4700
1907
ROBA
THE
TEMPLE
CLASSICS
Edited by
ISRAEL
GOLLANCZ
M.A.
First Edition, April 1898
Second Edition^ December 1898
Third Edition, April 1899
Fourth Edition, June 1900
Fifth Edition, October 1901
Sixth Edition, January 1903
Seventh Edition, August 1904
Eighth Edition, May 1907
LITTLE
F12WERS
6FSAINT
FRANCIS
NEWIY TRAN9>
LATED OUT OF
T.W.ARNOLD
LONDON : PUBLl-SHCD BYO-M-DNT
XNP-CO; AI.DJNS -House v/c: MCMVII
10
BX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGB
L In the name of our Lord Jesu Christ the
Crucified, and of His Virgin Mother Mary.
In this book are found certain little Flowers,
Miracles and devout ensamples of the glori-
ous poor little one of Christ, Saint Francis,
and of certain his holy Companions, to the
praise of Jesu Christ. Amen 1
n. Of Brother Bernard of Quintavalle, first com-
panion of Saint Francis . . . .1
in. How for an evil thought that Saint Francis
had against Brother Bernard, he bade the
said Brother Bernard tread three times with
his feet upon his mouth and on his throat 7
rv. How the angel of God proposed a question
unto Brother Elias, guardian of a House in
the valley of Spoleto, and because Brother
Elias answered him proudly, departed and
went along the road to Saint James's, where
he found Brother Bernard and told him
this story Ii
How the holy Brother Bernard of Assisi was
sent by Saint Francis to Bologna and there
founded a House 16
vi. How Saint Francis blessed the holy Brother
Bernard and left him as his vicar, when he
came to pass away from this life . . zo
vii. How Saint Francis passed a Lent in an island
in the Lake of Perugia, where he fasted
forty days and forty nights, and ate no
more than one half loaf . . . . 13
vm. How, as Saint Francis and Brother Leo were
going by the way, he set forth unto him
what things were perfect joy . . . 15
CONTENTS
tx. How Saint Francis taught Brother Leo how
to answer him ; and how he could never
say aught save the contrary of what vSaint
Francis wished 18
*. How Brother Masseo, as though mocking,
said unto Saint Francis that all the world
came after him: and he replied that this
was for the confusion of the world and the
grace of God 31
KI. How Saint Francis made Brother Masseo
turn round and round several times, and
then went to Sienna 33
KJI. How Saint Francis laid on Brother Masseo
the office of the door, of alms-giving, and of
the kitchen : then at the prayers of the
brothers set him free of them . . 36
mi. How Saint Francis and Brother Masseo set
the bread that they had begged upon a stone
hard by a fountain, and how Saint Francis
praised poverty exceedingly. Then besought
God and Saint Peter and Saint Paul that
He would set in his heart ihe love of holy
poverty, and how Saint Peter and Saint
Paul appeared unto him . . . -38
siv. How, as Saint Francis and his brothers were
discoursing of God, He appeared in the
midst of them 42
xv How Saint Clare ate with Saint Francis and
the brothers, his companions, in Saint Mary
of the Angels 43
xvi. How Saint Francis received the counsel of
Saint Clare and of the holy Brother Silvester,
that it behoved him by preaching to convert
much people ; and how he founded the
third Order, and preached unto the birds,
and made the swallows hold their peace . 46
KVII. How a little boy-brother, while Saint Francis
was praying in the night, saw Christ and
the Virgin Mary and many other saints
hold converse with him . . . 51
CONTENTS
VU
XVIH. Of the marvellous Chapter that Saint Francis
held at Saint Mary of the Angels, whereat
were more than five thousand brothers . 53
xix. How the vineyard of the priest of Rieti,
in whose house Saint Francis prayed, was
robbed and despoiled of its grapes by the
much folk that came to him ; and then
miraculously yielded more wine than ever
before, even as Saint Francis had promised
him. And how God revealed unto Saint
Francis that at his death he should in-
herit Paradise 5$
ix. Of a vision wondrous fair, seen by a young
brother, the which did hold the cowl in
such hate that he minded to put off the
habit and leave the Order . . .61
xxi. Of the most holy miracle that Saint Francii
wrought when he converted the fierce wolf
of Agobio 64
xxii. How Saint Francis tamed the wild turtle-doves 69
xxm. How Saint Francis delivered the brother
that was in sin with the devil . . 70
xxw. How Saint Francis won over to the faith
the Soldan of Babylon . . . . 71
xxv. How Saint Francis miraculously healed one
that was a leper both in soul and body ;
and what the soul said to him, as it went
up into heaven . . . . -74
txvi. How Saint Francis converted three robbers
that were murderers and made brothers of
them ; and of the most noble vision that
was seen by one of them, the which was
a most holy brother . . . -77
xxvn. How Saint Francis converted in Bologna
two scholars, who became brothers ; and
how thereafter he delivered one of them
from a sore temptation . . . .88
KXVUI. Of an ecstasy that came to Brother Bernard ;
whereby he abode from morning until
Nones, so that of himself he was not ware 91
viii CONTENTS
CHAP. PAG5*
xxix. How the devil appeared many times unto
Brother Ruffino in the form of the Crucified,
telling him that all the good he did was
lost, since he was not among those elect
to life eternal. Whereof Saint Francis
was ware through revelation from God,
and made Brother Ruffino to know his
error in lending credence thereto . . 93
xxx. Of the beautiful sermon preached in Assisi
by Saint Francis and Brother Ruffino . 97
xxxi. How Saint Francis knew the secrets of the
consciences of all his brothers in order . 100
xxxn. How Brother Masseo obtained of Christ
the virtue of his humility . . . 101
XXXIQ. How Saint Clare, at the bidding of the
Pope, blessed the bread that was on the
table : so that on every loaf appeared the
sign of the holy Cross . . . .103
xxxiv. How Saint Louis, King of France, went
in person, in the guise of a pilgrim, to
Perugia, for to visit the holy Brother Giles 105
xxxv. How Saint Clare, being sick, was miracu-
lously carried, on the night of Christmas
Eve, to the church of Saint Francis and
there heard the office . . .107
xxxvi, How Saint Francis set forth unto Brother
Leo a fair dream that he had seen . .108
XXXVH. How Jesu Christ, the blessed One, at the
prayer of Saint Francis, let convert a rich
and gentle knight and become a brother,
the which had shown great honour and
liberality unto Saint Francis . . .no
xxxvm. How Saint Francis knew in spirit that
Brother Elias was damned, and would die
outside the Order; wherefore at the sup-
plication of Brother Elias, he prayed to
Christ for him, and his prayer was heard . 113
xxxix. Of the marvellous sermon that the Brother
Minor, Saint Antony of Padua, preached
in the Consistory . . , , i; 6
CONTENTS ix
CHAP. PAGE
XL. Of the miracle which God wrought when
Saint Antony, being at Rimini, preached
to the fishes of the sea . . 117
xij. How the venerable Brother Simon delivered
from a grievous temptation a brother, that
wished on this account to leave the Order i io
LH. Of the fair miracle that God wrought by
the hands of the holy brothers, Brother
Bentivoglia, Brother Peter of Monticello,
and Brother Conrad of Offida: and how
Brother Bentivoglia carried a leper fifteen
miles in a very brief space ; and how Saint
Michael spake unto the other, and the
Virgin Mary came unto the third and
laid her Son in his arms . . . 1 24
tun. How Brother Conrad of Offida converted
a young brother, that was troubling
the other brethren. And how this
young brother dying, appeared to the
said Brother Conrad beseeching him to
pray for him : and how by his prayers he
set him free from the grievous pains of
Purgatory i*?
ir rv. How there appeared unto Brother Conrad
the Mother of Christ, Saint John the
Evangelist and Saint Francis ; and told
him which of them had the greater grief
for the Passion of Christ . . .130
XLV. Of the conversion and life and miracles and
death of the holy Brother John of La
Penna 132
ILVI. How Brother Peaceful being at prayer saw
the soul of Brother Humble, his brother,
going up to heaven . . . . 1 38
XLVII. Of the holy brother unto whom appeared
the Mother of Christ, what time he was
sick, bringing him three boxes of electuary 140
ir.vm. How Brother Jacques of La Massa saw in
a dream all the Brothers Minor in the
world, in the likeness of a tree, and learned
CONTENTS
AP PAGB
the virtue and the merits and the vices of
each ...... 142
:ux. How Jesu Christ appeared unto Brother
John of Alvernia . . . . . 147
L. How Brother John of Alvernia, as he said
Mass on All Souls' Day, saw many souls
delivered from Purgatory . . . 153
u. Of the holy Brother Jacques of Fallerone ;
and how after his death, he appeared unto
Brother John of Alvernia . . .154
m. Of the vision of Brother John of Alvernia,
whereby he understood all the order of
the Holy Trinity 158
mi. How Brother John of Alvernia, as he was
saying Mass, fell down as one dead . '59
Of the most holy Stigmata of Saint Francis
and reflections thereon
Of the first reflection on the most holy Stigmata . 165
Of the second reflection on the most holy Stigmata 174
Of the third reflection on the most holy Stigmata 1 85
Of the fourth reflection on the most holy Stigmata 197
How Jerome touched and saw the most holy
Stigmata of Saint Francis, wherein at first
he disbelieved 213
Of the day and of the year of the death of Saint
Francis .....;. 214
Of the canonisation of Saint Francis . . .114
Of the fifth and last reflection on the most holy
Stigmata 214
How a holy brother reading the legend of Saint
Francis in the Chapter on the most holy
Stigmata and on the secret words, which the
Seraph spake unto Saint Francis when he
appeared unto him, prayed to God so much
that Saint Francis revealed them unto him . 217
How Saint Francis, being dead, appeared unto
Brother John of Alvernia, as he was at prayer 221
CONTENTS xi
FAOV
Of a holy brother that saw a wondrous vision of
one of his companions that was dead . . zzj
How a noble knight, devoted to Saint Francis,
was certified of the death and the holy Stig-
mata of Saint Francis 226
How Pope Gregory IX., doubting of the Stigmata
of Saint Francis, was certified thereof . . 228
The life of Brother Juniper
L How Brother Juniper cut off the foot of a
pig, merely to give it to a sick man . . 130
n. An instance of the great power of Brother
Juniper over the demons . . . 234
m. How, by the device of the devil, Brother
Juniper was condemned to the gibbet . 235
rv. How Brother Juniper gave to the poor what-
soever he could, for the love of God . . 240
v. How Brother Juniper cut off certain bells from
the altar and gave them away for the love
of God 241
vi. How Brother Juniper kept silence for six
months ....... 244
vn. An example of how to resist the temptations
of the flesh 244
vm. How Brother Juniper abased himself for the
glory of God . ... 245
nc. How Brother Juniper played see-saw to abase
himself ....... 246
x. How Brother Juniper once cooked a fort-
night's food for the brethren . . . 247
xi. How Brother Juniper went on a time to
Assisi for his own confusion . . . 250
XIL How Brother Juniper was rapt in ecstasy
while celebrating the Mass . . . 25 1
xui. Of the sorrow that Brother Juniper felt
at the death of his companion, Brother
Amazialbene 11
xii CONTENTS
PAGH
xjv. Of the hand that Brother Juniper saw in the
air 151
xv. An example of Brother Leo, how Saint Francis
bade him wash the stone . . , *53
The Life of the blessed Brother Giles, the
companion of Saint Francis
L How Brother Giles and three companions
were received into the Order of the Minors . 255
n. How Brother Giles went to Saint James the
Great 258
in. After what fashion Brother Giles led his life
when he went to the Holy Sepulchre . . 259
rv. How Brother Giles praised obedience more
than prayer 260
v. How Brother Giles lived by the labour of his
hands 261
vi. How Brother Giles was miraculously cared for
in a time of great need, when by reason of
the deep snow he could not go to beg alms 263
vn. Of the day of the death of the holy Brother
Giles 166
vm. How a holy man, being at prayer, saw the soul
of Brother Giles pass into life eternal . 266
ix. How by the merits of Brother Giles, the soul
of a friend of a certain Preaching Brother
was set free from the pains of Purgatory . 267
*. How God had given graces unto Brother Giles,
and of the year of his death . 268
The chapters of sundry goodly sayings and of
the teaching of Brother Giles
t Of vices and virtues 269
n. Of Faith 270
m. Of holy humility ..... 273
w. Of the holy fear of God .... 276
v. Of holy patience ... . 277
CONTENTS xiii
PAGB
vi. Of slothfulness ...... 282
vn. Of contempt of the world .... 286
vra. Of holy chastity 288
ix. Of temptations ...... 290
i. Of holy penitence ..... 294
xi. Of holy prayer ...... 256
xii. Of holy spiritual prudence . . . .301
xai. Of profitable and unprofitable knowledge . 303
xrv. Of good and evil speaking .... 305
xv. Of good perseverance .... 306
xvi. Of the true religious life . . . 308
xvn. Of holy obedience 310
Of the remembrance of death , .312
THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Chapter I
In the name of our Lord Jesu Christ the Cruci-
Jied) and of his Virgin Mother Mary. In
this book are found certain little Flowers,
Miracles and devout ensamples of the glorious
poor little one of Christ, Saint Francis, and
of certain his holy Companions, to the praise
of Jesu Christ. Amen
\
AT the first, needs must we consider how the St *>
glorious Saint Francis in all the acts of Francis
his life was conformed unto Christ the blessed * A 53 * 8 *
one : how even as Christ in the beginning of
His preaching chose out twelve Apostles, to
contemn all earthly things, to follow him in
poverty and other virtues ; so Saint Francis
in the beginning chose out for the founding
of the Order twelve companions, possessors of
the deepest poverty. And even as one of the
twelve Apostles of Christ, rejected of God,
finally hanged himself by the neck; even so
one of the twelve companions of Saint Francis,
whose name was John of the Chapel, fell away
and finally hanged himself by the neck. And
unto the elect this is a great ensample and
matter for humility and fear; bearing in mind
that no man is certain to persevere unto the end
2 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The com- in the grace of God. And even as these holy
panions Apostles were altogether wonderful in sanctity
of St anc j humility and full of the Holy Spirit, so
s these most holy companions of Saint Francis
were men of such sanctity, that, from the time
of the Apostles until now, the world never saw
men so marvellous and so saintly ; in that one
of them was caught up into the third heaven,
like Saint Paul, and this was Brother Giles ;
one of them, to wit Brother Philip Lungo,
was touched on the lips by an angel with a
coal of fire, as was Isaiah the prophet: one
of them, and he was Brother Silvester, spake
with God, as one friend doth with another,
even as Moses did : one through subtlety of
intellect flew up even unto the light of the
divine Wisdom, like the eagle, to wit John
the Evangelist, and this was the most humble
Brother Bernard, who set forth clearly the
deep things of Holy Writ : one of them was
sanctified of God and canonised in heaven, being
yet alive in the world, and he was Brother
Ruffino, a gentleman of Assisi : and thuswise
were they all favoured with singular marks of
sanctity, as is set forth hereafter.
Chapter II
Of Brother Bernard of Quint 'avail r e, Jirst com-
panion of St Francis
THE first companion of Saint Francis was
Brother Bernard of Assisi, who was con-
verted in this wise : While Saint Francis was
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 3
still in the secular habit, albeit he had already Bernard
despised the world, and went about being wholly and St
held in scorn of men, mortifying his flesh by Francis
penances, in so much that by many he was
thought foolish and was mocked at as a mad
fellow, and was driven away with stones and
foul abuse by his kinsfolk and by strangers, yet
bore himself patiently amid all manner of igno-
miny and reproach, as though he were deaf and
dumb : Bernard of Assisi, the which was of the
noblest, and richest, and wisest in the city, began
wisely to take heed unto Saint Francis, how
exceeding strong his contempt of the world, how
great his patience in the midst of wrongs, so that
albeit for a two years' space thus evil intreated
of all persons and despised, he ever seemed the
more constant ; then he began to ponder and to
say within himself: "In no wise can it be that
this brother hath not abundant grace from God " ;
so he called him one evening to sup and lodge
with him : and Saint Francis consented thereto
and supped with him and lodged. And thereat
Bernard set it in his heart to watch his sanctity :
wherefore he let make ready for him a bed in
his own proper chamber, in the which at night-
time ever a lamp did burn. And Saint Francis,
for to hide his sanctity, when he was come into
the chamber, incontinent did throw himself upon
the bed and made as though he slept : and like-
wise Bernard after some short space set himself
to lie down and fell to snoring loudly, in fashion
as though he slept right soundly. Whereby
Saint Francis, thinking truly that Bernard was
4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St asleep, in his sleep rose up from his bed and set
Francis' himself to pray, lifting up his hands and eyes
sanctity untQ heaven, and with exceeding great devotion
and fervour said : " My God, my God." And
thus saying and sorely weeping he abode till
morning, alway repeating : " My God, my
God," and naught beside ; and this Saint
Francis said, while musing on and marvelling at
the excellence of the divine Majesty, which
deigned to stoop down to a perishing world and
through his poor little Francis purposed to bring
a remedy for the salvation of his soul and the
souls of others. Therefore illumined by the
Holy Spirit, or the spirit of prophecy, fore-
seeing what great things God would do through
him and his Order, and minding him of his own
insufficiency and little worth, he cried unto God
and besought Him that by His pity and almighty
power, without the which the weakness of man
may naught avail, He would supply his lack,
aid and fulfil what of itself was nothing worth.
Bernard seeing, by the light of the lamp, the
most devout acts of Saint Francis, and devoutly
pondering in his mind the words that he spake,
was touched and inspired by the Holy Spirit to
change his life ; in the morning therefore he called
Saint Francis and thus bespake him : " Brother
Francis, I am wholly purposed in my heart
to leave the world and follow thee in what-
soever thou mayest bid me." Hearing this,
Saint Francis rejoiced in spirit, and said:
" Bernard, this that thou sayest is a task so
great and difficult, that thereof must we seek
ST FRANCIS OF ASSIS1 5
counsel of our Lord Jesu Christ, and beseech The test
Him that He be pleased to show us His will of the
therein, and teach us how we may bring it to mlssal
pass: wherefore let us go together to the
bishop's house, wherein is a good priest, and
let us let say the Mass ; then let us continue
in prayer until Tierce, beseeching God that in
thrice opening of the missal He may reveal
to us the path it is His will we should
elect." Bernard made answer that this pleased
him right well. So fared they forth and
came to the bishop's house: and after they
had heard the Mass, and continued praying
until Tierce, the priest at the bidding of Saint
Francis took the missal, and making the sign
of the most holy Cross, opened it thrice in
the name of our Lord Jesu Christ: and at the
first opening appeared the words that Christ
spake in the Gospel to the young man that
asked concerning the path of perfection : " If
thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor and follow me " ;
at the second opening appeared those words
that Christ spake unto the Apostles when He
sent them forth to preach : " Take nothing
for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip,
neither bread, neither money " ; wishing thereby
to teach them that for their daily bread they
should set all their hopes on God and fix
their mind wholly on the preaching of the
holy Gospel ; at the third opening of the
missal appeared those words that Christ spake:
" If any man will come after me, let him
6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Silvester deny himself, and take up his cross, and
and St follow me." Then spake Saint Francis unto
Francis Bernard : " Behold the counsel that Christ
giveth us : come then and fulfil that which
thou hast heard : and blessed be our Lord
Jesu Christ, who hath deigned to show forth
His own life in the holy Gospel." This
heard, Bernard went out and sold all that
he had, and he was very rich ; and with
great joy he gave all his possessions to widows,
to orphans, to prisoners, to monasteries and
to hospices, and pilgrims ; and in all things
Saint Francis helped him faithfully and wisely.
And a certain man whose name was Silvester
seeing that Saint Francis gave and let give so
much money to the poor, being moved by greed,
said to Saint Francis: "Thou hast not paid ms
in full for the stones thou didst buy of me for to
rebuild the church ; therefore pay me now that
thou hast money. Therewith Saint Francis,
marvelling at his greed and willing not to stir up
strife with him, as a true follower of the holy
Gospel, put his hands into the bosom of
Bernard ; and filled his hands with money,
which he put into the bosom of Silvester, saying
that if he wished for more, more would he give
him. Silvester being content with these, forth-
with was away and gat him to his house : but in
the evening bethinking him of what he had done
throughout the day, and chiding himself for his
greed, pondering on the fervour of Bernard and
the sanctity of Saint Francis, he had from God,
on the night following and two other nights, a
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 7
vision on this wise, that from the mouth of Bernard
Saint Francis sprang a cross of gold, of which tne ^ rst
the top reached unto heaven, and the arms f gT 761
stretched from the East even unto the West. Francis
By reason of this vision, he gave away all that
he had for the love of God, and became a
brother minor, and lived in the Order in such
sanctity and grace that he spake with God, as
doth one friend with another, whereof Saint
Francis ofttimes was witness ; the which will
be set forth hereafter. Bernard in like manner
had such grace of God that oftentimes in con-
iplation was he caught up to God: and
Saint Francis said of him, that he was worthy
of all reverence, and that it was he that had
founded this Order ; inasmuch as he was the
first to leave the world, keeping back naught
for himself, but giving all unto the poor of
Christ, and, when he took on him the Gospel
poverty, offering himself naked in the arms of
the Crucified ; bless we His name, world
without end. Amen.
Chapter III
low for an evil thought that Saint Francis had
against Brother Bernard, he bade the said
Brother Bernard tread three times with his
feet upon his mouth and on his throat
most devout servant of the Crucified,
Saint Francis, through the rigour of his
penances and ceaseless tears, had grown wellnigh
blind, and could see but little. On a time
S THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Bernard amongst others he hied him from the place
heeds not where he was, and went to a place where
Bother Bernard was, for to speak with him
of things divine : and coming to the place, he
found that he was at prayer in the wood, all
lifted up and joined to God. Therewith went
Saint Francis into the wood and called him.
"Come," quoth he, "and speak unto this blind
man"; and Brother Bernard made him no
answer ; in that being a man of deep con-
templation, his mind was fixed on things above
and lifted up to God: but seeing that he had
frace exceeding rare to speak of God, whereof
aint Francis had oftentimes been witness, he
desired the more to hold parley with him. So
biding some short space, he called the second
and the third time after the same fashion ; but
neither time did Brother Bernard hear him,
and therefore made him no answer, nor came
unto him ; so that Saint Francis departed, a
little disconsolate and marvelling within himself,
and complaining for that Bernard, being called
three times, had not come to him. Departing
with this thought, Saint Francis, when he was
gone a little space, said to his companion :
" Wait here for me " : and he went aside into a
solitary place hard by and cast himself down in
prayer, beseeching God that He would make
known unto him wherefore Brother Bernard
had made him no answer; and as he prayed,
there came a voice from God, which said thus :
" O poor little man, wherefore art thou troubled?
Should a man leave God for a creature ? Brother
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 9
Bernard, when thou calledst him, was joined St
unto Me ; and could not come to thee thereby Francis
nor answer thee ; wherefore marvel not that he
could not speak to thee ; seeing that he was so
much lifted out of himself that of thy words he
heard not one." Being thus answered of God,
Saint Francis straightway with great haste re-
turned unto Brother Bernard, humbly to accuse
himself of the thought that he had had concern-
ing him. And beholding him coming towards
him, Brother Bernard went to meet him and threw
himself at his feet : then Saint Francis let lift
him up and told him with great humility the
thought and trouble of mind that he had had
concerning him, and how God had answered
him therein ; wherefore he thuswise made an
end : " I command thee by holy obedience that
thou do whate'er I bid thee." Brother Bernard,
fearing that Saint Francis might o'erstep the
bounds, as was his wont, in what he bade him
do, fain would have escaped this obedience, if
so he might be without fault; and therefore
thus replied : " Ready am I to work out thy
obedience, if thou promise me to do whatsoever
I shall bid thee " ; and Saint Francis promising,
Brother Bernard said: "Now tell me, father,
what is thy will that I should do." Then
spake Saint Francis : " I command thee by
holy obedience, that for punishment of my
presumption and the heat within my heart,
when now I throw me on the ground upon
my back, thou set one foot upon my throat,
and the other on my mouth, and thuswise three
to THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St times pass over me from side to side, crying
Francis* shame upon me and contempt, and chief of all
penance Bespeak me thus : * Clodpoll, lie there, thou
spawn of Peter Bernardoni, whence cometh such
great pride to thee, that art a thing most vile ? ' ;
Hearing the which Brother Bernard, albeit right
grievous to him was it in the doing, yet for holy
obedience, with what courtesy as best he might,
he fulfilled the bidding of Saint Francis ; and
this done, Saint Francis said: "Now do thou
command me whatever thou wilt that I should
do ; since I have promised thee obedience. "
Said Brother Bernard : " I command thee by
holy obedience that, whensoever we be together,
thou rebuke and correct me harshly for my
faults." Whereat Saint Francis made mighty
marvel : for that Brother Bernard was of such
great sanctity that he held him in high reverence,
and deemed him not blameworthy in any thing
at all, and therefore from that time forth Saint
Francis took heed to shun his fellowship, by
reason of the said obedience, so that no word
of correction might ever fall on one whom he
knew to be of such great holiness, but when he
wished to see him or hear him speak of God,
with what speed he might he left him again and
was away. Right edifying in very sooth it was
to see with what great love and reverence and
humbleness Saint Francis, the father, bore him
and spake with Brother Bernard, his first-born
son. To the laud and glory of Jesu Christ and
the poor little one, Saint Francis. Amen.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 11
Chapter IV
How the angel of God proposed a question unto
Brother Elias, guardian of a House in the
valley of Spoleto, and because Brother Elias
answered him proudly, departed and went along
the road to Saint James's, where he found
Brother Bernard and told him this story
AT the beginning and commencement of the St Fran-
Order, when as yet there were few j^ s *?? s .
brothers and the Houses had not been taken lcia
into possession, Saint Francis for his devotion
went to Saint James's of Galicia, and took
with him certain of the brothers, among whom
one was Brother Bernard; and as they went
thus together on the way, he found in a certain
place a poor sick man, and having compassion
upon him, fiaid to Brother Bernard : " Little
brother, I will that thou stay here to tend on
this sick man " ; and Brother Bernard humbly
bowing the knee and bending the head received
the obedience of the holy father, and stayed in
that place ; and Saint Francis with the other
companions went on to Saint James's. Having
won thither, while he was spending the night in
prayer in the church of St James, it was revealed
by God unto Saint Francis, that it behoved him
to take possession of many places throughout the
world, because his Order must needs grow and
increase into a vast multitude of brothers: so
upon this revelation, Saint Francis began to take
possession of places in all those countries. And
when Saint Francis was returning by the same
ii THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Theangel way, he found Brother Bernard and the sick
at the marij w i t h w hom he had left him, fully restored
r to health ; wherefore Saint Francis the next
year gave leave unto Brother Bernard to go to
Saint James's. So Saint Francis returned to
the valley of Spoleto and abode in a solitary
place, he and Brother Masseo and Brother
Elias and others ; and they all took right good
heed not to let or hinder Saint Francis from
prayer ; and this did they for the great rever-
ence that they bore him, and because they knew
that God revealed unto him wondrous high
matters in his prayers. Now it befell on a day
that, Saint Francis being in prayer in a wood,
a fair youth, arrayed for a journey, came to the
door of the House, and knocked with such
haste and violence and for so long a space that
the brothers greatly marvelled at such unwonted
knocking. Went Brother Masseo, and oped
the door, and said to the youth : " Whence art
thou come, my little son, for in very sooth it
seems that thou wast never here before, in such
unwonted fashion hast thou knocked ? " The
youth replied: "And how then should one
knock?" Quoth Brother Masseo: "Give
three knocks, one a brief space after the other ;
then wait so long that the brother may have
said the Paternoster and come unto thee ; and
if in this space he does not come, knock once
again." The youth replied : " I am in great
haste and therefore I knock so loudly because I
have a long journey to make, and am come here
to speak with Brother Francis ; but he is now
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 13
wrapt in contemplation in the wood, wherefore Brother
I wish not to disturb him ; but go, tell Brother Eliasvery
Elias that I would fain ask him a question, for wro " 1
I hear that he is very wise." Then went
Brother Masseo and told Brother Elias that he
should go to the youth : but he waxed wroth
thereat and would not go. Wherefore Brother
Masseo knew not what to do nor what to answer
him ; in that if he said, Brother Elias cannot
come, it were a lie ; and should he tell how he
was wroth and would not come, he feared to
set before him an evil example. When Brother
Masseo was so long delaying to return, the young
man knocked again as at the first, and a short
while after Brother Masseo returned to the door
and said unto the youth : " Thou hast taken no
heed unto my instruction in the matter of knock-
ing." Replied the youth : " Brother Elias will
not come unto me : but go thou and tell Brother
Francis that I am come to speak with him ; but
since I would fain not hinder him from prayer,
tell him to send unto me Brother Elias." Then
Brother Masseo got him to Saint Francis, who
was praying in the wood with his face uplifted
towards heaven, and set forth to him the message
of the youth and the answer of Brother Elias :
now that youth was an angel of God in the
form of a man. Therewith Saint Francis, nor
moving from his place nor bending down his
head, spake to Brother Masseo : " Go thou and
tell Brother Elias for obedience sake to go forth-
with unto this youth." Brother Elias receiving
the obedience of Saint Francis, went to the door
14 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
and will much disquieted, and opened it with great noise
not and violence, and said to the youth : " What is
thy will ? " Replied the youth : " Take heed,
brother, that thou be not disquieted, as thou dost
seem to be ; for anger weigheth down the soul
and sufFereth it not to see the truth." Said
Brother Elias : " Tell me what thing thou wilt
of me." Replied the youth : " I ask thee if
it be lawful for the followers of the Holy
Gospel to eat that which is set before them
even as Christ bade his disciples ; and I ask thee
moreover if it be lawful for any man to put for-
ward aught contrary to the liberty of the Gospel/'
Brother Elias made answer haughtily : " I know
full well, but will not answer thee, so go thy
ways." Quoth the youth : " I should know
better to answer this question than canst thou."
Then in a fury and great rage Brother Elias
shut to the door and was away. Anon began
he to muse upon the question aforesaid and
doubt within himself, and knew not how to
resolve it ; for he was vicar of the Order and
had commanded and made an ordinance out and
beyond the Gospel and beyond the Rule of Saint
Francis, to wit, that no brother in the Order
should eat flesh ; so that the said question was
expressly aimed at him. Wherefore, not know-
ing how to clear himself, and thinking on the
modesty of the youth, and how he had said that
he should know better how to answer that ques-
tion than could he, Brother Elias went back
again to the door and opened it for to ask the
youth touching the question aforesaid ; but he
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 15
was already away, in that the pride of Brother Theangel
Elias was not worthy to hold converse with the appearsto
angel. This done, Saint Francis, to whom the ernard
whole had been revealed by God, came back
from out the wood, and sharply with loud voice
rebuked Brother Elias saying : " You do ill,
proud Brother Elias, to drive away the holy
angels that come to teach us. I tell thee that
much I fear lest thy pride will make thee end
thy days outside the Order." On that same
day, in the very hour that the angel went away,
appeared he in the self-same form to Brother
Bernard, who was on his way back from Saint
James's, and had won the bank of a great river ;
and saluted him in his own tongue, saying:
"God give thee peace, good brother"; and
good Brother Bernard marvelled exceedingly,
and noting the beauty of the youth and the
language of his native land, together with his
salutation of peace and his joyful countenance,
he asked : " Whence art thou come, good
youth ? " Replied the angel : " I come from
the place where Saint Francis dwells, and went
there to have speech with him ; and this I could
not attain, for that he was in the wood con-
templating things divine, and I wished not to
disturb him. And in that place dwell Brother
Masseo and Brother Giles and Brother Elias ;
and Brother Masseo taught me to knock at the
door as the brothers use ; but Brother Elias,
because he would not answer the question that
I set him, afterwards repented thereof, and
would fain have heard me and seen me, but he
i6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
and sets could not.'* After these words, said the angel
him to Brother Bernard : " Wherefore dost thou
across not cross Qver > Brother Bernard made
answer : " Because I fear the danger for the
depth of the waters that I sec." Quoth the
angel : " Let us cross over together, and be
not doubting " ; and he took his hand and in
the twinkling of an eye set him on the other
side of the stream. Then Brother Bernard
knew that he was the angel of God, and with
great reverence and joy cried in a loud voice :
" O blessed angel of God, tell me thy name."
Replied the angel : " Wherefore askest thou my
name, the which is Wonderful ? " And this
said, the angel vanished out of sight and left
Brother Bernard much comforted, in such sort
that all that way he journeyed with great joy ;
and bethought him of the day and hour that the
angel had appeared to him. And coming to the
place where Saint Francis was with the com-
panions aforesaid, he set forth unto them the
whole matter in order ; and they knew of a
surety that the selfsame angel on that day and on
that hour had appeared unto them and unto him.
Chapter V
How the holy Brother Bernard of Assist 'was
sent by Saint Francis to Bologna and there
founded a House
OEEING that Saint Francis and his com-
O panions were called of God and elect to
bear in their hearts and in their deeds and preach
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 17
with their tongues the cross of Christ, they Bernard
seemed to be and were in very sooth men sent to
crucified, so by reason of their habit as of their Bol S na
austere life and deeds and works : and therefore
they desired the more to suffer shame and con-
tumely for the love of Christ, rather than honour
of the world and reverence and praise of men :
in insults they rejoiced and at honours they grew
sad : and so they passed through the world as
strangers and pilgrims, bearing with them naught
save Jesu Christ Crucified. And sith they were
true branches of the true vine, that is Christ,
they brought forth great and good fruit of souls,
that they won for God. It happened in the
beginning of the Order that Saint Francis sent
Brother Bernard to Bologna to the end that he
might there, according to the grace that God
had given him, bring forth fruit to God; and
Brother Bernard making the sign of the most
holy cross, for holy obedience departed and
came unto Bologna. And the children seeing
him in poor and threadbare habit, despitefully
intreated and made much mock of him, as
though he were a fool: but Brother Bernard
with patience and with joy bore all things for
the love of Christ ; nay, of set purpose that he
might the more be evilly intreated, betook him
to the market-place of the city : whereby, he
sitting there, many children and men came
together about him, and some from behind,
and others before, plucked at his hood ; some
pelted him with dust and some with stones ;
some pushed him this way and others that : and
1 8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He Brother Bernard continuing always after the
suffers 8ame fashion and with the same patience, with
a joyful countenance, neither complained nor
changed at all, and for the space of many days
returned to the same place, but for to suffer the
like usage. And sith patience is a work of
perfection and proof of virtue, a learned doctor
of the law, beholding and musing on the great
constancy and virtue of Brother Bernard, how
for so many days nor taunt nor contumely could
e'er disquiet him, said thus within himself :
"Of a surety this needs must be a holy
man " ; and coming near unto him, he asked :
" Who art thou ? and wherefore art thou come
hither?" And Brother Bernard for reply put
his hand into his bosom and drew forth the
Rule of Saint Francis, and gave it him that
he might read, and when he had read it,
musing on its most lofty state of perfection,
with exceeding great marvel and amazement
he turned him unto his companions and said :
"Of a truth this is the highest state of re-
ligion whereof I have ever heard : wherefore
this man and his companions are the holiest men
in this world, and whoso does him wrong com-
mitteth a most grievous sin ; most highly should
we honour him, seeing that he is a true friend of
God." And he said to Brother Bernard :
" If 'tis your wish to found a House, wherein
you may serve God conveniently, with right
good will, for the salvation of my soul, will I
give it you." Replied Brother Bernard:
" Good sir, methinks our Lord Jesu Christ hath
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 19
put this thought within your heart; and therefore but
for the honour of Christ I willingly accept your founds &
proffered gift.*' Then with great joy and love " ou
the said judge took Brother Bernard to his
house ; and gave him anon the promised House
and made it all ready and at his own charges
furnished it: and from that time forth became
the father and special defender of Brother
Bernard and his companions. And Brother
Bernard, through his holy life, began to be much
honoured of the people, in such sort that whoso
might touch and see him, deemed himself
blessed thereby ; but he like a true disciple of
Christ and the humble Francis, fearing that the
honour of the world might hinder the peace and
salvation of his soul, on a day departed and
returned unto Saint Francis and spake thus unto
him: "Father, the House is founded in the
city of Bologna : send brothers thither to main-
tain it and abide therein : since I have no more
profit therein, nay, rather for the too great
honour done to me I fear me I have lost e'en
more than I have gained." Thereat Saint
Francis, learning all things in order, how God
had worked through Brother Bernard, gave
thanks to God, who thuswise was beginning to
enlarge the poor little disciples of the Cross:
and anon he sent of his companions to Bologna
and the parts of Lombardy, the which founded
many Houses in diverse places.
to THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter VI
Hoiv Saint Francis blessed the holy Brother
Bernard and left him as his vicar, whtn he
came to pass away from this life
St T3ROTHER BERNARD was of such
Francis JL) sanctity that Saint Francis held him in
prays for ^j . reverence anc i p ra ised him oftentimes. It
Bernard 6 . r . ., .
happened on a day while oamt rrancis was
continuing devoutly in prayer, that it was re-
vealed to him by God that Brother Bernard
under leave of God must needs endure full many
and sharp assaults of the demons: wherefore
Saint Francis having great compassion on the
said Brother Bernard, whom he loved as his
own dear son, prayed many days with tears,
beseeching God for him and committing him
unto Jesu Christ, that he might give him the
victory over the demon. And Saint Francis
thus devoutly praying, on a day God answered
him : " Francis, fear not ; for all the tempta-
tions wherewith Brother Bernard must needs be
assailed, are permitted him of God, for the
exercise of virtue and a crown of merit; and
in the end will he have the victory over all his
enemies, for that he is one of the great ones of
the kingdom of heaven.* 1 At the which reply
Saint Francis was exceeding glad and gave
thanks unto God: and from that hour forth
he ever bore him greater love and reverence.
And this was shown forth not only in his life,
but also at his death. For Saint Francis coming
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI ti
near unto death and having, like the holy In dying
patriarch Jacob, his devoted sons standing blesses
round about him sorrowing and weeping at the
the departure of so lovable a father, asked:
"Where is my first-born? Come to me, my
little son, that my soul may bless thee before
I die." Then Brother Bernard spake secretly
unto Brother Elias, who was vicar of the
Order: "Go, father, to the right hand of
the saint, that he may bless thee." And
Brother Elias setting himself at his right hand,
Saint Francis, who had lost his sight by reason
of his too much weeping, laid his right hand
on the head of Brother Elias, and said : " This
is not the head of my first-born Brother
Bernard." Then Brother Bernard went to
him on his left hand, and Saint Francis then
put his arms in the shape of a cross and laid
the right hand on the head of Brother Bernard
and the left on the head of the said Brother
Elias, and spake thus unto Brother Bernard:
"May God the Father of our Lord Jesu Christ
bless thee with all spiritual and celestial blessings
in Christ. Since thou art the first-born, elect
in this holy Order to give an ensample of the
gospel life, to follow Christ in gospel poverty ;
for not only didst thou give and distribute to the
poor whate'er was thine wholly and freely for
the love of Christ, but offered thyself also unto
God in this Order for a sacrifice of sweetness ;
blessed be thou therefore of our Lord Jesu
Christ and of me his poor little servant, with
everlasting benediction, going and staying, wak-
i* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
and ing and sleeping, living and dying ; let whoso
elects him blesseth thee be filled with blessings, whoso
his vicar curget jj t h ee g O not f ree f rom punishment. Be
thou the chief among thy brethren, and to thy
command let all the brothers yield obedience :
have thou license to receive into this Order
whomsoever thou wilt, and let no brother have
lordship over thee, and be thou free to go and
stay where'er it pleaseth thee." And after the
death of Saint Francis, the brothers loved and
honoured Brother Bernard as a father worthy of
all reverence, and when he drew nigh unto death
there came to him many brothers from diverse
parts of the world, among whom came that
seraphic and godlike Brother Giles ; who, look-
ing on Brother Bernard, said with joyfulness :
" Sursum corda, Brother Bernard, sursum
corda " : and Brother Bernard spake secretly
unto a brother that he should make ready for
Brother Giles a place well fitted for contempla-
tion : and so was it done. Being at the last
hour of death, Brother Bernard let lift him up,
and spake unto the brothers that were before
him, saying : " O brothers most dear, I desire
not to speak to you many words : but ye should
bear in mind that the life of Religion that I have
had, ye have still now, and this that now I have,
ye too shall have, and this I find within my soul,
that for a thousand worlds the like of this I
would not have served any other Lord than our
Lord Jesu Christ : and for every fault I have
committed I do accuse myself and confess my
guilt unto my Saviour Jesu and to you. I pray
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 23
ray brothers most dear, that ye love one Bernard
lother " ; and after these words and other good Passes
Imonishments, he laid him down upon his bed, awa y
id his face grew bright and joyful beyond
measure, so that all the brothers marvelled
exceedingly, and in that joyfulness his most
holy soul, crowned with glory, passed from this
present life into the blessed life of the angels.
Chapter VII
How Saint Francis passed a Lent in an island in
the lake of Perugia, where he fasted forty
days and forty nights, and ate no more than
one half loaf
AS the true servant of Christ, Saint Francis,
was in certain points as it were another
Christ, given to the world for the salvation of
men, it was the will of God the Father to make
him in many of his acts conformed and like unto
His own dear son Jesu Christ; even as was
shown forth in the venerable company of the
twelve companions, and in the wondrous mystery
of the holy stigmata, and in the unbroken fast
during the sacred Lent, which he kept in this
manner. It befell on a time that Saint Francis,
on the day of carnival, being hard by the lake of
Perugia in the house of one of his devoted
followers, with the which he had lodged the
night, was inspired of God that he should go
and keep that Lent on an island in the lake ;
wherefore Saint Francis besought this devoted
follower of his, that, for the love of Christ, he
*4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Fran- would carry him across in his little boat to an
cis goes i 8 l an d on the lake, wherein no man dwelt, and
island t ^ iat 8O wou ^ he ^ u P on t ^ ie D ig nt of Ash
Wednesday, so that none might be ware of it ;
so he for love of the great devotion that he had
unto Saint Francis with diligence fulfilled his
request and carried him across to the island
aforesaid, and Saint Francis took with him
naught save two small loaves. And being come
unto the island, and his friend parting himself to
go back home, Saint Francis besought him
tenderly that to no man would he reveal in what
guise he there abode, and that save upon Holy
Thursday he would not come to him ; and so
he was away. And Saint Francis remained
alone: and sith there was no dwelling-place
whereto he might betake him, he entered into a
close thicket which many a thorny bush and
shrub had fashioned like a cave or little hut:
and in this place he gave himself up to prayer
and contemplation of the things of heaven. And
there abode he all the Lent, nor eating nor
drinking aught save half of one of those small
loaves, even as was found by his devoted
follower on Holy Thursday, what time that
he came back to him ; who found of the two
loaves one still entire, but of the other, half.
So men believe that Saint Francis took no
food from reverence for the fast of Christ the
blessed one, who fasted forty days and forty
nights without partaking any earthly food ; but
in this manner with that half a loaf chased
far the venom of vain glory from him, and after
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI n
pattern of Christ kept fast for forty days He fasts
_ forty nights ; and thereafter in that place forty days
rhere Saint Francis had wrought such wondrous irf ^
stinence, through his merits did God work
lany miracles ; for the which cause did men
jgin to build houses there and dwell therein ;
and in brief space uprose a hamlet fair and great
and therewithal a House for the brothers, the
which is named the House of the Island ; and
even to this day the men and women of that
hamlet have great reverence and devotion for
the place where Saint Francis kept the aforesaid
Lent.
Chapter VIII
ffo*v t as Saint Francis and Brother Leo were
going by the way, he set forth unto him what
things were perfect joy
WHEN AS Saint Francis was going one
day from Perugia to Saint Mary of the
Angels with Brother Leo in the spring tide,
and the very bitter cold grievously tormented
him, he called to Brother Leo that was going
on before and said thus : " Brother Leo,
though the Brothers Minor throughout all the
world were great ensamples of sanctity and
true edifying, nathless write it down and take
heed diligently that not therein is perfect joy."
And going on a little further, Saint Francis
called a second time : " O Brother Leo, albeit
the Brothers Minor should give sight to the
blind, make straight the crooked, cast out
devils, make the deaf to hear, the lame to walk,
*6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
What the dumb to speak, and (greater still) shoul
things ra i 8 e them that have been dead a four days'
s P ace wr ^ te tnat not herein is perfect joy."
y And going on a little, he cried aloud : " O
Brother Leo, if the Brother Minor should
know all tongues and all sciences and all the
Scriptures, so that he could prophesy and
reveal not only things to come but also the
secrets of consciences and souls, write that
not therein is perfect joy." Going on yet
a little further, Saint Francis called aloud
once more : " O Brother Leo, thou little sheep
of God, albeit the Brother Minor should speak
with the tongue of angels, and know the courses
of the stars and the virtues of herbs ; and though
all the treasures of the earth were revealed unto
him and he understood the virtues of birds, and
of fishes, and of all animals, and of men, and of
trees, and of stones, and of roots, and of waters,
write that not therein is perfect joy." And
going on a little further, Saint Francis cried
aloud: "O Brother Leo, albeit the Brother
Minor could preach so well as to turn all the
infidels to the faith of Christ, write that not
therein is perfect joy." And this manner of
speech continuing for full two miles, Brother
Leo with much marvel besought him, saying :
" Father, I pray thee in the name of God that
thou tell me, wherein is perfect joy." And
Saint Francis thus made answer : " When we
come to Saint Mary of the Angels, all soaked
as we are with rain and numbed with cold and
besmirched with mud and tormented with
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 17
hunger, and knock at the door ; and the porter What
comes in anger and says : * Who are ye ? ' and things
we say : * We be two of your brethren ' ; and
he says, ' Ye be no true men; nay, ye be two
rogues that gad about deceiving the world and
robbing the alms of the poor ; get ye gone ' :
and thereat he shuts to the door and makes us
stand without in the snow and the rain, cold
and a-hungered, till night-fall ; if therewithal
we patiently endure such wrong and such
cruelty and such rebuffs without being disquieted
and without murmuring against him ; and with
humbleness and charity bethink us that this
porter knows us full well and that God makes
him to speak against us ; O Brother Leo, write
that herein is perfect joy. And if we be instant
in knocking and he come out full of wrath and
drive us away as importunate knaves, with insults
and buffetings, saying: * Get ye gone hence, vilest
of thieves, begone to the alms-house, for here ye
shall find nor food nor lodging ' ; if we suffer this
with patience and with gladness and with love, O
Brother Leo, write that herein is perfect joy.
And if we still constrained by hunger, cold and
night, knock yet again and shout and with much
weeping pray him for the love of God that he
will but open and let us in ; and he yet more
enraged should say : * These be importunate
knaves, I will pay them well as they deserve,'
and should rush out with a knotty stick and
taking us by the hood, throw us upon the
ground and send us rolling in the snow and
beat us with all the knots of that stick : if
z8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Fran- with patience and with gladness we suffer all
cis and tne se things, thinking on the pains of the
Leo blessed Christ > the which vve ou S ht to suffer
for the love of Him : O Brother Leo, write
that here and herein is perfect joy : then hear
the conclusion of the whole matter, Brother
Leo : Above all graces and gifts of the Holy
Spirit, that Christ granteth to His beloved,
is to overcome oneself, and willingly for the
love of Christ endure pains and insults and
shame and want: inasmuch as in all other
gifts of God we may not glory, sith they are
not ours but God's ; whence saith the Apostle :
What hast thou that thou hast not received
of God? And if thou hast received it of
Him, wherefore boastest thou thyself as if
thou hadst it of thyself? But in the cross of
tribulation and affliction we may boast, sith
this is ours ; and therefore saith the Apostle,
I would not that I should glory save in the
cross of our Lord Jesu Christ.
Chapter IX
How Saint Francis taught Brother Leo how to
answer him ; and how he could never say
aught save the contrary of what Saint
Francis wished
IT befell on a time in the beginning of the Order
that Saint Francis was with Brother Leo in
a place where they had not books to say the
divine office withal ; when the hour of matins
came, said Saint Francis to Brother Leo : " Dear
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI *9
son, we have no breviary wherewith to say Leo's
matins ; but to the end that we may spend the contrary
time in praising God, I will speak and thou ai
shalt answer as I shall teach thee : and take
good heed that thou change not the words to
other than I shall teach thee. I shall say thus :
O Brother Francis, so many sins and evils hast
thou done in the world that thou art deserving
of hell ; and thou, Brother Leo, shalt answer :
Sooth is it thou meritest the lowest depth of
hell." And Brother Leo with dove-like
simplicity replied : " Right willingly, father ;
begin, in the name of God." Then began
Saint Francis to say : " So many sins and evils
hast thou done in the world that thou art
deserving of hell." And Brother Leo made
answer : " God will work through thee so
much of good that thou wilt go to paradise."
Quoth Saint Francis : " Nay, say not so,
Brother Leo ; but when I shall say : Brother
Francis, so many iniquities hast thou done
against God that thou art worthy to be accursed
of God, do thou answer thus: In very sooth
art thou worthy to be set among the accursed
ones." And Brother Leo replied : " Right
willingly, father." Therewith Saint Francis
with many tears and sighs and beating of the
breast cried with a loud voice : " O my Lord
of heaven and earth, I have done against thee
so many iniquities and so many sins that I am
altogether worthy to be accursed of Thee " ;
and Brother Leo made answer : " O Brother
Francis, God will do so unto thee that among
So THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St the blessed shalt thou above all be blessed."
Francis And Brother Francis marvelling that Brother
reprove^ j^ eQ answere( j to tne contrary of what he had
laid upon him, reproved him saying : " Where-
fore dost thou not answer even as I teach ? I
command thee by holy obedience that thou
answer as I shall teach thee. I shall say thus :
" O Brother Francis, vile wretch, thinkest thou
that God will have mercy on thee, seeing thou
hast committed so many sins against the Father 01
mercy and God of all consolation, that thou art
not worthy to find mercy ? And thou Brother
Leo, little lamb, wilt answer : In no wise art
thou worthy to find mercy." But whenas
Saint Francis said : " O Brother Francis, vile
wretch " and the like, Brother Leo made
answer : " God the Father, whose mercy is
infinitely greater than thy sin, will show thee
great mercy, and, more than this, will pour
upon thee many graces." At this reply Saint
Francis being sweetly angered and patiently dis-
quieted, said unto Brother Leo : " And where-
fore hast thou had the boldness to do against
obedience, and now so many times hast answered
to the contrary of that which I laid upon
thee?" Replied Brother Leo right humbly
and reverently : " God knows, my father, that
each time I set it in my heart to answer as
thou hadst bid me ; but God makes me speak
as it pleaseth Him and not as it pleaseth me."
Whereat Saint Francis marvelled, and said to
Brother Leo : " I pray thee most lovingly that
this time thou answer me as I have told thee."
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI $i
Replied Brother Leo : " Speak in the name of St
'rod, for of a surety will I this time answer as Francis'
>u wishest." And Saint Francis weeping um " lt y
said : " O Brother Francis, vile wretch, thinkest
thou that God will have mercy upon thee ? "
Replied Brother Leo : " Nay rather, great
grace shalt thou receive of God and He shall
exalt thee and glorify thee for ever, for every
one that humbleth himself shall be exalted,
and naught other can I say since God speaketh
through my mouth." And thus wise in this
humble strife, with many tears and much
spiritual consolation, they kept watch until the
day.
Chapter X
Ho<w Brother Masseo, as though mocking, said
unto Saint Francis that all the world came
after htm : and he replied that this 'was for
the confusion of the world and the grace of
God
WHENAS Saint Francis on a time abode in
the House of Portiuncula with Brother
Masseo of Marignano, a man of much sanctity,
discretion and grace in speaking of God, for the
which cause Saint Francis loved him much :
one day Saint Francis returning from the wood
and from his prayers, and being at the entrance
to the wood, the said Brother Masseo desired to
make proof of his humility, and stood over
against him, and as though mocking said :
"Why after thee? why after thee? why after
thee?" Replied Saint Francis: "What is
3* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Fran- this thou wouldest say ? " Quoth Brother
cis and Masseo : " I say, why doth all the world come
Masseo
to see thee, and hear thee, and obey thee?
