⁴Furthermore, it states in the same Rule that the brothers are forbidden "to receive coins or money in any way, either personally or through an intermediary." However, if the brothers want to buy something necessary or useful for themselves or to make payment for something already purchased, they may present to those persons who wish to give them a [monetary] alms either an agent of the person from whom the purchase is being made or someone else, unless perchance these donors prefer to make payment themselves or through agents of their own. The person presented by the brothers in this manner is not their agent, even though he may have been designated by them; rather, he is the agent of the person on whose authority he makes the payment, or of the one who is receiving it. And, once payment has been made for such [specified] goods, if this agent still has alms remaining in his possession, it is permissible for the brothers to have recourse to him for other necessary or beneficial items. If, however, someone is named or presented by them for other necessary or useful items, this person can keep the alms committed to him as though they were his own, or with a spiritual friend or familiar acquaintance of the brothers, who may or may not be designated by them, and through such a one, dispense the alms as deemed expedient by the brothers according to the circumstances and time of their needs or benefit, and even transfer such alms to another person or place. The brothers may also in good conscience have recourse to such agents for necessary and useful items, especially if they are negligent of or simply unaware of their needs. And the person so named or designated by the brothers is not their agent or treasurer, but of those persons who have entrusted their alms and donations to them. And when the brothers have recourse to such appointed or presented persons they are not "receiving coins or money in any form either personally or through intermediaries," since it is not their intention to have such coins or money held by these persons on their own authority nor are they drawing from what has been deposited with them in their own name: they are simply entrusting such agents or depositors with providing for their necessary or useful items.^a

⁵And since in the same Rule it says that "the ministers and custodians alone may take special care through their spiritual friends to provide for the needs of the sick and the clothing of the other brothers," [we say that] other brothers may also diligently take up this

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Et licet in eadem Regula sit prohibitum, ne Fratres recipiant per se, vel per alios denarios, vel pecuniam ullo modo: possunt tamen, si rem sibi necessariam, aut utilem velint emere, vel solutionem facere pro jam empta, vel nucium ejus, a quo res venditur, vel aliquem alium volentibus sibi eleemosynam facere; nisi eidem per se, vel per proprios nuncios solvere maluerint praesentare?: & taliter praesentatus a Fratribus non est eorum nuncius, licet praesentetur ab ipsis, sed illius potius, cujus auctoritate solutionem facit, seu recipientis eamdem: & ad ipsum (si soluto emptae rei pretio de hujusmodi eleemosyna remaneat aliquid apud eum) possunt etiam Fratres pro suis necessitatibus, vel commodic licite habere recursum. Si vero pro aliis Fratrum necessitatibus, aut commodis nominetur aliquis, vel praesentetur ab eis, potest ille commissam sibi eleemosynam, sicut Dominus conservare, vel apud spiritualem, vel familiarem amicum, Fratrum nominatum, vel non nominatum ab ipsis deponere, per eum loco, & tempore pro ipsorum necessitatibus, vel commodis, sicut Fratres expedire viderint, dispensandam, seu etiam ad personam, vel loca alia transferendam: Ad quos etiam Fratres pro hujusmodi necessitatibus, seu commodis sana conscientia recurrere poterunt, maxime si negligentes fuerint, vel necessitates, aut incommoda ignoraverint eorumdem. Et taliter nominati, vel praesentati a Fratribus, non sunt eorum nuncii, seu depositarii, sed illorum, a quibus eis pecunia, vel denarii committuntur: nec Fratres per se, vel per interpositas Personas denarios, vel pecuniam recipiunt nominando, aut praesentando sic aliquos, seu ad hujusmodi nominatos, vel praesentatos taliter recurrendo; cum non sit intentionis eorum, ut de ipsorum auctoritate hujusmodi denarii, vel pecunia conserventur, aut ab eis nomine depositi exigantur: licet nunciis, vel depositariis ipsi committantur pro necessitate, vel commodo eorumdem.

Et cum in dicta Regula subjungatur, quod pro necessitatibus infirmorum, & aliis Fratribus induendis, per amicos Spirituales Ministri tantum, & Custodes sollicitam curam gerant: debent alii Fratres curam hujusmodi, quae praefatis Ministris, & Custodibus ex Regula praecipue incumbit, cum sibi ab illis commissa fuerit, gerere diligenter.