order and completeness of a hymn. "It is a sort of plaintive variation on one simple melody; an echo of the same tender words, multiplied again and again, it might be fancied, by the voices in the cloister walls." It is surely something more and better than this. Very short, says Ozanam, but all his soul is to be found in it! There you see the man as he was, with his deep love of nature; his fraternal friendship for all GOD's creatures; his inexhaustible charity, and his all-absorbing devotion to his LORD. comes to us like a breath from that Eden of Umbria, where the sky is so bright, the earth so full of flowers. The language has all the simplicity of a new-born idiom; the rhythm shows all the inexperience of an immature poetry, which satisfies indulgent ears with little effort. Sometimes, instead of rhyme, the poet is content with a single assonance; sometimes it occurs only at the beginning and end of a stanza. The fastidious critic will not easily recognize in it the rules and conditions of a lyrical composition. It is nothing but a cry; but it is the cry of an infant poetry, destined to grow and make itself heard throughout the world." Several hymns are ascribed to S. Francis; one or two doubtfully; the others are marked by all the characteristics which are discernible in the Canticle. Among the early vernacular poets of Italy we cannot refrain from giving to the founder of the Frati Minori the highest place. "O Love, O Love, which thus hast wounded me, No other name than Love can I proclaim; O Love, O Love, let me be joined to Thee! O Love, O Love, Thou so possessest me, O Love, for courtesy, Make me to die of Love !"1 1 Mrs. Oliphant, "S. Francis of Assisi," p. 238. A CHAPTER III. FTER the great Chapter of 1219, the Chapter Storearum, as it is called in Franciscan annals, Francis revived his dreams of a crusade against Mohammedanism. More fortunate than on the previous occasion, he reached the Egyptian coast, and at Damietta found the army of the Crusaders encamped, opposed to the Moslem host of the Sultan, Malek-al-Kamed. He made a vain effort to compose the quarrels which divided and weakened the Christian leaders, and when he failed, predicted their defeat. He knew that in union was strength. With one companion he proceeded on his own enterprise of conquest, crossed the Nile, and boldly confronted the spears of the Arabs, though the Sultan had set the price of a gold bezant on any Christian head. As he went, filled with the hope of martyrdom, he perceived a couple of sheep browsing among the scanty tufts of herbage that straggled over the sandy wilderness. "My brother, trust in the LORD," he cried; "for in us He has fulfilled those words of His Gospel :- Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves." The wolves appeared; a party of Arabs, who, however, instead of slaying the two Franks on the spot, conveyed them, "with many vile words and hard blows, and in cruel bonds" to the camp of the Sultan. Admitted to his presence, Francis, with his usual serene courage, announced that he had been sent by GOD to show him and his people the path of salvation. He preached (in what language we know not) the Holy Trinity and JESUS CHRIST the SON of the Most High. The Sultan listened with respect; impressed by the preacher's dignity of mien, and "admiring the courage and fervour which he saw in this man of GOD." He invited him to remain at his court. "For His love will I gladly remain with you, if you and your people will be converted to CHRIST; and if you are doubtful whether or not to abjure the creed of Mohammed for the gospel of CHRIST, let a 1 That is, the Chapter of the Straw Huts; so called from the little cabins, or wigwams, of straw and rushes, in which the brethren lodged. great fire be lighted, and I will enter into it with your priests, so that it may be known which faith should be esteemed holiest and most sure." The Sultan replied that none of his priests would willingly submit to so perilous a trial. "I will enter alone," said Francis, “if, should I be burned, you will impute it to my sins; but should I come forth alive, promise me you will embrace the religion of CHRIST." The offer was not one which the Sultan could accept; but he was so moved by the fervour and sincerity of the enthusiast that he pressed upon him abundant gifts. To his surprise they were refused; and when after a sojourn of nearly a month Francis discovered that his mission was a failure, he returned, with the Sultan's permission, and surrounded by every circumstance of honour, to the Christian camp. Thence he passed through the Holy Land and the kingdom of Antioch, gaining numerous converts and warming many hearts. Rumours of innovations recalled him to Assisi. On the way there he paused at Bologna (August 15, 1220,) where he found that the community of Brothers Minor had had built for them a stately convent, rich in artistic decoration. The sight grieved him sorely, and it was with difficulty he could be induced to extend his forgiveness to the friars who had thus sinned against the great principle of his Rule. At Assisi also he discovered much to grieve him; Fra Elias, whom he had left behind him as vicar, having introduced many novelties, among others "a careful and elaborate dress," with wide sleeves and costly fringe, as unlike as possible to the plain brown frock of the true Franciscan. Francis prohibited