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.

THE SEAVENTH BOOKE OF THE SECOND VOLVME AND FIRST PART OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FRIER MINORS.

WHERIN IS CONTAINED THE LIFE AND admirable doctrine of Br. Giles of Assisium, a Religious of great perfection, who was the third Disciple of S. Francis. Translated as before.

Of the conuersion of Brother Giles to the Religion of the Frere Minors.

THE FIRST CHAPTER.

ALBEIT to read or heare the liues of all or any sainctes, exceedingly dispose the spirittes to the contempt of temporall pleasures and induce them to purchase true and eternall richesse: yet it cannot be denyed but that the life of some one more then an other doth cause these effectes, as I hope this en∣suyng shall proue of the glorious Brother Giles of Assisium, who was the third that followed S. Fran∣cis: whose life being of singuler note, it is requisite it should be descri∣bed more att lardge. The time employed in reading therof shall not be wasted: for the soules therby shalbe enriched with holy doctrines, with diuine examples and documents. But I omitte to recount his conuer∣sion, it being already handled in the ninth chapter of the first booke and first volume of this present part.

How Brother Giles went to visit the reliques of S. Iames in Galu••a, and the holy Sepulcher of our Redeemer Iesus Christ in Hierusalē.

THE II. CHAPTER.

IT was the custome of the first Fathers of this Order, to goe often in pilgrimage, not to seeke their more liberty, nor to satisfie their appetite with better cheere, but for the exercise of perfection, and to suffer hungar, thirst, cold, heate, and the affi ontes which they often endured, as vnknowne in that new habitt, and so did they dispose thē∣selues to the incommodities of obedience, and were couragious: for they went barefoot, withone single habit, without wallets, edifying themselues in patience, and their neighbour in charitie. Now Brother Giles hauing gotten leaue of the holy Father S. Francis he went to visitt the church of S. Iames of Compostella, in which voyage he did not so much as once satisfie his hungar, such a desire had he to feele in him∣selfe the force of pouerty for the loue of IESVS CHRIST. Finding one day no meane to gett so much as bread (wherwith only he liued) ha∣uing found in a barne certaine huskes of beanes left there after the thres∣hing, he did eat them with great appetite, and after tooke his rest in the same place. The next morning he arose very early, as cheerfull and well disposed as if he had eaten the best and most delicate foode in the world. He was thus accustomed to suffer, being often in for∣restes and solitary places, which were more to his content then the conuersation of the world, as lesse subiect to distractions in his spirituall exercises, and more commodious for spending the night in watching and prayer. In this iorney meeting with a poore sick creature full of soares, and not knowing what to giue him, he ript of his capuce and gaue it vnto him: but this charity enforced him to trauell twenty dayes bare-headed, till att last was giuen him cloth to make an other, and so did he walke with a habitt, according to the common fashion of his Order, deformed, but en∣tierly conformable to the charity of the gospell. Being in Lom∣bardie, he was called by a man, of whome he thought to receaue a charitie, but comming to him, he tooke out a paire of dice, and de∣maunded if he would play with him: So did the wretch flout att this good Religious, who went on bowing downe his head with∣out replying a word. In this sort he was often the obiect of laughter vnto the sloathfull and idle companions, that made him their scorne, which he alwayes endured with patience correspondent. After he had also visited all the holy land, expecting commodity of shipping to re∣tourne

into Italy, it being necessary for him to liue vpon his labour as hauing no mony, he carryed water to passengers, for which seruice they gaue him bread, and remayning certaine dayes in the citty of Ason, he employed himselfe in the labour of his handes making baskettes and cases of ozier, and such litle conceates, wherwith he liued; and if he wanted either worck or matter, or knew not wherin to employ him∣selfe, according to the diuers occasions of the places where he re∣st••••ed, his last refuge was to haue recourse to the abondant table of God, demaunding almose att the peoples dores, according to the documentes of his rule. He went also to visit the mount saint Mi∣chael, then saint Nicholas of Bar; and in all these voyages into whatsoeuer place he entred, he exhorted those that he found, to doe pennance for their sinnes, and to apply themselues to the ser∣uice of God the bountifull giuer of all goodnes, and to doe this in loue and charity towardes their neighbour. As he one day trauail∣led, he became so weary and so oppressed with hungar, that he was enforced to rest himselfe, and with wearines he fell a sleepe. As he awaked he found by him halfe a loafe which God had sent him of almose, which he ioyfully did eat, thancking his diuine maiesty: and being by meane of this celestiall bread reconforted, he cheerfully pro∣ceeded on his iorney.

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.

How our Lord releiued Brother Giles in an extreme necessitie.

THE IV. CHAPTER.

BRother Giles hauing thus seiourned a certaine time in the Car∣dinals house, the time of Lent drawing very neere, he deter∣mined to retire with his companion, into some solitary place, where his spiritt might contemplate in entiere repose: and to this effect tooke leaue of this Cardinal, who therwith exceedingly afflicted sayd vnto him: Alas my deere freind whither goest thou, as a bird without a nest? But this good Religious ascended vp to a mountaine, where he found a litle chappell (hauing bin an hermitage) called S. Laurence, far∣re distant from habitation, and consequently very solitary: there he re∣solued to spend his lent, but three dayes after he was there arriued, it did so snow and freeze, that they could not possibly goe abroad. The holy Religious seeing there was no meane to goe foorth to seeke bread, sayd to his companion: Brother lett vs make petition to almighty God that he will please in our necessity to send vs bread, sith there is none but he that can heare and releiue vs. Then he recounted an history of certaine Religious, who wanting bread in the like necessity, had re∣course to him and were heard. Being moued by such an example, they began on the euenning to pray with loud voice vnto almighty God, & so perseuered till the breake of the day following, when as God inspi∣red a good man of a neighbouring place, who seeing the snow so ex∣treme, called to minde that he had seene att other times Hermites att S. Laurence, & thought with himselfe, that if then there were any there, they could not come foorth to seeke food; which mouing him to com∣passion he went out of his house with bread and wine, which he gaue to the Religious, and being retourned to his house, he aduertised his neighbours and friendes of the necessity of the said seruantes of God, and so procured that they wanted not wherwith to liue the rest of the lent, which happened to good purpose for them in regard of their ex∣treme necessity. Br. Giles desirous to acknowledge the great charity vsed vnto him by those people, he said to his companion: hitherto we haue prayed to God for our selues, to be relieued in our necessity: hece∣forward we ought to pray vnto him for our benefactors; so that per∣sisting night and day in these petitions, our Lord bestowed such graces

and fauours on the inhabitantes of that place, that neuer Frere Minor hauing bin formely seene there, many among them neuertheles being moued by the example and pious exhortations of the sayd Religious, forlooke the vanity of this world and became Frere Minors; and such as could not, serued God by prayers, and did penance in their owne houses: and by this meane for corporall benefittes they gaue in ex∣chaunge spirituall in double mesure.

Of the humilitie and obedience of Br. Giles.

THE V. CHAPTER.

THe holy Father S. Francis cordially loued Br. Giles for his great perfection in all vertues, and his promptitude in doeing well: and therfore did often obserue him, and would say to his other Religious, that he was one of his knightes of the round table, so did he call the humble and deuout Religious. Now Br. Giles one day demaunded obedience of S. Francis to goe where he pleased, or to re∣mayne where he was: the holy Father answeared him, your residence is prouided, goe where you will: whervpon hauing demaunded and receiued his benediction, he went and walked in this freedome fower whole dayes, but finding his spiritt much disquieted, he retourned to S. Francis: Father (sayd he) I beseech you designe me a certaine place whither to goe, because goeing according to my owne liberty I cannot haue my conscience free: the S. sent him to the Couent of Fabrian whi∣ther he went barefoote with a very ragged habitt, though the season were extreme cold. On the way he mett a passenger that sayd vnto him: I would not goe so poorly cloathed in so cold a season, were I therby to pourchace paradice: by which wordes the deuill so augmented the cold that he expected death therby: but he incontinētlie called to minde that our lord IESVS CHRIST went barefoote and poorely cloathed through the world, and endured far more cold and other labours for our sakes: these pious cogitations did in this sort warme first his hart, and then all his body with a diuine heat: wherfore he began to praise God his sweet lord, who had thus warmed him not with materiall fier, but by the only burning heatof his diuine loue. So Br. Giles remayned many yeares in the sayd place, where one day weighing his sinnes, he ascended on a mountaine neere by, whither he carryed a yōg Religious, whome he commanded, with a cord about his necke to lead him naked to the place where the other Religious were: and entring in this sort before them, he began with teares to cry: Haue compassion and pitty of me miserable and detestable sinner: The Religious beholding him in

such a gastly plight, began all to weep, and prayed him to putt on his habitt: but he answeared, with bitter teares and extreme sighes, that he was vnworthy to be a Frere Minor: Yet if you will that I take the habitt againe, said he, I will, as an almose receaued of you, though I doe not deserue it: and so he cloathed himselfe and there remayned, labouring with his handes in making caskettes of straw to couer or keep glasses, and litle baskettes which he and his companion carryed to the neigh∣bour towne and villages, and in exchau••ge receaued what they needed either of food or cloathing; and with the rest he cloathed other Reli∣gious, saying that such almose done to any Religious prayed for him when he slept and could not then pray himselfe.

This good Religious retourning one day from the fieldes, hauing in his handes a reed and a hatchett, he past before a church, the Chappe∣laine wherof seeing him called him hippocrite: which did so grieue and* 1.2 afflict Br. Giles that he wept bitterly. A Religious finding him thus la∣menting, demandindg the occasion of his teares, he answeared him: be∣cause I am an hippocrite, as a Preist, did now instantly assure me. The Re∣ligious replied, poore man doest thou then belieue it to be true? Br. Giles answeared that he belieued it because he was a Priest that auouched the same, and he could not conceaue that a Priest would lie. The Religious replyed, Brother, be no longer disquieted, for it may be thou art no hip∣pocrite, because the opinion of men is most often farre from the iudge∣ment of God. Br. Giles with this reasonnable answeare was somewhat satisfied and comforted, saying that if he were not such, it was by the pure grace of God.

Hearing one day relation of the fall of Br. Helie, that had bin Gene∣rall of the Order, whence he was an Apostata, then liuing excommuni∣cated thence in the traine and seruice of the Emperour Frederic the se∣cond, then a rebell vnto the Church, he with extreme griefe fell flatt vpon the ground, and there contemptibly tourned and tumbled him∣selfe, affirming that he would discend as low as he could, because the other had wrought his owne distruction by clymeing so high.

This great seruant of God being one day out of the Couent, he re∣ceaued a letter and therby commaundement from his Generall to meet him att Assisium whither he instantly tooke his iorney: his companion putting into his minde that it were good to retourne first to the Couent to aduertise the Religious therof, he answeared: Brother, I am com∣manded to goe to Assisium and not to the Couent, so much did he yeld himselfe to obedience, that his only cogitation was readily to obay.

The Guardian hauing commanded a Religious that was praying to goe to demaund almose: the Religious therat murmured exceedingly withhimselfe, and in this distemper came to Br. Giles thus cōplayning:

* 1.3 Father, I was praying in my cell, and the Guardian hath commanded me to goe begge, so that I must omitt the greater good for the lesse. B. Giles answeared him: brother, you know not yet what prayer is: for the most true and perfect is, that the subiect doe the wil of his Superiour.

How zealous Br. Giles was of his rule, and of holy pouerty.

THE VI. CHAPTER.

THe blessed Br. Giles, as the true disciple of S. Francis was a great friend of pouerty. From his entring into Religion to the end of his life he had neuer but one habitt, and that all patched. He went alwayes barefoot, & made his owne cell with earth and brāches of trees, shunning all such superfluous celles as were more hansome & com∣modiously built. Comming one time to Assisium to visitt the sepulcher of S. Francis, the Religious shewed him the Couent that was new built very great and sumptuous, shewing him the great edifice of the Church, and a faire structure of the altare that had three stages or stories of hight, then the Cloister, the refectory, the dormitory and other places newly built for the commodity of the Religious, who gloried in the accōplish∣ment* 1.4 of so eminent a peece of worck. Br. Giles very attentiuely conside∣red all without vttering a word; and hauing seene all, he addressed him∣selfe to those that guided him saying: Brethren, here is no want vnto you but of women. The Religious seeming to be much scandalized att those wordes, Br. Giles replyed: you should not wonder att what I haue sayd, for you know well that it is no more lawfull for vs to dispense with po∣uerty then with chastity. So that you hauing bid adieu to pouerty, taking that for lawful which is directly against our rule, I doe much admire you doe not dispense with your selues in the breach of this other article, con∣sidering that both are vowes by you equally made vnto God.

There was a Religious that came one day full of ioy and contentmēt* 1.5 to Br. Giles & sayd: Father I bring you good newes. This last night, I saw a vision of hell; and looking very curiously into it, I could not see any of our Relligious. Which Br. Giles vnderstanding, he sighing sayd: I belieue thee my child, I belieue that you haue seene none: and oftentimes reite∣rating the same wordes he was rauished in spiritt: then retourning to himselfe he added: belieue it for certaine, my Child, that there are some▪ but thou sawest them not because thou diddest not discend low enough, where they are tormēted, wretched as they are for not hauing performed worckes conformable to their rule and habit: for as holy Religious haue, with the most perfect and glorious, their residence in heauen, so those which are bad haue their place with the most wicked in hell.

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* 1.6 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.

How Br. Giles went into Africa to preach to the Mores, with inten∣tion there to suffer Martyrdome.

THE VIII. CHAPTER.

THe yeare 1219. wherin the greatest generall chapter was held of the Frere Minors, S. Francis deputing and disposing of all his Re∣ligious throughout all Christendome and euen among the infi∣dels, Africa fell to Br. Giles his lott, whither he hastened with many his companions of one same spiritt. And to that end they embarqued them∣selues with an Italian merchant, and safely arriued att Tunes; but the deuill by diuine pe mission preuented him in this sort of his desired suc∣cesse in this voyage: In the said citty of Tunes there was an old More, a man of great authority with those Pagans, whome they reputed a sainct▪ he had for a long time opinatiuely forborne to speake: but as soone as Br. Giles and his companions were landed, this More went presently prea∣ching and exclaming through all the streetes and corners that certaine Infidels were arriued, who intended to condemne and calumniat their great Prophett and their law▪ and therfore counsailled and commanded them to seeke them out they being Christiās & to kil them. This caused a great rumour and tumult ouer all the citty, in such sort that in an instāt they were all armed and prepared themselues to murder these poore Re∣ligious. But the Christians hauing vnderstood the cause of this insurre∣ction, and fearing the Mores would kill them all, they forcibly thrust Br. Giles and his companions againe into the shipp, in which they came. But these true seruantes of IESVS CHRIST did not omitt to preach to the Mores out of the shipp: which putt the Christians into such a feare, that they commanded the Marine••s of the vessel to hoyse their sailes: and so, being peruented of the effecting of their pious desires they were retourned into Italy.

Of the hight and sublimity of Br. Giles his contemplation.

THE IX. CHAPTER.

AFter this holy Father had spent many yeares in the actiue life, in affliction and labours, it pleased almighty God to make him a new man, calling him to the repose of contemplation, and priui∣ledging him aboue all men of his time. The beginning of this his perfe∣ctiō was, when being in the Couent of Faleron neere Perusia offering his prayer one night he was touch••d with the hand of God, and replenished with such a supernaturall consolation, that it seemed to him that God would separate his soule from the body. In this instant he felt his mem∣bers as dead, it seeming vnto him that his soule forsooke them and that being gon foorth she already delighted and pleased her selfe in the sight and contemplation of her so great naturall beauty, but much more of her spirituall, wherwith the holy Ghost had already endowed her, whereby she appeared to her selfe more beautifull then all humane con∣sideration could comprehend, as himselfe a litle before his death did te∣stifie. In this extasie we••e reuealed vnto him celestiall secrettes so great, that he would neuer disclose them to any: and therfore he would some∣times say: Happy is he that can conserue the secrettes of God in himselfe: and it must not be obiected vnto me that God hath reuealed them vnto me to the end I should manifest them to others: for when it shall please him that I reueale them, he will discouer them vnto me by other meanes.

Of divers apparitions of our Lord and S. Francis, to Br. Giles.

THE X. CHAPTER.

