is almost lost by the continuall warrs of heretikes and punishment for our sinnes Now our Lord began to power out the aboundance of his celestiall graces vpon the roote that afterwardes the sproutes of farre greater sanctity might follow and disperse into the boughes Neyther would he that this deuout woman Hortulana should be depriued of the cōsolations knowledge of this grace for being neere her child-birth she one day with great feruour prayed in a Church before a Crucifix where she besought Almighty God to deliuer her from the danger of death in her child birth which she much apprehended she heard a voice that sayd Woman feare not for thou shalt safely and without danger bring forth a light that shall illuminate and lighten all the world Being thus comforted and admonished by this diuine answere so soone as she was deliuered of a daughter she caused her to be called in Baptisme Clare firmely belieuing that in her should be accomplished the splendour of the light promised according to the prouidence and the ordinance of the diuine bounty Of the Education Charity Prayer Mortification and Virginity of S. Clare CHAP. II. SAINT Clare being borne into the world she began incontinently to appeare and shine as a morning starre in the obscure night of that age for in the most tender yeares of her first infancy she already discouered euidēt signs of notable and pious works wherin she made to appeare her naturall worth and the graces which God had communicated vnto her for being naturally of a very delicate constitution she receiued of her Mother the first foundations of faith afterwards being inspired of God to apply herselfe to vertuous and pious workes she shewed herselfe to be a vessell aptly prepared for diuine grace and as she abounded in interiour piety aswell by nature as by grace towardes poore beggars so according to the small meanes which then she had she supplyed their necessities And to the end her Sacrifice might be more pleasing vnto God the most delicate meates that vvere giuen her for the nourishment of her little body she hid and gaue it secretly to the poore Thus did piety augment and increase in her nourished charity in her soule preparing her to receiue the grace mercy of Almighty God Her greatest contentment was in prayer wherby she was often susteyned made ioyfull and comforted as by an Angelicall milke and in a most delicious manner eleuated to the diuine pleasures of the conuersation of our Lord Iesus Christ In these beginninges hauing no beades she vsed insteed thereof certaine little stones some to serue for the Pater nosters and others for the Aues and so offered her prayers to God Wherupon beginning to feele the first feruours of diuine loue she iudged that the must contemne all transitory apparence painted flowers of this world and being by prayer well instructed of the holy Ghost she resolued as a wise spirituall Merchant to haue no more regard of terrestriall affayrs acknowledging them vnworthy to be esteemed with this spirit she did weare as another S. Cecily vnder her gay apparrell a haire-cloth so exteriourly satisfying the world and interiourly her Lord Iesus Christ But hauing attayned the age of marriage she was importuned by her Father other kindred to choose a husband whereto she would neuer consent but vsed lingrings and delayes putting off and differring what she could all humane marriage euer recommended to our Lord Iesus Christ her Virginity with other vertues wherwith she was indued by such exercises indeauouring to please almighty God that he might bestow on her his only Sonne for her spouse Such were the first fruits of her spirt and such the exercises of her piety so that being anoynted with such a sweet and pretiousoyntment she yielded a most pleasant sauour as a closet replenished with most delightfull liquors whose perfumes though they be shut vp discouer and manifest themselues and in such sort this holy virgin beganne without her knowledge to be commended by her neighbours the true fame of her secret pious workes so publishing themselues that in an instant they were exceedingly spread abroad euery where diuulged How the virgin S. Clare had knowledge of the Vertues of the holy Father S. Francis CHAP. III. THIS vertuous Virgin Clare hearing the great fame of the admirable life of Saint Francis who then renewed vnto the world the way of perfection in the same Citty with a maruelous example of piety and vertue considering that many gentlemen did follow him and that his life was already approued by our holy mother the Church she exceedingly desired to see and heare this seruant of God most worthy and eminent in all vertues thereunto inspired by the soueraigne Father of spirits to whome had already byn presented the first fruites of their deuotions though differently S. Francis hauing byn aduertised of this her desire and hauing heard the bruit of her vertues and holy affections desired also exceedingly to see her and to conferre with her with intention to frustrate the world of so noble and pretious a prey to present her to our soueraigne redeemer to serue him in some notable enterprise as preordayned of God to despoyle the great prince of the world Neither did his diuine maiesty fayle to open vnto them both the meanes to attaine thereunto he inspired this vertuous woman to rely vpon a very honorable graue matron that gouerned her in her house as her Mother And to the end that this holy purpose might not be sinisterly interpreted of men and to hinder publike murmure she went out of her Fathers house with this good woman found out the holy Father by the seruour of whose pious discourses she was presently inflamed with diuine loue and moued by his holy actions which she admired as seeming vnto her to be more then humane and therfore she began very exquisitely to dispose herselfe to the effecting of the wordes of the holy seruant of God who hauing very louingly intertained her began to preach vnto her the cōtempt of the world and by euident reason to demonstrate vnto her that all the beauty of thinges present is but a vanity filled with false and deceitfull hopes Then he persuaded vnto her pure eares the honourable amiable Espousall of Iesus Christ and counsailed her to cōserue those most pretious pearles of virginall purity for that glorious Spouse who out of the loue he bare to the world being God became man would be borne of a virgin This holy Father sollicited this affayre and played the part of a true Paranymph Embassadour of the heauenly King The holy virgin on her side beginning already to tast the sweetnes of contemplation and the proofe of the eternallioyes the world beginning to seeme vnto her vile and contemptible as indeed it is she as it were melted for the loue of her celestiall spouse whome she already desired with all her hart Thēce forth therfore she despised pretious stons
