Chapter CV Of the soldiers of Perugia that did hinder his preaching W
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter CV Of the soldiers of Perugia that did hinder his preaching W
henthe Blessed Francis was preaching in the place at Perugia, and
many people were assembled therein, behold the soldiers of Perugia
did begin to career through the Piazza upon their horses and did play with their arms and hinder his preaching, and albeit some of them that were present did rebuke them, yet not for this would they leave of their sport.
Wherefore, turning toward them, the Blessed Francis with much fervency of spirit said unto them: “Hear ye and understand the things that through me, His little servant, the Lord doth announce unto you, and say not, ‘We will hearken not unto him because he is of Assisi.’” But this he said because there is an ancient hatred betwixt them of Perugia and them of Assisi.
And he saith unto them: “The Lord hath exalted ye above all your neigh- bors, and therefore ought ye the more willingly to acknowledge your Creator by humbling yourselves, not unto God alone, but likewise unto your neigh- bors. But your hearts are lifted up in pride, and ye do waste your neighbors and slay many; wherefore I say unto you that save ye be quickly converted unto God and do make satisfaction of those things wherein ye have offended, the Lord, who leaveth nought unpunished, shall make ye rise up one against an- other to sorer vengeance upon ye and to your punishment and to your shame, and in the sedition that shall be raised and in civil war, so great tribulation shall ye suffer as never could your neighbors wreak upon ye!”
For on such wise did the Blessed Francis never hold his peace as concerning the ill-doings of the people when he preached, but did rebuke all publicly and manfully. For the Lord had given unto him such grace that all they who did see and hear him, of whatsoever estate or condition they might be, did so greatly fear and reverence him by reason of the abundant grace that he had of God, that howsoever sore they might be rebuked of him, yet were they always edified by his words, and were either converted unto the Lord or were inwardly pricked of their conscience.
And it came to pass by divine permission that after a few days a scandal arose betwixt the soldiers and the people, such as that the people did thrust out the soldiers beyond their city. And the soldiers, together with the Church that did help them, did lay waste their fields and vineyards and trees, and all the hurt that they could do unto the people they did. And in like manner, the people did waste all the goods of the soldiers, and thus were both people and soldiers punished according to the word of S. Francis.