But Gregory IX., to whom she addressed herself, was inflexible.

While pouring eulogies upon her he enjoined upon her to follow the Rule which he sent to her--that is, the one which he had composed while he was yet cardinal.

The Rule of the Poverello was put among the utopias, not to say heresies.[32] He never, however, could induce St.Clara to completely submit herself.

One day, indeed, she rebelled against his orders, and it was the pope who was obliged to yield: he had desired to bring about a wider separation between the friars and the Sisters than had formerly prevailed; for a long time after the death of Francis a certain familiarity had continued between St.Damian and Portiuncula; Clara especially loved these neighborly relations, and often begged one or another Brother to come and preach.

The pope thought ill of this, and forbade, under the severest penalty, that any friar of Portiuncula should go to St.Damian without express permission of the Holy See.
This time Clara became indignant.