[Sidenote: The historie of Magd.]
Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentiz or Moguntz, hauing assembled a
councell with other bishops and doctors, deuised a letter, and sent it
vnto this Ethelbald, commending him for his good deuotion and charitie
in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore, and also for his vpright
dealing in administration of iustice, to the punishment of robbers
and such like misdooers: but in that he absteined from mariage, and
wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women, and namelie with
nuns, they sore blamed him, and withall declared in what infamie the
whole English nation in those daies remained by common report in other
countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication, and
namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example
did forsake their wiues, and defloured other women which they kept
[Sidenote: Nuns kept for concubines.]
in adulterie, as nuns and others. Moreouer, he shewed how that such
euill women, as well nuns as other, vsed to make awaie in secret wise
their children which they bare out of wedlocke, and so filled the
graues with dead bodies, and hell with damned soules. The same
Bonifacius in an other espistle wich he wrote vnto Cutbert the
[Sidenote: Pilgrimage of nuns.]
archbishop of Canturburie, counselled him not to permit the
English nuns to wander abroad so often on pilgrimage, bicause there
were few cities either in France or Lombardie, wherein might not be
found English women, that liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome.

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