About the venerable Padre Ludovico Fossombrone and a grave persecution he suffered

145 Padre Ludovico and his brother in the house at Masaccio with the Camaldolese 145 The Zoccolanti find him there 147 Giovanni’s messengers lose the letter Padre Ludovico then finds it and reads it 148 He presents himself to the Legate in Macerata 149 He returns to the Monks 150 His sojourn at Pascelupo 151 Another inspired strategy 152 Neither Padre Ludovico nor Matteo had thought to begin a Reform 153 Difficulties

(145) When Fra Ludovico had left that little church at Cingoli as a judicious person he gave more thought to Fra Giovanni da Fano’s great desire to apprehend him. He thought to himself that he could not trust anyone and should withdraw to solitary, safe places. On the other hand he thought that Fra Giovanni had spies everywhere and since he needed to come out among the people to provide himself with some bread he thought, as a precaution, to go to those Venerable Fathers of Camaldoli. They were very generous towards him and because they were holy religious he felt sure he could trust them. So he went to the place of Masaccio where those Reverend Fathers were and he found them all sick. These were delighted at the arrival of Padre Ludovico. For a long time they already knew him to be a holy and good man. They were even more delighted because Holy Week was at hand and the poor fellows had no one to say Mass because all the priests were sick. When he saw this Padre Ludovico devoted himself to serve them with great charity. Since his brother Raphael was with him, he served to poor sick monks in all their needs. Every day Padre Ludovico said Mass. If they already loved Fra Ludovico very much, their love for him now grew even more because of this charitable service. They were very happy to them there secretly. When those Fathers had recovered and no longer needed that assistance, Fra Ludovico and his companion spent the great part of the time hidden in secret places in the woods where they seculars could not see them. At night they came back to sleep in the monastery. So as to receive their help and because of the great love they monks had for them, the monks wanted to give them food from their own table. However the fervour and desire of Fra Ludovico and his brother to suffer were such that they accepted nothing from the monks nothing other than a little bread. The poor fellows ate this in the forest with fresh herbs and they drank water.

(146) Although they were very careful not to let themselves be seen, word got about nevertheless that they were staying in that place at Masaccio. After all, they could do much without being seeing by the country folk who frequented the area. One day when they were simply speaking with the Zoccolanti they said, “Up there we have seen two hermit Monks who wear a short cowl on their heads. They are frightening. Which kind of hermits are they?” The Zoccolanti replied, “What do they do there? Are they there all the time?” The farmers answered, “We have seen them often go into the Monks’ forest. What they do there we don’t know.”

From these words they thought these were Fra Ludovico and his brother. Then they wanted to verify this in another way. When they were sure it was Fra Ludovico they immediately wrote to tell the Minister that Fra Ludovico was hiding in the Monks’ forest. As soon as he heard this Brother John wrote a letter to the Guardian of the friary in Masaccio to carefully check whether Fra Ludovico was received there by the Monks; and to see all the ways he could be removed because there were going to be problems shortly. “If we can catch him we will put him in a place where he will never see the sun again and he will no longer go around in a fine display of hypocrisy with that pointed cowl. The Order has never suffered such a slur like the one he will give us unless we set him straight. Therefore be very diligent and keep me advised of everything.”

(147) So when that superior received the letter he called two of the more diligent and shrewd Friars and gave them the letter of the Minister in which it said, “I have taken from him the Brief which he obtained from Rome to be able to stay in whatever place he wants with some companions. He can no longer defend himself with that Brief. He will never get it back from me.” Therefore the Guardian ordered them to go cautiously to the house of the Monks and check diligently to see if Fra Ludovico is there. To conceal their purpose, when the Friars arrived at that place of the Monks they used the excuse of going there to visit them for recreation. When those Fathers heard this they put on a good face and during the various conversations the two friars, by chance, began to speak about Fra Ludovico. They said they liked him very much and desired to know where he was so as to withdraw with him. They said, “We too want to reform ourselves.” The Monks were very happy to hear this. They believed to be true all that those Friars told them. They gladly answered them that Fra Ludovico was often with them and that at that moment he was in the forest. They would have called him for them but at the time divine Providence allowed Fra Ludovico to be in a place the Monks didn’t know. After showing them all around the house with great warmth and kindness, they want them to go to eat in the refectory, as friends of Fra Ludovico . They showed them every possible courtesy.

