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 miracles, of the stigmates of the holy Father S. Francis.

THE II. CHAPTER.

* 1.1 A Vertuous Gentlewoman of Rome, hauing chosen the holy Fa∣ther S. Francis for her aduocate, and hauing vpon this occasion placed his image in her oratory, beholding it one time, and seeing that it had not the sacred stigmates, she began in admiration to complaine, and not thincking it to be the fault of the painter that had neglected to make them, she for many dayes had purposes to search out the cause of this defect; but those admirable signes one day ap∣peared in an instant in that image, as they are accustomed to be payn∣ted in all other. This Gentlewoman perceauing it, filled with feare and admiration, called her daughter who was very yong and deuout, and had dedicated herselfe vnto God, and asked her if she remembred that she had formerly seene in that image those stigmates that then ap∣peared. The daughter did sweare that she had neuer seene them, and that they came there miraculously: But the soule of man often seeking occasion to fall, calling the verity in doubt, there entred an other scru∣ple into the hart of this gentlewoman, contrary to the former; which was that the said stigmates had euer bin in the said image, but that she had not well obserued it. God intending not to haue his first miracle misprised, added a second, permitting the said stigmates to vanish againe and the image to remayne as before, and so the first miracle was con∣firmed by the second.

Att the Citty of Lorio in Catalonia, there was a man named Iohn, ve∣ry deuout vnto the holy Father S. Francis, who passing one night through a street where certaine lewd persons attended to murder their ennemy that was to passe that way, who was a freind to the said Iohn, and did resemble him; so supposing him to be their ennemy in person, they assaulted him, and so wounded him, that they left him on the ground for dead, there remayning in him no hope of life; for the first blow cutt as it were cleane off one arme; besides a stabbe that had pear∣ced him thorough, vnder the breast, so that the winde which issued thence blew out six burning candelles ioyned together: wherevpon the Phisicions presently iudged him for dead, and as such forsooke him; his woundes daily putrifying, the loathsome matter that issued out of his body was so intollerable, that euen his wife could no longer endu∣re it: wherfore seeing that all humane helpe was out of hope, he had recourse to his Patron, and to the blessed virgin, whome he had very confidently and couragiously inuocated att the instant of his wound∣ing.

Now this miserable afflicted thus lying in his bed, accompained only with his misery, did in a manner continually weepe and often calling on the holy Father S. Francis, there one day appeared vnto him a man in habitt of a Freer Minor, who as it seemed to him, entred att the window, and calling him said, know Iohn that because thou hast had confidence in me, God will cure thy woundes. Which the af∣flicted* 1.2 man hearing, he prayed him to lett him know who he was that brought him such gratefull newes: he answeared that he was Brother Francis; who comming neere him vnbound his woundes, and annoyn∣ted them with a precious oyntment: which doeing the sick man felt such vertue to proceed out of his sacred handes, that he perceaued him∣selfe manifestly to be healed, and so att an instant, from halfe dead, and already sauouring, he was restored and cured; for his putrifaction was by the vertue of the signes of the passion of our Sauiour, chaun∣ced into sweet sauour, and the flesh of his woundes in such sort renew∣ed that he was absolutely cured: which done the Sainct disappeared, and the good man arose from his bed with great ioy to prayse God, and the blessed Sainct: then called his wife with so stronge a voice that she was vtterly amazed, knowing that she had left him in his bed with so litle courage that scarcely could he vtter a word: but finding him out of his bed and cured, whome she thought to bury the next day, she was much more amazed, wherfore she so cryed out in admiration of the miracle, that she was heard of all the neighbours. Those of his family att first supposing him to be frantike, prayed him to retour∣ne to his bed, for they could not be persuaded that he was cured; but he hauing shewed them his body sound, they were exceedingly abashed, being of opinion that he whome they saw was not Iohn, but a phanta∣sticall spiritt or vision, which conceat neuer ceassed in them till he had recounted the whole progresse of the miracle, which being diuulged o∣uer the citty, the people abondantly flocked to see this man and the no∣table miracle, wrought by the sacred stigmates of S. Francis, ad all re∣plenished with ioy and admiration, with one accord extolled the pray∣ses of the Standerd bearer of IESVS CHRIST, who being dead of body, neuertheles liued in the other life, so that by the admirable demonstra∣tion of his presence, and the sweet touch of his handes, he raised, as may be said, one already dead by meane of his more then humane marc∣kes, with which our soueraigne Redeemer raised the Christian people already dead eternally by sinne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Gentle∣woman not be∣leuing a miracle of the stigmates which God had set on an image where there wer none an other miracle putting them out made her to be∣leeue.
• * 1.2

  One wounded to death cured by the sa∣cred stig∣mates of S. Franc.