THE RULE OF SAINT FRANCIS (1224).
Source.—Monumenta Franciscana, vol. ii., pp. 65 et seqq. (Rolls Series.)
(The following extracts are from an English translation of the fifteenth century. The Rule itself was confirmed by Honorius III. in 1224.)
In the name of God: here begynneth the rewle and the lif of the bretherne minoris, the first chapiter.
The rewle and lif of the bretherne mynorys is this, to obserue and kepe the holy gospelle of our Lord Jhesu Christ in lyving in obedience, without propre,[11] and in chastite. Brother Fraunces promyseth obedience and reuerence to the lord Honory, Pope, and to his successours laufully enteryng, and to the churche of Rome; and alle other bretherne be bownde to obey vnto brother Fraunces and to his successours.
II. Of them that wille resceive this lyf, and in what maner they may be resceyved:
Yf any that will resceive this lyf comme to oure bretherne, let them send them to ther mynysters provinciallis, vnto whom only, and to none other, licence ys grauntyd to resceyve bretherne. The mynysters dilygently shall examyn them of the Crystene feithe, and of the sacrementis of the churche. The mynysters dilygently shall examyne, and yf they stedfastly beleve in them, and will truly and feithfully graunt and confesse them, and to the ende of ther lyf stedfastly kepe them: and yf they have no wifys: ... let them say too them the wordis of the holy gospelle, that ys to say that they go and selle all ther goodis, and indever them self to distrybute them to poor people, the whiche if they may not doo yt suffisethe ther good wille. And the bretherne shalbe wel ware that they medle not nor enbesy them self with ther temporalle goodis or procuryng therof, that they may frely do ther with what so euer God putteth or enspireth in ther myndis. Nevertheles, if cownselle be desired and askyd of them therin, the mynisteris haue licence to send them vnto somme persones dredyng God, by whose counselle ther goodis may be distrybuted and givenne to poor people. Then, after this, they shall graunt to them the clothyng of probation, that ys to say ij cootis withoute a hode, a corde, a femoralle, a schapelet downe too the girdle. But yf yt be thowghte expedient too the seide mynisters godly otherwise to be done or dispensyd at summe tyme, the yere of probation fynyshed and endid, they may resceyve them to obedience and profession. And in nowise yt may be lawfulle to them to forsake this religion, after and accordynge to the commaundement of the Pope, for, after the saying of the holy gospelle, no manne puttynge his hand too the plowghe and lokyng backwardis ys apte to[12] the kyngdome of hevyne. And they whiche arre professid and haue promysed obedience shalle haue oone cote with a hoode, and a nother withoute a hoode that wille have yt, and suche as haue nede or as ar constreynyd by necessyte may were shoone. And alle the bretherne must be clothid with symple and vyle clothinge. And they may pece them and amende them with pecis of sak clothe, or with other pecis, with the blissyng of God. Whom I warn and exhorte that they dispise nor juge those men whiche they se clothid with delicate and softe clothyng, or with colowred and costly aray, use delicius metis and drynkis, but moche more rather eche of them shoulde juge and despise hymself.
III. How the bretherne shold behave them self when they goo by the weye:
... I cownsell also warne and exhorte my bretherne in oure Lorde Jhesu Criste that they bralle nat, nor strive in ther wordis or communication, nor that they juge norre deme[13] none other men; but that thei be meke, peasible, softe, gentille and curteis, and lowly, honestly spekynge and answerynge to euery manne as vntoo them accordith and belongith. And they shalnot ride, but yf they be constrayned by evident necessitee or ellis by sekeness. In to what house or place someuer they enter they shalle saye firste, "pece be vnto this howse." And, accordynge too the holy gospelle, they may ete of all maner of mettis whiche be sette before them.
IV. That the bretherne may not resceive any coyne or money:
I commande stedfastly and straitly too all the bretherne that in no wise they resceive any maner of coyne or money, nother by them self nor by none other meane person. Neuertheles for the necessite of the seke bretherne, and for the other bretherne to be clothid or nedynge clothinge, by goostly and spiritualle frendis, the mynysters oonly and the custodyes or wardens shalle haue diligent cure and charge accordyng to the placis, too the tymes or seasons, and to the colde cowntreis and regions; lyke as yt shall seme them expedient too ther necessite or nede. Savyng this alwaies that lyke as yt is before saide they may nat resceive ony maner of coyne or money.
V. The maner how the bretherne shall use and occupie them self in bodily labour.
The bretherne too whom God hath gyven grace and strengthe to labowr shall laboure truly and deuoutly, so and in suche wise that Idlenes, the enemy of the soule, excluded and put awey, they quenche not the inward feruour and sprite of holy prayer and devoycoun whereunto alle transetory and temporalle thyngis oughte deserne[14] and geve place. As of the hier and availe for ther laboure, they may resceive for them self and for ther bretherne, those thinggis that be necessary and nedefulle to ther bodies, except coyne or money. And that louly and mekely, as appartainith and belongith the saruauntis of God and the trewe folouaris of most parfyte and holy pouerte.
VI. Howe that the bretherne may not appropre to them ony thinge in any maner of wyse:
The bretherne shall nothynge appropre to them, nother in howsing nor in londis, nor in rent nor in any maner of thynge, but lyke pilgrimis and strangers in this world, in pouerte and mekenes, saruyng Almyghty God. They shalle feithefully, boldly, and surely and mekely goo for almys. Nor they shalnot nor owghte not to be ashamed, for our Lord made hym self poor in this worlde.
[11] Property.
[12] Fit for.
[13] Condemn.
[14] Yield.