Bernardine of Fossa

ON BL. BERNARDINE OF FOSSA, OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR,

IN THE YEAR 1503

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY

Bernardine of Fossa, of the Order of Friars Minor. (B.)

BY F. V. O.

[1] Bernardine of Fossa, distinguished for holiness and zeal for souls Among the foremost of the Friars Minor who in the fifteenth century clung to the footsteps of Saints Bernardine of Siena and John of Capistrano, there stands out for constancy of virtue and for labours strenuously endured for the catholic faith and their religious family blessed Bernardine of L'Aquila, called "of Fossa," inasmuch as he was born in this little town, about four milestones distant from L'Aquila itself in the Abruzzi, of parents conspicuous for piety and birth. And he died in the convent of Saint Julian near L'Aquila on 27 November 1503, having passed through the great span of 83 years.

§ I. Of his public cult and the principal sources of his acts.

[2] public veneration followed at once after his death. Immediately after death, illustrious for miracles, he began to be honoured with public veneration. His blessed body not long after, namely on the Kalends of December 1515, in the third night of the following day, was carried off by stealth by a certain Father and brought to the convent of St. Angelo, between Fossa and Ocre, on the next Sunday, and on the following day those blessed bones were washed by the same man. And in the following year, on the day before the Kalends of May 1516, on the vigil of the Ascension, at the hour of Vespers, they were piously and honourably laid up within the sacred high altar in a little stone chest, and are enclosed there until now. Above the right of this altar a panel erected shows both the likeness of the blessed man and the miracles themselves. These things were made public by Antonio Amici, grandson of a grand-nephew of Bernardine through his brother, as he describes himself, in the year 1572 Compare below, the Life of Bl. Bernardine, p. 703, n. 10.. Meanwhile there grew and multiplied the accustomed pledges of popular and ecclesiastical veneration, namely painted images of Bernardine with the head crowned with rays, altars erected in his honour at Ocre, Fossa and L'Aquila, very many votive tablets set up before his sacred remains, and lamps lit. Nay, the custom prevailed that, if necessity urge the asking either of rain or of fair weather, public processions, supplications and offerings are made to the tomb of the Blessed with a sacred column drawn up [Processus S. Rituum Congr. Causa Aquilana concessionis et approbationis officii et missae (Rome, 1828), p. 10.]. This display of popular religion was demonstrated by testimonies so abundant and firm to the judges delegated to prove it that the cause was brought to a happy issue in a few years (1823–1828). Namely, on 26 March 1828 Pope Leo XII declared that the aforesaid cause fell among the cases excepted by the praised decrees of Urban VIII, and permitted the office and Mass of Bl. Bernardine to be celebrated, and fixed his feast on 7 November. On which day his praise was inscribed in the Franciscan martyrology.

[3] To the knowledge of him there contributes most And let these things be enough said concerning the cult paid to Bl. Bernardine of Fossa by the seraphic order of St. Francis of Assisi and by the inhabitants of the Abruzzi. The sources, moreover, from which his acts can be drawn out and illuminated, though they are not very abundant, yet make up for their number by their goodness. 1) First of all there come to be praised the Chronicles of the Friars Minor of the observance of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila himself, the Chronicle of the order, which some years ago Fr. Leonard Lemmens, O. F. M., first edited from the autograph codex [Rome, Sallustian press, 1902, in octavo, XXXIX-132 pp. On pp. 13–26, in the manner of an appendix, there are printed again the Provinciae D. Bernardini coenobia et Vitae quorundam Patrum, beato Bernardino Aquilanae Fossae authore, which Antonio Amici once published. See this little book below, p. 693, num. V, reviewed among the works of Bl. Bernardine.]. The paper codex in which these are contained belongs to the National Library of Naples, where it is now marked VIII, C, 12, the older designation XI, 10, 16, C being retained at the same time; nor has any other copy of this work been found up to now. This κειμήλιον, although it was accurately inspected by the editor, we nevertheless, in view of the gravity of the matter, had it at heart to examine more attentively at home too. Emidio Martini, the most distinguished prefect of that library, with the courtesy that is his, liberally granted our wish; which it is a pleasure to me to acknowledge publicly with a most grateful mind.

[4] which the Blessed professes was written by himself Furthermore, the twenty leaves of which that codex consists, besides four blank fly-leaves, of the format 0m, 206×0, 143, written in double columns in very dense and small script, had long ago been bound in boards skilfully covered with dark leather; to which still cling fragments of two little clasps and, on the front side, little iron plates fixed with three nails. But the torn spine has been carelessly repaired with an oblong piece of parchment; on which the title of the book had been inscribed, so worn that the word Cronica can scarcely still be read. And the interior binding shows such an appearance of looseness that a greater number of leaves must once have been bound in it. The book, indeed, shows no name of the author; but whoever runs through it even hastily will easily perceive that it can be attributed to none but our Blessed. Let a passage of the chronicle be the proof: But the Life of blessed Philip of L'Aquila I have noted only in the vulgar tongue Chronica, chap. VI, p. 21.. both in other places, And there exists, written in Italian, the Vita del venerabile P. Fr. Filippo dell' Aquilla, whose author twice discloses himself thus: Tutte queste cose a me frate Bernardino Aquilano, vicario della provincia di Santo Bernardino, narrò il predetto frate Francesco di Rieti. [All these things the aforesaid Brother Francis of Rieti narrated to me, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, vicar of the province of Saint Bernardine.] And below: Tutte queste cose narrò la preditta Sciola, presente frate Marco dell' Aquila guardiano del loco di Santo Nicola, e me frate Bernardino Aquilano, il quale queste cose scrissi [All these things the aforesaid Sciola narrated, there being present Brother Mark of L'Aquila, guardian of the house of Saint Nicholas, and I, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, who wrote these things] Ed. Fr. Ugo da Pescocostanzo (Rome, 1870), pp. 81 and 84.. Likewise in the Chronicle, chap. VII, one reads: On account of very many things, about which I have written more fully in the Centurio, in the sermon on a confessor Chronica, p. 26.. Now the collection of sermons entitled Centurio was completed by Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, as is admitted by all and will be shown below P. 693, num. IX..

[5] and in the Chronicle itself. But the same is shown most of all in chap. XXIX of the Chronicle, where the author notes that he had been set over the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia as vicar: A tablet is read, on which among other things it is said: "Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, vicar of the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia." When I had heard this, I was placed in great tribulation Chronica, p. 97.. This is also established from elsewhere, Let there be added, if you please, the authority of the writers of the order of St. Francis who turned this book to their own uses. The chief of these, Mariano of Florence, whose weighty work, the Fasciculus chronicorum, is lost to us today, is brought forward thus by Harold in the Life of Bl. Albert of Sarteano: "Bl. Bernardine of Fossa, otherwise of L'Aquila, in his Chronicles, in Mariano of Florence, vol. V, chap. 17, fol. 85, col. 4: Brother Albert was a most skilled man and most powerful in theology, a most singular preacher, and most acceptable in his preachings. He was also indeed of good conscience, so that at Milan he is called blessed Albert, because after death he shone with miracles Beati Alberti a Sarthiano opera omnia, ed. Fr. Harold (Rome, 1688), p. 87.." This eulogy is plucked from our Blessed's little work Chronica, chap. IX, p. 30.. Marcos of Lisbon also lists him, at the beginning of the third part of his Chronicles, among the "autores de donde fue collegida esta tercera parte …: Fray Bernardino de Fossa, que compuso un libro de chronicas de la observancia" [authors from whom this third part was gathered …: Friar Bernardine of Fossa, who composed a book of chronicles of the observance] [Of the work of Marcos of Lisbon, composed in the Portuguese tongue, only the Spanish edition was available to us (Lisbon, 1615). Wadding (Annales, at the year 1455, n. LIV), where he treats of the peace to be entered upon with the Conventuals, among

the spokesmen of the family adduces indeed "Bernardine of Fossa of L'Aquila, vicar of the province of St. Bernardine, the writer of this history"; but it is clear that the knowledge of this history was drawn by him only from the writings of Mariano of Florence. Not so Father Agostino da Stroncone, O. F. M., who compiled the work L'Umbria serafica, overo Chronica della provincia del N. S. P. Francesco about the year 1680 (Miscellanea francescana, vol. I, pp. 26–27). For it is established that the Chronicle of Bernardine of L'Aquila was of use to him (ibid., vol. V, passim).].

[6] The autograph copy of the Chronicle, Nor is it less certain that the surviving codex of that chronicle was written by the hand of Bernardine himself. From a manuscript formerly of Cardinal Bessarion, now of the Venetian library of Saint Mark, Z. L. CXLIII, which contains various works of our Blessed of L'Aquila [I. Valentinelli, Bibliotheca manuscripta ad S. Marci Venetiarum, Codices mss. latini, vol. II, p. 156. Compare below, p. 893, num. X.], the Rev. Fr. Lemmens took fol. 279 phototypically, as they say, ending with these words: I, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, of Fossa, of the order of Minors, completed writing this table with my own hand and in haste in the place of Saint Andrew near the city of Chieti, on the vigil of Saint Francis, when it was snowing terribly, in the year of the Lord 1462 Chronica, p. XXIV.. Now if anyone compares with one another the strokes of the letters of this leaf and of any leaf whatever of the Naples codex, the manifold marks of abbreviation, the dense and very minute, although even, script, he will at once decide that both documents were written by the very same hand.

[7] most carefully finished, This being so, it is worth considering the autograph codex more diligently. On the first page of each of the two quires of which it is made up is read the word Yhesus, written in the upper margin. The heading and the closing clause of the Prologue are rubricated; not so the argument prefixed to the individual chapters. Immediately a small space is left empty for painting the first letter of the chapter; which letter is noted in minuscule in the margin. Many words struck through with a stroke of the pen, and others omitted in the context of the sentences and supplied in the margins by the same hand, show with how much care the author revised his work. Besides, another hand has sprinkled the margins with little notes of no importance and with a sign representing a pointing hand.

[8] The things contained in it commend the codex, precious beyond doubt, still more. For the author, most upright as well as sincere, it contains most weighty matters; intends to narrate the origins and fortunes of the Friars Minor called of the observance, who separated themselves from the Conventual friars, until by Leo X, in the year 1517, the complete schism was solemnly confirmed [H. Holzapfel, O. F. M., Manuale historiae ordinis Fratrum Minorum (Freiburg im Breisgau, 1909), pp. 136–37.]. After the humble and peaceful beginnings of the family, which blessed Bernardine rightly and deservedly traces back to Bl. Paoluccio of Foligno or de' Trinci, there arose little by little, and raged in the later part of the fifteenth century, fratricidal quarrels, tumults and scandals under the title of restoring the pristine union and government. Sharply and craftily was the fight waged by both camps with the supreme pontiffs, whom each strove to bind to himself by blandishments or threats. A time rich in disasters, fierce with battles, torn by seditions, savage even in peace itself C. Tacitus, Hist., book I, n. 2., which found in Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila a vigorous actor and no less faithful narrator. Yet not an age so barren of virtues that it did not also produce good examples Ibid., n. 3.. These things the man, most eager to promote the honour of his order, published with equal zeal and alacrity. Many things, certainly, he did not know, and in those which were earlier than his own age he sometimes erred. But the events of which he was some part he set out, a witness acute of mind and retentive of memory, with such candour and integrity that from his narration I have securely taken most of the regesta which will be brought forward below, in the order of the years, concerning his life. Nay, since it expresses the character of the writer as in a mirror and contributes to understanding his deeds more rightly, besides the fact that in the last chapters, namely XXIX–XXXII, it relates what was done by him as vicar of Bosnia and Dalmatia, we have judged that the greater part of the Chronicle should be placed before the eyes of readers, namely chap. X, and chap. XIV to the end, chapters XXIII and XXIV being omitted.

[9] but it is mutilated, or more probably was not finished. But the book has come down to us mutilated or unfinished, and stops in the midst of the events of the year 1469. Which is much to be regretted, since Bernardine survived for 34 more years, of which we are almost wholly ignorant, from other sources, of what he did or where he lived. Whether the codex was ever brought to its end by the author himself, I hesitate in doubt. For while on the verso of the last leaf of the first quire he wrote in the margin the words et notandum (chap. XIX, about the end), with which the first line of the second quire begins, as was the custom of all copyists, it is to be wondered at that on the last leaf of this quire no word is written below in the margin to designate the beginning of the following quire, if there was one. Besides, it is to be carefully noticed that the first quire consists of twelve leaves, the second of only eight. It seems, therefore, that the author thought that eight leaves would suffice for completing the work. Hence it may be conjectured that he had it in mind not to draw out the narration of events very far beyond the year 1469. Now he took up the pen, and indeed, as will soon be shown, not before the year 1480, that the things which the divine goodness had wrought in this family might be committed to memory Prologue of the Chronicle.. And this heavenly protection the family experienced most of all as long as it strove to shake off the yoke of the Conventuals. Which was removed in the reign of Pius II, supreme pontiff (1458–1464). For from that time the family rested in peace with the Conventuals Chronica, chap. XXVIII, p. 94.. And after he had described at length how he had conducted himself in Bosnia and Dalmatia in the three years of his vicariate, anyone who runs through the annals of the Friars Minor of the end of the fifteenth century will easily perceive that nothing memorable pertaining to the particular history of the cismontane Observants was before the author's mind, and that therefore the matter which he resolved to take up was bounded by the year 1470. Nay, if he had intended to embrace the events of a later time, how is it that he who in his Chronicle abundantly mingled discourse about St. Bernardine of Siena, his much-loved father, passed over entirely in silence the celebrated translation of his remains into the noble church at L'Aquila dedicated to him, which took place with the very great rejoicing of the whole province of the Abruzzi, and the highest exultation of the foreigners who were present, and a great assembly of the whole clergy and of the friars in the year of the Lord 1472, Sixtus the Fourth sitting as supreme pontiff Life, by Ludovico of Vicenza, Act. SS., May vol. V, p. 272*.? Let no one judge these things proposed by me as certain, but only as more probable.

[10] That the book was composed about 1480 Perhaps it can be more strictly defined at what time he put his hand to executing the work. Here and there certain things said in passing occur, from which it is rightly deduced that the Chronicle was composed about the year 1480. He wrote, indeed, after James of the Marches had died on 28 November 1476. For he, he says, shone with many miracles in his life, and after death, in the place of Santa Maria Nova, where his body rests, in the city of Naples, he is said to shine Chronica, chap. VI, p. 21.. And he wrote in the time of Brother Gabriel of Verona, who is now the most reverend cardinal of the holy Roman church Ibid., chap. XXVII, p. 92., namely from 10 December 1477 Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, vol. II, p. 19.. And since this cardinal died on 27 September 1486, it is clear that the task had already been finished by Bernardine before this year. But he had not yet completed it when there departed from the living on 2 April 1479 the most reverend lord of good memory Bernard of Narni, cardinal of the holy Roman church, called of Spoleto Chronica, chap. XVIII, p. 62..

[11] is easily demonstrated. Now in chapter V he concludes the history of the province of St. Bernardine, to which the chronicler was attached, touched upon with the tips of the lips, thus: Afterwards the friars built places in other cities, and, the Lord leading, the province has been made up to now very commodious both for the spiritual and for the bodily life, holding 17 places Ibid., p. 16.. Of these places, indeed, 15 already existed in the year 1464, as Bernardine himself expressly asserts in his little work Provinciae D. Bernardini coenobia Ant. Amici, after the Funerale, fol. 63v; L. Lemmens, work cited, p. 115.. Its list, with the order slightly inverted and with the year besides in which each convent was founded, was shown again by Francesco Gonzaga [De origine seraphicae religionis franciscanae, second part (Rome, 1587), pp. 409–15.], a most diligent investigator of the affairs of his order, who completed his excellent work while he was discharging the office of Minister General of the whole order (1579–1587). And he adds two convents which were built in the year 1470; and so he reaches the number of places, namely 17, noted by our Blessed in his chronicle. And the eighteenth was the convent of St. Angelo near Ocre, of which Bernardine makes no mention in the aforesaid little book, but narrates its beginnings in another little work of his See below, the Regestum, under the year 1480.. This the observant friars, led by him, began to restore in the year 1480, and entered in the year 1481. But the nineteenth convent, which was erected in the year 1490, cannot be called into question, since we have just shown that the Chronicle was certainly written before the year 1486. It remains, therefore, that the year 1480 be assigned as the latest limit for the composing of the work.

[12] Besides, the life of Bernardine was narrated by Marcos of Lisbon These things having been maturely considered in proportion to the gravity of the matter, the other aids for describing the life of Bl. Bernardine are to be enumerated; on these we shall not dwell so long. 2) In the second place, then, if we keep the order of time, comes forward Marcos of Lisbon, who inserted a brief epitome of his acts in his chronicles [Tercera parte de las chronicas, book VII, chap. XXXVIII, fols. 205v–206. It came out in the Portuguese and Castilian tongue in the year 1570.], citing his guarantor in the margin, namely Mariano-Memoriales. This is that Mariano of Florence († 1523) who easily holds the first place among those who collected the monuments of Minorite history; whom Wadding professes was of great help to him in writing the Annals [Wadding, Scriptores ordinis Minorum (Rome, 1806), p. 170. Compare on Mariano Sbaralea, Supplementum ad scriptores trium ordinum S. Francisci (Rome, 1806), p. 518; P. Sabatier, Fr. Francisci Bartholi de Assisio Tractatus de Indulgentia S. Mariae de Portiuncula, p. 137 ff.; and Anal. Boll., vol. XXI, pp. 379–80.]. Concerning Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, although he had handled his chronicle

Above, p. 687, num. 5., he seems to have written sparingly. So at least the compendium handed down by Marcos of Lisbon hints. The writer is lavish in proclaiming his virtues; which praise agrees entirely with the frank narration of the chronicle. But certain things are asserted there which it will soon be expedient to explain a little.

[13] and Antonio Amici, 3) The Life of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, which Antonio Amici, his great-grand-nephew, doctor of both laws, in the year 1572 prefixed in the manner of a preface to a handful of sermons of his kinsman, entitled the Funerale, of which there will be talk again. And it is pleasing to pluck from the little preface dedicated to Filippo Mocenigo of Venice, archbishop of Cyprus, these few things which the editor brings forward about himself: I betook myself to Naples, a most noble city, to devote my labour there to the faculty of the laws, which are acquired only with very great labour: where, when I had given myself to them for almost a whole lustre, at length adorned with the insignia of a jurisconsult I returned to my homeland. And when afterwards I very often turned over with myself that Bernardine, of the order of the Observant Minors, my esteemed great-grand-uncle, inasmuch as he too had studied the laws for many years as a young man at Perugia, could not have failed to write something, I set about searching the library of St. Angelo — which is a convent of the Observant Minors, situated about a milestone distant from Fossa, my homeland, near L'Aquila, a not undistinguished city of the Abruzzi — where at length I found this little work of my great-uncle called the Funerale, the Admonitiones and the Peregrinus, so that afterwards it also came about that, searching the libraries of the other convents of the province of St. Bernardine sedulously and laboriously, sparing no expense, I obtained very many books of the same author, and not even these entire (which I often bewail); very many, I say, since I have not been able up to now to find anywhere his Quodlibet and Quadragesimale, works most greatly desired by me. And he bears this the more grievously, in another preface, because the Quodlibet and Quadragesimale are books referred to very often, above the others, by the author himself in other books Funerale, f. 63.; and he adds that he also does not have in his hands, not without sadness of my mind, the Life of Bl. Philip of L'Aquila, copiously written by the same great-uncle of mine, entire Ibid., f. 61v..

[14] sometimes following Mariano of Florence Hence it is permissible to suppose with how much solicitude he worked out the Life of Bl. Bernardine. He seems to have borrowed some things from Mariano of Florence; which we shall indicate in their place. A few things agree amply with what others have said that can be compared. It only moves astonishment that he kept silent about the year in which Bernardine was born, and gave the year in which he died, wholly worn out by old age, erroneously. Yet he adduces a certain saying of Bl. Vincent of L'Aquila, from which it follows of itself that our Bernardine died before 7 August 1504 Life, num. 9, note 18., although the author himself did not know the year in which Vincent died. But of these things there will soon be treatment again.

[15] and plundered by the other biographers. Furthermore, all later biographers have used this Life by Amici. From it Pietro Ridolfi of Tossignano extracted a summary, at the head of which shines the likeness of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, of Fossa, showing how Christ Jesus appeared to him in the form of a pilgrim, such as exists in the place of St. Angelo near Fossa Historiarum seraphicae religionis libri tres (Venice, 1586), fol. 91v.. And he notes in the margin: He himself our Blessed testifies in the little book of ears of corn that the name Bernardine was given him by Bl. James of the Marches, and that he received the habit from that same Bl. James, while he was giving sacred sermons to the people at Perugia; and more fully Antonio Amici in his Life Num. 3.. But what the little book of ears of corn was, no one has been able to find out up to now. In any case it is not to be likened to the chronicle of Bl. Bernardine, inasmuch as that by no means teaches that the name was given him by Bl. James of the Marches. Afterwards Luke Wadding compiled the Life, miracles and translation of the body by the same Amici, with some things cut away Annales Minorum, vol. XV, at the year 1503, n. XVI–XXI., as he himself confesses: His life, written by Antonio Amici his kinsman, I show here for the greater part, and he adds: His life has been written briefly by Marcos of Lisbon and Pietro Ridolfi, from whom also he drew a few things. Likewise V. Greiderer, in his Germania franciscana, copied out Amici's little book in great part Vol. I, book II, nn. 408–12, pp. 222–25 (Innsbruck, 1777). and reviewed Place cited, n. 446, p. 237. the monuments of Bernardine's fertile genius contained in Wadding's catalogue Script. ord. Min., under Bernardinus Aquilanus.. Among the most recent biographers, however, Ugo da Pescocostanzo excels, who not only made abundant use of Amici's little work but also described Bernardine's literary equipment more minutely, and, although sometimes good Homer nods, happily dug out some things not to be despised from the surviving books and codices Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa (Naples, 1872), XII–138 pp.. Lastly the Rev. Fr. Leonard Lemmens, O. F. M., in his introduction to the chronicles of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, printed again the little work of A. Amici, with the end cut off Pp. XII–XIX..

§ II. The more important periods of the life of Bl. Bernardine are examined.

[16] It can rightly be held that Bernardine died in the year 1503, It has seemed better to us to publish the whole document, according to our custom, following the very rare edition of 1572 [Amici's narrative, translated into Italian and somewhat contracted, the author's name being neglected, was published by Paolo Regio, La vita del B. Iacopo della Marchia (Naples, 1589), pp. 165–71.]. But first it is important to weigh the principal moments of Bernardine's various ages and, with the help of the documents available to us, to distribute the course of his life into regesta, with the order of time lighting the way. Now, leaving aside the year of his birth, concerning the year in which he died Marcos of Lisbon, or Mariano of Florence, entirely disagrees with Antonio Amici. While the one asserts the year 1503, the other moves his death back to the year 1515. For he declares the matter thus: Still a virgin, wholly worn out by old age, rendering his spirit to God in the first and most ancient convent of the Minors, St. Julian's near L'Aquila, he was buried. His blessed body not long after, namely on the Kalends of December 1515, in the third night of the following day, was carried off by stealth by a certain father and brought to the convent of St. Angelo, between Fossa and Ocre, on the next Sunday, and on the following day those blessed bones were washed by the same man Life, n. 10.. Therefore, according to Ant. Amici, the body of Bernardine, who died on 27 November 1515, was secretly carried off by a certain friar in the third night of the following day. This was interpreted in exactly the same way by Paolo Regio, who copied out the Amician Life: "Pieno d'anni ai XXVII di novembre l'anno della salute MDXV, passò à godere il suo sperato premio, nel convento di S. Giuliano vicino la città dell' Aquila, et ivi per allora, secondo il consueto di Santa Chiesa fù seppelito… Fù poscia tre giorni appresso, d'indi tolto quel beato corpo da un frate dell' ordine istesso et nella chiesa di S. Angiolo sita tra Fossa et Ocra trasportato" [Full of years, on the 27th of November in the year of salvation 1515, he passed to enjoy his hoped-for reward, in the convent of St. Julian near the city of L'Aquila, and there for the time being, according to the custom of Holy Church, he was buried… Then, three days after, that blessed body was taken from there by a friar of the same order and carried into the church of St. Angelo, situated between Fossa and Ocre] La Vita del B. Iacopo della Marcha (Naples, 1589), pp. 170–71.. But we detect the more certainly that an error has crept in here under Amici's pen because he himself notes in the same place that it was the custom of Bl. Vincent of L'Aquila, who breathed out his soul to God on 7 August 1504 Act. SS., Aug. vol. II, pp. 239–240., to invoke Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila as already dead Life, n. 9.. Hence nothing prevents us from admitting the year 1503 assigned to his death by Mariano of Florence. To whose opinion Pietro Ridolfi of Tossignano Work cited, fol. 91v., Wadding Annales, at the year 1503, n. XVI., who was not ignorant of the Amician narrative, and the other writers of these times from the order of Friars Minor have adhered.

[17] that he was born in the year 1421 Nay, if credit can be given to Pietro Ridolfi, whom Wadding followed, Bernardine of L'Aquila had begun his eighty-third year when he departed from the living. He would therefore have been born in the year 1421. Which agrees exceedingly well with various arguments supplied from elsewhere. For, as Ant. Amici testifies, Bernardine, in his eighteenth year, deliberated whether he should undertake the higher studies of medicine or of jurisprudence. Now at the beginning of the month of September 1439, I was therefore, he himself says, a student at Perugia Compare below, Regesta, under the year 1439.. This defined time pertained to the academic year 1438–39, which was to end in the middle of the month of September, as the custom then prevailed in all universities. But in the year 1438, while René, king of Sicily, about to prepare war against King Alfonso, turned aside to L'Aquila between 14 August and 10 September, our Blessed relates that he was present at the sermons which Bernardine of Siena gave there in those days Ibid., under the year 1438.. And he adds: for I was then a boy. Which he would by no means have hinted of himself if almost a whole year had already passed since the higher studies were begun. At that time, therefore, he was not yet attending the schools of Perugia. It remains that he went to them in the middle of the month of October of the same year 1438, as was statute in that university, that in order, for each year, on the first Sunday after the feast of St. Luke, or on the day itself of St. Luke, according to the most ancient custom of this and of almost all colleges, a Mass of the Holy Spirit be devoutly sung [V. Bini, Memorie istoriche della Perugina università degli studj, vol. I, p. 619.]. And if at that time he was in his eighteenth year, it plainly follows that he was born in the year 1421. Nor is this weakened by the fact that while still an infant, io fanciulletto, tenuto dal mio padre nelle sue braccia I, a little child, held by my father in his arms Vita del ven. P. Fr. Filippo dell' Aquila, p. 16., he beheld St. John of Capistrano performing astounding things at L'Aquila. For Capistrano journeyed through this city about the month of May 1427 A. Hermann, Capistranus triumphans (Cologne, 1700), pp. 92, 273–74., to defend at Rome against hostile rivals Brother Bernardine of Siena, accused before Martin V of the crime of heresy because he was propagating the devotion of the name of Jesus [This whole controversy is subtly set out in the Vie inédite de S. Bernardin de Sienne, Anal. Boll., vol. XXV, pp. 319–323. Compare F. Donati, Notizie su S. Bernardino, Bullettino Senese di storia patria, vol. I (1894), pp. 57–58.]. Then indeed our Bernardine of Fossa was a little boy of six.

[18] and enrolled in the order of Minors in the year 1445. That Bernardine practised the disciplines of canon law for five years is also asserted by Marcos of Lisbon, or rather Mariano of Florence.

With whom one may without doubt agree, since we learn from his own mouth that Brother James of the Marches was a father to him above the others, because he himself gave me the habit of religion in the city of Perugia Chronica, chap. VI, p. 21., where, a celebrated preacher at that time, according to Ant. Amici, he was preaching the Lenten station Life, by Amici, n. 2.. Which took place, with the highest applause of the hearers, in the months of March and April of the year 1445 Ibid., notes 8 and 9.. And so five years and a half had already flowed by since Bernardine had entered the Perugian school in the month of October 1438. And it was provided by the statutes of the Perugian Academy that the studies of canon law should be drawn out over six years: If anyone wishes a private examination in canon law, then he must first have studied canon law for six years, and have repeated one decretal in the said school, or have read six lectures in the said school in canon law Statutes of the year 1407, in Bini, work cited, p. 625..

