nitive conversion of Francis two full years earlier.

[8] 1 Cel., 25; 3 Soc., 23; Bon. 29. Cf. _Anon. Perus._, A. SS.,
p. 582, and A. SS., _Aprilis_, t. iii., p. 220 ff.

[9] _Spec._, 25a: _Qualiter dixit fratri Egidio priusquam esset
receptus ut daret mantellum ciudam pauperi. In primordio
religionis cum maneret apud Regum Tortum cum duobus fratribus
quos tunc tantum habehat._ If we compare this passage with 3
Soc., 44, we shall doubtless arrive at the conclusion that the
account in the Speculum is more satisfactory. It is in fact very
easy to understand the optical illusion by which later on the
Portiuncula was made the scene of the greater number of the
events of St. Francis's life, while it would be difficult to see
why there should have been any attempt to surround Rivo-Torto
with an aureola. The Fioretti say: _Ando inverso lo spedale dei
lebbrosi_, which confirms the indication of Rivo-Torto. _Vita d'
Egidio_, Sec. 1.

[10] _An. Perus_, A. SS., p. 582. Cf. _Fior._, _Vita di Egidio_,
1; _Spec._, 124, 136; 2 Cel., 3, 68; A. SS., _Aprilis_, t. iii.,
p. 227.

[11] _Spec._, 34a; _Conform._, 219b, 1; _Ant. fr._, p. 96.

[12] The Gyrovagi. Tr.

[13] 3 Soc. 32-34; 1 Cel., 27 and 28; Bon., 31.

[14] 3 Soc., 35. Cf. _Anon. Perus._; A. SS., p. 584.

[15] Later on, naturally, it was desired that Francis should
have had no better supporter than Guido; some have even made him
out to be his spiritual director (St. Francois, Plon, p. 24)! We
have an indirect but unexceptionable proof of the reserve with
which these pious traditions must be accepted; Francis did not
even tell his bishop (_pater et dominus animarum_, 3 Soc., 29)
of his design of having his Rule approved by the pope. This is
the more striking because the bishop would have been his natural
advocate at the court of Rome, and because in the absence of any
other reason the most elementary politeness required that he
should have been informed. Add to this that bishops in Italy are
not, as elsewhere, _functionaries_ approached with difficulty by
the common run of mortals. Almost every village in Umbria has
its bishop, so that their importance is hardly greater than that
of the cure of a French canton. Furthermore, several pontifical
docume