is first visit was on the 20th
November, 1690, where he was received by M. de Rance, whose account of
it is very interesting.]

When their labour is over, they go into Chapel for a short time, until
eleven o'clock, the hour of repast; at a quarter after eleven they
read till noon; and afterwards lie down to rest for an hour: they are
then summoned into the garden, where they again work until three;
then read again for three quarters of an hour, and retire for another
quarter to their private meditations, by way of preparation for
vespers, which begin at four, and end at six; at seven they again
enter the Chapel, and at eight they leave it, and retire to rest.

At the hour of their first repast, I again attended Frere Charle to
the eating-room, where nearly the same forms were observed as at their
evening-meal; a small basin of boiled cabbage, two raw carrots, and
a small piece of black bread, with a jug of water, constituted their
solitary meal. A Monk, during the whole time, read sentences from
Scripture; and a small hand-bell filled up the intervals of his
silence, and proclaimed a cessation from eating, or movement of
any sort. Over the door of the Refectory I observed the following
inscription in Latin:--"Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is,
than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith".

Frere Charle invited me to partake of the frugal fare of his order. He
said, "You will forgive my laying before you a vegetable repast; it
is all that I have in my power to offer you, but you will confer a
pleasure by accepting it". It was impossible to refuse, for I felt I
should appear ungrateful after the attentions that had been shown me,
if I had. Frere Charle conducted me into an apartment, in which I was
gratified to observe a well executed portrait of the Abbe de Rance,
which, at the destruction of the Monastery, had been preserved by the
surgeon of the ancient fraternity, who continued to reside there until
the period of his death, four or five years since. This person was
greatly respected by all the people round the country, and resorted
to by all who sought relief either from sickness or misery!--Had the
other brothers followed his example of remaining, in all probability
their Convent might have been spared, for the accumulation of wealth
could not be laid to their charge; and as their monastic vows obliged
them to remain within the Monastery, they were most unlikely to incur
the suspicion of any political intrigu