or to trauaile or for any other occasion whatsoeuer may haue mony in any manner or fashion that can happen nor lesse may he receiue it for recompence of his labours breiflely no Brother may touch or possesse mony for any necessity that may befall him vnlesse it be to releiue the vrgent need of the sick Brethren because we must no more esteeme mony then stones or thornes to the end that sith we renounce and abandon all our temporall substance in this life we doe not afterward for so small a matter make shipwrack of the eternall kingdome If peraduenture we chaunce to finde mony in som place lett vs no more regard then durt because whatsoeuer is in the world is meere vanity But if it should happē which God forbid that any brother receiue mony excepting vpon the aforesaid necessity of the sicke lett him be reputed by the Confraternity for a false Religious and thefe as he that taketh a purse if he be not truely penitent Lett not the Brethren in any manner in the world receiue mony or cause it to be receiued nor much lesse lett them demaund or procure it to be demaunded by a third person in any sort whatsoeuer nor lett them goe in company of men that demaund it for them But the Brethren may in the houses and places whither they shall goe exercise other seruices that shall not be contrarie to our Religion and rule with the benediction of our Lord. They may demaund almose for the leapers only whome they know to be in great necessity but lett them be very wary of mony and lett them likewise take keed not to search the world for any occasion of vnlawfull gaine that may be presented Of the manner of demaunding almose and of their ordinarie diet and refection THE IX CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren laboure to imitate the pouetty and humility of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST and lett them remember that nothing is necessary in the world but as the Apostle saith to haue wherewithal to releiue and couer vs wherwith we ought to content vs and seek no more We must reioyce when we conuerse with poore and base personnes that are contemned of the world but especially with the diseased leapers and poore begars thorough the streetes Whē it shable necessary to goe to demaūd almose att the doores lett thē goe without any feare or shame calling to minde that the sonne of Almighty God presented his countenance as a hard stone to the blowes and affrontes of the world and he was nothing ashamed to be poore and a stranger and to liue vpon almose together with his most sacred mother the virgin Mary And if men deny almose and retourne disgraces to the brother that shall demaund it lett him thanck God sor it and pray for them because he shall receiue saith IESVS CHRIST great honour of the shame that men shall procure him and lett him know that the iniuryes and scornes which shal be don him shall not be imputed as a fault to him that shall receiue them but to him indeed that shall offer them likewise that almose is a rent and obligation due to the poore which our Lord IESVS CHRIST hath merited purchaced and left vnto vs. And the Brethren that trauaile in seeking almose shall haue great recompence therof besides that they procure a meritt to them that giue it for whatsoeuer men doe in this world shall dissolue to nothinge excepting almose and worckes don in charity for which they shall receiue of God an eternall recompence Lett each Brother with all assurance discouer his necessity to his fellowes that they may comfort him with good wordes and actually assist him according to their abillity and lett each of them loue and cherish his Brothers as the mother loueth and cherisheth her owne child in what God shall giue him grace and faculty to assist him He that eateth not lett him not contemne him that eateth and he that eateth lett him not the more esteeme of him that eateth not If any necessity happen it shal be permissable to all the Brethren where they shall reside to eat of all humane thinges as God said of Dauid who did eat the bread that was permitted to Preistes only to eat Lett the Brethren remember that which IESVS CHRIST saith Beware of chardging and ouerburdening your hart with two much drincking eating for feare that sleepe incontinently surprise you and that sloath be occasion that in the latter day you be intercepted in the snares of death the which before the entrapping of each man liuing shall neuertheles haue diuerses effectes according as they shall finde the soule disposed either to life or to death the one and the other eternall But in time of manifest necessity lett the Brethren behaue themselues as their need shal import as our Lord shall better instruct them because necessity is not subiect to law In what manner the sick Brethren ought to be serued THE X. CHAPTER IN any place where a Brother shall fall sicke lett him not be left alone but lett there be alwaies one or more if need require to serue him as they would desire to be if they were in his place if vpō necessity there be no Brother lett care be taken to leaue some charitable persō to attēd and serue him in his sicknes and I pray the sick Brother that what soeuer may happen vnto him he alwayes giue thancks vnto God and be content to be such as God would haue him to be either aliue or dead that he continue in sicknes or recouer his health because all they whome God hath predestinated to eternall life are ordinarily by him instructed and diciplined with the rod of his afflictions and sicknesse with a spiritt of compunction and bitternes as he saith in the third of the Apocalipse I chastice and correct him whome I Ioue And if the sicke be disquieted and passionat against God or the Brethren or haue an ouer greedy affection to phisicke desiring and procuring beyond reason to free his ffesh which hath so litle time to liue and the which is ennemy to the soule the said sick Brother must not esteeme the same to proceed of a good ground but lett him assure and repute himselfe to be carnall for he doth not seeme to be of the nomber of the true seruantes of God sith he more affecteth the body then the soule considering that he striueth to worck more therin then the Phisition findeth for his cure That the Brethren ought mutually to loue each other that they ought not to calumniat any person nor in any sort to murmure THE XI CHAPTER LEtt the Brethren be wary not to accuse any of malice or to calumniat him and lett them not be contentious among themselues or with others lett them also shunne perfidiousnes and disloyalty but lett them be carefull to performe their exercises in the grace of God with silence and lett them not maintaine quarelsome disputes neither among them selues nor with others but rather
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
a heat and sting of sensuality that loosing all hope of force to ouercome so great a temptation he diuers times required his apparell of the sayd Father Simon to retourne to the world affirming that he could no longer remaine in Relligion but the good Father comforted him and still deferred him to an other time Neuertheles his temptations encreased daily And as one day he exceedingly vrged him to permitt him to depart out of relligion this holy Father hauing compassion of him commanded him to sitt downe by him which the nouice hauing done he layd his head on his lappe then lifting his eyes towardes heauen he with such feruour prayed for him that being rapt in extasie he was heard in such sort that the Nouice was so deliuered of his temptations that thenceforward his sensuall heat was tourned into the fier of charity wherof he made demonstration after he had made his vow by this accident A lewd fellow was condemned for his misdeedes to haue his eyes crushed out this Religious hauing heard report hereof moued with charity towardes his neighbour went and most instantly prayed the iudge to temper iustice with mercy and to mittigate the sentence giuen against that criminell The Iudge answeared that he could not This good Religious then fell on his knees before the Iudge and with tearfull eyes besought him that the sentence then might be executed on himselfe in regard that the party condemned would not endure the torment nor support the disgrace so patiently as himselfe The Iudge moued with such wordes and admiring the Charity of this Religious pardoned for that time the malefactor This holy Father being in prayer in a solitary place many birdes came ouer him and by their singing made so great a noyse as they distracted him Wherfore he commanded them in the name of God to depart and they redily obeyed The houre of death of this worthy seruant of God being att length come and his yeares being accomplished he yelded his soule to his Creatour adorned with vertues and sanctity He was buryed in the Couent of Spoletum where his notable merittes haue bin manifested he hauing obtayned many graces of God for the comfort and benefitt of infinitie personnes that haue implored him as their intercessour The life of the glorious Father Brother Christopher Of the mortification charity abstinence and affliction of body of the glorious Brother Christopher THE XLVIII CHAPTER THe venerable Brother Christopher was borne in Romania he was Preist before he entierly left the world to follow IESVS CHRIST he was moued thervnto by the example predication of S. Francis who hauing admitted him to the habitt and profession of the Frere Minors sent him into France to the Prouince of Gascone the yeare 1219. there to edifie soules and to plant the seed of Religion This Father was of a profound humility and simplicity especially pittifull to the afflicted He succoured assisted and serued the leapers with great deuotion and dilligence washing their feet dressing their soares and vlcers making their beddes paring their nayles and giuing them comfort in all their necessities But how much he was pittifull in the behalfe of others as charity commanded him so much was he seuere and rigorous to himselfe weakening him selfe by continuall fastes and wearing a grosse hairecloth hauing besides for a long time worne a coat of maile the more to torment his flesh His perseuerance in rigour of life was such that being an hundred yeares old he did eat but once a day except the sondayes and principall feastes of the yeare so that albeit his body grew old and decayed he was neuettheles alwayes yong and firme in vertues Notwithstanding such mortifications and abstinences he had a face very cheerfull for the interiour ioy shined and appeared exteriourly and the most sweet and gracious loue of his hart towardes his God made all the afflictions sweet which his body endured Of the diuine consolations which he receaued in prayer and att Masse THE XLIX CHAPTER THis holy Religious neuer spent his time idly but euer employed himselfe either in prayer or reading or in manuall exercise in the garden or in some other seruice necessary to relligion He was wery dilligent in prayer and had the grace of shedding many teares And that he might the more commodiously apply himselfe to prayer he made choice of a very litle cell made of earth and boughes of trees separate frome the others wherin he spent most of his time which was a thing in manner generall to the first Fathers of that time and there was he often visited diuinely as also the glorious Virgin Mary appeared vnto him one time with her mother S. Anne comforted him that was particulerly deuout vnto them He euery day said masse with great deuotion and abondance of teares which was very gratefull to IEVS CHRIST as by the sequell appeareth This venerable Brother saying masse one morning one of the candels on the altare was casually putt out and there was seene a light instantly to discend from heauen that lightened it againe There was often seene a white pigeon houering ouer his head whiles he said masse the Religious that serued and assisted him did often see it he was a yong man very neat and an innocent disciple of his called Brother Peter who hauing forsaken his kinred his friendes his patrimony and all the world besides on whose fallacious and deceiptfull apparences he would not relye entred into the Religion of Frere Minors where he ascended to such sanctity that in regard of his pure simplicity he merited often times to see and speake with his good Angell Gardien The first time that he saw the pigeon discend vpon the head of the glorious Br. Christopher not knowing what it signified he sought to driue it away wherin he exceedingly troubled his master who was enforced to will him to lett it alone and therby it was knowne what it was This venerable Father one time calling to minde his sinnes committed in the world extremely feared the punishment they deserued conformably to that which the scripture sayth Happy is he that alwayes feareth and therfore he prayed this Angelicall yong man Br. Peter whose conscience he knew very well to demaund of his familier Angell his estate touching his former sinnes who made him this answeare Tell Brother Christopher he need not feare his sinnes past because God hath pardoned them entierly But lett him striue to perseuer in his good worckes begun that he may meritt eternall life The rest of this Chapter is inserted in the end of the 71. chapter of the second booke being a vision that this holy Father had of the death of Sainct Francis Of some miracles wrought by this glorious Br. Christopher in his life time THE L. CHAPTER ALthough this holy mā did not publikely ascend into the pulpitt to preach the word of God yet did he deliuer it to such people as he conuersed withall giuing them profitable admonitions accompanyed with seuere reprehensions so
iniustly afflict vs that oppose them selues against vs that iniury vs procure our vexation torment and death and we ought to loue them the more in that what they doe vnto vs God vseth them as an instrument and because what soeeuer he doeth and permitteth though it seeme displeasing vnto vs it notwithstanding auaileth to our saluation sith by meane hereof we shall purchase eternall life We ought besides to abhorre and hate our body when it is pleased in delightes and vices for so liuing carnally we estrange our selues from the loue of IESVS CHRIST and make our owne entry into hell and by reason that by sinne we become loathsome and miserable and that the concupiscences of our flesh are contrary to our true good and make vs prone to euill as our lord saith From the hart of man proceed euill cogitations fornications adulteries murders couetousnes theftes deceiptes blasphemies false testimonies pride and the foly of this world and all the foresaid euils procure and make the soule loathsome defiled and refrigerate we therfore who haue already forsaken the world should haue regard to no other thinge but to doe the will of God an to take contentment therin Lett vs haue care not to be like the earth by the way side full of stones and thornes because as our lord saith the seed that is the word of God which was sowne by the way side was trodden vnder foote by passengers and destroyed Hereto are compared those that heare the word of God but dispose not themselues to vertue and the deuill incontinently rooteth it out of their harts least beleeuing they might be saued They are compared to the stone wheron the other seed fell who willingly heare the word of God and insome sort dispose themselues to doe well but some affliction befalling them they are incontinently scandalized the seed then withereth because it hath no root They are compared to thornes who hearing the word of God haue their harts alwayes employed on worldly thinges and permitt thēselues to be seduced by richesse and auarice busying themselues in terrestriall affaires and therfore the seed cannot profitt them But they are like to fertile land who heare the word of God and with the hart obserue and practise it and doe worckes worthy of penance Lett vs therfore as our Lord saith suffer the dead to bury the dead Lett vs be seriously wary of the slightes and mischeiuous deuises of the deuill who seeketh no other thing but to separate our soule from vnion with God by the bait of temporall richesse honours and pleasures of the flesh seeking to become lord and master of the hart of man employing all his endeauour to root out of his memory the preceptes of God and doth striue to blind the hart of man in the desires and cogitations of the world and to confirme him in them according to the saying of our lord When the vncleane spiritt shall depart out of a man he wandereth through places without water seeking rest And not finding he saith I will retourne into my house whence I departed And when he is come he findeth it swept with a besome and trimmed Thē he goeth taketh seuen other spirits worse then himselfe entring in theydwel there And the things last of that mā be made worse then the first Sith then we are by these speeches admonished lett vs not procure our ruine and death by disvniting our soule from God for whatsoeuer terrestriall recompense affaire or fauour but lett all we doe be only for the loue of God I pray all the Brethren that being freed and deliuered of al impediment and hinderance that may trouble them they make their best endeauour to serue loue and honour God with a pure hart and free spiritt in regard that he especially requireth the same of vs and lett vs so proceede that in vs may be the residence of his diuine Maiestie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who faith vnto vs Pray att all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come and to stand before the Sonne of man he also teaching vs to pray saith When you shall pray say Our Father which art in heauen We therfore must alwayes pray and neuer faile therin Lett vs adore God with a sincere hart because such adorers please the eternall Father and he would haue it so God is a spiritt and they that adore him ought to adore him in spiritt truth Let vs haue recourse to our Lord as to the Father and Pastour of our soules who saith I am the good Pastour that feed and keep my flocke euen to the exposing of my life for it you are all Brethren therfore call not your selues Fathers on earth because you haue but one Father which is in heauen nor call your selues masters for you haue but one celestiall Master If you remaine in me and my wordes in you you shall haue and obtaine whatsoeuer you shall demaund And where there are two or three assembled in my name I am there with them euen to the end of the world The wordes that I haue spoken to you be spiritt and life I am the way and the verity and the life lett vs then keep the true life and doctrine and the holy gospell which it hath pleased him to manifest vnto vs as he sayth Father I haue manifested thy name to the men whome thou gauest me and they haue receiued the doctrine which I haue giuen them they haue knowne that I am truely come from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent me For them I praye not for the world but for them whome thou hast giuen me Holy Father keepe them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also we These things I speake in the world that they may haue my ioy filled in themselues I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I also am not of the world I pray not that thou take them away out of the world but that thou preserue them from euill Sanctifie them in truth Thy word is truth As thou diddest send me into the world I also haue sent them into the world And for them I doe sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified in truth And not for them onlie doe I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as me also thou hast loued and thou shalt lett them know thy name because the loue whereby thou hast loued me shall be in them and in me together By the same meane Father whome thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me I praye all the Brethren in the name of almightie God
