Bernardo being told that his son had returned, and was made the object
of public derision, went immediately in pursuit of him, reproached him
bitterly with his conduct, seized him and dragged him to his house,
where he beat him severely, and confined him in a hole under the
staircase. This severity had no effect in shaking the resolution of
the holy prisoner; he even acquired more firmness, and encouraged
himself to suffer by the words of the Gospel: "Blessed are they that
suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven."

A short time after, when his father was on a journey, his mother, who
did not approve of the severity with which he was treated, and who
moreover had no hope of overcoming his constancy, set him at liberty.
He gave thanks to God for it, and made use of it, to return to the
church of St. Damian. Bernardo, not finding him in his confinement at
his return, was not content with upbraiding his wife in the severest
terms, but went off to St. Damian's to drive him out of the country
if he should not succeed in bringing him back. Francis, to whom God
had given strength, presented himself boldly to his father, and told
him decidedly that he cared not for his blows, nor for his
shackles--that he was prepared willingly to suffer all sorts of evils
for the name of Jesus Christ. His father, seeing that there was nothing
more to hope in his case, thought of nothing further than to get back
the money for the cloth and the horse. He found it in the window where
Francis had thrown it, when the priest refused its acceptance, and
then his wrath was somewhat appeased.

Avarice, which is never satisfied, induced Bernardo to believe that
his son had other money, and he had him summoned before the city