THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
PART ONE HERE BEGIN THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
CHAPTER II OF BROTHER BERNARD OF QUINTAVALLE, THE FIRST COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS
CHAPTER XIV HOW THE LORD APPEARED TO ST FRANCIS AND TO HIS BRETHREN AS HE WAS SPEAKING WITH THEM
CHAPTER XV HOW ST CLARE ATE WITH ST FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS
CHAPTER XXI OF THE MOST HOLY MIRACLE OF ST FRANCIS IN TAMING THE FIERCE WOLF OF GUBBIO
CHAPTER XXII HOW ST FRANCIS TAMED THE WILD DOVES
CHAPTER XXIV HOW ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TO THE FAITH THE SULTAN OF BABYLON
CHAPTER XXX OF THE BEAUTIFUL SERMON WHICH ST FRANCIS AND BROTHER RUFFINO PREACHED AT ASSISI
CHAPTER XXXI HOW ST FRANCIS WAS ACQUAINTED WITH THE SECRETS OF THE CONSCIENCES OF ALL HIS BRETHREN
CHAPTER XXXII HOW BROTHER MASSEO OBTAINED FROM CHRIST THE VIRTUE OF HUMILITY
CHAPTER XXXVI HOW ST FRANCIS EXPLAINED TO BROTHER LEO A BEAUTIFUL VISION THAT HE HAD SEEN
CHAPTER XLV OF THE CONVERSION, LIFE, MIRACLES, AND DEATH OF THE HOLY BROTHER JOHN DELLA PENNA
CHAPTER XLIX HOW CHRIST APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA
OF THE SACRED AND HOLY STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS AND CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS THEREON
OF THE FIRST CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
OF THE SECOND CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
OF THE THIRD CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED HOLY STIGMATA
OF THE FOURTH CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
HOW JEROME, WHO AT FIRST BELIEVED NOT, SAW AND TOUCHED THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS
OF THE FIFTH AND LAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
CHAPTER LVI OF A HOLY FRIAR WHO SAW A WONDERFUL VISION OF A COMPANION WHO WAS DEAD
HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF BROTHER JUNIPER
CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER JUNIPER CUT OFF THE FOOT OF A PIG TO GIVE IT TO A SICK BROTHER
CHAPTER II AN INSTANCE OF BROTHER JUNIPER’S GREAT POWER AGAINST THE DEVIL
CHAPTER III HOW, BY THE CONTRIVANCE OF THE DEVIL, BROTHER JUNIPER WAS CONDEMNED TO THE GALLOWS
CHAPTER IV HOW BROTHER JUNIPER GAVE ALL THAT HE HAD TO THE POOR FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
CHAPTER VI HOW BROTHER JUNIPER KEPT SILENCE FOR SIX MONTHS
CHAPTER VII HIS REMEDY FOR TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH
CHAPTER VIII HOW BROTHER JUNIPER MADE HIMSELF CONTEMPTIBLE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
CHAPTER IX HOW BROTHER JUNIPER, IN ORDER TO BE DESPISED, PLAYED AT SEE-SAW
CHAPTER X HOW BROTHER JUNIPER ONCE COOKED FOR THE BRETHREN ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A FORTNIGHT
CHAPTER XI HOW BROTHER JUNIPER WENT ONE DAY TO ASSISI FOR HIS OWN CONFUSION
CHAPTER XII HOW BROTHER JUNIPER FELL INTO AN ECSTASY DURING THE CELEBRATION OF MASS
CHAPTER XIV OF THE HAND WHICH BROTHER JUNIPER SAW IN THE AIR
CHAPTER XV HOW ST FRANCIS COMMANDED BROTHER LEO TO WASH THE STONE
PART THREE THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED BROTHER GILES, COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS
CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER GILES, WITH THREE COMPANIONS WAS RECEIVED INTO THE ORDER OF FRIAR’S MINOR
CHAPTER II HOW BROTHER GILES WENT TO ST JAMES THE GREAT
CHAPTER III OF BROTHER GILES’S MANNER OF LIFE WHEN HE WENT TO THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
CHAPTER IV HOW BROTHER GILES PRAISED OBEDIENCE MORE THAN PRAYER
CHAPTER V HOW BROTHER GILES LIVED BY THE LABOUR OF HIS HANDS
CHAPTER VII OF THE DAY OF THE HOLY BROTHER GILES’S DEATH
CHAPTER VIII HOW A HOLY MAN, BEING IN PRAYER, SAW THE SOUL OF BROTHER GILES PASS TO ETERNAL LIFE
CHAPTER X HOW GOD GAVE SPECIAL GRACES TO BROTHER GILES, AND OF THE YEAR OF HIS DEATH
