as our Ladyes deputye and beyng called again he flew vpō his hed then beyng lycenced to depart he went awaye A nyghtyngale song a whole daye with him by turne that is to say S. Frances one verse the nightyngale another Like as Adam not obeiyng god all creatures begā to rebell So S. Frances obeiyng and fullfillyng the commaundementes of God all creatures began to do him seruyce accordyng to the scriptures Thou diddest put all thynges vnder his gouernaunce thou hast set him ouer all thy workes and he may truly say y e wordes of the gospell All thinges are geuen me of my father And moreouer whatsoeuer saynt Frances had delyght or pleasure in thesame pleased the lord God Thesame leafe S. Frances on a tyme beyng in feruent prayer for the synnes of the people an Angell appered vnto him saiyng Christ oure blessed Lady with a great company of Angelles are in y e church lookyng for the c. Who commyng into the Church for feare reuerence fell on his face Then sayde Christ vnto him Frances thou and thy Brethren are wonderfull carefull for the soules of faythfull people therefor aske what thou wylt for their comfort yt shalbe graunted the for thou art ordeyned to be the light of the gentiles And he laye as one rapt into the godhead and at the last commyng to him selfe he sayde Our father most holyest I wretched synner beseche the forasmuche as yt pleaseth the to owe such fauour to mankynde that thou wilt graunt indulgence and remission of all and synguler the synnes as well generall as speciall of all suche people as shall come into this place c. And I most humbly beseche our Lady thy Blessed Mother the speciall aduocatryce for mankynde that somuche as she may to helpe me in this my peticion and to make intercession vnto thy moost deuoute and excellēt maiestie And our blessed Lady with most heauenly humylite forthwith inclined to the prayers and peticiō of blessed Frances and ymediatly made suplicacion to her Sonne saiyng Most high and almighty God I most humbly beseche thy godhead that somuch as thy maiestie may to inclyne graunt to the prayer petycion of thy sernaunt Frances And the diuine maiestie of God spake saiyng It is very greate that thou hast desyred but thou arte worthy brother S. Frances to haue greater and thou shalt haue greater and I do admyt and graunt thy peticion But I wyll haue the to go vnto my vycar to whom I haue geuen power to bynde lose c. And aske of him on my behalfe this indulgence and Pardon Twelue of S. Frances brethrē beyng in their Celles heard all these thynges but beyng stricken with feare they durst not enter into the church And anone Christ with a great multitude of Angelles departed into Heauen In the mornyng S. Frances cōmaunded his brethren that they should speake nothyng of these thynges Then went he vnto Pope Honorius and declared vnto him this vision and he obteyned the graunt of this pardon and so departed When Frances was departyng y e Pope sayd O Symple person whether goest thou What caryest thou with the for a testimony of this pardō Then blessed Frances aunswered thy word is ynough and sufficient for me if yt be the worke of God he can manifest and declare his awne worke and I desyre none other instrument but only that our Lady be the paper and Christ the notary and all the Angelles witnesses And in his iourney he tolde Freer Massey his felow the visiō and sayd brother Massey I say to the on goddes behalfe that the pardō which is graunted to me of the Pope is confirmed in heauen The Cardinalles hearyng of this graunt reproued rebuked the Pope for grauntyng to Frances so greate pardon saiyng thou wylt bryng the indulgence of blessed Peter Paul to nothing The lord Pope aunswered we haue geuen and graunted it to him yt is not expedyēt to destroye that is made But forasmuch as Frances neither of God nor yet of the Pope had appoynted any determynate day whē this pardon should begī he was again wōderfully troubled prayed that he myght se y e vision once agayn and that he myght be certefyed of Christ Wherfore on a tyme in the moneth of Iāuarij about mydnight when Blessed Frances was in prayer the deuell came vnto him sayde Frances why wylt thou dye before thy tyme why doest y u occupye thy selfe on this fassion knowest thou not that slepe is more meter for the Thou art yong and slepe shalbe thy health and I haue often tolde the how thou shouldest otherwise do thy penaunce for synnes and not so streight and sore as thou doest To what purpose doest thou bete thy self thus And blessed Frances ymedyatly put of all his clothes and his breches and striped him self stark naked and he went out of his Cel passed thorough a great rough hedge and entred into a great wyldernes whiche was very thorny so y t his body was all bloody then sayd he to him self yt is a great deale better that I should thus knowlege y e passion of our Lord Iesu Christ then obeye vnto deceitfull flatterynges And sodeynly