The life of the holie father S. Francis Writen by Saint Bonauenture, and as it is related by the Reuerend Father Aloysius Lipomanus Bishop of Veron. In his fourth tome of the life of Saintes.

THE SECOND CHAPTER. Of his perfect conuersion vnto God, and how he re∣paired three Churches.

BVT because the servant of the highest, had no other teacher in these matters, but on∣ly Christ himselfe, it pleased his merciefull good∣nes yet further to visite him in the swetnes of his grace. For as being one day gone forth into the feild to meditate, he walked along by a Church dedicated vnto Saint Damian, which was so old and ruinous that it seemed ready to fall to the ground, by the instinct of Gods holy spirit, he entered into the same to pray: and falling pro∣strate before the image of Christ Crucified, was in his praier replenished with a singular conso∣lation of spirit. And as he did with weeping eies beholde the Crosse of our Lord, he heard with his corporall eares, a voice from this same Crosse, speaking thus three times vn to him: Francis, go, and repaire my House, which as thou seest, is wholy destroied. Saint Francis being then alone in the Church trembled not a litle thereat, as be∣ing much amased at the hearing of so woonder∣full a voice: and feeling in his hart the efficacie of

Gods heauenly worde, became as it were aliena∣ted from himselfe in minde. But returning after∣wards to his perfect remembrance, he readily pre∣pared himself vnto obedience, wholy disposing himself towards the performance of the com∣maundement, cōcerning the repairing of the ma∣teriall Church: though the more principall intē∣tion thereof, had relation vnto that Church, which Christ had purchased with his owne bloud: as he was afterwardes taught by the holy-Ghost, and did himself reueale vnto his brethren. Rising vp therefore, and arming himfelf with the signe of the Crosse, he tooke vnto him certaine clothes provided for sale, which he speedily carried vn∣to the Citty of Fulligney: and there selling his wares, and also the horse whereon he rode, the happy marchant, beinge well contented depar∣ted with the price thereof in mony. And so retur∣ning to Assisium, he reuerētly entered the church, which he was commaunded to repaire: and fin∣ding a poore Priest therein, after due reuerence done vnto him, made offer of his mony for the reparation of the Church, and towardes the re∣leefe also of the poore: making furthermore his humble sute vnto him, for licence to abide with him there for a time. The Priest well allowed of his aboade in the place: but misdoubting his pa∣rents assent for the mony, vtterly refused to ac∣cept thereof, which neuerthelesse the true con∣temner of mony, casting into one of the win∣dowes, esteemed it no better than pelfe and dust.

Now whilest the seruant of God was thus abi∣ding

with the forementioned Priest: as soone as his Father got knowledg thereof, he as one much perplexed in minde, rūne with great hast and speed to the place. But Francis being as yet but a yong soldier in the armie of Christ, when as he hearde the threatenings of them, that did perfe∣cute him, and did also perceiue their comming at hand: being then desirous to giue place to the force of their sury, betooke himselfe to a secret Caue, whearein closely concealing himself for a few daies, he incessantly besought our Lord with aboundance of teares, that he would vouchsafe to deliver his soule, from his persecutors handes: and that the good purposes which he had inspi∣red into his hart, he would also vouchsafe, to bring to a finall end and accomplishement being there∣fore replenished with a certain excessiue gladsom∣nes, he began to accuse himselfe of too much pu∣sillanimity: whervppon forsaking his caue, and ca∣sting away all manner of feare, he tooke his way straight to Assisium Where being espied of the Cittizens, and by the change of his countenance obserued to be wholy chaunged in minde, he was thereby of them adiudged to be out of his wittes: in so much as taking vp the durt and stones of the stteete, they began to throw the same at him, as though he had ben frantique and absolutely made indeed. But the seruant of God nothing at all dis∣maied, or changed with so many iniuries, passed on as a deafe man amiddest them all. And When his father heard such a clamourous outcrie, he also presently running forth, not with a minde to

free him but rather to destroy him: setting all co∣miseration quite aparte, drew him home to his house, where first with wordes. and afterwards with stripes and bondes he did in lamentable ma∣ner torment him. But he became thereby more prompt and couragious to proceed forward in his course begunne: remembring the saying of the Ghospell, that: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for instice: for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen.

