rf

 

 

 

 

  

to Turnhout. TONGERLOO. Route 22. 975

comply with his wishes; Gerebernus, having represented to the
king the abominable nature of his proposals, was immediately put .
to a cruel death by his followers : the king then renewed his
proposals, but his daughter only answered that she would have no
other spouse but Christ; this so enraged him that he ordered his
followers to put her to death; they however refused, fearing lest
after the king’s rage was appeased the consequences might be fatal
to themselves: the king then, in a transport of fury, drew his
own sword and struck off her head whereupon he went mad.
The bodies were left to be devoured by the wild beasts, but were
afterwards removed to a cave by some of the inhabs. After some
years, the Bp. of the diocese, warned by a vision, caused a search
to be made for the remains which were found deposited in 2 tombs
of white marble : these were supposed to have been made hy an-
gels, as all the stone found in the neighbourhood is black. The
spot of her martyrdom is marked by an oratory outside a H ospi-
tal served by Augustinian nuns, founded in 1286 by Henry LI,
Lord of Berthout, the chapel of which was erected in 1476, the
inscr. of foundation is fixed in the exterior wall. Here is a fine
early painting. The celebrated Govaerts is buried here.

DILIGENCES : daily from the H. des Armes de Turnhout to Moll at
10 a,m. in 1 hr.; fare, 1fr.: — to Herenthals at 7.15 a.m and 1.15 p.
m. inl1/2h.; fare, 1 fr. Another way of returning is by Westerloo and
Tongerloo, but this makes the distance nearly double.

At Westertoo is a Castle belonging to the Counts of Merode
erected in the XVI cent. At Toncertoo is a celebrated Premon-
stratensian Abbey, founded in 1130, suppressed at the French
Rev., and re-established in 1840, the Canons having repurchased
their own property; they have since erected a large 3 aisled
Church with apsidal choir in flamboyant style designed by M. P.
Stoop of Antwerp; the facade is of stone, the remainder of red
brick; on the whole it is a good specimen for Belgium of a mo-
dern pointed Church. This Abbey was forly. a very Museum. of
Flemish art, there being scarcely a single painter of religious
subjects who was not represented here. They still possess six
fine paintings of the school of Memling, repr. 1, The conversion
of S. Dympna, in the background the death of her mother and
two nobles counselling the King to marry his daughter. 2, The
King trying to persuade his daughter to become his wife. 3, Her
flight and embarcation with Gerebernus; in background their arri-
val at Antwerp. 4, S. Dympna buying bread at the inn of Wes-
terloo. %, The meeting of the King and innkeeper; in background
the pursuit of the fugitives. 6, The discovery of the tomhs and