Chapter CXXI. And Firstly, how he Answered Brother Elias when he Rebuked him for This

When he was lying sick in the palace of the Bishopric of Assisi and the hand of the Lord did seem to be more than of wont heavy upon him, the people of Assisi, fearing lest if he should die by night the friars would bear away his holy body to another city, ordered that every night ward should be diligently kept in the circuit outside the wall of the palace. But the most holy Father himself, that he might comfort his spirit lest it should at any time give way by reason of the violence of the pain by which he was daily and continually afflicted, made the Praises of the Lord to be sung by his companions often in the day, and thus he did also in the night, for the edification and consolation of the lay-folk who were keeping watch in the palace. But Brother Elias, considering that blessed Francis thus comforted himself in the Lord and rejoiced in the midst of such sickness, said to him, "Dearest brother, I am greatly consoled and edified by all the gladness which thou showest, for thee and thy fellows in thine ailments. But though the men of this city venerate thee as a holy man, yet for that they believe firmly that thou art nigh unto death because of thine incurable sickness, hearing these Praises sung by day and night, they may say within themselves, ' Why doth this man show such light-heartedness, who is near death? He ought to be thinking of death.''1 Blessed Francis said to him, "Dost thou remember when thou didst see the vision at Foligno, and didst tell me that a certain man had said unto thee that I should not live more than two years; before that vision thou sawest how, by the grace of God Who suggests all good things to the heart and puts it in the mouth of His faithful, I used often to consider my end, both by day and by night; but from that hour in which thou hadst

His Death seen the vision, I was more solicitous to daily consider the day of my death." And straightway he said with great fervour of spirit, "Suffer me, brother, to rejoice in the Lord, both in His praises and in my infirmities; since by the grace of the Holy Spirit helping me, I am so united and joined to my Lord, that by His mercy may I well rejoice in the Most High,"