On silence and the love they had among themselves

18 Their observance of silence 19 Love sweetens suffering 20 Charity towards the sick 21 Divine worship and abstinence

(18) I feel I cannot remain quiet about the noblest virtue of holy silence which those first Fathers zealously observed. Just as I saw myself regarding evangelical silence, in the friary one would have gone a month, so to speak, without hearing an idle word. This was because they were quite absorbed in the things of God. The familiarity they had with the Lord moderated their sentences to such an extent that to see one of them preached everything: control over the eyes, in speaking, in walking and all their actions, because they spoke with a soft and humble voice which inspired the greatest devotion. Among themselves they never spoke about the things of the world. However if this happened because of some lack of caution, one of the Friars immediately knelt down and gave a fraternal correction, saying, “These are idle words.” On hearing this, the perpetrator also knelt down and admitted his fault. However when ti was necessary to talk they always spoke about the things of God or about the observance of the Rule and briefly with a low voice. When seculars came they were amazed that they did not hear anyone in the friary. This happened because the Friars rarely came together except for the Office, or to eat or for the other usual things of the Order. Then each one looked after himself. When Friars from elsewhere came, after showing them the necessary charity, each retired in silence.

(19) Such was the love they had for one another that although they were in the depths of tribulations because of the grave persecutions they suffered, and also because of the strictness of their life, nonetheless the charity and love between them sweetened all their suffering.

When it happened that by a temptation of the enemy one of them left, he could never settle down until he returned. They used to say, “Every time I thought about this love and that I had left such loving brothers, I dissolved into tears. Although I was physically well, nonetheless nothing pleased me when I remembered having left you.”

When it happened that because of their poverty there was little bread, they offered the morsels of bread to one another and said, “Eat this, my brother, because you need it more than I do.” Often that bread remained because no one wanted to eat it because of his desire that his brother eat it.

When Friars came to the house, when they appeared, they cried out loudly, “Jesus!” And the Friars of the house answered the main way, “Jesus!” Often they went out to meet and embrace them with such tenderness that they often remained in that embrace a good while, saying nothing because of their tears. And when they left the place the Friar accompanied them a good way and they felt as though their heart of hearts was leaving.

No one wondered about this because the Congregation was very small and was always in fear that the Congregation would be ruined because the great persecutions that they suffered. They rarely saw one another. However when a couple of Friars came and brought them good news that Congregation was going well, it filled them with such gladness that one would not believe it if he had not seen it.

(20) The great charity between them was such that when one of them fell ill there was not rest from showing him all possible charity. And when they felt that they did not have a doctor or other things needed by the sick Friar available because they were far from the cities, the took the sick man to some fraternity or fitting house where he could receive the best care. However the adversaries used this as an occasion to calumniate us because they said, “There is not charity. When one of them falls ill they take him to the hospital without considering what may be the best charity to show him.”

It was by divine Providence that although they found themselves within the depths of suffering, nonetheless few fell ill. In the entire Congregation you would not have found anyone who had cautery, leg problems and other such infections. However it seemed that divine grace kept them healthy. When they died they were usually sick for a little while, but after four or five days death despatched them.

(21) They didn’t have too many ceremonies however after they all had said the divine Office devoutly, according to the seasnons each of them withdrew some to their cells and others to the woods. When the bell rang for the Office they all came together in great silence. At that time when the Friars came to the table they ate little else as soup: cooked bread, vegetables and greens. Beans and fruit sustained the majority of them. There was a certain liberty in this. No one stopped anyone who wanted to abstain from food or wanted to fast more often.