By Divine Providence, to see to the needs of poor Fra Ludovico, a very important matter was revealed, just as our Lord himself says: There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. His Majesty always takes care of his servants and does not allow the malice of persons to hold sway everywhere. Instead He orders all things for the health and benefit of his elect. For while those Fathers ate, He allowed that the Minister’s letter fall under the table. When those Fathers had eaten and left the Monks found the letter while they sere sweeping the Refectory. When the Reverend Fathers opened the letter they knew the reason for the visit from the Friars was only to learn if Fra Ludovico was with them. They were not looking for him as a friend, but so as to give him into the hands of the Minister. When Fra Ludovico returned that evening, they told him everything and gave him the letter. In the letter he read about the Minister’s threats and heard how he had usurped the Brief. With great joy he said, “Now I know that the Lord God is taking care of us. I am not afraid any more. Padre Giovanni da Fano does not want to give me the opportunity to observe my vows for fear that I may do some kind of reform. Our Lord God will do a reform before his very eyes and he will be unable to defend himself. He does not want me as a subject. Nor do I care about that. We will find some other way. Now I am sure that God wants a true reform done. Since they do not want it in a friendly way, we will separate ourselves from them and do the reform with the help of God.”

The idea entered his heart to do the Capuchin Reform. There and then the beginning of our Reform entered Fra Ludovicois mind. He said, “Even if I have found myself in these troubles as a result, I have never desired anything else except to know the will of God; should I do a Reform or not. Now I am sure. This letter, you know, has been a great help to me. They want to have me die in prison while they tell seculars that they are searching for me because of the great love they bear me and that they don’t want me to leave them.”

(148) The two Friars immediately informed the Minister that Fra Ludovico was there with the Monks. He quickly sent for the barigello from Macerata and showed to the Legate the Brief he had allowing him to use secular force. He gave the Legate to understand that he was acting out of charity so as to lead Fra Ludovico back to the Order. ‘Because they are obstinate, since it seems to them the right thing to do, and so that they do not create division, His Holiness has allowed me to force them to return.’ The Cardinal believed these words and gave him the barigello along with many guards. However out of shame Padre Giovanni did not want to go himself in the company of many guards since it was day time. Instead he sent some Friars suitable for the task. After the barigello had arrived and surrounded the house of the Monks they asked that Fra Ludovico and his brother be given into their custody. Because of the great love the Monks had for Fra Ludovico and his brother they resisted firmly, “We have nothing to do with guards,” they said. The clamour was so great that two nearby castles mobilised, took up arms and hurried to the place. One of the castles supported the Monks and Fra Ludovico while the other supported the opposing side. About fifty men between them were about to kill one another. As it pleased God however two old men stood in their midst and calmed down the mob. They said to Fra Ludovico and the Monks, “Father, you can come safely to Macerata. I promise to bring you back straight away once we have spoken with the Cardinal, because I have important friends.” With great fervour Fra Ludovico then said, “Let us go. I am not afraid of anyone.”

After they arrived in Macerata the Monsignor sent for the Guardian of those Fathers and said to him, “What business do you have with Fra Ludovico?” The Monsignor wanted to know the truth. When the Guardian arrived he replied, “Monsignor, we want nothing other than the well being of our brother, Fra Ludovico.” The Monsignor turned to Fra Ludovico and asked, “What do you say, Father?” Fra Ludovico answered, “Monsignor, I will say nothing, but read this letter.” Taking it from his sleeve he gave it to him. The letter was read publicly so that the Monsignor and all those gentlemen would hear what the Minister wanted to do with Fra Ludovico. At this the Monsignor went into such a rage and turning to the Guardian he called it a page of villainy. He then gave Fra Ludovico to those good persons who took him back to the Monks just as they had promised.

