about a Dozen of them follow'd with Surplices and Copes upon them these were immediately follow'd by the Host which was carried in a gilt Remonstranter under a Canopy of Silk by a Carme in a very rich Cope of Cloth of Silver with Embroidery about it After him came a great Company of Men in Disorder There were no Flambeaux's this time nor any Men but the Monks that march'd before the Host We had not so much Devotion to the Scapulary as to Honour it in following the Procession and therefore while they were going their Procession we viewed the Church which was well dress'd smelt very strong of Incense and had a great many Wax-Tapors lighted and set in Siver Candlesticks about the High Altar the piece of Painting over that was the Representation of the feign'd Assumption of the Virgin Mary There was nothing particular to be observ'd here We came to the Dominicans Church after this which is handsome and large there were very few People at this Church now The Monks were signing their Devotions in a Place behind the High Altar where they were not to be seen A Rail at the East end of the North Isle enclos'd a Chapel which I suppose is dedicated to St. Willibroerd St. Willibroerd because on the Wall at the side of the Chapel was a Picture of a Bishop at full length and under it this Inscription in Latin Caput sancti Willibrordi miraculis hominum visitatione Celebre It seems they pretend to have the Head of St. Willibroerd It did not appear and therefore is shown but at certain times perhaps only on a particular Holy-day and with a solemn Mass and so it makes a gaudy Day to the Monks of this Convent He was 't is said the first Bishop of Utrecht and the great Instrument of converting the Heathen Franks there who possess'd the Country at that time having driven out the Romans Our Historian Bede says of him he was an Anglo-Saxon and died in the Year of our Lord 636. He is a Saint of great Repute in all these Countries and one shall frequently meet with at least an Altar and Chapel dedicated to him At a Village near Antwerp there is a Church which goes by his Name as dedicated to him which is there the Parish Church The Jesuites have at Aix a very large and Jesuites commodious House and they are making it larger We went first into their Chapel Over the Door of this on the out-side in Letters of Gold is written Sancte Michael Sancte Joseph Orate pro nobis By an Inscription on the inside over the Portal of another Door is signified that this Chapel was consecrated in the Year of our Lord 1628. by Petrus Aloysius Caraffa Episcopus Inicarensis under the Name of Saint Michael and all Angels The Form of this Chapel the same with that of all the Jesuites Chapels that I have seen is Oblong with Galleries over the two side Isles which run the whole length of the Isles and are supported by the Pillars which stand up on each side the middle Isle to the top of the Church and support the Roof of it This Fashion is very convenient and looks very magnificent and handsome The Organ and Musick have a Gallery which goes across the West end of the Chapel The East end wherein the High Altar stands is a large Semi-circle the Diameter the whole breadth of the middle Isle and without a Rail or any Partition before it The Wall round this at the bottom of the great Windows is curiously carv'd for about the depth of Six Feet in the Representation of Vines and Flowers The matter is Stone I cannot tell whether Marble or not for it was all richly gilded with Gold The Altar Piece represents the laying our Saviour as dead into his Sepulchre the Figures and the Faces concern'd are extreamly well drawn This Piece is surrounded by a very beautiful Architecture of Marble a great deal of which in convenient Places is gilded There are Two Chapels at the Two Sides of this Semicircle to which one enters by little Doors and they are perfectly enclos'd They are extreamly neat and fine both of them that on the North side is dedicated to some one of the pretended Saints of their Order I think it to be Ignatius Loyola their Founder In the other is an Altar-piece which I think woâ—th taking particular notice of There is painted an old Man with a Triple Crown on his Head in the Clouds but as come down to the middle almost of the Piece and with Angels about him He with his Arms spread addresses himself to a Woman in a manner of Courtship who is sitting a little below with a Child in her Lap. Another Man sits at her Right Hand they both look very pleasantly on the old Man neither of them are in a Posture of Adoration Over the Head of the Woman and pretty near her is a Pigeon in the Posture of flying towards her with a green Garland in its Bill which he directs as designing to drop it upon her Head Now without a very distinct and impious Interpretation too one would think this Business design'd to represent an old Man some Pope or other designing to borrow of another Man with his consent the use of his Wife and in his Preâ—ence and with his Consent courting her to his Will I doubt not but this is the most innocent and safe Interpretation of this Picture I must confess the sight of it would make a Man fall to his Prayers but my Prayer upon this Occasion would be this Good Lord bring into the Way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived and to that end be pleased to deliver in thy due Time all that bear the Name of Christians from the Vile Instructions of such impious blasphemous and