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The Little Flowers
OF
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI.
From the Painting^ by Alcssandro Moretto in the Gallery at Milan.
The Little Flowers
OF
Saint Francis of AfTifi,
In the Name of Our Lord and Saviour
JESUS CHRIST, who was crucified, and of His
Mother the VIRGIN MARY. In this Book
are contained certain Little Flowers, Miracles,
and devout Examples of that glorious poor
Follower of Chrift, Saint Francis, and
of certain of his holy Companions.
Told to the Praife of Jefus
Chrift. Amen.
^ranslateti from tije Italian,
With a Brief Account of the Life of Saint Francis,
By ABBY LANGDON ALGER.
BOSTON:
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
1898.
\
Copyright, 1887^
By Roberts Brothers.
^ -^ z , 3 r
'^-^
(Hnibfrst'tD ^rrgg:
John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A.
PREFACE.
SAINT FRANCIS was born in
1 182, in the little town of Affifi,
in Umbria, chiefly notable as having
given him birth. His mother, Ma-
donna Pica, was of noble race, and
his father, Peter Bernardone, that is,
Peter the fon of Bernard, the family
name being Moriconi, — was a rich mer-
chant, who was travelling in France
on bufmefs at the time Francis was
born. Many ftrange tales are told of
the omens attending the litde boys
advent into the world. For fome
time previous, a poor man roamed the
ftreets of Affifi crying aloud, " Peace
and profperity ! peace and profper-
ity ! " His mother was ill for many
days, nor were her fufferings relieved,
vi l^rtfact.
until by the advice of a pilgrim who
came that way ilie was laid on a bed
of ftraw in a flable. Thus began that
likenefs between the life of Francis
and that of Chrift, which was contin-
ued throughout. Another flranger ap-
peared to a6l as godfather, and flill
another took the baby in his arms
and, marking his right flioulder with a
crofs, foretold the viflory which he was
to win over the Devil. Madonna Pica
named her child John, in memory of
the beloved difciple; but on his father's
return with rich profits, he chofe to
call him Francis, for the country where
he had been fo fuccefsful.
The boy was taught by the priefls
of the parifli, and learned eafily all
that was taught him, fliowing an ef-
pecial talent for the language of the
land from which he took his name.
As he grew to manhood he was fore-
moft in the gayeties of the town, win-
ning for himfelf the fobriquet of the
" flower of youth."
Thomas of Celano, a Francifcan
|)rcCace» vii
brother, and a dear friend of Francis,
delcribes him thus: " He was of mid-
dle flature, rather under than over,
with an oval face and full but low
forehead, his eyes dark and clear,
his hair thick, his eyebrows clofe, a
flraight and delicate nofe, a voice foft
yet keen and fiery ; clofe, equal, and
white teeth ; lips modeft yet fubtle ; a
black beard not thickly grown ; a thin
neck, fquare flioulders, fhort arms,
fmall hands and feet, delicate fkin,
and little flefh." So elegant was his
drefs, and fo luxurious were his taftes,
that his parents often faid, " He is
more like the fon of a prince than like
our fon." Still, they were proud of
his fplendor, and grudged him noth-
ing, though his charities were as lavifli
as his pleafures : no beggar ever afked
of him in vain.
When he had reached the age of
twenty-four, however, a war broke out
between Affifi and Perugia. Francis
was taken prifoner, and for a year
languiflied in captivity. Returning
viii Jlrtfate^
home, he fuffered from a long and
tedious illnefs which proved a turn-
ing-point in his career. He began
to long for fomething better and
higher than mere amufement. It
was the age of knighthood, and his
firfl thought was to redrefs wrong and
help the weak. He fet out to join
the forces of the Count de Brienne,
defcribed as a man of great magnifi-
cence and liberality ; but flopping at
Spoleto, he was warned in a dream to
return home, which he did in a ftate
of melancholy and abforption. His
merry comrades laughingly afked if
he was dreaming of a wife, that he
was fo fober. " Yes," was the anfwer, —
" of a wife more noble, more beauti-
ful, and more rich than anything your
fancy can conceive." This bride was
Poverty, whom he was fo foon to
efpoufe. He now began to devote
himfelf more entirely to the fick and
poor, particularly the lepers, of whom
there were many at that time. Thefe
wretched beings were fhunned by
^preface* ix
every one, and Francis mufi; in-
deed have feemed mad to thofe who
law him fhoop to kifs their infedlious
forms.
Going one day to the ruined Church
of St. Damian's, an inward voice bade
him repair it. At once he hurried
home, and his father being away, took
a quantity of merchandife, which he
fold, offering the price for the work
of reftoration. The priefl refufing,
he threw it in a corner, where it
lay until the angry Peter Bernardone,
learning what had happened, came
to claim it and to imprifon his head-
ftrong fon. His mother finally freeing
him, he fought refuge with the priell
of St. Damian's, refloring to his father
all that he had received from him,
even his clothes, ftripping himfelf to
the hair fliirt which he had worn in
fecret, and renouncing his father for-
ever. Thenceforth he begged mate-
rial to repair the church from door
to door, building it up with his own
hands, and colle6ling broken fcraps
of food from the charitable, for his
maintenance. In this way, in the
courfe of two years he reftored three
churches and gained twelve difciples,
the iirft being Bernard of Quintavalle.
The ftory of their converlion and final
formation into the Order of Friars
Minor, Gray Friars, or Francifcan
Monks, is told in the " Little Flowers "
which follow. Within eleven years
thefe twelve grew to more than five
thoufand. They were vowed to ab-
je61: poverty, owning abfolutely noth-
ing, thus differing from the other
ecclefiaftical bodies then in exiHence.
Francis next founded the Order of
Poor Ladies, afterwards known as the
Poor Clares, in honor of their firft ab-
befs, Clara Sciffi, a beautiful heirefs,
who left her home at the age of fifteen
to enter upon a religious life. Later
flill the third Order was eflablifhed,
which was open to men and women
alike, and meant for thofe who lived
in the world. Thefe three Orders
fpread rapidly throughout the globe,
J3reCace» xi
Saint Francis travelling even into
Syria.
After enduring every privation and
forrow for many years, as well as
many namelefs raptures in his fpirit-
ual intercourfe with God, he faw, as
he prayed upon a lonely mountain, a
vifion of Chrifl crucified ; and as he
gazed, his body became ftamped with
the Stigmata, or marks of the Paffion
of our Lord, which he thenceforth
bore until his death, fome two years
after, Oct. 4, 1226, in the forty-fifth
year of his age.
Thechief quality of Saint Francis —
the central and character ifi:ic charm
which has made him perhaps the befl
beloved of all the illuflrious members
of the calendar — is the depth and
tendernefs of his heart. His gentle
and generous affe6lion was confi:antly
overflowing on all around him, in
fympathetic attention, poetic expref-
fions, and a6ls of endearment. The
objefts of his intenfe and exuberant
love were not only God, angels, and
xii J^refacr*
men, but alfo animals, birds, infefls,
and even inanimate objefts, which he
was wont to addrefs as his brothers
and fifters, in reference to their com-
mon origin with himfelf. Many
charming inflances of his friendfliips
with fifh, falcons, fwallows, lambs,
wolves, hares, pheafants, and graffhop-
pers, may be found in thefe " Little
Flowers," and in the various Lives of
him.
He was firil to eflablifh the cuftom
ftill prevalent in Catholic countries,
of reprefenting the Nativity in the
ftable at Bethlehem, at Chriflmas
time, before the altar. He was alfo
among the earlieft of Italian poets;
for in thofe days Italian was only
the vulgar tongue, Latin or the foft
Proven9al being ufed for literary pur-
pofes. He improvifed many ardent
hymns and fongs, which he taught to
his followers, the moft widely known
being the " Canticle to the Sun," or
" Song of the Creatures," and " Love
fets my Heart on Fire/'
J))rcfacr, xiii
Many full and interefting Lives of
Saint Francis have been written in
various tongues, the belt being thole
by Thomas of Celano and by Saint
Bonaventura, — his friends and difci-
ples, — by Father Luke Wadding, by
Mrs. Oliphant, by M. Chavin de Malin,
and by a Religious of the Order of
Poor Clares. The " Little Flowers "
are a feries of legends which were
colle6ted fome two hundred years
after his death, having been handed
down by word of mouth until that
time. They form an excellent biog-
raphy of him and his difciples, told
with quaint hmplicity and grace.
The tranflator has tried to preferve
the 7idwete and antique flavor of the
original in the prefent verfion. The
work beins: fo famous and favorite a
claffic in Italy and France, it is fome-
what Angular that it has never until
now been prefented in Englifli.
A. L. A.
NcrvembcTy 1 88 7.
CONTENTS,
CHAPTER I.
In the Name of Our Lord and Saviour Jefus
Chrift, Who was crucified, and of His
Mother the Virgin Mary. In this Book are
contained certain Little flowers, Miracles,
and Devout Examples of that glorious poor
Follower of Chrift, Saint Francis, and of
certain of his holy Companions. Told to
the Praife of Jefus Chrift. Amen . . .
CHAPTER H.
Of Brother Bernard of Quintavalle, the firft
Companion of Saint Francis 9
CHAPTER III.
How for the evil Thoughts which Saint Francis
had regarding Brother Bernard, he com-
manded that fame Brother Bernard that
three Times he fhould place his Feet upon
his Neck and upon his Mouth 16
xvi (tonttntu*
CHAPTER IV.
PAGE
How the Angel of the Lord put a Queftion unto
Brother Elias, the Keeper of a certain
Convent in the Vale of Spoleto. and for-
afmuch as Brother EHas made Anfvver
haughtily, departed thence and went forth
unto St. James of Compoftella, where he
met with Brother Bernard and told his Tale
unto him 21
CHAPTER V.
How that Saint, Brother Bernard of Affifi,
was defpatched by Saint Francis to Bo-
logna, and there took up his abode ... 29
CHAPTER VI.
How Saint Francis bleffed Brother Bernard
and made him his Vicar when he came to
pafs away from^ this Life 33
CHAPTER VII.
How Saint Francis fafted forty Days and forty
Nights in an Ifland of the Lake of Perugia,
eating no more but half a Loaf 37
CHAPTER VIII.
How Saint Francis and Brother Leo, as they
journeyed, difcourfed of Perfect Blifs . . 40
Qtonttntn. xvii
CHAPTER IX.
PAGE
How Saint Francis taught Brother Leo to
make Anfwer unto Him ; and He could
never Speak fave the Contrary of that
which Saint Francis Willed 44
CHAPTER X.
How Brother Maximus Mockingly faid unto
Saint Francis that the World was at his
Feet, and he made Anfwer that this was
by the Grace of God, and a Difgrace to
the World 48
CHAPTER XI.
How Saint Francis caufed Brother Maximus
to turn himfelf about, and then departed
unto Sienna 50
CHAPTER XII.
How Saint Francis beftowed on Brother Maxi-
mus the offices of Gate-Keeper, Almoner,
and Cook : then at the Prayer of the other
Brothers deprived him of them • • • • 55
CHAPTER XIII.
How Saint Francis and Brother Maximus laid
the Bread which they had begged upon a
Stone befide a Well, and Saint Francis
loudly praifed Poverty. Then he prayed
xviu ^onttntu.
PAOB
unto God and Saint Peter and Saint Paul
that they might enamour Him of divine
Poverty ; and how Saint Peter and Saint
Paul appeared unto Him 58
CHAPTER XIV.
How Saint Francis, difcourfmg of God with
his Brethren, He appeared in their Midft . 64
CHAPTER XV.
How Saint Clara ate with Saint Francis and
with his Brother Monks in St. Mary of
the Angels 65
CHAPTER XVI.
How Saint Francis received the Advice of
Saint Clara and of Holy Brother Sylveller,
that he fhould go forth and preach, con-
verting the People ; and he created the
Third Order, and preached to the Birds
and filenced the young Swallows ... 69
CHAPTER XVII.
How a Francifcan Child, while Saint Francis
prayed by Night, faw Chrift and the Virgin
Mary, and many other Saints with Him . 76
(Contents* xix
CHAPTER XVIII.
TAOE
Of the marvellous Chapter held by Saint
Francis in the Church of St. Mary of the
Angels, where were alTembled more than
five thoufand of the Brethren . . . . yS
CHAPTER XIX.
How the Grapes in the Vineyard of the Prieft
of Rieti, in whofe Houfe Saint Francis
prayed, were trampled and plucked by the
many People which came thither to him ;
and then miraculoully made more Wine
than ever before, even as Saint Francis had
promiled. And how the Lord revealed to
Saint Francis that Paradife fliould be his
lot 8s
CHAPTER XX.
Of a very fair Vifion, feen by a young Friar,
who held the Cowl in fuch abomination
that He was difpofed to lay afide his Habit
and forfake the Order 90
CHAPTER XXI.
Of the Moil Holy Miracle, which Saint Francis
performed, when he converted the very fierce
Wolf at Gubbio 93
CHAPTER XXII.
PAGE
How Saint Francis tamed the wild Turtle-
Doves 99
CHAPTER XXIII.
How Saint Francis fet free the Friar who
had finned with the aid of the Devil . . . loi
CHAPTER XXIV.
How Saint Francis converted the Sultan of
Babylon to the Faith 1 03
CHAPTER XXV.
How Saint Francis miraculoufly healed the
Leper in Body and in Soul ; and that which
the Soul fpake, afcending into Heaven . . 106
CHAPTER XXVI.
How Saint Francis converted three Thieves
and Murderers, and made them Brethren ;
and of the moft glorious Vifion beheld of
one of them who was a moft holy Brother . 1 1 1
CHAPTER XXVII.
How Saint Francis converted two Scholars of
Bologna and made Friars of them ; and
then rid one of them of a fore Temptation
which befet him 124
Qtonttntn. xxi
CHAPTER XXVIII.
PAQS
Of an Ecftafy which feized upon Brother Ber-
nard and held him from Matins even until
Nones, he being all that fpace unconfcious
of Aught 129
CHAPTER XXIX.
How the Devil ofttimes did appear in the Form
of One Crucified unto Brother Rufus, telling
him that all his Labor was vain, inafmuch
as he was not chofen unto Eternal Life :
Saint Francis learning this through Divine
Revelation, fhowed Brother Rufus the
Error in which he lay 131
CHAPTER XXX.
Of the glorious Sermon which Saint Francis
and Brother Rufus preached at Affifi . .138
CHAPTER XXXI.
How Saint Francis duly knew the fecret Souls
of all his Brethren 141
CHAPTER XXXII.
How Brother Maximus entreated of Chrift the
Virtue of Meeknefs 143
xxii (tonttntn*
CHAPTER XXXIII.
PAGE
How Saint Clara, at the Command of the
Pope, blelTed the Bread which was on the
Table : whereat on every Loaf was feen
the fign of the Holy Crofs 146
CHAPTER XXXIV.
How Saint Louis, King of France, went in Per-
fon, in the Guife of a Pilgrim, to Perugia,
to vifit Holy Brother Guy 148
CHAPTER XXXV.
How, being infirm, Saint Clara was borne by a
Miracle unto the Church of Saint Francis, •
upon Chriftmas Night, and heard Mafs
therein 151
CHAPTER XXXVI.
How Saint Francis fet forth to Brother Leo
a fair Vifion which he faw 153
CHAPTER XXXVII.
How Jefus Chrifl the Blefled, at the requefl of
Saint Francis, did convert a rich and noble
Knight, and make him a Monk, the Same
having made great Proffers and paid much
Honor unto Saint Francis , 155
(S^ontents* xxiii
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
PAGE
How Saint Francis had fpiritual Knowledge
that Brother Elias was damned, and was
dellined to die outfide of the Order ; where-
fore at Brother Ehas' Entreaty He prayed
to God in his Behalf and was heard . . .159
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Of the Marvellous Sermon which was preached
in the Confiftory by Saint Antony of Padua,
a Gray Friar 163
CHAPTER XL.
Of ^he Miracle which God performed when
Saint Antony, being at Rimini, preached
to the Fifhes of the Sea 165
CHAPTER XLI.
How the Venerable Brother Simon freed from
lore Temptation a Brother which for that
fame caufe was about to f orfake the Order . 1 69
CHAPTER XLII.
Of the fair Miracles which God wrought
through thofe Holy Brethren, Brother Wel-
come, Brother Peter of Monticello, and
Brother Conrad of Offida : and how Brother
xxiv Qtonttntn*
PAGE
Welcome bore a Leper fifteen Miles in
moft brief Space ; and to the one fpake
Saint Michael, and to the other came
the Virgin Mary and laid her Son in his
Arms 174
CHAPTER XLIII.
How Brother Conrad of Offida did convert
a young Monk who afflidted the other
Friars. And how the faid young Monk,
coming to die, did appear to the faid Brother ,
Conrad, entreating that he would pray for
him : and how he fet him free by his Prayers
from the very great Pains of Purgatory . .179
CHAPTER XLIV.
How the Mother of Chrifl and Saint John the
Evangelifl did appear unto Brother Con-
rad, and did tell him which of they twain
did grieve moft fore for the Paffion of
Chrift 182
CHAPTER XLV.
Of the Converfion and Life and Miracles
and Death of that holy Brother, John of
the Pen 185
CHAPTER XLVI.
How Brother Peace, being at Prayer, faw the
Soul of his Brother, Brother Humihty,
afcend to Heaven 193
(tonttntu. XXV
CHAPTER XLVII.
PAGE
Of that Holy Monk to whom the Mother of
Chrifl: appeared when he was infirm, and
brought him three Boxes of Ele6luary . .196
CHAPTER XLVni.
How Brother James of MaiTa faw in a Vifion
all the Gray Friars of the World, after the
Faftiion of a Tree, and did know the Vir-
tues and the Merits and the Vices of every
one 199
CHAPTER XLIX.
How Chrift appeared to Brother John of
Vernia 206
CHAPTER L.
How, faying Mafs upon All Souls' Day, Brother
John of Vernia faw many Souls fet free
from Purgatory 214
CHAPTER LI.
Of the Holy Brother James of Fallerone ; and
how, before he died, he did appear to
Brother John of Vernia 216
xxvi atonttixtn.
CHAPTER LII.
PAGE
Of the Vifion of Brother John of Vernia,
wherein he knew the whole Order of the
Holy Trinity o 220
CHAPTER LHI.
How, faying Mafs, Brother John of Vernia
fell as one Dead 222
The Little Flowers
OF
Saint Francis of Affifi.
CHAPTER I.
In the Name of Our Lord and Saviour Jefiis
Chriji, Who was crucified, and of His
Mother the Virgin Mary. In this Book are
contai7ied certaifi Little Flowers, Miracles,
and devout Examples of that glorious poor
Follower of Chrifl, Saint Fraficis, a?td of
certain of his holy Companions. Told to the
Praife of jFefus Chrifl. Amen.
WE have firft to confider that the
glorious Saint Francis in all the a6ls
of his life was like unto Chrift, our bleffed
Lord ; for even as Chrift in the beginning
of His preaching chofe to Himfelf twelve
Apoftles who fhould renounce all worldly
things and follow after Him in poverty
and
8 srje ILittle iFlototrs of
and in other virtuous deeds, eve i fo Saint
Francis chofe in the beginning of the foun-
dation of his Order twelve companions,
vowed to the moft abje6l poverty ; and alfo
even as one of the twelve Apofbles of Chrift,
reproved of God, went out and hanged him-
felf by the neck, fo one of the twelve Compan-
ions of Saint Francis, the fame which was
called Brother John of the Chapel, did turn
apoftate, and finally go out and hang himfelf
by the neck. And this is a worthy exam-
ple for the ele6l, and a fubje6l for fear and
humility, confidering that none can be fure
of continuing unto the end in the grace of
God. And as thofe holy Apofbles were a
wonder to all men for their fan6lity and
humility, and were filled full with the Holy
Ghoft, fo too the moft holy companions of
Saint Francis were men of fo much fanc-
tity, that, from the days of the Apoftles
down to the prefent time, the world has
known no fuch wonderful and holy men,
infomuch as a certain one among them
was fnatched up into the third Heaven, like
Saint Paul, and that was Brother Guy; a
certain one among them, that is Brother
Philip Long, was touched upon the lips
by an Angel with a living coal, as was the
Prophet
Saint iFrnucis of ^nniui. 9
Prophet Ifliiah ; a certain one among them,
and that was Brother Silveller, talked with
God, as might one friend with another,
even as did Mofes ; a certain one among
them did rife by fubtlcty of intelledl even
unto the hght of divine wifdom, Uke unto
the Eagle, which is John the Evangelift,
and this was Brother Bernard, the moft
humble of men, who did expound the Holy
Scriptures moft learnedly ; a certain one
among them was fanftified of God, and
canonized in heaven while ftill living upon
this earth, and that was Brother Rufus, a
gentleman of Affifi. And thus were all priv-
ileged to receive fingular figns of fan6lity,
even as lliall be fet forth in the following
pages.
CHAPTER n.
0/ Brother Bernard of Qiiintavalle, the firjl
Co7np anion of Saint Fra?icis.
THE firft companion of Saint Francis
was one Brother Bernard of Affifi, the
fame being converted in this fafliion ; Saint
Francis being ftill clad in fecular garb, al-
though
lo ^f\t autle iFlotoers of
though he had already renounced the world,
and went about defpifing all vain fhow, and
mortifying his flefh by manifold forms of
penitence, infomuch that of many he was
held to be half mad, and was fcorned as a
fool and driven forth with ftones and loath-
ing alike by his family and by ftrangers, and
he amidft all infults and injuries remained
paffive, as if deaf and dumb, — Bernard of
Affifi, who was one of the moft noble, rich,
and wife men of that city, began prudently
to confider Saint Francis' exceeding con-
tempt for this world and his great patience
amid infults ; how that for the fpace of two
long years, being thus held in abomination
and defpifed of all men, he feemed ever but
the more fteadfaft in his faith. He began
to think and to fay to himfelf, " It can in no
wife be but that this Brother is poffeffed of
the great grace of God ; " and he invited
him to fup with him that night and to lodge
with him. And Saint Francis accepted
his proffers, and fupped and lodged with
him. And then did Bernard ponder in
his heart and meditate upon his fan6lity;
whereupon he ordered a bed to be laid for
him in his own chamber, wherein a lamp
ever burned at night. And Saint Francis
defiring
Saint iFrancis of ^nnini. n
defiring to hide his great fanc^lity, imme-
diately that he entered the chamber, threw
himfelf upon his bed and feigned fleep ;
and even fo did Bernard, and after a cer-
tain fpace he turned himfelf over and began
to fnore loudly, as he were fleeping heavily.
For the which thing Saint Francis, truly
believing that Bernard flept in his firft
flumbers, arofe from the bed and fell him-
felf upon his knees, lifting both hands and
eyes to heaven, and with the utmoft fervor
and devotion he exclaimed, ** My God ! my
God ! " and thus crying and weeping much,
he remained until morning, repeating ever,
" My God ! my God ! " and nought elfe ;
and thus fpake Saint Francis, contemplat-
ing and admiring the excellency of the
Divine Majefty Which had deigned to de-
fcend to pardon a perifhing world ; where-
fore Saint Francis became a poor beggar
and devoted his life to feeking out fome
means of falvation for his foul and for the
fouls of others. And ftill illumined by the
Holy Ghoft, or elfe indeed by the fpirit
of prophecy, forefeeing the great things
which the Lord was to do for him and for
his Order, and confidering his own infuffi-
ciency and little virtue, he cried aloud and
prayed
12 ^rjt mttU jFlototrs of
prayed unto God that of His Charity and
Omnipotence, without which human weak-
nefs availeth nought, He would fupply, aid,
and complete the work which man alone
could not achieve.
Bernard, feeing by the light of the lamp
these moft pious a6ls of Saint Francis, and
confidering devoutly the words which he
uttered, was touched and infpired of the
Holy Ghoft to change his life ; infomuch
that at dawn of day he called unto Saint
Francis and faid thus : " Brother Francis,
my heart is greatly minded to forfake
the world and to follow after thee in all
things that thou fhalt command me." Hear-
ing this. Saint Francis rejoiced in fpirit
and fpake thus: ** Bernard, this of which
you fpeak is fo great and difficult a talk
that we muft needs take counfel concern-
ing it with Our Lord Jefus Chrift, and
pray Him that it may pleafe Him to fhow
us His fovereign will in the fame, and to
teach us how we may execute it ; and there-
fore let us go forth together to the Epif-
copal Palace, where we may find a right-
eous prieft, and we will bid him fay a mafs ;
there we will remain and pray even unto
the third hour of the day, entreating God
that
Saint jFtaucis of ^nninU 13
that even in the three openings of the Miffal
He will fet forth to us the way which it
fliall pleafe Him to have us go."
Bernard replied that thefe things liked
him well. Thus they fet forth and came
unto the Bifliop's Palace ; and there hav-
ing heard the Mafs, and remained abforbed
in prayer even unto the third hour of the
day, the prieft, at the petition of Saint
Francis, took up the Miffal, and making
the fign of the moft Holy Crofs, did
open it three times in the name of Our
Lord Jefus Chrifb ; and at the firft opening
there appeared thefe words, which Chrifb
fpake in the Gofpel unto the young man who
afked of Him the way to be perfe6l : " If
thou wilt be perfe6l, go and fell that thou
haft and give to the poor, and come and
follow Me." At the fecond opening there
appeared thefe words uttered by Chrift to
the Apoftles when He fent them forth to
preach : " Provide neither gold, nor filver,
nor brafs in your purfes, nor fcrip for your
journey, neither two coats, neither flioes,
nor yet ftaves ; " defiring thereby to teach
them that they lliould fet all their truft
in God, and bend their whole thoughts to
the preaching of the Holy Gofpel ; at the
third
14 ^fit ISLittlt iFlotoers of
m
third opening of the Miffal there appeared
thefe words which Chrift fpake : " If any
man will come after Me, let him deny
himfelf, and take up his crofs, and follow
Me."
Then faid Saint Francis to Bernard,
''Behold the counfel which Chrift hath
given us. Go therefore and do that which
you have heard ; and bleffed be Our Lord
Jefus Chrift, which hath ftooped to fhow
us the way of His gofpel." Hearing this,
Bernard went out and fold all that that he
had, — and he was very rich, — and with
great joy did divide all his wealth among
widows and orphans, among prifons and
monafteries, and among hofpitals and pil-
grims ; and in all things was aided faithfully
and providently of Saint Francis.
And a certain man, whofe name was
Silvefter, feeing that Saint Francis gave
fo much money to the poor, and continued
to give large fums, pinched by avarice, faid
to Saint Francis, " Never yet have you
paid me all that you owe me for thofe
ftones that you did buy to repair the church ;
now therefore that you have money, pay."
Then Saint Francis, marvelling much at
his avarice, and loath to contend with him,
like
Saint jfvantin of ^nnini. 15
like unto a true obferver of the Holy Gof-
pel, did ftretch forth his hand into the lap
of Bernard, and drawing it out full of
money, caft the fame into the lap of Sil-
vefter, faying, " If more you defire, yet
more will I give you." Silvefter being
content with that that he had, went away
and returned to his own houfe ; but at
evening, pondering on that which he had
done that day, and reproaching himfelf for
his avarice, confidering the fervor of Ber-
nard and the fan6lity of Saint Francis,
the following night, and for yet two other
nights, God fent him this rare vifion : that
from the mouth of Saint Francis there
iffued forth a crofs of gold, the top of
which reached even unto Heaven, and the
arms of which ftretched from the Eafb
even unto the Weft. Becaufe of this vifion
he gave away for love of God all that that
he had, and became one of the Gray Friars ;
and fuch were his fan6lity and grace while
in the Order, that he fpake with God even
as one friend with another, as Saint Francis
many times experienced, and as is by him
fet forth in thefe pages.
Bernard likewife received great grace
from God, forafmuch as he was often tranf-
ported
1 6 ^Se mttlt jFlotorrs of
ported in the contemplation of God ; and
Saint Francis faid of him that he was wor-
thy of all reverence, and that he was the
true founder of this Order, inafmuch as he
was the firfb who forfook the world, keeping
nothing for himfelf, but giving all to Chrift's
poor ; and he fet an example of Chriftian
poverty, offering himfelf naked to the arms
of Chrift crucified ; for which thing may he
be bleffed in faecula faeculortnn. Amen.
CHAPTER III.
How for the evil Thoughts which Saint Francis
had regarding Brother Bertiard, he com?nanded
that fame Brother Bernard that three Times
he fJioiild place his Feet upon his Neck and upon
his Mouth,
THAT moft devout fervant of the Crofs,
Saint Francis, from fevere penance
and conftant tears had become almofl blind
and faw but little. Upon one occafion he
left the place where he abode and went
to that place where Brother Bernard fo-
journed, to fpeak with him of divine things.
And coming to that place he learned that
the
.Saint iFrancfs of ^BUinu 17
the Brother was at prayer in the wood,
rapt, and conjoined with God. Then Saint
Francis went forth into that wood and
called aloud, faying, " Come hither and
fpeak to this blind beggar." And Brother
Bernard anfwered him not, forafmuch as,
being a man greatly given to meditation,
his mind was abforbed in the contempla-
tion of God ; and he was ftrangely favored
in converfe with God, as Saint Francis had
ofttimes proven, and therefore did he defire
to have fpeech with him. After a certain
fpace he called unto him a fecond and
even a third time after the fame fafliion ;
and never once .did Brother Bernard heed
or hear his voice; neither did he make any
anfvver, nor came he forth to meet him ;
fo that Saint Francis departed no little
difconfolate, and marvelling and lamenting
in his own mind that Brother Bernard,
three times called, came not forth to him.
Journeying thence with thefe thoughts,
Saint Francis, having gone but a little way,
faid unto his companion, "Await me here."
And he went afide into a folitary place
and fell to praying, befeeching God that
He would reveal to him wherefore Brother
Bernard made not anfvver unto him. And
ftandins:
1 8 ^f\t nettle jFlotocrs of
Handing there, he heard a voice from God
which fpake thefe words : " O poor weak
foul, why art thou difturbed ? Should man
leave God for his fellow man ? Brother
Bernard, when you cried unto him, was
conjoined with Me, and hence he could
not come to thee, neither could he make
anfwer unto thee ; therefore marvel not
that he anfwered thee not, fmce his foul
was fo far removed from his body that he
heard not any of thy words." Saint Fran-
cis, having this anfwer from God, imme-
diately returned again with much fpeed to
Brother Bernard, humbly to accufe himfelf
of the evil thoughts which he had cherifhed
towards him. And feeing him draw nigh,
Brother Bernard went out to meet him
and fell down before him ; and then Saint
Francis raifed him up, and with all humil-
ity told his thoughts, and the trouble which
he had felt concerning him, and how that
God had made anfwer unto him in the mat-
ter ; hence he concluded thus : " I charge
you by your facred vow of obedience that
you do do the things which I fhall com-
mand you." Brother Bernard, fearing left
Saint Francis fhould require of him fome
exceffive thing, as was his wont, made honeft
endeavor
cSaint iFtancis oC ^nnisiu 19
endeavor to avoid this obedience, anfvvering
thus : " I am prepared to obey you meekly,
if you will promife me to do that which
I in turn fhall command of you." And
Saint Francis promifmg him, Brother Ber-
nard faid, '* Speak, father ; bid me what
you would have me to do." Then faid
Saint Francis : " I command you, by your
facred vow of obedience, that, to punifh my
prefumption and the boldnefs of my heart,
now as I throw myfelf flat upon the ground
you place one foot upon my neck and the
other upon my mouth, and thus fliall you
pafs three times over my body, crying
fhame upon me and reviling me ; and more
efpecially fl:iall you cry unto me, * Lie there,
thou vile fon of Peter Bernardone ; whence
haft thou acquired fuch pride, vileft of all
creatures that thou art ? ' " Hearing this,
Brother Bernard, hard as was his talk, yet
for the fake of his facred vow of obedience,
as courteoufly as he might, did fulfil the
will of Saint Francis, even as he had com-
manded him ; and this done, Saint Francis
faid : *' Do you command me now in turn
whatfoever you will that I fhall do, inaf-
much as I have promifed obedience." Then
faid Brother Bernard, " By your facred vow
of
20 5ri)e nettle iFlotacrrs of
of obedience I charge you that as many
times as we may hap to be in company
you do reprove me and corre6t me fharply
for my fins." At which thing Saint Fran-
cis marvelled greatly, feeing that Brother
Bernard was a man of great fan6tity whom
he held in much reverence, nor did he hold
him cenfurable for any fm whatfoever. And
although from that time forth Saint Francis
ftrove to fpend much time with him in ac-
cordance with his vow of obedience, never
any word of reproof or blaaie paffed his
lips toward one whom he knew to be a man
of fuch great fan6lity ; but as often as he
defired to fee him, or indeed to hear him
converfe with God, as fpeedily as might be
he went forth unto him ; and it was moft
devout to fee with how great love and rev-
erence and humility Father Saint Francis
ufed to fpeak with Brother Bernard his firft-
born fon. To the praife and glory of Jefus
Chrift, and of that poor Chriftian, Francis.
