cSaint iFmncis oC Assist, 73 



faying, " Be not in haftc, and depart not, 

 and I will order all things which you are 

 to do for the falvation of your foul." And 

 then he created the Third Order, for the 

 Univcrfal Salvation of all men ; and thus 

 leaving many confoled and well difpofed 

 to penitence, he departed from thence and 

 came to Cannajo and Bevagno. And paff- 

 ing on his way with the felfsame fervor, he 

 raifed his eyes and faw certain trees by the 

 roadfide in which were an infinite multitude 

 of birds ; at which Saint Francis marvelled 

 greatly, and faid to his Companions, "Await 

 me here in the road, and I will go and preach 

 to my Sifters the birds." And he entered 

 the field and began to preach to the birds 

 which were on the ground ; and fuddenly 

 thofe which were in the trees came down 

 to him, and as many as there were they all 

 ftood quietly until Saint Francis had done 

 preaching ; and even then they did not 

 depart until fuch time as he had given 

 them his bleffing; and according to the 

 later recital of Brother Maximus to Brother 

 James of Maffa, Saint Francis moving 

 among them touched them with his cape, 

 but not one moved. The fubftance of Saint 

 Francis' fermon was this : ** My Sifters the 



birds, 