there was in the wyldernes a great light which appered to be wōderous full of gelyfloures and Roses there was an innumerable cōpany of Angelles whiche sayd with one voyce Blessed Frances come hether quyckly The Sauyour and his Mother are in the Church and tary for the. Then blessed Frances sawe him selfe newly appareled but howe or which waye yt came to passe he could not tell And there appered vnto him a waye couered all with sylke by the which he wēt to the Church And blessed Frances tooke out of the rosary xij red roses and xij whyte and he came foorth with to the Churche and vpon the altare there he layd the roses Then he sawe our Lorde Iesu Christ standyng and oure blessed Lady his Mother on his right hand with a great multitude of Angelles And blessed Frāces spake saiyng Our most holyest Father whiche art the orderer and gouernour of heauen earth I beseche the of thy great mercy that thou wilt vouchesafe to ordeyn and appoynt the daye that the pardon whiche thou hast graunted shall take effect that thy blessed Mother the aduocatryce of mankynd will assist herunto To whome Christ aunswered I will that yt be thesame daye in the whiche blessed Peter was deliuered from his bondes begynnyng at the first euensong of thesame day and contynue to the euensong the next daye folowyng includyng the nyght and that whosoeuer cōmeth thether that day contryre confessed shalbe pardoned and forgeuen of all y e synnes that he hath done from the daye of his baptisme to the day of his entraunce into the Churche of our Lady Porcyuncule how greuous or great so euer their synnes be And blessed Frances sayde Moost holyest Father how may this be knowen to mankynde that they may beleue And our
Psalme of Miserere Credo in deum Pater noster Salue regina ¶ He sayd y t he knewe a man that was an infinite nomber of tymes rapt and taken vp into the highest heauen and was vnited with god and he receaued so great swetnes from God that he thought he was constreyned to crye Domine recede a me c. Lorde go from me And the signes of this great feruoure was much sene in his face ¶ In a certeyn vision he sawe Iesus and sayd vnto him Domine quis es Lord who arte thou Iesus annswered Ego sum qui sum I am that I am and Iesus sayde also welcome my sonne and he blessed him saiyng thy synnes are forgeuen the. ¶ He was once taken vp into Paradise there he saw God talkyng with all the sayntes one after another And a certeyn saynct sayde vnto Freer Roger of what order arte thou and he aunswered a Barefoote Freer then he gaue vnto him a consecrated hoste and commauÌ„ded him that he should go preache vnto certeyn Freers whiche wer weake in Christ and so he dyd The lxxviii leafe Freer Roger inquired of Freer Bertrand of certeyn Brethren whether they wer saued Freer Bertrand aunswered what askest thou me of the brethren I certefy the that all that dye in the Order and Rule of Blessed Frances are saued Thesame leafe When he was dead he appered vnto a certeyn Woman which confessed all her synnes to him and he gaue her absolucion Thesame leafe In Brabant lyeth buryed Freer Peter which was sene of a childe that could skant speake at the celebracion of his Masse eate Christ in the forme and maner of a lytle Childe The lxxix leafe Freer Benedyct whiche is buryed in Erffort was our Ladyes butler Thesame leafe Freer Conrade lyeth buryed in the prouynce of Austriche in the new citie which was the very father and chefe worker of miracles but because he was not buryed with our brethren the Minister commanded him that he should worke no more myracles To the which coÌ„maundement he obeyed and sith that tyme he neuer wrought any mor myracles Thesame lefe Christ appered with a terrible countenaunce to a certeyn Prior saiyng vnto him Thou Prior of what Order arte thou and he aunswered of the Order of S. Benedict and Christ sayd vnto blessed Benedict sayth this man true And Benedict aunswered he is a destroyer of my order and of his felowes that are with him Then Christ commaunded that he should be hanged vpon the Elme in the cloyster Thesame leafe Freer Agnell receaued into the order of the Barefoot Freers certeyn Englishmennes children and he sent x. pound sterlyng to Rome to bye them the decretalles to study in to put awaye ydle tymes He was buryed in Oxford in a Chest of wood whose body when the brethren woulde haue remoued into a Sepulchre which they had prepared for him they found his Chest full of clere Oyle smellyng lyke BalsamuÌ„ and his fleshe beyng resolued the bones dyd swyme vpon the oyle The lxxx leafe In this leafe are recited dyuerse Freers whiche wrote good workes and among other is named Freer Arlot of Prato who was the fyrst that wrote the concordaunce of the Bible The lxxxii leafe This is the most excellentest Order of all other Orders for in this Order hath bene the most notable and excelleÌ„t personages as Pope Gregory the nynth called Vgo whome