The Legenda Maior was originally written in Latin around 1260 and appeared in print for the first time here, in the vernacular translation by an anonymous 14th century author. It is divided into 15 chapters. ISTC lists an earlier edition (Rome, Han), from 1470-6, but that is a mistake, as the Han edition does not have these 15 chapters. The introduction to the text (ll. a1-a3v) is the same as the one placed before the Fioretti in the Han edition, but it is unclear to us whether it is part of the Fioretti or not; it seems it was the common incipit used for the vernacular translation of the Fioretti but it seems it was not part of the text proper of the Fioretti and was added by the translators (and it would be unsurprising if there had been a mix up from the manuscript tradition, since the Fioretti has over 100 extant manuscripts, see S. Natale here:

https://www.academia.edu/35619348/Sara_Natale_I_volgarizzamenti_delle_fonti_francescane_alcuni_chiarimenti_sul_testo_e_sulla_tradizione_dei_Fioretti_di_san_Francesco_).

The next text (e3-k7) is one of the earliest editions of the Fioretti (the fourth), first printed before 1476 in Rome by Ulrich Han. This text in 53 chapters focuses on miracles performed by Francis. The Fioretti originated from an extensive manuscript tradition and derives from the anonymous Latin text known as “Actus beati Francisci et sociorum eius”, of which certain parts have been selected and translated into vernacular. The first edition of the Regola dei Frati Minori (ll. o8-o11) and of S. Francis’ testament (ll. o11-o12) close the volume.

In short, ISTC mistakenly indicates the text in Han’s edition (ISTC No.ib00889500) as “Legenda maior”, but the only text present is that of the Fioretti, as correctly identified by the Gesamkatalog (GW 10296). The first appearance of the printed text of “Legenda maior” is in the present Zaroto’s edition (ISTC No.ib00890000, GW 4662).

Provenance: from Giuseppe Martini’s collection, his autograph inscription to front paste down, and his price note: “B. Benedetti Roma gennaio 1919 £ 400.00” (see also n. 78 of the catalogue of his collection); bookplate of Sergio Colombi to front paste down.

H 3574. GW 4662. IGI 1893. BMC VI, 714. Goff (3 copies). Ganda, I primordi della tipografia milanese. Antonio Zarotto da Parma (1471-1507), 56. Martini 78 (this copy).