How Theodoric of Kleef, third Prior of the House on the Mount laid down
his office, and was absolved therefrom.
In the year of the Lord 1447, that venerable Father, Theodoric of Kleef,
third Prior of our House of Mount St. Agnes the Virgin, coming home from
the General Chapter, called the Brothers together, and humbly sought to
speak with them so that when the Visitors of the House came he might be
absolved from his office of Prior. For twenty-three years he had ruled
the House with fatherly care, and he was weary with many labours. He
would have made this petition a year before, but that the urgency of
divers concerns of the House had hindered him from so doing, and he
pleaded the weakness of his age and that his senses were clouded. Hearing
these things the elder Brothers spake with the members of the Chapter,
and thinking to show mercy toward their beloved Father who had long
served them to the best of his power, they gave a kindly hearing and
assent to his petition. Wherefore the three eldest amongst them, on
behalf of the other Brothers and at their request, came to the Visitors,
for they were sitting in a private room to hear the opinion of each one
of the Brothers, and on bended knees with their hands clasped they
besought them instantly, and with all their hearts, to grant absolution
to this Father for that he was infirm and aged; this they said was the
time to show him pity, and this was what he desired as he had told to
certain of them privately.
The Visitors therefore heard the opinions of all, and finding that the
more part of them that were gathered together demanded this thing of set
purpose, did piously admonish the Prior that he might yield to the
petition of the Brothers and resign his office out of consideration for
his own weakness of body. The good Father hearing this prostrated
himself humbly before the Chapter, and returning thanks to the Brothers
said that he was ready to resign into the hands of the Prior of the
Superior House the burden of that office which he had long borne.
But since the duty of holding visitations at certain other houses had
been laid upon them, the Priors of Windesem and Zwolle besought our
Brothers that such visitations might be held by the known and former
Prior as the Chapter had ordained, and when these were done, then at a
convenient season the desire of the Brothers concerning the absolution of
the Prior should be fulfilled.
So when the matter of the visitation was finished, the Priors of
Amsterdam and of Hoern returned, and coming to our monastery did a second
time examine the opinion of the Brothers in private, and they found that
the more part were still of one heart, and constant to their opinion that
the Prior should be absolved, though some few of the younger Brothers
dissented from the rest.
Hearing this the Visitors, by the authority to them committed, absolved
the Prior on the day after the Dispersion of the Apostles, thinking
thereby to provide for the peace and usefulness of the House. Then in
accordance with the statutes of the Chapter they bade the Brothers to
keep fast for three days for the election of a new Prior; then they
returned toward Holland to their houses, since their own needs compelled
them so to do, but they besought the venerable Prior of Windesem to deign
to be present in person at the election when the Brothers should choose
their Prior. And this was done, the grace of God providing for us, so
that the petition of the brothers, which they had made long since, came
to a good issue in the election of a new Prior, for which election they
did invoke the Holy Ghost and poured out prayers to God instantly both in
public and in private.