Saint Bernardine of Siena [microform] : Sermons

SERMONS

Selected and edited by

i

Don NAZARENO ORLANDI

Translated by

HELEN JOSEPHINE ROBINS

SIENA

TIPOGRAJ-IA SOOIALB
1920

RX

-JL-J /\

TO THE REVEREND FATHER PASCHAL ROBINSON O. F, M.
WHO MADE THE PREPARATION OF THIS TRANSLATION POSSIBLE, NOT
ONLY BY HIS INTEREST AND ENCOURAGEMENT BUT EVEN BY GIVING
MUCH VALUABLE TIME TO READING AND REVISING THE MANUSCRIPT,
THE EDITOR AND THE TRANSLATOR WISH TO EXPRESS THEIR TBUB
APPRECIATION AND THEIR GRATITUDE.

Sana di Pietro - Saint Bernardino - Fresco in the Palazzo Pubblico at.Sieua

INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

Saint Bernardino - Fresco in i.lio I'alaz/.o I'u'tblico

PREFACE

To the humble Franciscan Friar Bernardino Al-
bizzeschi, a member of one of the oldest Sienese fam-
ilies, students ot the Middle Ages are looking back
to-day with peculiar interest and aftection.

Since the beginning of the last century such
distinguished men of letters as Zambrini and Milanesi
have made accessible to a wilder literary circle than
that ot special students of the period, the rich treasure
of that vernacular of the fifteenth century in which
Albizzeschi preached. Zambrini has published a hun-
dred or more volumes ot moral tales and fables taken
from the Sermons, a.nd Milanesi two of the most
delightful and interesting of the sermons themselves,
delivered in August^ 1427, to a great multitude l as-
sembled to hear them in the historic Gampo of Siena.
The figure of Saint Bernardino was later brought
into historical prominence through the publication in
1880 by Cav. Luciano Bianchi of the forty-five sermons
delivered in the Campo and in the Piazza 8. France-
sco between the fifteenth of August and the end of
September, 1427, which revealed how important an
influence Albizzeschi exerted upon the municipal laws
and the customs ot the "first half of the fifteenth
century.

The result of this revival of interest in Saint
Bernardino's work has been shown in the amount of
scholarly research undertaken in our own century,
especially by others than Italians ; in the publication
of many important articles in foreign reviews ; and
above all in the Life of Saint Bernardino by Paul
Thureau-Dangin. This has been translated from French

YI

into many languages, into Italian by that learned
scholar Monsignor Telemaco Barbetti.

Saint Bernardino was born in 1380, the year in
which Saint Catherine Benineasa died. He accomplished
as much for the religious life of Italy as Saint Catherine
did for the political life when she reestablished the
Pontifical Seat in the Eternal City. For about forty-
four years Albizzesehi preached almost unceasingly
in cities and villages, more often in the piazzas than
in the churches. Here multitudes assembled at dawn
or at sunset, and were held entranced by his eloquence.

By great good fortune many of the popular ser-
mons have come down to our own time, and this
through a shearer of cloth, Benedetto of Master
Bartholomew, who played the part of amanuensis in
a most remarkable manner. As he stood listening to
the sermons he took them down with a style on wax-
covered tablets, and afterwards, when he went back
to his shop, wrote out on parchment everything he
had noted on his tablets. In this admirable piece
of patient work the devout Sieuese shearman
unconsciously performed a task ot priceless worth,
for it was to preserve to posterity some part at least
of our Saint's invaluable preaching.

We may well ask why the sermons of Saint
Bernardino are not better known and generally read
to-day, delightful as they are for spontaneity and trans-
parent clearness of thought, and for the vigour and
sincerity of their popular style. The reason probdbly
is that as Saint Bernardino was forced to follow in
general the rules of the school of preaching of his
day, we often find the reading of his sermons difficult
because of dry scholastic disquisitions and involved
and tedious mechanical divisions and subdivisions of
the subject matter. But once these give place to the
expression of deep feeling, and heart and soul are
laid bare with the frank naturalness and ingenuous

VII

piety of the Franciscan, then the characteristic grace
of his style reveals itself, the colouring grows vivid,
and the language fluent and direct, as his words ring
out in the golden Sienese idiom of that classic century.
Abstract arguments as well give way to glowing
images, to moral fables and to illustrations conveyed
through that masterful gift of narrative which was
of so immense advantage to him in his battle against
the general corruption of the time then invading Italy.

The reason for publishing this edition of the
sermons is therefore obvious. Selections have been
carefully made which are of moral value to our time,
and which derive a peculiar charm from the unusual
character of the vivid little stories and anecdotes,
and of the moral fables . and illustrations, closely
resembling in their sweet simplicity and ingenuous
piety the Fioretti of the great Saint Francis.

It has been objected, it is true, that in the
outpouring of his torrent of eloquence Saint Bernar-
dino made use of words and conceptions which may
justly be criticised as broad and free. But restrained
expression could not satisfy such a soul as his, so
primitive in its simplicity, so ruthless in the intent to
pluck up by the roots whatever evil he found. If the
saintliness of his life had not permitted him this
striking and effective; manner of speech he would
never have reaped so splendid a harvest of glorious
results, or won so holy a victory in the battle he
waged for the salvation of souls and for the betterment
of the deplorable social conditions of his century.

To the memory of this glorious Sienese Saint,
who so nobly adorns the history of his country, the
editor offers this volume as the filial tribute of a
fellow citizen.

N. O.

I. Of the marvellous care which God exerts over human
nature, and how God watches over us with His
Angels.

1. The soul is above all corporeal beings .and is The soul it

more noble than any material thing. This soul is above ^ ov ' * corp0 '

* real btings.

everything on the whole earth, in dignity and power ;
above the water, above the fire, above the air, above
everything in which the said elements have any part. The
soul is greater than the heavens of the Moon, and of Mercury
and of Venus, of the Sun, of Mars, of Jupiter, of Saturn,
and of all their signs, and it is greater than the seventy -
two constellations. But the angels are greater than the soul,
and these angels rule us and guide us, and enlighten us in
all those things which we should do. It is the angels who
have led you hither into this Campo * to listen, and the
whole Campo is full of angels, who make you pay heed to
the words which I speak to the glory of God, and to which
you pay such heed that if it were Saint Paul himself preach-
ing to you, I believe you could not listen with more atten-
tion. And whence doth this arise? Surely not from me, but
from the angels, because we have no power in ourselves
to use any strength of ours except with the help of the
angels who guide us. In ourselves we have only right
intention, the will to act, and after this good will doth
come to us we are impelled to the performance of it. For
this reason saith David: Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum,

1 The famous Piazza, now called Piazza Vittorlo Emanuele; here is the magnif-
icent palace of the Commune, near one of the doors of which the Saint used to
deliver these sermons to the people.

in vanum laboraverunt qiti aediftcant earn Except the Lord
build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Verily
then thou canst come near to understanding in what way
the planets govern these bodies of ours while the blessed
spirits govern the soul. lamentable indeed would it be
if the contrary were true, that is to say, if the body ruled
the angels ! If things went after this fashion, the ass would
govern his master, who truly would be most excellently
guided !
The oonsteiia- 2. Where is the man that believes in the influence

tionahavenopow- . T . .

er to influence ^ ^ e constellations? If there be anyone who still is guided
human beings, byl;wb.at they foretell, as for instance, such a one shall
grow handsome, such a one bold, this man shall become
wanton, and that man shall come to a bad end, do not
hold such opinions or believe the writings that teach sich
things; for in truth the soul cannot be governed by any
material thing, neither by the constellations, nor by the
planets, not- by the elements, and so in like manner the
constellations have no power over a human being, as if he
had not free will to act or not to act according to his own
feeling ! hearken now ! I wish to make the truth plain
to thee, so that thou shalt perceive and believe it, and not
be deceived by falsehood. See this then, and consider it :
God made all things and established the order of them,
and gave its own separate office to each one. The earth
doth perform its duty above all by giving of its increase
to sustain men; likewise fire, likewise water, likewise the
heavens, all things that he made, he made for the sake of
man. And if it be true that God hath made all things for
man and for his good, how then canst thou believe that
man is forced to do only as thou sayest, that is, as the
planets or the constellations direct him ?
Man has the 3. And if thou dost still persist in the wish to speak

free win to do an( j to fofak j n this thine own way, listen to what I have
goo or em . an( j (j raw thy conclusion from it. If the

planets are able to make thee do wrong, and thou doest
it, God would not be just in condemning thee to suffer
punishment for it. Look now at the matter from the other
side: if the constellation or the planet maketh thee -to do
anything good, by the same reasoning God would not be

just if he rewarded thce, because thou didst not do it of
thyself -and of thine own will, but wast forced to do it by
the power of the planet or the constellation. Believe nothing
then except that which the Holy Church holds true and
her Doctors hold true, and which thou canst perceive for
thyself; namely, that man is left free to choose whether he
will do evil or good as pleaseth him. And from this freedom
of choice it doth ensue that then God doth punish or reward
according to the works that we do. Go, read in the first
chapter of Genesis : When he had made and created the
heavens, then the dry land appeared, and waters were
parted from waters, and the Sun was made, the fishes of
the sea were made, and the birds of the air, and then man
was made of earth; and when these things were made, vi-
dit Deus cuncta quae fecerat, et erant valde bona God saw
all the things that he had made, and they were very good.
Away then with any belief contrary to this one, if
thou hast held any such, and hold to the right one. But
answer me now with reason, for I wish to reason with
thee. Dost thou believe that God is good? Thou answerest,
Yes. Tell me further: Dost thou believe that the constella-
tions have more power than thy will ? If thou dost consent
to do what they make thee do, thou sayest that thou art
compelled, and that thou canst not act otherwise. Answer
me further: who is more guilty, thou who doest the wrong,
or the planet which compelleth thee to do it? Answer thou,
and tell me, is not 1hat one more guilty who doth compel
thee to do the wrong ? And' I tell thee then that God is
more guilty, either than thou or the planet, because he
made the planet which doth compel thee to do wrong. So
that God, being the first cause, is worst of all, and now
then thou hast it in order : if thou doest evil, thou art
wicked; if thou sayest: I am forced to do so, then the one
who doth force thee is still more wicked; and wh'oever made
that one must be more wicked than either one of you,
that is he must be worst of all. And thus you may see that
if you have held this belief, which is a wicked one, you
should hold it no longer, but believe instead that man may
choose freely whether to do good or evil, and may not be
forced to do anything contrary to his will. craz'd-headed

- 4 '

madmen, to wish to believe that which hath naught to do
with reason ! know that this is a link with the devil !

it is possible to ^ _ B u t J wish to show thee that it is possible to
^pianeta^and the wor ^ against the planets and the constellations, and to show
constellations. this to thee by a proof so clear that thou wilt not be able
in any way or manner to persist in an opposite opinion.
The physicians who understand the planets and the signs
and the constellations from which we have our governance,
when they are to give a medicine to a patient, give .it with
some little thing, some herb, or some kind of water, or
some other drug from the apothecary, in such a way that
these little things may take away its power from that planet
which is in the ascendant. And thus it is indeed most clear
that a very little thing can take away its power from the
part of the creation which is above us. think then how
much greater power hath the free will to act as it will,
contrary to the influence of these same planets ! Hearken
now to this saying of the pagans whether true or not I
cannot say : Sapiens dominabitur astro, The wise man will
rule the stars. See then that it is possible to resist the power
which the planets have over us; and not alone is this true,
that they cannot deprive us of power, but a little thing can
deprive them of power, so that they may have none over
man. Know that the devil hath taught the opposite of this
to the malice of men, to bring them into danger and also
those who listen to them. Have faith therefore in that which
thou seest made so clear by reason. Who dost thou believe
is more powerful, God or the angels? God. Who is more
powerful, the angels or the soul ? The angels. Which has
more power, the 'soul or the constellations ? The soul.
Which has more power, the constellations or the human
body? The body. Which has more power, the reason or the
senses? The reason. Which has more, Holy Church and
her Doctors or thine own opinion? Holy Church. Attach
thyself then to that which Holy Church teaches and believes
and holds, and forsake that which in thine own opinion
thou hast held true; for free will was given to man, and
hath never been taken from him, and never will be while
he shall exist in mortal flesh.

II. Treats of the preacher and tlie listener, and of the part
that belongeth to each.

1. how many of you here present this morning

will say : I knew not what I did, I thought I did well

J 10 a n comt ,th from,

while rather I was doing evil; and remembering this sermon the word of 0odl
they will say to themselves : now am I enlightened as
to what I should do, addressing these words to God: Verbum
tuum lucerna mea est Thy word is my enlightenment. And
when thou art about to make some contract in thy business,
thou wilt pause first to think, saying: what said Friar Ber-
nardino of such matters ? He told me, in such matters you
must do thus or thus; that is evil, that is not commendable,
but this is good, and this I wish to do. And in thiswise it will ;

befall thee merely because of the words which thou hast heard
preached to thee. But tell me^what would become of this world,
I mean of the Christian faith, if there were no preaching ?
Within a very little our faith would have perished, for we
should believe nothing of that which we now believe. And :

because of this Holy Church hath ordered that every Sun- . ?

day there shall be preaching, much or little, but some
preaching. And she hath ordered thee to go to hear Mass,
and if of these two duties thou canst perform but one, thati
is either hear Mass or hear the preaching, thou shouldstr
rather lose Mass and hear the preaching ; since the reason
for this doth appear plainly, thou dost not so endanger thy
soul by not hearing Mass as by not listening to the preach-
ing. Canst thou not perceive and understand without further
argument? For tell me, should you believe in the Blessed
Sacrament of the Altar If this had not been preached in

6 _

holy sermons? Thou hast learned to believe in the Mass
only from preaching. More than this, how ever shouldst
thou have known what sin is, if not from preaching ? What
wouldst thou know of hell, if there were no preaching?
What wouldst thou know of any good work, or how thou
shouldst perform it, if not from preaching, or what wouldst
thou know of the glories of Heaven ? All these things that
thou knowest came to thee through the words heard by
thine ears, and it is in thiswise that thou comest by know-
ledge to faith, and that which thou knowest and which
thou hast hath come all through the word of God. And this
is a sovereign rule, that which we have of the faith of Je*
sus Christ hath come merely through preaching. And this
faith will never perish while it shall be preached.

Ho discover whe- 2. 0, goldsmith, how dost thou prove gold ? By what
good Ae should means ^ ost ^ 1011 prove it pure? By the touchstone. The
be proved by the touchstone tells you whether it be pure gold, or only half
touchstone. gold. And so silver may be proved by the touchstone, which
shows at once if it be mixed with baser metal or it it be
pure ; and therefore I say that this touchstone is a necess-
ity. If you would discover whether one of our friars is
good, there is no way more sure to know this than to
prove him by the touchstone, and so to find out if he be
pure gold or if he be alloy *. If you see that one of us
pursueth after gold or silver he cannot be good, since h
doth act contrary to that which he hath promised. He ha
promised perpetually to follow poverty, and chastity, an 1
to stand under obedience. If he doth the contrary of this,
he is not good, and you should beware, and should prove
him by the touchstone. And because of this I hold many
hypocrites in hatred. Foh ! I know not how to call them !
And I say this because I have gone about hither and thi-
ther, and also very many of my companions have gone far
and near, and they have been tested and proven, for they
have said: I belong to Friar Bernardine. And there have
been some as well who have made themselves out to be my
nephews, and 1 have found them that they went about
gathering in rings and bits of broken silver, giving out

1 That is, If he be -wholly virtuous, or if he have vices as well aa .virtues.

that they wished to make of them chalices and crosses for
churches. And there be many of these that go about
and do as I have said. You then be upon your guard, that
when one of these cometh your way you believe not in him,
because there is a very great number of them. Put them to
the proof to see whether they be of my family, and see to
it that they be proven by the touchstone. You will know
them in the matter of money, A and will know if they be-
long to me or no. I have very many companions who are
good and are of such a kind as lead good lives, and yield
such fruit that it is a marvel. Of this number is Friar
Matthew of Sicily, who converted a king to the Christian
faith, with his whole country ; by whose . enemies, had he
not succeeded, there would have been a very different clam-
our made about it. He performed many marvels, and
among other things know you what he did ? In six days he
had made a dwelling-place for our friars, and it was a
pious and beautiful thing to do. And then he performed
another great deed in that he burned 2700 draught-boards
in one day at Barzalona, many of which were of ivory,
and also many chess-boards, and he converted so many souls
that I cannot tell you how many, so great was the number
of them. And more than this, he had all trailing gowns cut
short throughout the whole country. woman ! thou who
wearest a trailing gown, it is to thee I would say : If thou
wearest it, thou workest indeed to thine own injury. In an
evil .moment didst thou put such a garment on thy back,
since it will be the occasion of much suffering to thy soul
in the other world, and perchance in this world as well.
I have also among my companions another whose name is
Friar John of Apulia, and he also performs many great
deeds. I have wished to tell these things for this reason
because there are those who are good and those who are
evil. Nolite credere. Believe not in them, when you find them
of that habit I have told you of, but believe in them only
when you find them, in the spirit of good, bringing you true
teaching, then you, receiving it from them, test them by it.
And know there were such false hypocrites as these even

1 By their attitude towards money.

g

in the time of the apostles. Had I fallen in with one such,
who was heard from not a long time ago, I would have
ducked him well, in faith, I would have doused him, head
over ears 1 , et cetera/ Home again! * I tell thee that making
the proof in this way thou wilt know whether they are true
or false, and now thou seest how gold and silver must be
proven.
The word of 3 __ Q y OU w ^ are co ia an( j dead, go to the fount

God t helpful to , . , .-. . . ., . , , ,

man, either iMng of life ! woman ! m the morning when thou comest to

or dead, the fount of life and of the teaching of God, to the sermon,

leave not your husband abed, or your son, or your brother,

^ but see to it that you wake him out of his sleep, and see

to it that he also cometh to hear that which if he be dead

will restore him to life 3 . fellow-citizens ! do you wish

Siena to prosper ? You tell me, yes. See to it then that you

hear the word of God ; have the ordinance proclaimed that

not until after the sermon shall have been preached each

""" morning shall any man open his shop. Ay me 1 Are you,

or do you wish to be, worse than the last time *? I cannot

believe that you are worse in respect of this ; and I believe

moreover that if you did well then you will do well now,

and better. ! I hear that fellow yonder who saith, I could

earn a soldo in the morning. Hearken to me, come to the

sermon, because by hearing it thou wilt profit, while thou

wouldst lose if thou earnest not to hear it, because these

are things ordered by God ; for if something good hath been

ordered by a city, this is an order from God.

Against him 4 _ B e j n g here present to listen thou wilt cleanse

who cometh to the

preaching and thyself of thy sins, and thus amending thyself, thou wilt
settieth himself to come to warm thyself in the burning love of God. And so
sleep. doing thou dost not despise the word of God, which word

1 Here he refers to his adversaries, who had even denounced him to the Holy
See as a heretic.

1 The Saint very frequently makes use of this expression to mean : Let us re-
turn to the subject.

8 These words, and others later, prove that in order to have the people present
in large numbers, without interfering with their daily work, he used to deliver his
sermons at daybreak, at the very hour of sunrise. Probably he celebrated Mass first
in the Chapel of the Piazza, near which he always preached. B.

* The Sttint had twice already delivered a series of long sermons in Siena: but
each time that he came to his beloved city he preached to the people, on whatever
subject the occasion demanded.

9

is the life of our spirit, because ofttimes a single word that
thou hearest may be the beginning of thy salvation. Knowest
thou not that Saint Peter preaching in Jerusalem, by a single
word did convert many thousands of souls? Hast thou un-
derstood me, woman, thou who sleepest over there ? I
fear not. I come here to bring you the word of God, and
you settle yourselves to sleep, and I must break off my
preaching to waken you out of your sleep, and moreover
that man yonder saith : He hath little to do ! Hear then this
my answer to thee. Thou seest that the sun performs many
duties : it giveth light, it drieth the unbaked bricks, it
warmeth man; but I say to thee who sleepest that thou sin-
nest. Must I make this clear? If a woman ask for the
priest, that she may receive comm!union, and then if she
settle herself to sleep, dost thou not believe that she sinneth?
Saint Augustine saith that the woman or the man who goeth
to a sermon and letteth the word of God pass by doth sin.
in as grievous a manner as that one who doth ask to re-
ceive communion and then through his carelessness doth let
the host fall to the ground. But .there is this difference,
however, that carelessness is a venial sin, but this is a
mortal sin, to have not the will to listen when you are able
to hear.

III.

Here is said how you should forsake evil and do good.

Punctuality is I have praised Siena for this, and with justice, that you
come alwa 7 s betimes to the preaching. Of that which is
good one must say well. And I say that your having this
good custom is the most hopeful token of a wish to return
to God and to receive his aid. And I say that so you should
be able to understand and to perform better far than many
others, and take heed to that which I shall say to you.
When a man heareth preaching were he the most dull ol
all men in the world, if he listen to the whole of it he un-
derstandeth much. And if a man of most excellent under-
standing come to the preaching after a part of it hath been
said, he listeneth for a while at the least before he doth
understand anything of it. And he therefore who arriveth
at the beginning heareth the foundations, and heareth word
by word how the house is built and how it goeth up contin-
ually higher and higher, by little and little. And for this
I praise you, and in this you do well indeed. And you have
also another good custom in that you hasten not to go away
before the whole hath been preached. Consider in your minds
for example's sake that a man wish to sell a pair of capons:
if their heads were wanting, think you he would ever sell
them, or if they were without wings or tails ? And so I would
say of the preaching: if thou dost not hear it from the be-
ginning to the middle and so to the end, thou canst never
understand it well, and for this reason I say, it is needful
to come betimes. Therefore the scholar, (and there are such
in truth) if he should go to hear the lecture when the mas-
ter had already delivered half of it, Oh, if later he shall

11

become Doctor > he may well be called a sorry Messer
Doctor! Therefore I say to you, Punctuality! and wanting
this nothing can be performed. In everything that you do
be orderly and act betimes. And therefore, woman, be
orderly! If thou hast the meat to cook before thou comest
to the preaching see that thou hast it bought, and that thou
dost rise with the Sovana *, and that thou dost put the
meat upon the fire, and dost skim off the grease; then clothe
thyself, and it will be half cooked before thou must set
out, and thou wilt have but to warm it again. When thou
shalt leave, then it will be fully cooked and so thou shalt
give something to the temporal and to the spiritual, and in
this manner all will go well, and thou < wilt come to the preach-
ing with a clear mind and not with a distracted mind.
And this is natural ; for at first when a man riseth it will
always seem to him as if his brains were addled, but when
he hath been up for a little while at the least, it seems so
no longer. And if thou dost rise and dost come presently
to the sermon, thou art scarce awake when thou dost arrive
there, for on the way thou still slumberest as it were. And if
thou comest at midnight for the sermon, because of the night
thou hast passed without sleep thou sleepest during the preach-
ing ; therefore arise, as I have told thee, a little betimes, and
come to the sermon, and thou wilt be awake in both body
and mind. For if thou shouldst not perform the duties of
thy household, either cooking or other things, perchance thy
husband will be unwilling that thou shouldst come to the
preaching.

2. If sometimes it befalleth that in a sermon thou
wilt hear a thing that thou hast heard at another time be-

and falleth in

fore, be not troubled by this, for however it may be that with another
which thou hearest is helpful to thee ; and see now whether whom he hath
I do not speak truly. If thou hast heard it before, it. did not neverseen
then perhaps pierce and penetrate well into thy mind, arid
take heed to this example, which comes from Saint Gregory,
of a man who setteth out to walk and talleth in with ano-
ther whom he hath never seen before. One knoweth not who

J At dawn. Sovana is the name of the largest bell of the Duomo of Siena,
which rings every morning at sunrise ; it is so called because the Sienese took it
from the bell-tower of the magnificent cathedral of the deserted city Sovana.

of a, man who

12 .

the other is, nor doth the other know who he is, nor whence
he cometh. One of them to learn something about his com-
panion, saith: Whence comest thou, friend? He doth reply : I
am from Milan, am I l . > Now he hath learned thus much.
Next he doth ask: What is thy trade ? > I am a weaver
of fustian. Now he knoweth also this. Whither goest
thou ? > I am going to Eome. Now he knoweth so much
more. They go along together in this manner and arrive at
the inn, and he doth treat thee with honour. Thou knowest
then that he is gracious, thou seest also that he goeth not
beyond the allowed stint if he drink, and further also that
he is of good custom and condition ; then when they set
out again he wisheth to pay the reckoning. And on the
journey if he see that his companion is weary he saith :
Give me thy knapsack that I may help thee; > thou seest
thus that he is kindly. If they eat together, he doth carve,
wisheth to serve, and putteth all the best morsels on the side
of the platter for the other ; and also by this thou seest that
he is well brought up. If they go to bed, he giveth the bet-
ter side to his companion. Then when they are abed the
first asketh the other if he hath a father ; he answereth yes,
and telleth that he is old and in his dotage, and that in
his day he was a most worthy person. Thou wilt also see
him overcome by weakness from the fatigue of walking ;
thou wilt see him grow pale, wilt hear his speech fail, so
that he will speak lower than he hath been speaking. And
observe this, that first thou knewest not who he was, then
being accompanied with him for so long thou h'ast learned
who he is, his name, whence he cometh, what he is about,
and even his manners and his habits. And having to do
with him so much, thou hast even seen within into him,
since that weakness which came from within, thou hast per-
ceived it because of the familiarity thou hast had with him.
oj a holy fath- 3. There are certain "men who say: I go not to the
hermit wh^was preaching because I can remember naught. Hearken 1 Listen

he to kh* 8 example which once befell, and which perhaps will

now t

word of God, since be of use and will help you to remember. There was a holy

he could remem- r J J

btr naught. father, who living as he did in a very humble little cell in

1 Here Saint Bernardino imitates the dialect of Lombardy.

13

a wood., had with him one of his good little hermits, who
could remember naught of that which he heard for his in-
struction, and for this reason he never went to hear preach-
ing or aught else. And when he was telling to the holy
father the reason because of which he went not to hear
the preaching he said : I remember naught. Then said this
holy father: Take this little pan, for he had a little pan in
which to cook fish, and he said: Boil this water, and when
the water is boiling he says : Fill a glass full with it and
pour it into this little pan which is all greasy. The other
did so. Go, pour it out without cleansing it. And he did so,
and the father said: Look now, and see if it be as greasy
as it was at first. He said that it was less greasy. The fath-
er said : Put some water in it once again, and pour it out.
He did so. And this time also was it cleaner. And thus the
father made him to do many times, and each time was it
cleaner. And he said then to him: Thou sayest that thou dost
remember naught. Knowest thou the reason of this ? Because
thou art fat-witted, and thus greasy like the pan. Go, and
pour some water into thy mind, and thou wilt see that it
will be cleansed. Pour in more and again it will become
cleaner, and the more often thou shalt hear the word of
God, the more shall thy mind be cleansed and thou wilt be
able to hear the word of God, until that thy mind shall be
wholly cleansed and clarified.

IV.

Backbiters are treated of with most leautiful examples.

The tongue of 1 ._ Qfttimes the backbiter goeth about with a show

a 'backbiter is like __

to the scorpion. * kindness and speaketh evil of others. He walketh under
the shadow of a fair manner, seeming possessed of charity,
and malice lurketh beneath. Knowest thou what he doth
resemble? He is like to a canker, and outwardly he is gloss-
ed over, and such men as these when they wish to hide
their malice do after this fashion ; ere they speak of a thing
they send before an ambassador. And knowest thou who
this ambassador is ? They send forth a sigh, 0, o ! What
aileth thee, eh? What is it? 0, o, I have a great melan-
choly upon me ! Arid then he will begin and will say: Broth-
er, what I am about to say, I will say for a good purpose,
God knoweth it (and he giveth him the sure toRen '), in
faith I wish to tell it thee. Such an one hath done such and
such a thing 1 . Meseems that such another is doing a certain
wrong, in my opinion. He doeth this or that, and to me it
doth appear that he hath the wish to do thus and thus. And
he will say very many things, and in all these he will lie
in his throat. This evil tongue that doth in this way is like
to the scorpion, which doth perform three things, and all
maliciously. First, it licketh with its tongue ; second, it en-
circleth with its claws, third, with its tail it doth twist it,
and lift it into the air, and then it doth bite. In this same-
manner doth the backbiter do.
The lackuter 2. Thus such a backbiter may be likened to the

the 1 serpent which serpent which is called the basilisk. This serpent which I
a e e asi- ^. . g &o poisonous that if it toucheth a spring of

1 I. e., the sigh.

15',

water at once this is wholly. dyed and infected, so deadly
is its poison. In like manner doeth the evil tongue, for
with its wicked speech it can at once poison a city, a country,
a province.

3. If thou seest that another doth evil, correct him &> **

not with a slandering tongue, but with a kind manner, as

the Church hath taught thee. There are very many who see
no other evil than that which their neighbour doth perform.
Art thou here, thou who seest no wrongdoing but that of
others ? Pay heed to that which the Gospel saith when it
telleth thee that thou seest the mote in the eye of thy neigh-
bour and seest not the beam in thine own. And therefore
I say to these, see to it that thou dost correct thine own
defect, and so thou wilt do better than if thou dost correct
others while thou thyself remainest in sin. women, to
what are ye bound ? Know ye .what ? .Both that ye shall
perform good and that ye shall give good example.

4. And to give good example belongeth most of all To giw ood

. ',.....,. ., ,, T . examplebelongeth

to the priest, rather than to any other person, as thou hast most of all to the

it in the Decretals ; and I say that the priest doth more priest.

grievous wrong by giving bad example merely by scandal-

izing his neighbour by a wicked life, than if a layman

were to go out to rob in the highway. The reason is this;

that he who standeth in the highway doth rob the man who

passeth by, and doth take from him his money, his horse,

his garments, and all that which he findeth, but the other

with his evil example doth make away with both soul and

body of the man whom he doth scandalize thereby, and

leaveth him to say and to do evil and to commit sin.

5. Knowest thou that which thou shouldst do? Do when a ship is
as I shall tell thee, and lay up this example in thy memory. ^JVwt
A man setteth out to sea, and there are in one and the everyone endeav-
same boat fathers and sons, the wife, brothers, and servants, reth to sav6
all of one household. And when they are thus out " at sea, tmsef>
there cometh a tempest so violent that it dasheth the ship

against a rock. The ship is wholly shattered : at once
everyone endeavoureth to save himself, one upon a log, one
upon a plank. There are tiny children, there are elder ones
of five years, of ten, of twenty years; and so everyone doth
aid himself as far as he is able. There will be one child

- 16

who will say to his father : my father, help me ! for if
thou helpest me not, I shall drown ; help me, for I can
hold out no longer ! And the father, methinks, would re-
ply : Child, help thyself, for I have so great difficulties in
helping myself, that more is beyond me ; for the father
knoweth that if he attempt to go to the aid of his son, they
will both perish. And therefore lay up this example in thy
heart : wish not to practise such rashness ; busy not thyself
so much about the deeds of others. Doh ! Hast thou heard
that any man increaseth his substance who doth busy him-
self about the affairs of others ? Not I, in faith ! and there-
fore I say, do that which concerneth thee. And the wise
man speaketh no evil of the deeds of others, instead for-
sooth he even saith little about his own concerns. And he
who is a natural and an upright man seeketh ever to correct
his own evil practices and doth not sift the intentions of

The backbiter others.

**% 6 - Gre g r y g ives us tne example of a backbiter, which
of dust. is a very excellent one, and saith that he is like a man who

hath a heap of dust ; and the wind bloweth against him
and he hath his eyes turned towards the dust in such a way
that it bloweth into his eyes, and his eyes are filled with
dust, because he looked at naught else but at that heap.
And then he can see clearly neither his own deeds nor the

The slandering deeds of Others.

tongue is made 7 _ y^ curse c[ slandering tongue is raging mad. Know-
est ^ou ^ ow ** * s ma( le? It is made like the mad dog, and

knowest thou how the mad dog doth ? What doth he do ?
He holdeth his mouth open, he hath a bloody mouth, all
inflamed with rage from biting. The open mouth doth signi-
fy that he ever speaketh evil, and that he speaketh at most
times when he should be silent, and that ofttimes he is si-
lent when he should speak ; and this is the habit and con-
dition of the raging backbiter. He hath a bloody mouth,
because their delight is ever in devouring blood and raw
flesh. Such as these may be likened to those curs who stand
about the shop of a butcher, who when they see a strange
dog coming, run all together towards him and sniff at him,
and by his smell they know that he is not one of them.
When they have found out this they begin presently to snarl

- 17 -

and to show their teeth ; and when he beginneth to bark
all these curs rush upon him and one doth bite him here
and one doth bite him there, in such wise that he is all
torn by then ; and so they chase him away, saying : Thou
art not one of us. They do not thus when one of .their own
goeth there; then how they sniff him, and caress him, know-
ing that he is one of their slandering companions, and it
doth seem as if they would say, one to another : He is one
of us. And though he be not known to them all, that one
who knoweth him saith: Come, stop here, for thou art one
of us, do that which thou shouldst do,

8. And know thou that whosoever hath this vice, The 8tench J

_ . . .. . , r\ j > tuch as these may

his mouth stmketh, and learn-, 0, ye women, and ye also, be liktned to tht

men, that the stench of such as these may be likened to etench of
the stench of wells ; for thou seest a well that sendeth forth
a stench from its mouth, and such is theirs; their stench
is in their mouths.YAnd therefore see that every time thou
hearest one of these who speaketh evil of others, as soon
as thou hearest him, close thy nose and do so 1 , and say:
Oh, how he stinks ! And if he continue with his speech
continue thou too with thine, and turn thyself away, and
say : Oh, he stinks with a fearful stench ! retiring thyself a
little. And do ye so, children ; forget not whensoever you
hear someone who speaketh evil of people at once to close
your noses and say : Oh, how he stinks ! And if you do
this, never will the stench of anything wicked come to you.
And I wish you to know this, that because they stink the
fact is that when they find themselves together they do not
seem to one another fetid. Dost thou ask the reason of thisYj

t

If there be gathered together one hundred who all stink, the'
stench is great among them; so that if one or two more
should come, it doth not seem to them as if the- stench were
greater than before, for they stink so much among them-
selves that they do not perceive the stench of others.

9. Such men as these may be likened to the hedge- 8ueh *J* these
hog, which stinks by its nature. I mean not the chestnut-
burr s , I speak of the hedgehog, which doth throw itself

1 He accompanies these -words with the gesture, holding his nose.

1 The Italian word for hedgehog ricoio, has also the meaning ohestnut-burr .

18

upon the grapes, and which hath quills so sharp that as
often as it doth roll itself over the grapes, it is all covered
with them, and so doth carry them away. Of which hedge-
hog I say that it doth emit a foul odour from either end.
They may be 10. He is also like to the lion whose mouth is fetid;
ktenedaiaotothe an( j gg ^ jj on a ev oureth creatures f so doth the backbiter;

with his words he killeth everyone. And therefore it is
said : Susceperunt me sicut leo parcttus ad praedam. They
have poisoned me like as doth the lion ready to spring
upon his prey. And such a one as this spreadeth infection
throughout the world, and poisoneth every creature who
doth hear the backbiter if he be not aware and be not upon
his guard.

The backbiters 11. Backbiters devour, because to speak evil of oth-

devour, because erg j^ to evour( Q W omen, have ye never broken the last

to speak evil of '

