The chronicle and institution of the Order of the seraphicall father S. Francis conteyning his life, his death, and his miracles, and of all his holie disciples and companions / set foorth first in the Portugall, next in the Spanish, then in the Italian, lastlie in the French, and now in the English tongue.

How the Mores were expelled the Monastery, by the prayers of S. Clare.

THE XIII. CHAPTER.

THis being the place where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin, it is not conuenient that we pretermitt them in silence: for as the merueillous effectes of her prayer are veritable, so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence. In the time of the Emperour Federick the second, the holy Church in diuers places endured great persecutions, but particulerly in the vally of Spoletum, which being sub∣iect to the Romane Church, dranck of the vessell of wrath of this mis∣chieuous tyrant, his capitaines and soldiers being scattered ouer the fiel∣des as grasse hoppers, with sword to murder people, and with fire to burne their houses. The impiety of this Emperour did so augment, that he had assembled all the Mores that dwelt on the mountaines and among the desertes, to make himselfe the more fearefull vnto his vas∣sels: and after he had by lardge promises gayned these Mores, and dis∣posed them into diuers places, he gaue them att length for retyre a ve∣ry ancient but ruined citty, which yet to this present is called, Moura des Mores, which they fortifyed, and then thither retyred about twen∣ty thousand fighting men, who did much mischeife ouer all Apulia, and in other Christian places. These ennemies of the faith of IESVS CHRIST came one day vnexpectedly towardes the cittye of Assisium, who being already close to the portes, a great number of them came to the Monastery of saint Damian, as a lewd and dissloyall nation that con∣tinually thirsteth after the bloud of Christians, and dareth to committ indifferently all kind of execrable actes, without either shame of men, or feare of God. These Mores then brake euen into the Monastery of sainte Clare, where she was with her Religious daughters, who had their hartes surprised with an extreme terrour: but much more when they heard the barking and crye of those dogges so neere them, so that they were euen dying with the apprehension, not knowing where to seeke reliefe, nor of whome to hope for deliuerance from so emminent perill, but by the merittes of their holy mother, Whome with infinite sighes and teares, they aduertised of what they heard and saw. This holy virgin (though sick) encouraging her Religious, caused her selfe

with incredible constancie to be carryed to the gate of her Monaste∣ry, att the entry wherof in the sight of all her ennemies, she with very great reuerence placed the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist, in the pix before which falling postrate on the earth, she with abondance of teares thus spake to her beloued Spouse IESVS CHRIST: Is it possible my God, thy will should be, that these they seruantes, who cannot vse materiall weapons to defend thēselues, and whome I haue here brought vp & nourced in thy holy loue, should now be deliuered into the power of the Infidell Mores? Oh my God! Preserue thē if thou please, and me like∣wise: for albeit thy diuine Maiesty hath cōmitted thē to my gouerne∣mēt, yet is it not in my power to defend thē from so great a perill, sith this protection cānot be but by a worck of thine omnipotencie: Therfo∣re doe I recōmend thē to thy diuine Maiesty, with all the affection that I am able. As soone as this holy virgin had sent these prayers vnto heauē, she heard a voice so delicate as if it had bin of a sucking child, that said: I will protect you for eue••: The holy mother did not yet giue ouer to pre∣sent her prayers, saying: My God, I humbly beseech thee, if so it be thy holy will, to preserue and defend this thy citty of Assisium, which doth nourish vs for the loue it beareth to thy diuine Maiesty. Wherto God answeared: This citty shall suffer much, but in the end I will by my fauour defend it. Sainte Clare hauing heard so gracious newes, lifted vp her face bathed with teares, and comforted her beloued daughters, saying. Deere Sisters, I assure you that no euill shall befall you: only be carefull to haue a firme faith and confidence in IESVS CHRIST. The diuine assistāce made no long delay: for the presumption and rage of the Mores was incontinently cooled, so that a sodaine vnknowne terrour hauing surprised them, they speedily retyred ouer the walles which they had scaled and ouer leapt, to enter: They being thus by the vertue of the prayer of sainte Clare expelled, she priuatly called the Religious that had heard the sayd voice of God, and commanded them, that howsoeuer it were▪ they should not diuulge what they had heard, during her life.