Part 59 (1/2)

II. THOMAS OF SPALATO

An archdeacon of the Cathedral of Spalato, who in 1220 was studying at Bologna, has left us a very living portrait of St. Francis and the memory of the impression which his preachings produced in that learned town.[5]

Something of his enthusiasm has pa.s.sed into his story; we feel that that day, August 15, 1220, when he met the Poverello of a.s.sisi, was one of the best of his life.[6]

III. DIVERS CHRONICLES

The continuation of William of Tyre[7] brings us a new account of Francis's attempt to conquer the Soudan. This narrative, the longest of all three we have on this subject, contains no feature essentially new, but it gives one more witness to the historic value of the Franciscan legends.

Finally, there are two chronicles written during Francis's life, which, without giving anything new, speak with accuracy of his foundation, and prove how rapidly that religious renovation which started in Umbria was being propagated to the very ends of Europe. The anonymous chronicler of Monte Sereno[8] in fact wrote about 1225, and tells us, not without regret, of the brilliant conquests of the Franciscans.

Burchard,[9] Abbot Premontre d'Ursberg (died in 1226), who was in Rome in 1211, leaves us a very curious criticism of the Order.

The Brothers Minor appeared to him a little like an orthodox branch of the Poor Men of Lyons. He even desires that the pope, while approving the Franciscans, should do so with a view to satisfy, in the measure of the possible, the aspirations manifested by that heresy and that of the Humiliati.

It is impossible to attribute any value whatever to the long pages given to St. Francis by Matthew Paris.[10] His information is correct wherever the activities of the friars are concerned, and he could examine the work around him.[11] They are absolutely fantastic when he comes to the life of St. Francis, and we can only feel surprised to find M. Hase[12] adopting the English monk's account of the stigmata.

The notice which he gives of Francis contains as many errors as sentences; he makes him born of a family ill.u.s.trious by its n.o.bility, makes him study theology from his infancy (_hoc didicerat in litteris et theologicis disciplinis quibus ab aetate tenera incubuerat, usque ad not.i.tiam perfectam_), etc.[13]

It would be useless to enlarge this list and mention those chroniclers who simply noticed the foundation of the Order, its approbation, and the death of St. Francis,[14] or those which spoke of him at length, but simply by copying a Franciscan legend.[15]

It suffices to point out by way of memory the long chapter consecrated to St. Francis in the Golden Legend. Giachimo di Voraggio ([Cross]

1298) there sums up with accuracy but without order the essential features of the first legends and in particular the Second Life by Celano.[16]

As for the inscription of Santa Maria del Vescovado at a.s.sisi it is too unformed to be anything but a simple object of curiosity.[17]

I have given up preparing a complete bibliography of works concerning St. Francis, that task having been very well done by the Abbe Ulysse Chevalier in his _Repertoire des sources historiques du moyen age_, Bio-Bibliographie, cols. 765-767 and 2588-2590, Paris, 1 vol., 4to, 1876-1888. To it I refer my readers.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] He was born at Vitry sur Seine, became Cure of Argenteuil, near Paris; Canon of Oignies, in the diocese of Namur, preached the crusade against the Albigenses, and accompanied the Crusaders to Palestine; having been made Bishop of Acre, he was present in 1219 at the siege and at the capture of Damietta and returned to Europe in 1225; created Cardinal-bishop of Frascati in 1229, he died in 1244, leaving a number of writings. For his life, see the preface of his _Historiae_, edition of Douai, 1597.

[2] This letter may be found in (Bongars) _Gesta Dei per Francio_, pp. 1146-1149.

[3] _Jacobi de Vitriaco Libri duo quorum prior Orientalis, alter Occidentalis Historiae nomine inscribitur studio Fr. Moschi Duaci ex officina Balthazaris Belleri_, 1597, 16mo, 480 pp. Chapter x.x.xii. fills pages 349-353, and is ent.i.tled _De ordine et praedicatione fratrum Minorum_. See above, p. 229.

[4] This appears from the pa.s.sage: _Videmus primus ordinis fundatorem magestrum cui tanquam summo Priori suo omnes alii obediunt._ _Loc. cit._, p. 352.

[5] It is inserted in the treatise of Sigonius on the bishops of Bologna: _Caroli Sigonii de episcopis Bononiensibus libri quinque c.u.m notis L. C. Rabbii_, a work which occupies cols.

353-590 of t. iii. of his _Opera omnia_, Milan, 1732-1737, 6 vols., f^o. We find our fragment in col. 432.

[6] This pa.s.sage will be found above, p. 241.

[7] _Guillelmi Tyrensis arch. Continuala belli sacri historia_ in Martene: _Amplissima Collectio_, t. v. pp. 584-572. The piece concerning Francis is cols. 689-690.

[8] _Chronicon Montis Sereni_ (at present Petersberg, near Halle), edited by Ehrenfeuchter in the _Mon. Germ. hist.