Anonymous of Perugia

De inceptione vel fundamento ordinis

© 2026 Capuchin Friars Minor of Australia. All rights reserved.

Translated into English from the Latin original with the assistance of Large Language Models.

Source apparatus adapted from LA LETTERATURA FRANCESCANA VOLUME II, Le Vite Antiche di San Francesco, CLAUDIO LEONARDI, 2005.

Table of Contents

Intruduction prepared by Gary Devery

Introduction

The following is primarily sourced from Felice Accrocca, Un Santo di Carta. Le Fonti Biographice di san Francesco d’Assisi, Milano, 2022, pages 97-131.

Most modern researchers are in accord with the proposal put forward by Di Fonzo, that has the author as “frate Giovanni of Perugia” whom the companions of Francis, in a letter sent from Greccio on 11th August 1246, say was the companion of the venerable friar Egidio. The letter speaks of him as already dead. Other such traces allow the date of composition to be placed as early as before August 22,1241, the date of death of Pope Gregory IX, who is referred to as still living.[1]

The author gives little attention to the life of Francis. Rather, he is interested in the history of the early fraternity and its transformation into a large, international and esteemed Order. For this reason, this text does not belong in a strict sense to the general category of hagiographies of the life of Francis. It sits between this and a chronicle. Chapter I describes the various phases in the conversion of Francis before the arrival of the first companions; chapters II-VI narrate the initial difficulties of the early fraternity in the years preceding the meeting with Pope Innocent III; chapters VII-XI give an account of the papal oral approval and the events that follow this up to the nomination of Cardinal Hugolino, bishop of Ostia as protector of the Order; the last chapter treats of the stigmata, death and canonisation of Francis, as well as noting the entrance into the Order of men of great esteem.[2]

The events of the life of Francis that the author chooses to include seem to be done with the intention of correcting some of the descriptions of the same events by Celano in his first biography of Francis.[3]

The author is a disciple of the first companions of Francis and knowledgeable of the writings of Francis, including the Testament, yet he chooses not to mention the encounter of Francis with the lepers at the beginning of his conversion. He also makes no mention of manual work. He also is not opposed to the construction of more habitable friaries. The author demonstrates from his inclusions and silences in his text that he was positively interested in chronicling the growth of the Order as an institute and in pastoral service, rather than having nostalgia for the past.[4]

The Anonymous of Perugia

The Beginning and Foundation of the Order and the Deeds of the Lesser Brothers who were the First in the Religion and Companions of Saint Francis

Translated from the Latin original with the help of a large language model: inception uel fundamento ordinis et actibus illorum Fratrum minorum qui fuerunt primi in religione et sodi beati Francisci; ed.: Di Fonzo, L’Anonimo, pp. 435-65 (for the numeration: FF, pp. 1311-51)

[Prologue]

2. 1 Since the servants of the Lord ought not to be ignorant of the way and teaching of holy men, by which they may come to God, 2 therefore, for the honour of God and the edification of those who read and hear, I, who saw their deeds, heard their words and was also their disciple, have narrated and compiled some of the deeds of our most blessed father Francis and of some of the brothers who came at the beginning of the religion, as my mind was taught by God.

I. How blessed Francis began to serve God

3. 1 When 1207 years had been completed since the Incarnation of the Lord, in the month of April, on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of May [16 April 1208], God saw his people, whom he had redeemed with the precious blood of his only-begotten Son, forgetful of his commandments and ungrateful for his benefits. Though they deserved death, he had long had compassion on them; and still not wishing the death of the sinner but that he should turn and live, moved by his most kind mercy, he willed to send labourers into his harvest.[5] 2 And he enlightened a man who was in the city of Assisi, named Francis, a merchant by trade and a most vain squanderer of worldly wealth.[6]

4. 1 One day, when he was in the shop where he used to sell cloth, anxiously turning over business of this kind in his mind, a poor man appeared, asking him for alms for the love of God. 2 Francis, caught up in thoughts of riches and the care of his business, sent him away and refused him alms. 3 When the man had gone, Francis, touched by divine grace, began to reproach himself for his great boorishness, 4 saying: “If this poor man had asked you for something on behalf of some count or great baron, you would have given him what he asked. 5 How much more ought you to have done it for the King of kings and Lord of all!”[7] 6 For this reason he resolved in his heart from then on never to refuse anyone who asked something for the sake of so great a Lord. 7 And calling the poor man back, he gave him alms generously.

8 O heart, I say, full of every grace, fruitful and enlightened! 9 O firm and holy resolve, upon which followed a wonderful, unexpected and singular enlightenment about things to come! 10 And no wonder, since Isaiah cries out with a voice formed by the Holy Spirit: If you pour out your soul for the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, your light shall rise in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noonday.[8] 11 And: When you break your bread for the hungry, then your light shall break forth like the morning, and your justice shall go before your face.[9]

5. 1 As time went on, something wonderful happened to this blessed man which I think should not be passed over in silence. 2 While he was sleeping in his bed one night, someone appeared to him, called him by name, and led him into a palace of indescribable and lovely beauty, full of soldiers’ arms, with shining shields marked with the cross hanging all round the walls. 3 When he asked whose were these arms gleaming with such splendour, and so lovely a palace, he received this answer from the one who was leading him: “All these things, with the palace, are yours and your knights’.” 4 When he awoke he began to think in a worldly way, as one who had not yet fully tasted the Spirit of God, that he was to become a magnificent prince. 5 Turning this over in many ways, he decided to become a knight, so that such a princedom might be granted to him as a knight. 6 So he arranged to set out for Apulia to Count Gentile, having had the most costly clothes he could get prepared for himself, so that he might be made a knight by that count. 7 And because of this he was happier than usual, and everyone wondered at it. 8 To those who asked him where this new happiness came from, he answered: “I know that I am going to be a great prince.”

