A MEDIÆVAL MYSTIC

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE
AND WRITINGS OF BLESSED JOHN
RUYSBROECK, CANON REGULAR OF
GROENENDAEL A.D. 1293-1381

BY
DOM VINCENT SCULLY, C.R.L.

(Permissu Superiorum)

LONDON
THOMAS BAKER
MCMX

PRINTED BY
HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD.,
LONDON AND AYLESBURY.

TO
THE RIGHT REV. AUGUSTIN H. WHITE, C.R.L.
LORD ABBOT OF WALTHAM

CONTENTS

Page [INTRODUCTION] ix [I. EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION] 1 [II. AS A SECULAR PRIEST IN BRUSSELS] 6 [III. FALSE MYSTICS] 10 [IV. THE HERMITAGE OF GROENENDAEL] 17 [V. THE CANONS REGULAR OF GROENENDAEL] 25 [VI. PRIOR OF GROENENDAEL] 33 [VII. RUYSBROECK’S TREE] 43 [VIII. A DIRECTOR OF SOULS] 47 [IX. RUYSBROECK AND GERARD GROOTE] 50 [X. RUYSBROECK AND WINDESHEIM] 58 [XI. THE WRITINGS OF RUYSBROECK] 67 [XII. THE TEACHING OF RUYSBROECK] 93 [XIII. SOME APPRECIATIONS] 105 [XIV. LAST DAYS] 118 [XV. THE CULTUS OF BLESSED JOHN RUYSBROECK] 124

INTRODUCTION