<Saint jftantiu of ^ssifiC, 203 



Cup of Life to his Brethren : and he did 

 firft offer it to Brother John of Parma, who, 

 taking, drank it all, every drop, devoutly 

 and in hafte ; and fuddenly he became 

 luminous as the fun. And after him fuc- 

 ceflively Saint Francis offered it to all the 

 reft : and there were but few among them 

 who with due reverence and devotion did 

 take and drink it all. They who took it 

 pioufly and drank it all, every drop, ftraight- 

 way became fplendid as the fun ; and they 

 which fpilled it on the ground and received 

 it not with meet piety, became black, or 

 dark and miffhapen, and horrible to look 

 upon : they that drank a part and poured 

 out a part became partly luminous and 

 partly fhadowed, and in greater or lefs de- 

 gree, according to the meafure of that that 

 they drank and fquandered ; but more than 

 all the reft the aforefaid Brother John 

 fhone refplendent, which moft compla- 

 cently had drank the Cup of Life, whereby 

 he had moft deeply contemplated the abyfs 

 of infinite light, and therein had perceived 

 the adverfity and tempeft which were to 

 arife againft the faid tree, to fhake and 

 agitate its branches. Wherefore the faid 

 Brother John departed from the tip of the 



bough 



