to preach in a spacious field without the Cittie there being no Church capable of the people that from all partes flocked thither though there were some verie great Wherfore from the beginning of Lent the deuill perceauing the great fruit which he did and would produce he tooke him and so wrested and crushed his throat that as he after confessed to his companion if the sacred virgin whome he inuocated had not assisted him appearing vnto him with a great light and to his confort he had bin strangled but arming himselfe with the signe of the crosse and so deliuered from the ambushes of the deuill he gaue infinite thanckes to God and to his glorious Virgin mother And being become more couragious though he were verie feeble by reason of his abstinence and the labours which he ordinarily vndertooke which so depressed him that he had daily a litle fitt of an ague his zeale of the saluation of soules being more forcible with him then whatsoeuer other consideration he ceassed not to preach all the whole Lent and to spend all the rest of the day in spirituall exercises as to heare confessions and to giue Counsaile but it was a worthy thing to behold the feruour and deuotion not only of the Paduans but also of the inhabitantes of the townes borowes villages and castels there about that in such abondance flocked to his sermons that some went with light in the night to take their place in the field The bishopp was present att his preaching with all his Clergie as also the principall of the Cittie maryed women maides and yong gentlewomen frequented them withall comlines and modesty and without any pompe wherby it was easy to iudge with what spiritt they were induced to heare him During his predication all the merchantes and artificers did shutt vp their shoppes audience of iustice was omitted and all other offices ceassed so that it seemed some solemne feast In the time of his sermon the audience was so quiett that so much as one word was not heard amongest thirty thousand personnes there present and it succeeded that they all retourned replenished with the spiritt of compunction He that could touch the sainct or speake vnto him esteemed himselfe happy and if he had not bin purposlie guarded they would haue rent and cutt his habitt from his back and left him naked for such was the feruour of these people that they seemed to see in him a true Apostle sent to them by almightie God By his meane notorious and inueterat quarrels were appeased prisonners sett att libertie debtes quitted and forgiuen offences and iniuries pardoned and forgotten and mony and other thinges stolen or ill gott were restored Briefly what els men and women long accustomed to sinne were publikelie conuerted and did penance for their sinnes in such sort frequenting the sacraments that the Priestes had scarce time to serue them The glorious sainct hauing filled the Garner of almightie God with most pure corne after he had tryed it and burned the cockle att the verie time that he resided att Padua and hauing finished his three bookes of sermons vpon the sondayes and the Quarantine or sermons of Lent and the booke of the sermons of Sondayes full of verie deep subtilitie and morall droctrine which he had vndertaken and accomplished to satisfie his holinesse and the Guardian of Hostie he began to feele that God intended to call him vnto him and by signes and miracles to demonstrate the merittes of his most faithfull seruant wherein the people had such confidence that whosoeuer could haue a bitt of his habitt held himselfe happy and kept it carefully as a precious holy relique Of his last sicknes his prophesie of his future glory his vision of God and his death THE XXVII CHAPTER THis lent being ended S. Antony desiring to repose himselfe a litle retired to S. Peters fielde a place appertayning to a gentleman of Padua called Tise one that was exceedingly affected vnto him this place was neere to the Couent of the Frere Minors which this gentleman in manner alone mayntayned Now it may well be imagined with what countenance he entertayned the S. doubtles as if he had bin an Angel of Paradise sent vnto him by almighty God vnderstanding his intention he caused to be made him three celles of ozier one for himselfe and the other two for Brother Lucas and Br Roger his companions and familiers He remayned not long there till he felt himselfe assaulted with a great feeblenes that daily augmented but thincking to ease himselfe by trauaile he went to the next couent of Frere Minors where his infirmitie did oppresse and vtterly ouercome him There did God reueale vnto him that he should soone dye and what glory he should haue both in heauen and on earth Wherfore beholding and considering the amenity and good aire of the plaine and scituation of Padua that did neighbour the place where he was tourning towardes his companion he vttered these wordes this plaine shall shortly be illustrated and honoured with great glory as in deed it hath bin from after his death till this present yea more then he foretold in regard of the great confluence of people that haue and daily doe resort thither to visitt and honour his holy reliques And doubtles this citty may be tearmed happy and glorious hauing in it such a treasure that hath not enriched only it but all the world with singuler giftes and graces obtayned of God by the merittes of this glorious S. Now the S. foreseeing that his houre drew neere he told Br. Roger that if in case he should dye of that infirmity he would not be troublesome chardgeable to the Couent where he then was and therfore prayed him to gett him conducted to the Couent of the Virgin Mary att Padua where the Frere Minors were which the Religious approuing he layd him on a wagon to the great discontentment of all the Religious of that oratory And as they conducted him to the Citty they mett a deere freind of his in the way who knowing whither he way carryed caused him to change his purpose and persuaded him to goe to a Monastery out of the Citty called Arcele alleadgeing that the visitations he should haue att Padua would be very troublesome vnto him Being then arriued att Arcele and hauing there receaued all the sacraments God speedily called him for hauing with his Religious said the seauen Psalmes and alone that worthy hymne O gloriosa Domina as the glorious virgin Mother had alwayes in his life bin very gracious vnto him so for his comfort defence he saw her att his death then a litle after he saw her beloued sonne

whome very attentiuely beholding and demaunding of Br. Roger whome he saw I see answeared he my Lord IESVS CHRIST Wherto he added fower other wordes for the comfort and edification of his Religious after that he reposed and was halfe an hower in contemplation and then yelded his soule to God He seemed to sleep and presently his flesh that before was vnpleasing to behold as well in regard of his abstinence as his discipline which had made it withered and wan became so white cleare and bright that it seemed rather his glorious then mortall body He died the yeare 1231. the 13. day of Iune being friday the 36. yeare of his age wherof he had spent fifteene in his Fathers house two in the monasterie of S. Vincent att Lisbone nine att S. Crosse of Conimbria and about ten in the Order of S. Francis where he liued very famous in his life doctrine and miracles How he appeared to the Abbot of Vercelles THE XXVIII CHAPTER WIthin the very houre of his departure he sodenly appeared in the chamber of the Abbot of Vercelles sometime his master and Gouernour as if he had priuately entred told him that he had left his residence and was retiring into his contry which said he stroake him with his hand vnder the chinne as if he would dandle him and so cured him of a disease which he had there then vanished as if he had gone out att the chamber dore but the Abbot following him could not finde him and enquiring of his familie if they had seene him they answeared no. Att length sending to his Couent and missing him there he began to vnderstand that his contry whither he was goeing was not Portugall but Paradis and that he dyed att the same instant Of a great mirache wherby the death of sainct Antony was discouered and of the dissension that arose about his sepulture THE XXIX CHAPTER AFter the decease of S. Antony the Religious resolued to conceale it till they had determined how to dispose of his bodie so to auoyd the tumult of the people But God did manifest it by the voices of children that went by troupes crying throughe the Cittie Our Father Sainct Antonie is dead which induced manie Burgesses to goe to the monasterie of Arcele where they vnderstood the truth and hauing found him dead they presently placed many armed men to guard the body and to hinder the transporting therof Then the Frere Minors of the monasterie of Padua also hastened incontinentlie thither accompanyed with manie honorable personnes of the Cittie and required the body as appertayning vnto them considering that the sainct in his life time had declared his intention which was to be interred in their Couent which they made apparant There were also other Competitors which were they that dwelt on the other side of the bridge who perceauing that the Oratorie of Arcele was not secure and that there might be disorder endeuoured by force to take away the holy body to carry it to a monasterie of Religious women neere therevnto and the controuersie grew to such a head that they were readie to fight when as a third party and such as were newters there present laboured to accord them with condition to expect the comming of the minister Prouinciall who should determine the cause Notwithstanding the impatient people could not expect but would haue the holie bodie carryed into the Cittie and to that effect thrice assaulted the Monasterie to haue the gates opened for transporting therof but att each time they remayned att the gate as blinded and halfe benummed without any power or abilitie For which cause as also in regard that it was feared the bodie might begin to sauour by reason of the great heate that then was he was taken from off his discouered coffin and putt in a square chest vnder ground which did so mutine the people who supposed he had bin vtterlie taken from that place that they ran with their swordes in their handes euen to the celles of the Religious whence they would not depart till the holie bodye was shewen them which appeased them Four dayes after his death the Prouinciall arriued who was of opinion with whome ioyned the bishopp that he should be interred in the said Couent in the Cittie according to his owne ordonance in his life time To this effect the Bishop caused a very solemne procession to be made and the Gouernour of the Cittie sent a company of foot men to guard a new bridge which he had caused expreslie to be made of boates but vnderstanding that the inhabitaÌ„tes of the otherside the bridge were resolued by force of armes to surprise the holie body which by right they could not challenge and that they had alreadie broaken the bridge of boates he proclaimed by sound of trompett that no man nor woman vpon paine of death should stirre out of their lodgeing and banished from that contrie and territory the principall heades of this conspiracie and by this meane freed all the Religious of both sex in Padua from feare for they were extremelie afflicted and accused themselues imputing the same to arriue for their offences wherfore they besought our Lord IESVS CHRIST to deliuer them from this affliction which also had put the whole citty into a great tumult So the glorious body of S. Antony was transported to the said Couent of Padua where it was interred in a sepulcher newly and miraculously discouered the fift day after his death Of the resolution of his canonization and of certaine miracles there wrought THE XXX CHAPTER TO speake the truth the dissention aforesaid was not without cause considering that they contested about so precious a treasure it is also to be considered how iustly the Paduans possessed this holy body sith they hazarded their life for it before it wrought any miracles as if each of them had bin assured of the great number of miracles which God would worck by it as he began that verie day making this pacification to appeare so much more pleasing and this treasure more deere and gratefull as the contention had bin greiuous by meanes of the recouerie of all the diseased that onlie touched his sepulcher yea of those that vnable to come to his sepulcher or into the Church inuocated his holy name without This so notable and inexpected successe spreading incontinentlie ouer all the neighbour places the Bishop of Padua vnable to retaine thedeuotioÌ„ of the people that publikely honoured him according to his merittes he sent embassadours to Rome in his name and the Paduans to beseech the Pope to canonise this S. which God had bestowed on them They being graciously entertayned and heard together with the examen made by order of the said Bishop and an other by the deputies of his holinesse who were an Abbot of S. Benedict and a Dominican Prior vpon the life conuersations and miracles of the S. and finding more then sufficient proofe he proposed to the Consistory his canonization att Spoletum it

hardly can I speake and this because I am corporally separated from you and my holy sisters with whome I hoped to haue happely liued and dyed in this world So farre is this my griefe from slacking that it continually encreaseth which as it had a beginning so doe I beleeue it will finde no end in this world For it is so continuall and familier vnto me that it will neuer forsake me I was persuaded that life and death should be a like without power of any separation on earth amongest them who haue one same conuersation and life in heauen and must haue one same sepulture them I say who one same and equall naturall profession and one same loue hath made sisters But as far as I can see being abandoned and afflicted on eache side I am much mistaken O my holy sisters I beseech you to be reciprocally grieued with me and lett vs weepe together I being assured that you shall neuer experience any doulour comparable to that which I now feele in being separated from them with whome IESVS CHRIST had conioyned me This griefe tormenteth me incessantly this fire burneth my hart continually so that being on each side afflicted I know what to thincke neither doth any hope remayne but to be assisted by your prayers that Almighty God easing this affliction may make it tollerable vnto me O my most gracious mother what shall I doe and what shall I say sith I know not that euer I shall see you more or likewise my sisters O that it were lawfull for me to vtter vnto you the conceiptes of my soule as I would desire or that I could open my hart vnto you on this paper then should you see the liuely and continuall dolour that tormenteth me My soule bâ—rneth interâ—ourly being afflicted with an incessant fire of loue and my hart groneth sigheth and lamenteth with desire of your presence Myne eyes cannot haue their fill of weeping and albeit I seeke some consolation against this bitternes yet can I find none but euery thing turneth into griefe and much more when I coÌ„sider the meanes to see you I am entierly steeped in these anguishes hauing none that can comfort me in this life but that I receaue a litle consolation from the liberal hand of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Which causeth me to beseech you all to giue thanckes vnto his diuine maiesty for this fauour and mercy extended towardes me and for that through his grace I finde in this Couent such concord peace and charity as by wordes cannot be expressed these sisters hauing receaued me with exceeding loue deuotion yelding me obedience with extraordinary promptitude and reuerence They all with one accord recommend themselues to our Lord IESVS CHRIST to you my sister and to all the sisters of the monastery and I recommend both my selfe and them to your prayers beseeching you as our Mother to be mindfull of them and of me as of your daughters and know you that they and I will all the dayes of our life obserue and keep your holy preceptes and aduertisementes Besides I desire you should know that the Pope hath accorded to whatsoeuer I demaunded him conformably to your intention and mine and particulerly in the matter you know viz. that we may not possesse any thing proper I beseech you my most deere Mother to procure of the R. Father Generall that he often visitt vs to comfort vs in God whose grace be with your spiritt Amen Of an extasie of S. Agnes and how S. Clare saw her thrice crowned by an Angell THE XXXVI CHAPTER SAinte Clare in her last sicknes obtained that her sister S. Agnes might come to see her in the monastery of S. Damian to keep her company during the few dayes she had to liue And so S. Agnes hauing left her Couent well grounded in Religion and sanctity she came to Assisium where sainte Clare being one night in prayer a part from her sister she neuertheles saw her being also in prayer lifted from the earth and an Angell to crowne her head three seuerall times with so many crownes The day following she demanded of her sister what player or contemplation she had made the night past But she of humility vnwilling to manifest her prayer being att length enforced by obedience made her this relation I considered the great goodnes and patience of almighty God wherby he supporteth such enormous offences of sinners which I considered with a deep sorrow and compassion Then I thought and yet doe thinck on the loue which almighty God beareth to sinners and how he endured death to saue them Thirdly I considered and doe consider and am with coÌ„passion exceedingly afflicted for the soules in purgatory and their great tormentes and because they cannot helpe them selues I asked mercy for them of the most sacred woundes of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST How S. Agnes sent S. Clares vaile to the monasterie of Florence and of her death and translation to S. George of Assisium with all her Religious into a new Couent THE XXXVII CHAPTER AFter the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes sent her black vaile which she did ordinairily weare to the poore Religious of MouÌ„t Celi which she had founded att Florence which she did in regard of her great amity towardes them that they might inherite some reliques of sainte Clare for their comfort and deuotion That vaile is yet in the sayd monastery where it is so carefully preserued that in substance and colour it seemeth still new There is likewise to be seene in the same monastery a cloake of sainct Francis by which reliques our lord worcketh many miracles A litle after the death of sainte Clare sainte Agnes also desired to be present att the mariage of the lambe whither she was inuited but she first receaued the consolatioÌ„ which sainte Clare had promised her that before she departed out of this life she should see her Spouse IESVS CHRIST as a tast of the eternall felicities wherto she was to be eleuated and conducted by her sweet Spouse CHRIST IESVS She dyed the 56. yeare of her age replenished with perfect sanctity and being deliuered out of this prison she went to possesse the kingdome with Angels and the holy virgins that had bin consecrated to IESVS CHRIST in which glory these two sisters and daughters of Sion companions in heauen by nature and grace doe prayse God without end There assembled a great multitude of people vpon the death of sainte Agnes and they with great deuotion ascended the ladder of the monastery of sainct Damian hoping there to receaue some spirituall consolation of sanctity but it happened that the chaine which held the ladder did slip so that al those that were on it fell downe one vpon an other which made a great bruit and clamour by those that were hurt who hauing with a strong faith inuocated S. Agnes were all cured The sayd holy virgin was enterred att S. Damian but afterward was transported into the Church of

