YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Bought with the income
of the
ALFRED E. PERKINS FUND

Th

omas

obinson s

Anatomie of the English
Nvnnery at Lpbon.

Greenland jftebene Museum IReprint,
with Notes by

eDVVarD beLoe, CaptaIn,
royaL Defence Corps, hVnstanton.

<i> *4> *|Y

Anatomie of the English. Nvnnery at

Lisbon in Portvgall. jD

ssected and laid open by

one that was sometime a yonger brother of the Coueht : Who (if
the Grace of God had not preuented him) might have growne as old

in a wicked life as the oldest amongst them. RJBtjblished t
authoeitie. (by
Thomas Robinson of King's Lynn).
1622.

THEW AND SON, KING S LYNN.
Published by lE^dward \\j. illigen JOeloe, at the
Greenland Fishery ,* IM. useum, King's Lynn
(where the original copy can be seen).

N ATOM IE of the English
Nunnery at Lisbon. — Notes by
Edward M. Beloe, of King's Lynn, Norfolk.

The Book is dedicated to THOMAS GURLIN, who was Mayor
of King's Lynn in 1621.
A Thomas Eobinson married Anna Buxton, 13th December, 1646f
at St. Nicholas' Chapel, King's Lynn.
It was from this work that Thomas Middleton introduced into
his " Game of Chess," 1625, some of the worst charges against the
.Nuns. The Grandees of England and Spain being represented by the
pieces : the Spanish Ambassador complained to the King, and the
players were arrested.
On page 17 will be found a reference to Shakespeare's first
publication " Venus and Adonis."
In a " List of Popish Seminaries maintained abroad," laid before
Parliament at the end of the reign of King William III., occurs this
passage : — " Lisbon. A monastery of English Nuns of the order of
St. Bridget ; their community 30. These Nuns call their nunnery
Sion House, and pretend to be originally from the ancient nunnery
of Bridgettan nuns at Sion House, near Richmond in Surrey, to
whom they still keep up acclaim." Other editions of this work were
published in the years 1623 (Brit. Mus. Press Mark 702d 15 (17),
1630 and 1637.

The explanation of the Pitture on the Title.

BEhold that holy Cell where Nutifies abide,
And doe in Lfiotu Monaft'ry recipe.
A Here is thc wall in which a grate d«th ftand,
Diuid'ngiuft the fame on either hand.
"2 Within, o Frier fittcth on his leaf,
And as Confcllbr doth theNunnes intreat.
C Without, a N.m doth knede, who ftraight begins,
With fober lookes, to vtrer all her finncs.
*Z) But if you lookc vpon the other fide,
A fle:ghter grate doth fuch a wall diuide ;
Which vp and downc is lilted at their lcafar'cj
As Nuns and Friers one another pleafure i
For rather then fhce'll difobedient be,
She vnder crcepes, as you die fame may fee,
£ Thence docrhey checdypace it armcinarmir;
Friers haue power ftlly'Nurts' to charme. '
F. So on a bed they1 wanton, clip, and kifle,
There's nothing in a Nunnery amille.
G Then doth a banquet on a -Table ftand,
And from the bed heleads her by thc band ;
Whcreatthey eatc, caroufe, and killeagaincj
And, in a wordftdoe nodebght refraine.
H Till RobiMpn d. th fret to fee thc guifc,
How fuch diiremblcrsat the world can lmilcs
So in a fury he the curtaine takes,
And open wide, with cirhcr hand iVfliakcs 5
Bidding all men (behold) how they collude,
And doe pore filly Nouices delude.
^ 1 F01 though thcy.d^pmcftdtliebraticworldjfcoja,
Yet to their 1 ecrct Vaulcs-treafure is borne ;
And riches comes in many wayes befide:
Thus they haue reafon Englandxa deride.
They doe mSeed faire chaftity profdle,
Obcdience,|30iiertyj and leeme no lefle :
But God doth know,-and Robmfon can tell,
All isa bca% fallhoodin this Cell.

-^»

ANATOMIE OF THE ENGLISH
NVNNERY AT Lisbon
in P 0 RTVQ ALL:
Differed and laid open by one that was
fomeiime a yonger Brothetof the Couent :
Who (ifche grace of God had not preuented him)might haue
growne as old in a wicked life as the oldeft amongft them.

Prtblifled by t^dutharitie.

AreuteeJmddby'R.rMdhonrne -And jp&Uw" g&piU™ '¦'. x ii

Mi*jBafc-JiW ts»o>

<m<m<m<i3®<m<z8*m®

4®t&&a#tliig&i

TO THE RIGHT
WORSHIP FVLL
Mr Thomas Gur Hn, Maior of the no IcfiTe
ancient then loy all and, wel-goaernedtowrie
of Kmgs^Lynne in Norfoike, and'his Wor-
fliipfull Brethren the Aldermen of
the lame, &c
H E indyftrious and painful)
¦Sea-man, Eight WorJbipfuQ,
' (that 1 may goe no farther
for an example then mine
owns profeflion , becaufe
quodfupranosinibilTad.r>os)hcir.sl a long time
eroded with vnfauourable winds jperiifteth
notwithftanding in attempting to attaine to
hrs defired Port : which not being able to
atchieue, dire&ly and vpon a precifc rhomb
or pokir, he maketh his way by diuers Mae-
ailekts and crooked turnings, lying fome-

Aj

times 1

H E

Epistle

times Eaft, and anon Weft, fo neare his
courfeasthewind will permit, and by this
meanes at length he ankoreth in the wifh-
ed hatbour. EGen fo my felfe hauingof a
long time defired to recouer fomefit occa
fion or meanes (as my moft wi died Port) to
expreflfe a thankfull mind vnto your Wor-
ftiips.for no fmall benefits formerly confer
red vpon me, (<y bene apudmemores Ceteris
flat gratia fatti) could neuer through coh-
trarie winds of aduetfe fortune,arriue there
infafety: but haue had a long trauerfe to
and fro, with little likelihood of fairer wea
ther, till now at length with my bowlins
ftiarpe haled (pardon I pray you my ruder
Sea-phrafe) 1 haue doubled the Cape of
good Hope : from whence I am bold to fend
you this firft returne of what I long fmce
tooke vpof you vpon intereft,it being not
withftanding noway of worth to counter*
uaile any (though the leaft) part of thc debt
I owe you. For it is now fomeyearesagone
that I fet fails from the hauen -of your helpey
bound for the Port of Prudence, (the Vni-
________ uerfity

Dedicato ry.
uerficy of Cambridge) being fully fraughted
with your fauour and friendfbip : where
through mine owne neg1igencc,(ler me euer
figh to remember it) hauiug foreflowed my
beft market, and lertmggoe my ?moft pre
cious commodity, (my Time)M an vnder-
value, I remained a great lofet by my voy
age j not being able to make vnto you ( my
Wortlnpfull Creditors, fuch facisfa&ion as
you mighriuftly cxpecT. And now entring
into a confideration of y our gentle forbea-|
ranccofme,l doomed my felfe worthy to
bearc thc brand of ingratitude, if I mould
forget you. Whereupon, not as any part of
payment, but as a recognizance and ac
knowledgement of that debt and duty,
which I owe to your Wps, I prefume to fend
you this infuing difcourfe, being not more
plaine in thc manner, then true in the mat-
rer. If you fhall daigne togiueitfauourable
acceptance, 1 haue what I defired, and in
the hope thereof (alwayes praying for your
profperity and welfare) I reft
Tour Worjhips dutiful! debtor,
ThomasRohnson.