[19] And he presided over his province for ten years. As regards the course of our Blessed's religious life, the things that have come down to us cause little trouble, and have been plainly set out by his biographers. They differ among themselves only in how many years, or at what intervals, he governed the province of St. Bernardine as vicar. Let one of the more recent be an example, Marcellino Cervone of Lanciano, who lists the years 1456–1459, 1463–1466, 1475–1477 of that provincial vicariate [Compendio di storia de' Frati Minori nei tre Abruzzi (Lanciano, 1893), pp. 121–23.]. But Marcos of Lisbon, or rather the writer who went before him, Mariano of Florence, thinks that it lasted ten years; but in what order the years succeeded one another he does not define. Certainly in the year 1454 for the first time, to use the very words of our Blessed, in the place of St. Nicholas near the city of Sulmona I was elected vicar to rule the family of this our province of St. Bernardine Chronica, chap. XVII, pp. 56–57.. Ugo da Pescocostanzo therefore errs, who assigns the first three-year term of blessed Bernardine's provincial prefecture to the year 1451 Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa, pp. 26–28.. For the vicar of that time, as Bernardine himself testifies, was Brother Matthew of Narni Chronica, chap. XIV, p. 48.. That, the three years 1454–1457 being completed, Bl. Bernardine was elected vicar again is clear from the fact that in the year 1458 he was present at the general chapter at Rome, and remained there to help the new vicar general in most weighty affairs See below, Regesta, under the year 1458.. Here is another argument. At the time when Callixtus III (8 April 1455 – 8 August 1458) was inflaming the minds of Christians to vanquish the Turks, our Blessed, vicar of the province of St. Bernardine, went to Rome to the vicar general of the observant family Chronica, chap. XXII, p. 73., Battista Tagliacarne or of Levanto, who was elected to this office both in the year 1455 and in the year 1458 Holzapfel, work cited, p. 625.. And since there the man of L'Aquila brought to better ways a certain lay brother who, bearing the cross for three years already and being a sailor, had commanded a certain galley Chronica, place cited, p. 73., he seems to have undertaken this Roman journey in the year 1458. And this becomes wholly certain from what follows. For he who had repented of his faults, a few days having elapsed, being in the said convent of Aracoeli, prepared himself well. The plague came and struck him, and so, leaving this life, he passed to the Lord Ibid., p. 74.. Now it is established that a dire pestilence fell upon the City in the month of June 1458 Pastor, Geschichte der Päpste, vol. I (Freiburg im Breisgau, 1886), p. 598.. And so we can hold that in this year the provincial vicariate was in Bernardine's hands. Besides, the Rev. Fr. Leonard Lemmens Chronica, p. XXI. draws an argument from the letter which on 10 February 1461 Brother John of Tagliacozzo gave to St. James of the Marches concerning John Capistrano, who died on 23 October 1456. For in the month of September 1456 Capistrano, his strength exhausted, had received letters from Italy containing many things pleasing to him. Among which letters, indeed, were those most sweet ones, filled with admiration, of the venerable Fr. Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, then most worthy vicar of the Province of St. Bernardine Wadding, Annales, at the year 1456, n. LXXXIV, p. 393.. Hence it is rightly deduced that in the year 1456, in which Capistrano received this letter, Bernardine discharged the office of vicar; but whether in the two following years also is left doubtful by the sentence quoted. However, since it is established that he was vicar in the year 1458, he seems to have completed a new three-year term, namely 1457–1460, in governing the province.

[20] not beyond the year 1475. Furthermore, if the authority of the list of the vicars of the province of St. Bernardine can prevail, which Brother Alessandro de Ritiis put together at the end of the fifteenth century [On whom see C. de Lollis, Ricerche Abruzzesi, in Bullettino dell' Istituto storico Italiano, fasc. 3 (1887), p. 72, and L. Lemmens, work cited, p. XX, note 2.], our Blessed was taken up again for the same office in the year 1463 for one year, and in the year 1472 for three years So reported by Lemmens, ibid., pp. XX and XXI., that is, 1472–1475. There are those who think that the province of St. Bernardine was governed by him for a further three years, namely 1475–1477 So Ugo da Pescocostanzo, place cited, pp. 71–72, and Marc. Cervone, place cited.. But this is refuted both by the testimony of Alessandro de Ritiis, who designates Brother Nicholas of Fara for this three-year term Chronica, p. XXI., and by the Register of the vicars general That manuscript Register exists today in the Vatican archive., where Brother Peter of Naples, vicar general, on 7 August 1476 at L'Aquila recalls these things to the memory of Brother Francis of Paola of L'Aquila: For the peace and tranquillity of conscience and of mind you renounced to me, there being present Fr. Nicholas of Fara, vicar of this province of St. Bernardine, Fr. Louis of L'Aquila, Fr. Bernardine of Fossa …, who were all vicars of the said province Chronica, p. XXII.. And we have learned from Bernardine that for the three years 1464–1467 the very troublesome vicariate of the provinces of Bosnia and Dalmatia united together was entrusted to him [But I, he says, for three years lived like an anvil between three hammerers (Chronica, chap. XXX, p. 103).], and that for the two years 1467–1469 he took counsel for the affairs of the observant family as procurator or commissary in the Roman curia Chronica, chap. XXXI, p. 106.. Lastly, in the year 1480 he restored and ruled the convent of St. Angelo at Ocre, which he had taken up, to the highest joy of all the inhabitants, who had previously been hostile in mind to the Friars Minor See below, Regesta, under the year 1480.. Whether thereafter he again took up the helm of his order is not clear. In the later years of his life, indeed, more ample leisure seems to have been given him to apply himself to literary and ascetical matters. Of which we shall speak more copiously shortly.

[21] An excellent administrator To one inquiring what his manner of administering and of writing was, it is enough to turn over his principal work, namely the Chronicle. For from this it will at once be clear that he was a diligent, industrious, prudent and upright ruler. And since the times were cloudy and stiff necks had to be soothed, he seems to have been more inclined to ease and clemency than to harshness, imposing on no one burdens which he had not first himself undergone. he shines in his manner of writing, And if his writings are looked at, although they are far from a correct Latinity, let alone an elegant one, and often bring forward their sentences like the scattered limbs of a body, yet they express matters with a frank and lively grace and disclose an author acute, courteous, sincere, whose nerve never fails him when he pursues slight or charming things, as is clear from the prologue of the Chronicle nor does eloquence desert him when he sets out graver things, though no account is taken of a lucid order. And a specimen of these gifts worthy to be recited is shown by the prologue of the Chronicle: Not without grief of heart do I write these things. For I know that in this our family there are very many friars most learned in the art of speaking and of polished conscience, who would have written this work to the highest consolation of all, and they have by no means done it; nor is it known to me that anyone is doing it. And when at times I said to the friars of the general chapter that these and some wonderful things which the divine goodness wrought in this family should be committed to memory, no account at all was made of our recollection. Hence it is that, although I am unskilled in the art of speaking, yet I have preferred to lay open the truth in a rustic style for the consolation and instruction of posterity, rather than that so many and so great things worthy of perpetual memory in the margin should pass in damaging silence, wishing rather to be reproved for presumption than for useless silence. But because the friars made known to me qui added, deleted many things which I myself could not see, because they were done long before the order received me, those I shall relate as they were narrated to me. But very many things I know, because I was present, I saw, I heard, and according to the scantiness of my wit bene added, deleted I considered well; those I shall narrate more seriously, according as my Lord shall minister grace to me. Yet let no one think me in the margin a liar if I say things which perhaps at times will seem strange; for I write these things to the honour of God and of religion and for the salvation of my soul. Truly great would be my blindness if, whence I desire to gain in the margin, thence I should sin by lying.

[22] A writer of integrity, From this right rule of writing the man was never detected to have swerved, grave in piety, tireless, chaste in morals, patient of labours and injuries, credulous of portents, as the age bore, an observer. Which occurs especially in the little book Provinciae D. Bernardini coenobia and in chapter VI of the Chronicle itself. And although he favoured the party of the observant friars and sharply rebuked their rivals, who would have done more holily to correct their own life than calumniously to molest those wishing to live well Chronica, chap. XV, p. 50., yet with an even pen he set out the internal dissensions on both sides and their vicissitudes, and who stirred them up or fed them; nor did he try to dissemble what each family craftily and boldly contrived against the supreme pontiffs that its cause might win. He erred at times, but in good faith and in lighter matters. He always carefully distinguishes and declares what he himself experienced and what he learned from others; and he prefers to confess his ignorance rather than to affirm anything rashly. Thus, after he has described both how the observant family took its beginning and what auspicious things befell it at Perugia in the poorest

houses of St. Francis of the Mount, he proceeds in this candid manner: But which place was taken after the place of St. Francis of the Mount, of which above, and how many places, and which, and at what time in that same province, I am wholly ignorant. Likewise which province was the first after the province of St. Francis, I have no knowledge, nor do I much care, because I have by no means thought it necessary. I know, however, that throughout all Italy places were built and the friars grew in great numbers. Of the ultramontane parts, in which also the observance was raised up again, at what time and from whom it took its beginning, I have had no knowledge, nor have I sought up to now to have it Chronica, chap. V, p. 14..

[23] cultivated in varied learning, Nor did he spurn even profane knowledge. For since from his tender years he desired to be instructed in all the disciplines approved by the Church, he applied himself to them with the greatest zeal and brought back from them, as he himself modestly insinuates, some profit In the sermon Del ben fare, in Ugo da Pescocostanzo, work cited, p. 80.. And in fact in his discourses, especially in those which the Funerale contains, he displayed a great show of learning. He knew the authors whom we call classical, orators, philosophers, historians, poets, first of all Virgil and Juvenal; he knew the Fathers, the theologians of the Middle Ages, the ecclesiastical and ascetical writers, the poets, such as Boethius, Nicholas of Lyra, Richard of St. Victor, Bonaventure, Jacopone da Todi, Dante Alighieri, from whom he excerpted aptly. Nor was he less eager to promote the studies of the preachers of his order; he arranged in Latin and Italian many things which would help them to preach rightly; of which below. Meanwhile he by no means neglected both himself to ascend higher to the knowledge of the saints and to incite others. He was a man, to borrow the words with which he was wont to praise his excellent fellow-soldiers, most tenacious of the Franciscan spirit, most acceptable to God, most observant of the rules of St. Francis, of poverty and of obedience; he persevered in the highest humility and kindliness, so that he turned all, friars as well as seculars, to admiration. For in the hoary old man, patient and humble and gracious, the Holy Spirit seemed with open eyes to dwell Provinciae D. Bernardini coenobia, ed. A. Amici, f. 64v; ed. Lemmens, p. 117..

[24] He twice refused the episcopal dignity. A man adorned with so many and such great merits I would easily believe to have been twice taken up by the Supreme Pontiff to the episcopal see of L'Aquila, as Marcos of Lisbon asserts. This see was vacant in the years 1476, 1485 and 1493 Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, vol. II, p. 103.. But Bernardine, with the supreme lowliness of mind and contempt of himself that was his, refused to be raised to that height [So also Agostino da Stroncone, L'Umbria serafica, in Miscellanea francescana, vol. VI, p. 79.], glad to die in his Franciscan simplicity.

§ III. Lists of the works written by Bl. Bernardine.

[25] We have omitted to note one by one the errors and false conjectures of Wadding Scriptores ordinis Minorum, under Bernardinus Aquilanus. and Sbaralea Supplementum ad scriptores trium ordinum S. Francisci, under the word., thinking that sufficient guard against them has been taken by the list which we have made with as much diligence as we could.

A. Printed works.

I. Ammonitioni del B. Bernardino da Fossa dell' ordine de i Frati Minori dell' osservanza nell' anno 1491 composte et dal Magco et Eccelte nell' una e l'altra legge Dottore M. Antonio D' Amici suo quarto nepote nel 1572 primamente in luce mandate. Stampato in Vinegia per Jacomo de Vidali e Compagni ad istanza di M. Antonio d'Amici Aquilano da Fossa nell' anno 1572. [Admonitions of Bl. Bernardine of Fossa, of the order of the Friars Minor of the observance, composed in the year 1491 and first brought to light in 1572 by the Magnificent and Excellent Doctor of both laws M. Antonio D' Amici, his fourth nephew. Printed at Venice by Jacomo de Vidali and Company at the instance of M. Antonio d'Amici of L'Aquila, of Fossa, in the year 1572.] In octavo [Giov. Pansa, Bernardino da Fossa. Contributi bibliografici, in Bollettino della Società di storia patria Anton Ludovico Antinori negli Abruzzi, vol. V (1893), p. 226.].

II. B. Bernardini Aquilani Chronica Fratrum Minorum observantiae. First edited from the autograph codex by Fr. Leonard Lemmens. Rome, 1902, in octavo, XXXIX–111 pp. On which book see more above, p. 687, num. 3 – p. 689, num. 11..

III. Funerale B. Bernardini Aquilanae Fossae, centum abhinc annis compositum, nunc primum per I. U. Cons. Antonium Amicium eius ex fratre atnepotem, cum authoris vita in lucem prolatum. Cui de coenobiis Provinciae D. Bernardini, ac Vitis quorundam Patrum Ordinis eiusdem authoris accedit opusculum. [The Funerale of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, of Fossa, composed a hundred years ago, now first brought to light with the author's life by Antonio Amici, doctor of both laws, his great-grand-nephew through his brother. To which is added a little work of the same author on the convents of the Province of St. Bernardine and the Lives of certain Fathers of the Order.] Venice, 1572.

The Funerale itself (fols. 10–60v) consists of 32 sermons. And a little preface is prefixed by the writer himself, which it is pleasing to bring forward: Since very many Friars Minor have often urged me to arrange some sermons for preaching at funerals, chiefly because in this our city of L'Aquila it very often happens that one preaches at them, I have inclined to their prayers to undertake the matter according to the capacity of my little wit, asking all who shall wish either to preach them or to read them for their own consolation to deign to intercede for me with the Lord. I will set down, then, brief sermons, numbering them in series and giving each its title, as follows. On the ecclesiastical erudition poured out in this Funerale, compare above, p. 692, num. 23.

IV. Peregrinus, sive de Christo sub peregrini specie discipulis in Emmaus proficiscentibus apparente [The Pilgrim, or on Christ appearing in the guise of a pilgrim to the disciples going to Emmaus]. Printed at the end of the work of St. John of Capistrano De iudicio universali futuro et Antechristo, ac de bello spirituali P. Iohannis a Capistrano. Venice, at Pietro Dehuchino's, 1578, in duodecimo. These things only the distinguished man Giovanni Pansa, in his too meagre description Pansa, Bernardino da Fossa, place cited, p. 226.. Ugo da Pescocostanzo had in hand a copy lacking its title and described it more fully Life, pp. 127–28.. The volume, printed in very minute letters, consists of 66 leaves and contains 25 brief sermons, called Diaetae. The first treats of the Pilgrim, and the last of Ingratitude. On fol. 1 it becomes known what the author intended: Since I have long desired, he says, to have one little treatise of brief and compendious sermons which would be my familiar and companion, I have thought to give it the name Peregrinus. That he wrote this little book in memory of Jesus appearing to him as a pilgrim, out of his piety and religion, Ant. Amici asserts is ascertained by me Life, num. 6.. But it is impenetrable to us whence Ugo da Pescocostanzo drew that the little work was made in the year 1498 and printed in the year 1573.

V. Provinciae D. Bernardini coenobia cum Vitis quam brevissimis, cum Beatorum, tum optimorum a provincia ipsa oriundorum, ac exterorum Minorum Patrum observantium in iis fere singulis coenobiis sepultorum ad annum 1464 [The convents of the Province of St. Bernardine, with very brief Lives both of the Blessed and of the best Observant Minor Fathers native of the province itself, and of those from outside, buried in almost each of these convents, up to the year 1464].

The little book was first printed after the Funerale (fols. 63v–68), and was lately edited again by Fr. Leonard Lemmens, O. F. M., as an Appendix to the Chronicles of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila (pp. 113–26). And translated into Italian it had already come out long ago through the care of Paolo Regio, bishop of Acqui La Vita del B. Iacopo della Marcha (Naples, 1589), pp. 173–85..

VI. Un sermone del B. Bernardino Amici da Fossa sulle Vergine secundum dicta Dantis [A sermon of Bl. Bernardine Amici of Fossa on the Virgin according to the words of Dante] [Namely "Vergine madre, figlia del tuo figlio" Virgin mother, daughter of thy son etc. In this and the following verses the preacher distinguishes twelve praises proper to the Virgin Mary, which he develops in the scholastic and oratorical manner. Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa, pp. 131–32. With this sermon, whose beginning has been cut away, begins the manuscript collection entitled: Sermones varii. See below, num. XIII.] ed. A. Leosini, L'Aquila, 1865, in octavo.

Another edition was made by Frs. Marcellino da Civezza and Teofilo Domenichelli, under the title: Beati Bernardini a Fossa Ord. Min. Obs. super laude ad Beatam Virginem in XXXIII cantico Paradisi Dantis Alighieri. Florence, 1896, in octavo [Giov. Pansa, in Bollettino della Società di storia patria Anton Ludovico Antinori negli Abruzzi, vol. XV (1903), p. 98.].

VII. Tractatus de nubere volentium doctrina Treatise on the instruction of those wishing to marry, from the sermons of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, not printed until now, among the Tractatus illustrium in utraque tum Pontificii, tum Caesarei iuris facultate Iurisconsultorum, de matrimonio et dote, vol. XI, fol. 113 (Venice, 1584).

There is prefixed, without the author's name, a summary of the Life composed by Pietro Ridolfi of Tossignano. The three sermons, or contemplations as they are called by Bernardine, belong to the manuscript collection Centurio See below, num. IX., where they occur on fols. 46, 102 and 103 Lemmens, work cited, p. XXIV, note 2.. In the first contemplation are set out the three reasons by which those who wish to marry ought to be moved: necessity, morality, utility. In the second, the three things required when matrimony is contracted: purity, maturity, solemnity. In the third, the three things to be avoided: cupidity, sensuality, malignity.

VIII. Vita del venerabile P. Fr. Filippo dell' Aquila scritta nell' anno 1456 dal B. Bernardino da Fossa, amendue Minori osservanti della provincia di S. Bernardino negli Abruzzi, data per la prima volta in luce, e corredata di alcune note dal P. Fr. Ugone da Pescocostanzo, Riformato dell' istesso ordine e provincia. [Life of the venerable Fr. Brother Philip of L'Aquila, written in the year 1456 by Bl. Bernardine of Fossa, both Observant Minors of the province of St. Bernardine in the Abruzzi, brought to light for the first time and furnished with some notes by Fr. Brother Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Reformed of the same order and province.] Rome, 1870, in duodecimo, 100 pp.

This Life, written in the Italian tongue, Wadding rendered into Latin and contracted, Annales Minorum, at the year 1456, n. CCXVI–CCXXIV; and this epitome Papebroch printed again, Act. SS., May vol. I, pp. 549–51.

B. Manuscript works.

IX. Centurio. Autograph codex, of parchment and paper, in quarto, of IX and 356 leaves, written in double columns and in very dense script. On fol. III it is noted: It belongs to the place of St. Angelo of Ocre, and was Brother Bernardine of Fossa's, of the order of Minors of the observance, by whom this book was completed in the place of St. Nicholas near Sulmona on 26 September 1486 (fol. 350). But afterwards it migrated to Venice to the shelves of the Marciana library, where it is now marked Z. L. LXXXIX [I. Valentinelli, Bibliotheca ms. ad S. Marci Venetiarum. Codices mss. latini, vol. II, pp. 155–56.].

On fol. I the preface begins thus: But the centurion and those who were with him guarding Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things that were done, feared greatly, saying: Truly this was the Son of God. Matt. 27, 54. And the writer adds: Centurio is so called from a hundred; and because this volume contains two hundreds of sermons, it can deservedly be called Centurio, and I decree that it be so called. And indeed the first book of the Centurio (fols. 1–167) contains fifty discourses, to be recited on the Sundays of Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima and on each day of Lent, which all begin from some verse of the epistle to be read at the Mass of that same day; and fifty

other discourses not assigned to definite days. And that series of sermons ends with these words: Thus appears the hundredth sermon, on rash judgement, and the first book of our Centurio is concluded, to the praise of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The second book (fols. 167–351) begins with a sermon on the word of God, in which is expounded the little verse: Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it; and the last place is occupied by the sermon on the Passion of the Lord, with this closing clause (f. 369): Thus appears the sermon on the Passion of the Lord, to the praise of him and of his mother the blessed Virgin. Luke 11, 28. But there follows, out of order, a discourse on the Trinity, which was not placed by the author with the others because, he says, by reason of its matter it is more excellent than all the others, and in it there is little of our own. On the fly-leaves IV–IX, indeed, two tables are arranged, of which the first lists the sermons according to chronological order, the second follows the order of the alphabet. And on the last leaves, 352 and 354, the Life of Bl. Bernardine, to be edited below, is written by Ant. Amici Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa, pp. 113–15..

X. The Quodlibetum occupies the greater part, namely fols. 1–216, of an autograph codex, of parchment and paper, in quarto, written in double columns in a minute character, marked in the Marciana library of Venice Z. L. CXLIII Valentinelli, work cited, p. 156.. According to the dominical sentence prefixed to the preface, Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they perish, the volume is rightly and deservedly called Quodlibetum, because it contains many things about any believer whatever, at least in general, whether the believer lives, or dies, or already exists in glory. John 6, 12. Hence it is divided into three books. The first book (fols. 2–103) treats of the laborious state of the faithful, because in it many things are treated concerning the vices and virtues, in which great labour exists, in fighting against the former, and in acquiring, preserving and exercising the latter; and it contains fifty-two sermons de tempore, namely from Septuagesima Sunday to the Tuesday of the Resurrection. In each sermon, indeed, the passage of the gospel which pertains to the occurring weekday is explained; and so this series differs entirely from the very similar series which is shown in the Centurio. Both series together form a genuine Quadragesimale, as they say; and therefore what was mentioned of this kind by Bernardine's biographers seems to agree with one or the other of the aforesaid series. So Antonio Amici, where he dedicates the little book Provinciae S. Bernardini coenobia to Paolo Arrigucci of Florence Funerale, fol. 63., laments too much that the Quodlibet and Quadragesimale had not yet been found by him, inasmuch as the latter is included in one form in the Centurio already known to him, and in the other form is the same as the first book of the Quodlibet.

The second book (fols. 104–126), on the perilous state of the faithful, because the point of death is perilous, as experience teaches, consists of forty sermons, of which thirty-two with the preface were published by Antonio Amici under the title Funerale See above, p. 692, num. III..

Lastly, in the third book (f. 128–216), on the glorious state of the faithful, are written fifty-three sermons, namely ten on our Lord Jesus Christ, eighteen on the Blessed Virgin Mary, among which is one on her immaculate Conception, which rests on reason, testimony and example, and twenty-five on the saints, the last of which presents St. Bernardine of Siena Ugo da Pescocostanzo, book cited, pp. 115–18..

XI. Two questions: 1) How it is lawful for the procurator of the Friars Minor to receive the money which is offered at the tomb where the body of St. Bernardine rests, and to spend it on the needs of the friars or of others; 2) Whether the Hermit Friars of St. Augustine are to be preferred to the Friars Minor, or the contrary, inserted on fols. 229–231 in the Marciana codex mentioned above Num. X. Compare Valentinelli, place cited, p. 157..

The first question begins thus: The case is such. The body of St. Bernardine of the order of Minors rests in a tomb closed on every side by iron grilles, and ends: I have written the aforesaid that our consciences may remain in good peace, namely that it is lawful on account of the very ample faculty granted by Pope Sixtus IV to the Procurator of the order and on account of the assent of blessed Angelo of Chivasso, then vicar general of the Observants.

The second question begins: First, it seems that a name ought to be fitting to the thing, and ends: These things I have written because at times I have found myself in such contentions, and very many limp on this point. And the author thinks, and tries to persuade with several arguments, that the Friars Minor are to be preferred to the hermits of St. Augustine Ugo da Pescocostanzo, place cited, pp. 118–19..

XII. A preachable treatise entitled de Floribus occurs in the Marciana codex Z.L.CXLIII, of which above [See Valentinelli, place cited, p. 157, and Ugo da Pescocostanzo, place cited, p. 118.], fols. 218–223, very defective. For after the title there is read immediately Liber primus, which announces that other books also were to follow, and only three sermons are written, two Del ben fare and the third on the love of enemies.

XIII. Various sermons, shown by an autograph paper codex of X and 274 leaves (0m,216 × 0m,145), written in double columns and marked num. 11, exist in the Municipal Archive of L'Aquila, to which they were transferred from the convent of St. Angelo of Ocre. Of the codex itself these things are worthy of note. Fol. IIIv: Questo libro è tutto scritto a mano dal Beato P. Fra Bernardino di Fossa Mine Osse Reformato, che sta il suo corpo a S. Giuliano dell' Aquila intatto ad un altare; e volendosi aprire li cristalli tremo il convento e cossi sta venerato. [This book is all written by hand by the Blessed Fr. Brother Bernardine of Fossa, Reformed Observant Minor, whose body lies incorrupt at an altar at St. Julian's of L'Aquila; and when they wished to open the glass the convent trembled, and so it remains venerated.] So a hand of a later age [C. de Lollis, Ricerche Abruzzesi, in Bullettino dell' Istituto storico italiano, No. 3 (1887), p. 80.]. Fol. V: Questo libro fu ritrovato da me Fra Giacinto da Introdacqua nella nostra libreria di Castel-Vetrano in Sicilia; e con sommo stento lo ripigliai dalle mani di quel bibliotecario, il quale mi attestò che l'anno scorso gli era venuto da Venezia con altri libri. Cio accadde nel 1766, quando io andava visitando quella provincia di Valmazzara. [This book was found again by me, Brother Giacinto of Introdacqua, in our library of Castelvetrano in Sicily; and with the greatest difficulty I took it back from the hands of that librarian, who attested to me that the year before it had come to him from Venice with other books. This happened in 1766, when I was visiting that province of Val di Mazara.] Fol. Vv: I, Antonio, doctor of both laws, the least, of Fossa, great-grand-nephew through his brother of this blessed father Bernardine, likewise of Fossa, read through this work, and many times I sighed and shed some tears, when I considered noted here so many good and holy sayings, which had already been written and copied perfectly and most orderly in another book, namely called the "Quodlibetum" or "Centurio," which up to now are not found. There follow (fols. VI–X) three indices: first an index of the gospels and epistles de tempore and de sanctis, with the beginning and end of each added; then an index of all the psalms; and lastly an alphabetical list of all the sermons contained there Ugo da Pescocostanzo, place cited, pp. 122–23..

There are 154 sermons in number, or rather outlines of sermons, which treat of very diverse things. On the inner cover of the volume a later hand inscribed the word Quadragesimale. Which does not agree even with the titles of the first sermons. For these treat "of the glorious Virgin according to the words of Dante The beginning is missing. On this sermon compare above, p. 693, num. VI., — of the word of God, — of the impediments of all good things, — of fasting, — of play, — of sin in general, — of the honour of parents, — of peace, — of the passion of the Lord, — of the resurrection of the Lord, — of any saint, — of renouncing the world, — of obedience, — of prayer," etc. Lemmens, work cited, p. XXVI.. Some sermons of this collection occur also in the Centurio and the Quodlibetum, but brought to a better form and completed. And into the discourse on the Passion of the Lord are inserted very many poetic fragments (fols. 65–68), which were by no means composed by the preacher's wit, as the distinguished C. de Lollis has clearly demonstrated C. de Lollis, place cited, pp. 83–94..

And on the last leaf (274v) blessed Bernardine himself noted certain things, from which it is pleasing to report this: The body of blessed Riccio of Todi, of the order of Minors, lies in the convent of St. Francis of Aglono, and lies, as they say, beside the high altar; and there is devotion of the people there. So I learned in the year 1459 on the feast of St. Andrew. And he adds: In the year of the Lord 1464 Lemmens, place cited..

