PETER VISCHER 
prayed to God that a sign might be given to 
prove his doctrine true, and immediately, in the 
sight of all, the earth opened and the scoffer sank 
ap to his neck. Then the hermit prayed with a 
loud voice and interceded for him, so that he was 
delivered, and he and many of the unbelievers 
ambraced the true faith. (Ill 10.) 
Sebald now left Italy and came at last to 
Nuremberg. He settled there in the forest in 
the heart of the Franconian people, teaching 
them the word of God and working miracles. On 
one occasion we are told he sought shelter in the 
hut of a poor and churlish waggoner. It was 
winter : the snow lay on the ground and the wind 
howled over the frozen marshes of the Pegnitz. 
But the signs of charity did not shine brightly in 
the host. Sebald. called upon the man’s wife to 
bring more wood for the fire so that he might 
warm his body, for he was chilled to the bone. 
But though he repeated his request the niggard 
host forbade his wife to obey. At length the 
saint cried out to her to bring the cluster of 
icicles which hung from the roof and to put them 
on the fire if she could not or would not bring the 
faggots. 
The woman, pitying him, obeyed, and, in answer 
to the prayer of Sebald, a flame shot up from the 
ice as from a firebrand and the whole bundle was 
quickly ablaze. 
When he saw this miracle the chilly host gave 
the hermit a warmer welcome, and, to make amends 
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