st menial of trades. But
there were times when there was no demand for labor, and there was
nothing for it but to beg or starve. This latter Francis would not
allow, and, repugnant though the former might be, it had to be done.
Not that he ever forced anyone. He began by doing this ignominious
duty himself, saying as he did so--

"My beloved brethren, the Son of God was far more noble than the
noblest of us, and yet He became poor upon earth. It is for love of
Him that we have embraced poverty, therefore, we must not be ashamed
to resort to the table of our Lord (thus he always spoke of alms).
Rejoice then to give good examples to those brethren whose firstfruits
ye are, that they in future may have nothing to do but follow you."

[Sidenote: _Holy Poverty._]

But there were other reasons why Francis was so devoted to poverty.
In all his doings he is remarkable for clear common-sense. Money and
possessions of any kind were in those days a fruitful source of
dispute and quarrels of all kinds; therefore, as Francis reasoned, it
were better that the Knights of Christ should possess nothing. Then
again in the priesthood, though the individuals themselves possessed
nothing, yet large sums of money and great possessions had been
amassed by convent and monastery, until, at the period of which we are
writing, the luxury and gluttony of priest and monk was a favourite
joke, and the splendour of their buildings well-known. As to
buildings, Francis would very much have preferred to have none. Since
this was impossible, he had everything built at the least possible
expense. Just rough beams put together, and the joinings filled with
sand. Even then this uncouth mass had to be property of someone
outside the community!

"Only on this condition," Francis said, "can we be considered as
strangers here below in accordance with the apostolic recommendation."
Certainly, no one could accuse them of luxury. The furniture of the
houses was of the poorest. Beds, often of straw, cups and plates of
wood or clay, a few rough tables, and a small number of books in
common to the brothers, were all the rooms contained. Carefully and
jealously did Francis guard against the first appearance of relaxation
on the part of himself or his followers. He would have thought God's
commands to him broken if any new-comer found in his community
anything that he had given up upon leaving the world.

As to clothing, we have already seen what were Francis' vi