How Friar Giles was miraculously provided for in his great need, when by reason of the snow he could not go to beg alms
FRIAR GILES being at Rome and sojourning in the house of a Cardinal, when the greater Lent drew nigh, found not that quiet of mind which he desired, and said unto the Cardinal: “My father, by your leave I desire for my peace to go with my companion to keep this Lent in some solitary place”. Messer the Cardinal made answer: “Alas! my dearest friar, whither wouldst thou go? The famine is sore in the land, and as yet ye are strangers here, be ye content, I pray you, to abide in my court, for it will be for me a singular privilege to cause to be given unto you, for the love of God, that whereof ye have need.” But Friar Giles was determined to go; and he departed from Rome, and went into a high mountain where of old time there had been a town, and he found there a deserted Church, which was called after St. Lawrence; and he and his companion entered therein, and continued in prayer and in much meditation; and, since they were not known, they received but little reverence and devotion; wherefore they suffered great want; and in addition thereto there came a great snowstorm which lasted many days. They were not able to leave the Church and nothing was sent them to [ p. 230 ] eat, and they themselves had nothing; and they remained so shut up for three whole days and nights. Friar Giles, perceiving that he could not live by the labour of his hands and that he could not go out to beg alms, said to his companion: “Dearest brother mine, let us call upon our Lord with a loud voice, that of His compassion He may provide for us in our great extremity and need; for once certain monks being in great need called upon God and the Divine Providence supplied all their wants”. Wherefore, after the ensample of those monks, they betook themselves to prayer, beseeching God with all their hearts that He would help them in their so great need. God, who is highest pity, regarded their faith and simplicity and fervour on this wise. A certain man, as he looked toward the Church where were Friar Giles and his companion, being inspired of God, said within himself: “Peradventure there are in that church some good persons who are doing penance, and who, by reason of this exceeding great snow, lack the necessities of life, and are therefore like to die of hunger”; and, being moved thereto by the Holy Ghost, he said: “Of a surety I will go thither to learn whether my imagination be true or no”; and he took slime loaves and a vessel of wine and set out on his way; and with exceeding great difficulty he came unto the Church aforesaid, where he found Friar Giles and his companion praying most devoutly; and they were so much worn with hunger that their appearance was rather that of dead men than of living. He had great compassion on them, and, when they were refreshed and comforted, he returned and told unto his neighbours the extremity and great need of these friars and urged and besought them for God’s sake to provide for them: wherefore many, after his ensample, brought them [ p. 231 ] bread and wine and other things necessary for their sustenance, for the love of God; and through all that Lent they took such order among them that they were provided for in their necessities. And Friar Giles, considering the great mercy of God and the charity of those folk, said unto his companion: “My dearest brother, even until now have we prayed God that He would provide for us in our need, and we have been heard; therefore is it meet that we give Him thanks and glory, and pray for those who have fed us with their alms and for all Christian people”. And for his great fervour and devotion, God granted so much grace to Friar Giles that many, after his ensample, left this blind world, and many others which were not minded to be religious did very great penance in their own homes.
Of the day of the death of the holy Friar Giles
ON the vigil of St. George at the hour of matins, when two and fifty years had gone by (for on the first day of the month he had received the habit of St. Francis), the soul of Friar Giles was received by God into the glory of Paradise, to wit upon the Feast of St. George.
How a holy man, being in prayer, beheld the soul of Friar Giles go to the life eternal
A GOOD man, being in prayer, when Friar Giles passed from this life, saw his soul go up to heaven, together with a multitude of other souls which [ p. 232 ] at that hour came forth from Purgatory; and he saw Jesus Christ come to meet the soul of Friar Giles, and, with a multitude of Angels and all those souls, ascend into the glory of Paradise, to a great sound of sweet music.
How through the merits of Friar Giles, the soul of a friend of a certain Preaching Friar was delivered from the pains of Purgatory
WHEN Friar Giles lay sick of that sickness whereof a few days after he died, a friar of St. Dominic fell sick even unto death. Now this man had a friend who was a friar; and the said friend, seeing him draw nigh unto death, said unto the sick friar: “My brother, I desire that, if God permit, thou return to me after thy death and tell me how thou farest”. The sick man promised to return if it should be possible. Friar Giles died the same day, and, after his death, [the said Preaching Friar] appeared unto the living Preaching Friar, and said: “It was the will of God that I should keep my promise to thee”. Said the living to the dead: “How is it with thee?” The dead made answer: “It is well, because I died on the same day whereon a holy Minor Friar, by name Friar Giles, departed from this life, unto whom, by reason of his great sanctity, Jesus Christ granted that he should lead to Paradise all the souls which were in Purgatory, among whom was 1, in great torment; and by the merits of Friar Giles I am delivered therefrom”. And when he had said this he suddenly vanished away; and that friar revealed not the vision to any man. The said friar fell sick, and anon suspecting that God had [ p. 233 ] smitten him because he had not revealed the virtue and. the glory of Friar Giles, he sent for the Minor Friars and there came unto him five couples; and, when they were assembled, together with the Preaching Friars, he revealed unto them the aforesaid vision with great devotion; and after that they had inquired diligently, they found clearly that they two had departed this life on the self-same day.
How God had given graces unto Friar Giles, and of the year of his death
FRIAR BUONAVENTURA of Bagnoreggio was wont to say of Friar Giles that God had given and granted unto him special grace for all those who commended themselves unto him with devout intention as touching those things which appertain unto the soul. He wrought many miracles in his life, and after his death, as appeareth from his Legend; and he passed from this life to the glory supernal in the year of Our Lord M.CC.LII., (1252) on the day of the Feast of St. George, and was buried at Perugia in the convent of the Minor Friars.