Chapter II

Of Brother Bernard of Quintavalle, first companion of S. Francis

Of Brother Bernard of Quintavalle\ first companion of S. Francis

The first companion of S. Francis was Brother Bernard of Assisi, who was converted in thiswise: While S. Francis was still in the secular habit, albeit he had already despised the world, and went about being wholly held in scorn of men, mortifying his flesh by penances, in so much that by many he was thought foolish and was mocked at as a mad fellow, and was driven away with stones and foul abuse by his kinsfolk andby strangers, yet borehimselfpatientlyamid all manner of ignominy and reproach, as though he were deaf and dumb: Bernard of Assisi, the which was of the noblest, and richest, and wisest in the city, began wisely to take heed unto S. Francis, how exceeding strong his contempt of the world, how great his patience in the midst of wrongs, so that albeit for a two years” space thus evil intreated of all persons and despised, he ever seemed the more constant; then he began to ponder and to say within himself: " In no wise can it be that this brother hath not abundant grace from God; " so he called him one evening to sup and lodge with him: and S. Francis consented thereto and supped with him and lodged. And thereat Bernard set it in his heart to watch his sanctity: wherefore he let make ready for him a bed in his own proper chamber, in the which at night-time ever a lamp did burn. And S. Francis, for to hide his sanctity, when he was come into the chamber, incontinent did throw himself upon the bed and made as though he slept: and likewise Bernard after some short space set himself to lie down and fell to snoring loudly, in fashion as though he slept right soundly. Whereby S. Francis, thinking truly that Bernard was asleep, in his first sleep rose up from his bed and set himself to pray, lifting up his hands and eyes unto heaven, and with exceeding great devotion and fervour said: " My God, my God." And thus saying and sorely weeping he abode till morning,always repeating: '* My God, my God," and naught beside; and this S. Francis said, while musing on and marvelling at the excellence of the divine Majesty, which deigned to stoop down to a perishing world and through His poor little Francis purposed to bring a remedy for the salvation of his soul and the souls of others. Therefore illumined by the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of prophecy, foreseeing what great things God would do through him and his Order, and minding him of his own insufficiency and little worth, he cried unto God and besought Him that by His pity and almighty power, without the which the weakness of man may naught avail, He would supply his lack, aid and fulfil what of itself was nothing worth. Bernard seeing, by the light of the lamp, the most devout acts of S. Francis, and devoutly pondering in his mind the words that he spake, was touched and inspired by the Holy Spirit to change his life; in the morning therefore he called S. Francis and thus bespake him: " Brother Francis, I am wholly purposed in my heart to leave the world and follow thee in whatsoever thou mayest bid me." Hearing this, S. Francis rejoiced in spirit, and said: ” Bernard, this that thou sayest is a task so great and difficult, that thereof must we seek counsel of our Lord Jesu Christ, and beseech Him that He be pleased to show us His will therein, and teach us how we may bring it to pass: wherefore let us go together to the bishop's house, wherein is a good priest, and let say the Mass; then let us continue in prayer until Tierce, beseeching God that in thrice opening of the missal He may reveal to us the path it is His will we shouldelect." Bernardmade answer that this pleased him rightwell. So fared theyforth and came to the bishop's house: and after they had heard the Mass, and continued praying until Tierce, the priest at the bidding of S. Francis took the missal, and making the sign of the most holy Cross, opened it thrice in the name of our Lord Jesu Christ: and at the first opening appeared the words that Christ spake in the Gospel to the young man that asked concerning the way of perfection: " If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor and follow me; " at the second opening appeared those words that Christ spake unto the Apostles when He sent them forth to preach: ”Take nothing for your journey, nor staves, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; " wishing thereby to teach them that for their daily bread they should set all their hopes on God and fix their mind wholly on the preaching of the holy Gospel; at the third opening of the missal appeared those words that Christ spake: " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Then spake S. Francis unto Bernard; " Behold the counsel that Christ giveth us: come then and fulfil that which thou hast heard: and blessed be our Lord Jesu Christ, who hath deigned to show forth His own life in the holy Gospel." This heard, Bernard went out and sold all that he had, and he was very rich; and with great joy he gave all his possessions to widows, to orphans, to prisoners, to monasteries and to hospices, and pilgrims; and inali things S. Francis helped him faithfully and wisely. And a certain man whose name was Silvester seeing that S. Francis gave and let give so much money to the poor, being moved by greed, said to S. Francis: " Thou hast not paid me in full for the stones thou didst buy of me for to rebuild the church; therefore pay me now that thou hast money." Therewith S. Francis, marvelling at his greed and willing not to stir up strife with him, as a true foUov/er of the holy Gospel, put his hands into the bosom of Bernard; and filled his hands with money, which he put into the bosom of Silvester, saying that if he wished for more, more would he give him. Silvester being content with these, went away, and gat him to his house: but in the evening bethinking him of what he had done throughout the day, and chiding himself for his greed, pondering on the fervour of Bernard and the sanctity of S. Francis, he had from God, on the night following and two other nights, a vision on this wise, that from the mouth of S. Francis sprang a cross of gold, of which the top reached unto heaven, and the arms stretched from the East even unto the West. By reason of this vision, he gave away all that he had for the love of God, and became a brother minor, and lived in the Order in such sanctity and grace that he spake with God, as doth one friend with another, whereof S. Francis oft-times was witness; the which will be set forth hereafter. Bernard in like manner had such grace of God that oftentimes in contemplation was he caught up to God: and S. Francis said of him, that he was worthy of all reverence, and that it was he that had founded this Order; inasmuch as he was the first to leave the world, keeping back naught for himself, but giving all unto the poor of Christ, and, when he took on him the Gospel poverty, offering himself naked in the arms of the Crucified; bless we His name, in secula saeculorum. Amen.