Thou art not a man comely of form, thou art
not of much wisdom, thou art not noble of
birth : whence comes it then that it is after thee
that the whole world doth run?" Hearing
this Saint Francis, all overjoyed in spirit, lifting
up his face unto heaven, stood for a great while
with his mind uplifted in God ; anon returning
to himself again, he knelt him down and
rendered thanks and praises unto God : and
then with great fervour of spirit turned him to
Brother Masseo and said : " Wilt thou know
why after me ? wilt thou know why after me ?
wilt thou know why after me? that the whole
world doth run ? This cometh unto me from
the eyes of the most high God, which behold
at all time the evil and the good: for those
most holy eyes have seen among sinners none
more vile, none more lacking, no greater sinner
than am I : wherefore to do this marvellous
work the which He purposeth to do, He hath
not found upon the earth a creature more vile,
and therefore hath He chosen me to confound
the nobleness and the greatness and the strength
and the beauty and wisdom of the world: to
the intent that men may know that all virtue
and all goodness come from Him, and not from
the creature, and that no man may glory in
himself; but whoso will glory, may glory in the
Lord, unto whom is honour and glory for ever
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 33
Then Brother Masseo, at so humble They
a reply uttered with so great fervour, was afraid, come to
and knew of a surety that Saint Francis was **
i 11*1 M- roads
rooted and grounded in humility.
Chapter XI
Ho<w Saint Francis made Brother Masseo turn
round and round several times, and then went
to Sienna
IT befell on a day when Saint Francis was
going by the way with Brother Masseo,
that the said Brother Masseo was going on a
little before ; and coming to a place where three
roads met whereby one might go to Florence,
to Sienna, or to Arezzo, quoth Brother Masseo :
" Father, by which way are we to go ? " Replied
Saint Francis : u By that which God shall will*"
Quoth Brother Masseo: "And how can we
know the will of God ? " Replied Saint Francis :
" By the sign which I shall show thee ; where-
fore by the merit of holy obedience I command
thee that in the cross*- way where thou art stand-
ing now, thou turn round and round as little
children do, and cease not turning unless I tell
thee." Then Brother Masseo began to turn
him round and round, and turned round so long
that oftentimes he fell upon the ground through
giddiness of the head, the which is wont to be
engendered through such manner of turning ;
but sith Saint Francis did not bid him stop, he
forthwith got up again, desiring faithfully to
yield obedience. At length, while he was
34 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The turning round right manfully, Saint Francis said :
choice of Stand firm and do not move"; and so he
ways stood, and Saint Francis asked him : " Towards
what quarter is thy face now turned ? " Replied
Brother Masseo : " Towards Sienna." Quoth
Saint Francis: "That is the way that God
would have us go." Now as they went along
this way, Brother Masseo marvelled within
himself, wherefore Saint Francis had made him
do as do the children, before the worldly folk
that passed that way : howbeit for reverence
sake he dared say naught to the holy father.
As they drew nigh unto Sienna, the people of
the city heard of the coming of the saint and
hied them out to meet him ; and of their devotion
bore him and his companion right to the bishop's
house, in such wise that they touched not the
ground at all with their feet. Now at that same
hour certain folk of Sienna were at strife with
one another, and already two of them lay dead.
Saint Francis having won there preached to
them in so devout and saintly a fashion, that he
brought them one and all to peace and close
unity and concord together. For the which
cause the bishop of Sienna, hearing of the holy
work that Saint Francis had wrought, bade him
to his house and received him with high honour
that day, and eke the night. And the next
morn Saint Francis, who with true humility
sought naught in all his works save only the
glory of God, rose up betimes with his com-
panion, and without the bishop's knowledge was
away. Whereat the said Brother Masseo went
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 35
by the way murmuring within himself, saying : Brother
" What is this that this good man hath done ?
Me he made to turn round and round like a
little child, and to the bishop who hath done
him such honour, he hath said not even a word,
nor given him thanks withal " ; and to Brother
Masseo it seemed that Saint Francis had borne
himself therein without discretion. But anon
by divine inspiration coming to himself again,
and chiding himself within his heart, Brother
Masseo said : " Thou art too proud, who dost
judge the works of God, and art worthy of hell
for thy undiscerning pride; for yesterday did
Brother Francis work such mighty works that,
if the Angel of God had wrought them, they
had not been more marvellous : wherefore, if he
had bidden thee throw stones, thou shouldst
have done it and obeyed : for what he did upon
the way proceeded forth of God's own working,
as was set forth by the good ending that followed
thereon ; for had he not made peace between
those that were at strife with each other, not
only many bodies would have been stabbed to
death, as had indeed begun to be, but many souls
also the devil would have dragged to hell :
wherefore most foolish art thou and proud that
murmurest at that which manifestly cometh forth
from out the will of God." And all these
things that Brother Masseo spake within his
heart, going on in front, were revealed of God
unto Saint Francis. Wherefore Saint Francis,
coming close up to him, spake thus : " Hold fast
the things that now are in thy thoughts, for they
36 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Masseo are good and useful and inspired of God ; but
huraili- thy fi rs t murmuring was blind and vain and
proud, and by the devil set within thy mind."
Thereby did Brother Masseo clearly see that
Saint Francis knew the secrets of his heart, and
for a surety understand that the spirit of divine
wisdom did guide the holy father in all his acts.
Chapter XII
ffoiv Saint Francis laid on Brother Masseo the
office of the door, of alms-giving^ and of the
kitchen : then at the prayers of thf brothers
set him free of them
SAINT FRANCIS, desiring to humble
Brother Masseo, to the end that he might
not be lifted up to vain glory by the many gifts
and graces that God gave him, but by virtue of
humility might grow therewith from virtue unto
virtue, on a time when he abode in a solitary
place with those true saints, his first companions,
(among the which was the said Brother Masseo),
spake on a day to Brother Masseo, before all his
companions : " O Brother Masseo, all these thy
companions have the grace of contemplation and
of prayer ; but thou hast the grace of preaching
the word of God, for the satisfying of the people :
wherefore to the end that these may be able to
give themselves up to contemplation, I will that
thou perform the office of the door and of alms-
giving and of the kitchen ; and when the othei
brothers eat, thou shalt eat without the door of
the House ; so that whosoever shall come to the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 37
house, thou mayst satisfy them, ere they knock, The
with some good words of God ; so that then *ermon
none other need go out save thee ; and this do 2J, hunu1 '
for the merit of holy obedience." Therewith
Brother Masseo drew back his hood and bent
his head, and humbly received that obedience, and
continued therein for many days performing the
office of the door and of alms-giving and of the
kitchen. Whereat his companions, as men en-
lightened of God, began to feel in their hearts
great remorse, considering that Brother Masseo
was a man of great perfection, even as they and
more so, and that on him was laid all the burden
of the House and not on them. For the which
cause they all were moved with one desire, and
gat them to the holy father and besought him
that it would please him to distribute among them
those offices, sith their consciences could in no
wise endure that Brother Masseo should bear the
burden of such toil. Hearing this, Saint Francis
yielded him unto their counsels, and granted their
desire ; and calling Brother Masseo, said unto
him : " Brother Masseo, thy companions desire
to have share in the offices that I have given
thee, and therefore I will that the said offices be
divided." Quoth Brother Masseo with great
humility and patience : " Father, whatever thou
dost lay on me, or wholly, or in part, I deem it
altogether done of God." Then Saint Francis,
beholding their loving kindness and the humility
of Brother Masseo, preached unto them a marvel-
lous sermon on holy humility ; setting forth unto
them that the greater the gifts and graces that
38 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Fran- God giveth us, the more humble should we be,
cis and s {^ w ithout humility no virtue is acceptable to
aSS o God. And done the preaching, he distributed
towards *he offices with love exceeding great.
France
Chapter XIII
Hotv Saint Francis and Brother Masseo set the
bread that they had begged upon a stone hard
by a fountain, and hoiu Saint Francis praised
poverty exceedingly. Then besought God and
Saint Peter and Saint Paul that He would set
in his heart the love of holy poverty, and how
Saint Peter and Saint Paul appeared unto him
HP HE wonderful servant and follower of Christ,
JL to wit Saint Francis, to the end that he
might in all things conform himself perfectly unto
Christ, who, as the Gospel saith, sent his disciples
forth by two and two unto all the cities and
places where He was himself purposing to go ;
seeing that after the pattern of Christ he had
gathered together twelve companions, sent them
forth by two and two to preach throughout
the world. And to give them an ensample of
true obedience, he was himself the first to go,
after the pattern of Christ who began to do
before he taught. Wherefore having allotted to
his companions the other parts of the world, he
with Brother Masseo as his companion took the
road that led to the land of France. And com-
ing one day to a town sore hungered, they went,
according to the rule, begging their bread for the
love of God ; and Saint Francis went by one
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 39
street, and Brother Masseo by another. But The
because Saint Francis was mean to look upon treasure
and small of stature, and was deemed thereby a P overt 7
vile beggar by whoso knew him not, he got by
his begging naught save a few mouthfuls and
scraps of dry bread : but to Brother Masseo, in
that he was tall and fair of form, were given
good pieces, large and in plenty, and of fresh
bread. When that they had done their begging,
they met together to eat in a place without the
city, where was a fair fountain and, hard by, a
fine, broad stone ; upon the which each set the
alms that he had begged. And Saint Francis,
seeing that Brother Masseo' s pieces of bread
were more and finer and larger than his own,
rejoiced with great joy, and said : " O Brother
Masseo, we are not worthy of such vast treasure " :
and when he repeated many times these self-
same words, Brother Masseo made answer :
" Father, how can one speak of treasure where
is such poverty and lack of all things whereof
there is need ? Here is nor cloth, nor knife,
nor plate, nor porringer, nor house, nor table,
nor man-servant, nor maid-servant." Quoth
Saint Francis : " And this it is that I ac-
count vast treasure, wherein is no thing at
all prepared by human hands, but whatsoe'er
we have is given by God's own providence, as
manifestly doth appear in the bread that we have
begged, in the table of stone so fine, and in the
fount so clear ; wherefore I will that we pray
unto God that He make us to love with all our
heart the treasure of holy poverty which is so
40 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The fer- noble, that thereunto did God Himself become a
vour servitor." And when he had said these words,
~ and they had done their prayer, and for refresh-
Francis > I .
ment of the body had taken of those pieces and
drunk of that water, they rose up to journey into
France, and drawing nigh unto a church Saint
Francis said to his companion : " Let us go into
the church to pray." And Saint Francis gat
him behind the altar and gave himself to prayer :
and in that same prayer he received from the
divine visitation fervour so exceeding great, the
which inflamed his soul so mightily with the love
of holy poverty that, by the colour of his face
and the unwonted opening of his lips, it seemed
as though he breathed forth flames of love. And
coming thus enkindled to his companion, he
bespake him thus: "Ah! ah! ah! Brother
Masseo, give thyself to me " ; and thus spake he
three times ; and at the third time Saint Francis
with his breath lifted Brother Masseo up into
the air, and threw him a great spear's length in
front of him ; whereby exceeding great amaze-
ment took hold on Brother Masseo. After-
wards he recounted to his companions how that,
when as he was uplifted and hurled along by the
breath that Saint Francis breathed on him, he
tasted such sweetness in his soul, and consolation
of the Holy Spirit, that in all his life he ne'er
had felt the like. And this done, Saint Francis
said: "My comrade, let us go to Saint Peter
and Saint Paul and pray them to teach us and
help us to possess the immeasurable treasure of
most holy poverty ; for it is a treasure so high
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 41
excelling and so divine that we be not worthy St Fran-
to lay it up in our vile vessels ; since this is that
celestial virtue whereby all earthly things and .
a 11 j r j i i 11 come to
fleeting are trodden under foot, and whereby all
hindrances are lifted from the soul, so that freely
she may join herself to God eternal. And this
is the virtue that makes the soul, still tied to
earth, hold converse with the angels in heaven,
and this it is that hung with Christ upon the
cross, with Christ was buried, with Christ rose
up again, with Christ ascended into heaven ; the
which also in this life grants to the souls that
love it an easier flight to heaven ; in that it
guards the arms of true humility and love.
Wherefore let us pray the most holy apostles of
Christ, the which were perfect lovers of this
gospel pearl, that they may beg for us this grace
from our Lord Jesu Christ, that of His most
holy mercy He may make us worthy to become
true lovers, followers, and humble disciples, of the
most precious, most lovable, and gospel poverty."
With such converse they so fared until they
came unto Rome, and went into the church of
Saint Peter ; and Saint Francis set himself to
pray in one corner of the church, and Brother
Masseo in another ; and as he continued a long
time in prayer with much weeping and devotion,
there appeared unto Saint Francis the most holy
apostles Peter and Paul in great splendour, and
said : " Because thou hast asked and desired to
observe that which Christ and His holy apostles
observed, the Lord Jesu Christ hath sent us
unto thee to announce that thy prayer is heard,
42 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Peter and that God has granted to thee and to thy
J^d followers in uttermost perfection the treasure of
aooear m08t kty P overt y* And further we tell thee
to St m His name that whoso after thy pattern shall
Francis perfectly follow this desire, he is assured of the
blessedness of life eternal : and blessed shalt thou
and all thy followers be " ; and with these words
they were away, leaving Saint Francis filled with
consolation. And rising from prayer, he returned
to his companion and asked him if God had
revealed naught unto him ; and he answered,
" Naught." Then Saint Francis told him how the
holy apostles had appeared to him, and what they
had revealed. Whereat they both being filled
with joy resolved to return unto the valley of
Spoleto, and leave their journeying into France.
Chapter XIV
How, as Saint Francis and his brothers were
discoursing of God, He appeared in the midst
of them
SAINT FRANCIS and his companions, in
the beginning of the Order, being gathered
together to speak of Christ, in fervour of spirit he
bade one of them open his mouth in the name
of God, and speak of God whate'er the Holy
Spirit might inspire in him. When the brother
had done his bidding and spoken marvellous
things of God, Saint Francis laid silence upon
him, and bade another brother do likewise. He
yielding obedience, and discoursing subtly of
God, Saint Francis in like manner laid silence
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 43
upon him, and bade a third discourse of God, Christ
the which in like manner began to speak so appears
deeply of the secret things of God, that Saint
Francis knew of a surety that, even as the other
twain, he spake by the Holy Spirit : and this
likewise was set forth by example and a clear
sign ; for while they thus were speaking, there
appeared the blessed Christ in the midst of them
in form and fashion of a youth most fair, and
blessed them all, and filled them with such grace
and sweetness, that they all were rapt away out
of themselves, and lay as though dead, taking no
heed of aught of this world. Then returning
to himself again, Saint Francis said unto them :
" My brothers most dear, give thanks to God,
who hath willed, by the mouths of the simple,
to reveal the treasures of heavenly wisdom ;
since God it is that openeth the mouth of the
dumb, and maketh the tongues of the simple to
speak words exceeding wise."
Chapter XV
How Saint Glair ate with Saint Francis and the
brothers, his companions , in StMary of the Angels
WHENAS Saint Francis was at Assisi,
oftentimes he visited Saint Clare and gave
her holy admonishments. And she having ex-
ceeding great desire to once break bread with him,
oft-times besought him thereto, but he was never
willing to grant her this consolation ; wherefore
his companions, beholding the desire of Saint
Clare, said unto Saint Francis : " Father, it
44 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Fran- doth appear to us that this severity accordeth
c *sand no t w ith heavenly charity : since thou givest
e not ear unto Sister Clare, a virgin so saintly, so
beloved of God, in so slight a matter as break-
ing bread with thee, and above all bearing in
mind that she through thy preaching abandoned
the riches and pomps of the world. And of a
truth, had she asked of thee a greater boon than
this, thou oughtest so to do unto thy spiritual
plant." Then replied Saint Francis: "Doth
it seem good to you that I should grant her
prayer . ? " Rejoined his companions : " Yea,
father, fitting is it that thou grant her this boon
and consolation." Then spake Saint Francis :
*< Since it seems good to you, it seems so like-
wise unto me. But that she may be the more
consoled, I will that this breaking of bread take
place in Saint Mary of the Angels ; for she has
been so long shut up in St Damian that it will
rejoice her to see again the house of Saint Mary,
where her hair was shorn away and she became
the bride of Jesu Christ; and there let us eat
together in the name of God." When came
the day ordained by him, Saint Clare with one
companion passed forth from out the convent,
and with the companions of Saint Francis to
bear her company came unto Saint Mary of
the Angels, and devoutly saluted the Virgin
Mary before her altar, where she had been shorn
and veiled ; so they conducted her to see the
House, until such time as the hour for breaking
bread was come. And in the meantime Saint
Francis let make ready the table on the bare
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 45
ground, as he was wont to do. And the hour The
of breaking bread being come, they set them- Brothers
selves down together, Saint Francis and Saint Q^re eat
Clare, and one of the companions of Saint together
Francis with the companion of Saint Clare, and
all the other companions took each his place at
the table with all humility. And at the first
dish, Saint Francis began to speak of God so
sweetly, so sublimely, and so wondrously, that
the fulness of divine grace came down on them,
and they all were rapt in God. And as they
were thus rapt, with eyes and hands uplift to
heaven, the folk of Assisi and Bettona and the
country round about, saw that Saint Mary of the
Angels, and all the House, and the wood that
was just hard by the House, were burning
brightly, and it seemed as it were a great fire
that filled the church and the House and the
whole wood together : for the which cause the
folk of Assisi ran thither in great haste for to
quench the flames, believing of a truth that the
whole place was all on fire. But coming close
up to the House and finding no fire at all, they
entered within and found Saint Francis and
Saint Clare and all their company in contempla-
tion rapt in God and sitting around that humble
board. Whereby of a truth they understood
that this had been a heavenly flame and no
earthly one at all, which God had let appear
miraculously, for to show and signify the fire
of love divine wherewith the souls of those holy
brothers and holy nuns were all aflame ; where-
fore they gat them gone with great consolation
46 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The flame in their hearts and with holy edifying. Then
of divine a f ter 80me long space, Saint Francis and Saint
re Clare, together with all the others, returning to
themselves again and feeling of good comfort
from the spiritual food, took little heed of the
food of the body. And, that blessed feast thus
ended, Saint Clare, escorted well, returned unto
Saint Damian, whereby the sisters, beholding
her, had joy exceeding great; for they feared
lest Saint Francis should have sent her to rule
some other convent, even as he had already sent
Sister Agnes, her holy sister, as abbess to rule
the convent of Monticelli at Florence : and
Saint Francis on a time had said to Saint Clare :
" Be thou ready, if so be that I needs must
send thee to some other House " ; and she, as
a daughter of holy obedience, had made answer :
" Father, I am at all times ready to go whither-
soever thou mayest send me." Wherefore the
sisters rejoiced exceedingly when they saw her
face again : and thenceforward Saint Clare abode
in much consolation.
Chapter XVI
Hoiv Saint Francis received the counsel of Saint
Clare and of the holy Brother Silvester, that
it behoved him by preaching to convert much
people ; and hoiv he founded the third Order,
and preached unto the birds , and made the
swallows hold their peace
HP HE humble servant of Christ, Saint Francis,
-- a short while after his conversion, having
already gathered togethe many companions and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 4 7
received them into the order, fell into deep St Fran-
thought and much doubting as to what he ought c * s seeks
to do : whether to give himself wholly unto counse *
prayer, or some time also unto preaching : and
on this matter he much desired to learn the will
of God. And for that the holy humility that
was in him suffered him not to trust over much
in himself nor in his own prayers, he thought to
search out the will of God through the prayers
of others : wherefore he called Brother Masseo,
and bespake him thus : " Go unto Sister Clare
and tell her on my behalf, that she with certain
of her most spiritual companions, should pray
devoutly unto God, that it may please Him to
show me which of the twain is the better :
whether to give myself to preaching or wholly
unto prayer. And then go unto Brother Silvester
and tell the like to him." This was that Brother
Silvester who when he was in the world had seen
a cross of gold proceeding from the mouth of
Saint Francis, the which reached even unto
heaven and the arms thereof unto the ends of
the world, and this Brother Silvester was of so
great devotion and so great sanctity, that what-
soe'er he asked of God was granted him, and
oftentimes he spake with God ; wherefore Saint
Francis had a great devotion unto him. So
Brother Masseo departed, and according to the
bidding of Saint Francis carried his message first
unto Saint Clare and then unto Brother Silvester.
Who, when he had heard thereof, forthwith fell
on his knees in prayer, and as he prayed received
answer from God, and turned to Brother Masseo,
48 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
rd:
lied
He is and bespake him thus : " Thus saith the Lord :
enjoined Say unto Brother Francis that God has not called
k* m to t ^ s estate ^ or hi mse lf alone, but to the
end that he may gain fruit of souls, and that many
through him may be saved." With this reply
Brother Masseo returned to Saint Clare to learn
what she had received of God, and she answered
that God had sent to her and her companions the
same reply as He had given to Brother Silvester.
Whereat Brother Masseo hied him back again to
Saint Francis ; and Saint Francis received him
with exceeding great love, washing his feet and
making ready for him the meal, and after he had
eaten, Saint Francis called Brother Masseo into
the wood ; and there kneeled down before him
and drew back his hood, stretching out his arms
in the shape of a cross, and asked him : " What
has my Lord Jesu Christ commanded that 1
should do ? " Replied Brother Masseo : " As
unto Brother Silvester, so likewise unto Sister
Clare and her sisters, has Christ made answer
and revealed : that it is His will that thou go
throughout the world to preach, since He hath
chosen thee not for thyself alone, but also for
the salvation of others." And then Saint Francis,
when he had heard this answer and known there-
by the will of Jesu Christ, rose up with fervour
exceeding great, and said : " Let us be going in
the name of God " ; and he took for his com-
panions Brother Masseo and Brother Agnolo,
holy men. And setting forth with fervent zeal
of spirit, taking no thought for road or way, they
came unto a little town that was called Savurni-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 49
ano, and Saint Francis set himself to preach, but He
first he bade the swallows that were twittering founds
keep silence till such time as he had done the the third
preaching ; and the swallows were obedient to
his word, and he preached there with such fervour
that all the men and women of that town minded
through their devotion to come after him and
leave the town, but Saint Francis suffered them
not, saying : " Make not ill haste nor leave your
homes ; and I will ordain for you what ye should
do for the salvation of your souls " : and therewith
he resolved to found the third Order, for the
salvation of all the world. And so leaving them
much comforted and with minds firm set on
penitence, he departed thence and came unto a
place between Cannaio and Bevagno. And as
with great fervour he was going on the way, he
lifted up his eyes and beheld some trees hard by
the road whereon sat a great company of birds
well-nigh without number ; whereat Saint Francis
marvelled, and said to his companions: " Ye shall
wait for me here upon the way and I will go to
preach unto my little sisters, the birds." And
he went unto the field and began to preach unto
the birds that were on the ground ; and immedi-
ately those that were on the trees flew down to
him, and they all of them remained still and quiet
together, until Saint Francis made an end of
preaching : and not even then did they depart,
until he had given them his blessing. And ac-
cording to what Brother Masseo afterwards
related unto Brother Jacques da Massa, Saint
Francis went among them touching them with
50 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The his cloak, howbeit none moved from out his p
sermon The sermon that Saint Francis preached
place.
3 unto
was
the birds, much bounden are ye unto God, your
Creator, and alway in every place ought ye to
praise Him, for that He hath given you liberty
to fly about everywhere, and hath also given you
double and triple raiment ; moreover He pre-
served your seed in the ark of Noah, that your
race might not perish out of the world ; still
more are ye beholden to Him for the element of
the air which He hath appointed for you ; beyond
all this, ye sow not, neither do you reap ; and
God feedeth you, and giveth you the streams and
fountains for your drink ; the mountains and the
valleys for your refuge and the high trees whereon
to make your nests ; and because ye know not
how to spin or sew, God clotheth you, you and
your children ; wherefore your Creator loveth
you much, seeing that He hath bestowed on you
so many benefits ; and therefore, my little sisters,
beware of the sin of ingratitude, and study always
to give praises unto God." Whenas Saint
Francis spake these words to them, those birds
began all of them to open their beaks, and stretch
their necks, and spread their wings, and reverently
bend their heads down to the ground, and by their
acts and by their songs to show that the holy
Father gave them joy exceeding great. And
Saint Francis rejoiced with them, and was glad,
and marvelled much at so great a company of
birds and their most beautiful diversity and their
good heed and sweet friendliness, for the which
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 51
cause he devoutly praised their Creator in them. St Fran-
At the last, having ended the preaching, Saint cis, the
Francis made over them the sign of the cross, jSreJ^f
and gave them leave to go away ; and thereby Christ
all the birds with wondrous singing rose up in
the air; and then, in the fashion of the cross
that Saint Francis had made over them, divided
themselves into four parts ; and the one part flew
toward the East, and the other towards the West,
and the other towards the South, and the fourth
towards the North, and each flight went on its
way singing wondrous songs ; signifying thereby
that even as Saint Francis, the standard-bearer of
the Cross of Christ, had preached unto them, and
made over them the sign of the cross, after the
pattern of which they separated themselves unto
the four parts of the world : even so the preach-
ing of the Cross of Christ, renewed by Saint
Francis, would be carried by him and the brothers
throughout all the world ; the which brothers,
after the fashion of the birds, possessing nothing
of their own in this world, commit their lives
wholly unto the providence of God.
Chapter XVII
How a little boy-brother, while Saint Francis
was praying in the night, saiv Christ and
the Virgin Mary and many other saints hold
converse with him
A LITTLE boy, very pure and innocent,
was received into the Order, while Saint
Francis was yet alive ; and he abode in a little
52 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The House, wherein of necessity the brothers slept
vision of on mats . l t befell on a time that Saint Francis
P came to the said House, and in the evening,
after Compline, lay down to sleep, to the intent
that he might be able to rise up in the night to
pray while the other brothers slept, as it was his
wont to do. The aforesaid little boy set it in
his heart diligently to keep watch upon the ways
of Saint Francis, that he might come to know of
his sanctity, and chiefly that he might learn what
he did by night when he arose. And to the
end that sleep might not play him false, that
little boy laid him down to sleep close to Saint
Francis, and tied his cord to the cord of Saint
Francis, for to be ware when he got up ; and of
this Saint Francis perceived naught. But at
night in his first sleep, when all the other brothers
were sleeping, he arose and found his cord thus
tied : and softly he loosed it, so that the little
boy was not aware thereof, and Saint Francis
went out alone into the wood that was hard by
the House, and entered into a little cell that was
therein, and set himself to pray. After some
short space the little boy awoke, and finding the
cord unloosed, and Saint Francis gone, arose and
went in search of him : and finding the door
open that led into the wood, he deemed that
Saint Francis had gone thither, and so entered
into the wood. And coming close up to the
place where Saint Francis was praying, he began
to hear much discourse ; and drawing nigher for
to see and learn what it was he heard, he beheld
a marvellous light that shone round about Saint
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 53
Francis, and therein he saw Christ and the St Fran-
Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist and cis holds a
the Evangelist, and a great multitude of angels,
speaking with Saint Francis. When this he
saw and heard, the little boy fell on the ground
in a deep swoon ; so when the mystery of this
holy vision was ended, Saint Francis, returning
to the House, stumbled upon the little boy lying
as though dead upon the ground ; and in pity
lifted him up and bore him in his arms, as doth
the good shepherd with his sheep. Learning
thereafter from him how he had seen the vision
set forth above, he bade him reveal it unto no
man so long as he should be alive. And the
little boy grew up in great favour with God and
devotion to Saint Francis, and became a man of
worth in the Order, and after the death of Saint
Francis he revealed unto the brothers the vision
set forth above.
Chapter XVIII
Of the marvellous chapter that Saint Francis held
at Saint Mary of the Angels, whereat were
more than jive thousand brothers
THE faithful servant of Christ, Francis, on a
time held a general chapter at Saint Mary
of the Angels, at the which chapter were gathered
together more than five thousand brothers ; and
thither came Saint Dominic, head and founder
of the Order of the Preaching Brothers, who
was then on his way from Borgogna to Rome.
And hearing of the Congregation of the chapter
54 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
called that Saint Francis was holding on the plain of
"the Saint Mary of the Angels, he went to see it with
(S 1 the seven Drot hers of his Order. There was also at
Trellises" *he said chapter a cardinal most devoted to Saint
Francis, who had prophesied unto him that he
would be Pope, and it so came to pass ; the which
cardinal had come of set purpose from Perugia,
where the Court was, to Assisi ; every day he
came to see Saint Francis and his brothers, and
sometimes he sang the Mass, and sometimes he
preached unto the brothers in chapter, and the
said cardinal felt exceeding great joy and devotion
whensoever he came to visit this holy company.
And beholding the brothers sitting on the plain
round about Saint Mary's in companies, here
forty, there a hundred, there eighty together, all
busied in discourse of God, in prayers, in tears,
in works of love, and all abiding in such silence
and such modesty that there was heard no noise
or sound of contention ; and marvelling at so
great a multitude so set in order, with tears
and deep devotion, he said : " Of a truth this is
the camp and the army of the knights of God."
Nor was there heard in so great a multitude or
idle speech or foolish jest, but, wheresoe'er a
company of brothers was gathered together, they
either prayed, or said the office, and bewailed
their sins or those of their benefactors, or dis-
coursed concerning the salvation of souls. In
the camp were roofs of willows and rush-mats,
set apart in groups according to the brothers of
diverse provinces ; and thereby was this chapter
called the Chapter of the Trellises, or of the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 55
Rush-mats ; their bed was the bare ground, and " The
for such as had it a little straw, their pillows army
were stones or logs of wood , For the which ? . th ,
cause so great devotion towards them was felt o f Q O( J
by whoso heard or saw, and so great was the
fame of their sanctity, that from the Court of the
Pope which was at that time in Perugia, and
from the other parts of the valley of Spoleto,
there came many counts, barons, and knights, and
other gentle folk, and many country folk, and-
cardinals and bishops and abbots with many other
clergy, for to see this holy gathering, so great and
so humble, such as the world had never seen
before, of so many holy men together: and
chiefest of all they came to see the head and
most holy father of that holy band, the which had
robbed the world of such fair prey, and gathered
together so devout and fair a flock to follow in
the foot-steps of the true Shepherd Jesu Christ.
The chapter general being then all assembled,
the holy father of all and minister general, Saint
Francis, in fervour of spirit set forth the word of
God : and preached unto them in a loud voice as
the Holy Spirit made him to speak ; and as
argument of his sermon he set forth unto them
these words : " My little children, great things
have we promised unto God, much greater far
hath God promised unto us, if we observe what
we have promised unto Him ; and of a surety
shall we behold what hath been promised unto us.
Short-lived is the joy of the world ; the pain
that follows it is everlasting ; little are the pains
of this life, but the glory of the other life is infin-
56 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St ite." And on these words preaching most
Frauds' voutly, he comforted the brothers and turned
man their hearts into obedience and reverence for holy
Mother Church, and unto brotherly love, to pray
God for all men, and to have patience in the
adversities of the world, and temperance in pros-
perity, to observe modesty and angelic chastity,
and to have peace and concord with God and
with men and with their own conscience, and the
love and practice of most holy poverty. And
therewith he said unto them : " I command you,
by the merit of holy obedience, all ye who be
here gathered together, that no one of you take
care or thought for aught to eat or for aught of
the needs of the body, but turn all your thoughts
to prayer and praise of God : and cast all your
care for your body upon Him, for He careth
tenderly for you." And they all received this
commandment with glad heart and joyful counten-
ance, and done the sermon of Saint Francis, they
all fell down in prayer. Whereby Saint Dominic,
who was present at all these things, marvelled
exceedingly at the commandment of Saint
Francis and deemed him indiscreet, not knowing
how to think in what manner so great a multi-
tude could live without taking thought or care
for the needs of the body. But the chief Shep-
herd, Christ, the Blessed One, desiring to show
what care He has for His sheep, and what tender
love for His poor ones, straightway put it into
the hearts of the folk of Perugia, of Spoleto, of
Fuligno, of Spello and of Assisi, and the rest of
the country round about, to bring food and drink
s
1 d
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 57
unto this holy company. And lo ! all at once St Fran-
from the parts aforesaid came men with sumpter cisand St
beasts, horses and carts, with loads of bread, of Dommic
wine, of honey-combs, and cheese, and other good
things to eat, according as the poor of Christ
had need. Besides this, brought they napkins,
pitchers, cups, glasses and other vessels, to serve
the needs of so great a multitude : and he
deemed himself blessed whoso could bring most
or serve most diligently; in such sort that even
the knights and the barons and other gentle folk
that came to see, did service unto them with
great devotion and humility. For the which
cause, Saint Dominic, seeing these things, and
knowing of a truth that God's Providence was
working in them, humbly repented him that he had
falsely judged Saint Francis to be indiscreet ; and
coming before him, he knelt down, and humbly
told his fault, and added : " Of a truth God hath
especial care of these holy poor little ones, and I
knew it not ; and from now henceforth I pro-
mise to observe the holy gospel poverty ; and in
the name of God I curse all the brothers of my
Order who in the said Order shall presume to
hold property." So was Saint Dominic much
edified by the faith of the most holy Francis,
and by the obedience and the poverty of so great
and well-ordered a company, and by the divine
Providence, and the rich abundance of all good
things. In the same chapter it was told unto
Saint Francis that many of the brothers wore
shirts of mail on their bare flesh, and bands of
iron, for the which reason many were weak and
58 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Do- some were dying thereby, and many were let
rainic'sre- an( j hindered from prayer. Wherefore Saint
pentance p ranc i 8) \fa e a most prudent father, commanded
by holy obedience that whoso had either shirt of
mail or band of iron, should take it off and lay
it down before him, and even so did they ; and
there were counted up full five hundred shirts of
iron ; and many more bands, both for the arms
and for the loins; so that they made a great
heap thereof; and Saint Francis let leave them
there. After that the chapter was ended, Saint
Francis, strengthening them in good works, and
teaching them how they ought to escape out of
this world without sin, sent them back again
unto their provinces, with the blessing of God
and his own, all consoled with spiritual joy,
Chapter XIX
How the vineyard of the priest of Rieti, tn whose
house Saint Francis prayed, was robbed and
despoiled of its grapes by the much folk that
came to him ; and then miraculously yielded
more wine than ever before, even as Saint
Francis had promised him. And how God
revealed unto Saint Francis that at his death
he should inherit paradise
SAINT FRANCIS being on a time griev-
ously afflicted in his eyes, Cardinal Ugo-
lino, protector of the Order, for the great
tenderness that he bore him, wrote unto him
to come to him in Rieti, wherein dwelt most
cunning physicians for the eyes. Then Saint
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 59
Francis, having received the letter of the St Fran-
cardinal, gat him first to Saint Damian's, where
was Saint Clare, the devout bride of Christ, for
to give her some consolation and thereafter go
to the cardinal. Saint Francis having won
there, his eyes grew so much worse on the
next ensuing night that he could not see the
light a whit ; wherefore sith he could not go
upon his way, Saint Clare let build for him a
little cell of reeds, wherein he might the better
rest himself. But Saint Francis, what with the
pain of his infirmity, and what with the multitude
of rats, that did him exceeding great annoy, could
find, nor day, nor night, no rest at all. And
having yet more of such pains and tribulation to
endure, he began to think and understand that
this was a scourge from God for his sins ; and
to thank God with all his heart and with his
mouth, and anon cried with a loud voice, saying :
" My Lord, of all this am I deserving, and
much worse. My Lord Jesu Christ, Thou good
Shepherd, who dost show forth Thy mercy to
us sinners in diverse pains and anguish of the
body, grant unto me, Thy little sheep, such grace
and virtue that through no infirmity and agony
or pain may I ever part from Thee." While
thus he prayed, there came a voice from heaven
that said : " Francis, answer me : if all the
world were gold, and all the seas and streams
and fountains were balm, and all the mountains
and hills and rocks were precious stones ; and
thou shouldst find a treasure yet more noble
than these things, as much as gold is nobler
60 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St than earth, and balm than water, and precious
Francis stones than mountains and rocks, and if for
thine infirmity that nobler treasure were given
lif e thee, wouldst thou not be well content there-
with and right glad ? " Replied Saint Francis :
" Lord, I am not worthy of so precious a
treasure" ; and the voice of God spake unto
him : " Rejoice, Francis, for this is the treasure
of eternal life, the which I have laid up for
thee, and from this hour I give it thee in
possession ; and this infirmity and affliction is
the earnest of that blessed treasure. " Then
Saint Francis called his companion, with great
joy in so glorious a promise, and said : "Let
us go unto the cardinal," but first of all con-
soling Saint Clare with holy words, and humbly
taking leave of her, he set out on the way to
Rieti. And when he drew nigh thereto, so
great a press of people came out to meet him,
that he would not for this cause enter into the
city ; but gat him to a church that lay without
the city, it might be a two miles' space. The
city folk, coming to know that he was gone to
the said church, ran together for to see him, in
such sort that the vineyard of the church was
spoiled altogether, and the grapes of it were all
plucked ; whereof the priest was sore grieving
in his heart, and repented him that he had
received Saint Francis into the church. The
thought of the priest being revealed of God
unto Saint Francis, he let call him, and said :
" Dear father, how many measures of wine doth
this vineyard yield thee, the year it yields its
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 61
best ? " Replied the priest : " Twelve inea- The
sures." Quoth Saint Francis : " I pray thee, miracle of
Father, that thou bear patiently with me if I tarry "
here some days, seeing that I find here much
repose ; and let whoso will pluck of the grapes
of this thy vineyard, for the love of God and
me, his poor little one ; and I promise thee, in
the name of my Lord Jesu Christ, that it shall
yield thee twenty measures every year." And
thus did Saint Francis in return for his sojourn-
ing there, because of the great fruit of sods that
was manifestly gathered of the folk that resorted
thither ; whereof many departed drunken with
love divine, and abandoned the world. The
priest trusted the promise of Saint Francis, and
freely gave up the garden unto all that came to
him. And it was a marvel to see how the
vineyard was all spoiled and plucked, so that
scarce any bunches of grapes were found left.
The time of the vintage came ; and the priest
gathered in such bunches as remained, and put
them in the vat and trod them out, and accord-
ing to the promise of Saint Francis got thereout
twenty measures of the best wine. By this
miracle it was manifestly set forth, for men to
understand, that even as the vineyard despoiled
of grapes abounded in wine, through the merits
of Saint Francis ; even so the Christian people,
that had grown barren of virtue by reason of
sin, through the merits and teaching of Saint
Francis oftentimes abounded in the good fruits
of penitence.
62 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter XX
Of a vision wondrous fair, seen by a young br other >
the which did hold the cowl in such hate that
he minded to put of the habit and leave the
Order
The A VERY noble and tender youth entered into
wondrous art. the Order of Saint Francis : the which
vision a ter gome ^y^ t h rou g n t h e prompting of the
devil, began to hold the habit that he bore in
such hate, that it seemed unto him he wore a sack
most vile ; the sleeves he abhorred, he hated the
hood, and the length and the roughness thereof
were unto him as a load unbearable. And his
mislike of the religious life increasing more and
more, he was purposed to put off the habit and
return to the world. Now already it was his
wont, according as his master had taught him, so
often as he passed before the altar of the convent,
whereon was kept the Body of Christ, to kneel
with great reverence, and draw back his hood,
and with arms crossed bow himself down. It
befell that on the night whereon he was to go
away and leave the Order, he must needs pass
before the altar of the convent ; and as he passed,
he kneeled him down as was his wont and did
reverence. And forthwith he was rapt in spirit,
and God showed unto him a wondrous vision :
in that he saw before him as it were a countless
multitude of saints, like a procession, two and
two, clad in beauteous robes of precious stuffs,
and their faces and their hands shone like the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 63
sun, and they marched to the songs and chants The ^
of angels. Among these saints were twain more meani
nobly clad and adorned than all the rest ; and .
i i i i i vision
they were wrapt around with so much brightness
that they wrought exceeding great amazement in
whoso looked on them ; and nigh to the end of
the procession he saw one adorned with great
glory that he seemed a new-made knight, more
honoured than they all. The youth beholding
the vision aforesaid, marvelled exceedingly and
knew not what this procession might portend, and
dared not ask, but stood all mazed for very sweet-
ness. Howbeit when all the procession had
passed by, he took courage and ran after the last
of them, and with great fear asked them, saying :
" Dear friends, I pray you of your good pleasure
to tell me who are these folk so wonderful that
go in this worshipful procession." They made
answer : " Know, little son, that we be all
Brothers Minor coming from the glory of para-
dise." And again he asked: "Who be those
twain that shine more than the others ? " They
answered him : " These are Saint Francis and
Saint Antony : and this last one that thou seest
so honoured is a holy brother who died of late :
the which, for that valiantly he fought against
temptations, and persevered even unto the end,
we are leading in triumph to the glory of paradise,
and these robes of precious stuffs so beautiful, that
we wear, have been given us by God in lieu of
the rough tunics that we wore with patience in
the religious life; and the glorious brightness
that thou secst in us is given us of God for the
64 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The fierce humility and patience, and for the holy poverty
wo " and obedience and chastity, that we kept even
unto the end. Wherefore, little son, let it not
seem a hard matter to thee to wear the sackcloth
of religion that beareth such good fruit ; seeing
that, if with the sackcloth of Saint Francis for
the love of Christ thou despise the world, and
mortify the flesh, and strive valiantly against the
evil one, thou shalt together with us have even
such a robe as this, and such brightness of glory."
And these words spoken, the youth returned to
himself again ; and taking comfort from the vision,
chased far from him all temptation, confessed his
fault before the guardian and the brothers, and
from thenceforth desired the roughness of peni-
tence and of dress, and ended his days in the Order
in great sanctity.
Chapter XXI
Of the most holy miracle that Saint Francis
tur ought when he converted the farce wolf oj
WHAT time Saint Francis abode in the
city of Agobio, there appeared in the
country of Agobio an exceeding great wolf,
terrible and fierce, the which not only devoured
animals, but also men, in so much that all the
city folk stood in great fear, sith oft-times he came
near to the city, and all men when they went out
arrayed them in arms as it were for the battle, and
yet withal they might not avail to defend them
against him whensoever any chanced on him alone;
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 65
for fear of this wolf they were come to such a St
pass that none durst go forth of that place. For Francis
the which matter, Saint Francis having compas- ^The
sion on the people of that land, wished to go wo jf
forth unto that wolf, albeit the townsfolk all
gave counsel against it : and making the sign of
the most holy cross he went forth from that \x x
place with his companions, putting all his trust
in God. And the others misdoubting to go
further, Saint Francis took the road to the place
where the wolf lay. And lo ! in the sight of
many of the townsfolk that had come out to see
this miracle, the said wolf made at Saint Francis
with open mouth : and coming up to him, Saint
Francis made over him the sign of the most holy
cross, and called him to him, and bespake him
thus : " Come hither, brother wolf: I command
thee in the name of Christ that thou do no
harm, nor to me nor to any one." O wondrous
thing ! Whenas Saint Francis had made the
sign of the cross, right so the terrible wolf shut
his jaws and stayed his running : and when he
was bid, came gently as a lamb and lay him down
at the feet of Saint Francis. Thereat Saint
Francis thus bespake him : " Brother wolf,
much harm hast thou wrought in these parts and
done grievous ill, spoiling and slaying the creatures
of God, without His leave : and not alone hast
thou slain and devoured the brute beasts, but hast
dared to slay men, made in the image of God ; for
the which cause thou art deserving of the gibbet
as a thief and a most base murderer ; and all
men cry out and murmur against thee and all this
E
66 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He land is thine enemy. But I would fain, brother
subdues W olf, make peace between thee and these ; so
the wolf fa at t h ou mayest no more offend them, and they
may forgive thee all thy past offences, and nor
men nor dogs pursue thee any more." At these
words the wolf with movements of body, tail, and
eyes, and by the bending of his head, gave sign
of his assent to what Saint Francis said, and of
his will to abide thereby. Then spake Saint
Francis again : " Brother wolf, sith it pleaseth
thee to make and hold this peace, I promise thee
that I will see to it that the folk of this place
give thee food alway so long as thou shalt live,
so that thou suffer not hunger any more ; for
that I wot well that through hunger hast thou
wrought all this ill. But sith I win for thee
this grace, I will, brother wolf, that thou promise
me to do none hurt to any more, be he man or
beast ; dost promise me this ? " And the wolf
gave clear token by the bowing of his head that
he promised. Then quoth Saint Francis :
" Brother wolf, I will that thou plight me troth
for this promise, that I may trust thee full well."
And Saint Francis stretching forth his hand to
take pledge of his troth, the wolf lifted up his
right paw before him and laid it gently on the
hand of Saint Francis, giving thereby such sign
of good faith as he was able. Then quoth Saint
Francis : " Brother wolf, I bid thee in the name
of Jesu Christ come now with me, nothing
doubting, and let us go stablish this peace in
God's name." And the wolf obedient set forth
with him, in fashion as a gentle lamb ; whereat
I
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
townsfolk made mighty marvel, beholding, and
nd straightway the bruit of it was spread makes a
through all the city, so that all the people, men-
folk and women-folk, great and small, young and
old, gat them to the market place for to see the
wolf with Saint Francis. And the people being
gathered all together, Saint Francis rose up to
preach, avizing them among other matters how
for their sins God suffered such things to be, and
pestilences also : and how far more parlous is the
flame of hell, the which must vex the damned
eternally, than is the fury of the wolf that can
but slay the body ; how much then should men
fear the jaws of hell, when such a multitude
stands sore adread of the jaws of one so small a
beast ? Then turn ye, beloved, unto God, and
work out a fit repentance for your sins ; and
God will set you free from the wolf in this pre-
sent time, and in time to come from out the fires
of hell." And done the preaching, Saint
Francis, said : " Give ear, my brothers : brother
wolf, who standeth here before ye, hath pro-
mised me and plighted troth to make his peace
with you, and to offend no more in any thing ;
and do ye promise him to give him every day
whatever he needs : and I am made his surety
unto you that he will keep this pact of peace
right steadfastly." Then promised all the folk
with one accord to give him food abidingly.
Then quoth Saint Francis to the wolf before
them all : " And thou, brother wolf, dost thou
make promise to keep firm this pact of peace,
that thou offend not man nor beast nor any
68 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The joy creature ? " And the wolf knelt him down an
of the bowed his head: and with gentle movements c
people j^ s body^ taii^ anc j e y eS) gave sign as best he could
that he would keep their pact entire. Quoth
Saint Francis : " Brother wolf, I wish that as
thou hast pledged me thy faith to this promise
without the gate, even so shouldest thou pledge
me thy faith to thy promise before all the people,
and that thou play me not false for my promise,
and the surety that I have given for thee."
Then the wolf lifting up his right paw, laid it in
the hand of Saint Francis. Therewith, this act,
and the others set forth above, wrought such
great joy and marvel in all the people, both
through devotion to the saint, and through the
newness of the miracle, and through the peace
with the wolf, that all began to lift up their
voices unto heaven praising and blessing God,
that had sent Saint Francis unto them, who by
his merits had set them free from the jaws of the
cruel beast. And thereafter this same wolf lived
two years in Agobio ; and went like a tame
beast in and out the houses, from door to door,
without doing hurt to any or any doing hurt to
him, and was courteously nourished by the people ;
and as he passed thuswise through the country and
the houses, never did any dog bark behind him.
At length, after a two years' space, brother wolf
died of old age : whereat the townsfolk sorely
grieved, sith marking him pass so gently through
the city, they minded them the better of the
virtue and the sanctity of Saint Francis.
,
? f
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 69
Chapter XXII
How Saint Francis tamed the wild turtle-doves
IT befell on a day that a certain young man St
had caught many turtle-doves : and as he Fr 5 J ^ is
was carrying them for sale, Saint Francis, who
had ever a tender pity for gentle creatures, met
him, and looking on those turtle-doves with pity-
ing eyes, said to the youth : " I pray thee give
them me, that birds so gentle, unto which the
Scripture likeneth chaste and humble and faithful
souls, may not fall into the hands of cruel men
that would kill them." Forthwith, inspired of
God, he gave them all to Saint Francis ; and he
receiving them into his bosom, began to speak
tenderly unto them : " O my sisters, simple-
minded turtle-doves, innocent and chaste, why
have ye let yourselves be caught ? Now would I
fain deliver you from death and make you nests,
that ye may be fruitful and multiply, according to
the commandments of your Creator." And Saint
Francis went and made nests for them all : and
they abiding therein, began to lay their eggs and
hatch them before the eyes of the brothers : and
so tame were they, they dwelt with Saint Francis
and all the other brothers as though they had
been fowls that had always fed from their hands,
and never did they go away until Saint Francis
with his blessing gave them leave to go. And
to the young man who had given them to him,
Saint Francis said: "My little son, thou wilt
yet be a brother in this Order and do precious
70 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St service unto Jesu Christ. And so it came to
Francis, p a88 . f or the said youth became a brother and
watchful ^ vec * * n l ^ e O rc * er * n 8 reat sanity-
Shepherd
Chapter XXIII
How Saint Francis delivered tLc brother that tut.
in sin with the devil
AS Saint Francis was on a time at prayer
in the House of Portiuncula, through
divine revelation he saw the whole House sur-
rounded and besieged by devils, as it were by a
great army, but no one of them could win an
entrance into the House ; for the brothers were
of so great sanctity, that the devils could find
none within whom to enter. But as they so
continued, it happened on a day that one of
these brothers was offended with another, and
thought in his heart how he might accuse him
and take vengeance upon him ; for the which
cause, while his heart was devising this wicked
thought, the devil, finding the door open, entered
into the House and set himself upon the neck of
that brother. But the heedful and pitying Shep-
herd, who was ever keeping watch over his flock,
seeing that the wolf had entered to devour his
little sheep, at once let call to him that brother,
and bade him forthwith disclose the venom of
hate he had conceived against his neighbour,
through the which he had fallen into the hands
of the enemy. Whereat he being affrighted at
seeing that the holy Father knew the secret of
his heart, discovered unto him all its venom and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 71
malice, and acknowledged his fault, and humbly St
begged for penance and mercy ; and this done,
whenas he was absolved from his sin and had
received penance, immediately, before the face
of Saint Francis, the devil was away ; and the
brother thus set free from the hands of that cruel
beast, through the loving-kindness of the good
Shepherd, gave thanks to God ; and going back
corrected and admonished to the flock of the holy
Shepherd, he lived thereafter in great sanctity.
Chapter XXIV
How Saint Francis won over to the faith the
Soldan of Babylon
WROUGHT on by zeal for the faith of
Christ and the desire of martyrdom,
Saint Francis went on a time over sea with
twelve his companions, to get them straight to
the Soldan of Babylon, and they came to a land
of the Saracens, where the passes were guarded
by men so cruel that none of Christian folk that
passed that way might avail to scape from death ;
but it pleased God that they were not slain, but
taken alive, and beaten and bound were brought
before the Soldan. And being come before
him, Saint Francis, taught of the Holy Spirit,
preached so divinely of the faith of Christ, that
for the sake thereof was he willing to go even
through the fire. Whereby the Soldan began to
feel exceeding great devotion toward him, for
the constancy of his faith, as for the contempt of
the world that he saw in him (for that he would
7 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His take of him no gift, albeit so very poor), and eke
promise f or the fervour of martyrdom that he saw in him.
Soldan ^ rom l ^ at t ' me ^ ortn *he Soldan heard him
gladly and prayed him that oft-times he would
come before him, freely granting to him and his
companions leave to preach wheresoever they
would ; and he gave them a sign whereby they
might be safe from the hurt of any man. Having
such free license, St Francis sent his brothers and
other companions two by two into divers parts
of the Saracens to preach the faith of Christ.
Seeing in the end that he could reap no more
fruit in those parts, Saint Francis by divine
revelation set himself with all his companions to
return to the land of the faithful ; and when
they were all gathered together, he came again
to the Soldan and took leave of him to depart.
