Saint iFiMUCis of Slssfsf. 127 



thence that Temptation ; but ofttimes he 

 was in extreme defpair, inafmuch as for 

 this thing he held himfelf to be forfaken 

 of God. Being thus defperate, as a laft 

 remedy he refolved to go to Saint Francis, 

 thinking thus : " If Saint Francis look gra- 

 cioufly upon me and receive me familiarly, 

 as is his wont, I lliall believe that God will 

 yet have compaffion upon me ; but if not, 

 it fhall be for a fign that my God has for- 

 faken me." He therefore arofe and went 

 unto Saint Francis, who at that time abode 

 in the Palace of the Bifliop of Affifi griev- 

 oufly ill ; and God revealed to him the 

 whole manner of the temptation and de- 

 fpair of the faid Brother Rinieri, and his 

 purpofe and his coming. And ftraight- 

 way Saint Francis called Brother Leo and 

 Brother Maximus, and faid to them : " Go 

 forth to meet my beloved fon Brother 

 Rinieri, and embrace him in my name, 

 and greet him, and fay to him that of all 

 the Brethren throughout the world I love 

 him moft Angularly. " They fet forth and 

 met by the way Brother Rinieri, and em- 

 bracing him they told him all thofe things 

 which Saint Francis had charged them to 

 fay. Hence fo much comfort and delight 



did 



