Page 135
How S. Francis gaue assistance to certaine of his Brethren that were far from him.
THE LXXVII. CHAPTER.
SAinct Francis hauing his children alwayes in his hart and in his soule, he merited that as he prayed for them, God did often reueale vnto him the necessities wherinto they were fallen, to the end that by his presence, or sending vnto them, or prayers, he might releiue them. His Vicar one a time holding a chapter, he saw in spiritt a Reli∣gious that would not acknowledge his fault, to doe penance for it, but did with all possible reasons defend himselfe. S. Francis called a Reli∣gious and said vnto him: Brother, behold how the deuill sitteth one the shoulders of that poore Religious and holdeth him by the throte halfe* 1.1 choaked, because I haue prayed to God for him, and he hath heard me, goe and bid him humble himselfe to his Vicar, and tell him the deuill henceforward shall haue no power of him. Which the Religious hauing done, the other full of contrition fell at the feet of the Vicar, acknow∣ledged his fault, did penance, and merited thenceforward to liue very piously.
* 1.2 Brother Leo being exceedingly oppressed & afflicted by diuers temp∣tations of the deuill S. Francis sent him a letter such as the said Brother Leo then desired, who att the very instant that he had read it, was de∣liuered: the contentes wherof were thus: God hold and blesse & tourne his face to thee, God be mercifull to thee, and giue thee his peace, Bro∣ther Leo, God giue thee his benediction, So be it. The which wordes taken out of the booke of Numbers of the benedictions of God, were of such efficacy, that they deliuered all those from temptations to whome the S. in writing sent them.
God permitted S. Francis, being one day att our Lady of Angels, to see a great multitude of deuils that endeauoured to enter there, which they could not doe till a Religious began to conceaue hatred against* 1.3 one of his Brethren, which did so breed in his hart that they entred into his body and possessed him: which S. Francis perceauing (as a pittifull Pastour of his sheep, called the Religious and reprehended him for the hatred he boare to his brother: wherat he being exceedingly amazed that S. Francis knew it, did acknowledge the vertue that God gaue him, and put away that hatred, and thus was consequentlie freed of his ennemy.