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 life of S. Elizabeth the widow, daughter to the king of Hungary, and of the third Order of S. Francis.

Of the Innocencie and vertue of S. Elizabeth in her most tender youth.

THE VIII. CHAPTER.

THis blessed S. the daughter of king Henry of Hongary was roy∣ally educated in her Fathers house: but being by diuine grace il∣luminated, and opening the eyes of hir natural knowledg, she ti∣mely began to misprise the vanities of the world and the apprehensions of youth, chaunging them into desires to serue God. And from fiue yea∣res old she continued and perseuered in prayer in the Church, with such mature grauity and such repose, that her Gouernesse had much labour to withdraw her thence. And therfore she was often constrayned to find occasions to goe into her chappell att accustomed howers, where she would spend such time as she could, and make her prayer prostrate on her bare knees, vsing all industry to induce her waiting ladyes to doe the

like, and to pray, read psalmes, and be deuout and honour the sainctes. She so vsed the matter that she drew a spirituall fruit out of the very playes and pastimes that her Ladyes vsed: for she obliged those that lost, to say certaine Paters Nosters and Aue Maries, or to giue such a somme to the poore. And as her yeares encreased, so did also her deuotion, pu∣rity and zeale in all vertues, choosing the sacred Virgin Mary for her Ad∣uocate and S. Iohn the Euangelist for the Guardian of her innocencie, to whome she was so specially deuoted, that she denyed nothing, which being in her power to giue was demaund for his sake. She had her spi∣ritt so eleuated, that she tooke occasion of euery matter presented, to stirre her selfe to deuotion, in such sort that when she was constrayned to be present att assemblies of magnificence and sportes, she would of∣ten, in the middest of the greatest pleasure and contentment that could happen therin, leaue the company: which she would doe so dexterous∣ly and prudently, that it much edified all that were present. She was cloathed very decently and modestly, and did eat temperatly: and then caused to be giuen to the poore (which then attended for such almose att her dore) the rest of the meat prepared for her: she would be presēt att the diuine seruice with great reuerence and deuotion. Whiles the Ghospell was read, and att the eleuation of the most sacred Host, she would put off her gloues, iewels, and other precious ornaments of her head, and lay them on the ground, for greater reuerence to almighty God. She neuer omitted her ordinary prayers and pious exercises, and sometimes would watch a good part of the night, to satisfye the omis∣sions and employments of the day.