tents, they permitted each religious to take out the parchment whereon her vows were written, and then put the seal of the "Grand Nation" on all the papers, contracts, registers, &c. The third visit was made on the 8th of September, in the same year (1793), at about two o'clock in the morning. After having visited the confessor's apartments, and sealed up his money, papers, &c., they then rang the bells in a very hasty manner, and continued to do so till they had alarmed the whole convent, saying the religious need not dress, but must open the doors immediately, as they, the administrators of the Great Nation, were come to search for writings, &c. When they entered, the sight, noise, and confusion were terrible to the nuns. They searched every cell, turned over all they pleased, and proceeded on in this violence till near five in the morning, when they permitted the nuns to leave them and go to the choir to say matins, some among them acknowledging it to be the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. The superior and another religious remained with the commissioners, and they went out, which was before six o'clock in the morning. The fourth visit was made on the 3rd of October, in the afternoon, and on this, the religious were all made prisoners, having been denounced as holding assemblies in their house. And when the inquiry had been held and the accusation found to be false, according to the orders from the "Departement" to place the community under arrest, they were placed under a guard, to be maintained at their expense. After making a strict search through the convent, and an inventory of all its effects, they departed about midnight. They returned next day, and after visiting the confessor's apartments, placed him also under a guard, at his expense.
Then came commissioners from the "Departement" to view the convent within and without, to fit it up for the