Amen.
<Saint ^yrancis of ^nninu 21
CHAPTER IV.
JIo7a the A?igcl of the Lord put a Quejlion unto
Brother Elias, the Keeper of a ce7'tain ConveJtt
m the Vale of Spoleto, and forafmuch as
Brother Elias made Anjwer haughtily, de-
parted thence and went forth imto St. Jaines
of Cofnpojlella, where he met with Brother
Bernard and told his Tale unto hi7n.
AT the beginning and firft undertaking
of the Order, when the Friars were
but few, and but little land had been ac-
quired, Saint Francis, from a fpirit of devo-
tion, did go to St. James of Galicia, and in
his train were certain Brethren, of whom
one was Brother Bernard. And travelling
thus their road, they met a poor fick beg-
gar, having pity upon whom. Saint Francis
faid to Brother Bernard : *' Son, I befeech
you, ftay here and ferve this fick man."
And Brother Bernard, humbly kneeling
and bowing his head, yielded obedience
to the Holy Father and remained in that
fpot ; and Saint Francis with his compan-
ions went his way unto St. James. Coming
thither and fpending the night in prayer
within
22 JTSe JLitilt JFlotDtri^ of
within the Church of St. James, it was rei-
vealed of God to Saint Francis that he wa^
deftined to acquire much land throughout
the world, inafmuch as his Order was def-
tined to fpread and to grow even unto a
vaft multitude of Monks ; and in accord-
ance with this revelation Saint Francis
forthwith began to acquire land in that
fame region. And travelling homeward by
that felfsame way he came, Saint Francis
met with Brother Bernard and the fick
man with whom he left him, healed and
made quite whole ; hence Saint Francis
granted Brother Bernard in the enfuing
year that he alfo fhould vifit St. James.
And thus Saint Francis returned into
the Vale of Spoleto. And here he fojourned
in a defolate place, he and Brother Maxi-
mus and Brother Elias and others. And
every man among them ftrove mightily left
he fhould pefter or annoy Saint Francis as
he prayed ; and this they did for the great
reverence which they bare him, and for-
afmuch as they were well aware that God
made known unto him great wonders in
his prayers. It befell one day that Saint
Francis being at prayer in the wood, a
Beauteous Youth arrayed for a journey came
to
<SaCnt jFrancis oC ^nnini. 23
to the door of that place wherein he ftaycd,
and knocked fo often and fo loud and for
fo long a fpace, that much the broth-
ers marvelled among themfelves at fuch
unwonted noife. Brother Maximus went
out and oped the door and faid to that
youth, " Whence come you, O Son, fmce it
feems you never did come hither yet, inaf-
much as you knock thus contrary to all
ufe ? " The youth made anfwer : " And how
Ihould I knock ? " Then faid Brother Max-
imus, " Knock thrice, the one knock follow-
ing flowly after the other ; then wait fo long
as until the Brother fhall have faid a Pa-
ternoster and come unto you ; and if after
that fpace he come not, knock yet once
again." The young man anfwered, ** My
hafte is exceeding great, forafmuch as I
have a long journey to make, and am come
hither to fpeak with Brother Francis ; but
he now is in the wood loft in a mufe, and
hence I will not vex him ; but go call me
hither Brother Elias, to whom I would put
but one queftion only, fmce I hear that
he is very wife." Brother Maximus went
in and bade Brother Elias go out to the
young man ; and he waxed angry and
would not go. At which thing Brother
Maximus
24 ^i)t aittU JFIotorrs of
Maximus knew not what to do, neither
what anfwer he fliould make to him, inaf-
much as faying that Brother Ehas could
not come, he fpake falfely ; faying he was
vexed in fpirit and wouki not come, he
feared left he fhould fet an evil example.
And Brother Maximus lingering thus, the
young man knocked yet again as before,
and in a little time Brother Maximus re-
turned to the gate, and faid to the young
man, " Why heed you not my counfels in
your knocking ? " The young man an-
fwered : " Brother Elias comes not unto me ;
go therefore and fay to Brother Francis
that I am come hither to fpeak with him ;
but forafmuch as I would not come againft
him in his praying, let him bid Brother
Elias come out to me." And then Brother
Maximus went in to Saint Francis, who
was praying in the thick wood with his face
lift up to heaven, and he delivered the
young man's meffage and the anfwer of
Brother Elias ; and that young man was
the Angel of the Lord in the likenefs of a
Man. Then Saint Francis, removing not
from his place, neither cafting down his
eyes, faid to Brother Maximus : " Go, fay
unto Brother Elias, by his vow of obedience
I
.Saint jftamin of ^nnini. 25
I charge him that he fliall go forthwith to
that young man." Brother Elias, hearing
Saint Francis' charge of obedience, went
out to the gate greatly troubled, and with
fury and noife did open it, and fpakc to the
young man, faying, " What would you with
me ? " The young man made anfwer, fay-
ing, " Beware, Brother, left you be troubled
in fpirit even as you feem ; for anger clouds
the mind, letting it not fee the Truth."
Then faid Brother Elias, "Tell me what
you would with me." The young man
made anfwer, " I afk you whether it be
lawful for followers of the Holy Scrip-
tures to eat that which is fet before them,
even as Chrift fpake to his difciples ; and
I afk you alfo whether it be lawful for
any man to fet before them aught that is
contrary to Chriftian freedom .?" Brother
Elias made anfwer loftily : " Well might I
anfwer your queftion, but I will not do fo ;
go your way." The young man faid, " Bet-
ter can I anfwer this queftion than can you."
Then Brother Elias, vexed and angered,
clofed the gate and went thence. Going
in, he began to ponder upon the faid quef-
tions, and to doubt within himfelf concern-
ing them, and he knew not how to folve
them
26 ^fje mttit jFlotoers of
them, notwithftanding that he was Vicar-
General of the Order, and had commanded
and writ in the Rule, contrary to the gof-
pel and contrary to the Rule of Saint Fran-
cis, that no brother of the Order fhould eat
meat ; fo that the faid queftion was ex-
preffly dire6led againft him. Thus, know-
ing not how to diffipate his doubts, and
confidering the modefty of the Youth, and
how that he had faid He could better anfwer
the queftion than he, he turned back to the
gate and opened it to afk of the Youth the
aforefaid queftion ; but he had already jour-
neyed thence, forafmuch as the proud fpirit
of Brother Elias was not worthy to hold
converfe with the Angel.
This done, Saint Francis, to whom all
things were revealed of God, returned from
the wood, and with a loud voice reviled
Brother Elias, faying, " 111 have you done,
O proud Brother Elias, for you have driven
hence from our midft holy Angels who
came hither to counfel and inftru6l. I tell
you that I fear exceeding much left your
pride lead you not forth at laft from this
Order." And even fo it fell out, as Saint
Francis had faid, inafmuch as he died out-
fide the Order.
In
.Saint jfvantiu of ^ssisC* 27
In that fame clay and in the fclfsamc
hour when that Angel departed thence, He
appeared in the felfsame form unto Brother
Bernard, who was travelling back from St.
James, and ftood on the fhores of a vaft
rtream, and greeted him in his own tongue,
faying, " God grant you His peace, O good
Brother." And good Brother Bernard,
marvelling much, and confidering the fair
face of the Youth and the fpeech of his own
land with that peaceful greeting and joy-
ous countenance, he afked him : " Whence
come you, good Youth ? " The Angel an-
fwering faid, '*! come from that fame place
where dwells Saint Francis, and I travelled
thither to have fpeech of him ; but I could
not, he being in the thick woods loft in
contemplation of things divine, and I was
loath to vex him. And in that fame place
dwell alfo Brother Maximus and Brother
Guy and Brother Elias ; and Brother Max-
imus bade me knock at the gate like unto
a Friar ; but Brother Elias, although at
firft he would not anfwer me concerning
the queftion which I put to him, yet after
did repent him fore and would fain have
heard me and feen me and he could not."
After thefe words the Angel fpake to
Brother
28 2ri)e Hittle jFlotoers oC
Brother Bernard, faying, "Why crofs you
not over yonder ftream ? " Brother Ber-
nard made anfvver : " Forafmuch as I fear
the dangers of the deep waters which I
fee." The Angel faid, " We will pafs over
together, nothing doubting." And He took
his hand, and in the twinkling of an eye He
put him on the farther fide of the ftream.
Then Brother Bernard knew that this was
the Angel of the Lord, and with great awe
and gladnefs he cried aloud, " O bleffed
Angel of the Lord, declare unto me your
name." The Angel anfvvered and faid,
" Why afk you me my name, which is
Wonderful } " And faying this the Angel
vanifhed, leaving Brother Bernard much
comforted, infomuch fo that he travelled all
his road with great rejoicing ; and he was
mindful of the day and the hour in which
the Angel had appeared unto him. And
coming unto that place where Saint Fran-
cis abode with his chofen Companions, he
told them all in due order ; and he knew
for a certainty that that fame Angel in the
felfsame day and hour had appeared to
him and them.
<Saiut jFt^ancCs of ^nnini. 29
CHAPTER V.
How that Saint, BrotJicr Bernard of AJfifi, was
dcfpatchcd by Sa'mt Francis to Bologna, and
there took up his Abode.
INASMUCH as Saint Francis and his
companions were called of God and
chofen to bear in their hearts and in their
lives, and to preach with their tongues, the
Crofs of Chrift, they both feemed and were
men who crucified the fiefh, alike in their
habit and in their auftere life, alike in their
every a6l and deed ; and neverthelefs they
defired the rather to endure fliame and
opprobrium for the love of Chrift than to
receive worldly honors, or reverence, or the
praife of men : thus injuries rejoiced them
and honors affli6led them ; and thus they
paffed through the world as Pilgrims and
Strangers, bearing with them nought fave
Chrift Crucified ; and yet they were the
true Vine, which is Chrift, bringing forth
great and good fpiritual fruit, which they
garnered in for God. It happened in the
firft days of the Order that Saint Francis
fent Brother Bernard forth to Bologna, to
the
30 ^ije ILittlt JFlotocrs of
the end that there he might bear fruit unto
God, according to the grace given him of
Our Lord ; and Brother Bernard, making the
fign of the moft Holy Crofs, and mindful of
his facred vow of obedience, departed thence
and came unto Bologna ; and the children, fee-
ing him in worn and tattered raiment, mocked
at him and reviled him as they might have
any clown ; and Brother Bernard patiently
and cheerfully bore all things for the love
of Jefus Chrifl; nay, rather that the more
he might be chaftened, ftudioufly did feat
himfelf in the market-place, where fitting,
there foon flocked round about him many
boys and men, who pulled him by the cowl,
fome before and fome behind, fome caft duft
upon him and fome ftones, fome thruft and
fhoved him here and fome there ; and Brother
Bernard bore all things with patience and
meeknefs, and with a fmiling face, murmur-
ing not, neither complaining ; and, more-
over, often he returned to that fame place
folely to fuffer fimilar things for the good
of his Soul. And albeit Patience have her
perfe6l work and be a token of Virtue, a
learned do6lor of laws, feeing and conflder-
ing fo much conftancy and valor in Brother
Bernard, fuffering for fo many days unmoved
by
<Saint jFrancis oC ^nninu 31
by any blows or pinches, faid to himfelf,
"Verily, it cannot be but that is a holy
man;" and drawing near to him, he quef-
tioned him thus: "Who art thou, and
wherefore haft thou come hither ? " And
Brother Bernard for all anfwer put his hand
into his bofom and drew forth the Rule of
Saint Francis, and gave it to him that he
might read ; and having read, confidering
his extreme ftate of Perfe6tion, with the
utmofh wonder and admiration he turned
to his companions and faid, "Verily, this
is the moft high ftate of religion of which
I have heard ; and this man and his com-
panions are the moft holy men in all the
earth, and he who harms the leaft among
them is guilty of a very grievous fm ; for
every man among them fnould be held in
high honor, inafmuch as he is the true
friend of God." And he fpake to Brother
Bernard, faying, " If you will abide among
us, where you may ferve God acceptably,
I for the falvation of my foul will joyfully
give you an abiding-place." Brother Ber-
nard made anfwer : " Sir, methinks your
words are infpired of Our Lord Jefus Chrift ;
and I cheerfully accept this your offer, to
the honor and glory of Chrift." Then the
faid
32 Kit JLittlt iFlotoers of
faid Judge with great joy and lovingkindnefs
led Brother Bernard to his houfe, and there
beftowed upon him the promifed lodging,
and fet it in order, and provided for all his
cofts ; and lliortly after he himfelf became
a Father, and the efpecial ally and cham-
pion of Brother Bernard and of his com-
panions. And Brother Bernard, for this
his holy converfion, began to be much
honored of all men, infomuch that they
who might touch the hem of his garments,
or could but look upon him, held them-
felves bleft ; but he, as a true difciple of
Chrift, and of the meek and lowly Francis,
fearing left worldly honors fhould mar the
peace and fafety of his foul, departed
thence one day and returned to Saint
Francis and fpake thefe words : " Father,
an abiding-place is found in the city of
Bologna : I prithee fend thither Brothers
who may maintain it, and let them fojourn
there, forafmuch as I no longer profit you
aught in that fpot ; indeed, for the exceed-
ing honor which is paid me I fear left I
lofe more than I gain." Then Saint Fran-
cis, hearing all things in due order, how
Our Lord had wrought a great work through
Brother Bernard, praiied and thanked God,
Who
Saint jfvantiu of '^nnim, 33
Who thus deigned to increafe the number
of poor followers of the Crofs : and then
he fent forth his Companions into Bologna
and into Lombardy, who acquired much
land in many places.
CHAPTER VI.
How Saint Francis blejjfcd Brother Bernard^
and made him his Vicar when he came to pafs
away from this Life.
SO great was the fan6lity of Brother Ber-
nard, that Saint Francis reverenced
him much, and many times did praife him.
Saint Francis once being devoutly rapt in
prayer, it was revealed to him of God that
Brother Bernard was by Divine Leave to
fuftain many and valiant battles with the
demons; hence Saint Francis, having ex-
ceeding great compaffion upon the faid
Brother Bernard, whom he loved as he were
his own fon, he prayed many days with tears,
entreating God for him, and recommending
him to Chrift Jefus, that he might give
him vi(5lory over the demon. And Saint
Francis, praying thus devoutly, God one
day made anfwer unto him : " Francis, fear
not ;
3
34 ^t)^ Hittle iFIotatrs of
not ; forafmuch as all the temptations by
which Brother Bernard is to be affailed
are allowed of God as a teft of his valor
and a Crown of Glory, and finally he fhall
triumph over all his enemies, forafmuch as
he is one of the Commiffaries of the kingdom
of Heaven." At the which anfwer Saint
Francis rejoiced greatly, and praifed the
Lord ; and from that time forth his love and
reverence waxed ever greater. And well he
proved them, not only in his life, but alfo
in his death. Forafinuch as Saint Fran-
cis, being about to die, even as that holy
Patriarch Jacob, his mourning fons ftanding
about him devoutly, weeping at the de-
parture of fo amiable a father, he afked
them, " Where is my Firftborn ? Come
hither to me, my Son, that my Soul may
blefs thee before I die." Then Brother
Bernard faid privily to Brother Elias, who
was the Vicar of the Order, " Father, go
thou to the right hand of the Saint, that
he may blefs thee." And Brother Elias,
placing himfelf upon his right hand. Saint
Francis, who had loft his fight by reafon of
his many tears, laid his right hand upon
the head of Brother Elias and faid, " This
is not the head of my firftborn fon, Brother
Bernard
Saint iFvanci.a oC 'JXmini. 35
Bernard." Then Brother Bernard went and
ftood by his left hand ; and Saint Francis
ftretching forth his arms in the form of
a Crofs, laid his right hand upon the
head of Brother Bernard and his left hand
upon the head of that fame Brother Elias,
and faid to Brother Bernard : " May God
the Father and Our Lord Jefus Chrift blefs
thee with every fpiritual bleffmg, and may
Chrift grant thee all celeftial bleffings, even
as thou art the Firftborn, chofen into this
Holy Order to give a godly example, to
follow Chrift in Chriftian poverty ; inaf-
much as thou haft given not only all that
which was thine, dividing it wholly and
freely among the poor for the love of
Chrift, but alfo haft given thyfelf a free-will
offering unto God in this Order, a facrifice
pleafing in His fight. Receive, therefore,
the bleffingof Our Lord Jefus Chrift, and of
me. His poor fervant, bleffings everlafting,
whether walking, ftanding, waking, fleep-
ing, living, or dying ; and all who fliall
blefs thee fliall themfelves be filled with
bleffing. They who curfe thee fhall not
go unpunifhed. Thou art chief among all
thy Brethren, and all the Brothers (hall bow
to thy will. Thou haft my leave to receive
into
36 ^f)0 JLittlt iFIotD^rs of
into the Order whomfoever thou wilt ; and
no Brother fliall have fupremacy over thee,
and thou art free to come and go whither-
foever thou wilt." And after the death of
Saint Francis the Brethren loved and re-
vered Brother Bernard as a venerable Fa-
ther ; and he, coming to die, many Brothers
gathered about him from all quarters of
the globe, among them being that divine
hierarch Brother Guy, who, seeing Brother
Bernard, cried aloud, with great gladnefs,
^' Lift tip yotir heart, Broth €7'- Bernard', lift
lip your hearty And Brother Bernard
bade one of the Brethren privily that he
fhould prepare a place meet for contempla-
tion for Brother Guy ; and fo it was done.
Brother Bernard, being at the laft hour of
his death, bade his Brethren lift him up,
and fpake to fuch of them as were there
prefent, faying : *' My beloved Brethren, I
have not many words to fpeak to you. But
you muft be mindful that that degree of
Religion which I have had you have at
this prefent, and unto that which I now
enjoy, you fliall yet attain ; and I tell you
from my foul of fouls that I would not
for a thoufand Worlds like unto this have
ferved other Lord than Our Lord Jefus
Chrift.
Saint jFrancis of Assist, ^^
"hrift. And for every offence that I have
committed I confefs myfelf guilty, and ac-
cufe myfelf before my Saviour Jefus and
before you. I befeech you, my deareft
l^rethren, love one another." And after
thcfe words, and other wholefome teach-
ings, he laid himfelf down upon his bed,
his face flione with joy and fplendor fo
exceeding that all the Brothers marvelled
greatly, and in that rapture his moft faintly
foul, crowned with glory, paffed from this
prefent life into the bleifed life of the
angels.
CHAPTER VII.
Ho7U Saint Fra7icis fajtcd foj-iy Days and fo?'ty
Nights in an IJIand of the Lake of Perugia,
eating no vioi-e but half a Loaf.
THAT true fervant of Chriil, Saint
Francis, being in certain things
almoft another Chrift, fent into the world
to fave the nations, Our Lord and Fa-
ther God defired to make him in many
a6ts conformable and like unto His Son
Jefus Chrift ; even as we have feen in
the venerable College of the twelve Com-
panions,
38 Kf\t Hittlt jFlctoers of
panions, and in the admirable Myftery of
the Sacred Stigmata, and in the Faft lafting
throughout the whole term of Lent, which
took place after this manner : Saint Fran-
cis being once, upon the lafb day of the
Carnival, befide the Lake of Perugia in the
houfe of one of his devout followers, with
whom he had tarried for a night, he was
infpired of God that he fhould proceed to
keep his faft in an Ifland of that lake;
wherefore Saint Francis prayed this his fol-
lower that for the love of Chrift he would
bear him over in his boat unto an Ifland
of the lake where no man abode ; this he
fhould do upon the night of Afh Wednef-
day, in fuch manner that they might be
feen of none ; and he for love of the
great devotion which he felt for Saint
Francis faithfully did his beheft, and bare
him over to the Ifland : and Saint Francis
took nothing with him fave two fmall
loaves. And having come to the Ifland,
and his friend departing thence to return
to his houfe. Saint Francis charged him
by the love which he bare him that he
fhould reveal to no man where he did lie,
and that he fliould not journey back to
fetch him fooner than Maundy-Thurfday ;
and
<Saint jftantiu of Slssisi* 39
and thus they parted. And Saint Francis
abode there alone ; and there being no
habitation wherein he might find flielter,
he entered into a thick wood wherein many
thorns and brambles and little bullies had
formed a den or burrow, and herein he fell
to praying and to mufing upon celeftial
things. And herein he ftayed during the
whole fpace of Lent, eating not, neither
drinking aught, fave the half of one of
thofe fmall loaves, according as his faith-
ful follower found him when he croffed
over to him on Maundy-Thurfday ; the
which found of two fmall loaves one en-
tire, and of the other half; it is believed
that Saint Francis did partake out of rever-
ence for the fafting of the bleffed Chrift,
Who fafted forty days and forty nights, par-
taking of no bodily food ; and thus with
that half loaf he drove far from him the
venom of Vainglory, and following after
Chrift fafted forty days and forty nights.
And then in that place where Francis did
fuch marvellous feats of abftinence God
the Lord wrought many miracles through
his merits : for the which thing men began
to build houfes there and to dwell there ;
and in a brief fpace a Caftle good and great
ftood
40 ^Ijc SLtttlr jFlotDcrs of
flood therein, and this was the home of the
Brethren, and it was called by the name
of the Ifland ; and even unto this prefent
time the men and the women of that Caftle
difplay great reverence and devotion upon
that fpot where Saint Francis fafted as has
been here fet forth.
CHAPTER VIII.
How Saint Francis and Brother Leo, as they
journeyed, di/cour/ed of Ferfe^ Blifs.
SAINT FRANCIS once journeying from
Perugia to St. Mary of the Angels
with Brother Leo in winter time, and the
very great cold pinching him fore, he called
aloud to Brother Leo, who walked before,
and faid thus : " Brother Leo, although the
Gray Friars in every place fet a good ex-
ample of fan6lity and of godly leffons,
neverthelefs I defire you to write down and
diligently to note that they know not per-
fe6l blifs." And Saint Francis journeying
yet farther, a fecond time he called aloud,
'' O Brother Leo, albeit the Gray Friar be
eyes to the blind, deliver men from evil,
drive out demons, be ears to the deaf, and
feet
Saint jFrancis of ^nninu 41
feet to the lame, a tongue to the dumb, and
what is yet more do reftore the dead to hfe
within the fpace of four days, yet write that
he knows not perfc6l bhfs." And journey-
ing yet a little farther, he cried with a
loud voice, *' O Brother Leo, if the Gray
Friar know all tongues, all knowledge,
and all the Scriptures in fuch fafhion that
he may prophefy and reveal not alone
the things of the future, but even alfo the
fecrets of all confciences and of all fouls,
ftill I bid thee write, herein lies not perfect
blifs." Going yet a little farther. Saint
Francis called aloud yet once again : *' O
Brother Leo, Lamb of God, even though the
Gray Friar fpeak with the tongues of men
and of angels, and know the courfe of the
ftars and the virtues of all herbs, and were
all the treafures of the earth laid bare to
him, and did he know the virtues of birds
and fifties, and of all animals and of men
and of trees and of ftones and of roots
and of waters, ftill write that herein lies
not perfe6l blifs." And journeying yet a
little fpace Saint Francis cried aloud : " O
Brother Leo, even could the Gray Friar
preach fo well as that he fhould turn all
infidels to the faith of Chrift, yet write,
herein
42 ^J0 ILittlc iFlototrs of
herein lies not perfe6l blifs." And this dif-
courfe enduring for full two miles, Brother
Leo with amazement aiked him, faying,
" Father, I pray thee, for God's fake, that
thou wilt tell me where may perfe6l blifs
be found ? " And Saint Francis made
anfwer thus : " When we fhall have come
unto St. Mary of the Angels, dripping
with rain and frozen with cold and be-
fpattered with mud and tormented fore
with hunger, and fhall knock at the door
of that place, and the porter fliall look
forth in wrath, and fliall fay, ' Who are
ye ? ' and we fhall fay, * We be two of your
Brethren ; ' and he fhall fay, ' You fpeak
not truly ; forfooth you are two ribald
knaves who go about deceiving folk and
ftealing alms from the poor, get you gone!'
and he fhall not open unto us, and fhall
leave us ftanding without in the fnow and
the wet with cold and hunger even till
the fall of night ; then if we fhall patiently
endure fuch great injuftice and cruelty and
villanous rebuffs without peevifhnefs or
turbulence, murmuring not againft him,
and fhall think humbly and charitably that
verily that doorkeeper reads us aright, that
our Lord hath bade him revile us and
fpeak
Saint ifrancis o£ ^nninu 43
Ipcak againft us, then, O Brother Leo, mayft
thou write, herein Hcs perfe6t bhfs. And
if we fliall perfevere our knocking, and he
Ihall come forth in his wrath and drive us
thence as rafcals, with ftripes and reviUngs,
faying, * Get you hence, vileft thieves, get
you to the hofpital, for here you fliall not
abide, neither fhall you eat, — if we fhall
endure the fame meekly and with rejoic-
ing and love, O Brother Leo, then mayft
thou write that herein lies perfedl blifs.
And if we, urged by hunger and cold and
by the darknefs, fliall ftill perfifh our knock-
ing and fliall cry aloud and entreat him for
the love of God with much weeping and
wailing that he will open and let us in,
and he, fcandalized yet more, fliall fay,
* Thefe are importunate knaves, I will
chaftife them as is meet ; and fhall come
forth with a knotty ftaff, and fliall feize us
by the hair of the head and caft us to the
ground, and roll us in the fnow, and beat
us knot by knot with that fame ftaff, — if
all thefe things patiently and cheerfully we
do endure, thinking upon the fufferings of
the bleffed Chrift, which greatly are we
bounden to fuffer for His fake, O Brother
Leo, then mayft thou write that herein and
in
44 ^^^ Hittlc jFlolBcrs of
in this lies perfe6l blifs. And yet hearken
unto the end, Brother Leo. Beyond al] the
graces and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, which
Chrift has granted unto His faithful friends,
is vi6lory over felf, and power for love of
Chrifb to fuffer pain and infult, poverty
and difgrace ; forafmuch as in all the other
gifts of God we can take no pride, they
being not our own but of God. Hence
the Apoftle faith, ' What have ye which is
not of God ? And if it be of Him, where-
fore do ye glory in it, as if ye had it of your
own felves ? ' But in the crofs of forrow
and grief we may glory, inafmuch as the
Apoftle faith, * God forbid that I ftiould
glory, fave in the crofs of Chrift.'"
CHAPTER IX.
How SaiJit Francis taught Brother Leo to 7nake
A?i/wer imto Him : and He could 7iever Speak
fave the Contrary of that which Saint Francis
Willed
SAINT FRANCIS being once, in the
firft days of the Order, with Brother
Leo in a place where they had no books to fay
the divine offices, when the hour for Matins
was
.Saint jFPttncisi of '^uninL 45
was at hand, Saint Francis faid to Brother
Leo : " My beloved, we liave no breviary
from which to fay Matins, but in order that
we may fpend the time duly in praifing
God, I will recite and do you refpond as
I fliall teach you ; and beware left you
change the words diverfely from that which
I fhall teach you. I will fay thus : * O
Brother Francis, fo much evil haft thou
done, and fo many fins haft thou commit-
ted in this world, that thou art worthy of
Hell-fire.' And you. Brother Leo, muft re-
fpond : * Verily, verily thou art deferving of
the hotteft fires of Hell.'" And Brother
Leo, with the fimplicity of the dove, re-
plied, **I am ready. Father; begin, in the
name of God." Then Saint Francis began
to fay, *' O Brother Francis, fo much evil
haft thou done, and fo many fins haft thou
committed in this world, that thou art
worthy of Hell-fire." And Brother Leo
replied, ** The Lord fliall work for thee
fuch miracles that thou fhalt go ftraight to
Paradife." Then faid Saint Francis, '' Say
not fo. Brother Leo ; but when I fay,
' Brother Francis, thou haft finned griev-
oufly againft God, and art worthy to be
curfed of God,' you muft make anfwer thus :
'Verily
46 ^5e Hittlc jFlotocrs of
* Verily, verily thou art worthy of a place
among the Accurfecl.'" And Brother Leo
replied, "I am ready, Father." Then Saint
Francis, with many tears and groans and
much beating of his breaft, cried aloud,
" O Lord my God, Lord of heaven and of
earth, I have committed fuch fms againfl
Thee, and fuch iniquities, that I am worthy
to be curfed of Thee." And Brother Leo
made anfwer, " O Brother Francis, God fhall
do fuch things for thee that thou fhalt be
Angularly bleffed among the bleffed." And
Saint Francis marvelling that Brother Leo
anfwered ever the contrary of that which
he had charged him, effayed once more,
faying, " Why anfwer you not as I bid you ?
I charge you by your holy vow of obe-
dience that you make anfwer as I fliall
dire6l you. I will fay thus : * O wretched
Brother Francis, doft thou think that God
will have mercy upon thee, who haft com-
mitted fuch great fms againft the Father of
all Mercies and the God of Confolation that
thou art no more worthy to find favor in
His fight ^ ' And you. Brother Leo, flieep
of my flock, muft make anfwer, ' In no
manner art thou worthy to find favor in
His fight.' " But fo foon as Saint Francis
faid,
Saint iFcancis of ^nninu 47
{■Aid, ** O wretched Brother Francis," etc.,
Brother Leo replied : " Our Heavenly
Father, whofe mercy is infinitely greater
than are thy fins, will have mercy upon
thee and will pour His grace upon thee."
At this anfwer Saint Francis was gently
enraged and meekly difturbed, faying to
Brother Leo, "And wherefore do you make
fo bold to a6l contrary to your vow of obe-
dience, and have fo many times made an-
fwer contrary to that which I charged you
to fay }" Brother Leo replied very humbly
and reverently, " God the Lord knoweth the
why and the wherefore, my Father, for every
time I have fchooled my heart to anfwer
as you did bid me ; but the Lord made
me fpeak as beft it pleafed Him, and not
according as was pleafmg in my fight."
At which thing Saint Francis marvelled,
and faid to Brother Leo, " I pray you moft
lovingly that this time you anfwer me as I
do bid you." Brother Leo replied, " Say on,
in God's name, for affuredly I will now
make anfwer as you would have me." And
Saint Francis, weeping, faid, "O wicked
Brother Francis, doft thou think that God
will fhow mercy unto thee } " Brother Leo
anfwered him, faying, ** Ay, and great grace
flialt
48 ^t}t Hittlr jTlotatrs of
llialt thou have of God. He lliall exalt thee,
and glorify thee in all ages, forafmuch as
he who humbleth himfelf fhall be exalted ;
and I can fpeak no otherwife than I do,
forafmuch as God Himfelf fpeaks through
my mouth." And thus in this humble ftrife,
with many tears and with much fpiritual
confolation, they watched until day.
CHAPTER X.
How Brother Maximus Mocki?igly /aid wito
Saini Francis that the World was at his Feet,
A?id he made an/wer that this was by the
Grace of God, and a Dijgrace to the World.
