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HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF BROTHER JUNIPER
CHAPTER
I
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
CUT OFF THE FOOT OF A PIG TO GIVE IT TO A SICK BROTHER
One of the most
chosen disciples and first companions of St Francis was
Brother Juniper, a man of profound humility and of great fervour and
charity, of whom St Francis once said, when speaking of him to some of
his companions: "He would be a good Friar Minor who had overcome the
world as perfectly as Brother Juniper." Once when he was visiting a
sick brother at St Mary of the Angels, he said to him, as if all on
fire with the charity of God: "Can I do thee any service?" And the sick
man answered: "Thou wouldst give me great consolation if thou couldst
get me a pig's foot to eat." Brother Juniper answered immediately:
"Leave it to me; thou shalt have one at once." So he went and took a
knife from the kitchen, and in fervour of spirit went into the forest,
where many swine were feeding, and having caught one, he cut off one of
its feet and ran off with it, leaving the swine with its foot cut off;
and coming back to the convent, he carefully washed the foot, and
diligently prepared and cooked it. Then he brought it with great
charity to the sick man, who ate it with avidity; and Brother Juniper
was filled with joy and consolation, and related the history of his
assault upon the swine for his diversion. Meanwhile, the swineherd who
had seen the brother cut off the foot, went and told the tale in order,
and with great bitterness, to his lord, who, being informed of the
fact, came to the convent and abused the friars, calling them
hypocrites, deceiver, robbers, and evil men. "Why," said he, "have you
cut off the foot of my swine?" At the noise which he made, St Francis
and all the friars came together, and with all humility made excuses
for their brother, and, as ignorant of the fact, promised, in order to
appease the angry man, to make amends for the wrong which had been done
to him. But he was not to be appeased, and left St Francis with many
threats and reproaches, repeating over and over again that they had
maliciously cut the foot off his swine, refusing to accept any excuse
or promise of repayment; and so departed in great wrath. And as all the
other friars wondered: "Can Brother Juniper indeed have done this
through indiscreet zeal?" So he sent for him, and asked him privately:
"Hast thou cut off the foot of a swine in the forest?" To which Father
Juniper answered quite joyfully, not as one who has committed a fault,
but believing he had done a great act of charity: "It is true, sweet
Father, that I did cut off that swine's foot; and if thou wilt listen
compassionately, I will tell thee the reason. I went out of charity to
visit the brother who is sick." And so he related the matter in order,
adding: "I tell thee, dear father, that this foot did the sick brother
so much good, that if I had cut off the feet of a hundred swine instead
of one, I verily believe that God would have been pleased therewith."
To whom St Francis, in great zeal for justice, and in much bitterness
of heart, made answer: "O Brother Juniper, wherefore hast thou given
this great scandal? Not without reason doth this man complain, and thus
rage against us; perhaps even now he is going about the city spreading
this evil report of us, and with good cause. Therefore I command thee
by holy obedience, that thou go after him until thou find him, and cast
thyself prostrate before him, confessing thy fault, and promising to
make such full satisfaction that he shall have no more reason to
complain of us, for this is indeed a most grievous offence." At these
words Brother Juniper was much amazed, wondering that any one should
have been angered at so charitable an action, for all temporal things
appeared to him of no value, save in so far as they could be charitably
applied to the service of our neighbour. So he made answer: "Doubt not,
Father, but that I shall soon content and satisfy him. And why should
there be all this disturbance, seeing that the swine was rather God's
than his, and that it furnished the means for an act of charity?" And
so he went his way, and coming to the man, who was still chafing and
past all patience, he told him for what reason he had cut off the pig's
foot, and all with such fervour, exultation and joy, as if he were
telling him of some great benefit he had done him which deserved to be
highly rewarded. The man grew more and more furious at his discourse,
and loaded him with much abuse, calling him a fantastical fool and a
wicked thief. Brother Juniper, who delighted in insults, cared nothing
for all this abuse, but marvelling that any one should be wrath at what
seemed to him only a matter of rejoicing, he thought he had not made
himself well understood, and so repeated the story all over again, and
then flung himself on the man's neck and embraced him, telling him that
all had been done out of charity, and inciting and begging him for the
same motive to give the rest of the swine also; and all this with so
much charity, simplicity, and humility, that the man's heart was
changed within him, and he threw himself at Brothers Juniper's feet,
acknowledging with many tears the injuries which by word and deed he
had done to him and his brethren. Then he went and killed the swine,
and having cut it up, he brought it, with many tears and great
devotion, to St Mary of the Angels, and gave it to those holy friars in
compensation for the injury he had done them. Then St Francis,
considering the simplicity and patience under adversity of this good
Brother Juniper, said to his companions and those who stood by: "Would
to God, my brethren, that I had a forest of such Junipers!"