and repealed the changes. More to his liking were the news that reached him from Africa of the glory of martyrdom attained by five of the brethren; who, crossing from Seville into Marocco had experienced many adventures; and at length were offered wealth and honours and beautiful wives if they would embrace the creed of the Crescent. They spat on the ground to signify their contempt of the bribe. Enraged, the king himself clave the head of one of them with a sword; the others endured terrible cruelties before death released them. Francis received the intelligence with thankfulness to GOD, and sent his gratulations to the convent of Alonquir, which had thus given birth to the first "purple flowers of martyrdom." The continual accessions to the Rule rendered necessary, unless the brotherhood was to become unmanageable, the institution of a Third Order, or class, of Brothers Minor, in 1221-2. These were called the Brethren of Penitence. They were allowed to retain their social position; to live in the world, though not of the world; but none were admitted until they had discharged their debts, and made restitution of all unlawful gains. Women could not enter, if married, without the consent of their husbands; and the form and colour of their dress were prescribed, silk being forbidden. The Tertiaries took the following vow:-"I promise and vow to GOD, the Blessed Virgin, our father Francis, and all the saints of Paradise, to keep all the commandments of GOD, throughout my life, and to make satisfaction for the transgressions I may have committed against the Rule and manner of life of the Order of Penitents, instituted by Francis, according to the will of the visitor of that Order, when I am admitted into it." They were required to hold aloof from all public spectacles, dances, and stage performances; and not to bear arms, except for the defence of their country or the Church. They were to abstain from unnecessary oaths, to fast often, and eat no meat four days in the week; and several times daily to repeat the Pater Noster, followed by the Gloria Patri. Other regulations were enjoined, with the double object of teaching them to lead a pure and self-denying life, and of binding the Brothers and Sisters together by a bond of mutual sympathy and common obligation. The significance of this Third Order, which was at once a proof of the sagacity and "reasonable service" of S. Francis,-of his keen insight into the needs of humanity, and his success in supplying them,-is fully appreciated by a recent writer, who says:-"The Third Order rose into instant distinction and importance, and was joined by a crowd of noble and powerful persons. Saint Louis of France, his mother and wife, were all members of it. And so was S. Elizabeth of Hungary, and many other princesses, who, after lives of much Christian charity and fervent devotion in their natural sphere, transplanted their zeal and sanctity into the stricter enclosure of the professed sisterhood. Wherever the preaching friars penetrated in their absolute poverty, breaking upon the slumbering imagination and torpid faith of the world as with a sign from heaven, the laity crowded into this Religion, which was possible—which did not require the renunciation of other duties, and yet linked them to the holiest men on earth, and gave them the support of a definite Rule. It was the first reappearance in the Church, since its full hierarchical establishment, of the democratic element-the Christian people, as distinguished from the simple sheep to be fed, and souls to be ruled. The humblest Tertiary had a certain place in the Church, which the proudest prince had not possessed before." In 1223 Francis made ready and revised his Rule for final confirmation by the Pope; and there would seem reason to believe that this was not done without some more or less open opposition on the part of Fra Elias and a few other brethren. When it was completed, Francis took the all-important document to Rome, where he preached with wonderful effect before the Pope and Cardinals, and obtained from Honorius a bull sanctioning the Order in due form, (November 29th.) Afterwards, with the Pope's permission, he celebrated Christmas with a novel ceremony, which commended itself at once to the sympathies of the people. It was no other than a representation of the conditions attending our LORD's Nativity. The manger was introduced, and the ox and the ass, the Holy Mother, and the cradle in which lay, sleeping, the Divine Child. The friars sang new canticles; a Mass was interpolated, and S. Francis preached with his accustomed fervour. Such was the origin of the Presepio of the church of Ara Cœli at Rome,1 of the Christmas spectacle visible to this day in many a convent chapel and village church in Italy. 1 "The simple meaning of the term Presepio is a manger, but it is also used in the Church to signify a representation of the Birth of CHRIST. In the Ara Coeli the whole of one of the side-chapels is devoted to this exhibition. In the foreground is a grotto in which is seated the Virgin Mary, with Joseph at her side, and the miraculous Bambino in her lap. Immediately behind are an ass and an ox. one side kneel the shepherds and kings in adoration, and above, GOD the FATHER is seen, surrounded by clouds of cherubs and angels, playing on instruments, as in the early pictures of Raphael. In the back On |
