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 efficacie, vertue and feruour of his prayer.

THE XI. CHAPTER.

THe great vertue and efficacie of the prayer of sainct Antony ap∣peareth by many examples, in that not only other creatures,* 1.1 but the infernall spirittes obeyed him, as by the sequel shalbe discouered. When he did read diuinity att Montpellier, a Nouice secret∣ly ran from the Couent, hauing stolne from him a psalter commented by his owne hand, whereon he studied to preach to his Religious, in which respect he much esteemed it, so that knowing of this theft he was ex∣ceedingly troubled with all, and presently had recourse vnto prayer, where he enforced the Nouice to restore it. For as he was to passe ouer a bridge, the deuill appeared vnto him extremely horrible, hideous & fearfull, and threatning to kill him with a sword which he held in his hand, if he would not carry backe the psalter to Brother Antony, he constrayned him to retourne, with such terrour and contrition, that falling at the feet of the S. he obtayned pardon, and was againe admit∣ted to the habitt.

This S. hauing accomplished his prefixed time of prelature att Limo∣ges, he thought it conuenient to retourne to the chapiter. In his ior∣ney he lodged in a towne at the house of a poore charitable woman, where God intending to confirme him in his grace, by some tribulation wherby his loue might appeare, permitted this woman, the more to honour him, to borrow of her neighbour, a faire cuppe of glasse, which his companion taking slight hold of, fell out of his handes, and brake in two peices, and the wine was spilled on the table; which the

carefull Martha perceauing (litle respecting the glasse) ran instantly and took a bottell, and carryed it to the Celler to fill with wine, for till then she had only drawne in the said drinking glasse, because she would not be too long in filling the bottell, and make the Religious that we∣re already att the table, in the meane while to expect, determining to take the bottel when they were eating: But comming into the Celler, she found that filling the glasse she had bin too hasty and forgotten to thrust fast the faucett into the vessell, so that the wine was all run out; wheratt exceedinglie greiuing, she retourned all weeping to recount this mishapp vnto the Sainct, who incontinently decli∣ning his head vpon his arme, prayed to God, and the glasse of it* 1.2 selfe was sodenly reunited; which the poore woman seeing, she thought that as the glasse was conioyned, so the wine might also be re∣tourned into the vessell: wherfore running speedily into the caue, she found her vessell fo full, though in the morning it were halfe emp∣tie, that it wrought, as if it had bin new vnrefined wine, and ran out att the bung: wheratt being vtterly amazed and halfe beside her selfe, she scarce tooke time to serue the Sainct the rest of his dinner, but that she retired herselfe to shunne occasion of vaineglorie, leauing the inhabitantes of the towne piously disposed, thenceforward to entertaine the holie seruantes of God, verely beleeuing (as in deed it is true) that wealth neuer faileth, but rather encreaseth by charitable almose.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The deuil caused a stolne psalter to be resto∣red to S. Antony.
• * 1.2

  S. Anto∣ny by his prayers revnited a broken glasse, & made wine re∣tourne into a vessell that was run out.