diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-22 19:16:39 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-22 19:16:39 -0800 |
| commit | 3caccdc1d78cc63da95afc21ae9f78fcf6e5f365 (patch) | |
| tree | 15590413cc1d067a90d19a728a5ae8ed32434510 /old/66025-0.txt | |
| parent | bcbefc8e263107b271db783040815159d7387feb (diff) | |
Diffstat (limited to 'old/66025-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/66025-0.txt | 2581 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 2581 deletions
diff --git a/old/66025-0.txt b/old/66025-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index bab1dc0..0000000 --- a/old/66025-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2581 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Lady Poverty, by Giovanni da Parma - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Lady Poverty - A XIII. Century Allegory - -Author: Giovanni da Parma - -Translator: Montgomery Carmichael - -Release Date: August 9, 2021 [eBook #66025] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Benjamin Fluehr, Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LADY POVERTY *** -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: - - -Italic text has been marked with _underscores_. Sidenotes, which are -used extensively for Scripture references, have been placed inside -{curly brackets}. Footnotes have been moved to the end of the text. - - - - -THE LADY POVERTY - - - - -“Sacrum Commercium Beati Francisci cum Domina Paupertate” - -[Illustration: - - _Giotto._ - -_The Espousals of St. Francis to the Lady Poverty._] - - - - -The frontispiece of this volume is reproduced by permission from a -photograph by Messrs ALINARI of Florence. - - - - - THE LADY POVERTY - - A XIII. CENTURY ALLEGORY - - TRANSLATED & EDITED BY - - MONTGOMERY CARMICHAEL - - WITH A CHAPTER ON THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE - OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY - BY FATHER CUTHBERT - O. S. F. G. - - London - John Murray, Albemarle Street - 1901 - - - - -CONTENTS - - -INTRODUCTION-- - - PAGE - - (a) Editions xvii - - (b) Authorship and Date xxviii - - (c) Translation and Scripture References xlii - - - THE LADY POVERTY. - - I. In Praise of Poverty 3 - - II. How the Blessed Francis made diligent - search for the Lady Poverty 8 - - III. How two old men showed the Blessed - Francis where he might find the - Lady Poverty 14 - - IV. Of the First Companions of the Blessed - Francis 20 - - V. How the Blessed Francis and his - Companions found the Lady Poverty - on the Mountain 24 - - VI. The Blessed Francis and his Companions, - exalting her virtues in - divers ways, beseech the Lady - Poverty to abide with them forever 28 - - VII. The Answer of My Lady Poverty 41 - - VIII. Of the Apostles 56 - - IX. Of the Successors of the Apostles 59 - - X. That Times of Peace are unpropitious - to Poverty 62 - - XI. Of Persecution 65 - - XII. Of the followers of a spurious Poverty 70 - - XIII. Of Avarice 73 - - XIV. How the Lady Poverty spoke of good - Religious 77 - - XV. How Avarice took the Name of - Discretion 80 - - XVI. How Avarice took the Name of - Prudence 84 - - XVII. How Avarice called in the aid of - Sloth 89 - - XVIII. Of the Religious who were conquered - by Sloth 92 - - XIX. How the Lady Poverty sorrowed - over certain Religious who were - poor in the World, and yet more - prone than others to Self-indulgence - in Religion 99 - - XX. How the Lady Poverty showed the - Blessed Francis the Perfect Walk - in the Religious Life 107 - - XXI. How the Blessed Francis made - answer to the Lady Poverty 114 - - XXII. How the Lady Poverty gave her - consent 118 - - XXIII. How the Blessed Francis thanked - God for the consent of the Lady - Poverty 119 - - XXIV. Of the Sojourn of My Lady Poverty - with the Brothers 121 - - XXV. How My Lady Poverty blessed the - Brothers, exhorting them to persevere - in the Grace which they - had received 130 - - - On the Spiritual Significance of - Evangelical Poverty, by Father - Cuthbert, O.S.F.C 141 - - - APPENDICES-- - - I. A Prayer of the Blessed Francis to - obtain Holy Poverty 183 - - II. Paradiso. Canto XI. (lines 28-123) 200 - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - - - -EDITIONS - - -The “Sacrum Commercium” is an Allegory, simple in form and charming in -conception, telling how St Francis wooed and won that most difficult -of all Brides, my Lady Poverty. It was written some time in the -thirteenth century (most probably in the year 1227) by an unknown -Franciscan, and has been six times printed, thrice in Latin, and -thrice in Italian. - -{The Latin Editions.} The first Latin edition was printed at Milan in -1539. It is of exceeding rarity, and has escaped the vigilance of -Brunet and Græsse. Père François Van Ortroy, the noted Bollandist -(whom few things escape), was the first to call attention to a copy in -the Ambrosian Library, and it is the only copy known to exist. (See -“Analecta Bollandiana,” xix. 460.) - -The second Latin edition was published nearly 400 years later, in 1894, -under the editorship of Professor Edoardo Alvisi, in the “Collezione -di Opuscoli Danteschi inediti o rari diretta da G. L. Passerini.”[1] -Professor Alvisi’s edition has no pretensions to being critical: his -sole object in publishing it was to supply an illustration to part -of Canto XI. of the “Paradiso.” This edition has, perhaps justly, -been decried for its entire want of critical apparatus, but it at -least served to call attention to a gem that had hitherto slumbered -uncared-for in parchment Codexes. - -The third Latin edition is exceptional from every point of view. It -was published only last year by Père Edouard d’Alençon, the learned -Archivist General of the Friars Minor Capuchins. Père Edouard has -taken his version from a Codex (No. 3560) in the Casanatese Library -in Rome, which he has carefully collated with three other Codexes (of -Milan, Vincenza and Ravenna), noting all the variants at foot. There is -but one fault to find with this scholarly edition: it does not attempt -to give the numerous Scripture references.[2] - -{The Italian Editions.} The first Italian edition[3] appeared in 1847 -under the title “Meditazione sulla Povertà di Santo Francesco.”[4] It -is taken from a Fourteenth-Century Codex in the Franciscan Convent -of Giaccherino, near Pistoia. Its editors were the Lexicographer, -Pietro Fanfani, and a Canon of Pistoia, Enrico Bindi. It has been -quoted in the great “Vocabolario” of the Academicians of the Crusca, -and has therefore become a “Testo di Lingua” or Italian classic.[5] -The “Meditazione” is a very free translation indeed from the original -Latin. The translator adds beauties and leaves out obscurities at -will. It is curious to us in these days, when Franciscan studies -are being pursued with such avidity all the world over (if I except -England), to reflect that the editors, Fanfani and Bindi, did not know -whether the “Meditazione” was a translation or an original work. The -Fourteenth-Century translator is unknown. - -The next Italian edition (1900) is the one given in parallel columns -with the Latin version of Père Edouard d’Alençon’s work above quoted. -It is taken from Codex B. 131 in the Vallicellian Library, and is -probably a Fourteenth-Century work, but, if interesting, it has little -or no merit as an example of fine Tuscan. - -The third Italian edition is a much-needed and very welcome work.[6] -It is a reprint of the “Meditazione,” which has for long been so -scarce as to be almost unprocurable. The editor, Don Salvatore -Minocchi, a Florentine priest, and one of the foremost authorities on -matters Franciscan, than whom there could be no one more fitted for the -task, has carefully collated the original edition of the “Meditazione” -with the Codex from which it was taken, and has removed quite a host -of erroneous readings. We may therefore now be said to have, for the -first time, a correct version of this little Italian classic. It was -only printed in the last days of May, and I have to thank the learned -editor for courteously permitting me to see his proof sheets. - - - - -AUTHORSHIP AND DATE - - -The authorship of the “Sacrum Commercium” has been freely ascribed to -the Blessed Giovanni da Parma, seventh Minister General of the Friars -Minor in succession to Saint Francis. I would with all my heart that -he were the author, for Giovanni is one of the brightest lights of -the Order, and both by his love and practice of Poverty, and by his -great endowments, is the ideal author for so exquisite an allegory. -The “Chronica xxiv. Generalium,” which was completed in 1379, and -begun perhaps twenty years earlier, distinctly states that Giovanni -is the author (“quendam libellum devotum composuit quem intitulavit -Commercium Paupertatis”),[7] and this opinion was followed by all -succeeding old writers (except Fra Bartolommeo da Pisa, who makes no -attempt to assign authorship), and most moderns, including Professor -Alvisi, M. Sabatier,[8] Professor Umberto Cosmo,[9] and the latest -biographer of the Blessed, Fra Luigi da Parma.[10] But all the -Codexes which Père Edouard d’Alençon cites, as also a Codex in the -Bodleian and another in the Communal library at Siena, give the date -of composition as the month of July after the death of Saint Francis, -that is to say July, 1227. (_Actum est hoc opus mense Julii post obitum -Beatissimi Francisci, anno Millesimo ducentesimo vigesimo septimo ab -Incarnatione Domini Salvatoris Nostri Jesu Christi._) If this date -be correct, then the Blessed Giovanni could not have been its author, -for he was only born in 1208, and did not enter the Order until after -1230. There is the point that Mediæval scribes were given (like other -mortals) to making errors in dates, more especially when they were -in Roman figures, and these errors would have been propagated from -Codex to Codex. We have the well-known instance of the Mazarin Codex -No. 1743, where the erroneous date of 1228 led a distinguished French -critic to look upon the “Speculum Perfectionis” as the oldest biography -of St Francis. The date was probably 1318, and it will be seen how -easily a slip might be made between MCCXXVIII and MCCCXVIII.[11] But in -favour of the date of 1227 for the “Sacrum Commercium” we have not only -the fact that the date is written in words and not in figures, but -that the “explicit” distinctly states that it was finished in the July -after the death of St Francis. Such extreme precision does not leave -much room for error. Moreover, there is practically no serious internal -evidence against the date 1227. It is true that the Casanatese Codex, -at the beginning of Chap. iv. speaks of “_Sanctum_ Franciscum,” whereas -St Francis was not canonized until 1228. But this, even if some -refuse to translate it simply “the holy Francis,” and insist upon -“_St_ Francis,” I think it is fair to regard as the slip of a scribe, -more especially as the Vincenzian Codex gives “beatum” in the same -place, and both Italian versions have “beato.” There is, therefore, -no substantial reason why we may not regard the “Sacrum Commercium” -as written in 1227, and it is interesting to note that this little -allegory is thus the first book ever written on St Francis, for Thomas -of Celano’s “Legenda Prima,” was not completed until the following -year.[12] - -There are, to my mind, two conclusive arguments, both adduced by -Père Edouard,[13] against attributing the authorship to Giovanni da -Parma. Fra Ubertino da Casale in a famous work[14] (“too famous,” it -might justly be called), finished in 1305, is the first writer who -expressly mentions the “Sacrum Commercium,” and he ascribes it merely -to “a certain holy doctor,” giving no name. Now Ubertino well knew -Giovanni (_ob._ 1289), and it seems impossible that he should not also -have known and celebrated the Blessed as the author of the “Sacrum -Commercium” had he really been so. Again Fra Salimbene da Parma (_ob._ -1287 or 1290) knew the Blessed Giovanni intimately, and alludes to -him frequently in his Chronicle.[15] He even refers to writings of -Giovanni’s, but there is never a hint of the “Sacrum Commercium.” The -only theory on which it is possible to ascribe the authorship to Fra -Giovanni is so wild as scarcely to be worthy of mention. We should -have to suppose, seeing the unpopularity of the extremes of Poverty -in a certain section of the Order, that he was afraid to acknowledge -his work, and that he deliberately, and with much circumstance, -falsified the date to secure his anonymity. But the Blessed Giovanni -was not made of such poor stuff! He who endured hatred, persecution -and imprisonment, to some extent by reason of his zeal for the Lady -Poverty, was not the man to resort to so trivial a ruse. His deeds -were far more unpopular (with some) than ever this little allegory -could have made him. - -Père Edouard d’Alençon, with much ingenuity, seeks to credit -Giovanni Parenti, St Francis’ immediate successor as Minister General -(1227-1233), with the authorship. He gives an instance tending to show -that there was a tradition that a Minister General had written the -work, and then he points to the similarity between “Joannes Parenti” -and “Joannes Parmensis.” All this proves his acumen and ingenuity, but -he is too severely scientific a scholar to advance a clever theory as -proof positive. For the present it is safest to admit frankly that the -author of the “Sacrum Commercium” is unknown, and to conclude with -Fra Ubertino da Casale that he was “quidam sanctus doctor hujus Sanctæ -Paupertatis professor et zelator strenuus.” - - - - -TRANSLATION AND SCRIPTURE REFERENCES - - -I have translated from Père Edouard d’Alençon’s version of the Codex -Casanatensis.