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 SIXTH CHAPTER. Of his humility and obedience; and of Gods fauourable condiscending. vnto all his desires.

THE guardian and ornament of all vertues, hu∣mility, had in so aboundant manner reple∣nished, this holy servant or God, that in his own reputation he was nothing els but a wretched sin∣ner: whereas in very deed he was a perfect mir∣rour, and amost gloriouse ressemblance of all mā∣ner of holynesse. Vpon this grounde worke, he determined to build vp himselfe, having as a wise Architecke laid that very same foundation, which he had learnd of our Sauiour Christ. For this cause he saied that the sonne of God, did come downe from the highnes of his Fathers Bosome to these our contemptible things, that being our Lord & Maister, he might aswell by his owne example, as by his worde: teach this excellent vertue of hu∣mility vnto vs. And therefore, as the true disciple of Christe, his praier was to seeme vile and base, both in his owne and other mens eies: remēbring the same which is said, by the most superexcellent Maister, That which is high amonge men is abhomination with God. Thervnto also adding this saying of his owne, that: Looke how much a man is the sight of God, so much he is, and no more. And therefore he held it for a very vaine and foolish thing, to be extolled with the favours of the world: reioycing much to be reproached, and sorrowing no lesse to be com∣mended. For he had farre rather heare himselfe reuiled and reproched, than praised: or commen∣ded, knowing that the one might provoke him to amende, and the other might giue occasion to fall. And for that cause, oftentimes, when the people extolled in him, the meritt of holinesse he com∣manded

one of his brethren, to vtter some words of debasement and reviling against him, in his owne hearing. Which when the brother did, al∣though much against his will, calling him a rusti∣call and rude body, an vnskilfull and vnprofita∣ble hireling: he was marveilously exhilerated ther∣at, aswell in minde, as in countinance: whereby he answered; Our Lord blesse thee, my most dere sonne; for thou speakest the very truth, and such wordes, as it best beseemeth Peter Bernardus sonne, to heare.

But to the end he might make himselfe abiect and contemptible vnto others, he spared not his owne disgrace, but in his publique praaching be∣fore all the people he would open and manifest his owne defects. As having once vpon occasion of a right grievouse sicknesse, remitted in some forte, the rigour of his vsuall abstinence, for the better recoverie of his health againe, after such time as he had somewhat better resumed his strength vnto him: the true dispiser of himselfe, a∣nimating himselfe to the reproache of his owne flesh; It is not meete, said hee that I shoulde be held for a man of abstinence, meane while that I secretly giue me selfe, to the pampering of my flesh. Wherefore he raised vp himselfe, as being wholy inflamed with the spirit of holy humility & assembling the people together, in a streete of the City of Assisium, himselfe with many of his bre∣thren, which he had brought with him, entred solemnely into the greater Church where having a roape fastened about his neck, he caused himself

to be drawen all naked saving only of his breeches in the open sight, and veiwe of them all, even to that very stone whervpon malefactors at the time of their punnishment, were wonte to be placed. Vpon the which, he then getting vp as he coulde albeit that, he were both weake and affected with a quartane Ague; yet in such extreame cold as the time did then affoarde, did preach with great effi∣cacie and force of minde. At which time he affir∣med in the hearing of them all, that he was in no wise to be honored as a spirituall man, but rather to be contemned of all men as a fleshly and glut∣tenouse personne. Wherevpon the people there assembled, wondring at so strainge a spectacle: and being also compūcted with devotion: because they well knew the strictnesse of his austerity, did openly protest, that such manner of humility, was rather to be admired, than in any sorte to be imi∣tared. And though this action might rather seeme to be a wonder in nature, according to the saying of the Prophet, then otherwise a matter of exam∣ple, yet was it vndoubtedly, a true patterne of perfect humility, whereby the scholler of Christ, is instructed to contemne the glory of transitorie praise, to represse the swelling pride of arrogan∣cie, and to reproue the falshood of craftie dissimu¦lation, Oftentimes he did many things after this manner: that externally he might appeare as a lost vessel: and internally might possesse the spiritt of sanctification.

