It remains for me to record my deep gratitude to two scholars, in whose debt students of medieval monastic history must always lie, Mr G. G. Coulton and Mr A. Hamilton Thompson. I owe more than I can say to their unfailing interest and readiness to discuss, to help and to criticise. To Mr Hamilton Thompson I am specially indebted for the loan of his transcripts and translations of Alnwick's Register, now in course of publication, for reading and criticising my manuscript and finally for undertaking the arduous work of reading my proofs. I gratefully acknowledge suggestions received at different times from Mr Hubert Hall, Miss Rose Graham and Canon Foster, and faithful criticism from my friend Miss M. G. Jones. I have also to thank Mr H. S. Bennett for kindly preparing the index, and Mr Sydney Cockerell, Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, for assistance in the choice of illustrations. EILEEN POWER. GIRTON COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. _September 1922_ CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I. THE NOVICE Situation, income and size of the English nunneries 1 Nuns drawn from (1) the nobles and gentry 4 (2) the middle class 9 Nunneries in medieval wills 14 The dowry system 16 Motives for taking the veil: (1) a career and a vocation for girls 25 (2) a 'dumping ground' for political prisoners 29 (3) for illegitimate, deformed or half-witted girls 30 (4) nuns forced unwillingly to profess by their relations 33 (5) a refuge for widows and occasionally for wives 38 CHAPTER II. THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE Superiors usually women of social standing 42 Elections and election disputes 43 Resignations 56 Special temptations of a superior: (1) excessive independence and comfort 59 (2) autocratic government 64 (3) favouritism 66 The superior a great lady in the country side 68 Journeys 69 Luxurious clothes and entertainments 73 Picture of heads of houses in Bishop Alnwick's Lincoln visitations (1436-49) 80 Wicked prioresses 82 Good prioresses 89 General conclusion: Chaucer's picture borne out by the records 94