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Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la derniftre image de cheque microfiche, seion le cas: le symbole — ► signif ie "A SUIVRE ". le ^ symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre fitmte A des taux de reduction diffArents. » Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA. il est f ilmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en bas. en prenent le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. r # ^ • *3 / i N * >» t ■ . ' 1 2 3 - 32 X 4 5 6 . .._i y pb^flEMATION RiA MONK s msqiMpRcp HOTEL toiiBtf kuillNfjtiitV <^ V ¥ONTBEALf 1 ">./' ■ / 1 • *- ' A B^Y TO THE PRJESfS* BOOK. -C> '^*- By TSfi Rbv. J. J. SLOCUM, "tv . ^mWYfttOL .^^•?^ij w , . * X ^ ^a I «^» WHICH M iJHMIi Fl^THER DI8CL090RBS BY li^^^ JIOKICi AHVf "5 M ^ ACCOUNT 09 ala mit '^tpiaun maiitK 4^, fiECOND EDin^ir. LONDONi * *' - -,t 1! -^v sV ■1v\ \ V ir- ^ XiattoaOu'd*!!. P V J I / I? t; !rf« thin it TO» K^^fTJ""?" "«''«««»; -^^^itMrtt^^ ' "W'^i^ V wlm^ "^ Monk-. neS V riJ mmm^i^^^_ J?"* r X- * ■'SS?^ INTRODUCTION. - / het luirFatiye, going so fiir as even to threaten her life, if she does not do it. The public will deduce their own inferences from such conduct Th^ author would further remark, that his pro* dtiction has the usual defects of haste in composi- tion. F)eom a variety of circumsteuic||yhe has felt himself compelled to hasten his pttbli^non, as rap* idly as {wssible. He has done the 1^ he could under existing circumstances. His sole object has heen to elicit and exhibit the truth, in regard to the ** Awful Disclosures." He has, therefore, one re- quest to make of the public, and -it is certainly a ivpt/ just one. It is, that he may receive iMi impar- Ikl tnal, before he s^ll be condemned, either as to , his motives or his coiiduct. The subject is extreme- ly ^^Citing, and it attended with difficulties peculmr to itself. It would be a wonder, ther^ote, if lie had not erred in some minor particulars; but he will ac- knowledge hffi errors/whatever thev may bp, as soon' ^ as they shall be satisfaictorily pointed out to hinu The , subject &[' one of deep and solemn interest to the '^ l^iiyr^ concerned, and all he Wi8h^4IM^ regard to life ni^iii^ is, that the truth, whatever it. inay be, nwjr be Brought to light. \\.. ::::^-;^ ::l^^i; New York, Nov. 7th, 1836. ' ; ,; i^d: o •ht.^-. '/:' -. 1 V.<-%_-'^^ I (' ■' '' * . ^^k*'' ^lii^*:m ^iy> >■ > ^fei' ' lt» u'--. J '> i' ^'tA V ;ifi-j; ilC;;t»''' 01 \i^/■f':v,;-A-<^&^^^^. ep^S-j^s^-Jifn^^^^^^ «' I. . ■ .■ OOW TENTS. ABTL 1*^ REPLT TO THE PRIESTS' BOOE. \ OBAFTBIIX ' \ V * * • IV ' CBAPTERn. '* "WWfoaraiAnQM ami owmuwonom. Idd Mm Mnnk .».*^j>.i ^«fS£&3S£ f'^,. ,*♦-*. WTIIITS. / Joonc CtoaiiBiui-a^ tMttan^y— Mm Monk'* aeeouat of the matr trconflrmed-Her aUagMleaidenod in the tuaUj of Mr. Lovin of Montreat-HIa teitlinont-B^«nay fcta^-CM»t. Rwn'« •tory- Louis Halo— His etuuraetar and teidiiiony— Dr. Nelaoa's aUtemont— Btatomenta of Dr. R0j)«rtoon tod: Mrs. ll#r-The BlMdjOoM- Cbwacter of the eyWince offered by tbo priek»-Thelr Wluro to prove an aiibL . . • - • • • *> . CBiiPtERIV. UMKT OF maaas. otnmti ruKurs, pasoii, Eouna, amd joms, who axuoiifeo TH> noTBL Diao'mnocaBT^ Preliminary Conalderatlona— Time elapsed frort her elopemenl-- Siace she first apitealed to this test— Since the announcement of alterations in the nannsry— Appointment and ^wlifications of the %,. I I r the nunnery yard— Report of an architect— Mr. OsicU's three reasons for his unfcvorable report— One has nothing to do with the ) feabject^tbo other two" stated— Origin and cireuuuMaaces of Miia llonk's drawiiif-T-The two reasons known Ip exist before the draw- ing was publlshed-Fami^ evidence of hef tonesty— Mr. OsteU s import fomishes strong evUdenee iii support of Miss Mmik— Altera tlons in the nunnery— fltrlctures on the conduct of the Coinintttee— The fiction that Miss Monk has descHbed Mrs. MoDonelPs A^luiu — Ifrs. McDonell unworthy of confidence— Mr. Jtone'i} Reportthe resuU of a mere hoax— Resolutions of August, 1836, passed in New -'"<■■■ -' CHAPTER V. ■" J, '■;■:. ■■^''"■' , fluaiMoviaasifOMK'iS "disclosubm." ^ ' IVonBtesome matterto the priests— 8tatement of the Boston Pilot— -Aaeribodto a eombinadon of individuals— To a nameless man— Aaid lo have obtained her facts in the Magdalen Asyluiri— Her residence In the Asylum— Its gross absurdity— First discovered in New York by Mr. Hfilllker—His affiAivit -their incipient origio^tributtid to ■fir. Hoyt-Her supposedaytng confession to the Rev, Mr. T^ww- Tho true origin of the "Disdosures"— ftatemeot of the wwtor of iher book ss to the circumstances connected with its comptol^— jji^yfty ftf thft e^m^lar vottohed for by several gentlemen. * 89 •I •,■>■ PART II. "re d^srMtiihrmts GP maru monk's DiscLOfiisi^a f s- -*- CHAPTER t ' ' t^iit M^ k. • having beena nun and oll»«' ftc'WIJ'**^^ ---i^ep-Priests have great advantsaerHSiPro Mlsp ll.'«_5«t«rnall -on* in their power-C^nadSad press— aDsatM-Wft fWWfs- tSmw^ti/lmg her truth— From her inMpaeity to have I -.-X'S* *~^" DISOLOSraiES. OBAnsaa ™™*T«">i™n.nio<»n™,A™».or»M«oii.-,m«^ : ■ ' • • • " • -- 138 t|*elr attempt to piweAHSff in iKL™k^''*?S« •«*«»■« them "iek— R«mwka on this iMii^nw2_32*^ isf** *" ^®'' Mif daleo **wn% U4JMH, AMD If Arnu^ ore." coSSSM'iSiffit^ SSS§r,V«*°^.P'^*' Awftl I ,;. x/]- iWMx'eTMninwr. joiiTMto theobieetaf ly reaaon and luaqi^l Dlw>l(». IM /■ ■; .CHAPTBil'V^-:.;':, WWOWO OOIIHMUTIOH OF m «BWt»t niniioB, -MorderoM apirit wtth^fitlU^* 2L^^^*ljMfito'|^^ r--jr^ir of Fieneli Plroteatanta' on ttiA •»'^'2 « ehaxaeter ornriMte .«h a?^?'*** P^^ ^ Op«t»-jni iwie« nom bt ««»onteiM«ced-4E«tiactrfrm IteSb Bbjecti >1 ■,>', 1^ ,v- -#-^ ,i ■ i [f*^^' ' ■ 'fi'S'. V'l iriMb liMtopMMtal cT dM iMt ofbw iMVfttt bMtt • ma. ^« ■• 'h loss MONK'9 DUSta^BHES. ~^...'vi>~,/-j ;-./■-.. T f "' .r.-;fi7 ■ V* .f .- J^: PAUT It y \, X \., \ ■ ■■■\ FimTaBk DISOLOSURGS. I \CHAPTE»t \' y * »• S^^kS!S.'?^"52^^- I — Meua tdtea to pemude lier to stay. ;•■ ^ -- ,;;>.' • ' ^iA T T EKUL M .-j!- hRoa»^Onr eul7'«cqaidiittaie»i.Ber reqaeft CHAPTBE IV^ » V CHAPTER V:''/^'--^"'''V; ■■•••■♦■•'-'-'■-■! " rerecoll«5tloa.ofJw,Ri^,^ereo»fi^^ ^ ^^:7^:>'^;.t?s-. • .• • ^ ,77- Jun»eiy-Naa.yw&lKLenUr&cS'* '^ S^^^^eo . CHAPTER ix V ^ ^■/."•/'- • • CHAPTER 3p:' ■X-.' f e«»pelhHnU»eNuMieiy. " ? <»'^."" MUligan-Heretteingt . 'W iNoaaeiy. OHAPTBk XI. -^:- r\yi^. Il- .: CHAPTER Xn. ^ Ramarkf on mj own state and feelhMm doriog tha lak faw niDBtha- ftoaaona why I did not pnbliah aU fluiew in my flr8tt>ook-->Raaaoiit for maUng new diadoauras in thia volume. • 129 ' " CHAPTER ion. \ Two oftheVowa taken aftec I waareeeivadaa a nun— Father Breaaean : --Hia atory aa he narrated ii— Hia reception fit>m the waboD— Hia i iatioduotion ii^ the Nminery wonadech-Bbi death. • . )3i < . CHAPTER XIV. Nnna' Idand— WhatI heard of It ift^T- chflcBiood-^The diflbrentl lalaada ao cdled-Piieat L'B^cnuM^Mij'viritto Kom* Muid. 144 CHAPTER XV. Deacription of Nona' Island, and the buildinga on It— Reflectiims aa j the poaition I aasame in oUcfaig farther MBcloanrea— Comtniaaion j given me by Fatlier Pbelan— Ita execution— My teiror althe thowbt df polaooing— Confined by illneaa. ••.... ]6i[ CHAPTER XTL p Corapanioii In iOheaa— Their rayateriona appearancet andf melaneholj tfeportment— Confesriona of Angelique— Vln Gordpn—Ytbung wo- ; men from the United Statea. • -, . ^^ -.c.i ■* ; CHAPTER xvn. Oceopation of men'and women on Nona* bland— A heart-broken wo- 1 man— Conversation vdth her— My departure from the laland and] return to the Hotel IHeu. • • • • . .... ifigj CHAPTER XVm. *' Ihr. Nefann— HIa vlaita to the Nuna^y alek*roook->Rfluoiit • • • • 129; nun— Fatber BreMeao fiom the Bisbop— HU dMth. • . )3I (fliood— The diflbrent] MtoKoM'Muid. M4 00 it— Reilectkms mJ ^loRarea — Cominiuion 7 teiTor at the thowbt • • • • ml mcotjuM ibeluiebolj I 1 Gordpti— Tbuog mv I— A heart-broken wo- 1 from the lakod and] • • . . 1661 n— A night vMt to thai - • - ITil iiimei y E ea aon wh; tte— Bonjoor I^i Vioairss^Let Pi en v^gpfiaa gen* • • • • x8 * * * * 19 PART I. *■- -■ . / ^*' / ».■:'■ ■ ' . ■ "/ - ,1 '■ ".'■ ,.i ■ . \ "'■ ' R . piiimi jtitiiiiiifi' t - *■( J tE?iy TO THE PRIESTS* BOOK, PoSS^ W^t^'SSSJ S^SiS ^ ATROCIOoa PLOT W^^mMiAMoam. ^ ^ ^^'^MJg the mruvBi. CHAPTBjR i OSNEBAL HJBKARKS. h. m the Aagm of M^ ■.** *"* «f 'Mi^ SJJg 4iffiit » Bt tM | )-,n Ik. „ ' • ' 'V SbM^^-A^^^J-Jj %i' A u 4 11EPLT TO TBB PBIE8T8' BOOK. of about one year, to subject that convent to the pro-l jposed test ; and even tben refused to have it explored,! except by individuals of their own selecting, such at| were known to be hostile to Miss Monk's claims. The consequence has been to deepen the conviction on public mind, that- her pretensions, as an ex-nun, ai founded in truth. It is true, they collected and published to the worU in November, 18S5, several affidavits, ^|l^.al)!iect which was to prove that she was unw^hy of coni dence, and that she had never been a nun. Thesd affidavits, however, were of such a character as td \ produce an effect, opposite to their intention, on tha minds of those who had the means and the abilitj intelligently to examine them. The book recently published in New York, entitled ** Awful Expos;ure of the atrocious plot formed by ceij Cain individuals against the clergy and nunsof Lowej Canada, through the intervention of Maria Monk," of such a character, that it will by no means termins the dilute between Maria Monk and the priests. - If iWho is the author ^jis an inquiry which nati springs up in the mind, when we first take up a to read, that we have never s<^n before. In regard I thM book above named, it is believed, that the inqui will be made in vain. As to authorship, it is ln§^% According to the title page, its publishers ''lones db Co., of Montreal.'* Mr. JOnes has 4iffin«nt and contradictory statements as to who i^ ■ He has repeatedly alleged himself to.be the thoTj and as such, responsible for its contents. haa also said that a gentligmjBLn by the iwgB»o^ lieOftn, was its author. But a Philadelphia prie alptterfroin Blontreal to the Catholic Heral4| sajl i*^ ew York, entitled " 'f / t ■ - , > , 'IHtl'' lOtBB PSIESTs' BtKft. M 1 am bapp^ to be .We t« infom, you that the^ i, wtbcMsing a most satisfeclory review of the vile ^A^XAwftl Disclosure,,) froi^U,, pe„ of. '^^^ e baye^hen, according to thew, statements, a triorf .6tchmanj tlie representativei of three dkre« ZTt ■^'"'^'•^ "' «"» -ei'W of ft^ The b<»k is written in defence ef the* Caaidian esu and nuns ; an^d was announced before JuMi ^ ler ernes. And if credible report be true. mon«r ^eL^» '•'""'''^'"•'lljri.s their sanction. I ■«« Jtonk. If thejr did not write it themselies. It .'.T*"„*'i 'J*" *" **" defence, .K»'« «. be called their, in this sense, if in J^i^ .^ bus found a nam. for it, let is p.^4d if ^ t,-^ »t':i ', ■ v..!?' ». {?:#. ■J^^uHi^ '.'.-^fSity Ij - i- 14 9mvt TO TBE namre? book. l\ pmtm, awi% and eonve^tt ^'''. re, 1st, thitt Ma K'"^ la tiMt it, if the priwUMri the troth on their iidc lew eaiMe it most wi^cbdhf ttanaged in the t)r^ put ustance. . ^: 1 A speeimen of the coarse mlgarity spoken of nay \ seen, in the manner ia which Miss Monk is ffener- ly flxAen of by ihc priests. They call her « AfonJk 5. *c. In a single chapter she is called **Meak of her vi- 'n habits out of tht Convent;, and at tjit y^mf tin^ ^ jirof^sles to Hve b^^^^^ n^ ^^ ^, if It b€( proved that ber profession is fouj&M t troth, then all tHej^ assertioiis, affidavits, dbc maal I so many &lse aspcmions ttpoii her character. 2* . "'■'■« ■% ^• ;>*»>-; t *W^ f t^' •\ 1' ^i '& "W • *• , ' * / t # . ' — H»: * I - 1 t — p^ ■'T'" ■;■■■■,-!■ ■'':m y&&X-„ \ It REPLY TO TBfi PBIE8TS* BOOK» Dt 1 ^ ■ jp 1 is > ., . It ■ . I.' » ' \ r" CHAPTER II. BHSREPREaENTA^OMS AND COHTBADICTIONB. The prieats and Missilonk eontndict each other— The prteitB worthy of no confidence— Contradict Dr. Robertson ;'^ Louis Male ; theni- elves; Miss MAiIc— Misrepresent her— False stitfenaents aboot the ^f Fancy Articles— Another respecting Congregational Nans i>eln|^ in the States— Another about the use of a coffin, whett the Veil Is tJ^en^AlIeged attempt of Mrs. Monk ttf introduce her daughter t^ the Nannery->-Three reas(ms assigned for her feilure —Stupid mendacity— Gross abskirdity and perjury— Miss Monk ohaigedwiih disrespect for her mother— Untrue—Celebrated pencil i story— Bliss Monk falsely charged with hisanity— Her statements re* j spectlng priests denonnt^g the Protestant Bible contradicted— Con- 1 firmed by extracts from P'dpes and the Council of Trent— Shifts of the Roman priesthood to conceid the ffible lirom the people— SeTe- m) Baisatatements— Testimony of a lady who was three years jp the | Congregational Nunnery. The " Awful JJxposure*' devotes one of its chap- 1 ten to pointing oat misrepresentations, said to be con- tained in Maria Monk's book. This chapter, however, I like several others, is occupied simply widi contradic- tions, and ridicule of her sitatements. Maria Monk declares that certain things and practices ezis^d in the Congregational Nunnery- and in the Hotel 0ieu, during the time of hei^ residence in those Convents ; and her opponents stoutly deny the truth of what shel asserts. Now which of the parties are to be citedited ?| For the truth of many of her statements, Maria Monkap-I pealed, when she fint ma(|e them, to an eiamination oil t he Hotel Die u Conveatj^usaflfording a touchstone,] by wblch they could hirelieen^ teafeC the priests refused to have the matter thus brought tp| ;i fair trial And now, at this late period| fkef gti -f \^^ %^i -W ADICnONB. '%T' ''\--'' ''" ' '''■'"' ■'*' ' '* 'i''" Rti^irW tlie priests' Boot^ 19 ^ a beok in which, nppn their own unsupported ao- liority,jhey flatly contradict what she says. Again, ^sJc, whom shall w'e believe? Whose condac^lbst Imports with the appeara^ii^e of honesty and truth? taria Mopk trawHed, from New York, to MdntreaJ, ^d there, upon oath, made herVolemn charges ijpainst ^ inmates and visiters of the Con vent ; and appeal- to a simple test, easily applied, by which, if untrue, fey could have been disproved in a f!ngle hour, ■?rtaiflly, on her part, this looks like honesty, in the jhest degree. On the other hand, the conduct of ? priests has every appearance of conscious guilfc liters being thus, therefore, the unsupported con^ Mictions of the priests, when placed in tho scale op- hite to Miss Monk's statements, are lighter than a uffofen^pty air." # It is not my design to notice all the particularsi ftceming which, the priests declare that Maria »nk has made ^Ise statements. In themselves »sidered, many of these things are orto consequence. aH therefore notice oply a few of them ; enough, irever, toshow that the writers of the "Awful Exp<^" re" are as destitute of veracity, as they would fain ™ us to beUeve that Miss M. is. I confess that my I object at present is to show, that no confidence teyer can be reposed in any thing these men say. tois purpose I.wUl present my readers with a few p-Aay be aUowBd ta express myself in plain Eng- bi) of their wo»< palpable liea; taken inespectivs order from diflferent parts their book. - ' ^ %gNttert 00 lOl hands, that M; ' hid. stated it, and it had been it^en 4own be^ ^PiroppoiieiiteeTjr mentioiwditi^^^^^^^l^^ ■ i'jyf^i^^-.Vi^^-^fi^rf^jr-.'?^r^y^K^p^:-frj^^^ ^_ '•,'':4«^ 'A^fA ) }» BBPLT TO Tu naaam? boob. her nunratiTe, that after leaving the Convent she took ** paesage in a steamboat for Ctuebec — that the Captain, misHMting who she was, detained her as a prisoner, anf brought her back to Montreal — ^that she escaped mm his boat, quite early in the morning,^ and i^- dered about the. city of Montreal— that amidst her'suf- feiings and fears, she determined to drown herself, and accordingly flung herself into the Lachine Canal— that shS was^escued ere life was extinct, and brought before Doctor Robertson^ whose qucistions to her, as * to who she was, she declined, from prudential rea- sons, to answer ; and that he, " thinking her to be ob- stinate and unreasonaj^e, senthier to jail." Such i« the substance of Marial|Ionk's statement of the mat- j tar. See Awful Disclosures, p. 262.* I On page 7, of thieir book, the priests declare th«tf| she was imprisoned for theft. On page 94, Doctor Robertson says in his affidavit: — "As^she could not give 'a satisfactory account^ of herself, I, as a Justice I of the Peace, »«it her to Jail as m vagrant*^ Herel then the priests declare that her imprisonment wai] for theft ; while the magistrate who imprisoned herl affirms, that he did it on the ^nd of hie^ being il vagrant. Who tells the truth, the'prtests or Doetorj Robertson?' One thing is certain, either Ae priestsl have told ai^jntruth for the purpose gf sinking thel character oHilaria Monk, or their Doctor htape/rfr ed himself. I leave it for them to. decide irtiidi true. 1 tviU only add, that the nnfeeliag _ _ . on page 66, respecting •*Monk^ being .iimntifeilii the Montreal house of correction," refers to tht tai imp riftQiiment : ^nd that what ia taftl OH ' ^lusetheiastedidottsoflliSillbakVIHsskMBilii fc:i.-«*,'.iv^^- *,..,; '/ -■ - rf---^ymi5iv»e;i*- '^^,^.. iM^i^^m^m^ .1 >«•>-. , - 1 I / ^«P^ «Wt¥ TO TBI PBUB8T8* lOOE. §i tUag " Capt. AraistroiQ*8 carrying her on board )at to Uuebec ; and looking upon her as in^ne; locking her up in his state-room,''— eridenUv re- Bra to the voyage which she says she ^de on B&ard Nhis boat, just before her attempt to drj^^erself in V Lachine ca&al. This was in November, 1884, ^ough it is said in the priests' account £it, to have en la the year 1829. Now it is my deliberate opin- i, that the priests have inserted 1829, in the place 1834 How could Miss Mpnk's account of the ^oyage agree so exactly with that of Capt. Arm- ing's, except the year, unless they both refer to the ae voyage 7 « Awful Disclosures," page 262. The priests say that Maria Monk was an inmate of le Montreal Magdalen A«ylum, from the close of November, 1834, until about the beginning of Marchi ^35. V Respeeting her conduct while there, on page they say :— « It was even discovered that the se- lusion of the Asylum, did not prevent her from re- lewing her^ intercqprse with the constable. She re- *tiived his visits, and held converse with him' through lie yard enclosure." Now compare this with what le constable Malo says in his affidavit, page 93. He ffirms tbkt he parted with Maria Monk sometime is October, 1834, and th&t he "never heard of her after^ rards, until about the early part of the month of Member hist, (1835.)" Here then is a direct con- ■radiction between the parties. The priests dechine ^at the constable paid his visits to Maria Monk du- '-the winter of 1834^ j whUe the constable af- Idlaihe never heard of her from October, 1834 ml Sep tember, 183^ Ih^ ag^ thB ^^tj h^ mt^BmrsmmooS^^WM^ asperst blacken Maria Blonh'a chaia^ter, or Louit MaW^ ,**^"«***»»*«,-ii<«i. \ 4 ti' -,.V «!. :■■-.. I. ^^);::v 1^": !.' '.f -'y^CT^'jWwS^Vi, ^•tSS**^?J^'|f s%^i^p"',^'|w;-' mfeM t^ TBS PtOMmf &at peiptred himself. It is to be hoped that the jM ada^ wiU proTO tnie in thia inttance, that "when rogiM fall oat, hoaest men will^get their due> Now iftM priests and their witnesses thus contradiet^each other, what confidence can be put is the testii|idBy of Again, 6n page 96, We are told-*'* That theftf^ four periods mentioned in the 'Aifrful Disclopwires,* at which it is pretended that Miss Mooh was aa ininate . of the Hotel ^I>ieu.» What is said here, is jrepeatedly denied in other parts of their bodt On page 8, there ^ is the following unqualified declaration, eipressed in italics : "In the Awful Disclosures, there ia not a single date from the commencement to the endP Thus this work^^lllfae priests broadly asserts a thing Id ona place, ai^then as flatlji! contradicts it' in an« o<1ier. A house divided against itself cannot stand. ^Ob i»ge 67 of their work^ it' reads thus^^ We^'te the following additional instance tif the contradietions in the * Disclbsures,' and we ask the candid reader if there can be found language too strong to express the just abhorrence which the conduct of the advisers of Monk most inspire, 'ft is stated at. page 228, that it was w^U known to some of the lil^fcl' tbe had twice left theeoi||int from choice^MH&.dafV nK)Bt subtle inquirer to discoyeiiSHPtw'prevjous narrative that she had twice* left the coovent, either froni choice or othavwise.'' If the readet will take the trouble to look on page 23 of ^ Awful Oisdo^ureSi'' I E^aoBiay read as follows >-'' Af^er I had been in th« ilional Non^erjr about two years, I left it,^ £M^!>^ien,' shi^ telle ua that she left the convent' the firat time. On page 34, she teUa «> that, while « \ fi^l..AjEtriMJU^^««1|^&^i' ' 4PR|ilri» rii ramrra* book. 41 dii teeoQm of «ertaia treatment wMoh tlie ^ctiTe^and that she forthwith left the eBtahliahmenC. "•^-"^ il the second time of her leaving the cdn* y "..--'..■.;.--... ^^ ■' %;-..^ , page 81, we read as follows :— " Another , l^tpld her (Maria Monk,) by a«^irl of the school, lit w^mier committed by a priest on the person of a lling squaw. Why the priest murdered, and why he bem ran away, are most ingeiiiojDsly accounted for; is intimated as a reason foir the latterftbat timely tice was cooTeyed to him in a note by an Indian.^* iria Monk's narratif4 of this aflair may be seen on i26fof hcfr book. She states there, that, "a note found on his (the priest's) table, addressed to telling ^m to fly if he was guilty." She does : intimate that ^^timely notice was opny eyed to him a Mole 1>y an /ndion." This is another priestt^ iirepresentation, made for the purpose of cQcciting ^ntemptforherstatements#- / lln speaking of the three convents of Montreal, ^ria Monk says'on page 15of herworkj^hat, "In I, large quantities (if varioiii<»n«Bients ai^ made by ^e nuns, which are exposed for sale in the ornament and afford large pecuniary receipts ev«y year, contribute miseh to $heir incomes." On this Bsage, the "Awifal Bzporaie" wmaika:— «*It is that atone time articles of fimey w«fe made «t I convent, but thoee aKjcles w«re produced for sale the sick-wards, ■&!< dM f roduets expended in piw- ^ "Tl^^**^** • ^^^ fiMT the sick M^ iifint. ^ "" ( watiBoiAted toftamgen, and, mmmf^wmM^^-^ 'm$m inf«^r^ si^ii^;^ -m* k'- ■^ipp ^*c ISPLJ TO THE nUEBTO? BOOK. ^peace *nd freedom from impertinence." Now be itl Imown to b\\ the world, that thertf are fancy articles! now in this city, (New York,) in the possession of a| higWy respectable and Christian lady, which shepur-f chased in the Gray and Hotel convents of Moptr^aU about the middle of last August,- 1836, and for which] ishe paid some three or four times their real value.] These articles, I have both seen and handled, so that] there can be no mistake in the. matter. What theJ can We think of a set of men, who'are tgfo qtterly lost] to all truth, as to be capable of fabricating a falsehood,] so palpaWe, for the^^^s making good their J[j!|!cj[J 8 ration, "that Maria Monk has not made a correcti statement in her book concerning the convents."] This declaration Jones and Leclerc made times ^ij most without number in this city^ while their book was! publishing. Since the foregoing was penned. Col] Stone, their recent champion, thus contradicts them;] "In each of. the apartments visited, articles of fancy] needlework were produced, sales of which are made] for the benefit of the institution. We appeal on this] fubject to every person who has jever visited the Hotel] Dieu. • It is stated by Maria Monk in her disclosures, tha^ nuns of the Congre(J^ational Nunnery, or sist«ars charity, as they are sometimes called, are sent to difJ ferent parts of the Uhited States, as instructresses of schools. This her opponients deny, as usual. Therej is, however, something rather uncommon about this] denial, yiz. a reason assigned for it in these words :—] "The rules of the, foundation expressly limit the] t^boturiii of the sisterhood to Canada." God has a role] ^wBMl^llrtiien^li^Il'alwaysspatTSelrotE] And never lie. Rut ^hat 4o DfiMt> and nuns care foi] \i.'. %^ ki 1 1 ri (■"^7^ bi, Whether they he ordained of God, or of them- res, if they cross their wishes? Now, there is «^s a short time since, a female, call her a sister parity or a Congregational nu6, or whatever else I please in New York, who is in someway con- led with the Montreal convents. Her name is Is Keoph, and she is a teacher of young ladies, and iif'fJT. • ^°°^.P«°rof them suitably bewitched to to the Montreal convents "to finish their educa- L she packs off with them. When making her hd tnp from this city to Canada, some thfee or ryears since, accompanied by six of her pupils, tmvelled m company with my informant, a fen' Ian of >espectabihty, during the latter part of her bey. She stated to him that she was\.onnected the Congregational Nunnery-that she received ducation therc^-that she had intended to take the \ but was refused on the ground of "her levitv !" fwas appointed to the work of teaching in the N. I doubt not, that many more might be found e same descnption iii the States on a little i,^ ^nada." So much for their " rules » ^^^ ^' .<^eremonies connected with her ^ the veil, Afaria Monk speala of a coffin into she placed herself, as if dead; thus signifyTn^ .nunclauon of, or rather dying unto thlf woriS! ^ have no doubt but the priests have wished I ^ by th e au thors of the book before u.. ^t ,^ »«^ey a,k, u ^ say that there is no Sch ' V^.A • * n?'» y"' '^^™ ^^'^k is to be coiin ted^in^iU her statemfnts. But if it be asked. "*r 1 f ii tr \i ■ 86 REPLY TO THE PBIE8T8' BOOK. whether truth demands it, I answer, no. It is ai zing that these men should have the impudence insinuate that no such coffin is used on such occ gions, #hen they must know that every person wk has- any knowledge on the subject, knows t|iat the insinuation is tlntrue. A multitude of witness might be obtained, if it were necessary, to coi Miss Monk's statement. I will mention a Cathol gentleman, by the name of Guerin dit La Font who resides in La Prairie, near Montreal, gentleman was recently in New Yorl^ and, allh( not a believer in the " Awful Discl6sures,t*^tl' stated that he was present, sometime since, at reception of a nun into the Hotel Dieu, and that! that occas on a coffin was used. On page 74, we have an account of a voyage mi by Maria Monk to Q,uebec, on board the Hercu steamer. This, we are told, was in the year 1£ '^On'her return to Montreal, Tier mother was indu^ to Endeavor to get her received into a Convent." Mrs. Monk failed in her endeavor. Three reasons i mentioned as the ground of &er failure. .First, Moj^*s poverty. On page 43, we are informed the adi^ission fee into the Nunnery, is " three tl sand francs, or about five hundred and sixty dolls But Mrs. Monk was too poor to pay so gre«|t a so therefore her daughter could not be admitted intoj Romish " holy o€ holies." None but the ricl teems, are allowed to enter the popish heaven throij ^is exahed channel. Very charitable, indeed, fij house of charity. Another reason assigned for Monk's failure is, that ^ Maria was not a Roman f diolic,^thougb?ni^e3cpfe8sed a " readiness toH ." . The remainingreasonis expressed in the ■J5fJ«lf-5 ( ^m Sj^fow'. :{«¥^ expressed in the m»Vi TO TBS fBIESTS^BOOK. _ words 5--« As the Convents of Montreal are asylums for corrected vice, or reformed profligacy, tia's previous Iiabits rendered her admittance, eveii' VOBtularae^niUrlf impossible." In leading this sage, one is natnralljr lead to ask^-Suppose that ^a Monk had been as vicious and pr<^[igate as is insinuated, and that she wished to reform and ( a life of purity, placing herself beyond the reach emptation, oogh^ she to have been denied the plege ? "Do not iwbUcans and harlots," on condi- lof their reforming, "enter into the kingdom of !,*» while " whited sepulchres" are excluded ? Is IHotel Dieu more holy than the kingdom of \% , ■■. ■■■:■' / n my design in noticing this nissage, is to showr , what IS said here respecting Maria Monk's ha^ of vice and profligacy, is as untrue as it is bas4 cilomnious. The first sentence in the chapter i which the above extract is taken, is in the fol- Ing' words:—" Maria Monk was born at St. ►*s, m Lower Canada, about the year 1817, and >w in her nineteenth year." It was in the year ^ we are told, that the application of her mother Nive her received into the nunnery, was refused pe above reasons. It was seven years ago: of 8, according to their ow^ showing, she must been in her twelfth ytgrji and yet, habituated ce and projligwfy / i leave the reader to seleet wn language, in which to express his abhorrence un mendacity. ^ "^ i« gross absurdities and falsehoods into whlcll .ompileia of ^*^ ^wftil BxpD«n»,,» ,> >h^> ^ . ifef^ Mtempts to annihilate the slightest appetrf T^taa IB the chafacter of Mar iA Monk, are — — , -- 1- •< . --, . t* - 1 •f. ' \ ^ *♦ ^*' 28 BEPLy l-U THE PRIEemr BOOK. almost as endless as they are sickening to a yirtuoq mind. On page 85, speaking of her residence in Denis, they say :--'* She pursued her adopted profei sion (school teaching) during the spring, summe and autumn of 1833, and on the 2d of December i the same«year^. entered the employment of Mi Louise fiousquet, goVernment School Mistress, her English Assistant.'.' Miss Bousquet testifies tl she remained as English teacher in her school aboj seven months. The point to which I wish to dir the attention of the reader, in this connexion, this :— That a girl of Maria Monk's alleged char ter should have been thus employed as a scho teacher. It seems that this singfular compound "confirmed vagrancy f" ^^ strange Jligkiiness an unaccotintizble irregularities,^^ "insaniiy,*^ '•Hhit ery," "/ic«," and "profligacy," was employed fro the spring of 1833, until the month of July, 1834, an English school teachler, in St. Denis ! In the foj lowing November, they tell us, she entered the Ma dalen Asylum, of Montreal^ under the managemeij of " the exemplary and charitable Mrs. McDonellj who, " after making oath on the Holy Evangelisq declared: That she understood that the said Man had, for many years, led the life of a stroller andl prostitute." Several of Mrs. McDonlklPs pupils in tl[ Asylum swear to the same thing. Thus we are to on one page that Maria Monk was teaching scho in St. Denis, for some 14 52; 15.1months: and them another, a wjiole tribe of Magdalens, Matron and come forward and swear that ishe was leading, at 8ame> time, the life of a wandering prostitute. jtone, whe^e is thy blu s h I Again, lest there should be oneapot in the c)i8 BSPLt •ro TBB PBISOTB* BOOK*^ gg of Murk Monk iiiiblaeleen«d, these men chaige )n her the want of respect towards her mother. . \ page 82, they say:— "The conduct of Monk rards her mother has always been ungrateful j an4' habit of indulging in ealumnious remarks on her ^t, could be testified to by hundreds of witnett- Yes: so could any thing else by such wit- Ises. It were no great matter to prore, by 'such Iracters, that !he sun was a jack-o'-lantern, the bn a haystack, and the stars, a flock of sheep, [•he charge here brought against Miss Monk, by ' imbittered enemies, I am confident, has no foun- |on in truth. One/thing is certaiif, if ever a child cause for unkind feeling towards a parent, it ii^ riaMonk. Mrs. Monk has treated her daughter most unfeeling and unparental manner. Hetf luct relating to her pretended affidarit, is unW fcWe. Alas, that a mQther could ever become wi IS in her feelings towards an own chUd, bone of Ibone, and flesh of her flesh I Mrs. Monk knowa. Hrell as she knows any thing, that many of th? aoaents,^ which she is represented as making nk tflldavi^ are untrue. She ought, therefore, to r J for having sold herself to such a body of unprittf Bd men, as are the Montreal Romish priestf. X| ue, as I believe, she has J^epresented to Mariai I she never swore to the aflldavit which bears het "5 J that the priests carried it to her, and secure^ omise from her that she never would contradict atemenis. Hence the fapt, Oiatil is without heC ilure. This she ought to publish to the world, and 'all she can to vindicate her daughter, from th« ^j^ Mum n j ei^ W hi^hare h e ap ed u pon he T ■M^elher hand, the feeling of Maria towardi her ^&r^ - **^fmmam-. '■j'i ^TT- ■■' '1 r- \ \ g| -J 10 RtPyr/TO TdB PBIESTS* BOOK. *^ i mother, since «he has heen io New York, have beeDl of a r^rjr fiiral character, as all who have any knowj ledge on the subject would readily testify. On aU occasions, she goes as far as truth will admit, in vinj dicating her mother's conduct. The severe, though per&aps just, remarks on the character of MrsA Monl which are contained in, the dissertation published ii ti^e Appendix to the " Awful Disclosures," from thd hand of a gentleman of this city, liave always beei a f Qurce of grief to Maria. I well recollect hoW sh^ felt wten she first saw them j but it was too lat then to make alterations. On page 73, we have the celebrated pencil stor " It is as follows:--" It appears that Maria, while school, had her ear perforated by a slate pencil, an that a piece of the pencil has remained in her ear ^this day. Her sufferings arising from this cause hsTJ been acute, and havfe led to the supposition- that he* intellect has been from the time of the accident, ser ovsly and badly affected. It is known to medic ^^ jurisconsults, that no question is of more difficult dj "^ termination fhan that of alleged insanity. Thus j has happened that ^e cause of her malady still sulj siBte, and that she stUl endures its effects." To sa th^ least, this is a curious piece'of historic knowledg The!l«e are, howevei-, tW^ statem^ts in it, which * as distant from truth, tis the southern from the noii em pole. First, the declaration that a piece of a sla pencil remains in her ear to this day, is too ridio lottsly false to deseiVe hardly a passing notice. TH origin of the story is this i when Maria Monk . ^ite a child, she and another little girl were at pli ima they put each into the other's ear a piece of sl« " j^Bcl. Marirsayft the piece in her iear renSSiner ^Ju- * ''yw^^j^^^i^'^r'T^'^y:^^"'^^ ^-^"^ w^ IIBn,y tO^MB PBIMT9 BOOft. ^ time; but sh^ declares, that she cannot posi- Jr tell, now, whether it was in her right, or in • left ear. The assertion, therefore, that it remains Ithis day m her ear, and that she still suffers from lis destitute of the least semblance of truth. But \ are told that the pencil remains, seriously affect- r her mtellect, and producing, if not absolute in- kity, strange %htiness and unaccountable inegu- ties " But to talk of an effect without a cau^, n absurdity j and m the present case we see that [alleged cause does not exist. Therefore the al- Bd effect cannot exist. If Maria Monk is insane, . unaccountable that iione of her friends in New U «f ? ^Zu'^'l *H' *° ^^*^o^«'«he least indica- \B Of It. When her fiiends call to mind what she t passed through since she left the convent, they Wer that she has not been driven to insanity one female m ten thousand would have endured ' ordeal, through which she has been enabled to [without injury. With an infant in her arm,' ODmmenced the contest. She told her sad tale- scarce anybody was prepared to believe it. I )lln""t"^^ ''""*'• ^'""'^ «" ^»>«"^ her was ^icion. ^ Her circumstances were suspicious. She iexammed, re-examined, and crols examined by Z!fr^^^^ ^^' ^"* *»««» persecuted by n!Lt^ -J ?*1'^«^*»**- Malice has direct- r I ^'' ^*"*'''' "'^^^^ «^ slander. Her ^IL W ^r T''^^- '° ^^e 'highest pitch lys and weeks, for she is naturally very ex- ^e being constitutionally sensitive. And yet bt dl h« excitements, she has never given any -%;■ Wm conSdeiice, lEerefore, can be rfeposed A*,*V-fe;Jji.iil^ V>f .X;*^llK "J^ w -;< a**-? 3t RBJi»LV TO tm nmntfi wtcXi K .\.-^ in th« mfi!iipl6d eharges of iBstnity which art made against her in the « Awful Exposare ? " Sad indeed must be the predicament of truth, if it needs for its support such weapon^. But this chaise itself is one of the proofs of her haying been a nun. It appears to be the standing or- der to charge upon erery female who makes disclo- sures, disadvantageous to convents, madness and in- sanity. Rome set the example. Says Scipjo de Ricci, " they say at Rome, to ilefend the Monks, that I the two nuns are mad ; but up to the present hour, no bne has ever taken them for such." Thus Miss peed was mad or insane, and Also- Miss HarrisOn^and now Mari^»5onk. f _( - "Among the instructions given us by the priests," says Maria Monk, "some of the most pointed were those, directed against the Protestant Bible. They often enlarged upon the evil telidency of that book,"and| told us that but for it many a soul now condemned tol hell, and suffering eternal punishment, might have! been in happiness. They could not say any thingj in its favor J for that would be speaking against r€ ligion and against God. They warned us against itl as a thing very dangerous to our souls.*' In oom-l menting on this passage, the « Awful Exposure" comes quite warm and wrathful. It is denounced the " lan^age of a New YoA Conventicle." "It^ utterly incredible, nay, inipossible in the ordtnail text, Protestan ts and Citthc lies equaUyreverfit^^^Ts well knovrti^ Catholic clergyiAen aiie more given to scyHgtW?! f^*^ ta^ion than the mitiisters of any other denotoUation If »i^ 'gj^jfj.*** wpsf' '>> , -j^ r^-w n,>'., "' . '""i •■\i!,i^'S^^'^.'* mOPLY TO TM PRIESTS* JBOOK. 81/ taste is frequently offended by their ezeess in lis particular ! !" Whom now are we to believe, in this case, Maria [onkorher opponents, the priests? Every intelU- at vkaer will reply at once,^Maria Monk. Be- iuse h>»r statements agree perfectly with the instruc- ms, on this subject, given by popes and Councils : (d on the other hand the language of her antagonists, condemned by these high and infallible Romish *.horities. A few specimens shall here be given istrating and confirming the truth of this deelara- in. In 1713, Pope Clement XL issued the celebra- bull Umgenitus, In this, he condemns certain [oral reflections on the New Testament," by Pa- ir Ouesnel, stigmati2ring them as "false, captious, locking, offensive to pious ears, scandalous, pemi' >us, rash, seditious, impious, blasphemous." Amonir » reflections thus unmercifully condemned by « hS liness," the following are to be found : that "it is fu and necessary, at all times, in all places, and aU sorts of persons, to study and know the spirit, >ty, andinysteries of the Holy Scripture j" that " the idmg of the Holy Scripture is for everybody;" It we Lord's day ought to be sanctified by leiiris. « m reading pious books, and above all, the Holy kkT* .!?^®^^' ^P^ P'»« VII. writing to thi ihbishop ofCfnezn, calls the Bible ^iety a " most ty device, by which the very foundations of religion undermined," a « pestilence," and « defilement of taith, «»,ost imminently dangerpus to souls." Pope S tiT\^^!^^ " ^ ^^ institution^ N that it "strSnaT With effrontery throughout the lid, contemning the traditions of the Holy Fathers. Uontrary to the well known decree of the Coim- t4 .■h*»i <»»».>»«i«>»»«|l( u p * » »»»» » > ** >>■*»»» .,.^U ■^'*-r#-^*^- \'' '- ''■V u RBPLT TO IttB PWf fTS' ISOOK. \ > «fil of Trent^ labors with all its might, and by eTi means, to translate, or rather to pervert, the Holy Bij ble into the vulgar'languages of every nation.*' Thti bitter are the popes Against a society which labon to furnish mankind with the word of Qod, in lag gaagres which they can read. But as the subject is such vital importance, and as some Catholics admij that popes may err in their decisions^ but all a£ that a geheral council sanctioned byaw|)e cannc I will here subjoin the fourtK rule of thN^^ongrei lion of the Index, of the Council of Trefc^ which i the last general council ever held by the Romid Cbareb. It is as follows : — " Inasmuch as it is tnan fest from experience, that if the Holy Bible, transit ted into the vulgar tongue, be ipdiscriminately slloi ed to every' one, the temerity 10^ ipen will cause mc evil than good to arise from ii^ it ia, on this jpoint, ferred to tW* judgment of the bishops, or inquisitoii who may, by the advice of the priests or C9nfessoi| |)ermit the reading of the Bible translated" into vtilgar tongue by Catholic authors, to those" perso^ whose faith and piety, they apprehend, will be an ihented, and not injured by it ; and this permissiii they m^ust have in writing. Sat if any one shall hai the presumption to read ot possess it without su^ wiitteii permission, he shall not^ receive absolutii until he have first delivered up sueh Bible to the i din&ry. Booksellers, however, who shall sell, otherwise dispose of Bibles in the vulgar tongue,! any person not having such permission, shgU forfij the value of the books, to be applied by the bishopf some pious use; and be subjecjted by the tMshopj Bttch otheppeaalti es^aa^^e^^sb^shi according to the quality of the offence. Qot i«gi|li j'% Vj^ri^ TO TBI riUI8T8'^ BOOK. mMthet letd Bor purchase si^ch Bible« withom cial license from their superiors." PnUy, the Bible oiast be a rery bad book, or infal- mtf must have erred io tlus iostance. The truth thete is Bo book in the world so destructire in tholicimi as is the Bible. It is not to be wondered thpwfore, that general councils, popes, bishops,' • priests, are so anxious to lock it up in a language eh ike people do not understand. Nor is it to be idered ^ that, when the people become so rebel- 11 as fo demand it in their mother tongue, their ietts put them4)ff with something as reinote from k true Bible, as they can possibly satisfy ihem with, ^nce, m different countries the people have different Wes> graduated according to the light with Vhich Jy are surrounded. In countnes where there are lew heretics! a mere primer, called the Bible, will iwer every purpose. A curious specimen of this observed by the learned and pious E^niel Wilson, bop of the Episcopal church in the East Indies* teg his travels in thesummer of 1833, ob the con- ■-nt of Europe. Says^e, "as I walked down the - I «ked our guide if he had a Bible. HetoWme i had, and thai he read it constanUy, I asked him Bw qnestioBs about the Old and New Testameat tory ; wiien I discovered that his Bible was a pam- *t ef eighteen or nineteen pages, drawn up by the ests. He hid no idiea that there was any book I ^^® *«^ *>y th« Bible— so sad is the igno- f^of Owae poor people.'* Here is popery in its »»»tian splendors, if darkness have splendors. How BTO^are the tricks of Roman priests to couatei- -"•-fits of the B ijdc I I was fsottrvt^jwskMt— , ^W» a Catholic girl in New York, wkP wmi^-^itm - ■■■-■■■-,: M&\^ y&i IV j.iritxJih' ^ lilfiitt^ upon it, that ber Bible li^ tbe prodtietion| ' maO| and tiiat her prayer-book was the wdrd of (7<] ^r The ^sstatements. and contradictions of the prie •ire inore nutnerous thaA the paragraphs in their ] It is painf|ud to the writer of these pages, and dot less also to the reader of thenij to be long detuned | * an atmosphere so impure. I shall, therefore^ brie allad^ only to a few more of them in this connei Th6 priests contradict the statement of Miss MoJ i. . that nuns, on their reception, have assigned to _^ the' names of saints, as St. Mary, St. Eustace, ^ Frances, ^. They also deny that priests, with i exception of the chaplain of each, ever visit either! $ Hotel Dieu or the Congregational nunneries. Thd denials are so notoriously untrue, that it is mattei| astonishment,' how the priests were ever so foohsli to make them. Ask almost any female, GathoIic| Protestant, who ever attended the Congregatio * , nunnery school,^ and she will tell you at Once that I priests are in erfor. They deny Maria Monk's st ment that there are about one hundred and fifty prie " connected with the seminary of Montreal, 'v^hich i| place of general rendezvous for all. the pnests in i district (^Montreal. Now they do not deny that thil are this nun^bei^ of priests in the district, nor that tlj . . all occasionally resort to the seminary ; but they dej that all are connected with the seminary as an ine ^ porated body. This is marvellous. They also dd Miss Monk's statements respecting the numberj notices and- nunsi in the Hotel Djieu nunnery; they support their denial by quotations from an i Quebec almanac printed for the year 183^ 1 can the Quebec almanac know about the interio ^ H ote l pieiLiii^TeiHy^xcaptwh aMfaftH \Z^' j"?Tf»*,M'iC*£#" ''f^^'iA^^^^ •"W to TBI "fiiwgl »,^'-'1* -|, ».h .m.Uer than it „.l,y ;.. The fact ^S^ht amuttee who. Bunined. he Hotel Dieu ii C w lagree with the statement of this- old almanaeT! noer. fsuch should remember that i*» i- wueyea/ lo the proof of thi« w*. «i« n Mon!^Sn«^^^ 'epresentations co^cerp, p to be false in every Jnstance." Now I hav^ iextei^ fn^^i !!i!^^° «^»*^»'«<»» to a greater^ |-_s«!^^B in^t cpnveul, and they iirmte**^ \s.- ijj*.?- i^j.-^-.i*?'* %"^ '4 ^' m >S«k-5^-JWJ<^ ■.*'r BBPLT TO THB MiESTS* BOOK. Miss Monk's representatioBBof that nunnery are gei crallylverjr correct. The subjoined statement is fr one vfbo was there about three years. Her name! ■apprised for seyerai reasons, all of which are just liable in her casd. The fullest credit, howeyer, mi ' be reposed in her testimony, for she is a lady 9f chi acter and standing, and a member of the Protesi Episcopal Chuich. *< I was at the school in the Congregational Nunne of Montreal nearly three yeaf s. Wl|en I entered school I was a Protestant ; but I had not been the more than three months before my faith was shake^ and I began to think that the Catholic religion the only true religion. I was young, and nearly i my companions were Catholics, and I had none l, Catholic books ^ read. I at length became unwari ing in my Catholic belief. ** My impressions respecting the cloistered life of 1 nuns, were of the most exalted kind. My feelingsj lengUi became so excited that I determined to the v«il. t felt that there was no other way for to secure the salration of my soul. I felt that I h^ what they call in the nunnery, a calling to becomej cloistered nun. I never have been able to this di to^nderstand how my mind arrived to such a d( of excitement, for I was all but distracted, such ' my desire to take the veil. I visited my fViends, lived at some distance, with the fixed determinat to enter the Hotel Dieu on my return ;• but they, 4entanding my case, refused positively to let me torn to Montreal, and I now most heartily thank Maker for so ordering it in His kind Providence. *^ Respecting Maria Monk's description of the ' giigttioBal Nunnery, I think they 9U4B^enilj *i^» 1 JMnUT.tO TBS PUBSTS' BOO*: ict 1 can't doubt for a moment but whtt she 18 be^n a scholar in the nunnery, as she states iifher " /the feet thather descriptions of the Congregation- Nttimery are so correct, has always led me to be- e what she says of the^ Hotel Dieu j though that eriptionis so awful that I am sometimes led to lubt its truth. But then when 1 recollect what I iTe read, seen, and heard, of the cl^i^acter of Roman ifjsts, my doubts yanisb. I hxft thought a thou- -Id times of a remark that prifest Larkin, who was Tessor of Moral PhiloK)phf in the Colkge at., [ontreal, made to us one day in the public school- om. It was this ; he said if he was able he would \ng etery Proteatata there wcei U the face of the rth. Though I was a Catholic then, my feelings ire shocked at such a remark." Herejt seems was Father Larkin, althoiigh^t the laplain of the nunnery, instructing the youngladies, id endeavoring to imbue their minds with the true it of Romanism. ^ - % / ■- • . . '' ' )" ^8 > * „ • ' '^ . ,. 1. 1 ' t . If ,....: _..._,,.-.^ — • ■ * ^,:fX'-^ Ji',. IK '^,j,— t*^^ e&A ^ iwk^'i* 1^ \ jii. rrrefta fflt ■ ! sl . j^r******* -^ "***--»|i-| qnet— Character of their teistimony— Difficulty of obtaining testimo-l ny from St. Denis— Interception of letters— Remarks reelecting a| young Canadian— His testimony— Miss Monk's account of the mat[ ter confirmed— Her alleged residence in the family of Mr. Levis of I Blontreal— His testimonyr-Evidently fiUse— Gapt Ryan's story-l Louis Male— His charaetw andtestimony~Dr. Nelson's stateme^f Statements of Dr. Robertson and Mrs. Monk— The Magdalens— CImrl acter of the evldencfoffered by the priests— Their fidlvira to proTil analibL / For the priests to prove an alibi in thel/ case o^ Maria Monk, provided it be true that she nefver wa a niin, must be a tas)c easily accomplished. Theyl possess every imaginable facility for doing it./, Theyl are dispersed over the entire face of Osilada, andl nearly all the inhabitants in the province are dispo-j •sed to render them every assistance in their power to accomplish it. By their management, they havel cteated a strong popular prejudice in favor of theu| cause, and against Miss Monk. Indeed, such is the state of feeling in Canada, that it iiS almost impossi'l ble to induce a single individual to utter any thing in his own name, or even to divulge in any way, any thingJavorable toher. claims, hoateve^ much Jie. \' ^^ — -nr^-^^ ^^^f^'^t^'^'^tt^i^ -C'^t^ ^ '..f- * :aii_ VE AN AUBl^ now/ Public opinion rides over erery law, both hu- uan and divine. Matter, being thus, no evidence wliich tlie priests ir Aeir adrcate, may offer in^ proof of an alibi, ought fe r*"™.' ""^*" i« l^of an unexceptioi Iharacter The reason U extremely obvioi,. The fcomento^ importance of the subject demand, it I hd rfit be true that Maria Monk ha, neverteen , Bolstered nun, it « an easy matter to produce such iZ J r' •' "; " ""^ Monk w"; Lt T„»?^/ ""'"? "" """* '«" »' e'eventionth. jSorel,and «>me six month, in St. Denivandfoi bnT^hl"*' " *" '"'' *"°* '^ P"''"''^' «» have feen injthe^nunnery-it must be a matteiTof public hnety. Hence there can be no di«5culty in fuS ^o:::^.?'*^'**"'™'"'^ ^' «hefac.!ffur,^ Ought the te.nmony of Roman Catho cs, un.u^ M eridencel I .„,wer, no. The readon i, obvi! i the CaAohc church, " that the end .Zufi^ od CaAohc that falsifie. hi. word, if L '^t^JL i may thereby promote » good end; «.d wUt »? ithe eye of a faithful CathoUc, i, so^r^iCl. S^ »« of h« church? Among Catholicjitrp^^!? »d cpnstitult. th* church. Hence evir, R^ e pneMhood, nght or wrong. No infellLntrMZ CathoUc wthor. wiU dispute the truth %^Za P*M ywCTBpcf to 9t m mi\9 point timt tx4 J^f^_j_' *- -i-^ '^v, ••♦ 42 REPLY TO^THE PRIESTS' BOOK. thorough going Catholics, not nominal ones livii amidst intelligent Protestants. The first testimony presented to us in the "AwfJ Exposure," is that of Charles Gouin, of^Sorel. Hi states that Maria Monk was a servant girl in his far ily, from the month of November, 1831, until Se^ temher oli^the following yfear. , This testimony ' either true or false : if true, it overthrows Marij Monk's claims as an eloped niin. That it is fal .there can be no doubt. Mr. Gouin is'stated; by veil respectable authority, to be' a Roman Catholic, so fij as he has any religion. A man ndtoriously destituj of moral principle j a bankrupt, owing much and paj ing little. He is described by his own friends,! "an active conspirator, unworthy of confidence." Before presenting counter testimony, I wish to my readers in possession of all the evidence whij the priests have furnished in confirmation of Gouin's statement," A woman by the name of Ma Angelica Monk, of Sorel, makes oath that Ma Monk was in her service as a domestic, one ^eek the autumn of 1832. She states that she understc that Maria had been a servant girl in the family j Mr. Gouin. Who tften is this Mary Angelica Moi We are told by the priests, that she is not a relatij of Maria Monk j and it is very certain, firohi resj able testimony received here, that her relationslj would be no honor, either to Maria Monk, or to other person. She is an impure womRn j hai beeiai separated from her husband, on the grouttd ofj criminal connexion with a man by the name of " ReJ)ort also says, that she is very intimate with j ioos ly p r o fl igate pTie8 ^ Kellyy of SoreL Otl Vtlae* then, is the testimony of such a person? 1 ' " ' ■ ■'? . ' -1^ ^- ■■>, Ipi i i M ^ jt mi 9»*-r '.«• FjlijM^W" > • "l" ,-!.>;, \'^i-Y,\ » -^ •r... \ KfiPLY TO 1-HE PRIESTS BOOK. r BOOK. ominal ones Xvfii a us in the "Awfu ouin, of^Sorel. HI vant girl in his far er, 1831, until Seij This testimony overthrows ,Mari| a. That it is fal in is' stated; by vei| nan Catholic, so Qdtpriously destituj wing much and pajj his own friends,! of confidence." mony, I -widi to the evidence whi(j :onfirmation of y the name of Ma es oath that Ms mestic, one ^eek ) that she understo girl in the family j ary AngelicaMoi she is not a relatl ertain, fiohi res} hat her relationsl| taria Monk, or to ire woman ; ha^ , on th9 grouttd of I by the name of ery intimate wiA I lyy^of SoreL b p .«« .„v ^ suck a j^isjll •« chaUengea ereii guspicicm itteif r S^^ 43 [The statements of Mr. Qouin and Mrs. Monk, are infinned by the testimony of one Martel Paul Hu» burnoier. The affidavit of this man has every ipearance of having been fabricated, for the sole fcrpose of bolstering up, not only the testimony of hr. Gouin and Mrs. Monk, but also that of other in- nduals, to be examined hereafter. He is described those who know him, « as an illiterate fellow, who D neither read hor write j an active speculator, of I property, little credit, reputation for virtue or in- frity J jMiving not long since debauched one of hi^ ^n creed named Couthpay." He was convicted of tamry m the case ^f the King against Isaac Jones Id others, for the murder of Louis Marcoux. If any >n in Canada doubts the truth of this, he is refer- to the legal registers of that Province, for the 3f of it. Such, then, is the unprincipled charac- of Martel Paul : and I ask, what confidence can reposed in the affidavit of such a perjured imo- ^us? , / ^ lere, then, is the testimony adduced by the priests prove that Maria Monk resided i^ Sorel, as a senr- girl, for some ten or eleven months of the- time fich she alleges herself to have p4ssed in the Hotel ^ Aunnery, of Montreal. And that it is false, is lent from the following reasona : the individuals thus testifyijng, have Uttle or no acter for veracity. This the jprieats well knew, l,they never would have ranted their cauie oa Ih testimony, if they could haVe procured better. to any man believe, that if Maria Monk had lesi. I for ten or eleven months in SoH Ae prietti edtttt !.>,« »!.. , :„ J — , .^ rxifV — 1 aufelr^vidincexif tfagtlHHClllll ^^ .■.■:.\i.J.kti.'^^fif^i, ~» %• if SBFJ^Y TO TH£ PRIBSTS^ BOOK. - ^ 44 linn Henry, is d small place oK. the, southeast bank of the^ St. Lawrence river, containing jabo fifteen hundred inhabitants, so that each individv of the town is generally kndWn '^to ev^ otW Hence, if Maria Monk had been there, as is Uia^ t£tined by the priests, she would have^^been gei&ei known by the .inhabitants of that village j and testimony of any number could hare be^ obtainc 2. Maria Monk ^depkres thdt she neler was Sorel ; and it is very evident that shc| isAaltogetli "ignorant of the place, except what she knows fra mere report. Before -she had seen Dr: .R^bertsc affidavit in Nov. 1835, she was examined with reil ence to her knowledge of Sorel, and it was evide that she^ew nothing about it. I took special pai to ascertain, before she'knew at^ thing of the prie attempt to prove that she had resided in 3orel, whetli ghe knew their witnesses. She- evidently hud iief heard of Mr. Gouin, and Mri Taul ; but of Angel Monk she had some knowledge, as she had forme resided ne^ hec. user's, in Montreal 3. AU tW multiplied and varied evideiio* of having been a nun, hereafter to be ofifered to the re er, jroves that the testimony of these witneases ■fclw^,^-^: ;: \t4. ■ ' ^' , '}.-■■ --^u 4. Bf r. Buttery) a reputable meTehtot of Sotel, in .^ew York in June or July^ last, and eaUed q| Mariii Monk. This was before the priesta' ma4# its appearance, but Doctor Robertson, of M^ tie|]| had given it as his opinion, formed on ''■kiai^f testimony, that she had resided, during 'mi^. of 1882,^ in SoieL Sf^cial pains, therefa ■"-^ t9l»& to ascertain whether Mr. Buttery 1nnt-«rfriiiiliiirdm#l b<(i^~aoij mfA4J> .r*' « tartT TO TBE raiESTs' BOOK. |5 WUtat to those present that they nerer had r Buttenr declared, that i, ^ impossibfe ft, h« *.»..jresid.d in Sorel, „ahore ...M.^^ou W^ hn«Wson^J,nowledgeofit He w.