6. 1 And taking a squire, he mounted his horse and rode towards Apulia. 2 But when he had reached Spoleto, anxious about his journey, and had lain down to sleep when night came, half asleep he heard a voice asking him where he wished to go. 3 He revealed to it his whole plan in order. 4 The voice spoke to him again: “Who can do better for you, the lord or the servant?” He answered: “The lord.” 5 “Why, then, are you leaving the Lord for the servant, and the Prince for the vassal?” 6 And Francis said: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”[10] 7 “Return,” it said, “to your own land, to do what the Lord will reveal to you.”[11] 8 And at once, by divine grace, he was changed, as it seemed to him, into another man.[12]

7. 1 When morning came he returned home, as he had been commanded. 2 And on the way, when he reached Foligno, he sold the horse he was riding and the clothes he had put on to go to Apulia, and dressed himself in cheaper clothes. 3 When this was done, he took the money he had got from them; and as he was returning from Foligno towards Assisi, coming near a church built in honour of Saint Damian, he found a poor priest named Peter living there and handed him the money to keep. 4 The priest refused to keep the money, since he had nowhere he could put it safely. 5 Hearing this, Francis, the man of God, threw it into a window of the church, counting it as worthless.[13] 6 Led by the Spirit of God, seeing that the church was poor and threatening to fall into ruin, he resolved to shore up its structure with that money and to live there, intending to relieve its poverty and restore it. 7 And as time went on, guided by the will of God, he carried this out in deed.

8. 1 When his father heard of this, he, who loved him according to the flesh and thirsted for the money, began to rage against him, and, provoking Francis with all kinds of insults, demanded the money from him. 2 Before the bishop of Assisi Francis readily gave back to his father the money and the clothes he was wearing, remaining naked under the cloak of the bishop, who embraced him naked.

3 Now empty of temporal things, dressed in a very cheap and despised garment, he went back to that church to live there; and the Lord enriched him, poor and despised as he was, 4 filling him with his Holy Spirit and putting the word of life in his mouth, so that he might preach and proclaim among the nations judgement and mercy, punishment and glory, and recall to their memory the commandments of God which they had forgotten. 5 The Lord made him a ruler over a multitude of nations, which God gathered together through him from the whole world.[14]

6 The Lord led him by the right and narrow way, for he did not wish to possess gold, or silver, or money, or anything at all,[15] 7 but followed the Lord in humility, poverty and simplicity of heart.

9. 1 He went about barefoot, was dressed in a contemptible habit, and was girded with a very cheap cord. 2 And wherever his father found him, he cursed him, filled with violent grief. 3 But the blessed man took with him a poor old man named Albert, and asked him for his blessing. 4 Many others also mocked him and spoke insulting words to him, and he was held by almost everyone to be mad. 5 But he cared nothing for this and did not even answer them; he strove with all diligence to carry out in deed what God showed him. 6 Nor did he walk in the learned words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration and power of the Spirit.[16]

Chapter II. The first two brothers who followed blessed Francis

10. 1 Seeing and hearing these things, two men of that city, inspired by a visitation of divine grace, came to him humbly. 2 One of them was Brother Bernard and the other Brother Peter. 3 And they said to him simply: “We want to be with you from now on and to do what you do. Tell us, then, what we ought to do with our possessions.” 4 Rejoicing at their coming and their resolve, he answered them kindly: “Let us go and seek counsel from the Lord.”

5 So they went to a church of that city, and entering it they knelt humbly and said in prayer: 6 “Lord God, Father of glory, we ask you in your mercy to show us what we ought to do.” 7 When the prayer was finished, they said to the priest of that church, who was there: 8 “Sir, show us the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

11. 1 And when the priest had opened the book, since they themselves did not yet know how to read well, they found at once the place where it was written: If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.[17] 2 And turning the pages again they found: Whoever wishes to come after me, and so on.[18] 3 And turning them once more they found: Take nothing for the journey, and so on.[19] 4 When they heard this they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy and said: “This is what we were longing for, this is what we were seeking.”[20] 5 And blessed Francis said: “This will be our rule.” 6 Then he said to the two: “Go, and do as you have heard the Lord counsel.”

7 So Brother Bernard went, and because he was rich, he sold all his possessions and raised a great deal of money from them. 8 Brother Peter, for his part, had been poor in temporal things, but had already become rich in spiritual ones. 9 He too, then, did as he had the counsel of the Lord. 10 And gathering the poor of the city, they gave away to them the money they had got from selling their goods.

12. 1 While they were doing this, and blessed Francis was with them, a priest named Sylvester came, from whom blessed Francis had bought stones to repair the church of San Damiano, where he had also lived before he had brothers as companions. 2 Seeing them spending money in this way, the priest, panting with the heat of avarice, wanted some of that money to be given to him, and began to grumble, saying: “Francis, you did not pay me fully for the stones you bought from me.” 3 Hearing him grumble unjustly, blessed Francis, who had driven all avarice from himself, went up to Brother Bernard and, putting his hand into his cloak where the money was, drew out a handful of coins and gave them to the priest. 4 And putting his hand into the cloak again, he drew out coins as he had done once already, and gave them again to the priest, saying to him: “Have you now been paid in full?” “In full,” he said. 5 When this was done, the priest went back home happy.

13. 1 A few days later the same priest, inspired by the Lord, began to reflect on what blessed Francis had done, saying: “Am I not a wretch, who, old as I am, covet and seek these temporal things, while this young man despises and abhors them for the love of God?” 2 And the following night he saw in a dream an immense cross, whose top reached to heaven, while its foot rested in the mouth of blessed Francis,[21] 3 and its arms stretched from one part of the world to the other. 4 When he awoke, the priest believed that blessed Francis was truly a friend of God, and that the religion he had begun would spread throughout the whole world. 5 And so from then on he began to fear God and to do penance in his own house. 6 And a little while later he entered the Order of the brothers, lived well and ended gloriously.

Chapter III. The first place where they lived, and the persecution by their relatives

14. 1 After Brother Bernard and Brother Peter had sold their goods and given the price to the poor, as we have said, they dressed as blessed Francis, the man of God, was dressed, and joined him.[22] 2 Having no lodging where they could stay, they went off and found a poor little church, almost abandoned, called Saint Mary of the Portiuncula. 3 And there they made a little house, where they lived together.

4 Eight days later another man of the same city came to them, named Giles, a most devout and faithful man, to whom the Lord gave much grace. 5 And with great devotion and reverence, kneeling, he asked blessed Francis to deign to receive him into his company.[23] 6 Hearing and seeing this, blessed Francis was glad, and received him readily and willingly. 7 And so these four had immense happiness and exceedingly great spiritual joy.[24]

15. 1 After this blessed Francis took Brother Giles and brought him with him into the March of Ancona, and the other two stayed behind. 2 As they went in the Lord they rejoiced not a little. 3 And Francis, the man of God, exulted in a very clear voice, singing in French, praising and blessing the Lord.[25]

4 Great happiness overflowed in them, as if they had gained a very great treasure. 5 And they could rejoice greatly, because they had left behind many things, and counted as dung the things that usually sadden people, considering the bitterness that lovers of the world suffer in worldly pleasures, in which much misery and sadness is found.

