Chap. 2 - On the perfection of poverty

Mar 25, 2026

First how Blessed Francis declared his will and intention, which he had from the beginning until the end, on the observance of Poverty

Brother Richer of the March, noble by lineage and noble by holiness, whom Blessed Francis loved with a great love, went one day to visit him at the Palace of the Bishop of Assisi, and, amongst other things, speaking to him of the state of the Religion, asked him specially this: “Tell me, Father, what was your intention when you first had friars, and the intention you have now, and believe you will have till the day of your death, that I may fully know and bear witness to your wishes and intention from the first to the last, whether we cleric-friars who possess many books can keep them, as long as it can be said they are those of the Religion?” Blessed Francis said to him: “I tell you, Brother, it is, and has been, and will be to the end, if the friars will believe me, that no friar should possess anything but his Habit and the cord to gird it, and drawers, according to our Rule.”

Now if any friar should say, if Blessed Francis desired to make the observance of the Rule and Poverty so rigorous, why did he not make it and cause it to be observed in his own time, we, who were with him, reply in the words ourselves heard from his own mouth, that he said these and other things to the friars, and had many things put down in the Rule which, after long prayer and meditation, he knew to be for the good of the Order according to the Will of God. Nevertheless, when he showed them to the friars, they deemed them hard and insupportable, not knowing what might happen to the Order after his departure from this life. And, as he had a great fear of giving scandal, both in himself and the friars, he would not contend with them in words, unwillingly condescending to their wishes, and excusing himself for this before God. But in order that the word, which the Lord had given him to speak for the welfare of the friars, should not be returned to Him empty, he studied how best to fulfil it in himself, and in this way his soul found peace and consolation.

One day, when Blessed Francis had returned from the parts beyond sea, a certain minister spoke to him about the Chapter on Poverty, desiring to know what he wished and understood by it, especially of the words contained in the Rule with regard to the Gospel prohibition, “Take nothing with you,” &c. Blessed Francis answered him: “I understand by this that the friars should possess nothing except their habit, with the cord, and drawers, according to the Rule, and shoes when it is needful they should wear them.” The minister upon this asked him, “What, then, am I to do who possess books worth more than fifty pounds in money?” This he said wishing to have his consent to keep his books with a clear conscience, knowing well how strictly Blessed Francis understood the Chapter on Poverty, and Blessed Francis replied, “I neither wish nor dare to, nor can I, act against my conscience and against the perfection of the Holy Gospel which I profess.” When the minister heard this he grew sad. Blessed Francis, seeing his disturbance, with great fervour of spirit said to him, in the person of all the friars, “You wish to have the reputation with men of being Friars-Minor, and followers of the Holy Gospel, while at the same time you desire to profit by the purse.”

Now, although the ministers knew that, according to the Rule, the friars were bound to observe the Holy Gospel, they nevertheless cut out of the Rule the words, “Take nothing with you,” &c., thinking that by so doing they would not be obliged to the Evangelical observance. When by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Blessed Francis became aware of this, he said before several of the friars: “The Friars-Ministers think to deceive the Lord and me, although they know that all the friars are bound to observe the perfection of the Holy Gospel. It is my will that first and last it shall be written in the holy Rule that the friars shall steadfastly hold to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and observe it; and that the friars may have no excuse, I have announced, and do now announce to them, that which was put into my mouth by the Lord for their and my salvation; and I desire they shall practise these things before God, and with His aid observe them perpetually.” He himself kept the whole of the Holy Gospel to the letter, from the day he first had friars to the day of his death.

Of the Novice who wished to have his permission to keep the Psalter

Another day there came to him a Friar-Novice who, although he could not read the Psalms well, had obtained permission from the Minister-General to have a Psalter, but, hearing that Blessed Francis did not wish his friars to hanker after learning and books, was not content to keep the Psalter without the license of Blessed Francis.

