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 efficacie of the prayer of the Sainct.

THE LXXXXVII. CHAPTER.

OF the humilitie of hart of S. Francis, did grow a diffidence of his force and knowledge, a perfect confidence in the diuine pietie, which caused that he did neither desire nor beginne any thing, but he would first in prayer demaund of God that he would please to inspire him to thincke and excute his will, wherbie he did ob∣taine singuler graces for himselfe and others. Att the beginning of his conuersion, being yet in the world, he obtayned that matters of diffi∣cultie (according to the world) as to serue leapers, and to pardon iniu∣ries should appeare easy and pleasing vnto him, so that he had in short ti∣me obtayned by prayer that, which he could not haue attayned by tedious exercise. The Euangelicall perfection was reuealed vnto him;

and what the Religious should doe in thrise opening the Missall: his rule was approued by Pope Innocent the third, he knew that the will of God was he should assist to the sauing of soules. Our lord spake to him in the Crucifix, & in diuers other manners reuealing vnto him what he should doe: he subdued the assaultes and embushes prepared against him by the artifice of the deuils, who fled when they could no longer resist him. It were not possible to recount by order all the graces which by prayer he obtayned of God: for beside the aforesaid, there remaine manie other to relate, of which we will here insert some few and the rest in place conuenient.

The bishop of Assisium becomming verie familier vnto S. Francis, and often visiting him att S. Marie of Angels, goeing one time vnto his celle, he found the dore thrust to, and in a manner shutt: therefore goe∣ing neere and hearing no noyse, he thought he might be rauished in ex∣tasie in his prayer: which made him desire to see the manner there of: and to that end verie curiouslie opened the dore so wide as he might thrust in his head, which putting further to see him, he was surprised with a great trembling, and such a feare, that he could not breath nor respire: and was miraculouslie throwne farre from the celle and lost his speech, wherwith he was so terrified, that he had scarce the force to retourne where the Religious were, to whome, hauing recouered his speech, he presentlie acknowledged his fault in his presumptious enterprise. Thenceforward he much more reuerentlie respected sainct Francis hen before.

The Abbott of S. Iustin in the diocese of Perusia, meeting him one day, alighted off his mule for the great deuotion he had vnto him, and embraced him, discoursing a long time of certaine affaires: att their parting he besought the S. to pray for him, which he promised: and so being separated, S. Francis withdrew himslfe from his companion say∣ing that he must pay the dept which he would performe to the benefitt of the Abbott, who in the same instant that S. Francis prayed for him, felt himselfe as it were rapt out of himselfe by an extraordinarie feruour which ouer-past, he knew right well the vertue and efficacie of the pray∣er of the Sainct, and afterward related the same to diuers.

Brother Macie an other time saw S. Francis pray in such sort that the∣re seemed liuelie flames to issue out of his mouth and eyes, and so en∣tierlie enflamed he went vnto him and calling him thrise, he said: Ah! ah! Brother Macie come to me: wheratt he amazed att such an excesse of spiritt, cast himselfe into his armes, and S. Francis lifted him vp into the aire the hight of a launce: and afterward he recounted vnto the Re∣ligious that in that instant he felt such and so great sweetnes, that he neuer after felt the like.

Passing by the Bourough of S. Sepulchre, by reason of his infirmities riding on an asse, he was almost stifled by the extreme concourse of people that flocked thither to kisse his feet, coate▪ handes and his habit: whereat he remayned so immoueable that he seemed ra∣ther an image then a man. Being past the Bourough, and not one of those people neere him, he demaunded of his companions, how farre he had yet to the Bourough: whereby they knew that being ra∣uished in spiritt vnto heauen, he had not felt that extreme presse of people. The said Fathers affirmed that the same happened not vnto him once only, but diuers times, by reason of the great excesse of spiritt which was ordinarily incident vnto him.