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.

This that followeth is the residue of 85. chapter already past, which we purposely omitted, as no proper place for it, as may* 1.1 easily be iudged.

The holy Father S. Francis being att table together with many of his Religious, he tooke some of the most remarkable in humility & simpli∣city that sate neere vnto him by the handes, and tourning towardes the said Brother Helias, he willed him graciously to honour those other learned & noble Brethren sitting there. Brother Helias, extremly puffed vp in pride, without any respect thus answeared: O Brother Francis, I doubt not but by your simplicity and carelesse negligence, you

will ruinate this whole Order. The holy Father more curious of his sal∣uation then of himselfe, answeared him; O miserable wretch, this pride which thou wilt not cast off, and this kinde of thy passionate behauiour to such euill purpose, wilbe occasion that thou shalt dye out of the Order. Which so happened, for he died out of the Order, in the Court of the Emperour Frederick the second, who was excommunicated.

An other time the holy Father prophesied in this māner of this Vicar General; It hapened that Brother Helias was once called for att the dore of the Couent, by one that affirmed himselfe to be an Angell, sent vnto him frō God, and the porter did him the message, telling him that an An∣gell in humane shape expected him att the gate: musing therfore what this might be, he was a long time perplexed, yet att lenght he went thi∣ther,* 1.2 and the Angell proposed vnto him this doubt, whither it were law∣full for the professours of the gospell, to eat of what soeuer was indiffe∣fently presented vnto them or no. Att this proposition he rested vtterly confounded, for he had purposed to be author of a new constitution in the Order: which was that the Freres might not eat flesh, against their first holy Rule: wherfore he rudely and cholerickly shutt the dore against the Angell, and retourned into the Couēt. Which being reported vnto S. Francis, he incontinently arose frō prayer and went to his Vicar, whome he sharply reprehēded saying: Brother Helias you haue done ill in shut∣ting the gate against the Angels, when God sendeth thē to iustruct you. I tell you therefore it is impossible for you to perseuer stable in the Or∣der, with this pride. The holy Father spake thus much vnto him becau∣se it had bin reuealed vnto him that he should die out of the Order, and besides, that he should be damned, in respect wherof he did euer after so disaffect him, that he could not endure to behold him, which was not long vnperceaued of Brother Helias: and therfore being verie cau∣telous and subtill, he so laboured and wrought by signes of humility and importunity that he gott knowledge of all, wherewith he was so terrified and amazed, that with abondant effusion of teares demaunding pardon of S. Francis, he neuer ceassed to supplicate him, that conside∣ring he was also, by the passion of our lord, one of the sheep of his fold, he would not abandon him, but that like a good Pastour as he was, he would please to reduce the strayed sheep vnto the flock, and so deliuer him from eternall death; alleadgeing that vpon chaunge of the sinners life, God could easily reuoke his sentence. Father said he, such is my confidence and deuotion vnto you, that were I in hell it sel∣fe, I would hope to come foorth vpon your prayers for me: so that I am fully assured that if you please for me to implore the diuine mercie, my sentence shall be reuoked. The holie Father, moued by these pray∣ers, could not att lenght denie him; so that with a very great feruour

he entierly cast himselfe into the armes of God, in such sort praying for* 1.3 this lost soule, that God answeared him, that he should doe penance for his sinnes, and should not be damned, but for dying out of the Order he could not be otherwise satisfied, and so it arriued, for he dyed out of the Order, with manie signes of contrition, according to the opinion of some in the habitt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How much the third ge∣nerall of the order of Freer Miners forgat himselfe.
• * 1.2

  An An∣gel came to speak with him.
• * 1.3

  S. Franc. prayed for him.