Index of chapters
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.
Paolo Rossi
paolo.r@sanfrancescoassisi.org
