Some Of These Live Alone On The Tops Of Hills, Remote
From All Society, Spending Their Lives In Contemplation, And Will Rather
Die Of Famine Than Move From Their Cells, Being Relieved From Devotion
By Those Who Dwell Nearest Them.
Some again impose long fasts upon
themselves, till nature be almost exhausted.
Many of those whom they
call religious men, wear no garments beyond a mere clout to cover their
shame, and beg for all their provisions, like the mendicant friars of
Europe. These men usually dwell about the outskirts of the cities and
towns, like the man mentioned by our blessed Saviour at the city of the
Gadarens, who had devils, and wore no clothes, neither abode in any
house, but dwelt among the tombs. They make little fires during the day,
sleeping at night among the warm ashes, with which they besmear their
bodies. These men never suffer a razor to come upon their heads, and
some of them let their nails grow like to bird's claws, as it is written
of Nebuchadnezzar, when driven out from among the society of men. There
is also a sort of men among them called mendee, who often cut and
slash their flesh with knives, like the priests of Baal. I have seen
others, who, from supposed devotion, put such massy fetters of iron on
their legs, that they are hardly able to move, yet walk in that manner
many miles upon pilgrimages, barefooted, upon the parching ground, to
visit the sepulchres of their deluding saints; thus, tantum religio
potuit suadere malorum, taking more pains to go to hell than any
Christian that I know does to attain heaven.
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