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
to this end we be called to witt to cure the wounded to reduce those that erre into the right way and to make vnion where there was diuision fastening them together with the sweet nayles of the feare of God He afterward explicated vnto them the state of the Freer Minors saying The Religion of the Freer Minors is a nett that taketh the great fishes for God and letteth the lesser escape and the life and religion of the Freer Minors is a little flock and fold of sheep which the Sonne of God hath desired his heauenlie Father to giue vnto him in this later time which were a people replenished with humility and with so abiect a pouerty that they were different from all other and were content to posses no other thing in this world but himselfe in regard that his Father had giuen them vnto him Herevnto he added that for this respect God had commanded him in a reuelation to call his Religious Freer Minors because they were the poore people which he had required of his Father to whome in his gospell he spake in these tearmes Feare not my litle flock for it hath pleased the Father to giue you the eternall kingdome And albeit this hath bin vnderstood in the person of all the poore of spiritt yet was it particulerly spoaken concerning the Religion of the Freer Minors who were to renew in the church the primitiue estate of the Apostles Thus did the holy Father encourage them without feare to trauaile ouer the world securely to denounce and simplie to preach pennance reposing their confidence in God who had vanquished the world who would speake for gayning of soules for them and in them by meane of the holy Ghost But lett vs especially haue care said the holy Father we that haue already abandoned the world that we loose not the celestiall kingdome for a matter of small moment I therfore further aduise you that if you find mony in any place wher soeuer you esteeme it no more then the dust you trample vnder your feet The said S. did afterward admonish them not to contemne any person that they should see to liue licentiously or cloathed sumptuously considering that God is our common Lord who is of sufficient power to call and iustifie them For which reason he would that his Religious should yeld them equall reuerence with their fellow Brethren and Lordes for they are as well and really theire brothers in regard of reasonable essence sith we are all creatures of one same and sole Creatour and Redeemer and they are also their Lordes in as much as they assist them in their course of life and releiue them in their necessities He farther affirmed that the Freer Minor ought to be such in the world that in whatsoeuer he should see or heare in the world he should glorifie the heauenly Father The Brethren one day besought the holy Father that he would be pleased to manifest vnto them what vertue would make a man the greatest freind to IESVS CHRIST and he answeared them My Brethren pouerty my Brethren pouerty my Brethren pouerty Know for certaine that it is the singuler way to perfection the stemme or stock of humility and that God would that therevpon should begin the structure and building of perfection saying If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast because therby the greatest impedimentes are cutt off to witt the affection and cogitations of temporall substance ordinarily accompanyed with pride and vaine glory of the world which breed of richesse as the moth engendreth in cloth Our Lord also declareth this eminencie of pouerty to be the seat of all other vercues when he saith He that will liue with me lett him renounce himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Because he that is perfectly poore ought not only to forsake all loue and desire of temporall thinges but also the loue of himselfe of his proper iudgement of his prudence and of his owne will that hauing no propriety in any thing he may enter into the merueillous puissances of God and present himselfe nakedlie into his sweet embracementes In the discourse which S. Francis made to his Brethren he did also commend in a Religious the vertue and grace of prayer affirming that without the same none could perseuer or profitt in the seruice of God he therfore exercised and induced his Brethren to prayer by all meanes he could deuise persuading them to pray alwayes trauailling or resting in one place a broad or within in comfort and affliction and that they should doe al things with their spiritt erected vnto God who is alwayes present in all places and within vs â—and will that we continuallie conuerse with him for feare that by our negligence and tepidity we depriue our selues of the veritie of his holy spiritt not receiuing it with due reuerence Of the austere life of S. Francis THE XXXII CHAPTER THe blessed Father knowing that he was giuen of God for an example and light vnto the Gentiles and worldly Christians that many by his meane carrying the crosse of our Redeemer should be saued as a captaine of the warre of IESVS CHRIST he endeauoured to gett the crowne of victory by worckes