Thomas a Kempis - The Chronicle of the Canons Regular of Mount St. Agnes
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Thomas a Kempis >> The Chronicle of the Canons Regular of Mount St. Agnes
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The Chronicles of the Canons Regular of Mount St. Agnes
written by Thomas A Kempis.
Translated by J. P. Arthur.
M.
[Dedication in Greek which cannot be reproduced].
CONTENTS
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
PREFACE
THE CHRONICLE OF THE CANONS REGULAR OF MOUNT ST AGNES
I. Of the first founders of the Monastery at Mount St. Agnes, and
how Master Gerard Groote first pointed out this place to them.
II. Of the building of the first House on Mount St. Agnes.
III. Concerning the names of the first Brothers and their labours.
IV. Of the scanty food and raiment of the Brothers, and how
wondrously God did provide for them.
V. Of the consecration of the first chapel and altar at Mount St.
Agnes.
VI. Of the year and place in which the first four Brothers were
invested.
VII. How the monastery was removed from Westerhof to Mount St. Agnes.
VIII. How John Kempen was chosen as the first prior of Mount St. Agnes.
IX. How the Burial-ground at Mount St. Agnes was consecrated.
X. Of the Brothers who were invested by John of Kempen, the first
Prior.
XI. Of the death of Brother Wolfard, Priest in the Monastery of Mount
St. Agnes.
XII. How Brother William Vorniken was chosen to be the second Prior in
the House of Mount St. Agnes.
XIII. Of the death of Brother Nicholas Kreyenschot.
XIV. Of the consecration of our Church and of four Altars in the House
of Mount St. Agnes.
XV. Of the death of the beloved Father John Ummen, the first Founder
of the Monastery of Mount St. Agnes.
XVI. Of the pestilence that afflicted mankind, and how some of our
Brothers died in this plague.
XVII. Of the death of William, son of Seger, a Priest in Hasselt.
XVIII. Of the death of our most reverend Lord Frederic, Bishop of
Utrecht.
XIX. Of the death of Brother John Vos of Huesden, who was the second
Prior at Windesem.
XX. How Brother Theodoric of Kleef was chosen to be the third Prior
of the House on the Mount.
XXI. Of the death of Brother Egbert formerly Sub-Prior at the House on
the Mount.
XXII. How our Brothers and other Religious were driven from the land by
reason of the Interdict.
XXIII. Of the return of our Brothers from Frisia to Mount St. Agnes.
XXIV. Of the death of Brother John of Kempen, the first Prior of Mount
St. Agnes.
XXV. How Theodoric of Kleef, third Prior of the House on the Mount
laid down his office, and was absolved therefrom.
XXVI. How Brother Henry of Deventer was chosen to be the fourth Prior
of the House of Mount St. Agnes.
XXVII. How Father Henry, the fourth Prior, resigned his office, and how
Father George was chosen to be the fifth Prior.
XXVIII. Of the ancient Reliquary of St. Agnes, and how it was gotten.
XXIX. Of the death of Brother Henry, son of William, the fourth Prior
of our House.
SO FAR THE CHRONICLE WAS WRITTEN BY THOMAS OF KEMPEN; THE RESIDUE THEREOF
WAS DONE BY ANOTHER.
FROM THE CHRONICLE OF OUR BROTHER THOMAS OF KEMPEN CONCERNING MATTERS NOT
PERTAINING TO OUR HOUSE.
I. Concerning the year in which that reverend man, Florentius of
Wevelichoven, was made Bishop of Utrecht.
II. Of the death of John Ruysbroeck, first Prior of the Groenendaal.
III. Of the death of the venerable Master Gerard Groote, a man most
devout.
IV. Of the great eulogy passed upon Gerard by a certain doctor.
V. How, after his death, the number of the Devout and the Order of
Regulars did increase.
VI. Of the consecration of the Church, and the investiture of the
first Brothers in Windesem.