6 And blessed Francis said to his companion, Brother Giles: “Our religion will be like a fisherman who casts his nets into the water and catches a great abundance of fish. 7 Seeing the great number of fish, he chooses the large ones for his baskets and leaves the small ones in the water.”[26] 8 Giles was greatly amazed at the prophecy the saint had spoken, since he knew how small the number of the brothers was.

9 The man of God was not yet preaching to the people.[27] 10 But when they passed through cities and towns, he would exhort men and women to fear and love the Creator of heaven and earth, and to do penance for their sins.[28] 11 And Brother Giles would answer, saying: “He speaks very well; believe him.”

16. 1 Those who heard them said to one another: “Who are these men, and what are these words they are saying?” 2 Some of them said that they seemed to be fools or drunkards. But others said: “These are not the words of fools that come from their mouths.” 3 And one of them answered: “Either they have clung to the Lord out of the highest perfection, or they have gone mad, for their bodily life looks desperate. They go barefoot, wear cheap clothes and eat little food.” 4 Yet no one followed them so far. 5 And young women, seeing them from far off, fled in fear lest they be caught up in their folly. 6 But although hardly anyone followed them, people were nonetheless left with a holy fear, having seen the form of holy living with which they seemed to be marked for the Lord’s sake. 7 And when they had gone round that province, they returned to Saint Mary of the Portiuncula.

17. 1 A few days later three other men of the city of Assisi came to them, namely Brother Sabbatino, Brother John and Brother Morico the Small, humbly begging blessed Francis to receive them into his company. 2 And he received them kindly and readily.[29]

3 But when they went through the city begging alms, hardly anyone was willing to give them anything; instead people said to them: “You have given away your own things, and now you want to eat other people’s?” 4 And so they suffered very great want. 5 Their parents and relatives also persecuted them; and others of that city, small and great, men and women, despised and mocked them as senseless and foolish, except only the bishop of the city, to whom blessed Francis often went to ask for counsel. 6 Their parents and relatives persecuted them, and others mocked them, because at that time no one was to be found who would leave all his goods and go begging alms from door to door.

7 One day, when blessed Francis had gone to the bishop, the bishop said to him: “Your life seems very hard and harsh to me, to possess nothing in this world and to have nothing.” 8 The saint of God answered him: “My lord, if we had any possessions we would need arms to protect them, for from them arise disputes and a great many lawsuits, and the love of God and neighbour is usually hindered by them. 9 Therefore we do not wish to possess anything temporal in this world.” 10 And this answer pleased the bishop.

Chapter IV. How he admonished the brothers and sent them through the world

18. 1 Saint Francis, being now full of the grace of the Holy Spirit, foretold to his brothers the things that were to come.[30] 2 And calling to him the six brothers he had, in the wood that was next to the church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, where they often went to pray, 3 he said to them: “Dearest brothers, let us consider our vocation, for God in his mercy has called us not only for our own sake but for the benefit and salvation of many. 4 Let us go, then, through the world, exhorting and teaching men and women by word and example to do penance for their sins and to remember the commandments of the Lord, which they have forgotten for so long.”

5 And again he said to them: “Do not be afraid, little flock, but have confidence in the Lord.[31] 6 And do not say among yourselves: ‘We are ignorant and unlettered; how shall we preach?’ 7 But remember the words of the Lord which he spoke to his disciples, saying: ‘For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.’[32] 8 For the Lord himself will give you the spirit and wisdom to exhort and preach to men and women the way and the works of his commandments.[33]

9 You will find faithful men, gentle, humble and kind, who will receive you and your words with joy and love. 10 You will find others, unbelievers, proud and blasphemers, who will resist and reproach you and your words.[34] 11 So set it in your hearts to bear all these things patiently and humbly.”

12 When the brothers heard these words they were afraid. 13 Seeing them afraid, blessed Francis said to them: “Do not be alarmed.[35] 14 For know that before long many wise, prudent and noble men will come to us and will be with us.[36] 15 They will preach to nations and peoples, to kings and princes, and many will be converted to the Lord. 16 And the Lord will make his family multiply and grow throughout the whole world.” 17 And when he had finished all these words, he blessed them, and they went off.

Chapter V. The persecutions the brothers suffered as they went through the world

19. 1 As these most devout servants of the Lord walked along the road, whenever they found a church, whether in use or abandoned, or a cross by the wayside, they bowed down most devoutly before it in prayer, saying: 2 “We adore you, Christ, and we bless you, and all your churches that are in the whole world, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”[37] 3 And there they believed and felt that they had found a place of the Lord.

4 Whoever saw them wondered, saying: “We have never seen religious dressed like this.” 5 For they were unlike all others in habit and way of life, and looked like men of the woods. 6 Whenever they entered a city, a town or a house, they proclaimed peace.[38] 7 And wherever they found men or women in the roads or the squares, they encouraged them to fear and love the Creator of heaven and earth, and, remembering his commandments which they had forgotten, to strive from then on to fulfil them in deed.

8 And some listened to them willingly and with joy, while others, on the contrary, mocked them. 9 They were questioned by many people in many ways, and it was very tiring for them to answer so many questions, for new things often give rise to new questions. 10 Some asked them: “Where are you from?” Others said: “What order are you from?” 11 They answered simply: “We are penitents, and we were born in the city of Assisi.” 12 For the religion of the brothers was not yet called an order.

20. 1 And many who saw and heard them took them for tricksters or fools. 2 And one of them would say: “I don’t want to take them into my house, in case they steal my things.” 3 And because of this many insults were heaped on them in many places. 4 So they very often found lodging in the porches of churches or houses.

5 At that time there were two brothers in the city of Florence, who went round the city looking for lodging and could find none anywhere. 6 Coming to a house that had a porch in front of it, with an oven in the porch, they said to each other: “We can lodge here.” 7 So they asked the lady of that house to be so kind as to take them into her house. 8 When she at once refused, they begged her at least to let them lodge by the oven that night.

9 She allowed them. But when her husband came and saw the brothers in the porch by the oven, he said to her: “Why have you given lodging to these rascals?” 10 She answered: “I didn’t want to lodge them in the house, but I let them lie outside in the porch, where they can’t steal anything from us except perhaps the firewood.” 11 And because of this suspicion they would not lend the brothers anything to cover themselves with, although it was very cold at that time.

