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 some saw the soule of the glorious Father sainct Francis ascend in glory.

THE LXXI. CHAPTER.

* 1.1 THis holy soule failed not to appeare to some when it ascended to the celestiall glory: For Brother Angelus a Religious of wor∣thy sanctity, being att that time prouinciall of the prouince of Naples, and very neere his end, saw in an instant the soule of the sainct as a resplendant starre on the toppe of a verie bright cloud, to be transported aboue the great waters, and directlie mounted and eleua∣ted into heauen. And albeit he had the space of two dayes lost his speech, he neuertheles then resumed his spirittes; for seeing the bles∣sed spiritt of the sainct, he began to crye out: Stay for me Father, stay for me, for I goe also with you. The Religious asking what he me∣ant therbie; See you not, said he, our holie Father sainct Francis that now goeth to the glory of Paradice? which hauing spoaken, he yelded his soule to God, and followed his most holy Father. The Bishop of As∣sisium being gone in pilgrimage to visitt the Church of S. Michael the Archangell, on the mount Gargan, S. Francis appeared vnto him the ve∣ry night of his death, and said: My lord, know that I haue left the

world and goe to heauen. The Bishop therfore being risen, told his* 1.2 people that S. Francis was dead the night before, which was proued to be true. An other Religious of this Order, being the same night rapt in∣to deep contemplation, saw the blessed Deacon of IESVS CHRIST ve∣sted with a very rich tunicle, accompanyed with a great multitude of soules that attended him as a worthy Prince, who so ascended into a pal∣lace of merueillous beauty and eminency; it is piously beleeued, that the said soules were by his merittes deliuered out of Purgatory. This glorious soule ascended to glory accompanied with many Angels, that attended and visited him continually in this life, and is now seated a∣mong the Seraphins, which glory he merited not only in this life, by the excessiue and Seraphicall loue of God, but also it appartayned vn∣to him in regard of the Seraphicall vision of IESVS CHRIST, who transformed him into himselfe, making him a Seraphin by gtace, and sealing the same with diuine seales, as hath bin reuealed to many holy personnes worthy of creditt, as well during the life of the Sainct, as after his death: The verie birdes, and particulerlie the Larckes that were much beloued and verie familiar vnto him, did exceedinglie reioyce att his glorie, a great flight of them appearing verie earlie the next morning on the roufe of the house where sainct Francis lay dead, warbling a verie delightfull and extraordinarie note, yea as it were miraculous, which continued diuers howers, celebrating the prayses of their glorious Sainct, and giuing testimonie of his glory.

The vision ensuying is extracted out of the 49, chapter of the sixt booke, and here put in more proper place.

THe blessed passadge of S. Francis was also reuealed to Father Christopher, who was present att the Chapter of Arles in Pro∣uence where S. Antony of Padua preaching, S. Francis appeared in the aire, in forme of a crosse, being yet aliue, and dwelling in Ita∣ly; the apparition was in this manner: The said Father being in the borrough of Marulo in the bishoperick of Cardoua, he seemed in drea∣ming to be att the dore of a house wherin S. Francis lay sicke, and hauing knocked, he was by commandement of the Sainct admitted entrance, in whose presence comming, he demaunded his benedi∣ction, which the Sainct very graciously gaue him; and being about to depart, he said vnto him: Retourne my sonne into thy prouince, and tell my brethren, that I haue performed the course of my life, and now doe goe to heauen: the said Father Christopher in the mor∣ning recounting this vision to the Religious, it afterwardes appeared

that the holie Father S. Francis att that verie hower, departed out of this life vnto the other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The soule of B. An∣gelus ac∣compa∣nieth that of S Fr. into glory. He appe∣ared to the Bis∣hop of Assisium presently after his death.
• * 1.2

  Vision of the pas∣sadge of the soule of S. Fr. vnto glo∣ry.