had my failings as well.  So come then into the service of Jesus; come to the truth, come here, I bid you.  Do ye not know how I explained the revelation of St. John?  There were many who said that I spoke too much in detail, and went too deep into it.  There stood the angel before the ass, and wanted it to go out into the field, but Balaam smote it; and ye know not how much opposition I must yet undergo.  The lazy monks were the first who called me a fool and revolutionist, and on the other side stood the weak and the simple, who said in their innocent faith:  “Oh, if we could only do what He teaches!” Then I had war with the citizens and the great judges of this time, whom my manner of preaching did not please.  I was between two walls; the angel warned me, threatening eternal death from this road, and I received Balaam’s blows.  Ye know my persecution and my danger; but I knew that I was on the way to victory and said always:  No human being can drive my cause from the world.  Balaam, thou leanest thy foot against the walls, but do as thou wilt, I will crush thy foot; I leaned on the wall, on Christ, I leaned on His grace, I hoped; leave off thine anger and threatening, thou canst not get me away from the wall.  I say to all of you:  Come to the truth, forsake your vice and your malice, that I may not have to tell you of your grief.  I say it to you, O Italy, I say it to you, O Rome, I say it to all of you; return and do penance.  There stands before you the holy truth; she can not fall; she can not bend or give way; wait not until the blows fall.

In everything am I opprest; even the spiritual power is against me with Peter’s mighty key.  Narrow is my path and full of trouble; like Balaam’s ass, I must throw myself on the ground and cry:  “See, here I am; I am ready to die for the truth.”  But when Balaam beat his fallen beast, it said to him:  “What have I done to thee?” So I say to you:  “Come here and tell me:  what have I done to you?  Why do you beat me?  I have spoken the truth to you; I have warned you to choose a virtuous life; I have led many souls to Christ.”  But you answer:  “Thou hast spoken evil of us, therefore, thou shouldst suffer the stripes thou deservest.”  But I named no one, I only blamed your vices in general.  If you have sinned, be angry with yourselves, not with me.  I name none of you, but if the sins I have mentioned are without question yours, then they and not I make you known.  As the smitten beast asked Balaam, so I ask you:  “Tell me, am I not your ass? and do you not know that I have been obedient to you up to this very moment, that I have even done what my superiors have commanded, and have always behaved myself peaceably?” You know this, and because I am now so entirely different, you may well believe that a great cause drives me to it.  Many knew me as I was at first; if I remained so I could have had as much honor as I wanted.  I lived six years among you, and now I speak otherwise, nevertheless