XIV. The narrative In que modo lo loco de Sancto Angelo de Ocra e venuto alle mani de' Frati Minori chiamati Observanti [In what manner the place of St. Angelo of Ocre came into the hands of the Friars Minor called Observants], in the Marciana codex Z. L. CXLIII, fols. 233–239 Pp. 688–89. Compare Valentinelli, place cited, p. 157.. It is completed in 29 brief paragraphs. And first of all it is noted that that convent, built in the year 1242 by the countess of Ocre for nuns, after two hundred years came into the hands of the Friars Minor, who raised it as it were from ruin and began to inhabit it in the year 1481 Ugo da Pescocostanzo, place cited, p. 120..

C. Doubtful or spurious.

XV. Restitutiones S. Bernardini de Aquila ord. Min. sub brevi ac compendioso sermone coartata [The Restitutions of St. Bernardine of L'Aquila, of the order of Minors, compressed into a brief and compendious discourse].

Parchment codex of the Library of the Municipality of Perugia, marked L. 28, fols. 1–68 [Mazzatinti, Inventari dei manoscritti delli biblioteche d'Italia, vol. V (1895), p. 194, n. 776.]. That treatise, which begins with these words: To what arsonists, brigands, pirates and others like them are bound. St. Bernardine answers in his Quadragesimale on the Christian religion, in sermon 33, art. 1, c. 1, was, as far as the sum of matters is concerned, without doubt excerpted from the cited series of sermons of St. Bernardine of Siena [S. Bernardini Senensis opera omnia, ed. De La Haye, vol. I (Lyons, 1650), p. 158 ff.]. And it is admitted that St. Bernardine of Siena, who died at L'Aquila, was buried at L'Aquila and was honoured with the highest veneration, was often called St. Bernardine of L'Aquila. Which the copyist of this codex also notes below, when he begins to transcribe a little treatise on the dispensing of uncertain ill-gotten goods according to St. Bernardine of L'Aquila, formerly of Siena (fol. 208v). This the excellent man F. Briganti, keeper of the library of the municipality of Perugia, kindly communicated to us.

XVI. Usure secundum S. Bernardinum de Aquila, ordinis Minorum, ut habetur in suo quadragesimali Evangelium aeternum nuncupato, que

reduced to a brief compendium [The usuries according to St. Bernardine of L'Aquila, of the order of Minors, as found in his Lenten series called the Eternal Gospel, which have been reduced to a brief compendium]. In the same parchment codex, fols. 68–165 Mazzatinti, place cited.. And in fact these are contracted from the Quadragesimale of St. Bernardine of Siena on the Eternal Gospel, sermon 38 De La Haye, work cited, vol. II, p. 241 ff..

XVII. That a Life of St. Bernardine of Siena was written in the Italian tongue by Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila is affirmed by his principal biographer, Antonio Amici Life of Bl. Bernardine, num. 6., and his followers. "I think it is the one," says Sbaralea, "which the continuators of Bolland gave in the Act. SS. on 20 May from a manuscript of the convent of L'Aquila without the author's name, but whom the Bollandists themselves recognized as a Minorite of L'Aquila" Supplementum ad scriptores trium ordinum S. Francisci, under the name.. But this life was composed in Latin and bears as its author Brother Ludovico of Vicenza BHL. 1193.. Nor does our Blessed seem to have written any other. For in the year 1464, at the beginning of the little book Provinciae D. Bernardini coenobia, he openly declares that he had not yet touched the Acts of St. Bernardine of Siena: Of whose life and miracles and excellent preaching I do not presume to say anything, since very many men of more excellent wit have striven to describe his life, and his fame, spread through the whole world, is published abroad Ed. Amici, fol. 64; ed. Lemmens, p. 116, where vulgatur is corrected to augetur.. And in the year 1480, about which the Chronica Fratrum Minorum observantiae was arranged, he adds these things: Of this man nothing else. Whoever wishes to look more fully at his miracles and life and holiness, let him go to L'Aquila and look at the process of his canonization [They are available today in the Municipal Archive of L'Aquila. Compare C. de Lollis, place cited, p. 53 ff.], and he will see the wonders of God Chap. VI, p. 19.. Whether he afterwards wrote anything about St. Bernardine of Siena is wholly hidden from us.

XVIII. An unedited Chronicle, which briefly describes in the vernacular tongue the "deeds of the city of L'Aquila" from the year 1254 to the year 1423, was made public in the year 1902 by Giovanni Pansa, the excellent searcher and keeper of the monuments of the Abruzzi [Quattro cronache e due diarii inediti, relativi ai fatti dell' Aquila, dal sec. XIII al sec. XVI, per la prima volta pubblicati con una dissertazione preliminare sulle fonti edite ed inedite della storia Aquilana, pp. 41–63.]. Following the opinion of Ludovico Antinori, his fellow-citizen, who in the eighteenth century illustrated the Abruzzi with his very ample erudition, he judged that that little work is to be attributed to Bl. Bernardine of Fossa Ibid., pp. XLIII–XLVI.. But he brings no testimony besides the authority of Antinori, and draws nothing from the context of the Chronicle itself from which any firmness could accrue to this opinion.

XIX. The history of the revocation of the Eugenian bull made in the year 1456, which Sbaralea, following Wadding Annales, at the year 1455, n. LIV., ascribes to Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila Place cited., is clearly nothing but part of another work, namely the Chronica FF. Minorum observantiae Chaps. XVIII–XXI..

XX. The Libellus spicarum, adduced only by Pietro Ridolfi of Tossignano, which we have shown above to be entirely different from the Chronicle of the Friars Minor of the observance of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila P. 689, num. 15..

XXI. A Quadragesimale, as if a work different from the Quodlibetum and the Centurio, is imprudently reported by Ant. Amici [Life of Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, n. 6. Which Pietro Ridolfi of Tossignano, place cited, and others repeat.]. For in both works, whether you look at the matter or the order, it is easy to find forty sermons connected with one another and to be recited in the time of the Lenten fast Compare what we said above about the Quodlibetum, p. 693, num. X..

XXII. A Treatise on bodily death, of 85 leaves and written in the fifteenth century, which is preserved among the codices of the Municipal Archive of L'Aquila degli Abruzzi under num. 14, is adjudged by Giovanni Pansa to Bl. Bernardine of Fossa Bernardino da Fossa, Contributi bibliografici, place cited, p. 224.. But I should not dare to side with the distinguished man, since he has brought forward no argument to prove this. And asked by me about the fortunes of this little book, the distinguished man who today presides over the provincial Library "Salvatore Tommasi" at L'Aquila, Orazio de Angelo, kindly answered that the paper codex, with parchment leaves intermixed here and there, was assigned to the municipality of L'Aquila from the dispersed convent of St. Angelo of Ocre and from there lately passed into the provincial library, where it holds shelf S, num. 60. And he adds that these words are read on the fly-leaf: The manuscripts of the Blessed Father Bernardine of Fossa of L'Aquila exist printed at Venice Compare above, p. 692, nn. I and III–V., and it is read on his tablet written by hand. But that this note, written after the sixteenth century and whose latter part teems with obscurity, contributes little to settling the dispute, there is no one who does not see.

§ IV. Chronology of the life of Bl. Bernardine.

[26] In the year 1421 Bl. Bernardine was born at Fossa, near L'Aquila in the Abruzzi Compare above, p. 690, num 17..

1427, about the month of May, Bernardine of L'Aquila, still a little boy, beholds at L'Aquila with admiration St. John Capistrano vehemently moving the minds of his hearers both with inflamed words and by the display of a tablet on which the name of Jesus was painted with the image of the Crucified Compare ibid., and Vita del ven. P. Fr. Filippo dell' Aquila, pp. 16–17..

1431, 20 February, Martin V having died, the sun was darkened about the twenty-second hour … as I saw with my own eyes and hold fixed in my mind Chronica, chap. VIII, p. 28..

1438, on 15 August and the following days, Bernardine was present at L'Aquila at the sermons which Bernardine of Siena gave, proclaimed vicar general of the friars of the observance in the cismontane places. Him I heard, he says in his chronicles, preach 12 sermons at L'Aquila at the time when King René was at L'Aquila. And when on the day of the Assumption of Our Lady he preached before the face of the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio and likened the blessed Virgin to a star; and the sermon completed, a certain star appeared in the air between the third and the sixth hour, and the whole people saw and marvelled, and I saw it Ibid., chap. VI, p. 19.. And below: When St. Bernardine preached at L'Aquila and, the sermon completed, a star was seen outside the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, according to what we have related above, he was vicar general of the friars of the family of Italy, and on account of a certain discord which was going on between the vicar of the province and some friars, he had come to L'Aquila, according to what the friars related to me; for I was then a boy Ibid., chap. VII, p. 24.. Now St. Bernardine of Siena discharged the office of vicar or commissary general from the year 1438 to the year 1442 H. Holzapfel, Manuale historiae ordinis Fratrum Minorum, p. 624., and René, king of Sicily, in the year 1438 stayed some days at L'Aquila, to gather forces of armed men against Alfonso [L. Muratori, Annali d'Italia, year 1438, pp. 175–76. Compare P. Collenuccio, Compendio delle historie del regno di Napoli (Venice, 1539), fols. 180–81. And the fortunes of King René in the Abruzzi are described more fully in the Giornali Napolitani of the years 1266–1478, Rerum italic. script., vol. XXI, p. 1108 ff.]. According to the diplomas from which Lecoy de la Marche composed the itinerary of King René Le roi René, vol. II (Paris, 1875), p. 442., on 14 August he had pitched camp near Bojano [Rightly so emended from Boyam by N. F. Faraglia, Storia della lotta tra Alfonso V d'Aragona e Renato d'Angiò (Lanciano, 1908), p. 143, note 2.], thirty kilometres distant from Isernia, and on 10 September he had not yet departed from L'Aquila. And therefore Barnabaeus is to be corrected, who in his Life of St. Bernardine of Siena attaches that prodigy of the star to the end of the year 1439, in which René did not appear at L'Aquila Act. SS., May vol. V, p. 280*, num. 12..

1438, on 18 October, at Perugia in Umbria, he began the higher studies of jurisprudence Compare above, p. 690, num. 17..

1439, at the beginning of the month of September, he was studying at Perugia in the university. For he recalls the slaying, perpetrated in this year, of the lords of Foligno, whose house was called de' Trinci. Whom a certain terrible patriarch of Corneto destroyed — and at that time I was a student at Perugia — and brought to nothing, so that no shoot remained of them, but all were annihilated Chronicle of Bl. Bernardine, chap. II, p. 6.. Now Giovanni Vitelleschi, a native of Corneto, patriarch of Alexandria and legate of the Holy See, having stormed the town of Foligno on 8 September 1439, ordered its lord, Corrado Trinci [Che era signore, ovvero scorticatore che dirò meglio illius urbis. Who was lord, or rather, as I shall better say, flayer, of that city. Fragmenta Fulginatis historiae, in L. Muratori, Antiquitates italicae medii aevi, vol. IV (Milan, 1741), p. 154.], and his sons, Ugolino and Cesare, to be strangled [Diario del Graziani 1309–1491 de rebus a Perusinis gestis, in Archivio storico italiano, Ser. I, vol. XVI, part 1, pp. 442–44.].

1441, in the month of August, Bernardine was studying at Perugia when there arrived there envoys sent by the patriarch of the Jacobites. For, as he himself says, in the times of Eugene IV there came, sent, Indians, whom I saw honourably received at Perugia, received with the sound of bells and the meeting of the mounted citizens by command of the supreme pontiff Chronica, chap. IX, p. 29.. This procession, arranged to honour the envoys of the patriarch of the Jacobites, under the leadership of Brother Albert of Sarteano, advanced through the squares of Perugia on 22 August 1441 Diario del Graziani, place cited, pp. 470–71..

1444, in the month of June, Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila, having heard of the first miracle wrought by St. Bernardine of Siena after death, formed the resolve of entering the religion of St. Francis, as he himself testified in preaching [Peregrinus, Dieta XIX. Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa, p. 18, note.].

1445, on the fourth day before the Ides of March, Bernardine entered the order of St. Francis Life of Bl. Bernardine, by Ant. Amici, n. 4.. He himself, when he had praised Brother James of the Marches in his chronicle Chap. VI, p. 21., adds these things: I called him my father above the others, because he himself gave me the habit of religion in the city of Perugia.

In the place of Brogliano, which is on the borders of the city of Camerino and of Foligno, after the chapter held at Foligno in the year 1368, Brother Paoluccio de' Trinci, or of Foligno, under the obedience of the father minister general himself, restored the strictest observance of the rule of St. Francis. Whence his followers were called the family of the friars of the observance or

simply, as they preferred to call themselves, the family. This place, says Bernardine, in which I myself also was at one time, is very rough and very remote from the habitation of men, nor is wine gathered in those parts … But because those seculars living in those parts are poor and the country is very stony, therefore the seculars go barefoot and wear iron-shod clogs for shoes, by whose example those first friars also began to use clogs on bare feet. Hence it is that the whole family, by the example of those fathers, uses clogs on bare feet up to now Chronica, chap. II, pp. 8–9..

1446, on the third day before the Nones of March, Bl. Bernardine made the vows of religion at Stroncone Life by Amici, n. 4..

1446, a little after his religious profession, he was present at the sermon which blessed Albert of Sarteano gave at Perugia to defend his reputation. And a certain Conventual master in theology had come to hear his preaching. He, hearing that good man defending himself so fervently and biting the Conventuals, was disturbed with such pain and confusion of mind that from distress he seemed to be wholly turned into sweat. Many things that he said I hold in mind; but I have judged it better to keep silent than to write. At that time I was a friar, but young and lately professed. And in truth I had compassion on that father master, and in my judgement he was grieved more than he ought; for he could have dissembled more mildly Chronica, chap. IX, p. 32..

Between the years 1446 and 1449, Bl. Bernardine, who had been joined to the Seraphic Order by St. James of the Marches at Perugia, that is in the province of St. Francis, passes into the province of Penne. There was living, he says, the reverend father Brother John of Capistrano, at whose intercession the reverend Brother James of Primadizzi, then vicar general He filled this office 1446–1449. Holzapfel, place cited, p. 625., gave me an obedience to return to this province Chronica, chap. X, p. 35..

1449, on 29 August, he was present at L'Aquila at the last inquiry which Nicholas V had prescribed concerning the miracles of Bl. Bernardine of Siena. For after he has set out what parts were taken by Giovanni of Palena, bishop of Penne (1433–1454), and Angelo Capranica, bishop of Ascoli (1447–1450) and then of Rieti (1450–1469), in pursuing this investigation, on which other prelates had already laboured [The bull of canonization, §10–12, and contemporary documents ed. by Wadding, Annales Minorum, year 1449, nn. XIII and IX, and year 1450, n. III.], the writer continues thus: At the time of the indulgence of Santa Maria di Collemaggio [On the plenary indulgence which Pope Celestine V granted in the year 1294 to the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, to be gained on the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, compare his Life, written by a contemporary author, in Anal. Boll., vol. XVI, p. 419.] outside the city of L'Aquila, I was present at the examination of two dead persons, who were testified to have been raised by divine power on account of the merits of St. Bernardine, of whom one, present, was a boy of five years from the county of L'Aquila, the other a little girl of similar age from Cittareale Chronica, chap. XI, p. 36..

In the jubilee year 1450, on the day of Pentecost, namely 24 May, at Rome, in the basilica of St. Peter the apostle, he beheld the solemn canonization of St. Bernardine of Siena. For my part, I scarcely recall having had a more anguished day in the whole time of my life; we entered the church, and afterwards could not get out, so full was the church of St. Peter. Italians, Frenchmen, Catalans, Spaniards, Hungarians and Burgundians, seculars and friars, monks and hermits and every kind of men, we were mixed and so tightly joined that no one could move by himself, but we were all moved now downward, now upward, so that from weariness we seemed already to be breathing out our spirit. And all the dwellings and the open space before the church of St. Peter were so full that a grain of millet thrown upon the people could scarcely have fallen to the ground [The magnificent spectacle of this canonization is described by Agostino Dati, Opera, Fragmentum Senensium historiarum (Venice, 1516), beginning of book II, fols. CLXXXVIv–CLXXXVII; printed again among the opera omnia of St. Bernardine of Siena, ed. I. De La Haye, vol. I (Lyons, 1650), pp. 48–49.]. And a little before: It (the canonization) took place at the time when the general chapter was being celebrated at Rome; at which so great a multitude of friars came together that when the first were entering the church of St. Peter the last were still at Aracoeli [This was the principal convent of the Friars Minor at Rome, situated not far from the Capitol.], and all, advancing in procession, were singing the divine praises [Chronica, chap. XI, pp. 38, 37. By the testimony of an eyewitness, Roberto of Lecce, an excellent preacher: There was a general chapter of the Friars Minor at which more than five thousand friars came together. And I gave a sermon to the people about him (St. Bernardine) after the canonization, to which many thousands of men and women flocked (compare Sermones Roberti de Sanctis, Venice, 1490, f. 215v).].

1451, he lived at L'Aquila. Which is easily drawn from what he narrates at length about Brother Roberto of Lecce [On that most eloquent orator, on whose proud character, however, a mark seems to be branded, the Rev. Fr. L. Lemmens has diligently collected much, Chronicles of Bl. Bernardine, pp. 44–45, note 2.], who, having already become a famous preacher, sent by the father Brother John of Capistrano, vicar general, to preach at L'Aquila, began with the greatest acceptance and promised that he would stay a little or a long time according to the devotion of the people; then, at the suggestion of a certain companion of his, he changed his purpose. But I, seeing the scandal of the people and his confusion and that of the friars, sweetly comforted him, alleging the obedience which he had promised Ibid., p. 40.. And many other things are added that are not uninteresting to know.

1452, 27 May, at St. Julian's outside the city of L'Aquila, after the canonization of St. Bernardine, a general chapter (namely of the friars of the observance) was celebrated, and for the needs of the friars, by reason of the narrowness of the place, due convenience could not be had. Therefore the friars of the province treated with the fathers of the general chapter that the chapter should be held in the city in the convent of St. Francis, which the fathers of the convent most kindly offered. But the fathers of the general chapter all unanimously answered, saying: "We would rather be — so to speak — dead at St. Julian's than alive in the convent within the city." And so it was done at St. Julian's. And in my judgement a general chapter in our family was never conducted more devoutly …

Nonetheless two friars were puffed up and complained that due honour was not shown them in that chapter. The truth of which matter I do not know, especially because in our family such honours have not been wont to be sought, and because, by reason of youth and of the little practice of religion which I then had, I did not then consider it at all … Ibid., pp. 38–39..

In this chapter there were gathered together Master Seraphinus of Gaeta, a man truly able and good Sbaralea, Supplementum ad scriptores trium ordinum S. Francisci, p. 656., Brother Barnabas of Terni [Ibid., p. 109. He took the principal part in founding a wholly new thing, namely the Mounts of Piety.], and very many others of us. And Master Seraphinus said, answering in common conversation: "Truly I think that the order of Minors was never established in such great reputation." This word was great and presumptuous, because in the time of blessed Francis and his companions it seemed to be a sort of school of saints. Yet it was then in the greatest reputation; on this side the miracles of St. Bernardine, on that the acceptance of the preachers, on another side the exemplary life of the friars, so that it seemed the exemplar of the whole church. And Master Seraphinus added: "One thing is lacking to our family, namely the study of letters." Which we all contradicted. And I, more presumptuous than the rest, said: "Since according to you the order of Minors was never in such great reputation with the world, and it is established that up to now there have been no studies at all in the family, therefore it is clear that it is better not to have studies." Which saying was commended by all. And I added: "Learned men have never been lacking in the family. For the Lord calls learned men from the world to religion, and has defenders without his labour. Let the friars, then, give themselves to prayer, devotion and divine worship; and the Lord himself defends and increases his family." In this chapter the reverend father Brother Mark of Bologna was elected vicar general [Which office he discharged in the years 1452–1455. His liturgical feast, approved by Pius IX, is celebrated on 31 March. Chronica, chap. XIII, pp. 43–44.].

1453, when Nicholas V desired to know whether the government imposed by Eugene IV on the friars of the family was pleasing, the vicar general called several of the more principal friars from each province. From this our province five friars with the father vicar, who was then Brother Matthew of Narni, having been called, we went to Rome Ibid., chap. XIV, p. 48.. The friars unanimously approved the government. Then I said: "With the friars I do not fear the whole world; we are victors" Ibid., p. 49..

1454, on 9 June (at the time of Pentecost), in the chapter of the Observants of the province of the Abruzzi, Bl. Bernardine: for the first time, in the place of St. Nicholas near the city of Sulmona, I was elected vicar to rule the family of this our province of St. Bernardine [Ibid., chap. XVII, pp. 56–57. Ugo da Pescocostanzo therefore errs, who assigns the first three-year term of Bl. Bernardine's provincial prefecture to the year 1451 in the Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa (Naples, 1872), pp. 27–28.].

1454, on 12 August, by a letter given in the convent of St. Francis at L'Aquila, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, vicar of the province of St. Bernardine [I wonder that in this letter, which otherwise I have not seen, Bl. Bernardine calls himself vicar of the province of St. Bernardine, since it is established that this name was given only in the year 1457, in the general chapter of Milan, to this province, which up to then was called that of Penne. See below, at the year 1457.], sends Brothers John of Tagliacozzo and Ambrose of L'Aquila to Brother John of Capistrano, who had summoned them to himself, that they may comply with him in all things [So from the letter brought forward by the Rev. Fr. Leonard Lemmens according to the edition of Fr. Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Chronica, p. 81, note 2.].

1455, 1 November, he is present at Assisi, at Santa Maria degli Angeli, at the general congregation of the observant and conventual friars prescribed by Callixtus III, that their dissensions might be peacefully settled

[Chronica, chap. XVIII, pp. 62–63; letters of Callixtus III dated 29 July, 21 October and 17 October 1455. Wadding, at the year 1455, num. XLV–XLVII.]. The supreme pontiff sent as legate in that cause a certain abbot of Sant'Ambrogio of Milan Compare below, excerpts from the chronicle, chap. XVIII, note 17..

1455, 6 November, Bernardine of L'Aquila himself and the other observant friars who were present at the congregation subscribe the articles of peace to be proposed to the conventual friars Wadding, at the year 1455, nn. LII and LIII..

1456, in the month of June, But the Life of blessed Philip of L'Aquila († 4 May 1456) I noted only in the vulgar tongue for the common consolation of the friars [Vita del venerabile P. Fr. Filippo dell' Aquila scritta nell' anno 1456 dal B. Bernardino da Fossa, data per la prima volta in luce da P. Fr. Ugone da Pescocostanzo, Rome, 1870.]. But the miracles done after his death were noted partly by the bishop of Sulmona, partly by the friars Ibid., chaps. XII and XIII.. And all are kept in the place of Sulmona, where his body rests Compare besides Act. SS., May vol. I, pp. 548–52.. Bl. Bernardine was living at that time at Sulmona, at St. Nicholas, vicar of the province of St. Bernardine, as he himself declares Namely in the Life of Bl. Philip written by him, pp. 81 and 84..

1457. This our province, which of old was called that of Penne, in the general chapter celebrated at Milan (namely in the year 1457), in the time of the most illustrious duke Francesco Sforza, in which the whole order came together, both of the reverend conventual fathers and also of those called of the observance, at which I myself also was present (as vicar of that province), by the common consent of the whole general chapter gathered at the sound of the little bell, the name of Penne being changed, merited to be called the province of St. Bernardine, out of reverence for the new saint resting in it Chronica, chap. V, p. 16; compare chap. XXV, p. 85..

1457. When the whole order was gathered in chapter at Milan, we were advised that that chapter would be like the one at Padua unless provision were made. We approached the most illustrious duke Francesco, reciting what had been told. He said: "I do not believe it; I have spoken with the general." And he added: "I would not wish for the whole world that there should happen in my city what is reported to have happened in the chapter of Padua." This I heard with my own ears. And when the friars pressed him, he said: "I have already told you, I do not believe it; yet ecco mi! here I am!" I think that, if the friars had wished, he would have prepared a great army for our defence Ibid., chap. IX, p. 30..

1458, on 20 May, he is present at the general chapter at Rome in the convent of Aracoeli Ibid., chap. XXVI, p. 86.. He was one of the four cismontane friars who, with four ultramontane friars, the faculty having been given by the Supreme Pontiff, elected the vicar general of the regular observance Ibid., pp. 86–88..

1458, after 28 May, the chapter being dissolved, the father vicar general kept me with him at Rome, and the father Brother Mark of Bologna. Then the new general … began to hold discourse with us about new bulls and a new concord Ibid., chap. XXVI, p. 88..

1458, at the beginning of the month of August, Bl. Bernardine, setting out from Rome, returned to L'Aquila Ibid., chap. XXVII, p. 91..

1462, on 3 October, Bernardine was living in the convent of St. Andrew, near Teate (Chieti), wholly occupied in transcribing some little works of Raymond Lull Compare above, p. 687, num. 6..

1464, Bl. Bernardine composed the little work in which are reviewed the convents of the province of St. Bernardine, with very brief lives both of the blessed and of the best Observant Minor fathers native of the province itself, and of those from outside, buried in almost each of these convents, up to the year 1464 [Ed. Antonio Amici and L. Lemmens. Compare above, p. 687, num. 6, and Valentinelli, work cited, p. 157.].

1464, 20 May, at Assisi, in the general chapter of the family of the regular observance, at which he was present, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila was designated vicar of the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia Chronica, chap. XXIX, p. 97., which Pius II had decreed by pontifical letter were to be united. Which office he discharged for three years Ibid., chap. XXX, p. 103.. But I for three years lived like an anvil between three hammerers, and yet my Lord did me good grace; for in our three years they were joined in union. On one side the Bosnians, on another the Ragusans and on another the Dalmatians tormented me Ibid., p. 105..

1464, in the month of June, about to make for Dalmatia, Bl. Bernardine came to Ancona Ibid., chap. XXIX, p. 97..

1464, on 3 July, Bl. Bernardine landed at Zara, the capital of Dalmatia. For whereas it was his plan to put in at the port of Flavona on 24 June, he should, had he enjoyed a prosperous voyage, have sailed past the day before the farthest corner of the Gulf of Quarnero, 68 kilometres long; but, driven back by that evil beast the north wind near Porto Lungo, after many perils which we suffered at sea for 13 days, at last we had to enter Zara by skill Chronica, pp. 97–98..

1464, on 31 August, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, vicar of the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia, betaking himself to the aforesaid province, gathered the provincial chapter of both families in the place of Pasman, of the custody of St. Jerome, on the last day of August. Which was drawn out at least until 7 September [Letter of the vicar general Mark of Bologna, in Fermendžin, Acta Bosnae potissimum ecclesiastica, Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium, vol. XXIII (Zagreb, 1892), pp. 260–62.].

1465, on 20 February and the following days, Bl. Bernardine was preaching the Lenten sermons at Šibenik. But, the vicar general Mark of Bologna commanding, I left the preaching in mid-Lent, ill content, and went to Ragusa Chronica, chap. XXX, p. 101., to bring the friars of this city to consent to the decreed union of the friars of Bosnia and Dalmatia.

1467, on the feast of Pentecost, 24 May, Bl. Bernardine was present at the general chapter of the family of the observants at Mantua Ibid., chap. XXXI, p. 105.. And the fathers of the chapter made me procurator or commissary in the Roman curia Ibid., p. 106.. That weighty office he retained until the general chapter which, on account of the premature death of Brother Battista of Levanto, vicar general, was convoked in the year 1469 at the accustomed time of Pentecost.

1469, on 7 June, Bl. Bernardine, commissary in the curia, obtains from Paul II, supreme pontiff, a decree by which it is prescribed that thenceforth, in electing the prelates of the order, it be said by those who conduct the scrutinies simply how many votes each one elected has, the names of the electors being suppressed in silence. For by this way one will proceed to the election itself in the Lord more salutarily and better, with the peace and quiet of all, without rancour and envy Wadding, at the year 1469, n. II..

1469, in the general assembly, Bl. Bernardine of L'Aquila and others of the weightier fathers, to whom had been entrusted the charge of settling the cause concerning abstinence from meat on Wednesdays, which Battista of Levanto, the recently deceased vicar general, had stirred up, decreed that the proposed burden was to be left to the pious zeal of the individual provinces The same, ibid., n. VIII..

