THE LITTLE FLOWERS

OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

IN THE FIRST ENGLISH TRANSLATION

REVISED AND EMENDED BY DOM

ROGER HUDLESTON WITH

AN INTRODUCTION BY

ARTHUR LIVINGSTON

THE HERITAGE PRESS

NEW YORK

_________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION

_________________________________________________________________

I

The first English translation of the Fioretti di Santo Francesco d’ Ascesi,

that of Lady Georgina Fullerton, appeared in the year 1864; and the first

American translation, that by Abby Langdon Alger, was published in the year

1887. This is a good four centuries after the princeps edition of the

edition by Antonio Cesari (Verona, 1822). The tardiness of Anglo-Saxon

recognition of this, one of the raciest, most spirited, and most beloved of

the Italian classics is not to be grasped out of hand. Religious

considerations, obvious as they might seem could not account for the

indifference of the fathers of English printing. Once published, moreover,

the Fioretti made their way in their own right. The present century has

witnessed numerous other translations in England and America and dozens of

reprintings in America alone. I suspect, rather, that it was a strange case

of editorial oversight, a nugget of gold that was there for anyone, yet was

for centuries overlooked. The title may have had something to do with it.

propaganda, and by virtue of the diminutive it has acquired a similar flavor

even in Italian. Suppose this collection of tales had been called the

associations? Or suppose, somewhat facetiously, but still within its spirit,

it had been known as the “Selected Miracles of Saint Francis and his

have been different.

Francis and his earliest disciples in the way in which legend accumulates

about any celebrated character in history. But, in this case, and in

contrast with the situation that usually prevails in folklore, the

Franciscan scholarship enable us even to evaluate the authenticity of the

Little Flowers.

Saint Francis died in 1226. But his amanuensis, secretary, and confessor,

his beloved brother Leo (who is quoted extensively in the Little Flowers),

lived on till the year 1271. The Friar, Giovanni dalla Penna, one of the

early missionaries of the Order in Germany, and another of the sources, did

not die till 1274. In the year 1257 had come the great crisis in the

Franciscan Order, whereby the Church, frowning darkly on an orgy of

peasants to talk with God in His Three Persons sicut amicus cum amico, had

representing mystical and miracle-working activity among the friars. This

debate was conducted bitterly and with some show of force. John of Parma,

the Order, stood, at one moment (1257), condemned to imprisonment for life.

Already two conceptions of Saint Francis himself were current in the Order;

and his biography was being recounted in different ways. Eventually Saint

conflicting accounts of the Saint’s life. Meantime, one thing is clear: the

extremists who courted public ridicule for the benefit of their souls by

preaching naked in the church pulpits, changing capon’s drumsticks into

nectarines, and doing other things disquieting to a theology which liked

miracles in the principle but was inhospitable toward them in the fact. The

harsh words hurt. They hurt directly men who had seen God walking in person

among the hills of Umbria and believed He had rebegotten His Only Begotten

in the guise of a lad of that humble countryside.

That was why, perhaps as early as the year 1250, and not much later than the

year 1261, a monk of the March of Ancona, friend to the missionary, Giovanni

dalla Penna, and know, or rather unknown,, as Ugolino of Montegiorgio, began

biographies of the Saint, and the omission of which distorted and

misrepresented, as old-timers knew, the spirit and the fact of those

glorious days when the Saint was still on earth.

The Floretum of Ugolino of Montegiorgio, in the form in which that devoted

monk composed it, has been lost to the world, though a copy of it seems to

have been extant as late as 1623, when Wadding, the great Franciscan

annalist, was writing his history of the Order in the Convent of Saint

Isidore in Rome. Just what it contained is not known with certainty. Its

text has to be reconstructed by inference from the numerous re-workings of

it made at later times. The direct re-workings â€" they are substantial

enlargements â€" are two in number: one, the Actus beati Francisci et sociorum

cius, of which the earliest surviving trace is a mention in a catalogue of a

convent in Assisi, dated 1381; and the other, the Fioretti themselves, of

which the earliest known manuscripts date from 1390 (Berlin) and 1396

(Florence) respectively. Though the Actus and the Fioretti, as we know them

at present, stand in such close relation that they could be word for word

translations one of the other, the Actus contain twenty-two chapters not

appearing in the Fioretti, and the Fioretti six chapters not appearing in

the Actus. It seems necessary to suppose that they derive from some

previous, and undiscovered, source, more comprehensive than either of them.

Of this unknown anthology of Franciscan miracles something nevertheless may

be said. While the Floretum of Ugolino did not extend beyond the year 1261,

the source of the Actus-Fioretti dealt with episodes occurring late in 1322;

and its compiler knew Ugolino personally and probably utilized other

writings of Ugolino, which the latter had not exploited in the Floretum.

_________________________________________________________________

II

As it natural with a collection of wonder-stories, that same tendency to

growth which is manifest in the Actus-Fioretti as compared with the

re-constructed Floretum, is just as apparent in the history of the Fioretti

themselves. Two themes in particular were provocative of such developments:

on the one hand the life of Saint Francis, which moved copyists of the

Fioretti to supplement their deficiencies as a biography with additions from

other sources; the other, the parallelism between Saint Francis and Jesus,

which was always challenging the ingenuity of the devout. These similitudes

in the Fioretti are, with characteristic humility, three; Bartolommeo

Pisano, by the end of the fourteenth century, increased them to forty; while

Pedro Astorga, a Spanish monk of the seventeenth century, who wrote with all

the characteristic vim of the Decadence, raised the number to four thousand.

Meantime there was a tendency to make the Fioretti an archive of all

Franciscan miracles â€" even at an early day those of Saint Anthony of Padua

began creeping in. That I briskness, that contagious chuckle, which is

hidden in every paragraph of the fresh and vigorous Tuscan original of the

Fioretti was not long in producing additions in the spirit of broad humor.

We are encroaching on this sphere in the familiar stories of Brother

Juniper. We are surely in an outright secular world in a fioretto which I

picked up in Tuscany in my own youth â€" the story of the Franciscan novice,

who, on climbing the blistering scorciatoie to his convent after the collect

of alms on a summer’s day, sets his bushel of chestnuts on the ground, wipes

his brow, and then reflects, with a etaphoric worthy of Brother Elias, and a

Tuscan crudeness worthy of Brother Ruffino: “What a sell, if there should be

As regards, therefore, the many texts of the Fioretti, some of very ancient

authority, which circulate in the various editions, it may be necessary to

remember that, whatever the relation of the original of the Actus-Fioretti

to the Floretum, the Fioretti, proper, must have contained fifty-three

This content, in fact, aside from internal evidence, is vouched for by

twenty-six manuscripts of the fifteenth century and some of the early

printed editions. Without entering into the question of the varied adjuncts

that were supplied at one time or another from one source or another, we may

note, simply, the derivations of those additions which were accepted, with

unsurpassed discernment and for their intrinsic merits of spirit or beauty,

by Father Cesari in his classic edition of the Fioretti (Verona, 1822). The

early in the fifteenth century from the Tractatus de miraculous of Thomas of

Celano, the earliest biographer and a contemporary of the Saint. The

which had been accreted to the Fioretti also in the fifteenth century. The

Florentine author, Feo Belcari, who died in 1484. Despite the several hands

that must have tinkered with the substance of the Fioretti before they

reached their more extensive forms, one would not go far amiss in

recognizing in a work of such surpassing literary charm the imprint of two

unusual personalities.

The one must be that unknown monk of Tuscany why translated these stories

(or compiled them, as the case may be) in such a sparkling and vivacious

Tuscan idiom, an idiom as simple, direct, and limpid as may be imagined, but

with an unfailing instinct for the enduring elements in a still future

Italian language, and an idiom, withal, that retains the full vigor and

picturesqueness of a peasant intelligence, wise in its worldly wisdom but

unspoiled by any involutions of culture.

The second must be that same Ugolino of Montegiorgio, who somehow managed to

condense into the pages of the old Floretum such a distillation of the pure

spirit of early Franciscanism as to strike a tone and establish a mood which

no later re-workings of his text could vitiate. In the sphere of fact, we

may say that through Ugolino, who borrowed from Jacopo dalla Massa, an

arrive at the very days of Saint Francis, without, for that matter,

attaining any very great amount of historical plausibility. But it is a case

where the truth of art transcends the truth of fact, and creates a verity

more real than science or scholarship could by themselves attain. To possess

the Fioretti is to re-live the early period of Franciscanism much as it was

lived by the friends and disciples of the Saint.

But, in this connection, one must raise a warning against reading the Little

Flowers with that long face of piety which is so easily put on in the

presence of any literature that has a sacred look. Such sentimentalism,

which blinds so many devout Christians to the art of the Bible for instance,

is a variance with the shrewd simplicity of this folk masterpiece of Central

Italy. What we have here, let us insist on the point, is humor; and one who

cannot â€" I will not say laugh â€" one who cannot smile, will have read the

Little Flowers in vain. I am not so sure that this smile did not, on

occasion, play about the lips of Brother Ugolino himself. The world of

self-assertion and competition is another thing; and they are things so

antithetical to each other, in their perfection, that the wisdom of the one

is the lunacy of the other, and vice versa.

One need not and perhaps should not further analyse the motivation of the

smile, which is the smile the sophisticated must always have for the I. The

I is always humor because it tends to simplify the majestic and the complex,

making it mechanical, but at the same time more approachable and more

lovable. The smile cannot be a laugh. A tear lingers just behind it.

