The rule of penance of the seraphicall father S. Francis: approued and confirmed by Leo the X. for religious persons of the 3. order of S. Francis : together with a declaration of each point of the Rule, profitable not only to the religous of this order, but also to all religious women / by Br. Angelus Francis, friar minour.

THE NINTH CHAPTER. Of the great progresse that the pro∣fessors of this Rule haue made in the way of perfe∣ction.

PLutarch in his apothegmes saith, that there be more who adore the sunne rising than the sunne setting; and that in some occasions with iust reason, for

such is the frailtie of creatures that all things are subiect to decay, and euen man by nature growes worse and worse, being as Aristotle saith, the example of imbecillitie, spoyle of time, play of fortune, and image of incon∣stancy. Whence it is that almost all orders haue decayed, and fallen from their first feruour and zeale, which can neuer be repaired, but by casting our eies vpon the ri∣sing sunne of that spirit which first began such and such an Or∣der, setting before vs the heroicall vertues of our progenitors, en∣deauouring with new force and vigor to imitate their examples. Let vs not looke vpon the sunne setting, that is on the tepide and cold state, that the corruption of nature hath brought vs to, but as the Prophet Isay saith, Attend to ••he rocke, that is, the first founder

whence we were hewen out; for in Christ they haue begotten vs, and to the caue of the lake, to the Profession of our Rule from whence wee are cut out, that is, hacked and hewed, and made fitting for the celestiall Hierusalē. There is no better way to reduce vs to perfection than by returning to the begining. Whence in all orders almost there haue bene continuall reformations, which not withstanding doe soone de∣cay;

I pray God that the like doe not happen to this third Order, which hitherto contrary to the ordinary course hath dayly more and more encreased, not only in number but also in perfection, and from a low shrubbe is become a faire and beautifull tree, from the lowest state in Gods Church to be equall in a manner with the

highest. I can see nothing here, but what the prophet Ezechiel denounceth c. 37. God made a league of peace to them, and an euerlasting couenant shalbe to them; he hath founded them, and will multiplie them, and giue them his sanctification in the midst of them for euer. The con∣tinuāce in the same state is much, considering our frailtie, but to en∣crease dayly more and more in perfection is the hand of the al∣mightie, which particularly is to be seene in this Order; for in the beginning it was but a certaine deuout course of life, which our seraphicall Father did prescribe for all sorts, as is said before, but not long after the institution therof, it became a sett Order and state of life, for within six or sea∣uen yeares after the Blessed and glorious Saint S. Elizabeth of

hungary (as Iodocus Chlictouaeus reporteth) made a formall pro∣fession of this Rule, and did take a gray poore patched habit, and girt her selfe with a rude cord, going alwayes barefoot, spending the rest of her dayes in a most austere manner with some of her ladies cloathed in the same habit, and professed in the same Order. Which, as it seemes, was the first communitie that mi∣litated vnder this Rule. After this the most pious Angela coun∣tesse of Ciuitella, hauing gathe∣red together many noble virgins at Fulginea (which is a towne some twelue miles distant from Assisium) did build a couent vnder the title of S. Anne, wherein entring with her companions, and making the three vowes of cha∣stitie, obedience, and pouertie, she perseuered ingreat sanctitie to her

death, as is to be seene hereafter in her life. After her example very many virgins gathering their meanes together caused to be builded and erected in short time 8. monasteries in diuerse parts of Italie, wherein they did liue vn∣der the habit and Rule of the third Order of S. Francis. Gon∣zaga saith that this B. woman was the first who did make these so∣lemne vowes in this third Or∣der. But in this there seemes to be a great mistake, for this Sainct liued in the yeare 1309. whereas in the yeare 1295. Pope Bonifa∣cius the 8. doth affirme that many monasteries were begunne in Germany wher to he gaue many priuiledges which belong only to religious orders, as chapples and oratories, as is to be seene in F. Luke Wadding in the 2. tome of his Annales, who also in the

yeare 1282. n. 11. telates that B. Duleinae contemning the world did offer her selfe to God vnder the habit and rule of pennance, very many yong virgins and graue matrons running in the o∣dour of her sanctitie did doe the same. And before this in the yeare 1252. num. 7. he describes the life of B. Sainct Rose of Viterbia, who by the commandement of our lady tooke the habit of the third Order in a Monasterie neare there about; and this was with∣in 31. yeares after the beginning of this Order. Nay before this neare Florence there were many communities wherto our holy Father gaue a Rule, it is very likely that some of these did make the solemne vowes, but whether they did or no makes not much to our purpose: at least it shewes how this Order hath

still augmented in perfection. Let vs now see what it hath done from S. Angelaes time.

And we shall find it alwayes to be abbettered, for Sixtus. 4. in the yeare 1480. in his Breue, Ad Christi Vicarij, hath these words. Truely long agoe we haue vn∣derstood that some brethen and sisters of the 3. order of S. Francis by speciall grant of me and my predecessours liuing collegially after the yeare of probation, doe vow and promise in the hands of their superiours canonically ele∣cted by their colledge, chastitie, obedience and pouertie. Whereto Pope Innocent the 8. in the yeare 1487. added the vow of enclo∣sure, which made Pope Leo the 10. to accomodate the Rule that was ordained by S. Francis ap∣proued and confirmed by Nicho∣las the 4. to a Religious state. And

Clement the 7. in his Bull Ad vbe∣res fructus an 1526. and Pius 5. in his Bull ea est officij nostri an. 1568. haue more amply declared it. So that now it is become more perfect and compleat, conuenient for a Religious state, whereof be∣cause some without any iust rea∣son haue made doubt, I will en∣deauour to make it cleare by the succeeding chapter.