supposed, and had, during such absence, been conducted by an angel into the invisible world. The first object seen there was a valley, considerable in depth and breadth, and infinite in length, occupied, on one side, by a region of fire, on the other, by a region of intense frost. In both these quarters were crowds of human souls, which, being tortured unbearably on either side, flitted unceasingly across the vale: thus exposing themselves, under the impatience of despair, to constant and rapid alterations of fire and frost. This was a place, as Drighthelm was informed, in which the spirits were confined of those, who, having deferred confession and amendment to the very end of life, but being truly repentant then, were doomed to feel these distressing transitions from scorching heat to piercing cold, for their examination and castigation: heaven being in store for them on the day of judgment at farthest. But it was added, the prayers of survivors, alms, fasts, and above all the celebration of masses, may help them out of this unhappy region of extremes, something before the final consummation. Drighthelm also was taken to see an enormous pit, from which incessantly arose masses of fire, and an overpowering stench. The burning masses were full of human souls, the horror of whose condition was fearfully attested by lamentable groans. To other inhabitants of this fell abode, however, the miseries which excited these expressions of anguish were a source of merriment. Demons appeared to have been rendered thereby callous to their own sufferings, and hence indulged in continuous shouts of laughter. Some of these infernal spirits espying Drighthelm, arose with burning tongs, and

endeavouring to seize him, filled him with alarm. His heavenly conductor, however, delivered him from their power, and informed him that this pit was hell; a horrible abyss, into which a fall was hopeless. The entranced Northumbrian likewise was indulged with a sight of a most delightful plain, perfumed by vernal flowers, and occupied by companies of blissful individuals clothed in white. This was the abode of those spirits which had left the world in virtue, but wanting something of perfection, were not to enter heaven until the day of judgment. Nor was Drighthelm denied a glimpse of heaven itself, and he was told, that those who die perfect in word and deed, are immediately admitted within its portals. (Bed. Eccl. Hist. lib. V. c. 13. ed. Wheloc. p. 411.)

Mr. Southey, who, in his Vindiciæ, (p. 174.) relates this poetic tale with greater fulness, has well observed of St. Fursey's vision, that it may be justly compared to the dream in Pilgrim's Progress. The same thing may be fairly said of both these ancient visions; and, perhaps, the more discerning propagators of both looked upon them rather as popular vehicles of instruction than as realities.

The doctrines inculcated in the two visions are evidently these following: That the best men pass directly from human life to heaven, the worst men to hell: that men who have spent a considerable space of time not unworthily of their Christian calling, pass directly from human life to paradise, while those who have deferred repentance until they come to die, but then have effected it, pass into purgatory. This last principle is thus asserted in the explanatory speech of the angel to

Drighthelm, as found in the homily upon that ascetic's vision.

Seo mycle bynnende dene pe du ærest zeraze is pitnung stopa on þæɲa beoð þæɲe monna rapla zepitnode zeclænrode þe noldon heoɲa rýnna puph andetnesse & dædbote zerihtlæcan on life. Ac hi hærbon rpa þeah behɲeorunze æt hýɲa ende-nextan daze. I spa zepiton mid þære behneorunze of peoɲlde 7 becumad on domer-æze ealle to heoponan nice. Eac hi rume puɲh holdɲa monna fultume 7 puph ealmer-dædum de hi mon Fore doð. ealɲa spiðort þuɲh þa halize merran hi beo alyrde of þam pitum æp þam mýclum dome. (Bibl. Publ. Cant. MSS. Ii. 1–33. p. 442.) The great burning vale, which thou sawest before, is a punishing-place, in which the souls are punished and cleansed of those men who would not correct their sins, through confession and penitence, in life. But yet they had repentance at their last day, and so passed repentant from the world, and they will all come, on doom's-day, to the kingdom of heaven. Also some of them, through the aid of friendly people, and through alms-deeds, which men do for them, and most of all, through the holy mass, are released from the punishments ere the great judgment.

28 Nir na eallum mannum re zemænlica dead zelice earpode ac foɲ-oft becýmð þam rýnfullan menn sumeɲa sýnna forzÿfennýrre þuph þone eaproðan dead pe hýne rpa rpide drehte punh þone ozan þær ezerlican deades. Sume eac blirriad on heona ford-side for-oft lice zereoð hý rceolan to perte reo rapule

spa zepit of life.

ponne hý pitodand gladað þonne Sumeɲa manna

rapula siðiað to reste. æfter heoɲa forð-side· ] rume farað to pitum be pam pe hi pophton æn

beod eft alуrede puph ælmer-dæda. I spidost þuɲh pa mærran zip him man fone de 7 rume beoð for-demde mid þam deople to helle. ne cým he nærne þanon re pe æne cymd to perte ne cým he nærne to pitum. Seo rapul hæð. гpа гpa ur reczas bec⋅ þær lichoman gelicnýrre on eallum heopa limum 7 heo gefret softnýrre oðde raɲnýƒƒе· гpa hрæden rpa heo on bið be pam þe heo zeearnode æp. Sume leahtrar beod on pirrum life gebette. I sume æfter deade spa spa ure drihten sæde ac pa micclan rynna ne mazon þær beon gebette· ne þam fordonan ne femma phim man foɲe-deð forðam þe he his ne zeearnode ær on his life. Da leohtan zyltar þa lýtlan rýnna beoð þonne areopmode J puphp pitmendlice Fyn nir naner cynner pite on þirrere porulde spa teaɲt sða sða þ ƒoƒeƒæde fyn þe afeonmað þa zýmelearan. Sume beoð þær lanze rume lytle hpile be pam pe him foɲe beod his freond hep on life earnode æn on hir life

be pam pe he zeæle mæz tocnapan

oþeɲne on þam life. 7 þa þe to neste becumað oncnapað roðlice ze pa þe hi æn cudon ze pa þe hi na ne cudon fondam pe hi on pel dædum pæɲon ær gelice. And þa halzan rapla þe on heofonum puniað gebiddað fon ur þe on eopdan puniad. J eac foɲ þam raplum þe rýndon on pitum J hi habbað gemýnd heoɲa holdɲa freonda. I pe mazon eac pinzian for þam þe on pitum beoð. I spiJust purh pa m惃an· ƒða ƒða ur reczad bec ac pam þe on helle beod ne helped nan fore þinzung. (Bibl. Bodl. MSS. Junii 99. Sermo ad Populum in

Octavis Pentecosten. f. 107.) The common death is not alike difficult to all men, but often cometh to sinful men forgiveness of some sins through the difficult death which so violently distressed them, and through the fear of dreadful death. Some also rejoice in their departure, occasionally, when they truly see that they are going to rest, and the soul gladdens and departs. Some men's souls go to rest, after their departure, and those of some, go to punishments, according to that which they wrought before, and are afterwards released through almsdeeds, and especially through the mass, if men do (these things) for them: and some are condemned with the devil to hell. They come never thence ; and he who once cometh to rest, never comes to punishments. The soul hath truly, even as books tell us, the likeness of the body in all its limbs, and it feels softness or soreness wherever it is, according to that which it earned before. Some vices are in this life amended, and some after death; even as our Lord said. But the great sins may not be amended there; nor profiteth it the lost that which men do for them, because they deserved nothing before in life. Light crimes and little sins are then purged through the . penal fire; and there is a punishment of no kind in this world so tart as that foresaid fire which purgeth the negligent. Some are there long, some a little while, according to what their friends do for them here, in life, and according to what they earned before, in life: each knows another, and those who come to rest know truly both those whom they knew before, and those whom they knew not, because they were in well deeds before alike. And the holy