THe eighteenth yeare of the conuersion of Br. Giles (wherin S. Francis dyed) he went to dwell in the Couent of Crettone in Toscane within the Diocese of Chiusi••the first night of his being there, there appeared vnto him in vision an Emperour that spake very fa∣milierly vnto him: this presaged vnto him the diuine vision of the glory which God communicated vnto him in that place, where spending the lent of S. Martin in very a••stere fastes and continuall prayers, he had one night an apparition of S. Francis: to whome he said that he had a great desire to speake vnto him. The S. answeared him: Brother sift and exa∣mine wel your selfe before hand: and so vanished. Br. Giles perseuering three entyer dayes in prayer IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto him before

the feast of his holy Natiuity: and for as much as might be coniectured by his wordes, he was rauished in spiritt and with the eyes of his soule ••aw the glory of Paradice: he neither could nor durst explicate this vi∣ion, which was not continuall, but by intermission till the eue of the Epiphany, att which time he was so replenished with force and conso∣••tion both spirituall and supernaturall, that his weake and feeble huma∣••e body could not support it: for his soule seemed to expire, so that he ••as constrayned to breath out violent sighes, by reason of the force ••f his spiritt which his body could not sustaine, and albeit he were on he hight of a mountaine in a cell very remote where he prayed, yet did he other Religious sometimes heare him: and then would they sēd Br. Gratiā to assist & helpe him as there should be need. This Religious thus ••ming one time vnto him & asking him wherfore he cōplayned, the ••oly Father answeared: come hither my child, thou art come in good ti∣••e, for I wished thee here: & then recounted to him many thinges to his ••ceeding cōfort. The next morning retourning thither he foūd him bit∣••rly weeping, wherfore he prayed him not to afflict himselfe in that ••rt, for it might weel shorten his dayes. Brother Giles answeared, Alas ••y friendly Brother, how may I refraine from teares, that feare to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the ennemy of God? for hauing receaued so many graces of his Ma∣iesty, I doubt I doe not serue him as I ought, and according to his holy will, wherof if I were certaine, it would be more gracious vnto me then death it selfe: which he spake in respect of the vision and diuine reuela∣tion that made such alteration in him, and therfore he sayd: Till this pre∣sent I wēt whither I would, and with my handes laboured as I would: but henceforward I can no more follow my fantasie, but must doe accor∣ding to the spiritt that I find to conduct me. This feare in this holy Fa∣her was like to that of S. Paul when he sayd: we carie this (diuine) trea∣sure in earthen vessels. Butt because the certaine perill of the losse of an eternall and infinite treasure, would cause a diffidence and despayre in a∣ny one by consideration of his naturall infirmity, he added: we know that the preseruation of the diuine treasure consisteth in the vertue and power of God and not of vs. The sayd Religious then tooke occasion to comfort him, or rather the holy Ghost, for and by him with the said sen∣tence of S. Paul, saying, that though it were expedient that the feare of God should be alwayes in vs, yet should it be there with faith and full confidence in his bounty, who as he giueth grace vnto his seruantes, so also he giueth them force to preserue the same together with perseue∣rance. Br. Giles being by these wordes comforted, he proceeded in em∣ploying his dayes in such hight of contemplation and spirituall conso∣lation, as is not to be expressed, demaunding of almighty God, as a fa∣uour, not to be so ouer-chardged, alleadging that he being so great a sin∣ner,

an idiot, rustike and simple, was not worthy so much grace but the more he reputed himselfe vnworthy, the more did almighty God aug∣ment his fauours. There was a religious of pious life in the same Couēt, to whome God did some times reueale his secrettes certaine dayes befor that Br. Giles had the said vision: this Religious saw in vision the sunne to arise out of the cell of Br. Giles, and there-ouer to remayne till night, and he afterward seeing Br. Giles so admirably chaunged, sayd vnto him B other, support and gouerne tenderly the Sunne of God, and thou shalt be blessed.

Of the graces which God bestowed on Brother Giles in the said vision.

THE XI. CHAPTER.

IF vnto any it appeare difficult to be beleeued, that Brother Giles saw almighty God, not only in imaginary and intellectuall sem∣blance, but euen in his diuine essence, as this worthy seruant of God confessed, affirming that God had depriued him of faith: lett him read the epistle of sainct Augustin vnto Paulinam, De vi∣dendo Deum, wherin he shall find that speaking of the vision of God in essence, he sayth: It is not a matter incredible, that God per∣mitteth this excellencie of diuine reuelation in his substance to certaine holy personnes before theire death, to the end their bodyes be buryed, he vseth these wordes, before they be dead for their sepulture, be∣cause as they who manifestly see God enioyning his glory, are en∣tierly and totally separated from their mortall bodyes, in the same proportion it is necessary for those that are to receaue such a re∣uolation, to be separated from their bodyes according to the cog∣nitiue and sensitiue puissance, att least to their actions: for this is in a certaine fashion to be out of the termes of this life. Wherevpon sainct Paul said: Were it that my soule were in my body, or sepa∣rated* 1.7 from it I know not, God knoweth it, it was transported, rauished and eleuated euen to the third heauen. Brother Giles, speaking of the said vision which he had, affirmed that he was ther∣by so assured in the knowledge of almighty God and of his glo∣ry, that he had lost the faith which he formerly had of him. He also affirmed that he was directly of opinion, that his soule entier∣ly abstracted from the body saw almighty God. After his death he reuealed vnto a Religious, that also in the same vision he had bin replenished with the giftes of the holy Ghost and confirmed in graces: and doubtlesly the merueillous effectes that remayned

in the soule of Brother Giles confirme this verity: for after this vision he was so often rapt in extasie, that there is hardly found any other saint before or after him to haue exceeded him therin. It appeared by his exteriour actions what esteeme he made therof: for he seldome or neuer went out of his cell, but employed himselfe in fastinges & pray∣ers, shunning all idle wordes, and all fruitlesse conuersation: and if such discourses were forcibly vsed in his presence, and that any would nee∣des make him some relation to the preiudice of any other, he would hea∣re nothing therof, affi ming that each one ought to be very wary and* 1.8 respectiue not to offend God, his neighbour and his owne soule by such discourses. And on the contrary when he heard speake of God, he was presently rapt into extasie, and remayned insensible & as dead, so that the fame of this sublime and singuler grace being diuulged and made kno∣wne to all personnes, euen to the contry people and to children, when they mett him they would say, Paradice Brother Giles, and att the in∣stant and very place where he heard that sweet and gracious word he would fall into extasie: in such sort as if the Religious desired to talke with him of God and to receaue his consailes and doctrines, they must be wary not to speake of the glory of the diuine vision, least that being rauished in spiritt they were frustrared of their desire. And because he liued sequestred from the other Religious, Brother Bernard therfore as zealous of his neighbours good reprehended him therin, calling him but halfe a man, as regarding only his owne good. But Brother Giles ans∣weared, that it was more secure to content himselfe with a litle then by attempting too much, to endanger the losse of all▪ considering that vpon a very small occasion a great grace is often lost: so that one must be wary att such time not to loose that in laughing, which is not purchaced but with much labour and weeping.

Being one day in spirituall conference with Brother Andrew and Brother Grātian two Religious of pious life and his spirituall children, he told them that he was borne sower times, first, out of his mothers woombe, secondly when he was baptised, thirdly when he entred into Religion, and fouerthly the day that IESVS CHRIST appeared vnto him, and manifested vnto him his glory. Wherto Brother Andrew ans∣weared that it was true, but if he should be in a forraine contry, where it should be demaunded of him if he knew Brother Giles, he might a∣uouch that he knew thus much of him, that it was twenty foure yea∣res since he was borne, and that he had faith before he was borne, but had lost it afterwardes: Brother Giles replyed that all this was true: be∣cause, sayd he, before, I had not such faith as I ought to haue: the which also God did take from me and gaue me a more cleare and perfect kno∣ledge of him and of his glory, and among many graces which I haue re∣ceaued

of his diuine Maiesty, this is one, that I haue knowne and doe know my selfe to deserue to haue a cord fastened about my neck, and to be in extreme disgrace trayned through all the streetes and publike places of the world, so to receaue all the scornes and derisions that can be offered to the lewdest man in the world. Whervpon Brother An∣drew made him this demaund: Tell me Brother, if you haue not faith, what would you doe if you were Priest, and were solemnely to sing Credo in vnum Deum? It seemeth you should necessarily say: Cognosco v∣num Deum patrem omnipotentem: and incontinently he was rapt in extasie: all this he said, not that he had simply no faith: but by reason of a grea∣ter light and illumination which God with apparant euidence had gi∣uen him.

How Brother Giles was rapt in extasie before Pope Gregory the ninth.

POpe Gregory the ninth being with his court remoued to Perusia, and vnderstanding that Brother Giles, of whome he had heard merueillous thinges, was neere thervnto, he sent for him as de∣sirous to know him. Brother Giles came presently to Perusia. But being entred into the Pallace of the Pope he felt himselfe interiourly moued with the spirituall sweetnes which ordinarilie arriued him before his extasie: wherfore considering that it was not conuenient he should in that estate present himselfe before his holinesse, he sent his companion to make his excuse. But the Pope not admitting it would know why being within his Pallace he would not presently come to him: so that his companion was enforced to say vnto him: Most holy Father, Bro∣ther Giles hath deferred to salute your holinesse for no other cause, but that by signes ordinary vnto him, he foreseeth that comming in your presence he shall fall into extasie. The Pope hereto replyed: I come to Perusia more for this only respect then for any other thing: and therfo∣re bring him incontinently hither which was done, but as soone as Bro∣ther Giles had in great humility kissed the feet of the Pope, he scarcely began to speake vnto him, but that he was rauished in spiritt and remay∣ned immoueable with his eyes fixed towardes heauen: which the Pope seeing, he sayd: verily if thou die before me, I would seeke the knoledge of no other miracles to canonize thee. An other time the said Pope goe∣ing to the Couent of the Frere Minors of Perusia to visitt Brother Giles, the Religious ran presently to his cell to aduertise him therof, but they found him in extasie, which the Pope vnderstanding, he went to his cell, accompanyed with many Cardinals and other noble men, who all con∣tinued a long time beholding him, and to see if he would retourne to himselfe. But seeing it, would not be in short time, the Pope with his

company departed much admiring and troubled that he could not spea∣ke with him as he desired. He commanded that his extasie being ended, he should be told his holinesse attended him to dine with him, which was done, and at dinner time this good Father went to the Pope, whose feet he most reuerently kissed, and was with al curtesie entertayned. The∣re was then with his holinesse a gentleman that sayd vnto him, that he had heard report of Br. Giles his gracious and sweet singing, praying his holinesse to cause him to sing, therof to receaue some contentment and consolation. The Pope as well in regard of his deuotion towardes him, as of his desire to heare him prayse God, said vnto him: Sonne, I should be glad you would comfort and reioyce vs in God, by some gracious and deuout song Br. Giles answeared, doth it please your holi∣nesse that I sing? which hauing diuers times reiterated, he retyred him∣selfe into a corner, and was presently rapt in extasie. The Pope & tho∣se with him, desirous to experience the force of that extasie, they felt & found him withour pulse or heat. The Pope being exceedingly troubled that he had lost the company and conuersation of this holy Religious, sharply reprehēded the gentlemā that had persuaded him to cause him to sing. The time of supper being come, and Br. Giles still in extasie, the Pope said to the Cardinals presēt: I am sory this holy Father is not hee∣re with vs: but I am resolued to try in him the vertue of obediēce, whe∣reof haue bin seene many experiēces in the Frere Minors: then cōming to Br. Giles he said vnto him: Because the Order of the Frere Minors depēdeth immediatly of vs, we cōmand thee vpon obediēce to retourne incōtinently to thy selfe. The successe was admirable, for att the very instāt this mā of God that had bin entierly insēsible & as dead, stood vp right on his feet, and wēt & fell on his knees before his holines, with deep humility acknowledging his fault. The Pope causing him to arise, took him by the hād & spake vnto him: then Br. Giles, demaūded of him how he did; the Pope answeared that thāckes be to God he was well, Br. Giles added: Holy Father, you haue great need of the help of God in the great & importāt affaires which you haue. For I suppose that the in∣quietude & occupatiōs of the soule in exteriour matters, are of great labour. The Pope answeared: My child thou sayest true: therfore doe I pray thee to treat with almighty God for me, that by meane of his gra∣ce I may the more easily carry the weight of this burdē. Br. Giles replyed that he would willingly doe it, and submitted his neck to the yoke of the cōmandement of God: & to that end instātly retired himselfe from the presēce of the Pope, to performe his obediēce, and employed him∣selfe in prayer, where he was so rauished in spiritt, that he retourned not thece in fower houres after. In the meane while the Pope & all his cō∣pany praysed God in his seruāt, to whome he had imparted such a diui∣ne familiarity that he cōuersed more out of, then in the world, though

he were as yet in this mortall flesh. Now Br. Giles being retourned to himselfe, his holinesse sat downe att table & willed he should eat with him: which was an incredible contētment to the Pope, who afterward cōmended him to a chāber to repose. The day following his holinesse familierly discoursing with him asked him what should become of him. The holy Father making his excuse of answearing thervnto: the Pope againe vrged him att least to tell him what he should be. Wherto Br. Gi∣les hauing likewise replyed that he could not answeare therin; being still pressed by his holinesse cōmandement he sayd: holy Father, endea∣uour to keepe both the eyes of your spiritt alwayes very pure: the right eye cōtinually to contēplate high & future thinges, wherin we ought to addresse all our actiōs, & the left to order & direct presēt matters that are vnder our chardge, & doe appertayne to the duety of our place and quality. He spake many other thinges of notable edificatiō which are not extāt, wherby appeared the great abōdance of diuine lighte imparted to this holy Religious. The Pope therwith remayned more edified then euer, and was enamoured of this sainct, as being the true and perfect freind of God.

Of the exercises, and of the affection Br, Giles had to the contemplatiue life.

THE XIII. CHAPTER.

THis true seruāt of God had his face alwayes cherfull & ioyful, and whē he spake to & answeared any one, he alwayes discouered him∣selfe to be full of ioy & deuotion, and entierly eleuated in God, yea so∣metimes he so exceeded in this ioy, that he oftē would kisse the very sto∣nes, & did such other like actes, thervnto cōstrayned by the loue of his Creatour: and perseuering in such grace he was very wary not to contri∣state the spiritt of God which he possessed, so that it was exceeding trou∣blesome vnto him vpon whatsoeuer occasion, to leaue the diuine cōuer∣sation and retourne to the cōsideration of these humane affaires. He de∣sired to entertaine his life with leaues of trees only, so to haue more oc∣casiō to shunne all humane cōsolation. Whē cōming frō prayer he mett with the other Religious, shewing himselfe to be ful of ioy, he would say* 1.9 in a māner as did S. Paul: The eye hath not seene, nor eare hath heard, neither hath it ascēded into the hart of mā, what thinges God hath pre∣pared for them that loue him. By which wordes he confirmed and enfla∣med the spiritt of the other Religious in the loue of God.

He held in exceeding reuerence and deuotion the sacramentes of the church & the diuine seruice. And if any discoursed vnto him of the cōsti∣tutiōs & decrees of the Church, he in this sort with great feruour pray∣sed thē: O holy mother & Romane Church! Ignorant and miserable as we are, we doe not know thee, nor much lesse the zeale & boūty wherby

thou labourest to saue vs. Thou art she that teachest vs the way of our saluation, and directest vs in the right and secure path, wherin ••e that walketh cannot stray, but he that seeketh and followeth another, shall only find therin an eternall damnation. He was present att masse with exceeding feruour. All sondayes and solemne feastes he receaued his Creatour, and employed those dayes entierly in contemplation of the grace receaued: for goeing very early into the church, he would the∣re remayne all the day in the company rather of Angels and Saincts thē of men. Celebrating the feast of our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST, and many other times in the feruour of his prayer, he hath bin seene rapt in extasie and eleuated aboue the ground, the hight of three hand∣fuls or a foot and a halfe.

Of other such extasies of spiritt recorded of the glorious Sainct.

FIue Prouincials did at one time with great deuotion and reuerence visitt this blessed Father with Br. Gratian his companion, who aduertised him of their arriuall, vpon knoledge wherof, he presēt∣ly mett them, and hauing graciously entertayned them, he with great feruour of spiritt began to speake vnto them, and beholding the heauen, with his armes opened as to play on a viole, he sung in this manner: O Br. make a castell, hauing in it neither stone nor iron! O my Br. build me a citty without lime or stone! and thus singing he was rapt in extasie. The said Prouincials knew not the signification of the wordes: But Br. Gratian told them that by the castels and citties, he meant the holy A∣postles and martyrs of the Primitiue church, who without the armour of iron and without the helpe of any temporall matter generously buil∣ded the house of God in soules: which zeale and intention had Br. Giles renouncing temporalities, to become a castell of the liuing God and a glorious citty, not of temporall building or substance, but spirituall, of pouerty and diuine loue. And because they as Prouincials of the Reli∣gion were captaines and furtherers of this worck, he by this song gaue them a notable document of their duety in their vocation and office.

This holy Father being in the monastery of Agele by Perusia, he af∣ter supper made an exhortation to the Religious in the refectory, with his ordinary feruour, and with such sweetnes that he enflamed the har∣tes of all his audience in diuine loue, yea his owne also, in such sort that he was rauished and out of himselfe in the middest of his Brethrē, whe∣re he so continued till the cock-crowing, and in the meane time he shi∣ned with such a splēdour which enuironed him, that the brightnes of the moone which then was in full, was so obscured that the shining therof being darckned by this new light, she appeared not in that place, which

put the Religious in admiration, who gaue thanckes to our lord for the admirable worckes demonstrated in his seruant.