Father as our protectour I beseech you my Brethren euen humblie kissing your feet and with the greatest charitie I can I doe exhort you to reuerence and honour with your vtmost ability the most sacred sacrament wherby heauenly and earthlie matters are reconciled with God I beseech all my brethren that are Preistes and such as in the name of God shal be when they intend to celebrate the diuine masse to be pure and neat that they may worthelie offer the true sacrifice of the most sacred bodie and bloud of our lord IESEVS CHRIST with the greatest reuerence puritie holie inteÌ„tion that they shal be able not for any humane respect for any feare or loue but that their intention be directed to God desiring to please onlie his Maiestie who sayth Doe this in remembrance of me Know then yee Preistes that he who shall doe otherwise shal be like vnto Iudas Remember the saying of the Apostle A man making the law of Moyses frustrate without any mercy dyeth vnder two or three witnesses How much more thinck you doth he deserue worse punishmente which hath trodden the Sonne of God vnder foot and esteemed the bloud of the testament polluted wherin he is sanctified and hath done contumelie to the spiritt of grace For then is a man irreuerent and treadeth on that lambe of God when as the Apostle saith he doth not examine and make a difference betweene this true bread of God and that which he doth ordinarily eat and therfore he receaueth it vnworthely For God saith in Ieremie The man is cursed that doeth negligently and feinedly And the Preistes that will not haue this care to celebrate so excellent a Mystery the most worthely that possibly can be shal be condemned of God who saith I will tourâ—e your benedictions to maledictions on your selues My brethren heare me I pray you if the glorious virgin be so much honoured as she deserueth for hauing receaued into her chast wombe our lord IESVS CHRIST If. S. Iohn Baptist trembled and durst not touch the head of IESVS CHRIST and finally if the holy sepulchre wherin IESVS CHRIST was buryed for his so small time of residence is so much reuerenced how much more ought he to be iust holy and well purged who with his handes doth handle and with his proper mouth doth receaue so high infinite a Maiesty and doth administer the same to others Remember that he is an immortall and eternall God that liueth glorious and eternall with contemplation of whose Maiesty the Angels themselues cannot be satisfied Preistes know your dignitie and be holy for God is holy and as in regard of so great a mystery and dignity you haue bin more honoured then other men remember in like sort to be also more gratefull vnto God and to reuerence loue and honour him for otherwise your misery is exceeding great and deserueth continuall teares in that you hauing in your handes the almighty God the fountaine of all good thinges you procure to haue transitory and terrestriall thinges all the world ought to tremble with feare and sweetly weepe whiles the Angels themselues bend their knees when IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of the most high is vpon the altare betweene the handes of man O merueillous highnes and diuine debasement O most high humility that the Sonne of God yea God himselfe the master and lord of the vniuersall world should so humble himselfe as to giue himselfe vnto vs hidden vnder the forme of bread Consider my brethren so profound a humility and purifie your hart before his diuine Maiestie to the end he receaue all as he giueth himselfe to all Therfore I aduertiâ—e you in the name of God that in all places where the Religious are you celebrate but one masse a day and though you haue diuers Preistes lett the rest be content to heare it for although it be seene in many pertes yet is it one and indiuisible and without any detriment true God and true man so in one sole masse he can communicate his grace to all present and absent that make themselues worthy one onlie and verie God Father Sonne and holie Ghost worcking this Amen Of the faith and knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and of the sacred Sacrament THE XLV CHAPTER TO all Christians Religious Ecclesiasticall lay men and women that are in the world Brother Francis their seruant and subiect in God desireth withall reuerence a true peace in heaueÌ„ by the sincere charity which is discended on earth As I am the seruant of you all so am I obliged to serue all and to administer vnto you the most sweet word of my lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Considering therfore in my soule that by reason of the diuers infirmities that afflict my body I cannot by corporall presence as I desire visitt you my selfe I haue thought good to supply the same by letters and by them to administer vnto you the worde of IESVS CHRIST who is the word of the eternall Father the wordes of the holy Ghost which are spiritt life I then admonish you Brethren to confesse your sinnes to a Preist with all the dilligence you can possible and att his hand to receaue the true body and bloud of IESVS CHRIST For as our Lord saith he that eateth not my flesh and drincketh not my bloud cannot haue eternall life Lett vs then endeauour worthely to receaue such so eminent a maiesty for he that receaueth it vnworthely in steed of saluatioÌ„ pourchaceth death Besides I exhort you often to visitt the holy churches and to reuerence Preistes not so much in respect of themselues if they be sinners as for reuerence of the function and dignity which they haue in being ministers of the most pretious body and bloud of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which by them is offered on the altare receaued and administred vnto vs without which none can be saued by the holy wordes which they vtter and minister he discendeth from heauen to earth and none but they can doe it O how happy and blessed are they who loue God withall their hart with all their soules and with all their forces and their neighbour as themselues I inuite you all my brethren and you my sisters to this loue lett vs all with one accord loue God with one pure affection of our hart adore him because that is the thing which he especially requireth and demaundeth of vs as himselfe hath said the true adorers adore in spiritt and truth and it is necessary for them that adore him to doe it in that manner Our lord said to his disciples I am the way the verity the life No man coÌ„meth to the Father but by me If you had knowne me my Father also certes you had knowen from hencefoorth you shall know him and you haue seen him Phillip said to him Lord shew vs the Father it sufficeth vs. IESVS said to him So long time I am
nor vnderstand for they doe voluntarie blinde and ruinate their owne soules Open your eyes then blinded deluded as ye are by your ennemies the flesh the world and the deuill To the body it is a very delightfull thing to serue sinne very tedious to serue God all euils and sinnes proceed from the hart of mā as God saith in the Gospell The wicked haue no good in this world nor shall haue in the next they seeme att their pleasure to possesse the present vanities but they are deceaued for the time and houre will come when they shall loose all The holy Father said also that one being knowne to be verie sicke the first aduertisement of his kinred and freindes is not to prouide for his soule but to make his will and so his wife kinred and freindes gather about him to induce him to be mindfull of them And he ouercome by the teares of his wife the tender loue he beareth to his children and the persuasions of his kinred that seeme to haue forgotten his soule disposeth of his substance according to their fancie to giue them contēt and saith that he committeth to their gouernment and authority his substance his soule and his body that man is truely accursed who in this sort putteth his trust in man conformable to what the Prophett Ieremie said Cursed is the man that trusteth in man Now after such disposition the Confessour is sent for who finding the wretch obliged to some restitution soliciteth him to discharge himselfe therof but he answeareth that he hath made his testament disposed of all his goodes and deliuered it into the handes of his heires who will satisfie whatsoeuer shal be necessary and because he is in agonie and hath almost lost his speech there is no time to dispose of matters necessarie to the discharge of his conscience and so he dyeth a most miserable death Therfore lett euerie one know that when and howsoeuer a man dye in mortall sinne and without due restitution of an other mannes goodes hauing power to doe it before his death the deuill carryeth his soule directlie to hell where he shal be eternallie tormented and so in an instant he looseth bodie and soule goodes and honour because his kinred diuiding his inheritance among them they often curse his soule for not hauing left to one of them what he hath left to all Of the contrarietie of vices and vertues and certaine breife aduertisements and exercises of them THE LI. CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis affirmed that where true charity is there can neither be feare nor ignorance Where there is a ioyfull and voluntarie pouerty there is neither enuy nor auarice where there is Meditation of God there is no care where the feare of God is keeper of the house there the deuill cannot enter where there is discretion and mercy there is neither superfluity nor deceipt Now I tell you there is no man in the world can in any sort haue one of the said vertues If he doe not first die to himselfe and he that reallie possesseth one hath all with that one he erreth not in the rest and he that erreth in one erreth in all the other and is in that case as if he had not any they are of such valew that each one of it selfe confoundeth vices and sinnes holie wisdome confoundeth the deuill with all his malices holy simplicitie confoundeth the prudence of the deuill the world and the flesh holy pouertie confoundeth enuie auarice and seculer desires holy humilitie confoundeth pride with all worldly honoures and what soeuer is in them holy charity confoundeth all diabolicall and carnall temptations and pleasures holy obedience confoundeth all naturall will and sensuall affection subiecteth the body to obedience of the spiritt rendreth and maketh a man humble and subiect not only to all men but euen to other irreasonable creatures The Apostle saith the letter killeth but the spiritt giueth life they are killed by the letter who seeke to know only to be reputed learned and wise of the world by this meane to purchase honours and richesse with anxiety to aduance their kinred and freindes and in a word not for themselues but for the body or for others And they are quickened of the spiritt who referre all the learning and knowledge they haue and desire to haue only to the prayse and honour of the diuine maiesty and who appeare before God by the example of their life and with wordes full of edification offring vnto him that goodnes which is entierlie his owne In this sort it is that the seruant of God may know if he really haue his spiritt for if the flesh glorie in the worckes it doeth by meane of the grace of God as its owne it is then a signe that he is of the deuill But if in the said worckes he neuerthelesse repute himselfe vile and acknowledge himselfe a most greiuous sinner he is then truely of God and God is in him Happy is the seruant that neither speaketh nor doeth any thinge for hope of recompence in this world but for the loue of God nor lightlie speaketh what commeth to his mouth but prudently and in due time disposeth his propositions and answeares Wretched also is the Religious that buryeth in his hart the graces which he receaueth of God or that commanicateth them for subiect of vaine glorie desiring rather to manifest them verballie then to God for he hath alreadie receaued his reward and they who haue heard him haue bin litle edified therby These are wordes of life and he that shall ruminate and accomplish them shall finde true life and in the end obtaine saluation of God They that seeke not to tast how sweete God is and that loue darcknes more then light neglecting to obserue the commandementes of God are by his Prophett accursed of him who sayeth Cursed are they who erre from thy commandementes but how blessed and happie are they that loue God and performe the saying of the gospell Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and withall thy will Lett vs therefore My Brethren loue and prayse God day and night Our Father which art in heauen because it is necessary to pray alwayes without intermission and lett vs haue charity and humility and doe almose deedes that they may cleanse our soules from spottes of sinne for euerie thing appertayning to the world tourneth to ruine men must leaue it and carry with them onlie the recompence and reward of charitie and the almose they haue done wherof they shall receaue recompence of God And therfore it is good to fast from vices and sinnes flying all occasions of them and to keepe vs from all kinde of superfluitie though lawfull and we must frequent churches and honour Preistes in respect of the dignity they haue with God and especiallie the Religious that haue renounced the world to doe more good then others and by their example we
blindesse that held him in the handes of the deuill in this life and led him to eternall damnation in the other inducing him to embrace the sole true faith of IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour who out of pure loue being God vouchsased to become man and to dye on the tree of the Crosse to deliuer him from eternall death and ascending into heauen prepared for him an immortall life But this Morian king and his people shewing themselues deafe to this discourse determined to separate these Religious one from an other and then to each in particular were offered in the behalfe of the king richesse and honours att lenght they were threatened with most cruell tormentes yea with death it selfe if they would not accept of their law Their threates auayled as much as their promises for God had so transpearced their spiritt with the sweet nailes of his loue that they all in their hartes spake these wordes of S. Paule Who shall euer separate vs from the charity of IESVS shall the sword afflictions worldly fauours and richesse the pleasures of the flesh or any other allu rementes and withall couragiously answeared and derided their threates accusing Mahomett whome they tearmed accursed and his law contemptible carnall and damnable A certaine Preuost then drew his sword and gaue their superiour Father Daniel a dash on the head then ayming his sword point att his face and att his hart he said conuert thee traytor or I will procure thee a cruell death which he did to terrifie the other six who were by the Iudge and the Counsailers there present persuaded not to misprise the fauour of the king and to haue compassion att least of their miserable liues but they confidently answeared them and exhorted them that being old and already as it were in the mouth of death so that they could not long enioy the contentmentes of this life they would not persist in obstinacy least their soules were eternally condemned to hell for adhering to men of this world and to a law that their owne consciences knew to be false as apparently as a thing to be touched with the finger But these old men held themselues so offended with this speech though they had bin very fauourable and respectiue vnto them that they resolued their death How the seauen Martyrs were condemned to death and beheaded THE XXXIV CHAPTER THe iudge therevpon gaue Order that as enemies of the law of God they should be beheaded wherwith the holy Martyrs exceeding well pleased did encourage each other and then the six Religious addressing themselues to their superiour Father Daniel and kissing his handes gaue him thanckes for procuring them these marriages each of them asked his benediction and the grace to be the first martyred for the loue of God This good Father hauing his eyes beteared with ioy thancking God for such a singuler gifte and giuing them his benediction he said My deerly beloued children lett vs all reioyce in God in this festiuall day which he hath pleased to ordaine for the last of our pilgrimage and be not terrified for all his Angels are present prepared to assist vs they haue opened vs the gate of Paradice whither if he please we shall this day arriue together to receiue the crounes of martyrdome and to be eternally glorious These wordes ended the executioners stripped the seauen martyrs inuincible champions of IESVS and hauing bound their handes behinde their backes they conducted them out of the kinges Pallace with a trompettt before them as if they had bin attainted of some notorious crime But these holy Religious as meeke lambes went to the slaughter and hauing their spiritt eleuated to the soueraigne God ceassed not preach to the Mores by the way Being come to the place of execution they fell on their knees and recommending thēselues to God they ioyfully receaued martyredome offering vp their innocent soules vested with the pious purple of their very bloud with a great admiratiō to the Mores who as enraged were not satisfied herewith esteeming themselues as indeed they had reason rather vanquished then to haue ouercome These Ministers of the deuill tooke those holy bodies dismembred them and trayned them thorough the dirt till they were weary and then the Christians secretly gathered them vp and carryed them into the suburbes where they were and are honoured and reuerēced for many miracles which by their merittes God wrought there wherof hauing no other asseurance then the affirmation of the inhabitants of the place I thought it not expedient to committ them to writing as determining to insert nothing in these chronicles but what is most true and autenticalll It sufficeth that Pope Leo the tenth graunted and permitted the Freere Minors to celebrate their feast on the day of their Martyrdome which was the tenth of October 1227. a yeare after the death of S. Francis So is it att this day celebrated in the bishopprick of Brague the Primacie of Spaine though in the office of Bracare it is put in the yeare 1221. but it is an errour of the Printer It is recorded in the end of the legende that a Prince of Portugall by a speciall fauour obtayned these resiques and carryed them into Spaine but there is not to be found any other perticuler mention of certainty in the bookes of the Order The 35. Chapter is put after the 39. of this very booke as more proper vnto it The triumph of two Martyrs of Valencia How two Religious which S. Francis sent to Valencia in Arragon were Martyred there THE XXXVI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis sent two Religious of pious life to the kingdome of Arragon to witt Brother Iohn a Preist Peter a lay Brother who arriuing att the citty of Teruel they caused a chappell to be built there wherin they dwelt employing their time in pious exercises and prayers and liued vertuously with exceeding edification and by their preachinges filled the citty with a most sweet odour of their sanctity The citty of Valencia was then possessed by the Mores mortall ennemies of the Christians and therein raigned their king Azot a most cruell persecutor of the faith of IESVS CHRIST and therfore these two seruantes of God resolued to preach there and to offer their liues for the saluation of soules so passionate was their zeale of the faith and their desire of Martyrdome So then goeing and entring in to the Citty they began to confesse and resolutely denounce to that people the word of God condemning their erronious sect as pernicious and damnable Wherof the king hauing first made them all kinde of gracious offers to allure them to his law them vsing terrible threates to feare them and perceiuing that he no more auayled in the one sort then the other he caused their heades to be cutt off on the feast of the decollation of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare 1231. and their bodyes were carefully gotten and buryed by the Christians God by their merittes working many miracles How the reliques
