His first convert was a signal instance of the power of example. A man of wealth and repute in the town by the name of Bernard de Quintavalle, offered to give up his property and follow him as a companion in his work. The two resorted to the church, and after mass applied to the priest for counsel. The Bible was opened, and the first response was, 'If thou will be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor;' when opened a second time, the eye fell on the words, Take nothing for your journey;' and the third appeal was answered thus, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.' Bernard followed these leadings of Providence, gave up all, and attached himself to Francisco, and thus, without intending it, was laid the foundation of the Order of Minor Brethren, which at the close of the 18th century, numbered 115,000 monks, in 7,000 convents.

When the company numbered eight, they retired to a hut in the plain of Rivo Torto, where the natural leader from his more clearly defined purpose, and superior qualities, gave his companions a solemn charge, and dismissed them by twos, in different directions, to preach the gospel of peace and forgiveness. They reassembled, after completing the assigned circuit, with such increase of numbers, as required a rule for their government. The first rule was substantially that of St. Benedict-to live in obedience, chastity, and poverty. They were to call no one 'prior,' but all should be termed Minor Brethren. Their clothing was to be of the poorest kind, they were to live on charity, to travel on foot, except in the most urgent necessity; and one should wash the other's feet.

With this rule, and having sent his recognized companions on their several missions, Francis himself went to Rome with three companions, to procure the Pope's sanction to the order. They met the Pope on a terrace of the Lateran Palace, and threw themselves at his feet. But these men, with bare, unwashed feet and coarse attire, had given as yet no outward sign of apostleship, and they were repulsed. They retired to pray; and the next morning they received a summons from the Pope to his presence, who gave his sanction to the order, when the brethren returned to Assisi, where they were received in triumph, and many left their homes and business to participate in the labors which the rule imposed.

To meet the wants of individuals who could not break away from the ties of home and business, St. Francis instituted the Order of Penitents, who were compelled to pray, to fast, and to live according to certain rules, and wear beneath the ordinary garb the penitential girdle. This order included both sexes, and people of all

classes. One member of this order, a daughter of the house of Ortolana, who had been brought up religiously by her mother, was so carried away by the enthusiastic eloquence of St. Francis, that she retired to the Church of St. Damian, which he had rebuilt. That edifice was soon converted into a convent for Clara, and such as were disposed to join her, and there was instituted in 1209 the third order of St. Francis, or the Damianistines, of which Clara was made Abbess, and after her canonization, they were also called the nuns of St. Clara, or Poor Ladies. He subsequently (1221) established a third order, called Tertiarians, of persons of both sexes, who did not wish to renounce the world and its avocations, but desired to serve the church by good works.

In the sixth year after his conversion he resolved to preach to the Mohammedans and other infidels, and for this purpose embarked for Syria, and being forced back by a tempest, landed on the coast of Dalmatia, and subsequently he passed over to Morocco, and thence into Spain-everywhere preaching the gospel, and establishing houses of his order.

In 1216, the first general council of the order was held in Porzioncula, when missions were assigned for his principal followers-he selecting France as his own field of operations. Here the Franciscan first met Dominic, the founder of the order of Friarspreachers. In 1219, the famous general council was held, called of Matts, because the company was too numerous to be assembled in any building, met in booths in the fields to the number of 5,000. When asked by many of the brethren to obtain permission of the Pope to preach everywhere, without permission of the bishop, the founder charged them 'to abstain from asking for privileges, but to be content to labor with all humility and respect for their superiors wherever a soul was to be saved.' Seeing the spirit of boasting which such large assemblies inspired, he dismissed the company to their several missions, reiterating the severity of the rule which forbade all dreams of glory or power, he seeking the crown of martyrdom by joining the Christian army at that time under the walls of Damietta, in Egypt. Burning with zeal for the conversion of the Saracens, he passed into the outposts of the enemy, and asked to be taken to the Sultan. When asked his errand he replied with intrepidity, 'I am a Christian, and am here to show you and your people the way of salvation.' Being invited to stay, St. Francis replied he would willingly do so if you and your people will be converted to Christ.' To test the sincerity of the Christian and infidel bishops, he requested a fire to be kindled, and chal

lenged the chief priests to walk with him into it—relying on the God of truth to protect the champion of the right. To the Sultan, who said he did not think any of his priests would submit to the torture for the sake of their religion,' he remarked, 'promise me you will adopt the Christian religion if I come out uninjured, and I will enter the fire alone.' The Sultan was impressed with this singular faith and sincerity, and it is among the traditions of the order, that he was baptized just before his death.

