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In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity.
[1]
The Brothers of the
House of the Holy Trinity are to live in obedience to the prelate of their
house – who shall be called minister – in chastity and without personal
possessions.
[2]
All things, from
whatever lawful source they may come, the brothers are to divide into three
equal parts. Insomuch as two parts will be sufficient, the works of
mercy are to be performed from them, as well as providing for a moderate
sustenance for themselves and their necessary household members. The
third part is to be reserved for the ransom of captives who are incarcerated
for the faith of Christ by pagans: with a reasonable price paid either
for their ransom or for the ransom of pagan captives, so that afterwards by
a reasonable exchange and in good faith a Christian may be ransomed for a
pagan according to the merits and status of the persons.
However, when money is
donated or anything else, except land, meadows, vineyards, forests,
buildings, livestock and things of this kind, though it be given
specifically for some particular purpose, the third part is to be set aside,
always with the consent of him who gave it; it is not to be received
otherwise. Resulting profits with expenses deducted – that is, with
one-half reserved for expenses – will be divided into three equal parts.
Those profits, however, which entail little or no expense are all to be
divided. When they have or are given cloth, shoes or small items of this
nature, necessary for their use and which would not prove profitable to sell
or to set aside, such things are not to be divided, unless it should seem
expedient to the Minister of the house and to the Brothers. Concerning
these matters there is to be a discussion every Sunday, if possible, in the
chapter. Should the aforementioned items – such as cloth, land, livestock
or small items – be sold, the resulting profit is to be divided into three
parts as indicated above
[3]
All the churches of this
Order are to be entitled with the name of the Holy Trinity. They are to be
of simple construction.
[4]
In each residence, there
can be three cleric-Brothers and three lay-Brothers and, in addition, one
Brother who is to be procurator. This procurator is to be called
Minister, not procurator, as it is said: Brother N., Minister of the
House of the Holy Trinity. The Brothers are bound to promise and
render him obedience.
[5] The Minister is to administer
faithfully to all his Brothers as to himself.
[6]
Their garments are to be
woolen and white. They may each have one pelisse as well as breeches
which they are not to take off while reposing.
[7]
They are to repose in
wool so that they have absolutely no featherbeds or mattresses in their
houses, except for those suffering from illness. They are permitted,
however, to have a pillow for the support of the head.
[8]
The signs are to
be placed on the capes of the Brothers.
[9]
They are not permitted
to mount horses nor even possess them. They are only permitted to
mount asses, given or lent to them or take from their own livestock.
[10]
The wine to be drunk by the
Brothers is to be so tempered that it can be taken with sobriety.
[11]
They are to fast from the
13th of September until Easter on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and
Saturday, unless a solemn feast intervenes. Moreover, from Advent
until Christmas and from Quinquagesima Sunday until Easter, they are to fast
on Lenten foods except on Sundays. They are likewise to keep the other
fasts which the Church is accustomed to observe. Nevertheless, at
times and with discretion, the Minister can relax the fast on account of
age, traveling or other sufficient reason, or even increase the fast, after
considering whether or not it is opportune.
[12]
They are permitted to
eat meat given by outsiders or taken from their own livestock only on
Sundays from Easter to Advent and from Christmas to Septuagesima Sunday, and
on Christmas, Epiphany and the Ascension of the Lord, and on the Assumption
and Purification of Blessed Mary, and on the feast of All Saints.
[13]
They are to buy nothing
for food except bread and pottage ingredients – namely,
beans and peas and vegetables of this kind – greens, oil, eggs, milk, cheese
and fruit. Neither meat nor fish nor wine are they permitted to buy,
except for the needs of the infirm or the weak or the poor or on great
solemnities. Still, they are allowed to buy livestock and to raise it.
However, when they are
on a journey or traveling, they are permitted to buy, though sparingly,
wine and fish during Lent, if necessary; if something is given to them,
they should live on that and divide the remainder into three parts. Still,
if they have set out on the way to ransom captives, whatever is given to
them they must set aside totally for the ransom of captives, except
expenses.