the people as if it had bin good friday as hath bin more amply discoursed in the 30. chapter of the first booke and first volume of this first part the great obedience of Br. Ruffinus requiring so admirable an effect to the spirituall profitt of the people How the deuils feared and shunned Br. Ruffinus THE XII CHAPTER THis Religious S. was for his great humility and purity so feared of the deuils that they could not endure his presence as in diuers accidents hath bin experienced and one time particulerlie when he went a begging in the Cittie of Assisium meeting many men that led one possessed very strongly bound and tyed towardes S. Francis to be dispossessed he seeing Br. Ruffinus cryed out very loud and gaue such a straine that breaking the cordes wherwith he was bound he escaped and ran from the men that held him who getting hold of him againe and much admiring such an vnwounted act asked him the cause therof he answeared I did it because that same Br. Ruffinus which asked almose hath by his vertues and prayers so burned me that I cannot remaine in this body which spoken he presently fled and left the poore man deliuered The holy Father S. Francis being one time in prayer on the mount Aluerne in a sequestred cell the deuilles laboured to disquiett him casting stones very furiously and making such a noyse that the mountaine seemed ready to be ouerthrowne it chaunced that in the meane time Br. Ruffin passed that way who cōming to aske S. F. his benediction called to him a farre saying God be praysed and incontinētly the deuils making an extreme noyse fled away S. Francis that had heard the voice of Br. Ruffinus had also heard the flight of the deuils sodenly goeing out of his cell cryed vnto thē Yee Proud creatures stay the cōming of B. Ruffinus that he may chastice you for he knoweth you very well It happened an other time that ten possessed personnes which were abroad in the fieldes mett there Br. Ruffinus whome hauing scene they presently fled and being demaunded of some that passed by why they hastened away they answeared by reason of that Br. Ruffinus by whome weare pressed as grapes in the wine presse The thirtenth chapter which should follow here is inserted before to better purpose touching a greatt temptation of Br. Ruffin and how he surmounted the deuils by vertue of the prayer of S. Francis THE XIII CHAPTER THis chapter is not conuenient to be placed here as well because the subiect therof happened to him before he attayned to such perfection and therfore this can be no proper place for it as also because it is amply discoursed in the 45. chapter of the first booke and first volume of this first part Of the death of the glorious Br. Ruffinus and of the apparition he had a litle before his death THE XIV CHAPTER BRother Ruffinus and Br. Leo were both sick att one same time as we haue formerly said in the last chapter of the life of Br. Bernard Now as vpon this admirable vision they discoursed with themselues of the soule of the said Brother Bernard and that they came for an other soule Brother Leo thincking it to be himselfe that should dye because he felt himselfe very sicke he arose out of his bedde as well as he could and went very ioyfully to the bed of Brother Ruffinus to whome he said Brother rest in peace for it is the will of God that I now dye to goe to his glory Brother Ruffinus answeared him Brother you are deceaued for the vision which you haue had and the wordes which haue bin spoaken to you are to be vnderstood of me not of you for our holy Father S. Francis glorious as he is came lately thither accompanyed with a great nomber of Religious who told me I was to passe from this miserable life to the most blessed in very short time for earnest pledge wherof he gaue me a sweet and gracious kisse through which my mouth and lippes continue full of miraculous sweetnes And that you may belieue me come neere you shall know it Brother Leo comming neere vnto him felt such a sweetnesse of that precious odour that he was fully assured of what Brother Ruffinus had sayd so the time of his departure drawing on he called all the Religious of the Couent before him whome he animated to the obseruance of their profession and to fraternall charity by most pious and excellent discourses in the middest of which his soule departed to eternall peace with that glorious company which expected him in heauen and his body was buryed in the Couent of sainct Francis where were already enterred some other of his disciples and deere companions The life of brother Leo. How Brother Leo was familier companion Confessour and Secretary to sainct Francis THE XV. CHAPTER BRother Leo was Confessour and Secretary to sainct Francis in which function after he had much profited in the actiue life by all kinde of vertues and perfections he was by the diuine grace brought to the delicious garden of the contemplation and holy conuersation of sainct Francis and in regard that he was singulerly adorned and endued with the vertue of simplicity the Sainct particulerly affected him and reioyced much in his familiarity Sometimes he would call him Brother beast and simple sheep of God and intending to decipher a true Frere Minor he would say that the Religious who had the simplicity and purity of Brother Leo was really a Frere Minor Now as he was almost alwayes companion to sainct Francis so had he the fauour to see him many times in extasie his body lifted vp in the ayre aboue the trees and then himselfe would fall on the ground in the very place whence the Sainct was eleuated into the aire and demaund of God mercy in fauour of his Sainct It was he alone that merited to be companion of the Sainct that Lent which he kept of sainct Michael Th'archangell when he receaued the sacred stigmates on the Mount Aluerne where he was participant of all the merueilous apparitions reuelations that did precede the seraphichal apparition of IESVS CHRIST And he was the first to whome the holy Father shewed his sacred stigmates as to his most deere and cordiall freind and to the Father of his soule that did daily dresse them as in many places of his life hath bin very amply discoursed Part of the 16. chapter which followeth in the Spanish text is placed in the middest of the 11. chapter of the second booke and first volume of this part because thy are certaine reuelations of sainct Francis which sainct Leo had the rest is that which followeth How it was reuealed to brother Leo that vnlesse we be assisted of God we can doe nothing of our selues BRother Leo one time in prayer had a cogitation of presumption trusting on himselfe and his vertues And being in this cogitation there appeared vnto him
recorded Of the sanctity and miracles of Brother Zachary who was the first Guardian of the Couent of Alenquer and of his death THE XXVIII CHAPTER THe said Monastery being thus founded with exceeding pouerty and sanctity by the vertue and exemplar life of the sayd disciples of the glorious Father sainct Francis and namely of Brother Zachary as being the most notable in all vertues This holy Father zealous towardes God in worckes of charity in watchinges and prayers did often offer his prayers before a Crucifix which was after in the Chapiter of the said Couent of Alenquer till the yeare 1414. by which our Lord aduertised him of many thinges as well concerning his owne as his neighbours welfare The consolation and spirituall ioy which he receaued of this image was such as he could not leaue it but with great greife Brother Zacharie being Guardian it one day happened that there were but two loaues of bread in al the Couent the hower of refection being come he enioyned all the brethren to prayer then commanded them to sitt downe att table and the sayd loaues to be portioned among all the Religious and att the same instant there appeared an Angell att their gate in forme of a beautifull yong man who brought them as many loaues as there were persons in the Monastery his grace and beauty was such as could be imagined He calling for the Guardian gaue it vnto him who with the other Religious knowing this present to come to them from the hand of God who hauing care of all his creatures neuer forgetteth his true poore they gaue him thanckes for it Many kept of this bread as a holy relique but namely the Princesse Saucia who would haue her part therof Preaching on a time with great zeale of the faith of IESVS CHRIST and of the saluation of soules one that was incredulous being partly contrite and conuerted by his sermon would afterwardes confesse vnto him but by all the industry the good Father could deuise he could not rid him of his doubtes touching the Blessed sacrament of the Eucharist Art length hauing an exceeding desire to saue his soule he sayd vnto him Sith thou canst not be cured by the wordes of God come againe to morrow in the morning with the greatest deuotion thou canst and perhappes it will please our Lord IESVS CHRIST to illuminate and confirme thee by his diuine presence and so dismissing him and that day ended the Sainct spent all that night in deuotion praying God to voutsafe to illuminate and confirme this poore man in the holy faith The next morning he celebrated masse this man being present with great deuotion but the wordes of consecration being vttered he saw the sacred host conuerted into flesh and so continuyng till the Preist was ready to communicate and then he saw it retourne to the forme of an host as before the consecration This admirable vision entierly cleered his soule of all doubtes he had and fully confirmed him in the Catholike faith This glorious Father att length yelding vp his soule it ascended to heauen and his body was buryed on the right side of the crosse of the Church of the said Couent in Alenquer with his other companions and the holy disciples of the glorious Father sainct Francis The inhabitants of Alenquer att this present take the earth of that sepulcher and with great reuerence apply it to the sicke who therby recouer their health Of a Religious that was disciple to sainct Francis in the Couent of Alenquer THE XXIX CHAPTER AMong all the Religious that were sent by the holy Father saint Francis to the said Couent of Alenquer there was one very deuout and solitary that flying especially all conuersation and discourses with women spent almost all his time in prayer Now it happened that one of the ladyes of the Princes Saucia called Mary Gracia noting this Religious to be so spirituall began to haue perticuler deuotion vnto him and therfore she desired to haue some conference witht him But this holy Religious refusig all acquaintance and speech with any women shunned her with all endeauour Neuertheles it once happened that the Lady and the Religious in such sort met each with other that the Religious could not without discurtesie auoyd to speake vnto her for she much vrged him therto but he sayd vnto her Madame I beseech you before I spake vnto you cause to be brought hither some straw with fier which hauing don he willed her to putt the straw the fier together the lady hauing so dō the straw presētly burned the Religious then sayd vnto her Madame what issue you haue seene the straw to haue with the fier the like belieue me hath the seruant of God with a woman speaking with her without necessity Whereat this lady was so shamefully amazed that leauing this good Religious she neuer more insinuated herselfe by her curious deuotion to trouble him Wherfore as this holy Religious perseuered in vertues so att the end of his life his dead body was endowed with such a beauty and splendour that all the Religious both admired and reioyced exceedingly therby hauing more perfect assurance of his sanctity Att the instant of his death S. Antony of Padua who then was Canon Reguler in the monastery of S. Crosse in Conimbria celebrating the masse saw in spirit the soule of this Religious mount into the aire and gloriously to ascend into Paradise hauing first passed Purgatory as a bird that flyeth swiftly Of the life sanctity death and miracles of Br. Walter and of the ancient custome of Portugall to record matters that happened by the yeares of Augustus Caesar THE XXX CHAPTER THe vertue and sanctity of Br. Walter disciple of S. Francis are yet of great fame he hauing so piously and exemplarly liued that in a short time he drew al the neighbour contrye to be friendes to his Order he also conuerted them from many vices and sinnes wherto the inhabitantes therof were much enclined and addicted and exercised them in vertues It is sayd that this holy Father being dead and enterred there issued out of his tombe an oyle of such vertue as it cured many diseases and perseuered till his body was transported to the great Couent neere to the said citty The day of his death which was the second of August was a long time festiually solemnised and in regard of the great concourse of people that from euery where repayred thither to honour and reuerence the holy reliques there was kept a generall faire A long time after the Frere Minors hauing built their Couent very neere the citty the Canons resolued to steale from them this holy body but though to this purpose they came thither with a great nomber of men and afterwardes with strength of oxen to draw away the tombe of the sayd S. entier neuertheles they could not so much as lift vp the reliques alone out of the tombe by what soeuer forcible endeauour nor much lesse
that prayeth continually for all the people and for the holy Cittie which the sayd Religious vnderstood to be Brother Giles A woman of the citty of Perusia hauing no milke wherwith to suck her litle child had recourse to this holie Father to whome she was much deuoted but he being in extasie she could not speake vnto him And she not hauing leasure to expect came neere him where he prayed whose breast hauing with exceeding faith and deuotion touched she had milke sufficient to nource her child How God communicated to Br. Giles a most pleasing seeling of glory before this death THE XLIII CHAPTER THis holy Father a litle before his death retourning from prayer into his cell replenished with a merueillous ioy sayd to his companion My child giue me thy iudgement in this I haue found a treasure of such worth and excellency as no humane tongue can expresse and therfore my child I pray thee againe speake thine opinion therof Which he diuers times repeated with an exceeding feruour of spiritt and with such enflamed charity that he seemed to be really druncken with the wine of the loue of God and the abondance of his grace But this Religious hauing told him that it was time to goe take his refection he ioyfully answeared him My child this is a singuler refection and farre better then any other The Religious thincking to tempt him sayd Father lett vs not now thinck of these thinges but lett vs to goe to dinner Wherto the venerable Br. Giles replyed that such speech was iniurious vnto him and that he should haue done him greater pleasure to haue stricken and wounded him to the bloud Now one may piously presume that this holy soule had notice that it should shortly leaue the flesh to enioy that notable treasure of eternall glory which it so much desired there to haue fruition and tast of the most sacred presence of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST About that time a Religious told him that the holy Father S. Francis had sayd that the seruant of God should alwayes desire to end his life by martyrdome wherto he answeared For my part I respect not to die better then in contemplation Of the admirable prophesic he made of himselfe and of his death THE XLIV CHAPTER BRother Giles besides his age being wasted by grieuous insrmities as ache in his head and stomache by a very troublesome cough and burning ague so that he could neither eat sleep nor repose The Cittizens of Perusia out of great deuotion towardes him sent many armed men to guard him that being dead his body might not be buryed other where well knowing that he did not only desire but would order to be buryed att our Lady of Angels Vnderstanding then that he was guarded with armed men with great seruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes Brethren tell the Perusians that the belles shal neuer ring for my canonization nor for any miracle of mine and that they shall haue no other signe but that of the Prophet lonas Which the Perusians vnderstanding they answeared they would haue him in their cittie though he should not be canonized and so the eue of sainct George att the houre of Mattins as soone as the Religious had layed him on a bed to repose hauing receaued the holy sacramentes ordayned by the Church without any acke of his body that might discouer and make appeare the agony of his death only shutting his mouth and eyes this contemplatiue soule was dissolued from the body with great repose God hauing for all eternity eleuated it vnto his glory This holy Father departed this life the yeare of grace 1260. and of his conuersion to Religion 52. haning merited to ascend vnto heauen their to raigne eternally the same day that he receaued the habitt of the holy Father sainct Francis becomming his true follower and disciple The Perusians after death seeking stones to make him a tombe found a sepulchre of marble wherin was carued the history of the Prophett Ionas where they layd his body according as he had prophesied Of the reuelation of the glory of this S. THE XLV CHAPTER A Person of notable sanctity saw in vision the holy Br. Giles accōpayned with a great number of soules of Religious others that then were dead and comming out of Purgatory they with him ascēded into heauē He saw our lord IESVS CHRIST with a great multitude of Angels that came to receaue him with musicke exquisitely melodious made by those Angelicall quiers these blessed soules were with great honour entertayned of our Redeemer into his kingdome were he seated them on a seat of merueillous glory Att the same time that Br. Giles was sicke of his last sicknes an other Religious fell also sick euen to death who was instantly prayed by a third Religious his Friend that if it should please God to call him he would reueale vnto him his estate if the diuine Maiesty would permitt it which the sick Religious promised Wherfore he dying the same day that Br. Giles did appeared to this his Religious friend and thus spake vnto him Br. giue thanckes vnto God for that it hath pleased him to graunt and giue me his glory deliuering me with many other soules from the paines of Purgatory by the merittes of Saint Giles Which sayd he vanished This Religious not daring to reueale this apparition to any fell grieuously sick But conceauing that this sicknes might be sent him for not diuulging the glory of Br. Giles he instantly called into his Couent some Frere Minors to whome and to many other Religious he recounted the foresaid apparition and was with all miraculously recouered S. Bonauenture said of this holy Br. Giles that God had giuen him one speciall grace which was that whosoeuer did inuocate him in matters concerning the saluation of their soules were heard Our lord wrought many miracles after his death by his merittes and intercession He cured three personnes of infirmities in their eyes fiue that were lame and two of paine in their feet that hindred them from mouing three of the sqinancie a woman in trauell of child two of agues one of the stone and many of diuers other diseases The end of the seauenth book and second volume of the first part of the present Chronicles THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS DESCRIBED THE LIFE OF the glorious Virgin S. Clare the institution of her rule the conuersion of S. Agnes her sister and of an other S. Agnes daughter to the king of Behomia Of the intention of our Lord in the vocation of S. Clare and of her contry her father and mother Of a reuelation vnto her mother touching her sanctity and of her birth THE FIRST CHAPTER SIX yeares after the conuersion of the holy Father S. Francis and the fourth yeare after the confirmation of his rule by Pope Innocent the third the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent Father of light hauing framed and sent into the world
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
