¹ To the venerable and God-devoted lady G., abbess by the gift of God, Brother Marcus, her devoted servant, wishes, if only he might, service as ready as it is strong. Since many are called but few are chosen [Matthew 22:14], it is no great proof for establishing the truth of a doubtful matter that should be judged praiseworthy which is praised by many. For since, according to the saying of the prophet, the human race from the beginning is more inclined to sin, we judge it most fitting and most proper above all things to obey that which, with the flowers of a good reputation preserved, we find to be blameworthy by none, which can say with the apostle, “We are a good fragrance to God” [2 Corinthians 2:15]. Therefore, sacred virgin and lady G., we are by no means able to refuse your charitable and very devout little request, born of good intention, although we are by no means able to adorn it with praises worthy of your presence. For as a certain learned teacher of the orthodox has said, “Charity supplies the strength which lack of skill denies,” we, following in his footsteps, and at the same time trusting in your holy prayers, set aside that hesitation and are not ashamed to show our own lack of understanding to you. For obedience is better than sacrifice [1 Samuel 15:22], especially that which is rendered to superiors, and we trust that your prudence would rather have compassion on our lack of understanding than mock it. For it has pleased your prudence that the mystery which was shown to a certain Irishman, Tundal, should be translated by our pen, though unlearned, from the barbarous tongue into Latin speech and sent to your diligence to be copied. A work indeed useful, though brief. But I, poor and almost ignorant of Latin eloquence, yet most devoted to you, have not been reluctant to present the material itself, as far as the smallness of my talent has been able to set it forth—for God loves a cheerful giver [2 Corinthians 9:7]—yet asking that, if anything there be expressed less concisely, your learned skill may not be ashamed to amend it and shape it properly. Receive therefore this little gift of a simple style and unlearned tongue with devout prayers, and if you see anything there less correct, attribute this to my lack of skill; but if anything in it should please your prudence, ascribe it to divine grace and to your prayers, and do not despise a good and certain matter, though you may see that the composition is not suited to it. For the style is mine, but the work is Christ’s. Therefore, O wise and blessed lady, remember the proverb: “If you do not bear with the faults of a friend, you make them your own.” You therefore, since you gladly bear with the unwise, being yourself wise, endure also here a little of my folly. We have written to you faithfully, as he himself who had seen it related the same vision to us. For this vision was seen in the year one thousand one hundred and forty-nine from the Incarnation of the Lord, which was the second year of the expedition of Conrad, king of the Romans, to Jerusalem, and the fourth year of the pontificate of Pope Eugenius II, in which year he returned to Rome from the regions of Gaul. In that same year also Malachy, bishop of Down among the Irish, legate, whose life and teaching shone throughout the whole western Church, coming to Rome died at Clairvaux, whose life, full of miracles, Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux, has set forth in a sufficiently clear style. Of him we shall, God granting, speak in its proper place. Nehemiah also, bishop of Clonard, a man distinguished for wisdom, birth, and holiness, a holy and venerable old man of ninety-five years, in his own see in that same year passed from the toilsome struggle of this life to the joys of eternal life. Of whose life and miracles, because we know that you desire examples of the saints for your edification, we shall say something. But since it is not our purpose at present to compose tragedies, let us hasten, with God’s help, to the work entrusted to us.

² Here ends the prologue. Here begins the vision of a certain knight of Ireland, written for the edification of many.

³ Ireland, therefore, is an island situated in the farthest western ocean, stretching from south to north, notable for its lakes and rivers, planted with woods, most fertile in crops, abounding in milk and honey and in all kinds of fishing and hunting, lacking in vineyards yet rich in wine, so ignorant of serpents, frogs, toads, and all venom-bearing creatures that its wood or leather or horn or even its dust is known to overcome every poison; very renowned for religious men and women, but also fierce and famous in arms, having to the south nearby England, to the east the Scots and also the Britons, whom some call the Welsh, to the north the Catos and the Orkneys, and opposite to the south the Spaniards. This island, therefore, has thirty-four principal cities, whose bishops are subject to two metropolitans. For Armagh is the metropolis of the northern Irish, while for the southern the most eminent is Cashel, from which there sprang a certain nobleman named Tundal, whose cruelty—or rather, in what he did, the mercy of God—has provided the material for this our work. For the same man was young in age, noble in birth, cheerful in countenance, handsome in appearance, brought up in a courtly manner, well attired, great of spirit, not moderately skilled in the art of war, capable, affable, and pleasant. Yet, what I cannot say without sorrow, the more he trusted in the beauty of his body and his strength, the less he cared for the eternal salvation of his soul. For, as he himself is now accustomed often to confess with tears, it weighed upon him if anyone wished to speak to him, even briefly, about the salvation of his soul. He had neglected the Church of God, and would not even look upon the poor of Christ. To buffoons, mimes, and jesters he had distributed, for vain glory, whatever he had. But when it pleased divine mercy to put an end to so many evils, it called him, when it willed. For, as very many inhabitants of the city of Cork testify, who were present with him at the time, he lay as if dead for the space of three days and nights, during which time he learned bitterly what before he had sweetly delighted in, for his present life bears witness to what he suffered. For he endured very many incredible and intolerable kinds of torments, the order and names of which, as we have learned from the mouth of the man himself who saw and suffered them, we shall not be unwilling to write to you for the increase of your devotion. This man, therefore, although he had many companions and friends, had among them one who was indebted to him for three horses by way of exchange. When the appointed time had passed, he went to his friend. And when he had been well received and had stayed for three nights, he began to speak of other matters. And when the other replied that he did not have at hand what was asked, he, greatly angered, resolved to set out on the journey by which he had come. But the debtor, wishing to appease his friend, begged him to take food with him before he departed. Since he could not refuse his request, he sat down, and laying aside the axe which he held in his hand, began to take food with his companion. But divine mercy forestalled this desire. For I know not by what sudden cause he was struck, and he could not draw back to his mouth the hand which he had stretched out. Then he began to cry out terribly, and commended his axe, which he had set aside, to the wife of his companion, saying: “Keep my axe, for I am dying.” And at once his lifeless body fell as if no spirit had ever been in it. The signs of death were present: the hair stiffened, the brow hardened, the eyes wandered, the nose sharpened, the lips grew pale, the chin fell, and all the limbs of the body grew rigid. The household ran together, the meal was taken away, the attendants cried out, the host wept, the body was laid out, the bells were rung, the clergy gathered, the people marvelled, and the whole city was troubled at the sudden death of so good a knight. Why delay? From about the tenth hour on Wednesday until the same hour on Saturday he lay as dead, with no sign of life remaining in him, except that a slight warmth was felt in the left side of his breast by those who carefully examined the body. Therefore they did not bury the body, because they felt warmth in that small part of it. After this, in the presence of the clergy and the people who had gathered to bury him, he recovered his breath and began to breathe faintly for about the space of an hour. All marvelled, even the wise, saying: “Is not this the spirit going forth and not returning?” Then he, looking around with weak sight, when asked whether he wished to receive communion, signified that the body of the Lord should be brought, and when he received it and drank the wine, he began with thanksgiving to praise God, saying: “O God, your mercy is greater than my iniquity, though mine is exceedingly great. You have shown me many and grievous troubles, and having turned again you have restored me to life and brought me back again from the depths of the earth” [Psalm 71:20]. And when he had said this, under a vow he distributed all that he had and gave it to the poor; and he commanded that he be signed with the saving sign of the cross, and he vowed in every way to abandon his former life thereafter. And all that he had seen or suffered he afterwards related to us, saying:

⁴ On the departure of the soul.

