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.

How diuers haue bin deliuered out of prison by the merittes and inter∣cessions of the sainct.

THE IX. CHAPTER.

A Grecian seruant of a gentleman in the Romane confines was falsly accused of theft: wherevpon his master caused him to be apprehended and cast into an obscure prison, with order to be bound and chained: but his mistresse knowing it, was exceeding sor∣rowfull, because she esteemed him sincere and faithfull, therfore often prayd her husband not to condemne him of disloyaulty but to sett him att liberty; but her prayers could take no hold in the obstinacie of her husband, and therfore she had recourse to the helpe of the glorious Fa∣ther sainct Francis, beseeching him to vndertake the patronage of the* 1.1 truth, to her prayers adding vowes. This aduocat of the afflicted went att the same time to visitt the prisoner; and hauing broaken the walles of the prison, and caused the manacles to fall from his handes, and the fetters from his feet, taking him by the hand led him out, saying: I am he to whome thy mistresse hath so affectionately recommēded thee. And albeit this poore prisoner was in extreme feare, and wandered much to find his way being much amazed and labouring to cleare his passadge, by the vertue yet of his deliuer he found himselfe in the di∣rect way, where he euidently knew the fauour he had receaued, wher∣vpon taking courage he went incontinently to his mistresse, to whome

he recounted the miracle, which encreased her feruour and loue to∣wardes our Lord IESVS CHRIST, and her deuotion towar∣des S. Francis.

* 1.2 In the citty of Massa, a poore man was to pay a quantity of siluer to a knight; but he was so poore that his goodes being insufficient to dis∣chardge the debt, he was att the sute of the knight imprisoned, the wretch therfore finding himselfe fast in prison, prayed the said knight to haue compassion of him, and graunt him some time for the loue of S. Francis: but this proud and merciles man contemning the cryes of this poore man, together with the loue of S. Francis, as if the loue of the sainctes were a friuolous matter and of small consequence, answeared him arrogantlie, that he would putt him in such a place as neither S. Francis nor any other should deliuer him, till he had dischardged his debt: and so caused him to be shutt vp in an obscure prison, with fet∣ters and manacles, thereby supposing, conformably to his peruerse will and not vnto reason, to torment him the more: but a litle after that he had practised this impietie, the glorious sainct Francis went to the prison, brake the dores, lockes, and iron chaines, manacles and fet∣ters, and so freed the poore fellow, and sent him directly to his house hauing by this admirable miracle trodden vnder foote the pride of the world. The cruelty of this knight was thenceforward chaunged into great mildnes.

Albertus of Aresso being also detained in prison, but iniustly: becau∣se the debtes pretended against him was not due, he recommended his innocencie to the holie Father S. Francis, to whome as also to his Reli∣gious, he was exceedingly deuoted, which he who had caused him to be imprisoned vnderstanding, with a loud voice blasphemously answea∣red: neither S. Francis, nor God himselfe shall deliuer thee out of my hā∣des till I be satisfied. On S. Francis eue, the prisoner hauing not yet ea∣ten,* 1.3 because for reuerence vnto him he had giuen his meat to a poore creature, the said S. appeared vnto him in the night, and as he en∣tred into the prison all the dores did open, and att the same instant the fetters and manacles fell from the handes and feet of the prisoner, who went foorth and with great astonishment hastened vnto his house: from thenceforward with greater deuotion he fasted the eue of the feast of his deliuerer, and wheras he accustomed yearly to presente a wax light vnto his church, he thenceforward in memory of this benifitt augmēted the quantity therof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Franc. deliue∣reth a prisoner iniustly impriso∣ned.
• * 1.2

  A gentle∣man mis∣prising S. Franc. had trial of his power.
• * 1.3

  And an other likewise.