Chapter II. Firstly how Blessed Francis Declared the Will and Intention which he had from the Beginning unto the End, Concerning the Observance of Poverty

Brother RICHARD of March, noble by birth and more noble by holiness, whom blessed Francis did love with great affection, on a certain day visited blessed Francis in the palace of the Bishop of Assisi, and amongst other things of which they conversed concerning the state of the Religion and the observance of the Rule, asked him specially of this matter, saying, "Tell me, Father, thy intention which thou hadst from the beginning when thou didst begin to have brethren, and the intention which thou now hast and dost think to have unto the day of thy death, that I may bear witness of thy intention and will, first and last, whether, for example, we friars who be clerks, and have many books, may have them, provided we say that they belong to the Order." Blessed Francis said to him, "I tell thee, Brother, that this was and is my first intention and last desire, if the brethren would have believed me, that no friar should have anything save a robe, as our Rule allows, with a girdle and breeches."

But if any friar should be minded to say, "Why did not blessed Francis in his own time make the Rule and Poverty to be as strictly observed by the friars as he said to Richard, nor command it should thus be observed? "we who were with him answer to this as we have heard from his own mouth, since he himself said these and many other things to the brethren, and also made many of these things to be written in the Rule which he had besought of the Lord with earnest prayer and meditation for the benefit of the Order, affirming them to be altogether according to the will of God; but after he showed these things to the brethren they seemed to them burdensome and not to be borne, not knowing then what things should come to pass in the Order after his death. And because he greatly feared scandal both towards himself and the brethren, he would not 1 86 The Mirror of Perfection strive with them, but suffered, unwillingly, their will, and excused himself before the Lord. But that the word which the Lord had put into his mouth for the benefit of the brethren might not return unto Him empty, he wished to fulfil it in him self that from thence some reward might be obtained from the Lord, and in the end his spirit found rest herein and was consoled.