To the indifferent Reader.
Eader, iftheTttleofthis bookc, being The
Anatomy of the Englifli Nunnery at
Lisbon, dee make thee expcSt fome (fhy-
rurgicallmyfteries, or profound Ltllure
vpon a dtffetled body, let mefatufe thee,
andfaue thee a labour of reading tt ; for
thou art much decetuednhe Author here-
efts a man of no fuch Science ; being better skill* d in Tack's,
S heats, "Braces, Bowltns, &c. (ftrange words perchance to thy
vnderftandtng, and yet no cantrng) then internes, Stncv?e<,
tJMttfcles, and Arteries. Yet what he promtfethby the Title,
he hath performed m theTreatife, and hath truly an.1t0miz.fd
thu handmaid of the Whore of Babylon ;laying openherprm.
ctpallveines andfinewes tn fuch fort, that he is bold to challenge
the prondefl^Dollor of her acquaintance to traduce hid work/,
or to taxe him of the leaft vntruth in wbathee hath written
for here is nothing pabhfhed, but what his owne experience, be-
ing optima magiilfa, hath taught htm, and wherevf hte hath
Oeene eculatus teftis.Onely t he phrafe he vfeth is Uke himfelfe,
blunt andvnelegant ;fcr, Exquohbetligno non firMercu-
riT) 5: winke therefore a little at the method,andftiruay the mat
ter itfelf e with the wide-open eyes if thy vndcrftandmg, and
(bare not. And if thou be not already addicled too much to To -
pery, thou maift peraduenturt find a preferuatiue ag4tnftit.
Howfoeuer here it prefentcth ttfelfe to the view uf the world ;
be U well «" ill accepted, 11 maketh not much matter for the
Author will alwaies cr.rwf thu comfort about him, A good
Confcience is a continuall feaft. Vale.

T. R.

THE

ANATOMY OF
THE ENGLISH
NVNNERY, AT Lisbon
I N PoRTVO ALL.

AVING by reafon of my
Calling,bcene oftentirhcs\>c-
eafioned to traucll beyond the
Seas: it fo chanced that I was
once (through diuers acci
dents ) driuen to haue fome
conference with facher Seth,
alias loftpb Fojler an Englifh Frier in Ltsbon,zn<\
the fole ConfcfTor of a Coucnt of Englifh Nuns
redding in the fame Citie, who by his fubtill and
wily fetches inticed mee to abide with him in the
houfc,imploying me daily in copying out certain
Treatifes of Obedience, which he had coropofed
for the Nunnes And after a while hauing depri-
wed me of meanes to depart from him, by taking
away my apparell, and putting me into a difgui-
zed foolifh habite (of which I was heartily aflia-
B medj

aTbereareneta
few Vryen and
Piicjls that bane
no oti-er mtines
to find their
JUaffepndwhcnthey haue found
it, Qfyoit would
hang them) they
are not able to mii
conflruelwo-
lines of it.

b See Stowes
Chronicle at
large.

The iiAnatomyofthe EngliJI)

md) both he and the Abbefle, with fome others
of the'fifters fas they caH themj neaer ceafed to
vrge me by dee? dffTembled intrearies & pcrfwa-
fions,VntiII I had giuen confent to become a holy
Brother and Maffe-prieft in thc houfe, for I had
foone attained to more skill in the Ruhrick; then
<uery fhaueling fs ordinarily -accuftomed to
ha«ic, and could readily (a) find out&knowany
Maffc by the great Letter at the beginning of it :
and more then that, I could fing Ave regi»a;and
SalueSanffa parens, which is learning enough in
cosfcicce for any abbcy-lubl56r,vskffe he be too
vnrcafonable.So that now there wanted nothing
to my taking of Orders, faiie only that my mino*
rify andyanrofyercs hindred it: wherefore in the
mcSne time I continued in writing oiier diners
books for thcrn,and amongfhhe 'reft,the Regifter
of their Houfe, wherby I came to fome vjiderftan-
dingof their eftat^beginningjandfuccefTc vntill
this prefent.whfch for thei atisfaftion of tlie Rea
der, I thoughrgood to fet downe as briefly as I
could; before I proceed any farther, 6r fpcakeof
their manners andconue'rfation,
* Firft crftrerbrefortfieHsufc. Thc Nuns there
of docchallengc (and indeed 'truely) afueeeffion
from the Abbey of Sion in EkgUnd, now belon
ging vnco thsEMteQi'Nortfymkrlavd; ^j which
houfe together withanothec Monafterie ofcar-
tbuftm » Monksjcallfed %w-3being both fcituated
vpon the Thames jnext erected & built by KJ?e»-
ry th.e5.ac bis returne from- his famous Conqucft

in,

gunnery at Lisbon,
in France. In which two houfes,he eftablifhed an
.Order, that to the end of the world there fhould
*bs an alternate courfc of pr&ierj fo that when the
one had finifhed their deuotions,th 'other fhould
inftantly begin. And being thus founded,that of
Shy tie was peopled wkh Carihttfian Monkes, and
the other with Nuns & Friers ofcSt.BHgets order.
But when it pleafed the Lord ef his infinit mer
cy to difperfe & (carter thofe thicke clouds of ig
norance and Super{tmon,whkh had a long time
bedimmed the ctes, &darkned the vndetftanding
of our forefathers, and that the glorious light ot
the Gofpel! began to be more & mare refpleadec
in thclaner end of thc Reigne of K. Henry the 8.
then as well thefe Houles, a* all other of the like
fuperftition wers fubuerted,and abolifhed, &'the'
people of them cither difmi (Ted and fent home to
their friends, or eife continuing more obftiaately
in their blind zealc, exiled : Taue onely fome few
whpforwithftandingthe-Kings Supremacy, re-
ceiued thc reward of Traitors. Amongft which
father Ray nolds the Confeftor of thefe Nuns-was
cxecttsed.In memory of whom^heyhaue painted
his Pidare and manner of execution vpon their
Church walls, efteemmg hiih as a holy Martyr a-
moagft-the«n,as good las cither (c) St. Campian,ot
Reatns Paler Hen: G4/w*,akhough that amongft
the Iefuites thefc are little leftl- ths'* Saints.
After the d:ath of this their ghoftly fathcr,both
they & thc Carthufians o Shjne, ix2xd[ #'cd t hem-
felues,aad diners oftliek f^jRelKjues & trinkets
T> 2 beyond

*

c Although that
Campian, Garnet, and
fuch other of the
lefidts at dyed
forTreaf<m,are no canomvfd
Saints-.yet art
they beatified by
the-Tope, which
isthehigbeftflep to calumniation:
and euery one ef
them U painted
vf iii tbejefiiili
CbitrcheSyWitlfthe title of Bez-
.tus Pater.
d If they cared
noreliqiies wkh
them jit imlifth
not much mut
ter, for little
worth is that
fiiill or d'.ad
mans bone,
which mill not
by be'omm'nig a
holy rdiiueytdde
fimethiiif, 10 the '
Popes E\che- I
\qner, &

'TbcHegiftcr
booty tf their
houfe, telleth of
many of theft
frtfbifm whifb
wereSpotynby
fundryofthe Sifters vpon their
death-bed.

The <±Anatomy of the Englifli
beyond thc Seas into Flanders. And thc fuccef-
fors of thefe banifhed runna^ates, are now the
only ftumpe,which remaineth of that huge tree,
thajwyhilomc ouerfprcd & fhadowed our whole
Country : which thc Papifls (in regard thefe two
houfes had both one foundation , and were as it
were linked and tied thc one to the ©therjdo hold
as miraculous, and doe take it as a fure figne and
token of their future rctumefrom banishment ;
(f)nay,fome of the holieft of our vnholy Sifters,
haue not doubted (I think in imitation of thc old
Sibyls)topr6phcf\e ofanother golden age, when
they fhall againe.be inftalled mSyon-: but
ldmirandac*nttnt,fed non credenda for ores.
I know my Sifters at Lisbon for falfe Prophets in
more things then one. In the meanc time they of
Shy nexemainc at Maeklln itiihc Low-Countrics-
and the Nuns otSyon, after many tranfmigrati-
onsfrom S ierick-z.ee to their brethren at Macklin,
and from thence to Roan, doe now refidc at Lis
bon. And this fhall'furficc for the foundation ©f
the houfe, and the fuccefle thereof to this pre
fent. And now (by the way) it fhall not bee like-
wife much- amiflc for the fatisfadion of fuch as
haue not fecene-acquainted with Friers bufiaeffe,
in a word or two to declare the originall of bath
thefe Orders, and from what Patrons they firft '
dcfccndcd.For in rhe CuiboHquc Roman Church
amongft all the difordcrcd orders of fwar-ming
Locuftsj which are almoft innumerable, thcreis
aorse but take their beginoing frern one fuopo- fed

