Here at this fountain San Giovanni Gualberto, the founder of the monastery, journeying from Florence alone in search of some retired hermitage in which to hide himself, paused one summer's day in the year 1008. He was of one of the most noble and ancient families of Tuscany —his father, Gualberto Visdomini, claiming to come from the royal race of the Carlovingians (the first of his family having been created cavaliere by Charlemagne), and his mother being an Aldobrandini, of the direct line of Hugo, Duke of Tuscany. Indeed, according to the historian Pietro Monaldo, his ancestry went much further back, even to the times of Catiline, from whom he directly descended. After that famous conspiracy of ancient Rome was foiled by Cicero, and its chief was driven from the city, two congiunti of his came to Umbria, and there established themselves. The one who came to Florence took the name of Visdomini, and was the ancestor of San Giovanni.

GIOVANNI's revenge AND CONVERSION. 23

The young Giovanni was brought up in the exercise of arms, and received the education of a gentleman. He was naturally of a fiery disposition. His early manhood had been given to wildness, worldliness, and dissipation at least, if not debauchery, and his conversion to a monastic life was sudden and remarkable. One of his friends, also a Visdomini, in a violent quarrel with his brother Hugo, lost all command of himself, and in a sudden fit of passion plunged his dagger into Hugo's breast and killed him on the spot. Giovanni, furious at his assassination, swore to avenge it. Visdomini fled, and for a time Giovanni pursued him in vain; but at last, on the morning of Good Friday, in the year 1003, as he was going escorted by his bodyguard to Florence, they met in a narrow pathway in the forest, escarped on either side with high rocks, where there was no escape. Drawing his sword, Giovanni told him to prepare for instant death; but his opponent, instead of de

fending himself, dropped on his knees, and spreading out his arms and hands in the form of a cross, besought Giovanni to remember the day, to spare his life, and to grant him that mercy which otherwise he himself might vainly sue for in another life. Something there was in the mode of his prayer, and the expression, tone, and attitude of the man, which seemed to have touched to the quick the sensitive spirit of Giovanni, and operated an instant revolution of feeling and purpose. He forgave him on the spot, assisted him to rise, and dismissed him in safety with his blessing. He then at once repaired to the neighbouring monastery, at San Miniato, and there prostrated himself before a crucifix in prayer. As he gazed up, the figure of Christ bent his head to him, as if in approval of his act of clemency. The miracle so affected him that he at once went to the abbot, solemnly abjured his former life and courses, and begged to enter the confraternity as a brother monk.

The

GIOVANNI REFUSES TO BE ABBOT.

25

abbot at first refused to receive him, fearing the rage of his father, but finally consented, and Giovanni then took the religious vows in April 1004.

From this time forward he was no longer the same man, but distinguished himself by his humility, piety, and devotion to his new calling, and soon acquired so great a reputation and influence, that on the death of the abbot in 1008, he was unanimously chosen to take his place. This office, however, he could not be induced to accept, declaring himself, in his humility, to be unfitted for it in any way-by all his previous life, by his personal wishes, by his general incapacity to guide others and stating that his own desire was rather to seek some peaceful and solitary hermitage, where he might spend his life in silent self-communion and prayer, as a hermit, afar from men and from the possibilities of ambition. Filled with these sentiments, he soon after left the convent, and wan

Here,

dering forth on his solitary way from Florence, ascended the lonely hills of Vallombrosa. weary and thirsting from his hot walk, he stopped beside the fountain which afterwards acquired such celebrity: the cool waters refreshed him ; and enchanted by the magnificent prospect which opened before him, he here determined to stay, persuaded that this was to be the end of his wanderings, to which the hand of God had led him. The forest gave him shelter and food sufficient for his wants; the cool clear spring poured its perennial waters for his drink; and against the fear of serpents and wild animals, which then infested the woods, he found a defence in prayer.

In the neighbourhood were two hermits named Paolo and Guntelmo, who had here established themselves, and were living in two miserable huts. These joined him almost immediately; and little by little, though against his will at first for he desired rather to live in solitude