s finished, the Priors of
Amsterdam and of Hoern returned, and coming to our monastery did a second
time examine the opinion of the Brothers in private, and they found that
the more part were still of one heart, and constant to their opinion that
the Prior should be absolved, though some few of the younger Brothers
dissented from the rest.

Hearing this the Visitors, by the authority to them committed, absolved
the Prior on the day after the Dispersion of the Apostles, thinking
thereby to provide for the peace and usefulness of the House. Then in
accordance with the statutes of the Chapter they bade the Brothers to
keep fast for three days for the election of a new Prior; then they
returned toward Holland to their houses, since their own needs compelled
them so to do, but they besought the venerable Prior of Windesem to deign
to be present in person at the election when the Brothers should choose
their Prior. And this was done, the grace of God providing for us, so
that the petition of the brothers, which they had made long since, came
to a good issue in the election of a new Prior, for which election they
did invoke the Holy Ghost and poured out prayers to God instantly both in
public and in private.

CHAPTER XXVI.

How Brother Henry of Deventer was chosen to be the fourth Prior of the
House of Mount St. Agnes.

In the year of the Lord 1448, on the 20th day of June (July), when the
three days' fast was ended, the Brothers came together to sing the Mass
of the Holy Spirit on the day before the Feast of St. Praxedes the
Virgin; but the Mass of the Blessed Virgin had been said in private
because it was the Sabbath. Then after the end of Mass, and when Sext
was done, the Brothers went forth from the choir to the Chapter House to
choose a new Prior; and the venerable Prior of Windesem, with the Prior
of Zwolle, was there present with them, for he had been called and
besought to hear the election. So, having held a short conference with
the Brothers, and the manner of election being read, the Prior of
Windesem exhorted the members of the Chapter to choose a fit person to be
Prior following the commandments of God and Canon Law. There were here
present twenty-one Brothers that were electors, and two who were far away
had written letters wherein they expressed their will. So the Brothers
that were electors went away a little space outside the doors of the
Chapter House, and the two Priors aforesaid came and stood by