THE LIFE OF THE GLORIOVS VIRGIN S. CLARE Togeather with the Conuersion and life of S. Agnes her sister And of another S. Agnes Daughter to the King of Bohemia Also the Rule of S. Clare And the life of S. Catharine of Bologna Translated into English Permissis Superiorum M. DC XXII TO THE MOST GLORIOVS Virgin S. Clare Most Glorious Saint BEING to publish thy Blessed Life traslated into English for the publik benefit of our Coūtry I found no creature heere on Earth seeming worthy inough to be presented therewith by way of Dedication And therfore were my Thoughts presently transported hence to the glorious Cittizens of Heauen whither ariuing they forthwith made choice of thy Blessed Selfe as best in particuler deseruing so true an Honour Accept then B. Saint this my small labour which in all Humility Reuerence I heere offer vnto thy Holy NAME togeather with my vnworthy Selfe that by thy Intercession Piety I may be made partaker of some little glimpse of that spiritual Influence which out of the huge Masse of thy Glorious merits thou vouchsafest to impart vnto thy deuout Suppliants amongst whom I humbly begge O Glorious Virgin to be accepted for one I. W. THE TABLE OF S. Clare her Countrey Family Byrth Chap 1. Of her Education Charity Prayer mortification and Virginity Chap. 2. Of her knowledge acquaintance with S. Francis Chap. 3. Of her forsaking the world entring into Religion Chap. 4. How her friends laboured to reclayme her from Religion Chap. 5. Of the cōuersion of her sister Agens by her prayers Chap. 6. Of her Humily Chap. 7. Of her voluntary Pouerty Chap. 8. Of the miracles wrought by her Pouerty Chap. 9. Of her great mortifications abstinence Chap. 10. Of the spirituall profit procured ouer the whole world by the fame of S. Clare Chap. 11. Of her feruent Prayer Chap. 12. How the Mores were expelled the Monastery by S. Clare Chap. 13. How the Citty of Assisium was deliuered by her prayers Chap. 14. Of her Reuerence deuotion to the most B. Sacrament Chap. 15. Of a meruailous consolation she receyued vpon a Christmas day Ch. 16. Of the spirituall doctrine with which she noursed her daughters Chap. 17. Of the deuotion which Pope Gregory the IX had to S. Clare Chap. 18. Of her feruent loue to Iesus Christ of an extasy wherin she was Ch. 19. Of the many Miracles she wrought by the signe of the Crosse Chap. 20. Of the signe of the Crosse remayning vpon Bread blessed by her Chap. 21. Of her Infirmity sicknes Ch. 22. How she was visited by Pope Innocent the fourth Chap. 23. How she comforted her sister Saint Agnes Chap. 24. Of her Death Obsequies Chap. 25. 26. Of the miracles wrought by her Intercession Chap. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. Of her Canonization by Pope Alexander the fourth Chap. 32. The life of S. Agnes HOVV S. Agnes was sent to Florence to build there a monastery Chap. I. Of a Letter she wrote to her sister S. Clare the rest of the monastery of S. Damian Chap. II. Of an extasy of S. Agnes and of her thrice crowning by an Angell Chap. III. How she sent S. Clares veyle to the Monastery of Florence and of her death Chap. IIII. Of the many Miracles wrought by the merits of S. Agnes Ch. V. VI. Of the Life of another S. Agnes who was daughter to the King of Bohemia Religious of the same Order Pag. 207. Of the intention of our Lord in the vocation of S. Clare Of her Countrey Family of a Reuelation to her mother touching her birth sanctity CHAP. I. SIx yeares after the conuersiō of the holy Father S. Francis the fourth yeare after the confirmation of his Rule by Pope Innocent the third the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent Father of light hauing framed and sent into the world a new man his seruant S. Francis by him to repayre and reforme his faithful people in that age would also that a valourous woman should by his worke appeare in the world to accompany that his great faythfull seruant to the end that of those two shold be new borne a perfect regeneration of the children of God And as the first naturall generation came of man and woman as of an vnited beginning so this spirituall generation of the imitatours of the life and counsailes of Iesus Christ proceeded in al the Church and in all the estates and qualityes of persons of the one same spirit of zeale of perfection of humility and of pouerty from one man and one woman And to the end it might not be vnlike the creation almighty God hauing first perfected his seruant S. Francis would frame of the ribb or side of his life doctrine and Santy the glorious Virgin S. Clare his true and legitimate daughter in Iesus Christ for his companion as zealous also of perfection and angelicall reformation With great reason therfore hath she her place in the Chronicles of the Friars Minors for she being a ribbe and party of the same order it is very requisite a speciall mention should be made of her sanctity of life as we shall heere performe and if it be not according to her merit shall at least be done with the least defect we can possible being resolued to imploy therein that little force of spirit which God hath giuen vs both to the honour of his diuine maiesty his holy seruant and to the edification of soules The glorious S. Clare was borne in the Citty of Assisiū in Italy scituate in the prouince of the valley of Spoletum which is a territory apperteyning