CHAPTER
II
AN INSTANCE OF
BROTHER JUNIPER'S GREAT POWER AGAINST THE DEVIL
The devils could
not endure the purity of Brother Juniper's innocence
and his profound humility, as appears in the following example: A
certain demoniac one day fled in an unaccustomed manner, and through
devious paths, seven miles from his home. When his parents, who had
followed him in great distress of mind, at last overtook him, they
asked him why he had fled in this strange way. The demoniac answered:
"Because that fool Juniper was coming this way. I could not endure his
presence, and therefore, rather than wait his coming, I fled away
through these woods." And on inquiring into the truth of these words,
they found that Brother Juniper had indeed arrived at the time the
devil had said. Therefore when demoniacs were brought to St Francis to
be healed, if the evil spirit did not immediately depart at his
command, he was wont to say: "Unless thou dost instantly leave this
creature, I will bring Brother Juniper to thee." Then the devil,
fearing the presence of Brother Juniper, and being unable to endure the
virtue and humility of St Francis, would forthwith depart.
CHAPTER
III
HOW, BY THE
CONTRIVANCE OF THE DEVIL, BROTHER JUNIPER WAS CONDEMNED TO THE GALLOWS
Once upon a time
the devil, desiring to terrify Brother Juniper, and to
raise up scandal and tribulation against him, betook himself to a most
cruel tyrant, named Nicholas, who was then at war with the city of
Viterbo, and said to him: "My lord, take heed to watch your castle
well, for a vile traitor will come here shortly from Viterbo to kill
you and set fire to your castle. And by this sign you shall know him:
he will come in the guise of a poor beggar, with his clothes all
tattered and patched, and a torn hood falling on his shoulders, and he
will carry with him an awl, wherewith to kill you, and a flint and
steel wherewith to set fire to the castle; and if you find not my words
to be true, punish me as you will." At these words Nicholas was seized
with great terror, believing the speaker to be a person worthy of
credit; and he commanded a strict watch to be kept, and that if such a
person would present himself he should be brought before him forthwith.
Presently Brother Juniper arrived alone; for, because of his great
perfection, he was allowed to travel without a companion as he pleased.
On this there went
to meet him certain wild young men, who began to
mock him, treating him with great contempt and indignity. And Brother
Juniper was no way troubled thereat, but rather incited them to
ill-treat him more and more. And as they came to the castle-gate, the
guards seeing him thus disfigured, with his scanty habit torn in two -
for he had given half of it on the way to a begger, for the love of
God, so that he had no longer the appearance of a Friar Minor -
recognizing the signs given of the expected murderer, they dragged him
with great fury before the tyrant Nicholas. They searched him to find
whether he had any offensive weapons, and found in his sleeve an awl,
which he used to mend his sandals, and also a flint and steel which he
carried with him to strike a light when he abode, as he often did, in
the woods or in desert places. Nicholas, seeing the signs given by the
devil, commanded that a cord should be fastened round his neck, which
was done with so great cruelty that it entered into the flesh. He was
then most cruelly scourged; and being asked who he was, he replied: "I
am a great sinner." When asked whether he wanted to betray the castle
to the men of Viterbo, he answered: "I am a great traitor, and unworthy
of any mercy." Being questioned whether he intended to kill the tyrant
Nicholas with that awl, and to burn the castle, he replied that he
should do greater things than these, should God permit him. This
Nicholas then, being wholly mastered by his fury, would examine no
further, but without delay condemned Brother Juniper, as a traitor and
murderer, to be fastened to a horse's tail, and so dragged on the
ground to the gallows, there to be forthwith hanged by the neck. And
Brother Juniper made no excuse for himself, but, as one who joys to
suffer for the love of God, he was full of contentment and rejoicing.
