The mirror of perfection
Subtitle: being a record of Saint Francis of Assisi ascribed to his companion, Brother Leo of Assisi
Publisher: Burns and Oates
Published: 1902
Place of publication: London, England
Language: eng
Description: and now translated by Constance, Countess de la Warr. With an introduction by Father Cuthbert.
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS; title: CHAPTER I; title: HERE BEGINS THE MIRROR OF PERFECTION; title: What answer Blessed Francis made to the Ministers who did not desire to be bound by the Rule he had made 1-13; title: CHAPTER II; title: ON THE PERFECTION OF POVERTY; title: How Blessed Francis declared his will and intention he had from first to last on the observance of Holy Poverty — How he replied to a Minister who wished to have books, and how the Ministers took a chapter out of the Rule — Of the Novice who wished to have a Psalter — Of the Poverty to be observed in books, buildings, and furnishings — How he made the friars leave a certain house — How he wished to pull down a house built at St. Mary of the Portiuncula— How he reprimanded his Vicar — Of the special cell made for him, and the one he would not live in — How places were to be selected, and friaries built in cities — Of the Prelates and learned friars who opposed him — How he would not have superfluous alms — What Christ told him of the Poverty of the Order — His horror of money — Avoidance of soft and many garments, and practice of patience — How he would not indulge himself in things other friars could not have — His shame when he saw one poorer than himself—- How he taught the friars to ask alms — How he would not have the friars solicitous for the morrow — Of the sumptuous repast on Christmas Day — How the Lord Bishop of Ostia wept — How the soldiers were compelled to beg for alms — How he collected alms before he came to the Cardinal's table — The friar who would not pray nor work, but would eat — Of the poor man who joyfully collected alms — How it was revealed to him the Brethren were to be called Friars-Minor 4-38; title: CHAPTER III; title: OF CHARITY AND COMPASSION AND LOVING-KINDNESS TO OUR NEIGHBOUR; title: How Blessed Francis comforted a friar who was dying of hunger — How he ate grapes with a sick friar — How he clothed a poor woman — How he gave to those needier than himself— How he gave his new mantle to a poor man— How he persuaded a poor man to forgive his Lord — How he gave his mantle to a poor sick woman — How he gave his tunic to some friars of France — How he tried to give away a piece of cloth— How he induced Brother Giles to clothe a poor man — Of the penance he gave a friar for rash judgment — Of the New Testament he had given to the mother of two friars 39-52; title: CHAPTER IV; title: OF THE PERFECTION OF HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE; title: How Blessed Francis resigned the office of Minister-General — How he gave up his companions — How he resigned because of bad Prelates — How he begged meat for the sick — Of the humble answers made by himself and Blessed Dominic to the Cardinal — How he wished the friars to tend the lepers — How he ever gave honour to God alone — How he desired a Guardian to be placed over him — How he taught the perfect way of obedience — How he spoke of obedience under the figure of a corpse — Of discretion in imposing obedience, and readiness in obeying — How he would have no privilege in preaching for the Order — How the friars were reconciled to each other — How Christ complained to Brother Leo of the friars — Of the answer he made to the Doctor of the Order of Preachers — Of humility and concord with the clergy — How he obtained the Church of St. Mary of the Angels — How he swept and cleaned churches — Of the peasant who became a saintly friar — How he ate from a bowl with a leper — How he put the demons to flight — The vision of Brother Pacificus — How he caused himself to be dragged before the people — How he spoke of any comforts he gave himself— How he accused himself of vainglory — The state of perfect humility in himself— How he desired to preach in distant lands — Blessed Francis, the friars, and the robbers — How he was beaten by demons in the Cardinal's house — How he reproved the friars and foretold the reformation of the Order — How he divined that vain learning would ruin the Order— How the friars who entered the Order in the time of tribulation would be better than their predecessors — Why he did not himself correct the defects in the Order — Letter to Brother Conrad from Brother Leo — How the prayers and tears of humble friars convert souls — How he desired Prelates and preachers to exercise works of humility — How he told the friars when he was the servant of God and when not — How he desired the friars should at times labour with their hands   53-110; title: CHAPTER V; title: OF HIS ZEAL FOR THE PERFECT OBSERVANCE OF THE RULE AND FOR ALL THE ORDER; title: How Blessed Francis wished the friars to observe the Rule in life and death — Of the martyred Lay Brother and the Rule — The four privileges revealed to him — Of the Minister-General and his companions — What the Lord said to him in his affliction — Of his singular love and zeal for St. Mary of the Portiuncula — How he admonished the friars never to desert it — The prerogatives of St. Mary of the Angels 111-124; title: CHAPTER VI; title: HIS ZEAL FOR THE PERFECTION OF THE FRIARS; title: How Blessed Francis described the perfect friar — How he described unchaste eyes — The three sentences he left to the friars — Of the bread he gave the friars on his death-bed — How he feared to trouble the friars in his illness — How he admonished the Sisters of St. Clare   125-133; title: CHAPTER VII; title: OF HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR THE PASSION OF CHRIST; title: How Blessed Francis forgot his pains in the Passion of Christ — How he lamented over the Passion of Christ — How his joy was turned into tears of compassion for Christ 134-136; title: CHAPTER VIII; title: OF HIS ZEAL FOR PRAYER AND DIVINE SERVICE, AND JOY IN HIMSELF AND OTHERS; title: Of prayer and the Divine Office— How Blessed Francis in himself and others loved spiritual joy — How he reproved his companion for showing sadness — How he taught the friars not to neglect their bodies 137-142; title: CHAPTER IX; title: OF CERTAIN TEMPTATIONS THAT TRIED BLESSED FRANCIS; title: How the Devil entered his pillow — Of a temptation he had more than two years — Of the temptations he had through mice 143-148; title: CHAPTER X; title: OF THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY; title: How Blessed Francis made peace between the Bishop and the Governor of Assisi— Of the fell of the friar who would confess only by signs — Of one who wept before Blessed Francis and was rejected — Of the priest's vineyard and the wondrous vintage — Of the Knights of Perugia who disturbed his sermon — How he detected a hidden temptation — His blessing and prediction of Brother Bernard — Of the message he sent to Blessed Clare — How he predicted the honour paid to his body   149-163; title: CHAPTER XI; title: OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT SUCCOURED HIM IN EXTERIOR THINGS; title: How the Lord provided for the table of the friars — Of the fish Blessed Francis longed for — Of the food he desired, and the cloth for his burial 164-168; title: CHAPTER XII; title: OF HIS LOVE FOR CREATURES, AND THE LOVE OF CREATURES FOR HIM; title: Of the love Blessed Francis had for the hooded larks — Of the special law he wished the Emperor to aiake — How the fire obeyed him — How he would not let them put out a fire — How he would not use a fur he had saved from the fire — Of his love for water, stones, trees, and flowers — The Canticle of Brother Sun 169-178; title: CHAPTER XIII; title: OF THE DEATH OF BLESSED FRANCIS, AND THE JOY HE SHOWED AT THE APPROACH OF DEATH; title: The answer Blessed Francis made to Brother Elias — How he questioned the physician — How he welcomed Sister Death — How he blessed Assisi when he was carried to St Mary's, where he died 179-185