Page:Englishmen in the French Revolution.djvu/324

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304
APPENDIX.

reception of prisoners, whom, to tranquillise the nuns, they said should be only ladies of their own nation. In the beginning of November the concierge, or keeper of the prison, came to announce himself and show his powers in form. The first interview showed what the community had to expect; he said the confessor should be sent away to another prison, but that they would give us another. But. the Rev. Mother Prioress, who had been selected at the death of Mrs, Bond, viz., Mrs. Theresa Johnson, replied that we would on no account receive any other if sent to us. He answered that in that case she should be sent to another prison.

On the 8th of November the prisoners began to enter; but till some time after the nuns continued their choir duties. The keeper informed the superior that the "Departement" were collecting from each church all the sacred vessels, and said that the "Section" sent orders for her to prepare for their coming. They came, and entered the church. The confessor had made all things ready, and left open the door of the tabernacle; they took away thence all the plate, as well as that which remained in the sacristy.

The nuns got from a friend a pewter chalice, &c., and the confessor said Mass on the 23rd of the same month. The fifth visit was to make a still more strict search for all the plate, &c.

They obliged the prioress to go out into the confessor's apartments, which were without of the enclosure, and there to make a declaration of all the plate she had, signifying that it would be a capital crime if she kept anything which belonged to the nation. They took the Remonstrance, Thuribles, silver figures from the crosses, spoons, &c., and everything they could find to be silver, and all the gold lace from the vestments. The community continued to have Mass said till the 25th of November,