"Lady," her husband answered, "what pleases you, pleases me. For in this, as in other good deeds, I want to unite my will to yours."

And from then on, for many years, they lived in chastity, giving many alms to the brothers and to other poor people. Not only seculars, but also religious marveled at their holiness, especially since this man, who once was very worldly, so quickly became spiritual. Persevering till the end in all these things and other deeds, both of them died within a few days of each other. Because of the fragrance of their good life, there was great mourning over these two who had given all the time of their lives to praising and blessing the Lord who had given them graces, sincerity, and harmony during life in His service. Even in death they were not separated, because one died right after the other. Their memory, like that of the saints, is recalled to this day by those who knew them.

[70]
[HE REFUSES ENTRANCE TO THE ORDER TO A YOUNG NOBLEMAN FROM LUCCA]

At a time when no one was received into the life of the brothers without the permission of blessed Francis, the son of a nobleman of this world from Lucca, together with others who wished to enter the religion, came to see blessed Francis. At the time he was sick and was staying at the palace of the bishop of Assisi. When the brothers presented them to blessed Francis, the son of the nobleman bowed before blessed Francis and began to cry aloud, begging to be received.

Looking at him, Blessed Francis said: "O wretched and fleshly man! Why are you lying to the Holy Spirit and to me? You are crying in the flesh and not in the spirit!"

After he said these things, his relatives suddenly arrived outside the palace on horseback, wanting to seize him and take him back home. When he heard the clatter of horses, he looked out a window of the palace, and saw his relatives. He immediately got up, and went outside to them. He returned to the world with them, just as blessed Francis had known through the Holy Spirit. The brothers, and others who were there, marveled, magnified, and praised God in his saint.

[71]
[HE WANTS TO EAT SOME FISH AND IT IS PROVIDED IN A WONDERFUL WAY]

Once when he was very sick and staying in the same palace, the brothers begged and encouraged him to eat. But he answered them:

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¹⁹Respondit ei vir eius: « Domina, placet michi ex quo tibi placet. ²⁰Nam in hoc et in aliis bonis operibus voluntatem meam unire volo tue voluntati ».

²¹Et exinde per plurimos annos vixerunt in castitate, facientes multas helemosinas fratribus et aliis pauperibus, ita quod non solum seculares, sed etiam religiosi mirabantur de ipsorum sanctitate, maxime cum ille vir esset valde mundanus, quod ita cito spiritualis effectus fuit. ²²Et in hiis omnibus et in aliis omnibus operibus usque in finem perseverantes ambo mortui sunt infra paucos dies. ²³Et factus est planctus magnus super eos propter odorem bone vite, quem dederunt toto tempore vite sue, laudando et benedicendo Domino, qui dedit gratias et candorem et concordiam ipsis in vita in servitio suo; ²⁴et in morte non sunt separati, quoniam unus post alterum mortuus est. ²⁵Nam usque in hodiernum diem narratur memoria eorum sicut sanctorum ab illis qui cognoverunt ipsos.

[70]

¹In tempore quo nullus recipiebatur in vita fratrum sine licentia beati Francisci, venit cum aliis, qui volebant intrare Religionem, filius cuiusdam nobilis secundum seculum de Luca ad beatum Franciscum, qui erat tunc infirmus et manebat in palatio episcopi Assisii. ²Cumque representarent fratres illos coram beato Francisco, inclinavit se filius nobilis coram beato Francisco et cepit fortiter plangere, rogans ut [ipsum] reciperet.

³Beatus Franciscus intuens in ipsum dixit ad eum: « O miser homo et carnalis! quare Spiritui Sancto et michi mentiris b? Tu plangis carnaliter, et non spiritualiter ».

⁴Et hiis dictis, statim venerunt parentes eius in equis extra palatium, volentes capere ipsum et reducere ad domum suam. ⁵Cumque audisset fremitum equorum et respexisset per quandam fenestram palatii, vidit parentes eius, et statim surrexit, et exivit foras ad eos, et reversus est ad seculum cum ipsis, sicut per Spiritum Sanctum cognovit beatus Franciscus; ⁶et mirati sunt fratres et alii qui aderant ibi, et magnificaverunt [et] laudaverunt Deum in sancto suo.

[71]

¹Quodam tempore, cum maneret in eodem palatio valde infirmus, fratres rogabant ipsum et confortabant ut comederet. ²Ipse autem respondit eis: