This is the original Rule of St. Francis for the Laity, written by St. Francis in 1289

In the name of the Lord.

Here begins the Rule and Form of Life of the brothers and sisters of the Order of Continents, or of Penance, instituted by Blessed Francis in the year of the Lord 1221 and approved by Pope Nicholas IV in the Year of the Lord 1289, on 18 August, the second year of his Pontificate.

Nicholas, Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved sons and daughters in Christ, Sisters of the Order of the Brothers of Penance, [both present and future], greetings and the apostolic blessing.

It is known that the solid basis of the Christian religion, which no "turbine" could ever shake and no flood drown is built ON THE ROCK of the Catholic faith, that faith which the sincere devotion of the disciples of Christ, burning with the fire of charity, taught to the nations who wandered in darkness with the word of their convincing preaching, the same faith which the Roman Church professes and "preserves".

This, in fact, is the true and wise faith, without which no one is acceptable in the sight of the Most high, and no one is welcome in his presence. This is the faith which prepares the way of salvation and is a pledge of the immense gift of eternal happiness.

For that reason the glorious confessor of Christ, St. Francis, founder of this order, showing, in his age by word and deed the way to the Lord, trained his sons in the sincerity of this same faith he commanded that they profess it, always hold to it and express it in their works so that, walking in the way of salvation along safe paths, they may deserve to arrive at eternal beatitude at the end of their earthly pilgrimage.

I
ON THE MANNER OF EXAMINING
THOSE DESIROUS OF ENTERING THE ORDER

We, therefore, honouring this Order with fitting favours and very readily attending its growth, decree that,

1. All who may happen to take upon themselves the observance of this form of life, before the undertaking or their reception, be subjected to a diligent examination on the Catholic faith and their obedience to the aforesaid Church. And if they have firmly their faith and obedience and truly believe in them, they may safely be admitted or received to it.

2. Solicitous precautions must be taken, however, lest any heretic or one suspected of heresy, or even one of ill-repute be in any way admitted to the observance of this life.

3. And if it happen that such a one was found to have been admitted, he should be turned over to the inquisitors as quickly as possible, to be punished for heretical depravity.

II
ON THE MANNER OF RECEIVING INTO THE ORDER

1. When anyone, however, wishes to enter such a fraternity, let the ministers assigned for the reception of such, diligently investigate his office, state and condition, explaining to him very clearly the duties of this fraternity and his fraternity and especially the restitution of goods of others.

After this, if he so wishes, he may be clothed after the manner of the fraternity, and let him strive to make satisfaction for the goods of others, should any be in his possession, in money or by giving a pledge of security, and let him take no less care to reconcile himself with his neighbours.

2. A year after all these things had been done, he may, on the advice of some discreet brothers, if he shall appear fit to them, be received in this manner, namely, that he promise to keep all the divine precepts, and also to appear when summoned at the will of the visitor to make satisfaction, as it behoves for all transgressions which he might commit against this manner of life.

3. After having been made, let this promise be set down in writing there by a notary public. Let no one be received by these ministers in any other manner unless it should appear otherwise to them after having discussed with solicitous consideration the condition and dignity of the person.

4. Moreover, We ordain and decree that after entering this fraternity, no one may leave it to return to the world; he may, however, freely transfer to another approved religious order.

5. Married women may not be admitted to membership in this fraternity without the permission and consent of their husbands.

III
ON THE MANNER OF DRESS

1. Let the brothers of this fraternity be clothed alike in cloth of low price and of a color neither entirely white nor entirely black, unless, for a legitimate and apparent reason the visitors, upon the advice of their ministers, have temporarily dispensed someone with regard to the price. Let the above mentioned brothers also have cloaks and furred outer garments without an opening at the neck, divided or in one piece, and not open but fastened together as becomes modesty, and let the sleeves be closed.

2. Let the sisters also wear a cloak and tunic made of the same common cloth, or at least with the cloak let them have a black or white skirt or dress or an ample robe of hemp or linen, sewn without any pleats.

3. According to the condition of each of them and the local custom, a dispensation may be granted to the sisters concerning the quality of the cloth and the furred outer garments.

4. Let the brothers and sisters, however not use ribbons or silk cords. Let them have furs only of lambskin, purses of leather and the thongs made without any silk, and none others shall they have. Other ornaments of the world are to be set aside according to the salutary counsel of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles (1 Peter 3:3).

IV
ON AVOIDING IMMODEST GATHERINGS

1. Let attendance at unseemly banquets, or shows or public festivals and dances be absolutely forbidden to them.

2. They should give nothing to actors or for the sake of vanity, and let them take care to prohibit that anything be given by family.

