Life of St. Francis of Assisi by Paul Sabatier (i am malala young readers edition TXT) 📖

at present known: Archives of Sacro Convento, MS. 686, on parchment of the end of the thirteenth century, if I do not mistake, 130 millim. by 142; 102 numbered pages. Except for the fact that the book is divided into two parts instead of three, the last two forming only one, I have not found that it noticeably differs from the text published by Amoni; the chapters are divided only by a paragraph and a red letter, but they have in the table which occupies the first seven pages of the volume the same titles as in the edition Amoni.

This Second Life escaped the researches of the Bollandists. It is impossible to explain how these students ignored the worth of the manuscript which Father Theobaldi, keeper of the records of Assisi, mentioned to them, and of which he offered them a copy (A. SS., Oct., t. ii., p. 546f). Father Suysken was thus thrown into inextricable difficulties, and exposed to a failure to understand the lists of biographies of St. Francis arranged by the annalists of the Order; he was at the same time deprived of one of the most fruitful sources of information upon the acts and works of the Saint. Professor Müller (Die Anfänge, pp. 175-184) was the first to make a critical study of this legend. His conclusions appear to me narrow and extreme. Cf. Analecta fr., t. ii., pp. xvii.-xx. Father Ehrle mentions two manuscripts, one in the British Museum, Harl., 47; the other at Oxford, Christ College, cod. 202. Zeitschrift, 1883, p. 390.

55. The Three Companions foresee the possibility of their legend being incorporated with other documents: quibus (legendis) hæc pauca quæ scribimus poleritis facere inseri, si vestra discretio viderit esse justum. 3 Soc, Prol.

56. One phrase of the Prologue (2 Cel.) shows that the author received an entirely special commission: Placuit ... robis ... parvitati nostræ injungere, while on the contrary the 3 Soc. shows that the decision of the chapter only remotely considered them: Cum de mandato prœteriti capituli fratres teneantur ... visum est nobis ... pauca de multis ... sanctitati vestræ intimare. 3 Soc., Prol.

57. Compare the Prologue of 2 Cel. with that of 1 Cel.

58. Longum esset de singulis persequi, qualiter bravium supernæ vocationis attigerit. 2 Cel., 1, 10.

59. This first part corresponds exactly to that portion of the legend of the 3 Soc., which Crescentius had authorized.

60. Observe that the Assisi MS. 686 divides the Second Life into two parts only by joining the last two.

61. Salimbeni, ann. 1248.

62. Glassberger, ann. 1253. An. fr. t. ii., p. 73. Frater Johannes de Parma minister generalis, multiplicatis litteris præcipit fr. Thomæ de Celano (cod. Ceperano), ut vitam beati Francisci quæ antiqua Legenda dicitur perficeret, quia solum de ejus conversatione et verbis in primo tractatu, de mandato, Fr. Crescentii olim generalis compilato, ommissis miraculis fecerat mentionem, et sic secundum tractatum de miraculis sancti Patris compilavit, quem cum epistola quæ incipit: Religiosa vestra sollicitudo eidem generali misit.

This treatise on the miracles is lost, for one cannot identify it, as M. Müller suggests (Anfänge, p. 177), with the second part (counting three with the Amoni edition) of the Second Life: 1o, epistle Religiosa vestra sollicitudo does not have it; 2o, this second part is not a collection of miracles, using this word in the sense of miraculous cures which it had in the thirteenth century. The twenty-two chapters of this second part have a marked unity; they might be entitled Francis a prophet, but not Francis a thaumaturgus.

63. In the Prologue (2 Cel., 2, Prol.) Insignia patrum the author speaks in the singular, while the Epilogue is written in the name of a group of disciples.

64. Greccio, 2 Cel., 2, 5; 14; 3, 7; 10; 103.—Rieti, 2 Cel., 2, 10; 11; 12; 13; 3, 36; 37; 66; 103.

65. St. Francis gives him an autograph, 2 Cel., 2, 18. Cf. Fior. ii. consid.; his tunic, 2 Cel., 2, 19; he predicts to him a famine, 2 Cel., 2, 21; cf. Conform., 49b. Fr. Leo ill at Bologna, 2 Cel., 3, 5.

66. The text of Ubertini di Casali may be found in the Archiv., t. iii., pp. 53, 75, 76, 85, 168, 178, where Father Ehrle points out the corresponding passages of 2 Cel.

67. It is the subject of thirty-seven narratives (1, 2 Cel., 3, 1-37), then come examples on the spirit of prayer (2 Cel., 3, 38-44), the temptations (2 Cel., 3, 58-64), true happiness (2 Cel., 3, 64-79), humility (2 Cel., 3, 79-87), submission (2 Cel., 3, 88, 91), etc.

68. Le Monnier, t. i., p. xi.; F. Barnabé, Portiuncula, p. 15. Cf. Analecta fr., t. ii., p. xxi. Zeitschrift für kath. Theol., vii. (1883), p. 397.

69. Il piu antico poema della vita di S. Francisco d'Assisi scritto inanzi all' anno 1230 ora per la prima volta pubblicato et tradotto da Antonio Cristofani, Prato, 1882, 1 vol., 8vo. 288 pp.

70. Note, however, two articles of the Miscellanea, one on the manuscript of this biography which is found in the library at Versailles, t. iv. (1889), p. 34 ff.; the other on the author of the poem, t. v. (1890), pp. 2-4 and 74 ff.

