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

they had had much consolation from him, at last they begged his habit of him for the love of God. But he forthwith, so soon as he heard the words “love of God”, put off his habit and gave it unto them, himself abiding naked some part of an hour.

For whensoever any did allege the love of God to him, whether it were the cord wherewith he was girded, or his habit, or aught else that were asked, he never denied it to any; yea, he did hereby put himself to sore straits, and oftentimes would he rebuke the brethren for that on account of almost any- thing whatsoever they would take the name of “the love of God” in vain. For he would say: “So passing high and precious is the love of God, that never ought it to be named save in seldom times of necessity, and then only with great reverence.”

But one of those brethren did put off his habit and gave it unto him in like manner. Whensoever he gave his habit or a part thereof to another, he did thereby suffer great necessity and tribulation, for that he could not have another habit quickly enough, more especially for that he was always minded to wear a poor habit pieced together with patches, sometimes both within and without; yea, never or right seldom would he wear a habit of new cloth, but would obtain from some brother his habit which he had worn for some time. And at times he would even accept one part of his habit from one brother and another part from another. On the inner side, on account of his many infirmities and chills of the stomach and the spleen, he would sometimes patch it double with new cloth. And this manner of poverty in his raiment did he hold and observe until the year that he departed to the Lord; for a few days before his death, for that he was dropsical and as it were all dried up, and on account of the many other infirmities that he had, the brethren made many habits for him, for that of necessity his habit had to be changed every day and night.