He studdied also to hide the guifte of his Lord and Creatour in the secret inclosure of his bress

thinking it not convenient to lay open to vaine glory, that which might be vnto himselfe, an oc∣casion of ruine. For oftentimes being commen∣ded of the multitudes, for a blessed and holy man he vsed to applie this manner of speache vnto thē softe; I may yet haue both sonnes and daughters doe not therefore praise, such an one as is not al∣ready secure. No man is to be praised; whose ende is vn∣certaine. And these were his wordes to them that peaised him. But to himselfe he spake in this sorte; Oh FRANCIS, if God Almighty had besto∣wed so greate benefits, euen vpon a Thiefe, as he hath vouchsafed vnto thee; he would be no doubt more thankefull than thy selfe, vnto him, To his brethren also he saied oftentimes; thad no man ought with an vndue applause to flatter himselfe vppon occasion of any kinde of thinghe, which is in à sinners power to doe. For saith he a sinner may fast, a sinner may pray, a sinner may mourne, and lament, a sinner may also macerate his owne flesh: but this only a sinner cannot do, namely to be faithfull, to his Lord and Maister. In this ther∣fore we may haue iust cause to glory, if to our Lord we render, the glory which is of righte his owne: if serving him faithfully, whatsoever it is that he do giue vnto vs; the same do we faithfully resctibe vnto him againe.

But this Evāgelicall Marchāt, to the end he might by more occasiōs in crease his gaine, & might turn all the present time, to his furthermerit: tooke not much delight to hold the place of a Governour, as of a subiect: neither yet desired so much to com∣mand,

as to obay. And therfore resigning his office of General, he desired a gardiā, to whose wil & cō∣mandement he mighte in all manner of pointes, accomodate himselfe. For he affirmed, that the fruite of holy obedience, was of so great plenty and aboundance, that vnto them who submitted their neckes to her yoke, no time overpassed, with out some gainefull commoditie. Wherefore his cu∣stome was, vnto such brothers, as he vsually went with all, evermore to promise obedience, and faithfully to obserue the same. And thervpon ths he spake sommetime of himselfe vnto his compa∣nions. Among other things which the goodnesse of God hath of his greate bountie vouchsafed to graunte vnto me, this grace he hath freely besto∣wed vpon me, that I could as diligently yeld mine obedience vnto a Novice of one howres standing, if he were appointed to be my Guardian; as to one of the most auncient, and discreetest brerhren. For the subiect (saieth he) must not consider his Superiour as a man, but as him for whose lone he is become subiect vnto him. And by how much the more contemptible he is that doth commaund by so much the more acceptable, is the humili∣tie of him, that doth exercise obedience.

He being one tīe demāded who was to be iudged truly obedient proposed the similitude of a deade body for an example. Take me vp (saith he) a dead body, & put it where you please: you shal neither see it striue, when it is moued; nor murmure, when it is placed, nor yet repine, when it is displa∣ced. But if you set it in a chaire, it looketh not vp

alofte, but downe righte to the grounde: if you apparel it in purple roabes it discovereth the pale∣nesse of his countenance, two for one, more∣than it did before. Euen very this (saieth he) is a true patterne of obedience, who doth not discern why hee is mooued, who careth not where he is placed, who desireth not to be changed, who being aduanced to office, retaineth his former humilitie: and who the more he is honored, doth so much the more repute himselfe vnworthy. And for mine owne parte (quoth he one time) vnto his companions, I cannot thinke my selfe worthy the name of a Friar Minor, vnlesse that I be in this very state, which I shal now de∣scribe vnto you. See now, I goe as Prelate and Cheife of my brethren, conducting them all vnto the Chapter: there I preache among them, there I vse mine admonitions vnto them, and in fine it is spoken with disgrace vnto me. Thou euil be fittest to rule among vs, for that thou art a man vnlearned harshe in thy speaking, an Idiote, and a simple person. At length, I am cast out with reproache, as a man contemptible and basely este∣med at euery hande. I speake it vnto you truly, my brother, that vnlesse I shal with the same cheare∣fulnes of countenance, with the same in ward a∣lacritie of minde, and with the same inuiolable purpose of holinesse, attend vnto the hearing of these wordes: a Friar minor I cannot be. And this admonition also he wel adioined; In preeminence there is a ruine, in praise a downfal; but in the humilitie of the subiect, is the gaine of the soule. Why therefore

