t. Lazarus and others. And for that I made him a free gift of the
Steeps[334] of Monte Morello in the vernacular and of some chapters of
the Caprezio,[335] which he had long gone seeking, he made me a sharer
in his holy relics and gave me one of the teeth of the Holy Rood and
somewhat of the sound of the bells of Solomon's Temple in a vial and
the feather of the Angel Gabriel, whereof I have already bespoken you,
and one of the pattens of St. Gherardo da Villa Magna, which not long
since at Florence I gave to Gherardo di Bonsi, who hath a particular
devotion for that saint; and he gave me also of the coals wherewith
the most blessed martyr St. Lawrence was roasted; all which things I
devoutly brought home with me and yet have. True it is that my
superior hath never suffered me to show them till such time as he
should be certified if they were the very things or not. But now that,
by certain miracles performed by them and by letters received from the
patriarch, he hath been made certain of this, he hath granted me leave
to show them; and I, fearing to trust them to others, still carry them
with me.

[Footnote 333: _i.e._ The Word [made] flesh. Get-thee-to-the-windows
is only a patter tag.]

[Footnote 334: Or Slopes or Coasts (_piaggie_).]

[Footnote 335: ?]

Now I carry the Angel Gabriel's feather, so it may not be marred, in
one casket, and the coals wherewith St. Lawrence was roasted in
another, the which are so like one to other, that it hath often
happened to me to take one for the other, and so hath it betided me at
this present, for that, thinking to bring hither the casket wherein
was the feather, I have brought that wherein are the coals. The which
I hold not to have been an error; nay, meseemeth certain that it was
God's will and that He Himself placed the casket with the coals in my
hands, especially now I mind me that the feast of St. Lawrence is but
two days hence; wherefore God, willing that, by showing you the coals
wherewith he was roasted, I should rekindle in your hearts the
devotion it behoveth you have for him, caused me take, not the
feather, as I purposed, but the blessed coals extinguished by the
sweat of that most holy body. So, O my blessed children, put off your
bonnets and draw near devoutly to behold them; but first I would have
you knew that whoso is scored with these coals, in the form of the
sign of the cross, may rest assured, for the whole year to come, that
fire shall not touch him b