Chapter LXXXII. Of the Singular Zeal which he had to the Place of Blessed Mary and of the Constitutions which he had Made Against Idle Words There

Above the other dwellings of the Order, he had a singular zeal and especial desire always, while he lived, to observe all perfection of life and conversation in the holy dwelling of St. Mary of the Angels, as toward the head and mother of the whole Order; intending and willing that place to be the form and example of humility and poverty and all Evangelical Perfection for all places, and that the friars staying there should ever be, beyond other friars, circumspect and solicitous in doing and avoiding all things which tend to the perfection of the Observance of the Rule. Whence on a certain time, to avoid idleness which is the root of all evils, especially in a Religious, he ordained that each day after meals the friars should engage with him in some work lest they should lose altogether or in part, the good which they had gained in the time of prayer by useless and idle words, to which man is especially disposed after food. Also he ordered and commanded it to be firmly observed; that if any of the friars idling or working amongst the brethren, should utter any idle word, he should be bound to say one Pater Noster, praising God in the beginning and the end of the prayer. Yet so, that if by chance he, conscious of his fault, should have confessed that which he had done, he should say the Pater Noster for his own soul, together with the Laudes Domini as has been said. But if he were first blamed by any other friar, then he should be bound to say the Pater Noster as aforesaid for the soul of the brother rebuking him. But if he who was blamed excused himself, and would not say the Pater Noster, he should be bound in the same way to say it twice for the soul of the brother reproving him. But if, by the testimony of himself or of another, it should prove to be true that he had said that idle word, then he should say also the said Laudes at the beginning and end of his prayer, so loudly that he may be heard or understood by all friars standing round about. Which friars, while he is saying it, shall hold their peace and listen. But if anybody seeing and hearing a brother say an idle word shall keep silent and shall not reprove him, he shall be bound in the same way to say the Pater Nosier with the Laudes for his soul. And any friar whatever entering a cell or a house, or any place, who shall find there a friar or friars, should immediate devoutly thank and praise the Lord. The most holy Father was always solicitous to repeat these Laudes, and he taught other friars with a most ardent will and desire and excited them to saying those Laudes carefully and devoutly.