Career
In his youth he was a pupil of Rodolphus Agricola and Thomas à Kempis. Thomas à Kempis was at that time canon of the convent of Saint Agnes at Zwolle. His writings, consisting of short poems, philosophical essays, grammatical notes and letters, were published after his death by his pupil Jacobus Faber.
They display considerable knowledge of Latin, but less of Greek, on the value of which he strongly insisted.
He succeeded in abolishing the old-fashioned medieval textbooks and methods of instruction, and led his pupils to the study of the classical authors themselves. His generosity in assisting poor students exhausted a considerable fortune, and at his death he left nothing but his books and clothes.