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.

The bulle of canonization of the holy Father S. Francis, extracted out of the fift chapter of the tenth booke, and here more aptly placed.

GRegory Bishop, the Seruant of the seruantes of God. To our venerable Brethren Archbishoppes, Bishoppes, and to our be∣loued children, Abbottes, Priors, Archpreistes, Archdeacōs, Deanes, & other Prelates of the church, to whose knowledge these pre∣sentes shall come, health and Apostolicall benediction. As the vessels of gold which S. Iohn saw full of perfumes, (which are the prayers of SS.) powred out most sweet odours before the most high, to destroy the corruption of our sinnes: we also beleeue that it is a great furtherance to our saluation, with great reuerence to haue memory of his sainctes on earth, and with solemnity to publish the merittes of those whose as∣sistance by their continuall intercessions we hope for in heauen. Kno∣wing therfore right well the conuersion, life and merittes of the ho∣ly Father S. Francis, Institutour and Gouernour of the Order of Freer Minors, yea by our owne experience, and by the testimony of others of most worthy creditt, who haue seene the notable miracles which God by meanes of him hath wrought: we are likewise assured that he is glorified in heauen, his life and apparant renowne dissipating the ob∣scuritie of sinners, that liue and haue liued in the shadow of death both men and women: for corroboration of the faith of the holy church, and to the confusion of the malice of heretikes, the contentment of a great nomber of them that haue and doe follow him, yet florishing and leading a celestiall life. Wherfore that it may not seeme we intend to frust••ate the said S. of the honour due vnto him, permitting him to be depriued of the reuerence which men owe him, as one already glo∣rified of God; by the aduise and counsaile of our venerable Brethren the Cardinals, and of all the Prelates now here present, we haue iud∣ged it requisite, to inscribe him in the catologue of SS. that as a candle of God, he giue light here belowe, no way deseruing to be hidden vnder a bushell: but to be sett on an high candlesticke of his holy Church. We therfore command you in vertue of these presēt Apostolicall letters, that for the vniuersall benefitt, you awaken the deuotion of your peo∣ple to the veneration of this S. of God, euery yeare celebrating his feast on the fourth day of October, and that you admonish euery one to ob∣serue the same, that by his prayers and merittes, God may graunt vs his holy grace in this life, and his glory in the other. Giuen att S. Iohn Lateran, the six and twentith of march, the second yeare of our Papacie. The originall of this authenticall bull is extant in the great Conuent of the Cordeliers att Paris.