SAINT FRANCIS fojourning upon a
time in the Convent of Portiuncula
with Brother Maximus of Marignano, a man
of much fandlity, difcretion, and grace in dif-
courfmg of God, for the which thing greatly
did Saint Francis love him, one day Saint
Francis returning from the thick wood and
from prayer, and being upon the outfkirts
of that woody wild, that fame Brother Maxi-
mus, defiring to know whether his humility
were unfeigned, went forth to meet him by
the
the way, and mockin[;ly cried out to him,
*' Wherefore after thee ? Wherefore after
thee? Wherefore after thee?" Saint Fran-
cis afked, "What fay you?" Then faid
Brother Maximus, " I fay, wherefore fol-
loweth the whole world after thee, and
why doth every man defire to fee and to
hear and to obey thee ? Thou art not fair
to fee, thou haft no great learning, neither
art thou noble ; wherefore, then, doth the
whole world follow after thee ? " Hearing
this, Saint Francis, greatly rejoiced in fpirit,
lifting his face to Heaven, fhood for a fpace
with his mind fixed on God, and then
coming back to earth he knelt and gave
praife and glory to God, and then with
very fervent fpirit he turned to Brother
Maximus and faid, "Would you know
wherefore men follow after me ? Would
you know wherefore men follow after me ?
Would you know wherefore men follow
after me ? This grace I have from the
eyes of the Moft High God, which in all
places behold the godly and the ungodly :
forafmuch as thofe moft holy eyes never
yet beheld of finners one more vile, nor
more infufficient, nor a greater finner than
am I ; nor yet to do that marvellous work
which
4
50 2rf)e nettle jflotorrs of
which He willeth to accompHfh has He
found a viler creature upon earth. And
therefore hath He chofen me, to confound
the Nobihty and the Grandeur and the
Strength and the Beauty and the Wifdom
of the world, to the end that it may be
made known that all Virtue and all Good-
nefs are from Him and not from His crea-
tures, and that none may glory in his own
fight ; but that all who glory may glory
in the Lord, unto whom be all glory and
honor for ever and ever. Amen." Then
Brother Maximus at fo humble an anfwer,
uttered with fuch fervor, was affrighted,
and knew of a furety that the humility
of Saint Francis was unfeigned.
CHAPTER XI.
How Saint F)'ancis caufcd Brother Maximus to
turn Himfelf about, and then departed unto
Sienna.
SAINT FRANCIS one day journeying
with Brother Maximus, thatfame Brother
Maximus walking a few paces before, and
coming unto a fpot where three roads met,
the
<Saint jFtnucis oC '^nninu 51
the which led to Florence, to Sienna, and
to Arezzo, Brother Maximus fpake thus :
" Father, which road ihall we purfue ? "
Saint Francis made anfvver, " By that
which God choofeth." Then faid Brother
Maximus, "And how may we know the
will of God ? " Saint Francis replied, " By
that felfsame fign which I fliall fhow you ;
wherefore I charge you by the fruits of
holy obedience that at this meeting-place
of the roads, in the very fpot whereon your
feet now reft, you do turn yourfelf about,
even as do children, and give not over
turning until I do bid thee ceafe." Forth-
with Brother Maximus be^^an to turn and
to twirl himfelf round about ; and fo long
did he turn, that at laft from fheer dizzi-
nefs, fuch as fuch twirling is wont to gener-
ate, he fell often to the ground : but Saint
Francis not bidding him to ceafe, and he
defiring faithfully to obey, rofe ever and
again to his feet. Finally, as he turned
valiantly. Saint Francis cried out, " Stand
ftill, and move not." And he flood ftill,
and Saint Francis queftioned him, fay-
ing, " Towards what land do you look ? "
Brother Maximus anfvvered, " Towards
Sienna." Saint Francis faid, " That way
God
52 m)t iLittlr jFlotocrs of
God wills us to go." Travelling that way,
Brother Maximus marvelled that Saint
Francis had made him do fuch things, even
as do children at play, in the fight of thofe
laymen who paffed along that road. Never-
thelefs, fo great was his reverence that he
ventured not to fpeak to the Holy Father.
Coming near to Sienna, the people of that
city heard of the coming of the Saint, and
went forth to meet him ; and from devo-
tion they bore him and his Companion even
unto the Epifcopal Palace in their arms, fo
that they touched not earth with their feet.
In that fame hour certain men of Sienna
ftrove together, and two of them already
lay dead. Saint Francis being in their
midfl, preached unto them fo devoutly and
fo holily that he reftored them all, every
man among them, to peace and great unity
and mutual concord ; for the which thing
the Bifhop of Sienna, hearing of this holy
work which Saint Francis had wrought,
invited him to his own houfe, and received
him with extremeft honor that day and
even for the night. And the next morn-
ing Saint Francis, being truly humble,
feeking never any glory for his works, fave
only the glory of God, rofe betimes with
his
Saint jftantiti of Assist. 53
his Companion and departed unknown to
the Bifhop. At which the faid ]5rother
Maxim us murmured within himfelf as he
journeyed, faying as he went, " What things
are thefe which this good man does ? He
makes me turn and twirl Hke any filly
child ; and to the Bifhop, who has done
him fuch honor, he f peaks no word, neither
thanks him, and it feemeth to Brother Max-
imus as if Saint Francis thus had borne
himfelf indifcreetly." But then by divine
infpiration returning unto himfelf, and
chiding himfelf in the filence of his own
heart. Brother Maximus exclaimed, " You
are of too proud a fpirit, you who dare to
condemn divine works, and you are worthy
of Hell-fire for your foolifh pride ; inaf-
much as Saint Francis in the day of yefter-
day performed fuch holy deeds, that had
they been done by an Angel of God they
could not have been more marvellous.
Hence, if he command you to dafli your-
felf againft a rock, you fliould obey him
and do fo ; for thofe things which he has
done upon this pilgrimage proceed from
Divine Aftion, as is fet forth by the good
refult which followed after them ; foraf-
much as if he had not pacified thofe who
ftrove
54 ^t)^ ILittle JFlotoers of
ftrove together, not only many bodies, as
already there began to be feen, would have
perifhed by the knife, but even alfo many
fouls would the Devil have dragged down
into Hell ; and yet you, vain and filly that
you are, murmur at that which manifeftly
proceedeth from the will of God." And all
thefe things which Brother Maximus fpake
within his own heart were ftraightway re-
vealed of God to Saint Francis. Whence
Saint Francis drawing near to him fpake
thefe words : " Abide by thofe things on
which you now mufe, forafmuch as they are
good and ufeful, and infpired of God ; but
the firft complaints which you uttered were
blind and vain and arrogant, and inftilled
into your mind of the Devil." Then
Brother Maximus faw clearly that Saint
Francis knew the fecrets of his heart, and
knew for a furety that the Spirit of Divine
Wifdom guided the Holy Father in his
every adlion.
.Saint ifcancis of ^nninu 55
CHAPTER XII.
//ow Saint Francis bcjloivcd on Brother Maxi-
mus the Offices of Gate-Keeper, Al7?ioner, and
Cook : then at the Prayer of the other Broth-
ers def rived hint of the??i.
SAINT FRANCIS, wifhing to mortify
Brother Maximus, to the end that
the many gifts and graces which God had
given him might not make him Vainglori-
ous, but that by virtue of HumiHty he might
grow with them from virtue to virtue, upon
a time when he dwelt in a foHtary place
with thofe his firft companions, very Saints,
of whom was the faid Brother Maximus,
fpake one day to Brother Maximus before
all his companions: "O Brother Maximus,
all thefe your companions have the grace of
contemplation and of prayer, but you have
the grace to preach the word of God to the
fatisfaftion of the people ; and hence I de-
fire, to the end that they may apply them-
felves to contemplation, that you do take
upon yourfelf the offices of Door-keeper, of
Almoner, and Cook. And when the other
Brothers do eat, you fhall eat without the
convent
56 ^i]t ILtttle jFlotDcrs of
convent gate ; to the end that thofe who
come hither, before they knock you may
fatisfy them with certain goodly words from
God ; fo that there be no need for any to iffue
forth but only you ; and this do through
the fruits of holy obedience." Thereupon
Brother Maximus drew on his cowl, and
bowed his head, and humbly received and
continued to obey this charge for many
days, filling the offices of Door-keeper, of
Almoner, and of Cook. Whence his Com-
panions, like men illumined of God, began
to feel great remorfe within their hearts,
confidering that Brother Maximus was a
man of exceeding great Perfectnefs, like
unto themfelves or yet more, and upon him
refted all the burden of the Convent and
not on them. For the which thing they
were all moved with one accord, and went
in and prayed the floly Father that it might
pleafe him to diftribute thofe offices among
them ; forafmuch as their confciences could
in no manner endure that Brother Maximus
fliould undergo fuch toil. Hearing this,
Saint Francis yielded to their counfels and
confented to their wifh, and calling Brother
Maximus, faid to him, " Brother Maximus,
your companions defire to fliare in thofe
offices
^aint ifrancis of ^nmm. 57
offices wliich I liavc bcftowcd upon you ;
and therefore I defirc that the faid offices
may be divided." 15rother Maximus faid
with great Patience and Meeknefs, "Father,
the burden which you lay upon me, be it
all or but a part, I hold it as the work of
God alone." Then Saint Francis, feeing
the Loving-kindnefs of thofe brothers and
the humility of Brother Maximus, preached
them a marvellous fermon upon the moft
faintly quality of Humility ; teaching them
that the greater are the gifts and the graces
beftowed upon us by God, fo much the
more humble fhould we be, forafmuch as
without Humility no virtue is acceptable
in God's fight. And the Sermon ended,
he diftributed the Offices with the utmoft
Affedion.
58 Kf\t ILittlt jFlotorrs ot
CHAPTER XIII.
JIow Saint Fra7icis ajid Brother Maximiis laid
the Bread which they had begged upo7i a Stojte
bejide a Well, and Saint Francis loudly praifed
Poverty. Then He prayed unto God ajid Saint
Feter and Saiftt Paul that they might en-
ainour Hifn of divine Poverty ; and how Saint
Peter and Saint Paul appeared imto Hi?7i.
THAT wondrous fervant and follower
of Chrift, which is Saint Francis,
defiring to conform himfelf perfe6lly unto
Chrift in all things, who, as the Gofpel tells
us, fent out his Difciples two by two into
all thofe cities and towns whither He was
to go; therefore following the example of
Chrift he affembled together twelve Com-
panions and fent them forth into the
world to preach two by two. And to
fet them an example of true obedience,
he firft began to pra6life that which he
did after preach. Hence having affigned
to his Companions the other parts of the
world, he, taking Brother Maximus as his
companion, fet forth towards the Province
of France. And coming one day to a
certain
<Saint iFtancis of ^nninu 59
certain town and being very hnngry, they
begged their bread as they went, accord-
ing to the rule of their Order, for the love
of God ; and Saint Francis went through
one quarter of the town and Brother Maxi-
mus through another. But forafmuch as
Saint Francis was a man mean and low of
ftature, and hence was reputed a vile beg-
gar by fuch as knew him not, he only begged
a few fcanty crufts and mouthfuls of dry
bread ; but to Brother Maximus, inafmuch
as he was great and well-favored, were
given good pieces and large, and an abun-
dance of bread, yea, whole loaves. Hav-
ing begged, they met together without the
town to eat, at a place where there was a
clear well, and befide it was a fair large ftone,
upon which each fpread forth the alms
which he had begged ; and Saint Francis
feeing that the pieces of bread begged by
Brother Maximus were more and better
and bigger than his own, rejoiced greatly,
faying, '* O Brother Maximus, we are not
worthy of fo great a treafure;" and repeat-
ing thefe words many times, Brother Maxi-
mus replied, " Father, how can you talk of
treafures, where there is fuch great pov-
erty and fuch lack of all things needful ?
Here
6o Kfit ILittlt jFIotDtrs of
Here is neither napkin nor knife, neither
board nor trencher, neither houfe nor ta-
ble, neither man-fervant nor maid-fervant."
Saint Francis faid : "And this is that fame
which I repute a great treafure, where
nought is made ready by human indufbry ;
but all that is here is prepared by Divine
Providence, as is plainly fet forth in the
bread which we have begged, in the table
of fair ftone, and in the well of clear water,
and therefore I would that we fliould pray
to God that He teach us to love with all
our heart the treafure of Holy Poverty which
is fo noble a thing, and whofe fervant is God
the Lord," And having faid thefe words,
and having prayed, and having taken the
bodily refe6lion of thofe crufts of bread and
of that water, they arofe to journey into
France ; and coming to a church, Saint
Francis faid to his Companion, " Let us
enter into this church to pray." And
ftraightway Saint Francis retired behind
the altar and fell to praying ; and in that
prayer he received exceeding fervor from
the Divine Vifitation, which fo inflamed his
foul with the love of Holy Poverty, that what
with the color of his face and with the
yawning of his mouth he feemed to dart
forth
.Saint jFrancifj of '^nnini, 6i
forth flames of love. And coming thus
kindled unto his comrade, he faid, " y\h,
ah, ah, Brother Maximus, give me thyfelf ; "
and thefe words he fpake three times ; and
the third time Saint Francis lifted Brother
Maximus in the air with his breath, and
caft him before him for the fpace of a tall
fl;aff; at which that fame Brother Maximus
was much amazed. lie afterwards told
his Companions that in that raifmg and
impulfion of the breath, performed of Saint
Francis, he felt fuch fpiritual fweetnefs and
confolation of the Holy Ghoft as he never
before had known in his life. And this
done, Saint Francis faid, *' Comrade mine,
let us go to Saint Peter and Saint Paul,
and let us pray them that they will be
pleafed to teach us and aid us to poffefs
the unbounded treafure of moft Holy Pov-
erty ; forafmuch as it is a treafure fo worthy
and fo divine that we are not worthy to
poffefs it in our moft Vile Veffels ; feeing
that it is that celeftial virtue by which all
things tranfitory and terreflrial are trodden
under foot, and by the which every care is.
fmoothed from the Soul, to the end that it
may freely be conjoined with the Everlail-'^
ingGod; and this is that fame virtue which
makes
62 m)t mttlt JFlotocrs of
makes the Soul ftill bound to earth con-
verfe with Angels in Heaven ; and this it
is which went with Chrift even to the
Crofs, was buried with Chrift, rofe from the
dead with Chrift, with Chrift afcended into
Heaven ; which even in this life grants to
Souls which truly love it the power to
afcend into Heaven, forafmuch as it pre-
ferves the armor of true Humility and Lov-
ing-kindnefs. And therefore let us pray
the moft Holy Apoftles of Chrift, who were
perfe6l lovers of this Gofpel Pearl, that
they will be pleafed to beftow on us this
grace of our Lord Jeftis Chrift, that of His
moft holy mercy He will make us worthy to
be true lovers, followers, and humble difci-
ples of the moft precious, moft dearly be-
loved, and evangelical Poverty." And in
fuch difcourfe they reached Rome, and
entered into the Church of St. Peter ;
and Saint Francis began to pray in one
corner of the Church and Brother Maxi-
mus in the other. And praying long with
many tears and great devotion, the moft
Holy Apoftles Peter and Paul appeared
unto Saint Francis with great fplendor,
faying, " Forafmuch as you demand and
defire to follow that which Chrift and the
Holy
-Saint iFrancis of ^nniui, 63
Holy Apofllcs followed, the Lord Jefus
Chrift fends us to you to fay that your
prayer has been heard, and that God yields
to you and to your followers the treafure of
moll; Holy Poverty in fulleft meafure. And
alfo He bids us fay unto you that whofo-
ever like you fliall truly follow this defire,
he fhall be bleffed forevermore ; and you
and all your companions fhall be bleffed of
God." And having uttered thefe words
they vaniflied away, leaving Saint Francis
greatly confoled. The fame rofe from his
prayers and returned to his Companion and
afked him if God had revealed nothing
to him. And he anfwered, *' No." Then
Saint Francis told him how the Holy
Apoftles had appeared unto him, and that
which they had revealed to him. Upon
which, each being filled with joy, they de-
termined to return into the Vale of Spoleto,
journeying not into France.
64 STijc Hittlc iFlctocrjs of
CHAPTER XIV.
How Saint Frajicis, dijcourfiiig of God ivith his
Brethren, He appeared in their Midjl,
SAINT FRANCIS, in the early days
of the foundation of his Order, being
gathered together with his Companions,
difcourfing of Chrift, in the ardor of his
fpirit, did charge one among them that
he open his mouth in the name of God,
and fpeak concerning God that which the
Holy Ghoft fhould infpire him to fay. The
Brother obeying the command, and fpeak-
ing marvellous well concerning God,
Saint Francis impofed filence upon him,
and required the fame of another friar.
He obeying, and fpeaking fubtilely of God,
Saint Francis likewife impofed filence upon
him ; and he commanded a third that he
fhould fpeak of God, who likewife began to
talk fo wifely of the fecret things of God
that Saint Francis knew certainly that he,
as alfo the other two, fpake from the Holy
Ghofl, and this alfo was proven by an ex-
ample, and by an exprefs fign ; for they
being in this difcourfe, Chrift the Bleffed
appeared
Sadit iTraucifl of ^nnim, 65
appeared in their midll vifibly and in the
bodily form of a mod lovely Youth ; and
blefling them, he filled them all with fuch
grace and fweetnefs that they were rav-
ifhed out of themfelves, and fell like dead
men, knowing nought of this world. And
then returning to their fenfes, Saint Fran-
cis faid to them : " My beloved Brothers,
give thanks to God, Who has been pleafed
to reveal the treafures of the Divine Wifdom
through the mouths of the fimplc ; foraf-
much as it is God Who opes the mouth
of the dumb and makes the tongue of the
fimple to difcourfe moft wifely."
CHAPTER XV.
JIo7v Saint Chwa ate with Saint Francis a?id
with his Brother Monks in St. Mary of the
Angels.
SAINT FRANCIS, when he was at
Affifi, ofttimes vifited Saint Clara, giv-
ing her holy teachings ; and fhe having the
greateft defire to eat with him but once,
and entreating him many times to this end,
he would never grant her that Confolation.
Hence,
66 Kf^t aittlr jFlotoers of
Hence his Companions, feeing the defire of
Saint Clara, faicl to Saint Francis : " Father,
to us it feems that fuch feverity is not in
accordance with Divine Charity, that Sifter
Clara, a virgin fo faintly and fo beloved of
God, fhould not find favor in your fight to
gain fo fmall a thing as to eat with you ;
and efpecially confidering that fhe through
your preachings forfook riches and all the
pomps of this world ; and verily, were fhe
to afk you a much greater grace than this,
you fhould grant it to your fpiritual child."
Then Saint Francis replied, •* Does it feem
to you that I fhould hear her prayer ? "
His Companions anfwered, " Father, yes ;
it is a righteous thing that you fhould grant
her requeft, and a confolation." Then Saint
Francis faid : " Since it feems meet to you,
it feems fo alfo unto me. But that fhe may
be the more confoled, I defire that this
meal fhould be eaten in the Church of St.
Mary of the Angels, forafmuch as fhe has
long been cloiftered in St. Damian : there-
fore it will rejoice her much to fee the
Church of St. Mary, where her locks were
fhorn off and fhe was made the bride
of Jefus Chrifb ; and there we will eat to-
gether in the name of God." When the
day
^aint jfvanziu of ^nninu 67
clay came a]:)pointcd for this, Saint Clara
left her Convent with one companion, accom-
panied by the Companions of Saint Francis,
and came to St. Mary of the Angels; and
having devoutly fainted the Virgin Mary
before the altar, where her locks had been
fhorn and the veil had been placed upon
her head, they led her about to fee the
place until at laft it was time to dine.
And Saint Francis ordered the cloth to be
laid in their midft upon the bare ground,
as he was wont to do. And when the hour
for dinner came, Saint Francis and Saint
Clara fat down together, and one of the
Comrades of Saint Francis with Saint
Clara's Companion, and then all their other
Companions took their places humbly. And
for the firft difli Saint Francis began to
talk of God fo fweetly, fo nobly, fo won-
drous well, that the abundance of the Divine
grace defcending upon them, they were all
tranfported as it were to Heaven. And
being thus tranfported, with eyes and
hands raifed to Heaven, the men of Affifi
and of Bettona, and of the country round
about, faw how St. Mary of the Angels,
and all that place, and the wood which
flood befide it, burned fiercely ; and it
feemed
68 ^fje ILtttle JFIolDccs of
feemed as it were a great fire, which filled
the Church, and the place, and the wood
alfo ; wherefore the people of Affifi in great
hafte ran thither to put out the Fire, truly-
thinking that everything was burning.
But on reaching the fpot, and finding no
flames, they entered in, and found Saint
Francis with Saint Clara, and with all their
companions, abforbed in the contemplation
of God, and fitting around that humble
board. Whence they perceived that thofe
were divine and not material flames, which
God had caufed to appear miraculoufly, to
fhow forth and fignify the Fire of the Divine
Love with which the fouls of thofe holy
monks and nuns were confumed ; where-
fore they departed with great Confolation
in their hearts, and with holy Edification.
Then after a great fpace Saint Francis re-
turning to himfelf, and likewife Saint Clara,
together with the others, and feeling them-
felves much comforted by the fpiritual food,
they cared little for bodily fuftenance. And
thus, this bieffed meal being ended. Saint
Clara, well efcorted, returned to St. Damian ;
whence her Sifters, feeing her coming, re-
joiced greatly, inafmuch as they feared
left Saint Francis had fent her to rule
over
Saint jTrnncis of ^nnini. 69
over fome other convent, even as he had
already fent Sifter Agnes, her ghoftly fifter,
as abbefs to rule over the monaftery of
Monticelli at Florence ; and Saint Fran-
cis had once faid to Saint Clara, " Be ready,
if I need you, that I may fend you fome-
whither," and flie, as befeemed a daugh-
ter of Holy Obedience, had made anfwer,
" Father, I am ever ready to go whither-
foever you may fend me." And hence
the Sifters rejoiced greatly v^^hen they faw
her again among them : and Saint Clara
thenceforth remained much confoled.
CHAPTER XVI.
Ifozci Sai7it Francis received the Advice of Sai7it
Clara and of Holy Brother Sylvefler, that he
fJwuld go forth and preach, cofiverting the
People ; a7id he created the Third Order, and
preached to the Birds and filenced the young
Swallows.
THAT humble fervant of Jefus Chrift,
Saint Francis, fhortly after his con-
verfion, having already gathered together
many companions and received them into
the
70 Kf\t ILittlt Jf^lomvu of
the Order, fell into deep thought and into
grave doubt as to what he fhould do, —
whether he fhould devote himfelf wholly
to prayer, or whether indeed he fhould fome-
times preach ; and on this fubje6l he greatly
defired to know the will of God. And
forafmuch as the Saintly Humility which
was in him would not let him truft to him-
felf or to his own prayers alone, he ftrove
to feek out the Divine will through the
prayers of others ; hence he called Brother
Maximus, and fpake to him thus: "Go to
Sifter Clara and tell her from me that fhe,
with certain of her moft fpiritual compan-
ions, fhall pray devoutly to God that it
may pleafe Him to reveal to me whether
it is better that I fhould devote myfelf
to preaching, or merely to prayer. And
then go to Brother Sylvefter and fay the
fame words." This was that fame Mafter
Sylvefter who had feen a golden crofs come
forth from the mouth of Saint Francis,
which was as high as the heavens and as
broad as the confines of the globe. And
fuch were the devotion and the fandity of
this fame Brother Sylvefter, that whatfo-
ever he afked of God, even that fame he
obtained, and his prayer was granted, and
many
^aint jfvantin o£ ^amnu 71
many times he fpake with God ; and yet
Saint Francis alfo had great piety. Brother
Maximus went forth, and according to the
command of Saint Francis he fulfilled his
errand firft to Saint Clara and then to
Brother Sylvefter ; who, when he had re-
ceived it, incontinently fell to praying, and
praying he heard the Divine voice, and turn-
ing to Brother Maximus he faid : " Thus
faith the Lord, which you fliall repeat to
Brother Francis, — that God did not call
him unto this ftate for himfelf alone, but
that he might reap a harveft of fouls, and
many through him fhall be faved." Having
this anfwer, Brother Maximus returned to
Saint Clara to know that which fhe had
obtained of God. And fhe made anfwer
that fhe and her Companions had had
from God the felfsame anfwer which
Brother Sylvefter had had. With this
Brother Maximus returned to Saint Fran-
cis ; and Saint Francis received him with
the utmoft Affe6lion, wafhing his feet and
laying the cloth for him to dine. And
after eating. Saint Francis called Brother
Maximus into the thick wood ; and there
he knelt before him, and drawing down his
Cowl over his face, he croffed his arms and
afked
72 5rij0 nettle JFIoUJcris of
alked him, faying, " What does my Lord
and Mafter Jefus Chrift command me to
do ? " Brother Maximus made anfvver :
"Both to Brother Sylvefter and to Sifter
Clara, with her Sifters, Chrift has replied
and made manifeft that it is His will that
you ftiall go forth into the world to preach ;
forafmuch as He did not call you for your-
felf alone, but even alfo for the falvation of
others." And then Saint Francis, when that
he had heard this anfwer and learned there-
from the will of Jefus Chrift, rofe up with
the greateft fervor, faying, " Let us go forth
in the name of God." And he took for his
Companions Brother Maximus and Brother
Andrew, holy men both ; and going forth
filled with the things of the Spirit, without
confidering their road or their way, they
came to a Caftle, which is called Savur-
niano, and Saint Francis began to preach ;
and he firft commanded the Swallows, which
were finging, to keep filence fo long as
until he fhould have preached ; and the
Swallows obeyed him ; and he preached in
this place with fuch fervor that all the men
and the women in that Caftle, from devotion,
would have followed after him and forfaken
the Caftle ; but Saint Francis forbade them,
faying,
cSaint iFmncis oC Assist, 73
faying, " Be not in haftc, and depart not,
and I will order all things which you are
to do for the falvation of your foul." And
then he created the Third Order, for the
Univcrfal Salvation of all men ; and thus
leaving many confoled and well difpofed
to penitence, he departed from thence and
came to Cannajo and Bevagno. And paff-
ing on his way with the felfsame fervor, he
raifed his eyes and faw certain trees by the
roadfide in which were an infinite multitude
of birds ; at which Saint Francis marvelled
greatly, and faid to his Companions, "Await
me here in the road, and I will go and preach
to my Sifters the birds." And he entered
the field and began to preach to the birds
which were on the ground ; and fuddenly
thofe which were in the trees came down
to him, and as many as there were they all
ftood quietly until Saint Francis had done
preaching ; and even then they did not
depart until fuch time as he had given
them his bleffing; and according to the
later recital of Brother Maximus to Brother
James of Maffa, Saint Francis moving
among them touched them with his cape,
but not one moved. The fubftance of Saint
Francis' fermon was this : ** My Sifters the
birds,
74 ^!)f autlr iFlotoers of
birds, ye are greatly beholden unto God
your Creator, and always and in every
place it is your duty to praife Him, foraf-
much as He hath given you freedom to fly
in every place ; alfo hath He given you rai-
ment twofold and threefold almoft, becaufe
He preferved your Seed in the ark of Noah,
that your race might never be lefs. Again,
ye are bounden to Him for the element of
the air, which He has deputed unto you ;
moreover, you fow not, neither do you
reap, and God feeds you, and gives you the
flreams and fountains for your thirft ; He
gives you mountains and valleys for your
refuge ; tall trees wherein to make your
nefts ; and inafmuch as you neither fpin
nor weave, God clothes you, you and your
children ; hence ye fhould love your Crea-
tor greatly, Who gives you fuch great bene-
fits, and therefore beware, my Sifters, of the
fm of ingratitude, and ever ftrive to praife
God." Saint Francis faying thefe words
to them, all thofe birds, as many as there
were, began to ope their beaks and ftretch
forth their necks and fpread their wings
and reverently to bow their heads even to
the earth, and by their a6ls and their fongs
to fet forth that the Holy Father gave them
the
.V %'
SAIXT FRANCIS PREACHING TO THE BIRDS.
From the Painting by Giotto.
^aint iFrancis of ^nnini, 75
the utmoft delight ; and Saint Francis re-
joiced with them, pleafed and marvelling
much to fee fo vafb a multitude of birds,
and their moll; beautiful variety, their at-
tention and familiarity ; for the which
things in them he devoutly praifed the
Creator. Finally, his preaching ended,
Saint Francis made them the fign of the
Crofs and gave them leave to depart ; and
then all thofe birds rofe into the air with
wondrous fongs ; and then, according to
the Crofs which Saint Francis had made
them, they divided into four parts ; and
the one part flew towards the eaft, and the
other towards the weft, and the one part
towards the fouth, and the other towards
the north, and each band went away fmg-
ing marvellous fongs ; fignifying by this how
that Saint Francis, the Enfign of the Crofs
of Chrift, had come to preach to them, and
had made the fign of the Crofs over them,
according to which they had fcattered to
the four quarters of the globe. Thus the
preaching of the Crofs of Chrift renewed by
Saint Francis was by him and his Brethren
borne throughout the whole world ; which
Brethren, even as the birds, poffeffed noth-
ing of this world's goods, but committed their
life to the fole and only providence of God.
76 ^ije ILittle iFlotorrs oC
CHAPTER XVII.
How a Francifcan Child, while Saint Francis
prayed by Nighty Jaw Chrijl and the Virgin
Ma7y, and many other Sai?its with Him,
AVERY pure and innocent child was
received into the Order while Saint
Francis yet lived ; and he abode in a fmall
convent, wherein from fheer neceffity the
Brethren flept in cafb-off rags. Saint Fran-
cis coming on a time to this place, at even-
tide, Complines being faid, he went to fleep
betimes, to the end that he might rife in
the night to pray when the other Brothers
flept, as was his wont. The faid child de-
termined folicitoufly to watch the ways of
Saint Francis, for the better acquaintance
with his fan6lity, and efpecially to know
that which he did at night when he arofe
from bed. And to the end that fleep might
not overtake him, this little lad lay down to
fleep by the fide of Saint Francis, and bound
his girdle to that of Saint Francis, that he
might have warning if he rofe up : and of
this Saint Francis knew not aught. But
in the firft fleep of night, when all the
other
<Saint iFtancis of Assist, ^-j
other Brothers flumbered, he arofe and
found his girdle thus bound, and loofed it
pioufly, fo that the child was not awakened ;
and Saint Francis ftraightway went out
into the Wood, which was hard by that
place, and entered into a tiny cell which
was there and fell to praying. And after
a certain fpace the child awoke, and finding
the girdle loofed and Saint Francis arifen,
he alfo rofe up and went about feeking
him; and finding the door open whence
he had iffued forth into the Wood, he imag-
ined that Saint Francis had gone thither,
and he alfo followed after into the Wood.
And having drawn near to the fpot where
Saint Francis was at prayer, he began to
hear the murmur of many voices ; and
drawing ever nearer to fee and to under-
ftand that which he heard, he beheld a
great and wondrous light which fhone
round about Saint Francis, and therein he
faw Chrifl, and the Virgin Mary, and Saint
John the Baptift, and Saint John the Evan-
gelift, and a vaft multitude of Angels, who
difcourfed with Saint Francis. Seeing and
hearing thefe things, the child fell to the
earth in a fwoon ; then, the Myftery of
this holy apparition completed, and Saint
Francis
78 fTije mttlt jFlotorrs of
Francis being about to return to the con-
vent, he found the child with his foot, —
which is to fay, he ftumbled over him, — ly-
ing like one dead ; and from compaffion he
lifted him up and took him in his arms, as
the good Shepherd does his fheep. And
then learning from him how that he had
feen that felfsame vifion, he commanded him
never to fpeak of it to living man, that is,
fo long as he himfelf fhould yet live. The
child, growing in the grace of God and the
favor of Saint Francis, became a valiant
member of the Order ; and he, after the
death of Saint Francis, revealed the faid
vifion to the Brethren.
CHAPTER XVIII.
0/ the marvellotis Chapter held by Saitit Francis
i?t the Church of St. Mary of the Angels^ where
were affembled 7nore than five thoufand of the
Brethren.
FRANCIS, faithful fervant of Chrift,
upon a time held a General Chapter
at St. Mary of the Angels, at which fame
Chapter were affembled more than five
thoufand
Saint jFrancis of ^ssCsC, 79
thoiifand of the Brethren ; and there came
thither Saint Dominic, the head and very
foundation of the Order of Preaching or
Dominican Friars, who was then jour-
neying from Burgundy to Rome. And
hearing of the congregation of the Chap-
ter which Saint Francis had called to-
gether upon the plain round about St.