others is to devour of Lent ? Have ye never eaten meat on Friday or Satur-
day, or the eve of the day commanded by the Church to
be kept holy ? Saith this woman : No, God knoweth I have
never eaten it. Thou liest in thy throat, for thou hast eaten
it many a time, and hast eaten it raw, in thy cruelty. Hast
thou slandered anyone? Yes. And whom hast thou slander-
ed? It was a man. A man hast thou eaten. I slandered
~~~ a priest. A priest hast thou eaten. I slandered a bishop. A
bishop hast thou devoured. I slandered a cardinal. A car-
dinal hast thou devoured. I slandered the Pope. The Pope
thou hast devoured. And thou, a nun ; a nun hast thou
devoured ; aud thou, thy neighbour ; thy neighbour hast
thou devoured.

Here the evil tongue and remedies against backbiters
are treated of again.

1. There was once a holy father who was very o/ahoiy father
experienced in the ways of this world, and who had observed ng "^J? of
that a man could not live here in any way whatsoever his to scorn the
and hinder from slandering him those who wished to do worU '
so, and he said therefore to (J one of his young monks : Son,
come with me, and bring with thee our little ass. The young
monk obeyed and brought the ass, and he mounted it, and
the youth followed after the holy father on foot, and as they
passed amongst the people, there was in one place much
mire and deep, and one man crieth out and saith : What !
look there at him, how cruel is that wretched monk, who
permitteth the other one to go on foot through so much
mud, while he himself doth ride. When he heard these
words at once he got down, and when he had got down
he made the young man to mount, and going on a little
farther, he went along urging the ass forward through this
mud. And another man saith: Ho! see the strange behaviour
of that man, who hath a beast and is old, and goeth on
foot, and permitteth the youth to ride, who would not
consider fatigue or the mud. Methinketh this is madness
in him ! And moreover they might both ride on the ass if
they wished and it would be far better so. The holy father
then apprpacheth the ass, and he also mounteth. And as
they were going forward in this way, there was a man
who said : How now ! look at those two who have one ass
and both are mounted on it. I think they eare naught for
the little ass, which it would not be a great marvel to see
fall down dead. .Hearing this also the holy father at once

- 20

got down, and made the youth get down, and they both
go on foot behind it, calling out : gee up ! and by little
and little they went forward on their way, and another
man saith : see what madness this is in these two, who
have an ass, and walk through mud so deep. The holy
father having perceived that no man can live in any manner
of way so that people murmur not against him, said to the
young monk: come away, let us go home. And when they
were in the cell the holy father said, Come here, my Son;
hast thou paid heed to the fable of the ass ? Saith the young
monk: Of what ? hast thou not perceived that in whatso-
ever way we travelled ill was said of us ? If I rode and
thou went on foot, ill was said of it, and it was said that
because thou wert a youth I should have put thee up on
the ass. I got down and put thee up there, and another
spoke ill of this also, thou being mounted, and said that I
who was old ought to mount the beast, and that thou who
wert a young man oughtest to go on foot. Then again we
both mounted, and thou knowest that they said ill also of
this, and that we were cruel to the ass, because of this
burden, which was too heavy. Then moreover we both
dismounted, and tbou knowest that ill was said also of this,
and that it was madness in us to go on foot since we had
an ass. And therefore, my son, lay up in thy mind this
which I shall say to thee : know that he who remaineth in
the world performing as much good as he is able, and
exerting himself to do as much as in him lies, cannot do
so that evil shall not be said of him. And therefore, my
son, heed it not and attend not to it, and have no desire
to be of it; for whoever remaineth therein in any manner
whatsoever doth always lose his soul, and from it there
cometh forth naught else than sin; and therefore despise it,
and do good ever. And let who will say either the evil or
the good that they do say.

of a matron, a %' ~~ Thou hast also another example of a wise and
widow of Rome, good matron of Rome, who had been left a widow and was
who wisMng to y 0lin g an( j rich; and who being 1 of a sober mind did not

take a second hue- J . & ' . & .

land, desirea first wish ever to fall into dishonour, and yet since she was
to tett the opinion young and beautiful she was fearful, and said within herself:
of the world. j do not know -Aether I shall be able to remain a widow.

- 21 .

Lo ! If I take a husband, what will be said of me ? It will
be said that I could not remain without one. And yet
desiring within herself to take a husband, she wished first
to test the opinion of the people, and she chose this way.
She had a horse flayed and she said to one of the servants
of her household : Mount this horse, and go throughout
Rome, and pay heed to what doth befall, and to whatever
is said of the horse. The servant mounted on the horse goeth
straightway throughout Rome. Happy was he who could
run to look upon this flayed horse ! And having been abroad
all day, he returned to the house in the evening. The
woman asks her servant : What was said of this horse
throughout Rome ? He replied : - oh ! All Rome ran to
see this horse, and everyone said : What marvel is this ! so
that it seemed he was indeed happy who saw it, so great
was the crowd. The next day she had another horse flayed,
and gave it to him, saving that he should do in the same
manner that she had ordered in regard of the other. And
when he returned in the evening, again the woman asked
him how this matter of the horse had gone, and what had
been said of it throughout Rome. He went through Rome
in the same manner riding this horse, and not so great a
number of people ran to look as they had done the preceding
day in regard of the other. And when he returned home in
the evening, again the woman asked him how the matter
of the horse had gone, and what was said of it through
Rome. Said he: Madame, but few ran to see it in comparison
of the people there were yesterday. Again the following
day she had another horse flayed, and in like manner sent
this servant throughout Rome. And as he went throughout
Rome barely a person went to see the horse. And when he
returned to the house in the evening, she asketh him: What
was said of this horse in Rome ? He doth reply : Madame,
almost no person came to see it, and they say little thereof.
Then she said within herself : I may take a husband :
for though people may wish to talk of me, they will talk
but for a little while, and then they will tire; two or three
days afterwards no one will talk of that which concerneth
me. And as she thought so she did. She took a husband,
and when she had taken him, straightway the people

99

^^ uu ^^

commenced to say : What ! fye ! such and such a young
woman hath taken a husband ; she could not then remain
as she was. And this endured for two or three days, and
then they said almost nothing concerning her. And I say
that she did excellently well.

The evil tongue 3. little children, know ye what an evil tongue
is like unto nest- j s like unto ? It is like unto nestlings. Know ye what they
lmaa ' do ? They say without ceasing : Si, si, si, si ! In like

manner do many cursed backbiters who go about devising
these slanders. And there are many such who would seem
to grow fat, - oh, be sure, when they have aught to say
concerning a priest or a nun. how fat they grow ! Si and
si, and I hear thus and thus, and such and such a thing
did I see ! Knowest thou what I have to say to thee: thou
goest to the home of the devil! I tell thee that although
thou hast knowledge of that thing, thou wilt do well to be
right wary about telling it.

The man who 4. The man who layeth bare the hidden canker is like
layeth bare the to the beetle. Such is the nature of the oeetle that hardly doth

like 6 to the beetle & UYI S ^ e U P 011 tne ground, I know not what messengers he
hath to tell him, as soon as he knoweth it, and the very
instant he knoweth it, he is straightway upon it, and in a
moment of time he hath made a little ball of it, and with
this he doth disport himself. So, I say, doth the backbiter.
He maketh the little ball of dung and disporteth himself
therewith, for how doth he get pleasure but out of hearing
and reporting what is dishonest and shameful? Seest thou
that which the beetle doth? The beetle never useth any
other matter than dung ; he maketh his ball, and setteth
himself with head down, and legs in air, and backwards
he goeth with it, and walketh along backwards in this
manner until that he doth arrive at a ditch, and he and
the ball of dung both fall into the ditch, and then he doth
eat it. So, I say, doth the backbiter; he delighteth in this
putrid and fetid stuff, and he doeth in the same manner as
the beetle, who maketh the ball, and goeth backwards with
it, and at length both he and the dung fall into the ditch.
And this is because he doth not know how to perform any
other practice, and doth never use any other matter.

boys ! When you shall hear one speak evil of another, call
him a beetle.

5. Hearken ! Hast thou seen the "horse-fly which a-
lighteth on the ear, or let us speak of the hornet, which
alighteth behind, and settleth there, and stings. Where when
it hath stung, there ariseth a swelling. Precisely in this
manner doth the backbiter, who stingeth and rnaketh a
lump with his slanders, and knowest thou where he doth
settle? He doth settle behind, and not in front. Likewise I
ask thee further. Hast thou never seen those dogs with
long ears ? The fly is wont to settle on those ears, and the
dog shaketh them, and it goeth away and then settleth
back again; and he shaketh them and it doth settle there
again, and in the end finally it bites, so that it maketh
the blood to flow. In precisely this manner doth the backbiter;
he settleth upon the ear in such a way as to bite, so that
he maketh blood to flow, and this he doth suck.

6. Those who go about in this manner slandering
others and wishing to hide themselves, may be likened to
the frog. Kriowest thou how the frog doth? The frog doth
thus : qua, qua, qua, qua / i And when I have come to the
ditch where they are, as soon as I draw near, in that same
moment they vanish beneath, and not one makoth a sound.
So doth the slanderer do, when he wisheth to slander
anyone he useth that call : nua, qua, qua I He who heareth
himself called cometh forward, Behold me here, what of
me ? There is naught more to it, and knowest thou what
he meriteth who slanders? According to the civil law, I
mean? He meriteth to lose his head. And by the ecclesiastical
law he is excommunicated.

7. But I wish to speak a little of myself. Oh, such 1
things have been said concerning the doctrine that I have
taught and imparted to you in my sermon! All of it teaching
taken from the Gospel and from the holy Doctors, and it
hath been said that I have said this or that, and such
another thing, and that I have taught contrary to the Gospel;
things have been put into my mouth which God knows I

The backbiter
doeth as the
hornet, and biteth
like the fly.

Also he may be
likened to the frog.

He defends
himself against

ose who have
pandered him.

i The Italian word qua,, which Saint Bernardine uses to represent the aound
made toy the frog, means here.

~ 24

never said them. And whence doth this come ? This too
from slanders. And therefore if ever thou hear again one
who speaketh slander of me after I shall have left, away
with thee ! And stay not to listen, even if it should be in
a sermon; take thyself off, and do not remain at the sermon
if thou doth hear that he slandereth. * And to judge well,
see that thou run first to thy conscience, and if thou know-
est that his words are slanders stay not there. And if thou
do not believe that which thou hearest, truly this is a good
sign in thee, and ariseth from true zeal. Dost thou wish to
be assured that thou wilt do well to get thence? If thou
stay to hear, thou wilt not be able to profit neither believing
nor unbelieving, and therefore the better part is to get
thence.

He who stayeth 8. I say that I know not which of these two is
to listen and he worge or foe one who speaketh evil, or the one who stayeth

who speaketh are ' r ' J

made like the to listen. Knowest thou how he is made who stayeth to listen,
oven " and he who speaketh? He is made like the oven. Thou

seest at the mouth of the oven the peel, a upon which the
bread is laid, and this slideth it inside the oven. Such are
these men : one is like to the mouth of the oven, and one
is like to the peel; that is to say, when thou seest a -backbiter
who hath the wish to slander, he taketh his stand at the
opening of the ear, with his peel, that is, with his tongue,
and the ear of the listener standeth open like the mouth of
the oven; and as he findeth the mouth of the ear open, he
setteth himself to work with his peel of a tongue, and
slideth his slanderous speech into the oven.

1 Elsewhere as well in his sermons the Saint alludes to those who slandered
him, they did so perhaps out of jealousy rather than actual enmity. There were
more of these among the churchmen than among the laity; they did not spare him ,
it seems, even in their sermons, and at times attacked his teaching as well.

B.

* The wooden shovel used by a baker.

Hoio a man should bridle Ms tongue.

1. The detractor doth help thee to despise the world, The

since by him thou comest to know that there is no truth , ot . *?,* ee *

J despise the world.

in the world, for it, with the things which are in it, ever
draws us down to damnation. Seest thou not how when thou
hast might and dignity it leadeth thee into pride. And when
thou hast possessions, it leadeth thee into avarice, and when
thou hast fame, it leadeth thee into vainglory, and when
thou hast honours, into pride. These are the hooks of the
world, which hooks ever draw us downwards, because when
thou dost possess the things of this world the world doth
grapple thee to itself.

2. Seest thou not when thou hast a sucking-child, Possessing
and it is already grown, but is accustomed still to take S weet there is*'
that milk, thou the mother to wean it dost put some muchbitter ming-
bitter with the sweet, and sometimes thou dost put there ud wit ' i the3e -

a little wormwood? And when the child would suck, it doth
taste the bitter, and when it doth taste this, at once it
twisteth its face away from the pap, and crieth: tpu, tpu,
tpu, and it doth spit out, because it findeth the bitter; and
young as it is so it commenceth to taste the bitter in the
world. And as thou nearest of the child so is it with all of
us ; possessing things which are sweet, there is much bitter
mingled with these. Seest thou how many dangers there are
in these delights, how many scandals, which it may be said
are the bites of the world ? And when thou shalt consider
this thou wilt say : thou traitor world, I have faith in
thee no longer ! for thou hast seen this man great and in
state and majesty, who now is despised and made low, and

- 26 -

without a fly.

The woman
who doth marry

and the mother-

that man who was rich is now poor, and so there is noth-
ing stable in it.

3. Doh ! Think how the world deceives thee in all
thin g s - As ttiou seest it in great things, so it is in small.
And see the example hereof, woman who hast a greedy
husband ! At one time thy husband, as he is greedy, is
desirous of delicate morsels, or at another time he would
have a mess of macaroni most richly dressed. What doth
he ? He goeth to the butcher, and he will seize upon a fine
piece of fat veal, and buy it, and then he returneth home
and doth say to the woman : Let me have a good mess of
macaroni. And she does so. And when she hath prepared
this, she doth pour it into the dish, and when this is put
upon the board by ill chance it happeneth that the first
mouthful this greedy fellow puts into his mouth he doth
come upon a fly which hath fallen into it. As he hath found
this at the outset, he orders the dish carried away. 0-o-o-h!
know I well what can befall. How many there are who have
attained worldly height and then have fallen into lowliness.
How many have found themselves amid very great delights,
and for all that they have these things ; yet at some time
or other in falls the fly ; for thou wilt never find belong-
ing to this world any morsel which is clean.

4. Thou seest, and this often and often, when a
woman dotll marry s i ie goe^ to her husband clothed in fine

/ o

garments and fairly combed and in elegance and in neatness.
Wait ! I commend thee to the mother-in-law ! She is cover-
ed with ornaments, she hath put on trinkets, she hath
garlands of pearl acorns on her head, and a ring of gold;
she is adorned from head to foot. And she cometh to the
house of her husband and she hath been there but a little
time when the mother-in-law makes this complaint of her
to the husband : Thy wife doth carry herself towards me
in such and such a manner ; to me she says that she would
be the mistress of the house and would do everything accord-
ing to her own feeling, and least of all at my beckoning.
It is a right true proverb which saith : The ass cometh from,
the mountain and chaseth away the horse out of the stable.
There where the wife thought to be assisted and reverenced
and loved, she doth commence at once to make discord.

27

where is the moment of sunshine that thou didst enjoy ? It
hath endured but a little while ; the fly hath fallen into the
dish. I say to thee that there is nothing good in this world.
Wishest thou better witness of it forsooth? Is there any
woman here among you who is content or any man ? Is
there any one here who hath had anything good into which
the fly hath not fallen ? I have never found any man or
any woman who had not been bitten thus by the world.
These are the bites of the world, and therefore trust it not,
for it is traitorous. If a man be good, he will draw close
to G-od rather than to the world, saying : I know that faith
is not to be put in the world, for it is full of falsity, since
it maketh fair promises and maintaineth them ill.

5. Lo ! I should not wish but for one reason to have V
money. Pray, what wouldst thou do with it ? Wouldst thou
spend it in alms, to give damsels in marriage ? No. For give it ail to
the needs of the Church? No. For the prisoners? No. whosoe r sh ld
what then wouldst thou do with it ? I would give it all to * y e l
whosoever wished to say evil of me, I mean for my good.
Tell me, who, thinkest thou, doth more good to my soul,
he who praiseth me, or he who slaudereth me ? Consider
this, that there is as great difference between one and the
other as between one who should pull me down from here 1
to the ground and another who should hold me here. But
tell me : if thou wert pulled down by one and held up by
another, I should cling rather to him who held me up than
to him who pulled me or pushed me to the ground. And so
I think would you do, each one. In like manner, I say,
doth he act who doth slander me. Who doth slander me
exalteth me and who doth praise me casteth me down. And
since I have travelled hither and thither for a long time I
have heard what hath been said of me. When I wished to
go from one place to another, in that place whither I am
going is said : 0-o-oh, 'what is this ? What is this ? 0-oh,
Friar Bernardino is coming ! and there is one who says well
of it, and there is one who says evil. And if I find one who
saith well of me, there are one hundred who say evil. And
there is naught that maketh me more fearful for myself

1 I. e., from the pulpit.

28

than that one should say well of me, for I know that which
I am. And I know that which I am better than he knoweth
who doth praise me, for I am always' accompanied with
myself, and I know my own works. And because I know
myself I am ever fearful. Hence the man who blameth me
is a greater help to me than he who praiseth me. Thus said
Saint Francis : He who blameth me doth me a greater
kindness than he who doth praise me ; beeause he who doth
praise me casteth me down, but he who doth blame me
exalteth me.

vil. Why God hath given tts a tongue.

1. How many tongues hath man, and with how many God hath not

, , , i r, -*T -i T -, i ,, ^ given man more

tongues doth he speak ? Never have I heard that any man than one tongue>
had more tongues than one. I have heard that in the year
fifty there passed by here one who had two heads and like-
wise two tongues, who went to Koine, and was seen here in
Siena ; and when he returned from Rome, he returned
weeping with one of the heads because the other one was
dead. And the living head was expecting to die because they
could not live separated one from the other, and therefore
it could not long survive. But commonly God hath given
only one tongue to man ; he hath hot done so in respect of
the other members, nor even of the other senses. God hath
given man two eyes, he hath given him two hands, he hath
given him two feet, he hath given him two nostrils to smell
with. What doth it signify that he hath not given him more
than one tongue ? Why, I pray you ? It must be for some
right excellent reason. And knowest thou why ? That thou
mayest not speak but with one tongue. He hath not done so
with the other senses. He hath given thee two ears and one
tongue, so that thou mayest hear more than thou epeakest.
Likewise he hath given thee two eyes that thou mayest see
more than thou speakest. He hath given thee two hands that
thou mayest touch more than thou speakest. And again in
respect of smell he hath given thee two openings in thy
nose that thou mayest smell more than thou speakest; that
is to say: he is desirous of more smelling than speaking,
of more touching than speaking, of more hearing than
speaking, of more seeing than speaking, because he wisheth

- 30 -

that them shalt do less with thy tongue than with the other
senses.

H who speak- 2. thou vain prattler, hearken ! A sage giving
eth often doth COIinse i to mankind saith : If thou speakest, say little and

often err. r ' ^

speak seldom and speak low, do not shout j and verily this
is a most useful saying ! woman, when thou speakest to
thy husband say little, and speak seldom and in a low tone,
because who say eth little can seldom err. Knowest thou the
proverb: He who speaketh often, doth often err. And moreover
when thou speakest, speak in a low tone: do not speak so
that thou seemest a locust.

The sussed 3. Woman, wouldst thou please thy husband? Yes.

Virgin spoke sev- Then speak little, do not chatter as many women do cJiia,

en times in all -,.,.,. , . ' , , , ~ ,

the length of her c '"''*> cTwa, cJua, who never cease in order to rest. she

Ufe. is a bad neighbour, a chatterer. We have it that the Blessed

Virgin spoke seven times in all the length of her life, and

not more. I mean not to say that she never said more, but

that of all those things which she said we know only seven.

our tongue is 4. Whe^e is the root of the tongue? Tell me ! Hast

.'fastens i to the thou seen the tongue of swine, how it is fastened? So in

like manner is ours fastened to the heart. What doth this

teach thee ? It teacheth thee this : that which thou hast in

thy heart thou sayest with thy tongue, which is fastened to

it and to it alone.- .

its colour is red 5. Our tongue maketh clear to us many things which
like fire. we ^ no ^ understand. Hast thou considered how it is made?

Thou seest that the colour of it is red, like fire. What doth
fire signify? Charity. So should the tongue, it should speak
with charity. That which it says should be all charity, cha-
rity, charity to God, to itself, to its neighbour. In every
word that thou sayest, see that thou speakest always with
charity. If thou speakest to God, speak with charity; if thou
speakest of thyself, speak with charity ; and so in speaking
to thy neighbour, let this be always with charity ; see that
within thee there is naught but love, love, love. And since
thou seest that love is portrayed all fiery because of its
great heat, since the form must correspond to the idea *, so

1 One of the frequent Dantesque reminiscences to be found in the sermons: Per-
ch'a rispondar la materia e sorda (Par., I. 127) Ofttimes but ill accords the form
to the design of Art . Trans, by H. W. Cory.

31

jt is right that thou shouldst do in regard of thyself that
which thou dost when thou hast a good dish. Thou knowest
that when thou hast a very good dish thou dost never make
the spoon of sole leather but rather of silver, for it doth seem to
demand more than sole leather. In like manner, since thou
hast charity see that thou makest the spoon of silver or of
gold. Dost thou not understand that the tongue is our spoon,
and with it we can ask and have all of which we are in need.
And consider also that it is made like a spoon. And there-
fore speak always with charity, having charity within thyself;
and in that which thou sayest have recourse to charity, that
is, in charity, for the sake of charity, and with charity.

6. As thou perceivest the' tongue is without bone, it is wholly
and is every part flexible, so this showoth thee that thou
shouldst use it softly and gently in that which thou sayest
either to God, or for thyself, or of thy, neighbour. Be not
harsh in thy speech, for thou seest that the tongue in itself
is sweetly smooth and soft. A man must have patience, when
a thing goeth not indeed very well and must wait a little
while. Women, hearken now ! When another flies into a
passion, and would dash her head against a wall in order
to break the wall, what think you she doth? I believe that
she would not break the wall, but her head. So I mean to
say of him who should try to constrain a man by threats,
I say he will never constrain him. What resource is there?
I have told thee : speak to him gently. If thou dost speak
to him with harshness, thou wilt succeed ill ; but if he speak
with harshness to theo, do not reply otherwise than gently,
and then wait a little, and again speak to him very softly,
and thou shalt see that at once he will be soothed.

7. The tongue is broader and longer than it is thick, xt **

i i i ai.Lji ii^ii i 11, i j than it is thick.

by which is signified to thee that thou shouldst speak out
plainly and at length; be not brief and thick of utterance,
that is, speak in such a way that thou mayest be understood.
Let not thy speech be obscure; when thou speakest, speak
out fully and openly call bread bread, speak with that
tongue which thou hast in thy heart, and speak clearly, so
that thou mayest be understood. Do not say first one thing
and then its contrary, or again, do not speak as many do
who speak so warily that they are not understood. What

- 32 -

sayest thou? Oh, I mean, I give, no, yes. Oh, oh!
speak out plainly and not with that chi, chi, c7ii t plainly,
plainly! Hear what Saint Matthew says in the fifth chapter :
Sit autem sermo vester, est, est : non non : quod autem hie
abundantius est, a malo est. But let your speech be yea,
yea, no, no: call bread bread.

Your speech is obscure, and he who speaketh obscurely
is vicious and walks in vice. On the other hand, he who
speaketh with clearness showeth a will to go forward straight
in the line with no thought of deceit.

tongue is 8. The tongue is placed in the mouth as it were in
placed in the an oven> j g there a bakeress here? Listen then. It is placed

mouth as it were

in an oven. ln the mouth like the baker' s peel i in a hot oven. I wish
to make this clear to you so that you shall understand it.
All that which we do proceedeth either from God or from
the world. So that from those works which thou performest
it may be known whether thou belongest to God or to the
earth. If thou art one of those who belong to God thou
always performest thy works with glowing and ardent
charity. If thou art of the world thou wilt never do any
glowing deed, because thou hast not charity within thee.
And therefore consider thyself of which thou art. Lay up
this example in thy mind: If thou art a shoemaker, a man
cometh to thee: What price dost thou ask for these little
shoes? I wish fifteen soldi for them. If thou givest them
for less, thou- hast not spoken with charity, and thou hast
lied. Again : shoemaker, make me a pair of good little
shoes. He doth reply: I will make thee the best that may
be found in Siena. If thou rnakest them not as thou hast
said, thou art not one ot those who belong to God. Again,
thou desirest to get thy daughter married. From what thou
dost say she is the best and most virtuous damsel in Siena.
If this be not true, thou hast not spoken in the love of
God, nor moreover with charity towards thy neighbour,
and thy tongue is not of God, it is rather of hell. Nor
again is that tongue of God which doth ask for a thing
more than it is worth, or which doth give a bad thing for

* See footnote 2, p. 24.

gg

a good, saying: thou wilt not find better merchandise than
mine, when sometimes worse could not be found.

9. Is thy tongue put in a high place? yes. Then do zt " put in a

high place.

not put it on the ground as the swine doth into every kind
of filth. Hast thou seen what the swine doth ? The swine
when it cometh across the mire, the first thing which it doth
it sticketh its snout into it. So doth he who is so lewd a
talker that he doth delight in talking of every foulness.
boys, if you shall ever become lewd, woe unto you 1 And
so I say to you all : set not yourselves to say every kind
.of infamy ; say not aught that is filthy, but talk rather of
those things which belong to life eternal.

10. God put the tongue 'in man's head. Knowest it to put in
thou why he put it in the head rather than in any other man '* head -
place ? Because in the head are all the senses. And these

senses surround the tongue placed among them, showing
that whatsoever thou speakest, thou shouldst speak with
caution, since thou canst do naught which the senses do not
perceive, and according as thou speakest, so shalt thou be
esteemed.

11. God placed the tongue lower than the ears, and itisiowerthan
he placed one ear on this side, and the other on that side, the ears '

and they keep the tongue in the middle between them, and
keep guard over it one on each side. And therefore when
thou speakest thou shouldst consider : from which side do I
speak ? I shall be overheard if I speak here, for here is the
right ear. If I speak there, there is the left ear, which doth
hear what I say.

12. The tongue is placed under the two eyes, signify- u is P laoed

.1, -I-T e i 11 .L-I .L i .L i i lower dawn than

ing the two kinds of knowledge that a man ought to have; the
namely, to know how to distinguish the true and the false,
and when a thing is not true, never to say it. And the true
thing if thou knowest it, thou mayest say it most times
without sinning, but not always.

13. The tongue is placed below the nostrils of the nose, it is also below
so that when thou sayest aught about thy neighbour, first the nose -
thou touchest thyself, to see whether thou hast the same

fault. I know not whether thou hast given heed to this,
that when one man wisheth to speak of another, first he
toucheth his nose, and then commenceth to speak, proving

3

84

first in regard to himself that he is full of the very fault
of which he doth accuse his neighbour. And therefore do
" not point out that thou art good and thy neighbour bad ;
look first to thyself, and afterwards to thy neighbour. And
of such as these speaks Saint Matthew, in the seventh chapter:
Hypocrita, eilce primum trabem de oculo tuo. Thou hypocrite,
who wishest to show that thou art esteemed a good man,
cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and then re-
prove others. Thou, on the other hand, who art reproved
by some one for that which thou hast not done, but which
he himself hath done, say to him : Wipe thy nose ! *
HOW a man 14. Hearken ! I will tell you what befell once in

went by night to g . At Qne t j ^ used t ,j flour fe ^ fe j

steal in the Piaz- J J

za, and then and a man wished to steal some here in the Campo * at
wished to 'pass night, and he did steal it, and this was the manner of it.
nes He hung a pouch down under him, and he took a little
bell with him, and went on all tours ; and when people
heard the bell they supposed he was a pig, one of St. An-
tony 's 1 . He opened the vat, and took out flour from it two
or three times in the night, and so he came and went,
and carried it home. It happened that a thief had been
taken and led to justice, and this man who stole the flour
every night said : He deserves a thousand hangings. I say
that he should work as hard as he may, and should do as
I do. And he showed the hardened skin on his hand, which
had been made there by his going on all fours. Now to that
man might have been said when he spoke thus of the other:
Wipe thy nose ! In like manner one might speak so to the
woman who hath led a most abandoned life, who heareth
another spoken of, and accused of something infamous. Then
she is very bold to reveal that infamous, thing which is
charged to the other, and she saith : They say... they say...
what do they say ? What do they say ? Knowest thou what
I say to thee ? Go, - wipe thy nose!

1 An expression, in popular use to-day, meaning : Look to yourself.
* See footnote, p. 1.

1 In those days pigs and fowls were allowed to wander about as they pleased in
the piazzas.

Vlll. Of divisions and factional feeling, and of the destruction
sent ly God.

1. This morning I wish to speak of the discord which Proceed
there is among a people divided by factions, and therefore ju^ti^ and scorn

I say to each one of you, as Christ said: ephpheptha. Open anyone who doth

thy eyes and thy ears to hear and to understand those oppose thee -

things which thou hast never heard before. I will speak,

and thou endeavour to understand that which I shall say ;

because this which I desire to say is for the salvation of

Siena. Until this I have given you sweet syrups in my

sesmtms, now I shall commence to give you such medicines!

Of those who belong to. the factions, whether Guelf or Ghi-

belline, I have already spoken in my preaching, in Lom-

bardy and in other places, but never there, nor in any

other place was anything of that which I said either thought

of or spoken of with distrust, or held in suspicion ; but

everyone believed rather that I spoke only for the sake of

the truth, for there were present both those of one faction

and of the other, and each one wished me well because of

what I said. Knowest thou why? Because I was ever armed

with the teaching of the Doctors of the Church. Knowest

thou what ? Proceed with firmness and justice, and pay no

heed to anyone, who doth oppose thee.

And therefore I say, that when I had preached of this
matter in Lombardy among other places, my words produced
so great fruit that if I had not preached, woe to each and
every one ! And of what I said no one spoke evil, although
there were those present of each faction, and it would seem
that it might have been displeasing to one party or the
other. Hear what Ambrose saith : inter duos inimicos nemo

potest esse fidelis no man between two enemies can be loyal,
because either one or the other must suspect him. The
reason is this, that the third man who is between them
must lean to the side of one or other of the two, whereas
I was ever firm and constant. *
Those who 2. He who hath in his soul a hatred for another

belong to parties

may be compared person, for all that he doth not put into practice that which
to wild thistles, he hath in his mind, yet is he not always in mortal sin ?
Yea, even while he doth sleep, when he hath no thought
of sinning and no will to sin, and though the hatred be
not put into practice. Kuowest thou what this sin is like
in the heart of that man ? Listen then to an example. Hast
thou never seen the wild thistle in winter? Thou knowest
where thou lookest about thee in a field in winter, all the
plants are dry and without leaves ; thou returnest there in
the spring, and thou wilt see thorn all green, thou wile see
the flowers growing on them, thou wilt find them all plensant,
sending forth sweet odours. And so they grow up by little
and little. And how hath the thistle grown up with the other
green things ? It grew from a very tiny thorn, and by little
and little the thorn grew and hardened. When it was very
young hadst thou put thy foot upon it, thou wouldst not
have pricked thyself. G-o, put thy foot upon it when it is
grown and hardened, see how thou shalt feel it ! So I wish
to say of a people who cherish hatred and who consent to
divisions and factions, who when they love one faction more
than another, by little and little the love of one faction in-
creaseth and the hatred of the other, and then they harden
in this love and this hatred. And when they are very hard,
like the thistle in August, then God sendeth his judges, and
thou dost commence to desire the death and the destruction
of the contrary faction ; and so dost thou hate the contrary
faction that not alone hast thou no charity for it, and lovest
it not as thyself, but, far otherwise, thou hatest it to the
death and art murderous.
The partisans 3. _ Qh, oh, oh. oh ! This thou knowest, it reacheth

nave brought it '

about that every- even fco the man who doth pare a peach, or to the cutting

thing, even to the .

fruits , is Gueif open crosswise of garlic : when a man doth pare a peach

or Ghibelline.

1 That is, not permitting myself to bo influenced in. favour of one party or of
the other.

3? -

in a certain way, some stander-by will say : He is Guelf
or Ghibelline. And all these are mortal sins. And this matter
of Guelf or Ghibelline is an invention of the devil, in order
to get your souls. Now do you not see that you have brought
it about that every man and every woman, every boy,
even the fruits are Guelf or Ghibelline? Two things
only remain which you have not made Guelf or Ghibelline,
which perhaps you would do well to make such. Knowes't
thou what ? Bread and wine ; and making these two things
partisans, you would never eat them, in order not to have
to do with the contrary faction. And I say to you that he
who dieth in such a state of partisan feeling, he goeth to
the home of the devil ; for if thou dost offend God in order
to please the devil, judge for thyself to the house of fire
thou goest !

4. 1 believe that if a country became Guelf or Ghi- if a man were

,,,. i _ .LI -i. n j.i L to be cut to nieces

bellme and if there were in it among all the rest one man , ., , .

for not belonging

who did not take the part either of one or of the other, and to a faction he
say that the rumour of this was spread abroad, and that would be

one or more should go to him and should say to him : Long

thou
live such a faction! I tell you that if this man wish to save sands of sins.

himself he cannot do better than to, reply: Long live God,
long live God ! and even if they were to seek to constrain
him by force to say: Long live such a faction! and he
were not willing to say it, I tell you that if he were cut
to pieces, although he had committed thousands of sins,
without other confession I believe that he would be saved
more surely than if he had fulfilled vows or made resti-
tution : -I say that he is freed from all guilt. can this be?
Yes. prove it to me ? Willingly. John is my witness :
Maiorem charitatem nemo Tidbet, ut animam suam ponat quis
pro amicis suis. Greater love than this no man hath, that a
man lay down his life for his friends. Perceivest thou not
then how great charity that man hath shown who, thou
seest, wished to give his life for Christ, and who rather
than do anything against his will wished rather to die a
martyr? He hath shown greater charity than it would have
been in him to give all his possessions, more than to re-
ceive communion, more than to go to the Holy Sepulchre, or

- 38

to Eome, tor he cannot have greater charity within him-
self than when he saith : I belong to Christ.

Every time 5. o thou woman there, hast thou given scandal ? Yes.

^hydSL^or Of necessity a millstone will drag thee down to hell if thou
through fear or dost not now make reparation as thou raayest, for if in jest
in jest that thou or j n an y other way thou hast been occasion of scandal,
leiune'thougoel't tnou nast acte( * contrary to the will of God. Hearken ! Take
to the home of this as an example. If pagans or infidels should come and
the devil. should enter into the city, and there should be one out of

a hundred who should say in jest : I have left the faith, or
should say it in order to save his life; out of whatsoever
motive thou sayest it, or in jest, or in truth, thou goest to
the home of the devil if thou diest in such a state. In like
manner : if one of you, women, should stand up in the
midst of the sermon, and should say: I would sleep to-night
with such a man, and if he were a pretty youth, and you
beautiful too, so much the worse ; I mean that this speech
of thine doth serve in itself to make many believe the thing,
because people incline rather to believe evil than good, and
this alone would suffice to bring thee to damnation for the
evil that it produces in others : even while there should per-
haps be some one good who would not believe it, yet thou
with thy words hast been the occasion of much evil, although
thou hadst not thought of doing this thing. So, I would
say, thou art like the man who saith : I belong to the Guelfs
or to the G-hibellines even if it were not true ; I say,
because of the scandal of which thou art occasion to thy
neighbour, thou goest to the house of fire. So that if for
pastime, or through fear, or in jest, in each and everyway
thou sinnest mortally because of the injury which thou dost
to God.

it is terrible 6. Thou perceivest, I say, that whosoever doth hold
even to consider jn act to the faction of the Guelfs, or of the Ghibellines,
the evil which is ^ perce j vest ft^ SUCi fr an ac tion springeth from an evil

done every day in r r

the world by root, and because of its malignity naught but evil only can
means of these come of it. Behold an example of this in fact. women,
whence are come the worst homicides, whence the adulter
ies and fornications, whence the burning of houses, banish-
ings, cutting one another to pieces, robberies? All this
wickedness hath grown out merely from the root of these

divisions. And therefore, women, see that you hold in
hatred these two words as if they were devils. Ay me 1
What hath been done in the two years which are passed P 1
How many evils have proceeded from these factions, how
many women have been slaughtered in their own cities, in
their own^ houses, how many have been disembowelled!
Likewise, how many children have been killed for revenge
upon their fathers. In the same manner babes have been
torn from the wombs of their mothers and their bodies
trodden underfoot, and little children seized and their heads
dashed against the wall ; the flesh of an enemy sold at
the butcher's shop like any other flesh, the heart torn
from a body and eaten raw, raw ! How many have been
killed by the sword, and then buried in dung ! Some have
been roasted and eaten, some hurled down from the tops of
towers, others thrown from off bridges into the water; wom-
en have been dragged before their fathers or their husbands
and violated in their sight, then slaughtered there before
-them, nor did one in anywise ever show the other pity,
save by death. 8 What think you of this, women ? More yet!
I hear there have been certain women so rabid in their de-
votion to faction, that they have put spears into the hands
of their baby sons, so that these, might by murder avenge
these factions. There was one woman so cruel that when a
woman of the other party was fleeing, she said to a certain
man on her own side : Such and such a one is fleeing, she
was set on a horse by one who is carrying her away with
him. And he, away after her at once, and said to the one
with her : Set down that woman, if thou wishest not to die,
and when she was set down, one of these women killed the
other. There have been so great horrors because of these
factions that this which I have recounted is as it were
naught. Ay me, what a terrible thought is this, only to
consider the wicked deeds which are committed to-day in
the world !

7. A certain man there is, who hath caused himself O hriit
to be painted because he vowed to have himself painted

and to have given him a blessing by Christ. But beware, have

J ' painted at h\t

1 I. e., during his absence from, Siena.
1 That is, by putting him to death.

40

When Friar
pfeached'at Ore-

people by his
words.

rogue, lest lest at length thou art deceived ! thou
thinkest that he doth bless thee, but instead he curseth
thee. And another partisan hath a painting made of Saint
Antony and of himself at his feet, and he himself being
pushed towards Jesus Christ by Saint Antony. Another hath
carved and inscribed in letters of marble when he is dead:
Here lieth the body of such a one, Cuius anima requiescat
in pace. One there was who when he saw this tomb so in-
scribed, requiescat in pace, blotted out that a and put
an e there, and then it read : requiescat in pece in pitch,
in the house of fire, but it is they who go there !

g. When I was preaching in Crema in Lombardy l ,
** ^ il PP ene d because of the factions and divisions that men
ma against the. to the number of about ninety, with all their families were
factions he con- outside the city ; and they were all named to the Duke of

verted all the ,_., jn , , . . , , . , . - . , ,

Milan as those to be banished. And m this place there was
a very worthy and excellent noble. And when I was preach-
ing on this subject, somewhat covertly (for this is a sub-
ject not to be spoken of too openly), in my preaching I
spoke in general and not in particular, and I was silent
about nothing that should be said. And because it was the
time of the vintage I preached in the very early morning,
and so early that I had already preached four hours before
the break of day. And when I was leaving, one after anoth-
er, they all came to me saying : What think you that we
should do ? And they gave themselves up to me that I might
counsel them. Then considering that they were so docile I
commenced to say how the matter should go. They said
that this rested wholly with the lord of the city. This lord
was very familiar with me. I told him what I desired, coun-
selling him to act well. Nevertheless limiting myself to my
preaching I left the rest to God and to them. And in my
preaching I spoke of the unceasing cries of the innocent be-
fore God, against those who have made them suffer punish-
ment for no fault of theirs, asking for vengeance against
those who have persecuted them. And so did these words
enter into their hearts that they called a council, in which

' This passage ii found also in another sermon on the same subject, a sermon
of which we have only a few pageb because it was interrupted by the rain..

- il -

there was such, harmony that it was marvellous ; and in this
it was decided that each of those might return to his home.
Then leaving Crema I went to a village which was distant
perhaps ten miles, and I talked to one of those exiles, who
had left in Crema great possessions of his which were in
value worth about forty-thousand florins. And he asked me:
How then doth the matter stand ? And I said to him : By
the grace of God thou mayest return to thy house, "because
I know well what they intend. He laughed in mockery of
that which I said to him, and in a little while from then
came a messenger sent from Crema, who told him that he
might return at will to his own house. And hearing this, he
could not eat, or drink, or sleep, because of the joy that
he felt.' He came to me, and so great was the gladness
he felt that he could not speak. And hearken to a wonder-
ful thing : when he was returning to his house, he found
in the Piazza his enemy, who when he saw him ran and
fell on his neck and wished to lead him home to
supper with him. And another who was in possession of the
house where he lived, at once, while they supped, cleared
the house of all his possessions, and left there those of this
other man ; and whosoever had anything of his, sent it to
that house of his, at once, his bedstead, his coffers, his
table-cloths, his bowls, his casks, his silver, and in this way
it went on so that the very selfsame evening he was led
into his house and slept in his own bed in the midst of his
own possessions. And I say to you that it seemed as if that
man were blessed who could carry him his goods and his
chattels. Moreover on the days that followed, those also who
had his cattle and his property, his horses, every one came
before him : Here are thy oxen, here are thy asses, here
are thy sheep ; so that almost everything of his was return-
ed to him ; and so it was with all the others. And I say
that I think I may believe that because of this thing God
saved that land from many dangers. And many other places
took example from this, and to-day it is one of the best
villages of Lombardy. For all that is not a city, it is
excellently well populated.

IX. Of those who begin to do good and then turn baelc.

it is lest for 1. If thou doest a good deed, be it ever so simple, and
thee to proceed d oest | t o f love and of charity, this is most pleasing to God;

fvoin virtus to

virtue by little ^ or g 00 ^, though it may be a little, is indeed very pleasing to
and little. him. But he doth wish in truth that thou shouldst proceed

from good to better. I once beheld a man, and you too
have beheld him, who had within him that which cometh
from God, and he would say to himself: When shall we be-
gin to do a little good ? And he was ever performing good,
and each time he would say in these words : I would that I
might begin to do a little good . Though he was doing it,
yet for all this he did not seem to himself to be doing good.
And I saw his soul attain to such an estate, oh ; oh, oh! I
say to such an estate of perfection that it was a wonderful
thing, And therefore I say that if there be one who doth be-
gin of a sudden with very great zeal to do good, and to
enter into every great undertaking for the love of Christ,
and another who doth begin to do good, and doth proceed by
little and little, from good to better I have greater faith in
him who doth proceed by little and little, from good to better,
than in him who leapt of a sudden into every great under-
taking. As said a holy father, admonishing and teaching,
who said : If thou hadst a thousand years to live in the
service of God, see ahv;iys that thou dost go from good to better;
and in like manner if thou hadst to live but for a day go
thou always from good to better. Wishest thou an example
of this? Yes. Hast thou seen such great riches as come of
a sudden and as quickly as they come so quickly do they
depart? Such riches do not so as have come by little and
little, which indeed when they must diminish, diminish by

- 43 -

little and little. And therefore I say it is better that thou
shouldst proceed by little and little from virtue to virtue.
Take heed, now ! Tell me : if a man must go from Siena to
Borne, and he should go in a half day, and return in a half
day, would this not be well done ? Assuredly. But if thou
shalt consider him thou wilt see that he will have done as
the Corsican horse, which goes so far in one day that then
it cannot walk so far even in four days, and finally in the
end it is forspent. I say to thee that it is better to go with
great slowness and to take heed of everything. And going
forward so, thou wilt drive off many dangers which else
might overcome thee. consider the contrary of this ! If
thou art rich and every day dost take away one coin of thy
substance, thou art every month behindhand thirty coins.
When thy revenue doth fall in arrearage, this is bad, and thou
perceivest it not. Knowest thou also how riches go, which go
away suddenly? It goeth as thou seest that the goose doth. A
goose flyeth and crieth out, and runneth and goeth : ca, ca,
cat and then doth settle itself on the ground, and so it stay-
eth. And in like manner do many who when the intent to
do good comes to them, run rashly without considering aught;
and sometimes such a one will be admonished and he mocks
the others who admonish him. And because they care not
to take thought for that which they might perchance have
need of, by little and little they run into grievous peril.
Being lukewarm in doing good, thou dost cause the Lord
to vomit.

2. Thou knowest lukewarm vinegar which is the Being iuke-
medicine that doth cause to vomit. Lo! consider water ; there *"*?* J 1 d J n *

' good, thou dost

are two facts regarding it : first, it is very cold ; if thou cause the Lord

wouldst heat it, first it riseth to such a degree that it be- to vomit '

cometh lukewarm. And leaving it still longer on the fire it

passeth from the lukewarm stage to heat. So the contrary

is true, if it be warm, and thou takest it from the fire, very

soon it falls to this degree when it is lukewarm, and when

once it is lukewarm it doth never remain so, but doth fall

to a lower degree, that is it becometh cold and freezing cold,

as it was at first. So doth a soul which is cold, and wisheth

to attain to the heat of the love of God. First it goeth

from freezing cold to lukewarm, when it beginneth to grow

- 44 -

warm, and not remaining at this degree it doth persevere
and attain eth to heat so that it goeth from good to better ;
but when a man is once warm and then returneth to luke-
warmness, how ill this is ! Seest thou not that he goeth
backwards ? And therefore remain thou in this state ; con-
tinue to do well, aud heat thyself, So that thou cause not
the Lord to vomit ; for lukewarmness is most unpleasing to
God.

The devil 3. When the evil spirit in the swine goeth out from

endeavouretk in one O f them, it goeth about seeking slimy and vile places,

every way to re- ,,,,,, , , . . , . ., , .

turn to the place " ut ne fi n( ieth no place more pleasing to him than that in
whence he hath which he was at first ; and knowest thou then what he
come out. doeth in order to return there whence he hath come out ?

He doeth as doth the dog who hath been chased away out
of his master's house ; he goeth round and round the house,
and if he find any tiny crevice he doth endeavour to enter
in there. Ofttimes he setteth himself at the opening of the
door and with his paws he endeavoureth and endeavoureth
to get inside. So doeth the devil : he endeavoureth wir.h
all his might in every way which he knoweth or in which
he can, to cause thee to fall so that he may enter into thy
soul ; and if he doth cause thee to fall, he en tereth therein
and taketh up his abode there, and maketh himself firm in
such a way that he is more sure than he was at first ;
because he doth not enter in alone, but with seven others
worse than himself.

He who com- 4. That man who hath sinned is more easily lost,
mits a sin once b ecause having once committed a certain sin and having

is prone to com- /,,.,. . . ,

mit it again. confessed it, he is more prone to commit it again, than
one. who hath never committed such a sin. For an exampje:
If thou hast a piece of wood which is half burned and is
then extinguished, this wood taketh fire more easily. If a
piece of wood hath never once burned it will not take fire
so quickly as that oth?,r. So is it with the man who hath
never committed sin, but hath abstained from it, while that
other, who hath not been able to abstain, falleth the sooner.
That man who 5. That man who is used to perform some evil act

is used to perform becoineth inclined to that evil ; and when he doth use to

some evil act be- .. . , i ,1 i i i .. j.i ^ n

cometh inclined c o mmit a sm an( i maketh this a habit, that is a greasing of
to that evil. the axle, because he goeth from sin to sin, and so endan-

45

gereth his soul. A Greek

O f

speaketh of

this in like manner. Are there here any virgins? Hearest
thou that which I say? If one of these give herself to relig-
ion while she is yet a virgin, she hath never so great
temptations of the flesh as she who hath once fallen. The
reason is that she hath not proved them by experience. And
for this reason I say that he who hath once fallen findeth
it more difficult to resist temptation when it cometh to him.
But if he yield, and let himself be overcome, he falleth and
falleth again, and again, more and more often, because he
hath not the will to resist, and so, little and little, he grow-
eth weaker so that his estate is indeed bad.

6. I have gone about with my balances weighing There is a great
Italy. I admonish thee, I admonish thee, that I seem to W' nMween

J ' ' the Sienese and

myself to see an evil omen, and that this punishment might the
now come sooner than you have ever known such a thing
to happen before, if it were not that the Sienese blood is
sweet and tractable ; but I could wish to see here a stead-
fast spirit, stable, not changing as you do so of a sudden,
for in thiswise you turn in a moment as quickly to evil as
to good ; I would have you look a little into those things
which befall you and not be in so great haste to change', 1
above all when you perceive danger. And for the abandon-
ing of evil, I say you would do well to abandon it present-
ly, and to take it up again slowly. There is as great dif-
ference between you and the Perugians as there is between
heaven and earth. women ! I preached there a sermon on
their vanities, and there I accomplished far more than I
did ever accomplish here, for seven loads of their hair and
of all those objects which were occasions of vanity in them... 3
Have you never seen sacks of cotton ? Like to such as they
were those seven sacks, and there was one bale which was
of the value of many thousands of florins, and all these

1 Here he reproves his fellow citizens for a fault of long-standing, fickleness and
frivolousness, not unlike that vanity which the divine poet had rebuked in them a
century before.

* It is evident that some words are missing here, but it is quite clear nevertheless
that the Saint succeeded in persuading the -women of Perugia to gather together in
sacks their trailing gowns, and all the rest of their vanities , and to burn them,
perhaps in a public piazza. B.

- 46 -

vanities of theirs were got rid of. Of that combat they used
to hold, which was so direful and so violent a business, now
it is put an end to, under very heavy penalties. 1 Also those
dances, which they had on certain feast-days, these too have
been put an end to. 1 They would blaspheme God so horr-
ibly, and the saints, this too they have done away with,
and, know you, that city was more infected than any other
by this vice; and whereas it was the most foul, now it is the
most pure, by means of perseverance, for most heavy pen-
alties were imposed there. Of gaming it seems there was
never anything ; I speak of that which can be seen. I speak
not in the same way of you, because you have so deceived
me, like a people among whom I had never been. But know
you this ? Eeflect that I did not come the last time when I
was called, but reflect that I am here now ! Home
again ! 8 Hast thou never seen one man who is angry with
another ? Knowest thou how he doth show it ? He showeth
it by a grim face seest thou ? In this way;* So God look-
eth upon us because we have returned unto such disorder
and unto customs so dissolute. And he sayeth unto us : Hob
o adversum te. Thou hast given me cause to grieve, Sienese
people, because thou hast abandoned the right Way : quod
charitatem tuam primam reliquisti.

The flu of fast 7.' Is there no smith here, no goldsmith, no blade-
and abstinence gmith ? A man doth with his soul, when he performeth pen-

maketh the soul , A . ^ ., , n .,. .., , , . .

so bright and ance, as doth the blade-smith. When you pass through the
shining that it is Lane of the Blade-smiths, 8 and turn up there by the Tolo-
a wonderful me j p a j ace y OU know those men who burnish arms, who

thing.

1 This was a sanguinary joust in -which the youths of Perugia engaged on Sundays
during the spring, in accordance with a very old custom. It was forbidden, under
pain of severe punishment, by the Council of Camarlenghi of the Guilds, on November
10, 1425, after the preaching of Saint Bernardino, who rigorously condemned it.

8 Dances in church, relic of a pagan custom, lasted through almost the whole of
the sixteenth century, towards the close of which they were forbidden by laws. In
.the Constitution of Cana, a small place in the Sienese Maremma, there is a heading,
Dancing and singing are not allowed in Siena This constitution was compiled in.
1486. It would be easy to find more examples of such regulations, in the constitutions
of other places in Italy. B.

1 See footnote 2, p. 8.

* He accompanies these words with a grimace, such as anyone makes who smells
or sees something offensive. B.

* Vicolo degli Spadai near Piazza Tolomei.

47 -

have a piece of wood, and have also a sword, and with
these a little powder; and they put this on the rusty arms,
and rub, and rub, and rub, and burnish, and he doth this
for so long a time until he maketh it bright and clean and
gleaming like a baby girl. In like manner doth the gold-
smith when he hath an old cross or a chalice. He burnisheth
it with his tool, he maketh it more beautiful than it was
before. So doth the smith with his file, and they so exert
themselves in workmanship that these things look more
beautiful even than when they were new. And so penance
doth to our souls ; it doth burnish' them and maketh them
clean and bright. In like manner the file of abstinence and
of fasting is the burnishing and the polishing by means of
penance, and this same penance, when it is performed with
true sorrow, and with willing zeal, maketh the soul so bright
and so clear and shining, that it is a wonderful thing.
And I believe that if you would do penance for the wrong
that you have done, and would return to well-doing you
would have more grace and greater the second time than
the first. Ah, my brothers and fathers and sons, if you do
worse than other people, wherever I have preached and
where I go to preach it could with justice be said to me :
Oh ! thy Sienese, who had so great love for thee, why do
not they as thou hast taught them ? Why do they not abstain
from such vices as thou hast preached against ? Likewise I
say of you, women, who have shown that you wish me
well, why do you not abstain from so much miserable
sin ? Which one of you was always here watching me ? Oh,
I do not see her here, and I do not distinguish her. Truly
you did me a very great service by ridding my nose of
that fly, when you put her in prison for me. I need no
such flies on my nose !

8. Perform again the former good works which thou Tum lack-
hast forsaken. Wert thou used to hear Mass? Yes. Hast wards again into
thou forsaken this ? Yes. Oh, return unto it ! Hast thou for- Si
saken many good works ? Oh, return unto them ! Hast thou forsaken.
renounced the long doublet? Return unto it! Hast thou for-
saken all that was good and honest ? Return unto it I Wert
thou used to hear vespers ? Return unto them. Wert thou
used to give alms, and hast thou forsaken this? Return

48

unto this. Were you ever just in your dealings, and now
art thou the contrary ? Come, return unto this ! Come, re-
turn ! Was all thy method of living honest ? Come, return
unto every good act that thou hast forsaken ! Thou, wo-
man, once abandoned the practice of beautifying thy face,
and now thou art more vain than at first ! Come, return
unto this. These women say I granted them to wear slippers
two fingers high, and this was true ; but certain of them
say that they understood by this the length of two fingers.
Never said I this. I said, and I repeat, the width of two
fingers*! And this, mark you, while yet I am here present
__among you *. Oh, the men will do well and not the women!
You are the most blameworthy women in all the world, if
you do not as well as they, or even better. And therefore
God said by the mouth of John : Et prima opera fac^ that
is, do the first works : et poenitentiam age and do penance
for the evil that thou hast performed. And if thou wilt do
penance for thy evil deeds thou wilt come to return unto
the right way of G-od. Hast thou gone astray ? Now, turn
back, and enter into the right way. Go to the confessor, and
disclose thy sin, and commit it no more. And thou,
confessor, shouldst give him the penance which is opposed
to his besetting sin : that is, if he be avaricious, give him
as a penance the contrary, order him to give alms ; if he
be proud, give him as a penance humility ; order him to
go barefoot, or aught else which leadeth to humility. If he
be a vain prattler, order him as penance not to talk ; if he
be a sluggard, who sleeps too much, order him as penance
that he shall rise at least when the Sovana 2 rings. If he be
gluttonous, give him abstinence, that he shall not eat too
much. Doth he not hear Mass ? Make him hear it, and hear
also Vespers and Tierce and Nones ; and in this manner
thou shouldst correct the sin and vice of the sinner.
The example 9^ _ Hear the example which Saint Luke narrates in

of the fig-tre. ^ thirteenth chapter. Christ saith that there was a man
who had a vineyard, wherein he planted a fig-tree; he went
there at the time when it should begin to bear figs, about

1 Implied: Imagine what advantage you will take of my words when I am not
here.

1 See footnote, p. 11.

49 '

two years having passed, and went without a basket, and
it was one of those that beareth those good large purple figs,
thou knowest, from Massa. 1 And when he had arrived at
the foot of the tree, he looked up, and he found thereon no
figs. He went then the following year, and he went with a
hook thinking that there would be some; again be found
none. Then thought he within himself: Oh ! it hath taken
thought only for its growth. He goeth thither another year,
the third, and with him he doth carry the hook and the
basket, saying within himself: It must have grown, and
there must be many figs on it. He arriveth at the fig-tree
and findeth not one upon it. Therefore he calleth the labour-
er and saith to him : This fig-tree is good for naught ;
hew it down therefore, for it cumbereth the earth. Saith the
labourer : Nay, then ! Let us allow it to remain this year,
let us not cut it down ; I will dig the earth a little about
it at the foot, and will lay bare the roots around it, to see
if it will do not better; but if it doth not bear fruit this
coming year, then will I hew it down.

10 We may say thus, that the city of Siena is the r We y . '**

J J ' J that the city of

trunk of the fig-tree. The first year it was in which I was siena is the trunk
here, that with the word of God I led you to yield fruit to of the fig-tree.
God the most high. The second year, when I went hence,
I thought you would do better than you were doing when
I was with you; but not alone have you borne no fruit,
but you did worse than ever. The third year now is this
one, in which I have found you with less disposition than
perhaps you have ever had at any time to yield fruit. s God
hath waited and waited, and you yield no fruit in his
praise, but do all things contrary to his will; for which rea-
son he is now filled with anger, and bolieve me, he has it
in his thought to cut down this tree, for that it hath the
disposition to be unwilling to yield fruit, since he hath
waited now so long. But if he shall be patient and wait

' A reminiscence of Saint Bernardino's youth; Massa Marittima was his birthplace.

* It is not easy to determine with accuracy iu which years Saint Bernardino
preached in Siena before 1427, since he journeyed with amazing activity from one
end of Italy to the other. It is probable however that here he alludes to his visits
to Siena in 1423 and in 1425, and to the sermons he preached in those years, during
which it may be said that he preached unceasingly in northern and central Italy. B.

- 50 - \

until this coining year, the fourth year, and still thou yield-'
est not fruit to him, beware, Siena, beware, and again,'
beware ! You may understand in other ways that God hath
waited your conversion these four years. He hath provided
for you in your need that you may amend yourselves ; for
the first year he gave thee many corporal blessings, which
have protected thee against mortal infirmity and many othor
adversities. The second year he gave thee many temporal
blessings : grain, wine, oil, herds, and of each in greijt
abundance, and flocks. And truly he gave thee these thing's
that thou shouldst yield fruit, but thou hast been mean-
while and still art more hard of heart than thou hast ever
been. The third year he gave thee spiritual blessings. How
many excellent preachers have you had, most able teachers
who have come to this city of yours only for thy salvation!
Believe me, God hath waited so long that he will be unwill-
ing to wait for a longer time. If thou await the fourth year
and yield not fruit to God, he Avill say : Down, down,
cursed people! Thou hast naught to excuse thee the earth
is laboured ; thou art illumined, and hast been ; thy vice
and thy sin hath been pointed out to thee. Knowest thou
what God will do after. that time in which he will wait no
longer? He will cause the earth to be ploughed and hoed
with death; for you will die of pestilence like clogs, and
he will send one so great that people will be lacking in
so great number that there will not be enough of you to
help one another. Nor will this suffice. He will send a
war so terrible that they will not be a.ble to till the ground,
and they will not gather in the harvesting of grain or wine,
then there will follow so great a famine that you will see
your own children die of hunger.

Of the anger and pride of sinners.

1. Are you used, women, to fly into a passion ? I & thou 6<J

" ,. i T i T reviled, do not at

see certain of you here that are so lean and spent 1 I believe once fly into a
that at times you do even get one another by the hair. I passion.
am looking also to see if there be any here with a black
eye, because ofttimes they do even devise quarrels in their
sleep. True' is it that there is a kind of anger which is not
a sin. As when thou dost chastise, and dost grow angry, in
training up those of thy household ; and at times too thou
wilt reply in anger of a sudden, and thou knowest that thou
speakest in anger, and thou dost check thyself : this is not
a mortal sin. Rather indeed I say to thee further, that by
such anger as this thou mayest even merit, for if thou seest
one who doth evil, and thou wishest to chastise and admon-
ish him,- and of a sudden there cometh to thee a thought
which is far from good, and thou dost check thyself and
resist it, then thou dost merit. And the greater the struggle
and thy resistance, the more thou dost merit. Whence thou
hast it in the Psalms : Irascimini et noltte peccare Be ye
angry and sin not. See that thou dost resist sin. The teach-
ing of Brother James 2 is this : When any little word is said
to you, do not thou fly at once into a passion, because per-
haps God hath permitted this to be said to thee, so that
