THE COMING OF THE FRIARS
About this time, Francis, the son of a merchant, was born in Italy in
the town of Assisi. When he grew up his parents were very proud of him
and gave him much money, for he dressed gaily, feasted often and led
the young men of fashion.
Then it chanced that he fell ill and, as he lay upon his bed, he
thought of the sick and the poor, of the rich monks and the idle
priests, and he made up his mind when he grew well to live as Christ
lived among men.
He left his father and mother, to their great sorrow. He gave all he
had to the poor and dwelt near a ruined chapel beyond the city gates.
There he busied himself in rebuilding the chapel, and when he came
amongst men it was with a cheerful countenance and a merry heart to do
them service.
Though many laughed at him, some desired to become his followers, "and
those who took upon themselves that life gave away to the poor all that
they chanced to have. And they were content with one tunic patched as
they required, within and without, together with a girdle and
breeches."
In the heat of the day, on the dusty roads, S. Francis and his
companions trudged along, singing songs of joy and cheering those whom
they chanced to meet. At night, they sometimes lay out-of-doors,
singing praises all the while of "Sister moon and the stars bright and
precious and comely" and watching for the rising of the sun, "that doth
illumine us with the dawning of day."
For food, they laboured or begged, and of that which was left they gave
to the poor. One day, when they had done their begging, they met
together to eat in a place without the city, where was a fine fountain
and hard by a fine broad stone, upon which each set the alms that he
had begged.
And S. Francis, seeing that Brother Masseo's pieces of bread were more
and finer and larger than his own, rejoiced with great joy and said,
"Brother Masseo, we are not worthy of such vast treasures," and when he
repeated many times these words, Brother Masseo made answer,
"Father, how can one speak of treasure, where is such poverty and lack
of all things whereof we are in need? Here is not cloth, nor knife, nor
plate, nor porringer, nor house, nor table, nor man-servant nor
maid-servant."
Quoth S. Francis, "And this it is that I account vast treasure, wherein
is no thing at all prepared by human hands but whatsoever we have is
given by God, as doth appear in the bread that we have broken, in the
table of stone so fine and in the fount so clear; wherefore I will that
we pray unto God that He make us love with all our heart the treasure
of holy poverty, which is so noble that thereunto did God Himself
become a servitor."
Of his courtesy and love towards all creatures on the earth, many
stories are told. "And as with great fervour, he was going on the way,
he lifted up his eyes and beheld some trees hard by the road, whereon
sat a great company of birds well-nigh without number, whereat S.
Francis marvelled and said to his companions, 'Ye shall wait for me
here upon the way and I will go to preach unto my little sisters the
birds.'"
"And he went into the field and began to preach unto the birds that
were on the ground and immediately those that were on the trees flew
down to him and they all of them remained still and quiet together
until S. Francis made an end of preaching."
It was a great surprise even to his followers that so many should seek
him. Quoth Brother Masseo, "I say, why doth all the world come after
thee and why is it seen that all men long to see thee and hear thee and
obey thee? Thou art not a man comely of form, thou art not of much
wisdom, thou art not noble of birth, whence comes it then that it is
after thee the whole world doth run?"
And as his companions increased in number, he made a journey to Rome to
desire the Pope to bless their Order. There is a story which may not be
true that when the Pope saw his untrimmed hair and beard and read the
rules, which seemed too hard for any man to keep, he made answer, "Go,
brother, go to the pigs, for you are more like them than men, and read
to them the rules you have drawn up."
Then Francis humbly bowed his head and went away and coming to a field
where there were pigs, he rolled in the mud with them. Then he returned
to the Pope and said, "My lord, I have done as you commanded, grant me
now, I beseech you, my petition." The Pope was astonished at his
humility and, repenting of his own harshness, he granted the prayer.
Thus was the order of the Grey Brothers or Friars[3] founded. Soon the
little Brothers of S. Francis were scattered over the world and many
joined them in England. They had no possessions, and they travelled
from place to place preaching to the people and tending the sick and
the lepers, of whom there were many in sore need.
[3] French _Frères_, Latin _Fratres_.