^ t W ^„^t?;^*f'^ ""^^ opinion >,t she had neVer 1^ I » 4.t plape. Ttfr. Buttery li*e, near Mr. Gouin's kZtnt<^ "•-.-» '-• ^^"^ 4' fw Y^/tH-^- **'"'"r <^ "-^ J"''" Edler, if dl. • i *°''"'*P<'''"*- Mr.EdlerfirIt h«l»e acquainted with Maria Moult some tLTh , smnmer of 1836, in the city of New V«k^ •emeut is as follows:— • ""^ '"'™- «(» ^ I have friends, a grand-parent auA a btother „ Zy\^^ ^Wa^ Henry, who^ t^L withttf rh rT-. ' •■" I««°»aUy acquaint rf™ m Sorel. Their residence is in thilmm^T mcinifr of mv rel>itr •!>• pnests, to proye her residence ii, Si M«, are Roman Catholics j two oiit of the are nte- M ue incapable of writing their narae^ /: n. St. Germain, styled ia her affidaylt Anielic* lj.n^te.t.fle.«th.t she knew well thi so4^S b Monk," and that she was in her seWe fr^m Uaareh,«bo„t SIX months. There is Something W>y of specid notice in this woman's affidarit says that she knew well the ^aVut^ L^r i " ^ "^"'"S' '» "•'» osBneaon of lompound word ,o^aatdf Does irnot look as r^hu .1 ^ T" ""^^ » Maria Monk for .flould they not do the same for St Denis? • next evidence is that of Michael Ctaertin, who le. to the same language as Mrs. St. Germain, \^ ^ ?" '^ «o^ALL«D Maria iMbnt,-" • II. „f «* "*^' """^ '" "» ''<*»• from the St. horant papa^mcapable of writing his name. rf Amb«M.e V^-eant. He teUs us that he Ure. I..Tt u'^"? '"'"•■'* »'■ M<""««1- Hetesti- i.u»;5«i833.»j,e7;tr;uH^Z.SS *.,- ^IkWI-l ^ : 48 BBPLT to THE PRIBSTS' BOOS. her school in two different places, at Micliael G^ tin*s and at Jean Baptiste Laflamme dit Timine He also says that he saw the said Maria on the 2 day of June, 1834, in St Denis. He further iecli that in the summer of 1835, Maria Monk, accompan " by a man dressed .in black," called on Jiim, ati bar of Philip Lavoiel, tavern keeper in the St. _ rence suburbs, where he resided, and requested hii write a letter to Miss Louise Bous^uet of St. D^ and invite her to cometo Montreal and receive hundred pounds currency, which Maria had for We shall see more of this currency matter, when] come to examine the testimony of Louise Bousque The testimony of this young man is evideDtu compound of truth and falsehood. While Miss u\ \^as an assistant teacher to Miss Bousquet, in Denis, this young man, then but a boy, attended! school. The man " dressed in black" was Mr. hJ he and Miss Monk called on him, as he states. T^ object was to learn, if possible, the .precise time Miss Monk was. employed as assistant teacher] Louise Bousquet. He thought that it was in the X8Sf9orl830. His statement, therefore, in his vit, that he attended her school in the summer of 1^ is manifestly untrue. There is something on the ^ face of it, which strongly indicates it to be so. was qm'te a youth, being a bar-keeper when Mr. and Miss Monk called on him,.in the August of IS which was about two years from the time he say^ his affidavit, that he attended her school. In 1833 must have been tome fourteen or fifteen years of < t€k«f that a ^ outlmT jw < ^^ attend on the instructions of such a teacher as Monk must harf been at that time, is very impr ■i^iVi • »■ •• J y,^^r +.--lii, r ^-T'" \- MPLY TO THE rlUaST^ BOOK. 40 i§ pmmer, when the business of ihe ftrmet is most nr ir Mv« Monk, to write to Louise BousquetTd » rm her, that if she would come to Stre.1 she [Another witness is Mattel Patil Hus Co„r««; Us.eh.™Lofr!i[^txr.js h a., conve" and Ctt ^T^'P'*""*". ""d 1 «i assistant teach«7n tt « '' ""* *«S««ed kise Bousoaet "" Bceil Tk^ 1 . ' «*cepi It oe the one iust tte^L^ "l'' J»'»'rf importance, howerer ^ tett thf time wh o a Misi Mu..fc» .> ...-!•!:?'' ft -w""ntg'iqyp~8h^^y^^^^^'^^^^^^^^ ■Mtsa Munk w^g pSche, iBiTDe^rSS. «»«>cwted with uet affirms' J: '/ 1 ..* ?a 'i'.'k^ %-^ ■^^, '■r' >■ Iv m 60 HBFLT TO THE PBIESTb' BOOK. ▼erf time "when Miss Monk declares that she was i nan in the Hotel Dieu. There are two- things Miss Bousquet's affidavit, which especially give t«| her tlbstimonjr the appearance of fabrication: lATh(| fact that she denies all Miss Monk's statements apecting her, some of which are of no importance with the single eiception of the one that they wer associated together in teaching school. This look like art, not like the ntterihgs of simple nature truth. She does not contradict Mis|s Monk's stat« ments in the g^pss, bat in the detail, one after anotheij ' 2. Her statement that she received two letters in tl month of August, 1835, one in English, signe ^'Hoyte," which she "remained ignorant of becaus she could not read English i^^ the other in Frencl| signed " Ambroise Vigeaut," which invited hfer to , to Montreal and receive two hundred pounds curreo cy, " which a lady in Mgntireal was commissioned! give her.*!^ She tells us thaVshe proceeded to Mc treal, and oailed on Ambrrase Yigeaut, who informe her that the lady was Maria Monk. She then calls on Maria's mother, " who in an angry nnmner bame the letters on the spot,*' saying " that her daughd was a vietim and an unfortunate." Now the mc ing of all this' is, that Mr. Hoyt and Miss Monk wisll id to bribe her, with two hmidred pounds currency, I iMtify that Maria Monk had been a nun in the Hotj 'Dleu~-4hos insinuating that a vile donspiracy hewn fonned agaiiust the nunnery. This is knoi Iwwever, to be riisolately false, for Miss Monk cc BMoicated her principal statements respecting tl Hotel IKeu, beifore she ever saw or heard of "^SfTfikt Wilt b«i4Hini^eifl@r.~l^sides,~Mr: IfiM Bfoiik w«w pocH!, Bet being worth the ty the of i \, . ■'""'^^r*""* f^^ki.- Wa^'lSr^y'- • r *• ' '—* LT TO TBS nUBSTS* BOOK. ItfV » ' li^ed pooadft currency. How then could they offer i? But suppoife. that they had wished to bribe her. rould they h^7e offer^ her two hundred poundi, irtenc^) wheni the fiftieth part would hare answered rery purpo«e 1 Would they haVe sent her a letter lEngliah, which Maria Monk must hare known she ttuld not read? Wo^d they thus foolishly hare ex- -ed themselTes to detection? Would they have jiloyed Ambroise Vigeaut to make her the ofer in Trenchj when Maria Monk could ha?e done it herself, ' thuB have kept him out of thr secret ? The whole _ir is absurd and false. Of what value then is the Btimoi^y of Louise Bousquet, and of Ambroise Vi- Baut? ' Thus we h ■■'-••^■'■-'^■■^mitfmmtsismgmm.i.JMmmmmnmv*.-- 'Z-I!±2 rrynfft^^iffm^SfBf^. ■**- . I 1 4 1 gf?, - " 1 s w ■'''T^^' ian>LT TO TBS PUE8T8' BOOK. .was exerted ufion this young man, to destroy bis timony. . ^ " A. v., now a resident of Brooklyn city, fi^tate i Ndw York, having been duly swom,.doth depoiie say: "I was born and brought up in St. Denis, Loi Canada, where most of my relatives still live. I acquiBiinted with Mar£a Monk, authoress of }A\ Disclosures.* I first became acquainted with her the year of 1830, or 1831, in St. Denis. She was th^ i an assistant teacher, as I understood, in the Goven • ment school, taught by one Louise Bousquet. She ^ frequently at my mother's house, as my three brothe ^ younger than myself attended her school, two 'Whom she prepared for their first communion, she had been residfng for several weeks in St. Deo I left home, and went to reside for two months Montreal. When I returned home in the latter'pi of the summer, 1 inquired for the little English __ fts. we used to call her, and was informed by mother and others that she had left St. Denis, ter this I never knew nor heard any thing as to wli the was, until after she published her * Disclosi in New YorL And further deponent saith : I ' Michael Ghiertin, Jean Baptiste Laflamme dit Ti^ neur, and Angelica Hodjins, widow of the late * thony Gazaille dit St. Germain, all of St. De^ They reside in the neighborhood of iny mother's i •dence. Had Maria Monk ever resided in eithe their families, either as a servant girl or as a scl tte8%~d uring any ^^part" I feel quite certain that I should have knoWn it, i teM htf« JfeeiMi of it, at t|hMiin|»:r]H^»^ i-y-u iti'.< ;*it> i'-Sii£yV'>.V«'.'.:jr;,"i,'iA ,..4 .siSaWii .^&^l^irid"'i:'] '4^ n'v^v- ■' j'^-t i*\^ ■t^t TO THB PBIESTS' BOOK^ .t iim^ published in a book called < Awful Expo^ re,' &c., in New York." Thiee things aij^ rendered very clear by this man's stimony r-ls^ That Maria Monk was in St. Denis ht a short tune, as stated in her ^^Disclosures;" 2d, Phat dunng this time she was connected with Lou- ^ Bousquet's school. 3d, That she was not connect- with the families before mentioned. And thus '^^^ of^r^esidence in St. Denis, is con^ J^® "* ^^'Pi^' Maria Monk proceeded directly I i*J?^T ^^ M°»»^«al, and entered into the ser- rj ? ^.^*^- ""^ -^"^^r, 1834, until the 7lh-or 8th of ke foUowmg month. Mr. Lovis testifies that, while ^e was in his family, "she was often deraiged in ^rmmdj^' and that she expressed a wish "to be- taie a Roman Catholic, ind be baptized." Mr. k)vis is a Rohian Catholic, and his testimony is to received as such. The following statement of r. Jones, one of the publishers of the « Awful Ex- Bure," made at the interview which he and his i^jutor Mr. Le Clerc, had with Miss Monk, in ew York, on the 17th of August, 1836, doe, much fWMdi overthrowing the affidavit of Mr. Lovis :- B«lr.Lovi8, of Montreal, told me that Maria Monk his service in July, 1834 ; and about that time jny Johnson eame to l^ve with us. She stayed m us ^t a week, and was dismissed on account ,n L^yl^^ J ^?^'^''- ^^^ answ ered the descrip- « Pjoh hj Ml. Luvii §0^611, and ^ting declai^^ itato^e from Mr. Lovis', I wis strongly im- "-Md with the beUef that they were the same ptf^ But now I see my mistake. You (Bfiss Monk) ■-^ife^fl '■-vf'^i^'m'xfmiii^efi-i -: - '-^5^^r ' ! it ' ■'i' si .4 M HEPJLT TO TBB^BUB8T9^ B00& (*»■-„ »» «re not Fanny Johason.*' There it no doti^t but thi - f Mr. Lovis, (provided he is an hcmesli man,) shoulj i^e Miss Monk, he .would also gee his mistake, an s^ethat Ais Maria Monk was Fanny Johnsto, some other person. . • .9 That the afl^dayit of Mr. Xtovis is false, I have the least doubt 1. We hare seen that Maria Mod did not come i^ his house directly from St. Denis, 1 •July, 1834; for it is evident that she was not in Denis during that yeat. 3. The above statement ^ Mr. Jones is enough to show that Maria Monk was ni in his service ; but that it was one Fanny Joh|i8o( 3. Mr. Levis' declaration^hat ^^she was often dj raided in her mind," during the three 0^ four week thl^ he says, she was in hi» service, is evidently „ true of Maria Monk, and is enough in itself to sho , that his t^timony is unworthy of the least cob ' i^ce. They tell us that she was a teacher in , Govemment school for a lonj; time, immediately , ceding this ; and would a derailed person have ' thus employed 1 Besides, she has evinced no syi ttcmit of derangement during her residence in N« Yoilc, for the last year and a half. Doctor Rot •OB, <)f Montreal, who examined her hands three months afterwards, states in hit affidavit, ^ From the aj^arance of her hands, shir etidentl liii poi been used to work.'' It> Tery. manifij l|^^ the whole appearance and conduet of ^itoak, that she has never been a stnrant girl in ' lamily. This is the decided opinion of the famili^ -Jj E Lighteh. tht hH ffiide d ai ncft. York. Henee tiie affidavits of Bfr. Gom% tid Angelica Moi^ of Sorel, and of Miib St. ^of St. Deaiui, and Mr. Lorisi of Mo&Ivba], tJiof 1 -*:. ^^ 'J f*--'/i"'-"*» 57 ti^ini tiwt siie has been at service in their &mL I,— are nndoubtedly iWse. . "f ^^^ T^ Wnext a statemeirtfiL one Lawrence Ml This consists of a conversation which hehad Nietime m the summer of l$3i, with Capt. Ryan rJnlf^-^T"^;', Mr.B^d&state«that«Capt: boat _from Sorel to Mont^fcalj" and that he he suspected that. ■»\j» blrSIJl J^'^i*-"?* P^^*- «l"»k that tU, m hare been after .be lefl the wrvice of Mn ko^ Capt. Ryan? He U ^ miserable atheian NK ™» account of bi, vile atheism, from hia of- Phti&r "'""^""- o' :'"»V-«i« "Te are fiiraUhed i. the next pUce with a loii^ I • ??•«"«"» "hat m October, 1834, he arretted ha Monk for .teding-«th,t on ^ou»t V W Ni, and the respectabiUty of her family," the man in whom .he stole declined pro,ec»tiig herJ^ ^, **»«P>«y on her, took her to . tayem, where teM her two or three day._and that a few day. •rdvbemg ,ent for by her, he nw her again at in September, 1836, when .he, being in a h^ww U.f.me^„«fo hi^ d ^M himtbat«,e M itt,^''T\^^ "*•" ^"^ 'i* Mr. HoyI »<«gh'« tavern. It i. in thi. way that thS- "PUble ceatwe, aided bf the prict., wiihe.^ iJ," M' S*?^ «'' ^ > .* kV fel,* Sgi,-" -^ir^^^r hpf^^^^^^^. ' ^ ^ BJBPLT TO THC PBIEfiTa' BOOK. tell ihe world that he is the father of Maria Mod ^ diild. Thus he gloriies in bis own shame. A MX delineation of this man's character woJ pollute even pollution itself. I must, therefore,! excused frcnn the loathsome task of §fven attemptii I will only say, that he is considere'd by all who 1 . him, as the greatest of blackguards, a perfect pi le remark, his affidavit appears to have been fabricated by | priests or their agents, for the single purpose of ing a father for Maria Monk's child, other than pii Phelan, of Montreal, on whom she bad sworn it. ' xMaria Monk professes to have eloped from Hotel DieU nunnery in the early part of Novel 1834. The priests say, that she left the servic^ iff. iLovis on the 7th c» 8th of August, of the year. There is, therefore, some three tnonths ▼ening between the two points of time^from the i she is said to have left Mr. Lovis' until the timej professes to have escaped frtoi the convent. was ahe durin g t h ese three months? The iplifl tfad '* ske took u^ler ha5rMitio& m va ilothels, at Griffin Town, a suburb of Montreal, J elsewhere." They do not pretend to offer any otheij ..■•^-v. V ««PW'W»T«1PBIEST8»B0(«. # f of tSis tban ti^eir owa dfolaratloB ; and what lat good ibr ? Ari they not the criminated party f is thi5^ testimony to be received against the per- -iminatingthem? Tiiisispotourmode of aet- the "States.'* / . e have thus traced their account of the difierent !8, in which they say? Maria Monk resided from lutumn of 1831, to Noveifiber, 1834. And what le result? ^ Is it not manifest, that all the state- t? and affid^rfts, which we have examined, pre- v us with one train of popish U§s and perjury? . ' any man believe, after examinii^ the subject, the priests have given us a true account c '' Maria Vs residence during the time specified ? Where WM she during; this time? Before answering question, we must examine the statement of tor Nelson. He says :— " That when I was the ical attendant of the Hotel Dieu hospital, and Isionally of the convent, which is th^ cloisterejl Qf the establishment, I never once saw Mas t, [there; l^ut more than once, at her motherVre- , It, I saw her at the Gov^ment hoai^pei'^i mpnts, w^ich are those ofcupied by hoti^mn^'^' age 184, Awful Disclosures, Maria Monk states ' she frequently attended Dr. Nelson in his visits -» public hosjpital, and wrote down hjife prescrip. &c. One &t other of them, therefore, must be ken, or a wilful deceive!^ The d'octor's state- It consists of two parts :-^l. He denies having - .-<, I her m the nunnery, this may be triie, and yet / nay have been there, and he not have known her in '"*;i ;■} ^ i 8 appareNs being Miss Mc^ IhoiigElHr" m that case have known her as Saint Eustae^ name by which she was culled in the coqvent^ I-- < BJtfLIt TO »BB PBIESTS* BOOK. 2. fie ?ay8 that by her mother's request, litf«iw more than once at her mother's house. Th^ auea ' !? T K ^'i ^^ ***"* repeatedly see her at her i them's house? Was it during the time she profe to have been m the nunnery? The doctor's decl, tion IS ^irocal, and I fear designedly so. If 'he i peatedly saw her i^ her mother's request, at her rt dencft she mu^t have been sick there. Now, if the d, tor s declaration, that he more than once saw her atl mo her^s house, means any thing to the point, ,t md Aat he saw her there during the time she pK)fess«^ have been a nun m the Hotel Dieu. But^e prief iaye professedly proved, that she lived diSn?3 ;Bme, m Sorel St. Denis, Mr. Lovis', and in the Qd Town brothels. How could she have livei in tbJ > places, knd at the same time be sick at her mothd house, under the care of Dr. Nelson ? Let Dr. nJ son and the priests explain this, if they c^an, for it more than I can comprehend. One thing, howeJ wce^am, viz. that Dr. Nelson's testimony eitfc , However skilful Dr. Nelson may be as a physici, / his veracity appears to be, especially on this subje at a very low ebb. He is or has been physician . the nuns. The priests call him a Protestant; buti w not a Protestant, but a professed ridiculer of all i I^on. He keeps a mistress; and, according to^ statement of Maria Monk, his conduct whe? in i nunnery IS very little better than that of the pries His declaration, therefore tm he Wver saw Mi Monk in the convent, ought not to have the weis ^*ther mjegiding jhe bfCttR nonor^ot. V P^TStST: ^ ,..,ji]£'#ii»v; "k^.^f'-'Y i; ^ TBI pimni Bookr- ftr l««.mony rfDr. Robertson «,d M™. Monk. BUfejio*". re-praented in the "Awful Expo! * been for « long time before the public It ^ toMe or nothing on the question, wheth« ■ . JfcM Monk hM been an imn«e in &e nuweJ KRobertwu eipre,«, his opinion from hTZ' njnony ,h.t Mari. Monfc w., iu Sorel .^ "u e. l.»..Vk- J ^i"* « Am not her signa- leste, who obtained a promise from her that «h« bid not contradict it, statements. Buti^tUsw^t^ * «^,.t.U we have the affidavit of m" Willkm merot 1833, that her daughter Maria was then ke nmmery i Awful Disclosures, page 237 tS ter^ J"''«f« « "Weh time she^ldlh; J* hhe time she stated the fact to Mr. MUler^e^ Itono temptation to tell an untrutt sit noT^ LiT^n -i " •'""Khter had nerer been in the l*^v "«""• ^^' «*"* the affidavit rf j^and that Its first publication was regretted ' fc. .ffirmation. of the Montreal trib^ iSL^ in So«l ^ n™ T^' •°"' *•» "f her wsfc. m Hotel. St, Deni^ *«, ba, Berei iiitim«..d ^ *i >. ^:i ' 1,3 . i«^. *'■» ^4- ¥ # li* '' KV&f TaTBE PRIBSTS' BOOE^ "^ them any thing respectiiig her havbg been a nnn the Hotel Dieii. Admitting all they say 01^ this sc jeet were tme, hofwevei^ it would amount .simply this, that Miss Monk, for the sake of her own aatfet practised deception upon them as to the fact of ' haying eloped from the convient. But who has confidence iii ^his fictitious tribe of Magdalens ? We did Mr. Jones, "publij^her of the " Awful BxposureJ say to me in New York, that many of his witness could not be found, and that I should need his assiii aace td-find them. Some of these Magdalens han I been searched for, but lo, they were not to be found Respecting this manoeuyre of the priests, I shall haf occasion to remark more at length hereafter. Suf it to say, that the priests could nerer have expected^ gull anybody with this Magdalen trick, except 1 were such as ^'love darkness rather than light] Thes^ Magdalens and Louis Malo are at direct antd odes in their afildavits. They affirm that he hadi] tercourse with Maria Monk, during the winter 1834-5, in the yard of the Asylum. He affirms he nerer heard of her from October, 1834, until Se^ 1835. This completes our review of the documentary t| timony priesented by the priests, to prove an aUbiij the case of Maria Monk — that she resided elsewhd than in the nunnery, during the time she profeissesj hare been a nun in that Stablishment. What tl if the result 7 Hare the priests succeeded in th attempt to prove an alibi ?. So far as the number { statements and affidavits are concerned, their is) leficiencY. But oh. their < pound of ignorance, contradictions, falfteSobds, perjury ! Among those who have testified ftom 'W'^- !» f»-l'«f '^Mt to inm nmnn* aoaiL ^ I knowledge, there ig not a niagU Protestaet wit- un^ew It be tiie notoriously profligate Mary An- Jiea Monk-the intimate friend of Kelly, the moat bnaou. prieit there is in Canada. Not a single on- Iceptionable witness is to be found among th«n. 11 wish my readers to remember, how easy a matter ha to proTe an alibi in Maria Monk's case, provided has never been a nun in the Hotel Dieu. If she n/-^lT ^.*'" ^ ^^'^^^ ""^ **»"»* ^^^^ year and kalf m St. Denis, as maintained by the priests, how sy*;matter it^would hav^been to prove it, by un- cepuonable witnesses ? A true, why present to us I witnesses, such unprincipVd characters as Martel taJ,^Charle8 Qoum, Angelica Monk, &c.? The Iw if lT'"^*fr'^''**^'**^«°'°«y "months, ftniteelf evidence of the desperateness of their un- Wmg. I beg of my readers lo ponder well this hicdar point for it is of great importance in the iitroversy. When I take into consideration all the comstances of the case-the length of time which I priests have had to collect evidence-the fact r T"? ^^""^^ »8^id to have lived for two years ttahalf m th^two^places specified--the fact that ^mass of the people in thes^ two towns are favora- to the priests, and of course, decidedly hostile to M Monk's clauni-and abbve all, when I consider I immense importance to the priests ; that upon it >^l^l^^d the strength of their defence; andUien: fk « Ae testimony addu^ed-I feerconstrained to ir tnat, m my judgmenl the priests and their n^i^ a v e utterlj^ fa i lej in ikmr aUmpl to prove w <■' '. * »»• - IIPLY TO TBI Piimr^* 100il»' It if peifeetljr proper to remark fbrther, that an attempt, in such a case, thus resulting in ill-e, rcess and failure, leaves their cause in a condition more hopeless than before. Erery unsuccessOil fort greatly strengthens the contrary position. >r ■* ..« ■ ., kit. 4 K ' '^flB.''&MuC.. ,1-^^ St ' i ?\.'^<^ . ^ iff/' 4^?^JR:i HWkY TO TBG PMABta' BOOK. CHAPTER IV. PORT OP MESBSa OCFJUIT, PBRKm| jrOUBS, WHO ■ZAMINtO TBfi H< BOLMESj AHO lUMNfRY. ,^.., elopemeat-— tie imaooocement of Fbom thfl time of k»T risit to Momtreal, in Aagost, B38, Maria Mook, in confirmation of the fact tliai lie had been an inmate of the Hotel Dien, appealed ^ an impartial lamination of that conyent— «takiBC «^ troth of her claims to public confidence on the ntft of auch an examination. 8he thns challenged » opponents to test the QMUter h]r a fair tribanai f his ch«ll«nge the friends of the {nriests pretend to If) has been accepted, because on the fift^nth 4mf iM^^ I BS&y^wf sabjected tho anniae t f^HJte^^iK ^ Bimtion of ft few indiTidflals^ as a committee^ ap. Bmted bjr themsebes for lhi> pwpose. Bat be^ ' H tba report of this <^mm«m, aa dioi^if f "^ ^ OoDaidenitioiis^Tima ela{»fetl llbMthefirat appetled to thia te«-#in,,-^„ -««wuu»cu«w o. Idtentioos ia the Nuouery-^Ai^intment and qualiflcatioat of tha riMmlnlDf Oommlttee-Hosttle to Mta Monlt-Thelr examinatloD. l~Tbeir iinfrvorable report— Made up of negatlree— Ntm^ aMrt' aeatt ehaagMl-BooK of reKiatera-liiu Hook's pemage throoch I the nonnery yara-Report of an architect-Mr. Oetefl'a threa Ireawoa for hla nnfiivorable report-One haa nothing to do with l2L'Si'S~I!!L**^"J*° ■«»'<*-Ortfin «dobe««««,oe. of IJrl • dr 1^ BBPLY TO TOC PBIBSTS' BOOK. general characters of the Rev. Messrs. Perkins Curry, I have nolhiog to say, but what is praisei thy of them. A» ministers of Christ, they have general confidence of the Christian community, unfortunately, both fof themselves and the causej truth, they have been led to pursue a course, in re ence to the controversy between Miss Monte and |»riests, which appears to me, every enlightened Unprejudiced man must unhesitatingly condemn.] is known, that, from the first, they have, in their! ' ters, and in their conversation, been active in sing the claims of Maria Monk. Being early prejuc against her, they took a decided stand in their o]| Bition} and thus becoming partisans, they have goaded on from step to step in vindication of tl own conduct. I speak adviseiil^ on this subject,! with no other feelings, than those of kindness] 1M^ili »h« Rev. Mr. Perki»s,_whoM opinion i. wrl MBwdered to be the mo.t important of my b . „ « .M;S:;.r '^'^^^ m^ot^i^ ^ne word respecting the time occupied in e^ .Bg the nunnery. The building i, . huge ZT I «Md»gtoBo„chet.e>.T«pog,.phicaI Descri^Uo. • „ l'^*'T''«' « » 324 feet in front, on St. R JJ^e^ by 468 feetindvth, on St Joseph stream Mr Jone. declared in New York that the comn." were occupied only between two and three hour, ' ^1 : «.min.tion, "from garret to celh .T^ ."A*^* ""*• '* •' ™lx«"We that tl,e eiami. b. «L ? "«:«'«'"'»»'•>'<'« of the case, ij J««»ked, what but an unfavorable report 4uU e^^cted, by rte friendi of Mis, Mont, from s .oommmee? But letuse»mi„e the iport i.' and .ee wha Vt amounts to. It is professedly wrr dL^.?*"- «'C«"y.'"">»»c'ioned by Jrl aer oi the comimtiee. tence; says Mr. Curry, « I did a few week, since, S-t S ;h^ * ^''- ^'i. C'*^' «f Montreal. Spedang of i report of the commutee, he says :~ •"•-wk «« i be raUBfied with such an examination; for all the five ^ 22j^««t«ovement that was made in «g«dtoi M ^i *._^ experiment, and see how far^^ could mislead vl^urry ; and thus judge whether tl»j might pru- ' Mly admit a committee, in part under |bto general- IP, to explore the nunnery. |t appears%it the ixj. < hment succeeded just as fhey would have it. In I exploration, Mr. Cunf found nothing that^ bore resembla^e, as he tells us, to Maria Monk^s d#- Options, This may be called the Erst pah of the *" yna^on-~.a so rt of pwm i ir a tion for th e - B rn rir nf #k^ BMOnUittee. tis^ftftw ttw the committee iras orgat^d^ I .A /* >■■> -Mr* ^] t „ V • 4^- ,'4i,f-ji"*^T*ii»l¥?''*!i^^*|^- SBPLT.TO THB PBHEi •» ■7 i. T *?L^ ll^d ^^^^ an^the pipm pr dew, entered th« ii#2lg^lii ^-veil oif Mfcli%ii^>'«^tWc^"of id J not even the names of ^those discloi^uresw . ^^i^^ ^ ' «£■ FT^^-*'^- ' ?^ '^® committers all negatives, n >«l||a^ tell lis thattbey repe|l!pdly' traversed evei sction of the nunnery,** and c(ild find nothing,i ^„^i»bhng Maria Monk's descriplans. But thefl %pt tell us whiit they did find j. %ther H^ateif Ifess number of rooms, than she mfetions in hen acriptions. We are thus left to grope our way ini the darkness of Negatives. ^: In a ifetier from the Rev. Mr. Perkins, Witten i. mediately after the examination t6ok place, hel forms the writer X)f these pages, that Maria "has j ced the cjoistered part of the establishment where i kitchen is: an.'. «st*. ..•w' '^^'-^ \' ¥^» w MPLT TO TBB PRISSTs' BOOK. "^^ »S -M «.*■-., » t LT TO TH« PRie8T9* ttOdJK. -l.,». f V ■ S#! nds and buildings, wefriii soibe respects defe and erroneous," and that she was not respons We for its errors. It wasdrawn by a gentleman i Montreal, who Mptoi|8%mp^ent4o do it correct!, and who would have done ik so, had hcjiotbea « diiven unceremonioiisly out of the yard. See Awfu Disclosures, p. 374. Why Mr.Ostell should men tion, as a reason for his opinion, a discrepancy^ whic exists between her drawing of the interior, and drawing of the exterior, of the nunnery, by aiiothe person, I am unable to understand, 4$. Another reason assigned, is in the foUowii ^* words :—« That tl^ partition walls on the first ai 'second stories, hav^im^ cortesiponden*^^ otJiier, commencing and ending on each separaL %|ory-» whereas it is necessary that such walls shoulj n^»only correspond with each other, but that the sho|ild commence in the cellar." According to wl is said herej^bf^r. Ostell, Canadian housermust very singular in'iheir con^lntetion—eacb stpry, _. *^^^ai^^wa!tl|i must have an equal number ( too^jj^of equal size.' For qfample, if there be fif 'o«i#8^the .first ttoor, there must be five, of pr ciselyi^isame dim|itsioaii,.ol|the second floor, ai altioifflf^he cellar; % th##fe be a J^-ro0m fe.tl thir3 story, jof a i^^f0^ hoiise, the|jr must bej bed-room in eMfi^tWry beneath, even down into cellar. If thi^p a|j alf I hayeto say is, that mode^of constM^ting houses in Qanada, ia a vc absurd mode. "Inhere is no doubt, however, but wl ^ many of the walls are one and the same, beginni i^H&e cellar, and p as sing through each story in ' INwsij'^ur^lo lay that IKis is tKeciwri^E^c < jyrtiUon wall, is evidently incorrect. "WW* ^^i x'^'" m t -ViS^ tt^^ *:)# .■ aiPW TO THB WRIEBtB BOOK. ^^ *' ' ff esD^ti 4, J'r*»«;^"^«'»«f as^^^f ^^ Th€ sicpnd story especta dere«aii ihows a portion of/ bu^ilding at one ^tremitv ^ of^^'ZMg^Pg h^^ d^^^Pg for the engraver. It was dis- sl^ald m M^> ^PT«^ T '° ^''' *»"'«be was unable to re- epanefw"»''i^^^^^^^^^ that on the ■ iter°or^' ^MTu "T' ?''' ""T ^^ ««* «»«b rooms, thus rby^a^othM:^ t' ^T'^' contaiiin^such and subh funliture, y, Dy anotli(^j ^^^^^^ ^^ snchr arid such uses. She showed the folWinK"- '^,"i ''n*^ "^l *"^ expedient, which het the first aM"^'"' '° ^'^^'*"y ^^^^^ute to her j nor did she eieti" jdiLifh cio M^ K:^^ ^^^^^'^^ ^^» discrepancy pointed out to sach separal^^^ eriiibited the artlessness of a child in th^ : 1 walls shoulBT, ?% ^ V *. . ^' but that thM^- *H/je'J;!'^i; ^^y * ^^^^ « two, respecting rding to whS S^*fS ^*'* ^""^^ ^ ^'»^i°g of the interior of mseWmustm\?'^fP'^m '^^t Part of it formerly occu^d h story, a^fu *''^*«ter^uji8. At the time it was done, the lal number M*^,i°"' *"[ *® ^''""^T some fifteen or sixl^n there be fiiBl . '■°'°''?*^ of excitement and varied trials and J five, of piK?5"^'' '''?^ t' ^^'^ ^^'^*^^* °^ ber age are ever " )nd floor, aiMr T°'/1 '^/ P'^^dence of God, to endure. It -ro0m h^^^r 'u !^ '"""^ memory, and in considerable ^must beM ^ ^* °^ drawing an entire plan of the own into tlBn'?^"' ^*\°°* suggested, until the edition, in ly is, that m;'''^ 'J ?^*^ t*^^ inserted, was nearly ready for the da, is a veW?*' '"though s^eral sketches of different parts had ver, but wfaMf"" PW^»«fly drawn. The huUding described, is ic, beginni«"*®**^b^*sbment J containing many rooms, and story in m ^TT^I ^.flT ?^'' '' ^^ them, solely from recoUec- « li^T^«^^22.f teud«^ with muefi-p^reiang difBcul^ '■ ^ * B ' $ •fy M .f^i »•■■■. % % '■# .■'4 f'^ \T 1* ' ttSPLT TO THB PRIESTS* 10^ "^V^ '' .' . ■-• '")'. if any man doubts it^ let him remove his doiibti,>yj tempting to give a drawing from memory, even of J house in which he was born and raised. Under th« circumstances, nothing but an imperfeptand gene description, could possibly have been expected. 1 demand, that she should have given to each room exact proportionate size, so ^ to have the separati] walls on each story exactly correspond with ea other, is beyond measure unreasonable. No mani earth could do it, except he Were on the spot, vi\ his measuring rule in his hand. How preposterc then, to require it of a girl in her situation I ^ The two discrepancies between her drawing « the building, pointed out by Mr. Ostell, were knoi| to exist before her pkn was published. It was knoi that the walls between the rooms on each story, not correspond with each other j nor was su(?h a'( respondence even sought for, much less profess, It was also known that a portion of the sepond sto ptendied beyond the first story, so as to be witho Jllljr corresponding substructure. Miss Monk koe it {and had she been an impostor, and of course^ J'^^M^? Here fancxwork, her fancy would hA created a room or two more for the first story, . thus have removed the ivant of the substructure s ken of. This is a strong evidence of her honei Qrhad we 'Who assisted iier in arranging it, been disposed, we could have done it j but that would been contrary to our determination from \he which was, that every t^ing ascribed to Miss M in her book, should be her own production, and outs. As we sought nothing but truth, it was d etermination, that she should stand or iJjBly 1 1t ■.*> ai|LY TO THE ptasars* soot^t ^ 9^ brf now, underatanding the subject, is I do, I^o- bly aver, that the architectural report of Mr Os- I presents to my mind, irresistible evidence of the VthatMaxia Monk has described, though iniper- ly, the centre wing or main building^of the Hotel )u,jTom a personal knowledge of it, obtained by pmg reetdence in that establishment. Her de- Iplion of It appears, from this report, to be quite Accurate as I ever supposed it to be. In speakinir l^'!'''"»f *^ ^"* ''^""J^' °^ W« 396 of her k Miss Monk 8ays;^«Of the size and precise aber of the two or three succeeding rooms, I am not J certwn. I thmk I have drawn them pretty nearly It Wow, suppose-what is probably the truth in case-that, in the indistinctness of her recoUec- I alluded to in this passage, she has omitted in her «riDg, a single fbom; would not the omission ac- la for the discrepancies spoken of by Mr. Ostell? Nid It not represent the first story of that loniz fding, as being shorter than the second, and thus I4uce the absence of the substructure spoken of? I would It not produce the want of a general cor- [J>eg of the reader to pause and consider this pit^ Hal report of Afo. Ostell, for a single moment; tL^f^^ V^^ ^' P**'"' g*iWMas a general de- Mion of the first story of the nu^-her formill NfJ and then of the second slpfWe compared Nwo together, to see if they^esponded with fi other J and we saw that they did not. We saw^ tshe had made the ^econd story somewhat loi^. im^tai correspondence in He wall*„8ejwirti»(^ '-'S^^ . ^1 -^ . u ^%kM'i. 80 ^-} ^ Vb>j RBPLY TO THE PRlHSTS' BOOK. ^IKrji(irsk.ll. , the rooms in each story. W,|. gtited the fact to , and she matfe 'another eflfort, but came to the samei suit, saying, "I have do^e as welUs I could, and] there are mistakes, I can't help it." We saw thati was confused in her recollections, respecting a ^ tion of the first story— wh^re the rooiiis ait numl ed, the 4th, 5th and 6th. This imperfection of me ory is alluded to in the above extract from her bo But notwithstanding this known imperfection, in drawing, we published it; tfn^ what is the rest .>„An-architect is employed,- soffie tinie afterwards, I ' her ppponents, to compare the dr&wing with ( building; and he reports^ unfavorably, assigniog Jiis reasons, the ver^mperfections whicli we listed before tl^ drawing was published. I en, what str^wlger evideiice could b% presented] ir minds, than is here offered by Mr. Ostell, of i ct, thajxher drawing is nof the .work of fa|>cy, I ■sober reality ? If Mr. Ostell had found any otl di^repancies than these two, between her drawj ^nnd the buading, he unquestionably would ^ tamed them,, in place of mentioning the one first ticed above, which ha& nothiijig to d6 with thei ject— the discrepancy between , her drawing of I interior, and the plan of the exterior, of th& builc furnished by another person. He does not intii any incorrectness as to the general form aid size] the building, a^ described in. her drawing. If any man will tak^ into c^msideration the en^ circumstances of the dase— her youth *and inei, «nce in suth matters— the undiscipltn.ed state of | mind— thy size of the building, , and consequent d cuUy att0nding its description-^lthe agitations, trii ancf suiFeringsi »hc had experieiioe^the long ;4? i. Kt;A«^^.''> -£J ) agitjattons, trii ./■■ ■"c^ H«M,Y TO THE Hirers' BOOK • .gj hichUid elapsed Since her elopement from the Bun-" t?.0'°"'"**;i", *' "Si" "f Mr. Ostell's report, k Mrawng „t Mi» Monk is as accurate a» cLld kre been reasonably expected. He must and will I the •inmnsic absurdity, of the idea, that she drew Man of the interior of the nunnery from the mere Wmgs of a wild, undisciplined imagination. The to that caj understandingly believe, that her draw- ^XhTT'^T^ "^'' ''"''*™ ««nhing,>ow- Infl Jl ^-l "^"'^ " •'"S"""' «'"' ?»»« of being rr. T.f *"''""='" """» of course it were an ^b^ Irdlty to kttempt to reason with him on the subject JWhat t^en « the conclusion.^Hare not the pS Ifedm this attempt to misleaPthe public? uZ b.r attempt h* as fruitless, as that in the preceding Up« toprore an alibi ? Nay, this attempt is mo"l hna&riure. It furnishes evidence of a high degZ' I sui#rtofi*Iis!gMonk's claims. '^«'"^^'^ fciLTtt". m'*"'- ^'"^"^ "?»"■ how reck- Jj u /"^ declaration of Mr; Currv ., rJH '' ""? "'.''*' «'«'n''ers of the committee, apl «t .-»m conclusion, J declare, to all whom it rilTir .cem that if Maria ^onk has'*rid t|.e S inter scrtptian of 4e interior of the J|tel l>ieu 4nne^ ^s of Canada yet retam the power of working mira- ' Mw^lh stone and mortar.". No miracle nIeTTo I?n»i ■ ■* ^'^^'^"^y manifest Irom Mr. Os- wor of the nunnery ha , its foondationjn' Auth! fei?*" "^ "«"»»««• • - .4-... ^-^J H ■•»' 82 * ^■4^' -t^. ly REPLY TO THE PRIESTS* BbpK. i' -v rBiit then there can be no doubt but what extensri alterations have been made in that convent, sir Mana Monk left it ; and the priests, in any. reLponi Die manner, dare not deny it* Mr. Curry kno3 hat alterations have been made; for he has declar as I have been credibly informed, that he saw a h(^ ^ or well newly dug, in the cellar of thatrestablishmeB and when asked why he did ndt mention it in li report, he rfeplied, that he di^not feel himself calll upon to state what he saw in the nunnery !" Tn - f he wished faithfully to serve the priesthood of Mc real, he v^as not calletLupon to report any thing i, avorable to theirnnterel'ts. Alas, for such a comm ee!,, What motive could have influenced them .Me npon themselves the performance of a^ - for which they must have known themselyes to be ' incompetent? They knew, as well as they knew the . existed, that they wei^ among the bitterest of M ' , Plonk's opponents J and they also must havje knoi • The B«v; Mr. ClwyofMontreal, published in August, 18 Which, 80 far as I know, remains uncontradicted by any reepd Bible peraon in Montreal. s,-M,WaZ aUerations havTbi madk m and around the ConventHl Those persons li? where they can look over the wall into the enclosure of i convent, say, that cartm6n and masons have been at there much of the winter and spring, overhauling and > }fi^a.ntxaminatUm:^ A^ainin October 17th, 1836, speak V. ■*!-!!•.?•!?* ' '^'*' *** •«y«'^"He ^aid nothing about i rjM^t bmlding and repairing of stone walls within the end «tf^ df the convent, and. which evwybody whorwishes e ly?„^h ,.*''''"*'■ !""r^'-~»°' *>«« »»«*«»» "8 that d !^«li .1 .f "" """J;^"* *^' •"^"»«''' "'"f whether or not id n exactly the same {ilaoe th ■ ■• ^ - • ■ u, , ■ •" ...» • A • ■•,'f .' ' ..' fc' ' ■."■ . .■ a -'•' " ,' WB»LT to THE priests' BOOK. 89^ ■kM1>»» ftct, that tlwy were thus considered by all who b interested in ferreting jjuwlie truth of her awful »ges against that nunnery. Could they then for a t^^l^ .T""'"*^ *« "> ""adorable tefrom them would terminate the controversy 1 1 tkey must hare known, that the priests would nev- .« selected them for the task, unless they had/e« fe «.« of obtaining .uch a report frL tAm It object, then, could they hope to gain by JrZg fc:j""""'«^ " " ""»''»?«<'. ""-tMessrs^ kms and Curry-as to the rest of the committee, of httle consequence what ranks they occupy- I hereaftef leave the priests and nuns to defend r own unnatural and impure institutions. Thev r "*"' """IMny, and in bad business, fcfore leaving this subject, I wish briefly to notice benseless fiction, that Maria Monk has described U™r of the Magdalen Asylum of SLJ H of "he mtoior of the Hotel Dieu nunnery., I hhi6 a senseless fiction, recenUy fabricated for the >eofdecepUon. Mrs. McDonell, matron of th, llom, st.t« on oMh, "that the description gir* >. said 'D»clo,nr«,' of the interior of the IS Mm tM phrase " meorrect descr.,«ion.'' Wh« &- r"."""" "5^ •" ^ ">* mean W I Maria Jfoak's attempted description cf the Hotel l^mcorrectly resemble, the Asylum? I.m unl^^ treldti;- J" 'V.'*"' "'"» Monkattemjia/: ^e».j^npt,^of her A.yh«n,is a d^laraUW / ■'\i ■;s"~: . "A TT »'^P' ,-»^ -*#*f H BEPLY TO THE PRIEOTS* BOOK. SO absurd as not to be wiihin the limits of reason comnioii sense. It cannot therefore be reasoned abd And to affirm that kiss Monk's descriptions bead incorrect resemblance to her Asylum, is about as vant as it would be to affirm, that they bore an m IT '^^f'^^^''''^ to the moon ; for both the inoon i Mrs McDonell's Asylum have the dimensiom] length breadth, height, and depth, and so has W Monk's drawing; and in this respect there is] mcorrect resemblance between all of them The truth is, this «e:»;emplary and chariial woman is unworthy of the least confidence. '-She k i perjured herself in several instances in her affida] . She affirms that Maria Monk had 'led the life rt stroller and a prostitute, for many years, in dij opposition to all the priests' wi|nesses, who ai that she had been living duriflg this time in Soreli St. Denis— ia. the latter as a school mistress i some fifteen rfionths, while Dr. Nelson says she a part of the time with her mother. She also aftn that Louis Malo was in the h^it of visiting Ui Monk during;' the winter of 1834^1 whilst he that he nev^r heard of her during this pei|bd. Sfc a mere- to^^f the priests, ready to swear to any tin wjiich thtiy command her. Respecting this trick the pnests, I have more to say hereafteV. I will conclude thi^'chaptpr. with the subjoined ( pressive resolutions, simply observing that the ca mittee therein named to explore the convent] company with Maria Mtmk, have as yet received j . permission from the proper authorities, to discha the duty assigned them. Why is this? If Mi Monk 18 an impostor, why should the bishop of M ^'^m r^ct this ttne^^cepUotiable mode of convioc ^k.- ■•-•■■, . ■ I " . 4, .' ^- ' '». 4.r» =^ '** '^rr -yr"- >^'^. 5T' ►, A "^ any years, in din REPLY TO THJS PRIESTS* BOOKi 65 mid of the fact ?♦ *^ It is earnestly desired that bublic will hereafter duly appreciate the reports tparte and superficial examiners of the nunnery, as the one already examined j and also that ktly published in New York by Mr. William L. k who, according to his^wn narrative, appeals . . foMve seen a single foom in that part of the eat ^ofessedly described by Maria Monk. He ars to have been completely duped by the priests> suns J and of course, his report is a sheer imposi- f on the public* and should be treated as such. RfiSOLlJTIONS. ^V* Lt a meeHng convened in the America^ Tril lety'sRoom^ at the call of several gentlemen, he purpose of considering the controversy existing hen Maria Monk a)Jj ^e Romish Priests of the Itreal Diocess, Francis D. Allen, Esq. was ^alle4 Ihe chair, and the ^m Octavius Winalow upT ~ — ' ^ — ' ~ — • . H^''*^^"P*"I^*^'"'^''P"''»"«^«* better of August. f ^Aom NcwYctk, rcWi others /ram this place, togoL fetter of October the i7th, he wys .-^n the same div of • ^minatjon of the convent, mide in JWy ^Hn^^^^^ «« of Mr Jones* the Catholic ediwr of this dty, rSa^ \^ll^..^'T^''^'''^' * ''^ KentlemenS pi Monkrto^xamme the convent, whose report I deemed t A^If ^ T?f '" ^"^^^ ^^ *^« Proposal on th7con! lithnr^ r^/K^'**° ^^**''® "^^ ^^^ of the Disclosures. ^ ten hf "^ ^' ^T ** "^ *^ authorities to be erS ' ; **-^ V» - ' -t W^ I ^1, ' 1f"-^jl^^^ sa RBPLT TO THE PRIEflTS^ BOOK. ■/ ■» pointed us Secretary. The following Preamble. Resolutions were unanimously adopted: ^ " Whereas, Maria Monk has hitherto appealc vain to the Cauadjan authorities, both civif and ecj siastical, to bring her chargw against th0 Rpn priesTs of the Montreal Diocess, to somel equit, tribunal for investigation ; and, whereas, sh*e now( peals to the people of the United llfatesi invoL Ihem to interpose in her behalf, and demand that^ tice be rendered to her, a Ibiitely girl, in her peculji trying and unequal controversy with the priests of| Romish church ; ^nd, whereas, the people o( United States — besides being always disposed to I ten to the voice of the friendless and the persecute have a deep and solemn interest in the matter in pute, in consequence of the rapid increase of Pop and of popish institutions in their country ; and in consequence of the contiguity of the Cans nunneries, and their intimate connexion with, influence upon, the rising institutions of Americaj Therefore.' " Resolved^ ist. That it is the sense of this meeli that the appeal of/ Maria Monk to the American pie, ought to be promptly and efficiently respondedj ao far as the naUare of the case will admit of. * " Resolved, 2d, That the conduct of the Ron Montreal priests and thpir advocates— (1) in atteii ing, by every means, to asperse and vilify the cha ter -of Maria Monk; and (2) in attempting, tht tlie most artful deceptions, to decoy her 'into hands; and (3) in refusing, for the space of one year, to allow the matter in controversy to be br tp a failr trial; bespeaks any thing rather than lionesty and virtuous innocence. «^ ^7« REPLY- TO THE FWEar's BOOK. 87 '^Mesaved, 3d, Tiiat the recent examination, siW Iiaf€ been made, of the Hotel Dieu nunnery of toatrea^ is altogether unsatisfactory' j because ri) « gentlemen engaged in it have been, from the be- ' ;^:^S. strongly and actively pr^udiced agaiiist • wrn Monk. Mr. Jones,edito,of aRon^ish paper, tder the auspices of the priests, aid principal mo^« getting up the book against Maria Monl^ which is out to appear, containing, amon^ other things, the .ulte of this party examination,' was their leader ^ because (2) mhteHar alterations are skd to mMen made in and around the convent during ^poBt Jfdar-alterations, sucfc as doubtless would ily deceire amh a committee of examiners. For ise reaswis, any report unfavorable to Maria Monk. ide by these disqualified examiners, da^ht to have influence in deciding thisZtrbverU. ^r* b^'^ 4th, That the recent eflbrt of the ^^ts H their di^nders, to male it lippear that Maria 1^ insteajt of describing the Hotel Dieu nuniierv litommatesi has described a place which they a "Magdalen Asylum j« and also, thei^attelnpts .T' J '^l^^^^'^ ^f ^^^ unprincipled piif- ' ites and infidels, ^alliag themselves protestnL of Ignorant papists, that she hever was a nwa. kiK^Ni! ^^^'.^^'^^abad character, hW in Udtnw'' r fu^ characteristic of Jesuitism, Ipted to Wind %nd bewilder the public mind, aiid to It away from the single point to which it ovissht m^ / ^"^ ' "^ *»^«^««^ examinatim ^thg l*iwT fi*^* ^""°« '^^ *P**^« ^f * f"li year. ]^m herself ia py»op, accompanied^ fay hw . . 'i .. *■! ~ ^—^ .i^^a*r- ° I ' ' ' \:*i ^»'\*- m^ '"^TSr^^-.""'! 7^"' ^, i i. 88 REPLY TO THE PRIESt'a BOOK. A: If: 1 friends, as well as enemies, should be permitteil explore the nunnery, is perfectly reasonable i right J ^nd that a further refusal, in the present sH of the case, forthwth to comply with it, on the p of the Hotel Di^ Ecclesiastics, ought to be conn ered aa equivalent tp'an (Acknowledgment of crimes alleged against them by Maria Monk. ^' Resolved^ 6th, That a commitfi^p of fourgentleS be how appointed, with pow§r to fill vacancies i, increase their ihimbfe^, either in the United States] in Canada, to accompany Maria Monjc to Mont« so soon as the authorities of Canada shall afford si able protection to such a committee, and shall gn i.them the Necessary permission and facilities for tl roughly exploring the Hotel Dieu nunnery, and sg other establishments as are said to be cbnnetted j it, viz., the Priest's Seminary, and the Congregalic Nunnery, connected by subterranean passages j !■■ also the fildck Nuns' Island, which seems to be] component part of the Hotel Dieu nunnery of Mil treal ; and that the following gentlemen be^pointf 6n that committee,— Geoi-ge Hall, Esq^ale MaySj Brooklyn, Professor S. F. B. Morse, Da^id Wess Esq., and Rev. J, J. Slocum. ' " Frai^is D. Allen, Chairman[ " OcTAvius WiNSLOW, Secretary. ^ ^^ New York, August m,l&Zi^:^ \ . The reader will please notice the length of i since these xesbluti^is were first published to world. BBPLT TO THa PkuSTS' BOOK. ' ' SO CHAPTER V. / ORIGIN QP MISS monk's " DIS^OSURES " irinrnT """"l!" •''" priests-statement of the Boston PUot- Ki'i?.* *\r''^f "*" of indi^iduals_To a nameless man-Said Itohave obtained her fact. In the Magdalen Asylum-Her residence Ik' « ^Sf ^ «'°"' "bsurdity-Krst discovered in New York lir^ «'-?^*'~'"^*"**^^^"-'^«''^"'^«P'«"t origin attributed to iMr. Ho,t-Her supposed dying confession to the Rer. Mr Spln- iThe troee contri^ wee of some scheme, by which the world may be Wuced to believe that Maria Muak is not tteUle l^thoress of the disclosures attrilHited to her, ^^'v& et m her youth, and accprdkg to the position Issum. Und proved by them, lis they say, she has hitherto fl tlie life of an mfamous stroUer, being subjefet to fs of insanity from her childhood, and has never kHJtt a Roman Catholic. Taking this ground^ they , A I P®'^^*^® ♦^^^ i* w'" not do to admit -thift she, Bd she alone, has furnished the matter ofierdisclttr ires; for they know that all the world willsJ^S- Uiinff 18 impossible in the nitnre of thelfte. " ^a, thefr know that it will not do^n any .consider*- Kttyhatever, to admit that she is«efife^l4 authoress * t her works. The adinission would ruin Ihem j for !w utterly impossible! that she should hw^^duced lie matter of her nit^tive, unless ihrl^irrn u' '**""*^ ^*C^ '**^*®^ ^**" nunnesy of Mon( ' =¥ yj ■•; '^"r''*%*^'^- ' ' '.^ mi>LY TO THIS t>BIB8tS* they know full well. Hence the various ancl oont dictory sources, which they have alleged to be true origin of her disclosures. — Let us notice son two or thred of these. Immediately after the "Awful Disclosures'* we published, the Boston Pilot (a Catholic jpaper) fssuei the following statement, as disclosing the^true gin :— . . / "We are ready and willing to declare upon oad that the extracts which we have feen in the Ne York Transcript, Boston Morning Post, Salem zette, and other respectable periodicals, purporting^ ^extracts from the disclosures of Maria Monk, to be found, word for word, and letter for; letti 'oper names only being altered,) in a book transit from the Spanish or Portuguese language, in 17S called ' The Gates of Hell Opened, or a Develq ment of the Secrets of Nunneries,' ancl that we, present, are the owner of a cppy of said book, wl was loaned by us, a year or two since, to some per in Marblehead or Salem, who has not returned ^t"] This statement was extensively circulated through the Cii^tholic and Protestant papci^, and;md titudes were led to. believe that it was true. But i has shown it tO be otherwise. Miss Monk's publii ers forthwith offered one hundred dollars, to apy i dividual who lyould present them with a work th resembling the " Awful Disclosures." But the prie who fabricated and published the statement, v^o " vaaa ready and willing to swear^^ lochia i lisy has never been able to produce auch it book. The ground usually taken by the opponents of] Monk is, "that she is a mere tool in t^e handij fvthirs," who have fabricated her disclosures, [4. Urtt to TBk PBt£8TS' BOOlp. "T^ S' .'^ •f libt^ibed them in her name. The writers of the Infill Eipoture" assume this position, as a troth Wch needs no proof. Hence the title-page of^ir ok:— ** Awful Exposure of the atrocious plot Mpd certain individuals against the Clergy and Wuns 'Lower Canada, through jthe intervention of Maria lonk." Who these intfTviduals are, we are not in- brnied. But they are unmercifully denounced as, la band of fanatics," "an association of impostors," [abetters of Monk," "advisers of Monk," " her crew " I infamous," "canting hypocrites," 'fcalumniators" lusing Monk to'Convey their own slandirs," " rendered Wne by the instigations of their owii malice," pos- Bssing " unparalleled impudence/iand imbecility/' [atrocious intentions," " minds prolific of calumny," [strange audacity," being unableUto constru^a lie r ordinary verisimilitude"^whicK^ the \Sy, is quivalent to saying that they are rw^actmd in ' ! art of lying. . \ On page 81 of their book, the priests speiik as if the [Awful Disclosures" were the production\f some ^e man j whom they handle after their accustomed inner. Say they :—" When this refutatidn and ese proofs shall miet the scurrilous and unhesita- ig defamer, will he not seek to escape the light of ly and thfe regards of his fellow men? The turbu- it current of his deliberate and blasphemouafanati- nn will be heated by hot shame and unavailing re- Pt.^ ,Thc stupid and lying wretch, the base knave, imbecile criminal, will writhe in his anguish, med ind loathed by an insulted and indignant ommtfnity." Who the individual is, thus mauled, I TOW not. But I think he must have been a name- '». .-3 Bijnaii of Straw, whom the j^iests, by this thunder '''■■*;'.■ ■ / • ¥ / M '-"■■ff^e^:-'^^ 1 ■ .\ ■■ ■'.■.-i-^'-. - .■^;vjf ■ . • '-/ . V - « ' ' ,. ^'■■. --■- - • '' « ■ ■ P r' -> J*- ■n- - „ - / * .- * ^ * ' . • ; .J 1 * 1 *■ • ■ ; "■■■■" \ . 1 1 t 4» ; — i « • / - * — "^ — r fc\ / ' /I '^i f^,V^ • "...«- . . _. ^., ^ ■: (iitikiv-i^ fc;ic.w.*l'j,^v-S^i..X'J./i J.-5i.^l .. .,.. ■ ., "- .,■■-..' .■A,.- . T IMAGE EVALUATION ^TEST TARGET (MT-3) / 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ IM IIM Hf Ufi III 2.0 1.8 U IIIIII.6 6" 1 "T /A 7a / ,y '^ 98 BIBPLT TO T^S PBIfiStaV 60OI:. Storm of wmdl, have blown into the land of nonei tity. But the priests are not satisfied— o> rather the justly think that the reflecting part of the communij are not satisfied ^^ eit^r /of these modes of accoui ing for the origin qf Mi^ Monk's disclosures. The "have, therefore, recently lit upon another, as novel it is singular. They say that the materials, out of whii -her disclosures were fabricated, were obtained by h from th^ Montreal Magdalen Asylum. This is trul a marvellous discovery j and, in order that the reijd may be enabled to judge of its truth, it will be nee J sary, here, briefly to state Miss Monk's connexi with this establishment. This she has stated in h first volume, pages 272-73; a»d the statement made by her, long before her enemies even alludi tothe*fact; and indeed, they amfear to have learned it from her narrative. Sne has stated all si knew about it, though it appears that she was un quainted with the nature of the establishment. S states that she was never in the larger of the t houses beloQging to the Asylnm, and of course kno nothing about it. But when, how long, and h came she in the Asylum? are questions which n to be answered. It was in the winter of 1^34-5, t she was there, after she professes to have left nunnery. There is no disagreement on this point, tween her and her opponents. There is, howeri as it respects the length of time that she was the The Magdalens affirm that s^e was in tli^ Asyl about three months, while she thinks that she was t bat about six or sev^ weeks. It ajppears quite dent that they are mistaken as to the langth of Tbejpiidmit that she left the establiahmeat about §,'r at least of some of them— which is any rather than maternal. In consequence of her rbaroos conduct towards her oldest son, now a res- lent of New York, he left, her house when only ><** .^ ■ ;'»>, -;.%-: _!_•_ p. ■* I M it£PLY to THE PRIESTS' MOK. ten years of age. The same brutality which « drove her eldest son from under her roof, also dn her eldest dau^ter, Mafia, to seeks refuge in i nuanery. Much might be said on this subject. 1 I forbear. , Maria Monk states th*Cduring her residence in j Asylum, she kept her chamber from the day she ena ed, until about the time she left it. She was in fij ble health, though not as much so as she feigned h self to be, in order that she might be Bliowed to ke her room. Her motive was, the fear of being del ed by the priests, one of whom-Father Bonin , ^ of the murderers 6f St. Francis-was the confe* of the establishment. She states that she had as i tie mtercourse as possible with any in the house-, even seeing Mrs, McDonell above three or four tii until the day she left the house. Hence the fact . Mrs. McDonell and a Miss fi^urd, both of wi have givett their affidavits jMfting her, are i^ rant of her perso^. A gent^emT from . New Yo bemg on a visits not long ^ since, in Montreal hei mg that Jane Ray, concerning whom Miss M. hasi much4o say in her writings, was in the^^yrtuh c ed to see her. He was told that she was not in . would be in shortly. He remained in waiting foi i hour and a half, but no Jane Ray made her apw """f^'i.,^";!?!