of perseuerance in perfection and reflecting on these words of the Apostle They that appertaine to IESVS CHRIST haue crucified their flesh with their vices also to carry the armour of God in their bodies he crucified his flesh with the rigour of discipline and so bridled his appetites that touching his refection he scarcely tooke what was necessarie to suffice nature And as one that had well experienced the matter he affirmed it to be a thing verie difficult to satisfie the necessitie of the body without obeying the disordinate inclinations of sensuall delight In the beginning of the Order albeit he had not sufficient almose of bread to releiue his Brethren yet for the most part he demaunded no more because himselfe and his Brethren were so attentiue and addicted to the spiritt and to prayer that out of forgetfulnes they omitted to demaund almose and therfore refected themselues with hearbes and rootes which they did eate with exceeding good appetit and great contentment The holy Father in his health did very seldome or almost neuer eate any meat dressed by fier His ordinarie repast was bread and water and if att any time he did eat of such it was of boyled hearbes which he so mingled with ashes or cold water that loosing their sauour they were worse then raw and drincking water he toke only so much as he thought would suffice him not to quench the heat of his thirst but to satisfie the necessitie of his body His ordinarie table was the ground neither had his Brethren other during his life He euerie day inuented and found some extraordinary manner of abstinence so atttentiue and regardfull was he to chastice the flesh and to render it obedient to reason that
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
danger of vniust exactions and disposed him to follow his steppes reiecting al other possessiō to enioy the most precious pearle of Euangelicall perfection whichwith his vtmost possibility he sought found and purchased And in testimony and assurance of a true quiet and full possession therof our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST made him a contract therof written on the parchement of his owne flesh signed and sealed by the hand of the seller himselfe IESVS CHRIST with the seale of his most sacred woundes which he did to bannish from the world by meane and example of this his most deuout seruant the enormous and intollerable banckes and vsuries and the fraudes in traffikes too commonly practised in the worlde to the end to further poore Christians in a desire of buying the said precious and celestiall pearle by the traffike of penitence of vertues and of the glorious following and imitation of IESVS CHRIST Of his laborious endeauours to separate himselfe from the vvorld THE III. CHAPTER FRancis being very carefull and often consulting with himselfe how he might become more poore to please IESVS CHRIST renouncing the world and forsaking whatsoeuer therof appertayned vnto him with distribution therof vnto the poore there being no person to counsail him in this matter but his Sauiour IESVS CHRIST his diuine goodnes omitted not to visitt him further by his holy grace For departing out of the citty of Assisium with intention to seeke some solitary place to mediate and performe his deuotion he past by the side of a Church of S. Damian which by reason of extreme antiquity was euen ready to fall He being touched by the holy Ghost entred in and falling on his knees before the image of the Crucifix he felt his soule replenished with an admirable consolation of the holy Ghost wherfore with an extreme feruour he thrice iterated this prayer vnto God O high and glorious God my Lord IESVS CHRIST illuminate and lighten the obscurities of my hart giue me if it please thee a right faith an assured hope a perfect charity a knowledge of thee my God in such sort that he may euer performe thy true and holy will Amen Beholding afterwardes the Crucifix with a serious attention his eyes filled and his face bathed with teares he heard with his corporall eares a voice addressed vnto him from the Crucifix which three seuerall times thus spake vnto him Goe Francis and repaire my house that is ready to fall This so merueillous voice did exceedingly terrifie him being alone in the Church wherupon vtterly amazed and feeling in himselfe the force and vertue of those wordes he fell into a sound but retourning att lenght to himselfe he incontinently prepared to obey and to reestablish that materiall Church wherin he had presented his said prayer not as yet vnderstanding the sence of the wordes of God to be that he should repaire that other Church redeemed by his precious bloud So that rising from the ground and signing himselfe with the holy Crosse he retourned to the citty where he assembled all the marchandise that his Father had committed to his charge to traffike and sent it to Foliginum where he sold it all and the horse also wheron he rode then hastened to the said Church of S. Damian there to accomplish that which he supposed God had commanded him In which place hauing offered his deuotion