VII. Of the death of John de Gronde, a Priest.
VIII. Of the death of the most Reverend Florentius of Wevelichoven,
Bishop of Utrecht.
IX. How Frederick of Blanckenhem was chosen to be Bishop.
X. How the monastery at Northorn was founded.
XI. Of the death of that most devout Priest Florentius, Vicar of the
Church of Deventer.
XII. Of the death of Everard of Eza, a Curate in Almelo and a great
master of physic.
XIII. Of the death of the Priest Amilius that succeeded Florentius at
Deventer.
XIV. Of the first investiture of the Sisters of our Order in
Diepenvene near Deventer.
XV. How the monastery in Budiken was reformed.
XVI. Of the death of Gerard Kalker, a devout Priest, and Rector of
the House of Clerks.
XVII. Of the death of Henry of Gouda, a devout Priest, at Zwolle.
XVIII. How the Sisters in Bronope were invested.
XIX. The death of Wermbold the Priest.
XX. Of the death of John Cele, Rector of the School at Zwolle.
XXI. Concerning John Brinckerinck, a disciple of Master Gerard.
XXII. Of the death of Gisbert Dow, Rector of the Sisters at Amsterdam.
XXIII. As to the gaining of Indulgences at the stations in Rome.
XXIV. The letter of the Cardinal of Bologna.
A LETTER CONCERNING THE FIRST INSTITUTION OF THE MONASTERY AT WINDESEM.
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
The Chronicle of Mount St. Agnes is the only work of Thomas a Kempis of
which no English translation has yet appeared, and even in its original
form the book is not readily accessible to readers, since the only text
is that published by Peter and John Beller of Antwerp in 1621. The
ordinary collections of the works of a Kempis do not contain the
Chronicle, although there is no doubt as to the authenticity of the book,
which is of considerable importance to students of the movement known as
"The New Devotion," and to those who are interested in the Brotherhood of
the Common Life. The last nine pages of the Latin text have been added
by an anonymous writer, and carry on the chronicle from the year 1471, in
which a Kempis died, to 1477, but since this portion of the book is
included in the first printed edition, and contains a notice of the
author written by a contemporary member of the community, I have included
the addition in the present translation of the Chronicle.
The Mother House of the Chapter to which the Monastery of Mount St. Agnes
belonged, was the Monastery at Windesheim, of which we have a full
account from the pen of John Buschius, a younger contemporary of a
Kempis. This work is too long to be included in the present volume,
although the Antwerp edition before mentioned puts the two Chronicles
together; Busch's "Chronicon Windesemense" will therefore appear
separately; but as the account of the foundation of the Mother House,
written by William Voern, or Vorniken, supplements the information given
by a Kempis, a translation of it is annexed to this book. The writer was
Prior of Mount St. Agnes before his promotion to the same office in the
Superior House, and it was under his rule that a Kempis spent the early
years of his priesthood, those years in which he composed the first part
at least of the great work with which his name is associated. William
Vorniken also tells in outline the story of the conversion of the Low
Countries to Christianity by Anglo-Saxon missionaries, and for all these
reasons it has been thought that his "letter" may be of interest to
English readers.
It will be seen that the spelling of proper names is both peculiar and
variable, but the principle observed in this translation has been to
adopt the spelling given in the text, except in cases where variation is
evidently the result of a printer's error, and in those instances in
which the writer _translated_ names, _e.g_., Hertzogenbosch appears in
the Chronicle as Buscoducis, and Gerard is called sometimes Groote,
Groot, or Groet, and sometimes Magnus.
Further accounts of the lives of some of the Brothers who are mentioned
in this Chronicle may be found in a translation of another work of a
Kempis published last year, and entitled "The founders of the New
Devotion," Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.; and the history of the
other houses of the Chapter to which the Monastery of Mount St. Agnes
belonged, has been treated exhaustively by Dr. J. G. R. Acquoy, "Het
Klooster te Windesheim." Utrecht, 1880.
