Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/362

348 348 B. GERTRUDE <) CGkrtitude, Gheektrude), + 1357 or 1 360, was bom of peasant parents at Vorburg, or Voolburch, between Delft and the Hagne. She was a servant girl, and bad two devout friends of her own station — Diewer, who lived in the B6- guinage, and Lieli The three girls used to sing together on the bridges of Delft, a song of the East, beginning, in the East "). It was from this circnm- stance that Gertmde was called "van Oosten.'* Numbers of people used to flock to the town on the great festivals to sing in the choirs, and Gertrude waited on them. In after years she used to say she experienced as much of the sweetness of God in the turmoil of her work amid the crowd, as in the solitude of her later days. She was betrothed and deeply attached to a young man, who preferred another girl. Gertrude remonstrated with her rival, and adjured her not to take her husband from her. The girl nevertheless married Gertrude's fiance. Gertrude was much distressed, but soon resolved to devote herself to One who would never break faith with her. The other woman had children, but suffered great agony in her confine- ments, and never could be delivered until Gertrude came and assured her of her forgiveness, and prayed for her. Gertrude was, for a time, so poor that she had to beg. After this she became a B^guine, and had visions and temptations. Her friend Lielt, who also belonged to that order, foretold that a wonderful grace of God would be granted to Ger- trude. Soon after this, the five wounds of Christ appeared on her body, which caused a great sensation in the whole place and neighbourhood. She was much afraid of being deceived by the devil or tempted to pride, so she prayed that they might be removed, and, in answer, they ceased to bleed, although the marks remained. She lived eighteen years longer, but in wretched health; she was fat and heavy, and took hardly any food, so that she had to rest several times on the way to church. Once she had a great longing for bread and cheese. A peasant brought it, not knowing who it was for, further than that it was wanted by a person living in Delft She sent Diewer to meet him, and receive it from him. Several instances of her knowledge of future or distant events are recorded in her Life. AA,SS. SanctoraJe Catho- licum, Cahier. She is thus mentioned by Adam Walasser in his German Mart, Oesten Begin zu Delph in Holand welche di nagelmal Christi an irem leib het nnd tmg." B. Gertrude (15), Aug. 3, 31. 14th and 15th century. Thirteenth Prioress of Biloka. Gertrude de Pottelis was the daughter of a gentleman of Ghent, who begged and obtained for one of his children a place in the Cistercian nunnery of B. Mary of Biloka, in that city. Ger- trude was sent there as a child, and was blessed with a true vocation to the religious life. With ease and diligence she learnt Latin and everything else that was taught to the pupils in the monastery. A few years afterwards it seemed to the father better to bring Gertrude home and marry her, sending her sister to be brought up a nun in her stead. On the appointed day the girl was dressed up according to custom, and taken with great pomp to Biloka, escorted by numerous friends. She wept all the way, and when they asked her why, she said she was being sacrificed like Jeph- tha's daughter, and had no wish to bury her youth in a monastery. When Ger- trude was told of the change in the family arrangements, she also wept, and said she feared she would lose her soul if she were torn away from the holy seclu- sion in which she had hoped to live and die. Her fiEither saw the will of Grod in the marked inclinations of the two sisters, and yielded to their wishes. The secular daughter was married and had many children, and Gertrude took the veil, and was soon made manager of the affairs of the house. This office she quickly resigned, saying that it vexed her to have so much to do with secular persons, so many visitors, so many feasts to prepare for them, and to have the nuns going out visiting, so she humbly prayed to have no particular office, but to be allowed to bo quiet in her cell.
 * Het dagnet in den Oosten" ('* It dawns
 * 'Das selige gedechtnisz Gertrudis von