sess and chapt aboue cited Abbess or to consecrate any Religious or for any other very importāt affaire he shal at that time be cōtent with a very few followers and seruants and those who are of the grauer sort 5. And when need requires that any enter into the Monasterie for to doe any work the Abbesse shal carefully appoint one at the gate who shal lett only those enter who are appointed And lett the sisters take care that they be not then seen by those who enter the Monasterie Of the Visitor and Chaplain XJJ. CHAPT 1. Lett your Uisitor be alwais of the Order of Friar-Minors according to the will and commandment of your Cardinal * The chapter speaketh of the Sisters vvho be subiect vnto Regulars vvho notvvithstanding must be visited by the Bishop in matters concerning Inciosure They that be subiect to the Bishop must be visited by him or his Vicar as vvel in vvhat concerneth Inclosure as in vvhat belongeth to discipline and obseruance and lett him be such an one whose modestie and behauiour is experienced whose office is to reforme as wel in the head as in the members the excesses committed against the forme of your Profession 2. Who being in an open place to the end that he may be seen by others may speak both vnto all and vnto each in particular of those things which appertaine to the office of Uifitor and according as it shal seeme expediēt vnto him 3. We require the These vvords are added by vvay of intreatie and deuotion fauour of the same Order through the charitie of our Lord and Blessed S. Francis to haue a Chaplain who is a Priest with a companion of good fame and discreet as also two lay Brothers of holy conuersation and louers of modestie to assist vs in our pouertie as we mercifully haue had hitherto of the Friar-Minors 4. The Chaplain may not enter into the Conuent without his companion and entring they shal be in an open place that they may be seen by each other as also by the sisters 5. They may enter to hear the confessions of the sick that can not goe vnto the grate to giue them the Blessed Sacrament and extreme Unction and to read the recommendation of the soule * Since the Council of Trent noe one may enter the Monasterie but vvith expresse leaue of the Lord Bishop as aforesaid and in necessarie occasiōs See the Council of Trent sess 25. chapt 5. But to celebrate the sacrifice of Masse to read the office of the dead ād to digg open or prepare the graue may enter also other sufficient fitt persons according to the discretion of the Abbess 6. Further more the sisters are bound to haue for their Protector Gouernour and Reformer one of the Cardinals of the holy Roman Church the same that shal be ordained by our H Father the Pope for the Friars-Minors that being alwais subiect vnder the feet of the same holy Roman Church stedfast in the Catholique Faith we may euer obserue the holy pouertie and humilitie of our Lord JESUS CHRIST and his Holy Mother and the Holy Ghospel which we haue vow'd Amen Dated at Perugia the sixt of september the tenth yeare of the Popedome of our H Father Jnnocent the fourth Here endeth the Rule of the Poore sisters and followeth the remainder of the Popes Bull for the Confirmation of the same THerfore lett not any person violate or disannull this our letter or Bull of Confirmation or by rash and temerarious boldnesse contradict it The which if any one presume to doe lett him know that he doth incurr the indignation of Almightie God and of his holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Dated at Assisium the ninth day of August the eleuenth yeare of our Popedome Laus Deo Beatae Mariae semper Virgini Beato Francisco atque Beatae Clarae Amen HERE BEGINNETH THE HOLY MOTHER S. CLARE'S BENEDICTION Unto 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 Benediction and behould you with the eye of his mercie and giue you his Peace as also vnto all those who shal enter and perseuer in this our Cloyster and Monasterie and vnto all other of the Order who shal perseuer vnto the end in this holy Pouertie J Clare seruāt of JESUS Christ and little plant of our holy Father S. Francis your Mother and sister although vnworthy doe beseech our Lord JESUS Christ that through the intercession of his most holy Mother of the holy Arch-Angel S. Michael and of all the holy Angels of our holy Father S. Francis and of all the holy Saints it wil please him to giue and confirme in you this Benediction in heauen and in earth Jn earth by multiplying in you graces and vertues in his militant Church amongst his seruants Jn heauen in his Church triumphant eleuating you among his Saints J giue you my Benediction in my life and after my death in all that J am able and more then J am able with all the Blessings wherwith the Father of mercies hath or shal blesse his spiritual children both in heauen and earth or wherwith the spiritual Mother doth or shal be able to blesse her spiritual Childrē Amen Be alwais louers of God of your soules and of your sisters be carefull to keep that which you haue vowed And our Lord be alwais with you and you with him Amen An Epistle of the most Reuerend Father in God Ladislaus Lord Bishop of S. Omers c. To the Reuer Mother Abbess and Religious of the order of S. Clare in Graueling Health in him who is the spouse of