The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi by Brother Ugolino

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The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi
by Brother Ugolino

IN THE FIRST ENGLISH TRANSLATION

REVISED AND EMENDED BY DOM ROGER HUDLESTON

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ARTHUR LIVINGSTON

THE HERITAGE PRESS

NEW YORK

Introduction

Part I

Chapter I. In the name of Jesus Christ our crucified Saviour, and Mary his Virgin Mother. In this book are contained certain Little Flowers - to wit, miracles and pious examples of the glorious servant of Christ St Francis, and of some of his holy companions; to the glory and praise of Jesus Christ. Amen
Chapter II. Of Brother Bernard of Quintavalle, the first companion of St Francis
Chapter III. How St Francis, having allowed an evil thought to arise in his mind against Brother Bernard, ordered him to place his foot three times upon his neck and his mouth
Chapter IV. How the angel of God put a question to Brother Elias, guardian of Val di Spoleto, and how, when Brother Elias answered proudly, the angel departed from him, and took the road to San Giacomo, where he met Brother Bernard and told him what follows
Chapter V. How the holy Brother Bernard of Assisi was sent by St Francis to Bologna, and how he founded a convent there
Chapter VI. How St Francis, when about to die, blessed the holy Brother Bernard, naming him Vicar of the Order
Chapter VII. How St Francis passed the time of Lent in an island, on the lake of Perugia, where he fasted forty days and forty nights, eating no more than half of one loaf
Chapter VIII. How St Francis, walking one day with Brother Leo, explained to him what things are perfect joy
Chapter IX. How St Francis would teach Brother Leo what to answer, and how the latter could never say aught but the contrary to what St Francis wished
Chapter X. How Brother Masseo told St Francis, as in jest, that the world was gone after him; and how St Francis answered that it was indeed so, to the confusion of the world and through the grace of God
Chapter XI. How St Francis made Brother Masseo turn round and round like a child, and then to go to Siena
Chapter XII. How St Francis gave to Brother Masseo the office of porter, of almoner and of cook; and how, at the request of the other brethren, he afterwards took these duties from him
Chapter XIII. How St Francis and Brother Masseo placed the bread they had begged upon a stone near a fountain; and how St Francis praised the virtue of holy poverty, praying St Peter and St Paul to make him love holy poverty greatly. And how St Peter and St Paul appeared to him
Chapter XIV. How the Lord appeared to St Francis and to his brethren as he was speaking with them
Chapter XV. How St. Clare ate with St Francis and his companions at St Mary of the Angels
Chapter XVI. How St Francis, having been told by St Clare and the holy Brother Silvester that he should preach and convert many to the faith, founded the Third Order, preached to the birds, and reduced to silence the swallows
Chapter XVII. How a little child who had entered the Order saw St Francis in prayer one night, and saw also the Saviour, the Virgin Mary, and many other saints talk with him
Chapter XVIII. Of the wonderful chapter held by St Francis at St Mary of the Angels, at which more than five thousand friars were present
Chapter XIX. How the vine of the priest of Rieti, whose house St Francis entered to pray, was trampled under foot by the great numbers who came to see him, and how it yet produced a greater quantity of wine than usual, as St Francis had promised; and how the Lord revealed to the saints that heaven would be his portion when he left this world
Chapter XX. Of a beautiful vision which appeared to a young man who hated the habits of St Francis so greatly, that he was on the point of leaving the Order
Chapter XXI. Of the most holy miracle of St Francis in taming the fierce wolf of Gubbio
Chapter XXII. How St Francis tamed the wild doves
Chapter XXIII. How St Francis delivered the brother who, being in sin, had fallen into the power of the devil
Chapter XXIV. How St Francis converted to the faith the Sultan of Babylon
Chapter XXV. How St Francis healed miraculously a leper both in his body and in his soul, and what the soul said to him on going up to heaven
Chapter XXVI. How St Francis converted certain robbers and assassins, who became friars; and of a wonderful vision which appeared to one of them who was a most holy brother
Chapter XXVII. How at Bologna St Francis converted two scholars who became friars, and how he delivered one of them from a great temptation
Chapter XXVIII. Of an ecstasy which came to Brother Bernard, and how he remained from Matins until Noon in a state of rapture