gunnery at Lisbon,

fed Saint or other : and as the reft, fo thefe.
For the Carthufians fprung vp from (a) one Bra-
no in thekingdome of France^ho is faid to haec
beene prefent at thc Funerallofacertainc Pricft
reputed for a holy man in his life : but when they
were executing the office of the dead for him,
( according to thc vfe of the Papifts ) it feemed
they had beene deceiued in their imagination.
For when thc Deacon was come to the LefTon
which beginncth Refionde imhi quant as habeo itsi-
quitatesjfrc. thc dead man fuddenly ftart vp ,and
iti&tFocatttsfiimjOxaccufatttsfum^hxik you whe
ther' whereupon they deferred bis Obfcquies vn-
till the next day, beeing all amazed at what had
happened when proceeding the fecond time,and
comming to thc fame words againe,the dead bo
dy taadc mfoizxjudicatusfum. Thea the third
time they began their feruice,and at the fame Re-
Jj>ende,he fate vy&{i\&,Condemnatusfun*\ where
with this Bruno being ftricken intoanextrcame
fcare,and much troubled,to thinkc,that a man fo
generally reputed for holy, fhould yet bee da m-
ncdj determined to lead a naoft auftcre & folitary
life : and to that end, being accompanied with a
few others, whom hcehad made priuy to his pur
pofe, he departed to a defart ftupendious moun
tain called C^/;«/?d5where he liued (as they fay )
in great regularise , and from the name of that
hill, they came to' be called Carthufians ; and to
this day. they pretend more fcuerity & ftri&nefle
of di&ipline,then any other Order of Monkes or
B 3 Friers

a Rende Surius
vpon the life »f
Bruno.

aReifctbtre-uelatuns of St.
Briget.

The aJnatomyofthe Englifh

Friers whatfoeaer. Howbeit they remained not
long in fuch folitari* and vnfrequenred places,
but by little and little obtained thejir houfes in e-
very great City and towne, as magnificent, yea
and more fumptuous then their fellow- Locufts,
witneffcthe Chartcr-houftm London, which was
once a Cage of thefe vncleane birds.
Nowfor the other houfe oiSyon, the N urines
thereof take itheir beginning from their holy mo,
thexs(a)St.Briget,znd her daughter St. Katha
rine . This St. Briget was of the blood Royall of
Suetia}2 woman (queftionlelTe,) of a good vndcr-
ftanding & fingulat memory, howbeit milcrably
feduced and led away by the fub till alureraents
of her ghoftly father, by whofe perfwafions and
counfelf,fhe went to Rome as a Pilgrime, & com.
ming before the Pope; fhe pretended to haue di-
uers reuelations from God 5 amongft whicb,enc
was for the founding of this order of Nuns,which
was indeed the chicfc mark, that both her ghoPly
father & fhe aimed atrthe reft of herpretended in-
fpirations, were for the reformingof fundry abu-
fes in the Church. Yea, fhefpared not to tell the
Popes holincfleof many faults in himfcjfc : but
hec (like a good blood-hound) quickely fented
her,and followed her footing, till he plainly per-
ceiucd from whom fhe was fent:who(being a fel
low that might vpon diftatc proue a Schifmatick,
and make fame rcuolt in thoferemote countries,
from thc Romane Church) he thought beft to be
winked at,and thereupon condefccnded vnto her
^__^  requeft,

gunnery at "Lisbon,

requeft touching thc erecling of a houfe of this
Order, & fo dilmifTcd her. But fhe liucd not long
alter, (whether his HolinefTe had procured fome
modicu to be miniftred vnto her or no, it is doubt
ful!) yet in her daughters daies thc bufineiTe came
to perfection : and the fii ft Houfe of this Order
was at a plaee called Watfieen in Swethland, from
whence certajne Nuns were procured into Eng
land, to propagate their Rules 6V Ceremonies in
Syon heufe,ac the time when it w as firft built.
The magnificence of this Couent in former
times hath beene by the report of thc now-liuing
Nuns very admirable : at this prefent it is not of
any extraordinary repute, neither are the people
of it for birth & parentage equall to their predc-
ceiTors,who were wont to bee of good defcent;
whereas now(fauc only afcw)*hey arc.Recufants
daughters of the meaner fort, & filly tender hear
ted chambermaids, who haue had thecuftody of
fuch Seminaries and Iefuits, as reforted to their
Mafters houfes in England, at fuch times,as they
haue beene mewed vp for feare of Croffe and his
(.i)Dog, and durA not aducnturc abroad in any
of their ruffling difguifes, to feekeout for more
change of pafture, (like father Strange the lefuit)
where,making a venue (or rather a vice)of nccef-
ficy, the ghoftly-children haue miniftrcd to their
fpiritual fathers in al things. And by fuch meanes
hauirig gotten a clap,diuers of rhem(£j become
Nuns. And with a rabble, of fuch like ftuffe, is
this houfe of Syon much rcplenifhed,there being of

iAptnllotu
Curretofmell oi. t a It full, or
a Seminary,
though tbty had
bantneutrfo tlofelycooptdvp.

b Hi* no great.
miracle jor a
where to become
a "Taurine jtor for
al^ur.r.e iob'-
cenejwlore.

The Anatomy of the Englifh

sTbis Flood
caufedthclefk-itesat Lisbon
ttfptndagrut
dealeofmmy vpmVowder,on
a FefHuaB day, a
littltbefort the
Pawdcr- trca-
Ton inEngland
fotuUhaubten tffecltd, tbtnby
U maty experi
ence of the ftrce
tbtresf.~4ndal[o
per fended one
IohnHow(a Mir chant whom
he bad perutr-
ted) and diueri
Other Catholityl
to goe oner tnte
Engltnd^nd to
ixpiR their rt-
dtmpt'm tbtrt
( m be called it)
t while.
b In all theft
place* tbereare
£nglfh Nunne- .
ries, but none
that bath conti
nued enet fince
tbjfiipprtjfion of
Abbeyi in Eng.
land,faue tntly
that at Lisbon.

of them in all between 4,0. and 50. whereof onely
fiuc are ftrarigcrs3 snd the reft all Englifh. The
narses of fo maay of them as I can at prefent re
member,! haue at the end of the Booke fet down,
for the fatiffai£i«a of fuch as defire to know the.
There arc likewife three Fryers,the Confeffor
and two more,.an«i a fimplc bcfottedfeIiow,who
hath the title of a familiar. And well may they
call him fo : for he will be drunke familiarly foure
or flue times cuery wcckejby reafon whereof he is
sot apparelled in any religious habit, but goeth
like an ordinary fecular rnan,to thc end the houfe
fhould be the lefle fcandalized by him:for now fb
many doc not take notice of his drunkennefle as
would ,if they fhould fee hina in a religions habit.
And this is thc whole company of the Houfe at
this tinse.JIButnow if any man demarid,how and
byMrhat meanes they are brought thither,and by
whom they arc maintained : lethimknow, that
there lurketh in England in arch-Traytor,one(*)
Henry Flood a Icfuit,who is the chiefe Agent for
the tranfporting of Nunnes,both to (b)Bruxels,
Greueling, Lisbon, or any other places & whither
he plcafcth to fend thcm,thither they muft go. If
they haue no portion,and perhaps fome little ho
nefty , they are not for the Iefuits tooth, Aquila no
capit Mufcas,they muft packeto Creueling, to the
poore bare-footed Clares.If they haue a frhal por-
tion,that likes not the lebufite acitbcr : a pound
of butter is nothing amongft a cure of hungry
Hounds,»tt vacat exiguis rebut adejfe lout .-then a-
way

gunnery at Lisbon.
way they trudge to Lisben^hctc they are allowed
daily flue Crowacs, and their bread, and many a
food almes befide is often beftowed vpon them.
tit if they haue a good round fumme for their
demiejab Inferno nulla eft redemptio, there is no
plucking them out ofthclefuites Iawesj they are
ftamped iorBmxels, and thither muft they goc5
where Fitz-herbert & his fellow Iefuits wil quick-
Iy difpofTcfTe them of all worldly cares and vani
ties, and (like fubtill Alchymifts) refine thtmout
of their filuer and golden droflc, into araore fub-
Iimeeftateand condition, and will cherifh and
nourifh thcra^uen in their owne bofome : fuch a
burning zeale haue they towards them.
Arid this is the manner after which our Recu*
fants daughters in England are tianflatcdinroo-
ther Countries, to take vpon them thc profeifion
of afolitary life, and toliueinpouerty, chaftity,
and obedience : which how well they perform^ I
fhall now(God willing) in part declare.
Firft therefore for their poucrty, Imeaneof
thefe Nuns of Syon, and they profefle themfelues
thepooreft of any Englifh, except them of Saint
Clares Order. It is well kaowne, riiat they haue
ten thoufand pounds at vfe in the Towne-houfe of
Aritiverpet, a great part whereof hath beene giuen
thereby ftindrydeceafed Gentlemen in Flanders
and'j'vrtugali and befide their yerely penfion.
Likewife when they remained in France, they hud..
thc cuftodie of no fmall fumme of money, which
wasfent to them to kcepc for Doflor Lope^ the
C  Portugcfe;,

