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 the hole Father S. Francis seeing any creature afflicted could not forbeare to weepe, considering therin his God, in his dolourous passion.

THE CVI. CHAPTER.

BY this charity of compassion which he perfectly carryed to IESVS CHRIST, his soule remayned so affected to suffer all aduersities with his neighbour as a member of IESVS CHRIST, that he was as much greiued as if himselfe had endured, and this purity so augmented that he could not endure any creature to be afflicted, though they were vnreasonable, and among them, those particulerly, to whome the holy scripture compareth our Lord IESVS CHRIST: and therefore he loued litle Lambes, in whome is figured the patience & meeknes of our God. Comming from Ancona to Osimo with brother Paul, whome he had made Prouinciall of the Marches, he mett vpon the way a sheepheard that among many goates and kid∣des, had one only sheepe, which beholding, he felt his heart through pearced with greife, to see the said sheepe alone among so many goates and kiddes, reprobate creatures: he therfore said to his companion: Behold, brother, how meeke that sheep is among those goates: our Lord walked so humble and meeke among the Scribes and Parisees, in memory whereof I pray you lett vs endeauour to redeeme it out of* 1.1 this sheepheards handes. But his companion not knowing what reme∣dy to apply, in regard they had no mony, he began with the holy Fa∣ther to bewayle his greife; they both thus weeping, by chaunce there ar∣riued a merchaunt, who hauing demaunded thē the cause of their wee∣ping; and vnderstanding the same, payed the sheepeard for the said sheep and gaue it to the holy Father, who full of comfort, conducted it to Osimo, euen to the presence of the Bishop, who admiring therat, and demaunding the cause after he vnderstood it, was much amazed att the great goodnes and admirable simplicity of the holy Father, & began

also to weep. Now the day following, that the sheep might not be worse entreated, he left it with the Religious women of Seuerina, which was much to their contentment, for the deuotion which they boare to the S. And therefore keeping it as a peculier relique, in short time it yelded so so much wool as they made therof an habit, which was sent him in their name to the chapter following: which he receaued with such affection, as cannot be expressed: for embracing it very louingly, he called all them that were there, to reioyce with him, att the profitt he had made of that sheep.

On an other time he mett in the same Prouince of Marches, a contry man that carryed on his shoulders two lambes to sell att the Marckett, & comming neere the holy Father, he laid downe his Lambes, a litle to re∣pose himselfe, the two lambes, then that were bound together began to bleat, & the poore holy Father to cōpassionate them, wherfore tour∣ning to the cōtry fellow he asked him why he held them bound in such extreme affliction and torment, and he answeared; because they should not escape, he being to carry them to the markett where necessity en∣forced him to sell them, and that he could doe no lesse, the S. replyed: and what wil they who buy them doe with them? the fellow answeared O simple man, they will kill them, then cause them to be baked, boiled, or rosted according to their appetite, and so eat them. S. Francis, excee∣dingly* 1.2 afflicted, said to himselfe: it shall not be so, for I will haue them my selfe: and withall went to the fellow, and said: come hither, wilt thou giue me thy lambes for this my cloake? wherwith he was very well content. So hauing made exchaunge, the holy Father bethought himselfe how he might doe to saue them; wherof hauing cōsulted with his companion, they found it most expedient to render them to the cō∣try fellow, which they did vpon his promise that he should neither sell nor kill them.

Being in the monastery of Verecondo neere Agubio, a poore sheep brought foorth her yong one nere vnto a sow▪ which did eat the tender lambe, which S. Francis did bitterly lament with these wordes: Ah▪ litle lambe, how wel doest thou represent the innocent death of my Sauiour IESVS CHRIST: then as zealous of the honour of almighty God, he laid his malediction on the said sow, which att the very instant did ad∣mirably fall diseased, and within three dayes died: and by force of this maledictiō, became of so loathsome sauour that she was cast into a ditch where neither dogge, nor foule, nor other beast would eat her, but she dryed vp, and so remayned for memory long time after. This example should teach vs, by the temporall punishment of this beast, that whosoeuer vseth crueltie towardes his neighbour, cannot auoyd the eternall iudgement of God: as also how iust the compassion of this

* 1.3 S. was, fith it merited to be heard of God, who being, by his Prophett Dauid, called worme, and not a man; the holy Father tooke vp the ve∣ry wormes he found on the wayes, that passengers might not tread on thē with their feet. In the winter he gaue either wine or hunny to the flyes to preserue their liues, and so by meane of all creatures, he ele∣uated his hart to God the Creatour, in whome he liued with full consolation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Franc. desired a sheep because it was a∣mong goates & kiddes & had it.
• * 1.2

  S. Franc. gaue his cloake to saue the life of two lam∣bes.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 21.