worship at the proper seasons, whether they taught the
novices the rule, whether they maintained proper oversight of them,
and whether they saw that they were engaged at proper work. Also, the
abbess was to report on the character of the nuns as to whether she
suspected any of incontinence, whether any of them slept without the
convent walls or walked abroad, and, if so, in whose company. She was
asked whether the confessor or chaplain did his duty, and whether she
had found any "ancient, sad, and virtuous" woman as mistress of the
novices.

Among the Gilbertine nuns, whom we may mention as a typical order,
there were three prioresses, one of whom presided, the other two
acting as coadjutors. It was the duty of the presiding prioress to
enjoin penance, grant all the licenses or allowances, visit the sick,
or see that they were visited by one of her companions. The prioresses
cut, fitted, and superintended the manufacture of the vestments of
the sisters. It was the duty of the presiding prioress to visit
the sisters in the infirmary whenever they asked for her presence,
unless she were detained by urgent duties. Other rules regulated her
conduct on festival days, when she was especially to use diligence in
inquiring after the order and religion of the house.

The sub-prioress was under more rigid rules than those which governed
her superior; if, in the absence of the prioress, she spoke of
anything excepting labor, she confessed having done so, in the
chapter. If, in the absence of the prioress, some other of the sisters
failed to observe silence, it was not she but the sub-prioress who was
held responsible and took the blame. She could not go to the window of
the gate without a "sage companion."

When the cellaress assumed office, her duties were to see what was
owing to the different farmers and tax gatherers, to receive the sums
due from the collectors on the nunnery estates, and to take account of
all the sales of the products of the lands of the convent. Also, she
was to see to the provisioning of the house, to pay the wages, and to
attend to the mowing of the hay and to the repairs to the buildings.
She might have associated with her a lay sister, with whom she was at
liberty to talk concerning the business affairs of their office.

Of the other convent officials, the precentrix had charge of the
library; the sacrist rose at night to ring the bell, attended to the
adornment of the church in the vigil of Easter,