Chapter XII. Of a clerk whom S. Francis healed and to whom he foretold that he would suffer worse if he sinned again

41. At the time when the holy father lay sick in

<£*. the palace of the Bishop of Rieti a certain dissolute and worldly canon named Gideon had been seized with illness and lay in bed compassed about on every side with pains. He had himself carried before S. Francis and begged him with tears to sign him with the sign of the Cross. But S. Francis said to him, "Since thou hast lived in the past according to the desires of the flesh without fearing God's judgments, how shall I sign thee with the Cross?" Then he said: "I sign thee in Christ's name; but know that if after having been delivered, thou return to thy vomit, thou shalt suffer heavier things". And he continued: "For the sin of ingratitude worse things than the former are ever added". So he made the sign of the Cross over him, and forthwith he who had been bowed together rose up whole, and cried, breaking forth into praise, "I am set free". (Now the bones of his loins, in the hearing of many, made a noise like that of dry pieces of wood broken by the hand.) But after a short time he forgot God and returned to unchastity of body: and one evening when after supper he was sleeping at the house of one of his fellow-canons, the roof suddenly fell in on all the company; the others all escaped death, and that wretched man alone was cut off, and perished. Nor is it wonderful if (as the Saint said) worse evils than the former came upon him; since one ought to be thankful for forgiveness received; and wrongdoing repeated is a double offence.