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 said indulgence was published in the church of S. Mary of Angels.

THE III. CHAPTER.

BVt that so great an indulgēce might be published by Apostolical authority, the Pope wrote to diuers Bishoppes of the valley of Spoletū, and particulerly to the Bishop of Assi••e, within whose diocese the said church was, and to the Bishoppes of Folliniū, of Agu∣bio, and of Nocera, that they should be all present att S. Mary of Angels the first day of August, to consecrate and publish the said indulgēce, that there had bin graunted by diuine reuelatiō and Apostolicall permission, att the request of the holy Father S. Francis: who taking the said letters and thancking the Pope, he departed with his companios with great re∣uerence and humility to deliuer thē to the said Bishoppes, praying them in the name of God and his holines that they would not faile on the said

day to be presēt in his Church, there to performe what was enioyned thē. After that, he retourned to Assisiū where he caused to be prepared a great scaffold for that effect: that the sayd Bishoppes might the more commodiously and better be vnderstood of the people. The day deter∣mined being come, the Bishoppes entred into the said Church, where being ascēded on the scaffold, they said to S. Fran. that though they were come thither to publish the indulgence as they were ready to doe; yet they thought it more requisite, that himselfe should first declare vnto the people, whē and in what sort it had bin graūted him by God and the Pope, which done, they would confirme it. The holy Father answeared thē: though I be not worthy to speake in your presēce: yet as most obe∣dient seruāt, I will performe your cōmand. Ascēding therfore in the pul∣pitt, he made a sermō to the people that thither by Goddes prouidence were abondātly flocked from all the neighbour places, with an extreme feruour explicating vnto thē this so great treasure, which he performed with such deep doctrine, that it seemed rather the discourse of an Angell, thē of a mā vnlearned as he was. Att the end of this sermō, he denoūced vnto the people in the name of God & his most sacred mother, the in∣dulgēce, in these words: Whosoeuer being truely cōtrite & cōfessed, shall visitt this church the first day of August, from the euensong therof, and the night and daie of the feast it selfe to the sunne setting, he shall gaine a plenary indulgence, which is graunted him first by God, & secōdarily by his Vicare Pope Honorius, and the same to cōtinue for euer on that day. The bishopps there presēt to cō∣firme the speech S. Frācis, would not accord to that for euer. The bishop of Assisiū therfore cōfirming the indulgēce to the people, purposing to li∣mitt* 1.1 it to ten yeares, could neuer vtter it: but was cōstrayned to say: for euer: the like happened vnto the other bishoppes. This miracle being ve∣ry euidētly knowne vnto the people, it encreased their faith, & preuēted the doubt which some might haue had, that God himselfe had not graū∣ted this indulgēce. Therefore the publicatiō being ended, the bishoppes being exceedingly amazed att the miracle, did with great solēnity conse∣crate the said church, which continued for euer endued with this great treasure, to the glory of our lord, his holy mother the virgin Mary, and his seruant S. Francis, and to the soules health of all Christians.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A mira∣cle in publica∣tion of this in∣dulgence.