And therewithal said the Soldan unto him :
" Brother Francis, I would gladly turn me to
the faith of Christ, but I fear to do so now ; for
if these were ware of it, they would kill both
thee and me with all thy company ; and inasmuch
as thou canst yet do much of good, and I have
certain matters of great weight that I must needs
array, I would not now work both my death and
thine, but teach me now how I may be saved ;
sith ready am I to do all that thou mayest lay on
me." Then spake St Francis: "My lord, I
must now go from you ; but after that I have
returned to my country and have gone to heaven,
by the grace of God, after my death, then, ac-
cording as it shall please God, will I send thee
two of my brothers, at whose hands thou shah
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 7 S
receive the holy Baptism of Christ, and shalt be The
saved, even as my Lord Jesu Christ hath revealed Soldan
to me. In this mean time do thou keep thyself
free from all let and hindrance, to the end that
when the grace of God shall come to thee, it
may find thee prepared for faith and the devout
life " ; and this he promised to perform, and eke
performed it. This done, St Francis returned
with that venerable company of his holy com-
panions, and when some years had gone by Saint
Francis, by the death of the body, gave up his
soul to God. And the Soldan falling sick,
waited for the promise of Saint Francis and set
guards at certain passes ; and gave order that if
two brothers should appear in the habit of Saint
Francis, they should straightway be brought to
him. At that very time Saint Francis appeared
to two brothers and bade them go without delay
to the Soldan and take care for his salvation, ac-
cording as he had promised ; the which brothers
straightway set forth, and crossing the sea were
brought to the Soldan by the guards aforesaid,
and when the Soldan saw them he had exceed-
ing great joy, and said : " Now I know of a truth
that God hath sent His servants for my salvation,
according to the promise that Saint Francis made
me through divine revelation." Thereon being
taught of these brothers in the faith of Christ and
receiving holy Baptism, thus re-born in Christ
he died of that sickness, and his soul was saved
through the merits and the prayers of Saint
Francis
74 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter XXV
ffo<w Saint Francis miraculously healed one that
c was a leper both in sou! and body ; and 'what
the soul said to him, as it 'went up into heaven.
The / T A HE true disciple of Christ, Saint Francis,
perverse J. while he lived in this miserable life, strove
le P er with all his might to follow Christ, the perfect
Master ; whence it befell oftentimes through the
divine working, that of whomsoever he healed
the body, God healed the soul in the self-same
hour, even as it is read of Christ. And because
he not only served the lepers of his own will,
but moreover had ordained that the brothers of
his Order, whether staying or going throughout
the world, should serve the lepers for the love
of Christ, who willed for our sakes to be accounted
a leper, it befell on a time that in a certain
House, hard by to that wherein Saint Francis
then abode, the brothers were serving the lepers
and the sick in an hospital, wherein was a leper
so impatient, and so unbearable, and so perverse,
that all men deemed and even so it was that
of a surety he was possessed of the devil ; for so
shamefully did he assail with vile words and
blows whoso did him service, and, what is still
worse, he blasphemed with foul abuse the blessed
Christ and His most holy Mother, the Virgin
Mary, so that in no wise could be found any
that could endure to serve him or was willing
thereunto. And albeit the brothers strove with
patience to endure the insults and injuries to
their own proper selves, for to increase the merit
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 75
of patience, nevertheless since their consciences St
might no longer endure those heaped on Christ Francis
and on His Mother, they all at once resolved to
leave the said leper ; but they wished not so to
do until such time as they had signified the same
in order unto Saint Francis, who at that time
abode in a House a-nigh thereto. And when
they had told him, Saint Francis went to this
leper so perverse ; and coming close up to him,
saluted him, saying : " God give thee peace, my
brother most dear." Replied the leper : " What
peace may I have of God, who hath taken from
me peace and all good things, and hath made me
stinking and rotten altogether ? " And Saint
Francis said : " My little son, have patience ; for
the infirmities of the body are given by God in
this world for the salvation of souls, seeing that
they are of great merit when borne patiently."
Replied the sick man : " And how can I bear
with patience the continual pain that racks me
day and night? And not only am I afflicted
with mine infirmity ; but the brothers whom
thou hast given me to do me service, deal worse
with me, and do not serve me as they ought."
Then Saint Francis, knowing by revelation that
this leper was possessed with the evil spirit, went
and set himself to pray and prayed God devoutly
for him. And his prayer ended, he returned to
him again, and spake thus : " My son, I will
myself do thee service, seeing thou art not content
with the others." " I am willing," quoth the
sick man ; " but what canst thou do more than
these others ? " Replied Saint Francis : " What-
76 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He heals soever thou dost wish, that will I do." Quoth
the leper t h e leper : ** I wish that thou wash me all over ;
for I stink so vilely that I cannot abide myself."
Thereupon Saint Francis forthwith let boil water
with many sweet-smelling herbs; then stripped
him and began to wash him with his own hands,
and another brother poured out the water ; and
it came to pass by a divine miracle, that where-
soe'er Saint Francis touched him with his holy
hands, the leprosy departed, and the flesh remained
perfectly whole. And as the flesh began to heal,
even so began the soul to be healed also ; whereby
the leper, seeing that he was beginning to be
cured, began to feel great compunction and
repentance for his sins, and began most bitterly
to lament; so that while his body was being
cleansed without from the leprosy by the washing
of the water, so his mind within was cleansed
from sin by amendment and by tears. And
being every whit made whole both in body and
soul, he humbly confessed his sin ; and weeping,
said in a loud voice : " Woe is me, that am
worthy of hell, for the insults and injuries that I
have said and done unto the brothers, and for
the impatience and blasphemies that I have
spoken against God " ; wherefore for fifteen days
he continued in bitter wailing for his sins, and in
calling on the mercy of God, confessing himself
unto the priest with his whole heart. And
Saint Francis beholding so clear a miracle, that
God had worked by his hands, gave thanks to
God, and departed thence, going into a far
country ; because for humility's sake he wished
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 77
to shun all glory, and in all his works he sought The soul's
only the honour and glory of God, and not his thanks-
own. Thereafter, for so it was the will of God,
the said leper, healed in body and soul, after
fifteen days of his penitence, fell sick of another
infirmity, and died a holy death armed with the
sacraments of the church ; and his soul on its
way to Paradise appeared in the air unto Saint
Francis, as he was at prayer, and said unto him :
"Dost thou know me again?" "Who art
thou ? " quoth Saint Francis. " I am the leper
whom Christ, the Blessed One, healed through
thy merits, and now I go unto life eternal ; blessed
be thy soul and body : and blessed be thy holy
words and works ; for through thee shall many
souls in the world be saved: and know of a
truth that there is no day in the world wherein
the holy Angels and the other Saints give not
praise to God for the holy fruits that thou and
thy Order gather in in diverse parts of the world ;
wherefore be comforted, and give thanks to God
and abide steadfast with His blessing." And
saying these words, he passed into heaven ; and
Saint Francis abode in much consolation.
Chapter XXVI
How Saint Francis converted three robbers that
were murderers, and made brothers of them ;
and of the most noble vision that was seen by
one ofthem t the which was a most holy brother
IT befell on a time that Saint Francis was
going through the desert of Borgo San
Sepolcro, and as he passed by a village called
78 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The three Monte Casale, there came unto him a youth,
robbers no bl e and tender, and said to him : " Father,
right willingly would I become one of your
brothers." Replied Saint Francis : " My son,
thou art a youth, tender and noble, it may well
be that thou couldest not endure our hardships
and our poverty." And quoth he : " Father,
are ye not men even as I ? wherefore, as ye
endure, even so shall I be able with the grace of
Jesu Christ." Well pleased was Saint Francis
with this answer : so blessing him, he forthwith
received him into the Order, and gave to him
the name of Brother Angel; and this youth
bore him so graciously that a short while there-
after Saint Francis made him guardian in the
aforesaid House of Monte Casale. Now at that
time there dwelt in those parts three notorious
robbers, who wrought much evil in that country ;
the which came on a day to the said House of
the brothers, and besought the said Brother
Angel, the guardian, to give them food to eat ;
and the guardian with harsh reproof, answered
them after this fashion : " Ye thieves and cruel
murderers, ye be not ashamed to rob others of
the fruits of their labours : but likewise, as men
insolent and bold, ye would devour the alms
bestowed upon the servants of God ; in sooth,
ye are not worthy that the earth should hold
you, since ye respect nor men nor God who
created you : then go your ways and see ye
come not here again " ; whereby they went
away disquieted and full of ire. And behold,
Saint Francis returned from abroad with a
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 79
wallet of bread and a little flask of wine, that he The
and his companion had begged : and when the robbers
guardian recounted unto him how he had driven re P rove "
the men away, Saint Francis reproved him
sternly, saying that he had borne him cruelly
therein : " Because sinners are brought back to
God better by gentleness than by cruel reproofs ;
wherefore our master Jesu Christ, whose Gospel
we have promised to observe, saith that they
that be whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick ; and that he was not come to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance : where-
fore he oftentimes ate with them. Seeing then,
that thou hast done against charity and against
the holy Gospel of Christ, I command thee by
holy obedience, that incontinent thou take this
wallet of bread that I have begged and this little
flask of wine, and search diligently for them
over mountains and valleys until thou find them,
and give them all this bread and wine as from
me ; and then kneel thee down before them and
humbly confess thy fault of cruelty ; and then
pray them on my behalf that they do no more
ill, but fear God nor offend Him any more :
and if this they will do, I promise to provide
for their needs and to give them food and drink
abidingly : and when thou hast said this unto
them, return hither again in all humility."
While the said guardian was going for to do his
bidding, Saint Francis set himself to pray, be-
seeching God to soften the hearts of those
robbers and convert them to penitence. So the
obedient guardian came up with them and offered
80 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Their to them the bread and the wine, and did and
penitence said all that Saint Francis had laid upon him.
And sith it was the will of God, these robbers
as they ate the alms of Saint Francis, began to
say among themselves : " Woe unto us, miser-
able wretches ! how grievous are the pains of
hell that await us, who go about not only
robbing our neighbours, and beating and wound-
ing, but likewise slaying them; yet none the
less for such evil deeds and so great wickedness,
as we commit, we feel no whit remorse of con-
science, neither fear of God ; and lo ! this holy
brother that hath come to us and humbly hath
confessed his fault for diverse words he justly
spake against our wickedness ; and more than
this, hath brought us bread and wine and so
bounteous a promise from the holy Father ; of a
truth these be holy brothers of God, and merit
the paradise of God ; and we be sons of eternal
perdition and merit the pains of hell, and every
day increase our own damnation ; and we know
not whether we can turn us from the sins that
we have done up till now, unto the mercy of
God." As one among them spake these and
the like words, quoth the others : " In very
sooth thou dost speak true, but come, what is it
that we needs must do ? " " Let us go," said
one, "unto Saint Francis ; and if he gives us
hope that we may find mercy of God for our
sins, let us do whatsoever he bids us, and so
may we be able to deliver our souls from the
pains of hell." This counsel was pleasing unto
the others ; and so they all three being agreed,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 81
gat them in haste to Saint Francis, and bespake St
him thus : " Father, for the multitude of the Francis
sins and wickednesses that we have committed, an ^. *
we deem it not possible to return to the mercy
of God ; but if thou hast any hope that God
will receive us into His mercy, lo ! we be ready
to do whatsoever thou shalt tell us, and to do
penance with thee." Thereat Saint Francis,
dealing lovingly with them and in kindly fashion,
comforted them with many examples: and
making them assured of the mercy of God, pro-
mised them of a surety to obtain it for them
from God, and setting forth to them how that
the mercy of God is infinite ; and that if we had
sins without number, yet the mercy of God is
greater than our sins, according to the Gospel ;
and the Apostle Saint Paul saith : " Christ, the
blessed One, came into the world to save sinners."
Through the which words and the like admon-
ishments, the said three robbers renounced the
devil and all his works ; and Saint Francis re-
ceived them into the Order and they began to
do great penance : and two of them lived but a
short while after their conversion, and went to
Paradise. But the third surviving, and bethinking
him of his sins, gave himself up to work out
such penance that for fifteen years continually,
save only in the common Lenten fast, the which
he kept together with the other brothers, he
fasted three days in the week on bread and water,
going always bare-foot, with one tunic only on
his back, nor sleeping ever after matins. About
this time Saint Francis passed away out of this
F
Sz THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Their miserable life. Now when this man for many
con- years had continued in such penances, behold ! on
ersion a njgj^ a f ter niatins, there came upon him so
great a temptation to sleep, that in no way
could he resist it and keep watch as he was
wont. At the last not being able to resist sleep
any longer, nor to pray, he went to his bed to
sleep ; and as soon as he had laid his head down,
straightway was he rapt, and carried away in
spirit to a very high mountain wherein was a
precipice exceeding deep, and on this side and
on that, rocks rugged and broken, and sharp-
pointed stones jutting out of the rocks : such that
it was a fearsome sight to look down this precipice.
And the angel that was leading the brother pushed
him and threw him down the precipice : and he
falling down and rebounding from rock to rock,
and from stone to stone, came at last to the bottom
of this precipice, torn limb from limb, and dashed
all to pieces, as it seemed to him. And as thus
he lay in evil plight upon the ground, he that
led him said to him : *< Get thee up, for thou
needs must take a longer journey yet." Replied
the brother : " Methinks thou dost lack dis-
cerning, and art exceeding cruel, who seest me
like to die from the fall that hath so broken me
and yet doth bid me rise " ; and the angel came
near unto him, and touching him, made all his
limbs thoroughly whole, and healed him. And
after this he showed him a great plain full of
sharp and cutting stones, and thorns and briars :
and told him that he must needs run over all
this plain, and go bare-footed till he reached the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
end ; whereat he saw a burning furnace that he The
needs must enter in. And the brother having Brother's
crossed over all that plain with grievous agony vision
and pains, the angel said : " Enter into yon
furnace, for so thou needs must do." And he
answered : " Ah me ! how cruel a guide thou
art ! for thou seest that I be nigh unto death by
reason of the torments of this plain, and now to
rest me thou biddest me enter within this burn-
ing furnace." And as he looked, he saw within
the furnace many devils with forks of iron in
their hands, with the which, sith he was slow to
enter, they thrust him in it suddenly. When
that he was come into the furnace, looking
round he beheld his godfather, all on fire : and
he questioned him : " O hapless godfather, how
earnest thou hither ? " And he replied : " Go
on yet a little further and thou wilt find my
wife, thy godmother, who will tell thee the
reason of our damnation." The brother going
on a little further, behold ! there appeared unto
him the godmother aforesaid, all in flames, shut
upjn a corn-measure all on fire : and he asked
her : " O hapless and unhappy godmother,
wherefore hast thou come into such cruel tor-
ment ? " And she replied : " Because at the
time of the great famine that Saint Francis
predicted aforetime, my husband and I falsified
the measures of the corn and grain that we sold ;
and therefore I burn fast bound within this
measure." Having said these words, the angel
that led the brother thrust him without the
furnace, and then bespake him : " Make thyself
84 THE LITTLE KLOWERS OF
The ready for to take a fearful journey on the which
^ fearful thou needs must go." And he, lamenting,
journey ga jj . Q crue ] guide, that hast no whit com-
passion on me ! thou dost see that I have been
well-nigh burnt up in this furnace, and still thou
dost wish to lead me on a parlous journey and
fearful " ; thereat the angel touched him, and
made him strong and whole. Anon he led him
to a bridge, which might not be crossed without
great peril ; for it was exceeding narrow and
slender, and very slippery, and had no rail
withal ; and below flowed a river terrible to
see, full of serpents, and dragons, and scorpions,
and it sent forth a stench exceeding great ; and
the angel said unto him : " Pass over this bridge,
for assuredly thou needs must cross." He
made answer : " And how can I cross it, that
I fall not in this parlous stream ? " Quoth the
angel : " Walk thou behind me, and set thy
foot where thou shalt see that I set mine, and
so shalt thou safely cross over." So the brother
crossed over behind the angel, as he had in-
structed him, until he came to the middle of the
bridge ; and as he was thus in the middle of the
bridge, the angel flew away : and departing from
him, went to the top of a very high mountain,
far off on the other side of the bridge ; and the
brother marked well the place whither the angel
had flown ; but left behind without a guide,
and looking down below, he saw those beasts so
terrible standing with their heads above the
water and with open mouths, ready to devour
him should he fall ; and he was in such fear
tha
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
t he nowise knew what to do nor what to The
say; for neither could he turn back nor go crossing
forward. Wherefore seeing himself in so great Jj-y^g
tribulation, and that he had no refuge save in
God, he bowed himself down, and clasped the
bridge tight, and weeping committed himself to
God with all his heait, that of His most holy
mercy He would succour him. And done the
prayer he seemed to begin to put forth wings ;
whereat with great joy he waited that they
should grow, so that he might fly from off the
bridge to the place where the angel had flown.
But after some time, through the great desire he
had to cross the bridge, he set himself to fly ;
but because the wings had not yet grown enough,
he fell down on the bridge and the feathers
dropped off: wherefore he clung again to the
bridge, and, as at the first, committed himself to
God ; and done the prayer, again he seemed to
put forth wings ; but, as at the first, he did not
wait till they were perfectly grown : so that,
setting himself to fly before the time, he fell
back again upon the bridge and the feathers
dropped off. Wherefore seeing that he fell for
the haste that he had to fly before the time, he
began to say thus within himself: ** Of a surety,
if I shall put forth wings yet the third time, I will
wait until such time as they have grown so large
that I may fly without falling down again."
And while he pondered these thoughts, he saw
that for the third time he was putting forth
wings : and waiting a long time until they were
well grown, it seemed to him that what with the
86 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The first and the second and the third putting forth
marvel- of wings, he had waited full a hundred and fifty
lous y ears or more. At the last he rose up the third
pa ace
and flew up, even to the place whither the angel
had flown ; and as he knocked at the door of the
palace where the angel lay, the porter asked
him : " Who art thou that comest here ? " He
answered : " I am a brother minor." Quoth
the porter : " Wait here a while, for I wish to
bring Saint Francis, for to see if he know thee."
As he went in quest of Saint Francis, the
brother began to gaze on the marvellous walls
of that palace : and lo ! the walls appeared
transparent and of such clearness that he plainly
saw the choirs of saints and all that passed
within. And as he gazed upon this sight in
deep amaze, behold ! Saint Francis came, and
Brother Bernard, and Brother Giles ; and after
them so great a multitude of saints and holy
women that had followed his example, that they
seemed well-nigh without number, and having
won there, Saint Francis said to the porter :
" Let him enter in, for he is one of my brothers."
And as soon as he had entered, he felt such
consolation and such sweetness, that straightway
he forgot all the tribulations he had borne, as
though they ne'er had been. And then Saint
Francis, leading him within, showed unto him
many marvellous things, and thereafter said unto
him : " My son, thou must needs return unto
the world again, and abide therein seven days,
in the which do thou diligently make thee ready
-
with great de
FRANCIS OF ASSISI 87
nth great devotion ; for, after these seven days, The home
I shall come for thee, and then shalt thou come of the
with me unto this place of the blessed." Now blessed
Saint Francis was arrayed in a marvellous robe,
adorned with stars most beautiful : and his five
stigmata were like five stars, exceeding beautiful,
and of so great splendour that they lit up all the
palace with their rays. And Brother Bernard
had on his head a crown of stars most beautiful ;
and Brother Giles was adorned with a mar-
vellous light ; and many other holy brothers did
he recognise among them, whom in the world
he had never seen. Then taking leave of Saint
Francis, he returned, albeit unwillingly, to the
earth again. And when he awoke, returning to
himself and coming to his senses again, the
brothers were ringing for Prime : so that he had
not continued in that vision save from Matins
until Prime, albeit it seemed to him he had con-
tinued many years. And having recounted to
his guardian all this vision in order, within the
seven days he began to fall sick of a fever ; and
on the eighth day Saint Francis came for
him, according to his promise, with a great
multitude of glorious saints, and conducted his
soul unto the Kingdom of the Blessed, to life
eternal.
88 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter XXVII
How Saint Francis converted in Bologna two
scholars, who became brothers ; and how
thereafter he delivered one of them from a
sore temptation
St Fran- O AINT FRANCIS coming on a time to
cis at O the city of Bologna, all the people of the
wogna c j t y j^ toggle,. to 8ee fa m . anc j so g rea t was
the press that scarce with great difficulty could
the people reach the square ; and the square being
all full of men and of women and of scholars,
Saint Francis stood high up in the midst of them,
and began to preach whatsoever the Holy Spirit
taught him ; and preached so marvellously that
it seemed rather that an angel was preaching than
a man : and his celestial words appeared even as
sharp arrows piercing the hearts of them that
heard him in such sort, that in that preaching a
great multitude of men and women were con-
verted into penitence. Among the which were
two students, nobly born, from the March of
Ancona ; and the one was named Pellegrino,
and the other Rinieri : the which twain by
divine inspiration touched in the heart through
the said preaching, came to Saint Francis, saying
that they wished wholly to abandon the world
and be of the number of his brethren. Then
Saint Francis, knowing by revelation that they
were sent of God, and that in the Order they
would lead a holy life, and noting their great
fervour, received them joyfully, saying : " Do
thou,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 89
:, Pellegrino, live in the Order the life of Brother
humility, and thou, Brother Rinieri, serve the Rinieri's
brethren " ; and even so it was ; for Brother Jfmpta-
... ,. . faon
rellegrmo wished not to live as a priest but as a
lay brother, albeit he was a great scholar and
right learned in the canon law ; through the
which humility he attained unto such great per-
fection of virtue, that Brother Bernard, the first-
born of Saint Francis, said of him that he was
one of the most perfect brothers in the world.
And at the last, the said Brother Pellegrino, full
of virtue, passed from this miserable life unto the
life of the blessed, and wrought many miracles
before his death and thereafter. And the said
Brother Rinieri devoutly and faithfully served
the brethren, dwelling in great sanctity and
humility : and he became Saint Francis* close
familiar friend. Being afterwards made minister
of the Province of the March of Ancona, he
ruled it for a long time with the utmost peace
and discretion. A while after, God suffered a
very grievous temptation to arise within his soul :
and he being in anguish and tribulation thereby,
afflicted himself with fasts, with scourgings, with
tears and prayers, both day and night : but for all
that he could not rid him of that temptation ; but
oftentimes abode in great despair, sith he deemed
himself thereby abandoned of God. While he
was in such despair, as a last remedy he minded
to go to Saint Francis, thinking thus within him-
self : " If Saint Francis will look kindly on me,
and show himself mine own familiar friend, as is
his wont, 1 believe that God will yet have pity
90 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St on me : but if not, it will be a sign that I shall
Francis be abandoned by God." So he set out and
C him came to ^ a * nt Francis, who at that time lay
grievously sick in the palace of the bishop of
Assisi ; and God revealed unto him all the
manner of the temptation and the despair of the
said Brother Rinieri, and of his purpose and his
coming. And straightway Saint Francis called
Brother Leo and Brother Masseo, and said unto
them : " Go ye out at once to meet my little
son, most dear to me, brother Rinieri, and em-
brace him on my behalf and salute him, and tell
him that among all the brothers that are in the
world I love him with especial love." So they
went, and found Brother Rinieri on the way, and
embraced him, saying unto him whatsoever Saint
Francis had bidden them say. Whereby such
consolation and sweetness filled his soul that he
was as one beside himself: and giving thanks to
God with all his heart, he went on and came to
the place where Saint Francis lay sick. And
albeit Saint Francis was grievously sick, yet
when he heard that Brother Rinieri was coming,
he got up and went to meet him, and embraced
him very sweetly, and said : " My little son,
most dear to me, Brother Rinieri, among all the
brothers that are in the world, I love thee, I love
thee with especial love." And this said, he
made the sign of the most holy cross upon his
brow, and kissed him thereon ; and bespake him
again : " My little son, most dear, God hath
suffered this temptation to assail thee for thy
great gain in merit, but if thou no more desire
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 91
this gain, then let it be." O marvel ! as soon Brother
as Saint Francis had said these words, inconti- Bernard s
nent departed from him all temptation, as though ecstas y
in all his life he had felt it not a whit, and he
remained altogether comforted.
Chapter XXVIII
Of an ecstasy that came to Brother Bernard s
whereby he abode from morning until Nones,
so that of himself he was not ware
WHAT great favour God oftentimes be-
stowed on the poor followers of the
Gospel, who left the world for the love of Christ,
is shown forth in Brother Bernard of Quintavalle,
who, after he had taken the habit of Saint
Francis, was very often rapt in God through
contemplation of heavenly things. Among others
it befell that on a time, while he was in church
for to hear the Mass, with his whole mind up-
lifted unto God, he became so rapt and so
absorbed in God that, when the Body of Christ
was elevated, he saw nothing at all, nor kneeled
him down, nor drew back his hood, as the others
did ; but without movement of his eyes, with
gaze fast fixed, he stood from morning until
Nones, not heeding aught ; and after Nones
returning to himself again, he went through the
House crying with a voice of glad surprise : " O
brothers ! O brothers ! O brothers ! there is no man
in this land so great or so nobly born who, if there
were promised to him a beauteous palace full of
gold, would not gladly carry a sackful of dung
9* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His for to gain so noble a treasure." Unto this
abstin- heavenly treasure, promised unto them that love
ence God, the said Brother Bernard had his mind so
uplifted, that for fifteen years continuously he went
always with his mind and his face upraised to
heaven ; in the which time he never stayed his
hunger at the table, though he ate of that which
was set before him, a little : for he said that none
could practise perfect abstinence from that whereof
he did not taste, but true abstinence is the being
temperate in those things that taste pleasant to
the mouth ; and thereby did he attain unto such
brightness and light of intelligence, that even the
great clerics had recourse unto him for the
resolving of deep questions and interpreting of
difficult passages of the Scripture ; and he dis-
solved every doubt for them. And because his
mind was wholly free and abstracted from the
things of earth, he, like the swallows, flew high
up through contemplation : wherefore at one
time for twenty days, at another time for thirty
days, he remained alone on the tops of the
highest mountains, contemplating heavenly things.
For the which cause Brother Giles said of him
that unto no other men had been given this gift
that was given to Brother Bernard of Quinta-
valle ; to wit, that he fled flying like the swallows :
and for this excellent grace that he received of
God, Saint Francis right willingly spake with
him oftentimes by day and night : whereby were
they sometimes found together rapt in God the
whole night long in the wood, wherein they
twain had met to speak of God together.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 93
Chapter XXIX
How the devil appeared many times unto Brother
Ritffino in the form of the Crucified, telling
him that all the good he did was lost,
since he was not among those elect to life
eternal. Whereof Saint Francis was ware
through revelation from God y and made
Brother Ruffino to know his error in lending
credence thereto.
BROTHER RUFFINO, one of the most Brother
noble citizens of Assisi and a companion Ruffino's
of Saint Francis, a man of great sanctity, was on tempta-
i ! i i i i tion
a time most grievously assailed and tempted in his
soul, in respect of predestination ; whereby he
became altogether melancholy and sad ; for the
devil put it into his heart that he was damned and
was not of those predestined to eternal life ; and
that all that he did in the Order was lost. And
this temptation continuing day by day, he for
shame told it not to Saint Francis, yet ceased not
to observe the wonted prayers and fasts : where-
fore the enemy began to heap on him sorrow upon
sorrow, over and above the battle within, assault-
ing him also from without with lying apparitions.
Wherefore on a time he appeared to him in the
form of the Crucified, and said to him : " O
Brother Ruffino, why dost thou afflict thyself in
penance and in prayer, seeing that thou art not
among those predestined to eternal life ? and
believe me that I know whom I have elected and
predestined, and believe not the son of Peter
Bernardoni, if he tell thee the contrary, nor ques-
94 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Fran- tion him concerning this matter, for neither he nor
cis and others know, save I alone, who am the Son of God:
wherefore believe me of a surety that thou art of
the number of the damned : and the son of Peter
Bernardoni, thy Father, and also his father are
damned, and whoso follows him is led astray."
And said these words, Brother Ruffino began to
be so overshadowed by the prince of darkness
that he lost all the faith and love he had had for
Saint Francis, and took no care to tell him aught
thereof. But that which Brother Ruffino did
not tell the holy father, the Holy Spirit revealed
to him : wherefore Saint Francis, seeing in spirit
the great danger of the said brother, sent Brother
Masseo to call him ; whom Brother Ruffino
answered chidingly : " What have I to do with
Brother Francis ? " Then Brother Masseo, all
filled with divine wisdom, perceiving the decep-
tion of the devil, said : " O Brother Ruffino,
knowest thou not that Brother Francis is as an
angel of God, who hath enlightened so many
souls in the world, and through whom we have
received the grace of God ? wherefore I will
that thou by all means come with me to him ;
for I clearly see that thou art deceived by the
devil." And this said, Brother Ruffino arose
and went to Saint Francis, and Saint Francis
seeing him coming from afar off, began to cry
out : " O thou miserable Brother Ruffino, in
whom hast thou believed ? " And when Brother
Ruffino was come up to him, Saint Francis re-
counted to him in order all the temptation that
he had had of the devil within and without, and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 95
showed him clearly that what had appeared to St
him was the devil and not Christ, and that he Francis
ought in no wise to consent unto his promptings : counsels
" But when the devil should say to thee again :
* Thou art damned,' do thou answer : * Open
thy mouth, for I fain would void on thee/ and
this shall be to thee the sign that he is the devil
and not Christ ; for as soon as thou shalt give
him this answer, he will flee away incontinent.
Moreover by this token should st thou have
known that he was the devil and not Christ,
in that he hardened thy heart to all goodness,
the which thing is his own proper office ; but
Christ, the blessed One, never hardeneth the heart
of the faithful, nay, rather he softeneth it, as he
saith by the mouth of the prophet : * I will take
away the stony heart and I will give you a heart
of flesh.' ' Then Brother Ruffino, seeing that
Saint Francis told him in order all the manner
of his temptation, touched to the heart by his
words, began to weep bitterly, and fell down
before Saint Francis and humbly confessed his
fault in having kept his temptation hidden. And
thus he abode altogether consoled and comforted
by the admonishments of the holy father, and
wholly changed for the better. Then at the
last Saint Francis said unto him : " Go, my
little son, and shrive thee, and relax not the zeal
of thy wonted prayers : and know of a surety
that this temptation will bring to thee great profit
and consolation, and very shortly shalt thou prove
it." So Brother Ruffino returned to his cell in
the wood, and continuing in prayer with many
9<S THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
RufHno's tears, behold ! the enemy came to him in the form
deliver- o f Christ, as to outward semblance, and said to
81106 him : " O Brother Ruffino, have I not told thee
that thou shouldest not believe the son of Peter
Bernardoni, nor shouldest weary thyself in tears
and prayers, seeing that thou art damned ?
What doth it profit thee to afflict thyself while
yet alive, and then when thou shalt die thou wilt
be damned ? " And straightway Brother Ruf-
fino made answer to the devil : " Open thy
mouth, for I fain would void on thee." Whereat
the devil being exceeding wroth, gat him away
incontinent with so furious a tempest and shaking
of the rocks of Mount Subassio, which was hard
by, that the loud noise of the rocks that fell
down lasted a great while ; and so furiously did
they strike the one against the other as they
rolled down, that the valley was lit up with
horrible flashes of fire : and at the terrible din
that they made, Saint Francis and his companions
came out of the House, in great amazement, for
to see what strange thing had befallen ; and still
to this day is seen that exceeding great ruin of
rocks. Then Brother Ruffino knew of a surety
that it had been the devil that had deceived him.
And going back to Saint Francis, he threw
himself again upon the ground, and confessed his
fault ; and Saint Francis comforted him with
sweet words, and sent him back full of consola-
tion to his cell, wherein as he was most devoutly
praying, there appeared to him Christ, the blessed
One, and rekindled all his soul with Jove divine,
and said : " Thou hast done well, my son, to
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 97
believe in Saint Francis, for he that made thee His
sad was the devil : but I am Christ thy Master ; sanctity
and to make thee sure thereof, I give thee this
sign : Whilst thou dost live, thou shalt no
more feel sadness nor melancholy." And this
said, Christ departed, leaving him in such glad-
ness and sweetness of spirit and uplifting of the
mind, that day and night he was absorbed and
rapt in God. And from that time forth he was
so strengthened in grace and in certainty of his
salvation, that he became altogether changed into
another man ; and would have continued day and
night in prayer and in contemplation of the things
of God, if the others had suffered him. Where-
fore Saint Francis said of him: that Brother
Ruffino was in this life canonised by Christ, and
that, save in his presence, he would not doubt to
call him Saint Ruffino, albeit he was still alive on
earth.
Chapter XXX
Of the beautiful sermon preached in Assist by
Saint Francis and Brother Ruffino
THE aforesaid Brother Ruffino, through con-
tinual contemplation, was so absorbed in
God, that he became as it were insensible and
dumb, spake but seldom, and therewithal had
neither the gift of preaching, nor boldness nor
eloquence therein ; nevertheless Saint Francis
on a time bade him go to Assisi and preach to
the people whatsoever God might inspire him
withal. Wherefore Brother Ruffino answsred:
" Reverend father, I pray thee pardon me and
G
9 8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Ruffino send me not ; for, as thou wottest, I have not
preaches t h e gift o f preaching, but am simple and ignor-
at Assist ant> Then quoth Saint Francis: "Seeing
that thou hast not obeyed incontinent, I com-
mand thee by holy obedience that thou get thee
to Assisi naked as thou wast born, save in thy
breeches only, and enter into a church and preach
unto the people." At this command, the said
Brother Ruffino stripped himself and went to
Assisi and entered into a church, and having
done reverence to the altar went up into the
pulpit and began to preach ; for the which cause
the children and the men began to laugh, and
said: "Now look you how these fellows do
so much penance that they become fools and are
beside themselves." Meantime, Saint Francis,
bethinking him of the ready obedience of Brother
Ruffino, the which was one of the most noble
gentles of Assisi, and of the hard commandment
he had laid upon him, began to chide himself,
saying : " Whence comes to thee such boldness,
thou son of Peter Bernardoni, vile wretch, to
command Brother Ruffino, that is one of the
most noble gentles of Assisi, to go and preach to
the people like a madman ? By God, thou shalt
have proof in thine own self of what thou bid-
dest others do." And straightway in fervour of
spirit he stripped himself in like fashion, and set
out for Assisi, and took with him Brother Leo
to carry his habit and that of Brother Ruffino.
And the folk of Assisi beholding him in the
self-same guise, made mock of him, deeming
that he and Brother Ruffino had grown mad
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 99
through overmuch penance. Saint Francis en- St
tered into the church where Brother Ruffino Francis
was preaching these words : " Dearly beloved, ^jJderf
flee from the world and put away sin ; render to sermon
others their due, if ye would escape from hell ;
follow the commandments of God, in loving
God and your neighbour, if ye would go to
heaven ; do penance, if ye would possess the
kingdom of heaven." Then Saint Francis
went up into the pulpit, and began to preach so
marvellously of the contempt of the world, of
holy penitence, of voluntary poverty, and of the
desire of the kingdom of heaven, and of the
nakedness and shame of the passion of our Lord
Jesu Christ, that all they that heard the preach-
ing, men and women in great multitude, began
to weep most bitterly with devout and contrite
hearts ; and not there alone, but in all Assisi
was there that day such weeping for the passion
of Christ, that never had there been the like.
And the people being thuswise edified and com-
forted by this act of Saint Francis and Brother
Ruffino, Saint Francis re-clad Brother Ruffino
and himself; and so re-clad, they returned to
the House of Portiuncula, praising and glorify-
ing God, that had given them grace to overcome
themselves, by the contempt of themselves, and
to edify the little sheep of Christ by good ex-
ample, and to show how greatly the world is to
be despised. And on that day so much did the
devotion of the people towards them increase,
that he deemed himself blessed whoso could
touch the hem of their garment.
ioo THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter XXXI
Hoiu Saint Francis &ne*u the secrets of the con-
sciences of all his brothers in order
The three r?VEN as our Lord Jesu Christ says in the
most holy JQ, Gospel: "I know my sheep, and am
S known of mine " ; even so the blessed father
Saint Francis, like a good shepherd, knew by
divine revelation all the merits and the virtues of
his companions, and in like manner their faults also.
For the which cause he knew how to provide
the best remedy for each, to wit, humbling the
proud, and exalting the humble ; reproving vice,
and praising virtue ; even as we read in the
wondrous revelations that he had concerning
his first family. Among the which we find
that on a time when Saint Francis was with
the said family in a certain House discoursing
of God, Brother Ruffino not being with them
during this discourse but wrapt in contemplation
in the wood ; while they continued thus to dis-
course of God, behold Brother Ruffino came
from out the wood and passed by at a stone's
throw from them. Then Saint Francis, behold-
ing him, turned to his companions, and asked
them, saying : "Whom think ye to be the
holiest soul God hath in the world ? " And
they answering him, said that they thought
it was his own ; and Saint Francis said unto
them : " My brothers most dear to me, I am of
myself the most unworthy and vile wretch that
God hath in this world, but mark ye Brother
Ruffino yonder, that hath now come from out
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 101
the wood ? God hath revealed it unto me that "Saint 1
his soul is one of the three most holy souls in all Ruffino
the world : and in very sooth I tell you that I
doubt not to call him Saint Ruffino in his life-
time, sith his soul is so strengthened in grace,
and sanctified and canonised in heaven, by our
Lord Jesu Christ"; but these words Saint
Francis never spake in the presence of the said
Brother Ruffino. In like manner, how Saint
Francis knew the faults of his brothers, is clearly
seen in the case of Brother Elias, whom he
ofttimes reproved for his pride ; and of Brother
John of the Chapel, to whom he foretold that
he would hang himself by the throat ; and of
that brother, whom the devil held fast by the
throat when he was chid for disobedience : and
of many other brothers, whose secret faults and
virtues he clearly knew through the revelation of
Christ.
Chapter XXXII
Honv Brother Masseo obtained of Christ the 'virtue
of his humility
THE first companions of Saint Francis strove
with all their might to be poor in the
things of the world and rich in virtues, through
the which men attain unto the true riches that are
heavenly and eternal. It befell on a day that
being gathered together to speak of God, one
among them related this example : There was a
man that was a dear friend of God, and had
great grace in the active and contemplative life,
and therewithal had such exceeding deep humility
102 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Masseo that he deemed himself the greatest of sinners :
gains his t h e which humility did sanctify him and strengthen
re him in grace, and made him continually to grow
in virtue and in the gifts of God, and suffered him
never to fall into sin. Now Brother Masseo
hearing such marvellous things touching humility,
and knowing full well that it was a treasure of
eternal life, began to be so inflamed with love
and desire for this virtue of humility, that with
great fervour lifting up his face to heaven, he
made a vow and firm resolve never to be joyful
in this world again, until such time as he should
feel this virtue in his soul in all perfectness ; and
from thenceforward he abode well-nigh con-
tinuously shut up within his cell, mortifying his
body with fasts, and vigils, and prayers, and
weeping exceedingly before God, for to obtain
of Him this virtue, without the which he deemed
him worthy of hell, and wherewith that friend of
God, of whom he had heard, had been so richly
dowered. And as Brother Masseo continued
for many days in this desire, it befell on a day
that he went into the wood, and in fervour of
spirit passed through it with tears and cries and
sighing, calling with fervent desire on God for
this heavenly virtue ; and for that God gladly
heareth the prayers of humble contrite souls,
while Brother Masseo was in this case, there
came a voice from heaven that called him twice :
" Brother Masseo, Brother Masseo." And he
knowing in spirit that it was the voice of Christ,
answered : " Speak, Lord." And Christ said
ueto him : " What wouldest thou give, for to
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 103
gain the grace thou askest for ? " Replied St Clare
Brother Masseo : " Lord, I would give the eyes *p d tne
of my head." And Christ said unto him : pe
"And it is My will that thou have the grace
and thine eyes also." And this said, the voice
ceased, and Brother Masseo remained so filled
with the grace of the virtue of humility he had
longed for, and of the light of God, that from
thenceforward he was always joyful and glad ;
and oft-times, when he prayed, he would break
forth into sounds of joy, cooing like a dove,
U U U ; and he abode thus in contemplation
with a cheerful countenance and a merry heart ;
and therewithal, having become exceeding hum-
ble, he deemed himself the least of all men upon
earth. When Brother Jacques of Fallerone asked
him why in his song of joy he never changed his
note, he blithely answered him, that when one
thing brings us full content, there is no need
to change the note.
Chapter XXXIII
How Saint Clare, at the bidding of the Pope y
blessed the bread that was on the table : so
that on every loaf appeared the sign of the
holy Cross
SAINT CLARE, the most devout disciple
of the Cross of Christ and noble plant
of Saint Francis, was of such sanctity, that not
only the bishops and the cardinals, but the pope
likewise ardently desired to see and hear her, and
oft-times visited her in person. Among other
104 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St Clare times, the holy Father came on a time to her
blesses convent to hear her speak of things celestial and
the bread Divine ; and as they thus discoursed together on
diverse matters, Saint Clare in the meantime let
make ready the tables, and set the bread thereon,
that the holy Father might bless it. So when
their spiritual discourse was ended, Saint Clare
kneeling down with great reverence, besought
him that he would be pleased to bless the bread
set on the table. Replied the holy Father :
" Sister Clare, most true and faithful, I desire
that thou bless this bread and make thereon the
sign of the most holy Cross of Christ, to whom
thou hast wholly given thyself." Quoth Saint
Clare : " Most holy Father, pardon me, seeing
that I should be deserving of much blame, if 1,
that am a poor, vile woman, should take on me
to give this blessing, before the Vicar of Christ."
And the Pope replied : " To the end that this
may not be imputed to presumption but to the
merit of obedience, I command thee by holy
obedience that thou make the sign of the most
holy Cross on this bread, and bless it in the name
of God." Then Saint Clare, like a true daugh-
ter of obedience, most devoutly blessed those
loaves with the sign of the most holy Cross. O
marvel ! incontinent on all those loaves appeared
the sign of the Cross impressed most fair to see :
then of those loaves, part were eaten, and part for
the miracle's sake were put aside. And the holy
Father, when he had beheld the miracle, took of
the said bread, and giving thanks to God, de-
parted, leaving Saint Clare with his blessing.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 105
Now at that time there dwelt in the convent The
Sister Ortolana, the mother of Saint Clare, and miracle of
Sister Agnes, her sister, they twain together the loaves
with Saint Clare, full of virtue and of the Holy
Spirit, and many other holy nuns ; to whom Saint
Francis sent many sick persons ; and they by their
prayers and the sign of the most holy Cross
restored them all to health.
Chapter XXXIV
How Saint Louis, King of France, went In person,
in the guise of a pilgrim^ to Perugia for to
visit the holy Brother Giles
SAINT LOUIS, King of France, went on a
pilgrimage to visit the holy places through-
out the world ; and hearing the exceeding great
fame of the sanctity of Brother Giles, the which
had been among the first companions of Saint
Francis, he set it in his heart and was fully pur-
posed to visit him in person ; for the which cause
he came unto Perugia, where in those days the
said Brother Giles dwelt. And coming up to the
door of the House of the brothers, like a poor
pilgrim and unknown, with few companions, he
asked with great earnestness for Brother Giles,
without telling the porter who it was that asked.
So the porter went to Brother Giles and told
him that at the door was a pilgrim that asked for
him : and being inspired of God, it was revealed
to him that it was the King of France: so
straightway with great fervour he left his cell
and ran to the door ; and \mhout further <jues-
io6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
King tiomng, albeit they ne'er before had seen each
Louis and other, kneeling down with great devotion they
Giles em braced an d kissed each other, with such signs
of tender love as though for long time they had
been close, familiar friends : but for all that, they
spoke not, nor the one nor the other, but con-
tinued in this embrace, with these signs of love
and tenderness, in silence. And whenas they
had a long time continued together in the manner
set forth above without having spoken together,
they parted the one from the other, and Saint
Louis went his way on his journey, and Brother
Giles returned unto his cell. When the king
was gone, a certain brother asked one of his com-
panions who it was that had embraced Brother
Giles for so long time ; and he replied that it
was Louis, King of France, the which had come
for to see Brother Giles. When this he told to
the other brothers, they were exceeding sorrowful
for that Brother Giles had spoken never a word
to him : and murmuring thereat, they said to
him : " O Brother Giles, why hast thou shown
thee so discourteous as to say naught at all to so
holy a king that had come from France to see
thee and hear from thy lips good words." Re-
plied Brother Giles: "Dear brothers, marvel
not thereat, for neither I to him nor he to me
could speak a word ; sith so soon as we embraced
each other, the light of heavenly wisdom revealed
and showed to me his heart, and mine to him,
and thus through divine working, each looking on
the other's heart, we knew what I would say to
him and he to me, far better than if we had
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 107
LCD with our mouths, and with more con- St Clare
ition than if we had sought to show forth in niiracu-
ls the feelings of our hearts. Through the
ikness of human speech, that cannot express
clearly the secret mysteries of God, it would
have left us all disconsolate rather than consoled ;
wherefore know ye that the king departed from
me with marvellous content and consolation in
his soul."
Chapter XXXV
How Saint Clare, being sick, nuas miraculously
carried, on the night of Christmas Eve, to the
church of Saint Francis and there heard the
office
IT befell on a time that Saint Clare was griev-
ously sick, so that she could not go at all
to say the office in church with the other nuns ;
when the feast of the Nativity of Christ came
round, all the others went to Matins : but she
remained in her bed ill-content, for that she could
not go with the others and partake of that
spiritual consolation. But Jesu Christ, her
spouse, desiring not to leave her thus disconso-
late, caused her to be miraculously carried to the
church of Saint Francis and to be present at the
whole of the office of Matins and the midnight
Mass, and beyond all this to receive the Holy
Communion and then be carried back to her bed.
When the nuns came back to Saint Clare, after
the office in Saint Damian's was over, they said
to her : " O our mother, Sister Clare, what
sweet consolation hare we had on this holy feast
108 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother of the Nativity ! oh, would that it had pi
Leo's G O( I that y OU had been with us there ! " And
dream g amt Clare replied : " Praise and glory do I
give unto our Lord Jesu Christ, the blessed One,
my sisters and daughters most dear ; for that
with much consolation to my soul I have had
part in all the solemn rites of this most holy night,
and even more than ye : sith through the loving
care of my father, Saint Francis, and the grace
of our Lord Jesu Christ, I have been present in
the church of my venerable father, Saint Francis,
and with the ears of my body and my mind have
heard all the office and the sound of the organs
that be there ; and in the same place have taken
the most holy Communion. Wherefore for such
grace bestowed upon me rejoice and give thanks
to our Lord Jesu Christ.
Chapter XXXVI
How Saint Francis set forth unto Brother L.eo a
fair dream that he had seen
IT befell on a time that Saint Francis was
grievously sick and Brother Leo did him
service ; the said Brother Leo, whilst praying
close to Saint Francis, was rapt in ecstasy, and
borne in spirit to a mighty river, broad and rush-
ing furiously. And as he stood there for to see
who crossed over it, he beheld certain brothers
enter into the river, with loads upon their backs ;
the which were straightway thrown down by the
force of the stream and were drowned ; but cer-
tain others went as far as a third of the way over ;
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 109
others, as far as the middle of the stream ; some The inter-
nearly to the other bank ; but in the end they Pjjetation
all fell down and were drowned. Seeing this, J
Brother Leo had exceeding great compassion
on them : and meanwhile lo ! there came sud-
denly a great multitude of brothers that had on
their backs no load or burden of any kind and
the light of holy poverty shone upon them ; and
they entered into the stream and passed over
without any peril ; and when he had seen this,
Brother Leo came back to himself again. Then
Saint Francis perceiving in spirit that Brother
Leo had seen a vision, called him unto him and
questioned him concerning what he had seen :
and whenas Brother Leo had told him all the
vision in order, quoth Saint Francis: "That
which thou hast seen is true. The great river is
this world ; the brothers that were drowned in
the river are they that remained not true to their
profession of the gospel life, and chief above all
to that of the deepest poverty ; but they that
without peril passed over are those brothers that
neither seek nor possess in this world aught that
is earthly or carnal, but being temperate in cloth-
ing and in food, are content therewith, following
Christ naked upon the cross ; and with gladness
and right good will do they bear the burden and
sweet yoke of Christ and of most holy obedience ;
wherefore they pass with ease from this temporal
life to life eternal.
no THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter XXXVII
If oiv Jesu Christy the blessed One, at the prayer of
St Francis, let convert a rich and gentle
knight and become a brother, the which had
shewn great honour and liberality unto Saint
Francis
St O AINT FRANCIS, the servant of Christ,
Francis O coming late one evening to the house of a
*ir ' ht 8 reat gentleman and powerful, was received of
him to lodge therein, both he and his com-
panion, as if they were angels of God, with
exceeding great courtesy and devotion : for the
which cause Saint Francis was greatly touched
with love for him, bethinking him how at their
coming into the house he had embraced and
kissed them lovingly, and then had washed their
feet and wiped and humbly kissed them, and
had kindled a great fire and made ready the
table with much good food, and whilst they ate,
he served them always with a joyful countenance.
Now, when that Saint Francis and his com-
panion had eaten, this gentle man said : " Behold,
my father, I offer to thee myself and all my
goods ; so oft as ye have need of tunic or mantle
or aught beside, buy them and I will pay for
them ; and behold, I am ready to provide your
every need, since by the grace of God am I able,
seeing that I abound in all temporal goods ; and
therefore, for the love of God, that hath given
them me, I do good unto His poor right will-
ingly." Whereby Saint Francis, seeing in him
such gentle courtesy and friendliness, and so
ST FRANCIS OF ASS1SI
liberal an offering, conceived in his heart such Courtesy
love towards him, that departing thence he said the sister
to his companion on the way : " Of a truth this Chanty
courteous gentleman would be good for our
order and our company, the which is so grateful
and bounden unto God, and so loving and
courteous to his neighbour and the poor. Know,
dear brother, that courtesy is one of the qualities
of God Himself, who, of His courtesy, giveth
His sun and His rain to the just and the unjust :
and courtesy is the sister of charity, the which
quencheth hate and keepeth love alive. Because
1 have seen such divine virtue in this good man,
fain would I have him as my companion ; and
therefore I desire that one day we return to him
again, if perchance God may have touched his
heart to desire to go about with us in the service
of God ; and in this mean time let us pray to
God to put this desire within his heart, and give
him grace to bring the same to good effect."
O wondrous thing ! a few days after that Saint
Francis had made this prayer, God put this
desire into the heart of that gentleman : and
quoth Saint Francis to his companion : " Let
us go, my brother, to the house of that courteous
gentleman ; for that I have sure hope in God
that with the same courtesy as he hath in tem-
poral things he will give himself up to us and
will become our companion " ; so they gat them
on their way. And when they drew near unto
his house, Saint Francis said to his companion :
"Wait here for me a little while, for I fain
would first pray to God that He may prosper
ii* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Christ our journey ; that Jesu Christ may be pleased to
appears grant us, weak and poor though we be, the noble
F Si is P re y t ^ iat we m ^ n( ^ to snatc h fr m t ^ ie world,
through the virtue of His most holy passion."
And this said, he set himself to pray in a place
where he could be seen by the said courteous
gentleman ; whereby, sith it was the will of
God, as he was looking hither and thither, he
beheld Saint Francis praying most devoutly
before Christ, who with a great brightness
appeared to him in the aforesaid prayer and
stood before him ; and the while he saw Saint
Francis for some good space uplifted bodily from
off the earth. For the which cause he was so
touched and inspired of God to leave the world,
that incontinent he came forth out of his palace
and ran towards Saint Francis ! and coming up
to him as he was at prayer, he kneeled down at
his feet, and with exceeding great fervour and
devotion besought him that it would please him
to receive him and to do penance together with
him. Then Saint Francis, seeing his prayer
was heard of God, and that that which he himself
desired, this gentle man was begging for most
earnestly, lifted him up, and in fervour and
gladness of spirit embraced and kissed him,
devoutly giving thanks to God, who had added
so worthy a knight unto his company. And
quoth that gentle man to Saint Francis : " What
dost thou bid me do, my Father ? Lo ! I am
ready to do thy bidding and give to the poor
whatsoever I possess, and thus disburdened of
all temporal things, to follow Christ with thee."
I
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 113
And even so he did, according to the counsel of St
Saint Francis, distributing all that he had to the Ff
poor, and entered into the Order, and lived in Bro
great penitence and holiness of life and upright Elias
conversation.