The artless art of Ugolino (if it be his) was pure art in the sense that it

presents concepts as image, each image replete with conceptual

sin by presumption in etaphor the Lord’s fast of forty days; the Pope’s

curiosity to see Saint Clare make the Cross appear in the crust of her buns;

the two dialogues of the friars with their translated brethren; the Saint’s

long wrestling with the Devil; Satan’s revenge by causing a landslide with

Order at Bologna â€" the Fioretti are all scenes that could be painted (and

were painted, as legend asserts, by Giotto). As the pictures multiply, the

mood deepens in beauty and richness â€" and we must not forget to smile,

meantime; for the perfection of humility and Christian love which the friars

exemplify is attained by the most humble and direct of mechanical means. One

can well understand the ancient quarrel in the Order. These untutored

converts of Saint Francis were playing with a magic art, which evoked the

Devil when it was black, and constrained the appearance of the Divinity when

of brighter hue (XLIX).

There is little, if any, theology about these simple friars. Such questions

belonged to those who were lettered and knew people off in the big towns,

Rome, perhaps. They cared little about such things, having found in faith at

powers. One feels a sort of regional secretiveness in this technique of

virtue, which also was practised in individual secretiveness, lest pride

success give Satan his chance. The sweetness of this child-like literalism

resides in part, I believe, in an absence of a note of spiritual

offensive in a Dante or a Savonarola. These straightforward souls of the

brotherhood of Saint Francis wanted to keep out of Hell because it was hot,

and to get out of Purgatory because it was uncomfortable. Yet they, too,

like Jesus, visioned a love so great that willingly the least of them would

have accepted damnation so only the world might have been saved. If one seek

the moral theme in this early Franciscanism, one finds at least a morality

that is made always for oneself and not for other people. Here again on

earth were men who judged not, who loved the lost even more than the

virtuous, and the bandit as much as the cavalier.

It was, after all, a snug and cosy world, the world in which these early

Franciscans lived, a world personally supervised by its Creator, who walked

the earth as a man among men, and who loved His creatures with a parent’s

love, assisted in His care of them by His Son and His Son’s Mother. Thus

warmly had Jesus thought of the world in His time â€" a projection, perhaps,

as Renan suggests, of a verdant Galilee blossoming in the Syrian desert.

Flowers its most complete and beautiful expression. It has been through them

that the birds who stretched their throats and bowed their heads in approval

of the Saint’s exhortation to praise have ever since made their chirping

voices heard above the noisy history of Europe. To savor this naturalism in

its full freshness one need only turn to some expression of the naturalisms

of a later day, that of the Rousseauians or of our own Emerson or Thoreau.

These two were efforts to being God back into the world (from which He had

been exiled by Cartesian logic). But how vain the effort! How unsatisfactory

a God that is only Nature, and how literary and etaphorical a Nature which

we must think of as God! It is a more real and understandable thing, this

invention of a God who could be used, if one treated Him right, for the

humble commonplace needs of common everyday people.

And we have said nothing about Frate Lupo! There are those who say he was a

man, perhaps a bandit by that name. Anyone who can read the Little Flowers

without understanding that Frate Lupo was a wolf, will, like those who

cannot smile, have read them in vain!

Arthur Livingston

_________________________________________________________________

PART ONE

_________________________________________________________________

HERE BEGIN THE LITTLE FLOWERS

OF SAINT FRANCIS

OF ASSISI

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER I

IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR, AND OF MARY HIS VIRGIN

MOTHER. IN THIS BOOK ARE CONTAINED CERTAIN LITTLE FLOWERS - TO WIT,

MIRACLES AND PIOUS EXAMPLES OF THE GLORIOUS SERVANT OF CHRIST ST FRANCIS,

AND OF SOME OF HIS HOLY COMPANIONS; TO THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF JESUS CHRIST,

AMEN.

First let us consider how the life of the glorious St Francis was conformed

in every act with that of our Blessed Lord. For as Christ, before he began

to preach, made choice of twelve Apostles, teaching them to despise all the

things of this world, to follow him in poverty and in the practice of all

other virtues, so St Francis, on the first founding of his Order, chose

twelve companions, all lovers of poverty. And even as one of the twelve

Apostles, being reproved by Christ, hanged himself by the neck, so among the

twelve companions of St Francis was one, called Brother John della Capella,

who apostatised, and finally hanged himself by the neck. This should be for

the elect a great example and cause of humility and fear, when they consider

how no one is certain of persevering in the grace of God to the end. As the

holy Apostles, being filled with the Spirit of God, shone forth mightily

before the world in holiness and humility, so too did the companions of St

Francis; for from the time of the Apostles till this present day the world

had never seen men so wonderful and so holy.

On of them, Brother Giles, like St Paul, was raised to the third heaven;

another, Brother Philip the Tall, like the prophet Isaiah, was touched upon

the lips with a burning coal by an angel. Brother Silvester held converse

with God, like one friend with another, as did Moses of old. Another, the

most humble Brother Bernard, through the penetration of his intellect,

reached the light of divine science, like the eagle - the emblem of St John

the Evangelist - and explained all the deepest mysteries of Holy Scripture.

One there was who was sanctified and canonised in heaven, whilst still

living on earth; this was Brother Ruffino, a nobleman of Assisi. And thus

all bore singular marks of sanctity, as we shall see hereafter.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER II

OF BROTHER BERNARD OF QUINTAVALLE, THE FIRST COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS

The first companion of St Francis was Brother Bernard of Assisi, who was

converted in the following way: St Francis had not yet taken the religious

habit, though he had renounced the world, and had so given himself to

penance and mortification that many looked upon him as one out of his mind.

He was scoffed at as a madman, was rejected and despised by his relations

and by strangers, who threw stones and mud at him when he passed; yet he

went on his way, accepting these insults as patiently as if he had been deaf

and dumb. Then Bernard of Assisi, one of the richest and most learned nobles

of the city, began to consider deeply the conduct of St Francis; how utterly

he despised the world, how patiently he suffered injuries, and how his faith

remained firm, though he had been for two years an object of contempt and

rejected by all. He began to think and say within himself, “It is evident

to invite him to sup and to sleep in his house. St Francis having accepted

the invitation, Bernard, who was resolved to contemplate the sanctity of his

guest, ordered a bed to be prepared for him in his own room, where a lamp

burned all night. Now St Francis, in order to conceal his sanctity, so soon

as he entered the room, threw himself upon the bed, pretending to fall

asleep. Bernard likewise soon after went to bed, and began to snore as if

sleeping soundly. On this, St Francis, thinking that Bernard was really fast

asleep, got up and began to pray. Raising his hands and eyes to heaven, he

time weeping bitterly; and thus he remained on his knees all night,

others.

And this he did because, being enlightened by the Holy Spirit, he

contemplated and admired the divine majesty of God, who deigned to take pity

on the perishing world, and to save not only the soul of Francis, his poor

little one, but those of many others also through his means. For, being

enlightened by the Holy Ghost, he foresaw the great things which God would

deign to accomplish through him and through his Order; and considering his

insufficiency and unworthiness, he prayed and called upon the Lord, through

his power and wisdom, to supply, help and accomplish that which of himself

he could not do.

Then Bernard, seeing by the light of the lamp the devout actions of St

Francis and the expression of his countenance, and devoutly considering the

words he uttered, was touched by the Holy Spirit, and resolved to change his

life. Next morning, therefore, he called St Francis, and thus addressed him:

“Brother Francis, I am disposed in heart wholly to leave the world, and to

Francis rejoiced in spirit and said, “Bernard, a resolution such as thou

speakest of is so difficult and so great an act, that we must take counsel

of the Lord Jesus Christ, and pray to him that he may be pleased to show us

what is his will, and may teach us to follow it. Let us then go together to

the Bishop’s palace, where we shall find a good priest who will say Mass for

us. We will then remain in prayer till the third hour, imploring the Lord to

point out to us the way he wishes us to select, and to this intent we will

pleased with this proposal, they set out together, heard Mass, and after

they had remained in prayer till the time fixed, the priest, at the request

of St Francis, took up Missal, then, having made the sign of the holy cross,

he opened it three times, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The first place which he lit upon was at the answer of Christ to the young

man who asked of him the way to perfection: If thou wilt be perfect, go,

sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and come, follow me. The

second time he opened at the words which the Saviour addressed to the

Apostles when he sent them forth to preach the Word of Truth: Take nothing

with you for your journey: neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money;

wishing to teach them thereby to commit the care of their lives to him, and

give all their thoughts to the preaching of the Holy Gospel. When the Missal

was opened a third time they came upon these words: If any one will come

after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Then St Francis, turning to Bernard, said: “This is the advice that the Lord

has given us; go and do as thou hast heard; and blessed be the Lord Jesus

Bernard went and sold all that he had. Now he was very rich, and with great

joy he distributed his wealth to widows, to orphans, to prisoners, to

monasteries, to hospitals, and to pilgrims, in all which St Francis assisted

him with prudence and fidelity.

Now it happened that a man of the name of Silvester, seeing how St Francis

gave so much money to the poor, being urged on by avarice, went to him and

said: “Thou didst not pay me enough for the stones I sold thee to repair the

surprised at such a demand, but, according to the precepts of the

Scriptures, not wishing to dispute with him, gave it to Silvester, saying

that, if he wanted more, he would give it to him. Silvester, being

satisfied, returned home; but in the evening of the same day he reflected on

his avarice, and on the holiness and the fervour of St Francis. That night

also he saw St Francis in a vision, and it seemed to him as if a golden

cross came out of his mouth, which reached up to heaven and extended to the

extreme east and west. After this vision he gave all he possessed to the

poor, for the love of God, and made himself a Brother Minor. He became so

holy, and was favoured with such special graces, that he spake with the Lord

as a friend speaks with a friend, of which St Francis was often a witness,

as we shall see further on. Bernard likewise received from God many graces -

he was ravished in contemplation, and St Francis said he was worthy of all

reverence, and that he had founded the Order, because he was the first who

had abandoned the world, giving all he possessed to the poor of Christ,

keeping back nothing for himself; and practising evangelical poverty,

placing himself naked in the arms of the Crucified, whom may we all bless

eternally. Amen.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER III

HOW ST FRANCIS, HAVING ALLOWED AN EVIL THOUGHT TO ARISE IN HIS MIND AGAINST

BROTHER BERNARD, ORDERED HIM TO PLACE HIS FOOT THREE TIMES UPON HIS NECK AND

HIS MOUTH.

