Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

CUSTOMS OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS
39
diminished from what it was (it being some hundred years
since it was slain), yet its monstrously great wt a wast throat.
This, they say, was found in one of their prisones, which I
saw also. On a tyme a number of prisoners being put in for
some offences, on the morrow as some came to sie the prisoners
not one of them could be found, it having eaten and devored
them every one. Not knowing whow to be red of this trubulsom
beast no man daring attempt to kill it, they profered one
who was condemned to dy for some crime his life give he
killed it. Wheir upon he went to the prison wt a weill charged
pistoll as it seimingly being very hungry was advancing
furiously to worry him he shoot in at a white spot of its
breast wheir its not so weill armed wt scalles as elsewheir and
slow it and wan his life.
I enquiring whow that beast might come their it seimed
most probable that it was engendred their ex putri materia, as
the philosophers speaks, tho I could hardly weill believe that
the sun could giv life to such a monstrous big creature as it.
We have had occasion to sie severall tymes Madame Biton
the tailleurs daughter, that lives forgainst Mr. Dailies, with
whom Madame Daille telles me Mr. Hope was great. Truly a
gallant, personable woman to be of such mean extract and of
parents wheirof the father is a wery unshappen man; the
mother neids yeeld nothing to Jenny Geddes.
I observing that ye sould never sy any of the religious orders
be they Jesuits or others on the streets but 2 of them togither,
I enquired the reason. First it was that the on might watch
the other that so none may fly from their convents, which
they might easily do if they had the liberty of going out alone.
2dly they do it to evite all scandall and suspicion. They
know the thoughts of the common peeple, that they be litle
faworable to them, the orders being talkt of as the- lecherousest
peeple that lives. To exime their thoughts they go tuo and 2;
for then if the one be so given he his a restraint laying on
him, to wit, another to sie his actions; but usually they are
both lounes.1
They have a way of conserving great lumps of ice all the
summer over heir in low caves : and these to keip their wines
1 Knaves.