Chapter XXXVIII
How Saint Francis knew in spirit that Brother
Elias was damned, and would die outside
the Order ; 'wherefore at the supplication of
Brother Elias , he prayed to Christ for him,
and his prayer was heard
IT befell on a time while Saint Francis and
Brother Elias were dwelling together in the
same House, that it was revealed of God unto
Saint Francis that Brother Elias was damned
and would fall away from the Order, and in the
end die outside the Order. For the which cause
Saint Francis took so strong a displeasure against
him that he nor spake nor held converse with
him ; and if at any time it befell that Brother
Elias came towards him, he would turn aside
and go another way, so that he might not meet
him ; wherefore Brother Elias began to see and
to understand that Saint Francis was displeased
with him : so, desiring to know the reason thereof,
he drew near to Saint Francis for to speak with
him, and when Saint Francis sought to shun
Brother Elias, in courteous wise he detained
him by force, and began with modesty to pray
him to be pleased to show to him the reason for
the which he thuswise shunned his company and
ii4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St to have speech with him. And Saint Francis
Francis' answered him : " The reason is this ; since it
inter- j iat j 1 b een revea } e( i to me by God that thou for
thy sins wilt fall away from the Order and die
outside the Order, and also hath God revealed
to me that thou art damned." Hearing this,
Brother Elias spake thus to him : " My reverend
father, I pray thee for the love of Jesu Christ
that thou shun me not on this account nor drive
me from thee, but like a good shepherd, follow-
ing the example of Christ, seek out the sheep
that needs must perish if thou help it not, and
take it to thyself again ; and pray unto God for
me, that, if it be possible, He may revoke the
sentence of my damnation ; for it is written that
God lets change the sentence, if the sinner
amends his sin : and I have so great faith in
thy prayers that, were I in the midst of hell and
thou wert to pray to God for me, I should feel
some sweet relief; wherefore again I pray thee
to commend me, poor sinner, unto God, who
came into the world to save sinners, that He
may receive me into His mercy." And this
did Brother Elias speak with much devotion and
tears : so that Saint Francis, like a pitying father,
promised him to pray to God for him, and even
so he did. And as with exceeding great devotion
he prayed to God for him, he learned by revela-
tion that his prayer was heard of God, as touching
the sentence of damnation on Brother Elias, so
that at the last his soul would not be damned ;
but that of a surety he would leave the Order,
and outside the Order he would die ; and even
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 115
so it came to pass. For Frederick, King of Brother
Sicily, having rebelled against the Church and Eli as
being excommunicated by the Pope Cboth he and e3
, . -j j i\ i , mumcatea
whoso gave him aid and counsel), the said
Brother Elias, the which was accounted one of
the most learned men in the world, being called
by the said King Frederick, joined himself unto
him, and became a rebel against the Church and
an apostate from the Order : for the which cause
was he excommunicated by the Pope and the
habit of Saint Francis taken from him. And
while he thus was excommunicate and grievously
sick, one of his brethren, a lay brother, the which
had remained within the Order and was a man of
good and virtuous life, hearing of his sickness,
came to visit him, and among other things be-
spake him thus : '* My brother, most dear, much
doth it grieve me that thou art excommunicate
and outcast from thine Order, and that thuswise
thou shouldest die : but if thou dost see or way
or manner by the which I may pluck thee out of
this peril, right gladly would I take all manner of
pains for thee." Replied Brother Elias : " My
brother, I see no other way save that thou get
thee to the Pope, and pray him for the love of
God and of Saint Francis, His servant, through
whose admonishments I left the world, to absolve
me from his excommunication, and give back to
me again the habit of Religion." Then said
that brother that right gladly would he do his
best endeavours for his salvation : and departing
from him, he gat him to the feet of the holy
Pope, humbly beseeching him to pardon his
n6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother brother, for the love of Christ and of Saint
Elias Francis, His servant. And sith it was God's
a so ve g 00( j pl easure> the Pope granted him leave to go
back again, and if he found Brother Elias alive,
absolve him, in his name, from the excommuni-
cation and give the habit back to him again.
Wherefore he set out right joyously, and in great
haste returned to Brother Elias, and found him
still alive, but well-nigh at the point of death,
and so he absolved him from the excommunica-
tion ; and putting on the habit again, Brother
Elias passed from out this life, and his soul was
saved through the merits of Saint Francis and
through his prayer, in the which Brother Elias
had set such lively hope.
Chapter XXXIX
Of the mtirwJJftus sfrrvf.v S.lv?S .'A- Brother Minor ^
Saint jfntony of Padua y preached in the
consistory
THAT marvellous vessel of the Holy Spirit,
Saint Antony of Padua, one of the chosen
disciples and the companion of Saint Francis,
whom Saint Francis called his vicar, preached
on a time in the consistory before the pope and
the cardinals, in the which consistory were men
of diverse nations, to wit, Greeks, Latins,
French, Germans and Slavs, and English, and
of other diverse languages of the world ; and
being kindled by the Holy Spirit, he set forth
to them the word of God so forcibly, so devoutly,
so subtly, so sweetly, so clearly, and so learnedly,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 117
that all they that were in the consistory, albeit St
they were of diverse languages, full clearly under- Antony's
stood his every word, as distinctly as if he had j 11 * 1 '
spoken in the language of each one of them ; sermon
and they were all amazed, and it seemed as
though that ancient miracle of the Apostles at the
time of Pentecost had been renewed, the which
through the virtue of the Holy Spirit spake in
every tongue ; and they spake together one with
the other marvelling : " Is he not of Spain, this
preacher ? and how then do we all hear in his
speech the language of our countries?" The
pope in like manner pondering and marvelling at
the deep meaning of his words, said : " Of a
truth, this man is the ark of the Testament and
the armoury of Holy Writ."
Chapter XL
Of the miracle which God wrought when Saint
Antony ) being at Rimini, preached to thejishes
of the sea
THE blessed Christ, desiring to set forth the
great sanctity of his most faithful servant,
Saint Antony, with what devotion men should
give ear unto his preaching and his holy doctrine,
once on a time, amongst others, reproved the
folly of the infidel heretics by means of the
animals that have no reason, to wit, by the fishes,
even as in old time in the Old Testament he had
reproved the ignorance of Balaam by the mouth
of the ass. Wherefore on a day Saint Antony
being in Rimini, where was great company of
n8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St heretics, desiring to bring them back to the light
Antony o f the true faith and to the path of virtue,
>r ?th S P reac ^ ec ^ unto them for many days, and disputed
fishes f *he faith of Christ and of the Holy Scripture :
but they not only gave no consent unto his holy
words, but therewithal, as men hardened and
stiff-necked, would give no ear unto him. Inspired
of God, Saint Antony went one day to the
river-side hard by the sea ; and standing thus
upon the bank betwixt the river and the sea s
began to speak after the manner of a preacher
sent by God unto the fishes : " Hear the word
of God, O ye fishes of the sea and of the river,
since the infidel heretics refuse to hear it." And
when he had thus spoken, forthwith there came
unto him to the bank a multitude of fishes, great
and small and what between, that never in that
sea nor in that river had been seen so great a
multitude ; and they all held up their heads above
the water and all stood attentive towards the
face of Saint Antony, one and all in much great
peace and gentleness and order ; for in front and
more a-nigh the bank stood the smaller fish, and
behind them stood the fish of middle size, further
behind where deeper water was the greater fishes
stood. Therewith the fishes being thuswise set
in order and array, Saint Antony began solemnly
to preach, and so spake : " My brothers the fish,
much are ye bounden so far as in ye lies, to give
thanks to our Creator, who hath given you so
noble an element for your abode ; in such sort
that as it pleaseth you, ye have sweet waters and
salt ; and hath given you many a refuge to escape
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 119
the storms withal : nay more, hath given you a The
clear, translucent element, and food by the which sermon to
ye may live. God, your kind and bountiful the fishes
Creator, when He created you, gave you com-
mandment to increase and multiply, and poured
on you His blessing: then whenas the deluge
came and one and all the other beasts all died,
you alone did God keep safe from harm. More-
over hath He given you fins that ye may roam
where'er ye please. To you the grace was
given, by God's command, to save the prophet
Jonah, and after the third day to throw him safe
and whole upon the land. Ye brought the
tribute-money to our Lord Jesu Christ, who was
so poor, He had not aught to pay. Ye were
the food of the eternal King, Jesu Christ, before
the Resurrection and thereafter, through a mystery
wondrous rare ; for all the which things much
are ye bound to bless and praise God, who hath
given you so many and so great blessings more
than to other creatures." At these and the like
words of Saint Antony, the fishes began to open
their mouths and bow their heads, and with these
and other signs of reverence in such fashion as
best they might, gave praises unto God. Then
Saint Antony, beholding this great reverence of
the fishes unto God their Creator, rejoiced in
spirit, and cried with a loud voice : *' Blessed be
God eternal, sith the fishes of the waters give
Him more honour than do the heretics ; and the
animals that have no reason pay more heed unto
His word than unbelieving men." And the
more Saint Antony preached, the more did the
no THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The con- multitude of the fish increase, and no one of
version them left the place that he had taken. At the
hereto wnich miracle the people of the city began to
run together, and among them the heretics afore-
said also drew nigh : the which beholding the
miracle so marvellous and so clear, touched to
the heart, fell all at the feet of Saint Antony to
hear his words. Thereat Saint Antony began
to preach of the catholic faith ; and so nobly
did he preach that all those heretics were con-
verted, and turned them to the faith of Christ ;
and all the faithful abode in joy exceeding great,
being comforted and strengthened in the faith.
And this done, Saint Antony bade the fishes
depart with the blessing of God ; and all went
thence with marvellous signs of joy, and likewise
the people also. And thereafter Saint Antony
abode in Rimini many days, preaching and reap-
ing much spiritual fruit of souls.
Chapter XLI
How the venerable Brother Simon delivered from
a grievous temptation a brother y that wished
on this account to leave the Order
ABOUT the beginning of the Order of Saint
Francis and while he was still alive, there
came into the Order a young man of Assisi, the
which was called Brother Simon : him God
adorned and endowed with so much grace, such
depth of contemplation and elevation of mind,
that all his life was a mirror of virtue, according
as I have heard from those that were long time
.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
with him. Full seldom was he seen outside his The
cell, and at such times as he was with the devotion
brothers, he always spake of God. He had of Brother
never learned the art of grammar ; nathless he
spake such profound and lofty things of God and
of the love of Christ, that his words seemed
supernatural ; whence it befell that one evening
when he had gone into the wood with Brother
Jacques da Massa for to speak of God, and was
speaking most sweetly of the love divine, they
continued all the night in such discourse ; and in
the morning it seemed to them that they had
been but a brief space together, even as was told
me by the said Brother Jacques. And the said
Brother Simon felt such pleasantness and sweet-
ness of spirit in the divine enlightenment and loving
visitations of God, that oftentimes, when he had
sense of their approach, he would lay him down
upon his bed ; for the tranquil sweetness of the
Holy Spirit required of him not only the repose
of soul but of body, and in these divine visitations
he was often rapt in God, and became all insen-
sible to the things of the body. Wherefore on a
time, when thuswise rapt in God and insensible to
the world he inwardly burned with love divine,
and with his bodily feelings had no sense at all
of things without, a certain brother, desiring to
make trial thereof, for to see if it were truly as
it seemed to be, went and took a live coal from
off the fire, and laid it on his naked foot. And
Brother Simon felt it not a whit, and it made no
mark upon his foot, albeit it remained thereon so
long a time that it went out of its own self. The
IM THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The said Brother Simon, when he set him down at
tempta- ta bi ej before he took food for the body, would
Br ther te k e f r himself and give to others spiritual food,
speaking of God. Through his devout discourse
on a time was converted a young man of San
Severino, the which in the world was a youth
exceeding vain and worldly, and was of noble
blood and much delicate of body ; and Brother
Simon receiving the said youth into the Order,
put his secular clothes aside in his own charge ;
and the youth abode with Brother Simon to be
taught by him the rules of the Order. But the
devil, that striveth to thwart all good, assailed
him with so fierce a temptation and so grievous a
thorn in the flesh, that in no wise could he resist
the same; for the which cause he went to
Brother Simon, and said unto him : " Give me
back my clothes that I brought with me from the
world, for I can no more endure this temptation
of the flesh." And Brother Simon having great
compassion on him, said : " Sit here with me a
little while, my son " ; and he began to speak
with him of God in such sort that all temptation
left him : and when after a time the temptation
came back and he asked for his clothes again,
Brother Simon drove it away with speech of
God. And when this had been so full many a
time, at last one night the said temptation assailed
him so grievously, even more than it was wont,
that for naught in the world could he resist it,
and going to Brother Simon, demanded of him
again all his secular clothes, for that in no wise
could he longer stay. Then Brother Simon,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 123
even as he was wont to do, made him sit down Brother
beside him ; and as he spake to him of God, the Simon's
youth leaned his head upon the breast of Brother ervour
Simon, for sorrow and distress of soul. Then
Brother Simon for the great pity's sake that he
had, lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, and
as he devoutly besought the Lord for him, he
was rapt in God and his prayer was heard :
whenas he returned to himself again, the young
man found himself altogether freed from that
temptation, as though he had felt it never a whit.
The fire of temptation being thuswise changed
into the fire of the Holy Spirit, for that he had
drawn near unto the burning coal, to wit, unto
Brother Simon, he became altogether inflamed
with the love of God and of his neighbour ; in
so much that on a time a malefactor having been
taken who was to have both his eyes put out, he,
to wit, the youth aforesaid, for pity's sake went
boldly unto the governor, and in open council,
and with many tears and humble prayers besought
that one of his eyes might be put out and one
only of the malefactor's, for that he might not
be deprived of both. But the governor and the
council beholding the great fervour of the charity
of this brother, forgave both the one and the
other. It befell on a day while the said Brother
Simon was at prayer in the wood and was feeling
great consolation in his soul, that a flock of crows
began to do him annoy with their cries ; where-
fore he bade them in the name of Jesu depart and
return there no more : whereat the said birds
departing thence, from that time forward were
1*4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The no more seen nor heard, neither there nor in all
miracle of tne country round. And this miracle was mani-
crows f e8te( j unto a jj t jj e c ustoc |y of Fermo, wherein
the said House lay.
Chapter XLII
Of the fair miracles that God wrought by the
hands of the holy brothers. Brother Benti-
voglia, Brother Peter of Monticello, and
Brother Conrad of Offida : and hotv Brother
Beniivoglia carried a leper fifteen miles in a
very brief space ; and how Saint Michael
spake unio the other, and the Virgin Mary
came unto the third and laid her Son in his
arms
THE Province of the March of Ancona was
in olden time adorned, even as the sky
with stars, with brothers that were patterns of
holy life ; the which, like shining lights of
heaven, have illumined and adorned the Order of
Saint Francis and the world with ensamples and
with doctrine. Among the rest, there was first
of all Brother Lucido Antico, who was in very
sooth resplendent with sanctity and burning with
charity divine ; whose glorious tongue, taught of
the Holy Spirit, brought forth marvellous fruit
in preaching. Another was Brother Bentivoglia
of San Severino, the which was seen by Brother
Masseo to be lifted up in the air for a great
space, whilst he was at prayer in the wood ;
through the which miracle the devout Brother
Masseo, being then a parish priest, left his cure
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 115
and became a Brother Minor ; and he was of so Brother
great sanctity that he wrought many miracles, Benti-
both when alive and dead, and his body rests at vo " a
Murro. The aforesaid Brother Bentivoglia,
while abiding on a time at Trave Bonanti alone,
for to care for and serve a leper, was bidden by
his superior to depart thence and go to another
place that was fifteen miles off; not willing to
abandon the leper, with great fervour of charity
he took him up and set him on his shoulder, and
carried him from dawn even unto sun-rise all that
road of fifteen miles, to the place whither he
had been sent, that was called Monte Sancino :
the which journey, had he been an eagle, he
could not have flown in so short a time : and in
all that country round there was great marvel
and amazement at so divine a miracle. Another
was Brother Peter of Monticello, the which
was seen by Brother Servodio of Urbino (he
being then guardian in the old House of Ancona)
lifted bodily off the ground five or six cubits,
even to the feet of the Crucifix of the church,
in front of which he was at prayer. And this
Brother Peter, while fasting on a time with
great devotion during the forty days' fast of
Saint Michael the Archangel, and being at
prayer in the church on the last day of this
fast, was heard by a young brother (who of set
purpose lay hidden under the high altar for to
see some token of his sanctity) speaking with
Saint Michael the Archangel ; and the words
that he said, were these : Quoth Saint Michael :
" Brother Peter, thou hast toiled so faithfully
i6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother for me, and in many ways hast afflicted thy body :
Peter and l o ! now am I come to comfort thee, and to the
M h"^! mtent t ^ at t ^ lou rnayest ask what grace soever
thou wilt, and I will get it thee from God."
Replied Brother Peter : " Most holy Prince ot
the celestial host, and faithful zealot of love
divine, and pitying protector of souls, I ask this
grace of thee that thou obtain from God the
pardon of my sins." Replied Saint Michael :
" Ask some other grace of me, for this grace
shall I win for thee right easily " ; but Brother
Peter asking for nothing more, the Archangel
concluded thus : " For the faith and devotion
that thou hast to me, I will obtain for thee this
grace thou askest for, and many more besides."
And done their parley, the which lasted for a long
space, the Archangel Saint Michael was away,
leaving him comforted exceedingly. In the
days of this holy Brother Peter, there lived also
the holy Brother Conrad of Offida ; while they
dwelt together in the same House of Forana, in
the Custody of Ancona, the said Brother Conrad
went one day into the wood to meditate on
God, and Brother Peter followed him by stealth,
for to see what might befall him ; and Brother
Conrad began to pray, most devoutly beseeching
the Virgin Mary with great piety to beg of her
blessed Son this grace, that he might feel a little
of that sweetness that Saint Simeon felt on the
day of the Purification, when he held in his
arms the blessed Saviour Jesu. And when he
had made this prayer, the Virgin Mary of her
pity heard him ; and behold ! there appeared unto
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 117
him the Queen of heaven with her blessed Son The
in her arms, with a great light exceeding bright, Virgin
and coming near unto Brother Conrad, she laid tP**^ 8
in his arms her blessed Son : who taking Him Conrad
with great devotion, embracing and kissing Him
and pressing Him to his breast, was melted
altogether and dissolved in the love divine and
consolation unspeakable. And in like manner
Brother Peter, who from his hiding-place saw
all that befell, felt in his soul exceeding sweet-
ness and consolation. And when the Virgin
Mary had departed from Brother Conrad, Brother
Peter gat him back in haste to the house, that
he might not be seen of him : but thereafter,
when Brother Conrad returned all joyful and
glad, Brother Peter said unto him : *' O what
heavenly great consolation hast thou had this
day!" Quoth Brother Conrad: "What is
this that thou sayest, Brother Peter ? and what
dost thou know of that which I have had ? "
"I know full well, I know," said Brother
Peter, " how the Virgin Mary with her blessed
Son hath visited thee." Then Brother Conrad,
who being truly humble desired to keep secret
the favours of God, besought him that he would
tell it unto no one ; and from that time forth so
great was the love between these twain, that they
seemed to have but one heart and soul in all things.
And on a time in the House of Siruolo, the said
Brother Conrad set free by his prayers a woman
that was possessed of a devil, praying for her a
whole night through, and being seen by her
mother, in the morning fled away, to the intent
ii8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He that he might not be found and honoured by the
converts people.
Chapter XLIII
some
youth fJ Qew Brother Conrad of Offida converted a young
brother that tvas troubling the other brethren.
Andhoiv this young brother dying appeared to
the said Brother Conrad, beseeching him to
pray for him : and hotv by his prayer he set
him free from the grievous pains of Purgatory
THE said Brother Conrad of Offida, marvel-
lous zealot of gospel poverty and of the
rule of Saint Francis, was of so religious a life
and of so great merit in the sight of God, that
Christ, the blessed One, honoured him in his life
and death with many miracles ; among the which,
having come on a time as a guest to the House
of Offida, the brothers prayed him, for the love
of God and of charity, to admonish a young
brother that was in that place, the which bore
himself in a manner so childish and unruly and
ungovernable, that he disturbed both old and
young of the community in the divine office, and
for the other observances of the rule cared little
or naught. Wherefore Brother Conrad, in pity
for the youth and at the prayers of the brothers,
called the said brother aside one day and in
fervour of charity spake unto him words of ad-
monition so effective and devout, that by the
working of the divine grace he suddenly changed
in his behaviour from a boy to an old man, and
became so obedient, and gentle, and careful, and
devout, and thereafter so peaceful and service-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 129
able, and so studious of all virtue, that, as at the and prays
first all the community had been disturbed by for his
him, so were they all content with him and sou *
comforted, and loved him exceeding well. A
while after, sith it was the will of God, after
this his conversion the youth aforesaid died;
whereof the said brothers were sore grieving ;
and a few days after his death his soul appeared
unto Brother Conrad as he was devoutly praying
before the altar of the said convent, and saluted
him devoutly as a father ; and Brother Conrad
asked him : " Who art thou ? " He answered,
and said : " I am the soul of that young brother
that died in these days." Quoth Brother Con-
rad : " O my son most dear, how is it with
thee ? " He answered : " By the grace of
God and your admonishments, it is well ; seeing
that I am not damned, but for certain of my
sins, whereof I had not time sufficiently to
purge me, I suffer the grievous pains of Purga-
tory : but I pray thee, father, that even as of
thy pity thou didst succour me whilst yet I
lived, so now thou wilt be pleased to help me in
my pains, saying a Paternoster for me ; sith thy
prayer is much acceptable in the sight of God."
Then Brother Conrad consenting gently unto
his prayers, and saying the Paternoster once for
him and the Requiem aeternam, quoth that soul :
"O father most dear, what blessedness and
sweet refreshment do 1 feel ! now I pray thee
that thou say it once again." And Brother
Conrad said it : and when that it was said,
quoth the soul : " Holy father, when thou pray-
iso THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
which est for me I feel my pains assuaged ; wherefore
goes to I d beseech thee that thou cease not praying
Paradise f or me> Thereat Brother Conrad, seeing that
this soul was so much helped by his prayers,
said for him a hundred Paternosters ; and when
that they were said, quoth the soul : " I thank
thee, father most dear, in the name of God, for
the love that thou hast shown me ; for through
thy prayers am I set free from all my pains,
and now am I going to the celestial kingdom " ;
and this said, the soul was away. Then Brother
Conrad, for to give joy and comfort to the
brethren, told unto them all this vision in order.
And thus the soul of that youth went to Para-
dise through the merits of Brother Conrad.
Chapter XLIV
Hoiv there appeared unto Brother Conrad the
Mother of Christ, Saint John the Evangelist,
and Saint Francis ; and told him which of
them had the greater grief for the Passion of
Christ
AT the time when there dwelt together in the
Custody of Ancona, in the House of
Forano, Brother Conrad and the aforesaid
Brother Peter, the which were two shining stars
in the Province of the March, and like denizens
of heaven ; for between them was there such
love as seemed to spring from one and the self-
same heart and self-same soul, they bound them-
selves together each to each by this agreement,
that every consolation that the mercy of God
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 131
might vouchsafe them, they would reveal the one The
unto the other in love. This fact being stab- vision of
lished between them, it befell on a day that
Brother Peter being at prayer, and most de-
voutly meditating on the Passion of Christ, and
how the most blessed Mother of Christ, and John
the Evangelist, the most beloved disciple, and
Saint Francis, were depicted at the foot of the
Cross through grief of soul being crucified with
Christ, there came to him a longing to know
which of those three had the greater grief for
the Passion of Christ: His Mother, that had
borne Him ; or the Disciple, that had slept upon
His breast; or Saint Francis, that had with
Christ been crucified : and as he continued in
such pious thoughts, there appeared unto him the
Virgin Mary, with Saint John the Evangelist,
and Saint Francis, clad in the noblest robes of
beatific glory ; but Saint Francis appeared clad
in more beautiful vesture than Saint John. And
Peter being sore adread at this vision, Saint John
comforted him, and said : " Fear not, dear
brother, seeing that we are come to console thee
in thy doubt. Know then that the Mother of
Christ and I above all other creatures sorrowed
for the Passion of Christ j but next after us
Saint Francis felt greater grief than all others :
wherefore dost thou behold him in so great
glory." And Brother Peter asked him : " Most
holy Apostle of Christ, wherefore doth the ves-
ture of Saint Francis appear more beautiful than
thine ? " Replied Saint John : " The reason
thereof is : because when he was in the world,
iji THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother he wore on his back viler raiment than I."
John of And said these words, Saint John gave unto
La Penna B rot h er p eter a glorious robe that he was carry-
ing in his hand, and said unto him : " Take this
robe, which I have brought for to give it thee " ;
and when Saint John sought to array him in
this robe, Brother Peter fell to the ground, sore
amazed, and began to cry out : " Brother Con-
rad, Brother Conrad most dear, quick, help me ;
come and see things wonderful " ; and at these
holy words that holy vision vanished from his
sight. Then Brother Conrad coming, he told
him everything in order; and they gave thanks
unto God.
Chapter XLV
Of the conversion and life and miracles and death
of the holy Brother John of La Penna
rHEN Brother John of La Penna was a
boy in the Province of the March and
still living the secular life, there appeared unto
him one night a child exceeding beautiful, and
called him, saying : " John, go unto Saint
Stephen's, where is preaching one of the Brothers
Minor, in whose teaching do thou believe and
give heed unto his words, seeing that I have sent
him thither; and this done, thou hast a long
journey to take, and then shalt thou come unto
me." Whereat straightway he arose and felt a
great change within his soul. And coming to
Saint Stephen's, he found there a great multitude
of men and of women, that were gathered to-
gether for to hear the preaching. And he that
W ]
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 133
was to preach was a brother, by name Brother He is
Philip, the which was one of the first brothers received
that had come to the March of Ancona ; and as * the
yet there were but few Houses in the March.
This Brother Philip stood up to preach, and
preached exceeding devoutly, not with words of
human wisdom, but by virtue of the spirit of
Christ, making known the kingdom of eternal
life. And done the preaching, the boy aforesaid
went to Brother Philip, and said unto him :
" Father, if it please thee to receive me into
the Order, I would do penance willingly and
serve our Lord Jesu Christ." Brother Philip
seeing and recognizing in the boy a right mar-
vellous innocence and ready will to serve God,
said unto him : " Thou shalt come to me on such
a day at Recanati, and I will have thee received " :
for in this place was to be held the Provincial
Chapter. Whereby the boy, being very pure in
heart, thought that this would be the long journey
that he was to take, according to the revelation
that he had had, and that thereafter he would go
to Paradise ; and so he thought to do straightway
after he had been received into the Order. So
he went and was received : but perceiving that
his thoughts were not fulfilled at that time, and
the Minister in Chapter saying that whoso desired
to go into the province of Provence, for the merit
of holy obedience, would have leave granted to
him willingly, there came to him a great desire
to go there, thinking in his heart that that would
be the long journey that he must take, before he
went to Paradise : but shaming to say so, at the
iS4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Christ last he confided in Brother Philip aforesaid, the
appears w hich had let receive him into the Order, and
to im b esou ght him tenderly that he would obtain for
him this favour of going to the province of Pro-
vence. Then Brother Philip, seeing his purity
and his holy purpose, obtained for him leave
thereto : so Brother John, with great joy, set
out upon his way, bethinking him that, done this
journey, he would go to Paradise. But sith it
pleased God, he abode in the said province five
and twenty years in that expectation and desire,
shewing himself a pattern of holy life, increasing
always in virtue and favour with God and the
people, and was exceeding much beloved by the
brothers and by those in the world. And as
Brother John was praying devoutly one day, and
weeping and lamenting for that his desire was not
fulfilled, and that his life's pilgrimage was so
much prolonged, there appeared unto him Christ,
the blessed One, at the sight of whom his soul
was all melted within him, and spake thus unto
him : " My son, Brother John, ask of me what-
soever thou wilt " ; and he replied : " My Lord,
I know not what to ask of Thee save Thyself
alone, for naught do I desire save Thee : but for
this alone do I pray Thee, that Thou forgive me
all my sins, and grant me grace to see Thee yet
another time, when I have the greater need
thereof." Jesu said : " Thy prayer is granted."
And this said He was away, and Brother John
remained altogether comforted. At length, the
brothers of the March hearing of the fame of his
sanctity, prevailed with the General to bid him
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 135
by holy obedience return to the March ; and he His
receiving this obedience, set out joyfully on his spirit of
way, bethinking him that, done this journey, he P ro P^ ec 7
needs would go to heaven, according to the pro-
mise of Christ. But when that he had returned
to the Province of the March, he lived therein
for thirty years, and none of his kinsfolk knew
him again ; and every day he looked for the
mercy of God, that it should fulfil His promise
to him. And in those days he many times
filled the office of guardian with great discre-
tion ; and God wrought through him many
miracles. And among the other gifts that he
received of God, he had the spirit of prophecy ;
now on a time it befell that when he was away
from the House, one of his novices was assailed
by the devil and so grievously tempted that, con-
senting unto the temptation, he was minded to
leave the Order, so soon as Brother John should
have come back again ; the which matter, and
temptation, and the thoughts of his heart, being
known unto Brother John through the spirit of
prophecy, he straightway returned home, and
called the said novice unto him, and bade him
confess himself: but before he confessed, he told
him in order all his temptation, according as God
had revealed it unto him, and ended thus : " My
son, because thou hast waited for me and wouldest
not depart without my blessing, God hath given
thee this grace that never shalt thou leave this
Order, but by the grace of God shalt die in
the Order." Thereat the said novice was
strengthened in good will, and remaining in the
136 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His trials Order became a holy brother : and all these
and pains things were told me by Brother Ugolino. The
said Brother John, who was a man of cheer-
ful and tranquil mind, spake but seldom, and was
much given to prayer and devotion, and above all
after Matins he would not return to his cell, but
would continue in prayer in the church until day-
light ; and while he was thus praying one night
after Matins, the Angel of God appeared unto
him, saying : " Brother John, now is finished
thy journey, for the which thou hast waited so
long ; wherefore, in the name of God, I announce
unto thee that thou mayest ask whatsoever grace
thou wilt. And likewise I announce unto thee
that thou mayest choose which thou wilt, or
one day in Purgatory, or seven days' pain on
earth." And Brother John choosing rather the
seven days' pain on earth, straightway fell sick of
divers infirmities ; for a grievous fever seized him,
and gout in his hands and his feet, and pains in
his side, and many other ills ; but what was more
grievous to him was that a devil stood before
him and held in his hand a great scroll, whereon
were written all the sins that he had ever done or
thought, and said to him : " For these sins that
thou hast done in thought, word, and deed, art
thou damned to the depths of hell." And he
could not call to mind any good deed that he had
ever done, either in the Order or elsewhere, and
so he thought that he was damned, even as the
devil said. Wherefore, if any asked him how
he fared, he would answer : " 111, sith I am
damned." Seeing this, the brothers sent for an
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 137
aged brother called Brother Matthew of Monte He passes
Rubbiano, the which was a holy man and a *? eternal
close friend of this Brother John ; and the said
Brother Matthew coming to him on the seventh
day of his trouble, saluted him and asked him
how he fared. He replied that he fared ill, sith
he was damned. Then quoth Brother Matthew :
" Dost thou not remember how thou hast often-
times confessed thyself to me, and I have wholly
absolved thee of all thy sins ? Dost thou not
remember also that thou hast served God con-
tinuously in this holy Order many years ? Be-
sides, dost thou not remember that the mercy
of God is greater than all the sins of the world,
and that the blessed Christ, our Saviour, paid an
infinite price for our redemption ? Wherefore
be of good hope that of a surety thou art saved " ;
and with these words, since the time of his puri-
fication was accomplished, the temptation left him,
and he was comforted. And with great joy
Brother John spake unto Brother Matthew :
" Since thou art wearied and the hour is late, I
pray thee go and rest thyself " ; and Brother
Matthew was loth to leave him ; but at length,
at his much urging, he left him and went to lie
down : and Brother John remained alone with a
brother that did him service. And behold !
Christ, the blessed One, came with great splendour
and with fragrance of exceeding sweetness, even
as He had promised to appear to him a second
time when his need was greater, and He healed
him thoroughly of all his sickness. Then
Brother John with hands clasped gave thanks
138 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother unto God that he had made so good an end of
Humble the long journey of this miserable life, com-
D S mended his soul into the hands of Christ and
Brother ~ . . - . .
Peaceful S ave !t U P to God, passing from this mortal life
unto life eternal with Christ, the blessed One,
whom he had so long desired and waited to
behold. And the said Brother John rests in the
convent of La Penna of Saint John.
Chapter XLVI
How Brother Peaceful being at prayer saw the
soul of Brother Humble, his brother, going up
to heaven
IN the aforesaid Province of the March, after
the death of Saint Francis, there were two
brothers in the Order ; the one named Brother
Humble and the other Brother Peaceful, the
which were men of exceeding great sanctity and
perfection ; and the one, to wit, Brother Humble,
abode in the House of Soffiano, and there died ;
and the other belonged to another community at
some distance therefrom. Now it pleased God
that as Brother Peaceful was at prayer one day
in a lonely place, he was rapt in ecstasy, and saw
the soul of his brother, Brother Humble, that
had just then left the body, going straight up into
heaven without either let or hindrance. It befell
that, many years after, Brother Peaceful, being
still alive, was sent to the community in the
aforesaid House of Soffiano, where his brother
had died. About this time the brothers, at the
request of the lords of Bruforte, exchanged the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 139
said House for another ; wherefore, among other Brother
things, they carried with them the relics of the PeacefuTs
holy brothers that had died in that House, and V1S1
coming to the grave of Brother Humble, his
brother, Brother Peaceful took up his bones,
and washed them with good wine and wrapped
them in a white napkin, and with great rever-
ence and devotion kissed them and wept over
them ; whereat the other brothers marvelled,
and deemed he set them no good example ; in
that it seemed that, albeit a man of so great
sanctity, he mourned for his brother, with a
carnal and a worldly love ; and that he showed
more devotion to his relics than to those of the
other brothers that had been of no less sanctity
than Brother Humble, and whose relics were
worthy of as much reverence as his. And
Brother Peaceful knowing the evil imaginings of
the brothers, humbly satisfied them thereof, and
said unto them : " My brothers most dear,
marvel not that I have done for the bones of
my brother what I have not done for the others ;
for, blessed be God, I was not moved thereto,
as ye deem, by carnal love ; but so have I done,
for that, when my brother passed away from this
life, I praying in a lonely place and distant far
from him, beheld his soul rise straight to heaven,
whereby I am assured that his bones are holy and
should be in Paradise. And if God had granted
me such surety touching the other brothers, then
would I have paid the self same reverence unto
their bones." For the which cause, the brothers,
seeing his holy and devout intent, were through
140 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The sick him well edified, and gave praise unto God, that
Brother d oet h such marvellous things unto His holy ones,
Mmor the brothers.
Chapter XLVII
Of the holy brother unto 'whom appeared the Mother
of Christy what time he was sick, bringing
him three boxes of electuary
IN the above-mentioned House of Soffiano
there was in former times a Brother Minor
of so great sanctity and grace that he seemed
altogether divine, and oftentimes was rapt in
God. Once on a time this brother being wholly
absorbed in God and lifted up, for he had in
notable fashion the grace of contemplation, there
came unto him birds of divers kinds, and settled,
as they were tame, on his shoulders and on his
head, and on his arms and his hands, and sang
right marvellously. He loved to be alone and
spake but seldom ; but when he was questioned
touching any matter, he would answer so wisely
and so graciously that he seemed rather an angel
than a man ; and he abounded much in prayer
and contemplation ; and the brothers held him
in high reverence. This brother having finished
the course of his virtuous life, according to God's
ordinance, fell sick unto death, so that he could
take no food at all ; and therewithal would take
no carnal medicine, but all his trust was in the
heavenly physician, Jesu Christ, the blessed One,
and in His blessed Mother ; by whom through
the divine clemency he merited to be mercifully
visited and tended. Wherefore on a time as he
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 141
was lying on his bed and preparing himself for The
death with all his heart and with utter devotion, Virgin
there appeared unto him the Virgin Mary, PP ars
, , . v /-,, . i 6 ' r to him
Mother of Christ, with a very great company or
Angels and of holy Virgins, in marvellous
splendour, and drew nigh unto his bed ; whereat,
gazing upon her, he took great comfort and joy,
both in soul and body ; and began to beseech
her humbly that she would pray her beloved Son
that of His merits He would take him out of
the prison of this miserable flesh. And as he
continued in this prayer with many tears, the
Virgin Mary answered him, calling him by his
name, and said : " Be not doubting, my son, for
thy prayer is heard, and I am come to comfort
thee a little, ere thou depart from out his life."
Now there were beside the Virgin Mary three
holy Virgins, that carried in their hands three
boxes of electuary of surpassing fragrance and
sweetness. Then the glorious Virgin took and
opened one of these boxes, and all the house
was filled with sweet odours ; and taking of this
electuary with a spoon, she gave unto the sick
man : the which, so soon as he had tasted, felt
such comfort and such sweetness, that it seemed
as though his soul could stay within his body
no longer ; wherefore he began to say : " No
more, O most holy and blessed Virgin Mother,
O blessed physician and saviour of human kind,
no more ; for I cannot endure such sweetness."
But the kind and pitying Mother gave of this
electuary unto the sick man many times and
made him to take it, until all the box was
HZ THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The three emptied. Then when the first box was empty,
boxes of the blessed Virgin took the second, and put the
electuary S p OOn therein for to give it him ; whereat he
murmured, saying : " O most blessed Mother of
God, my soul is well-nigh all melted away
through the ardour and the sweetness of the first
electuary : then how may I endure the second ?
I pray thee, blessed above all saints and angels,
that thou seek not to give me more." Replied
the glorious Virgin Mary : " Taste, my son,
yet a little of this second box." And giving
him a little thereof, she said : " To-day, my
son, thou hast as much as is sufficient for thee ;
be comforted, my son, for soon shall I come for
thee and take thee to the kingdom of my Son,
the which thou hast ever sought and desired " ;
and this said, she took leave of him and was
away ; and he remained so consoled and com-
forted through the sweetness of this confection
that, being stayed therewith, he lived many days
more, strong and well, without any food for the
body. And after some days, while speaking joy-
fully with the brothers, with great gladness and
delight he passed away from this miserable life.
Chapter XLVIII
Hoiu Brother Jacques of La Massa saw in a
dream all the Brothers Minor in the world,
in the likeness of a tree, and learned the virtue
and the merits and the vices of each
"DROTHER JACQUES of La Massa,
D unto whom God opened the door of His
secrets, and gave perfect knowledge and under-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 143
standing of the Holy Scriptures and of things to Brother
come, was of so great sanctity that Brother Jacques of
Giles of Assisi, and Brother Mark of Montino, LaMassa
and Brother Juniper, and Brother Lucido said of
him : that they knew of no one in the world
that found greater favour in the sight of God
than this Brother Jacques. 1 had a great desire
to see him ; for when I besought Brother John,
a companion of the said Brother Giles, to ex-
pound unto me certain spiritual matters, he said
unto me : " If thou desire to be well instructed
in the spiritual life, strive to have speech of
Brother Jacques of La Massa (for Brother Giles
desired to be taught of him), and to his words
naught can be added nor aught be taken away,
for his mind hath entered into the secret things
of heaven, and his words are the words of the
Holy Spirit, and there is no man on earth whom
I so much desire to see." This Brother
Jacques, in the beginning of the ministry of
Brother John of Parma, while praying on a
time was rapt in God, and he abode three days
thus rapt in ecstasy, with all bodily feeling sus-
pended, in such fashion that the brothers doubted
whether he was not dead : and being thus rapt,
it was revealed to him of God, what must needs
befall and happen to our religion : for the which
cause, when I heard thereof, my desire was in-
creased to hear him and have speech with him.
And when it pleased God that I should have
leisure to speak with him, I besought him in
this manner : " If that which I have heard tell
of thee be true, T pray thee that thou keep it
U4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Thevision not hidden from me. I have heard that when
of the tree tnou wast for three days as one dead, among
other things that God revealed, was that which
should happen unto this our religion : and that
was told unto me by Brother Matthew, minister of
the March, to whom thou didst reveal it by
holy obedience." Then Brother Jacques with
great humility confessed that what Brother
Matthew had said, was true. And the words that
he spake, to wit Brother Matthew, the minister
of the March, were these : " I know a brother,
unto whom God hath revealed whatsoever will
happen in our religion ; for Brother Jacques of
La Massa hath told me and said that after many
things that God revealed to him touching the
estate of the Church militant, he beheld in a
dream a tree fair to see and very great, whose
root was of gold, and its fruits were men, and
they were all of them Brothers Minor ; its main
branches were distinctly marked according to
the number of the provinces of the Order, and
each branch had as many brothers as there were
in the province whose name was written on the
branch. And thus he knew the number of all
the brothers in the Order, of each province, and
likewise their names and the age and condition of
each, and the great offices and the dignities and
the grace of all of them, and the faults. And
he saw Brother John of Parma on the highest
point of the midmost branch of this tree, and on
the tops of the branches that were round about
this midmost branch, were the ministers of all
the provinces. And thereafter he saw Christ
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 145
sitting on a throne exceeding great and shining, The
and Christ called Saint Francis up thither and chalice
gave him a chalice full of the spirit of life, and
sent him forth saying : " Go, visit thy brothers,
and give them to drink of this chalice of the
spirit of life ; for the spirit of Satan will rise up
against them and will strike them, and many of
them will fall and will not rise up again." And
Christ gave unto Saint Francis two angels to
bear him company. Then came Saint Francis
to give the chalice of life to his brothers : and
he gave it first to Brother John of Parma : who,
taking it, drank it all in haste, devoutly ; and
straightway he became all shining like the sun.
And after him Saint Francis gave it to all the
other brothers in order : and there were but few
among them that took it with due reverence and
devotion, and drank it all. Those that took it
devoutly and drank it all, became straightway
shining like the sun ; but those that spilled it all
and took it not devoutly, became black, and dark,
and misshapen, and horrible to see ; but those
that drank part and spilled part, became partly
shining and partly dark, and more so or less
according to the measure of their drinking or
spilling thereof. But the aforesaid Brother John
was resplendent above all the rest, the which had
more completely drunk the chalice of life,
whereby he had the more deeply gazed into the
abyss of the infinite light divine : and had learned
therein of the adversity and the tempest that was
to rise up against this tree and shake and toss
its branches. For the which cause the said
t 4 6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
A wind- Brother John came down from the top of the
storm branch whereon he stood ; and going down
the tree be ^ ow a ^ the Dranc nes hid himself in the solid
root, and was all rapt in thought ; and one of
the brothers that had taken part of the chalice
and part had spilt, climbed up on to that branch
and to that place, whence Brother John had
come down. And when he was come to that
place, the nails of his hands became iron, sharp
and keen as razors : whereat he left the place to
which he had climbed, and with rage and fury
sought to hurl himself upon the said Brother John
for to do him hurt. But, seeing this, Brother
John cried aloud and commended himself to
Christ that sat upon the throne ; and at the voice
of his crying Christ called unto him Saint Francis,
and gave him a sharp flint stone, and said unto
him : " Take this stone and cut off the nails of
that brother, wherewith he would fain tear
Brother John, so that he may do him no hurt."
Then Saint Francis came and did even as Christ
had commanded. And this done, there arose a
storm of wind, and shook the tree so violently
that the brothers fell down on to the ground ;
and first fell all they that had spilled all the
chalice of the spirit of life, and were carried
away by the devils to places of darkness and
torment. But Brother John, together with the
others that had drunk all the chalice, were
borne by the angels unto the place of life, and of
light eternal, and beatific splendour. And the
aforesaid Brother Jacques, that saw the vision,
understood and discerned distinctly and separ-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 147
ately all that he saw, touching the name and and
condition and state of each one of them clearly, sweeps it
And so long did that storm beat against the tree
that it fell, and the wind carried it away.
Then, when the storm ceased, straightway from
the golden root of this tree there sprang up
another tree that was all of gold, the which
brought forth leaves and flowers and fruit of
gold. Of this tree, and how it spread out its
branches and fixed deep its root, and of its
beauty and fragrance and virtue, it were better to
keep silence than to speak thereon at this present.
Chapter XLIX
How Jesu Christ appeared unto Brother John of
Alvernia
AMONG the other wise and holy brothers
and sons of Saint Francis, who, as Solomon
saith, are the glory of their father, there was in
our time, in the said Province of the March, the
venerable and holy Brother John of Fermo, the
which was called also Brother John of Alvernia
by reason of the long time that he dwelt in the
holy House of Alvernia, and because he there
passed away from this life ; for he was a man of
wonderful life and of great sanctity. This
Brother John, while yet a boy and living in the
world, desired with all his heart to tread the
path of penitence that keepeth pure both body
and soul ; whereby being still a little child, he
began to wear the shirt of mail and iron girdle
on his flesh, and to use great abstinence ; and
above all, while he dwelt with the Canons of
4* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother Saint Peter of Fermo, that lived in great splendour,
John of h e shunned all carnal delights and mortified his
Alvernia ^ Q ^ ^^ grea( . sever i tv o f abstinence ; but
seeing that his companions there were much set
against him, the which robbed him of his shirt of
mail and in divers manners hindered his abstinence,
inspired of God he minded to leave the world
with the lovers thereof, and to offer himself
wholly unto the arms of the Crucified, in the
habit of the crucified Saint Francis; and even so
he did. And being received into the Order
while yet a boy, and committed unto the care of
the master of the novices, he became so spiritually
minded and so devout, that many a time hearing
the said master speaking of God, his heart would
melt like wax before the fire ; and the love of
God kindled in him such sweetness of grace,
that not being able to remain still to endure such
sweetness, he would get up, and as one drunken
in spirit, would run, now through the garden,
now through the wood, now through the church,
according -as the flame and the ardour of the
spirit drave him. Then in course of time the
divine grace made this angelic soul to grow con-
tinually from virtue unto virtue, and in heavenly
gifts, being uplifted unto God and rapt in ecstacy ;
so that at one time his mind was lifted up to the
splendours of the Cherubim, at another time to
the ardours of the Seraphim, at another to the
joys of the Blessed, at another to the loving and
ineffable embraces of Christ. And above all,
once upon a time in exceeding wondrous fashion
his heart was kindled with the fire of love divine,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 149
and this flame lasted in him for full three years, He re-
in the which time he received marvellous con- ceives
solations and visitations divine, and oftentimes Jjj* 1 ?
j~* . | . . * VISITS.
was rapt in God, and in short, in the said time tions
he seemed all on fire and burning with the love
of Christ : and all this was on the holy mount
of Alvernia. But seeing that God careth with
tender care for his children, giving them, at
divers times, now consolation, and now tribula-
tion, now prosperity, and now adversity, accord-
ing as He seeth they have need thereof, for to
continue in humility, or for to kindle more in
them desire for heavenly things ; it pleased the
divine goodness, after three years, to take away
from the said Brother John that ray and fire of
love divine, and reave him of all spiritual con-
solation. Whereby Brother John remained
without the light and Jove of God, and altogether
disconsolate and afflicted and distressed. For
the which cause, being in such anguish, he went
through the wood running hither and thither,
calling with cries and tears and sighs on the
beloved spouse of his soul, who had hidden
himself and gone away from him, and without
whose presence his soul could find no rest and
no repose : but in no place and in no manner
could he find his sweet Jesu again, nor taste
again those sweet spiritual draughts of the love
of Jesu Christ, as he had been wont. And this
tribulation endured for many days, in the which
he abode continually weeping and sighing, and
praying God that of His pity He would give
back to him the beloved spouse of his soul. At
150 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Christ the last, when it pleased God to have made trial
appears enough of his patience and to have kindled his
to him Desire, on a day w hen Brother John was going
through the wood in such affliction and distress,
he sat him down for very weariness, leaning
against a beech tree, and remained with his face
all bathed in tears looking up to heaven, behold !
suddenly Jesu Christ appeared hard by him in
the path, whereby Brother John had come, but
spake naught. Brother John seeing Him and
knowing full well that it was Christ, straightway
threw himself at His feet, and with sore weeping
besought Him very humbly, saying : " Help
me, O Lord, for without Thee, my most sweet
Saviour, I am full of darkness and weeping ;
without Thee, most gentle lamb, I am full of
anguish and pain and fear : without Thee, Son
of God most high, I am full of confusion and
shame : without Thee, I am bereft of all
good and am blind, since Thou art Jesu
Christ, the true light of souls ; without
Thee, I am lost and damned, for Thou art the
life of souls, and the life of lives j without Thee,
I am barren and dry, for Thou art the fountain
of every gift and grace ; without Thee, I am
altogether disconsolate, for Thou art Jesu our
redemption, our love, and our desire, the bread of
comfort, and the wine that maketh glad the
hearts of the Angels, and the hearts of all the
Saints : enlighten me, most gracious Master, and
most tender Shepherd, for I am Thy little sheep,
unworthy though I be." But sith the desire of
holy men, when God delays to hear, doth kindle
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 151
in them greater love and merit, Christ, the blessed and corn-
One, departed without hearing him, and without ^ orts him
speaking to him aught at all, and he went by the
little pathway aforesaid. Then Brother John
arose, and ran after Him, and once again threw
himself at His feet, and with holy importunity
held Him back, and with most devout tears be-
sought Him, and said : " O most sweet Jesu
Christ, have mercy upon me in my trouble ;
hear me for the multitude of Thy mercies, and
for the truth of Thy salvation, and give back to
me the joy of Thy countenance and Thy glance
of pity, for the whole world is full of Thy mercy."
And still Christ departed and spake naught unto
him, nor gave him any comfort ; and He dealt
with him even as a mother with her child, when
she makes him desire the breast and makes him
run behind weeping, to the end that he may
thereafter receive it the more willingly. Whereat
Brother John still followed Christ with greater
fervour and- desire ; and when he was come close
up to Him, the blessed Christ turned and looked
upon him with a glad countenance and gracious ;
and opening His most holy and most pitying
arms, embraced him very tenderly ; and as He
opened thus His arms, Brother John saw stream-
ing from the most sacred breast of the Saviour
rays of shining light, which illumined all the
wood and him likewise, both in body and soul.
Then Brother John kneeled him down at the feet
of Christ ; and the blessed Christ of His loving
kindness gave him His foot to kiss, as He did
to the Magdalene ; and Brother John holding it
15* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
and with all reverence, bathed it with so many tears
grants his that of a sooth he seemed a second Magdalene,
prayers and gaid devoutly : I pray Thee, Lord, that
Thou look not on my sins, but by Thy most
holy passion and by the shedding of Thy most
holy blood, revive my soul in the grace of Thy
love ; sith this is Thy commandment, that we
love Thee with all our heart and with all our
soul ; the which commandment none can keep
without Thy help. Help me then, most beloved
Son of God, that I may love Thee with all my
heart and with all my strength." And as Brother
John with such words lay at the feet of Christ,
his prayer was heard, and he received from Him
the first grace, to wit the flame of love divine,
and he felt altogether renewed and comforted ;
and knowing within himself that the gift of divine
grace had returned to him again, he began to give
thanks unto the blessed Christ and devoutly kiss
His feet. And as he rose up, to gaze upon the
face of Christ, Jesu Christ stretched out His
most holy hands for him to kiss ; and when that
Brother John had kissed them, he drew near and
leaned upon the breast of Jesu and embraced and
kissed Him ; and Christ in like manner embraced
and kissed him. And in this kiss and this
embrace, Brother John perceived so divine a
fragrance, that had all the fragrant spices and
all the sweet-smelling things of all the earth been
gathered together, they would have seemed but
as a stench in comparison with that fragrance;
and thereat was Brother John right well illumined
and consoled, and that fragrance remained within
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 153
his soul for many months. And thenceforth, Brother
from out his mouth that had drunk of the foun- John's
tain of divine wisdom in the sacred breast of the
Saviour, there came forth marvellous and celestial
words, that changed the hearts of men and brought
forth rich fruit of souls in whoso heard them.
And in the little path in the wood, whereon the
blessed feet of Christ had stood, and for a great
space all around, did Brother John always per-
ceive that fragrance and behold that splendour,
whene'er he fared thither, and eke for a long
time thereafter. Whenas Brother John returned
to himself again after this ecstasy, and the bodily
presence of Christ had disappeared, he remained
so illumined in his soul, from the abyss of His
divinity, that albeit he was not a man learned
through human study, yet in marvellous fashion
he solved and explained the most subtle and
lofty questions touching the divine Trinity, and
the deep mysteries of the Holy Scripture. And
oftentimes thereafter, when he spake before the
pope, and the cardinals, and the king, and his
barons, and the masters, and doctors, they were
all amazed at the lofty words and the profound
thoughts that he spake.