12 That night the brothers got up for Matins and went to the nearest church.

21. 1 In the morning, as that woman was going to church to hear Mass, she saw them remaining devoutly and humbly at prayer. 2 And she said to herself: “If these men were criminals, as my husband said, they would not keep at prayer so reverently.” 3 While the woman was thinking this, a man named Guido was going through that church, giving alms to the poor he found there. 4 When he came to the brothers and wanted to give each of them a coin as he had to the others, they refused to take it. 5 He said to them: “Why don’t you take coins like the other poor, since I see you are so needy and destitute?” 6 One of them, named Brother Bernard, answered him: “It is quite true that we are poor, but our poverty is not as heavy as that of other poor people, for we have become poor by the grace of God and by fulfilling his counsel.”

22. 1 Wondering at this, the man asked them whether they had once possessed anything in the world. 2 They answered that they had possessed some things, but had given them to the poor for the love of God. 3 The woman, seeing that the brothers had refused the coins, came up to them and said: “Christians, if you want to come back to my lodging, I will gladly take you into my house.” 4 The brothers answered her humbly: “May the Lord reward you.”[39] 5 But when the man saw that the brothers had not been able to find lodging, he took them and brought them to his house and said to them: 6 “Here is the lodging the Lord has prepared for you. 7 Stay in it as long as you please.” 8 And they gave thanks to God, because he had wrought his mercy with them and heard the cry of the poor.[40] 9 And they stayed with him for some days. 10 And so, because of the words he heard from them and the good examples he saw, he afterwards gave much to the poor.

23. 1 [Although they were treated so kindly by this man,] the brothers were then commonly held so worthless by [other] people that many, small and great, did to them and spoke to them as masters to their servants.[41] 2 And although they had very cheap and poor clothing, many people gladly took it from them. 3 And when they were thus left naked, since they had only one tunic, they nevertheless always kept the form of the Gospel, not asking for it back from those who took it.[42] 4 But if these, moved by pity, wished to give it back, they took it gladly.

5 Some threw mud on their heads; and one of them had dice put into his hand, with an invitation to play. 6 One brother was carried on someone’s back, hung by his hood, for as long as the carrier pleased. 7 These and many other things they did to them to afflict them, which we do not tell so as not to lengthen our words too much. 8 For they held them so utterly worthless that they afflicted them confidently and boldly, as though they were criminals. 9 Besides this they bore many tribulations and hardships in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness.[43]

10 But they endured all these things steadfastly and patiently, as blessed Francis had admonished them. 11 They were not saddened or disturbed, but like men who have made a great profit they exulted and rejoiced in their tribulations, and earnestly prayed to God for their persecutors.[44]

24. 1 When people saw them exulting in their tribulations and bearing them patiently for the Lord, never ceasing from most devout prayer, neither receiving nor carrying money as other needy poor people did, and having great love for one another, by which they were known to be disciples of the Lord, many were pierced to the heart by the Lord’s goodness, and came to them asking pardon for the offences they had done them.[45] 2 They forgave them from the heart and answered readily: “May the Lord forgive you.” 3 And so afterwards people listened to them gladly.

4 And some asked them to be so kind as to receive them into their company, and they received a great many of them; for at that time, because the brothers were few, each one had authority from blessed Francis to receive whomever he wished. 5 And at the time appointed for them they returned to Saint Mary of the Portiuncula.

Chapter VI. The way of life of the brothers and the love they had for one another

25. 1 When they saw one another again, they were filled with such delight and spiritual joy that they remembered nothing of the adversity and extreme poverty they suffered. 2 Every day they were diligent in prayer and in the work of their hands, so as to drive far from themselves all idleness, the enemy of the soul.[46] 3 At night, likewise diligent, they rose at midnight, according to the word of the prophet, At midnight I rose to give you praise, and prayed with great devotion and often with tears.[47] 4 They loved one another with deep affection, and each served and nourished the other as a mother serves and nourishes her son.[48] 5 The fire of charity burned so strongly in them that it seemed easy to them to give up their bodies, not only for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also for one another, and gladly.

26. 1 One day, when two brothers were travelling along a road, they came upon a madman who threw stones at them. 2 One of the brothers, seeing stones being thrown at his brother, ran and put himself in the way of the blows, preferring to be struck himself rather than his brother, because of the burning charity they had for each other. 3 These things, and things like them, they did often.

4 They were rooted and grounded in charity and humility, and each revered the other as if he were his lord.[49] 5 Whoever among them excelled in office or grace seemed humbler and lowlier than the rest. 6 They also gave themselves wholly to obedience: as soon as the mouth of the one giving a command was opened, they had their feet ready to walk and their hands ready to work. 7 Whatever they were commanded, they thought it was commanded according to the Lord’s will; and so it was sweet and easy for them to carry everything out. 8 They abstained from fleshly desires, and judged themselves carefully so as not to be judged.[50]

27. 1 For if by chance one of them said a word to another that might displease him, his conscience reproached him so much that he could not rest until he had confessed his fault and, prostrating himself on the ground, had the other place his foot on his mouth, even against his will. 2 And if the other was quite unwilling to do it, then, if the one who had spoken the word was a superior, he commanded him to do it; otherwise he had a superior command it, so that all ill will might be driven from them and full love always kept among them. 3 And so they took pains to set the corresponding virtue against each vice.

4 Whatever they had, a book or a tunic, they used in common, and no one said that anything was his own, as was done in the early Church of the apostles.[51] 5 And though extreme poverty abounded among them, they were always generous, and for the love of God gladly shared the alms given to them with all who asked.

28. 1 When they went along the road and found poor people asking them for something, some of them, having nothing else to offer, gave the poor something from their clothing. 2 One cut his hood from his tunic and gave it to a poor man who asked; another took off a sleeve and gave it; others gave some other part of their tunic, so as to keep that word of the Gospel: Give to everyone who asks of you.[52]

3 One day a poor man came to the church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, where they were living, and asked the brothers for alms. 4 There was a cloak there which one of them had had when he was still in the world. 5 Blessed Francis told the brother whose cloak it had been to give it to that poor man. 6 And he gave it to him gladly and quickly. 7 And at once, because of the reverence and devotion the brother had shown in giving, it seemed to him that the alms rose up to heaven, and he immediately felt himself filled with a new spirit.

