Life of St. Francis of Assisi by Paul Sabatier (best historical biographies txt) 📕

CHRONICLE OF MARK OF LISBON[58]

This work is of the same character as that of Glassberger; it can only be used by way of addition. There is, however, a series of facts in which it has a special value; it is when the Franciscan missions in Spain or Morocco are in question. The author had documents on this subject which did not reach the friars in distant countries.


FOOTNOTES:

[1] Chronica fratris Jordani a Giano. The text was published
for the first time in 1870 by Dr. G. Voigt under the title:
" Die Denkwürdigkeiten des Minoriten Jordanus von Giano in the
Abhandlungen der philolog. histor. Cl. der Königl. sächsischen
Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften ," pp. 421-545, Leipsic, by
Hirzel, 1870. Only one manuscript is known; it is in the royal
library at Berlin (Manuscript. theolog. lat., 4to, n. 196, sæc.
xiv., foliorum 141). It has served as the base of the second
edition: Analecta franciscana sive Chronica aliaque documenta
ad historiam minorum spectantia. Ad Claras Aquas (Quaracchi) ex
typographia collegii S. Bonaventuræ , 1885, t. i., pp. 1-19.
Except where otherwise noted, I cite entirely this edition, in
which is preserved the division into sixty-three paragraphs
introduced by Dr. Voigt.

[2] Giord., 81.

[3] He names more than twenty four persons.

[4] It does not seem to me that we can look upon the account of
the interview between Gregory IX. and Brother Giordano as
rigorously accurate. Giord., 63.

[5] Liber de adventu Minorum in Angliam , published under the
title of Monumenta Franciscana (in the series of Rerum
Britannicarum medii Ævi scriptores , Roll series ) in two
volumes, 8vo; the first through the care of J. S. Brewer (1858),
the second through that of R. Howlett (1882). This text is
reproduced without the scientific dress of the Analecta
franciscana , t. i., pp. 217-257. Cf. English Historical Review,
v. (1890), 754. He has published an excellent critical edition
of it, but unfortunately partial, in vol. xxviii., Scriptorum ,
of the Monumenta Germaniæ Historica by Mr. Liebermann,
Hanover, 1888, folio, pp. 560-569.

[6] Eccl., 11; 13; 14; 15. Cf. Eccl., 14, where the author takes
pains to say that Alberto of Pisa died at Rome, surrounded by
English Brothers " inter Anglicos ."

[7] Eccl., 4; 12.

[8] Eccl., 4; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 13; 14; 15.

[9] It was published, but with many suppressions, in 1857, at
Parma. The Franciscans of Quaracchi prepared a new edition of
it, which appeared in the Analecta Franciscana . This work is
in manuscript in the Vatican under no. 7260. Vide Ehrle.
Zeitschrift für kath. Theol. (1883), t. vii., pp. 767 and 768.
The work of Mr. Clédat will be read with interest: De fratre
Salembene et de ejus chronicæ auctoritate , Paris, 4to, 1877,
with fac simile.

[10] Father Ehrle has published it, but unfortunately not
entire, in the Archiv. , t. ii., pp. 125-155, text of the close
of the fifth and of the sixth tribulation; pp. 256-327 text of
the third, of the fourth, and of the commencement of the fifth.
He has added to it introductions and critical notes. For the
parts not published I will cite the text of the Laurentian
manuscript (Plut. 20, cod. 7), completed where possible with the
Italian version in the National Library at Florence
(Magliabecchina, xxxvii.-28). See also an article of Professor
Tocco in the Archivio storico italiano , t. xvii. (1886), pp.
12-36 and 243-61, and one of Mr. Richard's: Library of the École
des chartes, 1884, 5th livr. p. 525. Cf. Tocco, the Eresia nel
medio Evo , p. 419 ff. As to the text published by Döllinger in
his Beiträge zur Sektengeschichte des Mittelalters , Münich,
1890, 2 vols., 8vo, II. Theil Dokumente , pp. 417-427, it is of
no use. It can only beget errors, as it abounds with gross
mistakes. Whole pages are wanting.

