firmament of the Church. At last, in the sixth age, almost on the sixth day, came a human being, Francis, made in God's image and likeness. He appeared conformed to that one, true sun of justice in everything, that he would be clearly visible to his followers. He appeared uniquely conformed to Christ in calling his friends, in establishing their way of behaving, in contemplating the sublime, in revealing mysteries, in instructing peoples and transforming their members, in storing up merit, in gathering reward, in performing wonders.

And so this work will be carried out in nine chapters. This will not proceed according to the course and "order of time" of the holy father, as the outstanding teacher, Brother Bonaventure, did with a more marvelous style, because that principal legend of the father is sufficient for this. Only those things that touch on the same material in other different legends, that are scattered in the scrolls and sayings of the companions, things that the lord Bonaventure omitted totally or partially because everything could not come to his awareness: these have been gathered together that they might be more easily found in the same chapter.

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