Mary of the Angels, he turned afide to
fee it, with feven Brothers of his Order.
There was furthermore at this Chapter a
Cardinal moft pioufly attached to Saint
Francis, to whom he had prophefied that
he fhould yet be Pope, and even fo it was ;
the which Cardinal had come exprefQy
from Perugia, where the Court abode, to
Affifi ; daily he came to vifit Saint Fran-
cis and his Brothers, and daily he fang the
Mafs, and daily he preached a fermon to
the Brethren in the Chapter ; and the faid
Cardinal felt the utmoft devotion and de-
light when he came to vifit that holy
College. And feeing the Brethren fitting
round about St. Mary's, rank on rank, here
forty, here an hundred, and here eighty to-
gether, all abforbed in difcourfmg of God,
in Prayers and Lamentation, in a6ls of
Charity, and they obferving luch filence,
and
8o 2ri)r ILittle jFlotuers of
and fo great their modefty that no fainteft
noife nor clamor was to be heard, and
marvelling at fo orderly and fo vafb a multi-
tude, with tears and much devotion he faid,
" Verily, verily this is the Encampment and
the Army of the Knights of God." In all
that multitude no man was heard recount-
ing idle tales nor Jefts ; but wherever a
band of Brothers was met together, either
they prayed, or they read their Offices, or
they bewailed their fins or thofe of their
benefa6lors, or they difcourfed of the Salva-
tion of their fouls. Upon that field were
huts woven of hurdles or of reeds, divided
into bands according to the Friars from
various provinces ; and hence that Chapter
was called the Chapter of the Hurdles and
alfo of the Reeds. Their beds were the
bare ground, and fome among them had a
little ftraw ; their Pillows were of ftone or
of wood ; by reafon of which all who heard
or faw them felt much Admiration for their
devotion. And fo great was the fame of
their San6lity, that there came thither from
the Papal Court, which was then at Perugia,
and from other parts of the Vale of Spo-
leto, many counts, barons, cavaliers, and
other gentlemen, and many country people
and
Saint Jfvantiu oC Assist, 8i
and Cardinals and Bidiops and Abbots with
many other of the clergy to fee a congre-
gation fo holy, fo vaft, and yet fo humble,
for never before fmce the world began had
fo many holy men been met together ; and
chiefly they came to fee the Head and
moft Holy Father of thefe faintly folk,
which had robbed the world of fo fair a
prey, and gathered together fo beauteous
and fo devout a flock to follow in the foot-
fteps of the true Shepherd Chrift Jefus.
The entire General Chapter being then
affembled, the Holy Father and Com-
mander of all, Saint Francis, with fervent
fpirit fet forth the Word of God, and
preached to them in a loud voice the words
which the Holy Ghoft put into his mouth ;
and as the fubje6l of his fermon he fpake
thefe words : " My fons, great things have
we promifed unto God : far greater are
promifed to us of God, if we keep our
promifes unto Him : and we may furely
await thofe which are promifed unto us.
Brief are the pleafures of this World ; the
pains that follow in their train are everlaft-
ing ; flight are the Pangs of this life, but
the Glory of the other life is infinite."
And preaching devoutly upon this text, he
comforted
6
82 ^Tijt mttlt jFlotoers of
comforted and perfuaded the Brothers to
obedience and reverence for their Holy
Mother Church, and to brotherly affe6lion,
and to worfliip God before all the people,
to be patient in worldly Adverfity, and tem-
perate in Profperity, to obferve Purity and
angelic Chaftity, and to preferve peace and
concord with God and with man and with
their own confcience, and to love and pur-
fue the moft Holy Poverty. And upon this
point he fpake thefe words : " I charge you,
by the fruits of your holy vow of obedience,
that all ye, who are gathered together here,
take no thought to yourfelves, nor any
heed for what ye fhall eat, or fhall drink,
or wherewithal ye fliall be clothed, but
apply yourfelves only to praying and praif-
ing God ; and leave all care for your bodies
unto Him, forafmuch as He hath a fpecial
care over you." And every man among
them, as many as there were there, received
this command with a light heart and a cheer-
ful face ; and Saint P>ancis having ended his
fermon, they all fell to praying. At which
Saint Dominic, who was prefent at thefe
things, marvelled greatly at the charge of
Saint Francis, and held him to be indif-
creet, being unable to fancy how fo vaft a
hoft
Saint iFrancCs of ^nninU S^
hoft could exift without taking any thought
or heed for the things of the Body. But
the great Shepherd Chrift the bleft, defir-
ing to fliow how He cares for His Sheep
and His fingular love for His poor follow-
ers, ftraightway infpired the men of Perugia,
of Spoleto, of Fuligno, of Spello, Affifi,
and the other regions round about, to bear
food and drink to that holy congregation.
And lo fuddenly a great multitude of men
came forth from the faid regions, with beafts
of burden, horfes, and carts, laden with
bread and wine, with honeycomb and with
cheefe, and with other good things to eat,
according as Chrift's poor had need. More-
over they bore alfo napkins, jugs, bowls,
glaffes, and other veffels, enough to ferve fo
vaft a multitude : and he counted himfelf
happy who could fet forth moft offer-
ings or could moft acceptably ferve ; in-
inafmuch as even the Knights and Barons
and other Gentlemen, who came thither to
fee, ferved before them with great humility
and devotion. Wherefore Saint Dominic,
feeing thefe things, and knowing truly that
a Divine Providence did work within them,
humbly acknowledged that he had falfely
judged Saint Francis as indifcreet in his
commands ;
84 ^f^t mttlt jFlotarrs oC
commands ; and going before him, he
knelt down and humbly confeffed his guilt,
and added: "Verily God hath an efpecial
care for thefe poor faints, and I knew it
not ; and from this time forth T promife to
obferve the Holy Poverty of the Gofpels,
and I curfe in the name of God all thofe
Brethren of my Order who fhall within
that fame Order prefume to hold property."
Thus Saint Dominic was much edified by
the faith of the moft holy Francis, and by
the obedience to their vow of poverty dif-
played by fo vaft and orderly a community,
and by the Divine Providence and the copi-
ous abundance of every good thing. At
that fame Chapter fome faid to Saint Fran-
cis that many of the Friars wore inftru-
ments of torture next their fkin, for the
which thing many fell ill, and hence died,
and many were thus prevented from prayer.
At which Saint Francis, like a moft pru-
dent Father, by his vow of Holy Obedi-
ence charged every man who might wear
fuch inftruments of torture, to ftrip them
off and lay them before him, and fo it was
done ; and they reckoned at leaft five hun-
dred of one kind ; and fo many were there
of iron rings taken from arms and breaft,
that
<Saint jFvancis of ^uniuu 85
that they formed a little mountain ; and
Saint Francis left them where they lay.
Then, the Chapter bein^ ended, Saint
Francis comforted them all mightily, and
inftrudled them how they might live with-
out fin in this wicked world, and fent them
all home, every man to his own Province,
with the bleffing of God, all greatly con-
foled and full of fpiritual joy.
CHAPTER XIX.
Ifo7a the Grapes iit the Vineyard of the Priejl
of Rieti, in whofe Hoife Saint Francis prayed^
were trampled a?td plucked by the many People
which came thither to him ; and then miracu-
loujly made more Wine than ever before, even
as Saint Fra7icis had promifed. And how
the Lord revealed to Saint Fraficis that
Paradife fJioidd be his lot.
SAINT FRANCIS being once affliaed
with a grievous malady of the eyes.
Cardinal Ugolino, Protector of the Order,
for the great love he bore him, wrote
to him bidding him come to him at Rieti,
where were moft excellent do6lors for the
eyes. Then Saint Francis, having re-
ceived
86 STJe iLittU JFlotPeo of
ceived the Cardinal's letter, fet forth
firft to Saint Damian's, where dwelt Saint
Clara, that moft faithful fpoufe of Chrifl,
to give her fome little confolation, and
thence to journey to the Cardinal. Be-
ing there, the next night Saint Francis
found his eyes fo much worfe that he
could fee no ray of light ; hence being
unable to depart, Saint Clara made him a
little cell of reeds wherein he might bet-
ter reft. But Saint Francis, what with the
anguifli of his eyes, and what with the multi-
tude of rats and mice which did difturb him
mightily, could find no Peace, neither by
day nor by night. And enduring long thefe
pangs and tribulations, he began to think
and to fee that this was a fcourge fent by
God to punifh him for his fms ; and he
began to thank the Lord with his whole
heart and with his lips, and then he cried
out in a loud voice and faid : *' My Lord,
worthy am I of this and of far worfe. My
Lord Jefus Chrift, the Good Shepherd, who
haft fhown Thy mercy to fmners by various
bodily pains and agonies, grant me. Thy
rebellious flieep, grace and power to hold
to Thee through all illnefs, anguifh, and
pain." And in the midft of this prayer he
heard
^aint iFtancfs of ^nniuL Sy
heard a voice from Heaven, faying, " Fran-
cis, anfvver me : Were all the earth gold,
and all the feas and fprings and ftrcams
precious balm, and all the mountains and
hills and rocks precious ftones, and you
fliould find another treafure as much
more noble than thefe things as gold
is more noble than earth, and balm than
clear water, and precious ftones than rocks
and hills, and with this your affli6tion you
were given that far nobler treafure, fhould
you not then be content indeed and happy
of heart ? " Saint Francis made anfwer,
faying, " Lord, I am not worthy of fuch a
precious treafure ; " and the voice of God
faid unto him, "Rejoice, Francis, and be
exceeding glad, for this is the treafure of
Life Eternal, which I referved for you, and
with which from this time forth I inveft
you ; and this your infirmity and afHi6tion
is but the pledge and token of that Bleffed
Treafure." Then Saint Francis called his
Companion, with exceeding great joy at fo
glorious a promife, and faid, " Let us fet
forth to the Cardinal ;" and comforting firft
Saint Clara with holy words, and fhe hum-
bly taking leave of them, he took his way
towards Rieti. And when he had drawn
near
88 ^ije nettle iFlotacrs oi
near, fo vaft a multitude of people came
forth to meet him, that he could not there-
fore enter into the city ; but he went to
a Church, which was diftant perhaps two
miles from the town. The citizens, know-
ing that he was within that Church, ran
thither in fuch numbers to behold him,
that the vineyard of the faid Church was
laid wafte, and the grapes were all gath-
ered ; at which the Prieft was greatly
grieved within himfelf, and repented that
he had received Saint Francis. The
Prieft's thought being revealed of God
to Saint Francis, he called him before
him, faying : " Beloved Father, how many
meafures of wine does your vineyard yield
you in the beft of years ? " He anfwered,
"Twelve meafures." Saint Francis faid:
"I pray you. Father, patiently to permit
me to abide with you yet a few days,
forafmuch as I find much reft here, and
fuffer every man to pluck the grapes of
this your vineyard, for the love of God,
and of me a poor beggar ; and 1 promife
you in the name of my Mafter Chrift Jefus,
that it fhall yield you every year twenty
meafures." And this did Saint Francis to
the end that he might fojourn there, where
he
.Saint ifccincis of ^nnini. 89
he reaped a rich harvcft of fouls, from
the multitude that came thither; many of
whom departed thence drunk with Divine
Love, and forfook the world. The Prieft had
faith in the promife of Saint Francis, and
freely fuffered all who came to pluck the
grapes. Wonderful to relate ! The vine-
yard was laid wafte and bare fo that fcarce
a clufter of grapes remained upon the vine.
The time for the vintage came, and the
Prieft gathered in thofe fcanty clufters, and
placed them in the prefs and trod them
out, and according to the promife of Saint
Francis they yielded him twenty meafures
of the beft wine. By which miracle is mani-
feftly fet forth, that as by the merits of
Saint Francis the vine ftripped of its
grapes yet abounded in wine, fo the Chrif-
tian people, made bare of virtues by their
fins, through the merits and doftrine of
Saint Francis ofttimes abound in the good
fruits of repentance.
90 K^t mttU iFlotoers oi
CHAPTER XX.
0/ a very fair Vi/io?i, Jem by a young Friar,
who held the Cowl in fiich abo7?ii?iation that
He was difpofed to lay aft.de his Habit andfor-
fake the Order.
A CERTAIN very noble and delicate
youth entered the Order of Saint
Francis ; the which after the fpace of fome
days, by the inftigation of the Devil, began
to hold the Habit which he wore in fuch
abomination, that he feemed to wear the
vileft fackcloth ; he had a loathing for the
fleeves, he abhorred the cowl, and its
length and harfhnefs feemed to him an
unbearable burden. And his diftafte for
the Religious Life ever increafmg, he at
laft propofed to give up the Habit and re-
turn to the world. It had become his cuf-
tom, according as he had been taught by
his mafter, to kneel moft reverently at what-
soever hour he might pafs before the altar
of the Convent whereon the Body of Chrift
was kept, and drawing his cowl over his
head, to bow low with croffed arms. It
happened, that upon the felfsame night
wherein
cSaint iFrancis of ^uninL 91
wherein he was to depart and go forth
from the Order, he was forced to pafs be-
fore the Convent Altar ; and paffmg, as
was his wont, he knelt and made a humble
reverence. And fuddenly he was rapt in
an ecftafy, and was fliown by God a won-
drous Vifion, forafmuch as he faw before
him an almoft infinite number of faints,
walking as in proceffion, two by two, ar-
rayed in moft fair and precious robes of
linen, and their faces and their hands
flione like the fun, and they paffed along
with angelic fongs and founds ; among
which faints were two more nobly clad and
adorned than all the others, and they were
fet round about with fuch luftre that all
who gazed upon them were filled with
exceeding great Awe ; and almoft at the
end of the proceffion he faw one decked
with fuch glory that he feemed a new-made
knight, more honored than the reft. This
youth beholding the faid vifion, marvelled
and knew not what this procefifion was
meant to fignify, and he ventured not to
afk any man, but remained ftruck dumb
with the delight of it. And neverthelefs
all the proceffion having paffed him by, he
plucked up his fpirits and ran forthwith to
the
92 5rt)r WLittlt jFIotoers of
the laft men in it ; and with great dread,
he afked them, faying : " Oh, my Beloved,
I pray you that it may pleafe you to tell
me who are thefe wondrous beings, which
feem fo glorious in this proceffion ? " And
they made anfwer : " Know, O fon, that
we are all Gray Friars, who come hither
from the fplendors of Paradife." And he
again queftioned them, faying : " Who are
yonder two, who fhine yet more radiant
than the reft ? " They made anfwer :
"Thofe are Saint Francis and Saint An-
tony ; and that lafb, whom you fee fo
greatly honored, is a Holy Brother who
died but newly ; who, forafmuch as he
fought valiantly againft all temptation,
and perfevered unto the end, we condu6l
in triumph to the glories of Paradife ; and
thefe garments of fair linen, wherewith we
are arrayed, are given us of God in exchange
for the coarfe tunics which patiently we
wore in the Religious Order ; and the glo-
rious luftre which you fee round about us
is given us of God for the Humility and Pa-
tience and for the Holy Poverty and Obe-
dience and.Chaftity which we obferved unto
the end. And therefore, fon, hold it not
hard to bear the fackcloth of Religion which
is
Saint jfvantin of Assist. 93
is fo fruitful of reward ; forafmuch, as if
with the fackcloth of Saint Francis, for
love of Chrift, you dcfpife the world, and
mortify the flefli, and fight a good fight
againft the Foul Fiend, you fhall have rai-
ment like unto that which we do wear, and
a glory of light." And having heard thefe
words, the youth returned to his fenfes,
and greatly comforted by the vifion, he
drove far from him all temptation, and con-
feffed his fin before his Superior and the
Brethren ; and from that time forth he
ardently longed for afperity of penitence
and of attire, and ended his life in the
Order in great hoHnefs.
CHAPTER XXI.
0/ the Moji Holy Miracle, which Saint Francis
performed, when he cofiverted the very fierce
Wolf at Gubbio.
IN the days when Saint Francis dwelt in
the city of Gubbio, there appeared in
that region a very great, terrible, and fierce
Wolf, the which not only devoured animals,
but even alfo men ; infomuch that all the
citizens
94 ®^t^ Hittlr iFlotorrs of
citizens of that place flood in great dread of
him ; forafmuch as many times he came very
near to the town ; and neverthelefs none
who chanced to meet with him alone could
in an}^ wife defend himfelf againft him.
And fo great was the fear of this Wolf,
that none ventured forth into the country.
Wherefore Saint Francis, having compaf-
fion upon the men of that land, defired to
go forth unto this Wolf, — albeit the citi-
zens, every man among them,counfelled him
againft it, — and making the fign of the Moft
Holy Crofs, he fet forth into the country
round about, he with his Companions, put-
ting all his truft in God. And the others
doubting whether they fhould go farther,
Saint Francis took his way towards the
place where the Wolf lay. And lo, feeing
fo many citizens, who had come forth to
fee fuch a miracle, the faid Wolf came
out to meet Saint Francis with open
mouth ; and drawing near to him. Saint
Francis made the fign of the Moft Holy
Crofs, and called unto him, faying : " Come
hither. Brother Wolf ; I command you in the
name of Chrift Jefus, that you do no manner
of evil either to me or to any other man."
Wonderful to relate ! Immediately that
Saint
.Saint jFrancis of Assist, 95
Saint Francis made the fign of the Crofs,
the terrible Wolf clofed his jaws and gave
over running ; and hearing this command,
he came meekly as any lamb, and laid him-
felf down at the feet of Saint Francis.
And thereupon Saint Francis addreffed
him in thefe words, faying : " Brother Wolf,
you do much harm in thefe parts, and you
have done great evil, killing and devour-
ing God's creatures without His fovereign
leave. And not only have you killed and
devoured beafts, but you have dared to kill
men, made in the image of God ; for the
which thing you are worthy of the gallows,
like any thief and villanous murderer ; and
all the people cry out and murmur againft
you, and all the land is hoftile unto you.
But I defire. Brother Wolf, to make peace
between you and them, fo that you may
offend no more, and they fhall forgive you
all your paft offences, and neither men nor
dogs fhall purfue you any more." Having
uttered thefe words, the Wolf by the mo-
tions of his body and his tail and his eyes,
and by bowing his head, fet forth that he
accepted that which Saint Francis faid, and
defired to obferve it. Then Saint Francis
began again : " Brother Wolf, inafmuch as it
pleafes
96 ^f^t ILittIt JFlotDcrs of
pleafes you to make and to keep this peace,
I promife you that I will fee to it that your
living fhall be given you continually, fo
long as you fhall live, by the men of this
country, fo that you fliall not fuffer hunger ;
forafmuch as I am well aware that hunger
has caufed your every crime. But fmce I
get for you this grace, I require, Brother
Wolf, your promife never again to do harm
to any human being, neither to any beaft.
Do you promife ? " And the Wolf, by bow-
ing his head, plainly gave fign that he
promifed. And Saint Francis faid farther:
" Brother Wolf, I defire you to give me
fome token of this your promife, although
I have full faith in your loyalty." And
Saint Francis ftretching forth his hand, the
Wolf lifted up his right paw and confid-
ingly laid it in the hand of Saint Francis,
giving him this pledge of his faith, as befl
he could. And then Saint Francis faid :
" Brother Wolf, I charge you in the name
of Chrift Jefus that you now follow me, noth-
ing doubting, and we will go forth and con-
clude this peace in God's name." And the
Wolf obediently followed after him, like any
lamb; fo that the citizens, feeing this, mar-
velled greatly. And fuddenly the news was
fpread
SaCnt jftantin of ^nninU 97
fpread throughout all the city : fo that the
people, men as well as women, great as well
as fmall, young as well as old, flocked to
the market-place to behold the Wolf with
Saint Francis. And all the people being
gathered together, Saint Francis rofe up
and began to preach to them, faying among
other things : " Inafmuch as for your fins,
God hath permitted certain evil things and
fundry peftilences ; and far more danger-
ous as are the flames of Hell, which en-
dure eternally for the damned, than is the
wrath of the Wolf, which can but kill the
body, — so much more therefore fliould
ye fear the jaws of Hell, when the mouth
of one fmall animal can terrify and alarm
fo vaft a multitude ! Turn then, my Be-
loved, unto God, and repent worthily of
your fms, and God fliall rid you of the Wolf
in this prefent time, and of the fires of Hell
in time to come." And having preached,
Saint Francis faid : ''Hearken, my Brethren :
Brother Wolf, who ftands here before you,
hath promifed and given me a token of his
good faith to make peace with you, and
never to offend you more in anything what-
foever ; and you muft promife henceforth to
give him daily all that is needful to him,
7 and
98 Kf^t mult jFlotorrs of
and I will be bailfman for him, that he will
firmly hold to his compact of peace." Then
all the people with one accord promifed to
feed him continually. And Saint Francis,
before them all, faid to the Wolf: "And you,
Brother Wolf, do you promife to keep the
peace with thefe people, and to offend no
more againft men, neither againft beafts,
nor any other creatures ? " And the Wolf
knelt before him, and bowed his head,
and with fubmiffive motions of body and
tail and ears fhowed in fo far as he was
able, that he would keep his every prom-
ife. Saint Francis faid: ''Brother Wolf, I
defire that even as you gave me a pledge
of this your promife outfide the gates, fo
here before all thefe people you fhall give
me a token of your good faith, and that
you will not cheat me of my promife and
fecurity which I have given for you." Then
the Wolf, lifting up his right paw, laid it in
the hand of Saint Francis. Upon this ac-
tion and upon thofe which had gone before,
there was fuch rejoicing and fuch marvel-
ling in all the people, both at the devotion
of the Saint, and at the novelty of the
miracle, and at the peace with the Wolf,
that all began to cry aloud unto Heaven,
praifing
Saint iFrancis of ^nninu 99
praifing and bleffing God, that had fciit
unto thcni Saint Francis, who by his great
merits had freed them from the mouth of
this cruel bcaft. And then the faid Wolf
lived two years in Gubbio, and entered
meekly into every houfe, going from door
to door, doing no manner of mifchief to
any man, and none being done to him. And
he was courteoufly nouriflied by the peo-
ple ; and roaming thus through the land
and from houfe to houfe, never any dog
barked at his coming in or at his going
out. Finally, after two years, Brother Wolf
died of old age ; at the which the citizens
mourned much, inafmuch as feeing him
moving fo meekly through the city, they
were the more mindful of the virtue and
fan6lity of Saint Francis.
CHAPTER XXII.
Ifow Saint Ff-ancis tamed the wild Turtle-Doves.
A BOY one day took a number of turtle-
doves, and carrying them to the
market-place for fale, he met Saint Fran-
cis, who ever felt Angular compaffion for
all
loo TOjt ILittlt JFlotijers tif
all gentle animals. Gazing at thefe turtle-
doves with pitiful eyes, he faid to the boy:
" Oh, good youth, give them to me, I pray
you ; nor fuffer birds fo meek and gentle,
to whom chafte, humble, and faithful fouls
are likened in the Scriptures, to fall into
the hands of cruel men, who will flay
them." The boy, fuddenly infpired of
God, gave them all to Saint Francis; and
he receiving them in his bofom, began to
fpeak fweetly unto them : *' O my Sifters,
fimple, chafte, and innocent doves, why did
ye fuffer yourf elves to be taken } I would
now refcue you from death, and make nefts
for you, that ye may increafe and bring
forth young, according to the command of
the Lord our God." And Saint Francis
went forth, and made nefts for every one ;
and they, ufmg them, began to lay eggs,
and to bring forth young before the
Friars ; "and fo tame were they and con-
forted fo freely with Saint Francis and the
other Friars," as they had been hens and
ever fed from their hands, and departed not
from among them, until Saint Francis with
his bleffmg gave them leave to fl}^ thence.
And to the boy who gave them to him
Saint Francis faid : " Son, you fhall yet be
a
Saint iFcancis of '^XnmnL loi
a brother in this Order, and fliall fcrve
Chrill Jcfus worthily," and fo it was ; foraf-
much as the boy became a friar and Hved
in the Order with great fan6lity.
CHAPTER XXIII.
How Saint Francis fct free the Friar who had
finned with the aid of the Devil,
SAINT FRANCIS, being once at prayer
within the Convent of Portiuncula,
beheld by Divine Revelation all that Con-
vent furrounded and befieged of Demons,
after the manner of an huge army ; but
none among them could enter into the
Convent, forafmuch as thofe friars were of
fuch fan6lity, that the Demons found no
man among them into whom they might
enter. But perfevering thus, upon a cer-
tain day, one of thofe fame friars grew angry
with another one, and took counfel with his
own heart, how he might accufe him and
take vengeance upon him ; for the which
thing, he cherifliing thus this evil thought,
the Demon, finding the door open, entered
in and placed himfelf upon the neck of that
fame
I02 ^t)^ SLittle JFlotatrs of
fame friar. The pious and careful Shep-
herd, who watcheth ever over his flocks,
feeing therefore that the Wolf had entered
in to devour his Sheep, fuddenly fummoned
that friar before him, and charged him that
he ihould forthwith confefs the Poifon of
Hate conceived of him againft his neighbor,
whereby he had fallen into the hands of the
Enemy. Upon which he, frighted to feel
himfelf read of the Holy Father, ftraight-
way made known all his venom and rancor,
and revealed his guilt, and humbly begged
for juftice tempered with mercy; and this
done, being abfolved from his fin, and hav-
ing received his punifhment, fuddenly, be-
fore the face of Saint Francis, the Demon
departed thence ; and the friar thus fet
free from the hands of the cruel Beaft,
through the kindnefs of the good Shepherd,
gave thanks unto God : and returning chaf-
tened and corre6led to the flock of the
Holy Shepherd, thenceforth lived in great
fandity.
<Saint iFrancifl o£ 'JXnmni. lo;
CHAPTER XXIV.
JIo7a Saint Francis converted the Sultan of
Babylon to the Faith,
SAINT FRANCIS, led by zeal for the
faith of Chrift and by his longing for
martyrdom, went upon a time acrofs the
feas with twelve of his moft Holy Compan-
ions, bent upon going ftraight to the Sultan
of Babylon ; and coming into a region of
Saracens, where the roads were guarded
by certain men fo cruel, that no Chriftian
who paffed that way could efcape death, it
pleafed God that they were not flain, but
captured, beaten, and bound, and were led
before the Sultan. And being before him,
Saint Francis, taught of the Holy Ghoft,
preached fo divinely concerning the faith
of Chrift, how that for that faith he would
even walk through fire. Upon which the
Sultan began to feel exceeding great admi-
ration for him, both for the Steadfaftnefs
of his Faith, and for the Contempt for the
World which he perceived in him, — inaf-
much as he would receive no gift from him,
being yet moft poor, — and as well for the
martyr's
I04 STfjc aittlc JFlotocrs of
martyr's fervor, which was apparent in
him. Thenceforth the Sultan hearkened
unto him gladly, and begged him that he
would return to him oft, freely conceding
to him and to his Mates that they fhould
preach wherefoever it feemed good to them ;
and he gave them a token, which fhould let
no man offend them. . . . Finally, Saint
Francis feeing by Divine Revelation that
he could reap no more fruits in thofe
parts, difpofed all things to return with his
Companions to the land of the Faithful ;
and calling them all together, he went into
the prefence of the Sultan, and took leave
of him. And then faid the Sultan unto
him : " Brother Francis, I would gladly be-
come a convert to the faith of Chrift, but
I fear to do fo now ; forafmuch, as fhould
my people be ware of it, they would flay
both you and me and all your Companions ;
and feeing that you may yet do many good
works, and I have many weighty matters
to defpatch, I would not now occafion your
death and mine. But teach me, I pray, how
I may be faved ; I am prepared to do that
which you may lay upon me." Then faid
Saint Francis : " Sir, I now take my leave of
you ; but when that I am once more in mine
own
=Saint jTraucis c£ ^nnim. 105
own country and afcend into Heaven by
the Grace of God ; after my death, if it be
pleafing in the fight of God, I will fend
unto you two of my Brethren, from whom
you fliall receive the holy baptifm of Chrill;,
and you fliall be faved, even as my Lord
Jefus Chrift hath revealed unto me. And
do you betwixt now and then defpatch all
your matters, to the end that when the
Grace of God fliall come to you it may find
you weU armed with faith and devotion."
And thus he promifed to do and did. This
done, Saint Francis returned home with
the venerable train of his holy Compan-
ions, and after fonie years Saint Francis
by his bodily death rendered up his foul
to God. And the Sultan falling ill was
mindful of the promife of Saint Francis,
and flationed guards at certain points, and
commanded that if two friars fliould appear
clad in the garb of Saint Francis they
fhould inftantly be brought before him.
At that time Saint Francis appeared unto
two friars, and charged them that they
fhould go without delay unto the Sultan
and procure his falvation, even as he had
promifed : the which friars ftraightway
arofe, and pafflng over the fea, were by the
faid
io6 ^l)c aittle iFlotorrs of
faid guards led before the Sultan ; and fee-
ing them, the Sultan rejoiced greatly and
faid : " Now, indeed, I know that God hath
fent his fervants unto me for my falvation,
according to the promife made me by Saint
Francis through divine Revelation." Re-
ceiving then the do6trines of the faith of
Chrift, and Holy Baptifm of thofe fame
friars, thus born again in Chrift, he died of
that illnefs, and his foul was faved by the
merits and the prayers of Saint Francis.
CHAPTER XXV.
How Saint Francis miraculoiijly healed the Leper
in Body and in Soul ; a?id that which the Soul
/pake J a/cending into Heaven.
THAT true difciple of Chrill:, Saint Fran-
cis, living in this miferable life, with
all his ftrength ftrove ever to follow Chrift,
the Perfe6l Way, whence it ofttimes befell
by divine a6lion that whereas he healed a
man's body, God did heal his foul in that
felfsame hour, even as we read of Chrift.
And inafmuch as He not only freely be-
came the fervant of Lepers, but further-
more
<Saint iFcancis oC '^nmni. 107
more ordered that the Brothers of his
Order, whether journeying or fojourning
anywhere in this world, Ihould become the
fcrvants of Lepers for the love of Chrift, who
for our love was fain to be held a Leper,
it fell out that on a time at a Convent near
which Saint Francis was then abiding, the
Brethren were ferving in ahofpital for Lep-
ers and infirm ; in which was a Leper fo
peevilli, fo intolerable, and fo arrogant that
all men affuredly deemed, and fo indeed it
was, that he was poffeffed of a Devil, foraf-
much as alike with words and with blows
he terribly reviled all them that ferved him ;
nay, yet worfe, he fcandaloufly blafphemed
againft the bleffed Chrift and his moft Holy
Mother the Virgin Mary, fo that none
could in any wife be found who could or
would ferve him. And albeit the Brethren
truly ftudy meekly to endure injuries and
infults to themfelves, to the end that pa-
tience may have her perfe6l work, never-
thelefs, thofe to Chrift and his Mother
their confciences could not fuffer, and
every man among them determined to
leave the faid Leper : but this they would
not do before they had duly declared their
purpofe unto Saint Francis, who was then
abiding
io8 Kf\t ILittlt jFIotoers of
abiding at a Convent hard by. And hav-
ing fignified to him their purpofe, Saint
Francis came unto that perverfe Leper ; and
drawing nigh to him, he greeted him, fay-
ing : " God grant thee peace, my beloved
Brother." The Leper made anfwer, " What
peace can I have of God, Which hath robbed
me of peace and of every good thing, and
hath made me all corrupt and ftinking ? "
And Saint Francis faid, " Son, have pa-
tience, forafmuch as the infirmities of the
body are given us of God in this world
for the falvation of our foul, they being of
exceeding merit when they are borne
meekly." The fick man replied, "And can
I endure the continual Pain that torments
me night and day ? And not only am I
affli6ted by mine infirmity, but far worfe do
I fuffer from the Brethren whom you have
given me to wait upon me, and they ferve
me not as they fhould." Then Saint Fran-
cis, knowing by a revelation that this Leper
was poffeffed of an evil fpirit, went out and
prayed, and entreated God pioufly for him.
