So that Bishop Frederic, our most kindly lord, delayed not to send to his
Suffragan bidding him to come with all speed and consecrate the burial-
ground on the Mount, and the Suffragan also when he had read the letter
of his Superior was found eager to perform this pious act; and he came
without delay with the messengers who had been sent to him, and on the
day after the Feast of the Eleven Thousand Virgins, and at about the hour
of Vespers, he consecrated the burial-ground that lieth within the
cloister of the monastery, the Prior, Brothers, Clerks, and servants of
our House being present at the ceremony. When the rite had been
performed duly, a gentle rain fell and watered the consecrated ground
with the dew of heaven, and all that dwelt thereabout rejoiced with great
joy, for that the place had been consecrated by the Bishop, and that the
mouths of the adversaries who strove to hinder the foundation and
progress of the monastery were evidently stopped.

So when the rite of consecration had been performed by the authority of
the Bishop, he went himself on another day to Windesem and there
consecrated the new choir and the four altars.



CHAPTER X.


_Of the Brothers who were invested by John of Kempen, the first Prior_.

In the days of this venerable man our first Prior and Father, seven
Clerks and three Converts were invested, and the day and year of their
investiture are written below. Likewise he received the profession of
Brother Godefried of Kempen who was then about twenty years of age.