Chapter L
Honv Brother John of Alvernia y as he said mass
on All Souls' Day, sanv many souls delivered
from Purgatory
AS the aforesaid Brother John was on a time
saying the Mass on the day after All
Saints' for the souls of all the dead, according
154 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He saves as the Church has ordained, with such effectual
sou kfrom charity and such pitying compassion did he offer
that glorious sacrament, (which for its saving
power, the souls of the dead desire above all other
blessings that can be poured upon them), that he
seemed altogether as though he were melted with
the sweetness of pity and brotherly love. For
the which cause as he devoutly elevated the Body
of Christ in that Mass, and offered it unto God
the Father, and prayed that for the love of His
beloved Son Jesu Christ, who for the redemption
of souls had hung upon the cross, it would please
Him to set free from the pains of Purgatory the
souls of the dead He had created and redeemed,
straightway he saw a multitude of souls well-
nigh without number coming forth from Purga-
tory, like countless sparks of fire coming out of a
blazing furnace, and he beheld them rise up to
heaven, through the merits of the passion of
Christ, who every day is offered for the quick
and the dead in that most sacred Host, that is
worthy to be adored in sacula saculorum.
Chapter LI
Of the holy Brother Jacques of Fallerone ; and
ho<w after his death, he appeared unto Brother
John of Alvernia
AT the time when Brother Jacques of Fal-
lerone, a man of great sanctity, was griev-
ously sick in the House of Moliano in the Custody
of Fermo, Brother John of Alvernia, who was
then abiding in the House of La Massa, came to
.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 155
ear of his sickness, and, sith he loved him as he He prays
were his own dear father, set himself to pray for for a sick
him, devoutly beseeching God in his heart to brotlier
grant unto the said Brother Jacques health of
body, if so be that it was for the good of his
soul. And as he thus devoutly prayed, he was
rapt in ecstasy, and saw in the air above his cell,
that was in the wood, a great host of Angels and
Saints, shining with such splendour, that all the
country round was lit up therewith: and in the
midst of these angels he beheld that sick Brother
Jacques, for whom he prayed, all resplendent in
white robes. Among them likewise he beheld
the blessed Father Saint Francis, adorned with
the holy Stigmata of Christ and with much glory.
Moreover he saw and recognized the holy Brother
Lucido, and Brother Matthew Antico of Monte
Rubbiano, and many other brothers, the which in
this life he had never seen or known. And as
Brother John was thus gazing with great joy
upon this blessed company of Saints, it was
revealed to him that of a surety the soul of the
said sick brother would be saved, and of that
sickness he must die ; but that he would not go
to Paradise straightway after his death, but he
needs must be a little purified in Purgatory. At
this revelation did Brother John feel so great joy,
by reason of the salvation of the soul, that for the
death of the body he gave no thought at all ; but
with much sweetness of spirit he called him, saying
within himself: "Brother Jacques, sweet father
mine; Brother Jacques, sweet my brother ; Brother
Jacques, most faithful servant and friend of God ;
156 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The sal- Brother Jacques, companion of the Angels, in
vation [ fellowship with the blessed." And so in this
u certitude and joy he returned to himself again ;
and straightway he departed from the House and
went to visit the said Brother Jacques at Moliano :
and finding him so weighed down with sickness
that he scarce could speak, he announced to him
the death of the body, and the salvation and
glory of the soul, according to the certitude that
he had thereof, by divine revelation ; so that
Brother Jacques, full of joy in heart and face,
received him with great gladness and with merry
laughter, giving him thanks for the glad tidings
that he brought, and commending himself devoutly
unto him. Then Brother John besought him
tenderly that after his death he would come back
to him and tell him of his state ; and Brother
Jacques promised him so to do, if so it were
pleasing unto God. And said these words, as
the hour of his departure drew near, Brother
Jacques began devoutly to recite the verse of the
Psalm : " In pace in idipsum dormiam et requi-
escam," that is to say : " In peace shall I sleep
and rest in the life eternal " : and said this verse,
with joyful and glad countenance he passed away
from this life. And after that he was buried,
Brother John returned to the House of La
Massa, and waited for the promise of Brother
Jacques that he would return to him on the day
that he had said. But on the said day, as he was
praying, Christ appeared unto him with a great
company of Angels and Saints, and Brother
Jacques was not among them ; whereat Brother
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 157
John, greatly marvelling, commended him de- Brother
voutly unto Christ. On the following day, as Jacques
Brother John was praying in the wood, there
appeared unto him Brother Jacques, accompanied J hn
by Angels, all glorious and glad, and Brother
John said unto him : " O father most dear,
wherefore didst thou not return to me on the
day thou didst promise me ? " Replied Brother
Jacques : "For that I had need of some purify-
ing ; but in that same hour that Christ appeared
to thee and thou didst commend me unto Him,
Christ heard thee and set me free from all pain.
And then I appeared unto Brother Jacques of
La Massa, a holy lay-brother ; the which was
serving the Mass and saw the consecrated Host,
what time the priest elevated it, changed and
transformed in the likeness of a most beautiful
living child ; and to him I said : " This day am
I going with this child unto the kingdom of
eternal life, unto the which none may go with-
out him." And said these words, Brother
Jacques vanished out of sight ; and he went up
into heaven with all that blessed company of
Angels ; and Brother John remained much com-
forted. The said Brother Jacques of Fallerone
died on the vigil of Saint James the Apostle, in
the month of July, in the aforesaid House of
Moliano ; wherein after his death many miracles
were wrought through his merits by the divine
goodness.
i$8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Chapter LI I
Of the vision of Brother John of
whereby he understood all the order of the
Holy Trinity
The fer- T^OR that the aforesaid John of Alvernia had
f perfectly renounced all worldly and tem-
Tohn P ora ^ delights and consolations, and had set all
his delight and all his hope in God, the divine
goodness gave unto him marvellous consolations
and revelations, and especially on the high
festivals of Christ ; so on a time when the
festival of the nativity of Christ was drawing
nigh, on the which he looked that of a surety
he would receive of God consolation from the
sweet humanity of Jesu, the Holy Spirit put
into his soul such great and exceeding love and
fervour for the charity of Christ, whereby He
humbled Himself to take upon Him our humanity,
that of a sooth it seemed as if his soul was
drawn out of his body and was burning like a
furnace. Not being able to endure this fire of
love, he was in anguish and was altogether melted
away, and cried out with a loud voice : for
through the vehemence of the Holy Spirit and the
too much fervour of his love, he could not refrain
himself from crying out. And in that same
hour wherein this immeasurable fervour came
upon him, there came to him therewithal so
strong and sure a hope of his salvation, that for
naught in the world could he believe, that were
he then to die, would he have need to pass
through the pains of Purgatory ; and this love
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 159
endured in him for full six months, albeit he felt Christ,
not that excessive fervour continuously, but it the Life of
came to him at certain hours of the day. And the soul
in that time he received marvellous visitations
and consolations from God : and oftentimes he was
rapt in ecstasy, even as was seen by that brother
who first wrote of these things ; among the
which at one time he was so lifted up and rapt in
God, that he beheld in Him, the Creator, all
created things both of heaven and earth, and all
their perfections, and grades, and distinct orders.
And then he clearly knew how every created
thing presented itself to its Creator, and how
God is above, and within, and without, and
beside all created things. Thereafter he per-
ceived God as One in Three Persons, and
Three Persons in One God ; and the infinite
love that caused the Son of God to become
incarnate, in obedience to the Father. And in
the end he perceived in that vision how that
there was no other way whereby the soul could
come to God and have eternal life, save only
through Christ, the blessed One, who is the
Way, the Truth, and the Life of the soul.
Chapter LI 1 1
How Brother John of Alvernia^ as he was saying
Mass, fell down as one dead
TO the same Brother John in the aforesaid
House of Moliano, according as was told
by the brothers that were there present, there
befell on a time this marvellous case. On the
160 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother first night after the octave of Saint Lawrence,
John's an d within the octave of the Assumption of Our
ecstasy ^dy, having said Matins in the church with
the other brothers, and feeling the unction of the
divine grace coming upon him, he went into the
garden for to meditate on the Passion of Christ,
and prepare himself devoutly to celebrate Mass,
which it fell to him to sing that morning. And
as he was meditating on the words of consecra-
tion of the Body of Christ, to wit, thinking upon
the infinite love of Christ, whereby He willed not
only to redeem us through His precious blood,
but also to leave us for the food of our souls
His most venerable Body and Blood, the love of
the sweet Jesu began to grow in him with such
fervour and such tenderness, that his soul might
no more endure, for the sweetness that it felt ; but
he cried aloud, and as if drunken in spirit, ceased
not to say within himself : " Hoc est corpus
meum " ; for as he spake these words he seemed
to behold Christ, the blessed One, with the Virgin
Mary and a great host of Angels, and was en-
lightened by the Holy Spirit in all the deep and
lofty mysteries of that exalted Sacrament. And
when it was dawn, he entered into the church
with that same fervour of spirit and anxious
thought, and the self same words upon his lips,
not wotting that he was heard or seen of any
man ; but in the choir there was a certain
brother at prayer, that saw and heard all. And
in this fervour not being able to contain himself
by reason of the fulness of the divine grace, he
cried with a loud voice, and so continued until
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 161
it was time to say the Mass ; wherefore he went He cele-
to make himself ready for the altar. And when brates
he had begun the Mass, the further he pro-
ceeded, the more did the love of Christ
increase in him, and the fervour of devotion,
wherewith was given unto him an unspeakable
feeling of God, such as he himself knew not of,
nor could thereafter tell forth with his tongue.
Whereat fearing lest that fervour and feeling of
God should so much increase that he needs must
leave the Mass, he fell into much perplexity, and
knew not what course to take, or to go on with
the Mass, or to stand and wait. But for that
the like case had befallen him on some other
time, and the Lord had so tempered that fervour
that there had been no need for him to leave the
Mass ; and trusting that this time too he might
be able to do the same, with great fear he set
himself to go on with the Mass, and went as far
as the Preface of Our Lady, when the divine
illumination and the gracious sweetness of the
love of God began so much to grow within him,
that coming to the Qui pridie, he could scarce
endure such utter sweetness. Having come at
length to the act of consecration, and having said
one half of the words over the Host, to wit :
" Hoc cst" he could by no means proceed further,
but only repeated the same words, to wit : " Hoc
ett emm." And the reason wherefore he could
proceed no further, was this, that he felt and saw
the presence of Christ with a great company of
Angels, whose majesty he was not able to endure ;
and he saw that Christ entered not into the Host,
i6* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Christ or that the Host was not changed into the body
appears o f Christ, until he should utter the other half of
to him the worc [ 8) to w j t . cor p us me um." Wherefore
as he abode in this anxiety and could proceed no
further, the guardian and the other brothers, and
likewise many lay folk that were in the church
for to hear Mass, drew near unto the altar : and
were astonished to behold and see what things
Brother John did : and many of them were
weeping out of devotion. At the last, after long
space, to wit, when so it pleased God, Brother
John uttered the words : " enim corpus meum " in
a loud voice ; and straightway the form of the
bread vanished, and in the Host appeared Jesu
Christ, the blessed One, incarnate and glorified,
and showed forth to him the humility and love,
which made Him to become incarnate of the
Virgin Mary, and which makes Him every day
to come into the hands of the priest when he
consecrates the Host: for the which cause he
was the more lifted up in sweetness of con-
templation. Wherefore when he had elevated
the Host and the consecrated chalice, he was
rapt out of himself: and his soul being lifted up
above all bodily feelings, his body fell backwards ;
and if he had not been supported by the guardian,
who stood behind him, he would have fallen on
his back upon the ground. Whereat the brothers
running up to him, and the lay folk, men and
women, that were in the church, he was carried
into the sacristy, as one dead, for his body was
cold and the fingers of his hands were so tightly
clenched that scarce could they at all be opened
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 163
or moved. And in this manner he lay as one He falls
half dead, or rapt away, even until Tierce, and it down as
was summer time. And because I, who was
there present, desired much to know what God
had wrought in him, so soon as he had returned
to himself again, I went to him and prayed him,
for the love of God, to tell me all : wherefore,
seeing that he trusted much in me, he told all
unto me in order ; and among other things, he
said, that as he was contemplating the body and
blood of Jesu Christ present before him, his heart
was melted like wax before the fire, and his flesh
seemed to be without bones, in such fashion that
he scarce could lift his arms or hands for to make
the sign of the cross over the Host or the chalice.
Likewise he told me that or ever he was made
priest, it had been revealed him of God that he
would faint away during the Mass, but seeing
that he had said many Masses, and this had not
befallen him, he deemed that the revelation had
not been of God. Nevertheless about fifty days
before the Assumption of Our Lady, whereon
the aforesaid hap befell him, it had been again
revealed to him by God that this needs must
come to pass about the said feast of the As-
sumption ; but that he did not afterwards bear
in mind the said vision, or revelation, made to
him by our Lord.
1 64 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Of the most holy Stigmata of Saint
Francis and reflections thereon
The T N this part we shall gaze with devout reflec-
Stigmata JL tion on the glorious and most holy Stigmata
Francis ^ Our ^ esse( ^ Fatner Saint Francis, the which
he received of Christ on His holy mount of
Alvernia. And for that the said Stigmata were
five in number, after the manner of the wounds
of our Lord Jesu Christ, therefore this treatise
will contain five reflections.
The first reflection will be touching the man-
ner in which Saint Francis came to the holy
mount of Alvernia.
The second reflection will be touching the
life that he lived, and the converse that he held
with his companions on the said holy mount.
The third reflection will be touching the
seraphic vision and the imprinting of the most
holy Stigmata.
The fourth reflection will be of the manner in
which Saint Francis came down from the mount
of Alvernia, after that he had received the holy
Stigmata, and returned to Saint Mary of the
Angels.
The fifth reflection will be touching certain
divine apparitions and revelations made after the
death of Saint Francis unto holy brothers and
other devout persons touching the said holy
Stigmata.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 165
Ofthejirst reflection on the most holy Stigmata
As touching the first reflection, ye must needs Of the
know that Saint Francis, being forty and three first re-
years of age, in the year 1224, being inspired o
God, set out from the Vale of Spoleto for to go
into Romagna with Brother Leo his companion ;
and as they went, they passed by the foot of the
Castle of Montefeltro ; in the which Castle there
was at that time a great company of gentle folk,
and much feasting, by reason of the knighting of
one of the same Counts of Montefeltro. And
Saint Francis, hearing of the festivities that were
holden there and how that many gentle folk of
divers countries were there gathered together,
spake unto Brother Leo : " Let us go up unto
this feast, for with the help of God we may win
some good fruit of souls." Among the other
gentle folk from that country, that were of that
knightly company, was a great and eke a wealthy
gentleman of Tuscany, by name Orlando da
Chiusi, of Casentino ; who by reason of the
marvellous things that he had heard of the
sanctity and the miracles of Saint Francis, bore
him great devotion, and felt an exceeding strong
desire to see him and to hear him preach.
Coming to the castle, Saint Francis entered in ?
and came to the courtyard where all that great
company of gentle folk was gathered together,
and in fervour of spirit stood up upon a parapet,
and began to preach, taking as the text of his
sermon these words in the vulgar tongue :
So great the joys I have in sight,
That every sorrow brings delight ;
166 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St and upon this text, as the Holy Spirit gave him
Francis utterance, he preached so devoutly and sublimely,
a^Monte- C ^ D S as P ro f thereof the divers pains and
feltro niartyrdoms of the holy Apostles and the holy
Martyrs, and the hard penances of the holy Con-
fessors, and the many tribulations and temptations
of the holy Virgins and the other saints, that all
the folk stood with their eyes and their minds
turned towards him, and gave such heed as
though it were an angel of God speaking:
among the which the said Orlando, touched in
the heart by God through the marvellous preach-
ing of Saint Francis, set it in his heart to confer
and to have speech with Saint Francis, after the
sermon, touching the state of his soul. There-
fore, when the preaching was done, he drew
Saint Francis aside, and said unto him : " O
father, I would confer with thee touching the
salvation of my soul." Replied Saint Francis :
*' It pleaseth me right well ; but go this morn-
ing and do honour to thy friends, who have
called thee to the feast, and dine with them ;
and after thou hast dined, we will speak together
as much as thou wilt." So Orlando gat him
to the dinner: and after that he had dined,
he returned to Saint Francis, and conferred
with him, and set forth unto him fully the state
of his soul. And at the end this, Orlando
said to Saint Francis : " I have in Tuscany a
mountain, most proper for devotion, the which
is called the Mount of Alvernia, and is very
lonely and right well fitted for whoso may wish
to do penance in a place remote from men, or
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
whoso may desire to live a solitary life ; if it The gift
should please thee, right willingly would I give f the
it to thee and thy companions for the salvation /jvn
of my soul." Saint Francis hearing this liberal
offer of the thing that he so much desired,
rejoiced with exceeding great joy ; and praising
and giving thanks first to God and then to
Orlando, he spake thus : " Orlando, when you
have returned to your house, I will send unto
you certain of my companions and you shall show
them that mountain ; and if it shall seem to them
well fitted for prayer and penitence, I accept
your loving offer even now." And this said,
Saint Francis departed : and when his journey
was done, returned to Saint Mary of the Angels :
and likewise Orlando, when the festivities of
that knightly company were over, returned to
his castle, which was called Chiusi, the which
was but a mile distant from Alvernia. Whenas
Saint Francis had returned to Saint Mary of the
Angels, he sent two of his companions to the
said Orlando ; who when they were come to
him, were received of him with exceeding great
joy and charity. And desiring to show them
the mount of Alvernia, he sent with them full
fifty men-at-arms to defend them from the wild
beasts of the wood, and thus accompanied these
brothers climbed up the mountain and searched
diligently ; and at last they came to a part of the
mountain that was well fitted for devotion and
contemplation ; for in that part there was some
level ground ; and this place they chose out for
them and for Saint Francis to dwell therein ;
i68 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The and with the help of the men-at-arms that bore
Mount them company, they made a little cell of branches
Mo..? 1 of trees : and so they accepted in the name of
posses- , , , J r ^ r A i
sion of God, and took possession or the mount of Al-
vernia and of the dwelling-place of the brothers
on the mountain, and departed, and returned to
Saint Francis. And when they were come unto
him, they told him how and in what manner
they had taken a place on the mount of Alvernia,
most fitted for prayer and meditation. Hearing
these tidings, Saint Francis was right glad, and
praising and giving thanks to God, he spake to
those brothers with joyful countenance, and said :
" My sons, our forty days' fast of Saint Michael
the Archangel draweth near : I firmly believe
that it is the will of God that we keep this
fast on the mount of Alvernia, which by divine
decree hath been made ready for us, to the end
that to the honour and glory of God and of His
Mother, the glorious Virgin Mary, and of the
holy Angels, we may, through penance, merit at
the hands of Christ the consolation of consecrat-
ing this blessed mountain." And thus saying,
Saint Francis took with him Brother Masseo da
Marignano of Assisi, the which was a man of
great eloquence ; and Brother Angelo Tancredi
da Rieti, the which was a man of very gentle
birth and in the world had been a knight ; and
Brother Leo, a man of exceeding great sim-
plicity and purity, for the which cause Saint
Francis loved him much. And with these three
brothers Saint Francis set himself to pray, com-
mended himself and his companions aforesaid to
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 6 9
the prayers of the brothers that remained behind, St
and set out with those three in the name of Jesu Francis
Christ, the Crucified, for to go to the mount of sets out
Alvernia. And as he went, Saint Francis called
unto one of those three companions, to wit,
Brother Masseo, and said unto him : " Thou
shalt be our guardian and our superior in this
journey, to wit, so long as we be going and
staying together, and we will observe our rule,
to wit, that we be either saying the office, or
speaking of God, or keeping silence, and that
we take no thought beforehand, either of eating
or drinking or sleeping : but when it is time to
seek a lodging, we will beg a little bread, and
stay and rest in the place that God may make
ready for us." Then the three companions
bowed their heads, and making the sign of the
cross, went on their way : and on the first night
they came to a house of the brothers and lodged
there. On the second night, by reason of the
bad weather and because they were tired, not
being able to reach any house of the brothers or
any castle or village, when the night overtook
them and bad weather, they took refuge in a
deserted and dismantled church, and there laid
them down to rest. And while his companions
slept, Saint Francis threw himself on his knees
to pray ; and behold in the first watch of the
night there come a great multitude of demons,
exceeding fierce, with a great noise and tumult,
and began to do him grievous battle and annoy ;
whereby the one plucked him this way and the
other that ; one dragged him up and another
170 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He is down ; one threatened him with one thing,
assaulted the other accused him of another; and thus
demons * n c ^ vers manners they sought to distract him from
his prayer ; but they could not, for that God
was with him. Therefore whenas Saint Francis
had enough endured the assaults of the demons,
he began to cry in a loud voice : " O damned
spirits, ye can do naught, save what the hand of
God alloweth you : wherefore in the name of
God Almighty I bid you do unto my body what-
ever is permitted you of God ; for gladly shall I
bear it, sith I have no greater enemy than my
body : and therefore if you avenge me of mine
enemy, ye will do me good service." Then the
demons with great fury and violence took hold
of him, and began to drag him through the church,
and to do him greater trouble and annoy than at
the first. Thereat Saint Francis began to cry
aloud, and said : " My Lord Jesu Christ, I give
Thee thanks for the so great honour and charity
that Thou showest me ; for it is a token of great
love when the Lord punishes His servant for all
his faults in this world, so that he be not punished
in the next. And I am ready gladly to endure
every pain and adversity, that Thou, my God,
dost will to send me for my sins." Then the
demons, put to confusion and vanquished
by his patience and endurance, were away.
And Saint Francis in fervour of spirit left
the church and entered into a wood that was
there hard by, and threw himself upon his
knees in prayer ; and with prayers and tears
and beating of the breast he sought to find
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 171
Jesu Christ, the spouse and the delight of his Hepasses
soul.
And at the last finding Him in the secret
places of his soul, he now bespake him with
reverence as his Lord : now made answer to
Him as his judge ; now besought Him as his
father ; now held converse with Him as with a
friend. On that night within the wood, his com-
panions, sith they were awake and were come to
hear and mark what he did, saw and heard him,
with tears and cries, devoutly beseeching God to
have mercy upon sinners. Then was he seen
and heard to weep with a loud voice over the
Passion of Christ, as though he saw it with his
own eyes. On that self same night they beheld
him praying with his arms stretched out in the
form of a cross, for a great space uplifted and
floating above the earth, and surrounded by a
cloud of glory. And so in such holy exercises
he passed the whole night through without sleep.
And thereafter in the morning, his companions,
being ware that through the fatigues of the night,
which he had passed without sleep, Saint Francis
was much weakened in body and could but ill go
on his way afoot, went to a poor peasant of those
parts, and begged him, for the love of God, to
lend his ass for Brother Francis, their Father,
that could not go afoot. Hearing them make
mention of Brother Francis, he asked them :
" Are ye of the brethren of that brother of Assisi,
of whom so much good is spoken ? " The brothers
answered : " Yes," and that in very sooth it was
for him that they asked for the sumpter beast.
17* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His Then the good man, with great diligence and
humility devotion, made ready the ass, and brought it to
Saint Francis, and with great reverence let mount
him thereon, and they went on their way ; and
he with them, behind his ass. And when they
had gone on a little way, the peasant said to Saint
Francis : " Tell me, art thou Brother Francis of
Assisi?" Replied Saint Francis: "Yes."
" Try then," said the peasant, " to be as good as
thou art of all folk held to be, seeing that many
have great faith in thee ; and therefore, I ad-
monish thee that in thee there be naught save what
men hope to find therein." Hearing these words,
Saint Francis thought no scorn to be admonished
by a peasant, nor said within himself: "What
beast is this doth admonish me ? " as many would
say now-a-days, that wear the cowl ; but straight-
way he threw himself from off the ass upon the
ground, and kneeled him down before him, and
kissed his feet ; and thus humbly thanked him for
that he had deigned thus lovingly to admonish him.
Then the peasant, together with the companions
of Saint Francis, with great devotion lifted him
from the ground and set him on the ass again,
and they went on their way. And when that
they were come about halfway up the mountain,
as the heat was very great and the ascent was weary,
the peasant became very thirsty, in such sort
that he began to cry aloud behind Saint Francis,
saying : " Woe is me, for I die of thirst : if I
find not something to drink, I shall choke out-
right." Wherefore Saint Francis got down off
the ass and fell on his knees in prayer ; and re-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 173
mained so long kneeling with his hands lifted up The
to heaven, until he knew by revelation that God miracle of
had heard his prayer. Then said Saint Francis " watei
to the peasant : " Run quickly to that rock, and
there shalt thou find the living water, which Jesu
Christ in this hour, of His mercy, hath made to
come forth from out that rock.'* So he ran to
the place that Saint Francis had shown him, and
found a fair spring that had been brought out of
the hard rock by virtue of the prayer of Saint
Francis : and he drank his fill thereof and was
comforted. And it doth well appear that this
spring was brought out by God in miraculous
fashion at the prayers of Saint Francis, seeing that
neither before nor after was there ever seen in that
place a spring of water, nor any living water near to
that place for a great space round. This done,
Saint Francis with his companions and the peasant
gave thanks unto God for the miracle shown
forth to them, and then went they on their way.
And as they drew near to the foot of the rock
of Alvernia itself, it pleased Saint Francis to rest
a little under the oak that was by the way, and is
there to this day ; and as he stood under it,
Saint Francis began to take note of the situation
of the place and of the country round. And as
he was thus gazing, lo ! there came a great
multitude of birds from divers parts, the which,
with singing and flapping of their wings, all
showed joy and gladness exceeding great, and
came about Saint Francis in such fashion that
some settled on his head, some on his shoulders,
and some on his arms, some in his lap, and some
174 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St round his feet. When his companions and the
Francis peasant marvelled, beholding this, Saint Francis,
311 anions a11 J Oyful in 8pirit 8pake thuS unt them : " I
reach believe, brothers most dear, that it is pleasing
Alvernia unto our Lord Jesu Christ that we should dwell in
this lonely mountain, seeing that our little sisters
and brothers the birds show such joy at our com-
ing." And said these words, they arose, and
went on their way and came at last to the place
that his companions had first chosen. And this is
touching the first reflection, to wit, how Saint
Francis came to the holy mount of Alvernia.
Of the second reflection on the most holy Stigmata
The second reflection is on the sojourning
of Saint Francis with his companions on the
said mount of Alvernia. And as to this, ye
must know that Orlando, hearing that Saint
Francis with three companions had climbed up
the mount of Alvernia, for to dwell there, re-
joiced with exceeding great joy, and on the
following day set out with many of the folk of
his castle, and came to visit Saint Francis, bring-
ing with him bread and wine and other victuals,
for him and his companions ; and being come
there, he found them at prayer ; and drawing
near unto them, saluted them. Then Saint
Francis arose, and with great love and gladness
gave welcome to Orlando and his company ; and
this done, they sat them down to have speech
of each other. And after they had somewhat
spoken together, and Saint Francis had given him
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 175
thanks for the holy mountain that he had given The ob-
him, and for his coming thither, he besought him servance
that he would let build a poor little cell at the
foot of a fair beech tree, the which was a stone's
throw from the place where the brothers lived,
for that place seemed to him very fit and hallowed
for prayer. And straightway Orlando let build
it ; and this done, as it was drawing near unto
evening and it was time for them to depart, Saint
Francis preached unto them a little, before they
took leave of him ; and when he had preached
unto them and given them his blessing, Orlando,
finding he must needs depart, called Saint Francis
and his companions aside, and said unto them :
" My brothers most dear, I would not have you
suffer any bodily want in this wild mountain,
whereby you might the less be able to give heed
to spiritual things : and therefore I desire, and
this I say to you for once, for all, that ye securely
send to my house for whatsoe'er ye need, and if
ye do otherwise, I shall take it ill of you." And
this said, he departed with his company and re-
turned to his castle. Then Saint Francis made
his companions to sit down and taught them what
manner of life they ought to lead, both they and
whoso desireth to live the religious life in a
hermitage. And among other things, he straitly
laid on them the observance of holy poverty,
saying : " Take not such heed unto the charit-
able offer of Orlando, lest ye in any thing offend
our Lady and Madonna, holy poverty. Be ye
sure that the more we despise poverty, the more
will the world despise us, and the more shall we
176 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Poverty, suffer want ; but if we cling to holy poverty with
the a dose embrace, the whole world will follow
pledge of a f ter ug an( j w - jj a b un d an tly provide for us. God
riches hath called us into this holy Order for the salva-
tion of the world, and hath made this pact be-
tween us and the world, that we give unto the
world a good example and the world make pro-
vision for our needs. Let us then persevere in
holy poverty, seeing that this is the way of per-
fectness and is an earnest and pledge of eternal
riches." And after many beautiful and holy
words and admonishments on this matter, he
ended by saying : " This is the manner of life
that I lay upon myself and upon you ; and sith I
see that I draw near unto death, I am minded to
be solitary, and to take refuge with God, and to
bewail my sins before Him ; and Brother Leo,
when it seemeth to him good, shall bring to me
a little bread and a little water ; and do ye in no
wise suffer any that be of the world to come nigh
me, but do ye answer them for me." And said
these words, he gave them his blessing and went
to his cell under the beech tree, and his com-
panions remained in their own place, with firm
purpose to do the bidding of Saint Francis. A
few days thereafter, as Saint Francis was stand-
ing hard by the said cell, pondering on the form
of the mountain, and marvelling at the huge clefts
and openings in the mighty rocks, he set himself
to pray : and then it was revealed to him of God
that those marvellous clefts had been miraculously
made in the hour of the Passion of Christ, when,
as saith the Evangelist, the rocks were rent
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 177
asunder. And it was the will of God that this St
should in especial manner be made manifest upon Francis
that mount of Alvernia, for that there the Passion J^^Jf 8
of our Lord Jesu Christ should be renewed in tions
his soul through love and pity, and in his body
through the imprinting of the most holy Stig-
mata. So soon as he had received this revelation,
straightway Saint Francis shut himself up in his
cell and was wholly wrapped within himself, and
set himself to pay heed unto the mystery of that
revelation. And from that time forth Saint
Francis, through unceasing prayer, began more
oft to taste the sweetness of divine contempla-
tion, whereby he oftentimes was rapt in God, so
that he was seen by his companions to be lifted
bodily from off the ground, and altogether taken
out of himself. In these raptures of contempla-
tion, there were revealed to him of God not
only things present and to come, but also the
secret thoughts and desires of the brothers, even
as Brother Leo, his companion, had proof thereof
in himself that day. The which Brother Leo
being assailed by the devil with a grievous temp-
tation, not of the flesh but of the spirit, there
came to him a great desire to have some devout
sentence written by the hand of Saint Francis,
for he thought that if he had it, that temptation
would leave him, or wholly, or in part. Having
this desire, yet for shame and reverence sake he
dared not tell it to Saint Francis : but what
Brother Leo told him not, that did the Holy
Spirit reveal. Wherefore Saint Francis called
him unto him, and made him bring ink-pot and
178 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother pen and paper : and with his own hand wrote
Leo's t h e praises of Christ, even as the brother had
ition Desired an< ^ at t-ke en< ^ he ma de tne s ig n T au
and gave it to him, saying : " Take this paper,
dear brother, and keep it diligently until thy
death. May God bless thee and guard thee
against all temptation. Be not downcast, be-
cause thou hast temptations ; for at such time
I deem thee a friend and a better servant of God,
and the more thou art assailed by temptations, the
more do I love thee. Verily I say unto thee that
no man should deem himself a true friend of God,
save in so far as he hath passed through many
temptations and tribulations." When Brother
Leo took this writing with great devotion and
faith, straightway all his temptation left him ;
and returning to his own place, he told his com-
panions, with great joy, what grace God had
shown unto him when he took the writing from
Saint Francis ; and putting it aside and taking
diligent care thereof, the brothers afterwards
worked many miracles by its means. And
from that hour forth, the said Brother Leo with
great purity and with good intention began to
keep watch upon and to observe the life of Saint
Francis : and for his purity's sake, he merited
to see Saint Francis full many and many a time
rapt in God and uplifted from the earth, at one
time to the height of three cubits, at another to
that of four, at another to the height of the
beech tree : and at another time he beheld him
lifted up in the air so high, and surrounded with
such splendour, that he scarce could see him.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 179
And what did this simple brother do, when St
Saint Francis was uplifted from the earth but a Francis
little way, so that he could reach him ? He
went softly to him and embraced his feet and
kissed them, and spake with tears : " My God,
have mercy on me a sinner, and through the
merits of this holy man grant me to find Thy
grace." And one time among others, as thus he
stood beneath the feet of Saint F rancis when he
was lifted up so far that he could not touch him,
he saw a scroll written in letters of gold come
down from heaven, and rest on the head of
Saint Francis, and on the scroll were written
these words : " Here is the grace of God " ; and
after that he had read it, he saw it return to
heaven. Through the gift of that grace of God
that was in him, Saint Francis was not only
rapt in God in ecstatic contemplation, but also at
sundry times comforted by the visitation of
angels. Thus, as Saint Francis was one day
thinking on his death and of the state of his
Order when his life was done, and saying : " O
Lord God, what will become of Thy poor little
family after my death, the which of Thy goodness
Thou hast entrusted to me a sinner ? who will pray
to Thee for them ? " and other such words, there
appeared unto him an Angel sent by God, and
comforted him, saying : " I tell thee in the name
of God, that the profession of the Order will
never fail until the Day of Judgment, and there
will be no sinner so great as not to find mercy
with God, if with his whole heart he love thine
Order ; and none shall live long, that of malice
i8o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The sta- persecutes thy Order. Moreover no very wicked
bility of person within thy Order, that does not amend
5 his life, will be able to remain long in the
assured _ . ' TTT , P . , A. , f .
Order. Wherefore grieve not thyself, if in
thine Order thou see certain that be not good
brothers and do not observe the Rule as they
ought, and think not that thereby this Order will
decline ; for always a many shall be found
therein that will perfectly observe the Gospel
life of Christ and the purity of the Rule ; and
all such, immediately after the death of the body,
shall go into life eternal without passing at all
through Purgatory ; some will observe it, but
not perfectly, and these before they go to Para-
dise, will be in Purgatory, but the time of their
purification shall be left by God to thee. But
of him that observes not the Rule at all, do thou
take no heed, saith God, for of such He Himself
taketh no heed." And said these words, the
Angel was away, and Saint Francis remained
comforted and consoled. Thereafter, as the
feast of the Assumption of Our Lady drew
near, Saint Francis sought how he might find a
place more solitary and secret, wherein he might
the more solitary keep the forty days* fast of
Saint Michael the Archangel, which beginneth
with the said feast of the Assumption. Where-
fore he called unto him Brother Leo, and said :
" Go and stand in the doorway of the oratory
where the brothers lodge, and when I call thee,
return to me again." So Brother Leo went ;
and stood in the doorway ; and Saint Francis
withdrew himself a little space, and called aloud.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 1*1
Hearing him call, Brother Leo returned to him The forty
again ; and Saint Francis said to him : " Son, da 7 s ' fast
let us seek for another more secret place, where
thou canst not thuswise hear me when I call."
And as they searched, they found on the side
of the mountain that looked towards the south,
a lonely place and very proper for his purpose ;
but they could not win there ; because in front
there was a horrible and fearful cleft in a huge
rock; wherefore with great pains they laid a
piece of wood over it as a bridge and got across
to the other side. Then Saint Francis sent for
the other brothers and told them how he was
minded to keep the forty days' fast of Saint
Michael in that lonely place ; and therefore he
besought them to make him a little cell there, so
that no cry of his could be heard by them. And
when the cell was made, Saint Francis said to
them : " Go ye to your own place, and leave
me here alone, for, with the help of God, I am
minded to keep the fast here, without disturb-
ance or distraction, and therefore let none of you
come unto me, nor suffer any lay folk to come
to me. But, Brother Leo, thou alone shalt
come to me, once a day, with a little bread and
water, and at night once again at the hour of
Matins ; and then shalt thou come to me in
silence, and when thou art at the bridge-head,
thou shalt say; " Domine, labia mea aperies "; and
if I answer thee, cross over and come to the
cell, and we will say Matins together ; and if I
answer thee not, then depart straightway." And
this Saint Francis said because at certain times
i8* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St he had been so rapt in God, that he nor heard
Francis nor f e i t aught with the bodily senses. And this
ESSaU by sa ^> Saint Francis gave them his blessing ; and
demons tne y went Dac ^ again to their own place. And
the feast of the Assumption being now come,
Saint Francis began the holy fast with great
abstinence and severity, mortifying his body and
comforting his spirit with fervent prayers, vigils,
and scourgings ; and in these prayers ever grow-
ing from virtue to virtue he made ready his soul
to receive the divine mysteries and the divine
splendours, and his body to endure the cruel
assaults of the demons, with whom he often-
times fought in sensible form ; and among others,
it befell on a time during that fast, that Saint
Francis leaving his cell one day in fervour of
spirit and going aside a little to pray in a hollow
of the rock, from the which doxvn to the ground
is an exceeding deep descent and a horrible and
fearful precipice, suddenly the devil came in
terrible shape, with a tempest and exceeding
loud roar, and struck at him for to push him
down thence. Saint Francis, not having where
to flee, and not being able to endure the grim
aspect of the demon, he turned him quickly with
hands and face and all his body pressed to
the rock, commending himself to God, and
groping with his hands, if perchance he might
find aught to cling to. But as it pleased God,
who suffereth not His servants to be tempted
above that they are able to bear, suddenly by a
miracle the rock to which he clung hollowed
itself out in fashion as the shape of his body,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 183
and so received him into itself, and like as if he The
had put his hands and face in melted wax, even miracle of
so was the form of the face and hands of Saint ro
Francis imprinted on the rock ; and thuswise
helped of God he escaped out of the hands of
the demon. But that which the demon could
not then do unto Saint Francis, to wit, push
him down thence, he did a good while after
the death of Saint Francis, unto one of his dear
and pious brothers, who was setting in order
some pieces of wood in the selfsame place, to
the end that it might be possible to win there
without peril, out of devotion to Saint Francis
and the miracle that was wrought there ; on a
day the demon pushed him, while he had on his
head a great log that he wished to set there, and
made him fall down thence with the log upon
his head. But God that had preserved and
delivered Saint Francis from falling, through his
merits delivered and preserved his pious brother
from the peril of his fall : for the brother, as he
fell, with exceeding great devotion commended
himself in a loud voice unto Saint Francis ; and
straightway he appeared unto him, and catching
him, set him down upon the rocks, without
suffering him to feel or shock or any hurt. Then
the other brothers having heard his cry as he
fell, and deeming him dead and dashed in pieces
by reason of his fall from such a height upon the
sharp rocks, with great sorrow and weeping took
up the bier and came from the other side of the
mountain for to gather up the fragments of his
body and bury them. When they were now
i4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The tame come down from the mountain, that brother that
falcon had fallen met them with the log upon his head
wherewith he had fallen, and he was singing
Te Deum laudamus in a loud voice. And the
brothers marvelling exceedingly, he told unto
them in order all the manner of his falling and
how Saint Francis had delivered him from all
peril. Then all the brothers went with him to the
place, singing most devoutly the aforesaid psalm,
Te Deum laudamus, and praising and giving
thanks to God and to Saint Francis for the
miracle that He had wrought upon their brother.
Now while Saint Francis was keeping the afore-
said fast, as hath been set forth above, albeit he
suffered many assaults of the evil one, neverthe-
less he received of God much consolation, not
only through the visits of angels, but also through
the birds of the wood. For during all the time
of that fast, a falcon, that was building her nest
hard by his cell, woke him every night a little
before Matins, with her singing and the beating
of her wings against the cell, and went not away
until he rose up to say Matins ; and when per-
chance Saint Francis was at one time more
wearied than at another, or sickly or weak, this
falcon, like a discreet person and pitiful, would
sing her song later. And so Saint Francis had
great joy of this clock ; for the great carefulness
of the falcon kept far from him all idleness, and
spurred him on to pray ; and beyond all thii,
she would sometimes in the day-time sit quite
tamely by him. Finally, as touching this second
reflection, Saint Francis being much weakened
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 185
in body through his sharp abstinence, and The
through the assaults of the devil, and desiring heavenly
to comfort the body with the spiritual food of melo "7
the soul, began to think on the immeasurable
glory and joy of the blessed in the life eternal ;
and therewithal began to pray God to grant him
the grace of tasting a little of that joy. And as
he continued in this thought, suddenly there
appeared unto him an Angel with exceeding
great splendour, having a viol in his left hand
and in his right the bow ; and as Saint Francis
stood all amazed at the sight of him, the Angel
drew the bow once across the viol ; and straight-
way Saint Francis was ware of such sweet
melody that his soul melted away for very
sweetness and was lifted up above all bodily
feeling ; insomuch that, as he afterwards told
his companions, he doubted that, if the Angel
had drawn the bow a second time across the
strings, his mind would have left his body for
the all too utter sweetness thereof. And this
touching the second reflection.
Of the third reflection on the most holy Stigmata
Coming to the third reflection, to wit, on
the seraphic vision and the imprinting of the
most holy Stigmata, ye must needs know, that
as the time of the feast of the most holy Cross
drew near, in the month of September, one
night Brother Leo went to the wonted place
and at the wonted hour for to say Matins with
Saint Francis ; and when he said Domine, labia
i86 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
A torch mea aperies from the bridge-head as was his we
of flame anc i S a i n t Francis made no answer, Brother Leo
fro m ^ not 8 k a( -k again, as Saint Francis had given
heaven him commandment ; but with a good and holy
intention, he crossed the bridge and entered softly
into his cell, and not finding him, he thought that
he might be praying somewhere in the wood :
wherefore he came out again, and by the light
of the moon went softly searching through the
wood : and at last he heard the voice of Saint
Francis, and, drawing near, saw him on his knees
in prayer, with face and hands raised up to
Heaven ; and in fervour of spirit he was saying :
" Who art thou, O most sweet my God ? What
am I, most vile worm and Thine unprofitable
servant?" And these selfsame words he said
again and again, and spake no word beside. For
the which cause Brother Leo, marvelling thereat,
lifted up his eyes unto heaven ; and as he looked,
he saw coming down from heaven a torch of
flame exceeding beautiful and bright, which, de-
scending, rested on the head of Saint Francis :
and out of the flame there came a voice that
spake with Saint Francis, but Brother Leo could
not understand the words. Hearing this, and
deeming himself unworthy to stand so close to
the holy place where that wondrous apparition
was revealed, and fearing moreover to offend
Saint Francis and disturb him in his contempla-
tion, if perchance he should perceive him, he
softly drew back, and standing afar ofF, waited to
see the end : and gazing with eyes fixed, he saw
Saint Francis stretch out his hands three times
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 187
to the flame : and at the last after long space of Brother
time he saw the flame return to heaven. So, Leo's dis-
gladdened by the vision, he softly turned away for obec "ence
to go to his cell again. And as he was going
softly, deeming himself unseen, Saint Francis
was aware of him by the rustling of the leaves
beneath his feet, and bade him wait for him, and
not to move. Then Brother Leo, obedient,
stood still and waited with such fear that, as he
afterwards told his companions, at that moment
he would rather that the earth had swallowed him
up than wait for Saint Francis, who he thought
would be displeased with him : for with great
diligence he took heed not to offend his father,
lest for his fault Saint Francis might deprive him
of his company. Then Saint Francis coming up
to him, asked him : " Who art thou ? " And
Brother Leo all trembling answered : " I am
Brother Leo, my father." And Saint Francis
said unto him : " Wherefore art thou come
hither, brother little sheep ? have I not told thee
not to come watching me: Tell me by holy
obedience whether thou hast seen or heard aught."
Replied Brother Leo : " Father, I heard thee
speak, and say several times : Who art thou, O
most sweet my God ? What am I, most vile
worm and Thine unprofitable servant ? " Then
Brother Leo, kneeling down before Saint Francis,
confessed the fault of disobedience that he had
committed against his bidding, and besought his
pardon with many tears. And thereafter he
devoutly prayed him to interpret unto him the
words that he had heard, and to tell him what
1 88 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The two were those that he had not understood. Then
lights Saint Francis seeing that God had revealed unto
the humble Brother Leo, or had permitted him
to hear and see certain things, for his simplicity
and purity's sake, deigned to reveal and interpret
unto him that which he had asked ; and he spake
thus : " Know, brother little sheep of God, that
when I spake the words that thou didst hear,
then were shown to my soul two lights, the one
of the knowledge and understanding of myself,
the other of the knowledge and understanding of
the Creator. When I said : Who art thou, O
most sweet my God ? then was I in a light of
contemplation, in the which I saw the lamentable
depth of my own vileness and misery ; and there-
fore I said: Who art thou, Lord of infinite
goodness and wisdom, that dost deign to visit
me, that am a vile worm and abominable ? And
in the flame that thou sawest, was God : who
spake in such manner unto me, even as in old
time He had spoken unto Moses. And among
the other things that he said unto me, He asked
me to give Him three gifts ; and I answered
Him: My Lord, I am wholly Thine: Thou
knowest well, that I have naught else save the
tunic and the cord and the breeches, and even
these three things are thine; what then can 1
offer and present to Thy Majesty ? Then God
said unto me: Search in thy bosom and give
me what thou findest there. So I searched and
found a ball of gold ; and I offered it to God ;
and so did I three times, as God three times gave
me commandment : and then I kneeled down
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 189
three times, and blessed and gave thanks unto The three
God, that had given me what to offer unto Him. offerings
And straightway it was given me to understand,
that the meaning of these three offerings was
holy obedience, most high poverty, and glorious
chastity, the which God by His grace hath
granted me to observe so perfectly that in
naught doth my conscience reprove me. And
even as thou didst see me put my hands
into my bosom and offer to God these three
virtues signified under the form of the three
balls of gold, which God had put into my bosom ;
even so hath God given me virtue within my soul,
that for all the benefits and all the graces that He
hath granted me of His most holy goodness, I
alway praise and magnify Him with my heart
and lips. These are the words that thou didst
hear when I lifted up my hand three times, as
thou sawest. But take heed, brother little sheep,
that thou come not watching me, but return to
thy cell with the blessing of God, and do thou
have a tender care of me ; for a few days hence
God will do so great things in this mountain that
all the world will marvel ; sith He will perform
certain new things, the which He hath never
done unto any creature in this world." And
said these words, he bade him bring the book of
the Gospels ; for God had put it into his soul
that by the opening of the book of the Gospels
three times, it would be revealed to him what
it was the will of God to do with him. And
when the book was brought, Saint Francis threw
himself on his knees in prayer : when he had
i 9 o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The done praying, he let open the book three times by
Angel t he hand of Brother Leo, in the name of the
appears most ^^ Trinity ; and as it pleased the divine
to St providence, on each of those three times there
Francis appeared before him the passion of Christ. For
the which cause it was given him to understand
that even as he had followed Christ in the acts of
his life, so ought he to follow Him and be con-
formed to Him in His afflictions and sorrows and
in His passion, before he passed away from this
life. And from that time forth, Saint Francis
began more plenteously to taste and feel the
sweetness of divine contemplation and of the
divine visitings. Among the which he had one
that was an immediate preparation for the im-
printing of the most holy Stigmata, and it was
after this manner. On the day before the feast
of the most holy Cross, in the month of Septem-
ber, as Saint Francis was praying in secret in his
cell, there appeared unto him the Angel of God,
and bespake him in the name of God : ** I am
come to comfort and admonish thee, that thou
make thyself ready and set thyself in order,
humbly with all patience to receive whatsoever
God will give to thee and work in thee." Re-
plied Saint Francis : " I am ready to endure with
patience all things whatsoever my Lord may will
to do unto me" : and this said, the angel was
away. So the next day came, to wit, the day
of the most holy Cross : and early in the morn-
ing before dawn, Saint Francis fell on his knees
in prayer in front of the entrance to his cell, and
turning his face towards the East, prayed in this
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 191
manner : " Oh my Lord Jesu Christ, I pray Thee The
grant me two graces, before I die : the first, that heavenly
in my life-time I may feel in my soul and in my vlslon
body, so far as may be, the pain that Thou, sweet
Lord, didst bear in the hour of Thy most bitter
passion ; the second is, that I may feel in my
heart, as far as may be, that exceeding love,
wherewith Thou, O Son of God, wast kindled
to willingly endure such agony for us sinners."
And as he thus continued a long time in prayer,
he came to know that God would hear him and
that as far as was possible for the mere creature,
so far would it be granted him to feel the things
aforesaid. Having this promise, Saint Francis
began with exceeding great devotion to contem-
plate the passion of Christ and His infinite love :
and the fervour of devotion so grew in him that
he was altogether transformed into Jesu through
love and pity. And as he was thuswise set on
fire in this contemplation, on that same morn he
saw descend from heaven a Seraph with six
wings resplendent and aflame, and as with swift
flight the Seraph drew nigh unto Saint Francis,
so that he could discern him, he clearly saw that
he bore in him the image of a man crucified : and
his wings were in such guise displayed, that two
wings were spread above his head, two were
spread out to fly, and the other twain covered all
his body. Seeing this, Saint Francis was sore
adread, and was filled at once with joy and grief
and marvel. He felt exceeding joy at the gra-
cious look of Christ, who appeared to him so
lovingly, and gazed on him so graciously : but on
i 9 * THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The the other hand, seeing him crucified upon the
burning crO ss, he felt immeasurable grief for pity's sake,
mountain Therewithj he marvelled much at so amazing
and unwonted a vision, knowing full well that
the weakness of the Passion agreeth not with the
immortality of the seraphic spirit. And as he
thus marvelled, it was revealed by Him that
appeared to him : that by divine providence this
vision had been shown in such form, to the end
that he might understand that not by the martyr-
dom of the body, but by the enkindling of his
mind, must he needs be wholly transformed into
the express image of Christ Crucified, in that
wondrous apparition. Then the whole mount of
Alvernia appeared as though it burned with
bright-shining flames, that lit up all the mountains
and valleys round as though it had been the sun
upon the earth ; whereby the shepherds, that
were keeping watch in those parts, seeing the
mountain aflame and so great a light around, had
exceeding great fear, according as they afterwards
told unto the brothers, declaring that this flame
rested upon the mount of Alvernia for the space
of an hour and more. In like manner, at the
bright shining of this light, which through the
windows lit up the hostels of the country round,
certain muleteers that were going into Romagna,
arose, believing that the day had dawned, and
saddled and laded their beasts : and going on
their way, they saw the said light die out and the
material sun arise. In the said seraphic appari-
tion, Christ, the which appeared to him, spake to
Saint Francis certain high and secret things, the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 193
which Saint Francis in his life-time desired not St
to reveal to any man : but after his life was done, Francis
he did reveal them, as is set forth below ; and JJ-g^
the words were these : " Knowest thou," said Stigmata
Christ, " what it is that I have done unto thee ?
I have given thee the Stigmata, that are the signs
of my passion, to the end that thou mayest be my
standard-bearer. And even as on the day of my
death I descended into hell and brought out
thence all the souls that I found there by virtue
of these my Stigmata : even so do I grant to thee
that every year on the day of thy death thou
shalt go to Purgatory, and in virtue of thy Stig-
mata shalt bring out thence all the souls of thy
three Orders, to wit, Minors, Sisters, and Con-
tinents, and likewise others that shall have had
a great devotion unto thee, and shalt lead them
unto the glory of Paradise, to the end that thou
mayest be conformed to me in death, as thou art
in life." Then this marvellous vision vanishing
away, after long space and secret converse, left
in the heart of Saint Francis an exceeding
ardour and flame of love divine : and in his
flesh a marvellous image and copy of the passion
of Christ. For straightway in the hands and
feet of Saint Francis began to appear the marks
of the nails, in such wise as he had seen them in
the body of Jesu Christ, the Crucified, the which
had shown Himself to him in the likeness of a
seraph : and thus his hands and feet appeared to
be pierced through the middle with nails, and
the heads of them were in the palms of his hands
and the soles of his feet outside the flesh, and
i 9 4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He seeks their points came out on the back of his hai
counsel an d o f his feet, so that they seemed bent back
f . i s and rivetted in such fashion that under the bend
and rivetting, which all stood out above the
flesh, might easily be put a finger of the hand,
as in a ring : and the heads of the nails were
round and black. Likewise in the right side
appeared an image of a wound made by a lance,
unhealed, and red and bleeding, the which after-
wards ofttimes dropped blood from the sacred
breast of Saint Francis, and stained with blood
his tunic and his hose. Wherefore his com-
panions, before they knew it of his own lips,
perceiving nevertheless that he uncovered not his
hands and feet, and that he could not put the
soles of his feet to the ground ; and afterwards
finding his tunic and his hose all stained with
blood, what time they washed them, knew of a
surety that in his hands and feet and likewise in
his side he bore the express image and similitude
of our Lord Jesu Christ Crucified. And albeit
he sought carefully to hide and to conceal those
glorious and most holy Stigmata, so clearly im-
printed on his flesh : and sith on the other hand
he saw thnt he could ill conceal them from his
own familiar friends : yet feared to spread
abroad the secrets of God, he stood in much
doubt if best it were to reveal the seraphic
vision, the imprinting of the most holy Stigmata.
