Saint iFtancis of Assist. 139 



went to AiTifi and entered into a church, 

 and doing reverence to the altar, went up 

 into the pulpit and began to preach ; at 

 which thing the men and boys began to 

 laugh, and faid, " Lo, one who doth peni- 

 tence, left he grow proud and vain." 

 Meantime Saint Francis, pondering on the 

 ready obedience of Brother Rufus, which 

 was one of the nobleft gentlemen of Affifi, 

 and of the hard command which he had 

 laid upon him, began to reproach himfelf, 

 faying, "Whence haft thou fuch prefump- 

 tion, fon of Peter Bernardone, thou vile 

 and petty fellow, that thou Ihouldft com- 

 mand Brother Rufus, which is one of the 

 nobleft gentlemen of Affifi, to go forth 

 and preach to the people even as he were 

 mad ? In God's name, go forth thou like- 

 wife, and prove for thyfelf even that thou 

 haft commanded of others." And fuddenly, 

 in the ardor of his fpirit, he alfo laid off 

 his raiment and went forth to Affifi, and 

 with him went Brother Leo bearing his 

 habit and that of Brother Rufus. And the 

 men of Affifi feeing them in like plight, 

 feoff ed at them, holding that they with 

 Brother Rufus were made mad by much 

 Penitence. Saint Francis entered into the 



church 



