THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

 PART ONE HERE BEGIN THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

 CHAPTER I IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR, AND OF MARY HIS VIRGIN MOTHER. IN THIS BOOK ARE CONTAINED CERTAIN LITTLE FLOWERS - TO WIT

 CHAPTER II OF BROTHER BERNARD OF QUINTAVALLE, THE FIRST COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS

 CHAPTER III HOW ST FRANCIS, HAVING ALLOWED AN EVIL THOUGHT TO ARISE IN HIS MIND AGAINST BROTHER BERNARD, ORDERED HIM TO PLACE HIS FOOT THREE TIMES UPO

 CHAPTER IV HOW THE ANGEL OF GOD PUT A QUESTION TO BROTHER ELIAS, GUARDIAN OF VAL DI SPOLETO, AND HOW, WHEN BROTHER ELIAS ANSWERED PROUDLY, THE ANGEL D

 CHAPTER V HOW THE HOLY BROTHER BERNARD OF ASSISI WAS SENT BY ST FRANCIS TO BOLOGNA AND HOW HE FOUNDED A CONVENT THERE

 CHAPTER VI HOW ST FRANCIS, WHEN ABOUT TO DIE, BLESSED THE HOLY BROTHER BERNARD, NAMING HIM VICAR OF THE ORDER

 CHAPTER VIII HOW ST FRANCIS, WALKING ONE DAY WITH BROTHER LEO, EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT THINGS ARE PERFECT JOY

 CHAPTER IX HOW ST FRANCIS WOULD TEACH BROTHER LEO WHAT TO ANSWER, AND HOW THE LATTER COULD NEVER SAY AUGHT BUT THE CONTRARY TO WHAT ST FRANCIS WISHED

 CHAPTER X HOW BROTHER MASSEO TOLD ST FRANCIS, AS IN JEST, THAT THE WORLD WAS GONE AFTER HIM AND HOW ST FRANCIS ANSWERED THAT IT WAS INDEED SO, TO THE

 CHAPTER XI HOW ST FRANCIS MADE BROTHER MASSEO TURNROUND AND ROUND LIKE A CHILD, AND THEN TO GO TO SIENA

 CHAPTER XII HOW ST FRANCIS GAVE TO BROTHER MASSEO THE OFFICE OF PORTER, OF ALMONER AND OF COOK AND HOW, AT THE REQUEST OF THE OTHER BRETHREN, HE AFTE

 CHAPTER XIII HOW ST FRANCIS AND BROTHER MASSEO PLACED THE BREAD THEY HAD BEGGED UPON A STONE NEAR A FOUNTAIN, AND HOW ST FRANCIS PRAISED THE VIRTUE OF

 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 XVI HOW ST FRANCIS, HAVING BEEN TOLD BY ST CLARE AND THE HOLY BROTHER SILVESTER THAT HE SHOULD PREACH AND CONVERT MANY TO THE FAITH, FOUNDED T

 CHAPTER XVII HOW A LITTLE CHILD WHO HAD ENTERED THE ORDER SAW ST FRANCIS IN PRAYER ONE NIGHT, AND SAW ALSO THE SAVIOUR, THE VIRGIN MARY, AND MANY OTHE

 CHAPTER XVIII OF THE WONDERFUL CHAPTER HELD BY ST FRANCIS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS, AT WHICH MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND FRIARS WERE PRESENT

 CHAPTER XIX HOW THE VINE OF THE PRIEST OF RIETI, WHOSE HOUSE ST FRANCIS ENTERED TO PRAY, WAS TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT BY THE GREAT NUMBERS WHO CAME TO SEE

 CHAPTER XX OF A BEAUTIFUL VISION WHICH APPEARED TO A YOUNG MAN WHO HATED THE HABIT OF ST FRANCIS SO GREATLY, THAT HE WAS ON THE POINT OF LEAVING THE O

 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 XXIII HOW ST FRANCIS DELIVERED THE BROTHER WHO, BEING IN SIN, HAD FALLEN INTO THE POWER OF THE DEVIL

 CHAPTER XXIV HOW ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TO THE FAITH THE SULTAN OF BABYLON

 CHAPTER XXV HOW ST FRANCIS HEALED MIRACULOUSLY A LEPER BOTH IN HIS BODY AND IN HIS SOUL, AND WHAT THE SOUL SAID TO HIM ON GOING UP TO HEAVEN

 CHAPTER XXVI HOW ST FRANCIS CONVERTED CERTAIN ROBBERS AND ASSASSINS, WHO BECAME FRIARS AND OF A WONDERFUL VISION WHICH APPEARED TO ONE OF THEM WHO WA

 CHAPTER XXVII HOW AT BOLOGNA ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TWO SCHOLARS WHO BECAME FRIARS, AND HOW HE DELIVERED ON OF THEM FROM GREAT TEMPTATION

 CHAPTER XXVIII OF AN ECSTASY WHICH CAME TO BROTHER BERNARD, AND HOW HE REMAINED FROM MATINS UNTIL NONE IN A STATE OF RAPTURE.

