_Of the consecration of our Church and of four Altars in the House of
Mount St. Agnes_.
In the year 1412, on the 8th day of the month of April, being the Friday
after Easter, our church was consecrated, being dedicated in honour of
St. Agnes the Virgin and Martyr of Christ. The rite was performed by
Matthias of Biduane, the Suffragan of our Lord and Reverend Father in
Christ, Frederic de Blanckenhem, Bishop of Utrecht. Many religious
persons and priests were present thereat, namely, the Prior of Windesem,
the Prior of Belheem, Conrad Hengel and John of Haarlem, who were priests
at Zwolle. Many other honourable persons also, both men and women, young
and old, men of the town and men of the country, came together to this
dedication. There was great joy in the hearts of all, and a general
license to enter the monastery was given to strangers, as our statutes
allow to be done on that day only. So when the consecration had been
solemnly performed, the Bishop came forward in his mitre to consecrate
the four altars. First he dedicated the High Altar in the Choir in
honour of the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Mother of God, St. Agnes the
Virgin, and the Apostles of Christ, and he sang Mass in solemn wise for
the dedication of the church and altar.
Then going out of the Choir into the northern aisle of the church, he
dedicated the Altar in the greater chapel in honour of the Holy Cross and
the Blessed Martyrs, and afterwards the Altar which is in the midst of
the church on the left of the Choir in honour of the Blessed Mary ever
Virgin, and of St. Augustine the Bishop, who is Father of our Order.
Lastly, he dedicated the Altar on the south side of the Choir in honour
of the most Blessed Mary Magdalene, St. Catherine, St. Cecilia, and the
Eleven Thousand Virgins.
This done, masses were celebrated at the several altars, and the Host of
Salvation was offered up in all reverence to God. But after midday, the
Brothers being gathered together, he consecrated the burial-ground for
the interment of the dead outside the church and on the western and
southern side thereof.
On that day he granted Indulgences for forty days to them that were there
present, and a like grace to all the benefactors of the church and all
that visited the altars, as was set forth clearly in the Bishop's letter
concerning the consecration of the church. In this same church there
still stand the two altars that were consecrated in Westerhof at the
first foundation of the House in that place; for these, by consent of the
Bishop of Utrecht, were transferred to this church after the return of
the Brothers from Westerhof. One of these was consecrated in honour of
St. John the Baptist and the Blessed Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul;
this doth stand on the south side of the church. The other was dedicated
in honour of St. James and St. John the Apostles.
The Sunday after the Feast of the Blessed Gallus the Abbot (which is in
the month of October), was appointed to be kept in every year as the
anniversary of the dedication of this church and the several altars
therein; and on this day also is kept the Dedication Festival of the
House of the Blessed Virgin in Windesem and of the Convent of Nuns at
Diepenveen, to the glory and honour of the most Blessed Trinity.
In the same year, when their General Chapter was held at Windesem, the
venerable Fathers of the Canons Regular in Brabant came thereto, and were
accepted and united to our Fraternity, together with the Houses belonging
to them.
In this year from the Feast of Pentecost onward the Canonical Hours were
sung in our church after the monastic manner.