And his prayer ended, he returned to him
again and fpake thefe words : " My Son,
I myfelf will ferve you, fmce you are ill-
content with the others." " It pleafeth me
well,"
Saint jFrancis oC '^nniui. 109
well," faid the fick man ; " but what can
you do for me more than the others ? "
Saint Francis anfwercd, " Whatfocvcr you
would that I fhould do." Said the Leper,
'* I would that you wafh me, every inch of
me ; forafmuch as fo terribly I ftink that
I myfelf can ill endure it." Then Saint
Francis ftraight commanded water to be
heated with many fweet-fmelling herbs ;
then ftripping him, he began to wafh him
with his own hands, another Brother pour-
ing on the water ; and by a divine mira-
cle, wherefoever Saint Francis laid his
holy hands upon him the Leprofy left him
and his flefli remained perfeftly found.
And even as his flefh began to heal, fo too
his foul began to be made whole ; hence
the Leper feeing himfelf beginning to be
cured, began to have great compun6tion
and repentance for his fms, and began to
weep very bitterly ; for as his body was
cleanfed of the Leprofy from without by the
wafhing of the water, even fo his foul was
cleanfed of Sin from within by corre6lion
and tears. And being wholly healed, alike
in body and in foul, he humbly con-
feffed himfelf guilty, and cried aloud, weep-
ing : " Woe unto me, for I am worthy of
Hell-fire
no srije ILittlc jFloUJtrs of
Hell-fire for the injuries and infults which
I have heaped upon the Brethren, and for
the peeviflmefs and blafphemy which I
have manifefted towards God." Hence for
two long weeks he perfevered in bitter
tears for his fins, and in befeeching mercy
from God, making ample confeffion to the
Prieft. And Saint Francis, feeing fo plain
a miracle, which God had wrought by his
hand, gave thanks to the Lord and de-
parted thence, going into remote countries :
forafmuch as from Humility he defired to
flee all Vainglory, and in all his a6ls fought
only the Honor and Glory of God and not
his own. Then, as was pleafmg in the
fight of God, the faid Leper, made whole
in body and in foul, after two long weeks
of penitence fell ill of another malady, and
armed with the Sacraments of the Church
he died a holy death, and his foul going
into Paradife appeared in mid-air to Saint
Francis, who was at prayer in a thick wood,
and faid unto him, " Know you me ? " " Who
are you ? " faid Saint Francis. " I am that
Leper whom the bleffed Chrift healed for
your merits, and to-day I enter into Eternal
Life : for which I give thanks to God and
to you. Bleffed be your foul and your
body;
Saint jFrancts of STsBiac. 1 1 1
body ; and blcffcd be your holy words and
deeds ; forafmuch as through you many
fouls lliall be faved in this world : and
know that no day paffeth in this world
upon which the Holy Angels and the other
Saints do not thank the Lord for the facred
fruits which you and your Order have
gathered in divers parts of the earth ; and
therefore be you greatly comforted and
praife the Lord, and His bleffing fhall reft
upon your head." And faying thefe words
he rofe into Heaven, and Saint Francis was
left much comforted.
CHAPTER XXVL
How Samt Francis converted three Thieves and
Murderers^ a7id made them Brethren ; atid of
the mojl glorions Vijion beheld of one of them
who was a mofl holy Brother.
SAINT FRANCIS went once through
the defert of Borgo to San Sepolcro,
and pafTing by a Cafhle, which was called
Monte Cafale, there came forth to meet
him a noble and delicate Youth, who faid
to him, " Father, I would gladly become
one
112 ^f)c mttlc jFlotoers of
one of your Brethren." Saint Francis an-
fwered him, " Son, you are young, delicate,
and noble ; peradventure you could not en-
dure the poverty and rudenefs of our life."
And he faid, " Father, are ye not men like
unto me .'' Then that which ye do bear can
I alfo endure by the favor of Jefus Chrift."
This anfvver was moft pleafmg to Saint Fran-
cis ; wherefore, bleffmg him, he ftraightway
received him into the Order and put upon
him the name of Brother Angelo ; and fo
worthily did the Youth comport himfelf,
that but a brief fpace thence Saint Fran-
cis made him Superior of that felfsame
Convent of Monte Cafale. In thofe days
that region was infefted by three thieves
of much renown, who greatly plagued the
land ; the fame came one day to the abode
of the Brethren and prayed the faid Brother
Angelo, the Superior, that he would feed
them ; and the Father Superior anfwered
them after this fafliion, reproaching them
forely : "You, Thieves and cruel Homicides,
ye are not alhamed to fteal the wages of
other men's toil ; nay, more, bold and
fancy that ye are, ye would fain devour the
alms which are beftowed upon the fervants
of God ; ye are unworthy that the earth
fhould
<Saint jfvantifi of ^ssisf . 1 1 3
fliould fuftain ye ; forafmuch as yc have no
reverence either for man, or for the God
which created ye. Go, therefore, about your
bufmefs, and appear no more within thefe
walls;" upon which they, being difturbed,
departed thence much wroth. And behold,
Saint Francis returning home with bread
and a fmall veffel of wine which he and
his Companions had begged, and the Supe-
rior, narrating to him how he had driven
thofe men thence. Saint Francis blamed
him much, faying that he had borne him-
felf barbaroufly ; inafmuch as fmners were
more readily led back to God by mildnefs
than by fierce reproof : hence our Mafter
Jefus Chrift, whofe Gofpel we have prom-
ifed to obferve, faid that He came not to
heal thofe who were whole, but the Tick ;
and that He came not to call the juft but
fmners to repent : wherefore many times
He brake bread with them. Seeing, there-
fore, that you have finned againft charity and
againft the holy Gofpel of Chrift, I charge you
by your vows of obedience that ftraightway
you do take this Scrip with Bread, and this
Veffel of Wine, and haften after them, over
mountains and through valleys, until you
fliall find them, and prefent them with
^ this
1 14 m)t mttlt jFlotorrs of
this Bread and Wine in my name; and then
fhall you kneel before them and humbly
confefs to them your fin and your cruel con-
du6l, and entreat them then in my name to
do no more evil, but to fear God and offend
no more againft His Holy Name ; and if
they will do fo, I promife to provide for
their wants and to give them a conftant
ftore to eat and to drink : and when that
you have told them this, return hither
humbly." While the faid Superior went
forth to do Saint Francis' bidding, he fell
on his knees and prayed God that He
would foften the hearts of thofe Thieves
and lead them to repent. The obedient
Superior meeting them offered them the
Bread and Wine and faid thofe words which
Saint Francis had taught him. And as it
pleafed God, thofe Thieves eating the alms
beftowed by Saint Francis began to fay
to one another : " Woe unto us, haplefs
wretches ! and what bitter pangs fhall we
endure in Hell ! For not only do we rob
our fellow-men with ftripes and cruel blows,
but we alfo flay them ; nor for all thefe
wicked and accurfed deeds which we do, do
we feel any remorfe or fear of God, and be-
hold this holy Brother, which hath followed
us
<SaiHt jf caucis of ^uuinL 1 1 5
us hither for a few words with which he
jiiftly chid our Evil Craft, and hath humbly
confeffed to us his guilt, and moreover
hath beftowed on us Bread and Wine, and
fuch liberal promifes from the Holy Father:
verily thefe Holy Brethren are men of God,
which are well worthy of Paradife ; and we
are fons of everlafting perdition, who are
well worthy of the fires of Hell, and every
day does but add to our perdition ; and we
know not whether for the many fms which
we have hitherto committed we can yet
turn to the mercy of God." Thefe and
fmiilar words being fpoken by one among
them, the others faid : " Surely you do
fpeak the truth, but what are we to do ? "
" Let us go," faid one, " to Saint Francis,
and if he give us hope that we may ftill
appeal to the Mercy of God for our fms, we
will do whatfover he may command, and
fo we may fet our fouls free from the pains
of Hell." This counfel was pleafmg in
the fight of the others ; and all three
agreeing together among themfelves pro-
ceeded in hot hafte to Saint Francis and
faid to him thus : " Father, fo great and fo
terrible are our fins that we fear we can no
longer turn to the Mercy of God : but if you
have
ii6 raje mttlt jFloUJcrs of
have any hope that God will grant us His
Mercy, behold we are ready to do whatfo-
ever you fhall bid us, and to do penitence
with you." Then Saint Francis, detaining
them affectionately and with kindnefs, com-
forted them with many inftances, and affur-
ing them of the Mercy of God, promifed
them truly to entreat God for them, and
fliowed them that the Mercy of God is infi-
nite : and if we have an infinite number of
fins, yet God's Mercy is greater ftill than
our fins, according to the teachings of the
Gofpel ; and the Apofi;le Paul faith, ''Chrifi:
came into the world to fave finners." Hear-
ing thefe words, and other like teachings,
the faid three Thieves renounced the Devil
and all his works, Saint Francis received
them into the Order, and they began to do
fore penitence; and two of them lived not
long after their converfion, and went thence
to Paradife. But the third furviving, and
meditating on his fins, gave himfelf such
penitence to do, that for fifteen years con-
tinually, befide the ordinary fafts, which
he obferved in common with the other
Brothers, three days in every week he
fafted upon bread and water, and went
even barefoot, and with but a fingle tunic
to
<Saint jFrancts of ^fiuinu iiy
to his back, fleeping never after Matins.
About that time Saint Francis paffcd away
from this miferable life. This Man hav-
ing then continued the above penitence
for many years, behold one night, after
Matins, there came to him fuch a tempta-
tion to fleep, that in no manner could he
hold out againft it and watch, as was his
wont. Finally, unable longer to refifb or
to pray, he went to his bed to flumber ;
and no fooner had he laid his head upon
the pillow, than he was rapt in Ecftafy
and led in fpirit to a very high mountain,
whereon was a moft fteep Precipice, and
here and there were rocks fhivered and
fplintered and rugged crags amid the
rocks: at the fight of this cliff the Soul
flood aghaft. And the Angel who led this
Brother feized him and caft him over the
rugged edge of thofe rocks : and he, ftrik-
ing and rebounding from crag to crag and
from ftone to ftone, at laft attained the
bottom of that precipice, as it feemed,
all difmembered and torn ; and lying thus
in evil trim upon the ground, he who led
him, faid unto him, " Rife, for you have
yet another journey to go." The Brother
replied, " Mefeems you be a moft cruel and
ill-advifed
ii8 arje acttlr jFlotorrs of
ill-advifed man, for feeing me thus dying
of the fall which hath fo fhattered me, you
yet bid me rife." And the Angel ap-
proached him, and touching him, his every
limb was made whole and he was healed
perfe(51:ly. And then he fhowed him a vaft
plain full of fharp Stones and keen Thorns
and Brambles ; and he told him that he
muft needs run through all that plain and
pais barefoot unto the end, where he beheld
a glowing Furnace, into which he muft enter
ftraight. And the Brother having croffed
the plain with great anguifh and pain, the
Angel faid unto him, " Enter into that Fur-
nace, for fo it is ordered." The Friar re-
plied, " Oh, woe is me ! what a cruel guide
have I ! For you fee me almoft dead from
that anguifhing plain, and for all repofe
you bid me enter that glowing furnace."
And gazing, he beheld many Demons around
about the Furnace with iron pitchforks in
their hands, with which, forafmuch as he
delayed to enter, they plunged him fuddenly
into the midft of the fire. Having entered
into the Furnace, gazing, he beheld a cer-
tain man which had been his Godfather, who
burned apace with him ; and he queftioned
him, faying, " O lucklefs Godfather, how
came
cSaCnt iFranc(s of ^nuini. 119
came you hither ? " And he anfwered,
" Go but a little farther in and you (hall
find my wife your Godmother, who will tell
you the reafon of our damnation. The
Brother going on, lo ! there appeared to
him the aforefaid Godmother all fmothered
and fhut within a meafure of wheat blazing
brightly ; and he afkcd her, " O lucklefs and
miferable Godmother, how have you come to
fuch cruel torment?" And fhe anfwered,
" Forafmuch as in the time of the great
Famine, the which Saint Francis foretold,
my hufband and I fold falfe meafure of
wheat and of barley, and therefore do I burn
bound within this meafure." And thefe
words fpoken, the Angel which led the
Friar haled him out of the Furnace, and
then faid to him, " Prepare to take a horrid
journey, which is yet to make." And he,
lamenting, faid, " O harfheft of guides,
who haft no Compaffion ! you fee how I
am almoft all burned in that Furnace, and
yet you would lead me on a dangerous
and horrid journey." And then the Angel
touched him and made him whole and
ftrong. Forthwith he led him to a bridge,
the which could not be croffed without
great danger, inafmuch as it was very
narrow
I20 m)t nettle jFloliJcrs of
narrow and ftraight, and moft flippery, and
without railing at either fide ; and beneath
it flowed a dreadful river, full of Serpents
and Dragons and Scorpions, and it fent up
a moft exceeding great ftench ; and the
Angel faid to him, " Crofs this Bridge, and
you muft crofs it from end to end." The
Friar replied, " And how fliall I crofs over,
that I may not fall into that perilous flood?"
The Angel faid, " Follow me, and place
your foot where you fliall fee me place
mine, and fo you fhall come fafely over."
The Brother paffed behind the Angel, as
he had taught him, until they came to the
midft of the Bridge ; and being thus mid-
way the Angel flew thence, and departing
from him went up into an exceeding high
mountain which flood fome diflance from
the Bridge ; and the Brother gazed long at
the fpot whither the Angel had flown : but
remaining without a guide, and looking
down, he faw thofe fo dreadful animals
ftanding with their heads out of the water,
and with their mouths open ready to de-
vour him if he fliould fall : and he was in
fuch a terror that he in no wife knew what
he fhould do or fay, forafmuch as he could
neither turn back nor go on. Hence, feeing
how
^aint jfrancis of ^ssisf. 121
how great was his Tribulation, and that
he had no other refuge fave only God, he
bowed his head and clafped the Bridge in
his arms, and with his whole heart and
with tears did commit himfelf to the care
of God, that of His moft Holy Mercy He
might deign to help him. And having
prayed, it feemed as if he began to put
forth wings : at which he with great rejoic-
ing awaited their further growing, that he
might fly thence from the Bridge whither
the Angel had flown before. But after a
certain fpace, for the great defire which he
had to crofs that Bridge, he began to fly ;
and becaufe, forfooth, his wings were not
grown fo much, he dropped back upon that
Bridge and his feathers fell from him : upon
which, yet again he hugged the bridge, and
as before committed himfelf to the care of
God ; and having prayed, again he felt his
wings fprout forth ; but as before he did
not wait until they had gained their perfe6l
growth : wherefore, ftriving to fly before
the time was ripe, he fell once more upon
the Bridge and his feathers dropped yet
again. For the which thing, feeing that
he fell becaufe of his undue hafte to fly, he
began to reafon with himfelf: '* Affuredly, if
my
122 STi&e ILtttlt iFlotoers ciC
my wings fprout for the third time, I will
wait until they are great enough for me to
fly without another fall." And mufmg thus,
he faw his wings put forth for the third
time : and waiting a goodly fpace, until
they fhould be very great, it feemed to him
as if in the firft and the fecond and the
third fprouting of his wings had paffed
away five hundred years or more. At lalt
he rofe for the third time, and winged his
flight with all his force, and flew high up to
that fame fpot whither the Angel had flown,
and knocking at the door of the Palace
wherein he was, the door-keeper afked him,
'* Who art thou, who art come hither ? "
He anfwered, " I am a Gray Friar." The
door-keeper faid, " Await my coming, for
I go to fummon Saint Francis, to fee if he
know thee or no." Going thence for Saint
Francis, he who was left behind fell to
confidering the marvellous walls of that
Palace; and lo, thofe walls were tranflucent,
and of fuch clearnefs that he did plainly fee
the choirs of Saints within and all thofe
things that they did. And ftanding thus
loft in wonder at this fight, lo ! Saint Fran-
cis came and Brother Bernard and Brother
Guy ; and after thefe fo great a multitude
of
.Saint ifrancis of Slssisi, 123
of faints which had followed in their foot-
Heps upon earth that they leemed alnioft
numberlefs : and Saint Francis, drawing
near, faid to the door-keeper, " Let him
enter in, forafmiich as he is one of my
Brethren." And no fooner was he entered
in than he felt fuch Confolation and fuch
Sweetnefs that he forgot all the Tribula-
tions which he had undergone, as if they
had never been. And after Saint Francis,
leading him by the hand, fhowed him many
wondrous things, and after faid to him :
'* Son, you muft return to the world, where
you fliall tarry feven days' fpace, wherein
you fhall prepare yourfelf diligently with
great devotion ; forafmuch as after thofe
feven days I fhall come for you, and then
fliall you live with me in this abode of the
Bleffed." Saint Francis was clad in a mar-
vellous cloak, adorned with glittering Stars ;
and his five Wounds ^ were like unto five
moft beauteous Stars, of fuch fplendor that
the whole Palace fhone with their rays ;
and Brother Bernard had upon his head a
crown of moft fair ftars ; and Brother Guy
was decked in wondrous light ; and he
recognized many other holy Friars in their
midft
^ The Stioftiiata.
124 ^Tijt Hittle jflotsitVH of
midft which he had never feen on earth.
Thus difmiffed by Saint Francis, he re-
turned, albeit relu6lantly, to the world.
Awaking and returning to his fenfes
and reviving, the Brothers were ringing
the bells for Primes : fo that that Vifion
had endured no longer than from Matins
unto Primes, although to him it feemed as
it had endured for many years. And relat-
ing all this Vifion to his Superior in its due
order, within feven days he began to grow
fevered ; and the eighth day Saint Francis
came to fetch him, even as he had prom-
ifedjwith a vaft multitude of glorious Saints,
and took his foul thence to the Kingdom
of the Bleffed, unto Eternal Life.
CHAPTER XXVII.
How Saint Francis converted two Scholars of
Bologna and made Friars of them ; and then
rid one of them of a fore Temptation which
befet him.
SAINT FRANCIS once coming to the
city of Bologna, all the people of that
town ran out to fee him : and fo great was
the
Saint jfrancis of Assist. 125
the prcfs, that folk had much ado to gain
the Market-place ; and the Market-place
being filled full with men and women and
fcholars, Saint Francis arofe in their midft,
and ftanding upright, did begin to preach
thofe things which were taught him of the
Holy Ghoft : and fo wondrous well did he
preach, that it feemed an Angel preached
rather than a man ; and his celeftial words
feemed as they were fliarp arrows, which
pierced the hearts of all them that heard
him, for by that preaching a vaft hoft of
men and of women were converted to true
repentance ; among the which were two
noble ftudents from the Marches of An-
cona ; and the one was called by the name
of Pilgrim and the other Rinieri ; which
two after that fame Sermon, touched to the
foul by divine infpiration, came unto Saint
Francis faying that they defired to forfake
the world and all its pomp and become
one with his Brethren. Then Saint Fran-
cis, knowing through revelation that they
were fent by God and that they were def-
tined to lead a holy life within the Order,
and conrideri;:g f.h'^ir much fervor, received
them joyfully, faying : "You, Pilgrim, fliall
follow the path of humility while in the
Order
126 ^Je ILittle iFlotoers of
Order, and you, Brother Rinieri, fhall
wait upon the Brethren." And fo it
was; forafmuch as Brother Pilgrim would
never become a Prieft, but remained a Lay-
Brother, although he was moft learned, and
very wife in canon law. Through this his
humility he attained to exceeding great per-
fe6lion of virtue, fo much fo that Brother
Bernard, the eldeft fon of Saint Francis,
faid of him that he was one of the moft
perfe6l Friars in this World. And finally
the faid Brother Pilgrim, full of virtue,
paffed on from this life to the Bleffed Life,
working many miracles both before his death
and after. And the faid Brother Rinieri
devoutly and faithfully waited upon the
Friars, living in great fan6lity and humility;
and he became moft familiar with Saint
Francis, and Saint Francis revealed many
fecret things to him. Being then made
Minifter of the Province of the Marches of
Ancona, he long ruled in the utmoft peace
and difcretion. After a certain fpace God
permitted a fore Temptation to afiail his
foul ; at which he, vaftly troubled and
vexed, afflicted himfelf with Faftings, with
Difcipline, with Tears and with Prayers, by
day and by night, and ftill could not drive
thence
Saint iFiMUCis of Slssfsf. 127
thence that Temptation ; but ofttimes he
was in extreme defpair, inafmuch as for
this thing he held himfelf to be forfaken
of God. Being thus defperate, as a laft
remedy he refolved to go to Saint Francis,
thinking thus : " If Saint Francis look gra-
cioufly upon me and receive me familiarly,
as is his wont, I lliall believe that God will
yet have compaffion upon me ; but if not,
it fhall be for a fign that my God has for-
faken me." He therefore arofe and went
unto Saint Francis, who at that time abode
in the Palace of the Bifliop of Affifi griev-
oufly ill ; and God revealed to him the
whole manner of the temptation and de-
fpair of the faid Brother Rinieri, and his
purpofe and his coming. And ftraight-
way Saint Francis called Brother Leo and
Brother Maximus, and faid to them : " Go
forth to meet my beloved fon Brother
Rinieri, and embrace him in my name,
and greet him, and fay to him that of all
the Brethren throughout the world I love
him moft Angularly. " They fet forth and
met by the way Brother Rinieri, and em-
bracing him they told him all thofe things
which Saint Francis had charged them to
fay. Hence fo much comfort and delight
did
128 mjt ILittlt jFlotocrs of
did flow into his foul, that he was almoft
befide himfelf : and thanking God with his
whole heart, he went on until he came to
the place where Saint Francis lay ill. And
albeit Saint Francis was grievously ill,
neverthelefs hearing Brother Rinieri's ap-
proach, he rofe and went out to meet him,
and embracing him mofl: fweetly, faid :
" Brother Rinieri, my beloved fon, of all
the Brethren throughout the world moft
Angularly do I love thee." And faying
thefe words he made the fign of the moft
Holy Crofs upon his brow, and after kiffed
him there. And then he faid : " My be-
loved fon, God the Lord hath permitted
this Temptation for your great increafe in
merit : but if you defire not this increafe,
it fhall not be thine." Wonderful to relate!
So foon as Saint Francis had uttered thefe
words, inflantly all Temptation departed
from him, as if he never in his life had felt
aught of the kind, and he was left greatly
comforted.
.Saint iFrancis of ^nmuL 129
CHAPTER XXVIII.
0/(zn Ec/iafy whicJi fcizcdup07i Brother Bernard
and held liimfrom Matins eve?i until Nones, he
being all that /pace unconjcioiis of Aught.
THE great favor which our Lord oft-
times fliowed to thofe poor Evange-
lifts who forfook the world for love of
Chrift is fet forth in Brother Bernard
of Quintavalle, who, after taking on the
habit of Saint Francis, was very many
times abforbed in God, in the contempla-
tion of celcftial things. Among others, it
happened upon a time that being in Church
hearkening to the Mafs, and ffcanding with
his whole mind bent on God, he became
fo abforbed and rapt in the Lord, that at
the Elevation of the Hoft he was confcious
of naught, neither knelt, nor bared his head,
as did the others ; but without once wink-
ing, did ftand fteadfaftly gazing from the
hour of Matins until Nones, as if infen-
fible : and after Nones, returning to him-
felf, did go about the Convent crying in
tones of awe and wonder : " O Brothers !
O Brothers ! O Brothers ! There is no
man
9
I30 ^i)e ILittle jFlotorrs of
man in this land fo great, or fo noble, to
whom, were he promifed a mofb beauteous
palace filled with gold, it were not eafy to
bear moft loathfome burdens, to gain fo
rare a treafure." Now the mind of the
aforefaid Brother Bernard was fo bent upon
this Celeftial Treafure promifed to all true
lovers of God, that for fifteen years con-
tinually he went ever with his head and
face upraifed to heaven ; and in all that
time he fatisfied never his hunger at table,
albeit he ate of that which was put before
him a little, forafmuch as he faid that the
mere ia.tt of eating naught conftitutes not
perfe6l abftinence, but true abftinence is
to be temperate in all things which are
favory in the mouth ; and thereby he at-
tained to fuch clearnefs and light of intel-
le6l that even the great Do6lors of the
Church had recourfe to hira for the folu-
tion of knotty queftions and hard paffages
of Scripture ; and he made plain every
puzzle to them, and inafmuch as his mind
was freed and abftra6led from all earthly
things, he, after the manner of a Swallow,
flew oft aloft in thought ; hence fometimes
twenty days and fometimes thirty days he
would abide alone upon the top of very
high
cSaint jfvamiu of 'J^nniuu 131
high mountains mufing upon celcftial mat-
ters. Wherefore Brother Guy fpoke con-
cerning him, faying that this gift was not
given to other men which was given to
Brother Bernard of Quintavalle ; which is
to fay, that he fed upon the wing Hke the
Swallow ; and for this excellent grace, given
him of God, Saint Francis gladly and often
held converfe with him both night and day.
Hence they were at certain times found
the whole night long abforbed in God in
the thick wood, where they had met together
to difcourfe of Him.
CHAPTER XXIX.
How the Devil oftti7nes did appear in the Form
of One Crucified unto Brother Rufus, telling hitn
that all his Labor was vain, inafmuch as he
was not chofen imio Eternal Life : Saint Fran-
cis learning this through Divine Revelation,
fhowed Brother Rufus the Error i?i which
he lay.
BROTHER RUFUS, one of the mod
noble men of the city of Affifi, and
a comrade of Saint Francis, a man of
exceedin.GT
132 ^ije autle iFlotoers of
exceeding fan6tity, was upon a time forely
tempted and tormented in fpirit concern-
ing the do6trine of Predeftination ; where-
fore he was moft melancholy and fad ; in-
afmuch as the Devil put it into his heart
that he was damned and was not one of
thofe ele6led unto Eternal Life, and that
all the good works which he wrought in
the Order would avail him naught. And
this temptation enduring day after day, he
for fheer fhame forbearing to reveal aught
of it to Saint Francis, yet paufed not in
praying and fafting : for which thing the
Enemy began to heap forrow upon forrow,
befides the inner battle, fhaking him from
without with evil vifions. Hence he once
appeared to him in the form of One Cruci-
fied, faying unto him : " O Brother Rufus,
why fhould you thus affli6l yourfelf with
penitence and prayers, forafmuch as you are
not one of the Ele6l? And beheve me, that
I know them whom I have chofen and pre-
deftined ; and put not your faith in the fon
of Peter Bernardone,"^ albeit he may tell you
to the contrary, and moreover queftion him
not concerning fuch matters, fmce neither
he nor any man elfe can know, fave only I,
Who
^ Saint Francis.
Saint jfrancis oC ^nninu 133
Who am the Son of God : wherefore of a
verity you may beheve me, that you are of
the number of the damned ; and the fon
of Peter Bernardone, your father,^ and alfo
his father, are damned, and whofover fhall
follow after them is deceived and mifled."
And hearing thefe words. Brother Rufus
began to be fo overfhadowed by the Prince
of Darknefs, that already he loft all faith
and love which he cherifhed for Saint
Francis, and cared not to tell him aught
of thefe things. But that which Brother
Rufus told not to the Holy Father was
made known to him of the Holy Ghoft ;
hence Saint Francis feeing in fpirit the
great danger of the faid Brother, fent
Brother Maximus to fummon him ; to
whom Brother Rufus made anfwer fcorn-
fully, " What have I to do with Brother
Francis ? " And then Brother Maximus,
filled full with divine wifdom, knowing
the deceitful wiles of the Devil, faid : " O
Brother Rufus, know you not that Brother
Francis is like to an Angel of God, which
hath enlightened fo many fouls in this
world, and from which we receive the
Grace
^ That is, the founder of the Order to which he
belonged.
134 ^8^ Hittlr jFlotoers oC
Grace of God ? Wherefore I would that
at all hazards you come before his face
with me ; forafmuch as I fee clearly that
you are led afbray of the Devil." And hav-
ing faid this, Brother Rufus was moved,
and went forth to Saint Francis, and Saint
Francis feeing him from afar began to
cry aloud, *' O wicked Brother Rufus, in
whom have you trufted ? " And Brother
Rufus drawing near to him, he told him in
due order all his temptation brought upon
him by the Devil from within and from
without, and clearly fhowed him that he
who had appeared to him was the Devil
and not Chrift, and that in no manner muft
he confent to his fuggeftions ; but when the
Devil fhould again fay to him, " You are
damned," he fhould make anfwer, " Open
your mouth ; " " and this fhall be for a fign
unto you that he is the Devil and not Chrift :
for fo foon as you have given him this
anfwer, ftraightway he fhall flee thence.
By another token alfo fhall you know that
he is the Devil, forafmuch as he hath hard-
ened your heart againft all goodnefs, which
thing is proper to his office ; but Chrift the
Bleffed did never yet make hard the heart
of the faithful, but rather foftens it, even
as
<Sa(nt iFrancis of ^nniuL 135
as is fpokcn by the mouth of the Prophet :
* I will take the i\ony heart out of their
flelh, and will give them a heart of flelh.' "
Then Brother Rufus, feeing that Saint
Francis had related to him in due order
all the manner of his temptation, ftung
by his words, began to weep very fore
and to adore Saint Francis, and humbly
to acknowledge his fin, in that he had
hidden his temptation. And thus he was
left much comforted and confoled by the
admonitions of the Holy Father, and
quite changed for the better. Then fi-
nally Saint Francis faid to him : " Go, fon,
and confefs your fm, nor give over your
wonted prayers : and know of a certainty
that this temptation fhall be of great ufe
and comfort to you, and in a brief fpace
you fhall fo prove it." Brother Rufus re-
turned again to his cell in the foreft ; and
praying there with many tears, lo ! the
enemy came again in the femblance of
Chrift, that is in his outward feeming, and
faid to him : " O Brother Rufus, did I not
tell you to put not your faith in the fon of
Peter Bernardone, and that you fhould not
weary yourfelf with tears and prayers, fince
you are damned ? What avails it to affli6t
yourfelf
136 ^f}t JLittlt iFIoujcrs of
yourfelf while you live, and then when you
die, ftill you will be damned ? " And fud-
denly Brother Rufus replied to the Devil,
" Open thy mouth that I may fpit upon
thee." At which the Devil, waxing wrath,
llraightway departed thence with fuch a
tempeft of wind and fo great a rain of
fbones from Mount Subaffio, which was in
that neighborhood, that the noife of the
ftones which fell down was heard for a
great fpace round about ; and fo great was
the tumult that they made, together with
the rumbling, that horrid flames of fire
flafhed through the valleys, and at the
found that they made, Saint Francis with
his Companions came out from the Con-
vent in great amaze, to fee what ftrange
thing this might be ; and even unto this
day men may fee that exceeding great wafte
of ftones. Then Brother Rufus faw plainly
that this was the Devil which had mifled
him. And returning again to Saint Fran-
cis, again he fell before him on the ground
and confeffed his fault. Saint Francis com-
forted him with fweet words, and fent him
again confoled to his cell, wherein he, pray-
ing moft devoutly, Chrift the Bleffed ap-
peared to him, and fired all his foul with
Divine
cSai'nt jFrancis ot 'JXnmnL 137
Divine Love and faid, ** Well doft thou, fon,
to put thy faith in l^rother Francis, forafmuch
as he who affli6led thee was the Devil ; but
I am Chrift thy Mafter : and that you may
be well affured of this, I give you this fign :
while you live, you lliall never know any
forrow, neither any grief." And faying
thefe words, Chrift departed thence, leav-
ing him with fuch Rejoicing and fuch fvveet-
nefs of fpirit and elevation of mind that
day and night he was abforbed and rapt in
God. And from that time forth he was fo
confirmed in Grace and in the fure fenfe of
his Salvation, that he was wholly changed
to another man ; and he would fain have
remained day and night in prayer and in
contemplation of Divine Things, would oth-
ers have but let him. Hence Saint Fran-
cis faid concerning him, that Brother Rufus
was canonized of Chrift in this life, and that
fave in his prefence he hefitated not to call
him Saint Rufus, albeit he yet lived upon
this earth.
138 ^Tije ILittle JFloto^rs of
CHAPTER XXX.
Of the glorious Sermo7i which Saint Francis
and Brother Rufus preached at AJfiJi.