St Francis, the devoted servant of the crucified Jesus, through constant

weeping and penance, had become nearly blind, so that he could scarcely see.

Wishing one day to speak with Brother Bernard on things divine, he left the

place where he was and went to join him. Being told, upon arrival, that he

was in the forest praying, St Francis proceeded thither, and, calling out,

Bernard did not make answer; for, his soul being rapt in divine

contemplation, he did not hear him call; one of the special graces of

Brother Bernard being that of holding converse with God Almighty, of which

St Francis had often been a witness. The saint, therefore, since he wished

specially to speak with him at that hour, called him again a second time and

a third. Brother Bernard, not having heard him, neither answered nor went to

him; at which St Francis went away somewhat saddened, and wondering in

himself how it was that, having called him three times, Brother Bernard had

not come to him. With this thought on his mind, when he had proceeded a

little way, he bade his companion wait for him, and retiring to a solitary

spot, fell on his knees, praying that God would reveal to him why Brother

Bernard had not answered his call. As he prayed, a voice came from God,

which said, “O poor little man, why art thou troubled? Is it meet for man to

leave God for the creature? When thou didst call Brother Bernard he was with

me, and could neither hear thee, nor go to thee; be not then surprised if he

answered thee not, for he was rapt out of himself, nor did he hear aught of

back with great haste to Brother Bernard, to accuse himself humbly of the

thought he had allowed to enter his mind against him. Brother Bernard,

seeing St Francis coming towards him, went to meet him, and threw himself at

his feet. Then St Francis bade him rise, confessing most humbly what his

thoughts has been and the answer which God had made him; and with these

words he concluded: “I command thee, by virtue of holy obedience, to do

oblige him to inflict upon him some great punishment, as was his custom,

“to obey thee, father, if thou also wilt promise me to do whatsoever I shall

obedience, in order to punish my presumption and the evil thought of my

heart, when I lie down on the ground to place one of thy feet on my neck,

and the other on my mouth. And this shalt thou do thee! Be humbled, thou son

of Peter Bernardoni, for thou art but a vile wretch; how camest thou to be

was much grieved, but out of holy obedience he did what St Francis had

ordered him, striving withal to acquit himself thereof as lightly as

possible. Then St Francis, having promised obedience to Brother Bernard,

asked what he wished him to do, whereto the latter answered: “I command

thee, in virtue of holy obedience, that whenever we are together thou

surprised St Francis, for Brother Bernard was so holy that he held him in

great reverence, and did not believe it possible to find in him any fault.

From that time, therefore, the saint avoided being much with Brother

Bernard, fearing lest, out of holy obedience, he might be obliged to reprove

him; and when he was obliged to see or to speak with him, he parted from him

as soon as possible. Most edifying it was to hear with what charity, what

admiration and humility, St Francis, who was his superior, spoke of Brother

Bernard, who was his first son in God - to the praise and glory of Jesus

Christ and his poor servant Francis. Amen.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER IV

HOW THE ANGEL OF GOD PUT A QUESTION TO BROTHER ELIAS, GUARDIAN OF VAL DI

SPOLETO, AND HOW, WHEN BROTHER ELIAS ANSWERED PROUDLY, THE ANGEL DEPARTED

FROM HIM, AND TOOK THE ROAD TO SAN GIACOMO, WHERE HE MET BROTHER BERNARD

AND TOLD HIM WHAT FOLLOWS

In the first beginning of the Order, when there was as yet but few brothers

and no convents established, St Francis went, out of devotion, to San

Giacomo di Galicia, taking with him Brother Bernard and one or two other

brothers. As they travelled on together, they met by the way a poor sick

man. St Francis, moved with compassion at the sight of his sufferings, said

to Brother Bernard: “My son, I will that thou stay here, and take care of

the order of his revered father and remained behind, whilst St Francis and

the others proceeded to San Giacomo. On arriving there, they spent the night

in prayer in the Church of St James, and God revealed to St Francis how he

would found many convents all over the world, and how his Order would

increase and multiply into a great multitude of brethren. After this

revelation St Francis began to found convents in that country. Then

returning by the way he had come, and finding Brother Bernard with the sick

man, who had quite recovered, he allowed him to go the following year to San

Giacomo, whilst he himself returned to Val di Spoleto, and took up his abode

in a desert place with Brother Masseo, Brother Elias, and others. All these

were very careful never to interrupt St Francis in his devotions; and this

they did out of the great reverence they bore him, and because they knew

that God revealed to him great things in prayer. Now it chanced one day, as

St Francis was praying in the forest, that a handsome young man, dressed for

traveling, presented himself at the convent-gate, knocking thereat so

loudly, so quickly, and so long, that the brothers marvelled greatly at a

way of knocking so strange and unusual. Brother Masseo, who went and opened

the gate, thus addressed the young man: “Whence comest thou, my son? for the

strange manner in which thou knockest makes me to think thou hast never been

Brother Masseo answered: “Thou shouldst give three knocks, one after the

other, and then wait time enough for a brother to say an ‘Our Father,’ and

come and open to thee; should he not arrive by that time, then thou mayest

a long journey, and am come to speak with St Francis, who at this hour is

praying in the forest, wherefore I would not interrupt him. I pray thee;

then, to call Brother Elias; for I wish to put a question to him, having

Elias; but he, being angry, refused to go, so that Brother Masseo was at a

loss what answer to make the stranger. For if he told him Brother Elias

could not wait on him, he would say an untruth; while if he told how he

spoke in anger, he feared to give scandal. Whilst Brother Masseo was

hesitating how he should act, whether or no he should return with the

message, the stranger knocked again as he had knocked before. On this

Brother Masseo hastened back to the convent-gate, and said reproachfully:

“Thou hast not observed what I said to thee as to how thou shouldst

come to me, go, tell Brother Francis that I came here to speak with him;

but, not wishing to interrupt his prayers, I beg him to order Brother Elias

the forest with his eyes lifted up to heaven, and gave him the message of

the young man, with the answer of Brother Elias. Now the young man was the

angel of God, under the form of a traveller. St Francis, without moving and

still looking up to heaven, said to Brother Masseo: “Go, tell Brother Elias,

Brother Elias, having received the order of St Francis, went to the

convent-gate in an angry mood, and opening it with violence, asked of the

young man what he wanted with Him. The latter answered: “Beware of being

angry, as thou appearest to be; for anger woundeth the soul,j preventing it

permitted to such as follow the Holy Gospel to eat whatever is served before

them, according to the words of Christ to his disciples; and I wish to ask

thee, likewise, if it be lawful for any man to teach a doctrine contrary to

“I know what answer to make thee, but I am not inclined to give thee one. Be

troubled; and, being very angry, he slammed to the door, and went his way.

But afterwards, considering the questions which had been put to him, he

doubted within himself whether he could answer them; for being Vicar of the

Order, he had made a law which went beyond that of the Gospel, and passed

the Rule of St Francis: to wit, that none of the brethren should eat flesh;

so that the question was put expressly against himself. Not knowing in what

way to clear his doubts, and being struck by the modest appearance of the

young stranger, remembering also how he had said that he could answer the

questions better than himself, he hurried back to the convent-gate in hopes

of finding him. But he had disappeared, for the pride of Brother Elias made

him unworthy to converse with an angel. In the meantime St Francis, to whom

all had been revealed by God, returning from the forest, addressed himself

reproachfully to Brother Elias, saying: “Thou doest wrong, proud Brother

Elias; for thou hast sent away the holy angel of God, who came to instruct

us. I tell thee that I greatly fear lest thy pride will make thee end thy

died out of the Order. The same day and the same hour at which the angel had

disappeared from the convent-gate, he appeared to Brother Bernard, who was

making his way homewards from San Giacomo, along the bank of a great river.

