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How S. Louis, King of France, went in person, in the guise of a pilgrim, to Perugia, for to visit the holy Brother Giles
How S. Louisy King of France, went in person, in the guise of a pilgrim, to Perugia for to visit the holy Brother Giles
S. Louis, King of France, went on a pilgrimage to visit the holy places throughout the world; and hearing the exceeding great fame of the sanctity of Brother Giles, the which had been among the first companions of S. Francis, he set it in his heart and was fully purposed to visit him in S. FRANCIS OF ASSISI loi person; for the which cause he came unto Perugia, where in those days the said Brother Giles dwelt. And coming up to the door of the House of the brothers, like a poor pilgrim and unknown, with few companions, he asked with great earnestness for Brother Giles, without telling the porter who it was that asked. So the porter went to Brother Giles and told him that at the door was a pilgrim that asked for him: and being inspired of God, it was revealed to him that it was the King of France: so straightway with great fervour he left his cell and ran to the door; and without further questioning, albeit they ne'er before had seen each other, kneeling down with great devotion they embraced and kissed each other, with such signs of tender love as though for long time they had been close, familiar friends: but for all that, they spoke not, nor the one nor the other, but continued in this embrace, with these signs of love and tenderness, in silence. And whenas they had a long time continued together in the manner set forth above without having spoken together, they parted the one from the other, and S. Louis went his way on his journey, and Brother Giles returned unto his cell. When the king was gone, a certain brother asked one of his companions who it was that had embraced Brother Giles for so long time; and he replied that it was Louis, King of France, who had come for to see Brother Giles. When this he told to the other brothers, they were exceeding sorrowful for that Brother Giles had spoken never a word to him: and murmuring thereat, they said to him: ” O Brother Giles, why I02 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF hast thou shown thee so discourteous as to say naught at all to so holy a king that had come from France to see thee and hear from thy lips good words." Replied Brother Giles: " Dear brothers, marvel not thereat, for neither I to him nor he to me could speak a word; sith so soon as we embraced each other, the light of heavenly wisdom revealed and showed to me his heart, and mine to him, and thus through divine working, each looking on the other's heart, we knew what I would say to him and he to me, far better than if we had spoken with our mouths, and with more consolation than if we had sought to show forth in words the feelings of our hearts. Through the weakness of human speech, that cannot express clearly the secret mysteries of God, it would have left us all disconsolate rather than consoled; wherefore know ye that the king departed from me with marvellous content and consolation in his soul."