that they should go by the way of simpleness. He wrote then a rule, after the gospel, to himself and his brethern, had and to be had, which Pope Innocent confirmed. And from then forthon he began to spread more ardently the seeds of the Word of God, and went about cities and castles by a fervent and marvellous desire.
There was a friar which seemed outward of marvellous holiness, and kept silence so straitly that he would not be shriven by words but by signs, and every man praised him as a saint. This holy man Francis came thither and said: 'Leave ye brethern to praise him, for I shall not yet praise him lest it be by feigntise of the devil; let him be warned to be shriven twice in the week by word and speaking, and if he do it not, this is but temptation of the devil and fraudelous deceit.' And then the friars warned him so to do, and he put his finger to his mouth, and shook his head, and showed that in no wise he would confess him. And anon after he returned again to worldly life as a hound to his vomit, and went out of his order, and finished his life in sinful acts and works.
On a time S. Francis was weary of going, and rode upon an ass, and his fellow, one Leonard of Assisi, was also weary of going, and S. Francis began to think thus and to say in himself: 'His kin and my kin were not like'; and incontinent he alighted down, and said to the friar: 'It appertaineth not to me to ride and thee to go afoot, for thou art more noble than I am.' And the friar was abashed, and kneeled down and required pardon.
On a time a poor labourer was almost lost in a
