The chronicle and institution of the Order of the seraphicall father S. Francis conteyning his life, his death, and his miracles, and of all his holie disciples and companions / set foorth first in the Portugall, next in the Spanish, then in the Italian, lastlie in the French, and now in the English tongue.

The bulle of confirmation of the rule of the Frere Minors, by Pope Honorius the thirde.

THE VIII. CHAPTER.

HOnorius Bishop and seruant of the seruantes of God, to hie beloued children, Brother Francis, and all other Frere Mi∣nors: health and Apostolicall benediction: Because the Apo∣stolick sea hath alwayes accustomed to fauour the iust desires and vowes of them that require it. We therfore condiscend to your pious petitions (children beloued in our Lord IESVS CHRIST) which are, that we confirme the rule already approued by Inno∣centius the third our Predecessour, as is cited in the present let∣ters. We now by the Apostolicall auctoritie which we haue, doe con∣firme the same, and doe corroborate it vnto you by vertue of this pre∣sent Breuy. The rule is such as followeth.

THE SECONDE RVLE OF THE FRIER MINORS, approued and confirmed by Apostolicall Breuy of Pope Honorious the second. (Book 2)

In the name of God here followeth the rule and life of the Frere Minors.

THE FIRST CHAPTER.

THe rule and life of the Frere Minors is thus; to obserue the holy gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, liuing vnder obedience, without possessing any thing of proper, and in chastirie. Brother Francis promiseth to Pope Honorius and his successors canonically elected, and to the Romane Church, o∣bedience and reuerence: and the Religious are obliged to obey Brother Francis, and his successours.

How they who desire to lead this life, are to be admitted.

THE II. CHAPTER.

IF any one inspired of God, will enter into this Religion and es∣pouse this kind of life, when he shall haue imparted his intention to some Religious, lett him be sent to the Prouinciall Minister, who and no other, is permitted to receaue the Religious. The Minister being informed of his desire, ought dilligentlie to examine him touching the Catholick faith, and the sacramentes of holy church, if he be obe∣dient and giue satisfaction herein, he shall proceed further and aske him, if he be not marryed, or being so, if his wife be entred or intend to enter into some Monasteries of Religious women, by permission of their Bishop, hauing first both together made vow of chastitie, they must also be of age, that no sinister o∣pinion be conceaued of them. The truth of all this being vn∣derstood, and no other impediment consisting, lett him be in∣stantlie aduertised of the gospell that saith: Goe sell all thou hast* 1.1 and giue to the poore: and if for some lawfull impediment, he cannot doe it; his goodwill shall suffice. Lett the Brethren and their Ministers be very wary, not to respect his temporall affaires, but lett them leaue it freelie vnto him to dispose it as he shall finde him∣selfe

inspired of our lord: and if the said Nouice demaund Counsaile cō∣cerning this point, of his superiour, he may send him to some man fea∣ring God, by whose counsaile he may distribute his substance to the poore or otherwise art his pleasure. And all this done the habitt of pro∣bation may be giuen him, which consisteth of two coates without ca∣puce, and a cord for a gridle, and the linnen breeches with the Caperon reaching euen to the girdle, vnles it sometimes seeme to the said Mini∣sters otherwise conuenient. The yeare of probation expired, the No∣uices shalbe receaued to obedience, making vow to obserue this rule euer during their life. It shalbe in no sort permissable vnto them after the said probation, vnder whatsoeuer pretence to goe out of Reli∣gion conformably to the commandement of his holines: for as the gos∣pell saith: No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back,* 1.2 is apt for the kingdome of God. Lett there be giuen to them that shall haue already promised obedience, a coate with the capuce, an other without it: those that will and are constrayned by necessitie••, may weare sockes. All the Religious shalbe cloathed with course cloth, which they may peece with sacking & other patches with the blessing of God. I admonish and exhort them, not to misprise nor iudge rashly of the mē whome they shall see cloathed deliciously and in diuers colours, and doe liue and feed themselues with delicate meates; but lett each one iudge and misprise himselfe.

Of the course and order to be obserued in saying diuine seruice, and its fasting, and how the brethren ought to trauell ouer the world.

THE III. CHAPTER.