to the Pope and Roman Church Her Father and Mother were noble of a famous and very welthy family her Mother was called Hortulana which in our tounge may be tearmed Gardener and not without mistery considering she was to produce so noble and vertuous a plant in the garden of the holy Church This woman was exceeding deuout and compleate in the fruites of good workes and albeit she were marryed and consequently obliged to the care and gouernement of her house and family yet did she not omit with all her power to be exercised in the seruice of God and imployed in the works of mercy She was so feruent in the loue of Iesus Christ that with great deuotion she passed the sea with many other pilgrimes visited those holy places which our Redeemer Iesus Christ God and man consecrated with his holy presence and retourned exceedingly comforted and inriched with many meritts She also visited the Church of the Archangell Saint Michael on the mount Gargan and with a pious and feruent desire visited the Apostles S. Peter S. Paul in Rome in such sort did that vertue and feruour shine in those dayes in many holy persons but now so weakned is the feruour of Christians touching the visiting of holy places the Reliques of our Lord and his Saintes that it
Iewells gold sumptuous apparrell all other worldly trash as filth and dunge and abhorring the detestable delights of the flesh she resolued intierly to dedicate herself a liuely temple to Iesus Christ to take him for the only spouse of her body and soule and so submitting herselfe wholly and totally to the counsayles of the glorious father S. Francis him next after our Lord she tooke for guid and director of her life How S. Francis drew the virgin S. Clare out of the world and made her Religious CHAP. IIII. AND to the end the most cleare mirrour of her soule might not be stayned and blemished vvith the dust of this world and that the contagious seculer life did not corrupt her innocency the holy Father prudently indeauoured to sequester this virgin from worldly people And the solemnity of palme-sonday approching the holy Espouse of Iesus Christ with a great feruour of spirit repayred to this man of God and most instantly demaunded of him when and how she should make her retyre from the world wherupon the holy Father ordayned that on the day of the sayd feast she should goe to the procession of Palmes with the people decked and adorned the most richly and gorgiously that she could procure and the night following going out of the Citty and withall out of al conuersation of the world she should change secular pleasurs into lamentations of the passion of our Lord. Palme-sonday being come the glorious S. Clare went in the company of her mother and other Ladyes to the great Church where there hapned a matter worthy to be recorded as not done without the prouidence of the diuine goodnes which was that all the other Ladyes going as is the custome of Italy to take holy Palme and S. Clare out of a virginall bashfulnes remayning alone without mouing out ofher place the Bishop descended frō the steps of his seate put into her hand a branch of Palme The night approaching she began to prepare herselfe for effecting the commaundment of the holy Father and to make a glorious flight and honorable retyre from the world in honest company But it seeming to her impossible to goe forth at the ordinary and chiefest doore of the house she bethought herselfe to take the benefit of a backe doore which though it were dammed and closed vp with grosse stones and mighty blocks she with an admirable courage force rather of a strong man then of a tender yong woman herselfe broke open Thus then leauing her Fathers house her Citty kindred and friendes she with extraordinary speed arriued at the Church of our Lady of Angels where the Religious that in the house of God were imployed in pious watchings receiued with burning wax lights in their handes this holy virgin that sought her spouse and redeemer Iesus Christ with a lampe not extinct and empty but filled with diuine loue and incontinently in the selfe-same houre and place hauing left and abandoned the impurityes of Babylon she gaue the world the ticket of defiance and vtter adieu before the Altar of the soueraigne Queene of Angells where the glorious Father S. Francis inspired of God neglecting all other worldly respects cut off her hayre then he cloathed her with a poore habit of the order cōmanding the Iewels gorgeous attire which she brought to be giuen to the poore of Iesus Christ It had not beene indeed conuenient that the new Order of florishing virginity towardes the end of the world should otherwise begin then in the Angelical pallace of that most Immaculate Queene who before had alone byn a mother and a virgin and consequently more worthy then all others vvhatsoeuer In the very same place had the noble Chiualry of the poore of Iesus Christ the Friars Minors their beginninge vnder the valourous Captaine S. Francis to the end it might euidently appeare that the Mother of God in this her habitation ingendred and produced the one and the other Religion And so soone as this new Espouse had receiued the habit ensignes of holy pēnance before the Aultar of the most sacred virgin Mary the hūble seruāt was accepted by Iesus Christ for his Espouse and the glorious Father S. Francis conducted her to the monastery of S. Paul in Assisium where were Religious womē of the order of S. Bennet there to remaine till almighty God had prouided another monastery How much the kindred of S. Clare laboured to rerire her from Religion and how she was conducted to S. Damian CHAP. V. THE kindred of this holy virgin vnderstanding what she had done and the bruit of her resolution being diuulged ouer all the Citty many of the friendes of her Father and Mother assembled and consulted to preuent this vertuous virgin of her holy resolution and coming to the monastery of the Religious of Saint Bennet whither she was retired they purposed to execute by violence what they could not compasse by humane policy trying their forces against the meeke lambe of Iesus Christ and by their malice peruerse counsell seeking to delude that simple doue the did they make her deceiptful promises exhorting her to retire herselfe frō such base condition and abiection demonstrating vnto her that it was a matter vnworthy her noble descent and that the like neuer hapned in the Citty But the virgin firme and stable in Iesus Christ approaching to the Altar discouered her hairelesse head alleadging that she could no more be separated frō the seruice of Iesus Christ for whose loue she had already forsaken all the world themselues also and the more they tormented her the more was her hart inflamed in the loue of God and of her sweet spouse Iesus Christ who supplyed her with new forces to resist Thus for many dayes togeather disturbed with many iniuries she indured great contradictions in the way of God and albeit her kindred perseuered in their attempts to withdraw her from her pious designe her feruour yet did neuer wax cold nor her hart feble but on the contrary so many iniurious wordes and violent threats did so much confirme her confidence in God that her kindred were constrayned to forbeare any more to vexe and disquiet her retyring themselues as all ashamed confounded Thus did almighty God make appeare how much the power of those that are his though of themselues feeble did exceed the strong and puissant of the world But in regard that her soule had not perfect repose in that place she was by the holy Father S. Francis placed in the church of S. Damian and there as in a secret harbour and secure she cast the anker of her soule neuer changing place nether in respect of the great restraint therof nor for feare of solitude this Church being without the Citty This was the Church in reparatiō wherof the Glorious S. Francis laboured in the beginning of his conuersion and where he did also offer money to the Chaplaine to repayre it this holy Father being once also in this Church and
this benediction which distilled downe in the valley of Spoletum grew by diuine prouidence to so spatious and large a flood that the violent current therof ouer flowed al the Cittyes of the holy Church so that the nouelty of such admirable things was speedily diulged ouer all the world with such prayse and admiration gaue such splendour that the nature of her vertues filled the chambers of great Ladies with beames of vnspeakable charity and penetrated euen into the chambers of great Dutchesses yea those most pure beames of her brightnes pierced into the very cabinetts of Queenes and Princesses and that in such sort that eminency of bloud and height of nobility submitted and debased it selfe to follow the stepps of this glorious virgin many reiecting the greatnes of their honour and the sublimity of their estates so that some Ladyes who could haue byn marryed to Kings and Dukes induced by the fame of S. Clare tooke vpon them the practise of strict pennance and many already marryed to men of great nobility desired in their estate to imitate this seruant of Iesus Christ An infinit number also of Citties were by this exāple adorned with monasteries of young women the fieldes and mountaynes were enriched and inobled with the structures of these celestiall buildings The exercise and honour of chastity did multiply in the world S. Clare carrying the stādard of the order of virgins which being then almost extinguished she restored to perfection renewing it by the blessed flowres of her example conuersation But returning to the history let vs speake of the perfection of the prayer of this glorious virgin by meanes wherof she obteyned of God so great graces for her selfe and her daughters Of the feruent and perfect prayer of the virgin S. Clare CHAP. XII AS Saint Clare was mortifyed in her flesh and farre more from all corporall recreations so did she cōtinually busy herselfe in deuotions and diuine prayses This virgin had fixed imprinted the subtility of her feruent desire in the eternall light and as she was remote from earthly occupations and rumors so did she the more largely dilate the bosome of her soule to the influence of diuine grace She continued in long prayer together with her religious after Complin the riuers of teares that flowed from her eyes awaking and bathing the harts of her companions when the sleep of others gaue her opportunity to be solitary being often in prayer she wold lay her face agaynst the earth bathed with teares kissing it sweetly and with such contentment that she seemed alwayes to hold in her armes her spouse Iesus Christ at vvhose feete her teares trickled downe and her kisses left their impressions It hapned one time that as this holy virgin powred out her teares in the silence of the night the Angel of darknes appeared vnto her in figure of a blacke young man saying If thou continuest this extreme weeping thou wilt become blynd wherto she answered he that is to see God cannot be blynd wherwith the diuell being confounded vanished fled The same night this Saint being in prayer after Mattines all bathed in teares the Tēpter appeared againe vnto her and sayd Weepe not so much vnles thou wilt haue thy braynes to melt and distill in such sort that thou shalt auoyd them at thy eyes and nostrels therwith shall thy nose be croked S. Clare with great feruour answered him saying He that serueth Iesus Christ can haue no crookednes and presently the wicked spirit disappeared Many signes did discouer and make knowne the great alteration she receiued in herselfe in feruour of her prayer how sweet delectable the diuine bounty was vnto her in this ioy holy conuersation for when she returned from prayer she with admirable contentmēt brought words inflamed with she fire of the altar of God which kindled the harts of her Religious and procured in them a great admiration at this extreme sweetnes that appeared from of her face It is without doubt that Almighty God had coupled conioyned his sweetnes with her pouerty and did manifest exteriorly in her soule what was interiourly replenished with diuine light In this manner did she ordinarily liue full of supreme delights passing ouer this