more historical truth, that although
Angelico "might have conveniently lived in the world, and besides his
own possessions might have gained any income he chose, with the art
for which he was famous even in his youth, yet, for his own
satisfaction and peace, being by nature steady and good, and chiefly
also for the salvation of his soul he preferred to take the vows in
the order of the Preaching monks."[13] This happened in 1407.

On the slopes of the smiling hill of Fiesole the foundations of a new
convent were being laid by Giovanni Dominici, the great preacher and
reformer, who wished in this new monastery to give a model to all the
cloistered orders which at the close of the preceding century had
greatly fallen from their ancient observances. St. Antonino was among
the first to embrace this reform, and after two years Guidolino and
his brother followed his example, choosing the robes of St. Dominic.

On being received by the Dominicans they were sent to Cortona, where
St. Antonino and others already resided, there being as yet no
novitiate at the Fiesole convent. In 1408 they took the irrevocable
vows, but it cannot be ascertained whether they still remained at
Cortona, or returned at once to their own convent at Fiesole. If the
latter, the two brothers must have been involved in the vicissitudes
of the Fiesolan convent, which, refusing to acknowledge Pope Alexander
V. (who was elected by the Council of Pisa 1409), entered into a
fierce contest with the archbishop of Florence. The convent was
abandoned by its inmates who fled to Foligno to avoid the rule of Fra
Tommaso da Fermo, General of the Order, who had sworn obedience to the
new Pope. They were received as guests at Foligno by Ugolino de'
Trinci, lord of the city, and Federigo Frezzi, author of the
_Quadriregio_. Here they passed five years, being treated with great
benevolence by their brethren, nor did they leave until driven away by
the plague in 1414, when they again took shelter at Cortona where they
remained till 1418.

When Guidolino entered the convent and took the name of Giovanni, he
must have been already expert in art; for the vicissitudes which
followed could certainly not have facilitated the study of painting.
In fact his works which remain at Cortona are in so youthful a style,
and bear the imprint of such freshness as to remove all doubt on this
generally accepted assertion.

While staying at Foligno, the Fiesolan refugees propagated that