Page:Purgatory proved, illustrated, and set forth in a clear light (2).pdf/20

 While the saint made his discourse to the mule, the heretick sifted out oats to make the mule eat; but the beast having more understanding than his master, kneeled before the host, adoring it as its Creator and Lord. This miracle comforted all the faithful, and enraged: the heretics; except him that disputed with the saint, who was converted to the Catholic faith.

About the year 1549, a poor friendless boy, of whose birth probably his parents had been ashamed, tended the sheep belonging to the nuns of Scienna, or Sciennes, about a quarter of a mile south from Edinburgh. It was one of his childish amusements to turn up the white of his eyes, and, in doing it, he succeeded so well, as to be able, at his pleasure to make himself appear perfectly blind The nuns observed him in his amusement, and spoke of it to some priests and friars who were their vsitors. It immediately occurred to them, that if proper care was taken of this young person, he might, in course of time, become the fit subject of a miracle.

The innocent child was secreted from public view, it has been said, seven or eight years, and mostly in one of the cells, or some retired apartment in the convent. At the end of that number of years, his stature and features were so much altered, as that he could not easily be recollected by the very few persons who formerly had known him. He was now judged to be of a proper age to be sent forth as a blind mendicant, and to receive instructions how he should behave. A person was hired to conduct him, who believed him to have been born blind, and to have been hitherto