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
others distributing their goodes among the poore much more highly esteeming the piety of God and charity to their neighbour in a base and submissiue pouerty then any other temporall thing to th end that being disburdened of the care of these transitory riches they might with more ease study to purchace those of heauen and in the end for so much as where they knew it to concerne the honour glory or seruice of God they haue not spared to permitt their bodies to be tormented after what sort soeuer they haue bin therefore so pleasing vnto his maiestie that he hath graunted them power to cure the diseased to cast out deuils to raise the dead to foretell future thinges to vnderstand and explicate the diuine misteries and finally to doe such thinges as the diuine might can only doe Lett then the eminencie of Kinges Princes and of all qualities of wealthy people ancient and moderne be confounded sith they are and euer more haue bin vanquished and surmounted by vs poore and feeble in honour and knowledg Lett the subtilty of Philosophers be whist and silent sith these who haue trulie reposed their faith in almightie God shal know and finde the soueraigne good I coniure thee therefore gentle Reader by the loue which thou owest to IESVS Christ our Redeemer to represent before the eyes of thy spirit the glory and eternall riches which the least of the seruantes of our Redeemer IESVS Christ shall in the most blessed kingdome of heauen perpetually enioy and with the same eyes afterward to behold all the goodes of the earth vnited together paragonizing them with those of these Religious there will not so much as one only thought abide within thee vntill thy hart hath quite contemned them and as recordeth Cicero if all the Empires of the earth in comparison of heauen and of the moone be so litle that no esteeme should be had of them because betwene them there is no proportion how much lesse will they appeare being opposed to the Emperiall heauē the blessed country of the elect where according to S. Paul our conuersation is It is then very reasonable that the life of this Saincte be seriously read to the end to imitate him yea before many other sith hereof we learne how we may pourchace the true eternall goods or riches which according to the promises of God we expect and hope for To this end it is that our Creatour doth dayly renew and regarnish his Church with new examples of his saincts that Christians becomming weake feeble might resume force to meritt their saluation in seruing almightie God from the bottome of their hart For in them is represented vnto vs the vertue of faith the life of IESVS Christ and together with it the imitable life of his sainctes He will that there be seculer Preistes Religious of the order of S. Hierome S. Augustin S. Benedict S. Bernard S. Dominick S. Francis and others that in them we might alwayes haue before our eyes his life and Passion Sith then so pious a lesson or reading produceth such fruit thou mayest well persuade thee good Reader how profitably shal be employed the time the paper and labour which is spent in writing the chronicles of them that haue bin true imitatours and representations of the life of our Redeemer IESVS Christ How well in like sort their time shal be spent that employ their eyes and vnderstanding in this lesson not only to square out a Religious life to such as desire to embrace it but euen to learne what ought to be the life what the comportmentes of true Christians that with their workes desire at least to appeare such by reason that the kingdome of heauen must be attayned by a combatt to be made and by force of armes which is an enterprise of valerous Champions or warryers and this forcible wrestling is not to be made against mortall and humane creatures according to the Apostle but against wicked spirittes as subtill and malicious as they are potent puissant If thou wilt know them thou shalt here finde their extreme audacity discouered their fraudulent delusion published their offensiue armors manifested and their assaultes repulsed If then thou be inclined to war-like exercise thou shalt here obserue most noble prowesses and heroicall actes against the deuils subdued by the champions of IESVS Christ If thou takest content in honours thou shalt here see how highly the true freindes of God are honoured in earth and in heauen yea and feared in hell If thou affectest science of these thou shalt learne the true knowledge of the fraudes and deceiptes of the world and especially true wisdome which is first the knoledge of God then of thy selfe If thou apply thee to the actiue or contemplatiue life thou shalt here finde a great experience of morall vertues and of contemplations more then humane of communion and diuine vnion breifely if thou make profession of Christianity as thou oughtest thou shalt here clearly see figured in two tables what it is to be a Christian and with what partes he ought to be qualified that maketh profession therof And that in the doctrine and in the examples of sainctes two thinges are necessary to our saluation so that thou shalt here finde a remedy very proper and conuenient to all they desires and for all thy necessities Now writing the life and examples of the Frier Minors the especiall seruantes of God by them I meane the disciples of the holy Father S. Francis and of those holy Fathers that did imitate him who are the principall parties of this historie they point out vnto vs the true rule and obseruance of the tree instituted by the said Father S. Francis procuring many in these dayes to blush att their faultes and transgressions Other Religious personnes shall in like sorte make their benefitt hereof sith all Religious touching their profession are a like Besides euery other Christian may gather some fruit hereof if he will bestow the labour to receiue it as all haue equally graces and fauours of God by the worthy merittes of his sainctes Francis Antony others when with them they study to seeke the loue of God and their neighbour Our Fathers then deserue prayse and gratitude of our partes for hauing so well conserued the memory of these glorious saints with a feruent desire to further soules though they haue not laboured to publish their liues in a lofty and polished stile with a connexion of choice wordes as the precise and curious would desire But they considered that the deuout Reader leauing the flowers and leaues would only take hold of the fruit Now to content and satisfie the Readers when they shall light on such thinges as are not vulgare which they shall finde in these chronicles I haue bin willing here to insert and adde the names of the Authors whome in this present history I haue principally vsed and this for greater light and direction who are these ensuyinge The legend
pouerty wherby he became a new man in the world terrible to the deuil and an example to all mortall people by the loue and possession wherof he merited by diuine and speciall priuiledge to haue principallitie in the holie Church The said S. had this particuler affection to holie pouertie by consideration how much it was esteemed of the Sonne of God whiles he conuersed here below and how it was then banished and expelled out of all the world He therfore desiring with himselfe to make his residence where holy pouerty was retired renounced the world and what soeuer he had proper he gaue to the poore and hauing for the loue of God forsaken his Father his mother his kinred and freindes he remayned a perfect pilgrime on earth to meritt to lodge in himselfe holy pouertie so generallie abhorred There was neuer auaricious of the world so greedy of monie and so carefull to keepe his treasure as Saint Francis was to keepe his pouertie which he alwayes had in his eyes and in his mouth as a precious stone and Euangelicall pearle he dwelt with pouertie he eat with it he cloathed himselfe with it he dreamed of it breefly he had it alwayes imprinted in his hart vsing onlie for this life a short coat streight and all peiced a cord and linnen breeches contenting himselfe neuertheles in this his rich pouertie he therin perseuered euen to the end desiring in the same to exceed euery one as he had learned of it to esteeme himselfe the least of all He often represented vnto himselfe the pouertie of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and of his most sacred mother and practicallie taught it vnto his disciples with great abondance of teares assuring them that pouertie was the Queene of vertues in regard that it appeared of such excellent beautie in the king of heauen and in the Queene his mother Pouertie said he is a principall way vnto saluation as being mother and nourse of humilitye and the root of all perfection whose fruit is of exceeding profitt and furtherance to euery one albeit this verity be very secrett and vnknowne to the men of the world it is without doubt the hidden treasure in the Euangelicall feild the which to buy a man ought to sell all that he hath and he that cannot giue his goodes to the poore ought att least to haue a will to contemne richesse and to vse violence vnto his proper will and presumption for he doth not perfectly renounce the world that keepeth his purse full of his proper iudgement and wil. Thus discoursing of holy pouerty he often reiterated the wordes of God The foxes haue holes and the foules of the aire nestes but the Sonne of man hath not where to repose his head Then he exhorted his disciples that as poore people they should build but poore cottages for their residence where they should remaine not as in theire owne houses but as pilgrimes and straungers that aime att other places The law of Pilgrimes said he and their reasonnable desire is to retire into the houses of others during their voyage conceating neuer to see the hower to arriue in their country by reason of the great desire they haue to be there and to passe peaceably without medling in matters appertaynning to others He called pouerty the foundation of his Order whervpon all his edifice was grounded Therfore he affirmed vnto thē that he knew by reuelation that the true entry of his Religion was this word of IESVS CHRIST If thou wilt be perfect goe sell the thinges that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come follow me In respect wherof he admitted noneinto his Order if within the tearme of the yeare of probation they did not forsake what soeuer they possessed in the world This he caused to be very exactly obserued aswell in regard of the said wordes of IESVS CHRIST as also that none should search in the treasuries of Religion for any thing that he had putt there And if any one demaunded the habitt of Religion not hauing made the said renunciation he would say vnto him Get thee hence for thou art not yet gone forth of thy house thou hast not forsaken that which appertayneth vnto thee nor abandonned the feeble foundation grounded on the sand of affection vnto worldly goodes and yet demaundest of me the habitt first accomplish what thou oughtest and then demaund it By the said foundation he vnderstood holy pouerty whome he sometime accustomed to call mother att other times espouse and sometime Mistresse Goeing one day with some of his Brethren towardes Sienna being verie neere the citty he mett three women so like in gesture beauty and habitte that the one could not be discerned from the other and all three with one voice saluted him saying Holy Pouerty is welcome which the S. hearing exceedingly reioyced as one that affected nothing more then to be called pouerty of each one as he was then of the said women who incontinently disappeared which being seene and considered by the other Brethren his companions filled with admiration att such and so vnwonted accident they esteemed the same not to want some great mistery and it doubtles was easy to coniecture that the said three women or perhaps Angels did signifie the beautie and Euangelicall perfection of the three principall vowes Pouertie Obedience and Chastitie which IESVS CHRIST counsailed to the Brethren all which did appeare to be equall in the S. in all eminence and perfection That he did extremely abhorre mony THE XLIII CHAPTER THough he were directly opposite to what soeuer repugned pouertie he most especially hated mony and by examples and wordes did often reiterat vnto his brethren that they should shunne it as the deuill It chaunced that a seculer man hauing done his deuotions in the Church of our lady of Angels where the brethren dwelt left a peice of mony in signe of almose neere a litle Crosse which a Brother tooke and hid in a hoale of the said Church to giue to the poore But in the meane while S. Francis had intelligence therof and the said Brother cōsidered the matter and went and fell at the feete of the S. of whome he demaunded pardon and offered himselfe to pennance The holy Father hauing well checked him for presuming to touch mony commaunded him to take the peice of mony where it was in his mouth and to cast it into the house of office which the Brother hauing ioyfully and instantly performed his companions did all admire and thence forward more contemned mony The S. passing an other time by Bary in Apulia saw a great purse in the middes of the way which seemed to be full of mony the Brother that accompanied him did exceedinglie importune him to take vp the purse being therto induced by a pious zeale to distribute the mony which he beleeued to be therin vnto the poore But the holie Father refusing affirmed that it was
an illusion of the deuill and that he had no lesse desire to releiue the poore then the Brother and further that it was not well done to take an others goodes and to giue it to the poore and so went on his way But his companion being yet tempted of the deuill and persisting to importune him vnder pretence of an indiscreet zeale to releiue the poore he was att length enforced to permitt him to take vp the said purse so to lett him vnderstand the illusion being therfore retourned in the companie of a yong man whome they mett in the way the holie Father made his prayer and then bid his companion to take vp the purse who being licenced began to tremble with feare already feeling the deceipt of the deuill Yet stooping to take vp the purse now rather of obedience then of any will he had being already repentant and strecthing out his hand to take hold therof he saw goe out of it a great viper and in the same instant all vanished and so the deceipt of the deuill was discouered The said Brother therfore acknowledging his vaine curiositie and confessing his fault to S. Francis he said vnto him Behold Brother mony to a Religious man is no other thing but the deuill and venimous serpentes That he desired that pouerty should shine in all his and his Brethrens actions THE XLIV CHAPTER THe true poore of IESVS CHRIST sought desired that holy pouerty should appeare in all his actions and if sometimes he perceaued any one that exteriourly in his habitt seemed poorer them himselfe he desired to exceed him and so practised herein with such desire to appeare miserable among the poore that for feare to be surmounted in pouerty he firmelie contended withall the world Meeting a poore man one daye on the way almost all naked he said with a lamenting voice vnto his companion The pouerty of this miserable man procureth vs great shame for we haue made choice of pouertie to be our great richesse I see it appeare greater in this man this shame is to vs more insupportable in that it is now said ouer al the world that Brother Francis and his companions haue chosen holy pouertie for companion Lady Mistresse and their delightes as well spirituall as corporall that they haue so promised to God men By these wordes the holy Father desired that the Brethren should make it their esteeme to be poore and should be ashamed to doe or weare any thing wherin should not appeare the incōmoditie therof so that he would not haue the beanes or pease watered ouer night for the next morning desiring to obserue the saying of IESVS CHRIST in the Gospell Be not carefull for the morrow and he would not that prouision should be made of their food but from day to day which was long time inuiolably obserued in many places of the Religion The true poore of IESVS CHRIST said that how much his Brethren should shunne pouertie so much would the world shunne them that they should seeke almose and not finde it but if they embraced holie pouertie as their deere mother the world would sustaine nourish thē and acknowledge them as sent for the saluation therof for the accord betweene it and the Freer Minors is that they shall giue it good example and that it shall allow them necessarie releife and if they giue not it good example performing that wherto they are obliged the world hath iust reason to depriue them of their ordinarie almose The Bishop of Assisium said one day to S. Francis that this his manner of life seemed to him very austere and difficult considering that he had nothing assured for his maintenance the holy Father answeared him My Lord if we had any substance it were necessary we had also weapons to defend it for of it would proceed difficulties debates matters of selfe loue and many other impedimentes against obtayning the loue of God and particulerlie of our neighbour Therfore we hold it most secure not to seeke the possession of whatsoeuer thing in the world and we hope that in respect therof our Lord will permitt vs to be loued and cherished of euerie one Of the exercise of pouerty which is to demaund almose and what S. Francis and his disciples did touching this point THE XLV CHAPTER WHen the holy Father began to haue encrease of Brethren considering that God had giuen him so holy a company and so sweet a conuersation he was exceedingly comforted and so loued and honoured his children of IESVS CHRIST that their necessary food failing he sent not them to the dores to seeke almose but went himselfe which he did as wel that they should not be troubled att any thing that might happen or fearing they might be ashamed to begge because it was then an vnusuall thinge as also that the world should not giue them occasion to repent and retourne back against their holy vocation He cōtinued this course till the holie winges of the loue of God and so holy pouerty were growne out wherwith they were able to fly abroad and trauaile ouer the world to become glorious in the labours of pouerty the better to sow the seed of the word of God among the people And although it were very laboursome vnto him so much to begge yet was it more painfull vnto him by reason of his complexion because being of a delicate nature his abstinence and austerity was an impediment vnto him of supporting this burden Therfore the nomber of his Brethren being exceedingly multiplyed he began to seet one foot this vertuous exercise of begging And albeit they were att first ashamed and that it seemed very hard and difficult vnto them yet assisted by remembrance of the holy obedience which they had vowed they found both this and euery other thing very easy and pleasant And then seeing the holie Father so to paine himselfe for them they prayed him to leaue that labour vnto them Wherto he answeared My beloued Brethren you should not esteeme it a difficultie to goe seeke almose from dore to dore for the loue of God but to account it a great fauour of his For who is he that would not more then willinglie goe to demaund almose if he saw his Prince and Lord to goe before him saying with himselfe What shall the disciple be more worthy then the master and the seruaunt then the Lord should it not be rather pride then shame would not such one deserue rather punishment then compassion Remember that our Lord IESVS CHRIST that celestiall king of whose mites or crummes to witt of the bread of grace the Angels of heauen and the inhabitantes of the earth are maintayned He I say that became poore for our benefitt and example asked almose and liued by it in this world We can neuer walke so strict a way of pouertie if we haue not first our Lord before our eyes as a begger whiles he liued in this
deluded by the deuill amiably replyed saying Oh God brother Ruffinus what wordes haue you vttered are you besides you selfe or doe you yeeld to be deluded by the deuill Know you not that S. Francis is an Angel of heauen on earth Is it not knowne vnto vs how many millions of soules God hath saued will saue by his meanes how he hath illuminated the world and how much ourselues perticulerly are by him illuminated howsoeuer sith he hath expresly sent for you I will that you repaire vnto him because indeed I know that you are exceedingly deluded by the deuill Brother Ruffinus being by these wordes att length persuaded without farther reply went with him and came to S. Francis in whose presence appearing the deuill lost his prey For after he had recounted vnto the S. all the circonstances of his temptation by order and had receaued demonstrations of the S. to witt that the deuill did harden the hearts of men and God on the contrary did soften and mollifie thē himselfe saying I will take from thee thy heart of stone and will giue thee one of flesh acknowledgeing the extreme hardnes which the deuill had left in his heart and with all vnderstanding in one instant all his slightes with abondance of teares he vttered his fault and cōfessed his sinne in concealing his temptation S. Francis then said vnto him My sonne goe make thy confession frequent prayer and know for certaine that this tēptation as thou shalt breifely experience shall tourne to no lesse peace and spirituall ioy And if this horrible deuill retourne to tempt thee vse these wordes vnto him Thou base and loathsome deuill open wide thy lying mouth that I may fill it full of filth Thus Brother Ruffinus retourning to his said mountaine and celle there to lament his passed errour Satan presented himselfe vnto him in forme of IESVS CHRIST crucified and said did I not forbid thee to beleeue Brother Francis But brother Ruffinus intertupted his wordes and answeared Thou loathsome and lying deuill open that thy mouth where out issue such horrible lyes that I may fill it with vilany which the false and proud deceauer hearing departed making such a terrible ruine of the stones of the montaine which he threw downe by grosse heapes hurling thē with such impetuosity that the stones flintes tumbling downe stroake fire against each other breifely it seemed that the mountaine was entierly to be ouer-throwen or suncken This storme was heard euen to the place where S. Francis was who with his companions went out to see whence proceeded this terrible noyse They were all exceedingly terrified S. Francis excepted who incontinently imagined the cause In the meane while Brother Ruffinus returned victorious from so tedious bitter a combatt who by experience knowing this illusion came to S. Francis to whome to the great ioy and contentement of all the hearers he recounted all the successe He being retourned to his cell the true Crucisix incontinentlie appeared vnto him and said Thou hast done well Brother Ruffinus to take the counsaile of Francis who hath discouered vnto thee th◠fraud of the deuill and therfore henceforward in consideration of the affliction which thou hast endured in this temptation I giue thee this grace that whiles thou liuest thou shalt be no more afflicted by the deuill then blessing him he disappeared whervpon he was according to the prophesie of the holy Father so comforted and replenished with such sweetnes and feruour of spiritt that his soule was often rauished and eleuated in God and so he liued and died in this perfect vnion of his loue Of the humility that shined in this Saint THE LXXIX CHAPTER IT being vnderstood that the holy Father had obtayned a right glorious victory ouer the deuill in himselfe and his for he only is vanquished that presumeth of himselfe and the humble as litle fishes escape out of the nettes we will now consider by what meane the S. became so admirably victorious ouer those proud and rebellious spirittes It was in deed by no other meane then by his humility wherwith he did not only surmount their cruell assaultes but they being vnable long time to endure him he putt them to flight it alone being the guard beauty and the mother of all other vertues aboue all which it shined in him gaue light as in the persō of him that would be the least of all his brethren and one that freely acknowledged himselfe the greatest sinner of sinners and reputed himselfe no other then a veslell full of ordure and not as in deed he was an elected vessell full of sanctity and very resplendant by the lustre of so great vertues and singuler graces wherin all perfection appeared as in a very beautifull cleare glasse Now on this vertue of humility he laboured to found and build all his holy and worthy edifice affirming that IESVS CHRIST descended not into the world from the besome of his eternall Father nor was vested with our so contemptible flesh for other end but hauing redeemed vs to teach vs both by word and effect as a true master of humility what himselfe said Learne of me because I am meeke and humble of hart therfore he as his imitatour endeauoured to be of no respect first in his owne sight and then before others fearing least it should befall vnto him as it is writtē that he which is high before men is abominable before God for which cause he accustomed to say vnto his Religious A man is so great as he appeareth to be before God and no greater and therfore it is a great vanity to glory in the honours of the world He also reioyced when any iniury or reproch was done him and receaued prayses and honoures discontentedly being better pleased with reprehension then with flattery because said he by reprehension he learned to humble and correct himselfe wheras it was an ouer excessiue vanity to heare ones selfe praysed And with all he endeauoured to conceale the giftes which he receaued of God forbearing to discouer that which might occasion him to fall or offend Being one day called S. call me no more S. said he for as yet I may haue children and no man ought to be praysed till he haue perseuered vnto the end which to vs is vncertaine besides no glory is to be giuen to what soeuer is done by a sinner A sinner may fast lament and discipline his flesh but he cannot doe it alone and of himselfe The principall is that he be faithfull vnto his God wherof only he should glorifie which he shall doe if in his seruitude he attribute all the good he shall doe vnto God from whome doe proceed and are deriued vnto vs all graces and perfections as from the true Father of all our consolations Of the loue and zeale he had in humility THE LXXX CHAPTER DIscoursing one day with his brethren he said I cannot repute my selfe a Freer Minor If I proue not
be alwayes in cogitation with thee that we be with thee in intention and with thee in spiritt seeking thine honour in all our actions with all the forces and powers of our soule and bodie freelie employing all in the seruice of thy loue and in no other thing and that to obserue thy commandement we loue our neighbour as our selues shewing to all as to our selues an entier charitie for thy loue reioycing att the good of others as att our owne compassionating their necessities and afflictions as our owne giuing them all assistance we can possible far from offending them as our selues would desire to be assisted in like necessity Giue vs this day our daily bread that is thy deerly beloued and blessed Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in our spiritt and vnderstanding with all reuerence by the great loue wherwith he hath affected and by what soeuer he hath said done and endured for vs wretches And forgiue vs our debtes by thine infinite mercy by the vertue of the passion of thine only Sonne our lord IESVS CHRIST and by the merittes and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary pardon vs also good God As we forgiue our debters and if we pardon not them perfectly as we ought make vs Lord to doe it that we may meritt pardon Graunt good God that by thy loue we doe not only forbeare to doe euill for euill nor hate our ennemies but that we loue them and that by good offices and prayers for them we demonstrate the same to thee O God of mercie Lord God forsake vs not in our cruell temptations both secrett and manifest and permit vs not to fall therin but deliuer vs from euill past by meane of true contrition and holy pennance present by preseruation of thy grace and future by perseuerance in thy most holy feare Amen Of certaine other mysticall prayers and canticles which the holy Frther S. Francis made THE CXVIII CHAPTER The Holy Father in his canonicall houres said in latin these prayers following which he composed in the prayse of God HOly holy holy lord God almightie which art which hast bin and art to come thou art worthy that we offer vnto thee and to receaue of vs all prayse and honour and that we exalt and acknowledge thee aboue althinges the lambe that was slaine is worthy to receaue all vertue diuinitie wisdome force glorie honour and benediction Lett vs alwayes prayse God lett vs yeld the honour dew vnto the Father the Sonne and the the holie Ghost lett vs praise God for euer lett vs prayse the lord of heauen and earth and of all other thinges created vnder and on the earth with those that are in heauen lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost Lett vs prayse God for euer and magnifie him as he hath bin is now and shall be world without end Amen Lett vs prayse God and exalt him for euer Amen An other breife prayer vnto God Almighty most high and my soueraigne good all good that onlie is good We giue thee all praise all praise all glorie all honour and yeld thee all the thanckes we can and will that all good be referred to thee alone Amen An other short prayer for the diuine office Most high most mighty most iust and most mercifull lord afford vs miserable wretches so much of thy grace that we may accomplish thy holy will and may with all diligence seeke that alone which pleaseth thee that being interiourly illuminated and enflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost we may tread the most holy steppes of thine only Sonne our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST that by meane of this thy grace we may see thee with the blessed thou that art the most high God who liuest in perfect Trinity simplicity and vnity and as almighty raignest in eternall glory Amen A prayer to the Queene of heauen and to the Angels God saue thee holy Queene most holy Mary mother of God and perpetuall virgin chosen of God the Father and of the holy Ghost the comforter in whome is faith and the entier perfection of all eminent vertue with all good vnited sith thou hast merited to haue in thee the author of life and grace God saue thee diuine Pallace God saue thee the habitation and tabernacle of the Redeemer God saue thee thee robe of God God saue thee the seruant and mother of God and God saue thee with all the Angelicall powers considering that thou art sent by the holy Ghost into the hartes of rebelles that of Infidelles thou make faithfull and true seruantes of God O most worthy mother of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with S. Michael the Archangell and all the celestiall spirittes vnto they beloued Sonne our lord and master Amen An other prayer to the virgin Holy Mary virgin and lady like vnto whome neuer woman was borne nor shal be in the world daughter and seruant of the most high king and celestiall Father most sacred mother of IESVS CHRIST and Espouse of the holy Ghost pray for vs with all the Angels and sainctes vnto they beloued Sonne that he will voutsafe to saue vs Glory be to the Father vnto the Sonne and to the blessed holy Ghost Amen Praises vnto God Lord God thou art holy and God of all Goddes that worckest merueillous thinges that art the mighty and most high thou art the omnipotent Father and entierly soueraigne lord of heauen and earth God in Trinity and Vnity and sempiternall soueraigne good all good and euery good thing Lord God liuing and true thou art true loue and perfect charity thou art wisdome humility and patience thou art the incomprehensible beauty thou art true pleasure and assured repose thou art our hope and ioy thou art iustice temperance fortitude and prudence of mortall men thou art the richesse that can satiate vs thou art meeke thou art our only protectour and our guard thou art our vertue faith hope and charity and the sweetnes and consolation of all thou art the bounty without end a great God and admirable God omnipotent pittifull merciful and our Sauiour Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. The holy Father sainct Francis had a very feruent deuotiō to this versicle Gloria Patri therfore he often repeated it in his prayers He respected not so much Sicut erat Saying euensong one day with Brother Leo att euery verse of Magnificat he said Gloria Patri feeling therin a merueillous tast and contentment yea such as he thought he should neuer be satisfied with saying thereof he taught a Religious Preist that was in affliction and extremely tempted to say Gloria Patri which he did and was incontinently deliuered of his temptation Of the Canticle of the sunne and other creatures composed by S. Francis THE CIX CHAPTER THis holy Father composed a Canticle in latin in the prayse of God when he reuealed vnto him the
two winges crossed on high as were those belowe so that the endes of those vpper passed the hight of the head those below passed the soles of the feet the other two passed on each side the endes of the fingers handes the two armes being stretched in forme of a crosse The soule of S. Francis was with this admirable appatition exceedingly melted being surprised with a contentment an extreme greife entermingled so together that it was impossible to explicate whither of the two were greater for on the one side he exceedinglie reioyced beholding himselfe in the mirour wherin the Angels themselues cannot be wearie to looke and wherin are enclosed the treasures of all beautitude and keeping his eyes alwayes more fixed on that celestiall fiery globe shining with a diuine light he consumed with loue and sweetnes but on the other side considering his God so cruelly fastened on the crosse with hard and grosse nailes as he then appeared vnto him and hauing his side opened with the stroke of a lance he by commiseration experienced that cruell iron which pearced the delicate breast of the Virgin Mary in such sort that he no lesse felt that dolour then if himselfe had bin crucified in that manner yea by his interiour compassion he was fullie transformed into his beloued IESVS CHRIST No man can doubt hereof sith this vision was not as others appearing only to the exteriour eyes but it was effectiue and operatiue by an act not heard of in the verie bodie of his Sainct imprinting in him the verie woundes which he had by meanes of his diuine beames which from his two handes his two feet and side he sent into his handes feet and side not spirituallie or imaginatiuelie only but sensiblie and corporally opening his side and pearcing his handes and feet and this was not only for the present but for an eternall testimonie he left him the nailes framed of his verie flesh fixed therin the heades of the nayles lardge appearing without in the paulmes of his handes but round and of iron colour and on the other sides the pointes clinched for the woundes were transpearced through both sides so that att the principall wound wherby the handes were pearced from one side to an other with the said nayles on the side where the pointes of the nayle was clinched there was such a space betweene the superiour part of the hand and the tourned clinch of the nayle that betweene the same one might putt in a finger the like might be said of the feet so that thenceforward he could not stand vpon them but with extreme paine in such sort that besides the incessant running of the bloud it was verie troublesome vnto him as also was the wound of his side which was verie lardge and open the flesh being there growen againe in forme of a cicatrice which was of the colour of a rose as it was seene afterward by diuers hauing touched the same as in place conuenient shal be inserted Our soueraigne Lord and God leauing in the body of his feruant a liuely true and long memoriall of his dolorious Passion not without a most profound iudgement and immensiue signe of an excessiue loue vnto vs for seeing that the memory of his bitter passion was vtterly extinguished in our harts he would not this other misterious passion for our cause only renued in the body of his seruant should be so soone forgottē In which respect it was necessary that he should endure it not one houre or two one day or a month but two yeares entierly the hard obstinacie and obstinate hardnes of our hartes opposite and rebellions to his diuine Maiestie so requiring it to procure vs with efficacie to remember the other How the glorious Father sainct Francis was att length constrained to reueale the impression of his stigmates to such as were most familiar vnto him THE LVI CHAPTER NOw after this admirable cōmunication performed with such and so great a prerogatiue as a greater could not be imagined the altare eukindled in the brest of the holie Father burned with the immensiue charitie he had vnto his God but leauing this to the deuoutsoules that raise themselues from the earth towardes their Creatour we will prosecute the historie telling how he discouered this treasure vnto the world Sainct Francis then hauing finished his lent which he fasted in the honour of sainct Michal the Archangel and hauing giuen thanckes to God he discended to the foot of the Mountaine carrying with him the diuine image of IESVS CHRIST crucified not in tables of stone or wood carued and engrauen by the hand of some humane or Angelicall Master but written and imprinted in the membres of his properflesh by the handes of the Sonne of God himselfe not casting his precious stones before euery body because he feared much to manifest to litle purpose so great a secret of God yet withall he found it impossible to conceale the same att least from his companions that were hourly with him therfore calling them together he proposed vnto them his doubt as in a third personne not specifying the fact but only speaking generally of the reuelations of the secrettes of God But Brother Illuminato truely illuminated of God ayming att that which proued true that Sainct Francis had receaued of God some reuelations of very great importance especially perceauing him to be as out of himselfe he thus answeared Beloued Father who knoweth better then your selfe that for the most part and almost alwayes God giueth great reuelations to his seruantes not for themselues alone but for others also as hath bin seene that it hath pleased him att lengtht to manyfest them all Wherfore it seemeth to me that you hauing receaued such should proue ingratefull to God if you conceale that which he hath wrought in you more for the saluation of the world then for your owne particuler therby burying his talent vnder the earth Which the holy Father vnderstanding as from the mouth of God besides what he often said with the Prophet My secrett vnto my selfe my secrett vnto my selfe he very humbly recounted vnto them the vision he had the successe thereof many other most high and diuine matters vnder the seale of secresie which is not to be doubted but God did reueale vnto him in so merueillous a coniunction How his sacred woundes were scene of diuers during his life THE LVII CHAPTER BVt it being impossible for the holy Father to conceale this light with God would haue to shine to all the world on an high candlestick though he could couer his feet with his sandales when he would and his handes with the sleeues of his habitt yet he was constrayned in the end to manifest them Brother Leo his Confessour saw them euery day the holy Father being of necessity to vse him as a Phisition to dresse his holy stigmates whence did continually distill bloud and to change the linnen and putt tentes betweene the nailes and flesh
