ers we
know, for one of their number writes of him:--

"We saw Brother Francis, Founder of the Order of Minors, arrive; he is
a simple man, but very lovable, and dear to God as well as to men, and
is much respected by all."

The impression the Crusaders made upon Francis was not so favorable!
There was a great deal of discord among them. The Knights looked down on
the men-at-arms, and the men-at-arms called the Knights treacherous.
Francis had grave doubts as to the result of _their_ expedition from the
beginning. Immediately upon landing, the Crusaders had planned to do
battle with the Saracens. This line of action was totally opposed to
Francis' ideas of Christianity.

"I know, by a revelation of the Lord," he said to Illuminato, "that
they will be defeated in this attempt. If I tell them so, they will
treat me as a madman; and, on the other hand, if I do not tell them my
conscience will condemn me. What do you think I ought to do?"

"My brother," said Illuminato, who was a man of virtue and
intelligence, "what does the world's judgment matter to you? If they
say you are mad, it will not be the first time they have said so! Do
not burden your conscience; fear God rather than man!"

So Francis was true to his conscience, and warned the Crusaders, but
they laughed him to scorn! They rushed into a battle, and were utterly
defeated. Six thousand Christians were killed or taken prisoners.
During the battle Francis was very anxious and unhappy, and often he
wept bitterly for those whom he had tried to save!

Now that force had failed, Francis felt that his time had come. He
would go to the Sultan. The Crusaders, what were left of them, in
their turn, tried to dissuade him. They told him that he could not get
from one camp to another without being killed, and that the Sultan had
offered a golden reward to anyone who would bring the head of a
Christian. He replied that he did not fear death, and would make the
attempt. First though, before he set out, he went to one of the
Cardinals who were with the Crusaders, and told him what he proposed
doing. A contemporary writer preserves for us this interview. He
writes, probably in a letter to some friend--

[Sidenote: _Two Clerks._]

"Now I must tell you that two Clerks (Francis and Illuminato) were in
the Army, and they came to the Cardinal. They said that they would go
to the Sultan to preach, and they wished to go with his leave. The
Cardinal said they should not go wit