The Well of Saint Clare

"I will tempt that man yonder." He conceived this purpose in his spirit, because he had seen Fra Giovanni, girt about with a cor

parkling with precious stones, that flashed like actual fire in the sunlight. His cope was covered with f

er that of a Virgin St. Catherine and the Empress Helena. The loveliness of the faces troubled the mind and saddened the hea

Ambrose, the glory of Milan, Satan pursued his wa

the holy man, he h

be wi

as; and Fra Giovanni supposed it was the

ancy. That is why Jesus Christ has changed the wooden cross to a golden in the hands of this gallant Confessor of the Faith. To-day he is powerf

and he was in no wise abashed. So saluti

are so lovely, 'tis no wonder if the Saints of Paradise come to walk here; they are painted

an said

uries, held many high disputations in the Church. Amid the assembled Doctors my voice would boom forth like thunder, and my thoughts flash

anni mad

or? I know nothing, and my simplicity is such I can keep nothing in my head but thos

mirror o

eart and mak

r

y, Maid o

the Heave

tan an

ll too small to contain so many. In the same fashion I will pack ideas into your head that no one would have dreamed it could ever hold; and I will fill you with a new wisdom. I will sh

humbled him

a fool, and do nothi

tan ask

poverty? "-and th

is a pearl

tan re

l the while you are robbing the poor of a pa

ondered over t

Son of God. In giving to the poor, I am giving not to men, but to God, as the citizens pay tax to the Podestà, and the rate is for the City, which of the money it so receives supplies the town's needs. Now what I give is for paving the City of God. It is a vain thing to b

iled, an

Greece, Diogenes by name, who taught at their Universities

an said

despise the good

Giovanni

despis

an said

father, Adam, when he was commanded, 'In the sweat of thy face, thou shalt eat bread.' Seeing work is good, the fruit of this work is good too. Yet you wo

the world. Wherefore never heed me, but read in the Book. Our Lord said, 'Consider the lilies of the field; they toi

re of one who disputes and prepares to count

r. It is written the lilies of the field have no need to spin-because they are beautiful, and beauty is a virtue. Again it is written how Mary is not to do the household tasks, because she is d

ni mad

my soul and my similitude with a wondrous exactness. And I am altogether what you describe. But if I followed perfectly the rule etablished by St. Fra

terrupted hi

fer the rich man and his riches, and adore

Giovanni

he good things of the body

tan re

of through the flesh. This Epicurus taught, and

he holy man only

not tell wh

ed his shoul

gory and him of the Golden Mouth, St. Chrysostom. And they comprehended me still less. Miserable men walk groping in the

again to the ho

re only stirred by sorrow, and their meditations by grief. Then, tortured by fears and desires, he

Giovanni

nce listening to you. Yo

tre and his cope; and stood there naked and unashamed. He w

ly, and said t

forted. I am th