he saw the Preist that serued there to whome he presented all the mony he had to rebuild and repaire that church and to releiue the poore besides he humby besought him that he would for certaine dayes receiue him into his company The preist answered that he would willingly entertaine his person but would not accepte his mony in regard of his Father and his kinred and therfore the true mispriser of richesse castinto a windoe that there he saw against a wall the pursse wherin his mony was which he there left in contempt as base earth regarding nothing but to vnite himself with God in the company of that Preist His Father vnderstanding all this full of indignation and anger against him laboured to find him out but Francis getting aduertisment therof as yet a fresh soldier of IESVS CHRIT fearing the threates of his Father and to giue way to his choller hid himself in a caue where he continued certaine dayes with abondance of teares continually praying God to vouchsafe to deliuer his soule from the handes of those that persecuted him and that his holy will would so much fauour him as being to effect the pious desires which he had vouchsafed to inspire vnto him After he had a certaine time continued his prayers he began to condemne himselfe of litle courage and therfore expelling all feare he arose out of the caue and went to Assisium armed with the magnanimity and vertu of the most high to tread vnder foot the serpentes of worldly persecution wherby the deuill thought to enforce his retire His fellow cittizens seeing him vtterly disfigured as if he had bin bereaued of his sences said that he was mad and the litle children followed him casting stones and dirt att him and crying after him in the streetes as if he had bin a foole But the seruant of IESVS CHRIST in regard of all that lost not his courage nor altered his purpose for whatsoeuer he iniustly endured but went peaceably as if he had bin deafe blind and insensible respecting litle or nothing to be reputed a foole in the world prouided that he might afterwardes proue wise with IESVS CHRIST in heauen Now his Father hearing these cryes and seeing his eldest sonne thus abused he ran as a roaring lyon not to deliuer him from those contemptible reproaches but himselfe to treat him more disdainfully then all the rest as if he had bin no longer his Father In such sort that he conducted him to his owne house where hauing extremely iniuried and beaten him he caused him to be chayned and so shutt into a chamber vsing him himselfe as if he had bin a foole thincking by these tormentes to reduce him vnto his former estate But so far was the true seruant of IESVS CHRIST from being any way terrified or withdrawen from his former pious resolution that on the contrary he became therby more firme and constant and more accustomed to support all calling often to his minde that worthy saying of the Gospell Blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice for theirs is the kingdome of heauen and that which our redeemer himselfe said If any man come to me and hateth not his Father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life besides he cannot be my disciple The which speculation was then most exquisitely practised by God in the person of his seruant Francis who was not only derided of his freindes and kinred but much more of his Father himselfe It might doubtelesse be esteemed a hart of flint or steele that was not moued to
and others others brought thither the disobedient who entred into it with a great indignation of spiritt and besides his sences as one that by his disobedience was already in the diuels possession He also commanded the Brethren to couer him instantly with earth but being scarce halfe couered the deuill by the merittes of the S. Hauing left him he began bitterly to weep saying The deuill that had hardened my hard hath now altogether left me but proceed you bouldly in couering me for I haue well deserued this death and a more greiuous The Brethren hearing him began to weep with him and some of them aduertised the S. of his conuersion who commanded that he should be taken vp and brought before him where being he said vnto him Choose what house you will wherin you may be comforted and there shall you dwell vpon obedience which the Brother hearinge with bitter teares he answeared not so my most gracious Father if you please but the greatest consolation you can giue me is that I accomplish my first penance the holy Father being moued with these wordes gaue him his benediction Thus hath he shewen vs by these examples that the end of the chasticement of Religion ought to be penitence and amendement of the sinner on whom if he acknowledge himselfe chasticement ought not to be inflicted but fatherlie consolation rather as IESVS CHRIST hath taught vs in his worthy parabole of the prodigall child who being repentant of his offences demaunded pardon of his father and the father very tenderlie embraced him and with great ioy conducted him into his house How S. Francis sent Brother Ruffinus to preach without the caepuce in vertue of