Chapter LVII. Of the Rustic who Found him Sweeping a Church, and being Converted Entered the Order, and was a Saintly Friar

But when he had gone to a certain village belonging to the city of Assisi, he began to sweep it and clean it. And immediately a rumour of him went through the whole village, for he was gladly seen of those men and more willingly heard. But when a certain rustic of strange simplicity, who was ploughing in his field, John by name, heard this he went straightway to him and found him sweeping the church humbly and devoutly. And he said to him, "Brother, give me the broom, for I wish to help thee," And taking the broom from his hands he swept out the remainder. And while they were sitting together he said to blessed Francis, "Brother, it is now a long time that I have had the will to serve God, and especially after I have heard the rumour of thee and thy brethren, but I knew not how to come to thee. Now therefore, since it has pleased the Lord that I should see thee, I have the will to do whatever shall be pleasing to thee." But the blessed Father, considering his fervour, rejoiced in the Lord, especially for that he had then few brethren, and it seemed to him that for his simplicity and purity this should be a good Religious. But he said to him, "Brother, if thou wilt be of our life and society, thou must strip thee of all that which thou mayest not own without scandal, and give it to the poor, according to the counsel of the Holy Gospel, since all my brethren that were able have done the same." When he had heard this, he went straightway to the field where he had left his cattle, and loosened them and led one of them before blessed Francis, and said to him, "Brother, so many years have I served my father and all them of my house, and though this portion of my heritage be small, I wish to take this ox for my part, and give it to the poor as may seem best to thee." But his parents and his brothers, who were still little, and all of his house, seeing that he would leave them, began to weep so sore and to utter such plaintive noises with grief, that blessed Francis was moved by it to pity, because it was a large family, and feeble. And blessed Francis said to them, "Prepare a feast for us all, and let us all eat together, and weep not, for I will make you truly joyful." So they prepared it forthwith, and all together with great joy did eat. But after meat blessed Francis said, "This,, your son, wishes to serve God, and ye ought not to be saddened because of this, but rather to rejoice. For not only as regards God, but also according to this life it shall be reputed to you great honour and profit of souls and bodies, that God is honoured of your flesh, and all our brothers will be your sons and brothers. And because he is a creature of God, and wishes to serve his Creator, to serve Whom is to reign, I cannot nor ought not to return him unto you, but that ye may have consolation concerning him, I will that he give you that ox as to the poor, though he ought to give it to other poor folk according to the Gospel." And all were consoled with the words of St. Francis, and chiefly they rejoiced on account of the ox, because it was returned to them, since they were very poor. And because pure and holy simplicity in himself and in others greatly pleased blessed Francis, he clothed him with the garments of religion straightway, and led him with him humbly for his fellow. For he was of so great simplicity, that he believed himself bound to all things which blessed Francis did. Whence when the blessed Father stood in any church or in any place to pray, he also wished to see him, that he might conform himself in all his acts and gestures to him. And so if the blessed Father bent his knees, or raised his hands to heaven, or spat, or sighed, he himself did all these things in like manner. But when blessed Francis perceived this, he began with great gladness to reprove him for simplicity of this kind. To whom he answered, "Brother, I promised to do all things which thou didst, and therefore I must conform to thee in all things." And at this the blessed Father wondered and rejoiced wonderfully, beholding in him such purity and simplicity. But he afterwards began to profit so much that blessed Francis and all the other friars wondered greatly at his perfection. And after a little time he died in that holy profit of virtues. Whence afterwards blessed Francis with joy of mind and body was wont to tell amongst the friars of his conversion, naming him not Brother, but Holy, John*