The angel, clad in the same guise as a traveller, greeted him with the

the beauty of the young man, who with so sweet a look pronounced the

salutation of peace, according to the custom of his own country, asked of

dwells St Francis. I went thither to speak with him, but to do so I was not

able, for he was in the forest contemplating divine things, and I would not

disturb him. In the same convent were Brother Giles, and Brother Elias, with

Brother Masseo, who taught me how to knock at the convent-gate according to

the custom of the brethren. Brother Elias would not answer the questions I

put to him; but afterwards he repented, seeking to see and hear me; but it

both on the other side of the river. Then Brother Bernard knew him for the

angel of God, and with great joy and great reverence he exclaimed: “Blessed

Brother Bernard greatly comforted; so that he ended his journey with much

joy, noting the day and the hour when the angel had appeared. On arriving at

the convent, where St Francis was with his favorite companions, he related

to them word for word his adventure; and they knew with a certainty that it

was the very angel who, on the same day and at the same hour, had appeared

to them also.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER V

HOW THE HOLY BROTHER BERNARD OF ASSISI WAS SENT BY ST FRANCIS TO BOLOGNA AND

HOW HE FOUNDED A CONVENT THERE

St Francis and his companions, being called by God to carry the cross of

Christ in their hearts, to practise it in their lives, and to preach it by

their words, were truly crucified men both in their actions and in their

works. They sought after shame and contempt, out of love for Christ, rather

than the honours of the world, the respect and praise of men. They rejoiced

to be despised, and were grieved when honoured. Thus they went about the

world as pilgrims and strangers, carrying nothing with them but Christ

crucified; and because they were of the true Vine, which is Christ, they

produced great and good fruits in many souls which they gained to God. It

happened that, in the beginning of the Order, St Francis sent Brother

Bernard to Bologna, there to accomplish many good works, according to the

grace which God had given him. So Brother Bernard, making the holy sign of

the cross, in the name of holy obedience, set out for Bologna; but when he

arrived in that city, the little children in the streets, seeing him dressed

so strangely and so poorly, laughed and scoffed at him, taking him for a

madman. All these trials Brother Bernard accepted for the love of Christ,

with great patience and with great joy, and seeking to be despised yet more,

he went to the market-place, where, having seated himself, a great number of

children and men gathered round him, and taking hold of his hood pushed him

here and there, some throwing stones at him and others dust. To all this

Brother Bernard submitted in silence, his countenance bearing an expression

of holy joy, and for several days he returned to the same spot to receive

the same insults. Now, patience being a work of perfection and a proof of

virtue, a learned doctor of the law, seeing such virtue and constancy in

Brother Bernard, who had endured for so many days such contempt and such

injuries without losing his temper, said within himself: “Without doubt this

and whence he came. Brother Bernard put his hand into his bosom, and taking

out the Rule of St Francis, gave it to him to read. The doctor, having read

the Rule, was struck with wonder and admiration at the sublime perfection

therein prescribed, and turning to his friends, he said: “Truly this is the

most perfect state of Religion I have ever heard of, and this man and his

companions are the holiest men I have met with in all the world; guilty

indeed are those who insult him; we ought, on the contrary, to honour him as

it is thy wish to found a convent in this town, in which thou mayest serve

God according to thy heart’s desires, I will help thee most willingly, for

Saviour Jesus Christ has inspired thee with this good intention, and most

with much joy and great charity, conducted Brother Bernard to his house, and

soon after gave to him a place as he had promised, which he arranged and

furnished at his own expense, and from that moment he became a father to

Brother Bernard, and the special defender of the Friars Minor. Brother

Bernard, through his holy conduct, began to be much honoured by the people,

so much so that those who could see and touch him accounted themselves as

most blessed; but he, like a true disciple of Christ and a son of the humble

Francis, fearing lest the honours of the world should disturb his peace and

endanger the salvation of his soul, set out one day and returned to St

Francis, whom he thus addressed: “Father, the convent is founded at Bologna,

send other brothers there to keep it up and reside there, as I can no longer

be of any use; indeed, I fear that the too great honours I receive might

after another, all the things which the Lord had wrought through Brother

Bernard, rendered thanks to God, who thus began to spread abroad the poor

disciples of the Cross; then sent he others of the brethren to Bologna, and

to Lombardy, and these founded many convents in divers countries.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER VI

HOW ST FRANCIS, WHEN ABOUT TO DIE, BLESSED THE HOLY BROTHER BERNARD, NAMING

HIM VICAR OF THE ORDER

The holiness of Brother Bernard shone forth so brightly, that St Francis

held him in great reverence, and often was heard to praise him. One day, as

St Francis was in prayer, it was revealed to him by God that Brother

Bernard, by divine permission, would sustain many painful combats with the

devil. Now St Francis felt great compassion for Brother Bernard, whom he

loved as a son; wherefore he wept for prayed for many days, imploring the

Lord Jesus Christ to give him the victory over the evil one. As he was

praying thus devoutly, the Lord answered his prayer, and said to him: “Fear

not, Francis, for all the temptations which will assail Brother Bernard are

permitted by God, to increase his virtue and win for him a crown of merit;

for at length he will gain the victory over all his enemies, because he is

St Francis with joy; he thanked God; and from that moment, Brother Bernard

became even dearer to St Francis than before, and many proofs of affection

did he give him, not only during his life but more especially at the hour of

his death. For when St Francis was about to leave this world, being

surrounded like the holy prophet Jacob by his devoted sons, all grieving at

the departure of so beloved a Father, he thus addressed them: “Where is my

first-born son? let him come to me, that my soul may bless him before I

time was vicar of the Order: “Go to the right hand of the saint, that he may

Francis - who had lost his sight through much weeping - and the saint,

putting his right hand on the head of Brother Elias, said: “This is not the

on the left side of St Francis, who, crossing his arms in the form of a

cross, put his right hand on the head of Brother Bernard and his left on

that of Brother Elias. Then said he to Brother Bernard: “May God, the Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ, bless thee with every blessing, spiritual and

celestial; for thou art my first-born son in God, chosen in this Order to

set an example of every virtue, and to follow Christ in evangelical poverty;

for not only didst thou give all thy possessions and distribute them freely

and liberally to the poor, but thou didst likewise offer thyself to God in

this Order as a sacrifice of love; blessed be thou, then, by our Saviour

Jesus Christ and by me, his poor servant, with eternal blessings, when thou

goest out and when thou comest in, when thou wakest and when thou sleepest,

both living and dying; he that blesseth thee shall be blessed, he that

curseth thee shall not remain unpunished. Thou shalt be at the head of all

thy brethren, and all thy commands the brethren shall obey. I give thee

power to receive into this Order whomsoever thou willest; no brother shall

rule over thee. Thou art free to go where thou wilt, and to remain where it

and revered Brother Bernard as their father, and when it was his turn to

die, many brethren came from all parts of the world to take leave of him;

amongst them the angelic Brother Giles, who when he saw Brother Bernard

and Brother Bernard ordered secretly one of the brothers to prepare for

Brother Giles a place meet for contemplation, which was done even as he

ordered. Now when the last hour of Brother Bernard arrived, he begged to be

raised in his bed, and thus addressed the brethren who surrounded him:

“Beloved brethren, I have not many words to say to you; but I wish you to

consider that, as the religious order which has been my choice has been

yours also, the hour which is now come for me will also come for you; and

this I find in my soul to tell you, that for a thousand worlds I would not

have served another Lord than our Saviour Jesus Christ. Now I accuse myself

before my Saviour and before you all of every offence I have committed; and

words, and given other good advice, he lay down on his bed, his face radiant

with joy and shining with celestial brightness, of which all the brethren

were witnesses; and in that ecstasy of joy his holy soul, crowned with

glory, passed from this present life to the blessed life of the angels.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER VII

HOW ST FRANCIS PASSED THE TIME OF LENT IN AN ISLAND, ON THE LAKE OF PERUGIA,

WHERE HE FASTED FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS, EATING NO MORE THAN HALF OF ONE

LOAF

The true servant of Christ, St Francis, was in certain things like unto a

second Christ given to the world for the salvation of souls. Wherefore God

the Father willed that in many points he should be conformed to his Son,

Jesus Christ, as we have already explained in the calling of his twelve

companions, as also in the mystery of the holy stigmata, and in a fast of

forty days which he made in the manner following:

St Francis, one day of the Carnival, was near the Lake of Perugia, in the

house of one of his devout children, with whom he had spent the night, when

he was inspired by God to go and pass the time of Lent in an island on the

lake. Wherefore St Francis begged his friend, for the love of God, to convey

him in his boat to an island uninhabited by man: the which he should do

during the night of Ash-Wednesday, so that none might know where he was; and

the friend, because of the great devotion he bore to St Francis, agreed to

his request, and conveyed him to the said island, St Francis taking with him

naught but two small loaves. When they had reached the island, his friend

left him and returned home; the saint earnestly entreating him to reveal to

no one where he was, and not to come and fetch him before Holy Thursday; to

which he consented. St Francis being left alone, and there being no dwelling

in the island in which he could take shelter, entered into a thick part of

the wood all overgrown with brambles and other creeping plants, and forming

as it were a kind of hut, there he began to pray and enter into the

contemplation of divine things. And there he passed the whole of Lent

without drinking or eating save half of one of the small loaves he had taken

with him, as we learned from his friend who, going to fetch him on Holy

Thursday, found one of the loaves untouched and the other only half

consumed. It is believed that St Francis ate this half out of reverence for

our Blessed Lord, who fasted forty days and forty nights without taking any

material food; for by eating this bit of bread he put aside the temptation

to vainglory, and yet fasted forty days and forty nights in imitation of the

Saviour. In later times God worked many miracles, through the merits of the

saint, on the spot where St Francis had fasted so wonderfully, on which

account people began to build houses and dwell there, and little by little a

town rose up, with a convent called the Convent of the Isle; and to this day

the inhabitants of that town hold in great respect and great devotion the

spot in which St Francis passed the time of Lent.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER VIII

HOW ST FRANCIS, WALKING ONE DAY WITH BROTHER LEO, EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT

THINGS ARE PERFECT JOY

One day in winter, as St Francis was going with Brother Leo from Perugia to

St Mary of the Angels, and was suffering greatly from the cold, he called to

Brother Leo, who was walking on before him, and said to him: “Brother Leo,

if it were to please God that the Friars Minor should give, in all lands, a

great example of holiness and edification, write down, and note carefully,

to him a second time: “O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor were to make the

lame to walk, if they should make straight the crooked, chase away demons,

give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, and, what

is even a far greater work, if they should raise the dead after four days,

again: “O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor knew all languages; if they were

versed in all science; if they could explain all Scripture; if they had the

gift of prophecy, and could reveal, not only all future things, but likewise

the secrets of all consciences and all souls, write that this would not be

a loud voice: “O Brother Leo, thou little lamb of God! if the Friars Minor

could speak with the tongues of angels; if they could explain the course of

the stars; if they knew the virtues of all plants; if all the treasures of

the earth were revealed to them; if they were acquainted with the various

qualities of all birds, of all fish, of all animals, of men, of trees, of

stones, of roots, and of waters - write that this would not be perfect

had the gift of preaching so as to convert all infidels to the faith of

discourse had lasted for the space of two miles, Brother Leo wondered much

within himself; and, questioning the saint, he said: “Father, I pray thee

arrive at St Mary of the Angels, all drenched with rain and trembling with

cold, all covered with mud and exhausted from hunger; if, when we knock at

the convent-gate, the porter should come angrily and ask us who we are; if,

after we have told him, ‘We are two of the brethren’, he should answer

angrily, ‘What ye say is not the truth; ye are but two impostors going about

to deceive the world, and take away the alms of the poor; begone I say’; if

then he refuse to open to us, and leave us outside, exposed to the snow and

rain, suffering from cold and hunger till nightfall - then, if we accept

such injustice, such cruelty and such contempt with patience, without being

ruffled and without murmuring, believing with humility and charity that the

porter really knows us, and that it is God who maketh him to speak thus

against us, write down, O Brother Leo, that this is perfect joy. And if we

knock again, and the porter come out in anger to drive us away with oaths

and blows, as if we were vile impostors, saying, ‘Begone, miserable robbers!