Chapter XXIX. How the devil often appeared to Brother Ruffino in the form of a crucifix, telling him that all the good he did was of no avail, seeing he was not of the number of the elect of God; which being revealed to St Francis, he made known to Brother Ruffino the error into which he had fallen
Chapter XXX. Of the beautiful sermon which St Francis and Brother Ruffino preached at Assisi
Chapter XXXI. How St Francis was acquainted with the secrets of the consciences of all his brethren
Chapter XXXII. How Brother Masseo obtained from Christ the virtue of humility
Chapter XXXIII. How St Clare, by order of the Pope, blessed the bread which was on the table, and how on each loaf appeared the sign of the holy cross
Chapter XXXIV. How St Louis, King of France, went in person in a pilgrim’s garb to visit the holy Brother Giles
Chapter XXXV. How St Clare, being ill, was miraculously carried, on Christmas night, to the church of St Francis, where she assisted at the Office
Chapter XXXVI. How St Francis explained to Brother Leo a beautiful vision that he had seen
Chapter XXXVII. How Jesus Christ, the blessed one, at the prayer of St Francis, converted a rich nobleman who had made great offers to St Francis, and inspired him with a wish to become a religious
Chapter XXXVIII. How it was revealed to St Francis that Brother Elias was damned, and was to die out of the Order; and how at the desire of the said brother he prayed to Christ for him, and how his prayer was granted
Chapter XXXIX. Of the wonderful discourse which St Anthony of Padua, a Friar Minor, made in the Consistory
Chapter XL. Of the miracle which God performed when St Anthony, being at Rimini, preached to the fishes of the sea
Chapter XLI. How the venerable Brother Simon delivered a brother from a great temptation, on account of which he was on the point of leaving the Order
Chapter XLII. Of several wonderful miracles which the Lord performed through the means of Brother Peter of Monticello, and Brother Conrad of Offida. How Brother Bentivoglio carried a leper fifteen miles in a very short time; how St Michael spoke to another brother, and how the Virgin Mary appeared to Brother Conrad and placed her divine Son in his arms
Chapter XLIII. How Brother Conrad of Offida converted a young brother, who was a stumbling-block to the other brothers; and how after death his soul appeared to Brother Conrad, begging him to pray for him; and how through his prayers he was delivered from the great pains of Purgatory
Chapter XLIV. How the Mother of Christ and St John the Evangelist appeared to Brother Conrad, and told him who had suffered the greatest sorrow at the Passion of Christ
Chapter XLV. Of the conversion, life, miracles, and death of the holy Brother John Della Penna
Chapter XLVI. How Brother Pacifico, being in prayer, saw the soul of Brother Umile, his brother in the flesh, go up to heaven
Chapter XLVII. Of a holy brother to whom the Mother of Christ appeared when he was ill, and brought him three vases of healing ointments
Chapter XLVIII. How Brother James Della Massa saw in a vision all the Friars Minor in the world in the form of a tree; and how the virtues, the merits and the vices of all were made known to him
Chapter XLIX. How Christ appeared to Brother John of Alvernia
Chapter L. How Brother John of Alvernia, when saying Mass on the day of All Souls, saw many souls liberated from Purgatory
Chapter LI. Of the holy Brother James of Fallerone, and how, after his death, he appeared to Brother John of Alvernia
Chapter LII. Of the vision of Brother John of Alvernia, by which he became acquainted with all the order of the Holy Trinity
Chapter LIII. How, while he was saying Mass, Brother John of Alvernia fell down, as if he had been dead
Of The Sacred And Holy Stigmata Of St. Francis And Certain Considerations Thereon
Of The First Consideration Of The Sacred, Holy Stigmata
Of The Second Consideration Of The Sacred Holy Stigmata
Of The Third Consideration Of The Sacred, Holy Stigmata
Of The Fourth Consideration Of The Sacred, Holy Stigmata
Of The Fifth And Last Consideration of the Sacred, Holy Stigmata
Chapter LIV. How a holy friar, having read in the legend of St Francis of the secret words spoken to him by the seraph, prayed so earnestly to God that St Francis revealed them to him
Chapter LV. How St Francis appear, after his death, to Brother John of Alvernia, while he was in prayer
Chapter LVI. Of a holy friar who saw a wonderful vision of a companion who was dead
Chapter LVII. How a noble knight who was devout to St Francis was assured of his death and of the sacred stigmata
Chapter LVIII. How Pope Gregory IX, who had doubted of the stigmata of St Francis, was assured of their truth

