About some of the punishments that the Lord gave to those that atrociously persecuted the poor Congregation

428 “I don’t want to joke with Saint Francis” 429 Punishment of religious persons 430 Punishment of seculars

(428) Just as our Lord Jesus Christ never failed to help and defend the poor Congregation, so he didn’t fail to check the conceit, the audacity and anger of the adversaries by giving them a just punishment sometimes. For within a month of their persecuting our Congregation the Lord God took from the earth three great personages. It is unfitting for me to name them. This was quite well known in public in such a way that when the Father Guardian of Rome went to a great personage in order to petition about a certain need of the Congregation, the personage said, “It is a pleasure to do whatever I can for you. You will always find me very ready to do so. I don’t want to joke with Saint Francis. The Lord God has already sent to death those who wanted to harm you. The power of Saint Francis and his holy Order is too great. You have killed them. I don’t want you to kill me. And also the Lord God is too ready to hear the prayers of his servants in his holy service whom he wants to be honoured and helped. Therefore my Fathers, come gladly.”

(429) Punishment was not lacking to a Religious who His Holiness confessed. That Religious attacked the poor Congregation very much, and struck him with insanity in such a way that quite mad he died miserably.

Another one, also a Religious, with great malice sought to take Friars from the Congregation. The just vengeance of God came upon him not long after. For when he wanted to collect some fruit, he fell from the tree and broke his neck and died with being able to say a single word.

(430) A secular person boasted of having taken three novices from the Order. A little later his three sons were killed.

What happened in the region of Spello was no less. One man took his son from the Carcerelle in Assisi. When he returned him the son died within a month. The son was no sooner buried and his father died also.

In the city of Spoleto four people removed a novice and led him home. The one who was the instigator incurred a very grave illness by the end of the month. He became frantic. There were six men and they were unable to keep him in bed. He always said, “A Friar is the cause of my sickness.” Mad, he died miserably without receiving any of the sacraments of the Church. Two of them died suddenly. The fourth said these words, “There were four of us who were there to take him away. They have all died badly except for me. May God help me!” It was amazing, because a short while later he fell off a ladder. He too died a violent death.

A nobleman kidnapped a young friar with great violence in the city of Perugia. Not long after he was imprisoned for a crime in the Rocca of Assisi and was condemned to death. However he had such great favour that he was freed, paying the court everything he possessed in the world. Later the young man led a good and holy life. He was a close acquaintance with another man who was a Priest and who also led a holy life. Because this Priest helped him he bore great love towards him. For a long time he dissuaded him not to take up the Capuchin habit. One day however that Pretino left the city of Perugia, having made up his mind to go off to be clothed. Now when the young man who had been kidnapped by the noble man learned of this he hurried after him and did everything to bring him back home. The Pretino no sooner arrived than he fell ill. After just a few days he died. A little while later that young man became sick. At the end of three of four days he also went to give an account of himself to the Lord God. He learned about turning away the young who want to go into the service of God.

I could relate a countless number of these examples. In writing these I could have put down their names because I have known them all. However I did not write them down because it would not have been fitting. Let these be enough therefore to warn anyone who reads them not to impede anyone who wants to go into the service of God. Because God has established all the holy Orders and His Majesty takes special care of them and wants them to be highly regarded.

To the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.