1472–75, the venerable servant of God was again set over the province of St. Bernardine as vicar Compare above, p. 691, num. 20..

1480, Bl. Bernardine began to repair the convent of St. Angelo of Ocre, near L'Aquila, granted by Sixtus IV, and from 20 August of the following year he inhabited it with some friars of the family [Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa, pp. 73–74. The author adduces in testimony Bl. Bernardine's little work In que modo lo loco de Sancto Angelo de Ocra è venuto alle mani de' Frati Minori chiamati Observanti. Compare above, p. 695, num. XIV.], the inhabitants of this place soon applauding, who declared to Bernardine himself and his companions: Noi prima vi semo stati contrarii, e mo ne semo più contenti che li altri [We were against you at first, and now we are more pleased about it than the others] Ibid., from the same source, p. 75..

1486, he resides in the convent of St. Nicholas near Sulmona, where in the month of September he completed the series of two hundred sermons to which he gave the name Centurio Compare above, p. 693, num. IX..

1491, Bernardine writes the Ammonizioni of the spiritual life [So Ant. Amici, who edited this little work in the year 1572. Compare above, p. 692, num. I.], or little catechism, in which are clearly explained the articles of faith, the precepts of God and of the Church, especially concerning confession, and pious commentaries on the Lord's Prayer. Of this little work there exists a copy, perhaps unique, in the Vatican Library L. Lemmens, work cited, p. XXX..

1503, on 27 November, he dies most holily Compare above, p. 690, num. 16..

I. EPITOME OF THE LIFE BY MARCOS OF LISBON

From the Tercera parte de las chronicas de la orden de los Frayles Menores del seraphico Padre S. Francisco (Lisbon, 1615), book VII, chap. XXXVIII, fols. 205v–206. — Compare the Preliminary Commentary, p. 689, num. 12.

Bernardine of Fossa, of the Order of Friars Minor. (B.)

BY MARCOS OF LISBON

En este [In the margin is read: Mariano-Memoriales, namely the source of this summary of the life.] año de mil y quinientos y tres passo al Senor fray Bernardino de Aquila, de Fosa. Este religioso fue estudiante cinco anos en la universidad de Perosa, en el derecho canonico. Y hecho devoto de la orden por los milagros de sant Bernardino ya defunto, oyo una quaresma los sermones del santo fray Iacome de la Marca, con los quales se convertio a dexar el mundo, y recibio de su mano el habito de la religion. En la qual mudo el nombre, y se llamò fray Bernardino por la devocion que tenia a este sancto, como quiera que en el siglo se llamasse Juan [According to Ant. Amici (Life of Bl. Bernardine, n. 3) this change of name was made against Bernardine's will.]. [In this year of one thousand five hundred and three there passed to the Lord Friar Bernardine of L'Aquila, of Fossa. This religious was a student for five years at the university of Perugia, in canon law. And, made devoted to the order by the miracles of St. Bernardine, already dead, he heard one Lent the sermons of the holy Friar James of the Marches, by which he was converted to leave the world, and he received from his hand the habit of religion. In which he changed his name, and was called Friar Bernardine for the devotion he had to this saint, although in the world he was called John.]

Despues de professo, y ordenado sacerdote, fue embiado por el sancto fray Juan de Capistrano a la provincia de S. Bernardino, de donde era natural, y fue en ella diez años vicario provincial. Despues fue embiado a Dalmacia y a Bosna por provincial, de donde bolviendo fue hecho commissario de la corte Romana, y siempre en todos sus cargos fue tenido en gran reverencia de los [After being professed and ordained priest, he was sent by the holy Friar John of Capistrano to the province of St. Bernardine, of which he was a native, and was provincial vicar in it for ten years. Afterwards he was sent to Dalmatia and Bosnia as provincial, from where, returning, he was made commissary of the Roman court, and always in all his charges he was held in great reverence by the

frayles, y de los seglares. Fue varon de grande abstinencia, siguiendo siempre la vida comun. Era de grande espiritu en la oracion, en la qual tenia gracia de muchas lagrymas. Nunca quitava los ojos de la cruz de nuestro Señor Jesu Christo, y por la mucha abundancia de lagrimas que derramava, traya siempre los pechos mojados. Tenia por costumbre de tener siempre en su celda, o en qualquiera otra parte que estuviesse, una imagen del crucifixo, que el avia pintado, y mirandola se bañava muchas vezes en lagrimas. Cree se que fue muchas vezes consolado, y visitado del Señor, porque por sus oraciones alcanço muchos milagros. Una vez estando este siervo de Dios en gravissima enfermedad, empeço a salir de su manga y braço un tan suave olor, que maravillosamente confortava a el, y a los que con el estavan This too is in Amici, in the Life, n. 7.. Lo qual devio proceder de algun tocamiento celestial, assi como acontescio al sancto fray Jacome Barletano de Ripio [I should believe that de Ripio was written in error for de Puppio. For Bartholomew of Pisa relates these things of James of Barletta (De conformitate vitae B. Francisci ad vitam Domini Iesu (book I, fruit VIII, second part), Analecta Franciscana, vol. IV, p. 260): At Puppio (Poppi, in the Casentino district) lies Brother James of Barletta. To whom Christ, appearing in a wood, certified him of the remission of his sins, which he had always desired. In sign of which Christ placed the hands of the said brother within his own hands; and from then on he perceived so great a fragrance in his hands that it exceeded the fragrance of all scents, and for a long time afterwards, out of reverence for it, he did not wash his hands. Almost the same things are repeated ibid., fruit XI, second part, p. 519.]. [friars and by the seculars. He was a man of great abstinence, always following the common life. He was of great spirit in prayer, in which he had the grace of many tears. He never took his eyes from the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and from the great abundance of tears that he shed, he always had his breast wet. He had the custom of always keeping in his cell, or in any other place where he might be, an image of the crucifix, which he had painted, and looking at it he often bathed himself in tears. It is believed that he was often consoled and visited by the Lord, because by his prayers he obtained many miracles. Once, when this servant of God was in a most grievous sickness, there began to come out of his sleeve and arm so sweet an odour that it wonderfully comforted him and those who were with him. Which must have proceeded from some heavenly touch, as happened to the holy Friar James of Barletta de Ripio.]

Aparescio le dos vezes S. Bernardino, y en la primera le sanò de una grande enfermedad [This grave infirmity and the healing that followed Ant. Amici has explained, Life, n. 4; but he keeps silent about the name of him who appeared to the sick man.], y la segunda vez estando otra vez enfermo para morir, en la qual lo consolò, y confortò, para el trance de la muerte. Era este varon exemplo de toda gravedad, y religion en todas sus obras. Fue electo dos vezes de la ciudad de Aquila, por obispo; mas el sancto varon, y de humilde coraçon, nunca consintio en ello. Un noble ciudadano llamado Pablo de Caponis, estando muy enfermo, fue visitato deste siervo de Dios, y encomendandose mucho en sus oraciones, dixo el a todos los que presentes estavan: "Pidamos todos a nuestro Señor, que si el fuesse servido, embia salud a este enfermo". Y hecha aquella breve oracion por todos los que alli estavan, hizo la señal de la cruz sobre el enfermo, y luego sanó. [St. Bernardine appeared to him twice, and the first time he healed him of a great sickness, and the second time, when he was again sick unto death, on which he consoled him and comforted him for the passage of death. This man was an example of all gravity and religion in all his works. He was twice elected bishop by the city of L'Aquila; but the holy man, humble of heart, never consented to it. A noble citizen called Paolo de Caponi, being very sick, was visited by this servant of God, and when he commended himself earnestly to his prayers, he said to all who were present: "Let us all ask our Lord that, if it please him, he send health to this sick man." And that brief prayer having been made by all who were there, he made the sign of the cross over the sick man, and at once he was healed.]

II. LIFE OF BL. BERNARDINE, WRITTEN BY ANTONIO AMICI, DOCTOR OF BOTH LAWS, HIS GREAT-GRAND-NEPHEW THROUGH HIS BROTHER.

Compare the Preliminary Commentary, p. 689, num. 13–15.

Bernardine of Fossa, of the Order of Friars Minor. (B.)

BY ANTONIO AMICI

[1] Bl. Bernardine of Fossa, while he was studying law at Perugia, Blessed Bernardine, born in the town of Fossa, about four milestones distant from L'Aquila, a city of the Abruzzi, of Amico and Sciola his parents, and in his eighteenth year [Namely in the year 1438, inasmuch as he was born in the year 1421. Compare the Preliminary Commentary, p. 690, n. 17.], was so instructed in Latin letters that he could quite conveniently have devoted his labour either to jurisprudence or to medicine. He, asked by a certain most excellent jurisconsult and man of no common esteem extimationis Le., a citizen of L'Aquila, called Pace, to which of them he had resolved to apply himself, answered: "To medicine, according to my father's will." And when he asked again, "Why not to the laws?" he simply replied that he had always heard that jurisconsults and advocates were all destined to the punishments of hell. The jurist contending that this was certainly far from the truth, nay asserting that medicine was more pernicious to conscience, inasmuch as a drug administered ignorantly or maliciously harms the goods of the body, which are far more excellent than the human goods that the sentence of an ignorant and wicked jurisconsult injures; and narrating meanwhile that through the ignorance of a certain physician, who neglected the help of the others whom he himself had arranged to be called, a most beautiful son of his, whose head had swelled after being struck by a horse's hoof, had died, so that, kindled with anger, he had resolved to kill the impious physician: behold, his opinion changed, Bernardine, moved by these words and this example, betook himself to Perugia to apply himself to the faculty of the laws.

There, when he had already been studying for several years and was listening to the sermon of a certain hermit, a sudden thought invaded him: "What are you doing, wretch?" it said. "Your parents are dead, your brothers do not lack wives and children, and things go splendidly with them in human affairs; your sisters have married, you yourself are free. If you live among men, you ought not to pass your life like cattle, but must toil through every season of your age;" — which he had decreed he must do in order to live honourably, even though it should consign him to the fire of hell as surely as the bow sends the arrow to its mark; — "it is better, therefore," he said to himself, "to labour for the love of God, best and greatest, who will forgive me my sins so that I may obtain eternal life, than to toil here always and at last be destined to eternal fire."

[2] doubtful of the way to be entered upon, Of this thought, which clung to his heart very closely, and often came into his mind and slipped out of it, after the course of very many days he resolved nothing at all, until from Melchior of Santa Maria in Gallo, skilled in speaking [Who that Melchior was I have not been able to find. The most recent biographer of Bl. Bernardine, Fr. Ugo da Pescocostanzo, Vita del B. Bernardino da Fossa, p. 11, reads for Melchior frate Marco da Santamaria di Montegallo Brother Mark of Santa Maria di Montegallo, who, skilled in the art of medicine, embraced the order of St. Francis and died holily in it in the year 1497. But, besides the fact that this author wrongly interpreted this passage of Amici's legend, he seems not to have known that the college of the Old Wisdom at Perugia was destined only for students and professors who devoted their labour to the disciplines of law. Bini, Memorie istoriche della Perugina università degli studi e dei suoi professori (Perugia, 1816), vol. I, pp. 419–20.], at the top of the school-steps [So also in Wadding and Greiderer (compare the Preliminary Commentary, p. 689, num. 15). This reading Lemmens corrected to in scholarum, whether by a happy conjecture I do not know, B. Bernardini Aquilani Chronica, p. XIII.] of the Old Wisdom at Perugia [On the college of the Old Wisdom, or Gregorian college, different from the college of the New Wisdom, which was opened in the year 1443, compare Bini, work cited, pp. 419–428.], as he narrated the wonderful miracles of St. Bernardine of Siena, who had then lately fallen asleep at L'Aquila On 20 May 1444., and the most exalted ones not yet heard in the series of very many years, he learned of that first prodigy which the divine man had worked for a certain boy who was very lame [The series of miracles which were wrought within 52 days of his death and produced before Eugene IV begins thus: The boy Pasquale, son of Paolo of Ciculo, coming FIRST to the blessed body of Bernardine with the greatest devotion, lame on one side, bending greatly towards the ground, came away straightened and freed, walking rightly on that side previously impeded; the infirmity and the health restored, although publicly seen for many years, being testified by the excellent doctor of laws the lord Marino de Milatini, the said Paolo his father, and Paolo Vittori his master, citizens of L'Aquila, and several others, on the TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF MAY. From the public instrument of L'Aquila ed. Act. SS., May vol. V, p. 284*, n. 2.]; at which he was astounded, and at the same time his heart was enlightened by the Holy Spirit, so that, attributing it wholly to the prayers of the holy man whom he had heard preaching both at L'Aquila Namely in the year 1438. Compare the Regesta, under that year. and at Perugia [St. Bernardine of Siena preached at Perugia several times, namely in the years 1425, 1427, 1438 and 1441 (Diario del Graziani, in Archivio storico italiano, vol. XVI, part 1, pp. 319, 323, 434, 470). At this last year Graziani notes: Adì 10 de agosto venne in Peroscia frate Bernardino, frate observante de San Francesco, e venne da Asese, et predicò in piazza nel pergolo nuovamente fatto, che sta a canto alla porta di San Lorenzo. E la prima predica che esso fece, predicò della iustizia e della assumptione della nostra Donna. E predicò ogni dì per fina adì 16 de agosto, e poi se partì. [On the 10th of August there came to Perugia Brother Bernardine, an observant friar of St. Francis, and he came from Assisi, and preached in the square from the newly made pulpit, which stands beside the door of St. Lawrence. And the first sermon that he made, he preached on justice and on the assumption of Our Lady. And he preached every day until the 16th of August, and then departed.] And in this year 1441 and in this month of August Bernardine of Fossa was living at Perugia, as he himself testifies in his Chronicles. Compare the Regesta, under the year 1441.], he resolved to carry out the thought mentioned; and forthwith a Le. he inquires who was coming to Perugia to preach in the next Lent, that he might explain his purpose to him. And when he was told that either Bl. John of Capistrano or certainly Bl. James of the Marches would give the sermons, rendering immortal thanks to God he rejoiced very greatly. Wherefore Bl. James, when he arrived [St. James of the Marches gave the sacred Lenten discourses at Perugia in the year 1445. On which matter it is pleasing to recite the lucid record of Graziani's annals: [1445] Adì 7 de marzo comenzò a predicare in piazza frate Iacobo della Marca della Osservanza de santo Francesco, quale Monsignore fece venire dicto frate Iacomo et un altro predicatore per salute delle anime nostre … Adì 14 de aprile, fece l'ultima predica frate Iacomo de la Marca in piazza. Et finito che ebbe de predicare, fu portato a braccio a Santo Francesco. Et stato poco, cavalco in uno suo asino et andò verso Santa Maria degli Angioli namely at Assisi; et molto populo glie andò derieto, homini e donne [On the 7th of March Brother James of the Marches, of the Observance of St. Francis, began to preach in the square, which said Brother James Monsignor caused to come, with another preacher, for the salvation of our souls … On the 14th of April Brother James of the Marches made his last sermon in the square. And when he had finished preaching, he was carried in arms to St. Francis. And having stayed a little, he rode on an ass of his and went towards Santa Maria degli Angeli; and many people went after him, men and women] (work cited, p. 568). Hence it is clear that the distinguished Michele Faloci Pulignani erred when he contended that the Lenten sermons in the year 1445 were preached at Foligno by St. James of the Marches. The decrees taken from the archive of this city, on which he relies, do not even hint at the name of the preacher; and other documents adduced clearly indicate that the people of Foligno

through delegates of the magistracy went to St. James at Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi, on 22 April 1445, and brought it about that he turned aside to them. Which happened in the same summer (Miscellanea Francescana, vol. IV, p. 66 ff.). I gladly seize this occasion to advise learned men that the Itinerary of St. James of the Marches, which Father Ludovico Tasso of Fabriano, M. O., plainly declares to be diligently kept in the library of the municipality of Monteprandone, in the territory of Picenum (ibid., vol. I, p. 126), is by no means found there today, nor was it ever there. A. Crivellucci explains the error, I codici della libreria raccolta da S. Giacomo della Marca nel convento di S. Maria delle Grazie presso Monteprandone (Livorno, 1889), p. 85, note 2.], having spoken with him, he disclosed a secret of this kind to Petruccio of L'Aquila, a priest, his dearest fellow-student in the laws, and his companion from boyhood, when they were instructed together in grammar; who, receiving it gratefully, congratulated him, and with many words exhorted him to remain in his resolve.

[3] at the instigation of St. James of the Marches, And one day, as they were setting out ad adds Le. to the convent of St. Francis, Bernardine said that he wished to speak with Bl. James and beg him not to change his name John, which, as a beautiful one, pleased him well enough, and which he embraced with a certain veneration, since his parents had called him so at baptism. And since this seemed excellent to Petruccio and was at the same time most pleasing to him, he promised that he would be a help to Bernardine in this. And when they were entering the cloister of the convent, which is very large, Bl. James, standing opposite at the far end of the cloister, though he could by no means recognize them (inasmuch as he was blear-eyed and weak of sight), cried out in these words: "Hail, Brother Bernardine! I wish you to be called by this name, and take care not to ask anything again." These words they thought the Holy Spirit had revealed to him, and that it was as it were a miracle that he knew perfectly whatever they had said on the way, since he had so forestalled them that, as in fact came about, they should by no means resist this name by which he had called him; and so all judged, since that man was held at Perugia at that time in such esteem, life and holiness that everyone thought him a saint.

[4] he embraced the order of the Observant Minors, And so, the reception of the blessed father into the religion of the Observant Minors in this manner becoming known to all [Graziani has these things: In these days … through the sermons of Brother James of the Marches many persons were converted; and many citizens and scholars and foreigners became friars of the Observance of St. Francis (A quisti dì … per le prediche de frate Iacomo de la Marca se sonno convertite de molte persone; e molti citadini e scolari e forestieri se feceno frate della Osservanza de santo Francesco) (place cited, p. 567).], he who merited, not without admiration, to be called by the name Bernardine on the fourth day before the Ides of March in the year from the birth of Christ 1445, in memory and veneration of St. Bernardine — since not long after Bl. James declared to him once that he had called the three friars received into religion, namely him in memory of St. Bernardine, Brother John of Teramo in memory of Bl. John of Capistrano, and Brother James the Roman in memory of himself — many of his friends and companions nevertheless judged that he would fare badly in the religious life. But, his novitiate fulfilled by the divine will at Gubbio [In the Vita del venerabile P. Fr. Filippo dell' Aquila, which he wrote in the vulgar tongue in the year 1456, our Blessed reports these things about his novitiate: Fu un frate nella provincia di Santo Francesco, chiamato frate Savino de Campelli, che veramente su uomo di somma religiosità e di santa vita, uomo prudente e discreto, e di gran sentimento naturale; del quale posso largamente parlare, perchè nel loco di Santo leronimo di Agubio summo insieme circa un anno; e quantunque allora io fossi novizio, et lui fosse di età decrepita, nondimeno molti boni esempli e santa dottrina ebbi da lui [There was a friar in the province of St. Francis called Brother Savino of Campello, who was truly a man of the highest religiousness and of holy life, a prudent and discreet man, and of great natural sense; of whom I can speak at length, because in the place of St. Jerome at Gubbio we were together about a year; and although I was then a novice, and he was of decrepit age, nonetheless I had many good examples and holy doctrine from him] (ed. Ugo da Pescocostanzo, chap. IX, p. 46). From what he goes on to set out, it is clear that that Savino was master of novices. And since in the year 1445 he was of decrepit age, he could not have flourished at the year 1520, as Arthur du Moustier asserts in his Franciscan Martyrology on 7 July, and much less had he departed from life in the year 1402, which is to be read in Wadding, Annales Minorum, year 1402, n. XII.], and professed at Stroncone on the third day before the Nones of March of the following year 1446 [So also Agostino da Stroncone, a most diligent investigator of Franciscan matters, in L'Umbria serafica, under the year 1446: Il beato Bernardino da Fossa dell' Aquila studiando legge in Perugia, l'anno passato, mosso da miracoli di S. Bernardino, si fece religioso, pigliando l'abito per mano del beato Giacomo nel convento del Monte. Fu mandato a fare il noviziato a Gubio, e compitolo quest' anno e mandato nel contado di Stroncone, dove a 5 di marzo fa la professione solenne [Blessed Bernardine of Fossa of L'Aquila, studying law at Perugia, last year, moved by the miracles of St. Bernardine, became a religious, taking the habit from the hand of blessed James in the convent of the Mount. He was sent to make his novitiate at Gubbio, and having completed it this year he is sent into the county of Stroncone, where on 5 March he makes his solemn profession] (Miscellanea Francescana, vol. V, p. 28).], and having now for several years undergone the greatest labours and heavy burdens, he fell into a continual fever, where after several years he lay gravely ill. which beset him for a month with a certain slight heat within, by no means appearing without, physicians and drugs profiting nothing at all; and he remained so afflicted with pains of his whole body that for seven more months he seemed to himself to be clad in a fiery garment, crying out continually that in so great a torment there was no solace for him except when he shed tears like a little boy; yet tortured more by night than by day, every twenty-fourth hour of the day he was afflicted like a woman in labour. Besides this he was so deprived of sense that at times, sitting on a stool, he scarcely knew himself to be a man, nourished only by the dripping of some meat, and very often labouring at the point of death, he made a vow to St. Bernardine by God, praying that, since he had conferred and was continually conferring so many and so great benefits of health on very many, he would be a protection to him also, afflicted with so many torments, promising that as soon as he should be wholly relieved of that disease, so that he could say Mass, he would offer the Host five times to the praise and glory of God, best and greatest, and of him. And one day in the morning, a little after dawn, as he was sleeping a little, a certain Franciscan appeared to him, saying: "How are you, wretched Bernardine?" "Badly," he said, "and I am wholly failing." And when he added, "Do you know this disease of yours?" "Not at all," he answered. He added: "Know that it is wind enclosed in the bowels, which, since it can by no means get out as yet, afflicts you with this trouble; see to it, then, that the keeper of the sick reports this to the physician." Wherefore, a remedy having been applied by the keeper, Bernardine forthwith recovered, and first paid the vow of Masses in veneration of God and St. Bernardine, lest he should be unmindful of the health received by his power, counsel and merits.

[5] A tireless preacher Persevering in religion with greater zeal, always weeping when he remembered his conversion, that by the very great kindness of a merciful God he had risen from his sins, and adding the doctrine of the sacred page to his laws, he preached everywhere in the province and outside it. And he was made an apostolic preacher, and for several years ruled the province as vicar [On the years in which he presided over the province as vicar and his other offices, compare the Preliminary Commentary, pp. 690–91, num. 19–20.], who was also in the Roman curia the procurator, as they call it, of the whole religion, and on account of the integrity of his life he was occupied by the vicar general in very many offices, especially in Dalmatia, where he sometimes preached with an interpreter declaring his words, heard confessions and performed other divine offices [Up to here Wadding copied Amici's Life (compare the Preliminary Commentary, p. 689, num. 15), except that c. 9, where the miracles are treated, he took up very briefly.].

[6] and writer, He copied books both before and after [Thus he copied several little works of Raymond Lull, which are preserved today at Venice in the library of St. Mark. Compare Valentinelli, Bibliotheca manuscripta ad S. Marci Venetiarum, codices mss. latini, vol. II, p. 157.], and, as far as I know, left very many books of sermons written in Latin [Bernardine's literary industry is reviewed in the Preliminary Commentary, p. 692, num. 25.], namely the Quodlibet, the Quadragesimale, the Funerale, the Centurio and the Peregrinus, which I have ascertained he wrote out of his piety and religion in memory of Jesus appearing to him as a pilgrim, as will be told below. He also described in the Italian tongue the lives of St. Bernardine of Siena and of Bl. Philip of L'Aquila, in which tongue he also wrote the little book of Admonitions. Nay, he also touched briefly in the Latin tongue, in the shortest possible compendium, the little work on the Convents of the Province of St. Bernardine, with the Lives of some fathers buried in the sacred buildings of each of the aforesaid convents, up to the year 1464, writing also some other books of sermons, some of which, incomplete, may be seen in the library of St. Angelo, to be touched on a little below.

[7] a most holy man Having thus attained a great clarity of light in religion, and shining forth with three rays, he opened the way of truth not only to himself but also to others. For since the rays of humility, poverty and splendid chastity shone forth so magnificently in him, he seemed not a man but a heavenly angel. For this most resplendent star, already shining with such and very many rays and breathing so fragrant an odour of all the virtues, excelled not only the rose but the lily, nay the perfumes of all flowers. while he was again sick, he was fragrant with a sweet odour. For, held by a grave disease, he merited to obtain this from the Lord, that often, smelling the sleeve of his habit, by reason of the immense fragrance that overflowed he felt almost no trouble from his long languor [The prodigy of the fragrant sleeve is also recorded by Marcos of Lisbon. See above, p. 700.]. By which the Lord indeed willed us to be admonished that the marks of charity in him were so great that he could truly be called by all a blooming rose of charity; which so shone forth in him that he consoled with fatherly affection not only the friars subject to him, when he presided over the province as vicar, but also the poor seculars and all others. So munificent was his compassion towards them, both in correcting and in exhorting and in showing examples of light, that they forsook the enticing devices of the world and followed the footsteps of their Creator, so that he was deservedly thought a son of St. Francis.

[8] Endowed with the gift of tears, I pass over the very many seasons of his abstinence, I pass over the disciplines and his wonderful rendering of divine praise, I pass over the sweet tears poured out in prayers. For like another Peter, almost always, when he stayed in his cell with the door shut, he was wont to wear a little cloth before his breast or cowl on account of the rivulets of tears On the gift of tears compare Marcos of Lisbon, above, pp. 699–700.. For he had chosen prayer as a sister and most perfect chastity as a bride, in whose odours not only men but also their Lord is delighted.

[9] He beheld Jesus appearing to him. Nor did the Lord take care of his servant by these sayings only, but also by the flashing of miracles. For when the mouth of a mute man was marked by him with the sign of the cross in the name of Jesus, at once he brought forth words without any impediment of the tongue. Likewise one day, as he was journeying with a companion and they were discussing together the gospel of the two disciples going to Emmaus, the Lord appeared to him in the form of a pilgrim, putting questions and answering on that very gospel, and then, vanishing from their eyes, he filled them with immense joy. Compare Luke 24. O how greatly exercise works in divine things, that he whom the blessed man had ardently desired to see with bodily eyes, it befell him at length to perceive and contemplate! O fortunate and too blessed old man! With how many and how great tears could you then be bathed for excessive joy, when with that charity you beheld with your bodily eyes the Creator and Ruler of the whole world and the Redeemer of the human race! You who merited such refreshment and obtained so great a grace were, as I think, wholly dissolved in tears for veneration and wholly drawn away in divine contemplation. A miracle. A very great miracle indeed, that he who rules and governs all things should have appeared to you, speaking with you. And also, when a certain man was labouring with a grave disease, so that all hope of recovering health had been given up by the physicians, at once, when Bl. Bernardine, a brief prayer said first, touched his breast in the name of the Trinity and of Jesus, he was restored to his former health [To this man who was healed Wadding (Annales Minorum, year 1503, n. XXI) gave the name of Paolo de' Capponi, a nobleman of L'Aquila, which he perhaps borrowed from Marcos of Lisbon, although the latter's narrative does not wholly agree with Amici's narrative.], so that he might appear outwardly to us who shone inwardly like a gem with very many virtues, as the outcome of the matter laid open. For as soon as his soul was loosed from the prison-house of his body, it was borne with an innumerable host of angels to the heavenly court; which Bl. Vincent of L'Aquila [This lay brother died on 7 August 1504, and long ago his feast was celebrated on this day at L'Aquila. Compare Act. SS., Aug. vol. II, pp. 239–40. But now, by the concession of Pius IX, he is honoured among the Friars Minor on 6 September.] saw thus glorious and gathering the fruit of its good works. Of whom he very often said: "I commend myself daily to Bl. Bernardine of Fossa, as to other saints of eternal life, that he may ask the Lord to deign in his kindness to lead me to it."

