Early Commentaries on the Rule of the Friars Minor ed. by David Flood, OFM (review)

The publication of this volume completes the set of English translations of the commentaries on the Franciscan Rule, beginning with the 1242 exposition of the four Parisian masters and followed by Hugh of Digne, David of Augsburg, John of Wales and Angelo Clareno. It brings together the glosses by two friars with contrasting experiences of the order, Peter of John Olivi and John Pecham. Both were members of le grand couvent des Cordeliers at Paris in the later 1260s and the 1270s: the one served as lector in his own province at Narbonne and Montpellier and then at Santa Croce in Florence and the other was the regent master of theology at the Universities of Paris and Oxford. Olivi was one of the friars consulted in the preparation of Nicholas III's Exiit qui seminat of 14 August 1279 and his commentary refers to the drafting of the preparatory texts. Pecham held the office of minister provincial of England prior to his appointment as lector of the sacred palace at the papal court and then archbishop of Canterbury. Both friars were vigilant in opposing further relaxations of the Rule and championed a high level of observance.

The introduction to the commentary by Olivi is preceded by the editor's reflections on the experience of friars, such as Fr Victorin Doucet, OFM, who was discouraged from exploring the writings of the Provençal friar. Olivi's commentary includes references to some of his own writings, especially his Quaestiones de perfectione evangelica and the Lectura super Matthaeum. Nicholas III's Exiit qui seminat was cited and one lengthy passage was reproduced. Olivi gives an insight into the composition of this papal decree and incorporates a reference to Bermudus, his minister provincial. There are numerous borrowings from the commentary on the Rule by the four Parisian masters and there are solitary references to the example of Brother Giles and the notes compiled by Brother Leo. The commentary draws upon the rich tradition of patristic literature, especially the authoritative writings of Augustine of Hippo, while the writings of St Bernard of Clairvaux represent twelfth century theologians. Despite Olivi's influence in the later 1270s and his participation in the preparation of Exiit qui seminat, his teaching was called into question and some of his writings were censured by his confrères in 1283. He successfully defended the orthodoxy of his teaching and earned the approbation of the new minister general, Matthew of Acquasparta, who appointed him to lecture at Santa Croce, where he taught alongside Ubertino da Casale. Echoes of the attacks on his teaching, especially over poor use, occur in his explanation of the sixth chapter of the Rule: "it is, then, truly strange that some would have my head for inventing something new because I have written about poor use (de paupere usu). I have been fairly forced to assert poor use and defend it against those who attacked and fought it. I have done so, above all, because I believe-and have believed beyond any doubt-that denying it in such an explicit and expressive way would result in the thorough ruin of the Christian faith, our Rule and the Gospel program" (p. 59). At the opening and the close of the commentary, Olivi referred to the first six chapters of the Rule as the foundation of the order, reflecting the work of creation which was accomplished in six days. The resourcefulness of voices clamouring for a relaxation of the rigours of the Rule was noted.

The length of the exposition of the chapters varies. While the first six chapters are expounded at some length, some of the later chapters generate less comment and are explained briefly. For instance, chapter seven fills three and a half pages, while chapter six covers sixteen. The Rule and its threefold vows...