The chronicle and institution of the Order of the seraphicall father S. Francis conteyning his life, his death, and his miracles, and of all his holie disciples and companions / set foorth first in the Portugall, next in the Spanish, then in the Italian, lastlie in the French, and now in the English tongue.

Of the great maceration and austerityes which were discouered in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chapter to be exercised by the Religious of S. Francis, who made mute the superiors of his Order, that would change the rule, and of the terrible chapter that the deuils then held against the Freer Minors.

THE LXV. CHAPTER.

* 1.1 THe holy Father S. Francis hauing bin enformed, that in this chapter were many Religious, who to mortifie their flesh, be∣sides their other abstinences, fastes and disciplines, did weare in¦steed of haire, a shirt of maille, and certaine grosse hoopes of iron about theire loynes, which procured them diuers sicknesses, and euen that some died therewith: the pitifull Father commanded, by vertue of obedience that there should be brought him all the said mailles and hoopes: and in an instant were brought him fiue hundred of the one & the other sort: wherfore he presently there vpon made a cōstitution, that none should presume thenceforward to weare any sort of iron on their flesh.

There were in this Chapter certaine learned superiours, who practised with their Protectour some meane to temperate the rigour of that their so extreme pouerty and liuing, and to moderate it accor∣ding to some other ancient rule: that shunning extremities, they might choose one more supportable. Which being by the said Cardinall, who* 1.2 also would haue him condiscend thervnto, related vnto the holy Father S. Francis, he tooke him by the hand and led him to the chapter where those said superiours were yet assēbled, to whom addressing his speech, he said: My beloued Brethren, our most mercifull Lord God hath cal∣led me vnto him by this way of simplicity, pouerty, humility, and of this great asperity of life, and not only my selfe, but all those that will follow me: therfore lett none of you thincke euer to make me espouse an other rule, be it of S. Augustin, S. Bernard, or any other, for my God hath shewed me this, hath called vs vnto it, and will that we be reputed insensible in this world, because he will guide vs to heauen by an other path then this of the humane reasons of your sottish prudence and ig∣norance, wherewith you are confounded, yea I am so much assured from his diuine maiesty, that he will chastice you by his executioners, the de∣uils, and then will remitt you into your former estate, whence you are now fallen, though it beagainst your will, if first you doe it not of your selues. This said he left them with this worthy, conclusion. The Cardi∣nall hauing heard so resolute and terrible an answeare, vtterly amazed

att the great zeale of God which he demōstrated, durst not reply so much as one word, and the said superiors with such an exceeding terrour and feare of worse successe, remayned mute.

A litle after the said chapter, it was reuealed vnto the S. that whiles it was held, many thousandes of deuils being assembled att the hospitall betweene our Lady of Angels, and Assisium, held an other, where were* 1.3 present eighteen thousand, conferring of some meanes wherby to hinder the holy progresse of the said Order of the Freer Minors, where after many of the deuils had deliuered their opinion herein, att length one more subtill then the rest, thus proposed: This Francis and his Reli∣gious shunne the world, & doe sequester themselues with so much fer∣uour, and for the present loue God with such force, employing them∣selues in continuall prayer & maceration of their flesh, that whatsoeuer we shall now endeauour against them, will litle or nothing preuaile: therfore mine opinion is, that we thincke not as yet of it, but expect the death of the said Francis, the head of this Order, and the multi∣plication of the Religious: for then we will procure into it yong men, without zeale of Religion and saluation, venerable old men, and deli∣cate gentilmen, learned arrogants, and men of feeble complexion, such as shalbe receaued to support the honour of the Order, and to aug∣ment their number, and then by their meanes, we will draw them all to the loue of the world and of themselues, to a great desire of know∣ledge, and to blind ambition of honour, and we will so allure them to our fantasie, as we may dispose of them att our pleasure. The other deuils approuing this opinion, departed full of hope of a future reuenge, which would to God had not in part so arriued.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fiue bū∣dred mailes & hoopes of iron wer by obe∣dience brought to S. Fr. which the Re∣ligious vsed in¦steed of haire.
• * 1.2

  Monopo∣lie of cer∣taine su∣periours and lear∣ned Freer Minors to mode∣rate the rule of their Or∣der.
• * 1.3

  The de∣uils hold a chap∣ter to ruinate the order of S. Fr.