[16] But I have not slavishly adhered to this, using, -when they seemed more apt, the variants which he has so diligently -noted at foot. I have also, now and again, used the Italian version of -the Codex Vallicellianus, and, though very rarely, even the classic -“Meditazione.” In my translation I have been no bondsman, but have -rendered freely, while seeking to convey accurately the spirit and -meaning of the work, and to preserve, as far as that might be, the -elemental simplicity of its language. - -The “Sacrum Commercium” is a tissue of the words and phrases of St -Jerome’s beautiful Latin version of Holy Scripture. Where so much is -Biblical, I have had to a certain extent to adopt Biblical language, -but I have striven earnestly to avoid those excesses of Archaism which -irritate even the most equable nerves. With the help of Cardinal -Hugo’s “Concordantiæ Sacrorum Bibliorum” (may his name live for ever!) -I have endeavoured to give references to the principal quotations from -Holy Writ. Some will assuredly have escaped me, and I shall be grateful -to him who points out to me any omissions. - -The reader must not forget that it was the Latin Vulgate which was used -by the author of the “Sacrum Commercium.” To be faithful, therefore, -I could not take my quotations straight from the “Authorised Version.” -I have translated sometimes after my own fashion, sometimes with the -help of the “Douay” version, but when the sense has allowed of it, I -have gladly adopted the noble English of King James’ Bible.[17] - - * * * * * - -And now, _lector humanissime_, I am glad to have done with all -these dry details, necessary perchance to a right understanding of -the subject, and to leave thee free to hasten onward to the green -Pastures and still Waters of one of the fairest of Mediæval Idylls. -Feed in those fresh Pastures, dip in the restoring Waters: thou canst -not but gather therefrom health and strength, life, and the Life to -come; together with a right knowledge of the Past, a loving pity for -the Present, and a valorous good resolution for the Future. - - VALE! - - M. C. - - LIVORNO, _13th June 1901_. - - - - -THE LADY POVERTY - - - - - “O amor di Povertade - La tua gran nobilitade - Chi potrìa gia mai narrare?” - - --_Jacopone da Todi._ - - - - - HERE BEGINNETH THE HOLY COMMERCE OF THE BLESSED FRANCIS WITH THE - LADY POVERTY: - - - - -I - - IN PRAISE OF POVERTY[18] - - -Among the cardinal excelling virtues which prepare a place and mansion -for God in the Soul of Man, and show a more excellent and {1 Cor. -xii. 31.} a speedier way of approaching and attaining unto Him, Holy -Poverty shines resplendent in her authority, and excels all others -by her peculiar Grace. For she is the Foundation and Guardian of all -the Virtues, and holds the Primacy among the Evangelical Counsels. -Wherefore let not the other {Matt. vii. 25.} Virtues fear should the -rain descend, and the floods come, and the winds blow, threatening -destruction, if only they have been founded upon the Rock of Poverty. -And justly; for the Son of God, the Lord of Hosts and King of Glory, -loved this Virtue with a special love, sought this Virtue, found -her, and by her wrought Salvation {Ps. lxxiii. 12.} in the midst of -the Earth. Her, in the beginning of His preaching, He placed as a -Beacon to lighten those entering the Haven of the Faith, and as chief -corner-stone of His House. The Kingdom of Heaven which He promised -hereafter to all the Virtues, He openeth to Poverty even in this life. -For “Blessed,” He {Matt. v. 3.} has said, “are the Poor in Spirit, for -theirs _is_ the Kingdom of Heaven.”[19] They are worthy of the Kingdom -of Heaven who have freely renounced all Earthly Things out of Love and -Desire for Heavenly Things. He must needs live by Heavenly Things who -takes no thought of Earthly Things, and counts {Phil. iii. 8.} them -but as dung: even in this our Exile shall he feed on the honied crumbs -which fall from the table of the Holy Angels, that he may taste and -{Ps. xxxiii. 8.} see how sweet the Lord is. This is truly to find the -Kingdom of Heaven; ’tis the Pledge of an Eternal Mansion therein, and, -as it were, a foretaste of the Blessedness to come. - - - - -II - - HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS MADE DILIGENT SEARCH FOR THE LADY POVERTY - - -Wherefore the Blessed Francis, as a true Follower and Disciple of the -Saviour, gave himself up from the beginning of his Conversion with all -his Heart, with all his Strength, and with all his Mind, to seek and -to find, to have and to hold the Lady Poverty, dreading no Adversity, -fearing no Evil, sparing no labour, shunning no suffering of the body, -so only that he might come unto her to whom the Lord had given the -Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Like an eager explorer he began to go -about the highways and by-ways of the City, diligently seeking {Cant. -iii. 2.} her whom his Soul did love. He asked of those who stood -about, he questioned those who met him, saying: Saw ye her {Cant. -iii. 3.} whom my Soul loveth? But his speech was dark to them as an -alien tongue, and, not understanding him, they answered: We know not -what thou sayest: speak to us in our own tongue, and we will answer -thee. For there was not at that time any word or sign in the language, -by which the Children of Adam could discourse together of Poverty. -They hated her then as they hate her now, nor could they speak with -patience to one who sought her. So they answered him that this thing -was unknown to them, and that they had no knowledge of what he sought. -Then, said the Blessed Francis, I will go unto the Great and the Wise, -and ask them, for they know the Ways of the Lord {Jer. v. 5.} and -the Judgments of God. But these only answered him yet more roughly, -saying: What is this new doctrine which thou bringest to our {Acts -xvii. 20.} ears? May that Poverty which thou seekest always abide with -thee, and with thy children, and with thy seed after thee. As for us, -we had rather enjoy the delights of life and abound in riches, for the -span of our {Wisdom ii. 1.} Life is short and tedious, and in the end -of a man there is no remedy. Therefore we know nothing better than to -eat and {Luke xii. 19.} drink and be merry while there is still time. - -But the Blessed Francis, hearing these things, marvelled in his Heart -and gave Thanks to God, saying: Blessed art {Matt. xi. 25.} Thou, O -Lord God, Who hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent, and -revealed them unto Babes. Even so, Father, for so it hath seemed good -in Thy Sight. O God, the Author and Ruler {Eccli. xxiii. 1.} of my -being, deliver me not over to their Counsels, nor suffer me to fall -into their iniquity, but give me Thy Grace, so that I may find what I -seek, for I am Thy servant, {Ps. cxv. 16.} and the Son of Thy Handmaid. - - - - -III - - HOW TWO OLD MEN SHOWED THE BLESSED FRANCIS WHERE THE MIGHT FIND THE - LADY POVERTY - - -And the Blessed Francis, being come out of the City, made haste to -reach a certain field, in which, from afar off, he saw two old men -sitting, full of a heavy sorrow, the one of whom was saying: To whom -shall I look save to {Isa. lxvi. 2.} some Poor Little Man, contrite of -Heart, and who fears my Words? And the other: For we brought nothing -into {1 Tim. vi. 7, 8.} this World, and it is certain we can carry -nothing out of it. But having food and a covering to our Bodies, let -us be therewith content. - -And when the Blessed Francis had come up with them, he said unto them: -Tell me, I beseech you, where the Lady Poverty dwells, where she -{Cant. i. 6.} feeds her flock, where she takes her rest at noon, for -I languish for the Love of her. But they answered him, saying: O good -Brother, we have sat here for a Time, and Times, {Dan. xii. 7.} and -half a Time, and have often seen her pass this way, {Apoc. xii. 14.} -and many were they who sought her. Many were they, once upon a time, -who walked in her train, but oft she would return alone and desolate, -unadorned by jewels or fine raiment, unescorted by any following. And -she would weep bitterly, saying: The {Cant. i. 5.} Sons of my Mother -have fought against me. But we did answer and say: Have {Cant. i. -3.} patience, for the Righteous love thee. And now, O Brother, ascend -the great and high Mountain whereon the Lord hath placed her. For she -dwelleth in the Holy {Ps. lxxxvi. 1, 2.} Mountains, because God hath -loved her more than all the tents of Jacob. Giants have failed to -follow her footsteps, and the Eagle to fly to the summit of her Hill. -Poverty is the one thing despised of all men, for it is not found in -the {Job xxviii. 13.} land of them that live in delights. Wherefore -she is hid {Job xxviii. 21, 23.} from the eyes of the Living, and -the fowls of the air know her not. But God understandeth her way; He -knoweth her Dwelling-place. If therefore, O Brother, thou wouldst -ascend unto her, put off the Garments of thy Pleasures, {Heb. xii. 1.} -and lay aside every weight and the Sin which besets thee, for unless -thou art free from these trammels, thou canst not attain unto her who -is placed at so great a height. But because My Lady is gracious, -she is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who -seek her. To meditate upon her, Brother, is {Wisdom vi. 16.} perfect -Understanding, and whoso watcheth for her shall speedily be secure. -Take with thee trusty Companions that thou may’st profit by their -Counsel, and be sustained by their Help in the way, for woe {Eccl. iv. -10.} to him that is alone; when he falleth he shall have none to raise -him up. But do you uphold one another. - - - - -IV - - OF THE FIRST COMPANIONS OF THE BLESSED FRANCIS - - -And when he had heard these Counsels, the Blessed Francis chose unto -himself a few faithful Companions, with whom he set out for the -Mountain. And he said unto his brothers: Come {Isa. ii. 3.} ye, let us -go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the Lady Poverty, -that she may teach us her Ways, and we will walk in her Paths. And -when they beheld the Ascent from every side, and saw how exceeding high -and steep it was, they began to say one to another: Who shall ascend -this Mountain, and who shall reach unto the Mountain’s top? The which, -when Blessed Francis heard, he said unto them: Strait is the Way, and -{Matt. vii. 14.} narrow the Gate, which leadeth unto Life, and few -there be that find it. Be strong in the {Eph. vi. 10.} Lord, and in -the power of His Might, and all things difficult will become easy unto -us. Lay down the Burden of your own Will, cast away the heavy Weight -of your Sins, and gird yourselves like Strong Men. Forget those things -{Phil. iii. 13.} which are behind, and reach forth to those which are -before. I say unto you that every {Deut. xi. 24.} place that your -foot shall tread upon shall be yours. For as a Spirit before our face -is Christ the Lord, drawing us to the Mountain’s summit by the Bonds -of Charity. Wonderful, O Brethren, are the Espousals of Poverty, but -we may hope to enjoy her embraces, {Lament. i. 1.} for the Mistress -of Nations is become as a Widow, the Queen of all Virtues is become -contemptible. There is none in all the Land who dares call upon her, -none who will stand over against us, none who by right can forbid this -Blessed Union. All her {Lament. i. 2.} Friends have despised her, and -are become her Enemies. - - - - -V - - HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS FOUND THE LADY POVERTY ON - THE MOUNTAIN - - -And when he had thus spoken, they followed after the Blessed Francis. -And as with light feet they hastened to the summit of the Mountain, -they beheld my Lady Poverty on the topmost Pinnacle gazing down the -Mountain. And when she saw them climbing thus valiantly, nay, as it -were, rather flying towards her, she marvelled exceedingly, and said -to herself: Who are these that {Isa. lx. 8.} fly like the Clouds and -as Doves to their windows? It is long since I saw such as these, or -looked upon men so free from trammels. Therefore will I speak to them -of the things which I ponder in my Heart, lest, like the rest, they -should repent them of their hardy ascent when they behold the dizzying -abyss below. I know they cannot possess me without my consent, but I -shall find Favour before my Heavenly Father if I give them the Counsels -of Salvation. And behold a Voice spoke unto her, saying: Fear not, -Daughter of Sion, {John xii. 15.} for these are of the Seed which -the Lord hath blessed. He hath elected them in Charity {2 Cor. vi. -6.} unfeigned. So from the Throne of her Neediness, the Lady Poverty -presented them with {Ps. xx. 4.} Blessings of Sweetness, and said unto -them: Tell me the cause of your Advent, my Brothers, and why you hasten -thus speedily from the Valley of Tears to the Mountain of Light. Can -it indeed be that you seek me who am poor and needy, tossed by the -tempest, {Isa. liv. 11.} and bereft of all consolation? - - - - -VI - - THE BLESSED FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS, EXALTING HER VIRTUES IN - DIVERS WAYS, BESEECH THE LADY POVERTY TO ABIDE WITH THEM FOREVER - - -And the Blessed Francis and his Companions answered her, saying: Yea, -we have indeed come out to seek thee, Lady, and we beseech thee to -receive us in Peace. We desire to become the Servants of the Lord of -the Virtues,[20] for He is the {Ps. xxiii. 10.} King of Glory. We have -heard that thou art the Queen of the Virtues, and we have proved it by -experience. Wherefore, prostrate at thy Feet, we humbly beseech thee to -abide with us, and to light our Way to the King of Glory, as thou wast -unto Him the Way, when, a Day-Spring {Luke i. 78, 79.} from on High, -He humbled Himself to visit them that sat in Darkness and the Shadow -of Death. For we know that thine is the Power, thine the Kingdom, that -thou art constituted Mistress and Queen of the Virtues by the King of -Kings Himself. Therefore, we entreat thee, make Peace with us and we -shall be saved, and He will receive us through thee, Who through thee -did redeem us. Do but elect to save us, and we shall be made free. For -the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Himself, the Creator of Heaven and -Earth, desired thy Comeliness {Ps. xliv. 11.} and thy Beauty. When the -{Cant. i. 11.} King was at His Rest, rich and glorious in His Kingdom, -He left His House, and forsook His inheritance, the Glory {Jer. xii. -7.} and Riches of His House, and His Royal Seat, and sought {Ps. cxi. -3.} thee with gracious words. Great therefore is thy Dignity, and there -is none so exalted as thee, since He could leave all Angelic Delights -and the great Abundance of Celestial Virtues, to seek thee in the -nethermost parts of the Earth, in the miry {Ps. xxxix. 3.