^^ *^5r be had some conversat ^ith Mrs. McDonell, and Miss Howard, about A MoiJt, and they told him, and his companion, , she had liffht hair I Now, be it known to these i ilaen, that Maria Monk^s hair is directly the oppot of light. It is 6/ac*. I would add that the geii jien were informed, that if they wcmidvcaU on i %8t of the week— it being on Saturdly th6y visii f**i^kgi£lti *«r^l*Ar i^^i^h MMPLY TO THE PBIESTS' BOOK. 95 I Afjrlma— they should see Jane Ray. The call 8 made accordingly, and lo t the door was closed f bey could not receive visiters 1 Why wis this 1 iHaving said thus much, we are now prepared to ■HQire, whether Miss Monk did, in reality, obtain ! matter of her disclosures from this Asylum, du- - the few weeks of her stay in one of its cham- . But what could she have learned in this estab- Ihment, which bears any resemblance to the princi- U facts disclosed in her book ? |l frankly confess, that I do not know what to say' ^ this subject, because of its gross absurdity. There n some subjects that beggar all proof or disproof, exphmation or illmslration. They do not fall Ithm the sphere of aigumentation. If a mm were I tell me that the proper platbe to learn temperance facjpl6s was in a grog-shop, or that the sanctuary here Jehovah is worshipped in spirit and in truth' ^ Id where his law and his gospel are faithfully ex- fcmded, was a fit place to learn all that is infamous cnme-what could I say to him ? Could I reason th. him ? How then can I readon with the priests |the subject before us ? A Magdalen Asylum is n Jose of virtue j a place where unfortunate females, ho have wandered from duty, are taught aU that is ^ous in purity, industry, and religion. But liliat re- Wance is there between the instructions and practi- lof 8uchaplace,and those delineated in the "Disclo- «»?" Such as the most consummate hypocrisy ly- R producmg and strangling infants, smothering wo- ^B, and almost every other crime that can be named t practised under the highest sanctity of a religious ' "fession. Surely, one might as w«ll think of "gath- "f grapes of thorns, or figs of thisUes," as to think Y^-k 98 KEPLt TO TBWPiHEST8» BOOt. of gathering the facts, narrated by Mis« Monk, a^fagdalen Asylum. , But the position of the priest^ i& go grossly absu that I fear lest some may possi% think that I represent (hem; such may thtak that the prie, would be simply understood Js saying, that Mi Monk obtained her knowledge olf conventuM ceren Dies m the asylum. This; however, is not so. i page 55, of their book, they say :— « In fact, there not^ perhaps, a single lie told in the 'Disclosures,'] which a similar (a practice in . the asylum) orig ^ might not be found." Now, what are the practic spoken of by Miss Monk, which the priests won have us to believe are lies? Are' they not tho which would disgrace a heathen and a publican ? This strange resort of the priests, must convin, every unbiased mind, of] the fact, that their caasei despferate. The mere Statement of it, is enough I expose its intrinsic absi^idity. Whether the astounding facts respecting the Hoti Pieu^unnery of Montreal, which are narrate4 in "Awful Disclosures,'/ be true or false, I hope to sh to the satisfaction of every honest mind, that Ma Monk is the sole authoress of them. The manner in which Miss Monk passed her tin. from the hour she left the convent, until she arrive m New York; ^iU be found narrated in the first fo chapjers of her sequel. Awful Disclosures, beginoii at|)age 257. ^ The affecting circumstances in which Mr. Hillik. and his associates, first discovered Miss Monk, aftt, her arrival in New York, are briefly stated in the M lowing affidavit. It is to this kind and humane g« tlenian, that the wprld is indebted, under a beaij ■iifcA * *« | Mii n% <, niifiiiu I wnyirfitrlrti^'irt^ .ifc fl^ V .i. i l i ■. ■ i r gJi l i rt aailn i H ii l ' ft l h'^'p\\*u A' saying, that Mi RSnt.T IX) TBB priests' BOOK. 07 ►Tidewe, for the preTservatioil of Miss Monk's tes- ony, by rescuing her|rpm a premature grave, into" ich she was then rapidly sinking, after having nt several days in the forlorn situation in which was thus discovered. I envy not the sensibili- of that man who can read it unmoved. . % and County of } I \ New York, J**^/ ['John HiUiker, beiiig diyly sworn, doth depose and ^-that one day early in the month of May, 1835 lie shooting near the Third Avenue, oppoVite the ^ mile stone, in , company with three friends, I a woman sitting in a field at a short distance, attracted our attention. On reaching her, we ind her sitting with her bead down, and could pit Jre her return any answer to our questions. O^ ^mg her hat we saw that she was weeping. She « dressed in an old calico frock, (I think of a green- color,) with a checked apron, and an old black aet After much delay and weeping, she began fcnswer my questions, but not until I had got mv npanions to leave us, and assured her that I was a med man, and disposed to befriend her. She tben told me that her name was Maria, that i K T/ """^ 'V ''"""^'y '"^ Montreal, from m she had mad.e her escape, on account of the Mment she had received from priests in that insti- ion, whose licentious conduct she strongly intimated me. She mentioned some particulars concerning convent and her escape. She spoke particularly Mmall .room wh^re she used to attend, until the Nicm entered to see the sick, when she accompa- B himtownte down his prescriptions; and sard t^heewaped through a door which he sometimes y * i * « ■ i'l i i ii i W >''iii i ' 1^'^ ■4..V' ^^^^, ^'^p^ ia BBPLT TO THE PHIESTS' BOOK. i - ;ffl entered. She added, that she exchanged her after leanng the nunQery, andi that she came to York in company with a man, who left her as is the steamboat arrived. She further stated, « she expected soon to give birth to a child, having! come pregnant in the convent j that she had no (tit and knew not where to find one ; that she thoa of destroying her life j and wished me to leave he saying, that if I should hear of a woman being foi drowned in the East River, she earnestly desired i never to speak of her. "I asked if she had had any food that da7,L which she answered, no ; and I gave her monef get some at the grocery of Mr. Cox, in the neighi hood. She left me, but I afterwards saw her in I fields, gding towards the river; and after much I gency, prevailed upon her to go to a house wh« fought she might be accommodated, oflering to , her expenses. Failing in this attempt, I persuad her, with much difficulty, to go 4|||kthe Almshow and there we got her received, after I had promii to call to see her, as she said she had somethiii( great consequence which she wished to communie tome, and wished me to write a letter to Montre "She had every appearance of telling the n. so much so, that I have never for a moment douL the truth of her story, but told it to many p^rsonjj my acquaintance, with entire confidence in its t She seemed overwhelmed with grief^and in a desperate state of mind. I saw her weep for .. hours or more without ceasing; and appeared n feeble when attempting to walk, so that two off supported her by the arms. We observed also, ' ■he always folded her hands under her apron BfiPLY to THE PHIE8T8' BOOf. I wilked, as she has described the nuot as doiiup I her 'Awful Disclosures*' « I called at the Almshouse gate several times and 'quired for her j but having forgotten half of her ae, I could not make it understood whom I wished f see, and did not see her until the last week. When btw some of the first extract^ from her book in a fcwspapei^ I was confident. that they were parts of • story, and when 1 read the conclusion oftho work, -» not a doubt of it. Indeed, many things in the s of the book I was prepared for from what she told me. |« When I found her, I recognised her immediately, lAough she m not know me.at firat, being in a venr pKnt dress. As soon as she was informed where fe had seen me, she recognised me. i have not mi m the book any thing inconsistent with what le had stated to me when I first saw luBr, I" When I first saw her in Ma^ m^:tJU had evi- Intly sought concealment. She ha4 • letter in her H which she refused to let lak see ; and when she ad I was determined to remove hetf she tore it in m Pieces, and threw thpm down. Several days er I visited the spot agai^ and picked them up, to ira something of the contents, but could find noth- " intelligible, except the first part of the signature, ana.' ' ^Of the t^th of her story, I have not the slightest •^M, and I thmk I never can untU the nunnery is >ned and^examined. j^ BilukeL Sworn before me, this 14th of March, 1836. I " Peter Jenkins, , V .«-.*] «. . . ."^'"'^wipnwofDeeda.**^" ipectuig t^e incipient origin ^f tht " Awfal filf > P®Sr".< *,-^- J'dn r ':^ ss^Jm^S-Xiki„ "*E^«flww"»^-iHp;?wM^w ^'gy- 100 REPLY TO TBE PRIESTS' BOOK. cldsures," the priests say on page 122 of their . that :—" The earliest instigator of Monk's fahricat appears to have been an individual named Hoj Concerning this man they have much to* say tha untrue, to the disadvantage of Miss Monk. Tfc would have the world to believe, that there was improper intimacy between them, on their first ar at Mr. Goodenough's tavern in Montreaf ; and this was^ifibserved by Judge Turner, of St. All Vermont, who accompanied them to that city, the purpose of procuring a legal investigation of Monk's criminal charges against the priests, this is denied by the Judge. ^ However indiscreet Mr. Hoyt> management! Miss Monk's affairs may have been, he appears j have acted from upright motives, untiJ a short tii before her book was completed for the press ; wl in attempting to secure its profits for himself, exe such as she needed for the immediate support of i self and child, he took a misstep, which involved _ in a multitude of others. Since then his conduct 1 been very reprehensible. He has involved her in It suits, and occasioned her, besides much trouble vexation, the loss of considerable money. He is a "cast-off clergyman," as the priests call himj he never was a clergyman of any sect* The important testimony of the Rev. Mr. Taf settles the question, both as Xp the origin of Monk's disclosures, and also her earliest acqus ance with Mr. Hoy t. ' • The bitter feelings which have existed* for some ten moi past, between Mr. Hoyt and Miss Monk, is decisive evidena the foot, that there has been no eollision between them, ia( ginatmg her book for purposes of speculation* HEPLT TO THE PBIEfTi* «00«. JQl the following statement respecting the origin of laria Monk's disclosures, and her first acquaintance, Htli Mr. Hoyt, has the sanction of the Rev. Mr. Pappin^ Chaplain, for several years past, of the Hu- bine and Crimijial Institutions of the- city of New pork-d gentleman of unblemished character. * « In the summer of 1^5, Maiia Monk, authJr^t^ r the Awful DiscWres,' was seriously ill, and. as be supposed, on t>6 borders of the grave. In tJiis IfaatioD, she sent for me, and with all the solemnity r a dying hour, she communicated ^o me the princi- il statements^ respecting the Hotel Dieu nunnery r Montreal, which she has since published to the Md, m her disclosures. She did this by way of lenitential confession. Her object appeared to be ot to criminate others, but to confess her own guilt* Bd thus relieve her .troubled conscience j for she felt bat she had, in some sense, been a participator in the torrid crimes which she divulged. At the time ^ was very evident to my mind, that she had no idea' bat her disclosures to me, would ever be made known ^ the public. The impressioii||piich I then receiv- lof her honest sincerity, remliiis to this day unef- U t M '^^** ^-^^ *°°^® ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ acquaintance hth Mr. Hoytj who, having recently arrived in New rork from Canada, and having heard of her case, Wled on me to make inquiries respecting it, and wa& ' aw, introduced to her acquaintance. " [Here then we iearn, when it was that Mr. Hoyt ht became acquainted with Miss Monk. Mr. Tap- p states that a short time after Miss Monk's coi- 'asion to him, he mentioned hercase to a friend in ew York, under the expectation that it would haV9 »» kept secret, at least for the time being. Bir. 9* ' ■^m P V, ItJ'^ittJ *''>-^**—i M li l li V I 4- -~x — ~ — m W' f ■pi *• M ' ' \ BBPLT to TBI PBIMTfl' BOOK. Hoyt, thenlrecentl/ from I^ontreaVcalled upon . friend of Mr. Tappin's, who communicated io him i V^ circumstances of the case. Hence the manner which Mr. Hoyt first heard of Miss Monk. ' Ai^d hi ing resided,- as an agent for Sabbath schools, for soij time in Montreal, it was very natural that he she feel an interest in tl)e disclosures which Miss^Mc had made. He accord inglv sought an interview Wii her, and after consu^tatioiTm^h- li^, and with a fei gentlemen in New Yorlt and Brooklyn^ i^ was dew ~^d advisable that ^iss Monk should go, its soon i ) her health would admit of it, to Montreal and presej her criminal charges against jthe priests and nuns I the civil authorities of that- city for investigalic She accordingly went, in company with Mr. Hoyt, Montreal. Mr, Tappings statement is of a very irtipressii chara^cter. Sufficiently so, it appears to me, to ma than^^QUtweigh all the opposing testimony, which opponents 0f Miss Monk have ever been able to pn duce a^nist the truth of her claims ! There is son thing in the dying penitential confessions of an Id^ yldual, that precludes the possibility of intentic misrepresentation. Such were the confessions Miss^Monk, as she supposed. She wasahen a Roi Catholie, and as such, she supposed that the sahatid of heJi^soUl depended, in a great measure, upon confessing to stniie minister of Christ before she die But then ihe supposed that her confessions would main^ locked up injthe breast of her confessor, as \ had always been taught by the Roman priests. ^ In regard to the origin and compfatioiv of Monk's disclosurec^ I trust, that the foKloWiW udi p^achable statement, sanctioned as it is by F'*- ll>* W- .- •4. x"^:. "i ..*^'^ "-M^ - -, ' Jji-L. OK. :ailed apon icated io him i the manner ionk. Ami hi chools, for soij I that he shon lich Miss^Mo nnterview and with afd n^^ i| was deeo 1^, as loon I real and preseij >t8 and nuDsl r investigalic th Mr. Hoyt, , 'ery irtipresgii to me, to mo lony, which sen able to pn There is son ions of an JDd of intention confessions »4hen a Ron at the salvariij isure, upon before she die sions would I »nfessor, as i i priests, iafioiv of lloWiW una ■oiox. 103 mm -/r- W' -Tl- ■■■ . tanfir to^^Mt p^ [^ Wheat chwtcter, will' for ever rilence the hoi.- Kwis rttmjjt of the priesti and :iheir adrocates, lUMt^ce/Uin nameless individuals, who, they sav p:Mo^r''"^ "^^^^ ^he interventiS fcopy W abetter from the editor olf Miss Monk?. U, addressed ,0 the Rey. j} J. Slocum, under date [New York, Oct. 29th, |S36. IZ^rH'T'1!^!^'^ me a statement o7 the 2 of the book called 'Awful Disclosi»es,' aJ proposed J to wnte h?r narrative for publicatiofc. This I al tdechned, saying tha^y time Was too much ' »ed} but being infoFined of some of the lead toculars of her history and'disclosures, Xwbich r imblicly known ) and assured that h«r story ;iv«B thy of mvestigation, I consented to devote a/W. [Itwas stated to me at the time,' that Mi^s Monk k, and that she might peihapsj be prevented from' ^Her testm^ny, unless advantage w^ taken of /it^y J'^dofthe-truthpfthes^representa- M^wwrwaras became fully persuadeni. ^-^ ^ii^Jnt interview with Mis^M^nk, I began fo , i> \ t- ' •-41 104 S^tT TO TBE PRikSTa' BOOK. .:*„ note^lown briefly her statements ; and this I cscoitinii to practise, with care, and all the accuracy I during the many intenriews which I afterwards I endeavored from the Qrst to subject her testima to the most rigid tests ; and especially to try the sistency of her statements ; being satisfied that if i tale were not true, I should be able, first or laslj detect inconsistency. I often entertained suspicM of its truth ; and in order that^I might detect and i pose the imposture, I sought for evidence from dii ent quarters. *^ The narrator did not receive my confidence, inda she did not claim it, independently of other mony. She represented herself as accustomed systematic deception ; thoOgh then disposed to municate the truth, and only the truth, on subjects] moment connected with her experience and obser tion. I was but little acquainted with those picto of convents drawn by Roman Catholic writers; although I had seen many of them in other couDtii and often heard them condemned by foreignenj intelligence and virtue, many of them Roman Cad lies, I was not prepared to believe them ihe soepe crimes like those described by Miss Mcmk^ •<( I soon became satisfied that she had not fabric her story ; for the originality and variety of chara^ and scenes which she introduced, appeared to ; he beyond the invention of a young woman, nineteen or twenty years of age, scarcely ohM write intelligibly, and* to all appearance ignor books, except a few such as may be used in nil Hes and Canadian schools. I found foreign however, which contained counterparts of her ineiitii and the lesemblances between tkem sixA j jsSij.i RBPLI^ TO THE priests' BOOK. 105 lowres, were evidently such as could not hare 1 prodqced either by accidental conjecture, nor by idied invention. On the contrary, THey were of ih a nature, and brought out in such connexions, to show, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Miss mlcdrew, from recollection, real scenes and char- er^ mth which she had been acqugmted, in a so- kty fandamentally different from ailflnown among helves, or ever fully developed in any publications ^ad seen or could discover. / 'But there were other kinds of evidence to which ad access. Although I never had entered the Jed Department of the Hotel Dieu, I had formerly kited Montreal, and had more local acquaintance Ith that city, than Miss Monk was at first aware o£ lad also means of testing some of her statements, Iresortmg to the testimony of individuals, disposed [render some assistance. 'Beside this, several scenes, of much importance in ^narritive, had transpired in this neighborhood j some of the most important points connected ^them, were confirmed by^persons worthy t^ldl M. We thus became satisfied, ftom an early , that she had bieen found in a friendless, exposed, J suffering condition, and introduced into the Belle- ' hospital J that she was there sought for by Ro- 1 priests as a nan ; that she first made disclosures jenshe supposed herself near death; that she af- •-wds visited Montreal, but failed in her attempt ing the priests to trial j and that, while on the JUt "°^*"i"« *o divulge her story, she yet *»d to regard the truth with scrupulous care, in |tte statements which she consented to make. The character of her mind, also, as it was display- EJJ^tO- -■««»■ ife.~v %:''5"'--* *» >^-v 106 REPLY TO THE PRIESTS* BOOK.' ■-* -9i in confersajion, and in her habits of thought, „ ing, and actionl, ever aflforded powerful confinnati of the truth of her story. She appeared td ka, such things a^ a nun (according to her description] a nun) would-Be likely to know ; and to be ignc of what suchi a person would be ignorant of reflections, motives, fears, hopes, expectations, _ ciations of ideas, superstitions and errors, were i appropriate to the dharacter to which she laid claij as her Canadian dialect, to the city in which i, professed to have spent her life. The same mayj said of her hasty, and sometimes tumultuous fej ings, when excited by apprehension or oppositia the changeableness of her views, and the sue sive elevation and depression of her spirits, motives and reasons for speaking and acting, ni also often such as would be appropriate only to ai cluse, shut out from the knowledge and sympal ©f the world, accustomed to be controlled by su^ stitioQ, and liable to be subdued by force, when fiiiled to keep her within desired bounds. ** She buffered a considerable part of the time, . supers. ttioBs, and other fears, which were sometii almost too strong to be suppressed ; while a sense] her friendless condition wouU at other times overcome her. She felt no personal interest in lishing her disclosures ; and the task was onplei and laborious to her, while she thought it would i pose her to many inconveniences. Her expect of deriving pecuniary benefit from her book, maf inferred from a single question she asked, wl was in press. *Do you think they will print j many as a hundred ?' ^ 4moiig the remarkable traits of her eharaeter, —^ ^ T "njt 10 THK miiEm' aoob »» r^h^ "^iff"*"" to property. She hag been M, bjr wntera who .poke on conjectnre, of hw" I fiibricated he, book for the sake of gain A Z. ;.c,u..nted with her, would have been lifcelrt ign any other «.,on before thia. I„ Ae fir^ Knh^lT' P'oPO'od-to publish i, herself, and h often hdf mcUned to give overth. undertaking; U,m the second place, she has shown such a dis «d for money, that her friends have often found" Mo prevent her f™m giving away what she wsssed, to any person who wanted it n Canada, which was to be desired. There were ^l.u.en of high respectability, i„ New Y^A, wh' kjhe firs, scouted the idea of Miss Monk's h.v- » of the Presbyteruin clergymen, while it hap- ir was known to express a word in her favor F h no doubt that had it not been for the ZnLl l?r \ *"PP'«5ed, within the first few fclB after her return from Montreal, and never ha« k brought before the world;' ""never nave [Thp oppositionamong the Presbyterian clergymen Med JO, was foun* to be chiefly owing to E to Presbyterntn church, of Montreal, to wan. S""' «ht"»P°»«»~» of Miss Monk, whTh™ ih.r^ •**" • "•"' "■"• 'hoseresidenc^; he l-4H,»)„^| 1 * ^ InJn J »F" "^"^ ■ ?-' »BPtT.l0 THE PRIBST8I* BOOK. f i«» 109 _ that trying period of her life, when the wm ^.Montreal, endeavoring to bring her enemies to jus- ["But there was another kind of evidence constantly •fo^'our eyes, which ever afforded a strong corrobo- Uon of the story of Miss Monk, that is, its consia- Dcy. All cross-questioning failed to confound or bnfuse her ; and thfe familiarity with which she ex- lamed apparent inconsistencies at one momenf, and another presented new scenes and characters, or oceeded to develop them with new circumstances. bre as striking as the childish simplicity and igno^ knee which she often displayed in relation to thinas revery-day occunence among ourselves nt appeared to me utteriy impossible, that a person b young, and ill-educated and inexperienced in the lorld, should be able to forge a tale so abounding in fceaes and characters, true to nature in the circum- iDces with which they were connected, yet endless- ^differing among themselves j and especially that be should do all this iTrapid conversation, and in MyiDg to questions often designed to perplex her bparently without exertion or the slightest fear of ^posure. Such sketches of persons and occurrences she has communicated, could not have been in- ^oted by any ingenuity inferior to that of Scott or hakspeare even if they might have been by onesu- ^rior to theirs. And could they have performed >h a task as she did without study, and without iming any part, m such a manner as to undergo nu- &'"'^'*T^'^*°°'°^' ^"^ *" points without self, pntradiction ? «Bu^ allowing that possibly Miss Monk might have ^mied her «ory j how could she have remembered r^A§ '-tl^^ -^i 110 )Vi id\f-:ii n^LT TO T^E i^IEBTS^ BOOt. it? Let us imaghie rach a writCT as Walter Seoftl be oth the books were ihfuA pictures of nunneries on both sides of the Ihatio 'i ., * la reply to several other charges it b^ be stated, it It ia known and can be proved, that the book was ; written (or the purpose of making money, ^be oary object was the publication of important trutfrr" W its secondary, to procure the means of supporting \ unfortunate and friendless young female, and hef . mm b&1»e. None of those who have assisted her jm|>aring her book, or in defending it, have received l^ir eqiiivj^leut for their time and labor; and, l •HI ^liay safely assert, that all have repeatedly led they neither expeicted nor desired it. Their object is the discovery, of truth ; and they wiU I themselves Teady, if ever the fact shall be proved, - im^s th^t they have been deceived, and to ina|e f possible fmends. The day when such eyide^ ^Sfi i^r^j-j Vt?^^ nii «f!PLY TO TUB fKirjrra' book. shall be produced, however, n6ver teemed more tant than it dots at the present time." The following certificate, signed as it is by genti nien of the highest reputation^ is a sufficient vouch 'or the uhimpeachable who has furnished ^e above statement of fact^ " This certifies, that the undersigned arc person! acqnaiinted with the gentleman who drew up the rative of Maria Monk, and know him to have ah shstained a reputation unimpeached. We have;: t confidence in him as an intelligent and upright n., and believe that he is wholly incapable of wilfu deceiving the public. ' y WM. PATTON, D. D. W.-C. BROWNLEE, D. D. JQNATltAN GOING, D. R PROF. S. P. B. MORSE. GEORGE HALL, ESa "iVew Yorky Nov.2dj 1836.** Thus it is evident, beyond all reasonable doi that Miss Monk is the sole authoress of the fac cdiitaihed In the disclosures attributed to her. it is proper to pause herd a moment, and remind _ reader of the condition into which the advoc^esj the nunnery have brought themselves, by end^a^i^ to maintain their s^veml positions, as to the orighii ^er book, after it is thus rendered evident tfeat ^iMot retain either Dne of them. The ground falsie, and their plea preposterous. They have tha fore now new ground to choose j^but their case rendered very suspicious by being jilius driven li again to\heir old poshion, and left exposed, will a shadow of defence. ' " The folloVing passage is cited from tiic pri« i'- •' X ,>??_. I „^ ■% ^^f-yMfM ^r0 J- ,»• ■ REPLY TO THE PRIBBTB' BOOK. Il3 [,^ptge 7. " Is the book which bears her name, J7 written by Maria Monk? Impossible, for she lia fact, and by Ijey own confession, an ignorant and Wucated girl. It cannot Jbe received as her own idence, although projiaced'in her name. It may be '-?ed that all the materials were obtained from her I lips, and that the editor, or editors, have merely Bged for the public eye the matter she supplied. 1 tiiat case, they have been guilty of tampering with 1 eridence, a misdemeanor for which there is no me nor palliation.'' Here are two very absurd aons. .1st. The idea that Maria Monk's book can^ " ; be received as her evidence, except penned by her, very extraordinary, to say the least. The mere '♦ement of it is enough to expose its absurdity, ording to this rule, what would become of the •affidavits in the priests' book, from as many indi- aals who are incapable of even writing their own les? 2d. I wish to know how it can be consid- I a « tampering with the evidence" of an individual Iwrfte and arrange his statements ? and in what con- ^-^ the « misdemeanor for which there is no 63tc^se paUiation" for so doing? Have not the prie«ts le the same thing in case of the affidavits referred [ijoye? The priests must have been very short of H p^terials out of which to compose their book, or ^iiever would Jiave written such stupid nongensp. ^!Mss Monk has 8t|ited the truth respecting the ™el Di^u, it is of little consequence to the world, ^penn^d or printed her statements, or who bound ^Id her book. And that sl>e has told ihe truth, is ^nt frojp what follows in the second part of tl^ ^ 10* ' ^^ ' ■L-:'-^'^^ W^'^^^rf r PART II. :^ CONFIRMAtlOJH OF MARU MONKS DISCLOSURES. r \ CHAPTER V * GENERAL REMARKS. TriiUi of MiM M.'s having been a nuti and of -her iliscloaures bla tofetheT'-PrieaU have great advpnth^e— ||avc Misa M.'s ex teatimoay in their power— Canadian press— Ansa M. as a witn Arguments establishing he/ trnth— Froip her incapacity to I acted the part of an impostor— From her nunnery icnowie()gei . practice— From her comparative ignorance of every thingelse marlcs on her person— From the situation in whibh she was fini^ covered in New York— From her confession to the Rev. Mr.1 pin -From the consistency of her conduct in the matter— Fr .simplicity and consistency of her narrative— From the monl( acter of her mind— Character of the evidence adduced in thitt tor. * Mari4IMonk affirms that she has beeir a nun] the Hotel Dieu nunnery of Montreal, and that. statements respecting that establishment are suck she knows, from her own experience and observa to be true. On the other hand, the priests and advocates deny that she has ever been an inmati that convent; and, of course} maintain that heri closures are so many ficjtions. The |uilge, ther on which the whole controversy, tiirns, is the "■'A ■ OONmiMATfON OP belher or not she has ever been a cloistered nun. ad, klthough this queKtion is distinct from the ques- of the truth of her statements, in point of fact, k in the discussion, they naturally run into each Iher. The priests, on the one hand, attempt to draw argument from the character of her disclosures, in jipport of their position, that she has never been a I J while on the other hand, the friends of Miss look reason from the same source, to prove that she jiQst have been an inmate of the nunnery. The for- kcr maintain that the crimes, which jshe alleges are ibinially practised by themselves and the nuns, are [icompatible with human nature ; while the latter ae that they are just what might be expected frota be circumstances of the case — that they are in perfect ccor^ance 'with the" history of convents, and that a |rl in her situation could never have become as liliar with them as she is, unless she had been as- ciated with a society addicted to their practice. |[?oce the questipn, both as to the fact of her^ having en a nun, and as to the truth of her disclosures, mtimatety blended in this discussion. In this controversy, aside from truth, the priests ive greatly the advantage. They are a numerous Bd powerful body of men, skilled in the arts of con- Dversy. Miss Monk is an inexperienced girl, yet in er youth, having no friends, except such as she has by her apparent honesty and consistency, the controversy commenced. Moreover, from j^varietyi of circumstances, the mass of the people in inada «re prejudiced in favor of the priests and ' Bt her,^80 that they are disposed to afford them assistance in their power. This is the case to a e|tent, even with the Protestants, especially in * *l ir Ifi •''^TW': W: . I M QonriKiui Of. ^r— -^ Montreal. Nbt.oQly the ordinary relfitions wfc bind, society together exist between Catholics Protestftnts in Canada, but there are relations ■pecial charact^ existing in the present case, government, it is true, is nominally Pi^<^^tant then such is the state of parties there, that it rer in order tp its very existence, the patronage, 1(1^ ejt$n% of the priests. This the wily priests give] it i i$k order that they, in their turn, may receive i •peoigkjmiles of civil ofl^cers. Maria Monk st another eirouymstance, respecting ^ome few. of. more wealthy and Nominal Protestants in and ^b Montreal, which is, that they are licentious visiters) the nunnery. If this be true, it exhibits a reason i the Tiolenep^ their opposition to her. Another thing worthy of special notice is the {^ Ihat the field of nearly all Miss Monk'-s external te wony id in the power of the priests. They have former i^ssdoiatei and companions: nay, they hor own hloodrconnexions, so completely mider control and influence, as tp restrain them from ut ingimy thing favorable to her claims. They hitye the nunnery in their PO^sswn, and will j^loFit to b^impartially ex iwfc j ^ ^ence the m^n^ for 1:1^^, eternal ^^^^mSS/m hy UiilTeasdD^ble, ^reiy subje^^fevideace approg ftt^ to itself; m4 that— and that alone ou^t to bej that ffbould be required. ' - , , T^ jpublk; press in panada is either Catholiej *iti««l. Hence it has from the first heeln fiolepf] it» jpositioft to Mi9i Monk. It topk jt^ •gafilttjier before she had published a ,3 jpgle ^ li^t • aingle article hps ever been p»bJished ther^j . iar i^t I can learn, the design of whiph hai bee ■ :^'' -Kmp' UAMU uonVanrncLommm, Hi *!• ^^'J^nce in support pf her troth. Tbe p to, that the people of Canada are, in gen- |W ignorant in respect to the existence Bh etidence J and notonljr«o, but they hare astray by the nuqiberless misstatements, lieh fiive been circulated by the priests, their ^^s, and the Canadian press. Hence the lliong lir prejudices, which are beli^^ed to «iit fo a liderable extent in that province, agili^t Miss 1 might also remark respecting the horri/nature of crimes, which Miss Monk charges upon the Its a]jd nuns, in connexion with hef own charac- •s'a professed witness. Byh^lown confession/ yle in the convent, she Hve^ih impurity, and wiJ2 teht the arts of deception and hy^iocrisy. Hen^e I ttgument, very properly used to $ limited extent, liiist her as a witness. But, it nlay be askedj is S iibt as good a witness as the nature of the case I possibly furnish ? If her story be true, are not all I inmates of that convent alike in these respects ? * criminal practices which bhe divulges are of the J^S^^^^ *'*®°°*"*^^ that the more virtuous portions jiociety instinctively recoil at the very thought of pwing them. Hence they are predisposed lo dis- '^ them, without examining the evidence ^f their B^ notwithstanding all these difRculties, the levi- » in Support of Miss Monk's claims, when lol- « and intelligently considered,, is irresistible, togument is cumulative. And I will now pio- », as succinctlj^ a». possible, to lay it before mv Br«,--;:;Y- ' I- ■ \ , " ■ ■ '^ character and conduct of Miss Monk furnish J'tx /^s-^l _^i^ ■' ' Jl. 'A - . -it ' ' s ' ' " ■ %■ A A > ., ' V Jr •^ m ', *v..^.. Qi9Wl«IM^<>JI Of tmth, 9f lifir olMoi^ as a professf 4 qji-qi;% U iS5sy imapacUif to have acted lih^. pq^ of] ^ impoftc^ u^ in the highest degree^ wi^nt t«\ loAo are; pervmally acquainted wijth W.-rT*h»| g9Qcy o£ Uiii9 aKgnment is ack^owl^dg^ % i^er( «^i»is. |IeipM;« ^liey den.y t^^t &1^ is t^e aifljioit, U^ 4is«:lQAiire% atuibuted tp |ieir«^ ^h/tf mail tlM||sl># i^a meuif r age, ^haxacter, aud attaini. «ould possibly fabricf^te such books as| her "Bii sures?" The supposition beggars all belief, buti of blindness. If she hfa fabr^ic^^^ed %}i»m% I with its numbe^ef 9 vaults, m9iy he l^aiiessly IfOgecT to pro^uQe » mvmi «Ay thing ^e as gn Besides, on th« luppositjon* thai she h«4 fahri«, W < • ' J, . s^ i ^'' I: y\ .*,,,.'• '- ft, r .| oomrmuATKm OP of that efltablisliment, is sacli as cotild have beeij quind by har, only by a residence of years in| convent. She is as familiar with the mun^mei] Popish observances, as a school-boy is with phabet — such as penances, hymns, Latin prayen,j . &c., thongh she is as ignorant of the meani Latin words, as she is of the Chinese language, same is true with reference to the ease wit she performs the various bodily ceremoniM^^sli which she speaks of in her book, such as jmmligi the knees, and standing ^^erect upon th^m, ^\ , With the Romish catechisms, she is perfectly tar. In a word, she is, in reg^d to these matter that we might suppose her to be, Ou'^^^o sopj that she has, for years, been a resident in the conH Speaking in the language of common life, " she! learned her trade." And no man, in hic cifcumstcmcea in connexion with whi^ Miss Monk fiVst divulged the principal facts recc in her book, n^e such as to afford the strongest dence in 8uppri*t of her claims to public confiden These are detailed *in the staiement of the Rev. Tappin, on pag^ 101; She made known these to him by way of j[>enltential confession, while sid^ the almshouse, aiid as «he supposed, ready to "Mr. Tappin states that it was perfectly manife liis mind, that she hVd Hjo idea of criminating otl W that her ^tatemenks woulil ever be made pabi She^md'others thoa^lit,1hat «he was on the of 'the grave, and 8he\wished to quiet her trout isonsctence, by eonfessihff what she considered lo1 liar grossest sins. Bhe waa still a Koman Cat! ft was 'therefore in perftct\aeci)iidaiice with the WttWo'thiBgfWxmby Df'spcteial notice in c< — *-T- , / ■^f^^' 'J UAmJkHWM,*9 BIBCLOSDRfiS. 123 _ Mm Mook's confiesaioa to Uie R«y. Mr. Tap- t{Sf<-l»k The manifest absence of «>«ry sinister ■^- *y wlueh she could have been Influeocect m _ „ these communications to him. What earthly; ibt could have iafluenced hex? Reven^ to the it»? Certainly not j fbt she had no idea that het u wouW go beyond the mind of him whom lhe« considered as her confessor. The same re- Mi^ be given to the insinuation, that she did it in btto miligate her unfortunate situation, in being tnothcc of an illegitimate child j or that she did it itke purpose of securing any earthly good whatever. I Si The only motives which appeared to be pre- j at the time, to her mind, were such as arise from apprekenaion qf speedy dissolution^ connected ^ the solemn retributions of d^emity. Was it, wkhitt the limits of possibility, under such comstances, lor her to have acted the paitof a dia< ilioftl: impostor? Is not the supposition utterly ia- *^le| How then can it be otherwise, than that \ is honest in putting forth her ckims as an ex-nito ? -^d tnkf add that the hand of God is extremely est in bringing to light Miss Monk's statements . cting the Hotel Dieu nunnery, in a mlimer so iTincing.to every reEecting mind. Let, then, her tale be believed j and let it produce the beniga Bts, in counteracting vice and error, which, under » government of the Supreme disposer of aU events, luadaptedtodo. % The consistency of Miss Monk^s conduU with ** demands of truth, furnishes an aigument iavora- ►t ofaerqlain M, She has acted just as one mjgl^t few ihei^iird have done, on tha supposition that I wat honest in giving h#f disclosures to th* world. aHHu^^ii^^^^'j -^Ka •/ <^ '■y^ b- ^sH H I , H f*r m COlinRMATION Of ^ *9f ...^ HjBr circumstances have been peculiarly Ii7hig, sing in part ftom her comparative ignorance of world, connected with the discredit which^has ' . thrown upon Jicr s^tements, aild .the consequ ^violent denunciations which have been heaped uj her by Protestants, especially editojrs of newspaj \vho have taken very little pains to investigate subject. Often ha^ she felt, as if she had scarcelyj real friend on earth— as if all the world^was \ her, making her the helpless victim of its combii contempt and indignation. Yet amidst all her trii she has exhibited, to those around her, that she an unwavering consciousness of standing upon / truth J and that (he God of truth would one day / dicate her honesty. Being possessed naturally of unusual degree of sensibility, and feeling her fork situation, it is true, she has often wept in sec places, for having published her dark story, not tause of its untruth, but because of the cruel tr« ment she has received in cohsjfequence of it. She has invariably manifested a very strong desi^ that the truth of her chargea. against the Rei priests and nuns of Lower Canada, might be tesll by some equitable tribunal. Hence her visit to Mo* . rerfl for this purpose, in the August of 1835, and bef she ever thought of publishing a book. She them there solemnly appealed to the civil authoritiei,j investigate their truth. She was accompanied ' two American gentlemen, of the legal jprofessioiijT assisted ^er in presenting her charges in due fo guested on oath, to the Attorney General for proi ^on. A"d'ifter spendin g some three or four wa In ihutless attempts to secure the object of ^eir ihe letumed to New York, -s,^ri-r MABci bkmie's miOI.OeDBES. 195 Whiit at Montreal, it was denied by the priests lit she had ever been an inmate of the Hotel Dieu. liMrat once^offered a fair teal of the fact, which, by a 7 little trouble, would have settled the point beyond power df contradiction. She proposed a descrip- of the interior of the convent^its furniturej its lates and different apartments, and their uses^ staked ter all upon its correctness. But the >Heation of it was not allowed by her opponents i what ground, no mortal can (jonjecture, unless it rt that they were afraid to abide the results. On the fourteenth day of last July, I received a lel- irt the Rer. Mr. Perkins of Montreal, informing y that on the following day a committee of gentle- -\ were to apply the test, which she had proposed rly one year before. The thought immediately irred to me, if she be an impostor I can now dif- sr it, by communicating to her this unexpected teUigenee. I applied the test, in the best mannw^ riccomplish the end in view, that I was capable of j I fte i«8ult was such, as decidedly deepened my Sections of her honesty. Other particalars might hMentioned, were it necessary, all going tp*show 4iwmsistency of her conduct, with the supposition, *ih8 fe*ls herself standing upon the rock of truth. ^ the other hand, if she be an impostor, her con- has been, inihe highest degree, preposterous and wounfable. Suppose that she had described the iorof the Magdalen Asylum of Montreal, instead eHbtel Dieununnery. 8he certainly must have fen sensible <.< u r i' that she had resided for years in the convent, wl the had witnessed their commission j and in pio that she had t£us resided in the consent, offer a ( seription of the persons, fumitnre, luid the interior i rangements of the Montreal Magdalen Asylun The supposition is absurd, beyond, the power of I gnag^ to express. If she be an impostor^the extren of unparalleled genius, and the most stupid foHy r ignorance, meet in her. Considering her youth I limited opportunities, she has exhibited > talent I inyention, in her works, compared with which f powers of Sir Walter Scott are but as a ^rop tol oce'aiij while on the other hand, she h^s evine itupidity, if possible more remarkable, in staking) •U upon the general tenth of her description of f interior of a huge building, of which she fe as if, rant as she is of the palace of the kini of Chi| ^And then, to crown her folly, she has urged, with Iteiportunity that would accept of no. denial, th^i plication of this test, which she must ha^e kno^ would have procured her inevitable and hopeless if To believe, therefore, that she is an impostor, wi| the belief implies such an absurdity, I must say 1 one, 1 cannot, without a ijegree of insanity which would require, ;it least, as many as two "pr- fai each car to produce. / , ' 8. The artless mefMier in iDhichMit'Movk HUes the pnncipal/facU in her diacUfeuree, fiiTii| • cogent argumejst in support of her claims. 1 may be callef the internal evidence of the truth of l«^ ' The first ten or fifteen thousand copies of ^#litfc tfife n^en to the jpublic, accwg^^e^Mp^'^ #iidi«s evidence than tihis. Immense; multitu^H l^ad the book, believed it, because they Pf w^f ^ j ^■s s « •••J'Ji' MARIA MOITK^S DMOLOSOIUp. 18 th« internal marks of truth, notwithstanding !*^"' »^*«n«nt8 divulged the perpetration o( ""^TPy priests and nuns, Under the cloak of r«li- of so horrid a character as to make an honest in shudder at the thought of them. I will mention ^tWo or three things which hare been urged as in- il maiks against the truth of the " disclosures i" t Which, it appears to me, afford evidence in its favor. '1 circumstances connected with the murder of St. lices, is one of these. It is said " that its com- itive publicity, and the number of individuals em- Bojred in it, are marks of its falsehood." Thus argues wReVt Mr. Perkins of Montreal. Now, in the firat «ce, there^ was no publicity about it, except such as ^"i®^^° J^® convent. I^ was done within thm^ ■^"of the nunnery, shutout from all communica- i With the world. In the second place, the fact, i understindingly considered, that so many wet« ipoyed in it, is a circumitance corroborative tdeocc „ito Mctl oth er ProtcBtftRt—tiv -A-tin*fc-iw»— ptibned this fact to me, as affording, to his miiul, "fei troth. Now Maria Monk knowy nothing of the reasons} all she knows is the simple fact, that suck aj^ 8^h persons were present, and that they did i sh6 states in her narrative. Ha4, she forged the storjJ undoubtedly she would have made ita^ttiore priva affiiir, and would ha v# created reasotisJKa: every thii connected with it. But as it is, it beifrs^the stamp i simple truth. ^ Maria Monk, on page 195 of her work, says tl *sbe once saw a book in the superiors room, contaii'| ing, among other things, a record of births whic occur in the convent Noi^4t is asked, "if infanli are immediately baptized ^d strangled after the birth, whjgjt^ can be the object of such a record^? l¥k expose tbemselyes, by making a record of „ their oi crime ?" Now, as in the case above, Miss Monk i incapable or assigning any reason why such a recori should Se kept. All she knows, cnr jHretends to knoW|| is the simple fact that such a record then existe Undoubtedly, if she were an impostor, she neva would have created the statement, without creatiogi rcAson for it at the same time. The same may I said respecting there being no balustrade around th "hol« of interment," described by hei^as existing i^ the cellar of t,he Hotel Dieo. Had the descrif been the work of fancy, fancy would have given mlj suitable balustrade. Were it possible to put my readers in possessifflil the manuscript notes of the gentleman who ai il4td gave form to Miss Bionk's disclosures, I am i iKMlfident that they would perceive in them all tnith,^- ekhihit die simple statements of Miss Monk, jmt^ tbey fell &om her lips; and also the fidelitf off '»*" .'M-.. ''^^ MABu monk's DncLosmuis. -' 1 -, ■•,■■ 189 raensis, in so examining her as to render it im- •ibie for her to hare acted the part of an impostor. IS Monk's mind is midisciplined, and is wholly kiecustomed to connected thought and orderly ar- ■igement. Hence her statements have all the sim- «*y an J want of connexion of those of a child, lis circumstance would have enabled her writer to w caused hertocontradict herself in her narraUons Id she not beenlbased on the truth. * j^Misi Monk's narrative is consistent with itself and *^ r^on.\ It is minute and specific in its details, fting places, persons, and facts. In a word, it I every internal appearance of truth. How can aU ibewronntedibr, if she bean iiiipbstor^ la The moral character of Miaa Monk's mind, many months after her arrival in New York, was •li as to furnish a high degree of evidence in sup- t of her pretensions. She told us how and where I had lived for several years past. The moral con-* m of her mind bor^ its unequivocal testimony to strath of her narrative. She informed us of the lematic^ deceptions which were inculcated an4 ctised in the sotiety with which she had beeit necied. The' painful truth of this statement, I easily discovered in the state of her mind. It, i»een that for her to speak truth, when a slight optation to deviate from it, presented itself, requir- M effort on her part. Truth being the basis of ^dence, the latter, as matter of course, cannot e^- m the absence of the former. It was, therefor«s hdent Uiat the inmates of the Hotel Di^u, fipuW "* '*'ie.4)r4ia eonSdeneein ench other ; andnlur" and suspicion would naturally exis^oft wl extent, in sucii a community. Thus it was ^■i^X m ^ -l . r. 't ^ '^^1 11 -^ vomuatULtniBf 09 ivith- &i«da li^riestsl^Kir York, ha '^Mt^wn^^^^^^^'tt "l^fefl '31 li^m '^1 '»';«'# MARtii l\t Pl''T ** ' , *'^.<'i'-^!m^-\H MOmt^ OIS0L08DRB8. 381 l(#t the priestil, Aeo, tell the worM^ihfm itean ifonmlf othefw% the world mast beliere Maaa I B«h is a wmiiVrjr. view of die argument., in »Uon of Mis^ Monk^s claim to public .confi- fencp, as deduced fr^ her chai^ter, perton, con- K and narrative, they are susceptiblfe of much kpjinsion as my object has been, rather to suggest koiyht, than to expand it. The evidence thus de- Hred, IS of a character peculiarly strong and coa- Ming. It IS of an internal character, such as an Jighlened mmd loves to confide in. It is the apon-^ kneous testimony of nature. And can nature bL pM witness? Impossible! It is true, nature, may, ^some extent, be counterfeited j or we may mistake ^ voice, and attribute testimony to her, which she « not give, and thus deceive ourselves and others at It IS impossible that«he should utter Sny thinir' btwhat is strictly true. Now, it is possible thai lyBefand others, have misinterpreted the language nature m the present instance j though I declaTe, it I cannot reahze it. Hence, ^th^re were no ter evidence m confirmation of Miss konk's testi- fy to be found, I should feel that I iood on firm ound, m endeavoring to support the truth of her Zi^ ? T""°* ^^ ' ^""^' *^«^ the^tementa h f M' of j'^ferested men, in opposition to the Hence adduced m this chapter, are of no value, ithe scales of morarevidence, they are lighter than Imth. They are like chaff to the wheaff^fit onlv N gi^en to the four winds of heaven. UnieuS 7^°^/»«yhe°celeaNi what has beeal^^ ■y^^Y^n^icfi the friends of Miss Monk, in York, have stood, amidst the clamorous denun.. iv-« , \ 'M '. .< ■:^£> Ci*' » 1' «> i8d CONFIRIIATION 0¥ ciafion, abu^e, and contempt, which have been ed upon them from various quarters. They have I that they were standing on a solid foundation, which the waves of prejudice and wrath might m vam. ^i- ^ \ \ » i ■■■<$ »!;.'■ -T , '" t-:.^. 1^:4:- i M i3rtT ^. 'I !^ ' •'^i'fiA'/'-i^^gi -- f^ *-*f' i^t!' MAllIA MOMCt Dl8eu»o«ltt. "f* .133 CHAPTER II. TESTIMONY OP OTHERS IN CONPIRMATION OP MISS monk's CLAIMS. aim~Opinlon of three classe. ofZ^nl^!Jf^' ^-^^ Mn- ilTis often asked, why the friends of lii.8'M„„t WejUhe ha. resided for yeirs in .h^^otel Oi^ ,.«^ prodace the testimony of a Wfficiem numS Imag witnesses, to eslablisl. the fact, beyond the k" .f contradiction. If a person h.ri^d t N« m a given place, it is asked, is it ,ot an eas» "«*« « .s, .B ordmary cases.; But the case of ijtonk IS peculiar; perhaps Without a parallel totlrSTn"^"""'^- H"««denceh.,be?Jt^ iX-^.- iu* "'""'*'"• »■'«''<» made known t Z onTnf^?": "" •*''^*fi"'««. deny that she ..! V' ""*" ■'""''"• Moreorer, bv thrir ■^emeut they have sealed the lips of hitt CI.. "I*"^"* °""'r^ •* flrst doulll ' r-w ID alwndiice erald have been ibmid who aa 6«e,ejti«,d to the ftctof herformeT^^ieT^" p^Hot.lD,e»^ mUMUM>t.mmM.to,^ ^ ^ ■'- t34 ooNffutBiAinoir op ['. the priests had every opportu^iity they could desii to arrange matters according to their wishes. Goj Montreal now, and inquire of its older inhabitants,! they ever knew Maria Monk, and many of them tell ycm tiiat they used to see her, ecHne six or se years ago, at her motber^s ^esiden^ and at other ] ces, but that they saw nothing of her duripg \h& in w^ich she alleges Herself to bare been in the •nery^ They all say, that during this perioiPof ti * they have missed her ; but as to the fact, w^hetheri 110 she was in the convent, daring ithis time, know nothing about it. The foUowij^ is a specimien of tbekUid ofeMd^P alluded to. A few days since, I sjuv .a laiT Montreal, wlTo observed, that, a shmrt tuae ago, was conversing with A Mrs. ***♦ of Montreal, «i spectable and Christian lady, who stated, that she! Itnown Maria Monk from her childhood j and thati( last time she ever saw her, .was about the time aays that £he -returned fron) \^%. JDen^is and ent (he ounnery— that she (M. M.,) tb^n .galled on (Mrs. **♦*) to obtain money from ber,"for ber molli and that she let her haxre some, t^om^ less what a^ asked for. Now it ^iU be ^repoUeoted < Maria.Monk states, on page B8 of (berbookftthati did obtain money from several /iodiMidiials, m mother's account, in Qider to p^yiifr imlraooe the jdovices' department of the .Hotel 0iett. M The folUMring extract of a lett#ri . fv^m ;& Itleman in Montreal, who bf^s-^iwiMQiflome paiMij iTfstiga(e tbin infater„9riUreiia|liie.t|Mi, TM^ti^i t)uajsulye)C%1ii,aiul,about that ^ity. .^tfNm^milil eibrtsjQf bimself mii anQtber^^ntbivMiiy'tfi; «iiUuMMI«.ai^ ^L^Ai if jA ^ "^ S??'"" ■AM* MMnc'ft BneuiBDREB. IW»Miy ttang .boot this n«n«r: attitU her refc et Romamsm u so fin, protomman. here th« I .re oalr a rery few who hare' oonwf Briae^fe «rti md conne»o«s We oceaeioned ,uch a eom- fcfcn^? ''?'»!"""" •»'' Pfotestemiem, that itZ l«iiMl Pro et«ms ar« so ftuch in the way A ^^k"n,« ir/^''"''^. «^' *« «»ni .hi • «... '° "'* *'"» *«e afraid to Iree. m U^^ book i„..hei, .tore,, le,. . ^^^H^, fc"!"'"*^ •'*"'"'y "f "'• Mm« ,„d Mrs RLatl*°T* •*"• '*'■•'■' "« •""lie. TlS L^f^^ " ^* ■*"* toportaK. It i. thai of^ pempMuoB, and of course tkere can be nomi«X h. W a«,a.intan^e with Mi«, Mo^kTuu^ teb'U* Collusion, .he,.fore, between ClTl^Y* «"'>«x»y*.if •»» l.ei»elf were AiB circumstances con ^^k ««• f .rbs rf it, ttart my reliuiee w». / .■ ■^'. ■« sfl«4«i^\iL*fe«i 186 CONFIRMATION or "chieflj upon them. Mrs. Hahn, however, rei unchanged as to the truth of her statements. Mr. William Miller, a resident of New York several ^ears past, and formerly an old schooli of Maria's in Montreal, testifies that, on a visit toi latter city, in the summer of 1833, he called on Monk, the mother of Maria, and inquired for Mar ' and was informed by her that her daughter Ma was then in the nunnery, ■ See his afildavit, Awfi \ Disclosures, page 237. — The priests, inXtheir wc dispose of this affidavit by exhorting Mr\ Miller i repent ! Mrs. Hahn, now a resident of New YorkXand fii; merly a schoolmate of Miss M^nk, testifies Uiat was with Maria in the school of the CongregaUoo nunnery for about t\yo years': that she was prese at the time that ' IVlaria was received as a novice i the Hotel Dieu; and that she saw her some time this, while she was yet a novice : and that she si her a veiled nun, towards the close of the winter i 1833-4, in the hospital of the Hotel Dieu, which i ' at that time frequently visited, in order to see ask friend : and that <f her testimoi The authors of the " Awful Exposure" glide o\tt\ by a contemptuous sneer ! A summary way of i — fiosiag of imp^ftMiMestinioiiy; There is also the testimony of three classes ofii V vidoals, besides the above; <>r|iither^, their Q^^ ■■ !',<.'«*' ■■ , <-r'^*T vv^i^ii-tf^'- -^■■'I. ■ MARIA monk's DISCLOSURES. I3t oed on evidence more or less conclusive, which l^htto^aye its weight in idetermiiring this contro- fSy. Th?« is the opinion of a large number of in- Hiteals, who hare taken some considerable pains liaform themselves on the subject, noSt only by read- fcrwhat ha^ appeared in print on both sides of the cstion, but alsb by such an examination of Miss rak, as has been satisfactory to themselves. Dong this class are to be found men of the first tding in the different leahied professions. I know t this is mere opinion, ahd as such I give it for at It is W6sth.— There is another classof persons, -€ opinion ought, to have still more weight, be- ! their opportunities for forming it have been |ch greater. Among these are the different fami- I in which Miss Monk has resided, since she came Iteside m New Yot^: The celebrated Whitefield I r.^^^v^;?*' ^°*^® *«^e^ his opinion respecting a ItMH individual, with whom he had some acquaint- His reply was, that he did not know him hav- 'ttvet been with him in his family, the only place r«McA A fnun'8 true character couid be discovered Iw It is in regard to Maria Monk j her true charac- ftt^sily discovered by those with whom she daily 'TOWefe. And these, ! think I may say without a J Exception, are thoroughly convinced that she fs ^^ impostor. The affidavits of all Canada couM "% shake their belief. " • these I would add the unwavering opinion «f ^tleman who penned her works for her. Hels Httteman ofjiifisi i^gfandip^, in thif > r nmfrn mify/fe r itwe, mt^ry, and piety. No man ctmld hMte t dee^rwaicitude on th« subject, ihah hi te He his felt, that not only his own ici|vufil^ " 1* •t. i. '. I y 138 X^ CONFIKMATIOIV OF was at stake, but that truth— to him pri^elesi-^ij to achieye new victories, or receive detriment, | cording as Miss Monk's testitbony should prove or false. Henee he has spared no pains to get atj simple truth of the case, whatever that might be. I trust that the reader will not consider it place, for the writer of these pages to ^d his opinion to the above. It is now some eight or months, since Miss Monk came to reside .amongj people of my pastoral charge. During t^is tii have seen her in a variety of circumstances; heard her converse with friepds and enemies, Pro ants and Catholics,' and men of ail professions ; improved every opportunity, which Qod in his pQ dence has given me, to ferret out the truth in reli to her claims-rand as the result of the whole, I( erately say, thatf I have never seen any thing led me, for any length of time, to doubt the gei truth. of her story; but on the contrary, the erid of its truth has been constantly augmenting, soi .could now almost as easily believe any supi impossibility, as to believe that she has been the part of an impostor, in what she has done. Th)fe other class of individuals whose opinion i •ome iliiportance on the subject, are those who a pait of Miss Monk's statements to be true, aQ(l| infer firom that, the truth of the remainder, these are to be found, those females scattered thn die country, who TeceijiiAi their education iBl Cmigr^tiOnal Nunnery of Montreal. A short fince, I heard one of this class speaking on tbeij ject, after the follo wing manner;— "Mis s Monltj^ foription of things, persons, and practices, ''Mme under my observation, while a scholar inj Ib^-4.. cSC ^itiJ^U' . t 4 ■? :M BIARIA monk's QISCLOSURES. . 