thee to make thee know thy selfe and sith chasticementes and stripes doe please thee more then fasting and austeritie of life thou shalt surely haue it consider here the habitt of religion which signisieth sanctitie it was not permitted to sence to steale it away And if thou desire to be gon get thee now thus whipt whither thou wilt Goeing then foorth of his cell he threw himselfe on the snow and incontinentlie made seauen boules of the snow which he sett before him and said behold my bodie the greatest of these boules is thy wife and these four are two daughters and two sonnes which she hath conceiued by thee and the other two are a man and maid seruant that are to serue thee take them now and gett them cloathing for they faint with cold And if this new solicitude be troublesome to thee content thy selfe to serue one sole master who is much more easy to please then this flesh Thus was the deuill confounded the temptation crosled and the holy Father was in such sort victorious that the deuill durst no more to visitt him with the like tentations By this so generous act of resistance against the flesh he left to his disciples a documente and example to resist sensuall temptations not only by prayer but also by corporall labours with rigour and asperitie accompained with abondance of teares and not deliciouslie as the worldlie and carnall would gladlie doe and without any labour that might be any way troublesome nor much lesse with cold purposes rather then actes of the will wherin certaine spirituall personnes that are tender and delicate place their force and knowledg Wherefore it is not to be admired if they be alwayes feeble and imperfect because they shall euer proue such whiles they omitt the corporall exercise of the vertues and of the steppes of their spirituall Father and master To the end therfore that this example might profitt vs God would that whiles the Seraphicall S. was employed heerin a Brother that was in prayer saw and heard all that passed by reason that the moone did shine which being perceaued by the holie Father he recounted vnto him the cause which was the temptation but with commandement not to discouer it to any person of the world during his life Of the guard and vigilancie he taught to be had of our sences THE XXXIIII CHAPTER SAint Francis did not only teach how one ought to mortifie the vices of the flesh and to bridle our seÌ„suall appetites but also with what caâ—e one ought to gard the exteriour sences by meanes wherof death entreth the into the soule to the end that the Brethren might keep more securely the inestimable treasure of chastity though in so britle a vessell of earth he did verie dilligently admonish them and did prohibite them the amitie and conuersation of women which hath bin oftentimes the ruine of many He assuredly affirmed that through the like occasioÌ„s the weake man doth fall and the strong is weakened It is as difficult for a man that is no more then perfect to preserue himselfe from these thinges as to walke and goe bare-foot on burning coales without burning For this cause he kept his sences so retired and sequestred and particulerlie his eyes from beholding the vanities of the world that according to what he one day said he scarce knew any woman by sight because he affirmed that it was not verie secure to imprint in his memory the image of a figure that might make greater the least sparckle of sensuality mortified by the ashes of penance or to admitt and yeld vnto it any thing that might afterward staine the purity and splendour of the chast soule and therfore it is not to be admired if he attained to such perfection of chastitie considering that he made such cruell warre against his sences that it seemed he had obtayned a perfect and soueraine dominion ouer his flesh and in imitation of an other Iob had made a compact with his eyes that he would not only haue in horrour the sight of thinges perillous but euen of such as were vaine and curious He admonished his Brethren that it was not expedient for them to giue care to the speeches of women whereby the soule of the vertuous becommeth effeminate and feeble excepting in confession and when it shal be necessary to giue them some breife instruction for the good of their soules What occasion may a Brother haue said he that may force him to frequent women vnlesse when he is required to heare their confession or to discourse with them touching penance or to giue them some counsaile for the benefitt of their soule A man that presumeth of ouer much securitie hath lesse regard of his ennemy who hauing power to surprise him doth not spare him Thus did the holie Father loue and desire in his Brethren aboue all thinges next vnto the foundation of holy pouertie and humilitie modestie and mortification of the eyes to giue them therfore a more apparant instruction how to gouerne them he once vsed vnto them this parabole There was a potent and iust king that sent two pages one after an other to deliuer a message vnto the Queene his wife the first retourning to the king his master made his answeare simplie because out of modestie he had forborne to behold the countenance of the queene his mistris the second page making his answeare to the king commended the beautie of the Queene saying Verilie sir the Queene is the most beautifull and pleasing woman that is vnder heauen and in truth you ought to repute your selfe happy in hauing such a woman to your espouse The king hearing this said How hast thou dared thou lewd fellowe so vnchastly to behold my wife thou hast coueted the pourchase of what thou so attentiuelie hast beheld Therevpon he presentlie recalled the other page of whom he demaunded what his opinion was of his wife he answeared Syr I esteeme exceeding well of her for she gaue a very willing eare to what I deliured in your behalfe The king replyed to this discreet answeare and said hast thou obserued her grace dost thou thinck there can be any thing more desired or added to the beautie of her countenance The page answeared Syr it appertaineth vnto you to iudge of that My duetie was to deliuer her my message and to bring you the answeare Which the king vnderstanding thus ordayned and said it is most probable that thou who hast bin so chast of they eyes wilt proue more chast of body thou therfore shalt be of my chamber and especially fauoured But as for this presumptuous brazen-face I will that he be dismissed for feare of committing further mischeife S. Francis hereof inferred that the Brethren beholding a woman ought to esteeme and be persuaded that it is this same Queene the espouse of IEVS CHRIST and themselues to be the first page And in this manner he very clearly demonstrated vnto them by his life and doctrine the
of God entred so secretlie with his companion into the shipp that they were not seen of the Patron Being so hidden without the knowledge of any person to giue them to eat an Angel sodenlie appeared to a man in the ship that had the feare of God to whome he gaue prouision for his seruant saying Take this food and dispose it prouidentlie for the reliefe of the two Religious that are hidden here within whome he shewed vnto him and when they shall haue need be charitable vnto them Hauing said thus much he disappeared and what he had giuen in chardge was performed The mariners in meane while so long floted in stormes and tempestes that they spent all their prouision so that there only remayned in the shippe that releife which God had sent vnto the S. which appearing to be but litle did neuertheles in such sort augment by the prayers of S. Francis rendring good for euill that it sufficed for all them that were in the vessell till they arriued att their pretended port which miracle being knowne vnto the Patron he repented to haue refused to admitt them for the loue of God whose diuine Maiestie notwithstanding was pleased to shew such a manifest miracle to the end it might appeare how much more his seruantes do by their merittes support and vphold the world then they are supported by it Of the Conuersion of the glorious S. Clare and of the beginning of her Order THE LV. CHAPTER THe afforesaid yeare 1212. the glorious S. being by the diuine Maiesty recalled not without cōsideration of great consequēce from the voyage of Siria he gaue a beginning to the Order of the Damianes the roote and originall wherof was the glorious mother S. Clare descended of a noble familie of Assisiū who albeit by her parentes educated and nourished deliciously with intent to be afterward according to the manner of the world honourably marryed the holy Ghost did notwistanding worck the contrary and intended to enrich her with celestiall treasures For which occasion euen from her infancy he had a very particuler care of her with purpose to espouse her vnto our Lord IESVS CHRIST And when he thought the time conuenient he permitted that hearing admirable matters deliuered of the holy Father S. Francis she with a manly courage resolued to follow him in the strict way of euangelical perfection Hauing then found opportunity she presented her selfe alone to the said S. and hauing discouered her hart vnto him he instantly perceaued the inspiration which she had from God and in very few howers giuing the farwell to her kinred her substance together with all the world she procured him to cutt of her haire and to cloth her with his owne habitt before the aulter of our Lady of Angels For more security the holy Father S. Francis committed her to the monastery of S. Paul where were Religious of the Order of S. Benett whence by reason of extreme persecutions and violent proceedinges off her kinred hauing att length taken her out he placed her in the Church of S. Damian where was the first monastery of S. Clare and by reason of their nomber that there encreased they were called Damianes as shall seuerally and verie particulerlie appeare in the eight booke in the life of B. and glorious Saincte Clare How the S. went to Moroccho to seeke Martyrdome THE LVI CHAPTER SAinct Francis euer thirsting to be martyred for the faith of IESVS CHRIST being peruented of his iorney into Siria in the yeare 1214. he attēpted a voyage together with Brother Bernard Brother Macie towardes Moroccho through Spaine supposing thence to find passage vnto the Emperour of the Mores att Moroccho called Miramoline to preach vnto him the faith of IESVS CHRIST He enterprised this iorney with such alacritie that albeit he were very feeble and infirme he notwithstanding did alwayes so much out goe his companions that he seemed to fly But being arriued in Spaine his infirmityes did so oppresse him that he could hardly trauell vnto S. Iames in Galicia where prostrating himselfe before the altare of the said S. and praying with his accustomed feruour God enioyned him to retourne into Italie because many places were offered vnto him wherin to accommodate his family and that his retourne thither was very necessary to confirme the greene places of his erected vingneyard In this iorney S. Francis was att Guimaranes a citty of Portugall where it is said that he raysed the daughter of the master of the house where he lodged thence he visited the queene Vracca wife of king Alfonsus the second who beheld him with great reuerence and deuotion and was exceedingly comforted and edified by him Proceeding afterward on his iorney he lighted on a riuer in the said prouince of S. Iames betweene the citties of Nonis and Orgogno which he knew no meanes how to passe by reason there was not any house in that part nor personne to conduct him ouer Not knowing then what to doe he had recourse to prayer and att the very instant whiles he was praying to God there came a boy from the citty of Nonis who hauing pitty of them gaue thē encouragment saying that hauing passed ouer his horses that were loaden with bread he would vnload them and retourning would conduct them ouer which he performed and hauing guided them to Orgogno he lodged them in a house of his where he putt his bread wherin he gaue them the best entertainement he could deuise for which the holy Father gaue him many thanckes att his departure and said God giue you the payment which he hath promised to good people and so departed That very yeare which is worthy admiration this yong man retourning from Rome hauing visited the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul he demaunded of God as a speciall grace that he would please to take him out of this world before he lost the meritte of so many holy indulgences which he had gotten His prayer was not frustrate for by the merittes of the blessed Father S. Francis as by the consequence is apparent God heard him from heauen and so he died in the very pilgrimage His Father by letters from freindes being aduertised of his death after much lamentation procured the office of piety to be performed for his soule att the end of which office there appeared in the said citty of Nonis about seuenty Frier Minors though those people neuer supposed so many to be in all the world and they were all present att the church in procession singing with such melodie and with so pious a sweetnes that they drew teares of deuotion from all the audience After they had sung masse the parentes of the deceased inuited them to eat with them which they did and then departed and a great multitude of those people conducted them very farre the table was afterward found furnished with meate as if they had not eaten This miracle being perceaued many ran after them to see if they could
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
raysed their tunes that the holie Father and his companion did not well vnderstand one an other wherfore he willed them to stay a while till they had ended their office They were incontinētly silent and sung no more til the office was sayd after which he gaue them leaue to sing and then they began againe with more delight thē before to the great contentment of the S. There was att our lady of Angels a figge tree wheron was a grasse hopper att whose singing S. Frācis as one that in the least creatures did alwayes cōsider the greatnes of his Creatour did oftē awake to prayse God He one day called her and she instantly flew vnto his hand He cōmanded her by her song to prayse God and she began to sing and neuer ceassed till he cōmanded her to be silent and to retourne to her place Being retourned to the figge tree she euery day att the same houre came flying to the handes of the S. One day he said to his brethren I will that we giue liberty to our sister which hauing done she flew away and as a true daughter of obedience was neuer seene after Being sick in the citty of Sienna a gentleman a deuoted freind of his sent him a pheasant taken a liue which being before him shewed such signes of familiarity that he who brought him could not hold him so great a desire had it to come to the Sainct who receauing it would not claspe it in his fist but carryed it att libertie that it might fly away but it setled in his handes wherfore hauing committed it to a freind of his to keepe the phesant for greife would neuer eate till it was brought againe to the Sainct who hauing receaued it it began to eat verie ioyfully A Faulcon did nest on the mountaine of Auerne close vnto the celle of sainct Francis which came to the Sainct as familiarlie as if he had bin a deere freind In the night it serued him as an alarme or watch singing att the ordinarie houres that the Sainct accustomed to pray which pleased him will for the care which the Faulcon had freed him from care and so much the more because by diuine instinct when he was sicke the faulcon as if it had had discretion defferred his call about two howers or more according to the necessitie which the Sainct had to repose att other times verie gentlie after the breake of day This proceeding doutles is strange wherby God mayntained his seruant As S. Francis was one time in his trauaile he willed his companion to prepare him to eat which hauing done and the Sainct blessing the table a Nightingall began to sing so sweetlie that the Sainct replenished with ioy said to his companion Brother see how this sweet Nightingall inuiteth vs to prayse God sing therfore with him Brother Leo excusing himselfe by his vnpleasing voice he began himselfe to singe the nightingall being silent when he sung and singing when he rested alternatiuelie so that he was allured on by that sweet musicke euen till night when being wearie he confessed to Brother Leo that the nightingall had ouercome him in the praise of God then he said lett vs eat it is time and being sat the nightingall first flew on his head then on his shoulders and armes and att length on his hand where it tooke of him to eat and then hauing receaued his benediction it flew way How he made gentle a very fierce woulfe This was the 29. chapter of the 10. booke transferred hither to his place GOeing to preach in the cittie of Agubio he found it in deep despaire by reason of a woulfe that did not onlie deuoure the cattell but killed men and women and did eat people in respect wherof they durst not goe out of the cittie but armed in companie and therfore the Sainct went with his companion to seeke out the woulfe against the liking of the Cittizens who feared his aduenture he refusing to accept of any companie with him The Cittizens to behold the successe dispersed themselues on the hilles and mountaines about the cittie They expected not long but they saw the woulfe with extreme furie come towardes the Sainct The Agubians then began to cry out and bid sainct Francis to fly but the seruant of IESVS CHRIST armed with the weapon of inuincible faith went couragiouslie against him and opposed against him the signe of the crosse and in a moment tourned the woulfe into the nature of a lambe then curteouslie said vnto him Brother woulfe come hither I commaund thee in the name of my God that thou offend neither me nor any other Att these wordes which was admirable the woulfe fell att his feet expecting what the Sainct would enioyne him who said Thou hast commited so many homicides and made such spoiles in this countrie that thou hast a thousand times deserued death The soules of those whome thou hast murdered cry to God for iustice against thee but because thou hast humbled thy selfe if thou promise amendement I will procure thy pardon Wherto the woulfe seemed to answeare clapping his taile against the ground humbling his head and weeping therby making shew that he would obey which the S. vnderstanding said Goe to sith henceforward thou wilt doe no more hurt I will procure thee food of this towne for all the time of thy life pardonning thee all the offences past as if thou haddest neuer offended for we know that whatsoeuer thou hast done thou hast bin therto constrayned by necessity of hunger but giue me thy faith neuer to offend more Att which wordes the woulfe lifting vp his legge layed his paw in his hand thou mayst now said the S. come with me without any feare and so he followed him as a litle dogge The S. being come into a spacious place of the citty with the woulfe there was such affluence of people to see the miracle that there could be no more Therfore he made thē a sermon demonstrating vnto them that God had sent these scourge◠vnto men for their sinnes but that the mouth of this woulfe was nothing in comparison of that of the infernall woulfe which afterwardes expected the soules to deuoure them eternally he admonished thē therfore to doe penance if they would be freed both from the one and the other then said vnto them My Freindes behold here the woulfe which hath promised me to doe you no more mischeife you must also promise to releiue him Which the people hauing promised him he tourned to the woulfe and bad him promise them also to doe them no more hurt and to aske them pardon Admirable accident the woulfe in signe of repētance incontinently falling one his knees laid his Muzzle on the ground and the S. causing him againe to giue his paw in pledge of peace I promise said he for the one and the other party and so he liued two full yeares in the middes of the citty without any dogges barcking att him then