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 coÌ„sideration of great consequeÌ„ce 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 AssisiuÌ„ 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 atteÌ„pted 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 theÌ„ 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

recouer them and know the place of their residence but they could neuer see nor heare of them It was then iudged that this was the recompence of the curtesy which the deceased had done to S. Francis and his companions when he entertained them att Orgogno and thence forward those people were euer exceeding deuot vnto the Freer Minors In the same iorney betweene Barcelone and Ghirone neere vnto S. Celony one of the companions of S. Francis being very hungry entred into a vineyard which he happelie found there and did eat of the grapes The keeper of the vines hauing perceaued it tooke from him his cloake which he very patientlie permitted him to take and would not restore it whatsoeuer instance S. Francis vsed but carryed it to his master of whome the said S. so graciously demaunded it that he did not only restore it but withall inuited him to eat with him where he in such sort comported himselfe that this good man entierlie edified by the wordes of the S. and by his doctrine offered himselfe to be a perpetuall host vnto all the Freer Minors that thenceforward should passe that way To whome the S. reciprocally replyed I accept thee for a Freer of our Order and so proceeding in continuall performance of that charity when they passed that way he died many yeares after and as his kinred procured his obsequies to be performed where were present many Preistes some did deridingly beginne to murmure saying that the Freer Minors did not appeare att the death of one of their so affectionate Brethren of who they had receaued so many curtesies and vpon the deliuerie of these wordes there came two and twentie Religious singing the Psalmes of Dauid with an exceeding melodious harmony who hauing finished the office in the Church did all disappeare The kinred of the deceassed prepared for them to eat but they rested content with only giuing thanckes to God with the rest of the people for the recompence he affordeth those that entertayne his seruantes euen after their death It was then ordayned in that citty that the Freer Minors should thenceforward there be lodged and entertayned with all thinges necessary att the chardge of the common purse S. Francis passing afterward through the kingdome of France preaching in a hospitall att Montpelier he prophetically foretold that in that citty should shortlie after be erected a monastery of Freer Minors which was accordingly verified soone after in that a Couent was there built which was very worthely mayntayned till the fury of the Caluinian heresie did vtterly ruinate the same Of the first meeting of S. Francis and S. Dominick THE LVII CHAPTER THe yeare of grace 1215. when the first generall Councell was held att Lateran during the raigne of Pope Innocentius the third the holy Father S. Dominick was att Rome with the Bishop of Tolous called Falcon to procure the Popes confirmatioÌ„ of the Order of Preachers which he then intended to institute and estabish wherof the Pope being by diuine reuelation aduertised and enformed of the great fruit that this Order should produce vniuersally to the holy Church att his first vew of S. Dominick without farther notice of him incontinently commanded him to retourne vnto Tolouse and to conferre with his Religious touching the penning of a rule that might be approued by the Church vnder which his Religion might be confirmed S. Dominick then retourning to Tolouse and hauing with his Religious implored the diuine assistance they made election of the rule of S. Augustine with the name and title of Preachers The yeare following being 1216. Honorius the third succeeding Pope Innocent the third retourning to Rome he demaunded of the Pope that then succeeded the said confirmation with the Bull and apostolicall authority in vertue wherof to make profession and with all to adde other constitutions that seemed necessary All which hauing obtayned the night ensuying he saw in prayer our Lord IESVS CHRIST att the right hand of God against sinners in an hideous and terrible manner brandishing three launces in the aire against the world the first to suppresse the hautines of the proud the second to disgorge the ouer-stuffed entrailes of the auaricious and the third to massacre the carnall There was none that could resist this wrath but the virgin Mary his most sacred mother whome he saw most affectionately to embrace the feet of her sonne beseeching him to pardon those whome he had redeemed with his precious bloud and with the mixture of his infinite mercy to delay that his rigorous iustice Then he heard our Lord thus answeare her See you not mother how manie iniuryes they doe me how is it possible that my holy iustice permitt so many enormityes to be vnpunished His most gracious mother thus replyed Thou knowest my deere Sonne what is the way to conuert sinners vnto thee but behold here a faithfull seruant of thine whome thou mayst presently send into the world to preach thy word to men that being conuâ—rted vnto thee their Sauiour they perish not and behold there also an other of thy seruantes ready to assist him Presenting vnto him S. Dominick and S. Francis with whome he saw God to be satisfied Now S. Dominick awaking very well retayned the markes wherby he might know this his companion whome he neuer knew before But the day following by diuine prouidence he mett S. Francis who was then in the Church of saint Peter att Rome whome he incontinently knew by the markes which he had obserued in the said vision Then he ran and verie affectionatelie embraced him and said we shal be companions and shall labour together in our holie purpose and neither any man nor wicked spiritt shall haue power to preuaile against vs. At length he recounted vnro him the said vision And after long discourse together they remayned vnited in God with one hart will and spiritt They commanded the like vnto their brethren This vision was imparted vnto the Religious of saint Dominick by saint Francis his meanes to whome onlie the said saint had recounted the same How these two SS had sight of each other an other time att Rome and how they reiected the benefices that were presented to them and to their Religious THE XLVIII CHAPTER THese two eminent lightes sent of God to illuminate the world did an other time meet together att Rome in Cardinall Hosties house who for the great zeale he carryed to the Church of God and for the deuotion wherwith he respected them both said vnto them In the primitiue Church the Prelates were poore and liued without any vanity gouerning the flock of Christ with loue and humility not by desire of terrestriall and temporall thinges therfore in myne opinion the holie church would retourne to her primitiue estate if of your Religious we should make Bishops and Prelates because by their doctrine good example of life and by contempt of the world they would represent to the whole world the Prelates of the primitiue

litle faith why distrust you the prouidence of God why remember you not those wordes of Dauid so often cited by your holy Father putt your hope in God and he will assist you he that faileth not the very beastes Know that it hath pleased God to chastice and afflict you with hungar for your weaknes of faith and therfore learne how you ought to behaue your selues hereafter which said he vanished and the Religious thus huÌ„bled demaunded pardon of God to whome they promised amendement How a man that built a Couent for the Freer Minos had his mony encreased this is the thirteenth chapter of the sixt booke putt in this place where it ought to be THE LXVII CHAPTER BVt what happened vnto two Religious that were sent into Arragon is verie admirable being receaued in Lerida by an honorable gentleman called Raymod de Barriaco verie deuout vnto the Order of S. Francis they persuaded him to build them an oratorie without the towne assuring him that by such disbursement his monie would not diminish wherto giuing credit he so seriouslie sett labourers on worck that in short time the building was verie forward Now sending his seruant one day vnto his cabinett to take thence some monie to pay the labourers he retourned answearing him that there was no more He not beleeuing it sent him the second time but he affirmed that doubtleslie there was none wherwith the gentleman considering the great expences he had made and the failing of the foresaid promise being exceedinglie disquieted went impatientlie to the said two Religious and reproached them wherto they humblie answeared that he should not not be afflicted but should goe himselfe and curiouslie search and should without doubt finde the promise of God not to be frustrate Which the gentleman hearing being somewhat recomforted and encouraged beleeued the wordes of the Religious Goeing then himselfe he found all his monie as if he had not disbursed a penie and besides he found a notable somme in a corner Wherfore replenished with ioy att the knowledge of such a miracle of God he weÌ„t to the said Religious at whose feete falling prostrate he demaunded pardon for the litle faith he had and then with exceding feruour proceeded in the building How S. Francis went into Egipt to preach the Faith of Iesus Christ vnto the the Soldan THE LXVIII CHAPTER THe yeare of grace 1219. after the said holie Father had sent his brethren into diuers places as we haue said he determi-to goe preach the faith vnto the great Soldan of Babilon in Egipt and with such feruour that the Christians then went with exceeding deuotion to see if he and his Religious could fight a spirituall combat and by the grace of God wrest those prisoners out of the handes of the deuill But as a great nomber of his Religious followed him to goe in his company arriuing att Ancona where they were to embarque themselues he said vnto them My beloued Brethren I would willingly content you all I know that you vehemently desire to accompany me in regard of your greedy thirst of Martyrdome But you may well perceaue that it is impossible because the vessell is not capable to carry vs all It is therfore expedient that you referre your selues to the will of God wherby such of you as shal be elected shall presently goe with me and the others shall remayne in peace And therfore that none be discontent you see there a litle child very simple which saying he poynted att him being before him who knoweth vs not if you thincke it good as I doe he shall make choice of you They al incontinently consented thervnto the holy Father therfore called the child to whome in theire presence he said Tell me my child is it the will of God that all these Religious goe with me into Egipt The child answeared no. Which of them then replyed S. Francis This this this said the child and so by one and one he pointed out eleuen and no more which the others perceauing they stopped thir iorney and the holy Father with the said eleuen Religious embarqued themselues At length after a longe nauigation they arriued in Egipt where the Christian army then beseiged the citty of Damiett which the Soldan possessed whose army was also in the feild euery day skiâ—mishing with ours so that there was no meane to passe the army of the Pagans without imminent daÌ„ger of death in regard that the Soldan had proclaimed an edict through his campe that euery More that could bring in the head of a Christian should be rewarded with a ducat But the seruant of God S. Francis who went thither for no other end but to die a martyr hauing made his prayer and being spiritually comforted in God went with all his companyons to the army of the Mores continually singing this verse of the Prophett Although I shall walke in the middest of the shaddow of death I will not feare euils because thou art with me Bur being discouered by the Mores diuers of them issued out of the campe and assaulted S. Francis and his companions as hungry wolues the simple sheep who yelded themselues captiues without any resistance affirming only that they had matters of importance to impart vnto the Soldan How the holy Father S. Francis preached vnto the Soldan THE LXIX CHAPTER THus then was S. Francis and his companions led fast bound vnto the Soldan who incontinently demaunded who they were who had sent them into his army and what was the end of their comming The holy Father as one that found himselfe in that place which he had a long time exceedingly desired with a merueilous feruour of spiritt thus answeared him Know Emperour Soldan that our comming hither hath not bin enioyned vs by any earthly man or Prince but by the will and ordinance of that almighty king of kinges and lord of lordes the eternall God who hath sent vs vnto thee that art not only his creature as we all are but art also his Minister and possessest his place in thine Empire and therfore his most gracious goodnes seeing that thou with all thy people walkest out of the true way of the knowledge of him thine only true and soueraigne God and though thou deceauest thy selfe putting thine affection in creatures without acknowledging their Creatour and Redeemer though thou doest farre stray from the way of naturall reason wherby thou mightest attaine the knowledg of thy faultes of the honour thou owest vnto his diuine Maiesty and of his law yet he hauing a feeling compassion of thee hath sent vs hither to teach thee the true way and the only meane of thy saluation which consisteth alone in the faith and obediece of IESVS CHRIST the true Sonne of God and true man who came into the world to redeeme vs from the handes of the deuill and to giue eternall glory to all them that haue bin are and shal be sincere in holy Faith and on the contrary eternall torment

care of all their necessities and promised them to sell his goodes to mayntaine them if they would continue in that country The worthy example of their life was so admirable that they who could not be conuerted by their doctrine were conuerted by meane of their vertuous worckes which indeed are of much more efficacie they mollified the most fierce and barbarous nations mortall ennemies of the Christian name making them compassionate and pittifull but the nomber of the wicked and insolent budding foorth and being the more potent in that country yet not daring to kill them in regard of the patentes of their great Soldan they caused them to liue a lamentable life afflicting them ten thousand manner of wayes and the holy Father here vpon knowing the will of God to be that he should retourne hauing by the assistance of his diuine Maiesty assembled al his Religious not hauing so much profited among those Barbarians as he desired he repayred towardes the Soldan thence hauing taken leaue of him to retourne into Italy How S. Francis retourned into Italy THE LXXI CHAPTER THe said holy Father being retourned towardes the Soldan was very ioyfully and graciously entertayned and he att length told him secretly that he would willingly become Christian beleeuing firmely that the Christian Religion was the true way of saluation but he feared to manifest the same for the present the time seeming improper he warring against the Christians nor being secure by reason that the Mores hated them to the death but because by thy retourne said the Soldan to S. Francis as I coÌ„iecture thou mayest profitt many and I haue many matters to dispatch that deeply concerne me I beseech thee to instruct me att this preset that mine affaires effected I may obey thee when occasioÌ„ shal be preseÌ„ted as I doe now sincerely promise thee The holy Father hauing demaunded respite of answeare went to his prayer wherin perseuering for many dayes together he continually implored the grace of God for that poore soule whence he would neuer desist till he was heard which with the successe being reuealed vnto him he weÌ„t to the SoldaÌ„ to whom he said Sir I resolue to goe into Italy the will of my God being such but I promise to seÌ„d you two Religious in time conuenient by whose meane according to the reuelation which God hath giuen me and which I explicate and promise vnto you you shall certainely be saued The Soldan hauing heard so gratefull an answeare with an exceeding contentement imprinted the same in his hart and S. Francis taking leaue of him retourned into Italy and failed not in the accomplishment of his promise for he appeared to two of his Religious that were resident in Syria whom he sent to the Soldan who was deadly sick the Religious repayred vnto him and instructed him and hauing baptised him he died S. Antony of Padua speaking of this Soldan conformably hereto affirmeth that diuers are of opinioÌ„ that he was baptised before his death the firme affectioÌ„ which he carryed vnto the ChristiaÌ„s being apparantly manifested for he had entertayned of theÌ„ for the guard of his body it is well knowne what piety he alwayes shewed towardes our army Likwise Iames de Vitry Cardinall in his historie writteÌ„ of the conquest of the holie land guieth testimonie of S. Francis his voyage in those quarters in these wordes We haue seene the Father S. Francis the first Founder of the Order of the Freer Minors a simple man and without learning but so much fauoured of God and men and eleuated to so high a feruour of spiritt that coÌ„ming to the armie of ChristiaÌ„s that beseiged the cittie of Damiette in Egipt he passed with out any feare armed onlie with the buckler of faith to the middest of the armie of the Mores saying Bring me to the Soldan to whose presence being come as soone as he had beheld him of a most cruell beast as he was he became a most gentle lambe and gaue most attentiue eare to the word of God which he preached But att length fearing that many of his people that desirously herad him and yet did not stirre from his campe would be conuerted and adhere vnto our army he returned him with great reuerence vnto vs praying him att his deperture that he would pray vnto God for him that he would please to inspire him to entertaine and espouse that law that were most pleasing and gratefull vnto him Of the vehement temptations wherwith the deuils tormented S. Francis THE LXXII CHAPTER ALbeit the holy Father wrought so much fruit conuerting the sinners of Egipt and conducting them into the true land of promise which is Religion free from all earthly tribute and obligation neuertheles the ancient ennemy of this blessed generation did not sleep for he vsed all the slightes he could deuise wherwith to confound the same And because he knew well that it entierly consisted in the head which was S. Francis he omitted not to assault this fortresse which God had placed on an high scituation to be an example vnto others hoping alwayes either to weary him or att least to make some relent and mitigation of his strict rigour and perfection of life Knowing therfore that all kind of vertue was compleat in the said S. he also stirred all his ministers against him who notwithstanding could no further preuaile then God would permitt The arrogant and proud Lucifer could not support his profound humilitie Mammon the prince of the world perceauing that there was no wordlie thing in the S. but that he had cassiered euery thing yea him who was prince thereof by the rigour of Euangelicall pouertie he neuer slept from endeauouring to make him cast his affection on some creature of this world The gloutonus Satan watched and laboured to procure some relaxation in the rigour of his diett lodging and cloathing The impatient Asmodeus armed himselfe against him to leuell att the patience of the holie Father The loathsome and filthy Behemol assaulted him presenting sensualitie often vnto him with endeauour to defile the candour of his virginitie Belzebub the captaine of the idle omitted no time to tempt him with sloath and by some apparant reasons to persuade him to take some litle recreation The persecuting prince Leuiathan tormented him with naturall perturbations discontentements and disgustes wherwith the flesh afflicted the peace and charitie of the S. against which Golias and his army the humble Dauid in the name and vertue of his God obtayned so glorious a victorie that he might well sing Francis hath ruined and subdued an hundred thousand ennemies and hath driuen away the derisions and rebukes which the diuels procured vnto the Church by auarice and sensualitie But God would that the deuill himselfe should by the mouth of the possessed acknowledge the cruell warre that S. Francis and his Religious waged against him and likwise the great fruit they produced in soules though this his confession was sufficientlie

