The Life of Brother Giles

THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED BROTHER GILES, THE COMPANION OF S. FRANCIS /. How Brother Giles and three companions were received into the Order of the Minors

Seeing that the examples of holy men do put in the minds of devout hearers to despise the fleeting joys of earth, and that they have wherewith to stir up the desire of eternal salvation: to the honour of God and His most worshipful Mother Our Lady, holy Mary, and for the profit of all that may hear the same, I will speak certain words touching the working which the Holy Spirit hath worked in our holy Brother Giles, the which, being still in the secular habit, and being touched of the Holy Spirit, began within himself to consider how in all his works he might please God alone. About this time did S. Francis, like a new herald of God sent as an ensample of godly life, humility and holy penitence, two years after his conversion, draw and attract to the observance of gospel poverty a certain man adorned with marvellous prudence and very rich in temporal goods, named Messer Bernard; and also Peter Cattani; so that by the counsel of S. Francis they distributed unto the poor, for the love of God, all their, worldly treasures, and took to themselves the glory of patience and of gospel perfectness, and the habit of the Brothers Minor; and with exceeding great fervour they promised to observe the Rule all the days of their life, and even so did they in all perfection. Eight days after the conversion set forth above and the distribution of their goods to the poor, whileas Brother Giles was still wearing the secular garb, beholding how those noble knights of Assisi despised the world, so that the whole country round was in amazement, being all afire with love divine, on the following day, which was the feast of S. George, in the year twelve hundred and nine, very early in the morning, as one that was careful for his salvation, he went to the church of S. Gregory, where was the convent of S. Clare; and when he had done his prayers, being much desirous to see S. Francis, he went to the lepers” hospital, where he lived with Brother Bernard and Brother Peter Cattani, dwelling apart in a hut in the deepest humility. And being come unto a cross-way, and not knowing by which way to go, he lifted up his prayer to Christ, the precious Guide, who led him to the said hut by the straight way. And as he pondered on that for the which he had come, S. Francis met him, as he was walking in the wood, whither he had come to pray; then straightway he threw himself on the ground on his knees before S. Francis, and humbly besought him for the love of God to take him as one of his companions. S. Francis, gazing on the devout aspect of Brother Giles, answered and said: S. FRANCIS, with S. l',KRN.\kl) KNKKI.IN(; HIM

'* Brother most dear, God hath shown Himself exceeding gracious unto thee. If the emperor were to come to Assisi and desire to make a certain citizen his knight or private chamberlain, ought not such a one to be exceeding glad? How much more oughtest thou not to rejoice that God hath chosen thee out to be His knight and well-beloved servant, to observe the perfection of the Holy Gospel? be thou therefore steadfast and firm in the vocation whereto God hath called thee." And he took him by the hand and lifted him up, and brought him into the little house aforesaid; and he called Brother Bernard, and said: ” The Lord God hath sent us a good brother, for whom we should all rejoice in the Lord; let us eat together in charity." And when that they had eaten, S. Francis went with the said Giles to Assisi, for to get cloth to make the habit for Brother Giles. They found by the way a poor woman that asked alms of them for the love of God; and not knowing how to relieve the poor woman, S. Francis turned towards Brother Giles with an angelic countenance, and said: " For the love of God, dear brother, let us give this mantle to the poor woman." And Brother Giles obeyed the holy Father with so ready a heart that it seemed to him he saw that alms fly at once to heaven, and Brother Giles flew with it straight to heaven: so that he felt within himself joy unspeakable and a fresh renewing of spirit. When S. Francis had got the cloth and made the habit, he received Brother Giles into the Order, and he was one of the most glorious Religious that the world had at that time in the contemplative life. After the reception of Brother Giles, S. Francis went with him straightway to the March of Ancona, singing with him glorious praises of the Lord of heaven and earth; and he said to Brother Giles: " Little son, our Order will be like unto the fisher, that casts his net into the sea and gathers a multitude of fishes, and the large he keeps and leaves the small in the water." Brother Giles marvelled at this prophecy, for as yet there were in the Order only three brothers and S. Francis; and albeit S. Francis did not yet preach publicly to the people, yet as he went by the way he admonished and corrected the men-folk and the women-folk, saying lovingly to them these simple words: " Love and fear God, and do fit penance for your sins." And Brother Giles would say: ” Do what this my spiritual Father saith unto you, for he speaketh right well."