manifestation that he had not any thing in this world and with the more facility to wrestle against his furious aduersary in this last conflict and triall wherin consisted the crowne he with an exceeding feruour and courage stript himselfe all naked as he had bin without any infirmity then cast himselfe on the ground couering with his left hand the precious wound of his right hand and tourning his ioyfull face towardes the kingdome whither he was to goe he began to prayse and blesse his sweet lord IESVS CHRIST that being dischardged and freed of all worldly impedimentes he might ascend to heauen and enioy his diuine Maiestie then tourning towardes his Religious he said vnto them My deere Brethren I haue to this present done what I ought to doe These wordes were diuersely vnderstood of the Religious some of them wept in regard he was to leaue them without Pastour and gouernour others because he seemed to leaue them as men forlorne others for other occasions only the Guardian whome he obeyed vnderstood the desire of the holy Father wherfore taking presentlie an habitt with the cord and linnen breeches brought and gaue it vnto him saying Father take this habitt which I lend you with the corde and breeches that you may be buryed therwith as a poore creature who of your selfe haue not so much as wherwith to couer your nakednes I command you to receaue it in this your last houre euen by the vertue and meritt of obedience wherof the Sainct discouered to haue the greatest contentment that can be imagined considering that in this extremity he had obserued his holy pouerty in such sort as he desired euen to the last end He contentedlie accepted the breeches but to conforme himselfe entierlie to his truely-beloued IESVS CHRIST that would dye naked on the crosse to the performance wherof wanting nothing but to dye naked hauing already bin and euen for the present being admirably crucified by the vertue of the almighty he commaunded his Religious not only to permitt him to dye on the ground but euen to leaue him there a long time after his death Hauing procured to be brought vnto him the holy Sacramentes and they being successiuely administred vnto him those I meane which the Church accustometh to afford such as are ready to dye he lastly tourned towardes his Religious to whome he made a worthy sermon exhorting them to the loue of God then of their neighbour and especially to obedience vnto his holie Romane Church next to obserue their pouerty and before the same and all other thinges to be alwayes mindfull to preferre the obseruance of the holy ghospell and the diuine counsailes therof Then crossing his hādes this great Patriarch of the poore gaue his holy benediction to all his Religious both present and absent saying My deere Brethren God of his mercy blesse you as also I blesse you be it his holy will to confirme me it in heauen Remayne ye all in his holy feare perseuering alwayes therin for the time of afflictions approach wherin they shal be happy who shall perseuer euen to the end remayne ye all in his holy obedience as you haue solemnely promised vnto him Finally remayne ye all in his most holy peace and in charity among your selues God blesse you I goe in great hast vnto God to whose grace I recommend you Amen Which hauing said he asked for the gospell and speaking no more to any person he only desired that place to be read vnto him where is mentioned the departure of our lord Ante diem festum paschae which being read to the end he began to say to himselfe Voce mea ad Dominum clamaui And being come to the verse Educ de custodia animam meam that is deliuer my soule if thou please my God out of this prison that it may attaine to thee my God and my lord where the iust expect me to the end thou mayest giue me my recompence Which being ended this holy soule at it desired was deliuered out of the prison of her proper flesh and eleuated to heauen there foreuer to enioy the eternall bounty with all the sainctes his elected of both sexes in that degree which his diuine maiestie ordayned and parepared for him How some saw the soule of the glorious Father sainct Francis ascend in glory THE LXXI CHAPTER THis holy soule failed not to appeare to some when it ascended to the celestiall glory For Brother Angelus a Religious of worthy sanctity being att that time prouinciall of the prouince of Naples and very neere his end saw in an instant the soule of the sainct as a resplendant starre on the toppe of a verie bright cloud to be transported aboue the great waters and directlie mounted and eleuated into heauen And albeit he had the space of two dayes lost his speech he neuertheles then resumed his spirittes for seeing the blessed spiritt of the sainct he began to crye out Stay for me Father stay for me for I goe also with you The Religious asking what he meant therbie See you not said he our holie Father sainct Francis that now goeth to the glory of Paradice which hauing spoaken he yelded his soule to God and followed his most holy Father The Bishop of Assisium being gone in pilgrimage to visitt the Church of S. Michael the Archangell on the mount Gargan S. Francis appeared vnto him the very night of his death and said My lord know that I haue left the world and goe to heauen The Bishop therfore being risen told his people that S. Francis was dead the night before which was proued to be true An other Religious of this Order being the same night rapt into deep contemplation saw the blessed Deacon of IESVS CHRIST vested with a very rich tunicle accompanyed with a great multitude of soules that attended him as a worthy Prince who so ascended into a pallace of merueillous beauty and eminency it is piously beleeued that the said soules were by his merittes deliuered out of Purgatory This glorious soule ascended to glory accompanied with many Angels that attended and visited him continually in this life and is now seated among the Seraphins which glory he merited not only in this life by the excessiue and Seraphicall loue of God but also it appartayned vnto him in regard of the Seraphicall vision of IESVS CHRIST who transformed him into himselfe making him a Seraphin by gtace and sealing the same with diuine seales as hath bin reuealed to many holy personnes worthy of creditt as well during the life of the Sainct as after his death The verie birdes and particulerlie the Larckes that were much beloued and verie familiar vnto him did exceedinglie reioyce att his glorie a great flight of them appearing verie earlie the next morning on the roufe of the house where sainct Francis lay dead warbling a verie delightfull and extraordinarie note yea as it were miraculous which continued diuers howers celebrating the prayses
naturally drawne att Venise in the church of S. Marck such as we haue formerlie described and with stigmates enameled after the Mosaicall manner Of the Buriall of the body of the blessed Father S. Francis THE LXXIII CHAPTER THe afore mentioned Lady Iaqueline of the Seauen Sunnes was the last that could not be satisfied with seeing and touching as an other Magdalen this sacred body of her deere master She did nothing but bath it with her gracious teares and dry it with her kisses the extreme swetnes that proceeded from this holie body but particulerlie from the sacred stigmates exceeded all other sweetnes neuerthelesse she held her eyes alwayes fixed on the wound of his side wherto she often applyed her mouth and handes whence she receaued such and so exceeding consolation that it seemed vnto her in this conuersation with her dead master and freâ—nd â—hat her soule with a straung and admirable ioy began to liue Butt to the cittizens of Assisium that desired to carry him to buriall finding much delay euery hower seemed an hundred by reason of the extreme feare they had that so precious a treasure by some extraordinarie accident might beÌ„ taken from them wherfore they placed a guard before the monasterie gate and soldiers diuided through the street euen to the gate of the citty which cittizens so importuned the said Lady that she annoynted him with precious iontment then cloathed him in a new gray habitt which she had expresly brought from Rome according to the aduertisement of the Angell and the Religious so opened this habitt that the wound of his side might easily be seene This glorious Sainct did alwayes in his life time desire that his bodie should be buryed in the basest place of all the citty of AssisiuÌ„ his hart excepted which he deputed to our Lady of Angels as during his life he had by affection there setled the same and in deed God did not frustrate him of this iust desire for his holy body was enterred though this were not till foure yeares after by reason that the monasterie was not yet build there nor the church which they sumptuouslie built there afterward in the most abiect place of Assisium where malefactours were executed called the mount of hell the common opinion is that his hart is in the chappell of S. Mary of Angels where according to report it is preserued with great reuerence On the sonday morning all the people being assembled with bowes of trees and the Religious Preistes and Gentlemen with their burning torches and lightes carryed this holie bodie as in procession first to the Church of S. Damian to S. Clare that the prophesie of the Sainct might be accomplished sending her worde some dayes before that she should shortlie see him to her exceeding consolarioÌ„ The grate being opened the body of the Sainct was brought in to the Religious who were so comforted therwith that greife could finde no place in their hartes particulerly in that of S. Clare who endeauouring in vaine to pluck out a nayle of his handes to keep it with her as a relique she began againe with her Sisters to bath this holy bodie with teares encourageing themselues together to proceed in the way begun of the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST which he had taught them And so after they had restored this holie bodie to the people who weare troubled att this long attendance they carryed it to be enterred in a new sepulcher within the Church of S. George as in a dispositorie where it remayned full foure yeares vnder guard till his church was builded att the Mount of hell as aforesaid It was not without mysterie that he reposed in the said church wherin he had bin baptised had learned his first letters and where he had deliuerd his first preachinges therfore it seemed verie reasonable that his bodie should begin to repose in that place whither the said Lady of the Seauen-Sunnes repayred neuer to abandon him forsaking her habitation in Rome and neuer left this body till her death when she went for euer to dwell with his blessed soule in Paradise How the glorious Father Sainct Francis Was canonized by Pope Gregorie the ninth THE LXXIV CHAPTER THe merittes and glorie of the holie Father S. Francis began by his great miracles to be diuulged whence succeeded that himselfe raigning in heauen his sanctitie was also by diuine power manifested here on earth which he had neuerthelesse alredy made sufficientlie apparant to the world in his life directing an infinite number of soules in the infallible way of vertue The brute of the admirable thinges which God wrought by his seruant Francis came euen to the eares of Pope Gregorie the ninth who resting assured that the S. was glorified with God not only in regard of the said miracles wrought after his death but euen of the experience had with his owne eyes desiring here below to comforme himselfe to the will of God as his true Vicar he determined with a pious and deuoted zeale to canonize him and propose him to the world for a remarckeable example of sanctity and to take all scruple from the Cardinals and others he caused all his principall miracles to be examined and approued by actes of publike Notaries and infinite testimonies worthie of beleife So the Cardinals and all the principall diuines of his Court being herein dulie aduertised concluded that it was iust and verie expedient vnto the Church of God to canonize this glorious Sainct his seruant The yeare 1228. the Pope himselfe went with his Court to Assisium expreslie with this resolution and the sixteenth of Iulie a yeare and nine monethes and halfe after the death of this glorious Sainct vpon a Sonday morning his holines with manie ceremonies and great solemnitie inscribed the blessed Father sainct Francis in the catologue of the sainctes and before they departed thence his Church was begun to be built in the said citty and in the foundation therof the Pope himselfe in presence of an infinite multitude of people laid the first stone and thenceforward the place which was called the Mount of hell was nominated the mount of Paradise The bulle of canonization of the holy Father S. Francis extracted out of the fift chapter of the tenth booke and here more aptly placed GRegory Bishop the Seruant of the seruantes of God To our venerable Brethren Archbishoppes Bishoppes and to our beloued children Abbottes Priors Archpreistes ArchdeacoÌ„s Deanes other Prelates of the church to whose knowledge these presentes shall come health and Apostolicall benediction As the vessels of gold which S. Iohn saw full of perfumes which are the prayers of SS powred out most sweet odours before the most high to destroy the corruption of our sinnes we also beleeue that it is a great furtherance to our saluation with great reuerence to haue memory of his sainctes on earth and with solemnity to publish the merittes of those whose assistance by their continuall intercessions we hope
spēd 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 mēbers 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 writtē but in hartes by tongues The Captaine willed thē 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 thē vnto him wherfore they were come Wherto they answeared that they were Christiās that they came frō Rome sent frō the king of kinges and Redeemer of the world IESVS CHRIST to preach vnto him his holy faith so that their bussines tēded only to the saluatiō of his soule which should be effected if he would no lōger 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 affrōt 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 frō mine obedience and their alleagiance Hereto the good Religious with a bold and smiling countenāce 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 damnatiō 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 thē 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 pardō 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 heauē 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
was he by a speciall grace of God alwayes preserued from vices and sinnes but being by his eternall maiesty induced to shunne the snares of the deuill hauing for the loue of IESVS CHRIST giuen all he had to the poore he in the time of Sainct Francis became a Frere Minor and hauing obtayned of God the grace of contemplation and Euangelicall perfection he withall his iudustry laboured that the same might not proue vaine and fruitlesse in him He therfore much exercised himselfe in the vertue of holy obedience which is more pleasing to God then sacrifices In the most violent and extremest cold being almost naked he trauelled for the necessities of the Religious he continuallie employed himselfe in prayer dailie examining his conscience for the most part his reliefe was only bread and water with abondance of teares and by such like abstinence he mortified the concupiscences of his flesh to be able with more puritie to offer vp his soule in sacrifice vnto God He was exceeding compassionate vnto afflicted personnes and with alacrity serued the sicke not only Religious but the seculer also If there wanted phisike he demaunded it for the loue of God as also all other thinges necessarie he was very humble and therfore desirously laboured in the kitchen washed the dishes swept the house and very willingly busied himselfe in all other offices of humility If by any word or act he had giuen occasion of troubles to any one he would presently put a cord about his owne neck and so goe aske him pardon though he endured iniuryes done to himselfe as patiently as if no such thinge had bin he liued fifteene yeares in such and the like exercises of vertue and afterwardes in his death and since God hath discouered how gratefull the life of this his seruant was vnto him before his last sicknes he reuealed the day of his death and the place which he declared to one of his companions He trauelled to Ciuitadochia where being arriued he fell sick and few dayes after the terme of his life being exspired one night att mattins he shewed such an extraordinary ioyfull face as if he had some vision that made him euen exteriourly to reioyce Wherfore the Religious that attended him demaunded if he had seene any Angell of heauen or the holy Father Sainct Francis he answeared that he had not seene the holy Father S. Francis but of the Angel he sayd nothing Being in those ioyes he aduertised his companions of the death of one deuoted vnto him which was reuealed vnto him saying that William was already departed out of this world vnto almighty God and that himselfe should follow him the same day betweene none and euensonge which came to passe for att the time foretold this holy Religious Ambrose yelded his soule into the handes of his Creatour Of many muracles wrought by this glorious S. Ambrose THE XXXV CHAPTER THe nomber of miracles by which our Lord would approue the life and sanctity of his seruant Brother Ambrose was such that Pope Gregory the ninth by an Apostolicall breuie commanded the Bishop of Ciuitadochia and the Priour of S. Iohn of the Order of S. Augustin to meet and to examine the life and miracles of the S. and hauing perused them to approue them for autenticall This Briefe was giuen att the Palace of Lateran the 13. yeare of his Popedome by vertue wherof the said Prelates hauing made a most dilligent search they found that fourteene lame persons had by the merittes of this seruant of God bin cured as also foure deliuered of the falling sicknesse one dispossessed in his life time and two after his death six cured of mortall impostumes and one of a fistula He restored hearing to one that was deafe four men were cured of seuerall diseases a woman of the bloudie flux and an other whose child had bin foure monethes dead in her wombe he restored sight to foure that were blind and finally raysed many from death The said Prelates tooke notice of these and many other miracles but the death of the Pope peruerted his inscription in the catalogue of the SS in the Church militant though he were recorded in heauen where he raigneth with IESVS CHRIST in his Church triumphant making supplication to his diuine maiesty for those that in their necessities haue recourse vnto him Of the life of Br. Iuniperus disciple of S. Francis Of the exemplare humilitie and singuler patience of Brother Iuniperus THE XXXVI CHAPTER BRother Iuniperus was one of the first and most perfect disciples of S. Francis for he was so grounded in the firme and assured foundations of humility patience contempt of the world and of himselfe that no tormenting temptations of the deuill nor persecution of the world could in any sort remoue or desioyne him from his estate of perfection There was neuer any that saw him troubled or disquieted so couragiously did he support all iniuryes of wordes or actions Which brought him to such misprise of himselfe that many seeing him in such poore apparance and so ill treated not knowing his perfection esteemed him for a foole and sencelesse But S. Francis that knew him right well reputing him in the nomber of the perfect sayd that he should be a good and true Frere Minor that attayned the misprise of the world and of himselfe so far foorth as had done Brother Iuniperus and oftentimes considering his simplicities the contempt of himselfe and patience in reprehensions giuen him he would say to the Religious present My Brethren I desire and would to God I had a great forrest full of such Iunipers This worthy seruant of IESVS CHRIST oftentimes found new occasions for exercise of his patience to be misprised and reproached yet without offending God neuer shunning to be reputed a foole as when he one time entred into the citty of Viterbium hauing made a fardell of his habitt bound vp with his cord which he carryed on his shoulders and so went into the marckett place where the children seeing him almost naked vsed him as a foole reuiled him with wordes cast stones att him and berayed him with filth After he had left these that thus tormented him he went to the Couent where the Religious seeing him in such pittifull estate and vnderstanding by him wherefore he had bin so handled they were much scandalized att what he had don and tooke it in very ill part bitterly reprehending him for it some told him he deserued to be cudgelled others to be imprisonned others to be hanged for the great scandall he had giuen to the people but he accepted all these indignities with a very contented and ioyfull countenance as matter much desired of him and in signification of the interiour contentment he conceaued he tooke the fore part of his habitt and beholding those Religious that were most offended with his fact and rebuked him for it sayd vnto thē My freindes fill this I pray you with these iewels doe so feare not for I receaue them
