INTRODUCTION

ix

CHARACTERISTICS OF ST. FRANCIS’ WRITINGS

x

EARLY MS. COLLECTIONS

xviii

EDITIONS AND TRANSLATIONS

xxii

PART I.

WORDS OF ADMONITION

3

SALUTATION OF THE VIRTUES

20

INSTRUCTION ON THE LORD'S BODY

22

RULES OF THE FRIARS MINOR

25

     FIRST RULE OF THE FRIARS MINOR

31

     SECOND RULE OF THE FRIARS MINOR

64

FRAGMENTS FROM THE RULE OF THE CLARES

75

THE TESTAMENT

79

REGULATION FOR HERMITAGES

87

PART II.

SIX LETTERS OF ST. FRANCIS

93

     1. TO ALL THE FAITHFUL

96

     2. TO ALL THE FRIARS

109

     3. TO A CERTAIN MINISTER

119

     4. TO THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLE

125

     5. TO ALL THE CUSTODES

127

     6. TO BROTHER LEO

130

PART III.

PRAISES AND PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER

137

SALUTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN

143

PRAYER TO OBTAIN DIVINE LOVE

145

p. viii

THE PRAISES OF GOD

146

THE BLESSING OF BROTHER LEO

149

THE CANTICLE OF THE SUN

150

THE OFFICE OF THE PASSION

154

APPENDIX:

SOME LOST, DOUBTFUL AND SPURIOUS WRITINGS

179

BIBLIOGRAPHY

189

INDEX

197