§ 25.—How the Order of the Preaching Friars began.
And still in the time of the said Pope, after the same manner began the Order of the Preaching Friars, the founder whereof was the blessed Par. xi. 118-123; xii. 46-105. Dominic, born in Spain. But in this Pope's time it was not confirmed, albeit in a vision it seemed to the said Pope that the Church of the Lateran was falling upon him, and the blessed Dominic sustained it on his shoulders. And by reason of this vision he purposed to confirm it, but death overtook him, and his successor, Pope Honorius, afterwards confirmed it the year of Christ 1216. The visions of the aforesaid 1216 a.d. Innocent, concerning S. Francis and S. Dominic, were true, for the Church of God was falling through many errors and many licentious sins, not fearing God; and the said blessed Dominic, through his holy learning and preaching, corrected it, and was the first exterminator of heretics therefrom; and the blessed Francis, through his humility and apostolic life and penitence, corrected the wanton life, and brought back Christians to penitence and to the life of salvation. And truly the Erythræan Sibyl, tracing out these times, prophesied of these two holy Orders, saying that two stars would arise to illuminate the world.
§ 26.—How the Florentines destroyed the castle of Frondigliano.
1199 a.d.
In the year of Christ 1199, Count Henry della Tosa and his colleagues, being consuls of the city of Florence, the Florentines laid siege to the fortress of Frondigliano, which had rebelled and was making war upon the commonwealth of Florence, and they took it and destroyed it to the very foundations, and it was never built again. And in the same year the Florentines marched against Simifonte, which was a very Cf. Par. xvi. 62, 63. strong place and did not obey the city.
§ 27.—How they of Samminiato destroyed Sanginiegio, and went back to live on the hill. § 28.—How the French and Venetians took Constantinople. § 29.—How the Tartars descended from the mountains of Gog and Magog.
§ 30.—How the Florentines destroyed the strongholds of Simifonti and of Combiata.
1202 a.d.
In the year of Christ 1202, when Aldobrandino, of the Barucci of Santa Maria Maggiore (a very ancient family), and his colleagues were consuls in Florence, the Florentines took the stronghold of Simifonti, and destroyed it, and took the hill into possession of the commonwealth, forasmuch as it had been long time at war with the Florentines. And the Florentines gained it by the treachery of a Cf. Par. xvi. 62, 63. certain man of Sandonato in Poci, which surrendered a tower, and claimed for this cause that he and his descendants should be free in Florence from all taxes; and this was granted, albeit the said traitor was first slain, in the said tower, by the inhabitants, as it was being attacked. And in the said year the Florentines went with their army against the fortress of Combiata, which was very strong, at the head of the river Marina, towards Mugello, which pertained to Cattani of the country which would not obey the commonwealth and made war against it. And when the said strongholds were destroyed, they made a decree that they should never be rebuilt.
§ 31.—Destruction of Montelupo, and how the Florentines gained Montemurlo.