S. Frances dyd prophesy before that he shoulde be Pope and dyd allwayes wryte him the most worshipfullest father of all the world Also Pope Martyn desyred to be buryed in our habite Pope Alexander the fourth was a Barefoot Freer and graunted to the order many Bulles and Priuilegies Also S. Frances appered with his woundes vnto the Kyng of Constantinople and willed him if he would be saued y t he should make him self a Barefoote Freer he dyd so ☞ The quene of Sauoy dyd wer our habite And so dyd a great nombre of Emperours Kynges quenes and noble personages whiche wer to long here to reherce For ther is not a noble house in Christendome but some one of theim hathe bene a Barefoote Freer accordyng to the saiyng of the scripture Euen kinges hathe walked in thy most plesaunt gardeyn Thesame leafe In blessed Frances is fulfilled that was spokeÌ„ to Abraham If ther be any that can nombre the dust of the earth c. Wherfor the deuell sayd before to a certeyn woman the Order of the Barefoote Freers though yt be lytle yet shall yt be multiplyed aboue all other Orders In India there are many houses of this Order The lxxxiiii leafe Blessed S. Clare was first a Syster of the Order of the Minorites otherwyse called Barefoote Freers whiche contynually dyd wepe and lament the passion of Christ so long that at the last the Deuell appered vnto her saiyng that she should lose the light of her Eyen To whome when she had sayd that they cannot lose their sight that foloweth the light of life the Deuell fled awaye Often tymes she spake with God dyd many miracles Pope Alexander the fourth being syck she visited him he offred her his fete to kysse Thesame leafe Freer Iunyper is Christes Iester The lxxâ—viii leafe Freer Hely sayd vnto blessed Fances here are certeyn brethren that here saye thou wylt make a newe rule and they fearyng that thou wylt make yt to streight and sharpe saye that thou shalt make it for thy self and not for theim Whiche when he heard blessed Frances turned his face toward heauen and spake thus vnto Christ Lorde sayd not I well vnto the that they ought to beleue me Then all they heard the voyce of Christ aunsweryng in the ayre Frances there is nothyng in thy rule that is thyne but all that is there is myne and I wyll that the rule be obserued to the letter to the letter to the letter without any glose without any glose whiche wordes proue that our rule is instituted of Christ Then blessed Frances turned him to his brethren and sayd now ye haue hearde now ye haue heard now ye haue hearde Thesame leafe The rule of the Freer Minors otherwise called Barefoot Freers was made of blessed S. Frances standyng and beyng resydent fastyng in the mount Christ reuelyng yt vnto him Wherfore he compareth his rule with the law of Moses that was geuen in Mount Synay and the law as they call yt of the gospell that was publisshed by Christ in the mounteyn No man ought to doubt but this Rule is Christes because Christ affirmed yt so to be before so great a nomber of brethren The lxxxix leafe The Apostles wer not learned Therfore it is not nedefull that the Frances Freers shoulde be learned for they are as the Apostles Thesame leafe The rule of the Minorites or Barefoote Freers begynneth thus The rule and life of the Barefoote Freers is this the obseruacyon of the Gospell of our Lorde Iesu Christ And in the ende of the tytle is this
streight and narow aboue whiche stode in the myddes of a greate sea and an hundred tymes in the daye and asmany tymes in the nyght he bowed him selfe so long tyll the nomber of bowynges whiche he had omytted was fulfilled And he sayde that thesame bowyng was to him wōderous peynfull for he thought euer that he should haue fallen into the botome of the sea The C. vii leafe Oure blessed Lady appered vnto a certeyn Barefoote Freer with saynct Peter and a greate nombre of other sayntes saiyng let vs go to Antioche for the soule of a brother of thyne order whiche to morow about the third houre of the daye shall departe from the bodye and we will receaue him I omyt many suche as this is and truly the blessed virgin and the deuell were wonderfully troubled with Fryers The C. xii leafe S. Frances called a wolfe his brother for ther was a certeyn mad and outragious wolfe dyd hurte many in the citee but Saynct Frances makyng a crosse ouer him sayde brother wolfe thou shalt promes me that thou wilt neuer deuoure more I wyll promes the that the citezens shall norishe and fede the. And the wolfe bowyng his hed made a playne signe promes that he would so do And blessed Frances sayd to the wolfe geue me thy fayth Then the wolfe reached out his right fore fote gentely layd yt in S. Frances hand Then S. Frances sayde brother wolfe I cōmaund the in the name of our lord Iesu Christ that thou come nowe with me And he went with him Then all the citezens women merueyled Afterward s Frāces preachyng sayd vnto y e people my brother