the Brothers were called together and considered who should be sent to
succour those Brothers in their strait, and they determined upon Brother
Wolfard, who was of fitting character and age, and he, being moved by
charity, assented to their resolution. On the next day at sunrise, he
set forth to Northorn with Brother Arnold, being ready to lay down his
life for the Brothers after the example of Christ, that he might save it
everlastingly. So he said farewell to the Brothers of Mount St. Agnes,
who wept at his departure, and left the monastery never to return
thither; but he knew not how soon he should be removed to a Higher Mount.
In thus leaving the place and the Brothers he overcame his natural man
and fulfilled the law of charity, following, in his death, the example of
Christ. Therefore he entered into the Monastery of Mary, Mother of
Christ, which is in the Wood, and within a few days he there made an end
of his life, and was buried by the Brothers of the House aforesaid. Our
Brother Egbert hath told me that long ago Gerard Groote had said to our
brother: "Wolfard, thou shalt know two conversions," for in the days of
Master Gerard, Wolfard had begun to be well disposed to the religious
life, but afterward he was turned away to the world: yet after many
years, by the grace of God, it came about that he was again pricked to
the heart, and, leaving his pastoral charge, he changed his worldly life,
and was among the first of the Brothers to take the religious habit, and
he thus ended his life with a happy death struggle.



CHAPTER XII.


_How Brother William Forniken was chosen to be the second Prior in the
House of Mount St. Agnes_.