THe clarckes shall say the diuine office, according to the Order of the holy Romane church, except the psalter, when they may haue breuiaries. The lay Brothers for their matines, shall say twenty foure Pater nosters, for laudes, fiue; for prime, third, sixt, and ninth houre, for each, seauen; for euensong, twelue, and for com∣pline, seauen; and they shall pray for the dead, All the Brethren shall fast from the feast of Alsainctes, to the Natiuity of our lord: as also the lent of forty dayes that beginneth after the Epiphany (it was consecra∣ted by our lord IESVS CHRIST, with his holy fast) they who shall fast it of their proper will shalbe blessed of God, and they that will not fast it shall not sinne, nor are obliged vnto it: but all ought to fast the lent before the Pasche of the resurrection of our lord. This rule doth not binde to fast any other time but the friday: but in case of necessity, the Religious shall not be obliged to corporall fast. Now I counsaile;

admonish, and exhort my Religious in the name of our lord, that when they shall goe ouer the world, they vse no disputes nor cōtentious wor∣des, nor iudgeil of any personne; but that they be curteous, mild, hum∣ble and modest, speaking religiously to euery one, as is requisite. And they ought not to trauell on horseback, if they be not constrayned by manifest necessity or infirmity. Entring into houses, lett them say: Pea∣ce* 1.3 be in this house. And according to the gospell, of all meates that shall be presented vnto them, it shalbe lawfull for them to eat.

That the Brethren ought not to receaue mony.

THE IV. CHAPTER.

IAbsolutelie commaunde all the Brethren, not to receaue any kind of mony, be it by them selues or any third person; yet for necessity of the sicke and to cloath the other Brethren, it is ordayned that the Ministers and Guardians, shall haue care and cogitation therof only by spirituall freindes, according to the places and times, and as of necessi∣ty they shall see expedient: neuertheles persisting alwayes resolute as is said, not to receaue any kind of mony.

Of the manner of labouring.

THE V. CHAPTER.

THe Brethen that haue the grace of God to labour, lett them performe it faithfully with deuotion, and in such sort, that shunning idlenes, the capitall ennemy of soules, they extin∣guish not the spititt of holy prayer and deuotion, which ought to be preferred before all other temporall exercises. And as for the hire of their labour, they may receaue for themselues and their brethren whatsoe∣uer shalbe necessarie to the body, except mony, and this with humi∣lity, as is conuenient to the true seruantes of God, and to the fol∣lowers of holy pouerty.

That the brethren may haue nothing proper, and of the manner of as∣king almose, and ministring to the sicke.

THE VI. CHAPTER.

THe brethten may haue nothing proper, as houses, landes, farmes, nor other thing whatsoeuer: but lett them liue as Pilgrimes and

strangers in this world, seruing our lord in humility and pouerty, lett them goe confidently to demaund almose. And they must not be asha∣med, being mindefull that our lord became poore for vs in this world. My most deere brethren, for this most high vertue of pouerty it is that you are institued inheritours of the celestiall kingdome, by our Re∣deemer IESEVS CHRIST, who making you poore in temporall sub∣stance hath enriched you with vertue, that with this portion of riches he may exalt you to the land of the liuing. I therfore pray you in the name of IESVS CHRIST, to possesse nothing in this world. In what∣soeuer place you are, be alwayes familier amōg yourselues, manifesting only to each other your necessities. For if the mother nourishe and lo∣ue her carnall child, with! how▪ much more diligence, ought each of you to loue and cherish his spirituall brother? And if any of the Brethrē fall sick, the other brethren ought to serue and comfort him, as them∣selues in necessitie would be serued.

Of the pennance to be giuen to the Brethren that shall sinne.

THE VII. CHAPTER.

IF any of the Brethren induced by the deuil offend mortallie in those kind of sinnes which are reserued to the Prouinciall Minister, lett him be obliged incōtinently without delay to goe to his Prouincial Minister, who being Preist, shall enioyne him penāce with mercy. And if he be not Preist, he shall procure him to be enioyned by an other Preist of the Order, as God shail inspire him, and as to him shall seeme most expedient; lett them be carefull not to be moued to anger or vexed att the sinne of an other: for choller & anger hinder charity in himselfe and others.

The manner of holding the Generall chapter att Penticost, and of electing a Generall when there shalbe occasion.

THE VIII. CHAPTER.

AL the brethren of this Order, ought alwayes to haue a Minister Generall & seruant of al the Brethren, whome they shalbe ob∣liged sincerilie to obay. And he dying, his successour shalbe ele∣cted by the Prouincialls and Guardians att the Chapter held at the fe∣ast of Penticost. Att which time the Prouincialls are alwayes bound to assembly euerie three yeares, more or Jesse, in such place and according as shall please the said Generall. And if it seeme to all the Prouinciall Ministers and Guardians, that their Minister Generall is not sufficient for the seruice and common vtilitie of the Brethren, in such case all the

Brethren that haue aucthoririe to elect a Generall are bound to consti∣tute, in the name of our lord, an other in his place. The generall chapter of Penticost being ended, lett the Ministers and Guardians of euerie Prouince haue power if they please, to keep the same yeare a chapter in their iurisdictions, assembling thither the Brethren that shalbe vnder their chardge and iurisdiction.