//. Hozv Brother Giles went to S. James the Great

As time wore on, Brother Giles, by leave of S. Francis, went on a time to S. James the Great in Galicia, and in all that journey only once did he suffer hunger by reason of the great dearth that was in all the country. For as he went along asking alms and finding none that would show him charity, in the evening he lighted by chance on a threshing-floor, wherein had been left some dry beans, the which he gathered up, and these were his evening meal; and there he slept the night, for of his own will he dwelt in solitary places and remote from other folk, that he might the better give himself up to prayers and vigils. And through this meal he was so much strengthened by God, that if he had eaten of divers dishes, he deemed he could not have found so much refreshment therein. As he went on his way, he found by the roadside a poor man that asked an alms for the love of God. And Brother Giles full of charity, seeing that he had naught else save the habit on his back, cut off the cowl from his old cloak, and gave it to the poor man for the love of God; and thus for twenty days together he journeyed on without a cowl. And as he was coming back through Lombardy, he was called by a man, to whom he went right willingly, thinking to receive an alms of him: and when he stretched out his hand, that other put therein a pair of dice, inviting him to play. Brother Giles made answer right humbly: ” God forgive thee, my son.” So, as he took his way through the world, he suffered much mocking, and bore it all with a tranquil mind.

///. After what fashion Brother Giles led hii life when he went to the Holy Sepulchre

Brother Giles went to visit the Holy Sepulchre of Christ, by leave of S. Francis, and came to the port of Brindisi, and there he tarried many days by reason of there being no ship ready. And Brother Giles, desiring to live by the labour of his hands, begged for a pitcher, and filling it with water went crying through the city: “ Who lacks water? " And by his labour he earned bread and such things as be needful for the life of the body, both for himself and for his companion; and then he went over-sea, and visited the Holy Sepulchre of Christ and the other holy places, with great devotion. And coming back again, he tarried in the city of Ancona for many days; and for that he was wont to live by the labour of his hands, he made baskets of rushes and sold them, not for money, but for bread for himself and his companion, and for the self-same wage he carried the dead for the burying. And when this failed him, he returned to the table of Jesu Christ, begging alms from door to door. And so with much toil and poverty, he returned to S. Mary of the Angels.

IV. How Brother Giles praised obedience more than prayer

On a time a certain brother was at prayer in his cell, and the guardian sent to him bidding him by holy obedience go and beg for alms. Whereat straightway he gat him to Brother Giles, and said: " My father, I was at prayer, and the guardian has bidden me go and beg tor bread: and to me it seemeth to be better to continue in prayer." Replied Brother Giles: '* My son, hast thou not yet learned or understood what manner of thing is prayer ì True prayer is to do the will of one*s Superior; and it is a sign of great pride in one who hath put his neck under the yoke of holy obedience, if on any account he avoid it, to the end that he may work his own will, thinking thereby to act more perfectly. The Religious who is perfectly obedient is like a rider mounted on a powerful horse, through whose strength he goes boldly on his way; but on the contrary the disobedient, complaining, and unwilling Religious, is like a man mounted on a lean and weak and vicious horse, for after doing a little work it is left behind either dead or taken by the enemy. I tell thee that if a man were so devout and so uplifted in soul as to speak with Angels, and while thus speaking were called by his Superior, he ought straightway to leave the converse of the Angels and be obedient unto him that is set over him."