29. 1 When the rich of this world turned aside to them, they received them readily and kindly, and invited them to turn from evil and urged them to do penance. 2 At that time the brothers earnestly asked not to be sent to the lands where they had been born, so as to avoid the company and familiarity of their relatives, and to keep the prophetic word: I have become a stranger to my brothers and an alien to the sons of my mother.[53]

3 They rejoiced greatly in poverty, for they desired no riches but eternal ones. 4 They never possessed gold or silver, and though they despised all the riches of this world, they trampled money underfoot most of all.

30. 1 One day, while the brothers were staying at Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, some men came and entered the church and, without their knowing, put some coins on the altar. 2 A brother, coming into the church, found the coins, took them and put them on a window-sill of the church. 3 Another brother found the money where the first had put it and brought it to Saint Francis. 4 When blessed Francis heard this, he had a careful search made for the brother who had put the money there. 5 When he was found, he told him to come to him and said: “Why have you done this?[54] 6 Did you not know that I want the brothers not only not to use money, but not even to touch it?” 7 Hearing this, the brother bowed down and, kneeling, confessed his fault, asking him to give him a penance. 8 He enjoined him to carry that money out of the church in his own mouth, and, when he found some donkey’s dung, to lay it on it with the same mouth with which he carried it. 9 The brother carried this out most carefully. 10 And from then on he admonished the brothers that wherever they found money they should despise it and count it as nothing.

11 So they rejoiced continually, for they had nothing that could trouble them. 12 For the more they were separated from the world, the more they were united to God. 13 They entered by the path, kept the way narrow and preserved its roughness. 14 They broke the stones and trampled the thorns, and so left the way smooth for us, their successors.

Chapter VII. How they went to Rome, and the lord pope granted them the Rule and preaching

31. 1 Blessed Francis, seeing that the grace of the Saviour was increasing his brothers in number and merit, said to them: “Brothers, I see that the Lord wants to make a great congregation of us. 2 Let us go, then, to our mother the Roman Church, and make known to the supreme pontiff what the Lord is doing through us, so that we may carry on what we have begun according to his will and command.” 3 And since what he said pleased them, he took twelve brothers with him and they went to Rome.

4 As they went along the road, he said to them: “Let us make one of us our leader and hold him as the vicar of Jesus Christ for us. 5 Wherever he pleases to turn aside, let us turn aside, and when he wishes to lodge, let us lodge.” 6 And they chose Brother Bernard, who had been the first to be received by blessed Francis, and they carried out in deed what he had said. 7 They went joyfully and spoke the words of the Lord; and none of them dared to say anything except what belonged to the praise and glory of the Lord and to the benefit of their souls, or else they gave themselves to prayer. 8 And the Lord prepared lodging and food for them in the time of their need.

32. 1 When they came to Rome, they found the bishop of the city of Assisi, who was staying in Rome at that time. 2 Seeing them, he received them with immense joy. 3 The bishop was known to a certain cardinal, called the lord John of Saint Paul, who was a good and religious man and loved the servants of the Lord very much. 4 The bishop had made known to him the resolve and the life of blessed Francis and his brothers. 5 Having heard this, he longed to see blessed Francis and some of his brothers. 6 And when he heard that they were in the City, he sent for them and had them come to him. 7 Seeing them, he received them with devotion and love.

33. 1 When they had stayed with him a few days, and he saw shining in their deeds what he had heard about them in words, he loved them deeply. 2 And he said to blessed Francis: “I commend myself to your prayers, and I want you to count me from now on as one of your brothers. Tell me, then, why have you come?” 3 Then blessed Francis revealed to him his whole resolve, and that he wished to speak to the lord apostolic, so as to carry on what he was doing according to his will and command. 4 He answered him: “I want to be your procurator in the curia of the lord pope.”

5 And so, going to the curia, he said to the lord Pope Innocent III: “I have found a most perfect man, who wishes to live according to the form of the holy Gospel and to observe evangelical perfection. 6 I believe that through him the Lord wishes to renew his whole Church throughout the whole world.” 7 Hearing this, the lord pope wondered, and said to him: “Bring him to me.”

34. 1 So the next day he brought him to the pope. 2 Blessed Francis set out his whole resolve to the lord pope, as he had told the cardinal before. 3 The lord pope answered him: “Your life is too hard and harsh, if, wishing to form a congregation, you want to possess nothing in this world. 4 Where will your necessities come from?” 5 Blessed Francis answered: “My lord, I trust in my Lord Jesus Christ. 6 For he who promises to give us life and glory in heaven will not take from us the necessities of the body on earth at the right time.” 7 The pope answered: “What you say is true, my son; but human nature is frail and never remains in the same state.[55]

8 But go and pray to the Lord with your whole heart, that he may deign to show you what is better and more useful for your souls. 9 And come back and tell me, and then I will grant it.”

35. 1 Then he went away to prayer, and prayed to the Lord with a pure heart that in his ineffable goodness he would deign to show him this. 2 And when he had persevered in prayer and gathered his whole heart to the Lord, the word of the Lord came into his heart, and spoke to him in a parable: 3 “In the kingdom of a great king there was a woman, very poor but beautiful, who pleased the king’s eyes, and he had many sons by her. 4 One day the woman began to think to herself: ‘What am I to do, poor as I am, with so many sons born to me and no possessions for them to live on?’ 5 While she was thinking such things in her heart, and her face grew sad with the crowd of her thoughts, the king appeared and said to her: ‘What is the matter? I see you are thoughtful and sad.’ 6 And she told him all the thoughts of her heart. 7 The king answered her: ‘Do not be afraid because of your great poverty, nor because of the sons born to you and the many yet to be born; for since many hired servants in my house have bread in plenty, I do not want my sons to perish with hunger, but I want them to have more than the others.’”[56]

8 Francis, the man of God, understood at once that he himself was meant by that poor woman. 9 And so from this the man of God made firm his resolve to observe most holy poverty from then on.[57]

36. 1 And rising at that same hour, he went to the apostolic lord and told him what the Lord had revealed to him. 2 Hearing this, the lord pope wondered greatly that the Lord had revealed his will to so simple a man. 3 And he recognized that he did not walk in human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.[58]

4 Then blessed Francis bowed down and humbly and devoutly promised obedience and reverence to the lord pope.[59] 5 And the other brothers, since they had not yet promised obedience, likewise promised obedience and reverence to blessed Francis, according to the command of the lord pope. 6 And the lord pope granted the Rule to him and to his brothers, present and future. 7 And he gave him authority to preach everywhere, as the grace of the Holy Spirit would grant him, and that the other brothers too might preach, to whom the office of preaching had been granted by blessed Francis.