wolfe which stādeth here present before y u hath promised you his fayth and peace if so he that you wil promes him to geue him euery day sufficient foode for brother wolfe I wilbe suertye Then all with one voyce promysed to geue him sufficient foode Then S. Frances before theim all sayd to the wolfe and thou brother wolfe shalt promes to kepe coueuaunt with theim And the wolfe making low curtesy declared playnly by euydent signes that he would kepe promes agayn lifted vp his right foote Then all with one voyce showted vp to heauen The wolf lyued ii yeres neuer hurtyng any persō daily came to the gate of the cytie for his meate so departed A meruelous thyng yt was for in all this time there was neuer dogge that so muche as barked at him The C. xiii leafe S. Frances as he was preachyng a woman began to playe on a tymberell Frances cōmaunded her to peace but she would not Then S. Frances sayde thou deuell take that is thyne And ymmediatly y e wretched womā was caryed of the deuell into the ayre was nener sene after Thesame leafe A certeyn Bysshop preachyng dyd excedyngly cōmend extoll S. Frances allegyng this sentence Psal C. xlvii that God sent not suche a person as Frances was to no nacion c. After the Sermon S. Frances bowyng doune to the fete of the Bysshop sayd vnto him My Lorde Bysshop truly I saye vnto you there was neuer man in this worlde that dyd me somuche honour as this daye you haue done Thesame leafe A faire womā came to s Frances temptyng him And streight waye he stryped him selfe starke naked layed him doune vpon the burnyng coles and sayd vnto her this is my bed come lye with me Then the womā departed Thesame he dyd with another woman in the C. xiiii leafe The C. xiiii leafe S. Frances saluted the byrdes of the ayre and he called theim brethren cōmaunded theim to heare the worde of the Lorde Then the byrdes assēbled theim selues in great flockes and came to his preachyng and they stretched out their neckes and opened their throtes and were very attentife to his doctryne And after the Sermon S. Frances went thorough the myddes of theim then he gaue theim lycence to depart they fled away w t a great crye and noyes deuydyng theim selues into the iiij partes of the world signifyeng that S. Frances Rule shoulde be publisshed thorougout all the worlde The C. xix leafe Blessed Frances cōmaunded a certeyn Freer beyng of a noble stocke that he should go preache naked The Freer aunswered sayd Father what benefite shall I haue therby S. Frāces aunswered I wyll assure the of euerlastyng lyfe Then he with great ioye went foorth and preached naked The C. xx leafe A certeyn Freer beyng dead came to heauen gates knocked Then the porter sayd vnto him what arte thou that so knockest He aunswered I am a Barefoot Freer Then sayd he vnto him tary a lytle vntyll I haue spokē with S. Frances Whome when S. Frances with all his brethren sawe he sayd vnto the porter let him in for he is one of my brethrē And truly the prynt of the woundes of S. Frāces shone as a podyng in a lantern bryght as v. of the fayrest sterres in the element Thesame leafe S. Frances beyng in the wood desyred certeyn thefes to come eate with him to thentent he myght bryng theim to penaunce saiyng brethren thefes come and eate with vs for we are brethren and he conuerted theim The C. xxii leafe A certeyn Freer deliuered vnto the deuell a writyng signed with his awne blood because he should conuey a woman vnto him But thorough the merites of the blessed Masse yt came so to passe that the deuell let fall y e wrytyng in the chalyce of remyssion and pardon of synnes The same leafe Blessed S. Frances beyng tempted of a woman he stryped him self naked and ranne into the snowe and made him a wyfe and Children of snowe The C. xivii leafe When S. Frances came from Saynct Iames he was syck and desyred to eate of a lytle byrde and ymedyatly an Angell appered vnto him in the lykenes of a horsman brought with him a byrde ready dressed saiyng Thou seruaunt of God take that the Lorde hathe sent vnto the of the whiche when he had eaten he was made whole The Lxlix leafe Freer Peter doyng many myracles when he was dead S. Frāces sayd vnto him Freer Peter thou wast all the dayes of thy lyfe obedyent to me so I wyll haue the to be now thou art dead and therfor now I will not that y u shalt do any more myracles which afterward neuer dyd more miracles Consyder here I besech the sayth the booke gentle reader how dere precious gloryous Frances was with Christ whose commaundment the dead obeyed c. The heares of S. Frances beyng cast agaynst a stone wall threw yt doune Christ dyd nothyng but he dyd yt he dyd more then Christ dyd The nayles of S. Frances dyd put away tēptacions with his spyttle he restored a mayde to her syght the water that he wasshed his handes fete in raysed the dead to lyfe agayn The space of viij dayes a greshopper stode with him in oure Ladyes rome or