} Clay, in the -Darkness and the Shadow of Death. Thou {Ps. lxxxvii. 7.} wast hated -by all the Children of Men, and all fled at thy Coming, or strove, as -they could, to drive thee from them. And though some could not fly thee -altogether, yet not for that reason wert thou less hated and loathed by -them. - -But then came the Lord, the Lord God, and took thee for Himself, and -lifted up thy Head among the Tribes of the people, crowning thee His -Bride, and exalting thee above the Highest Heavens. And although, of -a surety, many still hate thee, not knowing thy Virtue and thy Glory, -yet hast thou nothing lost thereby, for thou dwellest in Freedom in -thy holy Mountains, in the most firm habitation of the {Exod. xv. 17.} -Glory of Christ. Thus the Son of the Most High, having become a Lover -of thy Beauty, {Wisdom viii. 2.} dwelt only with thee in the World, -and found thee most faithful in all Things. Even before He left His -bright Realms for the Earth, thou hadst prepared Him a fitting place, -a Throne on which to sit, a Couch in which to rest, a most poor Virgin -from whom He sprung, and shone upon the World. At His Nativity thou -didst run to meet Him, so that He might find comfort in thee, and not -in soft places. Thou didst lay Him in a {Luke ii. 7.} Manger, as saith -the Evangelist, for there was no room in the Inn. And thus didst thou -always inseparably accompany Him, so that during His whole Life, while -He dwelt among Men, though the Foxes had {Matt. viii. 20.} Caves, and -the Birds of the Air Nests, He had no place to lay His Head. And when -He Who in the Past had opened the lips of the Prophets opened His own -Lips to preach, among the many things which He spake, He first praised, -first exalted thee, saying: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, {Matt. v. -3.} for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. And when He chose Witnesses -to His Holy Preaching and to His glorious Work for the Salvation of -Man, He did not take rich Merchants, but poor Fisherfolk, that by -this choice He might show forth that thou wert to be loved by All. -And finally that thy Goodness, thy Greatness, thy Power, might be -made manifest to All, and how thou art above all the Virtues, and how -without thee there is no Virtue, and how thy Kingdom {John xviii. 36.} -is not of this World but from Heaven, thou alone didst remain with -the King of Glory when all His Elect and Beloved had fled from Him in -Affright. - -Like unto a most dear Mistress and faithful Spouse, thou didst not -leave Him for an instant. The more He was despised by All, the more -didst thou cleave to Him. For if thou hadst not been with Him, He could -never have been so despised by All. Thou wast with Him when the Jews -reviled, the Pharisees scoffed, and the High Priests reproached Him. -Thou wast with Him when He was struck, when He was spat upon, when He -was scourged. He Who should have been reverenced by All, was derided by -all, and thou alone didst minister unto Him. Thou wast with Him unto -Death, {Phil. ii. 8.} even the Death of the Cross. And on the Cross -itself, His Body being stripped, His Arms extended, His Hands and Feet -pierced, thou didst suffer with Him, so that nothing did seem more -glorious in Him than thou. - -When He ascended into Heaven, He left to thee the Seal of the Kingdom -of Heaven, that thou might’st seal the Elect, that whosoever should -aspire to Eternal Life might come to thee, pray to thee, and enter -by thee, for if he be not sealed with thy Seal, no man may enter the -Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, O Lady, have compassion upon us, and seal -us with the Seal of thy Grace. For who is there so craven-spirited -and foolish as not to love thee with all his Heart, thee who hast -been chosen by the Most High, and prepared from all Eternity? Who is -there that does not reverence and honour thee, when He Whom all the -Heavenly Host adore hath clothed thee with such Honour? Who would not -readily adore thy Footsteps, to whom the Lord of Majesty so humbly -inclined, whom He so intimately embraced, to whom he was joined in so -great a Love? We therefore beseech thee, O Lady, by Him and through -Him, despise not our petitions {Antiphon at Compline in the Office of -the B.V.M.} in our Necessities, but deliver us at all Times from all -Dangers, O Glorious and ever blessed Lady! - - - - -VII - - THE ANSWER OF MY LADY POVERTY - - -To these Words my Lady Poverty, with joyful Heart, and cheerful -Mien, and most sweet Voice, made answer, saying: I confess to you, -my Brothers and most dear Friends, that from the moment you began -to speak, I was filled with Gladness and exceeding great Joy, for I -acknowledge your Fervour, and already know your Holy Intent; your words -are dearer to me than Gold and Precious {Ps. xviii. 11.} Stones, and -sweeter far than Honey and the Honeycomb. For it is not you that speak, -{Mark xiii. 11.} but the Holy Ghost that speaketh in you, and it is His -{1 John ii. 27.} Unction that inspires you in all the things which you -have spoken concerning the Most High King, Who by His Grace alone chose -me as His Beloved, taking away my Reproach {Luke i. 25.} among Men, and -glorifying me among the Highest in Heaven. Therefore I desire, if it -will not weary you, to tell you the story of my Estate. It is a long -Story, but not less useful, and will teach you how to walk with God and -please {Gen. v. 22.} Him, giving heed that you who wish to put your -hands {Luke ix. 62.} to the plough in no wise look back. - -I am not new,[21] as many think, but old and full of years, knowing the -nature of Things, the Varieties of Creatures, the mutability of Time. -I know the vacillations of the Heart of Man, in part by the experience -of Ages, in part by subtlety of Nature, in part by the Merit of Grace. -In the beginning I dwelt in the Paradise of God, where Man was naked. -Or rather, I was in Man, and of his Essence when he was naked, walking -with him in that spacious Paradise, fearing nothing, doubting nothing, -thinking no Evil. I thought to have stayed with him forever, for he -had been created by the Most High, just, good, and wise, and placed -in a most beautiful and delectable Place. I was joyful exceeding, -entertaining him at all Times, for possessing Nothing, he belonged -wholly to God. But, woe is me, he succumbed to Evil, which had been -unknown from the beginning of the Creation, and the unhappy Spirit of -Evil, who, through Vainglory, had lost Wisdom, entered the body of a -Serpent because he could not inhabit Heaven, and treacherously assailed -Man, that like himself he might become a transgressor of the Divine -Law. Unhappy Man, giving ear unto his evil Counsellor, acquiesced and -consented, and having forgotten God, his Creator, followed the Example -of the first Transgressor. In the beginning, says Holy Writ, Man was -naked but not {Gen. ii. 25.} ashamed, for he was perfect in innocence. -But having sinned, he knew that he was naked, and being ashamed, he -hastily made himself an apron of the leaves of the fig-tree.[22] - -When, therefore, I saw that my Companion had sinned, and was dressed in -leaves (for he had nothing else), I left him. And standing afar off, I -beheld him through my Tears, and waited for Him Who should save me from -Faintness of Spirit in so great {Ps. liv. 9.} a Storm. And suddenly -there came a Sound from Heaven {Acts ii. 2.} that shook the whole of -Paradise, and a most bright Light shone from Heaven. And I looked and -beheld the Lord of {Gen. iii. 8.} Majesty walking in Paradise in the -cool of the day, resplendent in ineffable Glory. A mighty Host of -Angels was in His Train, crying with a loud Voice: Holy, Holy, Holy, -{Isa. vi. 3.} Lord God of Sabaoth, the Earth is full of the Majesty -of Thy Glory. Thousands of {Dan. vii. 10.} Thousands ministered unto -Him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand[23] stood before Him. -Then in Fear and Trembling, overcome with Dread and Amazement, my Body -chill, my Heart fast beating, I cried out of the Depths: {Ps. cxxix. -1.} Mercy, Lord--have Mercy! Enter not into Judgment with {Ps. cxlii. -2.} Thy Servant, for in Thy Sight shall no Man living be justified. -But He said unto me: Go, hide thyself for a while, until Mine Anger -be overpast. And {Isa. xxvi. 20.} straightway He called my Companion, -saying: Adam, where art thou? Who answered: I heard Thy Voice, {Gen. -iii. 9, 10.} and was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. -Naked indeed! The man who {Luke x. 30.} went down from Jerusalem to -Jericho and fell among Thieves was stripped of this World’s Goods, but -Adam had been robbed of the Likeness of God. But that King Who is Most -High and yet most Gracious, awaited his Repentance, and gave him the -Opportunity of returning to Him. Yet in his wretchedness he inclined -his {Ps. cxl. 4.} Heart to evil Words, and to making excuses for Sin. -And thus he increased his guilt, and heaped up punishment, treasuring -{Rom. ii. 5.} up unto himself Wrath against the day of Wrath and -Revelation of the just Judgment of God. For he spared not himself nor -his seed after him, delivering up All to the terrible Curse of Death. - -And all the Angels that were present condemned him, and the Lord cast -him forth {Gen. iii. 23.} from Paradise by a just but not less merciful -Judgment, and bade him return to the Earth from whence he was taken, -greatly tempering the Curse He had laid upon him. And being stripped -of his robe of Innocence, God made him garments of skins, therein -signifying that Death had come into the World. And when I saw my -Companion clothed with the skins of dead beasts, I left him altogether, -for he had been cast forth to multiply his labours, whereby he might -become rich. I went forth a {Gen. iv. 12.} fugitive and wanderer upon -the Earth, weeping and mourning exceedingly, and I found not {Gen. -viii. 9.} where to rest the sole of my Foot. When Abraham, Isaac, -Jacob, and the other Patriarchs, received in promise Riches and a Land -flowing with Milk and Honey, I sought Rest among {Eccli. xxiv. 11.} -them, but found none. A Cherub with a Flaming Sword {Gen. iii. 24.} -stood before the Gates of Paradise until the Most High came down from -the Bosom of the Father, Who sought me out most graciously. And when He -had fulfilled all those Things of which you have spoken, and desired to -return to the Father Who had sent Him, He made me a Testament to His -Elect, and confirmed it by irrefragable Decrees: Lay not up Gold nor -{Matt. x. 9.} Silver, nor Money. Carry neither Purse, nor Scrip, nor -{Matt. x. 10 and Luke x. 4.} Bread, nor a Staff, nor Shoes, nor two -Coats. And if any {Matt. v. 40.} Man will contend with thee and take -away thy Coat, let go thy Cloak also. And whoever {Matt. v. 41.} shall -compel thee to go a Mile, go with him other twain. {Matt. vi. 19.} Lay -not up unto yourselves Treasures upon Earth, where Rust and Moth doth -corrupt, and where Thieves break through and steal. Take no {Matt. vi. -31.} thought, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or -wherewithal shall we be clothed? And take no Thought of the Morrow, for -the Morrow will take Thought {Matt. vi. 34.} for itself. Sufficient -unto the Day is the Evil thereof. Whosoever doth not renounce {Luke -xiv. 33.} all that he hath, cannot be my disciple.... And many the like -sayings, which are all to be found in the Gospels. - - - - -VIII - - OF THE APOSTLES - - -All which Things the Apostles and all the Disciples most diligently -observed, nor did they ever fail to fulfil the Things they had heard -from the Master. They bore themselves as most valiant Knights and -Judges of the Earth, carrying the Message of Salvation everywhere, -the Lord working with them, and {Mark xvi. 20.} confirming the Word -with Signs that followed. They glowed in Charity, abounded in Piety, -and endured every Want, taking care that it should not be said of -them: These men preach but do not practise. Hence one of them speaketh -boldly, saying: For {Rom. xv. 18, 19.} I will not dare to speak of any -of those Things which Christ hath not wrought by me by Word and Deed, -and by the Power of the Holy Ghost. And yet another speaketh thus: -Silver and Gold have I {Acts iii. 6.} none. Thus did they, one and -all, in Life and in Death, exalt me by the highest Praises. And those -who heard these Masters, gave heed to their Preaching, selling all -their {Acts ii. 45.} goods and substance, and dividing them according -as every man had need. And they were all together and had {Acts ii. -44.} all things in common, praising God and having favour with all the -People. {Acts ii. 47.} - - - - -IX - - OF THE SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES - - -{Acts ii. 47.} Wherefore the Lord increased daily such as should be -saved. Indeed for long the Truth of their Words remained among many, -more especially while the Blood of the Crucified Poor One, Jesus -Christ, was warm in their memory, and the Noble Chalice of His Passion -inebriated their Hearts. For if any of them sought to leave me at any -time because of my too great Rigours, they would remember the Wounds of -the Lord by which He made manifest His loving Compassion, and bitterly -repent of the Temptation, clinging to me more closely, and embracing -me more eagerly than ever. And I abode in them all, ever striving to -impress upon their Memory the Dolours of the Passion of the Eternal -King. So strengthened by my Words, they cheerfully encountered the -cruel Sword which shed their holy Blood. And this Triumph continued and -endured a long while, so that daily a thousand thousand were sealed -with the Seal of the Most High King. - - - - -X - - THAT TIMES OF PEACE ARE UNPROPITIOUS TO POVERTY - - -But alas! after a while Peace was made, a Peace more hurtful than -any War. In the beginning of that long Peace but few were sealed, in -the middle of it yet fewer, at the end fewer still. And behold! of a -surety in {Isa. xxxviii. 17.} this Peace is my Bitterness most bitter; -for All fly from me or drive me from them; by none am I sought, by -All forsaken. This Peace was the work of Enemies, not of Friends; of -Strangers, not of my Sons. I indeed nourished {Isa. i. 2.} and raised -up Sons, but they contemned me. In that Time when the Lamp of the Lord -{Job xxix. 3.