139 itional Nunnery of Montreal, are generally eortect, ihAM cannot but t|iink, that her descrip- 1 of things and practices in the Hotel Dieu, the lered part of which I was neijr^ennitted to lit, are also generally correct." I xhive heard gen- ■Tiwi who have long resided in Moritr^al, imd who «. famUiar with matters and^ things without the neealed part of the convent, , reason in a similar laner. Htis known to many, that there is a subterranean iisage, le§dii»g from the priest's Seminary to the lotel Dieli. Ip^addition to what is said on pages 241 Id 332 of Awful Disclosures, respecting this passage, |e following, taken from the St. Albans Franklin ■wmal, is subjoined. Even Mr. Jones, the publisher 'the "Awful Exposure," admitted, to several gen- smenin New York, that there was such a passage j Bt that it was not more than thirty feet long ! The nstence of this passage is known to many in Mont- m. What is the object 6f such a passage ? Can Vf thing virtuous require that a house of priests nld be thus united, by a concealed, under-ground age, to an fetablishment of secluded women 1 lid I Vould further ask, how a. man, who believes i the existence of such a secret communication, ^n bbelieve the. ^* Awful Disclosures** of Maria Monkl flhe priests are such licentious hypocrites, as to need I6ik, under-ground passage to the women of t|ie ■otel Dieu, from the commission 6t what en^e nld they abstdiq, which they considered tfecCSsary imceal their infamy from the putilic eye ? Woidi|f h t tB&ain^fre m^ the murder ^# ihhtnts and iroiiyf^ i| hUa has but a slight acquaintance with human "^M '"•i'T^'^^^Sifa^^ r r^' L^ 140 . eo^f )il«lA#M( OF dfepnttity, thftt Clin ^\hve th«y would. Th« fol iag is tke comiiitinictitioii itlloded to» ' ^* As there is some ^xcitemeiit in the comiDDnij liiiott -the subject of Popish Uoentioustiess and from the disclosures of Marift Monk, ai^d as somei fe^t to disbeli^re aiid Hdiculo her work as toi false, being in possession of some strong evide th^t will confirm her istateniientS} t gire the put the facts. X I In conversation with a getitleman, who was so ttpOths since a Roman j^atholic in Montreal, buti fenpunced their blasphemous dofts^sS) 'and is m prpfei^sed Christian, he told me, that he had been i ployed to labor in the cellars of the iPriests' Semini at Montreal, and while there engaged, he discori a qOor in the wall of the cellar, which on opening, foujiid it connected with a passage under ground, entered the passage and passed through it until! cape to some stairs, at the h^ad of which was a i dobr. From the direction and distance ofthe {ias he was perfectly certain that it Qiust be a subtet ous communication between the Seminary and cbnVent. lie further informed me, that frOm thiJi timony of many females, his relatives not eWe that at confbSsion, the priests were ill th^ faft^ asking th6 most licentious and revolting qn«itf that colild be propounded, not only to n^iltied li^ %VLt also to gifls of thirte«fli years. ' ' ^L^eWisti ft&m the h^iliiaenlit# m n^flf^ iheir appearance at titnei, he i^rt Wholly m\ ill the belief that thetir course ih ikliJkW»^iM\ ^Ikcfosiires, i think litaHl W nt>t Itrrftte^ Ifil I think ttftimoiiy of thi&kind is ^w^Sffully coi ^U. \&Xji^4i'^ JmJ-^*. ** ,^ flfpf^if i ^r- T ' ^' u' ' -A+;-' -"nsj^- > HAIUA monk's DlBC|,0801tM. \ ^*^ k ina thkt Jtkese things exist, I fijUy believt. It is T PWBftil to come before the public with so offen- rt subject, but believing the contagion of death to ^ading through the community by Catholicism, putrescence and wp behind, I feel constrained ito^ppear. "E. SPRAG0JE. SL AJbanSj July, 1836." - rte ensuing statement is from a gentleman wKo for many years a^ resident in Montreal. Fot DDs satisfactory to himself, his name is withheld, itjfstimony ;s undoubtedly true, pbften heard of a subterranean passage, from the *niiy to the Hotel Dieu nunnery, years ago j and the cathedral was building, I often saw that tofitwhich was opened in digging for the founda- It was near the east corner of the cathedral, •,the waterworks were laid alotag St. Joseph's Several years before, I saw the samepassage i in toother place by the workmen, who had Jd several stones and Exposed it tp View. I i often heard it spoken of, as a thing very generally Tiij and never heard any doubt of its existence, the appearance of Mr. Jones' book, and Mr. ks pamphlet" / fie following docmnents on the subject of the ■enanean passage, are extracted from the Ameri- Protestaht Vindicator, of November 2, 1836. T have appeared since the above was written .•— | Phe first witness is the Rev. Oliver Wetmar^i^ u In a late conversation with that telpyed ^ish m the gospel, he thus remarkedj^ ^ Wfitsiqrg: y Wirti diHwent ehriaii^n Wetluep, I .Jj^e .also ^•WHied Ihat uinlerground aveaue from- t\» Semi- r40 4h€!N«nneiy : at J«ast, tiiat past qf fe ^ich 18 open for coinmo;» inspection for a .cqnsiOfirahJe triod, during the completion of the cathedral in that F / "George Boohne." The following i^ the affidavit of Mr. Hogan, now [resectable nj^Bmber of the Methodist church, of tew York, but formerly a Roman Catholic studenr ^ the Semmary of Montreal :— l„ », „ / " ^^'^ Y(»'k, 'October 26, 183P Thomas H^an, of the city of New York, being liy affirmed, foth say : That in the year 1824, he Is a resident of the city of Montreal, Lower Can- M^at that period, the existen ce of a snht^rra. ^rassage between the Seminary in Notre-Dame feet, and the Hotel Dieu convent, was a matter of I most public notoriety; and that he himself has r V^ passage, having entered it from the door pSemmary^andthe said Hogan doth further ■wse, that to his own personal knowledge, the Ro- > priests were constantly in the practice of visiting (nuns, for the purpose of licentious intercourse. b» « T Affirmed this 26th day of October, 1836. ^M^e me, William H. Bogardus, Commissianer ^fco, after this, can doubt tlie existence of such a^ wjumcation between the two establishments? ^question may W rehwafe^nrhiir i^lBVofT to^Juch a passage 1 Can it b© any thing lawful? •'H' W ,i.'' , \ T ' ^^'■^ H f| 144 ooRfniiATKni ov If 10, what is it? Tta world would be gU »know what it may be. \ It is hardly necessary to remind the reader of fttct,that the above testimony furnishes a higk| gree of evidence, in confirmation of the general ♦^ of the " Awful Disclosures." h r ■jfr -f'^ •w ^ m *--* .^1 .+ '- ■^ %- •^ ^^•/ ^ .-^im. ■■■■■- "- ^ "■ >S ;=?if:^ -1 — S%k ' -K i '^.l\ A'h**-^'"'*,'.." '■■fV'il^TV'"' ■*r"f' ' [Ml UAHIA monk's DISCLOeURES. 145 CHAPTER ^U. - ^ CONDUCT OP Ansa monk's opponents, rUBNISHES AN ARGUMENT IN HER SUPPORT. ley hare expfended much labor in vain to disprove her claims-Re- h«Jto have the nunnery examined at first, is evidence against CrLT "'"°^' "^ P""" "" ^"^' la^ovember, 1835, a faLe- n vt^: T *" '*"'' York-Attempted abdu^on of mL M-Pailed to destroy her testimony in their attempt to destroy ler character-Also ifi their second attempt to prove an Alibi-Also ■ *!!^* examination of the nunnery-Also in their Ma«. lien tnclc-Remarlcs on this manoeuvre-Other failures-Coiichi- ■on— Priests found guilty. ^Actions speak louder than words," is a maxim I venerable for age, as it is just and true. Accord- k to this maxim, it is evident, that the conduct of 188 Monk'^ opponents furnishes an argument of lat force ^gainst themselves, and, of course, in ^port of hir claims. The position, which they ^e taken, that she is an impostor, and never hat W a nun, if true, could have been proved beyond 1 4ioabt, with one-thousandth part of the labor, jich they have fruitlessly bestowed in their severaf ■empts to prove it. They admit that, until recently, ' has always lived in and about Montreal. Could r not then, with very little trouble, have shown us lere and with whom she livedi during the time she mm to have been a nun in the Hotel Dieu con. V ..'.V.-> .-, A^ :'■■'■■■' --X ^ -^■- Bdt let us look at their conduct a little in ^e Mist M («k.visitgtHtfoBttM- — . «h of August, 1835, and there p^esente^ 13 ixi-ti "jj^*,.;*;*!^ y.i «-4 ■IkA'i^yiiw^k^' ^SE^SSSB'" fi^:^' < p eoNniuuTioii o? « i criminal charg^es against the priests and nuns, it denied that she had ever been a nun in the Hm Dieu nunnery. In proof that she had been an \^ mate of that convent, Miss Monk offered -to fur a description of its interior — its apartments, its ■',- aons, and their occupations, &o.«^and ui^ed the amination of the nunnery, with a view to the a; cation of the proposed test. Certainly this was on her part. Why, then, did not the priests con with the proposal? If she had been an im| what easier and more ready mode of proving it, toi satisfaction of all concerned, could they have desir The r^ply often made, that she and her friends unworthy of their notice, and that the convent sacred place, not to be inspected by men from world, is not less insulting than it is untrue ; /or th did notice her, by collecting and publishing affidar against her ; and men from the world, sudi as tii have been pleased to seleci, have been admitted i the nunnery to inspect it.^ Does not their conduclj this particular betray guilt ? A short time after Miss Monk returned to York from Montreal, her opponents made an attemptj prove an alibi — to show that she was elsewhere in the oonvent, during the time in which She decL herself to have been in that establishment. They kcted and published six or eight affidavits, the i pcMTt and character of which is known to the puUij Five of them refer exclusively to matters subseqo to her arrival in Montreal. The Dther two are ofl Dr. Robertson and her mother, Mrs. Monk, r tsoa states, that on Uytif y , WfaiA aseer t di^ she was at^ervic* in Sorel and St. Denii,a| lion of tha time which the professed to have ..'■^ '■•, f*» '..jTJff « *"" MARi^ Monk's stiCLoiuiiBa. 147 . J and ^irs. Monk iays, that, she onot HHJrtiMn pei^bns, that het daughter had not heen t'tti Jttt)l9«r)tf Tbie is the amount of their tesii* hnyi ind, if Maria Mqj£k had been an impostor, itty man believe that the priests and their adro- «i) trottld hare rested their cause on a foundation InMttbstantial as this ? Does not the weakness of kit defence, show the unsoundness of their cause? iThe next step worthy of notice in the conduct of % priests, is the visit of father Phelan of Montreal- New York, in order to decoy Miss Monk away "Htt her friends in that city. This was m the win rof 1835-6. s^'A detailed account of it may be seen I the arst chapter of the present work by Miss Monk* I this prieM came to New York in disguise, leaving i ittipression in Montreal that he had gone to spend rew weeks on NuUs^sland, it is presumed, that his ■lit to this city will be denied. It catt, however, h% Jted that he was in New York at the timib specifi- ,add that the impression was made'ln ifoniretl It be had gone to the Island. It has b^ pablith. ^m and again, without being as yet 6oiitrftdict- I, from any responsible source. Why then should ktliriest visit New York under such circumstances, m it were in Some way to destroy IVtiss Monk** Hjooiiy 7 He knew her feelings towirds himself he father of her child ; and he kn^ that a sp^ 1 intimacy had been formed and cherished between ttelf and her, during her residence in the nunnery j Uword, he knew that if any man could draw her In ^r ?^^^' frig Pd«» in New York, Or induce har t^ "*Ttt Her feslimony, he Was the man. Out of to him, Miss Monk was perfectly siltni m^ «ttng his visit to New York, untU sfter the'«Miii. SiV^iteW*i-*''»»">lito -i' f' ;V-- i'^-' 148 '*"?! r^ :». •e.«f CONFIRMATION OF tion plot, ^unng the following summer, Md been! velop'ed. It was, however, noticed by her frien ^hat her feelings towards him, during this lapse i time, were different from what they were, priori ■ this visit. Now if Miss Monk were an impostor, | it supposable that this priest would have thus vis her ? And does not this visit stamp with the sealc truth her claims as am ex-nun ? What stronger eii dence tfan be demanded ? t In the present work by Miss Monk,>will be foQij an account of the attempt in May, 1836, toabductl away from New York. The principal facts in the i ' are mentioned by her, in her narrative of the atteo From personal knowledge, I know many of her stal| ments respecting this matter, to be. true; and othd of them 1 believe on good authority, to be equa founded in truth. To mention particulars, such i I know too be true, would occupy too much sp They may be seen in her narrative. My object j present, is with the fact, that such an attempt' tnade j and of this there can be no reasonable do in the minds of such as are acquainted with the fa( in the case. It is certain that several individuals wore thusi gaged J and it is certain t^at some of them were I nadians. They were prowling about the neighl hood for a number of days. They were seen and again, and her uncle, on the Sabbath specifiedj Miss Monk, was overheard in conversation with! respecting the matter. The design of the plot was to induce Miss Ma ~TDltnjtarily,"ia leave ^.^o t^; fw of every attempt which they hav^^ade in self- •ttdication. . . ^_ _ 'lK,5 ifw.v«^>ea.Vil8!. "'.. ,.V«| f' ^IH eQNFlBMATlOlt 0]^ ' ^ r* . 1-4 CHAPTER JV. I REVELAnON, REASON, AND NATURt:, CONFIR/K UUf' monk's TESTIMONY. Exiraet ilrom the Nftw York Observer— Inquiry M U^the obJeKi x^fai)nerle»-;;4}ondciDaed by Christianity— By reason and natit ^ Their ultimate object not religion— Nor charity t^^e siclt- are Mae garbs— Their object priestly indblgenc sures" cooilnned— *' Sisters of cbarhy." T|^B following is taken from an able article in I New York Observer. "Popery forbids its priests and ecclesiastic marry, and encourages the devotion of each sex toj single life. Hence conventi^ ^re provided botti m , monks and nuns, to which they may respectiye retire from the world, and lead a life of holy se sion, as it is termed, from the temptations of I desh. Nature cries out a^^ainst this unnatur4a forced separation of the s^xes. Reason condei it as monstrous and absurd, and religion pronoun Upon the unnatural and absurd prohibition'Hs sevei dst/denunciations, ^^fifrhidding to marry ^^^ being ( pt^sly classed with/the " enalties. t>Ower have unhallowed vows to blad, where S4 -■*H- -."a« MARIA MON^^^MQMMTRES. ^ itik Toquired the taerlfice, #1iQr« he bm, in %t *iblted It? Need I pursue ^e det^Js of the de- erating procesg, to show the easy steps by whidi lion thus restrained, descends to crime? How imn, at the confessional, must pour into the ear 8 man, the secret conflicts of her own breast, with tard to this very passion ; how the priest ques- M ; and how he may advise his fair penitent in se- 1 1 Need I depict Ui^^luntarily incurred temp, om to which both^e exposed by this WOsttitt- \lnn\ interomir^ ? It can scarcely be otherwise, that criHie should be the result. Both prieaU nuns are kept from its commission by no hwn^ Mraint, and certainly by no promise ofdivine a«- ■nce, but are left weak and unaided to contend and to be vanquished by, this strongest of hu- i pagsions. Love thus perverted is lust, and ev- one knows that the secret fervailt 'P"Mi 1 t "11 iriiiii.'ii mTpt.r " ' '> ll4BfA monk's DnOLOfUREf. »art |)apal in- itural to the lemale sex. of this order Bre closing this chapter, perhaps something boold be said, respecting the order of "sisters ot •rity," as they are called. These females have, doubt, done miich to mitlg«gjthe suffe^gs of lick and destitute; as ali '-*™^ ' ion to poor children. and sympathizing natii jioestMs argue anyjhing ^women, who are required to ^>e in a state of ce- bicy? Are these amiable female qualities confined I Ma mode of life ? Must woman live a single life I order to be kind and generous to the needy and ke helpless? I Bat the question £, what is the object of the priests IhiVing these unman-ied womeii clustered abont iein, as they alwaVs have, especially in the absencq \ cloistered nunneries 1 Let Miss Monk's narrative the subsequent pages, respecting the Black Nuhs' itond, answer the question. It would seem that^e pect of the priests, with reference to this ord«jfi| Bales, was^ substantially the same with thatof^^ ate. Let, then, the lovers of good order and chwh /frown upon this ordkjjr jitjw^aien, uhiH it shoU .hioken^Bpttr^lEet wiOi convents. And let pung women avoid this vow of celibacy, as they buld avoid impurity and wretchedness. It is deatli all that is lovely, in the female character. •S: A'' j^iaa^ - ^ „i ^s&iia^ 160 CONFIRMATION OF CHAPTER V. >_\ HISTORIC CONFIRMATION OP MISS MONK's TESTIMONT.j -Absence of historic information a cause of disbelief in the "I closures"— Spirit of popish history agrees with t])at of the "Dii sures"— Of murder — The Inquisition— Unconderaned by papia Slaughter of French Protestants on the eve of St. Bartholon day— Murderous spirit with which the news of it was received i Rome — More than 6000 heads of infants found in the pope's { pond — Licentious character of the Roman priests— Golden meni be observed in speaking of *it— Extract from Da Costa— Ulusb the character of priests and of the Confessiional — One object of I Ctonfessional- Catholic girl in New 'Yoric — Practice of confessiui^ a priest should bo discountenanced— Extracts from Scipio de 1 confirmatory of the "Awful Disclosures"— Object of exposing ?i( —Jesuit moralists sanction vice— Miss M.'s character of the pria true, independent of the fact of her having been a nun. There are two thiiTgs, in the disclosures of Ma Monk,, which render them comparatively incredil to the American community. First, the enormia of the crimes which she declares are perpetrated^ the Hotel Dieu nunnery of Montreal ; and, in second place, the cool-hearted manner in wl they are said to be habitually practised in that i tabiishment. This objection, sd frequently urg against the truth of Miss Monk's narrative, arii from Iwo sources j— 1st, the comparative purity ( tjie American people : — and 2d, the want of histoiri information respectiiig the character pf the Roe priesthood, in all former ag^. The latter of the is the more prominent obstacle in the way of gainiil -firil— con fide nce in 4h« truth of hw j st tatcm cfl Hence the fact, so frequently noticed by the frien of Miss Monk, that those persons, who are ver f'^u^ 3 TESTIMONT.I MARIA MONK'8 0ISCL09UHES. 161 In popish history, aa also those who have so- loaraed somewhat extensiyely in popish couritri^, nndno difficulty in belieTing the "Awful DiscK 81^" to be substantially true. Hence, too, the fact, haP ifentlemen of extensive observation, who have «en reared in Catholic countries, amidst the vices bf l^oman priests, not unfrequently ridicule the in- krtdulity of the Am6rican people, in reference to *hi8 matter. Roman Catholics glory in the infallibility of their fchurch; and, of course, its immutability. It 'is, hy they, the one church of Christ, the same in kv«y age and in every country. The author of 'beie^ges is aware of the fact, that when the con- eqnences of this principle are pressed upon the ad- focates of popery, they attempt to evade them by hme Jesuitical prank or other. Still, it is true, if the ^e is one and the same in all ages and in all climes, I frait must be substantially the same, under all Krcamstances. Thus, in regard t6 the spirit of po- ysty, it is one and the same th^ world over, and in Tcry age; and bears substantially the same fruit, fhtnyer it is allowed to arrive to fuU maturity. fow, what is this spirit, as exhibited on the impair Wpage of history? Doait contradict the reiga- Bg^^ntof the Montreal cloistered convent, as Ur wted by the disclosures of Maria Monk ? Are he crimes which are divulged by her, such as mur- % hypocrisy, and the most unblushing licentiou*- •i, hovel things in the history of popery ? or are *'^'^** n*turaUy fall in with that history? U ^p yrtf KoMBit Cat holic history could be Miida ffssay^W oppose tHe siatements of Maria Monk^ »<|atroveny would asfume altogether a di^rent ■"^■"■' 14* , Mi ■ i <■ « r- r / ■» f 162 CONriBMiiTlON OF aspect from what it now wears. But they cannot] Truth is immutable, however much it may be falgH] iled and glossed over. A few statements and ei-^ tlracts from well authenticated history will be sui-j ^ient to show, not only that Maria Monk's narratmj is no libel on the Roman priests, but also to confint] its truth, so far as the history of the past can do iJ And here I wish to be as brief as fidelity to tlwl cause of truth and humanity will admit of, for tbtj subject is paii^ful to every virtuous mind. * 1. In respect to the crime of nwirder. Perhai)s rto subject more perfectly illustrates i murderous spirit of Roman priests, in past aget^j than the " Holy Inquisition," as papists call it. Tl "infernal tribunal" originate^ with the priests-i was introduced into every country into which the had the power of introducing it—and by them jwas sustained, as long as thev had the novfer of so tainlng it. For cruelty, it stanas witnout a nvai earth, and, I hope, also in the dark domains of tan below. Th&nk God, that humanity and the " ^stant religion have nearly banished it from tl IftTth, although its dreadful spirit still remains thoije who originated and sustained it. The obje of the inquisition is the destruction of " damna heresy," by torturing, ii^ the most cruel manner, ev unto death, all such as dare to think and believe trary to the wishes of the church j that is, the prie hood, frbm the pope downward, for such is meaning of the woi^ church among Roman Cs lies. In Spain alone, its victims, according to estimate of Llorente, from 1481 to 1808, amoui "to-ailjeglv" Of ilirte »1^91i^ w6 F e^%iimed, " were burned in effigy, and 291,466 were 8ubj«ciMeomplighin| MtA ^' ■ t T ^ >,■)» r y-;)f'^ J 168 • ''MABIA m6nK»8 disclosures. severe penance. Here, then, were nearly 82,w, len and women burned to death, after suffdl-ing'im- ^risonment, and a variety of tortures, simply for re- listing the will of the priesthood. What is this but he most cold-blooded murder? It is vain for the riends of popery to attempt to blunt thc^edge of ^ese foots, by saying that they occurred in the dark res. Are *not all ages dark where popery reigns ? id are not papists lou4 ih their denunciation of le reformation, by which the darkness that covered hristendom was, in som^^ measure, dissipated? sides, what pope, cardinal, t^op, or priest, has w been known to utter a sentence of condemna- )n against their " most holy inquisition ?» What rademn an institution which for ages had the sanc- m of an infallible church ! No, never. They will Bner defend it, as bishops England and Hughes iTehadthe hardihood to do, the oife in Baltimore id the other jn Philadelphia. ' The manner in which the Pope and his^«ourt re- lived the intelligence of the barbarous 'massacre the Protestants in France, commencing on the * » of St. Bartholomew'^ day, in A. D.^1672 another instance which shows t^e murderous •irit of the priesthood. Perhaps the page^f his- Tf does not contain a darker spot than this. The incipal Protestants of the kingdom were invited Paris, under a solemn oath of protection from ■rles IX., a papist, to attend the marriage of the ['s sister. They attended the wedding, and thus into the snare that had been spread for %ir de- ^^ "The design of th e papists was todestroy l^^HtnrtimtinPnmce^^Mtheyeimeweff^^ iplithing their icfarious project. Some ten t-sy^y-n. * i:I^k.iL^^^. :jM^. 'A •■«'*%«- > ■»»<*' '?>j-^-)v^fc"'^'^'syT'ii*^'''' •'^ .\'*5''/''V 'i^^ 164 QONFIRMATION pV thousand were inhumanly butchered in the single city of Ptfris, while the work of death was carriei on in almost every part, of the empire, until firoij 30,0dato 100,000 Protestants were slain. j And now, reader, how do you sup]()ose the intelli-i gence of this dreadful slaughter infas received atj Rome? bid the pope condemn the king forthej double crime of breaking his oath and murdering his subjects 1 Did he grieve because so many hii man beings had been so fiendishly butchered ? ^ 'reader. It was to him and his court "glad. tidinp of great joy." The following is extracted froi " Buck's Theological Dictionary."— "When thelef ^ ters of the popa's legate were read in the assemW oS the cardinals, by which he assured the pope tl all was transacted by the express will and comm- of the king, it was immediately decreed that pope shofRd march with his cardinals to. the chu of St. Mark, and in the most solemn manne? gii thanks to God for so great a blessiiig conferred r the See ot Rome, and the Christian world ; and f- oti the Monday after, solemn mass should be ( brated in the church of Minerva, at which the pop Gregory XIII., and cardinals were present; and* ft Jubilee should be published throughout the wb* Christian world, and the cause of it declared to to return thanks to God for the extirpation of i enehiles of the truth and church in France. In I evening, the cannon of St. Angelo were «red to I tlfy the public Joy ; the Whole city iUuminated ? bonfires j and no one sign of rejoicing omitted I WM trtuaUy fwide for th e P^o'* ***^ ^*'*^!^^^ ^" lttfevWorWeiaom«Bichttrelittt* Aiwiwfai Is het e t Is H that of the compaiiiwiftte Sat jHfe,, ' s^.~ iwr/ ^ MARIA MONK'S mSCLOSDBES. . 166' that of Satan, " who was a murderer from th« ginning'?" I dnce more, aod I have done on the crime of mur- "Pope Gregwy, drawing his fishpond, found more^ n siy thousand heads of infants in it j upon which* ^eeply repented, and, confessing that the decree • wmatural celibacy was the cause of so horrid a "ghter, he condemned it, adding: *It is better to ry than to give occasion of death.'"— J3wWtfnc list. adv. constit. de Cleric. CeUb. [Were it not a. tax upon the reader's patience, I lould here add a few extracts from standard Roman Molic writers on morals, teaching the lawfulness rmurder for a variety of frivolous reasons, such as Ijght easily be offered by priests and nuns, in justi- 4tion of the murders committed by them. But I *e8r. See Awf. Dis. p. 355. [Respecting the licentious character of the Romish %thood, but little need be^jd. If ever the gold- mean should bf obsen^^on any subject, it ould be on this. The subject i|, disgusting, arid quires a skilful pen so to manage it asLnot not to pro- pe rather than destroy its pract^ There 4 ' irever, a fastidiousness about it which is contra*,, 140 scripture and sofind reason. This ^ce, like 7 other, in order to destroy it, must be exposed Iwroe extent. Nothing can be more ^pleasing to ! jpnests than the senseless clamors whieh are "1 against the supposed licentious tendency of t Monk's disclosures. None are louder on thig thcinsehres. 'Riey are like the thfef, wlo to cry, stop thief! stop thief I Herein Satan -ms himself into kn angel of iigfht, and b6- *'■?* ■; * ii i^J^rlw^ «A>^iliB«^Srf "i^. laa IFifliikTIOI eomertli,ij^u&c^||i«dvod|M Seel Cana4iair lliest, stWasfe that hQ'scupnot^ej h8ftids'lritk^toown,||j)t^'' " '"" ' "' '^'^^'' ition M4 the touch' wc^cil^em, redly, & iiMlM^roiir newi had been under the tuition" of the pri sul^ject.^ Such moyi^i«ts, while theylv , _„ Jbdia, shipwreck againatt Scylla. The chai % te^^^oraan priests and events must be kno ^'* before they can receive th^treatment whp \ ;ifi^ht belongs to them. Ah I fbw many thj^tis of unsuspecting and virtuous ybjBng ladi^ave ruinfed for ever, for the want o^^f^st thatv|nowl which is to be found in Maria fLonk's disclosur . .And 'yet, hovir strange that good .men should be inconsiderate as to "unite with profligate priests pthersjil the. only cry which can prevent its ' , fion among the people. I will here give an extract from Da Costa^ a tuguese Roman Catholic writer, *who had suffered the Inquisition, in consequence of being accused Freemasonry. It illustrated the adulterous eh \ tcr of Roman pr^e^ts, as also the abominable Bctcr of the Confessional. Pppe Paul IV., from tl cause or othei^ was induced an^ investigatibn i^to the led— thaj/is, when t ;sts for/licentious p {Tthe kingdom of Spa tract from the bull :— " in Uie kin gdo m o f Spain> ceses thereof, having jl^e c •uth cure for others, or (ue abuU^order^ '^golicitant, &i( tnisd is used by! This had referci following is an ^certfiin ccclesia " the cities andi •«purB7 or exei ise deputed to] »w1ii,s. J Jfc» 1 ,'fc.» ''jl" ArJi .vit-^a-*, r.5)--;'^ V ir-'^T^/ff^^E^^F^^ MARf^ M0NIC»8"i)ISCL0StJRE8. I9t confessions of such penitents, have brokei^ out jsrich heinous acts of iniquity, as to abuse the iment of penance in the very a6l of hearing the bnfessiOns, not fearing to injure the same sacra- lent, and him who inatitutied it, our Lord God and vjour Jesfts Christ, by enticing and provoking, or log to entice ancf provoke females to lewd actions- [the very time when they. were making their con- rions" > |« When this bull," says Da Costa, "was first in- 'aced into Spain, the inquisitors published a^iol- nn e4ict in all the churches belonging to the arch- shopric of Seville, that jany person Jj^owing, or ^ying heard of any friar or clergyman's having umitted the crimp .of abusiiik^^he Sacrament of ifession, or in ahy manner having improperly iacted himself during the conf<^ssiontof a female nitent, should make a discovery of what he knew, Ithin thirty days, ?*o mm holy tribunal j and very Hvy censures were attached to those wlko should gleet or despise this injunction. ' When this edict Srst published, ^uch a considerable number of Bales went to the palace of the Inquisition, Ohly |tlie city of Sev|te^o rey^me conduct of their o«s eonfjipip^«r iP«nfe;i,otapie8, and as i»irmqui8itoif,>ere appbjeots ii to secure female victims for the impure I IndulgexMse of the jpriests. Its history aflfords pain- ful evidence of the truth of this decjaiation; and were it properly understood, no virtuous family would ever allow its female members to visit it, any sooner than they would allow them to / visit i| brothel. . "^1* i For the truth of the following statement of fact^l ^ I hold myself refponsible. , A Catholic young won. an, ardently devoted to her religion^^the name of j ,4. Miss N-*-, lived in the family of Mr. M , in Net j T \Yrtrk. In her appearance she was quite prepos-j Ifessing, and probably of Virtuous character, uptoj the time to, which this narrative refe^ A short time before '^ood-Frid^, ^hich was tm first daj o£^ last 4^pril, she was ^l^rved to be uncommou" ^'' "S the ©ereiiioBrieiN of her church. Al time, she said to a young lady of the famay fM»||ther Confessor is a going to bestow upon 1 a.iOerfui gifij^botit.niit good-Friday, if I fi^^iibful to go freqtija# to confessio^ and confa m alt the queitions which ' is il, a new gown?" replied 1 aearnal gift, but a spiritual OMJ I am 'to be '' o*" inferences. . bfvir^ X' i^ " ""^ ""' ** ''"'y »'■"•« friends |f virtue a„a%K.d order, to discountenance a prac- f« « corriip^ng and so ruinous to all that is virtu- N in the female character, as i. that of confession p.wrrupt priest Destroy the confessional, and K". once destroy that fatal power, which the taMts now have over their deluded followers ; and »U h.s .8 done, an your efforts to enlighten and Kml "• '^'"""•hwarted by thesVenemies *e human race Let, then, every lawful means .»^ to acc_dmplish this end, remembering that «.theco«f«*«onal those chains are forged, at p4 and riveted, which hold in bondage so teree ll»rtion of the human family, a bondage mZ ■Mfulthan that of the African slave, because it " bondage of the «,ul, which God made in hi. own »«oui image. .i, ^TW'' Wiilsta my reMera with a few extraeto m . standard Catholic author, for the purpose of >T' ^,,' /,s ■ in OONriAMATlON Of i /4t' illustrating the characteir of convents, and of show- ing that the statements made by Miss Monk, are in keeping with the past history of these establish- mentef. As the authors of the " Awful Exposure" I agfiin and again refer us ta the life of Seipio de Ricci) a Roman Catholic bishop, as a model writer on female convents, the extracts shall be taken from his membirs. And it ^hould be borne in mind, tliat these disclosures were made by this Roman prelate, nbx in the dark ages, but some forty or fifty yean rigo. And it should also be borne in miiid,ihat Seipio d«* Rieei wa» not a Protestant or an enemy] to convents, but a friend to the latter, and a stauncli •Oatliolic. And it should be remembered also, that this prelate, not^iaving been connected with con- vents, knew nothing of them, save what he learned by report, and in his attempts to reform them;] when, instead of the inmates being inclined to di-| vulge their own infam^y, they were doubtless dis-f p6sed,\put of regard to, themselves, to conceal their! deeds o^ darkness. But the case with Maria Monk] is very different. She was an inmate of the conventj for years, where she had/every opportunity of wit' nessing its abominations. But my readers will see] enough, in all conscience, to confirm Maria Monk's] statements, in the subjoined extracts : — " The Dominican Monks, who were members of] one of the most numerous ecclesiastical orders, had! been the scandal of all Italy, durl|ig one hundred andj fifty years, for their total corruption: and their di-1 rection of the female convents had degenerated inti a scene of the basest profligacy. Long habit had i iifaemio-t he g re a test ittentiousniKQ/tfaa ^p*fr<- tvr -fj MARIA MOffK's DI80L08DRES. m cely any reipect for public decency remained." -Memoiri of Scipio de Rjcci, pages 06, 07, vol i The nuns of Pirtoia tcsUfled that the monks taught hem "every kind of vice," and that they should wk upon It as a great happiness, "that they were ble to satisfy their libidinous desires, icitJmt the tnamvenience of children.^^ Itwas necesaary to raze from the foirad^silSiis a aonastery and a female convent, of Carmelites, l^hich were m fact joined by means of subterranean wssages.— Vol. fe pages 98, 121. A Hindoo brahmin, having become a Catholic fri«t, says J « The Homan priests in India are like bonzes of Japan. The nuns are the disciples of '"- and their nunneries are seraglios for the a. They were more often pregnant than mar- ed women in general. The Jesuits had become -ahmlns, m order to enjoy the privileges of that itej among which were exemption from death rcrimej and the right of enjoying the fav(»s of 8iy woman who pleased them, it being commonly feived, that a brahmin priest sancUfies the woman ^tom he honors with hip attcnUons."— Vol. ii. pages *!?* »<>^8j confessors of the convents, openly '•fttthe Tiiscany nuns athrffi^ encouraged the disgraceflU libertinism|{aapUed them with "ptirity, sacrilege, and debaucMeiy of the fonlest ■Ii. Immorality was thus added to profanation; corruptidn brought forth impiety. Bytolera- »g these crimes, the pope j^ainly anipounced his «W0ence of them j and by encouraging the eom- » of thoae iniquities; he became an mj^j'^^ -voinn^ges "m, aw. ,, / 16* . • : =51= ^Ppi:i; <* P' . 174 CONFIBMATIdN OF " The false or forged virtues of the monk^ nuns, are but a tissue of hypocrisy, and a stimulaat] to the roost odious vices. The institutions call Virginales, were schools-of corruptioi^ and lice tiou^neas : and the aoi-disant tribunal of penitmA is the constant source of infamous wickedness, byj those impudent jugglers, whose authority depend on the blindness of man. . Tne monks, the nui^| their superiors, and even the pop6 himself, not on tolerated these disorders, but took no measures Ul firrest the infidelity and impiety* of those who we ^daily adding new victims to their atheism and in-j rdinate voluptuo\isness.."— Vol. ii. p^ges 276, 277. But enotJgh of such filth ; for it is filth of thedarH st die; iand 'SUch as ought not to b^ named, did nfl the causie of humanity, virtue, and religioh, dema it, for the same reason that the Son of God diveslj the ancient scribes and Pharisees, the embryo pB totypes of Romish' prjjpsts, of their hypocritlc robes, and thus enabled the people to see tb^tthe were " full of dead men s b«nes, and of all ))_ CLEANNESS,"— Matt. xxiU. 27. The SayioUr koei that there was no other way to destroy the super tious veneration with which the Jews regarded the| prijBsts, just as the Catholics, only in a muchhigb degree, regard theirs. The naming of such vie should be regarded .a® ian^v41, ^he 9bjeot of wbi(i is the removal of a miich greater one ) just in i sense in which many a medical prescription is ( evil, ab/olutely necessary, iMwever, to ,be admin t»red, in order to remove dise&se, and secure he The unqualified jcondemivitiohj^lherefore, of Inoral medicine, on the grotfgfehat some writ) deal in it too fr6elyj is as »oK9a8 it would., te| - , 1. ■ ■,„ jii/jt- u- w/iaj rss^^"- nit MABIA MONkV DISCLOSUBfiS. m enm the "healing ah," because unskilful men bmeit v . , . Before leaving this subject, I wish to add a single -lark further. And that is this : That all the vices ten of by Maria Monk as practised in the Hotel Hen, (yea, andnjore too,) are abundantly inculcated Tthe standard writers on mqrals of the orjier of snits. If any man wishes proof of this assertion, I would refer him, among others, to Paschal's Pro- pcial letters, a work of undying celebrity. Pas- bal was himself a Roman Ckholic, but opposed to he Jesuits. ' , " ■ ' ^ According to these moralists, a priest may com- mit lewdness on. the ground of self-gratification ; •^ Jf«n % the ground of self-defence, or defen^- Ws repiftatidji, he may lawfully inurder, deceive, ^d swear falsely, or empjoy others to do the "^fpr him. I Icnow that these principles are hor- |nd conception. But they are true; and I ielf pledged to prove them, giving chrf^ter nd verse, if the priests, in any responsiWe manner, we the audacity to deny them. #; ^ Who, then, after reading the preceding part of ht chapter, can seriously question the general rath of Maria Monk's statements respecting the haracter hi the Cahadian priests and nuns 1 Espe- •"TJ^hfen it ^ recollected, that a large portion Of priests are foreign Jesuits, expelled from for- i countries, as an order of men too mftiiAoua to 5 tolerated by civil governments. Th^havebeen '"eUed, as an order of men, frqn/ almost^evcry ntry in Europe, by Catholic agNiwll as Protest- "" nt government. Hence they coma in -swarms tn MNorthAmericah continent, biiiiMring along witJi i; V I . ■-.- I 'J * • I 1 1 .r«*'^'.'*«-t>r^-ff*-,. 4 ■ *'■. ix"-,')*'';)**,**,!*' &;■ \ I i' rm diSmrtMATioif, «TC. thera their illgotten gain, by which they build col- legres, churches, nunneries, &c. The "disclo8iireg» of Miss Monk, therefore, are unquestionably truJ and they would be substantially true, «ven if itl should be proved that she hUd n^ver been a nuniij the Hotel Dieu. This is the opinion of the mass flf| the Protestant people in Canada. It is to be hope therefore, that the testimony of Maria Monk will more be disbelieved on the ground that she disch ses practices so abominable, as to cause virtue I hW its blushing face at the very mention of thea ' In conclusion, I will mention two facts^hid ought hot to be forgotten. 1st. A large number ( the Canadian priests are Jesuits, from Frarice : » 2d. The fact that wien Bonaparte brok.e up the co vents in France, bones of murdered infants w found in great abundance. Can it then be suppo that the French Jesuits are iiny better in Cans than they were In France 1 .-*c, ). Si. ■ V \ i. > iJ!M'".T V' — (MJfs-^jfji l^^r :' CONCLUSION. L fn. tK"" ''^ reference to every attempt made iS/h **"« '^""^ °?J""^- We have, in the gec- not Miss Monk's claims to our confidenfr k? MUD, derived from a consideration of her 'in- b»nHY'/''- ^.'^" P^''* °^^° impostor-of 1?^ t?^ .e^tensjv^ nunnery knowfedge-of her ^rative ignorance ^f other matters-o? the ma^s "person, produced by the infliction of peS nunnery vioIence-~of the forlorn condS S Me was first discovered in New iS^f heJ tei-^*"^^ penitential confession to tbTRer iTappin-of her consistent conduct with thf^. ll^f^k * !• ™**^^ impress, stamped on her K fit fofT'^ "^ °*^"^«' ^^"'^^ a^d inSirecJ . hJl.VA f ^' opponenki in their varied at- kPerhaps some will say, after ^1, diere is a noa. Of the pria.u ami nuns 'Ling bSSSu 4* fll^^l^ ->i r'5^H> «iMf Xt8 * CONOLDSiaif . of the crimes charged upon them- Yes j thete possibility in the case ; and so there is a f)o»«if of her being changed into a " pillar of »c^lt» is there any probability of it ? The gr^nd of ratid al conclusions, is not poBiibilities, but probabim When gentlemen, in their reasonings, substitute I former in place of the latter, they place ihemsdi^ beyond the limits of reason. L With reasonable men the case is diffieaent. U| believed that the foregoing arguments are^ si to establish them in the belief, that Maria ^ Wat an impostor, but is truly what she professes Ml aad that sue has told substantially the truth, kM inr the nunnery. Such will readily perceive tki poriance of the "Awful Disclosures," as a meanti opposing the conventual system, as also the spr TM)1)d*V -^ Let Protestants, then, act reasonably in aj ately using them for these objects. Let them res bcr the deplorable state erf" more than one Christendom, in consequence **' •■* |bject subje< I anywhere m ]ea(lei ember, tha eir bands, ^hichshey n ' the I^oma Before clos the 1 •4 ;> '*-f '^-'t % 1 ' ""■! *HtfU %U it' CONCLUSION. 179 bject subjection to these foreign Jesuits ; teady to jaDvwhere,or to db any thing which their unprin- )led leaders may direct. And then, let theni re- mber, that the God of their fathers has put into •ir hands, this powe^|iiI instrumentality, witli fhiclr^ey may oppose and break the unholy power [ the ^.oman priests in their country. Before closing, I wish to offer a single, remark re- leimg the following work of .Miss Monk. It ha5# m written bv the same worthy gentleman that • md bet hj-sfVolume ; and great care has been ex- cised m- writing it, to give tothecommunfty nothinff It the simple statements of the aymoress. The ^Igfct matteris hers. With reference to this point, iipeak with, the more confidence, from the fact, Aat \]m been written, since she^jame to reside with the wple of my pastoral charge. And now, in conclusion, I would guard the public Wnst being .misled by the deceptive al-ts of Roman lestg. They undoubtedly will do something forth- Mh for the purpose of weakening the impressioll jch the following *< Disclosures" are adapted to *t. I htj Will be ready perhaps, to swear that they a translation .hoin «ome old Portuguese work • lat there never wsw such a priest as the murdered poerance; or that there is no si|(ch place as the tend described ; or, perhaps, it being in the dead of iwiiiier, when a visit to panada and such an ex- ' «nauon of the nunneries, subterranean passaa«s mwry, and thfe Black Nuns' Island, as has been osed to make, would be attended with extreme , .DJEy, Jhey may possibly, offer a compliance with iwoditioDs, specified by the meeting, held in New «fi, lA Augtfet, 1836. A bewildering flourish of ■^wt or other will unquestionably be made j but hoped that ihe eotomdnity vrill remember, the ■'^^ve tricks heretofore practised on them by the ' Md thai all fotiiiw o|ies wiirbe di^egard^cl. ' hJ PREPA0E The following pages contain disclosii relating to various per«)|is and scenes, m of Tyhich were not alluded to in my Yor volume. Some gf these facts I did not consi^ important ; and of others I felt a strong reli tance to speak. I have at length come to I conclusion to add thus much to the facts Ihai| laid before the American public, under a beS that it is likely to prove useful. Since the greater part of the following pa were prepared for the press, my character l the truth of iny book have been strongly i tacked by several persons. I do not enterta any unkind feelings towards such as mayJ honest in opposing me, nor do I fear thie re for I know I am speaking the truth, and will sooi^become convinced, and acknowle their erroiif. I-have only to offer to my opponents following chapters, in which they will 1 more fftcts to me6t, new scenes and persona to explain or justify. If they should accii me of deriving these also from the Monbi Magdalen AS3^um, I hope they will not ke the place closed, nor disperse or concealJ inmates, as they have done since they pubW ed such a charge against the "Awful wires." ■ ■■■■■■ : ; -.. ,'■ /.■ ■"■ ...■ ■ --•^*-' V*.-~-^*A-'*.- ^•^ ^ i -r ■■\.// PART I. A'C count' THE ATTEBfl^S Tto^BDlICT '/ MARIA Mq!n1k. / CHAPTER I. . y nn«emcnte and DffficuMeB atte-^ the fim PuMlcttlon mj-Book. ^liATE bid various trials to Undergo sW my ■mpe from tlie NunDery, loany of which/ 1 have ticttiariy staled in the sequel of my. NWive. Iteh 18 contained in the last editions of iL "Aw- W D«ciasures/' Other trials, however, hW been ^.portion, some oi which may have arisen ik part Bi my want of acquaintance with the wbrld^d w^l^the pecuKar^situation in which I was Md, among persons as ignomnt of me, as I was ftfaem. I have met with none, or at most but v6ry * indeed, who were at first prepared to believe my ''i and some have long remained incredulous, « m part. The doubts ej^ressed by respect- person*, around me, have often, given mo ex ^ pam ; for they always intimated want of ^n- ^ m me< l^ . TIT b,.'..j , •<« .« v-0.. • t„ V . jm.. m-%?^' 'j-. 2 ATTEMPTS TO ABDVOT Besides, I have sometimes bad to feel very keei>| ly the effects of my self-conviction; for, in moi than one instance, I have heard disparaging marks thrown out by the inconsiderate or unfeeling,| Perhapi^ it is not to be vyroridered at, then, in spite ( the resolution I^. had formed, of jpnaking knov my experience to the world, if I should have felt at some periods, a desire for retirement and tr - quillity, in some place, no matter how humbli where I might be free froni trials like these. At a perio^ a little preceding the publicatioac the first edition of ray book, I was much disquiete by the circumstances in which I found "nj/yself. felt extremely uncertain what reception awaited i and supposed that in case public incredulity shou r^er the sate of nly book very 'small, I should 1 involved in heavy pecuniary responsibilities, with oil the remotest hope of deliverance. What, laws of the country might ciondemn me i^'rti sue a case, I knew not ; but I sometimes apprehend they might be severe. Now, while I was in su^h a-state of mind, I ceived a letter, which excited my curiosity in atj uncommon degree. I h£df directed the p^ony-] to bring to my Iddgings any letters addressed me, because several imended for my hands, hi been lying a long. time in the Post-offi* |iay to me, but wished to avoid observation^ and ^^|^ that I should go somewhere to a more xti^m. ot. Without much reflection, I consented^fo^^w^ apaay him, making a resdlutiop, howeVer, ' li leepon my^ guard, feeling some dre^^d of placiiig 'oysel^jpT his power. ^^^ 1 '^e proceeded to a very considerable. dulttBce the place of meeting, he asking qui itig remarks about my Disclosures, ' length h^>{^nted at a house, whic >wter, tj^t we might eonveraeat f l^-^v^^ tt*. T^J '***<>-i^,##(.'*^ '«.. If ■■"'*,; , ATTEMPTS TO ABVVOT ever, pointed at another, lyhich had a shop, aiut * looked something like an inn, and told him I would not object to entering there. He consented; and we seized ourselves in a room which was shown US, I telling him, that I would not trust myself in hit power, as I had reason to fear the consequence^ot that in that place I ^as not afraid of him. He spoke as if disposed to quiet my apprehensions ; and thai entered into a long conversation, in which he show* ed that' he was well acquainted with the contents of the affidavit I made in Montreal, in August, 1835, anMl^ch was left in the hands of Mr. Ogden, tho Lttomey. He, it appeared, must have had IS possession, although it had been retained agailiil my will, and I had not been able to regain it, after presenting it as a ground for judicial inves- tigation. He made different inquiries about my plans and intentions, and spoke of my intended publication virith much solicitude, but in such a manner as to show that he sup^^osed it contained nothing^ more than the manuscript he had seen. He remarked that the priests in Canada did not blame me k what I had done, being disposed to. throw it all on my advisers. He said hc' was glad I had hot men- tionjfed his name in speaking of the death of St Fjpances, and in another case, in which also I h^d called ^im a priest. He would rather not have it published that he was engaged in -either of theie scenes. . , ' ' 'He inquired whethei I hod any difficulty in get' r-!" M*|11A MOMK. . $ |tfn| the wi-brk published. I told him that in the I present state of things, money was wanted to carry it on, which I had not at my command. The 8t^l| reotype plates had not been paid for. He immediP I itely said, that he would supply me with money, to lilarge amount if I wished, iM would let him have tte plates.' I did not refuse this offer, for, at the I time, I did not inow that 1 should ^ver be able to blish the work, nor was I sure that it woiild be safe for me to doit, on the one hand, or useful to the world, oh the other] It was evident thatjthe pros- pect of getting possession of the platesi raised great iopesin his mind; and he showed nlucli earnest- Des9 in pressing his reqiiest. It. appeared to I however, that he had a very erroneous idea of ti importance of this object ; for he seem^ tb thiiit that if he could once get the stereotype plates, the work would be effectually ^and forever suppifessed ; whereas I could at any time have prepareq aur [odiei ^ . \ Although Father Phelan had. invited me to an lintfAiew, on the preteni^ that hehiEKf eoai^l^ag of much importance to me to communicate, iour con' Tersatibn took such a turn, during most of the time Iwas in his company, that the promised informa- mn was left out of view. He several times advert- j ed to things in Canada, but told me nothing of muph I importance of any thing there. Once or twice also, le spoke of our child: but in such terms as to dia- pl^Me me very^ much, making some sudi expres-' iioii as this, that he would father it shouM have its A . « ■ .J m ^. i. ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) & // .^/ %.*^ :^ i< ^ Ki •J Z. / j^ .*- .,^"V i. . J.G 2.2 112 •" 136 I — 6' I.I f ■« H^ IL25 II 1.4 1.6 4" .,:'." ■l..,L. v-^ _> '"r V Sciences Coiporation ,23 WtST MAIN STR^ WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 t (716) 872-4S«3 IT •f J ATTWPTf TO ABDUCT brains knofelced out, than be brought forward aii| ' witness aeainst him. The omy thing I can recall, which might be cofrj sidered a^ any thing lik» the iniportant informatioii] he had sflid he had td communicate, was his declai»| tion that those in whom I confided, in New Torh,l were mt my friends, bat in reality my enemkl Of this he gave me no evidence, and of coune ll was ipt much disposed to rely on his word : yetll felt, f|^ I had often done, ^t there was then m few, yery few, who entirely relied on my story, wl wholseemed disposed to treat me with kindiiai| and friendship. Whatever I might think of thoNl around me in New York, however, I would not ^\ low myself to confide in him so &r as to be putofl my ^fuard ; and I let him clearly understand, tJiil| althlough I was willing to talk with him, I was de-l ter^kiined to regard him with caution and sospi-l cicjb. • lAfter a long interview, we parted ; with an agne-l It to meet on a future time at a particular plae|| ^here I was to acquaint him with my deteri mceming the sale of the stereotype plates. On le day, I intiniated to one of my acquaintane(%| I knew how to obtain money, if it was in exchange fer the plates; but this caused «&| lanh among those who felt interested for me,^ leasures were soon taken which rendered th»| tance of Father Phelan quite unnecessary. Accordingly, at the second interview^ he U ip^zill*t the ymhmn beyond Jap ■^^df^:.^:f^Mdy''^H'^^ ' --? — KARll MONK. 7 Mich appeared to produce a momentary regret j "nhe soon remarked that that was a matter of no great importance, for there was to be a publi- lotidD in opposition to the work, as soon as it should pear, which would prevent the people of the Uni- 1 States from believing it; and besides, if I would - New York, return to Canada, and fesidc^ as he wished roe to do,, I could come out a public denial of it. 'and that ^ould have all I effect he could desire. Swn after this time I changed my residence, iWf ^-^ awhile at Wehawken, in ifew Jersey, op- New York.. As I occasionally, visited the he found opportunities to meet me several 868, in different places. He sometimes requested to see him again, always professing to have aethmg more to say to me. It might, perhaps, (thought, that it would have been more safe, pro- T, or judicious, in me, if I had refused all inter- with him from the first : but I began with a that some one had attempted to impose upon ►f and after I had found it to be Father Phelan ~"el^ who had come on from Canada, and was !rt to converse with me, I found no particular ction to make against .another and another in lew; and feeling more agd more confident that »3ared not make any attempt to do me injury, or get me into his power, wTiile I conducted with ^ X I saw him time after time ; and if any one iffer from this- publication of it, it seems to be felf rather than L Whatever my readers may l^^-.^7M^. *■•»£ . » ^'4 1 '-" f j " ' .\ t J.: ATTXMPT8 TO ABDUCT think of my prudence or imprudence, however, tl will not forget that I have had little instruction, the course of my life, in the opinions and customs society, -out of the Convent; and I am. telling fiict^| bot undertaking to apologize for what has bap pened. I will therefore proceed to remark, that whe_ Father Phelan proposed a place for meeting mcij was commonly a different place from that where had met last, and I uniformly refused to meet at I place proposed, and chose another. Always when went tjere, I found he had taken his station ati distance from it, xrhere' he could observe myap proach, and that he always seemed to discover a considerable time before I saw him. H^ informed me ope day, that thergjyas a prie with whom he had been cojjversinjg^aBp wished ^ see me, and asked ^ny consent to lOTPerview. refused, and so resolutely, that although he apj ed th wish it, he soon ceased to urge that reqne but proposed to let him stftnd at a distance, so he might see me, while We were conversing gether. Father Phelah wrote me a letter, while I wasi ^Wehawken. encloeed in one superscribed io^ I person at whose hoose I stayed, requesting niei meet him on one of the occasions above referred It was not signed hand, and othdr iatemal evid^cea. Aider my torn to the city, the upper part of but I knew the author from tl and while in a retired situation i it, bear the Dry Dock) ho '<-%fM , - r.;'.p^;itft-iT;,v-7^,7Ji i'rw **'-"» -%:?^ U»'--.- maria mokk^ ier letter, by two boysrin which he desired 1 would meet him at a particular comer neiir iFirk, at mile o'clock; and although I was nm I the spot till about eleven, he came up and accost- l me, and prevailed on me to take a turn down |»nice sffeetr-andone ,ojc two others, while he --ttumcated some requests With much cogencyr « was, he said, a woman in another part of the gr, somewhere above Broadway and Canal street, Wo was much disposed to befriend me, and in whom liBight place entire confidence. He recommended n *° ^° ^^^ *^ ^®'' *°^ ^ ^^ "P ™y abode tt her ^ I should be sure of good treatment Se added that the lady was much more a friend to •^than to him; which led me to Suppose that she I net fully confide in the character of priests, and « suspicious of his intentions tbwards me. What J said was calculated to make me think «he might me of those Roman Catholic women, who know Teething of what I know, and at th^ same time i she possessed humanity enough to aflTord me I and protection, while she credited' my story. I itted to visirthe house he indicated to me; but I character he gave of the kdy. I did not forget. ' Jhis was the last time I saw Father Phelan. "i we separated, he requested me to see him near the. same i^e; but I did not comply m that desire. A considerable time afterwards, a tei was brought to my lodgings, by two boys, «ch bore some marks of his; but I am unable to T with certainty, whethar he was the writer or not ?