[14]
In cities,
in settlements or strongholds where they have their own houses, they are to eat or
drink nothing outside those houses, even though they be invited by someone,
except perhaps in a religious house or to take water in respectable houses.
They are not to presume to pass the night outside such houses. They
are never to dwell, eat or drink in taverns or in disrespectful places of
that kind. Whoever presumes to do this is to undergo grave punishment
according to the judgment of the minister.
[15]
Such is to be the
charity between cleric-Brothers and lay-Brothers that they shall eat the
same food and use the same vesture, dormitory, refectory and the same table.
[16]
The infirm are to
eat and sleep apart. To their care one of the religious, either lay or
cleric, is to be assigned; he is to inquire as to what may be
necessary and then administer it as it should be administered. The
infirm are to be advised not to ask for rich or very sumptuous foods, but to
be content with suitable and healthful moderation.
[17]
The care of guests and
of the poor and of those who come and go is to be entrusted to one of the
more discerning and kinder Brothers. He is to hear them and, as it
seems expedient, administer the comfort of charity; however, he is to
ask of those whom he believes should be admitted, if they wish to be content
with what is served to the Brothers. In fact, it is not proper for
anyone to be served rich and sumptuous foods. Whatever is to be
offered should be presented in a cheerful manner. To no one is evil to
be rendered for evil. If anyone, especially a religious, should come
for hospitality, he is to be received kindly and he is to be administered to
charitably, according to the ability of the house.
However, fodder or
something in its place is not to be given to guests if they should be in a
city, town or place where it can be found for sale, unless perhaps the
guests be religious or such persons who have nothing at hand and cannot buy
it. If the guests should not find it for sale and it is found in the house
where they have been received, then it is to be furnished suitably to them.
[18]
No Brother, lay or
cleric, is to be without his own duty, if possible. Should anyone be
able but unwilling to work, he is to be compelled to leave the place, for
the Apostle says: he who does not work should not eat.
[19]
They are to observe
silence always in their church, always in the refectory, always in the
dormitory. Still, they are permitted to speak about necessary matters
in other places, at the proper time and in a subdued voice, humbly and
respectfully. Outside the aforementioned places, their conversation is
to be respectful and without scandal at all times. Likewise, their
comportment, gestures, life and behavior and all else is to be found as
respectful in them.
[20]
In each house
every Sunday, if possible, the Minister is to
hold a Chapter with his Brothers.
The Brothers are to render a faithful account to the Minister and the
Minister to the Brothers of the business of the house and of the things
given to the house or to the Brothers, so that the third part may be set
aside for the ransom of captives.
[21]
Every Sunday, if possible, an exhortation is to be given not only to the
Brothers, but also to the family of the house in like manner, according to
their capacity; they are to be advised simply as regards what they
must believe or do.
[22]
In the Chapter the Brothers
are to be judged with regard to all matters and complaints.
[23] None of the
Brothers is to accuse his Brother in public, unless he is well
able to prove the accusation. He who does this is to undergo the punishment
which the accused might have undergone had he been found guilty, unless the
Minister should wish to dispense from this for some reason. If any should
cause a scandal or something of this nature or, God forbid, if they should
strike one another, they are to undergo a greater or lesser punishment
according to the judgment of the minister.
If anyone should sin
regarding his Brother, that is, against his Brother, with only him who has
suffered the injury knowing of it, he is to bear it patiently, even though
he be innocent. When the emotional upset has calmed, the one offended is to
advise and correct the offender kindly and fraternally between themselves as many as
three times both to do penance for the offense and to refrain from such in
the future. If the offender does not listen, the one offended is to tell
the Minister, who is to correct the offender privately in a manner that
seems expedient for his own good.
However, if he who
caused the scandal should of himself wish to make amends, he is to prostrate
himself fully at the feet of the one scandalized, begging
forgiveness; if once does not suffice, he is to repeat it as many as three
times. If the scandal should become public, whatever may follow, this
penance is to be first, namely the full-length prostration at the feet of
the minister by the one begging forgiveness; according to the Minister’s
judgment, the offender is afterwards to be corrected.
