BOOK II

A. D. 1210


It was therefore in the small Church of St. Mary of the Angels, or of
Portiuncula, that Francis laid the foundations of the Order of Friars
Minor, which spread over the whole earth with wonderful rapidity. This
holy place was, as it were, the cradle of the Institute, and the nursery
of the houses of the religious; the source which supplied a great
river, which was divided into various channels; the citadel from whence
numerous brave warriors went forth to encounter the enemies of the
Church; the school which has produced a very great number of saints,
and a multitude of learned men, whose doctrine and piety have been
equally celebrated.

The new habitation, less confined than the hut of Rivo Torto, enabled
the Patriarch to receive the postulants who had before presented
themselves; among whom may be noticed, Leo, Rufino, Masseo of Marigan,
and Juniper:--Leo, whom Francis chose for his confessor and secretary,
and whom he generally called Pecorella Di Dio (the sheep of God), on
account of his admirable candor. Rufino, of whom he said: "I learnt,
by a revelation, that he is one of the most faithful and of the most
pure souls that there is in this world, and I should have no fear of
giving him, though in a mortal body, the title of Saint, since he is
already canonized in heaven." Masseo, whom he often sent, instead of
going himself, to converse with persons of piety, in order not to be