8 From then on blessed Francis began to preach to the people through cities and towns, as the Spirit of the Lord revealed to him.[60] 9 And the Lord put in his mouth words that were seemly, honey-sweet and most delightful, so that hardly anyone could have enough of hearing him. 10 The cardinal, because of the devotion he had for the brother, had the clerical tonsure given to all those twelve brothers. 11 And afterwards blessed Francis ordained that a Chapter should be held twice a year, at Pentecost and on the feast of Saint Michael in the month of September.

Chapter VIII. How he ordained that a Chapter should be held, and what was dealt with in the Chapter

37. 1 At Pentecost all the brothers came together for the Chapter at the church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula. In that Chapter they discussed how they could better observe the Rule. 2 And they appointed brothers in each province to preach to the people, and others to place the brothers in their province.[61]

3 Saint Francis gave the brothers admonitions, rebukes and commands, as seemed best to him after first consulting the Lord. 4 And everything he told them in words he first showed them in deed, with affection and care. 5 He venerated the prelates and priests of holy Church. 6 He also revered the elderly; he honoured the noble and the rich; and he loved the poor deeply and suffered with them. 7 In short, he showed himself subject to all.

8 And though he was above all the brothers, he would appoint one of the brothers living with him as his guardian and lord, and obeyed him humbly and devoutly, so as to drive from himself every occasion of pride. 9 This saint humbled his head to the ground among men, and therefore the Lord exalted him in heaven among his saints and elect.[62]

10 He admonished them to observe carefully the holy Gospel and the Rule they had promised; and above all to be reverent towards the offices and ordinances of the Church, to hear Mass attentively and devoutly and to look upon the body of our Lord Jesus Christ; 11 and to hold in reverence the priests who handle these venerable and very great sacraments, and wherever they found them, to bow their heads to them and kiss their hands. 12 And if they found them on horseback, they were to show them reverence, and kiss not only their hands but even the hooves of the horses they were riding, out of reverence for their authority.

38. 1 He also admonished them not to judge or look down on anyone, not even those who drink and eat delicately and dress expensively, as is also contained in the Rule.[63] 2 “For our Lord is their Lord too, and he who called us can call them, and he who willed to justify us can justify them too.”[64] 3 And he would say: “And I wish to revere them as my brothers and lords. 4 They are my brothers, because we all come from one Creator; they are my lords, because they help us to do penance by giving us what we need for the body.”

5 He also said to them: “Let your conduct among the people be such that whoever sees or hears you may glorify and praise our Father who is in heaven.”[65] 6 For he had a great desire that he and his brothers should always do works for which the Lord would be praised. 7 And he said to them: “As you announce peace with your mouth, so have peace all the more in your hearts, so that no one is provoked to anger or scandal through you; but let all be called back to peace and kindness through your peace and gentleness. 8 For we have been called to this: to heal the wounded, to bind up the broken and to call back those who have gone astray.[66] 9 Many who seem to us members of the devil will yet be disciples of Christ.”

39. 1 He also rebuked them for the great austerity they practised on their bodies; for at that time the brothers toiled too much in fasts and vigils and bodily exercises, so as to repress every stirring of the flesh in themselves.[67] 2 They afflicted themselves so much that each seemed to hate himself. 3 Hearing and seeing this, blessed Francis rebuked them, as we have said, and enjoined them not to do so much. 4 He was so full of the grace and wisdom of the Saviour that he gave admonition devoutly, rebuke reasonably and commands gently.

5 Among the brothers who came together for the Chapter, none of them dared to talk to one another about worldly business; 6 rather, they spoke about the lives of the holy Fathers, or about the perfection of some brother, or about how they could better attain to the grace of our Lord. 7 And if any of the brothers who came to the Chapter had some temptation from the flesh or from the world, or some other tribulation, on hearing blessed Francis speak so fervently and sweetly and on seeing his presence, the temptations left them.[68]

8 For he spoke to them with compassion, not as a judge but as a father to his sons and a physician to the sick, so that in him the word of the Apostle was fulfilled: 9 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn?[69]

Chapter IX. When the brothers were sent through all the provinces of the world

40. 1 When the Chapter was over, he blessed all the brothers in the Chapter and assigned each of them to the provinces as he wished. 2 To any of them, cleric or lay, who had the Spirit of God and eloquence for preaching, he gave leave and obedience to preach. 3 And they received his blessing with great happiness and joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 They went through the world as strangers and pilgrims, taking nothing for the journey except only books in which they could say their Hours.[70]

5 Wherever they found a priest, poor or rich, they bowed and showed him reverence, as they had been taught by blessed Francis. 6 And when it was time to find lodging, they preferred to lodge with them rather than with other lay people.

41. 1 And when they could not find lodging with them, they asked who in that place was a spiritual and God-fearing man with whom they might lodge more fittingly. 2 And a little while later the Lord inspired someone who feared him, in each of the cities and towns where they were to come, to prepare lodging for them, until afterwards they built their own places in the cities and towns.[71]

3 The Lord gave them the word and the Spirit as the time required, so that they spoke most piercing words that went into the hearts of many who heard them, especially the young rather than the old. 4 These, leaving father and mother and all they had, followed them, taking the habit of the holy religion.[72] 5 And at that time the word of the Lord in the Gospel was especially fulfilled in this religion, when he says: 6 I have not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword; 7 for I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother.[73] 8 And those whom the brothers received they brought to blessed Francis, to be clothed by him.

9 Likewise many women, virgins and those without husbands, hearing their preaching, came to them pierced to the heart, 10 saying: “What shall we do, we too? We cannot be with you.[74] 11 Tell us, then, how we may save our souls.” 12 For this purpose they established, in each city where they could, enclosed monasteries for doing penance. 13 They also appointed one of the brothers to be their visitator and corrector.

14 Likewise married men said: “We have wives, who will not allow themselves to be sent away. 15 Teach us, then, what way we can safely hold to.” 16 And they established for them an Order, which is called the Order of Penitents, and had it confirmed by the supreme pontiff.

