The Fifteenth General: Brother Gonzalvo of Spain

89 Election 90 The Spirituals and the Community 91 The General’s zeal for regular observance 92 His death

(89) The fifteenth General was the learned and holy man the Venerable Father Gonzalvus of Vallebon, from the Province of Castile. He was elected General at the Chapter held in Assisi in 1304 while he was Minister of the Province of Castile. Boniface VIII had already died and in the same year, namely 1303, Benedict XI was created Supreme Pontiff.

(90) Since Benedict had died in 1304, Clement Vi was elected the following year. In his court the same year the Friars had a long and scandalous argument about the observance of the Rule. There were learned Friars namely Brother Ubertino of Casale, Brother Raymond Godfrey who had already been General and many other Friars enthusiastic and zealous about the observance of the Rule. They said that the ordinary life led at that time was not genuine by that the Friars went against the Rule in many things. On the side which defended the community was Brother Alexander of Alexandria from Paglia, who was later General, along with many others. His Holiness Clement V gave Brother Ubertino authority and his companions so that they could have recourse to His Holiness every time they wanted (to observe the Rule). Nor should they be stopped in this and nor should their Superiors give them any penance because of it. On account of this, many scandalous disputes followed on so that the court was greatly amazed.

It pleased the Lord God that on the 1st October 1306 the General Council convened in the city of Vienna. It continued until the following May. On the feast of the Ascension that year His Holiness and the court first concluded in secret Consistory the question that existed among the Friars. Later, on the following day, the judgement was solemnly and finally published in the final session of the Council. The way of life of the Friars, which was calumniated by Brother Ubertino, should continue though with a exposition added to the Rule by His Holiness. The life of the Friars according to this exposition is permitted and according to the Rule. In that exposition it was decided that from them on provisions and stores of wine, grain, oil and other unfitting stores should be kept no longer. However the Friars should dress in lowly clothes and that the Friars keep stores for the need and sustenance of nature. Regarding how long things may be held in storage, this was left to the judgement of the Superiors according to places and the number of Friars, and the subjects may be at peace. This declaration was recorded in the Clementina. Brother Ubertino and his followers were deprived of all authority and had to live like the others. However Brother Ubertino, fearing the grave persecutions of the adversaries, withdrew to the Congregation of Saint Bernard with permission of His Holiness. However he always remained in the habit of the Minor. His companions suffered great persecutions.

(91) When the sacred Council had finished, the General began to visit the whole Order with great zeal for the observance of the Rule. Without exception he had all the sumptuous buildings that exceeded holy poverty demolished. He took from the Friars their curious habits of precious and broad cloth. He cancelled all the testaments and perpetual annuities assigned to the Friars and annulled all the obligations of giving so much per year to the Friars and returned it to the proper owners. The venerable Father did as much as he could to reform the Order. This did not last long because after his death throughout the Order many lax and perverse men arose and rebuilt all the places that he had demolished. Nonetheless this General reformed and renounced all ownership throughout the Order by commanding the Friars and Superiors under pain of excommunication to remove all the things that he had assessed to be against the Rule. This was done as he commanded. However this did not last since bad Friars persecuted it very severely.

(92) In the year of the Lord 1313, while he was visiting the friary in Paris, the worst persecutors strangled him in the bathroom. And As the Venerable Father Alvaro says, not long after his death he appeared in glory in the same friary to certain Friars to whom he had been close. He was sitting gloriously on a brilliant chair. He was holding a shining sceptre and wore a golden crown on his head. He told and revealed to them that the Lord God had assigned him the bright seat and throne because he had observed the rule perfectly in the Order and because he was a perfect observer of poverty. God had given him the palm in his hand because in fighting bravely out of zeal for justice and the observance of the Rule he had given his life. God gave him that crown as his preacher and martyr.

This holy General composed a very useful treatise on the Rule. It begins, Regula nostra, fratres carissimi.

During this time the Jews were chased out from the kingdom of France and all their goods were confiscated. By decree they could never return there.