The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi
by
Brother Ugolino
Table of Contents
About This Book
Title Page
Introduction
Part
One
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 Fourth
Consideration
Of the Fifth and Last
Consideration
Part II: The Life of Brother
Juniper
Part III: The Life of the
Blessed Brother Giles, Companion of St Francis
Part IV: The Chapters of
Certain Instructions and Notable Sayings of Brother
Giles