bloudy flux was by the merittes of this stander-bearer of IESVS cured therof Praxede a Roman gentlewoman famous for her sanctity in regard that she had liued exemplary from her tender age att which time for the loue of her Spouse IESVS CHRIST she shutt her selfe for 40. yeares into a litle chamber she I say was fauoured of sainct Francis for goeing one day vpon occasion to the topp of her house being surprised with an amazement of her head she fell downe and brake her foot and legge and disioynted hir shoulder but the holy Father sainct Francis incontinently appeared vnto her enuironned with splendour and glory and said Arise my daughter and feare not then taking her by the hand he lifted her vpright on her feet and presently the vision disappeared This gentlewoman thus amazed went about the house considering with her selfe whither she were cured or that she dreamed and the greatnes of this miracle was such that albeit she felt the truth therof she neuertheles called for a light wherby she assured her selfe that the diuine vertue by meane of sainct Francis had wrought this miracle in her which she related to her lay sister and afterwardes to diuers that did visitt her Of the merueillous chasticementes which God hath layd on those that haue not kept and honoured the feast of this glorious S. THE XVII CHAPTER IN Poictou in a village called Sime there was a Preist named Sir Renald very deuout vnto S. Francis and therfore aduertised his Parishioners of his feast exhorting them to keep the same as of precept but one of them hauing litle respect therof went that day to cutt wood and as he prepared himselfe thervnto he heard a voice that spake vnto him three seuerall times Doe not worcke for it is a festiuall day but the indeuout fellow would no more obey the voice of God then he had done the aduertissement of his Curat and therfore the diuine power for the glorie of the Sainct proceeded with correction for this man lifting vp one hande to cutt a forck of wood which he held with the other his left hand remayned fastened to the wood and the other to the iron without power to moue his fingars wherwith the wretch was so confounded that not knowing what to doe he resolued to goe in that manner to the Church where the people were yet assembled who beholding him in that estate were extremely amazed att so strange and vnwonted a punishment But the miserable fellow repenting his fault and being admonished by the Preist he humbly fell on his knees before the aultar and hartely recoÌ„mended himselfe to the S. and according as he had bin thrice admonished by the diuine voice he made three vowes the first was thenceforward to keep the feast the second that during all his life he would be euer present on that day in the same church to prayse and honour God and S. Francis the third that he would goe personally to visitte his holy body att Assisium It was doubtlesse a matter worthy and admirable for all the people assembled in that Church to behold that hauing made the said first vow one of his fingars was loosed from the iron instrument wherto his band was ioyned hauing made the second vow an other fingar was loosed and after the third not only the third fingar but both his handes formerly fastened were absolutely set att liberty The people hauing seene the greatnes of this miracle deuoutly gaue thanckes vnto God together with the man deliuered admiring the notable and singuler vertue of the S. that could so miraculously strike and cure in one moment The iron and wood wherto his handes were fastened doe to this present hang att an altare in the said church which was erected in honour of S. Francis and in memory of this miracle many other miracles wrought in the said place and that circuit demonstrate how great the vertue and power of this glorious sainct is in heauen and how much he is to be honoured and reuerenced on earth In the citty of Mans a woman refusing to keep the feast of S. Francis tooke her distaffe and spindle to spin but endeauouâ—ing to begin her â—â—ngars became so stiffe and procured her such torment that made her in manner furious but acknowledgeing her fault and the vertue and merittes of the Sainct she hastened instantly to the church wherere she played the Religious to recommend her to God and the Sainct So the deuout Religious offering their deuotions for this woman were heard for she was att the very instant cured of that extreme and insupportable torment There remayned only a signe as it were of a burning in memorie of this miracle Manie other like accidentes haue occured as in the plaines of Rome an other woman for refusing to keep the feast of the Sainct And in Spaine a man of Valladolid together with an other woman in the cittie of Pilles in which places the woman making no esteeme of the feast of the Sainct were rigouâ—ouslie punished but hauing acknowledged their faultes and done penance for them they were with more admiration deliuered A knight of Borgo in the contry of Massa without feare or respect contemned the wonderfull miracles of S. Francis offering many abuses to the pilgrimes that went to visitt the Church where his body reposed he euen impudently rayled against the Religious It happened one day that blaspheming the glorie of this holie Father he said if it be true that Brother Francis be a Sainct he will that my sword be my death and if he be not so I shall remaine without danger O admirable effect of the iust iâ—dgement of God some few dayes after this wâ—etch hauing certaine speeches with a nephew of his owne they grew from wordes to blowes and the Nephew wresting his sword out of his handes thrust him through the body with which thrust he instantly dyed God permitting his punishment to be conformable to his horrible blasphemie for an example to the temerarious that with ouer presumptuous wordes blaspheme the admirable worckes of SS who meritte to be honoured and reuerenced A Iudge called Alexander did not only condemne sainct Francis and his singuler vertues but did euen with all possibility endeauour to withdraw his holy reputation from the opinion of men in respect wherof by diuine permission he instantly became mute and so remayned for six yeares att the end wherof acknowledging that he had bin punished in that member wherby he had offended he was so penitent for his crime that he appeased the indignation of God and of the mercifull Sainct in such sort that his speech retourned for which he was thanckfull to God and to the Sainct his intercessour he failed not thenceforward to consecrate that tongue of his which he had abused in blasphemy to the praise and benediction of God and the glorious Father S. Francis to whome the said punishment had made him exceeding deuout Of some other miracles wrought by
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
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
hath receaued of God faithfully labouring therin for oftentimes the fruit doth perish by meane of the leafe and the graine by the huske God graunteth to some fruit and a few leaues and to others neither the one nor the other I doe more esteeme the conseruation of the benefittes receaued of God then the getting of thē He shall neuer be rich that knoweth how to gett but not to keep Wherfore many after much gaine haue bin neuer the richer because they knew not how to conserue yet is it not so great a matter to know how to conserue vnlesse also one know how to gett There are some that gainning but litle become incontinently rich because they know well how to keepe what they haue gotten The riuers would not be so often dry if running continually they did not cast thēselues into the sea Man demaundeth of God graces without measure and end and yet will make vse therof with measure and end but he that wil be loued and recompenced without end ought to loue and serue without end Happy is he that employeth his time body and spiritt in the loue of God that attendeth no recompence vnder heauen for the good he doeth If one should say to a very poore man Friend I lend thee this my house to make vse therof for three dayes in which time if thou knowest how to employ it thou mayest gaine an inestimable treasure this being assured and confirmed vnto him for most euident would not he vse all his endeauour to make this gaine That which is lent vnto vs of our lord is our flesh our life and whatsoeuer benefitt we can make therin is in a maner but as three dayes If the graine of corne doe not corrupt it cannot only produce no fruit but it also withereth and consumeth entierlie of it selfe without any encrease wherfore is it not better to make it to rott to the end it may spring be gathered threshed in due time and then layd vp into the garner of eternall life A man doth seldome take counsaile to doe ill but being to doe good the first thing is to take counsaile of all the world The prouerb sayth one must not putt the pott to the fire in expectation of a promise A mā is not happy for hauing only a good will but he must rather with all possibility labour to accomplish the same by good and pious worckes because God giueth his grace to a man to the end he follow the same A man one time praying Brother Giles to giue him some consolation he answeared Endeauour to doe well and thou shalt be comforted for if a man doe not prepare in himselfe a place for God he shall not find him in his creatures What man is there that will not doe that which is best not only for his soule but euen for his body in that which concerneth this life I can truely affirme that whosoeuer shaketh off the sweet and light yoke of our Sauiour shall find it afterward far more painfull and he that therwith burdeneth himselfe most att lenght shall find it most light Would to God all men would doe that which they may acknowledge to be best for their bodyes euen in this world for he that made the other world hath made this also and can giue to man in this world the benefittes which he giueth in the other and the body feeleth the happinesse of the soule A Religious hearing Brother Giles to speake these wordes sayd vnto him Tell me Father if you please we may perhappes dye before we haue any experience of any good The holy Father answeared The Furriers are knowen by skinnes Shomakers by shooes and forgers by iron But tell me Brother can a man be knowne by an art that he neuer practised Thinck you that Princes and Potentates bestow great fauours and prefermentes on sottish personnes and without iudgement there is no probability Good worckes are the true way and meane to the fruition of all happines as ill deedes to fall into all miseries happy is he that feeleth no scandall att whatsoeuer matter vnder heauen and he that is edifyed with whatsoeuer he seeth and heareth and that amongest all thinges chooseth only those that he may vse to the most benefitt of his soule A discourse of the contempt of the world THE XXIX CHAPTER VNhappy is the man that setleth his hart his desires and his hopes on earthly thinges for which he looseth all celestiall happinesse If the Eagle that soareth so high had to each of her winges fastened one of the beames of the Carpēters worck att S. Peters in Rome it is most certaine she could not mount into the ayre As I obserue many that labour for the body so doe I find few that trauell for the soule Many take exceeding paines for corporall affaires breaking and cutting the marbles digging mountaynes labouring the earth furrowing the sea and performing many other painfull exercises but who is he that laboureth manfully and with feruour for the soule The auaricious is like the Mole that thincketh there is no other good but to digge the earth and therfore therin setteth vp his rest yet doubtlesse ther is an other treasure vnknowne to the Mole The birdes of heauen the beastes of the earth and the fishes of the sea content thēselues when they haue sufficient to eat but because man cannot content himselfe with what the earth affordeth he alwayes sigheth after somewhat else It is certaine that he was not created principally for these base thinges but for such as are high and supreme for so much as the body was made for the soule and this world for loue of the other This world is a field of such quality as the that hath the better and greater part therof hath the worse share This holy Father to this purpose alleadged that the holy Father sainct Francis did not loue the Antes because of their ouer much care to assemble their prouisions but loued the birdes much more because they made no prouision to liue vpon but depending on the diuine prouidence made only search from houre to houre according to their need A discourse of Chastity THE XXX CHAPTER A Religious demaunded of the venerable Br. Giles how a man might best keepe himselfe from the vice of the flesh and he answeared he that will remoue a grosse stone or beame vseth therin more industry then force so must he doe that will preserue his chastity for it is like to a most cleare looking glasse which may be blemished and stayned in his brightnes by one only breath It is impossible that a mā can attaine the diuine grace whiles he is delighted in sensuall pleasures Consider althinges behold tourne and retourne vp and downe and from one side to an other you shall finde att lenght that nothing is more necessary then to fight against the fles◠which seeketh day and night to deceaue and betray vs he that surmounteth it hath ouercome all his ennemies and becommeth afterward
nor sowe I admonish you all my Sisters who are shall be that you labour to follow the way of simplicity humility pouerty and also the modesty of holy conuersation as we in the beginning of our conuersion haue bin taught of Christ and of our holy Father saint Francis through which not through our meritt but through the mercy of the liberall giuer the Father of mercies hath spread abroad the sauour of our good name as well vnto those who are far off as to such as are neere And for the charity of our Lord IESVS lett thē keepe the vniō of loue The charity which you haue interiourly shew it exteriourly by worckes to the end that through your exāple the sisters who are called vnto your profession may encrease in the loue of God mutuall charity Also I pray all those who shal be chosen in the offices of the sisters that they study to excell the others rather in vertue and modest conuersation then in their office to the end that by their example the Sisters that were called vnto the religion before them be moued to obey them not only in respect of their office but for loue The Abbesse must be carefull discreet towardes her Sisters as a good mother towardes her children She must also haue a prouident care of euery one according to their necessity of the almose which it shall please God to send her She must withall be so sweet and indifferent vnto all that the sisters may with out feare or doubt declare vnto her their necessity and that they confidently haue recourse vnto her when the Abbesse and the Sisters shall thincke it to be necessary The Sisters that are subiect lett them remember that for the loue of God they haue renounced their owne willes wherfore I will that they obey their mother as they of their one accord promised vnto God to doe to the end that their mother seeing the humility charity vnion which they haue vnto each other may easily beare the chardge with the office shesustaineth and because it is heauy bitter they must through their holy conuersatiō turne it into sweetnes And because the way is narrow the gate streight which leadeth vnto life few there are that walke in it and few that perseuer therin blessed are they that haue receiued the grace to walke in it and to perseuer vnto the end lett vs therfore be carefull if we be entred in the way of our lord that by out fault and negligence we doe not fall from the same to the end that we committ not that iniury vnto our lord to this blessed mother the glorious Virgin Mary to our holy Father sainct Francis and to the triumphant and militant church for it is written accursed are they who decline from your commandement For to obtaine this grace I bend my knee vnto the heauenly Father through the merittes of lord IESVS and of his blessed mother of our holy Father saint Francis and of all the Sainctes that it well please him of his diuine Maiestie who hath giuen a good beginning to graunt grace also that it may augment and perseuer euen vntill death Deerly beloued Sisters present and to come to the end that you may the better perseuer in your vocation I leaue vnto you this writing and in token of our Lordes benediction and of the benedictiction of our holy Father saint Francis and of me your mother and seruant The end of the testament of the glorious Virgin saincte Clare Here ensueth S. Clares Benediction vnto her Sisters present and to come IN the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen My deerly beloued Sisters our lord giue you his holy benedictiō and behold you with his holy eye of mercy giuing you his peace as also to all those that shall enter and perseuer in this our Colledge and monastery and vnto all other of the Order who shall perseuer vnto the end in this holy pouerty I Clare seruant of IESVS CHRIST and litle plante of our holy Father S. Francis your mother Sister though vnworthy doe beseech our lord IESVS CHRIST that by the intercession of his most holy mother of the holy Archangell S. Michaell and of all the holy Angels of our holy Father S. Francis and of al the holy Saintes that it wil please him to giue and confirme vnto you this benediction in heauen and in earth by multiplying in you his holy grace and in heauen by eleuating you into the eternall glory with his saintes And I giue you my benediction in my life and after my death in all that I am able and more then I am able Withall the blessinges wherwith the Father of mercies hath or shall blesse his spirituall children both in heauē and earth or that the spirituall mother doth or shal be able to blesse her spirituall chirldren Amen Be alwayes louers of God of your soule and of your Sisters and be alwayes carefull to keepe that which you haue vowed to God Our lord be alwayes with you and you with him Amē Of the death of the blessed Virgin S. Clare and of a vision which one of her Religious saw THE XXVI CHAPTER THe holy virgin and seruant of IES CH. was many dayes towardes the end of her life afflicted with diuers diseases The faith deuotiō which att that time each one boare her exceedingly encreased yea so far foorth as she was honoured as a S. being ordinarily visited by Cardinals Bishoppes and other Prelates But which is more admirable to heare hauing bin seauenteen dayes without force to receaue any sustenāce that was presented vnto her she was neuertheles so fortified of God and encouraged of his diuine Maiesty that she exhorted all those that would comfort her to be prompt in the seruice of God A Religious mā intending to comfort her and to persuade her to haue patience in so grieuous a sicknesse that procured her so much torment she with a smiling countenance cleare voyce answeared him Brother since the time that I knew the grace of my God by meanes of his seruant saint Francis no paine hath bin troublesome vnto me no penance hath seemed difficult nor no sicknesse ircksome And as almighty God approached neere vnto her her soule being as it were att the dore to goe forth the blessed virgin would haue the most pious and spirituall Frere Minors to be present to discourse vnto her of the passiō of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and by their pious wordes to enflame her more in the loue of God Wherfore some of them who were vnto her true Brethren in our Redeemer CHRIST IESVS were present and amōg others Br. Iuniperus the familier of our Lord IESVS CHRIST who often vttered vnto her such fiery and enflamed wordes of the omnipotēt God that she by his presēce being filled with an extreme ioy one day demaunded of him if he then knew nothing new of almighty God whervpon Br. Iuniperus opening his
mouth to answeare her there issued out of the fournise of his enflamed hart infinite sparckes of such sublime wordes that this holy virgin receaued therof much consolation Finally turning her Angelicall face towards her deere and beloued daughters and sisters there present bitterly weeping she recommended vnto them the pouerty of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST in this her last passadge praysing and thancking God for the infinite benefittes which they had receaued of his diuine Maiesty which she particulerly recounted vnto them then she gaue them all her benediction also to all the Religious of her Monastery present absent and to all those that should enter into her Order There were present two companions of saint Frācis Br. Angelus who though much afflicted did yet comfort the others and the right simple Br. Leo who ceased not to kisse the bed of the holy virgin that was leuing the world who was lamēted of her daughters because they wer left orphanes were no more in this life to see their most holy mother and therfore they accōpanyed her soule vnto heauen with abōdance of teares without power to admit any other consolation then to desire to goe with her wherwith being so afflicted they could not without difficulty forbeare with their nailes to rent their faces but it not being permitted them to dischardge thēselues of such greife exteriourly it did enflame in them a more burning fire within For those espouses of IESVS CHRIST were sufficiently morified by the rigour of Religion albeit the force of greife did constraine thē to cast forth loud cryes and sighes and to power out riuers of teares The holy virgin att lenght being turned towardes thē begā very sweetly to say vnto her soule goe my soule goe sorth securely thou hast an assured guide to performe this voyage for he that is they Creatour hath sanctified thee hath alwayes conserued thee affecting thee with a tender loue equall with that of a mother towardes her child And thou my God be praysed for hauing created me A Religious sister asking her what she meant therby she answeared I speake to my blessed soule Her most glorious Spouse IESVS CHRIST was not far from her attended for her Thē tourning to one of her Religious she sayd Doe you not see my daughter the king of glory whome I see Almighty God also layd his hand on an other Religious who saw with her corporall eyes thorough the teares that distilled from them a glorious vision she being pearced thorough with the dart of sorrow cast her eyes towardes the gate of the house and saw enter a great procession of virgins richly cloathed in white hauing each one a croune of gold on their head but one of them appeared more beautifull sumptuous and glittering thē the rest For she had on her head an imperiall crowne garnished with precious stones out of whose countenāce proceeded a light so shining that it cōuerted the obscurity of the night into cleare and bright day It was with out doubt the glorious Virgin Mary Queen of virgins who came to the bed of the espouse of her sonne to whome enclining she graciously embraced her and incontinently she was couered and the bed also by the other virgins with an extreme sumptuous mantell So the day following which was the eleuenth of August this holy soule ascended to heauen there to be crowned with perpetuall glory Happy was her departure out of this miserable life sith it was her entry into that of eternall felicitie For the fastes which this S. performed in this exile she is now ioyfull and had her fill att the magnificall table of the cittizens of heauē and for the humility and basenesse of her habite she is now gloriously attired with the glory of Paradise The continuall sighes and desires which she had for the presence and loue of her deerly beloued Spouse are accomplished by the blessed vision of God face to face and by the assured fruition of the soueraigne good leauing the way open to the example of sanctity that we blinded and miserable mortall creatures reiecting these short false and deceiptfull pleasures of this world may purchase the permanent true and assured that indure eternally Of the honorable obsequies that were performed for S. Clare THE XXVII CHAPTER WHiles the soule of S. Clare departed this life the report of her deceasse was incontinently diuulged through Assisium whence both men and women in such abondance speedily flocked to the Monastery that none seemed to be left in the citty Each one presently esteemed her a sainct and called her the espouse of IESVS CHRIST accompayning their discourses with great abondance of teares of deuotion The officers of iustice repayred thither accompanyed with many warlike Champions and a great nomber of armed men which that night guarded the monastery for feare that precious treasure might be bereaued them The night following the Pope with all his Court came thither accompayned by all the neighbour people The Religious men of S. Damiā being ready to begin the office of the dead the Pope would haue to be sayd the office of the holy virgins wherin he would haue canonized her before her buryall But the Cardinall of Hostia hauing demonstrated vnto him that it was fitt in this affaire to proceed with more humane prudence the Pope permitted the sayd Religious solemnly to proceed in the office of the dead according to the custome The said Cardinall hauing taken for his text Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas made a very worthy and deuout sermon to manifest the vanity of thinges appertayning only to this world where he exceedingly exalted that most eminent Contemptrice of vanityes which ended all the Cardinals and other Prelates accompanied this holy body with an exemplar deuotion All the funeralles being very solemnly accomplished the cittizens of Assisium thincking it not secure that this precious treasure should remayne so farre out of their citty they caused this holy body with exceeding great pomp to be transported singing psalmes and hymnes with the sound melody of diuers musicall instrumentes and in a very solemne procession they carryed it into the Church of sainct George within their citty where the body of sainct Francis had formerly bin reposed And it was very reasonnable that he who in his life had giuen a patterne of the way of life vnto this holy virgin should as is were prophetically prepare her a place of sepulture There was then a great repaire and confluence of people frō diuers citties townes and villages vnto Assisium to thanck IESVS CHRIST and to pray vnto this blessed creature proclayming this virgin to be really a sainct and glorious who now liueth in Paradise with the Angels hauing bin already so much honoured of men on earth O blessed virgin pray now to God for vs and gaine our soules to IESVS CHRIST in heauen as thou hast conuerted and gayned so many liuing on earth The holy virgin passed this transitory life to the other of rest the yeare
a difficult and dangerous enterprise we are therein much more induced by example then by any persuasions of whom soeuer though we acknowledg them to be certainlie true None could be found that would resolue ioyfully to embrace the vertue of pouerty humility chastity fasting and other peniteÌ„tiall labours if he knew not that others not only with wordes exteriourly but really with worckes haue embraced the same Neither was it for any other cause that our Lord IESVS Christ would personnaly come into this world but by example to shew vs the way of our saluation and his holy wil because the examples aduertissementes of his faithfull seruantes would not suffice to retire vs from our euill conuersation and way and to setle vs in his no not the preceptes which he had giuen in the first written law But when he began to walke this way how many were there that would accompagny him very seriously seruing him euen till their death and this only for his loue The Church therfore knowing right well the glory that redoundeth to almightie God and the fruit which men gather by the memory of the life of our lord IESVS Christ and of his sainctes doth euery day propose and sett them before our eyes in the diuine office in the sacrifices and solemnities that it should not be tedious vnto vs to follow and imitate them whome we prayse and whose memory we honour and that likewise we should not esteeme it labourious to walke that way which alone conducteth vs to eternall life Hereof mayest thou consider deuout Reader what vse almightie God maketh of his elect in fauour of vs because we are saith S. Iohn coadiutors to the saluation of soules we may hence also conceiue how greatlie we are obliged to the trueseruantes of God who haue so put themselues to paines in the exercise of vertues that they haue left the way open that such as seeke it may finde it and by their examples haue taught vs which it is and with whath force and industry we may attaine vnto true glory Those of former ages guided only by naturall light did vse exceeding diligence to induce and animate themselues by the examples of their famous predecessours vsing them as so many spurres vnto vertrue to the end they might in no time be defectiue in the obligation they had both to their natiue country and to their owne honour and indeed the milke wher with they nourced their childreÌ„ in their publique schooles was the generous actes of their ancestours which were red vnto them in poemes and orations that by meanes of those examples the children might be affected to vertue and enflamed with desire of glory although it was more vaine then vertuous This is of such force that euen at this present many of our Christians following the same practise cause their children to spend the most entiere parte of their age in committing to memory the heroyicall actes of the ancient Grecians and Latines But would to God that too many did not employ and wast all their life in this study and that many others were not more affected to Homer Cicero and Virgil then to IESVS Christ O extreme indignity of Christians deseruing sharp reprehension and eternall punishment in regard that they glory to be imitatours of the superstitious Gentils who as they wanted faith and the true light illuminating the hart of Christians so was not their vertue true and solid but exteriour and vaine And although that in that time of obscure darcknes they gaue to men some sparckle of light some litle knowledg of vertue more with wordes then with effect these Pagans neuertheles persiste in obscurity euen in the cleare day of the true light of our lord IESVS Christ the soueraigne truth and perfection and are vnworthy to be honoured in comparison of true Christians who being illuminated with the light of faith can easily discerne iudge and condemne the world with his vnwise adherentes because as the Apostle S. Paul Saith the spirituall man knoweth and iudgeth al thinges Pagans on the contrary glorying and esteemning themselues wise with their eloquence become sottish and ignorant as hauing attributed and giuen vnto creatures that which appertayned only to the Creatour but they whose cogitation and confidence is more setled and grounded on the diuine will and doctrine then humane and do follow celestiall not earthly Philosophy such I say shal only arriue to heauen whence first discended their knowledge they cannot erre being taught by the eternall wisdome neither shall they euer want glory euen amoÌ„g mortall people though they haue with all possibility shunned the same but shal be illustrious to all the world For though antiquity haue exceedingly honoured great ambitious personnes that desired to leaue some memory and renowne of themselues in this world after their death yet our holy mother the Church doth farre more exalt and make more glorious our Sainctes continually in the predications feastes and solemnities which for them and in their honour are celebrated besides that we beleeue that they liue and gloriously raigne in heauen in the contemplation of their Lord. So that the true seruantes of God are blessed among Angels and honoured among men as eminent sainctes as great they are and worthy of all reuerence Altars are euery where consecrated and churches bult in their names their images are honoured their wordes and workes are highly commended and preached their reliques are reuerenced and worshipped on earth their soules glorified in heauen and the miracles and excellent workes both ancient and moderne which our lord in them and by them hath wrought are with exceeding great glory admired Our Lord euen in this world recompenceth his elect who not in appareâ—e but in effect are vertuous and holy and incorruptedlie conserue their faith to their Creatour When was there euer found in any time among the ancient naturalistes such constancie such faith temperance magnanimity sweetnes mercy iustice fortitude and loyaulty as hath bin found in our Christians who by no kinde of threates or faire speeches of Tyrantes could be induced to leaue their obedience vnto God could neuer be corrupted by any promise or recompence nor haue bin inclined by any kinde of flatteries or fauours but persisting firme constant in the truth haue nothing esteemed nor feared the terrible and horrible tormentes were they neuer so barbarous nor in the extremity of them or death it selfe but haue alwayes remayned immoueable and inuincible in true vertu piety not desiring reuenge or detriment to the persecutours or executioners but pardon and saluation praying vnto God for them And all this not att their death only but euen in their life For there is no kinde of vertue wherin the sainctes haue not excelled some in purity of virginity others in continencie with great labour subiecting the flesh to the spirit that euen on earth leading a life more angelical then humane they might purchase eternall glory in heauen others renouncing kingdomes estates and dignities
thing proper neither house nor place nor what soeuer other thinge but lett them liue in this world as pilgrimes and strangers and lett them serue God who hath redeemed vs in pouerty and humility and seeke almose with out shame or dishonour considering that our lord Iesus-Christ would be poore for vs. Now by the liuely example of this Order and by the so great austerities and strict obseruations our lord reprehendeth the frensie and folly of the Christians who forgetfull of the pouerty of our Redeemer Iesus-Christ and of his seruantes doe ruine themselues by auarice by delicacies and dissolutions We hope that God will neuer permitt vs to want perfect Religious of this Order that shall admonish vs of our duety by their example before the eyes of his diuine Maiestie But S. Iohn the Euangelist and Prophett in his reuelations doth more particulerly demonstrate the time and estate of the glorious Fa. S. Francis and his holy disciples saying And I saw when the Angel had opened the sixt seale there was made a great earthquake and the sunne became black as it were sackcloth of haire which is a garment made of the haire of a horse and of very grosse woll and the whole moone became as bloud and the starres frō heauen fell vpon the earth After these thinges I saw foure Angels standing vpon the four corners of the earth holding the four windes of the earth that they should not blow vpon the land nor vpon the sea nor on any tree And I saw an other Angell ascending from the rising of the sunne hauing the signe of the liuing God and he cryed with a loud voice to the foure Angels to whome it was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea saying hurt not the earth and the sea nor the trees till we signe the seruantes of our lord in their foreheades This Prophesie occording to the testimony of Vbertinus was preached by S. Bonauenture att Paris in a Prouinciall chapter as already verified in the Person of the holy Father S. Francis adding that he was by diuine reuelation assured that S. Iohn the Euangelist in this passadge had his eye on S Francis and on his sacred Religion The same is affirmed by Brother Iohn of Parma who was a right holy and Religious man and famous by many miracles that God wrought by him But for the more easie intelligence hereof it must be vnderstood that by the seauen visions of S. Iohn in his Apocalipse are signified the seauen ages or estates of the Church The first age was of the foundation therof made by our Lord IESVS Christ and his Apostles in Iurie which began at his preaching and continued till the Martyrdome of the Apostles This was figured by the first vision of the seauen Churches in the first and second chapter The second age was of the confirmation of the faith with the bloud of the martyrs shed thorough all the world by Pagans and Idolators which began att the persecution of Nero figured by the second vision of seauē seales in the 5. chapter The third age was doctrine in the same being declared the mysteries of our faith and all heresies clearlie refuted It began in the time of the Emperour Constantin who assembled the Councell of Nice against the heresie of Arius figured by the third vision of the seauen trompettes in the seauenth chapter The fourth age was solitary and Eremeticall life performed with long and great austeritie of life and contemplation of spiritt till the time of S. Antony figured in the fourth vision of the woman clothed with the sunne in the twelueth chapter The fift age was when the holy Church began to abound in temporall riches as well Religious as Clearkes it began in the time of Charles the great figured by the fist vision of the seauen golden vessels in the fifteenth chapter The sixt age of the renouation of Euangelicall life is of the warre against the sectes of Antechrist performed by the voluntary poore who possesse not any thing in this life it began in the Seraphicall Father S Francis author and institutor of the Frier Minors figured by the sixt vision of the abhominable and puissante woman of Babilon in the seauenteenth chapter The seauenth age shal be hereafter both in a merueillous repose and participation of warre which is to come in earth and shall shortly come in perfection in the generall resurrection of all the sainctes of God it shall haue his begymning in death before the comming of our Redeemer IESVS Christ to iudge it is figured in the twentith chapter of the Apocalypse when the dragon shall finally be condemned and the elect glorified So that in the first age did florish the perfection of Prelacie and the Pastorall care of the Church those were the holy Apostles In the second florished the estate of Martyrdome by the combatt and triumph of the Champions of IESVS Christ In the third florished the Voice of Preachers and Doctours the trompett of the diuine wisdome In the fourth the sanctity and ornament of contemplatiue life in those that liued and led an Euangelicall and celestiall life on earth In the fift florishhed the zeale of iustice by which one discendeth to a commune and lesse perfect life in the zealous iust institutors of Reguler estates In the sixt florished the estate of the imitation of IESVS Christ reformed by the Church in the true imitators of Euangelicall life In the seauenth afterward shall florish the tast and swetnes of the glory which God shall communicate vnto his elect for the wearysome labours which one shall haue voluntarily and affectionatly suffered here on earth as farre foorth as humane infirmity shall haue ability to support and God shal be pleased to inspire into vs. And our Lord hath ordayned these estates and these ages according to the necessities of the holy Church against his ennemies the diuels and against wicked men their followers who together maintaine ancient warre against his Church though tolerated by God for the greater glory of the elect for none shal be crowned but he that couragiously combatteth So was the first estate against the carnall and grosse intelligences ceremonies of the Iewes The second against the idolatry of the Pagans The third against the Arrians and other heretikes The fourth against the carnall and detestable sect of Mahomet The fift against the life of loose Christians dishonoring thēselues The sixt against the pestiferous poyson of Antechrist The seauenth against the army of deuils and their sectatours who in these latter dayes shall trouble the Church more then euer We ought neuertheles to conceiue that though the said estates be thus separated and each one haue his particuler property yet the one participating of the quality and property of the other they come in a certaine manner to entermingle together by reason that there euer haue bin and shal be in the Church of God Prelates Martyrs Confessors all affectionate and perfect imitatours of IESVS Christ It is a
and liberality giue a right worthy example distributing the patrimony of IESVS Christ among his poore Fourthly that the imitation of the life of IESVS Christ might be better knowne and more readily embraced in pouerty crosses and contempt of all transitory thinges men hauing by experience seene how many euils and sinnes succeeded in his Church by meane of honours and temporall richesse and that euen the blinded worldlinges might be assured that the state of life which himselfe did choose in this life is most secure and most perfect Fiftly and finally to condiscend vnto the imperfection and infirmity of many that being incapable of the excellent and Apostolique pouerty wrought their saluation by this more large way whence may be conceiued that God hath alwayes ordeyned the estate of his Church according as he knew it most expedient for his elect so that wheras the Church hath bin enriched with temporalities it was by the most prudent counsaile of the holy Ghost This magnificence of richesse and temporall estate auaileth much for triall of Prelates and Ecclesiasticall personnes for by the same appeareth whither they be humble in honours temperate in abondance and amiddest their flowing substance poore in regard of their will But alas few by this triall haue proued such for contrarie wise they haue become licencious and haue conuerted that into intollerable transgression which was giuen vnto them for inducement to exercise themselues in all piety and vertue Now this fall towardes the end of this latter age and estate of temporall prosperity is merueillous punctually declared by S. Iohn in the fift chapter of his visions where he introduceth the Angell speaking to the fift Church of Sardis Thou art esteemed to liue but thou art dead Then by way of threates he saith that in regard of the great euels and litle good which she did if she did not amend she should in short time be punished and damned And in the opening of the fift seale it is said that the sainctes out of great zeale required vengeance on sinners and att the sound of the fift trompett it is said that a starre therby being vnderstood the principall of the estate of the Church seculers and ecclesiasticals fell as vpon the earth with so greedy a desire of terrestriall thinges that the pittes of the bottomles depth did open as if he would say all kinde of sinnes and vices as are pride auarice cruelty murders and other infinite enormities did by their euill example ouerflow the earth and vpon that occasion the name of God hath bin from that time blasphemed and many heresies haue thence succeded and likewise warre betweene kingdomes and peoples one against an other schismes and discorde among Prelates one against another and betwene Prelates and their subiectes and all this to the great scandall of Christians which did so much exceed the other precedent disasters in regard that it was domesticall proceeding of the cheefe spirituall and temporall personnes of the Church In the dregges of this fift age was all the Empire of Federic the second a violent persecuter of the Church and of the Prelates in so much that he brought the Sarrazins into Italy and there planted them who by their incursions committed a great murder of the Christians saccagementes ruines and burninges of Churches and monasteries to satiate their barbarous infidelity The sunne was then obscured to witt our holy Father the Pope who was depriued of the reuerence from each one due vnto him and the moone became bloudy by the persecutions imprisonmentes death of the Cardinals and Prelates that were so much afflicted by the said Emperour Federic and his adherentes And the starres fell from heauen that is many ecclesiasticall personnes betraying the Church of IESVS Christ adhered to the Emperour The deuils therefore ministers of the wrath of God made readie themselues to reuenge such and so many enormities ouer the world in all the foure partes of the earth and to this purpose they induced men to vnwonted sinnes labouring to preuent with punishment the diuine mercy doubtles if our Lord IESVS Christ had not fauoured his Church by a new byrth and reformation of spirit she could not haue auoyded an horrible chasticement God omitted not to reueale to his vicares on earth and to many faithfull Catholiques for their consolation this necessity and the remedy he intended to the same He manifested invision to Pope Innocent the third the Church of S. Iohn Lateran as ready to fall but that it was supported and susteyned by the shoulders of two poore men So when afterwardes the glorious Father S. Francis and after him S. Dominick came to demanded permission of the said Pope to institute their Orders in the Church he knew by illumination of the holy Ghost that they were the two poore men whome he had seene in his dreame or vision supporting the said Church and therfore was he the more easily induced to accord their requestes So that the Church was att that time filled with brutish people that were all sclaues to their concupiscences and as terrestiall serpents full of auarice and with other cruell and horrible monsters hauing their face and conuersation vtterly deformed corrupted with infinite vices but particulerly with hypocrisie and heresie which then raigned Albeit that God as iealous of the honour of his Espouse was exceedingly moued and offended att so many enormities yet did he not therfore in his greatest fury omitt to shew his mercie for in the middes of his Church he raysed the Orders of begging Friers flowing with men of famous sanctity that should roote out auarice banish allurements and carnall pleasures reiect honours and terrestriall dignities shame hipocrisie defend truth stirre vp the fire of charity reforme other peruerse habitudes and imitating and following the exampe of IESVS CHRIST should boldy reprehend the euill deportements and abuse of some in the Church should by the word of God awaken induce the people to pennance should with admirable vertue confound the malice and great errours of mischeuous heretikes and by their instant and seruent prayers should appease the iust wrath of God Among whome as it were being figured by Enoch and Elias S. Francis and S. Dominick particulerly were ordayned and deputed to this employment And as S. Antonine in his history recounteth the holy Father S. Dominick in spiritt saw God exceedingly moued against the world which he intended to punish But that the glorious Virgin demaunded pardon for the Church presenting vnto him two men who by the diuine prouidence were already deputed to preach pennance to sinners to moue them to amendement which were the glorious Father S. Francis and S. Dominick by whose prayers God was appeased and it happened afterward that these holy Fathers entring into the Church of S. Peter att Rome did in spirit know one an other to be Brothers and companions designed to this affaire wherefore in great charity they mutually embraced one an other These two origines and institutors
