the subjects are inclined to humility, when they see the prelates and the greater ones coperating in their enterprises and labors."

Therefore, that faithful disciple and imitator of Christ,^a while he was in good health, practiced what he taught the brothers.

[8]

One day when blessed Francis lay sick in the palace of the bishop of Assisi, one of the brothers, a spiritual and holy man, smiling and playfully, said to him: "You will sell all your sackcloth to the Lord for a good price! Many canopies and silk coverings will hang over this body of yours now clothed in sackcloth." At the time blessed Francis, on account of his illness, wore a fur cap covered with sackcloth as well as a tunic of sackcloth. With great fervor of spirit and joy blessed Francis—not himself, but the Holy Spirit through him—answered: "You're right because that's how it will be."

[9]

 While he was staying in that palace, blessed Francis, realizing that he was getting sicker by the day, had himself carried on a litter to the church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, since he could not ride horseback because of his great illness. When those who were carrying him passed along the road near the hospital, he asked them to place the litter on the ground. Since he could hardly see because of the serious and prolonged eye-disease, he had the litter turned so that he would face the city of Assisi. Raising himself up slightly on the litter, he blessed the city of Assisi. " Lord," he said, "just as I believe that at an earlier time this city was the abode of wicked and evil men, with a bad reputation throughout all this region; so now I realize that, because of Your abundant mercy and in Your own time, You have shown an abundance of Your mercies ^{Ps 51:3 [Vulgate, Ps 50:3]} to it. Now it has become the abode of those who acknowledge You, give glory to Your name, offer the fragrance of good life, doctrine, and good reputation to the whole Christian people. I ask You, therefore, Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies, ^{2 Cor 1:3} not to consider our ingratitude. May it always be mindful of the abundant mercies which You have shown to it, that it always be an abode for those who acknowledge You, and glorify Your name blessed and glorious throughout the ages. ^{Rom 1:25} Amen."

After saying these things, he was carried to Saint Mary of the Portiuncula.

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³et inclinantur subditi ad humilitatem, cum vident prelatos et maiores coadiutores operantium et laborum suorum ».

⁴Unde ipse tanquam fidelis zelator et imitator Christi, dum corpore fuit sanus, operabatur in se, quod docebat fratres suos.

[8]

¹Quadam die cum iaceret infirmus beatus Franciscus in palatio episcopatus Assisii, quidam frater spiritualis et sanctus homo dixit ad illum, quasi ludendo et ridendo : ²« Quantum vendes omnes tuos saccos Domino? Multi baldaquini et panni de syrico ponentur et cooperientur, frater, hoc corpusculum tuum, quod modo indutum est sacco ». ³Habebat enim tunc beatus Franciscus infulam pelliceam propter infirmitatem que cooperta erat de sacco. ⁴Respondit beatus Franciscus ei, non ipse, sed Spiritus Sanctus per ipsum, cum magno fervore spiritus et letitia dicens: « Tu verum dicis, quoniam ita erit ».

[9]

¹Videns beatus Franciscus, dum in eodem palatio maneret, quod cotidie magis gravaretur in infirmitate, fecit se portari in lecto apud ecelesiam S. Marie de Portiuncula, quoniam equitare non poterat propter gravamen sue maxime infirmitatis. ²Cumque qui portabant ipsum, transirent per viam prope hospitale, dixit illis, ut ponerent lectum in terram. ³Et quia propter maximam et longam infirmitatem oculorum quasi videre non poterat, fecit verti lectum, ut teneret faciem versus civitatem Assisii. ⁴Et erigens se parumper in lecto benedixit civitatem Assisii dicens: « Domine, sicut credo, quod hec civitas antiquo tempore fuerit locus et habitatio malorum et iniquorum hominum et inique fame omnibus hiis provinciis ⁵sic video, propter abundantem misericordiam tuam tempore, quo placuerit tibi, ostendisti multitudinem miserationum tuarum in ea, ut esset locus et habitatio illorum, qui te cognoscerent et darent gloriam nomini tuo et odorem bone vite et doctrine et bone fame omni populo christiano. ⁶Rogo te ergo, Domine Iesu Christe, Pater misericordiarum, ut non consideres ingratitudinem nostram, sed recordare semper abundantis misericordie tue, quam ostendisti in ea, ut semper sit locus et habitatio illorum, qui te cognoscant et glorificent nomen tuum benedictum et gloriosum in secula seculorum. Amen ».

⁷Et hiis dictis deportatus fuit ad Sanctam Mariam de Portiuncula.