Chapter LXII How he would that any comforts he received for his body should be known to all Inlike manner, at another time, when he had eaten in a certain her-
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter LXII How he would that any comforts he received for his body should be known to all Inlike manner, at another time, when he had eaten in a certain her-
mitage at the time of S. Martin’s Lent, of cakes made with lard on
account of his ailments that did render oil exceeding unwholesome, at the end of the Lent, when he was preaching to a crowd of folk, at the first word of his sermon he said unto them: “Ye come to me with great devoutness, believing me to be a saint, but I do confess unto God and unto you that this Lent I have eaten of cakes made with lard.”
Yea, moreover, well-nigh always when he had been eating with any laymen or some little bodily comfort was made for him by the brethren on account of his infirmities, straightway within the house and without, in the presence of the brethren that knew not thereof and of laymen, would he say openly, “I have eaten of such and such meats.” For he had no mind to hide from men what was manifest to God. In like manner also, wheresoever and in the presence of whatsoever Religious or lay-folk, his spirit was moved to pride or vainglory, or to any wickedness, forthwith would he confess the same before them nakedly, without any cloak whatsoever.
Whence once he said unto his companions: “In such wise I am fain to live in the wildernesses and in other places wherein I sojourn, as if all men were looking upon me. For if they take me to be a holy man, and I lead not the life that beseemeth a holy man, then I should be a hypocrite.”
When, therefore, on account of an ailment of the spleen and a chill of the stomach, one of his companions that was his warden was minded to sew on the inner side of his habit a little bit of fox-skin nigh the spleen and stomach, particularly as the cold was great, the Blessed Francis made answer unto him: “If thou wouldst that I should have fox-skin on the inner side of my habit, make be set without upon the habit a shred of the same skin, so as that thereby men may know that I have fox-skin within also.” And this he made be done, but full little did he wear it, albeit it were greatly necessary unto him.