that they first yeld and say We are vnprofitable seruantes answearing alwayes with humility and being very carefull of growing into passion For men that maintaine their choller against their neighbour are obliged to render account therof att the iudgement of God and he that shall vpbraid his neighbour with contemptible wordes shal be condemned to the fire of hell Lett them therfore loue one an other as our lord teacheth vs when he saith My children this is the precept I giue you that you loue one an other as I haue loued you Now the truest manner of mutuall loue according to the Apostle is knowne by wordes by worckes and in verity Lett them not curse any personne lett them not murmure nor lett them not speake ill of any for it is written The murmurers and detracters are abhorred of God Lett them be modest shewing themselues gentle and tractable to all not iudging nor condemning any man and as our lord saith consider not the litle sinnes of others but rather with a bitternes and contrition of your soule obserue your owne and endeauour to enter by the streight gate because our lord saith the way is streight as also is the gate that giueth entry to eternall life and there are few that finde it and enter theratt That the Brethren ought to be wary not to behould nor conuerse with women THE XII CHAPTER LEtt all the Brethren in whatsoeuer place they reside very respectiuely forbeare wanton lasciuious aspectes and lewd and dangerous conuersations with women When it shal be necessary lett none presume to speake alone with a woman excepting the Preistes who may speake modestly vnto them when they giue them any penance or any spirituall counsaile and lett no woman in what soeuer manner be receiued to obedience by any Brother what soeuer to whome it shal be yet permitted to counsaile her spiritually to doe penance where she will And lett vs all carefully preserue ourselues with exceeding warines and dilligence for God hath said that what man soeuer shall behold a woman to couett her he hath already sinned withher in his hart because it is not lawfull for vs to behold that which is not lawfull for vs to desire Of the punishment of the Brethren that shall fall into the sinne of the flesh THE XIII CHAPTER IF any Brother by instigation of the deuill committ the sinne of the flesh lett him vtterly loose and be depriued of the habit which by his offence and lewdnes he shall haue defiled and wher of by his finne he shall haue depriued himselfe lett him be vtterly expelled the Religion and let him goe to doe penance for his sinne Of the manner the brethren ought to obserue trauailling thorough the world THE XIIII CHAPTER VVHen the Brethren thall trauaile through the world they must not nor may not carry any kind of prouision nor wallet purse mony nor staffe and into what soeuer houses they shall enter they shall say The peace of our lord be in this house and being entertained in any place they may there repose and eat and drincke of what shal be presented vnto them And if they shall be abused in wordes or effectes by any one lett them not be moued therwith yea if one should giue them a buffet on the one cheek lett them tourne the other if any one would disapparell them lett thē not hinder it yea if one should violētly robbe them of their coat lett them not aske it againe but lett them beleeue that all this arriueth vnto them by the prouidence of God That the Religious may not haue any horses THE XV. CHAPTER I Command all my Brethren aswell Preistes as lay that when they shall trauaile thorough the world or shall reside in any place they haue no kind of beast to ride on neither for them selues nor for others nor that it be euer lawfull for them to ride on horse-backe but in case of sicknes or of manifest necessity Of them that shall goe to the Mores and Infidels THE XVI CHAPTER OVr lord saith Behold I send you as sheep in the middes of wolues Be ye therfore wise as serpentes and simple as doues And if any Brother moued with a diuine inspiration would goe among the infidell Mores he may not goe without licēce of his Minister Prouinciall who knowing that Religious sufficient and of such a spiritt that therof one may hope some fruit to redounde to others not only saluation to himselfe let him not be denyed all vnderstood with the assistāce of God For the said Minister Prouinciall shal be obliged to be accountable vnto God if graunting or refusing permissiō to the faid Brother his resolutiō shal be pious or indiscreet And the Brethren that shall goe among the infidels may in two manners conuerse with them First they may not contentiously impugne them but lett them be subiect not only to the said infidels but to euery creature for the loue of God yet confessing themselues alwayes to be Christians Secondly that when they perceiue it to be the will of God they preach his word to the end they beleeue in him one soueraigne power the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost on God in Trinity and in the humanity of the Redeemer and Sauiour of the world exhorting them to be baptised and to liue thence-foward in Christianity because he that shall not be borne againe by Baptisme and the holy Ghost cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen They shall preach to the Infidell people these thinges and many others which God shall inspire them For our lord said in the gospell I will confesse before my Father which is in heauen all those that shall confesse me before men but the day when I shall come on the earth in the Maiesty of my Father I will deny them that shal be ashamed to confesse me to be the Sonne of man Lett all the Brethren in what soeuer place they are remember that they haue already offered their soules and bodies to the soueraigne God and that they ought to expose and employe them for the loue of him in all occurrances and to present the same to the ennemies visible and inuisible because our lord hath said he that in this world shall loose his life for my sake shall finde it safe in eternall life and blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Lett them also call to minde that which our lord saith If you be persecuted of the impious and wicked they haue first persecuted me and if you be persecuted in one citty fly into an other When men shall hate you and persecute your name and you renowme and shall speake all euill of you for my sake and for my loue reioyce yee boldely for your recompēce therof is great in heauen And thus much I speake to you my Brethren to thēd you should not feare those that haue power to kill the body and with your patience you shall possesse you
retired into a poore house adioyning to the bishopprick Being about midnight in prayer a fiery chariott of admirable splendour sodēly appeared to his poore family which entring att the doore of their cottage where some prayed and others slept it there turned three times In the middes of this chariott was the glorious Father S. Francis and ouer him a circled cloud and bright as the sunne the splendour whereof gaue light to the obscurity of the night and then those that slept by meanes of the noyse did awake the bodyes of the Bretheren were so illuminated and resplendant that their consciences were discouered each to other and att lenght they mutually seeing each others hart perceiued that S. Francis though absent in body was present in spiritt and that by a supernaturall vertue he appeared vnto them on that fiery chariott to insinuate vnto them that they ought to follow him as true Israelites sith as an other Elias he was by the prouidence of God deputed to be their chariott and guide It is credible that our Lord att the prayer of S. Francis opened the eyes of these simple seruantes that they might see the maiestie of God as he did when he opened the eyes of the seruant of Elizeus to lett him see the mountaine full of armed men of fiery chariottes and of Angels that were there to protect the Prophett So that the S. incontinently retourning began to penetrate their hartes and to comfort them with this strange vision discouering vnto them diuers extraordinarie and admirable thinge of the augmentation of their order and explicating vnto them many thinges that euen exceed humane vnderstanding Which gaue the Brethren to vnderstand that the holy Ghost was really discended and with such perfection remayned alwayes in him that he was vnto them to all the faithfull the securest way they could possibly haue wherby to procure their saluation How S. Francis went to dwell at our Lady of Angels THE XXVI CHAPTER THis holy Pastour of a flocke litle in nomber yet great in merittes determined to leaue the said place as well by reason that it was not capable conueniently to lodge them as also because they were there exceedingly disquieted he therfore said to his childrē My deerly beloued I know that God will multiplie vs it therfore seemeth necessarie that we repaire to to the Bishop of Assisium or to the Canons of S. Ruffinus or to the Abbott of S. Benedict to begg of them some poore Church where we may read the canonicall houres neere vnto it some poore cottage built of loame and laughtes wherin we may be all couered and haue what shal be necessary for vs by reason that this place as you see is not capable to entertaine many Brethren besides the inconuenience which to vs is more intollerable that the strictnes therof doth not afford vs meanes to read our canonicall houres nor lesse to burie on of our company if any chaunce to dye here The Brethren approued these considerations Repairing then to the Bishop humbly to demaund his necessitie he receiued answere that he had neither church nor house for him The Canons answeared as much taking leaue therfore of thē he went vp to the mount Sabusio to a monasterie of S. Benedict and demaunding for the Abbott he presented the same petition relating vnto him the answeare and deniall of the bishop and Canons The Abbott hauing attentiuely beheld him inspired of God with a generall consent of all his Religious gaue to S. Francis and his disciples the Church of S. Mary of Portiuncula which was among all other the poorest they had but the same that S. Francis especially desired and to whome and to his the Abbott said My brethren vnderstand this We graunt all that you haue demaunded vs but in recompence we require that if God giue you grace to multiply as we hope the cheife of your religion haue his residence in this place Wherto S. Francis hauing graciously thancked them for their exhibited fauour answeared that the place which they had bestowed on them should be as they desired the principall of his Order S. Francis hauing obtayned this request tooke his leaue and retourned exceedingly satisfied as well in regard that the said church was dedicated to the most holy Virgin by whose merittes he had receiued many graces of God and hoped yet many greater as also because it was surnamed Porticella of the place where it was built which was ancientlie called in latin Portiuncula that is a litle portion the true figure of the religion which he professed to obserue which was the strictest and most painfull life that in all the holy church was obserued and that of all other was to haue the least part in this world The holy Father vpon this occasion said that God would not that the first Brethren of the Order should build an other church to the end the foresaid prophefie might be accomplished by the Frier Minors who were to persist in the perfection of Euangelicall pouerty to encrease and multiplie ouer all the world And notwith standing as I said before the said Abbott and his Religious had entierlie giuen him the said church without reseruation of any acknoledgement S. Francis neuertheles as a louer of pouertie a good and prudent Founder that would establish his religion on a strict and sharpe pouertie did yearlie send and giue to the said Abbott a litle baskett full of small fishes which he tooke in a neighbour riuer as a note not onlie of humilitie but also of acknoledgement that his brethren might vnderstand that they had nothing in proprietie sith they paye euen for the permission of the Church for which they gaue the said fishes which were in great reuerence and deuotion receiued of the said Abbott and Religious and in recompence therof was giuen them a vessell of oyle The poore of IESVS CHRIST being thus accommodated in the house of the glorious Virgin there began incontinentlie to breath forth the sweete sauour of their vertue and not only in the vally of Spoletum but euen in diuers partes of the world by reason that S. Francis went from thence to preach in diuers places not with wordes of terrestriall humane and artificiall science but by vertue of the holie Ghost and that with such merueilous efficacie that his audience admired him as celestiall because he most ordinarilie fixed his countenance on heauen seeking and endeauouring to eleuate and raise the creatures from the earth to their Creatour Of the augmentation of the Brethren of the conuersion of Brother Siluester and how S. Francis cured Br. Maricius and conuerted him to his Order THE XXVII CHAPTER THe holy seruant of God being with his disciples in his new residence in extreame austerity of life most zealous exercise of prayer and feruour both by example and doctrine of the saluatiō of soules the worthy vigne of IESVS CHRIST began to sprout forth new buddes to branch and produce
odoriferous floures and sauourous fruictes of vertue and respect towardes his diuine Maiesty For there being many conuerted and enflamed in the loue of IESVS CHRIST they bound themselues with strict and new lawes of peÌ„nance following the rule and holy counsaile of the blessed seruant of God Others not only touched with deuotion but inflamed with a holy desire to imitate him did tread his holy steppes and concerning the contempt of worldly vanities and earthly appetites did chose him for their guid and following the spiritt they in short time augmented to such a quantity that they enuironned the whole world One of the first that then came was the blessed Brother Siluester the twelueth Disciple who was the first preist that entred into the Order he was of Assisium and the manner of his conuersion was thus He was present when Brother Bernard Quintaualle by helpe of the S. distributed what the had to the poore And seeing with what liberality he gaue his mony to the poore his auarice therby encreased and therfore he spake to S. Francis to pay him the residue for the stones which he had deliuered him to the building and restablishing the foresaid churches But the S. admiring this demaund without making any reply thrust his hand into the purse of Quintaualle and gaue him a handfull of mony and then asked him if he were satisfied or would haue more wherto he answeared that he would no more but was contented And being retourned to his house and finally perceiuing the diuelish couetousnes that had blinded him he sharpely reprehended and checked himselfe and exceedinglie commended the feruour and liberalitie of Brother Bernard and the sanctitie of S. Francis and as well in regard of this light of conscience and true knowledge of him selfe as that God had already elected and predestinated him to this new life of perfection he had shortly after a strange dreame three seuerall nightes together He saw in a dreame the citty of Assisium enuironned with a mighty and hideous dragon which seemed to intend the destruction not only of the said citty but also of all the country neere He saw also to proceed out of the mouth of S. Francis a faire and lardge crosse of gold the toppe wherof touched the heauen and the armes therof stretched euen to the two endes of the earth att the sight of which crosse this venimous dragon fled For that time he spake not a word of this dreame because he did not perfectly beleeue But considering that the Pope had confirmed the rule of S. Francis whose perseuerance also in sanctity of life and doctrine admiring he recounted vnto him this vision and hauing afterward distributed his goodes to the poore he tooke the habitt of the Order of the said S. with whome he liued so piously and with such obseruance of his rule that of his part he verified what he had seene There was att that time one of the Order called Cruciferi who are Religious wherof there are many in Italy the greater part being gentilmen they are cloathed in violet and perpetually carry a crosse of siluer in their handes his name was Mauricius who was greiuously sick in an hospitall neere to Assisium where being dispaired of and abandoned by the Phisitions he reposed all his hope and confidence in God and by message vnto S. Francis of whome he had a right good opinion seriously besought him that he would vouchsafe to pray to God for him Which the holy Father hauing done he incontinently tooke crummes of bread which he steeped in the oyle of the lampe that burned before the image of the virgin Mary wherof he made a new kind of oyntmeÌ„t which he sent to the sicke persoÌ„ by two of his BrethreÌ„ saying vnto them Carrye this Medicine to our Brother Mauricius wherby God shall not only restore him to perfect health but shall dispose him also to be his seruaunt in our company It so came to passe for hauing taken this medicine he was instantly cured it was not confected by any worldly apoticary but of the vnction of the holy Ghost And the said drogue wrought such forces both in his body and soule that he afterwards became a Freer Minor and was cloathed with the habitt rather of a beggar then of a Religious in such sort was it patched and also with a shirt of maile against his flesh In that manner did he liue for many yeares neither drinking wine nor eating bread nor any thing dressed by fire but contented himselfe with the only nourrishment of hearbes pulse fruites which extreme abstinence neuer distempered his body but was for diuers yeares preserued in health and strength sufficient to support the labours and wearisomnes of the Order for which after his death God by his merittes wrought many miracles How Brother Leo Br. Mace Br. Pacificus with others entred into the religion of S. Francis THE XXVIII CHAPTER IN short time after entred into the Order this said Brother Leo who was confessour to S. Francis Among manieâ—vertues wherwith this Brother was endued there appeared especially one which the said S. exceedinglie prised to witt an Angelicall simplicitie in fauour wherof he was verie familier to S. Francis and did participate of all his secretcs and therfore the said S. did often call him Brother Beast of God Brother Maceus of Marignan did also enter into the said Order he was a famous Courtyer and for his prudence exceedinglie honoured of the world he obtained of God grace to edifie much by his pious discourses and therfore did S. Francis often take him for his companion and when any came to visitt him they were so entertained with the worthey discourses of Br. Maceus that S. Francis was not interrupted of his prayer Brother William an Englishman made himselfe also of the Order who was of so pious a life that he merited to be one of the first twelue disciples of the S. in place of Brother Iohn Capella who was one of that nomber but being the first that participating in the habitt transgressed the rules he was chasticed of God by the soares of leaprie which correction not receiuing att the handeâ— of the infinite bountie in such sort as he ought being moued with rage he grew into such furie of impatience and the deuill so blinded him that running out of the Religion he as an other Iudas hung himselfe Now this child of perditioÌ„ being rased out of the noÌ„ber the said Brother William was subrogated in his place who was a man of such perfection that wheÌ„ he died God shewed by manie notable miracles how pleasing and gratefull the merittes of so worthie a seruant of his was vnto him Brother Ruffinus was a verie rich gentleman of Assisium neere of kinred vnto S. Clare who being exceedinglie edified by the conuersion life and doctrine of S. Francis was also conuerted and att this time tooke the habitt He perseuered a virgin and pure in religion as he entred into it which proceeded of
world and in like sort all his disciples Therfore he said by his Prophett Dauid I am a begger and poore God hath bin careful of me Goe on then securely after so worthy a Capitaine guide to take possession of that inheritance which IESVS CHRIST hath pourchaced vs and hath left to them that according to his example leaue the world and seeke to liue in pouertie onlie for his loue glorie of this inheritance and preferment in regard that he hath giuen it only to his beloued Know that many of the most noble and best learned men of the world shall adhere to our company who shall repute it a great fauour in this manner to goe aske an almose Goe then seeke for almose with the benediction of God and haue a faith and assurance far greater then they who carry with them a quantitie of siluer to pay it att the will of their master for you pay your benefactours more liberally then any other though it seeme not so giuing them for your almose the loue of God when you say Giue vs an almose for the loue of God But tell me I pray you what thing may there be had in heauen or earth that can equalize the price of the loue of God The Brethren being by their gracious Father thus induced went with allacrity to demaund almose into the townes and other places and being retourned to their Couent they incontinentlie deliuered it to the Father Gardian who afterward distributed it in common The said holy Father being one time in the Church of our lady of Angels a Brother that was very spirituall retourned from beging from Assisium with a loud voice thancking God S. Francis perceauing him was stricken with an amourous affection towardes him and went himselfe vnto him and kissed his shoulder wheron he caryed the wallett which he tooke off and layed on his owne shoulder to carry to the Couent where he said to the other Brethren I will that my fellow Brethren doe in like sort seeke almose and prayse God att their retourne It happened one day that a Nouice was commaunded to goe to begge but he refused to goe alleadging that he should be ashamed The holy Father vnderstanding it expelled him out of the Order with these wordes What Brother flye wilt thou liue of the labour of the other Brethren and rest idle in the vineyard of God as the drone who without trauaile seeketh to eat the labour of the bees The will of S. Francis was that the Brethren should often goe a begging according to their necessity that they might meritt and that being accustomed therto they should not be ashamed when occasion vrged them to goe And so the more noble and the more honoured a Brother had bin in the world the more ioyfull and content was he and the better edified aswell by this humility as by other seruices of obedience which he performed Sometimes S. Francis encouraging his Brethren would vse these like wordes vnto them My Brethren we haue bin giuen vnto the world in this latter age that the elect might accomplish in vs the worckes of charitie to the end they might meritt to be recompenced att the last day of iudgment with these sweet wordes of our God I was an hungred and you gaue me to eat I was thirsty and you gaue me to drincke and as long as you did it to one of these my least Brethren you did it to me Therupon the S. affirmed that to begge vnder the title of Freer Minor was a thing of exceeding consolation and recompence in the retribution of the iust which forenamed title the master of the Euangelicall truth particulerly specified with his diuine mouth when he said by his Prophett Man hath eaten the bread of Angels for this bread which is demaunded for the loue of God said the S. is properlie called the bread of Angels sith his diuine Maiestie by his Angels inspireth men to giue it Att principall feastes himselfe hauing leasure would vndertake to begge to make the feast more solemne in pouerty Being one time of Easter in a Couent so far from habitation that there was no meane for him to begge calling to minde that our Lord IESVS CHRIST on the like day appeared in forme of a Pilgrime to his disciples that went to Emaus he demanded almose in the refectorie of his owne Brethren as a poore straunger and liued therwith admonishing his Brethren that passing through the desert of this world as Pilgrimes and straungers and as true Hebrewes that haue no assured residence here they should alwayes in humilitie of spiritt celebrate the Pasch of God which is his passadge from this world to his eternall Father in the glory of heauen Being inuited by certaine great noble men to eat with them be â—at nothing there but the almose which he had begged att the dores THE XLVI CHAPTER BY reason that he demaunded not almose out of a couetousnes but only by a liberty of spiritt and a zeale of holy pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST therfore did he far more willingly eate of that which he begged and was giuen him att dores then of what was presented him att table in the banquettes of Princes When therfore he was inuited by them before he went thither he first begged morcels of bread att the dores which he eat att their tables Which he did partlie for loue he bare to holie pouerty and partly also to giue example to his Brethren Being one day inuited by the Cardinall of Hostia who exceedinglie loued him he first according to his custome begged peices of bread and hauing gott what was necessary he went to the table of the said Cardinall where he sodenlie emptyed out all the said peices of bread and laid before him next vnto whome was the place of the said Cardinall who esteemed himselfe as it were braued thereby yet for the present would say nothing therof But the holy Father thincking on what he had to doe began to deuide his bread into many litle morcels which he distributed among the noble men that were att the table who receaued it very deuoutly some of them presentlie eating it others kept it for reuerence Which the Cardinall perceauing with much contentment was somewhat appeased Notwithstanding after the refection being retired into a chamber with S. Francis embracing him and clipping him with his armes he gestingly said O simple brother my freind why hast thou giuen me so great an affront this daye as comming to eat att my table which is thine and theirs who appertaine vnto thee thou wouldest first begge that thou wert to eat The holy Father answeared him nay I haue rather done you this day great honour sith that att your table hath bin honoured a greater Lord then your selfe and one that is your master besides the subiect doeing that which his Lord commandeth him he honoureth his master For God had so much loued this royall pouerty that he hath vouch-safed to accept
Gentlemen came from farre of deuotion to see this holy and humble congregation so that it well appeared that the like had neuer bene seene in the world Many also came only to see and honour the glorious head S. Francis who in so short a time had selected out of the world so many and so worthy members and as a sage Pastour had guided such a numerable and precious flock in the meadoes and spirituall pastures of IESVS CHRIST Now all the Religious being arriued the said S. caused them to assemble together then arose he as their Captaine entierlie enflamed of the holy ghost and gaue them the delicious and forcible food of the word of God and with a deuout and loud voice he made them a sermon whereof the theme was such My beloued Brethren we haue promised great matters but much greater ate promised vs lett vs obserue those and aspire after these The pleasure of sinne is short but the paine therof perpetuall Vertue is painefull but the glory is infinite Many are called but few are chosen and in fine all shal be rewarded Vpon which wordes he so subtilly discoursed that euerie one was amazed therat Afterward he exhorted them all to obedience vnto the holy Church and to the exercise of prayer a most efficacious meane to purchace the loue of God charity edification of their neighbour to patience and labours to neatnes and purity of life to haue peace with God amitie with men humility and sweetnes with all He likewise exhorted them to solitude to watchinges to resist the temptations of the deuill and withall seriously recommended vnto them the feruent zeale of Euangelicall pouerty contempt of the world and of themselues breifely to apply all their cogitation of soule and body on the most high Creatour Redeemer and true Pastour of soules our Lord IESVS CHRIST And to teach them all the aforesaid rather by effect then by word he commanded vnder vertue of obedience that none should take care to prouide what to eat or drinck or any other thing necessary to their entertainement But that they should only applie themselues to the praise of God and to prayer with these wordes of the Psalmist which he often iterated Cast thy cogitation in God and he will releiue thee All obeyed him without hauing care of any thing and so void of all other temporall care they entierlie employed themselues in prayer and prayse of God How the holy Father S. Dominick was present att this great chapter And of the resolution he made that his Religious should not thenceforward possesse any thing of proper for the great miracle he saw there and of the great nomber of Nouices that were receaued att the said chapter THE LXIV CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Dominick was present att this great chapter with seauen of his Religious and hauing vnderstood the rigorous commandement of the holy Father S. Frācis he was vtterly amazed fearing perhappes in regard of his great loue vnto him that some scandall might happen hauing there so great a multitude and no order taken for their releife But our Lord IESVS CHRIST did quickly manifest what care he had of his seruantes who as birdes did fly in spiritt and conuersed continually in heauen to feed them on earth for he touched the hartes of the people of Perusia Spoletum Follingnium Assisium and other neighbour places yea of all the valley of Spoletum who by diuine inspiration came all with vnspeakeable speed as by a striuing emulation with horses mules asses and chariottes all loaden with bread wine oyle cheese flesh foule egges butter and other thinges necessary for releife others loaden with earthen vessels as pottes cuppes iugges and other vessels for their vse also with linnen and other commodities euen with cloth to couer them finally they were most abondantlie supplied of whatsoeuer they needed he esteemed himselfe happy that could best and most deuoutlie serue them there might one see kinghtes and other noble men to putt off and spread one the ground their owne cloakes to honour these poore of IESVS CHRIST In like sort were seene many Prelates and deuout gentlemen to serue them with like reuerence as they could haue done the Apostles This the blessed Father S. Dominick hauing seene he assuredlie knew that the holy Ghost really dwelt in the seruant of God S. Francis Wherfore sharpelie reprehending him selfe for the rash iudgment he had conceaued he fell one his knees before him confessed his fault and publikely accused himselfe therof protesting that then he vndoubtedly knew that God had a particuler care of his seruantes whereof he had not till then had the like experience Therfore said he I promise also to obserue Euangelicall pouerty and henceforth on the part of God I giue my malediction to all the Religious of my Order that from this time shall possesse any thing in propriety be it in common or particuler And therfore albeit they might before haue rentes and possessious as indeed they had which they enioyed according to the graunt made them by Pope Honorius the third in the yeare of grace 1216. the first yeare of his Popedome yet the yeare 1220. which was the yeare after this great chapter S. Dominick also holding a generall chapter where there were present two hundred and twentie of his Religious they did together reforme their constitutions and renounced the said possessions which they then enioyed and such as they might thenceforward enioy By which obligation though the Order of Preachers may by iust dispensation in respect of the great fruit they produce in the Church with their doctrine haue reuenowes for their Colledges and studies yet the other monasteries according to the commandement and malediction of their Father S. Dominick doe strictlie obserue Euangelicall pouerty The Cardinall of Hostia brought to this chapter a great multitude of Lordes to see the manner of lodgeing of these Religious who seeing them to sitt eat and sleepe one the bare ground or one a litle chaffe or hay without respecting other delicacie and that for pillow they had a stone or block of wood as we haue said they beat their brestes and weeping said If these holy men eat and sleepe one the earth what shall become of vs wretched sinners that loaden with sinne liue in such superfluity without doeing penance Thus many being well edified by this holy troup endeauoured to change their life and manners into vertuous conuersation Their behauiour was such and the edification of his Holines Court of the Cardinals and other great persons as also of all the neighbour people that there were more then fiue hundred Nouices receaued in that only Chapter Of the great maceration and austerityes which were discouered in 〈◊〉 chapter to be exercised by the Religious of S. Francis who made mute the superiors of his Order that would change the rule and of the terrible chapter that the deuils then held against the Freer Minors THE LXV CHAPTER THe holy
and damnation to the disobedient and such as erre from the said most holy Faith and to this end would he by his immensiue charity assuming our nature therwith satisfie all our offences and die on the wood of the crosse for our sinnes and would afterwardes leaue vs the meritt of his passion in the sacrament of holy baptisme wherby we are new borne to eternall life that all our sinnes dying we may sett our selues free from the captiuity of the deuill and from eternall death which this cruell ennemy hath from time to time procured vs. Great Soldan proceeded the S. open the eares and eyes of thine vnderstanding misprise not the Embassadge which thine omnipotent eternall king sendeth thee permitt his grace to enter into thy hart and by his holy light he will giue thee instant knowledg of the great blindes wherin till this day thou hast liued and consider attentiuely how much thou art bound vnto his diuine maiesty letting thee now vnderstand that he can giue thee a kingdome in heauen much greater then this which he hath giuen thee here one earth But if thou perseuer in thine errour be thou assured of the punishment prepared for thee for thou must know that soone or late thou must fall into his handes yeld him an account both of thy sinnes and of thy vassals The holy Father spake these and many other like wordes with such feruour and vehemencie of spiritt that all those present though they were all infidels did manifestlie know that the said wordes proceeded of a more then humane vertue And they were indeed vttered with the same spiritt that God promised his seruantes saying I will giue you a tongue and wisdome which the princes of the world shall not be able to resist Now the Soldan acknowledgeing so great a vertue in the seruant of God he gaue him thanckes with much reuerence and tokens of curtesie then asked him concerning new difficulties being very attentiue to the answeares which the holy Father gaue him as a man sent him from God and therfore very instantlie prayed him not retourne to the Christians but to remaine with him the seruant of IESVS CHRIST cntierly circumvested with zeale of the faith thervpon made him this answeare Great Soldan If you with all your people wil be conuerted I will right gladly remayne with you and if you haue any doubt that detaineth you from leauing your beleefe for mine because the time is very short you may presentlie make proofe therof lett there be made a great fire in the middes of the army then call your Sacrificers and Religious command vs all to enter into the middes of the fire and afterwardes follow their faith that by their God shall be preserued The Soldan amazed att the proposition made by the holy Father said I doe not thinck that any of our Religious will make this triall Wherin he was not deceaued for he had scarcely vttered that word but one of his Collociers there present very aged and among the Turcks reputed for a S. hearing it incontinentlie slipt away fearing that the Soldan accepting the condition he should be deuoured by the flames The holie Father then addressing himselfe againe into the Soldan said Mighty Soldan wilt thou promise vnto God to become Christian if I my selfe alone goe into the fire Wherto I am now readilie prepared The Soldan answeared him that he durst not then make any such promise much lesse accept such offer fearing that such an vnwonted attēpt might raise some tumult in his army neuertheles it wrought much fruit in his hart and though for the present he did not resolue to be baptised yet he remayned exceedinglie aflected to the holy Father to whome he offered a great quantity of gold siluer and apparell for himselfe and his companions which the Saint no more esteemed then verie filth not vouchsafing to behold the same which much more amazed the Soldan yet he prayed him againe to accept those presents to dispose them in almose for his soule albeit he were not as yet resolued to be baptised But his requestes were vaine S. Francis then determined to passe further as not finding any firme and stable resolution in the Soldan though he prayed the holy Father to visitt him often affirming that he would conferre more amply with him graunted him letters patentes by vertue wherof he his Br. might freely preach ouer all his kingdome wherwith S. Francis departed How S. Francis and his companions preached the faith to the kingdome of the Soldan and how he miraculously resisted a More that tempted him to carnality THE LXX CHAPTER SAinct Francis diuided his companions and sent them ouer Egipt Syria and himselfe with Brother Illuminatus went through all the kingdome continually preaching the gospell And being on a time enforced to rest himselfe in a certaine place expecting the mitigation of the stormy weather he retired into a house to lodge where in was a More who in the lineamentes and proportion of her face was faire and of comely grace but in spiritt extremelie loath some she induced by the deuill that one each side cast his snares to surprise the S. went to him into a chamber where purposely she had placed him alone and instantlie prayed him to sinne with her the S. answeared her woman if thou wilt that I offend with thee thou must also yeld to me in my request Wherto the amourous More presentlie accorded S. Francis then incōtinently goeing to a great fire that was there spreding it abroad layed downe and stretched himselfe theron inuiting the More to keepe her promise and lye with him one that bed so gorgious and resplendat The More remayned a while pensiue betweene loue and feare expecting the issue but att length seeing him to turne one the coales as if he had bin one roses and lillies she acknowledged her selfe and her sinne and was baptised and afterwards by vertue of the miracle of the S. as an other Samaritane conuerted many Mores vnto IESVS CHRIST The S. hauing vpon this occasion seiourned there certaine dayes went on his iorney cōming within three or four leagues of Antioch to a place called Mōtenegro where was a Monastery of Religious of the Order S. Be. he there made some stay in such sort cōported him selfe that in few dayes the Abbott all the Religious renūcing all their possesiōs into the hādes of the Patriarck became Freer Minors In the meane while it chaunced vnto two other of his companions that they seeming to a More so miserable he of compassion offered them almose which they refusing in any sort to receaue the More demaunded them wherfore they would not accept the same wherto they answeared that for the Ioue of God they would possesse neither mony or any other thing in this world the More was therwith so touched that he sodenly receaued them into his affection yea into such amity that thence forward he had
