Saint jfrancis oC ^nninu 133 



Who am the Son of God : wherefore of a 

 verity you may beheve me, that you are of 

 the number of the damned ; and the fon 

 of Peter Bernardone, your father,^ and alfo 

 his father, are damned, and whofover fhall 

 follow after them is deceived and mifled." 

 And hearing thefe words. Brother Rufus 

 began to be fo overfhadowed by the Prince 

 of Darknefs, that already he loft all faith 

 and love which he cherifhed for Saint 

 Francis, and cared not to tell him aught 

 of thefe things. But that which Brother 

 Rufus told not to the Holy Father was 

 made known to him of the Holy Ghoft ; 

 hence Saint Francis feeing in fpirit the 

 great danger of the faid Brother, fent 

 Brother Maximus to fummon him ; to 

 whom Brother Rufus made anfwer fcorn- 

 fully, " What have I to do with Brother 

 Francis ? " And then Brother Maximus, 

 filled full with divine wifdom, knowing 

 the deceitful wiles of the Devil, faid : " O 

 Brother Rufus, know you not that Brother 

 Francis is like to an Angel of God, which 

 hath enlightened fo many fouls in this 

 world, and from which we receive the 



Grace 



^ That is, the founder of the Order to which he 

 belonged. 



