awaking did wel vnderstaÌ„d by this vision froÌ„ heaven vouchesafed vnto her Heere two Women prayinge vnto Saint Francis for helpe are both of theÌ„ hearde that the suffrage of S. FraÌ„cis was readie to helpe her From thenceforthe therfore shee being more abundantly filled with ioy did for obtaining the issue which was promised vnto her offer vp many praiers and did also make sundry vowes But the time of her childebirth being come at length the woman brought forthe a male Childe who flourishing in the lustinesse of his youthfull yeares as having by the merittes of Saint Francis receaued the sustinance of his life did giue vnto his parents a provocation and further encouragement of more devoute affection to wardes Christ and to his blessed Sainte The like also vnto this the holy father effected in the Citty of Tibur For a certaine woman having brought forth many daughters and being now wearied with desire of male issue did make vnto S Francis many praiers and vowes Shee therefore by his meritts conceived of Childe and he who had ben praied vnto but for one grauÌ„ted vnto her to bring forthe two sonnes at once At Viterbium a woman greate with childe and nigh her time was by the iudgemeÌ„t of al thought to be much more nighe vnto deathe by reason of the extreame torments shee felt in her bodie and other such like lamentable distresses incideÌ„t vnto womens misfortunes And when the strength and force of nature had soe failed Behold heere howe an vngratfull womaÌ„ is punished for not honouringe the Saint yet afterwards being peniteÌ„t and vowinge againe vnto the Saint by his merits is deliuered that all industrie of humane arte failed also therewithall by invocating the name of Saint Francis the woman was presently delivered from her paines and safely brought for the her childe But shee having obtained what her selfe desired and being vnmindefull of the benefitte shee had receaved did not giue due honour vnto the Sainte but did on the day of his solemnitie put forth her handes to servile workes And behold her right arme being stretched out vnto labour became sodeinely drie and stiffe and not to be bended The which when she with the other arme endeavoured to pull backe vnto her it also did with like revenge wither forthwith The woman therefore being striken with the feare of Gods punishement did make her vow anew and whereas in regard of her ingratitude contempt shee had lost the vse of her meÌ„bers shee obtained by the merittes of the mercifull and humble Sainte vnto whom shee had now secondly vowed herselfe to recover the same againe A certaine woman dwelling in the partes about Aretium having for seaven daies space together sustained most greivouse and daungerouse paines in her travell of Childe in so much that her fleshe was at length discouloured and turned to blacke being now dispaired of at all hands did make a vow A woman which was readie to dye prayinge vnto S. Francis for helpe and makinge a vowe is miraculously freed froÌ„ death to Saint Francis and beganne at the very instant and pointe of death to invocate his aide and helpe But as soone as her vow was made shee speedily fell a sleepe therein sawe blessed Saint Francis sweetely speaking vnto her and demaunding of her if shee knewe his face and could to the honour of the gloriouse Virgin say by harte that Antheme of hers which beginneth with these wordes All haile Queene of mercie Whervnto shee making answeare that shee had knowledg of bothe Beginne then saied the Sainte that sacred Antheme and before it shall be fully ended thou shalt with safetie bring forth thy childe At this voice the woman awaked and beganne with feare to say that Antheme All haile Queene of mercie And when she therein called after those mercifull cies and mentioned the fruite of the Virgins wombe being presently delivered from all her dolours and paines she ioyfully brought forth a goodly boy rendring thankes vnto the Queene of mercie who by the merittes of Saint Francis had vouchesafed to haue mercie on her THE SEAVENTM DIVISION Of giuing sighte vnto the blinde IN the Covent of the Friars Minors at Naples a certaine brother named Robert having binne blinde for many yeares togither there grewe at length vpon his cies a superfluous peice of fles he which hindered the motion and vse of his eye liddes At one time therefore when the brethren of foraine places being to goe into divers partes of the world did in great numbers assemble â—ither the blessed Father Saint Francis the lively patterne and mirrour of holy Obedience that by the novelty of a miracle he might the rather exhorte theÌ„ vnto their iorney did cure the foresaied brother Robert during the time of their abode there in manner heareafter following One night the same brother Robert lay sicke in soe great daunger of death that they had alreadie saied for him the coÌ„mendations of his soule and even then stoode by him the holy father Thou which saiest that Saints can doe nothing after their death see what heere doth happen Heere we may note how the euen of Saint FraÌ„cis is fasted in bread and water only howe the body of our Sauiour Christ is eleuated in the Masse As also that the holy Eucharist is to be adored as a wonderful Sacrament and as the true liuinge light of our soules We may note also a miracle which doth happen in the eleuation and a doration of the B. SacrameÌ„t accompanied with three brethren of greate perfection in all manner of holinesse namely Saint Anthony brother Augustine and brother lames of Asisium who as they had perfectly immitated him in the time of their life so did they chearefully also follow him after their death but Saint Francis taking a kinfe did cut of the superfluous peice of fleshe did restore vnto him his former sight and reduced him euen from the very iawes of deathe and therewithall he saied vnto him my sonne Robert the grace which I haue wrought with thee is a signe vnto the brethren who travell into farre Countries that I will goe before them and will direct their waies Let them therefore ioyfully goe on saied he and let them with a chearefull minde accomplish the obedience enioyned vnto them At a place called Thebas in Ramanâ—â— a oertaine blinde woman hauing fasted the vigil of Saint Francis with bread and water was brought by her husband the next morning early being the day of his solemnitie vnto the Church of the Friars Minors Who while the sacrifice of the Masse was offered did even at the elevation of the bodie of Christ open her eies did clearely see and most devoutely did adore And in the time of that her adoration crieing out with a loude voice Thankes be to God saied shee and to his Sainte for that I see the bodie of Christ Wherevpon all that were present bursting forth into a voice of ioy and exultation the woman her selfe after the ende of the