When Blessed Francis came to the place where the novice was, the latter said to him, “Father, it would give me great consolation to possess the Psalter, but although the General has given me permission, I would rather, Father, also have your consent.” To which Blessed Francis replied, “Charles, the emperor, Roland, Oliver, and all the Paladins and valiant men who powerful in battle overcame the infidels with great exertion and labour even unto death, gained honour in these victories, and finally, these holy martyrs fell fighting for the Faith of Christ. In our days, on the contrary, there are many who by only relating their deeds gain the honour and applause of the world. In the same way there are amongst us many who, solely by relating and preaching the actions of the Saints, strive to obtain praise and honour.” As if he would say, it is not necessary to be solicitous about books and learning, but about good works, for “much learning puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” Not many days after, when Blessed Francis was sitting by the fire, the same novice began again to speak of the Psalter. Blessed Francis answered him thus: “If you had the Psalter, you would want to have the Breviary, and when you had the Breviary, you would seat yourself in an arm-chair like a great Prelate, and say to your brethren, ‘Bring me the Breviary.’” Having spoken thus, Blessed Francis, in great fervour of spirit, took ashes, and placing them on his head, and using the gesture of one washing his head, said: “I the Breviary! I the Breviary!” And this he repeated several times, keeping his hand on his head, at which this friar was filled with surprise and mortification. Then Blessed Francis said to him: “Brother, I, also, was tempted in like manner to possess books, until, not knowing the will of God in this matter, I took the Book of the Gospel, praying to God that on my first opening it He would show me His will therein, and when my prayer was ended, I opened the Book at these words, ‘To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to others in parables.’” And then he added, “There are so many men who strive to acquire learning, that blessed are they who keep themselves ignorant for the love of God.”

After many months Blessed Francis was again at St. Mary of the Portiuncula, in the cell beyond the house in the street, when the same friar spoke to him once more about the Psalter. Blessed Francis replied, “Go and do as your minister tells you.” Having heard this the friar turned to the way by which he had come. But Blessed Francis remained in the road thinking of the words he had said to this friar, and suddenly called to him, “Wait for me, Brother, wait for me!” Then going up to him he said, “Return with me, Brother, and show me the place where I said to you do in the matter of the Psalter as your minister tells you.” When they had come to the place Blessed Francis fell on his knees before the friar, saying, “I have sinned, I have sinned; for he who would be a Friar-Minor must possess nothing except his habit, as the Rule ordains, with the cord and drawers, and, when it is a manifest necessity, he can have shoes.”

Thus whenever the friars came to him for his advice in these matters did he answer them. And he was wont to say, “The measure of a man’s knowledge is according to his works, and that Religious is the best preacher whose works are the best, for the worker is known by his fruit.”

Of the Poverty to be observed in books, beds, buildings and furnishings

Blessed Francis taught the friars to seek in books the will of God not costliness, examples of edification not their external beauty, desiring they should have few, and those in common, and such as would be useful for the needs of all the friars. As regarded coverings and beds the poverty amongst them was so extreme that he who had a tattered sheet to spread over the straw imagined himself to possess a soft mattress. He also taught the friars to build poor dwellings and cells of wood, not of stone, and that they should be fashioned roughly; for not only did he detest pretentious houses, but he also had a horror of all superfluity in their furnishing. Neither in tables nor in vessels could he bear to see anything worldly, or that recalled the world, but willed that everything should show forth poverty, and speak of pilgrimage and exile.

How he made all the friars leave a house because it was called “The House

of the Friars

As he was passing through Bologna he heard that a dwelling had been newly erected for the friars. No sooner did he understand that this was called the House of the Friars than he turned to go out of the city, giving strict orders that the friars should leave it at once, and on no account dwell there. All the friars left, even those who were sick; until the Lord Hugo, Bishop of Ostia, and Legate in Lombardy, publicly declared that the house belonged to him. A friar, who at that time lay ill in the house and was ejected, bears witness to this, and has written it here.

How he wished to pull down a house the people of Assisi had erected at St. Mary of the Portiuncula