^F5*^*T*?7*''^'9S5i3 . m h,.: t ' 10 ATTIMfTf TO AffPUCT I am not sure of the precise time at which] left New York; but I believe it was not far from I period. Such was the state of my feelings arisio from the perplexities attending the preparation ao publication of my first editions, that I sometimes fd great uncertainty about the course I ought to sue. I sometimes feared that my pecuniary al might become seriously embarrassed, and apprehe cd that one or another individual might yet invok me in great difficulty, in ^ise my book should proi unsucfiessful, bs I sometimes thought it won 3eing very ignorant of the laws, as I before remail e^Ifor a while lived under the impression, i nught be at any time imprisoned for debts I not y6t the means of paying. The incredulity i many Protestants with whom I met, often weigli heavily dn my spirits, and led me to ask myseli) I w^hat purpose waski disquieting my mind, and ei citing the ^mity of the priests ; when some of tho whose benefit I wished to promoter-seemed asi picious of my motives and as hostile to me as tho whom I denounced. *'., ! \ I'W ^ .t7^.-?N»^«'gF?^'r^w^!!fpra8W!^»^ ' ^? ».;«-^ ■■•■ -V. HABU MOIHL, >■ II ( CHAPTER li. ^f tn of my first editions by Protestants^Newspaper aspersions gpgosiUon— Depi-ession and di9couraj[ement»— Wish to rejjjau^ J"-^'^ obsciurity with my iafant— Measures token to effect my desire. . . .. ■ 1. Tai violent denunciations of my Jbook which I 1 in several Protestant newspapers, ami the ma- ant and ofte|i,unfounded attacks made by some them against the/ew persons who had first be- ared my tale and befriended m?, helped to depress ly spirits: while the Montreal affidavits contained TOial things that greatly wounded me. Some of s documents ^cast the most unfouflded aspersions on my character, which it was impossible for me once to remove by opposing evidence, from the iery nature of the case ; and these, I had no doubt, bust have produced impressions on the\minds of ne honest people, unfavorable to me. But none I these causes gave me half as much pain as the "davit of my mother. That long J)aper, ()vhich , reader will find in the Appendix to the new toions of my " Awfid Disclosures,") contained so " By aspersions of my character, and was written isach a spirit, that I knew not which must suSet ^ in the opinions of the virtuous, my parent or Those who hate feeling, will probably i wonder that m such circumstances poor Maria ok should sometimes have felt a great indififer^ ito pasong scenes, and even to life itself Cer- J-^lTd ^j',-Ol - .1^ m. >• fa ATimUTf TO ABDUCT tainly, I think some excuse will be found in for my frequent change of purpose and varyii views of things. - An incident occurred about this period, which 1 to some painful thoughts. A woman, in a pi black dress, and accompanied by a boy, obtained i introduction to me one day, by making fair repr sentations to some of my friends, on pretence of ^t ing been converted from the Roman fiiith, after ceiving an education in a Convent in France. St said she had always entertained a high idea of sanctity of nuns, and^lKjuld not be persuaded to donii it, by any of her friends, until she had read my book which she was now unable to disbelieve, on accou of the internal Evidence of trudi which it preset She wished to converse with me, and put a fei questions, that her mind might be a little frirther ( lightened. She was therefore introduce^after gii ing her name and address, which wasthat of teacher of a private school in the lower part of tb city. . ■ ' ' ' „. This lady having expressed a wish to see me i private, we withdrew for some tjme, during whid she said some things which led me to suspect U being a Roman Catholic in disguise. She put eral questions to me, which I think must have pm into her mouth by somo priest. From expressions, I became convinced that she knew mt of nunneries. She then turned to ask some qo tions about my in&nt, and remarked, that she coni not bear to s^ the child of a priest — sihe thouglA^* f, ',,-*. VAIIA If OMK. ■% IS rit should liTe— it would be a kindness if some- r would take it out of the way— she could hardly her hands off from it— she wished its neck was I began to be somewhat i^gtted, and was to get back into the other room^^ among the DiTy. But there, strange as it was, she repeated I or two of these expressions about my child j yet I a piece of money in its/hand on going away. impression this intenriew left with me, was 'il, although so uiuntelligible was the stran-* it conduct. ; She afterwards made me two or three calls, when ) seemed still myre wild and cra?y than before: rihe onee broucht a young man with her, whom Jkever saw befo^ nor since, but whom she told, me I had induced to consent to marry me, urging me I take him without delay, for a husband." I an- ered the woman very shortly, but it did nO(t dis- je her. One of my friends soon afterv^rds ^edat her school, and informed her that she could t be again admitted to see me ; when her appear and manners were so equivocal as to excite suspicion that she had some project iii view, t nothing frirther has ever come to our knowledge iniation to her. ^e I have spoken so much at length on the "^fif my feelings about that period, I may add, that liecoUection of scenes in the Convent still con- Bed at times to distress me. Although it appeals ffe gmdually diminishing, it has not yet entirely " I away ; and about the period of wljich I speak, »# .*'«£ ■Hm- H ATTKMPT8 TO ABDV^T it WB8 more vivid thiin it is at present. I still oeei*j lionally revert to one event and another which l| have there witnessed, and sometimes review soDil of the circumstances through which I have passed^l at different periods of my life, with distressing feel*! ings. I have also reason to believe, that some jsuperJ stitious ideas inspired in early life, are not easy i be entirely eradicated, even |fter the judgriient been convinced of their erroneous nature. As an evidence of the excitability of my fears in sleep, I may mention, that a female friend wJi lodged in the same bed with me about the time i which I was speaking, jvaked me one night fromi most distressing dream. She informed me wards, that on coming to bed after I had^Mlen ask I sprung wildly up, seized her, and with the appear ancepf. extreme terror, endeavored to throw he from me, and to avoid her. When i^,Q,h|$) Mice -e^-^ift-wakiijg mei itwarB-longtimirfebTf^'l could compose me. I had been dreaming that' tl priests had me again in the Bkck Nunnery, an were just laying hold of me to inflict upon some dreadful punishment Some time in the '. spring, I vras informed by a young Canadia whom I had formerly known, and with whomj had several times met within a few weeks in Ne York, that a man had arrived from Montreal had expressed a desire to see me. lie had re| •ented himself aa a firm believer in my " Dis ^ Ifaies," and as being in posseteioti of &cts calci .-/ to corroborate them« which ho was detent, .jiii^. i-ifc-- ■-. ■'■ ■". /. sX'- V ft . ;/'::' MARI4 MOMS. 16 ag merely by a regard to a branch of busi- in which he was to engage on his return home. Ilcfflwented to an introduction, as did those friends whom I tommonly consulted in such casesT Ibemad^ me severalcalls, in which he conrersed t first 1 a manner c o rr e sp onding w4th led to expect. But on one or two occasions, Jflien no one else was present, he intimat^ad senti- Inents of a diflferent nature, and expressed suspicions 'the motives of my Protestant friends. * He also fcrew out remarks which led me to suspect that he liadhad intercourse with some of the priests before ji«Ting Montreal. I was displeased with his appa- ; duplicity, and gave him little encouragement to Ipceed : so that if he had any project, he did not limke it known to me. Not long after my last interview with Father , And when I presumed 1^^ must have been peback to Canada, I formed the resolution one j4iy bficalling on Mrs. B., of wljom^fciad spoken roch favorable terms. I found t&e house in Ifhich she had lodgings without di6Sculty j and, on lintroducing myself to her, met with a very kind and ^endly reception, t had been afraid to go th^re " Father Phelan, or during his stay in the city, alone, because it :wa8 a place he had recom- , ied, lest some plan might have been formed to im into his power. I never, I believe, thought [Jbing to any house which he propo;Bed, without >refiection that I might have my mouth sto]^^ ftilh a plaster, or in some other ^^.^., " '^ "-aS i3. ..- - "?>f 1 <' 16 , f ft ATTmrTf TO ABDUCT •s Mrs. B.. expressed piii|^~|ntere8t in me; biuIImi friendly reception induced me to speak of my owii afiairs and feelings with perfect frankness, in a pri- ▼ate interviow she gave me in a room by our^1y«t When she heard my expressions of anxiety, about the results of my publication, shaad^ifed me to pro> ceed no further, but to give up |J[l. And this she urged, not on the ground t^hat it wstpld '^jure the ])riest8, but n||prely as what was expedient for myiei( She did not ^estion*the truth of any part ef mj story— ifigr from it, she appeared to admit and believi It jall,imd to entertam feelings of great enmity agaiiut the priests. But she remarked that I had dono much, ^deed quite as much as anybody could nt aonably ^^}ect of me ; and now I ought to withdnil frpm a situation that exposed me to many unplea»[ ant things, and tempted those around me to make fiilse professions of regard for my interests, that they ^ight gain something for themselves.. She told me that if I ivas disposed to Iiv« with her, I should enjoy all the advantages of retirement and comibit; and she would undeitake to ensure me a pleoaaat home as long as. I should wish to remain. '*' She went on to say, that if I would consent, the I would take a house anywhere out of New Toik, and make Father Phehm furnish the mone^ necei* tary for our expenses, saying, however, that I need ttot go tt':r^:T^ -»?^s M^MiA MOVI./ %r JABtheo BT^ed me to bring away my child from my |iiiiging8, and |ro directly to hef . She was unable, lte««TQr, to get toy promise out of me ; for although Tl Wieved jher sincere in her professions of friend- mipi I fi9lt some fears of trusting myself Wholly in lib power of any atranger devoted to the Roman iQitholic feith ^ , - I once conversed with her abiut my n^other's JlftlaviL She offered to w^iteio her, as an old ac-_ l^tancifr, to inakc inquiries on the subject. ^ tiihad another interview with Mrs. B. soon Sfter publication of my book, when she pointed out • llBTSial little things wliich she considered as inaccu- Inte or inconsistent • and when the Montreal affida- . iRli came out, she tpld me they would probably ruin Ike work, by convincing the public that it was^felse. I had some conversationxwith her, some/ time si^b- iquently to.thjs^ on the expediency of having some- Ina to take charge of my ^rs ; when she pro- l|o«ed her husband. When I objected to him as a Ipenon unknown out of his immediate sphere^ she laoned disposed ; and when I mentioned the name rgyf^mwho I thought might possibly un- jifertake the task, «he expressed anger, and said if I jtaMted ^n I B^ouJd- be a beggar-^it would be Ijnmping from the frying pan into the fire-and she Iwnit qji abusing me in rather severe terms. She |j^, • .1 ip ^ n it-M"^ '■,-m '^rwrnss^^.' V k •"■ • ■•"AV'^'^^V^- ATTEMPTS to AIdVOT r f ft': ..♦;, CHAPTER III. Letter from Father Phelan to a friend— His proposlUou reitented- A letter from my meto-ais antral In New ^<»fc->IiiterTiewt«ii Some time*i^er this, (how long I do not know with precision,) I received an invitation from Mrs. B. to call at her house. I complied, when she showed me a letter from Father Phelan, in whicJi he invitfid me to go to Canada. I examined the Irt- ter,and had reason to believe it was from him, partly because it contained an expression, (" cher cceur"— dear heart,) in the first sentence, which was alluded to at the close as a mark of its genuineness, and which I felt confident no ^eri^ii bA he would have used, as it was one which .hdiigdofteiuntroduced in cqtivor* ration in the Nunnery. Mrs. B. then told me she had received a reply to her letter to my niother, in which she declared that she had neither written nor signed the affidawl which was published as hers ; but that she had Iwi prevailed oh by the agency of some of the priests to allow it to go out uncontradicted — some person hir- ing written and published it in her name. She then produced the letter and ithowed it to me; tmd Im cognised my mother's handwriting, which is veit r^peculiar, and almost impossible to be mistakea She, howeyer, refoBgd^Jg jet jpue carry ftwa* .?uikf the letters. > . J**-. "jf*. jSe'*.k fc. JIABjiijIONK. , iff-I-W ■« flhe th«i urged ifle to apply to Father |>helaii. nd. notmthstandiirg tiy unwillingness, wrote an iMwer. which sKe insisted on my signitig, thotigh it eontained nothing that appeared to me of much im- pwtonce. Oh Other occasions she showed me more Itaa one letter from Father Phelan. in which some- mg was commonly said of me or my affairs : but tog all this time I maintained an unshaken reso- htem never to trust myself in his power, j^to con- mbj m any person who I mig^it suspeW beimr Confederate with him. I; It|iappened.that owing to circumstances similar to fpme I have before detailed, some time in the \m^ of May 1836. 1 made up my mind, that I Abetter withdraw, if possible, from the exci^ Ndtnaktb which I had been so long suyect. tod «toe mto obscurity in some country place, where I mlm^L^Zj^^ui^^ r thought that'l W perhaps done all my duty^I had revealed as \mh as would be believed. In this^strife of mind. llDaturally recalled a flattering offer made to me by ttuncle one day. in August, 1835. during my visit IJ Mcmtreal. after my exertions to bring my c4^ W) t legal investigation had feUed. I th6uffht I Hht safely apply to bim. I accordingly Wrote Vm a I^r. requeuing him, if he could, to come to m^OTk md remove me to some retreat such as imve ^escnbed ; and taking it to Mrs. B's. asked 11^ ttf forward it for me to Canada. This was a ^^'^ Father P^l an had n e v e r p rop o so A e r iunted atj and ona wiuch, I presumed, he <■• t-J^ ^S^feM^^^^^^#lilm& '■:'%vmfmi*ir»-- ^ ATtBMPTfl TO ABOVOT R.ii would not be likely to approve o£ It was one which I thouglit would efiectually secure tne from the power of the priests, of whom I felt as mucb dread as ever. If Father Phelan had even made the most distant suggestion in favor of it, that alone would have been sufficient to "deter me from deciding upon its adoption. Mrs. B. took my letter with readiness, and promi^ toforward it to Canada. After a few days, I called again, when Mrs. B. gave me a letter from my uncle, in which he ac- knowledged the receipt of mine, and expressed bis willingness to comply with my wishes, but said I had written in such a manner that he apprehended j I might change my mind, and wished me to write again if I adhered to my intention. He added, that: he had sent on money, and Mrs. B. could accompany me part of the way to Montreab^ I wrote again, accordingly, repeating the former request^ but de* daring that I could never consent to trust myself in Canada, and received an answer to that letter also, m which my uncle still ei^essed dlDubts of the firm- ness of my purpose, and reffuested that I would still write once more, sajring, on the r^eipt of my letter be would immediately set out for New York. Proml ihetime when I made up my mind pretty deci to go, I began to speak of it freely with someof ffl)f| New York friends ; but they opposed me, and a^| gued with me againsiit V I happened to call once more at Mrs. B's, too sdbn^l kn I knew, for my liist letter to bring falm from Uoa\ my unei6 *^- li^lilcl. ■m £ ■ :^ X MARIA MONK. 21 I towh. I replied that I could not believe it ; soon /which she said he was in sight in the street, la person entered directly afterwards, whom 1 ydsed as him. My feelings ahnost overcame IB& Whatever was the cause, I was quite unable Ito speak, and could hardly stand. His unexpected |i|^rance in so sudden a manner, filled my mind jffith many painful thoughts and apprehensions ; ani jl immediately began to. realize that I had in fact* a Igntt repugnance to a s^ep which I. had before con- liidered as easy and pleasant. Some of my friends ly solemnly warned me against trusting myself in Ititt power of any one from Canada, without some food security ; and the thought of what might be my j&tein case I should, when too late, find my confi- l&nee betrayed, quite overpowered me. At the same |lio^ the sight of a person just from Montreal, re- jiiwd many of the most distressing recollections. I IwisaUe at length to master my feelings, and en- l|«ged in conversation with my uncle. j He spoke as if he expected to take me off without 1%, and appeared surprised when I expressed a UmU of being ready immediately. After conversing llfetker for a tune in the house, we walked out, and "-'rred at leisure on several topics interesting to He told me, that idthough he had at firsi jht only of having me with him at his residence Um Montreal, as I preferred not to return there^ H was willing to fihunge bis abode; and would i^— re to Vergennes, in Vermont, if I chose. Being kbchfilor, he <:ould easily change hil residence; ^i t • .^ifef w'^'-* r '•^ .*! p-^- m. \ .■?'^- •M. 82 ATT|UIPT8 TO ABDUOT and he was jdlJUng^ tajcq^eatOc^-me the pro he had made to me while in Montrail kst sumrnT^ viz. to support me and my child for life, givei the care of his household, in place of his hoa, keeper, without requiring me to contradict any th« I ^MicJ. although I had now published a book,wj, then had onlymadean affidavit The only conditio! he would require of me, was, that I should hpn^foi be silent about those things which had given me «, much trouble, and never publish any thing mot about tV Nunnery. He seemed te think thati should thus save myself much vexation and anxietyj not intimating at all that he wished me to be sile on account of the priests, whose part he did not pr tend to take. So fer, indeed, was my uncle fi appearing as their advocate, that he. cursed tt« whenever they were spoken of; and seemed to hav lipt much better opinion of them than I had. He spoke also of my book, and of the measnr taken in relation to it, as well as of my being a w in Chancery, with such femili^ty as to surprise u He informed me that he had made many inquirift on these subjects,* mentioning bookstores at whici he had called, individuals with whwn he had eon versed on different points, without letting them i pect who he wias, and documents to which he « had access; and claimed to know more of some *. my concerns than I did myielf All this showed i geat int eres t in me ; and i; natmaliy to his. regard for his Unfortunate niec* Hfe toJd that the result of hii^inqmiries into my aflWrt. •Jibuti KARUMONt. 'SPl" ;■# « ,««;! n rl had l)laced too much confidence m oeveral -ws; who, under feir pretences, had gained great atages to themselres ; and from that time after- a, he occasionally^threw out insinuations against 6f those T^hom I had most confided in, with mention of circumstances to which he gave an iivorable aspect^Thjs might arise, I thought, n his partiahty for me, and I was disposed to CBse him, as he was not acquainted with those -HIS, and I could not prevail on him to be intro- to them. ^Before my uncle parted from me, he told me I "ght say, if any of my friends inquired about him 4he was soon going to New' Haven for nine days* jwent to within a short distance of my lodgings Ithen appointed to meet me the next day at a tte m Chrystie street, where I understood lodged |Mi8s F a friend of Mrs. B. Some of my friends "H)m I mformed of my interview with my uncle, re mcredulous, thinking it was not himself, be- f Apprehensive that some plao m^ on foot to get imto the power of my enemies. They therefore «M to put some impediments in my way, object- r to my leaving home, and endeavoring to amuse m the house. The next day, however. I called ^ house indicated by my uncle, where I found '^F. m company with my uncle and two other one of whom, a tall man. somewhat lame, I -aised as Mr. F.. hw brother. This man I had illy seen in my chOdhood. at my mother^ >1 *s>^ m A- i 4|r ▲TTIMPTS TO ABDVdT in Monacal, but never kneV mueh about him, wlietber be had any profession. His sister, who is a mantuamaker, is a Canadia by birth and education, and has numerous and spectable family connexions in Canada. . One of J cousins, I know, is a priest ; ao^ I might have the same of Mrs. B. How long Miss F. has Htc in New York; I do not know. She boards in Protestant family, as I soon discovered, as he quested us to speak nothing but French, for fear! might become known to those in the house. \ f !„•««* ,..; ■fr- ' ■^/.:. t.Mai % ^m' -■' ,'H-. MARUMONK. CHAPTER IV. Arrival of Mvent Canadian*— Interviews witl» them. I HAP but a short 'interview with my uncle that y, and soon returned home, without speaking to * er of the other men. I asked him, however, who were, and he informed me that they had lately riyed from Ctmada, on a mere visit I inquired ther they came with him ; and I now remember 1 he did riot answer, hut spoke of something else. I next day, as I was walking in that part of the f, I was met by those two men, who addressed toe cordiality; saying, they had learned from my cle ttiat I intended to" leave the city and live with They said he was a good man, and they jht it would be a wise step*on my part I odd by all means accept of his propositions ; but I ought to avoid the Catholics. "But,'^ said I, |iriat are you but Catholics ?" They smiled, arid ered, *• Ah, but we are not such ^ you need to *— we don't count ourselves Catholics." They toW me that my uncle wouM perhaps want tm me occasionally^ if I did not go at once ; and ' to fix on some way in which he might I me information. Thejr thought the best means bft^ by Writing, mud lettving^^k Qotr itt^^ranv^ I and convenient place. They said it would be mot to J^ve my uncle introduced to n^ friend^ ; \ V \ i ' ^r. m 'MMiM ■.:-H l,'.» f:#- ■ I s ■J r. 'i ) ¥■1 . m ATTBMPTB TO ABDUCT because they would probably wish to prevent departure. All this time they did not urge me to go, but ( .stantly spoke of my journey as of what 1 had fn determined on, and on which they would not inj ence me, except so far as to express their approl, tion of my decision; and to say, that the soond went, the better it would be for ma Before theyl me, they mentioned that one or two other Canadii were^in the city, whom they thought I might li to see. I made no objection to seeing them, as tb said tfeey felt a friendly interest in me, and would pleased to have an interview* They told me also, that while I remain^ whe I was, they, as well wT my uncle, would (eel ma anxiety for me, and would wish to be assured of i welfare very frequently; for they had so bad, opmion of those who professed so much friendsi for me, that theyMieved they had very evil desi and would be glad to murder mo. I could not suade them that this was out of the question, « they insisted that in order to satisfy them, they ma have some way in which they could ascertain fi time to time whether I was stiU in my present Ic- ings, and alive and well. They proposed that] lOiouId spend much of my timf^n my chamber, window of which they got jner to point out to thei. and to appear at it whenever I might see my uncle( ^either of them passing. In case they lWjd,any i iheir hands in passing, two irtliree tifWe^ oiiifj »' t fcM'h: ■'% » H:-' ■' « UA±1A UOMK, 87 r weather continued, they would open their urn- tllas once or twice, as a signal, so that I might tean opportunity to visit the spot agreed on for |(teposite of their notes, and so ascertain where I when they might wish me to Ipeak with them, riiad made up my mind so decidedly in favor of T! ^7 York and placing myself under my icle 6 protection, that I gave several of my friends t^y to understand that such was my intention, rlhaye ^fore stated. Fearing that their mis^ Hfed kindness (as I then considered it) might . embarrass^ients in my way, I howeVer did not d to communicate to them the eiact period I mtended to leave them. Indeed, I did not y«lf agree with ray uncle on any precise day and «.r. until a few days beforehand. He passed m v \fpngs on Sunday, the 22d of May, and stopped to Bwse with me. We then pitched upon We W M^e 25th of May. at - o'clock in the aftei^noon. ttliat time I was to meet him at Mrs. B's; or if « thmg prevented, I was to go where I could imy child, and such of my dothes as I could r with me. when he would be prepared soon to w me beyond the reach of pursuit or inquiry. md been under much excitement and disquietude Iminy days, and my trouble only increased as the "Mdapproached. I bad done miich to try the friend- I of those around me, who had argued with me " tthe intentionslhad avow^Hli but tb*"'- intereat W^ncft socooled but they continue4to watch me iljkekind precautions to prevent my elo^mt i ^f ff . ii,'"-''-*^M 28 ATTBIIPTS TO ABDVOT I- 4 m I did not inform them when;,! intended to set oat | on my journey, but they had a suspiciorl-of It I was at home on the afternoon of Sunday, May! 22, and while I was sitting at the parlor window, my uncle and another man stopped before me on the sidewalk, and began to talk with me. My uncle proposed to me to leave ihe house and go withl him. He said, Mr. S. is now in church, you can! come ajs well as not I replied that I would not gol without my child. He inquired where it was, and] I told him ft girl had taken it to Williamsburgh. Hel made particular inquiries about the time when shel was to return, the way, and the appearance and dreal of the girl, to which i readily replied. He theij soon left me, with his companion. Afbr sjtim^r^e girl returned with my babe \ ancl of her own accord began to tell us that she had bee&j much ala]rmed by the conduct of a man wl " accosted her on board the ferry boat She dc him in such a way as to convince me that it coald be nobody but my uncl^. He had approached herj spoke of the child, offered to take it in his called it his own, spoke to it, played with it, was hardly to be prevented from taking it away from her. She w^ unwilling to .give its mothei*! name in the boat, and suppressed it, but refused i part with, it, saying she was not permitted to leti stranger take it The manr however, at length ' came so urgent, that she was obliged to tell ^ewould certainly cidl^r help ifhe^^d-Qpti j.Jti ''4^, ^- ^ .» ™;^i kV- ^\ ^^\.^^.,i-% • ■'«■*.* M«^»3WiJri»w»«#;-*^fiaiiw*T^'. I " IIARI4 MOl^K. .90 CHAPTER V. _^irrtngementa to leave New York-Accldenfal defeat of my pUn»- MtappdnUnent— AlarmiDc lnt«lligeiic«>-The secret operatidns vt ;|greoeuiies exposed. thin not inform my friends of the time we had sreed on for my departure, for that I feared would kirely defeat my intention. I sometimes felt a little *kbt of the kindness of their feelings, so many nputations had been cast upon their motives by my Dcleand his acquaintances. Even when I believed 'm sincere, I thought they misjudged concerning rreal interests. From something that took place, 1 1 since have learned, my friends were very suspi- Twthat I intended to \e&v6 them on Wednesday; Ithey were doubly watchful of me that day. ' ^thowing my Unwillingness to be separated from fbabe, they felt little^ uneasiness about my learing ^^80 long as they had. her in their possession ; found an opportunity to Vo round to Mrs. B's 3 o'clock on Wednesday, to request n^y de'to wait for me in a carriage at a near point, it would" be mpre convenient to join him in juarters of an hour. I then set off for home Nt my babe, he accompanying jne a part of the ' ^ I stopped a little in Grand street, to wait foif fcteinibus, when I felt a wish to see a family onqj * ^^^o^ JgP^ce w as near, and ftpm whntTi I „ FfSfcei^maiiy tharks of disinterested kindnes*. '-tit in and told therp I had called to take leaver ^:l 4\'"'"' »v*^^ 'i m M ID "M ATTBMFTt Tg ABOVOT «• I exf^cted soon *o )eaye New York, were a little apprehensive, as I since have Ic t^t I^ght then be 0|eI the eve of my departure, i wishing to detain me as long as possible, urged to 9it again when I rose to depart Their urgen wils so strong that 1 complied, and twice aftei yinu persuaded again to seat mysel£ At lengilij got away, and h^tftened home to get my infant; here I had to encounter a new delay. Two of female acquaintances were in the house alone; when I er^t^ed 1 hoped they would not oppose tai wishes. . To my disappointment, however, they mad decided opposition to my getting possession of mi childi gotod-naturedly^Ms true and with every ei ' pression of interest iivver and myself, but so resoloid ly that^I could do nothiiig'. At length, after an houi'j delay, I got my babe into my arms, and proceisde , to tbe comer of Avenue D and Houston street, wii I yfaa to have met my uncle about two hours beibn lie ylraE not there, but I presumed had got wea of waiting for me, and perhaps becoming su^iciou / of my intentions, might have gone awaj At a corner not 1ar|^ I was accostc the Can^ians I hiive before spoken such wfta the excitementiicpC my 'feelings, I MMeii(i)]i^r which they werft. ^ T^ey toW me ^^ ' ^ d been waiting for me«6t Retime appoint y Tfere wiping to go and request himj at the same tiipe ad visii i buSr - TWy ig» ha»te, and I was , on the point ^ im^' I* ./ ^ If ARIA HONK. n. SI ig them.' at onc6 in the first omnibus I could wh^n it occurred io me that I had better return a momen ily arran mthe M ^clothes, which I had previ- ^th me. . I therefore called a wtiman who^i^I had occasion- md i^uested permission 'to leave ^ my Jih^ipPS^foi; ijt few moments, till I could return s, adding lofnething else which I do ^ot very inctly recollect. She not only consented to this^ ; expressed a willingness to go and help me bring ly my clothes, when she understood/that 1 had I one to assist me in carrying them. Xjeaving my Uld, therefore, we proceeded togethei^ to my lodg- er; but on retohmg thetn, I found tha^my depar- with my^in&nt hi^^ caused much«eKcitement Ig my friends. One of them hsid already gone ^fte police to prevent, if possible, my departure the city ; and the news had been communicated jfmneof the newspaper offic<3s, under the full persua- that I had beenuiisuspectingly decoyed into the trer of my enemies, and that, if I were once got out I city, I should probably never again be heard of. Thelpis^kindifemales whom I again found alone fte nouse, were therefore rejoiced to see me , but they were much more i^olute than before ring my wishes. One of them stepped out ealled her brother to her aid, who prom^rtly and interposed such impediments to my leav- f the house that I found myself again disappointed, , tfaougfa-vrtlieiime with pain ISd r e- ^^ to abandon the plan ^I, as well as others, had such trouble to accomplish; •' ^ * t*J^.,*^.'»*<^-^ n^me.' wseil ■■^, .i -It ^ AT-TEK^TS TO ABDUCT I afterwards learnt that some of my friends, wl had ^eard from me that my uncle and other per from Canada, were making arrangements for departurie from New York, had consulted on hank thein apprehended. Application was first madei one of the city magistrates, but he gave it as opinion that whatever suspicion might be had,tl)ev| was not evidence enough to act upon. A was consulted by another of my friends, wfio recon mended the immediate adoption of measures for the apprehension ; in consequence of which, he appli at the upper police. The magistrate) after hear the state of things, thought the circumstances ve strong, and that they gave room to presume tbatj serious plot bad been formed to get me away, called the next day to converse with me, accon nied by another person ; but when he had consider^ the circumstances at leisure, he remarked tbatl' appeared to have kept just vtfithin^the bounds of til and never to have transgressed, so that they hadi committed any overt act which might have render them amenable. He expressed surprise at theti dence he found of their caution, and said it clear to him that t^ey had heen acting under ^r rate advice. ' I confess that it was pleasing to me, that were not to 1)6 proceeded against ; for it was painfij to think of having persons arrested on a -charge, with whom It had hbo recently heOTf^»( of apparent mutual confidence. I still continued firm in the belief thiat the pr *,*«* r % jj MARIA VOITK. 88 made by my uncle, and warmly approved the Canadians I had so often met, were in feith, and dictated by a sincere interest in my re. I fully believed their story, as they had itedly declared it, viz.: that the plan originated my uncle when I was last in Montreal; that ber his Canadian companions nor any one else I known of it, or had any interest in carrying it jkroagh ; that it was entirely owing to accident that J uncle had met with any of his acquaintances in- w York ; and that the pains they had taken to in- ! me to accede to his wish, grew out of their iidly disposition towards me. An occurrence took place, however, a short time ■ f the events which I have narrated above, which need a sudden and very powerful change in my igs. An evening or two after the disappoint- ;of my plans, a gentleman called on me, with om I had been acquainted for several months, liin whose character I had reason to place entire lidfence. He made some remarks, and asked or four questions which filled me with sur- I at once perceived that he had some knpw- gfe of the Canadians I had conversed with, which dy but an intimate acquaintance could have aunicated. It is not my design here to convey |j«iticular account of this interview^ as the time luot yet arrived when it will be proper to do so. '" oidywidrthatTOiinfeTiriwitences iiiy friend"" iuced several expressions which had fiillen ^the lips of the Canadians in my hearing, luid ddsM'^. f 1,' "^ at'i 'uif 't^as .V. '-•y 8l ATTEMPTS TO ABDUCT alluded to a few circumstances to which they also] had alluded ; and although both the expressions andl the circumstajBces would have been, of themselves,] unworthy of any serious regard, in the connexion in which they came up, they convinced me, in most serious and cogent manner, that I had but jus escaped a deep laid and dangerous plot. One ml ject to which allusion was thus blindly made wa the same to which the Canadian already mentione had alluded in a private interview with me. shuddered; for I saw, to my own entire convictioi that thfe Seventeen Canadians, instead of being mj friendSj 'and merely casual visiters in New York had come here only for the purpose -ef inveigling me back into the power of nly enemies ; and tha they had been for many days practising profoi duplicity merely for the purpose of deceiving Even if this, though strongly indicated, was not i| fact fiilly proved, yet I had unquestionable evidei that the person from whom the question!^ proj to me had proceeded, must be intimately acquaint with the character and intentions, the motives plans of the Canadian troop— and I turned, with I deepest solicitude, to my friend, to inquire what in£ mation he had of them and their operations, my questions he replied, with solemn declaratio that I had hardy escaped from a^lot which been long maturing in Montreal ; /and that the in vidual primtMfily enga ged in dp ecting its ace "plishment; had acted uMer nTeyroiiupi oTa m t>f fifteen thousand dollars in ciise oflUccess. ■jff'fi i' MARIA mOfSK, 35 --i- Chapter vi. fled'. book-I„,.„u„„ W conS»Xtei7S »^°'""'°°"''"'" ft^E the publication of my first edition, I have ^ffl&rent thing, brought U, my memor;, wS h«mg a conversation I had in March tast, with Jll "'":'l" "' ''*'' ^O''^' "ho by «> kindly limy hfe a. I believe, and introduced me to the kou«s he recalled to my mind a paper wh ch *lin my hand when he found me in Tfierd j t^r„r<-"':" T' ■" "y 8<^"«'. because I «» hmk of at He mentions, in his affidavit. » I found he was resolved to remove me. i V^t "P"r ."•"'' *" I was soon to die. In. l^ough I have fel, inwiUing to declare it "^ ^ "tent'on JiadJ)eeB-4a- die by staiv,. TAe lonely place where I h JtakeT™, ««• Sometimes this resolution foiled me fori i-.-?-"*' * 8(1 ATTEXPTt TO ABDirCI' * ■ '^t;'.' time, and I would eat, ai^ even send the little boyj who visited me, to buy a fi^w cakes. Sometimes, ako^j I thought of destroying/my life by other means ; bu still thinkfog it would/have some merit in the sigb of Ood, to disclose the worst of the crimes I had nessed in the Nubne^, I determined to leave bel me a recoird which i^ight be picked up after my de whenever and however that event might come up me. I therefore lone day sent Tommy to buy me son paper; and, ^derstanding I wanted to write, brought me ^ inkstand and pen, as I believe his mother's/house. I wrote a brief statement off upon the fi^per, and folded it, I believe, in ttie for of a letter/after signing it, as I think, with my Ghraj tian name only, " Maria." This was the paper wl Mr. Hilliker endeavored to obtain, and wMch Itoi to prevent it from being seen, when I thought de was not so near as I had supposed. The Sunday before the birth of my child, I wrotOi with similar feelings, and in a similar ^i{ and hid the paper. But I afterwards took it and burnt it , While I was in the Asylum, a gentleman had Miss Reed's book, (" Six Months in a Convent, read some passages in my presence, which irrit me so much that I spoke to him with passion, i I fear filmost insulted him. I had never heaidl such a person or such a book before, Jbut I belie every thing I lieard, because it corresponded withi own experience, so fa r a s it Aat moinent, that it was wrong to make known i ,ni,-it i > i ,^i«JaUi -v ^m- ^yW^^!^ vl 1^1 ■URIA MOITK. X ' & .Chureb: m such «, unsetded state did mv wy evident to me, however, that the institution •uL^t n":1T *"• """^^''y-^iffe'ent C pwacK JXunnery, as it was far §^m bpino- .« ll«?n ,n « too short a time to learn all; and be »^be,ng onlya novice, it was imposs ble ,h« ■ . *odd be luUy acquainted with IZyih^ «k are communicated only to nuns. ^ ^. K "^ i" ** "^'y'""' I '"'d once mad'e uo ►■"*' to <=»»fe«> to Mr. Conroy, after re^lf I mnlations and threii(«n.»» receiving .irlv urmrf t. '"'e^tomng messages, being l11» b^fritH^""^.'"? '^"?'""*'y «" «•«. IMufn^ ™! ' ^.° """i f'"" P^"« to instruct h^fluence me anght When I had decided on Wthe summons of the priest, Mrs. Neil came Nect, and impressed it upon mv mind ,L?? ,^ ^o P<"^ «nd authority over me were ^ "nfidence m priests than in God AlmigSy "^ "• **' I had rights, and had frfenX »««> ,1,!'^'"'' *"'"'' '' **"" to oonvince »!■«..*»« Protestant, rfthe truth of my «o^ * * .:?# '^[i. . '. ■ iL .' ^■^^ . k ATTEMPTS TO ABDUCT if they come to me with doubts or even unbelie Since the first appearance of my book, I have ceived visits from a great number of persons in con . seqi^nce.'of what they had seen or heard of its con te0ts ; and among these have been a consider^bll liumber of Catholics. While I am able to say thaf I have) had the satis&ction of removing all doul from the minds of some Frot^tants whom I \m\ seen, I inust confess that in general I have receive the greatest satisfaction from interviews with intel gent Catholics. The reason of this is, that I knoi better hbw to treat the latter in argument. HaviDJ - been one myself, I know- where their difficulti^ lie, how to appeal to their own minds, andJioj to lead them to correct conclusions. Perhaps 1 ca best convey my meaning to my readers, by giving! brief account of some of the interviews alluded I There is an interesting little girl whom I bail repeatedly conversed -with, (the daughter of an ignj rant Catholic woman,) who has enjoyed some oft advantages of instruction in the. scriptures, and mits with extr^ne reluctance to the ceremom^ which her tnother requires her to pertbrm, in co pliance with .the requisitions of her priest. She lieves my book, and she has reason for it She acknowledged to roe, though with shame and rela tance, that, when compelled by her mother to confel to Father •••*, in his private room, he has set his arms around her, and often kiated her, refitfi money ifor the usual feet, on the plea that he requires p^y fbr confessing pretty girls. He / ^ ^f;;%f# '. . *. MARIA /k^ONK. the Virgin Mary would leave her if she told of His questions are much the same as I havo ard. All this I can believe, and do believe. I dot say that I tremble for her fete. _ Daring the fiii'st week in March, 1836, 1 r^eived riiait at my lodgings in New York, from a young San, of a Protestant femily in this city, who had ^?ed a Roman Catholid education. She called, ) I understood, at the urgehl Request of her mother] fcowas exceedingly distressed, at her daughter's tention to enter a Canadian nunnery, ftirt of our interview was in private; for she re- "iesled me to retire with her a little time, where I might be alone; and I found her intention was, r certain queries, to satisfy herself whether I had w been a Roman Catholic. She inquired if I old tell any of the questions commonly asked of ja6n in the Confession box; and on my answer- fin the affirmative, she desired me to repeat soine, bich I did. This satisfied her on that pomt ; and fsoon became so far acquaii?ted with the state of her mi as to perceive that she was prepared to avoid 5 influence of every argument that I could use ainst the system to which she had become at- Jied. ^ confessed to me, that she had given five hun- ' dollars to the Cathedral, and a considerable 1 to St. JoSieph's Church, and that she had decided satering a nunneryin Canada.— I inquired Why"" > did not enter one in the United States. To this replied, that she had only one objectidn; lier p^,' >-, 5.w,vj^^A^^;^.v'^A£*^^j. ' p^^^^^u-r « « ^m ATTBMktft TO ABSUCT Cotafessor, Father Pies, having told her that would by no means recommend the latter, and greatly preferred the former, because the priests had entire control over the Canadian nunneries, whicli they had not of those ' in the States. This, and some other parts of our conversation, took place in the presence of other persons: and on hearing thiJ declaration of the priest, the motive of which was^ us so palpable, a lady present laughed outright While we were alone, on her expressing a doul of the crimes I have charged upon the priests, said, but'you admit that they have said and don such and such things, (which I do not like to peat) She signified assent Then^ said I, how to. you pretend that any thing is too bad for them to dol^ I also said, you admit that they have asked you in t Confessiota box. whether you ever wished to coniB bestiality. She replied, •• Yes ; but if we have not i thoughts, there is no harm.'' •• You admit that t have treated you with great familiarity at cotL. sion?" She replied, that she confessed to her pri«u while he sat in a chair, and that he had; -bnq >aid she, "you know a priest is.a holyman,and Dot sin." And Men I pressed her with anott. question, she confessed that her priest had told he she could not be sanctified without having perfora «d an act commonly called criminal, and replied in ^ .similar manner. / ^ She was as hamed or af^id to assert her k\ ^ f^4w some of f he dfein^iFe Bad 1^^ ^ l!^' ^^^^^7 »*><^ etnph^ically demanded of he ■9^ ' ,,% .'^ '"»' • *^^^-???§:. ^ ■■'""" -^ her she did indeed credit them. This was the I with her in regard to the pardon of sins by -s, the existence of purgatory, or a middle r-y f^\ , ^^® of these and other subjects f if she beh^in them: but when I said. " Do n beheve it rlally and truly ?-.you do ?" she in- »bly altered and denied it Uhe spoke of my « Disclosures" as untrue : and I 4 It out of her, that she had conversed with her Trt about me at Confession, who hid assured her \l was^not myself not Maria Monk, but an evU -. m short, the devil in the form of a woman: considerable conversation, however, she ad- 1 that my book was undoubtedly true: but stiU jrefiised to do. a^ I told her she ought after say: [What she had. come-out and be a Prote§tajtii |Sh« informed .me that her Confessoi- had a V desire to see me. and inquired if I would Dt to an interview. I replied, that I would ily agree to see him, in the presence of Dr ownlee, but not alone; and she went away with- lleaving me any reason to hope that she had been teased from the power c^ superstition, or had any teation of gratifying h^r mother, who was so leply distressed at the prospect of her dau^ter's sr- ' m' Jf^ J, i.^^-. •»:% A V CHAPTER I, Recollections of voj Noviciate in the Hotel Dieu Nunnery. ran^aa Miatl While I was a novice, then^as a young of our aumber from the Taiui^^,^ liamed Anp lique Duran^e%]|, with whom I was somewHati quainted, and of whom I had a &vorable opiniol She was about eighteen, and at the time of her^ trance Had every appearance of good health- ter she had been there a considerable time, it be about seven months, (as I know she was not i the.period when she could make her general con sion, that is, at the end of the first year,) I saw i under circumstances which made a strong impn sion on^y mind. I had received a summons from the Superior] attend in the Novices'* sick-room, with several oiii novices. When I entered, I found Fathers Sav and Benin reading a paper, and Miss Durante -^a-ft bed, with a l o^rce peculiar ag^itrto m * A village a few miles from Montreal- At- 11 >> « .*. ''■•-^ s' ■ . "'-^v 43 Her complexion was dark, and pf an unnatu- color, her look strange, and she occasionally tted and conducted very singularly indeed, though ie never spokd. Her whole appearance was such ;to make me think she had lost her^ reason, and nost terrified me. The Superior informed Us that 1 wanted ys as witnesses; and the priests then ling forward,^esented the paper to Miss Duran- 8a,and asked her if she was willing to give all Tproperty to the church^. She replied with a feeble tion of the head and body, and then, having a pen into her hands, \^rote her name to it without ding it, and relapsed into apparent^ unconscious- We were then requested ta add our signa- which being done, we withdrew, as we enter- , I believe without the sick navice having had ajiy owledge of our presence, or of her own actions. I A few hours afterwards I was called to assist in iying out her corpse, which was the first intimation m of her being dead. The Superior, myjcl^ Hone or two other novices, had the whole of this lancholy task to perform, being the only persons Bitted into the apartment where the body lay. IwM swelled very much. We placed it in a cof- S and screwed on the cover alone. On account of Jrtpid change taking plac6 in the corpse, it was ried about twenty four hours after deaths [^<|| jo°g after the burial, two brothers of Miss liV', ttttike to the Convent, "and w^re greatfy when told that she was dead. They com^' of not being informed of her sickness : W y ■' m ■T *^^^ ■^•^* I * 41 blaW mvhnbht. *^y>* the Superior assiired ^em that it was at the ur« request of their w'stef^ who waa possessed of much humility, .that sh^ thought herself unwortl of attracting thi^Hregard of any one, and not fit be lamented even by her nearest friends. •• Wh was she." she had said, .^^cording to the declan tions made by the Superi«?r, "what was she tk she should cause pain to her family ?" This was not the otily occasion on which I wa present at the laying out of th^ dead. I assisted i ^hree other case?. Two of the\ subjects died of con .sumption' or some similar disease; one of who :was an old-cpuntrygirl. and the other a squaw.- ; The latter seemed to fall away froto the time when si came into the nunnery, until she was reduced almo to a shadow. She left to the Convent a large amoB of money. • ■ Several stories were told us at diflferent tiraes^ ^ns who had gone into a state of sanctity in Convent. One, who had excited much attention ai wonder by prophesying, wa? at length found to | in such a condition, a«d was immediately releas from the duty of oMrvingth* common rSles oft, gonvent, as the superior considered her"Authorii pvOT her as having in a maniier ceased. It W^ affirmed that many priests W been\ to heaven, body .wad wul, after death. The foUowing story I was told by som^ ef^ ^W«^and the superior whi k I wag » ngyjeti iiiiidcrrcoasidewm^mpressiim «^^ After catechism one day, a dove appeared m TRAirslATIOlKOFANnN. 45 ■I whfle the nuns were kneeling and engaged in yer. It addressed one of the nuns and the Sime- ». pot only in an audible voice, but in a strin/of ench rhymes, which were repeated to me so often I eamt them almost all by heart, and retain seve- I to this day. - , •• Un grand honncur je vous confere. Auaai a vous, la Superieure." Tlese were the fi« two linea. I„ the sequel the « Informed the audience that in eight day. the « of the nun should be raised to heaven, to join own and that of olher souls in that blessed plL • i apoke of the honor thus to be conferred upon nan. and on the Superior too, who had had Ae mng of one to such a grade of holiness. When the dajr thus designated arrived, a number l^^mbled. with the Superior. ' to wi^^' '«pccted translation; and while they were all "tog around her. she disappeared, her body and I being taken off together to heaven. The win- ' 1 had been previously fastened, yet thei?offer- \1^'' ""'' f " '^' "*" ™'»^ "P"^"-! like M»mn taovmg through the air. The sweetest "wc, as I was assured, accompamgd her e«it, andv toned to sound the remaiBd^Tof the day. with * eharming and irresjstfgre effect, tfcat the usual yons of the^^aiis w ere JMernipted. and all __ it-briaiA j.».,i in conceit" ~ , •>> *J: 3^ 'l^t- ■> * ^i. • ^J ♦' © m B|.ACK NUNNJIl||r« t * CHAPTER II. : Stcfigr of Ann, the S:otch Novice— Letters of herlovcr—The/^,„ deception— Miss Fames— Ann's delermiliatlon to leave the Codh —Means taken to persuade her to stay. There was a young girl, named Ann, who very stout and rather homely, but 9ot of pleasii manners, though of a good disposition, seventeen eighteen years of age, to whom I took a likinl She was a novice with me, and the time of which] am to speak, was not long after I returned from Denis. The Superior also displayed a partiality^ her, and I found she was- much in favor of havii her received as a nun, if it could be accomplishe, She was very handy at differwit kinds of work ; an] what I believe chiefly induced me to regard with kindness, she was a fatherless and motherle child. She had a beau in town, who one called to see her at the nunnery, when she goigg to confession. . I was with the Superior at the time, who, ont ing informed that the youtig man was there, aod{ his errand, requested me to go into the parlor her, to meet him. He put into the Superior's a parcel and three tetters^ requesting her to gij them to Ann. She took them, with an expi jfjMgPkwidhegityrey^ a a h e h ad ., Ann came hurrying mto the parlor, saying some onci had told her that the Superior hadjptti "M. <# *, ,y •*4« *# J^ I ';^ AM If, THl NOTIOS. 4T ^Tlie Superior rebuked her sharply, and sent rteck, without, however, showing her what she ^promised to give her. Ann said, that she had *5r8tood a young man (mentioning her visiter) reaJled to see her. This the Superior denied Dg her never to come till she was wanted, to Ann had gohe, the Superior told me to go 1 her to her room, which I did. She there^first e me promise never to tell of what she was go. kfr do, and then produced the letters and package Ibgau to open them. One of the letters, I re-' fcber, was folded in a singular manner, and fast- *«nth three seals. In the parcel was fouii4 a Nture of the young man, a pair of ear rings, a N pm and something else, what, I have now for- t The letters were addressed to her by her ff, Who advised her by all means to IeW6 th^ mt He informed her that a cousin of hers, a ^», had arrived from Scotland, who was in want Uoasekeeper; and urged her to live with him, hmr rfenouttce the Protestant religion in which Iflad been brought up. ms surprised that th« Superior should do what il^. ^'^ ^^^^ ^^^ despicable ; but she re- Wed 11 as perfectly justifiable on account of the rwhich she had in view. - Nsideted inyself as bound to be particularly *** ^^ *^« SiH)erioi;, jn ordiar that I might make > aer, by Miss Bousquier, who. as I have imii^ m the sequel oT my first volume, had shown ,«..,; .'