Saint jFrancis oC '^nniui. 109 



well," faid the fick man ; " but what can 

 you do for me more than the others ? " 

 Saint Francis anfwercd, " Whatfocvcr you 

 would that I fhould do." Said the Leper, 

 '* I would that you wafh me, every inch of 

 me ; forafmuch as fo terribly I ftink that 

 I myfelf can ill endure it." Then Saint 

 Francis ftraight commanded water to be 

 heated with many fweet-fmelling herbs ; 

 then ftripping him, he began to wafh him 

 with his own hands, another Brother pour- 

 ing on the water ; and by a divine mira- 

 cle, wherefoever Saint Francis laid his 

 holy hands upon him the Leprofy left him 

 and his flefli remained perfeftly found. 

 And even as his flefh began to heal, fo too 

 his foul began to be made whole ; hence 

 the Leper feeing himfelf beginning to be 

 cured, began to have great compun6tion 

 and repentance for his fms, and began to 

 weep very bitterly ; for as his body was 

 cleanfed of the Leprofy from without by the 

 wafhing of the water, even fo his foul was 

 cleanfed of Sin from within by corre6lion 

 and tears. And being wholly healed, alike 

 in body and in foul, he humbly con- 

 feffed himfelf guilty, and cried aloud, weep- 

 ing : " Woe unto me, for I am worthy of 



Hell-fire 