Chapter X. When the cardinals, becoming well disposed towards the brothers, began to counsel and help them

42. 1 The venerable father the lord John of Saint Paul, cardinal, who often gave blessed Francis counsel and protection, commended the merits and deeds of blessed Francis and of all his brothers to all the other cardinals.

2 Hearing this, their hearts were moved to love the brothers, and each of them wished to have some of the brothers in his household, not to receive any service from them, but because of the great devotion and love they had for the brothers.[75] 3 One day, when blessed Francis had come to the curia, the cardinals each asked him for some of the brothers; and he kindly granted them their wish. 4 The lord John died and rested in peace, he who had loved the holy poor.

43. 1 After this the Lord inspired one of the cardinals, named Hugolino, bishop of Ostia, who loved blessed Francis and his brothers deeply, not only as a friend but rather as a father. 2 Having heard of his good reputation, blessed Francis went to him. 3 When the cardinal saw him, he received him with joy, saying to him: “I offer myself to you for counsel, help and protection, as you please, and I want you to keep me commended in your prayers.”

4 Blessed Francis gave thanks to the Most High, who had inspired his heart to give counsel, help and protection, and said to him: 5 “I gladly wish to have you as father and lord of myself and of all my brothers, and I want all the brothers to be bound to pray to the Lord for you.” 6 Then he asked him to be so kind as to come to the brothers’ Chapter at Pentecost. 7 He agreed, and came every year.

8 When he came, all the brothers gathered at the Chapter went out in procession to meet him. 9 And as the brothers came, he would get down from his horse and walk on foot with the brothers as far as the church, because of the devotion he had for them. 10 Then he would preach to them and celebrate Mass, and blessed Francis would sing the Gospel.

Chapter XI. How the Church protected them from the hands of their persecutors

44. 1 When eleven years had passed since the beginning of the religion, and the number of the brothers had multiplied, ministers were elected and sent with a number of brothers into almost all the provinces of the world where the Catholic faith was practised. 2 In some provinces they were received, but were not at all allowed to build dwellings there. 3 From others they were driven out, because people feared the brothers might not be faithful Christians, since the brothers did not yet have a Rule confirmed by the pope, but only granted. 4 And so, having suffered many tribulations from clerics and lay people, and having been robbed by thieves, they returned to blessed Francis greatly distressed and afflicted. 5 These tribulations were inflicted on them in Hungary and Germany and other provinces beyond the Alps.

6 The brothers made these things known to the cardinal, the lord of Ostia. 7 He called blessed Francis to him and brought him to the lord Pope Honorius, since the lord Innocent had already died, and had another Rule written for him, and had it confirmed and strengthened with the protection of that pope’s seal. 8 In this Rule he extended the interval between Chapters, to spare the labour of the brothers who lived in distant parts.

45. 1 And blessed Francis asked the lord pope for one of the cardinals to be governor, protector and corrector of this religion, as is contained in that same Rule.[76] 2 And he granted them the said lord of Ostia. 3 After this, having received the lord pope’s mandate, the lord of Ostia, stretching out his hand to protect the brothers, sent letters to many prelates in whose lands the brothers had suffered tribulations, telling them not to oppose the brothers, but rather to give them counsel and help in preaching and living in their provinces, as good and religious men approved by the Church.

4 And many of the other cardinals likewise sent their letters for the same purpose. 5 And so at another Chapter, after blessed Francis had given the ministers leave to receive brothers into the Order, the brothers were sent back into those provinces, carrying the confirmed Rule and the cardinal’s letters, as we have said. 6 Then the prelates, seeing the Rule confirmed by the supreme pontiff, and the lord of Ostia with other cardinals bearing good witness to the brothers, allowed them to build, live and preach in their provinces.[77] 7 When this had been done, and the brothers were living and preaching there, many people, seeing their humble way of life, their upright conduct and their most sweet words, came to the brothers and took the habit of the holy religion.

8 Seeing the faith and love the lord of Ostia had for the brothers, blessed Francis loved him from the depths of his heart, 9 and when he wrote him letters he addressed him thus: “To the venerable father in Christ, bishop of the whole world.” 10 And a short time afterwards, in accordance with the prophetic [word] of blessed Francis, the said lord of Ostia was elected to the apostolic see, and was called Pope Gregory IX.

Chapter XII. The death of blessed Francis, his miracles and his canonization

46. 1 When twenty years had passed since blessed Francis had embraced evangelical perfection, the merciful God willed that he should rest from his labours,[78] 2 for he had laboured greatly in vigils, in prayers and in fasts, in supplications, in preaching, in journeys, in anxieties and in compassion for his neighbours; for he had given his whole heart to God his Creator, and loved him with his whole heart, with his whole soul and with all his inmost being.[79] 3 For he carried God in his heart, praised him with his mouth and glorified him in his works. 4 And if anyone named God, he would say: “Heaven and earth ought to bow down at this name.”[80]

5 And the Lord, wishing to show the love he had for him, placed in his limbs and his side the stigmata of his most beloved Son. 6 And since Francis, the servant of God, longed to come to his house and the place where his glory dwells, the Lord called him to himself, and so he passed gloriously to the Lord.[81]

7 After this many signs and miracles appeared among the people, through which the hearts of many people who had been hard to believe in what the Lord had deigned to show in his servant were softened, 8 and they said: “We fools thought his life madness and his end without honour. 9 See how he is counted among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints.”[82]

47. 1 The venerable lord and father, the lord Pope Gregory, venerated after his death the saint whom he had loved in life. 2 And coming with the cardinals to the place where the saint’s body was buried, he entered him in the catalogue of the saints.

3 Because of this many great and noble men, leaving everything, were converted to the Lord, with their wives, sons and daughters and their whole household. 4 The wives and daughters were enclosed in monasteries. 5 The husbands and sons took the habit of the Lesser Brothers. 6 And so the word was fulfilled which he had foretold to the brothers: 7 “Before long many wise, prudent and noble men will come to us and will live with us.”[83]

[Epilogue]

48. 1 I ask you, dearest brothers, to meditate carefully on these things which we have written about our dearest fathers and brothers, 2 to understand them rightly and to strive to fulfil them in deed, so that we may merit to share heavenly glory with them. 3 May our Lord Jesus Christ lead us to it.

