CHAP. XIII. Their Acts of Ʋnchastity in the Nunneries.

SOME Libertines of this Society have dogmatized in the Nunns Parlours, and have taught them that God by his Commandment in the Decalogue, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, doth not oblige men farther than to be discreet in their Love, and not Scandals to others, because he hath naturally imprinted in our Hearts, an Inclination to Love, and that consequently all the lascivious Actions be∣twixt Men and Women that are managed by Discretion, are no Sin before God, but only those that come to mens knowledge; and because the Law promulgated generally to all, did equally ingage every one, that the Fryars and the Nunns might lawfully visit each other in Secret and Private, conditionally, that their Communications were buried in a deep Silence, their Condition being not worse than that of others.

Peter Cluniack of their Society did expound to one of the Nuns of St. Ausoni in Engolesme, the Discourse of those Defects and Hindrances that make Marriages void and null, where he did not omit to speak fully and at large of those men, who by Nature are defective and impotent. Father John Adam, one of their best Preachers, did expound to an Ʋrseline, in the Nunnery of St. Macair, the Treatise of Generation, speaking as plainly and nakedly of those parts that contribute to the Procreation of Children, as any other Author in their Anatomies. James Bea∣sey taught a Maid of our Lady at Pau, the Art of Physiognomy, and the way to know by the parts of the face those parts that are most secret in the Humane Bo∣dy. Reginner's chief Discourse in the two Nunneries of Fountenay, was concern∣ing the Matrix, and the stopping of the Menstrues, &c. Every one of these Fel∣lows almost hath his Minion, whom he courts by the name of Love, Sweet-heart, and Angel, &c. The Contrectations which they make with their hands thorow the Grates, are ordinary. Above half a dozen of these Villain Jesuits, and as many Lascivious Nuns, have shewed each other their Nakedness through the Grates. The Jesuits of Pau made such a disorder and confusion in the Nunnery of our La∣dies Daughters, that many of them were got with Child, and those of them that were guilty, were dispersed here and there, whereof some are now in Bourdeaux. The Bishop of Limoges hath intercepted divers Love-Letters, that some of their young Philosophers were writing to the Nunneries, and hath sent them to the Rector, with Prohibition of Visiting those Ladies. Of two Jesuits, who by per∣mission had entred into a Nunnery of Perigeux, the one exhorted a dying Nun to prepare for Death, and the other lock'd himself alone in a Chamber with a beautiful Nun, with whom he had had long and intimate familiarity before. The Author witnesseth, that Petiot and Laborieur have been so violent against the Phi∣losopher of Rochell, that they had utterly undone him in his Reputation, if he had not vigorously defended himself; forasmuch as he being better liked by the Wo∣men, drew out of his Confessional, their Tricks and Practices.

All those who were in the College of Poictiers 1646. do know the Quarrels that were between John Adams and James Biroat, two of the chiefest of the Soci∣ety, who assaulted one the other with such Hostility, that they have discovered, by a secret Providence of God, their foul Practices, and James was at last con∣victed, that instead of ringing the Bell (according to their Orders) and enqui∣ring of her that keeps the door, for her with whom he would speak, he was wont to strike with a stone softly against a Floor, to bring his Mistriss down, who still Page  17watched for him at the hour, and then went to entertain him near a little Wall, where it was easie for them to pass one to the other. Father Debatz knoweth punctually the whole story.