For the English reader the best accounts of the Brotherhood and of a
Kempis himself, are the works of Rev. S. Kettlewell and Sir F. R. Cruise.
The former, however, is quite unreliable as a translator, and draws
untenable deductions from extracts whose purport he has misunderstood;
but the latter is both accurate and interesting, being in fact the
leading English authority on the subject which he has made his own.
PREFACE.
The pious desire of certain of our Brothers hath constrained me to put
together a short chronicle concerning the beginning of our House, and the
first foundation of our Monastery on Mount St. Agnes, that the said
chronicle may be a comfort to them that are now alive, and a memorial for
them that come after. Wherefore humbly assenting to their pious desires,
I have gathered together a few things out of many, and these I have seen
with mine own eyes, or have heard from the Elders of our House, or else
have gathered from the writings of others.
Some of the Elders who first dwelt in this House have told us that or
ever there was a monastery builded in this place, and before any man had
yet come hither to serve God, there did often appear to the shepherds and
to them that dwelt near, visions of men in white raiment who seemed to go
in procession round the mount: and the signification and meaning hereby
portended became clear enough afterward as time went by, when the
monastery by God's grace begun in this place by a few Brothers and
afterward finished with much toil came into being and a great company of
Brothers dwelt therein--for then it was seen how the Devout Congregation
of Canons Regular being clad in white raiment did serve God with
devotion, singing hymns and psalms and celebrating Mass; also reciting
the proper Canonical Hours to His praise every day, and praying for our
benefactors, both living and dead, especially for them that are buried in
this Monastery.
THE CHRONICLE OF THE CANONS REGULAR OF MOUNT ST. AGNES.
CHAPTER I
_Of the first founders of the Monastery at Mount St. Agnes, and how
Master Gerard Groote first pointed out this place to them_
The House of Mount St. Agnes, which lieth outside the walls of the town
of Zwolle, and on the eastern side thereof, had its origin and completion
in this way.
The place used to be called in the vulgar tongue Mount Nemel and lieth
not far from Zwolle, but one may traverse the distance in the space of an
hour. Now there were in the State of Zwolle certain faithful men who had
been turned wholly to God by Master Gerard Groote. These men had builded
them an house, in a suburb belonging to the city, near an ancient Convent
of Beguines, and here they served God humbly and with devotion. Amongst
these the chief was John of Ummen, a man dedicated to God, and greatly
beloved by Gerard; and with him there abode likewise Wychmann Rurinch,
Reyner, son of Leo of Renen, and two or three others that were well
disposed. Moreover, a certain Clerk that dwelt in those parts named
Wittecoep, had joined himself to them and lived among them devoutly.
There was also the mother of John of Ummen, named Regeland, a widow of
ripe age, who ministered to the necessities of these servants of God,
giving good heed to the care of the house as a faithful Martha. Most
gladly would she listen to the Word of God, and, like Mary, was never
sated with the sweetness of the Holy Scriptures that were read.
When any one at meal-time read somewhat incorrectly and stammered over
the words, this venerable woman said to him "Read no more and do not
defile the Word of God lest harm come to holy things and they that hear
be offended in thee. Let another read that hath better skill thereto,
that we may all understand and be edified."
After no long time this good woman came to the end of her life on the
Thursday in Holy Week after Mass was ended, and she was buried at Zwolle
by her friends and the Brothers. From that hour and day, for three whole
days, her son John Ummen fasted from every kind of food to promote his
mother's salvation, and he neither ate nor drank aught until the dawning
of the day of the Lord's Passover, and yet was he as whole in body and in
strength as if he had been well fed every day.