When the time drew near for the General Chapter which was held every year at St. Mary of the Portiuncula, the people of Assisi, considering that the number of friars increased daily, and that they all flocked there every year, and there was no place for them to put up in except a small thatched cottage, the walls consisting only of branches and clay, took counsel together, and in a few days, with great solicitude and much devotion, erected there a large house of stone and plaster, and did so in the absence of Blessed Francis, and without his consent. When Blessed Francis returned from a certain Province to attend the Chapter, he marvelled greatly at the magnificent house there erected, and fearing that other friars taking example from that house would desire to build similar ones where they lived, and as he wished that spot to be the example and model for all the other places of the Order, almost before the Chapter was over he climbed on the roof of that house, and ordered the friars to do so also, and then with those friars began to pull off and throw down the tiles with which the roof was covered; meaning to destroy it to its very foundations. This they would have done had not some men-at-arms from Assisi, who had come to guard the place, owing to the great number of strangers there congregated to witness the Chapter of the friars, seeing that Blessed Francis, with the other friars, was destroying the house, went up to him and said: “Brother, this house belongs to the Council of Assisi, and we are here on behalf of the Council. Why, therefore, are you trying to destroy our building?” Hearing this, Blessed Francis said, “If it belongs to your Council I have no desire to injure it.” Then he and the other friars descended from the roof. From that time and day the people of Assisi decreed that whoever held the office of Chief Magistrate of their territory was bound to keep the house in order, and every year, for a long time, this same law was observed.

Of the reprimand he gave his Vicar for having a small house built there, wherein to recite the Office

Another time the Vicar of Blessed Francis caused a little house to be built where the friars might rest and recite the Hours, since, by reason of the multitude of friars that flocked there, they had no place wherein to say the Office. For, as no friar was received into the Order except in this place, they all came hither. When the house was finished, Blessed Francis having returned, and being in his cell, heard rumours of this work, and, calling his companion, asked him what the friars were doing. And his companion told him all that had taken place. He at once sent for his Vicar, and said to him: “Brother, this spot is the model and example for the whole Order, and therefore I desire that the friars of this place shall bear with trials and hardships for the love of God, so that other friars who come here shall be able to carry back the report of good example as to poverty to their own places, whereas, if they find here every comfort, they will follow the example by erecting buildings in their own places, saying: ‘At St. Mary of the Portiuncula, which is the head house of the Order, there are such and such buildings, it were as well we should erect the like in our other places.’”

How Blessed Francis would not remain in a specially adorned cell, or in one that was called his own

A very spiritual friar, who was familiar with Blessed Francis, erected at the Hermitage where he lived a little cell in a solitary spot, where Blessed Francis could retire and pray when he came thither. When he arrived at this place the friar took him to the cell, and Blessed Francis said, “This cell is too fine”—it was, indeed, built only of wood, and smoothed with the hatchet—“if you wish me to remain here make it within and without of branches of trees and clay.” For the poorer the house or cell the more was he pleased to live therein. When the friar had done this, Blessed Francis remained there several days. Being one day out of the cell when a friar came to see him, and, thereafter, coming to the place where Blessed Francis was, he asked him: “Whence came you, Brother?” He answered, “I come from your cell.” Then said Blessed Francis: “Since you have called it mine, let another dwell there and not I.” And, in truth, we who were with him, often heard him say: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” And again he would say: “When the Lord remained in the desert, and fasted forty days and forty nights, He did not make for Himself a cell or a house, but found shelter amongst the rocks of the mountain.” For this reason, and to follow His example, he would not have it said that a cell or house was his, nor would he allow such to be constructed. If it happened that he said to the friars, “Go and make ready such a cell,” yet would he never remain there, remembering the words of the Holy Gospel, “Be not solicitous,” &c.

When he was nigh unto death he caused it to be written in his Testament that all the cells and houses of the friars should be of wood and clay, the better to safeguard poverty and humility.

In what manner places were to be selected in the cities, and how they were to be built, according to the intentions of Blessed Francis

Being one day near Siena, for the malady in his eyes, Master Bonaventure, who had given the place to the friars where the building was erected, said to him: “What think you, Father, of this place?” Blessed Francis asked him, “Would you like me to tell you in what manner the places of the friars should be constructed?” and he answered, “I would, Father.” Then said Blessed Francis, “When the friars come to a city where they have no place, and there are those who wish to give them ground where they can build and have a garden and all things needful, they must first consider how much land they require, having always in view the poverty and good example they are bound to show in everything.” This he said, because he would not have them overstep the bounds of holy poverty, neither in houses, churches, gardens, or other places, nor that they should be proprietors thereof, but dwell in every place as strangers and pilgrims; hence he did not like that many friars should live together in one place, as it was difficult to observe poverty amongst a great number. And this was ever his intention from the beginning of his conversion until the end; that poverty should be observed in all things.

