158 ^ije atttle jFlotoers oi 



foon saw Saint Francis loft in moft devout 

 prayer before Chrift, Who with great fplen- 

 dor appeared to him in the faid prayer and 

 ftood before his face ; and as he abode 

 there thus, he faw Saint Francis for a good 

 fpace Hfted up bodily from the earth. For 

 the which thing he was fo moved of God 

 and infpired to forfake the world, that pref- 

 ently he went forth from his palace, and 

 in the fervor of his fpirit haftened towards 

 Saint Francis ; and drawing nigh unto him 

 as he prayed, he knelt before his feet, and 

 with exceeding great urgency and devotion 

 he befought that it might pleafe him to re- 

 ceive him and to let him do penitence with 

 him. Then Saint Francis, feeing that his 

 prayers had been heard of God, and that 

 the felfsame thing which he defired, this 

 gentleman befought with fuch urgency, he 

 raifed him up, and fervently and joyoufly 

 embraced and kiffed him, moft devoutly 

 thanking God, Which had added fo noble a 

 knight to his Company. And that gentle- 

 man faid to Saint Francis : " What com- 

 mandefb thou me to do, my Father } Lo, 

 I am ready for thy command, and to give to 

 the poor all that that I have, and to follow 

 after Chrift with thee, thus fet free of all 



temporal 