 CHAPTER XXIX HOW THE DEVIL OFTEN APPEARED TO BROTHER RUFFINO IN THE FORM OF A CRUCIFIX, TELLING HIM THAT ALL THE GOOD HE DID WAS OF NO AVAIL, SEEING H

 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 XXXIII HOW ST CLARE, BY ORDER OF THE POPE, BLESSED THE BREAD WHICH WAS ON THE TABLE, AND HOW ON EACH LOAF APPEARED THE SIGN OF THE HOLY CROSS

 CHAPTER XXXIV HOW ST LOUIS, KING OF FRANCE, WENT IN PERSON IN A PILGRIM’S GARB TO VISIT THE HOLY BROTHER GILES

 CHAPTER XXXV HOW ST CLARE, BEING ILL, WAS MIRACULOUSLY CARRIED, ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT, TO THE CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS, WHERE SHE ASSISTED AT THE OFFICE

 CHAPTER XXXVI HOW ST FRANCIS EXPLAINED TO BROTHER LEO A BEAUTIFUL VISION THAT HE HAD SEEN

 CHAPTER XXXVII HOW JESUS CHRIST, THE BLESSED ONE, AT THE PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS, CONVERTED A RICH NOBLEMAN WHO HAD MADE GREAT OFFERS TO ST FRANCIS, AND

 CHAPTER XXXVIII HOW IT WAS REVEALED TO ST FRANCIS THAT BROTHER ELIAS WAS DAMNED AND WAS TO DIE OUT OF THE ORDER AND HOW AT THE DESIRE OF THE SAID BRO

 CHAPTER XXXIX OF THE WONDERFUL DISCOURSE WHICH ST ANTHONY OF PADUA, A FRIAR MINOR, MADE IN THE CONSISTORY

 CHAPTER XL OF THE MIRACLE WHICH GOD PERFORMED WHEN ST ANTHONY BEING AT RIMINI, PREACHED TO HE FISHES OF THE SEA

 CHAPTER XLI HOW THE VENERABLE BROTHER SIMON DELIVERED A BROTHER FROM A GREAT TEMPTATION, ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH HE WAS ON THE POINT OF LEAVING THE ORDER

 CHAPTER XLII OF SEVERAL WONDERFUL MIRACLES WHICH THE LORD PERFORMED THROUGH THE MEANS OF BROTHER PETER OF MONTICELLO, AND BROTHER CONRAD OF OFFIDA. HO

 CHAPTER XLIII HOW BROTHER CONRAD OF OFFIDA CONVERTED A YOUNG BROTHER, WHO WAS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THE OTHER BROTHERS, AND HOW AFTER DEATH HIS SOUL AP

 CHAPTER XLIV HOW THE MOTHER OF CHRIST AND ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST APPEARED TO BROTHER CONRAD, AND TOLD HIM WHO HAD SUFFERED THIS GREATEST SORROW AT THE

 CHAPTER XLV OF THE CONVERSION, LIFE, MIRACLES, AND DEATH OF THE HOLY BROTHER JOHN DELLA PENNA

 CHAPTER XLVI HOW BROTHER PACIFICO, BEING IN PRAYER, SAW THE SOUL OF BROTHER UMILE, HIS BROTHER IN THE FLESH, GO UP TO HEAVEN

 CHAPTER XLVII OF A HOLY BROTHER TO WHOM THE MOTHER OF CHRIST APPEARED WHEN HE WAS ILL, AND BROUGHT HIM THREE VASES OF HEALING OINTMENT

 CHAPTER XLVIII HOW BROTHER JAMES DELLA MASSA SAW IN A VISION ALL THE FRIARS MINOR IN THE WORLD IN THE FORM OF A TREE AND HOW THE VIRTUES, THE MERITS

