TESTAMENT OF THE BLESSED FATHER ST. FRANCIS.
The Lord granted to me, Brother Francis, thus to begin to do penance ; for while I was in sin, it seemed to me too bitter a thing to see lepers, but the Lord Himself led me among them, and I showed mercy to them. And when I left them, that which had appeared to me bitter was changed into sweetness of body and soul ; and . not long after this I forsook the world. And the Lord gave me such faith in His churches that I would simply adore and say : ‘We adore Thee, most holy Lord Jesus Christ, here, and in all Thy churches throughout the world, and we bless Thee because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.’ After that Our Lord gave me, and still gives me, such faith in priests who live according to the Rule of the holy Roman Church, on account of their Orders, that even if they were to persecute me, I would still have recourse to them. And if I had the wisdom of Solomon, and found priests the poorest according to this world, I would not preach in the churches where they dwell, against their will. And these and all others I will fear, love and honour as my masters ; and I will see no sin in them, because in them I behold the Son of God, and they are my lords. This I do, because in this world I see nothing corporally of the Most High Son of God, but His most holy Body and Blood, which they consecrate and receive, and which they alone administer to others. And these most holy Mysteries I wish above all things should be honoured and reverenced, and kept in becoming places. Wherever I find His most holy Names or written Words in unseemly places, I will collect them, and I wish that they may be gathered up and honourably kept. All theologians and those who minister to us the Divine Word, we must honour and reverence, as those who minister to us spirit and life. Since the Lord gave me Brethren to take care of, no one showed me what I ought to do ; but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the Rule of the Holy Gospel. This I caused to be written in few and simple words, and our Lord the Pope confirmed it for me. Those who came to adopt this Form of life gave all they possessed to the poor. And they were contented with one tunic, which those who wished, patched inside and out ; and with a girdle and drawers, and we would have nothing more. We, who were clerics, said the Office like other clerics, and the lay-Brothers said Pater nesters. And we most willingly dwelt in poor little abandoned churches, and we were simple,* and subject to all. I laboured also with my hands, and desire always to labour, and I earnestly wish all the other Brethren to work at all honest employments. Let those who do not know how to work learn, not through cupidity, that they may receive the price of their labours, but in order to give good example, and to avoid idleness. When men do not give us the price of our work, 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 His peace.’ Let the Brethren take care not on any account to accept the churches, dwellings, or anything else that may be built for them, unless they are in accordance with the holy Poverty which we have promised in the Rule; always dwelling here below as strangers and pilgrims. I strictly command all the Brothers, under obedience, that in whatever place they may be, they never presume to ask any letter from the Roman Court, either themselves, or by any person interposed, either for a church, or for any other place, under pretence of preaching, or on account of bodily persecutions ; but wherever they are not received, let them fly to another country, and there do penance with the blessing of God. As for me, I will strictly obey the Minister-General of this Fraternity, and the Guardian whom it may please him to give me ; and I will be as a slave in his hands, so that I may neither move nor act contrary to his will, because he is my master. And although I am simple and infirm, nevertheless I always wish to have a cleric who may say the Office with me according to the Rule. All the other Brethren are bound thus strictly to obey their Guardians, and to perform the Office according to the Rule. And if any should be found who will not perform the Office according to the Rule, or who wish to change it in any manner,or who are not Catholics, all the Brethren, wherever they may be, are bound, under Obedience, to present such an one to the Custode nearest to the place where he is. And the Custode is bound, under Obedience, to keep him strictly as a prisoner, day and night, until he can personally deliver him into the hands of his Minister. The Minister is likewise strictly bound, under Obedience, to send him by some Brothers who shall keep him night and day as a prisoner until they can present him to the Lord Cardinal of Ostia, who is the Lord Protector and Corrector of this Fraternity, Let not the Brethren say : ‘This is another Rule ;’ for this is the record, admonition, exhortation, and my Testament, which I, your poor little Brother Francis, make for you, my blessed Brethren, to the end that we may observe in a more Catholic manner Rule which we have promised to God. The Minister- General, the other Ministers and the Custodes are bound under Obedience, not to add to these words, nor to take anything from them. And they shall always have this writing with them, together with the Rule ; and in all the Chapters they hold, when they read the Rule, they shall also read these words, I strictly command all my Brethren, both the clerics and lay-brothers under Obedience, not to put any gloss upon the Rule, or on these words ; saying : ‘Thus are they to be understood ;’ but as the Lord gave me to speak and write the Rule and these words purely and simply, so shall you understand them purely and simply and without gloss, and observe them to the end in holiness of life. And whosoever shall observe these things, may he be filled in heaven with the blessing of the Most High and Heavenly Father, and on earth with the blessing of His beloved Son, together with the Holy Ghost the Paraclete, and all the Angels and Saints of heaven. And I, Brother Francis, your poor little servant in the Lord, confirm to you as much as I am able, both within and without, this holy Benediction. Amen.
* Idiota, fools for Christ’s sake