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 dead raised by the merittes of S. Francis.

THE IV. CHAPTER.

IN the citty of Mont-Maron neere to Beneuentum, there dyed a wo∣man of singuler deuotion vnto the glorious Father S. Francis, where the Clergie being assembled the same euenning to sing hir vigiles, the woman arose before them all, & called one of the Preistes there pre∣sent, saying vnto him: Father I desire to be confessed of one sinne: Know* 1.1 that after my death, I should haue bin cōdemned to the deuil in an obs∣cure & horrible prison, because I neuer confessed a sinne which I now de∣sire to confesse: but the holy Father S. Fr. hauing prayed for me, because I haue euer deuoutly serued him, it is permitted me to retourne to life, that being confessed of this sinne, I may afterward obtaine eternall life with him. And for assurance hereof as soone as I shalbe confessed, and haue absolution, I shall goe to the glory promised. So hauing with ex∣ceeding great contrition confessed her sinne, and performed the pēnance enioyned by her Confessour all trembling, accommodating her selfe sweetly into her bed, she slept in our Lord.

In the mountaines of Apulia, in the towne of Parmace, there was a maried man, that had one only daughter, young, and exceedingly beloued of himselfe and her mother, who being seased with an in∣expected and greiuous sicknes sodenlie dyed, wheratt the Father and mother being out of hope euer to haue other children, were so afflic∣ted, that they were ready to dye with her. Theire kinred and freindes being come to bury and bewayle her; the mother was so sorrowfull and oppressed with greife▪ that she consumed into teares, yea so gaue way to sorrow, and so employed her selfe in this affliction, that she neither saw nor vnderstood any thing that was done in her house; but as euerie one was thus disquieted, yea voide of hope; the holie Father S. Francis with one Religious only appeared to the mother* 1.2 that was deuout vnto him, and in compassionate manner said: Wo∣man ceasse to lament, for the light of thy candell, whome thou beway∣lest as dead, shal by mine intercession be incontinentlie reuiued. Which said he disappeared; and the woman presentlie related what had bin said vnto her by the S. vnto those present, and would not permitt the body of her dead daughter to be carryed to buriall: but com∣ming neere her, and inuocating the name of S. Francis, she lifted her vp aliue and in health in the presence of her kinred and freindes, who gaue thanckes to God and to his blessed seruant.

The Frere Minors of Nocere stāding in need of a chariott demaunded one of a man named Peter, who in steed of lending them his chariott* 1.3 and affording them the almose which they demaunded for the honour of God, and S. Francis, he sotishly answeared them, and with iniurious wordes cursed the name of the S. but he soone repented his folly, in re∣gard of what incontinently befell him, which wrought in him a great feare of the wrath of God: for he lost his eldest sonne: who being euen then stricken with a disease sodenly dyed, wherfore in an extreme pas∣sion that assailed his hart, casting himselfe on th•• ground and there wal∣lowing, he inuocated the S. with the same mouth that had so indiscreet∣ly blasphemed him, and bitterly weeping said: Father I am he that ha∣ue offended, I am he that haue impiously spoaken: thou doest iustlie chasticie me ô S. of God! restore the innocent child to him that repen∣teth his fault, and is ready to doe pennance. Punishment is due to him that hath lewdly blasphemed, wherfore I freely giue my selfe to thee, I offer me to serue thee for euer, and to offer vnto God sacrifice of praise to the honour & glory of thy holy name. It was admirable, that att the∣se wordes his sonne arose one his feet, and procuring end to their la∣mentation that mourned for him, he confidently affirmed that whē he dyed he saw the holy Father S. Francis, who had conducted his ••oule from the separation of the body, and by their prayers had restored it againe.

The sonne of a Notary att Rome, about the age of seauen yeares, desi••ing according to the custome to goe with his mother to masse, she vnwilling to permitt him, did shutt him into the house. The child seeing he could not gett out att the dore, lept out att the window, and fel dead against the ground. The mother that was not gone farre, hearing the fall, retourned againe, and seeing the sorrowfull spectacle of her dead sonne, crossing her armes, began to crye out and torment her selfe, ther∣by mouing all her neighbours to compassion. Now among them that there assembled, there was a Freer Minor that was goeing to preach in a church nere therevnto; but came first to see this acccident, where he said to the Father of the dead child: doe you not beleue that S. Francis, by the great loue which he carryed to IESVS CHRIST crucified to giue* 1.4 liue to mē, can raise thy sonne? The Father answeared that he firmily be∣leeeued it, faithfully confessed it, and would for euer remaine seruant to the S. if by his meane he might meritt to obtaine that fauour. The Religious then fell to his prayers, and exhorted all that were present to doe the like, which done the child first began to speake, then ope∣ning his eyes, lifted vp his handes, not without exceeding astonishmēt of all the assistants that attentiuely beheld him. Finally he arose one his feet, and incontinently went to embrace his mother sound and secure,

without any signe of such a fall, which was performed by the vertue of the holy Father S. Francis.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A womā deuout vnto S. Francis raised to confesse a sinne and then died a∣gaine.
• * 1.2

  The only daughter of one deuout vnto S. Francis raised by his me∣rittes.
• * 1.3

  A blas∣phemer of the name of S. Franc. lost his eldest sonne, but re∣penting the S. restored him.
• * 1.4

  S. Franc. by his merits raised a child.