“The friars then having decided how much land is necessary must go to the Bishop of the city and say to him: ‘My Lord, such a man wishes to give us some land, for the love of God, and the good of his soul, that we may build thereon. We come to you first, because you are the father and master of all the flock committed to you, and of all the friars who will live in this place; will you allow us, with God’s blessing and yours, to build?’” For he always said that the harvest of souls the friars desired to reap was better done by being at peace with the clergy, and, instead of scandalising them, winning them as well as the people, saying: “The Lord has called us for the help of His faithful people, of the clergy and prelates of the Holy Roman Church. Hence by all means in our power we should always love, honour, and reverence them. For this are we called Friars-Minor, that both by our name and actions we should ever set an example of humility to all men. At the beginning of my conversion the Lord placed His word in the mouth of the Bishop of Assisi that he might advise and confirm me in the service of Christ; for this and many other excellent things I honour and respect not only Bishops but also poor priests, desiring to love and reverence them, and look upon them as my masters. When they have received the Bishop’s blessing, let them dig a ditch round the land and plant there a hedge, instead of making a wall, in token of poverty and humility. After that, let them build a poor house of wood, plastered with clay, making several little cells where the friars can at times retire to pray, and labour for the sake of honesty and to avoid sloth. Their churches must be small, for they ought not to build a large church to preach in to the people, inasmuch as their great humility and good example are worth more when they go to other churches to preach. And if any Prelates, Clergy, Religious or Seculars, come to their places, the poor houses and small churches will preach to them and edify them more than words.” He added, “Often the friars erect large buildings breaking our holy Poverty, or causing murmurs and setting bad example, when either for a better or a holier place, or a larger number of people, they are led by cupidity and avarice to leave their places and destroy them for others that are larger and finer, so that those who have given them alms in the former are scandalised and disturbed. Therefore, it is better the friars should, by erecting small and poor buildings, observe their profession, and set a good example to their neighbours, than by acting contrary to their profession give a bad example to others. But if the friars leave a poor place for one more convenient, for good and sufficient reasons, there will be less scandal.”

How the friars, especially those who were prelates and the learned, opposed Blessed Francis with regard to poor localities and dwellings

When Blessed Francis ordained the churches of the friars should be small, and their houses built solely of wood, plastered with clay, in token of holy Poverty and humility, he wished to begin giving a good example at the place of St. Mary of the Portiuncula by erecting most of the buildings in wood, plastered with clay, as an everlasting memorial to all the friars, present and future, since it was the first and head place of the whole Order; certain friars opposed him in this, saying that as in some provinces wood was more expensive than stone, it did not seem opportune that the houses should be made of wood and clay. But Blessed Francis, being seriously ill and near to death, did not wish to argue with them. For this reason he caused to be written in his Testament: “Let the friars beware of accepting either churches, dwellings, or anything else for their own that is not in accordance with holy Poverty, but let them dwell therein as pilgrims and strangers.” And we who were with him when he made the Rule, and nearly all his other writings, bear witness that he inserted there many things to which a number of the friars were opposed, especially our Prelates and learned men, which now would be useful and of value to the Order, but since he greatly feared to cause scandal he unwillingly acceded to their wishes. Nevertheless, he often said: “Woe to those friars who oppose me in that which I know firmly to be the will of God for the greater usefulness and needs of the whole Order, though against my will I have submitted to their desires.” Then to us, his companions, he would say: “In this consists my grief and affliction inasmuch as that which I have obtained with much labour, prayer, and meditation from God’s mercy for the present and future welfare of the whole Order, other friars by virtue of their learning and false providence oppose, saying, ‘This is to be observed, and this not.’”

How he held it to be dishonest to beg for or to accept alms beyond that which was necessary

Blessed Francis often said to his friars: “Let us not act like thieves in asking for or accepting alms beyond what is actually necessary. I have always taken less than I needed in order that the other poor might not be defrauded of their portion, to do otherwise would be dishonest.”

How Christ told him that the friars were not to possess anything either in common or privately

When the Friars-Ministers would have persuaded him to allow the friars common possessions, so that they, being in such great numbers, might have something to fall back upon, Blessed Francis besought Christ in prayer to advise him in this, Who thus replied: “I will withdraw from them everything in private and in common, and I will always provide for this family, however greatly it increases, and support all who have confidence in Me.”

