Henry Ryck: A Dutch Devotional Life from the Fifteenth Century

As an example of a slightly different life, away from the battlefields or the pulpits of famous churches, one in particular is highlighted here. His was a simpler life, that of the procurator of a certain sort of devotional school in Emmerich, and who was eulogized after his death in 1494. Emmerich (now in Germany), lying just north of the Rhine river (and before that great river splits on it's way through Dutch lands), was a thriving town in the late fifteenth century. There, a somewhat novel type of devotional clerical school was set up and run by one Henry Ryck. After he died of the plague in the early summer of 1494, a personalizing encomium was drafted for him, a praiseworthy bio to pass on as an example of a life well lived.

This life along with thirteen others was included in a tract written and then kept at this school, or house, what they themselves called a 'convict'. This school was not exactly a school, but it also was, and it was not exactly devotional, at least, according to traditional lines. But it was. It was not a member of any clerical sect nor did they make any special pleas for external authority when conducting themselves in religious or political matters. But these devotionals followed their own set of traditional practices in their own ways, just not at the direction of, or for, any established sect or set of orders. There were dozens of various kinds of these houses throughout the north and west of Europe in the 1400's and all stayed out of external trouble without following anyone else's rules. Or not exactly. They weren't all schools either.

In these excerpts from a life written around 1500, Henry Ryck is praised as industrious and kind, always joyful in work or winning adherents, yet remaining personally humble.

"In the year of our Lord 1494 Henry Ryck died, our beloved brother from Euskirchen, a town in the land of Julich. This brother was the first procurator of our house [called a 'convict'] for clerics and students.... He was a young man of a most lively nature, wonderfully agile and able in everything he chanced to take up and very intelligent and clear-headed for his years. He was received among us in all charity already in his early years, sent here by his brother, the venerable Nicholas Euskirchen, from the house of Lord Florens and the schools in Deventer." [p. 145]

The story of the origins of these houses, starting in Deventer by the late fourteenth century, and slowly spreading through the fifteenth century will come later. But this form of devotion came naturally to him, having been brought up that way. When the head of the bakery had to do errands in town, Henry was able to take up "... these responsibilities with alacrity and care."

"He set everything in order, adjusted his time to his work, and not only completed what was expected but did it all expeditiously and well. The tools, vessels, and places assigned to his offices were kept in order as well as clean and decorous. He was cheerful at work and kindly toward the brothers assigned to help him." 

Henry worked in the bakery and brewery and in "... turning over the grain laid out in the sun room." Wet with sweat he would "... simply wipe his face with his bare hand and stick to his work in all happiness and good cheer."

He was also studious. A regimen of prayer, sacred reading and "... other spiritual exercises", completely occupied him when he was away from external work and "... in his cell". He even compiled an 'exercise' that linked psalms 'sung to our Lady', to points all along the story of Christ's life, from birth to crucifixion.

"Though he had found none of these psalms so interpreted and used by the doctors of the church, it was not contrary to the faith and in my judgement it seemed well organized for simpler folk, good for avoiding wandering thoughts and loss of attention during prayer." [p.146]

In these houses a great deal of focus was placed on prayer and study. They also emphasized fearing God, the nature of good and evil, imitating the life of Jesus Christ, and prayer concerning the crucifixion of Christ. In time, in 1482, Henry was selected to run a new boy's school that the house had begun, near St Agnes, which was away from their current house in Emmerich. It was a great success by their standards.

"He took up such an amount of work and showed such diligence and care for the young men together with their needs and progress that without his most singular and extraordinary mixture of natures and complexions, he would surely have succumbed to the burden. In a short time clerics and youths from various lands, cities, and towns were streaming to him, and he alone was their procurator, their instructor, and their provider in all things." [p. 147]

There he also began certain clerical duties, like reading the hours and their supplements. But he was also a teacher with three different exercises daily, with examinations.  Later, Henry seemed intent on building projects, including walls and more houses. He had a way of recruiting youths to these houses, or even, when it seemed necessary, to take them away by boat when the plague came.

It was one of these times of plague that he didn't leave. He started showing symptoms of the plague in late May. But he kept working saying he didn't feel that bad. On the third day he began to show lesions on his skin and he retired to bed. It was on June 11, 1494 that he died.
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translated and edited by John Van Engen: Devotio Moderna, Basic Writings ; Classics of Western Spirituality, Paulist Press New York, 1988