in the 3 Soc., 62: _Expletis itaque undecim annis ab inceptione
religionis, et multiplicatis numero et merito fratribus, electi
fuerant ministri, et missi cum aliquot fratribus quasi per
universas mundi provincias in quibus fides catholica colitur et
servatur._ What does this expression, _inceptio religionis_,
mean? At a first reading one unhesitatingly takes it to refer to
the foundation of the Order, which occurred in April, 1209, by
the reception of the first Brothers; but on adding eleven full
years to this date we reach the summer of 1220. This is
manifestly too late, for the 3 Soc. say that the brethren who
went out were persecuted in most of the countries beyond the
mountains, as being accredited by no pontifical letter; but the
bull _Cum dilecti_, bears the date of June 11, 1219. We are thus
led to think that the eleven years are not to be counted from
the reception of the first Brothers, but from Francis's
conversion, which the authors might well speak of as _inceptio
religionis_, and 1206 + 11 = 1217. The use of this expression to
designate conversion is not entirely without example.
Glassberger says (_An. fr._, p. 9): _Ordinem minorum incepit
anno 1206._ Those who admit 1219 are obliged (like the
Bollandists, for example), to attribute an inaccuracy to the
text of the 3 Soc., that of having counted eleven years as
having passed when there had been only ten. We should notice
that in the two other chronological indications given by the 3
Soc. (27 and 62) they count from the conversion, that is from
1206, as also Thomas of Celano, 88, 105, 119, 97, 88, 57, 55,
21. Curiously, the Conformities reproduce the passage of the 3
Soc. (118b, 1), but with the alteration: _Nono anno ab
inceptione religionis_. Giordano di Giano opens the door to many
scruples: _Anno vero Domini_ 1219 _et anno conversionis ejus