^aint iFrancis of ^nnini, 75 



the utmoft delight ; and Saint Francis re- 

 joiced with them, pleafed and marvelling 

 much to fee fo vafb a multitude of birds, 

 and their moll; beautiful variety, their at- 

 tention and familiarity ; for the which 

 things in them he devoutly praifed the 

 Creator. Finally, his preaching ended, 

 Saint Francis made them the fign of the 

 Crofs and gave them leave to depart ; and 

 then all thofe birds rofe into the air with 

 wondrous fongs ; and then, according to 

 the Crofs which Saint Francis had made 

 them, they divided into four parts ; and 

 the one part flew towards the eaft, and the 

 other towards the weft, and the one part 

 towards the fouth, and the other towards 

 the north, and each band went away fmg- 

 ing marvellous fongs ; fignifying by this how 

 that Saint Francis, the Enfign of the Crofs 

 of Chrift, had come to preach to them, and 

 had made the fign of the Crofs over them, 

 according to which they had fcattered to 

 the four quarters of the globe. Thus the 

 preaching of the Crofs of Chrift renewed by 

 Saint Francis was by him and his Brethren 

 borne throughout the whole world ; which 

 Brethren, even as the birds, poffeffed noth- 

 ing of this world's goods, but committed their 

 life to the fole and only providence of God. 



