The martyrdom of St. Berard and his companions in 1219 had inflamed many of the religious of the Order of Friars Minor with the desire of preaching the Gospel in non-Christian lands; and in 1227, the year following St. Francis's death, six religious of Tuscany, Agnellus (Agnello), Samuel, Donulus, Leo, Hugolinus (Ugolino), and Nicholas, petitioned Brother Elias of Cortona, then...