Virgins our Lord IESVS CHRIST AS it hath a cheef place in our Pastoral solicitude to direct and aduance those happie soules who despysing the vanities of the world endeauour to attend to themselues and God in the Euangelical perfection of a Religious state soe is it our special dutie to open our Fatherly bosome of charitie towards you my Dearest Daughters in Christ whom the right hand of God leading out of Aegypt and the house of bondage hath conducted ouer the red sea into the land of Promise exod 20. Deutor 8. and safe hauen of Religion which doth not only giue vs iust occasion to blesse our Lord of Heauen for hauing show'red his Mercies on you Tobiae 12. but doth increase our ioy and add new glorie to see you though poore and humble yet to liue vnanimous in the house of God feruent in spirit hauing nothing and possessing all things Act. 3. 2. Rom. 12. 2. ad Corint 6. This Zeale of sublime Pouertie and highest Perfection was the motiue why you humbly requested of the sea Apostolique to haue your Constitutions which your selues had gathered out of those of Blessed saint Collett reuewed and confirmed without any considerable change saue only in some few points therby to make them more conformable to the sacred
Lett the transgressors be therfore speedily corrected and if the superiours which God forbid shoul be found negligent in correcting them or themselues carelesse in their obseruance or in causing them to be obserued they shal by the Uisitor be seuerely reprehended and inioyned pennance according to the greatnesse of their fault Jf you thus become vnanimously solicitous and carefull to repaire the breaches of regular obseruance your familie wil be truly called Nazareth that is florid Jt wil flourish and bring forth such varietie of choisest flowers in the garden of your soules as he with iust reason may require who though supposed only a Gardiner by a Magdalen yet shal be called Nazarean that is florid him-self beeing the fairest flower of this garden enclosed the first teacher and example of sanctitie retirednesse puritie and of all Euangelical and religious perfection You are called and permitted to liue in this schoole of vertue and house of Nazareth in compagnie of JESUS MARIA JOSEPH this grace of your soe high a calling is the greatest of all graces be euer gratefull for it Lett your eares and eyes be euer open to the voice of your teacher pointing the way and calling after you by the mouth of your superiours and guides Lett your hāds and hearts be euer readie to performe punctually what he requires of you in your Constitutions and Rule and if you feele a courage to vndergoe great matters euen the greatest for his loue neglect not little on 's because they are little for although they were in themselues little yet being now done for loue of him they are become great And seing you perceiue your selues to be spurred on with an earnest desire to vndergoe whatsoeuer might seeme hard and difficult for loue of him giue me leaue my Dearest Daughters in Christ to declare my mind in few words and if J seeme to require more at your hands then J dare presume to hope of others that saying of S. Gregorie giues me the assurance that when guift's or graces are increased the ground or motiue to add more increaseth also S. Greg. Papae Homil. 9. in Euang Which our Lord God hath soe heaped and multiplied in your soules that all your endeauours whatsoeuer wil fall farr short of a cōdigne gratitude for he hath mercifully lead you out of the house of bondage into the land of promise and inheritance of his Children he hath drawn you out of ignorance and darknesse into the light of truth he hath called you out of the confusion of Babilon and sin and placed you in the strong Castle of wel ordered charitie this happie house of Religion J meane wher remote from sinners you may not only attend with great retirednesse to God and your selues but procure also for others the like blessings from heauen and namely for your poore Countrie and the inhabitans thereof The which to obtaine more assuredly nothing is to be omitted by you the neglect wherof might hinder the desired effect of your praiers The habit you weare sheweth the austeritie and rigour of your Order the Profession of your Religion and Rule now embraced supposeth perfection in vertue alreadie acquired and obligeth you to striue to the attaining of more For although you should seem to haue profited neuer soe much in vertue yet you must dayly endeauour to increase the same least by not procuring seriously to aduance you stray vnperceiuedly from the beaten path of perfectiō and sanctitie which assuredly wil happen when little obseruances which lead you by the more strait and compendious way to your end are less esteemed or neglected He whose mind is bent to horde vp riches mak's his profitt and increases his stock by many a little soe he that wil make progresss in vertue must indeauour carefully to omitt nothing that may giue him furtherance in the course vndertaken For according to that saying of holy Writt he who neglecteth little things shal fall by litle and litle Ecclesiast 19. Which being soe walke on my Dearest Daughters in Christ as you haue begun and studiously apply your selues to a total obseruance of your Holy Constitutiōs