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 glorious Br. Ambrosse of Massa.

Of the conuersion and sanctity of the blessed Br. Ambrose.

THE XXXIV. CHAPTER.

BRother Ambrose was from his birth so beloued of the diuine maiestie, that albeit he conuersed among worldly men euen to his complet age, yet was he by a speciall grace of God al∣wayes preserued from vices and sinnes: but being by his eternall maiesty induced to shunne the snares of the deuill, hauing, for the loue of IESVS CHRIST giuen all he had to the poore, he in the time of Sainct Francis became a Frere Minor; and hauing obtayned of God the grace of contemplation and Euangelicall per∣fection, he withall his iudustry laboured, that the same might not proue vaine and fruitlesse in him. He therfore much exercised him∣selfe in the vertue of holy obedience, which is more pleasing to God then sacrifices. In the most violent and extremest cold, being al∣most naked, he trauelled for the necessities of the Religious, he continuallie employed himselfe in prayer, dailie examining his cons∣cience, for the most part his reliefe was only bread and water with abondance of teares, and by such like abstinence, he mortified the concupiscences of his flesh, to be able with more puritie to offer vp his soule in sacrifice vnto God. He was exceeding compas∣sionate vnto afflicted personnes, and with alacrity serued the sicke, not only Religious, but the seculer also; If there wanted phisike he demaunded it for the loue of God, as also all other thinges necessarie: he was very humble, and therfore desirously laboured in the kitchen, washed the dishes, swept the house, and very willingly busied himselfe in all other offices of humility. If by any word or act he had giuen occasion of troubles to any one, he would presently put a cord about his owne neck and so goe aske him pardon, though he endured iniuryes done to himselfe as patiently as if no such thinge had bin: he liued fifteene yeares in such and the like exercises of vertue; and afterwardes in his death and since, God hath discouered how gratefull the life of this his seruant was vnto him: before his last sicknes he reuealed the day of his death and the place, which he declared to one of his compa∣nions. He trauelled to Ciuitadochia, where being arriued, he fell sick, and few dayes after the terme of his life being exspired, one night att mattins he shewed such an extraordinary ioyfull face, as if he had some vision, that made him euen exteriourly to re∣ioyce.

Wherfore the Religious that attended him, demaunded if he had seene any Angell of heauen, or the holy Father Sainct Fran∣cis, he answeared that he had not seene the holy Father S. Francis, but of the Angel he sayd nothing. Being in those ioyes, he aduerti∣sed his companions of the death of one deuoted vnto him which was reuealed vnto him, saying that William was already departed out of this world vnto almighty God, and that himselfe should follow him the same day betweene none and euensonge, which came to pas∣se: for att the time foretold this holy Religious Ambrose yelded his sou∣le into the handes of his Creatour.

Notes

• ••. Reg. 15.