Brother Giles one day thus reasoned with S. Bonauenture who was Generall of the Order: Father, God hath bestowed many fauours on you that are learned, for you haue knoledge of many matters by which you prayse him But what shall we doe to saue our selues, we, I say, that ar ignorant and idiots? S. Bonauenture answeared: if God had giuen no other grace to men, but only ability to loue him, it would suffice: be∣cause loue is more gratefull to God, then any other thing that can be offered vnto him. Brother Giles herevpon replyed: Tell me, Father, if you please, can an ignorant person loue God as much as one learned? he can, said S. Bonauenture: yea I say more, a simple and poore old fel∣low may loue our lord as much as a Doctour in diuinity. Vpon these wordes Br. Giles went with great feruour into the garden, and tourn∣ing towardes the towne, he cryed out: Poore and caitiue old wretch, ignorant idiot and simple, loue thy Redeemer IESVS CHRIST, and thou mayest be greater then Br. Bonauenture. Which sayd, he remay∣ned three houresrapt in extasie.

Of an admirable dispute held by Br. Giles touching free will, against Br. Gerardin, in the presence of many Religious.

THE XV. CHAPTER.

THe venerable Br. Giles being in the Couent of Perusia, a Ro∣mane gentlewomā called Seauē-Sunnes, that was very deuout to S. Francis both in his life time and after his death: for she ma∣de her residence att Assisium to beneere vnto his sepulcher, came to vi∣sitt him to receaue some consolation of his energicall doctrine: there did she find Brother Gerardin, a Religious of exemplar life and very lear∣ned, together with some other very spirituall Religious, who also ca∣me to visitt Brother Giles, to heare of him some spirituall exhortation. Thus discoursing together, they fell into dispute vpon a certaine passad∣ge of holy scripture. And among many other sentences alleadged by Br. Giles for proofe of what he maintained, this was one: He that doeth not what he can, often endureth that which he would not. Br. Gerardin desirous to entertaine Br. Giles in discourse, to gratifie the cōpany and for his particuler cōtentment, thus begā scolastically to argumēt against him: Br. I much admire that you affirme that a man endureth what he would not, if he doe not what he can, considering that a man can doe nothing of himselfe: which is proued by many reasons, wherefore I say, that the power presupposeth the being, so that the action of the thing be

* 1.10 according to its being. And so much doe the wordes of the Apostle sig∣nifie, where he sayth: If any man esteeme himself to be something, wher as he is nothing, he seduceth himselfe: whence ensueth that a man can∣not doe any thing, sith he is nothing: which I will proue vnto you also by an other reason: If a man of himselfe doe any thing, it is either by his soule, or by his body, or by both together; Now I will proue that he can doe nothing by meane of any of thē. First, he can doe nothing by meane of the soule alone, for it is most cleare that the soule separated from the body can neither meritt nor demeritt: neither can he doe more by meane of the body only, because the body receaueth all his operation of his forme, and without the soule it hath no humane being, so that much lesse can it worcke, which is a thinge proper to the forme, and finally, yet lesse can he doe by meane of the composition, that is, of the body and soule vnited together: and if he could doe any thing, it should be by meane of the soule: But I haue proued that the soule being sepa∣rated from the body can doe nothing, and now I affirme that it can much* 1.11 lesse vnited with her body, because the body being corruptible chard∣geth and burdeneth it: as for example, if a beast cannot goe vnloaden, much lesse can it vnder a burthen. Thus Br. Gerardin made his argument appeare very probable which procured to the audience an amazement and confusion. But Br. Giles very prudently answeared: My good Br. and friend, beleeue, I pray you, that you haue spoaken amisse: wher∣fore acknowledge therin your fault. Br. Gerardin hauing a litle smiled, acknowledged his fault: then Br. Giles againe: This fault is not of force. When the penance is not admittable and in due forme, no grace can be obtayned therby. But tell me, canst thou sing? Br. Gerardin ans∣weared he could: sing then with me, sayd Br. Giles, and drew out of his sleeue a litle instrument made of willow, like those litle gitternes or fidels wheron children play, wherof touching the stringes, he began to proue and demonstrate the propositiō of Br. Gerardin to be notoriously inuallible & false, thus affirming on the first: Br. I speake not of the being of man before the creation. I know then he was nothing, and therfore could doe nothing: but I speake of his being since the creation wherin man receiued of God a freewil, wherby he might merit or demeritt, me∣ritt consenting to good, and demeritt yelding to euill: so that you haue very erroniously spoaken: And I thinck you intended to circumuent* 1.12 me, for S. Paul in the place by you alleadged, speaketh not of the nullity of the substance nor of the puissance, but of the nullitye of meritt, conformably to what he sayth in an other place: If I haue not charity I am nothing. Neither did I intend to speake of the soule in separation, or of the body dead, but of man liuing, who consenting to grace, hath power if he list, to doe well, and being rebellious▪

to doe euill, which is no other thing then not to doe well. Where as you say, the corruptible body burdeneth the soule, the holy scripture doth not yet say that the same taketh away freewill from the soule, lea∣uing her no power to doe good and euill: but the signification is, that it is an impediment to the vnderstanding, and that the affection and imagination of the soule is imployed and entangled in terrestriall affai∣res, therfore is it sayd a litle before: The terrestriall habitation depres∣seth the sences distracted in many cogitations and in diuers scattered* 1.13 affaires, which permitt not the soule freely to search the thinges of heauen, where our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST sitteth att the right hand of the Father almighty: because the sight is a subtility of the puis∣sances of the soule, which are made dull and obscure by the diuers in∣clinations and occupations of the inferiour and corporall powers. Thus did Br. Giles by order refute all the reasons of Br. Gerardin, who much admiring the same, againe with affection and great de∣uotion acknowledged his fault. Brother Giles then sayd: this is the acknowledgement of the fault, Brother, that auaileth and striketh the stroake. But will you that I yet more manifestly demonstrate that a creature can doe somewhat? Brother Gerardin answeared, Father I heseech you: Brother Giles then getting vp on a graue, cryed out: O thou damned that art tormented in hell! Then himselfe in the personne of the damned with a lamentable, horrible and terrible voice that made those present to tremble, answeared: Oh that I am mi∣serable! that I am wretched and accursed! then assuming his ordinary voice he proceeded: Tell me caitife, wherfore art thou damned? And taking againe that lamentable voice he answeared himselfe. Because I haue not done the good I could, nor shunned and auoyded the euill as I might haue done. He asked him againe in his naturall voice: Thou damned wretch, what wouldest thou doe, or what wouldest thou giue, if it were permitted thee to doe penāce? He answeared in the gastly voice: if al the world were mine, I would giue it and would content my selfe to dwell in a fire for many worldes, prouided that it were such as by litle and litle I could endure, only to auoyd eternall death: for so my paynes should one day att least haue end, but my damnation is eternall. Which said, he retourned towardes Brother Gerardin, and sayd: Well, haue you heard, Br. haue you heard, how a creature hath power to good or euill? And after many other spirituall discourses, Brother Giles said to Br. Gerardin: Brother that you may not esteeme this to be a fiction, tell me, if a drop of water fall into the sea; doth it then giue a name to the sea, or the sea to it? He ans∣weared, that the substance of the drop of water being swallowed vp, it tooke denomination of the sea, and not the sea of it.

Br. Giles replyed: You haue reason; and for proofe therof he was in the very instant rapt into extasie, so that he demonstrated by effect, that his soule casting it selfe into the profound ocean of the diuine loue and glo∣ry, being entierly swallowed vp in God, changed her essence of grace, into that of glory.

How the blessed Br. Giles had the spirit of Prophesie.

THE XVI. CHAPTER.

A Dominican Frere being Doctor of diuinity was assaulted with a grieuous temptation, for the deuil would put him in doubt of the most pure virginity of the virgin Mother of God; wherin whatsoeuer remedy he applyed, nothing did auayle him: and perceauing that his learning nor vertuous exercises would nothing profitt him, he much desired to be assisted by some spirituall personne that could deli∣uer him of this grieuous affliction. Wherfore hauing heard the same of the vertue of Br. Giles, and that he was a Religious illuminated of God, he repayred vnto him, and att the same time the holy Ghost reuealed vnto Br. Giles the comming of this diuine and the occasion therof, wher∣fore he went out of his cell and mett him. And entertayning him cur∣teously, before the Religious began to speake, he sayd vnto him: Br. Preacher, she was a virgin before her child birth, then with a litle stick which he had in his hand he stroake the ground, and presently there did spring vp a faire lilly, then he sayd: Br. Preacher, a virgin in her childbirth, and likewise striking the earth with his sticke, there sprung vp an other lilly: and thirdly he sayd Br. Preacher, a virgin after her childbirth: and hauing touched the earth as before, the third lilly appeared. Then ha∣uing made these three admirable demonstrations, and the sayd Religious being entierly freed of the temptations, the lillyes vanished. The holy Father with all speed retired into the Monastery, leauing the Religious full of astonishment and admiration, who gaue thanckes to God for his miraculous deliuery, from so troublesome a temptation of the deuill.

Certaine Frere Minors determining to make a well on a mountaine neere to Perusia where Br. Giles was resident, and not according toge∣ther touching the place, they repayred to him for his aduice, and present∣ly tooke a staffe, & went to the place that God had inspired him, where striking the ground with his staffe, there sprung vp a most delightfull violett, and then he willed the Religious to dig there: which vpon sight of that miracle they did, and there found abondance of water wholsome and pleasant to drinck, and so they finished their well to relieue their necessity.

How Br. Giles was visited by S. Lewes king of France, and what passed betwene them.

THE XVII. CHAPTER.

S. Lewes the ninth of that name, and fortie fourth king of France, goeing in Pilgrimage to Rome there to visitt the holy Apostles, de∣termined to see Br. Giles, of whose sanctity he had heard notable report: being therfore att Perusia, he went to the monastery of the Frere Minors with some few of his neerest fauourites, all vested in pilgrimes weedes, where arriuing, he told he Porter that the desired a word or two with Br. Giles: the Porter deliuered his message that certaine Pilgrimes were att the gate, of whome one desired to speake with him. Br. Giles vnderstanding by reuelation who it was that demaunded for him, he full of feruour of spiritt went incontinently out of his cell: and com∣ming to the gate, the king and he fell both on their knees, and very louingly embraced each other, with entertainement of most deuout and pious mutuall kisses in the face, as if their had bin a very inward and ancient amity betweene them. After they had thus some time re∣mayned, and had shewen many mutuall tokens of charity, they separa∣ted themselues in silence without the vtterance of one word betweene them. Now whiles these two SS. were vnited in so spirituall a content∣ment, the Porter demaunded of one of the kinges followers, who that Pilgrime was that with such great familiarity embraced Br. Giles: who answeared him that it was Lewes king of France, who goeing to visitt the holy Reliques of Rome, tooke in his way the visitation of Br. Giles. The Religious vnderstanding who he was, were exceedingly troubled, because they had seene Br. Giles not only, not to haue giuen him the re∣uerence due to so great a King, but euen, not to haue vttered so much as one word; and therfore they went expresly to the holy Father, whome they sharpely checked and reprehended for this great errour, that should in no sort haue bin committed against so puissant a Prince, being also a Christian endwed with so religious a deuotion and mansuetude, as that he came expresly to receaue of him some consolation. Hereunto Br. Giles answeared: Trouble not your selues deere Brothers, nor doe you admire, if you see me not speake to the king nor he to me; For when we embraced each other, the diuine light manifested vnto vs the inte∣riour of our hartes, reuealing the secrets of his to me, and of mine to him: and hauing fixed the eyes of our soules in the resplendant mirour of the eternall light, wherin euery thing is seene more perfectly then in it selfe, we discoursed together as much as we desired, with an

extreme consolatiō of spirit, without any noyse of wordes, which would rather haue hindered then furthered vs, in regard of the sweetnes that our soules did feele. With this answeare the Religious being stricken into exceeding admiration and confusion, they acknowledged their faultes among themselues, repenting to haue iudged so admirable a worcke of God which they did not vnderstand.

How Br. Giles comsorted and encouraged a Religious whome he had con∣uerted and brought to be of the Order, who complained that he shewed not himselfe so gracious vnto him as before he receiued the habitt.

THE XVIII. CHAPTER.

AKnight much deuoted and friendly to Br. Giles, by his pious admonitions became a Frere Minor, but after he had taken the habitt, Br. Giles seemed to haue no more care of him, for he no more visited nor instructed him as before, which was a great affliction to this Religious: wherfore he one day complained therof vnto him in these termes: Father, I am extremely troubled, discontented and doe admire att you, that whiles I was in the world, you tooke such paine to instruct me in what was necessary to my saluation, so that by your holy admonitions I am come to be Religious, and principally vpon hope the more commodiously to enioy your holy conuersation, wherin I expe∣rience the contrary, and find my selfe much deceiued. For you giue me not now so much as one word, so that you neither counsaile nor in∣struct me any more, nor giue me any manner of consolation; so that you seeme to haue vtterly forsaken me: belieue you therfore I beseech you that my soule can receiue no greater contentment, then to vnder∣stand by you the manner how to gouerne her selfe in this new kind of life. Whereto Br. Giles answeared, Brother, sith you are of the house and family of God, as my selfe also him, and that you and I as fellowes doe fight vnder one capitaine and lord, it is not conuenient for me that am your companion, to command you to doe this, and not to doe that; because I know not whither the wil of God be that you doe a thing contrary to that which I may counsaile you, and so I may persuade you to one thing, and God to an other. Thus speaking he lifted vp his face towardes heauen and speaking with his Redeemer in presence of this Religious, with a very sweet voice, and yet with feruour he said: O my Lord IESVS CHRIST! how worthy and excellent a thing is sanctity and chastity? how pleasing to thy diuine Maiesty? how well louest thou the soule that possesseth it? how doest thou heare her in

the company of Angels? and in what manner doest thou recom∣pense her with eternall life? then sighing with gesture that discoue∣red exceeding contentment, he sayd: Ah! ah! ah my God▪ how pleasing and gratefull is such a soule vnto thee? and beginning againe, he continued: O my God, how pleasing is that creature vnto thee, who for thy loue sequestreth his hart from the world, forsaking Fa∣ther, mother, kinred, friendes and whatsoeuer he affected in the world? then discouering an extreme ioy, he sighed as before, saying: Ah! ah! ah my God! how greatefull vnto thee are the obedient soules, that haue no other will then thine? O my God▪ how doth thy diuine maiesty loue him, that with all his hart obeyeth thy holy commandementes? and after these wordes, he sighed as before, and then sayd: O my God! how pleasing is that soule vnto thee, which being eleuated in thy loue perseuereth in continuall prayers, contemplating thy celestiall treasures and graces: But how much is that soule comforted of thee when in her deuotions she po∣ureth out abondance of teares very gratefull to thy diuine maiesty, and profitable to her selfe, because they bathe the conscience, and open paradice vnto her? Ah! ah! ah my God! how pleasing is that sould, and how gratefull is that personne vnto thee, that for thy loue supporteth fatigations, labours and affrontes, and carryeth on him thy crosse, not refusing the burden therof, as our brother the asse, which complayneth not for being ouerloaden and beaten, nor when one sayth, I would the wolfe had eaten thee, or that thou were fleyed: yea to such iniuryes an affrontes he answeareth not a worde, to giue me a great example of patience. Now with this new kind of speech, this new Religious was exceedingly comfor∣ted, yea and extremely encouraged to perseuerance in the seruice of our Lord IESVS CHRIST. And this may serue for a ge∣nerall document to make appeare what feare and discretion is to be vsed by him that is to teach those soules, whose perfect Master is IESVS CHRIST alone, who guideth them according to their capacity and the grace which he hath giuen them for their sal∣uation, knowing that the instruction ought to be more of the spi∣litt and of God, then of any humane tongue, to touch and enflame their hartes in the poursuite of vertue.

How Brother Giles defended himselfe from the deuill, by whome he was often persecuted.

THE XIX. CHAPTER.

THe wicked spirites were the more hatefull and enuious to this seruant of God, because he had knowledge and vnderstanding of many sublime and diuine secrettes: for which respect they often tormented him, as within few dayes after he had that diuine vi∣sion, being alone praying in his cell, the deuill appeared vnto him in so horrible and fearfull a figure, that it presently depriued him of his spe∣ach. But hauing in his hart called for helpe vnto almighty God, he was incontinently deliuered: and afterwardes made very fearfull relations* 1.14 of the lothsomnes of the deuill. Br. Giles being once entred about mid∣night into the Church of S. Appollinaris, in Spoleta, there to offer his prayers, the deuill lept vpon his shoulders whiles he prayed, and held him so crushed and oppressed for a time that he could scarce moue, yet he so strugled that he gott to the holy water pott, where hauing taken holy water and signed himselfe with the crosse, the deuill presently fled.