deceiptfull world with her noble spouse Iesus Christ and being placed vpon this wheele of motion she was theron susteyned with an assurance and firmity of vertue very stable and preserued with the celestiall eleuation of her soule in the height of heauē keeping the treasure of glory securely shut vp within a vessel of flesh heere below vpon earth This holy virgin accustomed to call vp the yonger Religious a little before Mattines to awaken them with the ordinary signe to excite them very often to prayse God All her Religious sleeping she did watch lighted the lampe and rung at mattins so that negligence found no entrance into her monastery nor sloath had there any place She also by the sting of sharpe reprehension and of her liuely and effectuall examples expelled tepidity and irkesomnes in prayer and the seruice of God How the Mores were expelled the Monastery by the prayers of Saint Clare CHAP. XIII THIS being the place where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin it is not conueuient that we pretermit them in silence for as the marueilous effects of her prayers were veritable so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence In the time of the Emperour Federike the second the holy Church in diuers places indured great persecutions but particulerly in the valley of Spoletū which being subiect to the Roman Church dranke of the vessel of wrath by this mischeuous tyrant his Captaynes and souldiers being scattered ouer the feildes as grasse hoppers with sword to murther people and with fire to burne their houses The impiety of this Emperour did so augment that he had assembled all the Mores that dwelt vpon the mountaines and amongst the deserts to make himselfe the more fearefull to his vassells after he had by large promises gayned these Mores and disposed of them in diuers places he gaue them at length for retire a very auncient but ruinated Citty which yet to this present is called Mourades Mores which they fortified and then thither retyred about twenty thousand fighting mē who did much mischiefe ouer all Apulia and in other Christian places These enemyes of the faith of Iesus Christ came one day vnexpectedly towards the Citty of Assisium who being already close at the gates a great number of them came to the monastery of S. Damian as a lewd and disloy all nation that continually thirsteth after the bloud of Christians and dareth to commit villanously all kind of execrable actes without eyther shame of men or feare of God These Mores then brake euen into the monastery of S Clare where she was with her Religious daughters who had their harts surprised with an extreme terror but much more whē they heard the barking and cry of those
diuine seruice she sighing sayd O my God thou seest how I remaine here alone and ending this she began to heare the Mattines that were sung in the Church of Saint Francis in Assisium very distinctly vnderstanding the voice of the Religious and the very sound of the Organs yet was she not so neare the said Church as she might humanly heare what was sung there but it must necessarily be concluded that this was miraculously done in one of these two sortes eyther that the singing of the said Religious was by the will of God carried to S. Clare or her hearing was extended extraordinarily by the speciall grace of God euen to our Lady of Angells neere vnto Assisium But this Saint was further fauored by a diuine reuelation which exceedingly comforted and reioyced her for she was by almighty God esteemed worthy to see in spirit his holy Cribbe The morning following her Religious coming to see her she sayd Deare sisters blessed for euer be our Lord Iesus Christ that it hath pleased him not to leaue me alone as you haue done but know that by the grace of his diuine maiesty I haue heard all the seruice that this night hath byn performed in the Church of our holy Father S. Francis Of the spirituall doctrine wherwith S. Clare noursed her daughters CHAP. XVII THE virgin S. Clare acknowledged that she was committed to the pallace of the great King for gouernesse and mistres of his deare espouses therfore did she teach them a sublime doctrine comforting assisting them with such loue and pitty as with words cānot be expressed First she taught them to cleare their soules of all rumors of the world that they might the more freely attaine to the high secrets of God She also taught them to haue no affection to their carnall kindred and intierely to forget their ownehouse the better to please Iesus Christ She admonished them also to surmount and misprise the necessities of their bodies to get a habit of repressing the deceiptes and appetites of the flesh by the bridle of reason She likewise taught them that the subtill enemy armed vvith malice continually addresseth his hidden snares to surprise the pure soules and that he tempteth the pious in another sort then worldlings Finally she would haue them so imployed in handy labour for certaine houres that they might afterwards be more prompt and better prepared to the desire of their Creatour by the exercise of prayer which after their labour they shold vndertake not leauing for such payne the fire of holy loue but rather expelling by it the tepidity of deuotion already purchased There was neuer seene a stricter obseruation of silence then amongst them nor a greater forme and example of vertue There was neuer seene done in this holy house one act of vanity neyther by wordes nor signes nor was there discouered by any vaine discourse any desire of lightnes so much were they mortifyed their holy Mistres giuing good example by wordes and pious and briefe documents likewise teaching her disciples feruent desires and admonishing them to possesse and conserue them vnder the key custody of strict silence By meanes of deuout preachers she procured to her daughters the holy word of God wherof her owne was not the least part she being filled with contentment and ioy when she heard the word of God preached and would with such deuotion and consolation reioice in the memory of her sweetest spouse Iesus Christ that one time