idolatrous Books After this we went to see the House which was shown us very particularly we having with us a Friend of theirs We went up Two Stories in each of which is a long Gallery with lodging Rooms all on one side of it At one end of the first Gallery stood a Concave Steel polish'd and of about Twelve or Fourteen Inches Diameter before this a Lamp is set which when 't is lighted this Concave Steel by Reflection so encreases the Light that it reaches to good purpose to the further end of the Gallery though it be a very long one In this lower Gallery between the Doors of the Chambers are hung up some sorry little Pictures in Frames the most of them representing the pretended Saints and Martyrs of their Order Among others there is the Picture of a Man to the Waste with a remarkably broad Butcher's Knife drawn as stuck into the middle of his Breast this made us take notice of and read the Inscription at the bottom of the Picture The Inscription signifies that this is Thomas Harcourt who was put to Death at Tyburn in England for the true Faith Thus they make a
he is here There are two distinct Burgomasters in the City and other Magistrates to govern the distinct People but in common concerns of the City they meet and join together in determining matters The Duke of Brabant was notwithstanding this Sate of the City reckon'd the chief Soveraign of it and at present the States General seem to have the greatest power here There was now a great Garrison in the Town consisting of Ten Thousand Men which we were told were all in the States pay They then by consequence have the Command of the Gates the Fortifications and the Amunition This City is extreamly well fortified besides a strong Wall and a broad deep Ditch there are several Bastions round it which are well planted with Cannon there are also many strong out-works with cover'd ways to them and all these are provided of Mines ready made There is an Hill on the South East side of the Town which lies somewhat near and within reach to annoy it considerably but against that they have rais'd a Bastion there to a great height which is a good defence to the Town and this is within the Walls This is altogether a fine City the buildings are good after the common manner of these Countries and really all things look in a thriving flourishing Condition the Streets are generally very broad The chief Church in the City is dedicated to Popish Churches St. Servatius the Bishop before mention'd It is now possess'd and used by the Papists The peice of Painting over the high Altar represents him with the marks of a Bishop It is a Collegiate Church as it was and formerly the Duke of Brabant now the King of Spain as Duke of Brabant is one of the Chanoines There is by it a large Cloyster which goes round a good piece of ground for a Garden but it is now neglected This St. Servaâ— as the Vulgar language calls him died they say in the Year 395 and after him the Episcopal See continued here to the time of St. Lamberi who made the 20th in Succession from St. Servaes but he did not fix here but remov'd the See to Leige upon what occasion he did this will be said when we come to Leige There is besides this a Church dedicated to St. Nicholas in Possession of the Papists They have also a large Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary Over the great door of this Church stand 3 large Images one represents an old Man next to him at his right Hand stands a Woman at her right Hand is a young Man the two Men are made holding a Crown in their Hands as putting it upon the Head of the Woman 't is well enough known what they of the Church of Rome mean by such a Representation but ought not to be mention'd without the utmost detestation and Horrour Within the Church are Altars and Images as usual There is one Altar to St. Roch by which stands a strong Box lockt with a hole to put in Money by and by it is an Inscription which says Give here your Charity to St. Roch or honour him with your Charity that God may divert from us the Pestilence For this Sain talso is address'd to by the Roman Church as a Friend at need against the Plague Story says of him that he heal'd several People sick of the Plague in Italy by making the sign of the Cross over them and they say Heaven show'd that his Intercession should be a remedy against that distemper by this evident token to wit that he himself at last died of the Plague I think a Man must have Roman Spectacles to see the Evidence of this There are several Convents of Friers and Nuns in this City The Jesuits have a College Convents here We saw their Chappel which was but mean The High Altar is dedicated to Xaverius who is there said to have been Apostle of the Indies and Martyr At the East end of the Isle on the right side of the high Altar is an Altar to the Virgin Mary there are about the Church a few Pictures of the Saints of their Order I doubt if there were to be the Pictures of none but true Saints they would be yet fewer but it must be confess'd the Gallows and the Scaffold between them have made a pretty many Saints of that Order such as they were and yet most People believe not so many by far as they should have done Here is also a House of Capucines which has yeilded lately tho' unwillingly a considerable man to the Reformation M. Loefs a Convere of the Reformation He was one of the best Preachers that the Papists had in this City had long been dissatisfied with many things