An other time as he was praying, the deuill so tormented him, that he was enforced as much as he could to cry out: help me my Brethren; att which call his companion Br. Gratian came running, and he was instantly deliuered. Praying also an other night, he heard the ennemy with many other deuils that were very neere him, who talking among themselues as men might doe, sayd: Wherfore doth this Religious la∣bour so much, fith he is already a sainct, so agreable is he to God, and euen in continuall extasie. Which they sayd, to tempt him and induce him to vaine glory. The last yeare of his life, the deuill persecuted him more cruelly thē he had don before; as he thought one night after pray∣er to repose himselfe, the deuill carryed him into so straight a place, that he could not turne him on any side, whatsoeuer endeauour he made to arise. Br. Gratian hearing him complaine, came to the dore of his cell to know if he were in prayer, or that some other accident were befallen him, and he perceiued that he was exceedingly troubled, wherfore he began to cry out: Father, what is the mater? wherto this holy Father answeared: Come quickly my child, come quickly. But Br. Gratian be∣ing vnable to open the dore of the cell, sayd vnto him: I know not the reason, but I cannot open the dore. Br. Giles prayed him to doe his vt∣most to open it speedely: which, after much labour he did, then com∣ming neere vnto him with all his power to assist him, he could not so

much as moue him out of the place where the deuill had throwne him. which Br. Giles perceauing, he said: Br. let me alone in this case, and lett vs referre all into the handes of God. So Brother Gratian, (though against his will) for bearing to endeauour to deliuer the holy Father out of this place, he fell to prayer for him, where by, a litle eased, he sayd to his companion: you haue done well in comming to assist me; God reward you for it. But Brother Gratian complayning that he had not called him in this imminent perill of death wherin he was, and relating the disgrace it would haue bin to him, and to his companions if he had so dyed, he sayd vnto him: Be not troubled my child if God by me be reuenged of his ennemies: for you must know that how much the deuill resisteth God, seeking to afflict and torment me, so much more is he tormented and discendeth deeper to the pro∣fundity of hell, and so when he persecuteth me I am reuenged of him: for the seruice which I haue now done to almighty God, had no beginning of me but of his diuine Maiesty, as the end shall be, if it please him. Wherfore I am assured that the deuill neither can, nor euer shalbe able to preuaile against God: yet did not the de∣uill omitt to torment him, in such sort that goeing att night to rest in his cell, he alwayes went sighing asif he would say, I expect, yea I goe to martyrdome.

Of diuers answeres giuen by Brother Giles vpon sundry occa∣sions.

THE XX. CHAPTER.

BRother Iames of Massa a very spirituall Religious, euen in regard of his particuler grace to be often rauished in God, one day demaunded of Brother Giles how he should gouerne himselfe in that grace: and the holy Father answeared: Brother, nei∣ther augment nor diminish, and shunne the multitude the most you can. Brother Iames not well vnderstanding him, asked him what he meant by those wordes, and Brother Giles replyed: when the spiritt is prepared to be conducted into the glorious light of the diuinity, it should neither augment by presumption, nor diminish by negligence; he should also with all possibility loue and seeke solitarines, if he desire that the grace receiued, be well preserued and augmented.

A Religious hauing asked him what he might doe that might be most pleasing to God: he answeared singing: One to one, one to one: the sayd Religious alleadging that he vnderstood him not, the holy Father replyed: you ought without any intermissiō or whatsoeuer

pretēce, giue one sole soule to one sole God, if you will please him.

Br. Gratian that had bin twenty yeares his companion and disciple, testified that in all that time he neuer heard him vtter one only idle word. This Religious as the discipline of so good a master had exceeding¦ly profited by his company in spirituall & edificatiue mortification, and had receaued many other graces of God, wherin desiring not to faile, he one time demaunded of his master, in what worck and in what kind of the graces which God had grāted him he should most exercise himselfe: & this questiō he made because he was absolutely resolued precisely to follow his counsaile. Whereto the holy Father answeared: you cānot be more gratefull to God in any other action, then in hanging your selfe. Which the good Religious hearing, he was stricken into a greiuous ama∣zement, and with such an answeare much troubled: wherfore Br. Giles proceeding, said: Know my child, that a mā which hangeth himselfe, is neither in heauē nor on earth, but is only lifted frō the earth, & looketh alwayes downe. Now doe you the like, sith if you cānot be now in heauē you may neuerthelesse so raise your selfe aboue earthly thinges (being exercised in vertuous works and prayer) that humility alwayes appeare* 1.15 in you, and liuing so, hope in the diuine mercy. By this counsaile he com∣mended vnto him two singuler vertues, prayer and humility, as speciall graces of a Religious that desireth to please God.

A certaine man talking one day with Br. Giles, sayd vnto him: Father I am resolued to become Religious: wherto he answeared: if you be ful∣ly resolued so to doe, goe first and kill both your parentes: which the o∣ther hearing he weeping replyed: Father I beseech you oblige me not to committ such euill and so grieuous sinnes. The holy Father then said; what my friend are you so simple and so ignorant as not to vnderstand me; I meant not that you should kille your parentes with the materiall, but with the mētall sword, because according to the word of our Lord, he cannot be his disciple, that hateth not his father, his mother, his kin∣red and his Friendes.

Two Cardinals one time visiting Br. Giles, to cōferre with him of spi∣rituall affaires, retyring att length frō the place of cōference, they feruent∣ly besought him to remēber in his deuotions to recōmend thē to God. Whervpon he answeared thē, my lordes what need can you haue of my prayers, sith you haue a greater faith and hope then I? The Cardinals ad∣miring this answeare, asked him what he mēt therby, he answeared: Be∣cause you with so much richesse, hōnours, delightes & tēporall content∣mētes hope to be saued: & I with such and so cōtinuall labours feare to be damned. Which so touched those Cardinals to the quick, that they de∣parted frō him very cōtrite in their soules, & their faces bathed in teares.

A very spirituall Religious was troubled with a greiuous temptatiō,

and very humbly and deuoutly prayed God to be deliuered therof: yet could he not be heard. Wherfore he repayred to Br. Giles, who vnder∣standing his affliction said vnto him: Brother doe not admire if God, of whome you haue receaued so many graces, will that you continually fight against this your ennemy. For when a kinge armeth his knightes, with better and surer armure, it is a signe that he desireth they should fight the more couragiously for him.

* 1.16 A Religious one day demaūding of Br. Giles how he could goe with a good will to prayer, because he ordinarily wēt without deuotion and very coldly: he thus answeared him: lett vs suppose that a king hath two faithfull seruantes, wherof the one is well armed, the other vnarmed. He will that they both goe to warre against his ennemies; he that is well armed goeth with great security, as being well accōmodated and fur∣nished of what is necessary for the battell: but the other sayth to the king, Syr, you see I am disarmed: neuertheles for the affection I haue to performe your seruice, I will not omitt in this estate to vndergoe this chardge with others. The king considering & taking notice of the loue and fidelity of this his seruant, he caused presently to be brought him such armour as he wanted and was needfull vnto him. So he that wan∣teth deuotion, and yet assisted with a strong faith, goeth boldly to the warre of prayer, lett him be assured that our Lord will not faile to furnish him, of what he seeth necessary for him to obtaine the vi∣ctory.

A man asking his opinion touching entring into Religion: The holy Father thus answeared: Tell me if a poore begger knew a great treasure to be hidden in a field, would he aske Counsaile to goe seeke? whereto the other answearing, truely no: Br. Giles replyed: how much rather then ought a man runne to seeke and purchase the infinite treasure of the kingdome of God? so this man with this counsaile departed, and ha∣uing giuen all that he had to the poore for the loue of God, he present∣ly became a Frere Minor.

Of other like answeares of the blessed Br. Giles.

THE XXI. CHAPTER.

A Certaine good spirituall personne said one day to venerable Brother Giles. Father, I find my selfe exceedingly incombred, & I know not what counsel to take: for if I doe any good act, I am presently tickled with vaine glory; and if I committ any sinne, I am so troubled that I am ready sometimes to fall into dispaire: The holy Father answeared: thou doest well to lament thy sinne, and to haue

feeling of the perill wherto it leadeth: but it should trouble thee with discretion, considering that the power of God is much greater to re∣ceaue* 1.17 thee to mercy, then thine is to cause thee to offend God. But the feare of vaine glory should neuer hinder thee from doeing good deedes. For if the labourer before seed-season should say to himselfe, I will sow no corne, because the birdes & wormes of the earth may eat vp the seed which I shall sow before it take roote in the earth, or when it is sprung vp and greene it may be eaten by beastes before it ripen and be gathered in: if I say the labourer should thus discourse with himselfe and con∣ceaue such friuolous difficulties, he would neuer sow, and so conse∣quently neuer reape, whence would ensue that we should haue no bread: but the prudent and wise labourer doth till and sow his land and doth his endeauour, and committeth the successe to the diuine prouidence: So should you endeauour to proceed in good worckes without feare of vaine glory: for albeit it doe a litle trouble you for the time, the better and securer part doth still remaine vnto you.

* 1.18 An other asking him if one could obtaine and possesse the grace of God remayning in the world: he answeared that he could: but I had rather, said he, haue one grace in Religion, then ten in the world: because in Religion grace doth easily encrease and is better there conserued, a man being there sequestred from the tumult and affection of worldly folies the capitall ennemies of grace: and with all the Religious his com∣panions by charitable remonstrances and by example of their holy con∣uersation doe with draw him from euill, and inuite and induce him to goodnes. But the grace which some may haue in the world may also be easily lost; because the solicitude of worldly affaires and cogitations, which is mother of distraction, doth hinder and trouble the sweetnes of grace, and other worldlinges by prophane and dishonest conuersa∣tions, by scandalous examples, and by diuilish hauntes and companies, doe diuert him from good and allure him to lewdnes: so that as it were by force they depriue him of his soules saluation, it being no part of their custome to further a vertuous life, but indeed to deride and scoffe att such as liue Christianly, nor to reprehend the vicious and enne∣mies of God, but to flatter and sooth them. Wherupon I conclude, that it is farre more 7s;ecure to possesse one grace with a helpe that may conserue it, then ten with such hazard, yea in such imminent perill.

A seculer man hauing once requested him to pray for him, he answea∣red: Brother pray for they selfe: for sith they selfe mayst haue recourse and accesse to God, why goest thou not? why wouldest thou send an other on thine arrant? this man againe told him that he acknowledged himselfe so great a sinner, that he knew himselfe to farre remote and

separated from God: But he, being holy and well beloued of his diuine maiesty, had more creditt with him, and had also more occasion to per∣forme the same, because he more often spake with God in prayer. Wher∣to the S. replyed: Brother, if all the corners of the citty were full of gold and siluer, and that it were cryed by sound of trompett through the streetes, that whosoeuer would, might take therof, would you send an other to fetch therof, or would you goe your selfe? the man answea∣red that in deed he would not therin trust the best friēd he had, but him∣selfe would goe in personne. Thus, said Brother Giles, shouldest thou doe with God: for all the world is full of his diuine Maiesty, & each one hath power to finde him, goe therfore they selfe with faith, and send no other for thee.

* 1.19 An other telling the holy Father, that he was determined to goe visitt the holy reliques of Rome, he answeared: seek first to know good mony from euill: therby insinuating vnto him, that pilgrimages doe not indif∣ferently benefitt all pilgrimes, but only those that know and can discer∣ne good and resist euill; calling sinnes and euill examples, bad mony, and vertue, pure metall.

* 1.20 A Religious was exceedingly troubled that he could not so well ac∣commōdate the diett for the other Religious as to giue them all contēt∣ment, and therfore repayred to Brother Giles to take his aduice how to support with patience their murmures: the holy Father answeared: Kno∣we you my child, what is best to doe? when the Religious shall say, these potage they are too fresh, or such like thing, take a dish-full of it, and eat it all, then make some shew to haue found it very sauory, and say aloud; O excellent potage! the dish-full which I haue eaten is worth an hundred ducketres: thus doeing in all other thinges, if you beleiue me, as I thinck you will, you shall shortly liue in repose, and shall con∣ceaue such cōfort: that nothing shall any more trouble you, but you will pray to God that they often speake such thinges vnto you.

* 1.21 Two Religious being expelled Sicilie by the Emperour Federick, a rebell to the Romane Church, they came to visitt Brother Giles, who hauing with great charity entertayned them, he asked them whence they were, and whence they came, and they answeared that they were Sicilians, and had bin expelled their contry by the Emperour, an enne∣my of the Church: which the holy Father hearing, enflamed with zeale to their soules, he sharply reprehended them in these wordes: what, are you so bold as to affirme that you are expelled your contry? doubtles you should no longer call your selues Frere Minors, which sundry times with a loud voice repeating, he with great feruour said vnto them: Bre∣thren, you haue grieuously sinned against that great rebell to God, the Emperour Federick, of whome hauing receaued so great a fauour, you

should also haue compassion of him, and pray to almighty God to voutsafe to mollifie his hart, and not murmure against him. And if you be true Frere Minors, you cannot truly say that he hath expelled you your contry, for Frere Minors haue nothing whatsoeuer in this life proper vnto them: so that this Prince hath taught you to be true Frere Minors and Pilgrimes on earth.

Certaine pious discourses of the holy Father Brother Giles.

First, a discourse of the way of saluation, and of perfection.

THE XXII. CHAPTER.

IF thou desire to saue they soule, said the illuminated seruant of God, demaund not the reason of whatsoeuer befalleth thee by mea∣nes of any humane creature. If thou wilt saue thee, labour dilligēt∣ly to remoue and sequester thy selfe from all the consolations and ho∣nours that creatures can giue thee: because the diuels of consolatiōs are the more subtill, and more mischieuous then those of tribulations: therfore also the falles of man are greater and more frequent by consola∣tions, then by afflictions and tribulations.

All falles & greatest perilles, arriue principally by bearing the head to high: as all good proceedeth & is gotten by submission therof. Wretched are those that seeke to be honoured for their vices and lewd behaui∣ours.

If thou acknowledge to haue offended the Creatour of all thinges, support with patience the difficulties and grieuances arysing by each of them: for thou hast no cause to complaine of them, sith euery thing ar∣riueth vnto thee from the hand of God.

If any one contend against thee, though it seeme iust to thee to gai∣ne, yet loose: for doeing otherwise, when thou shalt thinck to haue gai∣ned, then shalt thou haue lost.

If thou desire to see well, crush, and thrust out thine eyes: if thou wilt heare perfectly, stop thine eares, and make thee deafe: if thou wilt speake well and discreetly, cutt off thy tongue, and become mute: If thou wilt doe euery thing well, cutt off thy handes: If thou wilt ma∣ke perfect vse of all thy membres, rent them, cutt them off and se∣parat them from thy body: If thou desire to liue, kill thy selfe: If thou wilt eat well, fast: If thou desire to repose and sleep well, watch: If thou wilt gaine much, learne to loose: O what a great wisdome it is to know how to doe althinges well! but this not permitted to all.

Grace and vertue are the true ladders to ascend to heauen, as vices and

sinnes are the way and stumbling block that tūbleth vs into hel. Sinnes are the poyson and venime that murdereth the soule; vertues with good worckes are most perfect treacle and restoratiues.

Grace doth vnite and incorporate to it selfe other grace, and as∣sumeth not to it selfe any vice. Grace will not be praysed, nor will vice be checked or be blamed. The soule reposeth in humility, whose daughter is patience. God seeth the purity of the hart, and deuo∣tion tasteth him.

If thou loue, thou shalt be loued: if thou feare, thou shalt be feared: If thou accōmodate thy selfe to liue well with others, they wil comply to liue well with thee. Happy is he that loueth, and yet desireth not to be loued. Happy is he that serueth, and yet desireth not to be serued. Happy is he, that knoweth how to liue with all, and yet desireth not that all liue with him: But because these thinges are great, they that haue litle iudgement attaine not vnto them.

Three thinges are very profitable to man, and no euill can befall him that possesseth them. The first, if he voluntarily support all the affli∣ctions and crosses that happen vnto him. The second, if for whatsoeuer he doeth or receiueth, he the more hūble himselfe. The third, if he since∣rely loue that richesse which cānot be seene with corporall eyes. Those thinges which are most abādoned & contēned by worldlinges, are most esteemed & honoured of God & his saintes: For the sinfull & miserable mā abhorreth whatsoeuer he should loue, & loueth what he should hate.

This worthy seruant of God intending to declare to a deuout man the obligation we haue to serue God, vsed this paraboll vnto him: A mā* 1.22 hauing neither feet, handes, nor eyes, had one day by a friend of his this demaund made vnto him: Tell me, what wouldest thou bestow on him that should giue thee feet? and he answeared, that he would giue him an hundred duckettes, if he had so much. And if one would giue thee han∣des? he answeared, he would giue him al his welth, moueables & immo∣ueables. If one would giue thee eyes? to him, sayd he, I would oblige my selfe in seruice al my life. You must now thē, brother, that in this world God hath giuen thee feet, handes, and eyes, and the whole body, with all thy tēporall and spirituall substance: & therfore thou must endeauour to please him, and to acknwledge such and so many benefites, for which thou oughtest to serue him all the time of thy life.