after Christ he put speciall confideuce her he made an aduocate for himselfe and his bretheren according as he sometimes familiarly declated vnto his companiōs He burned with an admirable fervour of al his hart soule towards the blessed Sacrament of our Lord his body woondering with an vnspeakable amazement at that most charitable condiscending and most condiscending charity He did oftentimes communicate and that with so great devotion that he made others also to be devoute by his example whilest he at the sweete tasting of the immaculate Lambe was as one drunck in spirit ravished for the most part into an extasie of minde He loved the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ with an vnspeakable loue for that by her the Lord of Maiestie is be come a brother vnto vs and we by her haue happily obtained mercy In her next after Christ he reposed his principall confidence her he did most especially choose to be the Advocatrix for himselfe and all his brethren And to her honor he did most devoutly fast from the feast of the holy Apostles Saint Peter Saint Paul vntill the feast of her Assumption Vnto the Angelicall spiritts also considering them to burne with a maveilouse fire of excessiue loue towardes God and of inflaming the soules of the elect therwithall he was conioined with an inseparable band of loue and for devotion towardes them he fasted fortie daies from the Assumption of the glorious virgin attending all that time vnto continuall praier But vnto blessed Saint Michaell the Archangell for that it belonged vnto his office to represent the soules he was the more devoted in an especiall bonde of loue the rather for the fervent zeale he bare vnto the salvatiou of all the elect And as concerning the Saints out of the remembrance of all them as out of fierie stones he grewe to be more aboundantely inflamed in the vnquencheable zeale and loue of God bearing towardes all the Apostles and specially to Sainct Peter and Saint Paule for the exceeding charitie which they had towardes Christe a most principall and rate devotion and for the reverence and loue of them he dedicated vnto our Lord a peculiar Lenten observance This poore man of Christ had no more but two mites his body namely and his soule to giue vnto God with liberall charitie But these two he spated not for the loue of Christ to offer vp so cōtinually that as it were all his life time he sacrificed his body by the rigour of abstinence and his spirit by the fervour of desire exterioutly in the Porche of his body immolating the burnt sacrifice and in the temple of his soule inwardly beginning the sweete smelling incense of devotion But yet for all this so was he borne alofte to divine things by the excessiue devotion of charity that neuer thelesse his affectuous benignity did dilate it selfe vnto his Copartners in nature and grace For whome the singular pietie of his hart had made to be a brother vnto all creatures besides him it is no marvaile if the charity of Christ did make to be much more a brother vnto creatures ennobled with the Image of their creatour and redeemed with the bloude of theire maker And therefore he reputed not himselfe to be the friend of Christ vnlesse he did cherishe the soules which he had redeemed He saied that nothing was to be preferred before the wellfare of soules approvinge the same especially by this that the only begoten soone of God vouchsafed for the loue of them to hang vpon the Crosse And from hence proceeded his combatte in praier his discourse in preaching and his excesse in giving good example Wherevpon so often as ouer much austerity was reprehended in him he made answere that he was giuen for an example vnto other men For notwithstanding that his innocent flesh which had now willingly and freely subiected it selfe to the spirit stoode no waies in neede of any scourge at all for his owne offences yet for examples sake he daily renewed both paines and burdens vppon himselfe keeping hard waies for other mens instruction For he vsed to say If I speake with the tongues of men and of Angells and haue not Charity in my selfe whereby to giue example of vertue vnto my neighbours I profite others but litle and my selfe no white at all And with a fervent inflammation of charitie he did emulate the glorious triumphe of the holy Martirs for that in them neither could the flame of loue be extinguished nor yet could the stability of fortitude be any way infeebled Wherfore being wholy set on fire with that perfecte charity which casteth out feare he also desireth by the flame of Martirdome to offer himselfe as a liuing sacrifice vnto our Lord to the end he might make requitall according to his power vnto Christ that suffered death for vs vpon the Crosse and might also provoke others by his example vnto the loue of God For in the sixt yeare after his conversion burning altogether in desire of Martirdome he purposed to passe the seas vnto the partes of Siria to preach the Christian faith and pennance vnto the Saracens and other infidelles And being gotten aboarde into a cerraine shippe that made for those partes by meane of contrary winds he was inforced to put a