The day after the Feast of Brixius, Confessor and Bishop, died Hermann of Laer, a man of great age who came from Campen.

On the Vigil of St. Thomas the Apostle, died Gerlac ten Water, a Clerk of the town of Kampen.  He had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and was still in the flower of his youth, but in this same year he left the world and his parents and entered the monastery with joy, and he made a good end to his life when came the time appointed for him to die.  These were buried in the Chapel of St. Agnes, which afterward became the Chapter House, because there was no other consecrated ground in the which they could be buried.  But as the space was very narrow, some were buried in a neighbouring spot, because it was hoped that a burial-ground would soon be consecrated there.

But in the year 1407, in the time of William Vorniken, the second Prior, and after the consecration of the new chapel, the bones of some of these Brothers were taken up and buried again in the other burial-ground on the western side of the chapel, where now several Lay Brothers who knew them lie buried also.

In the same year, on the Feast day of St. Martin, the Bishop, Brother Egbert Linghen, the first Rector, invested two converts; their names being Brother John, son of James of Hasselt, and Brother John Eme of Zwolle.

In the year 1399, on the Feast of St. Gregory the Pope, Brother Godefried of Kempen, who was born in the diocese of Cologne, was invested by the first Rector.  He was a skilful writer and singer, and he wrote one missal for the High Altar, and three Antiphonaries, and likewise illuminated several books.  Also he painted and adorned the altars of the church most beautifully with the figures of saints.

CHAPTER VIII.

How John Kempen was chosen as the first Prior of Mount St. Agnes.

In the year 1399, after Easter, John of Kempen, one of the community at Windesem, was chosen to be Prior of the House of Mount St. Agnes.

By the help of God, he, the first Prior, did govern the affairs of the House, with the many poor inmates, zealously and devoutly for nine years.  Also he added to the possessions of the monastery in laudable wise, providing buildings and books and other things needful.  He it was that ordered the building of the chief part of the church walls, and he made ready much timber for the finishing of the roof.  He began to plant an orchard on the south side of the cloister, and he set forest trees round it on every side.  This is that very garden that Gerard Groote, long before, pointed out to the Brothers that they should grow their herbs therein.  For a long time wheat was grown, but a great while after herbs were planted.

In the days of the Prior, mountains and hills were made low, and hollow valleys were filled up:  then was fulfilled to the letter that which is written in Esaias, a text oft spoken of by the Brothers in the midst of their toil:  “Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough ways plain” . . .