.I»IUIW» «•!«*¦» "-'¦«>>¦¦" ¦»

10

(a)Siefigulus fiwJum,fic& fab.umiabcrodit.

(&)I;natiu$
foldier,* Spa-
r,iard,the glorU
OM'PatroMof theVepesUm*
^ariet, the Itfu-
itcs.

The ^Anatomy of the Enghjh

i

(fytutrymi-
taststwclut
JhiBingattd fixe
fence.

Portugefe, as his reward for poyfoningourlace
Qucenc Elizabeth offamousmemorie, which af
ter that Traitor fhanin^ miffed of his intentj was
esecuted,was remitted vnto them as an almes,as
the Regifter-booke oftheir houfe, (from wkence
I had it; fhameth not to make mention.
They haue likewife of Jate yeercsj through the
politicke plodding of their Confeffor, (a) giuen
thc lefuitcs nof$s awipeoftwo thoufand pounds,
being the pertion of the two daughters of Sir A.
B. Vifcount M.whorn a Nun of thc houfc(foroe-
times a chamber- maid oftheir fathers ) had inti
ced from die lefuites. Forwhich,and fome other
like ttickes about a Portugefe Gentlewoman, the
poftctitie Qihmc(b)Ignatito could almoft find in
thcirheartsto rc-affume their Patrons firft piofef-
fion,& vi ejr armis to take rcucngc Vpon that old
hypocritical Fricr,which durft prefumc tobc bet
ter ftudied in Nic.Mackiauel then them fclucs: yea
they fothreatned him once, that hedurft not goe
abioad, left they fhould workehiraa mifchiefe.
Moreouer,they haue a daily pension of 5.crawn»,
and wheat more then fufficeth for to fpend in thc
Houfe. They haue Vineyard9,Oliue-nelds,corn'
ground and houfes,to the value of fotire hundred
(c)mil-reis by thc yere, whjeh was the portion of
thePGrtugcleaforefaidjWhom^eingfoIeheirei©her father, a man of great weakhjtbey perfwaded
to become a religious fifter in their coueht.What
fhould I fpeakeofthefale oftheir MafTes,I meane
the reucnues ingcnerallofthe Sacripa of'Retic- ftrie?

gunnery at Lisbon,

ftrie? whcrc,though there be but three Priefts of
them, and therefore but three Mattes, and that
ncuer but vpon Feftiuall dates, for the ConfcfTor
himfelfe will not fay Maffc vpon a wotke-day, yet
they wiltake Money of twenty men,andtell eucry
one they will fay for-him. Then haue they their
boxes fent forth in the Indian and Brafilian (hips,
with St.Brigets image vpon them, to which, in a
ftorra the poore blmded people will contribute li
berally ,and fea-rnen that go on fuch long voiages
will take vp a m.oneths pay or two aferchand, and
giucitforMaffcstobec faid fot their good fuc-
ceffc. I haue knowne this in one yere worth fixe
hundred mil-rets vnro them.Diuers other meanes
they haue to get itoncy : as by putting a g«©d
fumme into the hands of a couple of young Mer
chants, whom they haue peruerted to their • Reli
gion : and thefe men deale for them vnder * co
lour. S» that I may boldly fay, (for I haue heard
Fofler himfclfe fpeakeit,and I haue partly fcen it)
that all charges and expences of the Houfe being
payed, they doe yerely lay vp (a) Sixe hundteth
pounds. Forrhefiluer that infhrineth their Rc-
Hques, & for their Church-platcJ know nofbow
te value it; bur it is without doubtboth plentifitll
andmaffie, for there bee few of thtir rotten Re-
liqucs but are fet in filuer . They h aue two armes
oi Thomas of Canterbury ^et&hhtoncling all his
bones were burned in EngU»d,when Popcty was
fupprefTedjfo that they wil "make of him a Briar ens,
or a ctntimantts Gyros, as doubtlcfTc he was in his
C » life

II

(a)- AtdhUno
fmnWfitmae of
money thttbt
fendetbtehit
kmdiedin'Hoxh' ftiicjb*tare~Ttpifts tint bet
wil acknowledge
Hone of them
that *tcTrotc*

u

The <*Anatomy of the Englifi

fa) teleue it
rvh» lift.
(bj Although
they cannot ti-
¦bide tbelefxUs,
yet thy lout-
their GiUowes,
becaufe thereby
they if t money.

(c) Saxa Ipfa
trabclque lo-
qucntur

life, a very obfti'iiate Prelate to his Prince. And
for Saint Vrfular fhemuft needs be a diua trifir-
mis, or a triceps Hecate^ for they haue one of her
heads, and there is another of them at CoHen, and
thc third at Rome . Then haue they the bones of Sr.
Briget and her daughter, and fundry Reliqucsof
Saint Augufline ,from whofe rule theirs is deriued.
There is.' *; the mijkecf our Lady, the blood of
Hales vwhich was held fo precious in England, and
(fir reuerence; there is a piece ol .old (b) Ty borne ?
which the Iefuites dole away out of England ,be
caufe it had beene honored by fo many of their
brethren, which is had in little leffe eftecmethen
the holy Croflc: for (fay they; as the Mafter died
on that,fo his Dilciples died vpon this. And thefe
are all fet in fikier ,and richly adorned. Then haue
they a little childs legge, which I thinke rhey may
truly call as rhey'do, for they fay it is the leg of the
Innocents-, anddoubtleffefoitis, for I could (if!
were in the houfe ; goe very ncre (r) a place in a
wall, where I could fetch out both legs &armcs
of poorc innocents bafhrds, which might cui-
dcntly proue,that there is knauery in dawbing.
And hauinghercby,giuen a fufficient mftance
oftheir pouerty , Twill now proceed to fpeakc a
little of their chaftitie, which is as fcarcc & penu
rious, as their pouerty is plenteous. Neither can
it be otherwife, f Or they haue Sod&ms prouocati-
ons to fin, Pride, FulnciTeol bread, and abundance
of Idleneffe. As for their pride, though it be not
outwardly ia gorgeous and curious attire,-yet are
 :  ti^L

gunnery at Lisbon.

they pofTcflcdwith a vain-glorious pride pf hypo-
crifie,anddi!rembledfan&ity. For their fulncffc
of bread who knowcth not that they (like the Ca-
terpillers of Egypt) doe cate vp the fat and beft
fruits of the Land i for what the purueyors of the
V-tce-rey haueforfaken in the market, (as too dear;
IhaueknownerJieCatorofthis Houle to buy at
vnreafonable rates for their ghoftly fathers tabic,
and for fuch of bis Chickens as he moft affected :
whofegrcatef>(and indeed only) carcis,to proue
skilfullin the confection anddreffing offuch dain-
tiseates as may beft pleafc their Wanton palates .
ATid wel doe they manifeft.the abundance of idle-
neffe that is inthem,whcn at fundry times playing
vpon their Jnftrumcnts for their fathers recreati
on, they fing him ribaldrous Songs and jigges, as
that of Bonny-Nell^ and fuch other obfcenc.and
f'cutrilous Ballads, as would make a chaff e eare to
glow at the hearing of them, ind which I would
fcarcchauc beleeued would haue proceeded out
of their inouthei, had I not heard them with my
owneeares. And now againe for the Houfe. Whereas allo-
ther Religious Houfcsaieynderthe Iurifdiclion.
oiProuinc/als oftheir own Order mediate, and vn-
der the Bifhop of the DioccfTe immediate ,yet this
is not fubiectcd to cither : For as for a Prouincsall
they haue none, in regard there are no more hou-
fes of that Order; neither would the Arch bifhop
¦of Lisbon take them into his iurifdi&ion at their
flift coming into Portugalljcmng left that being
C 3 **' ftranecrsj

13

1+

a Ut their frfl
camming into
Lisbon tbty
, were tittle jet
by.Andtueryone maiueVcdattheir ordir,and
lining ft lojje- '
thcr. But novo
thtr" diffembling
\ bath won them
a little more
credit.