obedience and of the penance which thersore he inflicted on himselfe THE XLI CHAPTER BY this that followeth there appeareth a merueillous order for gouernment to witt that the Superiour ought not to command vnto his subiects the thinge that himselfe would not doe S. Francis one day called vnto him Brother Ruffinus whome he commanded to goe preach in the cittie of Assisium and to deliuer vnto the people onlie what God should inspire vnto him but Brother Ruffinus making his excuse answeared Pardon me if you please good Father you know I am not apt to preach because I haue not any grace in my speech as being too simple and an idiot Which he spake with much humilitie And though in deed he had bin a discreet knight in the world he was neuertheles so chaunged in himselfe by meanes of the grace of contemplation which he had receiued of God that he was manie times out of himselfe and spake verie seldome and yet that litle was with such difficulty that he seemed to speake with exceedinge paine but the S. reprehending him for not hauing instantlie obeyed commanded him further vpon obedience and gaue him for penance to goe without his capuce The obedient Brother Ruffinus then without farther contradiction hauing put off his capuce and falling one the ground demaunded his benediction which hauing receiued he went to Assisium and first entred into a church there to make his prayer which done he ascended the pulpitt and began to preach The people then assembled who admiring to see him without capuce and amazed att such a noueltie said one to an other these poore Freers doe such austere penance that there withall they loose their witts So whiles this good Brother preached S. Francis considering the prompt obedience of Brother Ruffinus and the rigour of his commandement he began to check himselfe thus reasoning the matter What will hast thou gotten thou sonne of Peter Bernardone thou of so meane estate to command Brother Ruffinus who is one of the principall gentlemen of Assisium to goe preach without his capuce I will make thee to be an example of what thou hast commanded to an other and speaking thus to himselfe he hastiely tooke the capuce from his owne head and taking Brother Leo for companion he went to Assisium Being come into the church where Brother Ruffinus preached the people that saw him without capuce esteemed him to be likewise foolish beleeuing that the Br. Ruffinus and he were become sottish by meanes of their ouer sharpe penance many people therfore flocking thither Brother Ruffinus in the best manner he could deliuered this speech My beloued Brethren shunne the world leaue sinne retourne to the socure way if you desire to avoid hell obserue the diuine preceptes loue God and your neighbour and doe penance because the great kingâ— dome of heauen approacheth att least if you will possesse it But as soone as he perceiued S. Francis he discended from the pulpitt to come vnto him and the S. incontinentlie ascended The Church was then entierlie full of wordlie people for some came thither to see the extremitie of that life others moued with compassion and deuotion and others to deride them reputing them senceles but the holie Ghost that was in S. Francis caused him to vtter such worthy and merueillous matters of the contempt of the world of holie and necessary penance and of voluntary pouerty of the desire of the kingdome of heauen of obedience of the nuditie ignominies and passion of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and other like thinges which he declared in such manner and with such feruour that they who formerlie derided the noueltie of his habitt and reputed these Brethren to be out of their right sences did now bitterly weepe and such was that weeping and so violent for the compassion which they had of the death of IESVS CHRIST crucified and the feare which they conceaued of hell that they began to crie for mercie as if it had bin an other good friday on which day the Passion is preached so patheticallie in Italy that all the world cryeth mercie as one would doe att the sacking of a towne Wherfore the people being so edified and contrite Brother Leo who had brought with him both the capuces gaue to each one his owne they afterward retourned to their Monasterie praysing God for his great mercie sith by the vertue of holie obedience they had obtayned victorie ouer themselues and manifested how much they contemned the world They had much to doe to be ridd of the people that before reputed them for fooles and now he that could touch or kisse their habittes esteemed himselfe happy It appeared by the end of this worck that the beginning proceeded of God though it were wrought by an excessiue meane as the worcke of the Prophettes not so much to be imitated as for a signe of approbation of holy obedience of mortification of selfe will and contempt of the world and that we might know what glorious end God giueth to the worckes of holy obedience either secrett or manifest as it pleaseth him Of the loue which S. Francis boare to pouerty THE XLII CHAPTER AMong many giftes and singuler fauours which the glorious S. receaued att the bountifull hand of God one of the principall was that of
