Skip to main content

Secondary sourceDocument1892

The Rule of St. Francis of Assisi

Ernest Flagg Henderson · 1892

An 1892 English translation of the Rule Francis wrote to govern the Franciscan order, printed in a collection of medieval documents.

This is a translation of the Rule that Francis himself composed to guide his religious order.

Ask Saint Francis about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Full text (Wikisource)

About this source

What it is

This is an 1892 translation by Ernest Flagg Henderson of the Rule of St. Francis, the set of guidelines Francis wrote for the brothers of his order. It appears in a collection called Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages.

Why it matters

The Rule laid out how Franciscan friars should live: in poverty, obedience and chastity, following the Gospel. It shows how Francis tried to turn his personal ideas about simple living into a lasting institution, with rules about who could join and how obedience worked, including obedience to the pope.

Because this is a translation made centuries later, students should remember they are reading English words chosen by a 19th-century historian, not Francis's original Latin or Italian text.

Look closer

  • What values does the Rule emphasize most?
  • Why might Francis insist his followers have no personal possessions?
  • What questions does a translation like this raise about accuracy to the original words?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Francis on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Saint Francis sources

Meet the AI Saint Francis →
Manuscript page in Latin with black gothic script and red initial letter M and red-highlighted lines, with handwritten marginal notes on the right. The text includes 'Altissimu onnipotente bon signore' and 'Laudes creaturarum', consistent with the Canticle of the Sun.Book

Primary source

Canticle of the Sun

Francis of Assisi · 1226

Photograph of a small, aged parchment sheet sealed in a metal-framed case. It has faded brown ink text in Latin with red headings, a large hand-drawn red and brown Tau cross with a figure-like sketch, and a few lines of writing at the bottom.Document

Primary source

Chartula fratri Leonis

Francis of Assisi · 1224

Book

Secondary source

First Life of Saint Francis

Thomas of Celano · 1230

Gold-background panel painting in a gabled wooden frame. A standing robed friar with a halo holds a book and raises one hand, flanked by two angels above. Smaller framed scenes in the side panels show his life events in colorful architecture.Painting

Secondary source

Saint Francis of Assisi and Scenes of His Life

Bonaventura Berlinghieri · 1235

Aerial view of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on a hilltop, with its pink-toned stone walls, a tall bell tower, and a large sloping retaining wall. A parking area and winding road are below, with green valley and hills in the distance under a cloudy sky.Artifact

Secondary source

Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi

begun 1228

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Saint Francis now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions