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 death of the glorious Brother Bernard.

THE VIII. CHAPTER.

WHen it pleased God to call his seruant Brother Bernard out of this terrestriall prison, to his celestiall kingdome, he was assaulted with a violent disease, in which notwithstanding he continued so intentiue in God, that he would not en∣dure to heare spoaken or to thinck of any other thing. Vpon this oc∣casion when sometimes the Religious that had care of him, putt vi∣negar with rose water to his nose, or therwith washed his wre∣stes to recomfort him, knowing that the same did withdraw him from his diuine meditations, he would not permitt it to be apply∣ed vnto him. If it chaunced that by ach of his head, or other oc∣casion, some ill cogitation that was not of God troubled his minde, reflecting instantly on him selfe, he would forciblie shake his head to expell and driue it away. And that he might haue no occasion to be separated one only moment from God, vpon the necessities of his body, he resigned all his will, for the care of seconde causes and world∣ly respectes, into the handes of his Infirmarian, vsing vnto him these wordes: My beloued brother, I will no more thincke on the necessi∣ties of this body, I referre the care therof to you; wherfore vse it as you shall thinck requisit, I will take whatsoeuer you shall prepare me: If you giue me nothing, I will thinck of nothinge. Now because, after the death of sainct Francis all the Religious did reuerence Brother Bernard, as their Father, knowing this to be his last sicknes, and that his death was neere, they for many respectes came to visitt him▪ and among others, that worthy contemplatiue Br. Giles, who finding him weakened to so low an estate, said vnto him: Sursū corda, Brother, Sursum corda. Brother Bernard att these wordes exceedingly reioyced, and a∣wakening his spiritt, answeared: Habemus ad Dominum: and willed one of the Religious to prepare some conuenient place for Br. Giles, that he might remaine neere vnto, during the time he had yet to liue, that he might applie himselfe to the excesses of contemplation: his sicknesse encreasing, he would not be without a Preist, & att euery moment that anything occured to his memory worthy of cōfession, he hūbly ackno∣wledged it to his Cōfessour. The last day of his sicknes whē something was presēted to him to eat, he called all the Religious and prayed thē to eat with him, saying: My Brethren I beseech you to celebrate with me this my last hower: and then discouered vnto them such a feruour of charity and deuotion, that many Religious admiring it, confessed that

albeit they esteemed him a sainct, yet they neuer so much experienced the excellencie of his vertue and sanctity as att that time. After he had receaued the sacrament of extreme vnction, he setled himselfe decently,* 1.1 and said to all his Religious: My Brethren, I beseech you for euer to remember this my houre, wherto you must all come in your degree. And I confesse and assure you that I haue neuer bin a Frere Minor, but in temptations; considering that in them I haue euer found God to as∣sist me: and now I feele such a contentment, that I would not haue o∣mitted to serue God for a thousand such worldes as this. Now I accuse my selfe to God and you, of all the offences I haue committed: and in this my last houre doe beseech you to loue one an other, for this shalbe a signe wherby you shalbe knowne to be disciples of IESVS CHRIST.* 1.2 After such and the like wordes, his face became so ioyfull and cleare, that they all admired: and in that ioy his blessed soule passed from this vale of miseries, to the repose of glory: his flesh continued so cleare, ten∣der and plumme, as that of a sucking child, and his countenance ap∣peared so liuely, as that the Religious could not satisfie themselues with contemplating (as in a shadow) the great splendour which his soule was to receaue in heauen: att length he was solemnly enterred in the Couent of S. Francis att Assisium neere vnto the sepulcher of the holy Father, where were present a great assembly of people.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God as∣sisteth in tribula∣tions.
• * 1.2

  Admira∣ble con∣solation att the point of death. S. Ioā. 13.