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...
