_--St. Louis,
King of France, went on pilgrimage to visit the sanctuaries of the
world; and hearing the most great fame of the holiness of Brother
Giles, who had been among the first companions of St. Francis, put it
in his heart, and determined assuredly that he would visit him
personally; wherefore he came to Perugia, where was then staying the
said brother. And coming to the gate of the place of the Brothers, with
few companions, and being unknown, he asked with great earnestness for
Brother Giles, telling nothing to the porter who he was that asked. The
porter, therefore, goes to Brother Giles, and says that there is a
pilgrim asking for him at the gate. And by God it was inspired in him
and revealed that it was the King of France; whereupon quickly with
great fervour he left his cell and ran to the gate, and without any
question asked, or ever having seen each other before, kneeling down
together with greatest devotion, they embraced and kissed each other
with as much familiarity as if for a long time they had held great
friendship; but all the while neither the one nor the other spoke, but
stayed, so embraced, with such signs of charitable love, in silence.
And so having remained for a great while, they parted from one another,
and St. Louis went on his way, and Brother Giles returned to his cell.
And the King being gone, one of the brethren asked of his companion who
he was, who answered that he was the King of France.
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