manifestation that he had not any thing in this world and with the more facility to wrestle against his furious aduersary in this last conflict and triall wherin consisted the crowne he with an exceeding feruour and courage stript himselfe all naked as he had bin without any infirmity then cast himselfe on the ground couering with his left hand the precious wound of his right hand and tourning his ioyfull face towardes the kingdome whither he was to goe he began to prayse and blesse his sweet lord IESVS CHRIST that being dischardged and freed of all worldly impedimentes he might ascend to heauen and enioy his diuine Maiestie then tourning towardes his Religious he said vnto them My deere Brethren I haue to this present done what I ought to doe These wordes were diuersely vnderstood of the Religious some of them wept in regard he was to leaue them without Pastour and gouernour others because he seemed to leaue them as men forlorne others for other occasions only the Guardian whome he obeyed vnderstood the desire of the holy Father wherfore taking presentlie an habitt with the cord and linnen breeches brought and gaue it vnto him saying Father take this habitt which I lend you with the corde and breeches that you may be buryed therwith as a poore creature who of your selfe haue not so much as wherwith to couer your nakednes I command you to receaue it in this your last houre euen by the vertue and meritt of obedience wherof the Sainct discouered to haue the greatest contentment that can be imagined considering that in this extremity he had obserued his holy pouerty in such sort as he desired euen to the last end He contentedlie accepted the breeches but to conforme himselfe entierlie to his truely-beloued IESVS CHRIST that would dye naked on the crosse to the performance wherof wanting nothing but to dye naked hauing already bin and euen for the present being admirably crucified by the vertue of the almighty he commaunded his Religious not only to permitt him to dye on the ground but euen to leaue him there a long time after his death Hauing procured to be brought vnto him the holy Sacramentes and they being successiuely administred vnto him those I meane which the Church accustometh to afford such as are ready to dye he lastly tourned towardes his Religious to whome he made a worthy sermon exhorting them to the loue of God then of their neighbour and especially to obedience vnto his holie Romane Church next to obserue their pouerty and before the same and all other thinges to be alwayes mindfull to preferre the obseruance of the holy ghospell and the diuine counsailes therof Then crossing his hādes this great Patriarch of the poore gaue his holy benediction to all his Religious both present and absent saying My deere Brethren God of his mercy blesse you as also I blesse you be it his holy will to confirme me it in heauen Remayne ye all in his holy feare perseuering alwayes therin for the time of afflictions approach wherin they shal be happy who shall perseuer euen to the end remayne ye all in his holy obedience as you haue solemnely promised vnto him Finally remayne ye all in his most holy peace and in charity among your selues God blesse you I goe in great hast vnto God to whose grace I recommend you Amen Which hauing said he asked for the gospell and speaking no more to any person he only desired that place to be read vnto him where is mentioned the departure of our lord Ante diem festum paschae which being read to the end he began to say to himselfe Voce mea ad Dominum clamaui And being come to the verse Educ de custodia animam meam that is deliuer my soule if thou please my God out of this prison that it may attaine to thee my God and my lord where the iust expect me to the end thou mayest giue me my recompence Which being ended this holy soule at it desired was deliuered out of the prison of her proper flesh and eleuated to heauen there foreuer to enioy the eternall bounty with all the sainctes his elected of both sexes in that degree which his diuine maiestie ordayned and parepared for him How some saw the soule of the glorious Father sainct Francis ascend in glory THE LXXI CHAPTER THis holy soule failed not to appeare to some when it ascended to the celestiall glory For Brother Angelus a Religious of worthy sanctity being att that time prouinciall of the prouince of Naples and very neere his end saw in an instant the soule of the sainct as a resplendant starre on the toppe of a verie bright cloud to be transported aboue the great waters and directlie mounted and eleuated into heauen And albeit he had the space of two dayes lost his speech he neuertheles then resumed his spirittes for seeing the blessed spiritt of the sainct he began to crye out Stay for me Father stay for me for I goe also with you The Religious asking what he meant therbie See you not said he our holie Father sainct Francis that now goeth to the glory of Paradice which hauing spoaken he yelded his soule to God and followed