their Vanity) shall be admitted to
much greater Freedoms in their religious Pageantries, than any Native.

One of these Nuns was of the first Quality, which render'd the Ceremony
more remarkably fine. The manner of investing them was thus: In the
Morning her Relations and Friends all met at her Father's House; whence,
she being attir'd in her most sumptuous Apparel, and a Coronet plac'd on
her Head, they attended her, in Cavalcade, to the Nunnery, the Streets
and Windows being crowded, and fill'd with Spectators of all sorts.

So soon as she enter'd the Chapel belonging to the Nunnery, she kneel'd
down, and with an appearance of much Devotion, saluted the Ground; then
rising up, she advanced a Step or two farther, when on her Knees she
repeated the Salutes: This done she approached to the Altar, where she
remained till Mass was over: After which, a Sermon was preach'd by one
of the Priests in Praise, or rather in an exalted Preference of a single
Life. The Sermon being over, the Nun elect fell down on her Knees before
the Altar; and after some short mental Oraisons, rising again, she
withdrew into an inner Room, where stripping off all her rich Attire,
she put on her Nun's Weeds: In which making her Appearance, she, again
kneeling, offer'd up some private Devotions; which being over, she was
led to the Door of the Nunnery, where the Lady and the rest of the Nuns
stood ready to receive her with open Arms. Thus enter'd, the Nuns
conducted her into the Quire, where after they had entertained her with
Singing, and playing upon the Organ, the Ceremony concluded, and every
one departed to their proper Habitations.

The very same Day of the Year ensuing the Relations and Friends of the
fair Novitiate meet again in the Chapel of the Nunnery, where the Lady
Abbess brings her out, and delivers her to them. Then again is there a
Sermon preach'd on the same Subject as at first; which being over, she
is brought up to the Altar, in a decent, but plain Dress, the fine
Apparel, which she put off on her Initiation, being deposited on one
side of the Altar, and her Nun's Weeds on the other. Here the Priest in
Latin cries, _Utrum horum mavis, accipe_: to which she answers, as her
Inclination, or as her Instruction directs her. If she, after this her
Year of Probation, show any Dislike, she is at Liberty to come again
into the World: But if aw'd by Fear (as too often is the Case) or won by
Expectation, or present real Inclination, she ma