A discourse of Faith.

THE XXIII. CHAPTER.

ALl the thinges that can be seene, related, or imagined, are as no∣thing, in comparison of those that cannot be seene, heard, or cōcea∣ued.

All the wisest and most holy personnes that haue bin, are, and shalbe, who haue spoaken and shall speake of God haue sayd nothing nor can say any thing in comparison of what he is, no more then the point of a needle in respect of the heauens, the earth, and all the creatures therein contayned, yea a thousand times lesse.

Two Religious of the Order of S. Dominick, one day visiting Bro∣ther Giles, and discoursing which him of faith, one of them sayd: sainct Iohn the Euangelist hath recorded many merueilous thinges of God. Wherto the holy Father answeared: Brother, S. Iohn hath sayd nothing of God: The Religious replyed Father, consider well, if you please, what you say; for S. Augustin is of opinion that if S. Iohn had spoaken more highly of God, no mortall man could▪ aue vnderstood him. Br. Giles then againe, I tell you brother, and once againe I tell you, that S. Iohn hath said litle or nothing of God. These Religious being much trou∣bled and scandalized att the holy Father would needes be gon, and tour∣ning away, Br. Giles stayed them and shewed them a very high moun∣taine whereon was the oratory of Cettone, neere where vnto they then were, and sayd vnto them: If there were one mountaine made of a thou∣sand together so great as that you see, and att the foot therof a litle bird did eat of it, tell me, brethren, I pray you, how much would he dimi∣nish of that mountaine euery day, euery month euery yeare, yea in an hundred yeares; they answeared him, that in a thousand yeares he would consume so litle as should not be perceaued. The holy Father thervpō inferred: Know you my Brethren, that the eternall diuinity is so immen∣siue, and is a mountaine of such eminent hight, that S. Iohn who was as a bird, hath said litle or nothing in comparison of the greatnes of God. These Religious acknowledgeing how prudently Brother Giles had spoaken, fell att his feet, confessing their errours: and so retourned ex∣ceedingly edified.

* 1.23 Br. Giles one day discoursing of spirituall matters with a lawyer that was a Iudge in some place. O Iudge, sayd he, beleeue you that the re∣compenses which God promiseth his seruantes are great? the Iudge an∣sweared, he did. Br. Giles proceeding, sayd: I will proue that you doe not. How much are you worth? the iudge answeared: about a thousād crownes. Well, said the Father, se now how you beleeue it only in wor∣des; for tel me, if you could giue your thousand crownes for an hūdred thousand, would you not esteeme it a great gaine, & would you not pre∣sently employ them? I beleeue you would, and yet you will not giue them for the kingdome of heauen. What followeth then, but that you doe not much esteeme, nor much valew the glory of the heauenly king∣dome, in regard of the friuolous follies of this world? And the reason is, because you haue no liuely faith. Yet the Iudge vnwilling to yeld, re∣plyed

to Br. Giles: Father, beleeue you that euery one worcketh as much as he beleeueth? the holy Father answeared: he that beleeueth well and perfectly, worcketh and perfo••meth worckes correspondente, as did the sainctes, who did all the good they could, and haue accomplished, by pious desires what they could not performe in effect. And if one haue a perfect and liuely fai••h, he would arriue to that estate, as God would giue him a perfect knowledge and assurance euen of diuine thinges, as sayth the Apostle to the Romanes: I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, neither thinges present, nor* 1.24 things to come neither might, nor height, nor depth, nor other creatu∣re shalbe able to separate vs from the charity of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And the man that assuredly hopeth this eternall & so∣ueraine recompence, doth not regard any afflictiō: as on the contrary no good can satisfie him that despaireth of the eternal good▪ in so much as a sinner should neuer despaire of the mercy of God whiles he hath life; cō∣sidering* 1.25 that there is no tree so thorny & disordered, but men if they list can prune and rectifie it. Much lesse can there be so great a sinner in the world, as that God cannot adorne him with his graces and vertues.

A discours of Charity, and of what the Prophet meant when he said, that all his friendes did deceaue him.

THE XXIV. CHAPTER.

CHarity is the principall of all the vertues: happy is he that fee∣leth not in himselfe any disgust of the thinges which he ought alwayes to desire. Brother Giles put this question to a Religious with whome he was very familier: doe you beleeue that I loue you? the Religious answeared he did. Wel then, said the holy Father, beleeue it no more: for a creature ought not sincerely to loue but the Creatour, who is pure and infinite. An other Religious said to the holy Father: I beseech you Father, make me vnderstād how that must be interpreted which the Prophet saith: Euery friend deceiueth. Wherto he answeared: I deceiue* 1.26 you, in that I doe not search your good as I doe mine owne. For the more I repute your good to be mine owne, the lesse shall I deceaue you, & the more a man reioyceth att his neighbours good, the more doth himselfe participate therin: & therfore if you desire to participate therof, striue to reioyce therat, & to procure Charity is the truest & most sure way of saluation, sith that therby one doth not only reioyce att the good of his neighbour, but is also grieued att his crosses: he beleeueth and iudgeth well of others, and euill of himselfe: he honoureth others, and mis∣priseth himselfe. He that will not honour an other, shall not be honou∣red,

and he that knoweth not himselfe shall not be knowne: he that will not weary himselfe, shall not repose: also the greatest of all labours and the most meritorious, is to labour in piety and benignity: he that doeth a good worck without loue and charity, is not gratefull to God nor to his sainctes: but he that for the loue of God maketh himselfe poore of temporall substance, shalbe rich of such as are celestial. A man then ought to choose and loue diuine thinges and misprise particuler thinges, for what can be greater then to know how to prayse the bene∣fitts of God, and to check himselfe for his proper malice? I would I had bin taught in this schoole from the beginning of the world, and there would study to the end therof, if I were so long to liue, there to contemplate the prayse dew to the benefites of God, and the reprehen∣sion and chasticement due to my euill worckes. True it is that if I must committ an errour, I had rather it were in the consideration of my wic∣kednes, then in the acknowledgement of the benefites receaued of God. For if we see many that for some litle seruice done them retourne many prayses and thanckes, how much more are we obliged in that kind of ac∣knowledgemēt vnto almighty God? And in deed a man ought neuer to make any comparison with this loue towardes him that hath a will to deliuer vs from all miseryes and to conduct vs to the fruition of al good, and that would euen dye to procure vs to liue.

A discourse of humility.

THE XXV. CHAPTER.

A Man cannot attaine to the knowledge of God, but by meane of humility, sith that the true way to ascend on high is to debase ones selfe. All the euils and all the ruines of this world proceed of pride, as is seene in the euill Angell and in the first man, wherof the one was created in heauen and the other in Paradice; which also may be ob∣serued* 1.27 in the Pharisie spoaken of in the Ghospel, and in many others: And on the contrary, all good that euer hath bin done, hath bin wrought by humility, as is remarqued in the most sacred Virgin, in the Publican, in the Theefe, and others. But good God, why doe we not ordinarily car∣ry on our shoulders some weighty burthen to crush downe our hard head, and to debase and humble it? A Religious one day demaunding of Br. Giles how one might shunne pride, he answeared: Brother, wash your handes, put your mouth where your feet are, consider your sinnes, and haue contrition for them, and then often incline your selfe towardes the ground. Wretched is he that desireth glory and honour for his owne sinnes & vanities. A man is ascended to an high degree of humility, when

he acknowledgeth that himselfe is contrary to his owne good. I also esteeme it a branch of humility to yeld to an other, and not to appropriat to ones selfe. I dare affirme that as one ought to attribute to God all goodnes as proper vnto him, so to our selues all euill. Happy is he that sheweth himselfe so vile before mē, as he is before God. Happy is he that walketh faithfully vnder the obediēce and iudgement of an other, as the holy Apostles did, after they were replenished with the holy Ghost. He that will haue peace and tranquillity in him, lett him repute al men grea∣ter then himselfe. Happy is he that desireth not to be seene in his wordes and behauiours that are commendable: but rather in the compunction and abiection wherin the diuine grace putteth him. He that is the ho∣lyest man in the world and reputeth himselfe most vile, he hath true humility. Humility knoweth not how to speake, and dareth not be tal∣katiue. Humility is like the brightnes of heauen: for as of the same brightnes and of vapours doe proceed thunders and earth quakes, wher∣of in an instant no more is seene, so humility doth ruine vices, wic∣kednes, and the high toures of her ennemy pride, and then causeth a man after the performance of great matters, to repute himselfe nothing. By humility a man findeth the grace of God, and peace with men. For euen as if a mightie Prince would send his owne daughter into a farre country, he would not mount her on a restiue and proud horse, but on a gentle nagge that shall amble easily and securely: euen so God as soueraine king, giueth not his grace to the proud, but only to the humble.

A discourse of the seare of God.

THE XXVI. CHAPTER.

THe holy feare of God expelleth out of man impious worldly feare, and is the guard of those goodes which cannot be expres∣sed, not so much as by imaginatiō: But to haue this feare is a spe∣ciall gift, & not graunted to all. He that feareth nor, sheweth that he hath nothing to loose. The feare of God guideth and gouuerneth man, and causeth him to find grace with his diuine maiesty, by which whē he hath receaued this feare, he conserueth it, and hauing lost it, doth recouer it. All reasonable creatures that haue forgotten themselues in foule disor∣ders, had neuer fallen therinto, if they had this gift of God, which is proper vnto the sainctes. And the more one is replenished with grace, the more is he humble and fearfull. Now albeit this vertue is least esteemed of men, yet is it not therfore lesse then others: for a man that in regard of his enormous offences committed against

God, is worthy of death, cannot haue any assurance wherwith to shew himselfe in his diuine presence. Happy then is he who acknowledgeth that to dwel in the world, is to be in a prison, and that there one daily offendeth God. A man should alwayes feare that pride conduct him not into hell. Thou oughtest to haue feare of thy selfe and thy like, and to carry thy selfe respectiuely and warily: for a man that liueth in the middest of his ennemies, cannot be in perfect assurance. Our flesh is our ennemy, which with the deuill is continually aduerse to our soule. A man should more feare to be surmonted and ouercome by his owne ma∣lice, then by any other thing: for it is impossible for a man to ascend to the glory of God, or there to perseuer without a holy feare. Not to haue it, is a signe of perdition. This feare causeth one to obey with hu∣mility, and to stoope euē to the earth vnder the yoke of holy obedience, and he that hath the greater feare, is the more deuout in prayer, and he that hath the grace to pray hath obtayned no litle grace of God. The worckes of men appeare they neuer so great, ought not to be iudged by humane iudgement, but according to the diuine will and institu∣tion. Therfore ought we (my Brethren in IESVS CHRIST) euer to liue in feare.

A discourse of Patience.

THE XXVII. CHAPTER.

HE that for the loue of God could support with patience all af∣flictions, should in short time obtaine abondance of graces, and should be Lord of this world, and haue one foot in the other. All thee good and euill which a man doeth, he doth it of himselfe: ther∣fore thou shouldest not be scandalized if one doe thee iniury, but shoul∣dest rather haue compassion of him. Support iniuryes patiently for the loue thou owest to thy neighbour: how much a man is prepared for the loue of God to endure abuses and affrontes, so great is he before his diuine maiesty, and no more: and how much he is feeble and weakely prepared to support the same thinges, so much lesse is he in the presence of God, and doth not know what God is. If thou heare any one speake ill of thee, assist him; if he speake well of thee, referre that to God. If thou wilt make thy part the better, make it ill, and that of an other, good: I meane thou must praise the worckes and good wordes of others, and blame thine owne. If thou wilt gaine, loose: for in the end when thou shalt thinck to haue gained, thou shalt find that thou hast lost, be∣cause this way is such, that though it seeme to lead to saluation, it ten∣deth to perdition. We doe not orderly support afflictions, and therfore

are not fitt to receaue and support spirituall consolations.

Doe not wrong or iniury to any, and if it be offred to thee, support it patiently for the loue of God, and in remission of thy sinnes: for it is more meritorious to suupport a great iniury for the loue of IESVS* 1.28 CHRIST without murmure, then to feed euery day an hundred poo∣re people, and to fast much and austerely. What doth it profitt a man to misprise himselfe, to afflict his body by fastinge, to pray, to watch and to vse discipline, if after all that, he cannot support an iniury done by his neighbour, for which he should receaue a greater recompence, then for whatsoeuer he could endure by his owne election? To support tribula∣tions and afflictions without murmure doth exceedingly purge the sin∣nes of a man, yea more then doeth a great effusion of teares: and ther∣fore happy is he that supporteth all these afflictions patiently, in regard that he shall reape therby a great fruit of consolation. Happy is he that neither hath, nor desireth any consolation from whatsoeuer creature vn∣der heauen. He doth not hope for any recompence from God, that is humble and peaceable, only, when althinges succed according to his will.

* 1.29 He that hath alwayes his sinnes before his eyes, will not faile to ma∣ke his profitt of all the afflictions that befall him. Thou must acknow∣ledge all the good thou hast to proceed from God, and all the euill from thy sinnes: for if one man had done all the good deedes that all the men in the world haue done, doe, or shall doe, withall that, if he duely cōsider himselfe, he shall find himselfe meerly aduerse to his owne good. This holy Father being demaūded by a Religious what one should doe, if those great tribulations forespoaken by our Sauiour to arriue att the day of the generall iudgement, should come to passe in our time, he answeared: If the heauens should raine sharpe stones and flintes, they could not hurt vs, if we were such as we should be. Know brother, if a man persist in his duety, all the euill that he can endure, will turne to his good: for as to him that hath a disordered will, the good doth tour∣ne into euill, so to him that hath a pure will, the euill doth tourne into good. And all good is interiour in man, so that it cannot be seene. The grieuous infirmities, great labours, and molestfull offences which we endure, cause the euill spirittes which are about vs to fly. If thou wilt* 1.30 be saued, neuer seeke to haue iustice don thee against any creature what∣soeuer, because holy and vertuous personnes thinck only how to doe well, and to endure euill. If thou acknowledge to haue offended God the Creatour of althinges, acknowledge also thy desert to be persecu∣ted by all creatures, which reuenge the iniuryes thou hast don to their Creatour. Therfore oughtest thou with much patience to support to be crossed & afflicted by all creatures, thou hauing no reason to alleadge a∣gainst

them, in regard that thou deseruest to be corrected by them. The vertue of a man that conquereth himselfe is in deed great, for therby he surmounteth all his ennemies, and maketh purchace of all good. It were a great vertue for a man to content himselfe to be ouercome of all the men of the world, for so he should become truely lord of all the world. If thou wilt be saued, labour to remoue from thee all hope and cogitatation of whatsoeuer consolation may arriue vnto thee by any mortall creature, because the falles proceeding of conso∣lations, are greater and more ordinary, then those of afflictions. The nature of a horse is then esteemed noble, though he fly with great fu∣ry and dexterity, when he permitteth himselfe to be guided and gouer∣ned by the discretion of the rider that stoppeth him att his pleasure, and maketh him goe whither he list. So when a man feeleth himselfe spur∣red by anger, must he doe, and permitt himselfe to be gouerned and di∣rected by some one that is to correct him: yea he should desire to giue as a recompence for the loue of God all that he hath, to haue giuen him spurnes with the feet, bastonades, buffettes, and to haue his beard torne off, haire by haire.

A Religious one day in presence of Br. Giles did murmure att a rigo∣rous obedience enioyned him: to whome this holy Father said. Brother the more you murmure, the more you burden your selfe: and with the more deuotion and humility you submitt your neck vnder the yoke of obedience, the more easy and light shall you find it: you will not be in∣iuryed in this world, and yet wilbe honoured in the other: you will not heare a displeasing word, and wilbe one of the Blessed: you will not la∣bour, and desire to repose: But you deceaue your selfe, for honour is pur∣chaced by reproach, benediction by malediction, and repose by labour: the prouerb being true: Troutes are not taken with dry handes: and therfore lett it not trouble thee if thy neighbour sometime offend thee,* 1.31 for euen Martha, that was so holy, would prouoke our lord against her sister Magdalen, not without reason complayning of her: and neuerthe∣les Mary was more sparing of her membres then Martha in the vse of them, but she laboured more then she in contemplation, though with∣out Martha, Mary had lost her speech, sight, hearing and tast. Endea∣uour then to be vertuous and gratefull to our lord IESVS CHRIST, and sight couragiously against vices, support patiently afflictions, consi∣dering that there is nothing in this world of greater meritt, then to con∣quer ones selfe, and that it is most difficult for a man to conduct his soule to God, without this victory.

A discourse of Idlenesse.

THE XXVIII. CHAPTER.