So the command of the tyrant was carried into effect. Brother Juniper
was tied by the feet to the horse's tail, and dragged along the ground,
making no complaint, but, like a meek lamb led to the slaughter, he
submitted with all humility. At this spectacle of prompt justice, all
the people ran together to behold the execution of so hasty and cruel a
judgment, but no one knew the culprit. Nevertheless it befell, by the
will of God, that a good man, who had seen Brother Juniper taken and
sentenced forthwith, ran to the house of the Friars Minor, and said: "I
pray you, for the love of God, to come with me at once, for a poor man
has been seized and immediately condemned and led to death. Come, that
he may at least place his soul in your hands, for he seems to me a good
man, and he has had no time to make his confession; even now they are
leading him to the gallows, yet he seems to have no fear of death nor
care of his soul. Oh, be pleased to come quickly!" Then the guardian,
who was a compassionate man, went at once to provide for the salvation
of this soul; and when he came to the place of execution, he could not
get near for the crowd; but, as he stood watching for an opening, he
heard a voice say: "Do not so, do not so, cruel men; you are hurting my
legs!" And as he recognised the voice of Brother Juniper, the guardian,
in fervour of spirit, forced his way through the crowd, and tearing the
bandage from the face of the condemned, he saw that it was indeed
Brother Juniper, who looked upon him with a cheerful and smiling
countenance. Then the guardian with many tears besought the
executioners and all the people for pity to wait a little space, till
he should go and beseech the tyrant to have mercy on Brother Juniper.
The executioners promised to wait a few moments, believing, no doubt,
that he was some kinsman of the prisoner. So the devout and pious
guardian went to the tyrant Nicholas, weeping bitterly, and said: "My
lord, I am so filled with grief and amazement that my tongue can
scarcely utter it, for it seems to me that in this our land has been
committed to-day the greatest sin and the greatest evil which has been
wrought from the days of our fathers even until now, and I believe that
it has been done through ignorance." Nicholas heard the guardian
patiently, and inquired: "What is this great sin and evil which has
been committed to-day in this land?" And the guardian answered: "It is
this, my lord, that you have condemned - and, as I assuredly believe,
unjustly - to a most cruel punishment one of the holiest friars at this
time in the Order of St Francis, to whom you profess a singular
devotion." Then said Nicholas: "Now tell me, father guardian, who is
he; for perhaps, knowing him not, I have committed a great fault?"
"He," said the guardian, "whom you have condemned to death is Brother
Juniper, the companion of St Francis." Then was the tyrant amazed, for
he had heard the fame of Brother Juniper's sanctity; and, pale with
fear, he hastened together with the guardian to Brother Juniper, and
loosed him from the horse's tail and set him free, and in the presence
of all the people he prostrated himself on the ground before Brother
Juniper, and with many tears confessed his fault, and the cruelty of
which he had been guilty towards that holy friar; adding: "I believe
indeed that the days of my wicked life are numbered, since I have thus
without reason cruelly tortured so holy a man. For, in punishment of my
evil life, God will send me in a few days an evil death, though this
thing I did ignorantly." Then Brother Juniper freely forgave the tyrant
Nicholas: but a few days afterwards God permitted a most cruel death to
overtake him. And so Brother Juniper departed, leaving all the people
greatly edified.