his most holy Father The Bishop of Assisium being gone in pilgrimage to visitt the Church of S. Michael the Archangell on the mount Gargan S. Francis appeared vnto him the very night of his death and said My lord know that I haue left the world and goe to heauen The Bishop therfore being risen told his people that S. Francis was dead the night before which was proued to be true An other Religious of this Order being the same night rapt into deep contemplation saw the blessed Deacon of IESVS CHRIST vested with a very rich tunicle accompanyed with a great multitude of soules that attended him as a worthy Prince who so ascended into a pallace of merueillous beauty and eminency it is piously beleeued that the said soules were by his merittes deliuered out of Purgatory This glorious soule ascended to glory accompanied with many Angels that attended and visited him continually in this life and is now seated among the Seraphins which glory he merited not only in this life by the excessiue and Seraphicall loue of God but also it appartayned vnto him in regard of the Seraphicall vision of IESVS CHRIST who transformed him into himselfe making him a Seraphin by gtace and sealing the same with diuine seales as hath bin reuealed to many holy personnes worthy of creditt as well during the life of the Sainct as after his death The verie birdes and particulerlie the Larckes that were much beloued and verie familiar vnto him did exceedinglie reioyce att his glorie a great flight of them appearing verie earlie the next morning on the roufe of the house where sainct Francis lay dead warbling a verie delightfull and extraordinarie note yea as it were miraculous which continued diuers howers celebrating the prayses
fixed towardes heauen When he retourned to himselfe he seemed vtterly amazed and tourning to the other Religious he cryed out vnto them My Brethren is there any man howsoeuer great rich and noble he may be that will not esteeme it easy to carry a sack full of dung ordure and carrion if therfore he be promised a pallace full of gold herby intending to signify the immensiue treasure which God reserueth for those that are contrite in heart But it is a thing worthy of especiall note in him that in fifteene yeares of his spirituall feruour he neuer more then halfe satisfyed his appetite though he did eat indifferentlie of euery permissable thing sett before him whervpon he would say that it cannot be called abstinence for a man to forbeare that which he tasteth not seeing that this vertue fighteth against the tast of that which pleaseth and seemeth good vnto him but because few attaine to that perfection it is best to shunne the occasions How this worthy seruant of God was tryed and exercised in patience and endurance of temptations THE V. CHAPTER BEcause almighty hath God ofteÌ„ accustomed to proue his faithful seruantes by a restraint of spirituall consolation and of his sweet presence he oftentimes afflicted him in this kinde but afterwardes considering his notable constancie he could not but comfort him He once past eyght dayes without tasting any sweetnes of diuine conuersation that time by reason of his exceeding loue to almighty God seemed vnto him eight yeares he kept himselfe solitary and verie pensiue continually praying God with much feruour to restore vnto him the consolation he desired and the ioy which by his presence he receaued Herevpon there instantly appeared in the ayre a hand bended and as it were in action of striking a viole whence he felt so pleasing and delightfull a harmony that it filled his soule interiourly with such and so excellent a sweetnes that if the sound had longer endured it had as to him seemed dissolued his soule from his bodye Almighty God tryed him also and exercised him exceedingly by terrible and strange temptations which was reuealed in prayer to the holy Father sainct Francis who recommending him most affectionately to IESVS CHRIST that he would please to assist him with his grace and to giue him victory against such potent and mortall ennemies he heard a voice from heauen that said Feare not for the temptations which assault Brother Bernard are giuen him for exercise and for a crowne and att lenght he shall haue the victory ouer all his ennemies Besides know that Brother Bernard is one of the elect of the table of our Lord Sainct Francis was so comforted with this voice that he could not satisfye himselfe with giuing thanckes to God and thenceforth euer loued Brother Bernard better He related all to his companions adding that God would deliuer Brother Bernard of all his temptations and before his death would so setle his spiritt in peace that all the Religious which should behold him should prayse God for it and that from heere below he should ascend to IESVS CHRIST in that peace and spirituall tranquillity which so came to passe The sixt chapter is put in the middest of the 67. chapter of the tenth booke with this title How sainct Francis blessed Brother Bernard miraculously in imitation of the Patriarch Iacob That place being more proper vnto it Of the zeale