And as these servants of God lived in poverty and at the common charge it
came to pass that many men that were in the world, considering their holy
life, came together to them, being eager to serve God and to leave the
world, in the hope of an eternal gain. Meanwhile it happened that the
venerable Master Gerard Groote came to Zwolle about the beginning of
Lent, and of necessity abode there certain days, since he was anxious to
comfort his poor children, for it was his desire to refresh with the word
of consolation those whom he had drawn to leave the world. So a very
great company of people came together to his preaching, and many devoutly
submitted themselves to his counsel, for sometimes he would preach two
sermons in one day so as to water the chosen vineyard of the Lord. And
if he had determined to preach after the midday meal, he would remain
praying in the Church or walking in meditation in the churchyard, taking
no food himself, while he awaited the return of the people. For this
reason they that loved his holy discourse were unwilling to stay away too
long, but would sit them down in the churchyard or in the Church, and
take beforehand places that were convenient and near the pulpit, so that
at the proper hour they might the more readily hear and understand the
Word of God. And when Gerard had done his faithful preaching, each would
return to his own concerns rejoicing with eager heart, and praising God
for all the things he had heard. And they marvelled above measure at the
humble bearing of the Master, and were edified thereby, that he, a man of
so great fame and knowledge, one that had friends great and famous,
should go about the streets with so meek an aspect, and showing little
care for his attire; for he cared not at all about worldly things, and
sought only to gain a great usury of souls for God. He was well
favoured, kindly in word, and courteous to all, so that any man whatever,
whether a stranger or born in the land, even though poor and unknown,
might speak to him and receive from him some discourse upon the things of
God. The good saw this and rejoiced thereat, but the froward gnashed
with their teeth and spake evil of Gerard. A certain man, therefore, one
of the great ones of the State, came near to him, and rebuked his words
and deeds, for the man himself took more pleasure at that time in
worldliness than in the things of God. "Why," said he, "dost thou
disquiet us, and bring in new customs? Cease from this preaching, and do
not disturb or frighten men." But Gerard made answer with wisdom and
constancy: "I would not willingly suffer you to go to Hell," and the man
said again with indignation: "Let us go thither in peace," but the kindly
and good Master replied: "I will not do so; if thou wilt not hear, there
will be some who will gladly give ear"--but we must return to our
history.
When the most beloved Master was sojourning in Zwolle for the purpose of
preaching the Word, some of his disciples aforementioned who dwelt
together there came to him secretly and confessed that they desired to
live a life further removed from that of the world, for they could not
bear to mingle with worldlings without suffering hurt to their spiritual
life; and they said that they would choose to dwell without the City if
he should agree thereto. They begged him therefore, as loving sons
speaking to their father, to condescend to go with them some little space
outside the City to look for a place convenient wherein to live quietly.
Then Gerard assented to their pious prayers, and when the next day dawned
he prepared for the journey and taking with him the brothers Wychmann,
Reyner, Henry and James Wittecoep, he went with them towards the
mountains of Nemel to a place that was foreordained of God, and separated
from the multitude; for men were seldom seen to come thither or to pass
by, and patches of thorns and nettles grew here and there upon the hills
and valleys. So as they went forth the wind beat against them, hut
neither rain nor wind could stay the Master from the straight course, and
he went on rejoicing and said pleasantly to his companions: "I will go
before you and shield you from the wind with my cloak." But as they drew
near to the place, they went up to the top of an hill, and having made a
circuit round the mountains for some little space, they at last beheld a
valley, that was narrow and deep, upon the northern side of the mountain,
and Gerard's disciples asked him a question, saying: "See! most beloved
Master, how good is this place, and how private; here we may hide for the
love of Christ, as of old the holy Eremites did hide in the mountains and
in caves in the earth." But this they said in simplicity of heart out of
the fervent zeal of their devotion, and their desire for a life more
remote from the world, for they thought there they could be hid, screened
by the thickets of brushwood. But the Master being most discreet and
wise in counsel soon dissuaded them from this purpose, for a place that
lieth low doth never suit the human complexion, nor would a place so
narrow avail in future for many men to dwell in. So they withdrew their
feet prudently therefrom and visited another mountain that was near; and
their wise leader saw that on the south side thereof was a level place
fit for crops, and he said to them that stood by: "Place your tabernacle
at the foot of this mountain--then shall ye be able to make a little
garden for your herbs and fruits on the level place toward the south. If
the Lord grant me life I will be here often with you." Having visited
this place and walked about it through God's inspiration, they returned
again to the City together, leaving the issue of the matter to the
pleasure of the Almighty. But in the same year the beloved Master
Gerard, that light and lamp of devotion that shone upon his country of
Utrecht, was taken away from this world to receive the reward of his
labours, and he went up from the vale of our lamentations to the mount of
everlasting bliss.