hearing the sermon of brother Philip de Adria a most famous preacher there was seene before this holy virgin a most beautifull child which there remained during almost all the sermon comforting her with his ioifull delectations of which apparition she receiued such a sweetnes and delight as she could no way explicate Albeit this most prudent virgin had neuer studyed yet did she much delight to heare a learned man preach vnderstanding very well that vnder the wordes of science lay hidden the sweetnes of spirit which herselfe subtily obteined tasted vvith much more gust She accustomed to say that the Sermon of whosoeuer preaching the word of God was exceeding profitable to soules considering that it is no lesse prudence to know how sometimes to gather beautifull and sweet flowers from amongst grosse and rude thornes then to eate the wholsome fruits of a good plant Pope Gregory the ninth one time at the instance of diuers Prelates cōmaunded that no Religious man should preach at the monastery of poore Religious women without his expresse permission wherat the pittifull mother complayning in regard that thence forward her deuout Religious daughters shold seldome be spiritually fed vvith holy doctrine with teares she said let then all my Religious be taken hence since they are taken away who gaue vs the food of spirituall life withall sending away the Religious that appertained to her monastery to serue them in getting almes abroad refusing to haue Religious that should prouide them bread to relieue the body sith they were depriued by this meanes of all spirituall teachers that gaue thē bread to nourish their soules wherof his Holines being aduertised he presently reuoked his former prohibition referring all to the disposition of the generall of the Friars Minors S. Clare had not only a prouident care of her Religious daughters soules but of their bodies also that were feeble and tender for whose necessary wantes she daly prouided with exceeding feruour and charity she oftentimes in the night when it was cold going to visit and couer them whiles they slept and if she found any one ouer much benummed with cold or otherwise in il disposition through strict obseruation of the common rigour she instantly commaunded her to take some recreation till her necessities were satisfied If any of her Religious daughters were any time afflicted or much grieued in mind through temptations or were sorrowfull and melancholy she would call her apart and most louingly comfort her She would sometimes fall prostrate herselfe at the feete of those that were heauy and afflicted therby to put away the force of their griefe by her motherly cherishings for which they in all submission yealding themselues to this their holy Mother did not proue vngratefull They likewise reuerenced the office of Prelature in their Mistres following all their life time the conduct of so diligent and secure a guide directing their actions by the espouse of Iesus Christ admiring with all the excellency of such sanctity charity Of the deuotion which Pope Gregory the ninth had to the holy virgin S. Clare and of a letter which he wrote vnto her whiles he was yet Cardinall CHAP. XVIII POPE Gregory the ninth had a meruailous confidence in the prayers of S. Clare hauing experienced their great vertue efficacy and oftentimes when he was in any difficulty both whiles he was Cardinall Bishop of Hostia and afterwards when he was Pope he would by letters recommend himselfe to this glorious virgin demaunding help of
Mother the night of holy Thursday is past as also good Friday and we are now in the night of Easter eue the Saint replyed my daughter blessed be this sleep which Almighty God at length after my long desire hath graunted me but I admonish and commaūd you not to speake hereof to any creature liuing whiles I shall liue in this world Of many miracles wrought by S. Clare by the signe and vertue of the holy Crosse CHAP. XX. OVR Redeemer Iesus Christ recompenced well the pious desires and good workes of his beloued virgin S. Clare for as she was inflamed with an infinite loue of the mistery of the holy Crosse so by the vertue and power of the same Crosse she became noble in the signes and miracles of Iesus Christ that oftentimes in making the signe of the holy Crosse vpon the sicke they were miraculuosly cured and instantly healed of sortes of diseases A Religious man called Stephen hauing a hoat feuer that exceedingly vexed him the holy Father S. Francis sent hin to S. Clare to make the signe of the Crosse vpon him as one that well knew her perfection and verue which he exceedingly honored Now the vertuous Lady Hortulana Mother to Saint Clare was then in the couent of S. Damian for a little before considering that her daughters had espoused Iesus Christ she came to them to Religion where this happy Lady serued as a true gardiner in the garden inclosed with those Virgins our Redeemer Iesus Christ with the glorious virgin Agnes sister to Saint Clare and the other Religious all replenished with the holy Ghost to whome the holy Father Saint Francis sent many diseased whome they cured after hauing made vpon them the signe of the holy Crosse which they most hartily honored The sayd Religious then being sent to S. Clare she as the daughter of obedience thereto commaunded by the holy Father S. Francis presently made vpon him the signe of the Crosse then left him a little to sleep in the Church in the place where she was accustomed to pray and the Religious hauing a little reposed arose sound secure and freed of his infirmity then he returned to Saint Francis by whome he had byn sent to S. Damian consequently was cured A child of three years old of the Citty of Spoletum called Matthew had by chaunce a stone thurst into his nose whence it could not be gotten out so that the child was in extreme perill wherupon he was brought to Saint Clare who hauing made the signe of the Crosse vpon him the stone incontinently fell out of his nose and he was perfectly well Another child likewise of Perusia hauing a filme vpon his eyes was brought to S. Clare who touching the