But it fell out not long after, that his Father being gone out of the Country, his mother not allo∣wing of her husbands severity, and being her self quite out of hope to alter her sonnes inflexible constancie, dismissed him quite of his bondes, and gaue him leaue to depart. Who rēdring due thāks vnto Almighty God, returned againe to the place where he was before, But his Father not finding him at his comming home, and angry with his wife, went after furiously to the place: purposing if it were past his power to recall him, at the least yet to driue him out of the province. Neuerthe∣lesse Sainct Francis receaving strength from God came forth of his owne acorde to meete his Fa∣ther, all the violence of his fury notwithstanding, affirming boldly vnto him, that he did not esteme his fetters and stripes, and furthermore protesting therewithall that for the loue of Christ hee was ready ioyfully to fusteyne all manner of afflictions and evils whatsoever, Wherevpon his Father be∣ing inraged as hauing now no hope to recall his sonne, converted all his care to recover the mony? which being found at lenght in a litle windowe,

his fury was in some sorte appeased, the thrist of cove tousnes, beeing (as it were) by a draught of mony alayd. After this his Father, endevoured to bring his sonne (thus dispoyled of his mony?) before the Bishop of the City, that in his presence he might renounce his right vnto all his Fathers possessions, & might also restore vnto him all that ever he had. To the performance wherof, the true lover of poverty shewed himselfe both ready and willing. For cōming before the Bishop, without any delay, or lingring whatsoeuer, neither contra∣dicting with wordes, nor yet did he expect any to be spoken vnto him: presently putting off evē his garments, restored them to hisfather. At what time the holy man was founde to haue a shirte of hearecloth next to his skinne, Which he concea∣led vnder his more delicate apparell. Furthermore out of an admirable fervour of spirit casting off al his apparell, he stood all naked before the com∣pany: and addressed his speach vnto his Father, thus: Hitherto haue I called you my Father in earth, but from hence forth I shall securely say: Our Father which art in heaven: in Whom I haue reposed all my treasure: & haue setled the whole summe of my hope and confidence. The Bishop beholding all this, and admiring such an excessiue fervour of pietie, in the man of God arose forth with from where hee sate: and em∣bracing him in his armes with teares, as hee was a good and godly man, did also wrappe him in his owne garment? commaunding his servantes, to giue vnto him something to cover his naked bo∣dy. But they gaue him a poore and base mantell.

which they had of a husband man, that served the Bishop: which he accepting with great thanke∣fullnes, did with a peice of lime which he founde in the place, mark vpon it the forme of the Crosse with his owne hand, fashioning it, as a fit co∣vering for a poore man crucified, and litle better than naked. Thus therefore was the servant of the highest King, left all in nakednesse, that he might follow his naked Lord crucified, whom he so dearely loved, in this manner fortifying him selfe with the Crosse, that he might committ his soule to the secure harboure of salvation, by the which he might safely escape the shippwracke of this tempestuous world.

From thence forth this contemner of the world being altogether freed from the bondes of world∣ly desires: forsaking the Citty, did with great se∣curity and freedome of minde, betake himselfe vnto the secret parts of the desert: that there in solitarines & silence, he might attend vnto the misticall secrets by Almighty God from aboue di∣stilled vnto him. And as this devout servant of God passed by a certaine wood singing praises vn∣to God with great ioye and exultation: a sorte of thieues came rushing out of a secret place vp∣pon him. Who demaunding of him with firce behaviour, what he was, the man of God answe∣red with great confidence, and not without an instinct also of prophecy, I am the preacher of the great King. But they heaping blowes vpon him, cast him into a pitt filled vp with snowe, say∣ing vnto him: Ly thou there Clowne, the prea∣cher

of God. But so soone as they were departed, he got him speedily out of the pit againe: and be∣ing marveilousely possessed with ioy, began with a lowder voice to sounde forth throughout the woodes, his songes of praise vnto the Creatour of all. And comming to a certaine religious house thereby, he asked almes as a beggar: and recea∣ved the same as one vnknowen and dispysed. Frō thence going on along, he came to Eugubium: Where being of an old frend of his both knowen and entertained, he receaued a poore coate of his guifte, as one of the poore litle ones of Christ. From thence, being a louer of all manner of hu∣mility, he applied himself to the leapers: & remay∣ned with them, seruing them most diligently for the loue of God. He washed their feet, bounde vp their vlcers, wrung out the corruption of their soares, and wiped away the filthines of them. He also kissed their running botches with admirable devotion, being now in the way shortly to be∣come an Euangelicall Phisitian. By these meanes he obtained so great power of God, that he wrought wonderfull effects in the purging both of spyrituall and corporall diseases.

Among many of that kinde, here will I now make reporte of one, which befeell, when the same man of God hade afterwardes begunne to be of greater note in the world, there was a mā in the Country of Spolerum, who had his mouth & iawe bone miserably eaten away with an horrible disease such as no art of Physicke was able to cure: wherefore having bin to visite the Church

of the Apostles to craue the help of their meritts, it happened that in the way of his rerurne from pilgrimage, he met with this holy servant of God. At what tyme when as he would for very deuotiō haue kissed the footesteeps of his feete, the hum∣ble man, in no sorte permitting the same, kissed the mouth of him that would gladely haue kissed his feet. But so soone as Sainct Francis, had with a marveillous piety, once with his sacred mouth touched that horrible and loath some soare, the malice forth with of the disease departed, and the diseased man presently attained his wished health and recouery. Herein I know not whether more to admire, either the perfection of so great humi∣lity, in so charitable a kisse, or the excellencie of his vertue, in so wonderfull a miracle.

But let vs comme to our intended purpose: this holy man Saint Francis being firmely establishe in Christian humility, recalled againe to his due o∣bedience to be exhibited in performance of the worke from the Crosse enioyned vnto him, con∣cerning the repairing of Saint Damians Church & as a true obedient servant he returneth back to Assisium, that at the least by beginning, he might cōpasse so much as might suffice to performe the commaundement of God. For which cause put∣ting aside all bashfullnes for the loue of Christ crucified, he was willingly contented to begg of them, amongst whome he was wont to liue in great aboundance: offering his wearied bo∣dy, now wasted much with fasting, to the car∣rieng of heavy stones towards the repaire of the

ding. This Church therefore being finally repai∣red, by the help of God & good devotion of the Cittysens, least that his hody should after labour waxe wanton cōdemning idlenesse, he seetled himselfe to the repayring of a certaine other Church dedicated to the holy Apostle S. Peter the same being distant som what further off from the Citty: thereof he made rather his choice, in re∣gard of speciall devotion without of the purity of sincer faith he bare to the prince of the Apostles. This Church being at the lenght finished: he came vnto the place called Portiuncula: wherin was a Church builded to the blessed virgin Mother of God, but at that time decaied desolate & not re∣garded of any. Which the man of God seing, to be thus forsakē: did for the fervent devotiō which he carried towards this B. mother begane to make his daily residence there, for the repayring of the same Church also. And perceiving that accor∣ding to the name therof, which was from ancient time, called S. Mary of Angels, there appeared oftentimes Evangelicall visions: there did he sett vp his rest, and finall purpose of aboade, as well for the reuerence of the Angels, as for the singu∣ler loue which he bare to the Mother of Christ.

This place the holy man loved aboue all o∣ther places of the world. For here he beganne in humility, heere he proceeded in integritie, heere he made his end in felicity: this place at his death he commended to his brethren, as most dere to the blessed virgin. Of this place cerraine devout brother did a litle before his con∣version

behold a vision very worthy of relation. There appeared vnto him an innumerable com∣pany of blinde men, standing within the Compasse of this Church: all of them having their faces di∣rected towards heaven, and their knees bowed downe to the grounde: who strectching for the their handes on high, cried out to God in pittiful manner, desiring him of mercy, and reinioying of their sightes. And behold there came a great light from heavē, which spreading it self through them all, restored vnto enery one of them theire perfect sightes, and healthe, according as they had before desired. This is the place wheare S. Francis by the instinct of divine revelation, beganne the order of the Friers Minors. For by the appointmēt of Gods heavēly providence, wherby the servant of Christ was directed in all things, he erected three materiall Churchs, before the beginning of his Order he did apply himself to the preaching of the Ghospell, that he might not only ascend, as it were by degrees, frō things sensible, vnto things intelli∣gible, & from matters of lesser moment to things of farre greater perfection: but that he might also foretell, as it were in a mistery, by some sensible worke, what he was heareafter to do. For like as the triple building was repayred by means of that holy man, so according to the same, forme rule & doctrine by him prescribed, the Church of Christ was in three sortes to be renewed, in a threefold triumphant armie of the elect, according as we do now see to be accomplished.

Notes

• Churches were buil∣ded for to pray in. Learn that to bēd ones knees vnto images, & to pray to those whom they do re∣present, is a good and pious work & se what a miracle Christ did worke by this his image.
• He arose signeing himselfe with the signe of the Grosse.
• Mat. 5.
• Behold againe his pilgrimag to holy places.
• S. Francis repaired three Churches with the almes of the faith∣ful. There∣fore it is a good work and plea∣sing to God.