At length through the pricking of conscience, he
called unto him certain of his companions that
were his more familiar friends, and setting forth
unto them his doubt in general terms, without
ST FRANCIS OF ASSIS1 195
making mention of the actual fact, he asked their He tells
counsel. Now among these brothers there was f his
one of great sanctity, whose name was Brother vlslon
Illuminato : he being truly illumined of God,
understanding that Saint Francis must needs
have seen some marvellous thing, answered him :
" Brother Francis, know that not for thyself
alone, but also for others' sake, hath God at
sundry times revealed to thee His holy mysteries;
wherefore thou hast good reason for to fear, that,
if thou keep secret what God hath shown thee
for the benefit of others, thou mayest be held
worthy of blame." Then Saint Francis moved
by these words, with exceeding great fear told
unto them all the manner and the form of the
vision set forth above ; adding that Christ, the
which had appeared to him, had given him cer-
tain things that he would never tell, so long as
he lived. And albeit those most holy wounds,
inasmuch as Christ had imprinted them, gave to
his heart exceeding joy : nathless to his flesh and
the senses of his body, they gave pain unbearable.
So that, constrained by necessity, he chose out
Brother Leo, as above the rest the most simple
and most pure, and to him he revealed the
whole, and suffered him to see and touch those
holy wounds, and swathe them in bands to
assuage the pain, and to receive the blood that
trickled from the said wounds ; the which bands,
in time of sickness, he suffered him to change
often, and even every day, save from Thursday
evening until Saturday morning ; because during
that time he would not that the pain of the
196 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He passion of Christ, which he bore in his body,
_ departs should a whit be lessened by any human medi-
4. ;5 cine or remedy ; for at that time our Saviour
mountain T / ~, . r
Jesu Christ had been for our sakes taken and was
crucified, dead and buried. It befell on a time
that as Brother Leo was changing the bandage
of the wound in the side, Saint Francis, for the
pain that he felt when the blood-stained band-
ages were loosed, laid his hand upon the breast
of Brother Leo ; and at the touch of those holy
hands, Brother Leo felt such sweetness of devo-
tion in his heart, that he well-nigh fell upon the
ground half-dead. And at the last, touching
this third reflection, Saint Francis having ended
the forty days' fast of Saint Michael the Arch-
angel, set himself by divine revelation to return
to Saint Mary of the Angels. Wherefore he
called unto him Brother Masseo and Brother
Angelo ; and after many words and holy
admonishments, commended that holy mountain
into their charge with what earnestness he might,
saying that as for himself it behoved him with
Brother Leo to return to Saint Mary of the
Angels. And this said, he took leave of them
and blessed them in the name of Jesu Crucified,
and yielding to their prayers, he stretched out to
them his most holy hands adorned with those
glorious and sacred Stigmata, to see, to touch,
and kiss : and so leaving them comforted, he
departed from them and went down from the
holy mountain.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 197
Of the fourth reflection on the most holy Stigmata.
As to the fourth reflection, ye must know The fame
that after the true love of Christ had perfectly of his
transformed Saint Francis in God and in the
true image of Christ Crucified, having finished
the fast of forty days in honour of Saint Michael
the Archangel, upon the holy mount of Alvernia ;
after the feast of Saint Michael, that angel-like
man, Saint Francis, came down from the moun-
tain, with Brother Leo and a devout peasant, on
whose ass he sat, sith by reason of the nails in
his feet he could ill go afoot. When therefore
Saint Francis had come down from the moun-
tain, the fame of his sanctity was noised already
throughout the country, and the shepherds had
spread it abroad how they had seen the mount of
Alvernia ail aflame, and how that this was the
sign of some great miracle that God had wrought
upon Saint Francis ; so the people of the parts
through which he passed, all came out to meet
him, both men and women, small and great : and
they all, with great devotion and desire, sought
to touch him and to kiss his hands ; and he not
being able to escape the devotion of the people,
albeit he had bound up the palms of his hands,
yet the better to hide the most holy Stigmata, he
bound them up still more and covered them with
his sleeves and gave them only the fingers to kiss.
But for all his pains to hide and to conceal the
mystery of the most holy Stigmata, to avoid all
occasion of worldly glory, it pleased God for His
own glory to show forth many miracles, by virtue
198 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He works of the said most holy Stigmata ; and above all in
miracles that journey from Alvernia to Saint Mary of the
Angels ; as well as very many thereafter in divers
parts of the world, in his life-time and after his
glorious death ; to the end that their hidden and
marvellous virtue, and the exceeding love and
mercy of Christ towards him in His marvellous
gift of them, might be shown forth to the world,
through clear and evident miracles ; whereof we
will set forth certain in this place. Now at that
time as Saint Francis was drawing nigh to a
village that was on the borders of the county of
Arezzo, there came to meet him a woman, weep-
ing bitterly, with her son in her arms, the which
was eight years old and had had the dropsy four
years ; and his body was so terribly swollen that,
when he stood upright he could not see his feet ;
and this woman laid her son down before him,
and besought him that he would pray to God
for him. Then Saint Francis first set himself
to pray, and then, done the prayer, laid his holy
hands on the body of the child, and straightway
all the swelling was allayed, and he was made
every whit whole, and he gave him back to his
mother, who receiving him with exceeding great
joy and taking him home again, gave thanks
to God and to Saint Francis, and willingly
showed her son that was healed to all of that
country that came to her house for to see him.
The self-same day Saint Francis passed through
Borgo San Sepolcro, and before he drew nigh
the place, crowds came to meet him from that
place and from the town, and many went before
him wit
ST FRANCIS OF ASS1SI 199
im with branches of olive in their hands, crying His con-
aloud: "Behold, the Saint! behold, the Saint !" templa-
and for the devotion and desire that the people jj on .
had to touch him, there was a great throng and things
press about him : but he, going on with mind
through contemplation uplifted and rapt in God,
albeit the people touched and held and plucked
at him, like one insensible, knew naught at all of
what was done and said around him ; nor was he
ware that he was passing through that place or
through that country. Having passed through
the town, when the crowds had returned to their
homes, he came to a lazar-house, a full mile
beyond the town, and returning to himself again,
as one coming from another world, the Celestial
contemplative asked his companion : " When
shall we be near the town ? " Of a truth his
soul, fixed and rapt in contemplation of heavenly
things, had taken no heed of any earthly thing,
nor the changes of place, nor of time, nor of folk
that met them by the way. And even so it
befell many other times even as his companions
with clear knowledge had proof thereof. That
evening Saint Francis came to the house of the
brothers of Monte Casale, in which house was a
brother so cruelly sick and so horribly tormented
by his sickness, that his disease seemed rather
some infliction and torment of the devil than a
natural sickness ; for sometimes he would throw
himself flat upon the ground with a great trem-
bling and with foaming at the mouth ; then all the
muscles of his body would shrink ; now would
they stretch, now bend, now twist ; now
JOG THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He heals his heels would be drawn up to the nape
the sick o f hi s neck, and he would leap high in the
air and at once fall flat upon his back. And as
Saint Francis sat at table, hearing from the
brothers of this brother so miserably sick and
so incurable, he had compassion upon him ;
and taking a bit of bread, that he was eating, he
made over it the sign of the most holy Cross
with his holy pierced hands, and gave it to the
sick brother: the which, when he had eaten,
was made perfectly whole and never felt that
sickness any more. When the next morning
came, Saint Francis sent two of the brothers of
that House to live at Alvernia, and he sent
back with them the peasant that had walked
behind the ass that had been lent him, desiring
that he should return therewith to his own
house. So the brothers set out with the said
peasant, and as they came into the country of
Arezzo, certain men of those parts beheld them
from far off, and were exceeding glad deeming
that it was Saint Francis, who had passed that
way two days before : for a woman among them
that had been in travail three days and could not
bring to the birth, was like to die : and they
thought to see her safe and sound again, if Saint
Francis laid his holy hands upon her. But as
the said brothers drew near, and they perceived
that it was not Saint Francis, they were exceed-
ing sorrowful, but albeit the Saint was not there
in bodily presence, nathless his virtue was
not lacking, sith they lacked not in faith. O
marvellous thing ! the woman was at the point
ST FRANCIS OF ASSIS1 toi
to die and had already the marks of death upon He drives
her. They asked the brothers if they had aught out a devil
that had been touched by the most holy hands of
Saint Francis. The brothers bethought them and
searched diligently, but in the end found naught
that Saint Francis had touched with his hands,
save only the halter of the ass whereon he had
ridden. With great reverence and devotion they
took this halter and laid it on the body of the
woman that was with child, calling devoutly on
the name of Saint Francis and faithfully commend-
ing themselves unto him. And what more ? So
soon as the halter was laid upon the ' woman,
straightway was she delivered from all peril, and
easily and safely gave birth with joy. Saint
Francis, after he had tarried for some days in
the said House, departed and went to the city
of Castello. And behold, many of the towns-
folk came to meet him, and brought unto him a
woman that had been long time possessed of a devil
and besought him humbly to set her free, for
with doleful howlings and piercing shrieks and
barking like a dog she disturbed all the country
round. Then Saint Francis, having first prayed
and made over her the sign of the most holy
Cross, commanded the devil to depart from her :
and straightway he departed and left her whole
in body and in mind. And this miracle being
noised abroad among the people, another woman
with great faith brought to him her son griev-
ously afflicted with a cruel wound, and besought
him devoutly that he would be pleased to make
the sign of the cross upon it with his hands.
^o^ THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He Then Saint Francis, hearing her prayer, took the
departs child and untied the bandage of the wound and
C til" kl esse d him, making three times the sign of the
most holy Cross upon the wound, and then with
his own hands bound it up again, and gave him
back to his mother : and because it was evening,
she straightway laid him down upon the bed to
sleep. In the morning she came to take him out
of bed and found the bandages unbound : and
looked and found him so perfectly healed as
though he had had no hurt at all ; save at the
place where the wound had been, the flesh had
grown over, like to a red rose : and that rather
in token of the miracle, than as a sign of the
wound : for the said rose remaining all through
his life, often stirred up in him devotion to Saint
Francis who had healed him. At the prayers of
the devout townsfolk, Saint Francis abode in that
city a month, in the which time he wrought many
other miracles ; and then he departed to go unto
Saint Mary of the Angels with Brother Leo and
with a certain good man that lent him his ass,
on the which Saint Francis rode. Now it befell
that by reason of the bad roads and of the severe
cold, though they journeyed all day, they could
not reach a house wherein to lodge : wherefore,
constrained by the darkness and the storm, they
took shelter under the brow of a hollow rock,
for to escape the snow and the night that was
coming on.
And being in this evil plight and eke ill-
covered, the good man whose ass it was, could
not sleep by reason of the cold, and seeing that
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI *oj
they had no means to make a fire, began softly He comes
to complainw ithin himself and to lament, and as to St
it were to murmur against Saint Francis that had J^ *e
brought him to such a place. Then Saint Angels
Francis being ware of it, had compassion upon
him ; and in fervour of spirit stretched out his
hand towards him, and touched him. O wondrous
thing ! so soon as he had touched him with that
hand which had been kindled and pierced by the
fire of the Seraph, all the cold left him ; and
such heat entered into him both within and from
without that he seemed to be near to the mouth
of a blazing furnace, so that straightway com-
forted in soul and body, he fell asleep : and, by
his own report, he slept that night more sweetly
among the rocks and snow until dawn, than ever
he slept in his own bed. On the next day they
went on their journey, and came to Saint Mary
of the Angels : and as they drew near, Brother
Leo lifted up his eyes, and looked towards the
said House of Saint Mary of the Angels, and
saw a Cross exceeding beautiful, whereon was
the figure of the Crucified, going before Saint
Francis, and with such accord did the said Cross
go before the face of Saint Francis, that when
he rested, it rested also, and when he went on,
it went on too : and that Cross was of such
splendour that not only was its light reflected in
the face of Saint Francis, but likewise all the
road was lit up round about him ; and it lasted
until Saint Francis entered into the House of
Saint Mary of the Angels. Saint Francis then
being come with Brother Leo, they were received
204 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The by the brothers with exceeding great joy and
beautiful love, and from thenceforth until his death Saint
cross Prancis spent the most of his time in that House
of Saint Mary of the Angels. And the fame
of his sanctity and of his miracles spread con-
tinually more and more throughout the Order
and throughout the world, albeit in his deep
humility he hid, as best he could, the graces and
the gifts of God, and called himself the greatest
of sinners. Whereat Brother Leo marvelling
on a time and thinking foolishly within himself:
" Behold, he calls himself the greatest of sinners
in the ears of all men ; and he has become great
in the Order ; and is so much honoured of God ;
and nevertheless in secret he never confesses
himself guilty of carnal sin : can it be that he is
still a virgin ? " and thereupon a great desire
began to take hold on him, to know the truth
thereof, but he dared not to ask Saint Francis.
Wherefore he turned himself to God ; and
besought Him earnestly to certify him in that
which he desired to know ; and for his much
praying and through the merits of Saint Francis
he was heard, and was certified that Saint Francis
was in very sooth a virgin in body, through the
vision that followeth. For he saw in a dream
Saint Francis standing on a high place and
honourable, unto which none could reach or set
himself by his side ; and it was told him in spirit
that this place so high and so pre-eminent signi-
fied the pre-eminence of virginal chastity in Saint
Francis, which rightly accorded with the flesh
that was to be adorned with the most holy
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 205
Stigmata of Christ. Saint Francis, seeing that St
by reason of the Stigmata of Christ the strength Francis
of his body was little by little failing him, and ^vkar*
that he could no longer take care for the govern-
ment of the Order, summoned the General
Chapter in haste : the which being all assembled,
he humbly excused himself before the brothers
for the bodily frailty, whereby he could no more
take on him the care of the Order, as touching
the work of the general ; howbeit he would not
lay down the office of general, for that he could
not do, sith he had been made General by the
Pope, and therefore he could not leave the office
or put a successor in his place without the express
permission of the Pope ; but he appointed as his
Vicar Brother Peter Cattani, commending the
Order unto him and the Ministers of the pro-
vinces with all the affection that he could. And
this done, Saint Francis comforted in spirit,
lifting his eyes and hands to heaven, spake thus :
" To Thee, O Lord my God, to Thee do I
commend Thy family, the which Thou hast
committed unto me until this hour, and now
through mine infirmities, that Thou wottest
of, most sweet my Lord, I can no longer
take care for it. Likewise do I commend
it unto the Ministers of the provinces ; let them
be bound to render an account on the Day of
Judgment, if any brother, through their negli-
gence, or their bad example, or their too harsh
severity, should perish." And by these words,
as it pleased God, all the brothers in the Chap-
ter understood that he spake of the holy Stigmata,
^o6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
and gives in that he excused himself by reason of
him i the infirmity ; and of their devotion none of them
could refrain themselves from weeping. And
from thenceforth he left all the care and govern-
ment of the Order in the hands of his Vicar and
of the Ministers of the provinces ; and said :
" Now that I have given up the care of the
Order by reason of my infirmities, I am hence-
forth in naught bound save to pray God for our
Order and to give a good example to the brothers.
And I know well of very sooth, that were mine
infirmity to depart from me, the greatest help
that I could give the Order, would be to pray
to God continually for it, that he would defend
and guide and keep it." Now, as has been set
forth above, albeit Saint Francis strove as best
he might to hide the most holy Stigmata, and
ever since he had received them, always went
with hands bound up and feet shod, yet he
could not prevent many brothers from seeing and
touching them in divers manners, and chief of
all the wound in the side, the which he strove
with greater diligence to hide. Thus a brother
that did him service, on a time induced him with
pious craft to take off his tunic, for to shake out
the dust therefrom : and as he took it off before
him, the brother clearly saw the wound in the
side ; and quickly putting his hand on his breast,
touched it with his three fingers, and learned the
breadth and depth of it : and in like manner his
Vicar saw it also. But Brother Ruffino was
still more clearly certified thereof: he was a
man of very great contemplation, of whom Saint
his
em
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 207
Francis said many times that there was no man The
in the world more holy than he, and for his certifying
sanctity he loved him with all his heart and e
suffered him in whatsoever things he desired.
This Brother Ruffino certified himself and others
of the most holy Stigmata, and above all of that
in his side, in three ways. The first was, that
having to wash the hose, which Saint Francis
wore so large, that drawing them up he covered
the wound in his right side therewith, the said
Brother Ruffino examined and considered them
diligently, and each time he found them stained
with blood on the right side ; whereby he perceived
of a surety that this was blood that came from
out the wound aforesaid: but for this Saint
Francis reproved him, when he saw that he
spread out the hose that he took off, for to see
this token. The second way was, that on a time
the said Brother Ruffino of set purpose thrust
his fingers into the wound in the side ; so that
Saint Francis for the pain that he felt, cried out
aloud : " God pardon thee, O Brother Ruffino,
wherefore hast thou done this thing ? " The
third way was, that on a time he besought Saint
Francis instantly as a most gracious favour, to
give him his cloak and take his instead for the
love of charity ; yielding to his prayer, albeit
unwillingly, the loving Father drew off his cloak
and gave it him and took his instead ; and then
in this drawing off and putting on again, Brother
Ruffino plainly saw the wound aforesaid.
Brother Leo likewise and many other brothers
saw the said most holy Stigmata of Saint Francis
THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
2rs,
thy
Lady while he was yet alive : the which brothers,
Jacoba di though for their sanctity they were men worthy
soli ^ trust anc * to ^ e believed on their bare word,
nevertheless, for to take away all doubt from
the hearts of men, they swore on the holy Book
that they had clearly seen them. Likewise
certain cardinals that were his own familiar friends,
saw them, and in reverence for the said most
holy Stigmata of Saint Francis they wrote and
made beautiful and devout Hymns and Anti-
phons and Proses.* The Supreme Pontiff,
Pope Alexander, while preaching to the people
in the presence of all the cardinals, among the
which was Saint Bonaventura, that was a car-
dinal, said and affirmed that he had seen with
his own eyes the sacred Stigmata of Saint Francis,
while he was yet alive. And the Lady Jacoba
di Sentensoli of Rome, who was the greatest
lady of her time in Rome, and had a great de-
votion unto Saint Francis, both before he died
and after his death, both saw and kissed them
many times with much reverence, because by
divine revelation she came from Rome to Assisi
for to be present at the death of Saint Francis,
and it befell in this wise. Saint Francis, some
days before his death, lay sick at Assisi in
the palace of the Bishop along with certain
of his companions, and in spite of all his sick-
ness he oftentimes sang certain songs of praise
to Christ. On a day one of his companions
said unto him : " Father, thou knowest that
* i.e., A Latin hymn having rhyme and an equal
number of syllables in each line, but no metre.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 109
these townsfolk have great faith in thee and Paradise
deem thee a holy man ; and to the end that they assured
may think that thou art truly what they deem
thee, thou oughtest in this thy sickness to
bethink thee of death, and to rather weep than
sing, seeing that thou art so grievously sick : and
know that thy singing and ours, that thou dost
make us sing, is heard of many persons both
within the palace and without ; sith for thy sake
this palace is guarded by many men-at-arms, the
which perchance may find therein a bad example.
Wherefore methinks," quoth this brother, " that
thou wouldest do well to depart hence, and that
we should all return to Saint Mary of the
Angels, for it is not well with us here among
the men of the world." Saint Francis answered
him : " Brother most dear, thou knowest that it
is now two years since God revealed to thee the
limit of my life, what time we sojourned in
Fuligno, and likewise hath He revealed also
unto me that a few days hence, in the course of
this sickness, that limit will be reached : and in
that revelation hath God assured me of the re-
mission of all my sins and of the bliss of Para-
dise. Before that revelation, I wept for death
and for my sins : but now that this revelation is
made known to me, I am so full of joy, that I
can weep no more ; therefore I sing and still
shall sing to God, that hath given to me the
blessing of His grace, and hath assured me of
the blessings of the glory of Paradise. Touch-
ing our departure hence, I agree thereto and am
well pleased, but do ye find some means to carry
210 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St me, sith for mine infirmity I cannot go afoot."
Francis Then the brothers took him up in their arms and
AssS carr * ec * him, and many of the townsfolk bare
them company. And coming to a hospice that
was by the way, Saint Francis said unto them
that bore him : " Set me down upon the ground
and turn me towards the city." And when
that he was laid with his face turned towards
Assisi, he blessed the city with many blessings,
saying : " Blessed be thou of God, O holy city,
seeing that through thee shall many souls be
saved, and in thee shall dwell many servants of
the Lord : and out of thee shall many be chosen
for the kingdom of eternal life." And said
these words, he let carry him on, to Saint Mary
of the Angels. And when that they were come
to Saint Mary of the Angels, they carried him
into the infirmary, and laid him down there to rest.
Then Saint Francis called unto him one of his
companions, and said unto him : " Brother most
dear, God hath revealed to me that from this
sickness, on such a day, I shall pass away from
this life : now thou wottest that the beloved
Lady Jacoba di Sentensoli, who is so devoted
to our Order, would be sore grieving, if she
heard of my death and had not herself been
present : whereby send her word that if she
would see me alive again, let her come here
straightway." Replied the brother : " Father,
thou hast well said ; for of very sooth for the
great devotion that she bears thee, it would not
at all be fitting that she should be absent at thy
death." " Go then," quoth Saint Franci?
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI an
" and bring me inkhorn and paper and pen, and The lettei
write as I shall tell thee." And when that he to the
had brought them, Saint Francis dictated the
letter after this manner : " To the Lady Jacoba,
the servant of God, Brother Francis the poor
little one of Christ, greeting, and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit in our Lord Jesu Christ.
Know, dear lady, that Christ, the blessed One,
hath of His grace revealed unto me that the end
of my life is shortly at hand. Wherefore, if
thou desire to see me still alive, when thou hast
seen this letter, do thou arise and come unto
Saint Mary of the Angels : for if thou art not
come by such a day, thou wilt not find me still
alive : and bring with thee a shroud of hair-
cloth, to wrap my body in, and the wax that
is needed for the burial. I pray thee like-
wise that thou bring me some of the food that
thou wast wont to give me, when I lay sick in
Rome." And whiles this letter was in writing,
it was of God revealed unto Saint Francis that
the Lady Jacoba was coming unto him and was
even now come nigh the House, and was bring-
ing with her all the things that he was asking
for by letter. Therefore, having this revelation,
Saint Francis said unto the brother that was
writing the letter, that he should write no more,
seeing that there was no need, but should lay the
letter aside : at the which thing the brothers
marvelled much, in that he finished not the
letter and desired that it should not be sent. And
after a little space, there was a loud knocking at
the door of the House, and Saint Francis sent
in THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Lady the porter to open it : and the door being opened,
Jacoba behold ! there was the Lady Jacoba, the most
st noble Iad y in a11 Rome with her two sons that
Francis were senators of Rome, and a great company of
horsemen, and they entered in ; and the Lady
Jacoba went straight to the infirmary and came
unto Saint Francis. And of her coming Saint
Francis had exceeding great joy and comfort,
and she likewise, beholding him still alive and
having speech of him. Then she told him how
God had revealed unto her in Rome, as she was
at prayer, the near end of his life, and how he
would send for her and ask for those things, all
of which she said she had brought with her;
and she let bring them to Saint Francis, and
gave them him to eat. And when he had eaten
and was much comforted, the Lady Jacoba
kneeled down at the feet of Saint Francis, and
took those most holy feet marked and adorned
with the wounds of Christ, and kissed them
and bathed them with her tears in such a rapture
of devotion, that to the brothers that stood around
it seemed they saw the very Magdalene herself
at the feet of Jesu Christ, and by no means could
they draw her away. And at length after a
long space they lifted her up thence and drew
her aside ; and they asked her how she had
come at a time so fitting and so well provided
with all the things that were needed for the
sustenance and for the burial of Saint Francis.
Replied the Lady Jacoba that, as she was pray-
ing in Rome one night, she heard a voice from
heaven saying : " If thou desire to see Saint
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Francis still alive, delay not to go unto Assisi, St
and take with thee the things thou wast wont to Francis
give him when he was sick, and the things that
will be needed for his burial ; and " (quoth she)
"even so have I done." So the said Lady
Jacoba abode there until such time as Saint
Francis passed away from this life and was
buried ; and she paid great honour unto his bury-
ing, she and all her company, and she bore the
charges of whatsoever was needed. Then return-
ing to Rome, after a short time this gentle lady
died a holy death ; and of her devotion to Saint
Francis, she decided and desired to be carried to
Saint Mary of the Angels and be buried there ;
and so was it done.
Ho'w Jerome touched and saw the most holy Stig-
mata of Saint Francis, wherein at Jlrst he
disbelieved
After the death of Saint Francis not only did
the aforesaid Lady Jacoba and her sons together
with all her company see and kiss his glorious
sacred Stigmata, but likewise many citizens of
Assisi ; among the which was a knight of great
renown and a man of worth, named Jerome, the
which doubted much thereof and was unbelieving,
even as Saint Thomas the Apostle doubted the
wounds of Christ ; and to certify himself and the
others he boldly in the presence of the brothers
and the lay-folk moved the nails in the hands
and feet, and felt the wound in the side, for a
clear testimony. For the which cause he bore
2i4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St witness of that truth constantly, swearing on the
Francis Book that so it was, and so had he seen and
canonised touc h e d. Likewise Saint Clare with her nuns,
the which were present at his burial, saw and
kissed the glorious sacred Stigmata of Saint
Francis.
Of the day and of the year of the death of Saint
Francis
The glorious confessor of Christ, Saint Francis,
passed away from this life in the year of our
Lord one thousand two hundred and twenty-six,
on the fourth day of October, being Saturday,
and was buried on the Sunday. This year was
the twentieth year of his conversion, to wit, when
he began to do penance, and was the second year
after the imprinting of the most holy Stigmata,
and he was in the forty-fifth year of his age.
Of the canonisation of Sainf Francis
Thereafter was Saint Francis canonised, in the
year one thousand two hundred and twenty-
eight, by Pope Gregory IX. ; the which came
in his proper person to Assisi for to canonise
him. And this sufficeth for the fourth reflection.
Of the jifth and last refection on the most holy
Stigmata
The fifth and last reflection is touching certain
apparitions and miracles that God wrought and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 115
showed forth after the death of Saint Francis, The
for the confirmation of his most holy Stigmata, revela-
and for a testimony of the day and the hour D n t u
whereon Christ gave them him. And as touch- Matthew
ing this, ye must needs know that in the year of
our Lord one thousand two hundred and eighty-
two, in the month of October, Brother Philip,
minister of Tuscany, by order of Brother John
Buonagrazia, the minister general, required of
Brother Matthew of Castiglione in Arezzo, a
man of great devotion and sanctity, that by holy
obedience he should say what he knew of the
day and of the hour, wherein the most holy
Stigmata were by Christ imprinted on the body
of Saint Francis ; for it was known that he
had received a revelation thereon. The which
Brother Matthew, being constrained by holy
obedience, answered him thus : " Being in the
community of Alvernia last year in the month of
May, I began one day to pray in the cell that is
in the place where it is believed that the seraphic
vision took place. And in my prayer I besought
God very devoutly to be pleased to reveal unto
some one the day and the hour and the place
wherein the most holy Stigmata were imprinted on
the body of Saint Francis. And as I continued in
prayer and in this petition beyond the first watch
of the night, there appeared unto me Saint
Francis in an exceeding bright light, and said
unto me : * Son, for what dost thou pray to
God ? ' And I said unto him : * Father, I
pray for such and such a thing.' And he said
unto me : * I am thy father Francis : dost thou
zi6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St know me well ? ' Yea, Father/ quoth I.
Francis Then he showed to me the most holy Stigmata in
^Ekother ^ s hands and his feet and his side, and said :
Matthew * The ti me ls come when God wills for His
glory to manifest that which the brothers have
hitherto not cared to learn. Know that He
that appeared unto me was not an angel, but was
Jesu Christ in the form of a Seraph : who with
His own hands imprinted these wounds upon
my body, even as He received them in His
body on the cross ; and it was on this wise : on
the day before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
there came to me an Angel, and bade me in the
name of God make myself ready to be patient
and to receive whatsoever God might will to
send me. And I replied that I was ready to
receive and to endure all things according to
God's good pleasure. Then on the morning fol-
lowing, on the festival of the Holy Cross, which
that year fell on a Friday, at day-break I left
my cell in exceeding great fervour of spirit and
went to pray in the place where thou art now, in
which place I used oftentimes to pray. And as
I prayed, behold through the air there came
down from heaven a young man crucified, in the
form of a Seraph with six wings, and with great
swiftness : at this wondrous sight I kneeled
humbly down and began devoutly to contemplate
the immeasurable love of Jesu Christ Crucified,
and the immeasurable pain of His passion j and
the sight of Him begat in me so great compassion
that I seemed in mine own person to feel that
very Passion in my body ; and at His presence
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 117
all this mountain shone like the sun ; and thus Christ's
descending He came close to me. And standing secr ^t
before me, He spake to me certain secret words, ^ o*
the which I have not yet revealed to any man ; Francis
but the time is at hand when they shall be re-
vealed. Then after a little space, Christ departed
and returned into heaven ; and I found myself
thus marked with these wounds. Go then,'
quoth Saint Francis, * and tell these things with
confidence unto thy minister ; for this is the
working of God and not of man/ And said
these words, Saint Francis gave me his blessing,
and went up again into heaven with a great com-
pany of youths in shining garments." All these
things Brother Matthew said he had seen and
heard not sleeping but awake. And so he swore
that he had himself told unto the said minister in
his cell at Florence, when he questioned him
thereon by holy obedience.
How a holy brother reading the legend of Saint
Francis in the chapter on the most holy Stig-
mata and on the secret words, which the
Seraph spake unto Saint Francis when he
appeared unto him, prayed to God so much
that Saint Francis revealed them unto him
Upon another time a devout brother and holy,
reading the legend of Saint Francis in the chapter
on the most holy Stigmata, began with great per-
plexity of spirit to ponder what those words so
secret could have been which Saint Francis said
he would reveal to no man, so long as he lived,
2. 8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Obedi- the which the Seraph had spoken when
ence more appeared to him. And this brother said within
ousth^ himself: " Those words Saint Francis would
prayer not te ^ to an Y man while he lived : but now after
the death of his body he may perchance tell them,
if devout prayer be made to him/' And from
thenceforth, the devout brother began to pray to
God and to Saint Francis that it might please
them to reveal those words ; and this brother
persevering for eight years in this prayer, in the
eighth year he merited to be heard after this wise.
One day after the breaking of bread, when they
had given thanks in the church, as he was at
prayer in a certain part of the church, and was
praying to God and to Saint Francis more
devoutly than he was wont, and with many tears,
he was called by another of the brothers, and was
bidden in the name of the guardian to go with
him to the fields for the profit of the House.
Wherefore he, nothing doubting that obedience
is more meritorious than prayer, straightway when
he heard the command of the superior, humbly
left his prayers and went with the brother that
called him. And as it pleased God, by this act
of ready obedience he merited that which by long
hours of prayer he had not merited. For so
soon as they were come without the door of the
House, they met two brothers, strangers, the
which seemed as though they had come from a
far country, and one of them seemed to be young,
and the other old and lean, and by reason of fou!
weather they were all wet and stained with mud.
So that obedient brother, having great compassion
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 219
on them, said to the companion that was with The
him : " O my brother most dear, if the business stranger
that we are going upon, may be delayed a little,
seeing that these stranger brothers have great need
to be charitably received, I pray thee that thou
suffer me first to go and wash their feet, and
especially the feet of that aged brother who hath
greater need thereof, and you will be able to wash
those of the younger one ; and then we will go
about the business of the convent." Then this
brother consenting unto the charity of his com-
panion, they went back into the convent ; and
receiving those stranger brothers with much
charity, they took them into the kitchen that
they might warm and dry themselves by the fire ;
and eight other brothers of the House were
warming themselves by the said fire. And when
they had sat a while by the fire, they took them
aside for to wash their feet, according as they had
agreed together. And as that obedient and
devout brother was washing the feet of the older
brother, and was wiping off the mud, for they
were very muddy, he looked and saw that his
feet were marked with the most holy Stigmata ;
and straightway in joy and wonder embracing
them in a close embrace, he began to cry out :
" Either thou art Christ, or thou art Saint
Francis." At the sound of his voice and at
these words, the brothers that were by the fire
arose, and came near with great fear and rever-
ence to behold those glorious Stigmata. Then
at their prayers that aged brother suffered them
clearly to see and touch and kiss them. And
MO THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
St as they marvelled more and more for joy, he said
Francis un t o them : " Fear not and be not doubting,
the* secret brothers most ^ ear anc ^ sons > ^ am y our ^ at her,
words Brother Francis, who by the will of God,
founded three Orders. And sith I have been
entreated, these eight years, by this brother that
is washing my feet, and to-day more fervently
than any other time, that I should reveal to him
the secret words that the Seraph spake to me
when he gave me the Stigmata, the which words
I would never reveal in my life-time, this day by
the command of God, because of his persever-
ance and his ready obedience, wherewith he left
the sweetness of contemplation, I am sent by God
to reveal before you all that which he asked."
Then Saint Francis turning towards that brother,
said : " Know, brother most dear, that being on
the mount of Alvernia, all rapt in the remem-
brance of the Passion of Christ in that seraphic
apparition, I was of Christ thus marked on my
body with the Stigmata, and then Christ spake
unto me : * Knowest thou that which I have
done unto thee ? I have given thee the signs of
My Passion, to the end that thou mayest be my
standard-bearer. And even as I on the day of
My death descended into hell and brought out
thence all the souls that I found therein and led
them to Paradise, by virtue of my Stigmata ; so
do I grant to thee this hour, that thou shalt thus
be conformed to me in death, as thou hast been
in life, that after thou hast passed away from this
life, every year on the day of thy death thou shalt
go to Purgatory, and in virtue of thy Stigmata
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI tn
that I have given thee, thou shall bring out thence He ap-
lll the souls of thy three Orders, to wit, Minors, P^ars to
Sisters, and Continents, and likewise those thou ?Q^ ^f
mayest find there, that have had a devotion unto Alvernia
thee, and shalt lead them unto Paradise.' And
these words I told to none, whiles I lived in the
world." And said these words, Saint Francis
and his companion vanished away incontinent.
Afterwards many brothers heard of this from
those eight brothers that were present at this
vision and speech of Saint Francis.
How Saint Francis, being dead, appeared unto
Brother John of Alvernia, as he 'was at
prayer
On the mount of Alvernia Saint Francis on a
time appeared unto Brother John of Alvernia, a
man of great sanctity, as he was at prayer, and
stood and spake with him for a very long space,
and in the end desiring to depart, spake thus :
"Ask of me whatsoe'er thou wilt." Quoth
Brother John : " Father, I pray thee tell me
what I have long time desired to know, to wit,
what thou wast doing and where thou wast when
the Seraph appeared to thee." Replied Saint
Francis: " I was praying in the place where
now is the Chapel of the Count Simon da
Battifolle, and I was asking two graces of my
Lord Jesu Christ. The first was that He
should grant me in my life-time to feel in my
soul and my body, as far as might be, all the pain
that He had felt in Himself at the time of His
^^^ THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
and holds most bitter Passion. The second grace that I
speech asked of Him was in like manner that I might
with him f ee j m m y h^rt t h at exceeding love, wherewith
He was enkindled to endure so great suffering
for us sinners. Then God put it into my heart
that He would grant me to feel both the one
and the other, as far as was possible to the mere
creature : the which thing was indeed fulfilled in
me by the imprinting of the Stigmata." Then
Brother John asked him if the secret words that
the Seraph had spoken to him had been even as
told by the holy brother aforesaid: the which
affirmed that he had heard them from Saint
Francis in the presence of eight brothers. Saint
Francis replied that the truth was even as that
brother had said. Then Brother John, seeing
that he so freely gave, took heart to ask, and
said thus : " O father, most earnestly I do
beseech thee to suffer me to see and kiss thy
most holy and glorious Stigmata, not that I
doubt at all, but only for my consolation ; sith
always have I longed for this." And Saint
Francis freely showing them and present-
ing them unto him, Brother John saw them
clearly and touched and kissed them. And at
the last he asked him : " Father, what consola-
tion must thy soul have felt, when thou sawest
Christ the blessed One come to thee and give
thee the marks of His most holy Passion ! now
would to God that I might feel a little of that
sweetness ! " Then replied Saint Francis :
" Seest thou these nails ? " Quoth Brother
John : " Yea, Father." " Touch once again,"
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI t*j
said Saint Francis, " this nail that is in my The
hand." Then Brother John with great rever- wondrous
ence and fear touched the nail, and straightway V1S1
at the touch thereof there came forth as it were
a little column of smoke, as of incense, and
entering into the nostrils of Brother John, filled
his soul and body with such sweetness that
straightway he was rapt in God and became
insensible ; and thus rapt he continued from that
hour, which was the hour of Tierce, even until
Vespers. And this vision and familiar speech
with Saint Francis Brother John told unto no
one save unto his confessor, until he came to die ;
but being at the point of death, he revealed it to
several brothers.
Of a holy brother that saw a wondrous vision of
one of his companions that was dead
In the province of Rome, a very devout
brother and holy beheld this wondrous vision.
One of the brothers, his companion that was
most dear to him, having died on a night and in
the morning been buried before the entrance to
the Chapter-house, on that same day this brother
withdrew himself into a corner of the Chapter-
house after the breaking of bread, for to pray
devoutly to God and to Saint Francis for the
soul of the dead brother, his companion. And
as he continued in prayer with supplications and
with tears until noon, what time all the others
had gone away to sleep, behold he was ware of
a great noise in the cloister. Whereat straight-
1*4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The way with great fear he turned his eyes towards
burning th e grave of his companion ; and he saw stand-
sou ing in the entrance to the Chapter-house Saint
Francis, and behind him a great company of
brothers round about the grave. And as he still
looked, he saw in the middle of the cloister a
great flaming fire, and standing in the midst of
the flames the soul of his dead companion. And
looking round about the cloister, he saw Jesu
Christ walking round the cloister with a great
company of angels and of saints. And as with
great amazement he gazed upon these things, he
saw that when Christ passed in front of the
Chapter-house, Saint Francis with all those
brothers kneeled down and bespake Him thus :
" I pray Thee, my dearest Father and Lord,
by the inestimable love which in Thine incarna-
tion Thou hast shown to the children of men,
that Thou have mercy on the soul of this my
brother, who burneth in this fire " ; and Christ
answered him not a word, but passed on. And
as He came back a second time and passed in
front of the Chapter-house, Saint Francis
kneeled him down again with his brothers as
before, and besought Him in this wise : " I
pray Thee, pitying Father and Lord, for the
boundless love that Thou didst show to the
children of men, when Thou didst die on the
wood of the Cross, that Thou have pity of the
soul of this my brother " : and Christ passed
him by as before and heard him not. And going
round the cloister, He returned the third time,
and passed in front of the Chapter-house ; and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 125
then Saint Francis kneeling down as at first, St
showing Him his hands and feet and side, spake
thus : " I pray Thee, pitying Father and Lord,
by the great pains and the great consolation sou i
that I felt when Thou didst imprint these Stig-
mata upon my flesh, that Thou have mercy on
the soul of this my brother, that is in the fire of
Purgatory." O wondrous thing ! when Saint
Francis prayed to Christ this third time in the
name of his Stigmata, straightway He stayed
His steps and gazed upon the Stigmata ; and
He heard his prayer, and spake thus : " Unto
thee, Francis, do I grant the. soul of thy
brother." And hereby, of a surety, He desired
to honour and confirm the glorious Stigmata of
Saint Francis, and openly to show that the souls
of his brothers that go to Purgatory, can in no
way more easily be freed from their pains and
brought to the glory of Paradise, than by virtue
of his Stigmata, according to the words that
Christ spake unto Saint Francis, when He
imprinted them. For as soon as these words
were spoken, the fire in the cloister vanished
away, and the dead brother came to Saint
Francis, and together with him and with Christ,
all that company of the blessed with their
glorious King went up into heaven. For the
which cause this brother, his companion, that
had prayed for him, beholding him freed from
his pains and taken to Paradise, had exceeding
great joy ; and thereafter he told all the vision in
order unto the other brothers, and together with
them offered praise and thanksgiving unto God.
p
n6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Hoiv a noble knight, devoted to Saint Francis, <was
certified of the death and the holy Stigmata of
Saint Francis
Landolfo A noble knight of Massa di San Pietro, by
and the na me Landolfo, the which had a very great
devotion to Saint Francis, and at the last re-
ceived at his hands the habit of the Third
Order, was certified of the death of Saint Francis,
and of his most holy and glorious Stigmata, after
this manner : what time Saint Francis was nigh
unto death, the devil entered into a woman of that
place and cruelly tormented her, and therewithal
made her to speak with such learned subtlety
that she vanquished all the wise and learned men
that came to dispute with her. Now it befell
that the devil departing from her left her free
for two days : and on the third day returning to
her again, afflicted her yet more cruelly than
before. Hearing of this matter, Landolfo went
unto the woman and asked of the devil that
dwelt in her, what was the reason that he had
left her for two days and thereafter returning
tormented her still more grievously than at the
first. Replied the demon : " When I left her,
it was because I and all my companions, that be
in these parts, were gathered together and went
in great force to the death of Francis, the
beggar, for to dispute with him and take his
soul : but sith it was surrounded and defended
by a host of Angels in number more than we,
and was carried by them straight up into heaven,
and we gat us away in confusion, I have there-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI ^^ 1
fore returned to this wretched woman and am The
making up for what I left undone those two sanctity
days." Then Landolfo conjured him in the pj.^jj.jg
name of God to tell him what was the truth and St
touching the sanctity of Saint Francis, whom he Clare
reported to be dead, and of Saint Clare, that was
alive. Replied the devil : " Whether I had
rather or not, yet will I tell thee all the truth.
God the Father was so wroth against the sins of
the world, that it seemed that in a little while
He would give the sentence of death upon men
and women, and would sweep them off the
face of the earth, if they amended not their
ways. But Christ, His Son, praying for sinners,
promised to renew His life and His passion in
a man, to wit, in Francis, the poor little one, the
beggar ; by whose life and doctrine He would
bring back many throughout all the world into
the way of truth, and many also unto penitence.
And now for to show to the world what He had
wrought in Saint Francis, He hath willed that
the Stigmata of His passion, the which He had
imprinted on his body while he lived, should
now be seen of many and touched after his
death. In like manner, the Mother of Christ
promised to renew her virginal purity and her
humility in a woman, to wit, Sister Clare, in
such fashion that by her ensample she would
deliver many thousands of women out of our
hands. And the anger of God the Father being
turned away by these promises, He delayed the
sentence of death." Then Landolfo, desiring
to know of a surety whether the devil, who is
i*S THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Gregory the armoury and father of lies, was in these
IX. certi- matters speaking the truth, and chiefly touching
Stigmata the death of St Francis 8ent one of his fa&fal
squires to Assisi, unto Saint Mary of the Angels,
for to learn if Saint Francis were alive or dead :
the which squire winning there, found of a sooth
that it was so, and coming back again told to his
lord that on the very day and hour that the devil
had said, Saint Francis had passed away from
this life.
How Pope Gregory IX., doubting of the Stigmata
of Saint Francis, was certified thereof
Leaving now all the miracles of the most holy
Stigmata of Saint Francis, the which are to be
read in his Legend, for the ending of this fifth
reflection ye must know that Pope Gregory IX.
doubting a little touching the wound in the side
of Saint Francis, as he afterwards related, one
night Saint Francis appeared unto him, and lift-
ing up his right arm a little, uncovered the wound
in his side, and asked him for a phial, and he let
bring it ; and Saint Francis let put it under the
wound in the side ; and of very sooth it seemed
to the Pope that it was filled up to the brim with
blood mingled with water that issued from the
wound ; and from thenceforth all doubt departed
from him. And afterwards, with the counsel of
all the cardinals, he approved the most holy
Stigmata of Saint Francis, and on their account
gave to the brothers a special privilege by a Bull,
and this he did at Viterbo in the eleventh year of
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 9
his pontificate ; and afterwards in the twelfth He gives
year he gave another more extensive still. Then
Pope Nicholas III. and Pope Alexander granted &
high privileges, by the which whoso denied the
sacred Stigmata of Saint Francis might be dealt
with as a heretic. And this is enough as touch-
ing the fifth reflection on the glorious and most
holy Stigmata of our Father, Saint Francis,
whose life may God give us grace so to follow
in this world, that by the virtue of his glorious
Stigmata we may merit to be saved with him in
Paradise. To the praise of Jesu Christ and of
His poor little one, Saint Francis. Amen.
z 5 o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Here beginneth the life of Brother
Juniper
/. HOIV Brother Juniper cut off" the foot oj a pig,
merely to give it to a sick man
Brother /^VNE of the most elect disciples and first
Juniper \_J companions of Saint Francis was Brother
Juniper, a man of deep humility, of great fervour
and charity ; of whom Saint Francis, speaking
on a time with his holy companions, said : " He
would be a good Brother Minor who had con-
quered himself and the world like Brother
Juniper." On a time at Saint Mary of the
Angels, when all afire with the love of God
he was visiting a sick brother, he asked him
with much compassion : *' Can I do thee any
service ? " Replied the sick man : " Much
comfort would it give me, if thou couldest get
me a pig's trotter to eat." Straightway cried
Brother Juniper : " Leave that to me, I'll
fetch you one at once " ; so he went and took
a knife, from the kitchen I believe, and in
fervour of spirit ran through the wood where
divers pigs were feeding, threw himself on
one of them, cut off its foot and ran away,
leaving the pig with feet so maimed ; and re-
turning, he washed and dressed and cooked
the foot; and when with much diligence he
had prepared it well, he brought the said foot
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 1
to the sick man with much great charity. And He cuts
the sick man ate it up right greedily, to the
great comfort and delight of Brother Juniper ;
who with great glee, for to glad the heart of
the sick man, told him of the assaults he had
made upon the pig. Meanwhile the man who
kept the pigs and saw this brother cut off its
foot, with bitter words told all the story in
order to his lord. And when he was ware
of it, he came to the house of the brothers,
calling them hypocrites, thieves and liars, and
rogues and knaves, and saying : " Why have
ye cut off the foot of my pig . ? " At the noise
that he made, Saint Francis and all his brothers
came out, and with all humility made excuses
for his brethren, and wotting naught of what
was done, for to appease him promised to re-
store him all that he had lost. But for all
that, he was no whit appeased, but with much
wrath, insults, and threats, went away from the
brothers full of anger, repeating over and over
how basely they had cut off the foot of his
pig, and taking no excuse or promise, gat him
gone in a rage. And Saint Francis full of
discretion, whileas all the other brothers were
in much amazement, bethought him, and said
within his heart : " Can Brother Juniper have
done this thing in zeal too indiscreet ? " And
he let call Brother Juniper unto him secretly,
and asked him, saying : " Didst thou cut off
the foot of a pig in the wood ? " Whereat
Brother Juniper, not as one that had made a
fault, but as one that seemed to himself to have
13* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His rea- done a deed of great charity, all gladly answer*
son for an d sa }d . Sweet my Father, it is true that I
e ac cut off a foot from the said pig ; and as touch-
ing the reason, my Father, if thou wilt, do thou
give ear to it compassionately. Out of charity
I went to visit such and such a sick brother " ;
and he told him all that befell in order, and then
added : " I tell thee, that bearing in mind the
consolation that this our brother felt, and the
comfort that the said foot brought to him, if
I had cut off the feet of a hundred pigs as I did
of one, in very sooth, methinks God would have
said, Well done." Whereat Saint Francis,
with righteous zeal and great severity, said :
" O Brother Juniper, why hast thou now given
so great scandal ? not without reason doth this
man complain and is so wroth against us : and
perchance he is now going through the city,
speaking evil of us for such ill-doing, and I
ween he hath good reason. Wherefore I com-
mand thee by holy obedience, that thou run
after him till thou come up with him, and
throw thyself upon the ground before him and
confess thy fault, promising to make such satis-
faction and after such a fashion that he may
have no ground to complain of us : for of a
truth this has been too grievous an offence."
Brother Juniper marvelled much at the words
aforesaid : and was amazed, being surprised that
any one should be angry at so charitable a deed ;
for it seemed to him that these temporal things
were naught, save in so far as men of their
charity shared them with their neighbours.
.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 133
nd Brother Juniper answered : " Doubt not, He
my Father, that I will pacify him straight- humbly
way, and content him. And why should he
be so disquieted, seeing that this pig, whose
foot I have cut off, was rather God's than his,
and great charity hath been done thereby ? "
So he set out at a run and overtook the man ;
who was exceeding wroth, out of all measure,
so that there was no whit of patience left in
him ; and he told him how and for what
cause he had cut off the foot of the pig ; and
this with as much fervour and gladness and
joy, as one that had done a great service, for
the which he ought to be well rewarded. But
he, full of anger and beside himself with fury,
heaped much abuse upon Brother Juniper, call-
ing him madman and fool, robber and vile thief.
And Brother Juniper cared not a whit for these
words of such abuse, yet marvelling within him-
self although he rejoiced to be ill-spoken of:
and believed he could not have understood him
aright, for it seemed to him matter for rejoicing
rather than for wrath ; and he repeated the
aforesaid story anew, and threw himself upon
his neck and embraced and kissed him : and
told him how that it had been done wholly for
charity's sake, inviting and beseeching him to
do likewise with the rest; with such charity
and simplicity and humility, that this man com-
ing to himself again threw himself upon the
ground not without many tears ; and ac-
knowledging the wrong that he had done and
said unto the brothers, went and caught the
*34 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His sim- pig and killed it, and having cooked it brought
phcity ^ with great devoton and much weeping to Saint
patience Mary ^ t ^ ie Angels, and gave it to those holy
brothers to eat, for pity of the wrong he had
done to them. And Saint Francis, pondering
on the simplicity and the patience of the said
holy Brother Juniper in the hour of trial, said
to his companions and the others standing
round: "Would to God, my brothers, that I
had a whole forest of such Junipers ! "
//. An instance of the great power of Brother
Juniper over the demons
How the demons could not endure the purity
of the innocence and deep humility of Brother
Juniper, doth clearly appear herein, that on a
time a certain man possessed with a devil, con-
trary to all his wont and with antics most strange,
sprang out of the way he was going in, and of a
sudden set off running and fled by divers cross-
ways for seven miles. And being asked by his
kinsfolk, that with great anguish of spirit followed
after him, wherefore he had fled away with such
strange antics, he answered them : " The reason
is this: because that mad fellow Juniper was
passing by that way : not being able to endure
his presence nor to look on him, I fled away
into these woods." And certifying themselves
of the truth thereof, they found that Brother
Juniper had come along that way, even as the
devil had said. Wherefore Saint Francis, when
they brought to him those that were possessed to
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 135
be healed, if the devils departed not straightway His
at his command, would say : " If thou come not power
out of this creature of God straightway, I will 5 ver
ITT. T i i - i i j demons
send for .brother Juniper to deal with thee :
and thereat the demon, fearing the presence of
Brother Juniper, and not being able to endure
the virtue and humility of Saint Francis, would
depart straightway.
///. How, by the device of the devil, Brother
Juniper was condemned to the gibbet
On a time the devil, wishing to put Brother
Juniper in fear, and vex him with trouble and
adversity, went to a very cruel tyrant that was
called Nicholas, the which was then at war with
the city of Viterbo, and said : " Sir, look well
to this your castle, for presently there is coming
here a false traitor, sent by the folk of Viterbo,
to kill you and set this castle on fire. And in
token of the truth thereof, I give you these signs :
He will come as a beggar, in garments all torn
and patched, and his cowl hanging all tattered
on his shoulder ; and he will bring with him an
awl wherewith to kill you, and a tinder-box to
set fire to the castle withal ; and if you find not
that this be true, on my head be it." At these
words Nicholas was all distraught and filled with
fear, for he that told him these words seemed to
be an honest man. And he gave orders that the
watch should be kept with care, and that if this
fellow with the signs aforesaid should come,
he should be brought before him straightway.
