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 certaine miracles, and of the death of the glorious Brother Leo▪

THE XIX. CHAPTER.

WHiles Brother Leo resided att our Lady of Angels, it hap∣pened that a poore woman of Assisium dyed in trauaile of child, whose mother was also a very poore old wid∣doe, who being much afflicted att the death of her daugh∣ter, and not knowing how to bring vp the litle infant that was left vn∣to her, she went to brother Leo for his counsaile, to whome with tea∣res discouering her greife, she moued him to haue compassion of her misery, so that he went and with feruour offred his prayers, demaunding of God assistance for that so desolate poore old womā. His prayer ended,* 1.1 he sayd vnto her: Goe good woman, and putt the child to thy breast, and hope that almighty God will giue thee the milke that he would haue giuen the mother of the child. Though this old woman was much amazed att this speech, yet the infant being present, she obeyed: for she offered her breastes vnto it, which were found very full of milke to relieue the child. And the same continued as long as there was vse for it, and the child attayning to competentage beame a man of the church.

He often recounted that he had bin miraculously nursed by the merit∣tes of Brother Leo.

* 1.2 This seruant of God meeting a yong man in the way, and beholding his countenance, sayd vnto him: thou shalt be one of our Religious: which wordes had such efficacie in his hart, that he could neuer apply himselfe to any thing, till he became a Frere Minor

A woman of Codale, in the vally of Spoletum, hauing an apostu∣me in her brest, which ordinarily yelded forth corruption, and being void of all helpe that might any way releiue her, she repaired to Brother Leo, with great deuotion praying him to make the signe of the crosse one the place greiued: which being done, the apostume vanished, so that no apparance remayned therof.

A yong man being exceedingly afflicted with the falling sicknes and a continuall feauer, did secretly cutt of a peece of the habitt of Bro∣ther Leo, out of the great deuotion he carryed towardes him, which hauing layd on his neck, he was presently cured: but hauing lost it, the said infirmity retourned, yet hauing gotten an other peece, he was perfectly cured againe.

A man of Treuy, being by commandement of the gouernour of Spoletum imprisoned and enchained, he recommended himselfe to the prayers of Brother Leo who was att our Lady of Angels, who appea∣red vnto him about the time of noone, and in presence of all that were there, vnchayned him, then drew him out of prison, and com∣manded him to goe as a Pilgrime to our Lady of Angels; which ha∣uing performed, he there found Brother Leo, att whose feet prostra∣ting himselfe, he thancked him for the great & singuler fauour receaued of him. But he answeared him, that he should only thancke the Virgin Mary, whose feast of her holy purification was celebrated that day. Our lord wrought many other miracles by the merittes of his ser∣uant Brother Leo, to manifest his sanctity to the world, which would be too tedious to be inserted. That holy Father Brother Ruffinus and Brother Angel us by commandement of their generall composed the le∣gend of sainct Francis, which was afterward called the legend of three companions, wherof the most worthy and remarckable hauing bin ex∣tracted and put in other histories of sainct Francis, the same was after∣wardy lost. Brother Leo att length hauing in vertue and sanctity accom∣plished his dayes, he left the desert of the world, and retired to his celestiall contry. He was enterred att Assisium, in the Church of S. Francis.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Br. Leo obtained milke for an old woman to nurse a child.
• * 1.2

  He fore∣told a yong man that he should be a Fre∣re Minor. With the signe of the crosse he cured an apo∣stume. A peece of his ha∣bit cured the fal∣ling sick∣nesse. He mira∣culously deliue∣red a pri∣soner.