.»i ^ i^^' i/^ y,f4 i^^t^^if'"^ "^ 48 dLAOK ifVNNERV. ^■». me an evidence of her friendship by recommendiij * me to Eer, and becoming, in some sense, tespon , ble for my good conduct, to inducei her to receij me back into the nunnery. Thi?was a strong rq son for my complying with the Superior'p wish the case of which I am speaking. Since I have alluded here to the period of my i turn to the Convent, I may remark that the Suf or took some pains to ascertain, by her own inqJ ries, whether there was substantial reason for i«[ ance OQ the favorable opinion expressed to herj me by Miss Bousquier. I recollect particularly inquiring of me whom I had conversed with, wh at St. Denis, to persuade them to enter the Bla ' Nunnery.: for Mi^ Bousquier, I understood, informed her that I had shown my attachrnent to i Hotel EMeu, by making &vorable representationsl it while with her engaged in keeping school. the Superior's inquiries I replied, that I had ur little Gueroutte to become a nun. She was daughter of Jean Richard, as be was &milta called, to distinguish him from a number of otlj men of nearly the same name : for he had ei sive family connexions in that plaoe. He li^ < poaite Miss Bousquier, so that I had had frequent^ ^'^)ortunitie8 to converse with bis daughter. But not to detain my readers longer on thisj gretsion, I will return to my otory and poor the Scotch girl. Having received particular ina ^^^"W# Kill the isapi^torr I i^niMf^^ g0linto her cqfnfid^ace, for th# purpose of inf >* '■ V VM' AKN, TBK NOTieX. ^ lier to take the veil, and to proceed in accord- \ with the directions given me. The Superior I me by no means to make any approaches to her lice, nor indeed for some time, lest she should ct our design,; but to wait awhile, until she aid have no reason to think my movements might re grown out of the circumstances above mention- i: for Ann appeared to be uncommonly penetrating, I the Superior remarked; and of course much cau- "1 was necessary in detiling with her. Some time, sequentl^, therefore, I cannot tell exactly -how ?. I engaged in conversation with her one day, (the course erf which she remarked that Miss s, a confidential friend of hers, w^o had spent rt time in the nunnery some time before, waiS 1 coming back. [This Miss Fams had come in on trial, while I ym the Convent, and I had often heard the Su- per say, that she must b#separated from Ann, ^Tise they were so much together, and so often dng the rules. Ann now told me in confi- B^that her friend was cpming back, not with r real intention of staying, but only f^tlfe pur- «of giving her some information fevorable^o her- Iwlnchahe had obtained. This she wished to lie fully possessed of before she would decide "er to leave the Convent or not. this I communicated to the Superior, who jeg an to look fo r Miss Fams' retur n, with a ao Vftim Mt wTth every appwirance of She pfteB» in the mean time, imve me Ut- .n. in is' i Ji: -Ik #^-;-,1 I"- i t \ 00 BLACK NVNNlBlkT. -4 tie deUcacies, jnth direc^ionsj to share them Ann. Miss F^ids soon prol^ted herself for . admission, ana was admitted without any difBcoIt not being required even to change her dress. Th occurred, as nearly as I can recollect, about weeks after the afiair of intercepting A^n's letter mentioned a few pages back, and somewhere aboij the close of summer, or the beginning of autumn. Being, allowed to do pretty much as they chc Ann and her friend were much together, and gei eralljr engaged in deep conversation : so that, as Superior declared, it was evident they were formiii some plan for secret operations. I tried sevei times to get riear and overhear what they were ing about : but I could not learn any thing. Ti next day Miss Farns departed, saying she never i^ tended to return; which o^nded the Superior much, that she said she would haye |he doors si if she ever came again. * ■' The same evening Ann requested me to tell Superior, that she wished t^ get her clothes, she might leave the Convent. I went to the St ribr*s room, where I found Father Benin sitting! the sofa talking with her. When they were infbi of Ann's message, the Superior said, she Would ij the girl go at once back to the world, and be gi\ up to the devil. Benin argued a good deal agaii thiis. The Superior replied, that she had set thei riups lit work, but without 8uccees| they had mm aHelTTSKienci Anil ar the desiredy ~ wttsll shame to keep such a creature within #^# V . »?. ' #^M!?v t^^fbuAm. \'S C" ^•"."X; '■ AHM, TBS NOVIC«. Bi I. to make the flock discontented. At length edecf^ed dnthe course to pursue; and turning me, said : take her up stairs, give her her clothes, t argue with her, in favor of remaining in the Con- int, hut at the same time tell her, that I am indif- itahout it, and care not whether she goes or lys. ' ( I accordingly returned td Ann, and telling her that might follow me up stairs and get her clothes, thfi way, and delivered them to her. In obedi- to my orders, I lost no time in representing iptentions to depart from our holy residence as insinuation of the devil; and told her that he trying his best to draw her out into the world, It he might secure her for hiihself. htqld her that h&d a strong hold uppn her, and she Jught to use greater exertions to resist his temptations; that Superior thought it might be' better on the whole, frfie departed, because her influence might be very prious to others if she Ifemaine^; yet that I felt a jejp interest in her, and could not b^ir to have her ijrm her intention, because I well knew that her wing off the^ holy dress that she then wore, to her former one, would be the first step towards [nation. * •^ You need pot talk so to me," replied Ann, " you fre^one the same yourself" I told her t|iat if I had, ' lived to regret it, and was glad to get hack " the Convent agai n. After a whilp an old nun . t^caJled me aside, and said the Superior ' me to continue talking, with Ann; ai|d, in m 'IIj'"' *<■ |te. . tAa,' '.I T V I, t ^ ^ ini til ^m rm * w ' f 'M ill ^.i '^^ i i# i: .f* 52 * BI.AOKNVNNEST. cafie I should prevail with her to remain, to her go dovm and beg pardon for the scaniial had caused by her conduct, and ask to be take] back again into the flock of the good shepherd, the Superior was often called. Poor Ann at length began to listen to me; and got her to' repeat to me all that Miss Farns had said her during her late short visit to the nunnery. Til amount of it was, that if Ann would come out dusk, and go to a particular house, she would herTelations waiting for her, who had arrived froi Scotland—they were, if I mistake not, her brott and cousin. .Havihg prevdliled iipon her to bre_ her engagement to meefethem, I soon persuaded lie to go down stairs as a penitent, and there she hui bly kneeled, and in ihe usUal manner kipsed thj feet of the Superior, and all the novices, and begge and obtained a penance, which was to serve as atonement for her ofience. This was, to fast thre mornings, ask forgiveness of all her. companions oj the same days,, and perform acts of contrition. That evening the Superior called me to tea in he own room, when I told her all that I had learnt fron the confession of Ann, who I knew ^;was fasting the time. When the Superior understood the pla proposed by Miss Farns; she spoke of her in ver severe terms, and then commended me, saying tl I ought to rejoice at having saved ia sbuyfrom helj bgt ought to guard against pride, as I had acc( plishefl wfiatThad undd^telrai only ^ the help i the Virgin Mary. %^, ♦'' ■£■ V *' ■y < » i * - ; Aim, TUM MonoE. Ann continued to behave as she had promised, 1 we heard nothing more of any attfm|t by her Kends ta get her out of feh* nunnery. Not long ^T, however, she was tak^n sick, and^I as\ertain- , from observation and inquiry, that the c5is^ of . ' was her discontentment, as she complaiaS .irf ^ -# ))neiiness. I felt compassion for her, and toljfthe laperior that I thought she ought to be treated >vith we leniency.' ghe said she would get some of e old nuns to talk with her a little more. Ann was received, in due time, as a nun. I was present at the ceremony, but I afterwards met \ her, and several time^ had a little conversation I her. - "^ 20* • f% . * 'I'M •3- jtSifK '.t "> f'-'M'' BIAOK liirNNSllT. .■■'Xfi CHAPTER III. Mias R088.— Our early acquaintance.— Her request There was a girl whom I knew from a child, j Miss Ross, the recollection of whom gives me dee pain: for I know too well that I have heen the cause ( great misfortunes to her. I remember being wit her at different times in my early days. After oq femily removed to Montreal, and had our residenc in the Government House, we often had calls fton persons of our acquaintance, as many were fondt. walking in the garden, or green, as we commonl] called it. Such of my readers as have visited that city be likely to remember the place of our resider^v, for the Government House, of which my mother l still the keej)er, is of very large size: (I have somd times heard it spoken of as the most ancient i America.) It yras said that the foundation stosesi that and the old French church werd laid on th, same day, as recorded. The gateway is of ston^ and it is furnished in a manner becoming theieJ dence of the Governor of the Province. The gaij den and green are of great extent, and present walks and flowers ; and as the former overliu.. the esplanade, to which it is adjoining, it was a&voi jte I08ort-OB Sttclddy afteruo onsr on parade. tef?-*^ri#!f-^:* k* -It -V-L^v-" -■•'■■ Igfc^^i*. -':lf' •V 4, i' •^>.v > #'^'. lifdfl nous. «5 Mw8 Ross, I r^coHect, one evening m particular ud me a visit, with a Miss Robinson; and we Bused ourselves together in the green. " Her moth- iff lived a httle out of the city, near the Lachine road. ^be was a Scotcli lady, and possessed a large pro- Hy When Miss Ross grew up. she became nt- bed to a young man of my acquaintance, aird in^ da relation of my mother^ but when it became ttwn.^she found her mother very much opposed liier wishes. , ^e I was a novice in ihe Hotel Dieu. Miss icame m as one; and we had frequent inter- NWS together, as our acquaintance still continued, ^ indeed we had always been friends. She be- i8in/brmed of my design of taking the black «d-I presume I must have told her of it myself: Dd one Hay she told mo, that she had sometime^ •ought of becoming a nun, but still felt but litUein- n^ion that way; yet she requested me to do her fevor to inform her how I was pleased wJth t mode of life, after I should have been in lonjr ongh to form an opinion. If I thought she would Happy as a nun, s.he desired I would frankly in- ^ her; and if not-«s I was acquainted with her >sition— -that I would warn her against it. We conversed on the subject afterwards; and ft repeated, and plainly understood between us, ^l waarto tell her the exact truth, as she would ^^'^^^ in fhfl f went through many preparatory 8t#|»Jg^ iny V ' c 66 . ■.. .■ -^j^, ^ BLACK MURNERT. >, admission, as I have mentioned in my first volume,! took the veil, and passed through some of the scene which I have before spoken of) before I ever particu^ larly reverted to the request of Miss Ross, so far i I now can remember. One thing, however, I her^ stop to mention, whicH I omitted to say in my fii vohime, and which I might forget hereafter, viz:- that soon after my admission as a *' Received," th^ Superior gave me the charge of h^r. room, thati the old nuns, and the adjoining community-room | and thus kept me for about three months in a degre more separate from the other nuns, than I shoulcj otherwise have been. This broug|it me more ioti intercourse with the Superior, and^in the same pro portion made some other nuns regard me with .je ousy : for some of them occasionally, in some mi or other, would, express dislike towards me. Pe haps this state of things the more disposed me confide in the Superior. After I had been a liun for some weeks, I cannq tell exactly how long, I recollect that as I lay a\ one night, I began to think of Miss Ross, and to call the conversations we had held together ia i novices' apartment. All at once it occurred to that I might probably do a great benefit to my an honor to the nunnery and to txue religion, #ell as save her, by inducing her to take the ^Ir^il, especially ttssh» had so much pvop^toi lit thfrftinds^^^^he JWMWa timelhfi J ed itself to my mind, thalf by so doing lahould^ vftr^rexttlted place im heaven &r myadf: for t. *-^^%^^'^^il +*#■ '«'■, -«, ■ •m..,>: fiStr^^ ■ i'.m-' MISS ROBS. 57 idy heard a great deal said, and had repeatedly/ the same in our book, that to bring a person ja Convent, was one of the highest kinds of mer- I soon made up my mind to commu^cate to, the erior all I knew ; foir although I questioned at ce whether it would i^ot be shameful a;nd sinful to ly th© confidence ^{ my friend, tftis was easily 1 over, by the thought of the vast benefits to result it, especially to herself . The next day I toW one of the old nuns that I nhed to speak with me Superioj : for as this was lonly required, and' nuns could not go into her without leave, I conformed to custom. I was admitted, when I told her all Miss Ross had 1 to me, and added, that I wished to get her to ke the veil. I apologized for my private conver- dons. She said they were perfectly justifiable.—* [think I never saw the Suji^erior express more sat- liction than she did on the receipt of this intelli- Be. She appeared overjoyed; listened to all I to say with great attention, and highly appro- of my proposition. When I informed her of ! Ross's attachment to young , she repli- ithat that mightexplain the state of her mind ; for I old nuns had for some time spoken of her de- appearance, and she had mentioned at con- don that something lay very heavy on her mind. The Superior appeared from that moment to de- attentio&^o^he-eonsideration xit \ ct. She seemed for a time almost lost in tight J and remarked to me, " We n^t consMer x-^ ;'*'^-« .^^';#>^ 'W f. 68 BLJM)K MUMifERY. p'* this matter; we must consider the best way to brii her ihto the nunnery : for some persons are har^ to get out of the devil's power than others. Af a little time she told me I should be sent to readi lecture to the novices, and she would tell the ol nuns to allow me to converse with Miss Ross, whicj they would not let me do, as I well knew, withoi her express orders, as it was contrary to the rule She then^told me many things to say to Miss Ro and some of her ins|^uctions she repeated to me, that I might not be at a loss when I ^ould conver with her, no matter what objections she might rai Among other things^ which I mo6t dis^io^tly nj collect, she told me to assure her, that as to the haji piness of a Convent, no person could "possibly more happy than nuns ; for there we were ^uf of the favor of God, and of heavenly enjoyments y-\ ter death ; thatVhile in the world, other young Naen would draw us off from our duty, and ^upj our minds with thoughts that would do us harm] there we were exposed to no such dangers. Til sinfulness of vain thoughts might appear to us vei trifling, but it was very different in the sight of God] and how could we hope to resist the temptation surrounding us in such a manner in theworldj ff she made any allusion to her attachment to l^ang man before mentioned, the Superior told to declaim against it, as an abomination to think .such a thing in the nunnery ; that I could not wBSf» wiih her if ^e spite of it again, as" yp||er pexaon. l^he Ajjpfguredto ^ ^;i Hv w,>»;« « m^ KIM HOIS. 09 If"- ^>'.<» jsition, I #08 to tell her solemnly, that my offer I • direct invitation from Jesus Christ to become spouse, which could not be reject^ without gnat. ^ V Tfie Superic^ told me that I should be richly re- idedif I succeeded. She thought I wo^ld soon (made an old (or confidential) nun; and sh6 would 16 me a most precious relic, with a piece of the of Maryilagdalen, and intercede for me with I Virgin. ^ jkfter I had listened attentively to all these in- tions received from a woman to whom I looked Irith unbounded respect and veneration, I left her, red to piit them into practice to the best of my ^ty, m\ioh excited with the hope ^ accomplish- what I thought a truly greitt and meritorious , and one tjiat would ensure the salvation of my ad. i V The reader may perhaps here recall the disclo- I have heretofore- made, of the crimes I had 1, and the sufi&rings I had undergone before period of my convent lif^, and wonder how I lid possibly have been so &r deluded, as really to lieve whi^ I was thus prepared to say. Such, ivever, is indeed the truth; except that I must IT, that kny conscience repeatedly disturbed me, i seriously too, with the suggestion thai I should ||Bihy of direct deception^ if I said; either that I .or that X hw d < 4-ftH t ji pm baken ildth in any of the declarfMsaii I was to nkake. Mors tiliaii once, (oq* 1 was shock-- 'A' fe'rfx ••»*.• .^^ «B*«sSri*M*(fc?steji ^■'°> 4P#t« /I It fc * J ^ :.;>'* 60 ■,^^v * BLACK NUNIfERT. e4 at the idea of. deceiWiig my confiding .yon _ fnend. But as I believed what I had been so oiia taught, about the virtue of deception in certain 2 cumstances, I did my best to smother my scroplel _^ The promised arrangements were made by tH Superior ; the old nuns were instructed not to int rupt any conversation they might witness betwe .JVJ»ss.Ross and myself, and I was .directed at tu 1 ppomted hour, to read the lecture. I thus easiS found U^e opportunity I sought, and was soon witi Miss Ross, while the old nuns appeared very bus in another part of the room, and unobservinj Though under a repeated promise to reveal to he the state of my mind, now that I had been long & miliar with the secrets of the nunnery, I most can Uou^y guarded myself, and assumed what did no belong to me— ^er assured o f the hapjpi^esB 1 had spoken of il^o y cd^yy the nuns: ^ j ' uf ; ^h^^ ; When she touched that ^robject, I iiddrwisd ■i,- ■«trf'<-- <,, i ''^1 .)1 inMROflS. lBi ij after the manner jdirected by the Superior, leaking rather harshly, inquired of her, 'Mb i^oiidemn the life of a ^unthen ?" She instantly fwed, '• No;" and she etteily admitted all I said Bt the attenUon paid to the comfort of those in I Convent. - '-But," said she, " my mother is tery «* opposed to my taking the veil ; she is a wid^- ► and you know we are bound to honor and obey fparents-^nature teaches us that" The Supe- Drhad furnished me. in French, with an answer 09 objection; and as we were accustomed to ~W(8e in Englishi'l had only to translate her ra, which^were, -^" ^8 droits de nos parens ne sont pas devant les kits de notre religion A ."the claims of ouiw ^mre^ are not before those pw religion." „ ."I shan^t be Ei^nl" said she, with determination: Itilked with her, however, some time, and sfe be^ Itt again to listen* patiently. [Ithenadded, that Christ had commanded us to "for- te fether and mother" to be his disciples, and that ^muat have trials and tribulations before we could ter the kingdom of heaven. She told me that she Itten less inclined to the world than she had when viad last conversed together; but at length she «ded to Mr . - Never mention," I exchum- ^••»uch abominations 1 It is sin, it is defilement ^ Ikigfatich a thinir in an holy n pfaco ga a- a imV' Thi« I aaid vfery muph in the il^amier: JsiJlicJi the Superior had used in dictating . 21 J.-%^^ f '\* ^UfH^^''' sfe W'- ittb^me. IthenlS«led,«Nowthi8i8theonl7, ^ Jtacle wiiich the devil puts in the way of your gai i^tiottr-and see how he tries more to prevent 2 ^the newer you are getting to it AU that you ha, to do, then, is to resist the more." | And the repetition of these expressions has brou J to my mind many others which I often heard, nJ onty about that time, bdt frequently before and M wirds. One brings up another; and to speak i objectidhs that might be made to any of our nSnm dortnnes, or to hear a question asked about our wa of life, naturally calls to my memory the replie / which were made to them. «Are you at liberty to buy a-fcrm. and seU when you please ? No— Then how can you gii . yourself to « young man when you please ?" ^ "Must we not obey our parents?— Quand le droits de la religion sont concern^, les droits de nature cesaenL" V* When the rights or chiims of religion are cod cei^ the rights (or claims) of nature cease."] When the question is put to an old nun— "Win aaade you become a nun J" the regiikr, fixed an8F<^ alw^ 18, witba peculiar drawl—" Divine lo?«] But such things as these, although they come i wry itroagly to my mind, tnay perhMM appear be not worth moitionmg.:^ ?^ - ^^ifililifeonvertation I held with poor Miss lattiflMKJr longer than I rtnw ^ ndqrtate e to g. ftdl account of; but after I had owr and ofer ag. is* *>■ "it* A ♦V^" -<•'- the ontyi r of your prevent yojj tiat you hav iJbasbrougi^ ^ heard, J >Te and ailei to spwk our nunner •oiit our waj the replie and sell m you gi^ \BeV' -Cluand le troits de • < Her I was able, and assured hef that I had never n)i blessedness before I had ent^re^iipon it. I ^bld rtbtt I had had s6me inspirations from*heaven, haa I had never enjoyed before, and that she Jd have the same. I also told her with solem- ^. that she had now received, through me, an i^- rtion from Jesus Christ, to become his bride ; and If she rejected J^trould be a sin of. deep in- ^itude, and he 'l^eject her from the kingdom flieaven ; that it l«S«Ker duty to enter the Convent It yelled nun. without regarding the feelings of •r mother, or any other obstacle ; and that shfi^was md to obtam all the property she could, and put m the treasury of the institution. n on are coq ease."] in — "Wi xedansfiTQ irine 1ot«.| tyeome appear ^i:.... Miu M < overagai ^;l< :' • «.<»>\5'^ ■ - fc- eiMSflite ^^r'4 f' . - f r "^ ' ▼' ^^^^w^ ^MM ^ ^ ."'V.»: , r-i BLACK NONNBRT. ■%♦ . > rr . ' CHAPTER IV. fltory of MI88 Rom continaed-Pl«i to get her ioto the Nunnerri . , Bfe— Arranggaieata— ExecuUon of our design. It was very eaey for me to see that what I saii fiad a great effect on Miss Ross. I found it impo sible, however, to makeher promise me to take tluj veil. She persisted that^ she must see her motijeJ first. I then left her, and wi^nt to the Superi J room» where I informed her of "all that had passed! She appeared very much delighted, and treated md with gr^t condescension and kindness. She sJ howeyer, that we should yet have to do much; fol It was plain to her that the novice had very stroni scruples to overcome-and she added, that the devl Jl s mfluence was very powerful over some persons We must therefore pursue a plan which would rei I? t' ^""« S^eat cautipn and skill on our part, but which she had no doubt, would prove successful. ThJ she communicated to me in few words. That eveJ ing thp Superior told the nuns that she had been warned m a dream that some one was in great temp, totions, and desired them to say a Pater and an Ave for her. ^ ~ - ' We were to disguise ourselves, and appear to ima Koss, I as Satan, and she as the Holy Mothd fly Ross , must be brought alon e , a nd with ~s ' «% to some place where we could carry thi '5P '^■i- i^<' "-•♦ I .-^ ^'*^.v KI8I RQ8S. p deception witnout interruption, anu wiin (he Best -%et TJie whole of her .plan ahe commimicated m^j -tut |3 we had several rehearsals to go jtlirough in preparation, instead of repeating her in- JUrfctions, I had better relate what was done in con- 'mnity with them. \ ^ When w6 were prepared to go through with our '-'B, in order that we might become familiar with I, she gave me an old robe, which she made me ip vound me, and the devil's cap, head, and 9ros, which is kept to scare the nuns, few of tirhom v -w of it. Thus I was concealed, every thing ex- - my eyes, and then approached a spo^ whcr^we gined the novice to be lying. I addressed Jier ; a feigned voice, ^d invited Jier to become my ' lieryant, promising her a happy and easy life, Jn * iu instant, at a moment when wo supposed her to be jmkingthe sign of the cross, I stopped spenkiag; pad hastily withdrew, After a sl^rt time, J return- ^^ -^ and made other propositions to her; apd then, ', » flying again from the cross, again capie back. Imd promised her, ip case she^ would comply, to -•ure her marriage with Uie n^n she iove4^ J sn retired bnCe more; after wh!ich, the Superior jHToached, and with as sweet and winning a vpide In she could assume, said that she had 'listened to what i^d passed, and had come to assure ker of her ;. "wtection. f ' I M«fl i»d become &miliar with mypartiatjli "^^ "*^fei^ airf^T^lidllTo ihe^aisaactron ofthelu^ — |ie took ipawiias to have Jt^ ' ■""*'!f^ j^\t i k'fii 7 *« •VK'^.^r m BLACK NVNMIERY. last time, to this, also I had a principal part to p(». form; for I was directed to iiold another conversa- tion with my deceived friend; and, in obedience to insfructionSi oh Saturday evening took her into the Examination of Conscience room, and informed wj that I had been inspired by the Virgin Mary ta tell her, that if she would g-o into the nuns' private chapel, the Holy Mother would speak with her. I informed heir, however, that it would not be at ali surprising if the devil should appear to her, and en- ' deavor t^ prevent her from holding so happy an interview ; and that if she should be tempted, she must cross herself, and Satan wquld instantly leavel her.^becauie he could not withstand the powerj of the sigp. Then telling her that she must keep a strict fast on Sunday evening, I informed her, that on Monday morning, I would be with her agaiiib „ I In the mean time, the Superior, with the helpjpfl one of the old nuns, Saint Margarite, and myself, hadl darkened the private chapel as much as we could,! by means of black curtains, and placed only a sin-j Vgle light in it, and that a taper, burning by the side! 0f the altar. We also took down the cross, and laid ^n the floor, with the head turned towards tfael W)T, and the foot towards the altar. When all wasj prepared, I went to Miss Ross, and conducted herj into the chapel. I told her to lie down upon the cross, with her arms extended, in the attitude ol. ^Ad crucified Saviour, which she did ; and then boand| ^'Br eygi ^ht with a bandage,^ just aathgJ i -.^w « .w^ lfI8« ROSS. m M ordered, telling her «he mi^tt stherwiw ^e of which, the Superior waf^all ^ t^ht P"P™«'y?° Pl«ced.th»t .he could »tfy have seen us under any circumstances v^ Lto^me'^ti"'''"/"''^'^''^"^''''''''-'* 7n„r'? ^'h/°»Pletely' disguised; and I j not only the dress on, and devil's can but te from a potato, and slit in differem'^s k» to resemble great teeth, which was cro^! rL ture^*- ''''^/''»' P»« of »y -P , and she afterwards put on more, thinfawl a not enough. , *» ^r r had left Miss Ross in thi chapel' about . ^»of an hour, the Superior signified\hat it was "approached her. and standing » Me distance 1 her liead, repealed some Of the words I had fc.in!^l?w "'"' '^ <=''•"■»'««''<=«' are still mo« f^cUy brfore.me^so that I remember the word. M I had uttered them only yesterday. Per- ^ one r*a«,n of i, ia. utat every few mil *mng the whole time, my con^ie»=e stuj '^erely,.w th« I cu mjw join thosiatera this week. a«l J^ t towa before another Sabbath pa.^ over your I; for J am afraid the devil i« n)aldne irreat .to get yon But if you have your vo^^de^ , imk you will be safe." m> ^en asked her if .he was willing to give un We had to the Holy Chu«h..nd u^d hj^ rt«. she would part wjAJrfC^he could not accept i She then promBed^er her protection, if s£ ,,'^ln.g. and^ «ying, "Peace be w^ Me aiternoon I was sent to ^uest her to g« l» the Su^nor-s ««,«, as dw wished to speak ilier. On eqfering it, we found the Superior A!J^^Z."f "" Superior of Ae Semfaar^ Ti ■ 7^/°"»«' "dlre^ed her. telling h^ be had had a vision, in which she' w^t^S jhe young novice^who w., doing pemmce ^ ctapel was acceptable in the sight of God. At ffts^t""'^"' loite overjoyed, but scare. The Superior then told her, that she ought to lirt, » fi!L"'*' ""*•^»"8''^ to be guided by my m. She requested herto return to the no4J iSV'^'^rV ~™»."«1 "ietenninewh^ iwulddo. She then whispered to me, and d^ Mme to remain with her ahril .h. Rujonorof went ftwfty, which I did. She then %. ll'> ^:.1,^%1*%. \ J .*s vl •F *■■■ ■.*■ ^i S.>J l^l 1^ [\-^ f> r*^^"* ¥v-. I 4.: $8.1 S*^' 70 SLAQX VUNNCAT. tdd mo to go to Mis8 Row agaiq, and cpa]^ hw to] be received almost immediately, i I went accordingly, and endeavored to get a jpiom^j ife froqi hex to that ^^t, bdt I was unable. She! pessitted that she must see her mother before shel could take the veil I inquired of her the reason.] She replied, that she wished to give to the nunnerj all the property her mother could spare her. This I communicated to the Superior, who told me to saj that her mother should be sent for the next day] Her mother came, and had an interview with her] in which she learnt her daught;er's intention to come a nun. This she opposed to her utmost ; bo all ^ arguments and entreaties she used, wei utterly vain — she could make no impression. Uei dai^hter hod wished to see her only to tell her tli such waa her resolution, and to request her to d# tr h^ iHat afternoon, all Uie money she intent ii^ to giiw her. The widow retired-^e mone iraa aent^Miss Ross took the veil on the Wedne lay morning following, and broughWa large coi butioni I #as not jHresent at her reception; andj do not think it necessary to say any thing further i « aulject, which is, and ever must be, all m^ life, oi of the most painfui ifi^ vrUehJ have had anycoj «exion. 1 wiU only iadd, that although 1 often saj Siunt Mary, (at she was called, i^r her snpi patroness,) I never apdce with her after her coition. Opportunities, it it \m9, ware not ve^ ^lieqttent; but, when they were ofi^, al tl. * lagth. that she ^ becoming a fiivorite w^ It Itoy. winch plewed me, knowing that she » he of some aervice to her. and befriend Many a time she Would fix her ey^ upon- Hi4 It wemed «a if they would pierce thro^h ■A \ It- > V :A ».f* c ^T .'4 4 ■t i 1 Vfr- ( ' * A, * <"*■ >f#>; *t V. Tft BLA6K NUNIIKR A ■ I F' * CHAPTER V. More recoHwltoM of Jwe lUy-Her confe«rfoiii of her Wito,, I Onb of the nuns was from St. Mark's, and , the name of St. Mark. Her father visited the . penor one day, and requested her to have the ni pray for him daily for a short time, leaving wi her a dfensiderable sum of money to pay for the intercession.! Such things were occasionally doj X by different jpersons. He also sent about forty dl lars to his daughter, with a desire that they migl be distributed among the nuns, to purchase whaft er they might wish for. The Superior informed that it was quite inconsistent with the rules fort] nuns to receive such presents, but that, considerij the devout character of the giver, she would not . tirely forbid the execution of his request. She the fofe furnished us with some molasses to makeiii :<5andy, and allowed us an unusual degree of liben during a part of a day. A considerable quantity i toolaMes was made into candy by some of the ma •kUled in the process : though by no means as mud as forty dollars' worth. The Superior, howerd *ad a tnck played on heyn consequence of thej #ilgenctf : for some of us\attributed it to a des fleasing the rich contributdr, and not to any nets towards ourselves, r* ^ - kb - f WJ i en t he .^Swi- %.i. ,s v ■••"i K Jane Ray proposed tp drop a Uule vana ly in the chairt of the Superior and two Id Duna. Thw was soon done; amd in a few min- - those seats, as weU as the others in the comtan- room, were occupied, and the ithe close the Superior attemp ek again into her chair; and — ^ -Tt the two old nuns did the sami uccwsfol attempts, theirsituatioa lH«„neement nil the assembly; and there was a great emba^ unnent at once among us all. arising from a dis- ntion to speak and to laugh, opposed by the ieavor to suppress both^ The scene was a very ^rous one. and Jane injoyed much amusement hre the Superior and.the old nuns could be set I liberty. . , ' jane Ray would sometimes seem to be overcome B4 lose courage, when detected and exposed foy e of her tricks, even though not condemned to IJ severe penance, 1 have seen her cry. and even «w. after committing some breach of rules; and B retire to a corner, and after composing herself. Q to meditate as^new trick This she would only car^ into effect with success ; and then, rhmg^aloud. deckure that she was satisfied and lipyagam. , , . yMwOmes she would su^t to praianws witht». , gindi&rence. though they made her the con^nt * ^tofobseri^on. To punish her for her habitu- lliegligence m dress, she wa s once ordered m mtraxt:mmraa^kb>mw%. m«.«:i :*"iL4ii^_ :^ r^ — in — ■ 'Mm ^^ -,^.^ I ,«■■ V ^> .jWm^'J^i. li >iu. ft BLAOk NVHmiRT. »lie was Been again as usual, with het apron half ( and half off; and with stockings of different coiota , &ie would occasionally slip into the Supcriort ' roonii steal pass tickets, and get into the hosj with them; and this she did so boldly, that she wu the occasion 6f th^ tickets being disused. Some times she would bring a Roman Catholic newi per out of the Superior's room, and give itto « nuns to read ; and sometimes repeat to us what si had OTerheafd said in priyate. Sometimes Scenes of great agitation would occnt and things would be carried to such a state, that o J «nd another of the nuns would become desper and resist with violence. For it is to be rememl^ ed, that unspeakable practices were sometimes reso! ed to, at the will of the priests or bishops, coanti nancedbyAe Superior; and sometimes, as I |aT, stated in ray first volume, required on the autEoS of the Pope. Jane Ray sometimes appeared as a loud and Vn lent Opposer of what were considered the establishe, rules of the Cpnveht. She would break out in de nunciations of the priests, and berate them in a ttyB which it would be difficult to imitate, if it wer worthwhile. Other nuns would someturils excW "Are you not ashamed to show so little respect^ the holy fethers r « Why are they not ashame^ she would reply, "to show no respect for the m ^stersT _ > Jk_ ' ~' ' Some of the best opportunities I ever had Ibr ^nmg wHh Jane, wereat night; % diir|a^ a ffp"*' S« u IW f' V *W» BAT. n . J^e .he l»d her b*d opp»tfe mine. „d ^««W for a moment when .he coold do it ol J* "^^ *^ •"■«"• ^"'"'^ '"e WouM ow to me, and get into my bed. Thu. we >^»pm hours together; and she found .uch ion. Tery convenient for communicating to me ^ -»l.ederisedforamu«memor,f^^ W my will; for I commonly Concluded whh a i. .rKT""."^ ^ wickednewi a. I supposed «^ku=h Bb. thu. induced, and «»netime.Vw Th!^ !k^'"«T ^*«l.i« "Sen happened ^I had nothing to do in the morning, a. if we " «» beg Mplon; and when I wa. „ked wly"' wmnchof that busines. to do, I commonly rfit to Jane Bay She. however, appeared to tak^ Vb pleasure m the Molen interriews we thus h«l • rir "!''««<*'*««> to lie at.distMMie froni' t«her. .he told me that it caused her ip weep «>«n«hehadeTerdoneioherlife j^WjwIly felt much curiosity to learn wmething j^Wory of J«,e Bay. and r«p,«edlyiufed 'f^ wtonded to W her to tell r^ Z^ *.l* ^t^y- >^' «»«er iSfcdence. or life •lAoagli Jo commmiicative on mo« other «b; iledly have I known her to waive my inqia- l,?i"^7u'™*^ al«,. when I spoke very phin- ke^d^me mient. and refiwe^o^^ All tnilt nnmr.'ll:.. 1 -* ^^^ ^..^^^^^^ TOU80 t o apeak a All thM unwillin«,es8. only served to in- " > R"I.^«^'« to know tj^e truth, but I never WW > V * ' i i li. ^^ ^ T. *' *"*■ Jj,iJ\l^£i Wt- iro , Sj^-5* .'^ '"'" -t^ BLACK KVl»rBR,y. afele to draw from her any^ thing more than a verjj brief and general account of herself ; for never, exJ cept on a single occasion, did she compjy with my] wishes so far as even to speak on the subject One night, when she had secretly left her _« ^^^ entered mine, she happened to be in a very] ==i^mmunicative m66d, though she appeared morej pressed and deeply sunk in melancholy than I ever known her before. She then informed that she had become attached to an officer of British army in Cluebec, in whom she confided her ruin, believing that he mtended to faiarry her] She left her parents, and after a time proceeded vi him to iMontreal. There he invited her to visit Hotel Dieu Nunnery, as a curio8it|r; but to he^ surprise, she suddenly found herself deserted by his and the doors closed upon her Prom what ni observed or heard, she soon learnt that this was doo^ m Consequence. of an arrangement made betwc the officer and the Superiors of the Seminary Convent, the first having paid a large sum of moncj to have her shut up from the world. ' - • I understood her to say that the officer was aid-de-camp of the former governor of Canada, Sij Peregrine Maitland. The priests, she belie knew her story, but few of thd^nuns, she thor had any knowledge of it except my«el£ ' j\m 'i^- ^: i I .^- f. :^M:iiki^iAiiie^ ^iM^iokb,.' ■ -'^'y^t - fc'#>iii -J*L- r '' ■. J^4l»f4 F4THi» AEDA&. 7* CHAPTER VI. m f ftvof the prieato-Aigument. nsed to keep ueto-wAWtloj Oldnww. *^ ^^ ^WA8 kept in great fear of the priests, by preten-, ithey made to, various kinds of power. I was -».4»nfe«ring to Father Bedar. who is now dead, told lumlhad something dh^tny conscience en 1 (Ud not like to communicate. He said to ,^ I have power to strike you de^ this minute : iwill not I will spare you. Go a^ examine r conscience, and see if you cannot come back itell me what it is that you now conceal." -^ '*as much frightened; for I believed whut he ^tnd supposed he could have taken away my M" the spot by only wishing it. I therefof e im- ■Wely went to the eiamination of my conscience ifearaijd trembling^ js liave remarked in my first volume, more than"^ tthat we were told;it was a du^ to sfibmit to , Hwentious wishes of the priests. This we were N to on various considerations. We were told, tpstance, that being consecrated to God, we were * l^owp. and even our peraons were nbt to be jwded as at our disposal. Out of considerations Ufwtitude, too, we were toldj it was our duly to iTJ.^.r.;.'^"^^ and misgiv ings which would — , wh«i we alio wed our fencM to present the nature of our life in its _jsi 'J; ^ „ "W ¥■-■ if' / r: ; #•• f9 BLAClt NiDttNEltT. * own proper light If there wer6 no priests, we were reminded we could never g^t to heaven ; aqd ij ^rould he nngratefiil in tEe extreme* after being ii sured of eternal life by their kind offices, if w^ shoiiid deny them, any wish whatever. In spite, however, of all that was said, our feeling often revolted, and arguments were renewed. No only so, but now Imd then, .as I have before remarl ed, penances of different kinds were often re3oi to» to suppress them. *» One of the tales told ns by the priests, was this mtended to prove the power vthey exercise by mei of saqi^ihents which none but. they can adminvtei •^recollect thi^ it was recounted to us one 'catechism, by one of the fathers. i « I vrkk once travelling," said he, " in a desoli re^on, when I saw something flying like a whij dove. Believing^ to be the Holy Spirit, I follow it, and it led me to a house, over the door of wl it stopped. I went in, and found an old man on death-bed, who had never been baptized, nor heard of any religion. I baptized him; and he off straight to heaven."* ^<\#i ' * AttOng any early recoUeetiona, an tnuiy anecdotes il / ting tha peculiar opiniona and cerenaoniea of the Cai / Catholicainand aboftt Montreal My grandmoUw^^Mw. . #aaaSootchwonian,andafirm ProtaataaL Sha bada / "^aastetaaboatfinirinaeadistantfromthedty.ontheM / i«>ad,wh«re I repeatedly viaitadbw. ShewaarequiMUM* Viybody eiae in the pariah who waiabl«b iofamiah, inharn wliat ia B ai led "^ '^ jm^ui^i. i^ -j— «-.« « mo fhe prieat before aacrament, but eaten aft«rwaid9* Tl># ] rauon of it waa attended with miwh trouble and aome f^ »A*f«^„' i^if « '€ y-*Sf, ^" :~p^^-i ""•':' ltf«il'iiit». # reason why I did not Jike to approtth th© Bl occupied l^j^the imprisoned nun», ifi^ "this : rSiipferior had lold me that they were possessed f^f spirits, and that I must alwajrs make the of the cross on going into the cellar. pThere are seven sins, as we tirefe taijght, which tests cannot forgive, Vi?: that of refusing to pay to to the church, injuring dumh animals, setting ifele oiifire, hearing a Protestant preach, rea- Protestant hooks, and one more which I do ! remember. These, however, can be forgiven by ilBishbp or the Grand Vicar. ~^IVom what I heard and observed at different 1 had reason to believe that a serious mis- ffyeio were to be eleven baves made, of different siTea, though 7 were all of considerable weight They were made with a mpply of eggs and butted and took about a bag of flour 'Were ornamented on the u^ with Peter's cock crowing^ ": on his head a tmsel crown, and were starred over, ia a lar manner, which required g^t pamstaking, and oft^ I many trials before they wonld be done rig^t My gran^- rnsedto my that it always cost her teiu»r twelve doUan to B the holy bread ; and the dlcrifioe of l^lbeUngs appeir- itobe 8tin more reluctantly submitted to ; for rite called ^ hi abroad Scotch dialect, a service to the Du9iL ^ ' v ; was a recttlu- devout attendant on public Mjy^f bstanding her advanced age (aboveflighty) anraadis- I from her church, In Montieio, she seldom or never foOed "id, althooflb in consequence of^^d^rtain unhi^p^ ciiaim% I in her fomily, she codd not for some yean command rices of the horses in the bam, and alwiys'htd to walk. ve lately conversed with a Protestant clergyman ivsMing nada,^ who q>oke m high terms Y>f m^ grandmother, and ritvkkkV UOin 'CnuTCA " fSBow, and taken her up in his sleigh^ - her Aii--:!ih^v"' *r^*^:>^' m i* til Jther Ricl^rds. l|^ave he^^^'hin^ in sc&^y; ilat th| former W(^^pro^||||JiaTe 1|id ^^ ifeiiJ dphce m the nui^nii^ut for^ l^ir. fii^lMs 1 ^ state 01^ as WhiS|-MM'been,|jd#;;.|^ \; ^^W rlThg4mMm^l did- i^t Plv&PiS^. editfiij^. It m nof^ri^j^q^yi j^Buns, indeed, were oldwomeQ. &f other, , none of them^ appeared forty years pf age, aljd few morel (ever Idiew what mad^Uhe 'dif[e^| 6 bef^eien them and the common lii^ed nuoi,! nxj^M It was easy to see that th^ stpod m\ ifierent footing from the rest of us, but irhat that bod held her memory in great dislike, And were not allovedi fopasB over any p^rt of her form onless they had iitly waterl •bout them, |br fear>of being beadt by 'evil spirits. A^ianl knew, whose nsme it is Hot necessary to mentiAw] the son of a Protestan^ mother, wished to marry a CaAolie] woman, but knew he?would be disinherited if he did so before] she dhpowd of her property. The priest allowed them to liTe] toget]ber as man and wifei with the intention to be married at) • future time. When the ndghbors begaA to talk abclit tbem, [ th^ priest gave the w^mai^ penp^isNon to turn Protestant fiffij time, and to be married by a Protestant clergyman, which wm] done by Mr. Black. After the death of her mother-in-law, b1w| threw off fdl disguise, and avowed, her Catholic '«^j^i$A«>il|| again. ' • As this wor^y couple lived in the house of the pir ance with custom they had to have the houses prissti before it was thougj^t to be ptoper or safg Aooordingly tUttwOTiony was performed, I ils I and a cpoHftable sum of money was! believe aboulvwnar for each window in tl ^ whtf appeared to hawi many as seven or dght times to my knoi iiUF£RgTIt|01f8i ' ^ 81 I ncfyer could thoroughly undentaod. a separate sleeping room, which I have bribed; |aid exercised much authority, not merely ^iapng and directing operations in the nuns* feces' departments, but were allowed to in- ^ous punishments without consulting the %9Ji^ sometin^ did punish with great se. ijo^Betimes imagined that there might>be some ' introduction to the dignity and authority of Old Nun, and that a higher grade existed, above of |he "Received." It has occurred to me as p^Me, (from what I knew of the difference " l^een novices and veiled nuns,) that " Old Nims^' kpit have taken some peculiar oaths, and sutmit^ fto rules of a special nature. All this, however, , and to seenre his crops fsom insects: for some of his ITS had persuaded him that it had been cursed in particn- Pjots wliere a Ptptdstant mini«ter^«Mi trodden, when he « dunng the life of his mother, so that it was unfit to is the priests' blessed grain. PJW c enMnony of jblessing ground and seeds is one very ■'■^loniy practised in those places in Canada, irhere I have Before a fanner plants, he takes a handful of seed tokis , who blesses it, before' it is fit to grow i and roce^itwa ror money for it, commonly^ be£kveiaa||£^p^ a» earegrtnna These arA!^%ed^^iSof ihr ! before sowing, and the#tou are sure ^% jj^ crop.— t apwinj^ time the pneij^ have often^a good deal to do in this ^iod receive mnch'kionejr. Thefannen often > / ' io carry pn, as is well kno^n in and about IfofJtreaL^^ ft i if' i /. R'W *'' . v :.*,, ■ft \ ' BLACK NUNNIRT. I inferred only from th^ir conduct, and the ce cert iKB^ understanding which they appeared Jiftve ^th each other and the Superior. No tier light could I obtain on the subject; an I am still as much in the dark as ever, although ti Superior once gave me much encouragement hope that I should b^ome an " C^d Nun." Some of that class» as I began to say, were i from being bl(l ; arid indeed alinmber of them m below thirty years of age, according to my jud_ ment. A? for their real names, families, brpers^ al history,! knew as little of them as others, called them; famiiiarly, Ma Mere (my mother,) Ma Tante, (my aunt,) and comraonly obeyed the without del^y when they laid their command? u| I hav^Boiloubt, that,- whatever was the nrc. by which^!t)ld Nuns*' are made, the reaso^f elevation of a "Received" to that dignity, is heri perior cunning. It was in conseqiience of my suj cess at imposture, that the Superior told me f hpp^ I might become oneJ ; and the old nuns wic I best knew, were among the greatest adepts at jg jOicity I ever 8a\^ ^ •" ^^^ " .V.'ft^^.s --r .:M ' '■' \ p>A .. • ^yT JlSd [(iV. mmmm^. 0RAf INO THK BIaID. 88 ./?.* i f ' ( t-'V; CHAPTER VII. |fht JuOr Jn the Nunnery— Diqiut^ about money— A NUn ad* mitted for money.— lailaence of jealouqr. tOKa the practices in the nunnery^ris that of ly the hair of the nuns on their admission. is done to most, but not allj as the hair of is more easily disposed in a manner thought wry to the proper arrangement of the hea4- and Teil. My hair was shared On my recep- and; ^equently afterwards. At the time of tny "^ from the Convent, it was very sliort ; since it ha84)een growing, and it is now about six long. We used sometimes to shave each heads, uid I have done it for other nuns. • J^^^* ^^^ °° novice shall be received wh« ail 'sound health. Miss Louise Bousquier, U lis, owed h#r escape from the Kfe of a ntni to ^ rtion of jthe head, on accoont of which she t^&charged from her ndviciate wh^n within '^■three months of the period when she would liken the veil' ^J f letimes the piiests would^me to the Superior t)w money of her, wh^|pe would show lib- jowafdi some, but o&m 1 have heard hef i\ hMtances I knewdifficidtiBs to afiae^ftom i ft \ v ! * *.-' V 2fei ''-«^' m i \y^ ■f >■ t ; ^4k V(^ - CK^ nITNNSRT. U Oir%ay I heard a convelrsatioii betn^een 6ii^h0|) and the Superior of the Seminary aboi qut^tlty of plate ^^^<^^||Mys|i^y* ^^ ^^^ ^^'^ ha^ bequeathed to thicnSrchr^hfiiSup^riQr wi fld to appropriate it to the? expenses of the Semii ^ry, but the Bishop claimed it as his own. He a he wanted a set of plate, and would have it sentj ^his house for his own use. The Superior re]| ed, that he could do that ,as soon as he had the price which he could get fqr it at th^ ni| ^ smim's. \ The Bishop asked him if he kn^w wl he #as talking to ; andfengs seemed likelyj to some height, when I left the room. "^ I%eard^a converisation, soon after my admis as a nti^ between the Bishop and the Superio^ the nuAi^ery, in her room. The Bishop was plaining t|iat jie^^d^l not get \m proper duesl the priests : fojr, as rundersto^ each priest isj quirii d^^y't^ £ii|^h shillings out of et dollar he^ceives, for his support in the Semina while thl^Jj|le of the profits of^yery high for the deSCS considerll thipr^rty 6f thel inary. The Superior ofitevlunnery the priests would JjipHfer able tQ payftl debts if they did na^q^e soloiuch ; and thei r't~ hi the country at thiH tiifis ^'ras unfavorable, tie mon^ was to beW. The Bishop said he i preach a sermon to the people, to make themi liberal id their contributiont. i I «w liiinrimriday ijHrosrtqjpeOT me in a singular manner, She waa cond« *•-" ' . ■^ » m ■'!»• '■SS^-'-'fT '^fl CURtOSItT BgilBJflED. 85 irough the eewing room, and had a lar^e I of keys, like an old nun. I could hardly Iwhat to think whBn Hooked on her. It seemed 1^1 ma$t have seen her before, and yet I could not ember when or where; and I ha4 an impres- i fhat sheVwld not be a nun. For some rea- j,pr other which I could not understand, 1 felt a angety to know something a^ut heifandin- ' ofjane^y, but she Qould tell me but little jflothing, I flien aske^ leave of the Superior to with Sainte ThomaS,— for that I understood ^er'na^e. — She consented, on condition that nhouM cojiferse in her pre^nce. I accordingly ^^ed her»ut, much to my mortification and Pp»®« slje repUid veryl5oldly, and showed at first ^^position to iplichange more than a salutation \me. She soon, h^|^ver, took an opportunity lite something on Olt of paper with a pencil, I to slip it into my hand, which I eagerly read as I could safely do so ; and there I found erpjanation of her conduct. She intimated that ! ?^ unwilling to confide in^the Superior, but '" * to see me alone the first opportunity. * |We soon after had a secret interview, for one she stole into my,4^ and we lay and talked Wr. She then appe^ed quite unreserved, and ctly cordial, and repeisted that she believed the erior was only a spy over tts. We soon found i we had been acquaintances in former years, and ksile^mag it, I had met her twiee inth^ 't; ,-■/, *, ' i|i^>«»if!^'ii- ■ ■* U^' «'(*,*;','» ••'iir' «4^.-«* i?v lU0S xeirirsftt. i: ■ Mttet,wad heard of her from some one; herl being so wealthy, vire had jw intercouMe in »» She wai from a place behind the mountain, wh i he* &ther. I believe, wra a giocer, anda wealth. She had on uncle McDonald. ■ I Jeanit from her the CMTcumatances under whil she entered the nunnery; and they were pecalJ ^M »o* pawed a noviciate, but had purch her admimion without such preparation, by thei ment of a large sum of money, as she had peci reasons for wishing for it. My restless anxiety w^ thus in a degree r«lj] ed, for i; found that my iinpressions were right,i that fit Thomaa waa ncit a nun in the coi meaning of the urord; but, on the other ha™ found I had been deceived in believing that all i initted into the Convent, had to pass through •ame long trial and training to which I had subject. i niThe state of things in the nunnery cannot bei ly understood, without a knowledge of the fiwjt, t ButMOi jealousy alwayieariits between some of i nuns, on account of their preferences for parti _J^ei^ „ And ^^^i^ told me, that « WM mmre wrangling done inihe Semmary all hunti, thur any thing else. ^ ' Saint ClotiHe died wkile I was there, of a nral death ; and I heard one of the other nuns . A» was gkd of i^ because she had. driwn off i ^Cifectioni of a priest from her. The priests of l i iSnj f ig Ittthrr^*^ — * • —^ — ^ ^ "'■'^.n/sAmm ■ "' ff, 3te% such as fruit, confectionary, Ac. and gire i^ithout the Superior's knowledge ; and some- 1 make them much more valuable presents, lere was a nun who entertained a very bitter \ towards me. This was Sainte Jane ; and a , disagreeable creature she was as I ever saw. would sometimes get close by me on purpose, le employed in ironing, or some other kind of A which required us to be up, and in time of si- Be stand upon my feet, in order to make me ■k and get a penance. She once coinpkined to I Superior, that she saw me looking from a place •^le nunnery which she mentioned, and heard the 9 of some person speaking with me. J(llthough rwas utterly felse, the Superior thought I might "1 some intention of escaping, and senteticed me ^ most severe penance I ever endured—viz: ) on bread and water for three weeks. This t appeared to reduce my strength ; and I suffered ■iseverely than usual from the kfleeling posture ^rs, which was always peculiarly distiessing , and made liie almost desperate, so that I would ^es almost as readily die as live. • i. •ii '* •^^.^W '..«*^%-? *.^s(4^jj.^ije^-v*v <;K..^., rive.^|A,^^^*ri/^ <*.« sf- •V If 8i ■■■fe ■*. 1*^ ^ •™; 9LA0K niriililHl^ »* ■1^ ■ ■ ■* . J ..■ ^ }i t if CHAPTER VII. Maimewof the C^utdian rr\eaf»~-Confyaaont of crimes by aam\ the Priestft— Story told by Aunt Susao, of her visit to » Qaa Nimdery— Nuns in Pri«)stB' ^sse»~8ister Turcot. ' s , The priesls who are natives of Canada, are^J rally very clownish [ntli^r manners, and oftenquij . brutfth in their vices. The niitis w^v i tA. country prifest said ^ne day, that h% knewi iriielsfr in a porilh better off than tl^oseof t;he inary, foy he had aeven nuns all tb^maelit ' A priest said to m^ one day, thai hitlhAd tl . 1 » ■ I >> \ <_■ X' pi^isfTs cotiWE§9mn$. $9 * . rr* 'A * "^^^f-' « % m ^hters in Montreal, grown ujp. Their mother i ft married woman. One of the daughters^, hd led, now occasionally ^onfeseed to him, ignorant,. BTer, of any relation^ip. iothcr said he was olice applied to by a man fidvice, inconsequence of suspicions he had of I wife, and quieted his suspicions by telling him sehood, when he knew the/ husband was not [>ns without cause^ he himself having beeti her i&f' ■ ■■" •"■-., [fit may, It must offend the ear of the modest to su6h exposures as these, even ^ made in the ^brief ai^d gua!r^«d*'language that can be used.. I afh compelled to declare, that this is not all ^all^op hfi^e, but lest my readers should infer it is b^use ^er^is nothing more that could iiai^ I must first mdce the solemn declaraticm, tMn^^e crimes committed inHhe Hotel Di^ i&rf^Sba^oininable to mention. s\ reipeinS^i variety of stories relating to con- which I have heard told in the nunnery jf^riests ; who sometimies become very comi|Ph tivewbeh intdxicated. One of their** favorite I'^is Ckmfession. One 6f them showed a one ddy, which he s^id was worth a hun- dollars. He ha4.received it at confession, from fellow wlife had ttolen it, telling him that he see it safely restored to thp owner, yvhile^i^ Ition was to get it into his possession to^eep, ^b.ho 4id, and boasted of what he had^one. i known priests to fcit and talk afibHt what ■■■.? i Jka^\ m 1A BLACK NVMNERY/ tliey had done in the Confessional, for three or hours at a time; and I have heard one giveanj Oliver instructions how he might proceed, and wha he might do. One priest, I know, paid another fifty dollars, to tell him vthsit was confessed to him bv a young woman for whom he hod a partiality, oi what he called love. Sometimes ote will reques another to send a particular lady to confess to hit either on accotmt of her heauty or her property i for c6nsiderahle sums are in such cases obtaine • from the rich. In the country the common practice is, so &r i . know, to £x the price°of Confession for the ye at some particular rate : as two bushels of whe out of twelve; or if the. person is not a farmer, turn of money. i A priest one day said to Wother in my heaiii V^ou confess such a young lady, mentioning he lame. She does not like you, I understand, «»use you kiss her. .She is rich, and youhayj r^ore rich persons to confess than I 'think is yoi share.. • . \ • • , I knew a cotmtry priest, on a wager, drink shoe-full of^ wine. I was 9nce near the prie parlor, (as I hftve called it,) when I heard two ^ them in an altercation, about th« speed of two in sects ; which 1^ to a wager, on the question whcithej that insi^ would move quicket oyer a hot I^c( , OT a cold one. They told me to put a brict in cold, while they heated one on the stove; when both were prepared, they actually tried thj §»"**„ r '>■«>'' .\ AUNTlNriAII DISOVKSD. 91 ^nment. This scene caused great excitement loud talking. I have mentioned it to give an of the manner in which much time passes in i nunnery. ' , One day when I was employed in the hospital, [iuot Susan came in, one of the old nuns, who had en absent for several days, and just returned. The cumstances which I am about to relate were ight to my mind the other day, by reading in imond'is book about the priests in Cuba taking Iber into a monastery in, disguise. Aunt Susan was something like Aunt Margaret; ihaving something flie matter with her feet which ie^er rather lamd. I noticed something strange her appearance when she came into the hospital, lind fcfund that she was unable to apply the cup in' pping a patient for whom that remedy had he^^^ f escribed, although she had been remarkably skil- J iii before, and itow appeared to try her best. I ^ ' DUght she must have taken too much wine, and lertook to perform the operation at her request,^^ [which pleased her so well, that she sat down and / le very talkative, in a manner little consistent the rules and practices of the institutitm. : 4V She toM me that she had just returned from Glue- , whither she had gone some dajrs before from Convent, on a visit to the Hotel Dieu Nunnery that city. , $he had gone in the dress of a priest, i^cbmpany with some fether, and had an opportu- ' to witness the arrangements and habits of that }n. She went on to make rrauurjcs on dif* I •#■ ■* .41 M-^%' 'i#' ^W.' *.*■" tidjeels which had come ondcif her obferiM Uon, while I wai employ^ in bperatiiig on the ptJ tiMi. She sepreeented the rules in the nunnery [ Jj^ich she htd visited as less strict, m km sti^st^j regarded, than our own ; and said there was mucbj len order, peace, and <|uietne88, than we e&jof Thej Superior, she said, had less command over the nuaii I and they were less orderly, and not so well conseat- #4* She had a cousm there, as she inarmed a Miss Durau^ean, who wn irery stubborn, unmanageable. If she were Superior, she decia* red she would half murder her for her rebeilioas] conduct. All that I knew about the slory told by Aunt Sn-j nn, was what she told me. I did not see her in i drei|S of a priest, but I had reason to brieve that] /the nuns often left the Gonyent in such a disgtfiie,] and that this part of her tale was by no means ial credible. Indeedj during my slay in the Hotei| Dieu, I personally knew more than one case of I kind. * ..^^'*-:-- . 'A There Wa8|ii oM ntm, notorious in Montreai,J known by the name of Sister Turcot, her fiuail] . name. I was one day employed in the when I saw her enter dressed like a priest, iU' pany with one or two Others. She spent ai Minutes there, during which'dbie went up In ene ^ patients' beds, and performed |Hrayeriiastead( ^ ifle. ffi^ with such iMmm^m I tk&Mmmm iiMp^toi«i|P^ng iitepto, I thifelt, if J kiiol^hef af^pearanceatw^asIM. AiHw A..". ■V 9AVn till*. ^ St f I { - If* difficulty that I rdhtined from Im^^ lit a sight 80 Indicrous. She was at the time on pfmy out of the nunnery, in company with the UfeMci, and after a short delay left the h^ital, and •8.1 supposed, into the street / I had still strongfer evidence than this, of the ^ lire Y nuns in open daylight, in the dress of I ; for I was repeatedly called fii to help them I their disguise. I have dressed the nun Sainte %. ^ three or fo«r times^ and a hateful creature * f was, in consequence of her jealous disposition. I wa? always thinking some one el»^a greater Brite than herself, with some ]^riest. fhe place iSrhere the change of drjess was utu^ 'HUaade was th'fe Superior's room,; andintheclos. » the adjoining passage, at the end nearest her r, were always kept a number of priests' dresses, rly a shelf full; as well as several black-hood- ^ cloaks, like those' worn by the Sisters of A priest once told'mti that he had three nuns to p» pift of the Convent that day, and Was troubled |k|K)w how to do it. He had oflen taken out one I time, and had sometimes thought he rti^ht losb^ 1 ilthey were disposed ^ run away. He com- , If directed them to Jimp as they passed afong »fe«ts^-."fof," said he, "many of the priests ►«o, waA they nftght pass very well for limping Hi i and m our dress, hxn^ can you tell a man a womaa I But," he added, "now I have got ^ > V, m4ii I ^oald Ba4ertake to laid th^nf t H ^ • If -l f-^ ^.r^'tp. J ;■.'.