[11] Archiv. , t. iii., pp. 406-409.

[12] Vide Archiv. , i., p. 557 ... " Et hoc totum ex rapacitate
et malignitate luporum pastorum qui voluerunt esse pastores, sed
operibus negaverunt deum ," et seq. Cf., p. 562: " Avaritia et
symoniaca heresis absque pallio regnat et fere totum invasit
ecclesie corpus ."

[13] " Qui excommunicat et hereticat altissimam evangelii
paupertatem, excommunicatus est a Deo et hereticus coram
Christo, qui est eterna et in commutabilis veritas. " Arch. ,
i., p. 509. " Non est potestas contra christum Dominum et contra
evangelium. " Ib. p. 560. He closes one of his letters with a
sentence of a mysticism full of serenity, and which lets us see
to the bottom of the hearts of the Spiritual Brothers. " Totum
igitur studium esse debet quod unum inseparabiliter simus per
Franciscum in Christo. " Ib., p. 564.

[14] For example in the list of the first six generals of the
Order.

[15] The first (1219-1226) extends from the departure of St.
Francis for Egypt up to his death; the second includes the
generalate of Brother Elias (1232-1239); the third that of
Crescentius (1244-1248); the fourth, that of Bonaventura
(1257-1274); the fifth commences with the epoch of the council
of Lyon (1274) and extends up to the death of the inquisitor,
Thomas d'Aversa (1204). And the sixth goes from 1308 to 1323.

[16] " Supererant adhuc multi de sociis b. Francisci ... et alii
non pauci de quibus ego vidi et ab ipsis audivi quæ narro. "
Laur. Ms., cod. 7, pl. xx., f^o 24a: " Qui passi sunt eam
(tribulationem tertiam) socii fundatoris fratres Aegdius et
Angelus, qui supererant me audiente referibant ." Laur. Ms., f^o
27b. Cf., Italian Ms., xxxvii., 28, Magliab., f^o 138b.

[17] The date of his death is unknown; on August 11, 1253, he
was present at the death-bed of St. Clara.

[18] Died April 23, 1261.

[19] " Quem (fratrem Jacobum de Massa) dirigente me fratre
Johanne socio fratris prefati Egidii videre laboravi. Hic enim
frater Johannes ... dixit mihi ...." Arch. , ii., p. 279.

[20] " ... Tribulationes preteritas memoravi, ut audivi ab
illis qui sustinuerunt eas et aliqua commemoravi de hiis que
didici in quatuor legendis quas vidi et legi. " Arch. , ii., p.
135.--" Vitam pauperis et humilis viri Dei Francisci trium
ordinum fundatoris quatuor solemnes personæ scripserunt, fratres
videlicet scientia et sanctitate præclari, Johannes et Thomas de
Celano, frater Bonaventura unus post Beatum Franciscum Generalis
Minister et vir miræ simplicitatis et sanctitatis frater Leo,
ejusdem sancti Francisci socius. Has quatuor descriptiones seu
historias qui legerit ...." Laurent. MS., pl. xx., c. 7, f^o 1a.
Did the Italian translator think there was an error in this
quotation? I do not know, but he suppressed it. At f^o 12a of
manuscript xxxvii., 28, of the Magliabecchina, we read:
" Incominciano alcune croniche del ordine franciscano, come la
vita del povero e humile servo di Dio Francesco fondatore del
minorico ordine fu scripta da San Bonaventura e da quatro altri
frati. Queste poche scripture ovveramente hystorie quello il
quale diligentemente le leggiera, expeditamente potra cognoscere
... la vocatione la santita di San Francisco. "

[21] Laur. MS., f^o 4b ff. On the other hand we read in a letter
of Clareno: " Ad hanc (paupertatem) perfecte servandam Christus
Franciscum vocavit et elegit in hac hora novissima et precepit