PART FOUR HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF CERTAIN INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTABLE SAYINGS OF BROTHER GILES
CHAPTER I OF VICES AND VIRTUES
CHAPTER IV OF THE HOLY FEAR OF GOD
CHAPTER VII OF THE CONTEMPT OF TEMPORAL THINGS
CHAPTER XII OF HOLY SPIRITUAL PRUDENCE
CHAPTER XIII OF KNOWLEDGE USEFUL AND USELESS
CHAPTER XIV OF GOOD AND EVIL SPEAKING
CHAPTER XV OF HOLY PERSEVERANCE
CHAPTER XVI OF TRUE RELIGIOUS LIFE
Brother Giles was once staying in Rome, at the house of a Cardinal, when Lent was drawing near; and being unable there to enjoy the quiet of mind which he desired, he said to the Cardinal: “My Father, I pray you give me permission to go with my companion to spend this Lent in some solitary place�; and the Cardinal answered him: “Alas! dearest brother, whither wouldst thou go? This is a time of great scarcity, and thou art not well accustomed to these desert places; wherefore I beseech thee remain with me, for I account it a singular grace to be permitted to provide for thy wants for the love of God.� But Brother Giles being determined to go, went out of Rome to a high mountain, where there had once been a castle, and where there was now a forsaken church dedicated to St Lawrence; this he entered with his companion, remaining there in prayer and meditation. They were not known in the place, wherefore little reverence or consideration was shown to them, so that they were in great poverty, and moreover a heavy fall of snow came on, which lasted many days. They could not leave the church; they had no food with them, neither was any thing brought them from without; and thus they remained shut up for three days and three nights. Brother Giles, seeing that he could earn nothing for his livelihood, nor go out to beg alms, said to his companion: “My dearest brother, let us cry aloud to the Lord, that of his loving pity he would provide for this our extreme necessity; for we have heard how many holy monks, being in great straits, have called upon God to provide for them in their need.� So, after their example, these two holy men betook themselves to prayer, beseeching God with all their hearts to provide a remedy for their distress; and God, who is all-compassionate, had regard to their faith, devotion, and simplicity in manner following: A certain man, casting his eyes upon the church where Brother Giles and his companion were shut up, said to himself by an inspiration from God: “It may be that some devout person is doing penance in that church, and by reason of the snow he can obtain no supply for his wants, and may perhaps die of hunger.� Wherefore, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost he said: “Of a surety I will go and see if what I imagine be true or no.� So taking bread and a flask of wine, he went his way, and with great difficulty arrived at the church, where he found Brother Giles and his companion most devoutly absorbed in prayer; but so wasted were they with hunger that they looked rather like dead men than living; and he had great compassion for them, and having warmed and comforted them he returned and told his neighbours of the extremity and necessity of these friars, praying and exhorting them, for the love of God, to provide for their needs. Many, therefore, after his example, brought them bread and wine for the love of God, besides other things necessary for food, arranging also among themselves that, during that whole Lent, all things needful were provided for them. And Brother Giles, reflecting on the great mercy of God and the charity of these people, said to his companion: “Dearest brother, hitherto we have prayed to God to provide for our necessities, and he has heard us; now it behoveth us to give him thanks, and to pray for those who have fed us by their alms, and for all Christian people.� And such grace did God grant to the fervour and devotion of Brother Giles, that many, after his example, forsook this blind world, and many who had no vocation to religion did most austere penance in their own homes.