71. See below, p. 410.

72. Vide Glassberger, ann. 1244; Analecta, t. ii., p. 68. Cf. A. SS., p. 545 ff.

73. Manuscript in the Library of Turin, J. vi., 33, fo 95a.

74. Plenam virtutibus S. Francisci vitam scripsit in Italia ... frater Thomas ... in Francia vero frater Julianus scientia et sanctitate conspicuus qui etiam nocturnali sancti officium in littera et cantu possuit præter hymnos et aliquas antiphonas quae summus ipse Pontifex et aliqui de Cardinalibus in sancti præconium ediderunt. Opening of the De laudibus of Bernard of Besse. See below, p. 413. Laur. MS., fo 95a. Cf. Giord., 53; Conform., 75b.

75. In proof of this is the circular letter, Licet insufficentiam nostram, addressed by Bonaventura, April 23, 1257, immediately after his election, to the provincials and custodes upon the reformation of the Order. Text: Speculum, Morin, tract. iii., fo 213a.

76. Salimbeni, ann. 1248, p. 131. The Chronica tribulationum gives a long and dramatic account of these events: Archiv., t. ii., pp. 283 ff. "Tunc enim sapientia et sanctitas fratris Bonaventuræ eclipsata paluit et obscurata est et ejus manswetudo (sic) ab agitante spiritu in furorum et iram defecit." Ib., p. 283.

77. Bon., 3. 1. At the same chapter were collected the constitutions of the Order according to edicts of the preceding chapters; new ones were added to them and all were arranged. In the first of the twelve rubrics the chapter prescribed that, upon the publication of the account, all the old constitutions should be destroyed. The text was published in the Firmamentum trium ordinum, fo 7b, and restored lately by Father Ehrle: Archiv., t. vi. (1891), in his beautiful work Die ältesten Redactionen der General-constitutionen des Franziskanerordens. Cf. Speculum Morin, fo. 195b of tract. iii.

78. The Legenda Minor of Bonaventura was also approved at this time; it is simply an abridgment of the Legenda Major arranged for use of the choir on the festival of St. Francis and its octave.

79. "Item præcipit Generale capitulum per obedientiam quod omnes legenæ de B. Francisco olim factæ deleantur et ubi inveniri poterant extra ordinem ipsas fratres studeant amovere, cum illa legenda quæ facta est per Generalem sit compilata prout ipse habuit ab ore illorum qui cum B. Francisco quasi semper fuerunt et cuncta certitudinaliter sciverint et probata ibi sint posita diligenter." This precious text has been found and published by Father Rinaldi in his preface to the text of Celano: Seraphici viri Francisci vitæ duæ, p. xi. Wadding seems to have known of it, at least indirectly, for he says: "Utramque Historiam, longiorem et breviorem, obtulit (Bonaventura) triennio post in comitiis Pisanis patribus Ordinis, quas reverentur cum gratiarum actione, SUPRESSIS ALIIS QUIBUSQUE LEGENDIS, ADMISERUNT." Ad ann., 1260, no. 18. Cf. Ehrle, Zeitschrift für kath. Theol., t. vii. (1883), p. 386.—"Communicaverat sanctus Franciscus plurima sociis suis et fratribus antiquis, que oblivioni tradita sunt, tum quia que scripta erant in legenda prima, nova edita a fratre. Bonaventura deleta et destructa sunt, ipsojubente tum quia ..." Chronica tribul., Archiv., t. ii., p. 256.

80. Bon., 188-204.

81. Bon., 218.

82. Bernardo (Bon., 28), Egidio (Bon., 29), and Silvestro (Bon., 30).

83. Bon., 49.

84. Bon., 112.

85. Bon., 111.

86. Vide Bon., 115; 99, etc. M. Thode has enumerated the stories relating especially to Bonaventura: (Franz von Assisi, p. 535).

87. Manuscript I, iv., 33, of the library of the University of Turin. It is a 4to upon parchment of the close of the fourteenth century, 124 ff. It comprises first the biography of St. Francis by St. Bonaventura and a legend of St. Clara, afterwards at fo 95 the De laudibus. The text will soon be published in the Analecta franciscana of the Franciscans of Quaracchi, near Florence.

88. In reading it we quickly discover that he was specially well acquainted with the convents of the Province of Aquitania, and noted with care everything that concerned them.

89. Wadding, ann. 1230, no. 7. Many passages prove at least that he accompanied Bonaventura in his travels: "Hoc enim (the special aid of Brother Egidio) in iis quæ ad bonum animæ pertinent devotus Generalis et Cardinalis predictus ... nos docuit." Fo 96a. Jamdudum ego per Theutoniæ partes et Flandriæ cum Ministro transiens Generali. Ibid., fo 106a.

90. Bernard de Besse is the author of many other writings, notably an important Calalogus Ministrorum generalium published after the Turin manuscript by Father Ehrle (Zeitschrift für kath. Theol., t. vii., pp. 338-352), with a very remarkable critical introduction (ib., pp. 323-337). Cf. Archiv für Litt. u. Kirchg., i., p. 145.—Bartolommeo di Pisa, when writing his Conformities, had before him a part of his works, fo 148b, 2; 126a, 1; but he calls the author sometimes Bernardus de Blesa, then again Johannes de Blesa. See also Mark of Lisbon, t. ii., p. 212, and Hauréau, Notices et extraits, t. vi., p. 153.

91. "Denique primos Francisci xii. discipulos ... omnes sanctos fuisse audirimus preter unum qui Ordinem exiens leprosus factus laqueo vel alter Judas interiit, ne Francisco cum Christo vel in discipulis similitudo deficeret," fo 96a.

Table of
Contents

III DIPLOMATIC DOCUMENTS

In this category we place all the acts having a character of public authenticity, particularly those which were drawn up by the pontifical cabinet.

This source of information, where each document has its date, is precisely the one which has been most neglected up to this time.

I. Donation of the Verna

The Instrumentum donationis Montis Alvernæ, a notarial document preserved in the archives of Borgo San Sepolcro,1 not only gives the name of the generous friend of Francis, and many picturesque details, but it fixes with precision a date all the more important because it occurs in the