⁵ When, he said, my soul had cast off the body and perceived that it was dead, conscious of its guilt it began to be afraid and did not know what it should do. Indeed, it was afraid, but did not know what it feared. It wished to return to its body, but was not able to enter; it also wished to go forth, but everywhere it was seized with terror. And so the most wretched soul was tossed about, aware of its guilt, trusting in nothing except the mercy of God. And while for a long time it conducted itself thus, weeping and lamenting, trembling, not knowing what it ought to do, at last it saw coming towards it so great a multitude of unclean spirits that not only did they fill the whole house and courtyard in which the dead body lay, but also through all the streets and squares of the city no place appeared that was not full of them. But when they had surrounded that wretched soul, they did not strive to console it, but rather to afflict it exceedingly, saying: “Let us sing,” they said, “to this wretched one the due song of death, for she is a daughter of death and food for the unquenchable fire, a friend of darkness, an enemy of light.” And all turning towards her gnashed their teeth at her and with their own claws most foully, in great fury, tore her cheeks, saying: “Look, wretched one, the people whom you chose, with whom you shall go down to burn in the depths of Acheron. Nurse of scandal, lover of discord, why are you not proud? Why do you not commit adultery? Why do you not fornicate? Where is your vanity and your empty joy? Where is your immoderate laughter? Where is your strength, with which you used to insult very many? Why do you not now make signs with your eyes as you were accustomed? You do not stamp with your foot, you do not speak with your finger, you do not contrive evil with a crooked heart.” Terrified by these and similar things, the wretched one could do nothing but lament, awaiting death, which all who were present threatened her with without delay. But He who does not will the death of a sinner, to whom alone it belongs to grant a remedy after death, the almighty, gracious and merciful Lord, disposing all things well by His hidden judgement, even this misery, as He willed, tempered.”

⁶ On the coming of the angel to meet the soul.

⁷ For He sent His angel to meet her, and when she saw him coming from afar like a most radiant star, she fixed upon him an unwearied gaze, hoping that through him some counsel might be given to her. And when he had drawn near to her, calling her by her own name, he greeted her, saying: “Hail,” he said, “Tnugdale, how do you fare?” But when that wretched one saw the beautiful youth—for he was beautiful in form beyond the sons of men—and heard herself called by her own name by him, out of fear and also out of joy she burst forth with tears into this cry: “Alas,” she said, “lord father, the pains of hell have encompassed me, the snares of death have overtaken me” [Psalm 18:4–5]. To her the angel said: “Now,” he said, “you call me lord and father, whom you always had with you everywhere, and yet you never judged me worthy of such a name.” She replied: “Lord, when did I ever see you? Or when did I ever hear your most sweet voice?” Answering, the angel said to her: “I always followed you from your birth, wherever you went, and you were never willing to obey my counsels.” And stretching out his hand towards one of the unclean spirits, who more than the others was reviling and mocking her, he said: “Look, that one whose counsels you followed, and you utterly neglected my will. But because God always prefers mercy to judgement, His undeserved mercy will not be lacking even to you. Only be steadfast and glad, for you shall suffer a little of the many things which you would suffer, if the mercy of our Redeemer had not come to your aid. Therefore follow me, and whatever I shall show you, keep it in memory, for you must return again to your body.” Then that soul, exceedingly terrified, drew nearer to him, leaving the body over which she had previously stood. But when the demons heard these things, and saw that they could not inflict upon that soul the evils which before they had threatened, they lifted up their mouth to heaven, saying: “O how unjust and cruel is God, who kills whom He wills and gives life to whom He wills, and does not, as He promised, render to each according to his work and merit; He frees souls that should not be freed and condemns those that should not be condemned.” And having said this, they rose up against one another and, striking each other with blows as much as they could, they departed, leaving behind a great stench, with immense sorrow and indignation. But the angel, going before, said to the soul: “Follow me.” She replied: “Alas, my lord, if you go before, they will seize me from behind and hand me over to everlasting fires.” To her the angel said: “Do not fear them, for there are more with us than with them. If God is for us, who is against us? A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you; nevertheless with your eyes you shall see and see the reward of sinners [Romans 8:31; Psalm 91:7–8]. And you indeed shall suffer, as I have said, a little of the many things which you deserve.” And having said this, they set out.

⁸ On the first punishment of murderers.

⁹ And when they had gone on together further, and had no light except the radiance of the angel, at length they came to a valley very terrible and dark, covered with the gloom of death. For it was very deep and full of burning coals, having an iron covering which seemed to have a thickness of six cubits, and which in its great heat surpassed the glowing coals in brightness. Its stench surpassed all the sufferings which the soul had endured up to that point. For upon that plate there descended a multitude of most wretched souls, and there they were burned until, like flesh in a frying pan, being wholly consumed they melted away; and, what is more grievous, they were so strained through the said plate as wax is accustomed to be strained through a cloth, and again they were renewed upon the burning coals of fire for torment. When she had seen these things, that soul, greatly terrified, said to the angel: “Alas, my lord, I beg, if it please you, that you tell me what evil these souls have ever done, that they should be judged worthy of such torments.” To her the angel said: “These,” he said, “are murderers, parricides, and fratricides. This,” he said, “is the first punishment of those who commit such deeds, and of those who consent to them; and after this they are led to greater punishments, which you shall see.” And she said: “Shall I also suffer this?” And the angel said to her: “You indeed deserve it, but for now you shall not suffer it. For although you are not a parricide or matricide or fratricide, yet you are a murderer; but now it shall not be rendered to you. But hereafter take heed, lest, when you return to your body, you deserve these or greater things.” And he added: “Let us go on, for a great journey still remains for us.”

¹⁰ On the punishment of plotters and traitors.

¹¹ And so, setting out, they came to a mountain of marvellous size, of great terror and vast desolation. This mountain offered a very narrow path to those passing over it. For on one side of that path there was foul, sulphurous and dark fire, and on the other side snow like ice and a dreadful wind with hail. Moreover, the mountain on both sides was prepared for the punishment of souls, full of tormentors, so that no safe passage appeared for those wishing to cross. These same tormentors had iron forks made red-hot, and very sharp tridents prepared, with which they pierced the throats of the souls wishing to pass and dragged them off to punishments. And while the wretched ones, further entangled, paid their penalties in the region of sulphur, being pierced with the same instruments they were cast into the region of snow. And in turn, from the midst of the hail they were cast into the flame of fire. When she had seen these things, she was exceedingly afraid and said to the angel who went before her: “I beg, lord, since I plainly see the snares prepared for my destruction, how am I able to take this path?” He answered her: “Do not fear, but follow me, or go before me.” And then the angel went before, and she followed as before.

¹² On the valley and the punishment of the proud.

¹³ But as they went on step by step in fear, they came to a valley very deep, exceedingly foul and dark, the depth of which the soul itself could not see; yet it was able to hear the sound of a sulphurous river and the howling of a multitude suffering in the depths. A foul smoke also rose upwards from the sulphur and from corpses, which surpassed all the torments that she had seen before. Moreover, a very long plank stretched from one mountain to another over the valley in the manner of a bridge, which was a thousand paces in length, but in width measured only one foot. This bridge no one could cross unless he were chosen. From it she saw many fall, but no one, except one priest, pass over unharmed. This priest was a pilgrim, bearing a palm and clothed in a cloak, and before all the others he passed over first without fear. Then that soul, seeing the narrow path and recognising beneath it everlasting destruction, said to the angel: “Alas for me, wretched one, who will deliver me,” she said, “from this path of death?” But he, looking upon her with a cheerful countenance, answered, saying: “Do not fear; from this indeed you shall be delivered, but after this you shall suffer another.” And going before, he took hold of her and led her unharmed beyond the bridge. And after crossing the evil path, as though secure, the soul said joyfully to the angel: “I beg you, lord, if it please you, tell me whose souls these are, whose torments we have just seen.” And the angel said to her: “This very dreadful valley is the place of the proud, and the foul and sulphurous mountain is the punishment of plotters.” And he added: “Let us go, until we come to others incomparable with these.”

¹⁴ Concerning the greedy and their punishment.