conserue in you the bondes of peace and charity seuerlie reprehending and chasticing those that shall diuide themselues from her rule and vertue that it perpetually florish in the obseruance of euangelicall purity in her presence and God will not permitt it to loose the sweet odour which he hath giuen it Such was the intention of S. Francis to subiect his Religious vnto the Catholike church ordayning that they should alwayes choose a Cardinall of it for their protectour as a thing that he knew to be necessary for the good of the Order He did not intend that they should be subiect to the said protectour only but likewise to all Prelates and Preistes of the Church saying thus Know ye that we are called Coadiutours of Preistes and Religious for sauing of soules and therfore lett the church be in that sort assisted by vs and her holy faith augmented I euer vnderstood the Bishop of Assisium his speech to tend thereto when att the beginning of my conuersion he admonished me to gouerne my selfe discreetly that in these turbulent times myne Order did not mount his hornes and proue disobedient vnto the Church therfore I euer did and will that others doe cary a speciall reuerence to the Prelates and Religious therof Further considering that there is nothing more gratefull to God then the saluation of soules as S. Paul saith the same shal be better accomplished by the peace and amity of good Religious then by their discordes and therfore if any among them seeke to hinder it I will not that you contradict the same but that you leaue the care to God and lett it suffice you to be subiect vnto them and on your part to liue so vertuously that by your occasion there arise no discordes or debates among you which doeing you shall in one same instant gaine vnto God the Clergie Religion and the people which shal be more gratefull to his diuine Maiesty then to gaine only the people endeauour therefore not to scandalize the Clergie but as much as is possible conceale their defectes and supply where they seeme to haue failed For recompense her of it is that the holy church in his praise doth sing this solemne antheme Francis the Religious Catholique and a man entierly Apostolique taught Christians to obserue defend and formally beleeue the faith of the Romane Church and that Preistes were to be reuerenced aboue all others When he sent his Religious ouer the world one of the documentes which he gaue them was that when they mett a Preist they should incontinently fall on their knees before him kisse his hand and aske his benediction and in case so happening should sweep the Church and should rest and lodge rather with them then otherwhere He besides affirmed that if he mett a S. deseended from heauen to earth and a Pâ—eist he would first kisse the hand of the Preist and then would doe reuerence to the S. by reason that of the former receauing the body of our lord IESVS GHRIST he in that respect meritted there more honour In regard of this dignity which he acknowledged in them and for the reuâ—rence which he preached that each one should beare vnto theÌ„ he would not be Preist but Deacon and the seruauut of Preistes This his example was of such force that art the beginning of the establishment of his Order and in the reformation of the obseruance his Religious did exceedingly prise Preist-hood yea did shunne to be Preistes so that in a Couent full of Religious there were very few Preistes all endeauouring to mount to diuine communicatioÌ„ rather by meane of prayer humility and simplicity then by high degrees and dignities without meritt How saint Francis by his humility did edifie and conuert his neighbour THE LXXXV CHAPTER IT is not then to be admired if this holy Father exercised humilitie not only that his soule might be pleasing vnto God who is ennemy to the proude and most liberall of grace towardes the humble but also that by meane of it he might edifie his neighbour and conuert soules vnto God by way of humility pourchasing that which otherwise he could not haue obtayned as for example Arriuing one day att Imola there to preach and hauing demaunded leaue of the Bishop he gaue him answeare that himselfe could sufficiently dischardge the office of preaching vnto his people The holy Father therfore bowing downe his head departed but being afterward inspired of God he retourned thither the Bishop seeing him very rigourously asked him what he did and what he sought there S. Francis very humbly answeared him that if a sonne were by his Father driuen out att one dore the naturall loue which he boare him would constraine him to enter againe att an other Which the bishop hearing being ouercome with his humility he embraced him saying that himselfe and all his Religious should thenceforward with a generall licence freely preach ouer all his bishopperick because humility deserued it I know hereby added he that it is no meruaile if humility encline the will of man sith it enforceth euen the omnipotent diuine will to condiscend to the desires of the humble as the Angel said to Iacob If thou hast bin strong against God how much more shalt thou preuaile against men The holy Father then with this arme of humility deliuered many soules out of the handes of the deuill and out of the throat of hell as we haue seene and by the example following shall appeare Certainne Religious ministring vnto a leaper as S. Francis had commaunded them could not by any gracious vsage whatsoeuer giue him coÌ„tentment nor besides the iniuries which he vttered against them and the buffettes which he gaue them all which they coÌ„tentedly eudured could procure him to forbeare to blaspheme against God and his SS being thervnto induced by the deuil and by the extreme violence of his disease These good Religious vnable to support those blasphemies that were so horrrible as would haue made an Infidell to tremble they went to the holy Father who in person resolued to visitt him And entring into the chamber of the sicke he said My Brother God giue thee his peace and he answeared What peace can I haue sith from the time that God did interiourly and exteriourly deprine me of it I haue euer bin in cruell warre S. Francis comforting him replyed My Brother and Freeind you must haue patience for these afflictions which you endure in body wil auaile to the saluation of your soule if you patientlie support them But the leaper answeared how can I possibly haue patience considering that myne afflictions are so permanent that they permitt me no ease day nor night and besides your Religious doe exceedingly aggrauate the greife of mine infirmity for not onlie they doe not assist and serue me but they afflict me euen to death The holy Father knowing by diuine inspiration that this wretch was tourmented by the deuill went presentlie to offer his prayers for him
senceles he was expelled the church whither he came afterward to aske pardon of God and the S. which being obtayned the fish retourned into a capons legge and the holy Father publikely recounted the successe of the fact for which they generally gaue infinite thankes to God With what rigour he chasticed his passionate wordes and thoughts THE LXXXXI CHAPTER HAuing bin many dayes blinde as by reason of the great infirmity of his eyes which his wepinges had procured him it often happened he determined for his consolation to visitt Brother Bernard one of his first companions and inward freindes and to remayne some time with him to talke of God But comming to his cell on the toppe of the mountaine and finding it shutt he thought he was in prayer as indeed he was and hauing no meane to see him he called him by these wordes Open Bernard and come comfort this poore blind mā and many times reiterating the same the Religious not answearing he was much disquieted and said to his companion I haue called him many times he will not answeare me lett vs goe in the name of God and so departing iudged Brother Bernard to be proud and neuertheles considering better that it was not his coustume so to doe he tourned from his companion and fell to prayer where he was not long but he heard answeare from God who reprehending him said Litle man why doest thou trouble they selfe so much doest thou thinck it reasonable to leaue the Creatour for the creature when thou calledst Brother Bernard he was with me not with him selfe and therfore he could not answeare thee for he did not heare thee Which S. Francis hearing he humbled him selfe to God and asked him pardon Then incontinently retourning directly to Brother Bernard he mett him without his cell hauing ended his prayer and as Brother Bernard fell att his feet he likewise fell at his and acknowledged his fault of the ill iudgement he had conceaued of him then required of him to enioyne him this pennance I will said he that thou sett they feet on my throat and on my mouth and treading hard theron shalt say Poore worme the sonne of Peter Benardone there lye one the earth sith thou hast so exalted thee in pride bafe and abiect as thou art which poore Brother Bernard hearing he would in no sort yeld ther to till the holy Father commanded him in vertue of obedience and then with the greatest modesty and reuerence he could possibly he obeyed first conditioned that the S. should in like sort doe to him what he would and so hauing obeyed the S. he reciprocally commanded him very sharply to reprehend him for euery fault of his he should know as often as they should meete together Thus did the Religious Saints of those dayes exercise themselues in humility But S. Fracis hearing that was in such sort afflicted for hauing promised him obedience for the great reuerence he had towardes him aswell for his great worthynes as because he was the first of his Order as that he resolued rather to forbeare his sweet and gratious cōuersation then to haue subiect to reprehend him though in such a seruant of God there were litle or nothing to reprehend A Religious that had care of a leaper comming with him to our Lady of Angels the S. reprehended him for hauing brought him thither with trouble and afliction which he had scarcely vttered but thinking that he had offended the leaper in reprehending the Religious in his presence he presently went and acknowledged his fault vnto his Vicaire of whome he demanded for pennace that he would enioyne him to eat with the leaper in one same dish who not to giue him discontent was constrained so to command him and so there was incōtinently brought a dish of pottage from the kitchen for the leaper and himselfe it was admirable to see with what patience and tast this worthy seruant of God endeauoured to eat of the pottage in which the leaper putt his finges which being all couered with the loathsome infection of his leapry the droppes of putrefaction ran into the dish which caused in the Religious there present an extreame hart-greife and compassion that their Father without offence should performe so bitter and intollerable a penance Lett this be spoaken to our confusion that seeke so many curious arts to season our meates which we desire to haue so delicious The said Religious did assuredly affirme that as often thence-forward ae they remembred that refection of their Father with the leaper all meat how delicate soeuer it might be made their hart arise and was disdayned of them Of the new and notable Matines of holy humility which S. Francii and Brother Leo did sing hauing no Breuiary to read them THE LXXXXII CHAPTER THe holy Father being one time in the hermitage with Brother Leo he went so farre from the celle that the night preuented them and hauing no Breuiary with them the houre of Matines being come S. Francis said to the Brother will not yee that we employ this time vnprofitably that therfore we passe it in the prayse of God say as I shall tell you but take heed that you chaunge not any word I then will say O Francis thou hast committed so many sinnes in the world that thou deseruest hell and you shall answeare me you say the truth that you deserue a place in the deepest part of hell Brother Leo most humble and obedient promised him to say so but as the S. began to vtter the foresaid wordes Brother Leo answeared Know Brother Franc. that you shal not goe to hel but to the glory of Paradice Which the holy Father admiting he commanded him againe not to say so but as now I shall tell thee I will begin to say Francis thou hast so much offended God that thou well deseruest to be eternally accursed and you shall answeare without any variation thou art doubtles worthy to be foreuer expelled from the face of God which the good Brother Leo promising to obserue the holy Father with a loud and fearefull voice knocking his brest began O God lord of heauen earth I haue committed so many offences against thy diuine Maiesty that I am well assured I meritt to be eternally banished thy glory and perpetually damned and Brother Leo answeared God will accept thee for such an one as among the great multitude of his elect thou shalt be especially blessed and glorious in his celestiall kingdome S. Francis more admiring then before in that he knew how obedient Brother Leo was he said why doe you not answeare me as I enioyned you and as you promised me I now command you in vertue of obedience that when I say O wretched and miserable Francis doest thou thinck euer to deserue pardon of the God of mercies hauing alwayes so much offended him thou art not worthy of grace I command you I say to answeare me thou in no sort deseruest the mercie of
morning sacrifice and he as a sacrifice of the euenning God permitting that according well on earth they should by the merittes of the prayer of his seruant be also vnited in heauen leauing to the inhabitantes of that place a perpetuall memory of so worthy a miracle Of certaine apparissions made vnto S. Francis in his contemplation THE XCIX CHAPTER THe holy Father S. Francis alwayes sought solitary places wherrin he might more freelie conuerse with God and discourse with his Angels and there making his celle of bowes of trees distant from those of the other Religious he enioyned Brother Leo his companion to visitt him no more then once a day and to bring him only bread and water and once in the night att the houre of Matines and att his comming to say Domine Labia â—ea aperies and if he answeared Et os meum aâ—nuâ—ciabit laudem tuam then he should enter to say matines with him but if he answeared not he should depart in peace because he was sometime so rauished in extasie that he could not speake day nor night Brother Leo very seriously obserued the commandement of the holy Father neuertheles he sometime watched him for his consolation he oftentimes saw him eleuated into the aire and then he boldly embraced his feet when they were low enough to doe it for att such time he was lifted higher then a great tree and att other times so high that the eye of man could not attaine the sight of him which when Brother Leo saw he would fall on his knees vnder him and aske mercy of God This Religious â—â—counted that he saw him once on his knees hauing his countenauce fixed towardes heaven and his handes ioyned together when he heard him vtter these wordes which with great effusion of teares he often repeated Who art thou my God and who am I att which wordes he saw a light to descend on his head and in the same heard a voice that spake vnto him but he could not vnderstand the wordes being remote from him for feare the Sainct should perceaue him and of reuerence reputing himselfe vnworthy to heare the diuine secrettes he only saw S. Francis thâ—ise to putt his hand into the said flame of fire which done the vision disappeared But Brother Leo could not goe so gently but the holy Father heard some noyse and therefore sayd I command thee in vertue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST whosoeuer thou be to stay there Brother Leo staying said Father it is I. S. Francis calling him checked him for it but Brother Leo acknowledging his fault prayed him that sith he had pardonned him he would also so much fauour him as to tell him what signified the vision which he had seene The holy Father willing to satisfie him in this manner expounded it vnto him Know that when you saw that light discend from aboue God communicated vnto me the knowledge of his diuine maiesty and of my selfe which was it that I demaunded of him saying My God who art thou and who am I that is his greatnes and worth and my extreme basenes and the very nothing that I am and therefor I neuer accustomed to reiterate those wordes After this reuelation I said vnto him whence is it then my God that thou voutsafed so to gratifie a worme of the earth such as my selfe so abiect and vile and he answeared me such high matters as humane vnderstanding is not capable to conceaue them Before he departed he demaunded of me to offer him some thing I answeared that I had nothing in this world and that my selfe was his that I had giuen my selfe to him for â—uer and therfore knew not what to offer him Then he commaunded â—e me to putt my hand into his bosome and to present vnto him that which I should founde there which I did And I found there three medalles or balles of gold which I three seuerall times offered vnto him Then he pleased to explicate vnto me that those three balles signified precious pouâ—rty resplendent charity and rich and golden obedience which by his grace I acknowledged to haue in such sort offred vnto him that my conscience doth not any way reprehend me in the obseruation of them Now in counterchaunge of this gift which I presented he of his infinite bounty graunted me that I should euer be thanckfull vnto him both in mouth and hart for this and all other benefittes which his diuine maiesty hath bestowed on me and which I reputed not mine but his For this then was it that thou sawest me stretch out my hand three seuerall times Now sith I haue satisfied thee I command thee that whiles I shall liue thou discouer it to no person of the world and that thou watch me no more when I shal be in prayer Goe then with the benediction of God into your celle and pray to God for me for with in few dayes God will worck such meruaylous thinges in this mountaine that all the world shall admire it He meant the holy impression of his stigmates Of an other apparition vnto the holy Father THE C. CHAPTER AVery yong and simple Religious being in an Oratory where the Religious accustomed to retire themselues when they went into the desert S. Francis being then there and being surprised by the night he was to remaine there to take his rest and then he determined to see that which he had so often heard spoaken of the holy Father S. Francis to witt that when he prayed in the night he did merueilous thinges Wherefore euery one being gone to rest he placed himselfe att the feet of the holy Father and that he should not goe away without him he tied their girdles together to the end that if he arose he might be awakened But this deuise litle auayled for S. Francis arising very gently loosed the cordes and went to pray otherwhere The Religious that was a sleepe with his cogitation running on his desire was not long from awaking and finding himselfe alone and deceaued purposed att aduentures to follow him through the woods to whome God was so fauourable that he found the holy Father in prayer on the toppe of a Mountaine and he seeming to heare some speech saw a merueilous spleÌ„dour that enuiroÌ„ned the S. and therin our lord IESVS CHRIST with the glorious virgin his mother S. Iohn the Euangelist and an infinite nuÌ„ber of Angels that were there present which the Religious seeing he was seased with such a terrour that he fell as dead to the ground and had no feeling till the holy Father hauing ended his prayer and retourning to his celle by reason of the darcknes of the night stumbled against him So conceauing presently who he was embracing him and laying him on his necke the best he could and God assisting him as a good Pastour he carryed his beloued sheep to the folde and hauing reduced him to himselfe made him report what he had seene he likewise commaunded him not to
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
neuer so litle relenting his austeritie to be cured of his infirmities the occasion was reasonable to free himselfe piously of such a chardge And therfore att the generall chapter held two yeares before he receaued of our Lord IESVS CHRIST his sacred stigmates he publikelie renounced the office of Minister Generall not without the exceeding greife of all the Religious who by all meanes refusing during his life to admitt any other Minister he was constrayned to constitute a Vicar Generall that gouerned the Order in his name To this effect he made choise of Brother Peter Catanio his second sonne in Religion a man of great prudence and very expert to gouerne to whome the holie Father promised his cheiffest obedience and besides to him that should be constituted his Guardian Which all the Religious seeing they began bitterlie to weepe esteeming they should continue as orphanes without the ordinary gouernment of their beloued Father who comforting them the best he could his handes ioyned and his eyes eleuated towardes heauen he said My God I recommende vnto thee this family which to this houre thou hast recommended vnto me For now by reason of mine infirmities other impedimentes and iust causes to thee knowne being vnable henceforward to haue care of them I haue committed them to a Vicar Generall and to other Prouinciall Ministers who shal be obliged to yeld thee a very exact account of them att the terrible day of the great iudgement if they chaunce to perish by their negligence or euill example And so the holy Father S. Francis thenceforward perseuered to be alwayes subiect euen to the day of his death surpassing thē all in humilitie Yet did he neuer faile to be very zealous in assisting and with his vtmost to fauour his Order euen during the life of his first Vicar who died att the end of the second yeare of his Prelature in the Monastery of our Lady of Angels S. Francis not being there when he was buryed His body wrought so many miracles that an infinite multitude of people from all partes flocked thither leauing a very great quantity of almose vnto the monasterie The holie Father therfore comming thither and vnable to endure either the one or the other the former for distracting them all and the latter for relaxation of the order which he forsaw would grow of such quantity of almose he wēt to the sepulcher where so many miracles were wrought and to the deceased he vttered these wordes My deerlie beloued Brother as thou hast alwayes obeyed me during thy life we being now by thine intercession molested with such a world of peopl thou must also obey me after thy death I therefore cōmand thee on obedience that thou worcke no more miracles sith by them we are in dāger to be ruinated The deceased which is admirable to consider ceassed vpon this commandement to worcke any more miracles such is the vertue power of holy obediēce in a true and good Prelat in a true and good subiect that it extendeth not onlie on earth and during life but euen in heauen after death Yea by it ceassed the glorie and eminencie of miracles that exalt the honour of the liuing God the more to magnifie him by the exercise of holie pouertie and the quiett retire from a turbulent applause of the world How S. Francis instituted his second Vicar Generall This was the 32. chapter of the second book but hither transferred to obserue due order of the history The miracles of Brother Peter Catanio being now ceassed as we haue said the holie Father S. Francis by aduise of the ministers in place of the said deceassed subrogated Brother Elias a man of singuler prudence and verie learned for which he was respected not only of his Religious but euen of seculer persons Prelates and Princes He gouerned as long as the holy Father liued who the more to honour him gaue him the title of Generall though he were not so for the reason aforesaid that the Religious would neuer accept other Generall then S. Francis during his life The said Brother Elias attributing the said honour vnto himselfe and not to God he made him know with all that his deepe prudence according to the world was before him but a very sottish folly for rising into pride he fell as an other Lucifer from such an hight to the deepest profunditie of these worldlie miseries the great mercie of God by the prayers of the S. redeeming him from eternall punishment as hereafter shall appeare This that followeth is the residue of 85. chapter already past which we purposely omitted as no proper place for it as may easily be iudged The holy Father S. Francis being att table together with many of his Religious he tooke some of the most remarkable in humility simplicity that sate neere vnto him by the handes and tourning towardes the said Brother Helias he willed him graciously to honour those other learned noble Brethren sitting there Brother Helias extremly puffed vp in pride without any respect thus answeared O Brother Francis I doubt not but by your simplicity and carelesse negligence you will ruinate this whole Order The holy Father more curious of his saluation then of himselfe answeared him O miserable wretch this pride which thou wilt not cast off and this kinde of thy passionate behauiour to such euill purpose wil be occasion that thou shalt dye out of the Order Which so happened for he died out of the Order in the Court of the Emperour Frederick the second who was excommunicated An other time the holy Father prophesied in this māner of this Vicar General It hapened that Brother Helias was once called for att the dore of the Couent by one that affirmed himselfe to be an Angell sent vnto him frō God and the porter did him the message telling him that an Angell in humane shape expected him att the gate musing therfore what this might be he was a long time perplexed yet att lenght he went thither and the Angell proposed vnto him this doubt whither it were lawfull for the professours of the gospell to eat of what soeuer was indiffefently presented vnto them or no. Att this proposition he rested vtterly confounded for he had purposed to be author of a new constitution in the Order which was that the Freres might not eat flesh against their first holy Rule wherfore he rudely and cholerickly shutt the dore against the Angell and retourned into the Couēt Which being reported vnto S. Francis he incontinently arose frō prayer and went to his Vicar whome he sharply reprehēded saying Brother Helias you haue done ill in shutting the gate against the Angels when God sendeth thē to iustruct you I tell you therefore it is impossible for you to perseuer stable in the Order with this pride The holy Father spake thus much vnto him because it had bin reuealed vnto him that he should die out of the Order and besides that he should be damned
said he departed and by the way stayed at the hospitall of leapers where making his accustomed prayer it was reuealed vnto him by our Lord IESVS CHRIST that the indulgence which he had procured was confirmed in heauen wherof hauing aduertised his companion they both retourned to giue thanckes to his diuine maiesty How the day of the said indulgence was miraculously assigned from heauen THE II. CHAPTER THe day wherein the said indulgence was to be gained was not yet prefixed S. Francis being come to the Couent of our Lady of Angels and being about midnight in prayer in his celle the deuill appeared vnto him in forme of an Angell saying O poore Francis why seekest thou to dye before the time why doest thou consume chy complexion by so long watchinges knowest thou not that the night is made to sleepe and that sleepe is the principall nourishment of the body thou art not yet old why then wilt thou thus kill thy selfe Were it not better for thee to conserue thy life therein to serue thy God longer and to profitt the holy church and thine Order Beleeue me therfore and spend not thy life in such superfluous prayers and watchinge only mediocrity pleaseth God Which the holie Father hauing heard and knowing it to be a delusion of the deuill that tempted him exteriourlie by his voice and interiourlie by his suggestion arising from his prayer he stripped himselfe naked then cast himselfe into a bush full of very sharpe pricking thornes wherin he tourned and wallowed till the bloud euery where trickled downe and doeing the same he thus discoursed vnto his body Ah my body it had bin better for thee to contemplat the passion of IESVS CHRIST then to endure this for hauing in vayne repined and searched the delightes of the world Thus discoursing a great light appeared vnto him in the middes of the ice that was there it was in Ianuary and in the bush of thornes he saw very beautifull roses white and vermillion and a venerable troupe of Angels that filled all the way euen to his church and one of them called him saying Come Francis for our Lord expectethe thee and in an instant he miraculously found himselfe cloathed So knowing him that called him he gathered twelue white roses and twelue vermillion then went through the way all tapestred with Angelicall spirittes towardes his sweet Lord before whose feet he fell in great reuerence and then presented these twelue roses vnto his diuine Maiestie that appeared sitting on the said high altare as the other time accompanied with his glorious mother and assisted with an innumerable multitude of Angels to whome he said Most gracious lord gouernour of heauen earth sith it hath pleased thee to graunt me the plenary indulgence for this church I most huÌ„bly beseech thee to voutsafe also assigne the day wherein it shal be gayned I herein coniure thee by the merittes of thy most glorious mother our aduocatrice that it please thee to appoint the same by thy diuine mouth Our Lord answeared him I am content to satisfie thy desire and therfore I assigne thee the first day of August from the euensong of that feast wherin is made memory how I deliuered myne Apostle S. Peter from the chaines of Herod vntill the sunne sittiug of the day following But tell me if thou please my Lord said the holy Father after he had giuen him thanckes how shall the world know it and knowing it how shall it beleeue it Our Sauiour replyed I will consider therof in time conuenient but in meane while retourne to my vicare and carry with thee some Religious that haue seene this apparition and giue him some of these Roses and he shall incontinently confirme thee the day and cause the indulgence to be published The holy Father vpon obedience tooke three white and three vermillon roses and whiles our lord disappeared the Angels sung Te Deum laudamus and S. Francis gaue him thanckes who presently went to his holynes with Brother Bernard Quintaualle Brother Angelus of Rieta and Brother Ruffinus who had seene this great vision Being before the dore of the church he found the Pope retourned from Rome to whome he yelded account of what our lord had told him calling his companions for witnesses and presenting him the said Roses The Pope hauing attentiuely heard him and being vnable to satisfie himselfe with beholding the said Roses so fresh and sweet and therwithall so rauished as he could no longer containe himselfe he sayed Ah good God such roses in Ianuary to make me beleue what they haue sayd these alone are sufficient therfore he said to S. Francis I will consult with my Cardinals how thy request may be accomplished then will giue answeare and with those wordes dismissed him The next day he repaired againe vnto his holines in the Consistory where by the Popes coÌ„mandement he once more recounted all the successe and the day which God had prefixed vnto him The Pope theÌ„ said sith we arecertaine of the will of our lord IESVS CHRIST the true and soueraine Bishop whose place though vnworthy we hold on earth we also in his behalfe doe graunt the plenary indulgence for perpetuity to the foresaid church on the day before mentioned How the said indulgence was published in the church of S. Mary of Angels THE III. CHAPTER BVt that so great an indulgeÌ„ce might be published by Apostolical authority the Pope wrote to diuers Bishoppes of the valley of SpoletuÌ„ and particulerly to the Bishop of Assiâ—e within whose diocese the said church was and to the Bishoppes of FolliniuÌ„ of Agubio and of Nocera that they should be all present att S. Mary of Angels the first day of August to consecrate and publish the said indulgeÌ„ce that there had bin graunted by diuine reuelatioÌ„ and Apostolicall permission att the request of the holy Father S. Francis who taking the said letters and thancking the Pope he departed with his companios with great reuerence and humility to deliuer theÌ„ to the said Bishoppes praying them in the name of God and his holines that they would not faile on the said day to be preseÌ„t in his Church there to performe what was enioyned theÌ„ After that he retourned to AssisiuÌ„ where he caused to be prepared a great scaffold for that effect that the sayd Bishoppes might the more commodiously and better be vnderstood of the people The day determined being come the Bishoppes entred into the said Church where being asceÌ„ded on the scaffold they said to S. Fran. that though they were come thither to publish the indulgence as they were ready to doe yet they thought it more requisite that himselfe should first declare vnto the people wheÌ„ and in what sort it had bin grauÌ„ted him by God and the Pope which done they would confirme it The holy Father answeared theÌ„ though I be not worthy to speake in your preseÌ„ce yet as most obedient seruaÌ„t I will performe your coÌ„mand AsceÌ„ding therfore
ennemyes and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you Blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen and he that perseuereth vnto the end shall be saued That the Brethren shall not enter into Monastories of Religious women THE XI CHAPTER I Ōrdaine and command all my Brethren that they haue no suspected familiarities with women and that they enter not into the Couentes of Religious women those excepted who to that effect shall haue speciall licence from the Apostolicall sea Likewise I will not that my Religious be God fathers either of men or women that by such meanes there happen not any scandall among the Brethren or by their occasion Of such as shall goe among the Sarrazins and other infidels THE XII CHAPTER EVery Brother whosoeuer that by diuine inspiration desireth to goe among the Sarrazins and other Infidels lett him demaund leaue of his Prouinciall Minister who shal be very respectiue not to giue licence but to such as to him shall seeme fitt to doe good among such people And for all these causes I commaund the Ministers vpon obedience to procure of his Holines to haue a Cardinall for Gouernour Protectour and Correctour of this Confraternity that they may be alwayes subiect to the feet of the holy Romane Church stable and firme in the Catholike faith Lett pouerty humility and the holy gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST be entierlie obserued of vs as we haue faithfully promised The end of the rule of the Frere Minors The rest of the bulle touching the confirmation of the said Rule omitted in the beginning thereof LEtt it not therefore be permissible for any man to infringe this ordonnance of our confirmation or rashly to contradict the same And if anie presume so to doe know that he shall incurre the indignation of Almighy God and of S. Peter and S. Paul his Apostles Giuen att S. Iohn Lateran the 29. of Nouember the eight yeare of our Papacie The end of the confirmation of the rule of the Frere Minors Of the perfection of this rule and the abridgement therof THE IX CHAPTER AS the three yong men according to Daniel were ioyfull in the flaming fire of the burning fournace where Nabuchodonosor had caused them to be throwne as faithfull seruantes of God because they would not giue to his monstruous statua the honour dew to God alone and as they sung prayses to the Almightie together with a fourth like vnto the sonne of God so there were three Orders and holy Rules founded by three holy personnages S. Basill S. Augustin and S. Benedict in the burning fournace of temptations and worldly afflictions wherwith the prince of the world combatteth against the seruantes of God and often times surmounteth them which holy personnes as men freed from the fire and from feare haue with alacritie praysed God in the middes of it Afterward there was seene the fourth like vnto the sonne of God to witt The Seraphicall and crucified seruant of IESVS CHRISTS Francis that gaue a fourth estate vnto the church wherin men being deliuered from the prison of the world and taking more content in the honours and graces of God might more freelie serue IESVS CHRIST And such was his intention in all the wordes of his Euangelicall rule to witt that they who had made profession to imitate IESVS CHRIST should endeauour to become the most like vnto him in laboures of their life and exercises of spiritt that possibly could be procured He with the help of the holy Ghost founded on that onlie and firme foundation of IESVS CHRIST the edifice of the rule in meruaylous hight and perfection Therefore in the first chapter he saith The life and rule of the Frere Minors is such to keep and obserue the holie gospell liuing vnder holie obedience without possessing any thing in proprietie and in pure chastitie The life spiritt and wordes of the said holy Father considered his intention was that the Frere Minors should obserue not onlie the preceptes of the gospell but the counsailes also Neuertheles knowing and considering humane infirmitie he would not oblige them to all In the second chapter he teacheth to forsake and contemne the world with whatsoeuer is in it giuing them meanes to make such renunciation as the gospell teacheth which is to sell what they haue and to giue it to the poore that being deliuered of so great an impediment they might freelie serue IESVS CHRIST and with him say The Prince of this world is come in me he hath found nothing In the third he teacheth exercises to prayse God by the diuine offices and by fastinges and seuere abstinences mortifications of the flesh good examples and edification of our neighbour and particulerlie of seculer personnes He also teacheth them the vertue of penance humilitie and charity whereby they may with edification conuerse with all people In the fourth he expresly declareth that he will not his brethren shall haue mony vnder any pretence whatsoeuer but that the Prouincialls shall supplie their necessities knowing that auarice is daungerous to soules and principallie to Religious and how true is the sentence of IESVS CHRIST where he saith that no man can serue God and Mammon The holy Father therfore would that richesse should not onlie be remote but entierlie and absolutelie separated from the Order In the fift he bannisheth from his societie idlenes as contrarie to the true seruantes of God and capitall ennemy of mennes saluation In the sixt he rayseth the soule frō cogitations of the world and in as much as may be hoped or expected of him leauing neither place nor affection proper in thē wherby they might adhere to any cogitation of terrestriall loue to the end that they might ioyfullie say Our conuersation is in heauen as possessing nothing on earth In the seauenth he comforteth sinners and such as are sick teaching thē the conditions of their Phisicion that can and will cure them who is our lord IESVS CHRIST who will mercy and not sacrifice and who came not to call the iust but sinners that they might be conuerted and liue In the eighty chapter he teacheth the Superiours and all his Order in what manner they ought to gouerne the Religious and insinuateth that they should procure to haue alwayes a Generall sufficient and worthy of such a chardge In the ninth he teacheth his preachers to fly pride and arrogance in their life and doctrine and to be humble and zealous of the saluation of soules feeding them alwayes with holie and profitable doctrine without which they can neuer produce fruit redounding to the benefitt of the said soules In the tenth he admonisheth superiours and subiectes to be verie carefull in the diligent accomplishment of their obedience and the obligation which is reciprocallie betwen them but particulerlie that which they owe and is due to God by reason of their profession In the eleuenth chapter he demonstrateth vnto his Religious how
they ought to shunne occasions of sinne and scandales especially women In the twelueth and last he teacheth them how they should expose their life for the loue of IESVS CHRIST and for his law among Infidelles Then he concludeth according to the beginning shewing that all consisteth in the faith and obedience of the Romane church and in the obseruance of the holie gospell of our lord IESVS CHRIST who is our Alpha Omega that is our beginning and our end The holie Father S. Francis founded his life and rule on these twelue Apostolicall chapters as on twelue stones taken out of the depth of Iourdain that is out of the hight of Euangelicall perfection This rule shall continue and be of force for euer as a testimonie vnto the professours thereof that God hath alreadie cōducted them out of the desert of this world to the land of promise Therefore of them may besaid as of other perfect Blessed are the poore in spiritt for theirs is the kingdome of heauen sith that for it they haue forsaken the kingdome of the earth Of th zeeale which the holy Father S. Francis had vnto Religion and to the obseruance of the gospell THE X. CHAPTER THe perfect imitatour of IESVS CHRIST did so affect the obseruance of the holy gospell was so exceeding zealous of the rule that with a singuler benediction he enriched those that were singulerlie zealous in the obseruation therof Whervpon he said to his Brethren our rule is a book of life to them that follow it a hope of saluation an earnest of glorie the iuyce of the gospell an assured way of the crosse an estate of perfection a key of Paradice and an accord of eternall beatitude He would that all his Brethren should haue it with them and often times read it and in their spiritual conferences and conuersations should for edification ordinarilie discourse therof that often conferring therof together they might neuer forgett this diuine pact and spirituall vow and that they might so possesse it in their handes their bosome and before their eyes that death assaulting them they might dye with it in their armes A Religious dying among the Mores as he desired made his benefitt of this holy doctrine of his holy Father for being taken by the Mores preaching the faith and hauing endured many tormentes and they intending to cutt of his head he tooke his rule into his handes and falling on his knees with great feruour and humility he said to his companion my beloued Brother I confesse me before God and you of what soeuer I haue committed against this rule and acknowledge my fault therin and doe beseech you to pray for me and I doe and will pray for you The wordes vttered his head was cutt off on earth to be afterward crowned in heauen But to the end that no impediment should hinder the obseruance of this rule the holy Father S. Francis hath putt into it this clause that when they suppose they cannot obserue it in some certaine place they shall haue recourse to the Ministers meaning that where the Religious know that the by reason of disturbers corrupted condicions of the places or oblgations exposed against the rule it cannot be obserued according to the true not cloaked or erroniously interpreted intelligence therof they may in such case and ought to haue recourse to the Ministers who are obliged to putt them in such place as they may without any impediment and contradiction obserue it Brother Leo and Brother Bonizzo that were present with S. Francis when the Pope confirmed the rule affirmed that when his holines very attentiuely read this clause as also he did all the rest therin manifesting himselfe to be exceedinglie well pleased therewith he very particulerie reioyced theratt which S. Francis perceauing he said that he would verie willinglie haue added in that place that if the Ministers would not prouide for the said Religious they might obserue the rule in what place it should please them but his holines answeared that he had discreetly done in not inserting those wordes because such licence might easilie cause the diuision of the Order and litle respect vnto the superiours by manie who vnder coulour of such pretence would auoyde discipline S. Francis replyed I would haue added it because I know there wil be Superiours in the Religion that will persecute such as would faithfully obserue the said rule and if such licence were admitted the poore Religious would auoyd persecution but the Pope would in no sort giue consent alleadging that it sufficed that by this rule the Religious Ministers knew their duetie and his intention without making more apparant specification which would take away both obedience and respect vnto the Superiours and in steed of causing the obseruance of the rule would entierlie ruine it Now that such was the intentiō of the S. appeareth by the example following A Religious Almaine who was a great diuine came to visitt ou◠holy Father att our lady of Angels where discoursing together of certaine pointes of the rule the diuine said vnto him Father I vehemently desire to obserue the holy gospell and our rule simply euen till death as I haue already promised vnto God according to his intention and yours and I hope his diuine Maiesty well giue me force and vertue to performe it Therefore I require this fauour of you Father that if during my life the Religious shall erre from the pure obseruance of the rule as it hath bin reuealed vnto you and as you haue affirmed that they shall waxe cold within short time I may by your authority either alone or with such as will follow me in the way of Euangelicall perfectiō separate my selfe from those that will not obserue it Which demaund being well vnderstood of the S. with exceeding ioy he blessed him saying know my Brother that what thou requirest is both by me and by IESVS CHRIST graunted thee and laying his hand on his head said Thou art a true Preist according to the order of Melchisedech Of a vision that Brother Leo had and the expositoin made therof by S. Francis and of a benediction which S. Francis left to his true children THE XI CHAPTER BRother Leo accompanying S. Francis that was very sick had a merueillous vision which is very conuenient for this place for such as are zealous of the Order add no lesse for such as dispēnse with themselues in the profession and obligation which they owe to his diuine maiesty Being then in prayer neere vnto the S. he was rauished in spiritt and was conducted to the border or side of a violent and impetuous floud and deuising how he might passe it he saw certaine Religious that entred into it but by the force of the water were presently swallowed to the bottome without any more sight of them and others that waded to the middest and almost ouer it but by reason of diuers weightie thinges which they carryed on their shoulders being