in the Roman Church travell'd into France Spain and Italy to see if he could meet with any thing that might reasonably confirm him in his Religion instead of that he saw every where abundant evidence of the monstrous corruption of the Church of Rome he found it almost every where much worse than in this his own Country and saw more reason still to leave it He return'd to Maestricht with this resolution and took his opportunity to put himself under the protection of the States General who have receiv'd him into their protection and allow him a Pension He has printed a good Book which is a comparison of the Beliefs of the Roman and Reform'd Churches His name is Michael Lâ—efs The Dominicans have also a Convent here we saw their Chappel which was the finest that we saw in this City but had nothing in it particular or worth taking notice of The Calvinist Religion is that which the Calvinists States â—stablish and encourage here and that which their Magistrates profess They have in pay here 6 or 8 of their Ministers but they have but two Churches which are call'd by the Names of St. Martins and St. Johns this latter we fell into it is not a large Church it was Reform'd after the Calvinist modell One sees there a Pulpit to Preach in and a great many seats for People to sit on and hear but no conveniency to kneel and pray nor any provision for the Celebrating of the Lord's Supper or Baptism The truth is this part of the Reformation have generally brought all the business of Publick Worship almost to only the Ministers exercising his Gifts and Parts in Prayer or Preaching Indeed all of them beyond Sea have composed Forms for publick Prayer before and after Sermon and for administration of Sacraments and condemn such of our Dissenters who will have this unlawful There is also here a Church and Congregation of Protestants as they call the Lutherans in all Protestants these Countries and in Germany as distinct from the Calvinists who call themselves Reform'd The Hill before mention'd on the South-East Quarries side of this City yeilds a very pleasant prospect to it in time of Peace and when they expect no mischief from thence It is all cover'd with
of Mechlin to whom he is Suffragan and the Faction of the Jesuits he is severe against all those who are call'd by the Name of Jansenists and are suspected to favour the â—ansâ—â—sls Opinions of Jansenius of whom we shall give some Account when we come to Louvain The Inhabitants of this Town however under the Conduct of this their Bishop are such as deserve the Character of a very pious and good People We can hardly see any where in the Church of Rome so regular and strict an Observance of all the Forms Methods and times of Devotion common to that Church as is very evident here which makes a Man who is any thing sensible of the Corruptions and Errors of that Church heartily lament to see so much Piety and Devotion so ill directed and apply'd The Virgin Mary is reputed and honour'd Virgin Mary Patroness of Antwerp as the Patroness or Protectress of this City In a fine Chapel dedicated to her in the great Church and which seems more frequented than any other in the Church there stands an Image of a Woman to represent her to the girdle of which is hung a small Gold Key representing the Key of the City Gates But the bad Huswife has prov'd so unfit to keep the City that she has often lost the Key of it There was a Report she had lost her Key in one Night in the Year 1696. but I saw within a little while after that she was honour'd with another for all that Certainly this presenting her with a Key of their City has some further meaning than only to expect the Protection of Almighty God through her Intercession and looks very like at least to the committing themselves to her immediate Protection As one goes out at St George's-Gate under the Passage there stands an Image of the Virgin Mary with some Dutch Verses under it whiâ—h signifie as follows All honest and sincere Catholicks Honour ye Mary the Mother of our Lord show to her great Love that ye may be preserved both in going out and coming in From all Pain and sudden Death He shall never travel unfortunately who calls upon her in the time of his necessity Here is no intimation in the least of her Intercession but the People are directed to call upon her for their Safety and to honour her that they may obtain it In the great Church there hand up several printed Litanies of the Virgin Mary as they are call'd which People are encourag'd to say over there upon their Knees before an Image of the Virgin by the Grants of Indulgences to them that shall do so In these Litanies 't is usual to repeat frequently these Words Have Mercy upon us as address'd to her They say to her From all Evil and Danger and from all Sin deliver us O glorious Virgin And That it may please thee to protect and preserve and encrease the Congregations and Assemblies which by a particular Dvotion and Servitude are devoted to thee we humbly beseech thee to hear us That it may please thee to keep our Hearts and Minds in all Chastity and Purity and Piety we humbly beseech thee to hear us These and many other like things in the common and allow'd Practice of the Church of Rome do plainly signifie That they ask and expect Help from the saints themselves Tho' 't is pretended by the Council of Trent and Monsieur de Meaux that they ask of God only for their sakes and hope to obtain of God by their