Chapter XI

How S. Francis made Brother Masseo turn round and round several times, and then went to Siena

It befell on a day when S. Francis was going by the way with Brother Masseo, that the said Brother Masseo was going on a little before; and coming to a place where three roads met whereby one might go to Florence, to Siena, or to Arezzo, quoth Brother Masseo: ” Father, by which way are we to go? " Replied S. Francis: " By that which God shall will." Quoth Brother Masseo: '* And how can we know the will of God? " Replied S. Francis: '* By the sign which I shall show thee; wherefore by the merit of holy obedience I command thee that in the cross-way where thou art standing now, thou turn round and round as little children do, and cease not turning unless I tell thee." Then Brother Masseo began to turn him round and round, and turned round so long that oftentimes he fell upon the ground through giddiness of the head, the which is wont to be engendered through such manner of turning; but sith S. Francis did not bid him stop, he forthwith got up again, desiring faithfully to yield obedience. At length, while he was turning round right manfully, S. Francis said: " Stand firm and do not move;" and so he stood, and S. Francis asked him: '* Towards what quarter is thy face now turned? " Replied Brother Masseo: " Towards Siena." Quoth S. Francis: ” That is the way that God would have us go." Now as they went along this way, Brother Masseo marvelled within himself, wherefore S. Francis had made him do as do the children, before the worldly folk that passed that way: howbeit for reverence sake he dared say naught to the holy father. As they drew nigh unto Siena, the people of the city heard of the coming of the saint and hied them out to meet him; and of their devotion bore him and his companion right to the bishop's house, in such wise that they touched not the ground at all with their feet. Now at that same hour certain folk of Siena were at strife with one another, and already two of them lay dead. S. Francis having won there preached to them in so devout and saintly a fashion, that he brought them one and all to peace and close unity and concord together. For the which cause the bishop of Siena, hearing of the holy work that S. Francis had wrought, bade him to his house and received him with high honour that day, and eke the night. And the next morn S. Francis, who with true humility sought naught in all his works save only the glory of God, rose up betimes with his companion, and without the bishop's knowledge was away. Whereat the said Brother Masseo went by the way murmuring within himself, saying: ”What is this that this good man hath done? Me he made to turn round and round like a little child, and to the bishop who hath done him such honour, he hath said not even a word, nor given him thanks withal; " and to Brother Masseo it seemed that S. Francis had borne himself therein without discretion. But anon by divine inspiration coming to himself again, and chiding himself within his heart. Brother Masseo said: " Thou art too proud, who dost judge the works of God, and art worthy of hell for thy undiscerning pride; for yesterday did Brother Francis work such mighty works that, if the Angel of God had wrought them, they had not been more marvellous: wherefore, if he had bidden thee throw stones, thou shouldst have done it and obeyed: for what he did upon the way proceeded forth of God's own working, as was set forth by the good ending that followed thereon; for had he not made peace between those that were at strife with each other, not only many bodies would have been stabbed to death, as had indeed begun to be, but many souls, also the devil would have dragged to hell; wherefore most foolish art thou and proud that murmurest at that which manifestly cometh forth from out the will of God." And all these things that Brother Masseo spake within his heart, going on in front, were revealed of God unto S. Francis. Wherefore S. Francis, coming close up to him, spake thus: " Hold fast the things that now are in thy thoughts, for they are good and useful and inspired of God; but thy first murmuring was blind and vain and proud, and by the devil set within thy mind." Thereby did Brother Masseo clearly see that S. Francis knew the secrets of his heart, and for a surety understood that the spirit of divine wisdom did guide the holy father in all his acts.