THe idle man looseth this world and the next, it being impos∣sible to purchace any vertue without diligence and labour. He that may rest in a secure place, should not put himselfe in a pla∣ce or doubt or danger. He is in a secure place, that laboureth for God. The yonge man that will put himselfe to paine for God, doth also shunne the kingdome of heauen. And if endeauour doe not fur∣ther, at least let not negligence be an impediment and hinderance: for as idlenes is the way to hell, so good worckes are the way that leadeth to heauen. A man ought to be very carefull and diligent to con∣serue the grace he hath receaued of God, faithfully labouring therin: for oftentimes the fruit doth perish by meane of the leafe, and the graine by the huske. God graunteth to some, fruit, and a few lea∣ues, and to others neither the one nor the other. I doe more esteeme the conseruation of the benefittes receaued of God, then the getting of thē. He shall neuer be rich, that knoweth how to gett, but not to keep. Wher∣fore many after much gaine, haue bin neuer the richer: because they knew not how to conserue; yet is it not so great a matter to know how to conserue, vnlesse also one know how to gett. There are some that gainning but litle, become incontinently rich, because they know well how to keepe what they haue gotten. The riuers would not be so often dry, if running continually, they did not cast thē∣selues into the sea.

Man demaundeth of God, graces without measure and end, and yet will make vse therof with measure and end: but he that wilbe loued and recompenced without end, ought to loue and serue without end. Hap∣py is he that employeth his time, body, and spiritt in the loue of God, that attendeth no recompence vnder heauen for the good he doeth. If one should say to a very poore man, Friend, I lend thee this my house to make vse therof for three dayes, in which time, if thou knowest how to employ it, thou mayest gaine an inestimable treasure; this being assu∣red and confirmed vnto him for most euident, would not he vse all his endeauour to make this gaine? That which is lent vnto vs of our lord is our flesh, our life, and whatsoeuer benefitt we can make therin, is in a maner but as three dayes. If the graine of corne doe not corrupt, it cannot only produce no fruit, but it also withereth and consumeth entierlie of it selfe without any encrease: wher∣fore is it not better to make it to rott. to the end it may spring, be

gathered, threshed in due time, and then layd vp into the garner of eter∣nall life.

A man doth seldome take counsaile to doe ill: but being to doe good, the first thing is to take counsaile of all the world. The prouerb sayth, one must not putt the pott to the fire in expectation of a promise: A mā is not happy for hauing only a good will, but he must rather with all possibility labour to accomplish the same by good and pious worckes, because God giueth his grace to a man to the end he follow the same.

A man one time praying Brother Giles to giue him some consola∣tion, he answeared: Endeauour to doe well, and thou shalt be comfor∣ted: for if a man doe not prepare in himselfe a place for God, he shall not find him in his creatures. What man is there, that will not doe that which is best, not only for his soule, but euen for his body in that which concerneth this life? I can truely affirme, that whosoeuer shaketh off the sweet and light yoke of our Sauiour, shall find it afterward far more painfull: and he that therwith burdeneth himselfe most, att lenght shall find it most light.

Would to God all men would doe that which they may acknowled∣ge to be best for their bodyes euen in this world: for he that made the other world hath made this also, and can giue to man in this world the benefittes which he giueth in the other, and the body feeleth the happinesse of the soule. A Religious hearing Brother Giles to speake these wordes, sayd vnto him: Tell me Father, if you please, we may per∣happes dye before we haue any experience of any good: The holy Fa∣ther answeared: The Furriers are knowen by skinnes, Shomakers by shooes, and forgers by iron: But tell me, Brother can a man be knowne by an art that he neuer practised? Thinck you that Princes and Potenta∣tes bestow great fauours and prefermentes on sottish personnes and without iudgement? there is no probability. Good worckes are the true way and meane to the fruition of all happines, as ill deedes to fall into all miseries, happy is he that feeleth no scandall att whatsoeuer matter vnder heauen: and he that is edifyed with whatsoeuer he seeth and heareth, and that amongest all thinges chooseth only those that he may vse to the most benefitt of his soule.

A discourse of the contempt of the world.

THE XXIX. CHAPTER.

VNhappy is the man that setleth his hart, his desires, and his ho∣pes on earthly thinges, for which he looseth all celestiall hap∣pinesse. If the Eagle that soareth so high, had to each of her

winges fastened one of the beames of the Carpēters worck att S. Peters in Rome, it is most certaine she could not mount into the ayre. As I ob∣serue many that labour for the body, so doe I find few that trauell for the soule. Many take exceeding paines for corporall affaires, breaking and cutting the marbles, digging mountaynes, labouring the earth, furrowing the sea, and performing many other painfull exercises: but who is he that laboureth manfully and with feruour for the soule?

The auaricious is like the Mole, that thincketh there is no other good but to digge the earth, and therfore therin setteth vp his rest: yet* 1.32 doubtlesse ther is an other treasure vnknowne to the Mole. The birdes of heauen, the beastes of the earth, and the fishes of the sea content thē∣selues when they haue sufficient to eat: but because man cannot content himselfe with what the earth affordeth, he alwayes sigheth after some∣what else. It is certaine that he was not created principally for these ba∣se thinges, but for such as are high and supreme, for so much as the bo∣dy was made for the soule, and this world for loue of the other. This* 1.33 world is a field of such quality, as the that hath the better and greater part therof, hath the worse share. This holy Father to this purpose al∣leadged that the holy Father sainct Francis did not loue the Antes, be∣cause of their ouer much care to assemble their prouisions: but loued the birdes much more, because they made no prouision to liue vpon, but depending on the diuine prouidence, made only search from houre to houre according to their need.

A discourse of Chastity.

THE XXX. CHAPTER.

* 1.34 A Religious demaunded of the venerable Br. Giles, how a man might best keepe himselfe from the vice of the flesh: and he an∣sweared: he that will remoue a grosse stone or beame, vseth therin more industry then force: so must he doe that will preserue his chastity: for it is like to a most cleare looking glasse, which may be ble∣mished and stayned in his brightnes by one only breath.

It is impossible that a mā can attaine the diuine grace, whiles he is de∣lighted in sensuall pleasures. Consider althinges, behold, tourne and re∣tourne vp and downe, and from one side to an other, you shall finde att lenght that nothing is more necessary then to fight against the fles••, which seeketh day and night to deceaue and betray vs: he that surmoun∣teth it hath ouercome all his ennemies, and becommeth afterward assu∣redly capable of all happines.

He would ordinarily say, that if he were to make choice of the vertu∣es,

he would choose chastity. Being asked what he called chastity, he answeared: I call chastity the conseruation of all the sences of the body in the grace of our Lord.

* 1.35 A maryed man that was deuoutly affected towardes him, was one day present when he praysed chastity, and sayd vnto him: Father I desire to be resolued of you, if liuing with my wife, and keeping fidelity towardes her, I am secure touching this point? Br. Giles answeared him: what, doe you not know that a man may as well be droncken with the wine of his owne tunne, as with that of an other mannes?

A discourse of Temptation.

THE XXXI. CHAPTER.

A Great grace cannot be possessed in peace, but that there wil arise many contrarieties: yea the higher degree of grace a man hath, the more shall he be assaulted of the deuill: but a man should not therfore omitt to prosecute his course of vertue, for the more violent the combatt is, the more excellent shalbe the crowne, when he shall haue ouercome. And if any doe misse this employment, lett him know that it is because he is not such as he ought to be; besides this is to walke al∣wayes in the direct way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, in which all tra∣uell and displeasure is sweet; but a man that followeth the course and way of the world, findeth displeasure and labour euen till death; so that albeit the more a man shalbe perfect in vertues, the more will vices be contrary vnto him: yet hating them so much, att euery vice that he sur∣mounteth, he purcacheth a great vertu, and becomming victorious ouer all kind of vices, wherby he might haue bin tormented, he shall not faile of a great recompence for it, and vpon whatsoeuer occasion he omitteth to walke in the way of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, for the same occa∣sion he looseth his recompence.

* 1.36 The burden of temptations, is often like to the trauell of the labourer that findeth a great peece of land which he is to worck vpon, couered with thistles & thornes, so that he is constrained with great trouble to cleare the same before his labour be auayleable: in such sort that he of∣ten repenteth to haue enterprised so painfull a businesse, in regard of the great expences and bodily labour that he is enforced to employ therin: For first he considereth that he must leuell and make euen all the hilloc∣kes that are vnequall with the ground, and therof seeth not the fruit: Secondly he cutteth or burneth the bushes, thornes and thistles therin, yet seeth no fruit therof: Thirdly with much labour and sweat he dig∣geth vp the rootes, neither yet seeth the fruit. Fourthly, he openeth

the earth with the plough-share to cleanse the same, yet hath no sight of the corne that is the ground of such his labour. Fiftly he tilleth it the second time and maketh it into furrowes: Sixtly he soweth his graine. Seauenthly when the corne is sprung vp he cleanseth it and rooteth out the weedes: Eighthly he doth haruest the corne into his barne: Ninthly with much labour and sweat he separateth it from the chaffe causing it to be threshed, winnowed, sifted and very diligently cleansed: Tenthly and lastly, he transporteth the corne into his garner; and for the contentment he conceaueth to see the fruit of his paines and la∣bours, he then forgetteth them, and purposeth to vndertake yet much greater, for the only ioy he hath of his haruest. Now the like effect is in the temptations and labours which one endureth in this world, for the spirituall fruit and contentment, which he is to reape therof in the life euerlasting.

* 1.37 A Religious hauing one time conference with Br. Giles, sayd vnto him: Father it is recorded that S. Bernard once sayd his seauen peniten∣tiall psalmes, without euer thincking of other matter, nor was assaul∣with any distractiōs. The holy Father answeared: I would better esteeme a castle valerously assaulted, and more couragiously defended.

A discourse of Penance.

THE XXXII. CHAPTER.

A Iudge discoursing with Brother Giles of spirituall matters; asked him by what meanes seculer personnes might ascend to the state and glory of vertue. Wherto the holy Father answea∣red: A man ought first to procure sorrow and contrition for his sinnes, then to confesse them with bitternes and griefe to haue offended God, and afterward to fulfill the penance that his ghostly Father shall enioyne him. So being in good estate, he must carefully keepe himselfe from offending God, and shunne all occasions that may induce him to sinne, and finally must exercise himselfe in good worckes. Blessed be the tem∣porall affliction that conuerteth to a mannes happines, and accursed be the pleasure that tourneth to his misery. A man should endure and sup∣port affliction in this world with a good will, sith our Redeemer IE∣SVS CHRIST hath giuen vs an example in himselfe. Happy is he that hath true contrition of his sinnes, and lamenteth day and night, nor will seeke his consolation in this world, but where all the desires of his hart shalbe satisfied.

A discourse of Prayer.

THE XXXIII. CHAPTER.

PRrayer is both the beginning and perfection of all good. Prayer* 1.38 illuminateth the soule, and by it good and euill are discerned. All sinners ought to make this prayer vnto God, that he will giue thē knowledge of their owne sinnes, of the diuine mercy, and of the bene∣fittes receaued of IESVS CHRIST. He that cannot pray, knoweth not God. It is necessary for all those that are to be saued, if they haue vse of reason, to apply themselues to prayer, to obtayne mercy of God. Lett vs suppose that a widdow and lady which were much retyred, simple and chast, had a sonne, that for some crime committed were prisonner & condemned to death: This Mother though honorable and retyred, would she not repayre to the Prince, with abondance of teares to seeke fauour for her sonne? This vrgent necessity, no doubt, for the extreme loue of this widow to her sonne (though she were very rarely seene to goe out of her house) would enforce her to runne through the streetes, with cryes, weepinges and lamentations, to sollicite all those whome she thought might any way assist her in sauing the life of her sonne: which she would attempt without any feare or respect of the modesty requisite to her degree and quality. In like manner he that knoweth his sinnes, knoweth consequently to aske pardon for them with shame and humility.

* 1.39 There was one that growing as it were into despaire, for that in prayer he receaued not the grace of God which he desired, complayned therof to Br. Giles, who answeared him: Brother, I counsaile you to goe on sweetly, and to haue patience; for, as there being lees in a vessel, one doth not therfore shake and entermingle it together with the wine, which were it neuer so good would be vtterly spilled therby: And as, though sometimes the mill-stone grindeth not good meale, one doth not therfore breake it, but with time and patience repaireth it: so must you doe, and thinck your selfe vnworthy to receaue any consolation in prayer: considering that albeit a man had liued from the beginning of the world till this present, and were to liue till the end therof, and* 1.40 should euery day in prayer power a quart of teare-water out of his eyes, yet should he not att the end of the world be worthy to receaue any consolation from God.

An other Religious demaunding of this his Father, why a man was more tempted in his prayer then in any other time, he answeared: When any one hath a processe in a kinges Court, and knoweth that his ad∣uersary

seeketh to gett some fauour against him att the kinges handes, he endeauoureth with all meanes and possibility to hinder his repaire to the Court: if he cannot, he procureth att least that the king giue not eare vnto him, or at least that he obtaine not his request; and then vseth all his indeauours to procure iudgement in his owne behalfe: Thus worcketh the deuill against vs. And therfore when you discourse with any one, you shall very rarely perceaue the deuill to warre against you with his temptations: but if you goe about to recreat your soule with God in prayer, you shall incontinently feele the shottes of the ennemy against you. But you must not therfore giue ouer prayer, but with great feruour and resolution perseuer, for there is the true and assured way, leading to the celestiall contry: and he that for temptations omitteth prayer, is like to a coward that flyeth the combatt.

* 1.41 An other Religious said to this holy Father: I see many that, when they are in prayer, incontinently obtaine the grace of deuotion and teares: but my selfe can neuer find any consolation. Br. Giles answeared: Brother, omitt not to continue prayer with your accustomed feruour. For if God giue not you his grace att first, he can giue it you att an other time: and that which he might haue giuen you in a day, or in a weeke, in a month, or in a yeare, he will giue you when he shall see it most conuenient and most necessary for you. But in the meane while faile not in your endeauour, and leaue the care of the rest to the prouidence of God. For the master Cutler giueth many hammer-strokes on the iron, before the endeth a knife, and then att last finisheth it with one blow.

* 1.42 A man ought to haue great care of his saluation, sith that if it were possible that the whole world were heaped vp with men to the very cloudes, and of all them only one were to be saued, yet not one should omitt to follow his vocation and procure the grace to be that one: for, to loose the glory of Paradise is not a matter of small impor∣tance, as to loose the lachett of a shooe, or such other thinge. But wretched as we are, there wanteth not one to giue, but to receaue: the refections are prepared, but there is none ready to eat.

Many good worckes are commended in holy scripture, as to cloath the naked, to feed the hungry and other like thinges, but prayer ought to be in spiritt and truth as our Lord IESVS CHRIST saith. The* 1.43 holy Religious are as wolues, who seldome goe foorth in publike, vulesse vppon vrgent necessity, neither then doe they long remayne abroad.

A Religious that was very familier to Br. Giles asked him one time, why he did not more often goe abroad to visitt the seculers that de∣sired to conferre with him. The holy Father answeared him: I desire

to satisfie my neighbour without preiudice to my soule. Do not you be∣leeue that sometimes I would giue my neighbour a thousand duckets if I had them, rather then I would giue him my selfe? the Religious ans∣weared, that he beleeued him. Beleeue you not also, sayd the holy Fa∣ther, that I would giue my neighbour foure thousand duckets, rather then my selfe? The Religious answeared, I beleeue you. Br. Giles then inferred: Our Sauiour sayth in the Gospell: he that forsaketh Father; Mother, Brothers, Sisters, kinred, friendes, and all other worldly thin∣ges, for my sake, shall receaue an hundred fold in this world, and in the other, life euerlasting.

This holy Father seeing a gentleman, that was esteemed to be worth threescore thousand duckets, to enter into Religion sayd: The retribution which God giueth in this life is excessiuely great, sith that to this man is to be deputed and hundred times threescore thousand duckets, but we are blind and worse then blind, that will neither know nor consider it.

This good Father on a time sayd: beleeue me if we should see a man replenished with grace and vertues, we should not support the sight of his perfection: and if a man were perfectly spirituall, he could hardly permit and endure to see or heare any wordly thing, or to speake with any worldly personne but vpon vrgent necessity; but would affect to be al∣wayes solitary. He sayd of himselfe: I had rather be blind, then be the fai∣rest, richest, wisest, and most noble in the word. This Religious asked him the reason. Because, said he, all thinges are apt to hinder my sure way; & this my blindnes and want of sight, might be a guid and assistance vnto me.

A discourse of spirituall warinesse, and of consideration.

THE XXXIV. CHAPTER.

