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 folloueth is of the aforesaid 32. chapter of the second booke, the better to obserue the Order of all that appartaineth to renoun∣tiation of the office of Generall.

* 1.1 The holy Father S. Francis being by a Religious freind of his entrea∣ted to tell him what had moued him to make that renountiation, and to committ it to the chardge of an other, as if they were not his chil∣dren, who had bin such made, nourished and instructed by him, he answeared: know my child that I loue you all more deerly then any man can imagine, and if all would follow my will, I would loue them more, and would not haue left their administration. But I haue bin cō∣strayned therevnto, because there are many Religious that esteeme mo∣re of the aduice of some of their superiours, by whome they are drawne to other matters, by example of the auncient, and which is directly cō∣trary to my rule, and so they make very litle esteeme of mine aduertis∣mētes: but in the end, they wil more euidētly find their errour. The holy Father being on a time as it were oppressed with his infirmities, and hearing some speake of the aforesaid matters, and particulerly of the o∣uer-much indulgence of the superiours, and of the euill examples they gaue their subiectes, he lifted vp his head and cryed out, Ah! ah! couer me, couer me, who are they that withdraw the Religious from mi∣ne Order, and from my way, and my examples? If I once goe to the Generall chapter, I will shew my Brethren what is my desire, and mine intention, that they permitt not themselues to be deluded.

Being also an other time sick, a Religious said vnto him: O Father, it see∣med that att the beginning our Religiō we striued to liue in al austerity and pouerty, we were poore in our habitt, in our diet, in our dwelling, in our moueables, in our bookes, and in all our other corporal necessities, for which we tooke no care: by reasō of this pouerty exteriour, the inte∣riour daily proceeded frō good to better, because we were al of the same feruour, of the same will, with one cōsent cōspiring to the entier obseruā¦ce of our rule, and alwayes to giue good exāple to our neighbour, finally we obserued the gospell the most exactly that we could. But of later ti∣me, it seemeth that the purity of this our first vocatiō, is much deminis∣hed, vpon excuse that it cā no longer be obserued as before, by reason of the great multitude of brethren: yea there are some that beleeue that the people are much more edified by this theire moderne and new

inobseruance and mortification of their proper will and of their sences, then they were when they all liued in such deep austerity of life: and they thinck it a matter more Religious to liue after this new manner, thē according to the ancient and former, which they hold for crowned, as proceeding of simplicitie and holy pouertie, which were the founda∣tions of this our holy Religion. Now perceauing this, and beleuing that you likewise perceaue it, and are therewith exceedingly displeased, I meruaile you doe not labour with all speed to hinder the further pro∣gresse of this euill, nor doe correct it whiles you haue power, and meane to doe it.

S. Francis hauing with great affliction of spiritt heard this long dis∣course, thus answeared: Our Lord IESVS CHRIST pardon you that which you suppose I ought to doe, which I am not obliged to haue care of, neither by chardge, nor by office: for whiles I was Generall, though from the beginning of my conuersion I haue almost continued in sicknes, I haue not yet failed either in cogitations or effectes, to satis∣fie my duety, both by example and gouernment. But hauing well con∣sidered that God did daily encrease the nomber of Religious, and that they already began to leaue the secure, strict, and difficult way, wherin they first walked, and in such sortas you say strayed from it, without correcting themselues notwithstanding all my demonstrations, predi∣cations, and good edification that I gaue them, I then resolued to leaue the office of Generall, as I did, and though when I renounced it, I failed not att the chapter to excuse my selfe by mine infirmities, as was partly true: alleadgeing that by meanes therof I could no longer dischardge so burdensome an office: Neuertheles my sonne, I assure you if the Religi∣ous would now liue conformably to my rule, and to my pious intentiō, I would againe accept the office of Generall, and would excute it so long as it should please God to giue me life: considering that so, the care of that chardge would not be painfull vnto me, for certaine it is, that whē the faithfull subiect knoweth the good will of his superiour, he striueth to obey him in euery thing, so that it is no great difficulty to gouerne him, yea I should reioyce and be exceedingly comforted, in their spi∣rituall progresse, and in the honour that therby redoundeth to his diuine Maiesty: and though I should be cōtinually sicke on my bed, yet should it not be tedious nor troublesome vnto me to giue them content in all thinges: but because I see I can no longer dischardge mine office, which is spirituall, and opposite to vices, in correcting them either by loue, or by aduertissement, I will not retourne (to the chardge) to be their execu∣tioner, chasticing them with the rodde of disciplin, as the princes of the world doe iustly correct their rebelles: neuertheles I hope in God that the inuisible ennemies the deuils, that are his executioners to chastice

the disobedientes in this world and in the other, will also chastice the transgressours of the vow of their profession; therby to their shame and forciblie, to make them retourne to their first vocation: to this effect I will not omitt to assist them whiles I liue, att least by prayers and example, sith otherwise I cannot, and to instruct them the secure way, which I haue learned of my God, as I haue formerly done, that they may haue no excuse before his diuine maiesty. No further doe I hold my selfe obliged. Such was his answeare, which satisfying the Religious, procured an inestimable greife to all the hea∣rers: wherby it also manifestlie appeared, what reason the S. had to leaue them, and what occasion they had to know themselues, and by a pious acknowledgement of their fault and true repentance, to haue recourse vnto him.

The end of the first booke of the Chronicles of the Friere Minors.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why S. Francis renoun∣ced the office of Generall.