of Religion and the charity which Brother Bernard had towardes the sicke THE VII CHAPTER THe glorious Brother Bernard was so zealous of his rule and profession that he sharply reprehended euery delinquent in that respect of what soeuer degree of superiority he might be as hauing one day seene Brother Helias Generall on a very lusty faire and fatt mule he came behinde him and with a great zeale reprehending him said Brother Generall this beast wheron you ride is very great and fatt wheras you know our rule doth not permitt the same then laying his hand on the rumpe of the mule he repeated the same wordes adding also many other An other time knowing that he was retired into his chamber where with many other Religious he did â—eat meates delicately dressed he was much troubled with the euill example of such remissnesse wherfore he arose from the table of the refectory taking his earthen dish in one hand and his cup in the other and went to the chamber of the Generall ouer against whome he sate downe att the table and sayd Brother I entend to eat with you this good meat which is the almose of the poore of our Lord. Brother Helias with these wordes was not a litle troubled and confounded yet he durst not reply a word knowing that he was esteemed of the Religious for a very holy man and as such was generally reuerenced and honoured This good Religious Brother Bernard was also very charitable towardes the sick A Religious one day demaunding of him why he gaue so much to a sick Religious person to eat he answeared Brother I doe it therby to dischardge on my part what is requisite and what charity commandeth me you may well iudge that the sicke eateth but according to his necessity Of the death of the glorious Brother Bernard THE VIII CHAPTER WHen it pleased God to call his seruant Brother Bernard out of this terrestriall prison to his celestiall kingdome he was assaulted with a violent disease in which notwithstanding he continued so intentiue in God that he would not endure to heare spoaken or to thinck of any other thing Vpon this occasion when sometimes the Religious that had care of him putt vinegar with rose water to his nose or therwith washed his wrestes to recomfort him knowing that the same did withdraw him from his diuine meditations he would not permitt it to be applyed vnto him If it chaunced that by ach of his head or other occasion some ill cogitation that was not of God troubled his minde reflecting instantly on him selfe he would forciblie shake his head to expell and driue it away And that he might haue no occasion to be separated one only moment from God vpon the necessities of his body he resigned all his will for the care of seconde causes and worldly respectes into the handes of his Infirmarian vsing vnto him these wordes My beloued brother I will no more thincke on the necessities of this body I referre the care therof to you wherfore vse it as you shall thinck requisit I will take whatsoeuer you shall prepare me If you giue me nothing I will thinck of nothinge Now because after the death of sainct Francis all the Religious did reuerence Brother Bernard as their Father knowing this to be his last sicknes and that his death was neere they for many respectes came to visitt him and among others that worthy contemplatiue Br. Giles who finding him weakened to so low an estate said vnto him SursuÌ„ corda Brother Sursum corda Brother Bernard att these wordes exceedingly
necessity of the Monastery Neuertheles they may haue and possesse a litle ground to make a garden to supply the necessities and seruices of the sisters How and in what sort the Religious must labour and exercise themselues THE VII CHAPTER THe sisters to whome God hath giuen grace and ability to labour after the third houre they may employ themselues in some decent exercise and conuenient to their profession that may be for the common profitt sincerely and deuoutly yet in such sort that expelling idlenes the capitall ennemy of the soule the spiritt of holy prayer and deuotion be not extinguished wherto all other tēporall thinges ought to serue And what they shall haue wrought with their handes they shall bring to the chapter before all the other Religious deliuering the same to the Abbesse or to her vicaresse The same shall likewise be done touching all the almes that shal be sent to the monastery by whome soeuer that some prayers be offered in common for such benesactours and then such thinges shal be distributed according to the common necessitie by the Abbesse or her vicaresse with the consent of the discreet or Counsailers of the Abbesse That the Religions may not appropriat any thing to them selues and of the sick sisters THE VIII CHAPTER LEtt not the Religious haue any thing in propriety but lett them serue God in this world as pilgrimes and strangers in all pouerty and humility seeking almose with confidence and they must not be ashamed therof considering that our Lord IESVS CHRIST became poore for vs in this world It is this sublimity of the most high pouerty that maketh and instituteth you my beloued sisters