doe we follow daungers more than gaine, seing that wee haue received time, to make our com∣modity.

And for this very cause, this perfect patterne of humility Saint Francis: would haue his brethren to be called Minors, and the Prelates of his Order, to be tearmed Ministers, as well thereby to vse the wordes of the Gospell, which he had promi∣sed to obserue, as also that his disciples, mighte by their very name be continually put in minde, that they were come to learne humility, at the Schooles of their humble Maister, Christe. For Iesus Christ that excellent Maister, and most ex∣quisite teacher, of this notable vertue humi••itie; to the ende he might perfectly informe his Disci∣ples therein, said vnto them: whosoeuer will be the greater among you, let him be your Minister: and he that will be first among you, shall be your servant. And con∣formably herevnto, it being demaunded of him by the Bishop of Hostia, then Cardinal Protector, and chiefe advancer of the Order of the Friars Minors, who afterward according to the fore∣prophccieng of the holy man, being exalted to the honor of Papall Dignity; was called Gregory the Ninth, whether it stood with his liking, to haue his brethren promoted vnto Ecclesiasticall Digni∣ties: he made answeare vnto him: My Lord, for this cause are my brethren called Minors, which is as much to say, as lesser or inferiour persons, that they may not presume to be made greater. If you will haue thē to bring forth fruit in the Church of God: then hold and conserue them, in the state

of their owne vocation: & permitte thē not by any meanes to ascend vnto Ecclesiasticall governments.

And for so much as he preferred humility, as well in himselfe, as in them that were vnder him, before all other honours besides; God therefore the lover of humble persons, adiudged him to be worthy in that respect of farre greater and more high dignities: accordingly as it was by a vision from heaven revealed vnto one of the brethren, of spetiall vertue and devotion. For being in the company of the man of God, & togeather with him praying in a certaint solitary & abādoned Church, with a great & fervent affectiō, he fell into a trāce, and sawe among many seates in heaven, one of more excellent dignity than all the rest besides: the same being adorned with precious stones, and shining also with all manner of glory. And won∣dering then within himselfe, at the brightnesse of that highe and eminent Throne, he beganne very carefully in his thoughts to enquire, who should be so happy, as to be assumed therevnto. At which very time he hearde a voice which saied vnto him; This was the seate of one of them that fell, and now it is kept for humble Francis, And afterwards, the brother returning vnto himselfe againe, followed the blessed mā out of the Church according to his wounted manner. At what time, talking, by the way as they went, of Almightie God: the brother, not vnmindefull of the vision shewen vnto him, very prudently demaunded of him, what conceite and opinion he held of him∣self. To whom the humble servant of Christ made

answeare: Verily I doe esteeme my selfe the grea∣test sinner of the world. Wherevnto the brother repliyng that he could not with the safety of his conscience either say or thinke in such wise of himself, he presently therevnto againe reioined, saying: O my brother, if Christe had shewed so greate mercy vnto the most wicked man aliue, as he hath donne to me I do verely belieue that he would haue binne more thankefull vnto Almigh∣ty God than, I haue bin. Vpon the hearing of the which so admirable humility: the brother was absolutely confirmed, concerning the truth of the vision disclosed vnto him: acknowledging by testification of the holy Gospell it self, that vn∣to the excellency of glory, from the which the proude is cast downe: he that is truly humble is exalted.

