TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: Italic text has been marked with _underscores_. Sidenotes, which are used extensively for Scripture references, have been placed inside {curly brackets}. Footnotes have been moved to the end of the text. THE LADY POVERTY “Sacrum Commercium Beati Francisci cum Domina Paupertate” [Illustration: _Giotto._ _The Espousals of St. Francis to the Lady Poverty._] The frontispiece of this volume is reproduced by permission from a photograph by Messrs ALINARI of Florence. THE LADY POVERTY A XIII. CENTURY ALLEGORY TRANSLATED & EDITED BY MONTGOMERY CARMICHAEL WITH A CHAPTER ON THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELICAL POVERTY BY FATHER CUTHBERT O. S. F. G. London John Murray, Albemarle Street 1901 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION-- PAGE (a) Editions xvii (b) Authorship and Date xxviii (c) Translation and Scripture References xlii THE LADY POVERTY. I. In Praise of Poverty 3 II. How the Blessed Francis made diligent search for the Lady Poverty 8 III. How two old men showed the Blessed Francis where he might find the Lady Poverty 14 IV. Of the First Companions of the Blessed Francis 20 V. How the Blessed Francis and his Companions found the Lady Poverty on the Mountain 24 VI. The Blessed Francis and his Companions, exalting her virtues in divers ways, beseech the Lady Poverty to abide with them forever 28 VII. The Answer of My Lady Poverty 41 VIII. Of the Apostles 56 IX. Of the Successors of the Apostles 59 X. That Times of Peace are unpropitious to Poverty 62 XI. Of Persecution 65 XII. Of the followers of a spurious Poverty 70 XIII. Of Avarice 73 XIV. How the Lady Poverty spoke of good Religious 77 XV. How Avarice took the Name of Discretion 80 XVI. How Avarice took the Name of Prudence 84 XVII. How Avarice called in the aid of Sloth 89 XVIII. Of the Religious who were conquered by Sloth 92