[10] Bernardine died piously Wherefore, still a virgin, wholly worn out by old age, rendering his spirit to God in the first and most ancient convent of the Minors, St. Julian's near L'Aquila, he was buried. His blessed body not long after, namely on the Kalends of December 1515, in the third night of the following day, was carried off by stealth by a certain father and brought to the convent of St. Angelo, between Fossa and Ocre, on the next Sunday, and on the following day those blessed bones were washed by the same man. And in the following year, on the day before the Kalends of May 1516, on the vigil of the Ascension, at the hour of Vespers, they were piously and honourably laid up within the sacred high altar in a little stone chest, and are enclosed there until now. Above the right of this altar a panel erected shows both the likeness effigies Le. of the blessed man and the miracles themselves. Which we once touched upon after a fashion, that they might cling tenaciously to everyone's memory, in these few little verses, which it will not irk us to repeat here also:

Keep your steps rejoicing orantes wrongly Le. towards Bernardine, who will be able to reconcile God to us. For him whom the assembly of physicians abandoned he heals, and by the cross he grants the mute to speak many things rightly. And Christ as a pilgrim meets him on the way, and he flies up to the heavens with the angelic choirs. For our blessed Vincent himself saw his soul fly together to the heavens. Hasten hither, then, you who greatly desire to climb to the kingdoms of heaven and to enjoy eternity in abiding peace.

[11] The author professes his good faith. Rejoice, then, best father, who have long since obtained true and eternal glory, and remember me, the sinner Antonio, your great-grand-nephew through your brother, who out of my observance of piety, in your praise and for the perpetual memory of your deeds, to the honour and glory of God and of the most blessed and most chaste ever-virgin, most glorious mother Mary, and of her only-begotten son Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, have striven to weave these accounts of your ways, such as they are, faithfully indeed, in that nothing at all is foreign to the truth, after a fashion and briefly, intending also, God willing, to have all your works printed as if in fulfilment of a vow Compare the Preliminary Commentary, pp. 692–93, num. I, III, IV and V.. Rejoice, I say, with St. Bernardine, in whose memory, as I said before, you received your name, and both of you, who are in the most happy and eternal life, be not reluctant to pray God for me, that I, the least among the doctors of both laws, may so most justly discharge my office that, pleasing God, I may escape the heavy waves of this slipping world, the myriads of perils and the so many very great straits of affairs. And at length, as I wander on earth, hedged about by very great and various whirlwinds, preserve me by your merits from sins, and guard me always and everywhere lest I in any way swerve from the right. Nay, pray also for an increase of faith for me with the Most High, that, the bonds of this fluctuating world being broken, through the cleanness, integrity and innocence of life which you pursued, I may be able with a great and lofty mind to strive towards heaven, where I may be in perpetual peace, through the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be honour, glory and dominion now and always for ages of ages. Amen.

III. FROM THE CHRONICLE OF THE FRIARS MINOR OF THE OBSERVANCE BY BL. BERNARDINE OF FOSSA

Compare the Preliminary Commentary, pp. 687–89, num. 3–11.

Bernardine of Fossa, of the Order of Friars Minor. (B.)

Chap. 10. Of the new manner of government of our family after the chapter of Padua.

BY BL. BERNARDINE OF FOSSA

Because it is established that nothing good was done for our family in the chapter of Padua, the more principal friars of our family in the margin. withdrew from the place of the chapter and betook themselves to the city of Siena, where the curia was then residing. But the more principal and more acute than all was our father, now blessed John of Capistrano, who was most acceptable to the supreme pontiff and to the whole Roman curia. Having at length asked for and obtained an audience of the supreme pontiff, they related retulerunt added, but struck through with lines. most fully all the things that had been done in the chapter; at which the supreme pontiff conceived the greatest astonishment. The friars therefore made supplication, saying: "Most blessed Father, with this generation of men we can by no means agree. Your Holiness knows what provision Martin the Fifth of good memory made [These things are read above (Chronicle, chap. VIII, p. 28): And so the most reverend lord cardinal (delegated by Martin V) and the friars began to hold discourse about the said reformation (of the order), and they drew up constitutions which are called the Martinian ones and were confirmed by the authority of the supreme pontiff. Wadding edited them, Annales, at the year 1430, num. VII–XXIII.]; it knows what Your Holiness has made These things are set out in chap. IX, which he has just recited.. We beseech this same Your Holiness that it may please you to provide a suitable remedy." And the supreme pontiff, compassionate with his accustomed pity towards the just petition of the poor friars, assented. At length the supplication was made and signed; and according as the blessed father in the margin asserted, whatever things were done about this were known to the most reverend lord protector [The protector of the order at that time (1439–1444) was Cardinal Giuliano Cesarini.].

For the common good the bulls of Eugene ought to be written here to the letter; yet I will set down succinctly some things which I now recall. The blessed father Brother John of Capistrano was an excellent canonist, as his works which he composed well show; he was besides very practised in the doings of the Roman curia, and also an excellent observer of his rule. Whence he thought, with the favour of our Lord and of the supreme pontiff, to make bulls in which the power of the general and provincial ministers over the family would be restricted, and so much power given them as could suffice, lest the order be shown to be able to be divided. And so it is shown in the bulls to have been done. But of this point we shall speak more fully below.

For first it is provided in the bulls that the minister general may visit the vicar nostre added, struck through with lines. general of our family (g. n. f.) in the margin., and, if he finds de added, but struck through with lines. him worthy of deposition, may depose him with the counsel and assent of the four nearest vicars of our family. Likewise that the vicar general elected, the election having been made, be sent to the general for confirmation and that confirmation be asked; and if he will not confirm him sit added, struck through with lines. within three days, he is to be confirmed by apostolic authority. Likewise that he may visit the places of the friars; and if he finds any friar worthy of punishment, he may punish him, within the place only and not outside. And it is added that he may not meddle with anything else. Similarly confirmation of the provincial vicar is to be asked from the provincial minister, and he is not to concern himself with anything else. Likewise that the family may by itself hold a general congregation in the margin, according as the rule prescribes, and may elect a vicar general (et - possit) in the upper margin.. Many other things are said in the bulls, of which I am not mindful.

This innovation of living, however, was very hateful to the conventual fathers and to very many curialists, and especially that of the general congregation generalis before correction; whence fu added, struck through with lines. it was the cause of many quarrels and contentions, of which below. And so, after the aforesaid bulls of Eugene, the family was greatly relieved of the power of the conventuals and received a new manner of living, and under this manner of living, the fame supervening of the miracles of St. Bernardine, who died after the chapter of Padua, our family was wonderfully increased. We are therefore greatly bound to so great a father and supreme pontiff Eugene in the margin, who of his kindness granted such and so great benefits to this family.

And because the aforesaid bulls made a new provision, a new manner of governing was introduced. For the friars provinciale added, struck through with lines. began to hold a general congregation, and with the general they do little, and with the provincial ministers nothing else, except that the vicars ask confirmation. And if any of the friars of the family had wished, without the licence of his prelate, to go over under the obedience of that one, if the prelates of the family demanded him back, they were compelled to return him under pain of excommunication latae sententiae. This point stirred up the greatest war between the two sets of friars, namely the conventuals and the observants.

Under this manner of living, after obitum added, struck through with lines. the said chapter of Padua and the death of St. Bernardine, while Eugene was supreme pontiff, I was received into the order by the reverend father Brother James of the Marches at Perugia. And at that time our family was in the greatest esteem; and my father Brother James was held in such devotion by the peoples as can scarcely be believed. There was living also the reverend father Brother John of Capistrano, at whose intercession the reverend Brother James of Primadizzi, then vicar general (t. v. g.) in the margin, gave me an obedience to return to this province.

Under this government the father Brother John of Capistrano, being vicar general, commanded through obedience the devout Brother Francis of Pavia to ask of God what was to be the future of this family. He received the answer from the Lord that in a short time the friars would be in great shaking, and so it was, according as will be told below.

Chap. 14. Of the terrible war stirred up against the family in the Roman curia, that it should return simply under the obedience of the ministers.

A great war was stirred up against the family in this manner. The conventual fathers all blazed up wonderfully against the family, because the family had been exalted by Eugene and wholly exempted from the obedience of the provincial ministers, as was touched on above in chapter X, and they sought assiduously how they could avenge themselves against the family and recall it under their obedience. And Brother Robert had preached at Rome with unspeakable acceptance and was preaching. And so Brother Robert and the fathers pater Le., the minister general and very many provincials, made a council or agreement together, that, agreeing together, they might all be avenged for the injuries received. And Brother Robert, most acceptable to the whole Roman curia and to the Roman people in preaching, stirred up the whole curia against the family, alleging that this family lived badly and against conscience unless it returned to the obedience of the ministers, and that the bulls of Eugene were of no moment, because surreptitious; and he wonderfully poisoned the whole curia. He said besides, and showed a certain list, in which 24 preachers were q added, deleted. written, all of whom he asserted to be in agreement with his opinion, adding that very many vicars of the provinces, whom for the better he did not wish to name, desired the same thing.

These very things are made known to the ears of the supreme pontiff Nicholas the Fifth. The supreme pontiff calls Brother Mark, the vicar general, tells what has been told, and with fatherly love inquires whether they are true verac earlier.. The vicar general denies everything, that the rivals of the family had invented all these things against the truth. The pontiff insists that he desires to have the certain truth of this matter. The vicar general answers: "Let the friars be called, and let their votes be sought." The supreme pontiff assented; and then the vicar general called several of the more principal friars from each province. From this our province five friars with the father vicar, who was then Brother Matthew of Narni, having been called, we went to Rome. And as we were leaving the city of Tivoli our little flasks were all empty, and the journey was long for us; harm could have befallen us on the way. I went back into the city, seeking a little wine as alms from several women who were spinning in the street. One took the little flask to be filled; but another, an old woman, in bitterness of heart said: "What is this that we hear of you, my son?" I answered: "What you mean to say, I do not know." She said: "We all held you all as our light, and yet that light has been darkened, and now we are all half dead. For so many and such great evils are said of you and of that brother (v. f.) f. v. Le; fratre in the margin of yours, Robert, that we can scarcely hear them. For you are daily in brawls and contentions; and the whole Roman city is scandalized at you in a wonderful manner." Hearing this, in truth my heart was greatly pierced with the sword of grief. I answered: "My mother, do not wonder; for at times quoniam Le. there were contentions among the apostles of Christ, not viciously but virtuously. Each of them tended to a good end; yet the ways were diverse; so indeed it happens contigit Le. to us." And as best I could, I gave an answer.

And going along the road, and having some knowledge of what was happening, we began to talk together. Some of us were doubtful about certain friars who had come from the convents (q. d. c.) in the margin. At length I recall that I spoke thus presumptuously: "I do not fear the Lord, because God is the favourer of truth and the defender of virtues; I do not fear creatures, because, if God is for us, who is against us? This one thing I fear, namely lest we be divided, because every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate. Rom. 8, 31; Luke 11, 17. But if we are united, the Lord being for us, I fear neither demons (n. d.) in the margin nor men; the victory is ours."

After we had all been gathered at Rome, the father vicar general gathered all in chapter, and made known the war moved against us and explained the will of the supreme pontiff, namely that he wished to know the will of the friars about this matter; he wished to know the votes of the friars. The venerable father Brother Peter of Anguillara, vicar of the Roman province (R. p. v.) in the margin, being asked first, answered: "My fathers, it seems to me in the margin that the manner of living handed down to us by Eugene of good memory is necessary for our salvation; and if it were not had, it would be necessary that it be had. Wherefore for myself and for the friars committed to my care I answer: we are ready to bear labours and expenses for its defence, nay, if it were necessary, even to lay down our life." The vicar of the province of St. Francis followed, and of the province of the Marches, and the rest in order in the margin, all asserting the same. And then we all rose, saying: "So we all will." Then I said: "With the friars dixi added, deleted. I do not fear the whole world in the margin; we are victors." And for this time there was no further proceeding.

All we friars, therefore ergo Le., gathered together for this cause, were unanimously strengthened in the Lord; and we praised with our whole heart and with jubilation of mind the divine goodness, which does not abandon its servants in time of necessity. And each of us prepared himself with good courage for the fight, not of offence, but of necessary defence.

Chap. 15. Of the manifold fight contra added, deleted stirred up in the Roman curia by rivals and adversaries against the family, and of the divine and human defence taken up against the calumniators.

Our rivals pressed daily upon the supreme pontiff that, the bulls of Eugene being cancelled as surreptitious and of no moment, as they asserted, the family should return simply under the obedience ut added, deleted. of the ministers; but they would have done more holily to correct their own life than calumniously to molest those wishing to live well. And the friars of the family had help provided by divine providence in this manner. A certain lord Pietro da Noceto, a secular man indeed And joined in matrimony., had formerly omits Le. been a companion of the pope in the world, and so beloved that he was held by all as another pope [Pietro, called da Noceto, of Noceto, was born in the diocese of Piacenza on 8 January 1397 and died his last day at Lucca, 18 February 1467. He was first secretary to blessed Niccolò Albergati, cardinal and bishop of Bologna, and there was bound in close friendship with Tommaso Parentucelli of Sarzana, who was in charge of the episcopal household. This was the beginning of the fortune of Pietro da Noceto, whom Tommaso Parentucelli, made Pope Nicholas V, took to himself and permitted to have the highest favour with him. His life was eloquently described by C. Minutoli, Di alcune opere di belle arti della metropolitana di Lucca, in Atti della R. Accademia Lucchese, vol. XXI (1882), pp. 1–38. By this inquiry let the meagre little commentaries of E. Gerini, Memorie storiche di Lunigiana, vol. II (Massa, 1829), pp. 198–200, be corrected.]. I once saw a certain most reverend cardinal humbly approach the dwelling of the lord Pietro, that he might obtain a favour which he wished from the supreme pontiff. This lord Pietro embraced compelaxabatur the codex with wonderful love a certain Brother Archangelo of Pontremoli, the companion of the vicar general in the margin; they had also been companions in the world. The lord Pietro, asked by the reverend vicar in the margin general and by his companion Brother Archangelo, answered that he was ready audit added, deleted. with a willing mind for all things that would be pleasing to them and agreeable to our family. And because the fight was continual and very terrible, and the minds of the rivals hard against the family, it needed continual help and suitable remedy. Whence the lord Pietro, a prudent man and our singular friend, said to the vicar general: "Do this, that Brother Archangelo come to me twice every day, namely morning and evening; and I will advise you ad vos added, deleted. of everything that shall happen et added, deleted. concerning your affairs in the curia, that you may remedy it." And so it was done. Brother Archangelo, then, used to come; and sometimes he brought good news for us, and, as is the custom in the margin, we all rejoiced in common; sometimes bad, and we were saddened.

Once he returned all sad and ill content, and before all set out the cause, saying: A certain Brother Philip of Massa said to a certain lord bishop, very friendly to him: "If our lord will not treat us as sons and will deny us his favour, and at the petition of Brother Robert or of anyone else will wish to bring us back under the obedience of the ministers, the bulls of Eugene, which are necessary to us for our salvation, being destroyed, in truth he will find us appealing to the council of Constance." And that lord bishop at once took care to report the friar's words to the supreme pontiff in the margin; at which the supreme pontiff was so disturbed that he seemed to send out fire through his mouth. He called Vocans Le. the lord Pietro and with the greatest disturbance reported the friar's words, and in many words set out to the lord Pietro in the margin his lamentation about us; the lord Pietro is saddened and greatly sympathizes with the supreme pontiff. Brother Archangelo comes according to custom, and finding the lord Pietro disturbed was very ill content. The lord Pietro said: "I am trying with all my strength to defend you, and you seem (vos v.) nos videmus Le. to wish to destroy yourselves." Having heard these things, we were all in common ill in the margin content. The friars having been gathered by the vicar general and the news above the line heard, he began to treat of a suitable remedy. At length the time came in the margin when Master Seraphinus, being asked, was to answer, and

he answered, saying: "My fathers, you are all saddened at this word; and I tell you that there was not under heaven a more necessary word. And I think that the divine wisdom has wrought this for our good, that the supreme pontiff, having heard these things which are turning in the minds of the friars, may proceed more maturely in our cause. And therefore I tell you that we ought to be consoled by this word and by the disturbance of the supreme pontiff in the margin above all the things that have been reported relati the codex until now." And in truth I think that the supreme pontiff, already wearied in many ways by our rivals and afflicted, would have wished the family, the bulls of Eugene being now cancelled, to be brought back to the obedience of the ministers; but fearing the aforesaid scandal, he put a bridle on their importunity (sed … imposuit) in the margin.

But Brother Robert, indignant against the family and made an enemy in this matter factus before correction, never ceased to fight against it day and night, publicly and privately. One day, when we were gathered together, there was talk among us that he should be called before us and heard as to why he had stirred up such a scandal against the family. He was called and came. Asked, he answered: "I have said my view, that the family ought to stand content under the obedience of the ministers." It was said to him, why it would live better under the simple obedience of the ministers than in this manner. He answered: "So it seems to me, and so I have said to all who wished to hear." Then Master Seraphinus said: "Do you wish to dispute this point?" He answered: "I have not come to dispute, but, called by you, to hear." And he said many words, especially about preaching, that he had preached the word of the Lord more authentically than any other friar of the family; and he said many things of which I keep no memory at all.

Seeing at length that the supreme pontiff was not proceeding according to his desire and that of the conventual fathers in the margin, because our friends also were defending our side with the pontiff in this cause, no longer able to contain himself, he went out into public, trusting in the acceptance of the people and not fearing the Lord. And at Rome in the Campo dei Fiori Near the palace of the pontifical chancery, where there were many thousands of men, he tried (p. c. s.) in the margin; nisus for conatus before correction to prove by 12 reasons that our family was in mortal sin, according as was related to me. And the poor little man, blinded by the blindness of pride, thinking that he saw a mote in above the line; de before correction the eyes of the poor, would not look at the beam in his own. In such preaching he sinned most mortally against fraternal charity, even if the things he said had been true, since he lied straight against his own head and conscience. For all his reasons either omits Le. were founded on falsehood fasitate the codex and consequently were null; or on obedience, which is not shown to the ministers by the friars of the family aut added, deleted., and likewise they cannot proceed, because the supreme pontiff could do this; or that the order is divided, and likewise it does not proceed, because through the bulls of Eugene the order can by no reason vis added, deleted be called divided, according as will be shown more fully and clearly below; or that the bulls of Eugene are surreptitious, and likewise they do not proceed, because the bulls are canonical and holy. His reasons I did not hear.

For that good man Brother Robert so afflicted the family in the margin by his public preachings — because in all his preachings he vomited out something against the family — or by private ones with curialists and Roman citizens, that the friars of the family could scarcely poterant added, deleted. find any place. Yet the Lord fought manfully for the family, and he with his followers was cast down to the depths like Satan. Well, however, could the poor little family say of them that word of Isaiah: Sons I have nourished and exalted, but they have despised me. Is. 1, 2

Chap. 16. Of the scandals arisen at Rome among seculars from et Le. the preachings and ways of this man.

So great and so very great was this shaking that not only the observant and conventual friars felt the tribulation, but also the seculars. It was related to me that within the houses of seculars in the city of Rome there were divisions. For all who were against the family had this refuge and recourse, that the friars of the family, moved by envy, cannot bear Brother Robert; for they see that he is so accepted and pleasing to the peoples populo Le. as if he were an angel of God, and because they themselves cannot have this, and especially the more principal ones, therefore they persecute him in many ways. But our friends said: "Brother Robert is a youngster and presumptuous and wishes to dominate and will not submit his head to holy obedience; nay he persecutes these poor men and would wish to submit them to the conventual friars; but they will not, because it is not expedient for them." And in this manner and in similar ones they were divided among themselves, so that in the same house there were parties. Nay, in Trastevere one evening neighbouring citizens began to hold discourse about the friars, and from reasonable rationibus added, deleted. words they came to injurious ones, and at last to arms; but, the Holy Spirit working, their brawl was quieted in good peace.

Likewise one day very many Roman citizens, gathered together, began to talk of the things that were happening concerning us; and as it commonly happens that each one abounds in his own sense, each said what was turning in his mind. Some said: "Even friars are envious." But some said: "They would be fools if they did not defend their rights." Some said: "There are no learned men among them; therefore the unlearned, out of envy, move persecutions against the learned." Finally a certain old and sensible citizen, the Holy Spirit inspiring him, said: "I wonder at you. These observant friars have learned men among them, who also give to the whole Church an example of faith, good morals and holiness. And there are very many of them who for 30 or 40 years, more or less, have worn out their life in the observance of their rule. And do you wish to believe that Brother Robert, who is a youngster and newly came from the convent to the observance, knows their doings better (magis … noscat) in the margin? and do you wish to believe Brother Robert concerning their doings more than the old and learned fathers who have consumed their life in the observance? Truly that thing is not reasonable. And therefore you will see Brother Robert, proud and haughty, fall from his pride into the depth." And so it was.

And this was our greatest tribulation: we were suffering persecutions, and were defamed as being the persecutors of our persecutor. Brother Robert continued his preaching every day, and he began little by little to be uncovered, and the citizens began to open their eyes and began to cease from their devotion and to have compassion on the friars of the family; and the family began to breathe again. But after his iniquity had been uncovered in the sight of the seculars, the citizens still continually went to his preachings. One day a certain friar said to certain citizens: "See, you say that you no longer have devotion to Brother Robert, because he himself has shown what he is like." They answered: "We now follow Brother Robert for his eloquence, because he speaks so well, and not for his devotion." And so the poor little man confounded himself and shook the family with much labour.

At length the poor little friars, after innumerable tribulations undergone in the Roman curia — by the divine grace it was brought about that the lord Pope Nicholas the Fifth V Le., having heard and perceived the false informations of the adversaries of the family, and nothing at all being changed in the bulls of Eugene — returned to their provinces not without great consolation, evidently helped by the divine grace.

And because I have written many things about Brother Robert, let no one suspect that I speak against him out of iniquity or passion. In truth I confess that I loved him greatly while he conducted himself well; but after he raised himself against the family as a capital enemy, fervent charity began to grow lukewarm. And let no one think that I wished to write lies; nay, of the very many deeds of his against the family I have collected few. Of his other deeds, both those I heard and those I know, I have wished to say nothing, but only of some which it is clear he did against the family. But after he ceased from the persecution of the family, he was made master in sacred theology, and Master Robert was at last elected bishop of Aquino, and is now called the surviving bishop of Aquino [He was elected bishop of Aquino on 25 October 1475; and on 22 March 1485 he was translated to the church of Lecce; but on 18 July of the same year he was again set over the church of Aquino as bishop. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, vol. II, p. 104, note 1.].

Chap. 17. Of the ruin of several friars of our family after the aforesaid shaking, and of some other things worthy of memory which in the margin happened.

The aforesaid shaking in the Roman curia ceasing, very many friars from almost all the provinces of our family cepe added, deleted began to flee to the convents [These things little commend the upright and firm will of many friars of the family, who up to then had followed the severer rule of the observance only from fear of papal excommunications. But now, the affairs of the order being disturbed, the censures of Eugene IV had fallen into disuse, by which it was forbidden that they should flee over to the conventuals for any cause whatever. Compare the bull given on 11 January 1446, in Wadding, Annales Minorum, at the year 1446, n. II.]. And very many of our friars wished to ascribe it to the harshness of Brother Mark the vicar general, very many of whom I was careful to reprove with the charity that is fitting. For it was not the harshness of the vicar general, but the bad will of those fleeing; for those who had a good will persevered.

In these times, for the first time, in the place of St. Nicholas near the city of Sulmona, I was elected vicar to rule the family of this our province of St. Bernardine. And by the friars of the chapter full power was given to the venerable brothers Brother Liberato of L'Aquila, Brother Francis of Pizzoli and me, that, if it could be done without scandal, the body of St. Bernardine should be left [Why the family took it ill that the remains of St. Bernardine were guarded by certain observant friars in the conventual church of St. Francis, Wadding rightly explains (at the year 1454, n. XXXIII): "Although they made very much of the most sacred pledge, yet they lived not without trouble and weariness in another's house, and performed the divine offices in a narrow chapel. From association and sojourn with the conventual fathers something of a more indulgent life clung to them. They resolved, therefore, after a guard of ten years, to leave the body wholly to the conventuals."]. We approached

L'Aquila and attempted to leave the body of the saint in this manner. Going to the lords of the government of the city of L'Aquila, who are called the Five of the Arts, we proposed that they commend the body of St. Bernardine to others, because for our salvation it did not seem advisable to stay in the city. They took this word hard, and putting us off from day to day, at length we could do nothing; for the citizens had bound themselves together and would by no means consent to us. And the conventual fathers, having heard these things, at once directed a courier to Bologna, where their general chapter was then actually being celebrated Namely in the year 1454., announcing what was being done between us and the citizens concerning the body of St. Bernardine. And I found that the general chapter made this provision: it appointed as guardian of the convent of L'Aquila a certain Brother Lawrence of Apulia, who had first been a conventual in the margin, then of the family, and had again returned to the convent, and, as I think, he brought with him thirty-one omits Le. friars or thereabouts who had gone over from our family to the convents conventum Le.. Their intention was to receive the body of St. Bernardine to govern, which we were refusing, which they thought they could by no means do better than by leading their life under the ways of the observance after correction. And in truth it was a great tribulation to me and my brethren. They began to preach, to live honourably, to serve the convent well. At length the Lord helped us; because they were not walking in truth, in a short space of time they vanished like smoke furtim Le..

Several friars too, withdrawing from our familia added, deleted. province to the convent, did not fear to blame us, that they might justify themselves. And it was the greatest tribulation; they withdrew of their own bad will, and we poor innocents suffered calumny. And that anyone reading may understand the doings of the rest, I will propose the example of one unum Le.. A certain young man, without any occasion given him by anyone, went over from our family to the convent; sought and recalled and asked many times, he would not return. One in the margin day a kinsman consanguineis before correction of his found me and with grief of heart said: "In truth, father, very many citizens wonder at such flight of the friars, and it is commonly imputed imputant Le. to your harshness and indiscretion." I said: "It is not true, but it is their bad will. And that you may know it so openly, go and call your kinsman, Brother So-and-so, and tell him how I am ready with good will to receive him; I will not give a penance for the fault committed, but whatever you give, I accept from now." He, astonished, said: "Can this ego added, deleted. be?" I replied: "So I am content in truth." Then he, rejoicing, said: "Truly I will bring him back to you." I said: "Truly you will not." He said: "Yes, I will." He went and found his kinsman; and he answered him: "I will come in such and such a short time, when certain things which I am about to dispatch have been dispatched." I found the friend and said: "Where is Brother So-and-so?" He answered: "He will come at such a time." I said: "Believe me that he will not come." The time came, and the friar did not come. I found the citizen at last and said: "What do you think? Is it the fault of the prelates or of those who flee?" He answered: "Now I have learned that it is the fault of those who flee and not of the prelates."

Some friars who withdrew from the family wished to claim a special name for themselves, such as Brother James of Cittaducale Cittaducale, in the region of Abruzzo Ulteriore II., and Brother and Master Sante of Penna, of the province of the Marches; and they took very many places and lived under the obedience of the ministers, and, helped by the conventual fathers and by some curialists — would it were out of charity! — they gave great tribulation to our family. Such were a great many, who made us hateful to the whole curia on account of their great frequenting of the curia and on account of some scandals perpetrated by them, which it is not fitting to narrate.

The aforesaid Master Sante came from the convent to the family and afterwards returned to the convent, and built several places anew, and lived with great honourableness with his friars. After his death those places returned to the obedience of the family (post … redierunt) in the margin. He, after the war narrated above, in which the conventual fathers tried to take away the body of St. Bernardine from the citizens of L'Aquila — not from us, because we, as I said above, were ready with good will to leave it — moved another war. He came to L'Aquila with great authority from the most reverend general and waged the greatest war on us. For under pretext of the reformation of the convent he had the keys of all the doors of the convent made for himself and his friars. For at that time the body of St. Bernardine Francisci corrected Le. was resting in the convent, and there, in a certain separate dwelling, our friars continually stayed to guard the body and to serve the chapel in which it lay. But to our friars they would give no key, whence many inconveniences befell us; and all this to this end, that, overcome with weariness, we should be compelled to leave the body. Likewise every evening after Compline the friars of the choir of the convent, with lights lit, went singing to the chapel and the body of St. Bernardine, that in this way they might incite the minds of the citizens to hand it over to them, and might seem as it were to have taken possession. Likewise, no longer able volens Le. to contain himself, he began to belch out some words against us in the pulpit, all of which by the divine will were turned back upon his own head. Likewise in Holy Week he went to the lords of the government, asking expressly that the body of the saint be handed over to him, alleging many things in every way; to whom at length the answer was given that, since it had stood for a long time in the hands of the friars of St. Julian, and the body of the saint had been well ruled, governed and honoured, and the whole city had been consoled, and they were their own citizens, they did not wish to innovate anything at all. Having heard these things he was wonderfully disturbed and began to break out into injurious words; the citizens conducted themselves most honourably. At length the stung stung back, and did according to the word of the Saviour: Give and it shall be given to you. Luke 6, 38. And so he departed from the city with the greatest confusion. I have narrated few things out of very many, lest I become tedious. And Brother James of Cittaducale, coming to the mount omits Le., the place of Monterotondo near Rome, which alone he held, counselled his friars to consign it to our family of the Roman province and to subject themselves wholly under the obedience of the family. And so it was done, the divine grace working.

