Chapter XXXVIII Of the New Testament that he made be given to a poor woman, the mother of two brethren Atanother time, when he was sojourning at S. Mary of the Little Portion,
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter XXXVIII Of the New Testament that he made be given to a poor woman, the mother of two brethren Atanother time, when he was sojourning at S. Mary of the Little Portion,
a certain woman old and poor, that had two sons in the Religion,
came unto the place begging an alms of the Blessed Francis.
Straightway the Blessed Francis said to brother Peter of Catana, that was then Minister General: “Can we have aught to give this woman our mother?” For the mother of any brother would he call his mother, and mother of all the brethren. Brother Peter made answer unto him: “Nought is there in the house that we can give her”; for she would fain have had such alms as that thereby she might sustain her body. “Howbeit in the church we have one only New Testament, wherein we read the lessons at matins.” For at that time the brethren had no breviaries and not many psalters.
The Blessed Francis therefore said unto him: “Give our mother the Tes- tament so that she may sell it for her necessity. For firmly do I believe that it will be better pleasing to the Lord and to the Blessed Virgin than if we should read therein.” And so he gave it her. For that may be said and written of him which is read in the blessed Job: “For pity came forth from his mother’s womb and did with him wax great.”
Whence unto us that were with him, not only those things that we have understood from others as concerning his charity and pity toward the brethren and other poor men, but even those things that we have seen with our eyes, full long would it be and full difficult either to write or to tell.