+Source.+--_Monumenta Franciscana_, vol. ii., pp. 65 _et seqq._ (Rolls
Series.)
(The following extracts are from an English translation of the fifteenth
century. The Rule itself was confirmed by Honorius III. in 1224.)
In the name of God: here begynneth the rewle and the lif of the
bretherne minoris, the first chapiter.
The rewle and lif of the bretherne mynorys is this, to obserue and kepe
the holy gospelle of our Lord Jhesu Christ in lyving in obedience,
without propre,[11] and in chastite. Brother Fraunces promyseth
obedience and reuerence to the lord Honory, Pope, and to his successours
laufully enteryng, and to the churche of Rome; and alle other bretherne
be bownde to obey vnto brother Fraunces and to his successours.
II. Of them that wille resceive this lyf, and in what maner they may be
resceyved:
Yf any that will resceive this lyf comme to oure bretherne, let them
send them to ther mynysters provinciallis, vnto whom only, and to none
other, licence ys grauntyd to resceyve bretherne. The mynysters
dilygently shall examyn them of the Crystene feithe, and of the
sacrementis of the churche. The mynysters dilygently shall examyne, and
yf they stedfastly beleve in them, and will truly and feithfully graunt
and confesse them, and to the ende of ther lyf stedfastly kepe them: and
yf they have no wifys: ... let them say too them the wordis of the holy
gospelle, that ys to say that they go and selle all ther goodis, and
indever them self to distrybute them to poor people, the whiche if they
may not doo yt suffisethe ther good wille. And the bretherne shalbe wel
ware that they medle not nor enbesy them self with ther temporalle
goodis or procuryng therof, that they may frely do ther with what so
euer God putteth or enspireth in ther myndis. Nevertheles, if cownselle
be desired and askyd of them therin, the mynisteris haue licence to send
them vnto somme persones dredyng God, by whose counselle ther goodis may
be distrybuted and givenne to poor people. Then, after this, they shall
graunt to them the clothyng of probation, that ys to say ij cootis
withoute a hode, a corde, a femoralle, a schapelet downe too the girdle.
But yf yt be thowghte expedient too the seide mynisters godly otherwise
to be done or dispensyd at summe tyme, the yere of probation fynyshed
and endid, they may resceyve them to obedience and profession. And in
nowise yt may be lawfulle to them to forsake this religion, after and
accordynge to the commaundement of the Pope, for, after the saying of
the holy gospelle, no manne puttynge his hand too the plowghe and lokyng
backwardis ys apte to[12] the kyngdome of hevyne. And they whiche arre
professid and haue promysed obedience shalle haue oone cote with a
hoode, and a nother withoute a hoode that wille have yt, and suche as
haue nede or as ar constreynyd by necessyte may were shoone. And alle
the bretherne must be clothid with symple and vyle clothinge. And they
may pece them and amende them with pecis of sak clothe, or with other
pecis, with the blissyng of God. Whom I warn and exhorte that they
dispise nor juge those men whiche they se clothid with delicate and
softe clothyng, or with colowred and costly aray, use delicius metis and
drynkis, but moche more rather eche of them shoulde juge and despise
hymself.