Life of St. Francis of Assisi Part 48

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Collected first by Wadding (Antwerp, 1623, 4to), they have been published many times since then, particularly by De la Haye (Paris, 1641, f^o). These two editions having become scarce, were republished--in a very unsatisfactory manner--by the Abbe Horoy: _S. Francisci a.s.sisiatis opera omnia_ (Paris, 1880, 4to).

For want of a more exact edition, that of Father Bernardo da Fivizzano is the most useful: _Opuscoli di S. Francesco d'a.s.sisi_, 1 vol., 12mo, pp. 564, Florence, 1880. The Latin text is accompanied by an Italian translation.

[2] "_Die Briefe, die unter seinem Namen gehen, mogen theilweise acht sein. Aber sie tragen kaum etwas zur naheren Kenntniss bei und konnen daher fast ganz ausser Acht bleiben_." Muller, _Die Anfange des Minoritenordens_, Freiburg, 1 vol., 8vo, 1885, p. 3.

[3] Pieces have been often attributed to St. Francis which do not belong to him; but those are unintentional errors and made without purpose. The desire for literary exactness is relatively of recent date, and it was easier for those who were ignorant of the author of certain Franciscan writings to attribute them to St. Francis than to admit their ignorance or to make deep researches.

[4] For example, the first Rule; probably also a few canticles; a letter to the Brothers in France, Eccl., 6; another to the Brothers in Bologna: "_Praedixerat per litteram in qua fuit plurimum latinum_," Eccl., ib.; a letter to Antony of Padua, other than the one we have, since on the witness of Celano it was addressed: _Fratri Antonio episcopo meo_ (2 Cel., 3, 99); certain letters to St. Clara: "_Scripsit Clarae et sororibus ad consolationem litteram in qua dabat benedictionem suam et absolvebat_," etc. _Conform._, f^o. 185a, 1; cf. _Test. B.

Clarae_. A. SS., Augusti, t. ii., p. 767: "_Plura scripta tradidit n.o.bis, ne post mortem suam declinaremus a paupertate_;"

certain letters to Cardinal Ugolini, 3 Soc., 67.

It is not to negligence alone that we must attribute the loss of many of the epistles: "_Quod nephas est cogitare, in provincia Marchie et in pluribus aliis locis testamentum beati Francisci mandaverunt (prelati ordinis) districte per obedientiam ab omnibus auferi et comburi. Et uni fratri devoto et sancto, cujus nomen est N. de Rocanato combuxerunt dic.u.m testamentum super caput suum. Et toto conatu fuerunt solliciti, annulare scripta beati patris nostri Francisci, in quibus sua intentio de observantia regule declaratur._" Ubertino di Casali, _apud Archiv._, iii., pp. 168-169.

[5] Italy is too obliging to artists, archaeologists, and scholars not to do them the favor of disposing in a more practical manner this trust, the most precious of all Umbria.

Even with the indefatigable kindness of the curator, M.

Alessandro, and of the munic.i.p.ality of a.s.sisi, it is very difficult to profit by these treasures heaped up in a dark room without a table to write upon.

[6] In particular by Ehrle: _Die historischen Handschriften von S. Francesco in a.s.sisi._ _Archiv._, t. i., p. 484.

[7] See pages 252 ff ... and 283.

[8] See pages 333 ff.

[9] See pages 259 ff.

[10] See page 325 ff.

[11] See pages 322 ff.

[12] See page 327.

[13] I give it entire: "_Regina sapientia, Dominus te salvet, c.u.m tua sorore sancta pura simplicitate.--Domina sancta paupertas, Domimus te salvet, c.u.m tua sorore sancta humilitate.--Domina sancta caritas, Dominus te salvet, c.u.m tua sorrore sancta obedientia. Sanctissimae virtutes omnes, vos salvet Dominus, a quo venitis et proceditis._" Its authenticity is guaranteed by a citation by Celano: 2 Cel., 3, 119. Cf. 126b and 127a.

[14] See pages 304 f.

[15] I shall not recur to this: the text is in the Conformities 138a 2.

[16] The authenticity of this service, to which there is not a single allusion in the biographies of St. Francis, is rendered certain by the life of St. Clara: "_Officium crucis, prout crucis amator Franciscus inst.i.tuerat (Clara) didicit et affectu simili frequentavit._" A. SS., Augusti, t. ii., p. 761a.

[17] It begins: _Illi qui volunt stare in heremis_. This text is also found in the Conformities, 143a, 1. Cf. 2 Cel., 3, 43; see p. 97.

