nce of costume between laymen and priests). Vide Ehrle,
_Archiv._, iii., p. 563. It is the influence of the friars from
northern countries which has especially changed it in this
matter. General Aymon, of Faversham (1240-1243), decided that
laymen should be excluded from all charges; _laicos ad officia
inhabilitavit, quae usque tunc ut clerici exercebant_. (_Chron._
xxiv. _gen._ cod. Gadd. relig., 53, f^o 110a). Among the early
Brothers who refused ordination there were surely some who did
so from humility, but this sentiment is not enough to explain
all the cases. There were also with certain of them
revolutionary desires and as it were a vague memory of the
prophecies of Gioacchino di Fiore upon the age succeeding that
of the priests: _Fior._, 27. _Frate Pellegrino non volle mai
andare come chierico, ma come laico, benche fassi molto
litterato e grande decretalista._ Cf. _Conform._, 71a., 2. _Fr.
Thomas Hibernicus sibi pollecem amputavit ne ad sacerdotium
cogeretur._ _Conform._, 124b, 2.

[19] See, for example, the letter to Brother Leo. Cf.
_Conform._, 53b, 2. _Fratri Egidio dedit licentiam liberam ut
iret quocumque vellet et staret ubicumque sibi placeret._

[20] The hermitage of Monte-Casale, at two hours walk northeast
from Borgo San Sepolero, still exists in its original state. It
is one of the most significant and curious of the Franciscan
deserts.

[21] The office of guardian (superior of a monastery) naturally
dates from the time when the Brothers stationed themselves in
small groups in the villages of Umbria--that is to say, most
probably from the year 1211. A few years later the monasteries
were united to form a custodia. Finally, about 1215, Central
Italy was divided unto a certain number of provinces with
provincial ministers at their head. All this was done little by
little, for Francis never permitted himself to regulate what did
not yet exist.

[22] _Fior._, 26; Conform., 119b, 1. Cf. Rule of 1221, cap. vii.
_Quicumque ad eos (fratres) venerint, amicus vel adversarius,
fur vel latro benigne recipiatur._

[23] 2 Cel., 3, 120; _Spec._, 37; _Conform._, 53a, 1. See below,
p. 385, n. 1.

[24] _Fior._, Vita di fra Ginepro; _Spec._, 174-182; _Conform._,
62b.