2o6 ^f\t ILittlr iFlotoers oC 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



How Chrijl appeared to Brother John of Vernia. 



AMONG the other wife and holy Broth- 

 ers and fons of Saint Francis, who, 

 as Solomon faith, are the glory of their 

 father, there lived in our times, and in the 

 faid Province of the Marches, the venerable 

 and holy Brother John of Fermo, the which, 

 by reafon of the great fpace that he abode 

 in the Holy Convent of Vernia, and for 

 that he there paffed away out of this life, 

 was alfo called Brother John of Vernia, 

 forafmuch as he was a man of rare life 

 and of great fan6lity. This Brother John, 

 being a layman and yet a child, defired 

 with all his heart to follow the way of 

 true repentance, which fhould keep his 

 foul and body clean and pure ; hence, 

 being but a little lad, he began to bear 

 about him a breaftplate and an iron belt 

 next his fkin, and to keep great fafts, and 

 efpecially when he fojourned with the 

 Canons of Saint Peter of Fermo, which 

 lived fplendidly, he would fhun fenfual de- 

 lights, and mortify his flefh with moft rigid 



faftings. 