On his return from Palestine into Italy, he found that Elias, whom he left vicar general in his absence, had distinguished himself by a finer habit. He at once deposed him, and placed Peter of Cortona in his position.

In 1223, he obtained from Pope Honorius III., at Perugia, the confirmation of the indulgence to all who should confess their sins in the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, in Porzioncula, in consequence of which annual pilgrimages from all parts of Italy are still made to this spot. At the same time he secured a written confirmation of the rule of his order. After witnessing the rapid growth of his order in different countries, and receiving the 'stigmata' in a vision, he died at Assisi, Oct. 4, 1226, and was canonized in 1228.

FRANCISCANS OR MINORITES.

The rule prescribed by St. Francis for the order of Minorites, and sanctioned by the Pope orally in 1210, and formally in 1223, bound its members to absolute poverty, and to the service of preaching. By degrees their houses were permitted to hold property, and the mendicant brethren became distinguished for scholarship, opened schools, were admitted to chairs in the universities, and filled the highest offices in the church. Among the eminent scholars and teachers who followed the rule of this order, stand the names of Adam Marsh, Bonaventura, Duns Scotus, Roger Bacon, Alexander of Hales, and others scarcely less distinguished in the best science of their age, as well as in the scholastic philosophy. In the list of popes we find of Franciscan training, Nicholas IV., Alexander V., Sextus IV. and V., and Clement XIV.

The deviations from time to time from the original rules of the founder, led to the formation of other fraternities-the Conventuals and Celestines in the 13th century, and the Spirituals in the 14th century, united with the Socrolanti or sandal wearers in 1863, and constituted the Observantins in 1517. The Cordeliers, the Reformati, and the Recollects of France, and the Aleontarines of Spain and Portugal, belong to the Franciscan order.

Labors of the Order in England.

At the second general chapter held by St. Francis, at Porzioncula, in the year 1219, when the brethren were divided into parties and sent out on their missions, England was one of the first mission-stations assigned. France was the first, then came England, chiefly, it is thought, through the influence of an Englishman, one William, who was a follower of St. Francis. The honor of leading this mission was assigned to Brother Angnello de Pisa, who was made minister-general of the order in England. His authority was as follows: "Ego Frater Franciscus de Assisio minister generalis præcipio tibi Fratri Angnello de Pisa per obedientiam, ut vadas in Angliam et ibi facias officium ministeriatus. Vale. Anno 1219. Franciscus de Assisio."

They were also fortified with letters recommendatory from Pope Honorius, addressed to all "archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, and other prelates of the church," enjoining them to receive the bearers as Catholics and true believers, and to "show them favor and courtesy." The actual date of their landing in England is disputed. Eccleston in his MSS., "De Primo Adventu Minorum," gives the year 1224, but the more probable date is 1220, which is given by Wadding, the annalist of the Order, and confirmed by Matthew Paris, who under the year 1243 speaks of the Friars Minors, "who began to build their first habitations in England scarcely twenty-four years ago." As they had no money of their own, and lived upon what was given them, they were transported to England from France by the charity of some monks of Fécamp. They were nine in number, four clergymen and five laymen. The former were Angnellus, a native of Pisa, Richard de Ingeworth, Richard of Devonshire, and William Esseby. The laymen were Henry de Cernise, a native of Lom. bardy, Laurence de Belvaco, William de Florentia, Melioratus, and James Ultramontanus. They landed at Dover, and proceeded to Canterbury, where they were hospitably received, and staid two days at the Priory of the Holy Trinity. Then four of them set out for London to present the apostolical letters to Henry III., who received them very kindly, which, as they did not want any money, he would be most likely to do.

