TESTAMENT OF THE HOLY
FATHER ST. FRANCIS.
The Lord gave
to me, Brother Francis, thus to begin to do penance; for when I was in sin it
seemed to me very bitter to see lepers, and the Lord Himself led me amongst
them and I showed mercy to them. And when I
left them, that which had seemed to me bitter was changed for me into sweetness
of body and soul. And afterwards I remained a little and I left the world. And
the Lord gave me so much faith
in churches that I would simply
pray and say thus: "We adore Thee Lord Jesus Christ here and in all Thy churches which are in the whole
world, and we bless Thee because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the
world."
After
that the Lord gave me, and gives me, so much faith in priests who live according
to the form of the holy Roman Church, on account of their order, that if they should persecute me, I would have
recourse to them. And if I had as much wisdom as Solomon had, and if I should
find poor priests of this world, I would not
preach against their will in the parishes in which they live. And I desire to
fear, love, and honor them and all others as my masters; and I do not wish to
consider sin in them, for in them I see the Son of God and they are my masters.
And I do (his because in this world, I see nothing corporally of the most high
Son of God Himself except His most holy Body and Blood, which they receive and
they alone administer to others. And I will that these most holy mysteries be
honored and revered above all things and that they be placed in precious
places. Wheresoever I find His most holy Names and written words in unseemly
places, I wish to collect them, and I ask that they may be collected and put in
a becoming place. And we ought to honor and venerate all theologians and those
who minister to us the most holy Divine Words as those who minister to us
spirit and life.
And
when the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what I ought to do, but
the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form
of the holy Gospel. And I caused it to be
written in few words and simply, and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me. And
those who came to take this life upon themselves gave to the poor all that they
might have and they were content with one
tunic, patched within and without, by those who wished, with a cord and breeches, and we wished for no more.
We
clerics said the Office like other clerics; the laics said the Paternoster, and
we remained in the churches willingly enough.
And we were simple and subject to all. And I worked with my hands and I wish to
work and I wish firmly that all the other brothers should work at some labor
which is compatible with honesty. Let those who know not [how to work] learn,
not through desire to receive the price of labor but for the sake of example
and to repel idleness. And when the price of labor is not given to us, let us
have recourse to the table of the Lord, begging alms from door to door.
The
Lord revealed to me this salutation, that we should say: "The Lord give
thee peace." Let the brothers take care
not to receive on any account churches, poor dwelling-places, and all other
things that are constructed for them, unless
they are as is becoming the holy poverty which we have promised in the Rule,
always dwelling there as strangers and pilgrims.
I
strictly enjoin by obedience on all the brothers
that, wherever they may be, they should not dare, either themselves or by means
of some interposed person, to ask any letter
in the Roman curia either for a church or for
any other place, nor under pretext of preaching, nor on account of their bodily
persecution; but, wherever they are not received let them flee to another land
to do penance, with the blessing of God. And I wish to obey the, minister
general of this brotherhood strictly and the guardian whom it may please him to
give me. And I wish to be so captive in his hands that I cannot go or act
beyond his obedience and his will because he is my master. And although I am
simple and infirm, I desire withal always to have a cleric who will perform the
office with me as it is contained in the Rule.
And
let all the other brothers be bound to obey their guardian and to perform the office
according to the Rule. And those who may be found not performing the office
according to the Rule and wishing to change it in some way, or who are not Catholics,
let all the brothers wherever they may be, if they find one of these, be bound
by obedience to present him to the custos who is nearest to the place where
they have found him. And the custos shall be strictly bound, by obedience, to
guard him strongly day and night as a prisoner so that he cannot be snatched
from his hands until he shall personally place him in the hands of his
minister. And the minister shall be firmly bound by obedience to send him by
such brothers as shall watch him day and night like a prisoner until they shall
present him to the Lord of Ostia, who is master protector, and corrector of
this brotherhood.
And
let not the brothers say: This is another Rule; for this is a remembrance, a
warning, and an exhortation and my Testament which I, little Brother Francis,
make for you, my blessed brothers, in order that we may observe in a more
Catholic way the Rule which we have promised to the Lord. And let the minister
general and all the other ministers and custodes be bound by obedience not to
add to these words or to take from them. And let them always have this writing
with them beside the Rule. And in all the Chapters they hold, when they read
the Rule let them read these words also. And I strictly enjoin on all my
brothers, clerics and laics, by obedience, not to put glosses on the Rule or on
these words saying: Thus they ought to be understood; but as the Lord has given
me to speak and to write the Rule and these words simply and purely, so shall
you understand them simply and purely and
with holy operation observe them until the end.
And
whoever shall observe these things may he be
filled in heaven with the blessing of the Most High Father and may he be filled
on earth with blessing of His Beloved Son together with the Holy Ghost, the
Paraclete, and all the Powers of heaven and all the saints. And I, Brother
Francis, your little one and servant, in so far as I am able, I confirm to you
within and without, this most holy blessing. Amen.
