hee religious fervour, candour of life, irreproachable
conduct, renowned learning, prudent foresight, serious gravity. We see
that thou hast so long and so laudably presided over thine Order, and
fulfilled so faithfully the office of Minister-General--exercising it
prudently and profitably for the greater honour and welfare of the
Order, striving to live innocently under regular observance, showing
thyself peaceful and lovable to all. Wherefore, we are fully convinced
that we see in thee what we desire for the welfare of the said Church,
the Apostolic See and the entire Kingdom. By our Apostolic authority,
therefore, we make provision for the aforesaid Church through thee,
and constitute thee its Archbishop and Pastor, absolving thee from the
office of Minister-General and transferring thee to the said Church,
granting thee free licence to go thither. Therefore we exhort,
admonish, affectionately entreat, and strictly command thee by virtue
of holy obedience not to resist the Divine Will, nor to oppose any
obstacle nor delay to our command, but humbly to submit to the call of
Heaven and accept the burden placed upon thee by God."

{86}

Undoubtedly, only the gravest reasons could have induced Bonaventure
to resist so urgent an appeal of the Vicar of Christ. What they were
we do not know, and it is useless to enter upon conjectures. The
incident shows us the extraordinary esteem in which our Saint was
held, and it also gives us an insight into the deep solicitude with
which the Popes in the thirteenth century watched over the interests
of the Church in England. The action of the Roman Pontiffs in
appointing foreign ecclesiastics to English Sees has been severely
condemned by Protestant historians, but anyone reading the Bull of
Bonaventure's appointment must confess that they took the greatest
care to select worthy and suitable candidates.

Having succeeded in obtaining the revocation of his appointment, our
Saint went to Paris, where he remained teaching and attending to the
affairs of the Order until the year 1269, when he celebrated the
General Chapter at Assisi. Returning again to Paris he devoted himself
to his writings, lectures, sermons and ministerial duties, until 1271,
when at Viterbo he played a most important part in a very memorable
event. On the death of Clement IV. (1268), the Cardinals were so
hopelessly divided in their opinions that for nearly three years they
were unable to agree in the choice of a