ue did
make noble and them that voluntary poverty did make rich before God.

Wherefore these Converts prayed to the Lord with all their hearts, that
He, without whom no good thing is begun, carried forward, or ended, might
deign effectually to show them what might be His good pleasure in this
business; and they remembered likewise that Master Gherard Groet ever
kept the same purpose in mind, although he could not carry his desire
into effect, for death was beforehand with him.

XVI. _Concerning Brother Bertold, and the site of this monastery_.

The Lord therefore, that He might show how He was the cause and the
beginner of all these things, stirred up the spirit of a young Clerk
named Bertold ten Hove, who was the owner of broad meadows, and
particularly of an estate that is called "Hof to Windesem"--where by
God's aid we now do dwell--and he, coming to Florentius and his company,
did of his own act and free will offer to give himself and all his
possessions into their hands for the service of God, and he desired
earnestly that a monastery might be builded in the aforesaid place, if
this might be done.

When they knew this, all betook them to praising God, reaching up their
hands toward Heaven; for they held it as a most sure sign that He had
heard their prayer, and had promised to be, by some means or other, the
promoter of this cause. Straightway so many of them as were owners of
houses or lands sold them and put the price into Florentius' hands, or at
least resigned the same for the use of the monastery that should be
builded.

XVII. _Of the goodwill and consent of Florentius the Lord Bishop_.

Forthwith they began to be instant with the venerable Lord Florentius of
Wevelichoven, who was then Bishop of Utrecht, for his consent to the
founding of a monastery, and for the privileges needful for this
business; and him they found most gracious in all things, for he had a
special love of virtue.

This was done in the year of the Lord 1386, and by the co-operation of
God (good men also reaching forth an hand to help them) the affair so
prospered that in the year following, that is in 1387, on the day
following the Feast of St. Gallus the Confessor, an humble church and
burial-ground and also four altars were consecrated in due order by
Hubert, the venerable Bishop of Yppuse, in honour of the Holy Trinity,
and the Blessed Virgin and others.

XVIII. _Of the first Brothers of this monastery_.

But since it is w