IF thou wilt tast the chieffest good, thou must sequester thy selfe from all sensual thinges: if thou wilt loue thy selfe well••, thou must hate thy selfe: If thou wilt liue well, mortifie thy selfe: if thou wilt be rich, make thy selfe poore; if thou wilt liue deliciously, afflict thy selfe: if thou wilt liue in security, perseuer alwayes in feare: if thou wilt be exalted, humble thy selfe: if thou wilt be honoured, dispise thy selfe: if thou desire to haue that which is good, endure that which is euill: if thou wilt be blessed, support maledictions. O how great is his wisdome that can performe this! but because they are great matters, they are not graunted to all.

* 1.44 If a man should liue a thousand yeares, and had nothing to doe with∣out himselfe, he should find businesse enough within him, yea he were not able to cōpasse all that was necessary to be done. None should desire

to see, to heare, or to speake, but what were a furtherance to his spiri∣tual profitt, and vpon whatsoeuer occasiō, should proceed no further. He that will not know, shall not be knowne. But vnhappy are we if hauing the giftes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, we doe not know thē: & they that haue then not, seek not to haue them; a man imagineth God ac∣cording to his apprehension, but God is such as he is.

A discourse of the Actiue and Contemplatiue life.

THE XXXV. CHAPTER.

AS no man can conueniently attaine to the contemplatiue life, if he be not sincerely and deuoutly exercised in the actiue, wherin it is necessary that with all his cogitation he apply himselfe: so he shall proue a true actiue man, who if he could feed all the poore of the world, cloath them, and supply all their necessities, and doe good to all churches and hospitalles, and this being done, each one should esteeme him a lewd man, and he knowing so much, should not att all respect it, nor forbeare, but rather continue his pious worckes, yea should the more voluntarily and with greater feruour exercise them; as one that de∣sireth not any recompence in this life: considering that Martha, careful to* 1.45 serue our Lord IESVS CHRIST, demaunded assistance therin of her Sister Mary Magdalen, and was reprehended of our lord, because she would distract her sister from contemplation, who yet gaue not ouer her good worcke: so he that is truely actiue should not omitt good worckes for whatsoeuer reprehension may be giuen him; sith he hopeth for no recompence but in heauen.

A Religious came cōplaining to Br. Giles, that his brethren made him to labour so much, that he had hardly time enough to pray, and that for that cause he was determined to procure licence to remoue vnto an other Couent, where he might with more repose serue God in prayer. Wherto the holy Father thus answeared: if you were in the Court of the king of Frāce, & should demand of him a thousand marck in siluer, he might an∣sweare, what hast thou don for me that may moue thee to demaund such a recompence? but if you had formerly done him some notable seruice, you might with fa••re more assurance make such demaund. Therfore if you will serue God, you must first labour in obedience; sith it is a greater vertue to doe one thing att the will of an other, then to doe two, att ones owne pleasure. Then he added: No mā can obtaine to contēplation of the glory of his diuine Maiesty, but by feruour of spiritt & feruēt prayer, and then is a man enflamed with the feruour of the holy Ghost & soareth vp to diuine contēplation, when the hart is so disposed with the m••bers, that

neither can nor will thinck of other thing then that w ich it possesseth and feeleth. He shalbe a perfect contemplatour who, hauing all his mē∣bres cutt off, yea and his tongue, would neither thinck, procure, nor de∣sire to haue any other member, nor whatsoeuer other thing he can ima∣gine vnder heauen, and this by reason of the excellencie of the most deli∣cious and ineffable odour and sweetnes of contemplation. In that res∣pect S. Marie Magdalē being prostrate att the feet of our lord IES. CHR. receaued and felt such a sweetnesse of his wordes, that she had no mem∣ber in her, that could or would doe other thing then what she then did. Which she sufficiently testified, when her sister complayning att the wāt of her helpe, she answeared nothing either by wordes or figues. But our Redeemer as her Aduocate and Procuratour answeared for her: & with∣all she was imployed in his seruice more excellently then Martha was. Now to contemplate is to sequestred from men, and to remayne vni∣ted alone with IESVS CHRIST.

Br. Giles made this demannd to a Religious of his Couent: Brother what say the Doctours of contēplation? the Religious answeared: they speake diuersely. Will you, replyed the holy Father, that I speake mine o∣pinion therof? the degrees of contēplation are, fire, vnction, extasie, tast, repose, and glory: then he added: a more expresse contemplation of God* 1.46 with the soule cannot be giuen, then that of the Espouse, with his Es∣pouse: for the Spouse, before he receaueth his Espouse, sendeth her pre∣cious stones, iewels, and other ornamentes of price to adorne her: but whē they are together, the Espouse leaueth all those thinges to approch vnto her Spouse: so doe good worckes and vertues adorne the soule as precious stones and sumptuous attire, and prayer vniteth it vnto God.

An ancient Religious demaunded of Br. Giles, if the soule by extasie and contemplation did sometime euen in this life goe out of the body, and he answeared, that it did: yea he assured him, that he knew a man yet liuing, whose soule being lifred vp in extasie, went out of the body, and forsooke it, yea already vtterly forgetting the same. I beleeue said the Religious, that such soule was exceedingly grieued to retourne into her body. Br. Giles then smilingly replyed: Brother that which you say is true, yea most true.

This holy Father would often, in prayer and att other times with ex∣ceeding feruour, say: What art thou my God, of whome I demaund this? and what am I that aske it? I am a sack filled with dung, with loathsom∣nes and with wormes: and thou art lord of heauen and earth. And thus beginning his prayer, he would be incontinently eleuated and rapt into almighty God.

Of profitable science and vnfruitfull, of preaching and the interpretation of those wordes of the scripture: Ego rogaui pro te Petre.

THE XXXVI. CHAPTER.

THe Venerable Br. Giles would sometimes say lett him who desireth to be learned humble well his head, lett him be exerci∣sed in good worckes, and lett him rent his body on the earth, & God will giue him knowledge. It is a soueraine wisdome to doe good worckes, carefully to obserue the cōmandementes and to consider the iudgements of God. He once sayd to a Religious that would goe to a lecture att a Colledge: Tell me wherfore would you goe to the lecture? Know that the most worthy science is to feare and loue God: these two vertues will suffice you, a man hath knowledge according to his good worckes and no more. Be not only carefull to profitt others, thou being obliged to be more carefull to benefitt thy selfe. We would of∣ten times know many thinges for others, and few for our selues. The word of God is not of him that heareth it, nor of him that vttereth it, but of him that putteth it in effect. Many not knowing how to swimne throw themselues into the water to helpe an other that they see in dan∣ger of drowning; but hauing aduentured too farre, they are drowned together: so that wheras there was but one in perill, two are lost by presumption: In purchasing aboue all thinges the saluation of thy owne soule as thou art obliged, thou shalt not omitt to assist others, but rather in doeing good worckes for thy selfe, thou shalt also profitt them that wish thee well. The Preacher of the word of God is a messager of his maiesty, to the end he be to the people a flaming light, a glittering glasse, a standerd-bearer of his warryers. Happy is he that condu∣cteth others by the assured way, that faileth not to walke the same way, and that inducing others to runne, standeth not still himsel∣fe: and so if he helpe to enrich others, he remayneth not poore. I suppose a good Preacher preacheth more for himselfe then for others, and it seemeth that he who endeauoureth to draw soules out of an euill course to setle them in a good, ought to feare that himselfe be not seduced from the same good way, and led to the way of the deuill.

A Religious demaunded of this holy Father, whither were better to preach well, or to doe well: he answeared, tell me who doth me∣ritt more, ha that goeth in pilgrimage to sainct Iames of Galicia, or he that sheweth him the way? I see many thinges that are not myne, I heare much that I vnderstand not, and I speake much that I

doe not performe; and it seemeth to me, that a man is not saued for seeing, speaking and hearing, but for well performing that which he knoweth to be the best. Wordes are farther distant from deedes, thē the earth is remote from heauen. If any one would permitt you to goe into his vineyeard there to gather grapes, would you content your sel∣fe with leaues? It is a thousand times more necessary for a man to gett instruction for himselfe, then for all the world. If you desire to know much, doe many good worckes, and humble your selfe withall possibi∣lity. A Preacher should not speake ouer-curiously, nor too grosly: but should vse only common and ordinary tearmes.

Then the holy Father smilingly proceeded: there is great diffe∣rence betweene the ewe that bleateth much, and her that bringeth many lambes: that is, it is not one thing to preach, and to putt in execution.

Br. Giles one day sayd to a Doctour, that seemed to glory much in his doctrine and preaching: if all the earth were in the possession of one man, and he should not labour it, what fruit would he reap therof? Rely not therfore so much one your learning, albeit all the knowledge of all the world were in your head, because not performing worckes necessary to your saluation, it would nothing auayle you.

This holy Father prayed a Religious that went to preach att Perusia, to take for the theme of his sermon these wordes: I kisse, I kisse, I speake much and performe litle. This is in his life a litle before.

This holy Father expounding these wordes of our Sauiour IESVS* 1.47 CHRIST, I haue prayed for thee Peter, I haue prayed for thee, that thy faith faile not: and thou once couuerted, confirme thy Brethren: he thus inter∣preted it: Almighty God, sayd he, would giue to vnderstand that a man should first labour for himselfe, and then for others▪ And albeit the con∣uersion of soules be very gratefull vnto God, yet it is vnderstood of tho∣se that can doe it without preiudice to the saluation of their owne sou∣les, seruing God, as S. Paul, whersoeuer they are. Therfore this holv Fa∣ther would often with great feruour of spiritt, say: Paris, Paris, thou doest ruinate the Order of S. Francis. Which this good Religious sayd, seeing the disquiett and trouble of spiritt of many learned Frere Minors, that put confidence in their sciences.

Br. Giles hearing a quaile and a doue to sing, sayd in feruour of spiritt; there is the way, there is the way, and not there: as if they sayd, lett vs endeauour to doe well in this life, and not expect the other: with reasō sister doue thou speakest this, so sweetly groning. But sinner wheron thinckest thou? why makest not thou they profitt of this aduertisment? Besides, it is to be vnderstood that Br. Giles speake this vpon the allu∣sion of the Italian•• and Spanish tongue, with the note of the doue and

the quaile, which is, quaqua, which cannot be applyed to the French tongue.

A discourse of good and euill wordes.

THE XXXVII. CHAPTER.

HE that vttereth good wordes is as the mouth of God, & he that speaketh ill, litle differeth from the mouth of the deuill. When* 1.48 the seruātes of IESVS CHRIST assēble together in any place to discourse, they should talke of the excellēcy of vertues, that they may seeme pleasing vnto thē, and giue them cōtentment, and should also be exercised in thē. By which act they shall come to loue thē more, and to performe better actions: for the more a man is burthened with vices, the more needfull it is for him to speake of vertues; because by the frequēt and pious discourse of them, he persuadeth and easily disposeth him∣selfe to put them in practise. But what shall we say, the conditions of this world being so corrupted, that one cannot speake good of good,* 1.49 nor euill of euil? We will then confesse the truth, that we know not how to speake of good, how good it is, nor lykewise of euill how euill it is. Wherfore it seemeth that neither of these to thinges, can sufficiently be comprehended. So that I tell you, I esteeme it not a le••••e vertue, to know how to be silent, then how two speake well: and according to my iudgement, a man should haue a long neck as* 1.50 a Crane, that his wordes passe by many ioyntes, before it goe out of the mouth.

A discourse of perseuerance in good worckes, and of the memorie of death.

THE XXXVIII. CHAPTER.

WHat doth it profit a man, to fast, pray giue almose, mortifie himselfe, and to haue vnderstanding of cele∣stiall thinges, yet with all this doth not arriue to the de∣sired port of saluation? There hath bin sometime seene in the mayne sea a faire shipp loaden with abondance of wealth, which neere vnto the hauen, surmonted by a litle tempest, hath misera∣bly perished. What then hath auayled the brauery and richesse that it brought? But on the contrary hath bin seene an old vessell, vn∣seemely and contemptible to each one, that hath defended it selfe from the perilles of the sea with her burden of merchandises, and securely arriued in the port, & such an one deserueth praise. The same happeneth also to men of this world, and therfore ought they to liue alwayes in the

feare of God. For although a tree grow and is fastened in the ground, he doth not yet sodenly become great, and when he is great, he doth not presently florish, he is not so soone fruitfull, if he be, they be not ripe, if ripe, they do not in euery respect content the master. For some doe rott, other are beaten downe by the windes of temptations, and are deuoured by the wormes of the sences.

Two thinges I hould for great benefittes of God, when a man hath his hart remote from sinne, and replenished with loue towardes God: which two thinges whosoeuer shall possesse without danger of any euill, shalbe in possession of all good: But he must perseuer, because if one had from the beginning of the world to this instant, liued in distres∣ses afflictions, and now should haue abondant fruition of all kind of ioyes, all the miseries past would not offend him: on the contrary, if one had alwayes spent his time in continuall iollyty and contentment, and were att this present oppressed with diuers miseries and infirmities, his pleasures past would nothing reioyce him. Wherfore each one should leuell att that, where althinges are to end and determine.

A seculer person hauing told this holy Father, that he would be con∣tent to liue a long time in this world and to be rich and haue his pleasure in all thinges: he answeared him: If you should liue a thousand yeares, and were lord of all the world, what recompence shoulde you receaue in the death of this body, which you shall with so great affection and pleasure, haue serued; but wormes, stinch, and eternall death? Better were it for you my child, beleeue me, to endure a litle here, so to re∣ceaue in heauen that incomprehensible recompence, which by no hu∣mane tongue can be expressed.

A discourse of Religion and Obedience.

THE XXXIX. CHAPTER.

I Would more respect a litle grace from almighty God in Religion, then much more in the world: because there is more perill and lesse helpe in the seculer estate then in Religion, and yet a sinfull man hath more feare of his good then of his euill, because he feareth more to doe penance entring into Religion, then to persist in sinne in the world.

They that enter into Religion, and performe not what is conuenient to their vow, are like a common labourer that adorneth himselfe with the armour of a braue soldier and when he must fight, knoweth not how to vse it. I doe not esteeme it much to enter into the Court of a king, and to gett fauour of him: but I much esteeme, to know how to liue in a

Court as one ought and so to perseuer: The Court of a great king, is Re∣ligion, wherin it is a small matter to enter and to receaue some gift of Almighty God: But to know how to liue there, and to perseuer in ho∣ly deuotion to the end, is a matter very laudable and estimable. Wher∣fore I had rather liue in seculer estate, with desire to enter into Religiō, then to be Religious with wearinesse and ircksomnes. The glorious Virgin Mother of IESVS CHRIST was borne of sinfull man & woman, and liued not inclosed in any Religion, neuertheles she was, & is as she is. But when a Religious hath made profession, he must be∣leeue that he neither knoweth nor can liue out of Religion. It doth vn∣doubtedly seeme vnto me that the Religion of the Frere Minors was sent of God into the world, for a great benefitt and profitt to al men: but we shal proue extremely miserable, if we be not such as we ought to be. I esteeme the Religion of the Frere Minors, to be the poorest and the ri∣chest of the world: but we haue this de••ect, that we aspire to rise to high: when a shippe is broaken by a tempest, though the affliction be great, he that can, striueth to saue himselfe. Considering all the Religions that are, and haue bin from the beginning of the world to this present, I find none so reasonable, conuenient, nor better then this of the Frere Minors. He is rich that playeth the part of a rich man, he is wise that imitateth the wise, he good that imitateth the good; and he noble that is a true follower of our most noble Lord IESVS.

Vertuous conditions open vs the way to all happines, and vicious to perdition. And therfore the more a Religious submitteth himselfe vn∣der the yoke of odedience, the more fruit doth he produce; and the more obedient a Religious is and more subiect to his Superiour, for the honour and loue of God, so much more is he poore of spiritt and purged of his sinnes.

A Religious truely obedient is as a soldier well armed, and as a horse∣man mounted on a gallant Courser••, who securely breaketh through the middest of his ennemies without detriment. The Religious that obeyeth with murmure is as a disarmed horseman on a cowardly iade, that passing through his ennemies, stumbleth, and is taken prisonner. The Religions that seeketh to liue according to his will, desireth to goe to the fire of hell. When the oxen submitt their neck to the yoke, then are the corne-loftes full with graine: but when they run wandering o∣uer the fieldes and taking their pleasure, it is a signe that the garners are empty. The more eminent and wise personnes yeld their head vnder the yoke of obedience▪ but the il-aduised and ignorant, retire themselues and contemne to obey. The mother doth often bring vp her sonne and rayse him to honour, and the vngratefull sonne disobeyeth his mother and derideth her: Many Religious doe the like to Religion their mo∣ther

ther. I more esteeme to obey a Superiour for the loue of God, then to* 1.51 obey God himselfe: for he that obeyeth the vicar of IESVS CHRIST, with greater reason would he obey God himselfe, if he command him.

He that submitteth his head vnder the yoke of obedience, and after∣ward remoueth it to follow of himselfe the way of perfection accor∣ding to his fantasie, he discouereth his interiour pride. Wherfore it see∣meth to me, if one had obtayned the grace to speake with the Angels, & were att the instant called by his superiour, he should incontinently lea∣ue his conference with the Angels, and obey a man, to whome he hath voluntarily made himselfe subiect for the loue of God.