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
know that this blessed Father had the spiritt of prophesie as they testifie who knew him and that hauing perseuered in sanctity of life he reposed in peace He was buryed in Arezzo his owne country whither it is held that he brought from Babilon one of the fingers of the holy Prophett Daniel Br. Peregrinus of Faleron was admitted to the religion of the holy Father S. Francis who prophesied vnto him that albeit he weere learned he should notwithstanding apply himselfe to the actiue life and his companion to the contemplatiue and so it arriued for he was a lay brother for which humility he obtayned of God an exceeding great perfection in vertues and particulerly the grace of compunction and the loue of God for whose sake desiring martyrdome he went to Ierusalem where he visited all the holy places with such deuotion teares embracinges and most tender louing kisses that in those places he adored our Sauiour as present Br. Bernard Quintaualle affirmed of this Religious that he was one of the most perfect of the world And as he was by name a Stranger so was he also in his life for the loue of IESVS CHRIST was so burning in his hart that he neuer permitted any other thing to rest there but alwayes walked and sighed towardes heauen thus did he ascend from vertue to vertue in such sort that he was exceedingly illuminated in his life and in his death by diuers miracles Br. Ricerio employed himselfe in the contemplatiue life according to the prophesie of S. Francis which made him familier vnto him and he instructed him in many diuine verities he made him Prouinciall of the marquisate of Ancona many matters coÌ„cerning this holy Religious are recorded in the life of S. Francis Br. Augustin of Assisium Prouinciall of the land of Labour commoÌ„ly called Naples was a Religious of such sanctity that he merited not only to be companion in life and profession with S. Francis but also in his death and glory for hauing in his last sicknes already lost his speech he saw the soule of S. Francis ascend vnto heauen which encouraged him to cry out Stay holy Father stay for me and his soule foorthwith leauing his body it accompanyed that of his blessed Father to eternall glory Br. Roger the disciple of S. Francis v as of such sanctity that Pope Gregorie the ninth approued him for a S. permitted commemoration to be made of him in the CoueÌ„t of the Frere Minors of Tiuoly but because he was not canonized with the accustomed soleÌ„nities the Religious neuer durst keep his soleÌ„ne feast He was not canonized because the exameÌ„ of his miracles appointed by the said Pope was neuer accomplished Brother Philippe the Long was also disciple of S. Francis He was the first Confessour Visitour and Minister of the Religious of S. Clare It is found recorded of this S. that an Angell purged his lippes touching them with a burning coale as the Seraphin did to the Prophett Esaye which was not a litle necessary to him that was to administer the word of God vnto Religious women Br. Barbarus Br. Iohn of S. Constantin and Br. Bernard of Viridante that were of the first companions of S. Francis were exceeding eminent in their vertuous and merueillous actions as their worckes were written in the booke of life so their soules for euer liue in glory their bodyes are buryed in the Couent of S. Francis att Assisium Br. Pacificus companion of the holy Father was of such perfection that he merited to see many merueillous worckes which our Lord secretly wrought in his seruant S. FraÌ„cis and because the glorious S. knew his perfection and sanctity he sent him Prouinciall into FraÌ„ce where he remayned diuers yeares then dyed and was buryed att Laon. The end of the sixt booke of the second volume and first part of the Chronicles of the Frere Minors wherin particuler mention is made of 25. disciples of the holy Father S. Francis all of very singuler sanctity of life of worthy miracles THE SEAVENTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS WHERIN IS CONTAINED THE LIFE AND admirable doctrine of Br. Giles of Assisium a Religious of great perfection who was the third Disciple of S. Francis Translated as before Of the conuersion of Brother Giles to the Religion of the Frere Minors THE FIRST CHAPTER ALBEIT to read or heare the liues of all or any sainctes exceedingly dispose the spirittes to the contempt of temporall pleasures and induce them to purchase true and eternall richesse yet it cannot be denyed but that the life of some one more then an other doth cause these effectes as I hope this ensuyng shall proue of the glorious Brother Giles of Assisium who was the third that followed S. Francis whose life being of singuler note it is requisite it should be described more att lardge The time employed in reading therof shall not be wasted for the soules therby shal be enriched with holy doctrines with diuine examples and documents But I omitte to recount his conuersion it being already handled in the ninth chapter of the first booke and first volume of this present part How Brother Giles went to visit the reliques of S. Iames in Galuâ—a and the holy Sepulcher of our Redeemer Iesus Christ in HierusaleÌ„ THE II. CHAPTER IT was the custome of the first Fathers of this Order to goe often in pilgrimage not to seeke their more liberty nor to satisfie their appetite with better cheere but for the exercise of perfection and to suffer hungar thirst cold heate and the affi ontes which they often endured as vnknowne in that new habitt and so did they dispose theÌ„selues to the incommodities of obedience and were couragious for they went barefoot withone single habit without wallets edifying themselues in patience and their neighbour in charitie Now Brother Giles hauing gotten leaue of the holy Father S. Francis he went to visitt the church of S. Iames of Compostella in which voyage he did not so much as once satisfie his hungar such a desire had he to feele in himselfe the force of pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST Finding one day no meane to gett so much as bread wherwith only he liued hauing found in a barne certaine huskes of beanes left there after the threshing he did eat them with great appetite and after tooke his rest in the same place The next morning he arose very early as cheerfull and well disposed as if he had eaten the best and most delicate foode in the world He was thus accustomed to suffer being often in forrestes and solitary places which were more to his content then the conuersation of the world as lesse subiect to distractions in his spirituall exercises and more commodious for spending the night in watching and prayer In this iorney meeting with a poore sick creature full of soares and not knowing what to giue him he ript of his capuce and gaue it
Br. Giles had the said vision this Religious saw in vision the sunne to arise out of the cell of Br. Giles and there-ouer to remayne till night and he afterward seeing Br. Giles so admirably chaunged sayd vnto him B other support and gouerne tenderly the Sunne of God and thou shalt be blessed Of the graces which God bestowed on Brother Giles in the said vision THE XI CHAPTER IF vnto any it appeare difficult to be beleeued that Brother Giles saw almighty God not only in imaginary and intellectuall semblance but euen in his diuine essence as this worthy seruant of God confessed affirming that God had depriued him of faith lett him read the epistle of sainct Augustin vnto Paulinam De videndo Deum wherin he shall find that speaking of the vision of God in essence he sayth It is not a matter incredible that God permitteth this excellencie of diuine reuelation in his substance to certaine holy personnes before theire death to the end their bodyes be buryed he vseth these wordes before they be dead for their sepulture because as they who manifestly see God enioyning his glory are entierly and totally separated from their mortall bodyes in the same proportion it is necessary for those that are to receaue such a reuolation to be separated from their bodyes according to the cognitiue and sensitiue puissance att least to their actions for this is in a certaine fashion to be out of the termes of this life Wherevpon sainct Paul said Were it that my soule were in my body or separated from it I know not God knoweth it it was transported rauished and eleuated euen to the third heauen Brother Giles speaking of the said vision which he had affirmed that he was therby so assured in the knowledge of almighty God and of his glory that he had lost the faith which he formerly had of him He also affirmed that he was directly of opinion that his soule entierly abstracted from the body saw almighty God After his death he reuealed vnto a Religious that also in the same vision he had bin replenished with the giftes of the holy Ghost and confirmed in graces and doubtlesly the merueillous effectes that remayned in the soule of Brother Giles confirme this verity for after this vision he was so often rapt in extasie that there is hardly found any other saint before or after him to haue exceeded him therin It appeared by his exteriour actions what esteeme he made therof for he seldome or neuer went out of his cell but employed himselfe in fastinges prayers shunning all idle wordes and all fruitlesse conuersation and if such discourses were forcibly vsed in his presence and that any would needes make him some relation to the preiudice of any other he would heare nothing therof affi ming that each one ought to be very wary and respectiue not to offend God his neighbour and his owne soule by such discourses And on the contrary when he heard speake of God he was presently rapt into extasie and remayned insensible as dead so that the fame of this sublime and singuler grace being diuulged and made knowne to all personnes euen to the contry people and to children when they mett him they would say Paradice Brother Giles and att the instant and very place where he heard that sweet and gracious word he would fall into extasie in such sort as if the Religious desired to talke with him of God and to receaue his consailes and doctrines they must be wary not to speake of the glory of the diuine vision least that being rauished in spiritt they were frustrared of their desire And because he liued sequestred from the other Religious Brother Bernard therfore as zealous of his neighbours good reprehended him therin calling him but halfe a man as regarding only his owne good But Brother Giles answeared that it was more secure to content himselfe with a litle then by attempting too much to endanger the losse of all considering that vpon a very small occasion a great grace is often lost so that one must be wary att such time not to loose that in laughing which is not purchaced but with much labour and weeping Being one day in spirituall conference with Brother Andrew and Brother Grātian two Religious of pious life and his spirituall children he told them that he was borne sower times first out of his mothers woombe secondly when he was baptised thirdly when he entred into Religion and fouerthly the day that IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto him and manifested vnto him his glory Wherto Brother Andrew answeared that it was true but if he should be in a forraine contry where it should be demaunded of him if he knew Brother Giles he might auouch that he knew thus much of him that it was twenty foure yeares since he was borne and that he had faith before he was borne but had lost it afterwardes Brother Giles replyed that all this was true because sayd he before I had not such faith as I ought to haue the which also God did take from me and gaue me a more cleare and perfect knoledge of him and of his glory and among many graces which I haue receaued of his diuine Maiesty this is one that I haue knowne and doe know my selfe to deserue to haue a cord fastened about my neck and to be in extreme disgrace trayned through all the streetes and publike places of the world so to receaue all the scornes and derisions that can be offered to the lewdest man in the world Whervpon Brother Andrew made him this demaund Tell me Brother if you haue not faith what would you doe if you were Priest and were solemnely to sing Credo in vnum Deum It seemeth you should necessarily say Cognosco vnum Deum patrem omnipotentem and incontinently he was rapt in extasie all this he said not that he had simply no faith but by reason of a greater light and illumination which God with apparant euidence had giuen him How Brother Giles was rapt in extasie before Pope Gregory the ninth POpe Gregory the ninth being with his court remoued to Perusia and vnderstanding that Brother Giles of whome he had heard merueillous thinges was neere thervnto he sent for him as desirous to know him Brother Giles came presently to Perusia But being entred into the Pallace of the Pope he felt himselfe interiourly moued with the spirituall sweetnes which ordinarilie arriued him before his extasie wherfore considering that it was not conuenient he should in that estate present himselfe before his holinesse he sent his companion to make his excuse But the Pope not admitting it would know why being within his Pallace he would not presently come to him so that his companion was enforced to say vnto him Most holy Father Brother Giles hath deferred to salute your holinesse for no other cause but that by signes ordinary vnto him he foreseeth that comming in your presence he shall fall into extasie The Pope
assuredly capable of all happines He would ordinarily say that if he were to make choice of the vertues he would choose chastity Being asked what he called chastity he answeared I call chastity the conseruation of all the sences of the body in the grace of our Lord. A maryed man that was deuoutly affected towardes him was one day present when he praysed chastity and sayd vnto him Father I desire to be resolued of you if liuing with my wife and keeping fidelity towardes her I am secure touching this point Br. Giles answeared him what doe you not know that a man may as well be droncken with the wine of his owne tunne as with that of an other mannes A discourse of Temptation THE XXXI CHAPTER A Great grace cannot be possessed in peace but that there wil arise many contrarieties yea the higher degree of grace a man hath the more shall he be assaulted of the deuill but a man should not therfore omitt to prosecute his course of vertue for the more violent the combatt is the more excellent shal be the crowne when he shall haue ouercome And if any doe misse this employment lett him know that it is because he is not such as he ought to be besides this is to walke alwayes in the direct way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST in which all trauell and displeasure is sweet but a man that followeth the course and way of the world findeth displeasure and labour euen till death so that albeit the more a man shal be perfect in vertues the more will vices be contrary vnto him yet hating them so much att euery vice that he surmounteth he purcacheth a great vertu and becomming victorious ouer all kind of vices wherby he might haue bin tormented he shall not faile of a great recompence for it and vpon whatsoeuer occasion he omitteth to walke in the way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST for the same occasion he looseth his recompence The burden of temptations is often like to the trauell of the labourer that findeth a great peece of land which he is to worck vpon couered with thistles thornes so that he is constrained with great trouble to cleare the same before his labour be auayleable in such sort that he often repenteth to haue enterprised so painfull a businesse in regard of the great expences and bodily labour that he is enforced to employ therin For first he considereth that he must leuell and make euen all the hillockes that are vnequall with the ground and therof seeth not the fruit Secondly he cutteth or burneth the bushes thornes and thistles therin yet seeth no fruit therof Thirdly with much labour and sweat he diggeth vp the rootes neither yet seeth the fruit Fourthly he openeth the earth with the plough-share to cleanse the same yet hath no sight of the corne that is the ground of such his labour Fiftly he tilleth it the second time and maketh it into furrowes Sixtly he soweth his graine Seauenthly when the corne is sprung vp he cleanseth it and rooteth out the weedes Eighthly he doth haruest the corne into his barne Ninthly with much labour and sweat he separateth it from the chaffe causing it to be threshed winnowed sifted and very diligently cleansed Tenthly and lastly he transporteth the corne into his garner and for the contentment he conceaueth to see the fruit of his paines and labours he then forgetteth them and purposeth to vndertake yet much greater for the only ioy he hath of his haruest Now the like effect is in the temptations and labours which one endureth in this world for the spirituall fruit and contentment which he is to reape therof in the life euerlasting A Religious hauing one time conference with Br. Giles sayd vnto him Father it is recorded that S. Bernard once sayd his seauen penitentiall psalmes without euer thincking of other matter nor was assaulwith any distractiōs The holy Father answeared I would better esteeme a castle valerously assaulted and more couragiously defended A discourse of Penance THE XXXII CHAPTER A Iudge discoursing with Brother Giles of spirituall matters asked him by what meanes seculer personnes might ascend to the state and glory of vertue Wherto the holy Father answeared A man ought first to procure sorrow and contrition for his sinnes then to confesse them with bitternes and griefe to haue offended God and afterward to fulfill the penance that his ghostly Father shall enioyne him So being in good estate he must carefully keepe himselfe from offending God and shunne all occasions that may induce him to sinne and finally must exercise himselfe in good worckes Blessed be the temporall affliction that conuerteth to a mannes happines and accursed be the pleasure that tourneth to his misery A man should endure and support affliction in this world with a good will sith our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath giuen vs an example in himselfe Happy is he that hath true contrition of his sinnes and lamenteth day and night nor will seeke his consolation in this world but where all the desires of his hart shal be satisfied A discourse of Prayer THE XXXIII CHAPTER PRrayer is both the beginning and perfection of all good Prayer illuminateth the soule and by it good and euill are discerned All sinners ought to make this prayer vnto God that he will giue thē knowledge of their owne sinnes of the diuine mercy and of the benefittes receaued of IESVS CHRIST He that cannot pray knoweth not God It is necessary for all those that are to be saued if they haue vse of reason to apply themselues to prayer to obtayne mercy of God Lett vs suppose that a widdow and lady which were much retyred simple and chast had a sonne that for some crime committed were prisonner condemned to death This Mother though honorable and retyred would she not repayre to the Prince with abondance of teares to seeke fauour for her sonne This vrgent necessity no doubt for the extreme loue of this widow to her sonne though she were very rarely seene to goe out of her house would enforce her to runne through the streetes with cryes weepinges and lamentations to sollicite all those whome she thought might any way assist her in sauing the life of her sonne which she would attempt without any feare or respect of the modesty requisite to her degree and quality In like manner he that knoweth his sinnes knoweth consequently to aske pardon for them with shame and humility There was one that growing as it were into despaire for that in prayer he receaued not the grace of God which he desired complayned therof to Br. Giles who answeared him Brother I counsaile you to goe on sweetly and to haue patience for as there being lees in a vessel one doth not therfore shake and entermingle it together with the wine which were it neuer so good would be vtterly spilled therby And as though sometimes the mill-stone grindeth not good meale one doth not therfore breake it
