The order of certaine religious women.

TOC

On the backe side of euerye greate Temple, in euerye Cittie was made a greate Hall or lodgyng, standing alone, where as manye women did eate, drincke, lodge, & leade their liues. And although suche houses had no orders, they aboad there sure ynough. These women which lay in the houses of the Goddes, were of sundry intentions. But none of them came to abide there al their life time, although among them wer some olde women. Some entered into those religious houses being sicke and disseased, hoping there to recouer theyr health: others came thither through pure néede, and necessitie, to be there relieued: other some came thither to be good and vertuous: and some entered into the religion, hoping that the Goddes woulde giue vnto them riches, and long life. But generallye their comming thyther was, to haue good husbandes, and manye chyldren: eche of them vowed the time that shee woulde or ment to abide in that order, and after that time expired they marryed.

The first thing that they did comming into the religion, was to polle their heads, to be knowen frō others. Their offices were to spinne cotton wool and feathers, and to weaue cloth, for to apparel the Goddes and themselues, to swepe the yarde and lodgings of the temple (for the stayres and high chappels, the ministers themselues did make cleane) they vsed also to let them bloud in certaine partes of the body, to offer to the Diuellish Idols. On euery festiual day they went on procession with the priestes, but it was not lawful for them to presume to go vppe the stayres of the temple, nor yet to sing. They liued on almes, for their kinsefolke being rich, did mayntaine them with almes as a charitable seruice done vnto the Goddes: their foode was boyled flesh, and hote bread, to the intent that they should offer therof to the Goddes, that they might tast of the smoke of that victual: they vsed to eate in communitie, and lay altogither in one dormitorye, as a flocke of shéepe: they lay alwayes in theyr clothes, for honestie sake, and also to be the sooner ready in the morning to serue the Gods, & to go to their worke. And yet I know not why they shold put off their clothes, for they went almost naked. On the holy dayes they vsed to daunce before the Gods, and she that either talked or laughed with any religious or secular person, was reprehended for the same. And if any of them committed whoredome, then both the man & the woman were slain, yea they belieued that all suche offenders fleshe woulde rotte and consume away, and especially those which had lost their Virginity in the time of their religion. So that with feare of punishmente and infamie, they were good women al the while that they aboade there.