other necessities they must first consider how much land will suffice them hauing alwayes regard to our pouerty and to the good example which we are bound to giue in our houses as well as in other thinges And therfore he would not that the Religious should be many together in houses nor that they should make them great it seeming to him a difficult matter that pouerty can be obserued where there is a great multitude After they shall haue considered the scituation and the place conuenient to erect the Monasteries they must repaire to the bishop of the citty and say to him My lord and Father such a one for the loue of God and for the benefitt of his soule permitteth vs to build a house one his land we first are willing to addresse our selues to you who are lord and Pastour of all this flocke recommended vnto you and euen of vs and of all the Religious that shall haue residence here where we desire with the benediction of God and yours to build a Monastery And hauing receaued the benediction of the bishop lett them first of all take a cord wherwith they shall measure the plott which is necessary for them to build the house which they shall make poore the matter shal be wood and stone the celles shal be litle onlie sufficient for the Religious to repose therin who shall also pray there and striue to auoyd idlenes their churches shal be litle they shall not make them great vnder coulour to preach to the people therin or for other edification for it shal be reputed greater humility and better example to goe to preach in other churches When Prelates Preistes Religious and other seculers shall come to our Oratory the poore celles and litle churches will preach to them and they shal be much better edified then by faire or good speeches An other time he said The Frere Minors will often build great and sumptuous edifices bringing to ruine our mistresse pouerty which shal be cause of euill exāple murmure and importunity of the people Therfore it would much better beseeme our estate and the edification of soules to make no such buildinges att other times vnder pretence of making chaunge for a more healthfull place more commodious and lesse troublesome they will forsake their poore houses to the great scandall of the people to erect greater and such as are abhominable to the eyes of God and pouerty in which buildinges they will employ much almose gotten vnder pretext of necessity wherof they shall yeld account to God as robbers of the almose of the poore In these respectes it is much better for them to haue litle churches in them obseruing their profession giuing to their neighbour example of true Religious S. Francis forbad his Religious to build their Monasteries of other matter then wood and earth as doe the poore of this world There were certaine Religious of contrary opinion alleaging diuers reasons as that in some prouinces wood and bordes were deerer then stones and lime and also that buildinges made of lime and stone were of longer continuance and more sure but S. Francis to auoyd contradiction would giue them no answeare nor did he approue their humane reasons To demonstrate that he dyed with this intention he caused these wordes to be inserted in his testament that the Frere Minors should be very carefull not to accept the houses that are builded for them if they were not conformable to their holy pouerty that they should be as for Pilgrimes and that they should liue in them as strangers He sometime said against certaine learned Prelates of the Order and wise in erronious worldly prudence that were alwayes directly contrary in the strict obseruance of pouerty Wretched be the Religious that are contrary to me in such matters as I know to be the will of God and are necessary for conseruation of the Order then he said to his companions These contradictions redouble mine infirmities for some Religious are alwayes contrary vnto me by the authority of their erronious science and prudence in matters reuealed vnto me by God for the benefitt of the Order aswell present as to come which they misprise desiring rather to follow their owne opinion then the will of God How much he was ennemy to the vse of supperfluous bookes THE XXII CHAPTER ANouice had licence of the vicar generall to haue a psalter wherby to learne to read but because he heard it spoaken that the holy Father S. Francis would not that the simple Religious should haue care either of bookes or learning he could not contentedly keepe it without approbation of S. Francis who comming to the place where the Nouice was who was lately professed h◠went to him and said Father it would be great satisfaction vnto me if by your licence I might keepe the psalter though your vicar generall hath permitted me I am not yet well satisfied vnles you confirme it The holy Father answeared him The Emperour Chaflemagne Rouland and all the other Pallatine and valiant warriers with exceeding swetty labours and trauailes prosecuting the infidels gott of them great victoryes and purchaced great honour in the memory of men the holy martyres gett farre greater glorie in the battailes and victories which they obtaine against the infernall spirittes and their fellowes who are wicked men they dying gloriouslie for the faith of IESVS CHRIST it seemeth that the men of these times seeke to pourchace glorie and honour to read or heare related these histories without imitating thē not considering their labours and their death My childe hereof I would inferre that thou shouldest seeke neither bookes nor learning but vertuous worckes in which consist true glory because science alone puffeth vp in pride charitie edifieth The Nouice with this answeare departed vtterlie confounded A litle after being tempted by the deuill he mett S. Francis att the fire to whome he spake againe of the psalter And the holie Father answeared My Sonne when thou hast leaue for the psalter thou wilt also ake for the Breuiary then for other bookes to learne and when thou hast learned any thing thou wilt sitt in a chaire as if thou were a great diuine or Prelate and wilt say to one of thy Brethren Goe fetch me my breuiary Speaking this with great feruour of spiritt he tooke ashes wherwith rubbing his head he sayd A breuiary for me a breuiary for me and diuers times reiterating the same the Religious remayned as beside him selfe and durst not for that time speake any more of the psalter S. Francis said further vuto him I haue bin att times tempted as thou art now to haue many bookes but to know if such were the will of God I tooke a booke where the gospels were written and besought his diuine Maiesty to voutsafe to shew me his will by the opening therof whervpon I lighted on these wordes of his owne The knowledge of the misteries of the kingdome of God is giuen
He alreadie foresaw that knowledge puffed vp with vanitie in future time would giue a great fall to the Order because curiositie of the said knowledge would induce manie to great arrogance which would destroy obedience humilitie pouertie with all true Religion bringing in libertie and priuiledges The said holie Father said there shall be so manie that will labour to gett knowledge that he shal be happie who for the loue IESVS CHRIST shall shunne the same He appeared after his death to one of his companions who was exceedinglie busied in the studie of preaching and reprehended him sharpelie forbidding him that ouer great anxietie of spirirt which he had towardes study and commaunded him to study to walke the path of holie humilitie and pouerty How he discouered and preuented the deceipt of the learned and curious of his Order THE XXIV CHAPTER IT will succed said S. Francis to these curious of knowledge and learning that esteeming to be more edified and enflamed in deuotion towardes God by knowledge of him if they vse it not with great humility they by the same science and by the great study therin employed will remayne void of all goodnes cold in charity and puffed with vaine glory reioycing in their vanity and obstinate in opinion wherfore the holy Ghost being vnable to dwell in bodyes subiect to sinne he wil be constrayned vtterly to forsake them Certaine Religious therfore one day relating vnto him that a great diuine was entred into their Religion att Paris and that by his doctrine he much edified the people and cleargie and was a great honour to the Order S. Francis sighingly answeared them I much feare that his like will one day destroy whatsoeuer God by me his vnworthy seruant hath planted in this vineyared I would haue no greater Doctours in diuinity then they who teach their neighbour by worckes meekenes pouerty and humility because the goodnes of a Religious is according to his obedience to the rule and his doeing what he knoweth Those preachers that trust only in their doctrine when thy see concourse of people and that they are desirously heard and some by their preaching are conuerted to penance thy are puffed with vaine glory for the worckes of an other as if they were their owne and so preach saluation to others but damnation to themselues therfore they glory of that wherof they haue no more cause then a trumpett which soundeth by the mouth of an other man that windeth it for what are they but trumpettes wherby God sendeth his sound be they good or euill so that the cause of the conuersion of the hearers ought not to be attributed to them but to the very force of holy doctrine and to the teares of the simple though the same be not by them vnderstood these simple ones are my knightes of the round table who hide them selues in desertes and sequestred places the more commodiously to apply them to prayer and meditation lamenting theirs and others sinnes therfore God alone knoweth the fruit they produce and how many soules by their merittes are saued wherfore they shall heare this his voice Come thou faithfull and prudent seruant because thou hast bin faithfull vnto me in few thinges I will place there ouer many enter into the kingdome of eternall life but they who haue had no other cogitation but to learne knowledge and to demonstrate their doctrine vnto others preaching without edifying by good worckes shal be poore empty of all good before the throne of the terrible iudge they shall haue their vessels full of shame and confusion and they shall also heare God say vnto them you haue preached only by the wordes of your purchaced science but I haue saued soules by vertue of the merittes of my simple ones you therfore shall remaine with the winde of pride which you haue sought and these shall receaue the recompence of the labour of their humility and prayer which is ourvocation wherto these puffed ones shall haue bin contrary with the winde of their knowledge persuading many to relinquish this truth yea persecuting as blinded and frantike such as walke by this truth but the errour and false opinion wherin in they haue liued which they haue preached and wherby they haue conducted many with thē in the profound goulfe of ignorāce and spirituall blindnes shall tourne to their greife and confusion and they shal be buryed in darcknes for it is written I will destroy the wisedome of the wise of this world and the prudence of the prudent I will reiect So the holy Father as far foorth as his power extended for his office in this world permitted not any of his Religious to be called Master though formerlie in the world he had bin such alleadgeing vnto them the wordes of our lord IESEVS CHRIST One is your Masterin heauen and therfore lett none be called master on earth He affirmed of himselfe that though he had bin very learned he would neuer haue endured to be called Doctour or master because it was to doe against IESVS CHRIST so that he concluded that it was much more profitable to a man to knowlitle and be humble then to performe great matters with much knowledge and presumption of himselfe How much S. Francis reioyced att the good example which his order gaue to the church and how much displeased when his Religious procured or caused any scandall THE XXV CHAPTER THis glorious Father said that the Frere Minors were sent of God in this latrer age to be an example of light to them that were entangled in the obscurities of sinne Therfore if he heard relation of any example of edification that the Religious gaue to the holy Church he with great feruour would say The house of God shal be filled with good sweet sauours which shal be produced by the precious oyntmēt of vertues He exceedingly reioyced att the good reputation of his deere childrē at the exāple of piety which they gaue because by meane therof they cōuerted sinners to the loue seruice of IESVS CHRIST a thing especially desired of him and to such he gaue his holy benediction And consequently because his Religious knew that their holy Father would haue them exercised in this vertue and zeale of the saluation of soules they so much the more endeauoured to giue him satisfactiō therin And if it happened that any one procured the least trouble to his neighbour he presently asked him pardon with great humility and offered to doe pennance for the same It chaunced one time that an ancient Religious of the Order in presence of a gentleman vttered some wordes in choler to one of his Brethren but perceauing that he had troubled his Brother and disedified the other acknowledgeing his fault and impatient against himselfe he incontinently tooke the dong of an asse and putt it into his mouth and forced himselfe to chew it saying tongue eat this dong sith thou hast presumed to arise against they neighbour
and though they be not knowne in the world they shall neuertheles be much esteemed of God for he will neuer abandon this Religion so that there shall alwayes remayne some competent nomber of vertuous though in comparison of so many lewd and libertines they shall appeare very few and this few shall be persecuted of the world which shall procure them a greater crowne with God Now the sackcloth and cloake so course wherof I seeme to be ashamed and disquieted is holy pouerty which as it is the ornament of this Order and the singuler foundation of all piety so the bastard children shal be ashamed therof for their ayme shall not be to God but to the world and therfore endeauouring to please it they shall misprise the habitt of God and seeke faire and fine cloth for the vse wherof they shall importune the world and shall pourchace it by way of simonie and therefore happy shall they be that perseuer to the end in obseruance of their holy vowes After these speeches it disappeared and the holy Father S. Francis remayned full of admiration and teares with all his hart recommending vnto God his sheep both present and to come God reuealed these thinges and many other to his seruant Francis as head and Pastour of his Frere Minors concerning the chaunge of his Religion which being founded in Euangelicall perfection exceeding difficult to be obserued according to the world it is not to be admired if it be fallen and doe decline from its perfection We all being naturally inclined and affected to worldly thinges and to shunne alll seueritie and rigour and all necessitie and much more freindes to our owne will then to the will of God which according to our sottish prudence causeth vs to make no esteeme of the commaundementes of God and to forke his most strict way though most necessarie to our saluation as in deed it is and therfore degenerating more and more we fall from our first Fathers On the other side also it is not to be admired if some of these so fraile vessels composed of earth as we are haue demonstrated such an inuincible constancie in so strict an obligation to obserue the gospell and in themselues to preserue such a treasure because all that is the worck of God to the end the world may know that the eminencie and glory of this Religion proceedeth of the vertue and power of his diuine maiesty and not of humane force and vertue And therfore when to him seemeth time conuenient he sendeth reformations to support the same Of the compassion and discreet charity of S. Francis to wards all his Religious but particulerly to wardes the sicke THE XXX CHAPTER BEcause the obligation of a Prelate towardes his sheep doth not only extend to giue them aduise and spirituall refections but also to releiue them in their corporall necessities the holie Father S. Francis was replenished with an infinite charitie and had a continuall care to prouide for the corporall wantes of his beloued children and particulerlie where sicknes and necessitie were ioyned together which charitie he exercised not only of Fatherlie duetie but of naturall compassion which he euer had towardes the afflicted which vertue he afterward redoubled to make it more meritorious so that he referred all the afflictions of his neigbour to the person of IESVS CHRIST for whose loue they ought to be assited and therfore his hart melted as if he had seen his God in them for which cause those new and feruent warriers of IESVS CHRIST in the beginning of the Order did so speciallie exceed in leading seuere liues and doeing worckes worthy of pennance which may appeare by the ensuying example together with the charitie of the Sainct As the Religious were one day a sleep one of them began with a loud voice to cry I dye att which lamentation S. Francis instantlie arose and caused all the other Brethren to arise and to light a candell then asking who was he that complained the Religious answeared him Father it is I that dye with hunger which hearing he presentlie caused to be brought him to eat and that he should not be ashamed he caused a table to be prepared wheron he meant to eat himselfe which he caused all the other Religious to doe though it were a verie extraordinarie houre The Religious hauing taken his Refection the holie Father to teach his children the vertue of discretion wherby they should moderate the feruour of the spiritt for conseruation of the corporall forces in abstinence he said Brethren learne and retaine in you this aduertisement that each one carefullie conserue his naturall complexion and forces and lett him vse moderation in abstinence accordinge vnto them for albeit some can sustaine themselues with litle food it is not therfore reasonable that others who cannot liue with so litle should keep the same abstinence for as we are obliged to forbeare superfluous eating for not damning our soule and consuming our body so ought we to shunne indiscreet abstinence but must so vse it as the bodie may serue the soule for God loueth mercy aboue sacrifice and lett euerie one remember what by charity I haue done I haue only done it as a pious worcke and for an example of charitie his extreme necessitie requiring it And therfore lett each one refraine to cause the like an other time and especially Prelates towardes their Religious Which was exceeding carefully obserued of the S. for though he were very glad that pouerty in all thinges should appeare in them yet would he neuer that his Religious should be frustrate of their due releife and therfore when he saw they had not sufficient to eat himselfe would goe to begge as we haue heretofore made appeare For his owne respect notwithstanding his verie feeble complexion he was euer very strict and abstinent yea beyond reason euen from the beginning of his conuersion to his death Yet he is not therfore to be reprehended considering that one ought not to measure or limitt the life of the great seruantes of God who are continuallie directed in their actions by the holy Ghost but we must permitt to worck in them the spiritt and certaine excesses that are to be seene it is sufficient for vs to our confusion to admire them and therof to imitate what one can for it was expedient that as many were defectiue performing lesse then their duety God should raise others that in their bodyes should supply both for themselues and their neighbour and to the end that the holy Father might giue this good example of himselfe wheras in his sicknesses many thinges extraordinarie were necessarie for him he would rather depriue himselfe therof to giue example to othersâ— and when there were any Religious sicke he was not ashamed to goe into the villages to seeke flesh and their other wantes which in their health he would not haue permitted them to vse for any thing in the world He did also seriouslie admonish them to remember that
they must be Frere Minors not only in their health but euen in their sickenes and that therfore they should not haue an insatiable spiritt nor admitt all the commodities that the delicate of the world enioy for so there would be no difference nor should they meritt before God for whose loue they ought to be content to endure some inconueniences yea euen in their sicknesses Now though this holy Pastour did zealously vtter these wordes yet such was his charity that seeing them sicke he could not but releiue them and seek to supply their necessities and cherish them to his power as by this example may appeare One of the most ancient Religious of the Order being sicke the S. moued with cōpassion to see him so afflicted said to himselfe if this Religious had eate grapes he would be better then calling the Religious he conducted him into a vineyard neere vnto the Couent whither being come that the Religious might not be ashamed he began first to eat grapes then gaue to him and made him sitt downe and so entertayned him that he arose as sound as he had euer bin the vertue of God worcking by the charitie of his seruant which the said Religious diuers times with teares recounted to his brethren How the holy Father S. Francis did eate with S. Clare and how both were rapt into extasie This is taken out of the 4. chapter of the 10. booke and hither tranfferred to his proper place SAinct Francis being att our Lady of Angels was infinite times importuned by his first spirituall daughter S. Clare to take his refection once with her Yet though she were of sanctity sufficientlie knowne to all people he would neuer consent thereto att lenght the glorious saincte fearing that when she least thought therof God might call vnto him the holy Father such being the infirmities whervnto he was subiect so that she should neuer enioy that consolation in all her life she so much solicited all Religious that were most auncient and best beloued of the S. to obtaine so honest a request in her behalfe that they together so affectionately entreated him as that in the end he consented therevnto But to auoyd scandall and ill example to his Religious and that they should not therby challenge a consequence of goeing to eat att the monasteries of Religious women he caused S. Clare to come with some of her Religious to our Lady of Angels where he had consecrated her vnto God and he very curteously entertayned her with all her Religious then hauing with her made a long prayer vnto the Virgin Mary and hauing deuoutly visited the altares he made preparation according to his custome vpon the ground and att the ordinary houre they sate downe where for the first course he began so highly to discourse of God that himselfe S. Clare and all the Religious were so rapt in extasie that they were no longer of this world but hauing their eyes lifted vp they were as it were out of themselues Att that instant it seemed to the Burgesses of the citty of Assisium that they saw the house of our Lady of Angels with althe circuit the very Mountaines to burne they seemed also to see an exceeding great fire ouer the monastery much more violent then the rest wherfore they all ran hastely to quench it But being come to the church they found neither fire nor flame but that of the holy Ghost which they considered and very well perceaued in the countenances and aspectes of those whome they found yet fitting and swallowed vp in God with S. Clare and all her companions from whence awaking all finally finding the grace of God they did eat vse litle other thinge being already satisfied and filled with that celestiall food So euery one departed giuing thanckes to God who alwayes offereth and presenteth himselfe to them that in charitie vnite themselues vnto him Saincte Clare retourned to her monasterie of S. Damian wher here Religious receaued her with much consolation because they feared that S. Francis would haue sent her to found some monastery other where as he had done her Sister Agnes whome he had sent to Florence The 31. and 32. chapters are formerlie inserted after the last chap. of the first booke so to obserue the true Order of the life of S. Francis How S. Francis knew that it was the will of God he should helpe to saue soules by his preaching and not only by prayer and how he instituted the Order of Penitents called the thirde Order THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe true seruant of God desiryng to serue his master entierlie in such thinges as should be most gratefull to his diuine maiestie in fidelitie and perfection of life without respect to any kinde of consolation temporall or spirituall there arose a doubt in his spiritt wherof he diuers times conferred with his Brethren in this manner My brethren I beseech you by the charitie which liueth and is amongst you to tell me what I ought to doe and whither of these two exercises you esteeme more to the seruice of God either that I applie my selfe entierlie to prayer or that I also labour in preaching so to instruct the ignorant the way of God I am of litle and simple stature as you see and cannot teach with wordes full of doctrine and withall hauing on the other side receaued a greater grace of God to pray then to speake I would more willinglie applie me to continuall prayer besides that I know by experience that there is a great gaine and a certaine augmentation of grace in prayer wheras to preach is to impart and communicate to others those litle giftes which one receaueth of God prayer is a lustre of good desires and of the pious affections of the soule and a collection of celestiall vertues vnited to the true and supreme good but preaching is to bedust the spirituall feet that is the amourous affections of the hart towardes God which serue as feet and foundation to all the spirituall edifice a man by it detourning himselfe from seuerity of life and rigour of discipline In prayer we speake vnto God and harcken vnto him when he speaketh to vs and leading a life in manner Angelicall we more conuerse in heauen with the Angels then here on earth with men wheras preaching we must alwayes conuerse with men and liue among them to conuert them to tell them the truth and to heare many worldly thinges of them Neuertheles there is one thing in preaching verie contrarie to all these which maketh much in behalfe therof and is worthy of great consideration discouering vnto vs that God maketh esteeme therof which is that his only Sonne who is soueraigne goodnes the only modell of diuine wisdome descended from the bosome of his eternall Father to enstruct the world to teach by his holy example and to preach vnto men the word of saluation wherby he afterwardes saued the predestinate soules washing them with his precious bloud reuiuing them
by his death and maintayning them by his most sacred body in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist not reseruing any thing to himselfe which he did not graciouslie giue vnto vs to further our saluation In that respect we are obliged by his example to doe whatsoeuer we thinck may be pleasing vnto him to leaue all our affections and for a time omitting prayer to applie vs to preaching Further to tell you the truth on the one side mine owne will allureth me to repose on the other I remember when I retourned from Rome wtih the confirmation of the rule God reuealed vnto me that his intention was I should remaine not in desertes but in the world to assist the redemption of many soules from the swallow of the deuill In regard of all these considerations I craue your counsaile because God would neuer reueale it vnto me for I euery day with verie great instance demaund the same of him All the Religious answeared that they were not capable to counsaile and satisfie him therin then calling Brother Macie he said Goe to thy Sister Clare and in my behalfe will her with all her sisters to pray vnto God that he will please to teach me to performe his seruice in this point and hauing done this message goe to Mount Subasio to Brother Siluester who by the holy Ghost is made worthy of diuine discourse and who by his merittes obtayneth of God what grace he pleaseth to him deliuer from me the same message Brother Macie hauing accomplished his commission and retourning S. Francis receaued him with verie great charitie for he washed his feet and made him eat then conducted him to the toppe of a mouutaine where kneeling downe with his head bare and armes crossed he said to Brother Macie What pleaseth my Lord IESVS CHRIST that I doe who answeared that Brother Siluester setling himselfe to prayer assoone as he had spoaken he had reuelation frō God that he had not called him to this vocation for his proper and particuler benefitt but that by meane of his preaching many lost soules might be conuerted to pennance and told him withall that the same had bin reuealed to S. Clare God would haue this matter thus to proceed that euery one might by diuers testimonies know wherfore his diuine Maiesty had sent this his seruant into the world The S. of God standing vpon his feet hauing heard this answeare which he desired to heare on his knees as a resolution from the almighty replenished with the holy Ghost and enflamed in the loue of IESVS CHRIST he answeared Brother Macie lett vs then goe Brother in the name of God and so transported by the holy Ghost he that very houre put himselfe in iorney hauing called Brother Angelus for a third companion he knew not whither he went but committed himselfe to the conduct of the holy Ghost and so he arriued att a towne called Carnerio two leagues from Assisium where he preached to the people with so great a feruour and generall edification that as well the men as women hauing heard him so piously to discourse of the contempt of the world and seing that God spake by him they were so moued that almost all of them would haue abandonned their owne houses and followed him to effect his holy counsailes but that the S. inspired of God willed them not to stirre but that they should liue vprightly in the feare of his diuine Maiesty obseruing his holy commandementes and should educate and trayne vp their children and family christianlike alwayes hoping in God and shunning sinne as their greatest ennemy and told them he would not faile to enstruct thē the way to find pardon att Gods handes But all these wordes were vaine for these people hauing no further power to resist the holy Ghost that boyled in their hart would not yeld to him nor be satisfied till he had receaued them al for Brothers sisters of his order and so by diuine inspiration the glorious Father S. Francis instituted the third order of penitentes which is for personnes of all qualities virgins maryed people widowes of both sex wherof we shall particulerly treat hereafter in the ninth booke of the second part Of the first Chapter of the third Order and of the reuelation made by one possessed vnto S. Francis This was the eight chapter of the ninth book and here placed as a matter particulerly appartayning to sainct Francis THe yeare 1222. there was among others a man of this Order called Bartholameo a Procuratour who hauing heard a sermon of S. Francis was conuerted to God and gaue ouer the processes of the world and being cloathed in the habitt of the third Order he endeauored by a continuall spirituall labour to produce fruites worthy of pennance so that he attayned to such a sanctity of life and familiarity with the holy Father S. Francis that he authorized him in his place for euer to admitt men and women into the third Order It happened that this m◠had accidentally a possessed person in his house that did neuer rest babling neuertheles att the comming of S. Francis he became mute and so continued for three dayes the time of S. Francis his aboad there Which the master of the house found very straunge yet not to molest the holy Father to whome he carryed a singuler reuerence he forbare to discouer any thing vnto him the holy Father being departed and the possessed beginning againe to talke the said Bartholomeo asked him in the name of God why he had bin so mute wherto the possessed resisting and the coniurations augmented att lenght he said know that till that Religious was departed I was so bound of God that I could neuer vtter one word This man of God replyed hath then that Religious so great vertue as for three dayes to make thee mute the possessed answeared it is not long since that our Prince being with all his troupe assembled gaue vs to vnderstand that God had neuer abandonned the world but that he sent it some of his seruantes as Noe Abraham Moyses and att lenght his Sonne himselfe and since that time the charitie of Christians being was so cold that the benefitt of the passion of his Sonne was as it were vtterlie bannished all memorie and consideration wherfore he our Prince much admrred that God did so long foabeare to giue it succoure but when he saw this Religious to issue foorth with such a sublimity of cōtempt of the world and with such a resignation of himselfe vnto God yea to renew the life of IESVS CHRIST on earth drawing after him such a multitude of the world and particulerlie of perfect men he manifestlie knew that this was the man whome he feared to come he therfore excited vs all to persecute him and to that purpose it is not long since that manie thousandes of vs were assembled in an oratorie where we found meanes to ruinate his Order for we will induce therinto the familiarity of women
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
I will glory only in the crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST by which wordes is sufficientlie explicated the sentence of God when he said In your patience you shall possesse your soules Our Lord God the soueraigne Prelat said I come not to be serued but to serue And therfore such as are constituted ouer others ought to glory of such Prelature as if they were constituted to wash the feet of the Religious And when they are depriued their chardge they ought no more to be greiued then if were taken from them said office of washing the of feet such as doe otherwise doe really appropriat to theÌ„selues this dignityin very imminent peril of their soules That seruant of God then is happy who esteemeth himselfe neither greater nor better for being honoured of men yea no otherwise then if he were reputed amonge the most base and abiect for so great as he is before God such is he and no more Wretched is the Religious who being raysed to dignity by an other will not humble himselfe of his owne accord and of his owne will happy is he that is exalted against his will and not hauing procured it and doth neuertheles desire to remayne alwayes in lowe estate and vnder the feet of his subiectes for the loue of God Happy is he that is no more puffed in pride for the good which God doeth or speaketh by him then of that which he doeth or speaketh by others A man offendeth att all times and as often as he procureth to haue more of that which is his neighbours theÌ„ to giue to God of what is his owne We should neuer desire to be superiours and ouer others but to be subiectes and seruanees of all creatures for the loue of God and they who shall doe so may assure themselues that if they perseuer to the end the spiritt of God will rest vpon them and there will make his residence Ye men consider in what excellencie you haue ben created of God who hath created and framed you after his owne image according to the soule and after th' image of his SoÌ„ne according to the body and yet all creatures are much more obedient vnto him then your selues The deuils haue not crucified him which thou being induced by them hast done and dailie doest crucifie him by thy sinnes Wherein then canst thou glory miserable that thou art if thou were indued with all knide of science celestiall terrestriall the deuill hath knowne what appertaineth to heauen better then thou and now though against his will he knoweth more of earthly matters then all mankind together There is no health corporall disposition nor beautie comparable to that which the deuill had Take heed therfore least in abusing it as he did not acknowledging it to proceed of God but of himselfe thou fall as he hath done into the extremest depth of hell Happy is the seruant that treasureth vp the richesse his Loâ—d and master hath giuen him in heauen and expecting the recompence therof regardeth not to demonstrate them heere vnto men but leaueth the cogitation therof to God himselfe who when it shall please him will manifest it more then he would desire Happy then is he that keepeth and concealeth the secrettes of God in his hart How Religious ought to behaue themselues in Oratories and solitary places THE XLIX CHAPTER LEtt those that desire to reside in solitary places there to liue religiously and spiritually be in number foure or more wherof lett two be as mothers that haue two children lett two act the Life of Martha and the others of Magdalen and lett each one haue a celle so that they neither sleep nor conuerse together but when they read their office Lett them be carefull to say their Compline before the Sunne setting that thence forward they may keep silence till they arise in the night to say Mattins Lett them in all thinges first seeke the glory and the kingdome of God and his iustice Lett them say the Prime and Tierce att the ordinary houre which done they may speake each to other of some matter of edification Those said children as poore creatures shall demaund almose of their mother for the loue of God after that lett them say the Sixt Ninth and Euensong att their due houres lett them permitt no person to enter into the Cloyster or enclosure where they reside nor to eat there The mothers shall labour to liue also sequestred from all conuersation and with due obseruance of obedience to their Guardian lett them permitt none to speake to their children but their Guardian when he commeth to visitt them And lett the children sometimes for exercise of humilitie assume the office of Mothers according as the Guardian for their behoofe shall appoint that so they may experience both the one and the other office Happy is that seruant who hath no tast of any other thing then the word of his God and by the same doth excite others to loue him Miserable is that Religious that taketh pleasure in idle and vaine wordes for therbie enducing other to vanitie in imitation of himselfe in steed of edifiyng his neighbour he procureth his ruine Of the care which each one ought to haue of his owne saluation THE L. CHAPTER BRother I haue a secrett to open vnto thee Each of you well knoweth that we are the sonnes of the most high but I now aduertise thee that more then children we are also Spouses brothers and mothers of IESVS CHRIST Spouses when our soule by the vertue of the holie Ghost is vnited with God Brothers when we performe his will we are Mothers when by loue we beare him in our hart with a pure and sincere conscience for we afterward bring him forth both by the pious worckes which we performe and by the example which we giue our neighbour O my brethren it is a glorious admirable and desireable thing to haue such a Spouse Brother Sonne in heauen And more then that a Pastour who hath giuen his soule here on earth for vs his sheep and who continually prayeth the eternall Father for vs saying Holy Father keep them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be thine and may be with me where I shal be that they may enioy my glorie and splendour in my kingdome All they who liue not in penance not being contrite nor receaue not the sacred Sacrament but liue in vices and sinnes and conceaue complacence in their pernicious desires doe not performe vnto God what they haue promised but doe serue the world with their bodies in carnalities and the deuils with their soules being deluded in their contentment by him whose children they are Such people I say are blinded and depriued of the true light of IESVS CHRIST haue not true knowledge for they haue excluded from themselues the wisdome of the eternall Father IESVS CHRIST the soueraine verity though they seeme to see know vnderstand yet doe they neither see know
