Annual Mercury. _Mercurialis annua._
Dedicated to _St. Hugh_.
[56] Brand.
[57] Ash.
[58] Jamieson, in Nare’s Glossary.
[59] Southey, quoted in Brand, as also Toreen.
[60] Asiat. Res. in Brand, from Maurice.
[61] Morn. Chron. June 17, 1817.
[62] Cited by Brand from Julia, or Last Follies, 1798, 4to.
~April 2.~
_St. Francis_ of Paula. _St. Apian_, A. D. 306. _St. Theodosia_, A. D.
308. _St. Nicetius_, Abp. of Lyons, A. D. 577. _St. Ebba_, Abbess, and
her companions, A. D. 870, or 874. _B. Constantine_ II. king of
Scotland, A. D. 874. _St. Bronacha_, or _Bronanna_, Abbess.
_St. Francis_ of Paula
Was a Calabrian, and at fifteen years old shut himself up in a cave, in
a rock on the coast. Before twenty he was joined by two others, and the
people built them three cells; the number increased, and so arose the
order of friar Minims, which means the least of the friars. Constant
abstinence from flesh, and all food made of milk or eggs, was one of
their rules. In 1479, being invited to Sicily, “he was received there as
an angel from heaven, wrought miracles, and built several monasteries.”
He prophesied, held burning coals in his hand without being burnt,
restored his nephew to life, cured people of the plague, received the
host with a cord about his neck on Maundy Thursday, died on the 2d of
April, 1508, aged ninety-one, and was buried till 1562 when the hugonots
burnt his bones with the wood of a crucifix.[63]
Besides this, it is related, that the elements lost their force against
him; that he walked upon fire; entered into a burning oven without harm;
and made a sea voyage on his own cloak instead of a ship, and had a
companion on board with him.[64]
According to another account he was much worried by the devil. Once
while he was at prayers the devil called him three times by his own
name. Another time he was so possessed by the fiend, that he had no
other way to get rid of him, than by stripping and beating himself with
a hard cord, crying while he did it, “thus brother ass thou must be
beaten;” after which he ran into the snow and made seven snowballs,
intending to swallow them if the devil had not taken his leave. Then a
whole parcel of devils came one night, and gave him a grievous beating;
this was because he lodged in a cardinal’s palace, and it occasioned him
to shift his lodging. Afterwards, when at prayers, he saw upon the roof
of the house whole companies of these infernals. He was a bird-fancier.
A bird sat singing on a fig-tree by the side of his cell, he called it
to him; the bird came upon his hand, and he said to it--“Sing, my
sister, and praise the Lord,” and the bird sat singing till he gave it
liberty to go away. Going to Venice with his companions, and hearing
birds singing in a wood, he proposed to sing the canonical hours, but
the monks could not hear themselves for the chanters of the grove,
wherefore, he entreated the feathered choir to be silent, and they
remained so till he gave them liberty to proceed. At another place when
he was preaching, he could not be heard for the swallows, which were
making their nests; he said to them--“Sister swallows, it is time for me
to speak; as you’ve said enough, be quiet,” and so they were. It was
customary with him when one of his friars had committed a fault to take
off the friar’s hood, and throw it into the fire, from whence after
staying there a proper time, he commanded it to be restored to the
friar, and the hood was then taken out of the fire without having
sustained injury. More to the like effect, and of equal credibility, is
related of this saint in the _Golden Legend_.