Of the Preachers.

THE IX. CHAPTER.

LEtt not the Brethren that are admitted to preach, intrude them∣selues to preach in any bish oppericke, without permission of the Bishoppe: and lett no Brother presume to preach to the peo∣ple, whome the Minister Generall hath not formerly examined appro∣ued, and admitted to the office of preaching. I also exhort and admonish the Brethren to haue great consideration in their preachinges, what wordes they vtter, to the end they be so pure and chaste that the people may be edified therby. Lett thē reprehend vices, prayse vertues, disco∣uering the punishmēt of the one & glory of the other, and lett their ser∣mons* 1.4 be cōpendious of wordes: for our lord hath made an abbreuiated word on earth.

Of admonitions and corections of the Brethren.

THE X. CHAPTER,

LEtt the Ministers, as seruantes of others, be carefull to visitt and admonish the Brethren that are vnder their gouernment: and as need shall require, lett them correct such as shall deserue it, but lett it be done with humility and charity; Being very carefull not to cō∣mand them any thing against our rule and the benefitt of their soules; & lett the Brethren that ought to obey, remember that for the loue of God they haue renounced their proper will. I therefore very strictly cōmand them to obey their Ministers in whatsoeuer they haue promised God to obserue, and to obey in their profession, prouided that it be not in preiu∣dice of their soules and of our rule. In whatsoeuer place the Brethren be, where they know they cannot spiritually obserue the rule, they may and ought to haue recourse to their Ministers; who must receaue them with benignitie and charitie, and giue them confidence and cou∣rage to discouer their necessities, and that with such familiaritie, as if the subiectes were the masters. For so is it requisite the Mi∣nisters be seruantes to all Brethren. I admonish all the Brethren in the

name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, to be very wary of the great and enormous sinnes of pride, vaine glory, enuy, auarice, and of cogitations and cares of the world, of murmuring and detracting their neighbour. Those who haue not studyed, lett them not regard to be∣ginne the same: but lett them especially study to haue the spirit of God and his holy workes, to make continuall prayer with a pure hart, and to be patient and humble in sicknesses and persecutions towardes them that persecute, reprehend and contradict vs: for our Lord saith: loue your ennemyes and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you.* 1.5 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice: for theirs is the king∣dome of heauen: and he that perseuereth vnto the end shall be saued.

That the Brethren shall not enter into Monastories of Religious women

THE XI. CHAPTER.

I Ōrdaine and command all my Brethren, that they haue no sus∣pected familiarities with women: and that they enter not into the Couentes of Religious women, those excepted who to that effect shall haue speciall licence from the Apostolicall sea. Likewise I will not, that my Religious be God fathers either of men or women, that by such meanes there happen not any scandall among the Brethren, or by their occasion.

Of such as shall goe among the Sarrazins and other infidels.

THE XII. CHAPTER.

EVery Brother whosoeuer, that by diuine inspiration desireth to goe among the Sarrazins and other Infidels, lett him de∣maund leaue of his Prouinciall Minister; who shalbe very res∣pectiue not to giue licence, but to such as to him shall seeme fitt to doe good among such people. And for all these causes, I commaund the Ministers vpon obedience to procure of his Holines to haue a Car∣dinall for Gouernour, Protectour and Correctour of this Confraterni∣ty, that they may be alwayes subiect to the feet of the holy Romane Church, stable and firme in the Catholike faith. Lett pouerty, humility, and the holy gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, be entierlie ob∣serued of vs, as we haue faithfully promised.

The end of the rule of the Frere Minors.

The rest of the bulle, touching the confirmation of the said Rule, omitted in the beginning thereof.

LEtt it not therefore be permissible for any man to infringe this ordonnance of our confirmation, or rashly to contradict the same. And if anie presume so to doe; know that he shall incurre the indignation of Almighy God, and of S. Peter and S. Paul his Apost∣les. Giuen att S. Iohn Lateran, the 29. of Nouember, the eight yeare of our Papacie.

The end of the confirmation of the rule of the Frere Minors.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matt. 19.
• * 1.2

  Luc. 9.
• * 1.3

  Matt. 10.
• * 1.4

  Esa. 10. Rom. 9.
• * 1.5

  Matt. 6. 10. & ••4.