to to the hospital, for here you shall neither eat nor sleep!’ - and if we

accept all this with patience, with joy, and with charity, O Brother Leo,

write that this indeed is perfect joy. And if, urged by cold and hunger, we

knock again, calling to the porter and entreating him with many tears to

open to us and give us shelter, for the love of God, and if he come out more

angry than before, exclaiming, ‘These are but importunate rascals, I will

deal with them as they deserve’; and taking a knotted stick, he seize us by

the hood, throwing us on the ground, rolling us in the snow, and shall beat

and wound us with the knots in the stick - if we bear all these injuries

with patience and joy, thinking of the sufferings of our Blessed Lord, which

we would share out of love for him, write, O Brother Leo, that here,

finally, is perfect joy. And now, brother, listen to the conclusion. Above

all the graces and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ grants to

his friends, is the grace of overcoming oneself, and accepting willingly,

out of love for Christ, all suffering, injury, discomfort and contempt; for

in all other gifts of God we cannot glory, seeing they proceed not from

ourselves but from God, according to the words of the Apostle, ‘What hast

thou that thou hast not received from God? and if thou hast received it, why

dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?’ But in the cross of

tribulation and affliction we may glory, because, as the Apostle says again,

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER IX

HOW ST FRANCIS WOULD TEACH BROTHER LEO WHAT TO ANSWER, AND HOW THE LATTER

COULD NEVER SAY AUGHT BUT THE CONTRARY TO WHAT ST FRANCIS WISHED

Once, as the beginning of the Order, St Francis was with Brother Leo in a

convent where they had no books wherewith to say divine office. So, when the

hour of Matins arrived, St Francis said to Brother Leo: “My beloved brother,

we have no Breviary wherewith to say Matins, but in order to employ the time

in praising God, I will speak, and thou shalt answer me as I shall teach

thee; and beware thou change not the words I shall bid thee say. Thus will I

begin: ‘O Brother Francis, thou hast done so much evil, and hast committed

so many sins in the world, that thou art only worthy of hell’; and thou,

Brother Leo, shalt answer: ‘It is very true thou art worthy of the

therefore began thus: O Brother Francis, thou hast done so much evil, and

Brother Leo made answer: “God will work so much good through thee, that thou

Francis; “but when I say, ‘Brother Francis, thou hast committed so many

iniquities against God, that thou art worthy to be cursed by him,’ thou

shalt make answer: ‘Yes, indeed, thou art worthy to be numbered among the

Francis, with many tears and sighs, striking his breast, cried with a loud

voice: “O Lord of heaven and earth, I have committed against thee so many

Brother Leo answered: “O Brother Francis, among all the blessed the Lord

that Brother Leo answered quite the contrary to what he had ordered him,

reproved him for it, saying: “Why answereth thou not as I taught thee? I

command thee, under holy obedience, so to do. When I say, ‘O wicked Brother

Francis, dost thou think God will have mercy on thee, when thou hast so

sinned against the Father of mercies that thou art not worthy of finding

mercy,’ then thou, Brother Leo, my little lamb, shalt answer: ‘Thou art not

mercy in infinitely greater than thy sin, will show great mercy upon thee,

meekly angry, and patiently impatient, said to Brother Leo: “How canst thou

presume to act against obedience? Why hast thou so often answered the

Leo answered: “God knows, my Father, that I had resolved in my heart each

time to answer as thou didst command me, but the Lord made me to speak as it

astonished, said to Brother Leo: “I entreat thee, beloved, this time to

Francis, weeping, said: “O wicked Brother Francis, dost thou think that God

mercy on thee, but thou shalt receive from him especial graces: he will

exalt thee and glorify thee to all eternity, for he that humbleth himself

shall be exalted; and I cannot speak otherwise, because it is God that

morning in many tears and much spiritual consolation.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER X

HOW BROTHER MASSEO TOLD ST FRANCIS, AS IN JEST, THAT THE WORLD WAS GONE

AFTER HIM; AND HOW ST FRANCIS ANSWERED THAT IT WAS INDEED SO, TO THE

CONFUSION OF THE WORLD AND THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD

St Francis once was living at the Convent of the Portiuncula, with Brother

Masseo of Marignano, a man of great sanctity and great discernment, who held

frequent converse with God; for which reason St Francis loved him much. One

day, as St Francis was returning from the forest, where he had been in

prayer, the said Brother Masseo, wishing to test the humility of the saint,

Masseo answered: “I mean, why is it that all the world goeth after thee; why

do all men wish to see thee, to hear thee, and to obey thy word? For thou

art neither comely nor learned, nor art thou of noble birth. How is it,

rejoiced greatly in spirit, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, remained for

a long space with his mind rapt in God; then, coming to himself, he knelt

down, returning thanks to God with great fervour of spirit, and addressing

Brother Messeo, said to him: “Wouldst thou know why all men come after me?

Know that it is because the Lord, who is in heaven, who sees the evil and

the good in all places - because, I say, his holy eyes have found among men

no one more wicked, more imperfect, or a greater sinner than I am; and to

accomplish the wonderful work which he intends to do, he has found no

creature more vile than I am on earth; for which reason he has chosen me, to

confound all strength, beauty, greatness, noble birth, and all the science

of the world, that men may learn that every virtue and every good gift

cometh from him, and not from any creature, that none may glory before him;

but if any one glory, let him glory in the Lord, to whom belongeth all glory

much fervour, was greatly impressed, and learned of a certainty that St

Francis was well grounded in humility.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XI

HOW ST FRANCIS MADE BROTHER MASSEO TURNROUND AND ROUND LIKE A CHILD, AND

THEN TO GO TO SIENA

One day, as St Francis was travelling with Brother Masseo, who was walking

in front, they arrived at a spot where three roads met, one leading to

Florence, one to Siena, and one to Arezzo, and Brother Masseo asked of St

merit of holy obedience, on the spot where now thou art, to turn round and

this Brother Masseo began to turn round and round, until his head became

dizzy, as is wont to happen from such turning, and he fell down several

times. But, as St Francis did not bid him to stop, he went on, out of

obedience, till at last St Francis said: “Stand still, and move not; but

Brother Masseo wondered to himself why St Francis had made him turn round

like a child, in the presence of all those who passed that way, but out of

reverence to the saint he did not dare ask him. As they reached Siena, the

people of that city, having heard that the saint was approaching, went, out

of devotion, to meet him, and taking him and Brother Masseo on their

shoulders, carried them to the Bishop’s palace, so that their feet touched

not the ground. In that same hour some of the inhabitants of Siena were

fighting among themselves, and two of them had been killed. Then St Francis,

hurrying to the spot, spoke to them so devoutly and in such holy words, that

he constrained them all to make peace and give over quarrelling. The Bishop,

having heard tell of the holy action of St Francis, invited him to his

house, and received him with great honour, retaining him with him all that

day and the following night. The next morning, St Francis, who in all his

acts sought only the glory of God, rose very early with his companion, and

went his way, without even taking leave of the Bishop; at which Brother

Masseo murmured within himself, saying, as he went, “What is this that this

good man has done? He has made me turn round and round like a child, and he

leaves the Bishop, who has received him with such honour, without saying a

had acted indiscreetly; but, inwardly checked by a divine inspiration, he

thus reproached himself for indulging in such thoughts: “Thou art too proud

who darest to judge the operation of divine grace; thine indiscreet pride

makes thee worthy of hell; for Brother Francis yesterday performed such holy

actions, that they could not be more wonderful had they been accomplished by

an angel of God: so that even were he to order thee to throw stones, thou

shouldst do so out of obedience; for that which he has done at Siena is the

work of God, as the result proveth, for had he not pacified the men who were

fighting together, not only would many have fallen victims, but the devil

would have drawn many souls to hell. It is thy folly and thy pride which

make thee to murmur at that which preceeds so manifestly from the will of

revealed to St Francis, who, coming up to him, said: “Hold fast the things

which thou art thinking of at this moment, for they are good and useful, and

inspired by God; but thy murmurings, which preceded them, were blind and

Masseo clearly saw that St Francis knew the secrets of his heart, and

understood of a certainty how the spirit of divine wisdom directed all the

actions of his holy father.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XII

HOW ST FRANCIS GAVE TO BROTHER MASSEO THE OFFICE OF PORTER, OF ALMONER AND

OF COOK; AND HOW, AT THE REQUEST OF THE OTHER BRETHREN, HE AFTERWARDS TOOK

THESE DUTIES FROM HIM

St Francis, wishing to mortify Brother Masseo, that pride should not enter

his soul, because of the many graces and gifts he had received from God, and

also that, through the grace of humility, he should advance from virtue to

virtue, once when he was residing in a solitary convent with his first

companions, who were all examples of holiness, of which number Brother

Masseo was one, he said unto the latter, before all the brethren: “O Brother

Messeo, all these thy companions have the grace of contemplation and of

prayer; but thou hast the grace of preaching the word of God and of pleasing

the people. I will therefore, in order that they may give themselves to

contemplation, that thou fill the office of porter, of almoner and of cook,

and that, when the other monks shall be at their meals, thou alone shalt eat

outside the convent-gate, so as to be ready to say a few godly words to such

as come to the convent, before they knock at the gate, and so that none

other shall be obliged to go out but thee; this thou shalt accomplish,

hood, bowed his head, and meekly received and executed this order; filling

for some days the offices of porter, of almoner and of cook. At this his

companions, who were all men enlightened by the Spirit of God, seeing him

thus employed, began to feel in their hearts great remorse, considering how

Brother Masseo had reached a greater state of perfection than any of them,

and how all the work of the convent fell to his share, and none to theirs.