¹⁵ With the angel going before her, they set out along a long and winding and very difficult road. And as they laboured greatly and travelled a dark path, not far from them she saw a beast of incredible size and unbearable terror. This beast, because of the vastness of its enormous size, surpassed all the mountains he had ever seen. Its eyes were like blazing hills. Its mouth was very wide and open, and, as it seemed to her, it could swallow nine thousand armed men. It had two placed in its mouth, set opposite one another and very disordered in position. For one of them had his head upwards towards the upper teeth of the same beast and his feet downwards towards the lower, while the other, in reverse fashion, had his head downwards and his feet raised up towards the upper teeth. Thus they were like columns in its mouth, and they divided that same mouth into the likeness of three gates. An inextinguishable flame also burst forth from its mouth, which was accustomed to be divided into three parts through those three gates, and the souls condemned were forced to enter against that flame. An incomparable stench also came out from its mouth. Moreover, the weeping and wailing of a multitude was heard from its belly through that same mouth, nor is this surprising, since within were many thousands of men and women paying dreadful punishments. Its mouth was also filled with a multitude of unclean spirits, who forced souls to enter. But before they entered, they afflicted them with many and various blows and stripes. And when the soul had long seen such a horrible and fearful spectacle, failing through excessive terror and fear, the spirit said with a mournful voice to the angel: “Alas, alas, my lord, these things which I see are not hidden from you, and why do you approach them?” But the angel, answering, said: “We cannot complete our journey otherwise unless we draw near to this torment. For none but the chosen will be able to avoid this torment. This beast is called Acheron, which devours all the greedy. Of this beast Scripture speaks: ‘It will swallow up the river and will not wonder, and it trusts that the Jordan may flow into its mouth’ [Job 40:23]. But these men who appear set opposite one another among its teeth and in its mouth are giants, and in their own times they were as faithful in their sect as others have not been found, whose names you know well. They are called Fergus and Conall.” To whom the soul said: “Alas, lord, this troubles me, that, since you declare them faithful in their sect, why the Lord should judge them worthy of such punishments.” To which the angel said: “All these things which you have so far seen, although they are great kinds of punishments, before you return you will be able to see far greater.” And when he had said this, drawing nearer he went before her and stood before the beast, and the soul, though unwilling, followed him. And when they both stood before the beast, the angel disappeared and the wretched one remained alone. But the demons, when they saw her deserted, gathered upon the wretched soul like rabid dogs and dragged her with them into the belly of the beast, having scourged her. But what or how great torments she suffered there, even if she herself were silent, anyone who is wise and wishes to observe may very easily recognise from the colour of her face and the change in her behaviour. And because we must strive for brevity, we are not able to write all that we have heard. And yet, lest we seem to neglect the matter itself, we wish to recount a few things out of many for the edification of readers. For she suffered there the savagery of dogs, bears, lions, serpents, and countless other unknown monstrous animals, the blows of demons, the burning of fire, the harshness of cold, the stench of sulphur, the darkness of the eyes, the flow of burning tears, an abundance of afflictions, and the gnashing of teeth. Having experienced these and similar things there, what else could the wretched soul do but accuse herself of past deeds and tear her own cheeks because of excessive sorrow and despair? And when the wretched soul recognised her guilt and feared that she would suffer eternal punishment according to her deserts, not knowing in what manner she had come out, she perceived that she was outside the beast. And look, as she lay at some distance weakened, opening her eyes she saw near her that spirit of light who had gone before her. Then she, rejoicing though greatly afflicted, said to the angel: “O my only hope, O consolation granted to me undeservedly by the Lord, O light of my eyes and staff of my misery and distress, why did you wish to abandon me, wretched as I am? And what shall I, wretched, give back to the Lord for all that he has given to me? If he had never done anything good for me except that he sent you to meet me, what thanks could I worthily return to him?” The angel answered her: “As you said at the beginning, so you should know it to be: the divine mercy is greater than your sin. He indeed will render to each according to his work and merit, yet he will judge each one according to his end. Therefore, as I said before, you must take care, lest, when you are in your own power, you should again deserve these things.” And having said this, he added: “Let us pass on to the punishments that lie before us.”

¹⁶ Concerning the punishment of thieves and robbers.

¹⁷ But she, rising as if faint, trying to steady her weak steps, greatly desired to follow him, but in no way was she able, for she was too afflicted. Then the angel of the Lord, touching her, strengthened her, and going before at a swift pace to complete the journey of which he had spoken before, encouraged her. And as they went further, they saw a very large and stormy lake, whose waves did not allow those standing nearby to see the sky. There was also there a great multitude of terrible beasts, which, bellowing, desired nothing but to devour souls. Across its breadth there was a bridge, very narrow and long, whose length stretched for about two miles; for such was the width of the lake. But the width of the bridge itself was about the measure of a single palm. For it was longer and narrower than that bridge of which we spoke above. This plank was also set with very sharp iron nails, which were accustomed to pierce the feet of all who crossed, so that no one’s foot, if it once touched it, could escape unharmed. All the beasts also gathered at the bridge to take food from it, namely those souls which could not cross. And these beasts were of such size that they might most fittingly be compared to great towers. Fire also came out of their mouths, so that even the lake seemed to those who looked upon it to be boiling. She also saw upon the bridge one soul weeping greatly and accusing itself of many crimes. For it was weighed down with a great burden of sheaves of grain and was compelled to cross this bridge. But although it suffered greatly from its feet being pierced by the iron nails, it nevertheless feared more to fall into the burning lake, where it saw the gaping mouths of the beasts. The soul, seeing the immense danger, said to the angel: “Alas, lord, if it should please you, I would wish to know why that soul is compelled to pass under such a burden, and for which souls in particular this punishment is.” But he, answering, said to her: “This punishment is especially fitting for you and for your like who commit theft, whether it be much or little. But those who sin in small matters do not suffer in the same way as those who sin in great matters, unless perhaps that small matter should be sacrilege.” Then the soul said: “What, then, do you call sacrilege?” The angel answered: “Whoever steals anything, whether sacred or from what is sacred, is judged guilty of sacrilege; and especially those who sin under the cover of religion, unless they amend themselves through repentance, are judged guilty of a greater fault.” And he added these words: “Let us hasten, because we must cross this bridge.” But she said: “You indeed will be able to cross by divine power, but me, as I think, you will not be able to lead with you.” “I will not cross with you,” said the angel, “but you yourself will cross by yourself, nor will you be able to cross empty-handed, for you must lead with you an untamed cow and return it to me unharmed beyond the bridge.” Then the soul, weeping, wept bitterly and said to the angel: “Woe is me, why did God create me, that I should suffer such things? And how shall I, wretched, be able to lead it across, when I myself, in such danger, unless divine mercy should come to my aid, cannot at all stand?” Then the angel said: “Recall to memory that, when you were in the body, you stole the cow of your godfather.” But she said: “Did I not, lord, return that very cow, of which you speak, to its rightful owner?” To which the angel said: “You did return it, but then only when you could not hide it, and therefore you will not suffer the full punishment, because it is a lesser evil to wish than to carry out, although both are evil before the Lord.” And when he had said these things, the angel, looking at the soul, showed her an untamed cow. “Look,” he said, “the cow which you must lead across.” But the soul, when she saw that she could not avoid the punishment due, weeping, took hold of the cow and, with whatever threats she could, tried to drive it with her to the bridge. But the beasts, bellowing, came and awaited their food, which they saw set upon the bridge. And when the soul began to make her way, the cow would not go with her. Why should we delay further? When the soul stood still, the cow fell, and when the cow stood, the soul fell, and so by turns now they stood and now they fell, until they came to the middle of the bridge. And when they had reached it, they saw coming towards them the one who carried the sheaves. I mean not one of those of whom it is said: “They shall surely come with rejoicing, carrying their sheaves” [Psalm 126:6], but of those to whom elsewhere Scripture threatens: “Woe to you who now laugh, for you shall mourn and weep” [Luke 6:25]. Thus, weeping and lamenting, they met one another, not like mercy and truth, nor like justice and peace, which have kissed each other [Psalm 85:10]. For that soul which had come with the sheaves begged this one not to take the bridge before her. And on the other hand, this one, with whatever prayers she could, begged the other not to hinder the way which she had completed with such labour. Yet neither the one nor the other could, I do not say turn back, but not even look behind. And so, grieving, they stood, and standing they stained the bridge with the blood of their feet. And when they had stood there for a long time, and lamented there the guilt of their crimes, not knowing how, yet each perceived that the other had passed across. But this soul, when she had crossed, saw her angel, whom she had left behind, and he addressed her with gentle words: “Well have you come; do not trouble yourself further about the cow, for you owe it nothing more.” But when she showed him her feet and complained that she could go no further, he answered: “You must remember how swift your feet were to shed blood, and therefore destruction and misery would rightly have been in your ways, unless the mercy of the Almighty had come to your aid.” And when he had said this, touching her he healed her and thus went on before. But the soul said: “Where are we going now?” The angel answered: “A certain most foul torturer awaits our arrival, whose name is Phristinus, whose dwelling we can by no means pass by. And although that dwelling has always been full of guests, yet the host still desires to find guests for punishment.”