doth often meritt great graces and vertues for he is therby illuminated in his soule and fortifyed in faith he taketh notice of his misery obtayneth feare and humility and purchaseth a contempt of himselfe he getteth contrition for his sinnes the gift of teares and amendement of his euill life Prayer maketh the science of a man pure maketh him constant and stable in patience and delighting in obedience it maketh him perfect in mortification of himselfe it purchaseth vnto him an assured knowledge the gift of vnderstanding the gift of force the gift of prudence and finally conducteth him to the knowledge of God who manifesteth himselfe to them that adore him in spiritt and truth for a man by prayer is inflamed in loue then presently runneth after the diuine odour and obteyneth the sweetnes of delight then is eleuated to repose of spiritt where he is admitted to the glory of the sweetnes of God When he shall haue layd his mouth to the word of the most high wherwith alone the soule is satisfied Who can euer separate him frō prayer which raiseth and eleuateth the spiritt vnto contemplation And that they who shall desire to obtaine the afforesaid thinges may know to attayne therto lett them among all other well obserue these six considerations as most necessary wherof the first is touching his sinnes past for which he must haue contrition the second to be prudent in his actions present the third to foresee those to come the fourth lett him consider the mercy of God that expecteth mannes repentance not taking vengeance on him though he haue made himselfe worthy of eternall tormentes according to diuine iustice which he dessembleth in expectation of his amendemēt The fift is of the benefittes of his diuine Maiesty which are innumerable as the incarnation and passion and all for our benefitt the doctrine which he left vs and the glory he promiseth And for the sixt and last he must consider what our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath loued in this life as pouerty nakednes hunger thirst cold humility dishonour contempt trauels wherin we must endeauour to conforme our selues and to follow him with all possibility Of some other spirituall discourses of this glorious Sainct THE XL. CHAPTER THis holy Father was once demaunded by a seculer person vpō what occasion man should be more enclined to euill then to good he answeared It hath bin more apt to the earth since the malediction therof to produce ill weedes then good hearbes But a carefull and dilligent labourer can by his industry so husband it that those weedes shall not easily grow therin An other putting him a question of predestination he answeared The water of the sea shoare is sufficient to wash my feet yea my whole body and I esteeme him a foole that this being able to content him will cast himselfe into the mayne sea for I beleeue it sufficeth a Christian to know how to liue well without search into matters so highe Then he added you must pray to God that he giue you not too much felicity in this world but that he send you great combattes against your sences and that therin he doe not assist you by the tast of his diuine sweetnes and suauity for your greater recompence and his greater glory Hereby may be discerned whither a man loue God perfectly if with an earnest care he endeauour to sequester himselfe from vices seeking daily to augment in good worckes because it is a greater vertue to follow grace then patiently to support afflictions for many haue patience but follow not grace Frere Minor is as much to say as one vnder the feet of all men and the greater the descent is the greater also is the sally We ought more to feare temporall feclicity then temporall euill for the euill followeth man and felicity is his contrary We must so conuerse with men as we loose not that which God woorketh in vs. But lett vs rather labour and trauell to saue our selues with litle sith that it sometimes happeneth that a man being skilfull in swimming and will imprudently seeke to helpe an other that is in perlll of drowning in the water they both are drowned and so the losse is double A man shal be obliged to yeld an account of the graces which he hath not For as God createth a creature by his bounty and grace he ought reciprocally appeare gracious and acknowledge the same if not lett him know that he hath lost grace by his owne negligence For if he would trauell and labour in the grace receaued he should obtaine many other graces of God which through his owne fault he hath not I desire sayd this holy Father first to obey euen to death then to be humble vnder the feet of each one thirdly I desire rigorously to chastice and rent my flesh with my teeth and so bind my neck with an iron chaine as I would haue no power att my pleasure to gett loose How God wrought many miracles by the merittes of Brother Giles THE XLII CHAPTER OVr Lord by a notable miracle declared how much was the meritt of charity in his seruant Brother Giles who meeting on the way to Assisium a gentleman that was carryed to haue a foot cutt off wherin there was a wound so eaten with a cancre that if the foot were not cutt off his life were in imminent danger The gentleman knowing Brother Giles weeping made him a pittifull relation of the occasion of his iorney to Assisium then opened his legge and shewed him the wound and with great humility and deuotion prayed him to make the signe of the crosse theron Br. Giles therby moued with pittie and compassion made the signe of the crosse on the wound then with great deuotion kissed it and the gentleman was a litle after entierly cured and retourned to his house a foot praysing and thancking God for such a grace obtayned by the meritt of his holy seruant This good Father one time reprehended a Religious for a fault committed and he tooke this reprehension sinisterly and with litle patience but the night following there appeared vnto him one that sayd Brother henceforward receaue with patience and in good parr the aduertisments and reprehensions which shal be giuen you for he that shall beleeue and obey Br. Giles shal be happy The Religious incontinently after this vision arose before it was day and came to the holy Father acknowledging his fault of impatience vsed vnto him and most humbly besought him to correct him often promising thenceforwaad to take whatsoeuer should come from him not only with patience but with great ioy A Religious that had neuer seene Br. Giles but had heard such report of him desired to see both him and some of his actions But being exceedingly grieued that the great distance betweene them put him in dispaire of euer receiuing that happines he one night saw in a vision a booke wherin no other thing was written but these wordes This is he
charity not commanding them any thing against their soule and the Order of your profession Lett the Religious be mindefull also that for the loue of God they haue renounced their proper will and that therfore they are obliged in all thinges to obey their Abbesse according to their promise prouided that it be not against their saluation and your profession Lett the Abbesse vse such familiarity with her Religious that they may comport themselues as mistresses towardes their seruantes for in such sort must they liue together as that the Abbesse be seruant to all her Religious I also exhort my sisters and in the name of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST I admonish them to beware of pride of vaine glory of enuy of auarice of cogitations and solicitude of worldly affaires not to speake euill of any to shunne dissention murmure and diuision but lett them be all carefull to preserue vnity of fraternal loue which is the knott of perfection Besides they that cannot read lett them not regard to learne but lett them only consider that they ought aboue althinges to desire to haue the spiritt of IESVS CHRIST and his holy operation that they ought alwayes to pray vnto God with purity of hart to be humble and patientin afflictions and in their sicknesses and that they ought to loue them that reprehend them because our lord sayth Blessed are they they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen He that shall perseuer vnto the end shal be saued Of the duety of the Portresse THE XI CHAPTER THe Portresse must be prudent and of good conuersation ripe of yeares and fitt to remayne and reside all the day long att the cell of the port the dore wherof shal be alwayes open She must haue and keep with her a fitt companion which shal be appoynted her by the Abbesse or Vicaresse to call any or to doe what occasions and occurances shall require The port or gate shabe of two folding leaues and fastened with two lockes and padlockes which in the night shal be shutt with two keyes wherof the Abbesse shall haue one and the Portresse the other The port shall neuer be without guard by day and shal be shutt with one key only But it must be most dilligently guarded very respectiue care being taken that it neuer be open but vpon necessity When any one commeth to enter they shall not be opened vnto him but vpon permission formerly had of the Pope or the Protectour to enter into the monastery where it shall not be lawfull for any person to enter before the sunne rising or after sunne sett Nor lett the Religious permitt any to enter into their monastery but vpon reasonable manifest and ineuitable occasion If it be permitted to a Bishop to celebrat within the monastery to blesse the Abbesse to consecrate a Religious or for any other important occasion lett him be content to enter with the least traine and most decencie that may be When it shal be necessary for any Officer or worckman to come in for some worck of importance lett the Abbesse place some fitt person att the gate to admitt only those into the Monastery that shall haue employment and lett the Religious then vse all endeauour to keep themselues out of the sight of those that come in How the Monastery is to be visited THE XII CHAPTER YOur Visitor ought alwayes to be of the Oâ—der of the Frere Minors such as shal be constituted and commanded by the Cardinall your Protectour and yet he must be of a life generally knowne for pious and exemplar His office shal be to correct the excesses committed against the order of your profession as well in the head as in the members The said visitor must speake vnto you in publike place that he may be seene of all It is permitted him to speake with many Religious or with one alone of matters concerning the visitation as he shall thinck most to the purpose You shall haue ordinarily without yet neere to your Monastery foure Religious wherof one shal be your Chaplen who shall haue also a companion that shal be a Preist of good report and discretion and two lay brothers of vertuous and pious life for the helpe and ayd of your pouerty as we haue alwayes compassionatly found the said Order of the Frere Minors which we still demaund as a singuler fauour of the said Order for the loue of God and of the glorious Father S. Francis And lett it neuer be permitted to the Chaplen to enter into the sayd Monastery without the other Priest his companion And lett those that shall enter alwayes remaine in some publike place in such sort as they may see one an other And to heare the confessions of the sick that cannot come to the speakhouse to administer vnto them the communion and extreme vnction and to assist them in the agonies of death it shal be permissable for the sayd priestes to enter in and also for the solemne Masses and obsequies for the dead or for the buriall the Abbesse may admitt into the Monastery personnes of vnderstaÌ„ding and fitt for that purpose And withall this lett the Religious be alwayes obliged to haue for their Protectour Gouernour and Correctour a Cardinall of the Romane Church who shal be by his Holinesse appointed vnto the Frere Minors to the end they may be alwayes in submission and subiection to the feet of the same Church firme and stable in the Catholique faith perpetually obseruing the pouerty and humility of our Lord IESVS CHRIST any his most holy mother Thus endeth the rule of the poore Religious women giuen att Perusia the 16. of September the 10. yeare of the Papedome of Innocent the fourth The sequel is the remainder of the 19. chapter LEtt not any perseon be permitted to breake or rent this our letter and bull of confirmation and lett none be so bold or rash as to contradict it And if any presume to doe it lett him know that he shall incurre the disgrace and malediction of God his holy Apostles sainct Peter and sainct Paul Giuen att Assisium the 9. of August the 11. yeare of our raigne The end of the confirmation of the rule of saincte Clare which sainct Francis instituted for her Of the the most feruent loue of Iesus Christ which enflamed the hart of S. Clare and how the deuill tormented her of an extasie wherin she continued a night and two dayes together THE XX. CHAPTER WHen S. Clare heard speake of the passion our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST she ofteÌ„ accustomeÌ„d to weepe in coÌ„passion in such sort that out of the sacred woundes she would sometimes draw dolorous feelinges affectioÌ„s and att other times ioyes and consolations of admirable sweetnes And the crosse of IESVS CHRIST which with her Spouse she carryed in her soule and the weight therof gaue her so much more tast of conteÌ„tment as she felt more griefe The great abondance of teares which she powred out
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
then got a note of all the poore of the Citty relieued them therwith An other time wanting mony for the like supply she sold her iewels and with the price therof â—eleiued the needy She would often times withdraw thinges necessary from her selfe her women and maydes to supply the necessity of the poore She caused an hospitall to be builded att the foot of her castell which was very high where she placed all the poore sick people and euery day went downe to visitt them albeit the discent was very troublesome and difficult and releiued their necessities exhorting them to patience and to purge their soules by confession and communion She serued attended and dressed them withan exemplar humility supporting with an extreme patience the loathsomes that issued out of their soares and sometimes hauing no other linnen att hand to make them cleane she would putt off her coife disfurnish her head to dry and wipe off the filthy matter of the said soares which so strongly sauoured that her Ladies could not endure them Of the death of the Duke her husband and of many afflictions which she endured in her widowhood THE XIII CHAPTER OVr Lord had by his grace and by the prayers and petitions of the Duchesse coÌ„uerted the LaÌ„tgraue so that albeit he were by the affaires of his estate and his possessions exceedingly hindered froÌ„ the seruice of God yet did he not omitt to haue good desires and with his vtmost put in practise good worckes But because he could not persist in spirituall exercises he permitted his wife to employ her selfe therin for the honour of God and the benefitt of both their soules And this vertuous woman desiring her husband should employ his forces in defence of the Catholike faith she induced him to visit the holy land and to assist the Christians in recouery therof He then to this effect hauing with his troupes for so laudable an enterprise aduanced his iorney so far as Italy rested att Brindes to attend conuenient time and weather to take shipping But it pleased God that he ther fell sick of a mortall infirmity so that he shortly after with an exemplar contrition yelded his spiritt vnto God S. Elizabeth being aduertised of his death receaued her widowhood with almost the like wil as she had don her mariadge resoluing to apply her selfe entierly to the seruice of her celestiall Spouse And so almighty God began to visitt her with greater afflictions as hauing a soule more free and was a litle more sublime then euer For as soone as the death of the Lantgraue was diuulged she was by his kinred and vassalles expulsed her palace as if she had bin a prodigall waster of the reuenue of her estate and was so abandoned that the night following as a reiected creature not knowing where to repose she retyred in to a cottage employed for the shelter of beastes There she ioyfully gaue thanckes to God for her misfortune which she reputed as a great fauour and most singuler grace The next morning she repayred vnto the monastery of the Frere Minors and prayed the Religious to sing Te Deum laudamus in thanckes-giuing to God for that according to her desire he had afforded her the estate of pouerty After that she ordered her children to be disposed into diuer s places to be instructed and educated according to their quality and degree hauing no meane to retaine them any longer with her many iniuryes and affrontes being imposed on her by the kinred of her deceased husband in his vassals which she ioyfully with inuincible patience supported as a fauour sent her by almighty God An archibishop that was her vnckle caused her no small affliction in that seeing her yong and reduced to such pouerty he resolued to bestow her honorably in mariage But the espouse of IESVS CHRIST hauing layd a firme resolution rather to dye then to mary againe obtayned of God by meane of prayer the victory in so strong a conflict Whiles she honorably remayned in a castle of her vnckles the body of her husband was brought from Brindes which was receaued by the sayd Archibishop with a very solemne troup and procession of the Clergie and accompayned by the sayd Princesse with many teares she thus speaking vnto almighty God I giue thee infinite thanckes O soueraine Bounty that it hath pleased thee to comfort me with the receipt of the bones of my deceased husband thy seruant Thou alone knowest my God how much I loued him because he loued and feared thee And neuertheles thou knowest also what consolation I haue receaued of his death being depriued of his presence euen for thy loue in that he went to serue thee for the recouery of the holy land and albeit I receaued an exceeding contentment to liue with him yet was it with condicion that we both together might trauell as poore beggers ouer the world But sith that may not be thou knowest my God that if it were in my power to restore him to life I would not doe it nor were it requisiâ— for me to employ therin one haire of my head if I thought it not thy holy will But I recommend his soule and mine to thy diuine clemencie The king of Hongary hauing vnderstood the death of the Lantgraue his sonne in law and the miserable estate of his daughter and with what impiety she was persecuted by the subiectes of her husband he sent one of the principall Earles of his kingdome to bring her vnto him who hauing sought her found her spinning of wooll among very poore women wheratt he so admired and was so gâ—ieued that he began to breake out into exclamations regrets and complaintes and att lenght deliuered his cha dge aduertising her of the will of her Father But in vaine did he striue to perswade her to retourne to her contry for she as a generous Princesse choie with the Prophett Dauid rather to liue abiected with the poore in the house and seruice of God then honoured in royall delightes and in the palace of terresiâ—â—all Princes How S. Elizabeth became religious and founded a great hospitall for the vse of poore sick people THE XIV CHAPTER THis blessed widow had vowed that if she ouer-liued her husband she would spend the rest of her dayes in perpetuall chastity obedience and pouerty which she failed not with much feruour to accomplish and theâ—fore she toke the habitt of the Penitents of the third Order of S. Francis and being clothed in a coat and cloke of grosse gray cloth all patched with sackloth she promised obedience to her Confessour called Fa. Courad a Religious of notable sanctity which she most exactly obserued euen in worckes of penance as fastes disciplines and other mortifications in which vertues this holy Religious man did exercise her for the greater benifitt of her soule And to the end she might entierly deliuer her hart in possession vnto God without being distracted or hindered by any temporall affection she besought