shore vpon the coaste of Salauonia Where having made some tyme of aboade and nor having founde any shippe in all that space prepartd to passe the Seas he thereby perceiving himselfe to be disappointed of his desires made earnest request vnto certaine Marriners euen then prepared for Ancona that for the loue of God they would take him along with them But they obstinately refusing him as not having wherewith to deftay his charges the mā of God singulerly reposing vpon the goodnesse of our Lord entred secretly into the shippe himself and his companion with him At that time fortuned to be there a certaine man of Gods owne sending as is to be thought for the relief of his poore servant who bringing with him necessary provision of victuals and calling vnto him one of the shippe that had the feare of God before him delivered the same vnto him saieng keepe these things faithfully for the poore brethren that lie secret in the shippe and in the time of neede imparte thereof friendly vnto them And so it came to passe that when the shippemen labouring by sorce of the windes for many daies together and all that time not being able to get to lande had in the meane while exspended all their provisions yet still vnto poore Saint Francis remained of that Almes which was by Gods appointement reserved for him Which nevertheiesse though it were but very small was yet by Gods devine power so marveilousely multiplied that they making very many daies aboade vpon the Sea it aboundantly supplied all their necessities euen vntill they came vnto the very Porte of Ancona The marriners therefore perceiving themselues by meane of the servant of God to haue escaped many daungers of
he made supplication vnto his Father there he familiarely discoursed with his beloued friend He praieth with his hand stretched out a crosse There also he was somtime heard by his brethren that devoutly obserued him with clamorous groanes to call vnto Gods devine clemency in the behalf of sinners with lowde voice also to be waile our Lord his passion even in such wise as if it had then visibly bin set before him There was he seene in the night season praieing with his handes stretcht out a crosse his whole body being lifted vp on high from the grounde and rounde about environed with a brrght and gloriouse cloude so that of that marveilouse garnishing which he had inwardly in his minde the admirable glorious light wihch outwardly appeared about his body might be an vndoubted testimony Even there also according as it is approved by most evident tokens the vncertaine hidden points of Gods divine wisedome were discovered vnto him albeit that he did in no sorte exteriourly diuvlge them otherwise then as his charity towardes Christ did inforce him and the â—rofite of his neighbour did especially require â—â—m For he would commonly say that for a very mean and light hire a thing of inestimable praice and valewe happeneth oftentimes to be vtterly lost that he who gaue the same is easily provoked in no wise to giue the like againe Evermore when he returned from his private prayers by the which he was almost chaunged into another man he was especially carefull to coÌ„forme himself vnto others least haply that which had bin out wardly discovered might by the breath of humane favour be inwardly evacuated of merite and reward And therfore when in some publicke place he had bin at any time visited by our Lord he alwaies gaue some other matter of obiect vnto the standers by least that the familiar loue tokens of the spouse should be outwardely obserued and reported abroade As for muche spitting groaning deepe sighes and outward gestures during the time he praied amongst his bretheren he altogether eschewed them either because he loued to be secrete in those thinges or els because in his inward cogitatioÌ„ he was whole borne vp alofte into Cod. And oftentimes in this sorte he would speake vnto his familiars wheÌ„ the servant of God in time of praier is visited froÌ„ aboue he ought forth with to say vnto him Thou O Lord hast sent this comfort from heaven vnto me a sinner and vnworthy person and I commite the fame againe vnto thy custody because I perceaue my selfe to be but a robber of thy divine treasure And when he returneth from prayer he ought to shewe himselfe as very a poore wretch and as much a sinner as if he had obtained no such new grace an favour at all But it chaunced vpon a time when the man of God was praieng in the place of Portiuncula that the Bishopp of Assisium came vnto him to visite him according to his accustomed manner Who so soone as he entred into the place did ouer bolly approach vnto the Cell whearein the servant of Christ did pray but having knockt at the little doore and putting forward himselfe to enter in no sooner had he put in his head and seene the holy man at praier but being stricken with a soddeine feare all the partes of his body did loose their strength and his vety speach did also leaue him Moreover he being through Gods divine will by force driven out of the place was soddainely borne backe a good way of Whereat the Bishoppe being much astonished made hast to the brethren as fast as he could and God then restoring vnto him his speache againe in the first wordes he spake he confessed his fault One other time also it happened that the Abbot of the monastery of S. Iustine which is within the Bishoppricke of Perusium did meete the servaunt of Christe Vpon whose sight the devout Abbot did speedily alight from his horse aswell to doe reuerence vnto the man of God as also to conferre with him vpon some things concerning the health well fare of his soule And at length after sweete conference passed betweene them the Abbot departed humbly desiring him to pray for him To whom the beloved servant of God answeared I will pray for you willingly Behold the wonderfull force of Saint Francis his praier So the Abbot being nowe gone a little way of the faithfull man Saint Francis saied vnto his companion expecte a