Chapter CII. How he Foresaw the Fall of a Friar Unwilling to Confess Under an Appearance of Silence

There was a certain friar outwardly of honest and holy conversation, who by day and night seemed solicitous concerning prayer, and in such wise observed continual silence, that sometimes when he would confess to the priest he used to confess by signs only and not by words. For he seemed so devout and fervent in the love of God that sometimes sitting with his brethren even though he did not speak, yet he rejoiced greatly within and without on hearing such good words, so that from this he drew other friars to devotion. But when he had remained some years in this kind of life, it happened that blessed Francis came to the habitation where he was staying. Who, when he heard from the friars his conversation, said to them, "Know in truth that it is because of a diabolical temptation that he does not wish to confess." In the meantime the Minister-General came there to visit the holy man and began to commend that one to the blessed man. And the blessed one said to him, "Believe me, brother, that friar, since he is led by an evil spirit, will be deceived." The Minister-General said, "It seems strange to me, and almost incredible, that this could be of a man who has so many signs and works of holiness." And the holy man said to him, "Prove him," saying to the friar, "Brother, I wish that you should confess twice in a week." But he placed his finger over his mouth, shaking his head and showing by signs that he did not wish to do this for the love of silence. But the Minister, fearing to scandalise him, let him go. And not many days after, that friar left the Order of his own will, and returned to the world, wearing the secular dress.

But so it was, that while on a day two of the companions of the blessed man were walking by a certain road, they came upon him walking alone like a very poor pilgrim. And having compassion on him, they said, "Oh wretched one, where is thy honest and holy conversation? For thou wast unwilling to speak and to show thyself to thy brethren, and now thou goest wandering through the world, like a man ignorant of God." But he began to speak to them, swearing often "by his faith," like the men of this world. And they said to him, "Wretched man, why dost thou swear by thy faith like lay-folk, thou who was wont to be silent, not only from idle words, but from all speech? "And so they left him, and a little after he died. And we wondered greatly, seeing what blessed Francis had predicted of him in the time when the wretched one was reputed a saint by the friars to be true to the letter.