CHAPTER
IV
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
GAVE ALL THAT HE HAD TO THE POOR FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
Brother Juniper
was so full of pity and compassion for the poor, that
when he saw anyone poor or naked he immediately took off his tunic, or
the hood of his clock, and gave it to him. The guardian therefore laid
an obedience upon him not to give away his tunic or any part of his
habit. A few days afterwards, a poor half-naked man asked an alms of
Brother Juniper for the love of God, who answered him with great
compassion: "I have nothing which I could give thee but my tunic, and
my superior has laid me under obedience not to give it, nor any part of
my habit, to anyone. But if thou take it off my back I will not resist
thee." He did not speak to a deaf man; for the begger forthwith
stripped him of his tunic, and went off with it. When Brother Juniper
returned home, and was asked what had become of his tunic, he replied:
"A good man took it off my back, and went away with it." And as the
virtue of compassion increased in him, he was not contented with giving
his tunic, but would give books, or clocks, or whatever he could lay
his hands on, to the poor. For this reason the brethren took care to
leave nothing in the common rooms of the convent, because Brother
Juniper gave away everything for the love of God and to the glory of
his name.
CHAPTER
V
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
TOOK CERTAIN LITTLE BELLS FROM THE ALTAR, AND GAVE THEM AWAY FOR THE
LOVE OF GOD
One Christmas-day
Brother Juniper was in deep meditation before the
altar at Scesi, the which altar was right fairly and richly adorned;
so, at the desire of the sacristan, Brother Juniper remained to keep
guard over it while he went to his dinner. And as he was absorbed in
devout meditations, a poor woman came asking an alms of him for the
love of God. To whom Brother Juniper made answer: "Wait a while, and I
will see if I can find anything for thee on this grand altar." Now
there was upon the altar an exceedingly rich and costly frontal of
cloth of gold, with silver bells of great value. "These bells," said
Brother Juniper, "are a superfluity"; so he took a knife and cut them
off the frontal, and gave them to the poor woman out of compassion. The
sacristan, after he had eaten three or four mouthfuls, bethought him of
the ways of Brother Juniper, whom he had left in charge; and began
exceedingly to doubt whether, in his charitable zeal, he might not do
some damage to the costly altar. As soon as the suspicion entered his
head, he rose from the table, and went back to the church, to see if
any of the ornaments of the altar had been removed or taken away; and
when he saw that the frontal had been cut, and the little bells carried
off, he was troubled and scandalised beyond measure. Brother Juniper,
seeing that he was very angry, said to him: "Be not disturbed about
those little bells, for I have given them to a poor woman who had great
need of them, and here they were good for nothing but to make a pompous
display of worldly vanity." When the sacristan had heard this, he went
with all speed to seek the woman in the church, and throughout the
city; but he could neither find her nor meet with anyone who had seen
her. So he returned, and in great wrath took the frontal, and carried
it to the general, who was at Assisi, saying: "Father general, I demand
justice on Brother Juniper, who has spoilt this hanging for me, the
very best I had in the sacristy. See how he has destroyed it by cutting
away all the silver bells, which he says he has given to a poor woman!"
And the general answered him: "It is not Brother Juniper who has done
this, but thine own folly; for thou oughtest by this time to have known
his ways: and I tell thee, I marvel only that he did not give away the
whole frontal. Nevertheless, I will give him a sound correction for
this fault." And having called the brethren together in chapter, he
sent for Brother Juniper, and, in the presence of the whole community,
reproved him most severely concerning the said bells; and, waxing
wrathful as he spoke, he raised his voice till it became hoarse.
Brother Juniper cared little or nothing for these words, for he
delighted in reproaches, and rejoiced when he received a good
humiliation; but his one thought in return was to find a remedy for the
general's hoarseness. So when he had received his reproof, he went
straight to the town for flour and butter, to make a good
hasty-pudding, with which he returned when the night was far spent;
then lighting a candle, he went with his hasty-pudding to the door of
the general's cell and knocked. The general came to open it, and seeing
him with a lighted candle and a pipkin in his hand, asked: "Who is
there?" Brother Juniper answered him: "Father, when you reproved me
to-day for my faults, I perceived that your voice grew hoarse, and I
thought it was from over-fatigue. I considered therefore what would be
the best remedy, and have had this hasty-pudding made for you;
therefore I pray you eat of it, for I tell you that it will ease your
throat and your chest." "What an hour of the night is this." said the
general, "to come and disturb other people!" And Brother Juniper made
answer: "See, it has been made for you; I pray you eat of it without
more ado, for it will do you good." But the general being angry at the
lateness of the hour, and at Brother Juniper's persistence, answered
him roughly, bidding him go his way, for at such an hour he would not
eat. Then Brother Juniper, seeing that neither persuasions nor prayers
were of any avail, said: "Father, since you will not eat the pudding
which was made for you, at least do this for me: hold the candle for
me, and I will eat it." Then the general, being a devout and kindly
man, seeing the piety and simplicity of Brother Juniper, and how he had
done all this out of devotion, answered: "Well, since thou will have it
so, thou and I will eat together." And so the two of them ate this
hasty-pudding together, out of an importunate charity, and were
refreshed by their devotion more than by the food.
