So he went and did everything blessed Francis told him. When he finished, he got up, put on his tunic, and returned to blessed Francis. And blessed Francis said to him: "Do you want me to tell you how you sinned against him, and even against Christ?"

And he said: "Whenever you see a poor person you ought to consider Him in whose name he comes, that is, Christ, who came to take on our poverty and weakness. This man's poverty and weakness is a mirror for us in which we should see and consider lovingly the poverty and weakness of our Lord Jesus Christ which He bore in His body ^{1 Cor 6:20} for the redemption of the human race."

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At one time robbers who were in those woods above Borgo San Sepolcro used to come sometimes to the hermitage of the brothers to ask the brothers for bread.^a Some of the brothers of that place said: "It is not right to give them alms because they are robbers and they do very evil things to people." Others, taking into consideration that they begged humbly and were compelled by great necessity, used to give them alms sometimes, always admonishing them to be converted to penance.

Meanwhile blessed Francis arrived at the place. The brothers asked whether they should give them bread, or not. "If you do as I tell you," blessed Francis told them, "I trust in the Lord that you will win their souls. Go get some good bread and good wine and take it to them in the woods where you know they are staying, and cry out: 'Come, Brother robbers, come to us, because we are brothers and we brought you some good bread and good wine.' They will immediately come to you. Then you spread out a table cloth on the ground, 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: 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 until they have eaten. After the meal, say to them: 'Why do you stay here all day long, ^{Mt 20:6} dying of hunger, suffering many evil

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⁷Ivit ergo ille et fecit omnia, sicut dixit ei beatus Franciscus; quo facto elevavit se et induit se tunicam et reversus est ad beatum Franciscum. ⁸Et ait ad eum beatus Franciscus: « Vis, ut dicam tibi, quomodo peccasti in illo, immo in Christo? ».

⁹Et ait: « Cum vides pauperem, debes considerare illum, in cuius nomine venit, videlicet Christum, qui nostram paupertatem et infirmitatem assumere venit. ¹⁰Nam paupertas et infirmitas istius est quoddam speculum nobis, per quod speculari et considerare debemus paupertatem cum pietate et infirmitatem Domini nostri Iesu Christi, quas in suo corpore portavit pro redemptione humani generis ».

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¹Quodam tempore in quodam eremitorio fratrum super Burgum Sancti Sepulcri veniebant aliquando latrones, qui erant in illis silvis, ad querendum panem a fratribus. ²Quidam fratres de loco dicebant: « Non bonum est dare illis helemosinas, cum sint latrones et hominibus faciant tanta mala ». ³Alii considerantes, quod humiliter peterent et ex magna necessitate compellebantur, [aliquando] dabant illis semper admonendo illos, ut ad penitentiam converterentur.

⁴Interim beatus Franciscus advenit ad locum, quem fratres interrogaverunt, utrum scilicet darent illis de pane an non. ⁵Dixit eis beatus Franciscus: « Si feceritis sicut dixero vobis, confido in Domino, quod lucrabimini animas illorum ». ⁶Et ait illis: « Ite et acquirite de bono pane et bono vino et deferte eis in silva, ubi ipsos scitis conversari, acclamantes: ⁷"Fratres latrones, venite ad nos, quia fratres sumus et apportavimus vobis bonum panem et bonum vinum". ⁸Illi statim ad vos venient. Et vos extendite tabulam in terram et desuper ponite panem et vinum; et servietis eis humiliter et cum ilaritate, donec manducaverint. ⁹Et post comestionem dicetis eis de verbis Domini, et ad ultimum petatis ab eis amore Domini primo, ut promictant vobis, quod non percutiant aliquem, nec noceant in persona; quoniam si omnia insimul peteretis ab eis, non vos exaudirent. ¹⁰Et ipsi propter humilitatem et caritatem, quam ostendistis eis, statim promictent vobis. ¹¹Et altera die surgetis et propter bonam promissionem, quam fecerunt, vobis, adicietis super panem et vinum de ovis et de caseo; et similiter apportetis eis et serviatis, donee manducaverint. ¹²Et post comestionem dicetis eis: " Quid hic statis tota die et fame morimini et multa mala patimini et voluntate et operatione operamini tot mala,