The Life of St. Francis of Assisi · 24 of 27

Miracles VIII. Of them that were delivered from divers diseases

1.At Città della Pieve there was a beggar-lad deaf and dumb from birth, whose tongue was so short and small as that it seemed to have been cut quite off, as many who examined it at divers times thought. A man named Mark took him to lodge with him, for the love of God, and the lad, recognising him as a benefactor, became eager to abide with him. One evening, when this man was supping with his wife,—the boy being in their presence,—he said unto his wife: “I should deem it the greatest of all miracles if the Blessed Francis were to restore hearing and speech unto this lad.” And he added: “I vow unto God that if Saint Francis will deign to effect this, for love of him I will support this lad so long as he liveth.” O sure miracle! At once, his tongue grew, and he spake, saying: “Glory be unto God, and unto Saint Francis, who hath given me speech and hearing.”

2.Brother James of Iseo, while yet a child in his father’s house, sustained a right grievous bodily injury. Howbeit, inspired of the Holy Spirit, spite of his youth and infirmity, he entered the Order of Saint Francis out of devotion, disclosing unto none the infirmity wherefrom he suffered. Now it came to pass, that when the body of the Blessed Francis was translated unto the place where the precious treasure of his sacred bones now lieth hidden, the said Brother was present at that joyful translation, that he might show due honour unto the most holy body of his Father, now in glory. And, drawing nigh the tomb, wherein the sacred bones had been placed, in the devotion of his spirit he embraced the holy sepulchre, and forthwith in wondrous wise his injury was repaired, and he felt himself healed, and laid aside the girdle he had worn, and from that hour was free from all the pain he had suffered in the past.

There were delivered from a like infirmity Brother Bartolo of Gubbio, Brother Angelo of Todi, Nicolas, a priest of Sticano, John of Fora, a certain citizen of Pisa, and another of Cisterna, Peter of Sicily, and a man from the town of Spello, hard by Assisi, and very many others; all of whose marvellous cures were wrought through the mercy of God, and the merits of the Blessed Francis.

3.In the Maremma there was a woman who for the space of five years had suffered from the loss of her wits, and had also lost her sight and hearing; she would tear her garments with her teeth, she had no fear of fire or water, and, to crown all, endured frightful suffering from the falling sickness. Now, on a certain night,—the divine mercy being minded to succour her,—she was enlightened from heaven by the beams of a healing radiance, and beheld the Blessed Francis seated upon a lofty throne. Falling before him, she implored in suppliant wise to be made whole. As he did not as yet grant her prayer, the woman vowed and promised that, so long as she had aught to give, she would never refuse alms unto them that asked for the love of God and of the Saint. Then the Saint remembered that he had of old made a like pact with the Lord, and, making the sign of the Cross over her, he restored her unto perfect health.

It is known from truthful narrations that Francis, the Saint of God, hath in his mercy set free from a like affliction a certain maiden at Norcia, and the son of a certain nobleman, and divers others.

4.Peter of Foligno had on a time set forth to visit the shrine of the Blessed Michael, but, as he was making the pilgrimage with but little reverence, he was assailed by demons while tasting the water of a certain fountain. For three years thenceforward he was possessed, and his body rent in pieces, he uttered most vile words, and was ghastly to look upon; howbeit, he had at times intervals of sanity, and in one of them he humbly besought the aid of the Blessed Francis,—that he had heard to be effectual in putting to flight the powers of the air,—and went unto the tomb of the holy Father. So soon as he touched it with his hand, he was miraculously delivered from the demons that were so cruelly rending him.

In like manner, the mercy of Francis succoured a certain woman at Narni that was possessed of a devil, and many other folk, the extremities of whose torments, and the manner of whose cures, it would take long to relate one by one.

5.A man named Buono, a citizen of Fano, who was a paralytic and leper, was carried by his parents unto the church of the Blessed Francis, and was made perfectly whole from both diseases.

Moreover, yet another youth, named Alto, of San Severino, who was leprous all over, having first made a vow, was brought unto the tomb of the Saint, and by his merits was cleansed from the leprosy. The Saint had an especial efficacy in curing this malady, because in his love of humility and charity, he had ever humbly set himself to do the lepers service.

6.A woman of noble birth, named Rogata, in the diocese of Sora, had been for the space of twenty-three years tormented by an issue of blood, and had moreover suffered very many things from many physicians, and right often that woman seemed like to die from her exceeding weakness; yet if ever the issue was checked, her whole body became swollen. Hearing a boy singing in the Roman speech of the miracles that God had wrought through the Blessed Francis, she was moved by exceeding grief, and brake forth into tears, and began thus, with enkindled faith, to say within her heart: “O blessed Father Francis, thou who shinest in the light of such miracles, if thou wilt deign to release me from this infirmity, great glory will be thine, for that hitherto thou hast wrought no miracle to compare thereunto.” Why should I say more? Even as she spake, she felt that she was delivered, by the merits of the Blessed Francis. Her son moreover, whose name was Mario, and who had a crippled arm, was healed by Saint Francis, unto whom he had made a vow. The blessed standard-bearer of Christ also made whole a woman in Sicily that for seven years had been tormented by an issue of blood.

7.In the city of Rome, there was a woman named Prassede, renowned for her piety. At a tender age, she had secluded herself, for love of her heavenly Bridegroom, in a narrow cell, and had now abode there for nigh forty years; she gained from the Blessed Francis an especial favour. For on a day, when for some useful purpose she had climbed on the balcony of her cell, imagining that she felt herself pushed, she fell, breaking her leg and ankle, and dislocating her shoulder. Then there appeared unto her our most merciful Father, dazzling white in his glorious apparel, and began to address her with gentle words: “Rise,” saith he, “blessed daughter, rise, be not afeared.” And, taking her by the hand, he lifted her up, and vanished. Then she turned hither and thither throughout her cell, deeming she had seen a vision; until, at her cries, a light was brought, and she, feeling herself entirely healed by the servant of God, Francis, related in order all things that had befallen her.