Chronicle of The Expulsion of The Greyfriars - Chapter 8 Concerning The Friary at Randers

Chapter 8 Concerning The Friary At Randers

In the year of the Lord 1530 after the brethren had countless quarrels and suffered much from the heretics side, Mogens Gjø1, who at that time was the heretic's protector and himself the worst heretic, received three letters from King Frederik I concerning the Grayfriar's expulsion from the friary in Randers. So he (Gjø) sent his bailiff to Randers. He (the bailiff) came into our friary along with the master of the town and the town bailiff and showed the royal warrants, the result of which was that in compensation for the Friary at Flensborg, and as a reward for his long service, he (Gjø) had persuaded his majesty who gave him the Grayfriars Friary in Randers.

The Guardian, Jens Jostens, replied in the meantime that he absolutely would not forsake his friary because of the letter. They said to him, "Have you no greater respect for his majesty?" "I will show him all dutiful honour," he said. So they said to him, "So ask for a temporary postponement!" Which he did. They granted him immediately a postponement until the next Sunday, and then they drove the monks out.

There was a traitor, Brother Henning, who heard the Guardian say to the porter in the cloister that he should not open the gate when the town bailiff and the others came to force the brothers out. Henning went to the town bailiff, and told him the Guardian would not speak to him at the gate, but near the iron grill in the church. When the town bailiff came and knocked on the gate, the porter, Brother Clemens, let him go to the grillwork and went himself to fetch the Guardian.

In time Brother Clemens opened the grillwork for them. The citizens came into the friary met the Guardian and porter in the cloister and demanded the Guardian again to obey the king's letter. "We will not under any circumstances abandon the friary because of the letter." The bailiff grew angry and threatened him and declared him a rebel against his majesty. But when the bailiff and the others went to return through the grille, the porter already having opened the gate, then came the traitor, Brother Henning and said, "No, you should not go out that way. If you go out that way, it will be a year before you will get back into the friary." The bailiff followed his counsel, went back to the Guardian and said to him, "I will remain here with you today and set my kettle on the fire with your kettle." He remained with the others and chased thereafter all the brothers from the friary and permitted Mogens Gjø to take over the friary.

1 Mogens Axelsen Gjø was the master of the court (Danish:rigshofmesteren) under Frederik I. In this capacity he became the chief enforcer of Frederik's policy of limiting the power of religious houses, specifically Franciscans. He received the Randers Friary as a reward for his fervor. He is specifically mentioned in the Jutland expulsions as the prime mover. Apparently his father was a fervent Lutheran as mentioned in the expulsion at Aalborg.