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.

How by prayer he obtayned of God what he would.

THE XCVIII. CHAPTER.

THough God alone, who endued him with so many graces, is able to expresse them, yet we must not forbeare to relate tho∣se that haue bin committed vnto vs by writting. Goeing to an hermitage there to spend one of his lentes, and being vnable, by rea∣son of his great infirmities, to goe one foote, he borrowed an asse of a poore man, who of deuotion would also goe with him. The season being extreme hoat on the barren and sharpe mountaines, he had a great thirst, and such as he feared to dye therof: and being no longer able to endure it, he acquainted the S. therwith, who moued with com∣passion, alighted off his asse, and on his knees prostrated himselfe before God, and praying, did not arise till he was heard, then arising, he said to the poore man: Goe to yonder stone, and by the vertue of God, it will yeld thee water sufficientlie. He went thither, found water, and quenched his thirst: which done, the fountaine shutt againe, to make it more manifest that by the only m••rittes of the S. God had made the water to issue out of an hard rock••, as he did for Moyses.

* 1.1 The holy Father being att Spoletum, a lay Brother called Bro∣thre Andrew of Sienna that went a begging, reported vnto him that there was a Bourgesse that had litle feare of God, of whome he could neuer gett an almose: whereto he answeared, that he should endeauour to gett were it but one onlie loafe of him, and should bring it vnto him. The said Religious went vnto him, and was so troublesome in demaunding, that att lenght by impor∣tunity he gott a loafe. Hauing it, he carryed the same to S. Francis, who deuided it into litle morcels, and thereof gaue to each of the Religious with condition, that they should all say a Pater and

an Aue for the auaricious, man: and himselfe ioyning with them to pray vnto God, they obtayned that this extreme nigard be∣came liberall; God permitting him to know his fault, in such sort that thenceforward there was none more liberall vnto them then he.

* 1.2 A vertuous gentleman did often inuite the holy Father vnto his house, where he extended so much charity vnto him, that casting his affection on him, he much desired to haue him of his Order, and to that effect he prayed God that he would voutsafe to illuminate this his freind to leaue the world: which he did with such feruour, that being in extasie he was eleuated into the aire, whiles it chaun∣ced that the said gentleman passing by, saw him so in the aire, and God with him: who seemed to graunt him this grace, being therefore conuerted and touched by God, he entred into the Order.

Passing by the forrest of Cortone, a Lady of worth came before him and demaunded his benediction: which he hauing giuen her, she began to recount vnto him the miserable estate wherin she then was, to witt, that God hauing long time before inspired her to serue him, she had a husband so contrary to that her good intention, and such an enne∣my to their faluation, that therby she liued in perpetuall anguish. And therfore she prayed him for the loue of God to assist her. The holy Father answeared her, woman haue faith in God, for he knowing your holy and pious intention, will accomplish your desire. Goe therefore to your house, and boldly vse these wordes vnto your hus∣band: I tell you in the behalfe of God, that now is the time of mercie, and the time of iustice will come hereafter. And therfore, by the woun∣des of our redeemer IESVS CHR. crucified, I pray you so to dispose, that we may liue in the peace and feare of God, and you shall see, said S. Francis, that he will heare you: the woman left him* 1.3 and his companion in prayer, and she in the meane time went away full of consolation. The successe was admirable, for com∣ming to her lodgeing, her husband asked her whence she came, she recounted vnto him all by order, and on the part of God vsed vnto him the wordes S. Francis had taught her, wherewith he became so mild, that he seemed not the man he accustomed to be; and in deed, answeared his wife that he was resolued thence∣forward to chaunge his life, and to serue God as she desired. Where∣to, his wife replyed: sith it pleaseth you thus to obey God, it see∣meth requisite that we beginne the same by a vow of chastity, it is a vertue exceeding gratefull vnto God, and wilbe very meritorious vn∣to vs, the husband was content therwith, and so they after liued

piously. This conuersion gaue a merueilous admiration to all those that knew them, and much more, when hauing perseuered piously together, they also dyed in one same day, the wife in the morning, and the husband att night, she as a morning sacrifice, and he as a sacri∣fice of the euenning: God permitting that according well on earth, they should, by the merittes of the prayer of his seruant, be also vnited in heauen, leauing to the inhabitantes of that place, a perpetuall memo∣ry of so worthy a miracle.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Franc▪ obtayned of God that a couetous man be∣came li∣berall.
• * 1.2

  A gent∣leman became Freer Mi∣nour by the pray∣ers of S. Francis.
• * 1.3

  By the counsaile & prayer of S. Fr. a gentle∣man was cōuerted from the world to God.