Note 998 — XXIV. THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
Reading edition
Masselin, Journal des États de Tours, pp. 197-99.
What were the teachings and the influence on the people of such a priesthood may be guessed from a remark in one of the sermons of Oliver Maillard, a celebrated Franciscan preacher of the period. “Sunt ne ibi mulieres et sacerdotes qui dicunt quod mulieres comedentes venenum ad expellendum materiam de matrice sua, ne fœtus veniat ad partum, antequam anima rationalis introducatur, non peccant mortaliter?”—Ap. H. Estienne, Apol. pour Herodote Liv. I. chap. vi.