A MEDIAEVAL SELB0RN1AN 
09 
See ye sing not near 
To our church on holy clay, 
Lest the human folk should stray 
From their prayers to hear. 
Now, depart in peace ; 
In God’s name I bless each one ; 
May your days be long i’ the sun 
And your joys increase. 
And remember me, 
Your poor brother Francis, who 
Loveth you and thanketh you 
For this courtesy. 
Sometimes when ye sing 
Name my name, that He may take 
Pity for the dear song’s sake 
On my shortcoming. 
Here is another of the Fioretti : — 
“How St. Francis made the wild turtle-dove tame. 
“ A certain youth had caught one day a great number of 
turtle-doves; and as he was taking them to market he met St. 
Francis, who, having a singular compassion for these gentle 
creatures, looked at the doves with eyes of pity, and said to the 
youth : — ‘ O good youth, I pray thee give me these gentle birds, 
to which, in the Holy Scriptures, chaste and humble and faith- 
ful souls are compared ; and do not let them fall into the hands 
of cruel men who would kill them.’ And immediately the 
young man, being inspired by God, gave them all to St. 
Francis, and he received them into his bosom and said to 
them tenderly: — ‘O my little sisters, simple, innocent and 
chaste doves, why have you let yourselves be snared ? See, 
I will snatch you from death and make nests for you, wherein 
you may increase and multiply according to the commandment 
of our Creator.’ 
“And St. Francis went and made nests for them all; and 
they took to their nests, and began to lay eggs, and hatched 
them without fear before the eyes of the Brothers, and they 
were as tame and familiar with St. Francis and all the other 
Brothers as if they had been domestic fowls always accustomed 
to be fed by them ; and they would not depart until St. Francis 
with his blessing gave them leave to go.” 
This is no place to enter into further particulars as to the life 
of Francis. We are tempted to quote his wonderful “ Song of 
the Creatures,” but that must await another opportunity. For 
rhe present, it is enough to call the attention of Selbornians to 
this Apostle of their Society — this mediaeval illustration of the 
lines dear to us all — 
Pie prayeth well who loveth well 
Both man and bird and beast ; 
He prayeth best who loveth best 
All things both great and small 
For the dear God Who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all. 
