The Little Flowers and the Life of St. Francis, with the...

and little sons, I see that it is the Lord’s will to multiply us, whence it seemeth unto me a good and godly thing that we should acquire, either from the canons of S. Rufinus or from the Abbot of S. Benedict, some church wherein the brethren may say their Hours, and only have near thereunto some poor little house built of wattle and dab wherein the brethren may rest and work, for this place is not decent, neither is it large enough for the brethren now that it is the Lord’s will to multiply them, and more especially for that we have no church here wherein the brethren may say their Hours. And if any brother should die, it would not be decent to bury him here, nor in the church of the secular clergy.” And this speech was pleasing unto all the brethren.

Then went he to the Abbot of S. Benedict of Mount Subasio, and pro- pounded unto him the same words. But the Abbot, moved to pity, took counsel with his monks, and, by the working of the divine grace and will, granted unto the Blessed Francis and his brethren the church of the Blessed Mary of the Little Portion, as the smallest and poorest of all the churches they had. And saith the Abbot unto the Blessed Francis: “Behold, brother, we have granted what thou didst demand. But if it be that the Lord shall multiply this your congregation, we would that this place should be the head of all your places.”

And this speech pleased the Blessed Francis and his brethren, and the Blessed Francis did rejoice exceedingly over the place that had been granted to the brethren, and most of all for that the name of the church was that of the Mother of Christ, and for that it was so small and poor a church, and, moreover, for that it was named “of the Little Portion,” wherein it was prefigured that it should be the head and mother of the poor brethren Minor. For it was called “the Little Portion” inasmuch as the courtyard had been named of old the Little Portion.

Whence the Blessed Francis said: “Therefore did the Lord will that no other church should be granted unto the brethren, and that the first brethren at that time should not build a church anew, nor should have any other but this, forasmuch as herein was fulfilled a certain prophecy through the advent of the brethren Minor.” And albeit it were poor, and is now destroyed, nevertheless of a long time did the men of the city of Assisi and of all the lordship thereof have great devotion unto that church, and greater yet have they today, and their devotion waxeth daily. Wherefore straightway, so soon as the brethren went thither to abide, the Lord did multiply their number day by day, and the sweet smell of their good name was marvellously spread abroad throughout all the Vale of Spoleto and through many parts of the world. But aforetime it was called S. Mary of the Angels, for that, as it is said, the songs of angels were oftentimes heard there.

And albeit the Abbot and monks did freely grant the same to the Blessed Francis and his brethren, yet did the Blessed Francis, as a wise and thrifty master, being minded that his house, to wit, the Religion, should be founded upon a firm rock, that is, upon an exceeding great poverty, send yearly to the said Abbot and his monks a basket-full of the little fishes that be called roaches in token of great humility and poverty, for that the brethren had no place of their own, nor abode in any that was not in the demesne of some or other in such sort as that the brethren never had even the power of alienating the same in any manner. But when the brethren carried the little fishes to the monks yearly, they, by reason of the humility of the Blessed Francis that did this of his own free will, gave them a vessel full of oil.

But we that were with the Blessed Francis do bear witness that he himself, with affirmation of the word, did say of that church that therein was it revealed unto him—for many were the prerogatives that the Lord did there make manifest unto him—that, among all the churches of the world that the Blessed Virgin loved, none loved she with so abounding an affection as this. And on this account thenceforth he had the greatest reverence and devotion toward it, and, that the brethren might always have the memorial thereof in their hearts, at his death he made be written in his will that all the brethren should do likewise.

For, about the time of his death, in the presence of the Minister General and others of the brethren, he said: “The place of S. Mary of the Little Portion I am minded to devise and leave to the brethren by will, so that it may be held by the brethren in the greatest devotion and reverence.”

The which, indeed, our ancient brethren did, for albeit the place were holy and pre-elect by Christ and the Glorious Virgin, yet did they preserve the holiness thereof by continual prayer and silence by day and night. And if at times they did talk after the term and establishment of the silence, they spoke only with the greatest devotion and decency of things pertaining unto the praise of God and the salvation of souls. And if it so happened that any should begin to speak idle and useless words, albeit it was seldom that this did befall, forthwith was he corrected by another brother.

Moreover, they did macerate their flesh by many fastings, by cold and nakedness, and by the labor of their hands. For many a time, to the intent that they might not stand idle, they would help poor men in their fields that did afterwards give them of their bread for the love of God. By these and other good deeds they did hallow the place and maintain themselves in holiness. But thereafter, by occasion of the brethren and of seculars assembling together to that place more than they had been wont, for that even the brethren be colder in prayer and in godly works and more lax, even to joining in idle talk and discourse of the news of this world, than they were wont to be, the place itself is not held in so great reverence and devotion as heretofore it was wont to be, and as the first brethren would.

When the Blessed Francis had spoken these words, forthwith he made an end thereof with great fervor, saying: “I will, therefore, that this place be always immediately under the power of the minister and servant General, to the intent that thence he may have the greater care and solicitude in providing therein for a good and holy family. Let clerks be chosen of the better and more holy and more honorable of the brethren, and such as are in the whole Religion they that know best how to say the Office, to the end that not only lay folk, but other brethren also may see and hear them gladly, and with great devotion. And of the lay brethren, let holy men and discreet, humble and honorable, be chosen to wait upon them. I will also that no person and no brother shall enter into that place save only the Minister General and they that wait upon him. And they shall not speak with any person save with the brethren that wait upon them and with the minister whensoever he shall visit them. I will in like wise that the brethren who serve them shall be bound not to speak idle words or of the news of this world unto them, or of any other things whatsoever, save such as may be of profit unto their souls. And, therefore, it is especially my will that none enter into that place, so that they may the better maintain the purity and holiness thereof, and that nought at all be said nor done in that place idly, but that the whole place be held pure and holy in hymns and praises to the Lord.

“And when any of those brethren shall depart hence unto the Lord, I will that another holy brother, wheresoever he may be, be sent thither by the Minister General. For if it shall be hereafter that other brethren shall decline from purity and loyalty, I will that this blessed place be and remain forever the mirror and good example of the whole Religion, and in some sort a candlestick before the throne of God and before the Blessed Virgin burning evermore and shining. Wherefore, may God be gracious unto the shortcomings and faults of all the brethren, and ever preserve and protect this Religion, and this sapling of His own plantation.”