V
ON ABSTINENCE AND FASTING

1. Let all abstain from meat on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, unless a condition of sickness or weakness would suggest otherwise. Let meat, however, be given on three successive days to those who have been bled, and it should not be denied to those making a journey.

Let the eating of meat be lawful for all when a special solemnity occurs on which all other Christians, from ancient times, are wont to eat flesh foods; on other days, however, when fast is not observed, eggs and cheese should not be denied. When they are with other religious in their convents they may licitly eat what is placed before them.

They should be content with dinner and supper, unless they are weak, sick or on a journey. Let the food and drink of the healthy be moderate, for the Gospel text has: But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overburdened with self-indulgence and drunkenness (Luke 2:34).

Dinner or supper should not be eaten until the Lord's Prayer has been said once; after the meal it should be repeated together with "Thanks be to God". But if it is omitted, then let three Our Fathers be said.

2. Let them fast on every Friday throughout the year unless the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord fall on that day; but from the Feast of All Saints until Easter they shall fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. No less shall they observe the other fasts prescribed by the Church or imposed by the Ordinaries for common cause.

During the Lent from the Feast of Blessed Martin until Christmas and from Quinquagesima Sunday until Easter, except Sundays, they should take care to fast every day, unless perhaps sickness or another necessity suggest otherwise.

3. Pregnant sisters may abstain, if they wish, from all bodily mortification, except prayer, until the day of their purification.

Workers, on account of the demands brought on by fatigue, may licitly take food three times a day on any day they are engaged in labour from Easter until the Feast of St. Francis.

When it happens that they are engaged in labour for others, they are allowed every day to eat of all things placed before them except on Friday or a day on which it is known that a fast for all has been instituted by the Church.

VI
ON CONFESSION AND HOLY COMMUNION

Let each of the brothers and sisters not neglect to confess their sins and devoutly receive the Eucharist three times a year, namely, on the Feasts of the Nativity of the Lord, the Resurrection of the Lord and Pentecost, reconciling themselves with their neighbours and restoring the goods of others.

VII
ON NOT BEARING ARMS

Let the brothers not carry offensive weapons with themselves, unless in defence of the Roman Church, the Christian faith, or their country, or with the permission of their ministers.

VIII
ON PRAYER

Let all say the seven canonical hours daily, namely, Matins, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline.

The clerics, namely, knowing the psalter, should say for Prime (Psalm 53) Deus in nomine tuo and (Psalm 118, verses 1-32) Beati immaculati up to Legem pone, and also the other psalms of the hours with the Glories according to the rite of clerics.

However, when they do not come to church, they should strive to say the psalms for Matins which are said by the clerics or the Cathedral Church, or at least, like the illiterate others, let them not neglect to say for Matins twelve Our Fathers and Glories, and for each other hour, seven Our Fathers and Glories.

Those who know the minor Creed and the (Psalm 50) Miserere mei, Deus should add it for the hours of Prime and Compline. But if they have not said them at the appointed hours let them say three Our Fathers.

The infirm, however, unless they wish to, shall not be obliged to say these hours.

In the Lent of Blessed Martin and also during the Greater Lent, let them see to it that they be present in their parish churches for morning hours unless they are excused by a reasonable cause.

IX
ON MAKING A WILL

Besides, let all who have the right by law, draw up or make a testament, and arrange and dispose of their goods within the three months immediately following their admission, lest any of them die intestate.

X
ON MAINTAINING PEACE

Let the peace which must be made among the brothers and sisters or even among outsiders who are in dissension, be brought about as it shall seem proper to the ministers, on the advice, if possible, of the diocesan bishop in this matter.

XI
ON CONDUCT DURING PERSECUTION

If, contrary to law, the brothers or sisters or their privileges are assailed with molestations by those having authority or the magistrates of the places where they dwell, let the ministers try to have recourse to the bishops and other local ordinaries, and proceed according to their counsel and disposition in such matters.

XII
ON TAKING OATHS

1. Let all abstain from solemn oaths unless forced by necessity in the cases excepted through the indulgence of the Apostolic See, namely, for peace, faith, calumny, and affirming a testimony, and also when it shall seem expedient in a contract of buying, selling, or giving.

2. Furthermore, in their ordinary conversation, let them avoid oaths as much as they are able, and whoever on any day carelessly swears by a slip of the tongue, as it usually happens in much talking, that evening when he must reflect on what he had done, let him say the Lord's Prayer three times for having taken such oaths carelessly.