¹⁸ Concerning the punishment of gluttons and fornicators.

¹⁹ And as they went through dark and barren places, there appeared to them an open house. Now that house which they had seen was exceedingly large, like a steep mountain because of its vast size, and it was round like an oven in which loaves are usually baked. A flame also came out from it which, for a thousand paces, burned whatever souls it found. But that soul, which had already learned by experience something of a similar torment, was in no way able to draw nearer. And so she said to the angel who led her: “What shall I do, wretched that I am? Look, we are approaching the gates of death, and who will deliver me?” The angel answered and said: “From this outer flame you will indeed be delivered, but the house itself from which it proceeds you will enter.” And when they drew nearer, they saw executioners standing before the doors in the midst of the flames, with axes and knives and rods, with double-edged tools, with adzes and augers and very sharp sickles, with spades and shovels, and with other instruments by which they could flay, behead, burn, or cut souls to pieces, and beneath their hands a multitude of souls suffering all those things which we have described. And when the soul saw that these were far greater than all the punishments which she had seen before, she said to the angel: “I beg you, my lord, if it pleases you, deliver me from this punishment alone, and allow me to be given over to all the other punishments which may hereafter come.” Then the angel said: “This punishment is indeed greater than all that you have seen before, yet you shall still see one which surpasses all kinds of torments that you have been able either to see or to imagine. Enter into this punishment, for raging dogs await your arrival within.” But the soul, wholly trembling and failing from distress, begged with whatever prayers she could that she might escape this punishment, yet she did not obtain what she wished. And the demons, seeing the soul given over to them, surrounded her, and reproaching her with great insults, tore her to pieces with the same instruments and, when she had been torn apart, cast her into the fires. What shall I say of those things which were within this house of Phristinus? For weeping and sorrow, pain and groaning and gnashing of teeth were there; a slow fire without, but within a vast conflagration was enclosed; an insatiable craving for food was ever present, yet the excess of gluttony could not be satisfied. They were also tormented with the greatest pains in their private parts, but from those same parts, corrupted by decay, there seemed to flow forth worms; and into those private parts of men and women, not only of the secular, but, what is more grievous, and which I cannot say without deep sorrow, even of those living under the habit of religion, beasts entered in a dreadful manner, so that on every side, worn out by torments, no strength was sufficient for endurance. No sex, no condition was free from these punishments, and what I was afraid to say, charity itself compels me to say, that even the monastic habit of men and women was involved in these torments; and those who seemed of a holier profession were judged worthy of greater punishment. After that soul had endured these and similar incredible torments for a long time, coming to herself, she confessed that she was guilty and deserving of such sufferings. But when it pleased the divine will, not knowing in what manner, as we have said, she found herself to be outside the torments. Yet she sat in darkness and the shadow of death. And when she had not sat there long, she saw a light, namely the spirit of life, who had led her before. But she, filled with bitterness and sorrow, said to him: “Why, lord, have I, wretched that I am, suffered such great torments? And what is it that the wise have said: ‘The mercy of the Lord fills the earth’? Where is his mercy and compassion?” The angel, answering, said to her: “Alas, daughter, how many this saying has deceived who understand it poorly. For God, although he is merciful, is nevertheless just. Justice renders to each according to his merits; mercy forgives many sins worthy of punishment. And you, indeed, by the demands of your merits, justly suffer these punishments, but you will give thanks when you see what torments he has forgiven you through mercy. Again, if God were to forgive all things, why would a man be just? And if he did not fear punishments, why would a sinner refrain? And what need would there be for those who confess to repent, if they did not fear God? Therefore God, ordering all things well, has so tempered justice with mercy, and mercy with justice, that neither of them is without the other. For if sinners who do not repent are mercifully spared in the body, yet here, at the prompting of justice, they suffer what is fitting according to their merits. And although for the just, on account of their failings, temporal comfort is justly taken away while they live in the body, yet when they lay aside their bodies, he mercifully grants them good things that remain without end with the angels.” In this also his mercy surpasses his justice, because no good work done by anyone will go unrewarded by him, while he forgives many evil deeds. For no one is free from sin, not even an infant of one night, yet many are delivered from punishment, so that even the shadow of death does not touch them. But that soul, her strength restored by the words of consolation, said to the angel: “Lord, if it pleases you, since the matter concerns the just, as they do not deserve to enter the gates of death, why are they led down to hell?” The angel, answering, said: “If this troubles you, why the just, who do not suffer punishments, are led to see them, it is done so that, having seen the torments from which they are delivered by divine grace, they may burn more fervently in praise and love of their Creator. And, on the other hand, the souls of sinners, who are justly judged worthy of eternal punishments, are first led to the glory of the saints, so that, having seen the rewards which they had willingly forsaken, when they come to punishments they may grieve the more and recall to mind that glory which they might once have obtained, for an increase of their suffering. For there is no punishment so grievous as to be cut off from the fellowship of the divine majesty and of the holy angels. And therefore that priest, whom you saw at first safely crossing the bridge, was led to punishments, so that, having seen them, he might burn more ardently in love for him who called him to glory. For he was found a faithful and prudent servant, and therefore he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” And after these words he said: “Since we have not yet seen all the evils, it will profit you that we hasten to see those which we have not yet seen.” Then the soul said: “If afterwards we must return to glory, I ask that you lead me as quickly as possible to the punishment.”

²⁰ Concerning the punishment of those who, under the habit and order of religion, commit fornication or defile themselves immoderately in any condition.

²¹ With the angel going before, they saw a beast very unlike all the beasts which they had seen before, having two feet and two wings, and also a very long neck and an iron beak; it also had iron claws, and from its mouth an inextinguishable flame burst forth. This beast sat upon a lake congealed with ice. And the beast devoured whatever souls it could find, and when in its belly they were reduced to nothing through torments, it brought them forth again into the lake frozen with ice, and there they were renewed again for punishment. And all the souls, both of men and women, who descended into the lake were made pregnant, and thus, being with child, they awaited the time which was appointed for their delivery. But within they were bitten in their entrails in the manner of a viper by the offspring conceived, and so they lived miserably in the foul waters of a sea of death, frozen with ice. And when the time came for them to give birth, crying out they filled hell with their wailings, and thus they brought forth serpents. They gave birth, I say, not only women, but also men, not only through those members which nature has appointed suitable for such an office, but through the arms and the breast as well, and they burst forth, breaking out through all the limbs. And those creatures which were brought forth had burning iron heads and very sharp beaks, with which they tore the bodies from which they came. And in their tails the same creatures had many stings, which, like hooks turned backwards, pierced the souls from whom they came. For when the beasts wished to come out, since they could not draw their tails with them, they did not cease to twist back their burning iron beaks into the bodies from which they came, until they consumed them down to the sinews and dry bones. And thus, crying out together, the crashing of the surging ice and the wailing of the suffering souls and the bellowing of the beasts coming forth reached to heaven, so that even the demons themselves, if there were in them any spark of pity, might rightly be moved to compassionate mercy. For in all the different limbs and fingers there were heads of various creatures, which bit those same limbs down to the sinews and bones. They also had living tongues like asps, which consumed the whole palate and throat, devouring everything down to the lungs. Their private parts also, both of men and women, were in the likeness of serpents, which strove to tear the lower parts of the belly and to drag out the very entrails from there. Then the soul said: “Tell me, I beg, what evil these souls have done, for whom this punishment is prepared, incomparable, I think, with all the punishments I have ever seen?” But the angel said: “I told you above that those who are of a holier calling, if they go astray, are judged with harsher punishments, just as, on the other hand, they attain greater glory if they do not deserve these things through fault. For this,” he said, “is the punishment of monks, canons, nuns, and of the other ecclesiastical orders, who are known to lie to God either by their tonsure or by their habit. And therefore their limbs are consumed by various punishments, because they did not restrain them from forbidden acts. For they sharpened their tongues like serpents, and therefore they suffer them to burn. Their private parts also, which were not restrained from the intercourse of forbidden lust, are either cast into it or themselves become savage beasts for the increase of punishment.” And he added: “We have said enough about these. For although this punishment ought especially to belong to those who say that they are religious and are not, yet those who defile themselves with immoderate lust will suffer these things. And therefore you will not be able to escape this, because you yourself, when you were in the body, did not fear to defile yourself immoderately.” And after these words, as they came on, the demons rushed upon the soul and seized it and gave it to the beast to be devoured. And when the soul had been devoured, what it suffered within or in the foul lake, since we have spoken of it before, we ought not to repeat. Therefore, when after the same torments she was in the act of bringing forth vipers, the spirit of compassion was present to her, and, addressing her gently, comforted her: “Come,” he said, “my dearest friend, you shall no longer suffer these things.” And touching her, he healed her and commanded her to follow him for the rest of the journey, and thus, having gone far, the soul did not know where they were going; for apart from the brightness of the spirit of life, they had no light, as we have said before. They went on indeed through terrible places and much more dreadful than those before. For the way was very narrow and as if from the summit of a very high mountain always descending into a precipice, and the more it descended, the less the soul hoped for a return to life.

