Although he was pleased that he helped and served them, the holy father said this because he did not want him to take those with severe sores outside the hospital because people abhorred them.

After he said these things, blessed Francis immediately reproached himself, and he told his fault to Brother Peter of Catanio, who was then there, especially because blessed Francis believed that in reproving Brother James he had shamed the leper. And because of this he told his fault, to make amends to God and to the leper. Blessed Francis said to Brother Peter: "I tell you to confirm for me the penance I have chosen to do for this, and do not oppose me in any way."

Brother Peter told him: "Brother, do as you please."

Brother Peter so venerated and feared blessed Francis, and was so obedient to him, that he would not presume to change his obedience.

Blessed Francis said: "Let this be my penance: I will eat together with my Christian brother from the same dish."^a

While blessed Francis was sitting at the table with the leper and other brothers, a bowl was placed between the two of them. The leper was completely covered with sores and ulcerated, and especially the fingers with which he was eating were deformed and bloody, so that whenever he put them in the bowl, blood dripped into it.

Brother Peter and the other brothers saw this, grew very sad, but did not dare say anything out of fear of the holy father.

The one who wrote this, saw it and bore witness to it.

[33]^b

When blessed Francis remained alone one night to pray in the Church of Saint Peter of Bovaria, near the leper hospital of Trebio,^c he felt a diabolical illusion. He got up and signing himself said: "On behalf of Almighty God, I tell you, demons, you may do in my body whatever God told you."

And Brother Peter, his companion, saw in the church that throne that had been Lucifer's, so that the response to him was that it was reserved for blessed Francis.

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⁴Hoc autem dixit sanctus pater, quia, licet placeret sibi, ut ipsos iuvaret et eis serviret, nolebat tamen, ut duceret illos, qui erant valde plagati, extra hospitale, quia homines abhorrebant tales.

⁵Et hiis dictis beatus Franciscus statim reprehendit se et dixit inde suam culpam fratri Petro Chatanii, qui tunc erat ibi, maxime quia credidit beatus Franciscus de reprehensione fratris Iacobi leprosum verecundari. ⁶Et propter hoc dixit inde suam culpam, ut Deo et leproso satisfaceret. ⁷Et ait beatus Franciscus fratri Petro: « Penitentiam, quam volo inde facere, dico tibi, ut michi confirmes et penitus michi non contradicas ».

⁸Dixit ad eum frater Petrus: « Fiat, sicut tibi placuerit ».

⁹Nam frater Petrus tantum venerabatur et timebat beatum Franciscum et tantum erat ei obediens, quod non presumebat mutare obedientiam eius.

¹⁰Dixit beatus Franciscus: « Hec sit penitentia mea, scilicet ut comedam simul in una parapside cum fratre christiano ».

¹¹Et factum est, dum sederet beatus Franciscus ad mensam cum leproso et aliis fratribus, apposita est scutella inter ambos. ¹²Leprosus autem erat totus ulceribus vulneratus et maxime digitos, cum quibus comedebat, habebat contractos et sanguinolentos ita, ut semper, dum micteret eos in scutellam, deflueret in ea sanguis.

¹³Videns autem hoc frater Petrus et alii fratres contristati sunt valde, sed nichil audebant dicere propter timorem sancti patris.

¹⁴Qui scripsit hoc, vidit et testimonium perhibuit.

[33]

¹Cum beatus Franciscus solus remansisset quadam nocte ad orandum in ecclesia sancti Petri de Bovaria prope hospitale leprosorum de Trebio et sensisset illusionem diabolicam, surrexit et signans se dixit: ²« Ex parte Dei omnipotentis dico vobis, demones, ut, quiequid dictum fuerit vobis a Deo, exerceatis in corpore meo ». ³Et in ecclesia vidit frater Pacificus socius eius illam sedem, que fuit Luciferi, ut fuit ei responsum, reservari beato Francisco.