f. On the other hand we read in a letter
of Clareno: "_Ad hanc (paupertatem) perfecte servandam Christus
Franciscum vocavit et elegit in hac hora novissima et precepit
ei evangelicam assumere regulam, et a papa Innocentio fuit
omnibus annuntiatum in concilio generali, quod de sua
auctoritate et obedientia sanctus Franciscus evangelicam vitam
et regulam assumpserat et Christo inspirante servare promiserat,
sicut sanctus vir fr. Leo scribit et fr. Johannes de Celano._"
_Archiv._, i., p. 559.

[22] "_Audiens enim semel quorundam fratrum enormes excessus, ut
fr. Thomas de Celano scribit, et malum exemplum per eos
secularibus datum._" Laur. MS., f^o 13b. The passage which
follows evidently refers to 2 Cel., 3, 93 and 112.

[23] "_Et fecerunt de regula prima ministri removeri capitulum
istud de prohibitionibus sancti evangelii, sicut frater Leo
scribit._" Laur. Ms. f^o 12b. Cf. _Spec._, 9a, see p. 248. "_Nam
cum rediisset de partibus ultramarinis, minister quidam
loquebatur cum eo, ut frater Leo refert, de capitulo
paupertatis_," f^o 13a, cf. _Spec._, 9a, "_S. Franciscus, teste
fr. Leone, frequenter et cum multo studio recitabat fabulam ...
quod oportebat finaliter ordinem humiliari et ad sue humilitatis
principia confitenda et tenenda reduci_." _Archiv._, ii., p.
129.

There is only one point of contact between the Legend of the
Three Companions, such as it is to-day, and these passages; but
we find on the contrary revised accounts in the _Speculum_ and
in the other collections, where they are cited as coming from
Brother Leo.

[24] Clareno, for example, holds that the Cardinal Ugolini had
sustained St. Francis without approving of the first Rule, in
concert with Cardinal Giovanni di San Paolo. This is possible,
since Ugolini was created cardinal in 1198 (Vide Cardella:
_Memorie storiche de' Cardinali_, 9 vols., 8vo, Rome, 1792-1793,
t. i., pt. 2, p. 190). Besides this would better explain the
zeal with which he protected the divers Orders founded by St.
Francis, from 1217. The chapter where Clareno tells how St.
Francis wrote the Rule shows the working over of the legend, but
it is very possible that he has borrowed it in its present form
from Brother Leo. It is to be note