[18] _Nudis pedibus incedentes, funiculis cincti, tunicis griseis et talaribus peciatis, insuto capucio utentes ... nihil sibi ultra noctem reservantes ... libros continue suos ... in forulis a collo dependentes bajulantes._ Historia Anglorum, Pertz: _Script._, t. 28, p. 397. Cf. 2 Cel., 3, 135; _Fior._, 5; _Spec._, 45b.

[19] See page 322 n.

[20] See page 252.

[21] See page 157.

[22] See pages 318 ff.

[23] See page 239.

[24] See page 327.

[25] See page 262.

[26] _a._ _Sanctus Dominus Deus noster._ Cf. _Spec._, 126a; _Firmamentum_, 18b, 2; _Conform._, 202b, 1.

_b._ _Ave Domina sancta._ Cf. _Spec._, 127a; _Conform._, 138a, 2.

_c._ _Sancta Maria virgo._ Cf. _Spec._, 126b; _Conform._, 202b, 2.

[27] Vide S. Francois, in 4to, Paris. 1885 (Plon), p. 233. The authenticity of this benediction appears to be well established, since it was already jealously guarded during the life of Thomas of Celano. No one has ever dreamed of requiring historical proof of this writing. Is this perhaps a mistake? The middle of the sheet is taken up with the benediction which was dictated to Brother Leo: _Benedicat tibi Dominus et custodiat te, ostendat faciem suam tibi et misereatur tui convertat vultum suum ad te et det tibi pacem._ At the bottom, Francis added the letter _tau_. ~[Greek: Tau]~, which was, so to speak, his signature (Bon., 51; 308), and the words: _Frater Leo Dominus benedicat te_.

Then when this memorial became a part of the relics of the Saint, Brother Leo, to authenticate it in a measure, added the following notes: toward the middle: _Beatus Franciscus scripsit manu sua istam benedictionem mihi fratri Leoni_; toward the close: _Simili modo fecit istud signum thau c.u.m capite manu sua_. But the most valuable annotation is found at the top of the sheet: _Beatus Franciscus duobus annis ante mortem suam fecit quadragesimam in loco Alvernae ad honorem Beatae Virginia Mariae matris Dei et beati Michael archangeli a festo a.s.sumptionis sanctae Mariae Virginis usque ad festum sancti Michael septembris et facta est super eum ma.n.u.s Domini per visionem et allucotionem seraphym et impressionem stigmatum in corpore suo. Fecit has laudes ex alio latere catule scriptas et manu, sua scripsit gratias agens Domino de beneficio sibi collato._ Vide 2 Cel., 2, 18.

[28] Wadding gives the text according to St. Bernardino da Siena. _Opera_, t. iv., _sermo_ 16, _extraord. et sermo feriae s.e.xtae Parasceves_. Amoni: _Legenda trium sociorum_, p. 166.

[29] Wadding has drawn the text from St. Bernardino, _loc.

cit._, _sermo_ iv., _extraord._ It was also reproduced by Amoni, _loc. cit._, p. 165. Two very curious versions may be found in the Miscellanea, 1888, pp. 96 and 190.

[30] 2 Cel., 3, 35. This took place under the vicariat of Pietro di Catania; consequently between September 29, 1220, and March 10, 1221.

II

BIOGRAPHIES PROPERLY SO CALLED

I. PRELIMINARY NOTE

To form a somewhat exact notion of the doc.u.ments which are to occupy us, we must put them back into the midst of the circ.u.mstances in which they appeared, study them in detail, and determine the special value of each one.

Here, more than anywhere else, we must beware of facile theories and hasty generalizations. The same life described by two equally truthful contemporaries may take on a very different coloring. This is especially the case if the man concerned has aroused enthusiasm and wrath, if his inmost thought, his works, have been the subject of discussion, if the very men who were commissioned to realize his ideals and carry on his work are divided, and at odds with one another.

This was the case with St. Francis. In his lifetime and before his own eyes divergences manifested themselves, at first secretly, then in the light of day.

In a rapture of love he went from cottage to cottage, from castle to castle, preaching absolute poverty; but that buoyant enthusiasm, that unbounded idealism, could not last long. The Order of the Brothers Minor in process of growth was open not only to a few choice spirits aflame with mystic fervor, but to all men who aspired after a religious reformation; pious laymen, monks undeceived as to the virtues of the ancient Orders, priests shocked at the vices of the secular clergy, all brought with them--unintentionally no doubt and even unconsciously--too much of their old man not by degrees to transform the inst.i.tution.

Francis perceived the peril several years before his death, and made every effort to avert it. Even in his dying hour we see him summoning all his powers to declare his Will once again, and as clearly as possible, and to conjure his Brothers never to touch the Rule, even under pretext of commenting upon or explaining it. Alas! four years had not rolled away when Gregory IX., at the prayer of the Brothers themselves, became the first one of a long series of pontiffs who have explained the Rule.[1]