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 this seruant of God endeauoured to gaine his liuing by the worck and labour of his handes.

THE III. CHAPTER.

S. Francis hauing sent him to remayne att Rome, therby the better to satisfie his desire, which was to liue vpon his labour, he went to a mountaine three leagues distant whence he brought wood to the citty: and for the price therof he was cou∣tent with the gift of bread for his one dayes ••ustenance. He brought wood to a woman, who knowing him to be Religious would giue him a greater hire then was conditioned, but Brother Giles for the same cause (to witt for the loue of God) would not accept it, af∣firming that he would not be vanquished by auarice, wherwith this woman was exceedingly edifyed. He disdayned not to vndertake any seruice that might be required of him, prouided that it exceeded not the limites of modesty; and so misprising the vanities of the world, he perfected and refined himselfe in mortification and humility. Assi∣sting some others one time to gather nuttes, and his dayes labour being ended he was payed in nuttes, which being vnable to hold in his slee∣ues,

he putt off his habitt, and tyed the two endes of his sleeues which he filled euen to the capuce, and so carryed them to Rome, where he diuided them among the poore: to conclude hauing imparted some share of his gaine to the Religious, he also gaue part vnto the poore.

Sometime he tooke of the water of S. Sixtus and carryed to the Re∣ligious of Quatuor Coronatorum, who gladly dranck therof, and for the same gaue him bread, wherwith he liued, and what remayned he distributed vnto the poore. As he one day carryed water to the sayd Religious, a poore man in the way demaunded of him to drinck, and he gaue him therof: but vnwilling that the Religious should haue the rest, he retourned to draw more att the fountaine which was a league distant, such was his desire with his possibility to giue each one con∣tentment. When any one hired him and entertayned him to day-labour, he alwayes conditionally reserued time requisite with attention to say his canonicall howers, and certaine other suffrages and deuotions. He was very carefull to shunne idlenes, and therfore he alwayes either spake of God, or prayed and contemplated, or vsed some handy la∣bour in some litle matter of vtility; whence proceeded, that loosing no part of his time, he sufficiently prouided both for his soule and and body.

The Pope being att Rieta, the Cardinall Nicolas Bishop of Toscolan, desiring to haue Brother Giles in his company, out of great respect he had to his simplicity and sanctity, he instantly prayed him to seiorne cer∣taines dayes with him, and to be content to eat as he did att his table, forbearing to seek almose otherwhere: But Brother Giles willingly promising to remayne in his house, would not yeld to eat of that he found there, and so went thither. Now the Cardinall complayning vnto him for that he would not eat of his bread, Brother Giles answea∣red* 1.1 with this verse of Dauid: Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis beatus es & benetibi er••t. The Cardidall not knowing what to reply, prayed him att least to eat that which he receaued of his almose, or of his labour with his companion, which he promised to doe: and then∣ceforward he brought his begged bread to the Cardinals table, where he did eat it, and if any remayned he gaue it to to the poore. But there falling one day such a raine that Brother Giles could not goe abroad ei∣ther to labour or to seeke almose, the Cardinall was very ioyfull ther∣of, hoping that day to haue his desire, and that Brother Giles would eat of his bread: but he was deceaued, for Brother Giles exceedingly troubled for that he could not gaine his bread, bethought himselfe and went into the kitchin, where asking the Cooke wherfore his kitchin lay so vncleanly, offered to sweepe it for the gift of two loaues: which ha∣uing gotten, he went to eat the said bread with the Cardinall; who was

againe deceaued the morning following, when as it rained extremely, for Brother Giles vnable to goe abroad, found meane for bread to ma∣ke cleane the dishes, which made the Cardinall admire his firme reso∣lution to li••e poorly, more then yet he had done.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal▪ 127.