thus to be interpreted the man that is hanged is not in heauen and yet is he lifted vp from the yearth and alwayes loketh downeward so must we humble our selues The same leafe Freer Giles said vnto a certein person if thou wilt entre into religion then quickly kill thy parentes that is to say thy Father and mother but not with the materiall sworde but spiritually for he that hateth not father mother cannot be christes disciple The same leafe To entre into religion is to finde the infinite treasure of the kingdome of heauen The lvi leafe Peine vpon peine is to studye mekenes and humilitie The .lvii. leafe Freer Giles said to s Frances that he liked not the pisâ—eres or Antes because thei were to much careful in gathering of their victualles but he liked the birdes excedingly well for they horded not vp The .lviii. leafe Holy religious persones are like holy wolues for they neuer go abrode but for greate necessitee The lix leafe From the beginning of the world euen til this time ther was neuer a better nor a more profitable â— Ordre of Religion inuented then the ordre of the barefote Friers The lx leafe Freer Giles being asked what he thought of blessed Frances he beyng inflamed with feruour of the spirite in hearing the name of Frances said that there is no maÌ„ that ought to name blessid Frances but for ioy he should lick his lippes Yet said Frier Giles he lacked one thing and that was a strong bodye for if he had had so stroÌ„g a bodie as I haue I thinke al the worlde had not ben able to haue folowed him Thesame leafe Freer CoÌ„rade of offida wheÌ„ he was but xiiii yeres of age entred into religioÌ„ when he was set to study he refused it entred into y e kitchin dressing meat destributing y t almose by the space of .x. yeres There came daily vnto him a faire bird sate vpoÌ„ his sholder at a certein time as he weÌ„t iÌ„to y e wood the birde did fly before him singing moste swetely of the whiche swetnes he receaued incredible comfort Maundy thurseday drawing nere Freer â—onrade besought the lord that he woulde take the bird those iij. daies into his keping because that in those iii. daies he would receiue no coÌ„solation or confort but sorowe heuines in the honor of good Friday whiche thing came to passe for the bird hid her self vntil Easter dayin the morning whiche morning he came more fairer theÌ„ euer he did before and song more plesanter and sweter and as it is said he spake to him wonderfull thinges and he sawe him fly into heauen as straight as a threde Verely I beleue it was the Holy Ghost or at the least y e angel Gabriel ¶ Also a certein wolf came vnto Corrad and caught him by the neeke as he had bene a lambe and caried him into the house of the bare fote Friers The whiche thing the bretherne seyng meruailed and for greate deuocion began excedingly to wepe perceiuing the holines of their brother The same brother in the Feast of the PurificatioÌ„ besought our our lady that she wold geue him some of the swetnes and consolation that she gaue to Simeon and imediatly he was heard For our Lady apered in a great light with her mooste precious childe and turned him into the armes of Freer Conrade whiche deuoutly taking him printed Christes lippes in his lippes and setting his brest to his was wonderfully delighted in the kisses and replenished with charitie Thesame leafe The soule of a certain Frier apered vnto Frier Conrade and declared vnto him that for certeine sinnes that he had committed he was in purgatory therefore besought him that he would say a certain of pater nosters for hym And when he had saied an hundred pater nosters the Soul of the same brother returned and gaue thankes on goddes behalfe to Frier Conrade saiyng that hee was deliuered from peines an went euen then into glory Thesame leafe Freer Conrade was a great preacher and he reised fiue dead persons as the deuell affirmeth The lxi lefe Frier Simon of Collaze reised a dead person to life he healed a sick horsse Shepe that could not stand he made hole He restored olde women to their hearing iii. persons that were croked he made streight and healed x that had the dropsy Thesame leafe A certain Phisicion of Spolet being like could not help him self till he had vpon him the garment of Saint Frances ordre then he receaued his health The lxii leafe Freer Simon of Assissio neuer learned hys Grammer and yet by the help of god he spake so mistically that his wordes semed supernaturall And beyng on a time rapt and taken vp he semed so farre vnlike himselfe by the meane of wonderfull aparicions and visions that he sawe that a Freer putt a burning cole vpon his bare fote and he neuer felt it Thesame lefe Freer Rolle of Bruforce on a time preached in the wood and y e chattering of the birdes excediÌ„gly troubled him and he turned to theÌ„ commaunded theÌ„ that they should depart and come no more in that wood A merueilous saiyng and unmediatly thei departed