THE laid Brother Rufus, through con-
tinual contemplation, grew to be fo
abforbed in God that he became almofb
dumb and infenfible, and but very rarely
fpoke ; and withal he had not the Grace,
nor the Valor, nor the Eloquence to preach :
and neverthelefs Saint Francis charged him
upon a time that he fhould go to Affifi, and
Ihould preach to the people even as the
Lord ihould infpire him. To which Brother
Rufus made anfwer : " Reverend Father,
I befeech you, pardon me and fend me
not forth, inafmuch as you are well aware
that I have no grace in preaching, and
am fimple and unlearned." And then faid
Saint Francis : " Forafmuch as you have
not obeyed promptly, I command you by
your facred vow of Obedience that you
go, clad only in your breeches, unto Affifi,
and enter there a church and preach to
the people." Upon this command the faid
Brother Rufus laid off his raiment and
went
Saint iFtancis of Assist. 139
went to AiTifi and entered into a church,
and doing reverence to the altar, went up
into the pulpit and began to preach ; at
which thing the men and boys began to
laugh, and faid, " Lo, one who doth peni-
tence, left he grow proud and vain."
Meantime Saint Francis, pondering on the
ready obedience of Brother Rufus, which
was one of the nobleft gentlemen of Affifi,
and of the hard command which he had
laid upon him, began to reproach himfelf,
faying, "Whence haft thou fuch prefump-
tion, fon of Peter Bernardone, thou vile
and petty fellow, that thou Ihouldft com-
mand Brother Rufus, which is one of the
nobleft gentlemen of Affifi, to go forth
and preach to the people even as he were
mad ? In God's name, go forth thou like-
wife, and prove for thyfelf even that thou
haft commanded of others." And fuddenly,
in the ardor of his fpirit, he alfo laid off
his raiment and went forth to Affifi, and
with him went Brother Leo bearing his
habit and that of Brother Rufus. And the
men of Affifi feeing them in like plight,
feoff ed at them, holding that they with
Brother Rufus were made mad by much
Penitence. Saint Francis entered into the
church
I40 ^f}t Utttlr jFlotocrs of
church where Brother Rufus was preach-
ing thefe words : ** Fly, my beloved, from
the World, and forfake Sin ; covet not the
goods of others, if you would efcape Hell ;
follow God's commands, love God and your
neighbor, if you would gain Heaven ; do
penitence, if you would poffefs the King-
dom of Heaven." Then Saint Francis went
up into the pulpit; and he began to preach
fo marvelloufly of the Vanity of the world,
of holy Penitence, of voluntary Poverty,
and of the longing after the Celeftial King-
dom, and of the nakednefs and fcorn of the
Paffion of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that all
they who heard his preaching, men and
women in great multitudes, began to weep
violently with admirable devotion and con-
trition ; and not only here, but throughout
all Affifi, upon that day fuch floods of tears
were fhed for Chrift's Paffion, that nothing
fimilar was ever feen. And the people
being thus edified and confoled by the a6l
of Saint Francis and Brother Rufus, Saint
Francis clad again both Brother Rufus and
himfelf ; and thus reclad they returned back
to the Convent of Portiuncula, praifing and
glorifying God, Who had given them grace
to win the vi6lory over felf by their felf-
contempt,
.Saint jFrancis of '^urAni. 141
contempt, and to edify the flock of Chrift
Jefus by their good Example, and to fliow
what it is to dcfpife the World ; and that
day fo great was the devotion which the
people felt for them, that he held himfelf
bleffed who could but touch the hem of
their garments.
CHAPTER XXXI.
How Saint Francis duly kfiew the Jccret Souls
of all his Brethren.
EVEN as our Lord Jefus Chrift faith in
the Gospel, " I know my fheep and
they know me," etc., fo the bleffed Father
Saint Francis, like unto a good fhepherd,
knew all the merits and virtues of his Com-
panions by divine revelations, and even fo
was made aware of their defe6ts ; for the
which thing he knew how to provide for each
the beft remedy, which is to fay, he hum-
bled the Proud, exalted the Lowly, inveighed
againft Vice, and lauded Virtue, according
as may be read in the wondrous revela-
tions which he had concerning his firffc
family. Among the fame we learn that
Saint
142 ^f)c ILittlr JFIoUjers of
Saint Francis once being with the faid
family in a certain place difcourfing of
God, Brother Rufus was not among them
to hearken unto this difcourfe, but was loft
in a mufe in the midft of the wood ; pro-
ceeding with their difcourfe of God, lo !
Brother Rufus came forth from the wood
and paffed by fomewhat remote from them.
Then Saint Francis, feeing him, turned
again to his Companions and afked them,
faying : " Tell me, whofe think you is the
holieft foul which God hath fent into the
world ? " And they made anfwer, faying
that they believed it to be his own. And
Saint Francis faid to them : " Beloved
Brethren, I know myfelf to be the moft
unworthy and the vileft man whom God
hath fent into this world ; but fee ye not
that fame Brother Rufus, who even now
came forth from the wood ? God hath re-
vealed to me that his foul is one of the
three moft holy fouls in the world : and
verily I fay unto you that I fhould not
hefitate to call him Saint Rufus while he
yet lives, forafmuch as his foul is confirmed
in grace and fanftified and canonized in
Heaven of our Lord Jefus Chrift." And
thefe words Saint Francis uttered not be-
fore
cSaint iFrancfs of ^ssisC, 143
fore the face of the faid Brother Rufus.
How Saint Francis Hkewife knew the
faults of his Brethren may be clearly feen
in Brother Elias, whom ofttimes he re-
proved for his pride ; and in Brother John
of the Choir, to whom he did prophefy that
he fliould go out and hang himfelf by the
neck ; and in that Friar whom the Devil
held faft by the throat when he was cor-
re6led for his difobedience ; and in many
other Friars, whofe fecret faults and virtues
he knew clearly through a revelation from
Chrifl.
XXXII.
How Brother Maximus entreated of Chrijl the
Virtue of Meeknefs.
THE firft Companions of Saint Francis
ftrove with all their ftrength to be
poor in worldly goods and rich in virtues,
by which they might gain true riches,
celeftial and eternal. It happened one
day, that they being met together to talk
of God, one of them related this parable :
" There was a certain man who was a dear
friend of God, and had great gifts alike for
a
144 ^J^ atttle jFlotoers of
a life of a6lion and of contemplation, and
withal had fuch exceeding meeknefs, that
he held himfelf as the greateft of finners :
which meeknefs fan6lified and ftrengthened
him in grace, and made him grow continu-
ally in virtue and in the favor of God, and
never let him fall into any manner of fin."
Brother Maximus hearing fuch marvellous
things concerning meeknefs, and knowing
that it was a treafure of eternal life, began
to be fo inflamed with love and longing
for this virtue of meeknefs, that, raifing his
eyes with great fervor to Heaven, he made
a vow and moft certain promife never more
to be merry in this world until he ftiould
feel the faid virtue abiding perfe6lly within
him ; and from that time forth he would
pafs almofb the entire day fliut up within
his cell, mortifying himfelf with fafts, vig-
ils, prayers, and extreme lamentations and
tears before God, to the end that he might
wring from Him this virtue, wanting which
he held himfelf worthy of Hell, and with
which that friend of God, as he had heard,
was fo plentifully endowed. And Brother
Maximus, cherilhing thus this defire for
many days, it came to pafs that he one day
entered into a wood, and in the fervor of his
fpirit
cSaint iFrancis of ^unitiL 145
fpirit wandered on, weeping, fighing, groan-
ing, and befeeching with ardent longing
that God would grant him that divine vir-
tue : and forafmuch as the Lord gladly
hears the prayers of the contrite and the
lowly, Brother Maximus being thus forlorn,
a Voice came down from Heaven, and the
fame called him twice: " Brother Maximus,
Brother Maximus ! " And he, having fpirit-
ual knowledge that this was the Voice of
Chrift, replied : " My Lord ! " And Chrift
faid to him : " What will you give to have
this Grace that you afk ? " Brother Maxi-
mus replied : " Lord, I will give the eyes
out of my head." And Chrift faid to him :
" And I defire that you have the Grace,
and likewife the eyes." And faying this,
the Voice vanifhed ; and Brother Maximus
was left behind filled with fo much grace
of the defired virtue of meeknefs and of the
Light of God, that from that time forth he
went ever rejoicing ; and ofttimes when he
prayed, did rejoice aloud, making a dull noife
like that of a dove, — 00, 00, 00, — and with
a fhining countenance and a light heart he
would linger thus loft in contemplation ;
and withal, being become very meek, he
held himfelf to be lefs than all other men.
Being
10
146 ^fje mttlt iFIotoers of
Being afked by Brother James, of Falle-
rone, why in his rejoicing he changed not
ever his tune, he repHed with great cheer.
That when one thing containeth all good,
it boots not to change the meafure or the
tune.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
J^ow Saint Clara, at the Commaiid of the Pope,
blejfed the Bread which was on the Table:
whereat on every Loaf was feen the fgn of the
Holy Crofs.
SAINT CLARA, that moft devout fol-
lower of the Crofs of Chrift, and the
noble offspring of Saint Francis, was of
fuch fan6lity that not alone Bifhops and
Cardinals but even the Pope himfelf longed
with great affe6tion to fee and to hear
her, and many times vifited her in perfon.
Among other times, the Holy Father once
went to Moniftero to hear her converfe of
celeftial and divine things ; and being thus
met together, reafoning of divers matters,
Saint Clara meantime bade them make
ready the tables, and place upon them
bread.
Saint iFpancis of Assist, 147
bread, to the end that the Holy Father
might blefs it ; whence, her fpiritual dif-
courfe completed, Saint Clara, kneeling
with exceeding great reverence, prayed him
that it might pleafe him to blefs the bread
upon the table. The Holy Father replied :
" Sifter Clara, moft faithful among women,
I defire that you do blefs thefe loaves,
making above them the fign of Chrift's
Holy Crofs, to which you have given
yourfelf entirely, body and foul." Saint
Clara faid : " Pardon me, Moft Holy Father,
for I fhould be worthy of great reproach
if before the face of Chrift's Vicar on
earth, I, who am but a vile and filly
woman, fhould venture to give fuch bleff-
ing." And the Pope made anfwer : " To
the end that it be not reputed prefump-
tion, but merely righteous fubmifTion, I
charge you, by your facred vow of Obedi-
ence, to make the fign of the moft Holy
Crofs above thefe loaves, bleffing them in
the name of God." Then Saint Clara, like
a true daughter of Obedience, did devoutly
blefs the bread with the fign of the moft
Holy Crofs. Wonderful to relate ! Sud-
denly upon all thofe loaves appeared the
fign of the Crofs moft beauteoufly carven.
Then
148 m)t Hittle jFloU3trj3 of
Then of thofe loaves a part were eaten, and
a part preferved in token of the miracle.
And the Holy Father, after that he had
feen that miracle, partaking of the faid
bread and giving thanks to God, departed
thence, leaving Saint Clara with his bleff-
ing. In thofe days Sifter Ortolana, the
mother of Saint Clara, abode in the Con-
vent, and Sifter Agnes, her fifter, both of
them together with Saint Clara, full of vir-
tue and of the Holy Ghoft, and with many
other Nuns ; unto whom Saint Francis fent
many that were fick and infirm ; and they
by their prayers and by the fign of the
moft Holy Crofs healed them all every
one.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
How Saint Louis, King of France, went in Perfon^
in the Guife of a Pilgrim, to Perugia, to vifit
Holy Brother Guy.
^
AINT LOUIS, King of France, once
»^ went on a pilgrimage to fee the holy
places of the world : and hearing the ex-
ceeding great fame of the fand ity of Brother
Guy, who was one of the firft followers of
Saint
<Saint jffvantiu of ^nuinu 149
Saint Francis, he felt a hearty defire, and
at length determined to vifit him in perfon ;
for the which purpofe he came to Perugia,
where the faid Brother Guy was then abid-
ing. And drawing nigh to the gate of the
Monaftery, in the guife of a poor and un-
known pilgrim, with but a few Com-
panions, he moft perfiftently demanded
Brother Guy, faying to the gate-keeper
naught of who he was that afked for him.
The gate-keeper then went to Brother
Guy and told him that a pilgrim flood
without the gate and afked for him : and
God revealed and made known to him that
this was the King of France : at which
fuddenly he with great fervor left his cell
and ran forth to the gate ; and without fur-
ther queftioning, and before even they had
fet eyes each upon the other, kneeling
with extreme devotion, they embraced and
kiffed with much familiarity, as they had
long been bound by the bonds of friend-
fhip : but withal they fpoke no word, neither
the one nor the other ; but flood thus em-
braced in filence with thefe tokens of affec-
tionate amity. And having remained thus
for a fpace without fpeaking a word to-
gether, they parted one from the other ;
and
ISO ^i|e WLittlt JFlotoers of
and Saint Louis departed thence on his
journey, and Brother Guy returned again
to his cell. The King being departed, a
Friar afked a certain one among his Breth-
ren who that man might be who had fo
ardently embraced Brother Guy ; and he
made anfwer that it was Louis, King of
France, who had come thither to fee
Brother Guy. The fame being repeated
to the other Monks, they were fore afflided
that Brother Guy had fpoken no word with
him ; and reproving him, they faid : " O
Brother Guy, wherefore were you fo churl-
ifh, as when fo holy a King came hither
from France to fee you and to hear wife
words from your lips, you fpake not unto
him ? " Brother Guy made anfwer : '' My
beloved Brothers, marvel not hereat: foraf-
much as neither I could fpeak a word to him
nor he to me ; inafmuch as fo foon as we
were embraced, the light of Divine Wifdom
revealed and laid bare his heart to me and
mine to him ; and thus by Divine Authority
gazing each into the other's heart, we knew
far better thofe things which he might
have fpoken to me and I to him, than had
we fpoken them with our lips, and with
greater comfort than had we ftriven to fet
forth
Saint jftantiu of ^uninu 151
forth with our voices thofc things which
we felt in our hearts ; whereas the human
tongue being but faulty and ill-fitted to ex-
prefs clearly the fecret myfteries of God, it
would have rather added to our difcom-
fiture than our confolation ; wherefore
know that the King departed hence from
me wondrous well content and comforted
in fpirit."
CHAPTER XXXV.
How, being mjirm, Saint Clara 7vas borne by a
Miracle unto the Church of St. Francis, icpon
Chrijlmas Night, and heard Mafs therein.
SAINT CLARA being once infirm of
body, fo that flie could in no manner
go forth to fay Mafs in Church with the
other Nuns, when the folemn feaft of the
Nativity of Chrift was at hand all the others
went to Matins ; and fhe remained behind
in bed ill content that fhe could not go forth
with the reft to receive that fpiritual comfort.
But Jefus Chrift, her heavenly Spoufe, loath
to leave her fo ill content, had her borne
by miraculous power unto the Church of
St. Francis, and thus was Ihe prefent at
the
152 ^f)e ilittlc jFIolKcrs of
the office of Matins and at the Midnight
Mafs ; moreover, did receive Holy Com-
munion, and was then tranfported again
to her bed. The Nuns returning back to
Saint Clara, fervice being ended at St.
Damian's, faid to her : " Oh, our Mother,
Sifter Clara, what exceeding confolation
has been ours at this facred feaft of the
Nativity ! Would it had pleafed God that
you might have been among us ! " And
Saint Clara replied : " Thankfgiving and
praife give I unto Our Lord Chrift Jefus ;
may His name be bleffed, my beloved Sifters
and Daughters, forafmuch as I have wit-
neffed every folemn rite of this moft holy
night, and even greater things than you
have feen, to the great confolation of my
foul : forafmuch as through the interceffion
of my Father Saint Francis, and by the
Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, I was pref-
ent in the Church of my venerable Father
Saint Francis, and heard all the Office with
my bodily as well as my fpiritual ears, and
the found of the organ as it was played ;
and there too I did partake of the moft
Holy Communion. Wherefore for all thefe
mercies voucbfafed to me, rejoice greatly
and thank our Lord Jefus Chrift.
Saint jfrancis of ^nninu 153
CHAPTER XXXVI.
JIow Saint Francis fet foi'th to Brother Leo a
fair VifiOfi which he faw.
UPON a time Saint Francis was fore
infirm, and Brother Leo ferved him ;
the faid Brother Leo, being at prayer be-
fide Saint Francis, was rapt in Ecftafy, and
borne in fpirit to an exceeding great ftream,
broad and brawling. And Handing there
to note who fhould pafs over, he faw cer-
tain heavily-laden Friars enter the Flood,
the which were ftraightway beaten down
by the rulhing waters and were drowned ;
certain others came a third of the way
over ; others reached the middle of the
Plood ; certain others came almofb over to
the other fliore ; who all, from the violence
of the Flood, and from the burdens which
they bare upon their backs, fell at laft and
periflied miferably. Seeing this. Brother
Leo was much moved to pity : and fud-
denly ftanding thus, behold there came a
great multitude of Monks, without burden
or weight or any other thing, whofe counte-
nances fhone with the light of Holy Pov-
erty;
154 ^8^ JLittlt iFlotoers oC
erty ; and they entered upon the waters,
and paffed over without any danger ; and
feeing this, Brother Leo returned to him-
felf. And then Saint Francis, feehng in
fpirit that Brother Leo had feen fome
Vifion, called him unto his bedfide and
afked him concerning thofe things which
he had {qqw. And Brother Leo relating
duly all his Vifion, Saint Francis faid :
" That which you have feen is true. The
great river is this world ; the Brethren
which were drowned in the Flood are they
who forfake the calling of the Evange-
lifts, and above all elfe attain not unto the
moft extreme poverty : but they who paffed
over unharmed are thofe Monks who feek
after naught earthly or carnal, neither pof-
fefs aught of this world's goods, but having
naught fave a modicum of food and rai-
ment, therewith are well content, following
Chrift naked on the Crofs ; and they do
bear cheerfully and willingly the burden
and the fweet yoke of Chrift and of their
facred vow of Obedience ; and hence they
pafs eafily from temporal unto Eternal
Life.
<Saint iFrancifl of ^ssisu 155
CHAPTER XXXVII.
How ycfus Chrijl the Blejfed, at the Requejl
of Saifit Francis, did convert a rich and noble
Knight, and make him a Monk, the Same hav-
ing 7nade great Proffers and paid much Honor
u7ito Saint Francis.
SAINT FRANCIS, the fervant of Chrift,
coming late one night unto the houfe
of a great and powerful lord, was received
and entertained of him, he and his Com-
panion, even as they had been Angels of
God, with exceeding courtefy and devo-
tion : for the which thing Saint Fran-
cis held him in much efteem, confidering
that upon his entering into the houfe he
had embraced and kiffed him with ex-
treme amity, and thereafter had wafhed
his feet and dried them and kiffed them
humbly, and had made a great fire, and lay-
ing the table with many rich meats, con-
tinually did ferve on him with fhining face
while he ate thereof. Now Saint Francis
having eaten, together with his Companion,
this gentleman faid : " Lo, my Father, I
and all my worldly goods are thine : whenfo-
ever
156 ^1)0 nettle jFlotoers of
ever thou doft want raiment or mantle or
whatfoever thing, buy, and I will pay the
price ; and behold, I am ready to provide
for thine every want, forafmuch as by the
Grace of God I have wherewithal fo to
do, inafmuch as I abound in all temporal
goods ; and hence for love of God Who
gave them, I cheerfully do good unto His
poor." Upon which Saint Francis, feeing
him poffeffed of fuch courtefy and bland-
nefs, and the bounty which he proffered,
conceived fuch affe6lion for him that, de-
parting thence, he faid to his Comrade as
he went : ** Verily this gentleman would
well befeem our Religion and Company,
being fo grateful and fo pleafmg unto God,
and fo loving and courteous towards his
fellow-men and to the poor. Know, be-
loved Brother, that Courtefy is one of the
effential qualities of God, Who maketh His
fun to fhine and His rain to fall upon the
juft and upon the unjuft, through Courtefy:
and Courtefy is alfo the fifter of Charity,
which puts out Hatred and preferves Love
alive. Becaufe I have known fo much
divine virtue in this good man, I would
gladly take him for my Companion : and
hence I defire that we may one day return
again
cSaint jfvantin of ^nnini. 157
ap^ain unto him, if haply God may touch
his heart and move him to go along with
us to enter upon the fervice of God ; and
meantime we will pray God that He may
breathe this defire into his heart, and give
him grace to execute it." Wonderful to
relate ! A few days thence. Saint Francis
having prayed, our Lord breathed this de-
fire into the heart of that gentleman. And
Saint Francis fpake to his Companion, fay-
ing : ** Let us go forth, my Brother, to the
abode of that courteous man ; forafmuch
as I have firm faith in God, that he in the
Courtefy of temporal things Ihall give him-
felf to us and become our Companion."
And they went forth ; and drawing nigh
to his houfe, Saint Francis fpake to his
Companion, faying : " Await me here a
little, forafmuch as I am fain firft to pray
to God that it may pleafe Him to profper
our journey ; that it may pleafe Chrift
Jefus to grant unto us poor weak men the
noble prey which we hope to capture from
the world through the virtue of His moft
Holy Paffion." And faying this, he began to
pray at a place whence he might be feen of
the faid courteous man ; hence, as it pleafed
God, that fame, gazing hither and yon,
foon
158 ^ije atttle jFlotoers oi
foon saw Saint Francis loft in moft devout
prayer before Chrift, Who with great fplen-
dor appeared to him in the faid prayer and
ftood before his face ; and as he abode
there thus, he faw Saint Francis for a good
fpace Hfted up bodily from the earth. For
the which thing he was fo moved of God
and infpired to forfake the world, that pref-
ently he went forth from his palace, and
in the fervor of his fpirit haftened towards
Saint Francis ; and drawing nigh unto him
as he prayed, he knelt before his feet, and
with exceeding great urgency and devotion
he befought that it might pleafe him to re-
ceive him and to let him do penitence with
him. Then Saint Francis, feeing that his
prayers had been heard of God, and that
the felfsame thing which he defired, this
gentleman befought with fuch urgency, he
raifed him up, and fervently and joyoufly
embraced and kiffed him, moft devoutly
thanking God, Which had added fo noble a
knight to his Company. And that gentle-
man faid to Saint Francis : " What com-
mandefb thou me to do, my Father } Lo,
I am ready for thy command, and to give to
the poor all that that I have, and to follow
after Chrift with thee, thus fet free of all
temporal
<Saint iFcancis ot ^nnini, 159
temporal burden." And even fo he did, ac-
cording unto the counfel of Saint Francis ;
for he fliared his goods among the poor,
and entered into the Order, and Uved in
great penitence and fan6lity of life, and in
honeft converfation with his Brethren.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
I/'o7£/ Sai7it Francis had Jpiritual Knowledge that
Brother Elias was damned, afid was dejlined
to die outjide of the Order; wherefore at
Brother Elias' Entreaty He prayed to God in
his Behalf and was heard,
SAINT FRANCIS and Brother Elias
once abiding together in the felfsame
Convent, Saint Francis had a revelation
from God that Brother Elias was damned,
and was deftined to renounce his faith and
finally to die outfide of the Order. For
the which thing Saint Francis conceived
fuch difpleafure againft him, that for a
fpace he fpake not to him, neither held he
any converfe with him ; and if at any time
it happened that Brother Elias came forth
to meet him, he would turn afide and take
another
i6o STIje Hittle jFIotocrs of
another road, that he might not meet with
him ; at which Brother Elias began to note
and to underftand that Saint Francis was
much difpleafed with him ; hence, defiring
to know the caufe, he one day accofted
Saint Francis to fpeak with him ; and Saint
Francis ihunning Brother Ehas, he retained
him courteoufly perforce, and began to en-
treat him difcreetly that it would pleafe
him to fignify to him the caufe for which
he thus fhunned his company and all con-
verfe with him. And Saint Francis made
anfwer : *' The caufe is namely this : foraf-
much as it has been revealed to me of
God that you for your fins fliall renounce
your faith and (hall die outfide of the Order,
and alfo God hath revealed to me that
you are accurfed and damned." Hearing
this, Brother EHas fpake thus : " Reverend
Father, I befeech you for the love of Jefus
Chrift that you fliun me not for this, neither
drive me from you ; but like unto a good
Shepherd, following after the example of
Chrift, recover and receive again the flieep
which muft perifli if you aid him not; and
pray unto God for me that, if it may be.
He revoke the fentence of my damnation ;
forafmuch as it is written that God will
change
.Saint jFcancis oC ^BUinu i6i
change His decree if the finner turn from
his fin : and fo great is my faith in your
prayers, that were I in the midmoft part of
Hell and you fent up a prayer to God for
me, I fliould feel a certain eafe ; therefore
I pray you yet again to recommend me, a
finner, unto God, Which came into the world
to fave finners, that He will grant me His
Mercy." And this Brother Elias faid with
great devotion, ay, even with tears ; upon
which Saint Francis, like a pious Father,
promifed to pray to God for him ; and fo he
did. And praying to God very fervently for
him, he knew by revelation that his prayer
was heard of God, in fo far as concerned the
revocation of the fentence of Brother Elias'
damnation, for finally his foul fhould not be
damned ; but affuredly he would forfake
the Faith and die outfide the Order. And
even fo it happened ; forafmuch as Fred-
eric, King of Sicily, rebelling againft the
Church, and being excommunicated by the
Pope, he and whofoever fliould give him aid
or counfel, the faid Brother Elias, who was
held to be one of the moft wife men in the
world, being fummoned by that fame King
Frederic, joined himfelf unto him, and be-
came a rebel to the Church and an apof-
tate
II
1 62 ^Ije ILittlr jFlotJtrs ot
tate from the Order : for the which thing
he was excommunicated of the Pope, and
ftripped of his habit by Saint Francis.
And being thus excommunicate, and fall-
ing very ill, a certain lay Brother among
his Brethren, which had remained in the
Order and was a man of good and honeft
life, hearing of his fore infirmity, went to
vifit him ; and among other matter faid to
him : " My beloved Brother, it grieves me
much that you fhould be excommunicate
and driven out from your Order, and that
even fo you muft die ; but if you can per-
ceive any mode or manner by which I may
refcue you out of your peril, I will cheer-
fully endure any fuffering for your fake."
Brother Elias made anfwer : ** My Brother,
I fee no other manner than that you fhould
betake yourfelf to the Pope, and entreat
him that for the love of God, and of Saint
Francis his fervant, through whofe admo-
nitions I was led to forfake the world, he
abfolve me from his excommunication and
reftore to me the habit of my Order."
Thus he fpake to his Brother, who cheer-
fully undertook any labor fo that he might
but be faved : and departing thence from
him, he threw himfelf at the feet of the
Holy
cSaint jFvantiH of ^nnini. 163
Holy Father, humbly befecching him that
he would fliow mercy to his Brother, for
love of Chrift and of Saint Francis his fcr-
vant. And as it pleafed God, the Pope
granted him his leave to return again, and
if he found Brother Elias ftill alive, abfolve
him in his name from excommunication,
and reflore to him his habit ; upon which
he fet forth rejoicing, and with great fpeed
came again to Brother Elias, and found
him alive, albeit at the point of death, and
fet him free from the ban of the Church ;
and putting on him again his habit, Brother
Elias paffed away from this life, and his
foul was faved through the merits of Saint
Francis and by his prayers, in which Brother
Elias had put fuch great faith.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
0/ the Marvellous Sermon which was preached
in the Conjljiory by Saint Anto?iy of Padua,
a Gray Friar.
THAT marvellous veffel of the Holy
Ghoft, Saint Antony of Padua, one
of the chofen Difciples and Companions
of
1 64 STftc mttlt iFlotoras of
of Saint Francis, who was called of Saint
Francis his Vicar, once preached in the
Confifhory before the Pope and his Cardi-
nals ; in which Confiftory there were men
of divers nations ; namely, Greeks, Latins,
French, Germans, Slavs, and Englifh, and
men fpeaking other divers tongues. Fired
by the Holy Ghoft, fo efficacioufly, fo de-
voutly, fo fubtly, fo fweetly, fo clearly, and
fo plainly did he fet forth the Word of God,
that all they which were prefent at the Con-
fiftory, of whatfoever divers tongues they
were, clearly underftood all his words dif-
tin6lly,even as he had fpoken in the language
of each man among them ; and they all were
ftruck dumb with amaze, and it feemed as
that ancient miracle of the Apoftles had
been renewed, when as at the time of the
Pentecoft they fpake by virtue of the Holy
Ghoft in every tongue ; and they faid one
to another with admiration and awe : " Is
not he who preaches come out from Spain?
and how do we hear in his difcourfe every
man of us the fpeech of his own land ? "
Likewife the Pope, confidering and marvel-
ling at the profundity of his words, faid :
" Verily this man is the Ark of the Cove-
nant and the Vehicle of the Holy Gofpel."
<aaint jfvantin of ^HUinu 165
CHAPTER XL.
0/ the Miracle which God performed when
Saint Antony, being at Rimini^ preached to
the FiJJies of the Sea.
OUR Bleffed Lord and Saviour Jefus
Chrift, defiring to fet forth the great
fandlity of His moft faithful fervant Saint
Antony, how devout a thing it was to hear
his preaching and his Holy Do6lrines, He
reproved the folly of heretics and infidels
through unreafoning beafts, notably the
fiflies, as of old in the Bible He chid the
ignorance of Balaam through the mouth
of the Afs. Hence, Saint Antony being
at Rimini, where there was a great mul-
titude of heretics, defiring to bring them
back to the light of the true faith and
to the ways of virtue, for many days did
preach and fet forth to them the faith of
Chrift and of the Holy Scriptures : but
they, not only confenting not to his Holy
Words, but even like hardened and obfti-
nate finners refufing to hearken unto him.
Saint Antony one day by Divine Infpira-
tion went forth to the banks of the river,
clofe
1 66 rje JLittlt iFlobJtrs of
clofe befide the fea ; and Handing thus
upon the fhore betwixt fea and ftream, he
began to fpeak in the guife of a fermon in
the Name of God unto the fifhes : " Hear
the Word of God, ye fifhes of the fea and of
the ftream, fince heretics and infidels are
loath to liften to it ; " and having uttered
thefe words, fuddenly there came towards
him fo great a multitude of fifhes, great,
fmall, and middle-fized, as had never been
feen in that fea, or in that ftream, or of
the people round about ; and all held their
heads up out of the water, and all turned
attentively towards the face of Saint An-
tony, and the greateft peace and meeknefs
and order prevailed : infomuch that next
the fhore ftood the leffer fifh, and after
them came the middle fifh, and ftill after
them, where the water was deepeft, ftood
the larger fifh. The fifh being thus ranged
in order. Saint Antony began folemnly to
preach, fpeaking thus : " My Brothers the
fifh, you are greatly bounden, fo far as in
you lies, to thank your Creator that He
hath given you fo noble an element for
your habitation ; fo that at your pleafure
you have frefh waters and fait ; and He
hath given you many fhelters againft ftorm.
He
.Saint jftmxtiu of ^nniuL 167
He hath alfo given you a clear and kicid
element, and food, by which you may live.
God, your courteous and benign Creator,
when He created you, commanded you to
grow and multiply, and He gave you His
blefling : then when the great Flood fvval-
lowed up the World, and all the other ani-
mals were deftroyed, God preferved you
only without injury or harm. Almoft hath
He given you wings, that you may roam
whitherfoever it pleafes you. To you was
it granted, by God's command, to preferve
the prophet Jonah, and after the third day
to caft him up upon the land fafe and
found. You offered tribute to our Lord
Jefus Chrift, which He, poor and lowly,
had not wherewithal to pay. You were
the food of the everlafting King Chrift
Jefus, before the refurre6lion and again
after it, by a ftrange myftery ; for the
which things greatly are you bounden to
praife and blefs God, Which hath given you
fuch great and fo many benefits, more than
to any other creatures." Upon thefe and
other fimilar words and teachings of Saint
Antony the fifhes began to ope their
mouths, and to bow their heads ; and by
thefe and other figns of reverence, accord-
ing
1 68 ^Tije mttlt jFlotoeris of
ing as it was poffible to them, they praifed
God. Then Saint Antony, feeing fuch
reverence in the fiflies towards God their
Creator, rejoicing in fpirit, cried aloud and
faid : *' Bleffed be the eternal God, fince
fifhes of the waters honor Him far more
than heretic men, and the unreafoning
beafts more readily hearken to His Word
than faithlefs men." And as Saint An-
tony continued his preaching, the multi-
tude of fifhes was increafed yet more, and
none departed from the place which he
had filled. Upon this miracle the people
of the town began to haften forth, and
among them were alfo the aforefaid here-
tics ; the which, feeing fo manifefb and mar-
vellous a miracle, felt their hearts forely
pricked, and fell with one accord at Saint
Antony's feet, to hear his word. Then
Saint Antony began to preach of the
Catholic faith ; and fo nobly did he dif-
courfe, that he converted all thofe heretics
and turned them to the true faith of Chrift ;
and all the faithful were comforted with
great joy, and were confirmed in their faith.