Another time also as he was praiyng in a certaine solitary Church within the Province of Massa, at the hill Casalis; he vnderstood by revelation of the spirit, that there were certain holy Reliques remai∣ning there in that place: which he thē with griefe of minde perceaving, to haue binne for long to∣geather defrauded, of the honor due vnto them; commanded his brethren to translate them in all reverent manner, vnto a more convenient and se∣mely place of abiding. But himselfe being vppon iust occasion for a time departed from them; the children then vnmindfull of the commandement of their father, neglected the merite of holy obe∣dience. Notwithstanding vpon a certaine day, when as they intended to celebrate the holy Mi∣steries,

having removed the vpper covering of the Aultat, they founde there not without great ad∣miration, sundrie most faire and fragrant bones, discerning them to be the same holy Reliques, which no hand of man but the power of God had brought to the place. And it was no long while after, that the holy man of God returning back againe: beganne diligently to enquire whither that which himselfe had commaunded concerning the Reliques, had binne by them accomplished. But the brethren humbly cōfessing their fault, in neg∣lecting their due obedience, deserved to obteine pardon, togeather with some punnishement also therewithall. And then the holy man burst forth into these wordes, Blessed, saith he, be my Lord my God, who hath by himself fulfilled that which your parte and dutie ought to haue performed. Consider now diligently the cate of Gods divine providence, concerning this dust of ours: & pon∣der also maturely in minde the excellent savour which humble Saint Francis enioied in the eyes of God. For man refusing to obay his commaun∣dements, Almighty God vouchsafed, to grant his desires.

Vpon a certaine time also comming to the Cit∣ty of IMOLA, he went forthwith to the Bishop and humbly then besought him that he might with his good favour, assemble the people vnto a Sermon. Whervpon the Bishop somewhat rough∣ly repliyng, saied, It sufficeth Brother that to the people vnder my charge, I my self do preache, Im∣mediatly the paterne of true humility, bowing

downe his heade with humble reverence, depar∣ted out of the place: how be it that within lesse than an howre he returned thervnto againe. Wer∣vpon the Bishop seming to be much offended, de∣maunded of him what he sought for at his handes, now the second time: vnto whome with no lesse inward humility of harte, than outward submis∣sion of words, thus the holy man replied: my Lord, if the Father, repell his sonne at one doore, he must enter in againe at another. By force of which humility, the Bishop being wholy subdued, em∣braced him with a loving and chearefull counte∣nance: saiyng then vnto him: From hence forth both you and your brethren may freely preache in in my Diocesse, by my licence generall, for so much your holy humility, hath very well deser∣ved.

It happened that once he came to Aretium at such time as the whole Cittie was so miserably af∣flicted with civill warre and dissention, that it see∣med to be therby in present danger of vtter distru∣ction. And he being then lodged in the suburbes sawe a route of Divells alofte in the aire right o∣ver the Citty insulting, and also inflaming the per∣turbed mindes of the Cittizens, to mutuall armes and slaughter. But to the ende he might driue a∣way those seditious powers of the aire, he sent brother Siluester, a man of singular simplicity, and sincerity, assigning vnto him the Office of a Crier, saiyng: Go before the gate of the Citty, and on the parte of Almighty God commande the Diuells by vertue of obedience, that they speedily departe

