The life of the glorious virgin S. Clare Togeather with the conuersion, and life of S. Agnes her sister. And of another S. Agnes, daughter to the King of Bohemia. Also the rule of S. Clare. And the life of S. Catharine of Bologna. Translated into English.

Of the intention of our Lord in the vocation of S. Clare. Of her Countrey & Family: & of a Re∣uelation to her mother touching her birth, & sanctity.

CHAP. I.

SIx yeares after the conuersiō of the ho∣ly Father S. Francis, & the fourth yeare, after the confirmati∣on of his Rule by Pope Innocent

the third, the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent Father of light, ha∣uing framed, and sent into the world a new man, his seruant S. Francis, by him to repayre, and reforme his faithful people in that age; would also, that a valourous woman should by his worke ap∣peare in the world, to accompany that his great, & faythfull seruant, to the end, that of those two, shold be new borne a perfect regenerati∣on of the children of God. And as the first naturall generation came of man and woman, as of an vni∣ted beginning: so this spiritu∣all generation of the imitatours of the life and counsailes of Iesus Christ proceeded in al the Church, and in all the estates, and quali∣tyes of persons, of the one & same

spirit of zeale, of perfection, of humility, and of pouerty, from one man, and one woman. And to the end it might not be vnlike the creation, almighty God hauing first perfected his seruant S. Fran∣cis, would frame of the ribb, or side of his life, doctrine and San∣ty, the glorious Virgin S. Clare, his true, and legitimate daughter in Iesus Christ for his companion, as zealous also of perfection, and an∣gelicall reformation. With great reason therfore hath she her place in the Chronicles of the Friars Mi∣nors; for she being a ribbe, and party of the same order, it is very requisite a speciall mention should be made of her sanctity of life, as we shall heere performe: and if it be not according to her merit, shall

at least be done, with the least de∣fect we can possible; being resol∣ued to imploy therein, that little force of spirit, which God hath gi∣uen vs, both to the honour of his diuine maiesty, & his holy seruant, and to the edification of soules.

The glorious S. Clare was borne in the Citty of Assisiū in Italy, scitu∣ate in the prouince of the valley of Spoletum, which is a territory ap∣perteyning to the Pope, and Ro∣man Church. Her Father and Mo∣ther were noble, of a famous and very welthy family: her Mother was called Hortulana, which in our tounge may be tearmed Gardener, and not without mistery, conside∣ring she was to produce so noble, and vertuous a plant, in the gar∣den of the holy Church. This wo∣man

was exceeding deuout, and compleate in the fruites of good workes: and albeit she were mar∣ryed, and consequently obliged to the care, and gouernement of her house, and family, yet did she not omit with all her power to be exer∣cised in the seruice of God, and im∣ployed in the works of mercy.

She was so feruent in the loue of Iesus Christ, that with great de∣uotion she passed the sea with ma∣ny other pilgrimes, & visited those holy places, which our Redeemer Iesus Christ God and man, conse∣crated with his holy presence, and retourned exceedingly comforted, and inriched with many meritts. She also visited the Church of the Archangell Saint Michael, on the mount Gargan, and with a pious,

and feruent desire, visited the A∣postles S. Peter & S. Paul in Rome: in such sort did that vertue and fer∣uour shine in those dayes in many holy persons, but now so weakned is the feruour of Christians tou∣ching the visiting of holy places, & the Reliques of our Lord, and his Saintes, that it is almost lost by the continuall warrs of heretikes, and punishment for our sinnes.

Now our Lord began to power out the aboundance of his celesti∣all graces vpon the roote, that afterwardes the sproutes of farre greater sanctity might follow, and disperse into the boughes. Ney∣ther would he, that this deuout woman Hortulana, should be de∣priued of the cōsolations, & know∣ledge of this grace: for being neere

her child-birth, she one day with great feruour prayed in a Church, before a Crucifix, where she be∣sought Almighty God to deliuer her from the danger of death in her child birth, which she much apprehended; & she heard a voice that sayd: Woman, feare not for thou shalt safely, and without dan∣ger, bring forth a light, that shall illuminate, and lighten all the world.

Being thus comforted, and ad∣monished by this diuine answere; so soone as she was deliuered of a daughter, she caused her to be cal∣led in Baptisme Clare, firmely belie∣uing that in her should be accom∣plished the splendour of the light promised, according to the proui∣dence, and the ordinance of the diuine bounty.