solemnized ouer al the Catholike Church This blessed S. departed this life the yeare of grace 1231. the 19. day of NoueÌ„ber Certaine yeares after her reliques being traÌ„slated her body was found in the cosin of lead where it was first layd in sepulture her flesh being melted into oyle and most precious liquor that yelded a most delicious and pleasing â—auour this oyle restored health to infinite sick people and a very long time distilled from her sacred bones The life of the B. Elzearius of the third order of sainct Francis and S. Delphine his wife Of the sanctity mortification abstinence and virginity of S. Elzearius THE XVIII CHAPTER ELzearius was Earle of Arian in Prouince no lesse generous and noble in vertues and sanctity then eminent famous in race generation for the Eaâ—les of Arian his predecestors were of the most illustrious of Prouence This nobleman from thirteen yeares of age accustomed to fast often and woare a cord girded on his flesh knotted with fiue knottes which he vsed as a restraint and bridle to carnall sensuality and as a secrett memory of the fiue woundes of our lord IESVS CHRIST When he was ouer-wearyed with watching and was ouercome with necessity of sleep he neuer putt of his cloathes to take his rest and by day woare an hair-cloth therby to feele some affliction in his body both by day and night considering that without afflictions the fruites of spirituall desires cannot be obtayned His rigours also serued him to represse the coÌ„cupiscences stinges of the flesh and to obtayne the fruites of true wisdome His age encreasing he addicted himselfe to a stricter rule of abstinence chasticing his body by fastes to subiect it vnto the spiritt He gaue vertuous and pious instructions to his family that they might liue in the feare of God and not iniury their neighbour but might edifie him and that God might by them be serued and honoured This sainct after his youth though he had bin delicately nourrished was a great friend vnto chastity and so continued euen to his death preseruing in his soule and body the inestimable treasure of virginity How sainct Elzearius was maryed and accorded with his wife to conserue their virginity THE XIX CHAPTER S. Elzearius was maryed in his youth vnto a gentlewoman of noble familie called Delphine who had a like intention with her husband to preserue her virginity She being past twelue yeares of age and knowing she should shortly be deliuered and committed to Elzearious her Spouse began exceedingly to feaâ—e that notwithstanding the sanctity she knew to be in him as not sufficiently fiâ—me and resolute in this grace he would ouerthrow the holy resolutioÌ„ she had to coÌ„serue her integrity And consulting therof with a Frere Minor that was her ghostly Father called Frere Philip Denguerre a man of notable piety he gaue her full asseurance and satisfaction with a prophetical spiritt telling her that she should not only entierly obserue her vow but that her husbaÌ„d and she should liue together chastly and so perseuer to the end And so the nuptiall solemnities being ended they liued together twenty seauen yeares religiously and piously vnder the shadow of the name of mariadge very well vnited in spiritt but remote from the vnion of the flesh preseruing in this vessell of earth the inestimable treasure of most precious chastity a vertue not so much recommendable as rare and so much more worthy to be imitated att least in part as the contrary vice is damnable and ruinous Of the worthy and singuler vertues of S. Elzearius THE XX. CHAPTER THis holy man duely considering that the principall vertue which the seruant of God can haue is the misprise of himselfe and consequently humility and not worldly nobility his spiritt could neuer be raysed to vaine glory by the great substance honours and puissance which the eminency of his house did yeld him His wordes were gracious and pleasing conformable to the spiritt that deliuered them and the better to attaine to the perfect contempt of himselfe he would often for the loue of IESVS CHRIST wash the soares and vlceres of leapers with his one handes and serue them with gteat feruour of deuotion and with such charity as if with his owne eyes he had seene and serued IESVS CHRIST himselfe He behaued himselfe towardes his subiectes and vassals ouer whome he had entier iurisdiction as a iust lord iudgeing their causes with a seuere clemencie as one that could not be drawne from the right course of iustice by feare hatred fauour or corruption This holy man proceeded in all actions by the vertue of discretion wherwith he so teÌ„pered his worckes of mercy that therin he with exceeding humility auoyded worldly glory and fauour and as a valiant and perfect warryer he neuer desisted from his first inteÌ„tion and as iust he withall his industry shunned the occasions of offending God This seruant was so charitable and liberall to the poore that neuer any demaunded of him an almose for the loue of God but he gaue him a reward together with good wordes All his care was to feed the hungry to lodge pilgrimes and haue care of poore sick and forlorne creatures as one that acknowledged the poore CHR. IES in his poore creatures in sicknesses the painfull afflictions wâ—ich he endured for vs miserable sinners And as he was replenished with the loue of his neighbours no lesse was he but much more replenished with the loue of IESVS CHRIST And knowing that the edifice of vertues hath its end in the perfection of holy prayer in regard that it is a conuersation and familiarity with God he applyed himselfe with all his endeauour to prayer and contemplation he also sayd the canonicall houres with such deuotion and attention as if he had bin in the visible presence of IESVS CHRIST How S. Elzearius had the true vertue of patience of his death and canonization and the death of his wife THE XXI CHAPTER THis inuincible Champion was so armed with the precious armours of patience by the exercise of vertue that albeit he supported many thinges very difficult to endure yet none could euer disquiett him so that he was neuer perceaued to be in choler nor the least iott remote from his ordinary mildnes For he very patiently and humblie supported and endured the iniuâ—yes and affiontes directly or indirectly offered vnto him and was neuer heard to proceed out of his mouth any word but of praise and thanckesgiuing vnto God he with such sweetnes and clemencie pardonned his ennemies whatsoeuer offence they commited against him that he did not only make appeare that he was satissied and appeased but proceeded in their behalfe as if there had neuer bin cause of discontentment Being att Paris and hauing fore-knowledge of the houre of his death he with great abondance of teares and exceeding deuotion made his coÌ„fession then with much reuerence and in very exemplar manner receaued the sacramentes of the church And
Francis is beaten of the deuils And wherâ—â—re The praise of pouerty How pouerty was graunted to S. Fr. for his Order S. Fran went attired in disguise of a begger to shew correct some litle defects of his Religious He exhorteth them to obserue pouerty S. Franc. multiplied bread by the signe of the crosse S. Franc. miraculously obtayned bread in a necessity S. Franc. would rather that the ornaments of thealtare should be sold then the vow of pouerty in necessity infringed God promiseth S. F. to haue care of all the necessities of the Frere Minors that hope in him What is true necessity Iust displeasure of S. Fr. for the first delicate ample habitt of the Freer Minors that was made in his time S. Franc. made all the Religious of a Couent to depart thence because it was told him that it was the Frere Minors S. Franc. left his cell because speaking to him one called it his Matt. 8. Matt. 6. S. Franc. endeauoured to pul down a house which was builded to serue the Religious only in time of the Generall chapter What kind of churches the Frere Minors should haue S. Franc. foretold what the Frere Minors haue don in their buildinges 1. Cor. 8. Straung temptation of a Frere Minor to haue a psalter Matt. 13. Apothegma of S. Francis Matt. 7. Luc. 10. S. Fr. did not desire that his Religious should studie Therfore he cursed a Prouinciall because he had established a study against his will How he would that his Religious should study Matt. 10. Very remarckeable sentences of S. Franc. Exhortations for the preachiÌ„g Frere Minors 1. Cor. 1. Matt. 23. The humility of the first Frere Minors Marckeable satisfactioÌ„ How much S. F. was troubled to heare that his Religious gaue scandall Terrible imprecation of S. Franc. against the scandalous The answere of S. Franc. to his Religious that desired to haue generall auctority to preach Prophesies 〈…〉 Francis Dan. 3. PredictioÌ„ made to S. Fr. of the four first times or estates of his Order The first estate compared to a head of Gold The second to the brest and armes of siluer The third the belly of metal The fourth in the leggs of iron Sap. 6. S. Franc. did once eat in the night with all his Religious to accoÌ„pany a Brother that hunger oppressed to death The first occasion and originall of the penitents of the third Order of S. Franc. An attempt assembly of deuils against the Order of Frere Minors Matt. 6. e S. Franc. was moued and stayed of it selfe to giue him better commodity of preaching Swallowes are silent at the comandement of S Franc. and of a scoller at his inuocation He cured a benummed child One sick of the palsey One of the dropsie One crooked He restored the vse of a womans hands He restoreth sight to one blinde An other On blind of one eye One possessed An other One of a strange disease A cord of the said S. wrought many miracles And the crummes that remayned after his refectioÌ„ The miraculous entertainement giuen to S. Franc. on the mount Aluerric God graunted four priuiledges to the Order of Frere Minors The deuil striueth violently to kil S. Francis Who was receiued of a hard rock as of waxe The brut beastes honoured S. Fr. shewing to acknowledg his sanctity A sheepe sheweth a will to honour praise adore God And a lambe likewise A leueret became tame vnto him at an instant A wild conny likewise And a water bird As also a great fish Birdes obeyed S. Francis Of a grasse-hopper Of a phesant Of a Faulcon that serued S. F. for an alarme Of a nightingal What esteeme he made of larckes How he loued the elemenâ— of fire And the water The stones The wood And the flowers The ants obey S. Francis Why S. Francis loued not the antes Matt. 6. The deuil visibly â—aried away a woman for troubling a sermon of S. Fr. God sent a light to enligh ten S. Francis in a darck night He aduertâ—seth the preists of his Order of their duety Marc. 26 â—eb 10. 1. Cor. 11. Iere. 48. Malac. 2. Lnc. 1 2. 11. Matt. 3. Esay 11. 1. Pet. 1. Of the dignity of the B. Sacrament of the altar how on ought to reuerence it Ioan. 6. Mat. 22. Luc. 10. Luc. 4. Ioan. 14. Ioan. 1. Ioan. 6. Mat. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. Ioan. 6. Mat. 2â— Matt. 5. Matt. 15. Gen. 2. Ioan. 12. Luc. 14. Wheriâ— ought to consist the true spirituall ioy of a Frere Minor 1. Cor. 14 Worthy aduertisment to Superiours of the Frere Minors Mat. 20. Luc. 21. Gal. 6. Matt. 6. Ioan. 17. Matt. 15. How we ought to prepare our selues to dye Iere. 17. 1. Cor. 3. Psal 118. Mat. 22. Luc. 18. S. Franc. obtayned raine by prayers The frogges obey him Swallowes couers the hearers of his sermon He cureth a crooked lame mute child A mortal wound He conuerted water into wine He also conuerteth vinegar into wine He raiseth one dead S. Franc. did eat but halfe a loafe in the whole lent â—say 6. Esay 6. Brother Leo and Br. Ruffinus S. Clare the Cardinal protector and the bishop Vgolino saw the holy Stygmates woundes of S. Fr. in his life time The water that issued out of the stigmates of S. Fr. cured cattell infected with the plague An ordinary teÌ„mpest that destroyed all fruit neere the Mount Aluerne ceassed after S. Francis had there receaued the stigmates S. Franc. with his haÌ„d touching a man that was extrem cold did warme him A womaÌ„ being in extreme daÌ„gerous labour was deliuered by holding the bridle which S. F. did ride with all Pope Gregory by a bulle assureth and confirmeth the truth of the stigmates Plus vnus oculatus quam decem allriti Pope Alexander the 4. did as much And Pope Benedict the 2. S. F. vsed a staffe to goe with all the two last years of his life by reason of his stigmates as he had don the two first yeares of his conuersion Luc. 10. God sent Angelicall musick to comfort S. Franc. in his sicknes And also sent him fish and lettice miraculously in his sicknes The Assisians sent to pray S. Franc to dwell and end his dayes att Assisium The assisians found food for the loue of God which was denied them for mony S. Franc. prophesieth that S. Clare shall see him before her death S. Franc. knew in spiritt that the lady of the Seauen-Sunne came to see him S. Franc. foretold the dayes of his death buriall S. Francis before his death stript him selfe all naked S. Fran. receaueth the holy Sacraments before his death And gaue his holy and last benediction to his Religious The death of S. F. the 45. yeare of his age the 20. of his conuersion of our Lord the 1226. The soule of B. Angelus accompanieth that of S Fr. into glory He appeared to the Bishop of Assisium presently after his death Vision of the passadge of the soule of S. Fr.
soules and he that shall perseuer to the end shal be saued Of the Preachers THE XVII CHAPTER THe preaching of the gospell being the food and nourishment of the soule lett no Brother or Minister authorise himselfe and enterprise to preach without licence of his Superiours and lett such as â—â—albe authorised be very respectiue not to preach against the forme and constitutions of our holy mother the Church Lett the Minister Prouincials be aduertised not to admitt to any chardge especially in matter of importance all personnes indifferently but lett them formerly consider well therof Lett the Brethren that shal be admitted to preach or to exercise any other obedience take heed not to attribute to themselues or to their merittes the office which they shall haue and particulerly that of preaching they ought rather to practise by worckes then by faire elected wordes and therfore att all times and whensoeuer they shal be aduertised to desist from preaching lett them without any contradiction entierly forbeare to preach Therfore by charity which is God himselfe I pray all my Brethren Preachers Oratours and other Officers and Ministers as well Preistes as lay that they endeauour continually to debase and humble themselues and that they neither glory nor take complacence in any good that God doeth or speaketh by them because such worck is not theirs but Goddes and that they remember that which our lord IESVS CHRIST saith Esteeme not the more of your selues for that you see the deuils subiect vnto you and lett each on rest assured that we haue nothing of our owne but vices and sinnes and when we finde our selues tempted and oppressed with diseases and afflictions as well in soule as in body we should reioyce in hope of eternall life Lett vs beware of pride and vaine glory of the wisdome of the world and the prudence of the flesh which endeauoureth to speake well but litle to doe well For it seeketh not a religion and sanctity of spiritt but a religion and sanctity exteriour and apparant vnto men for these are they of whome our lord speaketh when he saith I tell you in verity you haue already your reward The spiritt which is of God desireth the flesh should be mortified misprised and esteemed vile and that it endeauour to be humble patient pure duly subiected to the spiritt and especially rooted in the feare and loue of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost referring all good thinges to the most high lett vs acknoledge our selues to be his and lett vs continually yeld him thankes as one from whome dependeth and proceedeth all our good Therfore are all honours and all benedictions due to him alone by reason also that he is the true and soueraigne good And therfore when we shall see any thing il done or ill spoaken against his holy name lett vs on the contrary endeauour to prayse exalt and thanck him as blessed for euer world without end Amen Now and when the Ministers ought to assemble THE XVIII CHAPTER THe Minister Prouinciall ought with all his Brethren to assemble together euery yeare att the feast of S. Michael in some coÌ„modious place to treat and determine of matters behoufull for the seruice of God and ReligioÌ„ And all the Minister Prouincials that are beyond the sea and in places on the other side the Mountaines shall asseÌ„ble once euery three yeares the other Minister Prouincials shall come euery yeare to the Chapiter in the Church of S. Mary of Angels if the Minister generall dispose not otherwise to whose ordonnance all ought to obey That all Brethren ought to liue Catholiquely THE XIX CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren be Catholiques and as such liue Catholiquely and if any one should erre in faith or in the instution and constitutions of holy Churche either by worckes or wordes if he doe not forthe with rectifie himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled out of our ReligioÌ„ We ought to acknoledge for our Superiours all Prelates and Religious in that which concerneth the good estate of our soule prouided that they proceed not against our Order and our Rule Of the confesion and communion of the Brethren THE XX. CHAPTER LEtt all my Brethren as well Preistes as the laity the blessed of God coÌ„fesse to the Preistes of our Order and if in case they caÌ„not they may confesse to an other Preist that is prudent and Catholique and lett them firmely beleeue that by the pennance and absolution giuen them they shal be absolued of all their sinnes and therfore lett them endeauour with the greatest faith and humility that they can to accomplish the penance that shal be enioyned them And if they should be in a place where they could not haue commodity of a Preist lett them in such case confesse with their Brethren as the Apostle saith Confesse your sinnes one to an other But let them not yet omitt when they shall haue meanes to repaire to Preistes because they alone haue the authority and power of God to bind and loose Being so contrite and coÌ„fested lett them with exceeding humility and reuerence receiue the most sacred sacrament calling to minde that which God saith he that eateth my flesh and drincketh my bloud hath life euerlasting And in an other place Doe this for a commemoration of me Of praysing God and exhorting Christians to pennance THE XXI CHAPTER VVHen my Brethren shall know and esteeme it expedient to preach to the people hauig imparted the benediction of God they may vse these wordes Feare loue honour praise continually and say yee Be thou blessed almighty God Trinity and vnitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost Creatour of all thinges I beseech thee to permitt me to performe fruites worthy of penance and to know this truth that we shall shortly die and that att that instant the knotte of this soule and body shall end to be either eternally happy or eternally miserable They must exhort such as haue bin offended to pardon as God doth pardon vs and to this effect lett them vnderstand that if they doe not pardon they shall not be pardonned and that they shal be blessed that shall die contrite because their place shal be in heauen and miserable shall they be that shall die impenitent because they shal be children of the deuill whose worckes they haue wrought and therfore shall they discend into eternall sier Be carefull my beloued Brethren to shunne all vices and perseuer in god euen to the end that God may blesse you An Exhortation he made to all the Brethren THE XXII CHAPTER LEtt vs be mindefull of that which our lord sayth loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you Because besides what he hath taugbt vs by worde he hath in like sort taught vs by effect whose steppes we ought to imitate As then he called Iudas his freind though he knew he would betray him and voluntarily presented himselfe to them that were to crucifie him so likewise lett vs repute them our freindes that