Did all he could,—and others did the rest.

He for the nuns procured a little lot,

That afterward two little friars got,

And in the sequel fathers soon became;

The sisters mothers too, in spite of shame;

But never name more justly was applied:

In vain their mysteries they strove to hide.

* The parlour in a convent is the room where the nuns are

permitted to speak to their friends through a lattice.

THE MANDRAKE