Francis of Assisi: The Essential Writings In His Own Words

You will find nineteen different texts in this collection of Francis’s
writings. Each is most likely from the mind or pen of the saint. Often
Francis dictated his words to others, but in some instances, such as short
letters, he wrote them himself.

These selections were all written over a period of twenty years, from
1206 to 1226, the year in which Francis died. They are arranged here in
approximate chronological order, and each is prefaced with an editorial
explanation of its setting, purpose, and place in the canon. The translations
are my own; I aimed for smooth readability while remaining faithful to the
tone and spirit of the originals, and compared my work against that of
several others. Francis’s quotations from Scripture are rendered using the
New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, unless otherwise indicated. I
furnish citations for Scripture quotations in the margins.
1 Please refer to “For Further Reading” for full bibliographical information