[24]
The General
Chapter is to be held once a year, which should be during the Pentecost
octave.
[25]
If a debt must be
contracted for some necessity of the house, it is first to be proposed to
the Brothers in Chapter and done with their advice and consent, so that both
suspicions and murmurs may be avoided in this way.
[26]
If someone does damage
to the goods of the house and it is necessary that the matter be taken to
court, this is not to be done before he is warned charitably first by the
Brothers and afterwards, in like manner, by other neighbors.
[27]
The election of the
Minister is to be done by the common deliberation of the Brothers. He
is not to be elected according to dignity of birth, but according to the
merit of his life and the wisdom of his learning. He who is elected is
to be a priest or a cleric suitable for orders. The Minister, in fact,
whether major or minor, must be a priest.
[28]
The Major Minister can
hear the confessions of the Brothers of all the communities of the entire
Order. The Minor Minister may hear the confessions of all the Brothers
of his house, provided that the shame of repeated excesses should not offer
the least occasion of confessing to their prelates more tardily and less
completely than is proper.
[29]
The Minister is
solicitously to take care that he adheres to the precepts of the Rule in all
matters, just as the other brothers must do.
[30]
After he has been
elected, if for some crime he should deserve to be deposed, he is to be
deposed by the Major Minister, with three or four Minor Ministers having
been assembled for the case; another who is worthy is to be
substituted in his place. However, if the Major Minister is not able
to do this because of the remoteness of the place or some other sufficient
reason, he is to entrust this task to the more religious Minor Ministers;
what they do shall have the ratification of the Major Minister’s authority.
But if the Major Minister should have to be corrected or deposed for
misconduct, this is to be done by four or five of the more religious
ministers of the same Order who, moreover, must be chosen for this task by
the General Chapter.
[31]
If anyone wishes to be a
Brother of this Order, he is first to serve for God’s sake in the Order for
a year at his own expense, except for food, retaining his clothing and all
his belongings. After the year, if it seems good and fitting to the
Minister of the house and to the Brothers and to himself, and if a place is
open for him, he is to be received. Nothing, however, is to be demanded for
his reception. If he gives anything freely, it is to be received provided
that it is such that a litigation does not appear to threaten the Church.
If there should be some doubt about his conduct, an extension of his
probation is to be made. If anyone before reception should be unruly and
impatient of the discipline and he will not correct his way of life
according to the judgment of the minister, permission is discreetly to be
given him to leave with all the things which he brought. No one is to be
received into the Order until he has completed his 20th year.
Profession, moreover, is to be left to the judgment of the Minister.
[32]
They are not to accept
sureties from the hands of the laity, unless as tithes with the permission
of their Bishop.
[33]
They are not to take
oaths, except in great necessity with the permission of their Minister or
when ordered to do so by their bishop or by someone representing the
Apostolic See,
and this for a
sufficient and respectable reason
[34]
If there is any known defect in something to be sold, it is
to be indicated to the buyer.
[35]
They are not permitted to
accept a deposit of gold or silver or money.
[36]
On the same day on which
one becomes infirm or has been admitted, he is to confess his sins and to
receive Communion.
[37] Every
Monday, except during the octaves of Easter, Pentecost, the Nativity of the
Lord, the Circumcision and the Epiphany and, moreover, on the feasts which
have been announced as designated for worship, the absolution of the
faithful departed is to be done in the cemetery after the Mass of the
faithful.
[38]
Every night also, at
least in the hospital in the presence of the poor, common prayer is to be
held for the state and the peace of the holy Roman Church and the entire
Christendom and for benefactors and for those for whom the Universal Church
is accustomed to pray.
[39]
In the Regular Hours,
they are to observe the usage of Blessed Victor, unless perhaps pauses or
other prolixities and vigils ought to be omitted, on the advice of
pious and religious men, because of their work or the small number of those
who can participate. Because of their small number, they will not be
obliged to make such pauses during the psalms or to rise so early.
[40]
As regards shaving, the
cleric-Brothers are likewise to follow the usage of Saint Victor. The
lay-Brothers are not to shave their beards, but are to permit them to grow
moderately.
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