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 discourses and exercises of the humility of S. Francis.

THE LXXXII. CHAPTER.

THe said holy Father would not haue any thing in his Re∣ligion, were it neuer so excellent, but it should in its kinde, euen exteriourlie preach Lowlinesse and Humilitie. Wher∣fore he reiected the title of preacher of Pennance, which Pope Innocent the third had graunted to him and his, and would that his Religion should be called Minors, and that they should conserue them selues, liuing like Minors, as true children of the Apostolicall rule. And for the same cause he would not that the superiours should be called Priors, but Ministers and seruantes:* 1.1 (A name imposed by IESVS CHRIST, in the gospell, when he said, that he was come to serue) to the end that by such a sur∣name, they might be alwayes mindfull both of their office and of their author IESVS CHRIST. He would also that they should be

called Guardians, that they might guard their Brethren. Then also he would that his Religious should rather conuerse with the poore then with the rich and potent of the world. And to conserue them in humilitie, he exercised them to sweepe the house, wash dishes, dresse meat, and to serue the leapers and diseased in hospitals, and in althinges to renounce their proper will. For though he were Generall, he not∣withstanding did nothing of his owne head, he consulted with thē, or more often with God in prayer, who reuealed vnto him what he should doe, both for himselfe and others. He was not ashamed to learne of the least, the smallest matter that was, as being a true Minor. He had also leerned high and worthy matters of his soueraigne master IESVS-CHRIST, yea the principall philosophy. Whiles he liued he alwayes desired to learne of the learned and of the simple, of the perfect and im∣perfect, of the great and litle, the meane wherby he might become per∣fect and the true seruant of IESVS CHRIST. He was thanckfull to the most simple and abiect that taught him any thing, yea so farre foorth as to kneele vnto them.

Once when he was very sicke, and being desirous to visitt an orato∣ry, and to that end mounted one an asse, he mett by the way an old country man that laboured on the land, who seing him, forbare his* 1.2 labour and asked his companion if that were not the famous Fran∣cis, who was so much spoaken of: and he answeared that it was. Tourning then to S. Francis he said, Brother, endeauour with all thy possibilitie to be vertuous as thou art generally reputed: for many haue a strong beleefe in thy person. Behaue thy selfe therfore in such sort that there be nothing in thee but what is expected. The holy Fa∣ther then descended from his asse, and falling on his knees thancked and kissed the feet of the country man, for the charitable admonition which he had giuen him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matt. 20.
• * 1.2

  S. Fran∣cis very humbly thancked a coun∣try man that ad∣monished him.