Chapter CXII. Of the Food and Cloth which Pie Desired at his Death

When he was ailing in the habitation of St. Mary of the Angels with the last sickness by which he died, on a certain day he called his fellow to him, saying, "You know how the lady Jacqueline of Settesoli was and is very faithful and devoted to our Order. And therefore I believe that she will hold it for a great grace and consolation if you would signify my state to her, and send specially to her to send me some religious garments in colour like to ashes, and that with the cloth she should send also some of that sweetmeat which she has often made for me in the City." But the Romans call that sweetmeat mostaccioli, which is made of almonds and sugar and other things. For that lady was truly spiritual, and one of the richest and best-born widows of all Rome; who, by the merits and preaching of blessed Francis, had received so much grace from the Lord, that she seemed like another Magdalene, ever full of tears and devotion for the love and sweetness of Christ. They wrote therefore a letter as the holy man said, and a certain friar went seeking some brother to carry the letter to the aforesaid lady. And immediately there was a knock at the door of the habitation. And when the door was opened by a friar, behold the lady Jacqueline was there, who had come in great haste to visit blessed Francis; and with great pleasure he told him how lady Jacqueline had come from Rome, with her son, and many others, to visit him. And he said, "What shall we do, Father? Shall we allow her to enter and come to thee? " (But this he said, because it had been ordered that at that place, with the will of St. Francis, no woman should enter, on account of the great seemliness and devotion of it.) And the holy Father said, "This rule is not to be observed with that Lady, seeing that her great faith and devotion has made her come hither from distant parts." The dame entered therefore to the blessed man, shedding many tears before him. And behold a wonder! She brought a shroud cloth (that is, of ashen colour) for a tunic, and all the things which were contained in the letter she had fetched with her, as if she had received it. And the dame said to the friars, "My brethren, it was said unto me in the spirit when I was praying, "Go and visit thy Father, blessed Francis, and delay not, for if thou delayest much, thou wilt not find him alive; and carry with thee such a cloth for a tunic, and such and such things; and thou shalt make him that sweetmeat. Take with thee likewise a great quantity of wax for lights, and also of incense." (But this was not contained in the letter that should have been sent.) And thus it was that He Who inspired kings to go with gifts to honour His Son in the time of His nativity, inspired also that noble and holy lady to go with gifts to honour His most beloved servant in the day of his death, nay, of his true birth. That lady, therefore, prepared the dish of which the holy Father had desired to eat. But he ate little thereof, because he grew continually weaker, and drew nearer to death. She caused also many candles to be made which should burn after his death before his most holy body. But of the cloth, the friars made for him a tunic, in which he was buried. But he himself ordered the friars to sew a sack over him, in token and in example of humility and Lady Poverty. And in that week in which dame Jacqueline came, our most holy Father passed away to the Lord,