('• ' - ^' '■.;•- ■ .1'** '• ^ BLAOB NUNNBRT. put together, (he 4evils of women might start three difierent ways at the first corner we come J IfOd how could I catch them ?" • The t)mn%Q made in the dress, when a nuS dig gujses herself as a priesC,- is complete. AH 4hj clothes of the latter are assumed. They pass throjigi the public tooms in going^^out of the nimiiery, are ofito absent for several weeks. ¥ * ,, fctfl '•f» y 'i .. •' • . : - ; ' • .". V-.' \ ■ ■ . •'- ' ; ,'.;'■ ' .'' . .. »• ' . • ■■'■.■"".--■ ■ > «. ' ■ ', • *'. ■ • • . - . -.., ^ ■■:■: :•: ■ ' .'^''V r "". ..-\ •■- • ^ - " .,..".-... ':^^ ; ■ !, -'T' ■ V .: » ■ . .. '.■ • . - ' ^»' .: "' -/^v " ■ ^ -•■ ■' ''-.-'.* i, " ^ •' , ; . -!,:',' * . ■ ' ■ • . ' ■.,';'. , •' '•■'..••',■> V ' '" 1 ■» ■'. '■ •«• '"' ' ,'->■'''' 1 , *, •■ . . • r > ■ / n - , " -v. .|. ^■^. « ;^...\ ■■ :.i^-i- "■-■'",• ./. ^"' ■ •■ . ■■• - ■s*^:^' ,. ■ "':.''■*: \ - ^%. ' ■ \... s ' '-•' .;.':,>'.- ,• ' ,,..)•."■■• '■ '.' ■■■!''-■"'■:■ ^..^'fj^-r'v 'v?l Z^' t -■;,■''*?'■'■■'' ■''■ I ' '' •■• jr.- .- v.!v':-;<'i:;^'''^!^^^^^l^l|t*'' ■". . A'- i^..., '' ' ' ' ' ""'" " ■■••V .""" ' ■' "■ •■" ''- 'm &•■■ ^fl i- "«M :W -%* ■^' '*'■!» 'PTT VMIT TO THE BISHOP 8. •4 :^r: ^,, CHAPTER VIII. ; „ op g yi»iter»-^etiirn to the Nuonary. [•ALTHotroH it is a painful duty. I feel it Wcum- 'mton me to give my own fcxperience, on tlk sub- of disguismg nuns a/prie^s, that theyl may" ive. the Convent unobserved. - ^ The Superior one day infoi^^ m6. that I was ^y a visit to the Bishop on the evening of the A^^r T^/ ^"*«">ffei»ce surprised me ; and/as farther information wa^ given me. I did not w exactly what to think oTit, The period hrhich I speak might haventeen about a year k Ltqok the veil. ^ [On the evening appointed, I was taken to the *miof8 room., and furnished with a priest's . which, m compliance with her directions, I ^oa. Father Phelan, who was present, then itacted me out of the Nunnery soon after dusi Ofding to my recollection. We passed dowa »Ms »3^mother's hou^. across Notre Dam^ and rSfend Citadel Hill, till we reached"- which I had never before known for tft, top s. and stopped at the door. No housp ^d, « It on my right. We rang; and the doot "opened by the Bishop himself, which greatly rS ! "^1 L^f ' '^'''■^ "^ ^JtMkindness. and IT toilie third %ry,^h^e w« aioift. *?:.■' 'W S"" H w '^ ■ •/ ^^ *W5W' {"*y ' ' "-7 iV'« '"•■*'* J--'.'-*^ (/«'* BLACK NVNNBtlT. ped and sat down. Supper was sooii ready, whkl was a rich one. \ The room in which I was, was that in which remained during my stay, and the only one m _ house which I ever entereil. It had windows lool jhg upbn the street, hut in the rear the remainii part of that -story appeared to bd/taken up mi dark .Clipboards, which I afterwards found cont ed clothes and otiier articles, in oensiderable ii bers. There was a large staff, which ::Jtlie bisJ said was of solid gold, and cost seven or leigl thousand dollars. * v • After Father Phelan had gone away, tl^e Bishc invited me to play cards, which we ^ on and other evenings; commonly the game cdl^ "catch the ten," ^he Bishop's table was s^t complete service'bf plate, matked with two 1^ |rs, one was Jm I spent a part of almost evf ly in a small apartment or closet in one of the room; for as therfe were compwHily quent calls on the Bishop, when persons if ere mitted to that room, he chose to see them The custom wm, wh^ &y person called, for servant to give notice to l^izn by ringing a be| and if he wished to harlT him brought ^up lie would ring oae in reply ; but if not, he took i notice of it. There was a supply of eicelle wines and confectionary, in a clo^^ in the room, which ^fka always open, ' During a part of my suqf, I irat deployed ^ileaninj[ aiyj gfltting Ip ordftf thif fii«hof>!;| I :;*■ >j^»- . i*3*'%' t,* "*.-'i >4j!:'^ TlilT TO Tmt BlfffOp'f. he kept in an iron chest in thecloiet I hare tioned. He told me that the silver and gold soon became tarnished by lying there, and the found It necessary to have it cleaned once year. I should judge that he had ordered a nun . ^^ from the Xlkmvent. partly to perform this ^ He said that sometimes, when he .had a r "^ °{ "^o^^y to pay for land, he had felt pte ashamed to give only tarnishe4 silver and gold, ^worked for hours at rubbing the coin, with limois cloth, to make it bright, and ha4 to ar- e It all with care jipon a table. J,efore put- i^T^/ir^^"^^^' The silver was prin- [ U r^lj^°"*''' ^^<^^ tJ»e bishop told me - Ip^ce mvMes of si^ The gold was kept' in a »*»il little bo;p, and was quite tarnished, so t|M|. e me wipe it bver and ojer several timK Qie Hvras satisfied with, its appe&rance. ' * -tod^^ese, he had a I4rge amomit of money ^ i^ bi% prii^cipally of five dollars. These fpde me smooth out carefully with a ho^ iron. Ml was brt^ught to the door. When that wa> ' I put theii^ in parcels of fifty bills each. The ^«hest was studded, and locked itself whefiPtife ' J r was ck«ei \While I wa^ astpnished at tWt • ft^ty of boney I handled, I ol«erved that I • l^y watcheiby. the Bishop f^thdi. if I iwis^ed. I knew t cottJd not have takS any ^without discover^ : ^ ^ iest Bourgettewii the most frequent ♦•■ '»a 'i^^ ^*^. ?^. •LAOS mmNiRir. ; ^ m»f althotigh ha was sometimes theire eetonj' eight timet a day. Fath^ Phelan also came! , ten ;^ but generally during the liishop's absenc who rode out every day. Whenever the bisk^ went out he locked the door and took away key; but when Father Phe^ came m hisi sence, he opened it with a key of his owi^;\a#| suppose unknown to the bishdp. He repeatc inquired of me what the bishop had said al him ; -and seemed very anxious to aseeirtain whetl er he stood high in his estimation or not. Fathj Tombeau or Tabeau, also had a key, and sor used it, but, I believe, with the bishc [tedge, although he never happened to lere. partition of the little room, or closet, •0 thin, that I could distinctly hear conversad held in a considerable part of the great rooij Tombeau came in one day knd said to the bisho I have had a good day at confession, (with«omethi^ like an oath,) throwing down a quantityi of monj onf the table. The bishop replied, that. so it peared, and gathered it up. On anothef occasi^ he came in at evening, and said, " Well, I am ing to the nunnery to-night ;" td which the bishj replied— " Very well, f havQ nothing for yon da"' , ■ ;,"- ^ ,' Opd day a number of gentlemen t;ame id \ the bishop, and sat a long time conversing al iwne land which he was buying. A notary .presem, whose name I heard, but fcannot'n^w. iSlS8l^&> |j^ Mr. iSwlIivaa. 4 gentleman i)i; BliHrtmd, ml had oflenseeft from A child H<9 t^mtm* Uxonsidertble time afker the othera wex« gon^ ■Jlhen. I had tQ iiaten to the most vil© converan- itibt I eirer heard. ,/:^ | rsons came, in at different times to confess 5 |the bishop seated himseif at the^ other end |he ;room, X heard little or nothing of what rt»y i|. One day a woman came in who called hef- Mrs. Green, of Montreal, and made a long jiplaint against her husband for ilkreaUhg her. !6t a sight of hef face through the keyl»le' 1 found her quite handsome. This woAan had k with her. which caused some and^rimce by mng. Sfie afterwards called j^ral timesA 4 once, i^think it was on her third W, waa ad< ipanied by another woman, wholbv voice r -fht I recognised as soon as I heard ftX After le time I ascertained to a certainty that\ was listaken ; but the discovery was one of the ; painful I ever n»dd. She confirmed theSac- * the woman had giv«i of the conduct of her nd, and afterwards conversed with the bishop lother subjects; f^r she remained there probably ■ less than an hour and a half The bishop Iher, that the next time the Govemor came to % he wished her to get him andther interview 'him, b which riie replied, that she alwaya ifhat she oould to oblige hiin. They haft also »f talk about some fumitnre, which she hsM '** H, and never received bac" ~" ' % :..^ ■A ■ "-J'fM^li^f * '^i 'Wi i' ■ IMAGE EVALUAtlON TEST TARGET (MT-3) f >^ ♦ ■ 1.0 I.I 11.25 .If IM 2.2 2.0 M. 1 1.6 ^^ \ V eqpes Cdrporation 23 WIST MAIN STRiET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716)S72-4503 • . 1 } iiiiisS* «, i!i»V ^L'ite'ikSi, .i, ^j... ' I,* > ...4 .WV' t^M'-'^^"!.' 1. rf .y <>A|fei"'' i.^..«».jW. ■ I:'* !fe>' MO \ BLACK NUNNBRt; had fern it back to her at the Govei House. The reply which the bishop finally gave to ^ Green waa, that she need not life with her hi band, but that she must confess to him daily £ afterwards told me he would not have had me see. by one of those visiters fof any thing in thl world: o I _ Soon after I came to the bishop's, I found th- He. was finishing the composition of a hymn, whid be was making, to be sung to a war song, begii ning with these words: *, "En allant, marchant, oontre lea canonic A travera dea feux, dea feux dea battaUlona." He had the papers by him on which he „„ writing it, and would often sing a part of it oyc and over. I will give from memory a verse two, of the seven or eight of which it cona and most of which I might recall, as I have heard jj j^^p^^^^^j^y ^- j^^^^^ De tona lea biena que IKeo nona donne Lea biana qo*!! eat le mieuz charmait, Ce n'eat ni I'or ni la couroimey Mon Diea Sanveur dana deatml Okortia.— O Dieu de mon ccbot, O mon dieu Sa9Teur, Jeaua plaint deatrait Ha joie et mdli'bonheur, ■ ■ . Oqnelernel martyr.* ■ ♦Thii, like eome other apaeiinana of Ftaneh, I have wnw down from memorir. without pretSuidin« to accuracy, or vmi a meaning m every word-I do not underataqd it all tfcODghlaoiipoaetheoriginilhadimeuuatf; ' • *t4: A ■■* X t-^ Govei y gave to with her hi n daily. B had me see thing in th| , I found tl hymn, whicj song, begii -«v;^*-^*t" i«# n became extremely weary of staying in 5e, and asked for peTmission to return to ^v^nt : but it was not allowed me until I had i-r^e about twelve or thirteen days. Much dienaion was expressed lert I should be dis- red on the way; but at lengtji, the arrange- te bemg mad^ and I dressed agiiin a. a priest, rthe houM with Father Phelan, and walked lo 'tjnutoery, which, bad as it waa^ I waa gM Ions." hich he irt of it ore ^ a verse it coi .„I,haye. ent *^-' #* i laiiTeur, « '.i IhavB writli ■^•Jff(»>thw .- . ,, „ raqriOrevM iditallnni ■ ^ * &li ^», jr '\ Im^^k^m^^:^^'-^^^^^^^^^ ^ *^ m UUkCX MVNHSftY. I t ; 4 m.- CHAPTER IX. Attend in tho Fariith Church m conrcstoi— The peraonnwlKx od to ino— My return to the Nunnery. A REGARD to truth Tequires that I should charge other persons with assuming the office of priest^ without admitting that I have done so myself if my testimony is necessary to convince my re ers that such things are ever done. Ear^ one morning, Father Benin told me tha he was quite indisposed, and felt unable to perfoi the task of. confessor in the church, which devoh ed upon him, and he thought I might take his pl« and go through the ceremony without being covered, jjj^ priests have often expressed in mj hearing a^flpte of sitting for hours in the coni fiional bo]t, i^a dull and wearisome task ; but nin appeared at that time to be Somewhat indisj 1^ o^ered to tell the Superior ifishe asked for m^ f did not make any serious opposition to his prop sal ; and he went on to give me instructions howl proceed. He told me that I m.ust fir^t put on his clo and gown, and cover my head with his hat, and the proceed to the church through the subterranc passages, enter the first confessional box by the < el of Saint Magdalen, nea^the high altar, wjthi the familiarity I could assume, take my seat, pat< a little cap whi<^ Y should find there, cover my I with his handkerchief which he gave me, and »' A 'oK. i" ^^^^U^'^'-f^ y-"fe'^ '^r|n^^?---?f-.%^&Ar/ ^ ^mm^fmmmmmsm^i^mtm^i^^^^^ «- V '*■ A won oomnttoE. loa * as I should think proper with such persons as ould present themselves, rememhering to speak a feigned voice. Particular instructions were cessary to enable me to find my way to the church • ^ he told me first to go through the subterranean ^ge leading into the cellar of the Congrega- il Nunnery, then turning a comer a few steps int from the dodr, desaehd into Mother and fol- ' it to the end. There f should And a light trap- Br, which I could raise with my head. This fnld admit me into the sacristy of the church, m which to my station the passa^ was direct, f After receiving such instructions in haste, though *' "¥ length than I have given them here, and iTing dressed myself in his clothes, I set out on errand; but the garments were so much too »ge for me, that I found sbme difliciilty in pro- ''iing. I wfent down into the nunnery cellar, pro- - led to the farther end of it, opened the low door Mhe subterranean passage I was first to enter, and ■"I reached its extremity. Following my dueof 8, though still in almost total darkness, I gtou^ my way round a corner of a stone wall, and^ tod' a staircase, (I think of eleven steps^^bwn, ii(Jh I cautiously proceeded, then, by;|^tting up* th hands, so as to touch both sides of tfiepassage |i which they led me, I found my way along with* t much difficulty, except what arose from the size ^ weight of my dress. I had two falls in conse. ace of this ; but, not receiving any injury, after retty long walk I saw two or thrc6 streaks of -vr^^. ..,^ . \\\ ^#"--'"'''^''-'^¥: * -^ * SSSSBSSS^ l^^lHi^ , - ;. >!« , «f'A. . J-- *'., \m BtUkOB '*' \ light abdy^, and movndng a few steps, I foi trapdoor of which I had been informed. Pressi my head against it a little, it easily rose^ and I tered an apartment above ground. At the time when I left the Hotel Dieu, it scarcely daybreafe* hut tjbe light was now so mucl stronger, that I could distinguish objects with clear^ ness ; and, proceeding at once towards the high al] tar,' and the chapel of Saint Magdalen, I made foi the first confessional box. There I saw a numbei of persons of different descriptions, kneeling, oij both sides of thc^ box, engaged in preparing h\ confession ; but I walked with as firm a step, an(j an air of as much unconcern as I could, kneele before the altar, and said (or appeared to say) prayer, then entered the box, closed the door, took my seat on the little narrow bench on whic the confessor sits. But by this time my feelings had materially changed ; I found myself in a place from which could not retire without being again exposed to< servation, and in which appearances required I should remain a long time. 1 had a difficult I befbf e me ; I knew I must say something to the who were about to address me, and yet I knew! Httle of a confessor's duties. Besides^ in spite the kvity ind thoughtlessness with which I had coi •aked to undfe^ke die task, I now felt sometl Hkea conscientious scttiple, as I drew on the ca^ jmshed by the curtain,* and isoyered my face wt Bonm'ti ted silk handkerdiief with A; yeUow I ih,'-. .> •*Js^ i VA A NVll OOVyBSSOR. 1(|( ft trembling came over me. I leaned my upon my hand, and for a few instant heartily ^ed myself out of a^lace wj^ch 1 Mill regard lassiicred. ' • -' %^- ■ ^'-'^ [All these thoughts, however, pained through my ' much more rapidly than I have described I had hardly time to sit down by the lattice cast a glance through U about the church, [reflect, that although a confi^sor c^m see every from his bo^c, he is himself in th&^ tok, and idrely concealed from iUanspection, when I heard W and mournful f oice. murmuring in my ear-— •Mon pdre, benissez moi, parce que j'ai p6ch6." rThese worded with which confession commences^ from an old man, who had earliest taken his by the confessional box in the morning, and B, according to general custom, w^ entitled to I first hearing. I let him run on with his story llkout interruption, and was glad that he made it ig, as I dreaded to trust myself to speak. He **I have performed the penance which ypi| up(m me, and I have sinned but once since my t concession, when I got into a passion ,with my But you ought to kfeow what kind of a crea- she is, and how impossible it is to get along her in peace.** He at length brought his tale l^ih end, and then, to my surprise, asked me for "^ »Iution. Up to this time I had not opened my diid did not like to trust my voice, even in Uie tone ; but the thought of being called on tp Dw absolution, ignorant as I was of the Latin -4 A ■ft! '^i '*M..i-n%-' ^,i$^-Mcf fHy ~^ »' '■■ -.:.■, .* M BLACK NVNNBRT. ferm which I knew was necessary, although I '. heard il^r«peated, was dreadful to me. I therefor j spoke in a rough voice, and told him he n>u8t form a penance for the sin he had committed in! ing angry With his wife, hy saying five acts of con irition and five Ave Marias that night on his knee by his bedside, and repeat the same the next da] after which he might cotne again for absolution. /f|*,he old man then rose, and sorrowfully wc away ; while a young lad who had been long ' ing nekt him on his knees, pushed ujp as close to i as he could g(gt, and began to tell his " iiither" hon he had got into a dreadful predicament, through th| enmity of a woman who was disposed to do himi the harm she could, although she hiad an interi ing daughter Jor whom he had the highest res; He said that the mother was Ihen in the churc having come tQ|||pnfess and accuse him ; and he I lieved she had done so already. He then went to telMhe particulars ^f the circumstances attc faig his case, and how a little act of civility, kitidness which he had shown the yoi^g ladjl had been misrepresented. He said he had hoping to get some indulgences that morning, foared that he should be refused. I replied that was out of the question until some future 1 He then asked for a penance. I had become qi amusediby his foolish talking, and now asked wl lived ill the house of theold woman ; and on Ic $ng tluit there were several peraons, told him teust kiss her feet that night in the pres^ce oft .J-y f^«^.^fU 2^ '" 3ft, A .j# A KVmJB0nWM»a9M. W ^mh' He replied that ke could not do Ortl . I iiiBist^i that he could not helet offfiomwoh «ct of self-denml. A%r this boy had gone away, a wotoancame up ^ held up to me a handful of aiWer. saying she toI4 a great many lies to her mistress, (she was irvant m a house in the city,) and had brought me » dollars, mostly in British shillings, to pay fbr i maw. which, she said, she thought would pro- J her forgiven^ for the whole. She handed money to me. and I took it. idling her h«r H should be gninted. A young country girl afterwards presented her- ^ with a long story about « trick she had tried. 'Mout whom she, was to marry, ana the fear • had that the Devil had appeared to her. She ff(We about dusk to a bridge, on the advice of mother, and thrown one of her giants to the wite bank of the brook, whena yoU^mtesud* y appealed, and restored it to her. He had in- HW form of a good young man she knew, but thought perhaps it might have been the^vil rm^hfe shiipe. I told her she had be^ guilt/ ^rile^e.m having any thing to do with such ow ; and laid a penance upon her which I am «he must have foupd both difficuh and v«xa '^*?i5^' '^"^ ^ "^ '"«*"' ^^'Siye her sne should have performed it. " My father *» WOMmi "but don't you remember what yL ^1 tttwft What r have now confessed." I replied *■> "'#» hW . yi^ ;' ItAOX NVNNBBY thit this ease was rather a difficult (me, and Ii _ eommtmicate with the Biahop before I could gii an answer. After this a woman-took her place at the k and began a confeuion of a nature not proper to i repeated, disclosing a character which disgusted : extremely. I was obliged to listen in silence, I could not invent any way to interrupt her ; bJ was glad when she had done. I do not recoUc the order in which all appeared whom I confe that morning, and shall not attempt to give it ; ne ther can I fix with absolute certainty the e: number. One man told me he had come for absolution fj the sin of drunkenness, which he had recently coi niitted. I told him to get drunk again daily, return at the end of the week, and he should be i solved from.aU together ; for^I thought from wl I had seen in the Convent that drunkenness was i own best punishment A girl brought me a parcel of money which i had stolen from her mistress, requesting me to Store it to her, and informing me that her name would be found in the parcel. This I and on her asking me to bestow absolution tij her, I told her to do an act of contrition, and ventili to say sometl^ing over in ft low Toiee which bould not distinctly hear, and lyytlftfig the sigij the cross with my hand, I sent her off well that she was pardoned. ; ; ; r i 1 :v''i^^ ^.-Another ^rl approached, addroasing me in tl *,': •V*'(-^'': c-P"" 1 . * lion coNruMR. lOB uT^r^iT^^'"'""^ '«"'•" Not knowing Z- l,Y '^*" ""' '^^ °' <•"«««» to come f «..«ed W. a. I had done other., by telCher icome at another time. ' /""mgner to « gwd beating; for he uid the old man fcl^ » h«ir if"""- **' °**° "»'' opponnnity "«ket™,ab««t,to give away thinrin tie ll^^t' "^ "^'^ " ''•'■^ t"" he thought tZ pj he w«hed to know how much money he musi- 11 mi iT^*""* '"'='' "«*»""■ Hereplied I e'"dS';iTSrr'"'!^''''«^^ .~,.rr 1& : '° """ ' co»M not irire mv »nt Aen.iit directed him to come agT ^ RSt;i""''»^'"*««>-«--of U jtatinnoj rf. •**"• *!eo™n« as the appli. r"'.,Ji!v T "^* ***"» I «i«ed that on the 'i^ ^^'^' l'"«f kept dosed. J e^J; fe^b«ny tight. IwM«Whi„^ rJ.v....t.i^/ -.■ . A . ,. f> Ti. \ . no ^AJOM. % NUNNBlHr. ( dark that I knew I was invisible, and ran no rii of ^detection from any thing that could be seen, e\ if I had not kept Father ^oi^in's handkerchief cpnl stantly over my fiicd At the same time, as I menl doned before, I could at any time peep through th| lattice, and distinctly see a |^eat part of the churcl Whenefi*sl lookM out, however, I was distresse to ' find that there were nmnbers of persons stil kneeling* near the box, waiting their turns forcoi fession, 80 that, in spit^of all I had listened to,.| . saw no prospect of being soon released frqnv ml unpleasant situation. One of those who addressed me, was a fello^ who slyly showed me a bundle, which he told contained some jewelry that he had brought to gU me. He had stolen a quantity, he said, from a ma fromi.whomhe had before, stolen four tim^sSinc his lut confession, and had brought half of it me. t was quite shocked at his communication and shVuiJik front receiving the bundle, telling hij t could not at present determine what directions i give him. u ^ The last pe|8on I confessed was a poor simplj ton, who acknowledged with. great appearance latf^im that he had eaten a piece of liver on Fi| fiay. I Teh hy this time so weary of my busihea and so much perplexdd tofiiida way toesca])cfro| my bo3C, that I answere/i him rather shortly, tefli^ him to do a penance for the oflenpe he had comi ted, the next time he ate liver, by putting on ft i c^al quitotity.of mustard. At this he exclaime A nun boiiFBssoR. Ill ig there ynBhevex such a thingr »" his father's se; and went aWay complaining that I was ore sererfe with him- than at his last confession. I had by this time made up my mind, that it ttold be folly to4ry any longer to confess all Who ere waiting theiy turns ; and' that I might as well wrt my post then as at anjr other time, for I must abruptly sooner or later, if I intended to 4^ ■ay before noon. I therefore rose as the last men- led fellow withdrew, and having change^ my •p for the hat, in a hasty manner stepped. out of '- box, without saying a word to any of those imd me, kneeled a moment at the altar, and cross- into the sacristy.^. Lifting the trap-door, I de- nded into the passage, and made my way as &st 1 1 could in the dark, first, to the cellar of thetUon- j^^onal Nunnery, then back to the Hotel tHeu. iming to the Priests* room^ound Father Bo- , to whom I gave an accoui^f my proceedings. Wule I exchanged his hat. and coat, &c. for my Ws apron and veil. The Superior was^resent, and when she heard » say that a bundle of jewelry had been' offered and I had refused to receive it, she betrayed og feelings of contempt and anger, saying— I " Vous etes plus b6te que je n^ pensais." (You arera greater fooUhan I tc^k you for.) I And.then she scolded me very severely for mis- - such ah opportmuty to get something val- |I gave the English shillmgs wliich one of the tv^ ;H- • -7--'^^''^^^msr^^'w^^ BLACK KUNNItr. women gave me, to Father Bonin ; but when I inJ formed him that I had left the confession box witl out confessing all who were prepared, he foim much feult, and expressed himself with some se^ verity; so that I have seldom felt more unhappy] than I did after ike close of that morning's task. ;^o 'i^w&r!/ *> 1". •■ '«lkHW. / - ' 1 ' . - ' -^ .• ;•;, 1*. • h •^ ■ • S.'ik. m ' ■ i J- » .. AM I'* ■ , ' ■ DTMie PRIBStt. 9't 'i' :, . - Chapter x. iia r»i.llS^^ f "I^'*'!.'^' '^°""*« «« >'<">V fr»« their l*fc* <» ^ Chrfa*-«ofy tofct me 6f Mw. MUl^in^ le^nne Diirlhg the IRt ari^rance of the Cholera at Jonti-eal in 1832,1 witnessed the death of Mr. 'dar, a priest, who came to the nunnery sick, iether he was coitecience-stnick, or not, I do not ow ; hut I never saw a man die a more awful Ih. I spoke to Father Richards ahout him, iilgr, that I thought his feith must be weak, as / ■surprised a Christian man like him should i the applroach of death. Father Richards replied, that his mind was not Mg enough to bear with the joys which his spi- received from another world. His spirit, he lii was already in heaven. I had been called to ^np with him the night before, and I had set up 'h him all ni^ht At different times in the It, he would ask for a crucifix, and tjien occa- lally would throw it from him. as if he was id to appear before it At different timev the night, he wished to speak to one of hi» -es, tyho was a novice, before his death, which ^1^ ^^He said to Father Richards, it^wBs tho kst^ fe^efT tre had to mik^ mid ficT" Med to be left alone to q)eak to her for a few Tiotes. FiiAer Richards left the room«jmd went •|5, .... r-^ r. 114 BLACK NVMNBRT. towards the Superior's apartment; but requested me to try to overhear what was said, through the| door, which was not quite shut He told me the old man was so overjoyed that he did not know| I therefore stood and lis^ned, whei I heard himl request his niece never to become a nun, but to| leave the nunnery before a fortnight, which ^e did three days after his death. I was a novice at that time, and it was but a little before I was re'j ceived. As I was preparing to become a Veile Nun, it struck me as very strange; but still thought, as Father Richards had said, that Bedar M^s so overjoyed with a view of heaven, that he did not know what he said. I had witnessed the sick-j ness of one person before, who appeared to be like; man in horror, and the recollection of it awakened at that time. 4 Mr. Savage, the priest, ^Id me, after the death o| Mr. Archambeau, that whil^ •'^' •k off my apron, let dywn my hlackf 1 ] -,,».^ ut BLACK NVHNERY. 9(iiiVii^ took th<^4bing^ li^^-ba««-spokeiL.>Xk£ JiBaQft^» l>e4«itnd:plac^ it on my head. It proved to be I the shell of a pumpkin, hollowed out, shaped, cm and painted; and it went over my head so as to cover it entirely, and sho\^ an awfiil &ce in front ,.3he^JtheiL.X!epeat6d4e&iBfitim£tiand^to me; and tlie time being elapsedjxrlien the iiuns were probably all in bed, and some of them asleep, she sent me I up jtairs tof' ^execute my commission. I mounted] to the 8(eeping-room, and slipping nXpng as quietly! as possible, found my way to the bedside of Saintel Susan. She seemcV i FRIORTSNINO NUNS. 1J7 ■A^r^i^M Iffibrt" tune afferwards I leamt from her, t£tt pwents of the two nuns had heen solicftfed bj- - daughters to make libeiil presents to the lery. and had given something, but so little the Superior was very much diaatisfied One night, sometime after this, when I was go- - up to bed, the Superior called me into her rdom. told me she wanted me to frighten another nun her. St. Charles, she said, had been conceal- ■somethmg from her confessor for two or three *8; and the way to make her bring it out. I to terrify her. - I had some acquaintance with the nun of whom "'Spoke. She was a young woman who had been isionally in the apothecary's room, and I had iceived a considerable regard for her. I did not 3 the thought of doing/any thing unfriendly to ; but the Superior's will was not to be opposed, I was hot accustomed or prepared to show any rwardness in complying. She told me that I to disguise myself as the Devil, and. in his icter. urge St. Charles to persist in withhold- her confession. e then went to a cupboard, and brought out a .which she put round me, and a singular ■.which, on being unfolded, proved to be a cap, lapjets to hang down the back and over the Reformer was black and the other ^iriute ; twoOTws'hM^stidringouf ifthe^^s^^ pMhe pUced upon my head ; anlnfter some hi- * •^pnt sent me to the apartment in the common ^«Af,^'^'^« --. *»_ ''W-' '~ (. -.A. BLAiSK NUNNERY* •"^' sleeping room occupied by the youi^g nvtn: t pi ceeded cautiously along, according t6 the Superio directions, stepped in, as I believe, unnoticed, ::tQok jny ^tand beside the bed of St. Charles. Tl light was feeble, and she could have had only indistinct view of her unexpected visiter. I ii ly perceived thatshe was extremely terrified. S] had only the power to cross herself and say, "Sail Marie, Joseph, &c. have pity on me." I howei staid n^ her, told her that I was, pleased that sj had resisted the persuasions of her confessor, aj hoped she would continue to disobey him. She ] peatedly crossed herself, and murmured over over her prayers to the saints for mercy ; and! length, presuming I had done enough, I withdi returned to the Superior's room, was relieved of ] disguise, 'and permitted to go to bed. The next day, as the Superior afterwards infoi ed me, St. Charles showed great urgency to see h| confessor, and made a frahk and full exposure of i the sins she had so long ahd so obstinately conced ed. The efiect of this scene, however, was as gre on my own mind as on hers, though in a differe manner. I never afterwards heard of the' appea "iuaei df the Devil, or d^y wil spirit in the sleepiij room with any degree of fiiith. It always broqj fireflh to my mind my personatipg him, and led ; irresistibly to conclude, thdt the Superior had i employed some 6ther pin in my place. Tl """"^▼e^noTIEFI^Bi ddul)t iWf^^p^ f little lees confident, however, that there were m '■j1*»j "tt^"'^ J- ■ „iUtA8„juuaaAai. M0 liconsiderable number oi them too^ who were er'so employed, and were not let into the secret, fears expressed by some of those who had p Tuiited by juch spectres were too genuine to re any room for doubt. However, the impres- i-^ras kept alive in the Convent, and the fear of I spirits operated powerfully, I'l>elieve, on ma- aiid every now and then a new case of the ril's appearance would be reported, which was lonly soon followed by prayed, said in the ice of all, for the persevei^ce-or greater ho- of somelaun under temptation. Aon^'the persons with whom I became ac- ated in the CJ^ngregational Ntumery, was a InamedMullig^, or Milligan, who helped to me bark-work, considerable quantities of |ich are sold at the Convent, in Mbntreal, as vi»- well know. This branch of work, by the |r, is not vie^y^fficuh to karn. The bark is ehas^^ of the Airriers in the cityi and worked in Idry state. The porcupme quills with which it red, are purcHased already colored ; and their aie commonly touched with 4 little wax. Milligan spoke with something of an Irish from which I concluded that she hald Imh' Its, being herself, I believe, a native of Upper Her manners were rather reserved, yet 1 much, superior order to those of many of th^< around me, so that I regarded her wit h pe- re^pect,'. H tluhk her &mily mart have been lonly intelli^nt and respectable. She wa# 'V 5 ■!« t^^'H^ t'^etu-^'^A;^ ^Off. wfc^sr:,,. 190 BLACK NUNNERir. Il in her novitiate in the Congregational Nunnery tl|e time I knew her. During the time when I was employed in tl Hospital of the Black Nunnery, Father Benin toj me the following story of events, which, I unde stood, took place, about the lime when I wasrj ceived. This Miss Milligan, Vho had been fJ some time a Congregational nun, being attached [ a man much older than herself made her escape 1 night, ran off with him into some adjacent part i the United States, and was married to him by a 'gistrate. The priests, however, got an early alarij ttiilather Benin, with some Others, joined in i pursuit, **We liked her so well," 'said Be «that we could ndt think of losing her, Wewoi rather have lost three of the flock than her." couple were Overtaken In a very short time their marriage, and the brid^ was brought back I Montreal, and put into the nunnery again. Thej she soon became, or feigned to be, reconciled to J former situation, so that she was set free from uncofnmon restraint. On the Sabbath, aslha^ remarked in my first volume, the Congregatioi nuns oflen go in a procession to church. Miss M| ligan was allowed to join them,^«nd was on way through the streets, when her husband sudde ly appeared, accompanied by two other men, seizing her, carried her to a carriage, and attemj ed/to take l^tt off ,« t i v'- ^ ^oh e r JBopi nr^ howoveft interferedpafrhe^ ressionsi nod with SQnl0 difficulty, assisted by others. J ^-^^z Hits MILLIOAll. ^. her. The husband then prosecuted the and a public trial took place, which result- in their &vor, it being decided that the marriage n6t legal; having been performed only by a ; and the poor man was obliged io pay hundred dollars to the priests. I heard lessionsmade by some of them on receiving the ey: They said they would have no objectiot having several of the nuns run away, if the^ " get as weU paid for it. ime years ago there was a priest who was put the madhouse. I was not acquaintisd with the m at the' time, but I have since learned from a woman who was in the Congregational Nun- about the period when it happened, that he run^ ly with one of the Congregational nuns. He taken a few miles from Montreal and brought k; and, for fear he would expose the dreadful done there, they put him into the madhome, he is there, I believe, to this day. ifi" 26 I Si'*'' "■ -Tf- .r. -^ > 4. ^ '*.. Si, ■ ■■ ' .- , J . -. -(;'t ■■ ''y""''X ^"•'f'-' 128 7^ f . KLAOX KUNNIRT. ■riSf "^ CHAPTER XI. Father T. B. McMabon— First RecoDeoUoiii of hiin~Hii habiU in i Nannery— A Ffght in the Priests' Parlor— ^imilae: Occurrences. I hAd an acquaintance with Father T. B. Mc Mahon before I met with him in the nunnery. H^ used occasionally to call at the Qovemmei House. When the Gtovempr visited Montreal, th^ priests sometimes wished to hold an interyieT^ Wit him in plivate, after the public reception of eitii was concluded. McMahon once applied to mi mother, in some vrvy to procure h|m an interview and as it was obtained, he expressed ihuch pleasure and some gratitude to her. They commonly werj anxious to get a sight of the rolls of officers, wW a new detachment of troops arrived from Eni land; and this could be done by making fevc with some one who could admit thcpi into tl Qovemment House, where they were accesaibl The cause, as I understood it, was this : No man CathoiiQ is allowed to iiold an office in thj British anny ; butudiose who reiwunce that relj gipn are admitted.^ Such as have renounced it marked in some way on the lists ; and those name the priests used to get and copy off, that thev migl| afterwards visit the officers, and get them to'atteu their church. From what I saw ai^ l^aid, judged that the priests supposed that many of the -had ren ounced only &al they might fleers. „^S5...f *V'!**" ' FATirSft T. B HCMAHON. 123 la&w Father McMahoh so often, and heard of 80 nHuch before I entered the nunnery, that 1 ppOse I was about as well acquainted with his iracter as^many of the citizens of Montreal; to those who have intellig^ice, and are free Dm bigotry, I would appeal for the truth of what [say in the next paragraph. He was intemperate, 'often was to be seen lolling from tdde to side iacalache, when driven through the streets, by of his spiritual children, as^ he called the man ; sughiie was held in such repute for sanctity, by ijf of the ignorant CSfuiadians, that they would he was holding communion with Grod, and had I tipmt in heaven. He was sometimes complairf-^ i of to the bishop, who would often let him off, "ling him the persecuted McMahon. After my entrance into the Veiled Department, ^ien flaw McMahon*s character displayed, under less disguise. He w;aa a great friend of the perior, and spent much time in the indulgence his ftiyorite vice, intoxication, as he enjoyed It freedom in the nunnery. He (^ieii drank atfelf &st asleep, and then was accommodated a bed until he was able to walk. When he I sick, too, and resorted to the *• Holy Retreat," I Wai allowed as much indulgence as any of the This was the case at a period when he I eonfined thore by two of the most loatjbsome known in the world. ' v ce punch for her and Father McMahon; and t^l/tub — ^M-u^ lU I have known them to drink until both were dently affected by liqaor, indeed, to sucl^ a 4egrfl as to present a disgusting appearanci the old nuns were also addicted $t one day directed by the 6up(»|i(>r#Qi^|||o wi other nun, and lift MbMrflh^mpHi the^odr (o tl sofa in her room. We .ob^yMfner oftl^rs, al^hougj the task was a degradin^^ one, under the circi stances in which we f^und him. There helaj and slept until towar^ night, when h6 awoke groped his way to the /Seminary, through the sal terranean passage, an^ came back in clean clothe in time to say vespers in the priTate, chapel. AjA this was not a solitary instance of a similar kind for several times afterwards, I knew of his beinj in a state not less /aiscrediti^ble to his morality an] religious character. \ In cbnsequence of his influence with the Suj rior, he had authority to demand the b«st wine whenever he meased. These were kept, in consid (Brable te-#»iV 186 BLAOK NVNMSmY. in the gteatest numbers^ometimes twenty ihirty of them would be there together, drinl luid gambling, (tee day the bishop came in wit a black eye, and a priest asked him how he got it, insinuating something, in reply to whicl the bishop told him he lied. The priest answere iuu he cared for neither bishop nor devil, loon struck at hinv and knocked off his hat. Th^ Ithers interfered; aiid when some remonstrate and explained the enormity of the sin, the offend^ er, though half intoxicated, threw himself upoi his knees and humbly begged pardon, promisii to pay him all the fees he should receive before particular time, which he mentioned. > 0§ On another occasion, a party of seven or eight who were drinking together there, at tm entertain] Aent given by the Superior of the Seminary, fell Jito a terrible battle. The cause of it, as I gather] ed afterwards^ was this : A song had been mad« m ridicule of Bishop Lartig^ue, I do not knoi when, by some of the American priests, with whor he was not popular. On this occasion, mostoj those in the room being Americans, some of tk began to sing it, after they had bjcen drinking tc gether for some time. Thoiie who were in favoi of the bishop, got angry at thlsi and they proceed] ed to blows. The Superior pf the Seminary, wl was one of the party, struck old Father Boi when two others came up to tdte his part, 'the table was covered with cut glass tumblers, &c. sen in by the Superior of j)ie S^riMnary, anbd in a^^s^^^ •*' tlfiJTJ w- i^mfmf;!^:}^:^^!^:}^!:^^ !>M:A NVNNSRY FIOBTS. 127 BO two of the party were dancing on it, and isldng it about in all directions. The floor thus me strewed with-broken glass ; and in a violent y which ensued between them all, several and were badly cut in the midst of it came is Bishop Lartigu^, who "empted to stop the fight, but could not succeed some time, and got one or two severe blows self, from nobody knew who. The noise and usion were dreadful. The nuns present wer^ I frightened, but could do nothing, and the Supe- M of the Convent stood by wringing her hands, id crymor bitterly. When the battle was over, |e of the nuns was sent to Father Bonin, to dress Iwound he had received, but was too much agita- ^ to do it, and I took her place. The old man i a long and deep cut near the temple, and bled bry freely. He said he had feUen upon a piece f glass and cut it, but told me he had long wanted fgive the bishop one good knock, and had taken "-itage of the confiision to strike him m the f I found afterwards that his story was very likely [be true ; for the bishop had a good large bruise r his eye, which he did not like to have seen, in consequence spent the remainder of the day pie nunnery. After sunset his calache was sent t, jn which he took his departure for home. m^ttt the most aknmiig^ieQfidS t ever kheW" the fights which now and then took place in ihuns' dortoir at nijrht, between priests. One \-i iK^- 128 BLACK. NUNKSRV. night, when I was sitting up in the sick room, l| heard an alarm, and ascertained that such a quar- rel had taken plaee there, in which an old nun,| (old Saint Mary,) had had a limh hroken in at- tempting to suppress it. Two priests were fight-l ing, when she interfered, and received a blo^ froml one of them, which laid her up for a long time,] and from which, as she used to jjay, she never en-j tirely recovered. - '^^^ vv*!;/ -'-^. l.^t^'ji^L^^^lAltSi'' ^ REMARK^ ON MT OWW FiVLINOfi. 12^ CHAPTER XIL ron my own state and feelings, daring the last few montlw— [ImaaoM whj I did not publish all I knew in my first bocdc— BeasoBa r mak&v now disdosores in this voloiiiie. SitfCE the completion and publication of my first tion, I have experienced so mucl^ kindness and ipathy among persons of different classes, Who ITS taken an interest in me, that I feel less like [lonely and friendless female, and suffer no less om the apprehensions of falling into the hands fthose enemies whose power I was then inclined' much to magnify and to dread. I have real- from experience, what one of my earliest lie friends in New* York tried to make me be- ere while I was an inmate of the Bellevue Asy- km, that no Roman priest could exercise over me, I this country, any of that authority to whi^h I had subject in Canada, and which I was informed claimed by Conroy and Kelly. It is but seldom that I am visited, in my dreams, \h those awful recollections which so frequent- haunted me when I closed my volume which already been before the public. I was then m rendered miserable by visions which would a time seem as vivid and real as truth ; and those lio were near me at night would tell me that I land^oke gr ench. Butnow lha^beeafei eks an inmate of a kind and sjrmpathiiing Ohris- &mily; and enjoyed the attentions, the comuelib 130 BLACK NVMNSmV. RSA80NS I and the care of friends with whom God has blet me ; and now, with improved heahh, a constitut shattered, but apparently improving, and feelini more uniform and tranquil, I have reviewed my soi rpwftil life with more care and deliberation, and nt only brought together the contents of theprecedinj pages, but recalled a considerable amount besides which I have thought ought now to be recorde and published. I am now, perhaps, better able than before t\ judge what kind of iuformation is most impoi to be laid before the peiJple of this country; foi having conversed with many of difierent stations ij life, I have found not only that they are desirous ( learning the truth, but what kinds of truth it is thej are most ignorant of. *^ While preparing for my first book, the questio often presented itself to my mind, what class of &d within my knowledge, ought I to publish, and whs if any. it would be proper to withhold ? Before could form any satisfactory plan on this aiubject, seemed necessary to fix upon some general princi pies to serve as a guide; and after much leflectic I decided upon the following : In the first place-— although some things whicl 1 had~to communicate were, of such a nature ought not to be mentioned without solid real yet, such vfaa the important object to be gained bj the ir avowal, and th e necessity of havin g theii 7iinderst6od, that Icould not lofig hesitate in brii ing them out. After I had overcome the extrc SL'S'.iilSiSfci'! RKASONS POR KOT rUJlLl^HINO MORE, &c. 131 ctahce I naturally felt to present myself volun- illy as a participator in dreadful and shocking -"les, I still might question, whether by narra- r them, even with the most scrupulous caution, right not propagate something of the very evil f which I had to complain. But I was among tL fjple who had no suspicion of the existence of ormities with which I had been familiar; and "- was nobody but myself able to open their It seemed to me to be important to the peo- J of the Unifed States, that they |hould know I characters of the priests and nuns of MontMal, I had seen undieniable evidence of their b^ -nected with others in this country, and Having «iderable influence with them. If allowed to ion, who could tell how iar they might succeed rbringing things to such a condition as they are I Canada? I therefore determined to run the risk ^putting the modest to the blush, by the disclo- se of truths necessary to be known for the safety of Irtate of society which I had. already seen enough T to admire and love. In making such disclosures, bwever, I determined to use the most guarded lan- Tage. and as much brevity as could be made con- itent with a clear exposure of what seemed most cessdry to be known. ■In the second place, there was a considerable ""ount of information of which I was in posses- It waicAri^had^iecdived from ^then^iad coutt vouch for o| my own responsibility, and with full and entire confidence with which I could m, 4; *-'-^/' ite » • BLACK KUNNEllT. State fiicts of which I had heen a witness or a ticipator. This I resolved to pass pver in silenc at least the great bbdy of it, that I ^ight run risk of introducing any thing erroneous into m] book, whose accuracy ]^ designed to render pre against any att4ck whatever. Facts of this cj I have therefore thus fiir abstained from introducing In the third place, there was onjii more class statements which I had it in my power to make concerning which I felt greatly at a loss. The were things of which I had been an eye-witnc but the^ publication of which would draw into th^ ranks of my opponents many individuals and maai feelings not touched by my first volume. It is tnu ^>^ long as I withheld these from the public, I migl ( be chargeable with only an imperfect developmenj of what I proposed to unveil ; but spme tonsiden tions had weight with me on the other side. Perhaps if I should disclose the whole at fii my tale might appear too &r surpassing belief Indeed, my experience has done much already t( persuade me.that such would* have been the case, have suffered much pain from the doubts expres of my story by intelligent persons and Protestants] who could plead neither want of education, no^ prejudices against me — ^merely on the ground I told incredible things. What would they havj thought, if I had begun by telling all I knew) Another object I had in view, was to confine the -pttbKc attention^ ArSotellKeu, rad, not the eye to wander firom the centre an^ source 'r * if- .^jA,iterf;fe.. .>.,',f, »,-!i«ei.i ■iW^mff^ivmrme-^ ■«jt«lss»«bd«adttu»MH,ei«aiu.u i^-'i^rxl'mrp^ \^i-tyi'''^'w streets from my mother's— I •poke to him. and asked him if it was not hej I Itold him it was of no use to attempt to deceive me, for I knew him. He requested me never to men- W L ^i i '^^'^ ^ *^^^^' «^^ informed me Jthat he had given five hundred dollars to the Semi- lB?ry for permission to come in under the garb of a Ipriest, through the subterranean passage. He in- Ifermed me that many British officers were admit- [led in the same manner. i^ot many weeks after my reception, an old priest, jBresseau, came into the nunnery one day ; and npt jkmg afterwards, m the priests' sitting-room I found jlum in a state of intoxication. He began by say Img how little he cared for the bishop, and then bpoke on a subject which seemed to be uppermost prith him—a controversy which existed between the Ibiihop and hitaself Without any mcouragement N my part, beyond that of being a Ustener; which Hcould not very well avoid, he told m© a long sto- I7, tl^e flubstanee of which I very well remember, ** t4jj a^ faiow that IhadTecTirredtoifUr^ Vf ^^m^ until it was acpiden^lly brought to S.4.*. 1 ■ ^ ■ -Jf f i ;' li ■■-*' Ik ite BLACK RVNNSAT. V_^ my mind^by a little circumstance which occurred juBt before the following record of it was commit- |ed to paper. Piiest Bifesseau, as he stated, had been for many] years stationed at the parish of Barqui-the position or distance of whicb I do not know. It was, I be- lieve, out of -the dirilricted country, and I presume, IS not to be found jl^the Montreal cdendar. How longr he had his7r«Sdence there I did not under- ^stand ; but long eribugh, as he said, to have a fami- ly of s^ven children in the house of a womMof the parifeh, and one of four in another. Besides, f he mentioned a third ca6e of a somewhat similar nature.- i^f Bishop I^rtigue.\w my informant declared, had practised on this plan in m^ny instance*— viz : when he saw that any countj^-priest vrng making money fast, he would soon send another to take his place.] and remove him to ttome less lucrative situation.-.! In the circumstances above mentioned, Bresseau re-i coived^an order from the bishop to leave his parish. He wished to remain, however, long enough to make provision for the support of his children, and determined that he would remain at kll hazards.— "He cared not forUe pope or bishop," as he told me ; and resolved to do as he pleased. He there- fore resolved to take the only means that he knew of, to obtain legal authority for remaining in his parish. The Governor of the province, as he sta- Jgji had a right, at least in^certain cases, tfr prevent^ the bishop from removing a priest j and he peti* > ' ■'■ BISHOP LARTl^UI. X 137 Bd him to inteirfei-e in his behalf. In this he successful ; and he, was suffered to retain hia mfb. The bishop, of course, could not but be jleased at such m interference ; and the circum- M of the cas^ Bresseau cither knew, or pre- 1 to l^e extensively known among the clergy. Ill time he succeeded in the object h« had so tach at heart; for he accumulated 4noney. and me means got enough to purchase three or urjferms, which, or the incomes of which, he cui|ed for the support of his children. He then terjnmed to hold out in his opposition tathe-bish- bpn^longer; feeling rather conscience-smitten at ™ tlb^ght that he had set his authority at defiance . ie did not wish, to Remain in the position of a eten^med opponent 6/ him, and d^ed to pro*' tp Montreal, and ^^ve the matter pro|^rly ar- M so that he ra^lit again en|er into a good// nderAandmg and coMxion with the Seminary! ^^ !j ^ *^a' ^e had reb^tly arrived in the city, W wbIs expecting the bishop»s ret^T^ who^^ then ent |Dn one of his totirs 6f visitation, and expecfod b^retutn before many days. It appeared thi^t he ^ fot|nd no impediment to his entrance into the linary, and he certainly was received with free- Wn in ithe nunnery, as he had been|hdulging in a » fired use of wine when I sax^ hi^i \ ^ > 1 heilrd sorale of the main poiint^ioJP'^BWseau's ^ hr cojfroborated by remarks Whick/ell^m sev- L5^!tP'?®8ts in conv ersation, paWicularly Bo- 27» ce of the conduct bf Bi^sseau in his ■^ m ALACK HOirif BET. 0]^sition to the bishop; with much applanie. Re' ••id that if he should eyer herelifter be well sta. tioned in any country place, he never would submit to be driven out of it. He would be as bold and i resolute, and have his own way. It was no uncommon thing tp hear priests speak m^ strong terms against Bishop Lartigufe, when| ihey supposed they might do so without its reach- ing his ears. I have heard some of them curse Jiim, and use different French terms of contempt. ; At the same time there were always numbers of I &e pri^rts who would on every occasion advocate [ Jiia part Some time after the occurrenpes above mention-] ed, I was in the sick-room one day, attending on the sick nuns, when several priests came in great haste, and asked me where Dufresne was, (he wasl then Confessor in the nunnery.) I replied that be Vvas probably in the chapel; when they desiredl me to send Sainte Susan for him immediately. Wef went into the little sitting-room adjoining, which I have so often mentioned before, and waited a short) time for Father Dufresne.' While there, the priests spoke of there being a dreadful state of thingsin l^e Seminary : a scene of violence and blopdshc which had induced them to come throug'h the sub-l terranean passage td obtain assisti^ce. Bresseau,f they said, was severely injured ; tSey left him lyJ ing bleeding and helpless, and they ]i»resumed hej would dip. =^^nte Susin soot returned Vithoi^T^ffei /tlv *jj^^it£_ vl '-. \'' vtsr if';;|T'*»W"v; " lad BioT.iii«iaaBini>AaT. „„ |lAoni«l» could not find :i^«i.l >i.^ .l woring Bresaeau into thelioinitalnf.i,r ^™" lomo «id he couM bo brongKth * :'^- ponnd p.s«.g«, ,0 .void ob^Z, *^',?k """'t U Wened o/to'S,!: ?»; StHS MiYeted my message to her nh^l ♦ ^ i ^ tae to th^ «:♦♦• • ""® relumed with ne.^e.id„feacH.a^at:^::^-,nK inded. ^' '"'* P™l»bfe[ mortally " That i, exactly as it jhould be "■ renn^i .k , ««>enpr. on heaKng the new. • ...7. • T ""* kt Jway. espectUo d^bevtl;: '"^ ""^ ^ " .he proper .ew JrSetL™^^. 0U8. It IS his own fault anH th^ .• ,"'^*'~^^* "^ha.beMenhi^^tSJ:.."*'"''--'-, ' . Th* pnests told her that they wi,hed t„ „k. • " permiarion to bring the woLZ m. ' • ! ^ pital <• That " JL u '"™"™ ""» «>to the eMmni- J ^''"'' """W he .ettins a "^.^ ^uaoraging diaobedi.,^ »».Th, devil wJl have him-let him^e ° . i> :r- ^^' \ .•"■ ^ \'^^' ■- ^; t 140 •LACK NVNRBRT. Ai Icpgth, however, s&e appeared to relent, and fnAfthe would udmit him oat of charity, and for the love of Qod ; though not for his own sake. One of me priests, therefore, hurried off under ground, to have Bresseau brought iroia«rthe Semi- 1iary. I think it was Benin who carried the message. V / It was not long before I saw a caleche coming { through the yard ; and when I was near enough i to obsenre distinctly, I saw Bresseau in it, with his head leaning on tho left, and a long wound on] his right temple, from which the blood was flow- ing freely. Several priests were rbnnd him, en- deavoring to stanch the blood with a towel, and aj svbstance, which I believe grows in Canada, call- ed vestrilieu. Their efibrts, however, appeared to I be in vain : for the blood continued to flow freshly] in spite of their exertions. Bresseau, I found, was not so for gone as to havel lost his senses, or the power of speech : for I soonl heard him curdng in a great passion. "Thatl , lascal of a bishop," said he, '* has done it for me,| with the kick he gave me in the stomach with hit btKH.!' .x..^. ■ .- .. -^ . . • , -/When the carriage stopped, he was tak^ up b) three or four priests, and carried into the pric i^tting-room, or parlor, and laid on a bed. It happened that while the caleche htf^ the way from the. Seminary, and in "j^eMa^f^ ~vi» SQwe^ tao -wounoeci prt^n iiacr in^iwt^r'^ notice of several passengers; so thai> « i^mber. were immediately at the numiery door, to^ what was the matter. The answer made to as I understood, was, that the old man had m down stairs in the Seminary, and was on his »y to the hospital to be taken care o£ The care of Bresseau was assigned to me ; and Iwas employed much of my time in attendance on '•♦a. Of all the profene and infemous men I ever ^ &w. I thought I never had met with his equal, ret, what made it the more remarkable, I under- tood lie had several sisters who were very respect- Me ladies. He was always in bad humor, and wre vent.to it in volleys of curses, and language uerwise most offensive. I had reason to believe that he was attended we than once by the nunnery physician. Dr. elson : for I was several times told by the old na, that the doctor had given such and such rections about him. Among the instructions Ipven me, as by his authority, was one to let Bres^ ii*u have no mor^ brandy. When he learnt that I* was to be denied him, he cursed the doctor, then once more abused the bishop; saying it after death, if he found he had the power* bere was not a devil in hell that he would not ad to torment hhn. He one day handed me ^ Tibler to get some brandy for him ; and on my ""Bing. he threw it at my heid. I was so much ^^ °^l!'