whom I nourish for your love, be brought into the hands and power of the paynims? Fair sweet Lord, I beseech thee that thou keep thy handmaidens and servants; for I may not keep them in this point' And our Lord anon sent of his special grace a voice as it had been a child, which said to her: 'I shall keep you always.' 'O sweet fair Lord, keep this city if it please you, which hath given to us such things as hath been needful to us, for the love of you.' And he answered: 'The city shall have some grievance, but nevertheless I shall keep and defend it' Then this holy virgin S. Clare arose from her prayer, which had yet her visage all bewept, and comforted much sweetly her sisters that wept, and said to them: 'I command you fair daughters that ye comfort you in good faith, and trust ye only in our Lord, for the Saracens shall never do you harm.' Anon then the Saracens had so great dread and fear, that over the walls, and by those places that they had entered, they fled hastily and were in this wise by the orison and prayer of S. Clare destroubled and put from their emprise. Then commanded she to all them that heard the voice that in no manner they should discover ne tell it to any that lived.
On another time it happed that an old squire, full of vain glory, the which was much hardy in battle and was captain of a great host, which Frederick had delivered to him, and came with all his host for to take the city of Assisi, he did do hew down the trees, and destroy the country all about, and besieged the city, and sware that he would not depart thence till he had taken the city, and thus was the
