On the Primative Rule of St. Francis
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brother Francis shall promise obedience and reverence to the Lord Pope Innocent and his successors.
1. The Rule and Life of the Brothers is this: to live in obedience, in chastity and without property, and to follow the teaching and the footsteps of Christ, who says, If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me; and, If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me; and again, If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple; and, Everyone that hath forsaken father or mother or brothers or sisters or wife or children or houses or lands for my sake shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life.
2. If any man, by divine inspiration and willing to accept this life, shall come to the brothers, let him be kindly received by them; and he must sell all his goods and be careful to give everything to the poor. And let all the brothers be dressed in shabby clothes and let them patch them with sackcloth or other rags with the blessing of God; for our Lord says, They which are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately are in kings’ houses. And they may eat anything that is set before them according to the Gospel: Eat what is set before you.
3. None of the brethren shall have any power or domination especially among themselves. As our Lord says in the Gospel, The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority over them, but it shall not be so among the friars; but whosoever would be the greatest among them let him be their minister and servant; and he that is greatest among them let him be as the younger. And no one is to be called prior, but all alike shall be called Friars Minor. And let each wash one another’s feet.
4. All the brothers, in whatever place they may be staying with other people to serve them and work for them, shall not be chamberlains or chancellors nor have any rule over the households of those whom they serve; nor shall they take any office which might cause scandal or harm to the soul; but let them be underlings and in subjection to all who are in that house. And those brothers who know how to work shall work and pursue whatever trade they have learnt, so long as it is not contrary to the good of the soul and can be honestly carried on. And for their labour they may receive all things necessary, but no money. and when necessary let them go begging like the other brethren.
5. All the brothers must seek to follow the humility and poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ, and must remember that we ought not to possess anything in this world except what the Apostle says: Having food and raiment let us be therewith content. And they ought to rejoice when they are living among common and despised people, among the poor and the weak, the sick and the lepers, and those who beg by the wayside. And when it is necessary let them go for alms and not be ashamed.
6. An all the brothers must be careful not to speak evil of one another nor to wrangle; but rather they should make a point of being silent whensoever God shall confer his grace upon them. Nor must they quarrel among themselves nor with others, but they must take care to answer humbly, saying: We are unprofitable servants. And let them love one another, as our Lord says: This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you.
7. When the brothers are going about the world they must carry nothing with them: neither scrip, nor purse, nor bread, nor money, nor staff. And into whatsoever house they shall enter, they shall first say: `Peace be to this house.’ And in the same house they shall remain eating and drinking such things as they give. They shall not resist evil, but unto him that smiteth them upon the one cheek let them offer also the other; and him that taketh away their cloak let them not forbid to take their coat also. Let them give to every man that asketh of them, and of him that taketh away their goods let them not ask them again.
8. Let all the brothers, wherever they may be, remember that they have given themselves and surrendered their bodies to our Lord Jesus Christ for love of whom they ought to expose themselves to their enemies both visible and invisible. As our Lord says: Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall find it unto eternal life.
9. All the brothers shall be catholics and live and speak as catholics. If, however, any shall err from the catholic faith and life, either by word or deed, and shall not mend his ways, let him be expelled from our Brotherhood. And let us treat all clerks and religious as our superiors in everything that concerns the salvation of the soul and is not contrary to our religion, and let us respect their order and their office and their work in the Lord.
10. And this or some such exhortation and praise shall all my brothers proclaim whenever they like and among whomsoever they may be, with the blessing of God: `Fear and honour, praise and bless, give thanks and adore the Lord God Almighty, Three in One, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Maker of all things. Repent ye and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance knowing that we shall shortly die. Give and it shall be given unto you. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven. And if ye do not forgive men their trespasses neither will the Lord forgive you your trespasses. Confess all your sins. Blessèd are they who die in penitence for they shall be in the Kingdom of God. Woe to those who do not die in penitence for they shall be children of the devil whose works they do, and they shall go into the eternal fire. Beware and keep yourselves from all evil and persevere unto the end in what is good.’
In the name of the Lord, I beseech all the brothers to learn the purpose and meaning of those things which are written in this way of life, to the salvation of our souls, and to commit them frequently to memory. And I pray God, the Almighty, Three in One, that he may bless all those who teach or learn or hold or memorise or do these things, whensoever they call to mind and carry out the things which are written here for our salvation. And I implore them all, kissing their feet, to respect, keep and lay up all these things.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; world without end. Amen.