The lAnatomyoftbe Englijh

ftrangcrs, and at that time pretending want and
pouerty , he fhould afterward be driuen to fuftaine
and rclieue theaij they being forbidden to begge
by their rule And fo he put them off with a non no-
ui vos, telling thcinhee neuer know or, heard that
(a)fraylesy freirai Friers and Nuns fhould keepc
ckdwcltogcthcr^l^e^w^^Ynder thc fame
roofe. Whereupon they were conftrained to en-
tcrtainethat famous Arch-Iefuite Father Parfons
tobctheirfolicitortothc Pope, who then tobkc
them into his protection,and appointed him/z«»-
cio apojlaticojxcfident in Li^on,to haue the carc&
charge of them. And heagaine being bribed and
prefented with gifts by father Fofter^nd dwelling
farre from thc houfe, is fatisfied with whathe tel-
leth him,and neuer comrnetb to vifit the Nunnes,
as he ought, and to inquire & demand their gcei-
uanccs,but perraittethbim to play rex oucr them
at his own plcafure. Whcmpon it is pittifull and
miferable to behold the condition of thefe filly fe-
diiced women; for they neither dare nor can com.
plainc to any body, being feldome permitted to
fpeak euen to them that are ofthe houfe as wd as
thcmfelues,but onely at fuch times when the Ab-
befleii prefent : except it befhec thatkeepeth the
Gratc,and fome others that are in office amohgft
them : and thefe are all the yonger and more per-
fonablc Women, being by this Fofiers politicke
contn'uingfo placed of purpofe, that by and with
the he may the more freely enioythefcope ofhis
lafciuious arid facrilcgious defire. And thefe wo-

!¦¦ |i in Ml

men

gunnery at Lisbon.

15

men hading predominance ducr the others whom
want of beauty.and fatior hath mades defpiceable
ii>thecy« of this old Stnon,doe (according ro the
pafllonameffe oftheir mindes) more and*morc
vcxe their poore fello'V-piifoncrs.For it is the fub-
tilcy of this perfidious wretch, to fet them at vari
ance among thcmfelues, and to catife them to ac-
cufe one anbther,to th'intcrttthey fhould notdarc
to truft one another with' the complaiut of their
gricfc: and fo wbilft they rcm.aine in aiealoufle'
of each others lectecie and ayd,they fhould neuer
bee able to contriue any means to free themfelues
from bis tlsraldome. ,
At this ftay doth he keep thermand not fo corn-
tent, he will make them to Article one againft the
other in writing.? t was my chance one day to find
a paper of thefe Articles in a walke in the Friers
Garden,which had vnawares fallen from him:be«
ing drawne by one Sifter Anne, alias Iofepha Bing
ham, againft Si RexSuzan Bacon: wherein thefiid
Sifter (b) Snfan flood accufed, for blaming her
ghoftly Father, arid the Abbcfle and Prioreffe of
partialityto fome of theit 'children more then to
others. Alfo that fhe had Vpbraidcd this Sifter lofe-,
pbaQat'ing adcare darling of Father Fofters)o[ too
much fawiliarity with Father Garnet thePowdcr-
TTfakorj (c) whofe carefull keeper fhee had ot a
liag time been, when he lurked in England at her
M^-houfe. Alfo that another of her ghoftly fa-
thersniioion«had a Baftard by a Prieft in England
(whofe name becaufe fhe is lately dead,! wilpafle ouer

b If thefe filly op*
prc§fdwon<eii were ex mined
by men'ofantbth
ri tie jvid were
afuredtobefree from fuch a ty-
rannotfs Conff-
for, they would
tell pf horrible
ab <fes.
sThit Sifter le-
i'c])ha» a (lout
deferultr of tkt
mira.lt ¦nihe
whcJf Sturw,
ivhi'hhamed at
wm pud at Gar
rets exesutitnf
mt'twgh i> be
now pro/ieda
vcrvcounterfetandifalfcjh.

Use lAnatomyofibe hnglijb

¦WM

oucr infilence) and that ifftiee had beene a little
more honeft,& a little lefleperfonable, fhe fhould
not haue beene one of the vpper Regiraent.With
this and a great deale more of fuch like fluff &w as
this paper farfed, and with thefe and the like accu-
fations one of another are thefe filly women daily
bufied. Se that I haue generally obferued in the
fupcriours of this houfe,an egregious neglect and
c ontempt oftheir rule and vowed profemon: and
in the reft, an extraordinarie maligning and enuy-
ing againft one another. And fo much the better
could I obferue this and all other my Narrations,
by how much I grew to be a more necre and daily
attendant about the Confeffor: for at length,what
with my longcoatinuancc in the Houfe,' and the
fmall fufpect they had of my forf aking them, and
what for want of one to ferue him at al occafions,
I became to be oftentimes admitted euen into his
priuatc houfe of iniquity, where he vfeth to fit and
heare the Confcffions of thc Nunncs. In which
houfe being very dark,thcre is a gwte of Iron that
looketh into the Nunnes partition or fide, and this
grate(howf@euerit feeme fubftantiall and firmej
may be,and is with a fl«ight eafily taken out,wber-
by the fitters haue free egrefle &regrefie into his
chamber when they lift, & he to them :f or the Ab-
beffe hath her bed not far from this Grate, where
there is alfo a chimney fo conuenient that he may
take thc benefit of the fire into this his roome,in
which heevfcth to dine and fup, hawing his meat
ferued bitn by the Nunnes through a Wicket in
the

fhfynnerf at Lisbon.

'7

thewalL And when he is merrily difpofed (asthat
is not feldom) then muft his dearling Kate Emghlley
play him-a merry fit,and fitter Maty Bro&ejot fome1
other bf his laft-corne Wags muft fing him one
bawdy fbngor other to digefthis meat. Then after
fupper it is vfuall for htm ro reade a little otFmm
and Adonis* thejeftsof George Peele, opfbtr^fuch
fcurrilous booke : for there arc few idle Pamphlets,
printed in England which*he hath not ifi tne hou fe,
being either brought euer to his fbnne Peter \ the
drunken Familiar aforefaid, by Sea-men : or elfe
hapning into the,hands of Father Newman an Eng'
Ufh Prieft, who hath an Office in the Inqaifition
houfe to perufe all Englifh bookes that ate brought
into Lisbon. And he, Itroft, fhall hauethe fight of
this, wherein if he vfe a goodconfcieHce,hemuft
needs teftifie with mee the truth of many things
herein contained ; for he is. one that knoweth more
of thefe people then any but themfelues, or fome
that haue lined amongft them.
If I fhould repeat all their vncftafteora&ifes, I
(hould make the Chriftian Reader blufti at them:
or if I fhould tell of all their obfceiiebawdry which
I haue feene, I might account asmany irreligious
prankes as would fill a great Volume: but it fliall
fuffice for the skiifull.by the length oftheir foot to
iudge of the proportion of their whole body.
And now tor their Obedience, being the. third
and laftoart of their Vow * I will not goe abourto
vfc any Theologicail Definitions orproofes to tell
what Obedience is, and how it ought to be perfbr*
D med A

i8

The Anatomy of the Englifh

1

6 It bebMtietb
father Newman
for ¦h'uowne cre
dit to ko'nto this.
The like alfo hath
he dontwith cer
tain meditatiom
vpon '.he Paflion,
which bee reque
ued Father luhn
K&ifington an
Englifh leftiilt at
Sririt Rocks in
Lisbon to perufe
and approve \bc-
hg gtldcd lity-
viftM the other
boohs of obedi
ence were.

