ound, and this
place they chose out for them and for St. Francis to dwell therein; and
with the help of the men-at-arms that bore them company, they made a
little cell of branches of trees; and so they accepted, in the name of
God, and took possession of, the Mount of La Verna, and of the
dwelling-place of the brothers on the mountain, and departed and
returned to St. Francis. And when they were come unto him, they told him
how, and in what manner, they had taken a place on the mountain ... and,
hearing these tidings, St. Francis was right glad, and praising and
giving thanks to God, he spake to these brothers with joyful
countenance, and said, 'My sons, our forty days' fast of St. Michael the
Archangel draweth near: I firmly believe that it is the will of God that
we keep this fast on the Mount of Alvernia, which, by divine decree,
hath been made ready for us to the end, that to the honour and glory of
God, and of His mother, the glorious Virgin Mary, and of the holy
Angels, we may, through penance, merit at the hands of Christ the
consolation of consecrating this blessed mountain.' Thus saying, St.
Francis took with him Brother Masseo da Marignano of Assisi ... and
Brother Angelo Tancredi da Rieti, the which was a man of very gentle
birth, and in the world had been a knight; and Brother Leo, a man of
exceeding great simplicity and purity, for the which cause St. Francis
loved him much. So they set out. 'And on the first night they came to a
house of the brothers, and lodged there. On the second night, by reason
of the bad weather, and because they were tired, not being able to reach
any house of the brothers, or any walled town or village, when the night
overtook them and bad weather, they took refuge in a deserted and
dismantled church, and there laid them down to rest.' But St. Francis
spent the night in prayer. 'And in the morning his companions, being
aware that, through the fatigues of the night which he had passed
without sleep, St. Francis was much weakened in body and could but ill
go on his way afoot, went to a poor peasant of these parts, and begged
him, for the love of God, to lend his ass for Brother Francis, their
Father, that could not go afoot. Hearing them make mention of Brother
Francis, he asked them: 'Are ye of the brethren of the brother of
Assisi, of whom so much good is spoken?' The brothers answered 'Yes,'
and that in very truth it was for him that they asked for the sumpter
beast. Then the good