All those seculars knew that the adversaries didn’t seek out Fra Ludovico to do him good but to put him in jail. As a result, where Fra Ludovico earlier had many difficulties, the Monsignor said to him, “Go, my Father, because I will not longer give you trouble but support. I will no longer believe that you are excommunicated. Rather, those who usurped your Brief are excommunicated, which is evident from this letter of the Minister. With all these things they’ve done I am amazed that they profess to be holy religious and have no conscience in persecuting their neighbour and impeding someone who wants to do good. I am especially scandalised,” he said, “that there be so little charity in their Superiors and in you (he said to the Guardian), but especially in your Minister. Leave my presence and speak to me no more about this matter.”

(149) Fra Ludovico knelt down and kissed the hands of the Monsignor and tearfully commended himself to him. He replied, “Go, Father, in the name of God and attend to serving God and observing your profession. Pray to God for me so that from now on you will receive nothing but support from me. If I had been as informed about the matter as I am now you would not have had this trouble from my Court. Turning to those people who had brought Fra Ludovico to he commanded them to return him to the Monks and that they not allow any one to bother him. And so it happened. When those Reverend Fathers saw him returning they rejoiced and welcomed him with great charity. From all this it came about that where part of people earlier had supported Fra Ludovico’s adversaries because they did not know him, from then on the whole country side round about held him in the greatest reverence. The support of the Monsignor Legate helped him ver much because from that time forward everyone said, “If Fra Ludovico were not a true servant of God and were an apostate and excommunicated as his adversaries say, the Monsignor would not support him.”

(150) This was really something that came from the Holy Spirit. The more the adversaries sought to harm him, the more the seculars were scandalised by this and lost their devotion towards them. This was something that moved him very much. For on the one had (the Friars) were aware that they were scandalising the world and were losing the devotion of the seculars. On the other had they worried lest Fra Ludovico might do some Reform. So it came about that they resolved not bother the secular arm any more. They decided instead to use every effort to catch him themselves. This became known and was reported to the Monks. They carefully reconsidered the matter and decided that Fra Ludovico should not dwell any longer in the house at Masaccio because everyone knew he stayed there. So that he could not be taken by force one night, aware of the intrigues of the adversaries, they decided to send him secretly to a more remote house. So they sent him to Pascelupo, a very remote place near Costacciaro.

This happened when Fra Ludovico was staying at that place. Late one afternoon one of those Father Monks, who was quite old, was busying himself in a certain place and he looked towards the plain. It pleased the Lord God that he saw a great squad of adversaries coming with their habits hitched up and carrying long, heavy staves. They were all young and fit. The old man saw them and looking at them carefully he quickly realised that they were adversaries of Fra Ludovico. Because of this the good old fellow began to weep so much that Fra Ludovico, who was in the forest with his brother, worried that some harm had befallen him. Both ran to him very quickly. When they reached the old man they asked him if something he had been hurt – he was crying so much. The old man answered, “O dear, my Father, all of us will die tonight.” He said this because the place was in the wilderness and quite some distance from ordinary habitations, and at that time there were never more than three monks in that house. Taking Fra Ludovico by the hand he said to him, “Come, my Father, and see the great crowd that is coming.” As they came into view Fra Ludovico recognised his friends. Turning to the old man he said, “Do not worry, my Father, they are coming for me. They will do you no harm. Take yourselves inside the house, and lock everything well. Leave the rest to me. I know them. They are crazy to come here thinking they have me in the palm of their hand. With madness I will send them off. No that you should all laugh, but stay calm and do not cry.”

(151) Fra Ludovico saw what the mob was doing so as to find him asleep in bed, since during the day he stayed in the forest and returned at night to that house to sleep. They also moving in such a way so as not to be seen by seculars. So Fra Ludovico withdrew with his brother to the church. With many tears he commended himself to the Lord God so that He might help him in such a difficult and unpleasant undertaking, since the opponents were so strong and his strength so weak, persecuted and scorned by everyone. It was amazing. He rose from that prayer, enkinlded with an incredible desire to give his life as much as he could while alive to carry out this Reform for the sake of the glory of God. “Therefore, my Lord,” he said, “if you are pleased to use this poor instrument, give me strength and intelligence so that I may persevere and defend myself so as to advance this Reform without offending you Majesty or my neighbour. I do not want to harm anyone and for the sake of your love I forgive what they are doing to me. But as they are coming and want to take me and have me die in a jail, defend me so that I may not be given into their hands and so that I do no harm to anyone, since my blood is boiling.”