Part II: The Life of Brother Juniper

CHAPTER I How Brother Juniper cut off the foot of a pig to give it to a sick brother
CHAPTER II An instance of Brother Juniper's great power against the devil
CHAPTER III How by the contrivance of the devil, Brother Juniper was condemned to the gallows
CHAPTER IV How Brother Juniper gave all that he had to the poor for the love of God
CHAPTER V How Brother Juniper took certain little bells from the altar, and gave them away for the love of God
CHAPTER VI How Brother Juniper kept silence for six months
CHAPTER VII His remedy for temptations of the flesh
CHAPTER VIII How Brother Juniper made himself contemptible for the love of God
CHAPTER IX How Brother Juniper, in order to be despised, played at the see-saw
CHAPTER X How Brother Juniper once cooked for the brethren enough to last for a fortnight
CHAPTER XI How Brother Juniper went one day to Assisi for his own confusion
CHAPTER XII How Brother Juniper fell into an ecstasy during the celebration of Mass
CHAPTER XIII Of the sorrow which Brother Juniper felt at the loss of his companion Brother Amazialbene
CHAPTER XIV Of the Hand which Brother Juniper saw in the air
CHAPTER XV How St. Francis commanded Brother Leo to wash the stone

Part III: The Life of the Blessed Brother Giles, Companion of St Francis

CHAPTER I How Brother Giles, with three companions was received into the Order of Friars Minor
CHAPTER II How Brother Giles went to St. James The Great
CHAPTER III Of Brother Gile's manner of life when he went to the Holy Sepulchre
CHAPTER IV How Brother Giles praised obedience more than Prayer
CHAPTER V How Brother Giles lived by the labor of his hands
CHAPTER VI How Brother Giles was miraculously assisted in a great necessity when, by reason of a heavy fall of snow, he was hindered from going out to Quest
CHAPTER VII Of the day of the holy Brother Gile's death
CHAPTER VIII How a holy man, being in prayer, saw the soul of Brother Giles pass to eternal life
CHAPTER IX How by the merits of Brother Giles, the soul of the friend of a friar preacher was delivered from the pains of Purgatory
CHAPTER X How God gave special graces to Brother Giles, and the year of his death

Part IV: The Chapters of Certain Instructions and Notable Sayings of Brother Giles

CHAPTER I Of Vices and Virtue
CHAPTER II Of Faith
CHAPTER III Of Holy Humility
CHAPTER IV Of the Holy Fear of God
CHAPTER V Of Holy Patience
CHAPTER VI Of Sloth
CHAPTER VII Of The Contempt Of Temporal Things
CHAPTER VIII Of Holy Chastity
CHAPTER IX Of Temptations
CHAPTER X Of Holy Penance
CHAPTER XI Of Holy Prayer
CHAPTER XII Of Holy Spiritual Prudence
CHAPTER XIII Of Knowledge Of Useful and Useless
CHAPTER XIV Of Good and Evil Speaking
CHAPTER XV Of Holy Perseverance
CHAPTER XVI Of True Religious Life
CHAPTER XVII Of Holy Obedience
CHAPTER XVIII Of The Remembrance Of Death

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