I N T R O D U C T I O N

isremainsandthatprayershadbeenregularlyofferedathistomb,butourestateshaddwindled,sothatwecouldnotaffordthenecessaryexpenditureandnow,whenmywifehasrestoreditsancientmagnificencetoourhouse,times,alas!havechanged.Thegoodoldcustomsofourfathershavefallenintodisuse,anditisimpossibletocreateasaintforreadymoney.However,mywifedesiredtopublishanaccountofherpiousancestor.ButadifficultyaroseinthefactthattherewerenomaterialswhateverforanyrelationofthelifewhichFraGiulianoledwhenhehadenteredtheFranciscanmonasteryofCampomassa,anditwasobviousthat,eveniftherehadbeengoodworks,prayerandfastingcouldnothaveaffordedaveryinterestingstoryandsowehavebeenconstrainedtoleaveuntoldhispietiesandrecountinsteadhissins,forwhichtherewaseveryfacilityinthememoirshehadhimselfleftbehindhim. Notcontentwithwritingthestoryofhisownlife,FraGiulianobeginswithamythicalConsuloftheRomanRepublic,whoissupposedtohavefoundedthefamilybyasomewhatdiscreditableunionwithsomebodyelse'swife.Hethencarriesthestorythroughcountlessagestillhearrivesathisownconception,andtheprodigiesattendinghisbirth,whichhedescribeswithgr