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.

Of the worthy and singuler vertues of S. Elzearius.

THE XX. CHAPTER.

THis holy man duely considering that the principall vertue which the seruant of God can haue, is the misprise of himselfe, and consequently humility, and not worldly nobility: his spi∣ritt could neuer be raysed to vaine glory by the great substance, honours and puissance which the eminency of his house did yeld him. His wor∣des were gracious and pleasing conformable to the spiritt that deliuered them: and the better to attaine to the perfect contempt of himselfe, he would often, for the loue of IESVS CHRIST, wash the soares and vlceres of leapers with his one handes, and serue them with gteat fer∣uour of deuotion, and with such charity, as if with his owne eyes he had seene and serued IESVS CHRIST himselfe. He behaued himselfe towardes his subiectes and vassals, ouer whome he had entier iurisdi∣ction, as a iust lord, iudgeing their causes with a seuere clemencie, as one that could not be drawne from the right course of iustice by feare, ha∣tred, fauour or corruption. This holy man proceeded in all actions by the vertue of discretion, wherwith he so tēpered his worckes of mercy, that therin he with exceeding humility auoyded worldly glory and fauour: and as a valiant and perfect warryer, he neuer desisted from his first intē∣tion: and as iust, he withall his industry shunned the occasions of offen∣ding God. This seruant was so charitable and liberall to the poore, that neuer any demaunded of him an almose for the loue of God, but he gaue him a reward together with good wordes. All his care was to feed the hungry, to lodge pilgrimes, and haue care of poore sick and for∣lorne creatures, as one that acknowledged the poore CHR. IES. in his poore creatures, & in sicknesses, the painfull afflictions w••ich he endured for vs miserable sinners. And as he was replenished with the loue of his

neighbours, no lesse was he, but much more replenished with the loue of IESVS CHRIST. And knowing that the edifice of vertues hath its end in the perfection of holy prayer, in regard that it is a conuersation and familiarity with God, he applyed himselfe with all his endeauour to prayer and contemplation: he also sayd the canonicall houres with such deuotion and attention, as if he had bin in the visible presence of IESVS CHRIST.