med j for it is beyond my element, and the Coolers
chccke fhall be my warning, I will not goe vltr&
crepidamtbut as I firft determined,fo I will proceed*
that is, to declare in what fort they perform* their
vow of obedience preferring ic to the cenfiire of the
iudicious, whether they doe well or no.
Ic is certaine that thefe filly womehjthus muzzled
ia blindnefle,doeliuein.very feruile obedience vn
to their Superiours j and, in fuch fort, that without
ftanding to difcuffe or examine the thing that is
commanded them Whether it be lawfull or no, they
will readily perfocme .it.- For their ghoflly rather
hath compofed fundry Treatifes for them of Obe
dience, wherein he pronounceth no lefle then dam
nation for the leaft fcruple or helicatioain the per*
formance oftheir Superiours commands. And
here let mee tell the. aforefaid d Father N*wm&n
what a trieke his old friend Mofier hath put vpon,
him, which is this: Hauing made thefe. bookes of
Obedience, hecaufedmee to write them put faire,
omitting in many places* Leafe, .and in fome two
or three together* which contained any falfe do-
ctrineand vnallowable perfivafions to draw them
to obedience in unlawful thingsjand being finifhed
in this fort, Iiee bringeththem to Father. Newman
to be figned with his approbation and teflimonie,
that there was nothing in them repugnant fo the
Catholique faith ; which being done, heethenin-
terferceth and foweth in the aforefaid omitted
Leaues, andfo deliuereth them to his daughters "to
be pra&ifed, who take the approbation auhe- end
_____ °*

IfrQtmery at Lisbon.

of the booke for a fufficient warrantic of all thc do
ctrine therein contained. And this is a principall
furtherance to his facrilegious luffs: for I am veri
ly perfwaded that not one amongft them will ( for
feare of being difbbedient) fefufe to eome to his
bed whenfoeuer he commands them : and that they
doe fb, I haue manifeftly feene and knowne. For
when I hauebeene his Chamberlaine in the abfence
and times of drunkennefle of the familiar afore
faid j hauing a Key to the Chamber doore, e I haue
come fometimes vnawares early in a morning,
when one might haue feene as great a miracle as
Seogginfpakzof, when he tooke a Friera bed with
a Whore, and called out to fee a wojider, vix>. a
Frier with fourelegges. And now I will a little di-
grefle toaskea queftion of my Ignatiam, who are
the chiefe teachers and allowers ofEqumocation
and mental! euafionj whether thefe kinde-hearted
foules being profeffed Nunnes, and hauing vowed
neuer to come ouer the threftiold , did breake their
Vow or no, in commingthorowa grate I If they
fay they did : why , their ghoftly father will dif-
pence with their Vow: but ifrhey fay they did
not j (as I thinke they will) what then I Marry I
thinke that when their blacke Synagogues at Rome,
. yafradolid and SiftiH doe fend forth their Locufts
into England, and they chance to bait by the way at
Lisbon, as they doe oftentimes : they deferue to en
ter commons with old Father Seih for their legi
timation of the action. And to the end that no
man fhould doubt, but a lefuite hath a carnall afc
D % fection

IP

* Tkeyfirg/tt
the old taut at,
Cautc fi non
caftc.

20

f Inter (Kit'i-
dum h'uares ejic.

6 S he t might
bane tyatvfie by
thir, what fhee
fhtuld truft to
w^enfhttvcoi a
Nunne : but it
fetmei fhee wm
iu gntd m h:r
Miflrtffi :andl
am [we that her
Fa'her Fofter u
Mipodai the
Ictuitc.

The Jnat$my of the Englifl)
fe£lion,aswellasafpirituall, to any of his ghoftly
children, itfhallnotbeamifle to -.ntcrfert a meny
tale for the Readers reaeation ofone farrier Strange
an Englifli Iefmt.^ it was reported for ' rable-talke
byaNunneof this houJeto»r.ergho!tly tacherj fhe
hauing then beene a cfiamber-maid in the place
where it wasdone.
This Father Strange was a voting man, and had
beene lately before profeft and Priefted among the
lefuites : and being come of good rriends, and ten
derly brought vp hi England, lie fell very tick (hort-
ly after his profeflion, perhaps by reafon of the vn-
wholefomenefTeof theaire, which neither at Rome
nor FaHadoltf is very plea (ant : whereupon, he ob
tained licence of the Rector to goe into England,
where he hoped both to recouer his health, and to
employ his talent of Priefthood, for the reducing.
of Heretiques to the Carholique Church of Rome.
And, being arriued, he tooke vp this Nunnes Ladies
Chamber for one of his places of rendezuom :
where it fb fell out, that as this fifter Anne ( for that
is her name) fate fo wing, with her backe to her La
dies backe and the lefuites, who were fitting by the
fire, (hee chanced to looke vpon a great Looking-
glaiTe which hung right before her,-wherein fhee
efpiedwhat paines the late ficke lefuite tooke to
(hriueher Ladie: neither had he ended his ftirift,
before healfoefpied her looking in the Glafle j and
fufpetting that fhee had feene all, (as indeed fhee
had) § hetooke herafide inpriuate, andtold her
that he was fleih and bloud, andcould abftaine no
" more

I

3\(unnery at Lisbon.

21

more than, another man, although at his profefli
on hee had vowed chaftitie: and vfing many per-
fwafions to winneherto befecrer, he promifed her,
that if fhee ftood in need of a ghoftly father to ab-
fblueher from any of herfweec linnes, (as hee cal
led thefe) he would be thc man fhould doe ic ; nei
ther fhould her penance be ouer-burchenfome.vn-
to her.
By which may appeare both the carnall affection
of&fefttite, and che chafte and fober conuerfation
of aprofeftNunne, and her ghoftly father: of the
lefmte in doing it; of her, in not (naming to tell it
as a tale for rec rcanon \ and of the old fornicator,
in making himfelfe merry at the hearing of it ; yea,
and reporting ic againe in his jolly humours to my
felfe, and one Father Viuian, a Frier of the hOufe ; a-
mong a great fort of fuch like inuectiues which hee
vfed againft the lefuiies , becaufe, a little before I
came away,, they went about ( if ic had beenepof-
ftble ) ro extrude the fucceflion of any more Friers
in the Houfe*, and to bring it vnder their gouerne-
mentj which I beleeue they will ere long effect.
For I was toidby an Engltfh. Iefuitezt the Court of
Sp&tne, that Father Foster is bound vnto the lefuhes,
neuer to ordaine any more Friers in the Ffoufe,
that fo for want of fueceffburs it may of force fall
into their hands 5 and vpon this condition the le-
futfes permit him to liue quietly ; which, if hee
fhould not oblerue, they would quickly informe
againft him of f undric of his prankes which they
knowwelienough. And if this be fb, (as like it is)
D 3 the

22

The V*fl»M
thought (nrely tt
] fhauidbtft, and
if hcc did not
mtai.efl,)ttlWMloAtt truft
to it, in regard cf
huddilytarmfl' ntjfe with me
concerning that
matter.