And this done. Saint Antony difmiffed the
fifhes with the bleffing of God ; and they
all departed with marvellous figns of re-
joicing,
<Saint iFtancis of '^nninu 169
joicing and likewife the people. And then
Saint Antony flayed in Rimini for many
days, preaching, and reaping a fpiritual
harveft of fouls.
CHAPTER XLI.
Ifo7a the Venerable Brother Swion freed from fore
Tci7iptatio7i a Brother which for that fa??ie
Caufe was about to forfake the Order.
IN the beginning of the Order of Saint
Francis, while he yet lived, there came
into the Order a young man of Affifi, which
was called Brother Simon ; the which God
adorned and endowed with fo much grace,
fuch power of contemplation and eleva-
tion of mind, that throughout his life he
was ever a mirror of fan(5lity, according
as I have heard from them which long
abode with him. But very rarely was he
feen outfide his cell, and if ever he did
abide with the Brothers, he continually
did difcourfe of God. Never had he ftudied
the laws of grammar, and neverthelefs dif-
courfed fo deeply and fo loftily of God
and of the love of Jefus Chrift, that his
words
170 2^1)0 Hittlc jFlototrs of
words feemed fupernatural words ; hence
one evening he being gone into the wood
with Brother James of Maffa to converfe
of God, and fpeaking moft fweetly of the
Divine Love, they remained all night in
fuch difcourfe, and at dawn of day it feemed
as they had tarried there but a very brief
fpace, according as the faid Brother James
did tell me. And the faid Brother Simon
poffeffed in fuch fuavity and fweetnefs of
fpirit the divine and loving Light of God,
that ofttimes when he did feel it defcend-
ing upon him he would take to his bed ;
forafmuch as the tranquil fuavity of the
Holy Ghoft required of him not alone re-
pofe of foul but likewife of body ; and in
fuch Divine Vifitations he was ofttimes ab-
forbed in God, and became wholly infenfible
to all earthly things. Hence, once being
thus rapt in God, and infenfible to the
world, the Divine Love burned within him,
and he felt naught external with his bodily
fenfes. A Brother defiring to have proof
of this, to fee if it were even as it feemed,
went and took a coal of fire and laid it to
his bare foot ; and Brother Simon knew
naught of it, and it made no mark upon
his foot, albeit it was held there for a great
fpace
cSaint iFtancis of ^nninu 171
fpace, until it went out of itfelf. The faid
Brother Simon when he took his feat at
table, before ever he partook of bodily
food, took for himfelf and did break the
fpiritual food, difcourfnig of God. By his
devout converfation he once converted a
young man of San Severino, who was in
his time a moft vain and worldly youth,
and was of noble blood and very delicate
of his body : and Brother Simon, receiving
the young man into the Order, retained his
fecular garb in his keeping ; and he fo-
journed with Brother Simon to be taught
of him the meet obfervances. Wherefore
the Demon, who labors to diftort all good,
befet him with fuch fore defire and ardent
temptation to fm, that in no manner could
he refift; wherefore he went forth to Brother
Simon and faid to him : " Give me again
my raiment which I wore in the world, for-
afmuch as I can no longer ftand up againft
temptation." And Brother Simon, having
much compaffion for him, faid to him, '* Sit
here, my fon, a little fpace with me." And
he began to talk with him of God in fuch
manner that every temptation departed
from him ; and yet again the temptation
returned, and he again entreated that his
raiment
172 ^f\t iLittlr iFIotoers oi
raiment might be reftored unto him. And
Brother Simon drove it thence with dif-
courfe of God. And this he did many
times ; and finally one night the faid temp-
tation affailed him fo fore, more than was
its wont, that being unable by any manner
of means to hold out againft it, he went
forth to Brother Simon, entreating that his
worldly raiment might be given him again,
for in no manner might he linger longer
there. Then Brother Simon, according as
was his wont, bade him fit befide him ; and
as he fpake of God, the young man did lay
his head in Brother Simon's lap, for pure
melancholy and grief Then Brother Simon,
for the great compaffion which he had, raifed
his eyes to Heaven and made a prayer, be-
feeching the Lord moft devoutly for him,
and was rapt and heard of God : hence re-
turning again to his fenfes, the young man
felt himfelf wholly freed from that tempta-
tion, as if he had ne'er felt aught of it : nay
more, the ardor of temptation being con-
verted into the ardor of the Holy Ghoft,
inafmuch as he was brought near to the
Living Coal, which is Brother Simon, he
became all inflamed with the love of God
and his fellow-man ; infomuch that, a male-
fa6lor
Saint jFrancis of <^nniuu 173
fa61or being once taken, both whofe eyes
were to be plucked from him, he, that is,
Brother Simon, through compaliion went
forth fervently to the Prior ; and in full
Council, and with many tears and devout
prayers, he entreated that from him might
be plucked out one eye, and from the male-
fadlor another, to the end that the latter
might not be deprived of both. But the
Prior and Council, feeing the great fervor
of the brotherly love of this Friar, did par-
don both the one and the other. The faid
Brother Simon being once at prayer within
a wood, and feeling much confolation in his
own foul, a band of crows began to con-
found him with their chatter, at which he
commanded them in the name of Jefus
that they fliould depart and return again
no more ; and the faid birds, departing
thence, were thenceforth feen no more,
neither were they heard either there or in
all the region round about. And this mira-
cle was known to all the territory of Fermo,
wherein the faid Convent flood.
174 ^i)f JLittlt iFlotoers of
CHAPTER XLII.
0/ the fair Miracles which God wrought
through thofe holy Brethren, Brother Wel-
coi?ie, Brother Peter of Monticello, and
Brother Conrad of Offida: and ho7v Brother
Welcome bore a Leper fifteen Miles in mofl
brief Space : and to the onefpake Saint Michael,
and to the other came the Virgi7t Mary a7id
laid her Son in his Arms.
THE Province of the Marches of An-
cona was of old adorned with holy
and exemplary Monks, even as the Heavens
are adorned with ftars ; which fame Monks,
like unto the luminaries of the fky, did illu-
mine and adorn the Order of Saint Fran-
cis and the world by their example and
their do6lrine. Firft among thefe men was
Brother Lucius Antico, who was indeed a
fliining light for fandlity and burned with
Divine Charity ; whofe glorious tongue,
informed of the Holy Ghoft, gathered won-
drous fruit by its preaching. Another was
Brother Welcome of San Severino, which
was feen by Brother Maximus lift up into
the air for a great fpace, he being at prayer
in the wood ; for the which miracle the
devout
Saint iFtancis of Assist, 175
devout Brother Maximus, being then parifli
prieft, left his parifli and became a Gray
Friar; and was of fuch great fandlity that
he wrought many miracles both while he
lived and in his death, and his body lies at
Murro. The aforefaid Brother Welcome,
tarrying once alone at Trave Bonanti, to
watch and wait upon a Leper, being com-
manded of the Prelate to depart thence
and go to another Convent which was
fifteen miles away, being loath to leave
that Leper, with great ardor of brotherly
love took him and put him on his back,
and bore him from dawn of day even until
the rifing of the fun all that fpace of fifteen
miles, unto that fame Convent whither he
was fent, which was called Mount Sancino;
which diftance, had he been an eagle, he
could not fo fwiftly have flown in fo brief a
fpace : and great were the awe and admira-
tion at this divine miracle throughout all
the land. Another was Brother Peter of
Monticello, which was feen of Brother
Servetus of Urbino (he being then Prior
of the ancient Convent of Ancona), raifed
up bodily above the earth fome five, ay,
fix cubits, even unto the feet of Chrift
crucified within the Church before whofe
image
176 ^f\t Hittle JFlotDeria of
image he tarried in prayer. And this
Brother Peter, abftaining once upon the
Faft of the Archangel Saint Michael with
much devotion, and being at the laft of
that Faft in the Church at prayer, was
heard by a youthful Friar (who ftudioufly
remained hidden below the high altar, to
fee fome a6l of his fan6lity) difcourfing
with the Archangel Saint Michael ; and
the words that they fpake were thefe. Said
Saint Michael: "Brother Peter, faithfully
you have plagued yourfelf for me, and in
divers ways have affli6led your body : lo,
I am come to comfort you, to the end
that you may require of me whatfoever
grace you will, and I will entreat it for you
of God." Brother Peter replied : " Moft
Holy Prince and Captain of the Celeftial
Hoft, and moft faithful partifan of Divine
Love and pious prote6lor of fouls, I be-
feech you grant me this grace ; that you
will be pleafed to entreat of God that He
may forgive me all my fms." Saint Michael
made anfvver : " Afk fome other grace, for
this I moft cheerfully grant you." And
Brother Peter afked naught elfe fave only
this ; and the Archangel concluded : " For
the faith and devotion which you have in
me.
Saint Jfvamin of Assist- 177
me, I give you this grace which you have
afked, and likewife many others." And
their converfe ended, v^rhich had lafted for
a great fpace, the Archangel Saint Michael
departed thence, leaving him exceeding
comforted.
In the time of this Holy Brother Peter
lived the Holy Brother Conrad of Offida,
who, fojourning together with him in the
fame Convent of Forano in the territory
of Ancona, the faid Brother Conrad went
forth one day into the wood to medi-
tate on God, and Brother Peter went fe-
cretly after him to fee what might befall
him ; and Brother Conrad began to lift up
his voice in prayer, to pray moft devoutly
to the Virgin Mary with much piety, that
fhe would obtain for him from her Bleffed
Son this Grace, — that he might feel a little
of that fame blifs which Saint Simon felt
upon the Feaft of the Purification, when he
did bear Jefus, the Bleffed Saviour, in his
arms. And having prayed thus, the all-
merciful Virgin Mary heard his prayer ; for
lo ! the Queen of Heaven appeared to him
with her Bleffed Son in her arms, with ex-
ceeding great light ; and drawing near unto
Brother Conrad, fhe laid that Bleffed Babe
upon
12
178 Kfit nettle iFlotoers of
upon his arm ; and he receiving Him mofl
devoutly, embracing and kiffmg Him and
preffmg Him to his breafl, languifhed quite
away, and was confumed with Divine Love
and inexplicable confolation. And like-
wife Brother Peter, who had feen all thefe
things from his hiding, felt the moft ex-
treme blifs and comfort within his foul.
And the Virgin Mary departing thence
from Brother Conrad, Brother Peter retired
in hafte to the Convent left he fhould be
feen of him ; but after, when Brother Con-
rad returned again jocund and alert, Brother
Peter f aid to him : ** Oh, what heavenly great
confolation was yours this day ! " Brother
Conrad faid, " What fayeft thou, Brother
Peter ; and what doft thou know of that
which I have had ? " " Well I know, well
I know," faid Brother Peter, " how that the
Virgin Mary with her Bleffed Son hath
vifited thee." Then Brother Conrad, who
being truly humble, defired to be fecret
with the Graces of God, befought him that
he Ihould fpeak no word of this to any
man ; and fo great was the love betwixt
thofe twain from that day forth, that they
feemed to have but one heart and one foul
between them in all things. And the faid
Brother
cSaint jfrancis oC ^uninL 179
Brother Conrad did once, at the Convent
of Siruolo, fet free a woman who was pof-
feffed of a devil, praying for her all one
night and appearing to her mother, at
dawn of day did flee thence left he fhould
be fought out and honored of the people.
CHAPTER XLIII.
How Brother Conrad of Offida did convert a
young Monk who affliHed the other Friars,
And how the /aid young Monk, coming to die,
did appear to the /aid Brother Conrad, entreat-
ing that he ivould pray for him : and how he
fet him free by his Prayers from the very great
Pains of Purgatory.
THE faid Brother Conrad, a wondrous
partifan of Evangelic Poverty and
the Rule of Saint Francis, was fo religious
in his life and of fo great merit towards
God, that Chrift the Bleffed honored him
with many miracles both in his life and in
his death ; among which upon a time, being
come to the Convent of Offida a ftranger,
the Brethren entreated him for the love of
God and of true charity to admonifh a young
Monk who did abide in that Convent, the
which
i8o Kfiz ILittle iFlotoers of
which bore himfelf fo childifhly, difor-
derly, and diffolutely that he difturbed
both old and young of that Convent, heed-
ing little or naught the divine offices,
or other Ordinances of the Rule. Upon
which Brother Conrad, through compaf-
fion for the young man and at the prayers
of the Brothers, did one day call that youth
apart ; and in a fervor of brotherly love
fpake to him fuch efficacious and devout
words of admonition, that by the a6lion of
Divine Grace he fuddenly became, from a
child, an old man in his habit, and fo obe-
dient and benign and diligent and devout,
and moreover fo peaceful and fo docile, and
fo ftudious of all virtuous deeds, that even
as before the whole Convent had been dif-
turbed through him, fo now all were made
comfortable and content through him, and
they loved him much. It happened, as it
pleafed God, that thereafter, after his con-
verfion, the faid youth died ; at which the
faid Brothers mourned. And a few days
after his death his foul did appear to
Brother Conrad, he being devoutly at
prayer before the altar of their faid Con-
vent, and faluted him pioufly, as a father ;
and Brother Conrad afked him : ** Who art
thou } "
cSaint iFraucis of Assist. i8i
thou ? " The fame made anfwer and faid :
" I am the Soul of that young Monk which
did die a brief fpace fince." And Brother
Conrad faid : *' Oh, my moft beloved Son,
how is it with thee ? " The fame made
anfwer : " Through the Grace of God and
thy do6lrines it is well with me, foraf-
much as I am not damned : but for certain
of my fins, of which I had not time fuffi-
ciently to purge me, I muft endure the
worft pains of Purgatory ; thus I befeech
thee. Father, as by thy piety thou didft fuc-
cor me in my living, fo now it may pleafe
thee to fuccor me in my torment, reciting
certain Paternofters for me ; for thy prayers
are mofb acceptable in the fight of God."
Then Brother Conrad, confenting kindly
to his entreaties, and faying the Paternofter
for him but a fingle time together with the
Reqidan (Eterjiain, that Soul cried out : "Oh,
beloved Father, what well-being and refrefh-
ment I perceive ! Now, I befeech thee, fay
them yet once again." And Brother Con-
rad did fo ; and he having recited them, the
Soul faid : '' Holy Father, when thou doft
pray for me I feel much eafe : hence I en-
treat thee that thou ceafe not from worfhip
and praife for me." Then Brother Conrad,
feeins:
i82 Kfjt aittle iFIotoers of
feeing that that Soul was thus aided by his
prayers, recited for him an hundred Pater-
nofters ; and when that he had ended them,
that Soul did fay : " I thank thee, beloved
Father, in the name of God, for the broth-
erly love which thou haft fhown towards
me ; forafmuch as through thefe thy prayers
I am fet free from all pains, and am about
to enter the kingdom of Heaven." And
faying this, that Soul departed thence.
Then Brother Conrad, to the end that he
might give comfort and joy to the Breth-
ren, recited to them all this Vifion in due
order. And thus the Soul of that youth
entered Paradife through the merits of
Brother Conrad.
CHAPTER XLIV.
I/ow the Mother of Chrijl and Sai?it John the
Evangelijl did appear wito Brother Conrad^
and did tell hi77i which of they twain did grieve
mofl fore for the FaJ/lon of Chrifl.
IN the days when there abode together
in the territory of the Marches of
Ancona, at the Convent of Forano, Brother
Conrad
cSaint iFtancis oi ^uninL 183
Conrad and the aforefaid Brother Peter,
which were two fliining ftars of the Prov-
ince of the Marches, and two celeftially-
minded men, forafmuch as between them
was fo much Love and fo much Charity that
they feemed but one heart and one foul,
they were both bound together by this
contra6l : that every confolation which
the Grace of God fliould grant them they
fhould mutually reveal the one to the other
in all brotherly affeftion. This contra6l
being figned and fealed, it befell that
Brother Peter being one day at prayer,
and meditating moft devoutly upon the
Paffion of Chrift, and how the moft Bleffed
Mother of Chrift and John the Evangelift,
His moft dearly loved Difciple, and Saint
Francis, were portrayed at the foot of the
Crofs, crucified with Chrift by mental pangs
and dolor, he was feized with a longing
to know which of thefe three did grieve
moft fore for Chrift's Paffion, — whether the
Mother who bare Him, or the Difciple
who had flept upon His bofom, or Saint
Francis, which was crucified with Chrift ;
and lingering thus loft in thefe pious muf-
ings, the Virgin Mary appeared unto him
with Saint John the Evangelift, and with
Saint
184 ^fit Hittle iflcitoers of
Saint Francis, arrayed in moft fair raiment
of beatific glory ; but behold ! Saint Francis
feemed clad in more beauteous garb than
Saint John. And Peter being all alarmed
at this vifion, Saint John comforted him,
and faid to him : " Fear not, beloved
Brother, forafmuch as we are come to com-
fort thee in thy doubt. Know, then, that
the Mother of Chrift and I did grieve be-
yond all other creatures at the Paffion of
Chrifb ; but after us. Saint Francis felt
greater pangs than any other, and hence
doft thou fee him clad in fuch glory."
And Brother Peter alked him : '' Moft holy
Apoftle of Chrift, why feemeth the raiment
of Saint Francis more fair than thine .? "
Saint John made anfwer : " The reafon is
this : forafmuch as when he lived on earth
he did wear raiment more vile than I."
And faying thefe words. Saint John be-
ftowed on Brother Peter a glorious gar-
ment which he held in his hand, and faid
to him : " Take this garment, which I have
brought to give to thee." And Saint John
defiring to clothe him with this garment,
Brother Peter fell to the ground in a maze,
and cried aloud : *' Brother Conrad, dear-
eft Brother Conrad, fuccor me ftraight ;
come
cSaint jFrancis of ^nniui. 185
come hither and fee marvellous things."
And as he fpake thefe holy words that fa-
cred vifion vanifhed quite away. Then
Brother Conrad coming there, he told him
all things in due order as they had hap-
pened ; and they gave thanks unto God.
CHAPTER XLV.
0/ the Converjton and Life and Miracles a7id
Death of that holy Brother, John of the Pen,
BROTHER JOHN OF THE PEN be-
ing yet a child and not a churchman,
in the Province of the Marches of Ancona,
one night there appeared before him a moft
beauteous boy, who cried aloud unto him :
" John, go forth unto St. Stephen's Church,
where there preacheth one of my Gray
Friars ; believe thou in his teaching, and
hearken to his words, forafmuch as I have
fent thee thither : and this done, thou muft
take a far journey, returning then again to
me." Upon which forthwith he rofe up,
and felt a marvellous change within his
foul ; and going forth to St. Stephen's
Church, found there a great multitude of
men
1 86 K'^t ILittlt iFlotoers of
men and women tarrying to hear the
preaching. And he who was to preach
there was a certain brother, Brother PhiUp
by name, which was one of the first Friars
who had come into the Marches of Ancona ;
and but few convents had as yet been
founded in that region. Going up into the
pulpit, this Brother Phihp began to preach ;
and he preached moft pioufly, not with
words of human wifdom, but by virtue of
the Spirit of Chrift, foreteUing the kingdom
of Eternal Life. And the fermon ended,
the faid child went forth to the faid Brother
Phihp, and fpake to him : " Father, if it
pleafe thee to receive me into the Order, I
will cheerfully do penance, and will ferve
our Lord Jefus Chrifl." Brother Philip
feeing and recognizing in the faid child a
marvellous innocence and a prompt defire
to ferve God, faid to him : " Come to me
on fuch a day at Recanati, and I will fee
that thou art received ; for in that place
we do intend to make the Provincial Chap-
ter-houfe ; " at which the child, which was
moft exceeding fimple, bethought himfelf
that this was the far journey which he
muft take, according unto the revelation
which had been made unto him, and there-
after
^aint jFtancis oC ^uuini, 187
after he fliould go thence to Paradife ; and
fo he thought he muft do fo foon as he had
been received into the Order. He went
thither, therefore, and was received : and
feeing that his thoughts were not then
fulfilled, the Head of the Chapter faying
that whofoever would go forth through the
Province of Provence, through the merit of
his holy vow of Obedience, he would cheer-
fully give him leave fo to do, he felt a
great defire to go thither, thinking in his
heart that even this was the great journey
which he was to take before he might
reach Paradife ; but feeling fhame to tell
his thoughts, at laft he confided them to
the aforefaid Brother Philip, who had had
him taken into the Order, begging him lov-
ingly that he would entreat for him leave
to go into the Province of Provence. Then
Brother Philip, feeing his purity and his
holy purpofe, begged for him this grace :
whence Brother John with great rejoicing
fet about his departure, full of the thought
that, his journey ended, he fhould go thence
to Paradife. But, as it pleafed God, he fo-
journed in the faid Province twenty-five
years in this expe6lation and defire, living
in extreme honefty and fan6lity and exem-
plarity,
1 88 ^^t SLittle iFloUJtris of
plarity, growing ever in virtue and in the
Grace of God and of the people, and was
fupremely loved alike of Monks and laymen.
And Brother John being one day devoutly
at prayer, and weeping and wailing becaufe
his defire was not fulfilled, and that his
pilgrimage through this life was too long
protra6led, there appeared unto him Chrift
the Bleffed, at whofe afpe6l his whole foul
was melted within him, and He fpake to
him thus : ** Son, Brother John, require of
Me what thou wilt." And he made anfwer:
" My Lord, I know not what other thing to
alk of Thee than this, fmce I defire naught
elfe : but this only do I pray Thee, that
Thou wilt forgive me all my fins, and wilt
grant me grace to fee Thee yet once again,
when I may have greater need of Thee."
Jefus faid : " Thy prayer is granted ; "
and faying this, He departed thence, and
Brother John was left wholly comforted.
At the lafi: the Monks of the Marches,
hearing the fame of his holinefs, fpake fuch
great things of him to the Vicar General,
that he commanded him by his vow of
Obedience to return into the Marches ;
which command he receiving, fet forth
joyfully, thinking that, the journey over, he
fhould
Saint iftancis of ^uninu 189
fhould furely rife to Heaven, according to
the promife of Chriit. But being returned
again into the Province of the Marches, he
lived there thirty years, and was not known
of any of his kindred ; and every day he
waited for the Mercy of the Lord, that He
fhould fulfil His promife. And in thofe
days he many times filled the office of
Prior with much difcretion ; and Our Lord
wrought many miracles through him. And
among other gifts which he had of God, he
had the fpirit of prophecy ; hence once,
he going forth from the Convent, a certain
one among his novices was attacked by a
Demon and fo forely tempted that he, con-
fenting unto the temptation, determined
within himfelf to forfake the Order fo foon
as Brother John fhould return again from
abroad ; which thing, both temptation and
deliberation, being made known to Brother
John through the fpirit of prophecy, he
ftraightway returned home, and called be-
fore him the faid novice, telling him that
he defired to hear his confeffion : but be-
fore ever he did confefs, he recited to him
all his temptation in order, even as God
had revealed it to him, and concluded thus :
*' Son, forafmuch as you awaited my com-
ing,
190 ^ije ILittlc jFlotDrrs of
ing, and would not depart without my bleff-
ing, God hath granted you this grace, that
you fhall never leave this Order, but fhall
die in the Order with the Divine Favor.'*
Then the faid novice was confirmed in
good-will, and remaining in the Order he
became a holy Monk; and Brother Hugh
told all these things to me. The faid
Brother John, which was a man of bright
and peaceful fpirit, and but rarely fpake,
was a man of great devotion and prayer,
and efpecially after Matins he would never
return into his cell, but would tarry in the
church praying until day. And he being
at prayer one night after Matins, the
Angel of the Lord appeared before him,
faying : " Brother John, the end of your
journey, which you have fo long awaited,
is at hand, and I am come to tell you in
God's name that you may now afk whatfo-
ever favor you will. And I alfo announce
that you may choofe whichfoever you will,
either one day in Purgatory, or a week of
torment in this world." And Brother John,
choofmg rather the week of torment in this
world, fuddenly he was affli6led with divers
ills ; forafmuch as he was burned with
fever, and pinched hand and foot with
gout
.Saint iFrancifl of ^nninu 191
gout, and many other ills ; but that which
troubled him moil; was, that a Demon flood
before him and held in his hand a great
parchment infcribed with all the fms which
he had ever finned or conceived, and faid
to him : " For thefe fins which you have
wrought in thought, and with your tongue,
and in deed, you are condemned to the
loweft depths of Hell." And he was not
mindful of any good thing which he had
ever done, neither that he was in the Order,
neither that he had ever been ; but believed
verily that he was damned even as the
Demon faid. Whence, when he was afked
how he did, he replied : *' Very ill, foraf-
rauch as I am damned." The Brethren
feeing this, they fent for a very ancient
Brother, Brother Matthew of Mount Rub-
biano by name, which was a holy man and
very dear to this Brother John ; and the
faid Brother Matthew, coming to him on
the feventh day of his tribulation, greeted
him, and afked him how he fared. He
made anfwer that he fared but ill, becaufe
he was damned. Then faid Brother Mat-
thew : " Remember you not that many
times you have confeifed to me and I have
abfolved you wholly of all your fins .'' and
yet
192 Ki)t nettle jFlotorrs of
yet again, remember you not that you have
ever ferved God in this Holy Order for
thefe many years ? and again, remember
you not that the merciful kindnefs of God
exceedeth all the fms of the world, and that
Chrifl the Bleffed, our Saviour, hath paid
an infinite price for our redemption ? And
therefore be of good cheer, for verily you
are faved." And with thefe words, the
term of his purgation being fulfilled, the
temptation departed from him, and confo-
lation came. And with great rejoicing
Brother John fpake to Brother Matthew :
''Forafinuch as you are weary and the hour
is late, I pray you go to your reft." And
Brother Matthew would not leave him ;
but yet at laft, at his great inftance, he
went from him and lay down to reft : and
Brother John remained alone with the
Brother who ferved upon him. And lo !
Chrift the Bleffed came with exceeding
great fplendor, and with exceffive fweet finell,
according as He had promifed to appear to
him once again when he had greater need
of Him; and He healed him of his every
ill. Then Brother John with clafped hands
gave thanks to God, who with wife defign
had thus ended his great journey of the
prefent
cSatnt jFvancis o£ ^nniuL 193
prefent mifcrablc life, committed himfelf to
the care of Chrill and rendered up his foul
to God, paffnig from this mortal life into
Eternal Life with Chrill the Bleffed, which
he had fo long defired and waited to fee.
And the faid Brother John refts in the
Convent of Brother John of the Pen.
CHAPTER XLVI.
How Brother Peace being at Prayer faw the
Soul of his Brother, Brother Humility, afcend
to Heaven.
IN the aforefaid Province of the Marches,
after the death of Saint Francis, were
two Brothers belonging to the Order ; the
one was called Brother Humility and the
other was called Brother Peace, the which
were men of moft extreme fan6lity and
perfe6lion ; and the one, that is Brother
Humihty, abode in the Convent of Soffiano,
and there did die ; and the other dwelt in
a community belonging to another Con-
vent quite remote therefrom. As it pleafed
God, Brother Peace being one day at prayer
in a folitary fpot was rapt in ecftafy, and
faw
13
194 ^8^ atttlc iflotoers ot
faw the foul of Brother Humility rife
ftraight to Heaven, without any let or
hindrance, even in the felfsame moment
that it left the body. It then happed that
after many years this Brother Peace, who
remained, was placed with the Monks of
the faid Convent of SofBano, where his
brother had died. In thofe days the Breth-
ren, at the petition of the Lords of Bru-
forte, exchanged the faid Convent for
another : wherefore among other things
they did tranflate the relics of certain
Holy Friars which had died within thofe
walls : and coming to the fepulchre of
Brother Humility, his brother. Brother
Peace, took up his bones and wafhed them
with good red wine ; and then he wrapped
them in a fair white napkin, and with great
reverence and devotion kiffed them and
wept ; at which the other Monks mar-
velled, and held him as an ill example,
forafmuch as, he being a man of great
fanftity, it feemed that through fenfu-
al and fecular love he did weep for his
brother, and that he fhowed more de-
votion towards his remains than towards
thofe of the other Monks, who were no
lefs holy than Brother Humihty, and were
worthy
Saint iFcancfs of ^nulni. 195
worthy of as much reverence as he. And
Brother Peace knowing the evil imagina-
tion of the Brethren, meekly fatisfied them,
faying unto them : " My beloved Brothers,
marvel not if I do thefe things to the bones
of my Brother and do them not likewife to
the others, inafmuch as, bleffed be God, I
am not led, as you believe, by carnal love ;
but I have done fo becaufe that when my
brother paffed away from this life I, pray-
ing in a defert fpot and remote from him,
faw his foul rife ftraight into Heaven ; and
hence I am affured that his bones are fa-
cred and fhould reft in Paradife. And had
God granted me a fimilar affurance con-
cerning the other Friars, I fhould have
fliowed the fame reverence to their bones.
For the which thing the Brethren, feeing
his holy and devout intention, were much
edified, and praifed God.
196 Kf^t nettle jFlotoers of
CHAPTER XLVII.
0/ that Holy Mo?ik to who77i the Mother of
Chriji appeared wheit he was iufirm, afid
brought him three Boxes of Electuary.
IN the aforefaid Convent of Soffiano
there was of old a Gray Friar of
fuch exceeding fan61ity and grace that he
feemed all divine, and ofttimes was he rapt
in God. This Brother being on a certain
time quite abforbed in God and exalted,
forafmuch as he was notably endowed with
the grace of contemplation, there came unto
him birds of divers kinds, and familiarly
alighted upon his fhoulders, upon his head,
and upon his arms, and upon his hands,
and marvelloufly did they fing. This man
was a folitary foul and but rarely fpake ;
but when he was queftioned concerning
aught, he made anfwer fo gracioufly and fo
prudently that he feemed rather an Angel
than a man ; and he was moft fervent in
prayer and contemplation ; and the Brothers
held him in great reverence. This Brother
having fulfilled the courfe of his virtuous
life, according to Divine ordinance, he fell
ill
.Saint ^iFiMncis of Assist* 197
ill even unto death, infomuch that naught
could he take ; and therewithal he would re-
ceive no carnal medicine, but all his faith he
put in the Heavenly Phyfician, Jefus Chrift
the Bleffed, and in His Bleffed Mother;
thereby he merited the divine clemency of
being mercifully vifited and healed. Hence
he being once in his bed and making ready
for death with all his heart, and with all
due devotion, there appeared unto him the
glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of Chrift,
with an exceeding great multitude of An-
gels and Holy Virgins, with wondrous
fplendor. She drew nigh unto his bed :
whence he gazing upon her was moft
greatly comforted and rejoiced, both in
foul and in body; and he began to pray
humbly that She would pray Her beloved
Son that through His merits He would
releafe him from the prifon-houfe of this
wretched flefh. And perfevering in this
prayer with many tears, the Virgin Mary
replied to him, calling him by name, and
faying : " Doubt not, fon, forafmuch as your
prayer is granted, and I am come to com-
fort you a little before that you depart
hence from this life." There were with
the Virgin Mary three Holy Virgins, which
bore
198 Kfit autle jFloir.ers oi
bore in their hands three boxes of Ele6luary
of matchlefs odor and fweetnefs. Then the
glorious Virgin took and opened one of
thofe boxes, and all the houfe was filled
full of the fmell ; and taking a fmall por-
tion of that Ele6luary in a fpoon, She gave
it to the fick man : who, fo foon as he had
received it, felt fuch great comfort and eafe
that it feemed as his foul could no longer
abide within his body; whence he began
to fay : " No more, O moft holy and bleffed
Virgin Mother ! O bleffed Healer and Sav-
iour of mankind, no more ! for I am unable
to endure fuch fweetness." But the pious
and benign Mother ftill offering that Ele6t-
uary to the fick man and conftraining him
to take it, emptied all that box. Then the
firft box being emptied, the beatific Virgin
took the fecond and laid the fpoon therein
to give to him ; whereat he did lament,
faying : " O moft bleffed Mother of God !
my foul is almoft melted away by the
ftrength and fweetnefs of the firft Eleftu-
ary, and how may I endure the fecond ?