 CHAPTER XLIX HOW CHRIST APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA

 CHAPTER L. HOW BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA, WHEN SAYING MASS ON THE DAY OF ALL SOULS, SAW MANY SOULS LIBERATED FROM PURGATORY

 CHAPTER LI OF THE HOLY BROTHER JAMES OF FALLERONE, AND HOW, AFTER HIS DEATH, HE APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA

 CHAPTER LII OF THE VISION OF BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA, BY WHICH HE BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH ALL THE ORDER OF THE HOLY TRINITY

 CHAPTER LIII HOW, WHILE HE WAS SAYING MASS, BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA FELL DOWN, AS IF HE HAD BEEN DEAD

 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 LIV HOW A HOLY FRIAR, HAVING READ IN THE LEGEND OF ST FRANCIS OF THE SECRET WORDS SPOKEN TO HIM BY THE SERAPH, PRAYED SO EARNESTLY TO GOD THAT

 CHAPTER LV HOW ST FRANCIS APPEARED, AFTER HIS DEATH, TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA, WHILE HE WAS IN PRAYER

 CHAPTER LVI OF A HOLY FRIAR WHO SAW A WONDERFUL VISION OF A COMPANION WHO WAS DEAD

 CHAPTER LVII HOW A NOBLE KNIGHT WHO WAS DEVOUT TO ST FRANCIS WAS ASSURED OF HIS DEATH AND OF THE SACRED STIGMATA

 CHAPTER LVIII HOW POPE GREGORY IX, WHO HAD DOUBTED OF THE STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS, WAS ASSURED OF THEIR TRUTH

 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 V HOW BROTHER JUNIPER TOOK CERTAIN LITTLE BELLS FROM THE ALTAR, AND GAVE THEM AWAY 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 XIII OF THE SORROW WHICH BROTHER JUNIPER FELT AT THE LOSS OF HIS COMPANION BROTHER AMAZIALBENE

 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 VI HOW BROTHER GILES WAS MIRACULOUSLY ASSISTED IN A GREAT NECESSITY WHEN, BY REASON OF A HEAVY FALL OF SNOW, HE WAS HINDERED FROM GOING OUT TO

 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 IX HOW, BY THE MERITS OF BROTHER GILES, THE SOUL OF THE FRIEND OF A FRIAR PREACHER WAS DELIVERED FROM THE PAINS OF PURGATORY

 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 II OF FAITH

 CHAPTER III OF HOLY HUMILITY

 CHAPTER IV OF THE HOLY FEAR OF GOD

 CHAPTER V OF HOLY PATIENCE

 CHAPTER VI OF SLOTH

 CHAPTER VII OF THE CONTEMPT OF TEMPORAL THINGS

 CHAPTER VIII OF HOLY CHASTITY

 CHAPTER IX OF TEMPTATIONS

 CHAPTER X OF HOLY PENANCE

 CHAPTER XI OF HOLY PRAYER

 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

 CHAPTER XVII OF HOLY OBEDIENCE

 CHAPTER XVIII OF THE REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH

CHAPTER IX HOW, BY THE MERITS OF BROTHER GILES, THE SOUL OF THE FRIEND OF A FRIAR PREACHER WAS DELIVERED FROM THE PAINS OF PURGATORY

While Brother Giles was lying sick, a few days before his death, a certain friar of St Dominic became sick unto death. Another friar, who was a friend of his, said to the sick brother: “My brother, I desire, if God permit, that after thy death thou return to me and tell me in what state thou art�; and the sick man promised to return if it should be possible. He died on the same day with Brother Giles, and after his death, he appeared to the living Friar Preacher, and said: “It is the will of God that I should fulfill my promise.� Then said the living man to the dead: “How is it with thee?� and the dead answered: “All is well; for I died on the very day that a holy Friar Minor, named Giles, passed from this life; to whom for his great sanctity Christ granted that he should carry with him to holy Paradise all the souls that were in Purgatory, among whom was I suffering great torment; and now, by the merits of the holy Brother Giles, I am delivered from them�; and having said this, he forthwith disappeared; and that friar revealed the vision to no man. But after a time this same friar fell sick, and immediately suspecting that God had struck him because he had not revealed the virtue and the glory of Brother Giles, he sent for the Friars Minor; and there came to him ten, two by two; and they being gathered together with the Friars Preachers, he declared to them with great devotion the aforesaid vision; and, diligent inquiry having been made, it was found that the two had indeed passed from this life on one and the same day.