The Anatomy of the Englifh

b Theft two brc-
tirttn a> e both
lining m Lisbon
at tba prefent,
and weU fyowne
to moH Englifb-
menthat vje
PorrugaJ).

the Nunnes haue no knowledge thereof, for hee
feedeththem with hopeof making new Brothers,'
whichtheyfeemeearneftlytowiftifor: * and they
would often tell mec, they hoped ere long to fee
mee a profeft Brother of the Couent: but it plea
fed God to difpofe better for me, and not to fuffer
me to be any longer lulled in finneandfuperftiti-
for after I had beene two yeeres a^d an halfe

on

with them, I found a meanes to free my (cite from
them, before I had made any profeflSon or vow of
Religion either to that or any other Order; for I
plainly faw, that thefe were led by a wrong guide,
who was fodeepe plunged, and had continued fo
long in all wickednefTe and diffembling, that hee
•was growne infenfible of finnej according to that
faying, Canfuetudopeccandi, tollttfenfumpeccati. For
hee (named not, vnder pretext of Religion, to pcr-
fwade a young man, a Merchant in Lisbon (one
whofe namewas Horv) todefraudhis b owneel-
der brother of bis eftate, which matter was thus
effected. <
Thefe two brethren wereby profeflion Iewel-
lers, and aduentured their ftocke ioyntly together :
the younger brother ( for that hee was a Bacheior )
being Factor for it beyond the leas. At length ha
uing made many good returnes, hee tooke vp his
abode in Lisbon, fis a place moft CQnuenient for his
Trade ; and railing into familiarity with this Fath
Fofter,ar\d Father Flood a lefaite, who then liued in
Ltsbon, they perfwaded him to become a Romane
Catholique, and fb foone as he could get his bro
thers

fh(unnery at Lisbon.

thers Stocke againe into his hands, to prfcfefTc him-
felfe fuch j which heaccordingly did : arid fo ( be
ing inftructed by thera, that it was meritorious to
coozen aa fckretique, as they account all Proce-
ftants) defrauded his brother, and would"cojne to
no accounts- wkh him, relying vpon the fftppor-
tation of thefe HypocriteSj on whom he beftowed
liberallalmes igiyingthem many faire Pictures for
their Church, and a borfe of twenty mil-reis price,
to fetch home their prouifions to the Houfe , be-
fides diuers other things : whilft in the meane time
his brother was vndone, and could get nothing at
his hands by Law* in regard he was a Proteftant.
Whereupon hecwas fainc to<petition in England
for redreffe many times, and yet could not prcuaile
to recouer any things yeayhe refuted to come into
his owne Country, or to obey the command of
the Councell , in giuing fatisfa&ion for whaphee
had in his hands. At length the Lord RcJJs-xom-
ming Ambafladour into Spaine , and nay ing by
the way at £*»£<?», (where hee landed) decided the
matter betwixt- them ; and articles of agreement
were drawne by Father Newman , which my felfe
afterward wrote out faire for them : the tenour
whereof was this in effect : That either of the bro
thers fhould by a day prefixed, bring in aiuft ac
count of all debts due vnto them, as like wife of all
debts which either of them ought: alfo that they
ihould bring in all fuch moneyes and goods as did
any way as their owne belong vnto them : and that
they (houldbothdepofe and fweare, that they had

~s.

H

The Anatomy oJ

truly.Iaid open their eftates. And this being done,
their debcs which they ought, were to be payed out
of the whole fumme, and the debts which were
owingto them, were to be added vnto it j and-fo
they to (hare equally betwixt them whatfoeuer re
mained, that by this meanes their eftates might be
both alike. Now a few daies before this was to
be put in effect, the younger brother knowing his
eftatetobe farre better thaji the others^ commeth
very penfiuely to his ghoftly Father old F osier for
counfell; whoinftructedhimtocome to the Ab-
beffe, and fome other of the fifters at their Grate,
where they vfe to talke withftrangers,and there to
tell them that hee was weary of the troubles and
vexations which attended a Merchants life, and
therefore hee would renounce the world, and be
come a religious man ; and feeing that God had be-
ftoWed fufficient wealth vponhlm,be could not doe
better, then to impart it to them j being fuch holy
Saints as had preferred that kinde of life in a ftrange
Country ,bef oreall worldly contents in their owne.
And thereupon at his fained requeft, they fent their
fior(e to his houfe, and had him laden backe with
plate, jewels and money, which my felfe helped to
cake from the horfe-backe, and carry into Fosters
Cell. He had likewife at that time a great quantise
otCochenill in fundrie bagges, being at leaft foare-
teene or fifteene hundred weight, amounting to
no fmall fummeof money, which he had a little be
fore bought of the Indian Fleet, who that yeere,
and about chat time-frtit into Labon; and this was
brought

3\Qtnnery at Lisbon.
brought into the Nunnery by night out of the fhips
to defraud the King of his right, and was Vnder a
colour, together with the other things, giuen to
thc Sifters of the Houfe. By which dealing hee fo
imbezeled his eftate, that when his brother and he
came to an acco unt,there remained little or nothing
for him to receiuej being by this meanes defrauded
of all he fhould haue had. When as prefently af
terthis conclufion was made bet weene them, Fa
ther FoJterand the Abbefle fend for their ghoftly
childe,giuirig him thahkes for the good will he had
to bellow his eftate vpon them : but they told him,
( as was before determined ) that fo much money
and wealth was an hkiderance to their deuotion j
and therefore they requeued him to haue it away
againe : to which hee fbone condefcended ; telling
them,that nojvajfb his chiefeft troubles were ouer-
part, (meaning becaufe he had done with his bro
ther) and that he perceiued it was not Gods will to
make him fo happie, as (fuch another youth) Fa
ther Nicholas Price, who a while before, of a Mer
chant, became a Dominican Frier : and therefore he
would liueas aforetimes j and when hee died, hee
Would bequeath all he had to the Church.-and there
upon tooke home all his eftate againe, after he had
by thefe atquiuocations and euafions.defrauded his
brother. And now left this Treatife fhould rife to an ouer-
bigge Volume, I willhaften to an end, after I haue
in a few words fet downe the manner of my depar
ture from them, which was thus :
E After

T1*-

2?

16

» Rtadel/Lsf-
grao; hit Mo:
tines, ftrfnfa-
•king the Carthu-
(ian Monl{ts,iml
Rtitsjh Religion
apcr ht bal been
twe-ilic uercs
prcft{fed.

^— ¦ -»«

The Anatomy of the Englifl)
After I had continued with them for the fpace
of two yeeres and an'halfe, and had plainly percei-
ued, that all their outward (hew of hoiinefle was
nothing but diffimulation j hypocrifie and lpftfull
facriledge, I began to confider in what a mifera
ble eftace I fhould be, if God (hould at that rime
call me out of the world j for I could well fay with
the Poet, Video meliora, probsque, deteriora fequor, I
law and allowed of the beft way, yet followed the
worft : at length the feareof my fbules health, and
a naturall affection to my kindred and Countrey fo
wrought with me, that I waxed refblute in my de
termination of forfaking them:, but not knowing
how to effect my purpofe without hazard of my
life, (for they would haue poyfoned mee, if they
had knownei would haue gone from them,becaufe
I fhould not bewray their fecrets) it. came in my
mindetodrawouteertaine Articles ty manner of
an information againftrhem,whkh I thought to ex-
hibite to the chiefe Inquifirors of theCicie. And
this might haue beene very dangerous vnto mee, if
they fhould nor haue proceeded according to equi-
tie; ofwhichlwasdoubtfull, fearing that * ma
ny great men o Mother. Monafteries (being perhaps
in the fame predicament) would haue flopped the
courfe of h&ice, propter henorew MonaftiwuitaSox
the credit of a Monafticall life, as is many times
done.- yet notwithftanding I wasrefolued to vn-
derrake this courfe, and had prouided my Articles,;
which were thefe :
I . That Father Scth, alias Iofeph F olter,the Con
feffor

JsQmnery at Lisbon.