and neuer returned again Thesame leafe Freer Leonard one of Sainct Frances felowes led S Frances Asse as he thought S. Frances was riding vpon his Asse which sayde to him self behold howe Frances rydeth and must haue a foote man to leade his Asse And immedyatly Frances knewe his thought Then Freer Leonard kneled doune at blessed Frances fete and with teares besought him of forgeuenes Thesame leafe A certeyn Nouesse called Freer Iunyper was so symple and deuoute y t he went often tymes into the wyldernes to gather wood to make a fyre to warme the brethren with he vsed to cary an aule with him to sowe the 〈◊〉 of his brethreÌ„ but the warâ—â—â—â— of his house was fat Thesayd Noueys on a tyme stryped him self naked came from Fulginâ— passyng by y e strete speluÌ„ thorow the cytee of Assisio euen into the house of y e barefoot Freers And when he was excedyngly reproued of the generall minister for so doyng he sayd that he had taken this penaunce vpon him because he would be commaunded in like maner naked to returne Also another tyme he entred into Viterbe as he entred the gate of the citee he put his breches aboute his head and his cote he bound vp like a fardell aboute his necke and so naked he went thorough the citee where he suffred many shamefull rebukes naked he entred into the house of the Fryers wher all the brethren cryed out vpon him but 〈◊〉 lytle regarded their rebukes 〈◊〉 holy a man was this Noueyâ— Thesame leafe Theforsayd Noueys was of a certeyn gentleman excedyngly welle enterteigned and layd in a goodly bed But he fyled the bed and departed in the mornyng without takyng any leaue or byddyng them farewell Thesame man
of the LORDE He entred into that Order and he kept the vestry and song in the Queer In the tyme of great frost and Snowe he went naked sauyng that he ware a payer of breches sometyme he ware a habergeon and some tyme a cote of swynes leder and some tyme a cote of Horse heare knotty and he ware next his fleshe a hoope of yron By the space of xxx yeares he drank water In Lent he dyd eate euery daye no other thyng then asmany rawe herbes as he could holde betwene his ij fyngers In iii. yeares he neuer sate neither slepyng nor wakyng except yt were at the table in the chapiter house or in the Queer God daylye came to him by the space of iij. monethes and gaue him the vnderstandyng of all scripture ¶ In the citie of Florence he preached in the myddest of the strete on a fayre day but within a lytle whyle yt reyned but yt neither touched him the pulpit nor the audience to the great wonder and meruayle of the people He was visited of all the Sayntes and our blessed Lady stoode by him a whole daye in thesame forme and maner as she was here vpon the earthe Saynt Frances with his woūdes appered vnto him and stoode a great while by him and sayd Aske of me what peticion soeuer thou wylt and I will graunte yt the. Then he desyred that he myght touche and kysse his woundes whiche S. Frances graunted him and he was woūderfully comforted Also as he was syngyng on S. Lawrence daye of his broylyng sodeynly saynct Laurence appered vnto him as he was broylyng and behelde him with a pitifull looke And when he song Salue Regina he appered agayne saiyng that gredyron is my great comfort Once as he was saiyng Masse he desyred to se Christ in thesame maner and forme that he was crucified in Then appered Christ beholdyng him with his eyes of compassion ¶ On a tyme he beyng in the wyldernes besought Christ that he woulde appere vnto him Then appered Christ vnto him iii. or iiij tymes shewyng him his backe but sayd nothyng But y e good brother seased not wepyng vntill suche tyme as Christ turned his face to him and stretched out his handes as the Priest doth when he is at Masse Then he fell doune at the fete of Christ whiche he put foorth for him to kisse whiche he wasshed with the teares of his eies like an other Mary Magdalene and at the last Chist offered him his handes to kisse And Freer Ihon rising came to the brest of Christe and embraced him and Christe kissed him but after y t he preached most profound diuinitie his hart burned an C. times more then if it had bene in a burning Fornace and for extreme heat he was forced to crie out and make exclamations He was once rapte of God aboue al creatures and his soule was swalowed vp in the depenes of diuinitie and was buried in the Sea of infinite knowlege of the godhed insomuch that nothing created nothing made nor imagined nothing thoughte nor comprehended whiche either hart could think or tonge coulde speake but it was knowen and reueled vnto him so that his soul was ouerwhelmed as is a drop of wine in the sea and he saw nothing but god in all thinges and aboue all thinges and without al thinges and there he sawe iii. persones in one godhed c and thus beyng in his meditacion in wailing and weping he came to the euerlasting glory Thesame lefe Thesame Frier