while my brother because I desire to pay the debt which I haue promised But meane while that he contineued in prayer the Abbot sodeinely felt in himselfe in an vnusuall kinde of warmeth and swetnes vntill that time altogether vnknowen vnto him and that in such degree that being brought into an extasie of the minde he failed wholy from himselfe into Almighty God And so for some little space he remained but afterwardes returning into himselfe againe he did well perceiue the efficacie of the prayer of holy Saint Francis For which cause he was evermore inflamed with a greater love vnto the Order and vnto many he reported this fact for a miracle The holy man was alwaies accustomed Loe with what devotion attention he reciteth his canonicall howers with no lesse reverent feare then attentiue devotion to recite his Canonicall howers For notwithstanding that he was troubled with the infirmity of his eies of his stamacke of his spleene and liuer yet would he not leane against any wall or resting place while he did sing his seruice but euermore accoÌ„plished his howers bearing himself vpright with his head vncovered his eies vnremoued and without any manner of cutting shorte his wordes and sentences And if at any time he were in iorney he neverthelesse made stay for the time in no sorte omitting this holy and reuerent custome for whatsoeuer aboundance of raine and flouds that might come vpon him For thus he would often say If the body doe quietly eate this present foode which shall with the same become the meate of wormes with howe great peace and quietnesse is it then expedieÌ„t for the soule to receiue the foode and sustenance of life Wherfore he did thinke himselfe greivously to offend if at any time while he was at prayer he were inwardly distracted with vaine fantasies And when any such thing had chaunced to be fall he made no spare forthwith by confession to purge himselfe thereof Which his so singuler a care he had converted into so vsuall an habite that he was exceeding rarely troubled with such kinde of flees He had in one lent season made a certaine litle vessel to over passe some short moments of time that they also might not be lost in idlenesse Which comming once into his memory as he was saying his third hower hauing then in some litle degree distracted his minde he was there vpon so moved with feruour of spiritte that he consumed the same in the fire saying I wil sacrifice it vnto our Lord
ready borne your parte in these afflictions vvherevvith God is vvonte to try his best beloued saruants in so much as all eares are filled vvith the sound of your valorous courage in so stoutly enduringe the assalts of your enemie all conques speake of it and all hartes stand amazed at the strangnes of your vertuous life Dere Syr thrise happie are those vvho sustaine any affliction in this vvorld for Gods sake for our sinnes deseruinge no doubte much punish net vvho can not esteeme it agreat and particulare fauour to be vsited here vvith some mole stations rather then to haue the paines due to sinn reserved to be in the next vvorld a housand times more seuerely punished For seeinge Apoc. 21. Nihil coinquinatum possiâ— intrare in regnum coelorum No vncleane thinge can entere into the kingdom of heauen but if any pains remaine to be inflicted they are to be purged vvith that fire of purgatory infinitly and vvithout coÌ„parision exceedinge in heate our terrestriale fiere Much therefore and extremly blinded are those vvho thinke them selues happy vvhen they escape the punishments of this vvorld litle consideringe the iustice of God vvho leaueth not the least sinn vnpunished and if the estate of such that deferre those paines vntill the nert vvorld be much to be lamented and pittied vvhat alas and hovv miserable then is the condition and estate of those vvho neither in this nor in the vvorld to come can satisfie for theire committed crimes but through all eternitie are to sustaine the vnexplicable tormentes of hell fire this I leaue to the conside ration of those vvho are segregated from that soulde vnitie of the holie Catholique Churche out of the vvhich no saluation can be had vvhich most miserable condition hath novv posessed the greatest parte of our deere countrey for like an vniuersall deluge heresie hath so infected and drovvned the soules therein that they cannot lifte vp theire drousie eies to confider their desperat estate but by vvallovvinge in all kinde of vicious behauioure do make themselues a derision to their enemie the deuel a sorovvfull spectacle to the vvise thereby purchase ende lesse miserie to themselues The thinke euerie houre spent in the exercisse of vertuous life to be vainly emploied esteeme it an happinese to exceede in vices deridinge those that giue them occasion eithere by vvord or vvritinge vvhich may induce to the seruice and true honor of God and hould it a madnese to spende any hovvre in readinge much more in imitatinge the heroicall actes of Sainctes yea they vvill rather scoffe at any vvorthie memorable exploite done by Gods seruantes caling it a delusion of the deuell then endeuour to consider that Sainctes by mortification of the fleshe and not by pampringe and decking theyr corruptible bodies haue obtained the priuileges of Gods searuants by makinge themselues an habitacle of the holy ghost vvheras the other by doinge contrarie make theire corporall substance a mansion house of all vices VVho so therefore desireth to exterpate and banish from him these euils let him first repayer to the vnity of the Catholike Church vvhere he may not only be pertaker of the contynuall prayers and deuotions done in the same by the liuinge here one earth but allsoe of the sufferrages of the immortall and blessed soules in heauen vvho can and vvill most ceartaynly succour and help those that trust in Gods and there protection lett them therefore suppose vvhen the finde and reade the life and actes of any Saint that then they haue gotten an vnfallible directory of