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 other like miracles, in assisting litle children.

THE XII. CHAPTER.

ALl the children that a gentlewoman of Carnio called Iulian, brought into the world, did dye before she could haue com∣fort of them, which caused her an extreame affliction, inces∣santly* 1.1 complayning of her disastre that till then she had brought foorth her children only to be buryed; now it chaunced that being four mon∣thes gone with child, reflecting more, by reason of her disgraces past, vpon the death, then the birth of the child conceaued in her wombe, she prayed sainct Francis for the conseruation of the life of that which was not yet borne. Vpon a night therfore, there appeared vnto her in vision a woman hauing in her armes a right beautifull child, which she offered her, but she refused it, as fearing it would incontinently perish in her handes. Notwithstanding the said woman encouraged her say∣ing: receaue it confidently, for it is sent thee by the glorious Father sainct Francis, the true comforter of the afflicted, and be assured it shall not dye as the rest haue done, but shall liue, and thou shalt find great contentment in his vertuous disposition. Awaking, she remem∣bred this celestiall vision, which thenceforward procured her exceeding ioy to the time of her deliuery, which was of a stronge and complete sonne; who as he came into the world by the intercession of S. Francis so did also the vertues and merittes of the S. encrease in him, that being great he induced his parentes to liue spiritualy: he faithfully serued IE∣SVS* 1.2 CHRIST, and honoured his glorious SS. with great zeale, and per∣ticulerly the holy Father S. Francis.

The like miracle was wrought in the citty of Tiuoly. A woman ha∣uing diuers daughters, much desired to haue a sonne; to which effect she often offered her prayers with a strong faith vnto sainct Francis that he would be her Intercessor, who att lenght conceauing and the ti∣me of deliuery attended, her fauour was doubled, for att one birth she brought into the world two sonnes, wherof being ouer-ioyed, she yelded infinite thanckes to God the Creatour and to his deuout seruant S. Francis.

Neere the citty of Viterbo, a woman being neere her deliuery, was subiecte to soundinges, such as she was often supposed to be dead

being withall oppressed with such panges and throwes as women in that case doe ordinarilie endure; her nature and strenght alreadie failing her, and as it were desperate of all humane helpe, she de∣uoutlie inuocated sainct Francis, and with such faith recommen∣ded her selfe to his merittes, that she was miraculouslie freed of those tormentes, and was deliuered of a fayre and well proportioned child: But w••eras shortlie after, shee seemed to haue forgotten this great benefitt receaued, not yelding due honour vnto the sainct, because one the day of his feast, in steed of honouring and sancti∣fying it, she employed her selfe in certaine base and vnseemelie ex∣ercises, God permitted, for this ingratitude, her right arme instant∣lie* 1.3 to wither: the iust diuine wroth rested not there, but she at∣tempting to lift vp her cripled arme with the other, that also wit∣hered withall. This woman thus miserablie afflicted, became re∣pentant and acknowledged her crime committed, and with such a faith promised almightie God to amend her selfe, that by her true contrition and penitence, she merited to haue the vse of her armes thus lost, by almightie God, restored vnto her, through the merittes of sainct Francis; wherin appeareth how God pu∣nisheth ingratitude, and admitteth into fauour the truelie peni∣tent.

* 1.4 An other woman of the countrie of Arrezzo in Tuscane, ha∣uing for seauen dayes together endured intollerable anguishes of childbirth, being become euen all blacke and deformed in her co∣untenance, by meanes of the extremitie of her greife her cure being desperate, she, more by heart then voice, vowed her selfe to sainct Francis, and with such a firme confidence implored his aide, that falling into a slumber, she saw in vision her Intercessour, who sweetlie saluted her, demaunding of her if she knew him: and she answeared, she did: Then he bid her say the Salue Regina, affir∣ming that before she had ended the same, she should be securelie deli∣uered. This woman vpon this discourse awaking, with great hope began the Salue; and hauing said, Illos tuos m••sericordes oc••los ad not conuerte, she was instantly deliuered of a sonne, for which she gaue thanckes to the Queene of heauen, the mother of mercies, who, by the merittes of sainct Francis had vouchsafed to haue compassion of this miserable woman, and to comfort her.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A womā that could not bring vp her chil∣dren, did nourish one by the in∣tercessiō of S. Fr. that pro∣ued very vertuous.
• * 1.2

  And an other also. A womā that could haue no sonnes had by the me∣rites of S. Franc. two att a birth.
• * 1.3

  Punish∣ment of a womā ingrate∣full to S. Francis.
• * 1.4

  A womā was assi∣sted by S. Francis and de∣liuered of a most dange∣rous child birth.