and waiting for the promise of Saint Francis, he had guards placed at certain passes, commanding that if two brothers in the habit of Saint Francis appeared there, they should be brought to him immediately. At that time Saint Francis appeared to two brothers and ordered them to go without delay to the Sultan and obtain his salvation just as he promised him. The brothers set out without delay and, having crossed the sea, they were taken to the Sultan by those guards. When he saw them, the Sultan was filled with the greatest joy, ^{Mt 2:10} and he said: "Now I truly know that God has sent His servants to me for my salvation, according to the promise that Saint Francis made to me by divine revelation." From these brothers he received instruction in the faith of Christ and holy baptism. And thus reborn in Christ, he died in that illness, and his soul was saved through the merits and prayers of Saint Francis.

To the praise of Jesus Christ
and the little poor man Francis.
Amen.

Chapter 25
HOW SAINT FRANCIS CURED A MAN WITH LEPROSY OF SOUL AND BODY AND WHAT THE SOUL SAID TO HIM WHILE GOING TO HEAVEN

Sir Saint Francis, the true disciple of Christ, while living in this miserable life, always strove with all his strength to follow Christ, the perfect teacher. Therefore, it often happened by divine action, that those whose bodies he healed were healed in soul by God at the same time, as we read of Christ. Not only did he willingly serve the lepers himself, but besides this he set down that the brothers of his Order, while staying or travelling through the world, should serve the lepers for love of Christ, who wished for our sake to be considered a leper. It once happened that at a place where Saint Francis was staying at that time the brothers were serving sick lepers in a hospital. One of the lepers there was so impatient, so unbearable and obstinate that everyone believed as certain that he was possessed by the demon, and so he was. He so rudely insulted anyone who served him with words and blows and, what is worse, he hurled such angry blasphemies against the blessed Christ and his most holy mother the Virgin Mary, that no one at all could be found who could or would serve him. Although the brothers strove to bear patiently the insults and harm to themselves, in order to increase the merit of patience, nevertheless their consciences could not bear those against Christ and His

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