About o deceptive and false proposition made to His Holiness by the General of the Order to ruin the Congregation of Capuchins

370 The effects of hatred An example 371 Attempt of the Observant General to submit the Capuchins to himself 372 A commission of Cardinals is nominated to examine the question 373 The Capuchins are opposed to the union 374 Cardinal Sanseverino defends them effectively 375 The ruling of the commission is favourable to the Capuchins 376 Bernardino of Asti invites the Zoccolanti to a debate before the Pope 377 The Zoccolanti are refuted 378 The Capuchins are victorious

(370) There was nothing as harmful to the synagogues as was the hatred they bore towards Christ. He always considered them blind. Even though that divine light would have been enough and sufficient to illumine countless worlds, none the less it could not penetrate the hard hearts of the Scribes and Pharisees. However how much that immense goodness strove to draw them to himself with the highest teaching, with countless miracles and with a most brilliant life in which the virtues shone extraordinarily. As he said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem. How may times have I wanted to gather you like a hen gathers he chicks under her wings and you didn’t want it?” However the always resisted him to the point where they put him on the cross outside the city. Hence because of this they were reproached by God and cursed. These are the effects of hatred that never cease as long as it is not vindicated on one’s brother.

Therefore to help everyone I would like to give an example about this of two Religious who names I can’t remember, although I have been well informed of the whole thing. One of them did a great injury to one of his brothers who died a little later. He sent to beg that the one who was injured might forgive him. He never wanted to forgive him even though his brothers begged him more and more to do so. When this poor fellow knew that his adversary did not want to forgive him, his heart hardened in such a way that he said, “Nor will I not forgive him.” Soon that unhappy soul passed to the next life. He was no sooner buried when, as the Religious were eating in the refectory, the one who had been buried appeared. Turning to the Superior he said, “Have my adversary leave the table because God wants it so. This done, the deceased placed his hand on the shoulder of his adversary in the middle of the refectory. He said, “Know that because my brother here did not want to forgive me, and because this has been the cause of my damnation, God the just judge wants that in your presence he come with me into hell.” The ground opened beneath them and they were swallowed.

This was in a friary in the city of Forli in Romagna and the whole is still there today where those Religious throw dirt and other rubbish. The hole never closes up but always remains the same way.

Therefore these are the evil effects that hatred produces.

(371) Hence in 1539 some lax Friars were with their General, who was so bad that he persecuted both Reforms, that of the Zoccolanti Fathers and that of the poor Capuchins, just as we mentioned above. This is what see form the clear experience of all Congregations whenever there is one that deserves to have servants of God. In ours since the time of Father Saint Francis there has been Brother Elias with his followers who always resisted him and later persecuted the companions of Father Saint Francis along with all the zealous Friars and good servants of the Lord. Therefore no one was surprised if with some of his followers and lax Friars this Prelate was always opposed to our Congregation, since he was aware that the Congregation prospered between 1536 and 1543. God exalted it throughout this time since very excellent and holy men left the Order for the Capuchins in that time, and among these was the great servant of God Brother Francis Tittelmans and many others. So it came about that this Superior, along with all the lax Friars, saw that as for His Holiness they were unable to stop the Congregation from going ahead. His Holiness had already granted us the Bull. Taking advice among themselves they thought to see whether, with all the possible support, His Holiness would grant to them that the Congregation be under this General, just as we depended upon the Father General of the Conventual Fathers. So leaving that one should depend on this one. They thought to themselves, “When we have them under our obedience we will treat them as we please. One day we will remove that cowl form their heads. When another Pontiff comes, one who is friendly towards us, we will give to them well and truly.”

Just as they thought so they went united to His Holiness accompanied by the support of many important persons. They said to him, “Holy Father, our Order is completely divided. All this comes from the Bulls and Briefs issued by this Holy See, because as kindly fathers they want to console everyone without being aware of the ruin of our Order. For many madmen, since they don’t like the strictness of obedience, are leaving the Order and making many sects under the appearance of wanting to reform themselves. Because there are enthusiastic Friars among us who have done a Reform and I endure great effort to provide for them. All day there is nothing else to do but remove those who do not want to be there because it seems too harsh for them. As for the others to whom the common life seems too difficult, we want them to go there. Now we have thought, with the good grace of Your Beatitude, that since there is the Reform of the Capuchin Fathers where even though they live austerely they still do not have the sound leadership of a head who would keep them in awe, but they live in great liberty. Now if Your Holiness may grant us that they be under our obedience and not under the Conventuals because we have the seals of the Order, the Order will remain more united. Where there may be many disagreements because of our Friars who go there, the occasions will be removed of taking up the ears of Your Holiness all day to obtain Briefs and Bulls. I promise to give them every support and show them every kindness.”