V, How Brother Giles lived by the labour of his hands

Brother Giles being on a time in a convent at Rome, desired to live by the work of his hands, as had been his wont ever since he entered the Order, and he did after this manner. In the morning early he heard a Mass with much devotion: then he went to the wood, which was eight miles distant from Rome, and brought back on his shoulders a bundle of wood, and sold it for bread and other things to eat. One time among others, as he was returning with a load of wood, a woman wished to buy it of him; and having made a bargain and fixed the price, he carried it to her house. The woman, despite the bargain she had made, seeing that he was a Religious, gave him more than she had promised him. Quoth Brother Giles: ” Good woman, I would not that the vice of greed should overcome me: therefore will I take no more than the price that I have bargained for with thee." So not only would he take no more, but left half of the price agreed upon, and gat him gone; whereat the woman was filled with exceeding great reverence for him. Thus did Brother Giles alway give good heed to holy honesty in all the work he did for hire. He used to help the labourers gather the olives and strip the vines. Whileas he was one day in the market-place, a certain man wished to let beat his walnut trees, and asked another to beat them for a price: but he made excuse, because it was a long way off, and the trees were very hard to climb. Quoth Brother Giles: ” My friend, if thou wilt give me a part of the nuts, I will go with thee to beat them; " and having covenanted with him, he set forth, and having first made the sign of the most holy Cross, with great fear climbed up the walnut tree for to beat it. And when he had done beating, the share that fell to him was so large that he could not carry it in his lap; wherefore he took off his habit, and tying the sleeves and the hood together, he made a sack of it; and his habit thus full of nuts, he put it on his back and carried it to Rome, and gave them all with great joy to the poor, for the love of God. When the corn was cut. Brother Giles used to go with other poor folk to glean the ears; and if any one offered him a handful of corn, he would answer: "My brother, I have no granary wherein to store it; " and most times he gave the ears away for the love of God. Brother Giles but seldom helped another all day long, for he would bargain to have some time to say the canonical hours and not miss his mental prayers. On a time Brother Giles went to the Fountain of S. Sixtus to draw water for the monks, and a man asked him to give him to drink. Replied Brother Giles: " And how can I carry the vessel half empty to the monks? " He being angered spake unto Brother Giles many words of insult and of contumely: and Brother Giles returned to the monks much grieved in spirit. Borrowing a large vessel, he returned straightway to the said fountain for water, and found the man again; and said: " My friend, take and drink as much as thy soul desireth, and be not angered for that I deemed it ill-beseeming to carry water whereof one had drunk to those holy monks." Then the man repenting him, and constrained by the charity and humility of Brother Giles, confessed his fault, and from that hour forth held him in high reverence.

VI. How Brother Giles was miraculously cared for in a time of great need, when by reason of the deep snow he could not go to beg alms

Brother Giles being at Rome in the house of a cardinal, as the time of the greater Lent drew nigh, and not finding such peace of mind as he desired, said to the cardinal: "My father, by your leave, I wish to go for the peace of my soul to pass this Lent with my companion in some lonely place.” Replied the cardinal: "Alas! my brother most dear, and whither wouldest thou go? The famine is full sore: as yet ye know the land but ill; come, be content to continue in my court, for right well pleased shall I be to give you whatsoe'er ye need, for the love of God." Howbeit Brother Giles would fain be gone, and he gat him forth from Rome to a high mountain, where of old had stood a village, and still was found a deserted church that was called S. Laurence, and he entered therein, he and his companion, and they continued in prayer and in much meditation; they were unknown, and thereby was little reverence and devotion paid to them; wherefore they suffered great want: and therewithal there fell deep snow that lasted many days. They could not go outside the church, and no man sent them aught to eat, nor had they anything with them, and so they remained shut up for three days and nights. Brother Giles seeing that he could not live by the labour of his hands, and that he could not go out to beg for alms, said to his companion: " My brother most dear, let us cry unto the Lord with a loud voice, that of His pity He may provide for us in this great extremity and need; for certain monks being in great need, cried unto God, and the Divine Providence supplied their wants." So after their example they gave themselves up to prayer, beseeching God with all their hearts that He would send them help in their great need. And God, who is all-pitiful, had regard unto their faith and devotion and simplicity and fervour, after this fashion. A certain man that was looking towards the church in which Brother Giles and his companion were, being inspired of God, said within himself: ” It may be that in yon church are sonie good persons doing penance, who by reason of the snow that hath so much fallen, cannot supply their needs, and by reason thereof may die of hunger." And urged on by the Holy Spirit, he said: " Of a surety I will go and see whether my imagination be true or not; " and taking some bread and a bottle of wine, he set out upon his way; and with exceeding great difficulty he came to the church aforesaid, where he found Brother Giles and his companion praying most devoutly; and they were so consumed with hunger that to all seeming they appeared rather to be dead men than alive. He had great compassion on them, and when they were refreshed and comforted, he returned and told unto his neighbours the need and the distress of these brothers, and prevailed on them and prayed them for the love of God to make provision for them; so that many persons, following his example, brought them bread and wine and other needful viands, for the love of God; and all through that Lent they took such order among themselves that in their need they were provided for. And Brother Giles pondering on the great mercy of God and the charity of those folk, said to his companion: “ My brother most dear, even now have we prayed unto God to provide for us in our need, and our prayers have been heard: wherefore it is fitting that we give Him thanks and glory, and pray for them that have nourished us with their alms, and for all Christian people." And for his great fervour and devotion, God gave such grace unto Brother Giles that many through his example left this blind world, and many others whose hearts were not turned to the religious life, did much great penance in their own homes.

