This collection of papers was delivered at a conference at Princeton University on 21/22 April 2004 to mark the retirement of John V. Fleming, the eminent scholar whose research has enriched the field of Franciscan studies. The thirteen contributions are divided into four sections dealing with questions of Franciscan exegesis, students and scholars, the friars' critics and the order's legacy. St Francis's relationship with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church forms the context for the opening study in which Michael Cusato explores the question of why and when il poverello d'Assisi was ordained to the diaconate; he makes excellent use of the precedent of Stephen of Muret and the order of Grandmont and suggests that Francis may have been ordained on his return from the east. The second section brings contributions from William J.Courtenay, Janet Coleman and Lawrence M. Clopper. The second of these offers a clear exposition of the legal points regarding ownership and how these impinged upon the followers of St Francis, especially the explanation of their vocation and pastoral role in the medieval Church; attention is also given to the different views adopted by the disciples of St Dominic. The reverberations of such discussions are also to be found in the paper ‘Langland and the Franciscans on Dominium’. Part iii brings together contributions from G. Geltner, David Burr, Patrick Nold, Penn Szittya and Geoffrey Dipple. The first of these offers a summary of the views presented by William of St Amour and emphasises the incisive and penetrating nature of this theological criticism of the friars and their pastoral ministry. Geoffrey Dipple offers a digest of the literary criticism of the friars in medieval and Renaissance Germany, praising John Freed's study of the friars' life and ministry in that country. Criticism surfaced as early as 1225 in Cologne and followed the traditional pattern. The vexed question of the sacral powers exercised by monarchs in the Middle Ages is explored by William Chester Jordan, who cites two examples of Louis ix preaching to friars and nuns. This fine volume brings together the work of the leading scholars and offers a rich contribution to Franciscan scholarship. Some minor errors detract from such a beautifully produced volume. The canonisation of St Francis took place on 16 July 1226 and not 1229 (p. 25). The writings attributed to Eudes Rigaud (Odo Rigaldi) give little support for the view that he was one of ‘the remarkable number of Bible commentators’ (p. 41). The brevity of his tenure as a regent-master in Paris militated against such influence. Contemporary scholarship believes that Alexander of Hales was clothed as a friar in 1236 and not 1231 (p. 55). Some unfortunate errors occur in the last paper: ‘but most often they made due with’ (p. 242) instead of ‘do’ and ‘those that illicit a response’ rather than ‘elicit’ (p. 246).