The matter was painted so well and with so many reasons that the Pope and all the Court thought that it would be good. This discussion with His Holiness lasted may days in such a way that His Holiness thought that by doing this all the upheaval would be settled. They were sure the matter would succeed. Such was the joy they derived in talking about it together that it spread even publicly. They said among themselves, “If this succeeds, they will no longer go around with those cowls.” They wronged our Fathers when Clement granted them the Bull which ‘Il Scalzo’ did not want to accept as the Pope wanted him to do. This was considered the easiest way to cut off their passage so that both the cowl may no longer be seen on the earth, and remove all the other changes that our Fathers did. Who would want it, that when we have them under our obedience, that we not send them to oblivion? May God forgive Il Scalzo. If it weren’t for him the Capuchins would no longer be mentioned to day. He has ruined this Order!”

(372) It was the will of God that this proposal spread abroad and came to light with many Capuchins. The majority of the Congregation still agreed that it had never passed through a danger as great as this before. They agreed that the Congregation would never go ahead unless it detached itself completely and if what happened to Amadei and Clareni happened to us. Therefore when His Beatitude saw that the Capuchins were not opposed and that it seemed reasonable to them, he felt happy to make this union. On the other hand, however, he felt within himself a certain repugnance so that he wondered if he would be making a mistake. It was by the Providence of God that this Holy Pastor did not hurry to issue a Bull. Instead, instructed by the Holy Spirit, he wanted both parties to choose three Cardinals, the Zoccolanti Fathers three and the Capuchin Fathers three others. Each party tried to elect the most supportive ones. Those elected accepted graciously. It lasted for many days that they conferred together every day, each one citing different reasons about what would be best.

The deputed Cardinals wanted that with everything they decided that both parties would be silenced and content without being able to appeal further in order to put to an end all the disputes and quarrels that would emerge from then on.

(373) Our Fathers took advice among themselves. For many days they commended themselves to the Lord God. Enlightened by him they knew this was a very potent cause for the complete ruin of the poor Congregation. Because of this it lasted for many days that they spoke every day with these Cardinals whom they elected, showing them the danger they were ent4ereing by making this union. It pleased the Lord God to enlighten the Cardinals through these discussions. So from then on they preached to the other Cardinals chosen by the opposing party, for two of our Cardinals had completely agreed that the union take place.

In the midst of all this they Capuchins did not fail to write about it to all the Provinces so that they would pray.

In 1539 when Father Bernardine of Asti had finished his triennium and Brother Bernardine of Siena was elected, the Father General immediately wrote to him, making him Procurator at Court. That letter and obedience was given him in my presence in the old Friary at Spoleto. So he then returned to Rome. It was by the providence of God that this Father was in Rome for our benefit during these difficulties.

