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 beauty and splendour of the sacred body of the holy Father sainct Francis, and of the great concourse of people that from euery part repaired to see him.

THE LXXII. CHAPTER.

THe blessed Father S. Francis being the seruant and friend of the omnipotent, was Founder and Captaine of the Religion of the Frere Minors, a most singuler professour of pouerty, a patterne of patience, proclaimer of the truth, a mirour of sanctitie, and finallie the pourtraiture of perfection, according to Euangeli∣call doctrine; mounting by assistance of diuine grace with a due or∣dered and measured progresse, from vertue to vertue, from mea∣ner matters to such as were more high and sublime, as one that be∣came rich by pouerty, high exalted by humility, liuing eternallie by mortification, most prudent by simplicity, shining and resplendant by his honesty. For which cause God would also illustrate this his ser∣uant with an extraordinarily glory and splendour after his death, pre∣seruing his body entier, incorruptible, pure and shining, in such sort as he seemed to haue giuen in him in this world a perfect patterne of the generall resurrection when our flesh shall rise againe for euer incorrup∣tible and immortall. There were seene the said sacred stigmates in his handes and feet engrauen by the supreme artisan, after an admirable and incredible manner: for the nailes were in such sort framed of his proper flesh, that drawing them one the one side, the sinowes and arterye vaynes yelded, as also on the other side the said arteries would stretch with a miraculous artifice. The like may be said of the feet: the sacred wound of the side was in forme rather round then otherwise; and of couler vermillion resembling a naturall rose, and all the other flesh that was naturallie browne and very hard by meanes of disciplines and inconueniences past, became in an instant, white, bright, soft and delicate as the flesh of a tender child. There was not seene o∣uer all his bodie (which to each one represented the first innocencie, and second natiuity to come by resurrection in glory) any other black∣nes then the heades of those blessed nayles, which yet was a black∣nes that equaled the splendour of a glittering starre. In which res∣pect it is not to be admird if his spirituall children themselues, knew not which passion in them was grater, either the greife of the losse of

their holie Father, or the present consolation to haue had such and so excellent a Father, whome, by so many manifest signes they might assu∣redly know not to haue abandonned them, but euen being in heauen did alwayes behold gouerne & assist them. And doubtles the eminencie of this rare miracle, was sufficient to breake the most obdurate & obsti∣nate heart, and to mollifie and soften it as waxe, with contrition and faith towardes God. The death of the holy Father being diuulged ouer Assisium, and the neighbour places, there reprayred such a concourse of people to see his glorious body, that it was impossible to resist them. Wherfore it was consulted & cōcluded not to admitt entrance vnto any, but to those of Assisium and such as could not with ciuill curtesie be denyed, who entring att their ease, beheld and handled att their plea∣sure the blessed stigmates of this holy seruant of God. Among other the∣re arriued a noble man called Hierome natiue of Assisium a learned man and of great authority, who as an other Thomas, doubting of the sa∣cred stigmates before he saw them, could not satisfie himselfe with tour∣ning and retourning his handes and feet, & to moue hither and thither the hard nayles: and the more he considered the matter, the more he ad∣mired: therfore with his incredulitie he testified this truth to all the as∣semblie; so that the holie Father was rightlie inspired of God, when he commanded the Religious to leaue his body naked a long time on the ground: that this so singuler grace of God might be manifested. The Religious and people there present spent that night in prayses and psalmes, offering infinite thanckes to God, so that this watch might rather be esteemed, a feast of celestiall Angels, then huma∣ne funerals.

Of the stature and naturall qualitie of the body of the glorious Father S. Francis, extracted out of the thirtieth chap. of the tenth booke, and here inserted in due place.

WE haue thought it conuenient after the discourse of the splendour of the body of this glorious S. for the satisfactiō of many, to decipher all the other naturall qualities therof. The glorious Father S. Francis then, was of a meane sta∣ture, and rather litle then great, he had his head round, his vilage longe, a full forehead, black and modest eyes, with black beard and haire, he had a ioyfull and sweet countenance, his nose correspondantlie pro∣tioned, litle eares, his flesh broune, his tongue sharpe and quicke, a voice cleare, sweet, vehement in deliuery, and elegant in vtterance, his teeth white, litle, and equall; he was by nature indifferentlie leane, and of a most delicate complexion, of a worthy spiritt, prompt and readie

memorie, and of litle sleepe. To conclude, he was expert, dilligent, liberall and meeke in conuersation, and verie discreet in accommo∣dating himselfe to the behauiour of others. Wherfore after his con∣uersion vnto God, he was most holy among the holy, and most hum∣ble and abiect among sinners, but almost alwayes strictlie vnited vn∣to IESVS CHRST, in such sort that whosoeuer beheld him estee∣med him a man of an other world.

Of the prophesie of the Abbot Ioachim, of the person of the holy Father Sainct Francis: being the sequel of the same chapter.

THe Abbot Ioachim, who liued more then an hundred yeares be∣fore S. Francis, thus prophesied of him: Veniet nomo insignitus characteribus Iesu Christi. that is: There shall come a man ador∣ned and enriched with the woundes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST: he left his image naturally drawne att Venise in the church of S. Marck, such as we haue formerlie described, and with stigmates enameled after the Mosaicall manner.