I pray you, bleffed above all Saints and all
Angels, that you will be pleafed to give me
no more." The glorious Virgin Mary an-
fwered : " Tafte, my fon, but a little of this
fecond
.Saint iFrancis of ^nnini. 199
fecond box." And giving him a little, flic
faid : "Now, fon, you have fo much as
may fuffice ; be comforted, O fon, for I
will come for you ere long, and will lead
you to the kingdom of my Son, which you
have ever fought and defired." And fay-
ing this, taking leave of him, She departed
thence ; and he was left fo confoled and
comforted by the fweetnefs of that confec-
tion, that for feveral days more he furvived
fated and ftrong, and partaking of no bodily
food. And after fome days, joyoufly dif-
courfing with the Brethren, with great jubi-
lee and rejoicing, he paffed away from this
miferable life.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Ifow Brother James of Majfa faw in a Vifion
all the Gray Friars of the World, after the
FafJiioii of a Tree, and did know the Virtues
and the Merits and the Vices of every one.
BROTHER JAMES OF MASSA, to
whom God opened the way to His
myfteries, and gave him perfect wifdom and
underftanding of the Divine Scriptures and
of
200 STfje 2Littlt ifloUjrrs oC
of future things, was of fuch great fan6lity,
that Brother Guy of Affifi, and Brother
Mark of Montino, and Brother Juniper,
and Brother Lucius faid of him that they
knew no man in the world more famihar
with God than this Brother James. Great
was my defire to fee him; forafmuch as I,
praying Brother John, the Companion of
the faid Brother Guy, that he would ex-
pound to me certain fpiritual matters, he
faid to me : " If you would be well informed
concerning the life of the Spirit, make
fhift to have fpeech with Brother James of
Maffa:" forafmuch as Brother Guy longed
to be informed of him, and no man was able
either to add or to take away from his
words, not one jot or tittle, and his words
are the words of the Holy Ghofl, and there
is no man on the earth whom I fo much
defire to fee. This Brother James, in the
beginning of the miniftry of Brother John
of Parma, praying was once rapt in God,
and remained three days in this ftate of
ecfbafy, deprived of all bodily fenfe, and
was fo lifelefs that the Brethren doubted
whether he were not dead ; and in this
trance God revealed to him the future of
our Order : for the which thine:, vvhen I
heard
^^int iFrancis of ^nniuL 201
heard it, my dcfire to hear him and to
fpeak with him did but wax ever greater.
And when it pleafed God that I fliould
have occafion to talk with him, 1 befought
him thus : " If thofe things be true which I
have heard of thee, I prythee keep them
not hidden from me. I have heard that
when thou didft lie three days as one dead,
among other things which God revealed
unto thee was that which was to befall this
our Order ; and this was I told by Brother
Matthew, preacher in the Marches, to whom
thou didft reveal it in compliance with
thy vows of Obedience." Then Brother
James with great humility acknowledged
that the words of Brother Matthew were
true. His words, that is, thofe of Brother
Matthew, the preacher in the Marches, were
thefe : " I know. Brother, unto whom God
hath made known that which fhall befall
our Order, forafmuch as Brother James
of Maffa hath publiflied and told me, that
after many things which God revealed to
him concerning the future ftate of the
Church Militant, he faw in a vifion a beau-
teous and very great tree, whofe roots were
made of gold, the fruits which hung upon
its boughs were men, and they all were
Gray
202 ^tjr HittU iFloUiers of
Gray Friars, the chief branches being di-
vided according to the number of the Prov-
inces of the Order ; and upon each branch
hung fo many Friars as there were in the
Province appropriated to that branch ; and
thus he knew the number of all the Friars
in the Order, and of each Province, and alfo
their names and ages and conditions, and
the great offices and dignities and efpecial
graces belonging to each, and their offences.
And he faw Brother John of Parma at the
higheft tip of the midmoft bough of this
tree ; and in the topmoft twigs of the
branches, which grew about this midmoft
branch, ftood the minifters of every Prov-
ince. And after this he faw Chrift feated
upon a great white throne ; and Chrift called
Saint Francis to fit befide him, and gave
him a Chalice full of the Water of Life,
and fent him forth, faying : ' Go, vifit your
Brethren, and give them to drink of this
Cup of the Water of Life ; forafmuch as the
fpirit of Satan fhall rife up againft them
and fhall dafh them down, and many among
them fhall fall and fhall not rife again.'
And Chrift gave to Saint Francis two
Angels which fliould walk befide him.
And then came Saint Francis to offer the
Cup
<Saint jftantiu of ^ssifiC, 203
Cup of Life to his Brethren : and he did
firft offer it to Brother John of Parma, who,
taking, drank it all, every drop, devoutly
and in hafte ; and fuddenly he became
luminous as the fun. And after him fuc-
ceflively Saint Francis offered it to all the
reft : and there were but few among them
who with due reverence and devotion did
take and drink it all. They who took it
pioufly and drank it all, every drop, ftraight-
way became fplendid as the fun ; and they
which fpilled it on the ground and received
it not with meet piety, became black, or
dark and miffhapen, and horrible to look
upon : they that drank a part and poured
out a part became partly luminous and
partly fhadowed, and in greater or lefs de-
gree, according to the meafure of that that
they drank and fquandered ; but more than
all the reft the aforefaid Brother John
fhone refplendent, which moft compla-
cently had drank the Cup of Life, whereby
he had moft deeply contemplated the abyfs
of infinite light, and therein had perceived
the adverfity and tempeft which were to
arife againft the faid tree, to fhake and
agitate its branches. Wherefore the faid
Brother John departed from the tip of the
bough
204 ^Sf Hittlr iFlotorra of
bough whereon he Hood, and defcending
downwards through all the boughs, did hide
himfclf amid the great limbs of the tree
clofe to the trunk, and there abode in pen-
five mood : and a certain Brother, which
had taken a portion of the Cup and had
fquandered a part, mounted up to that
branch and that twig whence Brother
John did defcend. And being on the faid
twig, the nails of his hands were changed
to fharp and piercing fteel, like unto razors :
upon which he did move from that place
whither he had climbed, and with force and
fury would fain have thrown himfelf upon
the faid Brother John to do him an injury ;
but Brother John feeing this, cried out in a
loud voice, and confided himfelf to the care
of Chrift, which fat upon the throne ; and
Chrift at his call fummoned Saint Francis,
and gave him a fharp flint ftone, and faid
to him : * Go with this ftone and cut the
nails of yonder Friar, with which he would
fain claw Brother John, to the end that he
may do no manner of harm to any man.*
Then Saint Francis came and did even as
Chrift did command him. And this done,
there came a whirlwind, and ftiook the
tree fo fore that the Brothers fell to earth ;
and
^aint JFrancis of ^asCsi. 205
and the firft to fall were they who had
fpilled all the Cup of the Water of Life, and
were borne thence by Demons to realms
of darknefs and torment. But Brother
John, together with the others which had
drunk all the Cup, were tranflated of An-
gels to the abode of Life and Eternal Light
and of Beatific Splendor. And the aforefaid
Brother James, who faw the vifion, under-
ftood and knew particularly and diftincStly
that which he faw, reading clearly the
names and conditions and ftates of each.
And fo long endured that tempeft about
the tree, that it fell, and the wind bore it
away. And then fo foon as the tempeft did
ceafe to rage, from the root of that tree,
which was of gold, fprang forth another
tree, which was all of gold, which brought
forth flowers and fruits and foliage of gold.
Of the which tree, and of its increafe, fize,
beauty, odor, and virtues, it is better to be
filent than to fpeak at this prefent."
2o6 ^f\t ILittlr iFlotoers oC
CHAPTER XLIX.
How Chrijl appeared to Brother John of Vernia.
AMONG the other wife and holy Broth-
ers and fons of Saint Francis, who,
as Solomon faith, are the glory of their
father, there lived in our times, and in the
faid Province of the Marches, the venerable
and holy Brother John of Fermo, the which,
by reafon of the great fpace that he abode
in the Holy Convent of Vernia, and for
that he there paffed away out of this life,
was alfo called Brother John of Vernia,
forafmuch as he was a man of rare life
and of great fan6lity. This Brother John,
being a layman and yet a child, defired
with all his heart to follow the way of
true repentance, which fhould keep his
foul and body clean and pure ; hence,
being but a little lad, he began to bear
about him a breaftplate and an iron belt
next his fkin, and to keep great fafts, and
efpecially when he fojourned with the
Canons of Saint Peter of Fermo, which
lived fplendidly, he would fhun fenfual de-
lights, and mortify his flefh with moft rigid
faftings.
cSaint jFrancis oC ^ssfsi. 207
faftings. But his companions being moft
contrary to him in this, tearing from him
his breaftplatc and hindering him in divers
falhions from falling, he, infpircd of God,
bethought him to forfake the world and its
lovers, and to caft himfelf wholly into the
arms of Chrift crucified, with the habit of
the crucified Saint Francis; and even fo he
did. And being received into the Order
thus young, and committed to the care of
the Mafler of the Novices, he became fo
fpiritual and devout, that once on a time
hearing the faid Mafter difcourfe of God,
his heart melted within him like wax before
the fire ; and with fuch exceeding fweet
grace was he warmed by Divine Love, that
he, not able fteadfaftly to endure fuch great
fuavity, rofe up, and, like a man drunk in
fpirit, ran hither and thither, now through
the garden, now the wood, and now the
church, according as the flame and fury of
the fpirit did urge him on. Then in the
courfe of time Divine Grace did make this
angelic man to grow from virtue to vir-
tue, and in celeftial gifts and divine ex-
altation and ecftafies, infomuch that at
certain times his mind was exalted to the
fplendors of the Cherubim, at other times
to
2o8 Eiftr ILittlr jFlotorrs of
to the joys of the Bleffed, and yet again
to the loving and extraordinary embrace
of Chrift. And efpecially upon a certain
day was the flame of Divine Love once
kindled in his heart, and this fire burned
within him for the fpace of three years,
in which time he received marvellous con-
folations and Divine vifitations and was
ofttimes rapt in God ; and did speedily
appear all on fire and aflame with the
love of Chrift : and this was on the holy
Mount of Vernia. But inafmuch as God
is ftrangely watchful of his children, giv-
ing them, according to their various ne-
ceffities, now confolation, now tribulation,
now profperity, and now adverfity, accord-
ing as He fees it needful to uphold them in
the way of humihty, or the more to enkindle
their defire after celeftial things, it pleafed
the Divine Bounty, after the three years, to
take away from the faid Brother John that
bright beam and that flame of Divine Love,
and to deprive him of allfpiritual confolation.
For the which Brother John was left with-
out light and without the love of God, and
was quite comfortlefs and aflfli6led and
fad ; wherefore he wandered through the
wood, roaming hither and yon, calling with
groans
Saint iFtancis of '^unini. 209
groans and tears and fighs to the beloved
Spoufe of his foul, which had hidden Him-
felf and departed from him, and without
whofe prefence his foul could find no reft
neither any repofe : but in no place, neither
in any manner, could he meet his fweet
Jefus, or again recover thofe moft dear
and divine delights of the love of Chrift,
which had been his wont And this tribula-
tion endured for many days ; during which
he perfevered in continual weeping and
fighing, and in praying God that of His
pity He would reflore to him the beloved
Spoufe of his foul. At the laft, when it
pleafed God to have fufficiently proved his
patience and inflamed his defire, one day,
as Brother John walked in the faid wood
thus troubled and affli6led, he fat down
to reft in flieer languor, leaning againft a
beech-tree, with his face all bathed in
tears, gazing Heavenward, and lo ! fuddenly
there appeared Jefus Chrift clofe befide
him in the very path by which Brother
John came thither, but faying naught.
Brother John feeing Him and knowing
Him well, that He was Chrift, fuddenly
threw himfelf at His feet and with inor-
dinate tears moft humbly befought Him,
faying :
14
2IO 5r!)0 ILittle iFlotocrs of
faying: "Help me, Lord, for without Thee,
my fweeteft Saviour, I live in darknefs and
in the midft of tears ; without Thee, moft
meek and gentle Lamb, I live in anguifh,
in pain and fear ; without Thee, Son of
God Moft High, I Hve in confufion and
fhame ; without Thee I am ftripped of
every good, and blind, forafmuch as Thou
art Chrift Jefus, True Light of fouls ; with-
out Thee I am loft and damned, forafmuch
as Thou art the Spiritual Life, and the
very Life of Life ; without Thee I am
withered and dry, forafmuch as Thou art
the Fountain of every gift and every grace ;
without Thee I am all comfortlefs, foraf-
much as Thou art Jefus, our redemption,
love, and defire, the Bread that doth com-
fort, and the Vine that maketh to rejoice
the hearts of Angels and the hearts of all
the Saints. Shine upon me, moft gracious
Mafter and moft loving Shepherd, foraf-
much as I am Thy lamb, unworthy though
I am." But to the end that the dehre of
holy men, unto which our Lord is flow to
hearken, might be kindled unto greater love
and merit, Chrift the Bleffed departed thence
and left him unheard, neither fpake He any
word, and went His way along that felf-
fame
Saint iFtancCfl of '^Xnnini. 211
fame path. Then Brother John rofe up,
and haftcned after him, and yet again did
fall at His feet, and with a holy importu-
nity did hold Him by His garment, and
with moft pious tears befought Him, fay-
ing : " O fweeteft Jefus Chrift, have mercy
upon my tribulation ; hearken unto me for
the abundance of Thy mercy, and for the
truth of Thy falvation, and give me back
the light of Thy countenance and of Thy
loving kindnefs, forafmuch as the whole
earth is full of Thy merciful deeds." And
Chrift departed from him yet again, and
fpake not to him, neither gave He him any
confolation ; and He did even as the mother
doth to her child, when fhe lets him long
for her breaft, and lures him to purfue her
with weeping, to the end that fo he may
take it more gladly. At which Brother
John once more with greater fervor and
defire followed after Chrift ; and having
drawn nigh to Him, Chrift the Bleffed
turned to him, and looked upon him with
a gracious and fmiling countenance ; and
opening His moft holy and merciful arms,
He did moft fweetly embrace him. And in
that opening of His arms Brother John
faw rays of refplendent light to iffue from
the
212 5ri)e ILittlt iFlotorrs of
the moft Sacred Breaft of the Saviour, the
which lighted all the wood and pierced his
very foul and body. Then Brother John
knelt at Chrift's feet ; and the Bleffed Jefus,
even as He did to Magdalen, gave him His
foot to kifs. And Brother John, taking it
with fupreme reverence, bathed it in fo
many tears that verily he feemed another
Magdalen ; and he cried devoutly : "I pray
Thee, O Lord, that Thou wilt not regard
my fms, but by Thy moft Holy Paffion, and
by the fhedding of Thy moft Precious and
Holy Blood, that Thou wilt revive my foul
by the grace of Thy Love ; fmce this is
Thy command, that we love Thee with all
our hearts and with all our minds ; which
command can none fulfil without Thy aid.
Aid me, then, moft beloved Son of God, for
I love Thee with my whole heart and my
whole ftrength." And Brother John, en-
treating thus at Chrift's feet, was heard of
Him, and asrain received from Him his
former grace, which is the flame of Divine
love, and felt himfelf quite confoled and
renewed ; and knowing the gift of Divine
grace to have returned into him, he began
to give thanks unto Chrift the Bleffed, and
devoutly to kifs His feet. And then rifing
up
<Saint jFtrancis of ^unini. 213
up to gaze upon the face of Chrift, Jefus
Chrift ftretchcd forth and offered him His
moft Sacred Hands to kifs : and when that
Brother John had kiffed them, he drew
near and fell upon Chrift's bofom and em-
braced and kiffed Him ; and Jefus likewife
did embrace and kifs him. And in thefe
kiffes and embraces Brother John enjoyed
fuch Divine odors, that had all the odorifer-
ous delights and all the perfumed things of
earth been conjoined together, they would
have feemed but an evil ftench in compari-
fon with that fmell ; and therein Brother
John was rapt and confoled and enlight-
ened, and that fmell dwelt in his foul for
many months. And thenceforth, from his
mouth, which had drank of the Fountain of
Divine Wifdom in the Sacred Bofom of the
Saviour, came forth marvellous and celeftial
words, which turned all hearts ; and they
that heard him reaped much fpiritual har-
veft : and in the path in the wood wherein
had flrayed the Bleffed Feet of Chrift, and
for a good fpace round about. Brother John
did ever fmell that fmell, and fee that fplen-
dor, whenfoever he returned thither for a
great time thereafter. Brother John re-
turning again to himfelf after that ecftafy,
and
214 ^t)^ Hittle iFItJtoers oi
and the bodily prefence of Chrift being van-
ifhed, he remained fo enlightened in foul,
in the depth of his divinity, that albeit he
was no fcholar by human ftudy, neverthe-
lefs he did miraculoufly folve and expound
the moft fubtle and profound queftions
concerning the Divine Trinity and the
deep myfteries of the Holy Scriptures.
And many times thereafter, fpeaking be-
fore the Pope and his Cardinals, and before
the King and his Nobles, and the Doctors
and learned Men of the Law, he put them
all in great amaze by the wife decrees and
lofty words which he did utter.
CHAPTER L.
How, faying Mafs upon All Souls' Day, Brother
yohn of Verniafaw many Souls fet free fro7n
Purgatory.
THE faid Brother John, once faying
Mafs upon All Souls' Day, for all
the fouls of them that are dead, according
as the Church hath decreed, offered up
that moft noble Sacrament with fuch loving-
kindnefs and fuch pious compaffion that for
its
cSatnt jFrancis of '^nninu 215
its efficacy the fouls of the dead defired
above any other good that he might be
chofen of all men to fay fervice for them ;
for he fcemed to melt quite away in the
fweetnefs of his pity and brotherly love.
For the which thing, as he did devoutly
raife aloft the Body of Chrift in that Mafs,
offering it unto God the Father, and pray-
ing Him that for love of His Bleffed Son
Jefus Chrift, Which hung upon the Crofs to
buy back fouls. He would be pleafed to fet
free from the pains of Purgatory the fouls
of the dead, created and redeemed by
Him, ftraightway he faw an almoft infinite
number of fouls rife up out of Purgatory,
as they had been countlefs fparks of fire
flying up from a burning furnace ; and he
faw them go up into Heaven, through the
merits of Chrift's Paffion, which is every
day offered up for the quick and the dead
in that moft Sacred Hoft, worthy to be
adored in fceaila fcectdoriim.
2i6 ^fit mttle jFlototts of
CHAPTER LI.
O/ the Holy Brother yames of Fallerone ; and
how, befo7'e he died, he did appear to Brother
jfohn of Vernia.
AT the time when Brother James of
Fallerone, a man of much fan6lity,
lay very ill at the Convent of Moliano in
the territory of Fermo, Brother John of
Vernia, who was then abiding at the Con-
vent of Maffa, hearing of his affli6lion,
forafmuch as he loved him like his own
dear father, fell to praying for him, de-
voutly entreating God in filent prayer that
He would make whole the body of the faid
Brother James, if it were for his foul's beft
good ; and praying thus devoutly, he was
rapt in ecftafy, and faw in mid-air a vaft
army of Angels and Saints above his cell,
which was in the wood, encompaffed with
fuch fplendor that all the region round
about was lighted up with the glory
thereof ; and among thefe Angels he faw
the fick Brother James, for whom he
prayed, arrayed in white and fhining robes.
He alfo faw among them the bleffed
Father
.Saint jfrancifl of Assist* 217
Father Saint Francis, adorned with the
Sacred Stigmata of Chrill;, and of exceed-
ing luftre. He alfo favv and recognized
Holy Brother Lucius, and Brother Matthew
the Prior of Mount Rubiano, and many
more Friars, the which he had never feen
nor known in this life. And Brother John
gazing thus with great delight, as was his
wont, upon that bleffed band of Saints,
there was revealed to him as a verity the
Spiritual Salvation of the faid fick Brother,
and that he muft needs die of his difeafe ;
but he fhould not go ftraight to Paradife
after death, inafmuch as it befeemed him
firfh to purge his fms a little fpace in Pur-
gatory. At the which revelation Brother
John did fo greatly rejoice for that foul's
falvation that he heeded not the death of
the body, but with great fweetnefs of fpirit
called him foftly, faying : " Brother James,
my dear father ; Brother James, my dear
brother ; Brother James, moft faithful fer-
vant and friend of God ; Brother James,
Companion of Angels and Confort of the
Bleffed." And thus in this affurance and
cheer he returned again to himfelf, and
incontinently did fet forth from the Con- .
vent and go to vifit the faid Brother James
at
2i8 srifte ILittlr JFlotocrs of
at Moliano ; and finding him fo heavily-
burdened that he could fcarce fpeak, he
announced to him the death of his body
and the glory and falvation of his foul,
according to the affurance which he had
received through Divine revelation ; at
which Brother James, much rejoiced in
foul and in afpe6l, received him with great
cheer and with a jocund laugh, thanking
him for the good tidings he did bring,
and devoutly recommending himfelf to his
prayers. Then Brother John befought him
dear, that after his death he would return
and fpeak to him concerning his condition ;
and Brother James gave him his promife
fo to do, if it fhould thus pleafe God. And
having faid thefe words, the hour of his
paffing away drew near, and Brother James
began pioufly to recite that verfe of the
Pfalms : In pace in idipfum doruiiamy et
reqidefcam; which is to fay: I will lay me
down in peace, and take my refl ; and
having repeated this verfe, with a light
and jocund face he paffed away from this
life. And after that he was buried. Brother
John travelled thence to the Convent of
Maffa, and awaited the promife of Brother
James that he would return again to him
upon
^aint ifrancis of ^sminL 219
upon the day which he had named. But
on the faid day, he being at prayer, Chrift
did appear unto him with a great company
of Angels and of Saints, among whom
Brother James was not ; whence Brother
John, marvelling much, recommended him
fervently to Chrift. Then the day follow-
ing thereafter. Brother John praying in the
wood, Brother James did appear to him ac-
companied by the Angels, all glorious and
all bright, and Brother John faid to him :
" O deareft father, why did you not return
again unto me upon the day which you did
name ? " Brother James replied : " Foraf-
much as I had need of certain purgation ;
but in that fame hour that Chrift appeared
to you, and you did commend me to His
care, Chrift heard you and delivered me
out of all punifhment. And then I ap-
peared unto Brother James of Maffa, a lay
faint, which was ferving at Mafs, and faw
the Confecrated Wafer, when the Prieft did
raife it up, converted and changed into the
form of a moft beauteous living boy, and
faid to him : * I go this day with this fame
child unto the realm of Eternal Life,
whence can none go without him.' " And
faying thefe words. Brother James difap-
peared,
2 20 ^fjr JLittlt JFlotoers of
peared, and rofe up to Heaven with all
that bleffed company of Angels ; and
Brother John was left greatly comforted.
The faid Brother James of Fallerone died
upon the eve of the day of Saint James
the Apoftle, in the month of July, at the
aforefaid Convent of Moliano ; wherein
for his merits the Divine Bounty wrought
many miracles after his death.
CHAPTER LII.
O/ the Vifton of Brother Johfi of Vernia^
wherein he knew the whole Order of the Holy
Trinity.
THE aforefaid Brother John of Vernia,
forafmuch as he had perfedly ab-
jured every mundane and temporal comfort
and delight, and had put all his pleafure
and all his hope in God, Divine Bounty
gave him wondrous confolations and reve-
lations, efpecially at the high feafts of Chrift ;
whence the folemn feaft of Chrift's Nativ-
ity once drawing nigh, whereon he furely
awaited comfort from God in the fweet hu-
manity of Jefus, the Holy Ghoft poured
into
cSnint iFrancifl of ^nmni. 221
into his foul fuch great and cxceffive love
and longing for the brotherly affe6tion of
Chrift, through the which He did abafe
Himfelf to take on our humanity, that verily
it fecmed as his foul had been dragged from
his body and were burning like to a furnace.
Unable to endure which ardor, he grieved
and melted apace, and cried out in a loud
voice, forafmuch as through the force of the
Holy Ghoft, and through the overmuch fer-
vor of his love, he could not longer reftrain
his cries. And in that fame hour when
that meafurelefs fervor came upon him, with
it came fo ftrong and fure a hope of his
falvation, that he could not in any manner
believe that if he were dead he muft needs
pafs through the pains of Purgatory ; and
this love endured in him full fix months,
albeit that exceffive fervor was not con-
tinual, but came upon him at certain hours
of the day. And at this time he did re-
ceive marvellous vifitations and confola-
tions of God : and ofttimes was he rapt,
as he was feen of that Brother which firft
wrote down thefe things ; among which,
he was one night fo mightily exalted and
rapt in God that he faw in Him the Crea-
tor of all created things both celeftial and
terreftrial,
2 22 Kf^t ILittlt JFlotorrs of
terreftrial, and all their perfe6lions and de-
grees and various orders. And then he
knew clearly how every created thing look-
eth in the eye of its Creator, and how Our
Lord is above, and within, and without, and
beneath all created things. He alfo faw
and knew one God in three Perfons, and
three Perfons in one God, and the infinite
loving-kindnefs which did make the Son
of God incarnate through obedience to the
Father. And laftly and finally, he knew
in that vifion how that there is no other
way by which the Soul can journey to God
and have Eternal Life, fave only through
Chrift the Bleffed, which is the Way and
the Truth and the Life of the Soul.
CHAPTER LHI.
How, fayijig Mafs, Brother John of Verniafell
as ojie Dead.
TO the faid Brother John, as he did
abide in the aforefaid Convent of
Moliano, there did hap on a certain time
this wondrous chance, as thofe Brethren
which were prefent do relate ; for the firfl
fennight
Saint jFrancis oC ^nmni, 223
fennight after the feaft of Saint Lorenzo,
and during the fennight of the Affumption
of Our Lady, he having faid Matins in
Church with the other Friars, and the
un6lion of Divine Grace coming unlooked
for upon him, he went forth into the garden
to meditate upon Chrift's PalTion and to pre-
pare himfelf to celebrate with all due piety
the Mafs which it was his duty that morn-
ing to fing ; and pondering the words
of the confecration of the Body of Chrift,
that is, confidering the infinite CompalTion
of Chrift, which led Him to redeem man-
kind, not only with His moft Precious
Blood, but alfo to leave with us His moft
Worthy Body and Blood as food for our
hungry fouls, his love of the fweet Jefus
began to wax within him in fuch fervor and
fuch fuavity that his foul could no longer en-
dure fuch piercing fweetnefs ; but he cried
aloud, and as one drunk in fpirit ceafed not
from faying, Hoc ejl corpus meum : foraf-
much as faying thefe words he feemed to
fee the Bleffed Chrift with the Virgin Mary
and a multitude of Angels, and as he faid
thefe words he was enlightened of the
Holy Ghoft concerning all the deep and
lofty myfteries of that moft high Sacra-
ment.
2 24 ^8^ mttlt iFlotoers of
ment. And at day dawn he entered the
Church with that fervent fpirit and with
that felfsame anxious pang, and repeated
ever thofe fame words, thinking himfelf
heard of none and feen of none ; but a
certain Monk knelt in the choir at prayer,
which heard and faw all. And unable in
that ardor to reftrain himfelf, through the
abundance of Divine Grace, he cried out
in a loud voice, and fo long he did continue
thus, that it was the hour to fay the Mafs ;
wherefore he went to trim the altar ; and
beginning Mafs, the farther he proceeded
fo much the more grew his love of Chrift
and that fervor of devotion with which he
was given a fenfe of the ineffable God fuch
as he himfelf knew not, nor could exprefs
it after with his tongue. Wherefore he,
fearing left that fervor and fenfe of God
fhould wax fo great that he muft need
leave the Mafs unfaid, was greatly troubled,
and knew not which part to choofe; whether
to proceed with the Mafs, or to ftay and
await what might befall. But forafmuch
as another time a fimilar chance befell
him, and the Lord had fo tempered that
ardor that he was not forced to leave the
Mafs unfaid, and trufting that fo he might
have
Saint jfvantiu of ^nuiuu 225
have ftrength to endure again, he went on
and finiilied the Mafs with great fear; and
coming even fo far as the Preface of Our
Lady, the Divine Ilkimination and Gracious
Suavity of the love of God began fo to grow
upon him, that, reaching the Qui pridie, he
could fcarce endure fuch excefs of fuavity
and fweetnefs. Finally, attaining unto the
a6t of confecration, and faying one half the
words over the Hoft, that is. Hoc eji, in no
manner could he go farther, but ftill did
repeat thofe felfsame words, that is. Hoc ejl
enhn: and the caufe why he could not pro-
ceed farther was, that he felt and faw the
prefence of Chrift with a multitude of An-
gels, whofe majefly he could not fuffer, and
he faw that Chrift would not enter into the
Hoft, or rather that the Hoft could not be
tranfubftantiated into the Body of Chrift, un-
lefs he did utter the other half of the words,
that is, corpus meimi. At the which he,
lingering thus in anguifh, and not proceed-
ing farther, the Prior and the other Monks,
and even many laymen which were in the
Church to hear the Mafs, hallened towards
the altar; and they ftood affrighted as they
faw and confidered the a6ts of Brother John,
and many among them wept for pure piety.
At
IS
226 STfje mttlt JFlotoers of
At laft after a great fpace, that is, when it
pleafed God, Brother John uttered the words,
e7izm corpus nieum, in a loud voice ; and fud-
denly the form of the Wafer vanifhed, and
Jefus Chrift the Bleifed appeared within
the Hoft incarnate and glorified, and fet
forth unto him the humility and charity
which did incarnate Him of the Virgin
Mary, and which daily maketh Him to de-
fcend into the hands of the Prieft when
he doth confecrate the Hoft ; whereby he
was the more exalted in fweetnefs of con-
templation. Hence, having lifted up the
Hoft and confecrated Cup, he was rapt out
of himfelf ; and his foul having loft all fen-
fual and fleftily fenfe, his body did fall back-
wards ; and if that the Prior had not held
him in his arms as he ftood behind him,
he would have fallen to the ground. At
which the Brethren drawing nigh, together
with thofe laymen which were in the
Church, both men and women, he was
borne away thence into the facrifty like
unto one dead, forafmuch as his body was
quite cold, and the fingers of his hands
were clenched fo clofe that they had much
ado to fpread or move them. And in this
manner he did lie as one fenfelefs, or
rather
.Saint iFrancis of ^nniuu 227
rather rapt, even until Tierce, and fo re-
mained. And forafmuch as I, who was
prefent at thefe things, defired mightily to
know thofe things which God had wrought
in him, ftraightway that he did return to
himfclf I did go in to him, and did pray
him for the love of God that he would tell
me all. Hence he, becaufe he had great
faith in me, did narrate to me all in order:
and among other things which he told me,
he declared that as he confidered the Body
and Blood of Chrifl; Jefus which were
before him, his heart was liquefied like
unto well-tempered wax, and it feemed as
his flefh were deprived of bones, in fuch
manner that he could not lift either hand
or arm to make the fign of the Crofs above
the Chalice. So, too, he told me that before
ever he became a Prieft it was revealed to
him of God that he fliould but feldom go
to Mafs ; but inafmuch as he had already
faid many Maffes, and this thing had never
yet befallen him, he bethought himfelf that
the revelation came not from God. And
neverthelefs fome fifty days before the
Affumption of Our Lady, whereon the
aforefaid chance befell him, he did receive
yet another revelation of God, telling him
that
2 28 jFlotocrs of <Saint jFvantin.
that this chance fhould befall him on or
about the faid feaft of the Affumption ;
but he remembered not thereafter the faid
vifion, or rather revelation, made to him
by Our Lord.
University Press : John Wilson & Son, Cambridge.
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