The Life of St. Francis of Assisi · 25 of 27

Miracles IX. Of them that did not observe his Feast, and that failed in reverence toward the Saint

1.In the province of Poitou, in a town called Simo, there was a priest named Reginald, devoted unto the Blessed Francis, whose Feast he had notified unto his parishioners as one that should be observed with all solemnity. Nevertheless, one of his flock that knew not the might of the Saint, lightly esteemed the behest of his priest. He went forth into the country to cut wood, and when he had made himself ready for work, heard a voice speaking unto him thrice on this wise: “It is a Feast, it is not lawful to work.” Howbeit his slavish foolhardiness was not to be bridled by the bidding of the priest nor by the utterance of a voice from heaven, wherefore the divine might forthwith added, for the glory of the Saint, a miracle and a chastisement. For at once,—even as he was holding the forked log in one hand, and lifted the other, holding the iron axe, to cut it,—the divine might caused either hand to cleave unto that it held, so that he could not avail to loosen the fingers at all, and set either free. Stricken thereby with exceeding amazement, and knowing not what to do, he hastened unto the church, while many ran together from all sides to see this portent. There, pierced to the heart, he humbly vowed himself, before the altar, unto the Blessed Francis, at the exhortation of one of the priests that were present,—for many priests had been called together, and had come to keep the Feast. Three vows he made, even as he had thrice heard that voice; to wit, that he would observe his Feast; that, on his Feast, he would come unto that church wherein he then was; and that he would go in person unto the tomb of the Saint. Marvellous indeed to relate, as he uttered the first vow, one of his fingers was set free, as he uttered the second, another, at the third vow, a third finger could be unclasped, and thereafter the whole hand, and the other hand to follow, while all the folk, that had now gathered in great numbers, were most devoutly beseeching the mercy of the Saint. Thus the man regained the free use of his hands as afore, and of his own accord laid down his implements, while all praised God, and the marvellous power of the Saint, who had shewn such miraculous power to smite and to heal. And the implements hang unto this day before the altar raised in honour of the Blessed Francis on the spot, in memory of the event. Many other miracles were wrought there and in the neighbourhood, and proved both that the Saint is exalted in heaven, and that his Feast should be observed on earth with all honour.

2.In the city of Mans, moreover, when on the Feast of Saint Francis a certain woman put forth her hand unto her distaff and laid hold on the spindle with her fingers,—her hands stiffened, and her fingers began to be tormented with burning heat. Then, learning by suffering, and recognising the power of the Saint, she was pricked to the heart and ran unto the Brethren. While his devout sons were imploring the mercy of the holy Father on her behalf, she was without delay made whole, nor were her hands in any way hurt, save that there remained only a scar as of a burn, in memory of the event.

In like manner, a woman in greater Campania, and another woman in the town of Oletto, and a third at Piglio, who had thought scorn of observing the Feast of the blessed Father, at the first, when they walked not uprightly, were miraculously punished, but afterward, when they repented, were yet more miraculously released, through the merits of Saint Francis.

3.A certain soldier of Borgo, in the province of Massa, did most irreverently belittle the works of the Blessed Francis, and the signs of his miracles. He heaped insults on the pilgrims that came to honour his memory, and indulged in foolish chatter against the Brethren in public. Once while he was assailing the fame of the Saint of God, he added, over and above his sins, this hateful blasphemy: “If it be true, (saith he), that this Francis is a Saint, let my body fall by the sword this very day; but if he be not a Saint, let me escape unhurt.” The wrath of God tarried not in inflicting a meet punishment upon him, since already his prayer had become sin. For but a short space thereafter, as this blasphemer was insulting his nephew, the youth took a sword, and dyed it in his uncle’s heart’s-blood. Thus on that same day this guilty wretch did die,—a slave of hell and son of darkness,—that all others might learn that the wondrous works of Francis are not to be belittled by blaspheming words, but honoured by devout praises.

4.A certain judge, named Alexander, who by his venomous tongue had withdrawn all those that he could from their devotion unto the Blessed Francis, was by the sentence of God deprived of the use of his tongue, and remained dumb throughout six years. He, being punished by the same member wherewithal he had sinned, was recalled unto deep penitence, and grieved that he had railed against the miracles of the Saint. Accordingly, the anger of the merciful Saint did not endure, but he received him, repentant and humbly invoking his name, into his favour, and restored his speech. Thenceforward he devoted his once blaspheming tongue unto the praises of the Saint, receiving through his chastisement alike a devout spirit and a discipline.