Intercession what they desire And the Mechlin Catechism as well as their common Practice does palpably contradict this Pretence The 7th Question of the 18th Lesson therein is What Help or Assistance may we expect from the Holy Virgin It is to be observ'd here the Question does not say by the Holy Virgin or by her Intercession but from the H. Virgin And the Answer says and teaches the People That she helps us in all that is profitable to us and especially in our last Hours she strengthens the Weak she comforts the Sick she keeps off Temptations and she helps us to everlasting Salvation Images of the Virgin Mary are very frequently Images to be seen about the Streets of this City sometimes we see them over the Doors of private Houses on the out-side and there are very few I believe that have not one at least within They are very common at the Corners of the Streets and over the Doors of those call'd Religious Houses These Images are often honour'd with a Crown on the Head and a Sceptre in the Hand and sometimes on each side an Angel is set upon his Knees with Hands lifted up together in the Posture of praying to her Men and Women as they pass by these Images commonly pay their Respects to them in their several ways I have seen a Child of four or five years old as it has been running carelesly by an Image of the Virgin which was far above it and not observ'd has been stopp'd by the Parents and directed to look up and make a reverend Courtesie to the Stone and say Good Mother All the publick Lanthorns of the City and commonly those in the Portals of private Houses are hung up before an Image of the Virgin and 't is an Honour paid to her to present a Candle to burn before the Image I have seen an Image of her over a private House in the Arms of which was constantly laid somewhat of the best that the Earth affords in its Season and have seen some of the first of some sorts of Flowers the first ripe Cherries and the like presented to her which is an Homage eternally due to Almighty God but to none else These Practices suit with what they call her in their Litanies that is Queen of Angels and Queen of Heaven and Earth In most Shops of the City is an Image of the Virgin and when Evening comes it is the Custom to light a Candle and set it up before that which is just as the Heathens were wont to honour the Images of their Houshold-Gods And indeed the Roman Church with a great deal of Guilt has in many things reviv'd the old Corruptions of Religion which the Heathens fell into as will be further observ'd in the Sequel of this Relation The Images of the Virgin Mary are also commonly set over the publick Pumps in this City over that in the Fish-Market is one which was consecrated a few Years ago in the Jesuits Chapel and brought in a solemn and pompous Procession by the Jesuits to be set up in this place Under the Feet of the Woman are these Words of Scripture applied to her A Well of Living Water and another Dutch Inscription calls her Mary of good Success There is also as I remember at Brussels an Image of the Virgin Mary which is call'd Maria Pacis We met also in this Journey with another Image of which more will be said hereafter which is call'd Notre Dame de
set up according to Rule But it is to be observed for the better Explanation of this matter that the Monks do when they speak out acknowledge themselves Regulars according to a Rule of humane Invention for some are said to follow the Rule of St. Francis some the Rule of St. Dominick some the Rule of the special St. Ignatius Loyola According to Truth therefore the Names ought to be chang'd to remove the Abuse of them and the Regulars should be call'd Secular and the Seculars Regular The Monks and Friars are known by the Habit of their Order the Priests of the Parish Churches have commonly one Garb all over these Countries which is a black Cloak and a little Band. The oldest and the meanest of the Parish-Churches is that dedicated to St. Walburg mention'd before which was the first Church of the City and in times of Heathenism they say it was a Temple dedicated to Mars The high Altar here has over it a good piece of Painting done by Rubens which represents our Saviour as taking down from the Cross There are also some other very good Pieces of Painting in that part of the Church to which one ascends by a great many Steps from the rest of the Church Near that call'd the George's Gate stands another of these which is dedicated to St. George St. George who is esteem'd by the Popish Church the Patron and Protector of England For as the Heathens had their Gods of Nations and Cities so the Papists have their Saints for the same purposes As for this St. George 't is certain that no ancient History of the Church makes any mention of him and 't is very likely he came to be in Repute for Worship just as a great many other of the Roman Saints have done That is some Monk or other pretends to have a Vision in which such a Person appear'd to him and told him he was formerly such an one and that they must for their Assistance in some real or pretended Distress set up a Method of Devotion to him Such as this is all the Foundation which they have for the Worship of many of their pretended Saints Are they not then herein liable to our Saviour's Reproach of the Samaritans that they worship they know not what It is very probable there never was in the World any such Person as this St. George They know not at what time to