there future conuersation Amongest vvhich I earnestly commend this of Saint Francis to theire mature consideration out of the vvhich they may dravv a compendious râ—â—le to guide them in all theire actions But I vvill returne my speach agayne to your most respected and Right vvorshipfull selfe desiring your fauourable kyndnes to interprete this my ouer bould attempte accordinge to the sincerity of my intention and so I committe this present treatis vnder the shielde of your benigne acceptance for knovving my selfe obliged in all duty to apply my best indeauours in such sorte as maye seeme acceptable to your selfe acknovvledginge allsoe my selfe soe much bound in insoluible bonds to vvish and pray dayly for the most prosperous and godly proceedings in all things both of your selfe and your vvell deseruing family vvhich togeather vvith your selfe for breuities sake I most hartyly offer conioynedly vnto thall mighty his protection desiring him to giue you all sufficiencie in temporall respectes and superabundant increase of supernaturall graces And lastly I request you vvould vouchsafe to spend some vacant hovvers in reading and admiring this Saints perfection and if any one reape any spirituall frute by this my labour I accoumpte my paynes fully revvarded If not my vvilling mind remayneth vnvyolable yet hovvsoeuer let all be done to the honor and glory of the euerlasting deity three in persons and one in essence next before all creatures most vvorthy honor and glory to Christ his most blessed mother perpetuall virgin to the holy Appostles Saint Francis and all the heauenly troope vnto vvhose intercessions I once againe perpetually commit this mortall perigrination of you and yours happily to be consummated that after this transitory life you may possesse togeather vvith them eternall ioye and felicitie Amen Yours obliged in all dutie E. H. THE LIFE OF THE MOST HOLIE FATHER S. FRANCIS VVritteÌ„ in one Booke compiled by that Famous Learned man Saint BONAVENTVRE a Frear Minor Cardinall of the holy Romane Church Bishop of ALBA and the seraphicall Doctour of the Church THE FIRST CHAPTER Of Saint Francis his conuersation in secular habite IN the Citty of Assisium there was a man called FRANCIS whose name remaineth in blessed memory for being prevented by the sweete blessings of GOD he was mercifully delivered froÌ„ the dangers of this present life filled abundantly with the influences of Heavenly grace For being in his youth nourished in vanities among the vaine children of men being also after some littel knowledge of Learning deputed to the gainfull trade of Merchandise yet by the assistance of God neither when hee was most addicted vnto pleasure did hee followe the wantonnesse of the fleshe among lascivious young men noâ— yet when he was most intentiue to gaine did he put his confidence in mony and treasures as covetous negotiatours are commonly woont to doe But in his hart there was euen from his infancy ingrafted a certaine singular pitty commiseration towards the poore which growing and encreasing together with his yeeres did replenishe his heart with so bountifull an affection in that behalfe that opening his eares to the wordes of the Gospell he pnrposed with himselfe to giue somewhat vnto euery one that should aske him espetially making demaund for the â—oue of God But whereas on â—â—â—pon occasion of his troublesome businesse wherevnto he was very intentiue he did contrary to his custome neglect the request of
a poore man that asked him almes for the loue of God he presently remembring himselfe and entring into iudgement with his owne heart did speedily runne after him bestowing his almes with much affection vpon him making furthermore euen then a promise vnto Almighty God that from thence forward so long as he should haue any thing in the worlde to giue hee would never denie to giue something to such as should begge of him for our Lords sake which he observing continually with an vnwearied zeale of devotion vnto his death was thereby made woorthie to obtaine an aboundant encrease of the favour and grace of Almighty God For he was woont to say after that he had perfectly put on Christ that even whilest he was in secular habite he felt a great motion in his heart whensoever he heard any worde expressing the loue of God Furthermore the mildnesse of his conversation together with the sweetnesse of his manners his patience and tractable behaviour more theÌ„ is ordinary in meÌ„ his liberality beyond the measure of his ability which appeared in him in his youth were tokens that God had a greater aboundance of blessing to powre vpon him It fortuned once that a very simple man of Assisium by the instruction of God as we haue good cause to thinke meeting vpon a time with Saint FRANCIS as he passed along the Citty cast off his cloake and spread the same vnder his feete affirming that he should be worthie of all manner of reverence the time beeing nowe not long vnto wherin he should performe great matters and should be of the whole worlde for that cause marveilously honored But yet altogether ignorant was S. FRANCIS at this time of Gods determination concerning him aswell beeing by the commaundement of his father distracted in externall affaires as also by naturall corruption carried away with terrestriall â—â—â—â—ters wherby he had not as yet learned to conteplate vpo the matters of Heauen nor had accustomed himselfe to taste of the sweetnesse of God And because the scourge of affliction doth oftentimes giue light to the spirituall vnderstanding the mighty hande of our Lord did come vpon him the right hand of the highest wrought a perfect change within him afflicting his body with lingring infirmities whereby the better to prepare his soule to receiue the precious inspirations and motions of the Holy Ghost But having recovered his strength and being provided of decent apparell according to his vsuall manner he chanced to meete a certaine souldiar who was in yery deede a