also must renounce it if not entierlie att least in part Lett vs loue our ennemies and doe good to them that hate vs lett vs obserue the preceptes and counsailes of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST renouncing our selues and liuing vnder the sweet yoke of his obedience Lett vs not be wise according to the flesh but simple humble and pure keeping our sences mortified and pride trodden vnder foot considering our basenes vnworthie to be superiour to others as they would we should be Lett vs imitate our Lord and carry his crosse vpon vs lett vs suffer together with him who hath endured so much for vs wretches in this world and bestoweth on vs so many benefittes and far greater will hereafter and to whome all creatures ought to giue prayse honour and glorie in heauen in earth in the sea and in the depth because he is our vertue and our force who only is good only most high onlie almighty meruaylous and glorious and only holy praysed and exalted for euer Amen I Brother Francis your seruant with the greatest humilitie I can prostrate on the earth and kissing your feet doe beseech you by the bowels of the charitie of God to receaue these wordes and others of our Lord IESVS CHRIST to effect and obserue them with due humilitie and charitie assuring all them that shall receaue vnderstand and effect them and shall by wordes and example teach them to others therein perseuering to the end that the Father the Sonne and holie Ghost will giue him his benediction Amen Of the conditions and qualities in a true Frere Minour taken out of the 10. chapter and 10. booke and placed here as in their due place THe holy Father S. Francis as a good pastour and zealous of the profitt and releife of his sheepe in Euangelicall perfection considered often with himselfe what conditions ought to be in a true and perfect Freer Minor Our Lord hauing reuealed vnto him the perfections of many of his interiour freindes and first disciples in whome he made appeare singuler grace◠he vniting them all together in this sort framed a Frere Minor Lett him haue the faith and loyaulty of Brōther Bernard Quintaualle who had also a most perfect obseruance of pouerty as in his life shall appeare the simplicity and purity of Brother Leo the good manners and good nature of Brother Angelus of Riete who being in the world was a right worthy and cōpleate knight the gracious countenance naturall science and deuout speech of Brother Macie the soule eleuated in contemplation as Brother Giles the perseuerant prayer of Brother Ruffinus who prayed without intermission though he were employed in other affaires it seemed euen when he slept that his soule was with God the patience of Brother Iuniperrus who desired nothing more then to endure and be contemned the Fortitude of Brother Iohn des Landes a man of notorious courage and extreme abstinence the Charitie of Brother Roger and the care of Brother Lucidus who was so sollicitous of soule that when he felt consolation in one place he would repaire to an other to auoyd the setling of his loue in this world whervpon he would say that one must dwell as in an inne with the foot euer readie to putt into the sturrup to prosecute the iorney to heauen Th end of the doctrines Of certaine Miracles wherby our lord confirmed the life and holy doctrine of his Preacher S. Francis THE LII CHAPTER THere happening an extreme drinesse att Beneuentum for want of rayne and wheras euery one expected and feared a great dearth the holy Father S. Francis arryued there and hauing preached and being enformed of their affliction he commaunded each one to say a Pater nostex and Aue Maria which done it rained very abondantlie Preaching an other time in a church neere vnto a pond where were manie frogges which by their croakinges hindred the people from hearing him the holie Father commaunded them to be silent and they in such sort obeyed him that retourning thither an other time and knowing that they had not croaked from the time of the said prohibition he gaue them licence to vse their naturall voice which att the verie instant they began to doe There being a generall procession made in a place called Arona for an extreme drinesse which they endured sainct Francis comming thither began to preach vnto them publikelie in the middes of a feild in the violent scorching sunne whither to the end he and his audience might not be molested our lord sent such a number of swallowes that remayning in the middes of the aire they couered the multitude from the beames of the sunne and stirred not thence till sainct Francis had ended his predication Preaching att Albruzo in a church of the Virgin Marie to excite the people more seriouslie to obserue the word of God there being presented vnto him a child that was crooked lame and mute called Albertus Campoly he with his verie handes streightned his crookednesse and his other maymed members which obeyed him as if they had consisted of soft waxe and composed euerie part aacording to their nature then calling him he made him answeare and of that answeare followed his speech so that he deliuered him perfectlie cured vnto his Father who with verie great faith expected the successe wherevpon he with all the people were inflamed in the true loue of God and yelded infinite thanckes to his diuine Maiestie He cured a dangerous wound in a yong man by the signe of the crosse in the cittie of Castello whither he was brought with great faith that he might signe him with the said signe so that the next morming the flesh being growen where before it was putrified the cicatrice remayned vermillion like a rose in perpetuall memorie of the miracle When the Monasterie was builded for his Religious att Ancona the worckmen wanting wine they murmured and would no longer labour but sainct Francis hauing made his prayer went to a neighbour fountaine the water wherof by the signe of the crosse which he made thereon he tourned into wine then made the labourers to drincke whome he made penitent of their conceaued impatience A gentleman visiting the holie Father in the Church of sainct Christopher att Iterrena and hauing inuited him to eat with him it happened that there was no wine in his house sainct Francis then commanded a botell of vinegar to be drawne and it was seene and knowne to be most precious wine In the same cittie a wall being fallen vpon a yong man that was found dead vnder the stones whiles he was lamented in his Fathers house sainct Francis hauing compassion therof and inspired of God entred in att a back dore and approching to the beare that was vncouered for in Italy the body is carryed to buried clothed as Prelates are here he tooke the dead by the arme and calling him by his name he raised him no otherwise then if he had awaked him from sleep
affirme that the stigmates of the holie seruant of God Francis that were so miraculouslie by diuine Maiestie imprinted on him were fables and ought to be reproued what could he say more He att one same time depriued the holie seruant of God of his honour and glorie yea God himselfe who by a singuler priuiledge and excellent mysterie gaue him those signes and hath depriued vs of aucthoritie and dew respect considering that he hath presumed to impugne our auctoritie for we haue approued the said stigmates not onlie as hauing heard relation therof by personnes worthie of creditt and bin assured therof by verie authenticall written testimonies but ouer selues also haue seene them with our proper eyes and touched them with our verie handes Now we vnderstand that the said Religious is mounted to such audacitie as he presumeth to preach publikelie to the dishonour of the Religious Frere Minors baptising them before the people with the false name and title of dore-begging preachers and lyers adding that they ought to be preuented and excommunicated All these thinges considered we command you in vertue of this present Apostolicall Breuie to suspend the said Religious from the facultie of preaching in what place soeuer he shall appeare and vsing all meanes to gett him into your handes you shall incontinentlie send him vnto vs that we may inflict on him the punishment due to his desert The other Breuy that was directed to the Arch-bishop of Coileigne was thus The diuine wisdome that first framed man according to his flesh to redeeme him by the mystery of his holy Incarnation he also hath adorned his seruant Francis with the same woundes that it is so we with the Colledge of our venerable brethren the cardinals haue approued the same hauing bin assured therof by diuers personnes of vertuous life and haue our selues seene very authentical testimonies therof and besides we haue bin induced by our selues that haue with our owne eyes seene and touched them with our owne handes For which respectes we haue really and with iust reason concluded that it ought to be held for truth wherfore we command you that vnderstanding this our intention and probation of them you also publikelie approue them and not to permitt any within your diocesse to contradict them Pope Alexander the fourth that saw them made also a Breuie in approbation of them and commanded the Frere Minors neuer to leaue the Oratorie of Mount Aluerne where theire holie Father had receaued so singuler a gift of God Pope Benedict the second ordayned by a Breuie that the Frere Minors should celebrate the feast and say the office of the said sacred stigmates of the glorious Father sainct Francis All which testimonies and manie other which for breuitie I omitt we were willing to insert in this place because the malice of enuie that wil be of as long continuance as the world had enforced vs therto by reason that so admirable a miracle ought not to be related without due circumstances and proofes to make mute the perfidious tongues of the euill minded enuious Of the zeale of the honour of God and saluation of soules which the holy Father sainct Francis had after the impression of the sacred stigmates and of the figures precedent THE LX. CHAPTER THis glorious Sainct hauing felt in his proper flesh the dolours paine of the passion of God and as it were partlie experienced of what deere price soules were vnto the Sonne of God he to loose no time began incontinentlie to trauaile ouer all cittyes and townes instructing by meane of prayer preaching and the example of good life God assisting with merueillous miracles in testimonie of his docttine to redeeme the precious soules of poore Christians out of the mouth of the perfidious Lucifer he being armed with these weapons of the crosse that alwayes ouerthrow euerie ennemie corporall and spirituall of the elect of God who continuallie gett the victorie And as a new Legat deputed of his diuine maiestie he carryed with him the sea le of the soueraigne bishop IESVS CHRST wherwith he confirmed his doctrine and his worckes Therby did he trulie appeare to be sent of God wherfore he not onlie found no contradiction where he went but was exceeding gratefull to all all personnes Besides that this is also worthy of merueillous consideration that as in all thinges deseruing perpetuall memorie for being of great consequence it semeth that his diuine Maiestie alwayes obserued three condicions prophesying or figuring them precedently approuing them by good testimonies with the rumour of present renowme and confirming them afterward by diuine signes and miracles in like sort would he obserue three conditions in this singuler fauour wherof the rumour renowme and manifest proofe being seene for the time present and the miracles afterward it resteth now that we demonstrate the figure by which this singuler act hath in a certaine manner bin many times prophesied First it seemed to be signified by the vision of the glittering and resplendant soules marcked with the signe of the crosse of whome God constituted him his captaine in the beginning of his conuersion The same also seemed to be signified by the vision of the crucisix that interiourly transpearced his soule with excessiue sorrow with the voice that told him he must repaire his holy church And it was also signified by the crosse which Brother Siluester saw to come out of his mouth that expelled the dragon of hell Againe it was denoted by the vision which Brother Pacificus had before he was conuerted when he saw two glittering swordes that made a crosse vpon his brest Finally it was signified by the apparition which S. Francis made att the Chapter of Arles in forme of a crosse in the aire giuing his benediction to the Religious there assembled Lett no man therfore presume to contradict so certaine a truth denounced and prophesied by figures seene visibily touched palpably approued by the church iustlie and finally by IESVS CHRIST confirmed by so many miracles in earth and in heauen Of the new seruour and merueillous patience of the sainct THE LXI CHAPTER THe holy Father S. F. finding himselfe enriched with so glorious a treasure made his habitt to be lengthened as much as was possible to couer the same and began thenceforward to carry a staffe wherwith he walked about the house though verie seldome being vnable by reason of the sacred woundes to sett his feet on the ground It is admirable to consider that as in the two first yeares of his conuersion before he founded the Order he carryed a staffe so he began againe to carry it two yeares before his death that he might end by the walking staffe as a true Pilgrime on earth albeit he had left it vpon obseruation of the worde of IESEVS CHRIST who commanded his disciples not to carry it in their iorney signifying that they should not relye on any fauour of the world vnderstood by the staffe or stalke of a reed
learne and exercise themselues not vnder hope of gaine but to giue good example and to shunne idlenes and if such suffice not to sustaine you I will that you haue recourse to the most abondant table of our Lord IESVS CHRIST that is to demaund almose att the dores alwayes giuing the benediction which God att first reuealed vnto me to witt The peace of God be in this house and in all them that dwell therin Lett them neuertheles take heed that they receaue nothinge as proper to themselues for neither will I that there be receaued in common either house or church that may be tearmed ours but as shal be agreable to the pouertie and simplicity of our Order which we promise to God in our vowes But lett vs all continue in this life as true pilgrimes and straungers I command all vnder obedience that in what soeuer place they be they doe not presume to demaund any kinde of priuiledge or exemption from the court of Rome either themselues or any person in their behalfe for their Churches or other places neither vnder apparence of intention to preach nor as being persecuted in their bodyes but if they cannot obserue their rule in some one place lett not their demaund be therfore admitted but lett them goe other where to doe penance with the benediction of God I was alwayes resolute to obey the Generall of this Order and the Guardian that haue bin constitued ouer me since I renounced the chardge in such sort as I would neuer attempt to make choice of my residence nor to doe any thing without his licence because he is my master And although I be simple and infirme I would alwayes haue a Clerck to performe vnto me the diuine office as the rule importeth I will likewise that all the other Religious be obedient to the Generall to the Prouinciall and Guardian and that they all read their office according to the rule And if any one be euer so hardy as to presume to alter the office or to hold opinion contrarie to the holy Catholike Romane Church I will that all the other Religious in whatsoeuer place they be shal be obliged by obedience to apprehend him and committ him to secure gaâ—d and so send him to the Prouinciall or Generall who shall present him to our Protectour in such sort as he may not escape and he shall giue him punishment according to his desert And lett none affirme this to be a new rule for it is onlie a remembraÌ„ce and an exhortation which I poore Brother Francis leaue you as a testament that the said rule may better and more Catholikely be obserued And because I will that the minister generall with the other ministers and Guardians be obliged not to adde nor substract from these wordes but that this my testament be putt with the rule and be read to my Brethren Preistes and laitie I doe further commaund all vnder obedience that none presume to glose vpon the rule nor this present testament affirming that it must be vnderstood after such or such manner but as God hath made me vnderstand it simplie lett them also vnderstand it simply without glose and lett it be conserued perpetually to the end And I beseech the omnipotent goodnes that all they who shall religiously and exactlie obserue these thinges may here on earth be filled with the benediction of his Beloued Sonne with the holy Ghost the Conforter and with all the blessed Angels and Sainctes and afterwardes on high in heauen with the benediction of the most soueraigne celestiall Father And I Brother Francis your wretched and vnworthy seruaunt in our Lord giue my benediction to those that shall obserue it as I haue formerlie said in the behalfe of God the Virgin Mary and all the Angels and SS of God in heauen and in earth in the name of the most soueraigne Father of his beloued Sonne and of the holy Ghost the Conforter So be it Amen Of the supper which the glorious Father S. Francis made with all his children and of the last benediction which he gaue them THE LXIX CHAPTER AFter he had made this last testament his sicknes so encreased that his present death was generallie expected but encourageing himselfe in God he called all the Religious that were in the Monastery who being come and perceauing that the holy Father intended to giue them his last benediction they fell all on their knees bathing the earth with their teares and thundering out loud cryes and sighes towardes heauen S. Francis with a melted hart wept together with them and he seemed to haue recouered some litle part of his sight and so laying his hand on their heades by one and one and firmely beholding them he blessed them then afterward he began to blesse them all together as well the present as the absent and all those that should enter into his holy Religion lamenting that he could not haue them all present in regard of his extreme loue vnto them which exceeded that of a mother towardes her children himselfe also hauing engendred them in IESVS CHRIST And the more to comfort them he caused bread to be brought which he diuided in pieces in imitation of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and gaue to each a piece bidding them to eat it for his loue att this his departure Then were there teares redoubled many of them did not eat all their portion but did reserue some part therof which afterwardes was effectuall in restoring desired health to such as were disealed which done this holie Father for his last aduertisement recommended that holy place to his Vicare Generall and to all the rest admonishing them neuer to abandon it but that if they were extruded att one dore they should enter in att an other alleadging that the place was holie and the true habitation of God of the glorious Virgin Marie of the Angels and Sainctes of the liuing God and that therfore they had so miraculouslie multiplied there where they had bin illuminated in his seruice for the saluation of so many soules wherfore he doubted not but whatsoeuer should in that place be demaunded of his diuine maiestie with a pure and contrite heart should alwayes be obtayned who also would not faile greiuously to chastice such as should offend in that sacred place being the true habitation by grace of the celestiall Court the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Of the blessed and glorious death of the holy Father S. Francis THE LXX CHAPTER THe fourth of October in the yeare 1226. vpon a Saterday in the euening twenty yeares after his Conuersion and the fiue and fortieth of his age the holy Father hauing bin verie aptly cutt squared and accommodated by the hard stroakes of tribulations temptations afflictions incommodities and infirmities as a liuelie and firme stone that should be placed in the principall corners of the supreme Citty of the celestiall Hierusalem he heard the voice of his sweet Lord that called him vnto him Then to make publike
carryed away on a fiery chariott by reason of his ferueÌ„t zeale of charity he in like sort made him famous on earth after his death as in the third book shall appeare curing the deafe the blinde maymed and leapers by his merittes expelled deuils from the bodies of the possessed loosed imprisoned captiues deliuered women in trauaile and child-bed helped all sortes of diseases as also trauaillers by sea that were deliuered safe and sound from the depth of the Ocean in the time of horrible tempestes which disaster by their sinnes they had deserued finally raysing the dead as in his life time he had reduced many to diuine grace In such sort that God made him to be alwayes present with the vertue of heauen vnto such as with an ardent faith did inuocate him whome he freed of all their dangers to the praise and glorie of his diuine Maiestie and of his glorious seruant sainct Francis Here ensue many apparitions and miracles of the holy Father S. FraÌ„cis wrought after his death with a catologue of his vertues for which he merited such notable guiftes of his diuine Maiestie This was dispersed throughout but the translatour hath collected it here placed it as in place proper perticuler to S. Francis And first of an admirable manner wherin S. Francis appeared to Brother Leo taken out of the sixteenth chap. of the sixt booke SOme time after the death of the glorious Father S. Francis Brother Leo vnable any longer to support the absence of his deerely beloued Father began with the most affection he could to pray almighty God that he would voutsafe to shew him his deere master and to obtaine the same he retired himselfe into a solitarie place where he continuallie persisted fasting weeping and afflicting himselfe Vpon this occasion the holie Father who affected those that were his more internallie being in heauen then he had done on earth appeared vnto him exceeding ioyfull and resplendant hauing a paire of winges as feathers of gold the nailes of his feet and handes were as those of an eagle likewise of gold Brother Leo was filled with ioy and consolation yet exceedinglie amazed att the rariety of those feathers and nailes wherfore hauing done him reuerence and kissed his feet and handes he prayed him to let him vnderstand what the feathers and nayles might signifie The Sainct answeared among manie graces which God hath giuen me this is one that I assist my Religious and such as are affected vnto myne Order and that I may be instantlie present att their affections when they haue recourse vnto me and also to assist the carriage of their soules to heauen I haue the vse of these winges and nayles not only to cause the deuils to fly but euâ—n to wound them and to chastice the Brethren that grow negligent and trouble mine Order and such as persecute it be they Religious or seculer Of an other vision that the said Brother Leo had of the vniuersall iudgment wherein S. Francis made intercession taken out of the 17. chapter of the sixt booke BRother Leo vpon an other time in vision saw preparation to the generall and last iudgement of God in a great feild where the Angels sounded their trumpettes to assemble all the world and there were instantly placed two ladders that reached euen from the earth to the throne where the sonne of God was to sitt the one was white the other red Our Lord incontinentlie appeared in vehement choller vpon the redladder theatening as if he had bin greiuously offended He seemed to see S. Francis come downe on the said red ladder and call his Religious whome he animated to present themselues couragiously att which voice many of his Religious began boldlie to ascend the said ladder But how it chaunced he knew not they all fell to the ground wherfore S. Francis began to pray vnto God for them and God shewing him his woundes renewed distilling out bloud abondantlie answeared Thy Religious haue procured me all this S. Francis yet desisted not to pray him againe to shew them mercie and then called them againe saying make an other attempt to ascend and feare not nor be you terrified that you haue already fallen but repose confidentlie in God without dispaire and ascend by the other white ladder which doeing they found att the toppe therof the glorious Virgin Mary who ioyfully receaued them and procured them all entrance into Paradise How the glorious Father S. Francis appeared to Iohn de Brenne king of Hierusalem and Emperour of Constantinople whome he caused to take his habitt and to die therein Taken out of the eleuenth chapter of the tenth booke THe Count of Vienna called Iohn de Brenne was a most vailliant knight and worthy Catholique he was of the race of Godfry of Bullen first king of Hierusalem as himselfe was also crowned within Tyre the yeare 1â—10 he obtayned manie notable victories against the ennemies of IESEVS CHRIST as against the Mores in Syria and against the Soldan of AEgipt from whome art lenght he tooke Damietta which afterwardes he lost againe with all his armie through default of an Apostolicall Legatt that was in his camp Wherevpon retourning to require helpe of the Christian Princes of Europe and passing Sicilia he maryed one of his daughters to the Emperour Federick the second vpon condition that he should assist him in the enterprise of the holy land and for dowry gaue him the title of king of Hierusalem together with all the iurisdiction and authority he had there thence is it that the kinges of Sicilia haue euer since challenged and enioyed this title but the Emperour did not only not assist him but proued his aduersary so that being in miserie he entred into the seruice of Pope Gregory the ninth and then contracted amity with the holy Father S. Francis where God assisting him he continued not long but was called from Greece to be gouernour of Constantinople where marying an other of his daughters to their Emperour Baudouin that was yet a childe he resigned his Empire vnto him as a worthy protectour and coadiutor principallie after the said mariage He gouerned that contry very prudently all the time of his life which was about seauen yeares and then dying as hereafter we shall relate he againe resigned the Empire very peaceable to his Sonne in law This worthy captaine of IESVS CHRIST both corporall and spirituall hauing alwayes in memory the end of his life did very instantly demaund of God that he would please to inspire him to end his dayes in this seruice and in such sort as should be most acceptable vnto him wherfore after many prayers the holy Father S. Francis appeared one night vnto him hauing in his hand a very poore habitt with the corde and sandales and said Iohn thou must dye with this habitt wherwith being exceedingly amazed he awakened yet discouered it not to any person The two nightes following he had againe the same vision and the third sauing that the
had bin made att that verie hower with the hard nayle vpon the bare flesh and the bloud appeared exceeding full of life O happy were the soules that were held worthy to see in his seruant what they could not see in their Lord IESVS CHRIST and more when afterwardes they saw his sacred handes which his Holines discouered and saw pearced as the feet and hauing also the like nailes we also kissed them laying our impure lippes onthe sacred bloud that was yet very fresh which made vs to poore out teares that so abondantly fell from our eyes as that they hindered our cōtentment for we could not tast nor enioy the same according to our wish our eyes were so troubled that we often saw not that precious treasure But who cā euer explicate the motiō of our vnderstāding the abstractiō of our spiritt the melting of our sences and the faintnes of our corporall forces procured by this precious sight O thrice happy the mouthes of vs so greiuous sinners wherwith we were permitted to kisse that sacred wound of his foot with such interiour cōsolation as none could be more But seauen fold more hapy the Pope who alone kissed the wound of his side flowered as a fresh rose consequētly his very mouth whervpon he graciously vttered these wordes O most worthy excellēt memoriall of our redemption wherwith the eternall God would that conformably to our Lord I. C. the glorious Father S. Fr. should be deputed aliue dead to represent to the world euen till the last day of iudgmēt the signe of his dolorous passion O holy woundes first endured by the Sonne of God for the sinnes of men and after for our benefitt renewed in his holy seruant Francis O most gracious God! to whome hast thou euer shewē such loue but to this thy most faithful seruant Blessed sainct thou hast really carryed the triumphant stander of the crosse together with the liuely marckes of his passion Finally thou alone hast ben elected and found worthy to be pearced in true imitation of our Lord I. C. differing from him only in this that he receaued his woundes of the wicked Iewes and thou of our Redeemer I. C. O extreme benefite O singuler gift O ineffable prerogatiue Fr. who taught thee to serue God in what new scoole was it performed and by what merueillous doctrine Of what master hast thou learned to moūt to so high a degree of perfection that neuer S. of either sex could equall thee in the giftes of God The Pope vttered these and many other wordes being rauished out of himselfe in the presence of this S. of God himselfe together with vs bathinge the pauement of that holy place with abondance of our teares Now we so persisted in these sweet cōceiptes that whē we least thought theron one aduertised vs that it was neere day and that it was necessary for vs to depart to shutt vp the hole of the sacred sepulcher dexteriously which touched our hart as a deadly wound the space of six or seauen howers that we were there seeming to haue flowen and not passed away Making therfore some litle prayer more and recommending our selues to the S. the Pope first goeing out we all followed but not till we had opened the two vaultes in the two other arches where we saw the two other glorious bodies of his disciples entier also and very odoriferous but much lesse then that of their master hauing their habittes of sackcloth Att the entry we saw the body of the blessed Brother Giles then we came foorth and the Guardian shutt the dores praying his Holines to keepe the same in great secresie which he promised him and commāded vs also the same This my freind Iames was the cause of my inuocation that night when I cryed O Francis Francis hauing yet hope yea very confident that he wil be protectour of my soule before God att my departure But it seemeth indeed very admirable that this glorious S. had not procured his recouery but that he might haue declared this his glory to many his deuoted freindes that much desired to vnderstand it for this discourse ended he began so to decay that he dyed the night following leauing assured testimony of this truth considering that it is not to be beleeued nor thought nor is it probable that aman especially such as this being in the conflictes of death would for his pleasure and without occasiō faine a false matter the time so neere when he should most stricktly render an account vnto God who seuerely condemneth the culpable and ill-deseruers as he crowneth the sainctes his elected here on earth but much more in heauen there glorifiyng their bodies their soules with his glorious vision eternally whither I beseech him by his grace to conduct vs where he is three and one and liueth and raigneth world without end Amen The end of the second booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS CONTAYNING A TREATISE OF S. Bonauenture of certaine miracles of the glorious Father S. Francis after his death With a discourse of the Author of the degrees wherby the S. attained to perfection Translated by the parties afore mentioned Of the miracle of the Stigmates THE FIRST CHAPTER TO the honour and glory of almighty God and the blessed Father S. Francis Being to write certaine miracles of his wrought after his glorification in heauen we haue determined to begin with that immensiue priuiledge giuen him by our Lord IESVS CHRIST honouring him with the signe of the crosse and passion This glorious Father S. Francis was then eminent by a new miracle when he appeared charactered and illustrated with so singuler a priuiledge neuer before graunted to any creature I meane the sacred woundes of our Lord which made his mortall bodie like to that of IESVS CHRIST crucified the sacred stigmates considered wherof whatsoeuer any humane tongue can expresse is litle or nothinge in comparison of so sublime and worthy a mystery wrought by his diuine maiesty in his faithfull seruant Francis that this signe of the crosse which he alwayes carryed imprinted in his hart from the beginning of his conuersion might also exteriourly appeare in his body entierly vnited in the said crosse and that as his soule was interiourly vested with IESVS CHRIST the habite of a penitent which he tooke representing the image of the crosse the body also might in like sort be inuested with the said sacred signe and that with such colours and distinctions he might the more couragiously serue his God as his principall Capitaine in the spirituall warre and army wherin God had ouercome the powers of spirituall ennemies Yea and diuers misteries of the crosse appeared in the S. from his first beginning in spirituall warfare as in the discourse of his life plainely appeareth by the diuers apparitions of the crosse which he had And for farther assurance of the verity of so admirable a fact God did not only giue testimonies worthy of creditt
CHAPTER THe couragious Seruantes of IESVS CHRIST being presented before the parlemental seate of the Mores with their handes manicled behinde their backes all bloudy and embrued with the blowes giuen them by the people the cheife president made them this demaund Obstinate men and temerariours ennemies of our faith whence are you whence come ye what is your designe whence proceedeth such a presumption thus to blaspheme our great Prophet The SS answeared that they were by nation Italians and came froÌ„ Portugal but said the president who permitted you to enter into this kingdome so presumptuously and boldly heere to preach a new doctrine cotrarie to the faith of the Mores Brother Otto a Preist constantly answeared that as for their preaching it came from God who is to be obeyed rather then men because said they our Lord IESVS CHRIST is the Creatour Redeemer and soueraigne master to whome whatsoeuer is in the world is subiect and none is able to resist his holie will he hath left vs this commandement that we should vniuersally preach his holy gospell therfore are we come to preach to your king and to your selues to denounce vnto you the wordes of life that being illuminated with diuine grace you may discerne in what errour you are to come afterward to the true way of saluation as we shall demonstrate vnto you if you please to giue vs audience Besides we are sent hither by our Generall Brother Francis who as well by himselfe as by his Religious trauelleth ouer all the world to preach vnto Insidels by an exceeding loue and desire of the saluation of soules that induceth him the true way of faith notwithstanding you carry vs so great an hatred The president answeared you poore blinded ignorant wretches deceaued as ye are to esteeme them for vtterly lost that follow not your doctrine but tell me a litle what is that truth which you haue found and whither it be possible that there may be an other way of saluation then what we professe Brother Otto replenished with the holy Ghost replyed IESVS CHRIST is the soueraine verity and the true and only way that can conduct to the port of saluation by meane of his holy faith which consisteth in belieuing him to be God and man God three and one Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and true man borne of the Virgin Mary Creatour of all this frame of the world true man conioyned to the diuinity and Redeemer of all the men in the world that were already lost and condemned by the sinne of Adam in which humanity he conuersed with all he instructed all and saued all those that would belieue in him both then att this present and euen till the day of the last iudgement he suffered death and passion to pay by his precious bloud our proper and particuler faultes and incontinentlie after arose againe to conduct vs all also to heauen whence he shall come hereafter to iudge on earth the liuing and dead he shall then come in his maiestie where neither humane forces nor richesse nor kingdomes nor Empires shall in any sort preuaile man being obliged to stand naked and alone accompanyed only with his worckes good or euill according to which he shall iudge him giuing to his SS eternall glory in heauen and to others that would not belieue in him eternall fire in hell The President smiling said And how know you these thinges to be so certaine as you auouch them Brother Otto answeared By the testimony of the holy scriptures dictated by the holie Ghost which haue reuealed vnto vs this verity by testimonie I say of the Patriarches and Prophâ—ttes of the old testament as also by the doctrine and testimony of our Redeemer IESVS who is the way out of which there is none att all the truth out of which is nothing but deceipt and the life out of which is only death likewise by the predication of his holy Apostles confirmed by manie great miracles which propheties for the most part are fulfilled and only remaine those that are for the end and consummation of the world in such sort as we ought also to belieue their doctrine and with greater reason and foundation then you haue for your superstition considering that you belieue only vpon the writing of your false prophett Mahomet which is not assured or confirmed by any testimony more then his simple deceiptfull and lying word and we besides the said confirmations and accomplishmentes of matters foretold by our Prophetes haue infinite miracles wrought by our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST and his holâ—e Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgins that giue vs proofe of the holy yea most holie and most assured faith for we haue seene to be cured an infinite number of diseased personnes infinite possessed creatures deliuered the necessarie vse of members restored to the maymed the blind illuminated hearing and speech restored to infinite deafe and dumme leapers cleansed and purified and finally the dead already putrified to be raised which you caÌ„not auouch of your false Mahomett therfore reiecting this vaine and abhominable beleife embrace ours approued by so many tokens and testimonies diuine and humane flye this manyfest illusion take from before your eyes this false cloud that obscureth them only by reason that you are borne in such an accursed law and nusled therin for beleeue that as soone as you shall begin to giue place in your hart to the holy Ghost you shall interiourly feele such a light and force that you will after doe more of your selues the we can by wordes expresse and by your example you shall open then gate of saluation to the simple people Take knowledge therfore with me I beseech you how your miserable prophett leadeth you together with himselfe to eternall damnation by meanes of many of his falsities and sinnes that he hath taught you which are out of the true and only way of saluation And if you desire to saue your soules you must necessarily follow the true light of life which is ready to illuminate each one and resist no longer the holy Ghost that calleth you to his kingdome Of the constancy of the fiue Martyrs in their tormentes and how they were visited in prison by our Lord. THE XIII CHAPTER BVt the President hearing this notable discourse and fearing the people might be conuerted by such pregnant reasons filled with a zeale towards his owne law proposed vnto the holy Martyrs one of these two elections either that they should yeld honour and glory to his Prophett for the blasphemies they had vttered against him and should freely preach his law or els should prepare themselues to endure such cruell tormentes as should enforce their death Wherto Brother Otho replenished with exceeding ioy for the desired aduertisement they heard of Martyrdome answeared if feare of death would terrify vs we should perhappes aduise to admitt your law as many miserable wretches that for feare to loose this traÌ„sitory life loose the eternall But our Redeemer hath strengthened and