²² On the punishment of those who heap sin upon sin.

²³ He said therefore: “I ask, since we have seen so many evils before, such that worse ones, I do not say cannot be seen, but cannot even be conceived, why this path again leads them so far into ruin.” The angel answering said to him: “This path leads to death.” And the soul said: “Since,” he said, “this path is very narrow and very hard and we have seen no one upon it except ourselves, what is it that the Gospel says, ‘wide is the way and broad that leads to destruction, and many enter by it’ [Matthew 7:13]?” The angel said: “The evangelist was not then speaking of this, but of the unlawful and shameless worldly life, for by it one comes to this.” Therefore, going further and labouring beyond measure, they came into a valley, and there, seeing many workshops of smiths, in which the greatest lamentation was heard, the soul said: “Do you hear, my lord, what I hear?” He replied: “I hear and I know.” And the soul said: “What name has this punishment?” “This torturer,” said the angel, “is called Vulcan, by whose skill very many have fallen, and those who have fallen are tormented by him.” And the soul said: “Must I, my lord, suffer his punishment?” And he said: “You must.” And having spoken this word, he went before her, and she, weeping, followed him. But as they approached, torturers met them with glowing tongs, and saying nothing to the angel, they seized the soul that was following and, holding her, threw her into a furnace of blazing fire, and blowing it with bellows, as iron is accustomed to be tested, so they were tested, until that multitude of souls which were burning there was reduced to nothing. And when they were so melted that nothing appeared but water, they were pierced with iron tridents, and, placed upon an anvil, were struck with hammers, until twenty or thirty or a hundred souls were reduced into one mass, and yet, what is more grievous, they did not perish in this way; for they desired death and could not find it. And the torturers spoke to one another, saying: “Is it not enough?” And others in another house answered: “Throw them to us, that we may see whether it is enough.” And when they had thrown them, others caught them in iron tongs before they touched the ground, and just as the first, so also these committed them to the fires, and thus the souls were miserably cast now here, now there, and everywhere they suffered and were burned, until skins and flesh together, sinews and bones, were reduced to ashes and the flame of fire. But that soul, when she had long been engaged in these punishments, her advocate came to her and, taking hold of her from the midst of the flame as was his custom, began to say: “How fare you? Were the enticements of the flesh so sweet to you that for them you must endure so many and such great torments?” But she was not able to answer him, because after such punishment she did not have the strength to speak. Therefore the angel of the Lord, when he had seen her exceedingly afflicted, gently addressing her, comforted her, saying: “Take courage, for the Lord brings down to hell and brings back again [1 Samuel 2:6]. Therefore be strong, because although the evils which you have suffered up to this point are great, greater are those from which you shall be delivered, if indeed it be the will of our Redeemer. For he does not desire the death of the sinner, but that he should turn and live [Ezekiel 18:23].” And after this he said: “All those whom you saw above await the judgement of God, but these, who are still in the lower regions, are already judged; for you have not yet come to the lower hells.” And taking hold of her, as was his custom, he strengthened her and ordered her to take up the rest of the journey.

²⁴ On the descent into hell.

²⁵ And as they went on together and spoke with one another, look, a sudden horror and intolerable cold and a stench until then unknown, and darkness beyond compare with the former, distress and anguish alike seized the soul, so that it seemed to her that all the foundations of the world were trembling, and she was compelled to say to the angel who went before her: “Alas, my lord, what is this, that I am less able than usual to stand? For I am so troubled that I cannot have breath to speak.” And while, standing, she awaited the angel’s reply, for she could not move because of excessive fear, the angel quickly vanished from her sight, and she could no longer see him. Seeing therefore, wretched, that she was far lower than all those sinners whom she had seen before, and bereft of his light and consolation, what else could she do but altogether despair of the mercy of God? For, as Solomon says, there is neither wisdom nor knowledge in hell, to which she was hastening [Ecclesiastes 9:10], and therefore she had no counsel when the help of God was lacking to her. And so, after a delay, while she was alone in such dangers, she heard the cries and howlings of a wondrous multitude, and also a thunder so terrible that neither our smallness can comprehend it, nor could her tongue, as she confessed, avail to describe it.

²⁶ On the lower hell.

²⁷ Therefore, looking around to see, if in any way she might, from where all these things had come upon her, she saw a four-sided pit like a cistern, which well sent forth a column of foul flame and smoke, and that column stretched even to the heavens. For within that flame there was a very great multitude of souls together with demons, who rose up like sparks with the ascending flame and, when the smoke was reduced to nothing, fell again with the demons into the furnace to the depths. And when the soul had seen this great spectacle, she wished to draw back, but she was not able to lift her foot from the ground. But while she repeatedly tried to do this, fear urging her, and saw that she could not accomplish what she wished, filled with excessive fury she burned within herself and, tearing her cheeks with her nails, cried out: “Woe is me! Why do I not die? And why, most wretched that I am, did I not believe the holy Scriptures? What madness deceived me?” When the demons who had risen with the flame heard these things, they immediately surrounded her with the instruments by which they seized the souls of the wretched for torments, and encircling her they enclosed her like bees, and they blazed like fire among thorns, and there was one voice of all saying: “O wretched soul, worthy of punishments and torments, from where have you come here? Ignorant of punishments, you have not yet experienced punishments; you shall yet see the torment fitting to your deeds, from which you will not be able to depart, nor will you be able to perish in it, but always living in torment you shall burn. No consolation, no refuge, no light will you be able to see or find, no help, no mercy will you any longer be able to hope for. For you have drawn near to the gates of death, and without delay you shall be brought into the lower hells. He who led you here has deceived you; let him free you, if he can, from our hands, for you will not see him again. Grieve, wretched one, grieve, weep, cry out and howl, for you shall mourn with those who mourn, you shall weep with those who weep, and for ever you shall burn with those who burn. There is no one who wishes or is able to deliver you from our hands.” And they spoke to one another, saying: “Why do we delay any longer? Let us drag her and show her our cruelty; let us give her to Lucifer to be devoured.” And thus brandishing their weapons, they threatened her with everlasting death. Now those spirits were black like coals, and their eyes like lamps of burning fire, and their teeth whiter than snow, and they had tails like scorpions, and very sharp iron claws, and they had wings like vultures. Therefore, when they boasted that without delay they would carry her off with them and sing to the weeping one a song of death, a spirit of light was present, and having driven away the spirits of darkness, he comforted her with his accustomed words, saying: “Rejoice and be glad, daughter of light, for you shall obtain mercy and not judgement. You shall indeed see punishments, but you shall no longer suffer them.”