CHAPTER II.
_Of the building of the first House on Mount St. Agnes_.
But after the passing of the Master, who must ever be held in
remembrance, the new branch of his planting ceased not to bear fruit;
moreover the heaven shed dew upon it from above, as Gerard at the end of
his life had promised, so that our land yielded increase in her season;
and the men above named continued to carry into effect the intention
which they had formed in their minds. The chief mover in this holy work
was James Wittecoep, the son of one Thomas Coep, a man who had been a
magistrate in the town of Zwolle; and he did all that in him lay to
promote the foundation of an house on the mountain for the servants of
God. Goswin Tyasen, who afterward became a Canon Regular at Windesheim,
assisted him in this business, for he, relying upon the goodness of God,
and having the ear of his fellows, was eagerly desirous to move them to
choose this place. There were others also of like purpose, but these two
were the chief men amongst them, and they all relied upon the help of
their friends, but especially upon the co-operation of the mercy of God
by Whose nod all things are determined. Therefore they besought the
heritors of Bercem and Nemel, joint owners of the farm, to grant them a
portion of the land, and the site where now the Monastery is builded, and
the owners thereof did freely grant their request and gave them the land
for the Brothers to dwell in. When they had obtained the power to build
upon the spot pointed out to them aforetime by Master Gerard, they set in
order a small house, at the bottom of the mountain, that had been given
to them by a certain matron, and some labourers assisted them in this
work. This house was builded of logs and earth, but was only roofed in
above with common thatch. But when this poor little habitation, on an
humble site on the lower part of the mountain was builded, no man dwelt
there, because it lacked household stuff; yet certain of the Brothers
whose hearts were set on the completion of the work would visit it, and
sometimes one or two would sleep upon the straw there, in their clothes,
but for their food they either brought somewhat with them or returned to
their friends in the town.
Scarce have I known of any place or house that was begun in so great
poverty, and yet came, in despite of divers hindrances, to so great an
increase of prosperity; but Jesus our Saviour Himself began in the
deepest poverty, and His lack did make rich Holy Church. This house
therefore, poor at first, unknown and hidden, did deserve in process of
time to be more widely increased through the blessing of our Father in
Heaven, Who doth ever turn His Face toward lowly things, but doth look
from afar upon the lofty. For as wealthier persons came and brought
their goods into the common stock, the place whose beginning was so poor,
and its outward appearance so lowly, grew to be a yet fairer vineyard of
the Lord of Sabaoth. For the tillers of the farm and the country folk of
the land of Bercem and Nemel, seeing that an house was now builded on the
mountain and that devout men had come together there to serve God in
humility and simplicity, gave and assigned to them and their successors
the aforesaid place in honour of Holy Religion, and that prayers might be
offered for them and their friends; which grant they did also confirm in
writing to any others whom God Almighty should see fit to associate with
them. In regard to this holy gift and this pious request made by consent
of the owners of the place, there was but one deed executed relating to
the first and original foundation. This is attested by the seals of many
honest men, and in it is given a short description of the manner of the
Common Life and of the wholesome rule so far as this same was applicable
to the conditions of the Brotherhood in the early days. These things
were done and finished in the year of the Lord 1386 on the Friday before
Palm Sunday, and a year and a half after the death of the aforesaid
Master Gerard.
CHAPTER III.
_Concerning the names of the first Brothers and their labours_.