} shone upon my Head, and I walked by His Light through -the Darkness, Satan was raging in many who were with me, the World was -enticing them, and the Concupiscence of the Flesh, so that many of {1 -John ii. 15.} them ended by loving the World and the Things of the -World. - - - - -XI - - OF PERSECUTION - - -But the Crown of all the Virtues, and that is the Lady Persecution, to -whom the Lord, equally with me, delivered the Kingdom of Heaven, was by -my side, and in all things a faithful Helper, a strong Champion, and -a prudent Counsellor. She, when she saw any grow lukewarm in Heavenly -Charity, or forgetting it a while, or fixing their Hearts on Earthly -Things, she straightway sounded the Trump and moved her Armies, and -made their faces to be ashamed, that they might seek {Ps. lxxxii. -17.} the Name of the Lord. But now my Sister has left me, the Light -of my Eyes is not with me, for while my Sons are at rest from the -Persecutors, they are most cruelly torn by civil and intestine War, -envying each other, and struggling for the acquisition of Wealth and an -abundance of luxuries. - -After a while some began to breathe again, and wished of their own -accord to walk in the right Road, which once they had walked in of -necessity. All these came to me with prayers and tears, and entreated -me to make a perpetual League of Peace with them, and to abide with -them as I formerly did in the days {Job xxix. 4.} of my Youth, when -the Lord was with me, and my Children were round about me. These were -men of virtue, peaceful men, without Rebuke before the Lord, constant -in brotherly Love, so long as they remained in the Flesh, poor in -Spirit, poor in this World’s Goods, rich in Holiness, abounding in -the Gifts of Heavenly Grace, fervent in Spirit, rejoicing in Hope, -patient in Tribulation, meek and humble of Heart, and keeping Peace -in their Souls, Harmony in their Ways, Steadfastness in their Hearts, -and a joyful Unity in their Walk through Life. These men were indeed -devoted to God, pleasing to the Angels, beloved of Men, unsparing to -themselves, merciful to Others, devout in Deed, modest in Demeanour, -cheerful of Countenance, earnest of Heart, humble in Prosperity, -high-minded in Adversity, temperate of Life, sober in Dress, sparing of -Sleep, modest and devout, shining before all Men in the Light of their -Good Works. My Soul was joined unto these my Sons, and there was one -Faith and one Spirit within us.[24] - - - - -XII - - OF THE FOLLOWERS OF A SPURIOUS POVERTY - - -{1 John ii. 19.} Finally there rose up among us Men who were not of us, -certain Sons of Belial speaking Vain Things, working Iniquity, calling -themselves Poor Men when they were not Poor, despising and dishonouring -me who had been loved with Whole-heartedness by those glorious Men of -whom I have spoken, following the Way of Balaam, the Son {2 Pet. ii. -15.} of Bosor, who loved the Wages of Sin, Men of a corrupt {1 Tim. -vi. 5.} Mind, devoid of Truth, supposing Gain to be Godliness, Men who -in assuming the Habit of Holy Religion, did not put on the New Man, -but sought to hide the Old. They derided their Elders, and in secret -scoffed at the Life and Character of those who had begun the Way of -Holy Conversation, saying that they were imprudent, merciless, and -cruel, and that I, whom these holy ones had taken into their Company, -was idle, empty, base, rude, lifeless, and feeble. ’Twas my great Rival -who zealously worked all this, hiding under a Sheep’s Clothing the -Cunning of a Fox and the Fierceness of a Wolf. - - - - -XIII - - OF AVARICE - - -Avarice was this Rival’s name, and she is the Immoderate Desire of -acquiring and holding Riches. But they called her by a holier Name, -so that it might not seem that they had abandoned me, by whose Gift -they had been raised from the Dust and lifted up out of the Mire. So -they spake gently of her to me, but there was Craft and Anger in their -Hearts. And though the Desolation of a City which is set upon a Hill -{Matt. v. 14.} cannot be hid, yet they gave her the Name of Discretion -or Foresight, though such Discretion were better named Confusion, and -such Foresight a pernicious Forgetfulness of all Good Works. And they -said unto me: Thine is the Power; thine the Kingdom: fear not. It is -good to use Charity and labour for Good Ends, to succour the Needy and -give to the Poor. But I answered: What you say is just, Brothers, but I -beseech you, consider {1 Cor. i. 26.} your Calling. Do not look back. -Do not come down {Matt. xxiv. 17.} from the house-top to take anything -out of your Houses, neither return back from the fields to take your -Clothes. Do not be busied about this World’s Affairs, nor be entangled -again in its Pollution, {2 Pet. ii. 20, 21.} which you have escaped -through the Knowledge of the Saviour. For those who are entangled -therein a second time must needs be overcome, and the latter End is -worse with them than the Beginning, if by a Pretence of Piety they -turn from the Holy Commandment which has been delivered unto them. And -after I had thus spoken, there arose a Dissension among them, for some -said that I was good and spoke the Truth, but others that I desired to -seduce them into following me, in that I was wretched, and wished to -make them wretched with me. - - - - -XIV - - HOW THE LADY POVERTY SPOKE OF GOOD RELIGIOUS - - -My Rival could not yet drive me out of their Land, for there were still -many Men among them in all the great Zeal and Charity of their First -Fervour, who assailed Heaven by their Cries, and penetrated to the -Throne of God by their Perseverance in Prayer, rapt in Contemplation -and despising all Things which were of the Earth. Then the {Eccli. -xxiv. 12.} Creator of All Things commanded me, and He Who created me -said: Let thy Dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel, -and take thou Root in My Elect. All which Things I most diligently -obeyed. And while I abode with them, and we walked together on the -Royal Road, they became, on my {Wisdom viii. 10, 11.} account, of good -Repute among the People, and admirable in the Sight of the Mighty. They -were honoured by all Men, and reputed as Saints, though they could not -endure to be thus called, remembering what the Son of God had said: I -seek no {John viii. 50.} Glory from Man; therefore they refused all -Honour offered them by Men. - - - - -XV - - HOW AVARICE TOOK THE NAME OF DISCRETION - - -But whilst my Disciples were thus walking in so great Fervour of the -Love of Christ, Avarice, taking to herself the Name of Discretion, -spake and said unto them: Do not show yourselves so severe to Mankind, -nor thus contemn their Honours, but have a kindly Countenance for them, -and do not outwardly reject the Honours offered to you: be content to -do so inwardly. It is a good thing to have the Friendship of Kings, -the Acquaintance of Princes, the Intimacy of the Great, for if they -honour and venerate you, if they rise up to meet you, many seeing this -shall follow their Example, and be the more easily turned to God. And -my Friends, acknowledging these advantages, but not guarding themselves -from the Snare which {Ps. cxlii. 4.} had been set in the Way, in the -End embraced Honours and Glory with all their Heart. They thought -themselves to be inwardly such as they seemed outwardly, but they -gloried in the Praises they received, and were like the Foolish Virgins -without Oil, profitless servants upon the Earth. And Men who believed -them to be interiorly that which they seemed exteriorly, freely offered -them their Goods in Remission of their Sins. In the beginning they had -counted all these {Phil. iii. 8.} Things as dung, saying: We are Poor -Men and always desire to be Poor; we do not desire your goods but you. -We have Food and wherewithal {1 Tim. vi. 8.} to cover ourselves and -desire no more, for Vanity of {Eccl. i. 2.} Vanities and All is Vanity. -Wherefore the devotion of Men towards them increased still more, so -that many held in small Regard the Goods which they saw thus despised -of the Saints. - - - - -XVI - - HOW AVARICE TOOK THE NAME OF PRUDENCE - - -That cruel Enemy of mine, Avarice, seeing this, began to grow exceeding -angry, and to gnash her teeth, and in vexation of Spirit said to -herself: What shall I do? For all the World is going {John xii. 19.} -after her! I will take, said she, the Name of Prudence, and will speak -in their Hearts, and perchance they shall hear and consent. And she did -as she had said, speaking unto them humble words, and saying: What do -you here all {Matt, xx. 6.} the Day idle and making no Provision for -the Morrow? In what could it hurt you to have the necessaries of Life, -so long as you lack all Superfluities? For in Peace and Quietness could -you work out your Salvation and the Salvation of Mankind, if you were -supplied with all Things Needful to you. Therefore, while you have -Time, provide for yourselves and those who shall come after you, for -Men may not always be so generous to you, nor give you the customary -Gifts. It would be good for you to be always as you are, but that is -impossible, for God causes you daily to increase and multiply. Would -God reject you because you had Wherewith to give to the Needy, and -could remember the Poor, when He Himself has said: It is more blessed -to {Acts xx. 35.} give than to receive? Why, therefore, do you not -receive the Goods which are offered you, and not defraud the Givers -of their Eternal Reward? You need fear no harm from the possession -of Riches, so long as you account them as Nought. There is no Evil -in Things themselves, but only in the Soul of Man, for God {Gen. -i. 31.} saw All Things and they were good. To the Good, all Things -are good, all Things serviceable, for them All Things were made. O -how many having possessions use them evilly, which had they been -yours, would have been put to a good use, for holy is your Purpose, -holy your Desire. You do not wish to enrich your Relations who are -already rich enough, but simply to have All Things necessary, so that -your Conversation may be the more honest and orderly. These, and -similar things, she said unto them, and some having already a corrupt -Conscience, gave a ready Assent. But others turned a deaf ear to her -Sayings, and by shrewd Answers refuted her Reasoning, alleging, as did -also their opponents, Arguments from Holy Writ. - - - - -XVII - - HOW AVARICE CALLED IN THE AID OF SLOTH - - -But Avarice, seeing that she could not, unaided, attain her ends upon -my Disciples, changed her plan, that she might better fulfil her -Purpose. So she called in Sloth, who neglects to begin good Works, -or to finish those begun. And Avarice made a Treaty with Sloth, and -entered into a Compact with her against the Religious. They were not -intimate, these two, nor closely affined, but they readily made Common -Cause in Evil-doing, as formerly did Pilate with Herod against the -Messiah. And when their Plan was laid, Sloth began her Ravages, and -having given Assault with her Satellites, she entered the Domain of the -Religious, and by sheer Force carried off their Arms and extinguished -their Charity, reducing them to Tepidity and Sluggishness. And so, a -little also by Pusillanimity of Spirit, they became altogether dead of -Heart. - - - - -XVIII - - OF THE RELIGIOUS WHO WERE CONQUERED BY SLOTH[25] - - -After a While some of the Religious began to sigh most lamentably for -the Flesh-pots of Egypt which they had left behind, and ignobly to seek -what with noble Heart they had abandoned. They fretted at having to -walk in the Ways of God’s Commandments, and followed His Injunctions -with a barren Heart. They grew faint under their Burden, and for Want -of the Spirit could scarcely breathe. Compunction they rarely felt, -and never Contrition; at Obedience they murmured; their Thoughts -were Earthy, their Joy carnal, paltry their Sorrow and their Speech -imprudent, their Laughter easily provoked. Mirthful of Visage, their -Carriage full of Vanity, their Garments soft and delicate, carefully -cut, and still more carefully fashioned, they slept inordinately, ate -overmuch, and drank intemperately. Their talk was full of Jests, and -Railleries, and Idle Words. They engaged in Story-telling, changed the -Rule, disposed of Patronage, and were busily occupied about the Affairs -of the World. Of Spiritual Exercises there was no Care or Thought; -but rarely Exhortations to save the Soul; they had become lukewarm in -Celestial Things. In the Hardness of their Hearts they began to envy -one another, to provoke one another, to domineer over one another, -one Brother eagerly bringing the vilest Accusations against another. -They shunned Gravity, and sought false Sources of Joy, seeing that -they could not have the true. Nevertheless they kept up some show of -Sanctity, so that they might not be utterly despised, and by holy Talk -they sought to hide their wretched way of Life from the Simple. But -so great was the Ruin of the Interior Man, that, unable to contain -themselves, their evil Life burst forth in exterior Manifestations. -In short they began to fawn upon the World, striking bargains with -Worldlings that they might empty their Purses, and they enlarged their -Buildings and multiplied those Things which they had forever renounced. -They bartered their Words to the Rich, and their Courtesies to Noble -Ladies. They eagerly frequented the Courts of Kings and Princes, that -they might join House to House {Isa. v. 8.} and lay field to field. -And now they have become great {Jer. v. 27.} and rich, and have waxed -strong, because they have {Jer. ix. 3.} proceeded from Evil to Evil and -have not known God. They were cast down when {Ps. lxxii. 18.} they were -lifted up; they fell to the Earth before their Birth, and yet they say -unto me: We are thy Friends. - - - - -XIX - - HOW THE LADY POVERTY SORROWED OVER CERTAIN RELIGIOUS WHO WERE POOR - IN THE WORLD, AND YET MORE PRONE THAN OTHERS TO SELF-INDULGENCE IN - RELIGION - - -In my Sorrow I sorrowed all the more over certain Religious who had -been poor and contemptible in the World, and yet grew rich after -they had come to me. And when they had waxed fat and gross {Deut. -xxxii. 15.