²⁸ On the prince of darkness himself.

²⁹ Come then, he said, and I will show you the worst adversary of the human race. And going before, he came to the gates of hell and said to her: “Come and see, yet know this, that light does not at all shine for those who are assigned here. You, however, will be able to see them, but they will not be able to see you.” And when the soul drew near, she saw the depth of hell, and how great, and of what kind, and how unheard-of were the torments she saw there; if she had a hundred heads and in each head a hundred tongues, she could by no means recount them. Yet a few things, which she herself related to us, as I think, it will not be useful to omit. She saw therefore that prince of darkness himself, the enemy of the human race, the devil, who surpassed in size all the beasts which she had seen before. To the greatness of whose body neither did the soul compare anything that she had seen, nor do we, who have learned it from her own mouth, dare to presume, but such an account as we have heard we ought not to omit. For that same beast was blacker than a raven, having the form of a human body from the feet up to the head, except that it had very many hands and a tail. That horrible monster also has no fewer than a thousand hands, and each hand in length as it were a hundred cubits, in thickness ten. And each hand is furnished with twenty fingers, which fingers have in length a hundred palms and in thickness ten, their claws longer than the spears of soldiers, and those of iron; and on its feet as many claws, and it has a beak exceedingly long and thick, and also a tail most rough and long, prepared with very sharp stings for harming souls. Therefore that horrible spectacle lies prone upon an iron grate, with burning coals placed beneath, blown by bellows by an innumerable multitude of demons. And around him there surrounds so great a multitude of souls and demons as it would not be believable that the world could have produced so many souls from the beginning. But that same enemy of the human race is bound through each limb and through all the joints of his limbs with chains of iron and bronze, heated and very thick. And when he is thus tossed among the coals and burned on every side, inflamed with excessive rage he turns himself from one side to the other, and stretches out all his hands into that multitude of souls, and, having filled them all, he crushes them, as a thirsty rustic presses clusters of grapes, so that no soul can escape unharmed, whether not torn apart or deprived of head, feet, or hands. Then also, as it were sighing, it breathes out and scatters all the souls into different parts of hell, and immediately the pit of which we spoke before belches forth a foul flame. And when that dreadful beast draws back its breath, it calls back to itself all the souls which it had scattered before, and, falling into its mouth with smoke and sulphur, it devours them. And whatever escape its hands it strikes with its tail, and thus that wretched beast, striking, is always struck, and while inflicting torments upon the souls is itself tormented in torments. Seeing these things, the soul said to the angel of the Lord: “I ask, my lord, what name has that monster?” The angel answering said: “That beast which you see is called Lucifer, and it is the chief of the creatures of God, who once dwelt in the delights of paradise. If it were to be released, it would throw heaven and earth and even the depths of hell into confusion. Now this multitude are partly angels of darkness and ministers of Satan, and partly of the sons of Adam, who do not deserve mercy. For these are they who neither hoped for mercy from God nor believed in God himself, and therefore they have deserved to suffer such things without end with that prince of darkness, because they would not cleave in word and deed to the Lord of glory, who would have repaid them with good things without end. These,” he said, “are those who are already judged, and they still await many others, who indeed promise in words to do good, but in deeds deny it. Such things,” he said, “shall those endure who either wholly deny Christ or do the works of those who deny him, such as adulterers, murderers, thieves, robbers, the proud, who do not perform worthy repentance. They first suffer those lesser things which you saw before, and then are led to these, from which no one who has once entered will ever be able to depart. Here also the prelates and the powerful of the world, who desire to be in authority not in order to benefit but in order to rule, suffer without end; they who do not consider that their power, given for governing or correcting their subjects, has been granted to them by God, and therefore do not exercise it over those committed to them as they ought. And so Scripture cries out: ‘The mighty shall suffer mightily torments’ [Wisdom 6:7].” Then the soul said: “Since,” she said, “you say that power has been given to them by God, why do they suffer on account of it?” And the angel said: “Power which is from God is not evil, but it is evil to use it badly.” And the soul said: “Why does the almighty Lord not always grant power to the good, that they might correct their subjects and govern them as they ought?” The angel answered: “Sometimes power is taken from the good, the faults of their subjects demanding it, because the wicked do not deserve to have good rulers; sometimes it is for the sake of the good themselves, that they may provide more securely for the salvation of their own souls.” And the soul said: “I should like,” she said, “to know for what reason that monster is called the prince of darkness, since it can defend no one nor is it able to free itself?” And the angel said: “It is called prince, not on account of power, but on account of the pre-eminence which it holds in darkness. For although you have seen very many punishments before these, they are all reckoned as nothing when compared with this dreadful torment.” And the soul said: “Thus,” she said, “I judge without doubt, for merely to see this lake troubles me more, and to endure its stench weighs upon me more than to suffer all those things which I endured before. Therefore I beg that you withdraw me from here quickly, if it can be done, and do not allow me to be tormented further. For I see in this torment many kinsfolk and companions and acquaintances, whom I rejoiced to have as companions with me in the world, whose company here I greatly abhor. I know also for certain that, unless divine mercy comes to my aid, by the demands of my merits I shall suffer these things no less than they.” And the angel said: “Come,” he said, “O blessed soul, return to your rest, for the Lord has dealt kindly with you. For you shall not suffer these things any further, unless you again deserve it; you shall only see them. For up to this point you have seen the prison of the enemies of God; from now on you shall see the glory of his friends.”

³⁰ On the moderate punishment of those not very wicked.

³¹ The soul therefore, turned back, followed the angel going before her, and when they had not gone far, the stench vanished and, the darkness being dispelled, light appeared; and when fear had been driven away, swift security returned, and, former sadness laid aside, the soul was filled with joy and gladness, so that she marvelled at herself, so quickly changed, saying: “My lord, show me, I beg you, what it is that I feel myself so suddenly changed? For I was blind and now I see, I was sorrowful and now I am joyful; having suffered along that whole path an intolerable stench, now I perceive no foul odour. I was fearful and greatly afraid, but now I am rejoicing and secure.” The angel answering said to her: “Blessed are you; do not marvel, for this is the change of the right hand of the Most High. For by another path we must return to our own region. Therefore bless God and follow me.” And as they went, they saw a wall very high, and below the wall on that side by which they had come there was a very great multitude of men and women enduring rain and wind. And they were very sorrowful, suffering hunger and thirst; yet they had light and did not perceive a stench. And the soul, asking, said: “Who are these, who remain in such a state of rest?” The angel answered: “These are evil, but not very evil; they indeed strove to conduct themselves honourably, but they did not give temporal goods to the poor as they ought, and therefore for some years they deserve to suffer rain, and then they are led to a good rest.”

³² On the field of joy and the fountain of life and the rest of those not very good.

³³ And going on a little, they came to a gate, which opened of its own accord to them. And when they had entered it, they saw a beautiful field, fragrant, set with flowers, bright and very pleasant, in which there was a multitude of souls which no one could number. And there was a multitude of men and women rejoicing, and there was no night there, nor did the sun set there, and there is there a fountain of living water. But the soul, after such and so great bitterness as she had endured before, greatly delighted in the sweetness of the beautiful field, burst forth into such a voice with great devotion: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore [Psalm 113:2], who has delivered me from the gates of hell according to the multitude of his mercies and has brought me into a share in the lot of the saints. Now I know that the words of holy Scripture are most true: ‘What eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him’ [1 Corinthians 2:9].” And she added: “I ask, whose souls is this rest, and what name has this fountain?” The angel answering said to her: “Here dwell those who are good, but not very good, who, delivered from the torments of hell, do not yet deserve to be joined to the company of the saints. And this fountain which you see is called living; if anyone shall taste of this water, he shall live for ever and shall thirst no more [John 4:14].”

³⁴ On the kings Donacus and Conchober.

