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EDITIONS
EDITIONS
The “Sacrum Commercium” is an Allegory, simple in form and charming in conception, telling how St Francis wooed and won that most difficult of all Brides, my Lady Poverty. It was written some time in the thirteenth century (most probably in the year 1227) by an unknown Franciscan, and has been six times printed, thrice in Latin, and thrice in Italian. ♦ The Latin Editions. ♦ The first Latin edition was printed at Milan in 1539. It is of exceeding rarity, and has escaped the vigilance of Brunet a
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AUTHORSHIP AND DATE
AUTHORSHIP AND DATE
The authorship of the “Sacrum Commercium” has been freely ascribed to the Blessed Giovanni da Parma, seventh Minister General of the Friars Minor in succession to Saint Francis. I would with all my heart that he were the author, for Giovanni is one of the brightest lights of the Order, and both by his love and practice of Poverty, and by his great endowments, is the ideal author for so exquisite an allegory. The “Chronica xxiv. Generalium,” which was completed in 1379, and begun perhaps twenty y
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TRANSLATION AND SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
TRANSLATION AND SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
I have translated from Père Edouard d’Alençon’s version of the Codex Casanatensis. [16] But I have not slavishly adhered to this, using, when they seemed more apt, the variants which he has so diligently noted at foot. I have also, now and again, used the Italian version of the Codex Vallicellianus, and, though very rarely, even the classic “Meditazione.” In my translation I have been no bondsman, but have rendered freely, while seeking to convey accurately the spirit and meaning of the work, an
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I
I
IN PRAISE OF POVERTY [18] Among the cardinal excelling virtues which prepare a place and mansion for God in the Soul of Man, and show a more excellent and ♦ 1 Cor. xii. 31. ♦ a speedier way of approaching and attaining unto Him, Holy Poverty shines resplendent in her authority, and excels all others by her peculiar Grace. For she is the Foundation and Guardian of all the Virtues, and holds the Primacy among the Evangelical Counsels. Wherefore let not the other ♦ Matt. vii. 25. ♦ Virtues fear sho
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II
II
HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS MADE DILIGENT SEARCH FOR THE LADY POVERTY Wherefore the Blessed Francis, as a true Follower and Disciple of the Saviour, gave himself up from the beginning of his Conversion with all his Heart, with all his Strength, and with all his Mind, to seek and to find, to have and to hold the Lady Poverty, dreading no Adversity, fearing no Evil, sparing no labour, shunning no suffering of the body, so only that he might come unto her to whom the Lord had given the Keys of the King
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III
III
HOW TWO OLD MEN SHOWED THE BLESSED FRANCIS WHERE THE MIGHT FIND THE LADY POVERTY And the Blessed Francis, being come out of the City, made haste to reach a certain field, in which, from afar off, he saw two old men sitting, full of a heavy sorrow, the one of whom was saying: To whom shall I look save to ♦ Isa. lxvi. 2. ♦ some Poor Little Man, contrite of Heart, and who fears my Words? And the other: For we brought nothing into ♦ 1 Tim. vi. 7, 8. ♦ this World, and it is certain we can carry nothi
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IV
IV
OF THE FIRST COMPANIONS OF THE BLESSED FRANCIS And when he had heard these Counsels, the Blessed Francis chose unto himself a few faithful Companions, with whom he set out for the Mountain. And he said unto his brothers: Come ♦ Isa. ii. 3. ♦ ye, let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the Lady Poverty, that she may teach us her Ways, and we will walk in her Paths. And when they beheld the Ascent from every side, and saw how exceeding high and steep it was, they began to say one
