departed, and according to the bidding of St. Francis
carried his message first unto St. Clare and then unto Brother
Silvester. Who, when he had heard thereof, forthwith fell on his knees
in prayer, and as he prayed received answer from God, and turned to
Brother Masseo, and bespake him thus: "Thus saith the Lord: Say unto
Brother Francis that God has not called him to this estate for himself
alone, but to the end that he may gain fruit of souls, and that many
through him may be saved." With this reply Brother Masseo returned to
St. Clare to learn what she had received of God, and she answered that
God had sent to her and her companions the same reply as He had given to
Brother Silvester. Whereat Brother Masseo hied him back again to St.
Francis; and St. Francis received him with exceeding great love, washing
his feet and making ready for him the meal, and after he had eaten, St.
Francis called Brother Masseo into the wood; and there kneeled down
before him and drew back his hood, stretching out his arms in the shape
of a cross, and asked him: "What has my Lord Jesu Christ commanded that
I should do?" Replied Brother Masseo: "As unto Brother Silvester, so
likewise unto Sister Clare and her sisters, has Christ made answer and
revealed: that it is His will that thou go throughout the world to
preach, since He hath chosen thee not for thyself alone, but also for
the salvation of others." And then St. Francis, when he had heard this
answer and known thereby the will of Jesu Christ, rose up with fervor
exceeding great, and said: "Let us be going in the name of God"; and he
took for his companions Brother Masseo and Brother Agnolo, holy men. And
setting forth with fervent zeal of spirit, taking no thought for road or
way, they came unto a little town that was called Savurniano, and St.
Francis set himself to preach, but first he bade the swallows that were
twittering keep silence till such time as he had done the preaching; and
the swallows were obedient to his word, and he preached there with such
fervor that all the men and women of that town minded through their
devotion to come after him and leave the town, but St. Francis suffered
them not, saying: "Make not ill haste nor leave your homes; and I will
ordain for you what ye should do for the salvation of your souls": and
therewith he resolved to found the third Order, for the salvation of all
the world.

And so leaving them much comforted and with minds firm set on peniten