His horror of money, and how he punished a Friar on account of it

This true friend and imitator of Christ, Francis, despising all worldly goods, had most specially a great horror of money, flying from it as from the devil, and teaching his friars both by word and example to do the same. Thus he inspired the friars to hold money in as great detestation and to love it as little as if it were dung. It happened one day that a layman, having come to St. Mary of the Portiuncula to pray, placed an offering of money on the Cross before leaving, which a friar of great simplicity took up and threw on the ledge of a window. When this was told Blessed Francis, the friar, seeing he was found out, came and prostrate offered himself to be scourged. Blessed Francis bitterly reproved him, and ordered him to take the money from the window with his mouth and carry it beyond the boundary hedge of the place and throw it on the dungheap. All who saw and heard this were filled with fear and were led to hold money as vile as dung, and this lesson gave them new courage to despise and disdain money.

Of the avoidance of soft and many garments, and the practice of patience when in need

This man, endowed with virtue from above, was warmed far more internally by the Divine fire than externally by warm clothing. He detested excess of clothing and, where there was no necessity, the use of soft and fine cloth in the Order. He held it to be the sign of an enfeebled soul to desire that which was not according to reason but only an indulgence of the appetite for superfluities, saying: “What remains to the soul that has declined from spirituality but a return to the pleasures of the flesh when the sensual appetite pleads necessity, and the carnal senses influence the conscience? If my brother is really in want, and hastens at once to satisfy it, what merit shall he have? Truly, he had an opportunity to merit reward, but he hastened to show he was not willing to take it. For not to bear deprivations patiently is nothing less than a return to Egypt.” He never wished the friars to possess more than two tunics, which he allowed to be lined with pieces sewn together; fine cloth he detested, and sternly reproved those who wore it, and in order to encourage them by his own example wore a rough sack outside his tunic. Indeed, at the moment of his death he ordered that the habit for his burial should be covered with sacking. The friars who, because of illness or any other needs, had to wear a soft habit next to the skin, were obliged to have the outside one coarse and poor in order to show forth austerity. He would say in much grief: “It will come to pass that when austerity is relaxed and tepidity prevails that the sons of poor fathers will go clad in the fineness of scarlet cloth, without any other difference than the colour.”

How he would not indulge his own body in anything he believed the other friars had to go without

When Blessed Francis was at the hermitage of St. Eleutherius, opposite Rieti, on account of the excessive cold he lined his own habit and that of his companion Richer with some pieces, for he usually wore but one tunic. Soon after, returning from prayer, he said with much gladness to his companion, “Since I have to be the model and example for all the friars, although my body needs a lined tunic, yet must I consider my other friars who may also need it yet cannot have it, and suffer in myself their deprivations, and when they see this in me they will bear their own with greater patience and fortitude.” What and how many necessities he denied his own body in order to give the friars a good example, and induce them to bear their own deprivations, we who were with him could neither say nor write. After the friars increased so greatly in numbers, he studied chiefly how to teach them by his deeds rather than by words what they should do and what they should avoid.

How he felt ashamed when he saw any one poorer than himself

Meeting one day a poor man, and greatly pitying his poverty, he said to his companion, “The poverty of this man shames us and reproves our poverty, for it always makes me feel greatly ashamed when I see any one poorer than myself, who have chosen holy Poverty for my Lady, and for my spiritual and corporal treasure, so that the voice of this has gone throughout the world that I profess poverty before God and man.”

In what manner he induced and taught the first friars to go out and ask for alms

When Blessed Francis began to have friars he rejoiced much in their conversion, and that God had given him such good companions, and he felt so much love and reverence for them that he did not tell them to go out and ask for alms. Especially as it appeared to him they would be ashamed to go, and compassionating their shame, he went out alone every day to beg for alms. But as he was a man delicately reared in the world, and much weakened by his constant abstinence and mortifications, he was tired out, and though they began to see he could not continue this labour by himself, yet, not fully recognising this, they were not discreet enough to say, “We also wish to go out and beg for alms.” Then he said to them: “My dearest Brothers, do not be ashamed to go out and ask for alms since our Lord made Himself poor for us in this world, setting us an example of true poverty. This is our inheritance which our Lord Jesus Christ acquired and left to us and to all who, according to His example, wish to live in holy Poverty. In truth I tell you that many of the most noble and saintly of this age will enter this Religion and count it a great honour and favour to seek for alms. Go forth, therefore, with confidence and glad hearts for alms, with the blessing of God. And more gladly should you do this than he who for one penny received a hundred, for you offer the love of God to those from whom you beg, saying, ‘For the love of God give us an alms,’ compared with which heaven and earth are as nothing.” As the friars were too few to send out in couples, he sent each one separately to the castles and villages. And when they returned and showed Blessed Francis the alms they had gathered, one would say to the other, “I have begged more alms than you,” which made Blessed Francis gay and joyful. From that time every one gladly asked leave to go out and beg for alms.

