In his 20’s, during his time at the monastery of Stein, Erasmus and his friends often visited the house of the widow Bertha van Heyen. Erasmus highly regarded this pious and generous woman, and on her death in 1490, he wrote a beautiful eulogy. Her house stood at the Westhaven, in the middle of one of Gouda’s busiest neighbourhoods. It was located next to the lock, which was an important factor in Gouda’s economy. Many of the over 200 breweries in Gouda were located here.