Chapter IV. How, clad|in a poor man's garments, he ate with the poor before S. Peter's church: and of the offering that he made there

8. But even now he was the chief lover of the poor, even now his holy beginnings gave a hint of the perfection he was to attain. Accordingly he often stript himself to clothe the poor, striving already with his whole heart to become like them, though not as yet executing his purpose in deed. Once when going on pilgrimage to Rome he put off his choice apparel for Poverty's sake, and covered with a poor man's clouts joyfully sat down among the poor in the parvis before S. Peter's church (a place abounding in poor), and eagerly ate with them, deeming himself as one of them. Many times he would have done the like, had he not been ashamed of doing it before those who knew him.

When he came to the altar of the chief of the Apostles he wondered that the offerings of the visitors there were so small, and threw down a handful of money at that place, thus pointing out that special honour should be paid by all to him whom God honoured above the rest.

Several times also he presented poor priests with church ornaments; and he paid due respect to them all, even to them of lower degree. For, as one who was about to take on him the apostolic commission and was whole and entire in the Catholic faith, he was from the first full of reverence toward the ministers and service of God.