Chapter XLVII. How he induced some secular knights to seek alms

77. When blessed Francis, full of infirmities and now drawing near to his end, was at the "place "at Nocera, the people of Assisi sent messengers, formally appointed, to demand delivery of his person; that they might not, as touching the man of God's body, "give their glory to another". And as the knights were reverently bringing him home on horseback they came to a very poor village called Satriano; where, as hunger and the time of day called for food, they went about, but finding nothing for sale, came back to blessed Francis saying, "Thou must give us of thine alms, for here we can buy nothing". The Saint replied, "You find not because you trust more in your flies than in God. (Now he called pieces of money 'flies'.) But go again round the houses you have visited, and humbly ask for alms, tendering the love of God instead of money. Be not ashamed, for, after sin, all things are given us as alms, and the great Almsgiver is in His loving-kindness bountiful to the worthy and to the unworthy." The knights put shame aside, readily asked for alms and bought more for the love of God than they had for money; for all vied in giving to them gladly, nor had hunger any power where opulent poverty prevailed.