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He told the reverend Fathers that his reason for returning was that he had to require the Devil to give him back another, earlier bond, which had been written in ink.¹ This time once more the Blessed Virgin and the pious Fathers helped him to obtain the fulfilment of his request. As to how this came about, however, the report is silent. It merely states shortly: quâ iuxta votum redditâ - he prayed once again and received the pact back. After this he felt quite free and entered the Order of the Brothers Hospitallers.

We have occasion yet again to acknowledge that in spite of the obvious purpose of his efforts, the compiler has not been tempted into departing from the veracity required of a case history. For he does not conceal the outcome of the enquiry that was made in 1714 from the Superior of the Monastery of the Brothers Hospitallers concerning the painter’s later history. The Reverend Pater Provincialis reported that Brother Chrysostomus had again been repeatedly tempted by the Evil Spirit, who tried to seduce him into making a fresh pact (though this only happened ‘when he had drunk somewhat too much wine’). But by the grace of God, it had always been possible to repel these attempts. Brother Chrysostomus had died of a hectic fever ‘peacefully and of good comfort’ in the year 1700 in the Monastery of the Order, at Neustatt on the Moldau.

¹ This bond had been signed in September, 1668, and by May, 1678, nine and a half years later, it would long since have fallen due.