I should consume many leaves in writing if I wished to write all the things which I even now hold in mind; enough has been said, in my judgement, sufficient for the comprehension of similar things. In short, the devil with all his strength and with his henchmen tried to annihilate this family; and the more the devil tried to oppress it, the more the divine goodness, of its bo added, deleted. kindness, willed to raise it up.

Chap. 18. Of the new war stirred up against the family in the time [(bello … tempore) in the margin; earlier it read modo vivendi familie propter bullam.] of Callixtus, supreme pontiff [et confectione dictarum bullarum added earlier, but afterwards struck through with a line.].

The devil did not cease, nor does he cease daily, to trouble this poor little family. For, Nicholas the Fifth, supreme pontiff, being withdrawn from this life He died 24 March 1455., Callixtus the Third secundus the codex Elected 8 April 1455. merited to sit in the see of Peter. At which time another great war was made against the family. For the conventual fathers, and very many who had gone over from our family to the convents, and some of our rivals, alleged two things especially against us, on account of which the family ought to return to the obedience of the ministers: first, that the bulls of Eugene, on which the family relied, were surreptitious and consequently of no moment; from which they inferred isti added, deleted. that the whole family abode in a state of damnation. This was the great charity that moved these fathers. To which I answer briefly that it is most false, because the blessed father Brother John of Capistrano was an excellent canonist and most expert in the acts of the curia, and a man of most holy life, as the Lord now deigns to demonstrate with innumerable miracles at Vylac, where his body rests Barberius, Gesta … B. Ioannis a Capistrano (Rome, 1662), appendix, pp. 1–89.. That holy father testified before God and men that the bulls had been canonically obtained and were holy. Likewise the lord Biondo, the writer [On Flavio Biondo (1388–1463), apostolic secretary, compare J. Guiraud, L'Église et les origines de la Renaissance, pp. 150–52, and passim.], asserted to all who wished to hear, namely that they had been canonically and legitimately obtained. But the reverend lord protector [This was Cardinal Domenico Capranica of Fermo (1445–1458). H. Holzapfel, Manuale historiae ordinis Fratrum Minorum, p. 633. Messer Domenico cardinale di Fermo fu singularissimo uomo, e santissimo di vita e di costumi [Messer Domenico, cardinal of Fermo, was a most singular man, and most holy in life and in ways]. So Vespasiano da Bisticci begins to narrate the life of that distinguished man, Vita di uomini illustri del secolo XV (ed. Ad. Bartoli, Florence, 1859), pp. 140–45. Compare Pastor, Geschichte der Päpste, vol. I, pp. 615–19, where Cardinal Capranica is praised to the skies.] said that he had had no knowledge of those bulls; but the holy father and the lord Biondo said that they had been obtained with his knowledge and consent; and that he had no memory of them was no wonder, because he had innumerable occupations, nor can anyone have a memory of everything [For the rest, the first bull was given by Eugene IV on 31 July 1443 (Wadding, at the year 1443, n. VII), when Cardinal Giuliano Cesarini was acting as protector of the order of Minors (1439–1444). H. Holzapfel, place cited. In whose place, when he was killed while fighting with the Turks, Cardinal Capranica was substituted in the year 1445.]. Yet if they had been contrary, it seems one should rather cleave to him to whom the divine wisdom gives perhibet Le. such testimony as to make him shine with innumerable miracles; nor is it in any way to be suspected that a man of such holiness would have wished, for the whole world, to err against his own conscience. Likewise Pius secundus adds Le., supreme pontiff of good memory, confirmed with the fullest sentence those bulls which in the margin he calls Eugenian Bull given on 11 October 1458. Wadding, place cited, at the year 1458, n. XX..

The second was that through these bulls, supposing that they had been valid, according to them the order was divided, and consequently the friars of the family were not Friars Minor and of St. Francis, but were to be called bulled friars or by any other name whatever. To this objection the most reverend lord of good memory Bernard of Narni, cardinal of the holy Roman church, called of Spoleto, answered [Berardo Eruli of Narni, bishop

of Spoleto from the year 1448, was created by Pius II cardinal of the holy Roman church of the title of Santa Sabina on 5 March 1460. And in the year 1479, on 2 April, "on Friday Berardo, bishop of Sabina, cardinal called of Spoleto, closed his last day at Rome." Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, vol. II, p. 47, note 377. These things Vespasiano da Bisticci says of him (work cited, p. 167): Messer Bernardo Eruli da Narni fu cardinale e chiamossi di Spoleto. Fu lungo tempo auditore di Ruota, era grandissimo giurista e canonista, e con queste dua condizioni aveva aggiunta la integrità et la bontà d'essere uomo giusto; e per le sue proprie virtù venne alla degnità d'essere fatto cardinale. [Messer Bernardo Eruli of Narni was a cardinal and was called of Spoleto. He was for a long time an auditor of the Rota, was a very great jurist and canonist, and to these two qualities he had added the integrity and goodness of being a just man; and by his own virtues he came to the dignity of being made cardinal.]], who lectured for a long time in the general schools and was perhaps the singular doctor in canon law in Italy; and he alleged, as it were in the very terms of the canons twice in the codex before correction, the chapter Quod quidam de officio ordinarii [The same title occurs in the margin in Wadding, at the year 1455, n. XLIII, which he seems to have borrowed from Mariano. In this place Berardo comments on the Decretals of Gregory IX, book I, title XXXV, chap. 14.], where, there being one bishop of a certain city in which there were men of diverse tongues, for instance Italian and Greek, and since he could not by himself satisfy all, he, satisfying those of his own tongue, appointed another bishop of that tongue for the other tongue, as it were his vicar, that through him he might satisfy the other tongue; where, although there are two bishops, yet because the second depends on the first, there is not said to be a monster in the city, namely that one body, that is (id e.) videlicet Le. one city, is said to have two heads, but one only. And in this way it is in our religion, as is clear, and therefore the order is not said to be divided, but one, true, good and holy. And so the conventual fathers, as I heard, had fifty opinions of diverse doctors on this matter; but because the opinions were founded on falsehood, not from a defect of the doctors but from a defect of those informing them, therefore they could be of no value. But our friars had twenty-eight opinions founded on truth.

The complaint having therefore been laid by the conventual fathers before the supreme pontiff Callixtus, they were diligently heard. The favour of a suitable remedy having been asked, the supreme pontiff ordained that we, the conventual and observant fathers, should be gathered in chapter in the convent of Assisi. And the supreme pontiff sent as legate in that cause a certain abbot of Sant'Ambrogio of Milan, young indeed in age, but most learned in law and perfect in virtues and discretion [Over the monastery of Sant'Ambrogio Maggiore at Milan there presided from the year 1443 to the year 1473 Biagio Ghilini, the last abbot of the Cluniac monks in this monastery, which was transferred to the Cistercian order. That Biagio won for himself the highest favour with Eugene IV, Callixtus III and Francesco Sforza, duke of Milan. Barth. Aresius, Insignis basilicae et imperialis coenobii S. Ambrosii maioris Mediolani abbatum chronologica series ab initio fundatae abbatiae ad haec usque tempora per compendium deducta (Milan, 1674), p. 50.].

Having heard the report of the legate's arrival, the conventual fathers went out to meet him for many miles and days' journeys; and while we were in conclave at Santa Maria degli Angeli the legate came, and dismounting from his horse before the doors of the church made a very brief prayer in the church, nor could we so quickly dispatch visitors to his Lordship but that he departed more quickly; nor did he show us any word or sign of courtesy, but departed without greeting his host. This act generated no small astonishment in our minds; yet we sent four notable friars to visit visitandam Le. his Lordship, to whom he gave a most kind and most gracious answer, at which the minds of the friars were greatly consoled. At length, at a suitable time, we conventuals and observants were gathered together in the convent of Assisi. And the most reverend lord legate, to show his power and authority, had the bulls of our lord in the margin read publicly before both parties, from whose tenor we received no small astonishment and sadness; for they did not seem to sound love and affection, as a fatherly letter, but rather seemed to be a sort of invective directed against the family. We were saddened and grieved at the matter, wholly ignorant of what we ought debeamus Le. to do. Then the most reverend reverendus Le. lord legate said: "You have heard the will of our lord. Be ready, then, that when I have you called, you appear before us in the manner and form which shall seem good to me."

Chap. 19. Of the beginning of the making of the bulls of the lord Callixtus at Assisi, made by the most reverend lord legate, concerning the manner of living together of the conventual fathers and the friars of the family.

The most reverend lord legate of our lord, the abbot aforesaid, called us and said: "Fathers, I will speak with you confidently and securely. When I had received the mandate concerning your settlement and had prepared the necessaries for the journey, certain men of no small weight said to me: 'Go, and strive to kindle so great a fire among the friars that it may never be extinguished.' These words gave me fear and grief alike and made me more cautious. Whence, thinking of your good concord and peace, according as it is the will of the pontiff, namely that we make some chapters of common concord partis added, deleted of both parties in the margin, by which you may be able to live hereafter according to God and your profession, and turning over the aforesaid words about the kindling of fire, I went to the chapel in which the body of blessed Francis is believed to rest, and there I set myself in prayer, beseeching with the highest desire our Lord Jesus Christ and his most faithful servant Francis that it might please them to provide a suitable remedy for his religion, saying among other things: 'Lord Jesus Christ, can it be that you permit such and so great a member of the catholic faith to perish?' And saying these and similar words I was bathed in great devotion and an outpouring of tears. And then the divine grace sent its light into my mind, that, in treating your affairs and settlement, I should not permit you to confer or treat together, because very many minds are indignant and consequently can speak only with passions, and so we could do nothing good; and therefore, speaking with you, I intend to narrate the will of the conventuals, and conversely. At length, when we have done some good things, I will return to our lord and, according as he committed to me, I wish to report the concord and discord of both parties, that is (id est) sive Le., in what they agree and in what they disagree. For he by no means committed to me the decision of this cause of yours, but only to hear the parties, to reconcile them and to report."

And the most reverend lord legate proposing to us some chapters according to the desire of the conventual fathers, we began to hold discourse about concord. And note that all of us, together and singly, always showed the greatest reverence to the most reverend lord legate, which seemed to us due by every right. We made several chapters in which we were in agreement, and always only with the most reverend legate in the absence of the conventuals; and they, conversely — all the chapters were made in our absence [The tenor of the articles proposed both by the conventuals and by the family is read in Wadding, at the year 1455, nn. LI and LII.]. It is to be noted that the most reverend general was not in this congregation, for what reason I do not know, but only certain ministers and masters. At length, both parties having been heard, we made several chapters in which we were in agreement; and agreement on the chapters having been had in this way, the most reverend lord legate returned to Rome.

Before his departure from Assisi we asked his Lordship with great desire that he would deign at least once to come to Santa Maria degli Angeli and eat with us. He came, and seeing the place, the workshops and the gardens, he marvelled; and coming to table and seeing is missing in the codex the religiousness of the friars, their silence, purity, diligence and honourableness, he was moved with such devotion that he wept almost continuously at table.

At length, the aforesaid settlement having been made, the lord legate returned to Rome. And according to the things which followed afterwards, he reported many good things of the family to the supreme pontiff. For previously the supreme pontiff held us in hatred and seemed to hold us suspect, as if the family held some heresy. And this for this reason, that once a commission had been given him against certain fraticelli who were in Catalonia, heretics: for he suspected lest we too in some way held with them, whose principal and head, if I remember rightly, was called Barbargallus Barba Gallus Le. [Wadding notes (Scriptores ordinum Minorum, p. 315, under the word) that a treatise was written by St. John Capistrano against Philip Berbegall, who rejected the pontifical declarations on the rule of the Minors and introduced pernicious novelties into the order. That this Berbegall was a Spaniard Nicholas of Fara relates in the Life of John of Capistrano (Act. SS., Oct. vol. X, p. 444, num. 14).]. But through the report of his legate and through certain experience he learned that this family had due reverence for the apostolic see and were most faithful defenders of the holy faith; he loved us all like a father, granted many favours and took up as it were the sword for our defence. But because this matter was of great weight, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wishing to act with sound conscience and without calumny, he took care to put it into the hands of the reverend father Brother James of the Marches, who was a man beloved by both parties. One thing, however, there was which did not please very many, namely that he made no mention of the most reverend lord protector.

And it is to be noted that to above the line this act of the greatest importance the vicars of all the provinces and very many other friars were called, who, seeing that the act was being drawn out at length, committed all things to be done in it to six friars with the vicar general Brother Battista of Levanto (cum … Levanto) in the margin, to whom full power was given to do and settle all things as if the whole family were present. The names of the said venerable fathers are these: Brother Peter of Anguillara, vicar of the Roman province, Brother Alfonso the Spaniard, a skilled canonist and vicar of the province of Terra di Lavoro, Brother Matthew of Narni, Brother John of Prato, Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila, of Fossa.

The most reverend lord legate departing from Assisi and going to Rome, the friars too departed and went to Rome. At Santa Maria degli Angeli, in the name of the congregation, lest it should seem to have been dissolved by us,

Brother Augustine of Montevarchi, Brother Matthew of Narni and I, while the others fought at Rome, remained in peace [Compare Wadding (at the year 1455, n. LIV), who designates Bernardine of Fossa as the writer of this history. But see the Preliminary Commentary, p. 695, n. XIX.]

Chap. 20. Of the composition of the bulls of the lord Callixtus made by fr. added, deleted. the reverend father Brother James of the Marches, to whom the pope committed it.

After the most reverend lord legate had returned to Rome and obtained an audience of the supreme pontiff, according to what we can weigh, a report having been had about us, the supreme pontiff thought to make this settlement with sound conscience and without murmuring; whence he at once dispatched a brief to the father Brother James of the Marches, who was then in the Marches (qui … Marchia) in the margin, that he should come to him. The father Brother James coming and approaching the supreme pontiff, the pontiff said to him: "Brother James, come here." He at once approaching knelt before his Holiness. The pontiff said to him: "Join your hands," and he joined them in the manner of one praying. The pontiff said to him: "Stretch out to me your joined hands"; which he did. The pontiff clasped the hands of the old Brother James with his own hands in the manner in which prelates do when they receive some novice friar to profession: and holding his hands he said: "Brother James, as far as this act is concerned, I strip myself of the papacy and appoint you pope; go and strive to set the order of blessed Francis in peace, advising you that I do not wish to be bound to render an account to our Lord Jesus Christ and to blessed Francis, but that you be bound in the margin at the point of death and on the day of judgement." The father, dissolved in tears in the margin and protesting, said to him: "No, most blessed Father, no, for the love of God, because such an act is not for me." The pontiff said to him: "You must not reply further: so we will and in virtue of holy obedience we command." Then the old man, weeping and ill content, returned to the place of St. Francis across the Tiber, and through that whole night in the margin, placed in great tribulation, he slept almost not at all.

Yet after many things he returned to the palace, bowed his head and was willing to obey; then the pontiff handed over the articles debated by the lord legate at Assisi. And he began to debate the cause with due diligence. All these things the father himself related to me. And it is to be noted that the pope committed this cause to the father Brother James as above, no mention being made of the protector; which greatly displeased the most reverend lord protector, who was then the lord Domenico Capranica, called the Cardinal of Fermo.

The father therefore igitur Le. began to compose the articles Which may be read entire ibid., n. LV.. And the first was that all the Friars Minor, whether called Conventuals or of the observance, whether cismontane or ultramontane, are bound to obey the most reverend father general in all things and through ob added, deleted. all things. This article was hateful to all, because it gave greater power to the most reverend lord general than the rule gave. Another article was that the friars called of the observance should come together in the general chapter of the conventuals, and could not by themselves hold a general in the margin congregation, and in that same general chapter should elect for themselves three as vicars general, but one, whom the general wished, should be set over them and be called the vicar of the vicars. This article was hateful to us for several reasons, which for the sake of brevity I omit. The 3rd article was that fratres added, deleted. the vicars tantum added, deleted. only of the friars called of the observance should have only an active voice in the election of the general generali Le.. This article was put in against our will. Once, however, a certain lord bishop, hearing this, said: "In truth, you ought to have both an active et passione added, deleted. and a passive voice in the election of the general generali Le.." We replied to him: "Lord, we do not wish to have these voices." He answered: "In truth, you do not do well; for it seems that in this way you wish to resist the Holy Spirit." In truth I think that that lord was a good shepherd and father. This article the conventual fathers held hateful beyond measure; and on account of it I think the conventual fathers never wished to accept these bulls.

And so the father Brother James, proceeding in this cause, composed many articles with which both parties remained content; yet there were some articles there which by no means pleased our friars. They asked the father to deign to change or mitigate those articles, and he would not hear them. Then they wrote to me to go to Rome. The father Brother Matthew of Narni and I, bidden, went to Rome. They recounted what had happened, and said to me: "Since you are a spiritual son of our father Brother James, because he received you into the order (quia … ordinem) in the margin, he will perhaps hear you; but he refuses to hear us any further." I went to the father, and at our petition and information he changed some things.

In this making of the bulls we were greatly troubled, because we could by no means foster our cause. The pope, though he was our father, was yet unknown to us. The general favoured his own, that is, the conventuals; I say his own, because they were in the margin agreed in the same will. The protector Namely the lord Capranica, the Cardinal of Fermo. could not agree well with the supreme pontiff, because he had been wholly excluded from so great a business, which concerned him above all. To other curialists we had no boldness to have recourse, because with a single word we would have been driven out with a blush re in the margin, namely "because the cause is in the hands of your father Brother James, you have no cause of complaint." At length, the parties having been heard for several weeks, a full conclusion was made in the cause.

Chap. 21. Of the Callixtine bulls and the transumpts; with how great difficulty and how they were extracted through the means of the most reverend lord protector.

The composition of the articles having been made and both parties being content after a fashion, we were placed in great tribulation and almost desperation. The pope was content according to the acceptance of Brother James; the conventual fathers were content after a fashion. It was being treated that the bulls should be drawn up according to custom, and yet we laboured for several weeks and could never obtain that even the draft should be drawn up. For a great dragon lay across the road, and we poor little men knew by no means how to weigh the matter. Often holding councils, with hands crossed in the manner of a woman whose husband is dead, we sat sad and anxious in the cell.

Brother John of Prato one evening, laying aside his faint-heartedness a little, said: "Truly I am pregnant, I must give birth si bene dixi added, deleted.. For many days now I have turned over in my mind what I would say, nor have I dared to say it. If I speak well, let the clemency of the Saviour be praised, from whom is every best gift in the margin; but if badly, let a penance be imposed imponatis Le. on me poenitentiam Le., which I will gladly perform. It seems to me that we should simply put our cause in the hands of the most reverend lord protector. I hope that at least for his honour he will faithfully dispatch our cause." The vicar of the Roman province answered: "Truly I too have likewise lived pregnant for several days." The vicar of the province of Terra di Lavoro answered and testified above the line that he had had a similar conception. At length we were all agreed in the same will and fear. Because the most reverend lord protector had shown us some signs in the margin of displeasure, we feared to put our cause in his hands.

This deliberation having at length been concluded in the evening, we dispatched messengers to his Lordship, making known our deliberation to him and que in the margin asking a time and place for an audience. The most reverend lord protector most kindly gave a secret, gracious and long audience. The reverend father vicar general, Brother Battista, as head of the family, set out our will to his most reverend Lordship, saying: "Most reverend lord and father, all these fathers together with me have full power from the general chapter in all things that concern the family, of doing, disposing, accepting, settling, etc. We have known in times past your sincerity towards this family; hence it is that, confiding in your good will, prudence and sagacity towards us, in our name and that of the whole family, not only our cause which we have with the conventual fathers, but whatever concerns the family, we place it all in the hands of your most reverend Lordship; for we are simus Le. certain that you will dispose all things only according to God and holy justice."

In truth, it would be difficult to narrate how dear this deliberation of ours was to him above the line. He began to answer, and tears as it were broke rum in the margin; eruperunt Le. from his eyes for joy, and he said: "You have come somewhat late, yet I thank you"; and in his discourse he repeated this word more than four times: "I thank you." This, I think, was because, though he was a man of great reputation everywhere, yet in this cause it is clear that the pope made no mention of him (p. de i.) in the margin, whence he reckoned it to himself as the greatest confusion; but because in this way the bulls must pass through his hands, he thought it had turned out to his honour. Of how great reputation this man was will be told below Chap. 27.. At length he said: "Show me the articles, and we will make the draft; when I have made it, I will show it to you, and if anything shall need to be adjusted, added or diminished, according as shall seem better, consider it done." And when he had begun to read the articles in our presence, he read the first (l. p.) in the margin, which said that in all things and through all things all the friars are bound to obey. He said, wondering: "In all things and through all things; these words do not sound well, but let us say: let them be bound to obey, as is contained in the rule." And not to draw out our discourse at length, he made the draft; we saw it, and it pleased us. Then he had it engrossed [To engross is to write in a larger character, or to write more clearly. Compare Ducange, Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, under the word.]. And in the bull there was a clause that a transumpt subscribed by the hand of the notary of the most reverend lord protector should have everywhere the same authority as the bull. And that his Lordship did this for his own honour and our utility is proved by a most evident reason.

And in this manner the Callixtine bulls concerning the conventual fathers and the family were drawn up [This bull, which begins Illius cuius in pace, given on 2 February 1456, was edited by Wadding, place cited, at the year 1456, n. CXXIX.]; at length we transcribed the transumpts, so that each province of our family received its transumpt. And the most reverend lord

protector would not have us burdened with any payment for the salary of his notary who subscribed the transumpts; but from then on he was wholly ours.

Chap. 22. Of the bulls of the crusade drawn up by the supreme pontiff Callixtus, which gave no small shaking to our family.

The aforesaid supreme pontiff, the lord Callixtus, drew up bulls of the crusade [On the inflamed zeal of Callixtus III for vanquishing the Turks, compare the testimony of Brother Gabriel of Verona, O. F. M., in Wadding, work cited, at the year 1455, n. LXXVII.], in which he put a clause that any religious whatever could go on this expedition even without the licence of their prelates [In the bull Ad summi apostolatus apicem, edited in part by Raynaldus, Annales ecclesiastici, at the year 1455, n. XVIII, the clause here mentioned by Bernardine is missing; but compare, for the sake of example, the private letters given by Callixtus, in Wadding, at the year 1457, n. XLII.] and would obtain plenary indulgence entirely like the others. Having heard such a conclusion, very many of us friars, conferring together, said: "Truly this temptation is greater and more dangerous than the persecution of the conventuals, which now seems videretur before correction as it were lulled to sleep; truly the devil has a thousand ways of harming, and tempts continually, that he may conquer at least by weariness. This power being granted, very many most fickle friars will be moved and will make innumerable scandals, and the prelates will be unable to apply any remedy." And so it happened; and that it was true, I will narrate succinctly a few things out of many.

In the city of Naples very many most fickle friars were gathered from diverse parts and made very many scandals by seeking alms, running about through the city, the courts and the ports, and scandalizing the seculars by their ways; and the prelates could not, I will not say do, but not even say anything to them, because they bore the cross on their breast and protected themselves by the authority of the supreme pontiff. Yet the Lord provided, because that crusade vanished [On account of the sloth and rivalries of the Christian princes, affairs fell into a worse state. Pastor, Geschichte der Päpste, vol. I, book IV, chaps. 3 and 4, pp. 562–85.], and so it behoved them to return to the obedience of their prelates. The same happened at Ancona, and in all the cities which have ports that fantastic multitude in the margin gathered.

Likewise it happened that once, assisting as vicar Perhaps existens should be read., I went to Rome for the needs of our province in the time of the vicariate general of Brother Battista of Levanto. He was then holding enclosed in the place of detention a certain lay brother of our family who, bearing the cross for three years and being a sailor, had commanded a certain galley; concerning whom he had had very many informations that he had done many things not to be done; and he granted me full authority and power to examine him. I went and examined him, and obtained good grace for him; and although he was not without defect, yet he had not conducted himself as badly as had been reported. At length, some discreet penance having been imposed, he committed it to me to free him. I freed him, and he conceived a singular love for me. A few days having elapsed, being in the said convent of Aracoeli, he prepared himself well; the plague came and struck him, and so, leaving this life, he passed to the Lord.

A certain other most fickle friar, whom I knew very well, not only fickle but fantastic, being a cleric, formed a partnership with a certain other half-fool, whom I knew, that, crossing the sea, they might utterly vanquish the Turk. They were separated from one another; the fantastic one came fr. added, deleted. to me, carrying his companion's breviary and wishing to go to Naples without his companion; I could scarcely snatch the breviary from his hand. At length he began to take the road, about to go alone to Naples, but it turned out well for him; for, arriving alone at the first place of the province of Terra di Lavoro, he received one good discipline from the friars and was expelled.

And in this manner several inconveniences arose in several parts. At length the friars, seeing the perils which were happening through this crusade, went to the supreme pontiff and narrated the scandals that had happened. And the supreme pontiff provided a suitable remedy [By a letter given on 6 June 1458 Callixtus III grants the vicar general of the friars of the regular observance the faculty of repressing the excessive liberty which the preachers of the crusade had arrogated to themselves. Wadding, work cited, at the year 1458, n. II.]. The aforesaid crusade was besides dangerous because very many of our preachers, who had great acceptance among the peoples, preached by commission of the pontiff and exacted very many goods [Which many contemporary documents report. Wadding, work cited, at the year 1457, n. XIII–L.]; at length, because the crusade, God permitting, was turned into smoke in the margin, the friars suffered the blackening of their reputation.

Besides, when the supreme pontiff Pius arranged to cross the sea, a great multitude of ultramontanes gathered at Ancona; and not finding the matter arranged according as it had been preached, they inflicted many injuries on the friars and threatened them, according as I myself experienced outside Ancona when I was to cross to Dalmatia for the first time Namely in the month of June of the year 1464. Compare below, chap. 29.. And I saw that companies of ultramontanes had gathered at Ancona, and no preparation had been made, and the time preached had come. I heard that many, drawn by desire for the honour of the faith, had given their sons in pledge so that they could come. Whence the divine wisdom provided well; for the supreme pontiff Pius came to Ancona and died there [He died on 14 August 1464. On the journey which he undertook to Ancona, compare Pastor, place cited, vol. II, pp. 246–50.]. For certain, if he had not died, the greatest confusion was prepared in the church of God; but because he came and died, the minds of many were quieted quietates before correction. I heard, however, that many of those crusaders, returning to their own homes, constrained, as I think, by the necessity of hunger, perpetrated many in the margin scandals, plundering and warring upon some regions, united together.

After Bl. Bernardine has narrated how much St. John of Capistrano toiled to spread the family of the regular observance through Bohemia, Austria and Poland (chap. 23), and what a signal victory the Christians, under the leadership of John, won at Belgrade (chap. 24), he continues thus:

Chap. 25. Of the general chapter at Milan, in which the conventual fathers would not accept the bulls of Callixtus, and of certain other things that happened there.

