quod maternam faciem candidam fœdabat.
Begyns are nuns, though it cometh to mean superstitious and hypocritical women from their nature. Begyn and Bigott you expounde supersticious hypocrites, whiche sence I knowe yt maye somewhat beare, because yt sauorethe of the dispositione of those begins, or Beguines, for that ys the true wrytinge. But this woorde Begyn sholde in his owne nature rightlye haue ben expounded, supersticious or hipocriticall wemenne, as appereth by chaucer himselfe, whiche nombrethe them emongest the wemen in the Romante of the Roose when he sayethe,
But empresses, & duchesses,
These queenes, & eke countesses
These abbasses, & eke Bigins,
These greate ladyes palasins.
And a little after, in the same Romante, he doth write,
That dame abstinence streyned
Tooke one a Robe of camelyne,
And ganne her gratche as a Bygin.