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 peace which was made betweene the Bishop and the Gouernour of Assi∣sium, by meane of two Religious sent by S. Francis to sing in their presence the canticle of the sunne.

THE CXVI. CHAPTER.

THe mortall enmities which were betweene the Bishop and the Gouernour of Assisium redoubled the greifes of S. Francis his infirmitie who lay sicke att our lady of Angels. The Bishop had excommunicated the Gouernour, and he had forbidden all persons to sell any thing to the bishop, or to buy ought of him. So their enmi∣ties was euerie day nourished and encreased by some new and diaboli∣call inuention, to the great scandall of all the cittie and the ruine of their owne soules. S. Francis seeing that neither ecclesiasticall nor secu∣ler persō laboured to accord them, said one day to his Religious: doubt∣les this may be a great shame to vs that make profession to be such ser∣uantes of God, to permitt this so dangerous and abhominable hatred thus to breed, without applying any redresse. Wherevpon calling two of them, he said: Goe presentlie to the Gouernour, and in my name bid him to repaire to the Bishoppes house together with the principall of the cittie, and as manie as he can traine thither; and two others he commanded, to goe in the meane while vnto the Bishop, and when the Gouernour and people were come to the Bishoppe, to sing the Canticle of the Sunne; with the verse which he then added, (as is before mētio∣ned) in the prayse of God, att which song (said he) I hope those hartes so obdurate against each other, wilbe mollified, and they will accord toge∣ther a perpetuall peace: which so arriued. For first the Gouernour, as if God had commanded him to repaire to the Bishop, obediently hastened thither, with as manie people as he could assemble, and found the Bis∣hop in a great hall with his Clergie: where being together, one of the Religious which S. Francis sent to the Bishop, spake to them in this mā∣ner: Syrs, and deerlie beloued Brethren in IESVS CHRIST, the holie Frather Brother Francis being by reason of his infirmitie, vnable to come in person, hath sent vs hither, to sing you a canticle, which he hath made in the prayse of God. He beseecheth you by the loue which you beare vnto his Maistie, and to him, that you will deuoutly heare it,

then the two Religious began with a loud voice to sing, the Gouernour with his handes ioyned and his eyes lifted towardes heauen gaue eare vnto it, weeping for the great deuotion he had to the holy Father. The Canticle being ended, the Gouernour loudly spake: I verily protest, that I doe not only desire to be reconciled and become freind to my lord the Bishop, whome I ought to acknowledge for my Superiour, but euen if any one had slaine my brother or sonne I would hartely pardon him: vt∣tering these wordes he went to the Bishop, and said: My lord behold me ready, for the loue of God and his seruant the holy Father S. Francis, to doe what soeuer you shall enioyne me. The Bishop also being excee∣dingly qualified, answeared: My duety was, and being a Prelate, I hold my selfe obliged to haue bin the first in action of humility and patience: wherin hauing failed, I repent me, and aske you pardon. And with those wordes full of loue and charity they embraced and kissed each o∣ther in token of amity, not without the infinite admiration and ioy of the assembly: sith no man had induced them, for which they also gaue thanckes vnto God.