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 FRANCIS

226

FRANCIS

men should then provide well for the birds and the beasts, as well as for the poor, so that all might have occasion to rejoice in the Lord.

Early in August, 1224, Francis retired with three companions to "that rugged rock 'twixt Tiber and Arno", as Dante called La Verna, there to keep a forty days fast in preparation for Michaelmas. During this retreat the sufferings of Christ became more than ever the burden of his meditations; into few souls, perhaps, had the full meaning of the Passion so deeply entered. It was on or about the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (14 September) while praying on the mountain- side, that he beheld the marvellous vision of the seraph, as a_S£Ciiiel_of which there a ppeared on his body t he v isible mark s of the rive wound s of the Crurified whic h, says an carl.N' writpr, Jiad long since _been impressed upon his heart. Brother Leo, who was with St. Fran- cis when he received the stigmata, has left us in his note to the saint 's autograph bless- ing, preserved at Assisi, a clear and sim- ple account of the mir- acle, which for the lest is better attested than many another hibton- cal fact. The saint s right side is desciibed as bearing an open wound which looked as if made by i Ixnce, while through his h inds and feet weie blick nails of flesh, the points of which were bent backward. After the reception of the stig- mata, Francis suffered increasing pains throughout his frail body, already broken by continual mortifi- cation. For, conde- scending as the saint always was to the weaknesses of others, he was ever so unspar- ing towards himself that at the last he felt con- strained to ask pardon of "Brother A.ss", as he called his body, for having treated it so harshly. Worn out, moreover, as Francis now was by eigh- teen years of unremitting toil, his strength gave way completely, and at times his eyesight so far failed him that he was almost wholly bhnd. During an ac- cess of anguish, Francis paid a last visit to St. Clare at St. Damian's, and it was in a little hut of reeds, made for him in the garden there, that the saint composed that "Canticle of the Sun", in which his poetic genius expands itself so gloriously. This was in September,

1225. Not long afterwards Francis, at the urgent in- stance of Brother Elias, underwent an unsuccessful operation for the eyes, at Rieti. He seems to have passed the winter 122.5-26 at Siena, whither he had been taken for further medical treatment. In April,

1226, during an interval of improvement, Francis was moved to Cortona, and it is believed to have been while resting at the hermitage of the Celle there, that the saint dictated his testament, which he describes as a "reminder, a warning, and an exhortation". In this touching document Francis, writing from the full- ness of his heart, urges anew with the simple eloquence, the few, but clearly defined, principles that were to

guide his followers, imphcit obedience to superiors as liolding the place of God, hteral observance of the rule ' ' wit hout gloss ", especially as regards poverty, and t he duty of manual labour, being solemnly enjoined on all the friars. Meanwhile alarming dropsical .symptoms had developed, and it was in a dying condition that Francis set out for Assisi. A roundabout route was taken by the little caravan that escorted him, for it was feared to follow the direct road lest the saucy Perugians should attempt to carry Francis off by force so that he might die in their city, which would thus enter into possession of his coveted relics. It was therefore under a strong guard that Francis, in July, 1226, was finally borne in safety to the bishop's palace in his native city amid the enthusiastic rejoic- ings of the entire popu- lace. In tlic carlv au- tunui Francis, feeling the hand of death upon him, was carried to his beloved Porziuncola, that he might breathe his last sigh where his vocation had been re- vealed to him and whence his order had struggled into sight. On the way thither he asked to be set down, and with painful effort he invoked a beautiful 1 1 1 c s s i n_fc_ftn_^Asai4» wliich, however, his own eyes could no longer discern. The saint's last days were passed at the Porziun- cola in a tiny hut, near the chapel, that served as an infirmary. The arrival there about this time of the Lady Jacoba of Settesoli, who had come with her two sons and a great retinue to bid Francis farewell, caused some consternation, since women were for- bidden to enter the friary. But Francis

THE Porziuncola ne.\r Assisi

in his tender gratitude to this Roman noblewoman, who had been such a special benefactor of his order, made an exception in her favour, and "Brother Jacoba", as Francis had named her on account of her fortitude, remained to the last. On the eve of his death, the .saint, in imitation of his Divine Mas- ter, had bread brought to him and broken. This he distributed among those present, blessing Bernard of Quintavalle, his first companion, Elias, his vicar, and all the others in order. "I have done my part,' he said next, "may Christ teach you to do yours." Then wishing to give a last token of detachment and to show he had no longer anything in com- mon with the world, Francis removed his poor habit and lay down on the bare ground, covered with a borrowed cloth, rejoicing that he was able to keep faith with his Lady Poverty to the end. After a while he asked to have read to him the Passion ac- cording to St. John, and then in faltering tones he himself intoned Psalm cxli. At the concluding verse, "Bring my soul out of prison", Francis was led away from earth by "Sister Death", in whose praise he had shortly before added a new strophe to his "Canticle of the Sun". It w:as Saturday evening, 3 October, 1 226. Francis being ihen iiiJlie forty-fifth