That he would not have the friars be solicitous and provide for the morrow

At that time, when Blessed Francis and the friars that were with him lived in strict poverty, observing literally the Holy Gospel, since the day when the Lord had revealed to him that he and his friars were to live according to the precepts of the Holy Gospel, he forbade the friar who cooked for the other friars to steep the vegetables in hot water the day before, as is the custom, in order to observe the Gospel precept, Take no thought for the morrow. So this friar left off steeping the vegetables till after matins on the day they were to be eaten. Hence for a long time many friars in many places observed this precept, not asking nor receiving more alms than was needful for the day, especially those who lived in cities.

How by word and example he reproved the friars who prepared a sumptuous repast on Christmas Day

When a certain Friar-Minister came to visit Blessed Francis at the Friary at Rieti, to keep the Feast of the Lord’s Nativity with him, the friars, taking occasion of the minister’s visit and the Feast, set out the table with some profusion, covering it with fine white napkins and vessels of glass. When Blessed Francis came from his cell he saw the table raised and thus decked out. Then he went out secretly, and taking the staff and hood of a poor man who had come there that day, called to one of his companions in a low voice, and left the house without any of the other friars knowing it. The companion remained near the door, and meanwhile the friars sat down to table, for Blessed Francis did not wish the friars to wait for him if he did not come at meal times. After a little while he knocked at the door, which was opened by his companion, and with the staff in his hand and the hood over his shoulder he stood in the door of the place where the friars were eating, and, like a pilgrim and pauper, cried, “For the love of the Lord God give an alms to this poor and infirm pilgrim.” The minister and other friars at once recognised him, and the minister replied, “Brother, we also are poor, and as we are many we need all the alms bestowed upon us, but for the love of God, upon Whom you call, we will give you of the alms the Lord has sent us.” When he came in and stood at the table the minister gave him a bowl out of which he ate, and some bread. And accepting it humbly he sat by the fire, and sighing, he said to the friars: “When I saw this raised table so finely decked it appeared not to be the table of poor Religious who, as a rule, go daily from door to door seeking alms; for we, beloved, are more bound to set an example of Christ’s poverty and humility than other Religious, since He has called us to this vocation, and to profess it before God and man. It seems to me to be acting more like a Friar-Minor, and the feasts of the Lord and the Saints to be more honoured in want and poverty, by which the Saints are enriched in Heaven, than by daintiness and superfluity, which draws the soul from Heaven.” At this the friars were filled with shame, since they knew he spoke the pure truth; and many amongst them were moved to tears to see him seated on the ground, and how simply and purely he desired to correct and teach them. He admonished the friars that they should keep their tables clean and humble, so that seculars who came might be edified, and the poor who were invited by the friars could sit on equal terms amongst them, the poor men not sitting on the floor with the friars at a raised table.

How the Lord Bishop of Ostia wept and was edified at the poverty of the Friars

The Lord Bishop of Ostia, who was afterwards Pope Gregory, having come to the Chapter of the friars at St. Mary of the Portiuncula, entered the house to visit the dormitories of the friars with many knights and clerics, and seeing that the friars had their beds on the ground, and nothing but a little straw to lie on, and some poor coverings very worn and patched, wept bitterly before all present, saying: “See where the friars sleep while we wretched ones use so many superfluities. What will become of us?” Therefore he and all with him were greatly edified. In the same way he saw no tables, as the friars in that place always ate on the bare floor.