³⁵ And going on a little further, they saw laymen known to them, among whom were the kings Conchober and Donacus. When he saw them, greatly marvelling, he said: “What is this, lord, that I see? These two men were in their lifetime very cruel and enemies to one another; by what merit have they come here, or how have they become friends?” Answering, the angel said: “These, before death, repented of their enmity, and therefore it is not imputed to them as a fault. For that king Conchober was long afflicted and made a vow that, if he should live, he would become a monk. The other, however, for many years being bound in chains, gave all that he had to the poor, and therefore his righteousness endures for ever and ever. But you shall relate all these things to the living.” And they went on.

³⁶ On King Cormac.

³⁷ When, however, they had gone on a little way, they saw a house marvellously adorned, whose walls and whole structure were of gold and silver and of every kind of precious stone; but there were no windows there nor a door, and yet all who wished to enter did so. Now the house was so splendid, as if not one sun, but as though many suns were shining there. Indeed, the house itself was exceedingly spacious and round, supported by no columns, and its whole floor was paved with gold and precious stones. When that soul took delight in such buildings, looking around it saw a golden seat, adorned with gems and silk and all ornaments, and it saw the lord King Cormac sitting upon that throne, clothed in such garments as neither he himself nor any of the kings of the earth had ever been able to wear. And while he stood marvelling for a little, very many came into that house with gifts for the king and each offered him his gifts with joy. And when he had stood for a long time before his lord the king (for he had been his lord while both were alive), many priests and Levites came, solemnly clothed as for Mass, with silken chasubles and other very fine ornaments, and the royal house was adorned on every side with marvellous decoration. They also placed cups and chalices of gold and silver and ivory pyxes upon stands and tables, and so the house was adorned, so that, if there were no greater glory in the kingdom of God, this might have sufficed. Therefore all those who were ministering, coming before the king, bent the knee before him, saying: “You shall eat the labours of your hands; blessed are you, and it shall be well with you” [Psalm 128:2]. Then the soul said to the angel: “I marvel, my lord, from where this lord of mine has so many servants, among whom I cannot recognise even one of his own, from when he was in the body.” “These are not,” said the angel, “from his household which he had while he was in the body. Do you not hear,” he said, “how these cry out, saying: ‘You shall eat the labours of your hands; blessed are you, and it shall be well with you’?” These whom you see are all the poor of Christ and pilgrims, to whom that king gave temporal goods while he was there in the body, and therefore through their hands an eternal reward is repaid to him here without end. “I would wish,” said the soul, “to know whether this lord of mine, the king, has ever suffered torments, after he came to rest when he left the body?” “He has suffered,” said the angel, “and he suffers daily and will yet suffer.” And he added: “Let us wait a little and we shall see his torment.” And when they had not waited long, the house was darkened and all its inhabitants were immediately made sorrowful, and the king, troubled and weeping, rose and went out. And when that soul followed him, it saw that multitude which it had seen within before, with hands stretched out to heaven most devoutly begging God and saying: “Lord God almighty, as you will and as you know, have mercy on your servant.” And looking, it saw the king himself in fire up to the navel, and from the navel upwards clothed in haircloth. Then the soul said to the angel: “How long will this soul suffer these things?” And the angel said: “Each day he suffers for the space of three hours and rests for the space of twenty-one hours.” “Lord,” said the soul, “why is he judged worthy of these punishments and not others?” The angel answered: “He suffers fire up to the navel because he defiled the sacrament of lawful marriage, and from the navel upwards he suffers the haircloth because he ordered a count to be killed near Saint Patrick and broke his oath. Except for these two things, all his sins have been forgiven.” And after this he said: “Let us go up.” And when they had gone on a little, they saw a wall exceedingly high and very splendid.

³⁸ On the glory of the married.

³⁹ For there was a wall of silver, very splendid and beautiful. And the soul indeed saw no door in it, yet, not knowing how, by divine power it entered; and looking around it saw choirs of saints rejoicing in God and saying: “Glory to you, God the Father, glory to you, Son, glory to you, Holy Spirit.” And those who were singing, men and women, were clothed in white garments, most precious, and they were most beautiful, without spot or wrinkle, joyful and cheerful, always rejoicing and exulting and persevering in the praise of the holy and everlasting Trinity. The brightness of their garments was like fresh snow struck by the ray of the sun. Their voices, though different, sounding together, gave forth tones like a musical melody. Brightness, joy, pleasantness, cheerfulness, beauty, honour, health, eternity, unity, and charity were equal to all. What shall I say of the fragrance of that field in which they were? For that most sweet and delightful fragrance surpassed every kind of scent and spice. There was no night there, sorrow was absent, all burned with love. Then the soul said: “May it please you, my lord, I beg you, that we may remain this rest.” The angel answered: “May it be well with you; although these things seem great, you shall yet see greater rewards of the saints.” And the soul said: “Lord, whose rewards are these souls’?” The angel said: “Of the married, that is, of those men and women who did not defile the marriage bed with the stain of unlawful adultery and kept the faith of lawful marriage, but also governed their households well and gave their temporal goods to the poor and to pilgrims and to the churches of Christ, to whom the just judge at the last judgement will say: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in’” [Matthew 25:34–35]. Those who await that blessed hope and the coming of the glory of the great God are comforted in such rest. For great is the sacrament of lawful marriage; those who keep it well in the body shall rejoice in this rest without end. And he added: “We must still go up and see those things which are higher.” And the soul said: “Lord, if I have found favour in your sight, make me remain this rest. For I do not wish, if it is your will, to ascend higher, but it is most dear to me to remain with these. I do not seek nor care for anything, nor do I desire to have anything better.” And the angel said: “Although you do not deserve it, yet you shall see better things than these.” And after these words they went on without much labour; for no labour seemed to them, and whomever they passed among all the companies, with bowed heads and joyful faces, with great gladness the souls came to meet them and, calling the soul by its own name, greeted it and glorified God who had delivered it, saying: “Praise be to you, Lord, King of eternal glory, who do not will the death of a sinner, but that he should turn and live, who according to your mercy have deigned to snatch this soul from the torments of hell and to join it to the company of your saints.”

⁴⁰ On the glory of the martyrs and the continent.

⁴¹ When, therefore, they had thus passed by many, another wall appeared, as high as the first, of the purest and most splendid gold, so that the soul, whatever it saw there, delighted more in the brightness of the metal alone than in all the glory which it had seen before. But when they had passed through it in the same manner as the first, there appeared to them many seats made of gold and gems and of every kind of precious stone, covered with most costly silks, on which sat elders, men and women, clothed in silks and white robes and tiaras and all ornaments such as the soul had neither seen before nor could conceive. The face of each of them shone as the sun shines at midday, and they had hair like gold, and on their heads golden crowns adorned with the same gems. Moreover, lecterns were set before them of no lesser material, on which books were placed, written in golden letters, and they sang to the Lord Alleluia with a new song and with so sweet a melody that the soul which once heard their voices forgot all things that had gone before. Therefore the soul stood in that place where it had seen the harmony before, wonderfully delighted by the song and the seats. Then the angel said to it: “These are the saints who for the covenant of God gave their bodies and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. These,” he said, “are the continent, who, after for a time paying the debt of the flesh, spent the rest of their temporal life in the service of God, whether suffering martyrdom for Christ, or crucifying themselves with their vices and desires, living soberly, justly, and devoutly, and therefore they have deserved to receive crowns of triumph. These are,” he said, “holy men made friends of God.”

⁴² On the glory of monks and nuns.