vntil at length you arriue to the height of all perfection true vnion with God The which that you may faithfully performe and happyly attaine vnto shal be our wish and prayer to God and that he wil please to hasten on that day wherin you may be replanted in that Land once bearing title of the Dowrei of the Uirgin-Mother heretofore holy and fruitfull in this kind but now Alas ouerrun with Heresie and sin vntil at length when he shal please to pick you out for a yet more choice and Virgin soile this Nazareth may be againe remoued and transferred by the help of Angels into that heauenly Countrie wher in the companie of other Virgins you may for an eternitie intone that song which none can sing but Uirgins only and following the Lamb whereuer he goeth enioy for euer the chast embracements of your Lord and Spouse Which from the bottome of my heart J truly wish you and earnestly intreate to be made partaker of your merits and to be remembred in your best deuotions Giuen at S. Omers vnder Our signe and signate 22. January 1665. LADISLAUS Episcopus Audomarensis Approbation of the Vicar's General of the Episcopal Sea vacant of S. Omers THE Uicar's General of the Episcopal Sea vacant of S. Omers hauing read and maturely examined the fore-said Constitutions drawn out according to the Reformation of S. Collett and the forme of life deliuered by S. Francis iudge them to be very pious and laudable proper and profitable as framed according to the end proposed by holy men and replenished with the spirit of God Wee esteem alsoe those few things which are added or changed most proper both to make the said Constitutions more conformable to the sacred Canons and Decrees of the holy Council of Trent as also that Religious obseruance loue and Uniō with God may take increase Jn testimonie wherof We haue signed thē with our hand and seale of our Vicarial office S. Omers 13. April 1661. I. de Longueual Decanus Audom Petrus D'Arras Theologus Audom Reuision and Approbation of the most Reuerend Father in God Ladislaus Lord Bishop of S. Omers HAuing seen the fore-said Constitutions and Ordinations with their Approbation and Cōfirmation made by the Reuerend Lords the Vicar's General of the Episcopal Sea of S. Omers then Vacāt and hauing moreouer perused the like Approbation and Cōfirmation granted by a special Apostolical Breue of our most Holy Father and Lord Pope Alexander the 7. bearing date the 7. of March 1663. all being maturely considered and examin'd by Vs We LADISLAVS JONNART by the Grace of God and Apostolical Sea Bishop of S. Omers doe commend approue and confirme the afore-said Constitutiōs and Ordinations and command them hence forth to be kept and obserued Jn testimonie wher-of We haue signed and confirmed them with our hand and seale Giuen at S. Omers the
anything necessarie lett the Sisters which are subiect remember that for the loue of God they haue renounced their owne wills wherefore J wil that they obey their Mother as they haue of their owne accord vowed vnto God to doe to the end that their Mother seeing the humilitie charitie and vnion which they haue vnto each other may easily beare the charge which she hath by her office Which because it is heauy and bitter they must through their holy cōuersation seek to turn into sweetness And seeing the way is narrow and the gate strait which leadeth vnto life and few their are which walk in it and few that perseuer therin blessed are those which haue receiued the grace to walk in it and to perseuer therin vnto the end Wherfore lett vs be carefull seing we be entred in to the way of our Lord that by our fault and negligence we doe not fall from the same commit or doe iniurie vnto our Lord vnto his Blessed Mother the Glorious Uirgin Marie vnto our holy Father S. Francis vnto the triumphant and militant Church for it is written cursed are those who decline from thy commandment To obtaine this grace J bow my knees vnto the heauenly Father through the merits of our Lord JESUS and of his B. Mother of our H. Father S. Francis and of all the Saints that it wil please his diuine Maiestie who hath giuen a good beginning to grant grace also that it may augment and without end perseuer euen vntil death Dearly beloued Sisters presēt and to come that you may the better perseuer in our vocation J leaue vnto you this writing in token of our Lords Benediction and of the Benediction of our H. Father S. Francis and of me your Mother and seruant A Prayer vnto the Glorious Virgin Marie Mother of God WHosoeuer shal say deuoutly this ensuing prayer in honour of the most sacred Passion of our Lord and Sauiour JESUS Christ and in honour of his most B. Mother the Uirgin Marie and continue the sayd deuotion for the space of 30. days shal mercifully obtaine his lawfull request as hath been often experienced A most deuout and efficacious Prayer to the euer glorious Virgin Marie EUer glorious and blessed Uirgin Marie Queene of virgins Mother of mercie hope and comfort of all desolate and desperate soules through that sword of grief which perc'd your heart whilst your only son Christ JESUS our Lord suffered death and ignominie on the crosse through his filial tenderness of purest loue in your behalf grieuing in your grief whils't from his Cross he bequeath'd