Chapter XX

Of a vision wondrous fair, seen by a young brother, the which did hold the cowl in such hate that he minded to put off the habit and leave the Order

Of a vision wondrous fairy seen by a young brother y the which did hold the cowl in such hate that he minded to put off the habit and leave the Order

A VERY noble and tender youth entered into the Order of S. Francis: the which after some days, through the prompting of the devil, began to hold the habit that he wore in such hate, that it seemed unto him he wore a sack most vile; the sleeves he abhorred, he hated the hood, and the length and the roughness were unto him as a load unbearable. And his mislike of the religious life increasing more and more, at length he was purposed to put off the habit and return to the world. Now already it was his wont, according as his master had taught him, so often as he passed before the altar of the convent, whereon was kept the Body of Christ, to kneel with great reverence, and draw back his hood, and with arms crossed bow himself down. It befell that on the night whereon he was to go away and leave the Order, he must needs pass before the altar of the convent; and as he passed, he kneeled him down as was his wont and did reverence. And forthwith he was rapt in spirit, and God showed unto him a wondrous vision: in that he saw before him as it were a countless multitude of saints, like a procession, two and two, clad in beauteous robes of precious stuffs, and their faces and their hands shone like the sun, and they marched to the songs and chants of angels. Among these saints were twain more nobly clad and adorned than all the rest; and they were wrapt around with so much brightness that they wrought exceeding great amazement in whoso looked on them; and nigh to the end of the procession he saw one adorned with great glory that he seemed a new-made knight, more honoured than they all. The youth beholding the vision aforesaid, marvelled exceedingly and knew not what this procession might portend, and dared not ask, but stood all mazed for very sweetness. Hov/beit when all the procession had passed by, he took courage and ran after the last of them, and with great fear asked them, saying: " Dear friends, I pray you of your good pleasure to tell me who are these folk so wonderful that go in this worshipful procession." They made answer: ” Know, little son, that we be all Brothers Minor coming from the glory of paradise." And again he asked: " Who be those twain that shine more than the others? ” They answered him: ”These are S. P>ancis and S, Antony: and this last one that thou seest so honoured is a holy brother who died of late: the which, for that valiantly he fought 6o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF against temptations, and persevered even unto the end, we are leading in triumph to the glory of paradise, and these robes of precious stuffs so beautiful, that we wear, have been given us by God in lieu of the rough tunics that we wore with patience in the religious life; and the glorious brightness that thou seest in us is given us of God for the humility and patience, and for the holy poverty and obedience and chastity, that we kept even unto the end. Wherefore, little son, let it not seem a hard matter to thee to wear the sackcloth of religion that beareth such good fruit; seeing that, if with the sackcloth of S. Francis for the love of Christ thou despise the world, and mortify the flesh, and strive valiantly against the evil one, thou shalt together with us have even such a robe as this, and such brightness of glory." And these words spoken, the youth returned to himself again; and taking comfort from the vision, chased far from him all temptation, confessed his fault before the guardian and the brothers, and from thenceforth desired the roughness of penitence and of dress, and ended his days in the Order in great sanctity.