In the time of the most illustrious duke of Milan Francesco Sforza a most solemn general chapter was celebrated at Milan, in which the whole order of conventuals and observants, ultramontane and cismontane, came together Namely in the year 1457. Compare above, p. 698.. The most reverend general, Master Giacomo of Mozzanica, that the whole order might come together in the convent Namely of St. Francis, which belonged to the conventuals., commanded our friars through obedience to make no provision of food and drink in our place of St. Angelo; and so no provision was made there. The citizens, wondering not a little at this, were indignant, and the report of the business being spread abroad, almost the whole city was stirred by the citizens, and at once many carts of victuals began to come to the place, so that all the outsiders were wonderfully astounded thus after correction; yet we all went to the convent of St. Francis for refreshment All these things almost to the letter in Wadding, at the year 1457, n. LIV..

The time came when the capitular acts were to be approached; and then, as I touched on above, from the doings of the conventual fathers no small thus after correction suspicion in the margin by the same hand. arose in us lest some inconvenience should happen against us. We went to the most illustrious duke, who at length placated our minds with good conversation; and then we rested in peace Compare above, under the year 1457, p. 698.. The reverend father Brother Battista of Levanto, then vicar general, seeing that the conventual fathers would not admit our vicars according to the tenor nostros added, but deleted after correction of the bulls of Callixtus to the capitular conventus et added, but deleted after correction acts, provided himself beforehand with a judge, a notary and witnesses, that, if need should be, as happened, he might reduce the act occurring to public form. The little bell is rung campalla the codex, as is the custom, for the chapter. The father appears with the vicars of the family; the general flees and makes as if not to accept them. The father Brother Battista follows him; at length they come to the door of the place of the chapter to enter. The general, seeing that he could dissemble no longer, gave open licence, saying: "Go, for your deeds in the margin by the same hand we do not wish you to enter." Then the father Brother Battista in the margin by the same hand said: "Be you, judge and notary and witnesses, requested to note how the most reverend general will not accept our vicars to the capitular acts according to the will of the supreme pontiff." And in this way, deluded, we withdrew.

In this chapter many things worthy of memory happened. Among others it happened that a certain friar, in the name of the vicar and of the province of Hungary, the friars of the whole chapter being gathered in chapter, knelt before the general and, without consulting the friars of our family, said with a very loud voice: "Most reverend father, I, on the part of the father vicar and of our whole province in the margin by the same hand, tell you and set out how we do not wish to be under the obedience of the vicar general of the Italian family sed immediate sub obedientia added, but struck through with a line., but according to the rule we intend to be under the obedience of your most reverend paternity and of your successors." Then Brother Battista, licence having been obtained from the general, said to him: "What sort you are, your ways show. The Italian family never sought you. You came to us, and we received you out of fraternal charity. You do well to render fitting thanks for the benefits received in the margin by the same hand." And when the general wished from then on to accept them, the father Brother Battista said: "Most reverend father in the margin by the same hand, you cannot accept these men, because by the bulls of the supreme pontiff they are incorporated into our family [The whole dispute is clearly set out in the pontifical bull given on 6 June of the year 1458, by which it is at length settled, as the writer himself immediately declares. See the whole instrument in Wadding, at the year 1458, n. III.]." And so he left them in the margin suspended for the time and did not accept them. Afterwards a constitution was made that the friars called of the observance who are not subject to our vicar general should be received in our places as conventuals. And from then on the constitution has been observed; and in truth it is proved by evident reason to have been better for us, because greater peace followed for us.

Likewise a plenary indulgence was obtained for one natural day Bull of Callixtus III, 8 February 1457. Wadding, at the year 1457, n. LIII., according as is

the custom of the church; and a great multitude of men flocked to the city of Milan for this reason. And because in the step down from the threshold of the church one brick was missing, many fell to the ground, and seventeen were killed by the trampling of the feet of the multitude. Besides, the report was that the convent acquired a great alms, namely of ten thousand ducats [Mariano, whom Wadding follows (at the year 1457, n. LII), reports, like our author, both that 17 men were killed and that ten thousand gold pieces were collected. Which again indicates from what source he drew these things, as many elsewhere. But the contemporary Milanese compiler Donato Bossi has these things in his Chronicle, fol. 133: In the year of the Lord 1457, on the fourth and fifth day of June, a plenary jubilee was celebrated at Milan in St. Francis, in which there was so great a concourse of strangers that the city could scarcely hold the multitude. They say there were a hundred thousand men of foreigners alone. There were crushed by the pressing multitude in the very vestibule of the church, among men and women, fifteen in number (Milan, by A. Zarotto, 1492).]; for the crowd was so great that whoever had not seen it could scarcely have believed it.

Likewise the new office of St. Bernardine was accepted, which begins: Bernardinus vir catholicus et preco evangelicus [Blume and Dreves, Analecta hymnica, vol. XXV, pp. 156–59. Therefore that rhythmical office of St. Bernardine was written between 1450 and 1457.], which a certain friar of Aversa of the province of Terra di Lavoro had composed; nonetheless it was revoked by the following general with some ministers and the vicar general at Santa Maria degli Angeli [Giacomo of Mozzanica, minister general, was succeeded in the year 1458 by Jacobus of Zarzuela, who governed the order for six years. And in the year 1458, the family being gathered in general assembly at Rome, it was decreed that di S. Bernardino si faccia l'ufizio con l'ottava, ma de comuni Conf. non Pont. [the office of St. Bernardine be done with the octave, but from the common of a Confessor not a Pontiff]. Agostino di Stroncone, L'Umbria serafica, Miscellanea franciscana, vol. V, p. 91.].

Likewise it was determined and concluded by the whole general chapter that this province, which was previously called the province of Penne, out of reverence for St. Bernardine, who rests in it, should thenceforth be called the province of St. Bernardine See above, p. 698..

Likewise one day the most illustrious lord duke Francesco with the most illustrious duchess the lady Bianca, to show their peculiar love and devotion, gave a banquet for the observant friars alone in our place of St. Angelo (in … angeli) in the margin; and tables being prepared in the paths of the gardens, they wished to eat with the friars, the most illustrious lady duchess being most honourably secluded in a corner of the garden with several ladies. Yet by special favour she obtained that, the friars being set at table, she, for her consolation, with a few most honourable matrons, might pass by seeing all the friars in the margin; the lady passes, and the friars, with heads bowed in the manner of those whose blood flows from their nostrils, stood confused with blushing.

In the same place of the chapter it was concluded by certain deliberation that the following in the margin general chapter should be held in the city of Venice.

At length, the chapter being dissolved, a few days having elapsed, the most reverend general Master Giacomo of Mozzanica died On 9 July 1457. H. Holzapfel, place cited, p. 620..

Chap. 26. Of the general chapter celebrated at Rome, and the election of the new general, and several other things which happened then.

The chapter of Milan having been dispatched, and Master Giacomo of Mozzanica, the general, having been withdrawn from this life, the supreme pontiff Callixtus locum capituli g. added, deleted, as is the custom in the religion, appointed as vicar general a certain Catalan master This was Jacobus of Zarzuela, from 19 August 1457 to 20 May 1548. Ibid., and changed by his authority the place of the general chapter, and appointed that it, which was to have been held at Venice, be held at Rome at Aracoeli; and this, according to what we could perceive, he resolved to do to this end, that he might make that Catalan general [For he was Alfonso de Borja, cardinal and bishop of Valencia, afterwards Pope Callixtus III, a native of Spain.].

The time of the chapter arriving, we went to Rome and were placed in great doubt, because, since the conventual fathers had never accepted the Callixtine bulls, and the supreme pontiff declared nothing to us, nor to our friends, nor to the most reverend lord protector, about our affairs, no little suspicion vexed our souls with grief. With vigilant solicitude we took care to know the intention of the pontiff, and could by no means find it. The supreme pontiff made known to the friars how he wished the most reverend lord protector to be present at our chapter and especially at the election of the general to be newly elected. Notification of the day of the chapter and of the election of the general is given to the supreme pontiff. There came the most reverend lord vice-chancellor Cardinal Rodrigo de Borja, afterwards Pope Alexander VI. and the most reverend lord protector Domenico Capranica, Cardinal of Fermo., and they are placed in the middle of the first table in the refectory. The sound of the little bell having ended, as is the custom, the cismontane and ultramontane observant friars, who were separated from the conventuals, are called to the chapter, that a few of them may come to the place of the election to be celebrated; and eight came, four cismontane and four ultramontane.

Then the Most Reverend Lord vice-chancellor read before all a brief of the supreme pontiff of this tenor, namely that the friars called of the observance, for that time only, should not have a voice in the election of the general, and that for their vicar they should elect one or more, according as should please them, all the other things contained in the bulls remaining in their force. Then the most reverend lord protector nodded with his eyes to our friars that they should kneel and simply accept what the pontiff asked. The friars answered on bended knees that this was little, and that for these things and all that his Holiness might wish they were most ready. The friars return joyful, and at once holding the chapter we made Brother Battista of Levanto vicar general, agreed in much cheerfulness, unity and charity.

The supreme pontiff was a courtier, old, prudent and an excellent canonist. Whence, wishing to make general (f. g.) in the margin the Catalan already appointed vicar of the order Namely Jacobus of Zarzuela., he thought that, if the chapter were held at Venice, nothing would come out as he wished; but if it were held before his eyes and in the curia, the friars would have greater regard. For this reason he wished to change the chapter from Venice to Rome. Likewise: if the observant friars have a voice in the general election, my Catalan will not by any way in the world ascend to the rank of the generalate, because these men do not fear; whom conscience dictates, him they will make general; because the conventuals are divided, they are agreed in will; and so it is better to forbid them illos Le. to give a voice in the election electione Le. of the general for this time only. And that he might the more easily bend the minds of the friars to his will, he promised to bear the expenses of the whole chapter for five days; and because the friars at length agreed with his will, he added three more and bore the expenses for eight days. And that his Holiness had this in mind and worked as above is shown by this most evident sign, that the supreme pontiff was wont to say with some, according to the report of a certain most reverend lord cardinal: "Great for certain is the glory of the Catalan nation in our days: a Catalan pope, a Catalan king of Aragon and Sicily, a Catalan vice-chancellor, a Catalan captain of the Church Pedro Luis de Borja, brother of Rodrigo., a Catalan general of the order of Minors."

And the conventual fathers proceeded in their chapter, and at length made that Catalan general according to the will of the pontiff. And it is to be noted that that act of humility of our friars was so dear and acceptable to his Holiness that from then on he was our singular friend and father. At length, the chapter completed, four cismontane and as many ultramontane observants, an audience having been obtained, we went to his Holiness to render thanks for the benefits received. He gave a most gracious audience and granted many desired favours and offered to grant more.

The chapter being dissolved, the father vicar general kept me with him at Rome, and the father Brother Mark of Bologna. Then the new general, wishing to make new bulls, because they would not accept the Callixtine ones, and the pope seemed as it were to wish to agree with them, began to hold discourse with us about new bulls and a new concord; and he spoke so liberally with us that it seemed wholly to be wondered at. For he made certain chapters and showed them to us, saying: "If they seem good to you, deign to accept them with God's blessing; if some things seem to need adding, let them be added; if diminishing, let them be diminished; if new things to be made, let them be made." And with his words he so moved our minds that we were as it were near consent. The father Brother Mark said: "In truth, if this matter lay in my power alone, I would make concord with this general, since he offers us such and so great things (tanta et talia) in the margin." But the lord protector said: "Stand firm, poor little men, because if one iota of the bulls is diminished, you are wholly destroyed." And so we remained constant, so that we never wished to consent to the offers of the general.

And the father Brother Mark one day, being sad and with hands crossed, said: "In truth, I never saw us in the margin in so great peril as today. The Catalan general goes in to the pope whenever quaecumque Le. he wishes; the most reverend lord protector can do nothing with the pope; few are our friends who wish in truth to help us. I find myself ill content." But I began to laugh in the margin. He said to me: "Temptation, why do you laugh?" I answered: "Because, though you are a magnanimous man, I see you shaken by empty fear." He answered: "I allegavi added, deleted. have alleged the cause of my doubt; what do you have for yourself?" I answered: "You know that for many years past we have been together in all the tribulations of the family. We have done many things according to our providence; yet our provision never had effect. Yet the divine providence, of its goodness and mercy, has disposed our affairs much better than we thought. I am certain that even now it will not abandon its poor little servants who foster justice." He answered: "I loquor added, deleted. speak not of divine but of human providence. This supreme pontiff too, according to reports, changes many times in one hour." I said: "That is true in the things he has promised by word; but in the things he has written he seems as it were a most strong tower; and therefore, if we stand firm, our bulls will without doubt remain intact." And so it was (et ita fuit) in the margin.

And we heard that the conventual fathers were continually suggesting to the supreme pontiff that sentence be given of the nullity of the bulls; and according to what we could judge, the pope said, as he had also said at times ego added, deleted: "We drew up those bulls with our own blood. If you desire to have other bulls, be with the friars themselves; and when you are agreed in the same will, advise us, and what shall be pleasing to you shall receive the firmness of strength by our authority." Therefore the general with the masters molested us with such solicitude. Yet it pleased the divine providence that nothing of the bulls of Callixtus was innovated.

Chap. 27. Of the death of the supreme pontiff Callixtus, of the most serene King Alfonso and of the most reverend lord of Fermo, the protector.

Because nothing more was being done at Rome, the father vicar general granted me licence to return to L'Aquila. And yet before I withdrew from the Roman city, the report came to Rome that the most serene king of Aragon and Sicily, Alfonso, had passed sivit in the margin from this life He died on 27 June 1458.. Then the supreme pontiff had a wonderful edict placed on the doors of the church of the prince of the apostles, whose tenor was this: "Be it known to all who shall inspect the present letters how through the death of our son of good memory King Alfonso, king (A. r.) in the margin of Sicily and Aragon, the kingdom of Sicily has returned to us and to the apostolic see. We have heard that some Ferdinand or other bears himself as king That Ferdinand was the bastard son of the dead king., and that very many have sworn homage to him. We by apostolic authority absolve all of them from the oath, and strictly commanding we order, under pain of excommunication latae sententiae, that neither they nor others show him obedience [These things agree with the pontifical bull given on 12 July 1458. Lünig, Codex Italiae diplomaticus, vol. II, cols. 1255–58.]."

And at once he gave orders to his nephew, Borja by name, whom he had appointed captain of the army in the margin of the Church, to direct the army towards Terracina in the margin; and so he began to do. For he wished to expel him wholly from the kingdom and to restore the kingdom itself to the Church. And the Roman citizens, seeing this, were placed in great tribulation, seeing that their affairs were going badly, since the Roman city with all its appurtenances can scarcely live without the support of the kingdom of Sicily. Taking occasion from this, the Roman citizens, officials and private persons, an audience having been obtained, addressed the pontiff, asking him by no means for any reason to move this war, alleging many things and speaking [The supreme pontiff's manner of acting had vehemently stirred the tempers of the Romans. Pastor, Geschichte der Päpste, vol. I, book IV, chap. IV, pp. 599–603.]. But the pontiff repulsed all in the best manner he could and would by no means assent. Nay, the army of the church continually advanced towards Terracina, that there, opportunity being given, it might attack Ferdinand and his men with what strength it could, and, he being driven out, the kingdom might return to the apostolic see.

Things remaining thus in confusion, I withdrew from the Roman city and came to L'Aquila. Scarcely had I, returned to L'Aquila, set foot on the ground, when it was published through the whole city that the supreme pontiff Callixtus was dead Callixtus III departed from life on 6 August 1458.. I wonder and am astounded; and I neither wonder nor am astounded. I wonder and am astounded, because I had left him unharmed a little before and learned that he had died so suddenly; I neither wonder nor am astounded, because, since he was a man, he was subject to the law of death, which has been wont to spare neither honour nor dignity. Nay, a little after et adds Le. the rumour sounded that the lord most reverend Cardinal of Fermo, the protector of our order, was dead On 14 August.. We were astonished, and passed through it not without tribulation, because the death in the margin of such and so great men following so suddenly could not happen contigerat before correction without great conflict. Where it is to be noted that first the supreme pontiff died, then the protector. And the lord Latino Orsini, the Cardinal Orsini, said that, Callixtus being dead and the Cardinal of Fermo lying in infirmity, the most reverend cardinals according to the custom of the Roman church shut themselves in conclave and elected the lord Cardinal of Fermo. Whence the aforesaid most reverend lord Orsini said in the margin: "The most reverend lord Cardinal of Fermo, protector of your order, died pope, because a little after the election he passed from this life [These things are to be somewhat toned down; for the cardinals entered the conclave two days after the death of the Cardinal of Fermo. But the words of Cardinal Orsini are to be taken thus, that if he had lived he would without doubt have been elected supreme pontiff. So unanimously were the votes of the college of cardinals, while Callixtus lay gravely ill at the end of the month of July, borne towards Cardinal Capranica. Pastor, place cited, pp. 609–10.]."

This supreme pontiff had a singular devotion to Brother James of the Marches, of whom above; and he showed this by some signs. For, as I wrote above, chap. 20, he committed the cause of the whole order to him with wonderful liberality. Likewise once, when that Brother James in the margin was before the supreme pontiff himself, together with Brother Gabriel of Verona, who is now the most reverend cardinal of the holy Roman church [Namely from 10 December 1477. And he died on 27 September 1486. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, vol. II, pp. 18–19.], he called Brother Gabriel to him and said into his ears with a low voice: "Do you see this father of mine, Brother James? Truly he is a saint; in truth, if he dies in our times, I will infallibly inscribe him in the catalogue of the saints." Yet it pleased the divine providence that the supreme pontiff should pass from this life before Brother James.

Chap. 28. Of the new manner of living of the family introduced in the time of Pius the Second, and of some things that happened in his time.

After the death of Callixtus, the supreme pontiff, and of the most reverend lord Cardinal of Fermo, the elected pontiff, as above Compare above, note 7., the most reverend lord cardinals proceed to the election of another and, the divine clemency working, Pius the Second, who was previously called Aeneas and had been a laureate poet, is created the new pope; of whom they say that in the same year he was made creatur before correction bishop of Siena, cardinal and pope [These things need some emendation. Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini, proclaimed bishop of Trieste on 19 April 1447, was translated to the episcopal see of Siena on 23 September 1450. Co-opted among the cardinals of the holy Roman church on 17 December 1456, he ascended to the supreme summit of the pontificate on 29 August 1458.]. And after the divine clemency willed its people to have this pontiff, at a suitable time the reverend father vicar general merited to have an audience of the supreme pontiff, and, setting out our necessities to him, he said: "Most blessed father (b. p.) in the margin, how great altercations we have had up to now with the conventual fathers on account of the bulls of Eugene of good memory your Holiness knows. At length, on account of the very many contentions held in these matters, Callixtus of good memory, your Holiness's immediate predecessor, drew up new bulls on our manner of living and suspended the Eugenian ones. The conventual fathers never wished the bulls of the lord Callixtus; the Eugenian ones are suspended, and the Callixtine ones are not accepted by them; therefore we cannot know how we are to live. May it please your Holiness to provide a suitable remedy." The supreme pontiff answered and said: "In verita, vui avete una gran rascione In truth, you have great reason; let it be done as is asked." And then he committed the cause to four most reverend cardinals and two bishops only to be heard; the names of all the aforesaid lords I do not know [Their names appear in the bull of Pius II Pro nostra ad beatum Franciscum of 11 October 1458: "The matter having at one time been communicated with some of our venerable brothers the cardinals of the holy Roman church, we committed it to our venerable brother Bessarion, bishop of Tusculum, and also protector of that order, and to our beloved sons Guillaume, of the title of San Martino ai Monti, of Rouen, and Alain, of the title of Santa Prassede, of Avignon, and also Nicholas, of the title of San Pietro in Vincoli, cardinal priests, and to our venerable brothers Angelo of Rieti and John of Barcelona, bishops." Wadding, at the year 1458, n. XX.].

And these most reverend lords, the cause causam before correction having been diligently heard from both parties for four months in the margin, afterwards reported to our lord Pius aforesaid. And afterwards he had both parties, namely the conventuals and those called of the observance, called before his Holiness and said to them: "These my brothers, the lords most reverend cardinals and bishops, have reported to us in the margin that they have diligently heard your cause; and from their report we have understood that your cause requires greater discussion. And because the church is now occupied in greater things (in m.) in the margin [In the bull thus: And we have lately begun to be held by great occupations, the greatest of all, which demand our labour and that of all our men.], hence it is that we will and so command that you live according to the tenor of the bulls of Eugene of good memory, our predecessor [The bull Ut sacra ordinis Minorum religio, given on 11 January 1446. Wadding, at the year 1446, n. II.], this being added, that neither party dare to receive the convents or monasteries vel added, deleted. of the other alterius Le. under pain of excommunication latae sententiae, whose absolution we reserve to the apostolic see, until something else shall have been determined by the Church [In the bull thus: Until, the Lord granting, by us or by the apostolic see, both those who are to be called being called, it shall be otherwise provided for the universal good of the whole order. For the rest, the whole bull of Pius II is accurately contracted in these few words of Bl. Bernardine.]."

Having had notice of the aforesaid, being doubtful on account of the last words of his Holiness, namely "until by the Church, etc.," I therefore went at once to the lord Francesco de' Tommasi of L'Aquila, who at that time morabatur vigilanter added, deleted. was staying at L'Aquila; I had known that he is before correction; hunc in the margin had been his vicar while he was bishop of Siena, and at that time he had been appointed by him vicar of the church of the prince of the apostles; I thought I knew his ways well, and I said: "Father and my lord, our lord nostris before correction; noster in the margin has so concluded, as I wrote above. Yet some suspicion disturbs my mind, because it is said: 'until it shall have been otherwise determined by the Church.' I should like to know from you what your Reverence believes, namely whether the pope will abide in this conclusion, or intends to change it otherwise." Then that good man and priest of God most high put his hand on his head, saying: "On my head believe that the pope will by no

means intend to change anything, but has put those words only so that he may avoid the importunities of the conventuals. Be content, then, and certain that in the time of his Holiness no change will be made." And so it happened as that father foretold to me; for from that time the family rested in peace with the conventuals.

I should wish that all our friars would note the things quem before correction which I now commit to memory. In truth it seems to me that we are greatly bound to this supreme pontiff Pius, because in this he gave a singular benefit. Through almost the whole Church of God we were confounded on account of the obloquies of the conventuals that the Eugenian bulls, under obser added, deleted. whose observance the family lived, were surreptitious subreptitie Le.; and consequently it was shown to live against conscience in the margin. And although these things were false, because the bulls were true and holy, as we wrote above, yet the reputation of the family was greatly burdened in this with the ignorant, and it seemed impossible to quiet the minds of such people. Yet this our father and shepherd, the Holy Spirit inspiring him inspiratus Le., confirmed those bulls of his own motion as good, holy, catholic and true. The more strongly is the family bound to him, the greater the benefit he bestowed on us.

This pontiff was sent by the Lord for the most serene King Ferdinand Ferdinando Le.; since, as Callixtus was preparing with all his effort to expel him from the kingdom, so this one tried with all his effort to establish him in the kingdom; for they were friends before; and often, as I heard, he was wont to say: "Truly, if I should have to spend the mantle of St. Peter, I will make him king." He said it, and it was done. For King Ferdinand Ferdinandus Le., with the help of the supreme pontiff Pius, holds the kingdom of Sicily [Compare Raynaldus, Annales ecclesiastici, Pius II, at the year 1458, n. XX–XXX. Ferdinand I, king of Sicily (and Naples), died on 25 January 1494.]; and although the most illustrious duke of Milan helped him, yet the pope was the principal shield. In this, however, the reputation of his Holiness was burdened, that, the countess of Celano having been expelled, who had fostered the king's party with all zeal, he is seen to have handed over that county to his nephew [Raynaldus, work cited, at the year 1463, nn. LXXVIII and LXXIX. If it is right to believe Pius II himself, Ruggerotto, count of Celano, had thrown his mother, deprived of power, into prison. But when the count had been vanquished, the principality of Celano was not restored to the mother, but granted to Antonio Piccolomini, the pontiff's nephew. Nor is it a wonder that mention of this excellent woman is made here by the writer. For she heaped the family of the observants with her benefits, and especially contributed liberal help to building the convent of Capestrano. From the instrument of this largess (Wadding, at the year 1447, n. LXIX) her name becomes known, namely Covella, and that of her dead husband, Lionello Accrocciamuro, count of Celano. To her, as John of Tagliacozzo testifies, St. John of Capistrano when dying imparted a peculiar blessing. Compare the letter of John of Tagliacozzo to St. John of the Marches, sent from Florence on 10 February 1461, Act. SS., Oct. vol. X, p. 398, num. 407.]. And she died outside the dominion, at Naples, although the lord Pietro, her son, had her body brought back to the place of St. Bernardine at L'Aquila; and she rests in the chapel of St. Bernardine built with her alms.

At length, the bulls of Callixtus being suspended, our family was compelled to live according to the ways of the bulls of Eugene; and what we long ago strove for a long time to obtain, this divina pietate operante added, deleted. the divine kindness granted beyond our hope.

This Pius, the supreme pontiff, made the castle from which he had sprung a city and appointed that it be called the city of Pius [He called Corsignano, from a town (where he was born), the city of Pienza, and furnished it with buildings worthy of a city. So Campano, Life of Pius II, Rerum ital. scr., vol. III, part II, p. 985.].

Chap. 29. Of the general chapter of Santa Maria degli Angeli, and the gathering of the crusaders in the city of Ancona, and our crossing to the parts of Dalmatia.

This pontiff Pius was a spirited man; for he excommunicated two temporal lords of great reputation, one an ultramontane, named Sigismund, and the other an Italian, called by the same name [Sigismund, duke of Austria, on 8 August 1460, and Sigismondo Malatesta, in the same year, on 25 December, were excommunicated. Raynaldus, Annales ecclesiastici, at the year 1460, nn. XXXIV and LXXII.]. He besides sent many preachers of the crusade through the world, and appointed that all should be gathered at Ancona, where all the necessaries for the expedition would be prepared. When at length the time came at which they were to come together, many ultramontanes came to Ancona most ready, and, thinking that all would be prepared according to the promise, found no preparation at all; and thinking themselves deluded, they remained in much murmuring. At length the doge of Venice came to Ancona, which they say the Venetians had never done. At length the pontiff too came; and it pleased the divine will that, after the colloquy of the most holy pontiff and the most illustrious doge, the pontiff suddenly falls ill and dies [Bl. Bernardine errs. For Pius II arrived at Ancona on 9 July 1464, while the doge of Venice and his fleet, small indeed, after many shufflings, appeared in sight of the port only on 12 August. Pastor, Geschichte der Päpste, vol. II, book I, chap. VIII, pp. 249 and 256. And Pius II died two days after. Bossi, a contemporary writer, work cited, f. 134v, has these things: On the nineteenth day before the Kalends of September Pius the Second, Roman pontiff, worn out by the journey and by fever, while he was awaiting the fleet which he had prepared with the greatest labour against the Turks, dies at Ancona (wrongly tudione). Yet before he died he saw it arriving from a watch-tower.]. And so, all murmuring being quieted, the poor little crusaders returned to their own homes, and the crusade for that time was turned into smoke.

In those times the general chapter of our family had been celebrated according to the concession of the bulls of Eugene at Santa Maria degli Angeli At Assisi, on 21 May 1464.. But because the vicariate of Bosnia and the province of Dalmatia were living in no small contention, and had lived so from the beginning [The principal cause of the quarrels was that the friars of the province of Dalmatia strove with every device and all their strength to remove from the vicariate of Bosnia, and to usurp, some convents situated in Dalmatia which had belonged to the vicariate of Bosnia from time immemorial. So the bull of Pius II given on 8 May 1460. A. Theiner, Monumenta historica Hungariae, vol. II, p. 355.], and almost all the more principal friars of our family had gone to them, sent by obedience, and a suitable remedy could never be provided for these things, they thought to unite fratres per b. added, deleted them by letters of the supreme pontiff [The friars of the family had long been solicitous about accomplishing this union. That these things and what follow may be more easily understood, it is pleasing to report in this place the greater part of the letter written by Pius II on 16 February 1463: Some time ago by our letters we commanded our beloved son Brother Battista of Levanto, then your vicar general (namely in the years 1458–61), to go there in person to make peace between the provinces of Bosnia and Dalmatia. We wrote besides to our beloved sons the general and provincial vicars and the other voters of your order and of the family of the observance gathered in the general chapter at Osimo (in the year 1461), that they might be able to settle, decide and determine all and each of the differences of your provinces, and especially of Dalmatia and Bosnia. And yet we have learned that nothing was decided or determined by the aforesaid, from the will of those not then agreeing (read: agreeing) with one another, but rather that some friars of the province of Dalmatia afterwards withdrew from the obedience of that vicar, against the apostolic indults, with the favour and patronage of certain secular lords. Judging this most dangerous, we lastly committed and commanded our beloved son Brother Ludovico of Vicenza, your vicar general (1461–1464), that, as soon as he conveniently could, going in person, he should call the aforesaid rebel friars to himself, and by censures restrain them from such rebellion and rash occupation of places. Whence at length it has come to our ears that the aforesaid provinces do not yet cherish one another in concordant peace. Wishing therefore by apostolic authority to put an end to these things, we declare to you what is written below and command by apostolic writing: first, namely, that of the two provinces of Dalmatia and Bosnia one province be made, which is to be called the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia. Second, that over this province one Italian vicar be set, as a head indifferent to both parties; which vicar is to be elected in each of your general congregations by the vicar general and the definitors of your general congregation. Third, that his office continue for three years, as also the office of your vicar general. Which vicar of Dalmatia and Bosnia, however, is to be subject to and obey the cismontane vicar general. Eus. Fermendžin, Acta Bosnae potissimum ecclesiastica, Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium, vol. XIII (Zagreb, 1892), p. 152.].