you to the protectiō and care of his Vicar S. Iohn take pittie J beseech you on my pouerties and wants haue compassion on my anxietie and cares help and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries whatsoeuer You are the Mother of mercies the sweet comfort of the afflicted and desolate the only refuge of all needy and Orphans Cast then an eye of pittie on the teares of a miserable forlorn wretch and heare my prayers and seing for iust punishment of my sins J am surrounded with many euills and much anguish vnto whom shal J haue recourse or where can J be more securely sheltred then vnder the mantle or your Motherly protection o Virgin Marie my sweetest Lady Mother of my Lord and Sauiour JESUS CHRIST comfort and redress of our lost nature Lend therfore J beseech you an eare of compassion and pittie to my hūble requests and prayers J beg it by those bowells of mercie of your dearest son by that sweetness wherwith he embraced our human nature when deliberating with the two other Diuine Persōs and with secreet power of the H. Ghost your consent first being by the Angel demāded and obtained GOD BECAME MAN and 9. months expired vouchsafing mercifully to visit the world with his gracious presence came forth from the chast inclosure of your virginal wombe J beg it by that anguish of mind which your afore-sayd deare son our Lord JESUS Christ indured at mount Oliuet beseeching his heauenly Father to take away if possible that bitter chalice of his future passion by his three tims repeated prayer in the garden and your mournfull stepps when with teares you accompaned him to that dolefull spectacle of his death and sufferings by his whipps scoffs cords ignominies fals accusatiōs and vniust condemnation by that garment gayn'd at a cast at dyce by his teares ād dropps of bloudy sweat by his silence and patience by his feare sadness and grief of heart by his confusion and bashfullness hanging naked on a Cross in your presence and in sight of the whole world by his royal head perc'd with thorn's and struck with a reed by his thirst and pain-full potion of vineger and gall by that lance that perc'd his sacred side and by that bloud and water which flowing thence did showre on vs plentie of mercie and grace by those nailes stuch into his hands and feet by that pretious soule and sweet spirit which he crying with a loud voice my God my God why hast thou forsaken me recommended to his heauenly father and with an inclyned head gaue vp the Ghost saying all is consummated by the rending of rocks and tearing of the vaile of the temple by the earthquake and darck'ning of the sun and moone by his mercie shew'd to the good theef by his adorable Cross and bitter Passiō by his descent to Hell and all those soules which he comforted with his glorious sight by the ioy glorie and victorie of his H. Resurrection appearing vnto you his elect Uirgin Mother and to the rest of his disciples for 40. days by his admirable Ascension when you all behoulding him he was eleuated into heauen by the grace of the H. Paraclet which he in fyerie tongues infused into the hearts of his Disciples and by their zeale inflamed the rest of the vniuerse by that last and dreadfull day when he shal come to iudge the liuing and dead and the world in fire by all the compassion he bore you in this life by the rauishing sweetness of his eyes and by the ineffable ioy you felt being in his sight assumed into Heauen wher world without end you liue and reioyce in him comfort my heart and heare this my prayer for which J am your humble suppliant ASKE HERE DEVOVTLY WHAT-SOEVER YOU PLEASE And as J am confident he can refuse nothing vnto you and doth honour you soe lett me speedily fully and efficaciously experience your help and comfort according to the sweetness of your Motherly and his Filial louing heart who granteth mercifully the request of all that loue him and doth the will that feare him Wherfore sweet Lady according to my present need in this and in all other things whatsoeuer for the which J humbly inuoque your sacred name and assistāce obtaine for me of your dearest Son our Lord God firme hope in the Catholique faith perfect Charitie true contrition of heart a fountaine af teares sincere confession and refrayning from sin condigne satisfaction loue of God and my neighbour contempt of the world and true patience to suffer affronts ignominies and if need be an opprobrious death for loue of your Son our Redeemour JESUS CHRIST Obtaine for me perseuerance in good works execution of my good purposes and Vow 's mortification of self-will conuersation pleasing vnto you and in the last houre of my life a strong and true repentance and presence to my self in word and mind and a happy death Lastly for the soules of my parents brothers Sisters benefactours aliue and dead obtaine for vs all J beseech you life euerlasting Amen An other Prayer to the same HAile blessed Virgin Marie Mother of God Queene of heauen gate of paradise and Lady of the world Thou art a singular pure Uirgin Thou wert conceiued without sin conceiuedst also and brought forth without blemish your Son JESUS the Creator and Redeemour of the world All this doe J beleeue vndoubtedly Pray for me to JESUS your beloued Son and free me from all euill AMEN FINIS