thou mayest acquire merit. Would you be convinced of
this ? Tell me. What merit shouldst thou have if any should

1 1. e., with rage.

1 James of the Marches.

hatefully reproach thee, or do thee an injury and thou hadst
not patience ? None what? oever. Knowest thou how thou
art made? Thou art worse than this wood. 1 Let me prove
it ; I say to this wood : Thou art an unthankful creature,
and wicked. See you that it hath said naught in reply to
this, but hath been patient ? Thou wilt say : It hath then
merited? No, because it hath no soul. But what sayest thou
of man ? Man hath a soul, and is endowed with an under-
standing faculty, and hath knowledge, and can reply. And
if aught ill be spoken to a man or to a woman, and he
hath patience, at once he acquireth merit, and it is a glor-
ious merit. What a blessed thing it is to have patience !
woman who hast a querulous mother-in-law ; mother-in-
law who hast a perverse daughter-in-law, if thou hast pa-
tience, thou wilt always acquire merit. thou with a per-
verse, unreasonable wife ! thou with a perverse husband !
thou dost always acquire merit whensoever thou hast pa-
tience. But although thou be wroth sometimes, let not thy
anger pass beyond the bounds of reason, and if thou wilt
always have such patience thou dost ever merit.

of one who 2. There is however an anger which is called the anger

eTre mf * g race - This anger may be kindled when thou nearest or
ed. seest those things which are wicked, and thou canst not

endure them, and hast not patience in regard to them, be-
cause they are in contempt of God, and against His com-
mandments, and thou because of thy zeal for God hast not
patience. I will tell of a thing which befell at Perugia :
There was a man who blasphemed God out in the Piazza,
and another man, hearing him, struck him a blow on the
mouth. At once the man who had received the blow, recog-
nizing that he had said wkat was wrong, said to the one
who had dealt it, give me another, and he turned his other
cheek to him. The father hearing that this his son had been
struck by that other, hastened there at once, and when he
knew the cause of it, said to the one who had struck him
the blow that he should give him another one. All this was
out of zeal for God. I say that here there is merit, and the
one who blasphemed acquired merit also by his patience.

1 Of the pulpit from which he is preaching.

3. Also there was in Florence at the governor's gate of a Florentine

a man who wished to go before the governor to demand a asp .^TT , w !

*-* *-' IVCvS StTUCIC Of/ Cv

favour; he arrived at the gate. The man who wts at the certain man, and

gate did not wish to open it : but in the end the other said 1ww the

, . -, . ^ -. -r^r, , pardoned the one

BO much to him that he opened it, cursing God. When he who had ttruok

had opened it, this man hearing the blasphemies at once

seized the porter, and gave him many blows and kicks and

when he had beaten him thus fled. He was sent after, and

was at length taken. When the governor asked him : Why

didst thou beat my porter ? he said : I came to speak to

you, because I wished to demand of you a favour, and after

that I had besought your porter again and again to open

to me, finally he opened to me blaspheming God most shame-

fully. I not being able to suffer this insult to God, gave

him as you could know and see, many a kick and a blow.

Then the governor, hearing the cause and the reason for

which this man had been moved to treat the other thus,

said to him: Thou hast done excellently well; and then he

asked him : What favour didst thou wish from me ? He

replied : I wished such and such a favour. And he said :

And I am well satisfied. And he was pardoned for the quar-

rel he had with the porter, because he did this out of zeal

for God. Zelus domus tuae comedit me.* Such anger when

it doth proceed from such a source, is, I say, holy and

righteous.

1 For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up . Psalms LXVIII IQ.

XI. Of the love of one's neighbour.

who tajceth the 1. I wish to show thee that way which the devil
foun(J tQ ^ adoriid> Before Christ became incarnate

device of a faction

adoreth the devil. and even before the beginning of the world, and even be-
fore the world was formed he sought to be adored. In the
terrestrial paradise, in order to be adored, he tempted Eve
our first mother, in the form of a serpent with the face of
a beautiful woman, and said to her: Eritis sicut Dii scien-
tes bonum et malum : If you shall eat of this apple, you
shall be as Gods knowing good and evil ; and so he caused
her to fall. Again at many divers times he sought to be
adored by other ways and acts and deeds and thoughts; he
entered into those idols, which endured until the time of
Christ throughout almost all the world. And when Christ
came in the flesh, and when His voice and His faith grew
and spread, they were cast out by the Apostles from those
images wherein they had been adored. And being cast out
of them, they took counsel among themselves, and Satan
said to the Destroying Demon : Since we have been cast out
of those places wherein we used to be adored, let us so act
that we may be adored, but in another manner than that
which is past. We will bring it about that we shall be adored
in so hidden a manner that we shall be left undisturbed,
because they will not perceive us. And then they did in
this fashion : They made men take up certain devices
when they were divided into different factions, apd he made
them love and honour and reverence these devices so that
they were held more dear than any other thing, and they
were loved more than God. As every one then can see clear-

- 55 -

ly, whosoever doth hold with a faction or doth bear the
device of a faction, can not suffer that any ill be said of
this party, and it grieveth him, and tie doth remember the
offence that hath been done as if it had been done to God;
and so in a hidden manner are the devils adored.

2. priest, in the confessions which have been made Eoen into the

, , , 1,1 -, ,. n , , ! , . , .-, churches and to

to thee by those who are partisans, dost thou see to it that the tomb do the
they make this a matter of conscience or that they avoid partisans carry
this sin, or that they do penance for it? I tell thee if they the **"* whieh

' J r > they have adored.

have died in it, it hath gone ill with all of them. I have at *

times seen over the entrance to their homes and over their

gates, arms and devices which they carry ever in their

hearts. One hath the great eagle with wings outspread so

that we may understand and say : Oh, there is the great

devil ! Likewise in the churches, whither they carry their

arms and devices with their standards ; and these are hung

up there that they may remain in memory of one who is

dead, to show how he hath persisted in such adoration even

to death. Sometimes I have seen them even at the head of

the crucifix. Then seeing this I have said : Lord God, Oh,

Thou hast the devil above thee ! Enough, enough ! Consider

thou now, what may and can happen to them at their

death. What do I mean ? Even to the tomb they carry that

God whom they have adored.

3. painters, who paint such arms and devices as Me painter who

paints such

are occasion of sin, kuowest thou what is said of thee? Qui S y moo i s goes to
occasionem damni dat, damnum dedisse videtur. This is a #' home of the
rule of law : When one giveth an occasion of injury it is as deml
if he had done the injury himself, and he is bound to make
restitution, if satisfaction is not made for this injury by him
who did it. Seest thou not how great injury thou doest?
Thousands of creatures are lost by the making of this de-
vice, and first the man who has it painted, he who paints
it, he who sees it, he who hath it in his house, he who
loveth it ; all go to the home of the devil. And therefore
said Paul in his epistle to the Romans, chap, I, Propter quod
tradidit illos Deus in reprobum sensum : wherefore God gave v

them up to shameful affections. He allows them to fall
through their desires into shamefulness and filth, and do
the contrary of that which they should do,

- 56 -

w remember 4. I have seen at times cities which do not hold to
later that which factions, of which Venice is one, which never wished

toe see than that

which we hear, to hold to a faction, and they do excellently well. And I
have been in many and many where they do hold to them
and adore them, as you see is done here ; and they are
adored by old and young 1 , by young 1 men, by women, by
the lowly and by the great ; and all those who follow this
faction or have followed this, all go to the home of destruc-
tion. Wouldst thou know how many sins follow upon it ?
More yet, for they violate even the church of God, where
God alone should be adored. And they have had made there
paintings and images with the arms so that these may
never depart from the minds of men. From anexample you
will understand me. Says Bonaventure : Plus movent visa,
quam a udita. We remember better the things which we see
than the things which we hear. Do you wish to under-
stand this ? young men, young men, a man was hanged
many years ago in a certain place. I say that though I
have said it now, in a very little while they will not re-
member it. They would not forget it so quickly, if they
had seen it, because we remember the thing seen better
than the thing heard. So hath the devil brought it to pass
that this matter shall not be forgotten; he hath had these
symbols made, these images, these banners, which are adored
even in the churches, as you see. These things you see every
day, there is no need of many proofs. The end of it I
have told thee all to the home of the devil !
The prayer of 5. women, have any of thy dear ones died ?

? rfor Wouldst thou know whether they are saved or damned? Yes.

Bernardme

against those ivho Then look. If thou seest their banners, which they have
have held to kept for love of a faction, if thou seest them there ', say :
parties. jj e . g ^ \fa 08 u w ho belong to the devil. And therefore, my

fellow- citizens, and you women, I wish you to hear a
prayer which I will make this morning for the souls of my
father and of my mother, and of my kinsmen. My Lord
Jesus Christ, I ask of thee that if my father or my moth-
er, or any kinsman of mine hath died in the love of these
factions of which I speak, I ask of thee that for their

1 I. e., above their tombs.

souls may not avail either any mass or any prayer that I
have ever said in behalf of any one of them. And moreover
I pray thee, my God, it any one of them hath held to a
faction unto the time of his death, and hath never con-
fessed this, that a thousand devils may have their souls and
that for them there may not be redemption. And this prayer
is made for their souls.

6. Hast thou seen how the devils have been able to St w}l0 *" a
find a way so that they may be adored? Yes. And there- ^ e ^ nA fc *
fore I say that he who is a follower of the devices, and he who keeps them,
who keeps them, and he who makes them, and even he and he who

.,.,.,, ., makes them, and

who sees them, are all in peril of going to the home of the men he who sees
devil. And they will all go there if they cherish them unto them, are ail in

death. Dost thou wish to see this more clearly? How many **<* v*w [

J J the home of the

things come to be desired, only because of being seen ? For devil.
example. If a woman among you, should strip herself naked
and were standing up here in the midst of you women, 4 to
how many women and men thinkest thou there would come
a temptation? I say to thee merely from seeing this, to
many and many! And the more beautiful she was, the great-
er would be the number of those tempted. So I would say
of the arms and the devices. Only by seeing the devices,
and the painted standards and pennons, we come to remem-
ber the man who is dead ; and so to love or to hate him.
So the man who did not know him asketh : Who was this
man ? And so when he hath known, he doth follow the
same party. And in this way thou mayest see and under-
stand that in every way there is sin in it.

1 In those days it was the custom at sermons to separate the men from the wo-
men, a custom which still exists in our country parishes. As may be seen in the
paintings which represent the Saint preaching in the Piazza, they were separated hy
a curtain half the height of a man, which divided the space before the pulpit into
two equal parts. To the right of the preacher were the women, with their linen
head-coverings ; to his left were the men. B.

xii. Of governments and how we should govern with justice.

it is well to i. We spoke yesterday of the living and harmonious

speak of those j QVe ^ one anot ^ er -yy^ic^ there should be among us; and

things which it '

rulers cursed Old Scratch ' did not wish us to preach to the end

to do - as we had commenced ; but he shall be well paid for it,

and with interest, since all this week, with the help of the
blessed Jesus, we will preach in regard of this matter. Well
then, we will continue the matter commenced, which I con-
sider to be equally useful and necessary as any matter that
I could preach. Because this is a very great error into
which you have all fallen, and this defect which you have
in you must be cured in that part in which it is found to
lie. If one of you had a shoulder that pained and the cure
were applied to the heel, it would not serve. Or dost thou
wish, if thy head doth ache, that the cure be applied to thy
shoulder '? I say if thou hast an ache in thy head apply the
cure to thy head ; if thou hast an ache in thy arm apply
it to thy arm. So therefore we should apply the cure to
that part wherein lieth the offence. Hearken! This morning
the new rulers who govern your city have assumed office, 8
and this doth occur often. It is good to speak of .those
things which it behooveth them to perform ; and in order
that each one of them may learn it, so that they may know
well how to rule the republic rightly. And it is becoming
that I should let my words be few, for I have arrived late,

1 So in jest lie blames the devil for the rain which had prevented his finishing
the preceding sorniou.

a This sermon was preached on the first of Septhember, the day on which the
new rulers regularly assumed office, . li.

- 59 -

and the error was mine into whio.h I fell through ignorance.
I thought I was to preach at a. quarter of an hour before
Tierce.

2. Dost thou desire to rule well ? Keep thou thy To rule wett
head bowed in humility, and so thou wilt be a hollow reed ^ 6 ^" S a Jz S o
and wilt listen to all with sweet and yielding magnanimity, thou shait &
Consider thyself and look how fitted thou art to govern ^niigu.neA iy
others. Knowest thou to govern thyself? How far art thou

able to govern ? How able art thou to keep thyself from
sin? How able art thou to do those things which concern
the safety of thy soul ? But poorly. Now if thou knowest
not how to rule and govern thyself, think with how ill suc-
cess thou art able to govern others. What shouldst thou do ?
Be humble, and so thou shalt be enlightened by God. Stand
with bowed head, be a hollow reed. Sect thou not for thy-
self that thou art empty? Yes. And of what? Of not wish-
ing to govern thyself, of not being able to, of not know-
ing how so to do, without the grace of G-od. Even if thou
rulest well, consider this of God and not of thyself ; because
of thyself alone thou wouldst do only evil and if thou know-
est that thou art empty, God will fill thee full- with air,
that is with his grace, and the more thou shalt recognize
that thou art empty, the more God will fill thee with air ;
and with grace.

3. Another quality which he who governs should Another

,. .,., , , . , .... .... o, -rr quality which he

possess is justice. What are kingdoms without justice ? Know- wllo governs
est thou what they are ? They are very great robbery. And should possess, is
because it is most plain and apparent that cities and prov- i ustlce -
inces decline when justice is not maintained there, there-
fore is it highly commended, Diligite iustitiam qui iudicatis
terram Love justice you that are the judges of the earth.
Wouldst thou love justice? Then fail not: see that thou dost
punish with mercy ; do not hinder it, do nothing feignedly.
thou who wouldst practise prudence, and who dost oft-
times use so great malice, do not in thiswise, for thou canst
never deceive God, though perchance thou dost deceive men. .

thou who dost wish to practise the virtue of humility, who
ofttimes with humility doth mingle pride, verily thou wilt
certainly not deceive God, although thou wilt deceive thy-
self. As I speak of this virtue, so thou mayest understand '

- 60 -

of all the others. Go on straight in the way, and deceive
not. Bend everything forward straight to its end, and so
thou wilt have the staff of office. What is the staff of office ?
Knowest-thou, the little rod which is put in the hand of
the governor and also of many other administrators ? That
signifleth how he should use justice towards everyone, and
that justice should stand upright, that it should neither
bend backwards nor forwards, nor to the right, nor to the
left.

HOW the lion 4. Hearken. A most beautiful example comes to me

ail the animals * n res P ect of this. woman mark this, listen to this story.

and how he The lion once heard that the friars had held a chapter

judged them. where as sinners they accused themselves of the sins which

they had committed, confessing their error. Says the lion :

if the friars hold a general chapter for themselves all
before their superior, I who am the superior of all the ani-
mals on the earth, and am the lord of them all, should I be
less than they? And at once he had a chapter* proclaimed
of all the animals that they should come before him.
And so when they were assembled, he mounted into a seat;
and when he was in it, he ordered that they should seat
themselves about him. And so seated the lion said : I am
unwilling that we should be less than others in such a
matter. I desire that we hold a chapter as the friars do, in
which chapter 1 wish that every sin shall be told, and every
wrong that is done ; because I being the superior wish to
know them. I have heard that through your fault many
injuries have been performed. I address myself to him whora
it toucheth. And therefore I wish that everyone should tell
me his sin. Come before me all of you each in turn to ac-
cuse yourselves as sinners of that which you have done. It
was said to the ass that he should go first : and the ass
went forward to the lion, and knelt down and said: Sire,
mercy ! Saith the lion : What hast thou done, what hast
thou done ? Tell it. Saith the ass : Sire, I belong to a peas-
ant, and at times he loadeth me with panniers of straw,
and taketh me into the city to sell it ; it hath sometimes
happened that I have taken a mouthful of it on the way
thither, without that my master perceived it, and thus have

1 done ofttimes, Then saith the lion : thief, thief, traitor,

61

villain ! knowest thou not what wrong thou hast done? And
when wilt thou be able to make restitution of that which
thou hast stolen and eaten. And straightway he ordered
that the ass should be seized and that he should be buffet-
ted with many blows, and this was done. After him went
the goat before the lion, and in like manner fell down upon
her knees asking for mercy. Saith the lion : What hast thou
done ? tell thy sin. The goat saith : My lord, I confess
my fault, which is that I have gone at times into the yards
of certain women and there have I done damage, and most
of all in the yard of a widow, who had a little yard where
there were many sweet smelling herbs, parsley, marjoram,
thyme, and even some basil ; and many a time have I
spoiled certain cabbages and certain little young trees, for
I cropped off the tops, which were very tender. And as I
did this damage to her, so I have done in many yards, and
sometimes I have done so much that I have left nothing
green in them. Quoth the lion : Tush ! So I have met with
two consciences that differ widely. One hath a conscience
so tender that it is too delicate, while the other hath a
conscience too easy, as hath that thief of an ass. Dost thou
make it a great matter with thy conscience that thou hast
eaten these herbs, Eh 1 go thy way in peace go, let it
not trouble thee. Tush ! go, and give no thought to it,
go gaily, as I go. Of this sin you need say naught, it is
of the nature of goats to do this. Thou hast a good excuse
because thou art inclined by thy nature to do so. Go, go,
I assoil thee, and think no more of it. After the goat next
came the fox, and fell on his knees before the lion : Saith
the lion : Now tell thy sins. what hast thou done ? Said
the fox: Sire, I confess my fault, which is that I have
killed many hens and eaten them, and at times I have bro-
ken into the yard where they lodge, and because I saw
that I could not reach them, I have feigned that my tail
was a stick arrd^ that it was my intent to throw it up at
them. And because they believed that it was a stick, they
flew to the ground at once in fright, and then I ran among
them and as naauy of them as I could reach I killed; and
I would eat what I could, and the rest I would leave there
dead, though at times I have carried away one or more.

- 62 -

Saith the lion : 0, thou hast too tender a conscience ! Go
thy way in peace, go ! all that thou dost is of thy na-
ture. I give thee no penance, and I do not account it a sin
in thee. I tell thee even that thou dost valiantly to do as
thou hast done, and do not be disturbed except in regard
of those which remain. 1 And when the fox had gone, then
the wolf came and said : My lord, I have gone at times
around the sheepfold, to see in what condition it was. Thou
knowest that the net all roundabout it is very, very high,
and I have noted well the opening by which I can enter
most easily. And when I found the opening, I went for a
log of wood, which I think doth weigh as much as a sheep,
and I try to go in and out again with this, and this I do
so that I may not be overtaken by the dogs. And when I
have done this, I enter, as softly as I could with the bur-
den of the log, and straightway I killed more sheep than
I had need of, and I came away carrying one. Saith the
lion: here we have another tender conscience! Knowest
thou what I say to thee ? Do not have such things on thy
conscience. Go, and act boldly from this time forward,
without any thought of me. And so when the wolf had left,
the sheep came there, and she came with hanging head,
saying : be, be. Saith the lion : What hast thou done, Ma-
dame Hypocrite ? She cloth reply : Sire, I have sometimes
passed along the roads on the side where oats are sown,
and at times have I climbed to the hedge, and seeing those
tender green little shoots, I have eaten such delicious mouth -
fuls of them ! I have not plucked them up by the roots,
but I have cropped off the tops, that tender part. Then
saith the lion : cursed thief, treacherous thief, so thou
hast then done so great evil as this ? And thou goest about
ever saying: be, be* and thou robbest on the way.
cursed thief, what evil thou hast done ! Away ! Give her a
good beating ! Give her such a beating that you break her
bones, and see that you keep her three days without eat-
ing aught.

1 I. e., those hens.

s The first syllable of the Italian -word lene good .

63

5. Oh, there is much salt in this story! Crows never Wolf and wolf
pick out one another' s eyes. As for example: when a wick- d< "> our n t eaoh

Ob/IB* i OZtt CCtL C i

ed wolf or a fox doth anything, then doth he cover it, he fl es h of others.

doth cover it so that it is not seen, as doth the cat. But if

it be the wretched sheep, or the goat, that is, the widow

or the orphan, or a poor man who doth say or do some

trifle, kill him ! Kill him ! That is what you want ! And

they are so despoiled that naught remaineth to them. Wolf

and wolf devour not one another, but they eat the flesh of

others. And therefore I say to you: thou who governest,

do jiot beat the ass and the sheep for a trifle and commend

the wolf and the fox for a grievous crime.

6. List now ! I wish thee to have an example, of W ju*h<* were

not done, every

the which I know not whether thou hast ever heard, of i and wmad be
what Peter the Comb-Merchant said. 1 He had gone to Pisa full of iniquity.
to buy iron combs for wool, which was his trade; and dur-

,>

ing that time in which he was gone, a government had
been overthrown * at Siena, and certain exiles had set out
for Pisa. On the way they met with the blessed Peter as he
was returning to Siena, Believing that he had the gift of
prophecy they said to him: Peter, when shall we return
to our homes, from which we have been driven out by him
who was more powerful than we? The blessed Peter replied, -
attend and hearken to these good words, thou Shear-
man, s and write them down. He spoke these words :
When they shall be full of sins deserving of punishment,
and when you shall be purged of your sins, you shall re-
turn, and they shall be driven out; and then it will happen
to you so another time, that when your sins shall have
multiplied, and theirs have been washed away, they will

1 It is this Peter the Comb-Merchant to whom Alighieri refers in Canto XIII
of his Purgatory, a man deservedly enrolled among the beatified of Siena because
of the integrity of his life. In his business he steadily manifested his uprightness
and honesty. Ho died Decembers, 1289. By publics ordinance a marble monument
was erected to his memory in the Church of San Francesco at Siena, as ho had be-
longed to the Third Order of St. 3Trancis. A little street of 1he city still bears
his nama: it is supposed that here he carried on his business, the selling of combs
for wool. B.

1 That is, there had been one of those changes of government so frequent in
the history of Siena.

Here he addresses that Benedetto, a shearer of cloth by trade, who day atter
day wrote down the sermons as they were delivered.

64

return and drive you out. Hast thou understood this? It is
because, if justice were not done, every city would be full
of iniquity. I say to thee, hold to justice and punish the
wicked. Thou seest this example pjainly; if the grass doth
not spring up, thou wilt never gather it in at the harvest.
So if thou dost take away the wicked from a city, seldom
shalt thou find injustice there, for if the thief be taken
away, seldom indeed wjill there be robbery ; if the traitor
be taken away seldom will there be treachery ; and so I
say of every vice. And therefore says John : Measure the
temple of God and them that adore therein; that is, meas-
ure the city, measure the -community, measure the subject,
measure the people. If there be an evil-doer in the city,
official, correct him and punish him ! either punish
him, or restrain him in order that he shall not longer prac-
tise his vice. Seest thou not how each one doth in his own
house ? That because the dung is putrid and fetid, thou
puttest it in the out-place. See that if a man be wicked you
imprison him, shut him away so that he may not do harm
to others. And even then close up his mouth, so that it may
not stink, and that he may not make thy room stink: be-
cause God permitteth that this should be done? and if thou
wilt not do so, he will ruin the rest of the company. It is
possible that one evil-doer may ruin not his own house
alone, but the whole city, and even all Italy. And there-
fore punish, punish, official ! see that thou dost not rest
until the evil be plucked up by the roots.

How we, should love, our neighbour,

1. He who truly loveth, and loveth with his heart, see to it that
must of necessity Jive in harmony with all. We do not MOU dost always
wish to do as the ass: when thou dost shove away the ass 6 ^. ty nei9 '
it will push itself towards thee; and if thou dost draw it

to thee, it draweth itself backwards. Do not so wihen thou
seest that a certain thing is needful for the god'd of thy
neighbour; see to it that thou dost always help him. Did
not God wish the generation of humanity to have its be-
ginning in a mystery? This was merely because of the
harmony that should exist among us.

2. In the beginning thou seest that God created Animals take
Adam alone; he did not create Adam and Eve together, at * ft " r ^fi*"***

from plurality,

the same time, but Adam first, and then Eve. He did not while man taJceth
thus in respect of the beasts and the animals, for these he M from one alone.
created two and two. And again thou. seest whence he form-
ed woman: he created her not from the head of man, nor
yet from his feet; but he created her from the middle, and
this too is a mystery, to signify that woman is not the
head of man. things go ill indeed when she doth over-
rule man ! See moreover that ke wished not to draw her
from man' s feet; to signify that man must not degrade his
wife, he should hold her as a woman and not as a slave.
And for this reason, I say, he did draw her forth and form
her from the middle in order that they should be equal one
unto the other, yet that she should still be drawn forth
from Adam. Not thus did he do in respect of the beasts.
He made two goats, two sheep, two oxen, two asses ; that
is, he made one male and the other female: and so all the-
beasts^ two and two. In like manner he made the birds,

66 -

two, the male and the female. Again thon knowest that
thus they were preserved in the ark in the time of the
flood, one male and one female; although there were there
more of men, since he wished to preserve upon the earth
those souls which were good. Mark that which I say; I say
that the beasts take their beginning from plurality, while
man taketh it from one alone. And so I say this clearly
showeth and proveth man to be a beast whensoever he
doth become estranged from pure love. His Jove must be
united in one, not divided in many and in divers ways.
Although so 3. - All the things that God hath made in this world,

many divers ^ books. He made the water, the air, the fire, and

things exist toge- ' ' '

ther in nature, the earth, and these four elements are by their nature far
yet they war not distant one from another; for water is in opposition with
9ainst ano ' fire, the air with the earth, and the earth with the water,
and yet God hath disposed and placed them in such a, way
that each one doth abide as he hath .established. Thou, seest
the water in winter make of itself ice above the earth; the
sun with its heat doth melt the ice, and maketh it to spread
out as water, and thou seest how it doth distil beneath the
earth, and from this the gourds grow up ; and this doth
bring forth the vines and the fruits of the trees; for although
they be contrary yet do they come together in mutual
correspondency to make the earth bear fruit. In like man-
ner man hath this fourfold nature, humid, dry, hot, and
cold. And yet these all are within the body and keep man
alive. Again you see in man divers things: there is in him
flesh, bones, nerves, blood; and while so many divers things
are here together, yet is there so great concurrence among
them, that they never war in any manner against the ten-
dency given them by nature. And as I say of animate na-
ture, so do I say of inanimate nature.

4. I know not how you are used to do, you who
ful deed u is to are here; well I know what was done in Rome, when there
aid prisoners. was co u ec t e( j so much money that by it prisoners were lib-
erated from thirty prisons, or nigh as many. what a
merciful thing was that ! Ay me ! What have I heard of
you ? thou who dost hold a prisoner for a debt of three
florins, and there dost let him pine away, ay me ! what
then dost thou wish from him if he be not able to pay thee?

- 67 -

Dost thou wish his flesh ? Alas ! have pity on him for the
love of God. If thou seest that he is unable to pay, make
him not so to waste away and die in this manner. women,
for the love of God I pray you take thought at least for
some beds. Oh! this is called the city of mercy. For the
love of the Virgin Mary, from whom the city hath this ti-
tle, ah, provide for these ! and if you be unable to aid
them, at least have compassion on them in your hearts.

5. thou who hast a debt of five soldi, and dost n would be a
keep the debtor in prison, and maketh him to waste away merciful thing if

there, I hold that thou art not merciful. I asked of thee on ** " 9 '

the day before yesterday a boon, that at least those debtors preaching.

who are unable to pay, those I would say who are here

shut up, or who are fled from Siena l because they can not

remain here in safety, that these might come to the preach-

ing for so long as I am here. 2 . And it doth seem to me

to surpass belief that I should have a worse return from

you than I have had in those other places where I have

preached. Oh, I am the Lord of the World! 3 Shall not all

be permitted to come there where is the Lord of the World?

Ah ! let them come hither to me in this little while that I

am with you !

6. Thou shouldst take example from the beasts, Man is wort
from the birds; if thou hast not intelligence of thyself to *** the Urds '
learn. boys, boys, when you take captive little swallows,
what then do the mother birds? All the mother swallows
unite together, and do in every way endeavour to aid the
little pretty birds. Not so doth man: not alone doth he not
endeavour to aid his brother, but he hath not even com-
passion on him. Worse than the birds is man ! Oh, in what
confusion will the cruel man find himself, who hath not
compassion on him who is his fellow ! For thou seest that
the beast is more merciful than thou art. So mayest thou
see of the swine which are merciful one towards another,
that when one doth squeal all the others run to aid him,

1 I. e., those who are imprisoned for debt or those who have fled from Siena be-
cause of their debts.

* I. e., while I am preaching in Siena.

1 That is, when I preach the Gospel I represent the Lord of the World; it is God
who speaks through me,

Francis
wai glad of the
good that came to
others as if it
were his own.

If Friar

Stmurdine had
come to Siena as
Bithop, he would
have had half of
his mouth closed
up.

if it be possible. Do I speak to you obscurely, so that you
understand me not?

7. Let it never be out of thy mind that we are all
from one seed begotten by one father. We are all brothers,
and therefore every good thing that thou seest of thy neigh-
bour, all wisdom, all beauty, every gift of nature, all
good renown, every honour, every benefit which he hath,
see that thou art glad of it. Hence Paul teaching us this
maxim saith : Gaudele cum gaudenlibus Rejoice with them
that rejoice. If thou see one receive something good, look
to it that thou dost rejoice thereat together with him, and
see that thou beest armed against the accursed sin of envy,
It were well that the envious man should have more eyes
than the peacock, and that he should see all the benefits
that every creature doth possess in order that he might
burst anon wholly. He should rejoice that his fellow hath
aught good, and by how much greater the good, by so
much more should he rejoice. And he hath envy to him,
and is sorrowful thereat. woman, bast thou envy to thy
finger which hath a ring ? Or, hath the finger which hath
no ring envy to that which hath ? Take example from Saint
Francis, who rejoiced in the good which the' King of France
had, and was so glad of it that he said: I am as glad of
it as if it were mine, giving then these reasons for it : If
he be at war, I am not; if he be in danger of poisoning, I
am not; if he must guard his lands, I must not; if he have
to spend money, and to pay men at arms, I need not take
thought for this. In respect of all this the gain is mine,
and he is in danger of losing. He hath tribulations and cares
in the maintenance of bis high estate, and I have some-
what to eat without any peril whatsoever. And so he
rejoiced in the good fortune of others as if it were his own.'

8. When thou hearest of dissension among others,
see at least that thou dost grieve thereat, and that thou dost
endeavour to bring about peace there, as far as in you lies.
What think you hath been the occasion of my coming? The
occasion was this, because I heard that there was very great
dissension among you, and it was said to be even greater
than it is. And I said within myself: if I do good to
others, am I not bound most of all to my fellow- citizens?

Verily in trath I am. And I say unto you that because of
the love I bear to all of you, every word I heard from
you wherein goodness was wanting was to me a bombarde.
And because the faith I have in you is so great that I
think there is no religious in whom you believe more than
you do in me, for this reason I grieved the more over it.
And were it not for the matter of the Bishopric I should
have come here straightway, as soon as Easter was passed;
but I turned first to consider myself, before any other. In
monte salvum te fac First of all save thyself. I withheld
myself out of fear lest I might be inveigled; for were I
come so soon, I could not have done as I now do, after
my own will. Were I come as you wished me to come
here, as your Bishop, half of my mouth would have been
closed up. See,-thus: in this condition should I have been, l
so that I should in no way have been able to speak, but
with a close mouth. And I wished to come in the manner
in which I am come, in order to be able to speak out free-
ly ; for so shall I be able to say that which I wish to say,
arid to speak of everything rather after my own habit, and
boldly to admonish you of your sins.

1 He adds to the vividness of his words by tightly closing his mouth, in order
to illustrate how the episcopal dignity would have interfered with his liberty of
speech. B.

How the husband, should love his wife, and in lilte
manner the wife her husband.

Everyman 1. Consider those who take to themselves a wife that

should seek after gke ma y bring 1 them a fair dowry: when it hath been pro-

goodness in * .

awomanandnot niised, and then the dowry coineth not, what feeling of
after a doiory. friendliness think you can there be ? And even if the dowry
couie, yet is the friendliness such as springeth not from a
just cause, since thou hast not had regard to that which
thou shouldst have regarded ; for ofttimes money doth cause
the doing of much which afterwards many do repent of.
And therefore I say to you, woman, be unwilling to take
to thyself as husband one who hath it in his thought to
take thy money and not thee. But wish rather to take him
who wisheth first before all else to take thee, and then
afterwards .thy money with thee: for if he love rather thy.
money, it is not well. Laedetur quasi vinea, in primo flore
botrus ejus. Knowest thou that which I would say ? As the
grape, thou knowest, in blossom ; then next the shoot grow-
ing up doth become a tendril ; for many times it doth be-
fall that the woman is endowed with much dowry, and for
this great dowry are made garments of very great price,
and then they lie there unused, and no manner of good is
had of them. how wrong a fashion is this! Hearken!
I am neither Pope, nor Emperor, although to myself * I
seem so. This I say because if it lay in my might I would
introduce as a practice, that all the women should go clo-
thed after one fashion, as the Roman women, who all go

1 I, 9., because I am content to be as I am.

_ 71

clad in cloth of linen. To their praise they wear on their
backs and on their heads, all of them, white cloth of linen,
even the wives of famous princes, as well -as the other wo-
men. And when they go into a house of death, they go all
clad in mourning gowns;, and truly this manner of dress
doth please me mightily. When they go to the pardons *
they go simply clad ; they do not go trailing their garments
after them, nor do they spoil these with cutting them in
designs and patterns, and with so great waste of much
cloth.

2. See now how it goeth when a woman marries, it f not the
and the man taketh her in order that he may have her posses- /a ^ f owrj f ***'

> r which maketh

sions. Hast thou got her possessions without goodness or him care for his
virtue besides? Yes. When she doth arrive at her husband's wife, nor beauty,
house, the first thing that is said to her, is this : Thou art JJ^^SUS
not welcome here! And if it be not said to her in words, that she is greatly
it is said to her in deeds ; for in faith he took thought only loved "
of the dowry, and of having this. But if another woman
should have more than this one, if she should have both
dowry and beauty as well, oh ! then she is indeed a shrew. 8
Within a very little while there will be no true friendliness
between them, for when she shall grow a little yellow then
he will not care so much for her. If one shall possess goods,
and shall have beauty and right feeling, there will be great-
er friendliness: if you add thereunto that she is rich, wise,
of good customs, true; if she will bear children, will carry
herself kindly towards her father-in-law, will fear God, will
treat all of the household lovingly, will give alms and offer
prayers to the honour of God, and will make herself belov-
ed by all those who shall have to do with her ; if she
shall be of such condition, not they alone but the very
stones will say well of her. Oh ! To such as these will true
love be shown. It is not the fair dowry alone which maketh
a man to care for his wife, it is not even a fair dowry nor
beauty, but only goodness bringeth it about that she is
greatly, loved. And therefore, women, who have daugh-
ters to marry, see to it that you let your daughters have

1 That is, when they go to church on those occasions when pardon may be
obtained through a plenary indulgence.

* Because of her greater pretentiousness,

- 72

beautiful, tali

maiden rejected

a ymtth who was
me a uttie wren,

small and thin

AS thou dost
wish thy wife to

thyself. l U

the dowry of virtue, if you wish that they be loved by
their husbands.

3. There be many wh wish to have a wife, and
^ no( . fl d h fc nowest them why ? Because he saith :

'

I wish a woman who is wholly wise and good, and thou
art crazed ! This goeth not well; a crazed man accords well

tj . . TT . . . , r>

Wlt ^ a C] ' aze d woman. How do you wish this woman to be?
I wish her tall, and thou art uudcrgrown, a little wren ;
this efoeth not well. There is a country where the women
are married by measure. And it happened once that one of
those who wished a wife, wished to see her ; and he was
brought to see her by the brothers of the maiden ; and she
was shown to him barefoot, with nothing on her head, and
when the measure of this maiden was made she was the
tallest among them all, and he was a little tiny fellow. Fi-
nally they said to him: Well, then, doth she please thee?
And lie said : Oh, in truth she please th me well ! But the
maiden seeing him so insignificant as he was, said : And
thou pleasest me not. Aha ! how well he deserved that !

4. Of what kind wishest thou this wife to be ?
j wish her virtuous, and thou art dishonest. Again, this
{3 oetn not well. Further, of what kind dost thou wish her
to be ? I wish her temperate, and thou dost never leave
the tavern. I do not wish her greedy, and thou always
with thy dainty morsel of fried liver ! This is not well.
How dost thou wish her to be ? I wish her busied about
things, and thou art a waster of the whole day. How
dost thou wish her to be ? I wish her mild, and thou
wouldst scold at a straw that falleth athwart thy feet. How
dost thou wish her to be ? I wish her obedient, and thou
obeyest never, neither father, .nor mother, nor any one
else : thou dost not deserve her. How dost thou wish her
to be ? I wish her not to play the part of the cock, *
and thou art no hen. *[ How dost thou wish her to be ? I
wish her good, beautiful, wise, accustomed to the practice
of every virtue. Thus I reply to thee, that if thou wishest
her to bo of such condition, thou must needs be so thyself;
that, like as thou goest in search of a- virtuous wife, good

* I. e., strutting about in pride, imperious and dictatorial.
'* I. e., submissive, humble.

_* 73 -

and beautiful, so think that she doth wish thee to be, wise
discreet, good, and endowed with every virtue.

5. Wouldst thou know how to answer and tell me AS the sun it
what is the most beautiful and most useful thing iu a house? an ornament in

the heavent, in

Is it to have very many servants, obedient and courteous? like manner &
It is not this. Would it be to have such adornments as are the wise and pru-
goblets arid plates of silver, or cloth, or silks, or velvets ? dent v>oma ? an

ornament in a

It is not this. Is it to have obedient children, pleasing and
endowed with good understanding? It is not this. What then
is it ? Knowest thou what it is ? It is to have a beautiful,
tall wife, who is wise, virtuous, temperate, and such as to
bear children. Truly there is no ornament in a house more
beautiful than this nor can there be any such. Knowest
thou how well the woman doth become the house ? As the
sun, which illuminates all the earth, for above the earth there
is seen naught more beautiful than the sun.

6. I will hold with the women, and I say that the 2he woman
woman is cleaner and more precious in respect of her flesh

than the man is ; and I say that whosoever hold to a con- 'respect of her
trary opinion he doth lie in his throat; and I bring it to fi eth than the
the proof. Would you understand this ? But tell me then, m M \
was not man created by God from slime? Verily. women,
let us draw our reasoning from this ! And woman was made
of flesh and bone, so that she was made from a more preci-
ous thing than thou. What ! thou mayest have the proof
of it daily, how the woman is cleaner and more free from
dirt than thou. Of a man and a woman let each one wash
as well as they know how and are able to do, and then
when that they are washed, lee each one take clean water
and. let them rinse themselves; and then look at the rins-
ings of one and of that other, and thou wilt perceive that
those of the man are far more foul than those of the woman.
Wherefore ? Wash a little slime and look at the water that
floweth off, and thou shalt see how dirty it will be. Wash
a rib with the flesh upon it, and it * will be a little dirty,
but yet it will not be foul like that from the slime. This
further is a better proof. If thou wash an unbaked brick,
thou wilt have always dirty water from it, whereas if thou

1 I. e., the water.

- 74 - .

wash a bone, thou wilt not so. So it is in respect of the
man and the woman, for the man is of slime and the wo-
man is of flesh and blood by their nature in the begin-
ning 1 . And let the proof of this be that the man, who is of
slime, is more quiet than the woman, who is of bone,
bones do ever rattle.
That it is true 7. Q women, women, how much in fault you are

j^nT&me that in tlie jnornin g "while I am saying Mass, you make so
and not from great a noise, that in truth I seem to hear a whole moun-
slime may be tain of bones, so do you cry out ! One of you. saith : Jane !
P noisfthat Ihe Another calleth: Katherine ! Another: Frances! Oh, this is
doth make great devotion forsooth, which you show in hearing holy
continually. j\ asg j p or me> j t se emeth to me a great confusion with no
devotion nor reverence therein. Do you nol call to mind
that here 4 is celebrated the glorious body of Christ, the Son
of God, for your salvation ? that you should carry your-
selves in such a manner that no one should utter even a
sh ! Here cometh My Lady Lazy-Bones, and would seat
herself in front of My Lady Ready- Betimes ! Do so no more.
Who first arriveth, may first grind *. In order as you arrive,
take your seats, and let not any enter in front of you.
; There is no dty 8. Among other vanities which I have seen, I have
viherevn eviit found none so great as here in Siena: because you, women.

have to multiplied

as in Siena. seem to me to be so tall as to overtop other women when
you are set up on stilts 8 with garments trailing behind you;
which to my amazement bear witness to so great shameless-
ness in you, that I fear lest through this alone you will
bring terrible destruction upon this city. And saith she: The
purchase is made, what then must we do ? The deed being
done we can not now. turn back. Thou sayest truly. But
will you answer me this ? If. a man standing upon the tower
leap forth from it, and the leap being made, if he shall
then perceive and comprehend how ill he hath done, he can
not turn back, but falleth perforce with a shock to the earth.
So do I believe it will befall you because of the fashion of
your garments, you who say : What remedy is there, the

1 That is, in the chapel of the Campo, where the Saint used to celebrate Mass
every morning before preaching.

* I. e., at the mill.

* reference to the high heels of the women' slippers.

75 --

deed being done? This only do I know full well, that I
am awaiting a great shock, for when I consider that vani-
ties are so multiplied here, and that those things which are
of the spirit are so lacking, I see not what good can come
of it. Here are no more to be found men of spiritual mind
as there were used to be, such as were once seen here; nor
yet such women ; for there were many both in the city and
in the confines outside the walls as well, which were once
quite filled with them. I know not the meaning of this: yet
I see that you till your fields ', which were the rightful
possessions of the church; - how matters have gone in regard
of this you know it far better than do I. Likewise when I
consider the churches, the hospitals, which were used to be
provided with all that WHS requisite *, I see here as well
that the city is at fault ; in that hospital there is found not
a bed which can harbour the pilgrims, - one is weak in this
part, another hath many parts that are weak. I see that
evils multiply and that good is wanting. I see that the pri-
soners have no aid from those who could help them, I see
the widows and orphans abandoned, and every act of mercy
diminished. On the other hand I see money lavished in
pomp and vanity. Further, I saw before that your Compan-
ies * were most deserving of praise. Now I know not of
what condition they are. Also I remember well how many
most worthy religious there were of the Observance who
are no more to be seen here. All have vanished. In truth
of those that I saw then in these Companies, their observ-
ance of piety was true devotion. We must speak in praise
of that which is good. I tell you that at Milan there are
two monasteries of the Observance and the whole number
of women therein is forty, Jiving under that Rule which
holy Francis gave to Saint Clare ; women of very great
piety and devotion. Also at Crema there are many of the
Third Order of Saint Francis ; and how great yield there
hath been therefrom ! Three months ago, or less than this

1 For the present ; there is as yet no war to hinder tho cultivation of the aoil.

2 Cared for in respect to all that was requisite, including of course religious
services, etc.

8 Beligious societies of the laity, which he bad reformed aiid bad inspired anew
with zeal.

1Q -

it is I do remember that there were heard beatings of the
discipline by about five - hundred, for all beat themselves
with chains of iron, and the blood flowed, and it was
a pious thing to see. Not hero doth it appear that such
things are done, yet when I went hence I believed that you
were all saints. Now I say not thus. You have so destroyed
my faith in you as no other people have ever destroyed it,
of those with whom I have had to do. Now at Perugia there
are well nigh thirty young men, given over to so holy a
life that it is a marvellous thing, all of them having put
on our habit. Nor do I speak of the rest, of whom there
are many who receive communion every week, now ten,
now twenty^ now thirty, or nigh that number ; nor do I
speak of the confessions, and this is a pious thing to see.
And therefore I say to you, men, help your wives. And
you, women, help your husbands that they may not en-
danger their souls, and lay not away your goods in coffers,
wherfiby thou seest well that they make thee to sin, thee
and likewise thy husband, who doth content thee with that
which thou dost ask of him. For thou by so doing and he
likewise, do help one another to endanger your souls.
ihere are 9. By the fruit of the woman shalt thou know if she

many who con- ^ g 00( j . w h fcll a W0 man is good, she doth bear children,

'none thing & a, wnic ^ are ^ e most noble fruit that can be brought forth in
boy or a girl. this world, when they are good. For thou knowest that God
planted the tree, and that the fruit thereof is the noblest
thing that there can be. Oh, when thou seest a male child,
thou hast never seen fairer fruit ! This tree, as thou know-
est was planted in so precious a place, in the terrestrial
paradise, and was made by the hands of God himself. Many
are there who consider not of how great value is a boy or
a girl, and many having them prize them not at all, and
when he doth see that they do something which is childish,
he knoweth not how to bear with them, so lacking is he in
discretion. For such there are who know better how to bear
with a hen, who doth lay every day a fresh egg, than to
bear with his own wife ; and sometimes the hen will break
a water jar on him or a glass, and he will not beat it,
simply because he can not endure that he should lose its
fruit, that egg. ye many madmen, who do merit chains,

77

you who can not bear a word from your wife^ who yields
fruit so fair , for when she saith one more word than seem-
eth good to him, straightway doth he seize upon a stick
and set himself to beat her; yet the hen, which doth
cackle all day, and doth never cease, with her thou has
patience, that thou mayest have the little egg, which
sometimes the hen even breaketh for thce, and doth more
trespass than she doth repay, and yet thou hast patience
because of the egg! Many unnmiable fellows seeing that the
woman is not so quick nor so clean and dainty as they
would wish, straightway buffet her, and the hen ofttiines
even befouls the table for thee, yet thou hast patience. Oh,
wherefore dost thou not regard that which thou oughtest to
do ? Seest tbou not likewise the hog, which doth squeal and
grunt, and forever doth befoul the house for thee; and thou
dost suffer this until the time cometh wherein thou shalt
slaughter it ? Such patience thou hast only in order that
thou mayest have to eat that fruit, the meat. Consider, thou
naughty rogue, consider the noble fruit of the woman, -be
patient, not for every trifle is it fitting that thou shouldst
beat her, no !

10. When the woman seeth aught to be done there The woman
doth she stand in readiness. If she be with child she suf- endureth ton in

fereth pain in her condition, she suffereth in bringing forth household

her children; she endureth toil in looking well to them, in

teaching and training them, and doth tire herself as well

in looking to the comfort of her husband when he is in any

need whatsoever of care, or in sickness. And thou there-

fore since thou dost see in how many ways she doth suffer

and endure much, so, husband, when thy wife hath need

of any care, see that thou aid her to bear the burden. If

she be with child or in the pangs of childbirth, help her

in that which thou canst, because that child is thine. Let

each one aid her in that which he can. Consider in thy

mind in regard of her that she doth suffer pain in giving

birth to her child, that she doth tire herself in nurturing

it, in teaching and training it, in washing and cleaning by

day and by night. All this labour eeest thou belongeth to

the woman alone, and the man goeth forth care-free with a

song on his lips. There was once the : wife of a gentleman.

- 78 -

who said to me: Meseemeth that the good God doth accord-
ing to his will, and he doth well, say I ; but the woman
alone and by herself hath the burden of the child in many
ways, she it is who must carry it, she who must bear it,
she who must take care for it, and at times she doth suffer
great pain therein. Would that God had given some part
of this burden to man, at least in child-bearing ! And I
hearing these arguments, replied to her : Meseemeth that
thy cause is just.

Never mayest 11- Saith this fellow here: Why must I take a wife?

vein I know no cares; I am not wakened by children while I
com/or ^' ie ss sleep at niffi't: I need not to spend so much as I should

a wise wife doth r o > r

look to thy house, then have to. Why should I wish this .burden? If I fall
sick I shall be cared for by the servants of my household,
far better than I should be tended by her. But I say to
thee contrariwise, that a wife will tend her husband better
than anyone else in the whole world. And as with her hus-
band, so with her house, she will look to it better than
any other person in whatsoever there be need of. Hearken
to Solomon : Qui possedit bonam uxorem, bonum inchoabit
He that hath found a good wife hath found a good thing.
Saith that fellow: further, I have no wish for a wife, but
I will take a mistress, so shall my comfort at the least be
looked to. Mine and the care of my house and of my posses-
sions. Again I tell the, that a woman of that condition
will look to naught else than to hoarding for herself ; she
will be diligent ever in stealing, and it forsooth she see
that aught in the house goeth not well she careth not how
such things go, for she -saith within herself : what need is
there that I should tire myself out and attend with so great
care to all things here? For when I shall grow old, he will
take pleasure no more in the sight of me. And so for this
reason she permitteth that to spoil which the wife would
never let spoil. Whence it is said: Qui nutrif scortum, per-
dit substantiam he who cherisheth the mistress and the
strumpet scattereth his substance, that is, his possessions.
She doth ask this and that, and the crazy madman giveth
; her that which she asketh, and so the matter goeth ill in-

deed. And therefore I say to thee, better is it to take a
wife since thou canst not, or knowest not how to resist the

70

| jy _W

-. '*

impulses of the flesh; and when thou hast her, see that thou
dost live as ought every true Christian to live. Knowest
thou who doth know that what I say is true? He who hath
her, a good and careful mistress of the house, who looketh
well to the house in all ways. She watcheth over the gran-
ary, she keepeth it clean, so that nothing filthy may get
in there. She doth care for the jars of oil, deliberating in
her mind : this one must be thrown out, this other one

'

must be preserved. She taketh care of it and doth look to
it that naught may fall into it, and that no clog or other
beast may nose it. She payeth heed, and in every way that
she can looketh to them, l that they leak not. She taketh
care for the salted meat, both in salting it and next after
that in preserving it. She keepeth it free from dust and giv-
eth to it her thought and care: this must be sold, this
other must be kept. She maketh her household to spin, and
then causeth them to make cloth of fine linen. She doth
sell the bran, and with that money doth buy linen. She
taketh thought for the casks of wine if she doth find the
hoops thereof broken or if they leak in any part. She taketh
thought for all that is in the house. Not so doth the mis-
tress, thou knoweat; for in all that she findeth to do she
doth steal something. She taketh no thought how things go,
for, since the goods are not hers, she doth labour unwilling-
ly therefor, and she bestoweth but little care upon them.
And if there be one who hath neither wife nor any one
who looks to it, in what condition, thinkest thou, is his
house ? Oh, this will I tell you, because I know it well ! If
he be rich and if he have much grain, the sparrows eat it
for him, and the mice. He keepeth it not heaped in order,
but will so scatter it about that all the house is dirty with
it. If he have oil, because he looketh not well to it, it leak-
eth away ; when the jars break, and some of it leaks out,
he puts a little earth over this, and there is an end of it.
And the wine ? Finally he reacheth the cask, and doth drain
out the wine, and thinketh no more of it: sometimes the
cask will burst open behind and the wine leaks out. Like-
wise a hoop or two will break, and he pays no heed, in

1 The Jars.

- 80 v

like manner, some of the wine turneth to vinegar and some
doth become musty. Abed knowest thou in what con-
dition he sleepeth ? He sleepeth in a ditch, i and as he hath
put the sheet on the bed, so it doth stay, until that it
doth tear apart from age. In like manner, in that room
where he is used to eat, there on the ground lie the rinds
of melons, bones, refuse leaves of lettuce, all left there
upon the ground without being ever swept up. Knowest
thou the state of the table ? It is such that from that part
of it upon which is laid the cloth this is never taken up
until H is mouldy. The platters he washeth as little as ever
he can; and the dog licketh them and cleanseth them, the
earthen pots are all greasy, -go, look in what condition they
are ! Knowest thou how he doth live ? Like a beast. I say
to thee that it can never go well with him who liveth in
such a manner. Women, bow your heads. * The woman it
is who knoweth how to take care for the house, to all
else she payeth little heed, and never can it go well
with thee if thou livest as thou dost.

1 I. e, the indentation made in that part of the bed where he lies; the bed is
never shaken up and smoothed.

* Having been praised they mast be on their guard against the sin of pride.

XV. Here is treated also the well-ordered love that ought to
exist between man and wife.

1. The time methinks doth not suffice for that which ^e preacher
should be said. We will speak briefly and will speak of account 9 *

that which is spoken always unwillingly in sermons. how of an the emi lie
evil a thine- it is that we never speak or preach of those mi0ht haoe

, . hindered, if he

things in regard of which a man ought to be illumined hath not hindered

throughout his life! I wish to say that which you are it with his words.

bound to hear. I ought to speak with modesty and you should

hear me with faithful attention. I am bound to do this, as

I have said to you, and moreover my conscience doth dic-

tate to me, and further reason doth represent to me, that

I ought to rebuke the sin in which I see a people entangled

for who doth take upon himself to perform such an office 1 ,

he must perform it in that manner according to which it

is ordained and prescribed that it should be done. Such an

office is performed in this manner : whosoever doth perform

it must rebuke the hearer in respect of all those things be-

cause of which he doth consider him to be involved in sin.

And such is in my thought to say to you this morning ;

and this sermon is called the sermon which doth lay bare

cankers ; because thou hast never heard of so many can-

kers laid bare, as thou shalt hear of to-day and to-morrow.

Hearken ! Wouldst thou have proof that I am bound to ad-

monish thee of thy sin ? Now think upon this. Am I not

bound in like manner as other religious to drag your souls

from the claws of the demon, precisely so far as doth lie

within my power? Nay, tell me this: if I should see over

1 The office of the preacher.

82

there n man who wished to poison that fountain 1 , and if I
had it within my power to hinder him by my words, so
that he should not poison it, am I not bound to hinder him?
And even if it were poisoned, am I not bound to tell you
this in order that you may not drink of it, so that you be
not poisoned ? Yea, truly. So likewise, I do not wish that
it should depend from me that you are not admonished, and
therefore wait all to listen and hear that which it is need-
ful you should hear. And thou woman there, do not fall
asleep*, but listen to hear of those sins which thou hast
committed, and which thou hast never confessed ; for I have
pondered thy sins, and have determined to point them out
to thee, in order that thou mayest be on thy guard against
them. For I must render an account to God of all that evil
which I might have hindered, if I have not hindered it by
my words. And likewise of all that good which I might
have caused to be done, if I have not taught it by my
words, as I ought to teach it. Whence hast thou that say-
ing of Bernard : Non licet tacere cui vitia incwribit deripere
ei eripere : Ah ! hearken to that noble sentence, and may
God bless thee! He who hath taken upon himself to perform
this office is not permitted to keep silence, when he doth
perceive and know that which it is needful should be done.
Because to me and to other preachers and like wise to those
who have the care of souls, this duty doth belong, to know
how to rebuke, and then to rebuke those who need to be
rebuked. But I perceive and know now that T have lost the
trot in the amble this morning, for I wished that all the
priests who are in this region should find themselves here,
and I do not see them. And how useful would it have been
to them, whose duty it is to admonish you. In truth I
would that there were a bench for them, since that I arn
bound to teach them -also that which is needful ; because
having the care of souls, of necessity they should know
what to say in the confessions that are made to them by
their people.

* The fountain of which he speaks here is the famous Fonte Gaia of Jacopo del-
1ft Quercia opposite the Palazzo Municipale.

* We must remember that the sermons were preached very early in the morn 1
ing, so that ther were sure to be some people present who were not yet fully

83

2. If it doth befall, young 1 woman, when thou art Whoaotver
married that thou through ignorance hast done thy part
contrary to the allowed conduct of marriage then thou art,

sayest : Oh, oh! I knew it not, and still I know it not. I that he know how

say to thee in answer : That thou knowest it not, doth not

excuse the sin. For whosoever doth undertake to practise

an art, it is necessary that he know how to do so, in order

that he wrong not himself nor others as well. The example

thereof. Oh. tell me, now ! if thou undertake to make a

garment, and if it be not well made, so that it is neither

beautiful nor well fitted to the back of him who hath re-

quired thee to make it for him, what must then be done

in regard of this ? Go, remedy' it, saith he. What ! I have

done it as well as I am able, and know how to do. Nay,

tell me this, I ask thee now, dost thou know how to make

it ? Thou dost answer, yes, and I then give it to thee to

be made. If thou hast made it ill, the worse for thee,

remedy it. Why then didst thou take it upon thyself to

make it, not knowing how to do so ? And in like manner

would I say of every art and of every trade. So also would

I say of public duties and offices. Art thou one of the Pri-

ors, or the magistrate, or hast thou another office, and know-

est thou not how to perform these duties ? Knowest thou

what I would say to thee ? Thou dost sin ever, not doing

that which thou art bound to do. The witness thereof thou

hast in Paul : Qui ignorat ignorabitur. But if a man know

not be shall not be known. And therefore know thou this,

that onee thou, a maiden, hast said yes to thy spouse, thou

dost thereby promise him to carry out the marriage law-

fully. Thou wilt say perchance : I am a maid, and I know

naught of that which it doth not concern a maid to know.

And I say in answer to thee this : that before marriage thou

shouldst know that which it is needful for thee to know

how to perform.

3. And beforehand thy mother ought to tell it to That mother
thee, and to instruct thee in regard of that which is need- doth sm most
ful. And if she do not so she will go to the home of the dom^t^frwt
devil, and thou with her ; but she will go there head down, the maidm how
and for thee it will suffice that thou dost go head up. What she should ca>vry

out the holy sacra-

madness doth possess thee, to send thy daughters to this ment of marriage

84 -

holy sacrament with no understanding thereof? Hearken !
tell me this : if anyone should go to receive the body of
Christ, and should go merely because he saw others go,
not understanding or knowing nor what it is, nor upon
what conditions he should approach it, tell me, doth not
this man commit a sin ? Yea, truly he doth, because he
ought not to go if he go not upon the conditions prescrib
ed. So likewise of a maiden. She doth marry because she
doth see others do so ; I say to thee that thou dost sin, if
thou know not that which it is right for thee to know. And
that which thou seest to be true in respect of this matter,
so in like manner do I say of everything else which thou
dost undertake to perform, since not performing it well, in
this always thou dost sin. So I say likewise of a priest who
doth undertake to perform his office, that is to consecrate,
and doth know neither the manner of it nor the words,
how far thinkest thou that he may be excused ? Truly, in
nowise whatsoever ; he doth always sin, not performing
that which doth belong to him. And say now, should a
lawyer at any time give his opinion, and not give it right-
ly, thinkest thou that he doth sin therein ? Grievously in-
deed doth he, and he is bound to make this good. The
worse for him is it that he hath done this. And now as is
true of these, so likewise is it of the maiden who goes to
a husband. She doth undertake to perform this office ; it is
needful that she know how to perform it ; and performing
it she should do so lawfully and honestly, doing it in
any other way I say to thee that she doth ever sin. But
more doth the mother sin than the daughter, in not teach-
ing her before marriage how she should act. And I say that
under pain of mortal sin her mother must instruct her,
since not instructing her she doth bring the maiden to
gether with her husband into open peril. And sending her to
him in so mad a fashion is as if thou didst send her forth
in a boat without her fare. Because it is permitted thee
with all honesty to say to her : Daughter, be on thy guard
not to do that which is against the commandment of Grod,
since ofttimes young men permit themselves such wicked
follies, letting themselves fall into such vanity, et cetera. If
thou dost say : She hath no mother, I say to tliee that those

- 85 -

women ought to instruct her who are nearest of kin, or
other women. If thou wouldst speak of the father, I say to
thee that it is not permitted to a father to speak of such
things to a maid, but that it is so permitted to women. If
she have no kinswomen, let there be found some one at
least to instruct her, some venerable and pious women. And
therefore, mothers, you perceive the very grave danger
that there is when thy daughters go to their husbands with-
out that you have instructed them. And if the fault may
be laid to you, I say that your sin is greater than that of
the maiden for she is innocent.

4. Nor is it an excuse that thou art afraid for her i M
to know such things ; for there are some men and women ar ^ ia < who

' wishing to mock

who say : I do not wish to hear preaching about such mat- a country fellow

ters. why dost thou wish not to hear it? Because I wish is 80

, ,, n -, . i-riiii T answered 'by him

