On Father George and his other companions

301 Padre Ludovico of Reggio, superior of the Friars of Calabria 302 Friaries which the Congregation had then 303 They change the shape of the cowl

(301) When Father George received the above letter he did everything that Padre Ludovico had ordered him. So within a few days the above mentioned Friars had all gathered at Filogaso in the Friary of the Reverend Fathers of Saint Dominic. In order to have a guide and head on whom all should depend so that things would go in and ordered manner, they elected their Superior. Thus Padre Ludovico of Reggio was elected as Vicar Provincial Superior and Father.

Before I say any more, I do not want to leave out showing how, when their Chapter was done, in one accord with the means of the Lord Duke they wrote to Rome. They united with the Capuchin Friars of Rome, that is, of the Marches, knowing that those had already obtained the Bull and that Fra Ludovico da Fossombrone, who was the head, had accepted them very willingly. And so, one body was made between the Fathers of Calabria and the others. Fra Ludovico wrote to the Province from Rome not only accepting them and incorporating them with the others, but more over he also confirmed their election of Padre Ludovico of Reggio as the Vicar.

(302) So then in this way the Congregation began to stand firm with so many good and Reverend Fathers coming to join her. Someone said that when these Friars came to do this union that the other Capuchin Friars further north had no other friary except the one in Rome. That is very false. Apart from the one Rome, in the Marches they had the place in Camerino, the one in Fossombrone, the one in Foligno, and the one at Montecasale. Both of these are in Umbria. Likewise in the Marches they had the friary at Fano, the one at Pennabilli, the one in Pietrarubbia. In the Province of Saint Francis there was the one at Narni. In the Province of Rome they had the friary at Scandriglia, Rieti as well as others. However, this is not very important. Let us continue to follow the weightier matters.

(303) Returning to what I was saying. In their Chapter the Friars of Calabria did not make any Statutes. They submitted themselves to the Friars of Rome. They only reformed the cowl. They took off the one they had earlier and sewed on one like the one we now wear. It was right that the shape of the cowl return, the one which Father Saint Francis had worn on the most noble and worthy part of the body, which is the head.

For the rest of that year, until something better could be provided, those poor Friars wore the same cloth in colour and price which they had worn until then, changing nothing of the habit except the cowl. They did this because they did not have the opportunity in the beginning to provide for themselves poor and coarse cloth so quickly. When they reached the stage of being able to clothe themselves, the above mentioned Lord Duke and Duchess provided them with roughest and poorest cloth. They have worn this continuously until today.

I cannot continue without saying something to illustrate the goodness of that Lady. With her own hands and those of her maids cut and sew the habits for those poor Friars. Because of this, by the work of the infernal serpent, there was not shortage of persecutions and problems for them. As is his usual practice, the dragon spread his pestiferous poison in Calabria just as he had done in the Marches and was doing in Rome.