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Collecting gifts by a Franciscan friar

Ancient traditional costumes of Madeira

Em português : Portuguese version of this page

Madeira, a fat Franciscan collecting gifts, tenderly - engraving of 1821 reproduced and digitally restored by © Norbert Pousseur
Madeira - ~1820 - A Franciscan collecting gifts for his convent

 

engraving and text extracted from
History of Madeira - 1821 (from my library)
Madeira was then under British domination


A brother of St. Francis collecting donations for his covent


This is one of the orders of St. Francis, all of which, from the nature of their establishment, are mendicant, not being allowed to possess any property beyond the walls of their cloister. The community, which is numerous, is entirely supported by charitable contributions.
There are three branches of the principal institution at Funchal which are settled in different parts of the island, to collect support from the country people, particularly at the time of the vintage. The charity thus obtained consists generally of a loaf of bread, or other article of sustenance, with some small piece of money, for which the mendicant friar returns his holy benediction.
No place escapes their solicitation, which assumes a different form, according to the character of those to whom the eleemosynary applicant addresses himself. Places of refreshment are very numerous in different parts of the town as well as of the country, where stalls present bread, fruit, and wine, for sale, as represented in the plate. These never escape the friar’s application, and as seldom fail of adding to the contents of the conventual sack.

TO CHARITY.
Thou ever blest Samaritan,
How great thy heartfelt good to man !
What blessings, thou fair child of Heaven,
Is by thy power to mortals given.
Where'er the boundless oceans flow ;
Where'er the winds are bid to blow,
Thy smiles the face of sorrow cheer
Thy hand wipes off the flowing tear !
No clime but feels thy beaming ray ;
No shore but knows thy sunny day ;
Nor is there any suffering known
Which charity forgets to own !
And shall Religion ask in vain
Its rites, its altars, to sustain ?
Ah no ! the best returns are made,
When with a prayer the boon's repaid ;
When holy hands salute the cheek,
At once so rosy, plump, and sleek.
Thus, as we see, in different places,
Devotion puts on different faces :
But still, however sought or woo'd,
Goodness will deal the dole of good.

 

The costumes :
The beggar applicant does not seem to be really in need with his enormous belly that is partly hidden by his large black cassock. He is wearing sandals, as he should, and carries a white cloth bag to collect 'donations' such as this bread that is given by this farmer in a large white dress with multicoloured flowers, and who receives for his charity, such a religious caress...

 

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Vignette : Madère, le port - Gravure  de 1820 reproduite puis restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Introduction of the book
Vignette : Travaux ruraux à Madère vers 1820  - gravure reproduite et restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Rural works
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Vignette : Fermier et sa fille allant en ville à Madère vers 1820  - gravure reproduite et restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Farmers on the road
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Domestic work
Vignette : Couple de paysans avec guitare à Madère vers 1820  - gravure reproduite et restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Young couple
Vignette : Couple d'habitnts de l'Ouest de l'île de Madère vers 1820  - gravure reproduite et restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Couple / West
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Vignette : A Madère, transport du vin clair en ville - gravure de 1821  reproduite et restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Claret wine
Vignette : A Madère, transport du vin avec un attelage de bœufs  - gravure de 1821  reproduite et restaurée par © Norbert Pousseur
Transport of wine
Vignette : A Madère, un outre de vin qui profite au transporteur  - gravure de 1821  reproduite et restaurée numériquement par © Norbert Pousseu
Accidental wine

Vignette : A Madère, un gros franciscain et son frère lai  - gravure de 1821  reproduite et restaurée numériquement par © Norbert Pousseur
2 Franciscans

This engraving of Madeira people can be enlarged by zoom,
the original measuring 17x22 cm

 

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