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 many other miracles, and of the Breefe of S. Antony against the Deuils, which remained in the handes of the king of Portugall.

THE XXXV. CHAPTER.

* 1.1 IN a combatt that happened betweene two soldiers, one of them was so strangely hurt in one arme, that speaking humanely it was incurable, att least, sauing his life, he could not auoyd a perpetu∣all mayne. Now recommending himselfe to S. Antony he was present∣ly cured, the wound being so closed, it as if he had neuer bin hurt. But as is said of the wicked, hauing past and escaped the danger they scoffe att the S. so the soldier began to consider by what meanes he might be re∣uenged, and diuers times discoursing therof with himselfe, the night be∣fore this lewd designe, the said wound came into his arme as before: the S. teaching him and all others, that the graces and fauours of God are not to be abused against his seruice, that is, employed in any thing which he forbiddeth, and is not pleasing vnto him, as to the detriment of ones neighbour.

A child of Padua called Henry, hauing a swelling in his neck, vowed to the S. and was immediatly cured: but his mother that caused him to vow not regarding to fulfill it, the infirmity retourned, yet repenting and accomplishing the vow, her sonne was cured againe.

An Abbot hauing great compassion of his seruant, that was deafe & dumme, vowed in his behalfe to S. Antony, that if he would please to cure him, he would employ him all his life in the seruice of his Church; he was instantly cured, for which he was not vngratefull: for he em∣ployed him in his church all the dayes of his life in the Citty of Sautaren in the kingdome of Portugall, in the raigne of Don Donis.

There was a poore woman, who though she were very deuout to S. Antony, yet being sinfull, the deuill sometimes posessed her and tempted her to destroy her selfe, persuading her that she could neuer satisfie God, for the many sinnes she had cōmitted but by voluntary killing her selfe;

to this false imagination, he added a false vision; for the deuill appeared vnto her in forme of a crucifix, telling her that for the loue she boare him he would saue her, but she could hardly satisfie for her sinnes vnlesse she would voluntary murder her selfe; to which purpose he coūsailed her to goe that very houre to the riuer Tage, and there to drowne her selfe, and promised her to receaue her att the instant into his glory. This woman hauing had this vision, concealed it sometime in her hart; now it happe∣ned, that when her husband excedingly checked and rebuked her, amōg other iniuries calling her possessed with a deuill; she partly in fury, and dispaire procured her by her husband, and partly vrged by the deuill by remembrance of the said vision, resolued to drowne her selfe, and with that intention departed from her house; but S. Antony would not per∣mitt such an act, so vnworthy of a Christian to be perpetrated, especial∣ly on such a day, it being on the celebration of his feast: for this misera∣ble woman passing before his Church, was inspired to enter into it:* 1.2 which she did, and thē very deuoutly prayed the S. that he would vout∣safe to reueale vnto her, if it were possible, whither it were the will of God she should drowne her selfe or not: hauing ended her prayer, she slept a sweet sleep and so light, that she heard the voice of the Sainct which in her dreame said vnto her: looke vpon thy bosome and when thou hast read the writing thou findest there, thou shalt be cured. The woman presently awaking found on her bosome a bitt of parch∣ment, wherin was written in letters of Gold: Ecce crucem Domini, fugite partes diuersae; vicit leo, de tribu Iuda: Alleluia, Alleluia: As soone as she had read the same, she was entierlie freed of her temptation.

The king of Portugall Don Donis, hauing bin aduertised of this great miracle, by the husband of the woman, demaunded the said Breefe or writing, which was giuen him: but it was strange, this woman not hauing her writing, the deuill began presently to vex her: but hauing no meanes to demaund it againe of the king, who had put it amongst his reliques (hauing wrought many miracles by this breefe) the husband was aduised to request a copy therof, which by meane of some Reli∣gious, he obtained, which hauing deliuered to his wife, she was all the rest of her dayes freed from the said temptation, liuing securely the space of twenty yeares.

How he deliuered from death the Princesse of Portugall. Taken out of the sixteenth chapter of the tenth booke, to be more properly put in this place.

THe princesse, Lady Aldoucia daughter of the king of Portugall and of queene Teresa, by a very extreme and dangerous infirmi∣ty

that tormented her, approaching to her death, her mother had re∣course vnto sainct Antony, to whome she was much deuoted, most affectionately recommending her daughter vnto him, and praying him to remember that he was borne in that kingdome, and that as he had cured, saued, and raysed so many in Italy, he would please also to deliuer her daughter from that danger of death. Att that very in∣stant, so strong and violent a fitt of the feauer did assault the sick Prin∣cesse, that euery one esteemed it her last agony. But then did the Sainct appeare vnto her, and said: daughter, God hath sent me to thee for satisfaction of the frequent prayers of thy mother, to putt it to the election of thy will, either to goe now with me to Paradise, or for consolation of thy mother to continue longer in the world. The Princesse hauing choasen the second; sainct Antony deliuered her his girdle saying: Well, kisse this Cord: which she taking in her han∣des, and as she thought holding it fast, she cryed to her mother, Ma∣dame, Madame, come see the glorious sainct Antony whome I hold by his girdle, which he hath deliuered me to kisse therby to be cured: she comming and not seeing the Sainct att all, found her daughter per∣fectly well; wherfore she diuulged this miracle in the Citty of Allen∣quor, where this happened, in the Church of the Frere Minors, whither she with all her Court repayred to giue thanckes to God and to his holy seruant.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A soldier by the merits of S. Anto∣ny being cured of a deadly hurt thinc∣king to be reuen∣ged had his wond againe. Vowes must be accom∣plished. One deaf and dūme cured by the said S.
• * 1.2

  S. Anto∣ny hin∣dered a woman from drownīg▪ her selfe.