University of Virginia Library

And Fursous now about an Irish man
A monkish Visionary clinkd his Can.
Did Angels in his Extasy behold
And a darke vally under him, its told,
And in the Sky four Fires nigh equally
A distant each from each. He now doth cry,
What mean these Fires? An Angell saith these shall
Burn up the World. One must on lyars fall
That their baptismall promise over slip.
Another Carnall Worldlings shall whip.
The third shall roast all janglers; and the last
Shall have ungodly persons in it Cast.
These fires so grew they make one mighty flame,
And nigh him got. He trembling out cries came
But hath this answer, that it shall n't thee burn:
Thou hast not kindled it, yet it shall turn
And try mens deeds, and then an Angell rose
Parted the flames, and twain on each side goes.
Then Divells through the fire flew to enfire
Wars up against the righteous with desire.
The wicked Spirits him accuse, the Good
Defend him, which once ore, three Angells stood,
By him, who to the body him Convay'd,
The other being fled to heaven its said,
But drawing nigh the foresaid fire, there came
An Angell as before, parting the same
But coming where a doore lay ope betwixt
The Flames, the filthy fiends a person fixt
There in the fires, whirle at him, and him smite
Upon his Cheek and shoulder by that weight.
He knew the man thus thrown was one, whose vest
He when he was departed, had possesst.
The Angell Cast him in the fire again.
The fiend reply'd, Cast not off him you've ta'ne
For as ye of the Sinners Goods are heir
So of his punishments ye ought to share.
Not so the Angell said. He tooke this not
For Covetousness, but as its justly got
To help support his life, then dy'de the fire.
The angell turnd then to him, and spake higher
That burns on thee that thou didst take of his.
And told him how he must shun all amiss.
But when this man in body was restor'd
The marke the fire unto him did afford,
Though given in his Soule his body bore
Most visible, as long as life therefore
Remaind, he would to all men open shew
A wonder strang: surely more strange than true.