* 3 6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The Meantime came Brother Juniper alone, for by
devil's reason of his perfection he had leave to go and
device tQ gta y a ] one> j ust as h e pleased. Now there
met him certain lusty youths, that began to laugh
him to scorn and make mock of him. At all
this he was not disquieted, but rather led them
on to be more merry with him. And when he
came to the gate of the castle, and the guards
beheld him so ill-favoured, in garments so scant
and all torn ; for part of his habit for the love of
God he had given to the poor on the way, and
looked no whit like a Brother Minor ; sith the
signs that had been given them were so clearly
manifest, they dragged him furiously before that
tyrant Nicholas. And when they of the house-
hold searched him, to see if he had arms to do
hurt withal, they found in his sleeve an awl with
which he used to mend his sandals ; also they
found a steel and flint, which he carried to light
a fire ; for oftentimes he lived in the woods and
deserts. Nicholas seeing these signs upon him,
according to the testimony of the accusing devil,
ordered that his head should be bound tight with
cords, and so was it done, and with such cruelty
that the cord entered right into his flesh. Then
they laid him on the rack, and let stretch and
pull his arms and tear his body all in pieces
without any mercy. And when they asked him
if he wanted to betray the castle and give it up
to the people of Viterbo, he answered : " I am
the worst of traitors, and undeserving of any
good." And when they asked him if with that
awl he wished to kill the tyrant Nicholas, and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 137
the castle, he answered : " Much worse He is led
things should I do, if God permitted it." Then to j- he ^
Nicholas, overcome with anger, would no more allows
examine him ; but without delay he furiously
condemned Brother Juniper, as a traitor and a
murderer, to be tied to the tail of a horse, and
dragged along the ground to the gibbet and there
straightway hanged by the neck. And Brother
Juniper made no defence, but as one that for the love
of God is well contented in the midst of troubles,
was all joyful and glad. And when the com-
mand of the tyrant was executed, and Brother
Juniper was tied by the feet to the tail of a horse
and dragged along the ground, he uttered no
complaint or lamentation, but as a gentle lamb
that is brought to the slaughter, he went in all
humility. At this sight and such sudden justice,
ran all the people there to see him executed with
such cruel haste, and no one recognised him.
Nathless, as God willed, a good man that had
seen Brother Juniper seized, and now beheld him
so quickly judged to die, ran to the house of the
Brothers Minor, and said : " For the love of
God, I pray you come quickly, for a poor man
hath been taken and sentence passed on him at
once, and he hath been led away to die : come, at
least that he may give up his soul into your hands,
for he seems to me a good man, and hath had no
time to confess him ; and he hath been led away
to the gallows, and he seemeth to keep no care
for death nor for the salvation of his soul : oh !
come quickly, I beseech you." The Guardian,
who was a compassionate man, went at once to
*3 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The care for the man's salvation : and winning there,
Guardian h e could not find entrance for the press of the
cedes for ^^ t ^ iat ^ ac ^ g at hered together to see this execu-
hi m tion ; so he stood and bided his time, and as he
waited he heard a voice in the midst of the crowd
crying : "Let be, let be, you little rogues, you
hurt my legs." At the sound of this voice, with
fervour of spirit he threw himself into the midst
of them, and took off the covering from the
man's face, and then he recognised of a truth
that it was Brother Juniper : wherefore for pity's
sake the Guardian would have taken off his own
habit and have put it on Brother Juniper. And
he with cheerful countenance, as though laughing,
said : " O Guardian, thou art too fat, and it
would look but ill to see you stripped : I will
not have it." Then the Guardian with much
weeping prayed the executioners and all the
people for pity's sake to wait a little while, till
he should go and entreat the tyrant for Brother
Juniper, if perchance he might pardon him.
The executioners and certain folk that stood by,
consenting thereunto, believing in sooth that the
man was of his kinsfolk, the devout and compas-
sionate Guardian gat him to the tyrant Nicholas
with bitter weeping, and said : " My lord, I am
in such amazement and distress of mind, as my
tongue could never tell ; for it seemeth to me
that in this land hath been committed this day
the greatest sin and the greatest wrong that hath
ever been done since the days of our forefathers :
and I believe that it has been done through
ignorance." Nicholas heard him patiently, and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI *$<)
then asked the Guardian : " What is the great He is
sin and wrong that hath this day been committed set ^ re
in this land ? " Replied the Guardian : " My
lord, that one of the holiest brothers now in the
Order of Saint Francis, unto which thou hast a
singular devotion, has by thee been condemned
to so cruel a sentence, and of a surety, I ween,
without good reason." Quoth Nicholas: "Now
tell me, Guardian, who is this ? for perchance
unwittingly I may have done great wrong."
Quoth the Guardian : " He whom thou hast
condemned to death, is Brother Juniper, com-
panion of Saint Francis." All horror-stricken,
for he had heard of the fame and of the holy life
of Brother Juniper, and all pale as though with
amaze, the tyrant Nicholas ran with the Guardian,
and came to Brother Juniper, and loosed him
from the tail of the horse and set him free, and
in the presence of all the people fell flat upon his
face before Brother Juniper, and with much great
weeping confessed his fault for the grievous wrong
and for the outrage that he had had done to this
holy brother ; and added : " I believe of a sooth
that the days of my evil life are drawing to an
end, sith I have so evil in treated this holy man
without any good reason. God for my evil life
will suffer me in a few days to die an evil death,
albeit I did it unwittingly." Brother Juniper
freely forgave the tyrant Nicholas : but God
suffered it that a few days thereafter that tyrant
Nicholas ended his days with a cruel death.
And Brother Juniper departed, leaving all the
people edified.
HO THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
IV. How Brother Juniper gave to the poor
'whatsoever he could> for the love of God
His com- Such pity had Brother Juniper for the poor
passion an d suc h compassion, that when he saw any one
that was ill clad or naked, he would at once take
off his tunic and the cowl of his cloak, and give
it to the poor man : wherefore the Guardian
commanded him by holy obedience that he should
give to no poor person the whole of his tunic or
any part of his habit. Now it happened that a
few days afterwards he met a poor man half-
naked, who asked alms of Brother Juniper for
the love of God: to whom with much com-
passion he said : " I have nothing I could give
thee, save my tunic : and my Superior hath by
holy obedience enjoined me not to give it nor
any part of my habit to any one ; but if thou
take it off my back, I will not say thee nay."
He spoke not to the deaf; for straightway the
poor man pulled his tunic off his back and went
off with it, leaving Brother Juniper naked. And
when he returned to the house and was asked
where his tunic was, he answered : " A good
man took it off my back and went away with
it." And the virtue of compassion still growing
in him, he was not content with giving away his
tunic, but gave away books and vestments and
mantles, and whatsoever he could lay hands upon
he would give to the poor. And for this reason
' the brothers left nothing lying about, for that
Brother Juniper gave away everything for the
love of God and for His glory.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 241
V. How Brother Jumper cut off certain bells
from the altar , and gave them away for the
love of God
Once on a time about the Nativity of Christ His
Brother Juniper was at Assisi, in deep meditation charitable
before the altar of the convent, the which altar z
was right well decorated and adorned ; at the
prayer of the sacristan, Brother Juniper remained
to guard the said altar while the sacristan went
away to eat. And as he stood in devout
meditation, a poor woman begged alms of him
for the love of God. To whom Brother Juniper
made answer thus : " Wait a little, and I will
see if I can give you something from this altar so
richly decked." Now on this altar there was a
fringe of gold right lordly, and adorned with little
silver bells of great price. Quoth Brother
Juniper : " These bells are a superfluity " ; and
he took a knife and cut them all off from the
fringe, and gave them to that poor woman for
pity's sake. When the sacristan had eaten three
or four mouthfuls, he called to mind the ways of
Brother Juniper, and began much to doubt lest
Brother Juniper through his zeal of charity
might play him some trick with the altar so
richly decked, that he had left in his charge.
And straightway in doubt he rose from the table
and gat him to the church, and looked to see if
any of the ornaments of the altar had been re-
moved or carried away ; and he saw that all the
little bells had been torn off and cut away from
the fringe : whereat he was beyond all measure
14* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He is angered and disquieted. Brother Juniper, seeing
harshly him so troubled, said : " Be not distressed about
reproved fa ose bells, for I have given them to a poor
woman that had the greatest need of them, and
here they were of no use at all, save only for
vain, worldly pomp." Hearing this, the sacris-
tan in great trouble ran straightway through the
church and all through the city, if perchance he
might find her again : but not only did he find her
not, but found no one that had seen her. So he
returned to the House, and in a rage took up the
fringe and brought it to the General, who was
at Assisi, and said : " Father General, I cry
justice against Brother Juniper, the which hath
spoiled this fringe of mine, the noblest that there
was in all the sacristy ; now see how he hath
handled it and cut off all the silver bells, and
tells me that to some poor woman he hath given
them away." Replied the General : " It is not
Brother Juniper that hath done this, but rather
thine own stupidity ; for thou shouldest by this
time know what manner of man he is : and I tell
thee that I am surprised that he hath not given
away all the rest ; but nathless I will correct
him well for this fault." And calling all the
brothers together in Chapter, he sent for Brother
Juniper : and in the presence of all the com-
munity, reproved him very harshly on account of
the bells aforesaid ; and so wrathful did he grow,
that by raising his voice, he became quite
hoarse. Brother Juniper cared little and well-
nigh nothing for his words, for he took delight
in insults, whenever he was well abused : but in
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 143
pity for the hoarseness of the General, he be- The
gan to bethink him of a remedy. And having m ess of
received the rebuke of the General, Brother P otta S e
Juniper went to the city and ordered and let
make a good pottage of flour and butter ; and
when a good part of the night was passed, he re-
turned and lit a candle and went with the pottage
to the General's cell, and knocked. When the
General opened the door and saw him standing
there with the lighted candle and the pottage in
his hand, he asked softly : " What is it ? "
Replied Brother Juniper : " My father, to-day
when thou didst reprove me for my faults, I
saw that thy voice grew hoarse, I ween it were
through overmuch fatigue ; wherefore I bethought
me of a remedy, and let make this mess of flour
for thee ; therefore I pray thee eat it, for I do
assure thee, it will ease thy chest and throat."
Quoth the General : " What hour is this for
you to come disturbing folk ? " Replied Brother
Juniper : " See, it has been made for thee ; I
pray thee, make no more ado, but eat it, for it
will do thee much good." And the General,
being wroth for the lateness of the hour and his
importunity, bade him begone, for he had no
wish to eat at such an hour, calling him scoundrel
and caitiff. Brother Juniper, seeing that neither
prayers nor coaxing could aught avail, said : " My
father, sith thou wilt not eat, and this pottage hath
been made for thee, do this at least for me ; hold
the candle for me and I will eat it." Then
the General, being a pious man and devout,
perceiving the piety and simplicity of Brother
Z44 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother Juniper, and that out of devotion he had done all
Juniper's t hj S) re pli e d : " Come now, since thou wilt have it
month? so, let us eat it, you and I together." And they
silence twain ate the pottage of flour by reason of his
importunate charity. And they were refreshed
much more by devotion than by the food.
VI. How Brother Juniper kept silence for six
months
Once on a time Brother Juniper resolved to
keep silence for six months after this manner.
On the first day, for the love of the Heavenly
Father, on the second day, for the love of Jesu
Christ, His Son. On the third, for the love of
the Holy Spirit. On the fourth day, out of
reverence for the most holy Virgin Mary ; and
thus, in order, each day for the love of some
saint, he kept the six months in silence.
VII. An example of how to resist the temptations
ofthejlesh
Brother Giles, and Brother Simon of Assisi,
and Brother Juniper being on a time gathered
together to discourse of God and of the salvation
of the soul, quoth Giles unto the other brothers :
" How do ye deal with temptations to carnal
sin ? " Quoth Brother Simon : " I think on
the vileness and the shame of sin, and a strong
hatred thereof taketh hold on me, and so I
escape." Quoth Brother Ruffino : " I throw
myself down upon the ground, and continue in
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI MS
prayer, calling on the mercy of God and the How to
Mother of Jesu Christ, until I feel myself resist
wholly freed." Replied Brother Juniper :
" When I am ware of the tumult of the devilish
suggestions of the flesh, at once I run and shut
the door of my heart, and for the safety of the
fortress of my heart, I occupy myself in holy
meditations and holy desires : so that, when the
carnal suggestion cometh or knocketh at the
door of my heart, I answer as it were from
within : * Begone, for the lodging is already
ta'en, and no more folk may enter here within ' :
and thus no evil thought is suffered to find
entrance within my heart : so that seeing itself
conquered, it departs as it were discomfited, not
only from me, but from all the country round."
Brother Giles answered and said : " Brother
Juniper, I hold with thee, for one cannot fight
better with the enemy of the flesh than by run-
ning away ; for the carnal appetite that is a
traitor within, and the senses of the body without,
make themselves felt as enemies so mighty and
so strong, that one cannot conquer save by flight.
Therefore he that does not want to fight in any
other way, after the toil of battle oft-times gains
the victory. Then flee from vice and thou shalt
be the conqueror."
VIII. How Brother Juniper abased himself J or
the glory of God
Once on a time Brother Juniper desiring
utterly to abase himself, stripped himself to his
246 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother breeches, and making a bundle of his clothes set
Juniper's them upon his head, and thus half-naked entered
abase- * nto ^iterbo, an d went into the public square to
ment be rnocked at. As he stood there, the children
and the boys, deeming him out of his senses,
made mock of him, throwing mud upon his back,
and pelting him with stones, pushing him now
here, now there, with many a scoff and jeer ;
and so tormented and laughed to scorn he stood
there a great part of the day ; after which he gat
him back to the convent. And the brothers
seeing him were very angry, chiefly because he
had gone all through the city with his bundle on
his head, and they reproved him harshly and
threatened him. And the one said : " Let us put
him in prison " ; and the other said : " Let us hang
him " ; and the rest said : " No punishment ye
might devise could be too great for so bad an
example as he has set this day, to his shame and
that of all the Order." And Brother Juniper,
full of joy, replied in all humility : " Well and
truly have ye spoken, for of these punishments
am I worthy and of much more."
IX. Hoiu Brother Juniper played see-saw to
abase himself
On a time as Brother Juniper was going to
Rome, where the fame of his sanctity was already
spread abroad, many Romans through their great
devotion went out to meet him : and Brother
Juniper seeing so many people coming, bethought
him how he might turn their devotion into scorn
FRANCIS OF ASSIST H7
and derision. There were two children there, He comes
playing at see-saw, to wit, they had put one * Rome
log across another log, and each sat at his own
end and so went up and down. Brother Juniper
went and put one of these children off the log,
and got up himself, and began to see-saw up and
down. Meanwhile the folk came up and mar-
velled to behold Brother Juniper a-see -sawing :
none the less with great devotion they saluted
him and waited for him to finish his game of see-
saw, so as to bear him company with all honour
to the convent. And Brother Juniper paid little
heed to their salutations, their reverence, and their
waiting for him, but took much great pains with
his see-sawing. And waiting thus for some time,
certain among them began to be annoyed, and
said: "What mad fellow is this?" Others
knowing his ways, grew in greater devotion ;
nathless they all went away and left Brother
Juniper on the see-saw. And when that they
were all gone, Brother Juniper remained al-
together conforted, because he had seen some
folk that made a mock at him. So he went on
his way and entered into Rome with all meek-
ness and humility, and came to the convent of
the Brothers Minor.
X. Hoiu Brother Juniper once cooked a fortnight's
food for the brethren
On a time when Brother Juniper was staying
in a very small House belonging to the brothers,
it befell that for a certain reason all the brothers
248 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He acts had to go out, and Brother Juniper remaim
as cook m t h e house alone. Quoth the Guardian :
" Brother Juniper, we are all going out, and
therefore see to it that when we return, you have
cooked a little food for the refreshment of the
brothers." Replied Brother Juniper : " Right
willingly, leave that to me." All the brothers
having gone out, as hath been said, quoth Brother
Juniper : " What unprofitable trouble is this, that
one brother should be lost in the kitchen, and
kept away from all prayer ? Of a surety, now
that I am left behind this time to cook, I will
make ready so much that all the brothers, and
even were there more of them, will have enough
for a fortnight." And so with all diligence he
went into the country, and begged for several large
cooking-pots, and got fresh meat and dried fowls,
eggs, and herbs, and begged for firewood in plenty,
and put them all on the fire, to wit, the fowls
with their feathers on, and the eggs in their shells,
and all the rest in like fashion. When the
brothers were come back to the house, one that
was well aware of Brother Juniper's simplicity,
went into the kitchen, and saw so many great pots
on an enormous fire ; and he sat him down and
looked on in amazement, but said nothing at all,
watching with what care Brother Juniper did his
cooking. Because the fire was very fierce and
he could not well get near to skim the pots, he
took a plank and with a rope tied it tight to his
body, and then kept jumping from one pot to
another, that it was a joy to look at him. Hav-
ing watched it all with great delight, that brother
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI H9
left the kitchen, and found the other brothers, A fort-
and said to them : " I can assure you, Brother night's
Juniper is making a marriage -feast." But the
brothers took his words as a jest. And Brother
Juniper lifted the pot from the fire and let ring
the dinner-bell ; and the brothers sat them down
to table, and he came into the refectory with his
dishes, all red with his exertions and the heat of
the fire, and said to the brothers : " Eat well :
and then let us all go to prayer, and let no one
think any more of cooking for a while ; for I
have cooked so much food to-day, that I shall
have enough for more than a fortnight." And
Brother Juniper set his stew on the table before
the brothers, and there is not a pig in all the land
of Rome so famished as to have eaten it. But
Brother Juniper cried up his dishes, for to find a
customer ; and seeing that the brothers were
eating naught thereof, said : " Now these fowls
are strengthening to the brain, and this stew will
refresh the body, it is so good." And while
the brothers were full of amazement and devotion
to see the devotion and simplicity of Brother
Juniper, the Guardian being wroth with such
stupidity and the waste of so much good food,
reproved him roughly. Then Brother Juniper
threw himself upon the ground and kneeled
before the Guardian, and humbly confessed his
fault to him and all the brothers, saying : " I am
the worst of men ; such a one committed such
and such a crime, and had his eyes put out ; but
I deserve it more than he : such a one for his
wickedness was hung, but I deserve it much more
250 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother for my evil deeds : sith I have wasted so many
Juniper O f the good things of God and of the Order.''
goes to ^ nc j SQ a u sorrowfully he went away, and all
that day he did not show himself where any of
the brothers were. Then quoth the Guardian :
" My brothers most dear, if only we had it, I
would that every day this brother spoiled as much
as he hath to-day, if so he might be edified, for
great simplicity and charity have made him do
this thing.
XI. How Brother Jumper went on a time to
Assist for his own confusion
On a time when Brother Juniper was dwelling
in the Valley of Spoleto, being ware that there
was a great festival at Assisi and that much folk
was winning there with great devotion, there
came to him the wish to go to that festival ;
and behold ! Brother Juniper stripped himself to
his breeches and so set out, passing through
Spoleto right through the middle of the town,
and came to the convent. The brothers being
much disquieted and scandalised, reproved him
full harshly, calling him madman and fool, crying
out against him that he would bring ruin on the
Order of Saint Francis, and ought to be chained
up as a lunatic. And the General, who was
then in the convent, let call all the brothers and
Brother Juniper, and in the presence of the
whole community gave him a harsh and severe
reproof. And after many words of sternest
condemnation, he said to Brother Juniper : " Thy
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 151
fault is such, and is so grievous, that I know not Brother
what fitting penance to Jay on thee." Replied Amazial-
Brother Juniper, as one that delighted in his bene dies
own confusion : " Father, I will tell thee one :
to wit, that in the same manner as I came
hither, so for penance sake I should return to
the place whence I started for to come to this
festival."
XII. Ho*w Brother Juniper <was rapt in ecstasy
while celebrating the Mass
As Brother Juniper on a time was hearing
Mass with much devotion, he was rapt in ecstasy
with mind uplifted for a long time. And having
been left in a room far removed from the brothers,
coming to himself again, he began with great
fervour to say : " O my brothers, who is there
so exalted in this life that would not gladly carry
a basket of dung through all the world, if he
had given him a whole house full of gold?"
And he said : " Alas, that we are not willing
to endure a little shame to gain the blessed
life."
XIII. Of the sorrow that Brother Juniper felt
at the death of his companion. Brother
Amazialbene
Brother Juniper had as his companion a
brother named Amazialbene, whom he very
dearly loved. This man possessed in the highest
degree the virtues of patience and obedience ;
^< t ^ THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother for, if he were beaten for the whole day long,
Juniper's ne would never murmur nor complain with a
& 1 single word. He was oft-times sent to houses
where the community was hard to live with, at
whose hands he suffered much persecution : the
which he endured most patiently, without any
murmuring. According to the bidding of Brother
Juniper, he would weep and laugh. Now this
Brother Amazialbene, as it pleased God, died
in the best repute : and Brother Juniper hearing
of his death, felt such sorrow in his soul as he
had never had in all his life from any earthly
cause. And thuswise did he show forth the
great bitterness that he felt within, and said :
" Woe is me ! wretched man that I am, for
now is no good thing left to me ; and the
world is undone through the death of my sweet
and dearest brother, Amazialbene ! " And he
said : " If it were not that I should not be able
to take peace with the brothers, I would go to
his grave and take up his head ; and out of
his head I would make two porringers ; one of
which I would always eat out of, in memory of
him and for my devotion's sake : and from the
other I would drink, whenever I was thirsty and
wished to drink."
XIV. Of the band that Brother Jumper saw in
the air
Brother Juniper being on a time at prayer and
thinking perhaps great things of himself, there
appeared to him a hand in the air above him, and
ST FRANCIS OF ASSIS1
with the ears of his body he heard a voice, that A hand
spake to him thus : " O Brother Juniper, with- appears
out this hand thou canst do nothing." Whereat to hlm
he at once arose, and lifting up his eyes and
turning them heavenward, said in a loud voice,
as he ran through the convent : " 'Tis true
indeed, 'tis true indeed." And these words he
said again and again for a good long time.
XF. An example of Brother Leo, hoiv Saint
Francis bade him wash the stone
In the mount of Alvernia, as Saint Francis
was speaking with Brother Leo, quoth Saint
Francis : " Brother little sheep, wash this stone
with water." Brother Leo was quick, and
washed the stone with water. Quoth Saint
Francis with great joy and gladness : " Wash
it with wine " ; and so was it done. " Wash
it," quoth Saint Francis, " with oil " ; and even
so was it done. Quoth Saint Francis : " Brother
little sheep, wash this stone with balsam."
Replied Brother Leo : " O sweet father, how
can I find balsam in so wild a place as this ? "
Replied Saint Francis : " Know, brother little
sheep of Christ, that is the stone whereon Christ
did sit when He appeared on a time to me here ;
and therefore have I said to *Hee four times,
Wash it ; and keep silence ; for Jesu Christ hath
promised unto me four special graces for my
Order. The first is that all they that shall love
my Order with their whole heart, and the brothers
that shall persevere, shall by the grace of God
154 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The four make a good end. The second is that the per-
special se cutors of this Order shall notably be punished.
,g ra Sf s , to The third is that no wicked man shall be able to
ne Urder , , . ~ i -r \ \
remain long m this Order, if so be he continue
his wickedness. The fourth is that this
n
Order shall endure even unto the last judgment."
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 255
The life of the blessed Brother Giles,
the companion of St Francis
/. How Brother Giles and three companions
were received into the Order of the Minors
SEEING that the examples of holy men do put Brother
in the minds of devout hearers to despise the Giles
fleeting joys of earth, and that they have where-
with to stir up the desire of eternal salvation :
to the honour of God and His most worshipful
Mother Our Lady, holy Mary, and for the pro-
fit of all that may hear the same, I will speak
certain v/ords touching the working which the
Holy Spirit hath worked in our holy Brother
Giles, the which, being still in the secular habit,
and being touched of the Holy Spirit, began
within himself to consider how in all his works
he might please God alone. About this time
did Saint Francis, like a new herald of God
sent as an ensample of godly life, humility and
holy penitence, two years after his conversion,
draw and attract to the observance of gospel
poverty a certain man adorned with marvellous
prudence and very rich in temporal goods, named
Messer Bernard ; and also Peter Cattani ; so
that by the counsel of Saint Francis they dis-
tributed unto the poor, for the love of God, all
their worldly treasures, and took to themselves
the glory of patience and of gospel perfectness,
S6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother and the habit of the Brothers Minor ; and with
Giles exceeding great fervour they promised to observe
"Francis the ^ ule a11 the d ^ s f th . eir life ' and even S did
they in all perfection. Eight days after the con-
version set forth above and the distribution of
their goods to the poor, whileas Brother Giles
was still wearing the secular garb, beholding how
those noble knights of Assisi despised the world,
so that the whole country round was in amaze-
ment, being all afire with love divine, on the fol-
lowing day, which was the feast of Saint George,
in the year twelve hundred and nine, very early
in the morning, as one that was careful for his
salvation, he went to the church of Saint
Gregory, where was the convent of Saint Clare;
and when he had done his prayers, being much
desirous to see Saint Francis, he went to the
lepers' hospital, where he lived with Brother
Bernard and Brother Peter Cattani, dwelling
apart in a hut in the deepest humility. And
being come unto a cross- way, and not knowing
by which way to go, he lifted up his prayer to
Christ, the precious Guide, who led htm to the
said hut by the straight way. And as he
pondered on that for the which he had come,
Saint Francis met him, as he was walking in
the wood, whither he had come to pray ; then
straightway he threw himself on the ground on
his knees before Saint Francis, and humbly be-
sought him for the love of God to take him as
one of his companions. Saint Francis, gazing
on the devout aspect of Brother Giles, answered
and said : " Brother most dear, God hath shown
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 157
Himself exceeding gracious unto thee. If the St
emperor were to come to Assisi and desire to Francis
make a certain citizen his knight or private ^Im into
chamberlain, ought not such a one to be exceed- th e
ing glad ? How much more oughtest thou not Order
to rejoice that God hath chosen thee out to be
His knight and well-beloved servant, to observe
the perfection of the Holy Gospel ? be thou
therefore steadfast and firm in the vocation
whereto God hath called thee." And he
took him by the hand and lifted him up, and
brought him into the little house aforesaid ; and
he called Brother Bernard, and said: "The
Lord God hath sent us a good brother, for
whom we should all rejoice in the Lord ; let us
eat together in charity." And when that they
had eaten, Saint Francis went with the said
Giles to Assisi, for to get cloth to make the
habit for Brother Giles. They found by the
way a poor woman that asked alms of them for
the love of God ; and not knowing how to
relieve the poor woman, Saint Francis turned
towards Brother Giles with an angelic counten-
ance, and said : " For the love of God, dear
brother, let us give this mantle to the poor
woman." And Brother Giles obeyed the holy
Father with so ready a heart that it seemed to
him he saw that alms fly at once to heaven, and
Brother Giles flew with it straight to heaven :
so that he felt within himself joy unspeakable
and a fresh renewing of spirit. When Saint
Francis had got the cloth and made the habit,
he received Brother Giles into the Order, and
258 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
They he was one of the most glorious Religious that
to the world had at that time in the contemplative
A^cona life ' After the reception of Brother Giles,
Saint Francis went with him straightway to the
March of Ancona, singing with him glorious
praises of the Lord of heaven and earth ; and he
said to Brother Giles : " Son, our Order will be
like unto the fisher, that casts his net into the sea
and gathers a multitude of fishes, and the large
he keeps and leaves the small in the water."
Brother Giles marvelled at this prophecy, for as
yet there were in the Order only three brothers
and Saint Francis ; and albeit Saint Francis did
not yet preach publicly to the people, yet as he
went by the way he admonished and corrected
the men-folk and the women-folk, saying lov-
ingly to them these simple words : " Love and
fear God, and do fit penance for your sins."
And Brother Giles would say : " Do what this
my spiritual Father saith unto you, for he
speaketh right well."
//. How Brother Giles went to Saint James the
Great
As time wore on, Brother Giles, by leave of
Saint Francis, went on a time to Saint James the
Great in Galicia, and in all that journey only
once did he suffer hunger by reason of the great
dearth that was in all the country. For as he
went along asking alms and finding none that
would show him charity, in the evening he
lighted by chance on a threshing-floor, wherein
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 159
had been left some dry beans, the which he Brother
gathered up, and these were his evening meal ; Giles*
and there he slept the night, for of his own will
he dwelt in solitary places and remote from other
folk, that he might the better give himself up to
prayers and vigils. And through this meal he
was so much strengthened by God, that if he
had eaten of divers dishes, he deemed he could
not have found so much refreshment therein.
As he went on his way, he found by the road-
side a poor man that asked an alms for the love
of God. And Brother Giles full of charity,
seeing that he had naught else save the habit on
his back, cut off the cowl from his old cloak,
and gave it to the poor man for the love of
God; and thus for twenty days together he
journeyed on without a cowl. And as he was
coming back through Lombardy, he was called
by a man, to whom he went right willingly,
thinking to receive an alms of him : and when
he stretched out his hand, that other put therein
a pair of dice, inviting him to play. Brother
Giles made answer right humbly : " God for-
give thee, my son." So, as he took his way
through the world, he suffered much mocking,
and bore it all with a tranquil mind.
///. After what fashion brother Giles led his
life when he went to the Holy Sepulchre
Brother Giles went to visit the Holy
Sepulchre of Christ, by leave of Saint Francis,
and came to the port of Brindisi, and there
160 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He visits he tarried many days by reason of there being
5 hC nl I h' y n 8 *"P reac ty' ^ nc * Brother Giles, desiring
Sepulcbre to jj ye ^ ^ i a b our o f h[ s hands, begged for a
pitcher, and filling it with water went crying
through the city : " Who lacks water ? " And
by his labour he earned bread and such things as
be needful for the life of the body, both for him-
self and for his companion ; and then he went
over-sea, and visited the Holy Sepulchre of
Christ and the other holy places, with great
devotion. And coming back again, he tarried
in the city of Ancona for many days ; and for
that he was wont to live by the labour of his
hands, he made baskets of rushes and sold them,
not for money, but for bread for himself and his
companion, and for the self-same wage he carried
the dead for the burying. And when this failed
him, he returned to the table of Jesu Christ,
begging alms from door to door. And so with
much toil and poverty, he returned to Saint Mary
of the Angels.
IV. How Brother Giles praised obedience more
than prayer
On a time a certain brother was at prayer in
his cell, and the guardian sent to him bidding him
by holy obedience go and beg for alms. Whereat
straightway he gat him to Brother Giles, and said :
" My father, I was at prayer, and the guardian
has bidden me go and beg for bread : and to
me it seemeth to be better to continue in
prayer." Replied Brother Giles : " My son,
hast thou not yet learned or understood what
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI *6i
manner of thing is prayer ? True prayer is to Obedi-
do the will of one's Superior ; and it is a cnce inert
sign of great pride in one who hath put his
neck under the yoke of holy obedience, if on
any account he avoid it, to the end that he may
work his own will, thinking thereby to act more
perfectly. The Religious who is perfectly obedi-
ent is like a rider mounted on a powerful horse,
through whose strength he goes boldly on his
way ; but on the contrary the disobedient, com-
plaining, and unwilling Religious, is like a man
mounted on a lean and weak and vicious horse,
for after doing a little work it is left behind either
dead or taken by the enemy. I tell thee that if a
man were so devout and so uplifted in soul as to
speak with Angels, and while thus speaking were
called by his Superior, he ought straightway to
leave the converse of the Angels and be obedient
unto him that is set over him."
V. How Brother Giles lived ly the labour of h'u
hands
Brother Giles being on a time in a convent at
Rome, desired to live by the work of his hands,
as had been his wont ever since he entered the
Order, and he did after this manner. In the
morning early he heard a Mass with much devo-
tion : then he went to the wood, which was
eight miles distant from Rome, and brought
back on his shoulders a bundle of wood, and
sold it for bread and other things to eat. One
time among others, as he was returning with a
load of wood, a woman wished to buy it
*6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother of him ; and having made a bargain and
Giles' fixed the price, he carried it to her house.
oHivinfi: ^ e woman > despite the bargain she had made,
seeing that he was a Religious, gave him more
than she had promised him. Quoth Brother
Giles : " Good woman, I would not that the
vice of greed should overcome me : therefore
will I take no more than the price that I have
bargained for with thee." So not only would he
take no more, but left half of the price agreed
upon, and gat him gone ; whereat the woman was
filled with exceeding great reverence for him.
Thus did Brother Giles alway give good heed
to holy honesty in all the work he did for hire.
He used to help the labourers gather the olives
and strip the vines. Whileas he was one day in
the market-place, a certain man wished to let
beat his walnut trees, and asked another to beat
them for a price : but he made excuse, because it
was a long way off, and the trees were very hard
to climb. Quoth Brother Giles : " My friend,
if thou wilt give me a part of the nuts, I will go
with thee to beat them " ; and having covenanted
with him, he set forth, and having first made the
sign of the most holy Cross, with great fear climbed
up the walnut tree for to beat it. And when he
had done beating, the share that fell to him was
so large that he could not carry it in his lap ;
wherefore he took off his habit, and tying the
sleeves and the hood together, he made a sack of
it ; and his habit thus full of nuts, he put it on
his back and carried it to Rome, and gave them
all with great joy to the poor, for the love of
..
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 163
God. When the corn was cut, Brother Giles His
used to go with other poor folk to glean the ears ; humility
and if any one offered him a handful of corn, he
would answer : " My brother, I have no granary
wherein to store it " ; and most times he gave the
ears away for the love of God. Brother Giles
but seldom helped another all day long, for he
would bargain to have some time to say the
canonical hours and not miss his mental prayers.
On a time Brother Giles went to the Fountain
of Saint Sixtus to draw water for the monks, and
a man asked him to give him to drink. Replied
Brother Giles : " And how can I carry the vessel
half empty to the monks ? " He being angered
spake unto Brother Giles many words of insult
and of contumely : and Brother Giles returned
to the monks much grieved in spirit. Borrowing
a large vessel, he returned straightway to the said
fountain for water, and found the man again ;
and said : " My friend, take and drink as much
as thy soul desireth, and be not angered for that
I deemed it ill-beseeming to carry a vessel half
emptied to those holy monks." Then the man
repenting him, and constrained by the charity and
humility of Brother Giles, confessed his fault, and
from that hour forth held him in high reverence.
VI. How Brother Giles was miraculously cared
for in a time of great need, tvben by reason
of the deep snow he could not go to beg alms
Brother Giles being at Rome in the house of
a cardinal, as the time of the greater Lent drew
6 4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
He is in nigh, and not finding such peace of mind as he
dire need desired, said to the cardinal : " My father, by
your leave, I wish to go for the peace of my
soul to pass this Lent with my companion in
some lonely place." Replied the cardinal :
u Well, my brother most dear, and whither
wouldest thou go ? The famine is full sore :
as yet ye know the land but ill ; come, be
content to continue in my court, for right well
pleased shall I be to give you whatsoe'er ye
need, for the love of God." Howbeit Brother
Giles would fain be gone, and he gat him forth
from Rome to a high mountain, where of old
had stood a village, and still was found a deserted
church that was called Saint Laurence, and he
entered therein, he and his companion, and they
continued in prayer and in much meditation ;
they were unknown, and thereby was little re-
verence and devotion paid to them ; wherefore
they suffered great want : and therewithal there
fell deep snow that lasted many days. They
could not go outside the church, and no man
sent them aught to eat, nor had they anything
with them, and so they remained shut up for
three days and nights. Brother Giles seeing
that he could not live by the labour of his hands,
and that he could not go out to beg for alms,
said to his companion : " My brother most dear,
Jet us cry unto the Lord with a loud voice, that
of His pity He may provide for us in this great
extremity and need ; for certain monks being
in great need, cried unto God, and the Divine
Providence supplied their wants." So after
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 165
their example they gave themselves up to prayer, His $.
beseeching God with all their hearts that He wants ?
would send them help in their great need, j^^ ""
And God, who is all-pitiful, had regard unto supplied
their faith and devotion and simplicity and
fervour, after this fashion. A certain man that
was looking towards the church in which
Brother Giles and his companion were, being
inspired of God, said within himself: " It
may be that in yon church are some good
persons doing penance, who by reason of the
snow that hath so much fallen, cannot supply
their needs, and by reason thereof may die of
hunger." And urged on by the Holy Spirit,
he said : " Of a surety I will go and see
whether my imagination be true or not " ; and
taking some bread and a bottle of wine, he
set out upon his way ; and with exceeding
great difficulty he came to the church afore-
said, where he found Brother Giles and his
companion praying most devoutly ; and they were
so consumed with hunger that to all seeming
they appeared rather to be dead men than
alive. He had great compassion on them, and
when they were refreshed and comforted, he
returned and told unto his neighbours the
need and the distress of these brothers, and
prevailed on them and prayed them for the
love of God to make provision for them; so
that many persons, following his example,
brought them bread and wine and other need-
ful viands, for the love of God; and all
through that Lent they took such order
z66 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Brother among themselves that in their need they
Giles dies wer e provided for. And Brother Giles pon-
dering on the mercy of God and the charity
of those folk, said to his companion : " My
brother most dear, even now have we prayed
unto God to provide for us in our need, and
our prayers have been heard: wherefore it is
fitting that we give Him thanks and glory,
and pray for them that have nourished us with
their alms, and for all Christian people."
And for his great fervour and devotion, God
gave such grace unto Brother Giles that many
through his example left this blind world, and
many others whose hearts were not turned to
the religious life, did much great penance in
their own homes.
VIL Of the day of the death of the holy Brother
Giles
On the vigil of Saint George at the hour
of Matins, when two and fifty years had
passed away, for that he had received the
habit of Saint Francis on the first day of the
month, the soul of Brother Giles was received
by God into the glory of Paradise, to wit, on
the festival of Saint George.
VIII. How a holy man, being at prayer, saw
the soul of Brother Giles pass into life
eternal
A certain good man being at prayer, what
time Brother Giles passed away from this
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI ^6 7
life, saw his soul, together with a multitude His soul
of souls, come forth out of Purgatory and ascends
rise up into heaven : and Jesu Christ come to
meet the soul of Brother Giles, and, with a
great company of Angels and all those souls,
ascend with sweet melodies into the glory of
Paradise.
IX. Hotv by the merits of Brother Giles, the soul
of a friend of a certain Preaching Brother
was set Jree from the pains oj Purgatory
When Brother Giles lay sick, so that he
had but a few days to live, a Brother of Saint
Dominic fell sick unto death. Now this man
had a friend that was also a brother : who seeing
that he drew nigh unto death, said to this sick
brother: "My brother, I desire that, if God
give thee leave, thou return to me after thy death
and tell me in what state thou mayest be." So
the sick man promised to return, if it were pos-
sible: now he and Brother Giles died on the
self-same day, and after his death he appeared
to the other Preaching Brother, and said : " It is
the will of God that I keep my promise to thee."
Said the living brother to the dead : " How is it
with thee ? " Replied the dead man : " It is
well, for I died on the very day whereon there
passed away from this life a holy Brother Minor,
named Brother Giles, unto whom, by reason of
his great sanctity, Jesu Christ granted that he
should lead to Paradise all the souls that were
in Purgatory, among the which was I, in great
68 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His torment ; so by the merits of the holy Brother
miracles Giles were they set free." And this said,
straightway he disappeared, and that brother re-
vealed the vision unto no man. Then the said
brother fell sick ; and at once surmising that God
had struck him, because he had not revealed the
virtue and the glory of Brother Giles, he sent for
the Brothers Minor, and there came to him five
couples ; and when he had called the Preaching
Brothers also, with great devotion he set forth
unto them the vision aforesaid ; and having dili-
gently enquired, they found that they twain had
passed away from this life on the self-same day.
X. Hoiv God had given graces unto Brother Giles,
and of the year of his death
Brother Bonaventura of Bagnoreggio used to
say of Brother Giles that God had granted unto
him special grace for all such as commended
themselves unto him with devout intention in
those things that appertain unto the soul. He
wrought many miracles in his lifetime and after
his death, as is clearly set forth in his Legend ;
and he passed away from this life unto glory
everlasting in the year of our Lord twelve hundred
and fifty-two, on the feast of Saint George ; and
was buried at Perugia in the convent of the
Brothers Minor.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 169
Here begin the chapters of sundry
goodly sayings and of the teach-
ing of Brother Giles
/. Of vices and virtues
THE grace of God and virtue are a road and a His
ladder whereby men may climb into Heaven ; sayings
but vices and sins are a road and a ladder whereby
to go down to the depths of hell. Vices and
sins are a deadly poison ; but virtues and good
works are a healing medicine. One grace leadeth
on to another, and one vice leadeth on to another.
Grace seeketh not praise ; but vice cannot endure
to be despised. In humility the mind is at rest
and peace ; patience is her daughter. And holy
purity of heart sees God : but true devotion
tasteth Him. If thou lovest, thou wilt be loved.
If thou servest, thou wilt be served. If thou
fearest, thou wilt be feared. If thou doest good
unto others, it is fitting that others do good unto
thee. But blessed is he that truly loves and
seeketh not love in return. Blessed is he that
fears and desires not to be feared. Blessed is he
that serves and desires not to be served. Blessed
is he that doeth good unto others and seeketh not
that others do good to him. But sith these things
are very high and of great perfectness, therefore
the foolish cannot know them or attain unto
7 o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
His them. Three things are exceeding high and
teach- useful, the which whoso hath, shall never fall.
m S s The first is that thou willingly endure with glad-
ness every tribulation that may come to thee, for
the love of Jesu Christ. The second is that thou
humble thyself every day in all things whatsoever
thou doest and in all things that thou lookest
upon. The third is that faithfully with all thy
heart thou love that highest, heavenly, unseen
good, which none may look upon with the eyes
of the body. Those things that are despised and
reviled by worldly men, are of a sooth more ac-
ceptable and pleasing to God and to His Saints,
and those that are more loved and more honoured
and more desired by worldly men, these are more
despised and contemned and hated by God and
by His Saints. This foul unfitness proceedeth
from human ignorance and wickedness ; for
miserable man loveth rather the things that he
should hate, and hateth the things that he should
love. On a time Brother Giles asked another
brother, saying : " Tell me, dear brother, hast
thou a good soul ?" Replied the brother : " I
wot not if I have or no." Then said Brother
Giles : " My brother, I would have thee know
that holy contrition, and holy humility, and holy
charity, and holy devotion, and holy joy, make
the soul good and blessed."
If. Of Faith
All the things that can be thought of by the
heart, or said with the tongue, or seen with the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 171
eyes, or touched with the hands, all are as The im-
naught in respect and in comparison of those njensity
things that cannot be thought of, nor seen, nor
touched. All the Saints, and all the wise men
that have passed away, and all they that are in
the present life, and all they that shall come
after us, that have spoken or written, or shall
speak or write of God, will never show forth
nor will ever be able to show forth, concerning
God so much as a grain of millet, in respect and
comparison of the heaven and the earth, and even
a hundred thousand times less. For all that is
written concerning God, speaketh as one stam-
mering, even as the mother that prattles to her
babe, that would not understand her words, if
she spake in other fashion. On a time Brother
Giles said to a judge that was of the world :
" Dost thou believe that the gifts of God are
great ? " Replied the judge : " I do believe."
Whereat Brother Giles said : " I will show thee
how thou dost not faithfully believe," and be-
spake him thus : " What is the worth of all thy
possessions in this world ? " Replied the judge :
" They are worth, may be, a thousand pounds."
Quoth Brother Giles: " Wouldest thou give
these thy possessions for ten thousand pounds ? "
Replied the judge without delay, saying : " Of
a sooth would I give them right willingly " : and
Brother Giles said : " Verily all the possessions
of this world are as naught in respect of the
things of heaven : then wherefore dost thou not
give these thy possessions unto Christ, that thou
mayest gain those that be celestial and eternal ? "
^^^ THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The Then the judge, wise in the foolish science of
mercy t ne world, answered the pure and simple Brother
infinit ^ es > ^ ^ t ^ le w ^ s ^ om of divine foolishness,
saying : " Dost thou believe, Brother Giles,
that any man worketh with the works of his
hands in such measure as he believeth in his
heart ? " Replied Brother Giles : " Know of
yery sooth, my dearly beloved, that all the Saints
have studied to fulfil in their works all that they
could know to be the will of God, according to
the measure of their power ; and all that they
could not fulfil with the working of their hands,
they fulfilled with the holy desires of their will ;
in such wise that they supplied by the desire of
their souls that which was lacking in the work
of their hands, and so they came short in
nothing." Then quoth Brother Giles: "If
there were a man possessed of perfect faith, in a
short time he would come to a state of perfect-
ness, wherein he would receive full certainty of
his salvation. The man that with firm faith
looketh for this eternal and loftiest and highest
good, what hurt or harm could any earthly
trouble in this present life do to him ? And the
wretched man that waiteth for eternal woe, what
blessing can any prosperity or temporal good in
this world bring to him ? Nathless, however
great a sinner a man may be, he should not
therefore despair, so long as he liveth, of the
infinite mercy of God, for there is no tree in the
world so thorny or so gnarled or so knotty that
men cannot smooth it and polish it and trim it
and make it fair to see ; and even so there is not
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 173
a man in this world so wicked or so great a Pride the
sinner that God cannot convert him and adorn
him with singular graces and with manifold gifts
of virtue."
///. Of holy humility
No man may come into any knowledge and
understanding of God, save by the virtue of holy
humility ; for the straight path that goeth up
is the path that leadeth down. All die dangers
and the grievous falls that have happed in this
world, have come from none other cause save
from the lifting up of the head, to wit the mind,
in pride : and the same is proved by the fall of
the devil who was cast out of heaven, and by the
fall of our first parent, to wit Adam, who was
driven out of Paradise by reason of the lifting up
of his head, to wit his disobedience, and likewise
by the Pharisee, whereof Christ speaketh in the
Gospel, and by many other examples. And so
contrariwise, all the great blessings that have
befallen this world, have all proceeded forth
from the bowing of the head, to wit the humbling
of the mind, even as is proved by the blessed
most humble Virgin Mary, and by the Publican,
and by the holy Thief upon the Cross, and by
many other examples in the Scriptures. And
therefore it would be well if we could find some
heavy and grievous weight, the which we might
always carry tied to our neck, to the end that it
might be ever bent down, to wit, that it might
ever make us humble. A certain brother asked
274 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
In praise Brother Giles : " Tell me, father, in what man-
.f ner we may flee from this pride." Whereunto
humility answered Brother Giles : My brother, be thou
assured of this, to wit, that thou canst never hope
to be able to flee from pride, unless thou first put
thy mouth where now thou hast thy feet ; but if
thou dost ponder well the loving-kindnesses of
God, then wilt thou understand that rightly art
thou bound to bend down thine head. And
likewise, if thou dost well bethink thee of thy
faults and of the many offences thou hast com-
mitted against God, thou wilt have full reason to
humble thyself. But woe unto those that desire
to be honoured for their wickedness sake. One
degree of humility is found in the man who
knoweth that he is the enemy of his own good.
One degree of humility is to render unto another
the things that are his and not to take them for
oneself; to wit, that every good thing and every
virtue that man findeth in himself, he should not
ascribe unto himself, but only unto God, from
whom cometh every grace and every good thing ;
but every sin and passion of the soul, or what-
soever vice man findeth in himself, he should
ascribe unto himself, seeing that it proceedeth
from himself and his own wickedness, and not
from others. Blessed is the man that knows and
deems himself to be vile before God, and so be-
fore men ! Blessed is he that always judges
himself and condemns himself and not another !
for then he will not be judged by that terrible
and eternal last judgment. Blessed is he that
taketh heed to pass under the yoke of obedience
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 175
and under the authority of another, as did the Humility
holy Apostles, before and after they received the
Holy Spirit ! " Likewise Brother Giles said :
" He who wishes to gain and to possess perfect
peace and rest, must needs look on every man as
his superior, and must always show himself sub-
missive and inferior to all. Blessed is the man
who in his actions and his speech seeketh not to
be seen or known, save only in that pure order
and in that simple adornment wherewith God
hath adorned and ordered him ! Blessed is the
man who knoweth how to keep and to hide the
divine revelations and consolations ! for there is
no thing so secret but that God reveals it
whensoever it pleaseth him. If a man were
to be the most perfect and most holy man
in the world, and think and believe himself
to be the most miserable sinner and the vilest
wretch on earth, then in this man would be
true humility. Holy humility knoweth not how
to talk, and the blessed fear of God knoweth
not how to speak." Quoth Brother Giles :
" Humility seemeth to me to be like unto a flash
of lightning ; for even as the lightning striketh a
terrible blow, crashing and breaking in pieces
and burning up whatsoever it meets, and then the
flash is no more to be found ; so in like manner
humility pierces and scatters and burns and con-
sumes all wickedness and all vice and all sin ; and
then is found to be naught in itself. The man
that possesseth humility, through humility finds
grace with God, and perfect peace with hi
neighbour."
*7 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
IV. Of the holy fear of God
The fear He that fears not, shows that he hath naught to
of God lose. The holy fear of God orders, governs and
rules the soul, and maketh it come to grace. If
a man possesseth any grace or divine virtue, it is
holy fear that keepeth it safe. And whoso hath
not yet obtained virtue or grace, holy fear maketh
him obtain it. The holy fear of God is a guide
to guide us unto godly graces, for it maketh the
soul wherein it dwells to attain right soon unto
holy virtue and heavenly graces. All creatures
that now are fallen in sin, would never have
fallen, if they had had the holy fear of God.
But this holy gift of fear is not given save unto
the perfect, for the more perfect a man is, the
more doth he fear and humble himself. Blessed
is the man that knoweth that in this world he is
in prison, and ever remembereth how grievously
he hath offended his Lord ! Man should alway
stand in great fear of pride, lest it make a thrust
at him and make him fall from the state of
grace, wherein he stands ; for man can never
dwell securely, whiles he is in the midst of our
enemies ; and our enemies are the enticements of
this miserable world and our own flesh, the
which, together with the demons, ever make
war upon the soul. A man should have greater
fear of his own wickedness lest it overcome him
and lead him astray, than of any other of his
enemies. It is impossible for a man to ascend
and rise up to any grace or heavenly virtue, or
persevere in the same, without holy fear. Whoso
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 177
hath not the fear of God, is in danger of Grace im-
perishing and of being altogether lost. The fear possible
of God maketh man to humbly obey and bend his
neck under the yoke of obedience ; and the
more fear a man doth feel, the more fervently
doth he pray. No small gift is that of prayer,
unto whomsoever it may be given. The virtu-
ous deeds of men, however great they may
appear to us, are not accounted or rewarded
after our judgment, but after the judgment and
good pleasure of God ; for God looketh not to
the number of the works, but to the measure of the
love and humility : and therefore is it safest for
us ever to love and fear with humility, and never
to trust in ourselves for any good thing, being
always suspicious of the thoughts that arise in
the mind under the guise of good.
V. Of holy patience
He that with firm humility and patience doth
suffer and endure tribulation, through his burning
love for God, will soon attain unto high graces
and virtues, and will be lord of this world and
will have an earnest of the glorious world to
come. Every thing that a man doth, be it good
or evil, he doeth it unto himself; wherefore be
not disquieted against him in that he doth thee
wrong, but rather shouldest thou have humble
patience, and only grieve for his sin, having pity
on him, and praying God effectually for him.
