There is only one textual witness for this piece: the Florentine Codex, probably from the first half of the 14th century. Among accounts of the life of St. Francis not known from elsewhere, this codex contains three about Brother Leonard of Assisi, a companion of St. Francis. This text is Brother Leonard's account, in which he quotes the words St. Francis dictated to Brother Leo. Because it comes to us through a third person, the words of St. Francis are not considered a literal quotation. Yet the simplicity of the statement and its content agree with the whole of the Saint's writings. We place the following account of Brother Leonard of Assisi after the "Admonitions", because in content it is closest to them.
The same Brother Leonard related that one day at St. Mary of the Angels, St. Francis called Brother Leo and said: "Brother Leo, write." He answered: "I am ready." "Write," he said, "what true joy is. A messenger comes and says that all the masters of Paris have entered the Order; write: this is not true joy. And that all the prelates beyond the Alps, archbishops and bishops, have done the same, and the King of France and the King of England as well; write: this is not true joy. Likewise, that my brothers have gone to the unbelievers and converted them all to the faith; that I have such great grace from God that I heal the sick and work many miracles. I tell you, true joy is not in all of this. But what is true joy? I return from Perugia and arrive here late at night. It is winter and wet, and so cold that icicles hang frozen from the hem of my tunic and keep cutting my legs, and blood flows from the wounds. Covered in mud, frozen and chilled to the bone, I come to the gate; and after I have knocked and called for a long time, a brother comes and asks: 'Who is it?' I answer: Brother Francis. And he says: 'Go away; this is no proper hour to be out walking; you will not come in.' And when I insist again, he replies: 'Go away; you are a simple and unlettered man. You are no use to us now. There are so many of us, and such as we are, that we do not need you.' And I stand at the gate again and say: For the love of God, take me in for this night. And he answers: 'I will not. Go to the Crosiers' place and ask there.' I tell you: if I keep patience and do not become angry, in this is true joy and true virtue and the salvation of the soul."
Translated from the Polish edition of the writings of St. Francis.