(374) The old Cardinal of St. Severina was one of those chosen by our Fathers. He was always most loving towards our Congregation. He turned all the Cardinals who were first of the contrary opinion in favour of the congregation. He saw that our little barque was at risk of going askew. So when th Cardinals of both parties assembled, this Monsignor said openly that he would never consent that our Congregation be submitted to those Fathers. He also begged strongly our two Cardinals to never consent to such a thing as giving a judgement against the Capuchin Friars. Equally he exhorted the other Cardinals of the opposing party. He said, “Monsignori, I know very well that each of you is moved by a purpose, thinking that he is doing the right thing. But if the truth be known, as God-fearers and persons who have professed to be lovers of the truth and of justice, let us not set ourselves the task of making the poor Congregation subject to those Fathers whom Your Lordship support. It would be no different to the judgement Pilate made against Christ. He was so impious that he gave the judgement that Christ be given into the hands of his enemies. As the Evangelist says, Pilate gave Jesus into their power so that they could do all the evil they wanted. There has never been in the world a sentence more unjust and against every good law than when malefactors are given to their enemies to be punished. To give a judgement against the poor Capuchins, my Monsignori, would be the no less an injustice because these Fathers have shown themselves to be opposed to them in so many ways. Therefore may God forbid that such an unjust sentence come from us. From the beginning they have founded themselves well on the Holy Spirit through the Supreme Pontiff who gave them good orders with which for many years and with so much profit they have governed themselves of the observance of the Rule. And I have known Fathers so venerable that they would have been capable not only of directing an Order but the whole of Christianity. We should think that they have left this Congregation sufficient doctrine through their Constitutions and their good example. If that doctrine is observed they can be led to the desire end of salvation. Therefore first of all we should keep our gaze upon the honour of God and then on the salvation of our souls and those of these poor fellows. We should also consider the scandal that could come out from it in public and in the Court too, since His Holiness has given us this task. I am afraid that if were are not alert that we, may God forbid, will provide some stumbling block from which will emerge dishonour for God. Therefor if we submit this Congregation to these Fathers, as they desire, these poor fellows will again begin to be completely afflicted and persecuted by them. You know full well how this Congregation was persecuted by this Order as soon as it began. They have never stopped knocking them down. How many of them have they imprisoned, how many punished. How many times have they tried to seize them, even using secular force, persecuting them everywhere. Have they not had letters sent to His Holiness from the Christian Princes so that they could remove this poor Congregation from the Church of God? There is no palace or tribunal in Rome before which they have not argued against these poor men. I will keep silent about the calumnies which they have attached to these fellows and with which they have tired the entire world. What would we say about the Briefs and excommunications that they have obtained against them? All this clearly shows openly that these poor fellows are a stick in the eye for them. And now we want to believe their sweet words when they say they want to give them every support! Leave them so that their feet may stay in the stirrups and they and let the matter be judged by us! Let the Bulls and Briefs say what they want, because they want to be among these poor fellows like ravenous wolves to send them to oblivion. So they will visit them and they will punish and chastise every speck of defect. And when there are no important defects they will find some paltry excuse to make them stumble from one house to another. They will assign lax and dissolute Friars on purpose to unsettle these poor fellows. They will send the best Friars away friaries in different parts under the pretence that they should reform those friaries. To conclude in a word, any evil they can do against this Congregation in order to ruin it, they will do. It is clear that they desire nothing else. We will be the cause of such a great wrong and will give account to God and scandalise the world since the Congregation is so highly regarded if it will be said of us that we have ruined it and not them. Therefore I will never ever consent to this, and I also pray that Your Lordships not agree to it.”

(375) It pleased the Lord God to help the poor Congregation through these words because they all resolved to judge in favour of the poor Capuchins. Not only that but by common agreement they went to His Holiness and informed him that this was an invention to ruin this poor Congregation and that His Holiness be careful not to listen to them any more. Because at the time of Clement VII of happy memory, when His Holiness gave them the Bull, he wanted the Capuchin Fathers to go first to their General and then to the Protector of the Order to accept them under his obedience. This was only to present their General when he was elected in order to be confirmed by the General of these adversaries. And the adversaries didn’t want to accept them. Now they know that if they had accepted them they could have ruined them easily and quickly. They regret this and now want to regain that facility to be able to ruin them. It is enough that they remain under the Conventual Fathers who do not bother them. Rather they give them every support.”

These words so pleased His Holiness that not long after he gave us yet another very authentic Bull, much more ample Bull than the first one that Pope Clement gave us. He put in the Bull that our General had to be presented not to the General of the other Fathers, but to the General of the Conventual Fathers who is to confirm him. And if he doesn’t confirm him, it is understood that the Bull confirms him. Paul III, of happy memory, gave this Bull in the year 1537. The Congregation had all this support from our Lord God by means of the Monsignor Santa Severina.