3. And let everyone remember to encourage his own family to serve God.

XIII
ON HEARING MASS AND THE MONTHLY MEETINGS

1. Let all healthy brothers and sisters of every city or locality hear Mass daily if they conveniently are able to do so, and every month let them assemble at a Church or place which the ministers have been careful to announce in order to hear Mass there.

2. Let each member give a piece of the usual money to the treasurer who shall collect such money and, on the advice of the ministers, suitably divide it among the brothers and sisters oppressed by poverty, and especially among the infirm and those who are known to lack the means for a funeral service, and finally among the other poor.

3. Let them also offer some of this money to the aforesaid church.

And then, if they can do so conveniently, they should have a religious, one ably instructed in the word of God, who will earnestly exhort, admonish and arouse them to penance and the exercise of the works of mercy.

Let everyone strive to observe silence while the Mass is being celebrated and the sermon preached, and be intent upon the prayer and office, unless the common good of the fraternity impede.

XIV
OF SICK AND DEPARTED MEMBERS

1. When any of the brothers happens to take ill, the ministers either themselves or through another or others, are bound, if the sick person has notified them of the illness, to visit him once a week and earnestly urge him, as they shall judge it to be of greater advantage and profit, to receive penance, and provide for the necessities of the sick person from the common fund.

2. If the aforementioned sick person should depart from the present life, it should be announced to the brethren and sisters then present in the city or locality where he happened to die, that they might be sure to attend personally the obsequies of the deceased from which let them not depart until after the Mass has been celebrated and the body placed in the grave. We wish that this be observed also with regard to sick and deceased sisters.

3. Moreover, during the eight days immediately following the death of the one interred, let each of the brothers and sisters say for his soul, namely: a priest, one Mass; one who knows the psalter, fifty psalms; and the illiterate, Our Father fifty times, and let them add at the end of each the Eternal rest.

And after this, during the year they should have three Masses celebrated for the welfare of the brothers and sisters, living and dead. Let those who know the psalter say it, and the rest should not fail to say the Our Father one hundred times, adding at the end of each the Eternal rest.

XV
OF MINISTERS

Also let everyone on whom the ministerial or other offices mentioned in the contents of this present document are imposed, undertake them devoutly and take care to exercise faithfully. Let each office be limited to a definite period of time and let no minister be installed for life, but let his ministry extend over a definite time.

XVI
CONCERNING THE VISITATION AND CORRECTION OF DELINQUENTS

1. For these things, let the ministers, brothers and sisters of every city and locality convene for a visitation in common at some religious place, or in a church when it happens that a place of this kind is lacking, and they should have as visitor a priest who belongs to some approved religious order and who shall impose a salutary penance on those who have committed digressions.

Nor may any other perform this office of visitation for them.

2. Because this present form of life took its origin from the aforementioned Blessed Francis, We counsel that the visitors and instructors should be taken from the Order of Friars Minor, whom the custodes or guardians of the same Order shall appoint, when they have ken requested in the matter. However, We do not want a congregation of this kind to be visited by a lay person.

3. Let such an office of visitation be exercised once a year, unless some necessity urges that it be made more often. Let the incorrigible and disobedient be forewarned three times, and if they should not try to correct themselves, then, on the counsel of the discreets, let them be totally deprived of membership in this congregation.

XVII
ON AVOIDING LAWSUITS

Moreover, as far as they are able, let the brothers and sisters avoid quarrels among themselves, suppressing those which might happen to arise, otherwise, let them answer to the law before one vested with judicial power.

XVIII
CONCERNING DISPENSATIONS

Local ordinaries or the visitor may dispense all the brothers and sisters from abstinences, fasts and other austerities, when for a legitimate cause it shall seem expedient.

XIX
ON DECLARATION OF FAULTS

Let the ministers denounce the manifest faults of the brothers and sisters to the visitor that they may be punished.

And if any one might be incorrigible, after a third admonition, the ministers, on the advice of some of the discreet brothers should report him to the visitor that he deprive him of membership in the fraternity. Afterwards, this fact must be made known to the congregation.

XX
CONCERNING THE BINDING FORCE OF THE RULE

Finally, We wish that none of the brothers and sisters be obliged under pain of mortal sin to all the foregoing, except where they are bound by divine precepts and statutes of the Church. However, let them promptly and humbly receive the penance imposed upon them according to the gravity of the transgression, and effectively serve to fulfil it.

Given at Rieti, on the sixteenth of the calends of September, and the second year of our pontificate (August 17, 1289).