The following extracts are made from different parts of the last division of the MS. relative to the nuns of the Cistercian Order.

No nun shall speak with any man, except through a window well and closely barred, or a lattice prepared in the same manner, except the abbesses, cellarers and others when they go out to transact the affairs of the house. It is permitted them to speak with good and honest persons within doors, at a fitting time and place, and with the visitors with whom they may lawfully speak elsewhere. But they are forbidden to hold secret conferences in any manner with strangers, unless they are carnal fathers or brothers, or near relations, except in the presence and hearing of the abbess or her deputy, in a place especially appointed for the purpose. Also, no man except the visitors shall enter the cloister of the nuns, except it is such a reverend and honest person that entrance cannot be denied to him without great damage and scandal. Boys shall in no wise be permitted to be instructed or brought up in the cloisters of the nuns. Neither shall girls in the secular habit, or lay women pass the night in the cloisters or infirmaries.*

The title of this MS. is, "Here begins the book of the determinations of a general Chapter edited or compiled in the year of our Lord 1289." * Harleian MSS. No. 3708, section 15,

DRESS OF THE CISTERCIAN NUNS.

The annexed drawing of a Cistercian nun of Swine, may excite the attention of some of the inhabitants of Holderness to the manners of religious persons in that part of Yorkshire, in former centuries.

Although our great poet Milton was a dissenter from the Church of England, and of course from the Church of Rome, and an enemy to monastic institutions, his fine description of Melancholy, in the character of a devout nun, cannot but raise the sympathetic feelings of the pious christian reader, and therefore it is here introduced.

Come pensive Nun, devont and pure,

Sober, stedfast and deinure,

All in a robe of darkest grain,
Flowing with majestic train,
And sable stole of Cyprus lawn,
Over thy decent shoulders drawn.
Come, but keep thy wonted state,
With even step and musing gait,
And looks commercing with the skies,
Thy wrapt soul sitting in thine eyes.

Il Penseroso, 30,-40.

It would require the pencil of a master to portray the features of a nun of Milton's description; and the drawing which is given herewith pretends to nothing more than a copy from

Cistercian Nan of Swine?

Engraved by Conwitt & Goodwill. Hull.for T.Thompson, Esq F.A.S.

the rough figures in Stevens's additions to Dugdale's Monasticon, with such corrrections in the dress, as were suggested by the rules of the Cistercian order.

The Cistercian nuns wore a white tunick, and a black scapular and girdle. In the choir, most of them wore cowls, others only mantles. The habits of the lay sisters were of a dark colour. The novices were clad in white. (Add a black veil and white wimple.)

A tunick was an under garment in the fashion of shirts, only sitting closer to the body; sometimes with sleeves like those of coats.

A scapular was a sleeveless tunick, which sat close to the skin.

A girdle was originally a leathern strap, or a

mere rope.

A conl is simply a hood, but is sometimes applied to a large loose gown.

A wimple came up to the chin, and covered the bosom.

A mantle was something like a modern dragoon's cloak, without sleeves; but sometimes a hood was attached to it.

Laysisters were in fact servants of the nuns, and performed various services under certain rules prescribed for them.