to follow my own manner of doing, and I shall be excused, that sheia
not knowing the right manner. Hence said David : Noluit
intellig&re ut bene ageret : She wished not even to hear, in
order that she might do after her own fashion. Oh! I do not
so because my intent is to do wrong. Moreover such mat-
ters ought not to be preached, therefore 1 do not wish to
hear them. What is this'? how then if it be not lawful

fr

for thee to do them, is it not lawful to admonish thee? Oh,
grievously dost thou err ! Knowest thou what I have to tell
thee ? Thou art my Lady Saragia *. Hearken ! I will tell
thee that which befell upon a time at Siena. There was a
certain My Lady Saragia, who was very greedy of those
fine big cherries, and she had a vineyard, thou must know,
here outside, near the monastery*. And the tenant coming
here to Siena in May, saith My Lady Saragia to him :
are there as yet no cherries in the vineyard? Saith the ten-
ant : I was waiting until that they should be a little
riper. Said she : See to it that on Saturday thou dost bring
me some, or dare not to return hither. He promised her
some. On Saturday he took a basket and filled it with
cherries, and he cometh to Siena, and doth carry it to My
Lady Saragia. When she doth see it, she maketh great

1 The name of a kind of very large cherry.

1 The once splendid convent of the Benedictines, outside Porta *. Marco and
very near the city.

86

rejoicing, and she taketh the basket. Thou art indeed right
welcome ! Oh, how well thou hast done ! And she goeth
away into her room with this basket, and doth commence
to eat of these cherries by handfuls. They were fine and
large, they were monstrous large, in faith, and in short she
ate her fill of them. When her husband returned to the
house to dinner, the woman carried to the table a little
basket of these cherries, and saith to him : the tenant hath
come in to us, and hath brought us a few cherries. And
when they had dined, she took up some of the cherries
and commenced to eat them, the tenant being there present.
And eating the cherries she took thereof and gave seven
bites to each one of them, and eating them in this manner
she said to the tenant: How do you eat cherries in the
country outside the walls here? Said the tenant: My Lady,
we eat them as you were eating them a little while before
by handfuls ! Woe is me ! cried she what dost thou
say ? What a naughty fellow thou art ! Madame, &o do we
eat them, in that manner that I say to you I
The horse is 5. Is My Lady Saragia here, who is so abashed by

careless -where &]1 ^g that g]ie dotll mak6 ] iersel f out to be a m bbit, while
you touch it until . , _ T , , .

that you touch it s ^ e 1S rather a SAvme ? If thou be so made, by hearing
there where it is tbou wilt ;imeud thy self, and wilt become good, if thou art
of good condition ; but if thou art of evil condition, thou
wilt say : I have no wish to go there 1 again, and would do
after my own will. He who is wicked will do worse than
before ; but he who is good will amend himself, and will
hold dear what I say to him, and will make it serve him
as a good example. He who is good will not murmur ;
rather will he say : he hath spoken with great modesty and
hath said well in truth, and might even have said far more
than that which he hath said ; and he will bless me, because
I have taught him the straight path of righteousness
according to God and to that which is ordained by the
Church. But he who is a sinner, he will call down upon
me many curses, because he would willingly follow his own
unbridled way, and would do as doth the swine, who stick-
eth its snout in filth. Knowest thou that which I would
say to thee ? The swine accordeth not well with roses ; but

1 1. e., to the preaching.

if there be here any possessed of evil passions, when they
have returned home, they will do worse than they have
ever done ; so shalt thou know the good from the wicked,
and from those worst of all. The good man will say : He
hath said well, and will perceive in my words that which
is needful to him in time to come. The wicked man will
complain ; the worst of all will do greater evil than ever
before. Ah, I know thee well, thou weed ! Hearken, heark-
en, and be not scandalized ; do not do as doth the horse
when its back is galled. The horse is careless where thou
dost touch it, until that thou dost touch it in that place
where it is galled. And when he is touched there, then he
cannot endure it. Oh, in like manner, doth the wicked
man ! The wicked and those who are scandalized by what
they hear. Oh, thou wicked rascal, hearken, without being
scandalized and without complaining, that which is helpful
for thee ; and see to it that in practice thou dost follow
those paths, and those ways that thou shouldst follow. Do
not wish to follow that way from which thou seest thou
hast no escape, against this I warn thee.

6. what marriages are those which are made to- This sacrament
day, with no regard for what is ordained! Of which it seem- * s called hol v
eth that in them there is no moderation, but rather you j^cawsTiwopfo
may say passion most unrestrained. 0, you mad dogs, see ought to unite

you not that you have put marriage into the hands of the wU * mie
devil, who doth lead thee into every sort of destroying sin? oiy '
Alack ! Were it not better to practise a little restraint and
have a little fear of God, and choose instead good customs
rather than to live as do beasts, so that between you and
the beasts there is no difference ? Why is it called holy
matrimony? Because you, should live together holily, and
first you should confess yourselves and receive communion,
and out of reverence for the holy body of Christ you should
say many devout prayers on this day, before that day in
which you come together. And knowest thou what would
befall you so doing ? First, this is most pleasing to God ;
then thy soul will be greatly soothed in this world, and
thy body will be more sound because of it. Thou wilt know
how to abstain at the prescribed times ; and from the right
duties and conduct, at the proper times you will have every

From whom
counsel should
be sought in
regard of holy
matrimony.

good, and finally you will have children, if it shall be the
will of God, who should all be holy. Look at the other
side. If thou be unbridled, without fear, given up to all
that is dishonest and impure, if also thou shalt have chil-
dren, of what condition dost thou think they will be ? Con-
sider this, thou !

7. I would teach thee, Avouian, when thou art
about to enter upon holy matrimony what ways thou
shouldst use; so that thou mayesl; never sin in respect of too
much or too little. I wish that thou shouldst seek counsel
from one who will know how to advise thee right well. Oh,
but perchance I shall not be able to understand her in the
right way. Thou wilt understand her if thou dost wish so
to do. Knowest thou who she is ? She is called my Lady
Discretion. She will teach thee how much, and when, and
how, and if thou dost follow her counsel thou wilt never
sin. But if thou understand her not, I wish that thou
shouldst go to a sister of hers, whom thou wilt understand
better,- as I think. Knowest thou what name she hath ? She
is called My Lady Conscience. If thou dost follow her coun-
sel, again thou wilt never sin. And if forsooth thou shouldst
not understand her as well MS thou oughtest, so that at
times thou shalt say: It scenic to me... Ah! I cannot tell
if I am doing right ; perchance, yes... perchance, no... More
then ! Wi sliest thou to know, since thou art in doubt ? Yes,
go, prithee, to a sister of hers, whose name is My Lady
Charity, who will give thee the best counsel that it is pos-
sible to give, telling thee that thou shalt contrive not to be
the occasion of any sin neither to thyself nor to him. Ah,
I do not understand her we-11 ! So ? If thou dost not under-
stand her, then I would have thee seek counsel from a man,
who shall be discreet, and wise, and good, and who shall
be instructed ; and if he he well instructed and virtuous,
he will teach thee the right conduct. But it' thou wish good
counsel, go not to a friar from Grosseto 1 , for such as they
keep a man shut up in that ignorance of his in which he
should not remain. Knowest thou to whom thou shouldst
go ? Go to one who hath both knowledge and conscience,

1 That is, to one who is dull of wit, di corvel grosso . Here there is a play
on words ; Grosseto is the name of a town near Siena,

89 -

one of those who know excellently well how to discern that
which ought to be done. For one of those dull wits will
say to thee : Oh, thou dost stand under obedience to thy
husband ! Thou art bound to obey him, thou canst not do
otherwise, thou. Thou doest not of thine own wish. Go,
go, thou mayest be excused. Well doth he counsel thee,
say I ! Choose one who is good, not anyone whatever
he may be, no ! For sometimes thou wilt go to one who
hath a carnal mind, and is not instructed, and who will
say to thee : it is permitted thee for the sake of pleasure
to thy husband to beautify thyself and to deck thyself out
with ornaments. Out upon him ! for he is a beast ; do as I
say to thee : go to a man of conscience and of learning,
and who is good. ;

8. Is there one here who hath bjrne a child? Didst
thou -ever give him to a nurse, to be suckled? What moved a child f thine

,, i ^i n TTTTI r, m j i 1 n i f ' a nUTSB, tO be

thee to do this? Why? To procure thyself more pleasure

thou hast done it, et cetera, and all the rest of it ! J When a lawful reason,

thou didst give him to a nurse at once didst thou place thou 8inne8t -

pleasure before God, and thus didst thou fall into sin, and

knowest thou what thou hast done ? Thou hast done worse

than the she-ass, for the she-ass when she hath brought

forth her foal she doth rear it and nurture it. Thou dost

not so. The reason because of which thou wilt not suckle

it, well dost thou know if it be a lawful reason. If it be

lawful, it is not a mortal sin. But it is not lawful in that

manner as thou dost think, no: if thou sh^uldst give thy

child to a nurse because thou art weak in health or if thou

hast not milk to suffice it, or for other such lawful reasons,

thou sinnest not ; but if thou. do so in order better to dis-

port thyself, I say that then thou sinnest.

9. Knowest thou what God doth permit to happen the child doth
sometimes because thou hast not known how to rule thyself? ac v uire certain

of those customs

Notwithstanding that it be thy child, and that thou be sage, wllioh she hath

and of good customs and habits, and discreet, et cetera, who doth suckle

ofttimes thou wilt give it to a dirty drab, and from her him '
perforce the child doth acquire certain of those customs

1 An expression "which the Saint ofttsn makes use of in his sermons, to imply
that he will say no more on this subject because whoever ought to understand
baa caught bis meaning quite clearly enough.

90

which she hath who doth suckle him. If she who cares for
him have evil customs or be of base condition, perforce he '
dotli receive the impress of those customs because of having
sucked her polluted blood. And when he doth return home
to thee then thou sayest : I know not whom thou art like
to, thou art like to none of us ; and thou dost not perceive
the reason of it, and right well art thou served therein.
Dost thou not believe it ? Now, make the proof of it. Go,
and take some shoots of the vines of our black grapes into
Lombard y and Ferrara. Thou knowest how clear it 1 is, and
how delicate. Go then,' and take some of the wine which is
produced by this very vine, and thou wilt see that tho*i
couidst carry it in thy apron all the way to Siena, so coarse
is it. And yet it cometh from this very vine. Better yet,
go and take a glassful of it and put into it a crawfish, and
thou wilt not see it there within, so clouded is the wine.
And see how clear and delicate it is here, at Siena ! Whence
cometh this ? In like manner, go, take a stone of those
handsome peaches at San Gimignano, and plant it here at
Siena, and thou wilt see that it will produce peaches that
will seem like distaffs. Oho, what meaneth this ? He saith:
Knowest thou what it doth mean ? Thou hast brought the
stone here, but thou hast brought none of that soil. Like-
wise do I say of the vine : thou didst bring the vine, but
thou didst bring no soil ; it hath taken the nature of the soil
wherein it is nurtured. In like manner I say to thee,
woman, who givest thy child, he doth acquire the nature of
her who suckleth it. Saith she : Oh, she was created like
me. Thou sayest true, but one of you hath not the customs
of the other. Hearken ! I wish to tell thee what befell not
long since at Verona. A man at play said : Let a horse be
the wager between you and me ; if such a thing be so. Why
yes, why yes, why no, finally they wagered a horse,
and one of them lost. When he had lost he led the other
to his stable and gave him a colt which was only a very
few days old. The other seeing this little colt said : I wish
such a 'horse as I have won from thee. He replied : Thou
hast won a horse from me, here then is a horse. What

1 Here it is evidently intended to refer to the wine.

91 -

more wouldst thou have from me ? Finally he led away the
horse, and having no other means of having- it nurtured
and cared for, he had it suckled by a she-goat. Knowest
thou what came of this after this horse was grown? It leapt
like, a goat, because it had taken on the nature of that goat.
Dost thou wish to prove if this be so ? Go, and take a, kid
and let it be suckled by a sheep, and note what it will
grow to be like. Thou wilt see it with quite other hair than
if it had been suckled by a goat. In like manner, contrari-
wise, go, take a lamb and let it be suckled by a she-goat,
again, then thou wilt see it with coarser wool than other
lambs; and this is only because of the manner of its suck-
ling. And I wish this to be enough for you !

XVI. How ivortliy widows should be honoured.

Let the worthy
widow turn all
her labour to
rearing her
children.

If the widow
have no children,
she should use
her time for the
good of her
neighbour.

1 . Let the widow learn to rear her children, and
her grandchildren, and all her family. It is possible that a
son reared t>y a good widow may then govern a city and
a province. If thou dost ever go into the confines of the
city outside the walls, never do thou leave thy daughter
at home, nor let her never go from house to house without
thee. See that she be always accompanied by thee, and if
she go into any room whatsoever, go then always with her
there. About the neighbourhood, and at weddings think
well how thou dost let her go thither. Let her not have to
do with everyone, et cetera. See to it that, thou accustom
her so that she may not know how to be without thee, so
that even if she be accompanied by others she may be
terrified. See to it that she hath never to do with pages or
with servants. Trust her never in the house of your kins-
men. See to it, see to it, see to it, that they be never alone
even to speak. And see to it, see to it, see to it, that
they sleep not with their own brothers when they are ar-
rived at such an age. See that thou dost trust her scarce
even to her father, when she is of an age to take a hus-
band. The greater is the love, there trust her least. Yea,
yea, say I.

2. And if the widow have neither children nor grand-
children, what shall she do? Use her time in that which is
good and needful for her neighbour, that which thou wouldst
have done for thy children and thy grandchildren, this
do for thy neighbour. If thou dost wish for mercy, wid-
ow, be merciful. See that to the poor thou dost give some
little cooked dish, some garment, when thou seest them

93

naked; have mercy upon them. See that thou be a little
open-handed with that which thou dost possess ; see that
thou dost never trust thyself to any, -even if thou shouldst
come to trust one, trust thy possessions, but not thyself.
See to it that notwithstanding that thou hast a good inten-
tion, thou goest not rashly about from house to house, be-
cause out of a good intention the wolf doth eat the sheep.
If thou do not as I say, then marvel not if evil be said of
thee. Look to it that as thou werfc good married, so thou
art perfect now that thou art a widow.

3. Art thou young? See that thou dost overcome The sage w
thy flesh by means of fasts, in watches l and by the use "^^
of the discipline. 0, why then, Would not a little of the abstinence and
discipline be a good thing for thee, three times a week, Payers.
since before when thou hadst thy husband, thou didst wish

to use the discipline? But all things in measure, not too
much. Thou knoAvest that when thy husband lived if thou
didst wish to practise such abstinence and fast, and to use
the discipline, thy husband would say to thee : I do not
wish that thou shouldst do so, -and hindered thee. Now
that thou art free, why not? I, therefore, I wish that thou
shouldst learn to live like a religious. Be sincere within
thy soul: Quia vere viduae sunt. She who is a widow in
deed, let her follow this rule: It thou art used to read the
canonical hours, recite thorn at their proper limes, and nev-
er forsake them. II thou canst not read,, do as I shall tell
thee. In the evening at Compline see that thou dost say
seven Pater Nosters and seven Avs Marias. At Matins say
twenty-four of them, and for Lauds, say five. At Prime say
seven, at Tierce seven more: At Sext seven. At Nones sev-
en more. And again at Vespers say twelve of them. And
see that thou fail not to say for the dead at the lenst, at
the least, seven, -and among thorn name thy husband, as
thou art bound to do.

4. In regard of that which thou shouldst do at night, H is an evii
see that thou 'dost rise at midnight, or at least at the practice, to sleep
ringing of matins at the Duotno, and see that thou dost u v n J eathers -
never sleep upon feathers, if thou art in good health. Tbou

1 Times of iratching and praying.

94

mayest seem to thyself to perform a great penance if thou
dost use this practice of not sleeping on feathers. Seek,
and beyond Some, nor even in any place as far as fifty
miles from Siena, are there to be found those who sleep on
feathers. How many gentlefolk there are in the world who
sleep not iii bed but upon mattresses ! Oh, it is an evil
practice this one of sleeping on feathers. Eat much, and
drink much, and sleep much, and thou wilt come to harm!
1 would teach thee to remove the occasions which may
lead thee to fall into sin. Goest thou to sleep? Yes. Come
now, do thou sleep clad ! Saith she : In thiswise I cannot
sleep. Even so, I will teach thee to do it. See that thou
dost, keep awake to a late hour, for I promise thee that if
thou dost watch so, and await the desire for sleep, then
wilt thou sleep, on the very ground, on the stones themselves. '
Likewise I admonish thee that tbou use food which
shall be simple, and so shall not heat thy blood. I say not
that thou shouldst do so if thou be weak in health. Oh! if
thou dost use thyself to sleep clad, I promise thee that it
is the best mouthful that thou didst ever taste. Oh, what
is it thou dost seek in sleep ? In winter thou dost seek
heat, in summer cool freshness. I promise thee if thou sleep
upon straw, it is indeed most warm in winter, and in sum-
mer it is very fresh and cool.

the rogue 5. Hast thou understood naught of this ? I say to

GMno cured an thee that in sleep thou must be clad and that thou shouldst

amt of stomach- ]1()fc yleep on R ' f eather bed> A]ld that thy food ghould

be such as shall not heat thy blood, because herein there
is very grave danger, if thou art hot-blooded and hast such
food as may heat thee. Saith that woman there who doth
live dissolutely: I can not live in that manner, because so
I lose the will to eat ; nor this nor that doth please me,
naught of that which I eat is pleasing to me. Oh, knowest
thou what thou kast need of? Thou hast need of the medi-
cine of the rogue Grhino l di laco. I wish that thou shouldst
know of this, widow ! I promise thee that is a good
thing for widows. The rogue Ghino was a sage man. Would

1 Glaiio, dimiiiiitivfl of Mesghino (from Domenico). Boccaccio speaks of him in
tbe uecoud novel the tenth day of hii Decameron, and Dante introduces h ; m in
Canto VI. of the Purgatory.

95

that he had used his intelligence for .good, as he used it
for evil ! There came to him a fat abbot, very fat, in faith,
thou must know, as fat, thou mightest say, as the abbot of
Pacciano, who was on his way to the baths at Petriuolo, to
get thin. Saith this rogue Ghino: Where art thou going?
Saith he; I am on my way to the baths at Petriuolo.
what is thy malady ? He answered and s.iid : I am going
to these baths because it hath been told to me that they
will be very helpful to me, because nothing of that which
I eat is pleasing to me, and I can digest nothing. Saith
Rogue Ghino : I will cure thee, in the best way in the
world. And so he put him into a room which was barred
and bolted, and he gave him each day a handful of beans
and some cold water. He, having naught else, ate the
beans and drank the water, in order not to die of hunger.
And at the close of four days Rogue Ghino had given to
him a very little bread with a little water, as before. And
he ate this bread, which did seem to him like sugar. The
next day he had given to him a little stale bread and mus-
ty, with a little war.er. And so having forced him for many
days to this manner of living, finally he brought him out
of this room and said to him : How do you feel in respect
of your stomach ? O-o-o ! I feel as if I could eat stones.
Saith Ghino: Do you think that you would have been so
quickly cured at the baths? He said, nu. Saith Rogue Ghi-
no: How much would you have spent at the baths ? Saith
the abbot: I should perchance have spent sixty florins. Saith
Rogue Ghino: Give unto me now that which thou wouldst have
spent, and let this suffice; it is well that you are cured. In
short this abbot gave him that money which he would have
spent at the baths, and perchance something besides as well.
Going then to Rome it was asked of this abbot how he had
been cured, and to all he told the manner in which Ghino
had cured him. And whensoever he heard of any that had
this malady, he would say to them all : Go to Ghino. So
would I say to thee, widow, who can not eat this nor that;
learn to use the mediciri<f of Ghino. Do not as thou wert
used to do when thou hadst a husband, when thou didst live
on the delicate meat of little birds; see to it that thou dost
live thy life according to rule in that which thou hast to do.

96

Three sins were 6. Three sins were the occasion of every great over-

!r^l7 f throw ' These were P rid ' g latfcon y> and sloth - If tne widow
overthrow. have these, oh I she is of evil condition, ugh, ugh, ugh I If

thou be in this road, return, in the manner I have advised,
return to the straight and right road of Saint Jerome. See
that thou dost observe the seven canonical hours, as I have
instructed thee, and besides this see that thou dost return
to the spinning-wheel; spin thou wool or linen, weave, cook,
see that thy hands be ever busy. Saith she : thinkest
thou that I have n<?ed of spinning or cooking ? I need not
to do this ! I reply to thee so : Thou hast no need of it
for thyself? Do it for others; see that thou dost cook or
spin for the poor he hath need thereof. Patch nnd mend the
poor with thine own hands; make for him a shirt, spin and
weave for his needs, for if thou do so, thou wilt resist the
devil and Avilt not stand idle. Practise charity towards the
Church; make very fine corporals, as white and as beau-
tiful as thou canst, for those are the table-cloths of the
Lord God. Oh, reflect, widow, if God should come to eat
with thee at thy board wouldst thou not do great honour
to him? Yes. Thou- wouldst lay thereon a white cloth, with
joyful and with great rejoicing. And therefore, reflect in
this manner, that upon that other cloth must he come. And
so thou shouldst be orderly in all tha^,, which thou hast to
do. If thou hast children, see that thou dost teach them
good customs, that thou dost admonish them, and if thou
cnnst perform other works of charity, do those also. Go
little to the church, and go not thither alone, nor secretly.
And when thou dost go to make thy confession, go to those
who are good nnd faithful. And ;is I say to the widows, so
likewise do I say to all of you women, confess your sins,
and confess them clearly, so that they may be well under-
stood, in the manner that you know I myself have told you,
for you have understood from me what is needful.
Every widow 1. Another thing there is which must be blamed in

who is a prattler the w ja ow it i s curiosity. Paul writing to- Timothy in the

and Drying, sea

that thou dost n f fcn chapter, saith as doth follow: Viduas verboses e curio-
avoid her. sas fuye. When the widow doth go abroad as a tatler, oh!
how ill doth it beseem. For ofttimes they may be found
talking together so that they seem to be rooks : kia, kia,

'^''.97

kia. Do not in this manner, talk not so much; I know not
what to say of you. Never have I seen so many given
over to bad habits as I see to-day. I see and I know so
much, that I know what Bertha is spinning 1 . L I see these
widows who go about in such a way that all their manner
and their bearing seem to me to proclaim their wantonness
openly. You seem not to me to be as you were used to be;
to-day I see the widow wearing 1 a long mantle, which is
pleated, with her forehead bare, and her mantle thrown
back from her face, thou dost note, so that she doth show
her cheek. And how doth she deck and array herself in
front ! Dost thou wish a husband ? Go, and take him, in the
name of God, and be quick ! In every act they betray their
carnal minds; they wear slippers which are as high as those
which married women wear. This doth show that thou
wouldst cast on that man whom thou art awaiting there,
such glances from thy eyes as thou didst cast on the other,
She doth take thought for her beauty in all that she can
or may. Dost thou wish a husband? No. but all thy
actions cry out that thou dost, and everyone of thy mem-
bers; so that it would be seemly that thy kinsmen should
so torment her that she should never have peace, nor any
further desire to go abroad in this shameless fashion, say-
ing to her: We are unwilling that thou shouldst do so great
dishonour to our familly; and they should all set upon her.
And so every widow, who is a talker, and prying, see that
-thou dost avoid' her; . wish not to have to do with her. But
the good ones among the widows, yes, God is merciful
towards them; understand not by this those who are hypo-
crites, who seem to be widows in dress, but are full within
of carnal desires. Oh ! they do well to murmur against me,
if their backs are galled ! The good will say good of me,
and the evil will say evil.

1 A popular saying, to signify; I know everything that happens.

xvil. Once more of party feeling.

Of (he Grace
which God
bestows upon
those whom he
draweth near to
himself.

In all the rest
of the world
together not so
many idols are
adored as in
Italy.

1. Lay to thy heart this example, which doth show
thee how the Grace of God cometh to men. Seest thon those
windows? One of them is wholly open, one open but a
little way, and one less. Even by way of those which are
shut fast there doth enter some of the Grace of God, since
that there are certain tiny crevices therein. And by way
of every one of those windows there doth enter something
of the splendour of the sun, but here more and there less;
for so much or so little brightness doth enter there within
according as each is more or less open. So is it with those
who wish for Grace from God, according as he doth dispose
himself so hath he Grace: if he doth show himself very
well disposed, God giveth him very much of it; if he doth
show himself but little disposed, then God giveth him but
little Grace. And to the man who doth shut himself away
from it, even to him God would give of his Grace. Aha !
Old Boy, who hindered us on the day before yesterday
when thou didst cause the rain to fall, despite thee do I
preach this morning; for well.? do I believe that the sermon
of to-day will be more useful than that one would ever
have been. Nevertheless, I said then all that which I could
say.

2. I said of whosoever bore devices belonging to
the parties of the Guelfs and the Ghibcllines in any way
whatsoever, that this was naught else than adoring the
devil. The reason, the witness, and the example thereof
thou didst hear on the day before yesterday; but I suid not
then to thee that which I shall say to-day. Oh ! is there
any Jew here present? I know not whether or not there

- 99

be one ; if he wore an on his breast, L then should I
know him. Bead thou, from the time of the Apostles to
this present time, and then after Christ was crucified, and
after he sent the Holy Ghost, not then nor even in the
Old Testament did the devils ever do so much as they do
now while all the world doth follow their wish. In every
part of the world there hath always been some few, or
many even, who have had the fear of God in their hearts.
But to the shame of Italy will I say that which I say; that
I believe there are not more idols adored in all the rest of
the world together than are adored in this part, where
you are almost all Guelfs and Ghibellines, who do adore
nothing less than idols. Seek among the pagans. Whom do
the pagans adore ? They adore one God. Oh, but the idols
which they used to adore, where are they? They are in
these devices, which are to be found throughout Italy.
Where is the seat of our faith ? It is in Rome. And Rome
is in Italy, therefore it is surrounded by these idols, and
in these devices are adored the devils. They are no more
to be found among pagans, but among the Christians. And
if devils have been adored by these partisans, and if they
have never done penance for this, upon what place thinkest
thou they have fallen ? If they die without repentance, and
perform not penance for this, they will die accursed, and
he who is now dead hath died accursed.

3. To the partisan so difficult doth it prove to bear Of a, mad
with the contrary party, that even if his brother or his ^^wa
son or his father were contrary to him, he would make own shadow.
every endeavour to kill him ! Hearken ! I wish to give thee
an example of this, and thou perchance will lay it up in
thy memory. There was once a mad fellow who was travel-
ling towards the west, and he was carrying a staff in his
hand, and the sun was behind him, and it cast his shadow

1 Milanesi here points out that moat severe laws against the Jews were enacted
at different times by popes, communes, and princes of Italy, the motive for these
being political, rather than moral or religions. What prompted these laws was tho
practice of usury, which, forbidden nmoug the Christians by civil as well as by
canon law, was, it may be said, carried on exclnsiveby by the Jews .... Among
the laws of the Sienese Republic may be cited one enacted in 1489, which required
the Jews, both men and women, to wear on the outer garment, over the breast, to
tho tight, an about three and a half inches high, made of yellow cloth.

100

before him. When he perceiveth this shadow, it doth seem
to him to be another man with a stick in his hand, as he
had; straightway doth he run and fall upon him to bela-
bour him with his stick; and the shadow doth run in like
manner, and when he had run a little way, being unable
to come up with him, he stopped for weariness. And then
did he rise up again and again betake himself to running
that he might come up with him; finally when he had run
a little way, he came to a certain road where he was forced,
to turn ; and the shadow now came beside him, and was
cast on the slope of a little hill in such a way that it grew
to be tall and erect. When this fellow saw the shadow
erect, with stick in hand, then he placed himself there in
readiness with his stick and he grew so wroth with his
shadow that he broke his own head. In like manner, and
to the same purpose, is the Guelf made and the Ghibellme.
Brainless Madmen ! who because of such mad folly do
break your own heads, and those of all thy kinsmeia !
For verily if I were emperor,' but impossible, I know
well. ... I lack the staff of office ! Oh, I should have
them kept without food ! Oh ! I should force them to cast
off this sin, who do not perceive it, and who die accursed.
Ah, prithee! do not despair, repent thyself, and do as I
tell thee.

How the Pope 4. You know that commencing to preach on the

sent Friar Ber- f eagt O f ^ Assumption I said to you that when I was at

nardine to Siena , n -n ^ i j J.-L ,. T i i n T. j -,-1

to Mng to an Rome the Pope told me that I should come here; and hke-
end the divisions wise your bishop, who is noAV a cardinal, he also said the
thert ' same to me: for these your divisions having grieved them

they said to me that in very truth they wished me to come.
And hearing the reason for this I said within myself :
Truly do I wish to go thither, because I think in my heart
that some good may be accomplished there and I believe
truly, in faith, that the Pope doth love you and wisheth
you well. I am come here upon their order, and I am come
here most willingly, and I pray you all that you will
cast off all these parties and these divisions, in order that
there may ever be peace among yon, concord, and unity.
Oh, look ye, what tares are sown among you, because of
these parties alone and because of naught else !

- 101 .

5. Reflect that anyone who holdeth with these par- HOW a labourer
ties, when he seeth one of the contrary party who by took fr * ght f: *

' J r J J g reat fly f ,(,ft lC ft

chance looketh at him askance, he thinketh: nay then, go t inside a little
he hath said some evil of me. In like manner, if he keg of his.
see a motion of the hand, or a sign with the lips, every-
thing, he doth believe, is said or done in his despite ; and
in order to assure himself of it, hecause in truth he hath
not understood, he will betake himself thither to the side
of some other who thinketh no evil, and will ask of him :
Hist ! Didst thou hear that which such a one said of me ?
He, perchance to satisfy him, and not out of malice, will
say: it did seem to me that he spoke of thee, but in faith
I understood not that which he said. Then will he go T;O
another and will say the same to him, and this fellow will
pay heed to him and will say that he did hear the other
speak some slander. you cursed fellow ! dost thou per-
ceive not into what danger thou dost bring both one and the
other of these, through thy own wicked speech? I say it is
possible, as I have ofttimes said to you, that one of
these bearers of evil tales may ruin a whole city, most easily
of all when there are to be found therein souls already
swollen with fury. Hence saith Job: Ira est ignis usque ad
consumcttionem devorans Anger is a fire which once kind-
led within doth burn so that it devours everything which it
doth find in its way. For because of the anger that was
inside thee, wert thou wroth with him; when he spoke he
spoke not of thee, and yet thou didst believe that he was
saying evil of thee. The hate which thou didst bear him
made this suspicion come to thee. And this suspicion of
thine doth so work within thy mind, that thou dost seem
to thyself to be ever at strife, for even when thou sleepest,
if a cat make a noise, thou wilt rise up out of thy bed in
terror, and in thy heart thou sayest naught else than: To arms!
To arms! To arms! This deriveth from naught else than from
suspicion; as befell the man who was busied in weeding a
field of his, and his little keg by him empty, and a great
fly got inside there and began to fly about and about in
order to escape from out of it. Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz !
When the fellow hears this, straightway he betook him to
his heels along the road with his little keg, believing that

Whosoever dieth
in notorious
mortal sin,
should not be
luried in holy
ground.

102

it was a trumpet, because this was in the time of war; arid
he went along 1 to his house crying out continually : To
arms ! To arms ! To arms ! The enemy are upon us ! The
people of the place all seized up their arms, crying : Who
is it? Who is it? And in sum it was a great fly.

6. Of a thousand partisans, not one is saved. I have
already told thee before that this is in truth one of the
most grievous sins which can be committed. Hence if they
do never confess it because they make it not a matter of
conscience, what, think you, should become of their souls?
Evil indeed must the end be. Therefore take this as a sover-
eign rule, that he who dieth in notorious mortal sin
should not be buried in holy ground, but should be buried
in a ditch with asses. Saith Augustine, that this is a rod
with which God doth chastise the wicked after this manner;
so that oftthnes, because of his obstinacy in supporting his
party he is murdered. What thinkest thou should become
of him ? What forsooth ? Eh ! these obstinate men under-
stand not that which I say. The reason thereof is that they
have not the least will to do so, and not having good will
they are without charity, and being without charity, God
loveth them. not. Hence then, to the home of the devil with
thee, and thy body into the ditch !

XVIII. Of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

1. Every one of you hearken and attend with care. Friar

I am to speak of the Mother of Christ Jesus the Blessed. dine

and was oorn
And I wish you to know that I was born on the same day again on the day

that this day is 1 , and also on this same day was I born of the Nativity.

again, for to-day it is the twenty-third year since I put on

ray friar' s habit, and to-day it is the twenty-third year

since I promised poverty, chastity, and obedience. So do I

pray God that I may die either upon this same day or on

the day of the Assumption. And likewise have I the name '

Bernardiue, descended unto me from Saint Bernard, so de-

vout a lover of the Blesse'd Virgin. And therefore do I wish

to speak this morning of her splendour, with which great

splendour she doth illumine all the world. And thou who

art here to write this down, pay careful heed.

2. How great difference is there, think you. between ,,

JL flCTG IS Cvo

your understanding and that of Mary ? There is as great great

difference as there is between understanding what thing

the leg of a fly is, and understanding all things. Further.

To be short, thou dost understand naught in comparison of as there is

the understanding which Mary hath. But let us show a bet- between under '

, . , , ,. standing what

ter witness of this : take the understanding of every learn- thing the leg of

ed man, and look at that which they comprehend of the a fly is, and

creations of God, and even adding thereunto Augustine, who

said so much that was noble, in regard of them, I say that

all this is naught in comparison of the understanding of

Mary. Better, take fifty men of great learning, take one

who is unlearned, and put before them these three words.

' He was born September 8, 1380,

104

boys ! you there who are selling candles, it is you I
mean '. God was not created in the beginning, now is he
infinite, and immortal he shall ever be. Have these boys
understood me these words? But better than they has this
woman here understood me, and better than she thou, man
of intelligence, and better yet doth a doctor understand
them. But even better did Saint Augustine understand them.
And how great a difference thinkest thou there is between
thy understanding and that of Augustine ? Thy vision in
comparison of this is as if thou shouldst see a firefly and
he should see the sun. How great a difference was there,
thinkest thou, between the vision of Augustine and that of
the Apostles, after that they had received the gift of the
Holy Ghost ? As great a difference as between the sun and
the moon. how great a difference thinkest thou there is
between the understanding of a blessed spirit and that of
Saint Augustine or of Saint Paul in the flesh ? There is
between them as great a difference as between the heaven
of heavens and the point of a needle. the Apostles, who
now are blessed, how much thinkest thou that they under-
stand ? More than when they were in the flesh ? A-a-h !
they now understand so much more that it is a thing in-
credible. And now proceed, now we are come to Mary. What
opinion hast thou of her in comparison of the others? Wish-
est thou that I should tell to thee a great wonder? Uni-
ting together the angels, archangels, thrones, dominations,
virtues, powers, principalities, cherubim, seraphim, patriarchs,
prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and all
the other blessed spirits, there is between her understand-
ing alone and that which all these do understand a greater
difference and more than there is between understanding
the creation of all things, and understanding the point of a
needle.
in this world 3. Look thou to what a height we have risen ; we

r ' 8en 6Ven t0 the life eternal - To tne same Purpose.

or are The impossibility of comprehending God doth require that

performed in we } iaV e other evidence of him in heaven than upon earth.

glory.

1 To the little boys who were selling their candles in the Piazza where the ier
mona were preached.

Sana di Pietro Saint Bernardino preaching in the Piazza del Campo

INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

104

boys ! you there who are selling 1 candles, it is you I
mean '. God was not created in the beginning, now is he
infinite, and immortal he shall ever be. Have these boys
understood me these words? But better than they has this
woman here understood me, and better than she thou, man
of intelligence, and better yet doth a doctor understand
them. But even better did Saint Augustine understand them.
And how great a difference thinkest thou there is between
thy understanding and that of Augustine? Thy vision in
comparison of this is as if thou shouldst see H firefly and
he should see the sun. How great a difference Avas there,
thinkest thou, between the vision of Augustine and that of
the Apostles, after that they had received the gift of the
Holy Ghost ? As great a difference as between the sun and
the moon. how great a difference thinkest thou there is
between the understanding of a blessed spirit and that ot
Saint Augustine or of Saint Paul in the flesh ? There is
between them as great a difference as between the heaven
of heavens and the point of a needle. the Apostles, who
now are blessed, IIOAV much thinkest thou that they under-
stand ? More than Avhen they were in the flesh ? A-a-h !
they now understand so much more that it is a thing in-
credible. And now proceed, IIOAV \ve are come to Mary. What
opinion hast thou of her in comparison of the others? Wish-
est thou that I should toll to thee a great wonder ? Uni-
ting together the angels, archangels, thrones, dominations,
virtues, poAvers, principalities, cherubim, seraphim, patriarchs,
prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and all
the other blessed spirits, there is between her understand-
ing alone and that Avhich all these do understand a greater
difference and more than there is between understanding
the creation of all things, and understanding the point of a
needle.
in this world 3. Look thou to Avhal: a height we have risen ; Ave

those things can- } . ^^ ^ ^ tormih T() th( , game purp08e>

not be 'understood r l

or are The impossibility of comprehending God doth require that

performed in we ] laV o other evidence of him in heaven than upon earth.
glory.

1 To the Jittlo lioys who were selling their cftmlleB in the Piazza where the ser-
UIODB were preached.

&,T* * *"*" * ***-rtbSM.. *

s*t -* * X* ~*j % , '*A \

? *" . i J % * .^ *^ jsW.-jj.^-**^ 4 ^*^^

r

lfricr--

r

riii v ilrjS^-i^?^
-.fi-ffi*

1' let ft} Saiut ]5oruai'<liiKi

iu thti J'iiijza del vj^inp

_. 105 .

Hast thou understood naught of this ? Hast thou thy husband
here with thee ? If thou hast him not, summon him, and
let him not go away from thee. Now I wish to make thee
understand this better by an example. Take this name Je-
sus, which is the name above every name ; make a young
child in the cradle to say it, a tiny child who hath his
little mouth full of milk, and it hath sweetness in it, to
be sure, but very little, for that he hath little understand-
ing of it. Say it thou, woman, Jesus. More sweetness wilt
thou have of it than had the child, because thou dost feel
that this name Jesus doth signify to. thee in thy heart that
he is the Saviour, that is, God and man. If a devout man
shall say it with devotion, he will have even greater sweet-
news of it than thou, woman. If Saint Augustine should say
it or Saint Bernard, more sweetness yet they drew from it;
so sweet a savour, so much honey, so much sugar, that it
was a thing incredible. Tell me: how great a difference
thinkest thou there is for Saint Paul between the sweetness
that he knew in this life, and the sweetness that he know-
eth now in life eternal? From this name alone he hath
more sweetness than ever creature had in this world, or
could be able ever to have. Hast thou understood me,
woman ? I say that this name of Jesus bringeth to each of
us feelings of different sweetness, for one doth understand
it in one way, and one in another. Each one doth draw from
it sweetness, but one more than another; and so will it be
also in heaven, one will draw from it more sweetness,
another less.

4. Here upon the earth now we know this name by fesu8 Mth no
figure, as in a glass, which doth reflect the true object for ^^
thee, but in glory, it will be otherwise ; for in glory we contrary of
shall see him face to face. And by that sight of him we is a mon * ter >
shall comprehend him, and see him as he ought to be seen
and comprehended without other means. If thou shouJdst
say to me: how shall this name of Jesus be understood?
I say to thee in answer that I know not, and not knowing
it, I should endeavour in vain to make thee understand it.
There .are many who say : I know that Jesus hath another
name, which when it is pronounced, the heavens do trem-
ble, and the earth, and hell. Knowest thou how I do an-

106

Friar Bernar-
dine defends
himself against
liis odvertariea.

swer thee ? Thy knowledge is a chamber of ignorance and
a puffing up of thy mind. Say, Jesus, and say it with as
great reverence as thou canst, and let those who will say
what they wish, for we know that the angel said to Mary
that so she should call him. in heaven the name of Jesus
is other than this ! And they will persevere in thinking
what this name may be ; and there have been such as say:
I know this name, and they will speak it, but notwith -
standing it maketh not the heavens and the earth to trem-
ble. And of such as these there have been who have writ-
ten a name and given it as a brief, saying that whoso-
ever should speak or see it, he not being a holy man, that
so he might do great harm. And they say also that they
are unwilling to teach it to anyone, and they will cause a
promise to be made to them that they will never open it
nor show it. Knowest thou what I say ofttimes of such
people, and so in like manner thou mayest say ? Say that
he is a monster. I say to thee that if thou dost hold and
believe that this be so, thou art a heretic together with him.
Thy opinion is like unto that of the Jews, accursed and
most wicked of men, for they said of the miracles that
Christ performed that this was because once he went into
the temple, wherein there was written a name which could
neither be named nor known ; and surrounding this name
they kept many dogs who should guard that place in order
that it might not be learned, or read, or written^ or taken
away in any manner whatsoever; and they said that who-
soever had it, he would be able to perform any marvellous
deed. And they said that Christ entered into that place by
craftiness and that he took this name, and that he cleft his
thigh and put it therein ; and then being returned home he
drew it forth, and that by means of it he did all those great
marvels which he performed. Oh, what vain fancy was this !
Oh, cursed madness ! The belief in this was it not of the
devil ? And so do I say likewise of thee who dost believe
in such follies.

5. Hence to comfort you in regard of this holy name
I say to you that this which I have preached of the holy
name of Jesus, I do confirm, and I tell you that I have
said to you only one part of the thousand parts which there

107

are to say, and which should be believed. And if there be
any one who doth wish to give the lie to that which I have
said to thee, let him say it to my face, do not strike
me, thou, like a traitor, because thou couldst fell a giant
to the earth if thou shouldst come up behind him. Do you
need to make so much ado ? 0, here I am ! He who
hath aught to say to me, say it to me to my face that I
may reply to him ; and if thou wish not to say it to me,
write it to me, and we shall see what I have said that is
wrong. I am one of those who wish to hold to that which
Holy Church doth hold.

6. Which is more ? That which God hath given to we have given
human nature, or that which he hath received? Which is unto GO* more
more ? Grace or Glory ? Glory. Hence we have given more
than we have received. He is beholden to us. Eh ! Let us
hear what God hath given to man. God made man of slime
and set him in paradise, where there were four rivers, where
there were many beautiful trees, many delicate fruits,
all pleasant to the sight and perfect. He gave him his -own
likeness-; he set him in a place where there was neither
cold nor heat, a most attempered place. Many, many things
he gave him, more than I can reckon. Let us see now that
which human nature hath given him in return. He made
man of slime, and have we not given him in return his son
of flesh, pure and clean without a spot, in all perfectness ?
He gave to man as his food, apples of the earth, and Mary
gave him of her milk so pure, in exchange for the life
of this son. 0, o, 0,0! Have you seen any milk of the!
Virgin Mary, women? Know you that she had so much
milk only as sufficed for the little tiny mouth of Christ Je-
sus, and not more ; nor believe thou that there is any ofj
it. Home again ! * Know ye that one drop of that milk val-
ued more than all the trees he ever gave us. And in like
manner as God commanded Adam, saying that he should
beware of the apple-tree, that he should not eat thereof,
for if so he should die, leaving him freedom of will ; so did
Mary greatly love this son Jesus, so that she trained and
taught him, nor ever left him, while he was little. When

1 Se footnote 2, p. 8.

108 .

he was growing, she taught him : Go, do thus or thus, my
son ; go thither, to such a p]ace, go quickly ! And so
did she with him, as if he were a mere human creature.
God gave clothing to Adam and Eve of the skins of sheep
and Mary gave her sweet son a woven garment of pur-
ple, which as he grew so it grew ever by so much. If God
made Adam to his image and likeness, so Mary bore him
to his likeness, and more beautiful and wise and powerful
than God made Adam. Adam was mere man, but Jesus was
man and God, the Lord of the whole world.

xix. How he who hath an office must administer justice.

1. Love justice, you that are the judges of the earth. Justice is

What is justice? Justice consists in ..... looking at me. Hast

d intention to 6e

thou understood? Look at me! * Justice may be conceived always just.
of in many and varied ways, but among others justice is
constancy in the intention to be always just. Oh, you there
at the fountain, who are selling your wares, go and do so
elsewhere ! Do you not hear me, you there at the foun-
tain ? * Home again ! 8 I say that justice doth consist in a
constant and unceasing good intention; that as thou know-
est, it wavereth not/but is ever stable, and that through
it each hath rendered unto him that which is his, and that
which doth befit him; that is, to the wicked is rendered
punishment, and to the good, rewards; to the just, favour,
and to the guilty, terror; to the good, peace, and to the
wicked, war. Let him learn this morning who doth wish
to have those offices in which the men of this world are
iudged.

2. Lo! I wish to tell you an example which happened o/ an ape
in the court of the king of France, or of the king of which burned
Spain. He had an ape and a bear, and he kept them for

revenge.

* Here he recalls the attention of some one who was distracted and was looking
about him.

* These words addressed by the Saint to people who were selling their wares
near ,the fountain, at some distance from the place where ho was preaching, recall
what Faoio wrote of our author in his Ds Viris Illustribus: Eloquent and vehement
in his preaching, be was gifted with an incredible memory. So clear and exquisite
was his enunciation that his listeners never tired of his sermons ; BO sure and sus-
tained was his voice that it never once failed him when he was preaching, and, what-
is still more wonderful, in a great assembly of people be could be heard with per-
fect case even by those who were farthest away (A. C. 41) B.

* See Footnote 2, p. 8.

- 110 -

his disport. It happened that the ape having young, the
bear killed one little ape and devoured it. The ape seeing
what had been done, it seemed as if she were crying out
for justice, for she betook herself to well nigh all those of
the household; she turned now to one side, and now to the
other, about each one of those whom she saw. And seeing
that she was not understood, one day she broke her chain
and went to that place wherein was the bear; for it seemed
as if she said: since that no one doth execute justice in re-
spect of tbe crime of this bear, I myself will execute it.
In that place where was the bear there was much hay.
This ape took some of the hay and collected it together
around and about the bear; in sum, she put fire to it and
burned the bear, and in this manner herself executed
justice. Seest thou that the beasts endeavour in every
way that justice be executed, and render that which is
merited according to the deed which the other hath performed.
And by this thou dost see that nature dictates it to thee.
we four **' There are four occasions of wrongdoing which
of may bring destruction upon any great city. The first is
wrongdoing hate> r^ 8econ <i j s i ove . The third is fear. The fourth is

which may bring , m . _ , , ,

datruction upon n P e - These make a man to judge wrongly. He who hath
any great city, hate within him turneth away those to whom he wisheth
not well. He who hath love doth advance those of his own
house. He who doth fear doth act always out of fear when
he seeth one of those whom he feareth. He who doth hope
endeavoureth ever to raise aloft him from whom he may
have somewhat that shall be useful to him; and therefore
doth he send forward him whom he loveth and send him
behind whom he hateth, doth send him forward in whom
he hath hope and him behind whom he doth fear. It doth
seem to him always that the thing is in size double that
which in truth it is, one doth seem to him as two; that is
to say, he seeth not as a whole, but his vision is divided
in two. Wishest thou that I show thee in an example of
what condition is his vision. Hist ! I would explain so that
I may be understood by these women. Women, if you have
a spindle, not too large, or a paternoster, * one of those

1 One of the larger beads of the ronary, on which the Oar Fathers are recited,

- Ill -

/

which are very large, put your middle finger upon the
spindle and your next finger to this also upon the pater-
noster, and you shall see that they will seem each one of
them two. Now make trial of it, quickly, that I may see
you do so for a little. And knowest thou what this doth
signify ? Oh ! that one is too small, it will not serve. * It
doth signify that what is greater doth dominate the smaller
because this is less powerful. So doth it seem to him, when
he hath performed one thing it doth seem to him two. In
like manner if he speak a thing, good or evil, it doth seem
to him two. Again knowest thou how he doth? Thou hast
heard that when one sayeth-a word aloud it doth seem that
this selfsame word is repeated opposite to him? Knowest
thou how it doth sometimes befall me by chance in my
preaching ? While I am saying a word it doth rebound from
over there among those palaces, and it seemeth two words.
As doth befall here in our Piazza, where if a word be spo-
ken aloud, straightway it is repeated in answer to thee
from here opposite, especially before sunrise. If thou dost
wish to see if I speak the truth, to anyone who may be
here in that pulpit of stone, s each single word doth seem
two; and there is greater reverberation before the sun doth
rise than afterwards. If thou shalt say : Antony ! thou art
answered, Antony ! It seemeth two to thee, and is one. So
doth it seem to him; for one doth seem to him two because
he hath not justice within him.

4. I hear you have made it a law that no usurer A miser should
shall enter any office. I praise you therefor, because you not & ekcted
have done well indeed; but I say to thee: What manner of
man shall he be that goeth to this office ? You have done
well to provide that no usurer shall go thither, but who
will go then, since we are all usurers ? And who is he who
is not a usurer, or who doth not favour usury? I know of
no such man as this. One way there is. Marry ! Let us send
thither the women ! Ah ! but yet there are women who in-

1 He addresses someone who was trying to do as he had suggested, but who
had too small a rosary.

1 Here he is speaking of the marble pulpit which was then near the great door
of the Palace, and from which the crier announced decrees of justice and proclaimed

laws.

112

cline to usury and encourage it, so therefore it is not fit-
ting that even they should go thither, Marry ! Let us send
thither the peasants who go begging, and these forsooth
would be good men to send thither since they go begging
perforce because of their need. Have you paid heed to that
which doth befall when a miser entereth an office? He doeth
as doth the wolf, who doth purge himself inwardly. When
he is elected officer, he hath so great a desire to enter the
office that he doth seem to waste away utterly with the
great longing thereof, and the time doth seem to him an
eternity before he may enter therein to fleece now this man
and now to rob that other; precisely as doth the wolf when
he is sick from repletion, who goeth to purge himself in a
sandy place, in order that he may better fill himself up
again, and with ypt more. Hearken, I could tell thee of
that which a friar once saw, and he who saw it told it to
me. He said that a wolf had taken a wild boar near to a
place where the friars lived} when he had killed this boar
then he left it there where it lay, and went to a river and
filled his belly with sand, and purged himself wholly. That
river was near by these friars. There was one of them who
when he knew of the condition of the wolf bethought him-
self to go thither, and went, and carried off this boar.
Within a little, they lying full low to see what would be-
fall, lo ! the wolf doth return there and findeth not the boar.
Think you what then befell ! Out of the great fury that he
flew into, he beat his head so hard on the ground, that he
fell dead.

There are such 5. Now cometh the point ! .knowest thou how such
as a^ave their g re edy men as these do act when they are elected to an
'offices; andln office ? They ask: How much money did such an one get
thiswise go to from this office ? He got two hundred florins from it. Truly,
plunder the e}l ? j hftll t three hundred with ease from thence. And

country outside

the wails. thus he goeth to the office with that wicked intent to put

it into operation. And knowest thou how he goeth thither?
Thither he goeth with his banner streaming behind him; he
goeth in with all speed and with banner outspread. how
great evil is done, oftentimes because of not reflecting
what he ought to do. For there will be such a one who in
order to have these offices of ours, will abandon his shop,

us

his craft; and because of this the crafts and trades of the
city diminish. 8ince such as these abandon their crafts to
go and plunder, they do great damage to the city through
not performing their trades, and they go forth to rob and
plunder the country here outside the walls, and the poor men.

6. Such men as these may be likened to cais. The Onl y the

cat settleth itself before a. tiny hole whence the mouse should

come out, and there will she lie in await all day to take it; competent and
and when it is come almost forth, in that moment she doth those who deaerve

_, , , ., well, should be

spring upon it. So doth Ihe miser, who seeketh an office; put in the urns

when he heareth that they are to draw for an office he

doth make every endeavour to get there by means of bal-

lots, and therefore will he go from one friend to another,

saying: my good sir, such an office is before you. I pri-

thee help me by thy vote. And in thiswise he will go about

beseeching them all us it were, from friend to friend who

is of the Council. them wretched fellow ! How thinkest

thou to do well abandoning thy shop, and pursuing after

this one and that one? And if thou shalt have the office,

what then ? Thou art six months in the office, and after

that thou wilt be for a year or longer without any office ;

and during this time in which thou hast no office thou dost

consume that which doth remain to thee, whereas thou

mightest instead have gained something by following thy

trade or thy craft. And therefore providing as you intend

in regard of names in the urns * in my opinion you have

disposed excellently well: and see that you put in charge

only good men- and competent, and those who deserve well.

If you wish to maintain the city and its confines in good

estate, put no rascal in charge there. Saith the rascally

fellow: Oh! there is no chance for me, I make answer and

say to thee, that it is in truth well done, that when the

good and welfare of the republic is regarded it is better

than if what were done concerned only the welfare of a J

particular man.

7. The first poison is tyranny, for oftentimes there The first poison
will be some officer who in his own esteem is proud and in him
haughty indeed, but in truth is an extortioner and an

1 Here lie expresses liis approval of tlie plan by Avhioh they were to draw from
among the names of their boat citizens, of most competence for public affairs.

8

- 114

The second
poison of him
who ruleth is
simony.

exacting tyrant. Ofttimes such as these may be called yearly
exactors J or monthly, or weekly, or daily, or on every
morning 1 or every evening 1 , or twice daily, or even hourly.
Knowest thou the yearly exactor ? It is he who doth oppress
men by exacting money from them every year. The monthly
exactor is worse, for he doth exact it monthly. The weekly
exactor is even worse, who doth exact it weekly. The daily
exactor again is worse, since every day he doth snatch and
extort. The exactor on every morning is yet worse, since
every morning in which he doth perform the duties of his
office, he doth ever extort. In like manner doth the exactor
on every evening. But what shall we say of the hourly
exactor? We may say that he doth ever exact and oppress
and extort, from whosoever doth come within his< clutches.
And dost thou wish to be called rector ? This name fit-
teth thee not, for thou art not a rector indeed. We may
take away that first e and put there in its place an a, and
that word will be thy name, which will then be ractor ,
with talons like the teeth of a rake. Would you know those
who are not deserving of office? Go, look at their talons;
if you find that these are hooked as the talons of the kite
or the goshawk, they are of the number of those voracious
officials, in respect of whom you must be on your guard,
never to send them into any office. In like manner also
see to it that their mouths curve not downwards, you know,
as many birds whose beaks curve downwards, and who
drink not water. If you see a beak crooked in that manner
you may know thereby that they never drink w;)ten but
tear open the skin and suck the blood. Such birds as these
lay few eggs. They are not made like our hens, who
have not crooked claws nor beaks. these lay many eggs,
in faith ! Knowest thou wha.t rector means ? One who
doth lay many good eggs;, but the ractor doth naught
else than plunder, and devour, and despoil !

8. Hearken ! Wouldst thon perceive which those are
who deservo not to be rectors, and who it they are so you
would do well to rid yourselves thereof? When thou seest

1 In the Italian throughout this pnssnge there is a contimial play on the words
tiranni tyrants ( here used to mean also those who draw money out of another
yearly) and the verb tirare to draiv.

115 -

an official who doth prolong a case and bringeth it never
to a conclusion, and doth ever fleece each one of the two
sides, these are not deserving of any office whatsoever. I
have been in such a place where there doth exist this order .
of affairs: the rector must have so much for every lira and
so much for every florin; and PO doth he fleece the poor
man and likewise the rich. Seest thou this prolongment ?
It is a devouring. Knowest thou that there are such as wish
not that disputes and complaints should ever come to an
end ? When an appeal is made to a governor he doth first
require a fee from him who ought to have the money, he
is always given something. Likewise the man who ought
to have the money giveth him also so much for every
lira, and this having been paid, he seemeth to himself to
have performed a worthy action, and he departeth, with a
song. He who ought to have something hath naught, but
passeth his time in going from office to office; and so the
amount is consumed for both parties, for every official doth
act with the same tranquil indifferency. One official goeth
out, another entereth office; he reeeiveth his fee; and he
likewise goeth out of office, and the man is never paid.
And in this manner justice is never done.

9. Be not puffed up! Hast thou an office? Yes. The third
hold not thy head so high, lest thou knock it against some- poison is pride.
thing. If thou wilt but consider him who hath an office,
thou wilt see that he hath a great burden. Is this not evi-
dent for example, that he who carrieth a heavy burden
must walk stooped ? Is there no porter here ? Oh, porters !
when you have a sack of wheat on your back, you know
in truth that you walk thus a little stooped, and the great-
er the weight the more dost thou stoop forward. Know you
not how you walk stooping forward at Michaelmas, then
when people move from their houses ? * When thou bearest
on thy back a great and heavy coffer... what do I intend
by this ? I say that he who is a rector hath a very heavy
burden. Do not thou as many whom I have seen, who, when
they are in office, repose themselves with legs outstretched

1 Here lie alludes to the custom, now a thing oi' the past, of making the move
to a new house ou the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, September 29 ; the day
alao on which the University was re-opened. B.

116 -

The fourth
poison is
negligence.

Ike fifth
poison is
ignorance.

and feet crossed; he standeth proudly drawn up with his
cap on the very top on his head ; for naught would he un-
bend himself; it he should have to enter by a door, being
unwilling 1 to stoop even ever so little, his cap would be
knocked off from his head. Noli extolli Be humble, have
done ! hold not thy head so high; stoop thyself a little, lest
thou knock thy head against the lintel of the door.

10. Incline thyself not to negligence, officer ! Let
pass dogs and the hunt, falcons and snares for birds, and
nets, and hawks, and let pass walking idly abroad for thy
diversion. Stay among them, that they be not dissolute.
Keep them bound in dread, that they do not evil, that
they restrain themselves while you are with them. And
let not the sheep wander far from thee, for if thou dost
suffer them to do so, they will come to harm. how much
of all this doth belong to those who have the care of souls!
For they should be ever among their folk, admonishing
them, beseeching them, threatening them, in all that where-
in there is need of this.

11. The fifth poison is ignorance. Give no office to
him if he know not how to fulfil it. He doth merit it not,
he is cipher. What is the worth of a cipher, mathemati-
cian ? In itself, naught. The cipher can avail naught with-
out company. If thou place here a cipher with one before
it, it doth make ten; if thou place next this another ci-
pher, it maketh one hundred. If thou havo an office and be
cipher, thou wilt never accomplish aught. If then thou have
an office and be cipher, take a companion, and then thou
availest somewhat. Now pay heed to this example : this also
let the women learn. Have you never seen when the seed
of the melon is planted, or, better, when grain is sown, or
now when figs are ripe, that scarecrows are set up there?
As thou knowest, over there in the wheat- field they take
a sack and fill it with straw, in order that the crows may
not come there. And upon this sack they put a gourd, to
seem like a man' s head; and they make him arms, and
put a bow in his hand, bont, so that it seemeth he doth
shoot at the crows. And the crows are cunning, and they
fly hither and thither; and seeing this man they fear lest
they may be killed, and so they wait all day, without

pecking. They return thither the next day, and see him
Btill in that same mnnner ; again they wait thus until even-
ing without daring to peck in the sown ground, and again,
out of their great desire to peck they return thither the
next morning, and they find him in that selfsame posture as
on the day before ; and seeing that he doth move himself
not at all, they commence to fly down to the ground, though
afar off, but by little and little they commence to draw
near to this gourd, and at times they approach very near
to it, though fearfully however. At times when they have
thus approached near there will come a puff of wind, which
will frighten them away. When they see him move in this
manner, they all fly away for fear. Then seeing that he
doth make no further motion, they even return and eat, and
approach him nearer than they did at first. Sometimes it
doth befall that they are one bolder than another, that they
go even very, very near, and seeing that he cloth not move,
they begin to fly ; and they fly and perch upon his bow,
and seeing that he doth not move, and doth not shoot off
the bow, he hath no fear whatsoever ; and so emboldened
he pereheth upon his head and doth piss on it. Now cometh
the point. Knowest thou what I mean to say ? I mean to
say that ofttiines a rector doth in like manner, who entereth
that office to which he hath been elected, and he is not
fitted for it, since he is a cipher. He doth proclaim the
mandate that no one shall blaspheme God, that you must
not go abroad at night, that you must game not for money,
that you must not bear arms, that you must not speak any
manner of abuse one to another. And thus, when the man-
date hath been proclaimed, they go making a search by
day and by night, with his bailiffs ; and ofttimes he doth
