ngregations of religious persons, both
men and women; so great was the fire that the more part of the city
should seem to have been destroyed, and scarce a third part thereof was
saved. Fourteen monasteries are known to have burned almost to the
ground, and verily great misery was caused thereby in the sight of all
men, such as had not been heard of from very ancient times until that
day. Many virgins that had taken the veil, putting aside their maiden
modesty, wandered about the city lamenting and begging for hospitality,
whereby the hearts of many were moved to tears. Everything was buried,
from the great Church of St. Nicholas to the ancient Convent of the Nuns
of our Order inclusively, and in the other direction from the Church of
the Blessed Virgin Mary to our monastery exclusively, for God in His
mercy spared that House that it was unhurt.

In the same year, on the Feast of the Commemoration of St. Paul the
Apostle, and after Vespers, our beloved Brother Henry Cremer died at
Windesem; on the day following, being the Octave of St. John the Baptist,
his body was brought to our House, wherein, through the mercy of God, he
had lived for nearly thirty-three years in the Religious habit; this was
done that at his life's end he might not lie in a strange land afar from
our House, but might be buried according as he desired amongst our
Brothers. He was faithful in his labour, in the writing of books, and in
his attendance in the choir; and being zealous for discipline he kept a
watch over his mouth and loved his cell. Formerly he had been Prior in
Rickenberrich in Saxony for nearly eleven years, and afterward for a few
years abode in Diepenveen with two others his companions, but he was
instant in his petition to return to the Brotherhood, and obtained his
desire; after this he was sent to Cologne, but returning thence he died
at Windesem and was buried in our House.

In the year of the Lord 1453, a strange pestilence fell upon the men of
certain towns and the villages adjacent thereto. This plague befel after
the Feast of St. John the Baptist, and was notable by reason of the
benumbing of the throat and the pain it caused in the breast and side. At
this time many of our Brothers and the Lay folk of our Household who were
labouring hard in the fields--for it was harvest--were smitten so
grievously by the benumbing of their throats that they could scarce speak
or eat. There was a north wind that was very cold at ni