How the soldiers obtained what they wanted by begging from door to door, according to the advice of Blessed Francis

When Blessed Francis was at Bagnara, above Nocera, his feet began to swell more than usual, for he was suffering from dropsy, and dangerously ill. When the citizens of Assisi heard this, a number of soldiers came in great haste to that place to bring him back to Assisi, fearing he might die and others take possession of his holy body. On their way back they stopped at a walled town in the territory of Assisi, and, while Blessed Francis rested at the house of a poor man who willingly gave him shelter, the soldiers went about the town to buy food, but could obtain none. Returning to Blessed Francis they said to him by way of a jest: “Brother, you will have to give us some of your alms, for here we can find nothing to eat.” Blessed Francis with great fervour of spirit answered: “You have not found anything because you trusted in your flies of money and not in God; return now to the same houses where you went before trying to buy, and, putting aside shame, beg alms for the love of God, and these inspired by the Holy Ghost will give you in abundance all you need.” Then they returned and begged for alms as Blessed Francis had told them, and those people of whom they asked alms, with great joy, gave them in abundance all they needed to eat. And the soldiers seeing in this a miracle, returned praising God with much gladness to Blessed Francis. Thus, Blessed Francis counted it a great dignity and honour in the sight of God and men to beg alms for the love of the Lord God, since all things created by the Heavenly Father to the use of men, for the love of His beloved Son, were freely granted alike to the worthy and unworthy by way of alms. He was wont to say that he who served God joyfully should be more willing to beg alms than one who, for the sake of being generous and courteous, should say: “To him who will give me the value of one penny I will return a thousand pieces of gold;” for the servant of God asking alms for the love of God gives in exchange that, in comparison of which, all in heaven and upon earth is as nothing. For this reason, when the friars were but few, and even after when they increased in numbers, and went preaching throughout the world, when invited to dine by the rich and noble, they always before the dinner hour begged first for alms to set a good example to the other friars and to keep faith with the Lady Poverty. And many a time when Blessed Francis was invited in this manner, and was asked by his host why he was not punctual in arriving, he would answer: “For nothing will I ever forego my royal dignity and noble heritage nor that of my brethren, which is to beg alms from door to door.” Sometimes those who had invited him would go with him, accepting the alms collected by Blessed Francis, which they would out of devotion guard as relics. And he who writes this many times saw these things and bears witness to them.

How he went first and collected alms before coming to the Cardinal’s table

Blessed Francis going one day to visit the Lord Cardinal of Ostia, who was afterwards Pope Gregory, before the dinner hour went secretly collecting alms from door to door, and when he returned my Lord of Ostia was already at table with many knights and nobles. When Blessed Francis entered he went up to the Cardinal and placed before him the alms he had collected, and then sat down in the place allotted to him next to the Cardinal, who always liked to have him near him. And the Cardinal was somewhat vexed that Blessed Francis had gone out to collect alms and put them on the table, but because of the other guests he said nothing. After he had eaten a little Blessed Francis took his alms and gave some to the knights and chaplains of the Lord Cardinal for the love of God. They received the alms with great devotion, uncovering and bowing their heads, and some ate of them and some reserved theirs out of devotion. My Lord of Ostia was much pleased at their devotion, the more so as the alms were of common, not wheaten, bread. After the meal the Cardinal went to his own room taking Blessed Francis with him, and lifting up his arms clasped Blessed Francis to his breast with great gladness and exultation, saying to him: “Why, my most simple Brother, did you put me to shame to-day by coming to my house, which is also the house of your friars, after first collecting alms?” Blessed Francis replied to him: “In this, my lord, I have shown you the greater honour; for he who does his duty and is obedient to his master does honour to his lord,” adding: “It is needful that I should be the model and example of your poor men, especially as in this Order the friars are and must be Friars-Minor in deed and in name, for the love of God and by the unction of the Holy Spirit Who teaches them in all things to be humble and submissive in the service of their brethren. There are now, and ever will be, those who from false shame will disdain to collect alms or to perform any servile work, not wishing to humiliate themselves, for which cause I am bound to teach by my actions those who are and will be of our Order, so that neither now nor in the time to come shall they be able to excuse themselves before God. When I am with you, who are our Apostolic Lord, and other magnates and rich men of the world, who, for the love of the Lord God, with much devotion not only receive me into your houses but even compel me to come, I do not wish to be ashamed of going out for alms, but I wish to have and hold this before God as the highest nobility and royal dignity, in honour of Him Who, being Lord of all, desired to be the servant of all, and Who, being rich and glorious in majesty, became poor and despicable in our lowliness. Therefore I desire that the present friars, and those in the future, should know that I feel more consolation, both of body and soul, when I sit down to eat with them at their poor table, and see before me the poor alms they have collected for the love of God, than when I am seated at yours and those of the other lords, that are spread with rich viands in abundance and manifold variety. For the bread of alms is holy bread, which sanctifies to the praise and glory of the Lord, hence when the friars go to beg they should first of all say, ‘Blessed and praised be the Lord God!’ and afterwards should say, ‘Give us an alms for the love of God.’”

