Chapter 12

Your visitor shall be always of the Order of the Friars Minors, according to the will and command of your Cardinal, and shall be such a one as is known to be very religious, and whose office it is to reform the head, as well as the members, in all the faults they commit against the form of their profession.

Secondly—He shall be in an open place, that he may be seen by others.

Thirdly—He may speak to all collectively, and to each in particular, of the things that relate to the office of visitation, and of those which he thinks most expedient for their good.

Fourthly—We require the favor of the same order, through the charity of our Lord, and of our holy Father Saint Francis, to have a Chaplain, with a Priest of a good character, for a companion, as also two lay brothers, who are lovers of modesty and of holy conversation, to assist us in our poverty, as we have hitherto had of the Friars Minors.

Fifthly—The Chaplain is not to enter the Convent without his companion, and entering, they shall be in an open place, to be seen by each other, as also by the sisters.

Sixthly—They may enter to confess the sick that cannot go to the grate, to give them the Blessed Sacrament and Extreme Unction, to read the recommendations of the soul when they are in danger of death, to celebrate Mass and the Offices for the Dead; and, according to the discretion of the Abbess, others may enter to dig the grave.

The sisters are likewise bound to have for their protector, governor, and reformer, one of the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, the same that our holy Father the Pope ordains for the Friars Minors, that we being subject to him and the Holy Roman Church, may remain steadfast in the Catholic faith, and observe the holy poverty and humility of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his holy Mother, and the holy Gospel, which we have vowed. Amen.

Here ends the rule of the poor sisters, dated at Perusia, the 6th of September, the tenth year of the Pontificate of our holy Father, Pope Innocent IV.

Here follows the rest of the Bull for the confirmation of the rule.

“Therefore let not any person violate or disannul this our Letter and Bull of Confirmation, or by rash attempt to contradict it; which if any one presume to do, let him know that he incurs the indignation of Almighty God, and of his holy Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Dated at Assisium, the 9th of August, and the eleventh year of our Pontificate.”