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V
V
HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS FOUND THE LADY POVERTY ON THE MOUNTAIN And when he had thus spoken, they followed after the Blessed Francis. And as with light feet they hastened to the summit of the Mountain, they beheld my Lady Poverty on the topmost Pinnacle gazing down the Mountain. And when she saw them climbing thus valiantly, nay, as it were, rather flying towards her, she marvelled exceedingly, and said to herself: Who are these that ♦ Isa. lx. 8. ♦ fly like the Clouds and as D
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VI
VI
THE BLESSED FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS, EXALTING HER VIRTUES IN DIVERS WAYS, BESEECH THE LADY POVERTY TO ABIDE WITH THEM FOREVER And the Blessed Francis and his Companions answered her, saying: Yea, we have indeed come out to seek thee, Lady, and we beseech thee to receive us in Peace. We desire to become the Servants of the Lord of the Virtues, [20] for He is the ♦ Ps. xxiii. 10. ♦ King of Glory. We have heard that thou art the Queen of the Virtues, and we have proved it by experience. Wherefor
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VII
VII
THE ANSWER OF MY LADY POVERTY To these Words my Lady Poverty, with joyful Heart, and cheerful Mien, and most sweet Voice, made answer, saying: I confess to you, my Brothers and most dear Friends, that from the moment you began to speak, I was filled with Gladness and exceeding great Joy, for I acknowledge your Fervour, and already know your Holy Intent; your words are dearer to me than Gold and Precious ♦ Ps. xviii. 11. ♦ Stones, and sweeter far than Honey and the Honeycomb. For it is not you th
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VIII
VIII
OF THE APOSTLES All which Things the Apostles and all the Disciples most diligently observed, nor did they ever fail to fulfil the Things they had heard from the Master. They bore themselves as most valiant Knights and Judges of the Earth, carrying the Message of Salvation everywhere, the Lord working with them, and ♦ Mark xvi. 20. ♦ confirming the Word with Signs that followed. They glowed in Charity, abounded in Piety, and endured every Want, taking care that it should not be said of them: The
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IX
IX
OF THE SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES ♦ Acts ii. 47. ♦ Wherefore the Lord increased daily such as should be saved. Indeed for long the Truth of their Words remained among many, more especially while the Blood of the Crucified Poor One, Jesus Christ, was warm in their memory, and the Noble Chalice of His Passion inebriated their Hearts. For if any of them sought to leave me at any time because of my too great Rigours, they would remember the Wounds of the Lord by which He made manifest His loving Com
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X
X
THAT TIMES OF PEACE ARE UNPROPITIOUS TO POVERTY But alas! after a while Peace was made, a Peace more hurtful than any War. In the beginning of that long Peace but few were sealed, in the middle of it yet fewer, at the end fewer still. And behold! of a surety in ♦ Isa. xxxviii. 17. ♦ this Peace is my Bitterness most bitter; for All fly from me or drive me from them; by none am I sought, by All forsaken. This Peace was the work of Enemies, not of Friends; of Strangers, not of my Sons. I indeed nou
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XI
XI
OF PERSECUTION But the Crown of all the Virtues, and that is the Lady Persecution, to whom the Lord, equally with me, delivered the Kingdom of Heaven, was by my side, and in all things a faithful Helper, a strong Champion, and a prudent Counsellor. She, when she saw any grow lukewarm in Heavenly Charity, or forgetting it a while, or fixing their Hearts on Earthly Things, she straightway sounded the Trump and moved her Armies, and made their faces to be ashamed, that they might seek ♦ Ps. lxxxii.
