So he spoke, and called back the priest to administer them to him. Then after holding the hands of his dying companion, comforting her with gentle words, when he saw that her soul was gone he made over her the sign of the cross, stretched himself beside her, and calling with love upon Jesus, Mary, and St. Francis, he fell asleep for eternity. FOOTNOTES: [1] Text in _Firmamentum_, 10; _Spec._, 189; _Spec._, Morin. Tract., iii., 2b. M. Mueller (_Anfaenge_) has made a study of the Rule of 1221 which is a masterpiece of _exegetical scent_. Nevertheless if he had more carefully collated the different texts he would have arrived at still more striking results, thanks to the variants which he would have been able to establish. I cite a single example. Text _Firm_.--Wadding, adopted by Mr. M. _Omnes fratres ubicunque sunt vel vadunt, caveant sibi a malo visu et frequentia mulierum et nullus cum eis consilietur solus. Sacerdos honeste loquatur cum eis dando penitentiam vel aliud spirituale consilium._ Text of the _Speculum_, 189 ff. _Omnes fratres ubicunque sunt et vadunt caveant se a malo visu et frequentia mulierum et nullus cum eis concilietur aut per viam vadat solus aut ad mensam in una paropside comedat. (!!) Sacerdos honeste loquatur cum eis dando ... etc._ This passage is sufficient to show the superiority of the text of the Speculum, which is to be preferred also in other respects, but this is not the place for entering into these details. It is evident that the phrase in which we see the earliest friars sometimes sharing the repast of the sisters and eating from their porringer is not a later interpolation. [2] _Tribul._, 12b; _Spec._, 54b; _Arbor._ V., 3; _Spec._, 8b. [3] Cf. _cap._ 17 and 21. [4] 2 Cel., 3, 136. [5] See below, p. 354, text in the _Firmamentum_, 19 ff.; _Speculum_, Morin, tract. iii., 214a ff.; cf. _Conform._, 137 ff. [6] _Cum facit (subditus) voluntatem (praelati) dummodo benefacit vera obedientia est. Admon._, iii.; _Conform._, 139_a_, 2.--_Si vero praelatus subdito aliquid contra animam praecipiat licet ei non obediat tamen ipsum non dimittat._, Ibid.--_Nullus tenetur ad obedientiam in eo ubi committitus delictum vel peccatum. Epist._, ii. [7] 2 Cel., 3, 89; _Spec._, 29b; _Conform._, 176b, 1; Bon., 77. [8] _Per caritatem spiritus voluntarii serviant et obediant invicem. Et haec est vera et sancta obedientia. Reg._, 1221, v. [9] _Tribul._, Laur. MS., 14b; _Spec._, 125a; _Conform._, 107b, 1; 184b, 1. [10] Wadding gives it (_Epist._ xvi.), after the autograph preserved in the treasury of the Conventuals of Spoleto. The authenticity of this piece is evident.