The other five were housed at Canterbury at the Priests' Hospital, where they remained until a place could be procured for them; such accommodation was found in a small chamber beneath the school-house, where they remained shut up all day, and at evening, when the scholars had gone home, they entered the room, kindled a fire, and sat round it. The four monks who went to London were kindly received by the Dominicans, with whom they staid a fortnight, until one John Travers hired a house for them in Cornhill, which they divided into cells by stuffing the interstices with straw.

The citizens, at the instigation of one Irwin, who afterward became a lay brother, removed them to the butchery or shambles of St. Nicholas, in the Ward of Farringdon-within, close to a place called Stinking-lane, where they built a convent for them. The foundations were laid at Christmas, 1220, and it was five years in course of building. The different portions were built by dif ferent citizens. William Joyner built the choir, William Walleys the nave, Alderman Porter the chapter-house, Bartholomew de Castello the refectory, Peter de Haliland the infirmary, and Roger Bond the library; even in those days the citizens, when they did any thing in the way of charity, did it royally.

Two brethren, however, were sent on to Oxford, where they were also kindly received by Dominican friars, according to Eccleston; but a story is told in the annals of the order of the two brethren who were making their way towards Oxford, when they came to a sort of manor-house, about six miles from Oxford, which was a cell of Benedictine monks, belonging to the abbey of Abingdon.

Being very hungry and tired, they knocked at the gate; and the monks, from their strange dress and extraordinary appearance, taking them for masqueraders, admitted them, hoping for some diversion. But, when they found they were a new order of friars, they turned them out of doors; but one, more gentle than the rest, went after them, brought them back, and persuaded the porter to let them sleep in the hay-loft. Both versions may be right, as the circumstance occurred outside Oxford; and Eccleston's account commences with their advent in that city when they were received by the Dominicans, with whom they remained for about eight days, until a rich citizen, Richard Mercer, let them a house in the Parish of St. Ebbs. Then the two brethren go on to Northampton, where they were received into an hospital. They procured a house in the parish of St. Giles, over which they appointed one Peter Hispanus as guardian.

Then they went to Cambridge, where the townspeople gave them an old synagogue, adjoining the common prison; but afterward, ten marks being given them from the king's exchequer, they built a rough sort of oratory on a plot of ground in the city. After that another settlement was made in Lincoln, and gradually in many other cities; so that in thirty-two years from their arrival they numbered 1,242 brethren in forty-nine different settlements. Their first convert was one Solomon, of good birth and connections.

When only a novice, he was appointed procurator of his house; that is, he had to go out to beg for it. The first place he went to was the residence of a sister, who gave him some bread, with the following remark: "Cursed be the hour when I ever saw thee!" So strict was their poverty, that one of the brethren being ill, and they having no means to make a fire, got round him, clung to him, and warmed him with their bodies, "sicut porcis mos est."

They walked about barefooted through the snow, to the horror of the spectators. Brother Solomon injured his foot so severely that he was laid up for two years; and whilst ill the Lord appeared to him, accompanied by the apostle Peter. And by way of contrast, we are told shortly after that the devil appeared to one Brother Gilbert de Vyz, when he was alone, and said to him, "Do you think to avoid me? At least you shall have this," and threw at him a fistful of vermin, and then vanished: et projecit super eum plenum pugillum, suum pediculorum et evanuit," so states Master Eccleston.

The second convert was William of London; then followed Jocius of Cornhill, a clerk, who went to Spain, labored, and died; John, another clerk; Philip, a priest, who, being a good preacher, was sent to Ireland, and died there. Then came several magistrates, amongst whom were Walter de Burg, Richard Norman, Vincent of Coventry, Adam of Oxford; but one of the greatest accessions was in the person of Adam Marsh, better known as Adæ de Marisco, who was destined to found that distinguished school at Oxford which boasts such names as Scotus, Occam, Roger Bacon, and others. Adam was called Doctor Illustris. After him came John of Reading, abbot of Ozeneyæ, and Richard Rufus. Then came some military men, Dominus R. Gobion, Giles de Merc, Thomas Hispanus, and Henry de Walpole.