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 the king attempted againe to stagger and corrupt the holy Martyrs▪ by promises.

THE XVI. CHAPTER.

THe king in the meane time resolued to assault them with a new temptation, wherby presuming to preuaile, he reasoned with them in this manner: you would repute your selues truely and really happy, if you knew the grace which God and our great prophett offereth you, in that they so pacifie my courage as I cannot reuenge me on you in such sort as your offences and demerites require; but on the contrary, in steed of punishing you, I seeke by all meanes to gratifie you. Herevpon the king freed his chamber of all the company but some few fauourites, and caused to enter fiue faire and yong gentlewomen ri∣chely attired, then said to the fiue Martyrs: Note well what is in my clemencie: I know well, that your extreme pouerty and misery, such as your habittes doe demonstrate, hath troubled your braine: but I hope by curtesie and my meree liberality to cure you, for I will espouse you to these gentlewomen, with whome I will giue a rich dowrye, be∣sides the portion of their parentes, who are the greatest Peeres of my kingdome, and whose substance you shall enherit, vpon this only con∣dition, that you accept of our Religion, which so many kingdomes and great personnages doe embrace. The holy Martyrs stopped their eares against these deluding promises made by this subtill and creafty ty∣ran, whome they freely answeared: O accursed of God, assure thy sel∣fe these thy delightes will shortly conduct thee to the goulfe of hell, in the bottome wherof thy false messenger of God Mahomet attend∣eth thee: to the end that as thou obeyest him in his law, thou eternallie accompany him in tormentes: And because thou art great in this world, thou shalt also be greatly tormented, and so much aboue others as thou hast more pleasure then they in this miserable life. Ah wretched and miserable! acknowledge the errour which thou so obstinatlie maintaynest. As for vs by the grace of God, we know well how to fly these false and transitorie pleasures, hereafter to enioy those that are reall and eternall in the glorie of God, which also we offer vn∣to thee in his behalfe with remission of all thy sinnes: for our mercifull Lord IESVS CHRIST, dyed as much for thee on the tree of the crosse, as for vs. And if thou wilt not be in∣gratefull towardes his diuine maiestie, acknowledge his graces and repent thee of this filthy life thou leadest, which hath bin taught, by thy false Prophett, to thee and thine, whome he leadeth as

beastes by the nose of the sences after these carnall pleasures, in∣steed and recompense wherof thou shalt eternallie burne in hell. The king by this answeare perceaued well, that his fauourable wor∣des avayled no more then his promises. Wherfore as halfe enraged with fury for the iniuryes vttered against his Prophett and himsel∣fe: sith, said he, you will not conceaue your owne good, I will make you proue what it is to offend the deity of our great Prophett, and the maiesty of a croune, for my selfe will reuenge the same with my owne handes for him and me: which said he prepared himselfe to play the executioner.