heires of the cestiall kingdome making your selues poore of temporall cōmodities to be ennobled with celestiall vertues Lett it be your part and portion to conduct you to the land of the liuing wherto to arriue my deerest sisters for the loue of our Lord IESVS CHRIST despise and haue no regard to gett any other thing Let it not be permitted to any Religious to send or receaue letters nor to take or conuey any thing in or out of the Monastery without leaue of the Abbesse Lett it neither be permissable to any Religious to keep any thing that is not giuen or permitted her by her Abbesse or Vicaresse And if their kindred or others send any thing to the Religious lett the Abbesse cause it to be deliuered And if that Religious to whome it is sent haue need therof she may vse it if not an other that hath need may of charity vse it And if mony be sent the Abbesse by aduise of the discreetes shall therwith prouide and supply the wants of her to whome it is sent Lett the Abbesse be obliged to haue care of the sick sisters as well to comfort them as to procure by her selfe and others that which their infirmity requireth touching their diett and other thinges necessary according to the possibility of the place and lett them be prouided for with charity and compassion Considering that all the Religious are bound to sssist succour and serue their sick sisters as they in the like case would expect of others And lett one sister securely manifest and discouer her necessities to an other in regard that if she that is a true mother doe loue and cherish her carnall child with what greater dilligence and care ought a sister to loue cherish her spirituall sister and therfore it shal be permitted to lay the sicke on beddes of chaffe and to giue them a pillow filled with downe or soft feathers and they that haue need to be layd on Matteresses filled with wooll and to haue coueringes it may be graunted them When the said sick sisters shal be visited by them that enter into the monastery they may briefely answeare them in discourse of edification And lett not the others sisters that shall haue leaue to speake yet presume to doe it to those that enter into the Monastery if there be not two of the discreetes present to heare what they shall say whome the Abbesse or her Vicaresse shall nominate and lett the Abbesse her selfe and the Vicaresse be obliged also to obserue this forme of speaking Of the penance fitt to be giuen to the Religious vpon occasions and of the manner of negotiation without the Monastery THE IX CHAPTER IF any Religious be so forgetfull as to sinner mortally against the rule or institutions of your profession by the instigation of the deuill hauing bin once and twice reprehended and chaptered for it by the Abbesse and euen by the other Religious without amendement As many dayes as she remayneth obstinate lett her eat but bread and drinck water in the refectory before all the other sisters and vpon the ground afterwardes lett her be enioyned to a greater pēnance att the pleasure of the Abbesse And lett her be prayed for during her abstinencie demaunding of God to illuminate her hart and to reduce her to pennance Lett the Abbesse and the Religious be wary not to be much offended or troubled att the sinne of any of their sisters because anger and vexation of it selfe hindereth charity towardes ones neighbour If it should happen which God if he please forbid that the sisters should fall into contentious wrangling against one an other and should vtter wordes of scandall she that shal be cause therof lett her before she offer any prayer to IESVS CHRIST goe fall on her knees to the feet of the other and not only demaund pardon of her but lett her entreat her to pray to our Lord to pardon her And the party offended remembring the wordes of our Lord saying If you forgiue not with a good hart no more will your heauenly Father forgiue you lett her most willingly and freely pardon her sister all the iniuryes she may haue receaued of her Lett the lay sisters that serue without the monastery and trauell abroad neuer goe forth of the monastery but vpon some manifest necessity Lett them goe modestly and speake litle that the personnes with whome they haue affaires be edified by them And lett them haue a speciall care not to be in company that may be suspected nor to entertaine any euill counsaile Lett them not be Gossips to men or women for feare that some occasion of murmure doe arise therof And lett them not be so bold as to recount vnto the Monasterie the newes of worldly matters and affaires and lett them be most strictly obliged not to report abroad any thing done or spoaken in the monastery that may occasion scandale And if one of them doe simplie fall into one of these errours it shall rest in the discretion of the Abbesse to giue her a pennance answearable to her offence yet with compassion which she shall doe by the aduise and counsaile of the greater part of the discreetes How the Abbesse ought to visit her Religious THE X. CHAPTER LEtt the Abbesse visitt her Religious admonish reprehēd and correct them with