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

in the pulpitt he made a sermoÌ„ to the people that thither by Goddes prouidence were abondaÌ„tly flocked from all the neighbour places with an extreme feruour explicating vnto theÌ„ this so great treasure which he performed with such deep doctrine that it seemed rather the discourse of an Angell theÌ„ of a maÌ„ vnlearned as he was Att the end of this sermoÌ„ he denouÌ„ced vnto the people in the name of God his most sacred mother the indulgeÌ„ce in these words Whosoeuer being truely coÌ„trite coÌ„fessed shall visitt this church the first day of August from the euensong therof and the night and daie of the feast it selfe to the sunne setting he shall gaine a plenary indulgence which is graunted him first by God secoÌ„darily by his Vicare Pope Honorius and the same to coÌ„tinue for euer on that day The bishopps there preseÌ„t to coÌ„firme the speech S. FraÌ„cis would not accord to that for euer The bishop of AssisiuÌ„ therfore coÌ„firming the indulgeÌ„ce to the people purposing to limitt it to ten yeares could neuer vtter it but was coÌ„strayned to say for euer the like happened vnto the other bishoppes This miracle being very euideÌ„tly knowne vnto the people it encreased their faith preueÌ„ted the doubt which some might haue had that God himselfe had not grauÌ„ted this indulgeÌ„ce Therefore the publicatioÌ„ being ended the bishoppes being exceedingly amazed att the miracle did with great soleÌ„nity consecrate the said church which continued for euer endued with this great treasure to the glory of our lord his holy mother the virgin Mary and his seruant S. Francis and to the soules health of all Christians Of certaine miracles wrought by Godin confirmatioÌ„ of the said indulgence THE IV. CHAPTER IT pleased God besides the fore mentioned to cause this so great indulgence to be beleeued and reuerenced in due mannner for the publike good by such miracles and reuelations as we shall now relate The yeare following a great number of people being come to gaine the said indulgence whiles they watched by night in prayer vnto God in the said church there arose in a moment such a rumour among the people there assembled that the Religious who were att rest were awakened therwith Comming therfore into the church they saw a Doue whiter then snow that flew fiue times about the Church One of them stepping forward the better to see came neere the high altare where he found Brother Corrado of Offeida a right holy Religious of an exceeding exemplare life and famous for miracles whome he prayed to lett him better vnderstand the occasion of the great murmure that was among the people who verie pitifull cryed out This venerable Father answeared that he was content to tell him conditionally that he would promise not to reueale it to any person during his life Which being condicioned he said I saw the Queene of heauen to discend cloathed with an ineffable splendour as holding her Sonne in her armes and to giue her holy benediction vnto all present then this Doue which was with her on the altare began to fly to signifie the visitation of God it hath here flowne round about the church Which the people seeing though they knew not all began thus to crye out towardes heauen The same day the mother of our lord was seene to enter into the Church with the Religious and to accompanie the ordinarie procession with a great troupe of Angels that sung prayses vnto God This was seene by Religious of pious life and also by certaine pilgrimes As in the Marquisat of Ancona one coniured the deuill that vehementlie afflicted a poore possessed woman to enforce him to tell what course was to be vsed to expell him he answeared att lenght that he tormented not the woman for any sinne of hers but onlie to the end God might be praysed by her and that therefore there was no other remedie to deliuer her but to procure her to gaine the indulgence of our ladie of Angels and that he spake thus much as forciblie coÌ„strayned to speake against him selfe as he likewise confessed that by the same indulgence he lost a great multitud of soules which he already held as his owne by reason of the enormous sinnes they had committed The woman was therfore with great affliction and greife brought to our ladie of Angels the verie day of the indulgence and as soone as she was entred the effect succeeded for the deuill lifting her into the aire departed and the poore woman fell as dead to the ground But by the merittes of the glorious Virgin she incontinentlie arose verie sound of bodie and soule hauing bin confessed to gaine the indulgence There are besides manie true testimonyes to whome haue appeared the spirittes of diuers deceassed reuealing vnto them that hauing certaine dayes before their death gayned the said indulgence they were sodenlie by the glorious Virgin Mother conducted into Paradice without feeling any paine of purgatorie others also gayning this indulgence that was applyed vnto them by forme of suffrage after their death by meane of some liuing freindes were deliuered of the paines of Purgatorie as by this ensuying discourse shall appeare A Venetian Gentleman that was a verie spirituall Preist desiring to gaine this indulgence as he prepared himselfe to goe thither he fell sicke and of the same sicknes dyed but before his death he said to a very freind of his My good freinde I desire you to beleeue that there is no man in the world of my kinred or whosoeuer other in whome I haue more confidence then in your selfe nor of whome I hope to obtaine what I desire for the saluation of my soule I therfore pray you that if it please God to call me vnto him you will vndertake so much labour as to goe to our ladie of Angels to gaine the plenaire indulgence for the benefitt of my soule and to defray your chardges in the iorney demaund what you will and I will giue it you that the indulgence being mine you receaue no detriment therby This freind took what was requisit for his expences and promised to goe Now this Preist being dead and the time of Pilgrimage being come his deere freind though he saw manie that prepared them selues to the iorney he as if he had made no promise deferred his iorney purposing with himselfe to goe the yeare following which is a thing but too ordinarie to ingratefull persons kinred and freindes neglecting and forgetting the poore decassed the Preist appeared to this vnworthy freind in his sleep the same night that he had made the foresaid purpose and with an angry countenance reprehending him he said Goe on thy iorney now with such as prepare themselues therto He awaking determined to doe that for feare which he had neglected to doe for respect of amitye Hauing effected the promise the same day that he entred into the church and gayned the indulgence for the deceased the Preist in the night ensuying appeared vnto

other necessities they must first consider how much land will suffice them hauing alwayes regard to our pouerty and to the good example which we are bound to giue in our houses as well as in other thinges And therfore he would not that the Religious should be many together in houses nor that they should make them great it seeming to him a difficult matter that pouerty can be obserued where there is a great multitude After they shall haue considered the scituation and the place conuenient to erect the Monasteries they must repaire to the bishop of the citty and say to him My lord and Father such a one for the loue of God and for the benefitt of his soule permitteth vs to build a house one his land we first are willing to addresse our selues to you who are lord and Pastour of all this flocke recommended vnto you and euen of vs and of all the Religious that shall haue residence here where we desire with the benediction of God and yours to build a Monastery And hauing receaued the benediction of the bishop lett them first of all take a cord wherwith they shall measure the plott which is necessary for them to build the house which they shall make poore the matter shal be wood and stone the celles shal be litle onlie sufficient for the Religious to repose therin who shall also pray there and striue to auoyd idlenes their churches shal be litle they shall not make them great vnder coulour to preach to the people therin or for other edification for it shal be reputed greater humility and better example to goe to preach in other churches When Prelates Preistes Religious and other seculers shall come to our Oratory the poore celles and litle churches will preach to them and they shal be much better edified then by faire or good speeches An other time he said The Frere Minors will often build great and sumptuous edifices bringing to ruine our mistresse pouerty which shal be cause of euill exaÌ„ple murmure and importunity of the people Therfore it would much better beseeme our estate and the edification of soules to make no such buildinges att other times vnder pretence of making chaunge for a more healthfull place more commodious and lesse troublesome they will forsake their poore houses to the great scandall of the people to erect greater and such as are abhominable to the eyes of God and pouerty in which buildinges they will employ much almose gotten vnder pretext of necessity wherof they shall yeld account to God as robbers of the almose of the poore In these respectes it is much better for them to haue litle churches in them obseruing their profession giuing to their neighbour example of true Religious S. Francis forbad his Religious to build their Monasteries of other matter then wood and earth as doe the poore of this world There were certaine Religious of contrary opinion alleaging diuers reasons as that in some prouinces wood and bordes were deerer then stones and lime and also that buildinges made of lime and stone were of longer continuance and more sure but S. Francis to auoyd contradiction would giue them no answeare nor did he approue their humane reasons To demonstrate that he dyed with this intention he caused these wordes to be inserted in his testament that the Frere Minors should be very carefull not to accept the houses that are builded for them if they were not conformable to their holy pouerty that they should be as for Pilgrimes and that they should liue in them as strangers He sometime said against certaine learned Prelates of the Order and wise in erronious worldly prudence that were alwayes directly contrary in the strict obseruance of pouerty Wretched be the Religious that are contrary to me in such matters as I know to be the will of God and are necessary for conseruation of the Order then he said to his companions These contradictions redouble mine infirmities for some Religious are alwayes contrary vnto me by the authority of their erronious science and prudence in matters reuealed vnto me by God for the benefitt of the Order aswell present as to come which they misprise desiring rather to follow their owne opinion then the will of God How much he was ennemy to the vse of supperfluous bookes THE XXII CHAPTER ANouice had licence of the vicar generall to haue a psalter wherby to learne to read but because he heard it spoaken that the holy Father S. Francis would not that the simple Religious should haue care either of bookes or learning he could not contentedly keepe it without approbation of S. Francis who comming to the place where the Nouice was who was lately professed hâ— went to him and said Father it would be great satisfaction vnto me if by your licence I might keepe the psalter though your vicar generall hath permitted me I am not yet well satisfied vnles you confirme it The holy Father answeared him The Emperour Chaflemagne Rouland and all the other Pallatine and valiant warriers with exceeding swetty labours and trauailes prosecuting the infidels gott of them great victoryes and purchaced great honour in the memory of men the holy martyres gett farre greater glorie in the battailes and victories which they obtaine against the infernall spirittes and their fellowes who are wicked men they dying gloriouslie for the faith of IESVS CHRIST it seemeth that the men of these times seeke to pourchace glorie and honour to read or heare related these histories without imitating theÌ„ not considering their labours and their death My childe hereof I would inferre that thou shouldest seeke neither bookes nor learning but vertuous worckes in which consist true glory because science alone puffeth vp in pride charitie edifieth The Nouice with this answeare departed vtterlie confounded A litle after being tempted by the deuill he mett S. Francis att the fire to whome he spake againe of the psalter And the holie Father answeared My Sonne when thou hast leaue for the psalter thou wilt also ake for the Breuiary then for other bookes to learne and when thou hast learned any thing thou wilt sitt in a chaire as if thou were a great diuine or Prelate and wilt say to one of thy Brethren Goe fetch me my breuiary Speaking this with great feruour of spiritt he tooke ashes wherwith rubbing his head he sayd A breuiary for me a breuiary for me and diuers times reiterating the same the Religious remayned as beside him selfe and durst not for that time speake any more of the psalter S. Francis said further vuto him I haue bin att times tempted as thou art now to haue many bookes but to know if such were the will of God I tooke a booke where the gospels were written and besought his diuine Maiesty to voutsafe to shew me his will by the opening therof whervpon I lighted on these wordes of his owne The knowledge of the misteries of the kingdome of God is giuen

