LIFE OF THE VENERABLE GERARDUS MAGNUS, VULGARLY CALLED GERARD GROOT, FROM THE ORIGINAL OF THE B. THOMAS A KEMPIS.

CHAP. XV.-OF THE DEVOUT CONGREGATIONS AND MONASTERIES THAT SPRUNG FROM HIM.

1. Most admirably did the wisdom and heavenly mercy of the Eternal Father provide, that in the old age of the world, now growing worse and worse, such and so great a master should arise, as a legate from heaven, adorned with the breastplate of faith, and suffused with sanctity of life, so that by him the state of holy religion might be made to flourish again, and the devotion of the Christian people be taught and inflamed by his words to return with zeal to the divine worship, the observance of the decalogue, and the exercise of works of mercy to the poor. For to be able to resist the wickedness of so many men, called for no ordinary man, who, from the profound darkness of their sins, should go amongst them, and recall souls to the light of truth. But the divine grace granted to this most learned and skilful man the gift of preaching; who being already most fully instructed in the heavenly doctrine, and by the merit of his life excelling others, could thus persuade his hearers to a contempt of the world, more efficaciously because he spoke not in the words of human wisdom, but by the example of a holy conversation. And such was the love of hearing the Word of God among the people, that the Church could scarcely cons tain the assembled crowd. Many left their dinner, and suspending necessary business, flocked together with a pious avidity to his sermon. Often he preached two sermons in one day; and sometimes, having caught the spirit of fervour, he continued his discourse three hours or more. He preached in the principal cities, in the dioceses of Utrecht, Daventry, Suvol, and Kempen, many times; at Utrecht before all the clergy; and in the parts of Holland, Leyden, Delft, Gouda, and at Amsterdam, also in many other towns and famous villages; where he hoped to roduce fruit, and to beget a new people unto God; and blessed be GOD, who having sent from above His holy Spirit, enkindled the hearts of his faithful; and pricked the hearts of his people so vehemently; that from a few scattered grains that were converted arose many congregations of devout brothers and sisters, serving GOD in chastity of life, from whom some monasteries of regulars and nunneries received anew the way of holy conversation.

2. Great is the praise due to Master Gerard, because from the origin and fountain of his preaching, so great a stem rose up, that even after his death, albeit newly planted, it ceased not to blossom in the field of the Lord. For example, first in the neighbouring regions of Holland, Gueldres, Brabant, and then in the more remote parts of Flanders, Friseland, Westphalia, and Saxony, a regular order and convents of devout men, by GoD's favour, flourished fairly. Yea, the odour of good opinion reached even to the hearing of the Apostolic See. Now when this venerable Master Gerard, filled with the holy Spirit of GOD, saw that by degrees the number of his disciples was increasing, and that a zeal for heavenly exercise was burning; he set to work, and took thought, how he might assemble all these devout at once under one roof, for mutual exhortation, and how he might sincerely address them concerning GOD, and the keeping of charity; but if they wished to stand together they should seek their bread with the labour of their hands, and keep to a community of life as far as it was possible, under the discipline of the Church. Moreover, he permitted no one to beg publicly, unless evident necessity compelled, nor to go about curiously from house to house, under pretence of seeking support; but rather to stay at home, and to work with their hands, as St. Paul taught; and he persuaded them to desist from the exercise of any business with a view to more profit, that might be a stumbling-block to their devotion, lest, by the instigation of the Devil, an occasion of falling back to their former evils might be given to the weak.

3. Moreover, he had a design to build a monastery for clerks of the order of canons-regular, wishing to move some of those clerks who followed him to take the religious habit; that they might be an example to other devout persons, and show an example of good conversation to such laymen as were about to become clerks. To the institution of this order of Regulars, he was chiefly induced by his singular reverence and love for the venerable Dom John Rusebroec, the first prior of Green Valley, and of other most approved brethren, dwelling religiously in the same place, whom he had before personally visited in Brabant, from whom he drew and acquired a vast fund of edification, because of their great humility and simplicity of habit. When, therefore, he had set about diligently inquiring for a suitable situation for founding a monastery, he was prevented, by death, from finishing what he desired; yet, by the mercy of GOD, the King immortal and invisible, maker and founder of all things, the purpose of his will was afterwards fulfilled, and his great longing for building a monastery, perfected by his charit

able disciples; he exhorting them not to be slack in so good a work after his death, but that, for the extension of God's glory, all should lend both counsel and assistance. By these were founded the monastery in Windesen, and the house of St. Agnes on the hill near Swolle, with GOD's help, as first fruits to Him.

CHAP. XVI.--OF HIS HAPPY DEATH AND BURIAL.

1. Wherefore this faithful and prudent servant of the Lord, feeling that the end of his days was at hand, as one struck with the common thunderbolt of mortality, begged and received the salutary viaticum. Moreover, enduring patiently the stroke of the Lord, he fled not from being scourged with the elect; but that he might more easily appease the wrath of the omnipotent Judge, the more humbly and willingly he endured the present rod of affliction. Therefore, resigning himself wholly to the divine will, and voluntarily bowing to the heavenly decree, he commended his last agony with confidence to the Lord, thus shortly speaking to those brethren that stood around him: “Behold I am called by the Lord, and the time of my dissolution is at hand; Augustine and Bernard knock at the door, I cannot pass beyond the boundary set by GOD. I am forced like other mortals to pay the debt of the flesh; may God protect mine end, may my spirit go to the Lord that made it. Earth may cover my body, for it was taken from the earth, yet can it not remain there long. May GOD for whose love I have laboured, written, and preached, grant me to find rest after death."