* 1.52 Our Lord and Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath made the verity of this doctrine appeare in Br. Andrew, my deuout companion, who being in feruent prayer in his cell, his diuine Maiesty appeared vnto him in forme of a very beautifull child, who by the splendour of his conte∣nance, and the familiarity which he shewed him, filled him with an ineffable consolation. But in the meane whiles it runge to Euen∣song: the poore Religious then not knowing what to doe, resolued to leaue his God, and went incontinently to the quier, saying, that it was the better to obey the creature for the loue of the Creatour, in this māner giuing satisfaction to both the one and the other. The sequell dis∣couered how pleasing this his opinion was vnto God: for the euensong being ended, Brother Andrew retourned to his cell and there yet found the litle child IESVS, who sayd vnto him: If thou haddest not gone to the quier, I had presently gone hence, and neuer re∣tourned.

A discourse of vertues and vices in generall, and of Prayer.

THE XL. CHAPTER.

DIuine thinges make a man rich, and humane thinges make him poore. Wherfore men should follow and loue the one and the other. For as all the wayes of the earth are full of vices and sin∣nes, so they of heauen are full of vertues, which being prepared for crea∣tures, call to each one, saying: come and entertaine vs, and we will teach you the way of saluation, but man miserable as he is, hath no mind that way. Whose fault is it then if he liue in misery and pouerty, sith being called of God, he will not take the paines, to come to his presence? wher∣by he maketh himselfe guilty of eternall death. For as vertues and gra∣ces are the way and ladder leading to heauen: so sinnes are the down∣fall descending into hell.

But it is very perillous to demaund of God vertues and graces, be∣cause, if hauing receaued them, we doe not good worckes accordingly, we make his diuine Maiesty more our ennemy, and prouoke his wrath to chastice vs for our ingratitude: in respect that by how much greater the gift is which God presenteth to his creature, the more vngratefull doth he proue that conserueth it not. The more a man is surmonted by vices and sinnes, the more ought he to hate and abhorre them.

By prayer a man doth often meritt great graces and vertues, for he is therby illuminated in his soule, and fortifyed in faith, he taketh notice of his misery, obtayneth feare and humility, and purchaseth a contempt of himselfe: he getteth contrition for his sinnes, the gift of teares, and amendement of his euill life. Prayer maketh the science of a man pure, maketh him constant and stable in patience, and delighting in obedien∣ce, it maketh him perfect in mortification of himselfe; it purchaseth vnto him an assured knowledge, the gift of vnderstanding, the gift of force, the gift of prudence, and finally conducteth him to the knowledge of God, who manifesteth himselfe to them that adore him in spiritt and truth: for a man by prayer is inflamed in loue, then presently runneth af∣ter the diuine odour, and obteyneth the sweetnes of delight, then is ele∣uated to repose of spiritt, where he is admitted to the glory of the sweet∣nes* 1.53 of God. When he shall haue layd his mouth to the word of the most high, wherwith alone the soule is satisfied. Who can euer separate him frō prayer, which raiseth and eleuateth the spiritt vnto contemplation?

And that they, who shall desire to obtaine the afforesaid thinges, may know to attayne therto, lett them, among all other well obserue these six considerations, as most necessary, wherof the first is touching his sin∣nes past, for which he must haue contrition: the second, to be prudent in his actions present: the third, to foresee those to come: the fourth, lett him consider the mercy of God that expecteth mannes repentance, not taking vengeance on him, though he haue made himselfe worthy of e∣ternall tormentes, according to diuine iustice, which he dessembleth, in expectation of his amendemēt. The fift is of the benefittes of his diuine Maiesty, which are innumerable, as the incarnation, and passion, and all for our benefitt, the doctrine which he left vs, and the glory he pro∣miseth. And for the sixt and last, he must consider what our Redeemer IESVS CHRIST hath loued in this life, as pouerty, nakednes, hunger, thirst, cold, humility dishonour, contempt, trauels, wherin we must en∣deauour to conforme our selues, and to follow him with all possibility.

Of some other spirituall discourses of this glorious Sainct.

THE XL. CHAPTER.

THis holy Father was once demaunded by a seculer person, vpō what occasion man should be more enclined to euill then to good, he answeared: It hath bin more apt to the earth, since the malediction therof, to produce ill weedes, then good hearbes. But a carefull and dilligent labourer, can by his industry so husband it, that* 1.54 those weedes shall not easily grow therin.

An other putting him a question of predestination, he answeared: The water of the sea shoare is sufficient to wash my feet, yea my whole bo∣dy; and I esteeme him a foole that this being able to content him, will cast himselfe into the mayne sea: for I beleeue it sufficeth a Christian to know how to liue well, without search into matters so highe. Then he added: you must pray to God that he giue you not too much felicity in this world, but that he send you great combattes against your sences, and that therin he doe not assist you by the tast of his diuine sweet∣nes and suauity, for your greater recompence, and his greater glory.

Hereby may be discerned whither a man loue God perfectly, if with an earnest care he endeauour to sequester himselfe from vices, seeking dai∣ly to augment in good worckes, because it is a greater vertue to follow grace, then patiently to support afflictions, for many haue patience, but follow not grace.

Frere Minor, is as much to say, as one vnder the feet of all men, and the greater the descent is, the greater also is the sally. We ought more to feare temporall feclicity, then temporall euill; for the euill followeth man, and felicity is his contrary. We must so conuerse with men, as we loose not that which God woorketh in vs. But lett vs rather labour and trauell to saue our selues with litle, sith that it sometimes happeneth that a man being skilfull in swimming, and will imprudently seeke to hel∣pe an other that is in perlll of drowning in the water, they both are drowned, and so the losse is double.

A man shalbe obliged to yeld an account of the graces which he hath not: For as God createth a creature by his bounty and grace, he ought reciprocally appeare gracious and acknowledge the same; if not, lett him know that he hath lost grace by his owne negligence. For if he would trauell and labour in the grace receaued, he should ob∣taine many other graces of God, which through his owne fault, he hath not.

I desire, sayd this holy Father, first to obey euen to death: then

to be humble vnder the feet of each one: thirdly I desire rigorous∣ly to chastice and rent my flesh with my teeth, and so bind my neck with an iron chaine, as I would haue no power att my pleasure to gett loose.

How God wrought many miracles by the merittes of Brother Giles.

THE XLII. CHAPTER.

OVr Lord by a notable miracle declared how much was the meritt of charity in his seruant Brother Giles, who meeting on the way to Assisium a gentleman that was carryed to* 1.55 haue a foot cutt off, wherin there was a wound so eaten with a can∣cre, that if the foot were not cutt off, his life were in imminent danger: The gentleman knowing Brother Giles, weeping, made him a pittifull relation of the occasion of his iorney to Assisium, then opened his legge, and shewed him the wound, and with great humili∣ty and deuotion prayed him to make the signe of the crosse theron: Br. Giles therby moued with pittie and compassion, made the signe of the crosse on the wound, then with great deuotion kissed it, and the gent∣leman was a litle after entierly cured and retourned to his house a foot, praysing and thancking God for such a grace, obtayned by the meritt of his holy seruant.

This good Father one time reprehended a Religious for a fault com∣mitted; and he tooke this reprehension sinisterly and with litle pa∣tience, but the night following there appeared vnto him one that sayd: Brother henceforward receaue with patience and in good parr the ad∣uertisments* 1.56 and reprehensions which shalbe giuen you: for he that shall beleeue and obey Br. Giles, shalbe happy. The Religious incontinently after this vision arose before it was day, and came to the holy Father, ac∣knowledging his fault of impatience vsed vnto him, and most hum∣bly besought him to correct him often, promising thenceforwaad to take whatsoeuer should come from him, not only with patience, but with great ioy.

A Religious that had neuer seene Br. Giles, but had heard such report of him, desired to see both him, and some of his actions. But being exceedingly grieued that the great distance betweene them, put him in dispaire of euer receiuing that happines, he one night saw in a vision a booke, wherin no other thing was written but these wor∣des: This is he that prayeth continually for all the people, and for* 1.57 the holy. Cittie: which the sayd Religious vnderstood to be Bro∣ther Giles.

A woman of the citty of Perusia, hauing no milke wherwith to suck her litle child, had recourse to this holie Father, to whome she was much deuoted: but he being in extasie, she could not speake vnto him. And she not hauing leasure to expect, came neere him where he prayed, whose breast hauing with exceeding faith and deuotion, touched, she had milke sufficient to nource her child.

How God communicated to Br. Giles a most pleasing seeling of glory before this death.

THE XLIII. CHAPTER.

THis holy Father a litle before his death, retourning from prayer into his cell replenished with a merueillous ioy, sayd to his companion: My child, giue me thy iudgement in this: I haue found a treasure of such worth and excellency as no humane tongue can expresse; and therfore my child, I pray thee againe speake thine opinion therof. Which he diuers times repeated with an ex∣ceeding feruour of spiritt, and with such enflamed charity, that he seemed to be really druncken with the wine of the loue of God, and the abondance of his grace. But this Religious hauing told him that it was time to goe take his refection, he ioyfully answeared him: My child, this is a singuler refection and farre better then any other. The Religious thincking to tempt him sayd: Father, lett vs not now thinck of these thinges, but lett vs to goe to dinner. Wherto the venerable Br. Giles replyed that such speech was iniurious vnto him, and that he should haue done him greater pleasure to haue stricken and wounded him to the bloud. Now one may piously presume that this holy soule had notice that it should shortly leaue the flesh, to enioy that notable treasure of eternall glory which it so much desired, there to haue fruition and tast of the most sacred presence of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST. About that time a Reli∣gious told him, that the holy Father S. Francis had sayd, that the seruant of God should alwayes desire to end his life by martyrdome, wherto he answeared. For my part I respect not to die better then in contemplation.

Of the admirable prophesic he made of himselfe, and of his death.

THE XLIV. CHAPTER.

BRother Giles, besides his age being wasted by grieuous in∣srmities, as ache in his head and stomache, by a very trou∣blesome cough, and burning ague, so that he could neither eat, sleep, nor repose: The Cittizens of Perusia out of great de∣uotion towardes him, sent many armed men to guard him: that be∣ing dead, his body might not be buryed other where: well knowing that he did not only desire, but would order to be buryed att our Lady of Angels. Vnderstanding then that he was guarded with armed men, with great seruour of spiritt he vttered these wordes: Brethren, tell the Perusians that the belles shal neuer ring for my canonization nor for any miracle of mine, and that they shall haue no other signe, but that of the Prophet lonas. Which the Perusians vnderstanding, they answeared they would haue him in their cittie, though he should not be canoni∣zed: and so the eue of sainct George att the houre of Mattins, as soone as the Religious had layed him on a bed to repose, hauing receaued the holy sacramentes ordayned by the Church, without any acke of his body, that might discouer and make appeare the agony of his death, only shutting his mouth and eyes, this contemplatiue soule was dissolued from the body, with great repose, God hauing for all eternity eleuated it vnto his glory. This holy Father departed this life the yeare of grace 1260. and of his conuersion to Religion 52. ha∣ning merited to ascend vnto heauen their to raigne eternally, the same day that he receaued the habitt of the holy Father sainct Fran∣cis, becomming his true follower and disciple. The Perusians after death seeking stones to make him a tombe, found a sepulchre of marble, wherin was carued the history of the Prophett Ionas, where they layd his body, according as he had prophesied.

Of the reuelation of the glory of this S.

THE XLV. CHAPTER.

A Person of notable sanctity saw in vision the holy Br. Giles accō∣payned with a great number of soules of Religious & others that then were dead, and comming out of Purgatory they with him ascēded into heauē. He saw our lord IESVS CHRIST with a great multitude of Angels that came to receaue him with musicke exquisitely

melodious made by those Angelicall quiers: these blessed soules were with great honour entertayned of our Redeemer into his kingdome, were he seated them on a seat of merueillous glory. Att the same time that Br. Giles was sicke of his last sicknes, an other Religious fell also sick euen to death, who was instantly prayed by a third Religious his Friend, that if it should please God to call him, he would reueale vnto him his estate, if the diuine Maiesty would permitt it: which the sick Religious promised. Wherfore he dying the same day that Br. Giles did, appeared to this his Religious friend, and thus spake vnto him: Br. giue thanckes vnto God for that it hath pleased him to graunt and giue me his glory, deliuering me with many other soules from the paines of Purgatory by the merittes of Saint Giles. Which sayd he vanished. This Religious not daring to reueale this apparition to any, fell grieuously sick: But conceauing that this sicknes might be sent him for not diuulging the glory of Br. Giles, he instantly called into his Couent some Frere Minors, to whome and to many other Religious he recounted the foresaid apparition, and was with all mi∣raculously recouered.

* 1.58 S. Bonauenture said of this holy Br. Giles, that God had giuen him one speciall grace, which was, that whosoeuer did inuocate him in matters concerning the saluation of their soules, were heard. Our lord wrought many miracles after his death, by his merittes and in∣tercession. He cured three personnes of infirmities in their eyes, fiue that were lame, and two of paine in their feet, that hindred them from mouing: three of the sqinancie, a woman in trauell of child: two of agues, one of the stone, and many of diuers other diseases.

The end of the seauenth book and second volume, of the first part of the present Chronicles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal▪ 127.
• * 1.2

  Admira∣ble sim∣plicity of Br. Giles.
• * 1.3

  Resolutiō of Bro. Giles touching prayer.
• * 1.4

  Graue & short re∣prehen∣sions of Br. Giles against the trās∣gression of po∣uerty.
• * 1.5

  Bad Reli∣gious more pu∣nished in hell then world∣linges.
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 is a victory of chastity not to be∣hold a woman.
• * 1.7

  2. Cor. 11.
• * 1.8

  Admira∣ble dispo∣sition to extasie in Bro. Giles.
• * 1.9

  1. Cor. 2. Br. Giles deuout to the con∣stitutions of the Church and to the Sa∣ments.
• * 1.10

  Gal. 6.
• * 1.11

  Sap. 9.
• * 1.12

  Scolasti∣call dis∣tinction of Bro. Giles. 1. Cor. 13.
• * 1.13

  Sap. 9.
• * 1.14

  The ver∣tue of the signe of the crosse and of holy wa∣ter.
• * 1.15

  Luc. 14.
• * 1.16

  Counsait and con∣solation foo those that pray which a∣ridity of spiritt.
• * 1.17

  One must not omitt to doe good for fear of vaine glory.
• * 1.18

  Grace doth pro∣fit more in Reli∣gion then in the world.
• * 1.19

  A duise for pil∣grimes.
• * 1.20

  Consola∣tion and counsaile for the kichen.
• * 1.21

  Frere Minors are Pil∣grimes ouer all the world.
• * 1.22

  Notable discourse of the obligatiō we haue to serue God.
• * 1.23

  A preg∣nant ar∣gument against the infi∣delity of couetous persons.
• * 1.24

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.25

  None ought to despaire.
• * 1.26

  Ierem. 9.
• * 1.27

  Luc. 18.
• * 1.28

  To suffer iniuries freely is of excee∣ding me∣ritt.
• * 1.29

  A meane to get patience.
• * 1.30

  The exer∣cise of the vertuous is to doe good, and to suffer euill.
• * 1.31

  Troutes are not taken without wetting the han∣des. Luc. 10.
• * 1.32

  The aua∣ricious resēbleth the Mole.
• * 1.33

  He that hath the greatest part in this world hath the worse.
• * 1.34

  Chastity like to a glasse.
• * 1.35

  A man may be dronken with his owne tunne.
• * 1.36

  Compa∣rison of spirituall exercises with la∣bouring.
• * 1.37

  Meritt of combatt with dis∣tractiōs.
• * 1.38

  Instance requisit in prayer
• * 1.39

  Humility necessary in prayer
• * 1.40

  Distra∣ctions in prayer are pro∣cured by the deuil.
• * 1.41

  Consola∣tion for thē that praye without feeling of deuotion.
• * 1.42

  One must labour for sal∣uation.
• * 1.43

  Ioan. 4.
• * 1.44

  Consider thy selfe.
• * 1.45

  Luc. 10.
• * 1.46

  Notable similitu∣de.
• * 1.47

  Luc. 22.
• * 1.48

  What ought to be ordi∣nary dis∣course of the Reli∣gious.
• * 1.49

  Great vertue to know when to be silent.
• * 1.50

  Note this word.
• * 1.51

  Paradox of Bro. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.52

  To leaue God for to goe to God.
• * 1.53

  Ioan. 4.
• * 1.54

  Notable answea∣red to a curious parson.
• * 1.55

  By the signe of the crosse he cureth one woū∣ded.
• * 1.56

  Diuine aduertis∣ment for receiuing reprehi∣sions.
• * 1.57

  2. Mach. vlt.
• * 1.58

  Notable preroga∣tiues of Br. Giles.