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XII
XII
OF THE FOLLOWERS OF A SPURIOUS POVERTY ♦ 1 John ii. 19. ♦ Finally there rose up among us Men who were not of us, certain Sons of Belial speaking Vain Things, working Iniquity, calling themselves Poor Men when they were not Poor, despising and dishonouring me who had been loved with Whole-heartedness by those glorious Men of whom I have spoken, following the Way of Balaam, the Son ♦ 2 Pet. ii. 15. ♦ of Bosor, who loved the Wages of Sin, Men of a corrupt ♦ 1 Tim. vi. 5. ♦ Mind, devoid of Truth, su
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XIII
XIII
OF AVARICE Avarice was this Rival’s name, and she is the Immoderate Desire of acquiring and holding Riches. But they called her by a holier Name, so that it might not seem that they had abandoned me, by whose Gift they had been raised from the Dust and lifted up out of the Mire. So they spake gently of her to me, but there was Craft and Anger in their Hearts. And though the Desolation of a City which is set upon a Hill ♦ Matt. v. 14. ♦ cannot be hid, yet they gave her the Name of Discretion or F
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XIV
XIV
HOW THE LADY POVERTY SPOKE OF GOOD RELIGIOUS My Rival could not yet drive me out of their Land, for there were still many Men among them in all the great Zeal and Charity of their First Fervour, who assailed Heaven by their Cries, and penetrated to the Throne of God by their Perseverance in Prayer, rapt in Contemplation and despising all Things which were of the Earth. Then the ♦ Eccli. xxiv. 12. ♦ Creator of All Things commanded me, and He Who created me said: Let thy Dwelling be in Jacob, and
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XV
XV
HOW AVARICE TOOK THE NAME OF DISCRETION But whilst my Disciples were thus walking in so great Fervour of the Love of Christ, Avarice, taking to herself the Name of Discretion, spake and said unto them: Do not show yourselves so severe to Mankind, nor thus contemn their Honours, but have a kindly Countenance for them, and do not outwardly reject the Honours offered to you: be content to do so inwardly. It is a good thing to have the Friendship of Kings, the Acquaintance of Princes, the Intimacy o
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XVI
XVI
HOW AVARICE TOOK THE NAME OF PRUDENCE That cruel Enemy of mine, Avarice, seeing this, began to grow exceeding angry, and to gnash her teeth, and in vexation of Spirit said to herself: What shall I do? For all the World is going ♦ John xii. 19. ♦ after her! I will take, said she, the Name of Prudence, and will speak in their Hearts, and perchance they shall hear and consent. And she did as she had said, speaking unto them humble words, and saying: What do you here all ♦ Matt, xx. 6. ♦ the Day idl
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XVII
XVII
HOW AVARICE CALLED IN THE AID OF SLOTH But Avarice, seeing that she could not, unaided, attain her ends upon my Disciples, changed her plan, that she might better fulfil her Purpose. So she called in Sloth, who neglects to begin good Works, or to finish those begun. And Avarice made a Treaty with Sloth, and entered into a Compact with her against the Religious. They were not intimate, these two, nor closely affined, but they readily made Common Cause in Evil-doing, as formerly did Pilate with He
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XVIII
XVIII
OF THE RELIGIOUS WHO WERE CONQUERED BY SLOTH [25] After a While some of the Religious began to sigh most lamentably for the Flesh-pots of Egypt which they had left behind, and ignobly to seek what with noble Heart they had abandoned. They fretted at having to walk in the Ways of God’s Commandments, and followed His Injunctions with a barren Heart. They grew faint under their Burden, and for Want of the Spirit could scarcely breathe. Compunction they rarely felt, and never Contrition; at Obedienc
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XIX
XIX
HOW THE LADY POVERTY SORROWED OVER CERTAIN RELIGIOUS WHO WERE POOR IN THE WORLD, AND YET MORE PRONE THAN OTHERS TO SELF-INDULGENCE IN RELIGION In my Sorrow I sorrowed all the more over certain Religious who had been poor and contemptible in the World, and yet grew rich after they had come to me. And when they had waxed fat and gross ♦ Deut. xxxii. 15. ♦ beyond the rest, they spurned and derided me. They in the World were thought unworthy of Life, being destitute through Need and Hunger. Once the
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XX
XX
HOW THE LADY POVERTY SHOWED THE BLESSED FRANCIS THE PERFECT WALK IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. ♦ Prov. iv. 25. ♦ Lo! then, dear Brothers, I have told you a long story, so that your eyes may behold where you go, and that you may see what you should do. It is perilous to look back and attempt to deceive God. Remember Lot’s wife, and do not believe every Spirit. But I have ♦ Luke xvii. 32, and 1 John iv. 1. ♦ confidence in you, dearest Brothers, for I see better Things in you than in any others, and you a
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XXI
XXI
HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS MADE ANSWER TO THE LADY POVERTY And when my Lady had made an end of speaking, the Blessed Francis, with his Companions, fell upon his Face, giving Thanks to God, and said: Thy Sayings, O Lady, are well-pleasing unto us, nor in ought that thou hast said can we find any Fault. All that we have ♦ 3 Kings x. 6. ♦ heard in our Land concerning thy Words and thy Wisdom, is most true; nay, far greater is thy Wisdom than the Fame thereof. Blessed are thy Servants and Disciples, wh
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XXII
XXII
HOW THE LADY POVERTY GAVE HER CONSENT At these Words my Lady Poverty was deeply moved, and as her Property is ♦ Collect from the Litany of the Saints. ♦ to have Mercy and spare, she could restrain herself no longer, but having speedily embraced them, and given to each the Kiss of Peace, she said: Behold, my Brothers and my Sons, I will come with you, because I know that through you I shall win many more....