Then went they all to St Francis, begging him to divide among them those

charges, since they could not in conscience allow Brother Masseo to bear all

the burden of the convent. At this St Francis, heeding their request,

granted what they asked, and calling Brother Masseo, said unto him: “Brother

Masseo, thy brethren wish to share the charges I have given thee, wherefore

great humility and patience: “Father, whatever charge thou puttest upon me,

Francis, seeing the charity of the brethren and the humility of Brother

Masseo, made them a most wonderful sermon on holy humility, teaching them

that, the greater the gifts and graces we receive from God, so much greater

must be our humility; for without humility no virtue can be acceptable to

him. Then, having finished his sermon, he distributed the charges among them

with great charity.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XIII

HOW ST FRANCIS AND BROTHER MASSEO PLACED THE BREAD THEY HAD BEGGED UPON A

STONE NEAR A FOUNTAIN, AND HOW ST FRANCIS PRAISED THE VIRTUE OF HOLY

POVERTY, PRAYING ST PETER AND ST PAUL TO MAKE HIM LOVE HOLY POVERTY GREATLY,

AND HOW ST PETER AND ST PAUL APPEARED TO HIM

The wonderful servant and follower of Christ, St Francis, wishing to be in

all things conformed to his Master - who, as the Gospel tells, sent his

disciples two by two into all the cities and lands whither he intended to go

to prepare the way for him - after he had assembled his twelve companions,

sent them forth two by two into the world to preach. In order to set them an

example of holy obedience, he first began to act himself like the Saviour

Jesus Christ. Wherefore, having sent his companions to divers parts of the

world, he took with him Brother Masseo, and set out towards the province of

France. On arriving in a certain town, being very hungry, they went,

according to the Rule, begging their bread for the love of God. St Francis

took one street, and Brother Masseo the other. St Francis, being a little

man, with a mean exterior, did not attract much attention, and gathered only

a few bits of dry bread, whereas Brother Masseo, being tall and

good-looking, received many large pieces of bread, with several whole

loaves. When they had ended their task of begging, they met on a spot

outside the city where there was a beautiful fountain and a large stone, on

which each placed what he had collected. St Francis, seeing that the pieces

of bread which Brother Messeo had collected were much larger and better than

those he had received, rejoiced greatly, and said: “O Brother Masseo, we are

times. At this Brother Masseo answered: “Father, how canst thou talk of a

treasure where there is so much poverty, and indeed a lack of all things?

for we have neither cloth, nor knife, nor dish, nor table, nor house to eat

indeed the reason why I account it a great treasure, because man has had on

hand in it, but all has been given to us by divine Providence, as we clearly

see in this bread of charity, this beautiful table of stone, and this so

clear fountain. Wherefore let us beg of God to make us love with all our

thanks; and when they had refreshed themselves with the bread and water,

they rose and went on their way to France. And meeting with a church on the

road, St Francis said to his companion, “Let us enter this church and

altar, and during his prayer the Lord visited him with a great increase of

fervour, which so inflamed his soul with affection for holy poverty, that it

seemed as if flames played around his head, and preceeded from his mouth;

and going thus, all shining and burning with divine love, to his companion,

words he repeated three times. At the third time he breathed on Brother

Masseo, who, to his great surprise, was raised above the earth, and fell at

some distance before the saint. He told his companion afterwards that, while

thus raised in the air, he had felt such a sweet sensation in his soul, and

had received such consolations from the Holy Spirit, as he had never before

experienced. After this St Francis said to his companion: “Let us go to St

Peter and St Paul, and let us pray them together that they may teach us and

help us to possess the unbounded treasure of holy poverty, for it is a

treasure so great and so divine, that we are not worthy to possess it in

these vile bodies of ours. It is this celestial virtue which teaches us to

despise all earthly and transitory things, and through it every hindrance is

removed from the soul, so that it can freely commune with God. Through this

virtue it is that the soul, while still on earth, is able to converse with

the angels in heaven. This virtue it is which remained with Christ upon the

Cross, was buried with Christ, rose again with Christ, and with Christ went

up into heaven. This virtue it is which even in this world enables the souls

who are inflamed with love of him to fly up to heaven; it is also the

guardian of true charity and humility. Let us then pray the holy Apostles of

Christ, who were perfect lovers of this evangelical pearl, to obtain for us

from the Saviour Jesus the grace, through his great mercy, to become true

lovers, strict observers, and humble disciples of this most precious, most

arrived at Rome, and entered the church of St Peter, where St Francis knelt

in prayer in one corner and Brother Masseo in another. After praying for

some time with great devotion and many tears, the most holy Apostles Peter

and Paul appeared to St Francis in much splendour, and thus addressed him:

“As thy prayer and thy wish is to observe that which Christ and his holy

Apostles observed, the Lord Jesus sends us to thee, to tell thee that thy

prayer has been heard, and that it is granted to thee and to all thy

followers to possess the treasure of holy poverty. We tell thee also from

him, that whosoever, after thy example, shall embrace this holy virtue,

shall most certainly enjoy perfect happiness in heaven; for thou and all thy

disappeared, leaving St Francis full of consolation. Then rising from

prayer, and returning to Brother Masseo, he asked him if God had revealed

the holy Apostles had appeared to him, and what they had said. And both

being filled with joy, they resolved to return to the Valley of Spoleto,

giving up the journey into France.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XIV

HOW THE LORD APPEARED TO ST FRANCIS AND TO HIS BRETHREN AS HE WAS SPEAKING

WITH THEM

In the beginning of the Order, St Francis, having assembled his companions

to speak to them of Christ, in a moment of great fervour of spirit commanded

one of them, in the name of God, to open his mouth and speak as the Holy

Spirit should inspire him. The brother, doing as he was ordered, spoke most

wonderfully of God. Then St Francis bade him to be silent, and ordered

another brother to speak in the same way, which having done with much

penetration, St Francis ordered him likewise to be silent, and commanded a

third brother to do the same. This one began to speak so deeply of the

things of God, that St Francis was convinced that both he and his companion

had spoken through the Holy Spirit. Of which also he received a manifest

proof; for whilst they were thus speaking together, our Blessed Lord

appeared in the midst of them, under the form of a beautiful young man, and

blessed them all. And they, being ravished out of themselves, fell to the

ground as if they had been dead, and were all unconscious of things

external. And when they recovered from their trance, St Francis said to

them: “My beloved brothers, let us thank God, who has deigned to reveal to

the world, through his humble servants, the treasures of divine wisdom. For

the Lord it is who openeth the mouth of the dumb, and maketh the tongues of

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XV

HOW ST CLARE ATE WITH ST FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS

St Francis, when residing at Assisi, often visited St Clare, to give her

holy counsel. And she, having a great desire to eat once with him, often

begged him to grant her this request; but the saint would never allow her

this consolation. His companions, therefore, being aware of the refusal of

St Francis, and knowing how great was the wish of Sister Clare to eat with

him, went to seek him, and thus addressed him: “Father, it seems to us that

this severity on thy part in not granting so small a thing to Sister Clare,

a virgin so holy and so dear to God, who merely asks for once to eat with

thee, is not according to holy charity, especially if we consider how it was

at thy preaching that she abandoned the riches and pomps of this words. Of a

truth, if she were to ask of thee even a greater grace than this, thou

answer: “Yea, father, it is meet that thou grant her this favour and this

but, in order that she may be the more consoled, I will that the meal do

take place in front of St Mary of the Angels, because, having been for so

long time shut up in San Damiano, it will do her good to see the church of

St Mary, wherein she took the veil, and was made a spouse of Christ. There,

arrived, St Clare left her convent with great joy, taking with her one of

her sisters, and followed by the companions of St Francis. She arrived at St

Mary of the Angels, and having devoutly saluted the Virgin Mary, before

whose altar her hair had been cut off, and she had received the veil, they

conducted her to the convent, and showed her all over it. In the meantime St

Francis prepared the meal on the bare ground, as was his custom. The hour of

dinner being arrived, St Francis and St Clare, with one of the brethren of

St Francis and the sister who had accompanied the saint, sat down together,

all the other companions of St Francis seated humbly round them. When the

first dish was served, St Francis began to speak of God so sweetly, so

sublimely, and in a manner so wonderful, that the grace of God visited them

abundantly, and all were rapt in Christ. Whilst they were thus rapt, with

eyes and hearts raised to heaven, the people of Assisi and of Bettona, and

all the country round about, saw St Mary of the Angels as it were on fire,

with the convent and the woods adjoining. It seemed to them as if the

church, the convent, and the woods were all enveloped in flames; and the

inhabitants of Assisi hastened with great speed to put out the fire. On

arriving at the convent, they found no fire; and entering within the gates

they saw St Francis, St Clare, with all their companions, sitting round

their humble meal, absorbed in contemplation; then knew they of a certainty,

that what they had seen was a celestial fire, not a material one, which God

miraculously had sent to bear witness to the divine flame of love which

consumed the souls of those holy brethren and nuns; and they returned home

with great consolation in their hearts, and much holy edification. After a

long lapse of time, St Francis, St Clare, and their companions came back to

themselves; and, being fully restored by the spiritual food, cared not to

eat that which had been prepared for them; so that, the holy meal being

finished, St Clare, well accompanied, returned to San Damiano, where the

sisters received her with great joy, as they had feared that St Francis

might have sent her to rule some other convent, as he had already sent St

Agnes, the sister of the saint, to be Abbess of the Convent of Monticelli,

at Florence. For St Francis had often said to St Clare, “Be ready, in case I

obedience, had answered, “Father, I am always ready to go whithersoever thou

returned to them, and St Clare was from that time much consoled.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XVI