The letters of the supreme pontiff having been obtained and the chapter completed, the table is read, in which among other things it is said: Brother Bernardine of L'Aquila (de A.) in the margin, vicar of the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia. When I had heard this, I was placed in great tribulation, thinking that all the more principal friars of our family had gone to those parts, and their differences had never been quieted. If then fathers better than I in every respect could scarcely do anything good, what shall I, a little worm, be able to do? At length, reflecting that obedience is judged to be the principal foundation of religion, truly, I said, even if I should have to die, placing all my confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ and his glorious mother and our father blessed Francis (et … Francisco) in the margin, and in the virtue of holy obedience, I will go with courage, hoping that, such confidence taken, my Lord will direct my steps and will himself cherish his sheep.

Having taken companions and the obedience and the other necessaries, I direct my steps towards Ancona, and there I saw the crusaders, as above P. 76.; and we entered a ship to land at the land of Flumen Fiume, a port of Hungary on the Adriatic sea. for the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist in the margin 24 June., on which feast a fair is held there; and having passed the promontories and having now taken the channel of the Quarnaro [Namely by the Gulf of Quarnero, which flows between the peninsula of Istria and the coast of Dalmatia, the ships which set out from the port of Fiume are borne into the deep. The promontories passed jut out at the farthest tip of Istria, near Pola.],

that we might go to Flumen, that evil beast the north wind rising against us with wonderful fury, we could scarcely reach in the margin Porto Lungo [Porto Lungo is equally distant from the first entrance of the Gulf of Quarnero and from the port of Fiume.] with the greatest labour; and there a certain young man from the parts of Slavonia, wishing to return to his own home, fell sick of the plague, died, and was buried on the shore of the sea. Passing over at length many perils and tribulations which we suffered at sea for 13 days, at last we had to enter Jadra [Zara, the capital of Dalmatia; according to the elements of reckoning given there, Bernardine reached it on 3 July.] by skill. And those ille before correction friars received us honourably and with great charity. At Zara also we found the venerable Brother Christopher, vicar of the province of Dalmatia, who, at once certified of the will of the pontiff and of the general chapter, liberally assigned to me the seal of his province. And when I had begun to hold discourse sermones Le. with the friars about the arrangement made, all say they are ready; yet they suspect that the friars of Ragusa will be resistant.

At length, counsel having been taken with the friars as to what needed to be done, we went to Ragusa, the aforesaid Brother Christopher and very many Dalmatians together with us. And the Bosnian friars, in some good number, and the more principal ones, were staying in the place of Pasman An island of the Adriatic Sea, near Zara., in which it had been determined that the chapter should be celebrated in the margin; to whom also the conclusion received was pleasing. At length we proceeded to Ragusa, and de added, deleted. they too received us graciously. For the understanding of several things to be said, however, it is to be noted that the brief of the supreme pontiff commanded under pain of excommunication latae sententiae that all the friars should obey this union. Likewise it is to be noted that the Ragusans, while the friars were gathered at Santa Maria degli Angeli, obtained certain surreptitious bulls quodam bul surre before correction, by whose authority they in fact took over four places of the Bosnians which are near Ragusa, namely the place of Ston, the place of Slano, the place of Ombla and the place of Canale [Compare the letter of Brother Mark of Bologna, vicar general, in Fermendžin, place cited, p. 261.]. We began therefore to hold discourse about this union with the friars of Ragusa; and because they had taken over those four places with the intention of retaining and by no means restoring them, and yet feared excommunication, after very many things they asked me to deign to defer the execution of the brief until they could have recourse to a superior. Compassionate towards their infirmity, and seeing their minds animis before correction little prepared for obedience, I promised permisi Le. to defer.

Another thing is to be noted, that the general chapter had commanded precepit Le. me to remain vicar with that party which accepted me. I came to Korčula [Curzola, a port on the northern coast of the island of the same name, is 78 kilometres distant from Ragusa.], that re added, deleted. I might return ut added, deleted. to Zara, and there I found the Bosnian friars gathered in good number, awaiting good news. I narrated what had been done, and asked whether they wished to be united with the Dalmatians alone. They assented in case the Ragusans would not; and besides they added: "Since the chapter enjoined it on you, supposing that the union had no place, we accept you as our father and shepherd." "In a good hour," I said. Bidding them farewell I went to Zara, related all that had been done, and inquired diligently whether they wished to be united with the Bosnians, the Ragusans being excluded; and they said with good will that they wished to be united. "See," I said, "that you do not deceive me; what you are going to do, do freely." They said finally: "Father, we make this promise (a. p.) in the margin with a willing, prompt and good mind, that during your three years, even if we should have to die, we resolve to persist in the union."

Chap. 30. Of the union of the province of Dalmatia and the vicariate of Bosnia made by the vicar general and provincial in the chapter of Pasman.

While I was treating at Zara of uniting the said friars according to the will of the supreme pontiff and of the general chapter, behold the reverend father Brother Mark of Bologna, the lately elected vicar general, came to Zara, that he might have passage thence to the province of Sicily, which we think happened not without divine providence. For he wished to sail to Sicily; but I together with the friars compelled him by evident reason to remain, saying among other things: "The Holy Spirit has sent you to us, that we may dispatch this business, great indeed." Like a good father he consented to the reasonable petition [These things Mark of Bologna himself says of his arrival at the provincial chapter convoked at Pasman: To which by the divine will, as I think, I landed, and in it I myself was present and presiding, although I intended with all my affection to sail to Sicily. Fermendžin, place cited, p. 260.], and finally, by the common consent of all the friars, we sailed again to Ragusa with the father vicar general, treating again with the friars whether in some way at length they would consent to the holy union. They remain with minds in suspense, and no certain answer (n. c. r.) nullam certam responsionem before correction could be drawn out. The father and I are called to the council of the city, in which very many things were touched on; at length they ask that by special favour their friars be not compelled to go to the chapter of Pasman Gathered on 31 August.. The father assented for the better, that if they wished to come, they should come; if they did not wish, they should by no means be bound Compare the letter given by the vicar general on 8 September, ibid., p. 263.. And so those good men remained, I know not how; but to the chapter of Pasman they by no means came.

We returned to Pasman, where, the friars being gathered in chapter, we came to the definitors, and two were elected for one party and two for the other parte adds Le. [Their names are listed in the letter of Mark of Bologna. Fermendžin, place cited, p. 260.]. We began to give place and manner to the union, in which so many and such great difficulties occurred (d. a.) a. d. before correction that Brother Mark, who was a manly man and of great sense, as if desperate said to the definitors and to me: "Do you do what is to be done. My angel has withdrawn from me, and what to do I do not know." So we did it. After two days his angel returned to him in the margin, and he began to act anew and well. Lastly a certain discord occurred in a very small matter, and the Bosnians persisted with so hard a neck that I was almost wholly in despair about their doings, arguing thus: "If they act so in a very small matter with the vicar general present, what will it be with me in great matters when he is absent?" Then I said: "My angel has withdrawn from me." At length it pleased the divine providence that my angel returned to me; and after very many difficulties we made the union of the Bosnians and the Dalmatians, celebrated the chapter, and all things were concluded in good concord.

Among other things we did this one thing, that the whole province thus united should be ruled with custodes, and so all unanimously assented [On the four custodies and the other matters decided in this provincial chapter, compare the same letter.]. And truly I testify that I could by no means have governed such a province, having so many places and so many friars, without custodes. And because I experienced such a government, in several general chapters I said that it would seem best to me that the family be ruled with custodes. And I recall that I assigned several reasons; and at length I concluded that, if we ruled with custodes, I would refuse the office of no province if the friars wished me, but otherwise I would accept the office of any province only under compulsion. Those reasons I omit for the sake of brevity. The community of the friars says: "We do not wish to have so many superiors twice before correction." And in truth the friars do not understand their own good. Having experienced it thus, I have said, I say and I will say, as long as life is my companion, and I leave it in writing to the knowledge of posterity.

From what has been said it has become known that the Ragusans were shut out from this union, and yet were not legitimately separated from our obedience, namely that of the vicar of the province [Compare the letter given by Mark of Bologna on 8 September. Fermendžin, place cited, p. 263.].

The reverend father Brother Mark, the vicar general, leaving the province of Sicily, returned to Italy; and going to Rome he obtained a most urgent brief of the supreme pontiff that the Ragusans should consent to the union [The brief Accepimus quamplures hactenus, published on 30 March 1465, threatens ecclesiastical censures against those who should refuse the aforesaid union. Wadding, at the year 1465, n. III.], and dispatched it to me as I was preaching in Lent quadragesima Le. at Šibenik, and commanded with great power that, having seen the presents, I should go to Ragusa. I left the preaching in mid-Lent ill content, went et adds Le. to Ragusa, and could not enter the city, in which the friars who were resisting the union were shut up, being hindered through the means of seculars. Nay more, some seculars guarded me by day, lest any of those friars who had a good will should come to me; yet very many came by night. And they did all this because the priors knew that, whatever I was going to do with them, I had a copy of the brief.

I withdrew from Ragusa and landed at Kotor, and there I dispatched a letter to the reverend lord archbishop of Ragusa; for the Ragusan citizens had given order that all letters directed to the friars should be presented to the council. The letter directed to the lord archbishop was of this kind: Reverend Lord, etc. We make known to your Lordship by the presents, for the good government of your sheep, how such a friar and such a one — and I named only three known to me — are excommunicated, because they have acted against the will of the supreme pontiff commanding under pain of excommunication latae sententiae, and have contravened concerning their union with the friars of the vicariate of Bosnia, etc. I was certified that the lord archbishop had the letter and read it to the council of the city, by occasion of which in the margin it came about that very many citizens, for fear of excommunication, ceased from association with the friars and the convent [But so skilfully did the senate and magistracy of Ragusa deal with the Supreme Pontiff through their envoys that Paul II, by a letter given on 19 May 1465, declared the friars of this city immune from all censures. Wadding, place cited, n. IV. Compare D. Fabianich, Storia dei Frati Minori in Dalmazia e Bossina, vol. I (Zara, 1863), pp. 224–26.].

The community of the friars, who walked with a good mind, received me as an angel of God, saying: "Father, you are our shepherd, prelate and father, and you alone we wish, as assigned by our fathers of the family; you we wish simply to obey; behold, we are ready. If it please you, for the love of God take us with you, and place us there where it shall seem good to your charity." But I

embraced them as a mother her sons, and felt no small pain in my soul, because I could not govern them as I would have wished. Yet I was wont to say to them: "Persevere in good. I embrace and hold you as my subjects and sons; and until other provision shall have been made by the superiors, persevere in this good will, and I judge you to be in a good state of your consciences."

And some at times, led by the goad of conscience, leaving those places, came to me; all of whom I received with fatherly affection and placed in the Dalmatian places with the charity that is fitting. The Ragusans had a certain armed boat stand in a certain port for 15 days, suspecting lest I should move those friars from those places; and, thinking that I had passed on the day on which I passed thence, it withdrew and did not merit to see me. But I was with the friars as long as I wished; and had I not sent messengers from Dassa Daxa, a village near Ragusa. to Ragusa announcing our arrival, they could have learned nothing of me.

If I wished to narrate all the things that happened in that three years of ours in those parts in the margin, our discourse would be stretched out very long. I have taken care to narrate only certain more necessary things, that the Italian friars may have certain knowledge of the things done in those parts by the will of the family, and because commonly in the general chapters they are vexed by the altercation of those friars. One thing, however, which happened about the end of the three years, I think is by no means to be left out, both for the knowledge of the past and of the future. A certain suspicion arose among the Bosnians that the Dalmatian friars were trying to take from them the places existing around Zara. They tell me, and ask whether I know anything of these things. I answered the simple truth, saying: "In truth I know nothing, nor do I think it true." Yet, because several of them repeated it to me (id michi) in the margin, I said to some of them: "I will go to Zara and diligently inquire into this matter." I went, and inquired most subtly and very rigorously, and found nothing. But the Bosnian custodes and guardians and several others are gathered at Split and hold that I with the Dalmatian friars am taking care to take those places at Zara from them, and they send messengers to me, making known their suspicions to me in this manner. For the messenger said: "Father, our fathers have by chance gathered in numbers at Split, and they ask of your Reverence in the margin that for their consolation in the margin you make one letter in your own hand, to the effect that you do not consent with the Dalmatian friars who wish to take our places from us." I said: "Come to me in the morning, and I will answer you." Thinking over this point in the night, I said within myself: "Truly this generation is wicked and perverse. Compare Deut. 32, 5. By this letter they have thought to uncover this matter; for if he writes this letter, at every time and in every place, and before the pope and the cardinals, we can confound him; but if he refuses to write, we are certain that he agrees with the Dalmatians." Then, compelled by necessity, I wrote my innocence, of this tenor: Concerning the suspicion held that places are to be taken from the Bosnian friars by the Dalmatians, I knew nothing at all, nor have I wrought anything by word or writing, by myself or through an interposed person. Nay, it was the greatest pain to me to hear it; and to repair this scandal I came to Zara and was staying at Zara. Have now, and rub well frigatis, the letters of my innocence, and show them before all.

From what has been said the reader can weigh how well these things agree. I at Zara was attending most diligently to their affairs, and they, gathered at Split, were studying to render me evils (r. s.) in the margin, as is their custom; I shall make this conclusion conclusiones Le. in these things, that they are double men and suspect. Therefore the family could never in the margin compose a good concord between them and the Dalmatians. The Dalmatians walk more simply, inasmuch as they have been brought up more by the Italian friars in good ways; but those Bosnians are more familiar with seculars, inasmuch as they have been compelled by the Roman curia to have parochial care, because in those parts no secular priests nor those of any other religion are to be had. Therefore they will never be able to agree with one another. Because they disagree in ways, they cannot be agreed in will. But I for three years lived like an anvil between in the margin three hammerers, and yet my Lord did me good grace; for in our three years they were joined in union. On one side the Bosnians, on another the Ragusans and on another the Dalmatians tormented me; yet for the most part they were troublesome to me only through their common et non added, deleted. passions and not through mine; I had to be got out from among them, as one preserving the whole middle.

Chap. 31. Of the things that were done concerning the Bosnians and Dalmatians and Ragusans in the chapter celebrated at Mantua.

After our three years, in which I was compelled to govern the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia, it was necessary to go to the chapter of Mantua. For that chapter was solemn; yet only the friars of the family came together there. The Bosnian, Dalmatian and Ragusan friars therefore went to the same chapter, and we proceeded as far as the mills of Mantua with our little boats, the Lord leading, yet not without labour.

Opportunity of time being given, I was called and subtly questioned as to how the union made had gone. I said: "Up to now it has gone well, because the friars have lasted in it; but let your Reverences believe me, because I, who was in the middle among them, was hammered in many ways; on one side the Bosnians, on another the Dalmatians, and on another the Ragusans struck me in many ways, rather disagreeing among themselves than wishing to afflict me." They said again: "Is this union going to last?" I said: "Truly not. In truth I tell you that I could scarcely maintain it up to this chapter. In no way does it seem to me that it can last; for they differ in ways, they must also differ in will. The Bosnians are parochial clergy in the margin in those parts, and therefore they continually converse with seculars; and therefore, when they come to the parts of Dalmatia, they at once run through the whole city and quickly take up familiarity with men and women. But the Dalmatians, who have been brought up edicati before correction; u in the margin in the ways of Italy, flee such familiarities. Since, therefore, they differ in ways, they cannot be united in will in charity."

After this the Dalmatians came, asking for separation, or, if they wished to confirm the union, that they leave the province to the Bosnians and take them to Italy. The friars of the chapter, therefore, seeing that the union could not last, wished to procure the separation from the supreme pontiff in the margin, and committed such separation to one of the Dalmatian friars in the margin and to one of the Bosnians [In the year 1467, on 24 May, at Mantua, in the general chapter, Fr. Mark of Bologna presiding, it was decided that a vicar of Bosnia and Dalmatia be sent by the general congregation to preside over both families, until licence be obtained from the apostolic see by the Bosnian and Dalmatian friars together that each family may elect a vicar for itself. Acts of the general chapter of Mantua, in Fermendžin, place cited, p. 270.]. The Dalmatian excused himself; therefore it remained with the Bosnian alone. He at once proceeded to Rome and, an audience of the pontiff having been obtained, said: "Most blessed Father, our fathers wish that we be separated from the Dalmatian friars; we must do what they wish. May it please your Holiness to grant a brief of separation." Pope Paul, hearing and understanding the words proposed, knew that the friars were asking one thing in word and wishing another in mind. He said: "Is this separation to your prejudice?" The companion answered, saying: "It is to our prejudice, Most blessed Father." And so one of them related to me. The pope said: "We do not wish a brief of separation to be made, but one confirmatory of the union." And so it was done.

And the fathers of the chapter made me procurator or commissary in the Roman curia. I went to Rome and found the Bosnian friars, and asked whether they had obtained the brief of separation according to the commission made to them. They answered no, but that it was erant before correction necessary to press the supreme pontiff that they might acquire such a brief. And I, walking religiously and simply, believed them. These good men went infallibly every day to the palace of the supreme pontiff; at length I found out that they had obtained the brief of confirmation [The brief Memores sumus, given on 25 June 1467 to Brother Dominic of Gonissa, confirms the union of the friars of Dalmatia and Bosnia. See this diploma in D. Fabianich, Storia dei Frati Minori in Dalmazia e Bosnia, vol. I, pp. 440–41.]. And in this way they committed falsehoods: the first against the whole family [Whose general chapter gathered at Mantua had decreed that a division of the said provinces be made again. Ibid.], the second against me in particular, saying that they had not obtained it, and the third, that under this colour they were seeking to have an audience of the pontiff for another cause, which they themselves know. And the said friars, being asked whether they had in any way co-operated with the supreme pontiff, in my presence told a lie to the vicar general, saying no. I said: "Did you not tell me how you had wrought? Are you not ashamed to lie against your own head?" And with this word I bit them; and when even with this one of them wished to deny it, his conscience, biting back, did not let him bring out words freely; by occasion of which it came about that all who were present held him as having confessed.

The more principal Ragusan friars also came to the aforesaid chapter. Besides, the Ragusan citizens too dispatched some of the more noble citizens as ambassadors to the chapter, judging that what happened would come about. For the friars et added, deleted. and fathers of the chapter, fully informed of the doings of the friars and understanding their rebellion, namely that they would not consent to the union, and the despoiling of the places of the Bosnian friars, of which we wrote above, cut them off from the family as their penance [It had been decreed in the general chapter of Mantua, in the year 1467, that the places of the Ragusans be cut off from the family and committed to the care of the most reverend father general, declaring that the four places formerly possessed by the Bosnian friars, as far as lies in us, unless an apostolic rescript decrees otherwise, belong to the same Bosnians. Fermendžin, place cited, p. 270.]. And although the Ragusan citizens and ambassadors fought hard for the defence of their friars, asking with many prayers the fathers of the chapter, then the citizens of Mantua, lastly the lord of the city, who is a very great devotee and likewise friend of the Friars Minor, that through his intercession their friars might be spared, they could at length tamen Le. obtain nothing. And so the Ragusan friars stood cut off from the family in punishment of their contumacy for some time,

but through the intervention of the most reverend lord of Nicaea, the protector [Cardinal Bessarion had been designated protector of the order from 10 September 1458.], the places taken from the Bosnians being retained, they were received back into the family [Which was brought about on 31 March 1468, Brother James of Padua being sent to the Ragusan friars as commissary, to rule them in the name of the vicar general. Wadding, place cited, at the year 1468, n. I–IV.].

Chap. 32. Of the provision for the friars of the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia in the chapter, and of the death of the vicar general, and of certain other things happening in the time of our commissariate in the Roman curia.

Deliberation having been had by the friars in de before correction the chapter of Mantua concerning the separation of the friars of the province of Bosnia and Dalmatia, in this interval while the brief of separation was being obtained, Brother Dominic of Gonissa, a venerable father, was dispatched to the government of that province Fermendžin, place cited, p. 270., all the friars firmly expecting the brief of separation. But because the opposite was done Compare p. 721, note 2., it was necessary to make a new provision for the new situation. And how that province was governed is not known to me [Nothing was changed until the general chapter which met in the year 1469. Then indeed "it was decreed that the Ragusan friars, united with the Dalmatians, should coalesce into one province, and the Bosnians should elect a vicar according to their ancient custom." Wadding, at the year 1469, n. VIII.]; I well unum Le. know that Brother Dominic returned to Italy after a short time, because by his nature he could not bear the sea, and that province cannot be ruled without access by sea; nay, I think that of three parts of my time I spent two par added, deleted. at sea during the whole three years in which I executed the office of the vicariate.

In these times Paul the Second, supreme pontiff, sat in the see of Peter. And the Venetians dispatched legates to Rome for their business, to whom among other things it was committed that six places of the Bosnians which are around the city of Zara should be applied to the Dalmatian friars, because they held the Bosnian friars suspect. The places are these: namely the place of Ugliano Ugliano, situated on the island of the same name, near Zara., the place of Castrum Novum, which they in their vernacular call Novigrado in the margin Today it still keeps the same name Novigrad., the place of Pasman, the place of Krapanj, the place of Split and the place of Korčula [Anyone inspecting a geographical map will at once find that the cities of Šibenik (Sebenico), near which was the convent of Krapanj on the island of Kapri (Greiderer, Germania franciscana, vol. I, book II, n. 49), Split and Korčula are not so near around the city of Zara.]. The ambassadors fought wonderfully with the supreme pontiff, who was also a Venetian, that those places should be wholly applied to the Dalmatians, chiefly because the Bosnians were continually having dealings with the enemies of the Venetians. Besides, they alleged many things in particular against them, whether true I do not know; yet they asserted that they would prove them all. On this, however, I will say what I think. While I was in Dalmatia, the officials of the Venetians, and especially at Zara in the margin, where their whole suspicion was, gave me much trouble. But I in truth defended the friars, saying: "What is this, for the love of God? I have visited the friars several times with much rigour, and have never found any sign of such things. I wonder at you; the poor little friars have scruples of conscience about the least thoughts, and you think that they are scheming to take cities from your dominion in the margin. Far be this from the minds of poor friars." The more I strove to excuse them, the more their mind was kindled against them with anger and indignation. And they said to me: "Your Reverence in the margin walks religiously and simply, as is fitting; but this wicked generation hides the truth from you." This and many similar and worse things they said.

Seeing that the aforesaid ambassadors were proceeding in the cause, I asked them that it might please them to deign to indicate to me what they honourably could. This only could I have, namely that the supreme pontiff had promised to grant them the favour in the margin. The supreme pontiff and the most reverend lord Cardinal of San Marco favoured the Bosnians [By a letter given on 9 August 1467, Paul II extols the untiring ardour of the Friars Minor of Bosnia against the Turks. Wadding, at the year 1467, n. XI. And Marco Barbo, created cardinal of the title of San Marco by his uncle Paul II on 18 September 1467, patriarch of Aquileia in Istria († 11 March 1490), who favoured the Bosnian friars (compare Greiderer, work cited, pp. 109, 569, 613), lived in the region in which he had their minds easily explored.]. I cannot write everything; finally they obtained a certain most dishonourable brief against those wretched Bosnian friars, namely containing their infamy and confusion [That brief has remained inaccessible to us. But what the doge of Venice sent to his legates in Dalmatia on 28 December 1468 is shameful enough to the Bosnian friars: We held for certain, he says, that the friars of St. Francis of the vicariate of Bosnia, about whom both you to us and we to you have so often written, whose life and ways are most suspect to us and most dangerous to our state of Dalmatia, had already, in execution of our mandates, been removed from there and dismissed, so that they should cease to dwell and remain any longer in our places of Dalmatia; but as we seem to see and have lately learned for certain, nothing has been done, since those friars remain, as before, and it is in their liberty to contrive what they wish. Let them therefore be removed as soon as possible, and they ought to remain in their monasteries and churches. And so you ought to do, the friars of the vicariate of Dalmatia, who are men of proven life and faith and most pleasing to us. S. Ljubić, Listine, vol. X, pp. 420–21, Monumenta spectantia historiam Slavorum meridionalium, vol. XXII (1891).]. I call them wretched, because the Ragusans took four sex before correction places from them and the Venetians six, and the Turk, according as they related to me, destroyed 38 places [These things are reported word for word by Wadding, but wrongly under the year 1465, n. v. And on 14 June 1463 the doge of Venice wrote to the supreme pontiff that the Turks had very lately taken possession of Bosnia. Ibid., pp. 250–51.]; they now hold few places, and those badly disposed. And they firmly hold that the Dalmatian friars brought it about that the places twice before correction around Zara were obtained by the Venetians, and in that opinion, that the Dalmatian friars brought this about, they have held and hold. To me it is not otherwise established; God knows the truth. The Venetians asserted that they were doing it for their own interest.

In these times it happened that the reverend father vicar general Brother Battista of Levanto [Battista of Levanto, or de' Tagliacarne, three times vicar general of the cismontane family, from the year 1455 to the year 1479, in which he died, acted with the highest praise. Gonzaga, De origine seraphicae religionis franciscanae (Rome, 1587), part I, p. 37. Arthur du Moustier added him to his Franciscan Martyrology on 25 November.] dispatched from the province of Terra di Lavoro to the father vicar of the province and to me a letter of the same tenor, namely that, since he had been despaired of by the physicians for his infirmity, he desired for the good of the family to come to Rome; he asked for the love of God that we should go for him. I read his letter not without tears; for I loved him as a man adorned with many virtues. We went for his paternity to Gaeta Gaetam Le., the venerable father Brother James of Corneto (et ego) added, deleted., vicar of the Roman province, and I. But because he was gravely ill, he could not ride; hence we were compelled to sail from Gaeta Gaeta Le. to Ostia ostium Le., and then to Rome. Physicians are called; they study, confer many things together, that they might restore this man to health.

The Bosnians come and wished to repair their cause with him. He answered: "I am, as you see, half dead. To the father Brother Angelo of Bolsena [Angelo of Bolsena, or of Vulsinium (Bolsena, a city of Tuscany), was in the year 1457 apostolic commissary over the business of the crusade (Glassberger, Chronica, Analecta Franciscana, vol. II, p. 376); the same, most skilled in handling affairs, excellently fulfilled for several years, at least from the year 1457–1463, the office of procurator general of the cismontane family. Wadding, Indices, under the word.] and to the father vicar of the Roman province [In place of Battista of Levanto, who died in the month of February, there was substituted by apostolic authority as commissary of the observants the vicar of the Roman province, namely James of Corneto, who convoked the general assembly on the island of Bisentina, in the lake of Vulsinii. Then Mark of Bologna was proclaimed vicar general for the third time, and commissary of the curia, in place of Bernardine of L'Aquila, Albert of Perugia. Wadding, at the year 1469, nn. II and V.] and to my commissary I commit the cause only to be heard." They came, and founded all their foundations on falsehood. To whom I said: "For the love of God, if you wish to be heard, tell the truth The rest is missing. See the Preliminary Commentary, p. 688, num. 9.."