The Letters of John Houghton and Theodoric Loer
Greetings to the Reverend Father Theodoric Loer, Vicar of the Carthusian Charterhouse, from John Houghton.
You will perhaps wonder, most reverend Father, what is the meaning of these strange letters sent to you from a far off country. But so you may stop wondering, know that it is the most fragrant perfume of our most exceptional Father Denis which has now drawn these letters of mine to you (or rather, to him concealed before you). For he has so captured our hearts with his most sacred writings and teachings that we are hardly able to be without them without great distress. And indeed for us his works have a more saintly and sweet taste to them than nearly all other sacred authors we have read until now (may it be said without offence to the rest). And so rare are these works among us in this region that we are hardly able to satisfy our wishes—namely, reading and rereading them. For as soon as any of them should arrive here, they are just as quickly snatched up by other holy and educated men, so that we can acquire only a few and should be forced to remain hungry.
Furthermore, the Prior of Hinton,An English Charterhouse located in Somerset. a Venerable Father in this province who had previously been at the Grande Chartreuse at the General Chapter, had told us on his return that you, Father, had promised to send however many of these works he desired if he were willing to buy them. Inspired by this news, I had hoped to shortly fulfill my wish.
To get to the point then—I ask you Father, rather I implore you, though we are strangers to each other, to send as quickly as is convenient to you all the works of our most holy Father Denis tenfold, that is ten volumes of every single work of his published to date. And besides those, I also ask you to send twenty books of that little work we call On Contempt of the World,De contemptu mundi or Heptalogus in Latin; consisting of seven works of Denis the Carthusian: On the Narrow Way of Salvation and Contempt of the World, A Mirror on Lovers of the World, On the Wickedness and Gravity of Sin, A Mirror or Dialogue on the Conversion of Sinners, On the Font of Light and Path of Life, Of the Heart, and On Making Use of Many Benefits. and the same number of that little work titled Ladder of the Religious.Scala religiosum or Pentateuchus in Latin; consisting of five works of Denis the Carthusian: An Exhortation for Novices, On the Monastic Profession, On a Profitable Deduction of Time, On Life-Giving Mortification and Interior Reformation, and On Spiritual Growth and Custody of the Heart. Have no doubt that in doing this, you shall merit much before God. And send also, I beg you, the individual prices for all the works requested above. And as partial payment for them, accept from the letter-carrier this money worth six pounds, thirteen shillings, and eight pence sterling—making to you, if I am not mistaken, fifty-two guilders and five stuivers Brabantian. And whatever payment remains, if you ask the Venerable Father Prior of your charterhouse to relate it to me, after finding out the remainder I will gladly send the remaining money with interest as soon as I can. Or if he prefers (which I would as well due to the risks of the journey), I will pay here whomever he sees fit to send me. In addition, for whatever holy works of the Reverend Father Denis published hereafter, if you send me twelve books of each, I promise to return payment to you without delay immediately after learning the total from your letters.
And lastly dear Father, press on! Quickly bring what was started to completion. That is, do not let your devoted skill and diligence which you have shown thus far in relating the printed works of holy Denis to us grow lukewarm until we should merit to see every last work of his. And have no doubt that you should receive from the holy Lord a surplus of heavenly blessings as a reward. And if only there were as abundant a supply of money for both of us as there is a pious good will to publish all his works—then I would anticipate with certainty that our ecstatic Denis would soon appear to mankind as a shining and splendid morning star. And he would put to flight that darkness of heretical depravity from many hearts, quickly bringing to them the true light of faith, adorned with righteous works. But enough of this. From the heart of the most sweet Savior, farewell dear Father.
From our Charterhouse near London in England, July 23, 1532.
Your brother in Christ and unworthy Prior there, John Houghton.
Greetings to the Venerable and Reverend Father John Houghton, most vigilant and worthy Prior of the Carthusian Charterhouse near London in England, from Father Theodoric Loer, monk and Vicar of the same Carthusian Order at Cologne.
I cannot express in words how much pleasure I derived from your letter, Venerable Father. First and foremost because after your predecessor died, that exceptional man John Batmanson who was outstanding in all wisdom and virtue (and who also greatly favored Denis), that sacred community elected you as Prior. He who preceded you would rightly aspire to your virtues and merits if he was able. For you cherish and observe all of the statutes, decrees, and indeed the virtues of our Order to such a degree that no one surpasses you. And I neglect to mention what should not be considered a matter of little importance—that you have built up my Denis to such a degree that if those angelic men of your country had not already known of his merits, they would have through your praise alone. Therefore, since I know England is filled with the most educated men who greatly desire the complete works of Denis—for them if for no one else, the labor will not be a burden to me. Even now you encourage me to keep going. What shall I say? I believe that what Isaac had come to experience is now happening to us through you—namely that we have been so comforted by you that the sorrow which fell upon us from the death of your predecessor was obliterated by new joy.A reference to the comfort Rebekah brought to Isaac after his mother Sarah's death (Genesis 24:67).
From this point on I have another source of joy. I realize my tireless effort thus far in publishing the works of Denis has not been in vain, as the reading of Denis is so pleasing to the educated.
Translation in Progress