It was truly something divine. As soon as he finished the prayer he he decided what to do and said to his brother, “Go, Fra Raffaello, and light a huge fire to make lots of embers.” Fra Raffaello went and did all that Fra Ludovico had asked of him. As night began to fall Fra Ludovico put the embers in different spots around the place. Since it is quite mountainous, surrounded by outcrops and rocks, he had embers put on those rocks in eminent places and the wind blew upon them, and this looked like an army of soldiers. Fra Ludovico stayed on a certain outcrop that overlooked the others. Since there was no other route, the mob had to pass by below where he was. As he began to hear the noise of their feet Fra Ludovico said with a very loud voice, “There they are. They are here. Stay here with the arquebus. Then he moved around that little outcrop as if he we giving orders to a squad and spoke with another voice loud enough for the others to hear. Therefore when the mob arrived and heard the talking and saw nearby a countless multitude of fires and heard that variety of voices that Fra Raffaello also did in another spot, they felt sure that Fra Ludovico had been warned and gathered many of his farmer friends. They were so afraid that they fled terrified. Since they were so frightened, and it was night and the terrain very rough, most of them fell over often. They fell so clumsily that the great din they made could be heard for a long time. So they returned with little satisfaction, more dead than alive. And all this has come from Fra Ludovico’s own mouth and from one of the Fathers present there and who died not long ago.

(152) Until this time no others were outside (the Order) except Fra Matteo, Fra Ludovico da Fossombrone and Fra Raffaello his natural brother. Nor had the Capuchin Reform begun, except the (shape of the) habit that our Father Saint Francis wore was used again. The holy man Fra Matteo was the reason behind this, since he had received it in a revelation from God. We have already spoken about this amply in its own place. Nor did they nor Fra Matteo intend to do another Reform. Only Fra Matteo had obtained that permission from His Holiness to go about with that habit preaching throughout the world. Fra Ludovico intended to withdraw to some little friary with some of his companions who were of the same mind as he, but with that capuchin habit. After he had easily obtained the Brief from His Holiness he hoped that Padre Fra Giovanni da Fano would have given them a little friary. And I believe Fra Giovanni would have given it them if Fra Ludovico had not put on the capuchin habit. Nor did he trust the mind of Fra Ludovico but felt sure he would have taken away a good number of Friars and have made a Reform in his own way. This was the reason that Brother John, along with the whole Order, imagined the matter would never be resolved until they had taken Fra Ludovico in hand. However, because he was a judicious man and also because God helped him, Fra Ludovico knew how to act so that he never gave himself into their clutches. Instead he stayed in the mountains and alpine areas until the Lord God sent him some support.

(153) The persecutions that happened in this way were a circumstantial cause the Capuchin Reform. Nor did Fra Ludovico ever rest until had obtained the Brief to be able to accept houses and Friars. But because of this they suffered such great things that it would be better not to commit them to paper. Let it suffice to say that we owe so much to those first Fathers who strove so hard to lay the foundations of the poor Congregation. No one ever dared to enter together with Fra Ludovico into the intrigues which he endured. And so the poor fellow had no other support except from God. This was because no one wanted to follow Fra Ludovico while he had neither a Brief nor a Bull from His Holiness. He only had that Brief which defended him from excommunication and which Fra Giovanni da Fano had taken from him. Fra Giovanni then did a lot to muddy things up for him by writing to Rome. Through the Court Procurator he asked to be able to pursue certain apostates who had left the Order, and for the sake of charity toreturn them to the Order. He called Fra Ludovico an apostate. Although this wasn’t true, Fra Luodivioc couldn’t prove it. This was the Brief shown to the Monsignor Legate of the Marches in Macerata and that was shown to be false by the letter Fra Giovannai da Fano. They said nothing to Fra Matteo because Fra Giovanni had promised the Duchess of Camerino to leave him alone and not bother him. For she let it be understood that if they did not have greater regard for the precepts of His Holiness she would give him and the Order little to be pleased about. Because of this all his anger fell upon the poor Fra Ludovico and his brother Fra Raffaello. When he realised this he was very careful, as will be described, to put matters straight. So it was a grace of God that he obtained the Brief.