The chronicle and institution of the Order of the seraphicall father S. Francis conteyning his life, his death, and his miracles, and of all his holie disciples and companions / set foorth first in the Portugall, next in the Spanish, then in the Italian, lastlie in the French, and now in the English tongue.

How S. Francis departing from Carnerio, preached to diuers birds.

THE XXXIV. CHAPTER.

SAinct Bonauenture and S. Antony doe recount, that S. Francis being departed out of the said Carnerio, before he came to Be∣nammo, he saw on a tree a great nomber of birdes of diuers kin∣des, and hard by them an other squadron, a matter indeed deseruing consideration, in regard that it seemed to signifie I know not what ex∣traordinary thing, as it happened. For the S. inspired of God, causing his companions to stay behinde, went to preach to the said birdes, and comming neere to the tree, saluted them in these wordes: The peace of God be with you: and they shewing signes of ioy, approached all to this predication: those that were on the tree descended to the ground, and rancked themselues with the other, and keeping a quiet silence, they seemed to expect when the holie Father would begin: Wherfore he thus discoursed vnto them: My Brother Birdes, ye are exceedinglie obliged alwayes to prayse God your Creatour, for he hath giuen you winges, wherwith you lightlie fly in the aire and whither you will, a fauour that he hath not giuen to so manie other Creatures. He hath also ador∣ned and cloathed you with fethers, and they of diuers delectable and beautifull coulers: he hath created your bodyes light, and supporteth you without any paine of yours, permitting you to enioie the labours of men. He hath also giuen you a qualitie of singing verie delightfull: then he conserueth and hath conserued you from the beginning of the world: he miraculouslie cōserued you from the deluge, sending couples of eue∣rie kinde into the arck of Noe, there to be preserued: he hath giuen you* 1.1 for habitation one of the foure elementes: therefore doth holie scripture ordinarilie call you the birdes of heauen, besides that you possesse the

mountaines and hilles, the vallyes and plaines att your pleasure, the fountaines, riuers, trees, and houses for nestes: it hath pleased God him∣selfe by his sacred mouth to testifie vnto the world, that you neither spinning, nor in any sort labouring, he hath care to cloath you, both sommer and winter, and to giue you althinges necessary to your con∣seruation. All which benefittes, are pregnant signes of the loue which God beareth you as his creatures. And therfore my Brothers and si∣sters, blessed of God, beware that you be not ingratefull vnto his di∣uine Maiesty; but prayse him alwayes deuoutlie, with your sweet ac∣centes, sith he hath giuen wherwithall.

The Sainct hauing ended his sermon, all these birdes (which is ad∣mirable) began to open their billes and beate their winges, as if they would haue said, we thanke you, but being vnable verballie, bowing their heades they manifested vnto him, their due reuerence, and that they expected his benediction to prayse God, and so to depart. The holie Father was much comforted in beholding those gestures, percea∣uing these creatures to be so obedient vnto their Creator; and there∣fore for their farwell he gaue them his benediction, which hauing re∣ceaued; they with one accord mounted into the aire, filling it with most pleasing accentes, then did they diuide and separate themselues in the aire into foure bandes, conformable to the benediction which the holie Father had giuen them in forme of a crosse. S. Francis retourned to his companions, who were as beside themselues seeing such straun∣ge meruailes in vnreasonable creatures, he asking them pardon in great humilitie, for hauing made them attend, whiles he preached to those birdes, whome he found so prepared to heare the worde of God. He thenceforward preached, to all creatures, exhorting them to prayse their Creatour, that all the world might yeld honour, glorie and pray∣se to God.

A short aduertisement, for the better vnderstanding of this miracle, and some other the like, contayned in this Cronicle of S. Francis: added for the better vnderstanding of the simple.

The glorious Father S. Francis was not ignorant, that dumbe creatures, were not capable of his sermon, and therfore preached not vnto them to instruct them, but to stir vp him selfe the more to admire the goodnes of God. And God (no dout) to comfort his deuout sernant, made the very vnreasonable creatures by a secret instinct, to reuerence the Sainct, whilst he preached vnto them, or rather, whilst he preached to him selfe in them, and by them: the holie Scripture being full of such sermons, and namelie the four last psalmes of the prophet Dauid, and the Canticle of the three children in the furnace of Babilon, which what else are they but such sermons as Sainct Fr. made vnto these creatures to adore their Creator?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matt. 6.