ich office he held for but a short time; then we did see
Brother John of Huesden, a young man in years but hoary in mind, who
ruled this church of ours for above thirty-three years in wholesome wise,
to the great increase of our goods, both spiritual and temporal, and was
beloved of God and man. When he died Brother Gherard Naeldwijc was
chosen by all the Brothers to take the place of the departed Prior, yet
scarce for half a year could he bear the honour and burden of this care
by reason of his exceeding lowliness, but he renounced the office of
Prior and cast off the burden thereof in presence of all the Brothers,
though this was contrary to the opinion of the whole community, and
likewise to that of the Fathers gathered together in the Chapter.

Likewise we have seen how Henry Wilde was chosen to be Prior at Eemsteyn,
Brother Werner at Horn, Brother John Kempis at Mount St. Agnes, Brother
Arnold Kalkar at the Fount of the Blessed Mary, Brother John Otto at
Amsterdam, Brother Henry Loder at Northorn, Brother John Broechusen at
Leerdorp, and so forth.

XXI. _Of the pattern of virtue left for us by the Fathers_.

And now, in the last place, one must see how virtuous were these men, and
what an example they left for us to imitate. But no one amongst men
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him;
yet by considering his outward deeds one may guess what lieth hidden
inwardly in him.

XXII. _Of their simplicity and poverty_.

One may know by the humble plan of the former House which they builded
how greatly these men loved simplicity and holy poverty. For the inner
walls thereof were small, and the House was covered in with reeds or
thatch; so at that time what is now the part behind the church was the
whole church itself; and the chapel that is now was then the refectory;
the brewery was the kitchen, and the old brewery was our mill house and
infirmary. Moreover, the bounds of the monastery were so narrow that the
present inner wall on the north of the barn was then the extreme outer
wall of the House. So the whole was lowly and small, being arranged to
receive but few inmates.

XXIII. _Of their Victual_.

They kept a frugal and poor table, not so much of necessity, or through
lack, as out of love of poverty, and the habit which was implanted in
them, which same they had acquired together with the disciples of
Florentius.

So on a time I heard Brother Gherard Naeldwijc say in ple