^ j gcrea med qnd vm away^ Jresseau lingered m the nunnery, I think, about -weeks. Several priests came in, at d^reoi y^k;. iAaitJl ,:isl -iU,l-U Vi ^£-^ ' '.'fi- ' \ .*^ K BhACK NVNNEHt. ^ tim^itQ Qusk his pariion in' any tlukg Uiey might have o^nded h^. lie freely granted their re* • qveetSi but ^always with the coadition^.that they ahould, on eyery occasioii thatnoight offer, give the bishop a blaw for him. l&e often indulged ia] the most severe limgaage against the bishop, bd ¥fa« usufeUy mote gitorded in the presence of the eld nunff, who eometimes checked him when he weni too fiir, by/ threatening to tell the Superior.I He knew, that she had the power of tiiming him| out of t^ nunae^ when she j^eased, and that H he werejiiitned out, he would have no better ac-i commodations than those affotded by the Seminary. There he might stay in his rooift, lid feceive th ittentions of a man, but th^ treatment of the sicl is vastly inferior in th»t institution, to what is cured to them in the Hotel Dieu. ! The Superior one day called me to her rooi eeying she wished me to fix a cap for her to ^ out. with. I went to the drawer to get one out when I heard the bishop's name mentioned as en] , tering, and. was, Iherefore, induced to pay attenti( to die conversation, which ensued between hi and the Superior, when otherwise* it ^ihia possibk i might not. He tokl her she had taken an im^ proper step, in admitting Bresseau into the nunneryl Bhe had done that which she had no business io. The conseqteices wouhl be bad-^for if had remained in the Seminary, he would hai ^HHn»«w uinueti, want ouDlinweu «v uIE Imt now he was encouraged to set him at del . ». ill « I % /v>'^'^?ffi^^^^'^^«¥* *i" .^tyS^"^^^^^'""^-' y^'wii ^ BBUMiip't MavK. J^.« ^^^ ''*' hi" «oul. aa he would suffer whmen m^Uie next world forhi, disobedient ^Superior likened to *erep^oof of Aet^Tp ^jeenung. respect, and did not attempt to nurtifr k»lf enurelj.^ ...We ,r,7.U ^^^r^ JV«d upended to do>^^^ « lest nothmtr of Us temper. OnV &tr r^ ^*w»«e» than he wanted, and cursed it in aii nw manner. . A few moments after, haying left ^^om^I was mformed that he had br««thed »i ,,( * . - • ■■■ kA^ ■ '7^ ■ f i ■ ,„,,,,..»"■»■'■ ■ •m I,';/' ! ' \ • w^ •■ ' li- fl ..'..W • • .,i3 ! n ,, , t -,, ' i K'f€ i'mj , %. "*£/' ^-^pr *^?« 144 BV4CK MVMIVBKT. ■•'I CHAPTER XIV. NoiM* bland What I heard of it in my Childhood-'riie differ bbuada M c«lted-PriMt L^iOperance— My viiit to Nnp*' Island. Jane Ray, in a conversadoDi she once had wit me, told me that she had heen at Nuns' Island, i mentioned stfange things in relation to it, whic made a fonsiderahle impression on my mind. 'the pl^e to which she referred, I had before a li tie knowledge, as much, I suppose, as is possessc bj^.mqst people in Montreal, and the vicinity. knew Itliat there were^ several islands in the Si Lawrene% called Nuns' Islands, of which thethre principal ones have large buildings uppn thei Some of these must have been noticed by almo every person visiting Montreal, particularly tl one nearest that city, which helongs to the Graj Nuns, and is in full view from Laprairie, and ^ferry. Many travellers from the United State must. also have noticed the Black Nuns' Isl near Lachine, several miles up the river. I often seen it when visiting my uncle, who Uve .near that town ; and had heard reports and cions concerning it. , ■, ' , A considerable part of it is shut in by a ■tone wall, which encloses three large buildingsf the same material ; but' I never had been with -penon^wter gave nre^any li^criptron ofeit ipersonal knowledge, as, all access^to it was saiil ' 1 ^ * ' BOir*' HliJID, 145 |^n,e»«nctly forbidden, eten by law, except tf |4e pne«,, attA .hose permitted by them. M, ^de sometime. soM cattle to persons employed t. (pme of the neighbors, particularly old conntr, rives Island. I sometimes used to look towards with g„„e curiosity; but even from my uncled Pe except the ciumneys, accordinjf to my recolle*. fto. the view of them being intercepted. I thint Suns Is a„d3. as! might have nientioked befor,, «ng ^lled .. Les petits isles "^M. W/ iS khich Jane Hay Spoke, on the occasion above d- »erve. and an a,r of mystery, impressed me with con«cUon tjiat the island wi the «=ene ol nge things. 1^ not the fir^t mtmmtion I h«l in rehtjon to that ^ough what I h«I before received, was ve^ *M oath^ which I wa. required to take immedb |y onmy takmg the Bkck Veil, as theTaS^ fl find m my fir«.volume.' Tho«, oath. I fi* •A uDwillmgness to communicate in that book ^e namre. and biauMiL « '^ "^"=^ ■■2— _ — ' "" oeca nse they are connected ^S"'*' •«*A"toHii»r th^ime. Jw one of those oaths I had ma4e a] most solemn promise'to do every thing, tljat. migl, be required of me at jNuns' Island, and never to] •peak in -the nunnery of things which I mightl 1«1lnes8 there. This was accompanied with tiiel most dteadfbl imprecations on myself, in case l| should violate the oath: as that I might be sunk! to the lowest place in hell, have the worst of devils| ^r my tormentors, a^ never see the fac? of the Savior.^ No ii^ohnation was given me, however,] from which I might form any idea of the^^nditioi of Nuns' Islattd, or the scenes transacted thCTe. j C9uld ohlyrform an unfavorable idda of the place. I may\etdp here a moment, to speak of the Priests' Farm. The Priests' Farm is a piece oi .ground ■;A<» iklffrdb Montreal, of which I repeat] tdly h<4rd menition rnade while I was in the nun] Aery./ Father Pbelaii told me most of what I the heara said about it. No person, as I understc k e^r adbiftdd^thef^ wi^oiit permission from linary. PriiMtd, undeir penance fo> offepc imitted' ilk thteit piurish^^At are sometimes m\ lere for it tilAe. I htve reaBon to believe tl ime^ ntin^ are constantly kept there, and thai others ar« frequently taken to aiift^from there titWnunnery, but always in priests' dresses. Pathfii^Phektt told me, that if a priest wishe to get a handsottie woman in his povirer, he _ tmaiiag^ss ttf gel hef to the Rirm, and tlii her friends never hear from her Again, i He •UN^.imM. =k mmm ST"*- 1 » which is drawn over their head and &cei t^sttvjm life almost at once. From what he V« should judge that the cap flight *e in some )ikm Kke that I have worn in the Nunnery, that it was frequently used. If those in au- nty iare disobeyed in any manner, he said, the nderissure to be punished at the Priests' Farm. ISiere was a young pri^ named L'Espetance, Ifeiy ignorant and disagreedble, whom I saw a few iRonths after Ltook the veil 1 had confessed to llim when in the Congregational Nunnery. He pme to the Black Ntinnery several times, arid I id several conversations with him on different sub- particularly one Sunday, when Jie wished ^to stand by and see that he was not cheated at da But one day he made a propositidn to me, ifhioh I thought I ou^ht to communicate to the '"'^erior. He informed me that he Iwaa going to •United Slates as a missionary,, and invited me (go with him, as a teacher, and privately iivc his wUe. He aaid that the Bishop would ibtless permit me to leave the Oraivent in secret, Vwe should tteveir be known. I iniule little re- to this proposal,' buttookaneariybpportunity, [tlieitl found the Superior in her room alone, to "lUttinit hot with it. It was One day while I war k*.»aa MIX juw. -'-oae—ezpressecr^graR ,vat^ ftnd evidently tfppeved to tegaid tihe ▼«ry ieriously. 1. .^. v>' £¥^ i=r, jr— r- I* SLACK NVKKESir. I sooii after found that she had inibrni^ FiAat \ Phelan, for he spoke of the proposal, hoi saidi '^^e lui donnerais' un coup qu'il ne ^nft^pas tin lecond." [I will gbre him a dose, (that is, either ! a blow or a drink,) that shall be the last.] From this time the Superior and others began to talk to me of pa3ringr a visit to Nuns' Island. She sonne- times sdd it would be good fc^ my health, as li needed air and exercise ; but I found that\both she and Fa^er Phelan had a^Nurticular wish that I should go ; and I was disposed to obey them, as I considered it my duty. I found that the Superior appeared, Jo UEsperance, to give in and be his friend. Something I now understand, which I could not as well penetrate at that time. I have| too doubt of the meaning of the*express^n of Fa- ther Phelan, which I have given abote, though I its meaning is of itself rather equivocal. At length the time was fixed '&r my visit to thel Island, and I was to go in company with L'Espe^l ranee, at a late hour of the night, and in disguise^ to avoid diacoVery. At the time appointed, I was taken into the Superior's room, had a blac^ cloak thrown ove^r me, (such as are worn by the " Sistem of Charity," in the streets of New York,) and thsj bood pulled over my head. This was taken frmi a cupboard near the Superior's' room, where a 9o^\ ^y Ss always kept. ^Wb then left the Ck>nveiit| ^ the same door through wbich^ I aft^wartb ^ped, turned td the left roiind the end of the Ye od Department, and at the gate opening on St jU '•~'-,»-^^«i'"" . ^'S i^.* ItVM^tMAM. .^ tm 4 b'. street, Ibwid a coicfc (chawette) iato whfeli got. . .V, ■■■ •;-.-j ' .^*J!;°!f "" *T " «he «im»g«, tad ilw «d^comi«too«dJjrhw. wng , bell. Z to. ««bk to .peak j^ ««*lMy tf .h, «««,„. M ««Iel»y of fiii^ or twwtty minwes, L'E«p«. Mre.ppe.red with another priett. who took . 8«« wathoat bemg introduced, or named to mo. Mid not remember .Ver to Imre seen him, iwd did «»«fterward« le.m hi. nwne or m,y thing con- ■aing mm, '^ city streets w^e still as we p<««ed through k^dnothing occurred i^rthy of notice, until ( rewhed the bank of the St Lawrence, at a soli- «r^^8ome distiintfe below the Outakirts of L*. ift There we went down Iha baftkk to th^ Br s side, where we foand n bout witfc two meu^ ^ were addreesed bjr my companion flttnlliwly ^^we Mid Jacques. They redeiteditsat^nci |,lt^^Jiad €:qKKJted owr anivia; ,and,.iirteed> tMamBd^ th#jr had be«i obligeAato owitay ^. 9d tJiMi% Ml kami or tw»i /. f ■ ^ ; - ^rr^'^ *«WW^ h«viiig»epeatedtyie«w P ^tM nwnnery.o n ^ran d g to the Sapei»»f>i^ iS? **■ ^toii Mrting ID Mi» ^tfd, ^i|ii|«iid ID he 4IIMW fh^iit ite|e» ■4» .KsesJS '■^i w t »,?¥:- •' K 160 BLACK injn^ivcKY. ; time; They brought the green trees, or branches, every year, which were put up before the Nun- uery, at the time^f ^e I^^essioD, which is held in eommeraoration of the Savior's entrance into Jeru- sidem, when a priest walks under « canopy held over his head, while jighted candles are carried, flowers, are strown before hiii^ and all the Ck)ngTe- gational Nuns are out ,-^ -^ The boatmen were evidei^tly much besotted with liquor ; and I had afterwards reason to believe that they w%re kept in this conditron, most if n%all their time. We were, however, at leng^ saialy | landed, and I found we were op Nuns' Island. We proceeded up from the shore, passed under the shade, of trees, over turf ejiill green, if I recol- lect right, and soon reached a gate in a high wall, where One of the priests rang k bell. An\=old man opened it and freely admitted us; as if prepared fdr I our arrival. Indeed, it was evident that he had ez* pected the arrival of visiters, for he toJd us we should find a light in the building. The pric •semedw^lt acquainted with the place, and led uie uciOBB a jrard, towards three large edifices^ twol «C jrhich stood at right angles. We entered th< ^he on the right, by a door which opened into narrow passage, on the left of which an inner dqpi led us into a room with plain ftuniture, in whici we fi)und two old nuns fitting, and I thinW kBit-{ ^i^Here also, we^Tmd thlit ijur~itrrival fiuT expected: for the vinomen were not at all (akea^ WvJti' tSLANb. 151 H8e, but received me with cordiality, and ap- peaked to iiave been sitting up till that late hour on purpose to await us. Here I took a seat and Jttfor some time. /The old nuns broug|it me some ifefreshments. of which I partook; and ^^en on^ of them led me to a chamber near the end of the iMjilding, in which were two or three very wide beds, at least one of which was occupied by women. Into one of the others I soon got, at the proposition of my attendant, and she threw herself fown upon one of the others, near me, and enter- €d into some conversation, with much appearance rf kmdness, in which she mentioned that informa- tion had been sent from the nunnery, that our party would arrive at the island that nigh^ and that the gardener, as well as themselves, had been duly [idtified of it. : tit the morning I found that I was at liberty ta po where I pleased, without leaving the avails ag M ceremonies were to be perfoitned, or prayewi mtyiB m the nunnery. I was under no obliga- "^ to nse at any particular time, there was no ied^our for breakfest, ho processions Were to be ^ed, no time of silence i0 be observed^ And, ' meh W4S still better, no penances were to be sp- ^^^ed. I took advantage of the freedom al- toe, ta make some observations on thing* ittfe. The foUowMg description ^bhw»ff I tub se q uendy obseire^^ if |«# itM liie»e to make itiinore com|»le». ' Att »rfw**i.ii?^ ^f t^^iplac© has Mtt made ffditf . i» •iw- *?f t'i!-P:. 1^ BLACK NUNMIBT. seventl hasty drawingi made with my own hand, amended in some points according to descriptions I subsequently gave. I do not pretend to perfect accuracy in all things, for that cannot be reason* ably expected in a d|use of this kind. As in my plan of the Veiled Department of the Nunnery, so here, I insist that the relative position of build- ings and apartments, doors, windows, stair-cases, the furniture, and uses of different parts, as far as I give jfhem* are substantially correct.; and in relation to this place, as. well as to the Convent, I solenmly declare, the truth of my narrative will be established iwheneter a jhir examination of the place dhiill be made. To th^^est I appeal, and on tb«l dvi^ence I rely. Wli^ I have to say of { Nwls' Island inay be by many questioned, or per- haps wholly discredited. To such persons I wiU | s :y>':.'" ti-i _ ■ --{^ , . -, ... F^" " ™ " " ' '■ ■ ' ■ ?'» .■- ' ■t '' t \. ■'■fj ■f t^ TkV ■"f**^lftf^>:?^^-t'^ ^fe ^A" I ^^s^''*t^\, z "^ -ii" » • ?^' B£j»»ririr^iiij(y. ■ V V 'l.H |. 7-j,. CHAPTER XV. ' DMWriptiion of Nuni' bland, and the Boildiiifa on It-Relleetioni m the Fositfon I unme hi making Amher DiMloBiiret^CommiBdOB ihren me by Father Phelan-Its Sxecutioa^l|]r Terior at the I ThgKfht of Poisoninf— Confined bj ninen. Nvhb' IttAKp/ttfaat is, the Black Ntms" Wand,) li« in 4e St Lawrence, not iar, I think, from the middle of it, a little helow Lachine; The mil encloses a ccmsiderable spatce, hut yet leaves an extensive paatnre outside, with fruit ^ees scattered about it, and room for two or three 6mall buildings. It is so high as ^o shutout the view of the edifices from any near point, except, perhaps, the roof and dome small: part of llhe' upper ttories. II has bm one igate, which is generally ck)s^, and sulficienlly walched^by three or foui' yardmen, to keep out all pertons not allowed to >^ter, tit such as bring ira permits from .the Bishopv or the ^ fluperior df the Seminary and Hotel DieU Nunnety. The yA¥d» mitti«ras ai tfaejnunnery^ afre netetallo^ed tb entt^ tW biuldiiig%.mil)Bts itobi ittch parttstfsir^dirrdt to the stabK foeS, dbc. ^ ' ii The buildings are three in number. The M gest stands in front, the second behind it, and the third at right angles, on the right, as you enteir the %8t; and the last is that which I first entersi ISntering the ^rst buil^ng by the front door, fm find yottrself in a hall, with sevetal doon. |%il viS%U "*«^'*'*^IBW»» r'-MiiJ aforjr rooiM ^ong the f^i take t^pingw IS, and two of those in the rear are 'spacidiw elegant "simng-rooms, with windows that opeir Dii a gallery, which extends along the rear, and =< Old of the building on the left hand. With it (K»fconimunicates from one of them, and this Nh6 only way of access to it from thiis side of the Wdmg, which looks towards Montreal. In the lileiy we sometimes walked for exercise. Thefiret large room had elegant blue merino irtems with tassels. Ther« was an ottoman In it, f blue cloth, bound with black velvet, with raised 'nei^BP formed as to afford a distinct seat on li side, being the m :,#.*^Jii-^' • f ^ ^ "^y^ -f fi*#" I BLACK Kim^KRY. the winter ; and doors open on sdveral ^des. Onj of them leads into a place which I thought venl singular, and the use of which I could not imaginel It is a large room without furniture, with a stoiw floor, lighted, I believe, only by a small gratec window, with about four panes of gkss. In the, midst of this room is a^ small one, capable o] containing about twenty persons, entirely, ui nished, and perfectly dark. The parti t^flftL ^ Bo.thin^ that I thmk a conyersation aHri overheard through them, even if conducted^malo voice. • .fri At one end of this story are four bed-rooms, eac., with two windows, a bed, and other plain furniture These rooms are warmed by one stove, placed i the middle partition, pipes |from which extend bot ways through the other partitions. The entrance to the basement is at one end The second room in it is the kitchen, With a largi baking furnace and roasting jack, and severs small furnaces* in a comer. A large table used , stand in the middle, and the steps lead up outside t the gallery, which is supported by timberE Th nej^ loqm has a stone flow, and the remaining oii that side of the batenaent, a wooden floor, the front side, and adjoking. is a small cellar wit. only a little light admitted through a narrow mn dow. which I have p^ped through from withoui •Ehi remainder of the front cellar ia all In Twra* and \mito mtrng^m^ / »JW '7' "j"s»» ^,.j/ ^f Jb «ecoi^ wid jpuaiest buildingr, which is in m rear of this. I was in but three times. It has ^#p^es, with a number of smill rooms, and Jit- l^fonuture. It appeared to be principaUy devoted j|»,the pnests. when I was there, as I recollect see- m^ Aumber of priests there, and several musical JOStitiinents lying about ^JjPie third building has a staircase leading up .^the^ iters' room, which I first enter^ into m wcond story, which is occupied by sleeping- ^ms, w»th a passage on one side into which they J have been io^he garret of the third building. *« not partitioned off into rooms, but all throim m one. If I except a small part towards one end. NMw pigeons are caught There iaahirge Jookinl^ glW so placed that the birds may see themaelves Nj It as they fly by ; and, some wheat being scatter- ^nw. considerable numbers are canght most of iieh are kUled. and sen to market in Momreal ^pigeons. 1>eing deceived, and takingtheir own w«df liusb 'ness. . ;, j:-,m - .-r' One day Father PhelaA met' me ih tiib Pmk Room, and idbrmed me that he had^ something for me to do. I of contse did not dare to objeel, much less to dia^bey, after the solemn qbligatiinBi of my oath, aSidthe hazard, or rather certainty of punish- ment. I felt myself totbe no less in the jkyWer of others there, than when I was in the nunnery; and believed that disobedience would be as sdrely fbl lowed with a Imavy penalty. BeeideSi I bcfll^jved that all authorhy was Tested in the Prie8ts,'by th^ divine law; ami was4i8po86d,^on this^aisei^mi (at least a greil portion ci^ the time,) blindlfto follow their commaiidslmd indications, without presuming ,tp questioirthe {irDj|>iiet^ of th^ooL v^ •?<.«-; 'ii' ' ' Father Phelhatold^ nra^tbil I shou^ meet with i;&8per«i^ lii thefeti^er bvildin^^flwt is; til^%e^ eondtin an apftrtnMot' which vhe menHbiied f a»i ' kt'wishdd melto talda hftntoriai^han^i^, Which htf^ described, and giye hjkn'a gl«bs of wine. 1 riioukt'l find two bottler, 1» ialbrm^ me; is the ciii»boai4l{ in that room; one t>f thMiimarked'with« paper, and that I should p • i'Hi •>■ ,-»••-" ^ tH ' #1 * ^■+>^.. ^iI**|:b or Ui# Clip. What I felt, it Would be iiseleii for mie ta jKttempt to deacribd: I t)ut dowii the g&88 I beM inr my own handi a cdnsideraWe pofi -4km ftom which I had swallowed, and hattened outof the rooias^thout speaking, in a stoteof mind distressing beytond endnftmcft^ I left the house, Iran across the yard to that from #Wcl^ Il^ad pro. ceeded, rushed into the room in which! lisS Tgft ikther Phelan, and threw my self upon the sojBi. A new thought had occurred to me on the way. Per* haps my wine had been poisoned, either by de- sign or accident : for how did I know that the pa- per had not been put upon the wrong bottle, or Ivhat reason had I to confide in the honour of any person who would treat anotheir na I wipposed L'Esperance had been treated? In my extreme agi- tation of mind, I did not itop to reason: but my fears led me to believe the most dreadful thing Which suggested itself I the^fofe at bnce em- braced the idea that I was poisoncid, and was soon to dw in agony. I began to cry^. *nd soon to *H%m with horror^ regardless of every thing liwnd me. Some oi the old nuns came to my as* aflstance, aikd fat asked me to be quiet, and then commanded me, lest others should learn the cause; but for a long time they £>ond it impossible to paci- fy »tt. From some remarks which fell from them, JLpJftin^ understood that ' " " me wWle I was giving L*Esperance the wine^ 'W0i^h through a gkia doov.4^ *--v:iMp. /.Sitt;-ii=CiJ-^V"ii' ti ..jr:m::^.. 'It-* * ,'V • -^;i ,^J%,liijftlth was serioddy aflScted by the occurw "»^of that day. 80 that I waa removed to a bed,, there was confined about ten days, sufferimr ^r^J^T^"^ »*^*^«igthbecamegrad^ g^r^M but It wii» 4^ before I could mte (llWly leave my room. - •^ i?«P ,»■■■' .1 -tu vt •.- - , sf> J •■ 1. N •''^ i > . * ' ' ■ ■#'■ Vt , '/»»■» '*f , *flf »'.u r.9 . »", ^t.» •J'- f.- ; ^ilimjUi'..*, t , . ,,4 4»i "». ^»''. .'"- #*»^ i.\)«irdo»-» Toang Women firom tbe U. 0UUe«i Thkhs were several beds in the same room, occupied by young wdijaoi, whose health was fee* ble. While I remainedBrthe room, there wer^ several changes amon^ the other occupantsx^ sometimes one would enter, and occasionally an- other would leave us. The names of many I never, heard, and some of them seemed to be almost en- tirely unknown to each other. Th^e were com* monly reserved and silent, apparently averse to communicating any thing, and not well satisfied with their condition or company. Some of those who left the room while I was in it, I afterwiirdf met with in some of the apartments ; but others/ 1 liever saw again nor heard oC / What could be the object of having 90 .many young women assembled here-~who they were^ and whence they had comet were nat^iral ques* tions : but at first I had no one to answer them. . The reserve and depression obseryiude in such as I have mentioned, were not by a|iy means exhi-i bited by all. Several of my room-mates, on the contrary, were very willing t^^ converse, and in- ed whal wonU qnite conununacative. rived information which sj ' J ^•««v, Bt^tvt ■» ««5 y-i*fem,j!«#j y/j^'v - otbrwise have appeared mjrsterious. I may. per- hape. best convey to my readers the impressions which I receivH by giving it to them as I myself received it ■ , ' - ^ * ^^5|«*e was a yonng wojwn who occupied the ^ bed directly opposite mine, who was called Ange- I lique. She was among the most communicative of all. and one of the first who talked with me. Jfer felt no unwillingness to make known td nkl^- Mhi^flry, and ttties rathe dress of a man. at evening; and ^» lone occasion feh much apprehension of bei^g di»i* leovered.^ She happened to be kte. and h^d to make l» much noise to gain admittance, that she attrad-^r W the attention, not only of two men whp appear- l«d to be at watch on a neighboring corner, but ol lite Iteighbora, who raised their windows t hav propositioii; As for hersel^ahe said ske^i^attidaufi'er nothing on Account of har expe^ dilioiNft 4ka istedj^yrttoMyieoiild «?9r dpfso:^^ mlfp^A^WM^^X^^r^^s.'^ . ■H^ij ^j^ai^Jt^ f \ •t. 1 V V r « yv''-'^,3^l{^ woMili rids^^ vat 'v*mi» iTixis. m Oie df the young women, who conversed some^ ifltt freely with me, was called Miw Goidon; which I presume was her real name. She wag i«all^good.Iookmg. with light hair, «nd had a scar •h he# lip. Sh6 told m that she had been m a Content m some part of the United States, biit not ffiTr^.^PP^' "" ^ "cholarrjjad.had come fe the Isknd for the same reasotrWTmany of the rthers, hanng been sent there by^e head priest. nr "^^ "^"^ *^ '«t«™. andXld me that she w* Jresolved to leave the CoJent, and to retunr Ito It no more. I3he carefolly ^ milng the place of her r W I rec<^ect about her, 02 (teen taken from her, (as I w^ miormea was thd Icjmmon practice.) to be ^lacei in the Orphan H^lum, at the Gray Nui^ery. Several of the young^men told me they had ime from the United States, and nyntioned their its of residence; but from my ignorance of the ntor. I did not particularly regard them^ no^ il now remember them. One said she had beetf Jere several times, and had sent several infants t» ^e Gwy Nuns, and hoped to Uve to come adozmt ^es ihore I judged her to be mie of the ^Bisfert ^ W^Ohanty, because she wore a hood like theiii^r* l^e of these young women had a peculiar sca^ i ^r cheek, and a mole on her lip, which I well "^°^?^« ^Pd «h o«i< Lknow n gai n anVwhero . li jpt ined from men- lence; and this is \that her in&nt had informed was thd r^siied. When meeting any of the -Bistery Chanty, m New York, to hive their hoa*i 1* \' c iii._^-^ K: 7"! "" 1^ ' -m: :-^T' h ;■ l:^ I- /i>: Tftieod, M I AiigH pot^i^ -iffW^iiMi lome of < MieAi. Po08SMy I might &i4 the p^uli^r scar, «iid Um moleoQime ofUMir&cefliQr •onM^hiag el^e, I have Bbud dn l^uiui' Isliuid-— Atloaol #« I sometimes think; • I haire heen tdld hy n ^^ung Catholic wih mojiUHl ;£iev York, jthat many of the "Siaters of Chantjp'fMaie Oanadiansv and Uiat she knev one ivliolbould hardly apeak the EngHah langiMige. I lecdUect to have seen several,, at difierent times, WUle ii| the school of |hfi Congare^fational Nim^ aery, takmig leave, to go dn missions to yAme* rique, as they sometimes called the rUnited States. Qhe of the women remarked, iil conversation dne day, that the |iriests-had more (Children horn on tfiat Island in a year,. than there commonly are m \ a good-sized cojintry ;TillagiB. ;^ { There were sevevoA .arrivals of yotiiqf women,! ^h!le/I jyaaon the island, and seveifal left it, but l| nea^ law them cjonung w going, and waa com- BMJolyleft .to infer at from circumstances which I cmseimder'my notice. , S^stoe of the priesis, I be- lieve^ %ere fte^uently going land eonung : m there iatno obstacle in the wiy of thpae who iiiave the| necessary anthoritjf^i • ) i ^q - feiiL^Jbw days before m^rWthiigf ^d place, I miss*] ed j^l^elique firoin her bed, and on inquiry, ^m infetmed that; she had left the idbrnd^' She mightl (p^ teifo'gone a day or ttfo bef(^ X iaissod her:j Mt tmwim0A tohfd and lebs^ iwhm we pleased,! J i b W6ie u(it a^ i riag Ip b ur ^o i m , and did w i^r-^ liclil^ Jnd^eBieh odier regihliifi^ A>< - -m-x* vy-yi'i: V. ■fi: '-*••>■■ »■ *■*-- r P-^- , •■ ™:^ «v;^,. . ■c ' r - •'--f^'r "T^■■ f- E?"".fr tr-^ ■ft *:.:!,i I y ..- \i - *»:■ m ndetf nr li-, ^' * "" «^ aometimes re- ^^!fl^^9^'^ <^^ my healtlC i b«iin';^ r:-"'*^^^^ vwit the different aDaJCnt. *«i?w. i-A, eSf J:d i"^!"? ri' ■*^ ieadr and the view whl^K ^ ^ * enjoymj freeable. ^ ^ was extensive ^nd II m r' 1 ■• y ... * J !■ ^! - ■^^■ ^ ' - 4.-#~ a,'-*-' «*■" '-^'-'-T.' .-^^1 K'-- i68 SLACK tfirifNEBT.' IF ?:. CHAP'^TER XVII. Oeeupttions of Men and Women on Nnni* Idand— A Heirt-broken I Woman— Convemtlon with her-^y Departure from the Islandbl •nd Rftom to the Hotel Dieo, It would be impossible for me to form tmy esti- mate, on which I could place reliance, of the mT(k-\ ber of men or women I saw on Nuns* Isknd. There was no regular time for break&st, dinner] or sUpper. No bell was rung, no notice was given! for meals, any more than for retiring at night, orl rising in the morning. Food was lilways prepa-l red and ready, when any of us were disposed to eat ;| and we went when we chose, alone or in company,] to the eating-room, at one end of the building, and helped ourselves in true Canadian style. ^ Many of my readers may not be aware of the! style of eating practised among many of the lowerl Canadians;. So many of the priests are of Canaf dian origin, that their meals in the nunnery, on th; >land, are often disposed of in a rude and unmannerly vtey, with bat little use of knives and forks. We often ate standing, while on the island,] and it was commcm to take 'even meat in the fingers. As thei^ was no general call, or occasion for mbling At a ny t j me , t h e inm a tes resorted t<^ I rooms, or lounged about the galleries, yard, or sitj tin^-rooms, aa they pleased \ so that it would han n lM-\ *VilW'Ai.»lS^^Vi« *'''^^si "CCWAMOK. Oil Ituiw' „i4„a ^*„j, % «,. ^ "' * "^ """ '^" 'Wnk of do. ^ . Some of the prierta, „ I uadeMtood were ih.r- ke. «,„. by .he Ch^SulTlS "°. """"" Men »w .hem Jamke Tind^l ^eT' S edfice numbered 3. wa, .pecially dcm^ ,„Th jtllowed to go wherever .hey pleased. <»?^'^T'*r- .**"* of their ma«' low W^ wa. voaal ; and while I was on the uiSt Mavane.yof „ng. „„^. i«„ic„l„,' ^ ^.ch were mo« popular i„ the nunnery. ^ ^e women, .ha. ,V. hose whose hela.h would SSS^'*"- S°™«ti™«^norferwou7d >me from Uie Supenor of Uie nunnery, to makS l.»nhe, of towel, or .hee... and .ometL^ V r K f , / . ".,.,'.''"' V . . -.-. . ... :^ . ■ t . dr eight shirts were fsrdered for sdriie priest, in gi'eat haste. The old niins wotild call upoA us to 'assemble, and gave us no peace till they were dopd^ Orders sometimejs came for the Seminary, Nunnery, Priests' Fainii, and Bishop. It com- monly happened, however, thfet the greater part of the job was performed by ia few of the mostindus- Uious ^r good-natured ones I for the cross and in- dolent would contrive to get otT their part on who- ever i^ould do it. At certalii seasons of the 3rear large qulmtitiei^ of soap were madiei, and then old Aunts Margaret and Susan ai^e sent £rom/the nun- nery to manage that department. Butter and cheese are ^lOiade from the; mil^ of the cows kept on the island ; and several <^ the Huns most expert in making them, are employed in the'dairy. ; I had often noticed aryowg w;oMan, apparently rather older than myself^ with a peculiarly un- happy and depressed countenance ; bi^t I had iiever spoken with her. One day I waa set to sew^ with her on the same pbce— -a sheet which was to be made. We sat togethier sewing a whole afternoon, during which little or nothing was said bjr either of us; I When it grew too dark to do any more, and our work was laid aside, we kept our places, and she began to converse with a degree of free- dom which I had not expected. We were at the end of the long gallery in the buildingNo. l,near cpuid not be overheardT -^=^ ^ ^^7^=^ . |h|rb^|^ by saying that aht fras lontty and ancea upoi lydestroy* vera! vreel TVieakened.i unable to ti trive any. might find would be C' residence, i time she spi and watchet Qlices she h ^ heaven* .i il0)i^k ,Jf.i I W-'i-i l«A«y-,BRpKW ,roilAir, . ' jai 'JB>fcWPy: and spoke of the wretchediiMs of encfi ^orp. Jsdeed, d.e mu« have know». that u7e »!•>« opportunity to accuse her of coZiaiW g^to get he,~sj.biected .0 ee,e^pe»^ctS p^^ "talent I equally Vmmitted myjelf |*r»ken ?«.t on to speakftf Iwr eariy life,^^ x^Uect although she named it. r ]«»« the T r^ ^ ", "" ~^"''*~ ^ tipper CanX "etire4;M pleasant spot She said Sshe W n«how^ She was a n«n in some Convent I do ^know wh^^ ; and her Superior w«, tery Ls^ m her treatment, and had pot some d,eadM pT «.«»uponher. Once in particular, rfw had near lf_d«troyed her life; for she m«ie her Ue f,^1i veral weeks.^upo#a bed made of top... which weakened «vl ininred her «, much, m^h^^ -blMP ^ up for «, ^.eU Jf^noJ; ,r STl-.T.'™^ °' e^eapiiM^^ ftto the Island, we Zu S! "".'^y '%'»" ^^yo place. Where , he w^ld be certau, of gettin«r»good and comforftil' ?»dence, for me a, well as herself -At the s«m« «31fSJ "''* " utterly hopelew shuTnp !!St 'i!!.^-f '^ "!^ ^''!' "^ tod^of ho trori Md •Wri It ?ra» hard fijr Uft^p^^tp^^ jjgj ^ i^r^^ WMJSffucl, suffering, that anybody do«H^ t te heaven. lnd«di Ae MJd keaven must ha * C 'I 1-.!l''i| •:h3 i|S4i «^ 1# 1;^ . i 'i .^ n- J - ' .r BLAOit NVNNBRT; V^ •^'s ^wadfid plttee, if such trials as she was subject to, were the way of introduction to it ^^ A Shedifl not speak particularly of the occasion of her visit to the Island: but, from the state of her health, and other circumstances, I had' no doubt that it was similar to that which had brought many others there. ^ I found that her melancholy wa|that of despair While speaking of her home, she seemed, indeed, to forget, for a moment, that it was impossible for lier ever to see it again, and exclaimed, "O, Hdw happy we should be, living there together !»' But then, when recurring again to her actual condi- tion, she assured me that she constantly prayed for death, and sometimes thought seriously thitt she would take her own life. • - - , I felt very much for . her. and once told her I would ahnost venture to attempt an escape with her. She said that would be entirely useless^wo had no chance at all. I afterwards trembled ta, think how I had exposed myself and that she might possibly inform againsf me : but this she never did. 1 was not particular in noticing the numW of days I spent on Nuns' Island : but I belieVe I was ^ere very nearly three weeks. I am certain, at ieaat, that three Sundays passed while I was there. One evenihg an old nuo told me I ^was to return to the nui pMty with three priests, and seveml nuns, after on a black cloak and hood, ■• befora 4»ib*i' 'cjMja'.i It ' 'dja^p' / .5 J i 5, <"^* -s^ *^> T " MTTOII TO TBI HVNBSBiJ. . ,73 ^. Samte Mary,! remember, wa. one of tC W « company, and two other, ^era old num! Who expressed much regret «t leading the .JW »y»ff. «»« if .here was a» thi^j ./J ^*f^ Ae nnnnery more than cimmon. they must at ways he/sent for. ' to t^'r"""^? ''""° """ ^"^ »' '^o "«U on foot ■ Ih A T"'"'"/""''!"^ ""^ Pierre were ready with their boat; and having entered it. they rowrf «««s to the river', shore, where we found a cT!. ««e waitrngfor us. m which we rode to die ct The driver stopped at the nnmiery gate, ftom 1 1^^ /?«^' r ^*" "^««^ ^to the nun- "2^?"^'' *" 'J^P^J. ^0 «»cri»ty. «.d the l:.■ ii% "■•^.^y,'V' Thb fol lAe pfeced {contents W( J cent circur |of them hei I have re led, for serej Itha nunner Jrick-room/ Isecond ston low to meni in ^6 CO may state I Bs there. , Dr. Nelsoi >utnineo\ V. S pi quite e mv^ been ol ^\:X\ ^;V,;t; ft* ' ''hf!' ^Jit^iriitioil, CHAPTERXVltt 7 - m . '%^ A '^"" f<>^^owmg c!iapter ims been wHtton i Ae precedinff wm i« #i.«^ ^'een wntten since r" """^ Tha IS numberW. 3 in mv nl.n Zt^ r^d »tory. giv^ i„ ^ gj vohm« rt*-" now to mention .nmi • ' volume. I have U there. , ^ »totipn to the piacti- Dr. Nelson commonlv naid t;^ _,^«.i :, . i > ■ out nine o'clock md.fliT ""»■"<"»»* ^m« at. ^.tYc:^^rA';^-,r£- «wr«to#tt„™.- Attet'the concltt^a oflhi r*;T;^«^7:Atte^the cohclitgion oTriii -i-^. ■^ r Dr. Nelson had often much to say to the Supe- rior. But one day I observed him in conversation * with her, after he had visited/the sick, at a time when I wished hSm^iiwtfy. ItvWas Monday mo^n wg; and then there was always an additi^ial amount of wotk to be done, and more hurry /than |?sual in doing itj: |p^ ^t thai tipf^ mor^ j^riesta than on otter |ays|)omag^to,th^ nunnery^ and as they frequently jwt^wed ^rou^h t^e sick-Xoom, the Superior wisW to have p^ry thing in good or- der. Tbe sheets were chai^ged on t^iat day, and the Superior, who was always partjrcular in hav- ing things right there, would insist on our being {t must have been en a Monday morning when I saw the Doctor talking witl^ J^ Superior, because I remember th^when fsaw ^im, I thought he would interfere with my prompt performance of| tne laborious task | had ^efore nie. The Superior ebon called me to her, and, I remember, used Sj term which she ollen did wh9^ disposed to coax us j ■ 1'; J' ',' / *-"J.i - :■ ■■ ■•;■ -A" ('.-■-■ ' i •; • . .•^, ■■-.-,. :r •, , '.^yieii 1^ |a m^re,^^^^^ petite-Bile." (Cipie tp yottf mother, m| little daughter.) ' _ , '^ t^|)proached^er, anid shemieiae Me take a se$t !^]twWen her and the Doctor, wh'en.iiie mfori me that i^he had something to say ,whic^lmud^ repeat. " Thi tipctor,'" saiij she; *.* w^ts flie c^^el criT fft, A|fnes, and ;^nil giy^fei^||iijurs for £ "^1 w i l l eomo thi s wenpytbig etlt|;^l B^; stlU,.yoa must coMe 3«l»ft'. Jr. ^-J Vf. ^j '*i\fi '^*S&f W I THiB0Drj>F^01l|fe. m i^^JT^" "'° ^^ "Wch I took: an* awn wtenderfto the work I had to do. That eC- «ff at about half pa« „J„e, I went doVmt^Si IbvS "?• ""^y- » '"«' of »eetSyonI bythe^way who mi^htqueWion me, to L tW I rjT ^"^^J" "><' Superior, aa .he h^d told Il.hi K^^"^ ""«• "<• P'<»««>«d with m thwngh the fim «orjr. to the IMe covered j^ Ltm. ? "? '"^ *""~'^- C™«a^that.\^ Boticed before; and that the ^aperior in^Kw i^^r.r'l'''"!""'' *" •*~'°'^« ^Wle ah* Wdmed to get a ; W after a time .he We back having been unable to fincf it- "™e oacit, ta/™- ^ »''« <|»nvent, went und«BS| altaf KJST^ ' f '^'^'' ^^'"^ thia wKothe? \IM by^ large iron bolt, which the doctor re^ ftnrc^no^^fiir. I^hould think, from the middte N^ th e ritNr t han Z from d U ; auT g WB^ 11^ gone down on wme occaMraa of buriai i* «ep« were »2«»A One night, I recoUeofc ■■..It ■ 'Vi :'-.■< , ^*X^' i«£i^ii 1^ •«« 1^ Mt vdlr,ji!i i M^MawtJifyM *<< BiiAllIC N11[NMBIl!?fr 1 5f^a sipqt thete with some others, in consequence of the fears of the Superior, who-thpught old Sosan hftve left some fire there, as she had gone !f^ !W^ a light. I well remember the .^ead *lll^ which I passcsd along the»j^loomy pjtace, and; th^ thougbit that sQTne of the many dead peipsons tiiere might riise and catch hold of me. " ■ [/But to return to the occasion of which I was ^ "^e^lpng. The doctor^, I remoter, remarked ^t he. had neyerbeei^ there before. When he had^opened the door, he caipe up, and going to the ^ ^rontdoorpf the^mrch, caljedjn two men who w^^' wailing th^^ and th^ '^^'^f^^ ^^^^ doWn togiBther. The smell of the plficS|ra8 oppressive and disagreeable, as I had before ^||nd it The men topk the co#d ^ojf Sainte Agnes, l^%igj^ it up,, I and Garri^ it into tj^ street. The Supij||||r and ^ myseiir, accompanied Ihem to the door. It wiUi a $. Iiiileiul night, the air, I recollect, was co^d ; and I good a little behind the Superior, till thei^doctor { is^aen were gone ; when she closed the door, j ll^jk^ an|^bol(fd.it The handle, l recollect, *^^ 06, anatl^^ide considerably ornamented, thmgs occurred in the nunnery which I J perer fully understood. There was a '^fbadful ilArm pne night, during my attendance in th^sick miOmi the recollection oi wMcl^ iff very painful to jfm: While I was sitting- up; I heard shrieks i|t ««me distance, but so loud thjat I sprung up immt* fl i^t ft l y raar did^ . th a s ick. n«nWr w h o-weyg ab kJ fmsQ&fk IS I recoverjed myself, I told them to r» &■ f,\ ' AA j! : MSJaLM^Jk-B NlOBf^ pquence dfiofan ad gone e dread ice, and persons i 1 was smarked Then he g to the en who it do^ pressive C The It up,, and ; and I s,^doctor he door, icoUect, mented. vhich I hfeadful th(^ sick inful to rie^at I immt' • ft abl ^ r n to r6» m eome mend find them mrtoh conftaoh. ttt *««"». fcowe^er coritiiaed, ««1 tb<^,wM*'»« they did ma short time. TW AftT^a*** J^ eveqr. th»g bec«ne pretty traiquil-agiie^ W* v«ry p^™,; however, that the curioe% df «« \mt, ewjted hy ,0 extraordihary a noiffe, thikOt Ilh«3r w»re not allowed to talk atent it^ arid'rf ^^«™e kept iilence My fir« though ;*?thj ^me person was undergoing great suffering L the EvS " r- '"*' ^ ^^« •«^<"^ times fsfcrred m my first volume, as the room of the three statba) 1 d r!;*?""! "'•"°'*"'^ *"'*» rounds seemeS teoetr. '^' *"■ r* ^ P"^«»«°«i 'h? sufferer; h*nt m that^rection. There was ashrilln*, M fr. „". t */1: *"* "^' ""• ""-k ** voice thL" K « nw i but they a^erwards iMmed more lihl [tfattofaman. 7/ ~^ more iiiy While I was reflecting oh 4i^t.iril«rtfc# Upee of a short time. th% Superior opened the d«o*/ knd passed rapidly^hrough the mck-wom. ac^ok! ^led by a few oM nuns, without speaking a Word '■ pe afterwards passed again and again. ThA last- Npened. (owmg tocher ferry. I I p4„„e.) [my she locked th ejooy.' that lea.' into ik^ .i^ ~~aWw inomei ' ^ — --^ more lo^dimd ■»"-■ ^iB^ein^sereaniff begaai f reiiiful than beltot^ m thil'' •^-, >«*.:i('./. i'"^'"ii''/*^'T '' V* •' ■»\ 4 -'^ ( *, i m nOMlV HvflflTBRlr. I epmng up and puUed at the door, to pwveot another scene of confosion among the sick nuns, , Wid thenfirst found it locked. I could hear them moving, and perceived that they were in a dread- fill state of hp/ror. Every moment the shrieks seemed more terrific, till it appeared as if several voices weto mingled, at their highest pitch. At length they ceased, and I never heard a word said on the subject afterwards, nor obtained any light "Whatever of the origin or cause. The night I •pent 8<^m8 to me one of the most dreadful I can recollect in the whole course of my life. I have seen 4he short letter from Dr. Nelson, (the nunnery physician,) which is inserted in the book called "Awful Exposure." publish^ by Messrs. Jones &( Leclerc, in opposition to my " Awful Dis- closures;'^ and at he professes never to have seen me in that institution, it has occurred to ine that I may assist his memory, not only by narrating the preceding account of our visit to the vaults of the church to obtain the body of Sainte Agnes, but by wquesting [his attention to other circumstances which he cjui hardly have forgotten. i would therefore address myself particularly to Dr. Nelson, and ask ^im if he remembeni. about the spring of 1834, entering the nuns' sick-room, (No. 4, i^the second story of my plan of the veiled departmeht,)^nd speaking with a patient who occu* pied th^ bed in the comer on the right hand? Does hd remem ber a little nun, iivgtt ftT ^Hai^ w ^nHhe^l '?'t ^' / PV^, NVLiON. ; 181 ,P«»or^hB opmion of .|e case unUl he should cril c^T^K^ . '°'°'*^ round jacket figured waj !^„^! u*"""""- "^ S"'y'»'' colored h«.^. companied by a tall, handsome young maTw^ %!« h«r and a gold watch chaii. wL had o^ ■me^ &c ? Does he remember, that after speakiW ■toey both knew.) he spoke with the sick nun first mentioned, who was bathing her feet on Te S m:il\l°7\ ^"''* '-ember cali^gS! Z . T "• "'"""^^'^ "gain into the sitting-room ome ;r Sr': ""^Superior hi^S a.^ him. Hfer name was Jf»r.» ilfo^. Dh.Trt'" ""J" ^"^ '^'«°««» «'" in what & on!?":'^^ ^*^ "^ ^"^ «y mother's charge, where she - remained for several weeks. She' was. present at the theatre and i^t other public places, wli^re she -' appeared under a feigned character, and was after- wards brought back tp thfe nulmenrfas fltjarge sum df money was pledged for her resrordtion. jl I also know, from certain %Q^i that this was^ not a solitary instance of the kind. Iv " )h^-\} i ' «« r , ^#. . , ■ * -■i.\ ■ . ■ ' ' ■. : J |:- :, %^ * Si N I ■:— ^f*-*** «*«*-.,-.:' IS ; r SPECIMENS OF SONOft US JR XIX. CH4PTE SpeeliieM of songs Buny by Ihrlests in the Nunhery-Reiim wh» " «J!' .• talroducod here-Song of La Brunette-Boojoar Pr«tre J I WA8 always foiid of mitsic from a thiW. J ' have never received much instraction evea in sing- . mg: my onl^ teachers having been a fetv priests, whp|a8 I mentioned in my first volume, used occa- siondllyto coi^e i^to the nunnery on Saturdays, and lead the nii^s in performing some of the chant^ and hymns which Were used in the chaf)el In my childhood I lieaird a variety of song8,rt»ar. ticularly among the Canadians, and In the French engage ; but in. the nunnery I often used tp h^* the priests sing a number which were entirely new tome. All these contained expressions more or less disgusting and immoral ; and there is not one of them which I|Piave been able to recal, that I should be \^illing to see prin*§d in fiill. Indeed, ' although there are but few which I can now re- member entire, there are verses or lines in all *' which a regard to morality should n^jver ftllow me^ to make known. A few specimens f have conclu-' ded to gfve, of such passages as are not objection^- ' ble, with a general account of the nature and sub- jects of the rest, sini^ I have been advised to do. • 80. by persona whose opinions I respect. . ■ r I fhouid r^wk, by the way of explaining why •^ it* ■ 5> - '^mk--\* '-2 ^., t * f 114 BLACK UrUNNERI^i^ \ I have never mentioned them before, that the thought even of alluding to them in a book, never occurred to me, until a few weeks before the pres- ent vplume was put to press. I had often caught myself singing my infant to deep with tunes I had heard in the, nuiinery ; and my friends had fre- quently noticed that I sung airs with which they were unacquainted. But I never mentioned the peculiar charac^r of nunnery songs to any of them» or repeated a single verse of them, until one day when the subject was introduced by accident, while conversinj^ about the fight that occurred between Biahbp Lartigue, old BStain, and other priests, which I have described in a previous chapter of this volume. I then alluded to the affray. I was questioned about its origin ; and having mentioned Ihe offensive song which was the cause of it, I was asked for others. Several persons, being informed of their nature, expressed the opinion that they con- tained ip themselves an important kipd of evidence, and a desire that something respecting them might be introduced into the present volume. After some hesitation I consiented ; and such extracts and re- marks as seem proper, will be found on the sue- . ceeding pages. I may remark, that those ^ho have urged me to take this -step, hav9 done so on th|^ following grounds :— 1st. That if it should prove that these songs are hot known in Ci^nada, otit of the nunnery, as I believe to be the case, they will a^ord a strong evidence to the reader thi^> must have leamllhem l>RlE8ir8' NVNirSRY 80K0S. 18^^ in the nuimpry. which is the fact. 2d. That being sung by priests, and in some cases at least, composed y them, they afford witness to the >tnith of what P have said of their character and conduct, thus con- demnmg them out of their own mouthi. Certain It IS that they are very fevorite songs with them, especially some of the most objectiowible ; as I have heard them, in spite of myself, repeated over and over again, ^particularly when the priests were engaged in drinking and gaming. I am not well acquainted with the French lan- guage, and there are some words and lines here which I do not understand, and cannot get explain- ed. I never saw any of thesfsongs on paper be- fore. '^ '^ t.%A URUNBTTE. La Brunette allai# I confesier i La Brunette, allaiit, i€ i6 H. Dites doAc moi si je suis noire, Ou si mon miroir jjpfe dement O ma belle, vousiAtes si peu brunette, _^ due dans le confessionafebin n'apper^oit pas tant ~" _♦-','■ • ♦ ♦ • , J'ai mis la maisdans se goussit, Je tirais six cents Tivres. •♦•♦♦' The Brunetia went to confew— TeU me i£I am so ver^ dnrk-complexioned. On BO, jfou are so little of a brunette . That it is hardly to beparceiTod in the confesMonal. I put my hand into h^ pone, And took out six hundred livies.>-&c. Ae, (The rero«oder it is better to withhold ) '4: im BtAOK HUNNBRT^ \ U " . 2. BONJOUR PRETRB. Bonjour, prfttre 1 J^an Marie ! Ott tftiei voM ydnM* sam^ 1 ' JPai€avtiMmd«ik»leCoarmtt AvecMaiie. JSUeJi^ point fiute la betisM Que tu m'a £ute qjiand je viens idt '^Cest trap mal'te'ordonner, ^ Pow venir de Ruiaaeau borr^ &c ^ Oood day, priest, JeHi Marie I ' Wliore did you spend Saturday evening 1 I went to spend it in tiae C«onvent With Mary. Shfr did Jiot play ipe such a tridt ' As you play me when I oone here. Itis too bad to make aie oome From Ruisaeau borr^. (Ruisseau borrfe was the parish m which this priest resided.') *.< 3. FRANCOIS MARGOTTE. Une fois un prfttre qui g'appelle Frangois Margotte^ II s'habiiliait bien prdpre Pour aller en promenade. • f * *' Bonijour, If onneur Godreau." En faisant ies ferreiaux. En faisant les man||aaces, - ./ ' Des civilities k la compagnie, ^/ IIs'estfiMtunebelieenti^ ^ U se jiss»de parler ~ Des affaires de <^onsequenee. * ♦ • • . ♦ (The finther -i'j "■"'ra ■sP?> U0 mus 1rtmN«lt1^ , f '- 5. LES T^Oig JpLIShVlCAIRES. CeluiUquiafaiteechinsoii' " , Sofit troi» jolis Vicaires. • ' En vctnftni d'un voyage Ilssesontarr^l&s. F'aire iiaire un aoiiperi, * ♦ . KVut pendant 1« 9011^ II faut lui racconler I .. " Les ave^terai de daifie-Margotte. Je votiljdia en verity , / ,• Qu'eUe a merits / ,, ,^Une chanson compds^. Cfbrii^--Chanton8 les ch^nsdna, *^ , ^ En vuidant lea flacdns, <« Sana ^pai^ier |e bou«BiUe, ^ , * ^ Le verre 1 la mai^, Baonissant le chsigrin. The authors of this song vf ere three jolly Vicars. On their return from a joij(^ey they stopped to sup. fhaum the supper he w«ated to hett the ttdvdiiflirai of Dame Margotte. / ■ I ten you in troth that Jhe deserves a song. Choru»—ljBi us sin^ dur songs, While wfrrempty our flasks, % ^ Without qiaring the bottle, ^ With the glasb in our hand, Biinishing care. This soiig >as \m% and tlie chorus I hav» heard often repeated, by a large company^ priepts, till all would ring agaiQ. " ^^^ There isabo a jiarddy on a b3rmri beginning thus:^-' ': •'" ; ,0«quejeBuuihearon! M " Je trouvdfBV eelui que j'aiine f „ O, que je suis heuriEnUt * ^ tienp is roi dfs aietoi * ..*. . ' ^y :' :;' ' .! •"^■'' =mr . I. I l iii l iiil H. l PRfBiriri' ttVNHERT 80N08. ••'■'' /' " " * C^ how happjr ftiDol, I shall find him whom I love t O, how happy am I, '^ I haye got the king of hearen I The parody on this Kymn is so pro&ne and shameless, that it uSed to. shock me to hear it, -for it imprfessed me with the dreadful conviction, that the priests Were perfect infidels and atheists. I felt certain that they would never have sung such fhings if they hadany belief in a God. 6. LES PRETRES DTJ SEMINAIRE. Lea prttres du Seminaire ftmt faire un rgpaa, With pardons and favors— - ^ Come, let us fling and diverKHinielves, Sinc^^heBshop has cvmeiirottiFhuioe, ' With pantos fnd fillers. . *■ f / D-y-t im joli prttn^ qni a im^ii^ v^tM. f Ollisaiit. enimnt x^iMAnt^ Ht t^fp ,...;.,. ■■■ Ciusaiit, coisant, aitsanti tin it^cm^a, lie nombre, un jflt. jali a0m|»i«. r^ =*= =^ il\Jtm^ii ■•f-^-r.: X' ■'■T»»r;.:ras»',. H •>;' I ( 190 BLACK. NVNNXRT. Les genoiu, lea jolis, joIi|b genouz. La main, une jolie, jolie n^ain* TouB ces prto«8 1'ftmour ies prenda, pq>on,pipon L'amour lea prends. • ♦ Et quand le dimandie est arrivl, A la grande messe elle veut alien. Quand elle est dans I'^lise entree, V^pergisse d'or )k elle presentg. O mon dieu 1 Quelle belle dame i' : :^ \. This descdbes a handsome priest — ^with the re- mark, that aAi the priests fall in love. Then, it speaks of a young widow who came to live in his parish, and attracted the attention of the confessors on entering the churjch at high mass. The rest of the song is taken up with descriptions of the qixtBrrels the priests l^ad about her. ^ I a. LES PRETRES S'EN VONT. Lea prfttres e'en vont aux cabarets, boire la chapina, Un verre II la main, et la fille aux gei^oux. ^ ^ L'amaht, pasiant par 11^ ^ mit lidiro au or&tre, I Ah, trista minal N'a|leKl)lu9 ad^cabWt ' Boire la c^apiiur. ' . .L , The prints go to thq cabarets to drink chapina ; A g^iua in their han£, &c. A loVer paasing by aa^s, Ah trista mina I Go po-more to the cabtr^ta, > 'T^ drink chapina. \ ' . J ' ■ .' V . 9. LES qSNS DTE NEW ^giBK. Lea gens de-New Yoik cvw>nt vant^ Que I'ei^jse lasaait appi|^i^ J ijji ont fiut un requdte,' ^f^ "Pour iH-eaenter \ I'Evftque.'" ^-; j^-V'^A^ '# PRIEatg* ^WH Biie gOHOS. 191 11 e'en r^ndra t X \ Et r^gliae de la Protestiinte Ce n'est qu'un boucant ; Et tout le terns il veut se moequer I>e la saime Egliae de mon Seigneur. Vi, vi, tu iraa, II se'n r£pentira. .r Buvants, chantants, divertissons nous. Four le jour veui arriver Que tout ce boucant .Serajett^ii terre Par ndtre Seigneuf. The men ^of New York have made a boast. .< (I do not understand this line.) They^made a request to the Bishop-- <^ on, go on, you may go on, T But yotffl r^nt before you'redone. The church of the Protestants * "^^ Is only an abandgfted houpe ; And is always coming ^he holy churcj of^ur Lord. Gk» oh, go on, you may go on, Bttt you'll repent before you're done} Dnnkjng and singing, let us divert ourselves, ror th^ timeiscomiiig , When that abandonedhouse WUl be^ihrown down to the ground By Our Lord, la MOilpHiR PERE. ■ ^" JI^^'J" P^« vi pour r Aih6rique,'*'-&c. •H^ • Jedg^aislesbeU*^ •' Et tu Aiirii| de inoi nouvtsllM." < I'Amenqtie plus jolies qua moi; 'V s&^. m^ '*! Ml. BLACK HO vjmmut. "Etyottsconfesseretdesflllea ' '* Plus jolies, plus jolie* que moil **Et tU penft^ras des filJea •• PluijoUes, plus joliei que nioL" , " Non, Qia belle, je pennerais totgours a toil" TWs is for two voices — for a priest and a yoang My, to whom he has been Confessor. The occa- sion of the song is hw departure for the United States, which are oftetf /V<«fl-"i will describe thfl M news fiom me,'* and so you sfanil get I/ody—" But there are, in America Ladies more fiur, more fair than me; And yoii will confess ladies More fair, more fiiir than me ; And you will think of ladies More fair, more fair than me." PrUt^" Oh no. my fiur, I shall always think of you " i ' «« ' I 0AVE ] aures" whii tion tothe] incidents w while I hai ceding j^g jaOBLy oth( quaintan^, ferent kand^ limits to^ best judge "( to my read thing indis{ So far a truth, and tl to avoid gi what I kno Mme of the: wantonly to ral persons I have not they know '. The pub I not allude ii »>'N^ • '■^Uftwt y ay ffe t ig a ! :;. :: ■ ; '■ ; ; tf !! : , } /i :% s, CONCLUSION. #•■ 1 "^ I BAVE now concluded all the "further Disclo- aures" which I deem it important to make, in rela- tion to the Hotel Dieu Nunnery. There are many incidents which have h'een "brought to my memory, while I hav€^been employed in preparing the pre- ceding pagdi; and I might name and describe m^y oth^ persons with whom I had sottie ,ac- quamtan^, or of whom I heard particulars of dif- ferent kandfti It is necessary, hqwever, to put some iimits toXmyself ; and, although I may not be the best judge^k ^yharls most important to be known to my readerk I think I have not kept back aij^ thing indispensVble to them. ^ So far as I nave been able, consistently with truth, and the interests of many, I have endeavored to avoid giving pain to individuals, by exposing what I know, even though they he culpable, and some of them highly so. My object has not heen wantonly to destroy peace ; and of this I think seve- ral persons will be. convinced when they find that I have not mentioned in this book things which* they know I am acquainted with. ^ . The public will easily understand why I did . hot allude in my first volume to the fact that I saw ^ •In £-, ■'V ■ '\-i-- : .■■■ ^^ -- - \ \ \ \ ' «» '1, 1 X ^ <• a" p • \ 1 1 « ' - - i 1 1 m |B| HI ■1 ■ m ■ ■ »w ■ H 1 ■ , ^^^^^H -.* ^ » " ". . • 1. f ' ' • " •t % 1 ■ ' «* ^ 1 1 » 7 . /■ IT 1 * : '* t ' . - i «r / A / •/■;■ 1 , 1 / / // ■ -% ■s-- r ■ ' .t I '\ J W ' f • . «f Cifi X ^ IMAGE EVALUi TEST TARGET ( >^ 1.0 I.I 1^ |12 IL25 lu QDrporation « X IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) >*/ 1.0 I.I ■^ j2.8 lis 2.5 L8 I? lit IL25 lu 1.6 DiDgrgpmc idences irporalion r» WEST MA(N SfSEEf- JWEBSTER.N.Y. 14S8C|^ (716) 872-4503 %. -d- / v' x. 1 a^f f •> . v s V 1*J4 COMOLValdN. American females at Nuns' ^land, under the cir- cumstances in whicli I have ii&ie described them. I was^ afraid of the consequences at that time, be- cause I thought that wm ofle of the last things the priests would be willing to see published f and thdt something coming so near home, wbuld ilnbittef some against me, more than any thing I could say about deeds done at a distance, and in a different Qountry. ^ I now take leave of my readers, with a belief that I have dj>ne all that can be required of me, and with a sincere wish, that while my disclosures may save some innocent and unsuspecting females from sufferings like my own, I may be enabled to spend the rest of my life in retirement and peace, amongst those who will protect a feeble woman and her harmless child, and in the midst of the blessings of virtuous society. - 1 •5^- .''.^ A ' the dr- ied them, time, be- hitigsthe ^and thcit ilnbittef :ould say . different I a belief d of me, sclosures y females nabled to ad peace, 5 woman 1st of the «f ■^ .■r 4 ^ ^' ^ ••.