The Life of St. Francis of Assisi · 22 of 27

Miracles VI. Of them that were delivered from the perils of childbirth

1.A certain Countess in Slavonia, as zealous for righteousness as she was distinguished by her noble birth, glowed with devotion toward Saint Francis, and toward his Brethren with a watchful beneficence. Now, being in childbed, she was wrung by bitter pangs, and brought unto such terrible straits as that it seemed the birth of the child must be the death of the mother. It seemed that the child could not draw breath unless she breathed her last, and that such throes must portend not birth, but death. Then she bethought her of the fame of Saint Francis, of his power, and his glory; her faith was aroused, and her devotion enkindled. She turned her unto that sure help, that faithful friend, that comforter of the devout, that refuge of the sorrowing, saying: “O Saint Francis, all my bones implore thy goodness, and in my mind I make the vows that I cannot speak aloud.” ’Twas marvellous how swiftly his goodness succoured her! The end of her prayer was the end of her pangs, the goal of her labour, the beginning of her delivery. For at once all her distress ceased, and she brought forth the child in safety. Nor was she unmindful of her vow, nor did she draw back from her intent. For she made be built a fair church and, when built, handed it over unto the Brethren in honour of the Saint.

2.In the countryside round Rome, a certain woman named Beatrice, that was nigh her delivery, had borne for four days the babe, dead, in her womb, and, hapless one, was driven unto great straits and tormented by deadly throes. The dead babe was bringing the mother nigh death, and the untimely offspring that had not yet seen the light was seen of all to be imperilling the mother. The physicians essayed to render aid, but all mortal remedies were but vain. Thus a very heavy share of our first mother’s curse fell upon this unhappy woman, who, being made a tomb for her unborn child, must needs await her own burying speedily and surely. Yet she commended herself, by messengers, with entire devotion, unto the Brothers Minor, and as a suppliant begged for some relic of Saint Francis, with full faith. It chanced by the divine ruling that they found a fragment of the cord wherewith the Saint was sometime girded. At once, as the cord was laid on the sufferer, all her pain was stayed right easily, and she was delivered of the dead babe, that was causing her death, and restored unto her former health.

3.The wife of a certain nobleman of Carvio, Juliana by name, was wearing away her years in mourning by reason of the deaths of her sons, and was alway bewailing her unhappy fate. For all those sons that she had borne in suffering, she had with yet bitterer suffering consigned unto the tomb but a short space thereafter. Accordingly, when she had been four months pregnant, and, by reason of her past experience, was more concerned for the death, than for the birth, of the child she had conceived, she prayed the Blessed Father Francis in faith for the life of her unborn babe. And lo! as she was sleeping one night, a woman appeared unto her in a dream, carrying a lovely little boy in her arms, whom with joyous mien she held out unto her. But when she refused to take him, fearing at once to lose him, that woman added: “Thou mayst safely take him, for him whom the holy Francis shall send thee, pitying thy sorrow, shall be lusty with life and shall rejoice in health.” Forthwith the woman awoke, and understood by the vision shewn her from heaven that the Blessed Francis was ready to succour her, and from that hour she redoubled her prayers and made many vows, if so be that she might bear a child such as had been promised. At length her full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a male child, who bloomed with all childish vigour, as if he had received his life’s nourishment through the merits of the Blessed Francis, and thus served as an incitement unto his parents for devouter love for Christ and His Saint.

A like miracle the Blessed Father wrought in the town of Tivoli. There was there a woman who had borne several daughters, and was wearying with yearning for a man child, and sighed forth prayers and vows unto Saint Francis. Then, by his merits, that woman conceived, and it was granted her to bear twin sons, albeit she had but prayed for one.

4.At Viterbo, a woman that was nigh her delivery was deemed nigher death, being wrung by internal pangs, and enduring extremest agony from the throes that be the lot of womankind. When her bodily strength was failing thereunder, and all the skill of leechcraft had been found wanting, the woman called upon the name of the Blessed Francis, and was at once delivered, bringing her travail unto an happy end. Howbeit, having attained her desire, she was forgetful of the favour that had been shewn her, and failed to shew due deference to the Saint, for on his birthday she put forth her hand unto household tasks. And behold, on a sudden her right arm, that had been stretched forth to work, remained stiff, and dried up. When she strove to draw it back unto her side with the other, that too by a like punishment withered. Then the woman, seized by a divine fear, renewed her vows, and, by the merits of the pitiful and humble Saint, unto whose service she again vowed herself, was suffered to regain the use of her limbs, that she had lost through her ingratitude, and dishonouring of him.

5.A certain woman, in the countryside round Arezzo, having endured the pangs of childbirth throughout seven days, had already turned black, and was despaired of by all; she made a vow unto the Blessed Francis, and, dying, began to invoke his aid. Even as she uttered the vow, she instantly fell on sleep, and saw in a dream the Blessed Francis speaking gently unto her, and asking whether she knew him by sight, and whether she could recite that antiphon of the glorious Virgin: the “Hail, Queen of mercy,” unto the honour of that same Virgin? And when she made answer that she knew both, “Begin,” saith the Saint, “the sacred antiphon, and before that thou hast ended it, thou shalt be delivered in safety.” At these words, the woman awaked, and, trembling, began to say the “Hail, Queen of mercy.” And even as she invoked those pitiful eyes, and made mention of the fruit of that virgin womb, she was instantly freed from all distress, and gave birth unto a lovely babe, rendering thanks unto the Queen of mercy who, through the merits of the Blessed Francis, had deigned to shew pity unto her.