} beyond the rest, they spurned and derided me. They in the -World were thought unworthy of Life, being destitute through Need -and Hunger. Once they ate Grass and the Bark {Job xxx. 4.} of trees, -they were disfigured {Job xxx. 31.} by their Calamity and Misery, -and now they are not content with the Community Life, but separate -themselves without shame, eating of special Meats. Their Example in -this is hurtful to the rest, and, moreover, they aspire to Honour among -the Disciples of Christ, who in this World were held most worthy of -Contempt. They who often wanted for Barley-bread and Water, and were -glad to lie under the Hedges, were the Sons of the Ignorant and Mean -and Unknown, on a level with my own Wretchedness. Now they hate me -and fly far from me, and are not ashamed to spit in my face. I have -suffered Contumely and Terrors at their Hands, {Jer. xx. 10.} and those -who were my Friends and stood by my side have insulted me. They grew -ashamed of me, and cast me off all the more that they knew they had -been enriched by my Favours, so much so that they even scorned to hear -my Name. - -{Jer. iii. 22.} In my Sorrow I sorrowed and said unto them: Return, -ye rebellious Children, and I will heal your Backslidings. Take heed -and beware of {Luke xii. 15, and Ephes. v. 5.} Avarice, which is the -Service of Idols, for the Avaricious Man shall not be satisfied with -{Eccl. v. 9.} Silver. Call to Mind your former Days in which, being -{Heb. x. 32.} illuminated, you endured a great Fight of Afflictions. -Do not be of them who draw {Heb. x. 39.} back unto Perdition, but of -them that believe to the Saving of the Soul. He who made void the -Law of Moses died {Heb. x. 28.} without Mercy under two or three -Witnesses. How much {Heb. x. 29.} more, think you, doth he deserve -sorer Punishment, who hath trodden under Foot the Son of God, and hath -accounted the Blood of the Covenant, by which he was sanctified, an -unclean thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace? Return, -then, ye Transgressors, {Isa. xlvi. 8.} search your Hearts, for a Man’s -life consisteth not in the abundance of Things which he possesseth. - -{Job xix. 21, 22.} But they were angered, and said: Go to, depart from -us, thou miserable thing. We desire not the knowledge of thy Ways. -And I answered and said unto them: Have {Luke xii. 15.} pity upon me, -have pity upon me, at least, O ye, my Friends. Why do you persecute me -without a Cause? Did I not tell you that your Ways and mine would not -agree? It repenteth me that I have ever seen you. - -{Cant. vi. 12.} And the Word of the Lord came to me, saying: Return, -return, O Shulamite, return, return, that we may look upon thee. These -are the Children of Wrath; they will not hear thee, because they will -not hear Me. Their Hearts have become stubborn and unbelieving; they -have departed and gone away, but they have not rejected thee without -rejecting Me. For thou hast {Jer. xiii. 21.} taught them against thee, -and instructed them against thine own Head, for if they had never -received thee, they would never have been made rich. They pretended to -love thee, so that having received thy Benefits, they might depart from -thee. Wherefore under adverse Temptation they have turned away, and -having laid {Jer. viii. 5.} hold on Lying, they would not return. Do -not again believe those that speak thee fair, for they despise thee and -seek thy Life. Do not offer Prayers or Hymns for them, for I will not -hear thee: I have cast them off because they have despised Me. - - - - -XX - - HOW THE LADY POVERTY SHOWED THE BLESSED FRANCIS THE PERFECT WALK IN - THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. - - -{Prov. iv. 25.} Lo! then, dear Brothers, I have told you a long story, -so that your eyes may behold where you go, and that you may see what -you should do. It is perilous to look back and attempt to deceive God. -Remember Lot’s wife, and do not believe every Spirit. But I have {Luke -xvii. 32, and 1 John iv. 1.} confidence in you, dearest Brothers, for -I see better Things in you than in any others, and you are nearer to -Salvation. You seem to have abandoned Everything, and to have freed -yourselves from all Burdens. And the best proof is this, that you -have ascended this Mountain, which it is given to so few to do. But -I tell you, dear Friends, that the Wickedness of many others hath -made me suspicious of the Virtues of the Good, for I have too oft had -experience of ravening Wolves in Sheeps’ Clothing. - -I desire that each one of you should become a Follower {Heb. vi. 12.} -of the Saints, who by Faith and Patience have come into my Inheritance. -But because I dread lest the Fate of others should overtake you, I give -you this salutary Counsel: that you should not in the Beginning aim -at the Higher and more Hidden Things, but that, setting Christ before -you, you should little by little come to the Highest. Take heed lest, -when the dung of Poverty has been laid about your Roots, you should -after all be found barren, for then there will remain nothing but the -Axe. Do not trust entirely to the Love which you now have, for Man is -more prone to Evil than to Good, and the Soul easily returns to former -Habits, even though it may long have been separated from them. I know -that with your great Fervour all Things seem easy to you. But remember -what is written: Behold they that serve Him {Job iv. 18.} are not -steadfast, and in His Angels He found Wickedness. At first it will seem -sweet to you to bear Anything, but after awhile, lulled in Security, -you will become careless of the Blessings you have received. You will -imagine that you can return to Him whenever you wish, and find the old -consolation. But the Spirit of Negligence, once admitted, is not so -easily got rid of. Your Heart will turn after other Things, but Reason -will call you to return to the Former Things. Lapsed into Sloth and -Idleness, Words of Excuse will rise easily to your Lips: We cannot be -strong as we were in the Beginning, and now the Times are changed; not -knowing that it is written: When a Man hath come to {Eccli. xvii. 6.} -his End then would he make a Beginning. For a voice will always dwell -in your Hearts, saying: To-morrow, and To-morrow, we will return to the -former Man, for it was better with us then than it is now. Behold, I -have foretold you many Things, my Brothers, and many other things have -I {John xvi. 12.} to say unto you, which ye cannot bear now. But the -Hour cometh when I shall {John xvi. 25.} speak to you plainly of All -Things. - - - - -XXI - - HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS MADE ANSWER TO THE LADY POVERTY - - -And when my Lady had made an end of speaking, the Blessed Francis, -with his Companions, fell upon his Face, giving Thanks to God, and -said: Thy Sayings, O Lady, are well-pleasing unto us, nor in ought that -thou hast said can we find any Fault. All that we have {3 Kings x. 6.} -heard in our Land concerning thy Words and thy Wisdom, is most true; -nay, far greater is thy Wisdom than the Fame thereof. Blessed are thy -Servants and Disciples, who dwell forever with thee and hear thy Words -of Wisdom. May the Lord thy God, to Whom thou wast pleasing from all -Eternity, be forever blessed, Who loved thee and made thee Queen, that -thou mightest execute Judgment and Mercy on thy Servants. O how good -and how sweet is {Wisdom xii. 1.} thy Spirit, chastising the Erring, -and admonishing Sinners. Behold, O Lady, by the Love wherewith the -Eternal King did love thee, by the Love wherewith thou didst love Him, -we beseech thee do not despise our petition, but deal with us according -to thy Mercy {Wisdom xvii. 1.} and Loving-kindness. Great are thy -Works, and beyond the Tongue of man to tell, wherefore undisciplined -Souls fly from thee, for thou walkest alone in rocky Places, terrible -{Cant. vi. 3.} as an Army set in Array,[26] and Fools cannot dwell -with thee. But we are thy servants and {Ps. xcix. 2.} the Sheep of thy -Pasture Forever, and Forever and Ever, have we sworn and {Ps. cxviii. -106.} determined to keep the Judgments of thy Justice. - - - - -XXII - - HOW THE LADY POVERTY GAVE HER CONSENT - - -At these Words my Lady Poverty was deeply moved, and as her Property is -{Collect from the Litany of the Saints.} to have Mercy and spare, she -could restrain herself no longer, but having speedily embraced them, -and given to each the Kiss of Peace, she said: Behold, my Brothers and -my Sons, I will come with you, because I know that through you I shall -win many more. - - - - -XXIII - - HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS THANKED GOD FOR THE CONSENT OF - THE LADY POVERTY - - -But the Blessed Francis, beside himself for joy, began to praise -Almighty God with a loud Voice, for that He had not abandoned those who -trusted in Him, saying: Bless the Lord, all ye {Tob. xiii. 10.} His -Elect, keep Days of Rejoicing, and give Glory {Ps. cv. 1.} unto Him, -for He is Good and His Mercy endureth Forever. And coming down from the -Mountain they brought my Lady Poverty to the Place where they dwelt. -And it was about the Sixth Hour. - - - - -XXIV - - OF THE SOJOURN OF MY LADY POVERTY WITH THE BROTHERS - - -And when the Brothers had made all Things ready, they urged the Lady -Poverty to eat with them. But she said unto them: Show me first your -Oratory, the Cloister and Chapter House, the Refectory, Kitchen, -Dormitory, and Stables, your fine Seats and polished Tables and noble -Houses. For I see none of these Things, and yet I do see that you are -blithe and cheerful, abounding in Joy, filled with Consolation, as if -you expected all these Things to be supplied to you at will. But they -made answer and said: O Lady and Queen, we thy Servants are weary with -the long Journey, and thou in coming with us hast endured not a little. -Therefore, if it please thee, let us eat first, and thus refreshed, we -will do thy Bidding. And my Lady answered: It pleaseth me well. But -first bring Water that we may wash our Hands, and a Cloth wherewith to -dry them. And they brought forth a broken earthenware Vessel--for they -had no sound one--full of Water. And having poured the Water on her -hands they searched on all sides for a Cloth. But when none could be -found, one of the Brethren offered the Habit he wore, that therewith my -Lady might wipe her Hands. And giving Thanks she took it, magnifying -God with all her Heart Who had given her such Men as Companions. - -And after this they led her to the Place where the Table was made -ready. But she looked round about, and seeing Nothing save three -or four Crusts of Barley-bread laid upon the Grass, she marvelled -exceedingly within herself, saying: Who ever saw the {Wisdom xii. 13, -18, 19.} Like in the Generations of Old? Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, -Who hast care of All, for Thy Power is at hand when Thou wilt, and Thou -hast taught Thy People, that by such Works they may please Thee. And -thus they sat a while giving Thanks to God for all His Gifts. Then my -Lady Poverty commanded them to bring in Dishes the Food which they had -cooked. But they fetched a Basin full of cold Water, that all might -dip their Bread therein, for here was there no abundance of Dishes or -superfluity of Cooks. My Lady Poverty then begged that she might at -least have some uncooked savoury Herbs, but having neither Garden nor -Gardener, the Brethren gathered some wild Herbs in the Wood, and placed -them before her. Who said: Bring me a little Salt, that I may savour -these Herbs, for they are bitter. But they answered her: Then must thou -tarry a while, Lady, until we go into the City to obtain it, if haply -there should be any one who would give us some. Then she asked them, -saying: Fetch hither a Knife that I may trim these Herbs, and cut the -Bread, which verily is hard and dry. Who answered: O Lady, we have no -Smith to make us knives. For the present, use thy Teeth in the place of -a Knife, and afterwards we will provide. Whereupon she said: Have you a -little Wine? To which they answered: No, Lady, we have no Wine, for the -necessaries of {Eccli. xxix. 28.} Man’s Life are Bread and Water, and -it is not good for thee to drink Wine, for the Spouse of Christ should -shun Wine as Poison. - -And when they were satisfied, rejoicing more in the Nobility of Want -than if they had had an Abundance of All Things, they blessed the Lord, -in Whose Sight they had found such Favour, and led my Lady Poverty to a -Place where she might sleep, for she was weary. And she lay down upon -the bare ground. And when she asked for a Pillow, they straightway -brought her a Stone, and laid it under her Head. So after she had -slept for a brief space in Peace, she arose and asked the Brothers -to show her their Cloister. And they, leading her to the Summit of a -Hill, showed her the wide World, saying: This is our Cloister, O Lady -Poverty. Thereupon she bade them all sit down together, and opening her -Mouth she began to speak unto them Words of Life, saying: - - - - -XXV - - HOW MY LADY POVERTY BLESSED THE BROTHERS, EXHORTING THEM TO PERSEVERE - IN THE GRACE WHICH THEY HAD RECEIVED - - -Blessed are you, my Sons, of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth, who -have received me into your House with such Fulness of Charity that -it seems to me as if, being with you, I had to-day been in Paradise. -Wherefore I am full of Joy and abound in Consolation, and I ask pardon -of you for having so long delayed my Coming. Verily the Lord is with -you, {Gen. xxviii. 16.} and I knew it not. Behold, what I longed for -I see, what {Antiphon at the Benedictus in the Feast of St Agnes.} I -desired I hold, for I am joined to them that are a type upon Earth of -Him to Whom I am espoused in Heaven. The Lord bless your Fortitude, -{Deut. xxxiii. 11.} and receive the Work of your Hands. I pray and -most earnestly beseech you, as most dear Sons, to persevere in those -Things which you have begun by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, not -abandoning your Perfection as is the Custom with some, but avoiding -all the Snares of Darkness, strive ever after Things more Perfect. -Most high is your Perfection, above Man and the Strength of Man, and -it excels in its Brightness the Perfection of your Forefathers. Have -no Doubt or Fear concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, for you already -hold the Earnest of Future {Eph. i. 14.