fejfbrofthe Englifh Nunnes of Saint Brigets Order m
Lisbon, did compell dtuersyouthshU Country-men, a-
gain (I their wils to rematne with him in the Houfe: who
if they bad any good affeffion totheKovai 111 Catholtke
Faith before they came there ¦, were foone brought into
dtflike of it , by reafon of thrill gouernmenrwhich is
'vfedin the Houfe. And of this fort I could haue in-
ftanced in twentie, who within a few yeeres haue
beene?recorded in their Regifter booke, for Apo-
ftaterunne-awayes.„ ;
2. He would daily without any companion goe into
the Nunnes Cloifter or Side, andremaine there halfe a
day together, yea andfometimes,(it and dine at their Ta
ble with them : but euery day in their -fight, which is ex-
preffely againfl their rule. And this I could haue
prooued Toy thefieftimony of diuers Portuqefesoux
neighbours, who frequenting the Houfe, haue Of
tentimes obferued and feene him going in, and
comming forth ; and haue fpoken of ic to my felfe
and others. Alfo the Nunnes themfelues would
haue auouched it vpon their examinations.
3 . Hee hath in 'his Cell, where he heareth their con-
fefion, aGratc, which I can fhew how hee vfeth to take
downe with a jleight, thorow which the Nunnes pa/fe to
hu bedby night. And for the further auouching of
this, I would haue brought in the drunken Familiar
aforefaid, who will many times in his drinke, tell
how he helped to make ic firme,againft a time when
there was aViiitation intended by the Popes Nun-
cw, and expected by them of the Houfe, although
u was not performed. E a 4. That

W

28

The Anatomy of the Englifh

4. That'm many yeerespdft there neuer came any ri-
fitor to the Houfe, to examine and 'vnderfland their
grieuances : neither haue they any Confeffor extraordi
nary, as all other Religious haue, to whom they might
freely complaint oftheir Superiours oppref&ons. And
this needed fmall proofe, for it would fbone haue
beene appara nt enough of it felfe.
5. Through his politique plotting, he caufeth whom
he lift to be elected Abbeffe* ( for they hold their pla
ces but three yeeres) and her todifpofeofthe Houfe
as hethinketh good. This alfo the Nunnes them-
felues would quickly complaineofjif they had one
to heare their complaint.
6. That my felfe ( being diners times called into the
Nunnes partition or fide, to helpe them to mile <vp
boords,ftt vp their Fines in the walkes oftheir Garden,
and doe fuch like things which women, coulinot fb well
doe) did chance to make a hole in a hatton? pi ice in a
waUfwhichhad beene latelier dawbedvp then the reft)
to fet <vp afparre to underprop the fines $ out of whieh
hole 1 pulled jfmdrie bones of fome dead children, and
left many more remaining behind. A nd this the place
it felfe would haue teftified to be Tue.
Hauing thus prouided my Articles in a readi*
nefle, Iabfentedmy felfe from helping the Prieft at
Mane that day, who being readfe to goe into the
Church, and miffing me, was faine to take another
CJer'ke,whilft I walked vpand downe my chamber,
with a refolute minde to depart the houfe. At length
commeth Father Potter, (for he vfed euery day to
vifit me at vnawares,to fee if he could finde me wri ting

J\(jmmry at Lisbon,

ting of any thing that difliked him)and efpied vpon
my table (which I had negligently forgot ) a blot
ted Copie of my Articles, being the firft draught of
them: which when I few him take vp, I profteied
tofnatch out of his hand, but miflcdof my pur
pofe ; and thereupon went do wne to the ftaires,and
fb tooke my way out at the gates: but he (hauing
foone perceiued to whom they were intended) fol
lowed me amaine, and quickly ouertooke me, yea,
euen before I was pafl his owne walk; and deman
ding of me what I meant by fuch doings, I told him
my intent; and bade him perufe the Articles at
large, giuing him afairecopieofthem out of my
bofome, where I had three orfouremore.
But as fbone as he had read them, he waxed pale
asafhes,and was fo terrified, that he began earned
ly to intreat me that I fhould not proceed with my
purpofe, and told mee, chat if I would be fecrec, 1
fhould haue his good will to depart; whereof be
ing glad, Iniotonely promifed, butperfbrmed fe-
crecie, (although indeed I ought nor co haue done
it) not bewraying any of his prankes to my neareft
acquaintance and friends ; vntiil fuch time as ha
uing occafion a few months after to be ac Lisbon a-
gaine, hee fufpected mee vniaftly of telling tales of
his Houfe; and meeting mee one day in theftreet,
he called me to him, and told mee, that if I did not
prefently depart the Citie,he would haue my throat
cue. Vpon which his deuillifh fpeech I could not
•refraine any longer,buc in the open ftreec I told him
of many of his vngodlv actions,which came to the
E 3 hearing

29

The Anatomy of the Englifh

hearing of diuers of our Nation,being men of good
quality, whereof fome haue teftifiedin Englandto
Honorable Perfonages in my beharfe, how readie
and willing I was to auouch and maiataine whacfo-
euer is herein contained, and much more : which
(although it be here omitced) I am readie ac all
times truly ro declare and fet forth forthefatisfacti-
on of all that defire it: but efpecially for fuch as
haue either, daughters or kinfwomen in that Houfe,
in whofe behalfe I am bound to intreat their friends
to enter iiuoa further fearch oftheir miferableeftate
and condition* and (hauing found my words true)
to vfe meanes, if ic be poflible, to free them from
fuch horrible and facnlegious rapine and fpoile;
themfdues not being able to fend any word there
of, becaufe all their letters muft be giuen to him to
be fent into England; which if they containe any
thing contrary to his minde.fhall neuer be fent : for
he will perufe them all. And likewife when their
friends fend to them, the letters muft firft come to
his hands, wherein alfo if there be any thing that he
midiketh (for he will breake them all vp) they fliall
neuer know of ic. And here I will conclude, ho
ping that the friendly Chriftian Reader will be no
way fcandalized with anything herein contained.
Bat as for the curious and captious (efpecially Ro-
manifts) if they taxe me for any thing I haue writ
ten, let them know I haue done neither them nor a-
ny of their feet any wrong in publilhng the truth.
If any of them, amongft thefe inf u:ng names, finde
either a Sifter or Kinfwoman,or Frknd,let him figh to

frfunnery at Lisbon.

J'

to thinke on their mifery,and vfe his beftindeuours
tofreethem. I haue not fet downe all theirnames,
becaufe I cannot well call them to remembrance ;
neitheraremanyot' thefe Chriften-nafnes the fame
which they had in EngUnd,it being vfuall at theBi-
fhops Confirmation to take what name they will:
as alfo fome of the Sir-names are not their true
names indeed ; for the Papifts doe many times
change their names : but there are few of thefe
which are not right \ and howfoeoer, they are
knowne to their friends by thefe.
The Friers of the Houfe.
S.eth, alias lofeph FoJter, ConfefTor.
lohnViuian, ?two priefts<
Nicholas Barrow es,%
Peter Conful, a Familiar, that is, a Lay-Brother, but
a drunken one, God knowes.
The Nunnes of (be Hmfe.
Barbara Wifeman, Abbeffe.
Anne Wifeman, Priorefle.
Elizabeth Hart, Chantrefle.
Anne Wharton, Treafurefle.
Anne, alias, lofepha Bingham, PortrelTe,
Lucy Johnfon, NotarelTe.
Dorothy Fowler, Keeper of the Reliqucs and
Churcrwftuffe.
Briget Browne,! Daughters of Sr. Anth: Browne,
Lucy Browne, S Vifc. Montacute. Elizabeth

5l

mm "¦'¦ '¦'¦¦¦» .''i'''"' ~^J  '*~*™M*MM'M"''*"'r'  "— — -¦"¦ -tun,, |T
27;* Anatomy of the Engliff) \

ilkaleth Preston, fometime Abbeffec butnqwrh
difgrace with old Foster.
Anne Martin.
Anne Markenfeld.
Sufau' Bacon.
Siffy Arundell.
Margaret Smith, alias Becket, and her Sifter.
Maudlyn Shelly,. ~p.
Katherine 2?<f»^,vthi"eeoftheKitchin.
•Elizabeth Cole, 3
Martha.
Clara Dowman, indeed Anne Bolter, the Confeflbrs
Kinfwoman.
Anne, A Chambermaid of Sr. A nth: Browne.
Mary Barnes, a welbeloued friend of Pollers.
Mary Dimmeck, adifcontentedyoungNunne.
M. Blinkfop, falfel/reported by Father Foster, to be
allied to diuers of the Nobilitie.
Agatha*
Elianer- and Angela, two Dutch-women.
Briget Mandwha,~7
Maria Suarez, >three Portugefes.
Maria Rodriguez,, j

FINIS.

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