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FRANCIS OF ASSISI 423 politics were always extremely liberal. When the prosecution of Hastings began in 1786, its leaders would have committed the manage- ment to Francis. The house of commons, however, because of his personal quarrel with Hastings, refused twice, by large majorities, to permit this appointment, and Burke, Fox, and Windham labored in vain to change this deter- mination. Francis, however, consented to a written request of the committee of managers inviting him to aid them in their labors, and passed many years in this occupation. When others tired, he never flagged. He embittered the existence of his enemy, and no doubt de- stroyed his own peace in the effort. Hastings, however, finally triumphed and was acquitted. When the French revolution broke out, Fran- cis was its firm friend, and became an active member of the revolutionary association of "Friends of the People." He was defeated at the election of 1796, when he stood for Tewkesbury, but in 1802 was returned by Lord Thanet for the borough of Appleby, and con- tinued to sit for that borough while he re- mained in parliament. He sustained Fox and Grey in their plans of reform, and advocated the abolition of the slave trade with unfailing ardor. In October, 1806, on the formation of the Grenville ministry, Francis was made a knight of the bath. It is believed that it was also designed to send him to India as governor- general, but this appointment never took place. He retired from parliament in 1807, and after- ward wrote pamphlets and political articles in the newspapers. From the obscurity of old age he was suddenly recalled to the attention of the public. In 1816 John Taylor published his "Junius identified with a Distinguished Living Character," viz., Sir Philip Francis. The argument is ingenious, the coincidences are remarkable, and his authorship has since been maintained by several other writers ; but none of Francis's acknowledged writings equal the fierce eloquence of Junius. The represen- tations of what Francis himself said on the subject are contradictory. (See JUNIUS.) He was the author of about 26 political pamphlets. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, a saint of the Roman ' Catholic church, and founder of the order of Franciscans, born in Assisi in 1182, died near that city, Oct. 4, 1226. His father was Pie- tro Bernardone, a wealthy merchant, and his mother Pica Moriconi. Bernardone was trav- elling in France when the child was born, and the mother had him baptized under the name of Giovanni. On his return the father added the surname of Francesco, in remembrance of the country where he had made his fortune ; and as the boy while growing up spoke French with ease, he was exclusively known as Fran- cesco. He led a gay life until he was captured in a civil conflict of Assisi with Perugia, and kept for a year prisoner in the city of his ene- mies. During his detention he formed the design of renouncing the world ; and fancying that he heard one day while praying in a church a voice from the crucifix, bidding him repair the falling walls of Christ's house, he gave the proceeds of some goods he had sold to the priest of the church, offering himself as an assistant. This act brought upon him the displeasure of his father, who threatened if he persisted to deprive him of his inheritance. But neither this threat nor the popular ridicule which salu- ted his seeming insanity could turn him from his purpose. He formally renounced his right of heirship, emptied his pockets, and even stripped himself of his clothing, putting on the cloak of a laborer. He was then (1206) 24 years old. From this time he gave himself ex- clusively to works of piety and charity. He begged in the streets for money to repair the church, and assisted the masons by carrying the stones with his own hands. He frequented the hospitals, washing the feet and kissing the ulcers of the lepers. Sometimes he was stripped of his coarse raiment by robbers, and sometimes he gave it to the poor whom he met by the way. His exceeding humility in dress and demeanor began after a time to win sympathy for him. Prominent men desired to imitate him, and to become his companions. The rich merchant Bernardo de Quintavalle, in whose house Fran- cis had been a guest, sold all his estate, dis- tributed it to the poor, and came to pray with his friend. To him was soon joined a canon of the cathedral, Pietro di Catana. These brethren received the dress of Francis, a coarse robe of serge girded with a cord, Aug. 16, 1209, from which day the foundation of the Francis- can order properly dates. At the beginning Francis and his companions occupied a little cottage just outside the walls of the city ; but as their number increased they removed to the premises of the Portiuncula, which had been offered them by the Benedictines, refusing, however, to accept this as a gift. He slept upon the ground, with a block of wood or stone for his pillow, ate his scanty food cold, with ashes strewed upon it, sewed his garments with packthread to make them coarser, rolled him- self in snow to extinguish the fires of sensual desire, obeyed the orders of his novices, fasted long and rigorously, and shed tears so freely that he became nearly blind. He preached wherever he could find hearers, yet he would never take priest's orders, and contented him- self with the humble place of a deacon. He abhorred disputes and controversies, held up the spirit of peace as the only Christian spirit, and, amid the fierce and bloody contentiona which desolated Italy in the 13th century, made his followers act everywhere a8 peace- makers. He was a zealous missionary, and mad long journeys in behalf of the Catholic faith. His cherished design was to lay down his life in the Holy Land in behalf of Christ's religion. His first attempt to reach Syria proved ineffectual ; contrary winds hindered his vessel. But the plan was not relinquished, and after a brief sojourn in Acre, he joined the camp of the crusaders at Damietta in 1219.