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 many diseased that were cured by the merittes of the glorious Father Sainct Francis.

THE XV. CHAPTER.

THere was in the village of Preue a poore boy both deafe and dumbe, from his birth, whose tongue was so short & litle that it seemed to such as sought it, to be cutt of. A gentleman called* 1.1 Marck, for the loue of God entertayned this poore boy, of whome he conceaued a great compassion in regard that he found him to be of a good disposition. He often said vnto his wife, that if the holy Father S. Francis would vouchsafe by his intercession to cure him, he would pro∣mise for the loue of God to entertayne him all the time of his life. The glorious S. lente not a dease eare to this pious intention, for the obla∣tion being made, the boy began sodenlie to haue his tongue att liber∣tie and to speake, saying glory be vnto God, and to the glorious Father S. Francis, who hath now giuen me my speech and hearing: for which the gentleman and his wife no lesse amazed then ioyfull, gaue in∣finite thanckes to God, performed the said promise, and liued very spiritually; being alwayes mindfull of this miracle, and had a speciall

care of the said child, for the loue of God, and of his faithfull seruant S. Francis.

Brother Iames of Iseo in his infancie, and whiles he was vnder his* 1.2 fathers protection, had a cruell wound in his stomake, but being in∣spired of God, with a very feruent deuotion he entred into the Or∣der of this Sainct, notwithstanding his tender yeares, and the said in∣firmitie which he neuer discouered, till being present art the trans∣lation of the glorious Sainct and approaching neere the sepulchre wherein his holie reliques were to be placed, he with a feruent deuotion embraced the sepulchre whence that pretious treasure was taken, and was instantlie cured of his wound, which otherwise was incurable, euerie thing disposing it selfe conueniently, the very band falling of wherwith it was bound; and in that ••ort were manie persons cured of the like infirmities by the merittes of this glorious Sainct, as Brother Bartholomew of Agubio, Brother Angelus of To∣di, Syr Nicolas of Stichiam, Iohn de la Foye, a Pisan gentleman, one of the cittie of Ciperne, Peter Sicilian, a man of Spelle, ne∣re vnto Assisium, and many others cured of like diseases, as also especially Brother Angelus of Tudette, and a Preist of Sucane cal∣led Sir Nicolas, and an other also called Iohn de Fore, and a man of the citty of Pise, an other of the citty of Cisterne, and one of Fspelle, one called Peter of Sicily, and infinite others, that were, by the mercie of God, and the merittes of blessed S. Francis, miracu∣lously deliuered.

* 1.3 A woman of Maremme had bin about fiue yeares troubled in her spiritt, depriued of her sight and hearing: yea was come to that point, that she rent her garmentes with her teeth, and as enraged, feared neither fire, nor water, nor other danger, and as besides fal∣len into that horrible disease of the falling sicknes. This miserable wretch it pleased the diuine Maiesty to fauour, and first to illu∣minate her interiourlie, for Sainct Francis one night appeared vnto her, sitting verie eminentlie eleuated in a Royall seate, before whome falling one her knees, she humbly prayed him to cure her. But the Sainct deferring to graunt her request, she redoubled her petition, therevnto adding a vow, and promised him that in the honour of God and him, she would neuer whiles she liued, deny an almose to any poore person, that should demaund it of her, so∣far foorth as her ability would stretch, which Sainct Francis ac∣cepting, he made on her the signe of the crosse, and she was cured both of body and soule. Many others oppressed with like infirmi∣ties, haue bin cured by this compassionate Sainct and particulerly a yong mayden of Norcia, and the sonne of a gentleman of the said cit∣ty,

who were deliuered by almighty God, through the merittes and intercession of this his humble seruant.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God re∣stored speech & hearing to one by the in∣tercessiō of S. Fr.
• * 1.2

  And cu∣red mor∣tal woū∣des.
• * 1.3

  He resto∣red sight and hea∣ring, and cured a woman extremly tormen∣ted and afflicted.