Chapter VIII. How Friar Juniper abased himself for the glory of God

The Little Flowers of St. Francis, tr. by W. Heywood, [1906], at sacred-texts.com

CHAPTER VIII

How Friar Juniper abased himself for the glory of God

ONCE Friar Juniper, desiring to utterly abase himself, stripped himself stark naked save for his breeches, and, having made as it were a bundle of his habit, put his clothes upon his head, and thus naked entered Viterbo, and gat him to the public piazza to be jeered at. As he stood there naked, the children and youths, deeming him out of his senses, treated him with great despite, casting much mud upon him, and pelting him with stones, and pushing him about, now this way and now that, with words of great derision; and thus tormented and derided he stayed there the greater part of the day, and afterward, all naked as he was, he betook himself to the convent. And seeing

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him in such case the friars were very wrath with him. And especially because he had come thus naked through all the city with his bundle on his head, they rebuked him very harshly, and threatened him with grievous penalties. And one said: "Let us put him in prison"; and another said: "Let us hang him; no punishment could be too great for such an ill example as he hath set this day, both touching himself and all the Order". And Friar Juniper replied joyfully and with all humility: "Ye speak well and truly, for I am worthy of all these punishments and of many more".