Chapter XLI

How the venerable Brother Simon delivered from a grievous temptation a brother, that wished on this account to leave the Order

About the beginning of the Order of S. Francis and while he was still alive, there came into the Order a young man of Assisi, the which was called Brother Simon: him God adorned and endowed with so much grace, such depth of contemplation and elevation of mind, that all his life was a mirror of virtue, according as I have heard from those that were long time with him. Full seldom was he seen outside his cell, and at such times as he was with the brothers, he always spake of God. He had never learned the art of grammar; nathless he spake such ii6 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF profound'and lofty things of God and of the love of Christ, that his words seemed supernatural; whence it befell that one evening when he had gone into the wood with Brother Jacques da Massa for to speak of God, and was speaking most sweetly of the love divine, they continued all the night in such discourse; and in the morning it seemed to them that they had been but a brief space together, even as was told me by the said Brother Jacques. And the said Brother Simon felt such pleasantness and sweetness of spirit in the divine enlightenment and loving visitations of God, that oftentimes, when he had sense of their approach, he would lay him down upon his bed; for the tranquil sweetness of the Holy Spirit required of him not only the repose of soul but of body, and in these divine visitations he was often rapt in God, and became all insensible to the things of the body. Wherefore on a time, when thuswise rapt in God and insensible to the world he inwardly burned with love divine, and with his bodily feelings had no sense at all of things without, a certain brother, desiring to make trial thereof, for to see if it were truly as it seemed to be, went and took a live coal from off the fire, and laid it on his naked foot. And Brother Simon felt it not a whit, and it made no mark upon his foot, albeit it remained thereon so long a time that it went out of its own self. The said Brother Simon, when he set him down at table, before he took food for the body, would take for himself and give to others spiritual food, speaking of God. Through his devout discourse on a time was con- verted a young man of San Severino, the which in the world was a youth exceeding vain and worldly, and was of noble blood and much delicate of body; and Brother Simon receiving the said youth into the Order, put his secular clothes aside in his own charge; and the youth abode with Brother Simon to be taught by him the rules of the Order. But the devil, that striveth to thwart all good, assailed him with so fierce a temptation and so grievous a thorn in the flesh, that in no wise could he resist the same; for the which cause he went to Brother Simon, and said unto him: " Give me back my clothes that I brought with me from the world, for I can no more endure this temptation of the flesh." And Brother Simon having great compassion on him, said: ” Sit here with me a little while, my son; " and he began to speak with him of God in such sort that all temptation left him: and when after a time the temptation came back and he asked for his clothes again. Brother Simon drove it away with speech of God. And when this had been so full many a time, at last one night the said temptation assailed him so grievously, even more than it was wont, that for naught in the world could he resist it, and going to Brother Simon, demanded of him again all his secular clothes, for that in no wise could he longer stay. Then Brother Simon, even as he was wont to do, made him sit down beside him; and as he spake to him of God, the youth leaned his head upon the breast of Brother Simon, for sorrow and distress of soul. Then Brother Simon for the great pity's sake that he had, lifted ii8 THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF up his eyes to heaven and prayed, and as he devoutly besought the Lord for him, he was rapt in God and his prayer was heard: whenas he returned to himself again, the young man found himself altogether freed from that temptation, as though he had felt it never a whit. The fire of temptation being thuswise changed into the fire of the Holy Spirit, for that he had drawn near unto the burning coal, to wit, unto Brother Simon, he became altogether inflamed with the love of God and of his neighbour; in so much that on a time a malefactor having been taken who was to have both his eyes put out, he, to wit, the youth aforesaid, for pity's sake went boldly unto the governor, and in open council, and with many tears and humble prayers besought that one of his eyes might be put out and one only of the malefactor's, for that he might not be deprived of both. But the governor and the council beholding the great fervour of the charity of this brother, forgave both the one and the other. It befell on a day while the said Brother Simon was at prayer in the wood and was feeling great consolation in his soul, that a flock of crows began to do him annoy with their cries; wherefore he bade them in the name of Jesu depart and return there no more: whereat the said birds departing thence, from that time forward were no more seen nor heard, neither there nor in all the country round. And this miracle was manifested unto all the Custody of Fermo, wherein the said House lay.