Chapter XIX

How the vineyard of the priest of Rieti, in whose house S. Francis prayed, was robbed and despoiled of its grapes, and then miraculously yielded more wine than ever before

How the vineyard of the priest of Rieti, in whose house S. Francis prayed, was robbed and despoiled of its grapes by the much folk that came to him; and then miraculously yielded more wine than ever before, even as S. Francis had promised him. And how God revealed unto S. Francis that at his death he should inherit paradise

S. Francis being on a time grievously afflicted in his eyes, Cardinal Ugolino, protector of the Order, for the great tenderness that he bore him, wrote unto him to come to him in Rieti, wherein dwelt most cunning physicians for the eyes. Then S. Francis, having received the letter of the cardinal, gat him first to S. Damian, where was S. Clare, the devout bride of Christ, for to give her some consolation and thereafter go to the cardinal. S. Francis having won there, his eyes grew so much worse on the next ensuing night that he could not see the light a whit; wherefore sith he could not go upon his way, S. Clare let build for him a little cell of reeds, wherein he might the better rest himself. But S. Francis, what with the pain of his infirmity, and what with the multitude of rats, that did him exceeding great annoy, could find, nor day, nor night, no rest at all. And having yet more of such pains and tribulation to endure, he began to think and understand that this was a scourge from God for his sins; and to thank God with all his heart and with his mouth, and anon cried with a loud voice, saying: '* My Lord, of all this am I deserving, and much worse. My Lord Jesu Christ, Thou good Shepherd, who dost show forth Thy mercy to us sinners in diverse pains and anguish of the body, grant unto me, Thy little sheep, such grace and virtue that through no infirmity and agony or pain may I ever part from Thee." While thus he prayed, there came a voice from heaven that said: " Francis, answer me: if all the world were gold, and all the seas and streams and fountains were balm, and all the mountains and hills and rocks were precious stones; and thou shouldst find a treasure yet more noble than these things, as much as gold is nobler than earth, and balm than water, and precious stones than mountains and rocks, and if for thine infirmity that nobler treasure were given thee, wouldst thou not be well content therewith and right glad? " Replied S. Francis: " Lord, I am not worthy of so precious a treasure; " and the voice of God spake unto him: " Rejoice, Francis, for this is the treasure of eternal life, the which I have laid up for thee, and from this hour I give it thee in possession; and this infirmity and affliction is the earnest of that blessed treasure.” Then S. Francis called his companion, with great joy in so glorious a promise, and said: " Let us go unto the cardinal," but first of all consoling S. Clare with holy words, and humbly taking leave of her, he set out on the way to Rieti. And when he drew nigh thereto, so great a press of people came out to meet him, that he would not for this cause enter into the city; but gat him to a church that lay without the city, it might be a two miles” space. The city folk, coming to know that he was gone to the said church, ran together for to see him, in such sort that the vineyard of the church was spoiled altogether, and the grapes of it were all plucked; whereof the priest was sore grieving in his heart, and repented him that he had received S. Francis into his church. The thought of the priest being revealed of God unto S. Francis, he let call him, and said: ” Dear father, how many measures of wine doth this vineyard yield thee, the year it yields its best? " Replied the priest: ” Twelve measures." Quoth S. Francis: " I pray thee, Father, that thou bear patiently with me if I tarry here some days, seeing that I find here much repose; and let whoso will pluck of the grapes of this thy vineyard, for the love of God and me, his poor little one; and I promise thee, in the name of my Lord Jesu Christ, that it shall yield thee twenty measures every year." And thus did S. Francis in return for his sojourning there, because of the great fruit of souls that was manifestly gathered of the folk that resorted thither; whereof many departed drunken with love divine, and abandoned the world. The priest trusted the promise of S. Francis, and freely gave up the garden unto all that came to him. And it was a marvel to see how the vineyard was all spoiled and plucked, so that scarce any bunches of grapes were found left. The time of the vintage came; and the priest gathered in such bunches as remained, and put them in the vat and trod them out, and accord- ing to the promise of S. Francis got thereout twenty measures of the best wine. By this miracle it was manifestly set forth, for men to understand, that even as the vineyard despoiled of grapes abounded in wine, through the merits of S. Francis; even so the Christian people, that had grown barren of virtue by reason of sin, through the merits and teaching of S. Francis oftentimes abounded in the good fruits of penitence.