House, and the Prior
proposed that in accordance with the statutes they should choose another
Sub-Prior, so on the Feast of St. James the Apostle, before the hour for
Vespers, Brother Thomas of Kempen was nominated and elected after a brief
scrutiny. He was one of the elders, being sixty-seven years of age, and
in past times had been appointed to this office, and albeit he knew
himself to be insufficient and would have made excuse, yet he did submit
him humbly to the assembled Brothers, for his obedience bade him so to
do; neither did he refuse to undergo toil on their behalf for the love of
Christ Jesus, but earnestly besought the prayers of his comrades and
Brothers, for he trusted rather in the grace of God than in himself.

In the same year, during the summer season, the crops were grievously
ravaged in divers places by the mice, which ate the corn while it was
still growing up and when it was in the blade. Our Lay Brothers,
therefore, dug ditches and put in the ground jars filled with water, and
such was the craft with which they did this that a vast number of the
mice were drowned in these jars, and they slew in divers places many
thousands. These creatures had caused great loss to us and our
neighbours by ravaging the wheat, the barley, the oats, and the peas, and
also the green crops in the fields that were for the fodder of the
cattle.

About the beginning of the month of September there was a notable
tempest, and a great flood of waters broke in upon us (for the sea had
burst his banks), and this did overflow our pasture land and destroyed
the grass and the fodder. By this same tempest many ships that had
adventured themselves upon the sea were overwhelmed with all their crews.

But herein again the good and merciful God did provide for us, for our
fishers took great store of fish by reason of this flood, and these did
suffice the Brothers and their guests for food during many days.

In the year of the Lord 1449, on the Feast of St. Bernard the Abbot, we
received the precious relics of certain Saints and Martyrs who were
companions of Gereon, Duke and Martyr, and of others that were companions
of the Eleven Thousand Holy Virgins of Cologne. These did the venerable
Abbot of St. Panthalion send to us from the many relics that are in that
monastery.

Likewise Egbert Tyveren, a Donate of our House, brought back to us from
Cologne, as true relics, certain small fragments that were given to us by
the Cart