greatest part of the men of that miserable kingdome but three yeares after the want of raine the king together with his Councell acknowledged that God sent that punishment vpon them in reuenge of his holy Martyrs and therfore he ordayned a generall assembly of all his people in the place where the Martyrs had bin tortured and that in the same publicke place they should crye towardes heauen inuocating them asking them pardon and imploring their mercy which they performed with such confidence that presently there began miraculously to discend a gentle sweet raine by meane wherof the dearth and plague by litle and litle ceased And then did the king permitt the Christians in his kingdome to haue a bishop with condition that he should be of the Order of S. Francis and might publikly preach our gospell and withall consented to haue a Church builded in Marroccho where the sacramentes might be administred conformably to our Catholique and Romane Religion How sainct Francis hauing vnderstood of the Martyrdome of his children with thanck fulnes to almighty God gaue his benediction to the Monastery of Alenquer THE XXV CHAPTER THe greatest contentment that S. Francis had euer receaued of his Order was to heare of the Martyrdome of his fiue religious whervpon hauing praysed and thancked God he spake these wordes Now may I confidently affirme that I haue fiue Frere Minors Then blessing the Monastery of Alenquer because they hauing long time resided there departed thence to goe to their Martyrdome he said Be thou blessed O place of the most high which hast as it were engendred and produced to the king of heauen fiue faire flowers of the colour of the rose and of bloud of a sauour more then sweete which are fiue true Frere Minors the first fruites of this Order Would to God the Religious that shal be resident here might for euer exactly keepe the rule of our Order Of a miracle wrought by the reliques of the holy Martyrs against an Apostolike legat that endeauoured to withdraw the people from their honour and veneration because they were not as yet canonized THE XXVI CHAPTER ATt this very time as the reliques of the said holy Martyrs were exceedingly honoured of the Spainardes it fell out that a legatt of the holy Siege was present who seeing what deuotioÌ„ the people had to the said holy Martyrs moued with an indiscreet zeale not considering the canonization which IESVS CHRIST had made in heauen of the Martyrs that had bin publiquely martyred nor the miracles that had followed therevpon he began to cry to the people rebuking them as ignorant and forbad them any more to make their prayers to the said reliques and att the very instant he was aduertised that his Mule which waited for him before the Church was sodenly fallen dead and thincking to goe fee the manner therof he was immediatlie surprised with so vehement an ague that it enforced him to acknoweledge his fault and the pride which caused him so rashlie to speake against the holie Martyrs whose reliques he went to visitt and falling on his knees among the people acknowledgeing the punishment of God he cryed out a loud O holy Martyrs I confesse that you are canonized in heauen and because God will haue you honoured and reuerenced on earth I repent and confesse the errour of my tongue and begge pardon of you for t and doe promise that I will henceforward be the foremost and most carefull that shall visitt your reliques and in whatsoeuer place I shall be I will celebrate your merittes A strange euent these wordes vttered he arose from the ground very sound and his mule formerly supposed for dead to the great astonishment and contentmet of each one arose againe and this made the reliques of the sainctes more famous How by the intercession of the said sainctes a gentleman was deliuered from death THE XXVII CHAPTER A Poore gentleman of Conimbria was vnexpectedly assaulted by his ennemies neere vnto the Monastery of sainct Crosse so that he ran towardes it to saue himselfe but being two forcibly followed he could not time enough gett in but was enuironed by them so that he hauing no other remedy but the inuocation of God by the merittes of the holy Martyrs they gaue him as many stabbes and thrustes as they would without any defence of his sauing the couering with his cloake in such sort as he lay for lead in the place The people that came next that way carryed him â—pped in his cloake as they found him in to the said Church there to â—ury him but as soone as he was entred into the same he stood vp on his feet very sound and confessed aloud that the holy Martyrs had till defended him and therfore together with the people he repaired o their chappell to giue them thanckes Of the institution of the procession which is made euery yeare in the month of Ianuary wherin the men goe all naked to visitt the holy Martyrs of Conimbria for hauing bin by their intercession cured of the plague THE XXVIII CHAPTER IN the Bishoperick of Conimbria there is a towne called Fala where there fell so cruell and contagious a plague that it dispeopled the whole towne for the inhabitantes were all either dead â—r fled sauing one man already infected with the disease and halfe dead who seeing himselfe alone and in such extremity hauing alwayes ben very deuout to the holy Martyrs he had then with an exceeding strong faith his recourse vnto them and made them this vow That if by their intercession he were cured of that disease he would euery yeare on the sixt of Ianuary being the day of their feast att Conimbria goe visitt their reliques a foot and all naked as long as he should liue and would take order that after his death one of his family should goe thitherin the same manner and withall would endeauour to persuade all the other families of the said towne to doe the like This vow being made he was so effectually heard that att the very instant he found himselfe more sound and strong then euer neither did there any one more dye out of that place whereto he caused many from abroad to retourne and so it was by litle and litle repeopled afterward his fellow Cittizens accorded to his vow yea this deuotion so encreased that the neighbour inhabitants and many personnes of note gentlemen and others accustomed from thence as is continued to this present in procession to visitt the holy reliques on bare foot with an exceeding deuotion in the most rigorous season of winter And how soeuer the season proue the sixt of Ianuary being the day of their Martyrdome though it raine freeze or snow neuer so much they omitt not this pilgrimage Now the order of this procession is thus On the said day all the Confraternity assemble att the Couent of the Frere Minors that is without the citty of Conimbria on the other side of the bridge and there about nine of the
clock they stripp themselues naked sending their cloathes to the Monastery of S. Crosse leauing on their bodies only linnen breeches of very meane cloth to couer their naturall parts and a capuce of cloth to hide their face or a handkirchefe and so they goe in procession through the middest of the cittye to the said church of S. Crosse where hauing offered their prayers very deuoutly together they passe through the Cloister to enter into a great house adioyning where they reattire themselues and then each one departeth att his pleasure The 29. chapter is put after the 39. of this booke as a place more proper vnto it The history of seauen Martyrs att Cepte How seauen Frere Minors departed from Italy to goe to preach the faith of Iesus Christ vnto the Insidels THE XXX CHAPTER SAinct Antony of Padua and others haue left in record that seauen Frere Minors were ioyned together to goe into Tuscane a Prouince of Italy whence they demanded leaue of Brother Helias then viare generall of the Order to goe into Spaine to preach to the Mores he names of these Religious were Brother Daniel Br. Angelus Br. Saâ—uel Br. Danulus Br. Leo Br. Nicolas and Br. Vgolin they arriued att Arragon hauing elected for their superiour Br. Daniel Prouinciall of Caâ—bria hauing found a vessell ready prepared for that place could neuer â—btaine permission of the patron therof to carry more then three Religious with him so that he was constrained to leaue three to come afer him He being arriued att Cepte with his three companions did not beginne to preach to the Mores till the arriuall of his Brethren which was on the last day of September and in the meane time they preached to diuers strange merchantes and other Christians that from all partes flocked thither When they were all assembled they began to discourse and conferre together what might be the rediest meane for them to profitt in the saluation of the soules of the Mores or to pourchace Martyrdome reiecting farre all humane feare and fortifying themselues with a great feruour of spiritt and an ineffable zeale of their neighbours good And hauing till then remayned without the towne with other Christians that were not permitted to enter they resolued to steale in secretly without the knowledge of any person that they might not be hindered by the Christians who could haue stayed them or aduertised the Mores who would haue forbidden their entry How the seauen Martyrs preached the faith of Iesus Christ to the Mores by whome they were abused and imprisoned THE XXXI CHAPTER BEing thus encouraged mutuallie by each other in our Lord IESVS CHRIST they began one friday by deuout and feruent prayers to prepare themselues and on the saterday the six were confessed by their superiour who confessed to an other then they communicated and receaued the sacred body of our Redeemer spending the rest of the day in pious deuotions And the sonday morning replenished with the grace of the holy Ghost they entred very early into the citty where they began to preach freely and loudly vnto the Mores admonishing them to abandon the false beleefe of Mahomet and to embrace the true faith of our Redeemer IESVS The Mores admiring the confidence wherwith they spake began first gently to reprehend them then rudely to iniury them but seeing these good Religious did perseuer in this pious predication they did buffet and beat them outragiously then hauing bound them they brought them before the kinge where they continued their preaching freely confessing the true faith of IESVS CHRIST and giuing him remonstrance of the deceatefulnes treachery of the law of the accursed Mahomet which he must of necessity forsake if he would saue his soule The king beholding theÌ„ so poorly attired and considering their feruour iudged them to be fooles as did all his Courtiers But in regard they had presumed to preach against his law he imprisonned them and cast them into a dungeon where they were loaden with heauy chaines of Iron Manicles and fetters which exceedinglie afflicted them for they remayned there eight entier dayes in which time they endured much and in diuers manners Of a letter which the 7. Martyrs wrote to the Christians of Cepte THE XXXII CHAPTER NOw these holy Religious desirous to shunne idlenes wrote this letter vnder inserted to the Christians residing in the suburbes of Cepte which they addressed to Brother Hugo Preist and Curat of Geneuois and to other Religious one of the Order of Preachers and the other a Frere Minor who were newly arryued in Africa to administer the sacramentes to the Christians there and to worck the saluation of their soules the said letter was thus Blessed be God the Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST Father of mercy and God of all consolations who comforteth vs all in our afflictions and appointed to our Father Abraham the Ramme he was to sacrifice and permitted him to trauell a pilgrime on earth and reputed his faith for iustice wherfore he merited the title of the friend of God teaching vs therby to appeare and become fooles before the world to please and proue wise in sight of the diuine maiesty And therfore saith he vnto vs Goe preach the Ghospell vnto all Creatures and tell them the seruant ought not to be greater then the master And if you be persecuted that they haue persecuted me likewise with which wordes we his least and vnworthy seruantes being moued haue left our contry and are come hither to preach for the glory of God and the benefitt of our soules to the edification of faithfull Christians and the confusion of obstinate Infidels as the Apostle saith we being vnto God a pleasing odour we are to some an odour of life and to others an odour of death which could not be vnderstood but that our Sauiour said If I had not come and had not preached vnto them they had not sinned We are entred into this citty of Cepte to preach his name and his holie faith before the people and the king himselfe who reputing vs sencelesse hath imprisoned vs it hath seemed expedient vnto vs to aduertise you hereof And albeit that by the grace of God we endure much here we are neuertheles exceedinglie comforted in our Lord in whose diuine Maiestie we haue a strong and assured confidence that he will please to accept our life for a gratefull sacrifice and therfore to him be giuen glorie and honour for euer How the holy Martyrs were againe presented to the king before whome they constantly preached the saith THE XXXIII CHAPTER THe sonday following which was the sixt of October in the morning the kinge caused the holy Religious to be taken out of prison and presented before him then prayed them to deny what they had vttered against his Prophett Mahomet and his law But they constantly answeared that they could not say otherwise then they had done sith it was truth it selfe on the contrary they exhorted himselfe to abandon his extreme
length by the holie Ghost conducted to Padua where he had formerly much profited In respect wherof he was very particulerlie loued and reuerenced of the inhabitantes of that citty and therfore when he began to preach there againe such was the confluence of people that pressed to heare him that he was forced to preach in a spacious field without the Cittie there being no Church capable of the people that from all partes flocked thither though there were some verie great Wherfore from the beginning of Lent the deuill perceauing the great fruit which he did and would produce he tooke him and so wrested and crushed his throat that as he after confessed to his companion if the sacred virgin whome he inuocated had not assisted him appearing vnto him with a great light and to his confort he had bin strangled but arming himselfe with the signe of the crosse and so deliuered from the ambushes of the deuill he gaue infinite thanckes to God and to his glorious Virgin mother And being become more couragious though he were verie feeble by reason of his abstinence and the labours which he ordinarily vndertooke which so depressed him that he had daily a litle fitt of an ague his zeale of the saluation of soules being more forcible with him then whatsoeuer other consideration he ceassed not to preach all the whole Lent and to spend all the rest of the day in spirituall exercises as to heare confessions and to giue Counsaile but it was a worthy thing to behold the feruour and deuotion not only of the Paduans but also of the inhabitantes of the townes borowes villages and castels there about that in such abondance flocked to his sermons that some went with light in the night to take their place in the field The bishopp was present att his preaching with all his Clergie as also the principall of the Cittie maryed women maides and yong gentlewomen frequented them withall comlines and modesty and without any pompe wherby it was easy to iudge with what spiritt they were induced to heare him During his predication all the merchantes and artificers did shutt vp their shoppes audience of iustice was omitted and all other offices ceassed so that it seemed some solemne feast In the time of his sermon the audience was so quiett that so much as one word was not heard amongest thirty thousand personnes there present and it succeeded that they all retourned replenished with the spiritt of compunction He that could touch the sainct or speake vnto him esteemed himselfe happy and if he had not bin purposlie guarded they would haue rent and cutt his habitt from his back and left him naked for such was the feruour of these people that they seemed to see in him a true Apostle sent to them by almightie God By his meane notorious and inueterat quarrels were appeased prisonners sett att libertie debtes quitted and forgiuen offences and iniuries pardoned and forgotten and mony and other thinges stolen or ill gott were restored Briefly what els men and women long accustomed to sinne were publikelie conuerted and did penance for their sinnes in such sort frequenting the sacraments that the Priestes had scarce time to serue them The glorious sainct hauing filled the Garner of almightie God with most pure corne after he had tryed it and burned the cockle att the verie time that he resided att Padua and hauing finished his three bookes of sermons vpon the sondayes and the Quarantine or sermons of Lent and the booke of the sermons of Sondayes full of verie deep subtilitie and morall droctrine which he had vndertaken and accomplished to satisfie his holinesse and the Guardian of Hostie he began to feele that God intended to call him vnto him and by signes and miracles to demonstrate the merittes of his most faithfull seruant wherein the people had such confidence that whosoeuer could haue a bitt of his habitt held himselfe happy and kept it carefully as a precious holy relique Of his last sicknes his prophesie of his future glory his vision of God and his death THE XXVII CHAPTER THis lent being ended S. Antony desiring to repose himselfe a litle retired to S. Peters fielde a place appertayning to a gentleman of Padua called Tise one that was exceedingly affected vnto him this place was neere to the Couent of the Frere Minors which this gentleman in manner alone mayntayned Now it may well be imagined with what countenance he entertayned the S. doubtles as if he had bin an Angel of Paradise sent vnto him by almighty God vnderstanding his intention he caused to be made him three celles of ozier one for himselfe and the other two for Brother Lucas and Br Roger his companions and familiers He remayned not long there till he felt himselfe assaulted with a great feeblenes that daily augmented but thincking to ease himselfe by trauaile he went to the next couent of Frere Minors where his infirmitie did oppresse and vtterly ouercome him There did God reueale vnto him that he should soone dye and what glory he should haue both in heauen and on earth Wherfore beholding and considering the amenity and good aire of the plaine and scituation of Padua that did neighbour the place where he was tourning towardes his companion he vttered these wordes this plaine shall shortly be illustrated and honoured with great glory as in deed it hath bin from after his death till this present yea more then he foretold in regard of the great confluence of people that haue and daily doe resort thither to visitt and honour his holy reliques And doubtles this citty may be tearmed happy and glorious hauing in it such a treasure that hath not enriched only it but all the world with singuler giftes and graces obtayned of God by the merittes of this glorious S. Now the S. foreseeing that his houre drew neere he told Br. Roger that if in case he should dye of that infirmity he would not be troublesome chardgeable to the Couent where he then was and therfore prayed him to gett him conducted to the Couent of the Virgin Mary att Padua where the Frere Minors were which the Religious approuing he layd him on a wagon to the great discontentment of all the Religious of that oratory And as they conducted him to the Citty they mett a deere freind of his in the way who knowing whither he way carryed caused him to change his purpose and persuaded him to goe to a Monastery out of the Citty called Arcele alleadgeing that the visitations he should haue att Padua would be very troublesome vnto him Being then arriued att Arcele and hauing there receaued all the sacraments God speedily called him for hauing with his Religious said the seauen Psalmes and alone that worthy hymne O gloriosa Domina as the glorious virgin Mother had alwayes in his life bin very gracious vnto him so for his comfort defence he saw her att his death then a litle after he saw her beloued sonne
is to be vsed by him that is to teach those soules whose perfect Master is IESVS CHRIST alone who guideth them according to their capacity and the grace which he hath giuen them for their saluation knowing that the instruction ought to be more of the spilitt and of God then of any humane tongue to touch and enflame their hartes in the poursuite of vertue How Brother Giles defended himselfe from the deuill by whome he was often persecuted THE XIX CHAPTER THe wicked spirites were the more hatefull and enuious to this seruant of God because he had knowledge and vnderstanding of many sublime and diuine secrettes for which respect they often tormented him as within few dayes after he had that diuine vision being alone praying in his cell the deuill appeared vnto him in so horrible and fearfull a figure that it presently depriued him of his speach But hauing in his hart called for helpe vnto almighty God he was incontinently deliuered and afterwardes made very fearfull relations of the lothsomnes of the deuill Br. Giles being once entred about midnight into the Church of S. Appollinaris in Spoleta there to offer his prayers the deuill lept vpon his shoulders whiles he prayed and held him so crushed and oppressed for a time that he could scarce moue yet he so strugled that he gott to the holy water pott where hauing taken holy water and signed himselfe with the crosse the deuill presently fled An other time as he was praying the deuill so tormented him that he was enforced as much as he could to cry out help me my Brethren att which call his companion Br. Gratian came running and he was instantly deliuered Praying also an other night he heard the ennemy with many other deuils that were very neere him who talking among themselues as men might doe sayd Wherfore doth this Religious labour so much fith he is already a sainct so agreable is he to God and euen in continuall extasie Which they sayd to tempt him and induce him to vaine glory The last yeare of his life the deuill persecuted him more cruelly thē he had don before as he thought one night after prayer to repose himselfe the deuill carryed him into so straight a place that he could not turne him on any side whatsoeuer endeauour he made to arise Br. Gratian hearing him complaine came to the dore of his cell to know if he were in prayer or that some other accident were befallen him and he perceiued that he was exceedingly troubled wherfore he began to cry out Father what is the mater wherto this holy Father answeared Come quickly my child come quickly But Br. Gratian being vnable to open the dore of the cell sayd vnto him I know not the reason but I cannot open the dore Br. Giles prayed him to doe his vtmost to open it speedely which after much labour he did then comming neere vnto him with all his power to assist him he could not so much as moue him out of the place where the deuill had throwne him which Br. Giles perceauing he said Br. let me alone in this case and lett vs referre all into the handes of God So Brother Gratian though against his will for bearing to endeauour to deliuer the holy Father out of this place he fell to prayer for him where by a litle eased he sayd to his companion you haue done well in comming to assist me God reward you for it But Brother Gratian complayning that he had not called him in this imminent perill of death wherin he was and relating the disgrace it would haue bin to him and to his companions if he had so dyed he sayd vnto him Be not troubled my child if God by me be reuenged of his ennemies for you must know that how much the deuill resisteth God seeking to afflict and torment me so much more is he tormented and discendeth deeper to the profundity of hell and so when he persecuteth me I am reuenged of him for the seruice which I haue now done to almighty God had no beginning of me but of his diuine Maiesty as the end shall be if it please him Wherfore I am assured that the deuill neither can nor euer shal be able to preuaile against God yet did not the deuill omitt to torment him in such sort that goeing att night to rest in his cell he alwayes went sighing asif he would say I expect yea I goe to martyrdome Of diuers answeres giuen by Brother Giles vpon sundry occasions THE XX. CHAPTER BRother Iames of Massa a very spirituall Religious euen in regard of his particuler grace to be often rauished in God one day demaunded of Brother Giles how he should gouerne himselfe in that grace and the holy Father answeared Brother neither augment nor diminish and shunne the multitude the most you can Brother Iames not well vnderstanding him asked him what he meant by those wordes and Brother Giles replyed when the spiritt is prepared to be conducted into the glorious light of the diuinity it should neither augment by presumption nor diminish by negligence he should also with all possibility loue and seeke solitarines if he desire that the grace receiued be well preserued and augmented A Religious hauing asked him what he might doe that might be most pleasing to God he answeared singing One to one one to one the sayd Religious alleadging that he vnderstood him not the holy Father replyed you ought without any intermissiō or whatsoeuer pretēce giue one sole soule to one sole God if you will please him Br. Gratian that had bin twenty yeares his companion and disciple testified that in all that time he neuer heard him vtter one only idle word This Religious as the discipline of so good a master had exceedingly profited by his company in spirituall edificatiue mortification and had receaued many other graces of God wherin desiring not to faile he one time demaunded of his master in what worck and in what kind of the graces which God had grāted him he should most exercise himselfe this questiō he made because he was absolutely resolued precisely to follow his counsaile Whereto the holy Father answeared you cānot be more gratefull to God in any other action then in hanging your selfe Which the good Religious hearing he was stricken into a greiuous amazement and with such an answeare much troubled wherfore Br. Giles proceeding said Know my child that a mā which hangeth himselfe is neither in heauē nor on earth but is only lifted frō the earth looketh alwayes downe Now doe you the like sith if you cānot be now in heauē you may neuerthelesse so raise your selfe aboue earthly thinges being exercised in vertuous works and prayer that humility alwayes appeare in you and liuing so hope in the diuine mercy By this counsaile he commended vnto him two singuler vertues prayer and humility as speciall graces of a Religious that desireth to please God A certaine man talking one day with Br.
thou bestow on him that should giue thee feet and he answeared that he would giue him an hundred duckettes if he had so much And if one would giue thee handes he answeared he would giue him al his welth moueables immoueables If one would giue thee eyes to him sayd he I would oblige my selfe in seruice al my life You must now theÌ„ brother that in this world God hath giuen thee feet handes and eyes and the whole body with all thy teÌ„porall and spirituall substance therfore thou must endeauour to please him and to acknwledge such and so many benefites for which thou oughtest to serue him all the time of thy life A discourse of Faith THE XXIII CHAPTER ALl the thinges that can be seene related or imagined are as nothing in comparison of those that cannot be seene heard or coÌ„ceaued All the wisest and most holy personnes that haue bin are and shal be who haue spoaken and shall speake of God haue sayd nothing nor can say any thing in comparison of what he is no more then the point of a needle in respect of the heauens the earth and all the creatures therein contayned yea a thousand times lesse Two Religious of the Order of S. Dominick one day visiting Brother Giles and discoursing which him of faith one of them sayd sainct Iohn the Euangelist hath recorded many merueilous thinges of God Wherto the holy Father answeared Brother S. Iohn hath sayd nothing of God The Religious replyed Father consider well if you please what you say for S. Augustin is of opinion that if S. Iohn had spoaken more highly of God no mortall man could aue vnderstood him Br. Giles then againe I tell you brother and once againe I tell you that S. Iohn hath said litle or nothing of God These Religious being much troubled and scandalized att the holy Father would needes be gon and tourning away Br. Giles stayed them and shewed them a very high mountaine whereon was the oratory of Cettone neere where vnto they then were and sayd vnto them If there were one mountaine made of a thousand together so great as that you see and att the foot therof a litle bird did eat of it tell me brethren I pray you how much would he diminish of that mountaine euery day euery month euery yeare yea in an hundred yeares they answeared him that in a thousand yeares he would consume so litle as should not be perceaued The holy Father thervpoÌ„ inferred Know you my Brethren that the eternall diuinity is so immensiue and is a mountaine of such eminent hight that S. Iohn who was as a bird hath said litle or nothing in comparison of the greatnes of God These Religious acknowledgeing how prudently Brother Giles had spoaken fell att his feet confessing their errours and so retourned exceedingly edified Br. Giles one day discoursing of spirituall matters with a lawyer that was a Iudge in some place O Iudge sayd he beleeue you that the recompenses which God promiseth his seruantes are great the Iudge answeared he did Br. Giles proceeding sayd I will proue that you doe not How much are you worth the iudge answeared about a thousaÌ„d crownes Well said the Father se now how you beleeue it only in wordes for tel me if you could giue your thousand crownes for an huÌ„dred thousand would you not esteeme it a great gaine would you not presently employ them I beleeue you would and yet you will not giue them for the kingdome of heauen What followeth then but that you doe not much esteeme nor much valew the glory of the heauenly kingdome in regard of the friuolous follies of this world And the reason is because you haue no liuely faith Yet the Iudge vnwilling to yeld replyed to Br. Giles Father beleeue you that euery one worcketh as much as he beleeueth the holy Father answeared he that beleeueth well and perfectly worcketh and perfoâ—meth worckes correspondente as did the sainctes who did all the good they could and haue accomplished by pious desires what they could not performe in effect And if one haue a perfect and liuely faiâ—h he would arriue to that estate as God would giue him a perfect knowledge and assurance euen of diuine thinges as sayth the Apostle to the Romanes I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers neither thinges present nor things to come neither might nor height nor depth nor other creature shal be able to separate vs from the charity of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And the man that assuredly hopeth this eternall soueraine recompence doth not regard any afflictioÌ„ as on the contrary no good can satisfie him that despaireth of the eternal good in so much as a sinner should neuer despaire of the mercy of God whiles he hath life coÌ„sidering that there is no tree so thorny disordered but men if they list can prune and rectifie it Much lesse can there be so great a sinner in the world as that God cannot adorne him with his graces and vertues A discours of Charity and of what the Prophet meant when he said that all his friendes did deceaue him THE XXIV CHAPTER CHarity is the principall of all the vertues happy is he that feeleth not in himselfe any disgust of the thinges which he ought alwayes to desire Brother Giles put this question to a Religious with whome he was very familier doe you beleeue that I loue you the Religious answeared he did Wel then said the holy Father beleeue it no more for a creature ought not sincerely to loue but the Creatour who is pure and infinite An other Religious said to the holy Father I beseech you Father make me vnderstaÌ„d how that must be interpreted which the Prophet saith Euery friend deceiueth Wherto he answeared I deceiue you in that I doe not search your good as I doe mine owne For the more I repute your good to be mine owne the lesse shall I deceaue you the more a man reioyceth att his neighbours good the more doth himselfe participate therin therfore if you desire to participate therof striue to reioyce therat to procure Charity is the truest most sure way of saluation sith that therby one doth not only reioyce att the good of his neighbour but is also grieued att his crosses he beleeueth and iudgeth well of others and euill of himselfe he honoureth others and mispriseth himselfe He that will not honour an other shall not be honoured and he that knoweth not himselfe shall not be knowne he that will not weary himselfe shall not repose also the greatest of all labours and the most meritorious is to labour in piety and benignity he that doeth a good worck without loue and charity is not gratefull to God nor to his sainctes but he that for the loue of God maketh himselfe poore of temporall substance shal be rich of such as are celestial A man then ought
to choose and loue diuine thinges and misprise particuler thinges for what can be greater then to know how to prayse the benefitts of God and to check himselfe for his proper malice I would I had bin taught in this schoole from the beginning of the world and there would study to the end therof if I were so long to liue there to contemplate the prayse dew to the benefites of God and the reprehension and chasticement due to my euill worckes True it is that if I must committ an errour I had rather it were in the consideration of my wickednes then in the acknowledgement of the benefites receaued of God For if we see many that for some litle seruice done them retourne many prayses and thanckes how much more are we obliged in that kind of acknowledgemēt vnto almighty God And in deed a man ought neuer to make any comparison with this loue towardes him that hath a will to deliuer vs from all miseryes and to conduct vs to the fruition of al good and that would euen dye to procure vs to liue A discourse of humility THE XXV CHAPTER A Man cannot attaine to the knowledge of God but by meane of humility sith that the true way to ascend on high is to debase ones selfe All the euils and all the ruines of this world proceed of pride as is seene in the euill Angell and in the first man wherof the one was created in heauen and the other in Paradice which also may be obserued in the Pharisie spoaken of in the Ghospel and in many others And on the contrary all good that euer hath bin done hath bin wrought by humility as is remarqued in the most sacred Virgin in the Publican in the Theefe and others But good God why doe we not ordinarily carry on our shoulders some weighty burthen to crush downe our hard head and to debase and humble it A Religious one day demaunding of Br. Giles how one might shunne pride he answeared Brother wash your handes put your mouth where your feet are consider your sinnes and haue contrition for them and then often incline your selfe towardes the ground Wretched is he that desireth glory and honour for his owne sinnes vanities A man is ascended to an high degree of humility when he acknowledgeth that himselfe is contrary to his owne good I also esteeme it a branch of humility to yeld to an other and not to appropriat to ones selfe I dare affirme that as one ought to attribute to God all goodnes as proper vnto him so to our selues all euill Happy is he that sheweth himselfe so vile before mē as he is before God Happy is he that walketh faithfully vnder the obediēce and iudgement of an other as the holy Apostles did after they were replenished with the holy Ghost He that will haue peace and tranquillity in him lett him repute al men greater then himselfe Happy is he that desireth not to be seene in his wordes and behauiours that are commendable but rather in the compunction and abiection wherin the diuine grace putteth him He that is the holyest man in the world and reputeth himselfe most vile he hath true humility Humility knoweth not how to speake and dareth not be talkatiue Humility is like the brightnes of heauen for as of the same brightnes and of vapours doe proceed thunders and earth quakes wherof in an instant no more is seene so humility doth ruine vices wickednes and the high toures of her ennemy pride and then causeth a man after the performance of great matters to repute himselfe nothing By humility a man findeth the grace of God and peace with men For euen as if a mightie Prince would send his owne daughter into a farre country he would not mount her on a restiue and proud horse but on a gentle nagge that shall amble easily and securely euen so God as soueraine king giueth not his grace to the proud but only to the humble A discourse of the seare of God THE XXVI CHAPTER THe holy feare of God expelleth out of man impious worldly feare and is the guard of those goodes which cannot be expressed not so much as by imaginatiō But to haue this feare is a speciall gift not graunted to all He that feareth nor sheweth that he hath nothing to loose The feare of God guideth and gouuerneth man and causeth him to find grace with his diuine maiesty by which whē he hath receaued this feare he conserueth it and hauing lost it doth recouer it All reasonable creatures that haue forgotten themselues in foule disorders had neuer fallen therinto if they had this gift of God which is proper vnto the sainctes And the more one is replenished with grace the more is he humble and fearfull Now albeit this vertue is least esteemed of men yet is it not therfore lesse then others for a man that in regard of his enormous offences committed against God is worthy of death cannot haue any assurance wherwith to shew himselfe in his diuine presence Happy then is he who acknowledgeth that to dwel in the world is to be in a prison and that there one daily offendeth God A man should alwayes feare that pride conduct him not into hell Thou oughtest to haue feare of thy selfe and thy like and to carry thy selfe respectiuely and warily for a man that liueth in the middest of his ennemies cannot be in perfect assurance Our flesh is our ennemy which with the deuill is continually aduerse to our soule A man should more feare to be surmonted and ouercome by his owne malice then by any other thing for it is impossible for a man to ascend to the glory of God or there to perseuer without a holy feare Not to haue it is a signe of perdition This feare causeth one to obey with humility and to stoope euē to the earth vnder the yoke of holy obedience and he that hath the greater feare is the more deuout in prayer and he that hath the grace to pray hath obtayned no litle grace of God The worckes of men appeare they neuer so great ought not to be iudged by humane iudgement but according to the diuine will and institution Therfore ought we my Brethren in IESVS CHRIST euer to liue in feare A discourse of Patience THE XXVII CHAPTER HE that for the loue of God could support with patience all afflictions should in short time obtaine abondance of graces and should be Lord of this world and haue one foot in the other All thee good and euill which a man doeth he doth it of himselfe therfore thou shouldest not be scandalized if one doe thee iniury but shouldest rather haue compassion of him Support iniuryes patiently for the loue thou owest to thy neighbour how much a man is prepared for the loue of God to endure abuses and affrontes so great is he before his diuine maiesty and no more and how much he is feeble and weakely prepared to support the same thinges
their necessities and doe good to all churches and hospitalles and this being done each one should esteeme him a lewd man and he knowing so much should not att all respect it nor forbeare but rather continue his pious worckes yea should the more voluntarily and with greater feruour exercise them as one that desireth not any recompence in this life considering that Martha careful to serue our Lord IESVS CHRIST demaunded assistance therin of her Sister Mary Magdalen and was reprehended of our lord because she would distract her sister from contemplation who yet gaue not ouer her good worcke so he that is truely actiue should not omitt good worckes for whatsoeuer reprehension may be giuen him sith he hopeth for no recompence but in heauen A Religious came coÌ„plaining to Br. Giles that his brethren made him to labour so much that he had hardly time enough to pray and that for that cause he was determined to procure licence to remoue vnto an other Couent where he might with more repose serue God in prayer Wherto the holy Father thus answeared if you were in the Court of the king of FraÌ„ce should demand of him a thousand marck in siluer he might answeare what hast thou don for me that may moue thee to demaund such a recompence but if you had formerly done him some notable seruice you might with faâ—re more assurance make such demaund Therfore if you will serue God you must first labour in obedience sith it is a greater vertue to doe one thing att the will of an other then to doe two att ones owne pleasure Then he added No maÌ„ can obtaine to conteÌ„plation of the glory of his diuine Maiesty but by feruour of spiritt ferueÌ„t prayer and then is a man enflamed with the feruour of the holy Ghost soareth vp to diuine conteÌ„plation when the hart is so disposed with the mâ—bers that neither can nor will thinck of other thing then that w ich it possesseth and feeleth He shal be a perfect contemplatour who hauing all his meÌ„bres cutt off yea and his tongue would neither thinck procure nor desire to haue any other member nor whatsoeuer other thing he can imagine vnder heauen and this by reason of the excellencie of the most delicious and ineffable odour and sweetnes of contemplation In that respect S. Marie MagdaleÌ„ being prostrate att the feet of our lord IES CHR. receaued and felt such a sweetnesse of his wordes that she had no member in her that could or would doe other thing then what she then did Which she sufficiently testified when her sister complayning att the waÌ„t of her helpe she answeared nothing either by wordes or figues But our Redeemer as her Aduocate and Procuratour answeared for her withall she was imployed in his seruice more excellently then Martha was Now to contemplate is to sequestred from men and to remayne vnited alone with IESVS CHRIST Br. Giles made this demannd to a Religious of his Couent Brother what say the Doctours of conteÌ„plation the Religious answeared they speake diuersely Will you replyed the holy Father that I speake mine opinion therof the degrees of conteÌ„plation are fire vnction extasie tast repose and glory then he added a more expresse contemplation of God with the soule cannot be giuen then that of the Espouse with his Espouse for the Spouse before he receaueth his Espouse sendeth her precious stones iewels and other ornamentes of price to adorne her but wheÌ„ they are together the Espouse leaueth all those thinges to approch vnto her Spouse so doe good worckes and vertues adorne the soule as precious stones and sumptuous attire and prayer vniteth it vnto God An ancient Religious demaunded of Br. Giles if the soule by extasie and contemplation did sometime euen in this life goe out of the body and he answeared that it did yea he assured him that he knew a man yet liuing whose soule being lifred vp in extasie went out of the body and forsooke it yea already vtterly forgetting the same I beleeue said the Religious that such soule was exceedingly grieued to retourne into her body Br. Giles then smilingly replyed Brother that which you say is true yea most true This holy Father would often in prayer and att other times with exceeding feruour say What art thou my God of whome I demaund this and what am I that aske it I am a sack filled with dung with loathsomnes and with wormes and thou art lord of heauen and earth And thus beginning his prayer he would be incontinently eleuated and rapt into almighty God Of profitable science and vnfruitfull of preaching and the interpretation of those wordes of the scripture Ego rogaui pro te Petre. THE XXXVI CHAPTER THe Venerable Br. Giles would sometimes say lett him who desireth to be learned humble well his head lett him be exercised in good worckes and lett him rent his body on the earth God will giue him knowledge It is a soueraine wisdome to doe good worckes carefully to obserue the coÌ„mandementes and to consider the iudgements of God He once sayd to a Religious that would goe to a lecture att a Colledge Tell me wherfore would you goe to the lecture Know that the most worthy science is to feare and loue God these two vertues will suffice you a man hath knowledge according to his good worckes and no more Be not only carefull to profitt others thou being obliged to be more carefull to benefitt thy selfe We would often times know many thinges for others and few for our selues The word of God is not of him that heareth it nor of him that vttereth it but of him that putteth it in effect Many not knowing how to swimne throw themselues into the water to helpe an other that they see in danger of drowning but hauing aduentured too farre they are drowned together so that wheras there was but one in perill two are lost by presumption In purchasing aboue all thinges the saluation of thy owne soule as thou art obliged thou shalt not omitt to assist others but rather in doeing good worckes for thy selfe thou shalt also profitt them that wish thee well The Preacher of the word of God is a messager of his maiesty to the end he be to the people a flaming light a glittering glasse a standerd-bearer of his warryers Happy is he that conducteth others by the assured way that faileth not to walke the same way and that inducing others to runne standeth not still himselfe and so if he helpe to enrich others he remayneth not poore I suppose a good Preacher preacheth more for himselfe then for others and it seemeth that he who endeauoureth to draw soules out of an euill course to setle them in a good ought to feare that himselfe be not seduced from the same good way and led to the way of the deuill A Religious demaunded of this holy Father whither were better to preach well or to doe well he answeared tell me who