set him some assign him the Third Century and sme the Fourth They agree indeed to have him a Martyr under Dioclesian They generally confess that the Acts of his Martyrdom are lost and they know no particular Circumstances concerning it Baronius believes that the common manner of representing him which is as sitting upon a Horse and piercing a Dragon under his Horse's Feet with a Spear and having a Woman standing behind him in the Posture of a Supplicant does not design a true Story for he could not find any the least Footstep of such a thing in ancient History therefore he would have this a symbolical Representation and design'd to express the Universal Devotion of the Church which implores the Assistance of this Saint against the Attacks of its Enemies This Church of St. George is not very fine nor I believe much frequented They are in want of a fine Thing in which they expose their Hostie to the View of the People when 't is only to be seen and ador'd which from the Dutch Word I shall call a Remonstranter therefore a strong Box is set Remonstranter upon a Post in the Church with a Hole to put Money in at and an Inscription by it says Here the Offerings are put that are design'd for a new Remonstranter It is a thing with a Foot like a Chalice upon which it can stand from a Stem which goes up a little from that there ascends a fine flourish'd Work which is sometimes a Foot or a Foot and half deep and of a proportionable Breadth In the middle of this between two Oval or Round Chrystals is put an Hostie that is the white Wafer which they use in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper It is set upon its edge and can be seen on both sides of the thing in such a thing as this they always carry the Hostie in Processions and the matter of these things is usually Silver and sometimes gilded with Gold and perhaps set with precious Stones and hung with little Silver Bells When they carry the Sacrament to the Sick they have it in a Chalice and do not show it In the Year 1695. in the Yard belonging to this Church there was erected an Imitation of Mount Calvary which seems to Mount Calvary grow much in esteem and to be well frequented as one sees the newest things commonly most valued in the Church of Rome new Saints new Altars new Indulgences notwithstanding their pretence to Antiquity in all they do and to value themselves and their Fopperies for that There is a little Mount raised with Turfs which rises gradually from the Level to the height of above 7 or 8 Feet at the upper end There is set a Crucifix which was consecrated upon the spot The Cross as yet is painted only with a plain red Colour and the Body with white but in time both may come to be finer for the Trick takes and gathers Money It stood naked for some time but with a strong Box upon a Post at the Foot of the Ascent to receive Money and after a time Benches were set upon the Hill for People to kneel upon then two Pictures upon boards cut to the Shape of them were set at the Foot of the Cross the one representing the Virgin Mary the other St. John and now it is encompass'd with a Plantation of Trees and the Mount is surrounded with a good quick-set Hedge People are often seen praying there at all hours of the Day some upon the Ground some kneeling on the Benches sometimes as they kneel before the Crucifix they stretch out their Hands and hang down their Heads and so remain some time in that Posture imitating that of the Body on the Cross Without doubt they are excellent Followers of our Saviour herein Sometimes a Queasil or devout Woman that has a great Opinion of her own Sanctity thrusts her self among the great Folks at the Foot of the Cross and kneels there at her Devotions sometimes one shall see People creeping round the Cross upon their Knees and dropping their Beads as they go to perform 't is likely some voluntary or enjoin'd Task of Devotion Having mention'd Queasils I must say what Queasils they are I think the Name is given in these Countries only to Women it signifies a devout Person there are Multitudes of them in this City they are particularly devoted to some Saint or to some Religious Order they bind themselves to some particular Tasks of Devotion to that Saint and belong to a Religious Fraternity of which more will be said hereafter
this or greater with that which Men or Maid-Servants bear to the Livery of their Master or Lady To which end the Brothers and Sisters shall very profitably observe these Five Exercises following 1. When they rise in the Morning as also when at Night they go to sleep they shall kiss the Scapulary and making a Cross with it shall bless themselves saying May the Holy Maid Mary and her sweet little Child so they represent our Saviour for the most part still bless us Or at least they should looking upon the Scapulary offer up to God the Works of the Day under the Guidance and Government of this Holy Patroness 2. In all Occasions of Danger both of Soul and Body and in all Temptations they must in Heart turn themselves to the most H. Mother of God imploring her Assistance 3. They must endeavour to avoid all that is contrary to Modesty as very displeasing to the Queen of Virgins and Mother of the King of Virgins 4. Often in the Day as they begin any Work they should Offer it up to God and recommend it to the most Holy Maid as a good Governess and must perform and bring it to Perfection to her Honour 5. They must be careful to merit and