Steganography Vindicated, Unlocked and Illustrated

OF THE ABBOT.

...[the Council] of Constance The Council of Constance (1414–1418) was a major ecumenical council that ended the Western Schism and attempted to reform church life "in head and members.", for the establishment of a provincial chapter A periodic meeting of the heads of monasteries within a specific region to ensure discipline and unity. and for the beginning of the reform of the order in all monasteries. Therefore, the Abbots gathered at Constance in great numbers and, on the final day of February, they began the provincial chapter and laudably established many decrees for the reform of the order. Among others, John, a monk of Reinhausen original: "Reinhaufen", was present at this chapter, sent in the name of his Abbot as a proxy. When he saw the zeal and diligence of the Fathers for the reform of the order, and heard how dangerous it is for a monk to live in "deformity" original: "deformitate"; a technical term meaning a lack of adherence to the monastic Rule, he was struck with compunction. He thought entirely of fulfilling the oath he had made to the Presidents in his Abbot’s name. Returning to the monastery of Reinhausen, he revealed the entire matter to his Abbot and his brothers, who were at that time most undisciplined; he recounted what he had seen, heard, done, and concluded, as well as the promises made under oath for the reform of the order. He earnestly exhorted them to amend their lives and to accept the promised reform, which had been commanded under threat of punishment.

However, they began first to mock him, and later even to hold him in hatred and treat him with contempt. Therefore, seeing that he was despised and making no progress, and desiring to provide for his own soul's health, John went to Agnes—the wife of Otto of Brunswick and sister of the Landgrave of Thuringia, a most devout woman in Christ who was then staying in Gandersheim original: "Gamundia" not far from Reinhausen. He reported the acts and conclusions reached by the Fathers in the council and asked for help so that he might fulfill his oath. When that holy woman recognized his holy purpose, she promised she would bestow both help and counsel. It happened meanwhile that the Abbot of the monastery of Clus original: "Clusensis" died. When the Duchess learned of this, she pleaded with the Duke, her husband, that the aforementioned monk John of Reinhausen should succeed to the place of the deceased Abbot, and so it was done.

Thus ordained as Abbot in Clus, he applied every effort toward reform and began to precede his subjects in all holiness and religion according to the Rule. When the monks, who were accustomed to wicked habits, saw this, they all fled from him. But he, having gathered a few novices, instructed them in the purity of the Rule and, living in great poverty, began to serve GOD in all humility. At that time, the Monastery of Bursfelde in the Diocese of Mainz in Saxony—which Henry, formerly Count of Northeim, had founded around the year of our Lord 1097—had come to such misery and desolation that for many years only a single monk lived there, who had no income for his sustenance except for a single cow. The church, covered in straw, served as a stable for wandering cattle, though it had once been a choir of singing monks. Although the place was established in extreme poverty, it nevertheless pleased the aforementioned John, Abbot of Clus, because of its solitude and quiet. Therefore, with the consent of the previously mentioned Duke and Duchess, he left the monastery of Clus (which had also been very poor) and moved with his poor followers to Bursfelde. There he continued the reform he had begun, as best he could, in great poverty. Later, hearing of the fame and religious devotion of Johannes Rode, Abbot of Saint...