My personal knowledge of the Rule and the Intention of its Author

5. Moreover We, who from tender years have aroused our affections for the Order itself, by growing up during those (years) with some of the companions of the same Confessor, to whom his life and comportment were known, have discussed in frequent conversation the very rule and holy intention of blessed Francis himself; and later as a Cardinal and shortly afterwards by (means of) the [decision of the] same See, the governor, protector, and corrector of the Order itself, We have handled the actual conditions of the aforesaid Order on account of Our supervisory duties; ³⁰ driven from long experience on account of the aforesaid things to keep Ourselves informed in the office of the apostolate not only concerning the pious intention of the aforesaid Confessor but also concerning those things which touch the Rule itself and its observance, We had recourse to the aforesaid Order [itself]; and not only those things, which are known to have been approved and declared by Our same predecessors, but also the Rule itself and those things touching upon it, We with full maturity have discussed, [and] not a few (of these) We in the sequence [of this] present [document] have established, declared, [and] approved more certainly, [and] having been approved We have strengthened, described and conceded them, by arranging very many [of them] more clearly and more orderly, which are expressed more fully in the following articles.