⁴³ But when the soul looked around more carefully, it saw as it were camps and many tents, fashioned with wonderful variety from purple and fine linen, and also from gold and silver and silk, in which it heard harps and organs, drums and lyres with players, and cymbals, and all kinds of musical instruments sounding together with most sweet melodies, and it said to the angel: “These tents and pavilions, to which souls do they belong?” And the angel said: “This,” he said, “is the rest of monks and nuns, who gladly and devoutly render the obedience they have promised to those set over them, who rejoice more to be subject than to rule, who, abandoning their own will, submit to the will of another, so that they may truly be able to say: ‘You have set men over our heads; we went through fire and water, and you brought us out into a place of refreshment’” [Psalm 66:12]. “Who, while they are in the body, savour heavenly things and restrain their tongues not only from evil, but even, out of love of silence, hold them back from good, who are able to say to the Lord: ‘We were struck dumb and humbled, and we kept silence from good things, and by the hearing of the ear we have obeyed you’” [cf. Psalm 39:2–3; Job 42:5]. “Such as these have thrones and tents, in which without ceasing they sing praises to the Redeemer and giver of all good things.” And the soul said: “If it pleases you, I wish to draw nearer and to see those who are within.” And the angel said: “It pleases me indeed that you should see and hear them, but you shall not enter to them. For these enjoy the presence of the Holy Trinity, and if anyone once enters among them, forgetful of all that has gone before, he is no longer separated from the company of the saints, unless perhaps he be a virgin and may deserve to be joined to the choirs of angels.” And drawing nearer, they saw within monks of both sexes who were like angels, whose voices in sweetness and delight seemed to surpass all musical instruments. And although all the souls which it had seen before in other places shone with great brightness, yet the splendour of these and their delightful fragrance and most sweet sound surpassed all the glory previously seen. All the instruments gave forth sound without anyone labouring, yet all this sweetness was surpassed by the voices of the spirits, for whom there was no effort in the raising of their voices. For they did not seem to move their lips, nor did they trouble to raise their hands to musical instruments, and yet, at the will of each, the melody resounded. Moreover, the firmament which was above their heads shone greatly, from which there hung chains of the purest gold interwoven with silver rods, worked in most beautiful variety, from which hung cups and bowls, cymbals and little bells, lilies and golden spheres. Among these there moved a great multitude of angels flying and having golden wings, who, with gentle flight, moving among the chains, gave forth a most sweet and delightful sound to those who heard.

⁴⁴ On the defenders and builders of churches.

⁴⁵ When, therefore, the soul, twice delighted by the visions, wished to remain there, the angel said to it: “Look.” And looking, it saw one tree, very great and very broad, most green with leaves and flowers, and most fruitful with every kind of fruit. In its branches many birds of different colours and different voices remained, singing and making music; beneath its branches also there sprang up very many lilies and roses and all kinds of grasses and fragrant plants. And beneath the same tree there were many men and women in cells of gold and ivory, and they without ceasing praised and blessed almighty God for all benefits and gifts, and each of them had a golden crown upon his head, wonderfully adorned, and each held a golden sceptre in his hand, and they were clothed in such garments as the monks had worn before. Then the soul, turning to the angel, said: “What is this tree, and who are those souls who are beneath it? What good did they do while they were in the body?” And the angel said: “This tree is a figure of the holy Church, and these men and women who are beneath it were builders and defenders of the holy churches, who strove either to build or to defend churches, and for the benefits which they bestowed upon the holy churches they obtained their fellowship, and, at their exhortation, abandoning their worldly way of life, they restrained themselves from carnal desires which wage war against the soul; they lived soberly and justly and devoutly in this world, awaiting the blessed hope, which, as you see, does not put them to shame.” And he added: “Let us go on.”

⁴⁶ On the glory of virgins and the nine orders of angels.

⁴⁷ And when they had gone on, they saw a wall unlike the others in height, beauty, and splendour. For it was built well from all kinds of precious stones of various colours, with metals set between, so that it seemed to have gold for mortar. Its stones were crystal, chrysolite, beryl, jasper, jacinth, emerald, sapphire, onyx, topaz, sardius, chrysoprase, amethyst, turquoise, and garnet. With these and similar stones the wall shone, greatly drawing the minds of those who saw it into love of it. Ascending the wall, they saw without doubt what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him [1 Corinthians 2:9]. For they saw there the nine orders of blessed spirits, namely angels, archangels, virtues, principalities, powers, dominations, thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim. And they heard unspeakable words which it is not possible for a man to speak, nor is it permitted [2 Corinthians 12:4]. Then the angel said to the soul: “Hear, daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house, and the king shall desire your beauty” [Psalm 45:10–11]. What shall I say? It is clear to all how great is the delight, how great the joy, how great the dignity and what exaltation it is to be present among the choirs of angels, to see the praiseworthy number of patriarchs and prophets, to see the radiant army of martyrs, to hear the new song of virgins, to see the glorious choir of the apostles, to be worthy to share the company of the confessors, and, what surpasses every joy, to perceive him who is the bread of angels and the life of all as merciful and gracious. From that place, therefore, in which they then stood, they saw not only all the glory which they had seen before, but also the punishments of the same penalties, and, what we marvel at more, they were able to see the whole world as if under a single ray of the sun. For nothing could dull the sight of the creature to whom it has once been granted to see the Creator of all. And in a wondrous way, although they stood in the same place in which they had stood before, not turning themselves to another direction, yet from that same place they saw all things set before and behind. And not only sight, but also an unusual knowledge was given to it, so that it had no need to ask anything further, but knew openly and completely whatever it wished.

⁴⁸ On Saint Ruadan the confessor.

⁴⁹ When this was so, Saint Ruadan the confessor came to her with great joy, greeting her and embracing her with the deepest affection of charity, and said: “The Lord keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore” [Psalm 121:8]. “I am,” he said, “Ruadan, your patron, to whom you are rightly bound for burial.” And when he had said this, he stood, saying nothing more.

⁵⁰ On Saint Patrick and four notable bishops.

⁵¹ But she, looking, saw Saint Patrick, the apostle of the Irish, with a great company of bishops, among whom she saw four bishops known to her, namely Celestine, Archbishop of Armagh, and Malachy, who succeeded the same man in the archbishopric, who, coming to Rome in the time of Pope Innocent, was appointed by him as legate and archbishop, who divided whatever he was able to have among the holy monasteries and the poor. He was the founder of fifty-four communities of monks, canons, and nuns, for whom he provided all necessities and kept nothing at all for himself. There also she saw Christian, bishop of Lismore, the uterine brother of the same Malachy, a man of remarkable continence and a lover of voluntary poverty, and Nemia, bishop of the city of Clonmacnoise, a simple and modest man, shining above others also in wisdom and chastity. These four bishops she recognised. There was also beside them one seat marvellously adorned, on which no one sat. Then the soul said: “Whose is this seat, or why does it stand thus empty?” Malachy answered her, saying: “This seat is of one of our brothers, who has not yet departed from the body, but when he shall depart, he will sit in such a seat.” But while in all these things the soul was greatly delighted, the angel of the Lord, who had gone before her, came and gently addressing her said:

⁵² On the return of the soul to the body.

⁵³ “Have you seen all these things?” he said. And the soul, answering, said: “I have seen, lord; I beg you, allow me to remain here.” And the angel said: “You must return to your body and retain in memory all that you have seen for the benefit of your neighbours.” But when the soul heard that it must return to the body, answering with great sorrow and weeping, it said: “Lord, what great evil have I ever done, that I must return to my body, leaving behind such great glory?” “None,” said the angel, “are worthy to enter here except virgins, who keep their bodies from the touch of carnal desire and would rather be burned than be defiled by the foul indulgences of lust for the sake of such great and glorious reward. But you were unwilling to believe the words of the Scriptures, and therefore you will not be able to remain here. Return, therefore, to your body, from which you came out, and strive to abstain from those things which you formerly did. Our counsel and help will not fail you, but will remain with you both present and faithful.” And when the angel had said this, the soul turned back, and when it tried to move, it quickly felt itself weighed down by the burden of the body. For it perceived no interval, nor any delay of time, but in one and the same moment of time it spoke in heaven with the angel and felt itself on earth to be clothed again with its body. Then, weak, it opened its bodily eyes and, sighing and saying nothing, looked at the clerics standing around. Therefore, receiving the body of the Lord with thanksgiving, it distributed all that it had among the poor and ordered the sign of the holy cross to be placed upon its garments with which it was clothed. And afterwards it recounted to us all that it had seen, and urged us to lead a good life, and the word of God, which before it had not known, it preached with great devotion and humility and knowledge. But we, because we are not able to imitate its life, have at least endeavoured to write these things for the benefit of readers. And so we humbly and devoutly beg your clemency, O illustrious G., that you would keep memory of us, though unworthy, in your prayers, that we may please him who surpasses all that we have spoken of before, Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom is honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

⁵⁴ Here ends the vision of a certain knight named Tnugdal.