Brother Francis shall promise obedience and reverence to the Lord Pope Innocent and his successors.
1. The Rule and Life of the Brothers is this: to live in obedience, in chastity and without property, and to follow the teaching and the footsteps of Christ, who says, If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me; and, If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me; and again, If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple; and, Everyone that hath forsaken father or mother or brothers or sisters or wife or children or houses or lands for my sake shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life.
2. If any man, by divine inspiration and willing to accept this life, shall come to the brothers, let him be kindly received by them; and he must sell all his goods and be careful to give everything to the poor. And let all the brothers be dressed in shabby clothes and let them patch them with sackcloth or other rags with the blessing of God; for our Lord says, They which are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately are in kings’ houses. And they may eat anything that is set before them according to the Gospel: Eat what is set before you.
3. None of the brethren shall have any power or domination especially among themselves. As our Lord says in the Gospel, The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority over them, but it shall not be so among the friars; but whosoever would be the greatest among them let him be their minister and servant; and he that is greatest among them let him be as the younger. And no one is to be called prior, but all alike shall be called Friars Minor. And let each wash one another’s feet.
4. All the brothers, in whatever place they may be staying with other people to serve them and work for them, shall not be chamberlains or chancellors nor have any rule over the households of those whom they serve; nor shall they take any office which might cause scandal or harm to the soul; but let them be underlings and in subjection to all who are in that house. And those brothers who know how to work shall work and pursue whatever trade they have learnt, so long as it is not contrary to the good of the soul and can be honestly carried on. And for their labour they may receive all things necessary, but no money. and when necessary let them go begging like the other brethren.
5. All the brothers must seek to follow the humility and poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ, and must remember that we ought not to possess anything in this world except what the Apostle says: Having food and raiment let us be therewith content. And they ought to rejoice when they are living among common and despised people, among the poor and the weak, the sick and the lepers, and those who beg by the wayside. And when it is necessary let them go for alms and not be ashamed.
6. An all the brothers must be careful not to speak evil of one another nor to wrangle; but rather they should make a point of being silent whensoever God shall confer his grace upon them. Nor must they quarrel among themselves nor with others, but they must take care to answer humbly, saying: We are unprofitable servants. And let them love one another, as our Lord says: This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you.
7. When the brothers are going about the world they must carry nothing with them: neither scrip, nor purse, nor bread, nor money, nor staff. And into whatsoever house they shall enter, they shall first say: `Peace be to this house.’ And in the same house they shall remain eating and drinking such things as they give. They shall not resist evil, but unto him that smiteth them upon the one cheek let them offer also the other; and him that taketh away their cloak let them not forbid to take their coat also. Let them give to every man that asketh of them, and of him that taketh away their goods let them not ask them again.
8. Let all the brothers, wherever they may be, remember that they have given themselves and surrendered their bodies to our Lord Jesus Christ for love of whom they ought to expose themselves to their enemies both visible and invisible. As our Lord says: Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall find it unto eternal life.
9. All the brothers shall be catholics and live and speak as catholics. If, however, any shall err from the catholic faith and life, either by word or deed, and shall not mend his ways, let him be expelled from our Brotherhood. And let us treat all clerks and religious as our superiors in everything that concerns the salvation of the soul and is not contrary to our religion, and let us respect their order and their office and their work in the Lord.
10. And this or some such exhortation and praise shall all my brothers proclaim whenever they like and among whomsoever they may be, with the blessing of God: `Fear and honour, praise and bless, give thanks and adore the Lord God Almighty, Three in One, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Maker of all things. Repent ye and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance knowing that we shall shortly die. Give and it shall be given unto you. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven. And if ye do not forgive men their trespasses neither will the Lord forgive you your trespasses. Confess all your sins. Blessèd are they who die in penitence for they shall be in the Kingdom of God. Woe to those who do not die in penitence for they shall be children of the devil whose works they do, and they shall go into the eternal fire. Beware and keep yourselves from all evil and persevere unto the end in what is good.’
In the name of the Lord, I beseech all the brothers to learn the purpose and meaning of those things which are written in this way of life, to the salvation of our souls, and to commit them frequently to memory. And I pray God, the Almighty, Three in One, that he may bless all those who teach or learn or hold or memorise or do these things, whensoever they call to mind and carry out the things which are written here for our salvation. And I implore them all, kissing their feet, to respect, keep and lay up all these things.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; world without end. Amen.
As Reconstructed by John R. H. Moorman
