The Little Flowers and the Life of St. Francis, with the...

the lord Leo, a Cardinal that was mightily devoted to the Blessed Francis. And for that it was then winter time and altogether unfit for walking by reason of the cold and wind and rain, he besought him that he would sojourn with him some days and take his victual from him as a poor man along with the other poor men that did eat daily in his house.

Howbeit this he said for that he knew the Blessed Francis was minded always to be taken in as a poor man wheresoever he might be lodged, albeit the lord Pope and the Cardinal, with the greatest reverence and devotion, would have received him and reverenced him as a Saint. Moreover, he added: “I will give thee a good house apart, wherein thou mayst pray and eat if thou wilt.”

Then brother Angelo Tancredi, that was one of the twelve first brethren, who also was staying with the said Cardinal, said unto the Blessed Francis: “Brother, near hereby is a certain tower very roomy and remote wherein thou mayst dwell as in a hermitage.” The which when the Blessed Francis saw, he was pleased therewithal, and coming back to the Cardinal said unto him: “My lord, haply I will remain with you for some days.”

And the lord Cardinal made great joy thereof. Brother Angelo therefore went and made ready a place in the tower for the Blessed Francis and his companion. And for that the Blessed Francis was not minded to come down from thence so long as he abode with the Cardinal, and desired also that none should come in unto him, brother Angelo promised and made ordinance that every day victual should be brought thither for him and his companion.

And when the Blessed Francis had gone thither with his companion, on the first night when he was fain to go to sleep therein, came devils that did beat him sore. And calling his companion he said unto him: “Brother, the devils have beaten me sore, and therefore I will that thou remain near me, for I am afraid to stay here alone.” And that night his companion bode near him, for the Blessed Francis was all trembling as he that is smitten with an ague, wherefore both were awake through the whole night.

In the meanwhile, said the Blessed Francis to his companion: “Wherefore have the devils beaten me? and wherefore hath power been given unto them of the Lord that they should do me hurt?” And saith he: “The devils be the Lord’s sergeants, for even as the High Bailiff of the city doth send his sergeant to punish him that hath committed an offense, even so doth the Lord by his sergeants, to wit, by the devils that in this world are His ministers, correct and chastise whomsoever He loveth. For even the perfect Religious doth oft-times sin, albeit he know not thereof; wherefore by means of the devil is he chastised, for that he knoweth not his sin, to the intent that he may search diligently both within him and without, and find out those things wherein he hath offended. For in them that the Lord loveth of very love in this world, He doth leave nought in them to be punished hereafter.

“Howbeit, by the mercy and grace of God, I know not that I have offended in aught for which I have not made amends by confession and satisfaction; yea, by His mercy hath God granted me this boon, that as concerning all things wherein I may please or displease Him I do receive clear knowledge in prayer. But it may be that He hath now by His sergeants chastised me for that, albeit my lord Cardinal hath gladly shown me mercy, and that it is necessary for my body to receive this refreshment, yet my brethren that go about the world enduring hunger and manifold tribulations, and other brethren that abide in hermitages and sorry houses, when they shall hear that I am sojourning with my lord Cardinal, may find occasion to murmur against me, saying, ‘We do endure all these many adversities, while he hath these comforts of his own.’

“For I am bound ever to set them a good example, seeing that for this have I been given unto them, for more are the brethren edified when I abide amongst them in their sorry places rather than in others, and more patiently do they bear their own tribulations when they hear that I also do endure the same.”

For in truth this was the chiefest and continual study of our father, that always and in all things he should afford a good example, and take away from the brethren all occasion of murmuring as concerning him. And on account of this, sick or healthy, so many and so sore were the sufferings he endured that all the brethren whosoever that knew thereof as did we that were with him until his dying day, so often as they read thereof or commend them in writing to memory, cannot refrain them from tears, and are willing to undergo all tribulations and necessities with the greater patience and cheerfulness.

The Blessed Francis come down therefore from the tower early in the morning and went to the lord Cardinal, telling him all that had befallen him and that he and his companion had undergone; yea, he even said unto him: “Men do believe me to be a saint, and behold, the devils have cast me forth from my retreat.”

And the lord Cardinal was right cheerful with him. Howbeit, for that he knew and reverenced him as a saint, he would not contradict him after he was minded not to stay there, And so the Blessed Francis, bidding him farewell, came back to the hermitage of Fonte Palumbo near Rieti.