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 great deuotion which Pope Gregory the ninth euer had to the Order of S. Francis: extracted out of the eleuenth chapter of the tenth booke, and here put in due place.

COnsidering that we haue discoursed of the canonization of the glorious Father S. Francis, performed by Pope Gregory the ninth, it seemeth to the purpose to sett downe what also con∣cerneth the said Pope, touching the familiarity and deuotion which he euer carryed towardes this glorious S. and his Order, and the prophe∣sie wherby S. Francis often reuealed vnto him that he should attaine to the dignitie of the Papacie. His holinesse being yet Cardinall of Ho∣stia,* 1.1 and Protectour of this Order, had euer a perticuler deuotion to his Religion; so that discoursing once together he said vnto him; I be∣seech you Father for the loue of IESVS CHRIST tell me freely your opinion: for I am determined to obey you in that you shall resolue me: which I promise you and call God to witnesse: to witt, whither I shall liue in this dignity, or serue God in your Religion, leauing the world and vanities therof, and be cloathed in your habitt. Which S. Francis hea∣ring, and considering what a beneficiall member he was vnto the church, answeared, that on the one side he might doe the Church of God and* 1.2 the world good seruice in this present estate, considering that he was a man of great experience, very prudent and iudicious of Counsaile, and on the other side being such and in such dignity in the Church, and thē∣ce entring into religion, should giue a most worthy example, and by his preachinges purc asing many soules to God should exceedingly benefitt the world: therfore he could not herein resolue him without reuelation from God; and so he left him extremely perplexed. But a little after kno∣wing by diuine reuelation that he should be Pope; many occasions hap∣pening of writing vnto him concerning his religion, he thus made the superscription of his letter: To the future Father of the world the Cardi∣nall, and so it came to passe: for after the death of Pope Honorius, he was chosen in his place the same yeare that the S. dyed. It is said that of deuotion vnto tha•• Order, he often went vnknowne in company of the Frere Minors wearing the habitt, and particulerly on good friday, when he went to visitt the Churches, and in this sort did wash the feet of the poore with them. Wherfore he failed not with his vtmost affection to fauour the two Religions of S. Dominick and S. Francis, in such sort that he canonized this holy Father as we haue said, the second yeare of his Papacie, and S. Antony of Padua, in the sixt, as in due place shalbe mentioned, he also canonized S. Dominick the eight yeare of his Papa∣cie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pope Gre∣gory the 9. being Cardinal would become a Frere Minor.
• * 1.2

  S. Franc. fortold and pro∣phesied to Pope Gre∣gory the 9. that he shold be Pope. This Po∣pe some∣times cloathed himselfe in habitt of a Frere Minor & vnknown did his deuotion among them.