_Of the death of Brother Wolfard, Priest in the Monastery of Mount St.
Agnes_.
In the year of the Lord 1401, on the Feast of the Holy Martyrs John and
Paul, Brother Wolfard, son of Matthias, died in the monastery pertaining
to our order, which is called the House of the Blessed Virgin in the
Wood, and lieth near Northorn. He came from Medenblic, a town in
Holland, and was one of the four first Brothers of our House. He was a
man of great stature and grave deportment, eloquent in discourse, and his
hoary head was comely to look upon. He took part in the labours of the
younger Brothers, and would perform lowly tasks, such as washing the
trenchers, digging the ground, carrying stones, or collecting wood. It
was his wont to come early into the choir, to be alert in watching,
enduring in fasting, careful in celebrating the Mass, and devout in
prayer. Once he was asked by a Religious what he had eaten during
Advent, and whether he had had eggs from time to time; and he made
answer: "Blessed be God, throughout Advent I have seldom taken eggs or
fish, but I have eaten pulse only and have kept the fast in great
contentment."
So when by the ordinance of God the end of his life was at hand, and the
time when his good deeds should receive a better crown, he made a most
edifying end after the manner and order following:
At that time and in this year there was a notable pestilence in our House
of the Blessed Virgin in the Wood, whereof the Prior and many Brothers
died, and the one priest who survived, Brother John of Groninghen, a
weakly and feeble man, was left desolate save for the presence of one
novice, Brother Honestus. But our Brother Wolfard, hearing of the death
of these Brothers, and of the grief of them that were left desolate, was
greatly moved with compassion for this House. One day, therefore, when
girt for labour, he said in a tone of pity to me, as I stood by him, "Who
could deserve to have his portion with these good Brothers of Northorn,
and to earn an end like theirs?" For he had known divers of these
Brothers, and the place where they dwelt, and he loved their holy
company. And as he was telling me many good things concerning them,
Brother Arnold, a Convert from Northorn, entered in at the gate of our
monastery to ask for one of our priests and when Brother Wolfard saw him
coming he ran joyfully towards him and embraced him. But hearing the
cause of his coming, he said that he himself was ready to go with him if
it were pleasing to the Prior, and his obedience should permit. And
Arnold, seeing his readiness to come, rejoiced thereat, and said: "Most
beloved Brother, how good would it be that thou shouldest do so." Then
the Brothers were called together and considered who should be sent to
succour those Brothers in their strait, and they determined upon Brother
Wolfard, who was of fitting character and age, and he, being moved by
charity, assented to their resolution. On the next day at sunrise, he
set forth to Northorn with Brother Arnold, being ready to lay down his
life for the Brothers after the example of Christ, that he might save it
everlastingly. So he said farewell to the Brothers of Mount St. Agnes,
who wept at his departure, and left the monastery never to return
thither; but he knew not how soon he should be removed to a Higher Mount.
In thus leaving the place and the Brothers he overcame his natural man
and fulfilled the law of charity, following, in his death, the example of
Christ. Therefore he entered into the Monastery of Mary, Mother of
Christ, which is in the Wood, and within a few days he there made an end
of his life, and was buried by the Brothers of the House aforesaid. Our
Brother Egbert hath told me that long ago Gerard Groote had said to our
brother: "Wolfard, thou shalt know two conversions," for in the days of
Master Gerard, Wolfard had begun to be well disposed to the religious
life, but afterward he was turned away to the world: yet after many
years, by the grace of God, it came about that he was again pricked to
the heart, and, leaving his pastoral charge, he changed his worldly life,
and was among the first of the Brothers to take the religious habit, and
he thus ended his life with a happy death struggle.