Steganography Vindicated, Unlocked and Illustrated

throughout Germany and especially through the Province of Mainz original: "Provinciam Moguntinam", among which was also the Sponheim Monastery to be reformed. Thus, Johannes, Abbot of St. Matthias near Trier original: "Treverim", in the year 1439—supported by the authority of the aforementioned council and appointed as a visitor—visited Sponheim for the third time. However, since the monks had been born and raised in "deformity" (if I may call it that) referring to a lack of proper monastic form or discipline and did not wish to live otherwise than they had learned, he made little progress. In the year 1467, Otto the Abbot and the brothers of this community, fearing that they would be expelled by the Fathers of the Bursfelde Observance The Bursfelde Union was a major reform movement within the Benedictine Order in favor of reformation at the urging of the Princes (which was then often threatened against them), took counsel and decided to reform themselves. They sent messengers and letters of petition to the Abbots of Trier, who at that time (except for the Monastery of St. Martin) had been reformed, and especially to the Abbot of St. Maximin. They were not members of the Bursfelde Union, which was too hateful to them. They urgently petitioned for two monks who might instruct the monks and novices of this monastery in the manners and ceremonies agreeable to regular observance. However, they were unable to obtain anyone from the men of Trier. After this, they sent to Cologne, and from there two brothers from St. Pantaleon came. Upon arrival, they were gratefully received and were appointed by the Abbot as Masters to instruct the monks of this community. However, they were harassed, mocked, and sometimes even affected by beatings due to the excessive persistence and malice of the monks—especially the younger ones. When they perceived that they could accomplish nothing, they returned to Cologne, from whence they had come.

Finally, in the Year of our Lord 1469, in the second indiction, when this monastery had reached extreme poverty due to the bad governance of the Abbots and the dissolute life of the monks, and was utterly deprived of all its beauty in both spiritual and temporal matters, the most illustrious Prince Frederick, Count Palatine of the Rhine in Simmern and Count in Sponheim, decided to subject it to reform for the honor of

and to restore it to the observance of the Rule The Rule of Saint Benedict in both states [spiritual and material] to the best of his ability. Therefore, he obtained two commissioners for this work from Adolf, Archbishop of the See of Mainz: namely, Hermann of the Monastery of St. James near Mainz, and Conrad of Rodenberg of St. John in the Rheingau original: "Ringavia", both Abbots of monasteries of this same order. With their counsel and direction, he would lead such a necessary and holy work to its desired end. These commissioners, having received the authority for visiting and reforming from the Archbishop, arrived on the 19th day of the month of August. An hour before their arrival, the counselors of the aforementioned Prince Frederick had entered the monastery in the morning after Prime The first hour of prayer after sunrise with an armed hand, taking precautions so that none of the monks might escape, nor anything be carried out of the monastery. As soon as the commissioners were admitted, they entered the chapter house and summoned the Abbot and the community to be present. Once they were gathered, they had the mandate given to them by the Archbishop of Mainz read aloud. When the commission regarding the reform was read, the monks were struck with dread in their hearts, and after holding a short deliberation among themselves, they answered unanimously: Otherwise...

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