Chapter 6

The sisters are not to receive any possessions, or through any person in trust for them.

First—After the heavenly Father had vouchsafed, through his divine grace, to inflame my heart in such a manner, I, at the example and doctrine of our holy father, Saint Francis, began to do penance. A little after his conversion, I, with my sisters, did willingly vow obedience to him.

Secondly—The holy father perceiving that we feared no poverty, labour, tribulation, or the contempt of this world, but esteemed these as great riches; he being moved with compassion towards us, did write a form of life for us at the time we made this vow.

Thirdly—Considering, said Saint Francis, that through the inspiration of God you have made yourselves daughters and handmaids of the Most High and Sovereign King and Heavenly Father, and having permitted yourselves to be guided by the Holy Ghost, choosing to live according to the perfection of the Holy Gospel, I will and promise, by myself and my brothers, to have always as diligent a care over you as over them. And this he diligently fulfilled while he lived on earth, and willed it should be fulfilled by his brothers.

Fourthly—And that neither we nor those who should follow us, should deviate from the holy poverty we had embraced, our holy father, a little before his death, wrote for us again his last will, conceived in these words:

“I, Brother Francis, the least of all, will follow the life and poverty of our most sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ, and of his most holy Mother, and will persevere in the same to the end. And I beseech you all, my daughters and sisters in Jesus Christ, to live in the holy poverty and life you have chosen, and not to depart therefrom, through the teaching or counsel of any one.”

And as I, Clare, have always been careful with my sisters to observe the holy poverty which we promised to God, and to the holy father Saint Francis, in like manner, the Abbesses who are to succeed me in this office, with their sisters, are obliged to observe it inviolably to the end, and not to have or receive possessions, or have any property by themselves or by others, interposed for them, or any thing that may be called property, except a little ground, which necessity and decency require for the use of the Monastery; and this ground should be converted to no other purpose than to a garden tilled for the use of the sisters.