2. Then his disciples being very sorrowful, and groaning deeply, said, "What shall we now do more? and who of all shall instruct us? Thou hast been our father and defender, and hast drawn us unto the Lord; now our adversaries will rejoice, and worldlings will scoff, saying: Now they have no prince and leader, therefore will they speedily be brought to nought. If they dared to mock and speak against us, while thou wert here, what will they not do on thy departure? Let thy prayers assist us, and bring help speedily to thy desolate children; By thy counsel we began to be corrected, help us that we may persevere. Whereupon our pious and merciful master, perceiving the hearts of his children to be heavily laden with sorrow, poured forth on them gentle consolation, saying: "Have good heart in the Lord, my beloved, and fear not what worldly inen can do against you mocking; stand ye firm in your holy purpose, the Lord will be with you in this

place. For man cannot break what God hath decreed to be done. As soon as I come unto the Lord, I hope that I shall scatter flowers on you from Heaven, that you may feel the influence of grace, and produce fruit in the world. To GOD and his saints I commend you all.

3. "And behold, Florentius, my beloved disciple, in whom the Holy Spirit truly dwelleth, will be a father to you, and your governor. Let him be in my place, hear ye him, and obey his counsel. For I know no one for whom I feel so much, and in whom I can so confide, whom you ought to love and honour as a father like unto me." And so he kindly comforted his disciples, that were touched with heavy sorrow, promising them most assuredly help from GOD. To these he left neither gold, nor silver, nor rich farms in his will, but holy books, and his poor clothes, and some few mean and old vessels, in token of contempt of the world, and to teach them to follow more easily the king. dom of GOD.

Then there came to him certain devout scholars in a time of pestilence, desiring for the cure of their souls to hear some word from him. To whom he spake kindly. "If you have a good will, by serving GOD continually, you may securely die; all your lessons which you have learned, will be accounted to you, as the Lord's prayer, by the pious intention you have towards GOD in your studies." On hearing these words, the young men were comforted, and returning to their hospices, died in a good confession, commending their souls, that were redeemed by the blood of Christ, to GoD and his holy angels.

4. Then after the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, when now the birth day of St. Bernard began to dawn, the Venerable father, Master Gerard, who was affected with a special devotion to St. Bernard, near sunset, between the fifth and sixth hour, gave up his soul to God, fortified with the sacraments of the Church, precious in faith, and famous for his many virtues, in the year of our Lord's Incarnation 1384, about the 44th year of his age, in the time of Pope Urban the Sixth, and of the Rev. Florentius of Wevelich, Lord Bishop of Utrecht, a man of worth, adorned with many good actions.

5. Now when the sad rumour of his death went abroad among the people, many of the faithful assembled together, to celebrate, the last rites of this famous and devout master so beloved by GOD. And religious men and women poured forth pious tears, paying the debt for human death, as was their wont, with prayers and solemn masses; and when all the office of the Church was faithfully performed, his body was carried to the Church of St. Mary, in which he received reverent

burial, where he had so often proclaimed the word of God, when he was alive. There, not far from the sanctuary, he rests in peace, till he be raised again with the rest of the faithful on the last day, by our Lord JESUS Christ, who shall judge both the living and the dead, and the world by fire. These few things have been spoken of the many and great actions of the venerable Master Gerard, for the edification of the present and of the future brethren of our congregation, and to the praise of our Lord JESUS Christ. But I beg pardon for every error and defect of speech; for I confess my want of skill, and humbly bow myself to brotherly correction, giving thanks to GOD for any good thing that may be found written herein.

6. THE NOVICE. With much desire I have listened to these things, and feel as it were a new flame of devotion in my heart, begat thereby. Oh, would that there were many such masters found, who would endeavour to enlighten the Church of GOD with such good example and doctrine! Wherefore I shall ever hold this illustrious man, hitherto unknown to me, in much reverence, with his writings and sayings, wherever I may find them; but, I pray thee, tell me if you know any other commendable particulars, respecting him, besides what you have already related, before you proceed to other things?

7. THE SENIOR. Though I hasten to write other things, yet I will satisfy your desire briefly; listen then to what a certain doctor in theology, a canon of Paris, formerly his intimate friend, has written, and with what pains he extols him after his death.

CHAP. XVII.-OF HIS GREAT COMMENDATION, BY A CANON OF PARIS.

1. "Master Gerard, surnamed Magnus, of holy memory, hath passed to the Lord. And he was truly great, since in liberal sciences, natural, moral, civil, canonical, and theological, collected in one, he was second to none in the world; moreover he was of such sanctity and example in the mortification of the flesh, in the contempt of the world, in brotherly charity to all, in desire for the salvation of souls, in the efficacy of preaching, in the reproof, and detestation of vices, in opposition to heretics, in putting down concubinage, contrary to the canonical laws, in converting many men and women to a spiritual, that before had lived a worldly life; in fidelity to our Lord Urban the Sixth; many thousand persons bear witness that he was no less great in these virtues, than he was in the before-named sciences. Master William de Saluar36

VOL. VI.