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 Virgin Agnes, sister to S. Clare, was by her feruent prayes conuer∣ted, and of the persecutions she endured by her kinred, and how she was miraculously freed of them.

THE VI. CHAPTER.

SAincte Clare had a yonger sister, who both in regard of bloud and of pouerty was really her sister, she exceedingly desiring the conuersion of this yong virgin, neuer failed in her most feruent de∣uotions, which in her first dayes she offered to almighty God, the most deuoutly she possibly could with a perfect affection, to beseech him, that as she had liued with her sister in the world, there might be also betweene them a vnion of body and will in his seruice, most instantly Importuning him to make appeare to her sister whome she had left in her mothers house, what a notorious deluder the world is, and how full of discontentment: and on the contrary how sweet and contentfull is IESVS CHRIST, and that consequently he would please to chan∣ge her desired resolution of carnall marriage, and cause her to embrace the vniō of diuine loue, and to take for Spouse the king of glory. Now in regard that our lord had already setled such an amity betweene these twoo sisters, that their separation was afflictiue and troublesome vnto

them (though then their desires and willes were farre different) he made no delay to fauour this his deuout suppliant, euen in this first petition, which she so instantly required of him, and which his diuine Maiesty so readily granted. Sixteene dayes then after her conuersion, her sister Ag∣nes inspired of God, with a strong and prompt resolution gaue a slipp and farwell to the world, and came to her sister Clare, to whome disco∣uering the secrett of her hart, she sayd, she was resolued to serue God in her company. Which the glorious Clare vnderstanding, she most amia∣bly embraced her, and with a very ioyfull and contented countenance sayd: My most deere sister, I giue infinite thanckes to our lorde IESVS CHRIST, that it hath pleased him to heare me, and deliuer me from the affliction I endured for your sake. This noble conuersion of Agnes by the prayers of her Sister Clare, was seconded by as many contradictions of her kinred: for these blessed sisters seruing our lord IESVS CHRIST and imitating his steppes, she that had most tast of God and was in high∣her progresse, instructing her sister Nouice: their kinred knowing that Agnes was with her sister Clare, twelue men of their neerest bloud, as Brothers, Vncles, and Cosen germanes, assembled to assault them and to combat the espouses IESVS CHRIST. The day following then, with an extreme rage and fury they came to these holy virgins, yett att their first comming, dissembling their lewd intension, they shewed them some fauourable countenance: then addressing them selues to the vir∣gin Agnes, dispairing of all opinion to withdraw S. Clare from her holy purpose, they demaunded of her wherfore the was retyred into that pla∣ce; then willed her to deliberate and resolue to retourne with them to her fathers house. Wherto she answeared, that she was resolued, the grace of God assisting her, to remayne with her sister: which answeare one among them disdayning, full of passion and transported with choler, tooke her by the haire, and gaue her many blowes with his feet and sistes, then vsed all his force to pull her out of the place, which att length by the helpe of the others he performed: for taking her in their armes, they forcibly trayled her out. But this litle daughter of IESVS CHRIST, seeing her selfe violently wrested by those furious lions out of the armes of her God, she began to cry to her sister, help me sister, and permitt me not to be separated from our Lord IESVS CHRIST and your louing company. Her car∣nall kinred trayned a long the vally this virgin of IESVS CHRIST against her will, and in despight of her feeble, though couragious resi∣stance, renting her cloathes from her tender body. In meane while sain∣te Clare vnable by other meanes to relieue her sister, had recourse to prayer, with abondance of teares beseeching God to voutsafe to giue a couragious confidence to her sister, that his diuine fauour defending

his faithfull seruant, humane forces might be ouercome, and our lord heard her: for att the instant of her prayer, the body of the virgin Agnes, miraculously became so weighty, that her kinred were att lenght en∣forced to leaue her one the ground. And albeit so many men and their seruantes putt all their forces to lift her vp, yet could they neuer doe it, but called labourers & worckmen of the vineyards that wrought ther∣about to assist them, yet their great nomber no more auayled then the lesser. Finally the forces failing of her kinred and those that attempted to assist them: they acknowledged the miracle, though scornefully, say∣ing: It is no meruaile that she is so weighty she hauing bin all night, as lead, whervpon Signeur Monalde her vncle in extreme passion, lifting vp his arme to strike her he presently felt an extreme paine therin, which did not only torment him for the present, but a long time after. Herev∣pon S. Clare (after her prayer) arriuing, besought her kinred to forbeare in vaine to contend with God, and to leaue vnto her the care of her sister, who lay as halfe dead. They perceauing that they would neuer stagger in their pious resolution, being exceedingly wearyed, left the two sisters together. This troup then being departed, the tormented Agnes arose from the ground full of ioy in IESVS CHRIST, for whose loue she had fought and ouercome in this her first conflict, against the world and his Prince the deuill, by fauour and assistance of diuine grace; and her sister asking her how she felt her selfe, she answeared, that notwith∣standing all the affliction they had procured her, by buffettes, beatinges, spurnes with their feet and fistes, tearing by the haire, trayning her through stony wayes, she had felt in manner nothing, especially by the vertue and force of diuine grace, and next by the merittes of her good prayers. Shortly after the holy Father sainct Francis cutt off her haire, leauing her stil hir proper name, Agnes, in memory of the innocent lambe IESVS CHRIST, who offering himselfe in sacrifice to his Father, gaue resistance to the world, fought valerously and ouer∣came. And so the holy Father instructed her with her sister, and taught her the way of God, in such sort that she so encreased and profited in Religion, in vertue and sanctity, that she was an admiration to all the world.