eye of the child and making the signe of the Crosse thereupon willed thē that had presented the child vnto her to carry it vnto her Mother Hortulana that she might also make the signe of the Crosse vpon it which hauing done the eye became cleere and being purged of the filme that obscured it he was presently cured wherupon S. Clare affirmed that this miracle was wrought by the merits of her mother who finding such glory to be attributed vnto her reputed herselfe vnworthy thereof One of her Religious called Beneuenta hauing had for 12. yeares togeather an impostume vnder her arme which did purge by fiue seuerall issues S. Clare had compassion therof and made vpon her the signe of the holy Crosse then with her owne hands taking away the playster she was cured of her long continued soares Another of her Religious called Amia being for more then a yeares space afflicted with the dropsy togeather with an extreme paine in her sides and a burning feuer S. Clare conceiued a very strong compassion of her and therefore hauing recourse to her noble and infallible medicine she made vpon her body the signe of the holy Crosse in the name of her beloued Iesus Christ and the Religious was perfectly cured Another seruant of God borne at Perusia had for two years togeather so lost her voice that one could scarsely heare her speak but hauing vnderstood by a vision which she had the night of the assumption of our blessed Lady that S. Clare should cure her the poore afflicted creature hauing very patiently expected the breake of day repayred with a strong confidence vnto that holy virgin and by signes craued her benediction which fauour hauing obtained her voice which so long time she had wanted became as cleere and shrill as euer it had byn Another Religious called Christina that had bin long time deafe in one of her eares and hauing in vaine tryed many remedies Saint Clare making the signe of the crosse vpon her head and with her hand touching her care she recouered her hearing as perfectly and clearly as before Another Religious call Andrea had a disease in her throat the griefe wherof procured her much impatience it being admirable that among so many prayers inflamed with diuine loue their should be a soule so could among such prudent virgins one so indiscret and moderate This Religious feeling herselfe one night more tormented with her infirmity then ordinarily afflicted impatient that her paine did rather increase then diminish she so crushed and pressed her throat making thereby appeare her intention to choake herselfe thinking by violence to expell that swelling so to auoid longer torment through ignorance attempting to do more then was the will of God But whiles that poore Religious busied herselfe in this folly Saint Clare by diuine inspiration had knowledge thereof wherfore calling one of her Religious she vvilled her to hasten downe boyle an egge in the shell cause sister Andrea to swallow it which done to bring her to her presence The Religious instantly dressed the egge and forth with brought it to the sicke party whome she found little better then dead hauing so crushed her throat that her speach was vtterly gone yet she made her swallow the egge so well as she could then raysing her from her straw bed she with much labour led her to Saint Clare who thus spake vnto her Wretched sister confesse thee to God haue contrition for what thou intendest to doe acknovvledge that Iesus Christ wil giue thee health far better then thou with thine owne handes hadst purposed to doe change this euill life into a better for thou shalt neuer recouer another sicknes that shal succeed this but shalt dye therof These words procured in this Religious a spirit of compunction and contrition so that she being intierly cured of this grieuous infirmity amended her life falling a little after into another sicknes which Saint Clare had foretold wherof she ended her life piously It doth manifestly appeare by these examples and by many other marueylous thinges that the tree of the Crosse of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ was deeply planted in her hart that in a meruailous māner the fruits therof did interiourly recreate her soule sith
full of comfort and went to the monastery of S. Clare recounted this apparition to the Abbesse and the Religious then she heard Masse which being ended the Religious shewed to the Mother and the Sonne the sacred Reliques of the Saint and at the instant her Sonne was cured of the impostume in his throat only After that Saint Agnes appeared to him in vision togeather with another woman who brought a violl full of oyntment Saint Agnes then sayd to the child my Sonne how do you whereto he answered I am by the meritts of Saint Agnes cured of the impostume in my throat but that vvhich is vpon my shoulder procureth me extreme affliction The Saint replyed I will cure this as I did the other in thy throat then she vnbound the sayd â—â—postume tooke of the playster and cast it vpon the ground then applyed thereto the oyntment vvhich her companion had brought and instantly the child was perfectly cured When his mother came to see him she found the playsters vpon the ground and her Sonne sound and lusty vvho particulerly recounted vnto her the sayd vision vvhich afterward vvas generally diuulged This happened in the yeare 1350. The end of the life of Saint Agnes THE LIFE OF ANOTHER S. AGNES WHO WASDaughter to the King of Bohemia and Religious of the Order of S. Clare CHAP. I. IN the beginning of this Religious Order there was another Virgin besides the precedent called Agnes as illustrious in sanctity as in bloud for she vvas daughter to the King of Bohemia vvho promised her in marriage to the Emperour Frederike and this holy virgin hauing heard the worthy reputation of S. Clara who then liued by such as came from Rome Assisium being inspired of God she besought the King her Father to giue her leaue to serue rather a celestiall then a terrestriall spouse But the King knowing that he could not recall his word that whatsoeuer excuse he shold alleage to breake this marriage the Emperour