obtain the Indulgences granted to the Brotherhood of this Holy Garment that especially was not to be omitted because for these they must go to the Churches of these good Fathers and there drop their Offerings I shall conclude the Account of this matter with certain Elogiums of the Scapulary deliver'd by a Zealous Carm in a Sermon preach'd within the Diocess of Arras on the 21st of July 1697. The 20th day of this Month is with them the Feast-day of their Holy Father as they call him the Prophet Elias who first wore this Garment and instituted this Order and so this was within the Octave of that Festival The Propositions are these following 1. The Blessed Simon Stock has receiv'd the Scapulary as a certain mark of his Predestination and of that of the Religious of his Order and of those others too who in process of time shall receive and wear it 2. The History of the Blessed Simon Stock is in a degree of certainty which approaches that of the Faith and it cannot be doubted of without being guilty of a sort of Infidelity into which all wise and pious People ought to be afraid of falling 3. Among all the Practices of Devotion found out to Honour the Holy Virgin that of the Scapulary is the most certain mark of Predestination and the most assured sign of Salvation 4. The Children and Brothers of the Scapulary ought to say to the Holy Virgin Be it unto me according to thy Word with the same Submission to her which she her self paid to to the Promises of God which were made to her by the Angel 5. If the Holy Virgin should permit that the Children and Brothers of the Scapulary should be Eternally Miserable their Loss would afford Triumphs to the Enemies of the Honour of her Name and would furnish Pretences for their Blasphemies 6. The Church has been willing that the Believers should understand that they are to expect no less Favours from the Blessed Virgin than from the Merits of Jesus Christ 7. A Brother of the Scapulary who shall obstinately set himself to go on in Wickedness to his Death may die in Impenitence but he cannot die in the Scapulary And if the Holy Virgin cannot withdraw him from his Disorders and Sins she will find means to deprive him of his Scapulary and will rather take it from him her self than suffer that he should die a Reprobate in it These are very pretty things and but what is commonly said in Commendation of the Scapulary by these Fathers whose Interest it is to recommend it But these things however seem'd at least to displease the Bishop of Arras and he has taken upon him the Boldness to Censure and Condemn them But his Condemnation looks a little forc'd and hardly in earnest while he speaks of the same Matters very near with the same Extravagance He says We cannot too much exhort the People to Devotion to the Holy Virgin That this is a great Source of Blessings and Graces for those who have a true and sincere one He says too that the Brotherhood of the Scapulary ought to be regarded as a Christian Bond and a Holy Association of several Persons to Honour the Holy Virgin by wearing a certain Habit by which they testifie their willingness to Dedicate and Consecrate themselves to her Service And if this be done in Truth and Fidelity one may expect by the Succour and Assistance of the Mother of Mercy not only particular Favours during this Life and at Death but also that the Pains which our Sins have deserv'd shall be diminish'd and our Eternal Happiness be advanced by the Merit of the Indulgences which the Church has granted to this Brotherhood for all those to partake of them who shall be found in the Condition which she requires for the gaining them It behov'd the Bishop to speak thus tenderlyâ— for this Folly and Superstition has been own'd and authoriz'd and is encourag'd by the See of Rome But all this now is admirable Divinity and they must needs deserve to be call'd Hereticks who do not believe and teach such Stuff as this yea and as Hereticks they ought to be persecuted to the Death against all the Obligation of Oaths Promises Covenants and even Humanity it self But Lord how long This time when we were at the Chapel of these Carms at Aix being the Eve of that great Day wherein they pretend the Scapulary was given to Simon Stock the Devotions upon the Occasion were according to Custome then begun A great Concourse of People throng'd the little Church We came there just at the beginning of a Procession It march'd down â—he South Isle of the Church and crossing the West end went out at the bottom at a North Door and then turn'd round in a Passage that went round the Church and came into the great Street at the West end again fetch'd a little compass in that and went to the opposite side of it and from thence cross'd again and came in at the great Western Door A Company of Queasils led the Van of this Procession all of them with their Veils over their Heads tho' the Weather was good and it was not for fear of Rain but out of Reverence to the Virgin In the head of them Four of their Company carry'd upon their Shoulders a little Image of the Virgin Mary very richly cloath'd with a Robe of Cloth of Silver and a Crown on her Head The Crown was Silver and her Robe flourish'd over with an Embroidery of Gold The Queasils sung as they went along they were follow'd by a great Company of other Women who went Two and Two in great Order After these march'd about Forty of the Carmes in their Habits and they were all singing too Then