Married at twelve, widowed at fifteen, she entered the Dominicans against her family, who came in arms to drag her out. When her father and brothers were murdered in Pisa, she sent to ask their killer for bread from his own table; years later his wife and daughters found refuge in her monastery. Prioress of a poor monastery, she spent twenty years writing to the merchant Francesco Datini for grain, paper, books, and money to pay the masons.
In their own words
May God give you the grace to take as much trouble over your soul, or even a twentieth part as much, as you have taken until now over acquiring the goods of this world. It is good not to sit idle, but one should take more trouble over what is worth more.
Letter V to Francesco Datini, in Lettere della B. Chiara Gambacorti pisana, ed. Cesare Guasti (d. 1889), Pisa, Nistri, 1871, p. 25; Pisan Italian « diavi grasia che tanto, o delle venti parte l'una, vi solecitiate per l'anima come avete fatto infine a qui per aquistare li ben temporali. Bene è a none istare osioso : ma vuoisi avere più solecitudine di quella ch'è da più », translated by the Manna team
God knows it, we have so much trouble that we do not gather enough to live on for a month and a half. We are eleven mouths.
Letter XI to Francesco Datini, in Lettere della B. Chiara Gambacorti pisana, ed. Cesare Guasti (d. 1889), Pisa, Nistri, 1871, pp. 35-36; Pisan Italian « Iddio il sa, che abiamo tanto afanno, che non ricogliamo da vivere un mese e meso. Sia' xi boche », translated by the Manna team
God knows it, we are worn out, and I have many debts, and grain fails me, and wine, for a great part of the year. And yet I hope in that measureless Love for whose sake we are here.
Letter XII to Francesco Datini, in Lettere della B. Chiara Gambacorti pisana, ed. Cesare Guasti (d. 1889), Pisa, Nistri, 1871, p. 38; Pisan Italian « Iddio il sa, siamo affannate, e ho monti debiti, e gran mi manca e vino per gran parte de l'anno. Pure ispero in quello ismisurato Amore, per chi siàn qui », translated by the Manna team
I did not write to you sooner, and so I write briefly: I have been ill, and I am ill still.
Letter IX to Francesco Datini, in Lettere della B. Chiara Gambacorti pisana, ed. Cesare Guasti (d. 1889), Pisa, Nistri, 1871, p. 34; Pisan Italian « Non v'ho iscritto più tosto, e però breve iscrivo ; sono istata inferma, e anche sono », translated by the Manna team