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

and though they be not knowne in the world they shall neuertheles be much esteemed of God for he will neuer abandon this Religion so that there shall alwayes remayne some competent nomber of vertuous though in comparison of so many lewd and libertines they shall appeare very few and this few shall be persecuted of the world which shall procure them a greater crowne with God Now the sackcloth and cloake so course wherof I seeme to be ashamed and disquieted is holy pouerty which as it is the ornament of this Order and the singuler foundation of all piety so the bastard children shal be ashamed therof for their ayme shall not be to God but to the world and therfore endeauouring to please it they shall misprise the habitt of God and seeke faire and fine cloth for the vse wherof they shall importune the world and shall pourchace it by way of simonie and therefore happy shall they be that perseuer to the end in obseruance of their holy vowes After these speeches it disappeared and the holy Father S. Francis remayned full of admiration and teares with all his hart recommending vnto God his sheep both present and to come God reuealed these thinges and many other to his seruant Francis as head and Pastour of his Frere Minors concerning the chaunge of his Religion which being founded in Euangelicall perfection exceeding difficult to be obserued according to the world it is not to be admired if it be fallen and doe decline from its perfection We all being naturally inclined and affected to worldly thinges and to shunne alll seueritie and rigour and all necessitie and much more freindes to our owne will then to the will of God which according to our sottish prudence causeth vs to make no esteeme of the commaundementes of God and to forke his most strict way though most necessarie to our saluation as in deed it is and therfore degenerating more and more we fall from our first Fathers On the other side also it is not to be admired if some of these so fraile vessels composed of earth as we are haue demonstrated such an inuincible constancie in so strict an obligation to obserue the gospell and in themselues to preserue such a treasure because all that is the worck of God to the end the world may know that the eminencie and glory of this Religion proceedeth of the vertue and power of his diuine maiesty and not of humane force and vertue And therfore when to him seemeth time conuenient he sendeth reformations to support the same Of the compassion and discreet charity of S. Francis to wards all his Religious but particulerly to wardes the sicke THE XXX CHAPTER BEcause the obligation of a Prelate towardes his sheep doth not only extend to giue them aduise and spirituall refections but also to releiue them in their corporall necessities the holie Father S. Francis was replenished with an infinite charitie and had a continuall care to prouide for the corporall wantes of his beloued children and particulerlie where sicknes and necessitie were ioyned together which charitie he exercised not only of Fatherlie duetie but of naturall compassion which he euer had towardes the afflicted which vertue he afterward redoubled to make it more meritorious so that he referred all the afflictions of his neigbour to the person of IESVS CHRIST for whose loue they ought to be assited and therfore his hart melted as if he had seen his God in them for which cause those new and feruent warriers of IESVS CHRIST in the beginning of the Order did so speciallie exceed in leading seuere liues and doeing worckes worthy of pennance which may appeare by the ensuying example together with the charitie of the Sainct As the Religious were one day a sleep one of them began with a loud voice to cry I dye att which lamentation S. Francis instantlie arose and caused all the other Brethren to arise and to light a candell then asking who was he that complained the Religious answeared him Father it is I that dye with hunger which hearing he presentlie caused to be brought him to eat and that he should not be ashamed he caused a table to be prepared wheron he meant to eat himselfe which he caused all the other Religious to doe though it were a verie extraordinarie houre The Religious hauing taken his Refection the holie Father to teach his children the vertue of discretion wherby they should moderate the feruour of the spiritt for conseruation of the corporall forces in abstinence he said Brethren learne and retaine in you this aduertisement that each one carefullie conserue his naturall complexion and forces and lett him vse moderation in abstinence accordinge vnto them for albeit some can sustaine themselues with litle food it is not therfore reasonable that others who cannot liue with so litle should keep the same abstinence for as we are obliged to forbeare superfluous eating for not damning our soule and consuming our body so ought we to shunne indiscreet abstinence but must so vse it as the bodie may serue the soule for God loueth mercy aboue sacrifice and lett euerie one remember what by charity I haue done I haue only done it as a pious worcke and for an example of charitie his extreme necessitie requiring it And therfore lett each one refraine to cause the like an other time and especially Prelates towardes their Religious Which was exceeding carefully obserued of the S. for though he were very glad that pouerty in all thinges should appeare in them yet would he neuer that his Religious should be frustrate of their due releife and therfore when he saw they had not sufficient to eat himselfe would goe to begge as we haue heretofore made appeare For his owne respect notwithstanding his verie feeble complexion he was euer very strict and abstinent yea beyond reason euen from the beginning of his conuersion to his death Yet he is not therfore to be reprehended considering that one ought not to measure or limitt the life of the great seruantes of God who are continuallie directed in their actions by the holy Ghost but we must permitt to worck in them the spiritt and certaine excesses that are to be seene it is sufficient for vs to our confusion to admire them and therof to imitate what one can for it was expedient that as many were defectiue performing lesse then their duety God should raise others that in their bodyes should supply both for themselues and their neighbour and to the end that the holy Father might giue this good example of himselfe wheras in his sicknesses many thinges extraordinarie were necessarie for him he would rather depriue himselfe therof to giue example to othersâ— and when there were any Religious sicke he was not ashamed to goe into the villages to seeke flesh and their other wantes which in their health he would not haue permitted them to vse for any thing in the world He did also seriouslie admonish them to remember that

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 maÌ„ 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 conteÌ„t 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

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 theÌ„ seeking to doe pennance God gaue me this grace that whereas I formerly abhorred to behold leapers much more to serue theÌ„ I began to loue theÌ„ 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 theÌ„ in precious places As also I haue euer reuerenced the holy name of God in whatsoeuer papers I haue fouÌ„d 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 theÌ„

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 haÌ„des 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

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 coÌ„tentment 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 caÌ„ euer explicate the motioÌ„ of our vnderstaÌ„ding the abstractioÌ„ 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 coÌ„solation 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 consequeÌ„tly his very mouth whervpon he graciously vttered these wordes O most worthy excelleÌ„t 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 iudgmeÌ„t 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 sheweÌ„ 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 mouÌ„t 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 coÌ„ceiptes that wheÌ„ 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 commaÌ„ded 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 occasioÌ„ 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

the glorious Father S. Francis But when he was shewen his fall and had seene whence he came euen to the ground he was vtterly amazed and beside himselfe to consider what had happened vnto him without any knowledge of his till the presente Wherfore be promised vnto God before them all in acknowledgement of so worthy a benefitt to doe pennance for the fauour afforded vnto him by the merittes of the glorious Father S. Francis In the towne of Pophy in Campania a Preist called Thomas goeing to repaire a mill appertayning to the church scituat on the border of the riuer he fell by mischance vnder the wheele of the mill which by violence of his motion carryed him downe and held him in the current with his face vpward without power to moue or speake by reason that the water which draue the wheele fell on his face so that he could not vtter one word Wherfore he called in his hart for help vnto S. Francis hauing no farther power and hauing so remayned a good space his companions endeauouring to assist him by force and industry they so preuayled that the wheele tourned backe so that the Preist was by the current of the water incontinently carryed into the depth of the chanell and whiles he was there there appeared vnto him a Frere Minor cloathed in white and girded with a corde who very dextrously took him by the arme and drew him out of the chanell saying vnto him I am that Francis whome thou hast inuocated The preist therfore finding himselfe not only freed from danger but perfectly well considering the greatnes of the miracle and the great mercy of God in his behalfe by the merittes of S. Francis exceedingly amazed and prostrating himselfe to the earth to kisse the feet of his benefactour but not seing him he being already vanished he asked his companions whither he was gone and how he might finde him but they knowing no more then himselfe began to conceaue the miracle Wherfore they all together fixing their eyes on the earth did eleuate their spiritt to God magnifying his immensiue greatnes and the vertuous merittes of the Sainct Certaine yong men goeing from the towne Celan to gather grasse in a feild where there was a well which being ouergrowne with grasse was not seene and each of them endeauouring to cutt his part it chaunced that one of them fell into the well where the water was fower pases deep Falling he called for the helpe of S. Francis with a very strong faith and deuotion and so lowd that all his companions heard him and not seeing him they came to the place where they heaâ—d the voice and by the way which his hooke had made thy found the well where seeing him therin they ran to their houses lamenting and crying for helpe where they so moued their towne fellowes that they came to assist him and one of them descending into the well found him sitting on the water without receauing any detriment and drawing him out he told them that falling he had inuocated the help of S. Francis who in his very fall assisted him with his presence for he very gently supported him with his sacred hand neuer leauing him till they had drawne him out then he exhorted them all together with him to giue thanckes to God for that by the vertue of his faithfull seruant he had deliuered him from death and so they retourned to the towne giuing thanckes to God and to S. Francis When the Romane Court was resident att Assisium the Cardinall of Hostia who was afterward Pope Alexander the fourth ' preaching in the church of S. Francis there fell a grosse stone vpon the head of a deuout womaÌ„ wherwith she receaued such hurt that falling to the ground each one thought her to be dead and for such couered her with her owne coate not to trouble the sermon with resolution to carry her out to performe her funeralles But this woman as she testified afterward when she receaued the blow with great faith called for the helpe of sainct Francis she was then before his altare so the sermon being ended she arose with the other women sound and perfectly well without any signe of hurt and which is admirable hauing formerly had a great paine in her head that had long troubled her in fauour of this last mortall blow she neuer felt any paine after Neere to the citty of Cornette where there is a monasterie of Frere Minors as they were melting a bell many of the neighbour places repaired thither to see it but there arose such a winde that the whole world seemed ready to be dissolued and taking the two doores it mounted them into the aire and cast them againe on the ground with great impetuosity and violence wherof one fell on a child called Bartholomew about eight yeares of age which a woman deuout vnto the Couent had sent thither with an almose Now they all esteemed him not only dead but vtterly dismembred vnder such a waight neuertheles inuocating the glorious Father sainct Francis they ran all to lift vp the child from vnder the dore the Father of him being present was so surprised with greife that he was euen sencelesse yet he inuocated the Sainct to whome he offered his sonne if he recouered the dore att length being lifted vp the child arose on his legges sound and well as if he had awakened from a sleep which procured a great ioy to the people and particulerly to his Father Now according to his vow the child being of competent age which was about fourteen yeares he made him a Frere Minor where he dyed piously hauing so liued a good Religious of a notable spiritt worthy doctrine and a famous Preacher Certaine other miracles like to these of diuers that were deliuered from the danger of death THE VII CHAPTER CErtaine men of Castel-Lantin hauing cutt out a verie great stone to place vnder the altare of a church of sainct Francis that was shortlie after to be dedicated albeit they were forty men to raise and accommodate the same on the wagon to carrie it to the said Church yet were they not of sufficiencie to performe the same Now some of them attempting to trye their forces and to doe more then they were able the stone slipped out of their hold and fell vpon one of them which was a great terrour and greife to the rest as not knowing how to releiue their companion Wherfore they went away all to ten persons as not able to endure that hideous spectacle which ten inspired of God hauing inuocated sainct Francis praying him to haue compassion of him that had so employed himselfe in his seruice they attempted to tourne the said stone which they so easely handled that they perceaued well they were assisted by the S. The stone being remoued the man arose very sound without any hurt yea hauing one eye defectiue he was entierly cured therof that it might publiquely appeare what power

the holy Father S. Francis had with God euen in desperate matters An other accident like vnto this happened att sainct Seuerin in the Marquisat of Ancona in this sort A very great stone being brought from Constantinople and by the helpe of diuers men carryed into the Church of the said S. in laying it downe it so slipt that a man fell directly vnder it but the stone att the very instant raysed it selfe S. Francis appeared to the miserable labourer whome he caused sound safe to arise albeit he was esteemed vtterly crushed in peeces A Burgesse of Gayette called Bartholomew earnestly employed in building the Church of S. Francis there to be erected a beame of timber being not well setled fell vpon his neck so that he was esteemed a dead man as well therfore as he could he required the B. Sacrament of a Religious there present who supposing it impossible for him to liue till the same might be procured vsed vnto him these wordes of S. Augustin Crede manducastâ— beleeue and make account that thou hast eaten and receaued it then he caused him to be carryed to his house The night following S. Francis with eleuen Religious appeared vnto him holding before him a litle laÌ„be and drawing neere the bed he called him saying Bartholomew feare not for the deuill shall not be able to hinder thee from labouring in my seruice Behold the lambe which thou diddest require to be giuen thee whome thou hast receaued by thy good and pious desire and by vertue wherof thou shalt recouer health of bodie and soule Then hauing layd on him his sacred hand and giuen him his holy benediction he commanded him to goe finish the worck begun He being vtterlie amazed arising in the morning entirely cured of so mortall a blow retourned with alacrity to his labour which passed with incredible admiration to all those that had left him for dead who awakened their soules disposing them to loue and deuoutlie to reuerence the holy Father S. Francis In the towne of Ceperan there was a man called Nicholas who was so wounded by his ennemies that they left him for dead vpon the pauement But whiles they stroke him he alwayes with a loud voice cryed out S. Francis helpe me which crye was heard a farre of by diuers who from the place where they were could not so redely releiue him but came to see him when the fact was done and carryed him into his house where he assured them that albeit they saw him all bathed in his bloud notwithstanding he should not dye of those woundes wherof he neither felt any kinde of paine and that this proceeded of the helpe he had receaued of the holy Father S. Francis and also that he had obtayned of God time for to doe penance The successe confirmed the same for being washed from his bloud he was withall cured of his woundes to the great astonishment of those that had seene and carryed him into his house In the towne of S. Geminian a gentlemans sonne had a flux of bloud issuyng out of his eyes and mouth which had brought him to extremity that nothing was expected but his death and had in deed diuers effects or tokens of death as feeblenes of his spiritt losse of his hearing his members also were so weakened that he seemed insensible and att euery moment was expected the yelding vp of his spiritt Many therfore of his fathers freindes repairing as the manner is to comfort him they had no other discourse but of his buriall But the father that had a great faith and confidence in God though as a man he was exceedinglie afflicted entertayned in his conceit a pious cogitation which he put in execution for leauing all those that were come to comfort him he retired himselfe alone into the Church of S. Francis that was neere vnto his house where falling prostrate on the grooÌ„d he putt his girldle about his necke and prayed to S. Francis that he would please to be a meditatour for the health of his sonne in such sort and with so great a faith so profound a humility and such dolorous plaintes and teares that he merited to be heard of IESVS CHRIST then filled with hope he retourned to his house where he found his kinred and freindes full of ioy for the health which his sonne had recouered so that they and he together chaunged their teares into ioy and their affliction into contentmeÌ„t So by the intercession of the said S. the death of the sonne was tourned into life And afterward they altogether gaue thanckes to God and his freindes and kinred departed exceedinglie comforted and edified by the vertue of the holy father S. Francis Our Lord IESVS CHRIST wrought a like action by the merites of this glorious S. in a towne called Tamarit in Catalonia where he restored health to a yong gentlewoman as also to an other of Ancona who had a daughter ready to dye through the extremity of her disease whose father inuocating the S. obtayned his daughters health A Preist named Mattheiw of a citty called Ville-blaÌ„che hauing drunk a deadly poyson incontinentlie lost his speech his tongue and bodie swelled in such sort that death only was expected An other Preist being present att this pittifull spectacle persuaded him to be incontinentlie confessed the other fell on his knees but could not vtter so much as one word wherfore making vse of reason he humblie recommended himselfe vnto God in heart beseeching him to vouchsafe by the merittes of his seruant Francis to free him from such an odious death At the verie instant which was admirable he began with a loud voice to inuocate the name of S. Francis then he vomited the venime which he had receaued yelding thanckes to God and S. Francis How S. Francis deliuered many pilgrimes from tempests and misfortunes of the sea THE VIII CHAPTER CErtaine nauigatours were on a time in this sort in peril of death they being some fiue leagues distant from the harbour of Barut the windes and tempestes growing violent fearing to be drowned they cast ankor but their disaster by the impetuositie of the windes so encreased and the seas in such sort swelled that the cables breaking the ankors did stick fast to the bottome and the vessell floated heere and there without hope of safety by reason of the incertaintie of the course of the waters and the inequalitie of the tide till it pleased God to calme the sea when the mariners as halfe dead began to seeke their ankors in the sea where they perceaued the cables there employing all the dilligence and art they could deuise But their labour vainlie spent they inuocated the assistance of diuers sainctes And being exceedinglie wearied one of them whose name was Perfectus though of condicion verie lewd and imperfect said in scoffing manner to his companions You haue implored the assistance of so manie Sainctes yet haue they not heard you lett vs a litle inuocate that