gentleman by birth but poore and meanely apparelled whose poverty he commiserating with a syncete affection dispoiled himselfe of his own apparell and furnished the poore souldiar therewithall that so in one worke he might performe a double office of piety both in covering the shame of a gentleman souldiar in releiueing the misery of a poore distressed man In the night following when he had betaken himselfe to his naturall rest it pleased the goodnesse of God to shew vnto him a great and beautifull pallace adotned with Military weapons insigned with the Crosse of CHRIST then foreshewing vnto him that the mercy which he had extended towards the poore souldiar for the loue of the heavenly King should be recompenced with an incomparable reward Wherevpon demaunding vnto whom all those goodly things did appertaine it was aunswered to him from aboue that they should be vpon him and his souldiars freely bestowed A waking therefore in the morning and having his minde not as yet exercised in the searching of Divine mysteries neither yet knowing how by the formes of visible thinges to consider the trueth of things invisible he perswaded himselfe that this vnaccustomed vision was a fore token of some great prosperity to happen vnto him So being as yet ignorant of Gods Divine ordinance towardes him he purposed to goe into Apulia vnto a certaine Earle of great liberality hoping by service vnder him in the wars to purchase a name of honour according as the mentioned vision vnto him seemed to foretell And being shortly after entred into his iourney as he came to the next City he heard in the night time our Lord in familiar manner thus speaking vnto him FRANCIS who is able to doe better for thee the master or the servant the rich man or the poore To whom Saint FRANCIS making aunswere that the master and the rich man were better able Our Lord presently replied why therefore doest thou leaue the master for the servant and the rich God for a poore man Then Saint FRANCIS asked what wilt thou haue me O Lord to doe And our Lord said vnto him returne into thine owne country for the vision which thon hast seene doth prefigurate a spiritual effect which is to be by the disposition of God not of man accomplished in thee In the morning therefore he speedily returned backe to Assisium resting nowe full of security and ioy making himselfe a patterne of obedience did readily expect the pleasure of our Lord. From that time foreward hee with-drewe himselfe from the practise of his common trafique and devoutly besought Almighty God of his mercy that hee would voutsafe to shew vnto him what he ought to doe And when by much vse of praier the flame of Heavenly desire began aboundantly to encrease in him so that nowe for the loue of the Heavenly country hee contemned all earthely things as very nothing then did he well perceiue himselfe to haue found the hidden treasure like a well advised marchant purposed with the sale of all his marchandise to purchase this rare and pretious pearle But as yet he was ignorant how to proceed therein saving that it was to his spirit sugested that the entring into spirituall affaires is the contempt of the world and that the warfare of Christ is not otherwise to be by any man begun than by obtaining first the conquest of himselfe Riding therefore one day vpon the plaine Beholde howe his adorning the Altarâ— did please god otherwise the holy man woulde not haue done them adioyning nigh to Assisium there came in his way a certaine Leaper vpon whose sodaine aspect he coÌ„ceived in mind an especiall horror and loathing But returning to his already resolued purpose of perfection and considering that he ought of necessity first to overcome himselfe if he would become the souldiar of Christ he presently alighted downe from his horse and went to kisse him At what time the Leaper reaching fotth his hand as hoping to receiue something from him did indeed teceiue money of him and a kisse also therewithall But he being presently gotten vp vpon his horse againe and looking round about in the open field could not espie the Leaper there Being therefore replenished with admiration and ioy he began devoutly to sing praises vnto God purposing from this beginning evermore to aspire vnto greater perfections From thenceforth he began to affect solitary places Behold his pilgrimage to holy places as best fitting vnto
all thinges fot love of the Author of all things THE EIGHT CHAPTER Os his affection of Piety and how creatures devoied of reason seemed to be affected towards him VNFAINED pietie which according vnto the Apostles saieng is Profitable to all things had so far forth penetrated and replenished the harte of S. Francis that the man of God seemed wholy to be subiected therevnto Tim. 4.8 This is that vertue which did by force of deuotiō eleuate him aloft vp vnto God which did by cōpassion transforme him into Christ which by way of condiscending declined him to his neighbour which by an vniuersal reconcilement and accord of all thinges did refigurate and againe restore him vnto the state of innocency And allbeit that our of this pietie he were devoutly affected vnto all thinges yet at such time especially as he perceaued that the soules which were redemed with the precious bloud of Christe Iesus were defiled with any filth of sinne he then bewailed them with such a tendernesse of commiseration that as a mother in Christe he dailie laboured to bring them forth againe And this was the special cause that moved him so much to reuerence the ministers of the word of God for that they doe both raise vpp seede to theire brother deceased namely vnto Christ who vouchsafed to be crucified for sinners by working the conversion of them and being converted doe also governe them with an industriouse careful pietie This excellent office of commiseration he affirmed to be vnto the Father of mercie more acceptable than any sacrifice especially when it proceedeth from the industrie of perfect charitie whereby