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.

How Brother Iuniperus gaue all he had, and could haue for the loue of God.

THE XL. CHAPTER.

THis holy Religious was so compassionate of the poore, that when he mett any poorely cloathed, he would rip off part of his habitt and giue him: and because he did thus often, and retourned to the Couent halfe naked, his Guardian comman∣ded him vpon obedience no more to giue his habitt nor part ther∣of. After this commandement meeting a poore wretched creature that asked an almose of him: he, moued with compassion, sayd: I haue nothing to giue thee but this habitt: but I am forbidden vpon obedience to giue it to any: yet if thou wilt take it from me, I promise thee I will not hinder nor resist thee. The poore man vnderstanding these wordes, tooke off his habitt, and left him almost naked: so retourning to his Couent, he told the Re∣ligious that a poore man had taken his habitt from him: for which his Guardian knew not what to say vnto him. Now the thirst of charitable worckes being vnquencheable in the seruante of God, this thirst of pittie and compassion so encreased in Bro∣ther Iuniperus, that he did not only giue to the poore his habittes: but also, the bookes, the ornamēts of the altare, & the cloakes of his Brethren when he could gett them, and that occasion was pre∣sented: therfore when the Religious saw any poore demaun∣ding almose of Brother Iuniperus, they would hide whatsoe∣uer was necessarie vnto them. It happened vpon one Christmas day in the Couent of Assisium, that the Sacristine goeing to eat, prayed Brother Iuniperus in the meane while to haue ca∣re of the altare: before which being in prayer, there came to him a poore old woman, demanding an almose for the loue of God: to whome Brother Iuniperus answeared: Mother if you please to expect a litle, I will see if vpon this altare so richli••

adorned, there be any thing superfluous that I may giue you: and perceiuing siluer frenge vpon the ornament of the altare, he tooke his knife and ripped it off, and gaue it to the poore woman, it seeming to him more necessarie to cloath a liuing member of IESVS CHRIST then an altare of stone: though in the one and the other the intention be pious for the honour of God: He wil∣led her presently to depart for feare that the Sacristin comming should take it from her. Wherin he did very well, for the Sacristin remem∣bring the quality of Brother Iuniperus had scarce leasure to eat two bittes, but he retourned in great hast to the Church; where looking carefullie if any thinge wanted, he missed the frenge of the ornament: which much disquieting him, he complayned to Brother Iuniperus, who answeared: Brother be not troubled, I haue giuen it to a poore woman that was in extreme necessity. The Sa∣cristine knowing that there was no meane to recouer it, went to complaine to the Generall, who then was Brother Iohn Pa∣rent, a very deuout Religious: who answeared him, that the fault was his owne, sith knowing the nature of Brother Iuniperus, he had left him to haue care of the altare: Yet intended to reprehend him, so to preuent the like an other time. He therfore did so chap∣ter and check him publikelie in the refectory and with such vehe∣mence, that he got the rheume and pose withall: which more grie∣ued Brother Iuniperus then the reprehension giuen him. Now af∣ter he had bin thus humbled, he went into the citty to seeke so∣me remedie for his Generall: and it being late before he went foorth, att his retourne to the Couent it was night, and the Ge∣nerall was retired to his cell to repose. But Brother Iuniperus omitted not to goe and knock, praying him to arise and take the medicine he had brought him: and though the Generall diuers times with rude and sharpe wordes reiected him, he neuer∣theles so long perseuered, that his Generall att length ouerco∣me by his charity, was enforced to open his dore and to take a pottage that he had brought him for phisicke, which present∣ly cured him.