  1. Cf. Accrocca, 102. ↑
  2. Cf. Ibid., 103-104. ↑
  3. Cf. Ibid., 104-105. ↑
  4. Cf. Ibid., 115-128. ↑
  5. v. 3:1 — Ezek 33:11; Mt 9:38. The date is given in the Roman calendar; reckoning the year from the Incarnation, it corresponds to 16 April 1208. ↑
  6. v. 3:2 — Job 1:1. ↑
  7. v. 4:5 — Cf. Rev 17:14. ↑
  8. v. 4:10 — Is 58:10. ↑
  9. v. 4:11 — Is 58:7–8. ↑
  10. v. 6:6 — Acts 9:6 Vulg. ↑
  11. v. 6:7 — Gen 32:9; Acts 22:10. ↑
  12. v. 6:8 — Cf. 1 Sam 10:6 (= 1 Kgs 10:6 Vulg.). ↑
  13. v. 7:5 — 1 Kgs 13:1; 2 Kgs 6:9–10 (= 3 and 4 Kgs Vulg.). ↑
  14. v. 8:5 — Gen 17:4; 45:8. ↑
  15. v. 8:6 — Wis 10:10; cf. Mt 10:9. ↑
  16. v. 9:6 — 1 Cor 2:4, 13. ↑
  17. v. 11:1 — Mt 19:21. ↑
  18. v. 11:2 — Mt 16:24. ↑
  19. v. 11:3 — Lk 9:3. ↑
  20. v. 11:4 — Mt 2:10. ↑
  21. v. 13:2 — Cf. Gen 28:12. ↑
  22. v. 14:1 — Cf. Lk 18:22; 1 Kgs 13:1; 2 Kgs 6:9–10 (= 3 and 4 Kgs Vulg.). ↑
  23. v. 14:5 — Mk 10:17. ↑
  24. v. 14:7 — Mt 2:10. ↑
  25. v. 15:3 — 1 Kgs 13:1; 2 Kgs 6:9–10 (= 3 and 4 Kgs Vulg.); Lk 24:53. ↑
  26. vv. 15:6–7 — Cf. Mt 13:47–48. ↑
  27. v. 15:9 — 1 Kgs 13:1; 2 Kgs 6:9–10 (= 3 and 4 Kgs Vulg.). ↑
  28. v. 15:10 — Mt 9:35; Lk 8:1. ↑
  29. v. 17:2 — Cf. Earlier Rule 2:1. ↑
  30. v. 18:1 — Acts 6:5, 8. ↑
  31. v. 18:5 — Lk 12:32. ↑
  32. v. 18:7 — Mt 10:20. ↑
  33. v. 18:8 — Cf. Lk 21:15. ↑
  34. v. 18:10 — 2 Tim 3:2. ↑
  35. v. 18:13 — Mk 16:6. ↑
  36. v. 18:14 — 1 Cor 1:26. ↑
  37. v. 19:2 — Cf. Francis, Testament 5. ↑
  38. v. 19:6 — Lk 8:1; 10:5. ↑
  39. v. 22:4 — 2 Sam 2:6 (= 2 Kgs Vulg.). ↑
  40. v. 22:8 — Lk 1:72. ↑
  41. v. 23:1 — Cf. Later Rule 10:6. The words in square brackets are supplied by the editor. ↑
  42. v. 23:3 — Cf. Lk 6:29. ↑
  43. v. 23:9 — 2 Cor 11:27 (the edition prints 1 Cor 11:27). ↑
  44. v. 23:11 — Mt 5:44. ↑
  45. v. 24:1 — Jn 13:35. ↑
  46. v. 25:2 — Cf. 1 Cor 4:12; cf. Earlier Rule 7:11; Later Rule 5:3. ↑
  47. v. 25:3 — Ps 118:62 Vulg. (119:62 Eng.). ↑
  48. v. 25:4 — Cf. Earlier Rule 9:11; Later Rule 6:9. ↑
  49. v. 26:4 — Eph 3:17. ↑
  50. v. 26:8 — 1 Pet 2:11. ↑
  51. v. 27:4 — Acts 4:32. ↑
  52. v. 28:2 — Lk 6:30. ↑
  53. v. 29:2 — Ps 68:9 Vulg. (69:8 Eng.). ↑
  54. v. 30:5 — Gen 3:13. ↑
  55. v. 34:7 — Job 14:2. ↑
  56. v. 35:7 — Lk 12:32; cf. Lk 15:17. ↑
  57. vv. 35:8–9 — 1 Kgs 13:1; 2 Kgs 6:9–10 (= 3 and 4 Kgs Vulg.). ↑
  58. v. 36:3 — 1 Cor 2:4. ↑
  59. v. 36:4 — Cf. Later Rule 1:3; Earlier Rule, Prologue 3. ↑
  60. v. 36:8 — Lk 8:1. ↑
  61. v. 37:2 — Cf. Earlier Rule 4:2 (the edition prints 4:1). ↑
  62. v. 37:9 — Cf. Lk 14:11. ↑
  63. v. 38:1 — Cf. Later Rule 2:17 (the edition prints 2:18). ↑
  64. v. 38:2 — Rom 8:30. ↑
  65. v. 38:5 — Mt 5:16. ↑
  66. v. 38:8 — Cf. Ezek 34:4. ↑
  67. v. 39:1 — Cf. 2 Cor 11:27. ↑
  68. v. 39:7 — Cf. 1 Jn 2:16. ↑
  69. v. 39:9 — 2 Cor 11:29. ↑
  70. v. 40:4 — 1 Pet 2:11; cf. Francis, Testament 24; Earlier Rule 14:1; cf. Mt 10:9–10; cf. Earlier Rule 3:7. ↑
  71. v. 41:2 — Mt 9:35; Lk 10:1. ↑
  72. v. 41:4 — Mt 19:29. ↑
  73. vv. 41:6–7 — Mt 10:34–35. ↑
  74. v. 41:10 — Acts 2:37. ↑
  75. v. 42:2 — 1 Kgs 3:26 (= 3 Kgs Vulg.). ↑
  76. v. 45:1 — Cf. Later Rule 12:4. ↑
  77. v. 45:6 — Jn 1:7; 21:24. ↑
  78. v. 46:1 — Rev 14:13. ↑
  79. v. 46:2 — 2 Cor 6:5; 11:26–28; Mt 22:37. ↑
  80. v. 46:4 — Cf. Phil 2:10. ↑
  81. v. 46:6 — Ps 25:8 Vulg. (26:8 Eng.). ↑
  82. vv. 46:8–9 — Wis 5:4–5. ↑
  83. v. 47:7 — 1 Cor 1:26; cf. 18:14 above. ↑