find one who goeth abroad at night, and one who doth blas-
pheme God. He will be led to the magistrate to make him
pay the penalty. Straightway some one will come to the
rector: sire, I beg and pray a boon of you. You have
such an one, who was found abroad at night ; I pray
you to pardon him, for my love. Oh ! saith the rector, the
statutes declare so and so. What! Did he not hear the proc-
lamation ? Doth he not know our customs? Saith the other:
Oh ! it is a custom to proclaim the mandate and so is it also

118

a custom to grant such pardons. He scarce knoweth how
to deny this, and so he doth set him at liberty. So is it
in the case of one who doth blaspheme, and in like manner
of one who doth stir up n quarrel. And thus by little and
little he cloth permit himself no judge, according to the pray-
ers of him who doth desire the pardon. Knowest thou what
I say to thee ? Thou art a wretched cipher, and thou wilt
never be honoured, for seeing of what kind thou art, they
will presume so far, that finally in the end they will mock
thee, and they will piss upon thy head. Oh, official, look
to it that thy head be not pissed upon !

XX. How and what we, should ask of God.

1. Whosoever ask^th should ask that which is use- whosoever
ful. We are speaking now of prayer, and most timely doth duketh should ask
it thus befall, since this morning you are preparing your aiatwhlchl *
urns. You must see to it that Mass be sung 1 this morning

up there above in the Council Hall, and you must make a
prayer to God in suehwise that it may be directed into
these three paihs; that is to say, that it may avail to the
safety of souls with faith and perseverance, because our
prayer extendeth not to one alone but to the entire city.

2. Let each one ask of God grace for love of Jesus, We must agfc
notwithstanding that thou beest a sinner. And because we of God that he
have all need of the grace of God, we must all ask it, you, send. peace and

. , , , ,. T , concord among

o men, as well as you. women; and therefore I say that aU t he citizens.
you should tell your sons and your daughters to recite five
Paternosters and five Ave Marias while the ballots are being
taken, to the end that the good God shall send hither unity
and concord among all the citizens, and that he may put
it into the hearts of those who have this to do, to do that
thing which shall be above all to the glory of God and
the safety of their souls, and shall be good and useful to
\ this our entire city. This is little forsooth to recite, for you
.might recite them in the morning while you are here be- ^

fore the sermon doth commence, and in this manner you
will have profit of that time, brcause perchance there are
some who were used before to waste it.

3. If thou pray only with thy lips, it will avail ofafriarwho
thee naught. Hearken, I would tell thee what befell one prayed only with
of our friars. One of our friars was praying with his lips hls ips '
alone, not having his heart in anything of that which he

was saying; hence while he was praying in this fashion the

120

The best hour
to pray which
there is in tlie
entire day, is
the morning.

head of a dog appeared to him, which moved its mouth as
he did, signifying that his prayer was no better than a dog
that moved its mouth. As thou knowest, when thou sayest
the Ave Maria or the Paternoster not having heart therein.,
thou doest precisely as a dog that movoth its mouth. In
like manner do I say to thee who dost recite the office, or
friar, or priest, or religious whatsoever, if thou have not
heart therein, thou availest naught.

4. Before three o' clock is the time in which it is
good to pray. At every time it is good to pray, but the
morning is better than any other hour, and I will show
thee some reasons therefor. Because of this hath the Church
ordained that Mass be said in the morning, with the amount
prescribed of the divine office, wherein grace is asked for
the whole day. Why the morning more than all the rest
of the day ? Why, forsooth ? Because in the morning the
mind is quiet, find we complain not of weariness from the
day that is past. We have reposed through the night, and
being free from passion our thoughts can be lifted up to
God better than during the day, and most of all can they
be lifted up thither towards the break of day, and of this
we arc speaking. And if thou shouldst wish to comprehend
why that hour is the most fitting, Holy Church is our wit-
ness that in that same hour she hath received greater grace
from God than at any other time wherein she hath prayed.
A second reason wherefore this time of the morning is a
more fitting hour than any other of the day: seest thou
not that when the sun doth rise then the savage beasts,
wolves, foxes, and other beasts, likewise many such birds
as are great owls, little sprites, screech owls, and other hor-
rid birds, do forthwith 3ie full low, when they see the
light straightway they seek darkness, and therein they do
shroud themselves? They are like to demons. The demons
have more power at night than by day; I mf an because of
the sun of the illumination which God doth give to the
soul. And why dost thou believe that the temptations of
the night are more in number than those of the day? Solely
for this reason, because they have more power at night than
by day, which doth sigriin'y that the sun of grace doth
cause the soul to incline more towards God than doth night.

XXX. Hew we must ask of God that he may teach us to do
his will.

1. Every one hath two angels at watch; one of these rw time /
is good, the other is bad. And thou knowest that in the JJJ^jJJJ 1 *'
morning while thou liest in bed or art risen and about the mouthful
house, and the bell doth ring for the preaching, the good lnatchf * f rom
angel saith: Go to the sermon. Ofttimes when thou sleepest, e CTt '

and the bell doth ring, he waketh thee that thou mayest
conie to Mass and to the sermon. Peace ! thou shalt hear
anon. women, what think you of this hour for preach-
ing? As for me, I say that it doth please me excellently
well, that it is a rare mouthful snatched from the devil; it
raineth not, it is not cold nor hot, and there is not wind.
It is a pleasure in ypite of the devil. I confess willingly
that I grow fat thereby, and I weigh more by a pound af-
ter I have preached than before.

2. The fiesh is ever in opposition to the spirit, and of one who
the spirit to the flesh. There hath ever been this opposition could not fail
between them. But the soul is that which doth incline one a * le ? p ' bec " use

he had not fata

or the other to virtue or to vice. Hence, if the soul be his office at he
virtuous, not lacking in virtue it will accustom the body waa """'* to do -
to good practices. Hearken, I have bethought me of an
example to the point, touching one who followed a good
custom. He had made this a custom, which he practised,
to say the divine office. I can not tell you, however, what
led him to such a habit. But one day having been busied
about many things he forgot to recite compline. That even-
ing he doth betake himself to bed, as he was used to do.
Tnere he lieth an hour, two hours; he falleth not asleep ;
three hours doth he wait, yet he cannot sleep. He commen-

122

ceth to consider : what doth this signify? This is some-
thing 1 which doth rarely befall me. And so considering he
marvelled greatly, for he was used when he was come to
bed, straightway to fall asleep. Finally, considering and
reflecting thus, he doth recall to his mind this, that he had
not said compline. Straightway doth he arise up, and he
said compline and then returned to bed; he was not sooner
under the sheets than he commenced to snore. Who then
could it have been who brought it about that he should not
sleep ? It may have been his angel, or even God, or even
the very force of this habit of his; for it doth seem that
the soul cannot be at rest if it performeth not that which
it is used to do.

if thou doest 3. A sage and beautiful maiden and of good paren-

to the praise and tage, such wishest thou for thy wife? Is this thy will?

lSTJjT s r Knowesfc taou what l do sa y to thee ? That ^ch is suit-
do, every deed ed to thee is a young woman of parentage like to thine own.
doth profit thee. ^nd now m any young men and maidens alike are there
who would have a fair dowry, with great parentage, with
goodness and virtue in the maiden, and who would have
her sage, and beautiful, and of noble birth! But if thou
dost regard thyself what thou art, it doth beseem thee to
take a young woman of parentage like to thine own, and I
say the same of her likewise. And this is praiseworthy and
seemly. Other things there are as well which are seemly
and fitting. woman, hast thou a husband? It is seemly
that thou shouldst mend him, when thfm seest his hose
ripped. Hast thou the will to do this? It is a seemly thing
to do. When his clothes are soiled, it is seemly to make
them white and clean, and to give them to him as he need-
eth to shift. When he lacketh a shirt, ready willingness
to make others for him is fitting. So in like manner do
I say, when thou hast a young little child, and he doth
weep, do thou take him up. Is there need that thou shouldst
unswaddle him? See to it that so thou dost do. If there
be need to suckle him, suckle him; this is seemly. When
he hath sleep upon him, so that he doth cry, thou shouldst
also lull him to sleep. When it is needful to make him
clean, then shouldst thou do this. All these things show
becoming willingness, and when thou dost put such willing-

ness into practice, then dost thou neither merit nor dost
thou sin. what then! I merit not in caring for my hus-
band and my child, who are God' s creatures? No, for thou
dost merit naught, if thou intend not above all the pleasing
of God. If thy intention be towards God so that thou dost
that which thou doest to his praise and glory, then every-
thing doth profit thee. And hence thou mayest ever merit
if thou thyself care for thy household, and thy children,
and thy house; having above all intention towards God and
that what thou dost may be to his honour and glory,
straightway thou dost merit.

4. Say these labourers: it is we forsooth who endure V the life of
labour and toil. We suffer so much that we are like *>

; pleasant, then

martyrs all the year. At it, at it, at it ! and we never one thing is
know rest or repose. If the sun be hot it doth scorch us, s reai marvel,
and willy nilly must we suifer it, in reaping, or threshing, ^t^itnot^io
or in gathering in the harvest. In winter, likewise now in live so in ease
snow, now in cold, now in wind; and did we not so, the and vcst - '
harvest could not be gathered in. Hold, hold ! you shall
have an answer to this! And is it one alone who doth speak
so? Nay I believe, in faith, that I shall answer many, rath-
er, in saying that which I wish to say. If this be so pleas-
ant a life as you say, and if we do find so great pleasure
therein, one thing maketh me to marvel greatly, that more
folk come not to live so in ease and rest. I see but few who
snatch at this morsel.

5. There was a man near a place of ours, who went of a country
very often to talk with our friars there, and among other f ellow who

, ^, , -I , . /, i, i i , . T i ^ i wished to make

words that he let fall, he said at one time: I know not who trtal ^ ilie
fare better than you, assigning his reasons therefor, and religious ufe \>ut
saying: we go forth to work now with the hoe and now with *'* aoon f rsake
the spade; in cold, in heat, in wind, in snow, in hail, in
storm; and all the year do we toil and still we lack, and we
never lay up aught; for we suffer woe and fatigue, and we
purchase as well with great toil the bread and wine that we
consume. You stay here in ease; now you read, now you write,
Now it is warm, and you seek the shade; now it waxeth
cold, and you seek the fire. You live in delight, in the best
way in the world. If you wish bread, you have it every
day, and fresh; so likewise wine, and all that of which you

have need. When he had said thus what he wished to say,
saith the Guardian to him: Wouldsi thou endure the labour
that is ours, while we endure that which thou must endure,
and so thou shalt see which hath in it more delight ? Said
the country fellow: Right willingly. Saith the Guardian :
"Well, be it so! Which shall we agree first to make trial of?
thine or ours ? He doth reply : Let us make trial first of
yours. Saith the friar: To it, then ! Come forthwith, and
we will commerce this evening, and make trial of it thou
for eight days. He is well pleased and contented. In the
evening doth he come to the order, and they pave him
supper. He supped upon that which they gave him. Then
he was brought to sleep, all clad, upon a sack full of straw,
as they sleep, and over it there was naught but a coarse
quilt, and this perchance was full of fleas. That night, at
midnight, they come and knock at his room at the same
hour with the other friars. Up! up! to Matins! comrade,
arise ! He doth arise up and goeth into church with the
others. The Guardian gave him a pair of beads, saying to
him: thou knowest not the office, stand here, and thou shalt
say the beads while that we are busied in saying Matins.
Domine, labia mea aperies. ' This fellow was not used to
keep awake, he cornmenceth to sway forwards. Saith
the friar : Stand up, brother, stand up, fall not asleep !
He doth awake, dazed, mid commenceth anew to say the
beads. Within a little he doth sway backwards, and the
beads fall from his hand. Saith the friar : Stand up, fye
upon thee ! Say the beads, see how they have fallen out of
thy hand ! Take them up ! In sum, he had to be wakened
many times while they were saying matins, and they had
scarce finished when he said: Oh, do you so every night?
He doth reply: This we must do always, every night. Said
the peasant: By the Gospel, I' 11 come here no more, not I!
And so in one night had he more than enough of the de-
lights of the life we lead; and be arose up on his feet and
said: Open the door for me, for I wish to get away from
this ! And notwithstanding that he did that good he could
not profit thereby, because he did it not out of Jove of

5 Lord, thon shalt open my lips .

125

God : not having regard to God naught can avail to a good *

purpose.

6. Thou canst not please God without labour. Do as see that thou
I shall tell thee: strive not with over great zeal. Attemper *A* not the
the lute. Every time that thou wouldst enforce thy body to more than a can
suffer devout exercise in whatsoever fashion, see that thou endure.
enforce it not to suffer more than it can endure. That thou
shouldst enforce thy body to more than it can endure is
not the will of God, because he doth not clemnnd from us
more than we have power to endure. Saint Augustine, who
devised his rule in the most perfect precision, doth require
that this rule for religious orders be observed by those who
can observe it. Say not that it is impossible to observe it,
for therein thou liest; it can be observed, but not by all.
The rule of Saint Augustine doth require that thou fast in
respect of that which is possible, and as long as thou canst;
and when thou canst no longer endure, thou art no longer
bound thereto. In like manner I tell you of the rule of
Saint Francis; there are those who say : it is so strict that
no one can obey it, what think you of this, pray? They
wear no tunic, they touch not money ! Oh, fool that thou
art ! I say to thee that those who made the rules for these
religious orders, did so with the uttermost discretion, and
all their observances it is possible to keep them. And every
time thou dost say that it cannot be kept thou dost blas-
pheme God before all, and thou dost s?iy evil of the Saint
who made this rule, and thou dost blaspheme Holy Church,
who hath confirmed and approved the rule. I speak of those
which have been approved by Holy Church. It is true
that our rule cloth require that thou wear only one tunic
alone, but it doth add thereto another sentence, wherein it
saith: secundum tempus et loca according to tho season and
the place wherein thou art. If it be a cold country, thou
rnayest put on as many garments as are needtul so that
thou freeze not; and thou mayest even wear also a mantle
over the tunic and the habit. In like manner are you your-
selves accustomed to do. When you hav6 not as many
clothes as suffice, you put on more of them. If thou say: the
order doth require that they go barefoot, I could not go in
this manner in winter, also this is ordained with regard

126

to the place and the season, and the condition of the par-
ticular person: if he be old, so that the heat doth not return
anew to his body, fall well thou knowest that he cannot
do as a young 1 man. For thy saying: Oh, they may riot
touch money! this is true, neither old nor young 1 may
touch money, in. any place whatsoever. But I ask thee,
what need have we of money? Why should we suffer such
a burden? I believe, in faith, there was never any one of
you who touched so much of it that he ate thereof in order
to live better in respect of his food. Methinks that neither
seculars nor friars ever eat inonuy. For myself I say I nev-
er ate any, nor do I think that any of you have done so.
And what need is there of money if a man may have that
of which he hath need? For me, I have no need thereof; it
is enough for me that I have those things which are bought
with money. If thou wouldst speak of our manner of
sleeping, ah this is what thou canst not understand!
Oh, this is indeed healthful, to sleep clad! Wilt thou have
proof thereof ? Fs there any woman here who doth itch?
Boys, is there no one here who hath the itch ? Ofttimes
when I think thereon I laugh my fill, in faith, in my sleeve.
Hearken ! I would teach you to cure yourselves of the
itch. Wishest thou to be cured? Sleep fully clad, and sleep
without a shirt, and if thou shalt do thus, I promise thee
thou shalt never need to go to the Baths of Petriuolo nor
to Maciareto. Wilt thou have witness thereof? Not one of
our religious that ever I have seen has ever had the itch.
Hast thou understood me ? And hence I say to thee, that
he who hath made the rules shaped them with discretion,
and it is possible to observe them.
HOW FHar 7. There kave been man who have wished to enter

was e ^ tirnil \ \\f e a t a single bound and a leap. And many times
man, who have such as these found themselves crazed thereby; be-

through too great cause through too great abstinence they have then lost

abstinence, had ^^ ^ ag befel j Qne m whom J think you know j

lost his wits. ' *

wish not to name him, but this befell him for no other
reason than this of too great abstinence; he fasted so much
that he waxed mad. And I was ordered that I should keep
him in the convent, and I kept him, and knowest thou
what befell one time? That while 1 was standing there in

127

talk with a friar, and this man was behind the door,
precisely in thiswise with a bar in his hand, and I per-
ceived this not, because I had turned my back on him, my
companion chanced to turn his face towards him. And when
he raised the bar aloft, which was like a corbel, my com-
panion stooped to the ground. It was the will of God that
the blow arrived not to me either. He came within the door,
and when he came to himself he asked me, saying: Wert
thou afeard? I replied and said the truth, that is, that nev-
er had I felt greater fear, and that verily it was the great-
est fear I had ever felt. This I say came from naught else
than from too great penance; and therefore do I say, that
too much doth overfloAv.

8. Women, women, because it happened to me How
once to feel so great fervour as this I may tell you some- Bernardino was
what concerning it; and I would tell you of the 'first mini- ^iptedto a o into

a hermitage, and

cle that I ever performed, and this befell before I was a how then he
friar. The.re came to me the will to live like an angel; I overcame this
do not say like a man. Lo! Hearken now to this, and may t em P tatlon -
God bless you! The thought came to me that I would live
on water and grass, and I bethought me that I would go
to live in a wood, and I commenced to say within myself:
What wilt thou do in a wood ? What wilt thou eat ? So I
replied to myself within me: that is a good way which the
holy fathers followed. I will eat grass when I am hungry,
and when I shall be thirsty I will drink water. And so I
determined to do; and in order to live according to the will
of God I determined also to -buy a Bible, that I might read,
and a cover to keep over it. And I bought the Bible, and
I went to buy a piece of leather, of chamois skin, that
water might not soak in at the sides of the book, so that the
Bible should not be wet. And I cast about in my thoughts
Avhere I might lodge, and I determined to go to look
about me, near Massa; and when I was in the Valley of
Boccheggiano, I went about staring up first at this hill and
then at that one, and saying Avithin me: Oh, here is a good
place to be! Oh, there it will be even better ! In sum, not
arriving at any decision, I returned to Siena and thought
that I would commence to make trial of the life that I wish-
ed to practise. And I went out there beyond the Porta

128

Follonica, * and I commenced to gather a salad of sow-thistle
and other herbs, and I had neither bread, nor salt, nor
oil; and I said: let us commence the first time washing it
and scraping it and the next time it will suffice to scrape
it without cleansing it otherwise; and when we shall be
more accustomed thereto we will do without washing it,
and at length we shall do without gathering it. And in the
name of blessed Jesus I commenced with a mouthful of
sow-thistle, and putting it into my mouth, I commenced to
chew it. Chew, and chew, it would not go down! Not being
able to swallow it, I said: Oh, now I have found the way!
Let us commence by taking a draught of water. Marry !
down went the water, and the sow-thistle stayed there in
my mouth. Finally I took many a draught of water to one
mouthful of sow thistle, and yet could I not swallow it. With
one mouthful of sow-thistle I rid myself of all temptation,
for in truth I know now that it WHS a temptation. What
followed afterwards upon this was by election not through
temptation. Oh, how must a man weigh and consider be-
fore he follow those inclinations which sometimes result in
so great evil, and yet seem so good! Hence said Bernard :
Non semper credendum est boriae voluntati trust not to every
good inclination, nay, but those saints of old as in
the time of the holy fathers, how then did they do ? They
forsooth lived on grass. I reply to thee: Distingue tempora
et concordabis scripturas. Distinguish the times. Knowest
thou not that what the Saints did, thou canst not do ? Be-
hold Saint Fruncis! How prithee was he able to fast for
forty days, wherein he never once ate? He could do so, I
should not be able to do so, not I. And I say to thee that
verily I have no wish to do so, nor would I that God should
give me such a wish. So likewise I soy to you of Saint
Peter, knowest thou not that he walked upon the water
as we wfilk upon land? In faith I would never trust myself
there! Therefore, wish not to do that which thou mayest

1 This gate was near the church of San Giovanni in Pantaneto, in that part of
the wall which was torn down when th convent of San Francesco was included in
the city proper at the desire of Piua II, who stayed there for some time in 1410.
An old fountain with three arches, now in a vary dilapidated condition, keeps the
name of the gate.

129

know upon reflection thou canst not do; for in truth even
though thou hast the will to do, thou wilt die thereof.

9. Lo! Great penance at a single bound is preten- it is not
tious. Knowest thou what doth come from presumption? As Citing that thou
thou knowest from a woman to whom a good impulse shall 8houlds * %m v**

" A upon tne spint

come of a sudden; she will say: I intend to recite every a heavier penance
day a thousand Paternosters and a thousand Ave Marias, than {t is abu to
and she will recite them for three days, and then this doth
vex her. And she will say: I wish to recite them with more
devotion, but to recite fewer of them; I will say five hun-
dred. And so it will go perchance for eight days. And a-
gain at the end of eight days these will seem to her too
many,, and she will betake herself to one hundred each
day, oh! other duties increase in number, and the de-
votions go, I know not how or whither. Knowest thou
what such an one as this hath done ? She hath made a
goose's flight! She maketh a great noise, and in the end she
hath done naught. And therefore is it better that thou
shouldst choose thy penance with discretion and not with
presumption; for if thou shalt act with presumption, then
when thou wouldst act again with discretion, thou wilt not
be able to do so well as thou shalt desire to do.

10. A soul which is well disposed doth not willingly ot the
venture herself lightly into every depth of waters: she will mcol '- lites and J

. , . . , , those evil folk

go forward warily and with the uttermost caution, lest that Wh0 f u ow the
the good inclination that she hath be a temptation. Knowest most indecent
thou what God saith to such as these? Go, read it in the *""**" in the

~ ' world.

Second Chapter of the Apocalypse : Odisti facta Nicolaita-
rum, quae et ego odi thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaites,
which I also hate, To tell thee more concerning this Nicolas,
this Nicolas was a deacon, and received the Holy Ghopt with
the others, who were Apostles; and when he had received the
Holy Ghost, he was entrusted with the care of the widows.
He had a wife and she was very beautiful, and he thought
of no other God than his wife. The other servants of God
becoming aware of this, admonished him that in this man-
ner he did ill. He, to excuse himself, said that it was not
true, and to show that he spoke the truth he said that
whosoever wished his wife might take her. Thus was it said
and done; she was beautiful of body and was young, and

9

- 130 -

there were other young- men, who took her, and most wil-
lingly; and thus she had a greater burden to bear than she
should have. And knowest thou what this Nicolas did then,
in order to inspire greater belief and trust thereby ? He
commenced to say that wives should be common among
men. Hearing this, a doctor of the same kind as those of
Grosseto said: Omnia communia praeter muglim A Let all be
held in common, except the wife. Oh, of what an awful
thing, and terrible, do I now bethink me ! There is even
here among us a place where they follow this cursed prac-
tice which I will tell thee of: in the early hours of the*
night they gather together, men and women in one place,
and stir themselves round together in a broth; and they
have a light, and when it seemeth to them the moment to
extinguish this, they do so, and then one falleth to another
as chance will have it. Ou, ou, ou! Hearken to this curse
which hath thus entered and fallen upon the land. And
there are such folk as these here in Piedmont, * and ere
this* fire inquisitors there were who went thither to rid it
of this curse, and they were put to death by thesp wicked
people. And no longer can there be found any inquisitor
who will consent to go thither to have to do with the mat-
tor. And knowest thou how such as these are called? They
are called Polk of the Keg. And this name deriveth from
this, that at a certain time of year they will take a young
little boy child and throw it from one to another among
them, so that it is killed thereby. Then being dead they
pound it into powder, and put this powder into a keg, and
then from this keg they give to drink to each one, and
this they do because they say that then it will not be pos-
sible for them to reveal any of those practices which they
perform. We have a friar in our order, who was once one
of them, and he hath related the whole unto me, and ver-
ily they follow the most indecent practices that I believe
could ever be performed. And therefore I have somewhat
to say unto you, women, and lay it up in your minds : if

> See footnote, p. 88.

The Saint heightens the effect of irony by this grammatical error.
1 He alludes here to the sect of the Waldeneians, established in the Val d'Aoata
since the thirteenth century.

- 131

ever you may know that a man hath been of that ribald
crew, and he should say to you in regard of whatsoever
occasion hath been or ever might be, even the humanity
of Christ, and in the name of this should say that he
wished to see you all naked, know you that which you must
do? Cry out: To the fire with him, to the fire! And stay not
there in the least way, lest somewhat should befall thee
thereby. * Ah me, if you lose your chastity, how are you
bereft ? Naught hath the woman more precious than this.
Be on your guard therefore to preserve it.

1 Thin recommendation by Saint Bernardino, and many more which are to be
found in hia sermons, but which out of regard for certain readers, we do not publish,
bear testimony to the horrible corruptness of the time, which [was general, and
which took advantage even of the religious sentiment of the people.

Doth still treat of Jiow we ought to ask of 6fod that he
teach us to do hie ivill.

_....,. 1. Every time that these three come before thee,

See to it that ^ '

thou dost attach good, better, and best, if it be possible to thee, attach thy-
thystif to the se if a i wa ys to the best. If thou canst not have the best,

"hftit.P "ifL WP&ftf*

ence to the good see *^ a * t k u ^ ost attac ^ thyself then to Ihe better before
the g-ood. This is what G-od doth wish that we should do,
and this alone, in order that we may all become virtuous
men. This is the will of God, that thou seek ever the most
perfect manner of life, and practices the best that thou
canst find; being able to have them all three, if one doth
cost thee no more than another, caeteris paribus, attach
thyself alwa.y s to the best, because if thou dost attach thy-
self to the good, if then thou dost go forward to the bet-
ter, and finally to the best, so thou must go from better
to better. J

HOW Friar 2. For me, I have rejoiced in this practice for many

Stmardine doth years. I have endured this labour of preaching now for
confess neither man y a year an a j k ave found it always the worthiest and

man nor woman, ^ u **

occupying him best of all labours that I have ever endured; and I have
self solely with wished to leave for it every other duty. I never do confess
either man or woman, and I busy myself abouC naught else
than sowing the word of God, and I hold this practice to
be the best; for I perceive that wishing to do many things,
I do no one of them well. S.iith Solomon: Non sintinmul-
Us actus tui. See that thou busy not thyself about many
things. And therefore do I endeavour to practise this one
alone.

1 I. e., by stages, which you would be spared, if you seized at once upon the
best and Highest.

133

3. Oho ! Ofttimes when that I am alone by myself,
there overcometh me again and again the desire to laugh
my fill, 7- so that if any were with me then he would doth 'belong to the
think it a great marvel. I find that if any one hath a stshop or to the
quarrel of whatsoever kind, they betake themselves to me Qa^ult the
saying to me: Hearken, friar Bernardino, I pray you for Tribunal.
the love of God that you do me a kindness: there is a dis-
pute between such an one and such another, and you
might do well indeed bringing them into accord. Well, say
I, what wouldst thou have me to do? I would that you would
send after him. But I have no servants, nor have I bailiffs,
to force him to come hither, and perchance he will not
wish to do aught else than as it pleaseth him. Tush! This
is not a matter for me. There will come another, who per-
chance hath quarrelled with his wife, saying to me : for
the love of God, bring it about for me that there may be
peace between her and me. Another: I am owed money by
such a man; he doth insult me, he mocketh me, he keepeth
back from me perforce that which is mine, while I live in
want. Well, what dost thou wish that I should do in re-
gard of it ? I am not the Governor nor the Captain, I am
not one of the Nobles, nor an official of the Tribunal, so
that I may force him to pay if thou hast money owed to
thee. In like manner, if a son be chased out of the house
by his father, it is to me he doth come; if the father
be ill-treated by the son, he doth betcike himself to me. If
a wife hath been driven away by her husband, she betak-
eth herself to me. If a woman haih fled from her husband,
the husband cometh to me. If a man hath any infirmity,
he hath recourse to me; if he be in any tribulation, he
betaketh himself to me; and in faith I hear from you the
most wonderful tales, that ever I have heard in any place
whatsoever. And ofttimes there will come to me such as'
would tell me that which is in sum but a vain trifle, and
they begin the story a thousand miles back. One day a
little time ago a foreigner came to me, and he seemed to
me a man of but little intelligence, though in his own esteem
this was not so; and approaching me, he said : Sire, God
grant you happiness. You are right welcome. What news ?
I would have thy counsel? Utter thy whole wish, said I,

134

He commenceth then and saith: The truth is this, that we
have a priest in our church, and he is not pleasing to us.
We turned him out, and we have taken another one, ot
whom we understand that he is excommunicated; hence I
would ask that you send to him to come to you, and that
you admonish him, I mean that you correct him of his
fault. I replied to this man that I am not the bishop, that
I can neither admonish him nor correct him. He replied
and said to me: To me it doth seem that you are bishop,
and pope, and emperor. And verily I do believe in respect
of this which he said to me that he said it in good faith.
And this which you do here in regard of me, it is done
likewise in every other place whither I chance to go. Know
you what I have to say to you? You would have me
pope, and bishop, and rector, and official of the Tribunal,
and that I performed all those offices which belong unto
these. Oh, I cannot do all things, not I ! Let each one
perform his own office ! If money be owed to thee, go there
whither thou shouldst go in order to recover thy money.
If thy wife hath left thee, or thy husband, settle this mat-
ter with the help of thy kinsmen or thy friends, or with
thy father, and sic de singulis say I to each one of you.
Knowest thou wherefore? Because one is fitted to one of-
fice, and one to another, and when it is needful thou
shouldst go to the bishop, do not come to seek me, for I can
not be of aid in this affair of thine. When thou shouldst go
to the Nobles, do not come to me, for here again I can do
naught for thee; go thou therefore to them. And thus I say
to everyone of you; because that you should come to seek
me is a wasting of that time in which I might be busied
in study and in demising a sermon to the magnificence and
the honour of God ; and you are occasion wherefore I can
not study, since I must stay to listen to you. And there-
fore I ask of each one of you that you pardon me, since I
do this with the best intention, and to that end which is
the best of those three which I told thee of.

4. Now I wish that we should consider facts. A mer-
chant who doth depart from his house, and doth go forth
and leave his wife and his family, 'and shall remain abroad
for SJ. eara r ofttimes two years, and doth leave a young wife, in doing

It is not a
reasonable thing
for a merchant
to leave his wife
and his family

' 135

this doth he seem to thee to do well? In faith, no! Oh, this
is not permitted to thee! The reason is this, that you were
given one to the other, in order that thoy should remain
together while that there should be life in one or in both.
Moreover, if they remain apart, naught can come of this
but bad example; they may thereby live in fornication.
Banish, therefore even the thought of such a thing. Know-
est thou what I say to thee, Woman ? If thy husband be
abroad, see that thou endeavour to enforce him to return to
thee; write to him, send to him messages in suchwise that
thou shalt stir up in him the wish to return; be not without
him; and if he be unwilling to return, go thither where he
is, forsooth. If thou sayest: Oh, I am not troubled therefor,
Oh, then this is indeed a bad sign. Thus thou showest
that thou art seeking after another. Hence do I wish most
heartily that thou remain with him, and he with thee. Nay,
I speak not of eight days, or of two weeks, or even of a
month, but to stay two years, or three, this is not accord-
ing to reason, and not being according to reason, it is dis-
pleasing to God. Also, moreover, this is not a reasonable
thing in thee, thou who givest thy vote in the palace, if
thou give it in suchwise that for one who is not fitted to
an office thou dost give the white ballot, and for one who
is fitted thereto thou dost give the black one; and this is
displeasing to God, and thou art bound to answer therefor.
Ay me! how many do the ballots ruin !

5. Again it is not reasonable to put into practice Of certain
such thoughts as come to thee if thou reason not with thy- pcople who

,-.,-. believed it was

self in regard of them, since moreover they are not pleas- posa ihi e to go to
ing to God. Farther there are so many cursed temptations Hol v
which lead thee finally into evil. women ! If these men f^f* 6 *

J land, and who

were not here present, I would tell you somewhat of such were imprisoned.
as do beguile you with their words, and you perceive it
not, and you are guided by what they say, and you are
beguiled. For ofttimes there come such deceivers, such hyp-
ocrites, as thou knowest, such hermits 1 as say: Such and
such a thing will come to pass; in such a way must you

* Used here ironically to mean those who are austere in outward appearance
only.

- 136 -

do; and they represent one thing as another, and so do they
deceive many. Hearken. Twelve years ago perchance there
was a man at Fermo who came forth out of a wood who
.made people believe in his tales and his foolery, drawing
many people to him, saying that one day they should go
to the Holy Sepulchre by land. And when the time seemed
to him come, then he made them strip themselves all na-
ked, men and women, and they set forth on their way, and
went towards Fermo. When people saw this company they
commenced to say: what rneaneth this? What novelty is
this? What do you intend, doing in this manner? They re-
plied: We intend to go to the sea, and when we shall have
arrived there, the sea will part itself and we shall enter
therein and go to Jerusalem without ever wetting our feet
in the water. When this tale came to the ears of Sire Lew-
is, the Lord of Fermo, he had them all imprisoned. 1 Such
things are not pleasing to God, because they are not accord-
1 ig to reason.

HOW the devil 6. How many women there are who say : Oh, last

appearedto Friar night there came to me a beautiful vision ! I saw such and
Arm/" 6 such a tnin g> and it foretold unto me that I should have
crucified. such and such a thing. Another woman saith: The Virgin

Mary appeared to me. Saith another: An angel appeared to
me. Saith another: And to me the moon appeared. Another:
the sun. Another: A star, in my bedchamber, which was all
illumined with it. Knowest thou what I say to thee? This is
all madness which hath crazed thy brain, or if be in truth
somewhat, it is that from which evil will come to thee if
thou know not how to guard thyself from it. Knowest thou
why? Because in my opinion thou art not better than was
friar Rivfino, companion of Saint Francis, to whom the dev-
il appeared in the form of one crucified, and said to him :
In regard of this thy Francis, be assured that he is a hyp-
ocrite. This friar Eufino forsooth was a holy man, and so
well did this cursed devil know how to order the matter that
his fervour for Saint Francis began to diminish; and this
vision came to him very many times. Saint Francis perceiv-
ed the changed manner of this friar, and going to him he

1 The same story is told by Ser Antonio di Niccold, the chronicler of Fermo.

137

asked him the reason thereof, and finally he said to him i
Hast thou never had a vision? He not wishing 1 to tell him,
he asked him very many times, again and again. In the
end he told him that he had had a most glorious vision.
Saint Francis asking 1 what this had been, he said that the
crucifix had spoken to him. Saint Francis knowing within
himself what this had been said to him: Alas ! believe it
not, for it will bring thee into evil, since it is the devil.
Aye, in faith ! the devil can take upon himself the form of
a crucifix. l Oh, he never departed from above the
cross in the time of Christ ! he was not however upon
the cross of Christ himself. And instructing this friar he
said: Knowest thou how thou must do the next time that
he comes again ? Know then that humility is most hateful
to him. See to it that when he doth appear to thee again
thou dost spit in his face. If he be the devil, he will flee,
and if he be God he will be glad thereof, thou having done
this with right intention, and he will hold it for a good
act; but if he be the devil, he will flee forthwith, since h'i
hath not so great humility that he can endure to suffer any
insult whatsoever. The friar did in this manner : once a-
gain he appeared to him forsooth in that selfsame form;
straightway Friar Rufino spat in his face. Marry! When he
had performed this act, that other departed forthwith, and
left behind him there so terrible a stench that no one could
endure to stay there. All that thing had he done solely to
trick that friar. Therefore do I say to you: Consider well
that which thou dost do, and when one viwion or another
comcth to thee, believe not with over-great readiness that
which these visions reveal to thee; prove them before you
believe !

1 Here it is Saint Bernardino who speaks.

xxiii. Of the twelve damsels ivhom the Virgin Mary had
round about her.

Mary had
with her twelve
damsels when the
Angel saluted
her.

The first
damsel whom
Mary had with
her was My
Lady Seclusion.

1. David speaking of the glorious Virgin Mary,
speaks of her as he first seeth her, not as yet espoused.
And David seeth that she was followed of many damsels,
virgins in her company, as recordeth the forty-fourth psalm;
and he saith that she doth lead them with her because she
is the chief of all virgins. Many more virgins shall be
brought after her. * This morning we must consider who
those are who should be present with the Virgin Mary. I say
that they must needs be virgins. Then we must consider

''the behaviour of the virgins, and let us see the behaviour
of Mary, how Mary conducted herself when she heard the
salutation of the angel; and learn this morning, Virgins,
what must be your behaviour before you marry. And be-
fore all we must, consider how Mary a pure virgin without
stain of sin, was accompanied with twelve virgins, whose
abode had been always with her, and Mary performed
naught which these virgins knew not of. Now would I tell
you the name of each of all these, and that which belong-
ed unto them to do, since that they stood never idle; they
were always busied in the service of Mary.

2. The first damsel whom Mary had with her AVBS
My Lady Seclusion. She bore Mary so much love that she
would never be parted from her, though she had the charge
of the door. Mary had agreed with her and had said to
her: knowest thou how thou must do if any one whatsoever

1 After her ahall virgins lie brought . Psalm XLIV.

139

shall ever knock at the door ? See that thou goest never to
open unto him without that thou dost first tell me it, and
see that thou dost ask first who is there. If it be a man,
hearken how thou must do then: take thy stand here at
the window, for she had a little window like this one
of the Signoria here * or that of the Governor, so that she
might see others without being herself seen, and even if
thou descend, open not the door, open the wicket in
thiswise; if it be a woman, ask what she would have, to
the end that we be not beguiled. And this rule she always
kept in regard of whosoever came thither. And that it was
fact you may know from this, that when the Angel Gabriel
arrived, he knocked, and My Lady Seclusion ran in haste
to the window, and seeing him asked: Who is there ? And
straightway drawing in her head she hastened to Mary and
said: Some one hath knocked at the door, and he seemeth
to me to be an angel. Then said Mary: Go, and open unto
him; And when it had been opened unto him, straightway
she bowed her head, in order that her face might not be
seen. And therefore said the Evangelist: Et ingressus Ange-
lus ad earn dixit : Ave gratia plena : Dominus tecum : And
the Angel being com6 in said unto her: Hail full of Grace:
the Lord is with thee. maidens! learn how you must con-
duct yourselves at home, and how you must be upon your
guard in respect of him who doth enter therein; for thou
seest that the Virgin Mary stayed shut within her house,
and would always see first who wished to enter there, and
would know that which he wished. Maidens, you know not
how strong and overwhelming are the desires of youth !
There is naught better than to keep within doors, and not
to have to do with men, or even with women.

3. Why are maidens unstable? Not being experienced intimacy of
in the things of the world, when they see a thing that \y un o men with

, ,1 ,-f , ., , . n ., -i ! maidens can

is new, at once there cometh to them a longing for it, be-j never have in it
cause all their feelings are stirred up with the desire there-! aught of good.
of. And when they perceive and comprehend that which!
indeed it is, ii it be somewhat belonging to the world'

1 In some old pictures there is a window in the first floor of the Palazzo Pub-
blico, from which one might look out without being seen. To-day no trace of this
remains.

140

straightway she goeth in pursuit of it; if she follow after
it, she never will be good. Mark me, for I say that which
is true. Wouldst thou do as I tell thee, maiden? Oh, see
to it, then that thou dost guard thyself from My Lady Do-
mesticity. Speak thou to no one, let no one enter into thy
bedchamber, and enter thou not into the bedchamber of
another. evil dost thou do, thou mother, to permit that
she should visit in the houses of others, and make herself
intimate there, for because of such intimacy thou shalt find
her therefore big and monstrous great. Better far hadst
thou done to bring her to the preaching. There where thou
dost think that she is intimate, be on thy guard, for it is
needful that thou shouldst do so. Hearken, I would tell
you an example from nature. I see there a wild pig, which
hath been brought hither into the city, and becoming used
to see so many people it fleeth not away, as it was accus-
tomed to do in the wood; and because of such intimacy
with people, if a man should go to offer him- somewhat, he
would permit him to touch him and to scratch him, and
you might do with him as you pleased. And this Cometh
solely from intimacy with those people whom he seeth
every day. Now go thou to the wood, and coax thither one
of those who dwell therein; when he shall see thee, forth-
with will he flee from thee. Show him acorns and go to-
wards him, it is yet worse. Call him, Ciro, ciro ! Thou
mayest well sing, for he will never wait for thee. To the
same purpose: A maiden who looketh not to her behaviour
as she should do, who when she heareth a horse, doth
straightway run to the window, who would see all and
know everything, be assured that very easily she may
fall into dishonour. This My Lady Seclusion had a sister
whose name was My Lady Bashfulness, and every day she
was used to say to her: Let not thyself be seen by the men;,
betake thyself not to the window to look at those who play
at ball, and wear short jerkins reaching only to the middle,
and go not to listen to the sound of music when they do
play or sing beneath thy window at daybreak. Betake thy-
self not to the windows by day or by night; stay not to
listen when the young men climb up to the roof and throw
up pebbles that they may talk with thee; go not thither at

- 141

any time. And there were always such words as these be-
tween these two sisters Bashfulness and Domesticity.
Hast thou taken my meaning ? Thou wilt understand me
even better anon.

4. The second of the damsels of Mary was My Lady The second of
Audience, who, when Seclusion had seen this angel, sa'id the ^ mael8 f
that this was so; * and she went thither straightway to
know what he wished, and the Angel told it to her, and
Mary knew it forthwith. And to be assured that this was
so, look at that which the Evangelist hath said: Quae cum
audisset Who having heard. Knowest thou what this doth
teach thee? It doth teach thee- that thou shouldst stay to
listen to those things which are good and holy, and help-
/ul. To such things as these thou shouldst open thine ears;
not so when thou hearest the young men who sing or make
music, for they would willingly bring thee to shame and
dishonour. When thou dost hear them, knowest thou what
thou shouldst do? Flee away, and stay not to listen; for if
thou shalt stay there thou shalt remain in great and open
peril, because the mind of a maid doth waver, it remain-

eth not firm, and then it doth befall that et cetera.

Three persons are there whom thou shouldst stay to heark-
en to, virgins, who have not husbands : first Q-od, then
thy father, and next thy mother. Let us commune with
God. When thou sayest the Ave Maria alone without other
prayers, with whom dost thou think thou speakest ? Thou
dost speak with the Virgin Mary, find in like manner,
when thou sayest the Pater Nosfcer, thou dost speak with
the good Lord God. Knowest thou, that when thou dost
salute the Virgin Mary, she doth forthwith salute thee.
Think not that she is one of those unmannerly women of
whom many are to "be found; far otherwise, she is all
pleasant: she doth s-ilute thee every evening when thou
hearest the Ave Maria ring up there in the Duorno. Oh,
wilt thou be so unmannerly that thou dost salute not her?
If thou shalt salute her, forthwith she will respond to thee,
and will converse Avith thee. Likewise speaking aloft . to
God, he as well will respond to thee and will converse

1 I. e., that Seclusion had seen the Angel.

142

Guard thyself,
maiden, from
those ivicked
women who do
always
endeavour to
converse with
thee when thy
mother is not
there present.

with. thee. Second: Thou shouldst stay to hearken to thy
father, and thou shouldst obey him; for he will never tell
thee aught than that which will result in honour for thee,
and which is useful as much in regard of God as of the
world. The third person to whom thou shouldst hearken is
thy mother; and this when she doth teach and train thee,
saying to thee: Betake not thyself to the window, stay not
to look at those who are so unseemly in their manner of
playing at ball; stand not there to hear the singing of vain
and idle songs; stay not to listen to the words of any man:
lay not thy mind to aught else than to purity. Oh, purity
is so noble a thing, my daughter! Mark me, and believe
what I say, do that which I say to you. Do that which
she x doth dictate to thee.

5. Hearken, daughter, and see, and hear, and incline
thine ears to that which I say to thee. Hear that which
thou shouldst hear, and see that which thou shouldst see.
Pay heed to that in which doth consist the safety of thy
soul. Guard thyself from those wicked women when they
come to seek thee at home, who endeavour always to con-
verse with thee when thy mother is not there present. And
the maiden who is not experienced in the things of the
world, knoweth not these women as they are in truth, for
she is pure and innocent, and without guilej Wouldst thou
that I teach thee to know them ? Be upon thy guard when
anyone whatsoever cometh to thee at home, and pay heed
to this which I shall say to thee;\ Commonly it is their cus-
tom to go when the mother is absent; this is their custom,
and they carry on one arm a little basket, wherein they
have certain little vials for anointing and for painting the
face; and this is their manner: when she cometh thither she
will sit down with thee, and she inquire th of thee in respect
of thy mother, and where she is. Then she will set herself
to gaze at thy face, and will observe too all thy person.
And their habit is to say: Oh, how thou art unkempt! Thou
dost clothe thyself indeed ill, and thy tresses are in great
disorder; thou seemest in truth a wild beast, and raethinks
that thou dost pay little heed to thy appearance. Go to, go

Parity.

143

to! See that thou be clad as beseeineth, that thou mayest
appear that which thou indeed art. Thou art the most beau-
tiful maid in this neighbourhood, and thou art neglected
and disorderly like a sheep. And the maiden, who doth
jjpulge by these words alone, doth reply as she best can.
\Tke woman then doth arise up, and she saith to her : I
would clothe and deck thee with mine own hands; and she
doth assist her, and doth instruct her how to anoint herself
and what the maiden doth of this, she doth praise. Oh, thou
art beautiful! Thou dost seem to me the most beautiful
maid whom [ have ever, seen! And she maketh her to dance
with joy, for commonly maidens desire to be praised
for their beauty. And when they have spoken together in
this manner for a little, so that by means of their conver-
sation they have grown intimate, then she doth commence
to repeat messages; and first she doth demand that she be
paid, with broken bits of silver, or with salt meat, or flour,
or wine, or oil, or bread. Never will they depart if they
have not somewhat to carry away; they endeavour always
to rob. And then doth she commence to say to the maid :
I have brought thee good tidings; there is one who doth
wish well to thee more than any other in the world, out
of true love. And they always have this true love on
their. lips. Know thou what thou shouldst do in regard of
such as these? In like manner as did a certain maid, who
when such a one set herself to talk in this manner, she
buffeted her well with many blows. There was another
who, when one of them had talked to her, the maiden
summoned a whole troop of children and said to them: Go
to the house of such a one, with this bunch of straw, and
put it within the door. And she gave them a bunch of
straw, and so was it done, and they burned her house for
her. Oh, maiden ! see that thou dost hearken and attend: l
Stay not to listen to such as these, nor even to listen to
any young man such as those who say ofttimes : I would
say a word to thee, to thy profit, and it is somewhat which
thou hast need to hear. Stay not ever to listen. Think you
that I know not these practices? Yea; in faith, I know what

I. e., to -what I Bay to yon.

144-

Bertha spun. I have found myself ere this there where there
have been such men as have said: If I can but speak
with her, if I can but touch her hand, I shall prevail, so
that she will consent. And I know that these speak truth;
the manner of it I will not tell you, not I, for I wish not
that you should learn it from me; for there are such as
would practise it if they knew how, and hundreds of maid-
ens have been dishonoured by these means. And the first
word they say is this : I would speak with thee for the
true love I bear thee. the true love doth consist in this:
in dishonouring thee, and thy father, and thy mother, and
all thy parentage, thus blindfolding thine eyes so th;it-thou
darest never show thyself abroad. Dishonour and shame to
thee, to thy father, to thy mother, to all thy family, and
finally to the husband who shall be given to thee! Therefore
be wise; hearken and attend, but not to everyone.
The, third of 6. The third of the damsels of Mary was called My

the damsels of Lady Modesty. She was ever close beside Mary. Whenso-
Mary was called ^ heard a man speak, then in modesty she became

My Lady ^ ' J

Modesty. red as fire, and was all troubled within for modesty. And

hence said the Gospel, when the Angel had spoken to her
in the form of a man : et turbata est in sermon6 eius. l
When she heard the Angel speak, forthwith she was troub-
led. Pay heed to this : when a man is confused he doth
blush. Likewise did Mary. Notwithstanding that he was an
Angel, because she heard a voice as of a man, she said
within herself: I have spoken ofttimes with angels, but
never heard I that one spoke to me in a human voice.
Take example by this, thou maiden, how thou shouldst
act. Never speak to a man if .that thy father or thy mother
be not present. And thou, man, see that thou dost regard
the honour of thy daughter: see to it that dishonour over-
take thee not through her.
The fourth of 7. The fourth of the damsels of Mary was called My

the damsels of Lad p ru dence. Oh, how sage was she I After that she had

Mary was called "*

My Lady understood the word s of the angel she commenced forthwith

Prudence. t consider: Cogitdbat qualis esset ista salutatio She thought:

what manner of salutation is this? As thou knowest he said

' She was troubled by his saying.

145

to her: Ave~&ratia plena : Dominus tecum : bemdicta tu in
mulieribus.\ When this damsel had heard these words she
spoke with Mary, saying: reply not yet to this, thou must
needs consider this, for it, is a thing of very great import.
If thou dost promise, then thou must needs keep thy word.
And so 'she reflected. If she had replied at once, she would
not have done well to consent. Nor would she have done
well to drive away the Angel, when she knew him to be
such, so that she chose the best part, reflecting thereupon.
Do not you as many do who will not bring their daughters
to the sermon; saying that they wish not that they should
hear many of those things which are said here in order
that they may know how to guard themselves from sin,
saying: they know not what is a sin ! Ay me ! for thou
knowest not that which thou sayest; Wouldst thou rather
she should fall into sin and commit it than know how to
guard herself from it? Do not thus, I say; see to it that she
shall know that from which she should guard herself, and
it will not then be possible that thou shouldst err.) If thou
wilt not do so, great evil will befall thee therefrom. Go
now, and keep her in pickle like the olive, or like walnuts,
which are to be preserved; which the more often the water
be changed, the sweeter doth it come off from them, and
so the bitter departeth; and meseemeth that thou wouldst
do contrariwise. If thou shalt do in this way, bitter water
will always come off from her, because she will fall into
sin and vice, not perceiving it. Thinkest thou however, that
these are not sins for her because she doth know them not?
It standeth not so:}-. I say to thee that if thou doth frequent
the sermon, thou shalt become sage and prudent and shalt
know to keep thyself from sinjTAnd so also I say to thee:
thou wilt make thyself like to the dove and wilt not know
how to do evil, because thou wilt keep thyself from it. How
many admonitions dost thou learn if thou stay to hear the
preaching ! Thou wilt learn to speak sagely and to speak
low, to speak little and to say what is good. When she
doth marry teach her not to be a chatterer ; for ofttimes
doth it befall many women that their husbands love them
not because of their too great chattering. Pay heed to this
that if the woman speak little, and live modestly, her

10

146

The fifth
damsel was My
Timidity.

husband will always love her. Oh ! it is so useful a thing
to live temperately in regard of customs and actions, and
of virtues, that it is like something holy. Ah, this is to be
seen in practice in respect of the officials, for one can not
have speech with them after any careless fashion whatsoever.
When thou dost enter there, then dost thou pass to one
after another until that thou dost finally have speech with
him. 4 Likewise is this true of the holy father: whensoever
one doth wish to speak with the holy father, he is shut
within, so that before you may arrive where he is thou
must speak to many. Thou dost arrive at the first door,
and dost make it known, * and thou shalt wait a while ere
that thou dost pass to the second; and thus doth the will
to see him grow stronger within thee: and then when thou
dost pass on to the second the will to pass beyond this dofh
grow yet stronger; finally thou dost arrive at the third, and
in this manner through the will which groweth ever stronger
within thee, thou dost enter in to the holy father, and arrived
there, thou hast far greater reverence for him than thou
wouldst have had hadst thou gone thither without having
felt any longing whatsoever, and had found all the doors
open. In this manner he is esteemed. So do I say of the
Rulers. Thou seest that here are doors, and when thou
hast entered here thou goest up higher, and thou must wait
before another door, and in this manner are they esteemed.
Tell me this: if the Eulers should stand up there by the
Fountain 8 where stand the labourers who wait to be hired,
or as the porters stand there, in what esteem should we
hold them? *>

8. The fifth is called My Lady Timidity. She did
not so as do many shameless bold ones; when they hear a
word spoken outside, they run straightway to the window
to see who speaketh\ Not so did she do; rather when she
saw the Angel, who had the face of a man, forthwith timidity
overcame her with fear, that not alone she wished not to
speak to him, but moreover she could not look at him in
the face; and seeing this the Angel straightway said to her:

1 The official whom you were seeking.

1 I. e., make known the request for an audience.

8 See footnote 1, p. 82.

Ne timeas, Maria. Fear not; Mary. Oh, what a thing 1 it is
to reflect that she should have feared, who had lived ever
in the service of God ! This is a witness that we ought to
have the fear of God within us and outside. maiden,
every time that ihou shalt have the fear of God within
thee, thou wilt tremble with fear when thou shalt see a
man, because she who feath turned her thoughts to God,
wishing 1 to preserve her holy virginity, will tremble every
time that she shall see a man, notwithstanding that her
thought be stable^

9. The sixth damsel who was with Mary was called The sixth
My Lady Purity. Whosoever had beheld her and had remarked damsel who was
her gaze, and the manner of her movements and of her wi f Mary was

' ' , . n ,, . ,, , , called My Lady

speech, her demeanour in all things, would have seen her p u nty.
so pure in every way that it was a marvellous thing. Thinkest
thou perchance that she decked herself out as you do? No.
As God had made her, so she was. Dost thou recall to thy
mind how Esther did, who did never endeavour to seem
more beautiful to King Assuerus than in truth she was ?
She did not as you do, all you women, who can not be
called with truth honest, since you are dishonest. , And mark
me, if you do grow still worse in four years or six than
you have become in two years since I last came hither,
you will not do so to the close of ten years. Do you know
why ? Because you will not be able, * for I fear, I fear, I
fear, lest it befall you as it hath ofttimes befallen many ;
and as I said to you the other day in regard of large
sleeves, so do I now say to you of the tabards, since that
wearing these not only do you not seem to me decent
women, but you seem like female soldiers. And knqwest
thou what will come of this? That of one of your tabards
they * will be able to make two, and they will serve very
well; from the middle upwards it will serve for a page,
and it will not need to be altered in anywise, and from
the middle downwards it will serve the master, and there
will be need only to fit it to him a little. I shall not remain
always with you, for I shall have departed, and I shall be

1 Because you will bo overtaken by some dreadful judgment before ten years
shall have passed.

8 J. o., Soldiers of the enemy, who will be sent as a judgment.

- 148 -

Tht seventh
damsel, com-
panion of the
Virgin Mary,
was My Lady
Diligence.

far away, and I shall say: I foretold it clearly to my
Sienese, men and women, and I was not believed. Thou
seeing that it hath indeed overtaken thee, thou wilt be here
and wilt say: Friar Bernardino told me of it, and we did
not wish to believe him, and it hath befallen in very truth
as he foretold to us, and even worse.

10. The seventh damsel, companion of the Virgin
Mary, was My Lady Diligence. She kept all the home in
order, and that service which she performed she did perform
with so much love, and so much orderliness that when she
ate she ate in the appointed order, and so it was even to
her sleeping; everything she did at the time ordained. Learn,
maiden, to do that which thou hast to do, according to
order, and with love. If thou hast to spin, or to cook, or
to sweep, or to clean the household belongings, all that
which thou hast to do, do it with diligence. \Wouldst thou
that I should teach thee how to know who is fitted to do
well, and hath some little grain of good sense ? Hearken,
by three things thou shalt know her; first by laughter, in
showing her teeth; when thou seest a man or a woman
whose custom it is to laugh riotously with wide, gaping
mouth, and showing all her teeth, be assured that she is
mad. Moreover thou shalt know them by their manner of
walking, because they go with head up, in faith, as thou
goest, at random. Also the manner of their dress doth
reveal it to thee. If thou dost see a man or a woman
decked in such crazy fashion, or with such extravagant
fooleries as we see, reflect that in like manner is her head
crazed and foolish, as they show outwardly in their bearing.
And as thou dost perceive foolery in their outward garments,
reflect therefore that their hearts within are all full of vain
and empty clucking. Hast thou never seen such of these
women as wear a monstrous head-dress ? As thou seest the
screech-owl, so are these, their heads are like the head of
.the owl. For what is the screech-owl good? It is good
precisely at this time to allure the redbreasts, which are
snared in this season.. In like manner do these women who
wear a monstrous head, like an owl; they allure the young
men ! Thou knowest that when thou dost set the screech-
owl upon the hedge, all the birds range themselves round

149

about to look at it, and it looketh at them, and they
perceive not that they are unared and limed. So likewise in
precisely this same manner do these young men; they go
round and round these young women who have so monstrous
a head. They go round and round, and finally they are
snared in the lime of their own wantonness.

11. The eighth damsel who was with Mary was My

Lady Virginity. She was ever with Mary. If Mary walked daww f who wat

J J j j Wl fa %[ ar y Wtt3

about, then Virginity walked with her; if she read, then My Lady
did Virginity likewise so, with her. In whatsoever Mary virginity.
did Virginity was with her; and because she used not to
be with others, therefore she said those words to the Angel:
Quoniam virum non cognosce. How shall this be done .which
thou sayest, because I know not man, and I am not disposed
ever to know one. For should I give birth even to the Son
of God through knowing man, yet should I not be disposed
to consent thereto in order not to lose my Virginity. I have
given it for ever to God, and I will preserve it ever for
him, for I wish not ever to give birth, nor to be a mother
in. anywise whatsoever. How well did they converse together
the Angel and Mary ! virgins, know you this, that while
you retain your Virginity you are ever accompanied with
Angels. Not so is it with her who is married, and is joined
in matrimony. Knowest thou not that the merit of the Virgin
it is said is one hundred, and the merit of the married
woman thirty, and of the widow sixty ? Seest thou by how
much the Virgin doth exceed the other estates? Virgins
be wise to maintain yourselves as you are ; flee the sight
of man !

12. The ninth of the other companions of the Virgin The ninth of
Mary was My Lady Obedience. She having understood the the companions

of t,Ji& "Viffiiti

words of the Angel, since it seemed to her that these ^ arv was My
accorded with that which she wished should be, that is Lady obedience.
to say, that the virginity of Mary should still be preserved,
said to Mary: determine to be contented since God hath
sent thee this Angel; reply to him forthwith, and say unto
him that so thou art contented, and well disposed to the
will of God. maiden, when thy father or thy mother
doth command thee, or thy grandmother, or even thine

150

The tenth
damsel with
whom Mary was
accompanied was
called My Lady
Humility.

The eleventh
damsel is called
My Lady
Longing.

aunt, see to it in regard of what-soever be commanded
unto thee that this thou dost willingly perform.

13. The tenth damsel with whom Mary was accom-
panied, was called My Lady Humility, and this it was which
won the love of God for Mary. And Mary commenced to
sing with great jovousness and devotion and humility :
Quia respexit liumilitatem ancillae suae j ecce enim ex hoc
beatam me dicent omnes generationes\ Behold, if I consent
thereto, all generations will call me blessed. wherefore
will they call me blessed ? Because he hath regarded the
humility of his handmaid. And then she turned to the
Angel with her intention towards God: Ecce ancilla Domini
Behold the .handmaid of the good Lord God. Oh, how much
would there be to say concerning this part of it ! Thou*
father, and mother, keep thou thy daughter like a little
drudge. Is the house to be swept ? Yes. Yes ? Make her to
sweep it. Are the bowls and the platters to be washed?
Make her to wash them ! Are the clothes to be sought out
for the washing. Make her to seek them out, make her
to do so. Is the washing to be done? Make her to do it,
within the house. Oh, but there is the maid servant. This
may be; but make her to work, not because there is need
thereof, but to keep her busied. Make her to tend the
children.; to wash the swaddling bands, and all else ; if
thou practice her not in all such work, she will become a
great heap of fleshly thoughts. Keep her not in ease, I say.
If thou shalt keep her busied, she will not wait at the
windows, she will not be giddy-pated, with now one thing
and now somewhat new in her head. Oh, labour is useful!
Knowest thou what thou shalt make thus of her? It will
come about that she will do for thee all that of which there
is need in the house.

14. The eleventh damsel is called My Lady Longing.
Always with very gre:it longing and desire did she perform
every work which she had to do to the glory and
honour of God. In like manner I say that thou shouldst
do. Be desirous of work, even when there is no need thereof
for thee thyself, and when thou canst, be desirous also
to give somewhat in alms to the poor and .needy. Not
having aught to give him, do so much at least, that when

151

thou dost see a poor boggar in rags thou dost mend him :
and make them garments; if thou hast somewhat of thine,
give unto them; if thou hast naught, have at least the desire
to give willingly. Have desire to do willingly all those
things which may be to the honour and glory of God.
Take thought for the prisoners, poor creatures, for this
is one of the seven works of mercy. women, for the
love of God take thought for these poor unfortunate
prisoners; and in the name of God I recommend them to
