placing the bread and wine on it, and, while they are eating, humbly and joyfully wait on them. After the meal, speak to them some words of the Lord. Finally, for the love of the Lord ask them for this first request: make them promise you that they will not strike anyone or injure anyone's person. Do not ask for everything all at once, or they will not listen to you. Because of the humility and charity you show them, they will at once make you this promise. The next day, get up and, because of the promise they made to you, besides eggs and cheese, bring them the bread and wine, and take these to them, and wait on them while they eat. After the meal, say to them: 'Why do you stay here all day long, dying of hunger, suffering many evil things and in your actions doing many evil things for which you will lose your souls unless you are converted? It is better to serve the Lord, who will both supply your bodily needs in this world and save your souls in the end.' Then the Lord in His mercy will inspire them to convert and they will be converted because of the humility and charity you show them."

So the brothers got up and did everything as blessed Francis told them. And by the mercy of God and His grace which descended on them, those men listened and observed to the letter point by point all the requests which the brothers asked of them. Further, because of the friendliness and charity the brothers showed them, they began carrying wood on their shoulders to the hermitage. By the mercy of God, through the charity and friendliness that the brothers showed them, some entered religion, others embraced penance, promising in the hands of the brothers no longer to commit these evil deeds, but to live by the work of their hands.

The brothers and others who heard or knew about this, were quite amazed, as they reflected on the holiness of blessed Francis, how he had predicted the conversion of these men who had been perfidious and wicked, and how quickly they converted to the Lord.

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[HE REVEALS THAT A BROTHER CONSIDERED A SAINT IS AN IMPOSTOR]

There was a brother of a decent and holy way of living, who concerned himself with prayer day and night. He observed constant silence so that when he went to confession to a brother priest, he confessed with signs, not with words. He appeared so devout and fervent in the love of God, that sometimes when he sat down with the brothers, although he did not speak, he rejoiced so much internally and externally on hearing some good words that he moved all

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et desuper ponite panem et vinum, et servietis humiliter et cum hilaritate, donec manducaverint; ⁹et post comestionem dicetis eis [de verbis Domini et ad ultimum autem petatis eis] amore Domini hanc primam petitionem, videlicet ut promittant vobis quod non percutiant aliquem, nec quicquam mali faciant alicui homini in persona, quoniam, si omnia insimul peteretis eis, non vos exaudirent. ¹⁰et ipsi propter humilitatem et caritatem, quam ostendistis eis, statim promittent vobis. ¹¹Et altera die surgatis et propter bonam promissionem quam vobis fecerunt, addatis, super panem et vinum, de ovis et caseo, et similiter apportate eis et serviatis eis, donec comederint; ¹²et post comestionem dicatis eis: Quid hic statis tota die et fame morimini, et multa mala patimini, et voluntate et operatione operamini tot mala, pro quibus perditis animas vestras, nisi inde conversi fueritis? ¹³Melius est enim ut Domino serviatis, et ipse in hoc seculo tribuet vobis necessaria corporis, et ad ultimum salvabit animas vestras. ¹⁴Et inspirabit eis Dominus per misericordiam suam, ut convertantur propter humilitatem et caritatem vestram quam ostendistis eis ».

¹⁵Surrexerunt ergo fratres et fecerunt omnia sicut dixit eis beatus Franciscus; ¹⁶et ipsi per misericordiam Dei d et gratiam eius, que descendit super eos, ad litteram de puncto ad punctum omnes petitiones, quas fratres ab eis petierunt, exaudierunt et observaverunt; ¹⁷immo, propter familiaritatem et caritatem quam ostenderunt eis fratres, ceperunt portare eis ligna in dorsis suis ad heremitorium, ¹⁸ita quod per misericordiam Dei, occasione illius caritatis et familiaritatis quam fratres illis exhibuerunt, alii intraverunt Religionem, alii acceperunt penitentiam, promittentes in manibus fratrum se de cetero huiusmodi mala non committere, sed de labore manuum suarum velle vivere.

¹⁹Unde plurimum mirati sunt fratres et alii hoc audientes et scientes, considerantes sanctitatem beati Francisci, quomodo predixerat conversionem illorum, qui erant ita perfidi et iniqui homines, et qualiter tam cito ad Dominum conversi fuerunt.

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¹Fuit [frater] quidam honeste et sancte conversationis, qui die noctuque erat sollicitus circa orationem. ²Silentium sic observabat continuum quod aliquando cum fratri sacerdoti confiteretur, non verbis sed quibusdam signis confitebatur. ³In tantum namque videbatur esse devotus et fervens in dilectione Dei, quod aliquando, cum sederet cum fratribus, licet non loqueretur, tamen cum letabatur interius et exterius, cum audiret aliqua bona verba, ut omnes fratres et alios ipsum videntes attraheret in devotionem Dei: