University of Virginia Library

In th'Countrey of Incanning in the land
Northumber, as Drithelm there did stand,
Fell sick, and in the Evning dies, and while
His Wife and Friends with tears and sorrows boile
About the Bier the morning after, he
Reviv'd and rose; all affrighted he doth flee
He calls and saith unto his wife, feare not
In truth I am from death, arose, and got
To live again with men: not as before,
Then up he gets, and to the Oratore
Continuing there in prayer, and doth divide
His State, a third doth to his wife ascribe,
A third to's Chi[l]dren, to himselfe a third
Which to the Poor he quickly doth afford.
And freed from worldly Cares he packs into
Mailros's Monastry shut up also
Nigh in a Cranke of Twedes brave river cleare
Is Abbated and with a shav'd Crown there
Continues till his dying day contrite.
As was most fitting unto --- a weight,
In heart, and life, and many things doth finde
The which he most conceald: yet one thus goes,
A glorious person quoth hee, came and throws
This speech out, lets walke silently due East
And so we to a Vale came as we prest
Still on, of vast Length, breadth, and deapth possesst
Which on our left hand lay. One side on't was
Extreamly terrible with flames that flash,
The other side Extreamly terrible
With furious Haile and Snow most horrible,
Whirling and overturning all things there:
Both filld with souls of men that tossed were
From side to side by th'fury of these gusts
A recompence unto their sins and lusts.
Th'Intolerable Flames did make them leap
Unto the other Side where th'Cold so Great
Did make them skip again into the flames.
And thus they torturde are in endless pains.
And while I saw innumerable Ghosts
And Ugly Spirits in those torments rost
I thought this might parhaps be hell whose flash
I oft had heard intollerable was.
My guide before me said deem no such thing.
This is not Hell these soules are tortur'd in.
He led me all amazd to th'further side
Where suddenly all Darkness did us hide.
Wherein I nothing saw except the shape
And Vest of him that thither did me take.
And going on in darkness through the shades,
There wallop up oft balls of Flames t'invade's,
As leaping out of a Deep Pit profound,
And down they flap again with dismall sound.
And here my guide slinks from [me] suddenly.
And left me here where balls of fire out fly
And down do flap again, in which I spide
Men's spirits wafted up, and down beside
Which those flames vomited like ashes light
And smoake, which fell down in the gulph from sight
Again, and in these vapours issued out
A Stinck incomparable all about.
And while I trembling stood and what to do
I could not tell, a dreadfull sound came to
Mine ears of Cruell wretched Weeping, and
Of yawling Laughter of Fowl Spirits Damn'd
To se the Souls of men thus ban filled
There in these fires, and never Cancilled.
So far as I could know one of these men
A Shavling was, Clarke like, another then
A laick, and a Certain woman too
Was there, and these the Wicked Spirits drew
To tumble in this pit of burning fire.
Then Horrid sound did less distinct me tire.
But some of the Black Fiends ascended yet
Out of the flame spitting deep Whirly pit
Surround me paw upon me gusting out
With flaming Eye: from mouth and Nosthrills stout,
A stinking fire, and threat'ned mee to take
Proabing with red hot tongues from th'firy lake.
I thus shut up on evry side with foes
And blindness great of Darkness, my Eye goes
Me round each way, if I could succor spy,
And back the way I came here I descry
Therein a Light as of a Star that shines,
In darkness, which grew lighter in its lines,
Which when it came unto me all these fi[e]nds
With firy tongs are scattred, fly like winds.
And he that brought me hither now appears
To Chase them all away. Thus farewell fears.
And turning on the Right hand way, begun
To have me to the Winter rising Sun.
Now soon he led me out, darkness goodnight,
Into the air of a most serene light,
Where I espide the fastest wall, whose length
This and that way, and height's beyond Extendth:
Without Gate, Window, Stares, whereat amazd,
Yet on its top, I knew not how, we're raisd,
And lo, there was a Field there lay most wide
And pleasant too with fragrant flowers beside,
And such a Light, that was more Cleare, full soon,
Above the shining Day, or Sun at noon.
Innumerable Packs of men and thrones
Of Joyous troops possesst it for their own.
And now methought this Heaven was which I
Had often heard held out, top full of joy.
My Guide replide, This is not Heaven, nay,
But going on I spide before me lay
A greater Grace of light by far than this,
Filld with the Voice of Singers most sweet, yes
And fragrent Oders wonderfull, that that
I felt before seemd very small thereat.
And when I hopt to enter in't, my Guide
Stood sudden still, and back again did slide.
But turning back, when we came nigh unto
Those joyous Mansions of these spirits who
Were all in White, Knowst what these things, saith he,
Are, which thou sawst? I answerd No. These be
Saith he, as follow, lo, the Vale of Fire
And Cold, 's the place where those that do expire
Without repentance till last gasp, are tride
And in their Souls Chasetisd, cause then they Cride.
And in the judgment day they savd shall bee,
By Prayrs, Alms, Fasts, and Masses of men free
Done for them here. But that Flame belching pit
Is Hells own mouth, none in't get out of it.