your charity.

15. The twelfth and last companion of the glorious me last
Virgin Mary was My Lady Faith. She had so great .faith companion- of the

,,,.,.. , ,. ,, . . . , . , .- , . , , glorious Virgin

that she believed all things were possible which God wished. Mary waa My
Omnia opera eius in fide: All her works were done in faith. Lady Faith.
And therefore she said to the Angel : Secundum .verbum
tuum. I am well content with the manner thou hast told
me of, and I consent in no other manner. And so follow
this example thou, maiden, and believe in thy father, and
be contented with that which he doth command unto thee,
and obey him always.

XXIV. Of Saint Francis.

Of a vision
which Messed
Peter the Comb-
Merchant.

Saint Francis
was so possessed
of purity that it
was a wonderful
thing.

1. Hast thou never heard that which blessed Peter
the Conib- Merchant said? If thou knowest it not, I would
tell it thee, and go thou to see, there at his tomb. He was
used at that time to go to matins at the Duomo, and he
used to go there 1o listen, and this was here at Siena. He
saw two angels with two torches in their hands, and
entering inside he saw no other than Christ at the altar,
and in the open space he saw tracks as if in ashes. Waiting
a little he saw people come on foot, barefoot, who were
placing their feet there where the footprints of Christ were.
Then after these came saints of old, and they likewise
endeavoured to put their feet into these footprints; and by
reason of the many footprints of those who passed there,
the first footprints were well nigh effaced. Then behind
them all he saw little poor Francis, who placed his feet
precisely where Christ had placed his, so that hardly could
the prints of his be seen. And this was solely because he
showed himself to be so close a follower of God that there
could be found no one who had followed in the footprints
of Christ so much as he.

2. Saint Francis was so possessed of purity that
they say and maintain that to him was granted the first
innocence, as Adam was before he sinned. And wherefore
this is to be believed, let us see the reason. How may it
be known? It is said that if Adam had not sinned, every
beast, every bird, would have obeyed him, and all the
elements, water, air, fire, earth, the fruits, the plants, the
fishes, and in like manner every created thing. Likewise
he would have received such grace from God that never

Sano di Pietro - Saint Bernardino preaching in the Piazza di San Francesco

INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

xxiv. Of Saint Francis.

Of a vision
ivliich blessed
Peter the Comli-
Merchant.

Saint Francis
was so possessed
of purity that it
inns a wonderful
thing.

1. Hast then never heard that which blessed Peter
the Comb -Merchant said? It' thon knowest it not, I would
tell it thee, and go thou to sec, there at his tomb. He was
used at that time to go to matins at the Duomo, and he
used to go there to listen, and this was here at Siena. He
saw two angels with two torches in their hands, and
entering inside he saw no other than Christ at the altar,
and in the open space he saw tracks as if in ashes. Waiting
a little lie saw people come on foot, barefoot, who were
placing their feet there where the footprints of Christ were.
Then after these came saints of old, and they likewise
endeavoured to put their feet into these footprints; and by
reason of the many footprints of those who passed there,
the first footprints were well nigh effaced. Then behind
them all he saw little poor Francis, who placed his feet
precisely where Christ had placed his, so that hardly could
the prints of his be seen. And this was solely because he
showed himself to be so close a follower of God that there
could be found no one who had followed in the footprints
of Christ so much as he.

2. Saint Francis was so possessed of purity that
they s,ry and maintain that to him was granted the first
innoconce ; as Adam was before he sinned. And wherefore
tin's is to be believed, let us see the reason. How may it
be known? It is said that if Adam had not sinned, every
beast, every bird, would have obeyed him, and all the
elements, water, air, fire, earth, the fruits, the plants, the
fishes, and in like manner every created thing. Likewise
he would have received such grace from God that never

Nu.ni> ili I'ifitt'ti Saint 1'nTnanlm

inu' in Hit: 1'i:t//i>i tli Sfin I 1 1 i

- 153 -

would he have been subject to headache, nor to the gravel,
nor to a stitch into the side, nor to fevers, nor to any of
those maladies which we suffer every day. And because
he sinned, every thing rebelled against him and he became
subject to all these ills. As thou seest, now if a stone doth
fall upon a man it doth injure him, which then 1 would not
have hurt him. In like manner, going upon water, he may
drown, and then he could not have drowned. So if anyone
then had entered fire, it could not have roasted him, and
now it would burn him utterly. In like manner if a mountain
had fallen atop of him, it would not have hurt him, whereas
now it would smother him. The air could not have hurt
him, being either hot or cold; and if Adam had returned
to that former state, the same graces would have been
granted again to him; all the elements would have been
obedient to him, all the fishes, all the birds, all the animals,
all the beasts; wine, water, grass, and all things. He, Saint
Francis, had these graces, hence we may suppose that he
had that same innocence which Adam had before he sinned.
He had power over air, over land, over fire, and over
water. Freezing cold water was put around him, and it
did not seem to him freezing. Likewise, to speak further
of water, at one time having a very great thirst upon him,
he threw himself to the ground off from the little ass on
which he was riding, and it was revealed to him, he being
in prayer, that he should go to a stone which there was
near by, and he had water in abundance. Also we have
it, he had such power over water that he made it become
wine: Vinum non lidbent; and this miracle was done openly
before many of his friars, while he was in Fermo. Moreover
we have it that in Apulia he went up into a boat, and
went to preach in another place, and the little boat returned
wholly of itself. Herein mayest thoa see how great power
he had over the water. We have it that at one time in
Lombardy passing by along the road the air being very
dark like night, he had so great power that he caused a
very great brightness beyond belief, by means of the power
given him by God. Likewise had he power over fire, for

4 1. ., in that former state, before the sin of Adam.

154

Of the miracles
that Saint
Francis .
performed.

Of the way
in which the
wounds were
given to Saint
Francis.

its heat could not harm him. At another time we have it
that his sight being weak, there was laid on his brow
redhot iron, and it pained him not. Further, concerning
the fishes, we have it that when he spoke they stayed to
listen, and so likewise the birds, We have it that down
there towards Some, at Todi, while he was preaching, the
noise of the swallows was troublesome to him, and he
ordered that they be quiet, and so they obeyed and stayed
to listen to him. Moreover we have it that once a hare
fleeing before the dogs, sought safety in the bosom of
Saint Francis, and after that they had passed on he let it
go away. And hereby thou seest that the elements and the
beasts and the birds obeyed him.

3. Well might Saint Francis have said: I am a man
wise indeed. But whosoever doth read of his deeds, if he
will consider him, he will say that he was the most win-
ning of all men we read of. He knew how to find the
sweetest words in the world; from this we soe that his
wisdom was not human, but divine. Thou hast it that once
as he walked he was seen like to a glowing furnace; go,
look for this among his miracles ! Further, I recall one to
my mind, that before he renounced the world, he saw a
palace with five windows, which formed his name; and
moreover a mountain appeared, which was all burning.
When Francis reflected on the deeds of Christ, he fixed
his thoughts so upon this Christ that he had naught else
in his mind. When he put oh this habit for the love of
Christ, he wished to have it worn with some sign that
should show the love that he bore him. He made this
garment as you make a large cope. Thou seest that it is
made like a cross; for since he had within himself Christ
crucified, so therefore he wished to wear the cross as his
habit, for love of him.

4. Let us see the way in which the wounds of Christ
were given to Saint Francis, and the reason: Christ appeared
to him at this time with six wings, wishing thus to show
to Saint Francis of the life that he was leading that this
was very pleasing to him. Two wings he had extending
aloft- signifying the two wings that he had towards God ;
two other wings encircling him himself and two others

155

extending towards his neighbour; with these six wings he
was so pleasing to God that he glowed wholly with charity
and with love. Those two above, which showed that he
had always intention towards God, these he fluttered
continuously, saying: Latum mandatum tuum nimis. Great
and bountiful is thy commandment, and thinking upon
this he was so transformed_that he was almost united to
God in a unifying transformation. Quae non licet homini
loqui. It is not permitted to man to speak thereof; rather may
you prove it than speak aught of it. Deemest thou that
they spoke together ? Hast thou seen him there at home 1
in the Chapter House ? I know not who painted him there,
but he who painted him, verily he did reflect excellently
well before that he painted him. He drew him in such a
way that he doth seem in truth to be out of himself, and
all trasformed, in God. Look at him for a little, at his mouth,
and that which it doth reveal to thee. Oh, how pleasing do
I find that aspect of his, for verily herein is shown how he
believed in the love of God. Two other wings had he in
the middle, signifying the love that he bore his neighbour,
ever instructing him, ever admonishing, and praying
that he ought to guard himself from sin and follow the
will of God, giving always glory and honour .to him. His
thought of God was all of his passion, his thought of himself
was of his own salvation; of his neighbour he thought to
instruct him that they should give praise to God; and by
means of these six wings he was transformed into Christ
crucified.

1 In the friary of The Osservanza .

xxv.

How God is to be feared.

Pray that
Friar Cudgel
tome not to
preach.

1. fellow-citizens, open your eyes, for God hath
sent lightnings which should enlighten you: since that you
perceive the truth, beware, beware, [ say to you, lest that
another time he send upon you the lightnings and the thunder
together; for if thou wilt help thyself in that wherein thon
canst, thou shalt be saved. Help thyself, and God will help
thee. Know that God desireth not thy ruin, but thy conversion
delighteth him. Eeturn then to God. Other preachers there
are also who come to a people, who come not with light-
nings apart from thunder, but rather together with the thunder.
Ofttimes they come with the noise of bombardes. Ay me !
be upon your guard, for the love of God: pray God for
safety, for I promise you that there is need of prayer; for
if the lightning and the thunder come together, it will go
ill with you. Alas ! seek your safety betimes. Hearken to
this my sermon in which I show you wherein lieth safety.
And I would have you to know that there is a place in
Italy where there are gathered together at a sermon thirty
or forty thousand people at one time; and knowest thou
the name of that preacher? He is called Friar Cudgel. Oh,
he is a great preacher in those parts ! So fearful am I
because of your deeds, that I tremble with fear lest it may
go ill with you. Know ye wherefore ? Because I see you
in evident and open peril; and in order that ye may be
able to help yourselves and willing, I will show you to-
morrow that you are in greater peril than was ever any
people. And if I fail to make thee believe, say that I dream.
In very truth you may say to me: Friar Bernardino, thou
dreamest and dost talk at random; and perchance there may

157

be one who will say so; and I shall say that it is you
rather who do dream. I must not remain here; I shall depart
from you, and when I shall leave I shall go singing like
as the Germans weep; and out of the fear I have for you
and the love I bear you, I shall have my ears ever pricked
up when I hear news of Siena, because of the fear that I
feel for you. And when I shall depart, I shall carry away
with me, because of this, a bosom all filled with sorrow
and with sighs, from my fear lest evil overtake you, Know
you wherefore ? Because I fear lest another preacher may
come to you ! Alas, woe is me ! for of this I have so great
fear, that I am wholly troubled ; within myself! Knowest thou
what he is called ? He is called Friar Mazica, A and hath a
great following among those inclined as you are ; and he
hath so great profit of his sermons, that here at Siena it
can scarce be believed.

2. To whom do I speak, women? To whom do I Bee * Of 1

peace for so long

speak? Ay me! I speak to my Sienese. Alas ! woe is me, and i, ecause / ...
could you but see within my heart, I speak to you out of great abundance,
so great tenderness and so much in love that seeing within f** na L Mth .' a *""

into five sins, for

it, you must needs believe this, I grieve so in regard of W Mch she wiiun

you, because I am indeed one of you, and I see that you truths punished.

lack the wisdom to maintain your liberty. Alas ! let us

speak thereof for a little. For how long a time have you

enjoyed this liberty in Siena? for so long: Good. And what

hath this liberty produced? And reflect first before you

reply to me, so that you may reply according to reason.

Saith this man : there is abundance, and to spare ; our

vineyards are fertile, and our fields, and we till our farms

excellently well. We have cattle, and because of this peace

that prevaileth, we keep them. I ask of thee again, another

time: The wealth that thou hast, by what means hast thou

acquired it ? Knowest thou how to reply to me ? The chief

reason I will tell thee. Solely because of the peace that

hath prevailed are thy vineyards tilled and hast thou wine

in abundance. In like manner the farms being tilled have

yielded you corn in abundance and other grain. Wherefore

Saint Bernardino derives Mazica perhaps from Mazza Club , aa earlier he
has several times referred to Frate Eastone. It is clear that here he alludes to the
sudden descent upon them of some band of Adventurers, who would sack the city.

"*""' IDo "~"

are they tilled ? Solely because of the peace that you have
enjoyed. The cattle that have so multiplied for you, what
hath been the cause of this? Peace, and peace alone. Know-
est thou not that war is the cause wherefore these things
are scattered and wasted ? And who hath granted this peace
to thee? God, in order that thou shouldst use it better than
thou dost use it to-day. Who hath given so great wealth
into thy hands ? So great an abundance of oil, of wine, of
meat, of corn, of oats, and of all good things ? Knowest
thou not it is from him ? Oh, it is an evil sign when a man
is ungrateful for the benefits he hath received ! But there
is that which is still worse, when that which he hath
given unto thee, thou dost use it and possess it in sin and
in disorder. Thou hast abundance of goods and thou dost
employ it all in vanities and in sinfulness. For first the sin
of gluttony doth reveal itself in magnificent and disorderly
feasting. And of thee was said : Quorum Deus venter est
Their God is their belly; for they think they do naught but
what is good, sending their money down their throats. O
Siena, thy prosperity thou thyself hast commenced to
endanger ! Stop to consider thy practices, already hast
thou let fall the fly of suspicion into thy food. Eeflect, and
thou shalt see that I speak truly. I say that God having
given thee riches and having granted thee peace, thou dost
fill up thy throat, and from gluttony thou wilt pass to
worse sin; for through this excess thou dost next fall into
vanities and wantonness, and when thou hast gathered
together much wealth, forthwith thou dost fall into the sin
of pride. Seest thou that man who doth hold office? And I,
why am I not deserving of this as much as he? In faith I
am as fain of it as he ! And when thou hast arrived at
this point, and thou dost note him who hath that office
which thou didst desire, and thou hast not been able to
have it, then forthwith thou dost fall into the fifth vice ;
that is to say, into anger, for thou dost perceive that thou
canst not help thyself to this. i Thou seest that man exalted
as much as thou thyself, or more, and thou dost bear him
hatred, so that willingly tljou wouldst beat him; and into

f I, e.j to thU office.

159 _

this thou hast fallen through not knowing how to use well
thy goods, having prosperity. But wait yet a little! wo-
men, tell me: if you. should put the scum which you have
lifted from the broth-pot into another pot, and should put
this then upon the fire, think you that this water would be
pure and good? It will be the foulest mess that you did
ever see. Worse, again: if thou shouldst lift the scum, when
the broth-pot doth boil and bubble, and put it into the part
that is seething, thou wouldst see the vilest and foulest
mess that thou didst ever see. Would God that you may
never prove this, and may never have the will to do so.
Pay heed to this which I would tell you. Seest thou a land
which hath lived for long in peace, and then cometh
war ? how many things might be shown to be the occasion^
of it ? Lappets, and tabards, trailing gowns, garlands, acorns
of silver, stripes of many colours, your silvern gewgaws;
puffs which drag the wings of your pendant sleeves to the
ground; your slippers, without speaking of many other such
vanities. What think you doth become of these things when
there is war ? They are sold, and are given for that which
can be had, and so little is to be. had for them, that

y,

are, as it were, thrown away. Then indeed is the boiling
broth-pot skimmed! Ah me! these vanities which you have,
I fear, I fear, lest they may cost you dear ! do we not
see that evil fortune must overtake you? Is there any wo-
man who doth not wish to wear on her head a rose garland
with acorns in it, with silver and with other vain gewgaws?
Make them, prithee, and make them in abundance, for- I
promise thee that they shall serve excellently well to make
tabards for the soldiers! Woe is me, bat only thinking
thereon I am consumed with grief. Thou payest not heed
to the justice of God, to that which it doth permit. For if
he send thee his scourge, thou shalt be taxed, and these
taxes thou shalt be obliged to pay them; and if thou have
goods, thou shalt be forced to give them up; and thy pros-
perity shall fail and shall diminish for thee, and thou
shalt be obliged to sell and to pledge. Hast thou made ill
use of thy goods ? Yes, and now thou shalt use them no
longer, ill or well, for they shall be taken from thee. I say
not that this sin alone shall be punished but as many as

thou hast committed of these all shall be expiated. Woe is
me ! Dost thou think that the sin of wantonness in every
dishonest manner in which thou hast committed it, shall
not be punished ? Yea, verily. I speak not of the manner
in which thou dost bear thyselt in church. Alas ! In church
do you not reflect how displeasing this must be to God?
Do you not reflect that when you despise so the good Lord
God, it doth seem you trouble yourselves little in regard
of him ? This one doth laugh, another doth make a sign,
another doth say some mockery, and another doth sing.
Woe is me ! for everything that you do so in your vanity,
you do it in despite of God and of the Virgin Mary, and
of all the saints who are in the realm of glory! You know
that that * is called the house of the Virgin Mary ; so
then, she doth receive you into her house; and you are
guilty of this ribaldry ! Timete Deum, Timete Deum; if not,
already hath evil overtaken thee. I have said to thee, I
say it, and I shall say it, and so have other preachers said
even the apostles themselves, God will punish all sins that
are committed. And therefore have I said to thee, Siena,
that by reason of so long peace, and so great abundance
and fertility, thou hast fallen into five sins, for which,
await that thou shalt assuredly be punished.

Be afraid lest 3> ~~ ^ n( * there is another penalty to be here spoken

to great a burden of. What penalty will this be? Oh, well do I know what

be laid upon it ig j Like ^^ man who beat n | g wife wita a gao fr
thee that thou

be made to did this to kill her. Knowest thou what is meant thereby?

pine away in It is meant that he will wish that you die a daily death.

want. Knowest thou how any can die a daily death ? I would

show thee an example of this. If thou hadst a lizard, and
shouldst put a heavy weight atop of it, and shouldst make
it to stay under that weight, which is so great that it can
not move, yet it doth not die, but doth live so long in this
manner until that it doth pine away. Oh, this then is a
daily death ! I tear so much, I fear so much lest you may
die such a death, that I am utterly possessed with fear,
and out of the great sorrow that I feel therefor, I can not
do otherwise than warn you of it. Alas ! pay heed to my

1 The Duomo.

161

words. Ah me ! note, note, note, and be afraid lest this
may happen also to thee; lest so great a burden be laid
upon thee that thou mayest be made to pine away; lest thy
possessions may be wasted; lest thy body come to harm,
because you have not had patience one with another ; lest
thy name suffer thereby, for some one m.iy say: he who
will do in this manner or in that, doth well merit this evil
fortune; and that finally even thy soul may come to harm,
and worst of all lest the devils carry it away thither where
is the beginning and the middle and the end of all evil. If
thou be not ware now when thou canst, it will befall thee
as saith Isaiah, in the third chapter : Exactores eius expo-
liaverunt eum Those who were sent have despoiled him.
Knowest thou who are these? They are the messengers
who were sent to the houses to collect the taxes, and the
other sums that must be paid, which perforce will be had
from you : and they despoil the house of all its cloth, of
the beds, and of all that they find there. If thou read
further, thou shalt see : expoliaverunt eum And they have
despoiled it even of him: that is to say that sometimes the
bailiffs seize the head of the house in order to force him
to pay that which hath been imposed upon him ; and not
being able to pay it, he is cast into prison, and there doth
he pine away. Moreover the soldiers also have plundered
him, who have entered into their houses, and have carried
off their possessions so that they have left you naught; for
they have sacked it even to the door, even to the rafters
have they burned and destroyed it with fire. Worse, finding
no one who shall defend those goods, they band themselves
together, and often times those are utterly plundered who
have denied themselves always more and more to gain those
possessions.

. 4. And when these things shall befall, that doth no
one know save God alone: to him alone is it permitted to w * ft < <**

know it, and he wisheth not that any other should know
it. If thou wishest that the time should approach presently,
woman, see that thou dost injure none of thy garments:
for the time must needs come forsooth, doing as thou dost
do. See that Friar Cudgel doth find them all clean and
orderly; because he will wish them for those that he will

11

162

lead with him. Oh, how many malcontents will there be,
how many wicked, and how many punished in worse ways.
The very worst will despair, and will pray for death,
recalling 1 to their minds this time now present; for they
will say: if we had but believed that which was said to
us, we should not have fallen so upon evil days. And they
will perceive that they are in great want, so that they will
desire death, as to-day there are many who desire death
for themselves and for others, because of not having 1 consid-
ered what may happen to them. Oh, woe is me ! for then
shalt thou find thyself in truth in hunger, and when thou
shalt have the desire to eat, thou shalt not have whereof

to eat; so too, woe! when thou shalt see thy young children
fall there upon the ground dead from hunger ; thou shalt
see thy young daughters torn from thee and violated before
thy eyes, and thou shalt not be able to speak a word; in
like manner shalt thou see thine own wife torn from thee
and violated and defiled, and it will behoove thee to be
silent; likewise shalt thou see thy little sons taken by the
feet, and their heads dashed against the wall ; thou shalt
see thy mother seized and disembowelled in thy sight, so
too of thy brothers, ofttimes discord doth arise between
brothers here among you, and one will kill the other,
when those who shall remain shall see these things, thej r
will pray for death, and death will fly them, and finally
they will be taken and will be cast into prison and will be
delivered into the hands of those who will cause them to
pine and waste away, and who will endeavour by little and
little to have their possessions; and once having these, they
will prey also upon the body which shall be almost wasted
away. These things that I have told you of, were they
never done in any place? Ye-e-e-s ! And why were they
done ? Wholly out of the justice of God, in order that
whosoever hath committed a sin may be punished therefor
in this world, and then afterwards in the other. And if some
good men shall endure such pain and woe, or sorrow, or
hunger, or death, by these will that suffering be diminish-
ed which they would have endured in the other world;

xxvi. Of the Scourges of God.

1. Would God it might not befall that a fearful Because of the
judgment should overtake you because of your sin, for I 8m OJf blas P hem v

J J , God will send his

know well that you have blasphemed and that daily you
do blaspeme God and the saints. Your land will be laid
waste and fire will light upon this your city, Siena, and
your country will fall under the rule of the enemy and
will be sacked of all the good things that shall be found
therein : then will it be desolate of those who dwelt
there, and abandoned by those who were used to till it,
and the soldiers will possess it, and the daughter of Sion
will be like unto an empty shadow, like unto the vins
when it is stripped of its fruit. God will say : Until now
have I used oil, I have allured thee by sweet promises in
order that thou shouldst turn to me: now shalt thou stand
in greater peril than thou hast ever be^en, for now shalt
thou become like unto the phantom of a vine. Knowest
thou not that after the vintage there doth remain only the
phantom of the vine ? So will it be with thy vines ; they
will become like unto phantoms, since because of the wars
it shall not have been possible to till the vineyards, and
though they shall be tilled, yet will they be plundered of
their fruit. The soldiers will leave your houses without
floors or windows or doors; here will lie a house half in
ruins; of another the beams of one ceiling will have fallen
to the ground, of yet another the beams of every ceiling.
how then shall she l be called when she shall be so de-
vastated ? She shall be called a phantom. Mark me ! Hast
thou seen that when they build the little hut for the man

1 Siena.

164

ihejirttto

ht strokes
of the scourge*

of God will It

then who have

and followed

who guards the melons, it is always in truth a habitable
shelter while that there are melons; but when these are
gone, then doth it stand there like a hovel. Ah, citizen,
p-ive heed to him who hath seen such things with his own
eyes! I have happened upon a place in the world which
because of the wars waged there had been abandoned, so
that there were left but three or four friars ; and there
dwell the wild beasts as if there had always been a forest
there: the place which before was inhabited by so many
men of high estate, now the wild beasts inhabit it. Alas,
woe is me ! City of Siena, beware ! right well thou mayest
beware. When the house of thy neighbour is afire, hast
thou never heard these words: Hasten thou with water to
thine own ? my fellow citizens, have you not eyes ? If
you have them, open them then a little ! city of Siena,
open thine eyes, and amend thyself now so far as thou art
able, so that thou mayest not become like a hovel or like a
phantom. Enough ! I would have this suffice now in regard
of the sin of blasphemy. How is this sermon called,
women ? This is called the sermon in regard of the truth.
2. Another sin which derives from pride is the sin
in regard of charms and of divinations, arid because of this
Q od many tfmeg d th sen d. his scourges into cities. Once

J

before I know well that I spoke of this, and I said so much
thereof that he who heard and he who comprehended must
nee <is have been possessed with fear; for I spoke so plainly
and clearly thereof that I believe there remained naught
to be said in regard of it. Here is one who doth measure
by a span with the palm, another with briefs, another with
charms, another with sorceries, another with divinations ;
and there are such as have betaken themselves to the
enchanter and to the diviner if they shall have been
robbed of five pence. Knowest thou that which thou hast
done? Thou hast caused men to renounce God, and thou
hast caused the devil to be adored. Ay me, ay me ! The
Lord of Heaven and ^.arth hath been debased, and to think
that the devil is adored through so great iniquity. And
this man saith: I know not how the matter may be, for-
sooth ; I find that the truth hath been told to me. And I
say to thee in reply that thou perceivest not how thou hast

165

been deceived, and that one thing hath been presented to
thee for another. Alas ! you who are so blinded, have you
never comprehended his snares and deceits, how he hath
always deceived us, and hath exerted himself so to do? Go r
seek in the beginning of Genesis, when he commenced to
tempt and to deceive Eve and Adam, how persuading them
to break the commandment of God, he said: Eritis sicut
Dei, scientes bonum et inalum You shall be as gods, and
you shall know good and evil, if you shall eat thereof; so
that thereby he made them to fall. thou who hast re-
course to lots, how great evil doest thou, and how many
there are of those who have trusted in them and followed
them! How well they teach thee the truth! And have they
never told thee aught because of which thou mayest perceive
that they do lie ? Nor yet even_because of this hast thou
been willing to forsake them?? Woe unto thee! thou who
hast recourse to the charm of 'the three good friars, how
great evil dost thou do! thou who hast recourse to the
charm of the misshapen cripple, * to thee, and to him or
to her who doth say that she is bewitched, and who maketh
thee to believe that she is so, - to all these I say, take
heed 1 for the first to feel the strokes from the scourges of
God will be those who have trusted in these enchantments,
and followed them, and next will vengeance overtake those
who have not brought them to justice. Hast thou never
noted in the Old Testament how God condemned this?
Solely because it was displeasing to God, and this he made
plain and clear. Know thou that she or he who doth say
that she hath power to break a charm, doth know as well,
be assured, how to work one. When such as these say that
they wish to cure anyone, know ye what ye should do? Naught
better is there to do than to cry: to the fire, to the fire !
Woe is me ! know ye not what there was done at Rome
while I preached there ? would that I might bring it
about that here too this might come to pass ! Come, let us
offer a little incense here at Siena to the Lord God. I wish
to relate that which befell at Rome.

1 A reference to the different -ways in which they pretended to work charms.

166

Of a witch at
Some who had
killed thirty
children or
thereabmits ly
tucking their
blood.

3. I having preached of these charms and of witches
and of sorceries, it seemed to them as if I dreamed all this
ot which I spoke. Finally it came into my mind to say
that Avhatsoever person knowing a man or a woman who
he knew did any such things as these, if be did not accuse
them would himself be guilty of the selfsame sin. And after
I had preached, there was accused a multitude of witches
and enchanters. And because of the very great number of
those accused, there came to me the guardian, 4 and said
to me: Know you not that one and all are going to the
flames? I ask him: What then? What is this, what is this?
A great number of men and women have been accused.
Finally, seeing how the matter stood, he took counsel with
the Pope, and it was determined that the most important
of these women should be taken into custody, that is to
say those who had done worst. And tkere was taken among
others one who told and confessed, without being put to
torture, that she had killed thirty children or thereabouts,
by sucking their blood; and she said also that she had let
sixty go free; and she said that every time she let one of
them go free she must sacrifice a limb to the devil, and
she used to offer the limb of an animal; and she had con-
tinued for a long time doing in thiswise. And yet more she
confessed, saying that she had killed her own little son,
and had made a powder of him, which she gave people to
eat in these practices of hers. And because it seemed be-
yond belief that any creature could have done so many
Avicked things, they wished to prove whether this was
indeed true. Finally it was asked of her whom she had
killed. She told who these were, and whose children they
were, and in what way, and when she had killed them.
And going thither they sought the proof from the father
of those children who had been killed. Hadst thou ever a
little son, who at such a time began to pine away, and
then died? Finally, since he replied that this was so, and
since the day and the hour and the manner in which this
had come to pass all agreed, so it was shown to be nor
more nor less than as she said. And she told how she used

1 Of the monastery.

to go before dawn up into the Piazza of Saint Peter's, and
there she had certain jars of unguents made of herbs which
were gathered on the feast of Saint John, and on the feast
of the Ascension. Thou l knowest this, thou dost comprehend
me ? Art thou here present ? Are there here perchance as
well even some of those cursed ones who are in league
with the devil? s Finally these * canie into my hands, and
when I put them to ray nose, they stank with so foul a
stench that they seemed in truth to be of the devil, as
they were. Arid they said that with these they anointed
themselves, and when they were anointed in thiswise they
seemed to be cats, and it was not so, for their bodies did
not change into another form, but it seemed to them that
they did. At length she was condemned to be burned at
the stake, and w<is burned, so that nothing of her remain-
ed but her ashes.

4. There was also another one taken who confessed Accuse thou
that she had done like deeds, and she as well was con straightway
deinned to be burned, arid she died in another manner ; before the

Inquisitor every

for she was nor, strangled before she was put upon the w u c h, every
pyre, and the fire was kindled there while she was alive, wizard, every
and naught more was seen of her but her ashes. And as sorcerer ' and

^ sorcerets.

was done with them so should the same be don^ wherever
one of them is found. And therefore I would give you this
caution, and I warn you that wheresoever one may be,
and whosoever may knoAV of one, or know her, in any
place whatsoever within * or outside, straightway accuse
her before the Inquisitor : whether in the city or in the
confines without the walls, accuse her, every witch, every
'Wizard, every sorcerer, or sorceress, or worker of charms
land spells. Do that which I tell thee in order that thou be

i

not called upon to answer for it on the day of judgment,
having been able to prevent so great an evil, which might
have been prevented if thou hadst accused her. Again I
say to you another thing, that if any man or woman shall
be accused of such things and if any person shall go then

1 Here he addresses a witch.

1 The most wicked of the witches.

' The uuguenta.

* I. e., Tfithin the city.

' 168

The city of
Siena has us
ornament the
most beautiful
women, and
those most
bedecke-d ad
beautified of
any pluoe in the
world.

to the aid of such a one, the curse of God will light upon
his house, and he will be touched by it in his goods, and
in his body, and afterwards also in his soul. Fye ! answer
me: doth it indeed seem to you that one who in her day
in such a fashion as that hath killed twenty or thirty little
children, hatb done so well that when at length they are
accused before the Rulers you should go thither to their
aid and should beg mercy for them? If it had befallen
thee that she had killed one of thy little children, how
then would the matter seem to thee? From thine own feel-
ings take thought for another. Think of another and greater
fact: dost thou not reflect that such enchanters, every time
that they have worked any charms or spells whatsoever,
by so doing have denied God? How great a sin doth this
seem to thee, to deny God, eh ?

5. men, may God bless you, and to you women,
and to all of you together, I speak, and now stretch open
your ears and your eyes, I mean the eyes of the intel-
lect, and the ears of the body. Hearken, remember well
what I say, old and young, men and women, my brothers
and sisters. Have you not heard that Siena has never been'
immersed in so great luxury and in so great vice, nnd in
so great riches, with so much adornment of dress as she
is to-day ? Such an exterior doth show that thy life is
carnal. I wish to point out to you that this city is adorned
by the most beautiful women and the most bedecked <ind
beautified of any place that I know. I know of men who
so deck and array their wives, and of women who so array
their daughters, that they have not in their houses as nmcb
as they have spent in dress. And ofttimes this doth derive
from evil customs. Such a one will bring home his newly
married wife, and if she can not go forth to him decked
in trailing garments, with silver, with precious stones, with
acorns, with silken .garlands, with pearls, and with fifty"
other gewgaws, all full of vanity, there will never be peace
between them, unless she hath all these things. And do you
not perceive that you are laying waste both one house and
the other? One because of the great dowry, and the other
because of these vanities? The coffers are full, and no use
is made of all this, except for evil; for you might live in

riches if you were wise. Seest thou not that the garments
thou causest to be made are worth almost naught in com-
parison of what they have cost thee ? And what dost thou
then with all this? After thou hast brought home thy wife,
who hath come into thy house with those garments, when
that she hath arrayed herself in them twice or thrice, then
she doth put them away in a chest, and there they lie
useless, and naught is done with them, unless it be per-
chance for her daughters; and often meanwhile she will
have need of somewhat else, for the want of which she will
often suffer. Such as these we should treat with greater
severity than one who doth introduce a harmful fashion
into a city. Who is the occasion thereof we should fix in
the ground head down. * Do you not consider how great a
sin it is to introduce a harmful fashion ? And once being
known, what should be done to those who follow it? So rue
tailor perchance hath been the cause of a very grav sin,
and of very grievous injury to a city because of the harm-
ful fashion that he doth bring in there; and we should pun-
ish him as an example to all, so that this might be re-
membered forever. This may always be seen, that a woman
as soon as she hath perceived a new fashion, because she is
empty-headed' she doth straightway betake herself to the
tailor and saith to him: I wish such and such a stylo,
and she doth carry her garment thither. If it can not be
made over anew, then doth she cut it again, and doth alter
it according to the new fashion, and in a moment she will
have made it worth less by a third. Would you see how
.great harm you do to yourselves ? Tell me, of how great
a loss may this be the cause to one who hath a single
garment? It may be the cause of so much; and to her who
hath two, and doth alter these as well according to the
fashion, of twice as much; and who hath ten, draw thou
thy conclusion therefrom; and if perchance there may be a
person who at one time shall have seven or eight garments
altered according to the new fashion, straightway these
will be worth less by forty or fifty florins. Seest thou not
who hath been the occasion of this ? I say that we should

1 This TVQB the method of punishing traitors and assassins.

. 170

fix them in the 'ground. But, have done! do you' never

take thought for anything whatsoever? Wouldst thou that

I should point out to thee somewhat even worse than this?

Perchance there may be a woman who will not have such

garments 'as it will be possible to alter according to the

new fashion, and she will wish to make new ones, and

perchance she will not be able; and in order to make her

garments in this manner, she will herself fall into fifty

wicked evils, and causs her husband as well so to do.

in s>iena there 6. Ah, woe is me ! I ain ever weighing these matters

it need of the for the sake of your living in the right way; and I am

medicine of Fnar e , measur j n g t na t w hich you do, and I see so many

Cudgel. n J J

sins. I see so many excesses; I come upon so much that
is dissolute in you. And I have spoken so much in regard
of this, and also 1 know fall well that others as well have
spoken thereof. Even Christ, Christ himself, I say, and all
the saints have not been able to make you amend your-
selves ! Alluring words have not availed, nor prayers, nor
have supplications availed so that you have ever wished
to betake yourselves to the right way of life. But believe
me, believe me, in the end you will find that I tell yo.u
what is true; that there will come hither among you one
who will force you to change your ways; for Friar Club
or Friur Cudgel will have greater force than had Christ or
the Saints, or any preacher. Lay it up in your minds, and
remember, Friar Cudgel will compel you to do Jthat which
Friar Bernardine hath never been able to enforce.] Knowest
thou what medicine is suited to him who is full of hu-
mours? For his cure flushing is needful, and injections, or
medicine which shall expel his choler. Kuowest thou what
medicine thou hast need of, Siena ? Thou hast need of the
rod. A few such beatings will serve tO t make thee straight-
en thyself. I know not whether I am beside myself !
women, am I out of my head? Think you that I am mad?
Know you what I think of you ? I think you are all mad.
You do not yet know yourselves, I say to you. Women,
your tabards will bring you to amend yourselves; for the
time will come, and it is near at hand, when you will be
found to have so rich a supply in your houses that you
yourselves will grieve that you do possess so many goods,

171

since before your eyes they will be taken from you, and
you will look on and will not be able to help yourselves;
you will be despoiled, and the goods wilt vanish away.
Believe me, believe me, the judgment of God is at hand !
It is needful that you be purged in your repletion, either
by physic, or by boils, or by ulcers; some outlet you must
have. And therefore see to it I pray, that you gather to-
gether possessions in plenty, for the more you have the
more you shall pay for. And this will be the first cause
wherefore God will send his judgment upon you; because
of pride, and the viciousness of your lives.

7. Woe is me, fellow citizens ! Oppose yourselves of justice
never to the right course of -justice, in as much as you ey>emiud b v

King Le.wis

hold dear your own greatness: cast her not out among the upon an evil
dead, for I know well whereof I speak, et cetera. Hearken, doer on Good
I would tell you of something which perchance to you may Fnda v-
seem a great matter. I have heard that King Lewis was
indeed a man of God, and that he was very wise; there
were certain men who wished to ask a boon of him, they
wished to ask him to set free a man who was in prison,
and they determined to go and to ask this of him on Good
Friday, and they did so. When they were come to him,
that one among them who had been chosen to speak, said:
Your Sacred Majesty, we ask of you a boon for the love
of our Lord, who on the same day that this is, willed to
die for the salvation of mankind, and to loose it from that
bond by which it is bound full fast in the hands of its ene-
my. Aiid there thoy made to him a long and pleasing dis-
course. In sum, when they had come to an end, they said:
Deliver to us such a one, whom you have in prison. He
answered and said : You are welcome : I will not reply to
you as yet, because I would see how this matter should
stand. And he had his breviary brought to him, and opened
it where it fell by chance, and commenced to read: Beatus
vir qibi custodjt indicium, et facit iustitiam in omni tempore
Blessed is he who keepeth judgment, and doth justice at
all times. And when he hyd sesn this verse, straightway
he ordered that he of whom they spake should be led forth
from prison, and that justice should be executed on him;
and as he ordered, so was it done, at once, on Good Fri-

172

day. O-o-o ! O-o-o 1 i On Good Friday this was well done !
I say to thee that it is well at all times to uphold an.i to
execute justice. And I say that he employed both justice
and mercy in executing 1 it upon that day, for he had re-
gard only to that which was right.

See that tkou 8. And moreover I wish to add this for thee: I say/- 1

consent not ever this not out of hate, nor out of ill will towards anyone
to favour usury. w h atsoever> an( j. i 8a y j[ t llot to anyone by name; I tell

you of the matter only as it stands. If you have participa-
ted in this so that through you or by your aid a Jew .doth
practice usury here in Siena, he who hath assented thereto
by means of his vote 8 hath incurred major excommunica-
tion. Hast thou understood me ? Yes ! Now I would have
thee know what will come of suffering a Jew to remain in
your city. Two disasters will come of it: first, it is the
ruin of your city, and second, there is the excommunica-
tion of the Pope, and wit-h this upon thee thou canst not
be saved. First: why is it the ruin of thy city? I ask thee
before all else, clost thou believe in the law of God? Yes.
Next I say to thee, t;hnt if thou dost depart from this faith
thou art a heretic. God hath commanded that thou shalt
not practise usury. Oh! why hath he forbidden it? Because
he hath seen that it }s well not to lend at usury. Seest
thou not that he hatli given m-iny negative commandments,
among which thou seest this one: Non furaberis Thou shalt
not steal? Lending at usury, what thinkest thou that this
is ? It is theft, and worse besides. If he had not given this
commandment perchance I should have spoken otherwise
of lending than I now speak. Saith one man: when I
come to die I will leave it to be given to the poor, or
to give damsels in marriage, or to build churches or
hospitals, or for other pious works to the glory of God !
And I say to thee instead that in as much as thou dost
consent to usury, straightway hast thou done contrary to

1 Thus lie imitates the horrified exclamation of those who are shocked by this
fact.

s Jews might not come to fliena to practise usury there without the consent and
approval of the Council of the Republic. The Saint here alludes to some recent de-
cision in regard to this. In Siena in the Common Council a law was passed by
white ballots and defeated by black ones; this is still the custom.

173

the commandment of God. God hath forbidden this, and
therefore I say to thee that in no manner whatsoever may-
est thou practise usury, and that thou must not help him
who doth so, lest he may ever lend money through thy
counsel, or aid, or words, or deeds. If thou shquldst say:
Ay, but there must be someone who can come to the aid
of the poor; d there is no other way than this one, Know-
est thou that which thou dost it thou sayest : there is no
other way ? Thou dost oppose the Lord God, who hath or-
dained everything in the world for the help of man, to
whom he hath commanded that thou shalt not lend, A'nd
thou sayest : I can not do otherwise. This is as if thou
saidst: God hath commanded unto me that which I am not
able to do. Alas! do not so, do not lend, and consent not
that any one should lend. Suffer not thyself to be blinded
by the words of any one. If it were said to thee: Ay, but
this is for the good of the poor; it is helpful to many who
are in need, and who would starve if there were not some-
one who might lend them money; do it not, I say ;
give not thy consent thereto with thy vote, if , ever thou
dost find thyself called upon for it. whether thou art one
of the Rulers, or if in any way whatsoever this* matter
doth depend from thee, see that thou dost never give thy
consent nor Jend thy ,'dd that anyone should practise usury.
Quia non sunt facienda mala, ut in.de veniant alia bona
Consent never that evil should be done in order that good
may come of it. Knowest thou. why? Because sin is always
forbidden to thee. .And therefore consent not ever that usury
be practised, whether by Jew or Christian; and if thou hast
consented thereto, thou art in the clutches of the devil.
And further I would add for thee a codicil, thou who
didst cast thy vote in favour of lending, if money hath
been lent because of that vote, thou art bound to make
restitution, and perchance this thou hast never known. Qui
occasionem damni dat, damnum dedisse videtur Whoever is
the occasion of wrong to anyone, or the cause that wrong
hath been done to him, must make restitution to him who
hath suffered the injury, and who doth suffer it. And

1 I. e., by lending them money.

- 174 -

Haoe mercy
upon the poor
prisoners

therefore them seest that they go both to the home of the
devil, he who doth lend, and he who is the occasion
thereof. And the money that they gain thereby ? It cometh
to ruin through the judgment of God. usurer, thou who
hast lent and robbed for so long a time and hast drained
the blood of the poor, how great evil hast thou done and
how grievous a sin against the commandment of God! Dost
thou not perceive that thou art thrust deep down and sunk-
en in the pains of hell ? Thou sayest perchance : I will
confess it. Alack, poor wretch, for all that thou goest to
the confessor, to thy fine friar who may absolve thee, be
assured that if he shall absolve thee, thou wilt go there
nevertheless, in company with him ! confessors, how many
of you are there who have been deceived by numbers of
those who have promised to make restitution, and the.n
mock God and the saints? Absolve them no more. If ever
they return to you again, be wise. See to it at least that
your soul be not lost together with theirs. If thou dost con-
fess them, and they say to thee: I will restore the money,
and I will amend in the future, be sure first ihat thou
seest they wish to do it in fact and deed, and then absolve
them. And to you who have been the cause that such a
sin hath been committed, see that you amend, that you
too may be absolved as well. On the other hand, do you
not consider that this doth mean the destruction of your
city and of your commune? Do you not perceive how much
money doth fall into their i hands? Love, the common weal,
and do not act contrary to the. will of God. And therefore I
say to thee: Do not lend; and to him who doth lend and to
thee, confessor, I say : Do not absolve them, if they
forsake not their sin and make not satisfaction for it so far
as they are able.

9. You have here in prison three who go barefoot,
and with no benefits of God or of this world. At one time
a chaplain was there, who confessed them, and gave them
communion, and used to say Mass (or them, and comforted
them in their tribulations. Now they lack every benefit and
privilege: they receive no alms, they have no help, they

Of th JVws.

175

have no instruction in the matter of right living, they know-
no comfort of any kind; in truth they have been so aban-
doned that they even have no bread to eat, and nowhere
to sleep. Worst of all, I hear that even water has been cut
off from them, which they may not have at will. But you
have performed a, noble work, since you have given .it to
the prostitutes. J but consider the condition of your city!
Woe is me, do you never reflect that they * can do naught
whatsoever to help themselves ! If they need bread, it must
be brought to them, so with wine, so with water, with fire

everything must be brought in to them from without.
And therefore, women, I recommend them to you that
you have some mercy upon them, that you may send
them bedsteads and mattresses, so that when they shall
have been tortured they may have some little place in
which at least they may lie down to rest. * Likewise I pray
that you send them some bits of cloth, a few pairs of draw-
ers, some shirts, for I know that you are well provided
with these; you have a groat store of them in your houses,
of which you make no use whatsoever, and meanwhile
they are in very great need of them. Moreover I hear that
certain of them are there for a i.rifliug cause: I would re-
commend these to your mercy. This is one of the seven
works of mercy; therefore have mercy and take pity upon
them. Sometimes then send them a little dish you have
cooked for them, to one a little wine, to another one thing
and to another somewhat else. Be not cruel in regard of
them -for if they have done any wrong, they are suffering

1 It rauat be understood that the government had denied the prisoners the priv-
ilege of being supplied -with water by means of conduits from the public fountains,

a privilege grouted, it seems, to the neighbouring houses of prostitutes. Those
conduits, called bottini in Siena, constitute a marvellous piece of -work, begun in the
thirteenth century, and brought to its completion in the middle of tho fifteenth. By
means of such conduits, which collect the rain-water, the public fountains are sup-
plied, besides the wolls of many private houses.

* The prisoners.

* A heart-rending allusion to the sufferings from torture. As is generally known
the State at this time did not provide for the support of tho prisoners, but instead
they themselves must provide their own food if they were able; otherwise they were
dependent upon th alms given out of charity by the chance passer-by, or even upon
contributions made by those who had brought about their condemnation. Hence their
sufferings were BO great as to arouse compassion in the hearts of all who were
hmmaiie and meroiful.

- 176 -

the penalty of it and are punished full well by being im-
prisoned as they are; and we are bound to have compas-
sion for them and mercy. And because that we all have
need of the mercy of God, let us be merciful. If yqu have
pity on them, you will send them some bit of cloth, some
clothes to cover them; you must remember that they are
there only because of their poverty. J Let them awaken
mercy and compassion in you.

1 I. e., those imprisoned for debt.

How everything that doth belong to this world is vanity.

1. thou who dost pursue after vanities,- thou dost Every part of
follow a wrong road: thou dost commence to enter thereon men and women

' - is filled with

through vanities, and these commence at thy head, and va nity, - the
continue down to thy feet: thou art full of vanity, head, middle, the feet,
back, and feet, everything about thee is vanity. Where Jff, ^t?;

E/lttC to CO owjff

shall we commence to speak ? Shall we commence at the the whole body.

head, or at the feet? Not at the head, since that would be

somewhat wearisome. Hast thou never heard that the head

of the cat is very difficult to skin ? We will commence with

bodily garments, Which are signs of the most grievous

vanity, and of mortal sin. Wouldst thou see how evil a

thing is this? Listen then, and learn. I wish to point out

to thee ten offences against God, all occasioned by dress.

Take them by five and five. Take the first.

2. The first is vanity; and it is vanity when thou anyone
dost wear that which is not suited to thee. The merchant should strip

doth wear a tabard, that is an offence against God. If there the 9 arment fl

i -i i j i t. i j ,. J rom a man to

were a soldier here, and a manly one, he would strip it whom it fe not

off from thee, because it is suited to him, not to thee. As we suited, this
should behave .towards one who should don the habit of T wW be wel1

done.

Saint Francis, we should strip it off from him, so
would the friars of Saint Dominic do in regard of one who
should don their habit, and in like manner would the friars
of Saint Augustine do. And in this manner, say I, should
every Order do. merchant, wouldst thou seem to be a
merchant? Wear thou a dress of such a kind as is suited
to thee. Thou mayest perchance wish to wear the tabard
in order to appear r.hat which in truth thou art, for thou
art a naughty pilferer; and therefore thou goest garbed

13

178

like a soldier. I tell thee that dress is not suited to thee,
but to a soldier, yes; and if thou dost wear it, thou dost
appear to be a pilferer and a robber here at home. Thou
wearest lappets and flaps, eh ! fathers, mothers,
tailors, I know not what manner of conscience is yours,
that you should waste cloth as you do. With truth may it
be said: Qualis pater, talis ftlius. I have even seen one
garment with sixteen yards of cloth cut up in lappets. The
time will come when you must arrive at the mouth of the
mill. Tush ! I give no thought to such trifles as this. 1 But
using so much cloth, dost thou not reflect how great a sin
thou committest? Knowest thou what I would say to thee?
Thou dost commence already to squander thy possessions.
By what means are shops known, eh? By their signs. So
are the contents of bales known, by the signs marked upon
the outside of them. That which thou dost squander, to be
sure, will never be taken from thee; but go, and make thy
confession, and thou, friar, go, lay thy hand upon
his head, and so make an end of it for him. How is a
woman known to be good ? By her bearing. So is the shop
of that merchant of wool known by its sign. So do we
know the shop of each merchant by its sign. And how are
friars known? Forsooth by outward signs. How dost thou
know the monk, whether he is black, or grey, or white ? *
By their sign. The outside 'doth show that which there is
within. By the exterior may the interior be known. To this
same purpose: I would say, that the woman who doth wear
meretricious garments, I know not how she may be within,
but from the outside I seem to detect evil signs. To me it

seemeth that thou art a _, I will not say it, but

thou dost understand me well. How bast thou the hardihood
to wear them, thou little fool? Hast thou no self-respect?
But thou, Mother or Father, how cometh it that thou
dost permit her or make her to wear them ? Knowest thou
not that this is not the dress of women, but of harlots ? I
would say to thee, maiden, or woman, who dost wear
garments, that thou dost appear to be a harlot: I say

1 He represents the Sieneee as saying this in reply to bia warning..
9 1. e. , to which order he belongs.

- 179 -

not that thou art a harlot, but I say that such thou dost
seem to be in thy dishonest bearing. young men, when
thou seest such as these, point the finger at them as if
they were harlots, since that they wish to appear such;
for that name will fit them right well, and with reason.
Thou goest about it thyself seeking to be called less than
good. Fye ! tell me. Are you not Christians ? Oh ! if you
are Christians, why do you not follow Christian teaching?
Perchance you wish to seem, but not to be. Fye ! pay heed
to good example and follow it, and wear your garments
in all honesty, and permit not either in act or in deed that
of you may be said aught else than all that is good.

3. fine young man! I wish to commence with The garment
you for a little. When thou goest abroad with thy hose **"* one do(A

J wear, and

drawn tight, and with a band encircling thy thigh, thy leg laughter that

adorned with stripes which are broken here and there in showeth ail the

such a manner as to entice, and thy parti-coloured stocking

woven in varied designs, and thy doublet reaching only is.

to ^thy middle; in very truth by such bearing thou dost

show thyself to be that which thou art ! In this guise when

thou returnest home thou dost draw off thy tabard, among

sisters, and sisters-in-law, and kinswomen, whereby there

is brought before them everything shameful and- ribald,

and from this ofttinies worse doth result. Hast thou never

considered how the tabard is made ? It is made like the

housing of a horse, with lappets at the side and around

the bottom so that thou wearest thy garments in the fashion

of a beast; this doth mean that thou art a beast to all

outward seeming; seeing thee dressed like a beast, it may

be concluded that withii thou must be like to a beast also.

Moreover, thy cap, wearing it so, sticking up high in air,

like the point of a sack, oh, how pleased thou art with

thyself ! fine young man, thou who takest thought for

naught, know this; it is not pleasing to God that thou

shouldst wear thy hose as thou dost wear it, in broken

stripes, or sprinkled with designs in colour, like a green

sauce, and with thy doublet so short, et-cetera. And in like

manner the tabard, with so many lappets and cut in so

many patterns, which show that thy heart is divided by

many affections. The cap high up in air, like a sack carried

180

The second
sign of sin is
called variety.

aloft, what else doth this signify than pride? Likewise
thou, woman, who dost wear so full a garment and ample
that many a time it maketh thee to sweat, with sleeves
which trail on the ground, and thy thin little arms stick
out of them; and tabards as well, all cut in patterns,
and daubed and streaked with many colours. Such things
as these all proclaim sinful vanities, and thou thyself
proclaimest that thou hast but little good sense, as thou
goest about grinning and showing thy teeth.

4. The second sign of sin is called variety. Know-
est thou what is meant by variety ? It consists in those
garments in checks, all embroidered and flowered and with
stripes of different colours: thou dost understand me well ;
and such things as these dost thou wear with only too great
willingness. And knowest thou what this doth show in thee?
It showeth that thy mind is variable and irresolute, as is
thy body. Wouldst thou be assured that I speak the truth?
Why dost thou wear them ? Dost thou wear them to give
pleasure to thyself? No, in faith. Well then, thou dost
wear them in order to give pleasure to others. Dost thou
perceive that thou art the occasion of most grievous sin,
and -that thou dost burden thy soul with a very great
responsibility? Hearken, hast thou never, heard of a crow,
who once dressed herself in the feathers' of every kind of
bird ? Oh, she was so beautiful ! She was all made of
changeable colours. Knowest thou what came of it ? All
the other birds ranged themselves about her, and each one
took its own feather, and so was she left, plucked of all
her plumage. To the same purpose, woman, thou who
dost wear so many things that are not thine own, if the
wool that thou hast upon thy back should return to the
sheep, and if the silk should return to the worms that made
it, and if the hair that thou wearest should return to those
to whom it once belonged, who are dead, and the horse-
hair that thou dost use should return to the horses; if, in
short, everything that thou hast taken from others for thy
adornment, should return thither whence it. came, oh!
thou wouldst be left plucked of thy plumage, thou wouldst
not then have so many parti-coloured garments and so many

""- . -,''" : . - 181 -

gewgaws as now thou hast, and thou wouldst not commit
so many sins as thou dost now commit.

5. The third sign of sin is regard for appearance. The third sign

This sin is generally to be perceived, because there is no / nt f **'<*

J r regard for ap-

one who does not seek to have the most costly clothes that pea rance.

may be had. Oh ! there is to be found many a one who

will bring a dowry of but twenty-five lire to her husband,

but yet will demand a rich garland. Oh, how blameworthy

is this ! Lately in a certain house I estimated that three

gowns which the mistress had hanging at the window, were

of greater value than all the other things together which

were in the house. Doth this seem to thee praiseworthy, eh?

There is no woman of ever so little importance who does

not demand scarlet cloth and violet, and a rich garland.

Note this now, you will find that the peasants too will '

demand scarlet cloth. This hath been told to me. Woman !

again I admonish thee, wear thou silk no more, yet have

I heard that now the men wear it ! Woe is me ! You take

not thought for many things as you should. What think

you the devil is now about? He hath struck your fine

garments a sorry blow. Wouldst thou be .assured of this ?

Of your garments, women, I have heard that when you

can no longer wear them l the men have them altered for

themselves, and to fit these to their backs they waste and

throw away much cloth and silk. Alack ! Woe is me !

Measure yourselves, measure yourselves but a little, consider

whether this fashion of dress doth befit thee.

6. The fourth sign of sin which displeaseth God, is The fourth sign
called costliness, on the part of those who demand cosily of sin whil}h

n -11 i -TT x. 21 , -r displeaseth G)d

garments of gauze or silken stuffs. Knowest thou what I i ica iied costliness
say to thee above all? I say that he who doth array himself in dress.
in that which doth not belong to him, doth commit a mortal
sin; I say that the rich man should dress himself in more
distinguished fashion than the craftsman, and this is becom-
ing; but dress not thyself with so great distinction that thou
dost go beyond bounds. What need hast thou of so many
silken garments, Siena, of so many embroidered ones, eh ?
Wouldst thou see how thou must do to save thyself if thon

' I. e., beeanae they are out of fashion.

182

dost wear them? Hearken to Jerome, who saith thereof:
Nemo pretiosis vestibus induitur, nisi ad inanem gloriam No
one doth deck himself in costly garments except out of
vainglory. Vainglory is a mortal sin: verily, for thou seest
that thou art always .in mortal sin while thou dost wear
these garments. Wouldst thou be assured of the truth of
this ? When thou dost put on such garments as these, dost
thou put them on in order that thou mayest be admired in
thine own house, or by those outside ? I believe not that
thou dost put on these garments for those of thine own
household: nay, when thou returnest there, thou dost
even get thyself out of them. Is it not as I say ?

The fifth sin 7. The fifth sin and sign of the displeasure of God

and sign of the [& i n j ust i c e; and here we will pause a little, for if thou

displeasure of

God is injustice. VV1 " 1^ we ^ mto tn i s sin ^ tn011 W1 ^ see tn ^ fc f ten which

thou dost commit, nine are comprised in this one. Thou
wilt give thy daughter to a man as his wife; and neither
he who taketh her in marriage, nor her father, nor her
mother , doth consider whence come her possessions ;
whereas if they were wise, they would have considered it
their duty to think of this before all else : whence come
these possessions, whence come these garments, of what
is her dowry made up ? For many times, and most times,
it is made up of robbery, of usury, and of the sweat of
the brow of peasants, and of the blood of widows, and of
ihe marrow of wards and orphans. Who would take one
of those petticoats and squeeze it and wring it, would see
issue therefrom the blood of human beings. Woe is me !
Do you never think how great cruelty is this, that thou
shouldst dress thyself in garments that this man hath gained
for thee, who perisheth with cold? And thou sayest : my
father stands well and is rich; he hath given me a very
great dowry. And doth it not seeui clear to thee that he
stands well ? Yea, with his head dowD ! If the husband
of a woman of this kind were to do that which he should
do, things would go far better than they go now. Thou
hast it that Christ was dressed in a purple garment, so
that he should be held in derision, for they wished to mock

' See footnote, p. 169.

183

him; and yet it was suited to him, since that such a
garment is the most precious one that can be found in this
life; so that he deserved it well, since that there was never
a creature more precious than Christ. And therefore, by
the example of Christ, woman, this morning learn this.
Every time that thou dost wear violet, which hath in it
the colour of vermilion, if thou dost wear it when it hath
been ill-gained, thou dost wear it in mockery of Christ.
And you have five of them, now take thu other five. l

8. The first of the other five is called superfluity: The flrst of tht
whereas you must reflect that when God gave the garment oth r fi ve 8i s n
of skin to Adam, he gave it to him out of decency, and ''
to protect him from the heat and the cold, so that it might
be fitted to his needs, and in this all the holy Doctors
agree; and he had one only and no more. thou who
hast so many of them, and keepest them in a chest, see
to it, forsooth, that they be not moth-eaten; see to it that
thou dost put them out in the morning sun to air, and
shake them well, and look to them often. And now weary
thyself in such work as much as thou wilt, yet shalt thou
not be able to hinder but that moths shall consume them,
since that the garment which is not worn, is always spoil-
ed; and that which is spoiled is a loss. Go, then, and give
an account of this in the other life. And because of this
said Saint James in the fifth chapter of his Canonical Epis-
tle : Vestimenta tua a tineis comesta sunt Your garments
are moth-eaten; and if they are not consumed by material
moths, yet they will be consumed by spiritual ones. Know-
est thou what are spiritual moths ? They are cursed ava-
rice. Tell me, whence cometh it, that thou dost weary
thyself with so much work all the year for these, * and
dost never wear them? Thou dost weary thyself all the
year, shaking them and hanging them up on poles; and a
poor woman standeth yonder and doth freeze with cold,
because that she hath not even so much clothing as she
hath need of. What thinkest thou that her shivering doth
cry out to God in respect of thee ? if thou shouldst hear

' Of the ten offences against God. Sre Paragraph 1.
* I. e., these garments which are laid away.

- 164 -

it, ihou would st hear this cry : Revenge ! revenge ! So in
like manner if thou shouldst hear the cry of thy coffer,