Religious began then out of loue to weep bitterlie and affectionatelie recommended themselues to his prayers wherin next vnto God they reposed more confidence then in any other thing saying vnto him Father send vs whither you shall please we are ready to accomplish what soeuer God by you shall command But withall we beseech you to remember that we goe a mong most cruell men whose tongue is vnknowne vnto vs as also are their manners and behauiour besides we know them to be the ennemies of Christians desiring nothing more then to drinck their bloud and ours with so much more fury and passion when they shall know we endeauour to conuert their people for accomplishmeÌ„t wherof we acknowledge our forces to be most infirme and our selues very insufficient if the mercy of God doe not by your prayers assist vs and therfore we recommending vs vnto them demaund your holy benediction that we may vndergoe this obedience to the honour of God and the saluation of our owne and the Infidels soules S. Francis then lifting his eyes all bathed with teares towardes heauen blessed them in this manner The benediction of God the Father the loue of the Sonne our Redeemer IESVS and the grace of the holy Ghost discend vpon you as it discended on the Apostles conduct comfort and fortifye you in afflictions that you may valiantly resist couragiously assault and gloriously subdue your ennemies sith God sendeth you for his glory and seruice And feare not for God goeth with you to be your protector So being full of teares he dismissed them and these Apostolicall Religious tooke their iorney conformably to the Rule of the holy Ghospell on foote without mony scrip or staffe bare-foote with one only coate poore course and all patched but yet in exchaunge of all this they had the grace of God that safelie and securely conducted them into Spaine How Brother Vitall fell sicke in Spaine and would that leauing him alone in the hospitall his Companions should proceed on other iourney and of his death THE II. CHAPTER THese good Religious being arriued in Arragon Brother Vital their superiour fell sicke and kept his bedde the others expected there some time to see the issue of this sicknes which daily encreasing Brother Vital said to his companions My beloued Brethre you see my sicknes is violent and what wil be the issue therof I know not wherfore I will no longer detaine you from proceeding about that which hath bin enioyned vs it hauing bin alwayes my desire to accoÌ„pany you if it pleased God who I suppose hath ordained that I proceed no farther in respect that being too great a sinner I am not perhapps worthy of your coÌ„pany or to be employed in so worthy an office It is therfore necessary that you leaue me in this hospitall and that you apply your selues to this holy enterprise of the conuersion of this people to God who hath thus farre conducted you by obedience and be not greiued to leaue me here alone for his diuine Maiesty will prouide for me Proceede then on your iourney accomplish the will of God and be mindefull of the admonitions of our holy Father with a speciall care not to transgresse them and pray to God for me constituting Brother Bernard the preacher to be their superiour The poore Religious hauing heard the said proposition with extreme sorowfull and sobbing sighes that sufficiently discouered the bitternes that afflicted their spirit they bowed downe their heades calling God to witnesse of the greife they had to leaue him so alone but because their obedieÌ„ce vnto S. Francis and him so required they acknowledged themselues ready to obey and so hauing receaued his benediction after they had louingly and charitably embraced each other they departed beseeching him by his prayers to obtaine of God that they might againe see one an other att least in Paradise This poore Religious remayning then alone in affliction dayly weakened till hauing vnderstood the martyrdome of his companions and giuen thanckes to God for it he was so afflicted for not perticipating with them and for hauing lost that crowne that burning with charity towardes God this fire in such sort augmented that by his good will and desire he shortly after receaued the â—ame crowne in his bedd making of himselfe a gratefull and pleasing sacrifice vnto his diuine Maiesty and so hastened to meet them in the other world Thus much for Brother Vitall We must now discourse of the combat of his companions who still maâ—ching further on into Spaine euen vnto Portugall neuer ceassed in time and place conuenient to preach vnto both Catholiques and heretiques wherof then the nomber was great in Spaine and euery where produced fruit most pleasing to the almighty whose grace had conioyned them together How the fiue Religious arriued att Conimbria where they prophecied vnto the queene her death and their owne Martyrdome THE VII CHAPTER THe said Religious being arriued at Conimbria a famous citty in regard that it was the vniuersity of the kingdome of Portugall as also being very anncient and right noble there they found the queene Vraca wife of king Alphonsus the secoÌ„d who incontinently inuited them vnto her entertayned theÌ„ with great deuotioÌ„ as exceedingly affected vnto their Order and then very louingly demauÌ„ded of theÌ„ whence they came whither they intended and withall offered to releiue theÌ„ in all their occurreÌ„ces They breifely answeared her discouered vnto her their designe to witt that they were sent by their Generall Brother Francis to preach the faith of IESVS CHRIST to Infidels But the queene not coÌ„tent with this slight narratioÌ„ putt theÌ„ into discourse of diuers spirituall matters as one more thirsty of the word of our lord then a hinde of fresh water With whose discourse finding her selfe exceedingly edifyed and coÌ„forted perceauing their extreme feruour and to what degree of the fauour of God their merittes had raysed theÌ„ she drew them a part coÌ„iured them in his name for whose loue they had resolued euen to endure death so much to gratifie her as by prayer to procure reuelation froÌ„ God of the time and hower of her death not admitting their excuses which were that it would be a great temerity presuÌ„ption to seeke to know the secrettes which God for deepe great coÌ„siderations would not haue knowne vnto meÌ„ adding withall that they were not worthy to obtaine the same diuers other such reasons but she so importuned them that they were att lenght coÌ„straynd to accord vnto her hauing to this end applyed theÌ„selues to prayer they vnderstood froÌ„ God that and more then they demauÌ„ded whervpoÌ„ they went vnto the queene and thus spake vnto her Madame lett it not if you please be troublesome vnto you to vnderstaÌ„d that which you haue so instaÌ„tly required of vs and so much the lesse because we assure you that no creature loueth you so much as God who will in no sort dispose of you but

of him We are att the port lett vs seeke to arme vs well to endure this litle conflict henceforward we shal no more feare the terrible tempestes of this world nor the windes of the temptations of the deuill nor the deceiptfull singing of the alluring Mermaides of our flesh the impious thenceforward shall haue no more power ouer this our feeble body for we goe into a glorious country to see againe our first originall and to serue our Lord whose seruice is to reigne there shal we receaue recompense of our labours after more then a hundred more then the double yea a thousand times more then we deserue Lett vs now then giue prayse to our God enduring this litle for his loue lett vs restore this life to him that hath redeemed it by his owne death Vttering these good speeches thy hastened to receaue the martyrdome att the place where they were to be executed goeing before the executioner who with some other officers of Iustice seeing with what alacrity they hastened to their death began to haue compassion on them as of poore foolish personnes and therfore exhorted them to reflect on their owne case with these or the like wordes Doe yee not consider your owne misery thus reioycing being so neere the losse both of this life and the other deny that which you haue vnaduisedly and impiously or att least temerariously vttered against our law and against the person of our king and to this effect we will seeke to obtaine you fauour and to enrich you with temporal substance and our Prophett Mahomett who is very mercifull will pardon you and benefitt you in the other life The Religious herevnto answeared your richesse delicacies allurementes of this world are as false and deceiptfull as your law and your promises and therfore lett them be your portion that giue creditt to such delusions For our parts we beleeue nothing more certaiue and glorious then to endure for the truth and the name of IESVS CHRIST sith that only is the secure way to eternall life Therfore doe we so ioyfully contemne the present life with all the wealth therof considering with all that it is but a puffe in comparison of eternity And the false Prophett whome you honour being in hell can neither obtaine mercy for himselfe nor for any others There did accompany them certaine Christians who much feared that the extremity of the tormentes might enforce them to renounce their Faith The sonne of the said king of Seuill who was present with his Father when he gaue sentence against the holy Religious perceauing his fury to be somewhat appeased said vnto him Vpon what reason Father haue you so lightlie giuen order for the death of these men It were not amisse vnder correction of your better aduise that you commanded our Preistes to be called that they may conuince the impious Christians as well by naturall reasons as by aucthority of the law for mine opinon is that proceeding otherwise you putt them to death vniustly euen according to our owne lawes The king weighing what his sonne had said and a litle moderating himselfe commaunded that they should not be executed but should be imprisoned in an high and strong toure till it were more maturely concluded what should be done against them How the Martyrs preached thorough the batlements of the tour where they were prisonners and therfore were shutt vp into a deep dungeon then presented to the king and att last by aduise of the Counsaile sent to Maroccho THE VIII CHAPTER THe Martyrs by this reuocation felt in their hartes a double martyrdome fearing that God would withdraw from them his grace of suffering for him by reason of some imperfection which he saw in them neuertheles entierly yelding themselues into his handes they resolued on their part to performe their due obedience of preaching what soeuer issue it should please his diuine Maiestie to worck therof and to this effect they mounted to the toppe of the tower and out att the batlements they preached vnto the Mores that passed by with a loud voice crying vnto them Poore blinded people beleeue in the true God and Lord IESVS CHRIST and abandon the superstition and impietie of your vnfortunate Mahomett otherwise your law and all you shal be eternally damned Now is the time of penance God sendeth vs to visitt you receaue his word of sufficiencie to saue your soules forbeare to lend any more your eaâ—e to the dâ—uill and to his illusions if you wil not be eternally tormented in hell Such and like matters did these holy Martyrs preach wherof the king was incontinentlie aduertised who commaunded them to be thrust downe into a deep dungeon where they persisted in continuall prayer the space of fiue entire dayes preaching also to the other prisoners After that the king caused them to be brought before him supposing they had binreclaymed and repentant therfore disirous to gaine them by menaces terrours promises and mercie to allure them to his sect he said O yee sottish and blinded haue you not as yet acknowledged and abiured your errour Doe no longer abuse my clemencie who haue so long expected your repentnace as also my holy Prophett who though you haue blasphemed him is so gracious as he will not faile to pray to God for you Now I ordaine and att this present pronounce as a finall sentence either death by the most cruell tormentes that without any delay can be inuented or my grace with all the honours and richesse that my best fauourites enioy The glorious Martyrs verie constantly answeared him as they had att other times affirmed that they nothing respected honours and temporall richesse and much lesse those tormentes nor death it selfe and therfore would yeld themselues to be disposed att his pleasure considering that their bodies and soules were so firmely grounded in the loue of their Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that euery hower which they expected to meet him in Paradice seemed to them a thousand yeares knowing that there they should liue eternally without feare euer to be separated then they added Our God is the soueraine good and not your Mahomett for whome as also for all his adherentes are prepared eternall tormentes which they already experience as you shall one day if you be not conuerted yea without hope euer to gett out of hell where you shall call and crye but none shall answeare you There shall you repent in vaine that you followed not our Counsaile which God sendeth you there shall you be in horrour greife sorrow and eternall dispaire which God hath prepared for them whome att the terrible day of iudgemeÌ„t he shall find to haue bin contrary to the true faith of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST true God and true man there to liue in perpetuall tormentes as they who are his shall liue in perpetuall ioy Then O king thou shalt not escape his handes though thou seeme now to haue some power which is a singuler benefitt bestowed on thee by God to see and

expect if thou wilt be conuerted vnto him and happy art thou if thou canst acknowledge it The king already experiencing the force of the holy Ghost that spake in his seruauntes remayned vtterly perplexed Neuertheles retourning them to prison he commaunded that they should be loaden with irons and that bread should be giuen them by the ounce and water by measure They remayned certaine dayes in this pittifull estate in meane while neuertheles he aduised with his Galociers and Counsailers of estate what was conuenient to be done with them Some of them gaue their opinion that it was not expedient to doe them any hurt because said they they are franctike and senceles as may be iudged by their foolish and sottish discourses so rashly and indiscreetly vttered Others answeared the king that it was not fitt for him to embrue his handes in such base bloud but better that he retourned them from wheÌ„ce they came to which purpose there was fit commodity of a shippe prepared for Marroccho where there were many Christians The king admitted this Counsaile and sent them away in the said shipping How the Martyrs arriued att Marroccho where they preached and being thence expulsed they retourned againe THE IX CHAPTER THe Religious being arriued att Marroccho in company of a Spanish knight called Peter Ferdinando of Castro Castillan who was then retired and dwelt in Africa in the Court of Miramolin king of Maroccho by reason of some disagreement which he had in Castile this man conducted them to the Pallace of the Prince of Portugall Dom Pedro brother to king Alphonsus that then reigned who vpon certaine wronges and iniuryes receaued of the said king his brother was likewise retired vnto the said king Miramolin he entertained them with much contentment fournishing them with all necessaries being much amazed to see them in a habitt so course scantie and short their face so wanne and their other partes so thinne that their skinne seemed to be sowed to their bones their eyes hollowed and their shoulders croked and bended by the wearisomnes of their painefull life and mortification of their flesh and notwithstauding there appeared in their countenance so gracious a vertue and such a feruour and ioy of spiritt that they seemed in deed Angels of Paradice exteriourly dead but liuing and burning in such sort interiourly with the loue of God that they esteemed death but as a play and sought it as a pretious and wishfull thing burning with charity towardes their neighbour and most zealous of their saluation Which the said Prince hauing well coÌ„sidered as also the affliction which he vnderstood they had endured att Seuill to pourchace the crowne of martyrdome fearing that by attempting the like there they might trouble the whole Realme he laboured by many pregnant and probable reasons to dissuade diuert them froÌ„ their pious intention but these glorious Religious already martyres in will perceauing the intention of the Prince very early the next morning without saying any thing vnto him went out and setled themselues where they saw most Sarrazins to preach boldly vnto them the faith of IESVS CHRIST and being afterward informed that their king was gone to visitt the sepulchres of the kinges neere the citty and was incontineÌ„tly to retourne and vnderstanding which way he was to passe they weÌ„t out of the citty to meet him where they made choise of a place somewhat high whither they ascended to be better heard Brother Berard who had better knowledge of the Arabian tongue then the rest when he saw the king to approach began with a loud voice to preach vnto him the Catholique faith and what one must belieue to be saued telling him that it was necessarie for him to abandon and adiure the sect of Mahomett The king exceedinglie admired to perceaue the confidence wherwith so poore a man did speake and with other of his followers endeauoured to putt him to silence but failing therin and therfore reputing them for fooles he commaunded them to be retyred to the land of the Christians The said Prince of Castile himselfe sent two of his people after them to accompany them euen to Cepte and there to further their embarcking for Portugall to preuent that they should not be abused but they conninglie escaped those Conductors and retourned to Maroccho where they preached in a publike place inducing the people to renounce the law of Mahomett Which the king vnderstanding he caused them to be cast into a deepe dungeon and forbad to be giuen them either meat or drinck in this manner did they continue twentie dayes in which time they were releiued onlie with diuine grace in the meane time there befell such an intemperate heat of the sunne beating vpon Maroccho that it brought the people euen neere to death the Mores therefore fearing that it was a diuine vengeance made meanes to the king by a man of worth that loued the Christians and was in fauour with his maiesty to release out of prison those poore bare-foote Creatures and to committ them to the Christians who should haue chardge to banish them out of his kingdome The king called the Religious before him but he was exceedinglie amazed to see them after a supernaturall and monstrous fast so faire so gracious so fresh and well disposed as they were and therfore he demaunded of Brother Berard who had giuen them to eat Wherto he bouldly answeared that if he would become Christian he should know the omnipotent power of God and how he relieueth and nourisheth his seruants in this life whome he conserueth alwayes to recompence them eternallie in haueÌ„ The king made no replie but onlie caused them to be deliuered to the Christians for the end aforesaid who shutt them into a house and afterward sent them in secure guard and companie as they thought to haue them embarqued at Cepte vpon the first occasion of shipping for Spaine But they gaue the slippe to their keepers and retourned to Maroccho as before which the aforesaid Prince hauing vnderstood he caused them to be apprehended shutt vp and strongly guarded in his owne pallace for feare that by their meanes the Christians of Maroccho and himselfe also might receaue some trouble and disaster Of a notable miracle wrought by the fiue Martyrs in the army of the kinge THE X. CHAPTER THe king Miramolin att that time was aduertised that the Arabians were entred into his kingdome where they made hauock and destroyed the whole country Vpon which occasion he gathered his forces to encounter them and by the helpe of the said Prince and of manie gallant Portugall gentlemen which he had with him he defeited the Arabians whom he chaced far away and so poursuing them they came into a valley where they could finde no water either for themselues or their horses so that for three dayes they knew not what to doe being neere death with thirst And because the earth seemed to be somewhat moist they licked it with their tongues comming to the hight