VII. Of the day of the death of the holy Brother

On the vigil of S. George at the hour of Matins, when two and fifty years had passed away, for that he had received the habit of S. Francis on the first day of the month, the soul of Brother Giles was received by God into the glory of Paradise, to wit, on the festival of S. George.

VIII. How a holy man, being at prayer, saw the soul of Brother Giles pass into life eternal

A certain good man being at prayer, what time Brother Giles passed away from this life, saw his soul, together with a multitude of souls, come forth out of Purgatory and rise up into heaven: and Jesu Christ come to meet the soul of Brother Giles, and, with a great company of Angels and all those souls, ascend with sweet melodies into the glory of Paradise.

HRfriHKKS (ill.KS WD I I.I.I ' M I N A IO

IX, How by the merits of Brother Giles, the soul of a friend of a certain Preaching Brother was set free from the pains of Purgatory

When Brother Giles lay sick, so that he had but a few days to live, a Brother of S. Dominic fell sick unto death. Now this man had a friend that was also a brother: who seeing that he drew nigh unto death, said to this sick brother: " My brother, I desire that, if God give thee leave, thou return to me after thy death and tell me in what state thou mayest be." So the sick man promised to return, if it were possible: now he and Brother Giles died on the self-same day, and after his death he appeared to the living Preaching Brother, and said: “ It is the will of God that I keep my promise to thee." Said the living brother to the dead:,” How is it with thee ì " Replied the dead man: " It is well, for I died on the very day whereon there passed away from this life a holy Brother Minor, named Brother Giles, unto whom, by reason of his great sanctity, Jesu Christ granted that he should lead to Paradise all the souls that were in Purgatory, among the which was I, in great torment; so by the merits of the holy Brother Giles was I set free.” And this said, straightway he disappeared, and that brother revealed the vision unto no man. Then the said brother fell sick; and at once surmising that God had struck him, because he had not revealed the virtue and the glory of Brother Giles, he sent for the Brothers Minor, and there came to him hy,t couples; and when he had called the Preaching Brothers also, with great devotion he set forth unto them the vision aforesaid; and having diligently enquired, they found that they twain had passed away from this life on the self-same day.

X. How God had given graces unto Brother Giles, and of the year of his death

Brother Bonaventura of Bagnoreggio used to say of Brother Giles that God had granted unto him special grace for all such as commended themselves unto him with devout intention in those things that appertain unto the soul. He wrought many miracles in his lifetime and after his death, as is clearly set forth in his Legend; and he passed away from this life unto glory everlasting in the year of our Lord twelve hundred and fifty-two, on the feast of S. George; and was buried at Perugia in the convent of the Brothers Minor.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF