Chronicle of The Expulsion of The Greyfriars - Chapter 15 Concerning The Friary at Horsens

Chapter 15 Concerning The Friary At Horsens

This is the way in which the brethren were expelled from Horsens Friary.

After the cursed Lutherans had introduced and carried out countless persecutions and threats against the brothers before they were driven from their friary and after the forementioned Mogens Gjø, the persecutor of all the peaceful (ones), had encouraged many Lutheran citizens of Horsens to drive the brethren out of their friary. They attempted many times to tempt them if they could not be persuaded to leave their friary. They took hold of every single brother and promised them a handsome sum (of money) and a passable reward, but they still received a negative answer. They could not get the brothers to go out because of agreements because Manderup Holck had the founder's right over the friary and was very friendly-minded toward the brethren. So they held council with the ungodly gentleman, the above named Mogens Gjø and he convinced these citizens to refer themselves to the king and carry before him for him (the King) the monstrances and chalices from the church in Horsens to get him to sell them our friary which also happened. Therefore the two Horsens citizens namely master of the town, Lars Jensen and another went away to the king's majesty who was staying at Gottorp (in southern Jutland) and obtained from him a letter concerning the brothers' friary. This letter from his royal highness was read out for the brothers in the friary in their daily assembly the day before Saint Barbara's martyrdom (4 December). Thereafter the aforementioned brothers found out how many and how false things were spoken while (they were) with his royal highness.

So on godly (St) Thomas the Martyr's Day1 the Bishop of Kent was all compassion withdrawn from all the brothers from the friary at Horsens for and that self-same day they were expelled from their friary, inhumanly and confused, without any justice or concern on the year and date mentioned above.

Now ( these are) the methods and why the persecution (and expulsion) of the Friars Minor from Denmark.

1 St Thomas Martyr's Day is 29 December, the anniversary of the murder of Thomas a' Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.