^aint jfvanziu of ^nninu 67 



clay came a]:)pointcd for this, Saint Clara 

 left her Convent with one companion, accom- 

 panied by the Companions of Saint Francis, 

 and came to St. Mary of the Angels; and 

 having devoutly fainted the Virgin Mary 

 before the altar, where her locks had been 

 fhorn and the veil had been placed upon 

 her head, they led her about to fee the 

 place until at laft it was time to dine. 

 And Saint Francis ordered the cloth to be 

 laid in their midft upon the bare ground, 

 as he was wont to do. And when the hour 

 for dinner came, Saint Francis and Saint 

 Clara fat down together, and one of the 

 Comrades of Saint Francis with Saint 

 Clara's Companion, and then all their other 

 Companions took their places humbly. And 

 for the firft difli Saint Francis began to 

 talk of God fo fweetly, fo nobly, fo won- 

 drous well, that the abundance of the Divine 

 grace defcending upon them, they were all 

 tranfported as it were to Heaven. And 

 being thus tranfported, with eyes and 

 hands raifed to Heaven, the men of Affifi 

 and of Bettona, and of the country round 

 about, faw how St. Mary of the Angels, 

 and all that place, and the wood which 

 flood befide it, burned fiercely ; and it 



feemed 