} Inheritance and a Pledge of -{2 Cor. v. 5.} the Spirit, being sealed with the Seal of the Glory of -Christ, and are like in all things, by His Grace, to that first Company -of Disciples which He gathered about Him when He came into the World. -For that which they did when He was with them, you have done not seeing -Him, and you need not fear to say: Behold we {Matt. xix. 27.} have left -all Things and have followed Thee. - -Let not the Greatness of the Fight, nor the Magnitude of the Labour -hinder you, for Great shall be your Reward. {Heb. x. 35.} Looking -unto the Author and {Heb. xii. 2.} Finisher of All Good Things, Our -Lord Jesus Christ, Who having Joy set before Him, endured the Cross, -despising the Shame, hold fast to the {Heb. x. 23.} Confession of your -Hope, without wavering. Run with Charity to the Fight that is before -you; run, too, with Patience which is most necessary to you, that by -so doing the Will of God you may receive the Promise. For God is able -by His Holy Grace to bring to a happy Consummation, the Work which -is above your Strength, because He is faithful to His Promises. Let -nothing be found in you pleasing to the {Eph. ii. 2.} Spirit of the -Children of Unbelief, let there be no Doubt or Hesitation, lest in -working their Wickedness against you, they convict you of Consent. -For it is a proud Spirit, but {Isa. xvi. 6.} its Pride and Arrogancy -are greater than its Strength. This Spirit is exceeding wrath with -you, and it will turn against you all the Arms of its Cunning. It will -seek to pour out the Venom of its Malice upon you, like one who in -fighting had thought all his Enemies vanquished, and now rages to see -you looking down upon him. All the Inhabitants of Heaven, O dearest -Brothers, rejoice exceedingly in your Conversion, and have sung a new -Song before the Face of the Eternal King. The Angels rejoice because -of you, for through you many shall continue Virgins, they shall be -resplendent in Chastity, and shall fill the empty places in the City on -High, where Virgins are established in especial Glory, for those that -neither marry {Matt. xxii. 30.} nor are given in Marriage are like the -Angels in Heaven. The Apostles exult at seeing their Life renewed, and -their Doctrine preached, and because you show an Example of the Highest -Sanctity. And the Martyrs exult, waiting to see their Constancy in -the Shedding of Blood made manifest in you also. The Confessors dance -before the Lord, knowing that their Victory in the Face of the Enemy -is often to be repeated in you. The Virgins who follow the Lamb {Rev. -xiv. 4.} whithersoever He goeth, likewise rejoice, knowing that by you -many will be daily added to their Number. The Whole Court of Heaven is -filled with Joy, for daily shall they keep the Festival of some new -Inhabitant, and because they shall be continually incensed with the -Odour of Holy Prayers ascending from this Valley of Tears. - -{Rom. xii. 1.} Therefore, I beseech you, dear Brothers, by the Mercy of -God, for which you have made yourselves thus Poor, carry out that which -you have come to do, for which you left the Rivers of Babylon. Receive -in all Humility the Grace which has been given you, use it worthily in -All Things, and always for the Praise, Honour, and Glory of Him Who -died for you, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy -Ghost, liveth and reigneth, Victorious and Glorious, Eternal God, World -without End, - - -AMEN - - - HERE ENDETH THE TREATISE CONCERNING THE LADY POVERTY AND OUR SERAPHIC - FATHER, THE BLESSED FRANCIS. - -This Work was done in the Month of July, after the Death of the Blessed -Francis, in the Year One thousand two hundred and twenty-seven after -the Incarnation of OUR LORD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. - - - - -ON THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY - -BY - -FATHER CUTHBERT, O.S.F.C. - - - - - THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY - - -“This is the sublimity of most high Poverty which has made you, -beloved brethren, heirs and kings of the Kingdom of Heaven.”[27] Thus -wrote St Francis of Assisi when he gave his disciples the Rule which -obliged them to “serve the Lord in poverty and humility.” It is easy to -recognise in these words the note of exultation and achievement which -made St Francis the most inspiring personality in Mediæval Christendom, -and which gives to his name, even to-day, a singular power over the -imagination of the Christian World. Clad in his peasant’s dress, and -with no possessions of his own in the world save his soul and body,[28] -he is nevertheless the man rich in all things that are of vital -interest, the clear spiritual vision, the perfect joy, the encompassing -sympathy, which gathers all palpitating life into its own. Francis -_lived_, if ever a man lived. His was the liberty of soul which finds -the joy of life in all Creation. - -Artificial stimulus and transient excitement could add nought to -the Joy that was his. To him the sky and the earth, the sun and the -flowers, the fields and all living things, spoke with articulate speech -of the life that is in them. As for his fellow-men, their life was his -life. He had come to pass beyond the bounds of his own personality, and -to enter into that spiritual communion with all living things, whereby -man escapes from his own limitations, and the world lives in him as he -in the world. And above all, and yet in all, he beheld the ever blessed -God, the Author of all life that is. To Francis, God was ever present -in the Creation, the Life behind all life. “The Heavens show forth -the Glory of God, and the Firmament declareth the Work of His Hands.” -The intimate relationship binding creation to its Creator was to him -an abiding perception; he could not think of Earth apart from Heaven, -nor of finite man apart from the Infinite God. Whatever was good and -beautiful was to him an indication of the Divine Goodness and Beauty, -a portal of the Eternal Kingdom; and with keen spiritual intuition he -discovered the good and the beautiful, where men of lesser sensibility -would only find the commonplace and the material. “To them that love -God, all things work together unto Good;”[29] the truly spiritual man -discovers the imprint of the Divine Life along all the highways and -byways of Creation: just as the poet’s eye discovers beauty in the -woodland through which the ordinary wayfarer passes unheeding. - -Thus the whole creation poured into the Soul of Francis an unceasing -stream of spiritual life, and with the inflowing life came joy--joy -unutterable; and sorrow too. For life as it is, has no joy altogether -separate from pain. There is tragedy in the purest romance, death even -where there is life. And so the “joyous troubadour of God” sorrowed -much because of the shadow that lay across the sunshine. To him -personally life was joy, such was his liberty of spirit; but it was not -so to all men. Many are they to whom life is sorrow; they walk as in a -dark valley with but the twilight around them; nay, at times with no -light at all, but only darkness, and their souls are starved for lack -of light and warmth; even when in their ignorance or despair they seek -pleasure in the immediate objects of sense around them. For these he -sorrowed with the sorrow of Christ weeping over Jerusalem. It was a -sorrow which kept him at long vigils when the world lay asleep, praying -for mercy for the souls of men. Yet this sorrow could not destroy the -essential joy of life which was his in a super-eminent degree. He -sorrowed as many a man and woman sorrows over a friend who is deprived -of the happiness which is their own. - -Truly was Francis a “King and heir of the Kingdom,” if Kingship means -sovereign possession; for he found what is best in life and had it as -his own, nought else than the very joy of life. Francis himself has -told us how this joy of life came to him with the absolute renunciation -of what the world at large holds most dear--wealth, place, and power. -In renunciation he found spiritual freedom, and with it joy. No man is -truly joyous whose joy does not spring from his own soul, or from that -inalienable possession of the world which comes of spiritual communion -with what is good and true in it, and therefore Eternal. - -The joy which is dependent upon the possession of the merely visible -and material can never reach the inmost spirit of man, even were such -possession not, at best, uncertain and of its nature transitory. Nay, -the joy of life, which springs from man’s own spirit, is impossible -to him whose heart is set upon the merely external world. For the -spiritual and the material are in the immediate aspect a simple -antithesis; so that where the one is, the other cannot be. “You -cannot serve God and mammon.” You cannot satisfy your nature with the -transitory, and yet retain an appetite for the Eternal. Consequently, -he who would be free and retain a relish for the life of the Spirit, -must beware of the lust of the earth, and keep a detached heart towards -what is of its nature unspiritual. - -To St Francis, a man amongst men, the lust of the earth was radically -allied with pride of class, an inordinate ambitiousness of glory, and a -love of luxury. Poverty, as Francis understood it, meant the antithesis -of all this. The Lady Poverty (to borrow the Saint’s own imagery) was -an outcast; she was the despised of men; and she walked amid the rough -ways of the earth with threadbare garments and bruised feet. - -The story how Francis found his ideal bride and came to love her with -chivalric devotion, is too well known to need repetition. The final -act in the drama came when one day, riding in the plain before Assisi, -he was met by a leper who besought an alms, and, filled with disgust, -he at first thought to pass on, but, moved by a nobler impulse, cast -himself from his horse, and not only gave the alms, but folded the -leper to his breast and embraced him. From that moment he himself has -told us that “what had seemed bitter was changed into sweetness of soul -and body, and not long afterwards I left the world.”[30] - -The embrace of the leper marked the final abandonment in Francis’ soul -of the sense of separation between himself, the son of the wealthy -Bernardone, and the outcasts of society. Henceforth to Francis, the -poor and the outcast were human brethren, worthy of a brother’s -intimate love and care. In the same moment he cast aside, once for -all, his youthful dream of entering the ranks of chivalry, and seeking -renown in battle and tournament. Henceforth he would be the servant of -his brothers the poor, and “serve the Lord in Poverty and Humility.” - -The path of renunciation was further determined for him when his new -ideal of life clashed with the commercial interests of his family. -In the newly-awakened consciousness of his kinship with the poor, he -considered his share in the family business as their share, and freely -parted with what he had a right to consider his own. Pietro Bernardone, -his father, foresaw commercial ruin from such a course, and when he -found that Francis was indissolubly wedded to his ideal, promptly -disinherited him. Henceforth Francis was without house or property of -his own. With the keenness of a soul set free, he at once recognised -in his father’s act of disinheritance the charter of his spiritual -freedom. “Now in truth can I say: Our Father Who art in Heaven!” Heaven -and earth became his when in the moment of abandonment he called God -his Father. Thus he cast from himself forever the three dominant -tyrannies which in his own age and since, have oppressed the souls of -men--wealth, place, and power. He had become in very truth the Poor Man -of Assisi, and yet who was richer than he? - -Never did Francis regret his renunciation, but ever did the thought -of it fill him with gratitude and joy. One day, some years after his -disinheritance, the Saint and one of his disciples, Brother Masseo, -were eating a scanty meal of broken bread, begged by the way; they -ate near a fountain, and a large stone was their table. “O Brother -Masseo,” said Francis, his soul bubbling with joy, “we are not worthy -of so great a treasure;” and he repeated these words several times. -Brother Masseo answered: “Father, how canst thou talk of a treasure -where there is so much poverty and indeed a lack of all things? for we -have neither cloth, nor knife nor dish, nor table, nor house; neither -have we servant nor maid to wait upon us.” Then said the Saint: “And -this is the very reason why I look upon it as a great treasure, because -man has no hand in it, but all has been given us by Divine Providence, -as we clearly see in this bread of charity, in this beautiful table of -stone, and in this clear fountain.”[31] Surely here we find the very -apotheosis of poverty; of the poverty which, discarding the artificial, -is happy in the simple realities and in the bounties of nature, and -feels no barrier between itself and the spiritual possession of the -very earth itself. - -Here it may be as well to take note how alien is the poverty of Francis -from the vulgarity and squalor, the idleness and discontent, which -mark too frequently the life of the poor. No greater misconception of -Franciscan poverty could there be than to conceive it as sanctioning or -condoning any condition that detracts from the proper native dignity -of man. The “Lady Poverty” of Francis went with bare and bruised feet, -her garment was coarse, and she ate but the bread of the peasant; but -she retained her native dignity of soul, and bore herself as a Queen -wherever she went. She delighted in the pure air, and the flowers, and -the running stream, was honest and self-revering, simple and joyous. - -The poverty of our city slums where hearts break in discontent, and -souls are starved for lack of spiritual intelligence--such was not -the poverty of Francis’ dream. To use again his own manner of speech, -this is poverty in slavery, degraded and dishonoured by the vice and -selfishness of man. With a full heart would he have set himself to -rescue his Ideal from her modern degradation and restore her to her -place of honour upon the earth. Knight-errant as he was, he would not -have rested until poverty was made honourable amongst men. To rescue -the poor from the conditions which have so effectually demoralised them -during the past two or three centuries of unheeding individualism, -would undoubtedly have been to Francis a first and urgent duty were -he with us to-day. Even in his own time he regarded with anxiety the -conditions which debased the poor; even then he considered himself the -knight-errant sent to rescue the comely maiden Poverty from the neglect -and heartless scorn of the world.