cSaint iFtancis oC ^nnisiu 19 



endeavor to avoid this obedience, anfvvering 

 thus : " I am prepared to obey you meekly, 

 if you will promife me to do that which 

 I in turn fhall command of you." And 

 Saint Francis promifmg him, Brother Ber- 

 nard faid, '* Speak, father ; bid me what 

 you would have me to do." Then faid 

 Saint Francis : " I command you, by your 

 facred vow of obedience, that, to punifh my 

 prefumption and the boldnefs of my heart, 

 now as I throw myfelf flat upon the ground 

 you place one foot upon my neck and the 

 other upon my mouth, and thus fliall you 

 pafs three times over my body, crying 

 fhame upon me and reviling me ; and more 

 efpecially fl:iall you cry unto me, * Lie there, 

 thou vile fon of Peter Bernardone ; whence 

 haft thou acquired fuch pride, vileft of all 

 creatures that thou art ? ' " Hearing this, 

 Brother Bernard, hard as was his talk, yet 

 for the fake of his facred vow of obedience, 

 as courteoufly as he might, did fulfil the 

 will of Saint Francis, even as he had com- 

 manded him ; and this done, Saint Francis 

 faid : *' Do you command me now in turn 

 whatfoever you will that I fhall do, inaf- 

 much as I have promifed obedience." Then 

 faid Brother Bernard, " By your facred vow 



of 