would sinisterly interprete he vtterly denyed her Now the virgin hauing found the drift cause of this deniall assured her Father that if he would accord to whatsoeuer she demauÌ„ded she would vndertake the that Emperor should condescend therunto presuming confidently vpon the fauour of Iesus Christ She knew well to deliuer herselfe from many other allegations with so good a grace with such persuasiue tearmes that she purchased her Fathers consent to what she desired without further seeking the approbation of the Emperour wherupon this Princesse presently sent for certaine Friars Minors of Magnes where they had a Couent who coming to her did shortly after consecrate vnto God this Royall plant with many other gentlewomen of great families in Bohemia to whome they gaue the habit of Religion instructing them in the life and Rule of S. Clare The King desiring to assigne a good pension to bestow vpon the Monastery vvhere his daughter was a good rereuenew to supply the necessities thereof she formally withstood him purposing to liue dye poore to be maintayned by almes conformably to her rule rigorously obseruing the intention of the holy Father Saint Francis Saint Clare in the vow of pouerty which is yet to this day in the same manner obserued in the sayd Monastery which is in Prague the chiefest Citty in the Kingdome of Bohemia and this foundation layd by this holy Princesse hath alwayes bin furnished with gentlewomen Now the Emperour vnderstanding that his promised Loue had abandoned the world he was at the first apprehension exceedingly troubled but considering vvith more maturity that she had not forsaken him to take another man but for Iesus Christ himselfe he was at length satisfyed contented and comforted S. Clare being aduertised of all that this Princesse had done and of her life and perfection who also had written and expresly sent a messenger to acknowledge obedience vnto her as to her mother mistresse auouching herselfe her humble disciple S. Clare answered her by a letter filled with much feruour and consolation sent her in token of amity good will a girdle a veyle a cuppe of wood and a dish wherin the Saint herselfe accustomed to eate many like small thinges which the holy Princesse with great deuotion accepted Our Lord wrought many miracles by the sayd Reliques which euer afterward were kept in the sayd Monastery with very great deuotion and Reuerence The renowne of this Princesse being diuulged ouer all Germany there were founded many monasteries of poore Religious in her imitation which were filled with many daughters of Princes Duks Earles and other great Lords and gentlemen of that Countrey who in imitation of Saint Clare the sayd Princesse Agnes abandoned the world the vanities thereof and espoused for eternity Iesus Christ seruing him alone in pouerty in humility This Saint Agnes of Bohemia being illustrated by many vertues miracles hauing assembled an infinit number of Religious in diuers Couents hauing perseuered with them in all perfection of vertue she left this transitory world to take eternall possession of her glorious celestiall Spouse Christ Iesus who honoured her and made her blessed as he hath manifested by ma-many miracles which he hath wrought by her great merits and intercessioÌ„s The Emperour Charls the fourth who was also King of Bohemia was two seuerall tymes deliuered from death by the intercession of this celestiall Princesse therfore at his death he inioyned his Sonne VVenceslaus and successour to the Empire to procure her Canonization but he was hindred by important and continuall troubles and affayres that disabled him to execute the pious and iust desires of his Father Of many other Religious that florished primitiuely in the Order of Saint Clare CHAP. II. THERE was another holy Religious of the royal bloud of Polonia called Salome whose sanctity was manifested by by diuers miracles which God wrought after her death She by her merits deliuered women from perill of death in trauell of child many lame were restored to the vse of their lymmes blynd recouered sight and wounded persons were cured A holy Religious of Padua called Helena florished in great perfectioÌ„ of life in the monastery which was builded by the Seraphicall Father S. Francis and in which the blessed Father S. Antony of Padua yielded his spirit vnto Almighty God This holy Religious liuing in that place after she had there obtained of God many vertues she was tryed by Iesus Christ and refined as gold in the furnace of afflictions for she kept her bed depriued of all corporall force yea and of her speach for fifteene years during all which time she ordinarily demonstrated by signes gestures an exceeding great alacrity ioy in her hart Our Lord reueiled many things to this Saint which she manifested to the Religious who seriously recorded the same to be knowne to posterity The said Religious being demaunded how the sicke Religious sister could make them vnderstand those wordes sith she could not speake they answered that themselues then obserued so strict a silence that they opened their necessities by signes vvhich vvere well vnderstood among them for expressing whatsoeuer they desired to haue knowne And in this had they vnderstood the sayd Saint whose body for many yeares after the said Religious sisters did shew to such as in deuotion repayred to see it remayning entiere and incorruptible yea her nayles and haire did grow as if she had byn liuing By her merits God wrought many miracles and particulerly vpon the Lord Marquesse of Parma who was of the family of Lupi called Boniface who being in the anguish of death his Lady making a vow to this Saint Helene for his health it was perfectly restored vnto him In the beginning of the Order of Saint Clare there was also a daughter of the King of Hungary called Cuiga sister vnto blessed S. Elizabeth the widdow who hauing taken the habit made profession fession of the rule of S. Clare became so famous after the death of S. Elizabeth in sanctity and miracles both during her life and at her death that her Canonization is treated of at Rome FINIS