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 liberty wherinto the Order should fall, prophecied by S. Francis.

THE XXVIII. CHAPTER.

THe holie Father S. Francis being one day in presence of the Car∣dinall Vgolino Protectour of the Order, and of manie other of his Religious, he vttered these wordes, which he afterward also preached to the Brethren: a time will come, when the Religious of my Order by the malice of the deuill, shallleaue the way of holie simplicitie and pouerty, indifferentlie receauing all sort of mony, and all such legacies as by testament shalbe bequeathed them; and lea∣uing solitarie and humble places, will build faire and sumptuous houses in cittyes and townes, capable to entertayne Princes and Em∣perours:

then by fauour they will procure obtaine priuiledges of the Popes through art and humane prudence, and by their earnest impor∣tunitie they will obtaine requestes merelie iniust, though cloaked with truth, by this meane they will not onlie abandon their rule instituted by IESVS CHRIST, against their solemne profession: but will also ruine and alter the puritie therof, chaunging the good intention into peruerse, and being armed by meane of the said priuiledges, against obedience, against other Religious, and against all the Clergie, when they shall expect to gett the victory, the wretches shall ••inde them∣selues fallen into the trench which themselues shall haue made, ga∣thering no other fruit of their seminary, but scandales which they shall offer to God in steed of the saluation of soules: who seeing the same shalbe no more thenceforward their Pastour, but their ruiner according to their meritt: And therfore he will leaue them entangled in the nettes of auarice and their vaine desires. Which being naturalie considered of many, shall cause that acknowledgeing this punishment of the hand of God, they repent their faultes, and retourne to their former estate, not∣withstanding that they be persecuted and derided of others, as are all the vertuous and true seruantes of God by the wicked and impious. But as the same temptations shall accomplish the ruine of these, so the temptations of the wicked and the afflictions of the perfidious, which the elect shall support patientlie for the loue of IESVS CHRIST shalbe to them so manie crownes of glory.