Noted Franciscan scholars Regis J. Armstrong, J. A. Wayne Hellmann, and William Short spearheaded a collabrative effort of translators, scholars and technicians to publish this series. Many of these texts had been published in critical, scholarly European editions, but were not available in English. All three volumes contain helpful introductions to each section, colored maps, cross references, and extensive annotation.

This second volume, The Founder contains these documents:

1. The Beginning or the Founding of the Order and the Deeds of Those Lesser Brothers Who Were the First Companions of Blessed Francis in Religion; 2. The Legend of the Three Companions; 3. The Assisi Compilation; 4. The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul; 5. The Treatise on the Miracles of Saint Francis; 6. An Umbrian Choir Legend; 7. A Letter on the Passing of Saint Francis; 8. The Legends and Sermons about Saint Francis; The Morning and Evening Sermons, October 4, 1255; The Major Legend of Saint Francis; The Minor Legend of Saint Francis; The Evening Sermon, October 4, 1262; A Sermon, October 4, 1266; A Sermon on the Feast of the Transferal of the Body of Saint Francis, May 25, 1267; The Morning and Evening Sermons, October 4, 1267; and 9. Related Documents.