which doth cry out to God: Miseremini m&i, miseremini
met! So likewise do thy poles cry out, when they are
heavily laden, so that they break down under the weight.
In like manner doth thy coffer cry out, when thou dost
cram them into it. And thou lookest on at the poor man
who doth perish with cold, and thou takest ho heed there-
of. Thou dost not hear any sound of cries, forsooth. Know-
est thou why ? Because thou sufferest not from the cold;
thou dost fill thy belly with good food, thou dost drink
thy fill, and thou hast many garments upon thy back, and
ofttimes dost thou sit by a fire. Thou takest thought for
naught else: with a full belly thou art comforted in thy
soul. And how many shirts, women, have you sent down
here to those unfortunate prisoners, eh ? i But I hold you
excused for a certain reason. I hear forsooth that about
two shirts, and two pairs of drawers, and one pair of old
stockings with holes in them, have been sent. But believe
what I say, in the end you will die in the midst of your
goods, and the devil will carry you away. Do you know
wherefore I say that I hold you excused for a certain
reason? Oh, I will tell you this.
^ r , 9. Have you never heard the story of the ass of

Of the ass of J J

the three bar- the three boroughs ? It befell in Lombardy. On a road there
oughs, i s a little hut a mile perhaps from a mill. These three

boroughs agreed to keep an ass in this hut, which should
do the work of carrying the grain of these three boroughs
to the mill. It happened that a man of one of the three
boroughs went for this ass, and having brought the ass to
the village, and having put a good load of corn on its
back he leads it to the mill; and while the corn is being
ground, he unties the ass and lets it graze: and yoU know
that in the pasture-land about a mill there groweth but
little grass, so often do people come thither. When the corn
was ground, he taketh the meal, and putteth the load upon
the ass, and leadeth it home with this load; and when it
was unloaded, he leadeth the ass back to the place where

1 See p. 175. Sermon XXVI., Far. 0.

it doth belong, in the hat, without giving it aught to eat,
Saying within himself: the man who used it yesterday must
have fed it well, so that it can not be in great need of
food: and so he left it. It befalleth that on the next morn-
ing following, another man of another borough came for
this ass, and he too wished to put a load of corn upon it.
And when he had brought it home, he put upon it a load
of corn even heavier than the first one, and without giv-
ing it aught to eat, he led it to the mill; and when the
corn was ground and the meal carried home, he led the
ass back to the hut, without giving it aught, thinking that
he who had used it on the day before must have fed it
well; and so he left it, without doing aught for it. And
then : I have somewhat else to do at present. And here are
two days in which the ass hath eaten naught. The third
day cometh another to the hut for the ass, and bringeth it
home with him, and putteth upon it a heavier load than it
hath ever carried, thinking within himself: Oh, this ass
belongeth to the commune, it must be strong ! and so he
leadeth the ass to the mill with his load, tt coineth about
that likewise it is given to eat naught, neither by him any
more than by the others. At length, when the corn is
ground, he putteth the load back upon the ass and setteth
out, driving it before him. The ass however was weak by
this time, and did not travel very quickly. Marry ! the
fellow comrnenceth to use his stick, and layeth it on to
the ass and belaboureth it with many beatings, and the ass
finally with a great effort carried the load to his house.
When then he was leading back the ass to the hut, it
could, scarce move on the wayj and he beat it continually,
saying: See what an ass the commune keeps for three
boroughs; it is worth naught ! He beat it so that he led it
with difficulty to the hut; nor even there did he give it
aught. Would you hear more ? The end was, then, that
the ass did not come out of it with a whole skin, but on
the fourth day was dead. So in like manner do these,
women talk, who are deceived by avarice and by the idea
of 'their own poverty. They say: these prisoners can not be
in want, since people have faith in that which Friar Ber-
nardine doth say, and he hath recommended them to our

186 -

mercy, and everyone hath faith in him; hence he must
indeed 'have had much given to him. Alas, poor wretches !
how you deceive yourselves, and are deceived by ava-
rice. Bach of you holdeth fast, and you have so many
goods that you know not what to do with them. First, as
to your saying that all have faith in me, I say to you,
that my preaching doth accomplish naught. As to you, I
say, that each one of you holdeth fast, and the poor unfor-
tunates pine away and perish. Ah ! look not at one rf an-
other's hands. *: For I heard that after that poor wretch who
was hanged had been tortured, when he was brought back
into prison, the only resting-place he had was the ground.
For shame ! Officials, look to this, tor the love of God ! I
grant you that justice is a holy thing, but it must not
however be exercised with cruelty. Woe is me ! I see in
I you so great cruelty, that I fear lest the vengeance ot God
Imay overtake you because of it. You see in how great need
are these poor unfortunates. On the other side you have so
many goods that you know not what to do with them; and
you would rather let them rot than give them to these
poor needy ones. Alas! recognise the benefits that are yours
and be moved to pity for these. See to it that some one
doth come forward and put himself at the head, and here
let The Skepherd * have care of the money. In like manner
would I say to you, women ! see that in every contrada
some woman shall come forward, and see to it that she is
a good woman,, and trustworthy, and that they * may be
provided for in some way. Where charity and pity are
lacking, Oh, this is an evil sign which I see in you! Home
again I *

The second 10. The second sign and sin which displeaseth God

ign and sin is cal j e( j fa Q desire to attract notice. The desire to attract

which displeaseth

God is called the notice is within the man or woman who to-day wears gar-
desire to attract ments of ribbed cloth, of divers colours. What thinkest
notice. these garments of ribbed cloth proclaim, all gorgeous

* That is, do not each one regard, what another gives.

1 In St. Eernardine's time Francesco Marohi, called The 8hepherd, had charge
of the alms contributed for the relief of prisoners.
1 The prisoners.

* See footnote 2, p. 8.

- 18?

and with stripes ? They proclaim naught else than signs ot
division. * Seldom shalt thou see such signs as these that
facts follow not upon them. If you did but know how great
evil will result Iroin these garments of yours, perchance
you would destroy them. And therefore if any woman de-
stroy naught, send me word thereof, for I will pray for
her, that God may save her from the destruction which I
see awaiting you. I shall wish to measure the garments
of Friar Cudgel with mine own. Oh, saith she who taketh
no account of this, he maketh us so fearful that if we
should believe him, we should destroy all our possessions.
Knowest thou what I would say to thee ? -Observe this that
when there is a great mist, one who is upon a height and
looketh down therefrom doth see everything, as if it were
a sea. * To the same purpose: we who are apart from the
world, when we look down into such matters- as these, at
once we perceive the dangers within them. Seest thou not
that thou art immersed in this mist ? Ere this have I been
in a place where I saw like garments, and straightway I
told the people there that if they did not see to it, Friar
Cudgel would do so, and although they did not believe me,
it happened as I told them. Ay me ! You are clouded
with mist, and you see naught ! I see plainly and clearly
the dangers that are to overwhelm you ! I say that when
a city doth put on such a garb, it may expect the judgment
of God. city garbed in a foreign dress, await, await the
'scourge of the angels of God ! if the Scriptures lie not,
thou canst not escape it.

11. The third sin is called fashion. This is good for The third tin
those to hear who form the councils, from whom this de- is ealled f aihion
pends, and who might perchance find a remedy 8 ordering

and yet it would be in vain * that only so much silver
might be worn; that only so much cloth might be used in
garments; and that such great sleeves might not be made
with wings to them, which will make thee fly to hell.

12. The fourth is called enticement, for when there the fourth is

called enticement

' I. e., of instability, irresolution. '

* Everything is, as it were, spread oat before him.

1 By passing a sumptuary law.

Because it would be too difficult to enforce the execution of the lair.

188 x

cometh here a new manner of dress, as when there cometh
a prostitute dressed after a French fashion, straightway
will this be adopted. Is there here present any maiden of
an age to marry, or married woman, who doth wear mod-
ern dress ? No sooner do they see those garments than
straightway they have their own ripped apart, to alter
them according to the new fashion. Knowest thou what
should be done? First the woman who doth so array her-
self should be burned, and then the mother who doth con-
sent thereto, and afterwards the tailor who maketh them. l
In very truth if I might prevail he should make no new
fashions! for do you not perceive that this is the destruc- '
tion of your city ? I would add for you this as well : that
he who doth make them, and she who doth wear them,
and she who doth cause them to be worn, doth sin mor-
tally each and every time; but far more the tailor, who
doth bring in such a fashion: for with this sharpening of
his wits he is the occasion of much evil: and this they do,
forsooth, to gain thereby.
13. Damaging loss is the last. How many goods

Damaging . . , . , , , &

loss is the last, have you lying useless in your house, and how many are
there of you who, for all that they have very many, buy
yet more of them ? Better far would it be for thee to spend
that money in merchandise for thy shop than let it lie
useless as thou dost, Tell me, moreover, thou hast pledges
with the Jew, which cost so much monthly, oh, how
much couldst thou lessen the cost of these if thou didst
but know how to keep thyself within bounds ! Thou hast
pledges with the Jew, and thou wilt keep thy chests full
of garments, of which thou dost make no use, and contin-
ually doth usury gnaw thy bones. When I regard thy
children, forsooth, how much gold, how much silver, how
many pearls, how many embroidered garments thou dost
make them to wear ! All these things do you keep lying
there, and you might fill your shops and your warehouses
with merchandise, and do good to the city and to your-
selves as well.
Wish not to 14. And here hast thou seen ten kinds of sin and

have a head likt

<t cat's.

I. e., the garments in the new fashion.

- 189

occasions of loss and damage fro your city because of your
decking 1 your bodies overmuch. And I would have this
suffice for your bodies. Let us speak now of the head. Wish
not to have a head like a cat's, which is difficult to skin.
Because that the head of a cat is so difficult to skin, there-
fore I use this similitude for thee. The woman who hath
made this a habit to carry inside her head or upon her
head, many vanities, * and all sinful, because of this evil
custom of hers, it will prove more difficult for her to rid
herself of them there than from any other part of her body.
And in like manner do I say to thee also, thou man !
away with so much silly foolery on your caps and with
over many pleats and puffs, which doth signify- in very
truth that thou hast embellished them with but too much
of the goods of others. And in faith. I know not that since
I came here anyone hath made restitution of any money
whatsoever of that which you have gained by dishonest
means. Let us speak a little of you, women, for this doth
belong to the subject. First, above all I admonish you that
you follow the path of decency, and that you proceed in
such a way that you may not be displeasing to God nor
to your husbands. You do not perceive that you are ruin-
ing yourselves and that you are making yourselves hateful
to the men. The mouth of one of you doth stink from het\
besmearing it with scents; one doth bleach her hair; one
doth daub herself with one thing, and one with another j
How many there are who have destroyed their teeth by
polishing them overmuch ! Knowest thou what I would say-
to thee? Remember that this is the work of the devil in
order that he may break thy neck and his, and have the
soul of both one and the other of you. Be not amazed if
thy husband can not endure to see thee; thine is the fault.
Tush ! I say not that thou shouldst not be neat and dainty,
on the contrary I approve this in thee; but be decent
and clean in order that you may be pleasing to them *.
Do not laugh, for you have yet to weep. I seem to see so
many ornaments upon your heads, that it doth seem to me

1 Vanities is here used also -vrith the meaning foolish ornament!.
1 1. ., to your husbands.

190

indeed a horrible sight ; one hath a head-dress in the
manner of battlements, one like a citadel, one like towers
projecting out as doth this tower *. I see battlements upon
which are raised aloft the standards of the devil; and some
have crossbows so as to strike others and in like manner
to be struck; and here there is battle unceasingly, as if it
were one of your countries which was being fought with.
What should you think if any other standard than your
own were raised above the walls of your countries, and
your own were taken thence ? I believe that first above all
you would endeavour to discover who it had been, and
then you would be as hostile to him as possible, and next
you would do your utmost so that your standard might re-
turn up there. And this I say in regard of the vanities on
the heads of the women.

The woman l^. Hast thou ever heard that the host doth sell two

should look better wines at the same time, and that one is better than the

and should be other ? And ^ better he doth alwayg g j ve to such as come
more neat and

nice in her room there often, or to such as are his friends; and the worse he
with her husband gives to such as are simpletons. Precisely in this manner
than at the DUO- doth the yain woman She se iieth the better wine in the

mo and in the

Piazza there Piazza of the Duomo to those who stare at her, and the
among ail the other she doth sell to her simpleton of a husband. When
people ' she goeth to church she goeth there all covered with orna-

ments, all trig and fine, wearing garlands of acorns, so
that she doth seem to be my Lady Smiraldina, whereas
she goeth about the home looking like to a drab. Verily
you should have respect for yourselves, as well as for the
many people who see you abroad, and you should look
better and should be more neat and nice in your room
with your husband, than at the Duomn and in the Piazza
there among all the people. And ofttimes abroad thou *
dost appear a lion, while at home thou art a tame, silly
sheep. Hearken ! Beware, lest thou be the occasion of bring-
ing him into sin, and thyself as well, for that thou art
not neat and nice as thou shouldst be with him. And on
the other hand I admonish thee that if thou dost deck thy-

1 The famooe Jorre del Hangia Mangla Town , of the Palazzo Pubblieo of
Siena.

1 Here he addresaee the htusband.

191 -

.*

self, thou shalt look to it that he doth not perceive in thee
that which is far other than wholly good and modest: see
that he doth never see in thee aught else than purity and
decency; aye, in faith would I have you dainty and fine-
drest, but all with discretion, and in the way of modesty.
If thou seest that thy husband doth truly care for thee,
and doth not regard the manner of thy dress, then thou
mayest be more simple and at ease in the manner of thy
dress; but if he careth not, thou wouldst do ill not to see
to it that thou appear well dressed before him. This I say
in respect of many women who at home are hideous, and
as black as those bakeresses at the oven, who care not how
they appear; this I do not approve.

16. Great wickedness and sin is it, believe me, to There are some
carry so great a load on your heads ; for each one of you women who have

* ' . more heads than

men and women has learned to carry a bale. Seest tholi the
not the harm that thou dost, setting aside the sin ? First
thou dost injure thy head because of so great heat; within
a little thy mouth will stink for thee, and thy breath; thou
dost ruin thy teeth, and they will -ache at the least touch of
cold, I warn thee: Per quae peccavit homo per ea torquetur
By what member thou sinnest in that thou shalt be tormented
in the other world. * woman, pay heed to my words! Thou
hast made a God for thyself of thy head, and so dost thou
likewise, mother, of the head of thy daughter; thou hast
no thought but of this, and ofttimes it is full of nits. Some
women there are as well who have as many heads as the
devil ; every day they put on a new head. The devil hath
seven, and there are women here who have even more. For
in these last fifteen years I recall so many kinds of head-
dress, so many fashions, that I stand agape. For in truth you
have wandered farther astray than I could ever have believed
possible. Away with them, in the name of God ! for in
thiswise you would enter the road to destruction. You per-
ceive it not as we perceive it. I see a certain woman with
a head like tripe, another with one like a pancake, and yet
another with one like a trencher, or such like foolery, one

. * That they might know that by what things a man siuneth, by the same
pise he IB tormented. Wisdom XI. 17.

192

doth dress it up high aloft, another low down. Oh, so many
fashions as these are indeed evil signs ! Down with them,
I say ! Thus do I say to you, women, down with all these
vanities ! for if you could but see yourselves, you are like
to little owls, and to long-eared owls, and to screech owls.
TO wear a tan 17. Enough ! I would have this suffice in regard of
dragging on the the head. Let us come now to the feet, and this is the

best of all: to the feet! y un s man l sa y not that thou

shouldst ever measure the woman with a yard-stick * when
that thou wouldst take her in marriage; but I would have
you measure her to see whether she be good, and wise,
and industrious, discreet, a good housewife, busied about
things, etc. There are such as would have her a big beast,
and thou art another, and between you then you will form
many great beasts. Oh ! I would tell you that of which
perchance you have never thought. What may a pair of
slippers be worth perchance ? What are they worth ? Per-
chance they may be worth a half a florin; those handsome
painted ones may be worth perchance a florin, those
with the highest heels. Wouldst thou have me prove to
thee that they cost thoe more than six, and more than
eighteen as well, and even more than sixty? Oh, how can
this be ? and are the florins perchance inside them? Not so
fast! Wouldst thou have me prove it to thee? Now, follow
this reasoning. How many gowns hath thy wife ? She hath
ten. One and another, how much do they cost perchance?
They cost fitty florins each. Now, tell me this : how much
cloth goeth into a gown when the slippers are a span in
height, eh ? Come now, tell me, have you never considered
this? Thinkest thou that there goeth into it cloth to the
value of fifty or sixty florins as I have told you ? Dost
thou wish to see it more clearly? The widest part of the
gown is about the slippers, since that there where it is
nearer to the ground the wider is the gown; a span of the
gown about the feet doth contain more in its width than
four times this in the upper part. And the cloth that goeth
into the train, which I had passed over? Herein lieth thy
likeneas to a beast. And would God that I were lying in

* See p. 72, Sermon XIV, Par. 3.

' 193

my throat; whereas you will find instead that I do speak
the truth, that the trains which you wear are mess-
engers of wars. 1 Hearken! I would show you the refinement
of such women as wear these trains. First it is the act of
a beast to wear a tail dragging behind, quia factus est ho-
mo et mulier a Deo sine cauda God innde man and Avomen
without tails. The devil it is who hath made them with
tails, for. to man he hath affixed the sword, and to wom-
an hath he affixed the garments' trailing behind; so that
they can neither one nor the other be better likened to
beasts than in this respect. O women, answer me : what
doth the woman's train when she walketh abroad in sum-
mer? It maketh a great dust; and in the winter it doth
befoul itself in the mud; and he who doth walk behind it
in summer, doth breathe in the incense that it doth send
up, and this is called incense to the devil. Now, let us
consider that in winter your gown doth befoul itself in the
mud about your feet, because it doth wallow in the mud
like a pig, and then it causeth you to lose a whole day in
cleaning it. And if the woman giveth it to be cleaned by
the maid- servant, how many curses doth she call down upon
her, reviling her mistress, my Lady Sow!

- See Sermon XXV. Par. 2, p. 159.

XXVIII. -How business ouylit to be carried on.

He who is a priest 1. First above all I say that a business dotb .become

or a religious is {m \ S(V f^\ w ith relation to the person engaged therein. For

not permitted to ., ._.._ - - -- - -- - x - a - n '""

barter and traffic. examp]he.jinder3_tapd me : it is not lawful for me who, am
a friar, to hang 1 a man, since that doth not belong -to my
art'; that art beiongeth to secular men. And so, I say, it
is hot permitted to any friar or priest. And thus, I would
say, that neithfir_to_Jriarjn^

do Jjhat which belongcth to secular men_ to do. The priest
and the friar should attend to the offices of. the church and
to 'Tn"ie~"saivatioii of souls. 3ff6r "sTTouTcT yoJ

give offiVes'~1fo~"reTieT6iisT nor moreover should religious

- m, _ ,.i_i-u,,jnHMr ___ ,, ______ __ tm+^mr . JL_. n .. . r . I i il - -n. mi., i _____ ,-nr.. .... Mn.ir.ri -r ,**** *>***ri r^'J**^**'*"''*****"*-*"**-'*"*^'*"

either accept them, or' seek them, or" exercise them. Nor
should^ri^TT^olTs^eTTtang-ie himself iri secular business, no !
HearEen now, answer'nine7''IeTrow"'citizeni3 : you are prepa-
ring 1 your urns ; are you placing 1 friars in charge there ? {
If you are putting them there, put me there as well. You
set yourselves to believe that your secular chamberlains of
the Commune have stolon the money of the Commune, and
for this reason perchance you would have them friars. * The

1 I, e., in public offices.

1 The office of camarlengo, chamberlain, of the Commune had been held t'rom
tlio earliest times l>y a religious, very often by a member of the Catnaldolesc Order.
Saint Bernardino frankly opposed the introduction of religions into public busir.ess,
and he so nrgod the institution of the lay treaaurerahip, that in the beginning of
January, 1428, that is, thre months after these sermons ware preached, a laymjui
was elected Treasurer of tho Commune. This important innovation shows how gveuo
regard his follow-citizens had for Saint Bernardino' s advice, even concerning the
most delicate matters of government. In 1452 there was a retitrn to the old system,
but this lasted for only seven y\ara, and from that time on the treasurer was always
a layman. T/o Offlou ot Treasurer of General Customs underwent the same change.
When the Saint delivered these sormons the Treasurer of the Commune was a relig-
ious, Friar John of the order of the Servitea,

195

friars perhaps wil not steal? Oh, it is an evil sign when-
because of this you demand friars ! what a blessing 1
is this, that you do suspect one another? I have told
you, and 1 say it to you because of the words of Paul : J
entangle not religious with these businesses. Doth it not
suffice that you go to the home of the devil out of your
desire for these offices without that you should endeavour
to drag us thither as well ? They have no other words in
their mouths than these : We trust them not.

2. I say to thee that this is an evil sign. You can n

* ii j. i i. j. i i i. r\ -i 1-1 j tobedoneisthit,

not perform that which is acceptable to God, while you do that you must
so set yourselves against him, and against those who consider the
established the body of Church. Know you that which I person wM ' **

" carry on the

would say to you, since you wish that they should hold business, whether

office ? See then that they wear secular dress, that they fo &e seeviar or

wear caps tossed back, and that they have doublets which religiom -

reach only to their middle ! And thou mayest rest assured

in regard of whoever doth bring it about or hath brought

it about, that any religious should hold office, that I know

certainly he hath committed a very grievous sin, a mortal

sin ; since that he hath done that which was not permitted

to him, nor IR not, nor ever will be : and I say that

whosoever was the occasion thereof, is bound to make

restitution of all that money in respect of which the Commune

hath suffered loss. Oh, a fine idea this, that they wished to place

me in charge of the urns! 2 Oh, next I would be. made keeper

of the Castle of Montalcino ! 1 am assured that this you

wished to do out of good will, but tell me, ought I not

to know that this is not permitted to me ? Fye ! fye ! Oh.

I should have been a great simpleton, forsooth ! Thou dost

not cozen me, in faith, with so great ease. Oh ! is it becoming

that the executioner be paid by one who is at one and the

same time priest and chamberlain of the Commune ? Doth

this belong to his office ? Pray, will it be fitting then that

1 II. Tim. II. 4 No man bbing a soldier to God entangleth himself with secular
businesses .

'Although Saint Bernardino did not aocept the office of captain of the urns
here referred to, yet he had a great influence- upon' the muniiCr of conducting the
elections, as may be seen by the provisions made in regard to this on September 9,
1427 ; these Were made without doubt at the suggestion of the Saint, who was de
these sermons in that very mouth.

196 -

he go afterwards to say Mass? But let us speak of this
matter at length : What think you a religious doth when
you have made him chamberlain? All the night doth he
dream that he is counting money, and in his sleep he saith
continually : four, six, eight, and he doth count without
ceasing. In regard of myself I do believe that if I were in
that office, I should steal more than the others steal. Have
done ! Manage your own businesses ; give them not occasion
of sin, but let them do what belongeth to them to do. Woe
is me ! for when I think of the sin that you are committing,
both seculars and religious as well, I tremble with fear !
You have made a fine friendship with the friars in faith,
so that you would meddle in their businesses, and would
have the friars entangle themselves in yours. Do not so,
do not so. Reddite quae sunt Caesar Is Caesari, et quae sunt
Dei Deo. I say unto you that you should render unto Caesar
the things that are Caesar's and to Grod the things that are
God' s. Let them perform their offices, and you do yours.
Do not confound the lance with the axe. i Do not thrust
yourselves into their affairs, for I predict to you that if
you do entangle yourselves in the business of one another,
you will fall into mortal sin ; and if you din in this sin,
to the house of fire with you both ! Hearken to a saying
of Jerome, in the XXVIII. chapter : Clericum negotiatorem
et ignobilem inopem, gloriosum. Where thou seest any of
the clergy a tradesman, who doth entangle himself in many
matters, now in this, now in that, and that, from a poor
man he doth come into any riches whatsoever, believe
me he is one to be handled with caution ; and I say there
is great danger in having to do with him. And therefore I
say that the first thing to be done is this, that you must
consider the person who doth carry on the business, whether
he be secular or religious. This mist then is now cleared
away.

The second point 3. The second pomtM^Jke^cj)^^

il re arTof m who . ^ojS^'aTfy^ior business is, from what motive_ he dpth
ivhodoth carry on carry it oiTrTToTd""ITi'ee"~oFit yesterclay^ to-day I will tell
business is out of tuee a g a j Ui i 8ay that if he doth this to provide for his

what intention he ~ .- ~-~-.~, _ ^_

" ' ' I. e., the lauco as the weapon carried by noble loriglits ; the axe as the weapon

of the executioner.

family, or in order to free himself from debt, or to marry
Ms "Hauglite"? sT"~- then I say it is permitted toTim7~But

*~iLJi-imr'- i tj '* J ~**""*"*" J * J '*"~'*"' " - ' ' ' ' " ' ' .-^^.M nmimn i i rumj^JMi^^aM^jMaj^aM^j ^j^^naja*

what shall we say of him who hath no need thereof, who
doth so spend himself, doth busy himself here, doth busy
himself there, doth this, doth that, and doth never cease ?
Say-. I. that unless HP rintb tin's ftr the poor, he doth_sin
mortally, since that such hoarding as this _isjaalled,jthe_sin
of avarice. See then whether I say not the truth to thee !
If he hath not need, and doth hoard only for himself and
for himself alone, what thinkest thou this is ? Naught else
than avarice. If he himself hath no need thereof, he ought
to distribute it to the poor, or to hospitals, or in pious
works. And if he doth use it otherwise, it is plain and
clear to be seen that he doth gain and hoard out of avarice,
and his people will have this, his kinsmen or his nephews,
or his brothers, or cousins, or those who will never give
further thought to him. Oh, it is an evil beast, avarice! Thou
seest that with all this wearing himself by day and by night,
yet never hath he satisfied any wish of his. And therefore
is said in Ecclesiastes in the V. chapter: Avarus non satiabitur
pecunia. l A covetous man shall not be satisfied with money;
the more he hath, the more he desireth. Shall we see
whether I say the truth ! Now put it to the proof, miser !
what dost thou wish ? I wish ten thousand flurins ; had I
but ten thousand florins I should feel that I was well off.
Now then, here they are. Hast thou them? Yes. Next.
What hast thou done with them ? Oh, I have spent them !
I want more. One of my partners hath repaid me one
hundred florins which I lent him ; I have spent it for cattle ;
I had need of fifty florins to set in order a house ; I have
need of yet more. Now then. How then. How much dost
thou wish? I would have at the least, at the least, fifteen
thousand. Seest thou that already his greed hath increased ?
Now then. Here, take them. What wilt thou do with them?
JHast thou thought of this ? Yes, there is by the side of my
own house one that would suit me well indeed, and likewise
this property doth stand between two that I own ; if I might
but have it, there would then be no one who could do any

Avarus non implebitur peonnia. Ecclesiastee V. 9.

198

damage whatsoever to me ; they l would all be side by side
together. And straightway or in this, or in that, doth he
spend it all, and even doth exert himself to procure yet
more, 1 would have more money. for what hast thou
need of so much? Oh, if I had but a little more ! I feel
assured that I should not seek to add more to it. Once
more, how much dost thou wish ? I would have at the least,
twenty-five thousand. what wouldst thou do with so much?
Oh, what would I do with it ? There is a fortress in a
certain place which would suit me exceeding well, and
moreover I should like as well to own the property outside
each of its gates. Mist is hateful to me. If there were mist
at one gate, I should go to another, where there was no
mist. He would have fine garments in new fashions : which
is to say, in sum, that if he should have hundreds of
thousands, he would not be content.
of four other 4. Now let us look at four manners of sinning that

manners of ^ Q ma ], ce fa e trade unlawful which some men practise. The

sinning in selling r ..... _

of merchandise, first is the concealing of the tmth- fla fnr iflH^nr'.flj he who

doth possess a horse which hath a defect, and he wisheth
to sell this ; if he were to make known this defect, he
could not sell it. I say that if he doth sell it, and doth not
make known that defect, and if through that defect he
should bring an harm to anyone, he who selleth it is held
and bound to make restitution. The second is found, in

thnHftjyho nge.~dhzer.flP. weights a.nfj JiflPff.Enirftfl, or HflfrHqs, or

balances. Hast thou never paid heed to him who doth sell
by weight that he doth give a shove downwards with that
which he putteth into the scale for thee ? Each time is he
bound to make restitution. The third occasion of sin is

fm^rif] Ip llJTTl Wll n flr^Ti .^fi|] hy TP Pfl fill T * ft ' wllO will SO

stretch and pull the cloth that ofttimes he doth well nigh
tear it asunder. Stretch with all thy force when thou hast
it to sell ! And likewise doth he who maketh the garment,
because in order to have it longer he doth stretch it so
that he doth almost tear it, and sometimes it doth split
down the middle, from head to foot. I say naught to thee
of those who keep in a place which was damp that mer-

I. e., my houses.

199

chandise which they sell by weight, so that it may weigh
more !

5. Hearken ! I wish to tell you of that which befell <V amerchant

a merchant who was used to keep his merchandise in a w l> h * rea!> h f

L wished .to cheat,

place which was damp, so that it might weigh more. That was himself

time it went from bad to worse. One merchant went to buy cheated -

saffron from another, and he who wished to buy having

arrived at the shop of the one who had it to sell, he said:

I wish as much saffron as I can find. Said he : I will give

thee mine. And having showed it to him, at once he who

was to buy it perceived that it was damp, and he said to,

the one who was selling it to him : See that it is sent to

my house, and I will weigh it, and will give thee -the

money. The fellow sends it straightway, so that it may not

dry, and then follows after the man who was carrying- it,

in order to weigh it. When they were arrived at the house

of the other, said he who is to buy it : do me this favour;

I can not wait now to weigh it, seal it up, and leave

it here for a time, and I will return. He doth so, and doth

depart in God' s name in all peace. Marry ! When he is

out of the house, at once the other hath the saffron taken

up, and hath it put into an oven which was there near

by, and when it is dry he hath it replaced there where

the other had left it. Afterwards cometh the other merchant,

and they weigh this saffron ; and he took his money and

went about his own business. So it went from bad to worse.

One made it damp so that its weight be greater than it

was; and the other 1 put it into the oven, so that it might

weigh -less than it should, for perchance it dried more than

it should have done. And in thiswise he who thought that

he would cheat was himself cheated.

6. Tha^ib]rd_thing which doth^ make merchandise The third thing

unlawful, is when a man doth sell something harmful ; and whieU doth make

,., . J -~-~~...~~~~-~-~"..~.-- . ~~ ...uj. *."> mercJiandiie

this may be understood in many ways. How great differ- unlawful, is
once there is between one kind of merchandise and another, when a man doth
both in regard of worth and of harmfulness. apothecary,
who to rid thyself of thy goods doth many a time give
something bad to him who doth pay for it, as if it were
the finest in the world, in, what doth thy sin consist ? First,
it is a sin against good merchandise, and second against

200

just weight, and fair measure. Do not thou as many do,
who follow a certain practice of theirs. The conditions of
the body of each of us are not the same ; this man is cold,
this one warm ; for one and the same medicine may do
harm to one and good to another. Therefore trust never to
thyself, but rely upon that which the physician saith to
thee, who doth know from practice and from learning. See
that it doth not happen to thee as once befell another
apothecary. A man falling ill at once sent for the physician,
and when he had seen the sick man, he said that he must
needs take a certain medicine ; he was told that he should
order it. And having left the sick man, he went to the
apothecary and said : take thy book, and write for such a
one : Take half a dram of such a thing and two of saeh
another, etcetera; and dissolve it in such and such water.
And having prepared it in thiswise, see that it be given to
this sick man. In the evening cometh the brother of the
sick man to the apothecary for the medicine which the
physician had ordered, and the apothecary giveth him a
medicine which he had prepared after his own fashion, and
not according to the directions of the physician. The other
doth carry it home with him, and at night, when the hour
was come for it, he giveth it to the sick man. And when
it had been given to him in thiswise, it wroaght with him
so that he died from it. This man's brother goeth straightway
to the physician, and told him what had befallen. The
physician said that this could not have happened so, unless
forsooth the apothecary had done as he himself wished,
after his own fashion. Thereupon this man went to the
apothecary with two witnesses, for the sake of caution. When
the apothecary seeth him, at once he asked: How doth thy
brother ? Well, he replied. And how wrought the medicine
with him ? And he replied : Excellently well, I believe that
by means of it he will be cured. When saith the apothecary:
Great thanks then are due to me, for I compounded it of
other things than the physician told me of. Then said he :
We are witnesses to that which he hath said. And straightway
he went to the Signoria, and related this matter, and how
his brother had died. Finally the apothecary was taken into
custody, and was condemned to death, and lost his life. And

201

this was because he was giving his wares without regard to
measure, in order to rid himself of as much as possible; he
was giving too full measure,' and others paid the cost thereof,
Do you understand me? Yes. Then beware of this. This man
did not do as another did, who sold his comrade's wares at
a cheap price in order to squander it, and to better the sale
of his own. .

7. Another^yice_in regardjaf business^ lies in counting; DO not count
it is that of the man ' who~doth"co"unt~so aTlo~~clfeaTf Tor monei > '*" to

"--; - ~ -- _ ----------- . ________ r _ ' great haste so as

with counting in so great haste he doth contrive to bewilder to deceive the man

the man or the woman who doth receive the money, and or the woman

this through his counting in haste : there, and there, and Ao *

there, and there: one, two, three) five, seven, eight, ten,

thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, nineteen, and twenty. And the

poor little old woman, who hath not much wit, believeth

that it is as thou sayest, and doth receive the money as

thou givest it to her ; and home she goeth, and doth begin -

to count it, coin by coin, and findeth herself cheated of

three pence, and she returneth to him who gave her the

money, and saith : Ay me ! I went home with the money

you gave me, and I have counted it again ; I find that I

lack three pence. Such men as this will reply : You will

see that you have made a mistake in counting it. Saith she:

no, you have given me too little, for the love of God, give

it to me. Saith he : Oh ! look whether you have not dropped

it, hath not your purse perchance a hole in it ? And so the

poor creature hath the worst of it. Thinkest thou that this

is pleasing to God? No, verily. Covet not thy neighbour's

goods, this is one ot the commandments; and the other 'saith:

Non furdberis Thou shalt not steal. This is theft, that you

take this from her, and she can help herself in nowise.

8. A n nailer J.ullHILJlL^i 1 !Ll: q murder; as for instance Thou shouidst
sometimes when a butcher wil]_daugiLteaL,,^njd-.-&Sirat~"his neoersellin f ected

._, .... ,~~ -- _ __ ---- CT wares, since

" ni m1;pr, so Tnnn^ fnv a iiro ) mqafj fthntf 1H ipfa".igfj And many thereby thou dost
times they are themselves the cause of it *. In what condition endanger

think you, must an animal be which hath been inflated by l *"*

a man who is himself infected with disease ? He hath in-
fected that animal, and there is the chance that it may kill

VI. e., of the infection.

202

Do not permit
that the

whosoever doth eat of it. There are many who say that they
inflate the animal in order that they may skin it more easily;
but I say to thee that even if it be more difficult to skin,
thou shouldst endure this labour, thou shouldst do that which
doth belong to thy trade so far as it is possible. Moreover
I would say in reply to those who tell me this : What is
the reason wherefor at Eome they never inflate the meat?
And yet there they slaughter them ? * Cast it away, rather
than sell such infected wares. Do not :lo as did a renegade
Christian, one of those Christians of the Cord *. It is said
that once he told the Sultan this, saying to him : I rid us
of more Christians by killing them in a certain fashion than
do all your followers with sword in hand. The fashion of
it was as follows : that he used to go among the Christians,
and sold meat and fish and other things which were tainted
and infected, the which things were eaten by the Christians:
and by this means, many of them died in a brief time.

9. From naught doth the Commune so profit as from
the utility of the Guilds, and from merchandise which is

university shall

ever depart from bought and sold. Seldom are Guilds licensed which are
Siena, since harmful, such as is one, that is, the snipping of cloth s ;
fittedtonalyZ ~ *W% of cloth does naught for the common good.
known far and Moreover the Guild of poisons does naught for the common
wide - good. Whensoever a property doth sustain damage, or

human beings, this can not be for the common good. Saith
igcotus * in his nnmmptnt,a.ry on the 4 th . Book of Sentences,
/Dist. 15: that. those things which a Commune can not dis-
pense with are three : the Guild of Wool-weavers is one,
the greatest utility doth result thereof to the common good.
Likewise the Guild of Shoemaking. Such Guilds are main-
tained by merchants, who have wool and leather brought
hither. Now in like manner as these two are necessary, so
also is, the University 8 necessary; it is but little appreciated

1 Animals.

* That is, those Christians who lived in the Holy Land, and had been converted
by Saint Thomas.

8 See p. 178, Sermon XXVII. Par. 2.

* The 15 th. Distinction in the Commentary of Dana Sootus on Peter Lombard's
Books of Sentences .

f B The University of Siena, which still waits to have its history worthily written,
dates its origin from the middle of the thirteenth century, In its wisdom, and out
of its solicitude for learning, the Republic summoned thither distinguished men in

203

by tl^^^w^Jb.avej[iever studied aught, ffever suffer it to
depart from Siena.. Sienese f for you can not comprehend
the profit and the honour which will accrue to you therefrom
a O f?^rt; H ffnm " nTI>i Consider Bologna *, the"fame thereof,
and the utility and the honour. So will it befall you if you
shall be able to .maintain it, for therein are men fitted to
bring you into renown everywhere. Since that you have the
Sapienza here, extend its privilege to the Jnerchants and
throughout the Republic, because ajLJLh&!i^^
necessary and profltable^to jfche eo^mon good, and is_ most
pleasing to the Good Lord God. You .may perceive even now
that already there eometh fortfr from, out of it a. band of
your citizens fitted for the_ doctor's degree. Andjis I say to
the citizens, so do I say likewise to you who study: see to
it that you become not such great simpletons. It a is^a thing
which is pleasing to God.

all ages, and upheld the reputation and dignity of the "University, to which it added
by procuring privileges from emperors for it and papal bulls. The greatest benefactor
of the University among the popes was Gregory XIII ; he assigned to it the patri-
mony' of the Hospital of the Msericordia so as to promote the foundation of the
famous Oasa di Sapienza ; here up to our own century there flocked many young
men, Italians and foreigners, who applied themselves to the study of jurisprudence,
medicine, and theology. The Sienese of to-day, faithful to these traditions, are
devoted to their University, and they still maintain it, even at a sacrifice in
dignity and prosperity.

I. e., The University of Bologna,

1 The University, or learning.

xxix, Of alms, and to wliom alms should J>e given.

To those who
shall not haw
been merciful God
will show a grim
and wrathful
visage, so that
they will bide
themselves in
order not to meet
him face to face.

I. Ay me! while that we may exercise virtues, let
us exercise them ; for the sake of our salvation aud in order
not to be deprived of so great good * let us not stand idle.
Woe is me when I consider him who hath robbed another,
while that other might have given in alms that which he
hath taken from him, since there are many who would give
it in the name of God, if they had aught to give; and there
are likewise many widows, and many married women who
are compassionate, whose possessions have been seized by
force, and they can not stretch out their hand to the poor,
the bread having been snatched from their hand, and their
blood having been sucked; likewise also there are many who
have robbed the hospitals which give alms to the poor by
lodging pilgrims, aud perform other good works, and thou
hast stolen that which would have been given to many poor,
who thus have riot had it. what will God say to these?
He will say not only : Thou didst see me hungry and thou
gavest me riot to eat, but also : thou hast stolen it from him
who would have given it to me, and who can not give it
to me. Thou hast been willing rather that the grain should
rot in thy granary than that thou shouldst give it to the
poor. Thou hast been more ready to give it to the dogs
than to the poor. Likewise with thy wine ; thou hast been
willing that it should spoil, and then thou hast thrown it
away rather than give it to a poor man who was dying of
thirst. And what thinkest thou as well that he will say to
these women who have seen a poor creature half naked,

18 promised hereafter.

205

freezing with cold, while they have garments so ample that
they spread over the ground, so long are they? Likewise
of those who have sleeves so wide that they might clothe
many poor people with them ? Oh, how great a curse God
will send upon thee for this ! He will show himself unto
them in wrath, with an awful visage, saying: Away, away!
Ye cursed women who are of the devil, who have been
ready to sweep up the highway with your garments rather
than to give any of these to the poor. So likewise do I
consider in regard of him who hath many beds in his house,
so that he might lodge a poor man, but hath instead been
willing to leave him by the roadside rather than receive
him into his house. Likewise I consider what he will say
to those who are rich in the goods of this world, who
seeing a man who is sick, have not aided him, nor visited
him. nor had compassion upon him. Ay me, how terrible
a curse will light upon you too, as I believe! Again I reflect
how many cruel men there are, who being owed five pence
by some poor creature, have had him thrown into prison,
and have let him waste away there, and would have his
life rather than set him free alive I And alas, there is also
wickedness even greater than theirs ! What will the Lord
say to him who hath taken from another all he doth possess,
and then having had him seized and thrown into prison
hath brought his wife to starvation and his children, having
taken from them everything, and having thrown the poor
wretch into prison and let him die there ? Ay me, how
great a curse will God send upon thee ! As thou ha3t not
shown mercy, so thou shalt not find it. Think not, however,
that his judgment will not be full of mercy and justice, as
fair and just as may be said. Doth it not seem fair to thee
that the good man should be rewarded and the wicked man
punished ? Thou wilt judge thyself, be assured, when thou
shalt see thy own works, all that which thou hast ever done.
Seeing that which God commanded thee that thou shouldst
do, and thou didst it not, what wilt thou say within
thyself ? Thou wilt say, perchance: He commanded me that
which I was not able to do. Now consider for a little that
which God doth command us. A very little thing doth he
command us. He doth not command that thou shouldat give

- i>06 -r

more than thou canst give. He doth not wish that thou
shouldst leave thyself with naught. He saith: Wouldst thou
give an alms ? Then give it. Canst thou not give a loaf?
No ? Then give a part of one. Canst thou not give wine ?
Then give some water which hath -been poured over the
lees. If thou canst not give even such wine, then give some
vinegar mixed with water. Canst thou not clothe a poor
man? No. Give him at the least, as perchance thou canst,
a pair of drawers, or a shirt. Canst thou not aid the sick
man ? See that thou hast at least pity upon him : have
compassion on him, comfort him with words. Canst thou
not deliver him from prison? No. Visit him, send him some-
times a little soup, and have compassion for him. If thou
dost take thought for this, it will be well for thee ! Aad
therefore do I say that God will judge with perfect justice.
God doth give 2. rich man how grateful shouldst thou be to God,

thee that part

which thou, dost who hath given thee of these earthly goods in abundance.
elect in thine own If thou dost live in ingratitude, not giving of these goods
-way either life t ^ h h fl need thereof tnou wilt be punished therefor.

everlasting or > r

heiL How easy a thing it is to attain to life everlasting. God hath

imposed upon us his commandments, which are so easy of
fulfilment that it is a joy to him who would observe them.
Now consider this for a little : if God should say to thee,
I wish to give thee eternal life, so I give thee this straw
and I wish that thou shouldst give it to that man ; if thou
dost not give it to him, I will send thee to hell. If thou
shouldst not be willing to give it to him, what thinkest thou
he * will do unto thee ? Knowest thou what he will do? He
will send thee to hell. And is his the fault forsooth ? He
giveth unto thee that part which thou dost choose in thine
own way, or life everlasting, or hell. Dost thoii choose hell?
Take thou the penalty thereof. Either to paradise or to hell
thou must go ; if thou didst not wish paradise, the worse
for thee.
ij God hath $ _ Q woman with great wide sleeves, if God should

Qiven to thee more '

than to that other sa y to thee : have done with these great wide sleeves, if

man who is poor, " ,

be grateful and not, I will send thee to hell : and if thou shouldst never-
unto Mm *"' e theless yet wish to wear them, shouldst thou not deserve

somewhat of this,
for the love of
God,

1 God.

207

hell ? Woe is me ! Since thou wilt wear them. I would at
least that they were not purchased with ill gotten gains !
rich, miser, why hast thou no compassion for the poor,
why art thou so cruel to him that the hen showeth herself
more charitable than thou art ? The hen, when solely four
little kernels of corn are thrown to her, doth call the other
hens, so that they as well may eat thereof. So likewise the
mother hen, when she hath aught to eat, she calleth all the
tiny chickens, most of all when there hath been given her
a little meal. If no other argument doth move thee, this
ought to move thee : It is God who giveth unto us all good
things in this world and in the next. If he hath given unto
thee so much bread that thou dost live in abundance, and
if then he doth send to thy door a poor man who is dying
of hunger, and if he doth let this man beg of thee for love
of him, how art thou so ungrateful that thou givest him
not thereof for the love of God ? He hath given thee much
wine ; now he doth send that other, so that thou mayest
give a little unto him. How canst thou send him away and
not give him thereof? Likewise, he hath 'given thee money
im abundance, now he sendeth thee a poor man, and doth
let him beg for love of him that thou shouldst give him
some. How comes it that thou art so unfeeling as to send
him away empty ? That money belongeth to God.

4. Thou art bound to give to him who hath need Thou unbound
thereof, and who is in want arid distress, that which thou to t aim * *"*,

who hath need

hast in excess. But when thou hast determined to live thereof, that
according to the spirit of God, see that thoa dost not say: which thou hoot,

I would keep what is necessary for myself : if I should ***

live to grow old, I could no longer earn, I need this for.

myself. 6,- what if' I were to live two or three hundred

years ? 0, if I were to fall sick ? I wish to keep enough

for my own needs,. Noli cogitare de crastino Be not solicitous

for to-morrow. Saith Saint Matthew that you should not be

solicitous in regard of such things ; but if to-day thou seest

that thou canst do something good, go thou and do it.

do not hold back from it ; and if thou canst manage so as

not to live in so great splendour, do this as well. Do not;

as he cloth who hath a capon before Mm, and saith : 1

would eat it all to-day so that I shall not have to say that

208 -

When thou
givest an alms,
give it cheerfully.

there is . some of it left for to-morrow. I say not so ; I
say to thee that if thou hast goods in abundance, give
thereof to him who is needy and in want. And that other
saith : 0, if I should give of my goods to whosoever doth
cross my path, I should very soon scatter everything to the
winds, and I myself should fall into such poverty as to be
in want and need. I say not to thee that thou shouldst do
in thiswise, in the name of God ; I say to thee : that thou
shouldst give to him who is in want that which thou hast
in excess of thine own needs ; and moreover I do not say
that thou shouldst give to all those who come to thee to
beg ; but to him who is needy, yes, and to him who is in
want and in distress.

5. When thou givest an alms, give it with cheerful-
ness. De always that" which thou dost do for the love of
God, that it may resound with cheerfulness, nor ever in a
churlish spirit. Knowest thou why ? Because it is said that
spiritus tristis dessicat ossa, * Knowest thou the meaning of
this ? It meaneth that when the poor man cometh to thy
door, and thou dost give him an alms with reluctance, in
a churlish spirit, unwillingly, ere that thou art arrived at
the door all the merit of that alms hath perished. Secondly,
thou must do it cheerfully, in heart, in words, and in act,
first with inward willingness, secondly in thy words.
When the poor man arriveth at thy door, and asketh alms
for the love of God, What ? Yea, most willingly, be thou
welcome. And this thou must show in giving cheerfully,
from thy heart, with kind words, with a cheerful face and
with promptness. Thou must show that thou dost give it
willingly and cheerfully ; do not weary him with waiting
an hour before thou dost give it to him, since when that
thou dost make him await it, the poor man doth almost
repent that he hath asked thee for it. And therefore every
time that it cometh in thy way to give, give promptly and
cheerfully. And to the poor man is more welcome a glass
of water given cheerfully and promptly, than a measure of
/wine, given with surliness and. after, long delay. Knowest
thou how many women act ? The poor man or the friar

1 Proverbs XVII. 22 A sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.

- 209 -

asketh an alms, and she saith : wait there. And he will
wait sometimes for half an hour, and finally when she hath
made him weary with waiting she will then throw him a
loaf from the window, and sometimes she will hit on the
head with it. This in truth I .can say from having had
proof thereof: for when I was going about begging, a
woman having thrown a loaf to me in that fashion, it lighted
on my finger, and hurt me right grievously; she perchance
did not give it to me willingly. And therefore I say to
thee that thou shouldst give willingly, when a beggar cometh
to thy house. Because this is commanded thee for the love
of God, and see that thou dost bestir thyself with promptness.

6. miserly old man, ^covetous old maa, behold! A . miraele
already death hath thee in its clutches, and yet thou takest e neroue "giver of
not thought for thy salvation. Seest thou not that thou hast aims.
already one foot in the grave ? And what else dost thou
await except death ? Hearken, poor creature, see that thy
path be lighted before thee, expect not; that the light shall
fall upon it from behind thee. "When do most people give
alms? Knuwest thou when? When they find their heads
upon the pillow, and then they can no longer live, and
can not carry their possessions with them. These may be
likened to the money-box from which one may never have
the money which is within it, until that it is broken. So also
may they be likened to a little child when he hath a pear,
and doth bite it, and then doth give it to the mother ; but
before he was not willing to give it up and said : T6, te !
Alack, wretched one, wait no longer ! If thou seest a poor
man, aid him, help him thou ; expect not that another shall
do a kindness for thee, since that thou thyself dost none.
I would relate to thee an example of what befell a woman
who was used to give alms. Once when she was in church,
a poor man, half naked, asketh alms of her ; and while the
poor man was beseeching her, the priest was saying :
Sequentia sancti Evangelii. She thinketh within herself ;
What shall I do ? Shall I make him to wait, or shall I miss
the Gospel ? If I make him to wait, he will die of cold.
When she had decided she went into a corner of the church,
and took off the lining of her mantle and gave it to this
poor man. Hearken to the miracle ! She returueth to the

13

210

altar, the priest was at the same word ! And therefore
follow that which is commanded thee, see that thou be prompt
and ready.

thou 7. When thou givest an alms, wish not to truuApet

l thTevii ** a ^ roa( i 5 as do niany hypocrites, who when they give an
beast vainglory alms give it oat in the public squares, where there are
benotwithtnthee. many people, and in the streets as well, so as to be seen.
Ofttimes they do take their stand at the corners of certain
streets, and would appear to hide themselves, whereas they
do it in order to be seen the more. Wouldst thou know
such as these who they are ? Take heed then uf this, that
it is their custom to have chapels built, and they put up
their arms there, and labour an age before the work be
finished. Such a one is having a chapel built in such a place,
and there he hath put up his arms. What arms hath he put
up there? That is not the arms which should be there. If
thou shouldst put thy rightful arms there, thou wouldst put
a gallows. Put a gallows there, and thou wilt do better.

XXX. Likewise of alms, and of tlie utility and the fruit
wJiicJi lie ivlio giveth them doth derive therefrom.

1. For the instruction of him who would have his yhe p *fl* J/ fl
alms yield fruit, let him give it secretly, since this is one ""

way whereby such an alms will be as a prayer to God for left is the
thee. Every one hath need that the good which he doth
should come to the notice of God, to the end that he may
receive the reward thereof in this and in the other world.
But I may say with truth, that one man hath greater need
thereof than another ; and believe me, you are in greater
need of it than many others. Nay, - think not that I say
this to make you fearful ! It availeth little to arouse fear
there where there is no need thereof. I see you grow
strong in evil and weak in well-doing. Pay heed to this
which I would say to thee, I say to you, and I believe,
and I can put my finger upon it in many ways, and out
of many reasons, that you should pray to God because of
this, and beg him to be merciful unto you ; and among
the many reasons because of which you should pray to God
you should pray above all because of this that follows. As
you know, Messer Carlo hath of late been made your bishop,
who is now Rector of the Hospital ; and since you have so
provided for the bishopric, you must now provide for the
Hospital one in his stead '. For it you should find such a

1 Messer Carlo Bartoli, << Rector of the Hospital, had recently been made
Bishop of Siena ; he had been appointed by Pope Martin V. on the twenty seventh
of September, 1427. Bartoli was both a pious priest and a fine citizen; he managed
the Hospital of Siena for seventeen years, and left behind him there a high reputation.
He was several times employed by the government of the Republic as oratore at
The Court of Rome and was sent in the same capacity to other Italian principalities.
Of humble origin he made himself known early in his life by his noble qualities of

212 -

one who will perform works that shall yield fragrance to
God, and who will give the alms that should be distrib-
uted there in Buchwise that the savour thereof may be sweet ;
.and so shall he maintain that House in all things which are
to the honour and glory of God. And since I travel hither
and thither I hear that which is said forsooth. And would
God that this your Hospital had still that fame which it had
in the past. But know ye what I would repeat to you? I
repeat to you that if therein that ' is not still done which
was used to be done, you will pay the penalty therefor. If
you are not willing to provide therefor, you will suffer
because of this. I say unto you again, that it is one of the
eyes of your city, and the other eye is the Duomo, how
well do they appear there side by side. The right eye is
the Duomo, and the left is the Hospital ; the nose is the
piazza, which doth lie between them. Thou inayest see how
long it is, like to a nose : fellow citizens, look to that
Hospital : See to it that alms be given there unceasingly ;
see to it that this shall never fall off, for if that its alms
diminish, woe to you all and believe that I speak the truth !
The House is beautiful, and would be even more so if that
which doth rightfully belong to it, had not been taken
from it *. And as I say well of the Hospital so also do I
say of the Duomo, both within and without, and it doth
seem to me a thing devout. And if that I judge rightly,
these Houses both belong to the Virgin Mary, and the city
is said to be of the Virgin Mary, - and therefore be mindful
of it out of regard for her glory. In respect of the House
of the Hospital the alms which are given out from there

mind and heart, and by his success in the studies he elected to pursue ; he was
considered one of the most distinguished citizens of his age. He died. September 11,
1444, and was btiried in the Dnoino. To understand the Saint's meaning here it is
necessary to know that in accordance with a very old privilege which remained in
existence down to our own time, the citizens provided for the bishopric by presenting
as candidates, first through the Council of the People, and later through that of
the Commune, three ecclesiastics, one of whom was appointed bishop. The nom-
ination of Hector of the Hospital was in the same manner then and for many years
afterwards in the hands of the civic authorities.

1 I, e., those good works.

' The reference here is to the fact that the Ruimblie obliged tho Hospital to
share the expense of repairing strongholds and maintaining guards in the surrounding
onntry.

- 213 -

are most helpful ; and therefore, I pray you, I pray you,
that you will never permit them to dimmish, for I believe
that this may be one of the causes wherefor God will ap-
pease his wrath towards you.

2. Now pay heed to that which I will say to you. *%< who
Hast thou children? When thou dost look at them, with al *"". * seal

set upon them, 89

what eye dost thou look? Thou lookest at them with the that God can

eye of the heart. With quite other love dost thou regard never Io8e si o kt

thy child than that of thy neighbour ; thou regardest him of them *

with pleasant mien, for it seemeth ever that thou dost smile

upon him. But tell ine this : If thou lo.okest at the son of

one to whom thou wishest not well, with what an eye dost

thou look at him ? Ugh, ugh ! thou lookest at him with a

stern eye, in thiswise, with a scowl. This is because thou

wishest not so well to him as to thine own. In this same

wise I mean doth God. God seeth us all, but in quite other

fashion doth he look upon those who have his grace within

them than as he looketh upon those who have it not. Those

who have his grace within them, bear his seal, so that God

can never lose sight of them. Signavit nos Dominus, et dedit

intuitus cordibus nostris God hath sealed all those who are

his, for within them he hath sent his grace ; and he doth

never abandon them, God ever hath his eye upon them.

Thinkest thou that tie who giveth alms beareth a seal? Yes.

have I not told them that this is a virtue which is above

all other virtues? All those who are charitable towards

their neighbour for the love of God, all these are sealed.

Every one who giveth an alms is not sealed, however, but

those only who give with a kind manner, who give it from

that which is their own, who give it to the poor ; who give

it out of pure and good intention, not with pomp and

vainglory. And such as these * are known to God, because

God doth not seal them. He doth seal only those sheep of

his own flock, who are full of humility, and those doth he

guide.

8. Wouldst thou escape the death of the body, or V thou witt **f

., , . ^i -j A.-L. j* i- i. almi, thou wilt

the plague, or pain in thy side, or those infirmities which 6ft CKmZ
every day afflict thee ? And thou, woman, wouldst thou *.

1 I, e,, ucfe u proclaim their almsgiving.

214

be delivered from pestilence, wouldst thou be cured of the
evil which thou hast ? Yes. Go then, and have recourse to
almsgiving, for I promise thee that if thou shalt take the
medicine which I tell thee of, thou wilt be cured of every
ill. I would teach thee how to be cured of all the sickness
that thou hast, or that couid ever come upon thee. Wouldst
thou have the proof that almsgiving will save thee from
death ? Turn to Tobias, the XII. chapter : Elemosyna a
morte liberal Alms delivered thee from death; from death
of the body, I say. What ? What ? Do not make a mock of
this: for if thou shalt be compassionate and wilt give alms,
thou wilt find that thou wilt escape the death of the body.
And I believe that almsgiving is the surest remedy that may
be used.

a iiinA 4. Hearken, I wish to tell you an example which is
woman became to tne point. We read of a woman who was blind and had
received again spent all that she had that she might see the, light, for she
the light of her was very rich. Not having more to spend she was moved
e v es - by God, and the thought came to her to go to Saint Hilarion,

and she did so. When she had come to him, she said : I
have spent that which I had in order that I might have
the light of my eyes. I have given everything to physicians
and for medicines, Then he doth point out to her how she
might have done better than she had done ; that if she had
given to the poor of God that which she had given to
physicians and for medicines, afflicted as she was, yet she
would have been cured. Thereupon recognizing and seeing
and believing that which he had said, and being now
helpless in regard of what was past, she prayed to God
that he would make her sound, though she could do naught
else than repent because she had not done that which she
would have done willingly. He seeing her so well disposed
took a little spittle, and put it upon her eyes, and at once
she was delivered from blindness. Solely because she felt
sorrow in good and holy faith, was she made whole and
received this grace from God.
o/ a gardener 5. Another example, also suited to you, is of a

who because he , , -i j j ,. *. A c

desisted from gardener, who had made it a devout custom to give for
love of God that which he had in excess of this own needs.
Having done in thiswise for a long time, finally beginning

215

to grow old, he commenced to grow avaricious, saying
within himself: I perceive in truth that now I am growing
old. if I give that which I have in excess, and then I
should fall into need, not being able longer to earn money,
what should I do ? And it came into his mind to give no
more, and he. commenced to hoard for himself. And the
matter standing thus, it seeineth that it was displeasing to
God, who said : So then, thou hast lost faith in me, since
thou deemest that I will not supply thy needs, and so thou
dost abandon the poor in order to hoard thy money. I prom-
ise thee that thou shalt spend it with great pain, since
that thou wilt no longer give it in alms. And thereupon he
doth send him a most grievous ailment in his foot. The
man out of the wish to be cured doth commence to spend
his money for physicians and medicines, and so much did
he spend by little and little that he found himself without
money, but still with the ailment. Worse yet : for the
physician coming to him said to him : knowest thou what
must needs be done if thou wouldst live ? Thy foot must
be cut off. Then grieving because of the ill that he had and
because of the ill that he foresaw in losing his foot, he said
meanwhile: Woe is me! to be cured I have spent that which
I had, and now if I would live, my foot must needs be cut
off ! He could not find peace. Finally he replied to the
physician : tor the sake of living I am content to live as I
may. Come to-morrow morning when you will, and have
all your instruments prepared and in readiness, so that I
shall not have to suffer too much. What befell? The following
night the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, saying to him:
such a one, how dost thou ? He replied : Oh, how do I?
Very ill, for if I'wish to be cured, my foot must needs be
cut off, 'and I await the physician, who will come to-morrow
morning to cut it off. Thereupon the Angel revealed to him
why this ailment had come upon him, saying to him: God
doth send thee this ailment because thou didst abandon the
almsgiving which thou hadst entered upon, and didst begin
to hoard and to lose faith in God, deeming that he would
abandon thee. And because this was displeasing to God he
hath sent thee this ailment ; and for this hast thou suffered
so g'reat bodily pains, and afterwards hast thou spent that

which thou hadst amassed. For if thou hadst persevered in
the way which thou hadst undertaken, it would not have
befallen thee thus. Then the man, reflecting upon the good
which he used to perform at first, and the evil which he
had done in not continuing it, with repentance and weeping
commenced to pray to God most devoutly that he would
make him whole, promising that he would return again to
doing that good which he had done, and as much more as
should be possible to him. Thereupon the Angel made the
sign of the cross upon his foot, and straightway he was
made sound. The physician who arrived in the morning to
cut off his foot came to him, saying to him : Come, let us