These are the names of those first Brothers, the devout men who began to
build the House of Mount St. Agnes and to dwell there. First James
Wittecoep, the chief promoter of our House and the earnest keeper thereof
in all things. He afterward became a Priest in Zwolle and served the
Altar in the Hospice there, where he died after making a good confession.
Secondly, there was John Ummen, son of Assetrin, whose mother was called
Regeland. He, though blind and unlettered, was yet the familiar friend
and devout disciple of Master Gerard, and he became the first Rector of
the House, being a good man and a comfortable. Thirdly, there was
Wychmann Roerinck van Hellender, a pattern of poverty and patience; he,
putting aside his friends, who were many, became an humble hearer of
Gerard, and was Procurator to this poor little congregation.
Other upright men also were joined to these chief Brothers, being drawn
to give up the world by the sweet savour of the reputation of this new
and holy congregation. Their names are worthy of the fame of a good
memorial, for they were shining lights of holy poverty, obedience,
continence, and daily toil. The first was Reyner, son of Leo of Renen of
the diocese of Utrecht, who often made pilgrimages out of his devotion;
but afterward became converted by Gerard's preaching and gave up the
world. The second was Reyner the younger, a man without reproach, poor
and accustomed to toil. He, too, came from Renen which is in the diocese
of Munster. The third was called Gerard the cook, for he at the first
was cook to the House, but afterward became the porter, a man fervent in
deed, and devout in prayer, who was born at Deventer. All these knew
Gerard Groote in the flesh, and often heard him preach the Word of God
among the people. By these humble, simple-hearted, and devout little
servants of Christ--these who did verily despise the world--was our House
on mount Nemel begun, which House after that it became a Monastery was
called Mount St. Agnes. Moreover by little and little several devout
clerks and lay folk from the neighbouring towns and from far off
districts came to join these men, and they earned their daily bread by
the labour of their hands. For none was allowed to avoid his task, none
might go about idly, neither did any dare to talk of worldly matters, but
all were taught to labour for the common good, and to call often upon God
in prayer at the appointed hours after the manner of the holy Fathers in
Egypt: for these, too, did labour with their hands, but during the hours
of toil they never ceased from prayer. Likewise they had received this
rule from Master Gerard, that none ought to be accepted save such as were
willing to labour with their hands and take part in the Common Life.
Wherefore the clerks were diligent in writing the books of Holy
Scriptures, and the lay folk busied them with bodily labour and tillage.
Some also followed the tailor's craft, others wove wool and flax; others
again made baskets and mats, or did divers tasks for the good of the
community at the bidding of their Superior. Outwardly indeed they led a
life of poverty and toil for Christ's sake, but the love of the heavenly
life made sweet the present indigence. If one went forth on any
business, he would first utter some short word concerning the things of
God, or would speak the Name of Jesus, and some other would reply with
"Christ" or "Mary" as his devotion impelled him. For a great while they
lived together in this companionship, and until the time of the
foundation of the Monastery, all alike, both Clerks and Lay folk obeyed
their first Rector, John of Ummen, a zealous man and well skilled in
spiritual things. With such diligence did they follow the virtue of
obedience that none dared even to drive in a nail, or do any little thing
without the knowledge of the Rector or Procurator, for they received
fraternal correction by way of warning for the least neglect, nor was
there given any place for excuse, but every man did humbly acknowledge
his fault, and was forward to promise amendment. But if any were not
ready to obey, or should cling stubbornly to what was good in his own
eyes Father John would chide him more sternly as the manner of the fault
and the quality of the person did demand. Sometimes fired with yet
greater zeal for discipline and in order to affright the other Brothers
he would say to some that were ill content, or slow to take his Orders:
"Lo! the door standeth open. If any will go forth, let him go: I would
rather have one that is obedient than many that are disobedient. By the
favour of God I may readily find others who will cheerfully do what ye
refuse." Thus by the voice of his authority he would curb the
ill-contentment of some. Also he used to say that unwilling and sluggish
Brothers were false prophets who thought that naught was profitable save
what was good in their own eyes.
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