"WORTHY ABBESS, TRUSTY AND GOOD FRIEND,—Be it known to you that we have immediate need of the services of a pure virgin—but in all honour—and are diligently seeking for such throughout our ducal and ecclesiastical states; but understand, not alone a virgin in act—for they can be met with in every house—but a virgin in soul, pure in thought and word, for by her agency we mean to build up a holy and virtuous work; as Gregory Nyssensis says (De Virginitate, Opp. tom. ii. fol. 593):—'Virginity must be the fundamentum upon which all virtue is built up, then are the works of virtue noble and holy; but virginity, which is only of the form, and exists not in the soul, is nothing but a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, or a pearl which is trodden under foot of swine.'
"Further, the said virgin must be of a brave, steadfast, and man-like spirit, who fears nothing, and can defy death and the devil, if need be.
"If ye have such a virgin, upon whom, with God's help, I can build up my great virtuous work, send her to our court without delay, and know that we shall watch over such virgin with all princely goodness and clemency; but know also, that if on trial such virgin is not found pure in thought and word, great danger is in store for her, perchance even death.
"Signatum Camyn, 1st September 1617.
"FRANCISCUS, manu sua.
"Postscriptum.—Are the winter gloves ready? Forget not to send them with the beer-waggon; my canons esteem them highly."
When this letter reached the abbess of Marienfliess by the beer-waggon of the honourable chapter of Camyn, she was much troubled as to how she ought to proceed. Truly there were two young novices lately arrived, of about fifteen or sixteen, named Anna Holborne and Catharina Maria von Wedel. These the abbess thought would assuredly suit his Highness—item, they were of a wonderful brave spirit, and had gone down at night to the church to chase away the martens, though they bit them cruelly, because they prevented the people sleeping; and, further, never feared any ghost-work or devil's work that might be in the church, but laughed over it. When these same virgins, however, heard what the abbess wanted, they excused themselves, and said they had not courage to peril their lives, though in truth they were pure virgins in thought and word. But they could not hold their tongue quiet, but must needs blab (alas, woe!) to Anna Apenborg, who runs off instantly to the refectory to Sidonia, whom she had appeased by means of some sausages, and tells her the whole story, and of his Grace's wonderful letter.
So my hag laughed—never suspecting that she was the cause of all—and said, "She would soon make out if such a virgin were to be found in the convent; but would Anna promise secrecy?" And when the other asseverated that she would be as silent as a stone in the earth, my hag continued—
"I have got a receipt from that learned man, Albertus Magnus—his book upon women—and we shall try it upon the nuns; but thou must hold thy tongue, Anna."
"Oh, she would sooner have her tongue cut out than blab a word; but what was the receipt?"