HOW ST FRANCIS, HAVING BEEN TOLD BY ST CLARE AND THE HOLY BROTHER SILVESTER

THAT HE SHOULD PREACH AND CONVERT MANY TO THE FAITH, FOUNDED THE THIRD

ORDER, PREACHED TO THE BIRDS, AND REDUCED TO SILENCE THE SWALLOWS

The humble servant of Christ, St Francis, a short time after his conversion,

having already assembled and received many brothers into the Order, was much

troubled and perplexed in mind as to what he ought to do; whether to give

himself entirely to prayer, or now and then to preach the Word. Through his

great humility, he had no opinion of himself or of the virtue of his

prayers; and, wishing to know the will of God, he sought to learn it through

the prayers of others. Wherefore he called to him Brother Masseo, and thus

addressed him: “Go to Sister Clare, and bid her from me to set herself with

some of the holiest of her sisters to pray the Lord that he may show me

clearly whether he wills that I should preach or only keep to prayer. Then

Silvester had been in the world, and was the same who had seen in vision a

golden cross come out of St Francis’s mouth, whose height reached up to

heaven and its breadth to the farthest extremities of the world. Brother

Silvester was so holy, that whatever he asked of God was granted to his

prayer, and very often he held converse with the Lord; so that St Francis

revered him greatly. Then Brother Masseo did as St Francis had commanded

him; carrying the message first to St Clare, and then to Brother Silvester,

who set about praying immediately; and, having received the answer from the

Lord, returned to Brother Masseo, and said to him: “The Lord says, go and

tell Brother Francis that he has called him to this state to save merely his

own soul but that he may produce fruits in those of others, and that through

returned to Sister Clare, to ask what she had learnt from God; and she told

him that she and all her companions had received from God the same answer as

the Lord had given to Brother Silvester. Then Brother Masseo hastened to St

Francis to bring him these answers; and St Francis received him with great

charity, washing his feet, and serving him at dinner. When the repast was

over, he called Brother Masseo into the forest, and, kneeling down before

him, put back his hood; and crossing his arms on his breast, he said to him:

“What answer dost thou bring me? what does my Lord Jesus Christ order me to

Brother Silvester and to Sister Clare, that it is his will thou shouldest go

about the world to preach; for thou hast not been called for thyself alone,

answer, and knowing it to be the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, arose with

Masseo and Brother Agnolo, both holy men, he let himself be guided by the

Spirit of God, without considering the road he took. They soon arrived at a

town called Savurniano, where St Francis began to preach, first ordering the

swallows, who were calling, to keep silence until he had finished; and the

swallows obeyed his voice. He preached with such fervour, that the

inhabitants of the town wished to follow him out of devotion; but St Francis

would not allow them, saying: “Be not in such haste, and leave not your

founded the Third Order for the salvation of all; and leaving them much

consoled and well disposed to do penance, he departed thence, and reached a

spot between Cannaio and Bevagno. And as he went on his way, with great

fervour, St Francis lifted up his eyes, and saw on some trees by the wayside

a great multitude of birds; and being much surprised, he said to his

companions, “Wait for me here by the way, whilst I go and preach to my

to the birds which were on the ground, and suddenly all those also on the

trees came round him, and all listened while St Francis preached to them,

and did not fly away until he had given them his blessing. And Brother

Masseo related afterwards to Brother James of Massa how St Francis went

among them and even touched them with his garments, and how none of them

moved. Now the substance of the sermon was this: “My little sisters the

birds, ye owe much to God, your Creator, and ye ought to sing his praise at

all times and in all places, because he has given you liberty to fly about

into all places; and though ye neither spin nor sew, he has given you a

twofold and a threefold clothing for yourselves and for your offspring. Two

of all your species he sent into the Ark with Noe that you might not be lost

to the world; besides which, he feeds you, though ye neither sow nor reap.

He has given you fountains and rivers to quench your thirst, mountains and

valleys in which to take refuge, and trees in which to build your nests; so

that your Creator loves you much, having thus favoured you with such

bounties. Beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and study

to open their beaks, to stretch their necks, to spread their wings and

reverently to bow their heads to the ground, endeavouring by their motions

and by their songs to manifest their joy to St Francis. And the saint

rejoiced with them. He wondered to see such a multitude of birds, and was

charmed with their beautiful variety, with their attention and familiarity,

for all which he devoutly gave thanks to the Creator. Having finished his

sermon, St Francis made the sign of the cross, and gave them leave to fly

away. Then all those birds rose up into the air, singing most sweetly; and,

following the sign of the cross, which St Francis had made, they divided

themselves into four companies. One company flew towards the east, another

towards the west, one towards the south, and one towards the north; each

company as it went singing most wonderfully; signifying thereby, that as St

Francis, the bearer of the Cross of Christ, had preached to them and made

upon them the sign of the cross, after which they had divided among

themselves the four parts of the world, so the preaching of the Cross of

Christ, renewed by St Francis, would be carried by him and by his brethren

over all the world, and that the humble friars, like little birds, should

posses nothing in this world, but should cast all the care of their lives on

the providence of God.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XVII

HOW A LITTLE CHILD WHO HAD ENTERED THE ORDER SAW ST FRANCIS IN PRAYER ONE

NIGHT, AND SAW ALSO THE SAVIOUR, THE VIRGIN MARY, AND MANY OTHER SAINTS TALK

WITH HIM

A certain pure and innocent child was received into the Order during the

lifetime of St Francis, and the convent in which he lived was so small that

the monks were obliged to sleep on mats. It chanced that St Francis came one

day to that convent, and in the evening, after Compline, he went to rest, so

as to rise up early to pray, as was his custom, when all the other friars

were still asleep. The said little child had made up his mind carefully to

watch St Francis, to learn something of his sanctity, and find out more

especially what he did in the night when he got up; and in order that he

might not be overtaken by sleep, he laid him down by St Francis, tying the

end of the cord he wore round his waist to the one which the saint wore, so

that he was sure of being awakened when the latter got up in the night; and

this he did so gently, that St Francis was not aware of his contrivance.

When all the other friars were fast asleep, St Francis rose from sleep, and

finding the child’s cord tied to his own, he carefully untied it so as not

to awake him and went alone into the wood which was near the convent.

Entering into a little cell which was there, he began to pray. Shortly

after, the child awoke, and finding St Francis gone, and the cord untied, he

rose up quickly and went to seek him. Perceiving the door open which led to

the wood, he thought St Francis had gone that way; and entering into the

wood, and hurrying on to the little cell, he heard the sound of many voices.

Approaching near to hear and see whence they came, he saw a great and

wonderful light all round the saint, and in the light was Jesus Christ, with

the Virgin Mary, St John the Baptist, St John the Evangelist, and a great

multitude of angels, all talking with St Francis. On seeing this the child

fell to the ground as if he had been dead. The miracle of this holy vision

being ended, St Francis rose to return to the convent, and stumbling in the

way against the child, who appeared to be dead, with great compassion he

took him up in his arms and carried him in his bosom, as the good shepherd

is wont to carry his lambs. Having learned from him how he had seen the

vision, he forbade him to tell any man thereof so long as he, St Francis,

lived. The little child grew up in the grace of God, and had a great

devotion to St Francis. He became one of the most distinguished men of the

Order. After the death of St Francis, he related the vision to the brethren.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XVIII

OF THE WONDERFUL CHAPTER HELD BY ST FRANCIS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS, AT

WHICH MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND FRIARS WERE PRESENT