more diligent labour is emploied therein by force of example than by course of words by mourneful praiers rather than by babling discourses Wherevpon he would say that that Preacher was much to be lamented as a man wholy destitute of true and perfect pietie who either in preaching seeketh not the health of soules but his owne priuate praise and glory or who by the naughtinesse of his life destroieth what euer he buildeth vp by the truth of doctrine Before such an one therefore he saied that a simple and ignorant brother was far away to be preferred who by his owne good example 1. Reg. 2 5. prouoketh others also vnto the like And to his effect he expounded that place of holy scripture Vntil the barren haue brought forth many children For the barren saied he is vnderstand to be that poore brother whose proper office is not to ingender children in the holy Church But he neverthelesse shal yet in the iudgment bring forth many children because that such as by his private praiers he doth convert vnto Christe shal then be by the Iudge vnto his glory ascribed And She that hath many children shal be enfeebled because the vaine and talking preacher who now glorieth of many children as by meane of his owne labour and industrie begotten shal the plainely knowe and discerne himselfe not to haue any right or interest in them at all He therefore with all the hartie affection and desires of pietie and with a burning and zealous emulation of minde thirsting after the salvation and good of soules was euer more accustomed to say that he was as it were replenished with sweete odours and was in a maner annointed with a most preciouse and delightfull ointmente so often as he hearde that many weare induced vnto the way of truth by the sweete smelling fame of his holy bretheren dispersed through sundrie partes of the world Vpon the hearing of these reports his spirit not a litle reioyced heaping most acceptable and aboundant blessings vp on all those bretheren who either by worde or deede did induce sinners vnto the lout of Christ But he contrariwise whosoever did by theire euel demeanoure violate the holy stare of Religion did thereby incurre the most greivouse sentence of his malediction Of thee O my most holy Lord said he and of all thy blessed courte of heauen and of me thy poore and humble servant be the al aceursed who by theire euill example doe confoundeand destroy that which by the holy bretheren of this order thou hast already builded and doest not cease yet to build And oftentimes he conceived so exceeding great sorrowe and greife vpon occasion of the scandall of weakelings that he thought himself to haue beene almost dead therewithall had he not beene vpholden by the consolation of Gods divine clemencie But onetime especially being marveilouse much distressed with the evill examples which he sawe to begiven and praing with a perplexed spirite vnto the father of mercie for his children this maner of answeare from our Lord he therevnto received Why arte thou thus thou poore and sillie man afflicted haue I in such maner of wise ordained thee to be Pastor over this my religious order that thou doest not knowe me to be the principall patrone and director thereof For this cause haue I thervnto designed thee being but a simple man that what thinges I shall worke in thee be to no humane industerie but vnto the mightie power of God ascribed It is I who haue called them I also will keepe them and feede them and if some of them doe at any time falle away I will subrogate other into theire roomes againe so farre forth that if they be not yet borne I wil make them to be borne vpon purpose And with how many assaultes soever this my poore religion shal be distressed yet shal it ever abide in saftie by mine especiall giftand protection The vice of detraction also he abhorred as the professed enemie to the pure fountaine of grace and pietie as the venemovse sting of a ferpent and as a most desperate and deadly poyson avowing the same to be most abhominable in the sight of Gods most mercifull and sweete dispotion considering that the man of detraction is fed with the bloud of soules which he doth murder with the fowrde of his tongue And hearing once one of the bretheren to disgrace the good name and fame of another he turned therewithall vnto his Vicar saying arise arise discusse the matter diligently and if you shal finde the brother accused to be innocent faile not with sharpe correction to chastice the accuser wherby to make him an example in that behalfe vnto others And sundrie times also he would aiudge that brother who had dispoiled another of his good name and fame to be himselfe deprived of his habite and that he might not presume to lifte vp his cies vnto our Lord before he had done his best indevour to restore that which he had vncharitably taken away For so much greater said he is the impiety of detractors than of open theiues and robbers as the law of Christ which is fulfilled in the observanc of piety doth more precisely oblige vs to desire the well fare of our neighbours soules than of their bodies And with a wonderfull tendernesse of compassion commiserating the cause of all that were afflicted
