(A.D. 1127.)
[His life by a writer of the same time, a monk of Kappenberg, who,
though he did not know Gotfried himself, derived his information
from those who knew him well. He is also mentioned, and the
principal incidents of his life noticed, in the life of S.
Norbert.]
Godfrey or Gotfried, Count of Kappenberg,[49] in Westphalia, lived at a
period when the nobles of Germany were engaged in constant feuds with
one another, falling on each others lands, burning the villages, and
carrying off the cattle. It was a period when the poor suffered untold
woes. "It is good to live under the crook," they said, meaning that
their only place, where they could live in security, was on the lands of
the abbeys. One little incident mentioned in the life of Count Gotfried,
shews the lawlessness of the times. The Count and the city of Münster
not being on good terms, a party of the Kappenbergers made a foray, and
swept up all the cattle from the farms in the neighbourhood of Münster,
and brought them in triumph to the Count; but he rebuked them saying,
"Take all these back again; my quarrel is with the men of the city; it
is not seemly that the innocent and helpless farmers should lose their
all on account of a contest of the rights of which they know nothing."
Gotfried happening to attend, along with his brother Otto, the preaching
of S. Norbert, who traversed Westphalia at this time, was converted, and
resolved on turning his fortress into a monastery. His wife at first
opposed his intention, and his relations used all their influence to
dissuade him. But his earnestness moved his wife at last to withdraw her
objections, and to consent to his entering the religious life; she, at
the same time, also resolved to take the veil. Accordingly, Gotfried and
his brother Otto, who was his junior, received the tonsure, and became
canons of S. Augustine, under the rule of S. Norbert of Prémontré.
Frederick, Count of Arnsberg, the father of Gotfried's wife, was
furious. He was a man of great cruelty, in whose dungeons languished
many wretches, and who delighted in war. His protests were in vain, the
Count of Kappenberg transformed his castle into a monastery, and built
two more, at Varlar and Elstadt. So great was the humility of Gotfried,
that finding he was continually given his title of Count, even by the
brethren, he took upon himself the most disagreeable office in the
house, that of scourer of the privies.
Frederick, Count of Arnsberg, finding remonstrances in vain, threatened
to fall on the county of Kappenberg, and drive the monks out "As for
that Norbert!" he exclaimed, "who has come riding on an ass through
Westphalia, turning men's heads, let me catch him, and I'll hang him and
his ass at the two ends of one rope over a bough, and see which is the
heaviest fool of the twain."
Gotfried and his brethren sent to Prémontré, to tell their father in
religion, that it was impossible for them to remain in Germany, that
Count Arnsberg would attack them shortly; and they added the threat
uttered against Norbert himself and his ass.
"Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, said Christ," he wrote
back to them, "and as for me and my ass, we are coming into Westphalia
to be weighed one against the other." Nor was S. Norbert long in coming;
he rode upon his ass to the door of Kappenberg; but there was no further
danger, Count Frederick of Arnsberg was dead.
Before he died, Gotfried visited the cradle of his order, Prémontré, the
home of S. Norbert. On his way back, next year, he sickened, and died at
Elstadt.