CHAPTER
VI
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
KEPT SILENCE FOR SIX MONTHS
Brother Juniper
once determined with himself to keep silence for six
months together, in this manner. The first day for love of the Eternal
Father. The second for love of Jesus Christ his Son. The third for love
of the Holy Ghost. The fourth in reverence to the most holy Virgin
Mary; and proceeding thus, each day in honour of some saint, he passed
six whole months without speaking.
CHAPTER
VII
HIS REMEDY FOR
TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH
One day as Brother
Giles, Brother Simon of Assisi, Brother Ruffino, and
Brother Juniper were discoursing together concerning God and the
salvation of the soul, Brother Giles said to the other brethren: "How
do you deal with temptations to impurity?" Brother Simon said: "I
consider the vileness and turpitude of the sin till I conceive and
exceeding horror of it, and so escape from the temptation." And Brother
Ruffino said: "I cast myself on the ground, and with fervent prayer
implore the mercy of God and of the Mother of Jesus Christ till I am
freed from the temptation." And Brother Juniper answered: "When I feel
the approach of a diabolical suggestion, I run at once and shut the
door of my heart, and, to secure its safety, I occupy myself in holy
desires and devout meditations; so that when the suggestion comes and
knocks at the door of my heart, I may answer from within: Begone; for
the room is already taken, and there is no space for another guest';
and so I never suffer the thought to enter my heart; and the devil,
seeing himself baffled, retires discomfited, not from me alone, but
from the whole neightbourhood." Then Brother Giles made answer and
said: "Brother Juniper, I hold with thee; for there is no surer way of
overcoming this enemy than flight; inasmuch as he attacks us within by
means of the traitor appetite, and without through our bodily senses;
and so by flight alone can this masterful foe be overcome. And he who
resists it in any other way, after all the toil of the conflict, rarely
comes off victorious. Fly, then, from this vice, and thou shalt gain
the victory."
CHAPTER
VIII
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
MADE HIMSELF CONTEMPTIBLE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
Brother Juniper,
desiring to make himself despicable in the sight of
men, stripped himself one day of all but his inner garment; and, making
a bundle of his habit and other clothes, he entered the city of
Viterbo, and went half-naked into the market place, in order to make
himself a laughing stock. When he got there, the boys and young men of
the place, thinking him to be out of his senses, ill-treated him in
many ways, throwing stones and mud at him, and pushing him hither and
thither, with many words of derision; and thus insulted and evil
entreated, he abode there the greater part of the day, and then went
his way to the convent. Now when the friars saw him they were full of
indignation, and chiefly because he had gone thus through the city with
his bundle on his head; wherefore they reproved and threatened him
sharply. One said: "Let us put him in prison." Another: "He deserves to
be hanged." And others: "He cannot be too severely punished for the
scandal he has given to-day in his own person, to the injury of the
whole Order." And Brother Juniper, being full of joy, answered with all
humility, "You say well indeed; for I deserve all these punishments,
and far worse than these
CHAPTER
IX
HOW BROTHER
JUNIPER, IN ORDER TO BE DESPISED, PLAYED AT SEE-SAW
As Brother Juniper
was once entering Rome, the fame of his sanctity led
many of the devout Romans to go out to meet him, but he, as soon as he
saw this number of people coming, took it into his head to turn their
devotion into sport and ridicule. So, catching sight of two children
who were playing at see-saw upon two pieces of wood, he moved one of
them from his place, and mounting on the plank in his stead, he began
to see-saw with the other. Meanwhile the people came up and marvelled
much at Brother Juniper's see-sawing. Nevertheless they saluted him
with great devotion, and waited till he should have finished his play
to accompany him honourably to the convent. Brother Juniper took little
heed of their salutation, reverence, or patient waiting, but gave his
whole attention to his see-saw. And when they had waited thus for a
long time, they began to grow tired, and to say, "What folly is this?"