Incontinently the childe of true obedience made hast to performe the Fathers commaundement: & having first given praise vnto Almighty God, he beganne with loude voice to crie before the gate of the Citty, on the parte of God Almighty, and by the commaundement of his servant Francis, de∣part ye farre, away from hence all ye wicked Di∣vells. Aud presently vpon these wordes, the Citty returned vnto peace againe: and all the Cittizens with great good agreement, renewed the lawes of their former civility. For the raging pride of the Diuells, which had as it were besieged that Citty, being once repelled, the wisedome of the poore, that is to say, the humility of Saint Francis, com∣ming then vppon them, restored peace vnto the people, and preserved the Citty from desolation. For by the merite of that rare and excellent vertue of humble obedience, he had obtained so power∣full a commaundement ouer those prowde & re∣bellious spirits, that the did both represse theire insolent arrogancy, and did also repell their im∣portunate violence. In this manner the prowde Diuels do ever flie away, from the eminent vertues of the humble: saving that sometimes the mercie of God permitteth them to be buffeted of the e∣nemie, for the better preservation of their humi∣lity, according as Saint Paul the Apostle writeth of himselfe, and as Saint Francis proved by expe∣rience. For being requested by Lord LEO, Cardi∣nall of the Holy Crosse to remaine some litle wile with him in the Citry, he humbly consented ther∣vnto, for the reverence and loue he bare vnto him.

But in the very first night of his entertainement his praiers being ended, and he preparing himself to sleep, a sorte of Divells issued in vpon him, fu∣riously assailing the souldier of Christe. Whome when they had long and sorely beaten, at lenght they left him for dead. But as soone as the fiends were gone the servant of God calling his compa∣nion, related vnto him the whole matter as it had befallen him: saiyng, I do verely belieue Brother that the Divells, who can doe nothing, but as the providence of God doth dispose, haue for this cause rushed now with so great fury vpon me, be∣cause ther is no good hope to be conceiued of my aboade in the Court of Princes. For my brethren that abide in poore and forlorne places, hearing that I am now in company with Cardinals, will peradventure imagine, that I am busied in word∣ly affaires, that I am advanced with honors, and that I do abound with pleasures. Wherfore I thinke it better, that he who is given as an examplevn to o∣thers, should avoide the Court, and converse hum∣bly among the humble in humble places: to the ende that vnto them who sustaine povertie, him∣selfe may giue encouragement, by sustaining the like with them. In the morning therefore they came, and humbly excusing themselves, tooke their leaue of the Cardinall.

For the holy man abhorred pride, as the roote and of spring of all other evills besides, no lesse detesting the foule vice of disobedience, which he esteemed as her most pestilent & deformed daugh∣ter? but the humility of pennance, he did as e∣qually

approue. It fortuned once, a certaine bro∣ther to be brought before him, who having com∣mitted some offence against the law of obedience, was therefore rightfully to be corrected, by the discipline of iustice. But the man of God, by evi∣dent tokens perceyving, that the brother was vn fainedly pennitent, for his fault of transgression: was by the loue he bare to humility, much incli∣ned to pardone him yet least that his facility in par doning might be vnto others an occasion, in like manner to offend, he commaunded the brothers Capouche to be taken from him, and cast into the middest of the flaming fire, to the end that all men might obserue with how great and with what mauner of revenge, the offence of disobedience ought of right to be chasticed and corrected. But when the Caponche had bine a good while in the fire, he commaunded the same to be taken out of the fire againe, and to be delivered vnto the bro∣ther, vpon his humble repentance. A wonderfull marter it is to reparte. The Capouche being raked out from the middest of the flames, bare no marke or signe of burning at all: and so it came to passe, that wod, by this one miracle, did both approue the vertue of the holy man, and did also commend the humility of pennance. Worthely therefore is the humility of Saint FRANCIS to be immita∣ted and embraced, which obtained even in earth so admirable a dignity, as to incline the wil of God to his desire, to chaunge the affection of man: to foile by his commaundement, the insolent pride of the Divells, and with a beck to represse, the

devouring names of the fire. This is in very de••e that high and excellent vertue, which exalting them that possesse it: while it giveth reverence vnto all, deferveth worthily, to be honored of all.

Notes

• Eccl. 11.13.
• Behold the great obedience and humi∣lity in the holy Fa∣ther,
• Math. 20.26.
• Thou which dost contemne the relick of saintes, beholde what re∣verence the man of God gaue vnto them
• Beholde that none can preach the worde of god without leaue of his superiour.
• 2. Cor. 12.7.
• Aug. 18. de ciu. Deic. 18.