At this exposition of Blessed Francis the Cardinal was greatly edified, and said to him, “My son, do whatever seems best in your eyes, for truly God is with you and you are with Him.”

It was the wish of Blessed Francis, which he often expressed, that no friar should let the day pass without going forth for alms, both for the great merit he would gain then by so doing, and to conquer any shame he might feel in doing so hereafter. Therefore, the more noble and higher in birth a friar was, the more joy and edification he had in him when he saw him begging for alms or performing any servile work, such as it was usual at that time for the friars to do.

Of the friar who would neither pray nor work, but would eat well

At the beginning of the Order, when the friars were at Rivo Torto, near Assisi, there was amongst them one friar who would not pray, work, nor ask for alms, but only eat. Considering this, Blessed Francis knew by the Holy Spirit that he was a carnal man, and said to him, “Brother Fly, go your way, since you consume the labour of the brethren, and are slothful in the work of the Lord, like the idle and barren drone who earns nothing and does not work, but consumes the labour and earnings of the working bee.” He, therefore, went his way, and as he was a carnally-minded man he neither sought for mercy nor did he obtain it.

With what joy he met a poor man who was giving praise to God on his way back from collecting alms

At a time when Blessed Francis was staying at St. Mary of the Portiuncula, a certain holy poor man was coming along the road, returning from Assisi, where he had been to solicit alms, and sang as he went along the praises of the Lord with a loud and cheerful voice. As he was passing the church of St. Mary Blessed Francis heard him, and immediately went out into the road to meet him with great fervour and gladness, and joyfully kissed his shoulder on which he bore the wallet containing the alms. And he took the wallet from his shoulder and carried it to the house of the friars, saying before them all, “Thus do I desire my friars should go and collect alms, gladly and joyfully praising God.”

How it was revealed to him by God that the Brethren were to call themselves Friars-Minor, and were to preach peace and salvation

On one occasion Blessed Francis said, “The Religion and life of the Friars-Minor is that of the little flock for whom in these later times the Son of God petitioned His Heavenly Father, saying, ‘My Father, I pray Thee to create and make a gift to Me of a new and humble people, who shall at the present be more humble and poor in spirit than any who have gone before them, and shall be content to have Me as their sole possession.’ And the Father, listening to the Son, said, ‘My Son, be it done as Thou hast asked.’”

Then Blessed Francis said that God wished and revealed to him that they should be called Friars-Minor, since these were the poor and humble people the Son of God had asked from His Father, and of this people the same Son of God spoke when He said in the Holy Gospel: Fear not, little flock, for your Father will give you a kingdom; and again, Whatsoever ye have done to the least of my brethren, you have done to Me. And although God had spoken thus of all the poor in spirit, yet did He predict in a special manner the Friars-Minor who would come into His Church. And since it was revealed to Blessed Francis that they were to be called Friars-Minor, he had this written in the Rule he took to Pope Innocent III., who approved and confirmed and afterwards announced it to all in the Consistory.

In like manner the Lord revealed to Blessed Francis the salutation the friars were to give, and this, also, he had written in his Testament, saying, “The Lord revealed to me that our salutation is to be, ‘The Lord give you peace.’” At the beginning of the Order, as he was walking with a certain friar, who was one of the twelve first chosen, that friar saluted all the men and women on the road, and the labourers in the fields, saying, “The Lord give you peace.” And because the people had never heard the like salutation given before by any Religious, many were greatly astonished, and others said, with indignation, “What do you mean by your salutation?” At this the friar felt abashed, and said to Blessed Francis, “I pray you let me salute them in some other manner.” But Blessed Francis answered him: “Let them talk, for they do not understand the word of God; but be of good cheer, and be not ashamed, for the noble and great ones of the world will honour you and the other friars for these words. It is not any wonder the Lord should desire to have a new and little people, singular and different in their lives and words from those that have preceded them, and content to have Him alone Who is sweeter than all.”