Some few, who knew his ways, were moved to still greater devotion; but
at last they all departed, leaving Brother Juniper on the see-saw. When
they were gone, Brother Juniper remained full of consolation, because
he saw in what contempt they held him. Then came he down from his
see-saw, and entering Rome with all meekness and humility, came to the
convent of the Friars Minor.
CHAPTER
X
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
ONCE COOKED FOR THE BRETHREN ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A FORTNIGHT
It happened once,
when Brother Juniper was in a house of the brethren,
that, for some reasonable cause all the friars were obliged to go out,
and Brother Juniper alone remained at home. Then the guardian said to
him: "Brother Juniper, we are all going out, therefore, by the time we
come back, I wish thee to prepare a little food for the refreshment of
thy brethren." "Most willingly," replied Brother Juniper; "leave it to
me." When all the brethren, as has been said, were gone out, Brother
Juniper said to himself: "What superfluous carefulness is this, that a
brother should be lost in the kitchen, and deprived of all opportunity
for prayer! Of a surety, as I am now left in this charge, I will cook
enough to serve the brethren, were they as many more, for a fortnight
to come." So he went to the town and borrowed some large pots for
cooking; then he got fresh meat and salt, chickens, eggs, and
vegetables; he begged wood also, and made a great fire, upon which he
set everything together to boil: the fowls in their feathers, the eggs
in their shells, and the rest in like manner. Meanwhile one of the
friars, to whom Brother Juniper's simplicity was well known, returned
to the house; and seeing these great cauldrons on such an enormous
fire, he sat down in amazement to watch with what care and diligence
Brother Juniper proceeded in his cookery. And having observed him for
some time to his great recreation, this friar went out of the kitchen,
and told the other brethren that Brother Juniper was certainly
preparing a wedding banquet. The brethren took it for a jest; but
presently Brother Juniper took his cauldrons off the fire, and bade
them ring the bell for dinner. Then the brethren took their places at
the table, and he came into the refectory, all rubicund with his toil
and with the heat of the fire, and said to the brethren: "Eat a good
dinner now, and then we will go to prayer: and let no one thing of
cooking for a long time to come, for I have cooked more than enough to
last us all for more than a fortnight." And so saying, he set down his
hotch-potch before them; but there was never a hog in the Campagna of
Rome so hungry that he could have eaten it. Brother Juniper praised his
way of cooking because it was so great a saving of time; and seeing
that the other friars ate none of it, he said: "These fowls are good
for the head; and this food will keep the body in health, so wholesome
is it."; so that the brethren were all in admiration at the devotion
and simplicity of Brother Juniper. But the guardian, being angry at
such folly, and grieved at the waste of so much good food, reproved
Brother Juniper severely. Then Brother Juniper fell on his knees before
the guardian, and humbly confessed his fault to him and all the
brethren saying: "I am a very wicked man. Such a one committed such a
sin, for which he was condemned to lose his eyes. Such another was
hanged for his crimes. But I deserve far worse for my evil deeds. And
now I have wasted so much of the gifts of God and the substance of the
Order." And thus lamenting he departed; nor would he come into the
presence of any one of the brethren for the rest of that day. Then said
the father guardian: "My dearest brethren, I would that every day this
brother might spoil as much of our substance, if we had it, as he has
done to-day, were it only for the edification he has given us by the
simplicity and charity with which he has done this thing."