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

Court that thenceforward vpon this occasion they were carefull not to offend God mortally This hath bin testified by Steuen Perez Marquarid de Santeren who was one of the three Pages that had care to accommodate the holy reliques he affirmed and swoare the aforefaid to Dom. Matheiw Bishopp of Lisbone confessing that he oftentimes abstained from offending God for feare to be discouered as were the others by the said reliques which he was necessarily to handle Many of the Princes family haue also affirmed thus much as being present and eye-witnesses therof How the Prince departed from Maroccho with the said reliques and therfore was poursued by king Miramolin and of three miracles wrought in the way THE XX. CHAPTER THe holy reliques being will dryed the Prince caused the heades and flesh to be dryed apart and the bones to be separatly putt in two shrines or reliquaries exceeding richly adorned with gould and siluer and so placed in his oratory where he made often supplication to the holy Martyrs that they would obtaine him the fauour to escape the cruelty of the Mores and without danger to passe into Spaine For hauing determined himselfe to carry the holy reliques into Portugall and hauing to that purpose diuers times importuned the king Miramolin for permission he was so farre from obtayning leaue that the king on the contrary was aduised to putt him together with all the Christians that were then resident in Marroccho cruelly to death Neuertheles God did so mollifie his hart that wheras he had manie times denyed the Prince himselfe he then of his owne motion hauing sent for him told him that he would permitt him to depart against the aduise of his Councell who held it requisite for the good of his estate to putt him to death but for his part he could not consent to the death of a Prince that not onlie had neuer offended him but had freelie and willinglie done him seruice The Prince therfore taking hold of this occasion and loading a mule with the said reliques he with all his familie tooke his iorney suspecting that the king would not long continue in this good minde but would alter his opinion as in deed he did But the Prince in such sort putt himselfe to trauell that he doubled the ordinary dayes iorney yea he made such progresse that he was forced to spend one night in a desert place called Arossa where haunted many lyons so that such as saw them take that way reputed them as personnes deuoured that night The Prince was not ignorant of all this but reposing his full confidence in God by the merittes of the sainctes whose reliques he had he setled them in a place where the lyons were necessarily to passe in comming vnto him for they were so neere as that their roaringes so full of fury were easily heard but the holy reliques being layd on the ground their fury was so restrayned that flying thence they were from that time neuer seene there Now the king Miramolin not hauing patience to endure the said reliques to be caryed away to be honoured incontinently sent after the Prince a great troupe of light horsemen Which caused two great miracles one was that the Prince inspired of God as the arcke of the testament was of it selfe conducted by the kine that it migh rest where it would so did he putt the mule that carryed the reliques formost of the troupe which tourning them out of the direct way conducted them through places vnaccustomed to trauel by meanes wherof the horsemen that poursued theÌ„ could not finde them But this was not all for as these horsemen of the Mores were well mounted desiring to please the king and withall to satiat their fury they thought it not sufficient to make their scoutes about the ordinary wayes but also crossed the feildes where they so couriously pryed after the Prince that they found him which chaunced for another respect but the more to manifest the glory of the SS of God and of God himselfe in his sainctes For hauing ouertaken the Prince and heard his people speake they were by the diuine puissance so blinded that they could neuer see them and so these Mores to their extreme amazement retourned vtterly confounded and the Christians proceeded on their iorney thancking and praysing God till they arriued att Cepte where the inhabitantes with great solemnity entertained them How the said reliques were caryed to Conimbria and of two miracles wrought in the way preseruing the Prince from shipwrack and curing one that had bin lame for thirty yeares THE XII CHAPTER AS soone as thy were arriued att Cepte the Prince gaue order to finde out a vessell readely prepared for Spaine which done it was incontinently fournisht which althings necessary thervnto they were no sooner embracked but they were aduertised that a troupe of armed men of the king of Marroccho sought them throughout the Citty wherevpon they weighed their ankers hoised sailes cutt their maine-cable and made a speedy cut towardes the straite of Gilbaltar with a fresh winde that was very fauourable vnto them for which they thancked God But before they could attaine the heauen the night surprised them with such a darcknes that they could not guide themselues in such sort that they were in extreme perill of shipwrack But falling prostrate on their knees before the said reliques to implore the fauour of God by the merittes of his sainctes in this extremity they were instantly illuminated with a cleare light which discouered vnto them their dangerous course in way to dash themselues headlong against a rocke for which escape they presentlie gaue thankes to God And so proceeding on their nauigation they arriued att Andalousia att the port of Algezire without any danger thence afterward att Tariffe then att Seuill att that time the Mores possessed all those places so that the foresaid king Miramolin had giuen order to the king of Seuill that the prince arriuing in his kingdome he should apprehended him send him prisoner vnto him put to death all his company wherof the Christians of Seuill instantly aduertised the Prince who wheras he intended to sett a shoare att Seuill sailed on to Galicia where he landed and thence went by land to the kingdome of Leon then possessed by Dom. Alphonsus his Cousin german for he was fled from Portugall vpon some dissention betweene him and his brother who was king The Prince entring into the citty of Astorga lodged with a freind of his that had bin thirty yeares sicke of the palsy whome he persuaded to vowe and recommend himselfe to the SS whose reliques he carryed recounting vnto him the maruells which by their miracles God had wrought This poore man fell on his knees before them and notable to speake by worde hauing also for long time lost his speech he in hart and with a very strong faith vowed and recommended himselfe to God by vertue of the said reliques And att the very instant in presence of diuers he

lept sound out of his bed with a loud and cleare voice praysing God The Prince being by affaires hindred from present goeing to Conimbria he sent thither the said reliques conducted by a gentleman of note called Asphonsus Perez of Aragon who attended them accompanyed by many knightes and gentlemen The king Alphonsus and the queene Vraca his wife being therof aduertised sent vnto them with Order to haue the said reliques stayed in a place neere the citty that they might present themselues before them together with the Clergie to giue them such entertainement as they worthely deserued How the holy reliques were carryed to the citty of Conimbria in generall procession where the king was present and how they miraculously chose the place where they would rest and how they transported themselues to diuers places and of the conuersion of S. Antony of Padua which by example hereof came to passe THE XXII CHAPTER ALl thinges being fitly disposed and accommodated the king queene attended with all the nobility the Clergie and people went a foote in procession with great deuotion vnto the said reliques with many crosses and banners in token of the triumphant victory of the holy martyrs Comming to the place where the reliques were hauing deuoutly saluted them they caused the mule that carryed them to goe before that she her selfe might choose her way as she had alwayes done before So without the conduct of any personne she went directly to Conimbria where she entred into Sampsons street att this day called the street of the old figtree and then to the monastery of sainct Crosse att which gate she stayed till it was opened though the intention of the king were to place the said reliques in the great church The gate of the said monastery being opened the mule of her selfe entred into the Church and went directly before the high altare where she kneeled downe and so remayned till she was disburthened of the said reliques each one admiring the miracle wherby the holy martyrs did choose and make knowne where they would haue their reliques to repose for which they were all thanckfull vnto God and there ended the Procession The king erected a sumptuous chappell att the place where the mule kneeled downe and a rich shrine wherin were putt the greatest part of the said reliques others in an other shrine in the cloister of the said monastery the litle that remayned was sent part to the Church of the holy Ghost of Goueau where there was a Couent of Religious of sainct Francis Order and an entiere body to the monastery of sainct Bernard of Loruant three leagues from Conimbria becausse the Abbesse of that monasterie was sister to the king Now the very day that the reliques were brought into the monastery of S. Crosse they began there to shine by miracles for they cured a great multitude of diseased persons there present and from that time the miracles haue so continued euen to this day that they deliuered from perill all such as recommended themselues vnto them vpon which occasion it is that so many strange pilgrimes doe frequent that place The greatest gaine of that day wheron the reliques were receaued was of S. Antony of Lisbone called of Padua who was then a Canon Reguler of S. Crosse and as such in the said procession gaue praise to God among the rest and solemnised the arriuall of the holy reliques for he merited to be inspired of the holy Ghost who anymated him with a great zeale vnto his honour in such sort as he resolued to offer his life for the confession of the holy faith by the example of the said martyrs whome desiring entierly to imitate he would begin by the habitt and rule of sainct Francis whose true disciples these martyrs had bin Of the death of the queene Vraca prophesied by the holy martyrs as before in the third chapter hath bin recorded and of a vision which her confessor had therevpon THE XXIII CHAPTER THe Queene Vrraca had great care of her death because the holy Martyrs had prophesied vnto her therof yea she was in extreme affliction considering that their death and the translation of their bodyes was effected as they had foretold but the issue of what she doubted did succeed for as soone as she came to the holy reliques she began to feele her selfe ill so that she could not accompany them but was constrained to goe to her bedde and the night following she dyed That very night Peter Nuguez Canon reguler of the monastery of sainct Crosse a man of exceeding piety and Confessor to the said queene Vrraca had this vision He saw a great multitude of Frere Minors wherof fiue went before but they were conducted by a Religious Father of their Order that gaue a very great splendour and they entred in to the quier of the said Church of S. Crosse in procession where they very melodiously sung matines he extremely amazed att what he saw began to discourse with himselfe how so many Religious could enter the dores being shutt as they were and why they sung matines without any precedent ringing Being in this vehement admiration he questioned with one of the Religious asking him who they were how and where they entred into the monastery att such an hower The Religious answeared him We are Frere Minors and because thou wert Confessour to the Queene and fearest God it hath pleased his diuine goodnes to reueale vnto thee this vision He whome thou seest to precede the rest with such glory is our holy Father S. Francis whome thou hast so much desired to see in this life and the fiue which thou seest to follow him are the fiue Martyrs of Marroccho which are here shrined Know besides that the Queene Vrraca is this night departed and because she exceedingly affected our Order our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath sent vs all hither solemnely here for the benefitt of her soule and for her obsequies to sing these Matines doubt not of her death for as soone as we are departed hence one shall come to aduertise thee therof And the Matines and prayses of God being ended this glorious procession disappeared and therwith one knocked att his dore to aduertise him of the death of the queene How our Lord chasticed the citty and king of Marroccho for the cruell death of his holy Martyrs THE XXIIII CHAPTER THe king of Marroccho remayned not vnpunished no more did his contry for the very same yeare did his arme and right hand which he had so wicke dly stretched out against the holy Martyrs wither as also did all the right side of his body from the head to the feet The people were punished in an other manner for in three yeares after this Martyrdome neither in the said citty nor in a great circuit therabout did there fall one drop of raine which caused an extreme dearth and mortality of catell then correspondently to the nomber of the Martyrs the plague continued for fiue yeares after wherof dyed the

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 ChristiaÌ„s 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 processioÌ„ all the locustes were vanished so that neuer after were seene more in those quarters then in other places This much augmeÌ„ted the deuotioÌ„ 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 ChristiaÌ„ 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 coÌ„bat 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

for he hath thy leproise as he said and bid him vse them So being awaked and finding himselfe perfectly cured he caried his clapper by commandement of the S. to the soldier whome he found full of leprosie from the head to the foot for which he very hitterly lamented and repeÌ„ting what he had done vowing and recommending himselfe to the S. he deserued to be heard hauing learned by experience how great is the vertue of the Sainctes of God Of many other miracles and of the Breefe of S. Antony against the Deuils which remained in the handes of the king of Portugall THE XXXV CHAPTER IN a combatt that happened betweene two soldiers one of them was so strangely hurt in one arme that speaking humanely it was incurable att least sauing his life he could not auoyd a perpetuall mayne Now recommending himselfe to S. Antony he was presently cured the wound being so closed it as if he had neuer bin hurt But as is said of the wicked hauing past and escaped the danger they scoffe att the S. so the soldier began to consider by what meanes he might be reuenged and diuers times discoursing therof with himselfe the night before this lewd designe the said wound came into his arme as before the S. teaching him and all others that the graces and fauours of God are not to be abused against his seruice that is employed in any thing which he forbiddeth and is not pleasing vnto him as to the detriment of ones neighbour A child of Padua called Henry hauing a swelling in his neck vowed to the S. and was immediatly cured but his mother that caused him to vow not regarding to fulfill it the infirmity retourned yet repenting and accomplishing the vow her sonne was cured againe An Abbot hauing great compassion of his seruant that was deafe dumme vowed in his behalfe to S. Antony that if he would please to cure him he would employ him all his life in the seruice of his Church he was instantly cured for which he was not vngratefull for he employed him in his church all the dayes of his life in the Citty of Sautaren in the kingdome of Portugall in the raigne of Don Donis There was a poore woman who though she were very deuout to S. Antony yet being sinfull the deuill sometimes posessed her and tempted her to destroy her selfe persuading her that she could neuer satisfie God for the many sinnes she had coÌ„mitted but by voluntary killing her selfe to this false imagination he added a false vision for the deuill appeared vnto her in forme of a crucifix telling her that for the loue she boare him he would saue her but she could hardly satisfie for her sinnes vnlesse she would voluntary murder her selfe to which purpose he couÌ„sailed her to goe that very houre to the riuer Tage and there to drowne her selfe and promised her to receaue her att the instant into his glory This woman hauing had this vision concealed it sometime in her hart now it happened that when her husband excedingly checked and rebuked her amoÌ„g other iniuries calling her possessed with a deuill she partly in fury and dispaire procured her by her husband and partly vrged by the deuill by remembrance of the said vision resolued to drowne her selfe and with that intention departed from her house but S. Antony would not permitt such an act so vnworthy of a Christian to be perpetrated especially on such a day it being on the celebration of his feast for this miserable woman passing before his Church was inspired to enter into it which she did and theÌ„ very deuoutly prayed the S. that he would voutsafe to reueale vnto her if it were possible whither it were the will of God she should drowne her selfe or not hauing ended her prayer she slept a sweet sleep and so light that she heard the voice of the Sainct which in her dreame said vnto her looke vpon thy bosome and when thou hast read the writing thou findest there thou shalt be cured The woman presently awaking found on her bosome a bitt of parchment wherin was written in letters of Gold Ecce crucem Domini fugite partes diuersae vicit leo de tribu Iuda Alleluia Alleluia As soone as she had read the same she was entierlie freed of her temptation The king of Portugall Don Donis hauing bin aduertised of this great miracle by the husband of the woman demaunded the said Breefe or writing which was giuen him but it was strange this woman not hauing her writing the deuill began presently to vex her but hauing no meanes to demaund it againe of the king who had put it amongst his reliques hauing wrought many miracles by this breefe the husband was aduised to request a copy therof which by meane of some Religious he obtained which hauing deliuered to his wife she was all the rest of her dayes freed from the said temptation liuing securely the space of twenty yeares How he deliuered from death the Princesse of Portugall Taken out of the sixteenth chapter of the tenth booke to be more properly put in this place THe princesse Lady Aldoucia daughter of the king of Portugall and of queene Teresa by a very extreme and dangerous infirmity that tormented her approaching to her death her mother had recourse vnto sainct Antony to whome she was much deuoted most affectionately recommending her daughter vnto him and praying him to remember that he was borne in that kingdome and that as he had cured saued and raysed so many in Italy he would please also to deliuer her daughter from that danger of death Att that very instant so strong and violent a fitt of the feauer did assault the sick Princesse that euery one esteemed it her last agony But then did the Sainct appeare vnto her and said daughter God hath sent me to thee for satisfaction of the frequent prayers of thy mother to putt it to the election of thy will either to goe now with me to Paradise or for consolation of thy mother to continue longer in the world The Princesse hauing choasen the second sainct Antony deliuered her his girdle saying Well kisse this Cord which she taking in her handes and as she thought holding it fast she cryed to her mother Madame Madame come see the glorious sainct Antony whome I hold by his girdle which he hath deliuered me to kisse therby to be cured she comming and not seeing the Sainct att all found her daughter perfectly well wherfore she diuulged this miracle in the Citty of Allenquor where this happened in the Church of the Frere Minors whither she with all her Court repayred to giue thanckes to God and to his holy seruant Of certaine other miracles of sainct Antony THE XXXVI CHAPTER A Poore man being seduced by an Inchaunter that promised to procure him an instinct to know what soeuer he desired entred with him into a circle where in an instaÌ„t he saw appeare a great number of deuils who perceauing him to be

