Chapter XVI. Of his sojourn at Rivo Torto and of his guarding of Poverty

42. The blessed Francis with the other brethren repaired to a place called Rivo Torto by the city of Assisi. Here there was a forsaken hovel beneath whose shelter those mos¹ strenuous despisers of large and beautiful houses abode, and protected themselves from storms of rain. For, as saith the Saint, one ascends to Heaven quicker from a hovel than from a palace. In that same place there dwelt with the blessed father all his sons and brethren in much toil and in lack of all things; very often, wholly deprived of the solace of bread, they were content with turnips only, which in their distress they begged for here and there over the plain of Assisi. Their dwelling was so extremely cramped that they could scarce sit down or rest in it. There was not a sound of murmuring or complaining at these things; but their heart being at peace their mind was filled with joy and kept them patient. S. Francis most carefully examined himself and his companions daily, nay continually; he suffered not that aught of wantonness should linger in them, and drove away all negligence from their hearts. Rigid in discipline he guarded himself watchfully at every hour; for if ever (as is usual) any fleshly temptation assailed him he would plunge in winter into a pit full of ice and remain there until all fleshly taint withdrew from him. And the others most eagerly followed the example of such mortification. 43. He taught them not only to mortify vices and to keep down the prompt-ings of the flesh but also to control even the outward organs of sense whereby death enters the soul. For when at that time1 the Emperor Otho [IV.] was passing through those quarters with great stir and pomp to receive the crown of the earthly Empire, the most holy father and his companions in the said hovel were close to the road by which the Emperor was passing; but he did not go out to look, nor did he allow any to do so, save one who was most stedfastly to announce to the Emperor that this glory of his would endure but for a short time. For the glorious Saint was dwelling in himself, and, walking in the amplitude of his heart, was preparing in himself an habitation meet for God; wherefore no outward clamour caught his ears, nor could any sound disturb or interrupt the vast business he had in hand. The Apostolic authority was strong in him,2 and therefore he utterly refused to flatter kings and princes. He ever applied himself to holy simplicity nor did he allow the straitness of his abode to cramp the breadth of his heart.

44. He wrote the names of the brethren on the beams of the dwelling so that each if he wished to rest or pray might recognise his own place, and so that the painful smallness of the space might not cause the silence of the mind to be troubled. Now one day² while they were staying there a man leading an ass chanced to come to the shelter where the man of God was dwelling with his companions, and in order not to be driven away, he urged his ass to go in, saying these words: "Go in, for we shall do good to this place". When S. Francis heard these words and perceived what the man meant, he was moved in spirit; for the man thought that the brethren intended to stay there [as owners] in order to enlarge the place, and "add house to house". And S. Francis went out forthwith, and forsook that hovel, because of what the countryman had said, and he removed to another place not far from it called Portiuncula, where, as was said above, the Church of S. Mary was that he had repaired long before. He would have nothing in the way of property that he might the more fully possess all things in the Lord.