[32] But was ever Italian peasant so -utterly degraded as are many of the victims of modern industrialism? -Poverty with Francis was the mother of spiritual freedom; poverty in -the London slum is synonymous with hard materialism and irreligion. -Was ever contrast greater? And yet Francis has made evident to us that -beneath the squalor and degradation of the modern city, there is a -spiritual possibility, if only it can be recovered. But will it ever -be that poverty shall again regain amongst the hungry multitude the -honourable estate with which the Saint of Assisi had endowed it? Will -it ever be rescued from its present inhuman conditions? The future only -can tell; and they who strive that it shall be so can only work in the -strength of their faith; but faith verily can accomplish the apparently -impossible, if faith itself be strong. Meanwhile the ideal of Francis -has assuredly a prophetic message for the multitude which is not hungry. - -Poverty, as Francis preached it, is an integral element in the -Christian life. Christianity imperatively demands of all its followers -an acceptance of the truth which Francis embodied so wonderfully in -himself. No one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless he be as Francis -was, a lover of Poverty. Such is the Gospel. “Blessed are the poor -in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”[33] There are those -who so interpret this beatitude as to empty it of all significance -concerning material possessions. The meaning of Christ, however, is -made clear, by His own earthly life and by the lives of His early -disciples. “Poverty of Spirit” means nothing less than detachment of -heart from the possession or achievement of material gain, and from its -attendant pleasures. No man can be a disciple of Christ who is not free -from the moral slavery which wealth and temporal possessions so easily -set upon the soul. To no man is given the spiritual insight and vision -which alone can bring rest eternal to man’s spirit, unless he have -first put from him the lust of the earth. And according to the measure -of his detachment is spiritual achievement possible. - -Is then every man to imitate St Francis of Assisi, and cast off all -wealth and become dependent upon the labour of his hands or the charity -of his neighbour? No such claim is made by Francis, for it was not -made by Christ. If Christ demanded of the young man that he should “go -and sell what he had and give it to the poor” in order to follow Him, -He also acquiesced in the rich Zacchæus keeping his wealth so long as -he did not neglect his duty to those in need. Francis, too, following -the Divine Model, gave no injunction to the Lord of Chiusi or to the -Lady Giacoma to renounce their property, and he expressly forbade his -friars, who like himself gave up all right of possession, to judge -those who have possessions. No, it is not the holding of property, but -the selfish misuse of it and the inordinate desire of material gain and -its pleasures, which is opposed to the virtue of evangelical poverty. -In few words may the Christian precept of poverty be set forth: Let -no man set his heart on any material possession for its own sake, or -for the mere holding of it; if a man is lacking in this world’s goods, -let him not fret nor complain, but seek rather the life of the spirit. -If, on the other hand, he is endowed with this world’s goods, either -by inheritance or as the result of honest labour, let him bear in mind -that such goods are not absolutely his own; they belong, in the first -instance, to God, the Master of all, and may rightfully be used and -distributed only subject to the Divine laws of justice and charity. No -man has an absolute ownership before God, so that he may satisfy his -own whim or pleasure without consideration for what is due by Divine -Law to his fellow-men. Possession in the sphere of conscience is -stewardship. The rich are God’s stewards, appointed to “give to every -man his just measure in due season.” Such briefly is the precept of -Evangelical Poverty--a precept which has no direct connection with any -theory of social economics, but is based upon the fundamental law of -religion, that only the poor in spirit are spiritually free and capable -of citizenship in the realm of eternal life. - -Assuredly to us who live our lives upon the pulse of a great industrial -empire, this message of the Poverello comes with a distinctness not -to be passed unheeded. As a race we are a prosperous people, and -money-making is our first preoccupation. Luxuries are easily within -our grasp; cheap luxuries, perhaps, which is all the worse, for that -very cheapness is a snare blinding us to the fact that what we indulge -in is a luxury. In money-making and luxury lie the elemental dangers -to our spiritual life. “Money,” says Cardinal Newman, “is a sort of -creation, and gives the acquirer, even more than the possessor, an -imagination of his own power, and tends to make him idolise himself. -Again, what we have hardly won we are unwilling to part with; so that a -man who has himself made his wealth will commonly be penurious, or, at -least, will not part with it except in exchange for what will reflect -credit on himself or increase his importance. Even when his conduct -is most disinterested and amiable (as in spending for the comfort of -those who depend on him), still this indulgence of self, of pride, and -worldliness insinuates itself.” And he adds: “If such be the effect of -the pursuit of gain on an individual, doubtless it will be the same on -a nation; and if the peril be so great in the one case, why should it -be less in the other?”[34] The enduring strength of a nation, as of an -individual, depends upon moral fibre and spiritual vision. If these be -destroyed no nation can long remain save as a warning to the nations -that shall come. Undoubtedly there are strong tendencies amongst us -towards the worship of wealth and its attendant luxuries and towards a -selfish accumulation of wealth beyond all possible needs, tendencies -which acquire strength with the growth of empire and trade. Well for us -is it that at this time Francis of Assisi is becoming widely known. To -all who revolt against the vulgar materialism which dominates so much -of our present life, Francis of Assisi is as a prophet sent by God. -Standing against the dark background of Avarice and Luxury which had -already infested the growing commercial centres of the mediæval world, -he throws the light of his own clear personality into the dark corners -of our own life. - -We yearn, many of us, for a deeper spiritual life; we sorrow because -the joy of life seems flitting ever further and further away from this -complex social organism of ours. We seek direction, and the Poverello -is here to lead us; and the way he leads is that of detachment and -renunciation. But his own personality and life are an assurance to us -that the renunciation he preaches, leads to richer gain; he leads us -through death, only that we may find life even here, in some measure, -upon the earth, and in the fulness of the spirit hereafter. Thus and -not otherwise does he interpret to us the Poverty of Christ. - - - FATHER CUTHBERT, O.S.F.C. - - Crawley, Feast of St Anthony - of Padua, 1901. - - - - -APPENDICES - - - - -APPENDIX I - - A PRAYER OF THE BLESSED FRANCIS TO OBTAIN HOLY POVERTY. - - -O Lord Jesus! Show me the ways of Thy dearly-loved Poverty. I know -that the Old Testament was but a Figure of the New. In the Old, Thou -hast promised that “every place that your foot shall tread upon, shall -be {Deut. xi. 24.} yours.” To tread under foot is to despise; Poverty -treads all Things under foot, therefore she is the Queen of all Things. -But, O my dear Lord Jesus, have pity upon me and upon my Lady Poverty, -for I am consumed with Love for her, and can know no rest without her. -Thou knowest all this, my Lord, Thou who didst fill me with the Love -of her. But she sitteth in sadness, rejected of all; she, the Mistress -of Nations, is become as a Widow; the Queen of all Virtues is become -contemptible; {Lament. i. 1.} and sitting upon a dunghill she lamenteth -that all her friends have despised her and have become her enemies; for -long now she knows them to be wantons and no Spouses of hers. - -Remember, O Lord Jesus, that Poverty is so much the Queen of the -Virtues, that Thou, forsaking the dwelling-place of the Angels, didst -descend upon Earth in order to espouse her in Love Everlasting, and so -as to bring forth in her, and by her, and through her, all the Children -of Perfection. And she clung to Thee with such Fidelity, that even -within Thy Mother’s womb she paid Thee homage, for Thy Infant Body was, -it is thought, the smallest of all. And at Thy Birth she received Thee -in a Holy Manger and Stable; and in Thy Life upon Earth she so deprived -Thee of all things, that Thou hadst no place where to lay Thy Head. And -as a faithful Helpmeet she followed Thee loyally when Thou didst go -forth to do battle for our Redemption, and in the Agony of the Passion -she was Thy only Armour-bearer. When Thy Disciples denied Thee and -fled, she alone did not leave Thee, but was Thy faithful Companion with -all the host of her Princes. - -Even Thy own Mother (who alone did faithfully honour Thee, and with -grievous Sorrow share Thy Passion), even she, I say, could not by -reason of the height of the Cross, reach up unto Thee, but the Lady -Poverty in all her Penury, like a most dear Servitor, did there hold -Thee in an ever closer embrace, and join herself more and more nearly -to Thy Sufferings. For the which reason she did not wait to smooth -Thy Cross, nor to give It even the rudest preparation; nor, it is -thought, did she even make sufficient Nails for Thy Wounds, nor sharpen -or polish them, but furnished three only, all rough and jagged and -blunted, to support Thee in Thy Martyrdom. And when Thou wast dying of -a burning Thirst, Thy faithful Spouse was careful lest Thou shouldst -have one drop of Water even, and by the hands of the impious Soldiery, -prepared Thee a Cup of such bitterness, that Thou couldst only taste, -but not drink of it. And in the close Embrace of this Thy Spouse, Thou -didst yield up the Ghost. - -But so faithful a Spouse was not absent at Thy Burial and would not -suffer Thee to have anything of Thy own, either Sepulchre or Ointments -or Linen, for these were all borrowed from others. Nor did she fail to -be present at Thy Resurrection; for rising gloriously in her Embrace, -Thou didst leave behind in the Sepulchre all those things which had -been borrowed. And then Thou didst take her up into Heaven with Thee, -abandoning all earthly things to those that are of the Earth, and -bequeathing unto the Lady Poverty the Seal of the Kingdom of Heaven, -wherewith she might seal the Elect who desire to walk in the Way of -Perfection. - -O who would not love the Lady Poverty above all things! Of Thee, O -Jesus, I ask to be signed with this Privilege; I long to be enriched -with this Treasure; I beseech Thee, O most poor Jesus, that, for Thy -sake, it may be the Mark of me and mine to all Eternity, to possess no -thing of our own under the Sun, but to live in penury upon the goods of -others, so long as this vile body lasts. - - -AMEN. - - -NOTE - -This remarkable prayer figures as the composition of St Francis in -all the editions of his works from Wadding (Antwerp, 1623) to Fra -Bernardo da Fivizzano (Florence, 1880). But we have (unfortunately) -no satisfactory or scientific proof that the prayer was really the -composition of the Seraphic Patriarch. Wadding took it from Ubertino -da Casale “Arbor Vitæ Crucifixi Jesu” (Venice, 1485). Ubertino wrote -his redoubtable book in 1305, and though he puts this prayer into the -mouth of St Francis, the context points to the fact that he is rather -attempting to reproduce the sentiments of the Saint, than giving a -prayer literally written by him. And his indebtedness to the “Sacrum -Commercium” is obvious. But whether written by St Francis or not, -there can be no doubt that when he prayed, he often prayed after this -fashion. It most faithfully reflects his spirit and ideas, and is -admirably illustrative of the “Sacrum Commercium.” For this reason we -have given it a place in the Appendix. It is also interesting as being -the probable source whence Dante drew his beautiful idea that the Lady -Poverty was more privileged than the Blessed Virgin, insomuch as she -followed the Lord up on to the very Cross itself: - - “_Si che, dove Maria rimase giuso, - Ella con Cristo salse[35] in su la croce._” - -The naïve sublimity of the concluding petition of the prayer “et -alienis rebus semper cum usus penuria, dum vivit caro misera, -sustentari,” is most characteristic of the Saint, not only in its -sentiment but in its Franciscan directness. It strikes strangely upon -modern ears to hear a Divine petition that certain men may ever be -known as men who lived upon others. But it is logical, as Francis -always was. There can be no evangelical poverty with possessions, and -yet man must keep body and soul together; hence mendicancy is the only -resource of the real lovers of my Lady Poverty. This sentiment recalls -the famous saying of St Francis in the Fifth of his “Collationes -Monasticæ”: “There is a compact between the World and my Brothers. They -owe it a good example, and the World in return must provide them with -all necessities. But if the Brothers, breaking faith, cease to give -their good example, the World will, with justice, withdraw its helping -hand.” - -Very interesting, and of considerable importance, is the fact that this -Prayer speaks of