The stronger a man is to suffer and endure
injuries and tribulations patiently for the love
*78 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The way of God, the greater is he in the sight of God,
to Salva- and no more : and the weaker a man is in endur-
tion is - n g p a j n anc j adversity for the love of God, the
of loss l wer ls h e m *he sight of God. If any man
praise thee, speaking well of thee, give the glory
to God alone ; and if any man speak ill of thee
and revile thee, do thou help him by speaking ill
of thyself and worse. If thou desirest to main-
tain thine own cause, then study ever to speak ill
of it and maintain that of thy neighbour, always
blaming thyself and always praising and making
sincere excuses for him. When any man wishes
to contend and to go to law with thee, do thou,
if thou desirest to win, lose thy case, and losing it
thou wilt win ; for if thou dost wish to go to law
for to win, then when thou thinkest thou hast
won, thou wilt find that thou hast lost most
grievously. Wherefore, my brother, believe of a
surety that the straight way to salvation is the way
of loss. But when we do not bear tribulations
well, then we cannot pursue after the consola-
tions of eternity. A much greater consolation is
it and far more meritorious to endure wrongs and
revilings patiently without murmuring, for the love
of God, than to feed a hundred poor persons and
fast every day continuously. But what doth it
profit a man, or what joy doth it bring him, to
despise himself and afflict his body with long
fasts and vigils and scourgings, if he cannot
endure a little wrong at the hands of his neigh-
bour ? For which cause shall a man receive
much more reward and greater merit, than for
all the afflictions that he may lay on himself of
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 179
his own will ; for to endure revilings and injuries " All
from his neighbour in humble patience without things
murmuring, purgeth away sin much more quickly r^her for
than a fount of many tears. Blessed is the man good to
that always keeps before the eyes of his mind the them that
remembrance of his sin and of the blessings of love
God ! for he will endure with patience every tribu-
lation and adversity, and therewithal he looketh for
great consolations. The man who is truly humble
looks not for any merit or reward from God ; but
studies only how he may please Him in every
way, knowing that he is His debtor ; and every
good thing that he hath, he knoweth that he
hath of the goodness of God alone, and not
for any merit of his own ; and in all adversity,
he knoweth that of a surety it hath befallen him
for his sins. A certain brother asked Brother
Giles, saying : " Father, if in our time there
should fall some great adversities and tribulations,
what should we do then ? " Whereunto replied
Brother Giles, saying : " My brother, I would
have thee know that if the Lord were to rain
down stones and lightning from Heaven, they
could not hurt us or do us any harm, if we were
such as we ought to be ; for if man were truly
what he ought to be, every evil and every tribula-
tion would be turned into blessings ; for we know
what saith the Apostle, that all things work to-
gether for good to them that love God ; and so
likewise to the man of evil will, all good things
are turned to evil and to judgment. If thou
wilt be saved and go to the glory of heaven, thou
must never seek for revenge or justice on any
8o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Burdens creature ; for the heritage of the Saints is always
lightened to ^0 g OOC i an( j a l wa ys to receive evil. If thou
mission wert tru ^ to reco g n i ze how often and how
grievously thou hast offended thy Creator, thou
wouldest understand that it is right and just
that all creatures should persecute thee and work
thee pain and tribulation, for these creatures
would be taking vengeance for the offences
thou hast committed against thy Creator. A
great and high virtue is it for a man to over-
come himself, for he that overcometh himself,
will overcome all his enemies and will attain
unto all good. A much higher virtue would it
be, if a man were to suffer himself to be overcome
by all men ; for then would he be lord over all
his enemies, to wit, vices and the devils and the
world and his own flesh. If thou wilt be saved,
renounce and despise every consolation that the
things of the world or mortal creatures can give
thee ; for more grievous and more frequent are
the falls that come through the prosperity and the
consolations that spring not up through adversi-
ties and tribulations/' Once on a time a Re-
ligious murmured against his Superior in the
presence of Brother Giles, on account of a
heavy obedience that he had laid upon him ; unto
whom quoth Brother Giles : " Dearly beloved,
the more thou wilt murmur, the heavier will
become thy burden and the harder for thee
to bear: and the more humbly and devoutly
thou wilt put thy neck under the yoke of holy
obedience, the lighter and sweeter will this obedi-
ence be for thee to bear. But methinks thou art
nnt v
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI *8i
not willing to be reviled in this world for the The way
love of Christ, yet dost wish to be honoured to j e
with Christ in the world to come ; thou art
not willing to be persecuted and cursed in this
world for Christ's sake, yet in the next world
dost wish to be blessed and received by Christ ;
thou art not willing to labour in this world, but
would rest and be at peace in the world to come.
Brother, brother, I say unto thee that thou art
grievously deceived ; for it is by the path of
misery and shame and reproach that man cometh
unto true celestial honour j and it is by endur-
ing mockings and cursings patiently for the love
of Christ, that man cometh unto the glory of
Christ. Therefore well saith a proverb of the
world that saith : He that gives not what he
ought, gets not what he would. Right useful
is the nature of the horse ; for however fast the
horse may run, yet he suffers himself to be ruled,
guided, and turned up and down, backwards and
forwards, according to the will of the rider ;
and so likewise ought the servant of God to do,
to wit, he bhould suffer himself to be ruled,
guided, bent, and turned, according to the will of
his superior, and likewise of any one else, for the
love of God. If thou wilt be perfect, study
diligently to be full of grace and virtue, and fight
valiantly against vices, patiently enduring all ad-
versity for the love of thy Lord, who for love
of thee suffered tribulation, affliction, revilings,
scourging, crucifixion and death, not through
His own fault, nor for His own glory, nor for
His own profit, but solely for thy salvation. And
i8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Laziness to the end that thou mayest do what I have
the path to ld t hee, do thou take heed above all that
thou conc l uer thyself ; for it profiteth a man
little to draw and lead souls to God, if he doth
not first conquer and draw and lead himself.
VI. Of slothfulness
The man that standeth idle loseth this world
and the next ; for he brings forth no fruit in
himself, and profits not his neighbour. It is im-
possible for a man to grow in virtue, without care-
fulness and without much labour. When thou
canst stand in a safe place, stand not in a doubtful
one : he standeth in a safe place who is careful
and anxious and works and labours through God
and for the Lord, and not for fear of punish-
ment nor for reward, but for the love of God.
The man who refuses to toil and labour for the
love of Christ, refuses in very sooth the glory of
Christ : and even as carefulness is useful and help-
ful unto us, so is carelessness ever contrary to us.
Like as laziness is the path that leads to hell, even
so is holy carefulness the path that leads to heaven.
Right careful ought a man to be, to gain and keep
the virtues and the grace of God, always working
with that grace and virtues faithfully ; for often-
times doth it happen to the man who works not
faithfully, that he loseth the fruit for the leaves,
or the grain for the straw. To one man God
freely granteth the good fruit with few leaves,
and to another He giveth both the fruit and the
leaves : and some others there be that have
neither fruit nor leaves. A weightier matter
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 283
doth it seem to be, to know how well to guard More
and keep discreetly the blessings and graces ? ifficu 1 ^ to
the Lord doth give, than to know how to obtain J^^ahi
them ; for, although a man know well how to riches
gain them, yet if he know not how to keep and
guard them well, he will never be rich ; but
others gain little by little and so grow rich,
because they guard well their gains and their
treasure. O how great a mass of water would
the Tiber have collected, if it did not anywhere
run away ! Man craves of God infinite gifts,
without measure and without end ; but to his
love of God doth he set both measure and end.
He that would be loved of God and receive of
Him infinite merit without measure or stint, must
love God without measure or stint, and always
yield him endless service. Blessed is the man
that loveth God with all his heart and with all
his mind, and always afflicts his body and mind
for the love of God, and seeketh no other
reward under Heaven save that he may recognise
that he is Its debtor. If a man were to fall
into great need and poverty, and another man
were to say to him : "I will lend thee a very
precious thing for the space of three days ; and
know that if within these three days thou make
good use of this thing, thou wilt gain endless
treasure so as to be rich for ever " : now sure is
it that that poor man would be right careful to
make good and diligent use of this thing so
precious, and much would he study to bring
forth good fruit therefrom. So in like manner
do I say, that the thing that hath been lent to u
i8 4 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Study to by the hand of God, is our body, the which the
make good God hath lent us for three days ; for all
{rood use i
' of life our times an " y ears are m comparison as three
days. Wherefore if thou wouldest be rich and
enjoy the divine sweetness to all eternity, then
study to make good use, and to bring forth good
fruit, of this thing that the hand of God hath
lent, to wit, thy body in this space of three days,
to wit, in the brief period of thy life ; for if
thou art not careful to lay up store in the present
life, whileas thou hast time, thou wilt never be
able to enjoy those eternal riches nor find holy
rest in that celestial peace for evermore. But if
all the possessions in the world belonged to one
man, who never made use of them nor let others
make use of them, what profit or what gain
would he have of these things ? Of a sooth, he
would have no gain or profit at all. But it well
might be, that a man should have few possessions
and making good use of them find much profit
therein, and bring forth fruit enough and to
spare, both for himself and for others. Saith a
proverb of the world : Never set an empty pot
to boil on the fire, in hope that your neighbour
will fill it. In like manner God willeth not
that any grace should remain empty ; for the
good God never giveth grace to any man, to the
end that he may keep it empty, but rather He
giveth it, that man may fill it with the fruit of
good works ; for a good will sufficeth not, if a
man studies not to follow it, and fill it with the
fruit of good works. Once on a time a beggar said
to Brother Giles : " Father, I pray thee give me
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 185
some consolation." Whereat Brother Giles The soul
replied : " My brother, study to stand well with an ^ body
God, and straightway wilt thou have the con- ^^f^to
solation thou dost need ; for if a man maketh suffer or
not ready within his soul a dwelling-place rejoice
wherein God may rest and dwell, he will never
find shelter or rest or true consolation in any
creatures. When a man wisheth to do evil, he
hath never need of much counsel, for the doing
it ; but for doing good, many men seek counsel
and make long delay/' Once on a time quoth
Brother Giles to his companions : " My brothers,
meseemeth that in these present days there is
found no man that is willing to do the things
that he seeth to be more profitable, not only for
his soul but also for his body. Believe me, my
brothers, that in very sooth I could swear, that
the more a man doth flee and shun the burden
and the yoke of Christ, the more grievous doth
he make it to himself, and the weightier and
heavier doth he feel it ; and the more eagerly a
man taketh it upon him, always adding to the
weight of his own free will, the lighter doth he
feel it and the more sweet to bear. Now may
it please God that men may win and gain for
themselves in this world the good things of the
body, in like measure as they gain those of the
soul ; seeing that the soul and the body, with-
out doubt, must be joined together, to suffer for
ever, or for ever rejoice ; to wit, either to suffer
pains and torments incalculable for ever and ever
in hell, or everlastingly enjoy with the Saints
and Angels in Paradise, joys and consolations
*86 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The unspeakable, through the merits of good works."
noblest A certain brother spake thus unto Brother Giles :
dcMrood " Bather, meseemeth that we do not yet know
work now to recognise what is good for us." Whereat
Brother Giles replied : " My brother, certain is
that every man practises the art that he has
learnt, for no man can do good work unless he
hath first learnt : wherefore I would have thee
know, my brother, that the noblest art in the
world is to do good work : and who can know
this, unless he first have learnt it ? Blessed is
the man unto whom no created thing can bring
evil ! but more blessed is he who from every
thing that he sees and hears, receiveth good to
the edifying of himself."
VIL Of contempt of the world
"Many sorrows and many woes will that
wretched man have, who setteth his desire
and his heart and his hope on earthly things,
for the which he abandons and loses the
things of heaven, and at the last will also
lose these things of earth. The eagle flieth
high : but if she had a weight tied to her
wings, she could no more fly high ; so man
for the weight of earthly things cannot fly
high, to wit, cannot attain to perfection ; but
the wise man, that tieth the weight of remem-
brance of death and of judgment to the wings
of his heart, cannot by reason of his great
fear go astray and fly among the vanities and
the riches of this world, the which are the
cause of damnation. Every day \ve see the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 287
men of the world working and toiling much, Beasts
and setting themselves in great perils of body, and birds,
for to gain these deceitful riches ; and when
they have toiled and gained much, in one
moment will they die and will leave behind
all that they have gained in their life; and
therefore must we not trust in this deceitful
world, the which leadeth astray every man
that believeth therein, sith it is full of lies.
But whoso desireth and wisheth to be great
and very rich, let him seek after and love the
riches and the good things that are eternal,
the which always satisfy the soul and never
weary it and never grow less. If we do not
wish to go astray, let us take example from
the beasts and the birds, the which when they
are fed, are well content, and seek naught
save their life from hour to hour, as they
have need : and so should man be content
with his bare necessities, with temperance and
without superfluity." Brother Giles said that
the ants pleased not Saint Francis as did the
other animals, by reason of the great care
they took in gathering together and storing up
abundance of grain at the time of summer for
the winter : but he said that the birds pleased
him much more, for they never gathered any-
thing together on one day for the other. But
the ant setteth us an example that we should
not stand idle in the summer time of this pre-
sent life, lest we be found empty and without
fruit in the winter of the last and final judg-
ment.
*88 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
VIII. Of holy chastity
Chastity Our wretched and weak human flesh is
ilke ? e . d j like the pig, that ever delighteth to wallow
ft m?rror an< * ^ e ^ ou l lts e\f m tne mu< i > deeming the mud
its great delight. Our flesh is the devil's
knight : for it resists and fights against all
those things that are of God and for our sal-
vation. A certain brother asked Brother
Giles, saying : " Father, teach me in what
manner we may be able to keep ourselves
from carnal sin " ; whereat Brother Giles re-
plied : " My brother, he who desireth to move
a great weight or a large stone to some other
place, must needs study to move it more by
skill than by force. So we likewise, if we
would conquer carnal sins and gain the virtue
of chastity, can gain it better by humility and
by the good and discreet guidance of our
spirit, than by the presumptuous severity and
violence of our penances. Every sin troubles
and be dims holy, resplendent chastity ; for
chastity is like unto a bright mirror, that is
bedimmed and troubled not only by the touch
of filthy things, but also by the breath of man.
And it is nowise possible for a man to attain
unto any spiritual grace, so long as he is
found to be inclined unto carnal lusts ; where-
fore turn and turn thou where thou wilt, thou
will never find any other means whereby to
attain unto spiritual grace, save only that thou
conquer every carnal sin. Wherefore fight
valiantly against thy weak and sensual flesh,
that is thy proper enemy and ever sceketh to
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI *8 9
gainsay thee night and day. Whoso over- Chastity,
cometh the flesh, our mortal enemy, let him ^ e fi fst
be sure that he hath conquered and discom- vlrtue
fited all his enemies, and will soon attain unto
spiritual grace and every good state of virtue
and perfection." Quoth Brother Giles:
"Among all the other virtues would I put
the virtue of chastity first: for most sweet
chastity hath in itself some perfectness of
itself alone ; but no other virtue can be per-
fect, lacking chastity." A certain brother
asked Brother Giles, saying : " Father, is not
the virtue of charity greater and more ex-
cellent than that of chastity ? " And Brother
Giles said : " Tell me, brother, what is there
in the whole world more chaste than holy
charity ? " Oftentimes used Brother Giles to
sing this song, to wit : " O holy chastity,
How great and good thou art! Truly pre-
cious art thou, and thy savour is so sweet,
That whoso tastes it not, knows not how
excellent it is. Wherefore the foolish know
not thy worth." A certain brother asked
Brother Giles, saying : " Father, thou that
so much commendeth the virtue of chastity,
I pray thee expound to me what manner of
thing is chastity." Whereat replied Brother
Giles : " My brother, I tell thee that the
name of chastity belongeth properly to the
anxious care and constant watching of the
bodily and spiritual senses, preserving them
for God alone pure and unstained."
9 o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
IX. Of temptations
The " The great graces that man receives from God,
fiercer the man cannot keep in tranquil peace ; for many
battle, the t h m g s S p r j n g U p tn at be contrary and disturbing
the anc ^ hostile to these graces, for the more a man is
victory pleasing unto God, the more is he assailed and
assaulted by the devils. Therefore a man should
never cease to fight, to the end that he may
live up to the grace received from God ; for the
fiercer that the battle be, the more precious will
be the crown, if he gain the victory. If we have
not many a battle and many a hindrance and
many a temptation, we should not be such as we
ought to be in the spiritual life. But true it is
that if a man walked aright and discreetly in the
way of God, he would find nor toil nor weariness
in his journey, but the man that walketh in the
way of the world will never be able to escape
the many toils, weariness, anguish, tribulations,
and sorrows, even to the day of his death."
Quoth a certain brother unto Brother Giles :
" My brother, meseemeth that these two sayings
are contrary the one to the other ; for in the first
thou dost say : The more a man is virtuous and
pleasing unto God, the more adversaries hath he
and the more battles in the spiritual life ; and
thereafter thou dost say the contrary, to wit : If
a man walked aright and discreetly in the way
of God, he would feel nor toil nor weariness in
his journey." Whereat Brother Giles, explain-
ing the opposition between these two sayings,
answered thus : " My brother, sooth is it that
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 291
the devils assail with fierce temptations those For every
that have a good will, more than they do those s" 1 over-
that have not a good will, to wit, after the mind
of God. But the man that walketh discreetly
and zealously in the way of God, what toil or
weariness or hurt could the devils and all the
adversities in the world bring upon him ? sith he
knows and sees that he sells his wares for a
thousand times more than they are worth. But
I tell thee yet more surely : He that had been
kindled by the fire of love divine, the more he
were assailed by sins, the more would he hate
and abhor them. The worst devils are wont to
run and tempt a man, when he is in a sickness
or in any bodily weakness or in any trouble, or in
cold or anguish, or hungered or thirsty, or when
he hath suffered some wrong or shame or temporal
or spiritual loss ; for these malicious ones know
that in such hours and moments a man is more
ready to receive temptations. But I tell thee
that for every temptation and every sin that thou
shalt overcome, thou wilt gain a virtue ; and by
overcoming that vice wherewith thou art assailed,
thou wilt receive therefore so much the greater
grace and the more glorious crown." A certain
brother took counsel of Brother Giles, saying :
" Father, oft-times am I tempted with a very sore
temptation, and many a time I have prayed to
God that He would deliver me therefrom ; yet the
Lord hath not delivered me ; give me counsel,
Father, what I should do." Whereunto replied
Brother Giles : " My brother, the more nobly
a king doth furnish his knights with stout and
29* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The lordly armour, the more stoutly doth he wish
armed them to fight against his enemies, for the love of
unanned him *" A Celtain brother asked Brother Giles
knight sa y m g : u Father, what remedy can I find so as
to be able to go to prayers with more willingness
and more desire and more fervour ? for when I
go to prayers, I feel hard and slothful and dry
and indevout." To whom Brother Giles replied,
saying : " A certain king hath two servants : and
the one hath arms wherewith to fight, but the
other hath none, and they twain wish to go into
the battle and fight against the enemies of the
king. He that is armed, entereth into the battle
and fighteth valiantly ; but the other that hath
no arms, saith unto his Lord : < My Lord, thou
seest that I be naked without arms ; but for love
of thee will I gladly go into the battle, and fight
all unarmed as I am.' Then the good king,
beholding the love of his faithful servant, saith
unto his attendants : * Go with this my servant,
and clothe him with all the arms that he needeth
for to fight, that with safety he may enter into
the battle ; and sign all his arms with my royal
sign, that he may be known as my faithful
knight.' And even so doth it oft-times happen
to a man when he goes to pray, to wit, when he
findeth himself to be naked, indevout, lazy and
hard of soul ; but if he constraineth himself, for
the love of God, to enter into the battle of
prayer : then our kind king and Lord, seeing the
endeavour of His knight, giveth him by the hands
of His ministering Angels the devotion and the
fervour of good will. Another time doth it
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 193
happen that a man will begin some great work of Reward
grievous toil, such as to clear and till the ground, ff those
or a vineyard, so as to reap fruit in season. And ^ s ^
many by reason of the much toil and many vexa- tempta-
tions grow weary and repent of the work they tion
have begun : but if a man constraineth himself
until the season of fruit, then forgetteth he all his
weariness and abideth consoled and glad, seeing
the fruit that he can enjoy. And so a man that
is strong in the hour of temptation, will attain
unto many consolations ; for after tribulations,
saith Saint Paul, are given consolations and the
crowns of life eternal : and not only will the
reward be given in Heaven to those that resist
temptations, but also in this life, as saith the
Psalmist : Lord, according to the multitude of
my temptations and my griefs, will Thy consola-
tions make glad my soul ; so that the greater the
temptation and the battle, the more glorious will
be the crown," A certain brother asked counsel
of Brother Giles touching a certain temptation,
saying : " O Father, I am tempted by two most
grievous temptations ; the one is : so soon as I do
any good thing, straightway am I tempted by
vain glory ; the other is : so soon as I do any
evil, I fall into such sadness and such melancholy,
that I come well-nigh to despair." Whereunto
replied Brother Giles : " My brother, thou dost
wisely to bewail thy sin, but I counsel thee to
mourn discreetly and temperately, and always to
remember that the mercy of God is greater than
thy sin. But if the infinite mercy of God re-
ceiveth to repentance the man that is a great
*94 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Never sinner and sinneth of his own free will, whenas
cease to h e doth repent, dost thou believe that this good
do good Q Q( J aDanc joneth the good sinner that sinned
not willingly and now is contrite and penitent ?
Likewise I counsel thee that thou never cease to
do good, through fear of vain glory ; for if a
man when he wisheth to sow his grain should
say : * I will not sow ; for if I sowed, perchance
the birds would come and eat it up/ and so
saying should not sow his seed, sure is it that he
would reap no fruit that year. But if he sows
his seed, albeit the birds eat some of it, yet the
greater part the labourer reaps. So when a man
is assailed by vain glory, if so be that he doth not
good deeds for vain glory's sake, but striveth
ever against it, I say that he loseth not the merit
of the good deeds that he doth, by reason of his
being tempted." A brother said unto Brother
Giles : ** Father, it is written that Saint Bernard
on a time repeated the seven Penitential Psalms
with such peace of mind and such devotion that he
thought of nothing else save only the proper mean-
ing of the aforesaid psalms." Whereat Brother
Giles answered thus: "My brother, I deem that
there is more valour in a lord that holds his castle
when it is besieged and assaulted by his enemies,
and defends himself so valiantly that he suffers
no one of his enemies to find entrance therein, than
there is in one that lives at peace and suffereth
no let."
X. Of holy penitence
Much ought a man always to afflict and mortify
his body, and willingly endure all wrong, tribu-
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 295
lation and anguish, sorrow, shame, contempt, How to
reproach, adversity and persecution, for the love attain
of our good Lord and Master, Jesu Christ, who
hath set us an example in His own self: for
from the first day of His glorious Nativity until
His most holy Passion he always endured anguish,
tribulation, sorrow, contempt, trouble and perse-
cution, all for our salvation. And therefore, if
we would come unto a state of grace, we must
needs walk, so far as in us lies, in the footsteps
of our good Master, Jesu Christ. A certain
man of the world asked Brother Giles, saying :
" Father, how can we that dwell in the world
attain unto a state of grace ? " Whereunto
Brother Giles replied : " My brother, a man
must first of all mourn for his sins with a contrite
heart ; then should he confess to the priest with
bitterness and sorrow of heart accusing himself
alone, without concealment or excuse; then
should he perfectly fulfil the penance laid on him
by his confessor: and likewise should guard
against all vice and sin and every occasion of
sin ; and still more, should he exercise himself
in good works of virtue towards God and towards
his neighbour ; and by so doing will a man come
unto a state of grace and virtue. Blessed is the
man that mourneth continually for his sins, always
bewailing night and day with bitterness of heart,
for the offences that he hath committed against
God! Blessed is the man that hath always
before the eyes of his mind the afflictions, the
pains and the sorrows of Jesu Christ, and for
love of Him neither desires nor finds any temporal
THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Prayer consolation in this bitter and tempestuous world,
the sum unt il he cometh to the celestial consolation of
A eternal life, wherein all his desires shall be fulfilled
g00d with joy!"
XL Of holy prayer
Prayer is the beginning and the middle and
the end of all good ; prayer illumineth the soul,
and thereby doth the soul distinguish good from
evil. Every man that is a sinner should make
this prayer every day continually, with fervour of
heart: to wit, should pray humbly to God to
give him a perfect knowledge of his own wretched-
ness and of his sins, and of the loving kindnesses
that he hath received and still receiveth from the
good God. But the man that knows not how
to pray, how can he come unto the knowledge of
God ? And all those that would be saved, if
they be folk of true intelligence, must needs be
converted in the end to holy prayer. Quoth
Brother Giles : " If there was a man that had a
son who had done so much evil that he had been
condemned to death or been banished from the
city, of a surety with all his might this man
would strive both day and night and every hour
to save the life of this his son, or bring him back
from banishment, making many prayers and sup-
plications, and giving gifts and presents, as much
as he could, both of himself and through others,
his friends and relatives. Then if a man doth
so much for his son, who is but mortal; how
much more careful ought a man to be, to pray to
God and make others also pray to Him, both
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 197
men in this world and His Saints in the Devotion
next, on behalf of his own soul, which is immortal, in prayer
when it hath been banished from the celestial
city or hath been damned to death eternal for its
many sins ! " Quoth a certain brother unto
Brother Giles : " Father, meseemeth that much
ought a man to mourn and be full sorrowful,
when he cannot have grace of devotion in his
prayers." Whereunto replied Brother Giles :
"My brother, I counsel thee to go gently,
gently ; for, if thou hadst a little good wine in a
cask, and in the cask the lees were still underneath
this good wine, of a surety thou wouldest not
shake or move that cask, to the end that the
good wine be not mixed with the lees ; and so I
say : so long as prayer be not separated from
every sinful and carnal lust, it will not receive
divine consolation ; for the prayer that is mixed
with the lees of fleshly lust is not clear in the
sight of God. Wherefore should a man strive,
as far as he may, to free himself from all the lees
of sinful lust ; to the end that his prayer may be
pure in the sight of God, and he may thereby
receive divine devotion and consolation." A
certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying:
" Father, how comes it that when a man is
praying to God, he is much more tempted,
assailed and tormented than at any other time ? "
Whereat Brother Giles answered thus : " When
a man pleadeth his cause before the judge, and
goeth for to tell his reasons to the judge, as it
were asking of him advice and help : whenas his
adversary is ware of it, he straightway appeareth
198 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Bravely to oppose and to resist the plea of the other, and
resist all hindereth him sore, as it were gainsaying his every
impta- wor j . an( j so lik ew i s e doth it befall, when a man
goeth to pray, asking God to help his cause ;
and then doth straightway appear his adversary,
the devil, with his temptations, for to resist him
sore and to gainsay him, and to put forth all his
strength and art and subtility, to hinder his prayer,
so that his prayer may not be acceptable in the
sight of God, and the man gain no merit from
the prayer nor any consolation. And this may
we see quite clearly; for when we speak of
worldly things, at that time we suffer no tempta-
tion nor distraction of mind, but if we go to prayer,
to gladden and comfort the soul with God,
straightway shall we feel the mind pierced with
divers arrows, to wit, with divers temptations,
which the devils shoot at us for to make our
minds confused, so that the soul may have no
delight or consolation in its converse with God."
Brother Giles said that " a man in prayer should
do as doth a good knight in the battle ; who
albeit he be pierced or wounded by his enemy,
doth not therefore straightway leave the battle,
but resisteth manfully so as to gain the victory
over his enemy, to the end that having gained
the victory, he may rejoice in his glory and find
comfort therein : but if he were to leave the
battle, so soon as he were stricken or wounded,
of a sooth would he be put to confusion and
shame and dishonour. So likewise ought we to
do ; to wit, not cease from prayer for every
temptation, but bravely resist ; for blessed is the
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 199
man that endureth temptation, as saith the Labour
Apostle ; for overcoming, he shall receive the humbl y
crown of life eternal : but if a man by reason of P rayer
temptations ceaseth from prayer, of a surety will
he be confounded, defeated and discomfited by
his enemy, the devil." A certain brother said to
Brother Giles : " Father, I have seen certain men,
that have received of God the gift of devotion
and of tears at the time of prayer, but I cannot
feel any of these graces, when I pray to God."
Whereunto replied Brother Giles: "My brother,
I counsel thee to labour humbly and faithfully in
thy prayer ; for the fruits of the earth cannot be
had without toil and without labour first being
spent thereon ; and even after this labour, the
desired fruit doth not come at once, before its
due season hath arrived : even so God giveth not
these graces unto a man in prayer at once, before
the fitting time hath come, and before his mind
is purged from every carnal affection and sin.
Wherefore, my brother, labour humbly in prayer ;
for God, who is all-good and gracious, knoweth
and discerneth all things best : when the time
and the season is come, in His loving kindness
He will give thee much fruit of consolation."
Another Brother said unto Brother Giles :
" What dost thou do, Brother Giles ? what dost
thou do, Brother Giles ? " And he replied :
" I do that which is evil " ; and the brother
said: "What evil dost thou do?" Then
Brother Giles turned to another brother and said
unto him : " Tell me, my brother, who, thinkest
thou, is the readier, our Lord God to grant us
3oo THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Good His grace, or we to receive it ? " And that
works the brother replied : " Of a surety God is more
ornament Tea ^ to g- ye ug jjj 8 grace than we to rece i ve ."
Then quoth Brother Giles: "Do we then do
what is good ? " And that brother said : " Nay,
we do evil." Then Brother Giles turned him
unto the first brother, and said : " Behold,
brother, how clearly is it shown, that we do
evil ; and how true is the answer that I gave, to
wit, that I do evil." Quoth Brother Giles:
"Many works are praised and lauded in the
Holy Scripture, to wit, the works of mercy and
other holy works ; but our Lord speaking of
prayer, said thus : The heavenly Father seeketh
men that will worship Him on earth in spirit and
in truth." Again, Brother Giles said that " the
true Religious are like wolves ; for they seldom
go abroad in the sight of men, save only in great
necessity, but straightway they study how to
return to their own secret place without lingering
or continuing among men. Good works are the
ornament of the soul." A certain brother, a
companion and familiar friend of Brother Giles,
said unto him : " Father, but wherefore dost
thou not sometimes go to speak of the things of
God, and teach and care for the salvation of the
souls of Christian folk?" Whereat replied
Brother Giles : " My brother, I would fain
satisfy my neighbour with humility, and without
loss to my soul, to wit, with prayer." And that
brother said : " At least thou shouldest sometimes
go to visit thy kinsfolk." And Brother Giles
replied : " Knowest thou not what the Lord
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 301
saith in the Gospel : Every one that hath for- Contem-
saken father and mother, brothers, sisters, lands, plation a
for My name's sake, shall receive an hundred- g
fold ? " Then he said : " A nobleman entered
the Order, whose riches were worth well-nigh
sixty thousand pounds : therefore great gifts await
those that for the love of God leave large pos-
sessions, sith God giveth a hundredfold more.
But we who are blind, when we see a man of
virtue and grace in the sight of God, cannot
comprehend his perfectness, by reason of our own
imperfection and blindness. But if a man were
truly spiritual, scarcely ever would he wish to
hear or see any one, save only in great need : for
the truly spiritual man desires to be united to God
through contemplation." Quoth Brother Giles
to a certain brother : " Father, gladly would I
know what is contemplation." And that brother
replied : " Father, I do not yet know." Then
said Brother Giles : " Meseemeth that the grade
of contemplation is a heavenly fire and a sweet
devotion of the Holy Spirit, and a rapture and
uplifting of the mind intoxicated in the con-
templation of the unspeakable savour of the divine
sweetness, and a happy, peaceful and sweet delight
of soul, that is rapt and uplifted in great marvel
at the glorious things of heaven above ; and a
burning sense within of that celestial glory
unspeakable."
XII. Of holy spiritual prudence
O thou servant of the heavenly king, that
wouldest learn the mysteries and the profitable
302 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The and virtuous prudence of holy spiritual teach-
way of ing, open well the ears of the mind of thy soul,
spiritual anc j rec eive with the desire of thy heart, and
e carefully keep in the chamber of thy memory, the
precious treasure of these spiritual doctrines and
admonitions and counsels, that I declare to thee :
by the which thou shah be enlightened and
directed in thy way, to wit, the way of spiritual
life, and shalt be defended from the evil and
cunning assaults of thy bodily and ghostly
enemies, and with humble boldness shalt go
safely travelling through the stormy sea of this
present life, until at last thou shalt come to the
longed-for harbour of salvation. Therefore, my
son, take good heed and hearken unto my words :
If thou wouldest see well, put out thine eyes and
be blind ; if thou wouldest hear well, become
deaf ; and if thou wouldest speak well, become
dumb ; and if thou wouldest walk well, stand
firm and walk with thy mind ; if thou wouldest
work well, cut off thy hands and work with thy
heart; and if thou wouldest love well, then hate
thyself; and if thou wouldest earn and be rich,
then lose and be poor ; and if thou wouldest be
glad and at peace, afflict thyself and stand always
in fear and trust not thyself ; if thou wouldest be
exalted and have great honour, humble thyself
and put thyself to shame ; if thou wouldest be
held in high reverence, despise thyself, and do
reverence to those that do thee despite and dis-
honour ; if thou wouldest always enjoy the good,
always endure evil ; if thou wouldest be blessed,
desire that all men should curse and speak ill of
thee
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI sJ
and if thou wouldest have true rest for Man
evermore, labour and afflict thyself and desire all made in
manner of temporal woe. O how great wisdom e image
is it to know how to do and bring these things to
pass ! but sith these things be very high and lofty,
God granteth them but unto few. But of a sooth
whoso studieth well all the things aforesaid and
bringeth them to effect, would have no need to
go to Bologna or to Paris, for to learn any other
theology; for though a man were to live a
thousand years and had nothing to do with his
hands and nothing to say with his tongue ; yet
would he have enough to do in striving in his
heart within, working for the purifying and guid-
ance and justifying of his mind and of his soul.
A man should not wish to see or hear or say
aught save what is profitable to his soul. A man
that knoweth not himself, is not known. Where-
fore woe unto us, when we receive gifts and
graces from the Lord and know them not: but woe,
woe to them that receive them not nor know them,
nor yet strive to win and gain them. Man is made
in the image of God, and as he wills, so doth he
change ; but the good God changeth never.
XIII. Of profitable and unprofitable knowledge
A man that would know much, must strive
much and humble himself much, abasing himself
and bowing down his head till he touch the
ground ; then will God give him much know-
ledge and wisdom. The highest wisdom is
always to do good, working the thing which is
304 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The virtuous, and guarding oneself well from every sin
highest an d f rO m every occasion of sinning, and always
Swa^Tto to ^k on tlie J uc *g ments f God. On a time
do g 00( i quoth Brother Giles to one that would go to the
schools for to gain knowledge : " My brother,
wherefore dost thou wish to go to the schools ?
for I would have thee know that the sum of all
knowledge is to fear and love, and these two
things are sufficient for thee : for so much wisdom
is needful for a man, so long as he is working ;
and no more. Vex not thyself much to study
for the profit of others, but always study to do
the things that be profitable to thyself; for often-
times doth it befall that we wish to gain much
knowledge for to help others and little for to help
ourselves : and I say unto thee that the word of
God is not for him that speaks, nor yet for him
that hears, but for him that worketh in truth.
Some men who cannot swim go into the water to
help drowning men : and it befalleth that they
are all drowned together. If thou dost not take
thought for the salvation of thine own soul, how
wilt thou take thought for that of thy neighbours' ?
and if thou dost not do thine own work well,
how wilt thou do the work of another well ? for
it cannot be believed that thou lovest the soul of
another more than thine own. The preacher of
the word of God should be a banner and a candle
and a mirror to the people. Blessed is the man
who in this wise guideth others on the way of
salvation, and ceaseth not himself to go on the
right path! Blessed is the man who in this
wise calleth upon others to run, and ceaseth not
to run
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 305
run himself! More blessed is he who in this Good
wise helpeth others to make gain and become speaking
rich and ceaseth not to enrich himself. I ween
that the good preacher admonisheth and preacheth
to himself more than he doth to others. Me-
seemeth that the man that would convert and lead
the soul of sinners to the path of God, should
always be fearful lest he be vilely led astray by
them, and drawn into the path of sin and of the
devil and of hell.
XIV. Of good and evil speaking
The man that speaketh good words and pro-
fitable to souls is of very sooth as it were the
mouth of the Holy Spirit; and likewise the
man that speaketh evil words and unprofitable, is
without doubt the mouth of the devil. When
at any time good, spiritually-minded men be
gathered together to have speech of one another,
they should always speak of the beauty of holi-
ness, to the end that holiness might please them
more and they take the more delight therein ;
for taking pleasure and delight in virtue, they
would the more strive therein, and striving
therein would come to the greater love thereof;
and through this love and their continual striving
and delight in virtue, they would always rise up
unto a more fervent love of God and a higher
state of soul ; for the which cause would the
Lord grant them more graces and more gifts
divine. The more a man is tempted, the more
doth he need to speak of the holy virtues : for
like as oft-times through evil talk of sins, men
3o6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
A virtue lightly fall into sinful deeds ; so oft-times through
to know discourse of virtue, are men lightly led and
when i nc ]i ne d to t h e holy deeds of virtue. But what
silence s ^ a ^ we Sa 7 ^ t ^ ie gd that cometh forth from
virtue ? for it is so great and high, that we can-
not speak worthily of its high excellence, so
marvellous and so infinite. And likewise, what
shall we say of the evil and of the eternal pain
that cometh forth from sin ? For it is so great
an evil and so deep an abyss, that it passeth all
thought and comprehension and all possibility of
speech. I deem it no less a virtue to know how
well to keep silence than to know how well to
speak : and therefore methinketh that a man
ought to have a long neck like a crane, so that
when a man wished to speak, his words would
pass through many joints before they reached
his mouth ; that is to say, when a man wished
to speak, he would need to think and think
again and examine and discern right well both
the how and the why and the time and the
manner and condition of his hearers, and the
effect on himself, and the intention that prompted
him.
XV. OJ good perseverance
What profit is it to a man to fast much and to
pray and give alms and afflict himself with his
thoughts fixed on heavenly things, if he attain
not to the blessed haven of salvation he longeth
for, to wit, the haven of good and firm per-
severance ? Sometimes doth it befall that on
the sea appeareth a ship very beautiful and great
1 _,
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 307
and strong and new, and full of much riches ; The need
and it happeneth that by reason of a storm or
through the fault of the helmsman, that ship
doth perish and sink, and is miserably drowned doing
and cometh not to the longed-for haven. Then
of what profit is all its beauty and excellence and
riches, sith it perisheth so miserably in the waters
of the sea ? And likewise sometimes doth there
appear upon the sea a little ship and old and with
scanty merchandise ; and having a good helms-
man and discreet, it escapes from dangers, and
comes safe out of the deep waters of the sea and
reaches the longed-for haven ; and so doth it
happen to men in the stormy sea of this world.
Wherefore quoth Brother Giles : " A man
should at all times fear ; and albeit he be in
great prosperity or in great honour or in great
perfectness, yet if he have not a good helmsman,
to wit, discreet government of himself, he may
perchance miserably perish in the deep sea of
sin : and therefore for well-doing there is need
most of all of perseverance, as saith the Apostle :
Not he that beginneth, but he that perseveres
unto the end, shall have the crown. When a
tree springs up, it does not become great all at
once ; and after that it has become great, it does
not therefore at once yield fruit ; and when it
does bear fruit, it will not all come to the mouth
of the lord of that tree ; for much of the fruit
will fall to the ground and rot and be spoiled
and be eaten by the beasts of the field ; but if it
cndureth until its due season, the greater part of
the fruit will be gathered by the lord of that
jo8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The two tree." Again quoth Brother Giles : " What
greatest would it profit me, if I were to taste of the
G d kingdom of Heaven for a hundred years and did
not continue therein, so that at the last I came
not to a good end ? " And also he said : " I
deem that these are the two greatest graces and
gifts of God that a man can attain to in this life,
to wit, to persevere with love in the service of
God, and to always guard himself from falling
into sin."
XVI. Of the true religious life
Quoth Brother Giles, speaking of himself:
" I would rather have a little of the grace of
God as a Religious in the Order, than have
many of the graces of God while living in the
world : for in the world there be many more
dangers and hindrances, and much less healing
remedy and help than in the religious life."
Likewise said Brother Giles : " Meseemeth that
the sinner is more afraid of his own good than
of his loss and hurt: for he is afraid to enter
into the religious life to do penance, but is not
afraid to offend God and harm his soul by
staying in the hard and stiff-necked world and
in the noisome mire of his sins, awaiting his
eternal damnation at the last." A man of the
world asked Brother Giles, saying : " Father,
what dost thou counsel me to do ? to enter into
the religious life, or to stay in the world doing
good works ? " Whereunto Brother Giles made
answer : *' My brother, certain is it that if some
needy wretch came to know that a great treasure
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 309
lay hid in a piece of common land, he would not The court
take counsel of any man, for to learn whether . t* 16
it would be well for him to dig it up and hide it J~ m *
. . . . heaven
in his house ; how much more ought a man to
make speed and haste with all care and zeal to
dig up the heavenly treasure that is found in the
holy orders and spiritual communities, without
seeking such counsel ! " And that man of the
world, hearing this answer, straightway gave all
that he had to the poor, and stripped of every
thing at once entered into the Order. Quoth
Brother Giles : " Many men enter into the
religious life, and do not put into effect and
operation the things that appertain to the perfect
state of holy religion ; but such men are like unto
the cow-herd that arrayed himself in the arms
of Roland and knew not either how to fight or
tilt therewith. Not every man knoweth how to
ride a restive and a vicious horse ; and if nathless
he mount him thereon, he could not perchance
keep himself from falling, when the horse begins
to run and rear." Again quoth Brother Giles :
" I deem it no great matter that a man should
know how to find entrance to the court of the
king ; nor do I deem it a great matter for him
to know how to gain some favours or kindnesses
from the king ; but the great thing is that he
know how to stand well and to live in the
king's court, guiding his ways with discretion as
is meet. The court of the great King of heaven
is the holy religious life, wherein it is not hard
to enter and gain some gifts and graces from
God ; but the great thing is that a man know
3 io THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
The how well to live and to continue therein with
Friars discretion until his death." Quoth Brother
themost ^ es : " * wou ^ rather live in the world always
blessed hoping and devoutly desiring to enter the
men religious life, than wear the habit in the Order,
without any practice of virtuous deeds, continu-
ing in sloth and idleness. Therefore ought the
religious man always to strive to live a good and
virtuous life, knowing that he cannot live in any
other state than the one he hath professed."
Once on a time Brother Giles said : " Meseem-
eth that the Order of the Friars Minor has in
very sooth been sent by God for the profit and
the abundant edifying of the people ; but woe
unto us brothers if we be not such men as we
ought to be ! Of a surety there could not be
found in this life any men more blessed than we :
for he is holy that followeth the holy one, and
he is truly good that goeth on the path of good,
and he is rich that walketh in the footsteps of
the rich; and the Order of the Friars Minor,
more than any other Order, followeth the foot-
steps of the best and the richest and the holiest
there has ever been or ever will be, to wit, our
Lord Jesu Christ.
XV I L Of holy obedience
The more a Religious is brought under the
yoke of holy obedience through the love of God,
the more fruit will he give of himself to God ;
the more he is subject to his superior for the
honour of God, the more free and pure will he
FRANCIS OF ASSISI 311
be from sin. The truly obedient Religious is like The yoke
unto the well-armed and well-horsed knight, * hly
that without fear breaks safely through the obedience
ranks of his enemies, because none of them can
hurt him. But he that obeys with murmuring
and perforce, is like unto the unarmed and ill-
horsed knight ; who entering into the battle, will
be hurled to the ground by his enemies, and
smitten by them and taken prisoner, and some-
times cast into prison and slain. The Religious
who wishes to live according to the choice of his
own will, shows that he wishes to build an ever-
lasting habitation in the depths of hell. When
the ox putteth his neck under the yoke, then he
tilleth the ground well, so that it brings forth
good fruit in its season, but when the ox wanders
at will, the ground remains untilled and wild, and
giveth not its fruit in due season. And so the
Religious that boweth his head beneath the yoke
of obedience, giveth much fruit to the Lord
God in due season : but he that is not obedient
to his Superior with a good heart, remaineth
barren and wild and without fruit of his vows.
Wise and high-souled men bow their heads right
willingly under the yoke of holy obedience
without fear or doubting, but foolish and
cowardly men strive to draw their heads away
from under the yoke of holy obedience and are
not willing to be subject unto any creature. I
deem it higher perfectness in the servant of God,
merely to obey his Superior through reverence and
love for God, than to obey God directly, should
God lay His commands upon him ; for whoso is
31* THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF
Obedi- obedient unto a vicar of the Lord, would of a surety
ence the be still more obedient to the Lord Himself, if
all'virtue ^ e were Bidden of Him. Also meseemeth that
if a man had promised obedience unto another,
and had the grace to speak with Angels, and it
should hap that as he was speaking with the
Angels, he were called by him to whom he had
promised obedience ; I say that he ought straight-
way to leave his speech with the Angels and
should run to do obedience, for the honour of
God. He that hath set his neck beneath the
yoke of holy obedience and then wishes to with-
draw his neck from under that obedience,
through desire to follow a life of greater perfect-
ness, I say that if he be not first truly perfect in
the state of obedience, then it is a sign of great
pride, which lurketh secretly within his soul.
Obedience is the road that leadeth unto all good
and to all virtue ; and disobedience is the road
to all evil and sin.
Of the remembrance of death
If a man had always before the eyes of his
mind the remembrance of death, and of the last
judgment, and of the pains and torments of the
damned, sure is it that nevermore would desire
of sin or of offending against God assail him.
But if it were possible for a man to have lived
from the beginning of the world even until now,
and in all that time have suffered all manner of
adversity, tribulation, pains, afflictions and griefs :
and to have died, and for his soul to have come
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI 3' 3
to receive eternal joy in heaven ; then what harm The
would all the evil he had endured in the past
time be unto him ? And so likewise : if a man
had had, through all the time aforesaid, every
good thing, all the delights, pleasures and con-
solations in the world, and then, at his death, his
soul were to receive the eternal pains of hell ;
what joy would he have of all the good he had
received in the time past ? Quoth a beggar unto
Brother Giles : " I tell thee that right gladly
would I live long in this world, and have great
riches and abundance of all things, and be much
honoured of men." Whereunto Brother Giles
said : " My brother, if thou wert lord of all the
world, and could live therein a thousand years in
all temporal joys, delights, pleasures, and con-
solations, pray tell me what reward and what
merit thou wouldest hope to gain from this
miserable flesh, the which thou fain wouldest
serve and please ? But I tell thee that the man
who leadeth a good life after the mind of God,
and guardeth himself from offending God, will
surely receive of God the highest blessings, and
an infinite reward for ever, and great abundance
and great riches and great honour and long life
eternally in the everlasting glory of heaven : unto
which may the good God bring us, our Lord
and King Jesu Christ : to the glory of the same
Jesu Christ and of His poor little one, Francis."
Thit translation of the " Fioretti di San
Francesco " has been specially prepared for this
series by Mr T. W. ARNOLD, M. A. , formerly
Scholar of Magdalene College, Cambridge ; Pro-
fessor of Philosophy in the Government College,
Lahore ; late Professor of Philosophy, Muham-
madan Anglo- Oriental College, Aligarh, India.
I. G.
Easter, 1898,
NOTE
WITH a self - suppression befitting a child of Saint
Francis, the author of this most exquisite expression
of the religious life of the Middle Ages has elected to
remain anonymous. Still, though the writer has kept
his name hidden from us, a few autobiographical details
seem now and then to bring us into personal contact
with him. He tells us that he was a contemporary of
Brother Jacques of La Massa (chap, xli., xlviii. ), that
he was an eye-witness of the ecstasy of Brother John of
Alvernia (chap, xlviii., liii.), and that he derived some
of his information from Brother Ugolino (chap. xlv.).
Now, of these, Brother Jacques died before 1180, Brother
John of Alvernia died in 1322, and Brother Ugolino
some years later.*
The date of the author or compiler (whichever he
may have been) has therefore to be fixed somewhere
between this time and 1390, in which year the earliest
dated MS. of the " Fioretti " was written. Part of the
book, however, viz., the first thirty-eight chapters,
which treat of Saint Francis himself and his com-
panions, is very possibly of an earlier period than the
rest, and grew out of a desire to put on record such
incidents in the life of the Saint as had not found a
place in the biographies which had been published up
to that time. The second part would thus comprise
chapters xxxix. to liii. ; of these chapters, xlii. to
the endf speak only of the brothers of the
March of Ancona, and are evidently intended to
* II Libro de' Fioretti di San Francesco. Studio del P. Bona-
ventura da Sorrento, p. 436. (Omaggio del Mondo Cattolico
a San Francesco di Assisi nella Ricorrenza del vii. Centenario
dalla Nascita. Parte v. Naples, 1885.)
t The various appendices, viz., the Reflections on the Stig-
mata, and the lives of Brother Juniper and Brother Giles, are
probably by another hand, and of a later date.
3<7
3 i8 NOTE
serve as a monument to the glory of the Brothers
Minor of this Province. The author, therefore, who-
ever he may have been, would certainly seem to have
belonged to some monastery in this centre of his pre-
dilection. " The Province of the March of Ancona,"
he says, " was in olden time adorned, even as the sky
with stars, with brothers that were patterns of holy
life ; the which, like shining lights of heaven, have
illumined and adorned the Order of Saint Francis and
the world, with ensamples and with doctrine " (chap,
xlii.).
These indications are much too slight to enable us
to determine with any degree of certainty who the
author of the " Fioretti " really was. But the laborious
investigations of commentators have identified him
with a certain Ugolino Brunforte, who was born in
1262 and died in 1348.* He came of a noble family
that had migrated from France to Italy in the days
of Charlemagne ; his father was Seigneur of Sarnano
(between Gualdo and Amandola) ; he joined the order
of the Brothers Minor about the age ot sixteen in the
Convent of Roccabruna ; and on account of his virtue
and his learning he was elected Bishop of Teramo by
the common consent of the clergy and the people, but
his election was not confirmed by the Pope, who had
already chosen another occupant of the See. He was
elected Provincial of Macerata in 1344, and held this
office until his death four years later, f It is of interest
to note that he was the nephew of two of the Brothers
Minor mentioned in the Fioretti, namely, Jacques da
Fallerone (chap, li.) and Pellegrino da Fallerone, who
was converted while a student at Bologna and " wished
not to live as a priest, but as a lay brother, albeit he
was a great scholar and right learned in the canon
law" (chap, xxvii.).
It is a matter of some dispute whether the " Fioretti "
was originally written in Italian or was translated
* P. Bonaventura da Sorrento, p. 437. L. Manzoni : Studi
sui Fioretti di S. Francesco (Miscellanea Franesscana. Vol. Ill
p. 152, Foligno, 1880).
t P. Bonaventura da Sorrento, pp. 436-8.
NOTE 319
from a Latin original The whole collection forms
the nucleus of three distinct Latin legends of Saint
Francis, of which one only Speculum vitae S. Fran-
cisci et sociorum eius has been published.* Manzoni,
one of the most zealous enquirers into the authorship
of the " Fioretti," believes the Latin version to represent
the original form of the work, and while strongly up-
holding the claims of Ugolino Brunforte to be the
author of the original work, considers that we must
look elsewhere for the translator. This translator he
believes to have been a certain John da San Lorenzo,
who was born of a noble family of Florence, and was
Bishop of Bisignano in Calabria from 1354 to 1357.
He was the author of a history of the Franciscan
Order, and of a life of St Onofrio, and of some other
works in the vulgar tongue. He further identifies this
John da San Lorenzo with the writer of a MS. of the
' Fioretti " that is to be found in the Library of the
University of Bologna, in which the following words
occur just after the Reflections on the Stigmata :
O confessor Francesco benedetto
risguarda el to servo Zohanne
che ha script! questi toi Fioretti.
These words would seem most naturally to be the
prayer of the copyist, such as is commonly found at
the end of mediaeval MSS. But Sbaraglia also supposed
them to have been written by this same John da San
Lorenzo, whom, however, he regarded as the original
author of the " Fioretti. "f But it is hardly possible that
a man who was sent by the Pope as ambassador to the
Khan of Tartary in 1338, and was young and vigorous
enough to stand the fatigues of so toilsome a journey,
could have received his information from Jacques de la
Massa, who died before izSo.J Slight as the grounds
*They are described at length by Manzoni (Miscellanea
Francescana. Vol. III. pp. 162-7).
t Supplementum et castigatio ad scriptores trium ordinum S,
Francisci a Waddingo, aliisve descriptos. Opus posthumnm
Fr. Jo. H. Sbaraleal, p. 436 (Rome, 1806).
} P. Bonaventura da Sorrento, p. 436.
S io NOTE
of identification are, it would yet seem more probable
that the Italian version came from the pen of this
Florentine rather than from that of a native of the
March of Ancona, such as was Ugolino Brunforte, for
the " Fioretti " is written in the best Tuscan, and its
purity of diction and refinement of style cause it to
be reckoned among the finest specimens of this, the
literary dialect of Italy.
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