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XXIII
XXIII
HOW THE BLESSED FRANCIS THANKED GOD FOR THE CONSENT OF THE LADY POVERTY But the Blessed Francis, beside himself for joy, began to praise Almighty God with a loud Voice, for that He had not abandoned those who trusted in Him, saying: Bless the Lord, all ye ♦ Tob. xiii. 10. ♦ His Elect, keep Days of Rejoicing, and give Glory ♦ Ps. cv. 1. ♦ unto Him, for He is Good and His Mercy endureth Forever. And coming down from the Mountain they brought my Lady Poverty to the Place where they dwelt. And it wa
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XXIV
XXIV
OF THE SOJOURN OF MY LADY POVERTY WITH THE BROTHERS And when the Brothers had made all Things ready, they urged the Lady Poverty to eat with them. But she said unto them: Show me first your Oratory, the Cloister and Chapter House, the Refectory, Kitchen, Dormitory, and Stables, your fine Seats and polished Tables and noble Houses. For I see none of these Things, and yet I do see that you are blithe and cheerful, abounding in Joy, filled with Consolation, as if you expected all these Things to be
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XXV
XXV
HOW MY LADY POVERTY BLESSED THE BROTHERS, EXHORTING THEM TO PERSEVERE IN THE GRACE WHICH THEY HAD RECEIVED Blessed are you, my Sons, of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth, who have received me into your House with such Fulness of Charity that it seems to me as if, being with you, I had to-day been in Paradise. Wherefore I am full of Joy and abound in Consolation, and I ask pardon of you for having so long delayed my Coming. Verily the Lord is with you, ♦ Gen. xxviii. 16. ♦ and I knew it not. Beh
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ON THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY
ON THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY
BY FATHER CUTHBERT, O.S.F.C. THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY “This is the sublimity of most high Poverty which has made you, beloved brethren, heirs and kings of the Kingdom of Heaven.” [27] Thus wrote St Francis of Assisi when he gave his disciples the Rule which obliged them to “serve the Lord in poverty and humility.” It is easy to recognise in these words the note of exultation and achievement which made St Francis the most inspiring personality in Mediæval Christendom, and
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APPENDIX I
APPENDIX I
A PRAYER OF THE BLESSED FRANCIS TO OBTAIN HOLY POVERTY. O Lord Jesus! Show me the ways of Thy dearly-loved Poverty. I know that the Old Testament was but a Figure of the New. In the Old, Thou hast promised that “every place that your foot shall tread upon, shall be ♦ Deut. xi. 24. ♦ yours.” To tread under foot is to despise; Poverty treads all Things under foot, therefore she is the Queen of all Things. But, O my dear Lord Jesus, have pity upon me and upon my Lady Poverty, for I am consumed with
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APPENDIX II.
APPENDIX II.
PARADISE—CANTO XI. LINES 28-123 Dean Plumptre’s Translation It is probable that Dante knew the “Sacrum Commercium”; it is certain that he knew the Prayer to obtain Poverty. Therefore it may be convenient to give in extenso that part of the Divine Canto which sings of the Mystic loves of Francis and the Lady Poverty. By M. CARMICHAEL. IN TUSCANY. Tuscan Towns—Tuscan Types—The Tuscan Tongue, etc. With numerous Illustrations. SECOND EDITION. Crown 8vo. 9s. nett. Printed at The Edinburgh Press, 9 &a
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