be about it! Said he: Know you not that God hath regarded
me? The ailment hath endured only so long as my money.
&r I have emptied my purse and I am cured. God doth
temper the wind to him whose garments suffice not. The
ailment endured only so long as I had money to spend ;
I have no more to spend, and I have the ailment no
longer. Do you understand this, thou who dost hoard thy
money ? Do you understand it ?

of a barber, a Q. I think you have never found anyone who was
ier aima to use< ^ to ' ve al ms who ever fell into poverty because of the
whom God gave alms which he had given. If you can tell me even of one,

great prosperity. t j ien ma y y ou ga y fl^t J am j n the wrong. I spea.k not of

him who doth despoil himself of the world in order to serve
God, instead I speak of one who wisheth to live honourably
in the world following good customs. For I remember a
barber who took counsel with his own heart and decided
for the love of God to give to the poor the tenth part of
that which he earned ; out of every ten pennies to give one,
and so he did, and provided for himself for a long time,
as I have heard, find his possessions continued to multiply.
How thinkest thou that I know this ? Because when I hai
gone away from that city where this man was used to do
as I tell thee, I returned there again after six years, and
asking him how he fared, when I went to be shaved of
him, as I knew him very well, he replied that he fared
very well, and that he had a fine family, and that he had
much property ; and he said to me that he was most happy
and that he had a very beautiful house, wherein he dwelt,

21?

and which was well furnished with all that was needful,
and that he gave in alms as ho had used to do, the tenth
part of what he earned ; telling me moreover that he had
more than he needed, and he knew not how it was that
things were so prosperous as God allowed them to be, since
that he was going ever forward from good to better ; that
whatsoever he touched it seemed as if it turned into gold
for him. And why thinkest thou that this was so ? I tell
thee for no other reason than because of his almsgiving.
Because that saying is always verified : Date et ddbitur vobis
Give, and it shall be given unto you.

7. If thou wishest that thy riches should multiply,

, ., .. . -, -rr . ., T_ , to give alms, his

make it a practice to give alms. Knowest thou how to vichea ever
perform this almsgiving, thou who dost amass and hoard as increase.
thou dost the very dung outside the gate ? Be assured that
in this dung there will never come up wheat. Knowest
thou why ? Because it is heaped up ; if thou shouldst spread
it out find scatter it, this would not be so. Go, and spread
it out and scatter it over ground that is poor, and sow
seed therein, and thou wilt see what fruit it will yield to
thee. A mystery ? Nay this is most plain and clear. thou
who hast great riches, and dost keep these all heaped up,
never shalt thou find the amount increased, never will they
yield fruit. thou who hast heaps of wheat, never will the
amount of it increase, if thou scatter it not upon that poor
ground, among those who are poor and needy. If thou shalt
scatter it, thou wilt find that it will yield thee much fruit.
Scatter it never upon rich ground, for if thou shalt scatter it
there, if the wheat shall grow up, it will droop when it
shall be grown, and thou wilt have no good of it. Wouldst
thou know the contrary of this ? Then consider the rich
man who is avaricious ; if thou find not that in a brief time
his goods shall have diminished, then say that I am sadly
in the wrong. Think upon this for a little to see whether
one come not into thy mind ; I promise thee that I have
given thee somewhat to reflect upon. Thinkest thou that it
hath never happened so to any one ? Perchance, yes. It
hath befallen because of this alone, that they have been
avaricious in regard of the riches which God hath given
unto them in order that they should give them to the poor j

218

and not having wished to give thereof, God hath withdrawn
his hand and hath taken these from them. If they had been
givers of alms this would not have befallen them. God doth
this out of his wise judgment. Knowest thou how God doth
in regard of the man who giveth alms, and who doth ask
God for riches in order to give thereof to the poor for love
of him, either when he is in need of something, or to
marry his daughters or whatsover other need it may be ?
Always doth he provide for him. And. what thiukest thou
he doth ofttiines do to the rich man ? He doth as doth the
woman to her little boy, who when he wishes a thing she
doth give it to him ; when he cries she will put the fig
into his hand, for she knoweth that it will be harmful to
him if he shall eat it. She doth not give it to him so that
he may eat it, nay but to pacify him ; and when he is
pacified, she saith to him : My baby son, give me this fig,
give it to me, my little tiny child, give it to me, if thou
givest it not to me, I will no longer be thy Mamma ; give
it to me, my sweeting. It the' child giveth it to her, then
doth she say : Oh, thou art a good little boy ! oh, now
thou art mine own little son ! If he doth not give it to her,
bub doth begin to cry instead, then she saith : Nay then,
away with thee ! for thou shalt not be my little sou, away,
away with thee ! Now in thiswise doth God to him who is
poor and who doth ask of God the goods of this world in
order to give them to t!ie poor for love of him ; straightway
God doth give him thereof in abundance, and doth make
him rich. Cometh the poor man, and doth go to him for
that of which he hath need, that is to say, for the fig, as
doth the mother. II thou dost give it him, then God saith
to thee : Oh, thou art mine own good son, I will be thy
father ! If thou dost not give it to him, then doth he drive
thee away from him, saying : Away ! depart from me, for
thou art not my son !
. Af ,. 8. Many are there, as I have said to thee, who the

Desire not that J t

Gad should give more they give, the more they find. Others there are whom

thee either money ^j s ^Q^ befall instead, for it is seen to happen, and one
noblest or anotne1 ' saith that he hath proved it, and saith he : I

/or thee. gjve away a florin, and when I look into my purse, or

through ray house, or into my money-chest, I do not find

219

therein either ten, or a hundred, or a thousand, as thou
dost tell me I shall. In like manner saith she who hath
given a pair of linen sheets to the prisoners ; she saith : I
do not find myself with ten of them, or with a hundred,
or a thousand. Wouldst thou have me answer thee ? Knowest
thou why thou findest not ten of them, nor a hundred, nor
a thousand ? Because this doth rest with thee, it is not to
be laid to God forsooth. Every time that thou dost well
G-od doth reward thee, or will reward thee therefor. If
thou dost ask of God that he will give thee so much for
every one of those that thou givest, he seeth, and doth
that which is most profitable to thee : he doth endeavour
to bring thee to paradise. Desire not that he should give
thee either money or aught else if this is not best for thee.
Trust to him, for tbou, because thou dost not understand,
mightest ask him for hell. So then every time that thou
dost ask him for aught, say : if it is best ; he will give it
to thee if it shall be best, and if not, he will not give it
to thee.

9. But let us now consider that which Jesus said to of that
Saint Peter. What said he to him ? I will restore it to thee Jesus id to
an hundred-fold. Now let us hear what thou thinkest the
net cost, and the little boat? I believe that it cost less than
ten florins ; let us say that it cose twenty. What hath he
restored to him ? Tell me : what is the cost of San Pietro
Ovile or of San Pietro in Castelvecchio ? l Eh, forsooth ! it cost
far more than the net and the little boat. Or, better : what
is the cost of Saint Peter's at Rome? Go, reckon the cost
thereof. Dost thou think it cost more than a thousand times
as much as those, things which he left ? And as [ say of
Saint Peter, so do I say of the others. Let us consider Saint
Francis, poor and humble as he was, who left everything,
that which he had, and that which he might have had. He
might perchance have had a wife, perchance two, perchance
three or four; he might have had three or four children, he
might perchance have had two or three houses. Now see
what God gave him, who had left and abandoned everything
out of love for him. Consider : how much doth it seem to

1 These are two of the very oldest churches iu Siena.

- 220 -

thee that he hatli restored to him ? Doth it not seem to thee
that he hath restored unto him everything? How many are
the sons of Saint Francis, thinkest thou? O-o-o h ! They are
so many that they are to be found in every part of the
world, there aro some even among the Saracens. The num-
ber of them is so great that it is a marvel. Likewise how
many daughters thinkest thv>u he hath ? He hath many
thousands. How many are the houses of his sons ? On every
side have they dwellings. Thou seest then that he hath for-
saken little and gained much. And forsooth how many are
those who to-day leave that which they have in the world
and follow fhe life of Jesus for love of him, and who then
receive so much that they are lords of everything in the
world, they are lords of the world ? Long live the Lord
of the World ! Since those think themselves blessed who can
send him his horses whenas he walketh in the way. He
calleth himself blessed who can have him in his house to
dine. Thinkest thou not that such as these are lords of the
world? They have trampled underfoot everything for love
of Jesus, who hath promised them finally life everlasting,
and he who goeth into life everlasting hath received more
than a thousand-fold.

XXXX. The prophet David, searching for peace in this world,
found it not.

1. I think that David was one of the men most given ,

M tto things of

to contemplation that the Church of God hath had. Whenever this world, in
I consider him I am amazed. If thou wilt weigh and consider eaeh one singly,
his deeds, his ways, thou wilt see that from everything he ^J uZ w S'^j ea
was used to draw fragrance and savour. When he was in % n these, in the
those most sweet and solacing meditations ofttimes did he end f und that

x i -o -i-t i A.- i- * 11 -LT- j. i- there was not

taste of life everlasting ; because for all that he was in true solace and

mortal life he soared so high aloft in thought that he heard happiness

and saw the glories of eternity ; although all the while he therem "

was at war with the flesh, which tormented him and was

ever against him. Hence because of the warfare that he had

within him, between the flesh and the spirit, he said in

thought : Alas ! shall I never depart from this body, which

draweth me down to the things^ of the world, and follow

my spirit, which draweth me upwards to things divine ?

Could I but forsake these visible things, which are vain,

and go to see those invisible ones, which are stable ! And

not perceiving the means nor the way thereto, he commenced

to weigh and to consider these temporal things in order to

comprehend thereby things that change not ; these visible

things, in order to comprehend things invisible. And if thou

lookest well into this which I have said to thee in brief, if

thou hast ever so little good sense thou wilt see therein

things the noblest and sweetest, and the most solacing which

thou hast ever seen in this life. Thou shalt see in truth

whither we shall arrive. He was ever pondering upon all

the things of the world, to see whether in any one he might

find peace and repose so that his spirit might be at rest,

222

Th t happiness

which David

sought was not to

be found in

possessions

because

he saw therein

great toil in

amassing them

and no rest

whatsoever.

When thou hast
got thyself
lelongings, thou
dost possess them
in fear and
dread.

and likewise his body as well, that they might be brought
into accord, for they were always at war together, and
having considered many things, he found in no one of these
that true happiness which he desired.

2. thou who dost amass riches and dost hoard
them, and dost never feel thyself satisfied, Ah! rather take
David as thy guide, who sought to go in -search of paradise,
as Dante took Virgil to be his guide out of his desire to
see hell. thou there who sleepest *, learn this morning,
and stay awake, that thou mayest not fall into evil, thinking
to go to paradise, and perchance thou wilt go to helL Oh,
oh, oh ! When I but think how great toil I see in the heaping
up and the gathering together of these possessions ! I see
therein great toil with much sweat ! I see therein waking
and watching. I see therein vexation of mind. I see therein
many cares and many sorrows : I know that ofttimes he
who doth heap up riches is hungry, that he doth suffer
thirst and cold, and heat beyond measure. Thou goest now
hither now thither ; thou dost pass now over the sea, now
across the land; thou art abroad in rain, and snow, and
wind, thou stayest never at home in thine own house ; in
regard of thy possessions, of thy vineyards, everywhere,
and in regard of all that in which thou hast been solicitous,
thou sufferest ever grievous vexation. Ay me ! how sorry
a thing is it to find instead of rest only vexation, which
ceaseth not. Never dost thou find thyself satisfied ; now thou
dost dispose this in one manner and that in another manner,
and thou never hast repose, and all this doth befall because
thy greed can not be satisfied', it is never content, and
would never say : enough! it coveteth ever more and more.

3. Now add together these three things : first, if
thou dost get them, thou dost get them with much sweat,
and with vexation, and sorrow. If then in the end thou
leavest them, grievous vexation and sorrow and distress !
so that if thou dost get them, if thou dost possess them, if
thou leavest them, in every way shalt thou have vexation
and sorrow. And one man who had much money, and was
old, in order that it should not be stolen from him, did

Here lie addresses someone who -was napping during the sermon.

223

therewith as doth the cat with her kittens, he hid it, one
day here, the next day there ; now he buried it in the stall,
now he put it in the meal, now in the wheat, now among
the beans ; and he had moved it here or there so many
times that in the end he could not remember where he had
pat it, and he went about searching for it and weeping 1 .
And wherefore weepest thou ? And he was unwilling to tell,
oat of shame, and out of sorrow as great as if it had been
taken from him, because he was fearful lest he might not
find it ; but when at the point of death he leaveth it, oh,
thou jjnayest know when thou seest him close tight his fists,
how great is his sorrow ! Thou must needs leave it, in
suchwise that thou mayest give ino further thought to that
money of thine. It is not as if it had been stolen from
thee, at least then perchance thou mightest think: At some
time it will be given back to me. Or if thou shouldst lose
it, thou mightest hope some day to find it again. Or if
indeed I shall not be able to have it in anywise, I will
gather more together! When death is the question the matter
standeth not thus ; for then when thou leavest it well mayest
thou say : money of mine, I look not ever to see thee
again. Ay me, my money, I know not how I can part from
thee ! ,

4. erazed-headed madmen, and you too, madwomen, \ If ihou doat

111- .LI -L ,. e -J ii. j T -LI. {consider him who

who believe that you can exist forever amid the delights \ pursue th after
of the world, thou knowest when thou hast so great delight 'the delights oj this
that thou art out of thyself for joy; when thou goest form ^tfora

1 iitttQ do th,cy

into the country for thy disport, when thou goest to f easts m dwe ere that

where they dance and sing, when thou goest to those they fan Mm.

gatherings where .they do never aught else than dance and j

feast, he who is there doth find himself amid continual ;

delights. Now take heed that under these delights there I

are hidden many sharp thorns ! Now consider them. If thou

dost consider him who pursueth after the delights of this

world, but only for a very little do they endure, ere that

they diminish for him, without that he doth perceive it.

Look closer yet into them, to see whether this be true,

young man who hath married a wife of late, and to thee

too I speak, woman who hath takeii a husband of late,

art thou here present, thou who art newly wed? Yes. Is

- 224 -

there here any who is awaiting 1 a wife? Yes. Hearken, consider
the woman for a little when she goeth to the house of her hus-
band. Thou wilt see when she goeth to the house of her
husband she goeth set upon a horse, all decked out, with
much music, and in great triumph ; she doth bear herself
proudly as she paoseth by the way, and flowers are scattered
all along the road. She is dressed up with many ornaments,
with silvern stripes and with gewgaws ; her fingers are
covered with rings ; she is painted and anointed ; her hair
is all adorned and well combed ; she weareth garlands of
silver acorns on her head, she hath a head-dress of linen ;
and on every side doth she glitter with gold. She is set
high upon a horse in so great triumph that never hath the
like thereof been seen. how high dost thou not seem to
thyself to have mounted ! Oh, oh ! Then doth she arrive -
at the house of her husband, she is received with great
rejoicing. Often spelt is put upon her head, and so do
they show that thou art a beast. And at the end of three
days her husband, it doth seem, is frantic and mad with
love of her. Go forward. And at the end of eight days
doth she celebrate the repetition of the feast ; see that this
cometh as soon as may be ! During all this time it is usual
for the feasting to endure. But even for such as these
within a very little their joy doth diminish, but a brief
time doth it endure ; however she may be, soon doth her
happiness iorsake her. If she is beautiful, at once doth her
husband grow jealous of her ; in like manner, if he is a
handsome, youth, she doth grow jealous of him, and thus
she entereth straightway upon sorrow and vexation, so that
within a little time, a very little time forsooth, the matter
standeth in such wise that naught of that which she doth put
into her mouth seemeth good to her. More than this: if she find-
eth there stepchildren, and she hath no love for them, she can
scarce bear that they should have aught to eat. And they
are ofttiines so knowing as to perceive that she wisheth
them not well, and they would not have her eat anything.
Jf she findeth a daughter-in-law there already, or if one
como there after her advent, there will be soon an end of
peace and concord. Oh, oh, oh ! if the mother-in-law is
there, I would say no more to thee thereof ! thou knowest

\ ; ' ' ...'- 225 - - . ' : - -

* i .

it full well of thyself. An end to peace ! All too brief was
thy moment of happiness ! What next? Let us say now
that she is ugly, her husband wisheth her not well ; and
if he is ugly, she wisheth not well to him. Let us say that
they are both beautiful, but that neither one doth wish the
other well ; they are not rich, they lack worldly possessions,
they are in need. If they happen by chance to be rich,
then the man is engaged in some lowly occupation, is of
humble birth, and of poor condition 1 ; he is disregarded,
he is not .acceptable to anyone. Another may be of high
parentage, and he will not own so much in the world as
the cost of a good pair of trousers, and he would far rather
be of poor condition and have a. little wealth, in order to
take his place in the world, so that he might be held in
esteem. Thou seest that neither in one estate nor in the
other is he content. Another may be rich and of high
lineage, and may have a beautiful wife, and may himself
he handsome, but he may not be able to have children :
and he would rather have fewer possessions and have children
instead, and he doth fret and distress himself because he
seeth a poor man who hath many beautiful children, and he
doth grudge them to him ; that for all that thou seest him
who hath the dish of good macaroni before him, nevertheless
the fly hath fallen therein ; thou wilt not eat it so tranquilly,
the fly hath fallen therein ! Another may be rich, young,
beautiful, and of high parentage, and he hath children ;
but his wife is so contentious that he find eth no peace with
her. Oh, this man is jealous because his wife is a beautiful
young woman ! and in like manner, she, hearing the least
little noise in the house, even though it may be the cat,
straightway doth suspicion enter her mind ; and if he is in
bed, she doth arise and doth search the whole house dil-
igently, and looketh to see whether the door be locked, and
oft out of her suspicion she doth scatter ashes there to see
whether anyone entereth thereat. Such a woman out of her
jealousy even sealeth the door. Again, another man may
have each and all of these things : he may have a beautiful
wife, and he may be a handsome youth ; he may be rich

1 I. e; coming from some poor little village.

14

and of high parentage, he may have children, a wife who
is good, and young, and who is not jealous of him ; but
he doth not hold any high office, and this will so grieve
him that he will envy all those who hold offices of state.
And therefore thou seest then in nowise can any one be
content here : one doth lack one thing, one another ; in
every estate pr condition in which thou findest thyself thou
wilt find the fly in the macaroni, and thou canst not eat it
without some discomfort. And therefore because of this do
I say that all these things deceive thee, because thou canst
never find true happiness in them.
DO not love the 5. Tell me, ye old men who were once young,

and who did man y thin s s in y olir y uth a11 of which did

displease God, what is left to thee of thy youth? Naught!
What is left to thee of all thy wantonness of which thou wast
guilty? What is left to thee of that beauty of thine which
was so great? What is left to thee of that strength which
thou ha'dst so that thou foundest never anyone who could
overcome thee ? What is left to thee of thy pride because
of which thou hadst so great pleasure in being decked out
with ornaments and richly dressed? And thou, woman>
what is left to thee of that beauty which thou didst appear
to have when thou didst paint thyself in so many ways,
all contrary to the commandment of God ? What is left to
thee of thy greediness, thy love of eating and drinking so
sumptuously ? And likewise of drinking so many delicate and
delicious 'wines? Knowest thou what is left to thee of all
this? Naught is left to thee but the sin thereof. Search out
thy conscience diligently, and thou wilt see that I speak
the truth : that which thou hadst in those days now is naught
else than smoke. Consider these youths and maidens, and
take note that time doth flee them, and how they lose their
energy, esteem, their strength and prowess ; and that all
enjoyment doth forsake them and doth leave them full of
cares and distress, ugly, quarrelsome and in every way
displeasing. All their strength doth fade away as doth
smoke, or as by little and little doth vanish the foam on a glass
of wine, or as doth the shadow when that which doth cast
the shadow is removed from before the sun, since when
thou takest man from the earth so dost thou take away tlj.e

\ [ ' ' ' 227 ' ' ' ' ,-

shadow which he did cast. youths and maidens, you pos-
sess that which the aged no longer have ; so say I to you,
old and young alike : you know that you can never turn
back ; if thou art old, thou wilt never return again to be
a young man. So say I to you, woman ! never wilt thou
return again to be a young girl, to be beautiful, full of grace, <
strong, as once thou wast. If thou hast lived an evil life
thou canst well amend thyself by turning back from
off the road of ill-doing ; but in regard of thy age
thou canst never turn back. When fchou readiest the
age of eighteen, then art thou strong, fresh, jocund, gay,
and that age is called the flower of thy life, and it endureth
for thee until thy thirtieth year; 1 In all the time that thou
art in this life, no age is fairer and more jocund than that
one and therefore doth David call it the flower. Pass thy
thirtieth year, and then doth commence the approach of
evening, which is at the age of forty, and there come to'
him many of its ambassadors : Messer Hoaryhead, and also
other like messages. He passeth forty and doth arrive at his
sixtieth year, and he doth commence to grow shrunken and
stooped ; his eyes run with humour, and they are scarlet
about the rims, which hang down and droop over ; he
walketh with head bent downward towards the ground ; he
groweth deaf, he seeth but ill the light of day ; he groweth
toothless. He arriveth at his seventieth or at his eightieth
year, and he commenceth to shake, and to nod his head,
and doth in thiswise *. And there is said to him : Hast thou
never done aught that is good ? And he shaketh his head
in thiswise, and by that doth say, No. And wilt thou never
do any good? Again doth he reply to thee with a nod in
like manner. If he hath lived a good life and there is said
to him : Hast thou given bad example by thy actions ? he
doth reply in that same manner, and saith, No. Wouldst
thou do any evil ? Again he saith, No. If he hath been
wicked there is said to him : Wilt thou never be good ?
And he doth shake his head and doth answer, No. In sum,
ask him whatsoever thou wilt, he doth reply that he will

1 The Saint here imitates the tremulous shaking of head ar>d limbs of a
o}d man,

. ' . 228 ". / ' ' '.'"

never do good and will never be good. Hast thou lived a
good life ? No. And in thiswise shalt thou die. A glass of wine
is given to him, and he taketh it, and his hand doth tremble,
and he doth spill half of it before he can put it to his lips;
and after that he hath put it to his lips, he commenceth to
drink, and the slaver doth drip therein. So in like manner
when he hath his pottage, and he putteth the bread into
his mouth, because of his tremulousness he doth all besmear
his- mouth and his chin. When thou speakest to him, he
being deaf is like one dazed. Thou dost ask him one thing
and he doth reply to thee concerning another ; and so doth
he arrive at his end, and like as he hath lived, so in like
manner doth he die. If he have lived a good life, all is
well ; but if he have lived an evil life, then woe to him !
And if now he be ill-treated here, he will suffer even worse
treatment there. * And if he hath been slack and negligent,
wicked and dissolute, and hath not feared God, no one then
wisheth to have aught to do with him, neither kinsmen nor
friends ; to no one is the sight of him welcome, he is
hateful to all alike. So in the same manner will it happen
to him in the life beyond: neither God nor the saints will
have compassion on him, and thereby doth it befall that
. he forfeiteth all the happiness which might have been his
if he had lived a good life, and thus his soul finds its way
to the home of the accursed.

Friar 6. Before I go further I must needs speak a little of

recommends somewhat else. This is the season in which thrushes are
his disciple Friar lured by the call and are snared with lime. It seemeth to
Albert to the me ag ft these women had caught me in the snare, since

Hienese. ~~

I can not depart from you, for I must preach to-morrow,
and this will be a sermon concerning the Angels, a most
sweet and pleasant subject ; and on Saturday I must preach
at home, s a sermon about Saint Francis, so then you will
come here on Sunday. Do not lose it even for money, I
will preach in this selfsame place. Now with the help of
blessed Jesus, let no one move, so that our sermon may not
be disturbed. And remember that to-morrow you must not

1 In the other -world.
1 See footnote, p. 155.

. ". . - ' - 229 - . .. ; . . ' : '

work, because this is commanded by Holy Church ; and I
warn you that whosoever shall gather in grapes to-inorrow
for the vintage, the devil will carry him away; and whosoever
shall pour out the wine from the jars, the devil will dwell
in the house wherein he dwelleth. Now lay this up in your
mind. Although I have been prayed very earnestly that I
should preach here during this Lent, yet I wish it to be as
if naught of this had ever been said : *' See to it that you
have Friar Albert ; whom you say I have not even men-
tioned. * Oh, he is the most affable son that I have ! This
I say, for if any one shall come hither and shall say : I
am a disciple of Friar Bernardino, do not believe him, if
you know not with certainty that 1 wrife it to you with
my own hand, for I know well that which Bertha spun. 3
I know my sheep, as said Christ. Home again ! *

7. It is so useful a thing, this peace ! It is so sweet see that thou be
a thing, even the very word itself. peace, that it ever one <# those

-, , . . ,- , who seek peace.

doth impart a sweetness to the lips ! Look at its contrary,
say : War ! It is so harsh a thing as to produce a roughness
which doth irritate the mouth ! In truth you have her
painted up there in your Palace 8 in suchwise that it is a :

pleasant thing to see Peace painted there. And likewise it is
dismal to see War painted on that other side. Do not be ever
willingly the occasion of war nor of hate, nor of enmity, but
be rather the occasion of peace, of love, and of concord.
Dost thou remember that youth who wished to go to the
University, and having a father he said to him: Hearken,'
father, I pray that you will give me permission to go to
acquire learning and virtue. And the father knowing that
enmity and hatred were the worst of all things, said to him :
My son, if thou wouldst have me give thee permission to
go to acquire learning, I would have thee make me a promise

1 Lest another might be offended hearing that he had beeu invited after. Saint
Bernardino.

* In enumerating his favourite disciples.
8 See footnote, p. 97.

* See footnote, p. 8.

8 He is speaking here of the Kala dei Nove, called aftonvards Sala della Pace
from a wonderful, painting of Peace by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, which makes this great
hall one of the most beautiful in the world. On another wall of the hall Lorenzetti
painted W ar .

never to quarrel with thy neighbour. The son replied: \My
father, I promise that I will never engage in a quarrel
which shall have arisen through my fault. Said the father :
No, no ! I am not willing that thou shouldst go thither.
Away ! put back the horse in the stable. Saith the son : Oh,
father mine, why art thou not willing that I should go
thither? Knowest thou why? replied the father, because
thou art not fitted for it. Thou wouldst not obey me in that
which 1 have commanded thee. Thou sayest to me that
thou wilt never have a quarrel with anyone which ariseth
through thy fault ; and I would not have thee take part in
one whether it doth arise from thee or from another. And
solely because of this reply he did not allow him to go to
study. Thus do I say to thee, fellow-citizen ; seek not
quarrels, and discords ; if thou shouldst see clearly that it
will come about through another man, yet see that thou
dost not take it up. Swallow it, swallow it all. * Keep no
angry word on the tip of thy tongue. See that thou have
the long throat of the goose. If thou wouldst go about
seeking enmity and hatred, do not so, I say. But rather
shouldst thou close thy eyes than wish to see that which
may be harmful to thy soul , arousing hatred therein ; for
if thou shalt go in search thereof, thou wilt find greater
evil than thou wouldst wish to find. Who goeth in search
of evil doth find it perforce ; if thou shalt seek hatred, God
will send it to thee. And therefore every time thou dost go
in search thereof, thou wilt go always from bad to worse.
When thou seest a thing which displeaseth thee go thy way,
with Godspeed ! Give no further thought to it, as : how
went it? What did he? See that thou dost turn thy back
upon it, Know how to carry thyself towards good and bad,
towards worse, and worst of all ; and make it possible for
thyself to have to do with all alike. Live together peaceably,
and wish not to ruin one another, but all of you love one
another. If forsooth there be one who wisheth war, wish it
not thou. Flee it ! See that thou be always one of those
who seek peace, peace with men, peace within thine own
soul, and peace with God. See to it that every thought of

1 I. '., tho iriBult, and thy -wrath.

thine, thy every act, thy every deed, all be directed towards
peace. Hence saith David, for thy instruction : Rogate quae
ad pacem sunt, pray to .God for your city that it may
be ever at peace and in unity. Wouldst thou have me say
that I think there is in very sooth great need that thou
shouldst pray therefor ? For carrying yourselves as you now
do you can not avoid war, as a man can not escape hunger
if he doth not eat. And this will come to pass solely because
there is not peace and unity among you; you are not in
accord with one another. I shall go away and shall grieve
therefor ; if this and worse come upon you, I am not guilty
of this that I did not warn you thereof, for I have left
naught unsaid. I say that this is a thing whereby you do
provoke God to wrath. -

8. thou who hast been already forty years amid ihouwho
war and enmity, and hast never wished to make peace, seekest not peace
nay, tell ine, what thinkest thou that thou art doing now?
Alas! dost thou never take thought for thy soul, which of infidels.
hath been all this time in a state of mortal sin ? Dost thou
not reflect that thou art now old, that all thy time is spent,
of which thou wilt have [then to render an account? In
what condition wilt thou go before the Supreme Judge ?
Wilt thou go there with hatred in thy heart ? poor
wretch, if thou hast no fear of that which will befall thee, '

if thou pardon not, I promise thee that thou shalt go to
find him who hath done thee the injury. I speak now for
the benefit of thy city. Knowest thou what should be done
to such as these ? A law should be made whereby all those
who should not be willing to make peace, should be banish-
ed out of the city, and should be considered as rebels,
seeing that they are unwilling to return into the right way
of the commandments of God. And in thiswise should it be
done in regard of those who are so hostile to things peace-
able that they suffer not peace to be made. Thou hearest
many who eject poisonous venom, saying that a man doth
debase himself if he make peace with one who hath injured
him. Alas ! hast thou never thought of that which God did ?
Was God then cowardly? Was it cowardice in him when he
pardoned those who had offended him? Oh, he never sought
else than peace! He seeketh ever to pardon the sinner, Woe to

Us if lie should not pardon us ! seest thou not, if thotl ;
art a Christian, that God doth command that thou shalt
love thy enemy and pray for him, and do good to him ?
How much better should we do than the pagans I As I told
thee at another time the pagans were once so firmly resolved
not willingly to hate anyone, that when an injury had been
done to them they would say: Thou wouldst not be able
to endure my anger ; i and no one was able to do them an
injury so great that it could rouse hatred in them. Thou,
therefore, Christian, what art thou about, thinkest thou ?
Thou art reprehensible in the eyes of the infidels; thou art
reprehensible in the sight of Christ, of the Church, and in
thine own conscience ; each and all cry out to thee : Peace !
and therefore I pray thee, and warn thee, and command
thee in the name of God that thou show forgiveness. Oh !
thou hast so many examples of those who have chosen to
be obdurate, and have not been willing to forgive, that you
ought to tremble with fear, lest God should send his judgment
upon you. Ay me, wait not his vengeance ! pardon thine
enemy for the love of the Lord, who doth command thee
to pardon him.

9. Women, that which you did not do the last time,
calls do it now this time : when you leave the sermon add go
0} & 8an nome > see tnat vou 8' * nto San Martino, entering thus by
and to the Porrioiie, s and let this going into the church be to
the Duomo. show that you are at peace with every one ; and present
this peace 3 and .offer it up in the church, all who can enter
therein. And then when you find yourselves together there
with those towards whom you have borne hatred, you will
set yourselves in peace with one another, and see that
naught more remain to be done in respect of this. And if
you can not all enter therein, pass across the Piazza as a
sign that you offer and will accept peace, and see that you

* That is, if I were to allow myself to grow angry; therefore I will restrain my
anger.

s The ancient name of the street which leads trom the Piazza to the church of
San Martino. This church is mentioned in records of tlie sixth century. It belonged
first to the Canons Keg alar of the Laternu, then to the Lec.oetani. Pins II. consecrated
it in 1460. It was rebuilt in 1357 according to the plan of Giovambattista Peloro. To-
day it is a parish church.

I. e., to God.

' -, --. : . ' . 233 '.. . '

take thought for your own safety ; if there are women
among you who are with child, do not bring yourselves or
the infants you have conceived, within danger of injury.
Likewise do I say to you, men, go, and offer up peace
to the Virgin Mary in the Duomo, in order that she may
preserve you in peace, and may protect you from those
dangers which threaten you while that you have hatred in
your hearts. And then when you shall find yourselves there
together with those to whom you bear hatred, you will set
yourselves in peace with one another. Now see to it that :

naught may remain to 'be done in respect of this.

10. In 1419 there went to the Holy Sepulchre in or an accursed
Jerusalem a galley, wherein among the rest there was a old woman who

,.,,, , ,-, '111 i would not pardon

little old woman, one of those accursed haughty ones, who a youth who had

was seated there within, whosoever hath been in a galley hurt her foot

will understand how. She was sitting thus, with her legs unwiitin d l v-

stretched out ; and a young boy who also was a pilgrim,

as he was passing through the galley it chanced that he

touched this woman' s foot and hurt her a little, and he

could not prevail upon her to pardon him for all that he

did and said, since she would pardon him in no manner.

Finally when they wers arrived in Jaffa, where these pilgrims

disembarked, this young boy asked pardon of her again

and again; she still remained obdurate, not being willing

to pardon him. Unable therefore to obtain her pardon he

went as is usual to the dwelling-place of the friars, where

all must make their confession before they go to see those

holy places, and when they have made their confession,

straightway they receive communion. He having confessed

all his sins, and having told how by ill chance and

unwittingly, he had hurt this woman, and that he had asked

pardon of her again and again, and that she had been

unwilling to pardon him, he was told that he must

return to her and mast ask pardon of her before he received

Communion. And doing so, when he came to her, he said to

her: Mother, I pray you, for the love of Our Lord Jesus

Christ, who willed to be crucified for the love of all sinners

who have offended him, Ah ! I pray you that you pardon

me the injury that I did to you; it was done through

mischance, I did it not with evil intent ; for the love of

' .''.' 34 ' .';''-. ' ' " "'"-.' " '. :;

God I ask thee pardon for it. In the end, he having
besought her vehemently, she not being willing to listen to
him drove him away, saying to him : I will not pardon
thee. Finally not being able to have a kind word from her,
he returned to his confessor, and told him how he had not
had a gentle answer. Again the confessor wished that he
should return to her a second time, and should ask pardon
of her. And he did so. Having returned to her, and having
asked pardon of her for the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
again she drove him away, saying that she would never
pardon him. The boy returned the second time to the con-
fessor, and told him how she had driven him away as she
had done the first time. The friar wished that he should
go back to her again a third time. As she had done before
so she did the third time, saying that she wished to hear
naught ever again concerning pardon. Wherefore when he
returned for the last time to the friar and told him how
the matter stood, the friar said to him : Go, and receive
the most holy body of Christ, seeing that thou hast done
all that which thou shouldst on thy part ; go and receive
communion, and perform thy acts of devotion. Ooooh! Oh,
what a horrible thing there befell ! judgment of Great
God ! what came of this ? When this youth was at the
altar, as he received the body of Christ, straightway at the
same moment the devil entered into her. There was a little
cistern in the centre of the church, and therein was she
cast alive by devils, and scarce could anyone pass through
into it even with difficulty, so small was it ! No one saw
her thrown into it, but a great noise was heard, and as
she could not be found, it was most clear and plain to be
seen that she had made that noise. And when they saw
that she was missing, then straightway they ordered hooks
to be brought, and tried whether they could find her ; and
having hooks of such a kind as to find that body, they
found it and drew it forth ; and they thought that in truth
the devil had thrown her in there, considering how slight was
the injury which had been done to her, and that it had been
done unwittingly, and seeing with how great humility the
boy had asked pardon of her, and considering where she
was, that is, in a holy arid devout place, where the Lord

of Heaven and Earth had willed to endure so great suffering
for the salvation of sinners who will return to him. And
this was shown when he said to the Eternal Father : Pater,
dimitte illis, quia nesciunt quod faciunt Ah, my Father,
forgive these men who crucify me, for they know not what
they do. And in truth considering this example, he who
will not forgive may well be in very great fear. Women,
valiantly out by the Porrione ! And you, valiant men, into
the Duomo !

xxxn. How we ought to love God, and how he tools farewell
of the people.

Friar . 1. I wish to preach a sermon to you this morning

thislermon closes which shall close the bag for you, and we will fasten tight

the mouth of the the mouth of the sack *, which sermon will comprehend not

sacjc ' only all that which I have preached to you now at this

time but also moreover all that I have ever preached to

you in my life ; and perchance this will be the last one

that I shall preach to you, - for perchance we may never

more find ourselves together.

of the first 2. Four benefits spring up in a great sinner when

benefit which h e doth return to G a having perceived his fault. The first

springeth up in

the sinner when good thing which doth spring up in him who hath been
he doth return to a sinner, either when he is in prosperity or in adversity,
Ood ' when he is hated or opposed, or despised, is prudence. As

doth the ass, when it hath fallen once in a spot, it payeth
better heed to where it doth place its foot, for fearing harm
it doth guard itself from falling again into those sins, or
even into others. thou great coxcomb who doth remain
ever fixed in sin, U thou unhappy wretch ! neest thou
not that the ass doth teach how to save thy soul ? The ass
falleth not a second time, but thou, verily thou dost ! And
therefore I say that turning to God, with such love as this
thou dost acquire much prudence. little boys, you know
when you are learning to write well, what scrawls you do
make at first. Nor thou who art learning grammar, never
wouldst thou learn if first thou didst not write poor Latin;
so likewise do [ say of one who would learn to ride, never

1 That is, we will finish what we have to aay to one another,

237

wilt thou learn to ride if thou dost not sometimes fall. So
would I say to these aged ones. old man, and thou, old
woman, art thou here present ? Yes. Hast thou fallen ofttimes
into sin, again and again? Yes. Hast thou returned to God?
Yes. Never wouldst thou have known what sin is, hadst
thou not had experience thereof. In antiquis est pruden-
tia i I In the aged is prudence, and knowest thou why?
Because they have had experience, and have fallen many
times and then walk more steadily, they take greater heed
where they place their feet ; and most of all when they
find themselves in that age which is nearing death, they
pray God for mercy, and thank God moreover that they
did not die in their sins, and that they have had time to
return to him; and he 8 coafides.no more in his own
strength, thinking that it is not possible for him to fall but
prays ever that God will aid him to withstand that he may
not fall as he hath fallen in the past.

3. The second gain/is humility with obedience. The The socond gain

/ is humility with

soul which hath lived sinfully, and then doth find itself in evil obedience ,
estate, having transgressed and broken the commandments
of God, and doth then perceive that it hath set at naught
his admonitions, commenceth to return into itself, andsaith,
as David said : Cogitavi vias meas et converti pedes meets in
testimonia tua 8 I thought upon my ways and turned me
back from the path which was leading me into wrong, and
set myself to keep thy commandments. And so having
known them he believes in them, and would learn them
and follow them. He believeth that which the holy Church
doth hold, he heareth Mass and Vespers, he hath always the
Our Father on his lips and in his heart ; and all in order
that he may do that which the Church commandeth him,
both in regard of observing the feasts, and of keeping the
fasts which are prescribed, so that he wisheth never to fall
short in aught. And not only doth he wish not to fall
short, but he wisheth even to add thereto! for he would
fast on Friday out of reverence for the passion of Christ,

1 In the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days prudence Job XII. 12.
1 The aged man.

8 I have thought on thy Trays ; and turned my feet unto thy testimonies .
Psalms CLXVIII. 59.

y.

and also on Saturday as well, out of reverence for his
mother Mary. He doth endeavour to ascend higher than the
Church doth command : he obeyeth the commandment, and
thinketh also upon the counsel of holy men, and even
surpasseth both the commandment and the counsel of holy
men. He was never used to go to a sermon, and now he
doth never lose one. Know thou in what manner a soul
doeth which is well disposed ? It doeth as doth one of your
citizens who is zealous in regard of your commune, and
who as soon as he heareth the bell ring, so straightway
he cometh to the council. So doth this man when ho heareth
, the bail ring for the sermon, likewise straightway he goeth
thither, because so he doth provide in the best way for tho
. counsel of his soul. The bell is the trumpet of the soul,
which doth proclaim a thing as you are used to do in your
councils. Do not thou as he doth who is not disposed to do
aught else than. to go to the tavern ip the morning early,
and to sit there on the benches, speaking ill of whosoever
passeth by the way !
The third 4. _ The third benefit which doth spring up in a sinner

is

to God. is compassion for those who as he

compassion for ' r

others who as he sees, are leading evil lives. "Oh! when a man or a woman
sees are .eaiUny W h h&fo never fallen into any very grievous sin, seeth
wicked lives. ano ther who hath fallen therein, Oh, they make so much
of it, that there is no peace to be had with them! Whereas,
lay up in thy mind this which I would say to thee now at
once. Knowest thou not that God did not leave the faith
of the Holy Church to Joha, who was spotless and pure,
without sin and without stain, but it was his will to leave
it to Peter, who, among other sins that he committed, there
was this, that he denied Christ? Why thinkest thou that he
left it to him ? He left it so because he was fitted to have
compassion on those who should fall into sin. Thou hast it
that when the Lord was approaching his passion, he prayed
for Peter, who was to deny him, and he said: Peter, I have
prayed to my father that thy faith may never fail. Almost
as if he should say : Peter, thou who hast denied me, see
that thou shalt never drive him l away, but comfort him,

1 The repentant einne?,

;' ' . " ' ; -239 ' . ; '- , ' ' . """"' " ;. ,.'

because, as my Father hath pardoned thee, who hast denied

me, in like manner willingly will he pardon him. And

because of this he left the faith to Peter. Peter was most

zealous; even if we had .no other proof you might be ,

assured of it by this, that when the Jews came to take him 1

he drew his knife to defend his master, and cut off the ear

of one of them. He thought he could save himself and all :

his companions, as well, but his legs did not avail ; and

therefore the Lord more willingly left the faith to him than

te John, or to any one of the others, so that he might have

compassion on those who should fall into sin, as if he -would

have said: Peter, when thou seest a sinner fallen intp sin,

remember that thou thyself also didst fall therein. If he had

left it to John, who was a spotless ermine, pure and white,

without the least stain, if a sinner entangled in sin had

come to .him, he would have said : ugh, ugh, ugh! Away

with thee, away ! And he would have been the cause that

well nigh all the sinners would be driven away. Peter was

merciful, because he fell into the sin of denying God, and

it is said that since that he had denied God, he wept

unceasingly, and he always carried a kerchief wherewith :

to dry his tears. Hearken how good that sin was, how much

good came of it. And therefore I say that he who doth not

fall can not have compassion for him who hath fallen. And

this is the third.

5. In the sinner converted to God there doth spring Great fervour
up also great fervour. Ubi. hdbundat delictum superhdbundat **> nn eth up in

, the converted

gratia *. Where sins abounded there doth the grace of
God more abound, when he doth turn to repentance. Thou
hast the example of Mary Magdalen. ye vain women,
return to God as did Mary Magdnlen, for 1 promise you if
you will return into the right way of life, you will abound
in greater grace than before you binned. How much greater
good doth he who hath committed a sm than he who hath
not committed one ! I choose this as an example, that many
go their way so calmly and serenely that : they never do
any great evil, nor yet do they do any great good, they
are of such a kind as thou knowest well, neither good nor

1 Christ.

* Romans V. 20.

- 240 -

bad. If they were very, very good, it would be well. But
being in so half-way a state it seems that they do never go
beyond this. Many have been found among the worst, I
speak not of the wicked, but of the very wicked, who
return to God and who do so much good that it is a joyful
, thing. Likewise would I say that there are many cities

which are disposed suddenly to do evil, and as quickly to
do good, and this they do with groat fervour, Blessed be
that evil which maketh thee to return to God. And I say
that one such as these is the city of Perugia, and as they
are quickly disposed to evil, so quickly do they return to
good. I never saw a greater happening than I saw there.
They made so many peaces there that to see it was a
great marvel that there could have been so many enmities
as there had been. And I believe that very few c peaces
were made in which the man who had suffered the injury
did not go to seek out him who had injured him, and to
ask pardon of him. And there were many of those who
went wearing the penitent's cord about their necks; so that
as they are swift to do evil, so in' like manner are they
swift to turn back and to amend and to do good. So would
I say to thee, Sienese people, return to the performance of
good as thou hast attained to the performance of evil. There
are certain of you who are of sweet nature, that is, who
do not bear mortal hatreds; and if merely by chance enmity
doth arise within them, thou wilt be able in one way or
another to preach to them to some purpose. Some there are
who are cruel, and who bear mortal hatred, yet after brief
speech with them they become gentle lambs. Whence
cometh this ? It cometh from this, that in these harsh cruel
men more aboundeth the grace of God than is perceived at
once. Let no one go away.

The first thing 6. Three things there are which I would bring before
that Friar vou my k e i ove d children, - I hold and consider you as

Bernardine J

would bring m Y children, because I elected myself as your father when

be/ore MS Sienese you wished me as your bishop. First of that one which

beiongethtoood. belon g etn to Q od- God hath two arms, and with each arm

he embraceth the sinner who doth wish to return to him.

One arm is that of love, and the other is that of fear. The

right is love, and the left is fear. Laeva eius sub capite meo

' " : : ; . ..' ."' 24V , . ' ' -"

et dextera illius amplexdbitur me *. If you would be loved
of him, love him, and if you shall love, you will be loved,
and he will give you all prosperity ; and if you shall fear
him, he will guard you from all persecution, from wars,
from tempests, from hail, from pestilence, and from every
evil. Amend yourself of your faults, and he will free
you from t sorrows and tribulations, since these come
upon you only because of your sins. Moreover be mindful
of the name of Jesus. Before this I have told you how you
should reverence this name when you hear it spoken in
Mass. Christ or Jesus, which are one and the same, to one
and both see that you make an outward sign of reverence
with knee, or head, or cap, the devotion springing always
from your heart. But answer me this : if thou shouldst fall
on thy knees, when thou nearest this name, seest thou not
to whom thou kneelest? Thou dost kneel to God, the son
of God. Who is he that hath not reverence for God, eh?
To me that Hail Mary which you recite every evening
bringeth great consolation, and you do well indeed ; and
you will find, as she is your advocate, that if you hold
her in reverence and pray to her humbly, she will defend
you and aid you in all your adversity, and deliver you
from it. Moreover I would have you mindful of the feast
days, Sundays, and holy days, and would have you look
to it that you do not work then, &ave it be to the honour
and glory of God. Moreover I Would have you remember,
officials, that you are bound to see that these feasts are
observed, which are commanded by the Holy Church. The
official is not given his post solely to punish him who doth
evil, but also he is given it in order that he may bring
about the performance of good. And if you do not bring
the performance of good, when you have the power to do
this, you will suffer for it. Look to it ! for you will have
also to render an account of this to God. Do you not
perceive, that you can help that man to save his soul, who
would otherwise lose it ? Doth he work ! ? Now pay heed

1 His left hand ia under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me . Cunt.
of Cant. II. 6.
* On feast days.

15

242 . ' - : ,

T. ' .

to this *. Moreover I wish to bring before your * minds the
excommunications. Alas ! my fellow- citizens timete Deum,
iimete Deum, fear God ! have I not told you, I and others
as well, that the Pope is our God on earth? What is the
reason wherefore you fear him not ? Fear him 8 , since you
have the demon upon you, for I say to you that you are
in the clutches of the devil, and it would not be a great
wonder if the devil were to carry away your soul, your
body, and your goods. Do away with those laws that you
have made in regard of the churches *. I would also bring
to your minds matters ecclesiastical. Qui vos speruit, me
speruit 6 . Look to it that out of reverence for God, thou
hast reverence for the priests, the friars, and those who
have sacred orders, - for each according to his rank; the
higher his rank the more honour shouldst thou do him, and
not say : he is wicked ! Do thou thy duty and if he be
wicked he will have to render an account thereof, but not
to thee. Take the good, and pass by the evil. that mother
of mine, Monna Bartolomea % how often used she to utter
these goods words: Take the good, take the good, and not
the evil, for thou hast to render an account to God of the
good which thou mightest have done, and not of the evil
which another doth perform. And this it is I have wished
to say to you in regard of that which doth belong to God :
to fear God and to love him, to frequent the churches, the
sermons, Mass and Vespers, and other virtuous exercises,
and to this I urge you. As on the other days thou dost all
for the sake of the body, to thy welfare and that of thy
family, so such days as these give them to thy soul, to the
glory and honour of God.

* Here lie adressea the public.
1 Of the Sienese.

The Pope.

* The Saint' s advice was listened to, and by decrees of Feb. 27, 1427 (by the
Sienese reckoning) and of April 18, 1428, all the laws concerning ecclesiastical
immunity were modified.

* St. Luke X. 16.

* Here it 'would seem that Saint Beruardine refers to his mother, who' then
would be not, as his biographers suppose, Donna Nera di Bindo Avveduti da Massa,
bat a Madonna Bartolomea, perhaps of the same family.

7. But in regard of that which doth belong to thy the second doth,
neighbour I would say that there remain yet many peaces
to be made ; I pray that you will hold me excused *, and
thus I believe that you will accept my excuse. You must
remember that I have been busied in regard of my sermons.
I pray the Lord, or others, that they may bring it to pass
that there may remain no peace to be made. Alas ! for the
love of God love one another. Ay me ! do you not see if
you delight in the ruin of one another that which will come
upon you because of this? Do you not perceive that of your-
selves you ruin yourselves? Ok ! amend for the love of God ;
wait not until that God shall raise his hand against us with
his scourge, for if you shall leave it to him to do you will
have your hair well pulled for it. Love one another. In
regard of that which I have done to lead you to make peace
with one another and that you should be as brothers together,
this have I done with all that zeal which I would have
given to my soul. And as I say of this so likewise do I
say of the other matters that belong to the commune : I have
done it all tor the honour and grlory of God, and for the good
of your souls and for your salvation. As I have said to you,
I have done this for you as if you were indeed my own
children ; and I tell you further that if I might get you
by the hair I would set you in peace, each and all, and
there should be no one who would think that I set myself
to do anything whatsoever at the request of any person ;
the petition of God alone doth impel me, and the honour
and glory of God. I am guided by that which God saith.
Hoc est praeceptum meum ut diligatis invicem. This is my
commandment, my children, see that you love one another
with perfect love. Let him love God who would be of the
children of God. Alas ! my 'children, move not God to wrath
against you ; and this is the second thing which I say to
you. Moreover 1 must speak to you of this other thing, that
I may not forget it, that you have pity upon your prisoners,
and you, valiant women, see that four times a year you
take a little thought for them ; at Pentecost, on all Saints'
Day, on the Feasts of the Resurrection and of the Nativity.

1 Because lie has not been able to give himself up to bringing these about.

JFViar
Bernardine
.recommends the
company of
Death.

At all four of these times, each, time the week before make
provision so that at these times you may be so well provided
that some aid may be given them. This is one of these seven
works in regard of which it shall be asked of us by Christ
on the last day, when we shall be examined by him. See
to it that this be done, because it will be a thing most
pleasing in the sight ot God.

8. Moreover I would say to you that you revive
the Company of Death l . Oh, if 'you would consider how
salutary a thing it is for the souls of those who are executed
by the commune. If you think upon this a little, you will
say that it is true. I hear that you are building here outside
the gate a beautiful chapel so that the blood of those who
are beheaded, may not be spilt, and so that the dogs may
not lick it 'up. I say that you do well indeed: I hear that
you have commenced it, - you should be encouraged to
continue this good work. You have Santo Luca down there,
and Santo Basilio up there at Camollia, and moreover the
commune would do well to take it in hand, and they should
be set in order for it is a shameful thing for your city that
they should stand as they now stand, unroofed and in ruin.
See to it that they are put in order. Moreover I would say
that ab antico I know that there was a house where they
did many good works. And while in other places there are
men who do such things as that which I have seen, never
saw I any one of them which did so much as the Company
of the Virgin Mary *. I myself once long ago was one of
them, and there were many good men there. I would
recommend it to you that you never let it fall off. I have
ordered in Lombardy that there be founded a house there
wherein such rules and methods are observed as is done in
this one : I say that it is a devout and holy thing ; it is not
a thing to wish to abandon, and therefore see that you
maintain it.

1 Iu others of his sermons ulso the Saint. had made an appeal for the Company
of Death. The members of this Compauy applied to the General Coniicil on February
27th 1425, for an appropriation ef fifty lire annually, to be used for the construction
of a building where those condemned by the law might bo executed.

8 The Company of the Virgin Mary referred to by Saiut Bernardine, is the well
known Company of the DiscipUnati which still exists.

9. _ Now to my part. First I call to your mind as I < The third thing
have said at other times, that in regard of that which I JJJjJ^JJJJ'
have preached, that I have not said it as coming from me. recommends to
Doctrina mea non ,est meet: scilicet Dei, qui misit me The <*< himself.
doctrine which I have preached, 'and that which I have said
to you, I have not said it of myself, but as one sent to you.
I have said to you that which God commanded me that I
should say to you, so that you have it not as coming from
me; Quia omnes homo mendax Every man is wicked, so far
as doth regard him in himself. Of himself he can not
accomplish aught of good, except by the Grace of God,
arid therefore everything good cometh from him. If you
would say: we have heard it from thee, I reply as, did ,

Christ : Non enim vos qui loquimini, sed Spiritus Sanctus
qui loquitur in vobis It is not you who speak, but it is
the Holy Ghost who speaketh in you. So do I say of myself: it
is not I who speak to you, when I preach, but it is the Holy
Ghost who maketh me to speak. Know thou that you hear
nothing from me myself, but all cometh from God and if
I speak as myself you never have aught ; and one can not
but speak something of himself. You may not have perceived
my faults, but I am well aware of them, for I never do
aught that in doing it I do not commit many of them. But
that which I have said to thee in regard of the salvation
of thy soul, and in regard of the right manner of life in
your city, accept this as certain and true, for I assure thee
and I do affirm it and confirm it, and give you all this
consolation, and if you will look into it this is a more safe
way of living than that which you have followed in the
past. And if anyone should come after me who should wish
to tell you the contrary of that which I have told you, you
may know that the devil is in him, and perchance he will
lead you into evil if you shall believe him, for his teaching
will all be contrary to the doctrines of Christ. But I have
indeed faith in you that you will not let yourselves be
moved with ease, for even if any should say the contrary,
believe it not, but be ever steadfast and stable, founded
upon what is stable, having always your intention directed
towards God. Moreover, I thank the magnanimous Rulers
for the charity which they have shown towards me and

246

likewise every citizen; and I thank you all that you have
borne with my words and have shown more love for me
than I deserve. Also I would ask that you remember my
soul, tQat you pray God lor me, and I will pray for you.
I think that I must go away to-morrow, and I know not
whether we shall evermore find ourselves together again.
Oh ! if ever I shall return to see you again, or if I shall
meet you, or if any of you shall ever meet me, for I
intend to go into distant lands, and when one goeth far
away he doth return only after a long time, tor the love
which I have borne you, and do still bear you, I pray you
that you may pray to God for me. And that he may give
me grace to do his will, and that I may persevere in this
art, so that to the glory of God I may instruct people, and
direct them to the way of the commandments 6f God. And
I leave you this charge, that you will say an Our Father
and a Hail Mary for me every day ; and I will pray God
that he may so illumine us by his grace that when we come
to depart from this life we may render up our souls to him
so pure and spotless that he will lead us all to his blessed
glory, where we may dwell with him and with the glorious
saints in saecula saeculorum.

And so having given his blessing he said : I leave with
you the peace of the good Lord God, and pray to God for
me. Amen.

INDEX

I. Of the marvellous care which God exerts over human nature

and how God watches over us with His Angels ... 1
II. Treats of the preacher and the listener, and of the part that

belongeth to each 5

III. Here is said how you should forsake evil and do good . . 10

IV. Backbiters are treated of with most beautiful examples . . J-4
V. Here the evil tongue and remedies against backbiters are

treated of again . . . . , . . . .19

VI. How a man should bridle his tongue 25

dl.^ Why God hath given us a tongue . . . . . .29

- Of divisions and factional feelings, and of the destruction
sent by God 85

- Of those who doth begin to do good and then turn back . 42

- Of the anger and pride of sinners . . . . .50

- Of the love of one's neighbour ....... 54

- Of governments and how we should govern with justice . 58

- How we should love our neighbour . . . . 65 .

- How the husband should love his wife, and in like manner /
the wife her husband 70 ^

- Here is treated also the well ordered love that ought to exist

between man and wife 81"

- How worthy widows should be honoured 92 *S

- Once more of party feeling 98

- Of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary 103

SIX. How he who hath an office must administer justice . . 109

XX. How and what we should ask of God 119

XXI. How we must ask of God that he may teach us to do his will 121
XXII. Doth still treat of how we ought to ask of God that he teach

us to-to his will^ . . -. .132

XXIII. Of the twelve damsels whom the Virgin Mary had round

about her . . . t % _ jgy

XXIV. - Of Saint Francis . . , , , .' \ . . . 152

likewise every citizen; and I thank 'you all that you have'
borne with my words arid have shown more love for ;me v
than I deserve. Also I would ask that you remember my
soul, taat you pray God lor me, and I will' pray for you.
I think that I must go away to-morrow, and I know not
whether we shall evermore find ourselves together again.
Oh ! .if ever I shall return to see you again, or if I shall
meet you, or if any of you shall ever meet me, for I
intend to go into distant lands, and when one goeth far
away he doth return only after a long time, lor the love
which I have borne you, and do still bear you, I pray you
that you may pray to God for me. And that he may give
me grace to do his will, and that I may persevere in this
art, so that to the glory of God I may instruct people, and
direct thorn to the way of the commandments of God. And
I leave you this charge, that you will say an Our Father
arid a Hail Mary for me every day ; and I mil pray God
that he may so illumine us by his grace that when we come
to depart from this life we may render up our souls to him
so pure and spotless that he will lead us all to his blessed
glory, where we may dwell with him and with the glorious
saints in saecula saeculorum.

i And so having given his blessing he said : I leave with
you the peace of the good Lord God, and pray to God for
me. Amen.

INDEX

I. Of the marvellous care which God exerts over human nature

and how God watches over us with His Angels . . .1
II. Treats of the preacher and the listener, and of the part that

belongeth to each . . . . . . . .5

III. Here is said how you should forsake evil and do good . . 10

IV. Backbiters are treated of with most beautiful examples . . J.4
V. Here the evil tongue and remedies against backbiters are

treated of again . . . . . . . . . .19

VI. How a man should bridle his tongue . . . . .25

- Why God hath given us a tongue. . . . . . .2?

- Of divisions and factional feelings, and of the destruction
sent by God . . . . ....... 35

- Of those who doth begin to do good and then turn back . 42

- Of the anger and pride of sinners . . . . . * .... 50

- Of the love of one's neighbour . . . . . . . 54

- Of governments and how we should govern with justice . 58

- How we should love our neighbour . . . . . 65 .

- How the husband should love his wife, and in like manner ^
the wife her husband . . . . . . . . . 70 \S

- Here is treated also the well ordered love that ought to exist -
between man and wife . . . . . . . . 81

- How worthy widows should be honoured . . . . . 92

- Once more of party feeling ...... .98

- Of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary . ..... 103

SIX. How he who hath an office must administer justice . . 109

XX. How and what we should ask of God . . . . .119

XXI. How we must ask ot God that he may teach us 'to do his will 121
XXTI. -^ Doth still treat of how we ought to ask of God that he teach

us to^o his will . . \ ..... .132

XXTTT. Of the twelve damsels whom the Virgin Mary had round

:'; about her . ' . . . . . . . , . . .138

XXIV. _ Of Saint Francis v . , . ,. . . . . .152

?JY; :; XXV.. ; How God ia to be feared

^ XXVI. Of the Scourges of Goil ' . . . . . , . .- - : V

.^* XXVTI. How everything that doth belong to this world is vanity. :

How business ought to be carried on . . . . .

Of alms, and' to whom alms should be given ... . . .

. Likewise of alms, and of the utility and fruit which he who

: ' giveth them doth derive therefrom . . . . . - .

.:"'.-'' XXXI. The prophet David, searching for peace in this world, found

.it not . . . . . . . . .. . . 221

: .XXXII. How we ought to love God, and hoV he took farewell of

' the people . . 236

156,
163
177 ^
194 v/

204 ^

211

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

12; 280-096

Bernardino da Siena,

IB

BX
1756
.B45
1920

ant. ermons

SWIFT