ord speking--and mayck me wych am
nowe nawtt to cum unto grace and goodness.

"Now y wyll ynstrux your Grace sumwatt of relygyus men, and how the
Kyng's Gracis commandment is keyp yn puttyng forth of bockys the
Beyschatt of Rome's userpt pour. Monckes drynke an bowll after collatyon
tyll ten or twelve of the clok, and cum to matyns as dronck as myss--and
sum at cardys, sum at dycys, and at tabulles; sum cum to mattyns
begenying at the mydes, and sum wen yt ys almost dun, and wold not cum
there so only for boddly punyshment, nothyng for Goddis sayck. Also
abbettes, monckes, prests, dun lyttyl or nothyng to put owtte of bockys
the Beyschatt of Rome's name--for y myself do know yn dyvers bockys
where ys name ys, and hys userpt powor upon us[511]."

In reply to these and similar evidences of the state of the monasteries,
it will be easy to say, that in the best ages there were monks impatient
of their vows, and abbots negligent of their duties; that human weakness
and human wickedness may throw a stain over the noblest institutions;
that nothing is proved by collecting instances which may be merely
exceptions, and that no evidence is more fallacious than that which
rests upon isolated facts.

It is true; and the difficulty is felt as keenly by the accuser who
brings forward charges which it is discreditable to have urged, if they
cannot be substantiated, as by those who would avail themselves of the
easy opening to evade the weight of the indictment. I have to say only,
that if the extracts which I have made lead persons disposed to differ
with me to examine the documents which are extant upon the subject, they
will learn what I have concealed as well as what I have alleged; and I
believe that, if they begin the inquiry (as I began it myself) with
believing that the religious orders had been over-hardly judged, they
will close it with but one desire--that the subject shall never more be
mentioned.

[Sidenote: New regulations enforced by the commissioners.]

Leaving, then, the moral condition in which the visitors found these
houses, we will now turn to the regulations which they were directed to
enforce for the future. When the investigation at each of the houses had
been completed, when the young monks and nuns had been dismissed, the
accounts audited, the property examined, and the necessary inquiries had
been made into the manners and habits of the establishment, the
remaining fraternity were then assembled in the c