(376) From that time on the adversaries no longer dared to speak any more about this. However, they took another road because they did not stop defaming us everywhere with their pestiferous tongues. Because of this the venerable Father Bernardine of Asti, our General, although he was very humble by nature, nonetheless he could not longer endure in silence the many insults the poor Congregation suffered from them. Hence one day this good Father took into his company Father Francis Tittelmans and Father Francis of Iesi. He conferred with them about wanting to invite the adversaries to a debate and to remove the mask once and for all. Those reverend Fathers liked the idea very much and also offered themselves to go with the Father General and with the help of God to show themselves valiant in this undertaking.

So together they went to find Cardinal Campeggio. They said to him, “Monsignor, we know that you are a friend and benefactor of these Fathers who oppose us. We know how much you love them. Therefore we have come to you to explain to them our mind and beg you to favour us only in this. In your kindness and for the love you bear those Fathers would you make known to them and show them just how determined we are to carry this out resolutely. Until now we have been quiet like humble lambs. However we see that our humility is worthless in quieting our adversaries. Nor do the reasons we have, nor is the judgement they have received have received have any value against stopping their tongue. For they still continue to bite at us, to cut us, and want to take this life away from us. Therefore we have decided to become lions for the love of Jesus Christ and for the defence of our Congregation. Moved by this we have come to Your Lordship to beg you to let those Fathers know that we invite them to debate with us before the Supreme Pontiff and in the presence of all the sacred Consistory. We want to prove and uphold all we have done and are doing about our Reform. We have done everything well and in a holy way. We should not have done otherwise for the sake of the certainty of our conscience and the observance of the Rule we have promised. We are prepared and very ready to do everything we have said about these things. With the arrival of these present difficulties, we will see with this debate such blemishes that it would have better for them never to have opened their mouth against us.”

The Cardinal replied to this proposal, “What could you ever say against these Fathers?” Father General replied, “Does Your Lordship command me to reveal what could be said and will be said in the presence of the whole world?” The Cardinal said that he and the other two Fathers also, if they wanted to speak, should say all that they could and not to leave our anything. The Fathers replied, “We are certain that Your Lordship loves those Fathers.” Turning to the Father General the Cardinal said, “I am certain that you love them also since you are like a most loving Father to them since you were with them so many years.” Father Bernardine replied, “Therefore I am about to speak with confidence so that Your Lordship may provide for them and for us.” That Father began to speak further about the things that the others were doing. He spoke so much that the Cardinal understood very well that the Fathers had a case.

(377) He immediately had the mule readied and he went personally to find those Fathers. Then with a long talk he revealed to them that Father Bernardine of Asti and Father Francis Tittelmans and Father Francis of Iesi were awaiting them with the desire to debate with them. He said they ought to prepare themselves to sustain the things that they had said against the Congregation of Capuchins. Therefore he said, “Call the most learned men you have and if your courage is enough, come now because they are expecting you.” However when those Father heard these three Fathers named who were at that time the most learned there were in all the Franciscan Order, they lost heart completely. They did not have the courage to come out in public.

This was of no small benefit from then on in putting a check on their tongue. Once the Cardinal heard this he became indignant with them. He returned then to our Fathers. He said to them, “My Fathers, when you told me this about these Friars, it was true that you had thousands of reasons. I would like to be for them the greatest enemy which that Order has.” Father Bernardine replied, “Monsignor, not that. Continue your devotion towards that Order because there are some good men there and charity requires us to love one another. In regard to what we said being true, we offer ourselves again to prove it and will submit to the punishment of the galleys if we do not prove it.”

(378) And so better acquainted with the truth, the Monsignor no longer favoured those Fathers against the Congregation of Capuchins. Rather every time it was necessary for him to speak with Cardinals or others he always spoke in favour. Without blaming the good Friars, the falsehoods of some with little caution and bad manners spread in common knowledge. They were checked in such a way that they did not speak about them carelessly. However when out of passion the lax Friars spoke about them in Court they were no longer believed. Therefore the venerable Father Asti said that one should not always remain silent, because a distinction should be made between personal insults and those which result in the dishonour of an Order and of the truth.

It pleased the Lord God that through this confrontation the strength of the bold slanderers weakened very much. It was quite well known that this did not come from that holy Order but from some lax Friars who could not suffer anyone to advance in doing good. By the mercy of God our Fathers and the entire Congregation were freed by the way this tribulation was met. To the praise of Jesus Christ and his Most Holy Mother. Amen.