receiued once within the Octauas of the Assūption of our Lady such a swetnes and confort that because he wold not be harde of his bretherne he went into a woode to powre out the greate ioyes that was in his hart and as he cried out for gret greate ioy hee thoughte vpon the wordes of consecration Hoc est corpus meum And immediatly he sawe in a great Light Christe with the blessed Virgin his mother and being replenished with Wonderfull Ioye he returned and went to Masse and when he had said the preface and Qui pridie and came to the wordes of cōsecration often times he said Hoc est Hoc est but he was not able to expresse any more Wherefore the Wardeyne of the Frires and another of his Bretherne began to helpe him but he sodeinly sayeng Corpus meum imediatly apered to him our Lorde Iesus Christe shewinge him his greate humilitie whiche offred him self to be incarnate and causeth himself daily to come into y e handes of the priest When he beheld the presence of the Lorde his hart melted as waxe and fel back warde but he was staied of the Wardeine and his bretherne and as one dead they caried him into the Vestry and his body was as cold as Yse and so he laye as one departed from the morninge vntill it was none so that he coulde not make an end of Masse These thinges did he declare vnto a certain brother in whome he put greate confidence ¶ At another time as he was ministring at Masse Christe apered to him with a goodly fayre Bearde clothed in a precious Red Garmente and he was certified that god was so pleased for that masse y e he wold remit y e sinnes of all the world but specially those which were recommended in the same Masse The .lxvi. lefe Freer Ihon saiyng Masse for the dead euē whē he was lifting vp the sacrament whiche he offered vnto god the father for the soules of them that wer deceased hee sawe an infinite noumbre of soules comming out of purgatory as it had bene a noumbre of sparkes that fly out of a burning fornace so assended into heauen through the merites of Christe whiche is daily offered vp in sacrifice bothe for the quycke and dead Thesame leafe Thesame Frier in the mount of Aluerne praiyng saw all the ayer and yerth full of deuelles Whiche toke his staffe and bett them and they fled frō the moūtaine Thesame leafe This Frier in the feast of the purification of our Lady beyng vexed with the Ague deceassed on Sayncte Lawrence euen Thesame leafe Freer Iames Barletan to whome Christe appering in the Wildernesse declared the remission of sinnes whiche for euer he had obteined In signe and token wherof Christ put the sayde Friers handes betwene his handes for whose reuerence the Frier washed not his handes of long time so long he felt of his handes a Merueilous swete sauour But at a certeine time two other Friers meting with him desired him to eate with them he forgetting him selfe washed his hādes after that he neuer smelled the swete sauour for the whiche he wept and lamented all the dayes of his life The .lxvi. leafe Frier Gerharde being a great Preacher once on Sainct Frances daye he preached very much in the praise and commendacion of s Frances A certein citizē hearing him so much speke of S. Frāces was angry in hys minde therfore departed out of y e church went home to
added This is the holy Gospell of our Lorde Iesu Christ which we promes to obserue and kepe There is no rule that begynneth as dothe this rule nor is so termed as ye may perceaue for ther is none so Gospell lyke as is this blessed rule Also this rule is the life of the Apostles and consequently of oure Lorde Iesu Christ for as he had xij Apostles so hathe this rule xij chapiters and as Christ had lxxii disciples so in this rule of S. Frances is lxxii verses The C.i. leafe What maner of thing Frances rule was S. Frances him selfe sheweth saiyng yt is the booke of life the hope of health the marow of the Gospell the keye of Paradise the state of perfeccion and the couenaunt of euerlastyng life Thesame leafe Frances sayd vnto Christ wherof lyue my brethren whiche dwell in the wyldernes Christ sayd vnto him I will fede theim as I dyd fede the Children of Israell in wyldernes Thesame leafe Frances beyng vexed with the offences of his brethren sayd vnto Christ Lorde I recommend vnto the my famely which thou gauest me And forth with the Lorde sayd vnto him thou noddy and ydeot tell me wherfor dost thou thus vexe thy selfe whē any brother doth go out of religion Aunswer me who planted and ordeyned this religion was yt not of my plantyng I haue apoynted the for a signe vnto theim y e the workes whiche I worke in the they may also worke in the. If one forsake thyne order I wyll send the another if he be not borne I wyll cause him to be borne and put the cace that there remayned but iij. brethren yet should yt be my religion which I wyll neuer forsake Whiche wordes when Saynct Frances heard he was excedyngly comforted Thesame leafe Guncer a