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60G ROGER OF WENDOVER. [A.D. 1235. and we command that all, both clerks and laity, who may take the cross, shall, both in their persons and property, remain secure under the protection of St. Peter and ourself, and of ihe archbishops, bishops, and prelates of the church, until certain knowledge shall bo obtained of their death or of their return, during which time, also, no payment of usury shall be exacted from them, either by Jews or Christians. Given at Spoleto, 4th September, in the eighth year of our pontificate." The pope also appointed brothers of the order of Minorites and preachers, to preach the cross throughout all the world, together with able masters in theology, who went forth on tlio work of the gospel, the Lord co-operating with them and confirming their preaching by signs following : every province by the apostolic mandate had its archdeacons and deans, who collected together all the people of the diocese both men and women, anathematizing all who neglected to attend their preaching. A miracle connected tcith a tcoman ichose limbs were contracted. On the 11th of June in this same year, master Robert de Lawes, a brother of the Minorite order, was preaching the gospel on behalf of the crusade in the town of Clare, and a certain woman there, wdio had been deprived of all use of her limbs for three years, fearing the sentence of excommunication, gave what little money she possessed to a neighbour to carry her on his shoulders to the place where Roger was preaching ; there she lay groaning and lamenting till the man of God had finished preaching, when he, touched with compassion at her lamentations, and seeing her lying there, went to her and asked her the reason of her having come there. She replied that through fear of excommunication, she had been brought to the place of his preaching, on which ho ordered her to go to her home, not knowing she had lost the use of her limbs. On the bystanders informing him that she had been entirely deprived of the use of her limbs for three years, he asked her if she believed that God was powerful enough, if it were his pleasure, to render her sound, to which she replied, " I do, sir." The man of God, then taking the woman in his arms lifted her up with confidence, saying at the same time, " May the Almighty God, in whom you believe, render you sound." On his ordering her to get up she did so putting her trust in God, and as she was rising, her bones and nerves began suddenly to crack so that the bystanders thought that all her limbs would have been broken to pieces ; she was however thus restored to her former soundness, and returned to her house rejoicing and glorifying God fur having bestowed such power on his servant,* • l'uri ad'ìii;—" Abili! this time two monks, the chosen messengers of the conventual church of St. Λ lb in's. namely master Reginald tiie physician, and master Nicholas of St. Alhan's, both priests, wise and eloquent men, with their clerks, master Geofhey Lau'lcy and GeoHrey I'oee.irius, their a

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