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

as precious stones and iewels that cannot be sufficiently esteemed So called he the affrontes and iniuries done vnto him precious stones and of notable value with God An other time being in the citty of Spoletum he vnderstood that there was a feast to be solemnised att Assisium whither would repaire from most parts of the world nott minding too loose the gaine he hoped to make there he determined to goe to the feast in the fashion aforesaid and being in the citty he went expresly to be seene and the more to be mesprised of the people into the principall streetes which was presently related to his Brethren as he well expected Wherfore being come to the monastery they all chardged him with notable iniuryes calling him foole and worthy to be layd in irons for dishonouring their house and Religion all concluding that he deserued a great penance Wherevpon the Guardian hauing before all the company giuen him a rough and rude chapter sayd vnto him O miserable wretch what pennance can I impose on thee correspondent and worthy the excesse of thy notorious fact Herevnto Brother Iuniperus very humbly ausweared Father the correction you should giue me is to permitt me to retourne in the same manner I came and the same way Herbie the Religious vnderstood well what had bin the cause of his comming and being qualified and appeased they pray7s ed God for it How Brother Iuniperus abhorred honours and consolations THE XXXVII CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus being sent to Rome there to remayne where the reputation of his vertues liued some that were deere freindes to him and deuoted to the Order vnderstanding therof went out of the citty to meet him so to entertayne him curteously and to honour him But this holy Religious seeing them comming and suspecting the occasion which he extremely detested and shunned he was att the first apprehension exceedingly troubled to resolue on some meane to auoyd that honour Att leÌ„ght after he had some time discoursed in his spiritt of this subiect still goeing on his way he found children busyed in this sport following they had layd a peice of wood crosse vpoÌ„ a wall att each end wherof was a boy sitting astride who by equall waight did alternatiuely mount each other vp and downe Brother Iuniperus gott one of the places and began to sport with the boy att the other end His freindes and affectionat comming there did not yet forbeare very reuerently to salute him well knowing his fashions and customes but he persisting firme and constant in his purpose would not seeme to see or heare them so atttentiue did he appeare in that sport and so long he continued and so resolutely that trying their patience he enforced them att last to retourne home much discontented and disedifyed att the inciuillytie and folly of their freind and afterwardes he secrecretly slipt into his Couent very ioyfull in hauing so auoyded the vaineglory of that worldly entertainement An other time he hauing bin against his will commanded to goe to the house of a gentleman that desired much to discourse particulerly with him he was thervnto constrayned by obedience but by whatsoeuer meanes the gentleman could deuise to occasion him to discourse he could not wrest so much as one good word from him Yet supposing him to be weary or distempered with some indisposition he for that night conducted him into a chamber very commodiously furnished for his repose but very early the next morning without speaking a word to any person he departed leauing the bed and other furniture disorderly and confusedly heaped together to be esteemed a foole Which the gentleman hauing seene he was exceedingly confounded and scandelized att this Religious that thus disgraced him and complayned therof to the other Religious who exceedingly checked him for it And then in their presence he reprehended himselfe acknowledgeing that he did not only deserue to be rebuked but also to be seuerely punished Brother Iuniperus discoursing one time with some Religious touching death one of them said God graunt me the grace to dye in some Couent of the Order in the company of my Brethren that my soule may be comforted and assisted by their prayers and that my body may be buryed with other Religious Herevpon Brother Iuniperus tooke occasion of speech saying I would that at the houre of my death my body might be so loathsome and stinking that no Religious would aduenture to come neere it but that they would therfore cast me into some priuie or smoke and there leaue me as most abhominable and afterwardes being dead would not aforde me any buryall but that foules might deuour my body The humility of this holy Religious was so admirable as also his desire to be misprised for the loue of IESS CHRIST that he could neuer esteeme himselfe in any sort sufficiently burdened with reproches iniuryes vilainies and infamies in his life and in his death In which repect we may iustly say Non est inuentus similis illi that more precisely then he obserued to repay this law vnto our Lord in the same mony and coyne of reproches as he suffered for vs and with such â—oue as this holy Religious and that more euidently discouered in himselfe the perfection of S. Paul in effect Mihi mundus crucifixus est ego mundo for he alwayes contemned it withall the pompes and vanities therof esteeming the world to be but a foole Of the remedy which Brother Iuniperus vsed against the temptations of sensuality THE XXXVIII CHAPTER BRother Giles Brother Ruffinus Brother Simon and Brother Iuniperus being on time together in spirituall conference and conuersation Brother Giles sayd to the rest My Brethren I beseech you tell me how you arme your selues against the temptations of sensuality Br. Simon of Assium answeared I consider the loathsomnes of this sinne how detestable it is not only in the presence of God but euen before men who though impious yet seeke to conceale and couer themselues from being seene in the exercise of such a filthy act This consideration procureth in me a displeasure and detestation of this sinne and deliuereth me of the temptation Then Brother Ruffinus spake as thus For my part when I am tempted with that sinne I fall on both my knees vpon the ground I implore the assistance of the diuine clemencie and of the glorious Virgin Mother and so continue in prayer till I feele my selfe freed Brother Iuniperus then spake to this purpose When I perceaue such diuelish temptations are represented to my senses forcibly to assault me I instanly shut the gates of my hart whereto I constitue for seuere guardes holy meditations and pious desires for security of the castell wherin resideth the soule and when their ennemies make their approches to giue an assault to that place I that command in that forteresse cry to them from within Goe your wayes gett yee gone the place is possessed for others yee are discouered I am fortified with whatsoeuer is necessary to

seemed to sleep He dyed in the citty of Cahors the yeare of grace 1272. hauing spent fifteen yeares in the Order of the Frere Minors att six of the clock att night the Eue of Alsaintes to reigne eternally with them Att the very houre of his death two Religious women ancient both in Relligion and vertues did testifie to haue heard Angelicall musike exceedingly mellodious accompanying the soule of this worthy seruant of God vnto heauen A man of the third Order of that citty in a vision saw the soule of this glorious Father att the hower of his departure carryed by Angels with great ioy into Paradise The same night a Burgesse of Cahors called Peter saw in vision the soule of this holy Father sitting on a very resplendant couch that did spread and sparckle glittering beames as the sunne of whome demaunding who he was I am said he the soule of Br. Christopher that haue left my body on earth and am goeing to heauen This man sodenly awaked and arising likewise awakened all his familie to whome he recounted his vision then went to the monastery where he found the body of the holy Father alredy according to the custome carryed into the Church thence to be enterred else where The day following the death of this holy Father being diuulged there repayred such a coÌ„course of people to see this blessed body that he could not be taken out of the handes of those that desired to touch him to kisse teare off part of his habitt to keepe for reliques and to demaund some grace of God by the merittes of him that had worne it This body being with much a doe att length takeÌ„ out of the Church embalmed with precious liquours and aromaticall oyntments it was on the third day putt in a coffin of wood and enterred in the Church of the Frere Minors with great solemnity and reuerence Of the dead raysed by the inuocation of this sainct THE LIII CHAPTER ALmighty God voutsafed also to demoÌ„strate the exceeding great miracles which by the merittes of this his gratefull seruant he wrought in the bishopprick of Cahors for a mother hauing casually left her child vpon a bridge he fell into the water and was drowned The mother seeing her child dead filled all the village with compassion of the sorrow and griefe which by her extreme lamentation she did discouer Att length she had recourse to S. Christopher to whome she vowed to visitt his sepulcher and to present vnto it an image of waxe if he would raise her sonne The vow being made the child began to moue his lippes then to open his eyes and by the merittes of such an intercessour in presence of many people he retourned to life and â—afety A creature being wrested dead out of the mothers wombe was restored to life by the prayers and intercessions of this sainct who was exceedingly importuned and induced thervnto by those that were present In the same citty a mother had layd her child of two yeares old in bed betweene her husband and her selfe but awaking she found the child smothered and dead after many regreets she made vow to S. Christopher that if by his intercession the child might reuiue she would carrie it to his sepulcher and there would present a light and image of waxe Which vow being made the child began to gape then to moue the armes and att length opening his eyes it retourned to life In the same citty and after the same manner the S. being inuocated for a dead child by the father who was deuout vnto him in these tearmes O saint of God rayse my daughter and I promise thee to carry her to thy sepulcher where I will offer there an altare cloth and an image of waxe she vpon this vow retourned to life and the Father and others present gaue thanckes to almighty God and to the S. In a towne called Concet neere to the said citty there was a youg man so weakened with a continuall feauer that he was generally esteemed for dead no motion could be perceaued in him not so much as of his pulse wherfore his mother in extreme affliction perceauing all humane helpe to faile had recourse to almighty God whome she inuocated by the merittes of S. Christopher of whome she had heard many miracles recounted to restore her sonnes health vowing to carry him to his sepulcher there to present an altare cloth and an image of wax The effect was admirable for the presenting of her vow being finished he began to amend and in short time was entierly cured to the great astonishment and content of all his friendes and kinred who fayled not to giue thanckes to God and to accomplish their vow Health was also restored to an other yong man called Iohn desperatly sick att Cahors in the manner aforesayd A Relligious of the Order of S. Clare called Sister Mary being so extremely weakened with sicknes that she could not remoue her selfe in her bed nor much lesse take her rest therin she expected only death but hauing heard it reported that the holy Father Christopher was deceassed and that he wrought infinite miracles she bitterly lamenting presented vnto him this request O holy Father that hast often heard my confession pray vnto almighty God if thou please that I may recouer my health to serue him Which spoaken she fell into a sweet sleep from whence the next morning she awakened full of comfort and consolation and went to the quier to communicate with her other sisters who theratt were much amazed and afterwardes they all together gaue thanckes to the omnipotent bounty of God and to his holy intercessour by whose merittes he so compassionatly assisteth those that addresse their petitions vnto him Of other miracles wrought in the cure of many dangerous and incurable diseases THE LIV. CHAPTER VPon the Mount Abban in the bishopprick of Cahors a child reduced neere vnto death and his mother extremely afflicted by dispaire of her sonnes recouery which hauing exceedingly weakened her by the great wearines of labour that this sicknesse causer her she fell into a litle sleep wherin she heard a voice that sayd vnto her Woman feare no more but make a vow for thy sonne to S. Christopher and God by his merittes will cure him This woman awaking and hauing made her vow her sonne was cured and the mother carryed him to the sepulcher of the sainct wher she thancked God and her Intercessour for it A woman of the said citty of Cahors called Valeria was so sick that the Phisitians iudged her as dead and withall had alredy lost her speech and the motion of all her members and was as black as pitch a priest also comming to heare her confession was constrayned to retourne without vsing his function for she could neither speake heare nor make any signes But her kinred and freindes that were present greiued att the losse of a woman whome they cordially loued fell deuoutly on their knees lifted vp their ioyned

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 accoÌ„payned with a great number of soules of Religious others that then were dead and comming out of Purgatory they with him asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ 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

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 lameÌ„ted 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 recommeÌ„dation that her family and all her other poore sisters of other Monasteries but aboue all she most instaÌ„tly 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 InnoceÌ„t the fourth att her most instaÌ„t 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 coÌ„firmation 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 perseueraÌ„ce 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 absolutioÌ„ 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 coÌ„sideration 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 vocatioÌ„ which by how much greater it is by so much more are we bound vnto him the Apostle saith acknowledge your vocatioÌ„ 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 seruaÌ„t our Father S. FraÌ„cis not only after our coÌ„uersion but