CHAPTER
XI
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
WENT ONE DAY TO ASSISI FOR HIS OWN CONFUSION
Once when Brother
Juniper was dwelling in the valley of Spoleto,
knowing that there was to be a great solemnity at Assisi, and that many
were resorting thither with great devotion, it came into his head to go
there also; and you shall hear in what guise he went. He stripped
himself of all but his inner garment, and thus, passing through the
midst of the city of Spoleto, he came to the convent. The brethren,
much displeased and scandalised, rebuked him sharply, calling him a
fool, a madman, and a disgrace to the Order of St Francis, and
declaring that he ought to be put in chains as a madman. And the
general, who was then on the spot, calling all the friars together,
gave Brother Juniper a very sharp correction in the presence of them
all. And, after many words, he ended with this severe sentence: "So
great and grievous is thy fault, that I know not what sufficient
penance to give thee." Then, Brother Juniper, answered, as one who
delighted in his own confusion: "Father, I will tell you: for penance,
send me back again from this solemnity in the same garb in which I came
to it."
CHAPTER
XII
HOW BROTHER JUNIPER
FELL INTO AN ECSTASY DURING THE CELEBRATION OF MASS
As Brother Juniper
was one day hearing Mass with great devotion, he
fell into an ecstasy, and so continued for a long space of time. And
when he came to himself, he said with great fervour of spirit to the
other friars: "Oh, my brethren, who is there in this world so noble
that he would disdain to carry a basket of mud all the world over, in
the hope of obtaining a house full of gold?" Then he added: "Alas, why
will we not endure a little shame to obtain life eternal?"
CHAPTER
XIII
OF THE SORROW WHICH
BROTHER JUNIPER FELT AT THE LOSS OF HIS COMPANION BROTHER AMAZIALBENE
Brother Juniper
had a companion named Amazialbene, whom he loved most
tenderly, and who possessed the virtues of patience and obedience in
the utmost perfection; for, when he was beaten and ill-treated on all
sides, he never complained or uttered a word of remonstrance. He was
often sent to places where he met with persons who treated him most
cruelly, and he bore it all patiently and without the least resentment.
At the command of Brother Juniper, he would laugh or weep. At last, as
it pleased God to ordain, this Brother Amazialbene died, in high
reputation for sanctity; and when Brother Juniper heard of his death,
he felt greater sorrow thereat then he had ever experienced in this
life for any earthly thing. And thus did he express in words the great
bitterness of his heart, saying: "Alas, woe is me; for there is no good
left me now, and all the world is darkened to me by the death of my
sweet and most loving brother Amazialbene!" and he added: "Were it not
that I should have no peace from the brethren, I would go to his grave
and take out his head, and out of his skull I would make me two
vessels; from the one I would always eat, in memory of him, for my own
devotion, and from the other I would drink when I was thirsty."
CHAPTER
XIV
OF THE HAND WHICH
BROTHER JUNIPER SAW IN THE AIR
Brother Juniper
being one day in prayer, and, it may be, proposing to
himself to do great things for God, he saw a hand in the air, and heard
with his bodily ears a voice, which said thus to him: "O Brother
Juniper, with this hand thou canst do nothing." Then he arose
immediately, and with his eyes raised to heaven, he went round the
convent, repeating aloud: "True indeed, most true indeed!" and this he
repeated many times.
CHAPTER
XV
HOW ST FRANCIS
COMMANDED BROTHER LEO TO WASH THE STONE
When St Francis
was speaking with Brother Leo on Mount Alvernia, he
said to him: "Brother little lamb, wash this stone with water." Then
Brother Leo went forth and washed it with water. Then said St Francis,
with great joy and gladness: "Wash it with wine"; and it was done.
"Wash it," said St Francis again, "with oil"; and Brother Leo did so.
Then said St Francis: "Brother little lamb, wash this stone with balm."
And Brother Leo answered: "O sweet father, how am I to get balm in the
wilderness?" Then St Francis replied: "Know, Brother little lamb, that
this is the stone on which Christ once was seated when he appeared to
me in this place, and therefore did I bid thee wash it four times, and
no more, because Jesus Christ then promised me four singular graces for
my Order. The first, that all those who shall cordially love my Order,
and all the friars who shall persevere therein, shall die a good death.
The second, that those who persecute this holy Religion shall be
notably punished. The third, that no evil-doer, continuing in his
perversity, shall be able to persevere long in this Order. The fourth,
that this Religion shall endure until the day of judgment."
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