Christ being crucified with three nails only. Whether -St Francis wrote the prayer or not, we may take this to have been his -opinion, for it seems to have been the common opinion of the thirteenth -century. And bearing in mind this opinion of his, it becomes impossible -to attribute the phenomena of his Stigmata to subjective causes, or to -that which is loosely called hysteria. The Stigmata of St Francis were -not merely open wounds, but showed nails of a black fleshy substance, -one in each hand and one in each foot. If these Stigmata had been the -result of intense meditation on the Passion, then, seeing what his -opinion was, the singular phenomena which were developed in him, would -have shown one nail only for the feet, and not a nail in either foot. -The point is of capital importance to investigators of a remarkable -occurrence which, while proved beyond a doubt as a matter of fact, has -hitherto found no scientific explanation. - - - - -APPENDIX II. - -PARADISE--CANTO XI. - -LINES 28-123 - -_Dean Plumptre’s Translation_ - - -It is probable that Dante knew the “Sacrum Commercium”; it is certain -that he knew the Prayer to obtain Poverty. Therefore it may be -convenient to give _in extenso_ that part of the Divine Canto which -sings of the Mystic loves of Francis and the Lady Poverty. - - The Providence,--which all things doth dispose 28 - With such deep counsels that all mortal gaze - Is baffled ere to that great depth it goes-- - That unto Him she loves might bend her ways, 31 - The Bride of Him Who, with a bitter cry, - Espoused her with the blood we bless and praise, - In fuller peace, more steadfast loyalty, 34 - Her, for her good, with two high chiefs endowed, - That they on either side her guides might be. - The soul of one with love seraphic glowed; 37 - The other by his wisdom on our earth - A splendour of cherubic glory showed. - Of one I’ll speak; for, if we tell the worth 40 - Of one, ’tis true of both, whiche’er we take, - For to one end each laboured from his birth. - Between Tupino and the streams that break 43 - From the hill chosen by Ubaldo blest, - A lofty mount a fertile slope doth make; - Perugia’s Sun-gate from that lofty crest 46 - Feels heat and cold; Nocer’ and Gualdo pine - Behind it, by their heavy yoke opprest. - On this slope, where less steeply doth incline 49 - The hill, was born into this world a sun, - Bright as this orb doth oft o’er Ganges shine. - Whence, naming this spot, let not any one 52 - Call it Ascesi--that were tame in sense-- - As Orient doth its proper title run. - Such was his rise, nor was he far from thence, 55 - When he began to make the wide earth share - Some comfort from his glorious excellence; - For he, a youth, his father’s wrath did dare 58 - For maid, for whom not one of all the crowd, - As she were death, would pleasure’s gates unbar. - And then before court spiritual he vowed 61 - _Et coram patre_--marriage-pledge to her, - And day by day more fervent love he showed. - Of her first spouse bereaved, a thousand were, 64 - And more, the years she lived, despised, obscure, - And, till he came, none did his suit prefer. - Nought it availed that she was found secure 67 - With that Amyclas when the voice was heard - Which made the world great terror-pangs endure; - Nought it availed that she nor shrank nor feared, 70 - So that, when Mary tarried yet below, - She on the Cross above with Christ appeared. - But lest I tell it too obscurely so, 73 - By these two lovers, in my speech diffuse, - Thou Poverty and Francis now mayst know. - Their concord and their looks of joy profuse, 76 - The love, the wonder, and the aspect sweet, - Made men in holy meditation muse, - So that the holy Bernard bared his feet, 79 - The first to start, and for such peace so tried, - That slow he thought his pace, though it was fleet. - O wealth unknown, true good that doth abide! 82 - Ægidius bared his feet, Sylvester too, - Following the Bridegroom, so they loved the Bride. - Then went that Father and that Master true 85 - With that his Bride and that his family, - Who round their loins the lowly girdle drew; - Nor was faint heart betrayed in downcast eye, 88 - As being Pietro Bernardone’s son, - Nor yet as one despised wondrously; - But like a king his stern intention 91 - To Innocent he opened, who did give - The first seal to that new religion. - Then, when the race content as poor to live 94 - Grew behind him, whose life, so high renowned, - Would, in Heaven’s glory, higher songs receive, - With a new diadem once more was crowned 97 - By Pope Honorius, from on high inspired, - This Archimandrite’s purpose, holy found. - And after that, with martyr zeal untired, 100 - He, in the presence of the Soldan proud - Preached Christ, and those whom His example fired; - And finding that that race no ripeness showed 103 - For their conversion, not to toil in vain, - He to Italia’s fields his labours vowed. - On the rough rock ’twixt Tiber’s, Arno’s, plain, 106 - From Christ received he the last seal’s impress, - Which he two years did in his limbs sustain. - When it pleased Him, Who chose him thus to bless, 109 - To lead him up the high reward to share - Which he had merited by lowliness, - Then to his brothers, each as rightful heir, 112 - He gave in charge his lady-love most dear, - And bade them love her with a steadfast care; - And from her breast that soul so high and clear 115 - Would fain depart and to its kingdom turn, - Nor for his body sought another bier. - Think now what he was who the fame did earn 118 - To be his comrade, and for Peter’s barque - On the high seas the true path to discern. - And such was he, our honoured Patriarch; 121 - Wherefore, who follows him as he commands, - Him laden with rich treasures thou mayest mark. - - - - -By M. CARMICHAEL. - -IN TUSCANY. - -TUSCAN TOWNS--TUSCAN TYPES--THE TUSCAN TONGUE, ETC. - -_With numerous Illustrations._ - -SECOND EDITION. - -Crown 8vo. 9s. nett. - - - Printed at - The Edinburgh Press, - 9 & 11 Young Street. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] “Nota al Canto XI. (versi 43-75) del ‘Paradiso’ di Dante -Alighieri,” Città di Castello, Lapi, 1894, pp. 54. - -[2] “Sacrum Commercium Beati Francisci cum Domina Paupertate, Opus -Anno Domini 1227 conscriptum ad fidem Variorum Codicum MS. Adjuncta -versione Italica inedita, curante P. Eduardo Alinconiensi, Ord. Min. -Capuccinorum Archivo Generali Præposito.” Rome, Kleinbub, 1900, 4to, -pp. xviii-52. - -[3] The Italian edition of the Chronicle of Mark of Lisbon (Venice, -1590, voi. ii. pp. 82-92) contains a compendium of the “Sacrum -Commercium” which, however, does not merit the name of an edition. - -[4] “Meditazione sulla Povertà di Santo Francesco” Scrittura inedita -del Secolo XIV. Pistoia, Tip. Cino., 1847, 18mo. pp. 72. - -[5] See “Bibliografia dei Testi di Lingua a Stampa citati dagli -Accademici della Crusca, opera di Luigi Razzolini ed Alberto Bacchi -della Lega,” 4th Edition. Bologna, 1890. - -[6] “Le Mistiche Nozze di San Francesco e Madonna Povertà. Allegoria -Francescana del Secolo, xiii.” Florence, 1901, 12mo. pp. xxiv-70. I -cannot help regretting that Don Minocchi has given the work a title -of his own choosing, though I recognise the superiority of his title -as title. As the “Meditazione” it was christened by the original -translator, as the “Meditazione” first published by Fanfani and Bindi, -and as the “Meditazione” it has become a Tuscan classic under the ægis -of the Crusca. - -[7] “Analecta Francescana,” vol. iii. p. 283. Ad Claras Aquas -(Quaracchi) 1897, 4to. - -[8] “Speculum Perfectionis,” p. vi., Paris, 1898. But then he is only -following Alvisi. - -[9] “Le Mistiche Nozze di Frate Francesco con Madonna Povertà,” -Florence, Olschki, 1898, pp. 58. I have since seen his _Noterelle -Francescane_, in the “Giornale Dantesco” (An. ix., Quad, iii.) in which -he modifies his opinion. - -[10] “Vita del Beato Giovanni da Parma,” 2nd Edition. Quaracchi, 1900, -pp. 186. - -[11] _Cf._ the “Miscellanea Francescana,” vol. vii. p. 182. - -[12] Add to all this that the “Sacrum Commercium” contains not a single -citation from the Office of St Francis--which it is natural to suppose -that the imaginative writer would have here and there availed himself -of--and it seems to me that the date of 1227 is proved with something -like certainty, and the date of 1247 excluded beyond a doubt. - -[13] _Op. cit._ p. xii. and p. 41 et ss. - -[14] The “Arbor Vitæ Crucifixi Jesu,” Venice, 1485, fol. - -[15] “Chronica Fratris Salimbene Parmensis.” Parma, 1857, 4to, pp. -xiv.-424. - -[16] Let me here render him public thanks for his courteous permission -to do so, and make due public acknowledgment of my indebtedness to his -critical preface. Had it not been for this scholarly work I must needs -have spent months in puzzling out for myself the crabbed hands and -crooked abbreviations of three or four fourteenth-century scribes. - -[17] My references to the Psalms are according to the notation of -the Vulgate. Perhaps it may be necessary to state for the benefit -of readers not well acquainted with the Vulgate, that “Eccli.” is a -reference to Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, -and not to Ecclesiastes (Eccl.) or the Wisdom of the Preacher. - -[18] This chapter is wanting a title in all the Codexes. I have taken -the liberty of styling it “In Praise of Poverty.” - -[19] In contradistinction, _e.g._ to the Meek who _shall_ possess the -Land (Matt. v. 4). Only the persecuted for Justice’s sake have the same -immediate privilege as the Poor in Spirit (Matt. v. 10). We shall see -later on that Persecution is the noblest and most helpful of all the -Lady Poverty’s sisters. - -[20] Though the Author here quotes Psalm xxiii. 10, “Dominus Virtutum,” -he is, from the context which follows, obviously not referring to the -Lord of Hosts or Sabaoth, nor to the Virtues as one of the Orders of -Angels, but to God as the Lord of the Moral Perfections. - -[21] “Non sum rudis,” I am not raw or new, says the Writer, quoting -Matt. ix. 16: “Nemo autem immittit commissuram panni rudis in -vestimentum vetus”: No man putteth a piece of new or raw cloth into an -old garment. - -[22] So that Man’s first transgression after his original Sin, was, -by this, his first acquisition of property, a Sin against the High -Doctrine of the Lady Poverty. - -[23] King James’ Bible has “ten thousand times ten thousand.” - -[24] There is in a part of this Chapter so intricate an interweaving of -Pauline phrases, that I make no attempt to indicate them by references. - -[25] In this terrible picture of Religious life at its lowest ebb, some -allowance must be made for the fervid imagination and righteous wrath -of the holy writer (“_quidam sanctus doctor hujus sanctae Paupertatis -professor et zelator strenuus_”). But even with sloth, gluttony, -intemperance, greed of gain, hypocrisy, and ungodliness running riot in -a whole Community, it is profitable to the historian to note that there -is not a hint of unchastity, the truth being that a Community wholly -unchaste is one of those rarities of history sought in the past, and -desired, I fear, by certain historians, but scarcely existing outside -the cruel inventions of interested despoilers. And lest any be amazed -that the Religious life should ever have fallen even half as low as -is here portrayed, let them remember that the higher the ideal, the -further the fall when it comes, and that the Lady Poverty has ever -punished her betrayers by the completest degradation. - -[26] “Terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata.” This occurs in the -Chapter at Prime in the Office of Our Lady, and hence it is here used -in connection with that other Lady, Madonna Povertà. The translator of -the “Meditazione,” finding it would have no associations in Italian (as -of course it has none in English), quietly drops it, but I cannot take -so great a liberty, nor allow myself to hide the vivid and touching -imagination which the pious author thus betrays. Throughout the whole -allegory the influence of the Liturgy is conspicuous. - -[27] Regula S. Francisci, Cap. vi. - -[28] “Non habebat aliud Christi pauper nisi duo minuta, corpus -scilicet, et animam, quod posset liberali charitate largiri.” Leg. Maj. -S. Bonav., Cap. ix. - -[29] Romans viii. 28. - -[30] Testament of St Francis. - -[31] “Fioretti,” chap. xiii. - -[32] _Vide_ “The Parable of Poverty,” Legenda III. Soc. Cap. xii., -Bollandist Edition. - -[33] Matthew v. 3. - -[34] “Parochial Sermons”: _The Danger of Riches_. - -[35] Scartazzini rejects the reading “salse” (“lezione priva di -autorità”), and adopts “pianse.” I hope, for the sake of Dante’s great -imagination, that he may be in the wrong. So competent an authority -as Mr Wicksteed adheres to “salse,” basing his reason on this very -prayer. See the “Paradise” of Dante Alighieri, translated by Philip H. -Wicksteed, Dent, 1899. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LADY POVERTY *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for -copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very -easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation -of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project -Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away--you may -do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected -by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark -license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country other than the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where - you are located before using this eBook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm website -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that: - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of -the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the Foundation as set -forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, -Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up -to date contact information can be found at the Foundation's website -and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without -widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our website which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This website includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |