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 much Br. Giles affected the purity of Chastity.

THE VII. CHAPTER.

THis venerable Father continually afflicted his flesh, keeping it subiect to the spiritt: Which he did to conserue in his soule the splendour of chastity, & therfore he accustomed to eat but once a day, and that litle and very late. He would say that our flesh was like vnto a hogge that very greedily ran to the dirt and filth delighting himselfe therin, or like the beetle that in all his life doth nothing but tumble and wallow himselfe in loathsome filthines. He would also affirme our flesh to be the most valliant soldier that our ennemy hath against vs: by which wordes and other like, he demonstrated what an ennemy him∣selfe was to the peruerse inclinations of his senses, and what a friend to Angelicall chastity.

Being one day in the citty of Spoletum, he heard a voice as of a wo∣man that called him: this voice being of the deuill, suggested into his heart such a temptation, as he had neuer experienced a greater. But as a valerous Champion of IESVS CHRIST, he chased farre away his en∣nemy and remayned victorious, first by cruell disciplining himselfe, then by seruent prayer.

A Religious Priest being exceedingly afflicted and tormented by the deuill with a cruell temptation of the flesh and getting no remedy by abstinences and prayers, he sayd with himselfe, if I could see Br. Giles to discouer vnto him this mine affliction, I am assured he would relieue met but he was so farre distant that there was no meane to come att him. Br. Giles (or his Angell for him) appeared one night vnto him, with whose presence the Religious being exceedingly comforted, he opened vnto him all his temptation, and demaunded of him some ayde and counsaile. Br. Giles sayd vnto him, come hither brother, what would you doe to a dogge that would bite you? The Religious answeared that he would cry att him and make him fly. Br. Giles replyed, doe the like to him that tempteth you, and I will pray to God to assist and encourage you therin whervpon the Religious awaking, he found himselfe fully comforted and deliuered of his trouble some temptation. Other Reli∣gious were also in such sort molested with the like temptations, that they became euen desperate and in tearmes to leaue the Order▪ neuerthe∣les they were deliuered by the wordes and prayers of Br. Giles.

A Religious came one time full of ioy and contentment vnto him vpon a victory gottē against a tēptation of the flesh•• for he had perceaued & heard a woman come behinde him, which caused him a very grieuous

temptation, and the neerer she came vnto him, the more did his tempta∣tion encrease. But she passing before him▪ and he hauing attentiuely be∣held her, was freed of the temptation. Br. Giles asked him if she were old or yong: he answeared, she was olde and deformed. Br. Giles replyed* 1.1 that it was no great meruaile if the temptation presently ceassed, and with all added: know brother, that you gott no victory but haue bin vanquished▪ for the victory consisted in not beholding her att all when she past by you: & this is the securest remedy one can vse in the conflict of the flesh. Therfore herein be very carefull hereafter, for feare that in steed of an olde, you behold a faire young woman, which would cause the temptation, with infamy, to proceed further.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 is a victory of chastity not to be∣hold a woman.