They have both monks, friars, and nuns, with a great number of great and rich monasteries; they keep great hospitality, and do relieve much poor people day by day. I have been in one of the monasteries called Troities, which is walled about with brick very strongly, like a castle, and much ordnance of brass upon the walls of the same. They told me themselves that they are seven hundred brethren of them which belong unto that house. The most part of the lands, towns, and villages which are within forty miles of it belong unto the same. They showed me the church, wherein were as many images as could hang about, or upon the walls of the church roundabout; and even the roof of the church was painted full of images. The chief image was of Our Lady, which was garnished with gold, rubies, sapphires, and other rich stones abundantly. In the midst of the church stood twelve wax tapers of two yards long, and a fathom about in bigness. There stands a kettle full of wax, with about one hundredweight, wherein there is always the wick of a candle burning—as it were, a lamp which goeth not out day nor night. They showed me a coffin, covered with cloth-of-gold, which stood upon one side within their church, in which they told me lay a holy man, who never ate nor drank, and yet he liveth. And they told me (supposing that I had believed them) that he healeth many diseases, and giveth the blind their sight, with many other miracles; but I was hard of belief, because I saw him work no miracle whilst I was there. After this they brought me into their cellars, and made me taste of divers kinds of drinks, both wine and beer, mead and quassia, of sundry colours and kinds. Such abundance of drink as they have in their cellars, I do suppose few princes have more, or so much at once. Their barrels or vessels are of an unmeasurable bigness and size, some of them are three yards long and more, and two yards and more broad in their heads. They contain six or seven tons apiece. They have none in their cellars of their own making that are less than a ton. They have nine or ten great vaults, which are full of those barrels, which are seldom removed, for they have trunks which come down through the roof of the vaults in sundry places, through which they pour the drink down, having the cask right under it to receive the same, for it should be a great trouble to bring it all down the stairs. They give bread, meat, and drink unto all men that come to them, not only while they are at their abbey, but also when they depart, to serve them by the way. There are a great number of such monasteries in the realm, and the Emperor’s Majesty rideth oftentimes from one to another of them, and lieth at them three or four days together.