doth meritt more ha that goeth in pilgrimage to sainct Iames of Galicia or he that sheweth him the way I see many thinges that are not myne I heare much that I vnderstand not and I speake much that I doe not performe and it seemeth to me that a man is not saued for seeing speaking and hearing but for well performing that which he knoweth to be the best Wordes are farther distant from deedes theÌ„ the earth is remote from heauen If any one would permitt you to goe into his vineyeard there to gather grapes would you content your selfe with leaues It is a thousand times more necessary for a man to gett instruction for himselfe then for all the world If you desire to know much doe many good worckes and humble your selfe withall possibility A Preacher should not speake ouer-curiously nor too grosly but should vse only common and ordinary tearmes Then the holy Father smilingly proceeded there is great difference betweene the ewe that bleateth much and her that bringeth many lambes that is it is not one thing to preach and to putt in execution Br. Giles one day sayd to a Doctour that seemed to glory much in his doctrine and preaching if all the earth were in the possession of one man and he should not labour it what fruit would he reap therof Rely not therfore so much one your learning albeit all the knowledge of all the world were in your head because not performing worckes necessary to your saluation it would nothing auayle you This holy Father prayed a Religious that went to preach att Perusia to take for the theme of his sermon these wordes I kisse I kisse I speake much and performe litle This is in his life a litle before This holy Father expounding these wordes of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST I haue prayed for thee Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and thou once couuerted confirme thy Brethren he thus interpreted it Almighty God sayd he would giue to vnderstand that a man should first labour for himselfe and then for others And albeit the conuersion of soules be very gratefull vnto God yet it is vnderstood of those that can doe it without preiudice to the saluation of their owne soules seruing God as S. Paul whersoeuer they are Therfore this holv Father would often with great feruour of spiritt say Paris Paris thou doest ruinate the Order of S. Francis Which this good Religious sayd seeing the disquiett and trouble of spiritt of many learned Frere Minors that put confidence in their sciences Br. Giles hearing a quaile and a doue to sing sayd in feruour of spiritt there is the way there is the way and not there as if they sayd lett vs endeauour to doe well in this life and not expect the other with reasoÌ„ sister doue thou speakest this so sweetly groning But sinner wheron thinckest thou why makest not thou they profitt of this aduertisment Besides it is to be vnderstood that Br. Giles speake this vpon the allusion of the Italianâ— and Spanish tongue with the note of the doue and the quaile which is quaqua which cannot be applyed to the French tongue A discourse of good and euill wordes THE XXXVII CHAPTER HE that vttereth good wordes is as the mouth of God he that speaketh ill litle differeth from the mouth of the deuill When the seruaÌ„tes of IESVS CHRIST asseÌ„ble together in any place to discourse they should talke of the excelleÌ„cy of vertues that they may seeme pleasing vnto theÌ„ and giue them coÌ„tentment and should also be exercised in theÌ„ By which act they shall come to loue theÌ„ more and to performe better actions for the more a man is burthened with vices the more needfull it is for him to speake of vertues because by the frequeÌ„t and pious discourse of them he persuadeth and easily disposeth himselfe to put them in practise But what shall we say the conditions of this world being so corrupted that one cannot speake good of good nor euill of euil We will then confesse the truth that we know not how to speake of good how good it is nor lykewise of euill how euill it is Wherfore it seemeth that neither of these to thinges can sufficiently be comprehended So that I tell you I esteeme it not a leâ—â—e vertue to know how to be silent then how two speake well and according to my iudgement a man should haue a long neck as a Crane that his wordes passe by many ioyntes before it goe out of the mouth A discourse of perseuerance in good worckes and of the memorie of death THE XXXVIII CHAPTER WHat doth it profit a man to fast pray giue almose mortifie himselfe and to haue vnderstanding of celestiall thinges yet with all this doth not arriue to the desired port of saluation There hath bin sometime seene in the mayne sea a faire shipp loaden with abondance of wealth which neere vnto the hauen surmonted by a litle tempest hath miserably perished What then hath auayled the brauery and richesse that it brought But on the contrary hath bin seene an old vessell vnseemely and contemptible to each one that hath defended it selfe from the perilles of the sea with her burden of merchandises and securely arriued in the port such an one deserueth praise The same happeneth also to men of this world and therfore ought they to liue alwayes in the feare of God For although a tree grow and is fastened in the ground he doth not yet sodenly become great and when he is great he doth not presently florish he is not so soone fruitfull if he be they be not ripe if ripe they do not in euery respect content the master For some doe rott other are beaten downe by the windes of temptations and are deuoured by the wormes of the sences Two thinges I hould for great benefittes of God when a man hath his hart remote from sinne and replenished with loue towardes God which two thinges whosoeuer shall possesse without danger of any euill shal be in possession of all good But he must perseuer because if one had from the beginning of the world to this instant liued in distresses afflictions and now should haue abondant fruition of all kind of ioyes all the miseries past would not offend him on the contrary if one had alwayes spent his time in continuall iollyty and contentment and were att this present oppressed with diuers miseries and infirmities his pleasures past would nothing reioyce him Wherfore each one should leuell att that where althinges are to end and determine A seculer person hauing told this holy Father that he would be content to liue a long time in this world and to be rich and haue his pleasure in all thinges he answeared him If you should liue a thousand yeares and were lord of all the world what recompence shoulde you receaue in the death of this body which you shall with so great affection and pleasure haue
pouerty and did manifest exteriourly in her body that her soule was interiourly replenished with diuine light In this manner did she ordinarily liue full of so supreme delightes passing ouer this deceiptfull world with her noble Spouse IESVS CHRIST and being on this wheele of motion she was theron sustayned with an assurance and firmity of vertue very stable and preserued with the celestiall eleuation of her soule in the hight of heauen keeping the treasure of glory securely shutt vp with in a vessell of flesh here below on earth This holy virgin accustomed to call vp the yonger Religious a litle before mattines and to awaken them with the ordinary signe to excite them very often to praise God All her Religious sleeping she did watch lighted the lampe rung att mattines so that negligence found no entrance into her monastery nor sloath had there any place She also by the sting of sharpe repreprehension and of her liuely and effectuall examples expelled tepedity and ircksomnes in prayer and the seruice of God How the Mores were expelled the Monastery by the prayers of S. Clare THE XIII CHAPTER THis being the place where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin it is not conuenient that we pretermitt them in silence for as the merueillous effectes of her prayer are veritable so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence In the time of the Emperour Federick the second the holy Church in diuers places endured great persecutions but particulerly in the vally of Spoletum which being subiect to the Romane Church dranck of the vessell of wrath of this mischieuous tyrant his capitaines and soldiers being scattered ouer the fieldes as grasse hoppers with sword to murder people and with fire to burne their houses The impiety of this Emperour did so augment that he had assembled all the Mores that dwelt on the mountaines and among the desertes to make himselfe the more fearefull vnto his vassels and after he had by lardge promises gayned these Mores and disposed them into diuers places he gaue them att length for retyre a very ancient but ruined citty which yet to this present is called Moura des Mores which they fortifyed and then thither retyred about twenty thousand fighting men who did much mischeife ouer all Apulia and in other Christian places These ennemies of the faith of IESVS CHRIST came one day vnexpectedly towardes the cittye of Assisium who being already close to the portes a great number of them came to the Monastery of saint Damian as a lewd and dissloyall nation that continually thirsteth after the bloud of Christians and dareth to committ indifferently all kind of execrable actes without either shame of men or feare of God These Mores then brake euen into the Monastery of sainte Clare where she was with her Religious daughters who had their hartes surprised with an extreme terrour but much more when they heard the barking and crye of those dogges so neere them so that they were euen dying with the apprehension not knowing where to seeke reliefe nor of whome to hope for deliuerance from so emminent perill but by the merittes of their holy mother Whome with infinite sighes and teares they aduertised of what they heard and saw This holy virgin though sick encouraging her Religious caused her selfe with incredible constancie to be carryed to the gate of her Monastery att the entry wherof in the sight of all her ennemies she with very great reuerence placed the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist in the pix before which falling postrate on the earth she with abondance of teares thus spake to her beloued Spouse IESVS CHRIST Is it possible my God thy will should be that these they seruantes who cannot vse materiall weapons to defend thēselues and whome I haue here brought vp nourced in thy holy loue should now be deliuered into the power of the Infidell Mores Oh my God! Preserue thē if thou please and me likewise for albeit thy diuine Maiesty hath cōmitted thē to my gouernemēt yet is it not in my power to defend thē from so great a perill sith this protection cānot be but by a worck of thine omnipotencie Therfore doe I recōmend thē to thy diuine Maiesty with all the affection that I am able As soone as this holy virgin had sent these prayers vnto heauē she heard a voice so delicate as if it had bin of a sucking child that said I will protect you for eue◠The holy mother did not yet giue ouer to present her prayers saying My God I humbly beseech thee if so it be thy holy will to preserue and defend this thy citty of Assisium which doth nourish vs for the loue it beareth to thy diuine Maiesty Wherto God answeared This citty shall suffer much but in the end I will by my fauour defend it Sainte Clare hauing heard so gracious newes lifted vp her face bathed with teares and comforted her beloued daughters saying Deere Sisters I assure you that no euill shall befall you only be carefull to haue a firme faith and confidence in IESVS CHRIST The diuine assistāce made no long delay for the presumption and rage of the Mores was incontinently cooled so that a sodaine vnknowne terrour hauing surprised them they speedily retyred ouer the walles which they had scaled and ouer leapt to enter They being thus by the vertue of the prayer of sainte Clare expelled she priuatly called the Religious that had heard the sayd voice of God and commanded them that howsoeuer it were they should not diuulge what they had heard during her life How the citty of Assisium was an other time deliuered by the prayer of this holy Virgin THE XIV CHAPTER ON an other time one of the principall Capitaines of the Emperour Federick called Vitall d'Auerse a man very ambitious of glory full of courage and a notable Capitaine conducted his troupes to besiege Assisiū and hauing encōpassed it he exposed to wast and spoile the plaine contry therabout making a totall ruine euen to the very trees which were hewed downe and then framing his siege he vttered menacing and vaunting oathes that he would not stirre thence till he had giuen the citty a victorious assault and so this siege so long continued that the besieged began to loose courage as wanting many thinges extreemely needfull vnto them Wherof this holy seruant of IESVS CHRIST being aduertised sighing in her hart she called all her Religious to whome she thus discoursed My deere sisters you know that all our necessities haue euer bin supplyed by the charity of this citty so that we should proue very vngratefull if we should not according to our ability assist them in this extreme necessity then she commanded to be broughte her ashes and all her Religious to discoife their heades and to giue them example she began to couer her bare head with ashes wherin all the other Religious following her she said Goe ye to our Lord IESVS CHRIST and with the greatest
humility and most feruent prayers that you can possible demaund of him the deliuery of your citty It cannot be expressed with what feruour and teares these deuout virgins incessantly offerred their prayers and teares vnto God one entier day and one night demaunding mercy in behalfe of the said citty besieged by their ennemies These prayers and teares were of such force and vertue that the omnipotent in bounty and mercy had compassion of them and from the day following sent them his puissant assistance in such sort that the ennemies camp was defeited the Capitaine constrained shamefully and in despight of his forces without sound of trompett to raise his siege for he fled without euer after troubling the Assisians being shortly after slaine Of the reuerence and deuotion which S. Clare had to the most B. Sacrament and of the vertue of her prayers against the Deuils THE XV. CHAPTER THe deuotion of S. Clare towardes the most precious Sacrament of the Altare was such that she made it apparent in many of her actions for though she were most grieuously sick in her bed yet would she so dispose her selfe therin and be so propped and stayed vp that she might conueniently spinne an exercise which she exceedingly affected and wherin she desirously employed her selfe and did it delicately and with the threed of her labour she caused to be wouen very curious and fine cloth which she employed in furniture for the chalice She one time got made 50. corporals which she sent in cases of silke to many Churches of the valley of Spoletun When she was to receaue the most sacred SacrameÌ„t before she presented her selfe therunto she was alwayes bathed in teares and so with exceeding feare approaching she did reuerence him that was hidden in the Sacrament as acknowledging him to be the same that gouerneth heauen and earth Therfore did the deuils so much feare the prayer of the espouse of IESVS CHRIST S. Clare as they haue sundry times declared A very deuout woman of the bishoprick of Pisa came to the monastery of S. Damian to thanck God his seruant S. Clare for hauing bin by her merittes deliuered of fiue deuils that possessed her which in goeing out of her body confessed that the prayer of S. Clare did burne them and to their great confusion expelled them out of the humane bodies which they possessed Of a merueillous consolation which S. Clare receaued on the feast of the most holy Natiuity THE XVI CHAPTER AS the glorious S. Clare was alwayes in her sicknesse with a liuely memory mindfull of her beloued IESVS so was she correspondently visited by him in her necessities As once in the night of the Natiuity when the world and Angels did so solemnly feast for the birth of our Redeemer all the Religious went to the quier to Matines and left their holy Mother accompanied only with her grieuous infirmity wherfore hauing begun to meditate on the great mistery of that night and lamenting exceedingly that she could not assist att the diuine seruice she sighing sayd O my God thou seest how I remayne here alone and ending this she began to heare the Mattins that were sung in the Church of S. Francis in Assisium very distinctly vnderstanding the voice of the Religious and the very sound of the Organes yet was she not so neere the said Church as she might humanly heare what was song there but it must necessarily be concluded that this was miraculously don in one of these two sortes either that the singing of the said Religious was by the will of God carryed to S. Clare or her hearing was extended extraordinarily and by speciall grace of God euen to our Lady of Angels neere vnto Assisium But this S. was further fauoured by a diuine reuelation which exceedingly comforted and reioyced her for she was by almighty God esteemed worthy to see in spirit his holy cribbe The morning following her Religious comming to see her she sayd Deere sisters blessed be our Lord IESVS CHRIST that it hath pleased him not to leaue me alone as you haue don but know that by the grace of his diuine Maiesty I haue heard all the solemnity and all the seruice that this night hath bin performed in the Church of our holy Father S. Francis Of the spirituall doctrine wherwith S. Clare nourced and eleuated her daughters THE XVII CHAPTER THe virgin S. Clare acknowledged that she was committed to the Pallace of the great king for gouernesse and Mistâ—esle of his deere espouses therfore did she teach them a sublime doctrine and did comfort and assist them with such loue and pitty as with wordes cannot be expressed First she taught them to cleare their soules of all rumours of the world that they might the more freely attaine to the high secrettes of God She also taught them to haue no affection to their carnall kinred and entierly to forgett their owne house the better to please IESVS CHRIST She admonished them also to surmount and misprise the necessities of the body and to gett a habitt of repressing the deceiptes and appetites of the flesh by the bridle of reason She likewise taught them that the subtill ennemy armed with malice continually addresseâ—h his hidden snares to surprise the pure soules and that he tempteth the pious in other sort then worldlinges Finally she would haue them so employed in handy labour for certaine houres that they might afterward be more promptly prepared to the desire of their Creatour by the exercise of prayer which after their labour they should vndertake not leauing for such paine the fire of holy loue but rather by it expelling the tepedity of deuotion alredy purchaced There was neuer seene a stâ—â—cter obseruation of silence then among them nor a greater forme and example of vertue Neuer was there seene don in this holy house one act of vanity neither by word nor signes nor was there discouered by any vaine discourse any desire of lightnes so much were they mortified Their holy mistresse gaue good example by wordes and by her pious briefe documentes she taught her duciples feruent desires admonishing them to possesse and conserue them vnder the keyes and custody of strict silence By meane of deuouâ— Preachers she procured to her daughters the holy word of God wherof her owne was not the least part she being filled with contentment and ioy when she heard the word of God preached would with such deuotion and consolation reioyce in the memory of her sweetest Spouse IESVS CHRIST that one time hearing the sermon of Brother Philipp de Adria a most famous preacher there was seene before this holy virgin a most beautifull child which there remayned during almost all the sermon comforting her with his ioyfull delectations of which apparition she receaued such a sweetnes and delight as she could no way explicate Albeit this most prudent virgin had neuer studyed yet did she much delight to heare a learned man preach well knowing that vnder the wordes of science lay
to be more tormented by her infirmities then she accustomed to be a sword of sorrow through-pearced the soule of her beloued daughters But a virgin seruante of IESVS CHRIST and a very deuout Religious of the Monastery of saint Paul and Order of saint Benedict had att that time this vision following It semed to her that she did visitt sainte Clare withall her sisters att saint Damian whom she saw in a sorrowfull yet precious bed about which they all lamēted expecting her death and withall she saw come to the bolster of the sayd bed a very beautifull woman who sayd to them that wept My daughters weep not for her that is yet to liue for she cannot dye til our Lord and all his disciples doe come A litle after the Romane Court was att Perusia where the encrease of sainte Clares sicknesse being diuulged the Cardinall of Hostia hastened with great dilligence to visite the espouse of IESVS CHRIST whose Father he was by office Gouernour by speciall sollicitude and Fosterer and friend in most pure and chast amitie and her he comforted applying and with his owne handes administring vnto her the most sacred sacrament of the Eucharist and then made a very deuout sermon vnto the Religious sainte Clare with great humility and in the name of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST besought him to accept in recommēdation that her family and all her other poore sisters of other Monasteries but aboue all she most instātly besought him to obtaine of the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinalls a priuiledge and confirmation of holy pouerty Wherto the Cardinall gaue his word and as a faithfull Protectour of her Religion one most deuout and affectionat to saincte Clare did afterwardes effect it For Pope Innocēt the fourth att her most instāt request confirmed the rule which the holy Father saint Francis had instituted for her as is formerly recorded of which rule S. Clare had neuer till then other cōfirmation written then that of the said Cardinall because the Pope supposing to induce sainte Clare not to bind her Religious to such an extreme pouerty did still deferre to confirme her rule by writing But Innocent the fourth seeing the perseuerāce and last will of sainte Clare graunted the same vnto her by a bull the eleuenth and last yeare of his raigne as we haue before recorded And the yeare being almost expired the Pope came with his Cardinals from Perusia to Assisium wherin the first vision touching the death of the holy virgin was accomplished for the Pope being in his office more then a man by the aucthority which he hath of IESVS CHRIST on earth whose person he representeth in the temple of the Church militant the Cardinals accompanying his holinesse represented the disciples of our Lord IESVS CHRIST How Pope Innocent the fourth visited S. Clare in her last sicknes and gaue her absolution THE XXIV CHAPTER THe diuine prouidence would no longer deferre the accomplishment of the will of S. Clare but her Spouse IESVS CHRIST came to eleuate into his celestiall Pallace his poore espouse and pilgrime on earth who desired nothing more that being deliuered of this mortall body she might haue the sight and fruition of her most glorious IESVS CHRIST in his kingdome Now then the members of this virgin being by continuance of her sicknes as vtterly decayed there befell her a new weakenes which being a token that she should in short time be called of God she also vsed it as a ladder to mount to eternall saluation Whervpon the Pope Innocent the fourth came to the Monastery of saint Damian accompanied with many Cardinals to visitt the seruant of God not doubting but she whose life he had already approued was the most perfect in sanctity of all women of his time and therfore worthy to haue her death honoured by his presence His holinesse then being entred he went directly to the glorious Virgin and comming neere to her bed he tendered her his hand to kisse which fauour saincte Clare with exceeding ioy receaued But besides that she with great humility besought him to aford her his feet to kisse The Pope to content her sate downe vpon a litle bench and deuoutly presented vnto her his Apostolicall feet on which this sainct reuerently laid her face and mouth most affectionatly kissing them then with the serenity of an Angelicall countenance she demaunded of him remission of all her sinnes Wherto the Pope answeared would to God my deere sister I had need of such a pardon but finally he gaue her the benefitt of absolutiō and the gift of his benediction then left her in peace She hauing that morning receaued the most sacred communion att the hand of the Prouinciall of the Frere Minors of that prouince with her handes ioyned and her eyes eleuated towardes heauen she weeping sayd to her Religious My daughters prayse almighty God for the benefitt it hath pleased him to bestow on me this day which is such that the earth and the heauens are not of sufficiencie to recompence it sith this day I haue both receaued the same Lord and am esteemed worthy to see his vicar on earth How S. Clare comforted her sister S. Agnes THE XXV CHAPTER THe daughters were all about their mother without whom they were in short time to remayne orphanes the cōsideration wherof through-pearced their soules with a most bitter griefe The heauines of sleep nor hungar could not draw them from the presence of their mother the contentment which they receaued in her presence made them forgett to eat and to sleep because all their exercise was to weepe and particulerly her most deuout sister Agnes who was expresly come from the Monastery which she had newly erected att Florence to be present att her death Being then in this anguish she tourned towardes her sister and most instantly prayed her not to depriue her of her presence Wherto sainte Clare answeared Deere sister whome I cordially loue sith it hath pleased God that I depart be you ioyfull and weepe no more for I assure you our Lord will shortly come to you to visitt you with an exceeding consolation before your death Here followeth the testament of the holy S. Clare In nomine Domini Amen AMongest all other benefittes which we haue receaued of our bountifull benefactour the king of mercies and doe daily receiue of him for which we are most boud to praise him one is for our vocatiō which by how much greater it is by so much more are we bound vnto him the Apostle saith acknowledge your vocatiō God hath made himselfe a way which he hath shewed by word and example our holy Father S. Francis a most perfect zelatour and follower of the same way hath thaught vs wherfor my beloued Sisters we ought to marcke the vnmeasurable benefitt which God hath done vnto vs amongest the rest that which he hath vouchsafed to worcke in vs through his seruāt our Father S. Frācis not only after our cōuersion but
the worckes of charity so was he honoured of God in this life by merueillous actions miracles For he expelled the euill spirittes out of humane bodyes he cured all kind of diseases Wherin was accomplished the prophesie of his mother who confidently affirmed that he being a child it was reuealed vnto her that he should proue a sainct The day of his death was reuealed vnto him three weekes before he dyed And thervpon he sayd to his people that he was shortly by the diuine will to depart out of this life And so the three weekes being expired being fortified with the sacraments of the Church making a end answearable to the worth of his life he yelded his soule vnto God the yeare 1303. the 19. of May 50. of his age His feast is celebrated the same month day and in some places the 27. day of October by reason of his translation Of some other holy persons of the third Order of S. Francis THE XXV CHAPTER THere haue bin many other SS of this coÌ„fraternity of the third Order of Penitents of S. Francis the history particuler life of whome would be too tedious to be inserted And therfore we will rest coÌ„tent with the only rehearsall of the names of such as by many authors are recorded Among the SS of this Order is reckoned S. Lewis king of France and queene Blanch his mother who was daughter to the king of Castille The blessed Luchesius of Poggibongy whose reliques are in Toscane in a monastery of Frere Minors scituat on the mount imperiall where they are exceedingly reuereÌ„ced S. Bonne-femme the wife of the sayd Signiour Luchesius S. Lucius who was the first that sainct Francis receaued into the third Order of Penitents Nicoluccius Sienos and Iames de la Lande Priest by whome our Lord wrought many miracles S. Peter Romanus who was martyred by the Soldan Bonacius de Voltera Peter de Colle Alexander of Perusia Leo Archbishop of Milan Walter Bishop of Tremise and Richard Bishop of Alexandria doctour of diuinity Charles Dendono of Manfeltâ—e Iohn of Rauerie Torcello of Puppio Bartholomew of S. Giminian Peter Petinarius and of the blessed Thomas Vntius of Tullinium who by miracles prophesie was very famous All the aforesayd haue bin famous in sanctity of life and in great reputation of vertues and miracles The names of many holy women of this Order S. Rosa of Viterbium sainte Margarit of Cortone sainte Aemiliana of Florence sainte Clare of Mont-faucon in whose hart after her death was found a crucifix with all the mysteries of the passion and many other Ladyes among whoÌ„ is placed an Empresse which women were very venerable and worthy of perpetuall memory Which if they haue not obtayned heere below among earthly people they enioy it with far greater glory among the Angels SS in the celestiall kingdome by which fruit it appeareth that this holy confraternity of Penitents instituted by the holy Father S. Francis was assisted by the holy Ghost to the end that Christians of free estate maryed persons and widoes that cannot support the burden of Religion may in their houses produce fruites worthy of penance to the saluation of their soules and for the loue of IESVS CHRIST The end of the ninth booke THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS OF THE SFRAPHICALL FATHER S. FRANCIS WHERIN ARE RECORDED MANY notable thinges happened in the first beginning of the said Order An aduertisment of the first Translatour vnto the Reader DEuout reader you must not meruayle that in this booke we haue not followed the order of the author for we haue thus done for a better disposition of this worck and for your greater satisfaction placing the chapters that concerne the life of the holy Father S. Francis in their place which I suppose the author omitted because wanting knowledge of them att first he would not afterward take the paine to change the methode which he had with so much labour begun though we for the glory of God only and your contentment haue willingly vndertaken the same Know then that The first and second chapter are placed after the last chap. of the second booke The 3. chap. after the 27. of the second booke The 4. chap. after the 30. of the second booke The 5. chap. after the last of the booke And the 6. chap. after the 30. of the first booke Of what arriued to two Religious of S. Francis with a Tyrant whome they conuerted to penâ—tence THE VII CHAPTER WHen first S. Francis with the Benediction of God and his own sent his first disciâ—les to preach penaÌ„ce ouer the world to the end they might communicate vnto men the fruites of their good life and by their example and the edification of their pious worckes renew the church of God being in forraine contryes among barbarous natioÌ„s they that saw theÌ„ with admiration sayd what â—aâ—ity is this we haue neuer seene men thus attyred bare-footed liuing so austerely and so different from all other Religious that they rather seeme wild men then other Neuertheles when they entred into any particuler place or house they would say God giue you peace and would admonish the inhabitants to feare and loue God as the Creatout of heauen and earth and exhort them to labour alwayes in the obseruation of his holy commandements to doe penance and to amend their liues And albeit few were found to whome these exhortations were gratefull yet they mett with curious persons that made so many demandes as they were much troubled to giue them answeare As wheÌ„ce they were whence they came Of what Order they were how and wherof they liued who was their cheefe And in fine by what aucthority they preached Whereto with patience and humility thy answeared that they were Religious of penance of our Ladyes of Angels att Assisium that their pâ—incipall head and directour was Brother Francis and that by ordinance and commandement of the Pope they preached penance Others seeing them so disguised and hearing them speake with such simplicity reputed them fooles cousening or deluding companioÌ„s and would not admitt them into their houses for feare thy would robbe them whence it often arriued that none hauing compassion to harbour them they slept in the church porches or vnder pent-houses so perseuering by their example of pouerty and humility they att length moued the most obdurat harts to compassion and deuotion left many places edified in the feare of God And theâ—fore the reputation of their vertues encreasing they daily produced singuler fruites of good example among which this is one which we now intend to relate It happened one time that two new Religious but true children of the holy Father saint Francis trauelling through a contry which they neither knew nor they knowne to any they came to a castell that was a retuge to certaine theeues of whome was captaine a noble man of great family but of most vicious life whither being come weary feeble
and halfe starued with hungar and cold not able to passe farther they there stayed without dreaming what danger might there befall them and sent to pray this tyrant to entertayne lodge and refresh them that night for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST This noble man by diuine inspiration willingly receaued them into his house and commanded incontinently a good fire to be made them then caused them to cat with his people At which time one of the Religious that was a Priest and had a speciall grace in preaching well perceauing that att this table there was no speech but of robbing killing and pilling each one vaunting of his villanies and glorying in his murders and theftes committed the good seruant of God resolued after supper to make them an exhortation in the behalfe of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST with the greatest feruour he could procure And so grace being sayd vnable any longer to retaine his zealous spiritt he addressed himselfe to the tyrant and sayd Hauing receaued of you such a charity for the loue of God we should proue too ingratefull if we did not beseech the diuine maiesty to reward you for vs and did not endeauour to requite you by some documents conformable to our pouerty that may benifitt your soules and your peoples whome I beseech you heere to assemble together we desiring to giue to you all a spirituall refection for the corporal which you haue giuen vs. This noble man hauing conuocated all his people and they hauing setled themselues to heare the sermon the Religious began with exceeding feruour to discourse of the glory of Paradise in these termed My beloued Brethren in CHRIST IESVS if the eternall felicities for which God hath created vs were knowne vnto vs and that we did often well consider them what paine would we not vndertake to serue him and neuer to offend him for feare to loose that ioy and glory without end for so base a trifle as the world that sweet society of the Angels that life and security of the blessed that glorious satiety of the elect that supreme light without night and darcknes that perpetuall peace and amity without any feare or perturbance and all the happines that we can desire free and secure from all disaster with that diuine fountaine of the presence and glorious communication of the eternall God And sith that man so blinded and miserable for so base and loathsome a thing so short and of so sclender value as is sinne will loose such innumerable and infinite felicities he shall deseruedly goe into hell there to endure eternall hungar thirst cold all kind of torment and perpetuall affliction in the company of cruell deuils serpents and dragons where is a continuall death without end and without hope of life with palpable darcknes And finally greater miseries then we can imagine considering that there is nothing but howlinges lamentations despaires and eternall torments and all euill voyd of all good wherinto my brethren you haue merited to be throwne and imprisoned for the sinnes which you haue perpetrated â—o precipitiously without any apprehension of the diuine iustice att least according to the inference of your discourses which haue testified vnto me your vicious and detestable life you therby giuing demonstration that you neither feare God nor esteeme of his commandements nor regard the doeing of any good woâ—ck Therfore my beloued brethren doe I admonish you in the behalfe of our Lord IESVS CHRIST who for you was fastened on the hard wood of the crosse and pardonned the theefe to giue vs confideÌ„ce of his mercy and doe counsaile you by the â—euerence of the omnipotencie of the Creatour of althinges not to make ship wrack and exchaung of the celestiall and eternall richesse for the briefe pleasure of sinnes which as you experience vanish as a shadow Retourne then with great promptitude vnto God to the end he thrust you not into hell denying you time and space to doe penance so many yeares hauing fleeted away wherin he hath so patiently expected you though you haue giuen no signe of regarding it This Religious vttered these thinges and much more with such a zeale that they pearced the hart of the Tyrant who being touched by the holy Ghost and already stricken with contrition fell to the ground together with all his people bittetly lamenting their sinnes They shewed signes of penitence and after many teares the tyrant with great instancie required the Religious to sett them in the way to saue their soules sith God had sent him hither for their saluation And the Religious aduised them to make a generall confession of all their sinâ—es Which being with notable deuotion and contrition performed he sayd It is now necessary that for penance for your sinnes which are enormous and in nomber infinite you goe in pilgrimage to visiâ— the holy places and that you mortifie your flesh by fastes watchings and prayers giuing many almoses and performing other worckes of piety But you must begin with satissaction restoring what you iniâ—stly deâ—aine Wherto he answeared Father I am content to satisfie whatsoeuer I am bouÌ„d vnto But because I was neuer out of this contâ—y nor can write not read no not the Pater noster nor can fast I beseech you for the loue of God to giue me some other penance that I may be able to performe The Religious replyed I will for the loue of God doe penance and pray vnto IESVS CHRIST for you that your soule be not lost I will not for the present giue you other penance then for mortification your selfe to bring vs hither a litle straw wheron to repose our selues The tyrant becomming a lambe presently brought straw for the Religious to rest on and prepared their place himselfe Then considering with himselfe the discourse that the Religious had made him and how speedily he had conuerted him to penitence he reputed him a sainct and resolued to watch him all that night to see what he would doe Now the Religious att his houre layd himselfe to repose and when he thought they all slept he arose went out of the house to doe penance for the penitent as he had promised him Lifting then his handes to heauen he with many teares demaÌ„ded pardon of almighty God for the sinner praying with exceeding feruour his body was eleuated froÌ„ the earth the hight of a tour in that manner bitterly bewayled the soule of that noble man begging pardon of IESVS CHRIST for his offences in such sort and with a charity so passionate that he merited to be heard as appeareth by what ensueth for the penitent hauing seene and heard all this not without exceeding terrour contrition and abundance of teares accompanyed with consolation perceauing with what feruour the seruant of God offered his prayers to the diuine Maiesty for the saluation of his soule very early in the morning he sell att the feet of the Religious praying him with great compunction to setle him in the direct way