Monke of Barrauia there appered vnto him a very fayre woman saiyng take me to thy wyfe and he aunswered I wyll not take the for I am a Monke She aunswered I am S. Frances rule take me thou shalt be saued By the whiche reuelacion he was made a Barefoote Freer Here I omye many thynges The C.v. leafe A certeyn person was very desyrous to serue God Christ beyng glad to here the prayers of good men appered vnto him in a barefoot Freers cote saiyng he that wyll serue me must serue me in this maner so he vanyshed away But he neuer sawe any barefoote Freer and therfore he made him self a Monk howbeyt on a tyme when he espyed ii barfoote Freers goyng by the way forthwith he forsooke that religion and becam a Barefoot Freer Thesame leafe A certeyn Freer sayd vnto Freer Giles beyng bothe of one house Freer Giles I can tell the good newes then sayde Freer Giles I pray the tell theim And he sayd this night I was caryed into hell and I found not one of out brethren there Then aunswered Freer Giles criyng for ioye saiyng I beleue the well I beleue the well I beleue the well Thesame leafe A naughty Freer beyng dead was of the Deuelles caryed to hell whiche S. Frances seyng sayd vnto the Deuell bryng him hether to me for I wyll not that he shalbe caryed into hell in my habite and he pulled of the hood from his garment and then the Deuelles caryed him into hell This vision was sene of a certeyn brother whiche ymmedyatly came and found the Freer dead and his hood pulled from his cote wherby he was certefied of his dammpnacion Thesame leafe The Deuell caryed a certeyn dysobedyent Freer bothe body soule into hell in the syght of all the brethren Thesame leafe A certeyn Freer sawe this vision All the sayntes passyng by the highe aulter made lowe curtesy before the sacrament After theim folowed very fayre Angelles bearyng chayres whiche they dyd set on the vppermost step of the altare After them folowed Christ and our Lady and next after came S. Frances and his brethren After theim were led ii Freers their hoodes pulled ouer their faces their handes bound behynde theim after whome folowed ii mules laden with great bookes When Christ and our Lady wer set in the seates prepared for theim before the altare Then Saynct Frances after he had done his reuerence first to Christ and then to our Lady he sate him doune on the right hand Then were the ii captyues brought before Christ who sayde vnto blessed Frances Frances these mē were of thy Ordre therfore Iudge thou theim And blessed Frances before theim all sayd to the first Freer what Order art thou of And he aunswered of thyne blessed Frances Then saynct Frances asked him whose were all these bookes He aunswered myne Then blessed Frances sayde hast thou done as these bookes taught the He aunswered no. And blessed Frances sayd in hauyng these bookes thou wast a proprietary for thou haddest theim agaynst the rule those thynges which God cōmaunded the in theim thou hast not done Therfore I sayde blessed Frances on the behalfe of God the Father and of oure Lorde Iesu Christ his Sonne and the holy Ghost and the blessed Virgyn and all the holy cōpany of heauen and myne do cursse and condempne the into euerlastyng fyre And ymediatly the earth opened and swalowed vp him the bookes and mules And in lyke maner he vsed the other Freer Then all the Saynctes with greate deuocion beganne to syng Te deum laudamus The C. vi leafe Christ sayd vnto Freer Conrade In thy Order are certeyn whiche willyngly and effecteously obserue the rule and they ymediatly flye into euerlastynge lyfe There be other that be wyllyng but do yt not effecteously and they shall be purged in purgatory There be some whiche neyther are wyllyng nor yet do yt in effect of theim take thou no care for they are none of myne sayth the Lord as yt is wrytten verely verely I saye vnto you I knowe you not Thesame leafe The wardeyn of the house of the Barefoote Freers in Parys commaunded a Freer that was dyeng ii thynges one that ymediatly he should go to Paradise The second that after he was dead he should returne assom◠as was possible agayn and declare vnto him how many soules departed the world the same tim◠that he deceassed and how man◠went to Paradise how many t◠purgatory howe many to hell After thre dayes the same Free◠gloriously returned agayn to th◠wardayn and beyng asked why he taryed so long he aunswered that he was purged in purgatory And beyng asked wherfore he aunswered because I coulde syng well when my other brethrē dyd not syng well I would some tyme a litle smyle mocke theim And you shall vnderstande that thesame tyme that I departed there were fyue thousand soules deceassed of the whiche one went to Paradyse iii. to purgatory of the whiche I was one and the rest went all to hell Thesame leafe Another Freer because he dyd not bowe him self at Gloria patri suffred this peyne in purgatory He was set vpon a highe piller that was