Career
The Monk cites Saint Bonaventure and Albert the Great (d 1280) and draws largely on the works of Conrad of Brundelsheim (Soccus), Abbot of Heilsbronn in 1303 (d 1321). His mystical conceptions, show a close relation to Bernard of Clairvaux and Hugo of Saint Victor. The date of the composition of the treatises is determined by these borrowings and quotations.
They are written in Middle German with some traces of the Bavarian dialect.
The first, in verse, is "The " (Das Buch der siben Grade), which comprises 2218 lines, and has only been preserved in one manuscript-that of Heidelberg, transcribed in 1390 by a priest, Ulric Currifex of Eschenbach. In it the author, taking as his starting point the vision of Ezechiel (xl, 22) describes the seven degrees which make the pure soul mount up to the realms of heaven: prayer, penitence, charity, the habitual thought of God, with the devotion, which purifies and which ravishes, union and conformity with God, contemplation of God.
The author may have utilized a treatise of the same nature attributed to David of Augsburg. The other work is in prose with a prologue and epilogue in verse and it is in this prologue that the author was himself the "Monk of Heilsbronn" (einem Muniche von Hailsprunne) and asks the prayers of the reader.
The title of the treatise is the "" (or "Das Puch on den VI namen des Fronleichnams", or also the "Goldene Zunge").
He passes in review six different names given to the Blessed Sacrament: Eucharist, Gift, Food, Communion, Sacrifice, Sacrament. He gives the reasons for these names and suggests considerations on the Divine love, union with God, et cetera (cf supra), especially when speaking of the second and the sixth names.
He cites Bernard of Clairvaux "his father", very frequently, while much less frequently Augustine of Hippo and Gregory the Great are quoted.
We find the same work also in Latin translations.