CHRIST seruing him alone in pouerty and humility This sainte Agnes of Bohemia being illustrated by many vertues and miracles hauing assembled an infinite number of Religious in diuers Couents and hauing with them perseuered in all perfection of vertues she left this transitory world to take eternall possession of her glorious celestiall Spouse CHRIST IESVS who honoured her and made her blessed as he hath manisested by many miracles which he hath wrought by her great merittes intercessions The Emperour Charles the fourth who was also king of Bohemia was two seuerall times deliuered from death by the intercession of this celestiall Princesse and therfore att his death he enioyned his sonne Wenceslaus and successour in the Empire to procure her canonization But he was hindered by important and continuall troubles and affaires that disabled him to execute the pious and iust desires of his Father Of many other Religious that florished primitiuely in the Order of S. Clare THE XLI CHAPTER THere was an other holy Religious of the royal bloud of Polonia called Salome whose sanctity was manyfested by diuers miracles which God wrought after her death she by her merittes deliuered many women from perill of death in trauell of child many lame were restored to the vse of their limmes blind recouered sight and wounded personnes were cured A holy Religious of Padua called Helena florished in great perfection of life in the monastery which was builded by the Seraphicall Father S. Francis and in which the blessed Father S. Antony of Padua yelded his spirit vnto almighty God This holy Religious liuing in that place after she had there obtayned of God many vertues she was tryed by IESVS CHRIST and refined as gold in the furnise of afflictions For she kept her bed depriued of all corporall force yea and of her speech for 15. yeares during all which time she ordinarily demonstrated by signes and gestures an exceeding great alacrity and ioy in her hart Our Lord reuealed many thinges to this sainct which she manifested to the Religious who curiously recorded the same to be kowne to posterity The sayd religious sisters being demaunded how the infirme Religious could make the vnderstand those wordes sith she could not speake they answeared that themselues then obserued so strict a silence that they scarcely spake att all but demaunded and opened their necessities by signes which were well vnderstood among them for expressing whatsoeuer they desired to haue knowen And in that sort had they vnderstood the sayd S. whose body for many yeares after the sayd Religious sisters did shew to such as in deuotion repayred to see it remayning entire and incorruptible yea her nayles and haire did grow as if she had bin liuing By her merittes God wrought many miracles and particulerly on the Marquesse of Parma who was of the family of Lupi called Boniface who being in the anguish of death the Marquesse his Lady making a vow to this sainte Helene for his health it was perfectly restored vnto him In the beginning of the Order of saincte Clare there was also of it the daughter of a king of Hungary called Cuiga sister vnto blessed sainte Elizabeth the widowe who hauing taken the habitt and made profession of the rule of saincte Clare became so famous after the death of sainte Elizabeth in sanctity and miracles both during her life and att her death that question is att Rome touching her canonization The end of the 8. booke and second volume of the first part of the croâ—icles of the Frere Minors THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE INSTITVTION and rule of the third Order called of penitents made by the holy Father S. Francis And the liues of many of the said Order especially of Sainte Elizabeth Queene of Hongary How the Order of the seculer penitents was instituted by the holy Father S. Francis THE FIRST CHAPTER THE Seraphicall Father saint Francis sowing ouer Italy the word and seed of life a good part therof fell into the hartes of men that were bound by the knott of Matrimony and of personnes of such like condicion whose soules could not freely follow the spiritt of penance as they desired yet their feruour was such that sometimes eueÌ„ whole townes and villages were dispeopled in following the holy Father saint Francis who purchased the saluation of their soules Wherupon this holy Father being requested yea importuned generally and particulerly to institute an Order and rule wherin seculer and marryed people might liue to doe penance and to liue in a more secure estate for their saluation The yeare 1221. he instiruted the Order of Generous Penitents whereof all Christians that liue not in monasticall Religion might yet be meÌ„bers The first that entred this Order was an holy man called Lucius and though no rule is found to be recorded att that time nor forme of liuing prescribed by S. Francis to these Penitents yet it is most assured that he gaue them certaine rules according to which they should temporally and spiritually gouerne themselues were it to fast or pray more then other seculers to know what office and deuotions they should vse what almose they should giue how they should be cloathed and what rigour of penance they should vndertake of which ordoÌ„nances deliuered by S. Francis and recorded by them to whome he taught the same Pope Nicolas the fourth cutt off one part and left only that which was most easie instituting a rule which here we will insert which was also afterward confirmed by the Apostolicke sea by three most ample letters patentes And albeit the first and ancient habitt of these penitentes was afterwardes different in diuers prouinces yet is it most probable that the most common and general was the same which those of the third Order yet weare in Italy as most conformable to their statue The colour is gray like to that of the Frere Minors but the forme and fashion is as others seculers doe weare and it is credible that S. FraÌ„cis his will was that the sayd Penitentes should weare this habitt siâ—h in those places where this Order was by him first instituted and where he most conuersed this manner of habit was vsed These sayd Penitents may not weare the cord as the Frere Minors These of the third rul which haue succeeded those who liue in coÌ„mon and are Religious by vow can lesse auouch the wearing of a cord but must vse a leather belt And it is to be noted that the Frere Minors cannot receaue these Penitents to the profession of Religious obedience or to any vow but only may admitt and receaue them to the sayd rule of life and company of the Penitents exhorting and admonishing them to obserue the same They may also assist them in confession and other spiritual worckes as CoÌ„freres and true Brethren of the Order Neuertheles the Religious may not be their Prelates or Superiours because they are

Miserere shall adde it thervnto when they say it not att the ordinary houres lett them say thrice the Pater Noster The sick shall not be obliged to say these houres but as they will They shall endeauour to be present att Mattins att their parish Church in the time of sainct Martins lent and the great lent except some lawfull impediment excuse them That the Brethren who can must make their will THE IX CHAPTER LEtt all the Bâ—ethâ—en that haue any substance be obliged to consider of their estate and within three monthes after their entry into this confraternity to make their testament wherin they shall dispose of their substance to the end that none dye intestate How peace is to bemade betweene the Brethren when occasion requireth and betweene strangers THE X. CHAPTER THe meane to appease quarrels dissentioÌ„s that may arise betweenâ— the BrethreÌ„ and Sisters to accord theÌ„ shal be in such necessity to follow the aduise of the Ministers together with the CouÌ„saile of the Bishop of the Diocese if he be neere and to proced according to the matter and occurances To whome the Brethren must haue recourse being molested against reason and their praâ—ledges THE XI CHAPTER IF it happeÌ„ that the BrethreÌ„ or Sisters be iniustly troubled and molested against their priuiledges by the Gouernours or other Commanders of the place where they dwell the superiour Ministers must haue recourse to the Bishop or other Ordinaryes of the places to demaund and follow their aduise how to gouerne themselues in such behalfe That the Brethren must withall possâ—bâ—lâ—ty absta ne from solemne oathes THE XII CHAPTER LEtt the BrethreÌ„ very carefully abstaine from solemne oathes vnlesse they be therevnto constrayned by necessity except in cases conteyned in the confession of the Apostolike sea that is for peace faith caloÌ„niation and in giuing testimony and also in contractes of buying selling and giuing where it shall appeare to be expedient But in common talke lett them withall endeauour auoyd swearing and if any shall inconsideratly sweare as it often happeneth in talkatiue personnes calling it to mind in the examen of his conscience att night lett them say thrice the Pater noster for such oath and lett euery one be obliged to exhort instruct and educate his family in the feare and loue of God How the Brethren ought to assemble in congregation and of their hearing Masse THE XIII CHAPTER ALl the Brethren and sisters in whatsoeuer place or citty they dwell must euery day if they may heare Masse and euery moÌ„th they shall meet and assemble in some place deputed by the Minister Rectour to heare a solemne Masse and there each of them shall giue an almose to the Chappelain or other elected to that end which shal be distributed by the Rectour Minister among the Brethren and sisters that are in greatest necessity and particulerly among the sick This almose shall also be employed in the buriall and funerales of the poore deceased and what remayneth shal be distributed to the other poore Some part of this almose also shal be giuen to the Church where they asseÌ„ble And euery time that they meet they shal endeauour to haue some good Religious to preach vnto them who shall induce them to penance and to the exercise of charitable worckes Lett all the Brethren be admonished to keep silence and to be attentiue att prayer during the diuine office especially whiles Masse is celebrated and the word of God preached vnlesse the common good of the confraternity otherwise require How the sick are to be visited and what care must be had of the dead THE XIV CHAPTER WHen any of the Brethren shal be sick the superiour Ministers being therof in the behalfe of the sick party aduertised they shall visitt or cause him to be visited at least once in a weeke admonishing him touching the state of his soule as farre foorth as they shal find it requisit And if he be poore they shal be carefull to procure him what is necessary out of the almose of the poore And if the sick person doe dye all the Brethren and sisters of the Confraternity that shal be in the towne or place where they dye shal be presently aduertised therof to the end they be present att the funerals whence they shall not depart till the diuine office be ended and the body interred The like shal be obserued towardes the sisters that are sick and that depart out of this life Eight dayes after the death of any Brother all the Brethren and sisters of the Confraternity shal be obliged to say for their soules the Priestes a Masse of the dead they that can read 50. psalmes and they that cannot read 50. Pater nosters with Requiem aternam Lett also be procured to be sayd three Masses euery yeare for the Brethren and sisters departed They that can read the psalter shall att their commodity say it entierly euery yeare and they that cannot read shall say 100. Pater nosters adding Requiem eternam att the end of each one Of the Superiour Ministers THE XV. CHAPTER LEtt euery Minister and other officer on whom in this forme order and rule of life any office shal be imposed receaue the same with deuotion and labour to execute it piously and lett not the sayd offices be giuen and distributed but for certaine time and lett no Minister Rectour be established for terme of life butt lett there be a certaine time prefixed which expired lett an other be created How the Brethren Penitents that are faulty and delinquent are to be visited and corrected THE XVI CHAPTER THe superiour Ministers Brethren and Sisters of euery towne or place in time to that end appointed shall assemble in some Monastery or Church there to make their common visitation where their visitors shal be Priestes of some approued Religion and of exemplare life that they may impose on the delinquent healthfull penance for their sinnes committed neither lett any other be admitted to his office of Minister And because this forme of life had its originall from the holy Father Saint Francis We counsaile them to choose visitors and reformers of this confraternity of the Order of Frere Minors who shall conserue it and haue particuler care therfore And when the Superiours or Gardians shal be therunto required they shall freely accept therof This office of visitation shal be kept att least once in a yeare or oftener if it shal be necessary The obstinate disobedient and incorrigible shal be first admonished three seuerall times after which if they will not amend lett them by the aduise of the discreet Brethren as incorrigible persons be excluded and expelled their confraternity That the Brethren must auoyd debates and contentions among themselues or others THE XVII CHAPTER LEtt the Brethren and Sisters to their vtmost auoyd strifes disputes debates and contentions And when any beginning of discord deth appeare lett them incontinently seeke to suppresse and extingâ—ish the same if not lett the

this laughter tourned into weeping then againe openning her eyes she shewed the like signes of ioy as before and shutting them she began againe to weep thus continuyng without speech till Compline And then she began to say O my God if thy holy will be to remaine with me I most humbly beseech thee to beleeue that I affect not nor desire any thing more passionatly then to remayne eternally with thy diuine maiesty Her companioÌ„s hauing prayed her to tell them for the glory of God and the edification of their soules what she had seene she sayd my beloued sisters I haue seene heauen open and my Lord IESVS CHR. benignely bowing vnto me shewing vnto me his holy gracious countenance Whiles I beheld him I was filled with incompreheÌ„sible ioy but not seeing him I was oppressed with inestimable griefe therfore did I so bitterly weepe And therfore God haâ—ing compassion of me he againe coÌ„forted and reioyced me with remonstrance of his glorious face replenished with inessable splendour who asking me if I would remayne with him I answeared as you haue hea d. Her companions further prayed her to impart vnto them the reuelation she had a litle before being before the altare She answeared I may not tell you what I haue seene yet I tell you I saw a merueillous matter of almighty God my hart was filled with his ioyful gracious visitation This S. was so visited of God in diuers manners though she reuealed nothing to her coÌ„panions therof nor what she knew to be the wil of God who soueth the secrecy of his friendes Our Redeemer would manifest the feruent charity of this blessed S. hearing her prayers by diuers effects wherof we will heere record the two examples following It happened one night as she slept that her mother appeared vnto her in vision on her knees in this sort entreating her alas my daughter remember the paines I endured in thy birth and pray for me for thou must know I suffer extreme torment for hauing liued too negligently not done penance for my sinnes The S. with this complaintive voice awaking and touched and moued with compassion towardes her mother she fell on her knees and made her prayer to God demaunding mercy of him for her mother And after a long and seruent prayer she fel a sleep and an other time saw her mother in vision with a ioyfull countenance who sayd My daughter I am by thy prayers deliuered of the paines wherwith I was tormented in purgatory and am now goeing to heauen This saynt seeing a yong man very sensuall and full of vanity had pitty of him and prayed for him whome also she persuaded to pray to God for himselfe wherto he accorded So whiles they both prayed the yong man began to cry out Madame pray no more for me pray no more forbeare if you please Which the S. hearing she redoubled the feruour of her prayers and the yong man began againe to cry lowder Madame pray no more for me I am all burned which exteriourly appeared for all his body did smoake by the extreme sweat wherin he was which made him tremble lift vp his armes and his countenance to faile They that found him there touching his flesh could not endure their handes on it his cloathes were al wet with the excessiue sweat that bathed him and therfore he stil encreased his cryes saying that he burned But the prayer of the sainct being ended this extreme visible heat left the yong man who retourning to the true knowledge of himselfe was then so purged and illuminated with diuine grace that the entred into the Religious Order of Frere Minors where he liued died piously and so God shewed the force and vertue of the prayer of his holy seruant not in these two examples only but also in many others Of the blessed death of S. Elizabeth and of the great miracles she wrought and how Pope Gregory the 9. canonized her THE XVII CHAPTER THe time of peregrinatioÌ„ of this holy widow being expired our lord appeared vnto her in vision and very familierly sayd Mine elect come possesse the celestial habitation In the morning she related this newes to her companions then by order she receaued with an examplar deuotion all the sacraments of the Church after that she prepared what was necessary for her obsequies and the night following tourning towardes a corner of the bed they that were neere her heard a cleare voice most sweetly singing wherupon one of her familier companions asked her who it was that did sing there and she mildely answeared that there was a litle bird which by the pleasing melody of his tune had induced her to sing then she began to cry auoyd auoyd auoyd wicked spiritt So that the deuill being come to see if he could find any thing for him in this sainct vanished att that voice And she hauing her countenance very ioyfull and her spiritt by prayer eleuated vnto God demaunded if it were not yet midnight att which houre our Sauiour voutsafed to be borne in the world and layd in the cribbe then saying that the houre was come when God would inuite her soule to the celestiall mariadge she sodenly mounted vnto heauen Her body hauing remayned foure dayes vnburyed continued so beautifull and yelded so sweet a sauour that it represented rather a glorious then mortall body There appeared at that instant on the roofe of the church a great noÌ„ber of birdes of strange kind which did so sweetly sing that they filled those that saw and heard them with extreme admiratioÌ„ this was to make knowne the feast which was celebrated in heauen att the entertaynment of this blessed soule her funerals were filled with great clamours complaintes and lamentations particulerly of the poore for the death and absence of her that loued attended and dressed them as amiably as if she had bin the carnal mother to them all There repayred thither a great confluence of people that with much deuotion weâ—e present att her obsequies each one entitling her a sainct and blessed He that could gett so nere her body as to haue one of her haires or part of her habitt esteemed it as a notable treasure Then would our Lord make knowne the glory of this his faithfull seruant by many miracles which by her merittes he wrought restoring sight to the blind curing the lame cleansing the leprous dispossessing the possessed giuing also sight to one borne blind and her selfe being layd in her graue deliuered many by her intercession from death Wherof Pope Gregory the ninth being adâ—ertised authentically assured of the miracles Wrought att the sepulchre of this holy womaÌ„ to whome liuing he carryed a perticuler deuotion after due and ordinarie information in such case procured and the examen of her life and miracles effected with the consent of al the Cardinals and Prelates of the Church that could be assembled the sayd Pope enroled her in the Catalogue of SS ordayning her feast to be

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

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