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 holy Martyrs were beheaded by the very hand of the king Miramolm, and how they appeared to the Infanta Madam Sanctia.

THE XVII. CHAPTER.

BVt the beloued sainctes of our Lord, neuer in all their life heard more welcome newes: And therfore exceedingly ioyfull and con∣tent, and replenished with an admirable consolation, as knowing themselues to be neere their so desired recompence, they with a great vehemence and feruour answeared in this sort: O king, our bodies only are in thy power, and therin consisteth the greatest hurt thou canst doe vs, which also redoundeth to our exceeding good with God: therefore dispose of them att thy pleasure, for our glory shal∣be so much greater in heauen, where his diuine maiesty prepareth vs his crowne in regard that we dye for his holy faith, in zeale wher∣of we againe admonish thee, and in as much as the saluation of thy soule is precious vnto thee, doe pray thee to leaue thy errours, wher∣in the diuell hath drowned thee, and to embrace the faith of the liuing God and of his only sonne IESVS CHRIST, who see∣keth to saue thee: because this flesh which thou so much tenderest, shall shortly be food for wormes, and thy miserable soule, shall fee∣le the cruell and eternall paines which the damned endure in hell. The king heard not the end of this discourse: but commanded them to be conducted to a place before his palace, that there he might execute them himselfe: and that thereby the zeale he had to the law of Mahomett might publikely appeare, after that he walked thither with his people, where taking his great hanger, he sepa∣rated them, then cryed out: I am now to reuenge the cause of our holy Prophett, and the derisions of our law, with myne owne han∣des: which said, full of diabolicall fury, he gaue to each of the Mar∣tyrs a blow on the middest of the head, which cleaued it euen almost to the chinne, then he pleased himselfe in cutting their throtes glutting his

fury by the sight of their bloud. So being deuoutlie on their knees, pray∣ing God to pardon their persecutors, they by the handes of this great* 1.1 executioner, yelded their soules vnto God, the yeare of grace 1220. and the fourth yeare of the Papacie of Pope Honorius the third, the sixt of Ianuary, somewhat lesse then seauen yeares before the death of the glo∣rious Father S. Francis. These were the first of his Order which he sent vnto heauen. Att the same time, the fiue Martyrs appeared to the fore∣said Infanta in the citty of Alenquer, about eleuen of the clock in the forenoone, she being very deuoutlie praying in her chamber. They had in their handes each of them a hanger in token of triumph, and spake to her in these wordes: God preserue thee, O true seruant of IESVS CHRIST: for so much as thou hast encouraged vs, and as it were sent vs to this our glorious victory, it hath pleased the diuine maiestie to haue vs appeare vnto thee in the same manner that we triumphed, to promise thee that in acknowledgement of what thou hast done for vs, we shall henceforward be thy Aduocates in heauen. Which said, they disappeared, leauing the Infanta exceedinglie comforted and contented, yea more then euer encouraged in the seruice of her sweet IESVS. In short time after she caused a Church to be builded in the place where the martyrs appeared vnto her, that thenceforward that house might serue only for the praise of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1220.