weake of bodie yet was he nothing terrified therewithall but was more forcibly animated to the sustaining of martirdome For the insuperable burning loue of good Iesus had encreased within him to lampes of fire and flames soe that many waters were notable to quenche his soe prevalent Charitie Being therefore with the Seraphicall fervour of desires borne vp alofte into God and by the sweetnesse of compassion transformed into him who of his surpassing charitie would vouch safe to be crucified one morning about the Feast of the Exaltation of the holy Crosse while he did pray vpon the side of the hill he sawe a Seraphin with six wings all fierie and full of gloriouse light descending downe from the toppe of the heauens And as he came with a swifte flighte to that place of the aire which was neare to the man of God there appeared betweene his wings the forme of a man crucified hauing his handes and feete stretcht out in manner of a Crosse and fastened also vnto a Crosse Two of his wings were lifted vp aboue his heade two were streeched forth to flie and two did couer his whole body At the beholding wherof he was exceedingly amazed and there entred his hatte a loy mingled with sorrowe For he reioyced in that gracious aspect whereby he perceaued himselfe to be beholden of Christ vnder the forme of a Seraphim but the fastening to the Crosse did peirce through his soule with a sworde of compassionate greife He marveilously wondred in the aspect of soe strange rare a vision knowing well that the infirmitie of Passion could by no meanes agree with the immortalitie of a Seraphicall spiritte But in the end he herehence perceaued our Lord reuealing the same vnto him that therefore this manner of vision was by the providence of God in suche manner of wise presented vnto his veiwe that he the friend of Christ might thereby forknow that he was wholy to be transformed into the likenesse of Christ crucified not by the martir dome of his flesh but by the burning inflammation of his minde The vision therefore disappearing did leaue behinde a wounderfull heate in his harte and a no lesse wonderfull impression of signes in his flesh For presently there beganne to appeare in his hāds and feete the signes of nailes euen in such manner as a litle before he had seene them in the likenesse of the crucified man For his hands and feete seemed to be in the very middest peirced with nailes the heades of them nailes appearing in the inner parte of his handes and the outer parte of his feete but the pointes of them on the contrary sides And the heades of the nailes in his hands feete were rounde and blacke but the pointes were somewhat long and wreathed and as it were clinched which rising vppe out of the very flesh did sticke out higher than the rest of the flesh His righte side also as being pearced through with a speare was couered ouer with a redde skarre which oftentimes casting out holy bloud did besprincle his coate and breeches therewithall But the servante of Christ perceauing that those markes so plainely imprinted in his flesh could not to be hidden from his familiar companions and fearing neverthelesse to publishe the secrette of our Lord was in a greate agony and doubt of minde whether he should vtter or conceale the vision which had binne shewed vnto him Wherfore he called together some of the brethren speaking vnto them in generall tearmes he proposed his doubt before them and required their councel and advise therein At what time one of the brethren Illuminatus by name a man also singularly illuminated by grace from heauen perceiuing that he had seene some wonderfull things by reason that he seemed to be very greately astonished did speake in this wise vnto the holy man Brother knowe it for certaine that it is not only for your selfe but also for others that the divine mysteries of God are sometime shewen vnto you Wherefore you haue iust cause to feare least if you shall conceale the thing which you haue receaved for the profitte and behoofe of many you be therevpon adiudged reprehensible for the hidden Tallent Mat. 25.26 Esay 24.16 At whose wordes the holy man being greatly moved albeit that at other times he was wont to say My secrette vnto my selfe did yet nowe at this time with much feare relate the historie of the foresaied vision adding also therevnto that he who had appeared vnto him had told him some things which he would neuer open vnto any man so long as he should liue And we may very wel beleiue that the wordes of that holy Seraphin soe admirably appearing in the Crosse were soe misticall and secrette that haply it was not lawfull to vtter them vnto men And nowe after that the true loue of Christ had transformed this his lover into the same Image with himself having accomplished his forty daies fast in the desert according to his determination and the solemne feast of S. Michael the Archangell being no we approached the Angelical man S. Francis came downe from the mountaine bearing with him the forme of the crucified howebeit not figured in tables either of wood or stone by the hand of the Craftesman but expressed in his fleshly members by the finger of the living God And because It is good to hide the secrette of the Kinge Tob. 12.7 this holy man therefore being privie of the Kings secrette Councell did apply all his best endeauour to hide those sacred marks But because it is the worke of God for his owne glories sake to manifest the things which he doth our Lord therefore himself who had secrettely imprinted the marks did openly shewe certaine miracles by meane of them that the hidden and marveilouse force of those stigmats might manifestly appeare by the evident testimony of signes and wonders For in the Prouince of Reate there raigned a very greivous plague which did soe cruelly consume all the sheepe and Oxen that no manner of remedie could be applied vnto them But behold a certaine devout man that feared God was by vision in the night time admonished hastily to goe vnto the Ermitage of the brethren and that taking the water wherein the servaunte of God Saint Francis who then remained in that place had washed his hands and feete he should sprinckle the same vpon al the beasts Rising therefore earely in the morning he came to the place having prively obtained this water by meane of the companions of the holy man he sprincled the sicke sheepe and Oxen therwithall Nowe see the wonder As soone as the sprinckling had in any small quantitie once touched the beasts that lay before languishing vpon the ground they presently rose vp as hauing nowe perfectly recouered their wonted strength and hastily went vnto their feede and pasture as thought they had felt no harme at all Whereby it came to passe that by the admirable vertue of that water which had but touched