The Founders of the New Devotion

Thomas à Kempis — translated from the Latin by J. P. Arthur (London: Kegan Paul, 1905), from CCEL.

Lives of Gerard Groote, Florentius Radewin and their followers — the Devotio Moderna of the Low Countries, the movement in whose houses Thomas à Kempis was raised and out of which the Imitation came.

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Contents (62)

1. Preface
2. Chapter 1. Of the origin and interpretation of Gerard’s name
3. Chapter 2. Of his rapid progress at the University of Paris
4. Chapter 3. How his conversion was revealed to a hermit in Cologne
5. Chapter 4. How be was drawn to God by the Carthusian
6. Chapter 5. Of his change of garb and character
7. Chapter 6. How he separated himself from fellowship with worldlings
8. Chapter 7. Of his abstinence, and the shirt of hair which be wore
9. Chapter 8. How, by the advice of the Monks, he began to preach the word of God
10. Chapter 9. Of his labours, and his patience toward his enemies
11. Chapter 10. Of his journey to the parts about Brabant
12. Chapter 11. Of his austerity in food and clothing
13. Chapter 12. Of his devoutness in prayer and in hearing Holy things
14. Chapter 13. Of his great love of reading the Holy Scriptures
15. Chapter 14. Of the abundant fruit which he bore in the conversion of men
16. Chapter 15. Of the devout communities and monasteries which arose through him
17. Chapter 16. Of his happy death and burial
18. Chapter 17. Of the noble eulogy passed upon Gerard by a Cantor at Paris
19. Chapter 18. Of his public profession of faith, and of his delivering the true Gospel in his preaching
20. Appendix to the Life of Gerard Groote
21. Preface
22. Chapter 1. Of the humility of Christ which Florentius studied to imitate
23. Chapter 2. Of the interpretation of the name Florentius and its three glorious meanings
24. Chapter 3. Of the interpretation of his father’s name Radewin
25. Chapter 4. Of his native land, and bow be went to study at Prague
26. Chapter 5. Of his honourable character in the world
27. Chapter 6. Of his conversion through the preaching of Master Gerard
28. Chapter 7. How he despised the life of the world and joined himself to Master Gerard
29. Chapter 8. How Florentius himself, now fully converted, did convert many others
30. Of the burdens that he bore, and the wrongs that he suffered
31. Chapter 10. Of his promotion to the priesthood and the abasement of his humility
32. Chapter 11. How seldom be went out, and of his instructive demeanour as he stood in the Choir
33. Chapter 12. Of the simplicity of his garb
34. Chapter 13. Of his humble service among the Brothers
35. Chapter 14. How he laboured with his hands for the common good
36. Chapter 15. Of his compassion toward the poor, the sick, and the friendless
37. Chapter 16. Of his feeding the poor, and washing beggars
38. Chapter 17. Of his abstinence and the infirmities which came upon him by reason of his austerity
39. Chapter 18. How he often recovered by the aid of the prayers of the devout
40. Chapter 19. How upon an Easter Even he was healed by a Vision of Angels
41. Chapter 20. Of one who fell into a well and was drawn out unhurt
42. Chapter 21. Of the vision of the Rood which appeared over his house
43. Chapter 22. Of his patience, gentleness, and love toward all men
44. Chapter 23. Of his devout exhortation to spiritual prayer
45. Chapter 24. Of his effectual preaching and his knowledge of the Scriptures
46. Chapter 25. How he set a guard upon his tongue and avoided oaths
47. Chapter 26. Of three temptations that are full of peril to the devout
48. Chapter 27. Of his sending forth the Brothers to gather fruit in divers places
49. Chapter 28. Of his happy passing from this world and his burial in the Church
50. Chapter 29. Of a vision which was seen after his death, and of the great glory which he attained
51. A Letter and Certain Notable Sayings of Florentius
52. Preface
53. Life of John Gronde, Chapter 1. Of the first Congregation of Clerks in Deventer
54. Life of John Gronde, Chapter 2. Concerning John Gronde
55. Life of John Brinckerinck
56. Life of Lubert Berner
57. Life of Henry Brune
58. The Life of Gerard of Zutphen
59. The Life of Amilius of Buren
60. Life of James of Viana
61. Life of John Cacabus
62. Life of Arnold of Schoonhoven