The faithful servant of Christ, St Francis, once held a general chapter at

St Mary of the Angels, at which chapter more than five thousand friars were

present. Amongst them also was St Dominic, the head and founder of the Order

of Friars Preachers, who chanced to be on his way from Bologna to Rome: for

having heard of the chapter which St Francis had called together in the

plain of St Mary of the Angels, he went there with seven friars of his

Order. A certain Cardinal also, much devoted to St Francis, to whom the

saint had foretold that he would one day be Pope, came expressly from

Perugia to Assisi, and everyday he went to visit St Francis and his

brethren. Sometimes he sang Mass and preached to them; and each time the

said Cardinal visited the holy company he experienced much pleasure and

devotion. Seeing the friars all seated in the plain round St Mary of the

Angels, in groups - here forty, there a hundred, and elsewhere eighty, all

occupied in conversing about God, or in prayer, or in works of charity -

seeing them all so silent and so grave, and wondering how such a multitude

could be so orderly, he was moved to tears, and exclaimed, with great

devotion, “Truly this is the field of God; this is the army, and these are

that multitude; each group of friars was engaged either in prayer, or saying

their office, in weeping over their sins and those of their benefactors, or

in reasoning on the salvation of souls. Many tents made of mats had been

pitched in that field, divided in groups, according to the different

provinces from whence the friars came; so that this Chapter was called the

The friars had no other beds but the bare ground, with here and there a

little straw; for pillows they had stones or pieces of wood. For which

reasons they were held in much devotion; and so great was the fame of their

sanctity, that many came to see and hear them from the court of the Pope

which was at Perugia, and from other parts of the Valley of Spoleto. Many

counts and barons, many knights and other gentlemen, many Cardinals, Bishops

and Abbots, many priests and much people, came to see this great and holy

and humble congregation; for the world had never yet witnessed so many holy

men assembled together; and most especially they went thither to see the

saintly founder; and father of the Order, who had taken from the world so

many gifted men, and had formed so beautiful and devout a flock to follow

the steps of the true Pastor, Jesus Christ. The chapter being assembled, St

Francis, the father of all those holy men, expounded with great fervour of

spirit the Word of God, speaking to them in a loud voice that which the Holy

Spirit dictated. Now the subject he took for his sermon was this: “My

children, we have promised great things to God, and God has promised even

greater things to us. If we observe what we have promised him, we shall

certainly receive what he has promised to us. The pleasures of this world

pass quickly away, but the punishment which follows them is eternal. The

sufferings of this world are trifling, but the glory of the life to come is

the brethren, encouraging them to holy obedience, to reverence for holy

Mother Church, to charity among themselves, to pray God for all people, to

bear with patience the adversities of life, to be temperate in prosperity,

to keep angelic purity and chastity, to be at peace with God, with men and

with their own conscience, to love, to observe, and to practise holy

poverty. He then added: “I command you all here present, through holy

obedience, to take no thought what you shall eat or what you shall drink, or

of aught else that is necessary to the body, but only to meditate, to pray,

and to praise God, casting on him the thought of all the rest, for he has

you all in his especial care; and let each of you receive this command with

sermon, all the friars began to pray. Yet St Dominic, who was present,

wondered much at this order of St Francis, considering it as indiscreet, for

he could not understand how such a great multitude could exist without

taking thought for the body. But the heavenly Pastor, our Blessed Saviour,

wishing to show the care he takes of his lambs, and with what singular love

he loves his poor servants, put into the hearts of all the people of

Perugia, of Spoleto, of Foligno, of Spello, of Assisi, and of all the

neighbouring country, to take meat and drink to that holy congregation; and

presently men came from all these places with horses, and asses, and carts

laden with bread and wine, with beans and cheese, and other good things of

which the poor of Christ had need. Besides all this, they brought napkins

and knives, jugs and glasses, and all that was needed for such a multitude;

and those who could carry most and serve the best rejoiced greatly, and the

knights, barons, and other noblemen, who were present, waited on the

brethren with great devotion and humility. St Dominic, seeing this, and

knowing of a certainty that it was the divine providence of God which had

provided for them thus, acknowledged most humbly that he had unjustly

accused St Francis of giving indiscreet orders; and going to him, he knelt

humbly before him and confessed his fault, adding: “The Lord truly hath

especial care of all these holy servants of poverty. I knew it not till now,

and henceforth I promise to observe holy evangelical poverty; and, in the

name of God, I condemn all friars of my Order who shall seek to have

of the most holy Francis, by the obedience and poverty of so large and

well-ordered a chapter, and he blessed the providence of God, who had given

them every grace in such abundance. In that same chapter also it was

revealed to St Francis that many brethren wore on their flesh small hearts

and bands of iron, for which reason many were ill and hindered in their

prayers; and St Francis, like a discreet father, gave order, under holy

obedience, that all who wore such things should take them off and place them

before him - and more than five hundred little hearts and bands of iron were

placed before him - some destined to be worn round the arms, and others

round the waist - and all together formed a large heap, which St Francis

ordered to be left in that field. The chapter being ended, he encouraged

them all in well-doing, warning them to avoid sin in this wicked world, and

sent them to their divers provinces, with his blessing and that of God,

filled with spiritual joy and consolation.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XIX

HOW THE VINE OF THE PRIEST OF RIETI, WHOSE HOUSE ST FRANCIS ENTERED TO PRAY,

WAS TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT BY THE GREAT NUMBERS WHO CAME TO SEE HIM, AND HOW IT

YET PRODUCED A GREATER QUANTITY OF WINE THAN USUAL, AS ST FRANCIS HAD

PROMISED; AND HOW THE LORD REVEALED TO THE SAINT THAT HEAVEN WOULD BE HIS

PORTION WHEN HE LEFT THIS WORLD

St Francis at one time being grievously tormented with a disease in his

eyes, the Cardinal Ugolino, protector of his Order, who loved him dearly,

wrote to him to come to Rieti, where there were excellent oculists. St

Francis, having received the Cardinal’s letter, set off first to San

Damiano, where was Sister Clare, the devout spouse of Christ, to give her

some spiritual consolation, intending afterwards to go on to the Cardinal.

On arriving at San Damiano, the following night his eyes grew so much worse

that he could not see the light, and was obliged to give up going any

further. Then Sister Clare made him a little cell of reeds, in order that he

might repose the better; but St Francis, owing partly to the pain he

suffered, and partly to the multitude of rats, which much annoyed him, could

rest neither day or night. After suffering for several days this pain and

tribulation, he began to think that it was sent to him by God as a

punishment for his sins, and he thanked the Lord in his heart and with his

lips, crying out with a loud voice: “My God, I am worthy of this, and even

worse. My Lord Jesus Christ, thou Good Shepherd, who hast shown thy mercy to

us poor sinners in the various bodily pains and sufferings it pleaseth thee

to send us; grant to me, thy little lamb, that no pain, however great, no

prayer, a voice came from heaven, which said: “Francis, if all the earth

were of gold, if all the seas and all the fountains and all the rivers were

of balm, if all mountains, all hills, and all rocks were made of precious

stones, and if thou couldst find a treasure as much more precious again as

gold is more precious than earth, and balm than water, and gems than

mountains and rocks, if that precious treasure were offered to thee in the

said again: “Rejoice with all thy heart, Francis, for such a treasure is

life eternal, which I have in keeping for thee, and even now promise to

thee; and this thine infirmity and affliction is a pledge of that blessed

humbly took leave of Sister Clare, after having comforted her with holy

words, and took the road to Rieti. When he approached the town, such a

multitude came out to meet him, that he would not go into the city, but went

to a church which was about two miles of. But the people, hearing where he

was gone, went thither to see him; so that the vine which surrounded the

church was greatly injured, and all the grapes were gathered; at which the

priest, to whom it belonged, was very grieved in his heart, and repented of

having received St Francis in his church. The thought of the priest being

revealed to the saint, he called him to him and said: “Dearest father, tell

me, how many measures of wine does this vine produce when the year is a

thee, father, have patience and endure my presence here a few days longer,

as I find great rest in this church; and, for the love of God and of me his

poor servant, let the people gather the grapes off thy vine; for I promise

thee, in the name of my Saviour Jesus Christ, that it shall produce every

of the souls of all who went to see him, for many went away filled with

divine love, and gave up the world. The priest, having faith in the promise

of St Francis, left the vineyard open to all those who came to see him. And,

wonder of wonders! although the vine was entirely ruined, so that there

scarcely remained, here and there, a few small bunches of grapes, when the

time of vintage arrived, the priest gathered the few bunches which were

left, and put them into the winepress; and according to the promise of St

Francis, these few little bunches did not fail to produce twenty measures of

excellent wine. This miracle teaches us that as, in consequence of the

merits of St Francis, the vine, though despoiled of its grapes, produced an

abundance of wine, so in the same way many Christians, whose sins had made

them barren of virtue, through the saint’s preaching and merits, have often

come to abound in the good fruit of repentance.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER XX

OF A BEAUTIFUL VISION WHICH APPEARED TO A YOUNG MAN WHO HATED THE HABIT OF

ST FRANCIS SO GREATLY, THAT HE WAS ON THE POINT OF LEAVING THE ORDER

A young man, of noble birth, and of delicate habits, who had entered the

Order of St Francis, was seized after a few days, through the devil,s

suggestions, with a violent dislike of the habit that he wore: he hated the

shape of the sleeves; he felt a horror for the hood, for the length of the

dress, and the coarseness of the material; so that it seemed to him as if he

carried about him an insupportable weight; and, disliking the Order more and

more, he determined to leave it and return to the world. It was the custom

of this young man, at whatever hour he passed before the altar in the

convent at which the Blessed Sacrament was reserved, to kneel down with

great respect and, covering his head with his hood and crossing his arms on

his breast, to prostrate himself, as he had been taught to do by the master

of novices. It so happened, that the night when he had made up his mind to

leave the convent, he passed before the altar, and, kneeling down as he was

wont to do, he prostrated himself to the ground, and, being ravished in

spirit, the Lord sent him a most wonderful vision. He saw before him a great

multitude of saints ranged in procession, two by two, clothed in vestments

made of precious material: their faces and their hands shone like the sun;

they sang, as they walked, to the sound of celestial music. Two of them were

more nobly and more richly dressed than the rest, and surrounded by such a

blaze of light that none could look on them without being dazzled. At the

end of the procession was one so gloriously adorned, that he seemed, like a

new knight, to be more favoured than the others. Now the young man, seeing

such a beautiful procession, was struck with wonder; but although he could

not guess the meaning of the vision, he dared not ask, and seemed struck

dumb with amazement. When the procession had almost passed away, he took

courage, and addressing himself to those who were in the rear, he said: “O

beloved, I pray you tell me who are those wonderful beings who form this

Minor, who are come from the glories of Paradise; and those two who shine

forth brighter than the rest, are St Francis and St Anthony; and the last

one you saw so especially honoured is a holy friar, lately dead, who having

fought with courage against temptation and having preserved to the end, we

lead in triumph to the glories of Paradise; and these splendid vestments

which adorn us have been given to us by God, in exchange for the coarse

tunic we wore with so much patience in religion; and the glorious light

which shines upon us has been given in reward for the humility, the holy

poverty, the obedience, and chastity that we observed to the end of our

lives. Now, my son, do not