Chapter IX How the Blessed Francis would not stay in a cell curiously wrought, or if it were said to be his own Acertainbrother, right spiritual and greatly familiar with the Blessed
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter IX How the Blessed Francis would not stay in a cell curiously wrought, or if it were said to be his own Acertainbrother, right spiritual and greatly familiar with the Blessed
Francis, did cause to be made in the hermitage wherein he sojourned
a certain cell, a little distance away, wherein the Blessed Francis might stay and pray whensoever he should come thither. But when the Blessed Francis came to that place, the brother led him to the cell. To whom said the Blessed Francis: “Too fair is this cell!” albeit it were only of wood, shapen with adze and hatchet. “If, therefore, thou wouldst that I should abide there, let be made for it a covering within and without of wattles and branches of trees.” For the sorrier seeming was house or cell, the more gladly did he sojourn therein. Which, when the brother had done, the Blessed Francis abode there several days. But on a certain day, when he had gone out of that cell, a certain brother went to look thereat, and afterwards came to the place where the Blessed Francis was. And when the Blessed Francis saw him, he said unto him: “Whence comest thou, brother?” And he saith, “From thy cell.” And the Blessed Francis said unto him: “For that thou hast said it is my cell, henceforward another shall stay therein and not I.” For we that were with him have often heard him saying that word: “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” And, again, he would say: “When Our Lord withdrew Him into the wilderness and fasted forty days and forty nights, He had no cell nor house made there, but abode throughout on a stone of the mountains.” Wherefore, by His example would he never have house nor cell that should be called his own, nor none such would he never have made at all.
If it were that at any time he had said to the brethren: “Go and make ready such or such a cell,” yet was he never minded thereafter to abide in it on account of that word of the Holy Gospel: “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.” For even about the time of his death he made be written in his will that all the cells and houses of the brethren should be of stud and mud only, the better to maintain poverty and humility.