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 birth of S. Antony, and his education by his Father: how he left the world, and became a Canon reguler in the Order of Sainct Augustin.

THE FIRST CHAPTER.

THE glorious Father S. Antony was borne in the noble and populous citty of Lisbone, the Metropolitan of the kingdome of Por∣tugall, in the westerne partes of Spaine, his house was directly ouer against the great gate of the Episcopall Church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary: this Church is very famous among other respectes in regard of the bo∣dy of the victorious Martyr S. Vincent that there reposeth. The Father of the said S. An∣tony was called Martin de Buglione, and his Mother Teresa de Teuery, both of them illustrious in vertue and bloud, in which respect they were found worthie in the flower of their marriage to enioy this child. He was baptised in the said Church, of which parish also he was; there was he first named Ferdinand, so that he was called Ferdinand, Martin Buglione, till he tooke the habitt of S. Francis. He began his first learning in the said Cathedrall Church, with the Christian doctrine & the manner to prayse God: he serued the quier both by night and day, offering the first fruites of his age to our Lord

IESVS CHRIST and to his most holy mother, whome he chose for his particular Aduocatrise, euen from his tender yeares. He cō∣tinued in this pious course fifteene yeares, in which time he learned the study of humanity, afterwardes his bloud began to heat, and his sensuall appetites to desire carnall and worldly pleasures; As soone as he perceaued it, he endeauoured by the feare of God to restraine them: and because it is very difficult to conuerse among so many thornes and not to be pricked, he resolued to take a secure remedy. Wherfore aban∣donning all conuersations of this perillous world, he repaired to the Monastery of S. Vincent, without the citty, where were Canon Regu∣lers of S. Augustin, leading a life of very exemplare piety, whence he neuer departed tlll he had taken the habitt, and made his profession surmounting all the inconueniences and importunities of his kinred and friendes, that omitted no meanes to diuert him from it: there did he establish his foundation in the seruice of God. But in regard that his worthie iudgement and great prudence began to appeare to his kinred and friendes, they repaired vnto him for his counsaile, and aduise in their affaires and difficulties, running vnto him as to an ora∣cle, in such sort that being vnable to endure that exceeding distur∣bance of spiritt, hauing with verie much difficulty obtayned the per∣mission of his Superiour, he retired to the deuout and Religious monastery of sainct Crosse of Conimbria, of the same Order, hauing spent two yeares in that of Lisbone. And he so profited and pro∣ceeded there, that it was to each one apparant that he was by a secrett and diuine vertue, not by a lightnes of spiritt, retired thither▪ For proceeding daily & ascending from perfection to perfection, he aymed at a most perfect end of his life: as being replenished with the spiritt of wis∣dome, by his continuall reading and meditation of the holy scriptu∣re, wherin hauing for his instructor the only and true master IESVS CHRIST, he made such progresse, that his learning was suffi∣cient to shunne vices and embrace vertues, to refute errours and sup∣port the truth.